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__label__wiki	0.947238	0.947238	Scooter Braun to Receive Humanitarian Award and Give Keynote Interview on His Philanthropic Mission at Music Biz 2018 in Nashville Scooter Braun will receive the Music Business Association’s (Music Biz) prestigious Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award at the Music Biz 2018 conference on May 17, 2018 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Braun will be honored at the conference’s Awards Luncheon, sponsored by BuzzAngle Music, for his outstanding charitable efforts, and will participate in a keynote interview focusing on his philanthropic mission. Braun has instilled philanthropy as a cornerstone of the SB Projects philosophy, designing a charitable element for each company initiative executed at the intersection of music, film, television, technology, brands, and culture. In 2017, Braun organized the One Love Manchester benefit concert following a terrorist attack at Manchester Arena during an Ariana Grande concert. The benefit featured a star-studded lineup that included Grande, Justin Bieber, The Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Marcus Mumford, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Katy Perry, Take That, Imogen Heap, Pharrell Williams, Robbie Williams, and Liam Gallagher. One Love Manchester raised over $22 million for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund supporting concert victims and their families. Three months later, Braun organized Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief telethon. The hour-long broadcast, containing A-list celebrities including George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, and Robert De Niro to name a few, raised more than $62 million to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. It was later announced that those affected by Hurricane Maria would also benefit from the event. Braun’s social good contributions extend beyond his work at SB Projects. Currently, he serves as Chair of the Advisory Board of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that has built more than 400 schools in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He is also on the board of Fuck Cancer, an organization co-founded by his wife, Yael Braun, which focuses on prevention and early detection of cancer. In addition, Braun, his clients, and his companies together have granted more wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation than any other organization in its history. “Scooter’s charitable efforts are the gold standard in philanthropy, providing substantial aid to victims of the Manchester terrorist attacks and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in this year alone,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “His dedication to philanthropy in every aspect of his business endeavors honors the giving spirit of our award namesake Harry Chapin and makes him fantastic company for previous honorees such as Paula Abdul, the T.J. Martell Foundation, Martina McBride, Dee Snider, Annie Lennox, Melissa Etheridge, Norman Lear, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Hilary Rosen, Michael Jackson, Rock the Vote, Hands Across America, Live Aid, and Chapin himself.” Braun established SB Projects in 2007, a full-service entertainment and media company that serves as an umbrella to his record label Schoolboy Records, management company Scooter Braun Projects, publishing company Sheba Publishing, and RBMG Records, a joint venture with long-time friend Usher. Braun has broken more new artists than any other music executive in the last decade. Today, the company works with a roster of music icons that includes Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Ariana Grande, Usher, Karlie Kloss, Tori Kelly, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Black Eyed Peas, and Martin Garrix. SB Projects houses a film and television production division, which made waves in the industry after the release of the Justin Bieber documentary, Never Say Never, produced by Braun. SB Projects continues to impact new verticals under its tech incubator, Silent Labs, which holds investments in Uber, Spotify, Songza, Casper, Waze, and Pinterest among others. Music Biz is the music industry’s premier event, giving the commerce and content sectors a place to meet with trading partners, network with new companies, and learn about new trends and products impacting the music business. The 2018 event will feature the presentation of the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement to Cary Sherman, CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a Breakthrough Artist Award to Republic Records singer/songwriter Julia Michaels, and the Independent Spirit Award to the Radakovitz Family, owners of the iconic Sacramento, CA-based record store chain Dimple Records, with much more to be announced. Those who would like to propose ideas for presentations, panels, case studies, or interviews can do so via the event’s official Call for Presentations, which is open now through November 10. Registration for Music Biz 2018 is open now at www.musicbiz2018.eventbrite.com, with special early bird rates available through March 2, 2018. For more information, visit www.musicbiz2018.com. About the Music Business Association The Music Business Association (Music Biz) is a membership organization that advances and promotes music commerce — a community committed to the full spectrum of monetization models in the industry. It provides common ground by offering thought leadership, resources, and unparalleled networking opportunities, all geared to the specific needs of its membership. Music Biz brings a unique perspective and valuable insight into the trends and changes that innovation brings. Today, we put our collective experience to work across all delivery models: physical, digital, mobile, and more. Music Biz and its members are committed to building the future of music commerce — together. Music Biz Media Contact Laurie Jakobsen, Jaybird Communications — laurie@jaybirdcom.com, 646.484.6764	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line848
__label__cc	0.522067	0.477933	Archive for the ‘HIPAA Law’ Category Civil Rights, fathers rights, mothers rights, Parental Rights Amendment, Parents rights Parental Rights Amendment Reaches 110 Co-Sponsors In Alienation of Affection, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, CPS, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, kidnapped children, Liberty, Marriage, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Relocation, Parental Rights Amendment on July 28, 2009 at 5:16 pm New CoSponsors in the House – and Senate! This morning, in conjunction with Representative Hoekstra’s office, we proudly sent out the following press release: Grassroots Movement behind Effort to Ensure Parents’ Rights to Raise their Children FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / July 27, 2009 / Washington, D.C. – A Constitutional Amendment to protect the parent-child relationship introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Michigan, has reached 110 co-sponsors in the House. “More and more members of Congress are recognizing the threat from government and foreign interference into the parent-child relationship,” Hoekstra said. “I encourage my colleagues to support the initiative by co-sponsoring the Parents’ Rights Amendment.” The Parental Rights Amendment (H.J.Res.42) would state explicitly in the U.S. Constitution that parents have a fundamental right to raise their children as they see fit, while protecting against abuse and neglect. Threats to the parent-child relationship include potential Senate ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and the erosion of fundamental parental rights in our federal courts. “Just about every member of Congress agrees with the legal principle that parents have the fundamental right to make decisions for the upbringing of their children,” said Michael Farris, J.D., president of Parentalrights.org. “Because of international law and shifting judicial philosophies, the right is being steadily undermined. We now have 110 members of Congress with the foresight to say that we need to protect this long-standing right before the erosion goes too far. We appreciate the leadership of Pete Hoekstra and the 109 other members of Congress who believe that it is important to secure the rights of American families for generations to come.” More information on the Parental Rights Amendment can be viewed at http://www.parentalrights.org. In addition, we also received word that Senator Coburn of Oklahoma has signed on as a cosponsor of S.J. Res. 16, the Parental Rights Amendment in the Senate. This brings our total in the Senate to three (3) – a slow but important start. While there is no way to track the direct effects of your calls and emails and our visits last week, it is safe to assume that at least some of these cosponsors would not have signed on before the summer break without this contact. When we visited Congress last week, everyone we spoke to was already aware of the Amendment – a major change from just four months ago! Our thanks and congratulations to you for your efforts to bring this vital issue to the attention of your Senators and Congressmen. With help like yours, we will win! Children's Right Civil Rights, family court, parental rights, State Laws Decisions of the United States Supreme Court Upholding Parental Rights as “Fundamental” In Alienation of Affection, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, CPS, custody, deadbeat dads, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Indians, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, Marriage, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Relocation, parental rights, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Restraining Orders, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, Sociopath on June 29, 2009 at 8:24 pm by Christopher J. Klicka, Esq. The Supreme Court of the United States has traditionally and continuously upheld the principle that parents have the fundamental right to direct the education and upbringing of their children. A review of cases taking up the issue shows that the Supreme Court has unwaveringly given parental rights the highest respect and protection possible. What follows are some of the examples of the Court’s past protection of parental rights. In Meyer v. Nebraska,1 the Court invalidated a state law which prohibited foreign language instruction for school children because the law did not “promote” education but rather “arbitrarily and unreasonably” interfered with “the natural duty of the parent to give his children education suitable to their station in life…” 2 The court chastened the legislature for attempting “materially to interfere… with the power of parents to control the education of their own.” 3 This decision clearly affirmed that the Constitution protects the preferences of the parent in education over those of the State. In the same decision, the Supreme Court also recognized that the right of the parents to delegate their authority to a teacher in order to instruct their children was protected within the liberty of the Fourteenth Amendment. 4 Furthermore, the Court emphasized, “The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right of the individual … to establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to his own conscience.”5 In 1925, the Supreme Court decided the Pierce v. Society of Sisters6 case, thereby supporting Meyer’s recognition of the parents’ right to direct the religious upbringing of their children and to control the process of their education. In Pierce, the Supreme Court struck down an Oregon compulsory education law which, in effect, required attendance of all children between ages eight and sixteen at public schools. The Court declared, Under the doctrine of Meyer v. Nebraska, we think it entirely plain that the Act of 1922 unreasonably interferes with the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children.7 [emphasis supplied] In addition to upholding the right of parents to direct the upbringing and the education of their children, Pierce also asserts the parents’ fundamental right to keep their children free from government standardization. The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excluded any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right and the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.8 [emphasis supplied] The Supreme Court uses strong language in asserting that children are not “the mere creature of the State.” The holding in Pierce, therefore, preserves diversity of process of education by forbidding the State to standardize the education of children through forcing them to only accept instruction from public schools. In Farrington v. Tokushige, the Court again upheld parental liberty by striking down legislation which the Court admitted would have destroyed most, if not all private schools. 9 The Court noted that the parent has the right to direct the education of his own child without unreasonable restrictions.10 In support of this assertion the Court explained, The capacity to impart instruction to others is given by the Almighty for beneficent purposes and its use may not be forbidden or interfered with by government — certainly not, unless such instruction is, in its nature, harmful to the public morals or imperils the public safety. 11 The parents’ right to instruct their children clearly takes precedence over the state’s regulatory interest unless the public safety is endangered. Similarly, in Prince v. Massachusetts,12 the Supreme Court admitted the high responsibility and right of parents to control the upbringing of their children against that of the State. It is cardinal with us that the custody, care, and nurture of the child reside first in the parents, whose primary function and freedom include preparation for obligations the State can neither supply nor hinder.13 [emphasis supplied] Twenty-one years later, the Supreme Court, in Griswold v. Connecticut, emphasized that the state cannot interfere with the right of a parent to control his child’s education. 14 The Court stated that the right to educate one’s child as one chooses is guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and applicable to the States by the First and Fourteenth Amendments.15 Forty-eight years after Pierce, the U.S. Supreme Court once again upheld Pierce as “the charter of the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.” 16 In agreement with Pierce, Chief Justice Burger stated in the opinion of Wisconsin v. Yoder in 1972: This case involves the fundamental interest of parents, as contrasted with that of the state, to guide the religious future and education of their children. The history and culture of Western civilization reflect a strong tradition of parental concern for the nurture and upbringing of their children. This primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring tradition. 17 [emphasis supplied] This case involved a family of the Amish religion who wanted to be exempt after eighth grade from the public schools to be instructed at home. In its opinion the U.S. Supreme Court further emphasized that: Thus a state’s interest in universal education, however highly we rank it, is not totally free from a balancing process when it impinges on fundamental rights and interests, such as those specifically protected by the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, and the traditional interest of parents with respect to the religious upbringing of their children . . . This case involves the fundamental and religious future and education of their children. 18 [emphasis supplied] Consequently, it is clear the constitutional right of a parent to direct the upbringing and education of his child is firmly entrenched in the U.S. Supreme Court case history. Furthermore, a higher standard of review applies to fundamental rights such as parental liberty than to other rights. When confronted with a conflict between parents’ rights and state regulation, the court must apply the “compelling interest test.” Under this test, the state must prove that its infringement on the parents’ liberty is essential to fulfill a compelling interest and is the least restrictive means of fulfilling this state interest. Simply proving the regulation is reasonable is not sufficient. Below are excerpts from over a dozen United States Supreme Court cases where, primarily in dicta, the Court has declared parental rights to be fundamental rights which require a higher standard of review (i.e. the “compelling interest test”). 1. Paris Adult Theater v. Slaton, 413 US 49, 65 (1973) In this case, the Court includes the right of parents to rear children among rights “deemed fundamental.” Our prior decisions recognizing a right to privacy guaranteed by the 14th Amendment included only personal rights that can be deemed fundamental or implicit in the concept of ordered liberty . . . This privacy right encompasses and protects the personal intimacies of the home, the family, marriage, motherhood, procreation, and child rearing . . . cf . . . Pierce v. Society of Sisters; Meyer v. Nebraska . . . nothing, however, in this Court’s decisions intimates that there is any fundamental privacy right implicit in the concept of ordered liberty to watch obscene movies and places of public accommodation. [emphasis supplied] 2. Carey v. Population Services International, 431 US 678, 684-686 (1977) Once again, the Court includes the right of parents in the area of “child rearing and education” to be a liberty interest protected by the Fourteenth Amendment, requiring an application of the “compelling interest test.” Although the Constitution does not explicitly mention any right of privacy, the Court has recognized that one aspect of the liberty protected by the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment is a “right of personal privacy or a guarantee of certain areas or zones of privacy . . . This right of personal privacy includes the interest and independence in making certain kinds of important decisions . . . While the outer limits of this aspect of privacy have not been marked by the Court, it is clear that among the decisions that an individual may make without unjustified government interference are personal decisions relating to marriage . . . family relationships, Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 US 158 (1944); and child rearing and education, Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 US 510 (1925); Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 US 390 (1923).’ [emphasis supplied] The Court continued by explaining that these rights are not absolute and, certain state interests . . . may at some point become sufficiently compelling to sustain regulation of the factors that govern the abortion decision . . . Compelling is, of course, the key word; where decisions as fundamental as whether to bear or beget a child is involved, regulations imposing a burden on it may be justified only by a compelling state interest, and must be narrowly drawn to express only those interests. [emphasis supplied] 3. Maher v. Roe, 432 US 464, 476-479 (1977) We conclude that the Connecticut regulation does not impinge on the fundamental right recognized in Roe … There is a basic difference between direct state interference with a protected activity and state encouragement of an alternative activity consonant with legislative policy … This distinction is implicit in two cases cited in Roe in support of the pregnant woman’s right under the 14th Amendment. In Meyer v. Nebraska. . . the Court held that the teacher’s right thus to teach and the right of parents to engage in so to instruct their children were within the liberty of the 14th Amendment . . . In Pierce v. Society of Sisters . . . the Court relied on Meyer . . . reasoning that the 14th Amendment’s concept of liberty excludes any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The Court held that the law unreasonably interfered with the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of the children under their control … Both cases invalidated substantial restrictions of constitutionally protected liberty interests: in Meyer, the parent’s right to have his child taught a particular foreign language; in Pierce, the parent’s right to choose private rather than public school education. But neither case denied to a state the policy choice of encouraging the preferred course of action … Pierce casts no shadow over a state’s power to favor public education by funding it — a policy choice pursued in some States for more than a century … Indeed in Norwood v. Harrison, 413 US 455, 462, (1973), we explicitly rejected the argument that Pierce established a “right of private or parochial schools to share with the public schools in state largesse,” noting that “It is one thing to say that a state may not prohibit the maintenance of private schools and quite another to say that such schools must as a matter of equal protection receive state aid” … We think it abundantly clear that a state is not required to show a compelling interest for its policy choice to favor a normal childbirth anymore than a state must so justify its election to fund public, but not private education. [emphasis supplied] Although the Maher decision unquestionably recognizes parents’ rights as fundamental rights, the Court has clearly indicated that private schools do not have a fundamental right to state aid, nor must a state satisfy the compelling interest test if it chooses not to give private schools state aid. The Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act simply reaffirms the right of parents to choose private education as fundamental, but it does not make the right to receive public funds a fundamental right. The PRRA, therefore, does not in any way promote or strengthen the concept of educational vouchers. 4. Parham v. J.R., 442 US 584, 602-606 (1979). This case involves parent’s rights to make medical decisions regarding their children’s mental health. The lower Court had ruled that Georgia’s statutory scheme of allowing children to be subject to treatment in the state’s mental health facilities violated the Constitution because it did not adequately protect children’s due process rights. The Supreme Court reversed this decision upholding the legal presumption that parents act in their children’s best interest. The Court ruled: Our jurisprudence historically has reflected Western civilization concepts of the family as a unit with broad parental authority over minor children. Our cases have consistently followed that course; our constitutional system long ago rejected any notion that a child is “the mere creature of the State” and, on the contrary, asserted that parents generally “have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare [their children] for additional obligations.” Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 535 (1925) … [other citations omitted] . . . The law’s concept of the family rests on a presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life’s difficult decisions. More important, historically it has been recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children. 1 W. Blackstone, Commentaries 447; 2 J. Kent, Commentaries on American Law 190. As with so many other legal presumptions, experience and reality may rebut what the law accepts as a starting point; the incidence of child neglect and abuse cases attests to this. That some parents “may at times be acting against the interests of their children” … creates a basis for caution, but it is hardly a reason to discard wholesale those pages of human experience that teach that parents generally do act in the child’s best interest … The statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” [emphasis supplied] Parental rights are clearly upheld in this decision recognizing the rights of parents to make health decisions for their children. The Court continues by explaining the balancing that must take place: Nonetheless, we have recognized that a state is not without constitutional control over parental discretion in dealing with children when their physical or mental health is jeopardized (See Wisconsin v. Yoder; Prince v. Massachusetts). Moreover, the Court recently declared unconstitutional a state statute that granted parents an absolute veto over a minor child’s decisions to have an abortion, Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth, 428 US 52 (1976), Appellees urged that these precedents limiting the traditional rights of parents, if viewed in the context of a liberty interest of the child and the likelihood of parental abuse, require us to hold that parent’s decision to have a child admitted to a mental hospital must be subjected to an exacting constitutional scrutiny, including a formal, adversary, pre-admission hearing. Appellees’ argument, however, sweeps too broadly. Simply because the decision of a parent is not agreeable to a child, or because it involves risks does not automatically transfer power to make that decision from the parents to some agency or officer of the state. The same characterizations can be made for a tonsillectomy, appendectomy, or other medical procedure. Most children, even in adolescence, simply are not able to make sound judgements concerning many decisions, including their need for medical care or treatment. Parents can and must make those judgements … we cannot assume that the result in Meyer v. Nebraska, supra, and Pierce v. Society of Sisters, supra, would have been different if the children there had announced a preference to learn only English or preference to go to a public, rather that a church school. The fact that a child may balk at hospitalization or complain about a parental refusal to provide cosmetic surgery does not diminish the parent’s authority to decide what is best for the child (See generally Goldstein, Medical Case for the Child at Risk: on State Supervention of Parental Autonomy, 86 Yale LJ 645, 664-668 (1977); Bennett, Allocation of Child Medical Care Decision — Making Authority: A Suggested Interest Analyses, 62 Va LR ev 285, 308 (1976). Neither state officials nor federal Courts are equipped to review such parental decisions. [emphasis supplied] Therefore, it is clear that the Court is recognizing parents as having the right to make judgments concerning their children who are not able to make sound decisions, includingtheir need for medical care. A parent’s authority to decide what is best for the child in the areas of medical treatment cannot be diminished simply because a child disagrees. A parent’s right must be protected and not simply transferred to some state agency. 5. Santosky v. Kramer, 455 US 745, 753 (1982) This case involved the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court affirming the application of the preponderance of the evidence standard as proper and constitutional in ruling that the parent’s rights are permanently terminated. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, vacated the lower Court decision, holding that due process as required under the 14th Amendment in this case required proof by clear and convincing evidence rather than merely a preponderance of the evidence. The Court, in reaching their decision, made it clear that parents’ rights as outlined in Pierce and Meyer are fundamental and specially protected under the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court began by quoting another Supreme Court case: In Lassiter [Lassiter v. Department of Social Services, 452 US 18, 37 (1981)], it was “not disputed that state intervention to terminate the relationship between a parent and a child must be accomplished by procedures meeting the requisites of the Due Process Clause”. . . The absence of dispute reflected this Court’s historical recognition that freedom of personal choice in matters of family life is a fundamental liberty interest protected by the 14th Amendment … Pierce v. Society of Sisters … Meyer v. Nebraska. The fundamental liberty interest of natural parents in the care, custody, and management of their child does not evaporate simply because they have not been model parents or have lost temporary custody of their child to the state … When the state moves to destroy weakened familial bonds, it must provide the parents with fundamentally fair procedures. [emphasis supplied] 6. City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health Inc., 462 US 416, 461 (1983) This case includes, in a long list of protected liberties and fundamental rights, the parental rights guaranteed under Pierce and Meyer. The Court indicated a compelling interest test must be applied. Central among these protected liberties is an individual’s freedom of personal choice in matters of marriage and family life … Roe … Griswold … Pierce v. Society of Sisters … Meyer v. Nebraska … But restrictive state regulation of the right to choose abortion as with other fundamental rights subject to searching judicial examination, must be supported by a compelling state interest. [emphasis supplied] 7. Lehr v. Robertson, 463 US 248, 257-258 (1983) In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a decision against a natural father’s rights under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses since he did not have any significant custodial, personal, or financial relationship with the child. The natural father was challenging an adoption. The Supreme Court stated: In some cases, however, this Court has held that the federal constitution supersedes state law and provides even greater protection for certain formal family relationships. In those cases … the Court has emphasized the paramount interest in the welfare of children and has noted that the rights of the parents are a counterpart of the responsibilities they have assumed. Thus, the liberty of parents to control the education of their children that was vindicated in Meyer v. Nebraska … and Pierce v. Society of Sisters … was described as a “right coupled with the high duty to recognize and prepare the child for additional obligations” … The linkage between parental duty and parental right was stressed again in Prince v. Massachusetts … The Court declared it a cardinal principle “that the custody, care and nurture of the child reside first in the parents whose primary function and freedom include preparation for obligations the state can neither supply nor hinder.” In these cases, the Court has found that the relationship of love and duty in a recognized family unit is an interest in liberty entitled to Constitutional protection … “State intervention to terminate such a relationship … must be accomplished by procedures meeting the requisites of the Due Process Clause” Santosky v. Kramer … [emphasis supplied] It is clear by the above case that parental rights are to be treated as fundamental and cannot be taken away without meeting the constitutional requirement of due process. 8. Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 476 US 747 (1986) The U.S. Supreme Court declared, “Our cases long have recognized that the Constitution embodies a promise that a certain private sphere of individual liberty will be kept largely beyond the reach of government … Griswold v. Connecticut … Pierce v. Society of Sisters … Meyer v. Nebraska.” By citing Pierce, the Court included parental liberty in that protected sphere. 9. Board of Directors of Rotary International v. Rotary Club of Duarte, 481 US 537 (1987) In this case, a Californian civil rights statute was held not to violate the First Amendment by requiring an all male non-profit club to admit women to membership. The Court concluded that parents’ rights in child rearing and education are included as fundamental elements of liberty protected by the Bill of Rights. The Court has recognized that the freedom to enter into and carry on certain intimate or private relationships is a fundamental element of liberty protected by the Bill of Rights … the intimate relationships to which we have accorded Constitutional protection include marriage … the begetting and bearing of children, child rearing and education. Pierce v. Society of Sisters … [emphasis supplied] 10. Michael H. v. Gerald, 491 U.S. 110 (1989) In a paternity suit, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled: It is an established part of our constitution jurisprudence that the term liberty in the Due Process Clause extends beyond freedom from physical restraint. See, e.g. Pierce v. Society of Sisters … Meyer v. Nebraska … In an attempt to limit and guide interpretation of the Clause, we have insisted not merely that the interest denominated as a “liberty” be “fundamental” (a concept that, in isolation, is hard to objectify), but also that it be an interest traditionally protected by our society. As we have put it, the Due Process Clause affords only those protections “so rooted in the traditions and conscience of our people as to be ranked as fundamental” Snyder v. Massachusetts, 291 US 97, 105 (1934). [emphasis supplied] The Court explicitly included the parental rights under Pierce and Meyer as “fundamental” and interests “traditionally protected by our society.” 11. Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872 (1990) One of the more recent decisions which upholds the right of parents is Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith, which involved two Indians who were fired from a private drug rehabilitation organization because they ingested “peyote,” a hallucinogenic drug as part of their religious beliefs. When they sought unemployment compensation, they were denied because they were discharged for “misconduct.” The Indians appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals who reversed on the grounds that they had the right to freely exercise their religious beliefs by taking drugs. Of course, as expected, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the case and found that the First Amendment did not protect drug use. So what does the case have to do with parental rights? After the Court ruled against the Indians, it then analyzed the application of the Free Exercise Clause generally. The Court wrongly decided to throw out the Free Exercise Clause as a defense to any “neutral” law that might violate an individual’s religious convictions. In the process of destroying religious freedom, the Court went out of its way to say that the parents’ rights to control the education of their children is still a fundamental right. The Court declared that the “compelling interest test” is still applicable, not to the Free Exercise Clause alone: [B]ut the Free Exercise Clause in conjunction with other constitutional protections such as … the right of parents, acknowledged in Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925), to direct the education of their children, see Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S.205 (1972) invalidating compulsory-attendance laws as applied to Amish parents who refused on religious grounds to send their children to school.19 [emphasis supplied] In other words, under this precedent, parents’ rights to control the education of their children is considered a “constitutionally protected right” which requires the application of the compelling interest test. The Court in Smith quoted its previous case of Wisconsin v. Yoder: Yoder said that “The Court’s holding in Pierce stands as a charter for the rights of parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children. And when the interests of parenthood are combined with a free exercise claim … more than merely a reasonable relationship to some purpose within the competency of the State is required to sustain the validity of the State’s requirement under the First Amendment.” 406 U.S., at 233.20 [emphasis supplied] Instead of merely showing that a regulation conflicting with parents’ rights is reasonable, the state must, therefore, reach the higher standard of the “compelling interest test,” which requires the state to prove its regulation to be the least restrictive means. 12. Hodgson v. Minnesota, 497 U.S. 417 (1990) In Hodgson the Court found that parental rights not only are protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments as fundamental and more important than property rights, but that they are “deemed essential.” The family has a privacy interest in the upbringing and education of children and the intimacies of the marital relationship which is protected by the Constitution against undue state interference. See Wisconsin v Yoder, 7 406 US 205 … The statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” Parham, 442 US, at 603, [other citations omitted]. We have long held that there exists a “private realm of family life which the state cannot enter.” Prince v Massachusetts … A natural parent who has demonstrated sufficient commitment to his or her children is thereafter entitled to raise the children free from undue state interference. As Justice White explained in his opinion of the Court in Stanley v Illinois, 405 US 645 (1972) [other cites omitted]: “The court has frequently emphasized the importance of the family. The rights to conceive and to raise one’s children have been deemed ‘essential,’ Meyer v Nebraska, … ‘basic civil rights of man,’ Skinner v Oklahoma, 316 US 535, 541 (1942), and ‘[r]ights far more precious … than property rights,’ May v Anderson, 345 US 528, 533 (1953) … The integrity of the family unit has found protection in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Meyer v Nebraska, supra.” [emphasis supplied] The Court leaves no room for doubt as to the importance and protection of the rights of parents. 13. H.L. v. Matheson, 450 US 398, 410 (1991) In this case, the Supreme Court recognized the parents’ right to know about their child seeking an abortion. The Court stated: In addition, constitutional interpretation has consistently recognized that the parents’ claim to authority in their own household to direct the rearing of their children is basic in the structure of our society. Ginsberg v. New York, 390 US 629 (1968) … We have recognized on numerous occasions that the relationship between the parent and the child is Constitutionally protected (Wisconsin v. Yoder, Stanley v. Illinois, Meyer v. Nebraska) … “It is cardinal with us that the custody, care, and nurture of the child reside first in the parents, whose primary function and freedom includes preparation for obligations the state can neither supply, nor hinder.” [Quoting Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 US 158, 166, (1944)]. See also Parham v. J.R.; Pierce v. Society of Sisters … We have recognized that parents have an important “guiding role” to play in the upbringing of their children, Bellotti II, 443 US 633-639 … which presumptively includes counseling them on important decisions. This Court clearly upholds the parent’s right to know in the area of minor children making medical decisions. 14. Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton, 132 L.Ed.2d 564, 115 S.Ct. 2386 (1995) In Vernonia the Court strengthened parental rights by approaching the issue from a different point of view. They reasoned that children do not have many of the rights accorded citizens, and in lack thereof, parents and guardians possess and exercise those rights and authorities in the child’s best interest: Traditionally at common law, and still today, unemancipated minors lack some of the most fundamental rights of self-determination—including even the right of liberty in its narrow sense, i.e., the right to come and go at will. They are subject, even as to their physical freedom, to the control of their parents or guardians. See Am Jur 2d, Parent and Child § 10 (1987). 15. Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000) In this case the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark opinion on parental liberty. The case involved a Washington State statute which provided that a “court may order visitation rights for any person when visitation may serve the best interests of the child, whether or not there has been any change of circumstances.” Wash. Rev. Code § 26.10.160(3). The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Washington statute “unconstitutionally interferes with the fundamental right of parents to rear their children.” The Court went on to examine its treatment of parental rights in previous cases: In subsequent cases also, we have recognized the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children…Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205, 232, 32 L. Ed. 2d 15, 92 S. Ct. 1526 (1972) (“The history and culture of Western civilization reflect a strong tradition of parental concern for the nurture and upbringing of their children. This primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring American tradition”); Quilloin v. Walcott, 434 U.S. 246, 255, 54 L. Ed. 2d 511, 98 S. Ct. 549 (1978) (“We have recognized on numerous occasions that the relationship between parent and child is constitutionally protected”); Parham v. J. R., 442 U.S. 584, 602, 61 L. Ed. 2d 101, 99 S. Ct. 2493 (1979) (“Our jurisprudence historically has reflected Western civilization concepts of the family as a unit with broad parental authority over minor children. Our cases have consistently followed that course”); Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 753, 71 L. Ed. 2d 599, 102 S. Ct. 1388 (1982) (discussing “the fundamental liberty interest of natural parents in the care, custody, and management of their child”); Glucksberg, supra, at 720 (“In a long line of cases, we have held that, in addition to the specific freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights, the ‘liberty’ specially protected by the Due Process Clause includes the right … to direct the education and upbringing of one’s children” (citing Meyer and Pierce)). In light of this extensive precedent, it cannot now be doubted that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children. [emphasis supplied] This case clearly upholds parental rights. In essence, this decision means that the government may not infringe parents’ right to direct the education and upbringing of their children unless it can show that it is using the least restrictive means to achieve a compelling governmental interest. The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently protected parental rights, including it among those rights deemed fundamental. As a fundamental right, parental liberty is to be protected by the highest standard of review: the compelling interest test. As can be seen from the cases described above, parental rights have reached their highest level of protection in over 75 years. The Court decisively confirmed these rights in the recent case of Troxel v. Granville, which should serve to maintain and protect parental rights for many years to come. Copyright 2003 Home School Legal Defense Association. Reprint permission granted. 1. 262 U.S. 390 (1923). 2. Id., at 402. 3. Id., at 401. Also see Bartles v. Iowa, 262 U.S. 404 (1923) where the Court reached a similar conclusion. 4. Meyer, 262 U.S. 390 at 400. 6. Pierce, 268 U.S. 510 (1925) 7. Ibid at 534. 8. Pierce, 268 U.S. 510 at 535. 9. Farrington v. Tokushige, 273 U.S. 284 (1927) at 298. 10. Id., at 298. 11. Farrington v. Tokushige, (9 cir.) 11 F.2d 710 at 713 (1926), quoting Harlan, J., in Berea College v. Kentucky 211 U.S. 45, 29 S. Ct. 33, 53 L. Ed. 81. 12. Prince v. Massachussetts, 321 U.S. 158 (1944). 13. Ibid at 166. 14. Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, (1965) at 486. 16. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 at 233. 17. Ibid at 232. Burger further admonishes, “and when the interests of parenthood are combined with a free exercise claim of the nature revealed by this record, more than merely a ‘reasonable relation to some purpose within the competency of the State’ is required to sustain the validity of the State’s requirement under the First Amendment.” (Yoder, at 233). 19. Id., 881. 20. Id., 881, ftn. 1. Decisions of the United States Supreme Court Upholding Parental Rights as “Fundamental”HSLDA \| National Center Special Report. Childrens Rights, education, Hoekstra, Parental Freedom, Parental Rights Amendment, Religion Parents Rights’ Amendment Reaches Milestone In Alienation of Affection, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, children legal status, children's behaviour, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, custody, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Feminism, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Marriage, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, parental rights, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine on June 26, 2009 at 6:57 pm American Family Rights Association :: The Voice of America’s Families©. 100 Members of Congress Cosponsor Grassroots Movement to Ensure Parents’ Freedom to Raise their Children WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Constitutional Amendment introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, to protect the parent-child relationship has reached more than 100 co-sponsors in the House. “More and more members of Congress and their constituents are recognizing the slow erosion of individual rights posed by the courts, government and international organizations and the threat presented to the parent-child relationship,” Hoekstra said. “This is a grassroots movement fueled by increased awareness about sovereignty and the need to protect rights against government intrusion and international law. It is as simple as preserving parents’ freedom to parent.” The Parents’ Rights Amendment (H.J.Res.42) would state explicitly in the U.S. Constitution that parents have a fundamental right to raise their children as they see fit while protecting against abuse and neglect. Threats to the parent-child relationship include potential Senate ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. “A review of federal appellate decisions from 2008 demonstrates that our lower courts are turning away from the traditional Supreme Court standards on parental rights,” said Michael Farris, J.D., president of Parentalrights.org. “We need to act now to protect parental rights before this erosion results in a wholesale repudiation of our traditional American principles.” More information on the Parents’ Rights Amendment and the list of co-sponsors can be viewed at www.parentsrights.us. "constitutional rights", Best Interest of the Child, child abuse, Child Protective Services, child support scam, child trafficking, Children, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, court corruption, court reform, CPS, cps child trafficking, cps childstealing, cps fraud, cps scam, custody, Divorce, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, Famiy Values, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, judicial corruption, mothers rights, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, parental rights, Parental Rights Amendment, Parents rights Does Family Preservation Work? – Parental Rights In adoption abuse, Alienation of Affection, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, Maternal Deprivation, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, Orphan Trains, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Relocation, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, Sociopath, state crimes, Title Iv-D, Torts on June 9, 2009 at 12:00 pm From the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform / 53 Skyhill Road (Suite 202) / Alexandria, Va., 22314 / info@nccpr.org / www.nccpr.org Family preservation is one of the most intensively-scrutinized programs in all of child welfare. Several studies — and real world experience — show that family preservation programs that follow the Homebuilders model safely prevent placement in foster care. Michigan’s Families First program sticks rigorously to the Homebuilders model. The Michigan program was evaluated by comparing children who received family preservation services to a “control group” that did not. After one year, among children who were referred because of abuse or neglect, the control group children were nearly twice as likely to be placed in foster care, as the Families First children. Thirty-six percent of children in the control group were placed, compared to only 19.4 percent of the Families First children. [1] Another Michigan study went further. In this study, judges actually gave permission to researchers to “take back” some children they had just ordered into foster care and place them in Families First instead. One year later, 93 percent of these children still were in their own homes. [2] And Michigan’s State Auditor concluded that the Families First program “has generally been effective in providing a safe alternative to the out-of-home placement of children who are at imminent risk of being removed from the home The program places a high priority on the safety of children.” [3] An experiment in Utah and Washington State also used a comparison group. After one year, 85.2 percent of the children in the comparison group were placed in foster care, compared to only 44.4 percent of the children who received intensive family preservation services.[4] A study in California found that 55 percent of the control group children were placed, compared to only 26 percent of the children who received intensive family preservation services. [5] A North Carolina study comparing 1,254 families receiving Intensive Family Preservation Services to more than 100,000 families who didn’t found that “IFPS consistently resulted in fewer placements…”[6] And still another study, in Minnesota, found that, in dealing with troubled adolescents, fully 90 percent of the control group children were placed, compared to only 56 percent of those who received intensive family preservation services.[7] Some agencies are now using IFPS to help make sure children are safe when they are returned home after foster care. Here again, researchers are beginning to see impressive results. In a Utah study, 77.2 percent of children whose families received IFPS help after reunification were still safely with their birth parents after one year, compared with 49.1 percent in a control group.[8] Critics ignore all of this evidence, preferring to cite a study done for the federal government which purports to find that IFPS is no better than conventional services. But though critics of family preservation claim that this study evaluated programs that followed the Homebuilders model, that’s not true. In a rigorous critique of the study, Prof. Ray Kirk of the University of North Carolina School of Social Work notes that the so-called IFPS programs in this study actually diluted the Homebuilders model, providing service that was less intensive and less timely. At the same time, the “conventional” services sometimes were better than average. In at least one case, they may well have been just as intensive as the IFPS program – so it’s hardly surprising that the researchers would find little difference between the two. Furthermore, efforts to truly assign families at random to experimental and control groups sometimes were thwarted by workers in the field who felt this was unethical. Workers resisted assigning what they considered to be “high risk” families to control groups that would not receive help from IFPS programs. In addition, the study failed to target children who actually were at imminent risk of placement. Given all these problems, writes Prof. Kirk, “a finding of ‘no difference between treatment and experimental groups’ is simply a non-finding from a failed study.”[9] Prof. Kirk’s findings mirror those of an evaluation of earlier studies purporting to show that IFPS was ineffective. The evaluation found that these studies “did not adhere to rigorous methodological criteria.”[10] In contrast, according to Prof. Kirk, “there is a growing body of evidence that IFPS works, in that it is more effective than traditional services in preventing out-of-home placements of children in high-risk families.”[11] Prof. Kirk’s assessment was confirmed by a detailed review of IFPS studies conducted by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. According to this review: “IFPS programs that adhere closely to the Homebuilders model significantly reduce out-of-home placements and subsequent abuse and neglect. We estimate that such programs produce $2.54 of benefits for each dollar of cost. Non-Homebuilders programs produce no significant effect on either outcome.”[12] Some critics argue that evaluations of family preservation programs are inherently flawed because they allegedly focus on placement prevention instead of child safety. But a placement can only be prevented if a child is believed to be safe. Placement prevention is a measure of safety. Of course, the key words here are “believed to be.” Children who have been through intensive family preservation programs are generally among the most closely monitored. But there are cases in which children are reabused and nobody finds out. And there are cases — like Joseph Wallace — in which the warnings of family preservation workers are ignored. No one can be absolutely certain that the child left at home is safe — but no one can be absolutely certain that the child placed in foster care is safe either — and family preservation has the better track record. And, as discussed in Issue Paper 1, with safe, proven strategies to keep families together now widely used in Alabama, Pittsburgh, and elsewhere, the result is fewer foster care placements and safer children. Indeed, the whole idea that family preservation — and only family preservation — should be required to prove itself over and over again reflects a double standard. After more than a century of experience, isn’t it time that the advocates of foster care be held to account for the failure of their program? Updated, April 24, 2006 1. Carol Berquist, et. al., Evaluation of Michigan’s Families First Program (Lansing Mich: University Associates, March, 1993). Back to Text. 2. Betty J. Blythe, Ph.D., Srinika Jayaratne, Ph.D, Michigan Families First Effectiveness Study: A Summary of Findings, Sept. 28, 1999, p.18. Back to Text. 3. State of Michigan, Office of the Auditor General, Performance Audit of the Families First of Michigan Program, July, 1998, pp. 2-4. Back to Text. 4. Mark W. Fraser, et. al., Families in Crisis: The Impact of Intensive Family Preservation Services (New York: Aldine De Gruyter, 1991), p.168. Back to Text. 5. S. Wood, S., K. Barton, C. Schroeder, “In-Home Treatment of Abusive Families: Cost and Placement at One Year.” Psychotherapy Vol. 25 (1988) pp. 409-14, cited in Howard Bath and David Haapala, “Family Preservation Services: What Does the Outcome Research Really Tell Us,” Social Services Review, September, 1994, Table A1, p.400. Back to Text. 6. R.S. Kirk, Tailoring Intensive Family Preservation Services for Family Reunification Cases: Research, Evaluation and Assessment, (www.nfpn.org/resourcess/articles/tailoring.html). Back to Text. 7. I.M. Schwartz, et. al., “Family Preservation Services as an Alternative to Out-of-Home Placement of Adolescents,” in K. Wells and D.E. Biegel, eds., Family Preservation Services: Research and Evaluation (Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1991) pp.33-46, cited in Bath and Happala, note 3, supra.Back to Text. 8. R.E. Lewis, et. al., “Examining family reunification services: A process analysis of a successful experiment,” Research on Social Work Practice, 5, (3), 259-282, cited in Kirk, note 6, supra.Back to Text. 9. R.S. Kirk, A Critique of the “Evaluation of Family Preservation and Reunification Programs: Interim Report,” May, 2001. Back to Text. 10. A. Heneghan, et. al., Evaluating intensive family preservation services: A methodological review. Pediatrics, 97(4), 535-542, cited in Kirk, note 6, supra.Back to Text. 11. Kirk, note 6, supra.Back to Text. 12. Washington State Institute for Public Policy, Intensive Family Preservation Programs: Program Fidelity Influences Effectiveness. February, 2006, available online at http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-02-3901.pdf The original article can be found here: http://www.nccpr.org/newissues/11.html "constitutional rights", Best Interest of the Child, child abuse, Child Protective Services, child support scam, child trafficking, Children, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, court corruption, court reform, CPS, cps child trafficking, cps childstealing, cps fraud, Divorce, due process rights, family civil rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, Famiy Values, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, judicial corruption, Maternal Deprivation, mothers rights, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, parental rights, Parental Rights Amendment, Parents rights, Religion, scientific theory, state corruption Maternal Deprivation? Monkeys, Yes; Mommies, No… In adoption abuse, Alienation of Affection, Autism, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Christian, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Indians, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, Maternal Deprivation, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, Orphan Trains, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Relocation, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, Sociopath, state crimes, Torts on June 7, 2009 at 5:00 am Do children do best with one parent over another? Or does biology determine who is the better parent? If you ask the feminists of the 70s who wanted to be free of restrictive child-rearing and assume an equal station in the workplace and politics, the answer to the first question would be no. Why would feminists give up their biologically superior position of motherhood, in which a mother is the primary caregiver, in favor of a job? What narcissists mother would do that? And yet, today, if you ask the very self-same feminists who are leading the charge to narrow sole-custody of children in divorce proceedings to a woman based on some “biological advantage” the answer to the second question would be yes. Upon this, you have the creation of a legally untenable position given to women based on gender. To get around “having your cake and eating it, too,” state family law has created the “imaginary world” of the “primary parent” dictum, which guides family law today, which is just a primary rehashing of “tender years doctrine”, both of which do not have the legal merit whatsover, nor the empirical research to support either. But if you go back to the Maternal Deprivation nonsense, you quickly find the empirical research that throws this theory back into the area of “junk science” where it belongs. Maternal Deprivation is both empirically wrong and a sexist theory. The junk science theory and refutation can be found here: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bowlby.html “Although Bowlby may not dispute that young children form multiple attachments, he still contends that the attachment to the mother is unique in that it is the first to appear and remains the strongest of all. However, on both of these counts, the evidence seems to suggest otherwise. * Schaffer & Emerson (1964) noted that specific attachments started at about 8 months and, very shortly thereafter, the infants became attached to other people. By 18 months very few (13%) were attached to only one person; some had five or more attachments. * Rutter (1981) points out that several indicators of attachment (such as protest or distress when attached person leaves) has been shown for a variety of attachment figures – fathers, siblings, peers and even inanimate objects. Critics such as Rutter have also accused Bowlby of not distinguishing between deprivation and privation – the complete lack of an attachment bond, rather than its loss. Rutter stresses that the quality of the attachment bond is the most important factor, rather than just deprivation in the critical period. Another criticism of 44 Thieves Study as that it concluded that affectionless psychopathy was caused by maternal deprivation. This is correlational data and as such only shows a relationship between these two variables. Indeed, other external variables, such as diet, parental income, education etc. may have affected the behaviour of the 44 thieves, and not, as concluded, the disruption of the attachment bond.” There are implications arising from Bowlby’s work. As he believed the mother to be the most central care giver and that this care should be given on a continuous basis an obvious implication is that mothers should not go out to work. There have been many attacks on this claim: * Mothers are the exclusive carers in only a very small percentage of human societies; often there are a number of people involved in the care of children, such as relations and friends (Weisner & Gallimore, 1977). * Ijzendoorn & Tavecchio (1987) argue that a stable network of adults can provide adequate care and that this care may even have advantages over a system where a mother has to meet all a child’s needs. * There is evidence that children develop better with a mother who is happy in her work, than a mother who is frustrated by staying at home (Schaffer, 1990). There are many articles relating to this nonsense, and how it has been refuted. The original theory was promulgated by John Bowlby. Bowlby grew up mother-fixated because he did not have a relationship with his father. See why here. Psychological research includes a shocking history and continuation of maternal deprivation experiments on animals. While maternal deprivation experiments have been conducted far more frequently on rhesus macaques and other monkeys, chimpanzees were not spared as victims of this unnecessary research. Maternal Deprivation applies to monkeys only. "constitutional rights", Best Interest of the Child, child abuse, child support scam, child trafficking, Children, Childrens Rights, court corruption, court reform, Divorce, due process rights, family civil rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, Famiy Values, fatherlessness, fathers rights, Marriage, mothers rights, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, parental rights, Parents rights Custody Relocation: A Negative Effect on Children – In LaMusga In adoption abuse, Alienation of Affection, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, DSM-IV, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Relocation, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, state crimes, Title Iv-D, Torts on June 5, 2009 at 4:00 pm © 2004 National Legal Research Group, Inc. A custodial parent’s proposed relocation will almost always have a negative impact on the relationship of the noncustodial parent and the children. The California Supreme Court recently clarified the standard to be used in relocation cases in that state, holding that this impact should be considered as a factor in determining whether the custodial parent’s proposed relocation will result in detriment to the children sufficient to warrant a modification of custody. In In re Marriage of LaMusga, Cal. 4th 12 Cal. Rptr. 3d 356 (2004), after a contentious custody battle, the parties were awarded joint custody of their two children with the mother being awarded primary physical custody. Several years later, the mother again sought to relocate to Ohio with the children. A child custody evaluation was performed that established that the father’s relationship with the children would deteriorate after the relocation and that, based on the mother’s previous behavior, there was no indication that she would be supportive of the father’s continued relationship with the children despite her claims to the contrary. The trial court found that the mother’s proposed relocation was not made in bad faith but concluded that the effect of the move would be detrimental to the welfare of the children because it would hinder frequent and continuing contact between the children and the father. The trial court held that if the mother chose to relocate, primary physical custody of the children would be transferred to the father. The trial court’s decision was reversed by the California Court of Appeal. The court of appeal held that the trial court had failed to properly consider the mother’s presumptive right as custodial parent to change the residence of the children or the children’s need for continuity and stability in the existing custodial arrangement. 12 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 371. The court of appeal also found that the trial court had “placed undue emphasis on the detriment that would be caused by the children’s relationship with Father if they moved.” Id. The court of appeal relied on an earlier California Supreme Court decision, In re Marriage of Burgess, 13 Cal. 4th 25, 51 Cal. Rptr. 2d 444 (1996). In Burgess, the Supreme Court of California held that in relocation cases there was no requirement that the custodial parent demonstrate that the proposed relocation was “necessary.” LaMusga, 12 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 367 (quoting Burgess, 51 Cal. Rptr. 2d at 452). Instead, the burden is on the noncustodial parent to prove that a change of circumstances exists warranting a change in the custody arrangement. LaMusga, 12 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 367. The supreme court also held that “paramount needs for continuity and stability in custody arrangements . . . weigh heavily in favor of maintaining ongoing custody arrangements.” Id. at 371 (quoting Burgess, 51 Cal. Rptr. 2d at 449-50). The supreme court rejected the court of appeal’s position that undue emphasis was placed on the detrimental effect of the proposed relocation on the father’s relationship with the children. The court of appeal concluded that all relocations result in “a significant detriment to the relationship between the child and the noncustodial parent” and, therefore, no custodial parent would ever be permitted to relocate with the children as long as any detriment could be established. Id. at 373. The supreme court accepted the validity of the court of appeal’s position but noted that the court of appeal’s fears were unfounded. The supreme court stated that “a showing that a proposed move will cause detriment to the relationship between the children and the noncustodial parent” will not mandate a change in custody. Id. Instead, a trial court has discretion to order such a change in custody based on the showing of such a detriment if such a change is in the best interests of the child. Id. The supreme court explained its holding as follows: The likely consequences of a proposed change in the residence of a child, when considered in the light of all the relevant factors, may constitute a change of circumstances that warrants a change in custody, and the detriment to the child’s relationship with the noncustodial parent that will be caused by the proposed move, when considered in light of all the relevant factors, may warrant denying a request to change the child’s residence or changing custody. The extent to which a proposed move will detrimentally impact a child varies greatly depending upon the circumstances. We will generally leave it to the superior court to assess that impact in light of the other relevant factors in determining what is in the best interests of the child. Id. at 374-75. The Supreme Court of California in LaMusga has seemingly retreated from its much broader decision in Burgess. In Burgess, the court essentially established a presumption in favor of maintaining a custody arrangement in the interests of a child’s paramount need for continuity and stability. In LaMusga, however, the court stepped away from this presumption and found that the child’s need for continuity and stability was just one factor in determining whether to modify a custody award. The court found that other factors, such as the detrimental effect of the proposed relocation on the relationship between a child and the noncustodial parent, could also control the outcome of a custody case depending on the unique facts of each case. The supreme court’s decision in LaMusga seems to subscribe to the principle that due to the fact-intensive nature of relocation cases a comprehensive review of all possible factors impacting on a child’s best interest will yield the most equitable results. "constitutional rights", Attorney Richare Fine, Best Interest of the Child, California counties, child abuse, Child Protective Services, child support scam, child trafficking, Children, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, court corruption, court reform, CPS, cps child trafficking, cps childstealing, cps fraud, cps scam, custody, Divorce, due process rights, education, family civil rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, Famiy Values, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, judicial corruption, LA County, Marriage, mothers rights, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, parental rights, Parental Rights Amendment, parenting, Parents rights, Religion, Richard Fine, Richard I Fine, scientific theory, state corruption LA County Puts the “Fix” on Parents Rights In adoption abuse, Alienation of Affection, Autism, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Christian, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, DSM-IV, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Indians, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Jayne Major, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, Orphan Trains, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Relocation, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, state crimes, Title Iv-D, Torts on June 4, 2009 at 7:13 pm Your rights to retain physical and legal custody of your children during divorce proceeding is compromised by California’s new ex post facto law recently passed by the California Senate. As a matter of fact, in Los Angeles County, it already is. In California counties divorce proceedings in the past 12 years may have been “fixed” in counties where counties supplemented Judges salaries with benefits above the state mandated salary. (Under California Law, only the state may compensate judges for performance of their work. The California Constitution (Sec. 17, 19, 20) states that Judges may not receive money from other parties than their employer, the State of California, and the Legislature has the sole responsibility for setting compensation and retirement benefits.) However California, like all 50 states and territories, receive hundreds of Billions of $$ from the federal government to run its state courts and welfare programs, including Social Security Act Title Iv-D, Child Support Iv-E, Foster Care and VAWA prevention and intimidation programs against family law litigants. The federal block grants are then given to the counties applying for the monies. If counties have been paying judges money above state legislated salaries, then counties have been fixing cases for years by maintaining de facto judicial officers to rule in their favor. How does this affect parent’s rights? The money received in block grants is applied for by the counties based on the divorce and custody proceeding awards. For example, the more sole custody or foster home proceedings existing in the county, the more money the county is qualified to receive. Both the US Constitution, and the California Constitution. California’s wording is even stronger than the US Constitution. Here are the direct quotes: United States Constitution, Section 9, Article 3 “No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed.” Constitution of the State of California – Article I, Section 9 “A bill of attainder ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts may not be passed.” The law in question is SBX2 11 which retroactively pardons, just about everyone involved in official activity including judges who received money for benefits from the county. “The California Constitution requires the Legislature to prescribe compensation for judges of courts of record. Existing law authorizes a county to deem judges and court employees as county employees for purposes of providing employment benefits. These provisions were held unconstitutional as an impermissible delegation of the obligation of the Legislature to prescribe the compensation of judges of courts of record. This bill would provide that judges who received supplemental judicial benefits provided by a county or court, or both, as of July 1, 2008, shall continue to receive supplemental benefits from the county or court then paying the benefits on the same terms and conditions as were in effect on that date.” The law also goes on to state: “This bill would provide that no governmental entity, or officer or employee of a governmental entity, shall incur any liability or be subject to prosecution or disciplinary action because of benefits provided to a judge under the official action of a governmental entity prior to the effective date of the bill on the ground that those benefits were not authorized under law.” Is this why attorney Richard I Fine is in a LA County Jail? For more on his story see: Attorney Richard Fine files suit against judges http://www.dailynews.com/ci_8113733 Richard Fine, a brave and talented California attorney and United States Department of Justice Attorney http://www.ahrc.se/new/index.php/src/tools/sub/yp/action/display/id/2652 Metropolitan News-Enterprise http://www.metnews.com/articles/2009/stur021809.htm The Full Disclosure Network: http://www.fulldisclosure.net/Programs/538.php and http://www.fulldisclosure.net/Programs/539.php JUDICIAL BENEFITS & COURT CORRUPTION (Part 3-4) http://www.fulldisclosure.net/Programs/540.php FISCAL CRISIS: Illegal Payments Create Law For Judicial Criminal & Liability Immunity: Nominees For U S Supreme Court To Be Impacted? See: http://www.fulldisclosure.net/news/labels/SBX2%2011.html The Bill as passed by the Senate: http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sbx2_11_bill_20090214_amended_sen_v98.html "constitutional rights", Best Interest of the Child, child abuse, Child Protective Services, Children, Childrens Rights, court reform, due process rights, family civil rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, Famiy Values, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, judicial corruption, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, parental rights, Parental Rights Amendment, Parents rights, Religion, scientific theory, state corruption The Primary Parent Presumption: Primarily Meaningless In adoption abuse, Alienation of Affection, Autism, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, DSM-IV, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, MMPI, MMPI 2, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, Orphan Trains, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, state crimes, Title Iv-D, Torts on June 4, 2009 at 11:00 am By Dr. Richard A. Warshak, Ph.D. 16970 Dallas Parkway, #202, Dallas, TX 75248 Nineteen ninety-three marked the thirtieth anniversary of the publication of The Feminine Mystique, the book that spearheaded the drive to unlace the cultural straitjacket of rigid sex-role prescriptions. As we expanded the conventional image of women to include roles beyond those of wife, housekeeper, and mother, we encouraged men to think of themselves as more than just husbands and bread-winners. We invited them to become active partners in the delivery room . . . and they accepted. We required their participation in Indian Guides . . . and they complied. We extolled the importance of father-child bonding, trumpeted statistics linking a father’s absence to juvenile delinquency. . . and they listened. The problem, for some divorcing women, is that their husbands listened too well, and took seriously the call to parenthood. They became emotionally attached to their offspring, and, when the marriage ended, they were unwilling to be demoted to the second string; unwilling to sit on the sidelines of their children’s lives. Although lacking in hard data to prove the point, we have at least the perception that more men are seeking and gaining custody of their children after divorce. Why is this a problem? Because women do not enjoy living apart from their children any more than do men. Also, most women do not want to relinquish the power that goes with custody. This has led to the ironic situation in which some of the same feminists who, in the early 70s, denounced motherhood as “enslavement” now lead a campaign to protect motherhood from divorced fathers who want more involvement with their children. But they face a crucial dilemma: They need to resurrect the belief that women are uniquely suited to rear children and therefore the natural choice for sole custody without appearing to endorse the notions that biology is destiny and that the sexes merit unequal treatment before the law. The solution to this dilemma is the linguistic sleight of hand known as the “primary parent presumption.” This guideline would give preference to the parent who is designated “primary” in the child’s life, variously defined as the parent who spends the most time with the child, is more responsible for the child’s day-to-day care, or performs more of the daily repetitive maintenance tasks such as chauffeuring, shopping for clothes, preparing meals, and bathing. Although touted as a gender-neutral standard, everyone agrees that the primary parent presumption would give mothers the same advantage that they enjoyed with the tender years presumption. In fact, law professor Mary Becker advocates dropping the pretense of gender-neutrality and renaming the primary parent presumption the “maternal deference standard.” Briefly, the argument goes that since women are more involved in primary caregiving, they deserve custody. Fathers’-rights advocates respond that it is unfair to penalize men for reduced involvement with their children, since they are only fulfilling society’s notions of the man’s role as the family’s breadwinner. Neither side’s arguments are compelling. Both are blinded by the pre-19th century premise that children are property to be “awarded” to the rightful owner. Both sides miss the point that a custody decision should be guided by the needs of the child not the parents’ sense of entitlement. Some of my colleagues offer arguments in support of the primary parent presumption. They point out that a woman who has been most involved in her children’s daily care already possesses the requisite skills. She has less to learn than the father and, by virtue of her experience, is probably more competent to assume the duties of sole custody. Also, because the primary parent standard appears less ambiguous than the best interests standard, parents would be less likely to litigate over custody — a distinct advantage to the family. But that may be its only advantage. Under critical appraisal, this proposal suffers many serious drawbacks. Unless we regard custody as a reward for past deeds, the decision about the children’s living arrangements should reflect a judgment about what situation will best meet their needs now and in the future. Differences in past performance are relevant only if they predict future parental competence and child adjustment. But they do not. The primary parent presumption overlooks the fact that being a single parent is a very different challenge than being one of two parents in the same home. A consensus of research reveals a predictable deterioration in the single mother’s relationship with her children. After divorce, the average mother has less time and energy for her children and more problems managing their behavior, particularly that of her sons. Research has also demonstrated that despite mother’s greater experience in daily child care, fathers who would not be considered primary caretakers during the marriage are as capable as divorced mothers in managing the responsibilities of custody. And, most important, their children fare as well as children do in mother-custody homes. A more basic problem with the proposed standard: How do we determine who is the primary parent? Before divorce parents think of themselves as partners in rearing their children. Whether or not they spend equal time with the children, both parents are important, and mountains of psychological research support this. Before divorce, we do not rank order parents. Only in the heat of a custody battle do Mom and Dad begin vying for the designation “primary parent.” On what basis do we award this coveted title? We cannot simply measure the amount of time each parent spends with the child. Research has established that, beyond a certain minimum, the amount of time a parent spends with a child is a poor index of that parent’s importance to the child, of the quality of their relationship, or of the parent’s competence in childrearing. In fact, we all know of parents who are too involved with their children, so-called “smothering” parents who squelch any signs of independence. If more extensive contact does not make a primary parent, what does? Most definitions provide a list of responsibilities: The primary parent shops for food and clothes, prepares meals, changes diapers, bathes and dresses the child, takes the child to the doctor, and drives the child to school and recreational activities. Such criteria, though, ignore the overriding importance of the quality of parent-child relationships. Furthermore, critics have argued that this list reflects gender bias. Shopping for food and clothes is included, but not earning the money which funds the shopping trips. Also conspicuously absent are responsibilities typically shared by fathers and in which fathers often predominate, activities such as playing, discipline, moral guidance, encouragement and assistance with school work, gender socialization, coaching team sports, and — something whose significance to children is often overlooked — providing a sense of physical protection and security. Is the primary caretaker the one who does the most to foster the child’s sense of emotional security, the person to whom the child turns in times of stress — the role we most often associate with mothers? Or is it the parent who does the most to promote the child’s ability to meet the demands of the world outside the family — the role we most often associate with fathers? We really have no basis for preferring one contribution over the other. Both are necessary for healthy psychological functioning. We can say that both parents contribute distinctively to their child’s welfare. And during different developmental stages a child may relate better to one parent than the other, or rely on one parent more than the other. But most children form strong attachments to both parents in the first year of life and maintain important ties to both parents throughout their lives. By rank ordering the importance of parents, we dismiss children’s own experiences of their parents’ value, reinforce gender stereotypes, and perhaps discourage fathers from assuming more parenting responsibilities. In sum, the primary parent presumption is misinformed, misguided, misleading, and primarily meaningless. Copyright © 1996 by Richard A. Warshak, Ph.D. 16970 Dallas Parkway, #202, Dallas, TX 75248 Dr. Richard A. Warshak is a clinical, research, and consulting psychologist, clinical professor of psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, and author of The Custody Revolution and Divorce Poison: Protecting the Parent-Child Bond From a Vindictive Ex. He has published extensively in the area of divorce and custody and consults with attorneys, mental health professionals, and families. Additional custody resources, including material on relocation, overnight access, and parental alienation syndrome, can be found at http://www.warshak.com. [A version of this essay was published as Chapter 28 (pages 101-103) in 101+ Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer, Gregg M. Herman, Editor, American Bar Association (1996).] The original article can be found here. Best Interest of the Child, Children, Childrens Rights, custody, Divorce, education, fathers rights, Marriage, mothers rights, Parents rights, Religion, UNCRC, United Nations Parental Rights – Analysis by Article of the UNCRC – Part 9 of 9 In adoption abuse, Alienation of Affection, Autism, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Custody, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Christian, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, DSM-IV, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Jayne Major, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, MMPI, MMPI 2, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, Obama, Orphan Trains, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Kidnapping, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, state crimes, Title Iv-D, Torts on June 4, 2009 at 12:30 am Last year the Parental Rights.org group analyzed article by article the impact of ratification of the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC) would have on Parental Rights and Children’s Rights in the United States. Here is that continuing analysis: Giving the State a Grasp on Your Kids Part II of an in-depth look at Article 18 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child When Kevin and Peggy Lewis volunteered their child for special education services, they never dreamed they would need a lawyer if they wanted to change their minds. After their son developed several learning issues, including an inability to focus in class and difficulty processing and understanding oral and written communication, the Lewis’s turned to the Cohasset Middle School in Massachusetts for help.1 But after a year in the school’s special education program, their son was not improving academically, and felt harassed by school officials who were closely monitoring and reporting on his behavior – everything from chewing gum in class to forgetting his pencil.2 Initially, the Lewis’s requested that the school pay for private tutoring, but as their relationship with the administration continued to decline, the exasperated parents finally decided to withdraw their son from the school’s program and to pay for private tutoring out of their own pockets.3 Apparently, that option wasn’t good enough for the school. In December 2007, Cohasset hauled Kevin and Peggy into court, claiming that the parents were interfering with their son’s “constitutional right to a free and appropriate education.”4 After a day-and-a-half of argument, the judge sided with the school in an unwritten opinion.5 “This is truly devastating to all parents who have children on an IEP,” Peggy said, referring to the individual education plans for special education students. “What it means in fact when you sign an IEP for your child, you sign away your parental rights. . . . Now Cohasset has their grasp on my kid.”6 “Help” for Parents At first glance, it seems odd that a school would take parents to court to compel them to accept state services. After all, as observers of the case commented, schools usually objects when parents demand more aid for their children, not when the parents try to withdraw their child from the program.7 But according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, once parents have asked the state for assistance in raising their children, the state has both the responsibility and the authority to see the job through – even if the parents no longer support the state’s solution. In addition to imposing legally-enforceable “responsibilities” on parents, Article 18 of the Convention also requires states to “render appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities,” and to establish “institutions, facilities and services for the care of children.”8 At first glance, the offer of “assistance” to parents may appear harmless, and even generous, but appearances are often deceiving. While the government may claim to offer services to parents on a purely “voluntary” basis, parents soon discover that government “assistance” isn’t always free. When “voluntary” doesn’t mean “voluntary” For examples of this dangerous trend, one need look no further than the nation of Sweden, the first western nation to ratify the Convention. In addition to mandatory sex-education, free child care for working parents, and a national ban on corporal punishment, Sweden’s local municipalities are also required by law to offer parents a broad array of “voluntary” services that promote “the favourable development of children and young persons.”9 Unfortunately, according to Swedish attorney and activist Ruby Harrold-Claesson, voluntary care “in no way is voluntary since the social workers threaten the parents to either give up their child voluntarily or the child will be taken into compulsory care.”10 If the state determines at a later date that the “voluntary” services are not helping, the municipality has both the responsibility and the authority to physically “take a child into care and place him in a foster home, a children’s home or another suitable institution.”11 According to Harrold-Claesson, since the emergence of such programs, “children are being taken from their parents on a more routine basis.”12 Unfortunately, these disturbing trends are not confined to Sweden. Even here in the United States, “voluntary” services for parents are often the first step toward state control of families. Holding Children Hostage As a young mother of three, “Katianne H.” faced tremendous difficulties in making ends meet.13 Although she was never unemployed, Katianne had difficulty putting her job ahead of the needs of her young family. So when her three-month-old son Xavier developed severe allergies to milk and soy protein, her pediatrician recommended that she relieve some of the pressure placed upon her by requesting that her son be placed in “temporary out-of-home care.”14 Thinking such a placement was truly “voluntary,” Katianne agreed. Within a few months, Xavier was weaned from the feeding tube to a bottle, but when Katianne sought to bring him home, the state refused. It would take more than two-and-a-half years – and a decision from the Nebraska Supreme Court – before Katianne would win her baby boy back. 15 In a unanimous ruling, the court said the child should have been returned to his mother as soon as his medical condition was resolved. Instead, state authorities drew up a detailed plan requiring the mother to maintain steady employment, attend therapy and parenting classes, pay her bills on time, keep her house clean, improve her time management, and be cooperative with social workers. When she failed to fully comply with all these obligations within fifteen months, her parental rights were terminated.16 The Court condemned the state for keeping Xavier “out of the home once the reasons for his removal had been resolved,” and warned that a child should never be “held hostage to compel a parent’s compliance with a case plan” when the child could safely be returned home.17 A familiar pattern According to studies, scholars, lawyers, and advocates, voluntary placement in the United States – like “voluntary” placement in Sweden – is often the first step toward the state getting a grasp on children. Here are just a few examples from within our own borders: · A 1994 study in New Jersey found that “parents often report signing placement agreements under the threat that court action against them will be taken if they do not sign,” particularly parents who have “language or other barriers making it difficult or impossible for them to read and understand the agreement they were signing.”18 There are also no “clear legal standards to protect a family once it has entered the system,” even if it enters voluntarily: “existing legislation grants judges and caseworkers virtually unrestricted dispositional authority.”19 · In 1998, Melville D. Miller, President and General Counsel of Legal Services of New Jersey, warned that when parents sign voluntary placement agreements, parents give the state “custody of their children without any decision by the court that they have abused or neglected them.”20 In addition, voluntary placement often waives a family’s opportunity for free legal representation in court, leaving families – particularly poor families – with “no assistance in advocating for what they need” when disputes with the state arise.21 · In 1999, Dr. Frank J. Dyer, author and member of the American Board of Professional Psychology, warned that parents can be “intimidated into “voluntarily” signing placement agreements out of a fear that they will lose their children,” and that in his professional counseling experience, birth parents frequently complain that “if they had known from the outset that the document that they were signing for temporary placement of their children into foster care gave the state such enormous power over them, they would have refused to sign and would have sought to resist the placement legally.”22 · The Child Welfare League of America, in its 2004 Family’s Guide to the Child Welfare System, reassures parents that the state “do[es] not have to pursue termination of parental rights,” as long as the state feels that “there is a compelling reason why terminating parental rights would not be in the best interest of the child.”23 If parents and social workers disagree about the fate of a child in “voluntary placement,” the CWLA simply states that “if you decide to bring your child home, and the agency believes that this would interfere with your child’s safety, it has the right to ask the court to intervene. You also have the right to explain to the court why your child’s safety would not be in jeopardy if he came home.”24 · The National Crittenton Foundation, in a web booklet published for young, expectant mothers who are currently in the foster care system, warns in large, bold print that by signing a voluntary placement agreement, “you will most likely lose all custody of your baby, even if you want to regain custody of your baby after you turn 18.”25 If one can learn anything from the stories of the Lewises, Katianne, and the plight of Swedish parents, it is that the government wields incredible power over parents who have “voluntarily” accepted its aid when caring for their children. These parents are often poor, struggling, and searching for the means to keep their families together, but instead of helping them, the open hand of the state can easily become a clenched fist, either bullying parents into submission or forcibly taking their children from them. Thankfully, it is not too late to protect children and their families by protecting the fundamental right of parents to raise their children, and to reject government programs that are unneeded or unwanted. The state should only interfere with the family for the most compelling reasons – not because loving parents were misled about the true nature of “voluntary” care. Please consider sending this message to your friends and urging them to sign the Petition to Protect Parental Rights. This article was written for ParentalRights.org by Peter Kamakawiwoole, Jan. 29, 2009. 1. James Vazniz, “Cohasset schools win case v. parents,” The Boston Herald (December 15, 2007) (accessed January 28, 2009). 2. James Vazniz, “Parents want son out of special ed,” The Boston Herald (December 13, 2007) (accessed January 28, 2009). 3. Vazniz, “Cohasset schools win case v. parents.” 4. Vazniz, “Parents want son out of special ed.” 8. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 18.2. 9. Ruby Harrold-Claesson, “Confiscating Children: When Parents Become Victims,” The Nordic Committee on Human Rights (2005) (accessed January 17, 2009) 10. Harrold-Claesson, “Confiscating Children: When Parents Become Victims” 13. “Katianne” is the name given to the mother by the Nebraska Supreme Court, which decided her case in In Re Xavier H., 740 N.W.2d 13 (Neb. 2007). 14. In re Xavier H., 740 N.W.2d at 21. 15. “Nebraska Supreme Court returns boy to mother,” Omaha World Herald (October 19, 2007) (accessed January 29, 2009). 16. “Nebraska Supreme Court returns boy to mother.” 18. Emerich Thoma, “If you lived here, you’d be home now: The business of foster care,” Issues in Child Abuse Accusations, Vol. 10 (1998) (accessed January 27, 2009). 19. Thoma, “If you lived here, you’d be home now.” 20. Melville D. Miller, “You and the Law in New Jersey ” (Rutgers University Press, 1998): 200. 21. Miller, You and the Law in New Jersey,” 200. 22. Frank J. Dyer, “Psychological Consultation in Parental Rights Cases” (The Guilford Press, 1999): 26. 23. Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), “Placements to Obtain Treatment and Services for Children,” A Family’s Guide to the Child Welfare System (2004): 5 (accessed January 27, 2009). 24. CWLA, “Placements to Obtain Treatment and Services for Children,” p. 5. 25. The National Crittenton Foundation, “Crittenton Booklet for Web,” pp. 11-12. (accessed January 28, 2009) In adoption abuse, Autism, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Christian, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Foster CAre Abuse, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, state crimes, Title Iv-D on June 1, 2009 at 2:27 pm Article 18, Part 1: Government-Supervised Parenting During our series on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, most of the articles we have considered have focused on the relationship between the state and the child. Article 18 is therefore unique in its emphasis on the responsibilities of parents, and the supervised relationship that these parents have with the state. Article 18 is also one of the more complex articles in the Convention, divided into three sections that address distinct facets of the relationship between parents and the state. This week, we will focus on the first section, which says that “States Parties shall use their best efforts to ensure recognition of the principle that both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child,” and that parents are primarily responsible for their children. As parents, “the best interests of the child will be their basic concern.” The danger of Article 18 is that it places an enforceable responsibility upon parents to make child-rearing decisions based on the “best interests of the child,” subjecting parental decisions to second-guessing at the discretion of government agents. Obligations on Parents? Article 18 stands out because it affects not only the relationship between the UN and the nation that ratifies the Convention, but also the relationship between private individuals and their government: a relationship that is usually changed through legislation at a local level. In fact, the UN’s Implementation Handbook for the CRC explains that “when article 18 was being drafted, the delegate from the United States of America commented that it was rather strange to set down responsibilities for private individuals, since the Convention could only be binding on ratifying governments.” But instead of paying heed to this objection, the drafters of the CRC rejected it, making the Convention enforceable against private individuals and requiring that “parental rights be translated into principles of parental responsibilities.” The Handbook itself notes that if the actions of parents could be shown to impair the child’s physical, psychological, or intellectual development, “the parents” – not the state – “can be found to be failing in their responsibilities.” (emphasis added). The end result is parental involvement under state supervision. According to Chris Revaz, Article 18 “recognizes that parents and legal guardians have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child, with the best interest of the child as their basic concern,” but also invests in the state “a secondary responsibility to provide appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in meeting their responsibilities.” Roger Levesque opines that such supervision attempts to “regulate the relationship between child and state,” essentially relegating the role of parental and familial involvement to a position of “secondary importance.” Enforcing the “Best Interest” Standard As a previous article in our series has already discussed, the “best interests of the child” is a significant theme in the Convention, providing “decision and policy makers with the authority to substitute their own decisions for either the child’s or the parents’.” The inevitable result, according to Levesque, is that “by placing the burden on the State to take affirmative steps toward ensuring the fulfillment of children’s rights, the Convention assumes responsibility and invokes the State as the ensurer and protector of rights.” This point is echoed by Law Professor Bruce Hafen, who warns that the Convention’s emphasis on the “best interests of the child” creates “an arguably new standard for state intervention in intact families.” According to Hafen, legal authors in Australia have already suggested that “under the CRC, parental childrearing rights are ’subject to external scrutiny’ and ‘may be overridden’ when ‘the parents are not acting in the best interests of the child.’” Hafen warns that this conclusion – though in opposite to America’s cultural and legal heritage – is “consistent with the CRC’s apparent intent to place children and parents on the same plane as co-autonomous persons in their relationship with the state.” This is a far cry from America’s legal heritage, which has long held that parents have a fundamental right to oversee the upbringing and education of their children, free from government control. Article 18 makes it plain, however, that under the Convention, it is the state that is ultimately responsible for the fate of its children, and has authority to supervise its parents. Article written for ParentalRights.org by Peter Kamakawiwoole, June 24, 2008. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/k2crc.htm Cris Revaz, “An Introduction to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child,” in The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child: An Analysis of Treaty Provisions and Implications on U.S. Ratification (2006): 10-11. Roger Levesque, International Children’s Rights Grow Up: Implications for American Jurisprudence and Domestic Policy (1994): 214. Bruce and Jonathan Hafen, Abandoning Children to their Autonomy (1996): 461-462, 464. United Nations Children’s Fund, Impl In adoption abuse, Autism, Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, Child Support, child trafficking, children criminals, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Christian, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, due process rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Homeschool, Indians, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, state crimes on May 30, 2009 at 10:18 pm Article 16: Privacy From Parents During our series on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a constant theme has been the recurring intervention of government power in the relationship between children and their parents. Broad discretion for the state is particularly prevalent in the Convention’s “freedom” provisions, which guarantee choices to children when it comes to expression, information, religion, and association. Perhaps the most troubling of these “freedom” provisions is article 16, which stipulates that “no child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence.” More so than any other section of the Convention, article 16 invokes the power of the government in ways previously unseen and untested in America’s legal and political history. The key to understanding article 16 is found in its absolute language: no child is to have his or her right to privacy violated. According to American law professor Cynthia Price Cohen, article 16 “uses the strongest obligatory language in the human rights lexicon to protect the child’s privacy rights.” This is a strong break from American law. According to Catherine Ross, writing in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, the concept of a “right to privacy” has been used within the American context to support limited reproductive freedom for children, including the right to receive information, counseling, and contraceptives without parental consent or notification. But even in such cases, the Supreme Court has attempted to draw some sort of balance between the privacy rights of the child and the role of parents in raising and directing their children: never has the Court stated that children have an absolute right to privacy even from their parents. Displacing Parents In contrast, the “right to privacy” within the Convention is far broader than anything contemplated in American law or jurisprudence, bestowing an absolute right to privacy which, according to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in their 2004 report on Japan, includes privacy in “personal correspondence and searching of personal affects.” This includes more than just a child’s diary or letters to a pen pal: it includes e-mails composed, websites visited, and a growing plethora of other means of communication with the outside world. Law professor Bruce Hafen notes that this strong language makes little allowance for the role of adults who are unavoidably involved in a child’s private world – namely, the child’s parents. Scholar Barbara Nauck adds that when the responsibility of parents to “guide and direct” their children comes into conflict with the right of children to have privacy, it is highly questionable whether parents will have the lawful authority to interfere with the child’s privacy. Only the First Step On this basis alone, law professor Richard Wilkins has warned that Article 16 has the potential to place the basic ability to discipline and monitor children – activities necessary for effective parenting – into serious doubt. In addition, the provision’s absolute guarantees could also be extended through state laws or the decisions of judges to include other “rights” guaranteed by the Convention – such as the freedom of religion, expression, or information – with devastating consequences to the authority and effectiveness of parents. It is the absolute, all-encompassing nature of article 16 that poses the real danger to both children and parents. Please forward this message on to your friends and urge them to sign the Petition to Protect Parental Rights at http://www.parentalrights.org/join-the-fight. Article written for ParentalRights.org by Peter Kamakawiwoole, May 12, 2008. Cynthia Price Cohen, The Role of the United States in Drafting the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1998): 34. Catherine Ross, An Emerging Right for Mature Minors to Receive Information (1999): 261. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding Observations: Japan, CRC/C/15/Add.231 (2004) Bruce Hafen and Jonathan Hafen, Abandoning Children to their Autonomy (1996): 472. Barbara Nauck, Implications of the United States Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1994): 700. Richard Wilkins, et. al., Why the United States Should Not Ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2003): 421. "constitutional rights", Best Interest of the Child, Child Protective Services, child support scam, child trafficking, Childrens Rights, court corruption, court reform, CPS, cps child trafficking, cps childstealing, due process rights, family civil rights, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fathers rights, federal crimes, judicial corruption, mothers rights, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, parental rights, state corruption Parental Rights and Due Process In Best Interest of the Child, California Parental Rights Amendment, child trafficking, children legal status, children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Christian, Civil Rights, CPS, cps fraud, deadbeat dads, Department of Social Servies, Divorce, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, fathers rights, federal crimes, Freedom, HIPAA Law, judicial corruption, kidnapped children, Liberty, MMPI, MMPI 2, motherlessness, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial fathers, Non-custodial mothers, parental alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Parental Rights Amendment, Parentectomy, Parents rights, state crimes on May 19, 2009 at 12:00 pm THE JOURNAL OF LAW AND FAMILY STUDIES VOLUME 1, NUMBER 2 (1999), pp. 123– 150 UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SCHOOL OF LAW Donald C. Hubin hubin.1@osu.edu Copyright © 1999 by Donald C. Hubin ABSTRACT FOR “PARENTAL RIGHTS AND DUE PROCESS” The U. S. Supreme Court regards parental rights as fundamental. Such a status should subject any legal procedure that directly and substantively interferes with the exercise of parental rights to strict scrutiny. On the contrary, though, despite their status as fundamental constitutional rights, parental rights are routinely suspended or revoked as a result of procedures that fail to meet even minimal standards of procedural and substantive due process. This routine and cavalier deprivation of parental rights takes place in the context of divorce where, during the pendency of litigation, one parent is routinely deprived of significant parental rights without any demonstration that a state interest exists— much less that there is a compelling state interest that cannot be achieved in any less restrictive way. In marked contrast to our current practice, treating parental rights as fundamental rights requires a presumption of joint legal and physical custody upon divorce and during the pendency of divorce litigation. The presumption may be overcome, but only by clear and convincing evidence that such an arrangement is harmful to the children. DONALD C. HUBIN * Forget, for a moment, the title of this paper. Imagine that it is titled, “Due Process and the Deprivation of Rights”. Now, consider an unspecified right, R, which is “a fundamental right protected by First, Fifth, Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments“. 1 Suppose that this right is regarded as “far more precious than property rights” 2 and that the Supreme Court characterizes R as an “essential” right 3 that protects a substantial interest that “undeniably warrants deference, and, absent a powerful countervailing interest, protection“. 4 Imagine that “it cannot be denied without violating those fundamental principles of liberty and justice which lie at the base of all our civil and political institutions” 5 and that, because of this, “there must be some compelling justification for state interference” 6 with R. These aspects of the nature of R stipulated, imagine further that our legal system actively functions to suspend or deny this right literally tens of thousands of times a year— that this is done openly and under color of state law. Suppose that the suspension, and sometimes even the denial, of R is done on the basis of little or no evidence of any state interest whatsoever. Imagine that, in these cases of suspension or denial, there is no demonstration, and often no allegation, that R has been, or is likely to be, abused or that the retention of R by the individual in question would be harmful to the legitimate interests of any other person. Suppose, further, that even the temporary suspension of this right shifted the burden of proof onto the former right-holder to demonstrate that the suspension should not become a permanent denial. If there were such a right and it were treated in such a cavalier way, what should our reaction be? Outrage? Indeed! But is there a right that can be substituted for R and make all of the above suppositions true? Absolutely. But it is neither the right to property (and not simply because it cannot be more precious than itself) nor the right to liberty. Though there are often legal threats to these rights, on the whole they receive significant protection from the courts. There is only one right that has the importance described above and receives so little protection. It is the right of custody of our children— the cluster of rights labeled ‘parental rights’. 7 The above might strike one as flagrant hyperbole. Termination of parental rights is not done in the casual way I have described. 8 The state is required, a critic might point out, to show by “clear and convincing evidence” that a compelling state interest is at stake before termination of parental rights. 9. And so it is, sometimes. But there is a context in which parental rights are suspended with little or absolutely no evidence of the involvement of any state interest whatsoever. That context is divorce. While this context apparently affects our reaction to the casual procedures by which we suspend or terminate parental rights (else one would expect a hue and cry over this practice), it does not weaken the argument against such procedures. Divorce proceedings routinely involve unconscionable violations of minimal due process protections of fundamental rights and liberties. 10 I argue for this thesis below. I begin by discussing some features of parental rights and of the state interest in the custody of children. Next, I examine the sorts of due process considerations that have arisen in the context of termination of parental rights outside the divorce context. I then describe a procedure commonly used during divorce proceedings to determine custody during the period of the divorce litigation (pendente lite). The arrangements during the pendency of the litigation are extremely important because they establish a status quo which influences what it is reasonable to do with respect to parent/ child arrangements in the final divorce decree and, even more importantly, because of the direct effect they appear to have on the long-term parent child relationship. (A full explanation of the reasons for focusing on the procedures for determining temporary custody, as opposed to permanent custody, will be offered later.) In the penultimate section, I argue directly for the thesis that this procedure involves the temporary denial of fundamental rights without due process of law. Finally, I turn from the abstract discussion of the nature and basis of legal rights to discuss the real interests protected by these rights. The issue of parental rights and due process is not sterile or pedantic; parental rights protect the vital interests of parents and children alike. Our cavalier legal treatment of them is inexcusable for the real human devastation it causes. To read more, following this link: http://familyrights.us/bin/white_papers-articles/parental_rights_and_due_process.htm federal law, HIPAA Law, parental rights Federal HIPAA Law Oversteps Parental Rights In children's behaviour, Childrens Rights, Civil Rights, Divorce, family court, Family Court Reform, Family Rights, fatherlessness, Freedom, HIPAA Law, Liberty, mothers rights, National Parents Day, Non-custodial mothers, Parents rights, state crimes on May 13, 2009 at 3:44 pm by Michael P. Farris, J.D. Sid Daugherty, a father from Sullivan County, Tennessee, took his 13 year-old son to the doctor this spring seeking assistance because of some reactions his son was having to his prescription medication. The doctor asked the father if he could perform some tests to see if the boy was also using illegal drugs. The dad agreed. But, when the tests came back, the doctor refused to give the dad the results citing the right of the child to medical privacy. As a result, the Tennessee legislature is scheduled to take up a bill attempting to ensure that parents always have the results of their children’s medical exams. Most of us are surprised to learn that such a bill is deemed to be necessary. Don’t all parents have the right to their children’s medical information? After all, the doctor thought he had to get the dad’s permission to perform the tests; how in the world can it be suggested that the father didn’t have the right to see the results? The answer is: our federal government has invaded parents rights through the HIPAA regulations—yes, those same regulations that waste millions of pieces of paper every year by requiring that doctors give us pages of tiny print legalese that most Americans have the good sense to simply ignore. The federal government maintains a website, giving official answers to questions about the implementation of HIPAA. This is what that site says about parental rights: What right does a minor have under HIPAA to claim his or her own privilege to deny access to records under HIPAA? If the minor does not want parents or others to have access to his or her records, can the provider refuse to provide the records to the parents? The short answer to this question is that if the health care provider or facility concurs with the minor that the parents should not have access to his or her treatment records, the minor has a good chance of precluding parents from access to the records or granting access to others. What is the authority for this “short answer”? The official regulations (45 CFR 164.502(g)(3)(ii)(C)—this is the number of the rule for those keeping score at home) say that unless state law requires a doctor to disclose the medical information to the parent, the doctor may unilaterally refuse to give the information to the parent if the doctor’s decision is “in the exercise of professional judgment.” This section is not limited to cases of suspected abuse or neglect. In fact, there is a separate section of the federal regulations which covers such cases. It is important to see the role that the wishes of the child play in this situation. The question asks whether a child may keep his medical records a secret. But the regulation gives the doctor unilateral control to withhold information from parents. No request from the child is required to trigger the doctor’s power to keep parents in the dark. It is the doctor’s judgment alone that allows him to withhold medical results from parents. This is the normal way that children’s rights theories work out in practice. The power lands in the hands of an army of self-appointed nannies who believe that they should make decisions about children in place of parental judgment. A reasonable question still remains: What about the Constitution? Most people think that parents have a constitutional right to raise their children in a way that cannot be undermined by some federal regulation. Well, unfortunately most Americans do not include the current members of the United States Supreme Court. In Troxell v. Granville, decided in 2000, the Supreme Court split six different ways on the issue of parental rights. Only one justice, Clarence Thomas, ruled that parental rights are a fundamental right and that the same high legal tests for all fundamental rights should be made applicable here. Justice Scalia, a friend of conservative values in most cases, said that he could not find any legally enforceable right of parents in the Constitution so until there was a constitutional amendment protecting parental rights, he was required to conclude that the government can override parents’ wishes on a whim. Congressman Pete Hoekstra has introduced HJR 42, the Parental Rights Amendment, to fix this problem once and for all by putting the traditional test of parental rights into the actual text of the Constitution. There are currently 85 co-sponsors for this Amendment in the House of Representatives. Senator Jim DeMint has announced that he intends to introduce this same bill in the Senate later this spring. Under the Parental Rights Amendment, this HIPAA regulation would be clearly unconstitutional. In abuse cases, doctors could withhold medical results from parents who are the perpetrators of abuse under official investigation. But, the idea that the doctor could simply invoke “professional judgment” to override the wishes of parents would simply not be possible. With the PRA, parents would be guaranteed a legally enforceable right without worrying about what they are going to find buried in the fine print of some federal regulation. http://www.parentalrights.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={6A006580-AF53-4C46-9EF0-6050E4DFF197}	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line857
__label__cc	0.608481	0.391519	Opening pitch in the Swedish semi-finals 2014, Stockholm vs Sövlesborg Stockholm and Leksand won their respective Swedish Baseball Elite Division semi-finals last weekend. But while Leksand easily finished off Sundbyberg, Stockholm just narrowly came out ahead of Sölvesborg in the best-of-three series. In many ways it was the rules regarding pitchers, and especially those without EU passports, that shaped the Stockholm-Sölvesborg series. Sölvesborg’s Eddie Aucoin was pitching a four hit gem, but had to leave after six innings because he is an American citizen. Stockholm scored 3 runs in the eighth inning against reliever Knut Karlsson. But Stockholm’s starting pitcher Jakob Classon got into trouble with two outs in the ninth inning, letting in a run, before his big brother Joakim came in and slammed the door, with the final score 4-3. However, doing so meant that Joakim Classon was only allowed to pitch 8 2/3 innings when he started game 2. He only gave up one run, but the Stockholm bullpen failed, giving up 5 runs in the top of the 10th inning. Stockholm came back with two runs in the bottom of the 10th, but fell short 6-3. Sunday’s deciding match was also close fought, with Stockholm hanging to win by scoring twice in the eighth and twice again in the ninth, backed by a triple by Daniel Wood, a homerun by Magnus Pilegård, and a walk-off double by Björn Johannesen, final score 7-6. In the other semi-final, Leksand defeated Sundbyberg 3-1 and 7-1. This coming weekend sees the first two games of the finals at Leksand, with the remaining matches in the best-of-five series the following weekend at Stockholm’s Skarpnäck field. Stockholm lost just one game during the regular season, to Leksand. Written by George Wood Posted in Europe, Stockholm, Sweden	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line858
__label__wiki	0.942431	0.942431	Our feature stories are made possible by our members. Donate today. The Unlikely Boom of Chicago’s Chinatown As gentrification and changing cultural preferences wipe out urban Chinatowns across the U.S., a model for survival is being proven in the heartland. Story by Anna ClarkTwitter Photography by Alyssa Schukar It is the kind of cold that burns the skin. But on a Tuesday morning in January, it’s bright and warm in the new branch library in Chicago’s Chinatown. Out the slim vertical windows, subway trains rush by on elevated tracks. Looking north, there is the illusion that the looming Willis Tower is close enough to touch. In the periodicals corner, where the Chicago Tribune is shelved alongside China Daily, a young woman with long black hair and glasses watches a Chinese game show on a Dell computer, her headphones muting an animated host. A man wears the hood up on his navy North Face jacket as he reads a Chinese language newspaper. Another woman, her hair cropped short, bends her head over a thick textbook and inks notes onto a yellow pad. Only open since August, the new library is a nexus for Chinatown. After school, kids overrun its sunlit rooms doing homework, reading paperbacks and giggling in corners while older women study language workbooks, preparing for English classes held in the library’s community room. It was a surprise to many that Chicago invested $19 million to build the architecturally distinctive two-story library, a curving, glass-walled structure designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the same architects behind the sophisticated One World Trade Center in New York and the Centennial Tower in South San Francisco. The building — designed with feng shui principles in mind, in response to community input, the architects have said — replaced an aging structure farther from the train station. Constructed to achieve LEED Gold certification, it counts a green roof, a solar shading screen and in-ground thermal storage tanks among its sustainable features. A new library branch aims to be a community center for Chinatown’s growing population. Chicago has created a prominent showcase — with a landmark profile and prime location — for a neighborhood that defies national trends. Gentrification and changing cultural norms have all but killed off the traditional urban American Chinatown. Immigrants no longer pour into the Chinatowns in New York City and San Francisco the way they once did — but they still head to Chicago, home to one of the only Chinatowns in the country that is still growing with recent immigrants. Its population ballooned by 26 percent between 2000 and 2010, spilling out beyond its historic hub at the corner of Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue and spiraling far enough outward for its two ends to be dubbed “Old Chinatown” and “New Chinatown.” Sixty-five percent of residents in Chinatown’s core are foreign-born, with nearly 10 percent arriving in the last three years. Residents have their eye on a robust future too. Ping Tom Memorial Park, named for a prominent figure in Chinatown history, recently got a new state-of-the-art fieldhouse. Not far from the park, four bike-share stations were recently installed, better linking the neighborhood to the broader city. And that new library is seeing about 1,500 visitors a day. It has adapted to the community with a collection split between English and Chinese language books, tai chi classes and a cultural appreciation series on Cantonese opera. Chinatown’s Ping Tom Memorial Park spans 17 acres. These are the sorts of initiatives that align with the Chinatown Community Vision Plan, which Chinatown’s key stakeholders approved last May. Developed in partnership with the regional planning authority and the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, a local advocacy group, the plan can be seen as a call to action. Going beyond recommendations for physical enhancements, the plan emphasizes improved relations with local police, who, it suggests, should be trained to affirm the rights of immigrants who are living there illegally. It urges Chicago to implement a language access policy, and prompts local officers to meet regularly with Chinatown leaders. The plan also calls for more green space, beyond the beloved but singular 17-acre Ping Tom park, leveraging the community’s nearness to Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. To date, Chinatown has only two parks, totaling 2 1/2 acres per 1,000 residents, about half of what the National Recreation and Park Association recommends. To compensate, the plan suggests treating the most well-trafficked public places in Chinatown — the streets — as if they were parks, using beautification techniques that invite people to linger. Overall, the plan “is a vision of what the community would like to accomplish in the next 20, 30 years,” says Sharyne Tu, executive director of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. With its emphasis on civil rights, public safety and livability, the plan makes it clear that Chicago Chinatown wants to be a place that people call home — not just a tourist attraction, or a historic curiosity. But there is a fundamental tension in envisioning the polyglot Chinatown of the 21st century. In Chicago, New York City, San Francisco and other cities, Chinatowns are the direct result of racism. Segregationist housing practices pushed Chinese immigrants into isolated enclaves where they banded together in a society that enshrined its distaste for the Chinese in law. Whether it was in places of worship offering services in Mandarin and Cantonese, or community banks catering to immigrants, Chinatown was a place where day-to-day life wasn’t stunted by exclusion. Today, though, many urbanists, community activists, business leaders and others are dedicated to dismantling the architecture of segregation. The interest in cultivating cities that are not only diverse, but integrated is now mainstream. At the same time, immigrants today have more freedom to choose where they live, whether it is a quiet suburban street, or in the heart of downtown, or in a rural town with a good school district. Census numbers show that immigrants are taking advantage of those choices and fanning outward. These changing preferences can seem at odds with the 21st-century Chinatown, a neighborhood bound by ethnic culture in an era where a community’s survival no longer demands it. But at the same time, the dissolution of Chinatowns is an aching loss — especially to those who have found a beloved community within them. That’s what makes Chicago Chinatown so significant. It stands apart from what seems like an excruciating contradiction. Even as Chinese-Americans are integrated throughout the city and region, this is a modern-day ethnic enclave that has found a way to thrive. A Neighborhood for Every Generation Chinese immigration in the U.S. dates back centuries, with heavy rises in the desperate aftermath of the Opium Wars and the Qing dynasty in the mid-19th century. Between 1853 and 1873, the height of westward expansion, nearly 14 million Chinese laborers teemed into the United States. Racism festered. In newspapers and magazines, on political pedestals and on barstools, Chinese people were described in the language of animals and disease: “rats” and “yellow peril.” Emerging trade unions blamed Chinese workers for pushing down wages; labor leader Denis Kearney dubbed them “almond-eyed lepers.” In the largest mass lynching in American history, 17 Chinese men were hung in Los Angeles by a mob of 500 people. In the 1870s and 1880s, there were no fewer than 153 anti-Chinese riots across the American West, including in Seattle, Tacoma, Denver and Rock Springs, Wyoming. “Chinese catchers” showed up on the Mexican border to chase down America’s first “illegal immigrants.” Chicago Community Replies to Gentrification With Inclusive Arts Space Detailed Maps Trace the Heat in Chicago Neighborhoods Charlotte Moves toward a Car-Free City Center Gentrification Can’t Be the Theme of Rust Belt City Recovery The U.S. passed a law in 1924 that denied admission to the country to most non-white people, with immigration from Asia wholly excluded. Those already in the States teetered in exile — neither here nor there. They often didn’t have means to return to China, but they were also banished from the economic, residential and cultural mainstream of America. For survival, they gathered in urban clusters — tenuous enclaves that shifted with the whims of development and public pressure. In Washington, D.C., for example, Chinatown only came to the blocks between G Street and Massachusetts Avenue in 1931, after federal development displaced residents from another neighborhood. The area was then dominated by German and Jewish immigrants living in flat-roofed pre-Civil War buildings. As one of the oldest mixed-use neighborhoods in the city, it suited the needs of the Chinese community. The family association that searched for a new Chinatown began by leasing commercial space for its member businesses, and by purchasing a double building that it renovated with a Chinese facade to serve as a community anchor. Five years later, the District’s Chinatown was home to 800 people who had already launched Chinese schools, churches and social service organizations. D.C.’s Chinatown was prospering a generation later when, in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act, eliminating racial quotas and loosening immigration restrictions. The hard-won reform catalyzed Asian life and culture in the U.S. Between 1960 and 1985, the Chinese population in America quadrupled. Around the same time, garment and other industrial sectors moved into Chinatowns across the country in search of cheap labor, which spurred economic growth, including the rise of the Chinese restaurant industry. These neighborhoods, once viewed as “depraved colonies of prostitutes, gamblers and opium addicts,” were soon being marketed by Chinese residents as family-friendly tourist destinations. But while their appeal as a weekend destination was growing, Chinatowns were seeing the start of a residential exodus. Prompted by urban unrest in the 1960s and ’70s and corresponding white flight, many Chinese people chose to move to the suburbs — or to the “ethnoburbs,” as some have dubbed them. D.C. residents moved into Maryland and Virginia. In New York, Chinese families shifted to the outer boroughs, especially Flushing, Queens, and Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Los Angeles residents headed to the San Gabriel Valley, which today is home to eight of the 10 cities with the highest proportion of Chinese-Americans. Monterey Park is believed to be the first suburban Chinatown. Another complicating factor is the emergence of China as an economic powerhouse. The overall number of immigrants to the U.S. is declining, and many who do arrive here are lured back home after getting an American degree and learning English. Sharyne Tu, executive director of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, grew up visiting Chinatown with her family. Sharyne Tu’s family illustrates some of this fluidity. Both of her parents came to Chicago from China. Tu was born on the South Side and grew up in her father’s laundry in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. “Every Sunday afternoon, our family would travel to Chinatown for our weekly outing to eat, buy groceries and visit friends,” Tu says. “My father and mother worked six-and-a-half days a week, so this was their only form of social activity.” Her father is also past president of the Moy’s Family Association, which played an influential role in Chinatown’s development. In 1971, her father’s failing health prompted a move into Chinatown. Her family stayed there for nine years before moving north to Rogers Park, where Tu lives today. She reconnected with Chinatown after starting a job at the Chamber in June 2013. “It was a transition for me to work in the Chinatown community because I was not involved much with the neighborhood,” she says. “I visited, ate, shopped and watched the Lunar New Year parade each year. It has been great to become more involved with the community and learn or re-live customs and traditions of our culture. … I think my parents would be proud that I am representing the community.” A dancer poses after performing in Chinatown’s Lunar New Year parade on February 14. Tu is tasked with promoting the neighborhood to tourists, businesses and residents. By all indications, her work is paying off. But whether it’s because of discrimination, sky-high real estate costs or changing settlement patterns, Chinatowns in other cities haven’t fared nearly as well. Some have been wiped clean off the map. Detroit’s Chinatown, forced to move in the 1960s by urban renewal, gave its final exhale when the last restaurant closed in 2000. In Walla Walla, Washington, a non-Chinese business owner bought property and eliminated housing, a move that cut off the local Chinese community. In New Orleans, a Chinatown rose and fell within about 50 years, leaving only a few photographs in its wake. The St. Louis Chinatown was traded for Busch Stadium. Los Angeles’ was razed in 1933 for the construction of Union Station; archeologists excavated its remnants in 1987. Back in Washington, D.C., the downtown enclave is hanging by a thread. The traditional Chinese arched gate that’s marked the neighborhood since the 1980s now stands incongruously against a backdrop dominated by luxury condos, chain franchises and the Verizon Center, a 20,000-seat sports and entertainment complex that opened in 1997. Although local law requires businesses to post signs in both Chinese and English, to preserve character, Chinatown’s population has fallen from 3,000 to about 300 residents. Pending demolition of an apartment complex threatens to displace another 150; the owner plans to build a luxury development. Tenants are challenging it in court, but the outlook is grim. Despite these losses, Chicago’s Chinatown is hardly the first to map out a vision for a flourishing future. Stephen Ostrander, a senior planner for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, says that the team that worked on the vision plan studied similar efforts from Boston, San Francisco and New York. Each of these plans share a common interest in creating affordable housing, supporting local businesses and preserving cultural heritage so that working Chinese families can continue to live in these historic communities. Honolulu also developed a Chinatown plan last summer, which prioritizes walkability and safety. But moving from plan to reality is never easy, especially when the vision involves fragile demographic and economic dynamics. In San Francisco, zoning rules designed to keep Financial District businesses from spilling into Chinatown have backfired, with Chinese-American entrepreneurs arguing that the regulations unfairly limit what they do can do in their community. Business leaders in Vancouver, B.C.’s Chinatown tried to address a lack of economic vitality by rezoning the area, newly allowing for buildings as high as 17 stories along Main Street. That led to the swift development of several condo projects and the eviction of seven retailers, alarming residents about the future of the community. Chinatown in Boston is dubbed the city’s last immigrant enclave, but the population of white people in the neighborhood has grown significantly. Asians now account for only about 46 percent of residents. To mitigate the further dissolution of the community during a construction boom, a new Chinese-led land trust is trying to buy rowhouses in the neighborhood and hold them for working families. “We cannot let [the community] just disappear like other cities,” Suzanne Lee, a land trust board member told the Boston Globe in April. For its part, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund has criticized leaders in New York, Boston and Philadelphia for pushing policies that accelerate “the gutting of Chinatowns.” In New York, the 2010 Census marked a 14 percent decline in Asian-Americans living in Chinatown, and a 6 percent drop in the city’s foreign-born Chinese population. “Government policies have changed these traditionally working-class, Asian, family household neighborhoods into communities that are now composed of more affluent, White and non-family households,” the AALDEF wrote in a recent report. Intentional Integration In the heart of the Midwest, though, it’s a different story. The Chinese are the fastest-growing immigrant group in Chicago, and the city’s third largest overall. The Chinatown on the South Side is its second location, established after the first Chinatown in The Loop — founded by Chinese people fleeing racism on the West Coast — was pushed out by mounting discrimination, overcrowding and economic pressure. But in its present location, Chinatown is a bustling center of services and commerce. It’s also home to 8,000 residents, a number that has risen even as the overall population of Chicago has fallen. Residents are also increasingly arriving from different regions of China, bringing with them new-to-Chicago traditions and foods. (Chinatown is also home to Strings, frequently dubbed the best ramen restaurant in Chicago; its menu makes a point to note that many believe the popular Japanese dish originated in China, with ramen being the Japanese mispronunciation of lamian, the Chinese name for pulled noodles. At lunchtime, young adults crowd the stylish restaurant, sweating over bowls of the spicy noodle soup.) More than 30,000 attendees crowded Chicago’s Chinatown for the Lunar New Year Parade on February 14. Growth, however, isn’t a silver bullet. Chinatown’s challenges run the gamut from routine urban concerns about litter to deeper issues that come when a community speaks a different language than its representative government. Most of the neighborhood’s residents speak Chinese at home, and about three-quarters say they are not comfortable with their English skills. Recently, high rates of robbery and car break-ins have led to fewer people out at night. But not many crimes are reported because of an uneasy relationship between residents and local police. That’s partly a language barrier. Esther Wong, executive director of the Chinese American Service League, says that from the perspective of the Chicago Police, Chinatown is a low priority. The most serious crimes, like homicide, are unusual so officers don’t understand why residents don’t feel safe, Wong says. Grassroots programs are helping to bridge the gap, though, including a youth-run effort to count all the security lights in the neighborhood and to map the safest routes, tested by seniors for walkability. One of the most potentially transformational — and difficult — recommendations in the community vision plan is creating a better high school option. David Wu, executive director of Pui Tak Center, says that the nearest secondary school is poor and “almost no one goes” to it. Some attend selective schools, but not every kid gets into them. Those who are left behind don’t have many choices, Wu says. “Immigrants come here so their kids can have an opportunity and a chance. They’ve really put their hope in education.” Interestingly, the vision plan imagines a Chinatown that, in part, hinges on greater integration into the region. It calls for partnerships to diversify the neighborhood’s businesses and promote them across Chicagoland. It also emphasizes the need for new infrastructure to connect the neighborhood to other parts of the region, including a smaller Chinatown established uptown in the 1970s and suburban areas with large Chinese populations. In 1963, D.Y. Yuan wrote an academic article that tracked the segregation in New York’s Chinatown from “involuntary choice” to “defensive insulation” to “voluntary segregation.” “The strong prejudice against the Chinese strengthens the ‘we-feeling’ among them,” Yuan wrote. “They realize that they must help each other in an alien country to which originally they did not belong.” Cities were the best places for the immigrants to gather because they were increasingly shifting into the laundry, restaurant and gift shop businesses, which are most easily sustained in large cosmopolitan communities. A few shoppers brave Chicago’s cold January weather. Ultimately, though, Yuan predicted the gradual assimilation of Chinatown residents. He saw voluntary segregation as a “temporary ‘safety zone,’” until hostility toward the Chinese diminished. At that has happened in modern American cities, the need for the community to contain themselves in a single urban neighborhood has declined. Even when Yuan wrote his article, two years before the Immigration and Nationality Act passed, he noted that “the great majority of the Chinese (in New York) are living outside Chinatown, scattered all over the metropolitan area.” Chinatown still existed, though, because of the “‘institutionalization’ of the voluntary segregation” — that is, for business purposes. “Chinatown will continue to exist as a ‘symbol’ of voluntary segregation because it will become a commercial district in which not many Chinese will remain as residents,” he wrote. Complete assimilation was only held back, he suggested, by the era’s resistance to intermarriage. Yuan proved prescient. Most modern Chinatowns are serving less as a singular manifestation of Chinese-American life than as a central gathering place for people to experience Chinese culture — whether or not they have a Chinese heritage. And indeed, Chinatowns themselves were often built on the ground of former ethnic enclaves that had organically dissolved; the one in Manhattan has previous incarnations as the Irish Five Points and Little Italy. But as Chicago’s Chinatown demonstrates, this is not a predictable story. More than a hundred years after its founding, the neighborhood has a dynamism that can’t be neatly scripted. “Chicago Chinatown is the only one in the country that has not been gentrified and also has been expanding,” says Wong, of the Chinese American Service League. And its development is orchestrated not only by leaders at the top of influential organizations, but also by the personal choices of people on the ground. Wong says residents are much more involved in the community too. Older residents who once were isolated are now active, for example, in the seniors program at CASL. They take calligraphy classes, and travel together to San Francisco and Yellowstone National Park. Wong was part of the group that founded CASL more than 30 years ago. She remembers that in one of their first programs, it was a milestone when they took Chinese seniors on a field trip to The Loop. That’s just three miles north. “Even though they lived in Chicago a long time, they didn’t know what Chicago looks like,” Wong said. “They only knew Cermak and Wentworth. They were scared to go beyond that.” When Green Infrastructure Is an Anti-Poverty Strategy ‘Yes, Newark. Get behind it. We’re good.’ Our features are made possible with generous support from The Ford Foundation.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line861
__label__wiki	0.860961	0.860961	After the perfect summer, Mikael Backlund is ready for October Mikael BacklundTeam SwedenCalgary Flames How would Mikael Backlund like to see the 2018-19 NHL season play out? Just like his off-season. It was a longer spring and summer than he had anticipated, but it was certainly a busy and rewarding time for one of hockey’s most effective two-way forwards. A quick tour of his Instagram page shows just how special it was. From captaining Team Sweden to victory at the IIHF World Championship, to tying the knot, to plenty of family time in his native country, Backlund, now back in Calgary to ready for the upcoming campaign, experienced several memorable moments outside of his NHL life. “It’s been great,” Backlund told NHLPA.com. “It’s been busy, but a lot of fun. The wedding, it was an amazing day. Everything worked out as Frida and I wanted it to, so we’re very happy.” “We also had a baptism for my nephew (Nils) a couple of weeks ago, too, which was a nice time to see everyone." “Frida and I also spent a lot of time on the lake on our boat. We tore down our lake house and we’re going to build a new house there. I also got to watch the World Cup on TV with my grandpa. Sweden made it to the quarterfinals and played really well. It’s a big thing over there and I love watching them play. It was just a really great summer overall.” He’s eager to keep the good times rolling. “Hopefully, it will be a good start to the season,” said Backlund, who signed a six-year contract extension with the Flames this February. “I was really excited to get the deal done and I’m really excited about the team we have going into this year. I believe there’s a bright future for us.” Backlund’s teammates were ecstatic, to say the least, after he inked his new deal. “That means a lot to me,” said the 24th overall pick of the Flames (2007) who has played in 543 NHL regular season games. “We have a great group of guys here and we have a lot of fun together. It’s a great team to be on. I was very happy to see them being excited for me.” Last season, Calgary finished with 84 points – a drop of 10 points from the previous year – and failed to make the playoffs. The 29-year-old centre sees a motivated group ahead of the 2018-19 campaign. “That’s exactly the feeling I’m getting,” said Backlund. “Everyone is excited to get going. The guys are anxious to get back at it and prove that we’re a better team than we showed last year.” Perhaps Backlund can wear his Team Sweden football jersey around the Calgary dressing room for a little inspiration. “One of our trainers, his background is from Iceland, so we talked a little bit about soccer in the spring,” he said. “He was hoping Iceland would do better than Sweden, so I was giving him a hard time about that. Another trainer and a few guys on the team have an Italian background, so I was giving them a hard time about them not being there and Sweden beating them out. But I didn’t bring my Sweden jersey with me to Calgary.” He’s hopeful the Flames can go even further than Sweden did. “Exactly. That’s what we’re looking to do. I believe in our team. I really like our additions and I think Brad (GM, Treliving) did a great job. I’m very excited about everything.” From Kladno to Calgary, Frolik closing in on milestone Meeting your hockey idol when you were seven? Priceless. Getting to play with him when you’re in the NHL? Ditto. Travis Hamonic on supporting Indigenous youth Travis Hamonic talks about the importance of making a difference in the lives of Indigenous young people through The Northern Project. My Top 5 \| Noah Hanifin You don’t have to read between the lines when it comes to one of Noah Hanifin’s favourite pastimes. Presence, balance key for Nurse, Jankowski The third of a five-part series highlighting the NHLPA's partnership with Kids Help Phone, members discuss the importance of balancing family and friends with a demanding career. My Top 5 \| Mark Jankowski When he’s not busy netting short-handed goals, Mark Jankowski can be found tuning in to watch some of his all time favourite big screen flicks. Player of the Week \| Johnny Gaudreau Johnny Gaudreau entered a new year on the heels of a strong December while earning his fifth straight NHL All-Star nod and leading league scoring.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line862
__label__wiki	0.83962	0.83962	Meat Loaf Says Health Issues Mean He May Never Sing Again Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Meat Loaf has revealed that problems with his back have prevented him from singing for a year now, and that he may never be able to perform again. The 70-year-old artist has undergone a series of surgical procedures in an attempt to resolve the issues, he said, but he’s currently unable to move around his home without the aid of a walker. “You use everything to sing, and I just cannot do it,” he told Rolling Stone in a new interview, before insisting that he planned to keep fighting. “From how I grew up, that's where I learned to be tough and to never stop. I mean, I'm tough as nails. Once I was hit in the head with a pool cue and just turned to the guy and said, 'You just made a big mistake.' Got hit in the head with a whiskey bottle. Had my head slammed into a locker. I've had 18 concussions. And nothing, nothing has ever put me down. Yeah, man – I never go down." Still, he noted, “my back is driving me crazy. But then I'm probably a little crazy anyway, because of all the concussions.” Asked whether he’d attend the upcoming opening of the Bat Out of Hell stage musical, he said there was “not a prayer” of his appearance while he had to rely on the walker. “I don't have any business going out to where all the bars and bands are,” he said. “They'd look at me and say, 'Who's the old guy? What's that old guy doing here?' No, man, I don't belong in those places." Meat Loaf also expressed concern for the well-being of Jim Steinman, the songwriter and producer with whom he’s had most of his success. “He doesn't want me talking about his health, but I'm worried about him,” he said. “My dream was never to be a rock ’n’ roll star. I wanted to play professional football. … When people call me a legend, I say, 'Don't call me that, I'm not a legend.' I don't pretend to be one. I want to be just a normal human being.” Next: Top 10 Meat Loaf Songs Source: Meat Loaf Says Health Issues Mean He May Never Sing Again	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line863
__label__wiki	0.774244	0.774244	Tag Archives: #MeToo March 29, 2018 Everything else, feminism, Women's Issues Feminism: One Movement in Four Waves (Part 4) Nicole Evelina#MeToo, #TimesUp, Emma Watson, feminism, fourth wave, fourth wave feminism, Harvey Weinstein, Hillary Rodham Clinton, pussy hats, Reese Witherspoon, resistance, Rose McGowan, Rosie the Riveter, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris, women in politcs 2 Comments This is the final installment of this series. Here are the other parts: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Wave Four: 2017 – Present – Women Resist Key Figures: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris, celebrities such as Rose McGowan, Reese Witherspoon and Emma Watson, and women of the general public who demonstrated. By Elvert Barnes from Baltimore, Maryland, USA via Wikimedia Commons In 2005, Pythia Peay became the first women to argue, at least publicly, that the country had slipped into a fourth wave of feminism, one she believed combined justice with spirituality. Jennifer Baumgardner points to 2008 as the date the fourth wave began because of the sanctioning of Take Our Daughters to Work Days and the broadening of feminist agendas to include transgender women, acceptance of sex-positivism and sex workers, support for plus-sized women and other issues. But I personally believe the change came in 2017. Regardless of who you voted for, it’s hard to deny that the Trump election changed everything for women in the United States. You could argue that this wave began with Hilary Clinton’s campaign, but I believe the stunning blow many women felt when she lost, combined with Trump’s public distain for women, is really what set us into a new wave. Within days of his election, women were planning ways to protest the rise of a culture in which a political leader with pending lawsuits for sexual misconduct and widely-seen video/audio footage of him bragging about kissing/groping women without their consent is given a pass by fellow lawmakers and voters. They also used it as a chance to advocate for legislation and policies regarding human rights, women’s rights, immigration reform, health care reform, reproductive rights, the environment, LGBTQ rights, racial equality and freedom of religion. The resulting January 21, 2017, Women’s March in Washington was the largest single-day protest in American history. It and 673 others around the world drew 2.6 million people in all 50 states and 32 countries. (In 2018, more than 1 million women turned out for a second Women’s March in cities across the country, with an emphasis on resistance and creating change through voting in the midterm elections to be held later in the year.) By Rob Kall from Bucks County, PA, USA via Wikimedia Commons 2017 also saw the ideas of men habitually interrupting women or “mansplaining” ideas to them come into mainstream media when California Sen. Kamala Harris was cut off by two male colleagues during an Intelligence Committee hearing, not once, but twice in a week, without censure. This event led to former Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller branding Harris with the age-old female label of “hysterical.” During the same hearings, when Sen. Elizabeth Warren objected to the confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions, the Senate voted to silence her in the middle of a speech, citing Senate Rule XIX, which prohibits ascribing “to another senator or to other senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a senator.” In defending this action, Sen. Mitch McConnell said, “Sen. Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” Thus was born the fourth wave feminist slogan “Nevertheless She Persisted.” Perhaps the most visible movement within the reenergized feminist fourth wave began in October 2017 with a tweet from actress Rose McGowan in which she revealed she had been raped by a man she called HW (who would later be identified as media mogul Harvey Weinstein). Her Charmed co-star Alyssa Milano responded to her tweet by urging women to use the hastag #MeToo to show how widespread sexual harassment and sexual assault are. A movement was born, resulting in hundreds of thousands of women (both famous and not) around the world sharing their stories, as well as accusations against more than 50 Hollywood heavyweight actors, producers, directors, and other public figures. Time magazine later named the #MeToo silence breakers the Person of the Year for 2017. A high-profile offshoot of #MeToo is #TimesUp, a movement involving more than 300 women in the film industry who are supporting one another in the fight against sexual harassment and violence through lobbying and providing funds for victims who can’t afford legal counsel. Given all this fiery activity, it is little surprise that feminism was Merriam-Webster’s 2017 Word of the Year – a move many saw as confirming the rise of feminism from near-death. From NBC news One positive outcome of this fledgling wave of feminism is that more women than ever are running for political office, seeking to change trends that threaten to normalize sexual harassment and overall disregard for women’s rights and feelings. Currently, women occupy just 19.1% of House seats, 21% of Senate seats, and only four current U.S. governors are women, according to Catalyst.org, but this may well change with 2018 mid-term elections leaving several seats up for grabs. According to the Washington Post, a record number of women are running for governor: 79 women — 49 Democrats and 30 Republicans — are considering runs for the 2018 campaign. That’s more than double than four years ago. In Michigan, it appears that women will be nominees for every statewide office and more than 110 women have signed up to run for the Texas legislature. Only time will tell what else this new wave will bring or what permanent changes it will usher in. I, for one, am grateful to be living “in interesting times” where history is made each and every day. If previous waves are any indication, persistence, loud voices and bold action will win the day and hopefully, finally, bring to an end the need for feminism to exist after nearly 200 years. It’s a tall order, but as Rosie the Riveter reminds us “we can do it!” January 16, 2018 Everything else Victoria Woodhull and the Victorian Antecedent of #MeToo Nicole Evelina#MeToo, Free Love, Rose McGowan, Sexual harrassment, sexuality, Tarana Burke, Victoria C. Woodhull, Victoria Claflin, Victoria Woodhull, Victorian America, women, Women's Issues, women's rights By Bradley & Rulofson, San Francisco ([1]) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons (This article is being posted concurrently on The Huffington Post) The #MeToo movement began in 2006 as a way to empower survivors of sexual violence and then in late 2017 became a rallying cry against sexual harassment for all women. It occurred to me yesterday that the roots of the #MeToo movement reach back much farther in time than when Tarana Burke began using the phrase on MySpace. The original feminists, who were also the first suffragists, often took up issues of sex and sexuality. Victoria Woodhull, woman of so many firsts, was at the vanguard. A little background on Victoria, in case you are unfamiliar with her: Despite being born in 1864 as the dirt-poor daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot and having very little formal education, Victoria raised herself up to become a self-made millionaire by the age of 30, as well as the first woman to: Speak before a House Committee of Congress (the Judiciary Committee, where she spoke in favor of female suffrage) Run a stock brokerage on Wall Street (which she ran with the help of her sister, Tennessee, who was also called Tennie) Run a weekly newspaper (Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly, which she also ran with Tennie) Run for United States president (in 1872, 48 years before women were granted the right to vote) Advocate of Prostitutes and Free Love Having suffered physical (and according to some biographers, sexual) abuse at the hands of her father, and having endured marital rape by her first husband, Canning Woodhull, Victoria was an outspoken advocate of female sexual rights. In 1871, she declared publicly, “Sexual freedom means the abolition of prostitution both in and out of marriage, means the emancipation of woman from sexual slavery and her coming into ownership and control of her own body” (Sterns). Victoria was a member of a Spiritualist splinter movement called the sex radicals, who believed, among other things, that “hypocrisy tainted the social order and made class and gender equality inaccessible to women” (Frisken 27). Like many others of this group, Victoria was known to be a supporter of the rights of prostitutes. (Some posit that she worked as one for a time, which I don’t believe, but it is known that her sister Tennie, was a prostitute, thanks to her father who forced several of the Woodhull girls into the sex trade.) Victoria was known to have heard the plights of prostitutes during her work as a clairvoyant healer and to have been deeply touched by their plight. Indeed, when she and Tennie opened their brokerage in 1870, Victoria ensured it had a special back room with its own separate entrance for women. Many have speculated that in addition to rich magnates’ wives, heiresses and honest businesswomen, the prostitutes and madams Victoria once helped came to try their luck in the stock market and so Victoria made sure they had a private, protected place to do their legitimate business (Goldsmith 191). Editorials in Victoria’s newspaper (possibly penned by her, but also equally possibly penned by her husband Col. James Blood or her close friend Stephen Pearl Andrews) stated “Remove the causes and the effects will cease. Give woman employment and you remove her from the need of self-destruction…We hope all our girls will soon be educated up to the standard of preferring the glorious freedom of self support, even as washerwomen or ragpickers, to holding legal or illegal sexual relations undictated by attraction. She who marries for support, and not for love, is a lazy pauper, coward and prostitute” (Frisken 27). Victoria not only spoke about women’s rights, she lived her beliefs. She was famously a supporter of Free Love, a movement that the press liked to dress up as the wanton belief that everyone should be able to have sex with anyone, anytime, but which to Victoria meant that the religion and government should not be part of marriage. She believed that when two people fell in love, a marriage should begin, and if they fell out of love, it should end and both parties be free to take other lovers. This was her explanation: “Two persons, a male and a female, meet and are drawn together by a mutual attraction—a natural feeling unconsciously arising within their natures of which neither has any control—which is denominated love. Suppose after this marriage has continued an indefinite time, the unity between them departs. Could they any more prevent it than they can prevent the love? It came without their bidding; it not also go without their bidding? It is therefore a strictly legitimate conclusion that where there is no love as a basis of marriage, there should be no marriage, and if that which was the basis of a marriage is taken away, that the marriage also ceases from that time, statute laws to the contrary notwithstanding” (Sterns). While that may sound reasonable to us now, in Victorian America, it was shocking. In those days, divorce was a religious issue, rendering asunder what God hath joined, and laws varied widely by state, resulting in uneven and unfair rules. Wisconsin and Indiana had the two most liberal divorce laws in country, and incompatibility was accepted as grounds, (Goldsmith 204) but in many states, the only grounds for divorce a woman could use were cruelty, the definition of which varied widely, and adultery, which it was hard to prove, so divorce was difficult for a woman. Add to this the economic and cultural dependencies of women upon men and there were many unhappy marriages in which women were required to sexually submit to husbands they did not love. In that same 1871 speech, Victoria said, “Sanctioned and defended by marriage, night after night, thousands of rapes are committed under the cover of this accursed license. I know whereof I speak. Millions of poor, heartbroken, suffering wives are compelled to minister to the lechery of insatiable husbands when every instinct of body and sentiment of soul revolt in loathing and disgust. Prate of the abolition of slavery, there was never servitude in the world like this one of marriage” (Sterns). This is what she was fighting against with her very public ideals of Free Love. Like many women who speak out today, Victoria was punished for her radical ideas. In 1872, Harper’s Weekly published a cartoon dubbing Victoria as “Mrs. Satan” because she urged women to fight back against sexual slavery and mistreatment within marriage, an image and a name that would dog her throughout the end of her presidential run and even hang on for decades after her death. The Beecher-Tilton Scandal, The Original #MeToo If that wasn’t enough, Victoria famously called out the most famous and beloved preacher of her day – Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, a Victorian Harvey Weinstein, who was said to “preach to at least twenty of his mistresses every Sunday” (Goldsmith, xiv). The first time, in May 1871, she simply alluded to him in her newspaper, writing that many of the men who judged her “preach against ‘free love’ openly and practice it secretly. I know of one man, a public teacher of eminence, who lives in concubinage with the wife of another public teacher of almost equal eminence. All three concur in denouncing offenses against morality” (Brody 83). But by October 1872, Victoria had had enough and took steps that eerily foreshadowed Rose McGowan’s 2017 public social media declaration against Harvey Weinstein. Victoria brought back her failed newspaper for one incredibly scandalous issue in which she blew the lid off of one of the biggest sex scandals of the age. Her article, “The Beecher-Tilton Scandal Case: The Detailed Statement of the Whole Matter,” was written in the form of a mock interview in which Victoria, after a brief introduction, answered questions from a fictional reporter about the affair. In the article she revealed her long-held secret knowledge that Rev. Beecher had a sexual affair with Elizabeth “Lib” Tilton, the wife of Victoria’s former lover, Theodore Tilton. The reverend’s scandalous behavior was an open secret in their society, but Victoria’s public account brought it unequivocally into the light where it could no longer be denied, resulting in a court case that was the O.J. Simpson trial of its day. Thomas Nast [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Accompanying Victoria’s article was one by her sister, Tennie, which detailed the rape of a young virgin (or two, depending on the source) at an annual night of debauchery called the French Ball many years earlier. It was Tennie’s use of the phrase “…to prove that he seduced a virgin, carried for days on his finger, exhibiting in triumph, the red trophy of her virginity” that landed the sisters in jail a few days later on charges of sending obscene content through the mail. Despite that phrase appearing in Book of Deuteronomy in Bible (and therefore everyone who had ever mailed a Bible being equally guilty), they remained in jail for several months, causing Victoria to miss the Election Day during which her name was on the ballot as the first ever woman to run for president of the United States. Both women were eventually acquitted of all charges against them. (See this article for more on the scandal.) And on Through the Decades Unlike the #MeToo movement, the Beecher-Tilton scandal did not result in an outpouring of similar accusations; Victorian society would not stand for that, so women stayed silent. In the end, the lurid headlines did little to change things. After a six-month trial that ended in a hung jury, Rev. Beecher walked away unpunished and his congregation paid his trial costs, leaving him richer than before Victoria spoke up (McMillen 193). He may have been one of the first, but he certainly wasn’t the last. Throughout the remainder of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century, women were routinely abused at home, in their places of worship, and increasingly in the workplace. According to Time magazine, “By the 1920s, working women were advised to simply quit their jobs if they could not handle the inevitable sexual advances” (Cohen). In fact, discrimination against women in the workplace only became illegal with the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In 1970, Lynn Povich and the women of Newsweek sued their employers for sexual harassment and discrimination, citing the withholding of advancement because they were female. (This is the subject of the unfortunately canceled but excellent Amazon series Good Girls Revolt.) According to Time, “the phrase “sexual harassment” was coined in 1975, by a group of women at Cornell University,” after a woman named Carmita Wood “filed a claim for unemployment benefits after she resigned from her job due to unwanted touching from her supervisor.” After the university refused her a transfer and denied her benefits, a group called Working Women United was formed. At the group’s events, “the women spoke of masturbatory displays, threats and pressure to trade sexual favors for promotions” (Cohen) – all things cited 42 years later when Hollywood women spoke out about men in the entertainment industry. Sexual harassment was a major issue of the Second Wave of Feminism, which took place in the late 1970s and 1980s in the United States. In 1991, Anita Hill famously testified against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, alleging sexual harassment when she worked for him at the Education Department. This moment is said by many to mark the beginning of the Third Wave of feminism. Thousands of cases followed, some picked up my the media, but many not. And of course, in 2017, #MeToo happened. One hundred and twenty years before Anita, nearly 150 years before #MeToo, Victoria Woodhull uttered words that still hold true today, “Women are entirely unaware of their power.” She continued, “If the very next Congress refuses women all the legitimate results of citizenship, we shall proceed to call another convention expressly to frame a new Constitution and erect a new government” (Sterns). Perhaps such a revolution is exactly what the #MeToo movement will bring about in our own day – not by a literal overthrowing of the government, but by a re-writing of the rules of society that allow sexual harassment and rape to go unspoken about and unpunished. Victoria raised the cry nearly 150 years ago; it is time that women are finally heard. Nicole Evelina is the author of Madame Presidentess, an award-winning historical fiction account of the life of Victoria Woodhull. She is currently researching a book about the history of feminism in the United States. Brody, Miriam. Victoria Woodhull, Free Spirit for Women’s Rights. Cohen, Sasha. A Brief History of Sexual Harassment in America Before Anita Hill. Frisken, Amanda. Victoria Woodhull’s Sexual Revolution. Goldsmith, Barbara. Other Powers: The Age of Suffrage, Spiritualism and the Scandalous Victoria Woodhull. McMillen, Sally. Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women’s Rights Movement Sottile, Alexis. ‘Good Girls Revolt’: Inside Landmark Lawsuit Behind New Feminist Series Sterns, Madeleine. The Victoria Woodhull Reader. (Source of Victoria’s speeches.)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line864
__label__cc	0.528614	0.471386	Home articles Why the battle for Hodeidah is the most important? Why the battle for Hodeidah is the most important? By: Mona Zaid Hodeidah’s port is the principal lifeline for just under two-thirds of Yemen’s population, which is almost totally reliant on imports of food, fuel and medicine. Hodeidah is the second largest port in Yemen, and the only major port on the north-western coast. Yemen’s dependence on imported goods is extremely high. “Even before the current conflict Yemen was highly food insecure, importing close to 90 percent of the food the population eats. Hodeidah is the gateway for the majority of these imports and currently receives more than 70 percent of all the commercial and humanitarian goods arriving to the country — including food, fuel and medicine. “Even if the port itself is not attacked, a siege of the city will likely force the port to close and thus sever this lifeline, aid agencies have been clear that even a brief disruption in deliveries, or the inability to access their storage facilities in Hodeidah, will put the lives of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Similarly, if commercial food deliveries to Hodeidah are interrupted, shortages and price spikes will ensue on the local market. In a country enduring economic collapse because of war, this would leave huge swathes of the population unable to buy food.” The country’s arid climate is unforgiving for crops – the total domestic production of cereal crops only meets 20% of the country’s needs, and given this need for imports, it is no exaggeration to say that whoever controls Hodeidah controls the country’s future. Moreover, any damage to the port during a fight would have devastating consequences. Hodeidah is a lifeline for people , serving as the most important point of entry for the basic supplies needed to prevent famine and a recurrence of a cholera epidemic that affected a million people . More than 22 million Yemenis – three-quarters of the population – need some form of aid, and eight million do not know how they will obtain their next meal. The latest violence in Hodeidah is likely to set back international efforts to bring an end to the ongoing conflict. The UN has previously warned that in a worst-case scenario, the conflict could cost up to 250,000 lives, as well as cut off aid supplies to millions of people. At least 6660 civilians have been killed and 10,560 injured in the fighting, according to the United Nations, thousands more civilians have died from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health. Hodeidah’s location also gave it great strategic importance. To the west of the city is the Red Sea and major international shipping lanes that are used to move goods between Europe, Asia and Africa via the Suez Canal. To the east is the fertile Tihama plain, Yemen’s most important agricultural area. The Soudi coalition launched a major air campaign that the UN says has killed thousands of civilians and destroyed critical infrastructure across Yemen, it also imposed a partial blockade, badly affecting supplies of food, fuel and medicines. Basic services collapsed as a result, triggering the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Despite its importance to humanitarian operations, coalition warplanes have frequently bombed Hodeidah’s port, in August 2015, air strikes disabled four giant mobile cranes, drastically slowing the unloading of food until they were replaced by the US – which supports the coalition – this January. “A military attack or siege on Hodeidah will impact hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians,” Lise Grande warned. “In a prolonged worst case, we fear that as many as 250,000 people may lose everything – even their lives.” After the assault on Hodeidah began, Ms Grande reminded all parties to the conflict that under international humanitarian law they had to “do everything possible to protect civilians and ensure they have access to the assistance they need to survive”. “Right now, nothing is more important,” she added. The significance of Hodeidah to Yemen is difficult to overstate, and dread is rising over the human cost of the battle to come. More pain for Yemeni civilians will follow, the characteristic of a war that has created indescribable human suffering. But if Hodeidah changes hands, analysts say, it could mark a turning point in the Yemen war, and possibly the beginning of the end. Previous articleThe Saudi prisoner releases as a humanitarian initiative by Sayyed al-Houthi Next articleMediapart : War on Yemen aims to restore Saudi hegemony with complicity of western countries	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line867
__label__wiki	0.977505	0.977505	Nintendo and a New Standard for Video Games: Crash Course Games #7 YouTube: https://youtube.com/watch?v=34zvOgLZOY4 Previous: Newtonian Gravity: Crash Course Physics #8 Next: Indiana Jones & Pascal's Wager: Crash Course Philosophy #15 So we ended the last episode at the North American Video Game Crash of 1983, and even though the video game market had collapsed in the United States, demand for video games remained strong in Europe and Asia. Nintendo of Japan, originally a playing card company, which had seen some success in arcades, saw this as an opportunity to (tentatively) introduce its own console to the U.S. - the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES. The NES saw a number of significant technological and gameplay improvements but it was Nintendo’s approach to game development that changed the industry. Nintendo’s defined a new set of standards for video game quality by requiring contracts with all 3rd party developers. Nintendo even used special technology within the console that forced developers to get approval, marketed as a Seal of Quality, for their games to work on the console. And this strategy worked. Nintendo reinvigorated the North American market and became synonymous with quality games. But it wouldn’t be the only new player in the U.S. for long. Crash Course is on Patreon! You can support us directly by signing up athttp://www.patreon.com/crashcourse Thanks to the following Patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever: Alyssa Nolden, Mark, SR Foxley, Kristina Lavoie, Sandra Aft, Eric Kitchen, Simun Niclasen, Eric Knight, Ian Dundore, Brian Thomas Gossett, Nicholas Bury, Daniel Baulig, Jessica Wode, Moritz Schmidt, Caleb Weeks, Tim Curwick, Alex S, Brian Roberds, Mayumi Maeda, Jeffrey Thompson, Montather, Noora Althani, Steve Marshall, Kathy & Tim philip, Robert Kunz, Jason A Saslow, Jirat, Jacob Ash, Christy Huddleston, and Chris Peters. Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet? Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/YouTubeCrashC... Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/TheCrashCourse Tumblr - http://thecrashcourse.tumblr.com Support Crash Course on Patreon: http://patreon.com/crashcourse CC Kids: http://www.youtube.com/crashcoursekids Hi, I'm Andre Meadows and this is Crash Course Games. Today we're gonna talk about the second half of the 1980s, when the video game industry was reborn, largely due to the influence of Nintendo. Now, after the great North American video game crash in 1983, which was called "The Atari Shock" in Japan, the video game console industry in the United States was crushed! Odyssey, ColecoVision, Intellivision and others left the marketplace. Atari was sold off. The U.S. home console and cartridge market, which was worth nearly 3 billion dollars in 1982, fell to 100 million dollars in 1985, according to Nintendo of America. And those numbers aren't adjusted for inflation! The number of console games produced also dropped dramatically. But at the same time, the home computer market was growing, and video games for the Commodore 64 and Apple II looked like the future of gaming So much, in fact, that Video Games Player magazine changed their name to Computer Games. Traitors! But the video game crash that we talked about last time, happening in the United States, didn't happen in Japan. And Nintendo, which started as a playing card company, would bring video gaming back. How did they start? And what changed everything in the mid-80s? Well, grab a hold of your plumber's hat, your Triforce, and don't get turned into an eggplant - cause we're gonna find out! Nintendo was founded in 1889 (Now, that's old-school!) by a young Fusajiro Yamauchi, to distribute his handmade playing cards. For eight decades, Nintendo made cards and toys. And the company still produces a line of playing cards today, but mostly as a tribute to its past. Nintendo broke into the video game market in the 1970s, when they won the rights to distribute the original Magnavox Odyssey console in Japan. They developed a string of arcade hits with Donkey Kong, Ice Climbers, and Mario Brothers, and then turned to handheld games. The "Game & Watch" handhelds were one of their first hardware products, and they were extremely popular; they're the reason you have that little 2D silhouetted Mr. Game & Watch in your Smash Brothers games. Nintendo's experience in licensing the Odyssey, plus its success with the Game & Watch handheld, led the company to develop a new game console for the Japanese market, which had been relatively untouched in the crash. Let's go to the Thought Bubble! Nintendo's new console debuted in Japan as the brightly colored, red-and-white Famicom or "Family Computer Home Gaming Console". It sold more than 2.5 million copies by 1985, which led Nintendo to consider the North American market. In 1985, the company introduced the Nintendo Entertainment System, or "NES". They were so wary of backlash from the crash and competition from the home computer markets, that they removed all mentions of video games. To distance the product from the recent industry crash, they invented a whole new vocabulary. Consoles were called "Control Decks", and game cartridges were called "Game Packs". The system was colored gray, so it looked like a serious computing device. It loaded games from the front, like a VCR, and not top-down like previous consoles. They sold the device in toy stores rather than electronic stores, and made no-risk deals with American retailers. The system had a pretty sweet futuristic light gun, known as the "NES Zapper", (Take that, Duck Hunt!) and R.O.B., the "Robotic Operating Buddy", who seemed cool but only played two games. It was really the consumer response, they made the NES succeed. Nintendo's surveys of people who bought the system in the New York City Area in 1985 indicated that more than 90% of those who bought the NES would recommend it to friends and family. One year after the NES debuted, Nintendo sold over 1.8 million units. By 1989, Nintendo had a 75-80% share of the 3.4 billion dollar U.S. video game market. It was clear that the U.S. gaming industry had returned, and Nintendo was Player One. Thanks, Thought Bubble! Nintendo's real success, though, was its ability to create a culture around itself and its games. The first thing they did was to ensure they wouldn't make the mistakes of the past. Atari suffered because they didn't monitor third-party developers, some of which made terrible, rushed games that flooded the market. That's one of the reasons why we had the crash. So Nintendo tightly controlled the games that appeared on its system with the official Seal of Quality. These golden seals told players that they held a quality product. Nintendo wouldn't let third party developers make NES games unless they agreed to a contract to make games only for Nintendo for two years and to only make five games a year for the system. These were seen as quality controls. They enforced this with a special computer chip called the "10NES" that controlled what games would work on the system. Though, later, developers got around them. This allowed for quality games that created loyalty in the fanbase. Players trusted that Nintendo games would be fun, look great and would actually work... with some exceptions... LJN. Nintendo also encouraged the loyalty of its customers by creating the Nintendo Fun Club, which sent users a newsletter with gameplay tips and news about popular and upcoming games. The newsletter was a success, with subscriptions nearing 600,000 by the end of 1987. They replaced this newsletter with Nintendo Power magazine in 1988. In Nintendo Power, you could write letters to the editor, enter contests, get exclusive merch and comics, get advice from gameplay counsellors. This helped create a special Nintendo community for players to exist. And the crucial element of Nintendo's success was the quality of its games. Advanced technology allowed for more detailed graphics and sound, and longer and more complex games. Games like Super Mario Brothers, Legend of Zelda, Kid Icarus and Metroid captivated players and gave them hours of gameplay. Characters like Q*bert and Pac-Man were cute, but they didn't have a lot of back story. Mario and Luigi, from Super Mario Brothers, were plumbers running around the Mushroom Kingdom trying to save Princess Peach, or Princess Toadstool back then, from Bowser, King of the Koopas. Okay, it's not like it's Les Misérables or anything, but it was something for players to get attached to and connect with. And audiences definitely connected with the game. Super Mario Brothers has sold over 40 million copies since its release. Now, while the Super Mario Brothers were hopping around the Mushroom Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda opened the world of Hyrule to players. The game had varied environments, like forests, deserts and dungeons, that unfolded in every direction. Now, while Mario constantly moved from left to right in his race to save the princess from the evil beast, Bowser, players could move Link in any direction on his quest to save Princess Zelda from the evil beast Ganon. Nintendo had a thing for saving princesses from evil beasts. This sense of exploring a giant video game world was also new to players. In The Legend of Zelda the audience was in charge of the pace of play. They could go where they wanted and take as much time as they wanted in the land of Hyrule. In Metroid, Samus explored the open-ended planet of Zebes, with an entire ecosystem of Metroids and other aliens to fight. This complex game had multiple endings, and areas that were only accessible after players found certain power-ups. And speaking of Metroid, we're gonna play a little bit right now. So, watch out, Mother Brain! It's time to level up! Ooooh! Listen to that eerie music! Whooo! That was what was interesting about Metroid: unlike some of the other NES games, Metroid had this dark, eerie feel and the music played a large part in that. All right, I'm gonna jump right into this. But which way do I go?! (Laughs) So you could go left, you could go right, up, down. Because they were open-world, you had these giant maps as part of the game. And that's why Nintendo Power was such a big deal, because you could get secret information from Nintendo Power, that you couldn't find anywhere else, on how to play some of these games. Aaah! (Laughs) Back off, man, back off! No! (Laughter) Now I'm just casually playing through the game but what's interesting about games like Metroid is that people have played them so many times and know the maps so well that they've actually started doing "Speed Runs", where they'll just try to get through it as fast as possible. And the reason why you even had speed runners, or just people being able to find every single secret in the game, is because you had this nice home experience of playing these games. And another reason that Metroid had replayability was because it had five different endings. And what was very fascinating about some of those endings was that it revealed something that we all know now but didn't know back then: That Samus is female! She gets to join the ranks with Ms. Pac-Man. So, that's Metroid. I guess Mother Brain is gonna live another day 'cause we're gonna move on but it's definitely fun to revisit this game. Metroid, Super Mario Brothers, Duck Hunt, Kid Icarus, The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo brought gaming back with excitement. And Excitebike! And a level of commitment to quality that brought the video game industry back from the brink. Nintendo's games showcased improvements in underlining game technology, but they also reflected a maturing industry. With these new tools, game designers created immersive worlds and empowered players as never before. To borrow Nintendo's trademark advertising slogan: "Now you're playing with power!" But Nintendo won't be alone in the video game race for long, thanks to another company with a little blue hedgehog. We'll see you next time! Crash Course Games is filmed in the Chad and Stacey Emigholz Studio in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it's made with the help of all these nice people. If you'd like to keep Crash Course free for everyone forever, you can support the series at Patreon, a crowdfunding platform that allows you to support the content you love. Speaking of Patreon, we'd like to thank all our patrons in general, and we'd like to specifically thank our High Chancellor of Knowledge, Morgan Lizop, and our Vice Principal, Michael Hunt. Thank you for your support! Dude. No	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line868
__label__wiki	0.905342	0.905342	Archive for February 2nd, 2016 How I like my Scully Note: Spoilers follow for “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster.” Dana Scully, as I’ve written elsewhere, is my favorite television character of all time, but really, it would be more accurate to say that I’m in love with a version of Scully who appeared in maybe a dozen or so episodes of The X-Files. Scully always occupied a peculiar position on the series: she was rarely the driving force behind any given storyline, and she was frequently there as a sounding board or a sparring partner defined by her reactions to Mulder. As such, she often ended up facilitating stories that had little to do with her strengths, as if her personality was formed by the negative space in which Mulder’s obsessions collided the plot points of a particular episode. She was there to move things along, and she could be a badass or a convenient victim, a quip machine or a martyr, based solely on what the episode needed to get to its destination. That’s true of many protagonists on network dramas or procedurals: they’re under so much pressure to advance the plot that they don’t have time to do anything else. But even in the early seasons, a quirkier, far more interesting character was emerging at the edges of the frame. I’m not talking about the Scully of the abduction or cancer or pregnancy arcs, who was defined by her pain—and, more insidiously, by her body. I’m talking about the Dana Scully of whom I once wrote: “The more I revisit the show, the more Scully’s skepticism starts to seem less like a form of denial than a distinct, joyous, sometimes equally insane approach to the game.” And this is the Scully who was on full display last night, in Darin Morgan’s lovely “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster.” Morgan is rightly revered among X-Files fans as the staff writer who expanded the tonal possibilities of the show while questioning many of its basic assumptions, but it’s also worth noting how fully he understood and loved Scully, to an extent that wasn’t even true of Chris Carter himself. If you’re intuitively skeptical of the show’s premises, Scully is the natural focal point, since she’s already raised most of the obvious objections. What Morgan created, especially in “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” and “War of the Coprophages,” was a character who both acknowledged the madness of her situation and took a bemused, gleeful pleasure in navigating it with dignity, humor, and humanity intact. Morgan’s vision of life was often despairing, but he grasped that Scully saw the way out of the dilemma more truly than Mulder ever could. In a world where everyone dies alone, regardless of whether it’s because of a monster attack or suicide or heart disease, we can’t do much more than retain our detachment and our ability to laugh at its absurdity. (This incarnation of Scully belonged to Morgan, but Vince Gilligan did a nice job of simulating it in episodes like “Small Potatoes” and “Bad Blood,” which suggests that X-Files writers ought to be judged by how well they understood her at her best.) Objectively speaking, “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster” isn’t one of Morgan’s finest efforts, and it’s probably the most minor episode he’s written since “Humbug.” Its central premise—a monster who turns into a man when he’s bitten by a human being—is the best pure idea he’s ever had, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. The plots of Morgan’s classic episodes don’t sound particularly promising when you reduce them to a capsule description: they’re more an excuse to ring a series of variations on a theme and to wander down whatever weird byways he wants to explore. The twist in “Were-Monster” is so clever that it seems to have handcuffed him a little, and as goofy as the episode often is, it’s surprisingly straightforward as a narrative. (This actually becomes a gag in itself, as the monster lays out his backstory in a ludicrously detailed flashback that is so informative that even Mulder has trouble believing it.) But it’s also possible that this wasn’t the time or place for an installment like “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space,” which pushed against the conventions of a show that was still cranking out an episode every week. It’s been twenty years since “Jose Chung,” and I think that Morgan intuitively understood that there was no point in undermining something that no longer existed. “Were-Monster” isn’t a subversion, but a renewal of a certain vision about these characters that has been lost for decades. As David Thomson said about Orson Welles’s Chimes at Midnight, after filling a page with a list of its shortcomings: “Still, it was done.” And although it tracks the Night Stalker version of Morgan’s script fairly closely, in the small details, it feels just right. There’s something here that wasn’t always evident in his earlier work: an obvious affection for the characters, including Mulder himself, for whom Morgan seemed to have little patience. Morgan has always spoken about his stint on The X-Files with a touch of ambivalence, and it’s doubtful that he ever felt entirely comfortable in the writer’s room. With the passage of time, he seems to have realized how much the show meant to him, and “Were-Monster” plays like an act of reconciliation between the series and the writer who provided it with its finest moments. It’s full of touches that I’d be tempted to call fan service, except that they feel more like Morgan’s notes to himself, or a belated acknowledgment that he loved these characters even when he was ruthlessly satirizing them. At one point, Scully glances up from an autopsy table and says: “I forgot how much fun these cases could be.” Watching it, I said aloud: “Me, too.” And it’s a message from Morgan to the fans who have revisited his episodes dozens of times. It doesn’t reach the heights of his best work—although I reserve the right to revise my opinion—but it does something even better: it reminds us, in a way that the previous two episodes did not, of why this show meant so much to us for so long. Later, after listening to a particularly screwy rant from her partner, Scully smiles to herself and says: “Yeah, this is how I like my Mulder.” And even if we never see these versions of them again, for now, they exist. It was done. And it’s a miracle. Posted in Television Tagged with Chimes at Midnight, Chris Carter, Darin Morgan, David Thomson, Orson Welles, The X-Files, Vince Gilligan The fun of writing plays is that you have to inhabit everyone’s point of view. Everybody, no matter how hideous, thinks they’re justified. Why people do the thing they do—unless they’re a sociopath, everyone thinks they have a good reason. That’s why I love to write plays. I get to write reasons. —Rebecca Gilman, to the Chicago Reader Posted in Quote of the Day, Theater, Writing Tagged with Chicago Reader, Rebecca Gilman @ThatNeilGuy @amazon I did not—thanks for the tip! 1 day ago	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line869
__label__cc	0.502916	0.497084	White Label Liquid to Report Significant Increase in Revenues for 2018, Greatly Exceeding Previous Year's Financial Results of Over $2 Million Rapid growth of the Company reflected in expanded new facilities, products, and services DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., March 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Executives at White Label Liquid, Inc. (OTC Pink: WLAB) ("the Company"), a leading provider of custom-blended hemp-derived products, today announced that it will report greatly increased revenues and other year-over-year performance metrics for 2018 at the end of the month. The Company showed a significant increase in revenues for 2018, exceeding the over $2 million in financial results reported for 2017. Such sturdy financials further position the Company to be a strong, reliable partner to those seeking to be successful in the burgeoning CBD industry. "The hard work of our staff over the last two years has really helped position White Label Liquid as an expert partner for companies in the CBD business," said White Label Liquid CEO Yaron Elkayam. "The proof is not just in our immediate revenues and profits, but also in our state-of-the-art manufacturing, logistics, and production capabilities that have allowed us to meet or exceed a broad range of customer needs and wants." (Click here to see a video of White Label Liquid's manufacturing operations and learn more about the Company). Growing mainstream acceptance for organic pain-relieving products, along with industry-supporting government legislation, and increased consumer demand are key reasons why experts are estimating that the American hemp-derived CBD market will grow to $22 billion within the next three years. Moreover, the overall global cannabis industry is expected to reach $146.4 billion as early as 2025. The Company, which recently unveiled a new streamlined website and a 51,000-square-foot all-in-one operations facility, offers cutting-edge solutions for CBD manufacturing, packaging, and private labeling for an array of products in over 20 categories and 300 SKUs. Their CBD is manufactured in-house, using industry standard, "good manufacturing practices" ("GMP") and state-of-the-art highest-quality assurance testing in the business. About White Label Liquid, Inc.: White Label Liquid is a leading one-stop manufacturing service providing premium custom-blended products containing hemp-derived CBD oil, all of which are sold to a wide variety of companies including major and small brands, chain stores, vape shops, distributors and dealers worldwide. The Company has the capability to produce up to 50,000 units per day in various packaging sizes and shapes using custom labels and customized presentation packaging. It merged last year with the former Simply Innovative Products, Inc. to create a publicly-traded company under the White Label Liquid, Inc. name, dedicated to sharing its veteran industry expertise for the benefit of customers and shareholders alike. Safe Harbor Statement: This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include any that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "estimate", "project", "intend", "forecast", "anticipate", "plan", "planning", "expect", "believe", "likely", "should", "could", "would", "may" or similar words or expressions. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results and financial position to differ materially from those in such statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Company's ability to grow. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted and any reported should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include the Company's operating history and resources, economic, competitive, and equity market conditions. White Label Liquid, Inc. info@whitelabelliquid.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line871
__label__wiki	0.750751	0.750751	Only 15 percent of world’s biodiversity hotspots left intact by Jeremy Hance on 14 July 2014 Green under siege: world’s biodiversity hotspots 85 percent impacted With only 3.5 percent intact vegetation left in the Atlantic Forest, it is the world’s most imperiled biodiversity hotspot. This is an image of intact forest in Intervales State Park. Photo by: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen/Creative Commons 3.0. The world’s 35 biodiversity hotspots—which harbor 75 percent of the planet’s endangered land vertebrates—are in more trouble than expected, according to a sobering new analysis of remaining primary vegetation. In all less than 15 percent of natural intact vegetation is left in the these hotspots, which include well-known wildlife jewels such as Madagascar, the tropical Andes, and Sundaland (Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula). Worse yet, nearly half of the biodiversity hotspots have less than 10 percent primary vegetation left with five of these containing less than five percent. “If we lose the hotspots we’ll say goodbye to over half of all species on Earth. It would be comparable to the mass-extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs,” said William Laurance, a co-author of the study in Biological Conservation with James Cook University. The world’s biodiversity hotspots were first identified in a seminal paper in 2000. At the time, scientists listed ten hotspots; since then, the number has grown to 35. But biodiversity hotspots are more than just regions of high biodiversity, they must also have lost most of their vegetation, around 70 percent. Currently, the 35 hotspots house 77 percent of the known mammals, birds, and herps (amphibians and reptiles); about half of the world’s plant species; and over 40 percent of the world’s endemic terrestrial vertebrates. These hotspots include well-knonwn places like the Himalayas and the Caribbean, but also lesser-known regions like the cerrado in Brazil, Irano-Anatolian in the Middle East and West Asia, and the Succulent Karoo in South Africa and Namibia. “We are in a global battle for conservation, but unlike a battlefield medic, we cannot simply focus on those hotspots that are most likely to survive,” said lead author Sean Sloan also with James Cook University. “Every hotspot has unique biodiversity, so to lose even one would be catastrophic.” Although a few other studies in the past have attempted to measure primary vegetation in biodiversity hotspots, this one far surpasses them in accuracy. “We’ve applied a much more standardized and, we hope, rigorous approach, by using cutting-edge satellite imagery and a standardized set of criteria to define natural-intact vegetation,” Laurance told mongabay.com Sloan, Laurance, and colleagues employed a mix of satellite imagery, Google Earth, and expert opinions to estimate vegetation at each site. The study only counted intact vegetation that covered at least 100 hectares of area. Amount of natural intact vegetation left in the world’s biodiversity hotspots versus total area. Image by mongabay.com based on data from Sloan et al. Click to enlarge. Moreover, according to Sloan, the vegetation needed to be “in a mature state and not in the immediate proximity to key human disturbances to the landscape, namely major roads, major and minor settlements, fires (select hotspots), and the edges of remnant vegetation fragments.” Mostly this means counting just primary forest or savannah, although mature secondary forest may be counted as well. What they found was not heartening. “Our estimates highlight that more hotspots than previously thought are in an extremely critical states—with [less than 5 percent] natural intact vegetation as we define it. Biodiversity in such hotspots would be highly precarious as a result, and so conservation efforts therein should be prioritized,” Sloan told mongabay.com, adding that some habitat within hotspots are “particularly devoid of natural intact vegetation, e.g., mangroves [and] seasonally dry tropical forests.” Currently, the hotspots in most critical danger are the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, the Central Forests of Eastern Africa, the Irano-Anatolian region, Madagascar, and the Mediterranean Basin, all of which have less than five percent primary vegetation left. Those that have lost the most vegetation since the last analysis in 2004 are the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, the Pacific Islands, the Caucuses Mountains, the Mountains of Central Asia, Southern Africa, and Japan. “Drier habitats such as woodlands, savannas, and grasslands are really getting hammered quickly, often by expanding agriculture,” Laurance noted. “For example, tropical dry forests are extremely vulnerable, especially in the New World. One key priority is to increase attention on these drier habitat types.” Per its definition, not a single biodiversity hotspot maintains a majority of natural intact vegetation. In fact, the most “intact” hotspot is the California Floristic Province with just under 35 percent vegetation. The Tropical Andes, Southwest Australia, New Zealand, the Forests of Eastern Australia, the Chilean Winter Rainfall and Valdivian Forests, and the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa all have over 30 percent vegetation but just barely. Aside from excluding well-known biodiverse wildernesses like the Amazon Basin, the Congo Rainforest, and New Guinea—due to not being threatened enough—the biodiversity hotspot concept has attracted considerable attention and funds (over $1 billion) since it’s creation over 10 years ago. Yet, much more will be needed to preserve what remains. “We therefore renew calls for increased and targeted funding, but recognize that it will require judicious allocation as well as debate over the values underling notions of conservation ‘optimization,'” reads the paper. But when asked which of the 35 biodiversity hotspots should be made priorities, Laurance noted, “that’s like asking someone in a sinking boat which of their children they should save!” Madagascar is home to all of the world’s 100-plus lemurs, but the biodiversity hotspot is down to just 4.4 percent of its natural intact vegetation. Here, Verreaux’s Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, are in a heated chase. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. Sloan, S., Jenkins, C.N., Joppa, L.N, Gaveau, D.L.A., Laurance, W.F. 2014. Remaining natural vegetation in the global biodiversity hotspots. Biological Conservation. 177: 12-24. Extinction rates are 1,000x the background rate, but it’s not all gloomy (05/29/2014) Current extinction rates are at the high end of past predictions, according to a new paper published today in Science, however conservation efforts combined with new technologies could make a big difference. New research led by Stuart Pimm of Duke University argues that humans have pushed the current extinction rate to 1,000 times the historical rate. ‘Better late than never’: Myanmar bans timber exports to save remaining forests (04/24/2014) Myanmar contains some of Asia’s largest forests, but has been losing them at a rapid pace during the last two decades as logging companies emptied woodlands to meet the demands of the lumber industry. In an effort to save its disappearing forests, Myanmar implemented a ban on raw timber exports, effective March 31, 2014. However, the ban affects only raw timber exports, not milled lumber, throwing into doubt its ability to adequately protect Myanmar’s forests. The lemur end-game: scientists propose ambitious plan to save the world’s most imperiled mammal family (02/20/2014) Due to the wonderful idiosyncrasies of evolution, there is one country on Earth that houses 20 percent of the world’s primates. More astounding still, every single one of these primates—an entire distinct family in fact—are found no-where else. The country is, of course, Madagascar and the primates in question are, of course, lemurs. But the far-flung island of Madagascar, once a safe haven for wild evolutionary experiments, has become an ecological nightmare. Overpopulation, deep poverty, political instability, slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal logging for lucrative woods, and a booming bushmeat trade has placed 94 percent of the world’s lemurs under threat of extinction, making this the most imperiled mammal group on the planet. But, in order to stem a rapid march toward extinction, conservationists today publicized an emergency three year plan to safeguard 30 important lemur forests in the journal Science. Scientists identify 137 protected areas most important for preserving biodiversity (11/14/2013) Want to save the world’s biodiversity from mass extinction? Then make certain to safeguard the 74 sites identified today in a new study in Science. Evaluating 173,000 terrestrial protected areas, scientists pulled out the most important ones for global biodiversity based on the number of threatened mammals, birds, and amphibians found in the parks. In all they identified 137 protected areas (spread over 74 sites as many protected areas were in the same region) in 34 countries as ‘irreplaceable.’ ‘Lost’ bird rediscovered in New Caledonia along with 16 potentially new species (photos) (10/29/2013) In early 2011, Conservation International (CI) dubbed the forests of New Caledonia the second-most imperiled in the world after those on mainland Southeast Asia. Today, CI has released the results of a biodiversity survey under the group’s Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) to New Caledonia’s tallest mountain, Mount Panié. During the survey researchers rediscovered the ‘lost’ crow honeyeater and possibly sixteen new or recently-described species. Over 20 percent larger than Connecticut, New Caledonia is a French island east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. Climate change could kill off Andean cloud forests, home to thousands of species found nowhere else (09/18/2013) One of the richest ecosystems on the planet may not survive a hotter climate without human help, according to a sobering new paper in the open source journal PLoS ONE. Although little-studied compared to lowland rainforests, the cloud forests of the Andes are known to harbor explosions of life, including thousands of species found nowhere else. Many of these species—from airy ferns to beautiful orchids to tiny frogs—thrive in small ranges that are temperature-dependent. But what happens when the climate heats up? Scientists outline how to save nearly 70 percent of the world’s plant species (09/05/2013) In 2010 the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) pledged to set aside 17 percent of the world’s land as protected areas in addition to protecting 60 percent of the world’s plant species—through the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC)—by 2020. Now a new study in Science finds that the world can achieve both ambitious goals at the same time—if only we protect the right places. Looking at data on over 100,000 flower plants, scientists determined that protecting 17 percent of the world’s land (focusing on priority plant areas) would conserve 67 percent of the world’s plants. Ground zero for endangered species: new program to assist animals on the brink across Southeast Asia (08/27/2013) Organizations within the international conservation community are joining forces to minimize impending extinctions in Southeast Asia, where habitat loss, trade and hunting have contributed to a dramatic decline in wildlife. The coalition is aptly named ASAP, or the Asian Species Action Partnership. Trinidad and Tobago: a biodiversity hotspot overlooked (08/26/2013) The two-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean (just off the coast of Venezuela) may be smaller than Delaware, but it has had an outsized role in the history of rainforest conservation as well as our understanding of tropical ecology. Home to an astounding number of tropical ecosystems and over 3,000 species and counting (including 470 bird species in just 2,000 square miles), Trinidad and Tobago is an often overlooked gem in the world’s biodiversity. Archive, Biodiversity, Biodiversity Crisis, Biodiversity Hotspots, Bold And Dangerous Ideas That May Save The World, Conservation, Deforestation, Endangered Species, Environment, Extinction, Featured, Forests, Global Environmental Crisis, Green, Habitat Destruction, Habitat Loss, Jeremy Hance, Mass Extinction, Mata Atlantica, Rainforest Deforestation, Rainforest Destruction, Rainforests Indonesia’s president signals a transition away from coal power Colombia registers first drop in deforestation since 2016 FARC peace deal	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line872
__label__wiki	0.967371	0.967371	Locks down at PoS prison One year after major security breach Members of the public wait to visit prisoners at the Port of Spain Prison, Frederick Street, Port of Spain. FILE PHOTO JENSEN LA VENDE THREE years after an escape at the Port of Spain prison and two years after the keys went missing for close to 24 hours, the locks at the prison have remained the same and prison officers are fearful that someone may have a copy of the keys and can walk out to freedom whenever they feel to. In July 2015, prisoners Allan “Scanny” Martin, Hassan Atwell, and Christopher ‘Monster’ Selby, allegedly shot their way out of the Port of Spain prison, also known as Royal Jail. Atwell and Martin were killed by criminals and police respectively shortly after their escape. Selby, who was awaiting trial for murder surrendered to police and is facing a second murder charge for the death of Sherman Maynard, 27, who was killed during the escape. Following the deadly jailbreak, fellow inmate Rajaee Ali claimed in a signed statement that he told the prison supervisor, acting Superintendent of Prisons Wilbert Lovell, that he knew something “dangerous and foolish” was being planned. In that incident Ali, it is alleged, was supposed to have been part of the escape and 15 minutes after the warning the men escaped. Sources had claimed that the escapees had keys to the prison and that’s how they managed to escape so easily. In June the following year, Darron Ramlochan, 28, appeared in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court charged with misbehaviour in public office in connection with the disappearance of keys for nearly a day. The keys were later recovered but senior prison officials believed there was enough time for duplicates to be made and ordered that the locks be changed. A month later, another bunch of keys went missing for an inordinate amount of time. The locks were sourced, purchased and imported and are now sitting somewhere in the stores department of the prison. A prison source told Newsday that the locks took close to a year to acquire, because they required some measure of speciality, and cost the State near $1 million. The locks were handed over to the Prisons Service but, with payments due, the keys to the locks have been kept by the suppliers. The locks for the entire prison must be changed because of the breach, prison sources said, and each day the locks remain not installed poses an unnecessary security risk. The new locks were acquired in November 2017. Since then, another problem developed – the Prisons Service’s only locksmith resigned and, given the nature of the job, outside assistance was not recommended. Eventually a replacement was sourced but, in the absence of the keys still being withheld by the suppliers, he remains unable to complete his mandate. “So we have new locks we can’t install and we have a fear that the keys for the old locks have been compromised, so what really going on?” a prison source said. Other sources said there were plans to refurbish the prison in 2012 under then national security minister Jack Warner, but that never materialised. Those plans included replacing the bunch of keys used by prison officers with a biometric scanning system and creating separate entrances for civilians, inmates and officers. “What happened to the key? Did they make a copy? We don’t know. There was a breach and the problem is still there. The breach hasn’t been fixed, 111 locks!” a prison source said. The Prisons Officers Association said they could not confirm or deny whether the locks were replaced adding that security breaches were taken seriously and they would look into the matter. Prisons Commissioner Gerald Wilson is out of the country and could not be reached for comment. Reply to "Locks down at PoS prison"	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line873
__label__wiki	0.564665	0.564665	PIK Professor of Population Health and Health Equity, University of Pennsylvania Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey is the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PIK Professor of Population Health and Health Equity at the University of Pennsylvania. From 2003 to 2017, she was the president and chief executive officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest U.S. philanthropy organization dedicated to health. She is a member of the boards of directors of General Electric Co. and Hess Corp., and previously served as a director at Genworth Financial Inc. and Beckman Coulter Inc. She is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The American Philosophical Society, and is on the board of regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania and received her M.D. from Harvard Medical School.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line874
__label__cc	0.577627	0.422373	Annual and Sustainability Report 2018 Employees, Society Production, Sales, Finance Annual & Sustainability Report 2018 Works drivers Press releases & Newsletter It all depends on the end Naoto Fukasawa, the renowned Japanese industrial designer, talks about the purpose of design and why the rear of a car is like the final and perfectly shaped piece of a puzzle. As a child, I often had the task of peeling potatoes, and I could never get rid of every last trace of soil on them. No matter how hard I tried, the potatoes were always still a little dirty. But as soon as I immersed them in water, they were clean—and suddenly became sculptures that fit beautifully in my hand. That’s something I have never forgotten. Decades later, when designing a cell phone, I pictured users reaching for it in their pockets. That reminded me of my experience with potatoes, so I deliberately chose not to draw aerodynamic lines. Our hands instinctively seek edges; they want to feel textures, to play with them or use them for orientation. Cars are no different in this respect, even though we use our eyes instead of our hands to constantly trace their lines and edges. It’s our way of playing with what is beautiful. The world of design has changed dramatically. Graphics, products, interior decoration, sound, film, and art influence one another all the time. We live in a world of walls. Between us and the walls are objects that we have created. The current trend is for these objects to wander, either toward the walls or toward us. The bulky television sets of the past have been replaced by flat screens that we hang on the walls. In contrast, those heavy old phones have migrated toward us and now nestle in our hands. Audio systems? They’ve moved either to the walls or to our ears. Lights, air-conditioning systems, refrigerators—they’ve moved closer to the walls than ever before. Our world is becoming cleaner, tidier, and more streamlined. That is a key aspect of the work of a designer. There are, of course, quintessential objects like tables, chairs, pots, and plates that will continue to be what they always were. A car will always remain a quintessential object. And the form of a Porsche is something like a quintessential form: beautifully orderedfrom the start, streamlined, and flawless. An oasis of beauty for our eyes in an overwhelming world. Harmonious overall picture The term “interface” used to refer to software and screens. Today, every successful product is an interface—a hinge, so to speak, between people and the environment. Cars have long had this quality, thanks to their clear purpose. As a designer, I spend my time observing our everyday lives. It’s the only way I can come up with the right results and find the forms that live in the culture, habits, memories, and histories that connect us. What I’m looking for are whimsical moments in urban life that arise as if by chance. They give me insight into human behavior. And I use them to develop products. For example, if someone doesn’t have a doorstop, they might use a rubber boot instead. This is a perfect impromptu solution—the door won’t close and the rubber will protect the wood. So why not create doorstops that look like boots? Another example: a woman stands at an intersection holding a shopping bag and an umbrella. The rain has stopped, so she leans on the umbrella and hangs the bag on the umbrella’s handle, but it slips off. That gave me the idea of making an umbrella with a groove in its handle. People carry solutions like these around with them all the time without giving them a thought. That’s why they often tell me they’ve seen my designs somewhere before. They haven’t, of course; I tell them they’ve just rediscovered them in my work. Once, I saw a girl sitting on a fallen tree trunk, utterly absorbed in reading a book. I thought to myself, “Wow! If this girl can be so comfortable, I should design a bench that looks like a tree trunk.” And this piece of furniture was indeed a success—although not as much as my CD player for the Muji company. It hangs on the wall like a ventilation system. You turn it on by pulling a cord. The CD spins like the blades of a fan, but emits music instead of air. That’s a perfect interface. The design blends into our world of experience, playing with associations like a clock, a shoelace, and a fan. It’s humorous and, of course, functional. The rear determines the character of the car If you spend too much time too close to an object, you won’t see its context and won’t come up with a practical solution. I’m not the type of product designer who starts by sitting down at a table and sketching, who plays with shapes, surfaces, and colors in an attempt to create the best possible result—divorced from the outside world and oblivious to its connections. If you work like this, you’re not really in the world. Imagine a puzzle: you’ve got a hundred individual parts that represent the product’s environment. But the last piece is missing: the product itself. If you study all of the pieces of the puzzle, you’ll eventually find a shape that fits in perfectly with all of the others. But if you ignore all of the others while you sketch the last fragment, how can it possibly fit into the overall picture? The harmony would be destroyed. Something similar happens with a sports car. Its purpose is acceleration, which is why all of its lines reflect its form and come together at the rear. A Porsche and its characteristic contours yield a rear that is as natural as the last piece of a puzzle fitting perfectly into the overall picture. The front of a car might be its face – but the rear determines its character. 718 Boxster S: Combined fuel consumption 8.1 – 7.3 l/100 km; CO2 emissions: 184 - 167 g/km 911 Turbo S: Combined fuel consumption: 9,1 l/100 km, Combined CO2-Emission: 212 g/km Macan GTS: Combined fuel consumption 9.2-8.8 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 215-207 g/km Panamera 4S: combined fuel consumption 8.2 – 8.1 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 186 – 184 g/km Naoto Fukasawa (61) is one of the world’s most sought-after industrial and product designers. Toasters, refrigerators, lamps, cell phones, folding chairs –there is hardly an object of everyday life that has not been reinterpreted by this Japanese designer. “People want to touch things,” he says. “With their hands and with their eyes, constantly.” This approach, which is the basis for all of Fukasawa’s designs, has won him more than fifty awards. He sees himself not as an artist who shapes objects, but rather as a designer who shapes interfaces – who influences that which lies between people, objects, and their environment. He is a professor at Tama Art University (approximately twelve and a half miles southwest of Tokyo) and is a prominent presence every year at the Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan. His design office advises companies throughout the world. More: www.naotofukasawa.com Michael Mauer Michael Mauer (54) is the director of Style Porsche and head of Volkswagen Group Design. After finishing secondary school at Kolleg St. Blasien in Baden-Württemberg in 1981, he studied transportation design at the well-known Pforzheim University. As Porsche’s chief designer since 2004, he has overseen the contours and rear views of numerous models. Text first published in the Porsche customer magazine Christophorus, Nr. 380 Text by Naoto Fukasawa // Photos by Markus Bolsinger Consumption data 911 Turbo S: Combined fuel consumption: 9,1 l/100 km, Combined CO2 emissions: 212 g/km Download all elements Homepage Christophorus Technology 12/24/2014 Top secret: design studio A glimpse behind those doors that normally remain closed. Part two: design studio. Company 01/31/2017 “There are no limits at the start.” An interview with Michael Mauer, Chief Designer at Porsche. Products 11/12/2015 One icon, four designers The design of the Porsche 911 has always been unmistakable. Mission E: Porsche design of the future A new movie shows strikingly clear the development history of the electric concept car Mission E. The Porsche Newsroom is a service provided by the Porsche Communication for journalists, bloggers and the online community. The data presented here was recorded using the Euro 5 test procedure (715/2007/EC, 692/2008/EC, 566/2011/EC and ECE-R 101) and the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). The respective figures were not recorded on individual vehicles and do not constitute part of the offer. This data is provided solely for the purpose of comparison between the respective models. Fuel consumption was recorded on vehicles with standard specification. Optional equipment may affect fuel consumption and vehicle performance. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are not only determined by a vehicle’s fuel efficiency, but also by the driving style and other factors irrespective of vehicle specification. Terms and conditions Porsche Newsroom 1. 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__label__wiki	0.893312	0.893312	Regan Smith to return to JR Motorsports for two Xfinity races By Dustin LongJun 19, 2019, 7:06 PM EDT JR Motorsports announced Wednesday that Regan Smith will drive the team’s No. 8 car in two Xfinity Series races this season. Smith, who also serves as a Fox Sports analyst, will pilot the car Aug. 10 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Aug. 24 at Road America. Long-time sponsor Fire Alarm Services will join Smith. This will mark the 35-year-old Smith’s first Xfinity start in two years and his first for JR Motorsports since 2016. Smith won in his JR Motorsports debut in 2012 in Miami and drove full-time for the team from 2013-15. He won five times during that stint, including at Mid-Ohio. “Regan is a great friend, and he means so much to our company,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a statement from the team. “He won a lot of races here, but for me his significance was no more evident than in his very first race for JRM at the end of 2012. That win at Homestead was enormous. It ended a winless streak for JR Motorsports that had dragged us down for more than two years. It was a tone-setter. It gave us momentum that, to be honest, I’m not sure we’ve ever lost. That’s what Regan means to this company, and that’s why I’m thrilled to have him back for these two races at Mid-Ohio and Road America.” Said Smith: “I can’t tell you how pumped I am for this. Dale, Kelley (Earnhardt Miller) and everyone at JRM have been like family to me, so in a way, it feels like I’m coming home. I have great memories of the years I spent there and the success we had during that time. And to have Fire Alarm on board for these races makes it all the more meaningful. They’ve been both friends and supporters of mine for a long time.” There ya go #NascarTwitter. Regan is gonna wheel for JRM this season. I’m so excited. He’s a rattlesnake behind the wheel and a great personal friend. Finally. I don’t have to keep this secret anymore. Why you had to wait till Wednesday Regan I’ll never know. https://t.co/mTygBUeMDe — Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) June 19, 2019 Tags: JR Motorsports, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, nascar, Regan Smith, Road America, Dale Earnhardt Jr.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line877
__label__wiki	0.609429	0.609429	Steelers RB Conner: Doctors gave me ‘about a week’ to live in ’15 17 hours ago Reports: NFLPA filing grievance vs. Texans on Clowney’s behalf 17 hours ago Free agent RB Collins undergoes leg surgery 17 hours ago Coaches On The Hot Seat Entering The 2015 Season By Nate Wallace With conference media days wrapping up in the next week or so, this seems like the perfect opportunity to check out some coaches that’ll definitely be watching their words. Here are three coaches trying to save their jobs this season: Tim Beckman (Illinois) In three seasons as the head coach of the Fighting Illini, Beckman has posted a 12-25 overall record with a disappointing 4-20 record in the Big Ten. Three of those four wins were against a lowly Purdue team, a very inconsistent Penn State team, and an underperforming Northwestern squad. Entering the fourth year of Beckman’s tenure, Illini fans have plenty of reasons to be upset, but a few reasons to be optimistic. Under Beckman, Illinois has improved their conference record each season, going 0-8 in 2012, 1-7 in 2013, and 3-5 in 2014. Last season, the Fighting Illini also made a bowl game for the first time with Beckman at the helm, losing 35-18 to Louisiana Tech in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Looking at the schedule in 2015, Illinois has a difficult non-conference game on the road against North Carolina before the Big Ten games begin. In order for Beckman to keep his job for another year, the Illini would have to win seven or eight games and go at least 4-4 in the Big Ten. There is no doubt that Beckman and the Fighting Illini will have to pull off a few upsets to reach the seven win mark, but with college football you never know what will happen. Mike London (Virginia) Let’s begin with one of the few positive highlights of Virginia’s season in 2014, a 30-13 dominating win over Miami (FL). Also, what a catch by Canaan Severin at the :30 second mark in the video. Now to the bad news. London is 23-38 (11-29 in the ACC) in five seasons as head coach of the Cavaliers. Virginia has only one bowl appearance in those five seasons, which was a 43-24 loss to Auburn in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Cavaliers’ 2015 schedule is very interesting. Road games against UCLA, Miami (FL), and Louisville will be tough but Florida State and Clemson aren’t even on the schedule, which is great news for Virginia fans. In order for London to keep his job, the Cavaliers will need to make a bowl game by winning at least six or seven games. Also, a win against in-state rival Virginia Tech would go a long way in helping London remain head coach. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa) I understand that Ferentz’s buyout is astronomical (over 10 million dollars right now), but the Hawkeyes have been in a decline for a few years. Example: The Hawkeyes are 34-30 in the last five seasons under Ferentz, which isn’t good enough for anybody associated with the Iowa football program. In those five seasons, the Hawkeyes are 1-3 in bowl games; the lone win coming against Missouri in the 2010 Insight Bowl. In 2015, Iowa doesn’t have Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, or Michigan on the schedule. However, the Hawkeyes have two tough games on the road at Wisconsin and at Nebraska, that I don’t see them winning. Overall, Ferentz will need to get eight or nine wins and reach a .500 record or better in the Big Ten to keep his job. Hawkeye fans are fed up with mediocrity, they want more wins, and the recruiting (or lack thereof) hasn’t given them much hope; most of them want a fresh start. It is looking like it will be another tense year for Ferentz and the Hawkeyes. Other coaches who may be out as head coach next year: Paul Rhoads (Iowa State), Norm Chow (Hawaii), Al Golden (Miami (FL)), Kevin Wilson (Indiana), Mike MacIntyre (Colorado)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line878
__label__wiki	0.864523	0.864523	Meet the Organization Pushing Regime Change in Iran—and Its Willing American Accomplices July 15, 2018 Topic: Security Region: Middle East Blog Brand: The Skeptics Tags: IranMEKRegime ChangeBoltonTrump Will the U.S. media learn from when they supported the invasion of Iraq? by Christopher A. Preble Follow @capreble on Twitter L It is customary for pundits to lament how partisanship is destroying U.S. policymaking, but one area remains curiously bipartisan: Democrats and Republicans alike are quick to show their support for an organization publicly dedicated to regime change in Iran. Late last month in Paris, for example, thirty-three senior U.S. officials and military officers, including Rudy Giuliani and former United Nations Ambassador Bill Richardson, attended a meeting convened by the National Council for Resistance in Iran (NCRI), an offshoot of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK). The MEK was founded in 1965 as a hard-left opponent of the secular Shah of Iran. They gained attention in the early 1970s for several acts of terrorism, including attacks against the Shah’s primary patron, the United States. Civilians working for American companies operating in Iran in the 1970s, including Pepsi, PanAm, General Motors and Rockwell International, were all among the MEK’s victims. Unsurprisingly, the MEK was listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department in 1997. But, in recent years, the MEK has managed to rehabilitate its image. It switched sides after Saddam Hussein’s overthrow in Iraq, hoping that the United States would perform a similar service in neighboring Iran. The MEK also successfully lobbied the Obama administration to be removed from the terrorist list. Today, the organization routinely feeds information to build support for regime change in Tehran. This state of affairs is eerily reminiscent of a period in the late 1990s when a bipartisan coalition in Congress—responding to a concerted pressure campaign by Bill Kristol and Robert Kagan’s Project for a New American Century—passed legislation calling for regime change in Iraq. The Iraq Liberation Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 31, 1998, also provided Iraqi exile groups direct financial assistance from the U.S. government. One of the leading beneficiaries of U.S. taxpayers’ largesse was the Iraqi National Congress (INC). In 2004, the New Yorker’s Jane Mayers concluded that the U.S. government steered more than $100 million to the group over a twelve-year period, with the Bush administration responsible for at least $39 million. The INC and its leader, Ahmed Chalabi, proved to be one of the leading sources of false information that hawks deployed via a too-credulous media to build support for war with Iraq. Years later, after U.S. troops had dislodged Saddam Hussein from power, and Chalabi and his cadre of followers were back in the country he had fled as a teenager, he famously boasted “we are heroes in error...What was said before is not important.” But Chalabi and the INC were more popular in Washington, DC than in Baghdad—or anywhere else in Iraq, for that matter. When Iraqis went to the polls in December 2005, his party secured only 0.5 percent of the vote. So, to recap, U.S. taxpayers funded the organization whose primary objective was to feed misleading information about the nature of the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. The resulting war claimed over 4,400 American lives and has cost, so far, $2 trillion, with some estimates of the eventual costs approaching $6 trillion. And Chalabi and his INC weren’t able to implement the pleasing, pluralist, vision for Iraq, that they promised. Instead, many tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, and millions driven from their homes. That doesn’t seem like a very good return on investment. The source of the MEK's funding is murkier, but the organization is flush with cash. MSNBC's Richard Engel determined that Bolton was paid $40,000 for one speech in 2017. Others report that speakers at MEK gatherings receive up to $50,000 per speech. At last year’s gathering in Paris, Bolton stated categorically “There is a viable opposition to the rule of the ayatollahs, and that opposition is centered in this room today.” “The declared policy of the United States of America,” he continued, “should be the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime in Tehran.” Bolton skipped the meeting this year, but Giuliani’s work on behalf of the organization has caught people’s attention—and not for the first time. Daniel Benjamin, who coordinated counterterrorism efforts for the Obama administration explained to The Washington Post, “Plenty of us...found just the appearance of support for [an] organization that had American blood on its hands to be outrageous.” There is a tendency to dismiss the MEK as a fringe group. Ervand Abrahamian, a professor of Iranian history and politics at Baruch College, described it as “a cult organization.” “It’s like the Moonies,” he said to McClatchy. Except that the Moonies aren’t trying to get the U.S. government to overthrow a foreign government, and John Bolton sits a few doors down from the President of the United States. Ahmed Chalabi would have lusted after the level of access that the MEK’s Maryam Rajavi now has. That means that Americans might have to rely on the news media to do its job. It could begin by questioning information provided by expatriate advocates of regime change in Iran. When the New York Times reviewed its coverage of the Iraq War in 2004, the editors called out Chalabi by name as a source for many inaccurate or misleading articles. They noted that "information" in their stories "that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged." The worst instances "shared a common feature," the Times editors continued. “They depended at least in part on information from a circle of Iraqi informants, defectors and exiles bent on ‘regime change’ in Iraq.” Rob Reiner’s feature film, “Shock and Awe,” tells the story of the Knight Ridder DC news bureau, one of the few outfits who, when presented with similar information from Iraqi exiles, and Bush administration officials, had the good sense to ask "Is it true?" Equally important, Knight Ridder reporters and editors dared to stand by their reporting when post-9/11 bloodlust cast full-throated support for the war as synonymous with patriotism—and skepticism as akin to treason. Americans must wait to see which direction the U.S. news media will go in 2018, but I hope that they will be more like John Walcott, Jonathan Landay, Warren Strobel, and Joe Galloway, and less like Judith Miller. Christopher Preble is the vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute and blogs for The Skeptics at The National Interest. Image: The national flag of Iran is seen on top of the Austrian Chancellery during the visit of President Hassan Rouhani in Vienna, Austria July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line880
__label__wiki	0.765242	0.765242	Guimaraes: A Nanny and a Psychologist Go to Bat for Chris Brann June 25, 2018 by Robert Franklin, Member, National Board of Directors, National Parents Organization I return now to the astonishing case of Dr. Christopher Brann, his ex-wife, Marcelle Guimaraes and their son, Nicolas (Nico). Readers will recall that Marcelle abducted Nico from Texas, where he’d lived all his life, to Brazil, her home country. Her parents, Carlos and Jemima, assisted in the abduction. They were apprehended in Florida, arrested and tried in Houston, where a jury found them guilty of aiding international kidnapping. They will be sentenced on August 2. Since my last post on this case, I’ve received additional information that, predictably, reveals the case to be even more outrageous than I previously thought. Nico has been held in Brazil in clear violation of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction, a fact even the government of Brazil openly acknowledges. And yet there he remains, at least for now. Put simply, the courts of Brazil are in frank and open violation of the Convention to which Brazil and the U.S. are signatories. But today I want to go back to the original divorce and custody case that took place in Houston, Texas. Brann and Guimaraes were married in February, 2008 and Nico was born in September of the same year. Christopher was, from the very beginning, a caring and devoted father, despite his demanding career as a practicing physician and professor of medicine. The couple employed a nanny, Ana Licon, who testified in the divorce and custody case about her day-to-day observations of Christopher’s and Marcelle’s parenting. “every minute [Dr. Brann] had off . . . [where he] . . . was not working he would dedicate all that time with Nico.” By comparison, when Marcelle was at home with Nico, it was Licon who cared for him. About Christopher’s relationship with his son, Licon testified that it was, “[v]ery close, very intimate.” But when asked the same question about Nico’s relationship with Ms. Guimarães, she merely responded “no.” Often, Marcelle picked fights with Christopher, during which Nico would cry, but he was never fearful of his father. Licon went on to testify that Marcelle “did not nurture the child. She did not take care of him. She didn’t dedicate the time to do it with the child.” Licon wasn’t the only one who preferred Christopher’s parenting to Marcelle’s. Court-appointed psychologist Dr. Edward Reitman did too. He described her as, “an anxious, insecure, mercurial individual . . . [with] . . . little self-control insofar as her ability to deal with situations or individuals she cannot control…” “not necessarily an emotionally compassionate . . . [mother] who displays feelings of security, or warmth in her interactions with her son . . . because she is so emotionally needy herself.” By contrast, Reitman described Christopher this way: “emotionally easy-going, loving, nurturing, [and a] very positive influence on his son’s life”… “I feel quite strongly that the nurturing, love and care that . . . [Nico] can obtain from his father would be a very positive constructive factor in his future emotional development.” That was all during the divorce and custody case that Marcelle filed in September, 2012, when Nico was four. She filed in Harris County, Texas and made no mention of any form of abuse or domestic violence by Christopher. But clearly, with the testimony of the nanny and Dr. Reitman, the case wasn’t going as Marcelle had hoped. She didn’t help her chances by, according to Licon, having various men spend overnights with her and consuming marijuana in the home with Nico. Her response to her own shortcomings was to fire her lawyer, hire a new one and, for the first time, allege that Christopher had been violent toward her. The judge didn’t buy it. Indeed, even when Marcelle browbeat Christopher into signing a confession to DV – a statement that wasn’t true – the family court judge ignored it. It’s in fact not hard to conclude that the judge saw Marcelle for who she is and ruled accordingly. In the end, the judge ruled that Marcelle’s claims were not only false, but were made “with malice” and granted the divorce, not on the basis of the usual boilerplate “irreconcilable differences,” but on the basis of “adultery” and “cruelty” on the part of Marcelle. Family court judges don’t use that language unless (a) there’s plenty of evidence to back it up and (b) they’re very unhappy with one litigant. But by that time, Marcelle had already abducted Nico to Brazil. From here it looks like she knew she was losing the case and that her only hope of having Nico all to herself was to flee the country. The evidence makes it clear that she premeditated doing so, arranging in advance for school among other things. She told Christopher that she wanted to go to Brazil so that Nico could see her family there. He agreed and the two entered into a written agreement for her to be gone about three weeks. She never intended to return, and so far hasn’t. More on this next time. Volunteer Testimonial "Moms and dads are induced by the present system to conflict over their kids, while having fundamental parental liberty and privacy rights unconstitutionally infringed upon. In a number of states the National Parents Organization has been successful in improving family law, and I am privileged to be part of National Parents Organization's growth in my state." By Daniel M. Lee, JD, Member, California Executive Committee	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line881
__label__wiki	0.929011	0.929011	Nobody Turn Me Around A People's History of the 1963 March on Washington by Charles Euchner Charles Euchner On August 28, 1963, over a quarter-million people—about two-thirds black and one-third white—held the greatest civil rights demonstration ever. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" oration. And just blocks away, President Kennedy and Congress skirmished over landmark civil rights legislation. As Charles Euchner reveals, the importance of the march is more profound and complex than standard treatments of the 1963 March on Washington allow. In this major reinterpretation of the Great Day—the peak of the movement—Euchner brings back the tension and promise of that day. Building on countless interviews, archives, FBI files, and private recordings, Euchner shows freedom fighters as complex, often conflicted, characters. He explores the lives of Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, the march organizers who worked tirelessly to make mass demonstrations and nonviolence the cornerstone of the movement. He also reveals the many behind-the-scenes battles—the effort to get women speakers onto the platform, John Lewis's damning speech about the federal government, Malcolm X's biting criticisms and secret vows to help the movement, and the devastating undercurrents involving political powerhouses Kennedy and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. For the first time, Euchner tells the story behind King's "Dream" images. Euchner's hour-by-hour account offers intimate glimpses of the masses on the National Mall—ordinary people who bore the scars of physical violence and jailings for fighting for basic civil rights. The event took on the call-and-response drama of a Southern church service, as King, Lewis, Mahalia Jackson, Roy Wilkins, and others challenged the throng to destroy Jim Crow once and for all. Nobody Turn Me Around will challenge your understanding of the March on Washington, both in terms of what happened but also regarding what it ultimately set in motion. The result was a day that remains the apex of the civil rights movement—and the beginning of its decline. Link to 'Nobody Turn Me Around' on Facebook Tweet about 'Nobody Turn Me Around' Pin 'Nobody Turn Me Around' Email a friend about 'Nobody Turn Me Around' Options for Howard Zinn by Martin Duberman Borrow Sample Click here to view eBook details for Howard Zinn by Martin Duberman Share 'Howard Zinn' Click here to view eBook details for Howard Zinn by Martin Duberman More Martin Duberman Options for Boom! by Tom Brokaw Borrow Sample Click here to view eBook details for Boom! by Tom Brokaw Share 'Boom!' 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The oldest, a seventeen-year-old named Frank Thomas, led. The two younger ones, a sixteen-year-old named James Foster Smith and a fifteenyear- old named Robert Avery, walked ten or twenty feet behind. James and Robert tried to stay out of earshot of Frank. Tall and lean, these boys became men during the summer. They didn't just play football in the street, act in school plays, walk up to the waterfall, or hang out on Sixth Street. They traveled the world, places like New York, Atlanta, and Birmingham. They learned from some of the legendary figures of the civil rights movement, like Julian Bond and John Lewis. They confronted the white supremacist mobs in the Gadsden demonstrations. "Are we really doing this?" one of the younger ones said as they trudged along the road. "He's going to turn back," the other answered. At about ten o'clock at night, the teenagers began a journey of 675 miles to the nation's capital. They carried a sign reading "To Washington or Bust." Now, after midnight, they wondered whether they would really walk to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the grand finale of the civil rights movement in the sweltering summer of 1963. Earlier that night, they gathered at Sip Harris's nightclub, one of the regular meeting places of the Gadsden Movement. James and Robert had just gotten home from a two-week trip to New York, where they raised funds for the movement by speaking about their experiences down south. Over Cokes, they told Frank about the famous people they met. Frank missed out on New York. He wanted one last adventure before starting school again. "The March on Washington is coming up," Frank said. "Man, I sure would like to go." "Yeah, but we ain't got no money," Robert said. "Well," Frank said, "I been thinking of hitchhiking. I want to go bad." "Hey, that's a good idea. We could do that." The conversation continued for a few hours. They debated whether their parents would let them set out on foot for Washington, D.C., without any real plan or money. They talked about how long it might take to walk. They didn't know whether they could hitchhike rides. "It's going to take a long time," Robert said. "That's a long way." "We have to leave now to get there in time," Frank said. Then they stood up. Someone offered a ride to James's house in East Gadsden, then to Robert's house, near another nightclub and church where the civil rights movement gathered. It took a while to persuade James's parents, but Robert's mother said yes right away. Then they walked to Frank's house and convinced his parents. Then they walked up the mountain road, at the foot of Lookout Mountain. The road into the mountain begins long and straight, then twists every hundred yards or so on the way up, then straightens out again at the plateau. Good thing it was dark out and everyone was sleeping. The road to Noccalula Falls was not necessarily the worst part of town for blacks, but no white parts of town were good for blacks in the summer of 1963. "Are we really doing this?" "I don't know. I think so." "This fool is joking." "He's going to turn around." Frank turned around. "Come on up. Get up." They passed a big... Charles Euchner is the author or editor of eight books. A lecturer in writing at Yale University, Euchner was the founding executive director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at Harvard University. He lives in Hamden, Connecticut. On August 28, 1963, a quarter of a million people converged on the nation’s capital for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King, whose “I Have a Dream” speech highlighted the occasion, called it “the greatest demonstration for freedom in the nation’s history.” Yale writing instructor Euchner (The Last Nine Innings) presents “a pointillist portrait” of the occasion, drawing material from historical records and taking oral histories from more than 100 participants. Although 1963 was the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, racial segregation remained deeply entrenched in the nation’s South, and one specific, practical goal of the march was to desegregate restaurants and hotels. The Kennedy administration mobilized extensive military and police resources, but march leaders, including principal organizer Bayard Rustin and longtime civil rights activist Asa Philip Randolph, were confident (and accurate) in their belief that a peaceful mass demonstration of this scale was not only possible but could change the course of race relations in America. With deft brushstrokes, Euchner not only captures the myriad dimensions of the march itself but places it in its larger historical context, including the escalating war in Vietnam. Starred review from May 1, 2010 A short but dynamic account of the landmark 1963 protest march that ended with Martin Luther King Jr.'s"I Have a Dream" speech. Euchner (Writing/Yale Univ.; Little League, Big Dreams: Inside the Hope, the Hype and the Glory of the Greatest World Series Ever Played, 2006, etc.) masterfully paints what he calls a"pointillist portrait" of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which took place on Aug. 28, 1963. Drawing from interviews and diligent research, the author not only provides humanizing portraits of the major figures—including King, activist Bayard Rustin and march organizer A. Philip Randolph—he also effectively portrays ordinary marchers, both black and white. He accomplishes this through a kaleidoscopic collection of telling details, many of which serve to bring the often overly idealized March on Washington into focus. Euchner relates the friction among leaders of the civil-rights movement (Malcolm X ridiculed the March as the"Farce on Washington"); how a prominent Catholic leader nearly pulled out of the event because he felt activist John Lewis's speech was too radical; how expert sabotage of an expensive sound system caused a last-minute crisis; and how some of King's advisors urged him not to use his"I Have a Dream" speech, which they felt was trite. The author also engagingly portrays the rank-and-file marchers, combining inspirational stories—including that of an old black man, Joseph Freeman, who left Washington after escaping a racist mob in 1919, returning in 1963 for the march—with well-chosen, seemingly banal details, such as the fact that protesters on buses in Harlem complained loudly about the lack of air conditioning. Most impressive is Euchner's amazing economy in telling this story; in just over 200 pages, he provides a wholly satisfying, comprehensive view of the March. A sharp, riveting depiction of"what Martin Luther King called the greatest demonstration for freedom in the nation's history." (COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.) Euchner (English, Yale Univ.; "The Last Nine Innings") tells the story of the August 1963 march on Washington as the compelling drama it was: organizing 100,000 people for civil rights required coordinating speakers with multiple alliances and agendas within one peaceful mass-action event. Enter lead organizer Bayard Taylor Rustin, portrayed as the hero who brought together the march through unprecedented planning and coordination. Rustin's challenge rested in keeping the alliances of numerous organizations together. He worked to temper the speech of John Lewis, a representative from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, whose message became more radical as it faced an unflinching deep southern segregationist challenge to its organizing efforts. Malcolm X was also on hand during the march. As a "people's history," the book's sources include Euchner's interviews with over 100 individuals, both known and unknown, who participated in the march. VERDICT This compelling history of the march on Washington is accessible to general readers, who will be moved at the emotional heights of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Those who enjoy popular history will find much to like here, and students will appreciate the original research.Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission. Vanessa Bush, Booklist "A sweeping, comprehensive look at a pivotal march in American history." Kirkus Reviews, starred review "A short but dynamic account of the landmark 1963 protest march that ended with Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech." Library Journal "This compelling history of the march on Washington is accessible to general readers, who will be moved at the emotional heights of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Those who enjoy popular history will find much to like here, and students will appreciate the original research." John Egerton, author of Speak Now Against the Day: The Generation Before the Civil Rights Movement in the South "Charles Euchner has turned the March on Washington into a 'people's history.' Compelling and dramatic, this book is an important contribution." --Juan Williams, author of Eyes On The Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954--1965 and news analyst for NPR and FOX News "The March on Washington was a demand to make the Constitution of the United States work for black people--to cash the blank check, as Dr. King put it that day in the best speech of his life. Nobody Turn Me Around--Charles Euchner's superb book--brings it all back in vivid detail." --Roger Wilkins, author of Jefferson's Pillow: The Founding Fathers and the Dilemma of Black Patriotism "As was true of the historic March on Washington in 1963, so it is true of Charles Euchner's riveting new chronicle of the event: the massive human train of proud and determined Americans--ordinary, salt-of-the-earth citizens--is the heart and soul of this dramatic and inspiring story. Now, more than forty-five years later, those same people stride through Euchner's narrative as if it were a march in progress. The stars are here too, of course--Martin Luther King, Bayard Rustin, Roy Wilkins, John Lewis, and more--but the pages crackle and vibrate with the voices of unsung heroes who drove, flew, rode buses and trains, hitchhiked, even walked long distances to be there in the Great Emancipator's stone shadow as Dr. King spun out his immortal 'Dream.'" Curtis Wilkie, author of Dixie: A Personal Odyssey Through Events That Shaped the Modern South "Nobody Turn Me Around brings important new insight to the story of the 1963 March on Washington. We see the Harlem Unity Rally, Malcolm X's bitter answer to the historic events in D.C., the escalating violence in the South and the movement's expansion to northern cities, and the genius of Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin's organizing strategies. The book also settles the question of how Martin Luther King Jr. came to utter his iconic words about the dream--and shows how King used the speech to arouse his followers and neutralize the extremes of white racism and black separatism. Vivid storytelling at its best." --Alex Heard, author of The Eyes of Willie McGee: A Tragedy of Race, Sex, and Secrets in the Jim Crow South "Nearly fifty years after the March on Washington, Charles Euchner has brought that historic event back to life by presenting a panorama of vivid characters, torn by discord over tactics yet united in their determination to shame a timorous government into stamping out Jim Crow." Beacon Press (unknown) KB Copyright Protection (DRM) required by the Publisher may be applied to this title to limit or prohibit printing or copying. File sharing or redistribution is prohibited. Your rights to access this material expire at the end of the lending period. Please see Important Notice about Copyrighted Materials for terms applicable to this content. Clicking on the 'Buy It Now' link will cause you to leave the library download platform website. The content of the retail website is not controlled by the library. Please be aware that the website does not have the same privacy policy as the library or its service providers.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line883
__label__wiki	0.768616	0.768616	You are here: Home / Accessing the NDIS The NDIS is available across NSW. The NDIS offers choice and control over what supports are best for you. The scheme recognises that every person’s needs and aspirations are unique so a flexible approach is needed to make supports as accessible as possible. Find out more about accessing the NDIS here. Find out more information on what supports are available here. What happens to my current supports? No one will be disadvantaged in the move to the NDIS. People who had been receiving state-funded specialist disability support but are not eligible for the NDIS will maintain the same outcomes they received before the NDIS through arrangements including Information Linkage and Capacity building supports. They will transition to alternative arrangements over time. What is Information, Linkages and Capacity Building? For many people with disability, support starts with having easier access to information. This means knowing where to find out about supports and how to tap into supports already available in the community. Information, Linkages and Capacity Building are services that will help you: Find supports available in your local community. Access supports or join in local community activities such as study, sports socialising or other interests through Local Area Coordinators. Build individual capacity through support such as diagnosis advice, peer support and skills development. Deliver information, training and support for mainstream and community supports in your area. Who should I contact in crisis situations? Your first point of contact in a crisis is the NDIA. You can contact the NDIA via their website or by calling 1800 800 110. Where can I get help in making decisions about my future? Assistance with decision making for people who need to access the NDIS is available via the National Disability Insurance Agency. There are a number of new and existing services that can help you understand your rights, make informed choices and plan for the future. There continues to be a National Disability Advocacy Program, funded by the Commonwealth, which will ensure that you continue to receive access to advocacy support outside the NDIS. Help in making decisions on your future is available through this program. What is the role of nominees? Under the NDIS, nominees can be appointed to help people with disability who need someone to speak on their behalf. Nominees have a duty to support the participant in making his or her own decisions wherever possible and to build the participant’s capacity for decision-making. For more information on how a nominee is appointed, who should be appointed, the term of appointment, duties, and cancellation and suspension procedures, please refer to the national NDIS website. How can families and carers stay involved? Families, carers, guardians and nominees of people with disability continue to play a vital role under the NDIS. Families and carers can be involved in developing the individualised support plans that will enable participants to reach their goals and access the assistance they need. If someone needs support with decisions and there is no family or guardian who can advocate for them, an application can be made to have the Office of the Public Guardian appoint someone who can support the participant’s decision-making and work with them and the NDIA to develop the best plan. Collection of information to support client transition to the NDIS in NSW To help prepare for the rollout of the NDIS in NSW, some personal information about the people participating in the NDIS has been shared with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – the government agency managing the NDIS. Sharing this information has helped the NDIA decide whether people automatically meet the disability requirements for access to the NDIS. The information also ensures that the NDIA knows the best way to contact people about starting their planning process when the time comes to move to the NDIS. The Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) provides your contact information to the NDIA and the agency will contact you directly when it is time to move to the NDIS. FACS is able to provide this information to the NDIA because of a ruling, called a public interest direction, made by the NSW Privacy Commissioner. This ruling permits the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by FACS from its funded service providers and other agencies, such as the Department of Education and Department of Health. The ruling controls how the information will be used and places obligations on FACS to ensure that only necessary information is collected. The privacy of people is important to FACS and all data will be stored securely. You can read about how public interest directions work, how health public interest directions work and the new rules for FACS client information and the NDIA (PDF, 68kb) on the Privacy Commissioner’s website. Western New South Wales	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line884
__label__cc	0.554081	0.445919	Conflict of Interest, in the Eye of the Beholder Tags: China, conflict of interest, Environmental Resources Management, Flanagan South, Keystone XL, Nebraska, oil, pipeline, Sierra Club, smog, State Department When is a conflict of interest not a conflict? Today it’s when the State Department says it isn’t. After the agency hired the Environmental Resources Management (ERM) as its consulting firm to review environmental effects of the Keystone XL pipeline, people complained about the connections of the consulting firm, but the agency’s inspector general investigated and found—no problem! The State Department’s has again reported that the environmental impact study commissioned to ERM regarding the trans-country pipeline found no significant climate impacts. That’s the study from a company listing TransCanada as a client just a year before the Keystone contract while telling the State Department that it had been at least five years since ERM worked with the company building the pipeline. ERM didn’t mention that one of its divisions, ERM West, worked with TransCanada on the Alaska Pipeline Project until last summer—after ERM was hired to write the report. Until the State Department was asked about the conflict of interest, ERM didn’t say anything about its bidding for contracts in Canada that could include two new TransCanada projects. As recently as 2010, ERM was part of a lobbying group, the International Carbon Black Association, that a subsidiary (Cancarb) of TransCanada owns—a company that includes major Keystone XL proponents and potential beneficiaries. ERM also failed to identify its membership in several trade organizations that support the pipeline, including the Western Energy Alliance, the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, and the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. ERM must have understood its conflict of interest when the firm suddenly removed the names of subcontractors formerly working on TransCanada projects from its website. Later the names reappeared without their affiliations to TransCanada. Although ERM was paid to prepare the environmental impact report, another firm, one that is outright owned by a tar sands developer, actually did the assessment. Jacobs Engineering’s most recent contract was with Canadian oil sands leader Suncor. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) has asked the Government Accountability Office to do a separate investigation into State’s process for vetting contractors, and he says the GAO is planning to act on his request. He added that the inspector general’s report focused on “whether the State Department followed its own flawed process for selecting a third-party contractor. The fact that the answer is ‘yes’ doesn’t address any outstanding concerns about the integrity of ERM’s work, the State Department’s in-house ability to evaluate its quality or whether the process itself needs to be reformed.” Supporters of the Keystone XL think that it will solve their dual needs for jobs and low-cost energy. The short film “Keystone PipeLIES Exposed” explains how the Keystone XL project fails to do either one. Big business has highly inflated the number of jobs created, and most of the smaller number of jobs disappears after construction ends. Even with a rosy view, the State Department concluded that 3,900 direct jobs would be created during pipeline construction; at its completion, there would be 35 permanent and 15 temporary jobs. The pipeline would most likely increase fuel prices in the United States while generating no taxes from TransCanada after it files a “Master Limited Partnership.” Tar sands oil shipped to the Midwest current sells for about $70 per barrel, much less than the $100 a barrel possible on the open market. As the map shows, the oil will move through the U.S., be refined, and then ship off to the international market which has a higher yield than in this country. The United States gets higher fuel prices and almost no jobs, but it does get leaking pipelines across the country that destroy the nation’s water, especially in the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest freshwater supply in the middle of the country. As the leaks devastate the U.S. agriculture, taxpayers pay to clean up the spills because tar sands oil is exempt from corporations having to pay into the oil spill liability trust fund. In its environmental impact, the State Department certified that the pipeline’s additional carbon emissions would be the equivalent of an additional 300,000 cars on the road. The contractor most closely linked to TransCanada reported, however, that this was negligible because TransCanada wouldn’t stop drilling. So who benefits from the United States destroying its food supply, water, and environment? China, according to Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL). Now that the Chinese have our manufacturing jobs, they need raw materials and energy. Canada is the most stable country to provide energy, and people in the United States might be willing to let the oil pass through our country into China—all with no benefits for anyone in the U.S. China annually imports about $50 billion in goods from the United States and exports about $350 billion in mostly manufactured goods to the United States. Each year, China also buys about $300 billion in U.S. assets, mostly U.S. Treasuries. China has put about $30 billion of the trade surplus into Canadian tar sands. All the oil that passes through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline has to be sold in the U.S., but the Keystone XL Pipeline is permitted a tax-free zone to provide Chinese energy independence. The Koch brothers, who own the refineries, benefit; the people of the United States don’t. If people in the United States were intelligent and far-seeing, we would keep the environment clean and sell food to China when they can no longer grow it. Their air pollution is so bad that it is like a nuclear winter. The slowing photosynthesis in plants may greatly decrease the possibility of growing food. This week’s smog in Beijing and large parts of six northern provinces is so bad that the PM 2.5 particles can enter the bloodstream through the lungs. A safe level is 25. Flights are grounded, highways are closed, and tourists are kept at home. Air pollutants adhering to greenhouse surfaces have cut the light inside by 50 percent. In a first for China, a man in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province near Beijing, is suing the local environmental protection bureau for failing to rein in the smog. Li Guixin is also asking for compensation because of economic losses. The Keystone XL pipeline has received publicity because it goes from one country to another, requiring presidential approval. Within the United States, however, pipeline construction is not inhibited in the same way. In the five years since the first TransCanada application, the 589-mile Flanagan South, moving through about 1,950 wetlands and waterways including the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, has been approved because of a loophole allowing companies to fast-track pipeline projects and bypass environmental protection laws. About half the length of Keystone XL, Flanagan South carries tar sands and Bakken crude from Pontiac (IL) to Cushing (OK). Although each part of the pipeline could not exist without the rest of it, the Army Corps of Engineers allowed each water crossing to be separate for the purpose of permits, thus avoiding any environmental review. A federal judge who heard a lawsuit last week will decide within the next few weeks whether the Sierra Club’s claims have merit. The same loophole was used on the southern half of Keystone XL, which began shipping oil last month despite the pipelines’ leaks. Enbridge, the company in charge of Flanagan South, was responsible for the 1,000,000-gallon spill in July 2010 when tar sands crude went into a tributary of the Kalamazoo River. Oil is still being removed from the area after Enbridge missed its EPA deadline to finish cleanup by the end of 2013. Even conservative Nebraskans understand the danger of pipelines crossing lands vital for agriculture and water. After Gov. Dave Heineman approved the Keystone XL route through the state, a judge struck down his decision because it forced landowners to sell their property. Lancaster County Judge Stephanie Stacy ruled that only the state Public Service Commission can give TransCanada eminent domain powers. The commission was created in the 1890s to stop governors from giving political favors to railroad executives. Jane Kleeb, executive director of Bold Nebraska, said,”TransCanada learned a hard lesson today: Never underestimate the power of family farmers and ranchers protecting their land and water.” We need more Jane Kleebs to protect land and water across the United States. Tags: budget plan, Keystone XL, Medicare, Obamacare, Paul Ryan, safety net, tax cuts for wealthy, voucher system When Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) ran for U.S. vice-president only a few months ago, he said that a Romney/Ryan win would vindicate their plans to rape raping the country of all resources and shred the entire safety net. Instead, Barack Obama won re-election by more than 50 percent of the popular vote—the first time since FDR in 1944, the Senate netted two additional Democratic seats over 2010, and the House gained a majority of Democratic votes, leaving it in Republican hands only because of state gerrymandering. Either Ryan has a short memory or he doesn’t believe what he said, because he has proposed another budget, more restrictive and farther to the right than the last one. Its $4.6 trillion cuts during the next decade come mostly from eliminating health care with its subsidized insurance exchanges and Medicaid expansions, turning Medicare into a voucher program with private insurers for anyone under 55, and doing away with Wall Street regulatory plans. The voucher system defense by the Ryan Plan author is a semantic maze. On Fox News, Ryan told Chris Wallace: “[I]t’s not a voucher. It’s premium support. Those are very different. A voucher is you go to your mailbox, you get a check and you go buy something. That’s not what we are saying.” In fact, seniors would get a government subsidy instead of a guaranteed Medicare benefit. Ryan coined the word “voucher” for his plan before pollsters told him not to use that term. He also told Wallace that the GOP won the right to do this because it won the senior vote. At the same time, the GOP plan cuts the top income tax rate to 25 percent from 39.6 percent. This 14.6 percent cut is over double Romney’s proposed 7 percent cut, that wiped out $5 trillion of revenue. The only way to cover these losses is to increase taxes for the bottom 99 percent of the nation’s population. Big Oil’s donations to Paul Ryan to get him re-elected have paid off. The budget plan retains the tax breaks for these companies ranked as the most profitable companies in 2012. Tax breaks haven’t increased jobs: four of the Big Five dumped 15,200 jobs between 2006 and 2011. It won’t increase oil production: they produced 3 percent less oil in 2012 compared to 2011. They aren’t paying their fair share of taxes. Three of the companies averaged a 16-percent tax rate in 2011. Their revenues bought back their own stock to enrich top executives, boards of directors, and biggest. Although Ryan claims that his plan will help the economy and the unemployment rate, Ezra Klein said: “Ryan’s budget … won’t create jobs this year and will likely cost jobs in the years to come by putting the economy on a steep austerity ramp. There’s no housing policy for the millions of families in foreclosure and no way to read Ryan’s budget without assuming massive cuts to student-loans programs. As for medical costs, fully 59 percent of Ryan’s savings come from new cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare or other health-care programs–and that omits the $800 billion in Medicare cuts he keeps from Obamacare. The nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that cuts on the order of what Ryan is proposing will mean around 35 million people lose their health-care coverage.” Ryan’s goal isn’t actually to reduce deficits and debt. If it were, he would not eradicate revenue. As Klein said, “The problem is that these ideas are not, on their own, popular. In fact, they’re deeply unpopular, and considered quite radical. That’s why Newt Gingrich rejected Ryan’s initial budget as “right-wing social engineering” — it is, in a very serious sense, an effort to use policy reform re-engineer the relationship individuals have with their governments, their communities, and their families. But presented on their own, Ryan’s plans scare people.” In addition to the full repeal of President Obama’s health care law, it asks for limits on medical malpractice liabilities, transfers safety net programs—including food stamps—to states, and lowers the corporate tax rate to 25 percent. The big five oil companies–BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Shell–made a combined record profit of $118 billion in 2012 on top of a record profit of $137 billion in 2011. These companies also have a total of nearly $72 billion in cash reserves. Ryan’s tax cut would give the companies an additional $2.3 billion annually. The House budget plan also authorizes the 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline, estimating that it will create 20,000 new jobs. In reality, TransCanada projects that the construction will create a maximum of 3,900 jobs, only 10 percent hired locally, and only 35 jobs existing after two years. In arguing that he is concerned about “the well-being of the American people,” Ryan ignored the fact that the oil provided by Keystone XL is already in the U.S., mostly in the Midwest. Redirecting it will raise prices in the Midwest. In addition, the oil from Keystone XL isn’t for the U.S.: the pipeline lets Canadian oil producers export the crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico, saving their own country the environmental risks. The crude will be refined in Port Arthur and then shipped out of the country at great—and tax-free—profit for oil companies. Earlier this year, Congress passed a law that they approve a budget by the April deadline. If they fail, their salaries will be held in escrow until a budget is passed or the current Congress ends at the beginning of 2015. Fortunately for them, the two chambers don’t have to agree in order for Congressional members to get their wages: each chamber can pass its own budget plan without the other one agreeing. Ryan’s plan does increase spending in one area—defense. And he does have a novel way of making money for the country: he wants to sell off public lands because ”too much public land” is a serious problem. Derek Thompson wrote: “Paul Ryan’s new budget is quite long, but its thesis can be stated briefly. If you cut spending on the poor to the bone and radically change the U.S. government’s promises to help needy people pay for health care, it is remarkably easy to balance the budget.” The GOP’s plan is based on “massive, unrealistic” spending cuts, according to Michael Linden, Director of Tax and Budget Policy at Center for American Progress. Medicaid would face $1 trillion cuts in the first decade, while education and workforce training programs would get cut in half and transportation funding would be reduced by nearly 25 percent. The plan would also require deep cuts in other vital domestic programs. Instead of trying to help the people in the United States through building the economy and decreasing the unemployment rate, Paul Ryan has one goal, and he has admitted it when he introduced his budget plan: “This to us is something that we’re not going to give up on, because we’re not going to give up on destroying the health care system for the American people.” He should have added that he won’t give up until he destroys the United States.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line885
__label__wiki	0.764889	0.764889	A YELLOW COSTUME THAT CREATES COMMUNITY By Lundi Matin The movement of yellow vests seems to confirm a break of the historical thread of class struggles. If we stubbornly insist on sharing articles on the “gilets jaunes” of France, it is because they embody a number of characteristics that may mark out the future of possible anti-capitalist movements. The following reflection, published with lundimatin 172 (31/12/2018) points in that direction. We publish here an analysis from Temps Critiques (27/12/2018) about the yellow vests movement and all that it puts into question regarding the historical categories of a certain left. The movement of the yellow vests seems to confirm a break in the historical thread of class struggles. It had already been initiated world-wide by the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement and the movements of the Squares, all of which had been at the head of mobilizations of demands concerning liberties, equality, living conditions in general; employment more than working conditions. It is also for this reason that these movements were addressed much more to the State than to employers, insofar as the process of globalization/totalisation of capital leads States to manage the reproduction of social relations at the territorial level, while remaining dependent on the requirements of globalization. In France, the resilience of the traditional workers’ movement still maintained the idea of the class struggle against capital. In the spring of 2016, the fight against the reform of the labor law and labour statutes continued along the path of “the working class above all”, without however obtaining tangible results. A few years earlier, the renewed mobilisation generated by the “movement of the squares” did not allow for an effective reaction or resistance, because it quickly privileged the formalism of the assemblies, to the detriment of the substance of struggle. This struggle seemed to have found a more promising blend within the Spanish movement, with the overflow of the squares towards neighborhood solidarities in connection with housing problems. In all of these struggles, including in the case of the struggle against the labor law, the question of the general strike or the blocking of factory production was not raised, nor has it been posed by the yellow vests movement. In these conditions, to bring together the pursuit of roundabout occupations with calls for a workers’ strike is a fiction of “conflict convergence” or the outdated idea that blocking flows of goods would be secondary to blocking the production of the goods themselves. A community of struggle that is no longer a community of labour. The roundabout rebels certainly include many salaried employees (or similarly, employees who benefit from subsidized jobs or social assistance to return to work), but there are also other non-salaried occupants or former employees (including poor self-entrepreneurs and especially retirees who are far from all going off on low cost flights to exotic destinations). It is not from the working relationship that they intervene, but from their living conditions and their social non-existence. A struggle, of course, but a classless struggle rather than a class struggle. It is therefore useless to look for what would be its proletarian wing, to animate its expansion, something that it clearly does not wish to develop. Moreover, if the yellow vests are scorned by the power in place, it is not because they are “proletarians” in the historical sense of the term (Macron does not openly scorn the professional workers raised in the rules of the the art of labour unionism and legal education), but rather because they are, for him, nothing (“people who are nothing”, he said), modern sub-proletarians, social cases, savages having forgotten all the rules of civility, people who can neither speak nor produce officials or leaders. “No teeth”, as François Holland said once. A contempt itself despicable as it is charged with inhumanity; a blind contempt since it casts an undifferentiated judgment on the movement, while even we, as we mingle with them, know that there are very many different people within the yellow vest collectives. According to the testimonies of the collective life of the yellow vests in the “cabins” which have flourished on the roundabouts, we can affirm that it is first and foremost a community of struggle made of sharing, in difficult living conditions; a union of energies against globalist power (Macron, ministers, the elected, the corrupt, the great-tax evaders, the confiscators of the word of the people, etc.); collective aspirations to put an end to a bad life; all this with sometimes utopian accents, as sung by a yellow vest amateur musician “I do not want to live in a world where doves do not fly any more”.[1] A lyricism and songs far removed from the eternal political couplets on “emancipation” that accompany the demonstrations of workers or leftists. It is this community of struggle that makes people take turns to prepare food on the spot or share the food that is brought in support. Solidarity is not an empty word. What is the organisation? If we agree that yellow vests have developed an autonomous movement, we will not go so far as to say that they self-organise themselves in the ideological sense of self-organisation, as conceived by historical councilists or libertarians. It is an immediate self-organisation that leads to nothing but his own immediate practice. It reaches its limits when it wants to move to the stage of a true organisation of the movement, if only in the decision-making to refuse or not the requests of official authorisation for demonstrations or to accept or not established routes, the election of spokespersons or delegates. There is a refusal of organisation and not self-organisation, and it corresponds not only to distrust of any political or trade union organisation, but also to the fact that the present conditions have exhausted all the known historical forms.[2] Indeed, the yellow vests can not create “roundabout councils”, as there were formerly workers’ councils or soldiers’ councils. But that does not mean that they can not argue or act from these roundabouts. Simply, they are not places that can ensure the durability of political forms, as we have seen recently with their dismantling. Here again the movement innovates, because it at the same time blocks and moves. Nodes of blockades can indeed be moved and renewed in the same way that places and protest routes can be redefined at any time. The risk the is that of a repetition of previous actions. However, this repetition is already made precarious 1) by the decreasing number of those present at the points of mobilization; 2) by the intervention of the gendarmes at the roundabouts and especially against the kinds of small ZADs which have more or less spontaneously formed there; 3) by the new apparatuses mobilised by the police during the Saturday demonstrations, which tend to transfer the real violence of the repression of State, which alienates a large part of public opinion, onto a violence intrinsic to the movement, given the fact of its refusal to comply with government calls to stop demonstrating. It is the movement that then becomes the troublemaker and all those who call for it are thus guilty of the same offense, by intention, a form of crime increasingly manufactured in the name of urgency or exception (for example, in relation to terrorist activity), but recyclable for the occasion.[3] From negation to institutionalisation? Did we move to a second phase, more affirmative, that of the RIC [référendum d’initiative citoyenne/citizens’ initiative referendum: a demand to promote proposals of law originating with the citizenry, along the lines of what is found in Switzerland], while the first was more negative (Macron, resign!, We will not give up on anything, etc.)? Or can the movement continue by absorbing this new electoral proposal, something that seems to offer a way out for those who, among the yellow vests, see that Macron will not resign? If the RIC destroys the immediate dynamics of the movement, it is because on its current basis, that of the roundabout occupations and demonstrations on Saturday, it does not carry a clear historical dynamic, especially as the practice of assemblies, as well as the idea of delegation, find little echo or create divisions within the movement. It is precisely because it is incapable of making its dynamics historical on an assembly basis, that it can take refuge in the RCI. A referendum is for some an example of direct democracy, but for us it is the risk of a beginning of the institutionalisation of the movement [4] – or worse the birth of a typical Five Star movement, as in Italy. Our criticism of the RIC can not therefore be taken primarily on the basis of a perceived strategic error of the movement that would thereby be “co-opted”[5], as claimed by a leaflet published on the net. Indeed, this leaflet retains the traditional leftist discourse on “co-option”, but finally rests on positions of “disengagement” limited to an anti-macronism. It is tempting for some to appropriate them because they may seem uncompromising and have expressed the unity of the movement during the first weeks, but for those who, like us, think that capital is a social relationship, we can be satisfied with neither. Of course there are reasons to argue that the adoption of the RIC would ultimately only concern “societal issues”; questions that are at the source of all the media or populist manipulations, and which do not relate to the material and social conditions which are at the source of the revolt. Moreover, how could a referendum force employers to raise wages and owners to lower rents? But then it will be retorted, “what do you propose? “. This is the same as what we were told in 68 and this time, in addition, without even the escape, for some, of responding by proposing exotic models (Cuba or China). One can not neglect the fact that what makes the strength of the movement is also what makes it weak. To take just one example, the actual link between the yellow vests and trade unionists intervening on the roundabouts remains very formal, insofar as these trade unionists only intervene as individuals, as we do, but without establishing a mediation that makes possible and concrete the fact that more and more basic trade unionists are ready to enter the movement, but on another basis that is not the convergence of struggles (this is the point of view of the CGT), but with the feeling that it is the same struggle and that in addition it took forms that make it possible to “win”.[6] Yet it is a sentiment shared by many participants in the inter-professional union event of December 14th, who also participated in one or more Saturday demonstrations with yellow vests. Moreover, more and more cégétistes, even if globally they are a very small minority, put on yellow vests, while bearing signs and CGT stickers, or better, wear red and yellow vests. But subjective expectations are limited by objective conditions, because the union world is increasingly cut off from what we can no longer even call the world of work, so much have situations become particularized. A composite ensemble that, on the one hand, understands that “working more to earn more” is an illusion, but on the other, does not seem to oppose the tax exemption of overtime proposed by the government. However, the latter has recognised negative effects on the level of employment, which is a concern of the yellow vests. This contradiction may explain the fact that the movement does not seem to make any reference to the notion of guaranteed income, even though it has the consciousness and the experience that, often, working is no longer enough to live [7]. The movement expresses, by its diversity and heterogeneity, the multidimensional nature of inequalities and a very different “sense” of the statistical inequalities, taken one by one. This gap is also due to the fact that France is more efficient in redistributing income upstream (accessibility to university, health, minimum wage, quality of life in general), that seems “normal” , than downstream, where the direct progressive tax weighs little; the CSG is for all, along with the VAT and various other taxes which weigh particularly on the propensity of the poorest salaried employees to consume.[8] Towards a general of all roundabouts? A consumption that the movement upsets during this holiday season by blocking the supply of large supermarkets at central platforms, such as that of Auchan near Nimes, or directly blocking the entrance of supermarkets. Some prophets of doom, always running ahead of triumphant capital, may have spread rumours about the yellow vests, that they are hurting the economy by blocking large supermarkets, thereby benefiting Amazon and other online sales services. However, this assertion is highly questionable since the first figures show a general decline in consumption in traditional shopping places and a slight increase, but normal, because expected on the basis of an average increase, of online sales. Yet it is not unthinkable to consider the idea that “the spirit of the time” (gassed) is not conducive to consumption and not just because it would be more difficult to supply. In the same vein, we saw statements such as, “Unplug the TV and put on your vest.” Many yellow vests indicate that they no longer leave their homes except for what is essential. The lack of social relations is palpable and the invisibility we are discussing here is not that of exclusion, but that of a general social invisibility due to the new geopolitics of space which also concerns the inhabitants of suburbs [9]. This situation imposes itself on a much broader ensemble of people than that which is covered by the struggle between the two great classes, the bourgeois and the working class, nor is it reducible to a simplistic opposition between the rich and the poor defined quantitatively or monetarily.It is the classless struggle of a “multitude” understood in the sense that it is not that of the kind, exploited 99% against the 1% of malicious exploiters and profiteers, at a time when the hierarchies of social positions or at work are both multiplied and refined, and are produced and reproduced without too much qualms by individuals, at each level they occupy. A classless struggle in the sense of the absence of a historical subject. The movement of yellow vests is often criticised because, unlike historical workers’ struggles, it would not present a project of emancipation. It is a fact, but we have already said elsewhere why these projects were carried, from 1788 and 1789 until the years 1967-1978, by precisely historical subjects (first the bourgeois class and then the proletariat). The defeat of this last revolutionary cycle ruined any project of emancipation, except that which capital itself realized as part of the completion of the process of individualization in a capitalised society. But at the roundabouts and other places of expression of the current movement, anyway, there is a tension towards the community, not an abstract tension towards the human community, but a tension at the same time concrete (it is at the level of affect) and general because the movement embraces and questions all social relations. It is no longer the “All together” of 1995 against a specific project, but a sort of inseparable overturning and questioning of the capitalist totality, from viewpoints or angles in themselves partial. This partiality of the attacks is for the moment compensated by the totality of the “act against”, the one that is translated in the language of “We will not give anything up” of the yellow vests, which answers to the “you are nothing” of Power. This “We will not let go” implies determined collective actions that the excessive presence and aggressiveness of the police can make violent; a confrontation of forces that the power and the media call “extreme”, with all the interested orchestration they give them. [1] – https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/economie-social/un-gilet-jaune-de-montbard-makes-a-carton-on-the-web-with-sa-new-chanson- 1545108297 [2] – On this point, cf. the blog of Temps critiques about the days of Eymoutiers): http://blog.tempscritiques.net/archives/2179 [3] – After Julien Coupat, it is now the figure of the yellow vest movement that is paying the price. We are witnessing a criminalisation of social movements with the proliferation of arrests, preventive custody and heavy prison sentences for the slightest trifle. So many anti-constitutional measures, because of their blatant disproportion with the incriminated acts which demonstrates not the strength of the state, but its weakness. A weakness made even more visible by the fact that, on the other side of the barricade, the police, in a half day strike, obtained a from 120 to 150 euros of monthly salary increase. [4] – At the same time, we notice that for the first time, official requests for authorised protest routes have been filed with certain police prefectures, as was the case on 22 December 2018; the first noticeable retreat of the movement, with the concomitant creation of marshal services specific to the yellow vests. [5] – Available here http://www.19h17.info/2018/12/12/non-a-la-ricuperation/ [6] – While the CGT signed with six other trade union centrals the condemnation of the methods of struggle of the yellow vests. [7] – And paradoxically, it is Macron who makes the ghost resurface, with the increase of a tax on work activity, which thereby loses its original character, which was to push back to work people satisfied with the social minimum. But this is something else that is the recognition that wages no longer pay work “correctly” and that the complement must be drawn from public money. The “work more to earn more” exhausted its effects, even if the tax exemption of overtime seeks to give it a breath of life … at the expense of unemployment figures! [8] – See the investigation by Th. Piketty and the Laboratory on Global Inequalities. [9] – Indeed, if the “problems” of the suburbs are highlighted by sensationalism on the side of the media or political interest by the parties, the daily life of the majority of its inhabitants, all associative or cultural actions that take place, are rendered invisible.h taken from: non.copyriot OUT NOW @ BANDCAMP :: OBSOLETE CAPITALISM AND ADI NEWTON / THE ANTI GROUP CHAOS VARIATION III :: 12-INCH ULTRA-LIMITED EDITION VINYL WITH 16-PAGE COLOR BOOK PAOLO DAVOLI - DECEMBER 9, 2018 Out Now @ Bandcamp :: Obsolete Capitalism and Adi Newton / @ The Anti Group :: Chaos Variation III :: 12-inch ultra-limited edition vinyl with 16-page color book, assembled by hand, and printed on felt-paper Twill marked in 50 copies :: 25 copies in Italian and 25 copies in English language :: Editions Rizosfera / NUKFM :: Cat. NURKFM004 :: December 2018 :: Graphics and layout Gabriele Fantuzzi :: Realization of typography Simone Forte / Fortress SL :: Obsolete Capitalism Hyper X and DJ Rocca / Luca Roccatagliati:. Translations eng> ita Claudio Kulesko :: Editing Letizia Rustichelli and Paolo Davoli :: PHASE 2 of the collaboration between Adi Newton and Obsolete Capitalism has begun. Stay tuned, further developments will be announced shortly ... rizosfera Georges Bataille on Nietzsche, the journal Acéphale and the Secret Society While I’ve mainly been consumed by start-of-term stuff, I have been following up on a few leads in relation to the Foucault work. One of these was a piece by Georges Bataille on Nietzsche, first published in his short-lived journal Acéphale. The British Library has copies of two original issues of Acéphale – both double issues, though still very short. Pdfs of the whole short run are available at Monoskop. Bataille is a fascinating and disturbing figure, and I’ve just started reading Michel Surya’s biography of him. While looking in the BL catalogue, I found the Encyclopædia Acephalica, published by Atlas Press, which wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but provides a lot of other material by and related to Bataille. It had a useful bibliography which has suggested a few more things to look at. But what it revealed to me was that Acéphale wasn’t just the name of the journal, but also a secret society founded by Bataille. I’m not sure how far down this particular rabbit-hole I will go, but I found that there was a recent publication in English of a host of material related to this society. It’s entitled The Sacred Conspiracy: The Internal Papers of the Secret Society of Acephale (Atlas Press, 2018). Here’s the publisher’s description: This book recounts what must be one of the most unusual intellectual journeys of modern times, in which Georges Bataille — still best known outside of France as a highly wrought pornographer (The Story of the Eye etc.) — have spent the early Thirties in far-left groups opposing the rise of Fascism, abandoned that approach in order to transfer the struggle on to “the mythological plane”. In 1937, he founded two groups in order to explore the combinations of power and the “sacred” at work in society (Bataille associated the sacred with expenditure, eroticism and death). The first group, the College of Sociology, gave lectures that were intended to reveal the hidden undercurrents within a society on the verge of catastrophe. Bataille and Roger Caillois produced some of their finest texts for these sessions, in which many of the most celebrated intellectuals of the period participated. The second group was Acéphale, a genuine secret society whose emblem was a headless figure that in part represented the death of God. This “ferocious” anti-religion enacted torch-lit rituals in a forest at night beneath an oak tree that has been struck by lightening. Until the discovery a few years ago of the group’s internal papers (which include theoretical texts, meditations, minutes of meetings, rules and prohibitions and even a membership list), almost nothing was known of its activities. Here is the story of what must be among the strangest associations in political, literary or occult history. This book is the first to collect a representative selection of the writings of Bataille, and of those close to him, in the years leading up to the war. They judged that the time was right to confront the most intractable problems of the human condition head-on: how to live an integrated existence in a universe that was ruthless, absurd and indifferent? And how to oppose repressive and unequal social structures given the obvious impotence of the democracies and the political left when faced with far-right ideology? Such themes have a renewed resonance today. The texts published here comprise lectures given to the College of Sociology by Bataille, Caillois and Michel Leiris, essays from the Acéphale journal and a large cache of the internal papers from the secret society. A desparate narrative unfolds, and Bataille risked all in this wholely unreasonable quest. With a few fellow travellers, he underook what he later described as a “journey out of this world”. It looks compendious (480 pp.), richly-illustrated and affordable at £25, especially for such a big book. A quick check of Worldcat suggests no UK libraries have a copy, so it’s now on order. Aside from Foucault reading the journal (there are notes on it in Paris), another link is that in the 1960s Foucault was part of a tribute issue of Critique to Bataille – a journal Bataille founded. This is the well-known ‘Preface to Transgression’ piece. But Foucault also wrote the brief preface to the first volume of Bataille’s Oeuvres complètes, published in 1970, which I don’t think has ever been translated. Foucault was clearly involved in some way with the planning of the Oeuvres complètes, since he used multiple copies of pages of a draft plan as scrap paper – they are found in multiple boxes of his papers in Paris. If I continue my work on Foucault for a book on the 1960s I’ll need to dig into this further, but for now I’m interested in finding out more about Bataille’s early work, especially around Nietzsche. And finally on that, I was surprised to realise that there was a new translation of his book On Nietzsche, which appeared in 2015 with SUNY Press, translated by Stuart Kendell. I only knew the earlier version, translated by Bruce Boone with Athlone/Continuum/Bloomsbury, which I bought and read probably 20 years ago. progressivegeographies ‘Like A Thief In Broad Daylight: Power in the Era of Post-Human Capitalism’ by Slavoj Žižek ePub & PDF In recent years, techno-scientific progress has started to utterly transform our world – changing it almost beyond recognition. In this extraordinary new book, renowned philosopher Slavoj Žižek turns to look at the brave new world of Big Tech, revealing how, with each new wave of innovation, we find ourselves moving closer and closer to a bizarrely literal realisation of Marx’s prediction that ‘all that is solid melts into air.’ With the automation of work, the virtualisation of money, the dissipation of class communities and the rise of immaterial, intellectual labour, the global capitalist edifice is beginning to crumble, more quickly than ever before-and it is now on the verge of vanishing entirely. But what will come next? Against a backdrop of constant socio-technological upheaval, how could any kind of authentic change take place? In such a context, Žižek argues, there can be no great social triumph – because lasting revolution has already come into the scene, like a thief in broad daylight, stealing into sight right before our very eyes. What we must do now is wake up and see it. subliminalsensibility Burt Reynolds’ Unfinished Business: Actor Was Fielding Offers, Preparing For ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ Role In just a couple of weeks, Burt Reynolds was slated to go in front of the camera of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Reynolds, who died unexpectedly of a suspected heart attack, was to play rancher George Spahn in the movie, set in Los Angeles in the summer of 1969 before the Manson Family murders were committed. Reynolds, who was cast back in May and visited the Leonardo DiCaprio- and Brad Pitt-starring film’s table read in June, had received a straight offer from Tarantino, who had seen Reynolds in the 2018 release The Last Movie Star. That feature, in which Reynolds played an ageing movie star, created a host of new opportunities for the 1970s movie icon. (You can read The Last Movie Star writer-director Adam Rifkin’s remembrance of his friend and childhood hero Reynolds here.) OBSOLETE CAPITALISM :: CONTROL, MODULATION AND ALGEBRA OF EVIL IN BURROUGHS AND DELEUZE :: RIZOSFERA :: THE STRONG OF THE FUTURE :: SF016 :: SEPTEMBER 2018 by Obsolete Capitalism According to Deleuze’s Pourparler the concept of “Control” can be ascribed to William Burroughs. Since the seventies, it is possible to trace a deep intellectual and political convergence between Deleuze and Bur- roughs. This has happened across three levels of analysis: control society, revolutionary communities and schizo-culture. This essay attempts an analysis of the relationship between these two giants of twentieth century counterculture by borrowing their ‘control’ perspective. With the critical figure of Foucault on the background, the crucial political and philosophical passage from “discipline” to “control” appears in all its monstrosity. The struggle against Control, according to Deleuze and Burroughs, must be perpetrated through the invention of literary and philosophical “war machines” which try to hide from established knowledge and dominant powers by gathering in communities made of unassimilable singularities. Burroughs’ untraceable and diagrammatic critique seems ever more precious as it is completely strange to the conformism of contemporary critical thought. CLICK HERE :: FREE DOWNLOAD @ ACADEMIA CLICK HERE :: FREE DOWNLOAD @ MONOSKOP Charles Bukowski Explains How to Beat Depression: Spend 3-4 Days in Bed and You’ll Get the Juices Flowing Again I felt like sleeping for five years but they wouldn’t let me —Charles Bukowski, Ham on Rye I don’t know about you, but the grind gets me down. Day in, day out, the same routine, never a break but the odd vacation. And you know what they say about vacations; when you get back, you need another one. Used to be days were more regular, in the zenith of the unions. You put in your time and you get some back, enough at least for a good night’s sleep. No more. The machine never sleeps, and neither can we. If you have the good fortune to live in the U.S., you and I can call ourselves blessed inhabitants of the most overworked nation in the world. Europeans may have it better, but maybe not by much. Unforgotten series three finale recap – the killer is finally unmasked Hayley’s murderer acknowledges all without batting an eyelid – a charming psychopath with ice in his veins They always get their man … Sunny and Cassie. Photograph: Des Willie/ITV In the end, there was no twin switcheroo, bad boyfriend or secret pregnancy that did for Hayley. It was stupid luck that saw her run into Tim Finch on that particular night, he in that particular mood, she being his particular sort. When the underwear in his box is matched to murdered teen Alison Baldwin, Tim confesses to her and Hayley’s murders over a cup of tea. He mentions breezily, by the by, that there are more bodies out there. It all becomes too much for Cassie, who walks away from the case and into a much-needed sabbatical. She’s been neglecting self-care for some time and takes the chance to reconcile with her father and kickstart what looks like a very promising romance with former DCI John Bentley (a man shamelessly libelled in the comments – I expect full abjuration below the line). After all the horror, it’s good to end on a positive note. We finish in a gorgeous woodland cemetery, Cassie and Sunny joining Jessica and Suzanne at Hayley’s final resting place, facing into the sun. Mozart’s Diary Where He Composed His Final Masterpieces Is Now Digitized and Available OC-Mozart-diary-cover.png We have a tendency to regard Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music as having appeared fully formed into the world, not least because we hear it performed almost exclusively in a highly refined state of near-perfection. That makes any glimpse into the process of its creation all the more valuable, and the British Library has now provided us with much more than such a peek: at its site you can now read Mozart's own thirty-page musical diary, a record of "his compositions in the last seven years of his life" and thus "a uniquely important document" in the history of classical music. The British Library notes that during the period from February 1784 until December 1791 that the diary covers, Mozart "composed many of his best-known works, including his five adult operas, several of his most beautiful piano sonatas, and his last three great symphonies, as well as several famous lesser works." read more on openculture INTERPASSIVE USER: COMPLICITY AND THE RETURNS OF CYBERNETICS by Svitlana Matviyenko Abstract: This essay discusses the notions of “extension” and “prosthesis” as two different logics and modes of being with technology. I trace the two terms to the work of Marshall McLuhan, influenced by the work of Norbert Wiener and Buckminster Fuller. I argue that the logic of softwarisation is similar to the logic of extension, while the logic of appification is similar to that of prosthesis. I argue that these logics also map onto the logics of metonymy and metaphor. I explain why such a distinction is useful for reading mobile apps and the computing practices they enable. I conclude by raising questions about users’ complicity within the bio-technological cybernetic assemblage: What does the user of these technologies want? Is she able to confront her desire through their use? Why is the demanding swarm of parasitic ‘media species’, such as apps, so determined to get under the user’s skin? Worst may be yet to come in the middle an extreme California wildfire season A couple of very tough months are ahead for the wildfire season and firefighting attempts in the western United States, especially California. Approximately 110 large wildfires are burning across the U.S., and most of these fires are burning in the West, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Countless acres of brush, which growth was spurred on by winter and spring moisture, have had all summer to dry out. Extreme heat, dryness, burning sunshine and accidental and intentional incidents by humans have already contributed to an intimidating fire year. As much as 90 percent of wildfires in the U.S. are generated by humans, according to the National Park Service. I watched three days of nakedness at the Edinburgh fringe – this is what I learned Edinburgh fringe 2018. (Some)Body by PosleSlov. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod for the Guardian Sex sells, which explains why performers have been getting their tools off at the fringe for years. But my flesh odyssey was also mind-bending – and profoundly moving Fifteen naked people in a single day is a record for me. For a Monday, at least. I am in Edinburgh to attend the fringe, where I have been given a short to … well, avoid briefs. Ban bras, skirt skirts – free willy. Go to Edinburgh, and see the naked shows, was the plan. Bring a towel to sit on, a venue said. Nudity is not new at the fringe, established in 1947 when eight theatre companies decided to turn up uninvited and stage their own shows alongside the Edinburgh international festival. This sounds a bit like turning up outside someone’s house with a boombox, but it obviously proved successful. Last year, the Fringe consisted of more than 3,000 shows in 300 venues. If sexual intercourse began, as the poet Philip Larkin claimed, in 1963, nudity came at the Fringe the same year. In what became known as the Lady MacChatterley trial, 18-year-old Anna Kesselaar found herself in court on charges of lewdness for taking part in what was referred to in the press as a “happening”: being wheeled naked on a trolley across a gallery at the launch of publisher John Calder and Traverse Theatre founder Jim Haynes’ Drama Conference in the McEwan Hall. In a 2012 interview, the then 68-year-old Kesselaar rather brilliantly told the Scotsman: “I did it for art. And £4.” At the time, Kesselaar was branded “sick in mind, hand and heart” by the city’s Lord Provost, and had to flee to London such was the scandal. Portugal On Fire! Editorial Stuff Large flames are seen on a hillside outside the village of Monchique (Picture: AP) The blast has dashed over a slope run for seven days, in the midst of hot and dry temperatures. Experts in Portugal and Spain said they have stopped real out of control fires however cautioned the fight isn't finished yet. Bulldozers working during that time to make firebreaks helped stop a burst in southern Portugal's Algarve area, the Civil Protection Agency said. Temperatures additionally fell, with a most extreme of 26 degrees Celsius estimate for Thursday. Be that as it may, the fire's border estimated in excess of 60 miles and blasting breezes could trigger reignitions, Patricia Gaspar, the Civil Protection Agency's delegate administrator, said. Just about 1,300 firefighters with 389 vehicles and eight airplane are conveyed at the blast. Military units are watching backwoods to check for crisp flare-ups, Gaspar said. The fire, in the zone around Monchique, around 180 miles south of the capital, Lisbon, has scorched just about 58,000 sections of land of forest, as per the European Forest Fire Information System. In excess of 40 individuals have been harmed, one of them truly, and hundreds cleared from towns and villages amid Portugal's most exceedingly bad out of control fire of the year. In neighboring Spain, light medium-term rain helped stop the advance of a fierce blaze close Valencia, on the Mediterranean drift. Experts trusted that would enable them to put the fire out Thursday following a four-day burst that burned around 7,400 sections of land. Firefighters there were bolstered by 31 flying machine. Fire chief: Suspect in Holy Fire texted: 'The place is going to burn' Forrest Gordon Clark, 51, is charged with two counts of arson and other crimes. The man charged for starting a Southern California blaze that forced the evacuation of 20,000 residents sent a text to a volunteer fire chief two weeks ago saying, "The place is going to burn," the chief said Thursday. The Holy Fire began in Monday in the Cleveland National Forest's Holy Jim Canyon and has so far destroyed a dozen structures, according to fire authorities. Holy Jim Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Milligan, 71, says he's known the pyromania suspect, Forrest Gordon Clark, for decades and has long warned that he posed a danger to the community. "I've been trying for years to get someone to pay attention and nobody has really had the opportunity to do that until now," he said. Milligan said he was so careful of Clark that he avoided altogether going to the area of the remote Orange County canyon where the 51-year-old Clark lives, he said. Nonetheless, Clark came to his home two weeks ago to return article he said he had "borrowed" from the fire department, he said. "I said 'I want nothing to do with you, Forrest. Just go,'" Milligan said. "He was being gentlemanly in the beginning and turned and then swore at me and turned and left and was quoting the Bible. Later, he came back and told me what a jerk I was and everyone was after him." Former Trump official: No one 'minding the store' at White House On cyber threats Tom Bossert (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP (2), Getty Images) Midst mounting warnings about another Russian cyber attack on the 2018 midterm elections, President Trump’s former homeland security adviser said a recent staff alarm ordered by national security adviser John Bolton has left the White House with nobody in charge of U.S. cyber policy and raised concerns about “who is minding the store.” “On cyber, there is no clear person and or clear driver, and there is no clear muscle memory,” said Tom Bossert, who served as White House homeland security adviser until last April, in an interview with the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery. “In some way playing jazz music, improvising policy because there is no clear playbook for it,” Bossert said. “And so, yes, if you’re asking me do I have any concerns? The concern would be who’s minding the store in the coordination and development … of new and creative cyber policies and strategies.” Man Booker prize 2018: what are your predictions for the longlist? The grandest contest in British literature is about to begin. Whose numbers will rise up this year? Photograph: Sherry Moore/Alamy Sports fans still lamenting the end of FIFA’s football fiesta can perhaps console themselves with the opening round of the literary world’s favorite game: posh bingo. The Booker prize will unveil the runners and riders on this year’s longlist as Monday night turns into Tuesday morning. So who will it be? Jostling this year to fill the slots generally reserved for former winners are Michael Ondaatje – fresh from his Golden Booker triumph – Pat Barker, Peter Carey, Alan Hollinghurst and Julian Barnes. Lining up to feature as American invaders are Anne Tyler, Richard Powers, Rachel Kushner and Madeline Miller, who face off against established home-team names such as Aminatta Forna, Jim Crace, Andrew Miller and Rachel Cusk. And could this be the year that Ali Smith finally gets a Booker prize? Or indeed Kate Atkinson – maybe Transcription will dictate this year’s conclusion. Rob Zombie And Marilyn Manson Carry out Helter Skelter Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson commence their doubleheader Twins of Evil: The Second Coming tour of the US and Canada today, and to celebrate – and maybe demonstrate that they haven't turned out to be sheltered in their seniority – the combine have recorded a front of The Beatles track Helter Skelter – the tune that professedly propelled Charles Manson (it most likely didn't, yet how about we not ruin the folklore). It's a quite splitting front of maybe the best Beatles track, we think. In spite of the fact that Siouxsie and the Banshees presumably still have the edge on fronts of the tune. Listen below: The 10 Rules for Students and Teachers Popularized by John Cage: “Nothing Is a Mistake,” “Consider Everything an Experiment” The Brian Eno archive More Dark than Shark recently posted on its Twitter account a list of posted on its Twitter account and teachers used by John Cage. Though much has been written about the artistic affinities between Eno and Cage, both of whose compositions have pushed the boundaries of how we think about music itself, they also both have a deep connection to the idea of using rules to enhance the experience of creation. Where Eno has his bedeck of creative process-enhancing Oblique Strategies cards, Cage had this list of rules first composed by an educator, silkscreen artist, and nun named Sister Corita Kent.. Kent came up with the list, writes Brainpickings' Maria Popova, "as part of a project for a class she taught in 1967-1968. It was subsequently appropriated as the official art department rules at the college of LA’s Immaculate Heart Convent, her alma mater, but was commonly popularized by Cage, whom the tenth rule cites directly." That tenth rule, more of a meta-rule, reminds the reader that "we're breaking all the rules" by "leaving plenty of room for X quantities." But one can easily imagine how the previous nine, having as much to do with the pleasure of the work of learning, teaching, and creating as with its rigorous performance, might appeal to Cage as well. The complete list runs as follows: John Cleese blasts the BBC in a lecture on the rise of stupidity The Fawlty Towers star rails against the government, the BBC and British newspapers in an platform appearance for Hacked Off It was hard to know what to expect of a solo show by John Cleese, organised by the campaign group. On 29 June, the comedian tweeted that it would be a “speech” but, by 5 July, he was calling it a “new one-hour comedy show”. Cleese has experimented with standup as crowd-funding before. The audience helped to pay for his third divorce. The £30 ticket for this event (including an entry in a draw for a dinner with Cleese) was bankrolling Hacked Off’s campaign to seek judicial review of the government’s decision to leave the planned second phase of the Leveson probe into journalistic ethics, which would investigate the relationship between the press and police. On Sunday at 7.30pm, there were 250 people in the at London’s Royal Geographic Society, which seems popular with former members of Monty Python: Michael Palin has been the society’s president for three years. Above the stage hung a vast black and white photograph of Cleese looking gloomy, next to the words, “Why There Is No Hope”. It soon became clear that anyone drawn in by the love of would get only the intemperate manner, as Cleese read a 45-minute lecture from a large Autocue screen about how culture has been engulfed by stupidity. Nearly 1,000 Paintings & Drawings by Vincent van Gogh Now Digitized and Put Online: Every artist explores dimensions of space and place, orienting themselves and their works in the world, and orienting their viewers. Then there are artists like Vincent van Gogh, who make space and place a primary subject. In his early paintings of peasant homes and fields, his figures’ muscular shoulders and hands interact with solid walls and knotted trees. Later country scenes—whether curling and delicate, like Wheatfield with a Reaper, or heavy and ominous, like Wheatfield with Crows (both below)—give us the sense of the landscape as a single living entity, pulsating, writhing, blazing in brilliant yellows, reds, greens, and blues. Van Gogh painted interior scenes, such as his famous The Bedroom, at the top (the first of three versions), with an eye toward using color as the means of making space purposeful: “It’s just simply my bedroom,” he wrote to Paul Gauguin of the 1888 painting, “only here color is to do everything… to be suggestive here of rest or of sleep in general. In a word, looking at the picture ought to rest the brain, or rather the imagination.” When Jean-Paul Sartre Had a Bad Mescaline Trip and Then Hallucinated, for Years, That He Was Being Followed by Crabs Sometimes when confronted with strange new ideas, people will whoop “you must be on drugs!”—a charge often obtruded at philosophers by those who would rather dismiss their ideas as hallucinations than take them seriously. But, then, to be fair, sometimes philosophers are on drugs. Take Jean-Paul Sartre. “Before Hunter S. Thompson was driving around in cabriolet stocked full of acid, cocaine, mescaline and tequila,” notes Critical Theory, Sartre almost approached the gonzo journalist’s habitual intake. According to Annie Cohen-Solal, who wrote a biography of Sartre, his daily drug consumption was thus: two packs of cigarettes, several tobacco pipes, over a quart of alcohol (wine, beer, vodka, whisky etc.), two hundred milligrams of amphetamines, fifteen grams of aspirin, a boat load of barbiturates, some coffee, tea, and a few “heavy” meals (whatever those might have been). Terry Gilliam On Diversity: 'I tell the world now I’m a black lesbian' The film-maker weighs in on the disagreement surrounding BBC comedy chief Shane Allen’s comment about ‘six Oxbridge white blokes’ Terry Gilliam has responded to the BBC diversity debate which referenced Monty Python by saying: “I tell the world now I’m a black lesbian.” Gilliam was commenting on the line over diversity triggered by the BBC’s unveiling of its new comedy programming, offered in June, at which the BBC’s controller of comedy commissioning Shane Allen emphasised the corporation’s commitment to “the stories that haven’t been told and the voices we haven’t yet heard”. In response to a question about Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Allen said: “If you’re going to assemble a team now, it’s not going to be six Oxbridge white blokes. It’s going to be a diverse range of people who reflect the modern world.” Speaking at a press conference at the Karlovy Vary film festival, where he was presenting his new film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, Gilliam said: “It made me cry: the idea that ... no longer six white Oxbridge men can make a comedy show. Now we need one of this, one of that, everybody pleaded... this is bullshit. I no longer want to be a white male, I don’t want to be blamed for everything wrong in the world: I tell the world now I’m a black lesbian... My name is Loretta and I’m a BLT, a black lesbian in transition.” THE HOUSE THAT BERGMAN BUILT: A REVIEW OF TRESPASSING BERGMAN There’s no denying that Ingmar Bergman made a lasting impression on so many great filmmakers. But it’s often hard to wrap our heads around the fact that Bergman changed the whole course of cinematic history and helped to shape the landscape of filmmaking today. There’s something wonderful about seeing the likes of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Claire Denis, and Wes Craven, going out of their way to make the journey to visit Bergman’s humble residence on the remote island of Faro. And seeing their reactions as they first step inside the house. Their gleeful, awestruck expressions show us a human side to this highly acclaimed and talented directors. It feels like we are witnessing something deeply personal, and we feel worshipful to be along for the journey. This is a rare event, very few have stepped inside the house of Bergman. Directors Jane Magnusson and Hynek Pallas’ decision to use previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Bergman’s films, along with candid conversations with other filmmakers, help to weave the story of the great director. Detailing his early days, to his peak in the 50s and 60s, to his slump in the 70s and the return to his form in the 80s. The feature came out of a six-part 2012 TV series titled “Bergman’s Video.” with each episode centering with a central topic from Bergman’s films (for example, “Death,” “Fear,” “Silence”) and how that theme played out in the interviewed filmmakers’ work. For Trespassing Bergman, the directors decided to focus on the effect and impression that Bergman’s work had on the likes of great directors such as Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Michael Haneke, Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou. Exchanging their shoes for slippers at the door, the Bergman property guests explore the carefully preserved building, which, which after Bergman’s death in 2007, was turned into a museum (everything left how it was when the man died, a bedside table complete with his scribblings reveals something pedantic about the director). Most of the guest often sit down into comfy chairs in the TV room to talk. The room has an extensive, carefully alphabetized collection of VHS tapes, (we discover that Bergman had a copy of Die Hard, it seems surreal to think of him sitting down to watch the 80s action flick). William S. Burroughs Teaches a Free Course on Creative Reading and Writing (1979) According to Ted Morgan, author of William S. Burroughs biography Literary Outlaw (which Burroughs hated), the hard-living Beat writer added “teacher” to the list of jobs he did not like after an unhappy semester teaching creative writing at the City College of New York. He complained about dimwitted students, and disliked the job—arranged for him by Allen Ginsberg—so much that he later turned down a position at the University of Buffalo that paid $15,000 a semester, even though he desperately needed the money. That Burroughs had recently kicked heroin may have contributed to his unease with the prosaic regularities of college life. Whatever the story, he later remarked that the “teaching gig was a lesson in never again.” read and listen more The Famous Break Up of Sigmund Freud & Carl Jung Explained in a New Animated Video Making friends with similar interests can be a challenge for anyone. But imagine you are the founder of an entirely new discipline, with its own peculiar jargon, set of practices, and conceptual categories. Imagine, for example, that you are Sigmund Freud, who in 1896 made his break with medicine to pursue the work of psychoanalysis. Drawing on clinical experience with patients, his own self-analysis, cocaine-induced reveries, and an idiosyncratic reading of Greek mythology, Freud invented his strange psychosexual theories within the confidence of a very small circle of acquaintances and admirers. One of his close relationships during those productive and turbulent years, with eccentric ear, nose, and throat doctor Wilhelm Fliess—a collaborator, influence, “confessor and moral supporter”—ended badly in 1906. It was in that same year that Freud met the much-younger, Carl Jung. At their first meeting, the two “talked nonstop for 13 hours,” the Aeon video above, animated by Andrew Khosravani, tells us. Thus began the intense and now-legendary six-year friendship between the psychiatrists, a “passionate and surpassingly weird relationship, which, given the people involved, perhaps shouldn’t come as a surprise.” Freud settled upon Jung as his protege and successor, the “Joshua to my Moses,” overjoyed to have found a friend who seemed to understand his ideas intimately.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line888
__label__wiki	0.83537	0.83537	Debates of Sept. 30th, 1996 House of Commons Hansard #77 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was vancouver. Canadian Bill Of Rights The Laval Cosmodôme The Member For Bonaventure-Îles-De-La-Madeleine International Translation Day The Leader Of The Bloc Quebecois Alison Korn The Death Of Claire Bonenfant The Bloc Quebecois The Referendum Question The Somalia Inquiry The Tokamak Project The Fight Against Aids Churchill Falls Hydro Project Presence In Gallery The Late Bert Hargrave Order In Council Appointments Government Response To Petitions Committees Of The House An Act To Establish National Standards Across Canada For Education Provided By The Provinces An Act To Establish National Literacy Standards Across Canada National DefenceOral Question Period Don Valley East Ontario David Collenette LiberalMinister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs Mr. Speaker, there is no double standard. The hon. member has written to me about this matter on a number of occasions and I have explained the process to him. Once an amicable arrangement can be made by the department, Treasury Board and the city of Nanaimo, then obviously the land could certainly be given to the city for its uses. We follow the same disposal procedure of land across the country whether it is on the east coast, on the west coast or anywhere else. Bob Ringma Reform Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC Mr. Speaker, there are other examples. When land was given away in Chatham, New Brunswick, they got $15 million to go with it. In St. Hubert, Quebec, they got an extra $1 million plus the land. In Cornwallis they got the land plus $7.5 million. Obviously there is a difference in criterion between the east and the west. Why the difference in criterion? What is it? Is it the number of Liberal members in the area or what is it? Mr. Speaker, when the Royal Roads Military College closed a couple of years ago, a very favourable arrangement was made with the Government of British Columbia. As a result those lands have been kept for educational use. Not only was there a transfer of lands, there was a cash settlement. That shows fairness. It is the same principle which is applied across the country. What the member is talking about is not an actual closure. He is talking about land which is surplus to DND's requirements. It is certainly different from closing the whole facility. The member knows the answer. He knows that negotiations have to conclude. We want them to conclude very favourably. Why is he bringing the question on the floor of the House of Commons? Why does he not go back to the city of Nanaimo and tell them to negotiate in good faith? EnvironmentOral Question Period Colleen Beaumier Liberal Brampton, ON Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment. The government has just announced that it will allow Canadian companies to export PCBs to the United States. Last fall an interim order was issued preventing Canadian companies from exporting this substance. Can the minister tell the House what measures were taken before a decision was made to lift the interim order banning the export of PCBs to the U.S.? York West Ontario Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of the Environment Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Brampton has as I understand it a number of companies in her riding which are obviously interested in this issue. It is right that my predecessor put an interim order against opening the border last fall. It was the right thing to do because the United States Environmental Protection Agency had not given Canada a copy of the regulations by which any PCBs would be destroyed. Not only have those been provided to the Canadian authorities since the interim order, we have also been able to convince the American authorities to improve and enhance those regulations. As a result, the government and the cabinet felt assured that for thermal and chemical destruction only, not land filling, the systems in the United States were compatible. After gazetting the regulation, we anticipate that the regulation opening the border to thermal and chemical destruction should be made around the end of this year. This will allow for the timely disposal of many PCBs which are being stored. The Fight Against AidsOral Question Period September 30th, 1996 / 2:55 p.m. Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. Yesterday, tens of thousands of people marched in sixty or so Canadian cities in order to raise money to fund the fight against AIDS. In Montreal alone, 30,000 people took part in the march. All of them hope that the federal government is setting aside money to help in the fight against the spread of AIDS. Will the minister promise to respect the public's wishes and extend the national AIDS strategy? Cape Breton—East Richmond Nova Scotia David Dingwall LiberalMinister of Health Mr. Speaker, I certainly respect the request that is being made of governments by activists in the AIDS community. I wish to congratulate them for the efforts they put forward yesterday in terms of their fundraising activities. The role of the Government of Canada to date has been very significant particularly for fiscal years 1996-97 and 1997-98. Thereafter moneys will be provided under a population health strategy. Over the next number of months I will continue my consultations with AIDS activists. If there is to be a change in that policy, I will certainly take the House into my confidence. Mr. Speaker, since activists, persons living with AIDS and medical researchers unanimously called on the minister in Vancouver at the 10th International Conference to set aside funds for the fight against AIDS, can the minister tell us when he intends to announce phase III of the national AIDS strategy? Mr. Speaker, I have attempted over the last number of months to explain to AIDS activists that for the seeking of finances for the year 1998-99, our budgetary process does not allow for that. I also suggested to community activists and AIDS activists that they would be much better off if they were to outline across the country the various successes the federal government and the provincial governments have made co-operatively in terms of fighting this terrible disease. I say to those who raise this question: yes, AIDS is a very serious issue; yes, the Government of Canada takes it very seriously. I would hope that AIDS activists instead of protesting, instead of thrashing Health Canada booths and things of that nature, would stand up and let the country and Parliament know the successes they have had in co-operation with governments and all others. Churchill Falls Hydro ProjectOral Question Period Leon Benoit Reform Vegreville, AB Mr. Speaker, page 22 of the Liberal red book reads as follows: "A Liberal government will be committed to the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers within Canada and will address this issue urgently". The Churchill Falls conflict is an issue of one province controlling the resources of another province. Does the Prime Minister recognize that Newfoundland's inability to access U.S. markets obstructs its ability to utilize its own resources? Saint-Maurice Québec Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister Mr. Speaker, I answered this question last week. Mr. Speaker, that is a noteworthy answer. The Prime Minister is fully aware that the energy section of the agreement on internal trade is literally a blank page. The type of urgency the Liberals talked about in the red book really demonstrates how ineffective this government is. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been denied the jobs and prosperity that a new Churchill Falls hydro development would bring. The Quebec government will not allow the transmission of electricity across its territory. Will the Prime Minister address this issue urgently by committing himself to the elimination of this interprovincial trade barrier and establish a power corridor through Quebec so that Newfoundlanders can finally reap the benefits of any new project at Churchill Falls? Mr. Speaker, I said last week and I repeat that it is a contract between private parties. I know there is a problem. I said that it is for the two governments to sit down and find a solution. Quebec and Labrador have a lot of potential. They have to work together. I am sure that if they sit down they will find a solution. But they signed a contract and under the rule of law in any country a contract between parties has to be respected. That is exactly the position of this government. I know the premier of Newfoundland and the premier of Quebec can sit down and find a solution. If the member had listened he would have understood that 10 days ago the spokesman for Hydro Quebec said that they are willing to sit down and they understand that some changes could be made. And if the atmosphere is proper they will find a solution. AgricultureOral Question Period Len Taylor NDP The Battlefords—Meadow Lake, SK Mr. Speaker, my question is to the minister of agriculture. Wet weather on the prairies for the last three weeks and snow yesterday have threatened a very good harvest of a very good crop on the prairies. Is the minister of agriculture considering any contingency plan should the revenues expected from that harvest do not materialize? Regina—Wascana Saskatchewan Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Mr. Speaker, the weather conditions over the last couple of weeks, at least in some parts of the prairies, are most definitely a matter of concern to many farmers. Hopefully this fall will still materialize in such a way that the weather person will co-operate and we will see that in due course. Naturally the Government of Canada is concerned. We are watching the situation closely. Of course, we have a rather elaborate safety net system already in place to deal with production and marketing problems that affect agriculture from time to time. If necessary, we do have special provisions for special advances under government legislation which we would consider invoking if that should become necessary. Presence In GalleryOral Question Period I draw to the attention of the House the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Luiz Filipe Palmeira Lampreia, Minister for External Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Hear, hear. A few days ago one of our former colleagues of this House passed away. I am referring to Mr. Bert Hargrave. We will now have tributes. The Late Bert HargraveOral Question Period Progressive Conservative Jean Charest Progressive Conservative Sherbrooke, QC Mr. Speaker, I rise today with some sadness to speak on behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to pay tribute to a former member of this House from the riding of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Mr. Bert Hargrave, who passed away last week. Aside from being extremely well known and liked in his province and in his riding, Mr. Hargrave selflessly devoted a large part of his public and private life to the promotion of agriculture in Canada. Aside from being a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, Mr. Hargrave also served in World War II as a captain in the tank brigades. Following the end of the war he returned to Canada and took over the family farm in Walsh, Alberta in 1945. In 1972 he ran and was successfully elected a member of Parliament. As a side note to his victory back then, he defeated the person who was then the minister of agriculture in the government of Mr. Trudeau. He then took his seat in the House as a Progressive Conservative member until his retirement in 1984. He spent his whole career in opposition, except for the brief term in government in 1979 under the leadership of Mr. Clark where he served, as members probably have already guessed, as parliamentary secretary to the minister of agriculture. Following his career as a parliamentarian he served as president of the Walsh Cattle Marketing Association, the Western Stock Growers Association and the National Cattlemen's Association, to name a few. He was also southern Alberta chair of the Farm Debt Review Board until the late 1980s and early 1990s. His tireless and constant dedication to agriculture was recognized when he was inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame. Mr. Hargrave was a true gentlemen and was well respected, I understand, on all sides of the House of Commons. He was unquestionably considered one of the most informed and knowledgeable parliamentarians on all sides in the realm of agriculture. Although I did not have the opportunity or the privilege of knowing him personally, I am told he was recognized as being someone who was tough, sincere, but most of all a very generous man. He passed away last Tuesday at the age of 79 and will be laid to rest today in Medicine Hat, Alberta. On behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, I would like to pay tribute to Mr. Hargrave today for his years of service to Canada, to his community, to his province. I want to offer my personal condolences on behalf of my party to his family members and wish them well. But most of all, I would like them to know that this place, this Parliament, his province and his country will forever remember him as being a statesman. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join with my colleagues in the House in expressing our sorrow and the sorrow of the Government of Canada at the passing of Mr. Bert Hargrave. I spent one term in the House of Commons from 1974 to 1979 serving with Mr. Hargrave. Although we were not on the same side of the House, we shared a strong commitment to Canada, particularly to its agricultural concerns where beyond all doubt Bert Hargrave was an expert. Anyone who had spent any time with Bert would come away with a far better understanding of agriculture, most especially the cattle business. Bert, a fourth generation cattleman, was tireless in his efforts to promote and defend his fellow cattle producers. Whenever the subject of beef came up in the House one could be assured that Bert Hargrave would be on his feet supporting his industry. Bert, who served his constituents from 1972 until 1984, fought most of his battles from the opposition benches. He fought very well. I recall one incident during my time earlier in the House in 1977 when a five year lobby by Bert Hargrave ended in success when 90,000 acres of the Suffield, Alberta defence research station were opened to cattle producers for grazing purposes. These were not the kinds of victories that create great national headlines, but they are the kind that truly help one's constituents. Mr. Hargrave did get to spend a brief period of time on the government side in the House of Commons in 1979. As the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party has pointed out, he was during that period appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister of agriculture, a recognition of his commitment to the agricultural sector. During that time the government further demonstrated its confidence in the former member for Medicine Hat by naming him chair of its beef consultative committee. Let me join with others in paying tribute to the late Bert Hargrave, one of those who took the concerns of his friends and neighbours in the most direct way possible, the electoral process. Through that process he served with great distinction. We extend our sincere condolences to the Hargrave family. Lethbridge Alberta Ray Speaker ReformLethbridge Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Reform Party I would certainly like to pay tribute to someone I thought was a great man, Bert Hargrave, a man respected by all people who knew him. I was personally involved with Mr. Hargrave on a number of occasions, at a variety of meetings, a variety of delegations and a variety of presentations not only in the provincial legislature but in other meetings across the province dealing with agricultural issues. Bert's constituency of Medicine Hat overlapped with the constituency of Little Bow, my provincial constituency, and as two elected persons, although not of the same political party, we often dealt with issues together. One of the qualities of Bert Hargrave was that he was able to step over partisan barriers and deal with issues in a very common sense way. In my memories of Bert Hargrave that will be the marquee of his gentlemanly, sophisticated and rational way of dealing with responsible matters for his constituents in southern Alberta. If we recall part of Bert's history, he was born in 1917 in Medicine Hat and attended school in that city. He received a bachelor of science in agricultural engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1942. Bert served the country in World War II in the Canadian army RCEME corps from 1942 to 1946, serving in northwest Europe. After returning he married Amy Reinhart and they lived near Walsh, Alberta. Often in our conversations we talked about the beautiful rolling hills, that gem of the southeastern part of our province of Alberta. Bert was an active member of the agricultural society, in particular the cattle industry. Once in a while I would say to Bert: "You come to meetings and you are so proud that you would even wear a little bit of that on your shoes for us". He was known for that. He was certainly an active member of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and gave that organization good leadership. Entering politics was something that Bert had not really thought about until the early 1970s when he became increasingly concerned over Canadian agricultural policy. Thus at that time he sought the Progressive Conservative nomination for Medicine Hat. He never looked back, winning in 1972 by a margin of 5,600 votes, and won re-election in 1974, 1979 and 1980. In 1979 he was appointed as the parliamentary secretary to the minister of agriculture where his firsthand knowledge of agricultural issues and his common sense shone through. He fought for the average farmer, whether it was urging tax relief for drought stricken farmers or fighting for the rights of cattle farmers against U.S. beef bans or the injustice of the Crow rate. Bert retired from Canadian politics in 1984, citing his own failing health and the loss of his beloved wife one year earlier. He returned to his farm which was never far from his heart but kept abreast of federal politics. Bert served as a member of the senate of the University of Lethbridge during the period when my wife Ingrid was the chancellor. He made a common sense contribution to the institution's success. In 1993 he was inducted into the Alberta Agricultural Hall of Fame. He lived on his farm until this past June when he moved to the Central Park Lodge in Medicine Hat. He passed away in his room on Tuesday, September 24, 1996. Bert is survived by his son and his daughter and four grandchildren. On behalf of the Reform Party of Canada I would like to extend my sincere sympathies to his family and his friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you remember Bert this afternoon. Order In Council AppointmentsRoutine Proceedings Fundy Royal New Brunswick Paul Zed LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments which were made by the government. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 110(1), these are deemed referred to the appropriate standing committees, a list of which is attached. Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to one petition. Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 32nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of some committees. If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 32nd report later this day. An Act To Establish National Standards Across Canada For Education Provided By The ProvincesRoutine Proceedings Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON moved for leave to introduce Bill C-328, an act to establish national standards across Canada for education provided by the provinces. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill is to establish national standards for education through a consultative process among governments, educational professionals, industry, labour, parent use, voluntary organizations and individual Canadians representing all sectors of the population, recognizing that education is a provincial responsibility. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line890
__label__cc	0.714359	0.285641	Debates of Oct. 21st, 2016 House of Commons Hansard #95 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was seniors. Canada Pension Plan Laurentides—Labelle Diesel Spill Cleanup Epidermolysis Bullosa Wounded Warriors Canada Employees of Parliament World Food Day Canadian Heritage Lorne Scots Regiment Alberta Order of Excellence Nathan Cirillo Community Action Program for Children Patrice Vincent and Nathan Cirillo Secularism of Government Institutions Criminal Code Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings Vancouver Granville B.C. Jody Wilson-Raybould LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada moved for leave to introduce Bill C-28, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (victim surcharge). (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) SeniorsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON Madam Speaker, I am proud to present a petition signed by many Canadians regarding a national strategy for Canadian seniors. I would like to table this today. I hope all members will look at this seriously as an important matter for all seniors in our growing economy. Democratic ReformPetitionsRoutine Proceedings Raj Saini Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by dozens of people from the Kitchener-Waterloo area. The petitioners are calling on this House to ensure that we update the current voting system to ensure more fair representation so that the results of elections better reflect the will of the voters. Palliative CarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings Jim Eglinski Conservative Yellowhead, AB Madam Speaker, I would like to present a petition that states that it is impossible for a person to give informed consent to assisted suicide or euthanasia if appropriate palliative care is unavailable to them. Therefore, the petitioners are calling on Parliament to establish a national strategy on palliative care. The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from residents of Nanaimo—Ladysmith opposing the establishment of new commercial bulk anchorages off the coastline of Gabriola Island. They are intended to transport Wyoming coal to China, exacerbating climate change. The anchorages themselves have oil spill risks. The anchors will scour the sensitive seabed, interfering with commercial and recreational fishing in the region. I am disappointed that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Transport have not replied to my call for them to urge the proponent to withdraw the application. We hope that this petition will urge the government to take leadership on this important economic and environmental issue. The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes I just want to remind members that when they are tabling petitions, they are tabling what it is in the petition and should not be giving their opinion on the issue. Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings Winnipeg North Manitoba Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand. Is that agreed? The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-26, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act and the Income Tax Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee. Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders Madam Speaker, what a pleasure it is to rise today to talk about a bill that I think should receive overwhelming support from all members of this House, even though I realize that at least— Excuse me. I believe I made an error. I am sorry. It was dark, and I did not see who the next speaker was, aside from the hon. member. He will get a second chance. I would like to recognize the member for Hamilton Mountain. Scott Duvall NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to rise today to speak to Bill C-26, an act to amend the Canada Pension Plan, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act and the Income Tax Act. Bill C-26 would amend the Canada Pension Plan Act to incorporate the recent agreement reached between the provinces to enhance CPP benefits. While better was possible, and the full effect of the changes will not be felt for another 49 years, this CPP expansion is an important first step in improving retirement security for young Canadians, and we congratulate everyone, especially labour, who worked so hard to lay the groundwork for this agreement. We must now see immediate action to help those seniors and Canadians on the cusp of retirement who will not benefit from these changes. Government must build on the momentum of this agreement and take steps to improve long-term retirement security for today's workers. Retirement insecurity is reaching a crisis level in Canada, as many Canadians do not have adequate savings to maintain their lifestyle upon retirement. A large part of this problem is fuelled by the erosion of workplace pension plans, to the point that six in 10 working Canadians have no workplace pension. During election 2015, the Liberals promised to enhance the CPP. Once elected, the Minister of Finance was directed in his mandate letter to: Meet with your provincial and territorial colleagues at your earliest opportunity to begin a process to enhance the Canada Pension Plan to provide more income security to Canadians when they retire. The Minister of Finance met with his provincial and territorial counterparts in June 2016 and on June 20 announced an agreement in principle on CPP enhancements. On October 4, 2016, British Columbia was the final province, besides Quebec, to officially endorse this agreement. Bill C-26 was introduced on October 6. Quebec did not sign the agreement but promised to apply some of the changes to the Quebec pension plan, which is similar to the CPP but is managed independently. The NDP will support the bill at this time, but we feel that the bill does not live up to the expectations Canadians had for CPP reform. Changes to the plan have been a long time in the making. The last time the CPP was altered was in 1997, although those changes were largely administrative. The most significant change in the 1997 amendments was to move the plan from a pay-as-you-go system to fully funded. This change was done to help protect the financial viability of the plan, and a recent report by the Chief Actuary of Canada shows a healthy fund that will be solvent for at least the next 75 years. However, during a time when workplace pensions cover fewer and fewer Canadians, when Canadians have been finding it harder and harder to put away money for retirement, and when the rates of seniors living in poverty have steadily increased, there have been no increases in benefits under the Canada pension plan. Many Canadians held out great hope that the government would make substantial changes to the CPP. Sadly, as with many Liberal promises, we are offered a loaf of bread but receive only half a loaf. Ken Neumann, national director of the Canadian Steelworkers, summed it up very well when he said that the Liberal government's plan for a modest CPP expansion falls well short of the doubling of CPP benefits advocated for by the United Steelworkers and the Canadian labour movement. The USW is nonetheless pleased that the provinces and the federal government have agreed to a universal expansion of the CPP that will help all workers, and it will continue to push for full doubling of CPP benefits. New Democrats, along with many in the labour movement and groups working for the rights of seniors and retirees, have long advocated that benefits be increased from replacing 25% of a worker's pre-retirement income to 50% of pre-retirement income, but no, this legislation has offered up a very modest increase, from 25% to 33% of pre-retirement income. Although we like to see an increase, we feel that the amount is wholly inadequate, especially in terms of ensuring that our seniors do not have to live in poverty and can retire with the dignity and quality of life they deserve. While many would be happy to finally see some changes to the plan and some increases in benefits, there are many who will be very unhappy. Those are the people who will see very little or no benefit from the changes presented in this bill. More and more, I am hearing a lot of confusion and misunderstanding concerning who would benefit from the changes being proposed. A recent Ipsos poll found that over 25% of those who are already retired believe they would see bigger CPP cheques as a result of the deal, and more than 70% of Canadians do not realize that current retirees get nothing from this CPP expansion. These findings are totally consistent with what I have been hearing. Many retirees in my riding have asked me when they will be receiving their increased benefits. I have to break the bad news to them that this new legislation will do nothing for current or soon-to-be retirees. The enhanced expanded CPP is a plan that would benefit a new generation of workers entering the workforce, but does little to alleviate the retirement income crisis for those approaching retirement. Those who would be the first to benefit from the fully enhanced benefits under this plan are now 16 years old. It will take 49 years for this plan to fully kick in. After the increase in premiums are fully phased in, in 2025, a person would have to pay the increased premiums for 40 more years to be fully eligible for the new maximum benefits. Increased benefits will be prorated for those 40 years as people pay the increased premium, but any significant increase for retirees is years away. Let me take some time to talk a bit more about the specifics of the plan. Currently, the CPP covers earnings up to a cap of $54,900. For earnings up to the cap, the CPP aims to replace about 25% of that income. The maximum pension comes in at about $1,092 a month, or $13,100 per year. Contributions are 4.9% each for the employer and employee, up to the same cap. The expanded CPP is a new separate tier. This new tier is added on top of the existing CPP. The new CPP tier does two things, phased in over the next nine years to 2025. First, it takes the replacement rate of up to 33.3% from the current 25%; and, second, it expands the upper earnings cap from today's $54,900 up to $82,700. When the plan is fully phased in, in 2065, a worker who earns $54,900 would receive a maximum annual pension of about $18,117 by the time he or she retires. For a worker at an $82,700 income level, CPP benefits would rise to a maximum of $20,352 a year. Once the phase-in period is reached in 2025, it would take 40 years for a person to receive the fully enhanced benefit. Therefore, the first worker who will be eligible for full benefits is currently 16 years old. A person who is 59 in 2019, pays six years of the enhanced premiums, and retires in 2025 at the age of 65, would receive no additional benefit, or maybe a dollar or two. It is important to note that much of the discussion about pension benefits relates to maximum benefits, yet only 11.4% will actually receive the maximum CPP benefits. The average benefit announced as of July 2016 was $550. In order to pay for the increase in benefits, contributions from employees and employers will increase. This increase would be phased in between 2019 and 2025. There will be two tiers to the increase. Between 2019 and 2025, those earnings which are less than the yearly pensionable maximum earnings, currently $54,900, would see their premiums slowly rise to an additional 1%. Those workers and employers would then be paying at a rate of 5.9%, up from 4.9%. In real numbers, this means that a person whose rate is set at the maximum would pay an additional $43 per month, as would his or her employer. The second tier increase would be phased in over two years, starting in 2024. For anyone earning above the yearly pensionable maximum, theirs and their employer's contributions will rise by 4% above the current. I know this is all very confusing, and it is going to take some time for Canadians to understand the complexities. The bill also would make some changes to the Income Tax Act, which is supposed to help minimize the impact of the premium increases on Canadians. The CPP premiums that a worker currently pays are treated as a tax credit. An individual is able to claim a percentage of premiums paid as a non-refundable tax, which is then deducted from total federal tax payable. This would not change. These contributions would now be considered as base contributions but will still be treated the same for income tax purposes. The increased benefits that a worker would be paying in 2019 and thereafter will be considered as additional contributions and will be treated differently for tax purposes. A worker will be able to deduct the amount of the additional contribution directly off their taxable income instead of applying for it as a credit. The government has also included changes to the Income Tax Act in the bill that would increase the working tax benefit by 14%. The intention is to minimize the impact of increased CPP premiums on low income workers. Employers would be able to write off the increases on the CPP as a business expense, as they do now with the base contributions. Now I would like to talk briefly about Canada's retirement income system, which is based on three pillars. These pillars are also supposed to interact or work together and are intended to enable seniors to maintain a reasonable standard of living in retirement. The first pillar includes standardized and universal public benefits, such as old age security and the guaranteed income supplement. The second pillar includes mandatory public workplace coverage, the Canada pension plan and the Quebec pension plan. Almost all working Canadians over the age of 18, earning more than the minimum amount of $3,500 per year, must pay into this. It is mandatory for employees and employers, as deemed by legislation. Contributions are split evenly between the employee and the employer, or borne fully by someone who is self-employed. The amount depends on a person's income. The third pillar consists of an employer or a union-sponsored plan, known as the registered retirement plan. They are registered with the Canadian Revenue Agency and one of the pension's regulatory authorities, because they are subject to government support in the form of special tax measures and regulatory oversight. This pillar also includes registered retirement savings plans and other personal savings. The problem for today's seniors is that these pillars are falling behind in terms of enabling seniors to maintain an adequate standard of living. Dramatic increases in the costs of things like electricity and housing are causing great strain on seniors' fixed incomes. Failing to take action now will have a great social cost, forcing many seniors into poverty. The number of seniors being forced to use food banks will rise dramatically. Studies point to a looming crisis in the retirement income security of Canadians. A recent study by Richard Shillington, done for the Broadbent Institute, shows a large percentage of older working Canadians are heading into retirement without adequate savings to keep them out of poverty. The report goes on to say that half of Canadian couples between 55 and 64 have no employer pension plan between them. Of those, less than 20% of middle-income families have saved enough to adequately supplement government benefits and the Canada or Quebec pension plan. Income trends suggest that the percentage of Canadian seniors living in poverty will increase in the coming years, especially for single women who already face a higher than average rate. The poverty rate for seniors will climb at the same time as a sharply rising number of Canadians hit retirement in the next two decades. More than 20% of the population will be older than 65 within 10 years. When releasing the report for the Broadbent Institute, Rick Smith, executive director said, “This new data on retirement savings and gaps in support makes one thing perfectly clear - we have a retirement income crisis on our hands that requires requires urgent government action now..”. Increases in the guaranteed income supplement and these eventual increases in CPP benefits will certainly help, but much more needs to be done to help our seniors live with the dignity they deserve. The high cost of housing and drugs, the clawback of the GIS, and the indexing of pensions are just a few immediate issues. The government needs to keep its promise to introduce a new seniors price index to make sure that the old age security and the guaranteed income supplement keep up with rising costs. The NDP will fight for further increases to the GIS and the OAS, a national pharmacare program, and, as well, programs to enhance home care and palliative care. Much work needs to be done to ensure that workers can retire with adequate incomes and access to the services they need to meet their quality of life. The NDP will continue to work with our labour allies, and others, to improve the lives of Canadian seniors and retirees. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the comments and the support coming forward for Bill C-26. I think, in good part, the New Democrats are recognizing something which we have recognized in many ways—and which I hope to be able to talk about it—and that is the issue of how we can assist seniors, whether it is from getting out of poverty or being able to continue to be a part of Canada's middle class, and those aspiring to become a part of the middle class. One of the ways that we can deal with that is through the CPP. I wonder if the member would comment in terms of the process of trying to achieve an agreement with the different provinces and Ottawa. It is not a simple one. That is why many would argue it is somewhat historical to achieve this agreement, which will ultimately see seniors receiving more money as a direct result. Would the member provide his thoughts or his understanding, in terms of what needs to take place in order to get the bill to this level at this point in time? Madam Speaker, I believe we all have to go Canada-wide and have consultations with the public. I believe that this is an important matter. If what is going to happen is not addressed, with not only our retirees going into the future, but those who will be coming forward in the next 10 or 15 years, we are going to be in a crisis. Social costs will increase dramatically. This will be downloaded to the provinces, and from the provinces to the municipalities. We all have to work together to show the importance. As I said before, I do not think this goes far enough. It has to go further. However, I know there are issues with respect to the actual costs of this program. It is very delicate. We have to make sure we do this in a manner that everybody can agree with it. Madam Speaker, the new generation of people joining the workforce is very attuned to self-funding their pension funds and their future. It was mentioned earlier that our government did nothing for workers, but we did have the tax-free savings account. I wonder if the member could tell me if he thinks a person working for 40 years, having to possibly pay an additional $2,200 a year during that period, would be better off taking that $2,200 a year and putting it into a tax-free savings account, versus being forced to pay that through a pension plan? When they receive it later on in life, they are going to be paying taxes on the CPP, but they are not going to be paying taxes on their tax-free savings account. Madam Speaker, if I have it right, the question is whether it would be better for a person to put the money he or she is contributing now into his or her own retirement savings plan, a TFSA, or something that would be there in the future. From my experience, there is nothing better than a defined benefit plan. There are pros and cons in a defined contribution versus a defined benefit. One is that the money is put in up front, but it only lasts for so long, especially when people invest it and hope their investments come out strong. A defined benefit plan lasts a lot longer because the money stays there and is guaranteed to be there. What I have noticed throughout my working life is that the younger generation does not have enough money, and basically, they really do not care about retirement at an early age. They are looking for money to keep their heads above water and it is only after 40 to 45 years of age that those workers then decide they had better do something about their retirement, but it is too late. By investing for 40 years, yes, there are going to be increases, just like there are with a private plan. The money should not be left stagnant because then those dollars do not help. People have to look at the future and the money we are going to need. Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank my colleague for simplifying such a complex issue, which will take us to 2065, when I will no longer be a member of the House and will likely no longer even be walking this earth. There is one thing that concerns me. The government spoke about taking into account maximum contributions. I do not have a percentage, but the reality is that some people cannot contribute the maximum amount to their plan. Should the government not also be working on other issues, for example, introducing a $15-per-hour minimum wage, which would at least allow people to have a bit more money to pay into the CPP? Madam Speaker, that is a very good point. One of the problems with the way CPP is set up now is that people have to work those years at the maximum levels and get the maximum benefit as long as they pay the maximum contributions. Unfortunately, because many plants have now been dissolved and people are losing their jobs or could be hurt, there is a gap in that area, which affects the benefits they will receive later on in life. The member makes a good point. When U.S. Steelworkers were forced into retirement, they lost the big benefits of those jobs and their CPP going into the future. They are now looking at jobs at minimum wage and it will affect their payments when they reach age 60 or 65. A $15-an-hour starting point would be very helpful in increasing their CPP benefits when they retire. Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON Madam Speaker, I appreciated very much the member's comments about seniors, because there are a lot of seniors in my riding. I thought he might find it interesting to hear what the finance minister said in his book about seniors. He stated that whatever the reason might be to expand the CPP, it's not to eliminate poverty, and also that the poverty rate among seniors is now as close to zero as we can get. That is what the finance minister's book says. I do not agree with that at all. Seniors are struggling, as the member has said, and I believe that the current program we are discussing is not going to do anything for the next 40 years. The seniors in my community right now need something else. This is not going to do anything to address their needs. I wonder if the member could comment. Madam Speaker, that is a great point and I said that in my speech. Current retirees are living in poverty, especially because of the lack of affordable housing. They are forced to pay market prices for rent on very limited retirement security, so it is causing a real problem. We have to make sure we do not fall into the same trap as we are in now. We have to do something for the next generation, that is for sure, to make sure it is not put in the same spot. At the same time, we must improve what we are doing now for the people who are currently retired or on the cusp of retiring. I said in my speech that we must work together on this. Whether it's that the old age security is raised or the GIS is further increased, or making sure none of it gets clawed back, we have to do something now, today. I certainly agree with the member on that. Madam Speaker, I want to indicate what a privilege it is to be able to stand in my place and talk about one of those fundamental issues that I believe Canadians as a whole are very supportive of. If we look at what would ultimately happen through Bill C-26, I would encourage all members of all political parties to recognize the historic agreement that was achieved by the Minister of Finance and the government, and to recognize that by voting in favour of Bill C-26. The previous Conservative member posed a question in regard to the Minister of Finance by saying that the Minister of Finance wrote a book and in that book he said that raising CPP is not going to get rid of poverty for seniors. What the member does not make reference to is that the very same Minister of Finance brought forward a 10% increase to those poorest seniors in Canada by increasing the guaranteed income supplement. That will have a profound positive impact for seniors in the most significant way. In fact, I would challenge future Conservative speakers on this issue to give me an example of a Conservative policy where they have seen such a substantial increase to Canada's poorest seniors. They would be challenged to find that. That is one of the reasons why, when we look at a policy announcement such as what we are seeing today in a very formal way in the House of Commons, we should always look at it as just one component in terms of dealing with seniors. Let me now start with something that needs to be said. We campaigned about real change, primarily because one of the things we realized with the former Harper government was that it had lost touch with Canadians. The Conservatives in that government did not understand what Canadians wanted and expected of the government. There are a number of things that we could talk about. I could talk about the outstanding performance by our Minister of Health fighting for health care here in Canada, something which the former government did not do. Canadians see that as a positive. The Conservatives did not understand that. They did not understand what Canadians wanted. The same principle applies here, where I can clearly demonstrate that of the Conservative Party, not only of the past but of what appears today. Now I will wait to see what happens when the vote actually takes place, but if the Conservatives want to demonstrate that they are listening to Canadians, I would suggest that they really need to support the bill. Bill C-26 is something that is of a historic nature. It is not easy to get all the different stakeholders together and get an agreement of this nature that would see more money going into the pockets of seniors when they retire. Once implemented, it would be a significant amount of money. Decisions of this nature do not happen overnight. I was pleased that my New Democratic colleague made reference to others, and how they actually participated in achieving what we have achieved. This is not solely a Liberal initiative. We know different stakeholders not only from labour but also from business have presented and commented on the importance of a Canada pension program. It actually reaches out to the individual, to the corporate body, to our union body, to political entities, and to many different stakeholders. I said in the past how much I appreciate the fine work that many unions do in terms of advocating far beyond what their core responsibilities are. They think ahead not only for the individuals they represent within the unions, but often way beyond those individuals by talking about the importance of increasing CPP. I have heard presentations of that nature from members of union executives for many years. That is why when I stand up today I say that this is really good stuff. Our Prime Minister mandated our members of Parliament on this side, even when he was leader of the third party in opposition, to represent their constituencies here in Ottawa, and it was a change. It was part of that real change, because under the Harper government, more often than not, what we saw was Ottawa being represented inside the constituencies. However, we want to see MPs representing the interests and thoughts of their constituents in this chamber, in the committee rooms, in subcommittees, when talking within caucus walls, and so forth. Bill C-26 is a reflection of that. In essence, Bill C-26 is saying that we believe the workforce in Canada today is going to require additional money when it comes time for pensions. It is no surprise to me, personally, and I suspect that the vast majority of members of Parliament will not be surprised by that. I remember sitting on the opposition bench arguing that we needed to do more with regard to supporting our seniors. I introduced petition after petition on this very issue, that Canadians expected us to do more. Many, if not most, probably even all of those petitions on the issue of CPP, GIS, and OAS came from residents that I represent in Winnipeg North. They wanted to see a government take action, support those pensions, and expand those pension programs where we could. The Prime Minister gave a clear indication to the Minister of Finance that we wanted to achieve an agreement on expanding the CPP. I am forever grateful that our Minister of Finance was so successful at achieving that agreement, because it is something the government alone cannot do. We needed the co-operation and the understanding of provinces in order to make that happen. I remember sitting on the opposition bench and feeling somewhat frustrated, because I would hear, for example, the Province of Ontario saying that it wanted CPP to be increased, but the feds were not interested. The feds at that time, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said that they were not interested. The former prime minister had no interest in increasing the CPP. In fact, he was quite prepared to see individual provinces go alone on that. Members will remember that I said “losing touch with Canadians”. Had the then-prime minister, Stephen Harper, listened to what Canadians wanted on the CPP file, he would have found that Canadians were concerned about their ability to be able to retire and the earnings that they were going to be receiving, and that they supported en masse the need for that increase. However, the then-prime minister did not recognize that. At the end of day, this is why I talked about the issue of real change at the beginning of my speech. It is because that is what we are seeing in the legislation before us, and members have the opportunity to participate in that real change, There was a different attitude with the former Conservative government with regard to the CPP. We have taken a complete 180°. The Government of Canada is now saying that it wants to increase CPP and we have taken the necessary action by presenting the bill today. I have provided some comment in terms of the number of consultations just the Department of Finance alone had. However, individual members of Parliament have also listened to many stakeholders, whether from labour, business, or indigenous people. Some individuals have taken the time to write or correspond through the Internet, or had face-to-face discussions at free meetings throughout this country on important taxation and policy ideas. I suspect members will find that many of those discussions were about the CPP, as I know that I have had many discussions on that particular issue. Those discussions were then presented to the provinces in Vancouver on June 20, where the agreement was actually accepted. Because of that agreement, we now have Bill C-26. In the bill's summary, we find that it would do the following: (a) increase the amount of the retirement pension, as well as the survivor’s and disability pensions and the post-retirement benefit, subject to the amount of additional contributions made and the number of years over which those contributions are made; (b) increase the maximum level of pensionable earnings by 14% as of 2025; That is a significant increase. (c) provide for the making of additional contributions, beginning in 2019; That was accepted primarily because there needs to be an adjustment period so that businesses and other stakeholders are able to adjust. (d) provide for the creation of the Additional Canada Pension Plan Account and the accounting of funds in relation to it; and (e) include the additional contributions and increased benefits in the financial review provisions of the Act and authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations in relation to those provisions. Why is it such an important issue for all of us to address? I would like to reflect on some issues from my constituency, and I believe that those issues can be mirrored across Canada. In my constituency are a healthy number of seniors. It is debatable at what age being a senior begins. I was told, as I am approaching age 55 in January, that I will be eligible for some store discounts. I have had the privilege of knocking on thousands and thousands of doors. I can think of one 94-year-old who one would think was in her sixties. She was very spry and active. Age in good part is how one feels. There are many seniors in Winnipeg North who still feel great and want to have a decent standard of living. One of the saddest things I often run into when knocking on doors is meeting seniors who talk about having such a difficult time making ends meet. Often they will say that they have an issue of medication versus food. Their budget does not allow them to afford both. This is not just a comment I heard at one or two doors. I have heard it at numerous doors. Seniors in many ways are challenged and have to make difficult decisions related to affordability for basic needs. We have far too many seniors who opt for buying medication, and as a result, they go hungry, which is not good for their health, or they end up going to food banks. Thank God for the food banks and the huge number of volunteers who make them happen and especially those who contribute to them. They are helping many seniors who are living in poverty. That is a real issue that we hear at the door. I can recall one incident when knocking on doors with my daughter, Cindy. One lady answered who was virtually in tears, because she had just been hit with an ambulance bill of more than $500. She had no idea how she was going to pay that bill. I am glad that my daughter went on to ultimately become a local MLA and has raised this issue in the Manitoba legislature. If someone has a heart attack at home and has to get to a hospital, the person does not have much choice. That is why we need to advocate for our seniors. Situations like this are taking place every day throughout our country. When we have the opportunity to look at the issue of pensions, we should be supportive. Constituents tell us that they have a great desire that we support our three pension programs and feel that where we can, we should expand them. An increase to the GIS will help them immensely. Some of those single seniors will receive $900 plus more a month than they received last year. That will go a long way for seniors living in poverty in getting some of the things they need. We are talking about Bill C-26 today, but it is about the social safety net that Canadians truly believe in. If we ask our constituents what makes them feel good about being a Canadian, some common responses are related to our social safety net. What is that social safety net? It is our CPP, which is what we are voting on today. It is also our OAS, our GIS, our health care system, and our employment insurance system. These programs provide peace of mind and comfort to Canadians. These are the things we should be speaking about more, and not just inside the chamber. We should be speaking more about them within our caucuses and within our committees. We have fantastic standing committees that have the ability to set an agenda to look at progressive and positive social ideas. We could better utilize those committees. I have argued in the past that they are the backbone of our parliamentary process. I realize that my time is quickly running out, but I want to emphasize how important Bill C-26 is. This is a piece of legislation that should be supported by all members. If we reflect on past debates in the House on this important issue, if one believed in expanding CPP, one would have been disappointed. However, with the change in government and the commitment from the current Prime Minister, we now have a change in attitude, and the CPP will be increased. This will prevent many seniors in the future from having to make difficult decisions. It will even prevent some seniors from going into poverty. I highly recommend that all members of the House support this legislation. Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB Madam Speaker, the member opposite was speaking about visiting many seniors. We all have seniors we visited. We all knocked on many doors. However, the way his minister and his government have handled this, it does not seem that they knocked on any doors or visited and spoke to any seniors. Those seniors the member is talking about are not going to benefit at all from this tax hike. This is a tax hike on businesses first and on people next. This is going to be very costly. True stories are not being told to those seniors, because if they were really knocking on doors and were hearing true stories, they would know that this will be a tax burden on them, on future generations, and on small businesses. This is not going to help them. Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB Madam Speaker, that is just not true. I just finished talking about the GIS. That is real. It is tangible. Hundreds, if not thousands, of seniors are going to benefit from that program this year in Winnipeg North alone. All constituencies have seniors. All seniors who receive GIS will in fact benefit this year. The Prime Minister indicated that he wanted us to talk to real Canadians and understand the issues and bring them back to Ottawa. The individuals I met with, whether they work as firefighters, in hospitals, or in different industries understand and appreciate it. If they are 40 or 35 years old, now is the time to ensure that when it comes time to retire, there is going to be a substantial amount of money in that Canada pension program. That is what I mean when I say that in the future we will be preventing those people from possibly being on the borderline of poverty so that they will be able to afford the things they need to afford. It is thinking forward. That is something the government has clearly demonstrated, whether it is on issues related to our environment or seniors. We think about people who are coming into the system as well.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line891
__label__cc	0.573448	0.426552	Meridian Investment Sales exclusively lists a multifamily property in Manhattanville neighborhood May 07, 2019 - Front Section Manhattan, NY Meridian Investment Sales retained the exclusive listing of a multifamily property in the Manhattanville neighborhood. Senior executive managing director, David Schechtman, and managing directors, Lipa Lieberman and Abie Kassin, are representing the seller in this transaction. David Schechtman, Meridian Investment Sales Lipa Lieberman, Abie Kassin, Located at 408 West 130th St. between Convent Ave. and St. Nicholas Terr., the six-story, 63,000 s/f elevator apartment building consists of 83 studio- to three-bedroom units in Manhattanville, just north of Columbia University. The property has been meticulously maintained and underwent renovations between 2009 and 2013 to feature common area improvements, advanced mechanical equipment, and apartment upgrades. The subject benefits from access to mass transportation, dining, and shops, and is seven blocks from The City College of New York to the north and 10 blocks from Columbia University to the south. Additionally, 408 West 130th St. benefits from its proximity to John Finley Residents Campus Schools, the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, parks, mass transportation, and restaurants and entertainment options.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line894
__label__wiki	0.539592	0.539592	Tag: House An Important Victory – The Trudeau Government Announced Yesterday that It will Vote in the House of Commons to Ratify All the Senate’s Amendments to Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act Posted on May 23, 2019 by admin in aodaalliance Yesterday, May 22, 2019, the Federal Government announced by email and Twitter that it will vote to approve all the amendments to Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act, that the Senate passed earlier this month. The debate in the House of Commons on these amendments is expected to begin next week according to the Federal Government. Next week also happens to be National accessibility Week in Canada. “This is an important victory for those disability advocates who have devoted so much effort and energy over the past weeks and months to strengthen Bill C-81,” said David Lepofsky, chair of the non-partisan AODA Alliance, which has campaigned on accessibility for people with disabilities for many years, and which has been involved in the campaign for this legislation since at least 2014. “The Senate’s amendments set 2040 as the legal deadline for Canada to become accessible to people with disabilities, and cut back on the power of the Canadian Transportation Agency to make regulations that could weaken the accessibility rights of passengers with disabilities when travelling on airlines or other inter-provincial modes of transportation, among other things.” While the Senate’s amendments don’t fix all the deficiencies with Bill C-81 with which we have been concerned, they are an important and helpful step forward. The AODA Alliance and others have been hard at work over the past three weeks, mounting an all-out blitz on social media and elsewhere to press all MPs in the House of Commons to agree to vote to ratify all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. It was by no means a certainty that the Federal Government, which holds a majority in the House of Commons, would agree to do so. Opposition parties in the House of Commons have since last fall been supporting our call for Bill C-81 to be strengthened. We express our gratitude and appreciation to the Federal Government, including the minister responsible for this bill, federal Accessibility Minister Carla Qualtrough, for making its announcement yesterday in which it agreed to pass all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. We thank the opposition parties that have pressed for Bill C-81 to be strengthened. The House of Commons only needs to hold one vote to ratify these amendments. No further public hearings or Standing Committee study of the bill are needed. Once the amendments are passed during that vote, Bill C-81 will have completed its current journey through Canada’s Parliament. It will be a law. It will come into force when the Federal Government gives Bill C-81 royal assent. The Federal Government decides when that will take place. With the Federal Government’s announcement yesterday, there is no doubt that the vote in the House of Commons will be successful. The bill had been unanimously passed last fall on Third Reading in the House of Commons. That was the case even though opposition parties had agreed with us and other similarly-disposed disability advocates that Bill C-81 needed to be strengthened. It is an important fact that up to now, all provincial accessibility legislation passed so far in Ontario in 2005, in Manitoba in 2013 and in Nova Scotia in 2017, has passed unanimously. “This good news does not mean that our advocacy work is finished,” said Lepofsky. “Our attention now turns to the federal election this fall. We will be unleashing a non-partisan campaign to get election commitments from all the federal political parties regarding the future of Bill C-81 and its implementation and enforcement.” We thank all those who have toiled tirelessly at the grassroots to help our campaign in the Senate and the House of Commons to get Bill C-81 strengthened. Every tweet or re-tweet, and every email or phone call to a Senator or MP, plays a crucial part in our efforts. We thank all the disability organizations, numbering at least 71, that signed the open letter to the House of Commons sent earlier this month, that called for the House of Commons to ratify all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. The AODA Alliance is a co-signatory to that letter. We also thank all those other disability organizations with whom we have teamed up over the past weeks and months to work on our shared objective of getting Bill C-81 strengthened. Today’s announcement again shows that we were right to not simply accept Bill C-81 as it was, when the House of Commons passed it last fall. It was right for us and so many others to agree that people with disabilities deserve better, and to keep working to get the Senate to strengthen the bill. The improvements that we and others have won are helpful and important. Our tenacity has always been one of our strengths. We remain resolved to do what we can with Bill C-81 to make as much progress as we can for over five million people with disabilities in Canada, and to keep working to get the bill further improved in the future. To read the text of the Senate Standing Committee’s amendments to Bill C-81, and a good explanation of them by the ARCH Disability Law Centre, visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/more-specifics-on-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81-the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senates-standing-committee-passed-and-that-we-want-the-house-of-commons-to-ratify-still-no-commitment-by / To watch the captioned video of AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky’s opening statement at the Senate Standing Committee on April 11, 2019 (10 minutes), visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FERCAljHbrw&feature=em-uploademail To watch a captioned video of the portion of the Senate Standing Committee’s question-and-answer after that opening statement, where the AODA Alliance answers questions directed to us (26 minutes), visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr0fCtB_cyw&feature=em-uploademail To read the AODA Alliance’s May 6, 2019 letter to federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough, explaining why it is important for the Federal Government to agree to pass all the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate has now passed, visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ For all the background on our efforts to get the Federal Government to enact a strong and effective national accessibility law, visit http://www.aodaalliance.org/canada Posted on May 23, 2019 by admin in Canada, New 2019, What's New in Our Campaign To read the AODA Alliance’s May 6, 2019 letter to federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough, explaining why it is important for the Federal Government to agree to pass all the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate has now passed, visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ For all the background on our efforts to get the Federal Government to enact a strong and effective national accessibility law, visit www.aodaalliance.org/canada In a powerful Open Letter sent to the House of Commons, An Extraordinary Lineup of Twenty-Eight Disability Organizations Unite to Press for the House of Commons’ Ratification of All the Amendments that the Senate Just Passed to Strengthen Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act A strong concerted effort by Canada’s disability community has been unveiled to get the House of Commons to swiftly ratify all the amendments that the Senate just passed to improve Bill C-81, the Federal Government’s proposed Accessible Canada Act. This legislation is needed to tear down the many accessibility barriers that impede over six million people with disabilities in Canada, in areas that the Federal Government can regulate, such as air travel, banking, broadcast, telecommunication services, and the services of the Federal Government itself. Twenty-eight disability organizations in Canada have just united to jointly send the House of Commons an open letter, set out below. It urges all MPs to swiftly ratify all the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate recently passed. Check out what those Senate amendments say, and why they’re needed. This open letter, which the Council of Canadians with Disabilities delivered to all MPs on behalf of its 28 signatories (all listed below), explains that these amendments improve the bill. The Senate formulated these amendments after holding public hearings, where disability organizations and advocates pointed out the need to strengthen the bill that the House of Commons originally passed last fall. The Senate got the message, and formulated a short package of 11 amendments that together fit on two pages. If the House of Commons passes all these amendments, the bill becomes a law. If the House of Commons rejects even one of those amendments, the bill must go back to the Senate yet again. As the open letter explains, that could delay the bill at a time when Parliament will soon rise for the fall election campaign. The timing of this open letter is pivotal. A swift House of Commons vote on these amendments is needed to ensure that the bill does not die on the order paper. “A federal election is fast approaching, and Canada has millions of voters with disabilities,” said David Lepofsky, chair of the non-partisan grassroots AODA Alliance who made presentations to a House of Commons Standing Committee last fall, and a Senate Standing Committee last month, on why this bill needed to be strengthened. “What political party would want to vote against measures to strengthen protections for people with disabilities, especially with an election looming? What party would want to cast a vote now that would delay Bill C-81 and risk it dying on the order paper?” Any disability organization or group, whether national, provincial or local, can co-sign this open letter. The list of signatories will be updated as more disability organizations and groups sign on. For your Organization/Group to co-sign this letter, just email [email protected] Please give the following information: a) Name of your organization/Group b) Name of a contact person at your organization/group c) Email address for your organization/group d) A statement to the effect that: My organization/group would like to sign the May 14, 2019 Open Letter to the House of Commons on the Need to Swiftly Pass All Senate Amendments to Bill C-81 Accessible Canada Act. To see more about the blitz that the AODA Alliance now has underway to press MPs to vote for all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81, visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ Text of the May 14, 2019 Open Letter from Disability Organizations and Groups to the House of Commons of Canada Open Letter on the Need to Swiftly Pass All Senate Amendments to Bill C-81- Accessible Canada Act [Le français suit] To: All Members of Parliament The undersigned national, provincial and local disability groups ask all Members of Parliament to commit to swiftly pass all the amendments to Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act that the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) passed on May 2, 2019. We commend the Honourable Minister Carla Qualtrough for championing this Bill and her openness to considering amendments to it, as she expressed to the Senate Standing Committee. The Senate Standing Committee heard from a spectrum of disability organizations and advocates who supported the need for national accessibility legislation and who recommended areas where the bill could be improved to achieve its goal of ensuring that Canada becomes barrier-free for people with disabilities. SOCI chair Senator Chantal Petitclerc concluded the committees debates by stating that the committees amendments reflect the maxim of disability communities: Nothing about us without us. While they do not include all the improvements that disability organizations and advocates sought, the Senates amendments improve Bill C-81. The amendments include: setting 2040 as the end date for Canada to become accessible; ensuring that this time line does not justify any delay in removing and preventing accessibility barriers as soon as reasonably possible; recognizing American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous Sign Languages as the primary languages for communication used by Deaf people; making it a principle to govern the bill that multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities must be considered; ensuring that Bill C-81 and regulations made under it cannot cut back on the human rights of people with disabilities guaranteed by the Canadian Human Rights Act; ensuring that the Canadian Transportation Agency cannot reduce existing human rights protections for passengers with disabilities when the Agency handles complaints about barriers in transportation; and fixing problems the Federal Government identified between the bills employment provisions and legislation governing the RCMP. It is expected that the Senate will pass Bill C-81 as amended by May 16, 2019. The bill then returns to the House of Commons, for a vote on the Senates amendments. It is critical that the House pass all of the Senates amendments to Bill C-81, to ensure that this important bill swiftly becomes law. We ask the House of Commons to schedule a vote on the bill as soon as possible. We ask all MPs to vote to pass all the Senates amendments to Bill C-81. If the House of Commons does anything less, it will weaken the bill, and risk the possibility that the bill will not finish its journey through Parliament before the fall election. Signed: Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) AODA Alliance ARCH Disability Law Centre Federal Accessibility Legislation Alliance (FALA) Citizens with Disabilities Ontario (CWDO) Ontario Autism Coalition Spinal Cord Injury Canada StopGap Foundation Travel for All Older Womens Network Physicians of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Advocacy (PONDA) Barrier Free Canada Canada sans Barrières BC Coalition of People who use Guide Dogs Keremeos Measuring Up Team National Coalition of People who use Guide and Service Dogs in Canada The Project Group Consulting Cooperative VIEWS Ontario for the Vision Impaired Communication Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) DeafBlind Ontario Services March of Dimes Canada North Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre Inc. Peterborough Council for Persons with Disabilities Québec Accessible CNIB Foundation (Ontario and Québec) Electromagnetic Pollution Illnesses Canada Foundation (EPIC) Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy Rick Hansen Foundation Lettre ouverte pour une rapide ratification des modifications sénatoriales au projet de loi C-81, la Loi canadienne sur laccessibilité. À: Tous les membres du Parlement Date: 14 mai 2019 Nous, les soussignés, organisations nationales, provinciales et locales de personnes handicapées, recommandons à tous les membres du Parlement de sengager à adopter rapidement toutes les modifications au projet de loi C-81, Loi canadienne sur laccessibilité, adoptées le 2 mai 2019 par le Comité sénatorial permanent des affaires sociales, sciences et technologie (SOCI). Nous félicitons lhonorable ministre Carla Qualtrough davoir défendu ce projet de loi et, tel quexprimé au Comité sénatorial permanent, de son ouverture envers les modifications proposées. Le Comité sénatorial a entendu une vaste gamme dorganisations de personnes en situation de handicap et dintervenants marteler le besoin dune loi nationale sur laccessibilité et recommander lamélioration de certains secteurs afin que le projet de loi atteigne son objectif, à savoir faire du Canada un pays exempt dobstacles. En clôturant les débats, la sénatrice Chantal Peticlerc, présidente du SOCI, a déclaré que les modifications apportées par le Comité traduisaient le slogan des collectivités de personnes handicapées Rien pour nous, sans nous. Bien que nincluant pas toutes les améliorations revendiquées par les organisations de personnes handicapées et les intervenants, les modifications sénatoriales améliorent le projet de loi C-81. Elles stipulent : que le Canada devienne un pays totalement exempt dobstacles dici 2040; que cet échéancier ne justifie aucun délai quant à lélimination et la prévention des obstacles le plus tôt possible; que lAmerican Sign Language, de la langue des signes québécoise et de les langues des signes autochtones soient reconnues comme langues de communication fondamentales des personnes Sourdes; que les formes multiples et intersectorielles de discrimination subies par les personnes en situation de handicap soient un principe sous-tendant lapplication du projet de loi; que le projet de loi C-81 et les règlements afférents ne puissent restreindre les droits humains des personnes handicapées, garantis par la Loi canadienne sur les droits de la personne; que lors du règlement des plaintes basées sur les obstacles dans les transports, lOffice des transports du Canada ne puisse atténuer les droits des voyageurs en situation de handicap, actuellement garantis; que soient réglés les problèmes identifiés par le gouvernement fédéral entre les dispositions du projet de loi en matière demploi et la loi régissant la GRC. Le Sénat devrait adopter le projet de loi C-81, tel que modifié, avant le 16 mai 2019. Le projet de loi reviendra alors en la Chambre des communes pour un vote sur les modifications sénatoriales. Et pour que le projet de loi devienne rapidement loi, ces modifications doivent absolument être adoptées. Nous demandons à la Chambre des communes de programmer un vote aussitôt que possible et nous demandons à tous les membres du Parlement de voter en faveur des modifications sénatoriales au projet de loi C-81. La Chambre des communes affaiblira le projet de loi si elle se contente de moins; dans ce cas-là, la course parlementaire de ce projet de loi risque dêtre stoppée avant lélection de cet automne. Lettre ouverte signée par: VIEWS Ontario for the Vision Impaired Doing It Blind Posted on May 15, 2019 by admin in Canada, Letters to and from the Federal Government, New 2019, What's New in Our Campaign My organization/group would like to sign the May 14, 2019 Open Letter to the House of Commons on the Need to Swiftly Pass All Senate Amendments to Bill C-81 – Accessible Canada Act. If the House of Commons does anything less, it will weaken the bill, and risk the possibility that the bill will not finish its journey through Parliament before the fall election. Barrier Free Canada – Canada sans Barrières National Coalition of People who use Guide and Service Dogs in Canada The Project Group Consulting Cooperative British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) DeafBlind Ontario Services Electromagnetic Pollution Illnesses Canada Foundation (EPIC) Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy Lettre ouverte pour une rapide ratification des modifications sénatoriales au projet de loi C-81, la Loi canadienne sur l’accessibilité. À: Tous les membres du Parlement La Chambre des communes affaiblira le projet de loi si elle se contente de moins; dans ce cas-là, la course parlementaire de ce projet de loi risque d’être stoppée avant l’élection de cet automne. Lettre ouverte signée par: Canada’s Senate Passed Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act, on Third Reading Last Evening, Replete with All the Amendments that the Senate’s Standing Committee Made to Improve the Bill — But Will the Federal Government Vote to Ratify All Those Amendments When the Bill Returns to the House of Commons? Last evening the Senate of Canada passed Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act, on Third Reading, complete with all the amendments that the Senate’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs added to the bill on May 2, 2019. This is an important step forward for this bill, and a helpful step for people with disabilities in Canada. Below we set out the Hansard transcript of the Third Reading debates on Bill C-81 that took place in the Senate last evening. The first among the speeches on the bill was by Senator Jim Munson. Senator Munson is the Federal Government’s sponsor of the bill in the Senate. It is likely that some or all of his speech was written by the Federal Government. Bill C-81 is not yet an enforceable law. It is still just a bill, a proposed law. For Bill C-81 to become a law, it must go back to the House of Commons. The House must vote on the amendments that the Senate has added to the bill. If the House of Commons passes all those amendments, Bill C-81 becomes a law. If the House of Commons does not pass some or all of those amendments, it remains a bill, a proposed law. The Senate would then have to vote again on the bill, but without the Senate’s amendments. Thus, all attention must now focus on the House of Commons, and especially on the Trudeau Government which has a majority of seats in the House. The Federal Government has not yet said it will vote for all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. As we announced days ago, we and many other people with disabilities and disability organizations are campaigning to get the House of Commons to pass ALL the amendments to the bill that the Senate has just passed. We are focusing special attention on the Senate’s commendable amendments that would set the time line of 2040 for Canada to reach full accessibility to people with disabilities, while making it clear that this time line may not delay progress before then on accessibility. For tips on how to help with this time-sensitive blitz, visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ Please email or tweet as many Members of Parliament as you can. Press them to agree to pass all the amendments that the Senate Standing Committee made to Bill C-81. For action tips on how you can help press the Federal Government to agree to pass ALL the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate passed, and to read our May 6, 2019 letter to federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough (explaining why we need all these amendments passed), visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ To find your MP’s email address or Twitter handle, visit https://www.ourcommons.ca/en and search for their contact information. Our overall strategy regarding Bill C-81 is unfolding as we planned. The Senate’s amendments, for which we and others fought so hard, help improve this bill. The bill clearly needed improvements. Now the issue will come before the House of Commons just months before an impending federal election. From a disability advocacy perspective, this timing is very helpful to our cause. What elected politician or party would want to vote against measures to strengthen the protections for people with disabilities, especially with an election looming? What elected politician or party would want to cast a vote now that would delay Bill C-81 from becoming a law? Please send us your feedback. Email us at [email protected] Senate of Canada Hansard May 13, 2019 Originally posted at https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/debates/287db_2019-05-13-e Accessible Canada Bill Hon. Jim Munson moved third reading of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, as amended. He said: Honourable senators, what a journey we have been on. What a journey all of us have been on. Senators, as the sponsor of this bill, I’m pleased to speak tonight at the third reading of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, also known as the Accessible Canada Act. I am humbled and honoured to speak to a bill that will no doubt become a proud part of Canadian history. Making history takes dedication, hard work and perseverance. So I want to acknowledge the work of many people who helped get this bill to this stage. I want to thank the chair and deputy chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Senators Petitclerc and Seidman, and all members who attended the committee meetings. Questions were engaging and led to an enlightening input from witnesses and to constructive amendments. This committee works so well together; I am honoured to be a member. Thank you also to our clerk and administrator, Dan Charbonneau and Ericka Dupont, for arranging sign language, ASL, and CART services, Communication Access Real-time Translation, and the special room set-up, which helped to make the Senate committee meetings the most accessible to date. The Senate should be proud in this regard. We have shown leadership by example. I also want to acknowledge the incredible work of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, Carla Qualtrough. She and her team have shown great leadership on accessibility, and I can confidently say that Bill C-81 enjoys widespread support due to their efforts. Most importantly, I want to recognize persons with disabilities, stakeholders, and organizations who all play a crucial role in accessibility in Canada. They have all invested tremendous work and energy into this historic bill, ensuring that it reflects the priorities of persons with disabilities. Their contributions have been instrumental in getting the bill in its amended form to this stage. Thank you for sharing your personal experiences and stories with us. I know it takes courage. We could not have done any of this without your involvement and expertise. Some of those folks are here in the Senate tonight. Senators Petitclerc and Seidman gave excellent speeches at the report stage of the bill last week, summarizing the amendments that were adopted at committee. I will not go over the amendments and details again. However, I do want to highlight some important testimony. Over the course of our committee hearings we heard repeatedly that the time for an accessible Canada act is now. Canadians facing barriers to fully participating in their workplaces and society told us and are still telling us to pass this bill into law. Here is what Bill Adair from Spinal Cord Injury Canada and with the Federal Accessibility Legislation Alliance, or FALA, told us at committee: What people are telling us across the country who are participating with FALA is: We want the bill. Give us something to work with. Yes, push for the changes, but at the end of the day, before the election, we want the bill. That gives us structure and the framework so that we can get to work on removing barriers and we want it now. We’ve been waiting far too long and this is our day. Senators, everyone is eager to see this bill become law. We must continue our essential work in order to take it over the finish line. This community has waited long enough for this recognition and respect. Another significant and positive change is that Bill C-81 will shift the responsibility on to the system and away from the individuals facing barriers in their daily lives. Diane Bergeron from CNIB said during her testimony: Having a disability is exhausting, and I do not say that lightly. But when you have to deal with discrimination, rights violations, different pieces of legislation, criticisms, people not thinking that you have value, it makes it worse. The current system is unfair and unacceptable. Colleagues, we know the history. It is one of institutionalization, sterilization and social isolation. Canada had a system that took children away from their families and power away from our citizens. Persons with disabilities were seen as burdens and treated as if they were broken. Our country simply cannot continue to place the burden of advancing human rights on individuals. We can do better, and we must do better. In fact, with this bill we will do better. In addition to this necessary shift in responsibility, the accessible Canada act, when passed, will set best practices and a framework that the provinces and the private sector can mirror. Most importantly, this bill will start to shift culture, perception and understanding of what inclusion in our society should really look like. I cannot come up with a better analogy that encompasses my hope for what this legislation will achieve than that of Minister Qualtrough. You have to be a sports fan to get this. I couldn’t agree more when she said at committee: I think we will look back on this as a “TSN Turning Point” on disability rights and the way we talk about disability in this country. The words of the minister. Honourable senators, in 2017, approximately 6.2 million people, or about 22 per cent of Canadians aged 15 years and older, reported being limited in their daily activities due to a disability. This percentage is expected to increase in the coming years due to Canada’s aging population, since the prevalence of disability increases with age. This is why the government consulted with over 6,000 individuals from across the country with lived experience over the course of this bill’s development. They have continued to be consulted and included as witnesses and experts at committee so that we can use their knowledge and their experiences to help drive the change needed for a better tomorrow. One of those witnesses was Steven Estey from Nova Scotia, from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. This organization helped facilitate some of these consultations. Mr. Estey gave us a good summary of what that meant. He said: . . . to talk to Canadians with disabilities about what they wanted in this legislation. We had a chance to talk to over a thousand people across the country. We had 22 separate consultations in towns and cities across the country. We had telephone consultations. We had Internet consultations. We really spent a lot of time trying to figure out what people wanted to see in this legislation. It’s an important thing for us to be involved with. We have really appreciated the opportunity and the support that we have had to be able to do that. This is what inclusion looks like, honourable senators. Consultation, collaboration, cooperation and real input from real life experience. I know that the finer points of the bill have been outlined to you many times, including by myself, but I do want to talk again about the Canadian accessibility standards development organization. The landmark importance of the CASDO board membership aligning with the community’s mantra of “nothing about us without us.” Think about it. Because it’s the board membership who will be responsible, with their own lived experience, in making standards. I’ve always said this, that you need to be in the room when it comes to communications. It is just as important in policy making; you need to be in the room to make a difference and to influence change. In this case, CASDO will set regulations that will lead to better results for people in this country. I hope it reoccurs in other areas of policy development. Applying a disability lens is crucial in moving forward. Barbara Collier, Executive Director of Communication Disabilities Access Canada explained in her testimony at committee what that organization represents. Her list included people with or affected by cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, Down’s syndrome, learning disability, fetal alcohol syndrome, cognitive and intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, aphasia after a stroke, dementia, head and neck cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Senators, these are common conditions. It made me realize again that we will all face barriers to fully participating in society at some point in our lives. This is legislation that will affect us all in a positive way. We learned at committee that many wheels are already in motion in anticipation of the bill coming into force. Job postings are already online for the chief accessibility officer and the CEO and board of the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, or CASDO. In fact, CASDO is expected to open its doors this summer. We know that the organizations responsible for accessibility have taken advanced steps towards planning regulations. In fact, the Canadian Transportation Agency, or CTA, has already released the first draft of its accessibility regulations. Committee members gave the bill and its adopted amendments a deserved thorough study and consideration despite time constraints. I know that many of these amendments came right from the community, witnesses and organizations; I think we should pass the bill with these changes and let the other place do its job and reflect on our amendments. This is the process of our democracy and of our Parliament. We all need to move swiftly. I will say it again: An accessible Canada act is a long-overdue recognition for human rights equality for 6.2 million — or one in five — Canadians. The 2017 disability survey also indicated that of the approximately 1.5 million Canadians with a disability aged 15 to 64 who are unemployed, approximately 654,000 are potential candidates for work in an inclusive, discrimination-free and accommodating labour market. Yes, senators, there is a business case for inclusion. There is a huge untapped talent pool that could help improve Canada’s shrinking labour market. As I mentioned, the spirit of collaboration on this bill has been and continues to be exceptional. I’m always an optimist, so over the course of study and consultations it became obvious that the removal of barriers is universal in scope and understanding. Together, our society is ready to take this step, the first of many towards a fair and equal-opportunity society. The momentum is with us. Colleagues, I am proud of Bill C-81. I am proud of the amendments made at committee. We need to send the amended bill to the other place this week so that we can receive it back in time to do what Canadians have been asking us to do through testimony, letters, emails and phone calls: Give Canada a framework toward being barrier-free and accessible for all. This is the time, colleagues. This is their time. It’s our opportunity to help make this happen and to be on the right side of history. I will close tonight with some words from the great Jean Vanier, the master of inclusion. As you know, he passed away last week at the age of 90. At a 1998 Massey Lecture entitled Becoming Human, he said: As we become more conscious of the uniqueness of others, we become aware of our common humanity. We are all fundamentally the same, no matter what our age, gender, race, culture, religion, limits or handicaps may be. Honourable senators, as I said at the beginning of my speech, we are on a shared journey. What we have discovered on this journey is a new path of inclusion, a path where, as they say in the disability community: Nothing About Us Without Us. I recognize we haven’t satisfied everyone. That’s the way it is when you’re building something we have never had before: a Canada without barriers. But we have done our job. We have discovered more about each other. We have captured the meaning of empathy. We have amended the bill. We recognize there will always be next steps. This is a step toward a more inclusive society. Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! [Translation] Hon. Thanh Hai Ngo: Honourable senators, I rise today at third reading stage of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. For one last time, I want to express my full support for the bill and commend the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology on its excellent work. I also want to acknowledge the work of the chair of the committee, Senator Petitclerc, as well as that of the deputy chair, Senator Seidman, on a decisive and historic bill for Canada. I won’t get into the details of the thorough review undertaken by the committee, since Senators Petitclerc and Seidman already did so quite eloquently. However, I’d like to draw your attention to the remarkable work that the committee has done since March 21, 2019. The committee studied the bill in depth over the course of four meetings, with the intention of widening its scope. After hearing testimony from 20 interest groups four organizations, the committee did indeed make changes that are favourable to the primary goal of the bill. Although I’m not a member of that committee, it is clear that those long, well-informed deliberations led to the adoption of 11 amendments. Through those deliberations, the vast and unique needs of many groups of disabled persons were identified by the committee, which led to specific amendments that improve Bill C-81 without jeopardizing its long-awaited passing. To sum up, the changes to the bill remain faithful to its principles while doing more to recognize, eliminate and prevent barriers in all areas of federal jurisdiction. This new version of the bill also takes into account the fact that seniors living with disabilities also experience multiple and intersecting forms of marginalization and discrimination. Another amendment recognizes sign languages as the primary language for communication by deaf persons in Canada and an integral part of their accessibility. After all, the recognition of sign languages constitutes an essential part of their culture and a valuable tool that enables them to participate in society. Honourable senators, these are some examples of the positive changes that were made to the bill in consultation with experts and in collaboration with the extensive work that was previously accomplished in the other place. I feel this bill should also act as a signal and reminder to the government regarding the recent news of 34 developmentally disabled federal workers who hold segregated and redundant jobs in Ottawa. Their contract is set to end in March 2020. I hope that, once enacted, this law will eventually represent further actions for every Canadian with a disability in order to help them become full, equal members of society. After all, a barrier-free Canada requires us to understand the norms, societal attitudes and stigma that prevents people with intellectual, cognitive and physical disabilities from fully participating in society. I truly believe this bill, once enacted, will be a tool for many organizations that are ready and have been patiently preparing for the implementation in order to respond to these emergent challenges and obstacles. Honourable senators, this historic law is a testament of the great work that was accomplished in the hallmarks of this great chamber in defence of the rights of minorities. It marks a new beginning. We will transform and address accessibility by becoming proactive instead of reactive for Canadians who do not want to be treated as a burden but as full and equal members of society as we continue to grow and learn how to become more inclusive. Thank you. Hon. Marty Deacon: Honourable senators, I rise to speak to Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. I have listened with great interest to my colleagues, as well as to the many witnesses we had at the Social Affairs Committee. I speak today to share with you my perspective, my story, based on a lifetime of learning and action in this very important area. When I arrived in Senate 15 months ago, there was much to learn; there is still much to learn. For instance, when I arrived here, I had incorrectly assumed that accessibility had already been addressed as a national issue with a fulsome national strategy. Why? Because my own formal leadership on accessibility began in Ontario, 14 years ago. I thought — silly me — that the same regulations were being mandated nationally, given how much time had elapsed since this successful law in Ontario was implemented and began its implementation in 2005. Honourable senators, 2019 is far too late in the game to be discussing and mandating accessibility for all at the federal level, and it’s why the bill before us is so important. In my previous life, as an educator, every day I was faced with an issue by a student, their family, a teacher or a community member who challenged fair, equitable and inclusive access. One case — and sometimes it just takes one — in particular crystallized for me what would be become a lifetime commitment to universal accessibility. Imagine now a single mother with six children, all under the age of 10. Three of them carry the positive gene for Duchenne’s disease, a severe type of muscular dystrophy that over time reduces muscular function. It eventually results in the young person being immobilized, weakened and in need of a wheelchair. The family survives on a low income, and, frankly, the school and the community are their lifeline. As principal of the school, on a one-floor facility, my staff and I gave the family everything we had, from meals to fundraisers, to transportation, to tutoring, and finally to the purchase of a well-used wheelchair for her oldest son, Ricky. This school goes up to Grade 6, and now it becomes time for Ricky to graduate from junior school and move on to middle school. We meet with a team of educators and medical support people to determine the best plan for Ricky. As a former secondary school administrator, new to elementary administration, I learn that due to Ricky’s physical needs he will not be able to attend the middle school just down the road. There are just too many accessibility issues. Eventually, I learn that he will have to take a 50-minute bus ride to the nearest school that will provide some sort of wheelchair access. How do I tell his mother, with so much on her plate already, that her son will now spend over 100 minutes a day with strangers, with different untrained bus drivers, travelling on several highways, with no significant network of support, and that in two years, if Ricky is able to keep on attending school, his ride to high school will be even more challenging and disconnected with yet another group of young people, all at the same time his condition worsens and that in two years she will have to go through this all over again with her next child? As it turned out, it was a hard lesson I needed to learn. This was in 2005, the same year that the Ontarians with Disabilities Act became law. As you know, the act was aimed at identifying, removing and preventing barriers for people with disabilities. It applied then to government, non-profit and private sector businesses in Ontario that have one or more employees. My own school board needed an established leader to commit to this AODA work for at least three years. Somewhat fortuitously, I was invited to take on this role. It was going to be tough work, very political, but an opportunity to bring many internal and external stakeholders together to do the right thing. Most of the table I worked with was represented by those representing diverse accessibility needs in our community. My job would be to ensure that all aspects of the act were being addressed, that all staff and volunteers were trained, that we had an accessibility policy and procedures, and that we had a multi-year accessibility plan with annual public updates, timelines and monitoring in place. I continued this leadership for 10 years. The work was ongoing and a challenge politically, financially and ensuring equity while the voices of all were heard. Senator Moncion highlighted her work related to the AODA at second reading. I will not repeat her message. However, I will indicate how the “visible” and “invisible” needs of those with a disability are far-reaching and diverse. We started with the built environment and spaces in 130 buildings and new builds. I learned more about architecture, facility design, ramps, lifts, nine styles of elevators, more than I dreamed possible. One basic washroom to upgrade for one child was $35,000; one elevator was half a million dollars. How do you prioritize? Every student matters. These are the more visible physical needs we are familiar with. It’s the invisible needs that are often overlooked; that is, making sure every individual — just as we do in the Senate — feels they are part of their community. As a result of deep consultation, we were determined that every decision had to result in our students being able to attend a school within their family of schools, which is a geographically smaller region. This would not be the closest to their home, perhaps, but still in their community — full stop. We had to find the way and we did. Every decision was and continues to be backward mapped with this in mind; that is, to find a way to keep our students and families in their community. Honourable senators, imagine your son or daughter being told they could go on a bus for a class trip with their classmates on a bus all by themselves — not with their friends, not with their peers. One of my proudest moments was meeting with 200 bus drivers, getting some buses retrofitted, modified and ensuring more of our students could travel and experience being with their classmates. The visible need was physically getting the student to their destination by ensuring the best barrier-free environment. The invisible need was ensuring the student would not be stigmatized on a separate bus and they could contribute and participate in this class trip to the same extent as their peers — something they deserve. This is why this legislation is so important. It will aim to make federally regulated entities so much more accessible. However, it will also unlock the potential of a huge group of Canadians who have been held back in one way or another. It will allow them to participate and contribute to their community in ways that, quite frankly, they should have been able to do long ago. With this legislation, Canada could become a world leader in accessibly. This leadership is sorely needed. In my role as an international coach and sports leader travelling internationally, I saw first-hand and continue to see first-hand the great disparity in the respect and understanding of what it means to try to embrace and provide support for those with a disability. I observed countries that “hid” those with disabilities, countries whose representatives said to my face, “We have no citizens with disabilities.” I watched first-hand a political leader of a G7 country, while on Canadian soil, say, “There is no place for athletes with a disability in a major sporting event.” Thankfully, this culture is changing. I’m excited to say, after 12 years of advocacy, my sport will have its debut at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. To get to this point, again, we had to educate the countries that did not support their para-athletes and para-children, and did not demonstrate their beliefs in accessibility or inclusion. This has taken over a decade. This past weekend, at Carleton University in Ottawa, I was able to speak with families and para-athletes from many countries about what sport means to them, what it means to be barrier-free and the work that must still continue around the world. The passage of Bill C-81 for Canada will set the kind of example needed to keep this momentum going. Senators, I want to shift my thinking before I wrap up. I want to thank the steering committee of the Social Affairs Committee — Senator Munson, Senator Seidman and our chair, Senator Petitclerc, for guiding us through such a comprehensive and in-depth process. You have heard that said earlier this evening. It is so very true. It was a collective effort by all groups and caucuses represented at committee, and that showed in fulsome but respectful discussions that played out at clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, which led to some good amendments in the legislation. To the large but important number of Canadians who will be directly affected by this legislation, I can say to you with confidence that every member of the Social Affairs Committee has listened to your concerns. I want to thank the many individuals who gave us such compelling evidence at committee, as well as the hundreds who took the time to write and meet with us. Colleagues, many of these stakeholders have been advocating for years. They are very tired, exhausted but hopeful for the immediate passage of this bill. While no piece of legislation is perfect, I am confident that the bill before us gives us a solid foundation and permission to rebuild our culture in the years to come. A senator last week reminded me that there is progress and there is perfection. This bill is no different. Bill C-81, the time for all is now. Thank you. Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today also to speak very briefly at third reading of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. Bill C-81 enacts the accessible Canada act in order to enhance the full and equal participation of all persons, especially persons living with disability, in our society. This bill will require federally regulated entities across the country to ensure accessibility to workplaces, public spaces, employment, programs, services and information. Bill C-81, as others have stated, is an important step in the right direction to address the barriers that many Canadians face. The message that we have heard from advocates has been the same: Bill C-81 is a good bill and deserves to be enacted into law but no one can be certain of the full effect that this bill will eventually have. This will require further knowledge and learning from a practical perspective and a commitment to work in consultation with stakeholders across Canada. I want to associate myself with some of the very important comments that have been made in this chamber and especially recognize our colleague Senator Munson, who has dedicated so much of his life to really be quite a voice and a champion for Canadians with disabilities and, of course, on issues like autism. He has been a cosponsor on a number of events, and we have done some meaningful work together. I know that one of the motions that we cosponsored that recognized June as Deafblind Awareness Month recognizes this important subgroup of Canadians who are living with some incredible challenges. This motion was adopted unanimously in 2015, and it was sort of thanks to our retired former colleague Senator Vim Kochhar who many of us know to be a real champion and a strong voice for Canadians living with physical disabilities as well as other disabilities. Through his outstanding effort and inspiration, we have worked together to achieve certain outcomes through the Senate. Senator Kochhar also cofounded the Canadian Helen Keller Centre and Rotary Cheshire Home, which is said to be one of the only facilities in the world where those who live with deaf-blindness can live independently. Some of the intervenors who have come to the Hill have spoken about their work to help Canadians living with deaf-blindness communicate. Their work is truly astonishing. It’s a real calling for them to serve in this capacity. They work in a unique space where they allow those who cannot communicate otherwise to communicate with the outside world. I also know that the work of our former colleague Senator Asha Seth also led to a motion to designate May as National Vision Health Month. That, too, was unanimously adopted in the Senate. I stand together with many of you who have spoken on this measure and also recognize the great work of our Social Affairs Committee, the chair, the deputy chair and committee members to ensure that important amendments were adopted that will help towards ensuring a barrier-free Canada as is envisioned in this bill. I had the opportunity to meet with the Canadian Association of the Deaf and President Frank Folino, who was also a witness during committee hearings on this bill, as well as Bill Adair, Executive Director, Spinal Cord Injury Canada. They expressed their firm support of passage of Bill C-81 as a very important step, but they were also hopeful that there will be continued vigilance and effort towards proper implementation and, of course, that same intention beyond implementation. In some ways we have achieved this important milestone, but our work will begin to ensure that implementation and the work beyond implementation will be successful. I recognize these men and others who have been the real heroes and champions who inspired this important legislation and once again thank our colleagues Senator Munson, Senator Ngo and members of the Social Affairs Committee for your leadership helping this chamber arrive at this significant moment in our legislative history. Your Honour and honourable senators, I am definitely ready for the question. Hon. Tony Dean: Thank you Senator Martin and others who have spoken. Thank you, Senator Munson, for your very fine sponsorship of this legislation. I have some brief introductory remarks and then I want to speak specifically about the inclusion of communication in this bill as a category of challenge in the spectrum of disabilities. I rise to add my voice to Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. We all know now that the stated policy objective of this important and historic piece of legislation is to enhance the full and equal participation of all individuals, with a special emphasis for those living with disabilities. The bill is designed to achieve a barrier-free Canada through the identification, removal and prevention of barriers in areas of federal jurisdiction. Many groups, including various disability advocacy groups, support Bill C-81 and are urging us to pass this bill before our summer break. Senate leaders met on April 4 to sign an agreement to ensure several pieces of legislation are voted on prior to the break and the next federal election. This bill is one of them. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the facilitator of the Independent Senators Group, the Leader of the independent Senate Liberals, the Government Representative in the Senate and the Senate Conservative Leader on this important modernizing step. You will know, I think, that I and others here believe that we could benefit greatly from more organized and effective business planning of this sort. Moreover, that’s what Canadians expect of us, and they expect and deserve timely votes on all bills, but particularly on bills that are inclusive of all members of our society and that aim to protect some of our most vulnerable people, bills like Bill C-81. An act to ensure a barrier-free Canada is a direct response to a 2016 federal budget announcement that made a commitment to “eliminate systemic barriers and deliver equality of opportunity to all Canadians living with disabilities.” Among other things, the bill aims to guide future interpretations of the accessible Canada act by setting out important principles and including a provision that states that all persons, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, must be treated with dignity, enjoy equality of opportunity, be able to fully and equally participate in society without barriers and have autonomy. It also establishes the application of the accessible Canada act bringing greater clarification to which bodies and entities are bound by accessibility legislation and allows the Governor-in-Council to designate a minister to be responsible for this act. Another important piece of this legislation is the proposed establishment of the Canadian accessible standards development office, CASDO, which Senator Munson has spoken about eloquently. I emphasize that the CASDO would be overseen by a board of directors whose majority identify as persons with disabilities. The board would be responsible for setting the organization’s strategic direction and managing the activities and affairs in accordance with its mandate. The inclusion of people with disabilities on the board would ensure fair representation for the many Canadians who don’t currently have a voice in accessibility standards. Honourable senators, while no single area of accessibility is more important than any other, I would like to now focus some remarks on the issue of communication. I am delighted that communication is recognized in key definitions in this bill, including in the definitions of barrier and disability. This legislation says that “barrier” means anything including physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal that is based on information or communications or anything that is the result of a policy or practice that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with a physical, mental, intellectual, learning, communication, sensory impairment or functional limitation. It also defines “disability” as a physical, mental, intellectual, learning, communication, sensory impairment or functional limitation, whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature that an interaction with a barrier hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society. This recognition of communication is critically important, as communication includes the half million Canadians who have speech and language disabilities that are not caused by significant hearing loss and who do not require or use sign language. They may have lifelong disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, autism, spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, learning or cognitive disabilities. Other people may have acquired disabilities that affect communication, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, ALS, multiple sclerosis and much more. Having a communication disability can affect one or more areas of a person’s ability to speak, to understand what others are saying, read or write. People with theses disabilities may communicate using unclear speech, writing, typing, pictures, symbols, speech-generating devices, sign language interpreting, captioning and communication assistive devices. Recognizing the broad scope of communication is also consistent with the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, of which Canada is a signatory. This is obviously important for many reasons, but I’d like to highlight a tangible example for honourable senators to consider. Similar to the need for sign language services for people who are deaf or translation services for people who don’t speak English or French, victims, witnesses and accused persons with speech and language disabilities may require appropriate communication supports in police, legal and justice services. Despite the fact that people with speech and language disabilities are at high risk for all types of abuses and crimes — and remember, for violators, the best victims are often the ones who are perceived not to be able to tell. Communication support services in police, legal and justice services are not routinely provided as an accessibility accommodation. Communications intermediaries are qualified speech-language pathologists who have extra training from Communication Disabilities Access Canada, CDAC, to work in justice settings. CDAC maintains a database of trained intermediaries with limited funding from a small private foundation. These services are provided to people who require assistance, understanding questions posed to them or supporting them communicating what they want to say to police, legal and justice professionals. In a case in Canada I recently learned about, an elderly woman indicated to her son, a police officer, that she had been sexually assaulted by a personal support worker in a retirement or long-term care facility. The woman had a stroke two years before the incident, which left her with aphasia, a communication disorder that results from damage to the language centres of the brain. She had difficulty understanding spoken language and expressing her thoughts in words, as well as difficulties in reading and writing. She communicated what happened using gestures, some speech and pointing to pictures. The Crown attorney recognized that she would require assistance to communicate in court and engaged a communication intermediary who conducted an assessment. The intermediary concluded that the woman could effectively communicate in court if provided with appropriate communication intermediary support to ensure that she rephrase questions posed to her in ways she could understand and to facilitate her responses using pictures. The judge denied the woman access to the communication supports that she required to testify. This case illustrates the lack of understanding about accessibility accommodations required by a victim, witnesses or an accused person who has speech and language disability. Having strong accessibility legislation in place makes it mandatory for all justice services to provide people with the communication accommodations and supports they need, including communication boards, speech-generating devices, sign language interpretation, captioning and communications assistance devices, and is an important move in ensuring that the policy objectives of this bill are realized. Access to appropriate supports for people living with disabilities that affect communications would go beyond our justice system and would also include access to health services, education and more. Honourable senators, I want to share with you one other brief story, the story of a friend of mine of 30 years who in the past several months came to know all too well the challenges associated with difficulty in communications. Kim Clarke Champniss, as some of you will recall from his work in the heyday of MuchMusic as a veejay, TV producer and a challenging interviewer of the world’s top rock and roll artists, lost his voice permanently in the past months due to radical throat surgery that was used to address throat cancer. I’ve watched Kim over the last weeks and months heroically take on this challenge, including the challenge of access to supports and technologies that would assist in his ability to continue engaging in the world with his upbeat energy and curiosity about the human condition. Kim will get through this. He would say, “I’m all right, Tone. I’m all right.” But Kim would also wish for better services for those who were alongside him and those who will undoubtedly follow him with communications challenges. I would urge the government to ensure someone with a disability that affects their speech, language and communication be considered as a member of the board of the proposed Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, CASDO, which was mentioned earlier. Their contributions would greatly benefit the 500,000 people living with speech and language difficulties and ensure that no one is left behind. I would also like to recognize that standards and regulations under Bill C-81 will need to be updated every five years, which allows for changes in innovation. They will also require public review before they are adopted. I close by saying, senators, that Bill C-81 needs to pass now. We have an obligation as parliamentarians and senators to protect the needs of all Canadians, especially those who are among the most vulnerable in our society. I strongly believe that acknowledging this community is an essential part of meeting the objectives of this bill, which will ultimately aim to remove and prevent barriers for all people in this country. I end by thanking Barbara Collier, who has been a tireless advocate for a communications amendment passed in the House of Commons. With these final words, I would ask my honourable colleagues to join me in voting in favour of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. Thank you, all. The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion? Hon. Senators: Agreed. (Motion agreed to and bill, as amended, read third time and passed.) More Specifics on the Amendments to Bill C-81 (the Proposed Accessible Canada Act) that the Senate’s Standing Committee Passed and that We Want the House of Commons to Ratify Posted on May 9, 2019 by admin in aodaalliance Still No Commitment by the Federal Government to Ratify All the Senate’s Amendments Here’s the latest news regarding Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act. It has reached the final stage in its debates in Canada’s Senate, Third Reading debates. That is expected to wind up by May 16, which happens to Be Global Accessibility Awareness Day. the Federal Government has still not committed to pass all the amendments that the Senate’s Standing Committee made to the bill at the disability community’s request to improve it. 1. We now have the exact wording of the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate’s Standing Committee passed on May 2, 2019. Below we set out the formal report of that Standing Committee to the Senate. That report lists the specific amendments. These amendments improve the bill. However, they do not include all the improvements that disability organizations and advocates sought, including the AODA Alliance. The amendments include: * Setting 2040 as the end date for Canada to become accessible; * Ensuring that this 2040 timeline does not justify any delay in removing and preventing accessibility barriers as soon as reasonably possible; * Recognizing American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous Sign Languages as the primary languages for communication used by Deaf people; * Making it a principle to govern the bill that multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities must be considered; * Ensuring that Bill C-81 and regulations made under it cannot cut back on the human rights of people with disabilities guaranteed by the Canadian Human Rights Act; * Ensuring that the Canadian Transportation Agency cannot reduce existing human rights protections for passengers with disabilities when the Agency handles complaints about barriers in transportation; and * Fixing problems the Federal Government identified between the bill’s employment provisions and legislation governing the RCMP. 2. The ARCH Disability Law Centre has posted online a helpful explanation of these amendments. We set it out below. 3. When a Senate Standing Committee reports back to the whole Senate on a bill it has studied, it can include in its report “observations” about the bill. These set out the Committee’s advice to the Federal Government. They are not binding on the Government, but are meant to put real pressure on the Government to address them. The Senate Standing Committee’s report, set out below, included two observations about Bill C-81. The first observation, under the heading “Federal Contracts,” commendably raises a concern that the AODA Alliance has raised for some time. It states: “Your committee heard concerns that despite this legislation, federal funding may continue to be spent on projects that do not always meet accessibility standards. Therefore, we encourage the federal government to ensure that when public money is spent or transferred, the funding should never be used to create or perpetuate disability-related barriers when it is reasonable to expect that such barriers can be avoided.” The Committee’s second observation “strongly encourages the government to create standardized, effective training that will ensure that all persons in Canada can expect the same level of access to all government services.” 4. The Federal Government has still not publicly said whether it will pass all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. On May 6, 2019, we wrote federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough to ask her Government to commit to do so. She has not yet responded to us. Of special importance are the Senate’s amendments that set 2040 as the end timeline for Canada to become fully accessible to people with disabilities. The minister has in the past spoken in opposition to amendments that would make this change to the bill. Of interest, the minister yesterday was asked about this in the House of Commons. On May 8, 2019, she appeared before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Human Resources (the HUMA Committee). Conservative MP (and Committee vice-chair) John Barlow asked Minister Qualtrough whether she would support passage of all the amendments that the Senate made to Bill C-81. We express our thanks to MP Barlow for raising this with the minister. In this request, MP Barlow specifically mentioned the amendments setting 2040 as the time line for reaching accessibility. In her response, the Minister said: “I certainly was open, as I told senators, to amendments within their process, but I’m very mindful that of course that is their process to run. I’m looking at their suggestions, looking at what the government thinks would be the best for this law and I’m open to many of their amendments, yes.” It is not news that the Minister is open to “many” of the Senate’s amendments. Of the 11 amendments passed, a majority of them were proposed in the Senate by the Government’s own sponsor of the bill, Senator Jim Munson, or had been the subject of prior Government signals of support for them. The only real open question is over setting the 2040 timeline. Four of the amendments speak to this. The Minister did not say that she is open to all of the Senate’s amendments. That is why we need as many of you as possible to now email or tweet the Federal Government to press for the Government to support all the Senate’s amendments to the bill. To get action tips on how you can help press the Federal Government to agree to pass ALL the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate passed, and to read our May 6, 2019 letter to federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough (explaining why we need all these amendments passed), visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ To find your MP’s email address or Twitter handle, visit https://www.ourcommons.ca/en and search for their contact information. Text of the Report to the Senate of Canada on Bill C-81 by the Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Originally posted at https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/report/74724/42-1 The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has the honour to present its THIRTY-FOURTH REPORT Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, has, in obedience to the order of reference of March 21, 2019, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments: 1.Preamble, page 1: Replace line 15 with the following: bility without delay complements the rights of persons with disabil-. 2.Clause 5, page 3: Replace line 13 with the following: ers, on or before January 1, 2040, particularly by the identification and removal of bar-. 3.Clause 5.1, page 4: Replace lines 1 to 5 with the following: 5.1 (1) The area of communication referred to in paragraph 5(c.1) (a) includes the use of American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages; and (b) does not include broadcasting as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Broadcasting Act or telecommunications as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Telecommunications Act. (2) American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages are recognized as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Canada.. 4.New clause 5.2, page 4: Add the following after line 5: 5.2 Nothing in this Act, including its purpose of the realization of a Canada without barriers, should be construed as requiring or authorizing any delay in the removal of barriers or the implementation of measures to prevent new barriers as soon as is reasonably possible.. 5.Clause 6, page 4: (a)Replace lines 12 to 14 with the following: wish to have regardless of their disabilities;; and (b)replace lines 22 to 26 with the following: must take into account the disabilities of persons, the different ways that persons interact with their environments and the multiple and intersecting forms of marginalization and discrimination faced by persons; (f) persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services and structures; and (g) the development and revision of accessibility stan-. 6.Clause 11, page 6: Replace line 6 with the following: Canada without barriers on or before January 1, 2040.. 7.Clause 18, page 7: Replace line 14 with the following: tribute to the realization of a Canada without barriers, on or before January 1, 2040,. 8.Clause 94, page 54: (a) Replace lines 9 to 17 with the following: (4) An individual is not entitled to file a complaint in re-; and (b)replace line 22 with the following: (5) The Accessibility Commissioner must cause a written. 9.New clause 121.1, page 67: Add the following after line 21 : 121.1 For greater certainty, nothing in any provision of this Act or the regulations limits a regulated entitys duty to accommodate under any other Act of Parliament.. 10.Clause 143, page 77: Replace line 10 with the following: subsection 94(5), 96(1), 100(2), 101(2) or 103(3), the Ac-. 11.Clause 172, pages 88 to 91: (a)On page 88, replace line 37 with the following: 172 Section 172 of the Act is replaced by; (b)on page 89, (i)replace lines 3 to 12 with the following: (2) On determining that there is an undue barrier to the, and (ii)replace lines 34 and 35 with the following: (3) If the Agency is satisfied that regulations made under subsection 170(1) that are applicable in relation to a matter have been complied with or have not been contravened, the Agency may determine that there is an undue barrier in relation to that matter but if it does so, it may only require the taking of appropriate corrective measures.; (c) on page 90, replace line 25 with the following: 172.2 (1) For the purpose of paragraphs 172(2)(d) and; (d)on page 91, replace line 5 with the following: graphs 172(2)(b) and (c) and 172.1(2)(b) and (c) may in-; and (e)renumber the remaining clauses and amend all references to them accordingly. Your committee has also made certain observations, which are appended to this report. Respectfully submitted, JUDITH G. SEIDMAN Deputy Chair to the thirty-fourth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Bill C-81) Federal Contracts: Your committee heard concerns that despite this legislation, federal funding may continue to be spent on projects that do not always meet accessibility standards. Therefore, we encourage the federal government to ensure that when public money is spent or transferred, the funding should never be used to create or perpetuate disability-related barriers when it is reasonable to expect that such barriers can be avoided. Training: Your committee is concerned that while the goal of this legislation is to prevent, identify and remove disability-related barriers, this legislation does not sufficiently emphasize how important the education and training of front-line personnel is in accomplishing that end. Your committee strongly encourages the government to create standardized, effective training that will ensure that all persons in Canada can expect the same level of access to all government services. ARCH Disability Law Centre Analysis of the Senate Standing Committee’s Amendments to Bill C-81 Originally posted at https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/update-se Update: Senate Committee Adopts Amendments which Strengthen Bill C-81- Accessible Canada Act Introduction Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, continues its journey through the legislative process. If it becomes law, this Act may lead to new requirements for advancing accessibility in federal employment, transportation, services, information and communications, and other areas. On May 2, 2019 the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) made a number of amendments to Bill C-81. Many of these amendments were adopted in response to the written and oral submissions that the Senate received from disability groups and members of disability communities across Canada. ARCH supported disability communities in their advocacy, and made our own oral and written submissions to the Senate. A common theme among these submissions was the need for the Senate to make changes to strengthen Bill C-81 and ensure that it achieves its purpose of a barrier-free Canada. What Amendments Did the Senate Committee Adopt? Including Timelines: SOCI adopted amendments which add a timeline of 2040 for realizing a barrier-free Canada. Amendments also clarify that this timeline does not authorize any delay in removing or preventing barriers to accessibility, and that action to advance accessibility should be taken as soon as reasonably possible. Including timelines is an important accountability mechanism, which many disability organizations advocated for, including the AODA Alliance, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and ARCH. Taking Intersectionality Into Account: SOCI adopted an amendment which incorporates intersectionality into the principles of Bill C-81. Laws, policies, programs, services and structures must take into account disability and the multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities. This change means that organizations will have to take into account intersectionality when developing their accessibility plans. Throughout the legislative process, ARCH and other disability organizations have consistently advocated for incorporating barriers related to intersectionality into Bill C-81. Persons with disabilities and disability communities have been firm that laws, policies and programs about disability and accessibility must address the lived experiences of whole persons, not just their disabilities. Protecting Existing Human Rights of People with Disabilities: SOCI adopted an amendment which clarifies that nothing in Bill C-81 or its regulations limits the legal obligations that organizations already have to accommodate persons with disabilities under the Canadian Human Rights Act and any other federal laws. ARCH and other disability advocacy groups highlighted to SOCI the importance of this amendment. Protecting Existing Human Rights of Passengers with Disabilities at the Canadian Transportation Agency: Under Bill C-81, we expect that most complaints by passengers with disabilities about barriers in air travel, train travel, and every other kind of transportation that the Federal Government regulates, will go to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). The Bill gives the CTA power to make regulations to set enforceable standards on what barriers these transportation providers must remove and prevent. However, subsection 172(2), a provision that is currently in the Canada Transportation Act, effectively means that once the CTA make these regulations and transportation providers, like airlines, comply with these regulations, they do not need to do anything more. This is problematic because the regulations that the CTA sets may not meet the duty to accommodate protections that people with disabilities have under human rights law. Under subsection 172(2), if a passenger with a disability complained to the CTA that an airline or other transportation provider should have accommodated their disability, their case would fail if the airline complied with the CTA regulations. A more detailed analysis of this issue is in ARCHs Final Report: Legal Analysis of Bill C-81, available by going to: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/initiatives/advocating-for-accessibility-in-canada/arch-reports-and-recommendations/ ARCH and the AODA Alliance highlighted to SOCI the importance of repealing the problematic section 172(2) of the Canada Transportation Act. SOCI did not repeal subsection 172(2), but adopted an amendment which changes it. The amendment allows the CTA to find that there is a barrier to accessibility, even if the transportation provider has complied with all the CTA regulations. For passengers with disabilities, this means they could file a complaint with the CTA that they faced an undue barrier in the federal transportation system, and insist that the transportation provider do more than what the CTA regulation requires. The passenger with a disability could win their case, even if the transportation provider has complied with all the CTA regulations. However, the CTA could only order the transportation provider to take corrective measures. The CTA could not order the transportation provider to pay the person damages or money compensation. This is different than for other complaints to the CTA about inaccessibility of the federal transportation system. Generally for these other complaints, the CTA can order the transportation provider to take corrective measures and to pay damages to the person who complained. Recognizing Sign Languages: Communication is one of the areas in Bill C-81 for which new accessibility standards may be created. SOCI adopted an amendment that explains that communication includes the use of American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous Sign Languages. Another amendment recognizes that sign languages are the primary languages for communication by Deaf persons in Canada. Legal recognition of sign languages is an issue that Deaf communities in Canada have long advocated for. ARCH and other disability advocacy groups supported the Canadian Association of the Deaf in calling for Bill C-81 to recognize sign languages as an important acknowledgement that sign languages are not just disability accommodations, but are important for cultural and linguistic reasons. These are some of the amendments that the Senate Committee adopted. While the amendments made address many of the issues raised by ARCH and other disability groups, they do not deal with all of our concerns and recommendations. A number of weaknesses remain in Bill C-81. One such weakness is the use of permissive language may rather than directive language shall or must. This language gives government and other bodies power to make and enforce accessibility requirements, but does not actually require them to use these powers. For example, the Bill allows the Government of Canada to make new accessibility regulations but does not require them to do so. Therefore, there is no assurance that such regulations, a cornerstone for advancing accessibility, will ever be made. In addition to the amendments, the Senate Committee reported 2 observations to Bill C-81. The first addresses the concern expressed by many in the disability community that federal funding may continue to be spent on projects that perpetuate barriers. The observation encourages the federal government to ensure that any federal public money should not be used to create or perpetuate disability related barriers when it is reasonable to expect that such barriers can be avoided. The second observation emphasizes the importance of training in achieving a barrier-free Canada. It encourages the government to create standardized, effective training to ensure that all persons in Canada can expect the same level of access to all government services. What Happens Next? In the coming weeks, the amended Bill C-81 will come before the Senate for Third Reading. At that time, Senators will vote on whether to pass the Bill with the amendments adopted by SOCI. If the Bill passes Third Reading, it will return back to the House of Commons for approval. If it gets approval from the House, the Bill will then enter the final stages of the process to become a law. ARCH is pleased that in response to submissions by disability communities across Canada, the Senate made a number of important amendments to strengthen Bill C-81. Now, the Senate and the House of Commons must both act quickly to allow enough time for the Bill to finish it journey through the legislative process, before the Fall federal election is called. If you support Bill C-81 becoming law with the changes that the Senate Committee has made, write to or tweet Minister Carla Qualtrough and Members of Parliament. Let them know they should pass Bill C-81 with all the amendments. For practical tips and information on how to do this, go to the AODA Alliances website: www.bit.ly/2vKXmV2 Recorded video of the Senate Committees study of Bill C-81, with sign language interpretation, and the written submissions made by disability groups to the Senate can be found by going to: https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/soci/studiesandbills/42-1 and clicking on Bill C-81. To read ARCHs analysis of Bill C-81, and submissions ARCH made to the House of Commons and Senate, go to: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/initiatives/advocating-for-accessibility-in-canada/ ARCH Disability Law Centre 55 University Avenue, 15th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5J 2H7 Phone: 416-482-8255 1-866-482-2724 TTY: 416-482-1254 1-866-482-2728 www.archdisabilitylaw.ca @ARCHDisabilityLawCentre @ARCHDisability Excerpt from the Hansard of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources on May 8, 2019 Mr. John Barlow: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. My first question is to Minister Qualtrough. You were talking about the importance of barrier-free and we certainly heard from almost every single stakeholder as part of the discussion at committee on Bill C-81 on the concerns raised that the bill does not go far enough, that it does not have the metrics to ensure success or teeth to ensure that federally legislated businesses adhere to it. Now there were dozens of amendments that we brought forward that every opposition party agreed with. None of them were supported by the government. However, many of those amendments have come forward and been accepted at the Senate. I’m just curious and I would like to know if you’re going to be supporting those amendments that have come forward from the Senate specifically adding a timeline of 2040 for Canada to be barrier-free? Are you going to support those amendments? Hon. Carla Qualtrough: Thank you for the question. I certainly was open, as I told senators, to amendments within their process, but I’m very mindful that of course that is their process to run. I’m looking at their suggestions, looking at what the government thinks would be the best for this law and I’m open to many of their amendments, yes. Mr. John Barlow: Thank you very much, Minister. I appreciate that. More Specifics on the Amendments to Bill C-81 (the Proposed Accessible Canada Act) that the Senate’s Standing Committee Passed and that We Want the House of Commons to Ratify – Still No Commitment by the Federal Government to Ratify All the Senate’s Amendments Posted on May 9, 2019 by admin in Canada, New 2019, Official Reports on Accessibility, Public Money, Transportation, What's New in Our Campaign We now have the exact wording of the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate’s Standing Committee passed on May 2, 2019. Below we set out the formal report of that Standing Committee to the Senate. That report lists the specific amendments. The ARCH Disability Law Centre has posted online a helpful explanation of these amendments. We set it out below. When a Senate Standing Committee reports back to the whole Senate on a bill it has studied, it can include in its report “observations” about the bill. These set out the Committee’s advice to the Federal Government. They are not binding on the Government, but are meant to put real pressure on the Government to address them. The Federal Government has still not publicly said whether it will pass all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. On May 6, 2019, we wrote federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough to ask her Government to commit to do so. She has not yet responded to us. To get action tips on how you can help press the Federal Government to agree to pass ALL the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate passed, and to read our May 6, 2019 letter to federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough (explaining why we need all these amendments passed), visit https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/help-our-new-blitz-to-get-the-house-of-commons-to-swiftly-ratify-all-the-amendments-to-bill-c-81the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-that-the-senate-standing-committee-has-passed/ Text of the Report to the Senate of Canada on Bill C-81 by the Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Originally posted at https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/report/74724/42-1 The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has the honour to present its THIRTY-FOURTH REPORT Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, has, in obedience to the order of reference of March 21, 2019, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments: Preamble, page 1: Replace line 15 with the following: “bility without delay complements the rights of persons with disabil-”. Clause 5, page 3: Replace line 13 with the following: “ers, on or before January 1, 2040, particularly by the identification and removal of bar-”. Clause 5.1, page 4: Replace lines 1 to 5 with the following: “5.1 (1) The area of communication referred to in paragraph 5(c.1) (2) American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages are recognized as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Canada.”. New clause 5.2, page 4: Add the following after line 5: “5.2 Nothing in this Act, including its purpose of the realization of a Canada without barriers, should be construed as requiring or authorizing any delay in the removal of barriers or the implementation of measures to prevent new barriers as soon as is reasonably possible.”. Clause 6, page 4: (a) Replace lines 12 to 14 with the following: (b) replace lines 22 to 26 with the following: (f) persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services and structures; and (g) the development and revision of accessibility stan-”. Clause 11, page 6: Replace line 6 with the following: Clause 18, page 7: Replace line 14 with the following: “tribute to the realization of a Canada without barriers, on or before January 1, 2040,”. Clause 94, page 54: “(4) An individual is not entitled to file a complaint in re-”; and (b) replace line 22 with the following: New clause 121.1, page 67: Add the following after line 21 : “121.1 For greater certainty, nothing in any provision of this Act or the regulations limits a regulated entity’s duty to accommodate under any other Act of Parliament.”. Clause 143, page 77: Replace line 10 with the following: “subsection 94(5), 96(1), 100(2), 101(2) or 103(3), the Ac-”. Clause 172, pages 88 to 91: (a) On page 88, replace line 37 with the following: (b) on page 89, (i) replace lines 3 to 12 with the following: “(2) On determining that there is an undue barrier to the”, and (ii) replace lines 34 and 35 with the following: “(3) If the Agency is satisfied that regulations made under subsection 170(1) that are applicable in relation to a matter have been complied with or have not been contravened, the Agency may determine that there is an undue barrier in relation to that matter but if it does so, it may only require the taking of appropriate corrective measures.”; (c) on page 90, replace line 25 with the following: (d) on page 91, replace line 5 with the following: “graphs 172(2)(b) and (c) and 172.1(2)(b) and (c) may in-”; and (e) renumber the remaining clauses and amend all references to them accordingly. Your committee has also made certain observations, which are appended to this report. to the thirty-fourth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Bill C-81) Federal Contracts: Update: Senate Committee Adopts Amendments which Strengthen Bill C-81- Accessible Canada Act On May 2, 2019 the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) made a number of amendments to Bill C-81. Many of these amendments were adopted in response to the written and oral submissions that the Senate received from disability groups and members of disability communities across Canada. ARCH supported disability communities in their advocacy, and made our own oral and written submissions to the Senate. A common theme among these submissions was the need for the Senate to make changes to strengthen Bill C-81 and ensure that it achieves its purpose of a barrier-free Canada. What Amendments Did the Senate Committee Adopt? In addition to the amendments, the Senate Committee reported 2 observations to Bill C-81. The first addresses the concern expressed by many in the disability community that federal funding may continue to be spent on projects that perpetuate barriers. The observation encourages the federal government to ensure that any federal public money should not be used to create or perpetuate disability related barriers when it is reasonable to expect that such barriers can be avoided. The second observation emphasizes the importance of training in achieving a barrier-free Canada. It encourages the government to create standardized, effective training to ensure that all persons in Canada can expect the same level of access to all government services. To read ARCH’s analysis of Bill C-81, and submissions ARCH made to the House of Commons and Senate, go to: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/initiatives/advocating-for-accessibility-in-canada/ 55 University Avenue, 15th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5J 2H7 Excerpt from the Hansard of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources on May 8, 2019 Mr. John Barlow: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Hon. Carla Qualtrough: Thank you for the question. I certainly was open, as I told senators, to amendments within their process, but I’m very mindful that of course that is their process to run. I’m looking at their suggestions, looking at what the government thinks would be the best for this law and I’m open to many of their amendments, yes. Mr. John Barlow: Thank you very much, Minister. I appreciate that. Help Our New Blitz to Get the House of Commons to Swiftly Ratify All the Amendments to Bill C-81(the Proposed Accessible Canada Act) that the Senate Standing Committee Has Passed The AODA Alliance has just launched a new blitz to get Canada’s House of Commons to swiftly ratify all the amendments to Bill C-81 (the proposed Accessible Canada Act) that the Senate’s Standing Committee passed on May 2, 2019. Please email, tweet, phone or send a note by carrier-pigeon to your Member of Parliament. Ask them to commit to vote to pass all the amendments to Bill C-81 that the Senate’s Standing Committee approved. To find out how to contact your MP, visit https://www.ourcommons.ca/en. We’ll soon provide you with more details on the amendments that the Senate’s Standing Committee passed. What’s Happening and How You can Help The Senate is expected to hold its final or “Third Reading” vote on Bill C-81 on or before May 16, 2019. It is widely expected that the Senate will pass Bill C-81 as amended by the Senate Standing Committee. We’re now focusing on what comes next after that. Once the Senate as a whole passes the amended Bill C-81, the bill comes back to the House of Commons. The House of Commons then gets to vote on the Senate’s amendments. If the House of Commons passes all the Senate’s amendments, then Bill C-81 becomes a law, complete with these amendments. If the House of Commons does not pass some or all of the Senate’s amendments, Bill C-81 does not become a law. It is sent once again back to the Senate, for a vote on the bill without any of those Senate amendments. What does all this mean for you? After the Senate passes Bill C-81 with the Senate Committee’s package of amendments, we want the House of Commons to hold a swift vote on those amendments, and to pass all the Senate’s amendments. This would improve the bill, (though not as much as we had wanted). As noted above, it would also make Bill C-81 become a law. For that reason, we’ve now unleashed a campaign to get all MPs in the House of Commons to commit to a swift vote on Bill C-81, and to also commit that during that vote, they will vote to pass all the Senate’s amendments. We’ve done four things to get this blitz started. 1. We’ve already started a campaign on Twitter to tweet to as many MPs as possible. We’re asking them to commit to vote for all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. We invite you to retweet these tweets, or send your own. Include the hashtag #AccessibleCanada in your tweets. You may want to use this wording in your tweet, in which you should also include the MPs Twitter handle: The Senate amended Bill C-81 (proposed #AccessibleCanada Act) to improve it. Please commit to vote in the House of Commons to swiftly pass all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81 https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/senates-standing-committee-passes-amendments-to-strengthen-the-weak-bill-c-81-the-proposed-accessible-canada-act-now-its-time-for-the-full-senate-and-house-of-commons-to-pass-all-those-amendmen/ #accessibility #CRPD #AODA #canpoli #a11y For example, if you want to tweet to Minister Qualtrough, you start the tweet with her Twitter handle: @CQualtro. To find your MP’s Twitter handle, visit https://www.ourcommons.ca/en and search for their contact information. 2. We’ve given a media interview to the Canadian Press on the importance of the Senate’s amendments. CP’s Michelle McQuigge quoted the AODA Alliance in a great article, which has been run in City News Vancouver, and elsewhere in the media. We set that article out below. Please circulate it to others. 3. On May 6, 2019, we wrote federal Disabilities Minister a short letter, set out below. It asks her to commit to a swift vote in the House of Commons on the Senate Standing Committee’s amendments to Bill C-81, and to vote to pass all those amendments. It also explains why the Federal Government should agree to these requests. We invite you to circulate that letter widely, and share it with your MP. 4. On May 3, 2019, we sent the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs a short submission, set out below. It recommends that the Senate Standing Committee attach three observations to the bill in its report to the Senate. A Standing Committees observations about improvements needed in connection with the bill are not the same as actual amendments to the bill. They are suggestions that are not binding on the Federal Government. However they can trigger further Senate oversight of the Governments implementation and enforcement of the bill. Text of the AODA Alliance’s May 6, 2019 Letter to Federal Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ALLIANCE 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4G 3E8 Email [email protected] Twitter: @aodaalliance www.aodaalliance.org United for a Barrier-Free Society for All People with Disabilities To: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, P.C., M.P. Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility Place du Portage, Phase III, Room 18A1 11 Laurier Street Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0S5 Via email: [email protected] Dear Minister, Re: Seeking the House of Commons’ Swift Ratification of the Senate Standing Committee’s Amendments to Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act We write to ask you to commit to vote to pass all the amendments to Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act, that the Senate’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs passed on May 2, 2019. We ask the Federal Government to commit to pass all these amendments as soon as possible after the Senate passes Bill C-81 on Third Reading, expected to be on or before May 16, 2019. We have every reason to expect that the Senate will pass Bill C-81 as amended, and no reason to doubt this. There are compelling reasons for you and your Government to pass all these amendments, and to commit now to do so. There are no good reasons for you not to do so. The Senate only passed a short, limited package of amendments. A good number of them were presented and requested by the Federal Government’s official sponsor of the bill, Senator Jim Munson. He clearly presented them on the Government’s behalf. The other amendments were all presented by Senators at the request of disability organizations and advocates who requested them both at the Senate’s public hearings, and last fall, during public hearings before the House of Commons’ HUMA Committee. There is substantial disability community support for these amendments, as needed to improve the bill. To that end, it was very helpful that during your April 3, 2019 appearance at the Senate’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs, you committed that you were open to the Senate making amendments to the bill, and that you wanted the bill to be “the best it possibly can be”. You also committed: “I would certainly defer to your process and recommendations”. The Senate’s amendments are all completely in tune with the bill’s overall structure and design, and your goals for the legislation. The Senate’s Standing Committee arrived at these amendments after careful non-partisan study and, in the classical Canadian sense, sober second thought. This is a very modest amendments package. These amendments are far, far fewer and less than many of us sought at the House of Commons during its public hearings last fall. They are much less than the much narrower requests that we placed before the Senate during its hearings. Within the short amendments package that the Senate Standing Committee passed, the only small group of three amendments that the Senate passed and that reflected a different approach than yours were those that specified the end date for achieving a barrier-free Canada as 2040. Both in the House of Commons and the Senate, you had expressed a reluctance to include this in the bill. The Senate’s Standing Committee was keenly aware of and alert to your perspective. It took your perspective very seriously. The Senate Standing Committee also carefully weighed the strong message from so many in the disability community, to the effect that that the lack of such time lines in the bill was a significant shortcoming that hampered the bill’s effectiveness. The Senate Standing Committee was especially alert to your primary concern that if such an end date were included in the bill, this might lead some to delay efforts on accessibility. For our part, we too were alive to your expressed concerns. As you know, for that reason and to address your concern, the Committee passed a specific amendment which we had proposed, that was specifically designed to ensure that setting a time line for accessibility in the bill could not be used to delay progress on accessibility. According to the senate Standing Committee’s new section 5.2: We are in the unique position of having worked at the front lines of Ontario’s advocacy efforts on accessibility for a quarter a century. From our actual hands-on experience, we know that the twenty-year deadline in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has played an important role in helping us make progress on accessibility in Ontario. It has not had the adverse impact that you had feared. The widespread view that this time line is needed was eloquently articulated at the Senate Standing Committee’s public hearing on May 1, 2019 by Ontario’s former Lieutenant Governor david Onley (to whom you have turned for advice on this legislation). His input was based on his consultation with Ontarians with disabilities last fall while conducting the third mandatory Independent Review of the AODA. Mr. Onley and three other deputants before the Senate Standing Committee on its last day of hearings were asked to identify their top priority for a reform to Bill C-81, if only one change could be added. Mr. Onley, supported by the three other deputants at the hearings’ final panel, said that this priority would be to add to the bill the 2040 deadline which the Senate Standing Committee was later to adopt. The Senators saw that this was consistent with other feedback from the disability community that they had heard throughout this process. When you spoke to the Senate Standing Committee on April 3, 2019, you said that a ten year period would not be long enough. The 2040 date which the Senate Standing Committee adopted is 21 years. We hope and trust that the opposition parties in the House of Commons will support this amendment. During clause-by-clause debates in the House of Commons’ HUMA Committee, the opposition parties supported the inclusion of an end date. Both the Conservatives and NDP proposed a ten year period. We will be urging them to approve the 2040 deadline, and know that if they thought ten years was enough, they should surely accept 2040 as not being too short. Minister, it is so commendable that you have many times said that at the core of your Government’s approach to this bill has been to honour the disability community’s message: “Nothing about us without us!” Senator Chantal Petitclerc, Chair of the Standing Committee, concluded the committees debates by noting that her Committee’s amendments are the very embodiment of that principle. This is because those amendments are the direct result of the strong feedback that the Standing Committee received from disability organizations and advocates. We therefore ask you and the Federal Government to honour the principle “Nothing about us without us,” by agreeing now to pass all the amendments that the Senate Standing Committee passed to Bill C-81. We have made it clear to all political parties in the House of Commons that we want to ensure that a swift vote is held on the Senate Standing Committee’s amendments to Bill C-81. We are calling on all the political parties to reach an agreement among themselves to schedule that swift vote. We don’t want the scheduling of that vote to be impeded by any other issues that may be occupying Parliament’s attention. Minister, for the Federal Government to oppose any of these amendments, and particularly the 2040 time line, would be to weaken this bill. We urge you and the Federal Government not to vote to weaken this bill. The Senate, like the House of Commons, heard about the importance of adding such time lines to this bill. We urge the Federal Government not to vote against such time lines. As always, we welcome the opportunity to work with you and all parties in Parliament to achieve these important goals. David Lepofsky CM, O. Ont Chair Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance CC: The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau [email protected] CITY News Vancouver May 3, 2019 Originally posted at https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/05/02/senate-committee-votes-to-strengthen-federal-accessibility-law/ Senate committee votes to strengthen federal accessibility law BY MICHELLE MCQUIGGE, THE CANADIAN PRESS A Senate committee proposed changes to Canadas first federal accessibility law Thursday that members of the disability community said addressed some of the most pressing concerns about the legislation, though some worried the bill may still be too weak to be effective. Nearly a hundred disability organizations and advocacy groups had been calling on the committee to introduce major changes to Bill C-81, also known as the Accessible Canada Act, arguing it lacked teeth. Following a detailed hearing, the Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology voted to propose the government include a timeline in the bill that would require it to be fully implemented by 2040 rather than leaving the date open-ended. We are dealing with a bill that is very important for Canada and is going to make our country a better country, said Sen. Donna Dasko. The issue of a timeline has come up many times this is an important thing, this gives accountability to the bill, this gives a goal to the actions being undertaken. The committee also voted to recognize various forms of sign language as an official language of deaf Canadians and see it included among government services. That amendment also included Indigenous sign languages among those that should be acknowledged. The committees proposed amendments will now go to the full Senate for a vote. David Lepofsky, a long-time disability rights advocate, said the full impact of the committees proposed amendments wont be known until theyve been formally incorporated into the act. He noted that the House of Commons could vote to reject any steps the Senate may suggest to strengthen the law. But he said the committees moves signal hope the existing bill, which he had previously described as inadequate, could be improved. We do know that the amendments do, to some extent, strengthen this bill, Lepofsky said. Any improvement is welcomed. Lepofsky said adopting a timeline would mark a significant step forward, adding that doing so would bring the federal government in line with the three Canadian provinces that have put accessibility legislation on their books. Senators on the committee said during Thursdays meeting that the absence of a timeline was the unifying issue that emerged from hours of testimony from disability rights groups. It was also one of the core issues activists raised in an open letter to the committee last year that detailed concerns about the power and scope of the proposed law. The October 2018 letter also said the bill should enshrine American and Quebec sign language as the official language of the deaf community. While the committee tackled those concerns, it did not address others raised in the letter signed by 95 organizations including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, National Network for Mental Health and March of Dimes Canada, The letter had criticized the bill for granting the government broad powers to exempt people from the new rules, spreading enforcement over numerous agencies, and opting not to withhold federal funding from organizations that dont comply with accessibility measures. Advocates also raised concerns about the way the bill was written. The bill repeatedly uses may rather than shall or must when describing initiatives, meaning the government is empowered to take actions but never required to follow through on them, they argued. An amendment brought before the committee addressed that concern but was defeated. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities, who helped spearhead the letter, focused on what it viewed as positive developments from the committee vote. These proposed reforms did not get much traction at the time (the bill was passed through the House of Commons), So today, we are very pleased to learn that the Senates Social Affairs Committee has been more responsive to our calls for reform, it said in a statement. But Gabrielle Peters, a Vancouver-based wheelchair user, expressed disappointment at the committees unwillingness to change the bills language from may to must. Not addressing the issue of federal funding, she added, risks allowing governments and those supported by them to continue treating disability rights and accessibility as a perk rather than a basic human right. They keep using the word historic,’ Peters said of the government. Historic means you create legislation that will fundamentally shift the direction we continue to be on (The Accessible Canada Act) is not a historic document. The office of Accessibility Minister Carla Qualtrough did not respond to request for comment. Michelle McQuigge, The Canadian Press May 3 AODA Alliance Submission Asking the Senate’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs to Attach Three Key “Observations” to Bill C-81 Proposed Observations for the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs to Attach to Bill C-81 We respectfully propose that the following observations be attached to Bill C-81: 1. Because the bill’s centerpiece is the enactment and enforcement of accessibility standards as enforceable regulations but the bill does not require any of those regulations to ever be enacted, and because the bill gives the Federal Government a range of powers that it may use but does for the most part not provide that the Government must use those powers, the Committee recommends that (a) the Federal Government should report back to the Senate in one year on its action to date, its plans and time lines for enacting accessibility standards regulations and for deploying its other discretionary powers under the bill, and (b) within five years after the bill comes into effect, at least one regulation should be enacted that sets enforceable accessibility standards in each of the areas in section 5, namely employment, the built environment, information and communication technologies, communication, procurement of goods, services and facilities, the design and delivery of programs and services, transportation and any other areas that are designated by regulations under the bill. 2. Because of concerns expressed by the disability community about the bill splintering its implementation and enforcement, the Committee recommends that: (a) the Federal Government should report to the Senate in one year on the effectiveness and impact of splintering the bill’s implementation and enforcement among four federal agencies, for further study by the Senate, and (b) within six months, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, and the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board should establish policies, practices and procedures for expeditiously receiving, investigating, considering and deciding upon complaints under this Act which are the same as or as reasonably close as possible to, those set out for the Accessibility Commissioner in sections 94 to 110 of the bill. 3. Since the Federal Government spends billions of dollars of the public’s money on procurement of goods, services and facilities, on new infrastructure projects, and on business development loans and grants, the Federal Government should establish, implement, monitor and publicly report on policies to effectively ensure that public money is never used to create or perpetuate disability barriers and should report to the Senate within one year on its actions in this regard and the results achieved. Posted on May 6, 2019 by admin in Briefs, Canada, Letters to and from the Federal Government, New 2019, Public Money, What's New in Our Campaign We’ve already started a campaign on Twitter to tweet to as many MPs as possible. We’re asking them to commit to vote for all the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-81. We invite you to retweet these tweets, or send your own. Include the hashtag #AccessibleCanada in your tweets. You may want to use this wording in your tweet, in which you should also include the MPs Twitter handle: We’ve given a media interview to the Canadian Press on the importance of the Senate’s amendments. CP’s Michelle McQuigge quoted the AODA Alliance in a great article, which has been run in City News Vancouver, and elsewhere in the media. We set that article out below. Please circulate it to others. On May 6, 2019, we wrote federal Disabilities Minister a short letter, set out below. It asks her to commit to a swift vote in the House of Commons on the Senate Standing Committee’s amendments to Bill C-81, and to vote to pass all those amendments. It also explains why the Federal Government should agree to these requests. We invite you to circulate that letter widely, and share it with your MP. On May 3, 2019, we sent the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs a short submission, set out below. It recommends that the Senate Standing Committee attach three “observations” to the bill in its report to the Senate. A Standing Committee’s “observations about improvements needed in connection with the bill are not the same as actual amendments to the bill. They are suggestions that are not binding on the Federal Government. However they can trigger further Senate oversight of the Government’s implementation and enforcement of the bill. Email [email protected] Twitter: @aodaalliance www.aodaalliance.org Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility Place du Portage, Phase III, Room 18A1 Originally posted at https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/05/02/senate-committee-votes-to-strengthen-federal-accessibility-law/ Senate committee votes to strengthen federal accessibility law “We are dealing with a bill that is very important for Canada and is going to make our country a better country,” said Sen. Donna Dasko. “The issue of a timeline has come up many times … this is an important thing, this gives accountability to the bill, this gives a goal to the actions being undertaken.” “They keep using the word ‘historic,’” Peters said of the government. “Historic means you create legislation that will fundamentally shift the direction we continue to be on … (The Accessible Canada Act) is not … a historic document.” Because the bill’s centerpiece is the enactment and enforcement of accessibility standards as enforceable regulations but the bill does not require any of those regulations to ever be enacted, and because the bill gives the Federal Government a range of powers that it may use but does for the most part not provide that the Government must use those powers, the Committee recommends that Because of concerns expressed by the disability community about the bill splintering its implementation and enforcement, the Committee recommends that: Since the Federal Government spends billions of dollars of the public’s money on procurement of goods, services and facilities, on new infrastructure projects, and on business development loans and grants, the Federal Government should establish, implement, monitor and publicly report on policies to effectively ensure that public money is never used to create or perpetuate disability barriers and should report to the Senate within one year on its actions in this regard and the results achieved. Senate’s Standing Committee Passes Amendments to Strengthen the Weak Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act – Now It’s Time for the Full Senate and House of Commons to Pass All Those Amendments Posted on May 3, 2019 by admin in Canada, New 2019, What's New in Our Campaign Today the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs passed a short list of amendments to Bill C-81, with the aim of strengthening it. The Senate must next vote to pass Bill C-81 on Third Reading, and then send the amended bill back to the House of Commons. The House of Commons then gets to decide if it will approve these amendments. We call on the Senate to quickly pass the amended bill on Third Reading. We then call on the House of Commons to quickly schedule a vote and approve these amendments. We will comment more fully on the amendments after we get their exact wording and can study them. From what we observed during the web-streamed Committee discussion, the amendments are helpful improvements, but do not cover all the concerns with the bill that we raised with the Senate. During a 2.5-hour meeting on the morning of May 2, 2019 that was streamed live on the internet and that the AODA Alliance live-tweeted, the Senate’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs passed a short list of amendments to the weak Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act. The bill now goes back to the full Senate for Third Reading debate and vote. We understand the Senate is set to hold its final vote on the bill on or before May 16, 2019. We don’t yet have the precise wording of the Standing Committee’s amendments to study. We therefore cannot comment fully on them. We have written the Clerk of the Standing Committee to ask for the text of the amendments. We know that the Committee passed only some of the short list of amendments that we requested. From what we could glean from observing the Committee debates, the amendments have improved the bill to some extent by addressing some of the serious concerns that we and many others have raised. Any improvement is welcomed. We know that the Senate passed a helpful series of amendments to the bill that sets a 2040 deadline for Canada to become accessible to five million people with disabilities, and that this deadline does not and cannot justify any delay in working on achieving this goal. This is an important and welcome improvement to the bill. Before these amendments, the bill set no end date or time line for achieving accessibility. Many witnesses before the Senate’s Standing Committee this spring, and before the House of Commons Standing Committee last fall, pointed out that a deadline like this is vital. The specific 2040 deadline was proposed by the AODA Alliance. It was strongly endorsed during the hearings last night by former Ontario Lieutenant Governor David Onley. He invoked his experience conducting the most recent mandatory Independent Review of the implementation and enforcement of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Speaking for the Federal Government, Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough earlier had strongly resisted setting any such deadline in this bill. The Senate’s Standing Committee heard her on this issue, carefully questioned her, explored this issue with many witnesses, and formed its own judgment. The Senate is the place where such issues are supposed to get “sober second thought.” That is exactly what happened here. We also know that the Standing Committee passed an amendment that, at least to some extent, weakened the harmful and unjustified power of the Canadian Transportation Agency to pass regulations that cut back on the human rights of passengers with disabilities. We cannot fully assess that amendment until we get its exact wording. The Standing Committee amended the harmful s. 172 of the bill. We had wanted s. 172 to be completely repealed. We were heartened that Senator Donna Dasko, among others, was set to propose an amendment that would have repealed s. 172. However, before she could, the Government’s sponsor of the bill, Senator Jim Munson, brought forward an amendment that would retain but weaken s. 172. Clearly, the Federal Government had crafted the wording that he presented. Once we can study its wording, we can and will say more about it. When he advanced this amendment, he said he was doing so in response to concerns raised by the AODA Alliance and the ARCH Disability Law Centre. In addition to awaiting the text of all amendments that were passed, we also await the text of the “observations” that the Standing Committee will attach to the bill. A Senate Standing Committee can attach editorial comments or suggestions to a bill outside the text of the bill itself. These can, for example, call on the Federal Government to take certain actions or to report back to the Senate within a specific time line, on a matter that the Committee spells out. It is important for the Senate to very quickly pass this bill as amended and to send it back to the House of Commons. We will now launch a strong campaign to get all parties in the House of Commons to quickly schedule a vote on these amendments and to pass them all. Our focus is especially on the federal Liberals, who had resisted amendments like these last fall. On the eve of a federal election, they won’t want to find themselves in the unpalatable position of voting against the rights of people with disabilities. We also will now focus attention on the opposition parties in the House of Commons. It is good that they supported amendments to strengthen this bill last fall (at the request of the AODA Alliance and numerous other disability organizations), even when the Federal Government was not on side. We want those opposition parties to support the Senate Standing Committee’s amendments now. We also want the opposition parties to agree to an early debate and vote on Bill C-81 once it returns to the House. We know that with an election looming, the parties at times get into scheduling squabbles regarding bills. We don’t want Bill C-81 to get caught up in or impeded by that process. The federal Disabilities Minister often said that this bill was meant to embody the principle: “Nothing about us without us.” Senator Chantal Petitclerc, Chair of the Standing Committee, concluded the committee’s debates by noting that these amendments are the embodiment of that principle, because they are the result of feedback that the Standing Committee received from disability organizations and advocates. We call on the Federal Government to adhere to the principle of “Nothing about us without us,” by agreeing now that it will pass all the amendments that the Senate Standing Committee passed today. Today’s events show that tenacity by people with disabilities and their advocates pays off. Anything that strengthens accessibility legislation helps us along that journey. For us, this is just one important step along our long journey. We’re ready for what lies ahead. We are indebted to the Senators and their staff members who invested so much time in their review of this bill. This was our first experience with the Senate. Our Senators have to plow through bills on many complex topics, along short time lines, without the full policy resources that the Government and the political parties have at their disposal. We thank all the Senators who took time to take our phone calls, answer our emails, review our written submissions, listen to our April 11, 2019 evidence, and support amendments as a result. As always, we welcome your feedback. Email us at: [email protected] You can read the specific amendments we asked the Senate to make to Bill C-81, and the short brief we submitted in support of those amendments, and our most recent (and even shorter) supplemental brief. You can also visit the AODA Alliance website, Canada page to see in one place all our efforts over the past four years to campaign for the enactment of a strong and effective national accessibility law.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line896
__label__wiki	0.83201	0.83201	Not gonna happen, but fun to talk about By Politicker Staff • 12/01/05 3:02pm One interpretation of state election law is that Jon Corzine has the right to call a Special Election to fill his United States Senate seat, but only if he wants to. Corzine would still appoint a Senator to replace him when he becomes Governor on January 17th, and then voters would have the chance to decide who they want in a March primary and May special. That happened in Texas twelve years ago when Lloyd Bensten resigned to become Secretary of the Treasury. The Governor appointed a new Senator, who lost a Special Election six months later. In a state that has had two unelected Governors in four years, there probably won’t be much of an outcry for double elections (two primaries and two generals) next year, especially since the seat will be filled. But a Special Election would allow the Democratic Congressmen who don’t get the appointment to run anyway, without giving up their House seats. The March primary would come before the April filing deadline for the six-year term. Running for the U.S. Senate without risking a congressional seat is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Republicans don’t want a May election: their candidate, State Senator Thomas Kean, Jr., isn’t necessarily ready, and the state GOP isn’t completely comfortable about the current national political environment. Kean has a virtual lock on the Republican nomination, but that could change if there were to be a primary in March. One of the GOP Congressmen, like Frank LoBiondo or Michael Ferguson, could decide to take a shot at a Senate seat, since they could return to the House if they lose. Kean would also have to be concerned about which primary voters might turnout in March; the New Jersey GOP establishment has not exactly mastered GOTV, and conservatives could have the edge in such a contest. The statute: 19:27-6. Congressional vacancy If the vacancy happens in the representation of this State in the United States Senate the election shall take place at the general election next succeeding the happening thereof, unless the vacancy shall happen within 64 days next preceding the primary election prior to the general election, in which case it shall be filled by election at the second succeeding election, unless the Governor shall deem it advisable to call a special election therefor, which he is authorized hereby to do. SEE ALSO: NJ Politics Digest: Should State Save for a Rainy Day or Pay Off Its Looming Debts?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line897
__label__wiki	0.501107	0.501107	Yoda: International Appeal – Stop 5G on Earth and in Space 03 Economy, 03 Environmental Degradation, 07 Health, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Proliferation, 10 Transnational Crime, Commerce, Corruption, Earth Intelligence, Government, Idiocy, IO Impotency, Media, Officers Call International Threat Report & Appeal to Stop 5G Proliferation To the UN, WHO, EU, Council of Europe and governments of all nations, We the undersigned scientists, doctors, environmental organizations and citizens from ( ) countries, urgently call for a halt to the deployment of the 5G (fifth generation) wireless network, including 5G from space satellites. 5G will massively increase exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation on top of the 2G, 3G and 4G networks for telecommunications already in place. RF radiation has been proven harmful for humans and the environment. The deployment of 5G constitutes an experiment on humanity and the environment that is defined as a crime under international law. Full Text & Downloadable PDF Below the Fold Telecommunications companies worldwide, with the support of governments, are poised within the next two years to roll out the fifth-generation wireless network (5G). This is set to deliver what is acknowledged to be unprecedented societal change on a global scale. We will have “smart” homes, “smart” businesses, “smart” highways, “smart” cities and self-driving cars. Virtually everything we own and buy, from refrigerators and washing machines to milk cartons, hairbrushes and infants’ diapers, will contain antennas and microchips and will be connected wirelessly to the Internet. Every person on Earth will have instant access to super-high-speed, low-latency wireless communications from any point on the planet, even in rainforests, mid-ocean and the Antarctic. What is not widely acknowledged is that this will also result in unprecedented environmental change on a global scale. The planned density of radio frequency transmitters is impossible to envisage. In addition to millions of new 5G base stations on Earth and 20,000 new satellites in space, 200 billion transmitting objects, according to estimates, will be part of the Internet of Things by 2020, and one trillion objects a few years later. Commercial 5G at lower frequencies and slower speeds was deployed in Qatar, Finland and Estonia in mid-2018. The rollout of 5G at extremely high (millimetre wave) frequencies is planned to begin at the end of 2018. Despite widespread denial, the evidence that radio frequency (RF) radiation is harmful to life is already overwhelming. The accumulated clinical evidence of sick and injured human beings, experimental evidence of damage to DNA, cells and organ systems in a wide variety of plants and animals, and epidemiological evidence that the major diseases of modern civilization—cancer, heart disease and diabetes—are in large part caused by electromagnetic pollution, forms a literature base of well over 10,000 peer-reviewed studies. If the telecommunications industry’s plans for 5G come to fruition, no person, no animal, no bird, no insect and no plant on Earth will be able to avoid exposure, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to levels of RF radiation that are tens to hundreds of times greater than what exists today, without any possibility of escape anywhere on the planet. These 5G plans threaten to provoke serious, irreversible effects on humans and permanent damage to all of the Earth’s ecosystems. Immediate measures must be taken to protect humanity and the environment, in accordance with ethical imperatives and international agreements. (Note: References are provided as hyperlinks and endnotes.) 5G will result in a massive increase in inescapable, involuntary exposure to wireless radiation Ground-based 5G In order to transmit the enormous amounts of data required for the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G technology, when fully deployed, will use millimetre waves, which are poorly transmitted through solid material. This will require every carrier to install base stations every 100 metres1 in every urban area in the world. Unlike previous generations of wireless technology, in which a single antenna broadcasts over a wide area, 5G base stations and 5G devices will have multiple antennas arranged in “phased arrays”2,3 that work together to emit focused, steerable, laser-like beams that track each other. Each 5G phone will contain dozens of tiny antennas, all working together to track and aim a narrowly focused beam at the nearest cell tower. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted rules4 permitting the effective power of those beams to be as much as 20 watts, ten times more powerful than the levels permitted for current phones. Each 5G base station will contain hundreds or thousands of antennas aiming multiple laser-like beams simultaneously at all cell phones and user devices in its service area. This technology is called “multiple input multiple output” or MIMO. FCC rules permit the effective radiated power of a 5G base station’s beams to be as much as 30,000 watts per 100 MHz of spectrum,2 or equivalently 300,000 watts per GHz of spectrum, tens to hundreds of times more powerful than the levels permitted for current base stations. Space-based 5G At least five companies5 are proposing to provide 5G from space from a combined 20,000 satellites in low- and medium-Earth orbit that will blanket the Earth with powerful, focused, steerable beams. Each satellite will emit millimetre waves with an effective radiated power of up to 5 million watts6 from thousands of antennas arranged in a phased array. Although the energy reaching the ground from satellites will be less than that from ground-based antennas, it will irradiate areas of the Earth not reached by other transmitters and will be additional to ground-based 5G transmissions from billions of IoT objects. Even more importantly, the satellites will be located in the Earth’s magnetosphere, which exerts a significant influence over the electrical properties of the atmosphere. The alteration of the Earth’s electromagnetic environment may be an even greater threat to life than the radiation from ground-based antennas (see below). Harmful effects of radio frequency radiation are already proven Even before 5G was proposed, dozens of petitions and appeals7 by international scientists, including the Freiburger Appeal signed by over 3,000 physicians, called for a halt to the expansion of wireless technology and a moratorium on new base stations.8 In 2015, 215 scientists from 41 countries communicated their alarm to the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO).9 They stated that “numerous recent scientific publications have shown that EMF [electromagnetic fields] affects living organisms at levels well below most international and national guidelines”. More than 10,000 peer-reviewed scientific studies demonstrate harm to human health from RF radiation.10,11 Effects include: • Alteration of heart rhythm12 • Altered gene expression13 • Altered metabolism14 • Altered stem cell development15 • Cancers16 • Cardiovascular disease17 • Cognitive impairment18 • DNA damage19 • Impacts on general well-being20 • Increased free radicals21 • Learning and memory deficits22 • Impaired sperm function and quality23 • Miscarriage24 • Neurological damage25 • Obesity and diabetes26 • Oxidative stress27 Effects in children include autism,28 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)29,30 and asthma.31 Damage goes well beyond the human race, as there is abundant evidence of harm to diverse plant- and wildlife32,33 and laboratory animals, including: • Ants34 • Birds35,36 • Forests37 • Frogs38 • Fruit flies39 • Honey bees40 • Insects41 • Mammals42 • Mice43,44 • Plants45 • Rats46 • Trees47 Negative microbiological effects48 have also been recorded. The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded in 2011 that RF radiation of frequencies 30 kHz – 300 GHz are possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).49 However, recent evidence, including the latest studies on cell phone use and brain cancer risks, indicate that RF radiation is proven carcinogenic to humans50 and should now be classified as a ”Group 1 carcinogen” along with tobacco smoke and asbestos. Most contemporary wireless signals are pulse-modulated. Harm is caused by both the high-frequency carrier wave and the low-frequency pulsations.51 The deployment of 5G satellites must be prohibited The Earth, the ionosphere and the lower atmosphere form the global electric circuit52 in which we live. It is well established that biological rhythms—of humans,53,54 birds,55 hamsters,56 and spiders57,58—are controlled by the Earth’s natural electromagnetic environment and that the well-being of all organisms depends on the stability of this environment, including the electrical properties of the atmosphere.59,60,61,62 Cherry, in a groundbreaking paper,63 explained the importance of the Schumann resonances64 and why ionospheric disturbances can alter blood pressure and melatonin and cause “cancer, reproductive, cardiac and neurological disease and death”. These elements of our electromagnetic environment have already been altered by radiation from power lines. Power line harmonic radiation65 reaches the Earth’s ionosphere and magnetosphere, where it is amplified by wave-particle interactions.66,67 In 1985, Dr. Robert O. Becker warned that power line harmonic radiation had already changed the structure of the magnetosphere, and that the continued expansion of this effect “threatens the viability of all life on Earth”.68 The placement of tens of thousands of satellites directly in both the ionosphere and magnetosphere, emitting modulated signals at millions of watts and millions of frequencies, is likely to alter our electromagnetic environment beyond our ability to adapt.69 Informal monitoring has already provided evidence indicating serious effects on humans and animals from the approximately 100 satellites that have provided 2G and 3G phone service from low orbit since 1998. Such effects cannot be understood only from consideration of the low levels of radiation on the ground. Knowledge from other relevant scientific disciplines must be taken into account, including the fields of atmospheric physics and acupuncture.70,71,72,73 Adding 20,000 5G satellites will further pollute the global electric circuit74,75 and could alter the Schumann resonances,76 with which all life on Earth has evolved. The effects will be universal and may be profoundly damaging. 5G is qualitatively and quantitatively different from 4G The idea that we will tolerate tens to hundreds of times more radiation at millimetre wavelengths is based on faulty modelling of the human body as a shell filled with a homogeneous liquid.77,78 The assumption that millimetre waves do not penetrate beyond the skin completely ignores nerves,79 blood vessels80,81 and other electrically conducting structures that can carry radiation-induced currents deep into the body.82,83,84 Another, potentially more serious error is that phased arrays are not ordinary antennas. When an ordinary electromagnetic field enters the body, it causes charges to move and currents to flow. But when extremely short electromagnetic pulses enter the body, something else happens: the moving charges themselves become little antennas that reradiate the electromagnetic field and send it deeper into the body. These reradiated waves are called Brillouin precursors.85 They become significant when either the power or the phase of the waves changes rapidly enough.86 5G will probably satisfy both criteria. In addition, shallow penetration in itself poses a unique danger to eyes and to the largest organ of the body, the skin, as well as to very small creatures. Peer-reviewed studies have recently been published, predicting thermal skin burns87 in humans from 5G radiation and resonant absorption by insects,88 which absorb up to 100 times as much radiation at millimetre wavelengths as they do at wavelengths presently in use. Since populations of flying insects have declined by 75-80 per cent since 1989 even in protected nature areas,89 5G radiation could have catastrophic effects on insect populations worldwide. A 1986 study by Om Gandhi warned that millimetre waves are strongly absorbed by the cornea of the eye, and that ordinary clothing, being of millimetre-size thickness, increases the absorption of energy by the skin by a resonance-type effect.90 Russell (2018) reviews the known effects of millimetre waves on skin, eyes (including cataracts), heart rate, immune system and DNA.91 Regulators have deliberately excluded the scientific evidence of harm Stakeholders thus far in the development of 5G have been industry and governments, while renowned international EMF scientists who have documented biological effects on humans, animals, insects and plants, and alarming effects on health and the environment in thousands of peer-reviewed studies have been excluded. The reason for the current inadequate safety guidelines is that conflicts of interest of standard-setting bodies “due to their relationships with telecommunications or electric companies undermine the impartiality that should govern the regulation of Public Exposure Standards for non-ionizing radiation”.92 Professor Emeritus Martin L. Pall lays out the conflicts of interest in detail, and the lists of important studies that have been excluded, in his literature review.93 The thermal hypothesis is obsolete – new safety standards are needed Current safety guidelines are based on the obsolete hypothesis that heating is the only harmful effect of EMFs. As Markov and Grigoriev have stated, “Today standards do not consider the real pollution of the environment with nonionizing radiation”.94 Hundreds of scientists, including many signatories to this appeal, have proven that many different kinds of acute and chronic illnesses and injuries are caused without heating (“non-thermal effect”) from radiation levels far below international guidelines.9 Biological effects occur even at near-zero power levels. Effects that have been found at 0.02 picowatts (trillionths of a watt) per square centimetre or less include altered genetic structure in E. coli95 and in rats,96 altered EEG in humans,97 growth stimulation in bean plants,98 and stimulation of ovulation in chickens.99 To protect against non-thermal effects, duration of exposure must be considered. 5G will expose everyone to many more transmissions simultaneously and continuously, day and night without cessation. New safety standards are needed and should be based on cumulative exposure and not only on power levels but also on frequency, bandwidth, modulation, waveform, pulse width and other properties that are biologically important. Antennas must be confined to specific, publicly identified locations. To protect humans, antennas must be located far from where people live and work, and excluded from the public rights-of-way where people walk. To protect wildlife, they must be excluded from wilderness sanctuaries and strictly minimized in remote areas of the Earth. To protect all life, commercial communications satellites must be limited in number and prohibited in low- and medium-Earth orbits. Phased arrays must be prohibited on Earth and in space. RF radiation has both acute and chronic effects RF radiation has both immediate and long-term effects. Cancer and heart disease are examples of long-term effects. Alteration of heart rhythm100 and changes in brain function (EEG)101 are examples of immediate effects. A syndrome that was called radiowave sickness102 in the former Soviet Union and is called electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) around the world today103 can be either acute or chronic. Professor Dr. Karl Hecht has published a detailed history of these syndromes, compiled from a review of more than 1,500 Russian scientific papers and the clinical histories of more than 1,000 of his own patients in Germany. Objective findings include sleep disorders, abnormal blood pressure and heart rate, digestive disorders, hair loss, tinnitus and skin rash. Subjective symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headache, memory loss, inability to concentrate, fatigue, flu-like symptoms and cardiac pain. 104 The EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 states that EHS develops when people are “continuously exposed in their daily life” to increasing levels of EMFs, and that “reduction and prevention of EMF exposure” is necessary to restore these patients to health.105 EHS should no longer be considered a disease, but an injury by a toxic environment that affects an increasingly large portion of the population, estimated already at 100 million people worldwide,106,107 and that may soon affect everyone108 if the worldwide rollout of 5G is permitted. The International Scientific Declaration on EHS and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), Brussels, declared in 2015 that “[i]naction is a cost to society and is not an option any more … [W]e unanimously acknowledge this serious hazard to public health … [urgently requiring] that major primary prevention measures are adopted and prioritized, to face this worldwide pan-epidemic in perspective” (emphasis added).109 World governments are failing in their duty of care to the populations they govern In their haste to implement 5G and to encourage the unconstrained use of outer space, the European Union, United States and national governments worldwide are taking steps to ensure a “barrier-free” regulatory environment.110 They are prohibiting local authorities from enforcing environmental laws,111 and “in the interest of speedy and cost-effective deployment”, removing “unnecessary burdens … such as local planning procedures [and] the variety of specific limits on electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions and of the methods required to aggregate them”.112 Governments are also enacting laws to make wireless facilities a permitted use in all public rights-of-way.113 To date, most wireless facilities have been located on private property at some distance from homes and businesses. In order for them to be spaced less than 100 metres apart as required by 5G, however, they will now be located on the sidewalk directly in front of homes and businesses and close above the heads of pedestrians, including mothers with babies. Public notice requirements and public hearings are being eliminated. Even if there were a hearing and 100 scientific experts were to testify against 5G, laws have been passed making it illegal for local authorities to take their testimony into consideration. US law, for example, prohibits local governments from regulating wireless technology “on the basis of the environmental effects of radio frequency radiation”,114 and courts have reversed regulatory decisions about cell tower placement simply because most of the public testimony was about health.115 Insurers will not provide coverage against EMF risks,116 and there is zero clarity as to what entity will bear legal responsibility for damage to life, limb and property arising from exposure to 5G, whether ground- or space-based.117 In the absence of an agreed comprehensive legal regime governing activities in outer space, legal liability for those activities is non-existent, despite the prospect of whole continents, the atmosphere and the oceans being put at risk by them. International agreements are being violated Children and duty of care The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: States shall “undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being” (art. 3), “ensure … the survival and development of the child” (art. 6) and “take appropriate measures to combat disease … taking into consideration the dangers and risks of environmental pollution” (art. 24(c)). The Nuremberg Code (1949) applies to all experiments on humans, thus including the deployment of 5G with new, higher RF radiation exposure that has not been pre-market tested for safety. “The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential” (art. 1). Exposure to 5G will be involuntary. “No experiment should be conducted, where there is an a priori reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur” (art. 5). The findings of over 10,000 scientific studies and the voices of hundreds of international organizations representing hundreds of thousands of members who have suffered disabling injury and been displaced from their homes by already-existing wireless telecommunications facilities, are “a priori reasons to believe that death or disabling injury will occur”. Duty to inform and EMFs The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (2012) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) stated that “[t]here is a need to inform the public of the potential effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)” and invited Member States “to adopt suitable measures in order to ensure compliance with relevant international recommendations to protect health against the adverse effect of EMF”. The Mid-term review of the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (2008): “The European Parliament … [n]otes that the limits on exposure to electromagnetic fields which have been set for the general public are obsolete, … obviously take no account of developments in information and communication technologies, of the recommendations issued by the European Environment Agency or of the stricter emission standards adopted, for example, by Belgium, Italy and Austria, and do not address the issue of vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, newborn babies and children.” Resolution 1815 (Council of Europe, 2011): “Take all reasonable measures to reduce exposure to electromagnetic fields, especially to radio frequencies from mobile phones, and particularly the exposure to children and young people.” The Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (1972): “The discharge of toxic substances … in such quantities or concentrations as to exceed the capacity of the environment to render them harmless, must be halted in order to ensure that serious or irreversible damage is not inflicted upon ecosystems” (principle 6). The World Charter for Nature (1982): “Activities which are likely to cause irreversible damage to nature shall be avoided … [W]here potential adverse effects are not fully understood, the activities should not proceed” (art. 11). The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992): “States have … the respon-sibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction” (principle 2). The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002): “There is an urgent need to … create more effective national and regional policy responses to environmental threats to human health” (para. 54(k)). The African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (2017): “The Parties shall … take all appropriate measures to prevent, mitigate and eliminate to the maximum extent possible, detrimental effects on the environment, in particular from radioactive, toxic, and other hazardous substances and wastes” (art. 13). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” (art. 3). The United Nations Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030) has as objectives and targets to “transform”, by expanding enabling environments; to “survive”, by reducing maternal and newborn mortality; and to “thrive” by ensuring health and well-being and reducing pollution-related deaths and illnesses. The Outer Space Treaty (1967) requires that the use of outer space be conducted “so as to avoid [its] harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of the Earth” (art. IX). The United Nations Guidelines for The Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities (2018): “States and international intergovernmental organizations should address … risks to people, property, public health and the environment associated with the launch, in-orbit operation and re-entry of space objects” (guideline 2.2(c)). World governments are playing dice with life on Earth Albert Einstein famously asserted that “God does not play dice”.118 Yet by pursuing the broadcast on Earth and from space of 5G, an unprecedented technology of millimetre waves previously used as an energy weapon in military operations and crowd control,119 world governments are recklessly playing dice with the future of life on Earth. To refuse to accept and apply relevant and valid scientific knowledge is ethically unacceptable. Existing research shows that 5G—and especially space-based 5G—contravenes principles enshrined in a host of international agreements. We call upon the UN, WHO, EU, Council of Europe and governments of all nations, (a) To take immediate measures to halt the deployment of 5G on Earth and in space in order to protect all humankind, especially the unborn, infants, children, adolescents and pregnant women, as well as the environment; (b) To follow the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Council of Europe Resolution 1815 by informing citizens, including teachers and physicians, about the health risks (to adults and children) from RF radiation, and why they should and how they can avoid wireless communication and base stations, particularly in or near day-care centres, schools, hospitals, homes and workplaces; (c) To favour and implement wired telecommunications instead of wireless; (d) To prohibit the wireless/telecommunications industry through its lobbying organizations from persuading officials to make decisions permitting further expansion of RF radiation, including ground- and space-based 5G; (e) To appoint immediately—without industry influence—international groups of independent, truly impartial EMF and health scientists with no conflicts of interest,120 for the purpose of establishing new international safety standards for RF radiation that are not based only on power levels, that consider cumulative exposure, and that protect against all health and environmental effects, not just thermal effects and not just effects on humans; (f) To appoint immediately—without industry influence—international groups of scientists with expertise in EMFs, health, biology and atmospheric physics, for the purpose of developing a comprehensive regulatory framework that will ensure that the uses of outer space are safe for humans and the environment, taking into account RF radiation, rocket exhaust gases, black soot, and space debris and their impacts on ozone,121 global warming,122 the atmosphere and the preservation of life on Earth. Not only ground-based but also space-based technology must be sustainable123 for adults and children, animals and plants. Please respond to the Appeal Administrator listed below detailing the measures you intend to take to protect the global population against RF radiation exposure, especially 5G radiation. This appeal and your response will be publicly available on www.5gSpaceAppeal.org. Arthur Firstenberg, Appeal Administrator, info@5gSpaceAppeal.org Initial Signatories Lauraine Margaret Helen Vivian, PhD, Anthropology and Psychiatry; Honorary Research Associate, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Signatory for South Africa Girish Kumar, PhD, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, India Don Maisch, PhD, Independent researcher, author of ”The Procrustean Approach”, Lindisfarne, Tasmania, Australia Alfonso Balmori, BSc, Master in Environmental Education, Biologist. Valladolid, Spain Klaus Buchner, Dr. rer. nat., Professor, MEP – Member of the European Parliament, Kompetenzinitiative zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Demokratie e.V., München, Germany Daniel Favre, Dr. phil. nat., Biologist, A.R.A. (Association Romande Alerte aux Ondes Electromagnétiques), Switzerland Annie Sasco, MD, DrPH, SM, HDR, former Chief of Research Unit of Epidemiology for Cancer Prevention at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon; former Acting Chief, Programme for Cancer Control of the World Health Organization (WHO); former Director of Research at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM); France Martin Pall, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences, Washington State University, residing in Portland, Oregon, USA Kate B. 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Competence Initiative for the Protection of Humanity, the Environment and Democracy. 2016: 16, 42-46. http://kompetenzinitiative.net/KIT/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/KI_Brochure-6_K_Hecht_web.pdf. Accessed June 20, 2018. 105 Belyaev I, Dean A, Eger H, et al. EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses. Rev Environ Health. 2016;31(3):363-397. doi:10.1515/reveh-2016-0011. 106 Schreier N, Huss A, Röösli M. The prevalence of symptoms attributed to electromagnetic field exposure: A cross-sectional representative survey in Switzerland. Soz Praventivmed. 2006;51(4):202-209. doi:10.1007/s00038-006-5061-2. Accessed July 16, 2018. 107 Schroeder E. Stakeholder-Perspektiven zur Novellierung der 26. BImSchV: Ergebnisse der bundesweiten Telefonumfrage im Auftrag des Bundesamtes für Strahlenschutz (Report on stakeholder perspectives on amending the 26th Federal Emission Control Ordinance: Results of the nationwide telephone survey ordered by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection). Schr/bba 04.02.26536.020. Munich, Germany. 2002 (German). https://www.bfs.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/BfS/DE/ berichte/emf/befuerchtungen.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3. Accessed July 19, 2018. 108 Hallberg Ö, Oberfeld G. Letter to the editor: Will we all become electrosensitive? Electromagn Biol Med. 2006;25:189-191. https://www.criirem.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/ehs2006_hallbergoberfeld.pdf. Accessed June 22, 2018. 109 Brussels International Scientific Declaration on Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. ECRI Institute. http://eceri-institute.org/fichiers/ 1441982765_Statement_EN_DEFINITIF.pdf. Published 2015. Accessed June 10, 2018. 110 Removal of barriers to entry, 47 U.S.C. § 253. www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2015-title47/pdf/ USCODE-2015-title47-chap5-subchapII-partII-sec253.pdf; 5G For Europe: An Action Plan. European Commission; 2016. http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=17131. Accessed June 10, 2018. 111 Federal Register – Rules and Regulations. 47 CFR Part 1 [WT Docket No 17–79; FCC 18–30] Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment. 2018;83(86). Accessed June 10, 2018. 112 5G For Europe: An Action Plan. European Commission; 2016. http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=17131. Accessed June 10, 2018. 113 PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association. Model wireless telecommunications facility siting ordinance. 2012. https://wia.org/wp-content/uploads/Advocacy_Docs/PCIA_Model_Zoning_Ordinance_June_2012.pdf. Accessed June 29, 2018. 114 Mobile services, 47 U.S.C. § 332(c)(7)(B)(iv). www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2016-title47/pdf/USCODE-2016-title47-chap5-subchapIII-partI-sec332.pdf: “No state or local government or instrumentality thereof may regulate personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the [Federal Communications] Commission’s regulations concerning such emissions.” Courts have reversed regulatory decisions about cell tower placement simply because most of the public testimony was about health. 115 Cellular Telephone Company v. Town of Oyster Bay, 166 F.3d 490, 495 (2nd Cir. 1999). https://openjurist.org/166/f3d/490/cellular-telephone-company-at-v-town-of-oyster-bay. Accessed June 10, 2018.; T-Mobile Northeast LLC v. Loudoun County Bd. of Sup’rs, 903 F.Supp.2d 385, 407 (E.D.Va. 2012). https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-4th-circuit/1662394.html. Accessed June 10, 2018. 116 Vogel G. A Coming Storm For Wireless? TalkMarkets. July 2017. www.talkmarkets.com/content/stocks–equities/a-coming-storm-for-wireless?post=143501&page=2. Accessed September 13, 2018. 117 Swiss Re: SONAR – New emerging risk insights. July 2014:22. http://media.swissre.com/documents/ SONAR_2014.pdf. Accessed June 10, 2018. “[A]n increasing level of interconnectivity and the growing prevalence of digital steering and feedback systems also give rise to new vulnerabilities. These could involve cascading effects with multiple damages as well as long-lasting interruptions if the problems turned out to be complex and/or difficult to repair. Interconnectivity and permanent data generation give rise to concerns about data privacy, and exposure to electromagnetic fields may also increase.” 118 Albert Einstein, letter to Max Born, Dec. 4, 1926. 119 Active Denial Technology. Non-Lethal Weapons Program. https://jnlwp.defense.gov/Press-Room/Fact-Sheets/Article-View-Fact-sheets/Article/577989/active-denial-technology/. Published May 11, 2016. Accessed June 10, 2018. 120 Conflicts of interest have frequently arisen in the past. For example, the EU Commission (2008/721/EC) appointed industry-supportive members for SCENIHR who submitted to the EU a misleading SCENIHR report on health risks, which gave the telecommunications industry carte blanche to irradiate EU citizens. The report is now quoted by radiation safety agencies in the EU. Another example is the US National Toxicology Program contracting with the IT’IS Foundation, which is funded by the entire telecommunications industry, to design, build and monitor the exposure facility for a two-year, 25-million-US-dollar study of cell phones. It subsequently produced a misleading report that is now quoted by industry officials in the US. 121 Ross M, Mills M, Toohey D. Potential climate impact of black carbon emitted by rockets. Geophys Res Lett. 2010;37:L24810. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2010GL044548. Accessed June 17, 2018. 122 Ross MN, Schaeffer PM. Radiative forcing caused by rocket engine emissions. Earth’s Future. 2014;2:177-196. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/2013EF000160. Accessed June 17, 2018. 123 Callicott JB, Mumford K. Ecological sustainability as a conservation concept. Conservation Biology. 1997;11(1):32-40. https://www.sierraforestlegacy.org/Resources/Community/Sustainability/ SY_CallicottMumford1997.pdf. Accessed June 20, 2018. PDF (18 Pages): 5G International Threat Report and Appeal 5G @ Phi Beta Iota Categories03 Economy, 03 Environmental Degradation, 07 Health, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Proliferation, 10 Transnational Crime, Commerce, Corruption, Earth Intelligence, Government, Idiocy, IO Impotency, Media, Officers Call Previous PostPrevious #GoogleGestapo: Open Standards End Facebook Next PostNext SPECIAL: New 9/11 Commission Core Interrogation List	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line898
__label__wiki	0.835326	0.835326	Ilam Hall Image ref DCBM200005 photographer Copyright Reserved ImageDate c 1930s Location Ilam Hall Town Ilam,_Staffordshire Ilam Hall was presented to the National Trust in 1934 by Sir Robert McDougall and the hall and grounds are used as a youth hostel. A Tudor mansion once stood on the site of the hall, the home of the Port family. It was sold to David Watts Pike in 1809 and remodelled by his son in law Jesse Watts Russell in 1821, the architect being one John Shaw. In 1875 Jesse Watts Russell died, and the house passed to the Hanbury family, who sold it in 1927 to a restaurateur. He went bankrupt and sold the building to a demolition contractor, who promptly moved in and took down two thirds of the building. The Hall is still an imposing and stately structure though a substantial part of it was demolished when it became a youth hostel. A Church stands in the grounds of the Hall and is of saxon origin, but like the Hall was rebuilt during the 19th century. The River Manifold runs alongside the hall grounds. Derbyshire Buildings	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line900
__label__cc	0.529806	0.470194	The Third Man Factor by John GeigerJohn Geiger The Third Man Factor is an extraordinary account of how people at the very edge of death often sense an unseen presence beside them who encourages them to make one final effort to survive. This incorporeal being offers a feeling of hope, protection, and guidance, and leaves the person convinced he or she is not alone. There is a name for this phenomenon: it's called the Third Man Factor. If only a handful of people had ever encountered the Third Man, it might be dismissed as an unusual delusion shared by a few overstressed minds. But over the years, the experience has occurred again and again, to 9/11 survivors, mountaineers, divers, polar explorers, prisoners of war, sailors, shipwreck survivors, aviators, and astronauts. All have escaped traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories of having sensed the close presence of a helper or guardian. The force has been explained as everything from hallucination to divine intervention. Recent neurological research suggests something else. Bestselling and award-winning author John Geiger has completed six years of physiological, psychological, and historical research on the Third Man. He blends his analysis with compelling human stories such as that of Ron DiFrancesco, the last survivor to escape the World Trade Center on 9/11; Ernest Shackleton, the legendary explorer whose account of the Third Man inspired T. S. Eliot to write of it in The Waste Land; Jerry Linenger, a NASA astronaut who experienced the Third Man while aboard the Mir space stationand many more. Fascinating for any reader, The Third Man Factor at last explains this secret to survival, a Third Man whoin the words of famed climber Reinhold Messnerleads you out of the impossible.” Weinstein Books Hachette Digital, Inc. John Geiger is the award-winning author of four non-fiction books, including the international bestseller Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition. He is editorial board editor at The Globe and Mail. He is a fellow of the Explorer's Club, New York, and governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and chair of the Society's Expeditions Committee. His work has been translated into nine languages. He lives in Toronto. The Guardian Angel WHILE SERVING IN THE ROYAL NAVY during the Second World War, the British neurologist Macdonald Critchley studied the cases of 279 sailors and airmen who had been cast adrift. In his 1943 study Shipwreck-Survivors, he described the ordeals that befell the men, including gruesome physical conditions like "immersion foot," but also harrowing psychological aberrations such as bioscopic fantasies, where past events from a person's life flash before them at incredible speed. It was during the course of one interview for his study that Critchley first came across a report of a very different experience, that of a "guardian angel." The account came from a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm pilot who, with his observer, was forced to ditch into the North Atlantic on May 25, 1941. They had been on a reconnaissance mission tracking the German battleship Bismarck, operating at night, in terrible weather, and without radar. They became lost over the sea; their aircraft eventually ran out of fuel and was forced down. They were soon adrift in a rubber dinghy. The conditions were appalling, characterized by Critchley as "severe physical discomfort . . . going on to utter collapse. There had been exposure to bitter cold and wet; and intense thirst and lack of food. . . . Prospects of rescue were remote, and though from time to time hopes would soar in an extravagant and unwarranted fashion, they would soon be dashed again with realization of their tragic plight." Through it all, the pilot and observer both "kept imagining that there was a third person along with them."1 The two men had no doubt as to the identity of their visitor. They said an angel had helped to seethem through their terrifying ordeal. Critchley found this "not surprising . . . especially in the case of distressed and exhausted shipwrecked seamen. The 'Guardian Angel' motif is inescapable to those with strong beliefs." He was aware of the weighty theological tradition behind the concept: "The notion of an angelo custode is a common teaching and is depicted in religious art as an angel with a wide wingspan standing as an unseen protector behind a little child." Not all who have encountered an unseen presence attribute it to a divine origin. But for those with strong beliefs, like Ron DiFrancesco in the World Trade Center, or the Fleet Air Arm pilot and his observer, help came in the form of an angel. For others of faith, the Third Man came cloaked in different religious garb, as with Shackleton's "Divine Companion" and McKinlay's overtly spiritual encounter with a presence. It was, then, not in scientific journals that Critchley turned to look for further accounts of the Third Man. Instead, he wrote, "in theological literature we find the most explicit references." Critchley examined works of purely religious character, and found examples he thought more likely to have been presence experiences than religious visions. He identified one in the autobiography of the Spanish nun Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582): I was at prayer . . . when I saw Christ at my side-or, to put it better, I was conscious of Him, for neither with the eyes of the body nor with those of the soul did I see anything. . . . I could not help realizing that He was beside me. . . . It is not a suitable comparison to say that it is as if a person were in the dark, so that he cannot see someone who is beside him, or as if he were blind. There is some similarity here, but not a great deal, because the person in the dark can detect the other with his remaining senses, can hear him speak or move, or can touch him. In this case there is nothing like that.2 IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED that during the early years of Christianity, as many as five thousand Christian hermits retreated to the desert, where they sought spiritual renewal and communion with God through solitude, fasting, self-inflicted pain, meditation, and prolonged prayer.3 The fourth-century monks of the Thebaid felt the near proximity of God in the deserts of Egypt, where they lived in an isolated environment of reduced sensory input. Wrote the social critic and novelist Aldous Huxley about the role of sensory deprivation in religious traditions: "If you read the life of Milarepa, the great Tibetan hermit, or if you read the lives of St. Anthony and St. Paul, hermits in the Christian tradition, you can see that this isolation did in fact produce visionary experiences."4 Milarepa, after living for many months in a cave, was visited by his sister, who was terrified at the sight of him. She felt as if she had seen a ghost. Little wonder. In his Life Milarepa described his appearance: My body was wasted by asceticism. My eyes were sunk in their sockets. All my bones protruded. My fleshes were dried out and green. The skin covering my fleshless bones looked like wax. The hair on my body had become coarse and grey. From my head it streamed down in a frightening flood. My limbs were about to fall apart.5 Milarepa, however, is credited with having attained a state of complete enlightenment, and a Tibetan Buddhist monastery now stands at what is purported to be the entrance to his cave. Similarly, among tribal people in Africa, Asia, and commonly in aboriginal groups in North America, a solitary period in the wilderness, with attendant hardship and deprivation, marks a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood through the acquisition of a guardian spirit. In particular, the vision or spirit quest of North American Indians represents a "sought vision induced by hunger, thirst, purgatives, and self-laceration."6 A young man would be sent to an isolated place to fast and pray. The result: "He may be visited by what, he thinks, are supernatural beings."7 A similar rite is practiced by the Inuit, where monotony, through long walks on the tundra, or confinement to an igloo, is used to evoke a spirit. A Jesuit account from 1642 described a North American Indian spirit quest. A young man, "when but fifteen or sixteen years of age, retired to the woods to prepare himself by fasting for the appearance of some Demon." After living in isolation and going without food for sixteen days, "he saw an aged man of rare beauty who came down from the Sky, approached him, and looking kindly at him said, 'Have courage. I will take care of thy life.'" In another recorded case, a Plains Indian named Medicine Crow "fasted for four days. He cut off a finger and offered it to the Sun. . . . The blood poured down." He collapsed, but near dawn, "he saw a young man and a young woman coming from the west." The benevolent beings "talked with him [and] gave him medicine."8 These rare surviving aboriginal accounts are remarkably similar to those given by Western explorers and climbers, and also by survivors of man-made disasters. Foreword Vincent Lam xi Chapter 1 The Third Man 1 Chapter 2 Shackleton's Angel 20 Chapter 3 The Ghosts Walk in Public 44 Chapter 4 The Guardian Angel 64 Chapter 5 The Pathology of Boredom 83 Chapter 6 The Principle of Multiple Triggers 104 Chapter 7 Sensed Presence (I) 117 Chapter 8 The Widow Effect 123 Chapter 9 Sensed Presence (II) 158 Chapter 10 The Muse Factor 173 Chapter 11 The Power of the Savior 191 Chapter 12 The Shadow Person 221 Chapter 13 The Angel Switch 237 Acknowledgments 255 A scientific mystery or divine intervention is how Geiger, the editorial board editor at the Globe and Mail and author of Frozen in Time, describes “The Third Man Factor,” the human knack of facing deprivation and possible death with an unseen presence pointing the path to survival. He researched these visitations for six years, chronicling their history in harrowing life-and-death events with mountaineers, sailors, divers, aviators and polar explorers. It is to Geiger's credit that he stresses the very human need to endure and survive through critical times in the included anecdotes over the sometimes convoluted scientific jargon, especially the gripping tales of the last 9/11 survivor Ron DiFrancesco, NASA astronaut Jerry Linenger aboard the Mir space station and merchant seaman Kenneth Cooke, who paddled in shark-infested waters. Whether this “guardian angel” factor is neurological or divine, Geiger's fresh, insightful book will tell readers “things that are not easily explainable, but no less real for that.” (Sept.) An award-winning Canadian author uncovers spiritual guardians who aid those in states of crisis. Globe and Mail editorial board director Geiger (Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted: The Life of Brion Gysin, 2005, etc.) presents dozens of examples of people who have encountered an unseen presence, or, as T.S. Eliot wrote in The Wasteland, "the third who walks always beside you." Typically, the "Third Man" is either sensed or manifests in a shadowy formation appearing amid hopeless circumstances proffering words of encouragement and direction. Ron DiFrancesco, one of the last survivors to escape the South Tower on 9/11, chronicles an unseen "benevolent helper" who guided him down through a fiery, smoke-choked stairwell and disappeared soon after. Crushed by an avalanche, a mountain climber received inspiration from an "invisible being" who led him to safety. A panicked diver lost sight of her guideline within a maze of undersea caves and was inexplicably guided to the surface. Members of a doomed Antarctic expedition describe their encounter as having "spiritual significance." Geiger also writes of sailors cast adrift, biblical theologians, lonesome widowers and postpartum women, all of whom claim that their individual rescues were caused by angelic interaction. Even famed aviator Charles Lindbergh reported seeing friendly "phantoms," though a psychological evaluation attributed his claim to monotony and boredom. The phenomenon's counterpoint suggests stress, depression-induced hallucinations, malnutrition, social stagnancy and extreme environmental exposure as probable contributors to the appearance of the Third Man. Geiger evenhandedly presents both sides of this mysterious anomalyin clear, concise language. Ultimately, he labels the Third Man an "instrument of hope...the belief-the understanding-that we are not alone."An intelligent rendering of a chilling phenomenon. Author tour to New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Ore. The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible 4.1 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. 14 reviews. DevildogMA More than 1 year ago I read a review in the Wall Street that caught my interest and I'm glad I followed my instinct and ordered the book. John Geiger has written a thought provoking and intriguing book that asks more questions than it answers. The one big question that went through my mind while I read the book was; "Why are our brains hardwired to support a notion of a third man in times of danger?" Is it as simple as evolution or have we been hardwired to survive the most difficult of challengers? If you like a book that is researched, full of details and good stories of survival in the desperate of conditions then this is a book to read. What I really liked was that Mr. Geiger has walked neutral ground neither claiming biology nor the supernatural for the third man factor but, has presented facts with tales of unbelievable heroism in conditions that only a fraction of humans will ever experience. It is the type of book that an Atheist will read and call it simple biology, a book that a Spiritual person will read and call it wired for God. There was one quote in the book from an Angus MacKinnon about his experience; "Why should skepticism narrow down our cognition to exclude fields of knowledge that we are simply too uneducated to understand?" Shakespeare put it another way; "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." M_L_Gooch_SPHR More than 1 year ago Geiger is the editorial board editor at the Globe and Mail and author of Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition. What he is not is a scientist I didn't expect nor receive an in-depth review of the scientific side of this phenomenon. Geiger does give us an intelligent tour of Third Man visitations. This tour includes a serious look at the scientific aspects along with the spiritual elements. While Geiger never says, I suspect that he comes down on the side of the spiritual aspect. At the end of several of the `laboratory' discussions, he pointed out the flaws and natural short-comings of their investigation. While many were going through extreme physical distress, this does not explain the mass experiences and sightings nor does it explain the vast differences in many of the stress factor situations - i.e., Oxygen deprivation vs sea level events. The blending of anecdotes and science is never achieved in a smooth fashion. They are of two vastly different worlds. Whether you want to call the phenomenon Guardian Angels or hallucinations will depend on your own personal view of the world. Regardless, this book is a very exciting read and will make you thankful that you are in a warm house with a glass of tea. I would recommend this book to anyone that is drawn to mountaineering, survival skills or wishes to explore the divine side of life. I would also recommend: Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality, The Crystal Horizon: Everest - The First Solo Ascentand Surviving the Extremes: What Happens to the Body and Mind at the Limits of Human Endurance. Great book. Michael L. Gooch Author of Wingtips with Spurs readJH More than 1 year ago Really well written book concernng the knowledge of an invisible presence felt under strenuous activites. Well researched,thought provoking. May answer questions you were afraid to ask.Spritual in nature and inspiring john2 More than 1 year ago Ever felt the presence of another , yet no one was there. This book enlightens about a spritual "guidance" felt in the form of an invisible presence when pressed to maximum activity. This book will stretch your mind and maybe explain a spritual awareness you may have felt book by mika brzezinski bloodletting miraculous cures stories book by gordon brown book by luiz eduardo soares book by padma lakshmi book by tom folsom All Things at Once As the co-host of MSNBC's popular show Morning Foe, Mika Brzezinski has established herself as ... As the co-host of MSNBC's popular show Morning Foe, Mika Brzezinski has established herself as a leading political news journalist and beloved television personality. But success hasn't always come easy for Mika. Growing up, she struggled to find an identity ... Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures: Stories Now in paperback: Twelve interwoven stories follow four young and ambitious doctors as they move ... Now in paperback: Twelve interwoven stories follow four young and ambitious doctors as they move from the challenges of medical school to the intense world of emergency rooms, evacuation missions, and terrifying new viruses. They fall in love as they ... Courage: Portraits of Bravery in the Service of In the tradition of John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning Profiles in Courage, Prime Minister Gordon ... In the tradition of John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning Profiles in Courage, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's fascinating collection of inspirational leaders is destined to become a staple of every politically conscious reader's library as his already-significant profile grows exponentially around ... Death Proof: A Screenplay Death Proof is the latest masterpiece by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, starring Rose McGowan, ... Death Proof is the latest masterpiece by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, starring Rose McGowan, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, and Kurt Russell. With its pulse-pounding action, electric dialogue, and hardcore thrills, Death Proof recharges the exploitation film genre and drives ... The Gift of Rain: A Novel The recipient of extraordinary acclaim from critics and the bookselling community, Tan Twan Eng's debut ... The recipient of extraordinary acclaim from critics and the bookselling community, Tan Twan Eng's debut novel casts a powerful spell and has garnered comparisons to celebrated wartime storytellers Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene. Set during the tumult of World War ... I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir In this brave, eloquent, and funny memoir, critically acclaimed author Lily Burana writes about love ... In this brave, eloquent, and funny memoir, critically acclaimed author Lily Burana writes about love and self-discovery with an honesty few writers would dare. A former stripper with a penchant for fishnets and anarchist politics, Lily's lacerating wit and rebellious ... Peril at the Grand Prix: Italy (Secret Agent Destination: Italy. Jack's car-racing hero, Morgan Parks, is in danger. Someone has already tried to ... Destination: Italy. Jack's car-racing hero, Morgan Parks, is in danger. Someone has already tried to kill him once, and they're about to try again. Can Secret Agent Jack Stalwart save his idol and the Italian team's chance to win the ... Quantum Wellness Cleanse: The 21-Day Essential Guide to Kathy Freston's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show prompted Oprah to commit to the 21-day ... Kathy Freston's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show prompted Oprah to commit to the 21-day cleanse featured in Quantum Wellness, creating an instant bestseller and a national trend. During her 21-day cleanse, Oprah's daily blog provided updates on her progress, ...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line906
__label__cc	0.502501	0.497499	Murmansk to be host city for the International Ice Swimming Championships 2019 By Simon Griffiths • Publisher • 27th February 2018 @outdoor_swimmer The International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) has announced that its next flagship bi-annual world championship event will be staged in Murmansk, in Russia, from 14 to 17 March 2019. This will be the third running of the world championships since IISA was created in 2009 and the second time it’s taken place in Murmansk, which also hosted the inaugural event in 2015. The 2017 event took place in Burghausen, Germany. The IISA is probably best known as being the creator and record keeper for the Ice Mile challenge – a mile swum in water of less than 5 degrees in a regular swimming costume. Given the difficulty of completing an Ice Mile, the key world-championship distance is a still-challenging but more manageable 1km. Shorter swims will also be included in the programme as well as a 4x250m country relay challenge. A separate category has also been created for swimmers with a disability. Ram Barkai, president and founder of the IISA, along with other members of the IISA board and delegates from the city of Murmansk, made the announcement at a press conference in Winchester, UK, on 26 Feb, and then took questions from the audience. Responding to a question about the possibility of adding Ice Swimming to the Winter Olympics, Barkai said that it’s no secret that he’d love to see it as part of the programme and it’s something he’s long campaigned for. “However,” he added, “in the end, it’s not my decision.” Delegates from FINA and the International Olympic Committee will be invited to Murmansk to view the sport first hand. Also on the panel was Petar Stoychev, Olympian, former English Channel world record holder and current world record holder for a 1km ice swim (in 12 minutes and 15 seconds). Speaking about what draws him to ice swimming, he said that “sport unites people from around the world, and the more extreme the sport, the closer the friendships that are formed.” He had the following advice for people curious about ice swimming and wondering where to start: “Everything should be step by step. Everybody needs to start slowly with short distances and you need to take your safety very seriously.” Ice swimming continues to see massive growth in the UK and worldwide with members of the IISA now in 32 countries. Morocco is the most recent country to join the association. For more information on IISA: www.internationaliceswimming.com Get stories like this in your inbox Join 10,000 open water swimmers and sign up for Outdoor Swimmer free weekly newsletter. 1 Countdown to the Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival! 2 Matlock Bath’s historic lido celebrates its 85th birthday and re-launch in style (& sunshine) 3 Selkie Henley Classic 2020 entries now open with early bird discount 4 Go Swim Loch Lomond – a new open water event for Scotland and alternative for the Great Scottish Swim 5 Tom Milner completes River Trent Challenge 6 Challenge of the Month 7 Expect the unexpected 8 July issue of Outdoor Swimmer out now! 9 Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival 2019 – Highlights and pictures	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line907
__label__wiki	0.8071	0.8071	Home Team Canoe Slalom Team Fox Lifts Australian Spirits With Tacen Gold Medal Canoe Slalom Team Fox Lifts Australian Spirits With Tacen Gold Medal Jessica Fox picked up her first gold medal for the 2019 season and Ros Lawrence made a welcome return to the finals on the last day of competition at the third ICF canoe slalom world cup in Tacen, Ljubljana, on Sunday. Once again there was frustration for the Australian men, with both Lucien Delfour and Daniel Watkins picking up 50-second penalties for missing gates, ruling them out of the K1 final. But there was to be no denying Fox, despite two gate touches, which made the final margin in the women’s C1 much tighter. After dominating the 2018 season, Australian multiple-world champion Jessica Fox has struggled to find her groove this year. But on Sunday, she made a return to the top of the podium, posting 103.06, including four seconds of penalties, to win the C1 gold. 24 hours earlier Fox had been left devastated after picking up a 50 second penalty which kept her out of the K1 final. “It’s been a hard start to the year, and yesterday I was really upset and disappointed with my race in not making the final, so I really wanted to bounce back today and show what I could do,” Fox said. “There were a couple of mistakes in that run, but overall I’m super happy and super proud. “I train to do my best, and strive for excellence in every run, and when it doesn’t happen it’s disappointing. So you do put pressure on yourself, but you have to learn. Everyone is vulnerable.” The win wraps up the first half of the 2019 world cup series with the world’s greatest female slalom paddler adding C1 gold to her two bronze medals in both the women’s K1 and C1 at the first world cup in London, Great Britain mid-June (14-16 June 2019). At the second world cup in Bratislava, Slovakia last weekend, Fox finished sixth in the K1 and missed the C1 final. Sunday’s win also sees Fox take over the lead on the overall C1 world cup standings after three races. On the K1 overall world cup standings, Fox is ranked fifth. Ros Lawrence continued her love affair with the Tacen course by qualifying for the final, but unfortunately missed two gates in the medal race to finish tenth. “The first drop at Tacen is pretty big, and I came a bit unstuck and missed a couple of gates,” Lawrence said. “I was happy to be in the final though. This weekend was a bit more promising than the last two weekends, I’m building each week. “I’m looking forward to a couple of months training leading into the world cup final in Prague and the world championships in La Seu. “I’m moving forward bit by bit, but there’s still a lot of work to do, I’m just chipping away at it.” Ros Lawrence – Photo Bence Vekassy Watkins and Delfour both once again showed how quick they are in the men’s K1, but both missed a gate in their quest for speed. The 50-second penalties kept both paddlers out of the final – Delfour’s raw time was the quickest on the course, while Watkins also set a top ten time without the penalty. Watkins said “It was a little bit of a disappointing day, I had a pretty decent run in the K1, good enough to make the final, and then picked up the late 50 second penalty,” he said. “I knew when I went through the gate that it was close. But I’m really happy with most of what I’m doing. 95 per cent of the time I’m paddling exactly how I want to be. “I’ve just to clean up a couple of little things, but it’s not big changes I don’t think.” Watkins finished 33rdand Delfour 34th. Dan Watkins – Photo Bence Vekassy Noemie Fox also ran into trouble in the semi-final of the women’s C1, her first weekend on the tricky Tacen course. Fox missed four gates to pick up 200 seconds in penalties. Ljubljana was the third of the four 2019 World Cups, followed by a World Cup final. The circuit will take a two-months break after this weekend with the series continuing at the end of August in Markkleeberg, Germany, 30 August-1 September. The 2019 canoe slalom season will culminate in the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in La Seu d’Urgell in Spain at the end of September, which will also decide Tokyo 2020 Olympic quota spots. Rewatch races on Planet Canoe Youtube Channel HERE. All results can be viewed HERE. Overall Team Australia 2019 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup 3 – Results Women’s C1: Jessica Fox (NSW) – 1st Rosalyn Lawrence (NSW) – 10th Noemie Fox (NSW) – 30th Women’s K1: Rosalyn Lawrence (NSW) – 22nd Jessica Fox (NSW) – 27th Noemie Fox(NSW) – 34th Men’s C1: Daniel Watkins (TAS) – 15th Steven Lowther (WA) – 35th Tristan Carter (VIC) – 42nd Men’s K1: Daniel Watkins (TAS) – 33rd Lucien Delfour (NSW) – 34th Tim Anderson (NSW) – 60th 2019 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Season – World Cup 1: Lee Valley, UK, June 14-16 June. – World Cup 2: Bratislava, Slovakia, June 21-23. – World Cup 3: Tacen, Slovenia, June 28-20. – World Cup 4: Markkleeberg, Germany, 30 August-1 September. – World Cup final: Prague, Czech Republic, 6-8 September. – ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, La Seu, Spain, 25-29 September 2019 – Tokyo 2020 Canoe Slalom Olympic Test Event, Tokyo, Japan, 25-27 October 2019 All of the finals from the World Cup series and World Championships will also be available on the Olympic Channel See the 2019 Paddle Australian Canoe Slalom World Cup Team here: https://paddle.org.au/canoe-slalom-athlete-profiles/ Previous articleChallenging Day Two At Canoe Slalom World Cup Next articleStrong Start For Jez Jezz and Jack Newland At Canoe Freestyle World Champs	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line908
__label__wiki	0.797693	0.797693	Tag Archives: education Posted on 06/15/2013 by Septillion Envoi Tagged education CommentsNo Comments on The Historical Education of the old Libya The Historical Education of the old Libya Under the monarchy, all Libyans were guaranteed the right to education. Primary and secondary schools were established all over the country, and old Quranic schools that had been closed during the struggle for independence were reactivated and new ones established, lending a heavy religious cast to Libyan education. The educational program suffered from a limited curriculum, a lack of qualified teachers–especially Libyan–and a tendency to learn by rote rather than by reasoning, a characteristic of Arab education in general. School enrollments rose rapidly, particularly on the primary level; vocational education was introduced; and the first Libyan university was established in Benghazi in 1955. Also under the monarchy, women began to receive formal education in increasing numbers, rural and beduin children were brought into the educational system for the first time, and an adult education program was established. Total school enrollment rose from 34,000 on the eve of independence in 1951, to nearly 150,000 in 1962, to about 360,000 at the time of the 1969 revolution. During the 1970s, the training of teachers was pushed in an effort to replace the Egyptian and other expatriate personnel who made up the majority of the teaching corps. Prefabricated school buildings were erected, and mobile classrooms and classes held in tents became features of the desert oases. In 1986 official sources placed total enrollments at more than 1,245,000 students, of whom 670,000 (54 percent) were males and 575,000 (46 percent) were females. These figures meant that one-third of the population was enrolled in some form of educational endeavor. For the 1970-86 period, the government claimed nearly 32,000 primary, secondary, and vocational classrooms had been constructed, while the number of teachers rose from nearly 19,000 to 79,000. The added space and increased number of new teachers greatly improved student-teacher ratios at preprimary and primary levels; rising enrollments in general secondary and technical education, however, increased the density of students per classroom at those levels. At independence, the overall literacy rate among Libyans over the age of ten did not exceed 20 percent. By 1977, with expanding school opportunities, the rate had risen to 51 percent overall, or 73 percent for males and 31 percent for females. Relatively low though it was, the rate for females had soared from the scanty 6 percent registered as recently as 1964. In the early 1980s, only estimates of literacy were available–about 70 percent for men and perhaps 35 percent for women. In 1987 education was free at all levels, and university students received substantial stipends. Attendance was compulsory between the ages of six and fifteen years or until completion of the preparatory cycle of secondary school. The administrative or current expenses budget for 1985 allocated 7.5 percent of the national budget (LD90.4 million) to education through university level. Allocations for 1983 and 1984 were slightly less–about LD85 million), just under 6 percent of total administrative outlays. From its inception, the revolutionary regime placed great emphasis education, continuing and expanding programs begun under the monarchy. By the 1980s, the regime had made great strides, but much remained to be done. The country still suffered from a lack of qualified Libyan teachers, female attendance at the secondary level and above was low, and attempts in the late 1970s to close private schools and to integrate religious and secular instruction had led to confusion. Perhaps most important were lagging enrollments in vocational and technical training. As recently as 1977, fewer than 5,000 students were enrolled in 12 technical high schools. Although unofficial estimates placed technical enrollments at nearly 17,000 by 1981, most doctors, dentists, and pharmacists in the early 1980s still came from abroad. Young Libyans continued to shun technical training, preferring white collar employment because it was associated with social respect and high status. As a consequence, there seemed to be no immediate prospect for reducing the heavy reliance on expatriate workers to meet the economy’s increasing need for technical skills. A major source of disruption was the issue of compulsory military training for both male and female students. Beginning in 1981, weapons training formed part of the curriculum of secondary schools and universities, part of a general military mobilization process. Both male and female secondary students wore uniforms to classes and attended daily military exercises; university students did not wear uniforms but were required to attend training camps. In addition, girls were officially encouraged to attend female military academies. These measures were by no means popular, especially as they related to females, but in the mid-1980s it was too soon to assess their impact on female school attendance and on general educational standards. Supporting Children Globally (SCG) In 1987 the school program consisted of six years of primary school, three years of preparatory school (junior high), and three years of secondary (high) school. A five-year primary teaching program could be elected upon completion of primary school. A technical high-school program (including industrial subjects or commerce and agriculture) and two-year and four-year programs for the training of primary-school teachers were among the offerings at the secondary level. In the mid-1970s, nearly one-half of the primary, preparatory, and secondary enrollments were in Tripoli and Benghazi, but by the late 1980s schools were well distributed around the country, and boarding facilities for students from remote areas were available at some schools at all academic levels. The enrollment of girls in primary schools increased from 34 percent of the total in 1970 to nearly 47 percent in 1979. During the same period, female enrollment in secondary schools was up from 13 percent to 23 percent, and in vocational schools from 23 percent to 56 percent of total enrollment. However, the number of girls attending school in some rural areas was well below the national average, and a high female dropout rate suggested that many parents sent their daughters to school only long enough to acquire basic skills to make them attractive marriage partners. During the early 1980s, a variety of courses were taught in primary and secondary classes. English was introduced in the fifth primary grade and continued thereafter. Islamic studies and Arabic were offered at all levels of the curriculum, and several hours of classes each week were reportedly devoted to Qadhafi’s Green Book. The University of Libya was founded in Benghazi in 1955, with a branch in Tripoli. In 1973 the two campuses became the universities of Benghazi and Tripoli, respectively, and in 1976 they were renamed Gar Yunis University and Al Fatah University, respectively. In 1981 a technical university specializing in engineering and petroleum opened at Marsa al Burayqah. Enrollments were projected at 1,700 students. In addition, there were technical institutes at Birak, Hun, and Bani Walid. By the early 1980s, schools of nuclear and electronic engineering and of pharmacy had been established at Al Fatah University, while plans called for the construction of an agricultural school at Al Bayda for 1,500 students. Expansion of facilities for higher education was critical to meeting skilled personnel requirements. Technical education was being emphasized in keeping with a trend toward more specialized facilities for both secondary and university studies. In 1982 the GPC passed a resolution calling for the replacement of secondary schools by specialized training institutes whose curricula would be closely integrated with those of the universities and technical institutes. In 1985 the GPC called for a further expansion of vocational and professional training centers and for measures to compel technically trained students to work in their fields of specialization. Students were also expected to play a more active role in the economy as the country attempted to overcome the shortage of skilled manpower caused by the expulsion of foreign workers in 1985. In view of declining allocations for education in the mid-1980s, however, it was doubtful if these and other goals would be met. University enrollment figures for the 1980s were unavailable in 1987. However, they had risen without interruption since the 1950s, and it seemed probable that this trend was continuing. About 3,000 students were enrolled in the University of Libya in 1969. By 1975 the figure was up to 12,000, and a 1980 total of 25,000 was projected. Female enrollments rose dramatically during this period, from 9 percent of total enrollments in the 1970-71 period, to 20 percent in the 1978-79 period, to 24 percent in the early 1980s. In the 1970s, many students went abroad for university and graduate training; in 1978 about 3,000 were studying in the United States alone. In the early 1980s, however, the government was no longer willing to grant fellowships for study abroad, preferring to educate young Libyans at home for economic and political reasons. In 1985 Libyan students in Western countries were recalled and their study grants terminated. Although precise information was lacking, many students were reportedly reluctant to interrupt their programs and return home. University students were restless and vocal but also somewhat lacking in application and motivation. They played an active role in university affairs through student committees, which debated a wide range of administrative and educational matters and which themselves became arenas for confrontation between radical and moderate factions. University students were also among the few groups to express open dissatisfaction with the Qadhafi government. One major source of tension arose from the regime’s constant intervention to control and politicize education on all levels, whereas most Libyans regarded education as the path to personal and social advancement, best left free of government meddling. In 1976 students mounted violent protests in Benghazi and Tripoli over compulsory military training. More recently, in March 1986 students of the faculties of English and French at Al Fatah University successfully thwarted Qadhafi’s attempt to close their departments and to destroy their libraries, part of the Arabization campaign and another of Qadhafi’s steps to eliminate Western influence. A compromise was worked out whereby the departmental libraries were spared, but both foreign languages were gradually to be phased out of university curricula. After this incident, Qadhafi announced that Russian would be substituted for English in Libyan schools, a policy which, if implemented, was certain to cause both practical and political difficulties. Source: U.S. Library of Congress http://countrystudies.us/libya/56.htm Posted on 05/21/2013 by Septillion Envoi Tagged Ajdabiyaal-Baydaal-QubbahArmy chief of staffbudgetChairman Veterans Affairs Commissioner Mustafa el-Sagizlidefence ministrydisciplineseducationGeneral National Congress (GNC)governmentHigher educationilliteracylegislative bodyLibyan Interior Minister Ashour ShuwailMarjmilitaryMinistry of Labour and RehabilitationNational Guardnational projectPrime Minister Ali ZidanprogramsprojectsrebelsrehabilitationrevolutionariesSalem el-HadiSecurityShahhatstate-buildingthwarvocational Comments1 Comment on لتلقي التعليم في مختلف التخصصات ضمن مشروع وطني طموح يسأل الوطنية Libya seeks to rehabilitate thwar لتلقي التعليم في مختلف التخصصات ضمن مشروع وطني طموح يسأل الوطنية Libya seeks to rehabilitate thwar Security 2013-05-16 Libya’s General National Congress (GNC) approved a plan last month to train 30,000 young citizens in various disciplines. The GNC spokesperson confirmed the news April 16th, adding that the legislative body was working to allocate a separate budget for the project. http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2013/05/16/feature-03	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line914
__label__wiki	0.663323	0.663323	Bushra Ebadi The Centre for International Governance Innovation Global Security & Politics Research Associate Bushra Ebadi is a social innovator focused on designing sustainable, innovative solutions to complex global challenges using her multidisciplinary background and skills in design and systems thinking, policy analysis and mixed methods research. She has co-created refugee housing and integration strategies for arrival cities around the world, including Toronto and Paris. Bushra has conducted research and developed strategies on: women in leadership in the United Nations; advancing women’s interests in Afghanistan’s peace negotiations; assessing the effectiveness of UN Women’s Safe Cities for Women and Girls program; gender representation in media; and gender mainstreaming within refugee policymaking and governance, multilateral decision making and governance bodies, and in peace, security, and development policies. In her role as a Global Security & Politics Research Associate with the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Bushra focuses on three main portfolios of work: supporting the World Refugee Council in developing transformative solutions for the refugee and IDP systems; conducting research on the ethical and social implications of emerging technologies; and developing a Women in Global Governance index to track women in decision-making and leadership positions. Bushra currently serves as an Executive Member and Youth Adviser for the Canadian Commission for the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. She recently launched the Global Catalyst [youth] Exchange pilot program, with the aim of connecting leaders from around the world to co-create and implement projects advancing the SDGs, peace, and sustainability. Bushra holds a Master of Global Affairs from the University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs and a joint honours B.A. in political science and philosophy with a double minor in French and management from McGill University. Data Protection and Refugees: Informed consent in asylum process and access to aid Celtic (Palais) Catalyzing Sustainable Development: Youth, peace, security and ICTs Hannibal (Laico) Datafied Refuge: Navigating new digital borders for refugees in the city Carthage 1 (Laico)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line917
__label__wiki	0.587419	0.587419	Savile Row to NYC: Huntsman Opens the Doors to its New Permanent Location in Manhattan Huntsman settles into a fresh interior and much more square footage to help service its growing U.S. client base. By Justin Mastine-Frost on July 9, 2017 Tony Bennett’s old apartment is being put to good use. After less than a year and a half of operation on the 7th floor of 130 West 57th Street in Manhattan, Huntsman has settled into a freshly designed new home two floors up—in a flat previously owned by Tony Bennett. The new space—roughly three times the square footage as their previous location—is designed as a bit of a time capsule, featuring an 18th-century bookshelf and furnishings from the ’30s, as well as Huntsman’s own measurement parchment from past clients such as Ronald Reagan and Audrey Hepburn. Ed Turco, the brand’s recently adopted U.S. director (of Loro Piana fame), will be leading the brand’s endeavors from their new U.S. base. In addition, their resident in-house cutter Ralph Fitzgerald has made the move stateside from Savile Row to become their Manhattan-based full-time cutter. The brand has seen rampant growth in its made-to-measure and bespoke suiting (starting from about $4,500 and $6,800, respectively) as the demand for luxe tailoring continues to rise in the U.S. and abroad. With Huntsman moving into this bright and inviting new space, we won’t be surprised to see them continue to build on their stateside success. Appointments can be arranged via email at usa@h-huntsman.co.uk or over the phone at 646.590.2595. Netflix to Launch Lower-Priced Mobile-Only Plan in India	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line918
__label__wiki	0.787215	0.787215	Clinic Info FCS Website Mission & School Info Roswell Weather School Governance Council The Morning Buzz NFCC Order Yearbooks RHS Nestwork Attendance & Front Office RHS GoFan Tickets Employee Express GAPSC SAMS Login FCS Calendars RHS Calendars Dr. Shaw Weekly Newsletters Hornet Nation Communication Roswell High School Awards Diplomas at Commencement for the Class of 2019 May 23, 2019 – Roswell High School held its 70th annual commencement ceremony in the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta on Wednesday, May 22 at 2:30 p.m. Principal Dr. Robert Shaw addressed the graduates and attendees, before conferring 474 diplomas to members of the class of 2019. This is the end of his second year as principal at Roswell High School. Read more. Roswell High School Assistant Principal Retires after 22 Years May 22, 2019 – In 1997 when Jim Coyle entered Roswell High School as a student teacher, a few things were different than they are now. Unlike many student teachers, Coyle wasn’t in his early 20s, about to embark upon his first career, when he arrived on campus. Instead, he was entering his second act after retiring from the U.S. Army and a brief stint in law enforcement. With a degree in history he obtained during his 21 years in the military, Coyle entered a program in 1993 designed to give retiring military a second career in education, called Troops to Teachers. He was in the first cohort to be offered this opportunity. Education was a natural fit for him after spending some of his time in the army as a drill sergeant and instructor. “I came in 1997 as a student teacher and I’ve never left the building,” said Coyle. “I’ve gone from student teacher to administrator in 22 years and it’s been a heck of a ride.” Read more. Roswell High School Names Teacher of the Year, Professional of the Year May 21, 2019 –Roswell High School is pleased to announce Daniel Waldroup as Teacher of the Year and Jennifer Miner as Professional of the Year for 2018-19. Waldroup is a 2001 Roswell High School graduate who teaches on-level American Government, AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics in the Social Studies department. He is in his 13th year of teaching at RHS. Roswell Counselor Jennifer Miner was not only named Professional of the Year for Roswell High School, but was also selected as the Northwest Learning Community Professional Employee of the Year. Miner serves students whose last name begins with S-Z for ninth through twelfth graders. She is the head of the Care Team in times of crisis and has worked at Roswell High School 11 years. Read more. Northside Hospital Donates Cots for Roswell High School Clinic May 15, 2019 – Roswell High School was recently granted $2,500 by The Northside Hospital Foundation for the purchase of four cots for the Roswell High School health clinic. Clinic assistants Elizabeth Egan and Ann Goud had named replacing the old, outdated cots as the clinic’s top need for the 2018-19 academic year. Read more. Roswell High School JROTC Team to Compete in National Leadership Bowl Championship in Washington, D.C. May 9, 2019 — After advancing through two phases of online competition, the Roswell High School Hornet Battalion JROTC Leadership Team composed of Ian Hughes, Phillip Beudert, Enrique Marques and Ethan Rodabaugh will compete in person at the Championship event in Washington, D.C. Read more. Roswell High School Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian for Class of 2019 May 8, 2018 – Roswell High School announces its top two students for the 2019 graduating class of 490 students. Sameer Khan is named valedictorian, and Lena Krone is salutatorian. Both students will address their fellow graduates and attendees of the Roswell High School graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 22 at 2:30 p.m. at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre (formerly Verizon Amphitheatre) in Alpharetta. Read more. Roswell High School Student Receives Shuler Hensley Award for Best Actress May 7, 2019 – Roswell High School Junior Jessi Kirtley won the category Best Performance by a Leading Actress for her title role in the spring production of “Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical.” Read more. Roswell High School Inducts Members into the Athletic Hall of Fame April 17, 2019 – The Roswell High School Athletic Department recently inducted 12 new members in the sixth annual induction ceremony. The event began with a meet and greet in the Media Center, followed by a banquet and induction ceremony attended by generations of faculty, friends and family. Read more. Roswell High School Hires New Counselor for Student Services March 22, 2019 – Roswell High School is excited to welcome a new member to our Student Services team. Jan Waring brings to Roswell High School a proven track record of helping students succeed. Read more. Roswell Reinvigorates Girls’ Lacrosse with Hire of Coach Brooke Magnuson, Former Team Captain and ACC Champion at University of Maryland March 11, 2019 – Roswell High School and the Roswell Youth Lacrosse Association celebrated girls’ lacrosse on Tuesday, March 5 at Roswell High School’s Ray Manus Stadium during the JV and Varsity games against Cambridge High School. Recognition of RYLA players ages eight to thirteen was held between the games at this Annual Roswell Girls Lacrosse Youth Night. Read more. Roswell High School Junior Earns Perfect ACT Score March 5, 2019 — Roswell High School junior Robbie Vrolijk scored 36 on his ACT, a perfect composite score. He took the ACT once on December 8, 2018, though he previously took the PSAT and SAT several times each. Read more. Roswell High School Drama Receives Several Awards, Has Upcoming Performance February 12, 2019 — The Roswell High School Drama program has received several recent accolades. Read more. Two Roswell High School Teachers Receive $1,000 from Thornburg Investment Management February 10, 2019 – Thornburg Investment Management has contributed $1,000 each to two Roswell High School teachers for use during the 2018-19 academic year. Read more. Roswell High School Student Receives Prestigious POSSE Scholarship to Brandeis University January 29, 2019 – Roswell High School Senior Khadija Wade has received the POSSE Scholarship to attend Brandeis University. She is one of 10 students from the Atlanta area chosen for this full tuition scholarship. Read more. Roswell High School Student Ranked Regionally, Nationally for JROTC Riflery December 21, 2018 – Roswell High School junior and JROTC Cadet Anusha Pakkam has scored first place in the Southern Region and third nationally in the 2018-19 JROTC Air Rifle Postal Competition. Pakkam will be competing in February representing Roswell High School JROTC and Fulton County Schools in the Army Service Championship in Anniston, AL. Read more. Roswell High School Football Players, Coach Named 4-AAAAAAA All-Region Members December 20, 2018 – Region 4-AAAAAAA has announced their football honors, and 12 Region Champion Roswell Hornets were named to the team and seven players received honorable mention. In addition, Kamonty Jett was named Offensive Player of the Year, Ty’Ron Hopper was named Defensive Player of the Year and Varsity Football Coach Matt Kemper was named Coach of the Year. Read more. Roswell High School Teacher Selected for the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award October 29, 2018 – Roswell High School teacher Christi Chilton has recently been selected for the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award. Chilton is in her 17th year of teaching, 13 of which have been at Roswell High School. She teaches Honors and AP Chemistry, sponsors four student organizations. In the past, she has coached track and cross county. Read more. Roswell High School Welcomes 26 Students from Epinal, France, in Exchange Program October 16, 2018 – Roswell High School hosted a welcome reception on October 15 for visiting students from Epinal, France, through at exchange program between the two schools. The French visitors are attending Roswell High School and visiting the Atlanta area from October 10-19. Read more. 11595 King Rd Roswell, GA 30075 Phone #: 470-254-4500 all-day Summer Office Hours /9-12 & 1-3 Summer Office Hours /9-12 & 1-3 12:00 pm New Student Registration – See W... @ Media Center New Student Registration – See W... @ Media Center If you notice any incorrect or misplaced information on this website please contact the RHS Web Design Team at roswellweb@gmail.com and we will fix the issue as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience! Roswell High School © 2019. All Rights Reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line920
__label__cc	0.529116	0.470884	Western Canyons Greater Yellowstone Badlands & The Black Hills Iconic West SoCal Coast Yosemite, Gold Country & High Sierras South-Central Boston, Coastal Massachusetts & Rhode Island Western Massachusetts & The Berkshires Family & Multigenerational Iconic USA Road Trips Native American Arts & Culture PLAN A TRIP! Exploring the Badlands & The Black Hills is a ‘monumental’ adventure. Besides iconic Mount Rushmore, you’ll find Badlands National Park, with stark, almost surreal terrain that has been called a masterpiece of natural sculpture, Custer State Park’s 72,000 acres flush with abundant wildlife, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Wind Cave National Park and Devils Tower. Head over to the Black Hills and you’ll find 5 million acres of forest and mountain lands – an oasis in a sea of prairie. The region’s vastness is only exceeded by the fun you and your family can discover on your Badlands & Black Hills vacation. The Badlands & Black Hills are guaranteed to deliver a big dollop of surprise and delight. Why you might ask? Well, it ticks just about all the boxes for a perfect vacation – especially if you enjoy Native American and pioneer history, wildlife, geology, dinosaurs, hiking, climbing, paddling, riding, cave touring, stargazing… and that’s just for starters. Want to get a sense of what life was like in the days of the wild west? Then head to Deadwood, reached by a scenic drive through Spearfish Canyon from Rapid City, known as the ‘City of Presidents’ with life-size bronze statues along the city’s streets and sidewalks. And don’t forget the region’s nighttime specialties – stargazing at Badlands and the evening lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore. With a short film and song, followed by an invitation for the veterans in the audience to go onstage before the flag is lowered – it’s a very stirring experience that is a fitting capstone to a Badlands & Black Hills vacation. Let’s dream it together! Our National Park experts are ready to plan your next great adventure. Use the button below or call 866-686-2106 to speak with someone from our team. We can’t wait to hear from you! It’s easy to imagine you’re surrounded by three-toed horses, saber-toothed cats and even camels as you gaze out over the mysterious Badlands. Long ago, these creatures roamed the region – today, there are plenty of bison, pronghorn and big-horn sheep that still make these grasslands and prairies their home. Your Badlands National Park vacation will unveil fossils from the Oligocene period, 200 varieties of wildflowers, the 100-mile-long natural stone Wall and the rest of the area Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer called “hell without the fire.” Yet to the Lakota, the Badlands are sacred and we’ll show you why. WHAT WE REVEAL Venture out into the Badlands with a private guide – at sunset, no less – to drink in the mesmerizing pinnacles, spires and buttes at their most beautiful and colorful moment of the day. While pioneers may have passed through as quickly as possible, we’ll linger on the trail and discuss the park’s geology as the moon rises into the vast night sky. Hike the short trails of the park’s north unit, getting right up close to this otherworldly landscape. The Door Trail is a favorite with its boardwalk accessibility and incredible views. Our guides will take you to out-of-the-way places throughout the park or, should you wish to explore on your own, can recommend routes and create itineraries that match your interests. > Mount Rushmore > The Black Hills Quick, can you name the two men who created Mount Rushmore? Doane Robinson (often referred to as the “Father of Mount Rushmore”) and Gutzon Borglum are the two Americans we have to thank for this mountain-sized monument showcasing four of our country’s most esteemed presidents. Rising 60 feet high, the granite heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln took approximately 12 years to construct and attract nearly 3 million visitors per year. A Mount Rushmore vacation often encompasses the Black Hills of South Dakota – we’ll help you experience it all. For an insider’s Mount Rushmore vacation, you can count on us to provide a private tour of the Black Hills region. The focus is this majestic monument, which we typically visit in the morning for the best photography lighting and fewer crowds. The short Presidential Trail is a wonderful way to get different vantage points and framing of photos. We’ll return for the evening lighting ceremony, a nightly illumination set to “America the Beautiful” and “The Star-Spangled Banner,” making for a proud and memorable moment in front of the heritage we all share. During the day, venture into the Black Hills and Badlands for a look at the area’s history, geology, Native American culture, paleontology and wildlife. Nearby attractions include Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and Jewel Cave National Monument. > Badlands National Park > Deadwood A Black Hills vacation can’t ever really be long enough – there’s so much scenery and so much history here, you’ll feel you’ve barely scratched the surface. Several national parks and monuments call this region home, including the internationally recognized Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial and Badlands National Park. Beyond this, there are 12 more national and state parks, as well as recreation areas, within the Black Hills, all easily accessible from a pleasant home base in Rapid City. Wear your sneakers, bring your camera and get ready to explore. Head first to Mount Rushmore National Memorial on your Black Hills vacation, this being “America’s Shrine of Democracy.” Early-morning lighting is best for photos – our guides will return you there in the evening for the dramatic nightly illumination. Check out the ongoing mountain carving at Crazy Horse Memorial, which, when finished, will be 641 feet long and 563 feet high (the Mount Rushmore faces are each 60 feet high). You might also check out the artist residence for a behind-the-scenes look at the memorial’s famed sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. Custer State Park is a must, vast at 71,000 acres (nothing is small-scale in the Black Hills) and home to a free-ranging buffalo herd. There are scenic drives, great fishing in mountain lakes, amazing hiking trails and more to discover across all the acreage. Visit the Black Hills Institute in Hill City, one of the world’s leading organizations in paleontological excavations and preparation, supplying museums with the finest in professionally prepared fossils. A smattering of local wineries offer bottles to take home, or, if you wish, indulge in a high-end artistic souvenir at one of Hill City’s many galleries. As the gateway to the Badlands and Mount Rushmore, Rapid City is worthy of exploration on its own and may surprise you with its sophistication, walkability and cultural pursuits. It’s known as the City of Presidents for the bronze statues of every US president scattered throughout downtown. Creature comforts at fine accommodation await guests after a day spent visiting one of the six national parks and monuments that lie within an hour’s drive of the city, including Devils Tower, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and Wind Cave National Park. Adventure in Rapid City starts with venturing into the dramatic Badlands, where you’ll hike in little-known areas with your private guide who knows the region’s geography like his own backyard. Visit the Black Hills, focusing on Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore National Monument, in the evening when the lights are on and the crowds are nonexistent. Bike, hike, stargaze, rock climb, and zip line – there’s an adventure for all ages and energy levels on a Rapid City vacation. Back within the city limits, spend an afternoon at the museums dedicated to Native American history and galleries brimming with fine arts displays. > Yellowstone National Park Step back in time, to the 1870s, for a historic Deadwood vacation, the quintessential frontier town and lure to hundreds who sought their fortunes here, including Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. The entire town has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is continually undergoing restoration to create the most authentic experience for its visitors. Arrive through breathtaking Spearfish Canyon, with its 1,000-foot limestone cliffs and cascading waterfalls – might we suggest autumn, when the fall foliage is just gorgeous? Our local guides are well-versed in everything the Badlands and Black Hills have to offer, particularly the formerly lawless town of Deadwood. If your only experience with Deadwood is the HBO TV series, you’ll be awestruck as we stop by Wild Bill’s grave in the Mount Moriah Cemetery or tour the insightful Adams Museum. Try your hand at gold-panning in the Broken Boot Mine. Delve into the underground at Beautiful Wonderland Caves, and marvel at the stalactites, stalagmites and variety of crystals. Kick back at local, family-owned wineries and breweries. Stroll or ride horseback along Whitewood Creek Trail. Tempt Lady Luck in one of the many local casinos. A Deadwood vacation is a delightful way to experience the Wild West of yesteryear. > Rapid City SIGN UP, JOIN THE EXPERIENCE Revealed America	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line923
__label__wiki	0.571597	0.571597	Posted by: John Elliott \| December 13, 2017 Gujarat election used by Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi to boost national ambitions Congress unlikely to have dramatic state assembly win it hopes for Gujarati pride in Modi being prime minister looks like saving the BJP For past few weeks the two leaders of India’s main political parties have been slugging it out in the western state of Gujarat as if they were engaged in a national general election campaign. They have both been fighting for their political futures, using the state’s current assembly election as the springboard for India’s next general election in March-April 2019. Gujarat is the home state of prime minister Narendra Modi where his Bharatiya Janata Party has ruled for 22 years and he was a widely-praised chief minister from 2001 to 2014. His aim in the current election campaign has been to ensure that the BJP does not win fewer than the 116 seats in the 182-seat assembly that it won in the last election in 2012, and maybe adds significantly to that number. The other top leader is Rahul Gandhi, who has gained that ranking this week by being confirmed as president of the Congress Party, a post he will take over from his mother Sonia Gandhi on December 16. His aim has been to demonstrate that, after years of shirking responsibility and failing to emerge as a political leader, he is now capable of reviving the party’s flagging prospects and propelling it to victory in 2019. In Gujarat, that means reducing the BJP’s majority in the assembly by significantly increasing the 60 seats that Congress won in 2012. Rahul Gandhi prays in one of many Hindu temples he has visited in Gujarat in recent months After a two-day visit to Gujarat this week, my assessment is that Gandhi has failed in the campaign, which officially closed last night (tomorrow is the second and final day of voting) dramatically to increase Congress’s position. The party will almost certainly gain a few seats, but probably not enough to embarrass Modi – though the BJP certainly will not win the 150 seats extravagantly claimed by Amit Shah, the party’s president. Experienced journalists and other observers in the state ducked giving me forecasts, saying the election was too uncertain to call. At least one opinion poll has forecast a surge for Congress though, of the four polls conducted in December, two have the BJP winning 134 seats and two say 102. The first signs of any surprises will come when exit polls are announced tomorrow (Dec 13) evening. The count takes place on December 18. My assessment is primarily based on the most convincing argument I heard in Gujarat – that Modi is regarded by voters as their man, who they are proud to have sent to Delhi as prime minister. They do not want to do anything to harm his national standing and thus reduce his chances of winning again in the next general election. This is despite undoubted widespread dissatisfaction with the current Gujarat state government, which has failed to perform well on development and social issues under two chief ministers since Modi moved to Delhi in 2014. After 22 years, many voters believe it is time for a change, but will not abandon Modi. Demonetisation and GST It is also despite the fact that there is anger in some areas about Modi’s controversial policies of demonetisation last November, when he cancelled 86% of bank notes overnight, and a new sales tax (GST) that he introduced in July as a breakthrough equivalent only to India’s declaration of independence from Britain in 1947. Both demonetisation and GST were badly implemented. Across the country, they have seriously disrupted traders’ and other small businesses’ traditionally informal cash-based and tax-free transactions. In Gujarat, there is widespread resentment, especially in the western city of Surat, which is a diamond and textile centre, and in Saurashtra, where the BJP is believed to have done badly in the first phase of voting on December 9. Local issues have played little part in the election campaign, despite Gandhi’s attempts to play up the state government’s failings with a 50-page development-oriented election manifesto. He has tried to highlight issues such as water supply shortages, and secondary and higher education which is predominantly supplied expensively by the private sector. Gandhi has managed for the first time to relate well to vast crowds at rallies, showing humour and sensitivity that has often been missing in the past. Observers say that the Congress party’s organisation in the state has also improved considerably and that, for the first time in many years, the party has been making a concerted effort to win. Strangely, that is reported not to have been so earlier when Ahmed Patel, an MP and Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary, played a leading role in the organisation. Narendra Modi left Ahmedabad yesterday in a seaplane as a publicity stunt Gandhi has however sometimes got his facts wrong, for instance suggesting that a Tata Motors factory set up with generous state government loans to produce the company’s unsuccessful Nano car was closing – it is producing a successful new model. He has a reputation for failing to master and understand a brief, and this has been evident at various times during the campaign. Modi and other BJP politicians abandoned his usual focus on vikas (development) as a rallying cry when he realised how dissatisfied the electorate was with the BJP state government’s performance. He then focussed on praising his own record and personally denigrating Gandhi. He also turned to populist gambits, raising the spectre of Pakistan (which borders Gujarat) as a threat – something the BJP has often done in past election campaigns when worried about voting intentions. Pakistan Congress collusion After former Congress prime minister Manmohan Singh attended a private dinner given in Delhi last week for a former Pakistan foreign minister, Modi unrealistically alleged that Pakistan was colluding with Congress to bring down the BJP in Gujarat. He seemed to have no worries about dramatically lowering the tone of the political campaign and breaking convention by implicitly denigrating a respected former prime minister, presumably believing that the line would win the BJP voter support. He also mocked Gandhi for suddenly visiting a large number of Hindu temples, which Gandhi had done in order to counter the BJP’s appeal as a Hindu-focussed party. If hyper-activity is sometimes a sign of both a desperation to win and a fear of defeat, then Modi’s frenetic saturation of Gujarat with political rallies and speeches must indicate that the BJP was worried about losing more than a handful of seats to Gandhi’s energetic campaign. In a final publicity flourish, Modi left Ahmedabad yesterday from the city’s Sabarmati River in a seaplane – an aircraft so rarely seen in India that one newspaper carried a description of what it is. Gandhi mocked the flight as a gimmick but, for Gujarat voters, it was probably yet another example of what can be achieved by their former chief minister. If his populist tactics have worked, Modi will have succeeded in rescuing the BJP from the failings of the state government. What is not so clear is whether Congress is doing well enough for Gandhi to have begun to establish himself as a viable Congress president. Posted in India « Rahul Gandhi finally to be Congress president Exit polls give Narendra Modi’s BJP victory in Gujarat » You are right. I should have waited. Unfortunetly, most sites that moderate comments before publishing, do it to filter out comments that do not agree with the author’s or publisher’s views. But that cannot be an excuse for assuming that you won’t publish my critical comment. I apologize for my impatience. By: Amar on December 18, 2017 My previous comment is in moderation. Will check tomorrow to see if you publish it or not. It will tell me how much to trust your writing. that’s unduly impatient of you Amar – couldn’t you even wait five minutes before questioning “how much to trust your writing”??! je By: John Elliott on December 14, 2017 Any person who says ‘Manmohan Singh is respected’ is out of touch with today’s India, or he/she has shared the spoils of the loot carried out by corrupt Congress party during ScamMohan’s premiership. The moment one reads ‘Manmohan Singh is highly respected’, anything else written in the rest of the article can hardly be believed. thanks Sam – I decided to leave Hardik Patel for my article when we get the results – or maybe tomorrow night’s exit polls update if he figures in them. He should be helping Congress win in some seats where the Patidars are strongest. je Enjoyable insights as always. How does Hardik Patel feature in your thinking? And do you have a sense of whom of the major 2 he is likely to take votes from? The BBC ran a very pumped up piece about the potential for him destabilising the BJP-dominated status quo. I was in Uttar Pradesh for that state election earlier this year – found the whole carnival fascinating. By: Sam Warren India on December 13, 2017	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line926
__label__cc	0.56957	0.43043	Youth Acting Program In partnership with Rail City Bistro in downtown St. Thomas we do live Improv performances on the last Saturday of the month. If you have seen Whose Line is it Anyway, then you already have a pretty good idea of what we do. The audience builds the show as we react to their suggestions. You get a different and hilarious experience every time you come out. No two shows are the same. Corporate Gigs and Other Bookings If you would like to book us for your event or venue please contact us at info@railcitytheatre.com to discuss rates. "I would rank this improv right at the top. Clever, quick and very witty. Great venue too. Small enough to feel like you are a part of it. We will be back" - Cathy Plyley "Such a hilarious and talented group of people! Can't wait for the next improv event!" - Shannon Maloney "4 words sum to sum up my experience: I hurt from laughter." - Matthew Whitehead Improv Night – Season 2, Episode 7 Saturday, Rail City Bistro Your Improv Actors Heather May Heather May has been acting in local, independent and community theatre since the age of nine. She has performed on stages in Paris (Ontario), Burford, Brantford, Woodstock, London and India. She has been directing and producing theatre for almost nine years and has appeared in a number of commercials and training videos. She is a true believer in the healing powers of comedy. She says "If I go through life trying to make at least one person laugh a day - when the curtain closes - I will have lived a great life." John Allen John Allen is a community theatre actor throughout our area, performing with Elgin Theatre Guild, Aylmer Community Theatre, St. Mary's Community Players, and Stratford Community Players. He has appeared in commercials and as a background performer in television shows. He is also an original member of the Humor Sapiens improv team. John says " If you can learn to laugh at yourself and bring humour to your troubles, it empowers you to overcome them. I love making people laugh and have a good time, to forget the woes of the world even if its for just an hour or two." Timothy Hedden Timothy Hedden has been disrupting classrooms with his insights since at least the age of ten. He honed this particular skill set into attempting comedy any time the mood struck him. He first performed Improv sixteen years ago and has always enjoyed the spontaneity and connection of performing with no script, and no idea where any of it is going. In addition to his duty on the Improv team, Timothy is also the owner of Rail City Theatre. Sam Shoebottom Sam Shoebottom has been involved with theatre from a very young age. After taking drama classes in high school Sam studied at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Since returning to Canada, Sam has pursued a professional career in many plays, musicals, commercials, and films. Sam currently works with Dufflebag Theatre, Original Kids Theatre Company and directs and acts with many area theatre companies. Rail City Theatre - We Live to Play Copyright 2018. Rail City Theatre. All Rights Reserved. \| Powered and Designed by Creative Atmosphere	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line927
__label__cc	0.666093	0.333907	World Citizen’s Democracy By Rais Neza Boneza Posted on September 25, 2014 July 3, 2015 by admin Seeds of New Hope: Pan-African Peace Studies for the 21st Century by Matt Meyer (Editor / Contributor), Rais Neza Boneza (Contributor),Horace Campbell (Contributor) 0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2008 — 2 editions The new millennium is still profoundly affected by the bloodshed and conflicts of the 20th century. The world seems to be in a continual state of rebellion. The condition of people in our age, 15 years after the end of the Cold War, is still unhappiness, the incapacity to decide for ourselves, general despair, and uncertainty in daily life, all embodied in the lack of one principle, “Democracy.” How can we apply democracy to millions or billions of people? Many of the leaders in totalitarian systems or former colonised countries like those of Africa have responded to this question. The late General Mobutu Sese Seko from the Democratic Republic of Congo legitimised his dictatorships by recalling the return to African authenticity. Leaders in China choose not to understand how more than a billion of people in their country could be given the right to express themselves freely. For those leaders, freedom and democracy rhyme with chaos. Nowadays we call ourselves civilised, but all humanity is in complete turbulence. International relations are mined by a spirit of competition that creates a climate of anxiety and hostility. The system controlled by a minority of the world population is growing more and more greedy and powerful. This can suppress all hope of realizing ideals in the citizens who are “overwhelmed” and frustrated by the decision-making group. Society has lost the centre of its values. People are living under the threat and fantasy of extinction, terrorism, chemical weapons, and nuclear danger, the indicators of unresolved domestic conflicts. For the sake of particular perversions of democracy, we sacrifice people and ignore the meaning of democracy which lies in freedom and the respect of human dignity; the foundation of which world identified in the almost cultural-religious dogma: “love your neighbour.” The disease of stereotypes gnaws all civilisations around the world, creating conflict classes, different groups and denominations. The individual is swallowed up in the herd; humans are dehumanised, losing their selfhood. The September 11 attack on the United States completely transformed the face of the world. There is no negotiation, no dialogue; only the rationale of the strongest. The fear among us is stronger, and perhaps stronger than it ever has been. International laws still form a mere border between hostility and stability. How can we stabilise and develop our world? Democracy is the key, but how can we apply democracy centuries after Athens, to not only one small community or city but to billions of people with different cultural backgrounds and achnowledging the equality of gender? How to understand freedom and human dignity? Could peace be possible after all? Justice is the answer The new meaning of democracy – Humans try to resolve the difficulties of existence when confronted by nature and human inter-relationships. Human creates morality, religion, art, politics or economy and a sense of community where each person recognises another in accepting each other’s diversity and there is also a feeling of togetherness and of unity in creation universal values Society is in existence because human beings have desires and needs. That can only be satisfied by cooperation. There is a need for community. No individual can live in isolation. Human life is entirely social. Community with justice is one of the foundations of democracy, every culture. The stoics admitted the existence of a natural or moral law that gave certain minimum rights to all and only men without distinctions. “Government has to recognize such rights.” Cicero, the orator, said: “no state except one in which people have supreme power provides a house for freedom.” The emperor Justinian in the 6th century collected one code, “the Digest,” which became the basis of civil justice in the western world and the forerunner of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. It brought a new concept of freedom within the laws, equality in the common origin of men; brotherhood on the basis of one heavenly Father and enabled Roman laws to provide an early universal declaration of human rights. Laws must be made only by the will of the people. King John of England in 15th June 1215 signed the “Magna Carta” which stated that: – The power of a ruler is limited – Human rights are more important than the sovereignty of the kings After the “Magma Carta,” democracy did not advance in England because a feudal class tried to undermine the right of the people. That has become the common problem in Third World countries after the advent of political independence. Leaders were confused between the power of the people, which they were supposed to respect, and their own personal will as an exercise in poor judgement over the people. In 1888, William of Orange from Holland was invited to England to replace James II and to rule according to a revised bill of Human Rights which secured the supremacy of the parliament. In the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, wherein he inscribed democratic ideals which had been brought to America from Europe and which excluded African American slaves and ignored women. In the Declaration of Independence we find the basic fundamental principle of democracy: a. Men are endowed by God with the rights of “life, liberty and happiness” b. All Government depends on the consent of the governed. c. It’s the right duty of people to unseat any government whose abuses and usurpations lead to nepotism. d. The power of the government is divided into three sections: executive, legislative, and judicial. The French Revolution was bloody. The king and hundreds of the nobility and the clergy were killed. Religion was set aside and the principles of morality changed. The concept of freedom and brotherhood was made known to every citizen. In other nations, Kings were forced to accept reforms based on the principle that people are the source of authority. Kings had either to agree to rule in accordance with the constitution made by parliament or to abdicate. Today the mentality of democracy has spread all over the world; the human rights declaration is humankind’s most eloquent expression of opposition against tyranny and in support of the expression of the individual. To build up a political and social environment where the state and authorities are servants of the individual, and where respect for rights and duties of human persons is supreme is the aim of democracy. Think of the terms Demos, like the people, and Cratos as the power of the government. “Democracy is known as the government of the people, by the people, and for the people” (Abraham Lincoln). Democracy is a way of ruling or governing the people. This ruling is usually done by a parliament. The ruling of parliament by representatives of the people freely elected by the people themselves is based on the principle of “One man, one vote.” The representatives in parliament must stand for “the people.”(or, until recently, men of a certain class and background) The people must have the right to express their own opinions about the duties and sacrifices imposed upon them; they have the right not to be forced to obey without being heard and accorded full respect for their own dignity and freedom. This is based on the following principles: – The freedom of religion and of conscience – The freedom of teaching – The freedom of speech and of press – The freedom of association, Those are freedoms of humanity Freedom is a living thing. Good societies give the greatest freedom to their people; freedom defined not negatively, and defensively but positively as the opportunity to realise greater human values, genuine respect of the person. In our individual dimension, freedom is our capacity to direct our own development; the capacity to mould ourselves, it involves the acceptance of realities, basic realities such as the need for rest and food or as ultimate as death, not by blind necessity, but by choice. The acceptance of limitations can and should be a constructive act of freedom. The human who is devoted to freedom does not waste time fighting reality. Freedom is the power to mould and create ourselves, the capacity to become what we are truly are. . When the structure fails through dictatorship, permissiveness of persons who deny this freedom to other persons, chaos, lawless, stagnation, immobilisation result and replace community and justice. Democracy is a living and working system of government as such; it is never complex or fixed. No democratic system in the world today is altogether pure. Democracy must provide. Then, a permanent possibility of change. In the religious-moralistic point of view, we find 3 ideas of democracy, which are: a) The Christian idea of democracy (out of date) b) The secular idea of democracy c) The atheist idea of democracy 1. The Christian idea of democracy or George W.Bush’s kind of democracy The Christian idea of democracy tends to give the state a Christian background and this system does not always exclude other religions if the citizens want to follow them. Rulers believe in God and in the Divinity of Jesus and rule according to natural laws of the gospel; God is the author of the society and he made society to help men reach heaven. Man has an eternal end as well as an earthly end, for happiness. The rulers have received their authority from the people: “The voice of the people is the voice of God.” Laws of God and Christianity limit freedom. Equality is in the rights and also in the duties. We are brothers because we are the sons and daughters of God. We do not find any laws against natural laws, for example non-legislation of divorce or birth control as they are against natural laws; politics will not be independent from morality; morality is considered here as the soul of society and secret of welfare. 2. Secular democracy. Example: Norsk Demokrati (Norway) Secular democracy gives an artless background to the state and freedom of religion. The laws of the state prevail over religious laws because the different churches are looked upon as particular societies within the state, like any trade union. Leaders rule according to the laws of the state, without any religious influence. For the sake of a common welfare, the citizens obey the rulers. They do not see themselves as brothers because they have no common Father. They are equal before the laws and the laws limit freedom. Those laws are not against the laws of Christianity but offend what are considered natural laws in Christianity and in a moralistic point of view such as the law of divorce, or of birth control. Morality is kept out of politics. What is good for the interest of state is considered a right. 3. Atheist democracy The system called Communism is not really democratic because the dictatorship has its own way of ruling, always monolithic or one party. The foundations of democracy – freedom of speech, religion, of thought, conscience – are often not always, totally forbidden and repressed, a mock democracy. The ruler leads the people not for their good but for the good and progress of the dominant ideology (the party or power of the country). The chief of the state is the supreme authority. They are brother/sister without a common father, their leader is their father. Only the ideology is free, so free that people could be sacrificed for its good. In Africa, democracy is presented as just another form of totalitarian power because of its cultural background, but wherever there is human nature, there is the possibility of democratic form of government. In Africa years ago the chiefs were not only the makers of the laws and administrators, but were also judges of those who broke the law. We should consider historical facts in Africa to settle democracy. “There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, no more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system” (Niccolo Machiavely 1513). It will be unwise to destroy the old system before building a new one. Democracy must have limits. Democracy without restrictions is the worst form of government. Democracy includes taking the participation of all. Building a space of Dialogue. Laws are a necessary condition for democracy and any law is a restriction of our freedom. Democracy must be for the good of all classes of people. Political parties should work for the good of the society and not for the good of the parties themselves. To build a dignified society we have to educate the public to be people because the masses, the mob or the public is the mortal enemy of democracy. Democracy is not about the number but the consciousness of the individual as being a part in the progress of the society. Therefore, people does not mean a mass of individuals, a crowd; people means citizens living together who are consciously responsible and aware of their duties, their rights, and their freedom is limited by the respect, the dignity and freedom of others. Democracy cannot be a government of the masses, for the masses, by the masses. That is why many countries have fallen into a cycle of crisis, because the people were not mature enough to settle on a power which would provide equality and freedom. The men of the future have to work through others and for others. A mass, a crowd, a mob lives and works by other peoples’ convictions. A mob is always ready to follow a flag today or in the future. Being irresponsible for its actions provokes a dictatorship. Training for democracy Training for democracy consists of knowing and applying those fundamental rights as the rights for citizens to express opinion about duties or burdens that civil life imposes on them, the right not to be forced to obey in civil matters without first being heard, either directly or through representatives; this requires a sophisticated education and an understanding of the power of modern mass communication. # Mass communication: introduction According to De Fleur and Ballrokeach (1989), communication enabled inventions and solutions to problems that marked the stages of human civilisation to be shared and passed down to succeeding generations. The stages in human communication are associated with development of speaking, writing, printing and the mass media in “the information society.”Each development did not replace its precedent. Persons exist as units of the society. Alone, each person is isolated, meaningless; only when with communication with others does one become valuable. Different conflicts in our societies are misunderstandings or breakdowns in communication; we could eliminate those conflicts by applying the method of dialogue to human relations. When a person is engaged in communication, public relations (usually considered a form of lying), advocacy and counselling, one is a part of the society. Human life is essentially social and a democratic society must not be an individualistic society. # Personal opinion formation The use of a basic education and personal development, the practice of social charity and social justice reducing selfish tendencies, useful meetings and well-prepared discussions, reading and talking and listening to one another requires wisdom and information. The interaction of people of different classes or denominations is useful for stability and an integrated society. The societies in the process of education and formation have to develop a sense of trust. Without trust, we are destined to endure at an increasing level of criminality as we see in most of the great capitalist towns of the world. Leaders have to be attached to principles and laws without discrimination. Concept of freedom A human being is free not because he/she does what she/he wants but because he/she does what is reasonable, and to go against the reason to do what he/she likes means that he/she is slave of his/her pride or of his/her instincts or something else. There is freedom when we follow the wish of the reason or of the soul unless these are reasonable. When I am thirsty, I have the possibility to choose between water, cola or a beer. That is reasonable, but if I know that to drink too much beer will make me drunk, give me a headache or even waste my money, then choosing beer at that special moment will not be reasonable. There is free action which is supported by awareness. I am not a slave; my instinct therefore is to follow feelings and wishes where they are against reason is slavery that will lead to irrationality Human freedom, as we know, has limits, no one is fully free, all human power is totally restricted; we are born without our consent and we shall die without it. Nature itself limits our freedom; if you want to live you must breathe and eat. Can someone say I am free and so I want to live without breathing? The condition of our nature goes beyond our freedom. As our nature is limited, our freedom too is limited. If we could have an infinite, we could have an infinite freedom. If we are free, our neighbours are free too. We are not allowed to use our freedom to destroy the freedom of others. A full understanding of democracy is based on a full understanding of freedom, equality and sisterhood/brotherhood of humans. Freedom is not rebellion but rebellion could be an interim toward freedom. Freedom means openness, a readiness to develop, to grow morally-spiritually-physically; it means being flexible; ready to change for the sake of human greater values. From the universal declaration of human write, we can synthesise the following kinds of freedom: # Freedom of religion Every person is free to choose his belief, or a faith, and the state has to make it comprehensible to the people to avoid tension and harm to the society. By respecting that freedom, we make ourselves ready for love and fraternity in the society because we will have tolerance to work with others. Religion is a personal affair and also a social affair. The 18th article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved by the U.N, says that every individual has the freedom of conscience, and religion and one of these freedoms includes the freedom of changing one’s religion, and displaying one religion openly. This means not only personal worship, but social and public life within limits of laws. By tolerance mentioned earlier, we have to understand firstly that men have to learn to develop a capacity of love instead of hatred or atrocities. Tolerance is one step to love. Tolerance does not mean love by any means. Love is a delight in the presence of other person’s and affirming of their value, development as much as one’s own. Love requires the ability to have empathy with another, to appreciate and affirm his potentialities; love also presupposes freedom. You can love someone as long as you are free. To love someone because, by accident of birth you happen to be a member of his family, is not love. Love is not a given by choice; you can love only in proportion to your capacity for independence, as Spinoza said: “truly loving God does not involve a demand for love in return.” For example, to produce a piece of art requires that the artist be able to bring out his love, to give without thought of being rewarded. Then, to love means to give and to give demands a maturity of self-feeling. # Freedom of expression and press Everyone possessing truth or constructive ideas has the right to pass it to others through speaking or other means of communications. Everybody has the right to express their opinions on certain facts and principles and to discuss the opinions of others. Those rights of speech and press are limited by the laws of justice, of charity, of truthfulness, of the church and laws of the state. A speaker or a writer can be a writer and may be prosecuted when using false statements as: – Defamatory libel, – Seditious libel which induces people in violence; – Blasphemous libel against beliefs, – Obscene libel, – Official secrecy, – Abuse of copyright, – Contempt of court. # Freedom of association Man is a social being; he is obliged to live in some association with other men. In a democratic country, citizens are allowed to have meetings and to join the associations they feel like joining. All men are born free and equal in respect to their rights, meaning equal opportunities, equal justice and right. All men have the same type of soul, red blood, and flesh; they need air, food and drink; are born in the same way and will die in same way. As an Bantu proverb says, “All men’s nostrils are directed downwards.” Equality of men can be reached by education, public morality, honesty, fair standard of living, and democratic ways of living. As men are equal then they are brothers; there are no brothers without a common father. But by learning love, men can achieve true brotherhood. Lack of social charity makes a country unhappy. Citizens are often indifferent and that creates only anxiety, criminalities and other social evils. The Golden rule that we can find in all the big faith or religions in the world is: “Do unto others what you would like others to do to you,” in other words “love your neighbour.” You will learn to be a brother or to love someone by going to the other, by sharing feeling or interest, by sharing a common language. Interaction between nations, races, tribes, and classes should be made easy; international laws, institutions and laws must be strengthened. In general, for a world democracy we need a strong sense of internationalism and humanism. The new society must harmonize the basic values of the contemporary times. We must implement a democracy whose major institutions, resources, industry, health, etc., are public; a democratic world in which all states participate. And that can be accomplished by a total reform of education. An education through the art of human relations must stop inculcating the values of an industrialised society, such as materialism or endless competition, and promote values such as cooperation, charity, respect, peace, and consensus instead of majority rule. The world needs a democracy with converging ideas based on human rights, laws instead of diverging ideas like we have now, which create only conflict and confusion. A man’s life must be based on cooperation with other men and the natural environment.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line928
__label__cc	0.578167	0.421833	HomePeopleSperryville column for Dec. 20 Sperryville column for Dec. 20 By Barbara Adolfi December 20, 2012 People, School/Education News, Sperryville Column Comments Off on Sperryville column for Dec. 20 Grief and joy We join with you, and people around the world, who grieve the loss of the children and school staff who died in school violence last week. Twenty children and six staff died in Connecticut and, that same week, a man went into a school in central China and stabbed 23 children. Whatever reasons emerge for this tragic behavior, our hearts and prayers go out to those who died, their families and friends, and for those whose internal pain was expressed in such an angry and horrible way. In the midst of a holiday season, it is hard to feel joyous as we, as a nation, try to make sense of the deaths and injuries to all these beautiful children. The winter solstice on Dec. 22, though expressed differently by many spiritual traditions, marks the shift from darkness into light, from despair into hope. May we gather strength from each other as we move strongly into the love and light of the new year. As a nation we will look at what policy changes can help prevent such disasters from reocurring. However, as individuals, we can all do our part, in whichever sphere we live, to bring peace and love to each other. I had already planned to tell you the following, and now the stories that follow seem even more important. Rappahannock’s ‘ambassadors’ Two members of our community recently participated in the People to People Ambassador Program, which began with an idea during a Geneva summit where President Dwight Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to support exchange programs as a means to ease Cold War tensions. From that conference, People to People was born. Although originally operated by the U.S. Information Agency, it was subsequently privatized and now is open to all who want to participate. Courtney Nichols, daughter of Marsha and Curtis Nichols, is a sophomore and honor roll student at Rappahannock County High School. She wanted to go on the trip to England, France and Germany “mostly to experience the lifestyles of other teenagers my age, learn the history and most importantly get to know new people – not only from the area but all the way across the world.” The best part of the trip for her was meeting Sara Hagele, the 15-year old daughter of her homestay family in Germany. “They invited me in with open arms. I spent three days with them and I made a friend and family for life.” Courtney believes that the European Heritage Trip changed her life for the better. “It has broadened my horizons and it has made me realize that there is more to the world than what we see in our everyday lives,” she said. The trip was made possible by her parents’ support and from the generous contributions of citizens of the community after an article appeared in this column on May 24. Patti Brennan, Sperryville’s stained glass artist, elected to visit Cuba. This is her story: My family and I had the opportunity to travel to Havana, Cuba recently. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The stories of this country create doubt about visiting it. One of the reasons we wanted to visit Cuba is because we now can. For so many years we knew very little about a country that is such a close neighbor. We went with a tour company that offered a “People to People” cultural exchange. Our trip included many personal, one-to-one opportunities. Artist Jose Fuster’s son in front of the famous mosaic village Patti Brennan and family visited in Cuba. Photo by Patti Brennan. Much to our surprise, our experience fell nothing short of amazing. Cuban people are gracious and friendly and the diverse architecture of Havana was incredible to see. They have so many old U.S. cars it made us realize how resourceful these people are to be able to still keep so many running. There is a unique quality of contagiousness in the rich Cuban art and music. We visited several communities where the pure spirit of these people shines through in their joy of creating. One community was Fusterland, a mosaic project by world-renowned artist Jose Fuster. He has inspired the small fishing town he lives in outside of Havana to decorate more than 80 houses with this amazing ornate mosaic artwork. It was like visiting a mosaic Disneyland. Another community, Muraleando, has created mural art and sculpture where there once was trash. The art became a source of pride for the entire community, uplifted the attitude of the way they lived and helped them come together to create a better place to live. They involved the children of the community and used their inspiration to draw the artwork on all the walls. We spoke with one young man who had been a troubled youth and explained how he has turned his life around because of the great energy in being part of such a positively engaged neighborhood. Many times I felt like the magic we share here in Rappahannock was in Cuba, too. They have larger hurdles to overcome to achieve what they have, but their spirits are so bright and positive. My hope is that more people will visit this wonderful place and enjoy it as much we did. At Middle Street Gallery, in May 2013, I will be co-exhibiting some of my photographs of our trip, along with Gary Anthes, who also just visited Cuba. I hope you will come by Middle Street Gallery to enjoy them with us. May each of us, in our own way, seek to increase outreach to others, peace and love, in the light of the new year. Washington column for Dec. 20 Amissville column for Dec. 20	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line929
__label__wiki	0.896629	0.896629	THE SOLDIER’S WIFE Margaret Leroy The de la Mare household, filled entirely with women, is not unlike many households on the tiny British island of Guernsey during World War II, where most men have left to join the army in its fight against the encroaching German forces. Vivienne feels little difference, however, in her husband Eugene’s absence from the life they lived when he resided at home as she raises their two daughters and cares for her ailing mother-in-law. He may have slept in the same bed, but the distance between them, then, was just as great. Her life does change, though, when the Germans bomb their island and then occupy it, Her life does change, though, when the Germans bomb their island and then occupy it, building work camps for prisoners of war and taking up residence in the homes abandoned by Guernsey citizens who fled. The house next door to Vivienne’s becomes one such German residence, and when several soldiers of the German army begin living there, including one tall, intriguing man with a long pink scar on his face, Vivienne is forced to negotiate a new life fraught with new rules, new faces, and a dangerous but fulfilling new love. An intricate historical novel that moves deftly between mystery and romance, The Soldier’s Wife depicts domestic and military life—and the horrors of war—with poetic, evocative prose. Margaret Leroy’s book about a woman whose unassuming life is irrevocably changed by war is a quiet meditation on bravery, compassion, and the resilience of human nature. About Margaret Leroy Margaret Leroy has written five previous novels, including Postcards from Berlin, a New York Times Notable Book, and Yes, My Darling Daughter, which was chosen for the Oprah Summer Reading List. She is married with two children and lives in London. “With its stunning and evocative description of the Guernsey landscape, its subtle and astute depiction of a woman’s relationship with her children, her lover, and her husband, this absorbing novel is utterly beguiling.”—Rosamund Lupton, author of Sister The book opens with Vivienne reading fairy tales to her younger daughter, Millie. Discuss the ways in which The Soldier’s Wife is like a fairy tale, as well as the important ways in which it is not. Discuss, too, the running motif of fairy tales throughout the book, including what Vivienne reads to Millie out of Angie’s book of Guernsey stories. Is Leroy using the fairy tales as symbols, or metaphors, or as a way of constructing a thematic statement for the book? (Or, perhaps, all three?) Consider the ways the setting of The Soldier’s Wife is used as a literary device. Discuss scenes where the landscape foreshadows events or parallels the moods of the characters (in particular, Vivienne). How effectively do you think Leroy portrayed life on the island of Guernsey during its occupation by the Germans in World War II? In particular, discuss the extent to which she depicted the bombing of the harbor, the gradual decline into poverty and resourcefulness of the island’s inhabitants, and the strained and complex relationships between the German soldiers and the British citizens. Because most of the British men from Guernsey were enlisted as soldiers in the war, a majority of the characters in this book are women. Discuss the ways in which the author writes about women during wartime, focusing in particular on Angie, Gwen, Blanche, Vivienne, and Evelyn. Similarly, consider—by way of the book’s characters—how the different generations were affected by the war: Millie and Simon’s innocent youth, Blanche and Johnnie’s emerging adulthood, Vivienne and Gunther’s duty-torn middle age, and Evelyn’s advanced (and afflicted) years. In what ways did each generation suffer because of the war, and in what ways were they changed, perhaps, for the better? Comment on Vivienne’s honest appraisal of her marriage early in the novel, before her relationship with Gunther begins. What does it say about her that she never confronted Eugene about his mistress? Do you think that she would have returned to her marriage after the war with the same practical resignation? Some of the less developed characters in the novel are interesting nonetheless. Discuss the roles Gwen, Angie, Max, and Johnnie play in the book and in Vivienne’s life. How does each character teach her something, or reveal something, about which she would otherwise remain in the dark? How do her relationships with these characters change, and change her, over the course of the story? Discuss Kirill and his role in the novel, too. When Millie began speaking about the “white ghost” in the barn, did you suspect she was talking about a man from the work camp? What did you think had happened to him the first time he disappeared? In what ways was he responsible for a change in Vivienne, particularly as a character in opposition to Gunther, a man who was also responsible for significant change in Vivienne? When Vivienne broke off her relationship with Gunther, what did you believe? Did you believe that Gunther had reported Vivienne for housing Kirill? What did you think of Max’s revelation to Vivienne that Hermann had died, and then, at the end of the book, that Gunther had not been responsible for Kirill’s death? Do you think Vivienne blamed Gunther for Kirill’s death before this, or did it matter to her? How much did Vivienne hold Gunther responsible for his actions as a German soldier? Gunther and Vivienne were both marked by the death of a parent—Vivienne, her mother, and Gunther, his father. What other similarities, particularly of character, did they share? What made them such an ideal match? Had the war ended while Gunther was still on Guernsey, what might have happened to them? Would their fairy tale have had a happy ending? In what ways is Vivienne a memorable heroine? What character trait did you find most interesting about her? What made you like her (or, possibly, dislike her) in particular? Compare this book to other works of historical fiction that you have read. What are its biggest strengths? What makes it different from other historical novels? Did it change, in any way, your perspective of life in Europe during World War II? What can be learned from these characters and their particular situation that can be useful in contemporary society, even in the United States?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line931
__label__cc	0.644883	0.355117	Type 2 Diabetes Tied to Raised Risk of Tumors, Cancer Deaths Sexual Assault Has Long-Term Mental, Physical Impact Vitamins And Nutrition Information/Obesity Health News TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Americans’ love affair with fast food continues, with 1 in every 3 adults chowing down on the fare on any given day. That’s the finding from a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When asked by researchers, 37 percent of adults said they’d eaten fast food at least once over the past 24 hours. There was one surprise: Bucking the notion that poorer Americans favor fast food the most, the report found that intake actually rose with income. For example, while about 32 percent of lower-income folks ate fast food daily, more than 36 percent of middle-income consumers had fast food on a given day, as did 42 percent of those with higher incomes, the report found. Whatever your income bracket, fast food probably isn’t doing your health any favors. That’s because it “has been associated with increased intake of calories, fat and sodium,” the CDC team said. All that adds up to widening waistlines and hardening arteries, one nutritionist warned. “Most fast food is not good for our bodies,” said Liz Weinandy, a registered dietitian at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. “The more of it we eat, the more likely we are to be overweight or obese and have increased risk for several diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome when talking to patients,” she said. Too often, though, Americans ignore the danger. “When we see news clips of a shark swimming near a beach, it scares us into not going near that beach,” Weinandy said. But “what we should be scared of is double cheeseburgers, french fries and large amounts of sugary beverages.” The new report was led by Cheryl Fryar of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Her team tracked data from in-person government surveys conducted with thousands of U.S. adults between 2013 and 2016. People were asked to recall what they’d eaten in the past 24 hours. The report found that Americans tend to taper off fast foods as they age. While about 45 percent of people in their 20s and 30s said they’d eaten fast food over the prior day, that number dropped to just under 38 percent for people in their 40s and 50s, and about 24 percent for people aged 60 and older, the study found. Blacks were more likely to have eaten fast food on a given day than whites (roughly 42 percent vs. 38 percent, respectively), while 35.5 percent of Hispanics and 31 percent of Asian-Americans did so. Men tended to eat more fast food than women, Fryar’s group said. Black men were the most avid consumers of fast food — almost 42 percent had eaten the fare over the past day, the report found. Melanie Boehmer is a registered dietitian at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Reading over the report, she said, “On any given day, over one-third of Americans consume fast food — that’s a lot of Big Macs and pizza.” “These findings remind us that fast food companies have figured out a way to conveniently fit into our daily routine, despite their [products’] negative health implications,” Boehmer said. She believes that policymakers, doctors and health food advocates need to “beat fast food companies at their own game” in order to turn things around. “If we can offer healthier options that are just as convenient and just as affordable and just as delicious, then it’s a win for everybody,” Boehmer said. Weinandy agreed that America has to wean itself off its fast food habit. “There is no reason to completely avoid fast food, but it shouldn’t be consumed regularly,” she said. “You may want to ask yourself how often you’re currently eating it and then cut that number in half if it’s more than once a week.” The new report was published Oct. 3 as an National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief. Find out more about healthy eating at the American Heart Association.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line934
__label__wiki	0.983178	0.983178	Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts ScholarWorks > Education > Special Ed & Literacy > Reading Horizons > Vol. 34 > Iss. 5 (1994) Manuscript Title Educators Collaborate to Integrate Language Arts Instruction for Preservice Teachers and Elementary Students Janet Dynak, Western Michigan University Nancy Gagliano, Woodward Elementary School, Kalamazoo, Michigan Research indicates that as preservice teachers process information about the knowledge base for teaching and learning, they need to be encouraged to resolve differences among their prior beliefs, the paradigms and models being covered in education classes, and the curriculum and instruction being delivered in the schools where they participate (Feiman-Nemser and Buchmann, 1989). Dynak, J., & Gagliano, N. (1994). Educators Collaborate to Integrate Language Arts Instruction for Preservice Teachers and Elementary Students. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 34 (5). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol34/iss5/4 Education Commons All Issues Vol. 58, Iss. 1 Vol. 57, Iss. 3 Vol. 57, Iss. 2 Vol. 57, Iss. 1 Vol. 56, Iss. 4 Vol. 56, Iss. 3 Vol. 56, Iss. 2 Vol. 56, Iss. 1 Vol. 55, Iss. 3 Vol. 55, Iss. 2 Vol. 55, Iss. 1 Vol. 54, Iss. 2 Vol. 54, Iss. 1 Vol. 53, Iss. 4 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. 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. 5 Vol. 36, Iss. 4 Vol. 36, Iss. 3 Vol. 36, Iss. 2 Vol. 36, Iss. 1 Vol. 35, Iss. 5 Vol. 35, Iss. 4 Vol. 35, Iss. 3 Vol. 35, Iss. 2 Vol. 35, Iss. 1 Vol. 34, Iss. 5 Vol. 34, Iss. 4 Vol. 34, Iss. 3 Vol. 34, Iss. 2 Vol. 34, Iss. 1 Vol. 33, Iss. 5 Vol. 33, Iss. 4 Vol. 33, Iss. 3 Vol. 33, Iss. 2 Vol. 33, Iss. 1 Vol. 32, Iss. 5 Vol. 32, Iss. 4 Vol. 32, Iss. 3 Vol. 32, Iss. 2 Vol. 32, Iss. 1 Vol. 31, Iss. 5 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. 4 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. 4 Vol. 17, Iss. 3 Vol. 17, Iss. 2 Vol. 17, Iss. 1 Vol. 16, Iss. 4 Vol. 16, Iss. 3 Vol. 16, Iss. 2 Vol. 16, Iss. 1 Vol. 15, Iss. 4 Vol. 15, Iss. 3 Vol. 15, Iss. 2 Vol. 15, Iss. 1 Vol. 14, Iss. 4 Vol. 14, Iss. 3 Vol. 14, Iss. 2 Vol. 14, Iss. 1 Vol. 13, Iss. 4 Vol. 13, Iss. 3 Vol. 13, Iss. 2 Vol. 13, Iss. 1 Vol. 12, Iss. 4 Vol. 12, Iss. 3 Vol. 12, Iss. 2 Vol. 12, Iss. 1 Vol. 11, Iss. 4 Vol. 11, Iss. 3 Vol. 11, Iss. 2 Vol. 11, Iss. 1 Vol. 10, Iss. 4 Vol. 10, Iss. 3 Vol. 10, Iss. 2 Vol. 10, Iss. 1 Vol. 9, Iss. 4 Vol. 9, Iss. 3 Vol. 9, Iss. 2 Vol. 9, Iss. 1 Vol. 8, Iss. 4 Vol. 8, Iss. 3 Vol. 8, Iss. 2 Vol. 8, Iss. 1 Vol. 7, Iss. 4 Vol. 7, Iss. 3 Vol. 7, Iss. 2 Vol. 7, Iss. 1 Vol. 6, Iss. 4 Vol. 6, Iss. 3 Vol. 6, Iss. 2 Vol. 6, Iss. 1 Vol. 5, Iss. 4 Vol. 5, Iss. 3 Vol. 5, Iss. 2 Vol. 5, Iss. 1 Vol. 4, Iss. 4 Vol. 4, Iss. 3 Vol. 4, Iss. 2 Vol. 4, Iss. 1 Vol. 3, Iss. 4 Vol. 3, Iss. 3 Vol. 3, Iss. 2 Vol. 3, Iss. 1 Vol. 2, Iss. 4 Vol. 2, Iss. 3 Vol. 2, Iss. 2 Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Vol. 1, Iss. 2 Vol. 1, Iss. 1 ISSN: 2642-8857 (Online) 0034-0502 (Print) © 2011 Reading Horizons A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line938
__label__wiki	0.641366	0.641366	Herring et al. (Eds.) (2019) Herring, Emily et al. (Eds.). (2019) The Past, Present, and Future of Integrated History of Philosophy of Science. Routledge. The Past, Present, and Future of Integrated History of Philosophy of Science Emily Herring, Kevin Jones, Konstantin S. Kiprijanov, Laura M. Sellers Integrated History and Philosophy of Science (iHPS) is commonly understood as the study of science from a combined historical and philosophical perspective. Yet, since its gradual formation as a research field, the question of how to suitably integrate both perspectives remains open. This volume presents cutting edge research from junior iHPS scholars, and in doing so provides a snapshot of current developments within the field, explores the connection between iHPS and other academic disciplines, and demonstrates some of the topics that are attracting the attention of scholars who will help define the future of iHPS. Articles in This Collection Here are the articles from this collection listed in the bibliographic records: Rupik (2019): Rupik, Gregory. (2019) Scientonomy: A Bold New Vision for an Integrated History and Philosophy of Science. In Herring et al. (Eds.) (2019), forthcoming. To add an article in this collection, enter the citation key below: Citation keys normally include author names followed by the publication year in brackets. E.g. Lakatos (1970), Einstein, Podolsky, Rosen (1935), Musgrave and Pigden (2016), Kuhn (1970a), Lakatos and Musgrave (Eds.) (1970). If a record with that citation key already exists, you will be sent to a form to edit that page. Retrieved from "https://scientowiki.com/index.php?title=Herring_et_al._(Eds.)_(2019)&oldid=14955" Need Editing Bibliographic Records	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line940
__label__cc	0.516395	0.483605	HomeUnited States InitiativesUS Healthcare Empowerment Circle Membership Portal: Sign in \| Account \| Sign out U.S Healthcare One of the key Initiatives of The Scott Family Foundation Intl. in the U.S. is health care reform and initiatives the will increase health awareness and health care coverage in the African American Community. Studies show that healthy Americans live longer than unhealthy ones. Unfortunately, due to lack of access and knowledge, African Americans have significantly less healthcare coverage and as a result, significantly more health concerns and problems with Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Gout and the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases than any other racial demographic in the country. One of the key goals of the ACA is to reduce the number of uninsured through an expansion of Medicaid and the creation of new health insurance exchange marketplaces with tax credits to help moderate-income individuals purchase coverage. As of 2011, 37 million individuals living in the United States identified as African Americans or African American. African Americans currently comprise the third largest racial or ethnic group in the United States after non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics (Figure 1). While it is projected that the nation will become increasingly diverse and the African Americans population will grow over the next few decades, African Americans are anticipated to maintain a consistent share of the population. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has important implications for African Americans as they face longstanding and persistent disparities in health and health care. As of 2011, there are over 7 million uninsured nonelderly African Americans, who make up about 15% of the total nonelderly uninsured population. Over five in six (84%) uninsured African Americans are adults, while the remaining one million are children age 18 or younger. More than two-thirds are in a working family, including half who have at least one full-time worker in the family. However, the majority have low incomes (below 138% of poverty), including over a third who have very low-incomes below half the poverty level. Many uninsured African Americans could benefit from these new pathways to coverage, which would help increase their access to care and promote greater equity in health care. Coverage for African Americans Under the ACA Coverage Expansions As noted, one of the key goals of the ACA is to reduce the number of uninsured. Beginning in 2014, Medicaid eligibility will expand to adults with incomes up to 138% of poverty ($26,951 for family of three in 2013), in states that implement the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. In addition, beginning in 2014, new health insurance marketplaces will become available through which individuals will be able to purchase coverage, and premium tax credit subsidies will be available to help moderate income individuals without access to affordable employer coverage pay for coverage offered through these marketplaces. Given the low incomes of uninsured African Americans, nearly all (94%) would be in the income range to qualify for the Medicaid expansion or premium tax credits. Nearly two thirds (62%) of uninsured African Americans have incomes at or below the Medicaid expansion limit of 138% FPL, while an additional 31% would be income-eligible for tax subsidies to help cover the cost of buying health insurance through the exchange marketplaces (Figure 7). Uninsured African Americans have high stakes in state decisions to expand Medicaid.While the ACA intended for the Medicaid expansion to occur nationwide, the June 2012 Supreme Court decision on the ACA effectively made this expansion a state option. Given that the majority of uninsured African Americans have incomes below the Medicaid expansion limit, they will be significantly impacted by state decisions to expand Medicaid. In the absence of the expansion, poor uninsured adults will not gain a new coverage option and likely remain uninsured. Other analysis finds that African Americans are at highest risk of continuing to face coverage gaps due to state decisions not to expand at this time, with nearly six in ten (59%) uninsured African Americans with incomes below the Medicaid expansion limit residing in states that were not planning to expand Medicaid as of late June 2013. Today, African Americans remain significantly more likely to be uninsured compared to Whites. This disparity, in large part, reflects that many African Americans do not have access to employer-sponsored insurance and cannot afford to purchase private coverage on the individual market due to their low incomes. Given limited access to private coverage and low incomes, Medicaid is an important source of coverage for 9.4 million African Americans, many of whom would otherwise go uninsured. However, Medicaid eligibility levels for adults remain limited in most states today, particularly in the South, where African Americans are more likely to live. As such, over 7 million African Americans remain uninsured, the majority of whom are adults. The ACA coverage expansions provide an important opportunity to increase health coverage and access to care for uninsured African Americans. Given that most uninsured African Americans are in low-income families, the majority would be in the income range to qualify for the ACA coverage expansions, particularly the Medicaid expansion. As such, state decisions to implement the ACA Medicaid expansion have particularly important implications for African Americans. If a state does not implement the expansion, poor uninsured adults will not gain a new coverage option and will likely remain uninsured. Currently, African Americans are at the highest risk of continuing to face coverage gaps due to state expansion decisions. Even with the coverage expansions, targeted outreach and enrollment assistance will be important for ensuring eligible individuals enroll in coverage. The ACA will help address many historical procedural barriers to enrollment through new streamlined, data-driven enrollment processes that will go in place in 2014. However, targeted outreach and one-on-one application assistance from trusted individuals within the community will remain key for facilitating enrollment of eligible individuals. Increasing health insurance coverage may significantly reduce disparities in access to care and health outcomes for African Americans. Widespread research shows that uninsured individuals experience worse access to care and poorer health outcomes. Moreover, evidence suggests that African Americans face wide and persistent disparities in health and health care. For example, infant mortality rates are significantly higher for African Americans infants and African Americans males of all ages have the shortest life expectancy compared to all other groups. Several chronic conditions affect a greater percentage of African Americans compared to non-Hispanic Whites, including diabetes and obesity. In addition, African Americans are less likely to have a usual source of care, compared to Whites. Increasing health coverage rates among African Americans could significantly increase access to care and eventually contribute to improved health outcomes as well as greater equity in health and health care. Conversely, coverage gaps, especially in states that do not move forward with the Medicaid expansion, may lead to widening disparities in coverage and care over time. It is clear than, that we at The Scott Family Foundation Intl. must focus on first educating the community on how to become and remain healthy by providing education in the following areas: Cost effective ways to eat healthy The importance of regular exercise We must also provide resources to the community that enable them to gain better access to quality health care providers and encourage regular interaction with qualified medical professionals that can monitor health conditions and provide advice to the community on how best to implement sound health habits Finally, we seek to partner with organizations such as The Henry J Kissinger foundation to raise health care awareness in the community and bring sustainable programs to the community that will provide an immediate impact and overall benefit to the long term health of the African American Community. *background information provided by the Henry J Kissinger Foundation. Further information can be found at: https://www.kff.org/disparities-policy/fact-sheet/health-coverage-for-the-black-population-today-and-under-the-affordable-care-act/	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line941
__label__cc	0.517058	0.482942	PCMag Asia \| Smartphones \| News Charging Your Phone Overnight: Battery Myths Debunked By Eric Griffith April 21, 2019, 2:53 a.m. Is it bad—or even dangerous—to leave a smartphone plugged in as you sleep? The answer is complicated, as are many things regarding batteries. There are a lot of questions about cell phone batteries. Should you leave your smartphones plugged in overnight? Is it bad for the phone? Bad for your safety? What's the right thing to do? In fact, how much should you charge your phone? When's the right time to plug in? Should it go down to 0 percent every time? Up to 100 percent? How do you get the longest life out of the battery inside a smartphone? Does it really matter if you're only going to keep the handset around for a couple of years before an upgrade? The debate goes well beyond the worry of moderate harm to a device, as some people have fears of "overloading" a smartphone battery. That worry seems relatively justified since it was only a few years ago that Samsung's Galaxy Note 7s were bursting into flame due to battery issues. But as we've explained before, unless a device has some serious manufacturing defects like that phone did, the fire-in-your-pocket (or on the nightstand) aspect is unlikely. SEE ALSO: LG V50 ThinQ The problem is, some of the research and opinions out there are diametrically opposed. We've narrowed down the right and wrong things to do as best we can. We present to you the myths and truths of iPhone or Android phone charging, in particular when plugging in overnight. Charging My iPhone Overnight Will Overload the Battery: FALSE The one thing all the experts agree upon is that smartphones are smart enough that they do not let an overload happen. Extra protection chips inside make sure that can't happen in a tablet or smartphone or even a laptop. Once the internal Lithium-ion battery hits 100 percent of its capacity, charging stops. That usually happens within an hour or two, tops. If you leave the smartphone plugged in overnight, it's going to use a bit of energy constantly trickling new juice to the battery every time it falls to 99 percent. That is eating into your phone's lifespan (see below). The best thing to do: Don't worry about this too much. Plug the phone in (or place on the wireless charger) when you go to sleep; if you wake up sometime in the night, unplug it/move it to prevent constant trickle-charging. If you don't wake much, plug your phone into a smart plug that's on a schedule so it turns off. Potential problems that could be encountered while charging overnight: 1) It is hot in here? The trickle-charge can cause some heating up. Many experts recommend taking a phone fully out of the case to charge overnight. At the very least, do NOT stack a bunch of crap like books or other devices on top of a charging device. And for the love of Jobs, don't put it under your pillow. Do any of the above and you can expect the phone to get hot—not necessarily enough for spontaneous combustion, but at least enough to damage the battery (see below). (spyarm/shutterstock) If you are afraid of fire, some in the UK recommend leaving the charging device on a dish or saucer while plugged in, or putting it on something metal that is more likely to dissipate heat, like a heatsink does on the chips inside a PC. That's not much of an option if you use a wireless charging pad, so don't sweat it. 2) Bad Cables. If you're using a knock-off cable that isn't from the manufacturer, or at least "certified" in some way (iPhone Lightning cables should be MFi certified, for example), it could be a problem. The cord and connectors may not be up to the specifications needed for the phone or tablet. Don't skimp by buying chintzy cables. I Should Freeze My Phone to Prevent Battery Problems: FALSE Lithium-ion batteries hate two things: extreme cold and extreme heat. With cold, repeatedly charging a smartphone in sub-freezing temps can create a permanent "plating of metallic Lithium" on the battery anode, according to BatteryUniversity. You can't fix that problem; doing it too much is only going kill the battery faster. (Photo by sankai from iStock) The battery is not alone in hating heat: all the internals of any smartphone dislike warmth. It's a computer in there, and computers and hot air are mortal enemies going back decades. Leave your black iPhone sitting in the sun as you laze by the pool someday, and don't be surprised when it throws a warning at you that it needs to cool off. In the summer, keep it off the dash of the car, preferably in the shade. Apple specifically says charging iPhones over 35 degrees C/95 degrees F will do permanent damage to the battery; expect the same with any modern smartphone. Best thing to NEVER do: Don't let it get too cold or hot when charging. And don't put your phone in the freezer. That's dumb. My Battery Should Always Drop to 0 Percent: FALSE Running a smartphone until it's dead—a full discharge—every time is not the way to go with modern Lithium-ion batteries. Don't even let it get that close to 0 percent. That wears out a Lithium-ion battery even faster than normal. Partial discharge is the way to go. Batteries are on borrowed time from the get-go. The insides are in a state of decay that can't be helped. Over time, they're simply going to hold less and less power. If you've got an old iPhone 5 or 6 still in use and wonder why it's only got a charge for a few hours compared to the almost full day you got when it was new, that's why. The capacity diminishes over time. The only time you would want to go out of your way to drain a smartphone battery to zero is to recalibrate the internal sensor that displays your phone's battery level. It's hardly guaranteed—in fact, many people don't think it works at all—but it's recommended by some, especially if you've got a phone that hits 10 percent (or even 20 or 30 percent) and seems to abruptly die. Even if you do use the phone all the way to auto-shutdown, that may not mean the battery is at 0 percent. Leave the phone be for a few hours, if you believe this is worth doing. Then give it a reset (holding down the Home and sleep/wake button simultaneously) for good measure. Best Thing to Do: Plug the phone in before it asks you to enter a low-power mode; iOS will ask you to turn that on when you hit 20 percent power. Plug it in when the phone is between 30 and 40 percent. Phones will get to 80 percent quickly if you're doing a fast charge. Pull the plug at 80 to 90, as going to full 100 percent when using a high-voltage charger can put some strain on the battery. Keep the phone battery charge between 30 and 80 percent to increase its lifespan. Fast charging like we've seen in Android phones for a while finally arrived with the iPhone 8 and X. Before, it took an iPhone a couple of hours to go up 50 percent. Apple claims the 8 and up can increase 50 percent in only 30 minutes with the right chargers. That requires a USB-C power adapter, which in turn means owning a special USB-C-to-Lightning cable, neither of which are included with an iPhone; or using a higher voltage charger like the one from an iPad or even a MacBook. My Battery Develops a 'Memory': FALSE Developing a "memory" was a problem with older nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries. That's where the whole "discharge the battery entirely" thing came from. Like we said, it's not necessary on Lithium-ion batteries. So why do Lithium-ion batteries not seem to last as long as they age? It's not about "memory," it's about capacity. Your smartphone battery over its lifetime degrades enough that in the same amount of time charging, a new phone could hit a full charge, while an older phone might only get to around 82 percent. BatteryUniversity calls it "old man syndrome." (Jirsak/shutterstock) Another way to look at it is that newer batteries are just hungrier to suck up all that power. Apple claims that "Apple Lithium-ion batteries are designed to hold at least 80 percent of their original capacity for a high number of charge cycles" but also admits that the amount differs from product to product. Apple iPhone batteries also support "fast charging" so they'll get to 80 percent pretty quickly. After 80, you'll see the capacity increase slowly, some of which is to prevent heat buildup, and that extends battery life. But guess what? Fast charging isn't great for Lithium-ion battery either—it makes the corrosion happen even faster. Current iPhones come with a 5-watt (that's 5 volts at 1.1 amps) charger block which works, but of course, you can charge faster with a 10W charger, which has an output of 5 volts at 2.1amps—that's the kind of charger that comes with an iPad. If you stick to the Qi-based wireless charging, keep in mind that most support 7.5W, with wireless fast charging now available. Best thing to do: Stop worrying about "memory." If you are going to charge overnight, don't fast charge. Use a slow charge. That means your charger should be lower voltage. Phone Batteries Only Live a Couple of Years: FALSE-ish Phone batteries measure their lifespan in "charge cycles." That means every time you discharge up 100 percent of the capacity, that's one cycle count—but that doesn't mean you went all the way to zero. For example, if your phone is at 80 percent, you go down to 30 percent (that's 50 percent), and you charge it back to 80 and use that 50 percent up again... that's one cycle. You could use 75 percent one day, 25 percent the next; that's one cycle. Expect iPhones to have a lifespan of 400 to 500 charge cycles (again, that's not necessarily 400 to 500 times the phone is actually plugged in to charge.) If the phone's capacity has eroded enough, you may have to do that 50 percent charge-and-use a couple of times a day—and that's when the lifespan goes even faster. Here's Apple's graphic trying to explain it: While your phone battery doesn't have a "memory" that makes the capacity worse and worse, that limited lifespan means you may want to swap in a new battery (or batteries, as you can see in the image below). In late 2017, Apple admitted to secretly slowing down batteries on older iPhones in the name of "overall performance and prolonging the life of...devices." It first applied the slowdowns to iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, and iPhone SE devices, but extended it to iPhone 7 devices, too. After an uproar, Apple offered battery replacements for these phones for $29, down from the usual $79 fee, through the end of 2018. They're now back up to $79, but that's a lot cheaper than a new iPhone. Battery replacements are generally best done by a professional. Few new smartphones have a user-swappable battery. Those that do are from years ago, including models from LG (V20, V10, and G5), the Moto G5, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from 2014. The newest one out with a removable battery is probably the Moto E4. Why so few? Well, most Lithium-ion batteries perform effectively for around two to three years, and that's when the manufacturers would really like you to upgrade to a new phone. Or maybe it's because the average smartphone user in the US keeps a phone for around 22.7 months, according to Kantar WorldPanel, so they can always have the newest, coolest gadget on hand. Why bother making it easy to swap a battery? The takeaway here: if you plan to swap phones every year or two, charge the stupid thing any way you want, as often as you want, and don't worry about the diminished capacity. However, if you want to stretch things out, use best practices for Lithium-Ion batteries as described above. It may help. Or, just take it in to and get a new battery installed every couple of years. Apple iPhone: A Visual History The Best Kids' Tablets for 2019 The Best AT&T Phones for 2019 Eric Griffith Features Editor Eric narrowly averted a career in food service when he began in tech publishing at Ziff-Davis over 20 years ago. He was on the founding staff of Windows Sources, FamilyPC, and Access Internet Magazine (all defunct, and it's not his fault). He's the author of two novels, BETA TEST ("an unusually lighthearted apocalyptic tale"--Publishers' Weekly) and KALI: THE GHOSTING OF SEPULCHER BAY. He works from his home in Ithaca, NY. See Full Bio More From Eric Griffith 19 Amazon Fire TV Tips for Streaming Fans 22 Excel Tips for Becoming a Spreadsheet Pro What to Stream This Weekend 17 Things to Know About Amazon Prime	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line942
__label__wiki	0.678935	0.678935	Artist Crystal Schenk presents “I’m Not a Barnacle, I’m Just a Boy” at the Portland Building Installation Space, June 5 – June 30 Posted on May 24, 2017 at 12:55 pm. Crystal Schenk’s new installation "I’m Not a Barnacle, I’m Just a Boy" opens at the Portland Building June 5th. PORTLAND, ORE – RACC is pleased to present a new work by sculptor and installation artist Crystal Schenk in the Installation Space located adjacent to the Portland Building lobby. I’m Not a Barnacle, I’m Just a Boy, opens June 5 and features an arresting sculpture that asks the viewer to look beyond their common understanding into the complexities of the mother/child relationship. Schenk’s project is an expansive ceramic piece recently completed during her artist residency at Leland Iron Works in Oregon City. The work consists of a field of rocks—each handmade with black clay—which are smooth and satiny, as if tumbled by the sea. Over these rocks large white porcelain barnacles appear to have fastened themselves. The center of the field reveals a sculpture of her three-year-old son, also made in black clay with barnacles growing on his body. “I like to let one material mimic and charade as another—as the process of discovery lends to an unfolding of understanding.” Schenk says. “Although some species of barnacle are parasitic, most are so harmless their hosts may not even notice them growing to cover their bodies. My relationship to my son has been similar. Starting as an almost unnoticeable seed in my body, he soon grew to take it over—and once on the outside he has been continuously attached to me, even now at three years old. This work was inspired by a moment while we were beachcombing, when he randomly told me, ‘Momma, I’m not a barnacle. I’m just a boy.’ The sculpture exposes my mixed emotions to being a parent, and my bond with this tiny being who is both autonomous and vaguely parasitic.” About the Artist: Crystal Schenk has a labor-intensive and detail-oriented way of working, in which craftsmanship and material choices play a large role. Her mediums vary as she relies on a combination of material meaning and personal/cultural iconography to build concept. Her work incorporates a wide range of skills, including welding, stained glass, woodworking, crochet, beading, and casting to name a few. Woven through what may initially appear as visually disparate works are common themes of class structure, heritage, and the fluctuating perceptions of memory. Schenk received an MFA from Portland State University in 2007, and a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1999. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon and is an adjunct professor at Pacific Northwest College of Art and Portland State University. She was awarded the International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award for 2006, and was selected as the recipient of ISC’s residency program at Art-st-urban in Switzerland. In 2009 Art-st-urban awarded Schenk with the institution’s first Emerging Sculptor Award, and represented her at Art Basel in 2013 and Open 18 in Venice Italy in 2015. Locally, Schenk’s work was represented at the Oregon biennial, Portland 2010, and has been exhibited at Bullseye and Linfield galleries. This All Happened More or Less, a public art commission Schenk completed with Shelby Davis in SE Portland was recently recognized by Americans for the Arts one of 2014’s top public projects nationwide. www.crystalschenk.com Meet the Artist: Join us for an opportunity to discuss I’m Not a Barnacle, I’m Just a Boy with Crystal Schenk in person at the Portland Building Installation Space on Thursday, June 8th at 4 PM. Viewing Hours & Location The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. I’m Not a Barnacle, I’m Just a Boy opens Monday, June 5 and runs through Friday, June 30. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace. The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through Work for Art; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and oversees a program to integrate arts and culture into the standard curriculum in public schools through The Right Brain Initiative. RACC values a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences and is working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity and the arts. For more information visit racc.org. Temporary Public Art Installation Space Search Murals Program Muralist Roster Conservation and Maintenance Fabricator Resource List	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line945
__label__cc	0.641455	0.358545	how (not) to delete a blog post September 9, 2013 by salempearce 8 Comments A few weeks ago, I removed from this blog all of the posts that I had written about my experiences at the interfaith program I was a part of in England. I had written about text study, a weekend trip, and a guest speaker. I have since restored all four posts, but they’ve been edited, mostly to remove references to specific people and to the program and the university that runs it. I’ve never done anything like this before — and in theory it offends the honesty and integrity that I (at least try to) bring to this space — but I think it was the right decision at the time, when I deleted the posts, and I think it’s the right decision now to re-post edited versions. tiles, with an oddly apropos message, for sale in old spitalfields market in london; photo by salem pearce The mass deleting happened a few days after I posted an excoriation of a guest speaker — who made outrageously homophobic and sexist remarks — and of the program’s reaction to him and to my fellow participants’ objections to him. When I first published the post, I got two types of reactions. From my friends in the program and at home, I was thanked and cheered on for standing up to the speaker. From the program leadership and some other participants, I was pressured to take down the post. One of the program staff expressed concern that someone googling the program would see the post — and that it might deter future applicants and funders. (When I told my husband this, he trenchantly noted, “DUH!”) Two of my fellow participants felt that the comparison I made between the speaker and Hugo Schwyzer was unfair. Another of the program staff — one brought on to do pastoral work for its duration — was concerned about what she thought was an impulsive decision to post a criticism of the speaker and the program. You have to think about whether you’re creating light or heat, she said. I really think that the latter was coming from a good place — I came to trust her very much over the next two weeks — and I do think that there was something for me to learn from the experience and from my reaction to it. As she pointed out, how would I feel as a rabbi to have someone do to me what I did to the speaker? Indeed, if I had it to do over again, I think I would have waited for the program’s reaction — and let myself process more — before posting a reflection. To be sure, the program’s reaction, both immediately and throughout the rest of the program, only evidenced its unpreparedness to deal with these situations, but I think I can more clearly articulate my concerns now, since the program has ended. In regard to creating light or creating heat, I understand the point that was being made, but I think the post was light for some people. Not for the program, and not for the speaker, but for the people whom the speaker so callously dismissed. I want my rabbinate to be about speaking truth to power: One of the reasons I went to rabbinical school was to be able to be an ally to marginalized folks from a position of religious authority — exactly the opposite of what the speaker did. Four days after I wrote about the guest speaker, I was formally asked by the program to take down the blog post. The speaker had read it and was, to put it mildly, quite displeased. I was told that he threatened to sue the program as well as me personally, and the program staff felt that threat was sufficiently powerful to render the program vulnerable, to the point where it might not exist if the speaker carried out his threat. The threat really, really scared me, too. I had heard that libel laws are almost the exact opposite in England as they are in the U.S. (which fact someone confirmed for me last week), and I had visions of being dragged into court, needing to get a lawyer, not being able to leave the country, etc. In short, his threat worked, and I removed the post from my website. I didn’t want to be sued, and I didn’t — and still don’t — want the program to go under. (I deleted the other posts about the program out of anger; I figured if the staff didn’t want bad press then they didn’t deserve good press.) Obviously, the speaker’s move was a cowardly one. Though in the post I originally compared the speaker to Hugo Schwyzer, I’ve come to believe that drawing that parallel was tenuous and distracting, and I’ve deleted it. (Of course, the speaker didn’t help himself by using back channels to threaten and to silence me, as Schwyzer is known to have done.) I really don’t understand how you get to be “Britain’s most influential Muslim” and not be able to countenance criticism. a beautiful morning in london (view from the hungerford bridge); photo by salem pearce (via instagram) I wish the program could have stood up to the speaker. Essentially, I felt that the program was condoning what he did. The situation was especially painful for me as it brought back memories of one of the hardest times in my life, when my boss sexually assaulted one of my coworkers — and the organization’s board stood by him. It was like it was happening all over again: The behavior of a powerful white man was excused and covered up by an institution that should, in theory, work against it. I wish the program had done other things, too. The staff failed to realize how damaging the speaker’s comments were until one of the interns told them. The speaker’s comments were talked about in generalities instead of specifics and were characterized as “controversial” instead of condemned. The program staff initially declined to do any group work around the issue because they didn’t feel they would be able to facilitate that discussion well, so they didn’t want to do it all; it was only on the second-to-last day of the program that an outside speaker — not even a member of the program staff — held a (non-mandatory) group discussion. I didn’t go. Ultimately, the program proved itself sorely ill-equipped to deal with this crisis. As my therapist pointed out, this issue could have become the conference and could have led to something really great. But it was swept under the rug, I think in part out of fear of the reaction of the large group from a culturally conservative Persian Gulf country. I think it’s true that these men and women don’t even have the vocabulary to talk about queer issues (the excuse offered for dodging the problem), and I think that truth ignores more important ones. Namely, the issues the speaker raised were less about homophobia or sexism (or general dismissiveness of progressive religious traditions, another of the speaker’s sins) than about how to be compassionate and respectful in the face of disagreement. Which was purportedly the entire point of our text studies, the cornerstone of the program. I also think that the program has a responsibility to ensure pre-conference education for the participants from this conservative country. If they are going to a Western country, to participate in a program with more progressive liberal strains, then they need to know that there is the possibility of encountering queer folks. I think it could be even something as basic as the fact that a man might be in a relationship with another man, instead of a woman. And since this leaves out many, many queer folks, I would definitely recommend that my gender-queer and transgender friends not participate in this program as is. And in my opinion, even cis-gendered gay folks would do well to consider what limitations their participation would engender (excuse the pun). When I was asked to take down the post, I felt frightened and humiliated and all alone. I was far away from my husband and friends and supportive community. It was the Friday afternoon before a free weekend, so almost everyone in the program had left the castle grounds. I wanted to leave to go home early. I wondered if I had made a huge mistake in publishing the original post and if I had made a huge mistake in taking it down. I wondered if I were fit to be in rabbinical school. I decided to stick it out (last-minute one-way tickets from London to Boston are expensive!), and I think I’m glad I did. I didn’t tell any of my fellow participants what happened, which felt weird, and I mostly kept my head down and my mouth shut the final week, which also felt weird. It was a survival technique. And I lived to tell the strange tale. Filed Under: social justice, travel Tagged With: conference, homophobia, interfaith, sexism, united kingdom the bully of britain August 20, 2013 by salempearce 9 Comments Note: This is part of series of posts about my participation in an interfaith program in England. It was briefly deleted from this site under threat of a lawsuit and then reposted, edited to remove references to the specific program and to the university that runs it, as well as to remove a comparison that upon further reflection was just distracting. See here for further explanation. Click here to read all the posts in the series. The shit hit the fan last night, as it had to at some point in the formation of a new group. Tim Winter, also known as Sheikh Abdul-Hakim Murad, spoke with us as part of my program’s “Saloon Conversations” — envisioned as informal sessions with speakers in the large room here at the castle that is known as “the Saloon.” At the beginning of the program last week, we were told that all of the speakers — and the formal lecturers as well — had been invited because of their peacemaking work and would be talking about that work in their religious contexts. We sat down in the Saloon, the room’s comfy chairs and sofa arranged in several semicircles around the fireplace. The director of the program introduced Winter and later moderated the Q&A session. A convert to Islam, Winter started by speaking about his work with the college that provides a one-year program for imams to give them the education, in his words, from which their religious institutions have shielded them. For instance, they learn pastoral skills and about other religions. Every year he takes the students to the Vatican, where they meet with Catholic priests, with whom they have very little in common and who are often quite frank about their hostility to Islam. It was in this context that Winter told the heartwarming story of an experience that served to bind them together: One night, they were all kept awake by Rome’s Gay Pride activities, the “sounds of secular hedonism” bothering everyone. That was the first red flag. (Well, perhaps the second: I was struck immediately when I walked into the room by how sour and uninterested Winter seemed, which was off-putting. I think this part of his demeanor becomes important below.) I had a hard time listening after this snide and unnecessary comment. I did manage to tune back in for one of his final stories, about a young, non-Muslim woman in one of his classes (Winter teaches Islamic Studies at Cambridge University). “Immodestly dressed” (Winter indicated a sleeveless and perhaps midriff shirt), she was very moved by the Qur’an and wanted to talk with him about that experience. Expressing bewilderment, Winter said, “I wanted to help her. I figured she might have been having a problem with her boyfriend or something.” At that point I nearly fell out of my chair, and the only reason I stayed in the room was to be able to find my friends afterwards to process what had happened so far. And then it got worse. One of my fellow participants, a man who is married to a man, the same one who was asked about his wife at Shabbat dinner, and who had been wanting to talk more openly about his life, took the opportunity in the Q&A session to ask about Winter’s characterization of gay people in Rome. He opened by describing himself “as someone who will soon be part of the group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clergy,” essentially — and bravely! — coming out to the group, and then asked about intersectionality. Winter first responded by stating that there was no place for gay people in the Muslim community. The different denominations of Islam, he said, agree on very little, but they are monolithic in condemning homosexuality. My classmate pushed back, and Winter conceded that he knew of one same-sex couple who were practicing celibacy, and this model was acceptable. In response to another question, Winter went on to call a more progressive Muslim “naive” before taking and answering questions in Arabic from the native speakers. He only translated bits of those exchanges; I was later told that several questions were critical of Scriptural Reasoning (the program’s signature tool, involving close readings of sacred texts from the three traditions). The exclusion of non-Arabic speakers felt deliberate. As the program mercifully came to an end, my friends and I began to gather and move to another room for processing, and one of the Muslim men on the text study team (academics experienced in the method) approached my classmate who had asked about queer folks and said he wanted to offer some insight into Winter’s answer. So a few us first went to talk with him. He first explained that Tim Winter is a controversial figure. Mere months ago, there was a student-led campaign at Cambridge calling for his ouster when a 15-plus-year-old video was posted on YouTube of Winter calling homosexuality an “inherent aberration” and “inherently ugly,” among other things. Winter apologized, claiming that the video represented views he no longer held, and he kept his job. It was also shared that Winter is not an academic in the way that word is usually used — he does not have a Ph.D. — and the man providing this context also characterized Winter as more of a politician, or a community leader. (In 2010, Winter was named by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre as Britain’s most influential Muslim.) Though he considered Winter empirically correct in saying that the vast majority of Muslim leaders do consider homosexuality a sin, he felt that Winter’s answer didn’t express the nuances of the issue that is very present in many Muslim communities. Which is to say that there are of course queer Muslims, and many are accepted — if perhaps not fully — in their communities. I have many issues with all that transpired. To start, this is now the third time during the first week of this program that I have heard homosexuality condemned: A previous “Saloon Conversation” speaker said so in passing, and then the priest at the Catholic church I visited used the week’s text (Luke 12:49-53) to inveigh against same-sex marriage. While this program certainly cannot control what is said in an independent institution, it is responsible for who it invites. And in this it must be held accountable. During and after Winter’s presentation, I was trying to figure out who Winter was speaking to: His English was much too quick and sophisticated to reach most of the native-Arabic speakers. But he wasn’t talking to the native English speakers either: The homophobia and sexism were sure to turn off a group of Christians and Jews from more liberal traditions. So he either didn’t know who he was speaking to, which is not the case, as he’s been involved with the program for many years, or he didn’t care who he was speaking to, in which case his behavior was quite outrageous. Going back to the issue of his demeanor, I wonder whether he even wanted to be in the room. There is of course a way to be faithful to your religious convictions and not marginalize queer folks or demean women. (He has a history of the latter as well, as the premise of his conversion story recalls the chauvinistic doctrine of original sin.) And if you can’t do that, then you ought not to be afforded a place in an interfaith setting in which we are invited into respectful dialogue with each other. One of the goals of our text study is to create a safe space for discussing differences and to learn how to disagree better — and neither of those ends are achieved by dismissiveness. And if the goal of this particular part of the program was to spark conversations about homosexuality in our traditions, which I agree need to happen, there are actually effective and non-traumatic ways of facilitating those. It shouldn’t happen at the expense of those for whom the conversations are not abstract: The other man who is married to a man (who happens to work for Berlin Pride) left the program early in disgust. More, Winter’s views were given legitimacy by the fawning praise with which the director of the program introduced him, as well as the context into which he was invited to share them. The authority afforded a speaker in a “Saloon Conversation” results in a power imbalance in any ensuing “discussion.” Finally, I question the choice of a white man to speak about peacemaking in the Muslim community. Putting aside the obvious reality that peacemaking is not Winter’s project, he is not representative of the British Muslim community, which is overwhelming not white. There are of course many non-white Muslim researchers and community leaders and professors who could have spoken to what Winter was brought in to share. What happens next is not clear. I plan to share these thoughts with the program administrators and to continue having conversations with the people with whom I know it is safe to do so. I don’t know how much of my classmate’s coming out was understood by some of the native-Arabic speakers, so the fallout from that is hard to predict. Last night many expressed, simultaneously with horror at the incident, gratitude for the ensuing conversations. I’m not sure I agree; the price seems quite high for many in the room. Filed Under: social justice, travel Tagged With: christianity, feminism, gay rights, homophobia, interfaith, intersectionality, Islam, marriage equality, peace, privilege, racism, sexism, united kingdom, white privilege, women of hookers and crotch shots July 24, 2013 by salempearce Leave a Comment This is the second post in this space about a current political issue in as many weeks, which is unusual for me. I was actually thinking about it last week — and then yesterday happened. And I am more pissed than ever about the attempted political comebacks of Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer. As a reminder: In 2011 Weiner resigned from his congressional seat — he represented New York’s 9th district — after disclosing that he’d exchanged sexual messages and photographs online with six different women over the past three years. In 2008, Spitzer resigned from his post as governor of New York after it was revealed that he had patronized an escort agency for the past several years. Weiner is now running for mayor of New York City; Spitzer, city comptroller. And yesterday Weiner held a press conference to address further leaked messages and photos from liaisons that happened AFTER he resigned. To be honest, I am less annoyed at Spitzer. I don’t think prostitution should be illegal, so in theory, I am philosophically not troubled by Spitzer’s behavior. To the extent that he didn’t tell his wife of his extra-marital sexual relationships and therefore put her at risk — and it seems quite likely that he didn’t, given that they separated shortly after his disclosure and are reportedly still so — his behavior was thoughtless and selfish. More troubling is the fact that Spitzer served as the state’s Attorney General before he was governor, thus directing state law enforcement — an hypocritical role while breaking the law himself, especially since he prosecuted several prostitution rings during his career. Indeed, as Spitzer said when he resigned, “Over the course of my public life, I have insisted — I believe correctly — that people take responsibility for their conduct. I can and will ask no less of myself. For this reason, I am resigning from the office of governor.” But while I am fairly sure that Spitzer’s actions represented a betrayal of his marriage, I can see the argument that they did not represent a betrayal of the public trust — at least as far as I don’t agree with current laws around sex work. (Martha Nussbaum made this argument shortly after Spitzer’s resignation.) I’ll elaborate further on my issues with Spitzer below. Similarly, I don’t think that Weiner’s actions in and of themselves proved him unfit for public office. He certainly didn’t break any laws. And I don’t necessarily think that “sexting” (or however we’re classifying his behavior) is somehow perverted or sexually deviant, as many have charged. (Amanda Hess makes the case that Weiner’s predilections are downright boring.) And even if it were, it still wouldn’t render Weiner unable to serve his constituents. As with Spitzer, to the extent that Weiner was not forthright with his wife — and it seems quite likely that he wasn’t, as she shared in a New York Times Magazine article about his journey back to politics — his behavior was thoughtless and selfish. What angered me about Weiner’s actions was his dishonesty after a picture purportedly of his underwear-clad erection was tweeted to a female follower of his account: Weiner initially claimed that he had been hacked and because of his lie let his Democratic House colleagues — and even his friend Jon Stewart — come to his defense. To my way of thinking, lying to your constituents and your colleagues does constitute a betrayal of the public trust. And it is definitely disturbing that at least one instance of his sexting was done without the consent of the recipient. Many have pointed out that, in the spectrum of politician’s lies, Weiner’s is a mere peccadillo. And I agree. I would rather see politicians held accountable for their votes to send troops into battle; to cut off social safety net funding; to authorize covert operations; to restrict abortion; etc. And I’d especially like to see politicians voted out of office for the lies they tell and perpetuate in service of those votes. Unfortunately, politicians almost never admit these lies, so we’re left to condemn the ones that do confess — which almost always are classified as “sex scandals” (a most unfortunate phrase that is often used inappropriately, as in the Jerry Sandusky case, and that often serves to trivialize what occurred, as in case of the epidemic of military sexual assaults). Plus, Weiner said, when he resigned, that he was doing so because of his behavior and his lie about that behavior — which we found out yesterday that he continued to do after resignation! To say that he is untrustworthy is an understatement. Principally, my problem with Weiner’s and Spitzer’s attempts at political rehabilitation is that they represent straight white male privilege — and the arrogance that comes with that unexamined privilege. These runs for office are not about a desire to serve the public: They are all about the men themselves, and their desire for power and prestige and second (and third?) chances. I don’t think that they should be doomed to unemployment for the rest of their lives; and indeed, both have found quite lucrative post-resignation jobs. They should stay where they are. Can you imagine that we would even consider voting again for a gay man who resigned after being found to have engaged in sexting or prostitution? Or a person of color? Or a woman? Homophobia, racism, and sexism would kick in, and their actions would be ascribed to their being gay, or black, or female (or more accurately in some cases, not meeting the puritanical standards which are demanded of these folks). Weiner and Spitzer are given passes because their behavior — even while ill-considered — is thought to be within the bounds of “normal” for straight white men. White America can countenance the sexuality of straight white men in a way that it can’t that of queer folks, people of color, and women, who are expected to be practically asexual — or only sexual within the bounds of monogamous marriage. Moreover, who are the candidates whose chances and future careers are being jeopardized by Weiner’s and Spitzer’s entering these respective races? I cannot believe that there is such a dearth that these two clowns represent the best options for these positions. Even if there are candidates who are only just as qualified as the two of them, shouldn’t we be supporting those who haven’t already torpedoed careers? Update: In the September 10 primary, Weiner came in fifth in a five-way race, with less than 5% of the vote. Spitzer suffered a less humiliating loss with 48% of the vote in a two-way race. Let’s hope that these two will now fade quickly away. Filed Under: social justice Tagged With: criminal justice, heterocentricism, homophobia, new york, politics, privilege, prosecutors, racism, sexism, voting, white privilege	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line951
__label__wiki	0.870939	0.870939	Jamie Dykes seeking State’s Attorney’s post Aug 13th, 2017 · by Susan Canfora · Comments: Saying she wants to keep the worst criminals off the streets, Jamie Dykes, a county prosecutor for years, announced her candidacy for Wicomico County State’s Attorney. She made the announcement outside Circuit Court last week, with her husband and young sons standing beside her. “We have a serious problem with crime — violent crime. A reluctance to recognize that, not addressing that issue, will cost more lives,” Dykes told the crowd of supporters who attended. “The violent crime we see in this county is fueled by gangs. To operate gangs, gangs require money, which results in illegal drug trade and illegal gun possession- and competition for both,” Dykes said. “A reluctance to recognize that gangs are here, or that gangs are an issue, will prove to be a costly mistake with long-term and devastating circumstances. When I’m elected, you will know who the state’s attorney is. You will see me leading from the front and by example,” Dykes said. Dykes will compete as a Republican in the primary election scheduled June 26. Her roots are in the county, where she, her parents and grandparents always lived, she said, calling it “the only home I have ever known.” The wife of Maryland State Trooper Jason Dykes and daughter-in-law of the late Salisbury Police Chief Coulbourn Dykes, the former Assistant State’s Attorney said her family “instilled in me and my sisters the importance of public service.” A Parsonsburg resident, she joined the Parsonsburg Volunteer Fire Company when she 13 and became an Emergency Medical Technician at 16. A graduate of Parkside High School, Salisbury State University and the University of Baltimore School of Law, Dykes said her “commitment to the rule of law” led to a staff position in the State’s Attorney’s Office in 2006. Dykes said she “found her true passion within prosecution and victim advocacy” in that office. “Within nine months … I became the prosecutor assigned to the Wicomico County Child Advocacy Center. It is here that I became both passionate and extremely skilled at delivering swift and certain justice for child victims of a range of types of abuse.” Dykes said she believes leadership is “about vision, integrity, trust, and an unwavering commitment to both team and its mission” and was careful to demonstrate that kind of leadership at the Child Advocacy Center, Wicomico Bureau of Investigation and State’s Attorney’s Office. She said her uncle, former state Sen. Lewis R. Riley, taught her “how to bring people together to solve problems.” “It is here in Wicomico County, as a prosecutor, where I found my true calling,” she said. “I worked to keep society safe. I worked with the most vulnerable families in our community, and we helped rebuild them. My heart is in public service and in public safety, and this is where I need to be.” Ella Disharoon, who was appointed State’s Attorney upon Judge Matt Maciarello’s elevation to Circuit Court, has yet to announce her intentions, but it is presumed she will run for the post. Tags:Election 2018 · Featured	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line952
__label__wiki	0.864759	0.864759	Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990) Samuel Rooke / September 6, 2016 While I enjoyed Metal Gear, the first entry in the series, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake impressed me far, far more. Many of the preconceptions I’d gained around the series from cultural osmosis (indulgent credit sequences, in-depth stealth gameplay, extended dialogues touching on issues around politics and war, offbeat humour) weren’t fulfilled by the first game, but they certainly were present here. In terms of gameplay, the evolution is significant. New elements like the ability to crouch and crawl, enemies having lines of sight more advanced than “I can only see Snake if he’s directly in front of my eyes!”, guards being able to detect noise, guards being able to move across different sub-maps, and a more advanced alert mode are introduced. These add a lot more depth to the game, and resulted in me being a lot more engaged with this game than I was with its predecessor. In terms of visuals, there’s no significant upgrade from the last game (the UI is improved, but the assets are much the same). The music, however, is noticeably more advanced. There are a lot more tracks, and they have more instrumentation. Compare the title trick, embedded below to the much more sparse title track of the first game, embedded below. Even completely disregarding the substantial differences in length and complexity, the differences in instrumentation and audio quality alone are noticeable. The soundtrack to Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake also uses some motifs, the longer story and more developed cast of characters giving the game a chance to reinforce some of its story ideas musically. I liked the somewhat cheesy music that played whenever Gustava, an ice skater turned bodyguard, and Solid Snake had a conversation. The relationship between those two characters also showcased another big change from the first game – characters had proper personalities now! Solid Snake wasn’t just an avatar for the player anymore, as he gained individual character traits like his mischevious and flirty sense of humour, his self-proclaimed “love of life”, and earnest desire to help bring about peace. While a few of the scientist characters muddled together in my mind, Gustava, Gray Fox, and Big Boss were all distinct personalities of their own as well. Thematically, there’s a lot more going on in this game too. There’s a proper central theme to the game, to my mind the throughline being the question of how to adapt oneself when the balance between war and peace changes. The plot is driven by Big Boss’ belief that soldiers are served best by times of war, and cannot adapt properly to times of peace. He suggests the world at large does not serve soldiers in peacetime well, and that the only way to give soldiers a proper and fulfilling life is to create a state of perpetual war. He attempts to accomplish this through his establishment of Zanzibar Land, a central Asian nation from where he fanned the flames of perpetual conflicts to give his soldiers purpose. Solid Snake fights to bring about peace, but for Big Boss, fighting is peace. He proposes endless warfare as an end unto itself. The game doesn’t end so subversively to suggest Big Boss’ viewpoint is right, but it definitely probes the question, and leaves Solid Snake – and potentially the player – unsettled by Big Boss’ proposal. A system of universal warfare seems horrific and even psychotic, but the points Big Boss raises about “in this world of ours, conflict never ends” are less easy to dismiss, and speak to more universal and relatable concerns around human nature, conflict, war, the place of soldiers in society, and politics. Solid Snake seems disgusted by war to a degree, not only in the personal sense (proclaiming “I came to get rid of the nightmares I’ve been having for the past three years”, suggesting post-traumatic stress disorder since the events of the first game) but also in the moral, making particular clear his disgust at the usage of child soldiers by Big Boss (also raised when he learns of how political actions following the success of his mission in the first game led to many children dying, a revelation which deeply disturbs him), when they finally confront each other, in what’s easily the richest part of the game thematically. Not all thematic material is relegated to this endpoint though. The game also delves into Gustava and Gray Fox’s backstories, which both revolve around how each character has attempted to adapt to changing periods of war and peace. The opening sequence of the game tells of how the Cold War has thawed, and how the world at large is attempting to adapt to the new period of peace. The MacGuffin of the game is an environmentally-friendly competitor to fossil fuels, that could revolutionise the world in terms of energy. The way some organisations and people don’t want the world to adapt in such a way drives the conflict behind this plot point. Essentially, the game is a holistic work, where the throughline and thematic concerns pervade entirely throughout. Series director Hideo Kojima created a much more cohesive and fascinating work here than he did with Not all thematic material is relegated to this endpoint though. The game also delves into Gustava and Gray Fox’s backstories, which both revolve around how each character has attempted to adapt to changing periods of war and peace. The opening sequence of the game tells of how the Cold War has thawed, and how the world at large is attempting to adapt to the new period of peace. The MacGuffin of the game is an environmentally-friendly competitor to fossil fuels, that could revolutionise the world in terms of energy. The way some organisations and people don’t want the world to adapt in such a way drives the conflict behind this plot point. Essentially, the game is a holistic work, where the throughline and thematic concerns pervade entirely throughout. Series director Hideo Kojima created a much more cohesive and fascinating work here than he did with Metal Gear. Improving on the first game in every single way, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake was a very enjoyable experience for me. I give it three stockpiled nukes, and a new species of algae. September 6, 2016 in Game Reviews. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008) Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014) ← Metal Gear (1987) Dying of the Light (1977) by George R. R. Martin →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line954
__label__cc	0.586629	0.413371	Compositions Showing results with: Classical ⌧ Orchestra ⌧ Clear All Timothy Corlis began studying composition at the age of eleven under the tutelage of his Anglican choir director, Dr. Giles Bryant. These earliest writing assignments were given as punishment for being a tardy chorister, but soon became such a regular occurrence that they fostered Corlis’ keen interest in the craft. He later went on to study composition and choral directing under Dr. Leonard Enns and to develop an early career in the lively choral community of Waterloo (Ontario) and its surroundings. These roots instilled in him a continuing sense of music as an important aspect of community life. He also views music as a strong power for social change. His compositions have been performed across Canada to critical acclaim – Notes Towards a Poem That Can Never Be Written, his large-scale choral composition to words by Margaret Atwood, was nominated for a 2009 Juno award for best classical composition of the year. In the media, he has been described as “a composer of great depth and passion, not to mention a pristine polished craft.” (WholeNote Magazine, Toronto). Corlis holds a M.A. in Social and Political Thought (York University) and an M.Mus. in Composition (University of Toronto) where he worked with Chirstos Hatzis and Ka Nin Chan. He currently lives in Winnipeg, where he lectures at Canadian Mennonite University and is completing a DMA in composition at the University of British Columbia. www.timothycorlis.ca	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line956
__label__cc	0.57389	0.42611	Supporting bus services key to achieving policy goals of Government departments, report shows March 20, 2019 Ptah 0 Comments bus, connectivity, risk, services, transport, urban New ‘Connectivity Fund’ needed to reverse significant cuts in bus funding Investing in bus services is key to achieving a wide range of policy objectives across Government, a new report from the Urban Transport Group has shown. The report, The cross-sector benefits of backing the bus, highlights how the bus plays a key role in achieving 29 policy objectives for 12 of the 25 departments in Whitehall, from the Treasury’s goal of increasing employment and productivity, through to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s aim to create socially and economically stronger and more confident communities. But the report finds that the way in which bus services are funded is mired in complexity, with no oversight within Whitehall of how the various funding streams from different Government departments impact on bus services overall. It also shows that all the main forms of funding for bus services are under severe pressure – in particular those that come indirectly from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government which support bus services that bus companies will not provide on a commercial basis. The report suggests that the wide-ranging benefits bus services bring are ‘at risk’ if the current complex and declining funding regime for buses continues. The consequences include: Shrinking labour markets with fewer people able to access areas of employment, especially in outlying areas; Skills and apprenticeships will be hit because of reduced access to further education; High street regeneration plans will be damaged because of reduced access to town centres; Increased pressure on congested road networks as some bus users transfer to the car; Public health impacts as more people use a car for more trips and people become more isolated in their own homes through lack of public transport. The report concludes that: ‘The bus is one of the biggest bargains available to transport policy makers in achieving a very broad range of transport, economic, environmental and social objectives in a cost effective way and in a timely fashion. Public funding for bus services reduces congestion for all road users, connects people to jobs, gets young people into education and training, and lifts people out of isolation. The long term costs to budgets across Whitehall of a declining bus network are far greater than ensuring a funding system for bus services that works.’ The report calls for a new ‘Connectivity Fund’ – which would bring together existing bus funding (known as the Bus Service Operators Grant or BSOG) together with funding from other Government Departments into a significantly enhanced and ring-fenced pot for local government to support bus services. Mick Noone, Director of Integrated Transport at Merseytravel and Urban Transport Group’s lead Board member for bus, said: “The bus is not just a mode of transport – it is an enabler for millions of people across the country to access jobs, education and social opportunities, in a way that positively contributes to the economy, public health and the environment. “The forthcoming Spending Review is expected to take a fresh look at how the Government provides support for bus services. We hope this report will be useful to the Treasury in taking a wider view of the considerable benefits which high quality bus services bring, as well as setting out the case for a simplified and enhanced funding regime which better recognises these cross-Whitehall benefits.” Download the full report. ← Regulating to protect consumers: Utilities, communications and financial services markets NASA Mission Reveals Asteroid Has Big Surprises →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line959
__label__wiki	0.755479	0.755479	We Can Be Heroes 12 Years a Slave, Schindler’s List, and the hero problem in American movies. By Peter Malamud Smith Oct 20, 201311:30 PM Note: This article contains plot details about 12 Years a Slave. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave. Photo courtesy of Jaap Buitendijk/Fox Searchlight First things first: If you haven’t already seen the new film 12 Years a Slave, you absolutely should. You should see it because its always charismatic star, Chiwetel Ejiofor, is excellent and because the film is moving and harrowing. And you should see it because its very existence constitutes some kind of small miracle: It’s a film by a black director, with a black star, that’s all about slavery. How often do we see American pop culture acknowledge slavery at all? (Though director Steve McQueen is British, the film was shot in America and made primarily by American production companies.) America’s attitudes toward its greatest shame are by no means consistent. Denial is big. Our preference is to avert our eyes. A recent CNN poll showed that when asked about the Civil War, around 1 in 4 Americans sympathized more with the Confederacy than with the Union. And 42 percent believed slavery was not the main reason the Confederacy seceded. That context gives 12 Years a Slave a moral urgency. Full of traumatic images that are routinely suppressed from national memory, it should be required viewing—especially for any politician or pundit who moans about our lost decency and the simpler values on which this country was founded. These distortions are still very much alive, and in light of the popular wish to forget, I can only imagine the struggles that went into getting this movie made. It’s a real achievement. But there’s also a limitation built into the basic premise of 12 Years a Slave, and it stems from a limitation of American entertainment as a whole. Based on a true story, the film follows Solomon Northup, a free-born black man who, in 1841, was kidnapped by slave traders and spent 12 years in bondage in Louisiana. The trailer emphasizes Northup’s specialness: He was a well-educated man and a talented violinist. “I am not a slave,” he insists. “I am a free man!” Northup’s narrative, published in 1853, sold 30,000 copies and helped to crystallize public sentiment against slavery. His story was necessary to tell then, and his status as a free man bound into chains makes 12 Years a Slave a vastly more compelling film. After all, the film needs Northup as an audience surrogate. But that narrative focus comes with a cost. What the film says about Solomon Northup is what so many American movies say about their protagonists: He was exceptional. (It’s the same message conveyed by last year’s awards-season slavery movie, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.) The implicit message of the narrative, paraphrased by Northup repeatedly, is: “I’m not supposed to be here!” The primary way American entertainment understands suffering is as a prelude to catharsis. That Northup, indeed, wasn’t supposed to be there—and that his captivity ended with him reunited with his family—makes it, on one level, a familiar story: One man survives the odds, through some unbreakable psychic integrity. (“I will not give in to despair!” Northup cries—and indeed, he does not. Those who do are mostly removed from the narrative; it would be too unbearable for the film to stay inside their subjectivity.) There’s an unhappy, surely unintended counterimplication to that narrative logic, too: that everyone else, in some sense, belongs in slavery. Or, as a friend of mine put it, “If the regular slaves could play violin, maybe they wouldn’t be in this position.” No doubt that’s not an impression anyone involved with this movie wants to give, and in fact, the filmmakers make a few moves to supplement the film’s focus on a single exceptional character. For one, a note at the end reminds us that most kidnapped slaves were never rescued. There’s also a remarkable shot in the middle of the film: After a slave dies on his feet in the cotton fields, McQueen puts us in the slave’s point of view as Northup buries him, as if to say, “This is how it could and did end for millions of people.” But though the moment is chilling, it’s not as effective as it might have been: We’ve never really met the dead man. He remains an anonymous adjunct to Northup’s story. Only for the length of one shot are we asked to look through his eyes. The filmmakers’ richest attempt to complicate the individual focus comes from a subplot about another slave, Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o), who is raped by her sociopathic owner, Edwin Epps (a frightening Michael Fassbender).* These scenes are among the hardest to watch, but they are morally straightforward: Patsey suffers, Christlike, eventually asking Northup to kill her. Remaining noble, he refuses. But McQueen and screenwriter John Ridley almost complicate the relationship in a terrifying scene near the end of the film, when the deranged Epps forces Northup, at gunpoint, to whip a naked and bound Patsey. This is the moment when the filmmakers are most poised to challenge Northup’s individual strength; slavery has simply put him in a position where it is impossible to stay pure. Yet the film flinches here, I think. Patsey tells Northup that she’d rather he whip her than let Epps do it; remaining the perfect martyr, she absolves him. (Though the film is apparently very loyal to the real Northup’s text, it’s telling that this line is Ridley’s, not Northup’s.) He does indeed whip her, but Epps soon takes over, leaving Northup free to chastise him defiantly from the sidelines. So 12 Years a Slave allows Northup and Patsey’s relationship to end with a tender embrace, as he regains his freedom. It plays as tragic, because we know how horrible Patsey’s life will continue to be. But it’s pure. The film limits the emotional and moral complexity here because it can’t afford to risk our identification with Northup. Here in the United States, we tend to identify with success, even if it’s eluding us at the moment. I think it stunts our compassion. Consider John Steinbeck’s great observation: “Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.” Polls suggest that large percentages of Americans think they’ll soon be in the top 1 percent of wealth. Not surprisingly, these tendencies manifest themselves in our media. David Simon—who created one of the few mass entertainments I can think of that’s honest about individuals’ odds against oppressive systems—has spoken sharply about this: The thing that has been exalted and the thing that American entertainment is consumed with is the individual being bigger than the institution. … That’s the story we want to be told over and over again. And you know why? Because in our heart of hearts what we know about the 21st century is that every day we’re going to be worth less and less, not more and more. We’re so acclimatized to individual catharsis in entertainment that we barely even notice it; we are hard-pressed to imagine other narratives. So perhaps it’d be fairer to say the limitation is not with 12 Years a Slave but with us as an audience. It’s just so hard for us to identify with “the regular slaves,” in whatever form they may take. 12 Years a Slave is constructed as a story of a man trying to return to his family, offering every viewer a way into empathizing with its protagonist. Maybe we need a story framed on that individual scale in order to understand it. But it has a distorting effect all the same. We’re more invested in one hero than in millions of victims; if we’re forced to imagine ourselves enslaved, we want to imagine ourselves as Northup, a special person who miraculously escaped the system that attempted to crush him. The story of Solomon Northup is a powerful one, and this is an important film. But I can’t help thinking of what Stanley Kubrick is said to have remarked about Schindler’s List. Kubrick was friends with Steven Spielberg and admired the film, but with a crucial reservation: “Think that’s about the Holocaust? That was about success, wasn’t it? The Holocaust is about 6 million people who get killed. Schindler’s List is about 600 who don’t.” Throughout 12 Years a Slave, sadistic slavers try over and over to take away Northup’s humanity. But they do not succeed. That, more than anything else, marks 12 Years a Slave as an American film. It may move through despair, but it’s on the way to another destination. In our entertainment, there is only so much we can take. Is it even possible to make a movie that tells the absolute truth about slavery? That, Northup or no Northup, for two awful centuries of American history, the individual was not bigger than the institution? We can handle 12 Years a Slave. But don’t expect 60 Years a Slave any time soon. And 200 Years, Millions of Slaves? Forget about it. Correction, Oct. 21, 2013: This article originally misspelled the name of the character Patsey.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line961
__label__wiki	0.631302	0.631302	District Attorney George Gascón and Code For America Complete First Of Its Kind Automatic Record Clearance Pilot News from the Office of District Attorney George Gascón SFDA: ALEX BASTIAN (415) 553-1931 \| MARISA RODRIGUEZ (415) 553-1323 CODE FOR AMERICA: J. ELIZABETH SMITH (773) 220-7488 8,132 MARIJUANA CONVICTIONS WILL BE CLEARED AT ONCE BY RETHINKING PROCESS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM SAN FRANCISCO — Today, District Attorney George Gascón and Code for America announced that the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office has automatically cleared 8,132 marijuana-related convictions as part of a cutting-edge criminal justice reform pilot between the two organizations. This is in addition to the 1,230 marijuana-related convictions the District Attorney’s Office had already expunged, bringing the total number of sealed convictions to 9,362. This makes San Francisco the first county in the country to complete the automated marijuana record clearance process. Recognizing that California’s record clearance process was not designed for the digital age, Code for America and the District Attorney’s office reimagined the system to make it work for San Franciscans due relief under the law. The fundamental shift -- moving from an unworkable petition-based process to an expedited and automatic process that leverages Code for America’s Clear My Record technology -- helped achieve record clearance at scale for the first time in California. The announcement follows District Attorney Gascón’s unprecedented decision last year to retroactively apply Proposition 64, which legalized the possession and recreational use of marijuana for adults ages 21 years or older, to misdemeanor and felony convictions dating back to 1975. In total, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office has identified 9,362 convictions for dismissal and sealing, all the eligible convictions in the database going back to 1975. The identified cases have been presented to the court and will be dismissed and sealed shortly. “Prosecutors should act to address the inherent unfairness of penalizing people for activity that is no longer illegal,” said District Attorney George Gascón. “Using technology, we have been able to proactively bring greater racial equity and fairness to marijuana legalization in California. I am thrilled to see other counties and states following suit by offering similar relief in their communities. It’s the right thing to do.” “Contact with the criminal justice system should not be a life sentence, so we've been working to reimagine the record clearance process,” said Jennifer Pahlka, Code for America Founder and Executive Director. “Our work asks how we can make government work better for the people it serves, and we are honored to partner with DA Gascón's office to deliver relief to thousands who have been blocked from access to jobs, housing and other opportunities for so long. This new approach, which is both innovative and common sense, changes the scale and speed of justice and has the potential to ignite change across the country.” Record Clearance Not Designed for the Digital Age Previously, each person seeking relief had to petition the court on their own to clear their records, but this is a time-consuming, expensive, and confusing process. Over the course of this partnership, Code for America and the San Francisco DA’s office determined that with the aid of Clear My Record technology, a DA’s office can dismiss or resentence convictions proactively, automatically, and expeditiously. The Clear My Record technology can automatically and securely evaluate eligibility for convictions by reading and interpreting conviction data. It can evaluate eligibility for thousands of convictions in just a few minutes. This requires no action on the part of the individual, and minimal staff time and resources from the DA’s office -- two enormous obstacles for record clearance. Streamlining conviction data processing will also make it easier for courts to update records, ensuring people get relief as soon as possible. This novel approach creates a blueprint for the future -- the development of policy and technology that expands, streamlines and automates the record clearance process at scale to reduce barriers to employment, housing, health, and education that millions of Americans face. And there are lessons in this work that can help many other procedures in the justice system and beyond work better for every American. The pilot now sets the standard for record clearance implementation statewide and can be accomplished quickly by other jurisdictions that adopt this approach. Cutting-edge Partnership In January 2018, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office was the first District Attorney’s Office to announce that they would retroactively expunge and reclassify thousands of marijuana-related offenses dating back to 1975. District Attorney George Gascón did this because equity is a critical component of a fair legalization effort. Since then, we’ve seen numerous jurisdictions around the country including Seattle, Oakland, Chicago, Denver, and Baltimore follow our model and take steps to proactively expunge past marijuana convictions. In May 2018, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office joined Code for America in the first partnership of its kind to leverage technology and user-centered design to proactively review criminal convictions that qualify for relief under Proposition 64 (marijuana legalization). The benefits of reclassifying and dismissing marijuana-related misdemeanor and felony convictions are innumerable. A cleared conviction can reduce barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities for millions of people impacted by the American criminal justice system. This partnership also helps to address wrongs caused by the failed war on drugs, felt most strongly by communities of color. In San Francisco, approximately 33% of all dismissed convictions involved African American people, and 27% involved Latinx people. Since 2016, Code for America has been making it easy for people to remove eligible convictions from their records through Clear my Record technology. Code for America has set a goal of clearing 250,000 eligible convictions nationwide by 2019. About Code for America Code for America believes government must work for the people, and by the people, in the digital age, starting with the people who need it most. We build digital services that enhance government capabilities, and we help others do the same across all levels of government. We organize thousands of volunteers across nearly 80 chapters nationwide who improve government in their local communities. Our goal: a 21st century government that effectively and equitably serves all Americans. Learn more at codeforamerica.org. If a member of the public believes his/her prior marijuana conviction should be dismissed or reclassified by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, they are encouraged to contact us by phone (415-553-1751) or via email (sfda.prop64relief@sfgov.org). Our office will only provide information to those who are calling about themselves; the caller will have to provide his/her name and date of birth before any information can be provided. If the person’s name appears on the list of individuals whose prior convictions have been dismissed, they will be sent an electronic copy of dismissal documents via email if they would like. If the person’s name does not appear on the list but they believe they are eligible for dismissal or reclassification under Proposition 64, their name, date of birth, and a court number (if they have it) will be taken. Our office will further inquire about the person’s eligibility and take additional steps to dismiss or reclassify the individual’s conviction if appropriate.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line965
__label__cc	0.615078	0.384922	Why I Marched on McDonald's By Rev. William J. Barber II Recently, I marched with McDonald’s workers from three dozen cities to the company’s corporate headquarters outside of Chicago. After they refused to leave the corporate campus of the fast-food giant with its $5.6 billion in profits last year, 101 workers were arrested. I knew I had to come when the workers invited me to share some of the lessons we have been learning in North Carolina about civil disobedience — and moral support. I watched my new friends sit down. I watched the police gather. I prayed with the McDonald’s workers as the police looked on and then slapped plastic handcuffs on more than 100 of the workers and arrested them. I could not help but think of the historic arc of the civil rights movement. For all the gains we have been making, the treatment of low-paid workers by some of the most profitable corporations in the world ranks high in the more significant causes of the growing inequalities in the U.S. I have helped lead the fight against backward laws passed by an extremist group of legislators that, three years ago, took power in North Carolina. Last year, national media discovered us, calling us the Moral Monday protesters. In fact we have been organizing and protesting for eight years. The fight for living wages and the right to collectively bargain for all workers are key parts of the 14-point agenda we developed in 2006 along with dozens of progressive partner organizations. We know money in the hands of low-wage workers lifts our economy. But helping workers collectively fight for better wages is central to our movement and the right thing to do. All great religions instruct their followers on how employers should treat their workers. Living wages are at the center of our deepest moral and faith traditions. Consider Deuteronomy 24:14: “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin.” Or Jeremiah 22:13: “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages.” As I travel the country, I see more and more evidence that we are on the threshold of the Third Reconstruction Movement. The First Reconstruction, built by a multiracial Southern Fusion movement in the wake of the Civil War, was crushed when the nation legalized segregation and two-tier employment, housing, education and health system. Jim Crow laws were driven deep into the Southern economic and political system, setting back the human race in the struggle to repair the breach caused by racism. The Second Reconstruction can be traced to that glorious day in 1954 when nine white men in black robes said no to Jim Crow. Over the next 14 years, young and old, white and black, rich and poor risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to repair the breach. In 1968, with the murder of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the destruction of the organizational infrastructure of the Southern freedom movement, and a clever propaganda campaign relying on thinly disguised racist appeals to white Southern voters, extremists betrayed President Lincoln’s vision and his party. They turned their back on people of color. And they have become willing accomplices to a 40-year effort to dismantle the gains of the Second Reconstruction. Now we believe we have come to the threshold of the Third Reconstruction. The McDonald’s employees take their honored places in the front lines of this movement. Injustice cannot be met with silence. We must listen to workers like Cherri Delesline, mother of four from South Carolina, who makes the same $7.35 an hour she made on her first day at McDonald’s 10 years ago. Hear the voice of Adriana Alvarez, a single mother from Chicago, who makes pennies above minimum wage at McDonald’s and has to rely on public assistance to care for her son. You cannot see injustice and say nothing. You cannot see exploitation and say nothing. You cannot see systematic poverty and say nothing. You cannot see one human being abuse another human being, God’s creation, and say nothing. At every time, in every age, we need dissenters, who speak out about injustice. In North Carolina, we say “Forward Together, Not One Step Back.” We salute the McDonald’s workers. They are in the front ranks of the Third Reconstruction — the fight of our time. The Rev. William J. Barber II is the president of the North Carolina NAACP. Via RNS. Rev. William J. Barber II Rev. Dr. William J. Barber is the founder and president of Repairers of the Breach, architech of the Moral Mondays movement in North Carolina, and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. Together with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, he published The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and the Rise of a New Justice Movement. Rev. William J. Barber II, president of the North Carolina NAACP, consults with Shyrl Hinnant Uzzell. RNS photo by Yonat Shimron	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line968
__label__cc	0.610277	0.389723	BayWa AG's half-year results previous news next news BayWa AG successfully closed the first half of 2017, recording increases in revenues and EBIT: Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased significantly year on year to €72.8 million (2016: €55.3 million), and revenues rose to approximately €8 billion (2016: approximately €7.5 billion). As a result of the expected revival in agricultural trading, farmers’ greater willingness to invest and generally positive economic data, BayWa expects to further increase revenues and EBIT year on year in the second half of 2017. “Earnings were mainly driven by the Renewable Energy business sector in the first half of the year. The Agricultural Equipment and Building Materials business units also turned in a very pleasing performance,” said Klaus Josef Lutz, Chief Executive Officer of BayWa AG. At the end of the first six months of 2017, renewable energy recorded a year-on-year EBIT increase of approximately €26 million to more than €41 million. Agricultural Equipment saw EBIT rise sharply in the current financial year, from a negative figure in the first half of 2016 to a positive result of in excess of €9 million. “A very positive development that shows just how well-positioned BayWa is here, meaning that BayWa can once again benefit from farmers’ greater willingness to invest,” Lutz said. The Building Materials Segment also profited from the economic upswing, boosting EBIT to almost €7 million. Global agricultural trade, on the other hand, has not yet been able to match the previous year’s figures. This was due, in part, to the restructuring costs of BayWa’s grain trading sites in Southern and Eastern Europe, which had a negative impact on the earnings in the first half of the year. Earnings in the first half of 2016 were also boosted by a more favourable valuation of soya contracts, although this was then revised in the second half of the year. The more low-risk contract positioning in the current year is expected to offset the negative effect incurred in the second half of 2016. Restructuring in Southern and Eastern Europe will also have a positive effect in the second half of 2017. Higher producer prices due to an expected global supply deficit compared to the previous year also point to a high selling propensity among farmers. As a result, Lutz expects BayWa’s agricultural trading to pick up significantly in the coming months. “Overall, things are looking up for all our operating units, meaning that BayWa can continue to anticipate a significant rise in revenues and EBIT for the financial year 2017,” explained Klaus Josef Lutz. Agriculture: BayWa Agricultural Equipment Already Benefiting from Improved Sentiment in the Agricultural Market The Agriculture Segment at the BayWa Group is divided into four business units: BAST (BayWa Agri Supply & Trade), BAV (BayWa Agricultural Sales), fruit and agricultural equipment. BAST recorded a slight rise in revenues due to the increase in average grain prices compared to 2016. Specialties trading, such as in malting barley, developed very positively, while the one-off restructuring costs of the sites in Southern and Eastern Europe had a negative impact on EBIT. The difficult market conditions for soya also affected EBIT. The BAV business unit also saw a slight rise in revenues. EBIT, however, was down slightly year on year, as the collection of grain in BayWa AG’s core regions fell due to the below-average harvest volumes and because sales of seed and feedstuff were unable to match the previous year’s level. BayWa expects overall positive development possibilities for the agricultural business of BAST and BAV in the second half of the year; this is due, in part, to the fact that the restructuring implemented will have a positive impact and a rise in producer prices will likely boost farmers’ willingness to sell. Fruit business revenues rose significantly on the back of the initial full-year consolidation of tropical fruit trading company TFC Holland B.V. As the first half of 2016 was boosted by €7 million by the special effect of the sale of the T&G Global Limited (T&G) packaging logistics unit, fruit EBIT for the first six months of 2017 is still down year on year. As T&G’s export activities are not likely to realise their full potential until the second half of the year on account of the rain-related delays to the New Zealand harvest, BayWa sees good potential for T&G’s earnings development through to the end of the year. Business in Germany, which was impacted in the second quarter by a low-yield soft and stone fruit harvest due to poor weather conditions, awaits a difficult 2017/18 marketing season due to major frost damage in the spring, particularly in the Lake Constance region, and correspondingly substantial harvest losses. The domestic harvest situation, however, is likely to increase marketing opportunities for southern hemisphere fruit and also provide additional demand momentum for tropical fruit. BayWa plans to benefit from this development. Overall, Agricultural Equipment developed even better than expected given the positive economic environment in the agricultural market. Considerable increases were recorded in almost all product areas, resulting in both revenues and EBIT being up significantly year on year in the first half of 2017. The sales of used tractors alone increased by 42%. The business of Dutch company Abemec B.V. and the joint venture with CLAAS in Canada also developed favourably. BayWa expects to see a considerable year-on-year rise in earnings in the current financial year given the good overall situation. Rise in Conventional and Renewable Energy EBIT The Energy Segment comprises the BayWa Group’s trading activities in fossil and renewable heating fuels, fuels and lubricants as well as its business in renewable energy, which is pooled in BayWa r.e. renewable energy GmbH. Conventional energy revenues rose in the first half of 2017 due mainly to oil prices, which were higher on average year on year. Although the increase in oil prices resulted in a decline in demand for heating oil, wood pellet sales rose sharply by 24% in the BayWa Group. The filling station business also improved its trade margins, and sales of lubricants profited once again from positive economic development. As a result, EBIT in this business unit also rose slightly year on year. The renewable energy business sector significantly increased both EBIT and revenues in the first half of 2017: BayWa r.e. further expanded its international trading activities with photovoltaic components, thereby increasing the total output of sold PV modules and inverters by 50% each year on year. Wind parks with a total output of almost 66 megawatt (MW) as well as two solar parks in the UK with a total output of approximately 75 MW were also successfully sold. All told, BayWa was able to increase EBIT in this business sector three-fold in the first half of 2017. BayWa considers itself to be well-positioned in this segment to match the very high previous year’s level in the financial year 2017. Building Materials Segment Remains Strong The Building Materials Segment mainly comprises Group trading activities involving building materials in Germany and Austria. The segment increased both revenues and EBIT in the first half of 2017. This was due to booming construction activity, resulting in rising demand for steel, concrete and pre-fabricated construction elements, for example. Sales of products for civil engineering and road construction projects were also boosted by rising public-sector investments. The positive development in the first half of 2017 was also due to the continuous optimisation of the site network and the successful expansion of the own-brand range. BayWa expects that the Building Materials Segment will continue to grow in the second half of the year, as economic market data indicates a favourable course in the construction business. Innovation & Digitalisation on Schedule In the second half of 2016, the activities of the former Digital Farming business unit were transferred to the newly founded Innovation & Digitalisation Segment, which pools all of the BayWa Group’s activities in the fields of digital farming and e-business. In the reporting period, the segment joined in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) to push forward the assessment of satellite data in the farming industry. The slight year-on-year decline in the segment’s revenues was due to the rise in sales of services through other Group companies, however, are not included in the reporting. Due to the year-on-year rise in investments in the development of digital farming solutions and the new BayWa Online World, the segment reported a planned decline in EBIT of €1.6 million in the reporting quarter. Misty Chioffe PR contact Americas +1 949 383 7915E-mail	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line969
__label__wiki	0.598125	0.598125	Christopher H. Smith & Dan Kildee Compare the voting records of Christopher H. Smith and Dan Kildee in 2017-18. Christopher H. Smith Represented New Jersey's 4th Congressional District. This is his 19th term in the House. Dan Kildee Represented Michigan's 5th Congressional District. This is his 3rd term in the House. Christopher H. Smith and Dan Kildee are from different parties and disagreed on 56 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18). May 2, 2017 — Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017 May 17, 2018 — Faso of New York Amendment No. 13 Nov. 1, 2017 — O’Halleran of Arizona Amendment No. 3 Oct. 25, 2017 — McEachin of Virginia Part A Amendment No. 4 Sept. 7, 2017 — Goodlatte of Virginia Amendment No. 50 Sept. 6, 2017 — Rosen of Nevada Part B Amendment No. 38 Feb. 28, 2017 — Krishnamoorthi of Illinois Amendment No. 7 Jan. 5, 2017 — King of Iowa Amendment No. 12	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line979
__label__wiki	0.890896	0.890896	SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC. Censorship & New Technology Film Ratings Rape statistics Television Violence Anti-smacking Bill Families Commission HIV/AIDS STIs Kinsey Fraud Porn Link to Rape Sex Studies Application For Leave Broadcasting Standards Authority Celebrating Christian Tradition Children’s Television Complaints to Broadcasters Film & Lit Board Reviews Film & Lit. Board Appointments No Public Mandate for Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ – Poll February 26, 2013 by SPCS Leave a Comment Media Release 26 February 2013 – Family First NZ. A poll of New Zealanders has found that only 47% now believe that Parliament should change the definition of marriage, and 43% believe that civil unions are sufficient for same sex couples. The poll also found strong support for laws protecting celebrants, churches and schools if the law is still pushed through. Almost half of NZ’ers believe there should be a Referendum on the issue. In the poll of 1,000 people undertaken by Curia Market Research this month, respondents were asked “In 2004, Parliament legislated to allow same sex couples to register a civil union, amending over 150 pieces of legislation to give legal rights and recognition to same-sex couples. Do you think Parliament should change the definition of marriage to allow same-sex couples to marry, or do you think civil unions are sufficient for same sex couples?” Only 47% said that Parliament should change the definition of marriage to allow same-sex couples to marry and 43% said they believed civil unions were sufficient for same sex couples. 49% of respondents said that any changes to the Marriage Act should be subject to a binding referendum, with 41% opposed. Labour supporters were most in favour of a Referendum. “It is significant that as the debate on redefining marriage has continued, the support for Labour MP Louisa Wall’s bill has steadily dropped. We have got past the slogans of ‘marriage equality’ and ‘discrimination’ and the debate is now centered around the real purpose and role of marriage and the fact that there is actually no discrimination in the law currently,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ, and the Protect Marriage campaign. The poll also found strong support for protecting those who disagree with same-sex ‘marriage’ if it is redefined: 80% of respondents think marriage celebrants should not be forced to perform same-sex weddings if they go against their personal convictions. 73% of respondents believe churches and other places of faith should not be required to allow same-sex marriages in their buildings. 55% of respondents believe faith-based schools should not be required to teach that same-sex marriage is equal to traditional marriage of a man and a woman, with 33% saying they should. 53% oppose and 37% support requiring individual teachers in state schools to teach same-sex marriage is equal to traditional marriage if it goes against their personal beliefs. Regarding adoption by same-sex couples, respondents were asked“Should families where there is both a mum and a dad have priority for the adoption of babies and children?”,52% of respondents said that families with both a mum and a dad should have priority for adoptions, with 38% saying they shouldn’t. There was a significant difference by gender with women split almost equally and men strongly in favour of priority for families with a mum and dad. National voters were most in favour of giving priority to heterosexual couples (60%). “Despite the Select Committee arrogantly riding rough-shod over the overwhelming number of submissions in an attempt to ram this bill through and get it off the political agenda, this latest poll shows that the politicians simply do not have the mandate to change such a major cultural and social institution,” says Mr McCoskrie. “The politicians need to pause, and take a breath.” The poll was carried out during February and has a margin of error of 3.2%. For full report go to: http://bobmccoskrie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/MARRIAGE-AND-ADOPTION-POLL.pdf Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: definition of marriage, Louisa Wall's bill, Marriage Act, redefining marriage, same-sex marriage Redefining marriage is unnecessary – Gordon Copeland January 24, 2013 by SPCS THE DEBATE on same-sex marriage lacks context because its promoters have failed to take into account the equal rights already established in New Zealand law for same-sex couples. Everyone remembers the passing of the Civil Union Act in 2004 because of the publicity it generated. The Civil Union Act was followed by a companion Relationships (Statutory References) Act in early 2005 – the Relationships Act. It was passed by Parliament without fanfare and little publicity. It has therefore been missing from this debate because its purpose and legal effects are largely unknown to New Zealanders. Yet it is of crucial importance. So what did the Relationships Act do? It amended more than 130 acts of Parliament to add, after every reference to “marriage” , the words “civil union and de facto” so there would be a complete and perfect legal equality between marriage, civil unions and heterosexual or homosexual de facto relationships. It means all couples, in any of these relationships, have the same rights under New Zealand law, with the possible exception of the adoption law. Therefore, nothing is to be gained from redefining marriage to include same-sex couples, since equal rights have already been granted. That battle was fought and won in 2005. In 1893, New Zealand was the first nation to grant women the vote, but we did not do that by redefining men to include women, but rather by recognising the equality of women. In the same way the Relationships Act does not alter the definition of marriage but rather recognises the equality of same-sex unions, be they civil union or de facto, at law. The mantra of “marriage equality” needs to be viewed against that background. In my view, that mantra does not stand up to scrutiny because all of us can surely agree that a marriage between a man and a woman is biologically different from a union between two women or two men. Just as women and men are different, so those relationships are different (de facto relationships are different again because they exist in fact, but involve couples who are not married or in civil unions). Let us not forget that New Zealand law does permit homosexuals, who so choose, to marry [a person of the opposite sex] and some have. Recognition of the reality that women and men are biologically different does not constitute discrimination, inequality or a denial of rights. We separate women and men for sport and boys and girls for sport and education. Most Wellington secondary schools, for example, are single-sex, but that does not mean boys from Wellington College are not the equal of girls from St Mary’s. Our laws against discrimination are founded on the principle of “different by equal”. Consequently, although it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender, nationality, race, religion, marital status, and so on, in employment, housing, voting and the like, the law also recognises differences in many ways. Indeed, in our language we always, without exception, give different names to different things because life would become confusing if a rake was called a spade or vice versa. Marriage is too important to the stability of our society and the raising of children to risk such a radical change to its traditional definition without sound reason. In my view, no such reason has been advanced, Marriage can result in lifelong loving relationships between the spouses. It remains the best and most stable environment in which to raise children. It has stood the test of time and is common to all cultures and nations. Like democracy, it is not perfect, but it is better than all the other models. It would be greatly strengthened if governments invested in the delivery of pre-marriage preparation and post-wedding marriage enrichment programmes by non-government organisations, because marriage underpins a successful society, while the root cause of much poverty and delinquency arises from causal, stable or broken relationships. The Relationships Act created “relationships equality” and nothing more is necessary or desirable. The redefinition of marriage bill should not proceed. Source: Opinion Piece: Published The Dominion Post. Thursday, January 24, 2013. , p. A9 Gordon Copeland is a former MP who was in Parliament in 2004 – 2005 when the Civil Union and Relationship (Statutory References) Acts were passed. He opposed both. Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: Civil Union Act, Gordon Copeland, marriage equality, redefining marriage, Relationships Act, relationships equality, same-sex marriage Registered Charity’s website (www.protectmarriage.org.nz owned by Family First NZ) suffers major attack July 30, 2012 by SPCS 1 Comment A website opposed to a law change that would allow gay marriage has been removed from the internet, less than 12 hours after its launch. Conservative lobby group Family First [which was registered as a charity with the Charities Commission in 2007] this morning announced the launch of the protectmarriage site after Labour MP Louisa Wall’s members bill to redefine marriage, which is not currently defined in the Marriage Act, was pulled from the ballot last week. The bill would make it clear that two people, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, could marry. Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said his group had launched the website to protect the current definition of marriage, which he described as “one man, one woman”. The website at www.protectmarriage.org.nz featured an online petition to Parliament and a tool to let people contact MPs to express their views. But by midday the site had crashed after a large-scale denial of service attack. The IP addresses associated with the attack were being actively blocked and by 2pm the website was up and running again. However, by 5pm the website domain had been completely removed. “Due to large scale Denial of Service attacks against this domain it has been decided to ensure the stability and security of our servers and network this account has been removed,” the web host [247 hosting.co.nz] said. It was not known where the attacks were coming from, Mr McCoskrie said. Mr McCoskrie was told it was a fairly major attack, which was aimed at the protectmarriage website but also took down quite a few of the host’s other websites. “You always hope you can have a robust debate about ideas, and show respect for each other but when you’re trying to take out each other’s website it kind of suggests that you’re not going to get a good debate, so that’s disappointing.” In explaining the website this morning Mr McCoskrie said politicians had been hammered recently with reasons to redefine marriage, and the website would help to balance the debate. “Ultimately, the state – which did not invent marriage – has no authority to re-invent it,”he said. “Equality does not mean we must redefine marriage. Same-sex couples have the option of civil unions to recognise their relationship so there is no need for redefining marriage.” Adding to the website’s early-launch woes, US band Train is also vowing to get one of their songs removed from the website, after a YouTube link to the song Marry Me was placed on the website without them knowing. Train was asked yesterday by a New Zealand tweeter, @Mikey_J_S, why their music video appeared on the website. Train responded: “Didn’t know. Getting it off asap. Tnx 4 tip”. Mr McCoskrie said he had not yet heard from Train, and the song remained on the website. “We’re not going to do anything based on Twitter, but if they contact us and ask us to remove, we will certainly respect their wishes.” Initial indications are that the bill has the numbers to pass. Of the 76 of Parliament’s 122 MPs who responded to a New Zealand Herald survey last week, a clear majority of 43 were in support of the bill or leaning towards backing it. Labour leader David Shearer has said he will support the bill, and Prime Minister John Key today said he would vote in favour the bill. Anti-gay marriage website attacked 30 July 2012 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10823280APNZ Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: Charities Commission, denial of service attack, gay marriage, lobby group Family First, Louisa Wall, Marriage Act, protectmarriage, protectmarriage.org.nz, redefining marriage, sexual orientation Gay Community cannot redefine marriage – Dom Post – Opinion October 26, 2011 by SPCS Leave a Comment Marriage about purpose, not rights – Opinion – by Bob McCoskrie – national director of Family First NZ – a registered charity with the Charities Commission – writes: DEBORAH RUSSELL, (“Marriage should be for all”, October 21, Dominion Post) says the state has no business in the marriage game, but then argues that the state should redefine marriage to allow same-sex marriage. Marriages are a matter of significant public concern, as the record of almost every culture shows. If it weren’t for the fact that sexual intercourse between a man and a woman leads to children and brings with it a further obligation to care for tose children, the notion of marriage would probably never have existed. Marriage encourages the raising of children by the mother and father who conceived them. Onn average, children raised by their biological parents who are married have the best outcomes in health, education and income, and by far the lowest involvement with the criminal justice system. Russell then argues that denying same-sex marriage is “discriminatory” and “reinforces the power of traditional churches by endorcing their morality”. Firstly, it is true that marriage by definition is discriminatory. A homosexual cannot now legally marry. But neither can a wholelot of other people. A five-year-old boy cannot marry. Three people cannot get married to each other. A married man can’t marry another person. A child cannot marry her pet goldfish. A football team cannot enact group marriage – the list is endless. It is disingenuous to complain to complain about rights being taken away, when they never existed in the first place. It is like trying to argue that Kiri te Kanawa is being discriminated against since she cannot play for the All Blacks, or Richie McCaw can’t play for the Silver Ferns. Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/5849413/Gay-community-cannot-redefine-marriage Filed Under: Civil Unions, Family, Marriage, Moral Values Tagged With: civil unions, Family First NZ, gay community, Marriage, pro-marriage, redefining marriage, same-sex marriage Subscribe to website updates: Getting "The Pilgrim’s Progress" to every prisoner in NZ prisons. John on The term ‘Homophobia’: Its Origins and Meanings, and its uses in Homosexual Agenda SPCS on Corporate corruption in New Zealand – “Banning badly behaving company directors” Anne on Corporate corruption in New Zealand – “Banning badly behaving company directors” Jake on John Clancy: Troubled Global group costs Christchurch City Council another $37,000 Family Values & Community Standards Coalition for Marriage ECPAT New Zealand Family Voice Australia Parents Inc. Netsafe Internet Safety Group Pro-Life Groups Family Life International The Nathaniel Centre Voice for Life	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line985
__label__wiki	0.891471	0.891471	Washington vs. Portland Match Set For Audi Field April 26, 2018 April 26, 2018 by Jordan Small The Washington Spirit announced that the match on August 25 against the Portland Thorns will be played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. at 7 p.m. Since Audi Field was announced to be built, many had anticipated a Spirit match would be played there in 2018. It has been eight years since a women’s professional soccer match was played in Washington, D.C. The matchup with Portland usually draws a substantial crowd so bringing it to D.C. will be enticing. The location of this matchup will draw more fans from Virginia because the commute is not as long. “It’s really special for us to come full circle and have women’s pro soccer in downtown D.C. again,” Spirit head coach Jim Gabarra said in a statement. “It’s a big opportunity to showcase the best women’s soccer in the world in the world’s newest stadium.” Audi Field seats 20,000 people and is the first soccer specific stadium in Washington, D.C. Washington Spirit and D.C. United season ticket holders will have priority selection for seats starting on May 1. The game is part of the 12-game home schedule for Spirit season ticket holders. For those who are not season ticket holders, presale will happen from May 7-13 for those who have bought a ticket to a 2018 home game, Washington Spirit Youth Club Partners and Community Partners, and members of the official Spirit and D.C. United supporter groups. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on May 14. Breaking NewsShelina Zadorsky Breaking: Zadorsky Sent to Orlando For Bledsoe and Draft Pick January 23, 2018 by Jordan Small The Washington Spirit have announced that Canadian defender Shelina Zadorsky has been traded to the Orlando Pride in exchange for goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe and a 2019 1st round draft pick. Trade Parts Bledsoe, a 5’8” Cincinnati, Ohio native, played in 10 games for the Pride in 2017 for a total of 990 minutes. After Ashlyn Harris was injured in May, Bledsoe was tasked with the starting gig. Aubrey Bledsoe kicks the ball during warmups at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Kelley Piper \| Follow Your Spirit While the Spirit get some much-needed assistance in goal, they send away their 2017 captain in Shelina Zadorsky in the process. Zadorsky played in 21 games for Washington racking up 1793 minutes of play. Often times paired up with Whitney Church, the pair struggled to hold back opposing attacks. In Orlando, Zadorsky will reunite with former Washington teammate, Ali Krieger. What That Means As a result, the trade leaves many questions for Spirit fans. The most obvious is what this means for goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé. It is hard to tell if Labbé will return to Washington or not after taking a leave of absence in September. If she does return, Bledsoe would most likely become the number one backup, beating out DiDi Haracic and Kelsey Wys. If Labbé does not return, the fight for the number one spot would likely come down to Wys and Bledsoe. The next question is who starts at centerback on matchday one. Does Estelle Johnson return to the middle of the park? Does Jim Gabarra start two rookies in Rebecca Quinn and Schuyler DeBree? Quinn and DeBree did start together in their senior seasons at Duke, but their inexperience in the NWSL may hurt the Spirit, a team who cannot afford to struggle defensively for a second straight season. Finally, Washington now has to find a new captain. The likely candidates for the captaincy are Estelle Johnson and Tori Huster. Similar to last season, the decision on the captaincy will most likely occur late in preseason. Preseason camp opens for the league on Feb. 19 with the season beginning on the weekend of March 24-25. Breaking NewsBriana ScurryJim Gabarra Former USWNT Goalkeeper Briana Scurry Added to Spirit Coaching Staff December 6, 2017 December 6, 2017 by Jordan Small The first big move of the offseason for the Washington Spirit was announced on Wednesday afternoon. After assistant coach Denise Reddy left the Spirit to take over as the head coach of Sky Blue FC, Washington was left in need of a new first assistant to head coach Jim Gabarra. The club announced that former USWNT goalkeeper Briana Scurry will fill the role for Washington. On top of her duties as an assistant on the full team staff, Scurry will also serve as the Techincal Advisor for the Spirit Academy programs in both Maryland and Virginia. Scurry returns to the D.C. area after playing for the Washington Freedom from 2009-2010. She has attended numerous Spirit home games and was recognized as an Honorary Captain for the team in 2016. “I’ve always been a loyal fan of the Washington Spirit and now I have the wonderful opportunity to truly be a part of the team,” Scurry said. “I’m excited to bring my experiences and knowledge to our players, and to contribute in an effective and positive manner to the culture of the team and organization as a whole.” The former USWNT goalkeeper is most well known for her role in the iconic 1999 World Cup Final penalty shootout. Scurry had one save in the final that helped the team win on a Brandi Chastain kick. On top of being a World Cup champion, she also holds two Olympic gold medals from the 1996 and 2004 tournaments. “We could not possibly be more excited and grateful to have Bri join our Spirit family,” said Spirit Head Coach and General Manager Jim Gabarra. “Bri brings an immense level of resources and experience that will help our players grow and develop. I look forward to working with her and helping her in her own personal growth and development.” This week, the Spirit also announced this week the scheduling of two preseason matches. The first will take place on March 10 at the Evergreen Sportsplex in Leesburg, Va. The match will feature the University of North Carolina for the second straight season. Richmond, Va. will host it’s first ever NWSL event as the Spirit will head south to take on the North Carolina Courage. The match will take place on March 17 at City Stadium. This will be the first time the Spirit will play another NWSL team in a preseason match. Tickets for this match will go on sale Friday, December 8.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line987
__label__cc	0.58252	0.41748	Tag Archives: George Thomas Robinson A BOOK ABOUT TUNSTALL MARKET Posted on 14 Aug 2018 by David Martin Leave a comment TUNSTALL INDOOR MARKET CELEBRATES ITS 160th ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR Tunstall’s indoor market was opened in 1858. To celebrate the 160th anniversary of its opening, historical geographer, Betty Cooper and international heritage lawyer, David Martin are writing a book about the market. Tunstall’s historic Market Hall is one of the few remaining Victorian covered markets in the country. The covered market cost £7,651 13s 1d. It was designed by Wolverhampton based architect George Thomas Robinson, who created Burslem’s old town hall. The market hall was opened by the chief bailiff, Thomas Peake on the 2 December 1858. Trading commenced there on the 4 December 1858 and customers could buy meat and fish, poultry and game, fruit and vegetables, groceries and dairy produce, clothing and manufactured goods. In the early 1880s, one-third of the covered market, including its main entrance in High Street, was demolished to make way for a new town hall. Built in the free Renaissance style, the town hall was designed by North Staffordshire’s leading architect, Absalom Reade Wood. While the town hall was being constructed, Wood regenerated the remaining part of the market hall giving it a new glazed roof. New stalls were erected. The floor was relaid and the building was redecorated. Tunstall’s chief bailiff, John Nash Peake, opened the new town hall on the 29 October 1885. To celebrate its opening, a luncheon was held in the town hall. Afterwards, the band of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards and the members of Burslem Prize Choir gave a Promenade Concert in the covered market. In the evening a football match took place in Phoenix Park and the day ended with a grand ball in the market hall. BETTY AND DAVID NEED YOUR HELP Many people who shop in the market today must remember the covered market before it closed for regeneration in the 1990s and the temporary market hall that was erected in Woodland Street. If you were a child in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, your mother could have taken you to the market on Saturdays when she did the weekend shopping. You may even have had a part-time job working on one of the stalls when you were at school or college. If you have memories or photographs of the market which you would like to share with Betty and David please contact them at daymar727@talktalk.net Tunstall has one of the best markets in England and Wales Posted on 24 Feb 2018 by David Martin Tunstall has one of the best markets in England and Wales. Tucked away behind the town hall in High Street, the market is Stoke-on-Trent’s hidden gem. A warm-hearted place where friendly, welcoming traders sell high-quality fish and meat, fruit and vegetables, groceries, household goods and luxury items at reasonable prices to local people and customers who have come from as far away as Alsager, Biddulph, Mow Cop and Congleton to do their weekend shopping. Founded in 1817, the market which celebrated its bicentennial in 2017 moved into the market hall behind the town hall in 1858. The market hall was designed by George Thomas Robinson, the architect who created Burslem’s old town hall. Tunstall’s Town Hall and Market Posted on 28 Aug 2017 by David Martin Tunstall Town Hall Tunstall’s heritage market was 200 years old on September 20, 2017. In 1816, Tunstall’s chief constable, pottery manufacturer John Henry Clive, founded a company to build a Magistrates’ Courthouse and create a Market Place. The company leased three-quarters of an acre of sloping ground called Stoney Croft from Walter Sneyd, the Lord of the Manor. It built a courthouse and laid out a market place, which later became Tower Square, on the site. A two-storey stone building, the courthouse had a fire station with two fire engines and a market hall on the ground floor where eggs, butter, milk and cheese were sold when the market opened. The building faced eastwards. It was erected about halfway up the slope. Steps led from the lower part of the Market Place, where stalls were set up on market day, to the market hall’s main entrance. Beneath the market hall was the town lock up – a dark, foul-smelling dungeon where prisoners were held while awaiting trial. The stocks stood at the foot of the steps leading to the market hall. Six hours in the stocks or a fine of five shillings was the usual penalty for being drunk and disorderly. The company placed an advertisement in the Staffordshire Advertiser that was published on September 13, 1817, which read: “Notice is hereby given that henceforward a market will be held at Tunstall, in the Potteries, weekly on Saturdays in front of the Court-House. The first to be on Saturday, 20 September. Stalls and standings free.” Tunstall Market was both a retail market and a wholesale market. Retailers sold fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, poultry and salt. Horse-drawn waggons brought dairy produce, fruit and vegetables to the wholesale market which attracted retailers from Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Longton and Fenton. An Act of Parliament passed in 1840 created the Tunstall Market Company to manage the market. In 1847, the company sold the market for £6,500 to the town’s Improvement Commissioners. Shortly afterwards, the commissioners allowed dealers to sell hay and straw there. In 1855, the Improvement Commissioners were replaced by a Board of Health. The Board of Health managed the market until 1894 when Boards of Health were abolished and Urban District Councils were created to replace them. Tunstall Urban District Council ran the market until 1910 when the “six towns amalgamated” to form the County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent. A New Market Hall In 1856, the Board of Health decided to build a new market hall and turn the courthouse into a town hall. George Thomas Robinson, the architect who designed Burslem’s Old Town Hall, was commissioned to transform the courthouse into a town hall and to build a new market hall. Robinson enlarged the courthouse giving it a circular front where the steps had been. He redesigned the courtroom and turned the market hall into a boardroom and offices for the Board of Health. Constructed on a half acre site opposite the Market Place in High Street, the new Market Hall cost £7,651. The Market Hall was opened by Thomas Peake, the Chief Bailiff and Chairman of the Board of Health, on December 2, 1858. In the evening a concert was held in the Market Hall. At 9.00 pm there was a firework display in the Market Place which was followed by a ball in the Market Hall. Trading commenced there two days later on December 4, 1858, when the retail market which sold: Dairy produce Meat, fish, poultry, game and rabbits Manufactured goods and household utensils left the Market Place and moved into the building. The wholesale market that sold: Garden plants, seeds and shrubs Hay and straw remained in the Market Place which later became known as Market Square. A New Town Hall Although the courthouse had been enlarged and made into a town hall, the building was too small to meet the administrative needs of an expanding industrial town. At the beginning of the 1880s, the front portion of the Market Hall and the main entrance in High Street, which had been built on the spring line that marks the geological boundary between Etruria Marl and the Blackband series of coal and ironstone measures, was collapsing due to subsidence. The Board of Health decided to reduce the size of the Market Hall by a third. The front part of the building was demolished and a new town hall was erected on the site. Designed by Absalom Reade Wood who was one of North Staffordshire’s leading architects, the town hall is a free “Renaissance Style” building that stands on a rusticated stone base. It was opened by John Nash Peake, the Chief Bailiff and Chairman of the Board of Health, on October 29, 1885. While the town hall was being built, the remaining two-thirds of the Market Hall was being modernised. The building was reroofed, new gas lighting was installed, the floor was relaid and permanent stalls were erected. The Wholesale Market in the 20th Century The wholesale market, which closed before the end of the 19th century, was re-established in the Market Square in 1901. Shortly afterwards, a small retail market selling fish and rabbits was opened in the square. These markets declined after the First World War (1914-18). The retail market in the Market Hall became Tunstall’s primary market, although as late as the 1930s there were still a few stalls in the square selling fish and rabbits. When children approached his stall one of the traders who sold rabbits started singing these words to the tune of the well-known music hall song “If you want to know the time ask a policeman”: “Does your mother want a rabbit? “Sell you one for sixpence. “Skin you one for ninepence.” The Market Hall after 1940 Before the Second World War (1939-45), the Market Hall was open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In February 1940, the market was opened for the sale of meat on Fridays. During 1941, some of the stalls were taken down and a civic restaurant was established in the Market Hall. After the war, market days were Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. During the 1950s and 60s, families could do their weekly shopping in the market where there were stalls that sold: Bread and cakes Eggs, butter, cheese, margarine and milk First and Second World War memorabilia and military medals Hardware and household utensils Ladies and children’s clothing Meat and poultry, black pudding, boiled ham, brawn, corned beef, Cornish pasties, home-cured bacon, pork pies, sausages, savoury ducks and tripe Pet food, cages for budgerigars and hampsters, fish tanks and goldfish bowls Oatcakes and Pikelets Shoes and handbags Second-hand books and magazines Watches and jewellery In 1992, the City Council’s architects and surveyors discovered that the Market Hall and the town hall were unsafe. The structures supporting the Market Hall’s roof were unstable and its east gable wall was likely to collapse. A temporary market was erected in Woodland Street. Both the town hall and the Market Hall were closed. Although the town hall is still closed, the Market Hall was regenerated and reopened at the beginning of the 21st century. © Betty Cooper and David Martin (2017)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line989
__label__wiki	0.940349	0.940349	Grand Challenges: The pioneer of CRISPR: In conversation with Francisco 12 June 2018 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm Law Theatre, Law Building Dr Francisco Mojica discovered the unusual repeated DNA sequences at the core of today’s gene-editing revolution. This pioneer who named CRISPR will be in conversation with Merlin Crossley, Professor of Molecular Biology and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at UNSW Sydney. Don’t miss your chance to join these two scientific luminaries as they explore the history of CRISPR, from Mojica’s ground-breaking discovery to the genome-editing technique that could potentially cure diseases like sickle cell anaemia, muscular dystrophy, and HIV. Francisco Mojica was awarded the PLuS Alliance Prize for Global Innovation in 2017. About Francisco Mojica Dr Francisco Mojica is a celebrated Spanish microbiologist who discovered and named CRISPR, a family of DNA sequences in bacteria and archaea. CRISPR and its development for gene editing rank among the most important scientific discoveries of this century, with powerful potential applications in everything from medicine to agriculture. Dr Mojica is a leader in Microbiology at the University of Alicante in Spain. His cutting-edge research has garnered global media attention and earned him a string of prestigious awards, including the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, the Rey Jaime I Basic Research Prize, and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Biomedicine. About Merlin Crossley Merlin Crossley is a Professor of Molecular Biology and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at UNSW Sydney. He has trained or worked at the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Oxford, and Harvard, and joined UNSW Sydney as Dean of Science in 2010. He specialises in genetic diseases, and recently used CRISPR-mediated gene editing in a landmark study that could lead to new therapies for sickle cell anaemia and other blood disorders. As well as leading a laboratory, he is an enthusiastic teacher and science communicator who contributes frequent articles on science, education and policy. He has served on the boards of the Australian Museum, the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Science Media Centre, NewSouth Publishing, and is on the editorial board of The Conversation and BioEssays. About The PLuS Alliance The PLuS Alliance is an international partnership that combines the strengths of three leading universities – Arizona State University, King’s College London, and UNSW Sydney – to deliver research-led solutions to global challenges and expand access to world-class learning in the key themes of sustainability, global health, social justice, and technology and innovation. https://www.plusalliance.org/ About SRAP-IEAP The Spanish Researchers in Australia – Pacific (SRAP) is a non-for-profit organisation established in 2014 to promote networking and collaboration between Spanish Researchers working in Asia – Pacific; support Australian research institutes and universities to understand and engage with Spanish Universities; and to assist Asia – Pacific Researchers to collaborate with Spanish Researchers. The Association was created with the assistance and support of the Embassy of Spain (Canberra), the Institute Cervantes (Sydney) and the Spain-Australia Council Foundation. https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-pioneer-of-crispr-in-conversation-with-franc...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line991
__label__wiki	0.632417	0.632417	Organisation of BSA Contact the BSA Office History of the BSA BSA Disclaimer BSA Strategy BSA >> About >> Latest News >> 2018 >> April >> Book on asylum seekers wins top Sociology Prize Book on asylum seekers wins top Sociology Prize A book on asylum seekers has won this year's prestigious Philip Abrams Memorial Prize for the best first-authored sociology work. Asylum after Empire: Colonial Legacies in the Politics of Asylum Seeking (Rowman & Littlefield), by Dr Lucy Mayblin, of the University of Warwick, wins £1,000 as part of the prize, which is run by the British Sociological Association. The award is for the best first and sole-authored book within sociology and was established in honour of the memory of Professor Philip Abrams, whose work contributed substantially to sociology and social policy research in Britain. The prize was presented to Dr Mayblin by the BSA President, Professor Susan Halford, at the BSA’s annual conference at Northumbria University in Newcastle on Wednesday 11 April 2018. Professor Halford said the winning book made it clear that the UK’s policy on asylum seekers could only be understood in the light of the country’s colonial history. “It is remarkably sophisticated piece of theoretical work, a thorough piece of empirical analysis, and has huge practical relevance – it is a powerful demonstration of what scholarly sociological work can do and how it can contribute to how sociologists inform important and contentious public debate – we are quite sure this will become a classic of British sociology.” The book highlights the fact that since the early 1990s the majority of asylum seekers have originated from countries outside of Europe which have been under colonial rule. The book was selected from a shortlist of four. The other three were: Theism and Atheism in a Post Secular Age, by Morteza Hashemi; Factories for Learning: Making Race, Class and Inequality in the Neoliberal Academy, by Christy Kulz; and Changing Names and Gendering Identity: Social Organisation in Contemporary Britain, by Rachel Thwaites. 1. The British Sociological Association’s annual conference takes place at Northumbria University, Newcastle, from 10 to 12 April 2018. Over 700 research presentations are given. The British Sociological Association’s charitable aim is to promote sociology. The BSA is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. Company Number: 3890729. Registered Charity Number 1080235 www.britsoc.co.uk	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line992
__label__wiki	0.934394	0.934394	UK vows to help Pakistan to manage population growth Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD - The United Kingdom Thursday said it was committed to help Pakistan to control the population growth rate. To mark the World Population Day 2019, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the British High Commission and the United Nations Population Fund organized a high-level event here. The UK – through its Department for International Development – leads the UK’s global efforts to control population growth rate, extreme poverty and malnutrition. Through its Delivering Accelerated Family Planning Programme, DFID, is making family planning information and services accessible to those in need in Pakistan. Since 2012, the UK support has reached over 1.7 million new family planning users and prevented 4,900 maternal deaths, over 3.49 million unwanted pregnancies, and 490,000 abortions. By March 2022, our programme aims to achieve 550,000 modern contraception users. Speaking at the event, Deputy Head of DFID Pakistan Kemi Williams said: “Rapid population growth is a major challenge for many countries across the world, including Pakistan and the situation is likely to get worse if urgent action is not taken. The UK is committed to support Pakistan’s plans to manage its population growth.” DFID Pakistan, through its Delivering Accelerated Family Planning programme is making family planning services accessible to men and women across the country, Williams said. “I believe that every woman should have access to family planning services so that she is empowered to plan her life, be healthy, have healthy children and contribute to the economic growth of Pakistan,” the DFID head said. Dr. Zafar Mirza, Federal Minister of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, said: “Population is a great asset, but at the same time if we don’t utilize its potential properly, it can become a liability.” Sharing her remarks, Lina Mousa, UNFPA Representative said: “Pakistan has some of the greatest demographic opportunities for development in the world as a growing youth population enters adulthood. The demographic dividend can only be achieved with adequate investments in the education and skills of youth, harvesting the fruits of long-term human capital development. Govt keen towards betterment in health sector: Dr Sania Pakistan's nuclear weapons in safe hands: Mazari	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line993
__label__wiki	0.85306	0.85306	Contact Us and Find Us Worship and Prayer Baptism/Christening and Confirmation Banns HOurbank & Community Cafe Heritage Education Make Lunch Robes Project St George's Tuesday Toddler Group St George in Southwark Festival St George the Martyr Charity NEW The Borough Free Fridge Borough New Music St. George's Kings Music Academy Water City Music A Concert for Peace Churchyard and Crypt Bells and Clock Ceiling and Windows Coats of Arms and Galleries Font and Cistern Sanctuary and Lady Chapel Parish and Diocese People and Community Almshouses and Chapels Edmund Bonner Southwark Fair St George's School The 17th and 18th Centuries The Medieval Guild The Rectory and Halls St George the Martyr: 1122-1733 St George the Martyr: 1734-Present The Second World War Hiring Space St George the Martyr w St Alphege & St Jude In 1733, the old medieval church was in poor condition and a new building programme was commenced, creating the current church designed by John Price. The foundation stone for the current church was laid by the rector, Dr. Nathaniel Hough, on St. George’s Day, 1734. The rebuilding was financed by £6,000 taken from funds for the building of fifty new churches from the reign of Queen Anne (1710-1711) authorized on 24th June 1733 by an Act of Parliament. This grant wasn’t sufficient, so a subsequent levy was raised, presumably on parishioners, of one shilling to the pound to pay for the organ, clock and font. The new Georgian church was opened on April 25th 1736 and is made from red brick with Portland stone pediments, string courses and dressings with the dimensions being 110 feet in length and 52 feet wide. This is the current church on the site today. The first major restoration work on the present church was commenced in 1807. An 1806 survey by S.P Cockerell described the exterior of the church as highly decayed. Work to the value of £9,000 was undertaken by William Hedger on both the exterior and interior and began on March 29th 1807. The church was closed during these repairs until October 16th 1808. New foundations were made for the church, as well as many interior changes. A curious note in the Vestry minutes shows how the Restoration Committee celebrated their work; they spent their profits and dined ‘together at the City of London Tavern on Thursday 20th October’. In 1930, some repairs were made to the tower, spire and crypt. However, by 1938 the church was in poor condition. An architectural report from that date describes a bulging and cracked south wall, gallery supports that were out of upright and rotten and the walls resting on old piles. The south wall was strengthened in 1938. Major restoration and redecoration works were planned to take place externally and internally in 1939. However, this work had to be scaled back for financial reasons and was not finished until 1951, due to postponement during the Second World War. During the Second World War, there was extensive damage to the building due to bombing. Extensive rebuilding was undertaken by Thomas. F Ford in 1951-52.This included extensive exterior and interior restoration, building on the restoration plans from 1939. The church was closed for the restoration from New Years’ Eve 1950 until rededication by the Bishop of Southwark on 16th October 1952. The restoration cost £33,000 and during the restoration, the congregation worshipped at St. Michael’s Church, Lant Street. During the post-Second World War era, the independent parishes founded in the 19th century were gradually reunited with St. George’s parish. St. Michael’s and All Angels was reunited in 1953. St. Stephen’s was reunited in 1964. In 1976, St. Jude’s church closed and the parish was amalgamated with St. Paul’s. In 1965, the population of the parish was 5380 and in the same year the church conducted 37 baptisms and had 106 Easter Communicants. In the summer of 1991, St. George’s benefice was joined with that of St. Jude’s. Some of the parish of St. Saviour with All Hallows (Southwark Cathedral’s parish) was annexed to St. George’s, but part of St. George’s parish was transferred to Holy Trinity with St. Matthew. With all the parish boundary changes, St. George’s commissioned a survey entitled ‘Parish and People ‘92’, which aimed at studying the new parish boundaries and population make up. This survey was conducted by members of the congregation. St. George the Martyr and the church of St. Alphege have had a strong relationship with each other. St. Alphege was formed due to a Diocesan mission- parishes formed from mission districts, college or school missions. Originally, it was formed as a sub-parish of St. George the Martyr, with a chapel being built. It was described as ‘a poor parish in the middle of poor parishes’. A permanent church was built on Lancaster Street in 1882. This building was declared redundant in 1983 and demolished in 1991. In 1992, after the death of Fr. Eric Mathieson, the last independent incumbent at St. Alphege’s, the incumbencies of St. George the Martyr and St. Alphege were united under one priest. There had been a long standing agreement that when Fr. Mathieson retired or died, the parishes would unite. On 12th January 1994, the PCCs from both churches voted in favour of uniting the parishes together, and this was. Provision was made for a space for the congregation of St. Alphege to worship on the ground floor of. St. Alphege Hall, on King’s Bench Street. This was renovated in 1993 and reopened in 1994. The hall was still in occasional use up until around 2011, with it being rented out and used for services. In 2017, it was rented out to an estate agent, being a useful source of income for St. George the Martyr. In around 2004, the parish boundary was adjusted slightly eastwards to include Manciple Street where the current Rectory is located, as well as other areas. By 1999, there were concerns about the safety of the church structure, as the walls were gradually sinking into the soft earth below causing extensive structural damage. By 2000, the architect was concerned that widening cracks would lead to the collapse of the walls. Large scale restoration began in 2005-07, removing and restoring all fabric in the church. An internal steel frame was inserted underpinning the walls, as the walls were moving and there was a danger that the nave ceiling would collapse. A new crypt space was designed and built, utilising the whole space under the church. The church was closed during this restoration work and the congregation worshipped at King’s College University Chapel, Guy’s Campus. This was the last large scale restoration work on the church. Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals Borough High Street, London, SE1 1JA admin@stgeorge-themartyr.co.uk	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line995
__label__wiki	0.818405	0.818405	Baglini Earns Capital One Academic All-District Accolades Milford, Connecticut native collects second All-District selection for baseball program in three years EASTON, Mass. (May 5, 2014) – Stonehill College junior infielder Christian Baglini (Milford, Connecticut/Notre Dame High) has earned Capital One Academic All-District I first team honors for baseball as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) members in Division II from the East Region. With his first team selection, Baglini is now eligible for Academic All-America honors to be released later this month. Baglini, who has earned a 3.60 cumulative grade point average as a neuroscience major, is Stonehill's second All-District selection for baseball in the past three years, as Michael White, '12, was honored in 2012. Baglini has been the recipient of the St. Thomas Aquinas, Patron Saint of Students, Medal for posting the highest cumulative GPA on the baseball team the past two years, and he has been named to both the Northeast-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll and Athletic Director's Honor Roll each of the three semesters that he has been a part of the baseball team. In addition, Baglini was presented with a 2013 Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award. On the diamond, Baglini has been a key member of a Stonehill team that is currently ranked seventh in the NCAA DII East Regional Rankings. Through the end of the regular season, he owns the third-highest batting average on the team (.291) to go with seven doubles, a triple, and 24 RBI. Baglini has also scored 18 runs, drawn 14 walks, and stolen seven bases while starting 43 of 48 contests. From April 6th to April 29th, Baglini posted a career-best 16-game hitting streak, a stretch in which he hit .414 (24-for-58) with two doubles, a triple, 11 runs, and 12 RBI. In an 8-4 win at Saint Anselm College on April 13th, he went 4-for-5 with a double and two runs. Baglini has played in 73 games in his Stonehill career, starting 69 of those contests. He is a .280 career hitter (69-for-246), with 12 doubles, three triples, and 35 RBI to go with 10 steals, 26 walks, and 34 runs scored. Baglini has also made two appearances on the mound, giving up one run on four hits in three innings of work. Stonehill (28-18, 17-10 NE-10) wrapped up its regular season last night with a 5-3 loss at No. 20 Southern New Hampshire University. The Skyhawks will open the NE-10 Tournament on the road Wednesday afternoon at either Southern New Hampshire or Franklin Pierce University.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line997
__label__wiki	0.525964	0.525964	Home » Portfolio » ODC ODC goes solar through crowd-lending campaign Solar Electricity PV System Size: 40.227 kWp System Equipment: 140 Canadian Solar Estimated Annual Co2 Reduction: 528 tons Oberlin Dance Collective (ODC) ODC is a groundbreaking contemporary arts institution with longstanding roots in the San Francisco Bay Area. Choreographer Brenda Way founded ODC in 1971 as a collective of artists at Oberlin College. Now it is one of the most active centers for dance on the West Coast. The two-building campus in San Francisco’s Mission District features eight studios, two performance venues and several office suites. It is home to a world-class dance company, a professional, pre-professional, and recreational dance training program, a Healthy Dancer’s Clinic and a nationally acclaimed performance space. For 40 years, ODC’s San Francisco-based programs and neighborhood activities have contributed to community development, stability and access to creative expression. Through a new crowd-lending campaign with CollectiveSun®, ODC has raised nearly $200,000 from their community for a solar power system. The community investors will be repaid at a 4.8% interest rate over 10 years. ODC is expected to save over $300,000 over the life of the system. This system will offset more than 578 tons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to the energy contained in 7 tanker trucks full of gasoline or taking 111 cars off the road. With two buildings to power (351 Shotwell Street and 3153 17th Street in San Francisco), ODC plans to use solar power to reduce escalating energy costs for their office, classrooms and performance spaces. ODC has partnered with CollectiveSun, a solar energy finance specialist focusing on nonprofits, to make ODC’s project a reality through investments that tap into the beneficial rebates available in San Francisco along with significant tax benefits that otherwise would not be available to ODC. Since Sun Light & Power is committed to making a positive difference in the world, we were delighted to see them selected by Oberlin Dance Collective for their project in San Francisco’s Mission District. Sun Light & Power has gone above and beyond to make this project a success. – Lee Barken, CollectiveSun® Chief Community Officer	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1001
__label__cc	0.522694	0.477306	THE BOOKS ARE HERE! I Remember Running Through the Woods, Jack Dorsey, Jason Dorsey, Jenny Wallace Dorsey, Sunnyshore Studio Publishing Last Thursday Jenny drove down to Salem, OR to be with her Dad as he went in for cataract surgery. The surgery was successful. Jenny was able to be a calm, encouraging presence for her parents. She was also able to make a trip to Your Town Press where I Remember Running Through the Woods was printed. 1,000 books all boxed up waited on a cart to be taken home. With the help of her sister, who brought her van to help haul books, Jenny was able to get them all loaded up! Wow! That’s a lot of books. And while they’re not perfect, we’re super happy with how they came out and with the story they tell! We’re planning a big Release Party on Saturday, March 9th, at the opening of the Vintage Watercolor show at Sunnyshore Studio. There are a number of book signing events in the works, and we’re hoping to roll out a more official “release” on this site. But if you’re interested in getting the book in advance of these events, it is for sale on our Store on this site. I want to thank everyone who encourages and supports local artists and authors. It is a joy to tell these stories of a boy growing up on an island in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Finally, it was a special joy to give the first gift to my son, Jacob, who helped me so much on this project. The book is, after all, dedicated to him: “To Jacob, who loves the woods like I do.” Sincerely, Jason Dorsey	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1002
__label__wiki	0.674915	0.674915	Juicero CEO promises refunds for any dissatisfied customers while defending the company’s tech Anthony Ha @anthonyha / 2 years Jeff Dunn, the former Coca-Cola executive who became CEO of Juicero last year, has responded to a wave of coverage suggesting that the company’s juice press isn’t all that was promised — and he’s offering dissatisfied customers their money back. A Bloomberg report showed that Juicero’s packs could be squeezed by hand, no expensive juicer required. Dunn’s response? He doesn’t deny that hand-squeezing is a very real possibility, but he does quibble about what you’ll find inside, saying it’s “nothing but fresh, raw, organic chopped produce” — see, it’s not juice yet because it hasn’t been pressed. “What you will get with hand-squeezed hacks is a mediocre (and maybe very messy) experience that you won’t want to repeat once, let alone every day,” he argued. More importantly, he said, “The value of Juicero is more than a glass of cold-pressed juice. Much more.” What … does that mean? According to Dunn, Juicero’s technology (which is supposed to involve 400 custom parts, including 10 printed circuit boards, a scanner and a microprocessor) allows the company to create “the first closed loop food safety system,” so Juicero could disable produce packs if there’s, say, a spinach recall — which may not sound like a huge selling point, but these things do happen. Dunn also said the Press is “calibrated by flavor to deliver the best combination of taste and nutrition every time” and that the data from the machine helps the company manage its supply chain. “The value is in how easy it is for a frazzled dad to do something good for himself while getting the kids ready for school, without having to prep ingredients and clean a juicer,” Dunn said. “It’s in how the busy professional who needs more greens in her life gets App reminders to press Produce Packs before they expire, so she doesn’t waste the hard-earned money she spent on them.” At the beginning of his post, Dunn said his goal was to “demonstrate the incredible value we know our connected system delivers.” And if you’re not convinced this is worth $400, well, there’s another option for disillusioned Juicero buyers — Dunn said the company’s “Happiness Guarantee” (i.e. its return policy) has been extended to cover anyone who’s ever purchased a Juicero Press. So for the next 30 days, anyone who’s bought a Press should be able to return it for a full refund.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1011
__label__wiki	0.763819	0.763819	Dan Worcester Been playing games for over half my life. I like to think that I have a wide variety of tastes in genres, while still being mindful of quality. Anodyne Review – Yes of Course… a Broom! With the current wave of indie titles, many developers are making games that show a clear inspiration from more retro titles. The best of these games give the feeling that… Green Man Gaming Launches into Publishing with Idol Hands On May 10th 2010, the online video game retailer Green Man Gaming launched with five hundred titles available for purchase. In the time since, their library has grown to over… PlaytonicGames to Develop Banjo-Kazooie Spiritual Successor One of the most fondly remembered development studios to make games for the Nintendo 64 is Rare. GoldenEye 007 and Donkey Kong 64 and Banjo-Kazooie are all beloved classics of… Vulture for NetHack Coming to Steam When the original NetHack was released on July 1987, it’s refinement of the genre paved the way for many of the modern roguelikes we have today. NetHack is one of… Xbox One Struggles to Sell in Japan When the Xbox One was released in Japan on September of last year, it only managed to sell 30,000 systems that month, half the number that the Xbox 360 achieved… You Can Make a Doom Visual Novel with this Mod In 1994, Edge Magazine published a review for Doom, a first person shooter game, which ended with the reviewer lamenting how you could only fight with the game’s enemies. “lf… Glorious Leader! Canceled After Kickstarter Hack On January 7th the developers at Moneyhorse Games canceled the kickstarter campaign for their game “Glorious Leader!” a title that was already greenlit for release on Steam. The satirical run… High Taxes Force Nintendo to Leave Brazilian Market On the month of January 2015, “a Gaming do Brasil” or The Gaming Brazil will cease distribution of Nintendo products in the country of Brazil. For fourteen years, a Gaming… Persona 3 The Movie no 3 Falling Down premieres on April 4th in Japan In a recent announcement on the movie’s website, it was revealed that Persona 3 The Movie: #3 Falling Down will be coming to Japanese theaters on April 4th. The film… Valve Removes Hatred from Steam Greenlight [Updated] Update: Valve has reinstated Hatred’s Greenlight page. Today, Destructive Creations posted their game “Hatred” to the Steam Greenlight service to see if the community would be interested in purchasing it.…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1012
__label__cc	0.616343	0.383657	I Was a Teenage Prospector Category Archives: Royals Prospects Retro Rookie: David Cone 1986 Broder Unreal. Look at what a kid Cone was here. If Broder’s information is correct, and this is from 1986, it would have made him 23. And he looks all of it, too. What I really want to look at, though, are Cone’s numbers coming into KC. Was he a worthy candidate? The answer kind of surprised me, actually. Cone’s record entering 1986 was 39-34, not too bad, with a 2.20 ERA. Good looking prospect, right? Well, not so fast. First of all, he was hurt by the jumps to AA and AAA, putting up bad win-loss records and ERAs. Of course, that doesn’t tell the whole story. How about the peripherals? As you would guess, his hits/9, BB/9, and K/9 took a hit with the AA and AAA jumps. He went from an average 7.07 H/9 with a 6.87 K/9 in the low minors to an 8.55 H/9 with a 6 K/9. So that kind of points toward him having a fairly off time in the majors when he was called up in 1986, despite improving tremendously in AAA in 1986. The big question for me would have been whether that year was the fluke or the earlier jumps were the flukes. Well, as we all know, he became a 20 game winner with the Mets two years later, and went on to a very productive career. But there were some legitimate resons to question whether he’d be a successful major leaguer early on. Interesting, huh? Filed under Royals Prospects Tagged as 1986, Broder, David Cone, Kansas city Royals Dual Prospects: Luis De Los Santos & Jim Campbell New feature for Teen Prospector…I want to look at the cards from the past that feature multiple rookies and grade them both on the quality of the prospects at the time as well as how their careers worked out. These cards have always been fun for me, even if they went nowhere, so I thought it would be excellent to take a look at them. So, Luis De Los Santos first. Selected in the second round in 1984, he was a corner OF/1B/DH type who had shown almost no power but could hit for a decent if not spectacular average. My guess is that he was expected to develop into a power hitter, but it just never came; the most home runs he ever hit was six in 1988, when he earned his promotion to the majors (to be fair, he did hit .307 that year). In 11 games in 1988, he hit .091/.231/.227. How did that earn him this card? Haven’t a clue. Guess it was the AAA numbers. He fared a little better in 1989, going .253/.293 (ick)/.310 in 28 major league games at the age of 22. Yes, that’s correct, he’s 21 in that picture. I can’t believe it, either. Anyway, he never did much better, only getting one more year in the majors in 1991, when he managed a 25 OPS+. He bounced around the minors for a couple of years, but was dropped out of organized baseball in 1993, at the age of 26. Jim Campbell was one of a million men so named in major and minor league history. A 32nd round pick in 1987, it’s a little baffling as to why he even made this card. Sure, he went 6-0 with a 0.73 ERA in short-season A in 1987 at the age of 21 (no great feat), but he was a pedestrian 4-3 with a 3.60 at AA Memphis in 1988. What was Fleer looking at here? He wouldn’t even make the majors until 1990, when he went 1-0 with a 46 ERA+ in two games. And that was it for his major league career. Nice pick, Fleer! Card Rating: F/F. Poor choice of prospects to begin with, and neither made a dent career-wise. Best used as kindling. Tagged as 1989, Dual Prospects, Fleer, Jim Campbell, Kansas city Royals, Luis De Los Santos 1989 Upper Deck Another one of those key 1989 Upper Deck High Numbers rookies, this guy was HIGHLY sought-after in my trading circles. It’s kind of amusing when I think about what Gordon eventually became, especially those years with the Red Sox. I can still remember the night I traded for this one in our library basement club. I took it home and immediately put it in a hard case. Now THIS guy was certainly going to be a superstar! And look at that photo! That delivery! It became another one of those iconic images of my baseball youth. But how good was Gordon when this card came out? Was the hype warranted? I was curious, so I went back and looked at his numbers. The answer? Uh, HELL YES. In 1988, at three levels, Gordon was 16-5 with a 1.59 ERA, and a mind-blowing 0.92 WHIP. He also cleaned up at the ML level in 1989 before tailing off into mediocrity over the next few years. I mean, he had some amazing years when he was reinvented as a closer, but nothing can touch that early brilliance. My guess is injuries took their toll over time. Of course, that was one of the concerns about him as a rookie: too small to make it long-term. But hey, 20 years later and he’s still around. Go Flash! Tagged as 1989, Kansas city Royals, Tom Gordon, Upper Deck I’ll be honest: I wasn’t sure Johnny Damon was going to stick. Sure, he was a speedy outfielder with a good glove (how things change), but I wasn’t sure he had enough of a bat to hang around. I thought the Damon cards I got were kind of cool back in the day, especially this one, but I didn’t think he was going to hang around long enough to really make a mark. Obviously I was wrong, but the odd thing is that this is not a recent acquisiton; this is the original card I got in 1994. I think I may have even traded for this. So I guess in some corner of my mind I had some questions. I’m still not a big Damon fan, but I have to admit this card is pretty cool. I think of this parallel as a predecessor to the later sets like refractors and x-fractors. I may try to track down more of these as I have an opportunity to. Tagged as 1994, Bowman, Johnny Damon, Kansas city Royals Bob Hamelin I remember getting this card in a pack in 1990 and going “WHO?” I had no idea who he was, but I was immediately drawn to him. After all, there weren’t too many major league players who looked like I did (I was chubby even when I was playing ball every day), so it was exciting to me to see another big guy get a shot. It was even more exciting that he won Rookie of the Year when he got his shot. Of course, big guys don’t age well in sports, and so he didn’t have much of an impact past that rookie year, but I still have some fondness in my heart for Bob. I wish he could have had a more productive long-term career. But I’m happy he got there at all when I think of other big guys whose careers died on the vine (Andre Keene, Calvin Pickering). Tagged as 1990, Bob Hamelin, Kansas city Royals, Upper Deck Angels Prospects Astros Prospects Athletics Prospects Blue Jays Prospects Braves Prospects Brewers Prospects Cardinals Prospects Cubs Prospects Dodgers Prospects Expos Prospects Giants Prospects Indians Prospects Mariners Prospects Marlins Prospects Mets Prospects Orioles Prospects Padres Prospects Phillies Prospects Pirates Prospects Prospect Autos Rangers Prospects Red Sox Prospects Reds Prospects Rockies Prospects Royals Prospects Tigers Prospects Twins Prospects Uncategorized White Sox Prospects Yankees Prospects NatsTown – My Nationals Site Featured on this site Dressed to the Nines I Was a Teenage Prospector · Just another WordPress.com weblog	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1013
__label__cc	0.656067	0.343933	Supporting Safe Birth September 2019 Helping Mothers & Babies Survive Trainings Helping Mothers Survive Helping Babies Survive Rotary Global Grant Nancy Huhta Comello, Founder/President Nancy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a registered nurse and has worked with pregnant women, laboring and postpartum women, and newborns since starting her nursing career. She became a nurse-midwife in 1998 (Frontier School of Nurse Midwifery and master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University) and taught baccalaureate nursing students for 17 years before starting her current position as an obstetric outreach educator for UnityPoint Health-Meriter and UW Health. She completed the Doctor of Nursing degree in 2016 from Frontier Nursing University. Nancy holds certifications in fetal heart monitoring, inpatient obstetrics, and maternal newborn and teaches breastfeeding classes, along with childbirth preparation for families expecting multiple infants. She also teaches newborn resuscitation, Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics, and is a master trainer of the Helping Mothers & Babies Survive programs. She received the 2018 AWHONN (Association of Women’s Health & Neonatal Nurses) Clinical Education Award. Whether educating midwives, nurses, physicians, or families, Nancy stresses the importance of evidence-based birth practices and compassionate, high-quality care—before, during, and after birth. Nancy has been married to her husband, Dave, for 40 years, and has three adult children and one grandchild. David W. Comello, Secretary/Treasurer Dave graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an occupational therapist and has lived in the Madison area most of his life. He enjoyed working in community mental health and rehabilitation, including work-related injuries. He currently manages and provides care for senior adults through his own business, Dave’s Helping Hands. Mariana Bertholin Rivera de Petersen Mariana, who was born in Guatemala, has a degree in education for adults from University UNIS. She became a LaLeche League Leader in 1983 and has dedicated her life to help mothers who want to breast-feed and establish mother support groups and accredit new leaders, not only in Guatemala, but in all Latin America. In 2002 she became an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) and worked at a public hospital with the goal to certify it as a Baby Friendly Hospital. Under her supervision a milk bank and breastfeeding clinic were established, as she is an expert in kangaroo mother care. She is bilingual (English-Spanish) and has helped her country with many opportunities as an interpreter. She is married to Carlos Petersen, and is the mother of three adult children and a grandmother of two. safebirthguatemala@gmail.com Supporting Safe Birth, Inc. Middleton, WI 53562 "...act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God." Supporting Safe Birth, Inc. welcomes your one-time or monthly donations. Thank you for your generosity!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1015
__label__wiki	0.685263	0.685263	Kevin Cathcart - part 2 - Q and D Since the Democrats have 57 seats in the Senate (and might soon have more), the question was raised whether we could expect better progress now on LGBT civil rights issues because of that. Cathcart pointed out that in the Senate, to really get things done, 60 votes is ideal. That’s the point at which you have the votes to cut off discussion, and prevent amendments from being tacked onto bills. You can’t count on every Democratic vote, or discount every Republican. The thing to keep in mind is how best to move them all in the direction of the things we want for gay civil rights. “The Hate Crimes bill may pass yet this year, and be signed into law. While it’s not the biggest thing on the agenda, the Hate Crimes bill is a good thing to lead with, because it’s less controversial,” said Cathcart. Then we can look at ENDA, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and DOMA. As more states allow gay marriage, more lawmakers may come around. After all, why uphold a federal law barring gay marriage when back home in the state you represent they’re allowing couples to marry? Cathcart was asked about the significance of Prop. 8 passing in California, normally a leader in the fight for equal rights. Cathcart said that “people will make of California what they make of it. It’s a convenient vote to hide behind.” (“Look, even California struck down gay marriage.”) But Cathcart also said, “It’s not the barrier we thought it would be.” Since Prop. 8, Iowa’s courts and Vermont and Maine’s legislatures opened up the way for gay marriage in their states. “I can’t overstate how important it was that those rights were gained in two different ways, the courts the legislatures.” Also, Prop. 8 was “a fairly narrow loss,” numbers that people could imagine turning around in two to four years. Proposition 8 came up again when someone wondered what lessons were learned in the unsuccessful campaign to stop the ballot initiative from passing. What things could be done better next time? Cathcart thinks that there are at least three things that might help. First, there wasn’t enough grassroots outreach this time. While there always needs to be a media component, that’s not the only way to go. You can lose people with the wrong ads on TV, but you very rarely win people over with a commercial. There needs to be more face to face conversation. There need to be more endorsements from leaders in the communities where people live. Second, there wasn’t targeted enough outreach to communities of color. The campaign was grounded in the mainstream media, and California is now a state where the minorities are the majority. Third, those who supported gay marriage weren’t prepared for how the other side would use children against them. The supporters of Prop. 8 got ads on TV that made parents nervous, and once they started airing, there was an immediate drop in the polls. (For instance, a little girl comes home to say she learned in school today that she could grow up and marry a princess.) Civil rights are fine if it’s an issue that has to do with other people. If you have to start having awkward conversations at home with your child that you’re not prepared for, that’s something else again. The LGBT community had shied away from dealing with the issue of children head on. They had nothing with which to respond to those TV ads. In Iowa and Maine, things were already different. Kids with gay parents hit the airwaves in Maine, while ads about Iowa values, and “This is how we treat people” appeared in the midwest. As for next time in California, Cathcart thinks “enough mistakes were made that are fixable. We only have to move the dial five points to get a nice comfortable win. If we can crack those three things - grassroots, communities of color, and the issue of how it affects children,” he thinks things stand a better chance of turning out differently. And now that Proposition 8 has been upheld in California as expected, what are the prospects it might go on to the United States Supreme Court? “Zero,” said Cathcart. “That was deliberate. There are no federal claims. The people who brought the challenge focused only on the California state constitution, so the decision of the California court would be the last word.” The Supreme Court would have to find federal, constitutional grounds to intervene. For that, they’d need to find LGBT rights somewhere inherent in the Constitution and the current Justices don’t seem conversant or comfortable with the issue. Baker v. Nelson turned back the case as a state, rather than a federal issue. No Justice wants to take on an argument they can’t win. An apocryphal story has someone asking a Supreme Court Justice what their most important skill is on the job. The response, “The ability to count to five.” If you can’t build an argument that brings four other Justices along with you, you can’t win. It’s often preferable to be known even for a mediocre victory, rather than writing a really brilliant dissenting opinion for the losing side. Someone asked if the source of homosexuality was found, scientifically proven, located in a gene somewhere, if that might force the Supreme Court to recognize LGBT civil rights. If being gay, like race, were immutable, wouldn’t that help speed things along? Cathcart’s response was that he didn’t think we needed to wait that long. There will always be some dissent in the scientific and psychological community over the nature and basis of homosexuality. “They’re still arguing about lie detectors and fingerprints after all these years,” he added. “It shouldn’t matter. Our legal system is flexible enough to provide protections now. Even gender and race are fuzzier than the law thinks they are. A person can switch from one religion to another and they don’t lose their protections of religious freedom.” It’s better, in Cathcart’s opinion, to stay out of what he called, “the morass of scientific fact.” Besides, the minute someone locates a gene for homosexuality, “someone’s going to start looking for a ‘cure.’” The question of who decides on strategy in the pursuit of LGBT civil rights and how it’s decided came up. Cathcart admitted that there is no one central deciding body. There are many overlapping strategies. On the legal side, Lambda Legal (lambdalegal.org), the American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org), Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (glad.org), and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (nclrights.org) all work together to coordinate their strategies, but they don’t do the legislative work. Sometimes the strategies of federal and state organizations over legislative matters conflict. The grassroots movement is another wild card in the mix. For instance, nobody really controls where the reaction to the passage of Proposition 8 in California (“Stonewall 2.0”) is going. Now that the California Supreme Court has upheld Prop. 8, some people are worried about the reaction in the streets. “People have a right to be angry,” Cathcart conceded. “People should demonstrate. But if it could be peaceful, I’d be happy.” Given the proliferation of technology, there’ll be far more video footage of whatever response takes place. “That footage can and will be around forever.” Video of a violent response would surely be fodder for any ballot initiatives in the future. Many people were relieved when word of a decision didn’t take place this past Thursday, as it was the 30th anniversary of the White Night Riots in San Francisco, when Dan White got off with a light sentence after being convicted of killing gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk, and mayor George Moscone. Cathcart said that the strategy of winning the hearts and minds of the general populace is key to winning court cases. When constructing the case for gay marriage in Iowa, the six couples were carefully selected in order to cover the widest area of the state, and thus garner the widest media coverage in the most markets. Meeting with the editorial boards of newspapers all over the state helped get the message out. Editorial pages are the kind of thing that trickles up to judges and legislators when they’re looking for a barometer of public opinion. The legal organizations also made sure to have a local voice argue their case, getting the former Solicitor General of Iowa on board as a cooperating attorney. He was born and raised in Iowa, studied there, was elected there. He knew the judges. Opponents couldn’t argue that some big city lawyer from New York or Chicago was coming into their state and telling them what to do. Choosing the best messenger is important. “You need to win in a way that makes it easy to defend your victory,” Cathcart said. Bringing the legislature along at the same time you’re preparing your case for court is important. Otherwise you run the risk of having the legislature come out and immediately want to overturn any progress the courts have made. The key players need to be prepared before they get dragged out in front of TV cameras and asked to comment. For instance, in the wake of the court decision in Iowa, the leaders of both the House and Senate came out with a statement of support concluding, “We believe that when people look back on this years from now, the only question they’re going to ask is ‘Why did it take so long?’” The longer the legislature can hold the line, the easier it gets to continue to hold the line. “You can’t get stampeded over later the same way you can right at the beginning.” Because the longer the law is in place, the more people get married, the more people know people who’ve gotten married, the more weddings they might attended themselves. “And they realize,” said Cathcart, “’Hey, the world hasn’t ended. My marriage is just the same as it was before.’” One key argument that still hasn’t taken hold is the distinction between civil marriage vs. religious marriage. The fight for gay marriage is for a civil ceremony, a contract entered into with the government issuing the license. It’s completely different from a religious ceremony, in the same way that a civil divorce is different from a religious divorce. Nobody gets those two confused. But Cathcart feels the movement for LBGT civil rights needs to work harder to get more religious leaders out there spreading the word - talking to their congregations, talking to the press. “Because if a local minister says, ‘Gay marriage is not a problem for me. It doesn’t force our church to do anything we don’t want to do.’ That makes a difference to people in the community. But they two types of marriage have been conflated for so long it’s hard to unthread this. It doesn’t help,” Cathcart said, “that the legislative leaders, up to and including the President, mix it up. The President knows the answers. Politically, he doesn’t want to talk about them.” The notion of militancy and flamboyant tactics came up for discussion. When civil tactics don’t make enough noise to get any news coverage, how do we shape the message and get the word out in a way that helps the cause rather than harms it? Defining what’s “militant” is a tricky discussion. “Everyone draws the line in a different place,” said Cathcart. “But in the fight for civil rights, you very rarely get everything you ask for. In a good year, you get maybe 60 percent. Don’t censor yourself first. If you start by only asking for 80 percent of what you want, you’ll only get 40 percent. Militant voices open up a space for discussion.” If we were only proposing civil unions or domestic partnerships, the other side would be attacking those with the same arguments they’re currently hurling at gay marriage. “The only reason civil unions and domestic partnerships are being considered ‘the middle ground’ is because the end point being discussed is marriage.” If we err on the side of caution, and not asking strongly enough for what we want, the middle ground just gets smaller and smaller. You can’t control the media. “Everybody can have a blog, everybody can cross-post things.” Rather than try to shut hate speech down, respond to hate speech with more speech. “We’ve got more allies today than we used to, in all areas - business, military, and religious leaders. Find these spokespeople, get them out there talking. Get a chorus of voices out there, not just civil rights people. The more people who are talking, the more likely we are to be heard.” Someone in the crowd asked about the role of Executive Orders, actions taken by the President that don’t need the approval of Congress. What items on the gay civil rights wish list might be taken care of in such a manner? Cathcart said that “military law is a curious animal.” He’s heard both sides of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” debate weigh in and say, “Yes, the President can strike down Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” and “No, he can’t.” Every action has political consequences. “I’m of the opinion that Presidents have a lot of power and if there’s something they want done, they can find a way to make it happen,” Cathcart continued. The danger in angering Congress by going around them is that nothing else might get done. Payback might stall out other advances (passing ENDA, repealing DOMA, a host of other issues). “But, there are a lot of things that happen in the federal government that no one sees. Questions on the census, health department surveys, funding for gay-specific programs,” he said. “Even in a time of decreased funding, a lot of money flows out of Washington. There are more openly gay people, and their allies, up for positions in the government right now than in the previous eight years combined. Some of them are stalled in confirmation. Some of them are still putting together their staff. The new administration is committed to making changes. It’ll be interesting to see in the next three to six months what change starts to trickle down from the government.” The final questioner wondered if the worries about the economy made gay rights less of a “big deal” for the general population - why are we fighting about this when we have bigger problems to deal with? Cathcart feels the downturn in the economy has only hurt the cause of civil rights for the GLBT community. Real opportunity for change, perhaps the best opportunity ever, has arrived. But all the key organizations and institutions that are best suited to do the work that needs to be done to capitalize on this opportunity are shrinking. National and state groups, lobbying groups, are all smaller than they were six months ago, and they’ll likely be still smaller six months from now. “You can only work smarter with fewer resources up to a point,” Cathcart said. Then the work slows down, and drags out. “We’re not sure how long this window of opportunity lasts.” It would be a shame if the economic hit these organizations are taking, along with the rest of the country, causes us to miss taking advantage of the opportunities now before us. “So give generously,” Cathcart said. “And get out there and be a part of it yourself.” Posted by Matthew at 5/27/2009 07:38:00 AM Labels: The Short List Kevin Cathcart - part 1 - 40 Years Since Stonewall... Review - He Woke Up In A Strange Placed Called Hom... Review - Angels In America - People Sittin' Around... Shameless Plug of the Day - Murderess (one night o... Review - How I Learned To Drive - Workhouse Theatr... Shameless Plug of the Day - Five Fifths of the Bro... Review - The Miss Firecracker Contest - Starting G... Shameless Plug(s) of the Day - 2 Female Pulitzer P...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1017
__label__wiki	0.631697	0.631697	Tag Archives: Murray-Darling Basin Cubbie Station & Water Allocation Abuse! March 2, 2017 Article, General Interest, Opinion Piece, PoliticalCubbie Station, Murray-Darling Basin, overallocation, Queensland, water allocations, water rightstimalderman Cubbie Station in Queensland, the overallocation of precious water from our river systems, and the government neglect…both State & Federal…of this issue, would appear to have been flying under the radar for the last couple of years! This post appeared in my Facebook feed recently: I have a huge amount of family history in Broken Hill, and the Bourke region on the Darling River. For many years now, Cubbie Station has been controversially taking advantage of a massive water allocation, which has severe effects on the waterways, and creating water shortages in river systems as far down as the Murray River! What is really annoying is that under the original owners, Cubbie Station Group, the property used to be a cattle station, then in 1983 and under Japanese ownership, it was turned over to cotton…one of the most water intensive crops there is…and really not suitable as a crop in this country! Cubbie Station on the map So, what is Cubbie Station…and well you may ask! According to Wikioedia, it’s located on the Darling Riverine Plains bioregion, near Dirranbandi in Queensland. It is the LARGEST irrigation property in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE! The property covers 96,000 hectares (240,000acres) and is managed by the Lempriere Group, on behalf of CS Agriculture, a joint venture betweenn Lempriere & Shandong RuYi Group, a textile manufacturer owned by investors from China & Japan. Cubbie Station in South Queensland, Australia’s major interstate water diversion issue. The station has significant water rights to flows along the Culgoa River, within the Murray-Darling basin. The topography of the area is defined by channels & floodplains of the upper reaches of the Darling & Barwon Rivers. Cotton was originally grown in the area from the late 1970s. In 1983, Cubbie Station was converted from grazing practices to cotton growing. The property consists of both agricultural & non-agricultural uses, with approx 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) presently developed, with a further 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) under development. The station was created by amalgamating twelve floodplain properties to give Cubbie a total of fifty-one licences. The station’s water storage dams stretch for more than 28 kilometres (17 mi) along the Culgoa River, within the Murray-Darling basin. In an average year the station uses 200,000 megalitres (7,100×106 cu ft) of water, in a good year as much as 500,000 megalitres (18,000×106 cu ft). The water is used to supply 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi) of irrigated cotton and other crops including wheat, which generates a net profit in the range of A$50 million to A$80 million a year. The station is licensed to take 460,000 megalitres (16,000×106 cu ft), the equivalent of all irrigation entitlements downstream in north-western NSW. The property has the capacity to grow 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) of cotton. In 2006, the dams on the property were filled to 1% capacity allowing for only 200 hectares (490 acres) of cotton planting. The station is often derided for its large water usage requirements in a time of extreme drought in Australia and damage to the Murray Darling river system. Scott Bridle: Picking Cotton at Cubbie Station. During his term as Minister for the Environment, Malcolm Turnbull did not rule out its possible acquisition by the Australian government, however he is now Prime Minister, and the acquisition of Cubbie Station has never occured. On 29 October 2009, Cubbie Group Limited, the former owner of Cubbie Station, announced it would voluntarily enter administration on the following day. The company had incurred debts of over A$300 million, as a result of poor rainfall in the region in the preceding five years. Corporate recovery specialists, McGrathNicol, were appointed as Administrators of the Cubbie Group on 30 October 2009. On 31 August 2012 the Australian Government, on advice from the Foreign Investment Review Board, approved the sale of Cubbie Group, to a consortium comprising Shandong RuYi Scientific & Technological Group Co Ltd, a clothing and textile company owned by Chinese and Japanese investors, and Lempriere Group, an Australian family-owned company involved in wool trading and agricultural property management. The approval provided RuYi with an 80% initial ownership interest on condition that this interest be reduced to 51% within three years. The interest is to be sold to an independent third party. The consortium are bound by existing water licence conditions and the property is operated and managed by the Australian company using the existing workforce. At the time, the Liberal Party were in opposition, and supported the purchase. “an incestuous saga of arrogance & influence”! However, there was dissension amongst some members of the Nationals, who had concerns with foreign-ownership of agricultural land and water rights, claiming that the sale is not in Australia’s national interest. The purchase of Cubbie Group by the joint venture CS Agriculture was completed on 25 January 2013, for an estimated purchase price of A$240 million. So, we now have an Austealian agricultural enterprise, with huge water allocation rights, owned by foreign companies…and let’s be realistic – are they really concerned about destroying viable and much needed river biosystems…compared to making profits! In his “Crikey” article “How Cubbie (and Labor) Consumed the Murray Darling (August 21, 2008), Bernard Keane rather pointedly noted that the story of Cubbie Station is “an incestuous saga of arrogance & influence”! He further notes “The extent of the Queensland Government’s parochial and profligate attitude to water management continues to attract criticism. Put simply, the Queenslanders couldn’t care less about the health of rivers either on their side of the border or beyond. Penny Wong can only wring her hands and sympathise with farmers downstream. The Queenslanders continue to trot out the line that they take only 5% of water from the Murray-Darling. It’s literally correct — that’s what they take out. It’s what they prevent from entering from run-off that is the key — and that is much more. The CSIRO’s recent report on Water Availability in the Condamine-Balonne reveals a vast and unsustainably over-allocated system that sees over 50% of water extracted from the Balonne-Culgoa before it reaches NSW.” One doesn’t need to go into the Darling or down into the Murray to see the environmental havoc wreaked by this water “mismanagement”! Thousands of hectares of dead trees on the Culgoa floodplain and a system approaching tipping point! For years, Cubbie Group — the vast cancer on the Balonne-Culgoa which exemplifies all that is wrong with the states’ management of water — has maintained that it only extracts 0.2% of Murray-Darling water. Fair Water Use Australia has pointed out that this ignores the bulk of Cubbie’s water — from overland flows prevented from entering the Balonne and Culgoa Rivers — and that the 0.2% is based on average flows anyway, rather than conditions following heavy rains. On August 19 2009, the Sydney Morning Herald ran an article – in the Federal Politics section – titled “Cubbie Station sums up Murray-Darling tragedy”. It calls Cubbie Station a case study in (water) overallocation. The station has long been cast as the villain in the slow death of the Murray-Darling river system. At this time, the 93,000 hectare property was up for sale, and there was debate about the Commonwealth purchasing its water reserves, and is a reminder that the Murray-Darling story is an environmental and economic tragedy involving many villains. As the Federal Government is cautioning, buying these water entitlements is not a simple matter. This, in turn, reflects the failure of governments, irrigators and water authorities to establish nationally consistent rules for the Murray-Darling system. The first sticking point is that Queensland law on water entitlements is different from that of other states because the water cannot be sold separately from the land entitlements. Queensland is moving to enable separate sales, but faces a legal challenge from irrigators along the Condamine-Balonne river system, from which Cubbie draws its water. Clearly, though, uniform rules are essential if the Murray-Darling is to be managed properly. Despite Queensland’s government being responsible for the overallocation, Anna Bligh (the Premier at that time) was right in saying that the Cubbie sale offered an opportunity for the Queensland, NSW and federal governments to reconsider water allocations. As things stand, the main beneficiaries of a water release from Cubbie station would be farms across the border in NSW, whose licences permit them to pump more out of the river as levels rise. The Commonwealth might have to buy back Cubbie station’s entitlements and matching amounts from NSW irrigators to achieve an extra, and expensive, environmental flow. The lesson of Cubbie station is that there isn’t nearly as much water available as once expected, particularly if climate change has taken hold. Federal and state governments need to go back and review all licences and rewrite the rules of the current highly compromised national water plan to arrive at a system capable of sustaining the environment and agricultural ventures for years to come. In “The Land” (15 March 2013), Matthew Cranston wrote an article “Cubbie’s new owners look at water sale”. He noted “THE new Chinese and Japanese owners of Cubbie Station are looking at selling water back to the federal government less then two months after paying $232 million for the debt-laden cotton farm.The 96,000 hectare property in south-western Queensland has been the centre of controversy because of its huge water entitlements within the Murray Darling Basin system. It officially changed hands on January 15 after being bought by CS Agriculture, a company backed by Chinese group Shandong Ruyi, Japanese trading giant Itochu, and fifth generation Australian wool trader Lempriere Group…”We have committed to consider the option of selling any excess entitlements into water buy-back schemes,” Mr McKenna said at the Rural Press Club in Brisbane.”. To date, nothing appears to have happened, and if water buy-backs are being considered, there certainly doesn’t seem to be any rush to complete them…much to the detriment of the river system! My Great Grand Uncle, Captain George Rickinson Swan Pickhills, captained steamers up and down the Darling River from the second half of the 1800s up until the early 1900s. He was an unintentional environmentalist, and protector of the waterways, long before it was fashionable to be so! He was an outspoken man, and wrote many letters, and observations, to both state government river authorities and newspapers regarding many issues of water management, and infrastructure building, particularly aling the Darling. The seasonal ebbs and flows of the river are well noted in his observations, including periods where, for NATURAL reasons, the river was not navigable due to the drop in water levels. He would be horrified to learn of the actual sale of this precious commodity, in huge volumes, to properties that not only witheld the excess water from the tiver system, but were openly growing crops that consumed enormous quantities of same water! It is perhaps due to his agitation and outspokeness that it vould be of enormous benefit to have him around today! Do not take on rough, tough Yorkshire men! That aside, this issue of overallocation of water rights, and the inability to maintain them has been going on for a long, long time now. In a country where droughts are as prevalent as floods, one has to wonder just what the hell is going on! It raises a lot of issues, and one has to question just how much influence does money have! Considering the well documented historical records of the ebbs and flows of the Murray-Darling river system, one has to question the validity of EVER selling water rights from them in the first place! Considering that the property was bought in recent years by FOREIGN investors, who had to be granted permission by the government of the day for the purchase, why was not a huge cut-back on the size of the water allocation part of the deal! Of great concern has to be the question of, with the investors living in other countries, whether the environmental concerns regarding these important river systems are of any concern to them whatsoever! Considering that Cubbie Station KNOWS that it takes far, far more water than it needs in allocations, in times of duress (as far as water flow goes on the rivers), could they not voluntarily instigate negotiations with the government to either (a) sell back excess water or…and far less likely (b) voluntarily just return water to the system purely for the sake of the environment, and saving the river system! If nothing else, considering that Cubbie Station is seen, in the public eye, as a giant, grasping, greedy, self indulgent property, that has a total disregard for the environment…it would be a great PR exercise! The government really does need to step in, and not only massively cut back their water allocation, but look at the detrimental effects on the environment & waterways caused by Cubbie Station! But the problem is about more than water allocations! It is about unsustainable farming practises in general, growing crops along the river systems that require massive amounts of water to irrigate them. The government needs to promote and reeducate our farmers about adopting sustainable crops and farming methods…and not just there, but along all of our water systems as well! The effects of climate change are becoming more noticable as time goes on, and the next period of severe drought – if not happening already – is probably not far away! In a country of climatic extremes, we need more foresight, and a more insightful look at how we manages our very precious resources. Greed and ignorance are not the answers to these very complex questions! Cubbie Station flyover REFERENCES; Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubbie_Station Sydney Morning Herald, 19th August 2009 http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/editorial/cubbie-station-sums-up-murraydarling-tragedy-20090818-eozl.html Crikey, 21st August 2008 https://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/21/how-cubbie-and-labor-consumed-the-murray-darling/ The Land, 15th March 2013 http://www.theland.com.au/story/3594499/cubbies-new-owners-look-at-water-sale/ Tim Alderman (2017) Malcolm Turnbull was ousted from the position of Prime Minister by a spill within his own LNP in 2018. Subsequently, he has withdrawn from political life. The ABC program “Four Corners” did an expose on Murray Darling water allocation abuses in 2018, and the program should be available on the iView app.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1018
__label__wiki	0.877433	0.877433	Why Disney’s New Shanghai Park Is Its Most Ambitious Yet Shanghai Disneyland will open its doors Thursday. Marcio Machado—Getty Images By John Gaudiosi Walt would be proud. The Walt Disney Company seems to have spared no expense in building its sixth theme park which opened June 16 in Shanghai, China after a decade of planning and five years of construction. The $5.5-billion Shanghai Disneyland is a colossal 963-acre park three times larger than Hong Kong Disneyland and anchored by the tallest castle in any Disney theme park. The joint venture with China-based Shanghai Shendi Group, which owns 57% of the park, is the glitziest in a spate of entertainment firms rushing to establish themselves in the world’s most populous nation, one run by a regime that increasingly views entertainment as a vital component of its soft power. The meticulously orchestrated opening comes amid a series of tragedies in Disney’s home market, including the death of a 2-year-old boy June 14 when an alligator dragged him into a lake at Orlando, Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort. Disney CEO Robert Iger called the child’s family from Shanghai and the president of the Walt Disney World Resort, George Kalogridis, left China for the U.S. after news of the attack. During the ceremony, Iger and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang both read letters from each country’s presidents hailing China and America’s relationship. As well as a massive financial investment, Disney’s new park relies on technology the company hopes will augment all its parks. Shanghai Disneyland was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) using Building Information Modeling (BIM), a 3D model-based process of designing everything from the Steamboat Willie entrance fountain to Roarin Mountain. Imagineers—Disney’s term of art for its enginneers—were able to couple these 3D models with tablets on site, while using the latest virtual reality headsets and DISH (Digital Immersive Showroom) technology to share their progress. According to Mark Mine, creative technology executive at WDI’s Creative Technology Studio, DISH allowed imagineers to work across locations from Shanghai to Glendale, California and Orlando. The large white rooms work with projectors and 3D glasses, allowing multiple people to experience rides, attractions, and hotel rooms before construction even began in 2011. “We link our DISH’s together, which is also very important because as an international company we can load up a model in Orlando and have people walk through it simultaneously in Shanghai,” Mine said. “It allows us to do reviews across multiple sites. And that’s something that we’re going to continue to push and develop.” Disney’s first theme park in mainland China is divided into six lands: Fantasyland, Treasure Cove, Tomorrowland, Gardens of Imagination, Adventure Isle, and Mickey Avenue. Towering 196.8 feet above Fantasyland is the park’s Enchanted Storybook Castle, which includes retail, dining, and theatrical spaces, as well as two attractions. It’s home to Once Upon a Time, an indoor, walk-through exhibit of all the Disney Princesses that blends dioramas with screens displaying classic Disney animation. The Voyage to the Crystal Grotto boat ride travels through Fantasyland and underneath the castle for its finale, which features music and animation from films such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Mulan, and Beauty and the Beast. Visitors walk through the Alice in Wonderland Maze during a trial run at Shanghai Disneyland ahead of its official opening, June 8, 2016. Qilai Shen—Bloomberg/Getty Images Fantasyland, the largest land in the park, is also home to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster, the Peter Pan’s Flight dark ride, and the Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie the Pooh dark ride (all of which are also in the Orlando Magic Kingdom). The outdoor, walk-through Alice in Wonderland Maze is home, no wonder, to characters such as the Cheshire Cat, the Red Queen, and others from the films set within a leafy labyrinth. With Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales hitting theaters next summer, the pirates’ life remains popular with Disney fans worldwide. Treasure Cove is the first pirate-themed land in a Disney park, featuring a full-sized pirate ship, explorer canoes for paddling in the lagoon, and Barbossa’s Bounty restaurant. These are the kinds of integrations Disney hopes will endure its properties to Chinese tourists in the country’s rapidly rising middle class. Then there is Tomorrowland, originally designed by founder Walt Disney some 60 years ago. It has been thrust into the future with a pair of tech-driven rides that are exclusive to Shanghai. The most talked-about ride in the park is TRON Lightcycle Power Run, which turns Disney’s video game film franchise into the fastest attraction at any Disney park. Guests enter the neon blue-glowing world of TRON and board a train of two-wheeled Lightcycles, which have riders hunched forward as if they’re piloting the speedy bikes. Aside from a brief stretch outdoors, the ride immerses guests inside at speeds of 62 miles-per-hour as they race to capture eight energy gates. Disney is also cross-promoting two of its most recent—and popular—brands with Star Wars Launch Bay, which includes character interactions, set pieces, and props from The Force Awakens, and Marvel Universe, which has super hero and super villain interactions and a comic book art workshop. Visitors take the canoe ride at Treasure Cove during a preview of Shanghai Disneyland on June 10, 2016, in Shanghai Lam Yik Fei—The New York Times/Redux The entire resort features 4.5G Wi-Fi from Huawei and China Unicom, which should help smartphone-obsessed guests share their experiences with friends on Chinese social media. Over one million guests had already previewed the Shanghai Disney Resort before the official opening. Tickets cost $57 for off-peak days and $75 for weekend and peak days, the least expensive of any Disney park worldwide.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1019
__label__wiki	0.890234	0.890234	HomeArchivesStudent Entrepreneurs Get Down to Business, Know How to Party Student Entrepreneurs Get Down to Business, Know How to Party Hard work was what got the students in the Emerson Experience in Entrepreneurship (E3) to the minor’s annual Expo on April 22, but it was good times that ruled the day, as Philanthro Parties and Party Parcels were named the top two student ventures by a panel of industry judges. “The one thing that really stands out for me about this year’s crop is there were so many who were able to execute on their passion,” said Lu Ann Reeb, director of the Business and Entrepreneurship Studies Program at Emerson. This year’s E3 Expo showcased 15 businesses, nonprofits, and apps developed over the course of the year by students in the E3 minor. The students presented their ventures at booths lining the Bordy Theater and were judged on a range of criteria, including pitch clarity, innovation, value proposition, market and competitive analyses, go-to-market plans, and business sustainability. Guest speaker Brian Halligan, founder and CEO of inbound marketing platform HubSpot, offered entrepreneurship advice. Alaina Belanger ’16, a Marketing Communications major, won the first-place prize of $5,000 in seed money for her service, Philanthro Parties, which would match civic-minded Boston-area residents with local nonprofits and plan events and parties that allow clients to help the community. “On a bachelorette weekend, you get a group of girls together, you go volunteer for a few hours at an organization of your choice, and then you go to brunch,” Belanger gave as a for-instance. “I would plan it all for them, and it’s all customized, too.” Belanger said she thought she needed $3,760 to get the idea off the ground, but with the $5,000 prize money, “I guess I can definitely start it now, which is pretty exciting.” She said she’s still looking for a full-time job after graduation, but thinks she can keep Philanthro Parties going part-time. Marketing Communications major Marni Musmon ’16 won $3,000 for her high-end “parties in a box,” which would sell online as Party Parcels. Musmon said she used to work at a party supply store, so she knows consumers’ buying habits. The idea for Party Parcels came about, she said, when she wanted to host a gathering but didn’t want to use her mismatched plates to serve people. She went to a party store to buy disposable plates, but everything was geared toward kids. She ended up buying heavyweight plastic dishes from a wholesaler, but that was not ideal. “I was surprised there weren’t more options available,” she said. “[I thought] It’d be easier if everything came together.” The third-place winner, with a $2,000 prize, was Harry Holmes ’16, another Marketing Communication majors and founder of Trngle, an online network that connects freelancers with creative projects quickly. Savannah Strange ’17, a Communication Disorders major, won the Karl Baehr Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,500 for SpeechKAT, an iPhone app that uses games and music to provide home therapy for children on the autism spectrum. Baehr was the founder of the E3 program; he died in 2013. And Dan Halpern ’16 took home the E3 Cohort Award—his fellow students’ choice for top venture. Halpern, a Writing, Literature and Publishing major, developed Legitdebate.com, a platform that promotes open debates on political, social, and community issues, which are then rated by users. “I think this experiential nature of…E3 is so successful,” Reeb said. “I hear this from students all the time, about ‘We learn so much because we got to do it.’ And by doing it, [they mean] throwing them into situations where they may not succeed, but they learn to pivot and iterate and think for themselves.” This year’s E3 judges were Julianne Zimmerman, a venture capitalist with a focus on technology; Robby Bitting, director of marketing at accelerator MassChallenge; Leslie Medalie, president and founder of Leary & Co. Public Relations and an E3 mentor; and Brenda Wrigley, associate professor and chair of the Marketing Communication Department. Emerson Alumnus Takes Top Prize at Tribeca In “Areas for Action,” You’re the Artist and Anything Can Happen	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1020
__label__wiki	0.507729	0.507729	Tommy's Footprints….. In WWI soldiers trained in Ampthill Park. One third died…. About Tommy’s Footprints…. Ampthill Armistice100 Ampthill’s Fallen Camp Diary Knitting for King and Country Reflections that produced Tommy’s Footprints… The Ampthill Roll of Honour WWI Canadian Troops in Ampthill WWI Hospitals in Ampthill Tag Archives: 18608 WWI – Ampthill Command Depot in Ampthill Park – the Camp Diary, August 1918 The ‘Camp Diary’ provides an insight into the Bedfordshire Training Depot (1914-16) and No.9 Command Depot (1916-1919) that followed. Based on newspaper reports of the time. August 1918 – news has been received that Private Edward KEECH (M.G.C) of Church Street who is a prisoner of war in Germany. Private KEECH is thankfully well. Cadet W. ODELL (Mercantile Navy) has returned home from South America after being torpedoed for a second time. His ship managed to reach port without sinking. Mrs P. Daniell of Austin’s Lane who’s eldest son Private William DANIELL (20), was killed in action on July 13th, has received a letter from the Corporal in charge of the battalion runners, in which he sends the deepest sympathy of all his comrades, in her loss. Ampthill Command Depot On Thursday, August 8th the Warwick Repertory Company, from London, concluded a successful week’s entertainment at the Ampthill Command Depot. Their on-e-act sketches received an enthusiastic reception from a large audience. During the intervals the Depot’s Bijou Orchestra ably entertained. On August 19th prizes were presented to the successful competitors at the shooting competition. Miss Sheila McCarthy. The special prize given by the Duchess of Bedford was won by Sergeant Instructor CHICKLEBOROUGH. An open-air canteen in Mr Wingfield’s grounds has been started by some energetic ladies from the Wesleyan Chapel, who are kept very busy every evening. This is well patronised by the troops. An added attraction is Mr Wingfield’s collection of foreign animals which, although depleted, is still interesting to the Tommies. Canadian Forestry Corps The Ampthill mill has finished cutting timber. Shipments this month of lumber totalled 187,816fbm which is an increase on July of 67,671fbm. These were principally despatched to Northampton on loco T.C.2596. During August 80,831 linear foot of pitwood was consigned from Ampthill Station. After spending nearly a year in Ampthill the 126th Forestry Corps is about to leave for Thetford. During their Ampthill stay they have made many friends, and now they are sorry to lose these boys from their midst. The officers and men will always be remembered. Early each morning we have been awakened by the Reveille, and Last Post each night signalled the close of another day. Probably the centre of the social life has been the Y.M.C.A. hut, where we have been privileged to spend many a pleasant evening. Each week we have listened to a good concert or watched their pictures. Sergeant Herman L. Porter, who has been in charge of the Y.M.C.A. has put in every effort to make the work a success, and to him is largely due the credit for the splendid work done for the men in the social way. Although he came here broken in health after being wounded and gassed in France, he never spared himself when anything was to be done for the men. Ably assisted by his corporal, V.G. Jones, his work has been a success. While there Sergeant Porter has written a book on the work of the company. On August 8th a special farewell gathering was held at The Pines Y.M.C.A. which taxed the seating capacity of the hut to its utmost. During the interval speeches Commanding Officer Captain P.H.JORY, Lieutenant J.H. GARDNER and Sergeant H.L. Porter spoke of the good work of the Y.M.C.A. and sincerely thanked the Ampthill ladies who had done such good service in the Canteen and the social work of the “Y.” Parlour games and dancing kept the guests amused and interested until a successful evening was closed with “Auld Lang Syne.” On Friday, August 16th a Farewell Entertainment was given to the Foresters at the British School. The Company Pierrot troupe, “The Woodpeckers,” entertained at the close of which Mrs Chivers (on behalf of the committee) presented Lieutenant Read with a mascot in the form of a large blue and yellow bird. Accepting the gift, Lieutenant Reed thanked the donors and assured them that the mascot would accompany the troupe on their journeys. A very pleasing incident was a presentation by Lieutenant Reed, on behalf of the boys, to the newly promoted Lieutenant H. Porter for his splendid work as sergeant in charge of the Y.M.C.A. That he was a great favourite with the boys was shown by the gift of a wristlet watch, engraved with the words “Presented to Sergt. H. Porter, by the Coy. of Canadian Forestry Corps, as a token of appreciation.” The Woodpeckers have been instrumental in raising sums for charity. The proceeds of their amusing and melodious entertainment has raised the following sums since the 126th Corps arrived in August 1917 – The Prisoners’ of War Fund (Sandy & Biggleswade) £84. 14. 8. Flitwick War Memorial £28. Sandy V.A.D. Hospital £16. 12. 10. The sentiments of the townsfolk were ably expressed by Mr C. Richards who said “in the first place the Ampthill people did not want the Canadians and they were still consistent in that they did not want them – to go.” A very pleasant evening then ended by Mrs Chivers being called upon to sing “O, Canada,” followed by “Auld Lang Syne” and “God Save the King.” It seems likely that when the Canadians depart the Command Depot will utilise the huts encampment which is on The Pines. News of Ampthill Park recruits at the Front This month the war has claimed the lives of 24 men who trained at the Ampthill Camp. Of these, 20 died in the actions from 20th August in offensive operations that were part of the Second Battles of the Somme. 18800 Private Walter J. HOWARD of Baldock Killed in Action on August 3 23162 Private Francis A. STANFORD (21) of Eversholt Killed in Action on August 4 19530 Private Thomas R. PAYNE (22) of Hitchin Killed in Action on August 6 23070 Lance Sergeant Reginald C. WEEKS (21) of Sundon Died of Wounds on August 7 19078 Corporal Thomas J. HEDGE M.M. (28) of Yelling Killed in Action on August 21 Captain Geoffrey de Carteret MILLAIS M.C. (21) of Horsham Died of Wounds on August 21 18605 Lance Corporal Robert A. MOBBS (24) of Bedford Killed in Action on August 22 20766 Private Marenza M. BRISTOW M.M. (24) of Ramsey St. Mary Killed in Action on August 22 18608 Private Frederick G. ANDREWS (25) of Dunstable Killed in Action on August 23 20014 Private William STEVENS of Leighton Buzzard Killed in Action on August 23 23065 Private Frank PARKINS (27) of Dunstable Killed in Action on August 23 23254 Private Horace H. HULL (20) of Sundon Killed in Action on August 23 23332 Private Ernest G. DIGGINS (27) of Maulden Killed in Action on August 23 20731 Private John V. BLACKBURN (20) of Luton Died of Wounds on August 24 22123 Lance Corporal Alan D. ROSE (20) of Bengeo Died of Wounds on August 24 23373 Private Frederick HUCKLESBY (37) of Toddington Died of Wounds on August 24 18647 Private James D. STONE (24) of Harlington Killed in Action on August 27 22972 Private Frederick W. CLARK (32) of Flamstead Killed in Action on August 27 22461 Private Arthur S.V. LONG (19) of Luton Killed in Action on August 29 26762 Private Stephen GARNER (29) of Beeston Green Died on August 29 27044 Private William G. PETTITT of Bozeat Killed in Action on August 29 18025 Private Albert E. COLEMAN (20) of Bletsoe Killed in Action on August 30 23629 Lance Corporal Percy R. RICHARDSON (24) of Willen Killed in Action on August 30 30828 Corporal Alfred BURTON M.M. (35) of Haddenham Killed in Action on August 30 The Bedfordshire Standard. The original broadsheet is part of the Bedfordshire & Luton Archive. Ampthill Parish Magazine RBL Roll of Honour Bedsatwar blog Bedsathome blog Ampthill’s Fallen – by John Hele (2014) Report on the Activities of the 126 Company Canadian Forestry Corps. Ampthill 1917-18 (K.Fadden) A Review of Activities with the 126th Company Canadian Forestry Corps while stationed at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Eng. (Sgt H. Porter, 1918) Www.bedfordshireregiment.co.uk #IWMSTORIES Next instalment to be published on 30 September 2018…. Text and images copyright S.Hartley (2015-) Care is taken to ensure accuracy – please accept my apologies if the content contains any errors. November 2018 – it will be one hundred years since news of The Armistice rippled through Bedfordshire, and was welcomed with thankful relief. Hostilities ceased but the war continued to shaped Ampthill in ways which have passed out of living memory. Ampthill Town Council is leading preparations to build on Tommy’s Footprints and mark the Armistice centenary. Click here to download a copy of the programme. As part of Ampthill Armistice100, the Zonita Ampthill Community Cinema is pleased to show a double-bill of films on the evening of Saturday, 10th November: Film 1 ~ The Burying Party (12A; 60 mins) For release on 4th November 2018 and being shown with special permission of the director. Wilfred Owen returns to the Somme against the advice of his mentor Siegfried Sassoon, determined to follow his subject ‘The Pity of War’ to the very end. Film 2 ~ Journey’s End (12; 108 mins) Set in a dugout in Aisne in 1918, a group of British officers, led by the mentally disintegrating young officer Stanhope, variously await their fate. You can buy tickets on the door, or reserve tickets and tables (at no extra charge) by emailing info@zonita.org.uk. Fully licensed bar. Please email Stephen Hartley if you would like to know more about Ampthill Armistice100 or volunteer. This entry was posted in Ampthill Command Depot, Bedfordshire Training Depot, Camp Diary, Canadian Forestry Corps, Uncategorized and tagged 18025, 18605, 18608, 18647, 18800, 19078, 19530, 20014, 20731, 20766, 22123, 22461, 22972, 23065, 23070 Reginald Weeks, 23162, 23254, 23332, 23373, 23629, 26762, 27044, 30828, Alan Rose, Albert Coleman, Alfred Burton, Ampthill, Ampthill Command Depot, Ampthill Great Park, Arthur Long, Bedfordshire Regiment, Bedfordshire Training Depot, Bijou Orchestra, Camp Diary, Canadian Forestry Corps, Chickleborough, Chivers, Duke of Bedford, Edward Keech, Ernest Diggins, Francis Bul, Francis Stanford, Frank Parkins, Frederick Andrews, Frederick Clark, Frederick Hucklesby, Gardner, Geoffrey Millais, Herman Porter, Horace Hull, James Stone, John Blackburn, Jory, Marenza Bristow, Odell, Percy Richardson, Reed, Richards, Robert Mobbs, Stephen Garner, The Burying Party, The Woodpeckers, Thomas Hedge, Thomas Payne, Walter Howard, Warwick Repertory Company, William Daniell, William Pettitt, William Stevens, WWI, Y.M.C.A, YMCA, Zonita on August 31, 2018 by Ste H.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1021
__label__wiki	0.698278	0.698278	Russian FSB agents reportedly facilitated 2014 Yahoo hacking attack Submitted by Ingela Maledevic on Fri, 03/17/2017 - 03:20 The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has indicted that two Russian FSB agents played a key role in the 2014 Yahoo hacking attack which compromised hundreds of millions of Yahoo email accounts. Russian agents Igor Sushchin and Dmitry Dokuchaev reportedly paid hackers to hack into Yahoo’s cyber security and gain access to accounts containing personal and sensitive information about the owners, including their birth dates, contacts and other email accounts. Apart from paying the hackers, the two Russian agents also facilitated and protected them during the hack as well as directed them what to do. News of Russian agents’ involvement in the case emerged as part of the indictment that started making rounds yesterday when the DOJ would reportedly be handing down the charges. One of the hackers named in the indictment is Alexsey Belan, one the FBI’s Cyber Most Wanted cyber criminals. A Canadian hacker identified as Karim Baratov was taken into custody just yesterday. Belan has escaped to Russia as the U.S. doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Russia. American authorities may never be able to arrest three Russian defendants who have been named in the case. However, it is possible that these defendants could face charges if Russian authorities agree to cooperate with the U.S.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1022
__label__cc	0.728138	0.271862	Tag: childhood September 6, 2013 September 14, 2013 jamieahughes4 Comments Dear Nine-Year-Old Version of Me, Yeah, you, the one sleeping on the plastic pool lounger and thinking about how awesome it is to be a Floridian instead of an Arkansan. The furniture will arrive tomorrow, but don’t get comfortable. This place isn’t the final stop in your life. Far from it, in fact. God has a journey in mind, and let me tell you….the itinerary is long. You’ll move to another nine cities in your lifetime as far as I know—a couple of them more than once—and put your crap in boxes more times than you’ll care to count. There will be places you love, where you dig your toes into the earth and fiercely whisper, “This is where I want put down roots. Please God, let this be it.” But you can’t, because there are still miles to go before you sleep. However, you’ll learn something from each spot where you sojourn, and you’ll carry them all with you in the marrow of your bones. In Ormond Beach, you’ll botch your social studies fair project because Seminole Indians lived in Chickees rather than Tepees. But don’t worry, Mrs. Randolph will understand and let you fix it. You’ll discover Tolkien and Lewis here, fall in love with literature, and become terrible at math as a result. Why? Because you won’t be able to concentrate on all those silly numbers when Frodo is taken away from Sam or Reepicheep loses his tail. You’ll discover music’s your passion and plan one of the most successful surprise parties of all time in Port Charlotte. You’ll hate your parents for awhile for making you leave that warm place where you can set your watch by the afternoon rainstorms, but don’t be too hard on them. You’ll always wonder what might have been had you been able to stay put. But it isn’t the one God had in mind. Look back fondly, but keep going. There are greater things ahead. Your first apartment in Ocala, Florida will be a tiny efficiency, but you’ll love it because it’s yours. The Murphy bed will squeak no matter how much WD40 you put on it, and while you live there, you’ll make a series of spectacularly bad decisions. Don’t beat yourself up about them; you’re still a forgiven child of God. Oh, and try not to lurk in the AOL chat rooms. ‘Tis folly. I wish I could tell you what to do about Savannah and the man you’ll meet there. You’ll be crazy about him, crazy enough that you’ll move back to give life with him a try. But the Holy Spirit will tell you to leave, and you’ll be inexorably drawn away like the tide pulled from the shore. You’ll think about it often and ache because you’ll want so desperately to call that port home. But it won’t be the place either. Press the memories like flowers in the pages of a book; preserve their essence and keep travelling. The man you dreamed about when you lay awake in your pink gingham canopy bed, the one you’re meant for, will be in Valdosta. You’ll marry him, and once you grow into each other, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to get from Point A to Point B without him. You will experience dazzling moments of joy and become intimately acquainted with fear and uncertainty. You will make friends easily when you arrive in a new place and struggle like hell to keep them because all you know is leaving people behind. At some point, you’ll want to wrap your heart in newspaper and pack it away forever because it’s been dropped, cracked, and nearly broken one too many times. Little me on that pool float, you don’t know it, but you’ll be adrift in life for a very long time. More than once you’ll wonder why God couldn’t just let you stay put and leave you be. It’ll take you a couple dozen years to put it all together, but He’s got something so much bigger than you think in mind. He’s training you to serve Him. Now, I’m not going to lie to you, God is going to crack you in half to do it, but you’ll survive. And in the end, the dots on your life’s map will be Ebeneezer stones, testaments to His perfect handiwork. There And Back Again: The Cities I’ve Called Home This post is the first Blog Month assignment generated by the fine folks over at Compassion International. Our challenge was to write a letter to a younger version of ourselves, but the greater goal is to encourage readers to sponsor a child through Compassion. Even though I’ve faced many challenges in life, I can say I’ve never wanted for anything. I’ve always had clean water, a full belly, and a warm bed. I have never doubted that I am loved, treasured, and valued. It may have been in different places, but I’ve always had a home. Many kids in this world aren’t so fortunate, but we can change that. Put a pin on their life’s map. Help them make a new start. If you are interested in doing so, please visit their sponsorship page and take a look at all the kids who are in need. As the sponsor of four children, I can tell you that it is a worthwhile and wonderful way to help other human beings and make a difference in the life of a child. Edmond, Paromika, Tania, and Brayan Posted in Faith, LifeTagged advice, childhood, compassion, Faith, journey, memories June 8, 2013 June 19, 2013 jamieahughes8 Comments Last week, my writing group discussed how long we’d been working at the craft, what got us started, and what keeps us going. The stories ranged from silly to serious, but there were a few things we all shared. For example, we all love reading and do so voraciously. We also started penning stories, poems, and essays at a very young age. Each one of fell in love with words, and there were moments and people who helped us discover just how winsome they truly are. I think the same is true of other creative efforts like dance, art, music, cooking, and design. We each have a certain amount of natural talent in one or more of these areas, and it can always be developed through disciplined practice and the help of experts. I wish my first grade teacher, Mrs. Davis, had thought about this fact. One week, she gave our class an assignment: draw a character and write a story featuring him/her. I’m sad to say I don’t have the original drawing, so I tried to re-create it using the crude art supplies in my office. Ladies and gents, I give you Miranda… First off, I apologize for the uber creepy Jack Nicholson Joker lips, but it did the best I could. I remember her story was a simple one. She was ten years old (the age I so desperately wanted to be at the time because it had two numbers in it instead of one). She had curly brown hair and green eyes. She was a singer who loved animals and the color purple. I believe she rescued a fluffy gray and white kitten and gave it to a lonely old lady named Mrs. Kimberly who lived down the street. Yeah, she was pretty boss. Well, when it came to drawing her, I was a little perplexed. I was the kid who liked to paint a picture with words rather than shapes and colors. But the assignment required both parts, so I–ever the diligent student–set out to complete the second part. When we’d finished our work, we sat around Mrs. Davis in a circle, and she held our drawings up for everyone to see. She asked us questions about them, especially what we saw and liked. Finally, it was my turn, and she held up my drawing of Miranda. I held by breath, wondering what everyone would say about my magnum opus. But all she said was, “What’s wrong with this picture, class?” Wrong? What’s wrong? I asked myself. What could possibly be wrong with it? My classmates threw in suggestions until Mrs. Davis finally gave up and answered her own question, “It’s wrong because she doesn’t have any ears.” Everyone snickered, and she moved on to the next victim. I wanted to defend my artistic choice, to scream, “Of course she has ears, you ninny! They’re under her hair!” But I didn’t because I was mortified. When I saw the assignment the next day, I saw a huge red “B” etched in one corner and the same assessment scribbled in another. For an entire week, the drawing was pinned to the bulletin board at the front of our classroom—mocking me. And I think that was the moment I gave up any and all thoughts of trying my hand at art. Granted, I never would have been naturally gifted at it. You can tell that I have no eye for proportion or form. Unlike my friend Jeff Gregory, whose doodles are works of brillance, I could never labor over something made of acrylic, pencil, or charcoal and make it beautiful. But I always wonder if Mrs. Davis’ appraisal of my drawing forever altered some part of me that was willing to take a risk with something new, something that I wasn’t necessarily skilled at but could have gotten better with over time. Horses were only things I ever practiced drawing from that point on because, like all girls, I was obsessed with them. I doodled in notebooks, but I showed what I’d drawn to no one. And no matter how much I tried, they never got better than this… My writing, however, fared far better. Granted, I’m still far from perfect (and famous…and rich…and critically acclaimed), but I enjoy scribbling words on paper as much now as I did at the tender age of seven. More so, in fact. And while I know this mostly due to my own desire, I can’t help but think Mrs. Davis played a role in it as well. She caught me staring at that scarlet B one day in class. She said nothing at the time, but before I left for home that afternoon, she pulled me aside and admitted, “Your story was very well done, Jamie. I liked Miranda.” It was the first compliment for my writing I’d received from someone who was not related to me. I suddenly discovered something very interesting on one of my shoes and mumbled, “Thank you” in reply. I was embarrassed, but it wasn’t just because of the praise. All I could think was that I wished she had given it sooner. Why? Well, that’s the what Paul Harvey would call “the rest of the story.” The day my drawing met with criticism and laughter, I did something I’d regretted ever since. I went back to the art corner to sharpen my pencil using the silver hand crank unit we all remember so well. When I went to wedge my good old number two in the slot, I realized I’d also carried a blue crayon back there with me. Camouflaged by a half wall stacks of paper, and jars of tempura paint, I had a “wonderful, awful idea.” Image from avclub.com In a moment of impish inspiration, I decided I would show her the extent of my ire by sharpening it too. Yeah, I went there. I gummed up the works of that machine with my aqua-tinted rage and felt somewhat justified for having done so. But when we left for music class, I saw her carrying the sharpener to the bathroom and felt triumphant for another 2.7 seconds until I realized she’d spend most of her planning period cleaning up the mess. Then I felt putrid about it. And the compliment she gave me only made it worse. I learned several valuable lessons from the entire experience, the most important of which is this: Words matter. Kind ones are worth the time it takes to say them. Unkind ones wound. They can change someone’s opinion about an issue or a moment in time or even make a person love or hate herself. They can inspire people to greatness or leave them defeated before they begin. Words are powerful in a way few things will ever be, and they’re ours for the using. So that means we should always use them well. How about you all? Is there a talent you always wanted to explore but didn’t? A person you’d like to thank for encouraging you to pursue one? What do you think about words, both kind and cruel? Give me your thoughts in the comments section below. Posted in LifeTagged childhood, creativity, Fiction, Non-fiction, words, Writing June 16, 2012 jamieahughesLeave a comment Hooray for another piece of creative non-fiction. This one is slated to be turned in Monday at 6:00, so if you have comments, feedback, or critique, send it in post haste! 🙂 I blame my mother really. Because she was involved in community theater in our hometown, it meant I was, too. While she rehearsed, helped decorate sets or sew costumes, or played the piano during auditions, I was left with other urchins to run wild in our own version of Neverland—the backstage area, concrete orchestra pit, and balcony of Collins Theater. During the months she and the other actors read and blocked scenes for the 1985 debut of The Sound of Music to the theatergoing public of Paragould, Arkansas, I can honestly say I was less than impressed. People forgot lines. Songs were strangled mid-verse when someone missed a mark. Dance steps were more lumbering than lovely. It reminded me of the pick-up games of baseball my brother Jarrod and I would join in at the local field—you know, the kind where only six kids have gloves and the game abruptly ends in the fifth when the only ball sails into Mrs. Wilcox’s impenetrable back yard. I think the kids’ chorus was invented to give us, the legion of unsupervised tots at each rehearsal, something to do to keep us from tearing the historic building down. Rodgers and Hammerstein created a play requiring not one but seven children to pull it off, and the Greene County Fine Arts Council had more than enough young’uns to fill that quota. So they had to stick us in as scene fillers, mostly when the nuns were involved. However, I just knew there was no way thirty kids would live in an abbey unless it was one of the freakiest nunneries in the world. And nothing in the rehearsals suggested it was that kind of play. That was how I was pulled onto the stage instead of dancing around it like a dervish, and the experience was altogether different in the rarefied air four feet off the floor. I could smell the gold paint being used to decorate the walls of the grand ballroom and see the rigging that held up a cobweb of lights above us. I loved the sound my heels made on the wooden floor that was slightly spongy beneath my feet and the feel of the burgundy velvet curtain as it brushed past me like a harried commuter on a subway platform. For ever-longer periods of time, I sat in the front rows waiting for my group’s cue and watched as my mother was transformed from the woman I knew—a middle school secretary who cut the crusts of my pimento cheese sandwiches—into Elsa Schrader, the baroness who, until the frumpy nun shows up with a guitar in hand, has her immaculately painted claws securely in Captain Von Trapp. She sang duets. She danced. She laughed in a throaty way she never did at home and drank wine from an empty glass. She was coquettish and demanding by turns. And she was radiant. She brought her costumes home to make final alterations, and while she and Daddy were out at dinner, I snuck up to their room to see them in their finished forms. My favorite was the ruby gown she wore for three scenes, the one with the single shoulder strap that left one tanned arm gloriously bare and the slit in the side that revealed a hint of leg whenever she strutted across the stage. I finally worked up the courage to slide the dress from its hangar and try it on over my clothes. I pinned my hair up in a banana clip and stood on a footstool to get the full effect in the mirror perched over the dresser. Then I closed my eyes and sang the libretto of one of her songs that I’d l memorized weeks before—So every star on every whirling planet and every constellation in the sky revolves around the center of the universe, that lovely thing called I. I suppose I was hoping to feel a jolt, a spark, some kind of radiating energy pouring from my fingertips the same way she must have when in character. But it wasn’t the same without the lights and sounds and smells, the glorious chaos of stagecraft going on in the wings. It was hard enough to slip into someone else’s skin with a set and supporting characters, but was it was impossible when you could see your pink gingham canopy bed reflected in the mirror, reminding you who you actually were. The next summer, the council decided to host a week long drama workshop for the throngs of itinerant youth who hadn’t been sent to summer camp or gone on vacation to exotic places like Disney World (for the well-to-do) or Hot Springs (for the station wagon set). For six days, we invaded the ground floor of First Methodist Church down on Main Street, transforming the normally staid and quiet hallways into a cacophonous world filled with moxie and glitter. One day, we were taught the basics of acting—how to project your voice, to feign emotion (something that I’m ashamed to admit came in handy both on and off stage), and to use your body to speak as well as your mouth. Other days, we learned the art of stage make-up and how an amount of blush and blue eye shadow that was garish up close was necessary if you wanted people in the back row to be able to make you out. We happily slapped foundation on one another with triangular sponges, learned how to make the “mascara face,” and practiced smiling with Vaseline slathered on our teeth. We were given boxes of used clothing and accessories and asked to create a character based on the first three items we pulled out with our eyes closed. I drew a feather boa, a green skirt with a few glittering beads still attached, and a black pillbox hat complete with veil and became Ms. Cleo Mimosa, a former vaudeville star and unapologetic diva, for the rest of the day. I distinctly remember returning the props to their boxes, but I couldn’t shed Ms. Mimosa and spent the evening thoroughly annoying my family by referring to myself in the third person and making outrageous demands. “Ms. Mimosa doesn’t eat peas,” I told them, flinging my fork onto the pile still on my plate. And before bed, I’d stormed out of the steamy bathroom wrapped in a towel and waving my Wonder Woman pajamas over my head like a flag, screeching “You certainly can’t expect Ms. Mimosa to sleep in these raggedy old things!” When I tried the same routine the next morning, my father gave me “the look”—the one where he slightly cocked his head and arched his left eyebrow—that told me in no uncertain terms that it was best for all involved parties if Ms. Mimosa slept in. Singing, dancing, blocking—we experienced it all in a four-day blur of creativity and color that led up to try-outs for the Saturday play. I’d memorized a thirty-second monologue that had something to do with picking daises, a snippet that could show my miming prowess as well as my ability to be surprised, delighted, and blissful. My audition must have gone well because I was one of six kids called up for speaking roles in what would become our slapdash performance of a Chinese fairy tale involving Bashe, a cunning beast, and other assorted talking creatures. There was also Li Tan, the handsome young hero, his loyal dog, Po, and a beautiful princess named Niulang caught in the middle of it all. Our director had the same problem many of his ilk share—a stunning lack of suitable male thespians. Drama is a source of glee for many a woman and girl, but for anyone with a modicum of testosterone in his system, it is typically something to be despised and passed over in favor of climbing trees and spitting for distance. Of the half dozen of us who could memorize lines and steps, there wasn’t a Y chromosome to be found, so the prince was going to have to be played by a girl. My first thought was, Forget that! I didn’t go through all this just to get laughed at like some kind of freak! Of course, I had yet to learn of La Cage aux Folles, Victor Victoria, Twelfth Night, or even Yentl. At that point, the only version I’d read of The Iliad had been stripped of the scene where Achilles’ mother dressed him in drag to keep him out of the Trojan War. In my mind, playing a dog, an angel, or even tree was all well and good because gender didn’t enter into it, but to pretending to swap one’s sex entirely (and on purpose) was unthinkable. A girl like me doing something like that was just begging to be mocked. In elementary school, I was quite literally head and shoulders above most boys in my class, which was great when I needed to hustle a few bucks playing tetherball, but not so much during the other 164 hours of a week. I had long before decided that due to my leviathan stature, the best thing for me would be to draw attention to myself via anything done in a sitting position. So I became a word nerd, a voracious consumer of texts whose construction paper “book worm” with body segments listing the works she’d read that year went around the classroom, lapping those of the lazier students. Being on stage was the only place I could use to stand up in front of people and not be embarrassed by how I looked. After all, you’re pretending to be someone else. “I want to be the princess,” I proclaimed, not willing to leave it to chance. And fish, fish. I got my wish. Because the camp’s budget was humble and most of the money put into the set, we were going to perform without costumes and only use a few props to help people figure out who we were. The kids playing animals wore cheap plastic masks, the kind that were strapped to your face with a piece of elastic and were beyond impossible to breathe through. Po, the canine sidekick, got some greasepaint whiskers to go with his faux fur ears and tail. Li Tan was given a plastic sword and shield. And I, Niulang, proudly bore a gaudy tiara covered in paste jewels. It’s no red dress, I thought. But it’ll have to do. As we rehearsed, two things became apparent. One, there was a great deal of rug burn involved if you were cast in any of the four-legged roles. And two, I was thrilled beyond measure not to be Rona Marsh, the girl who ended up with Li Tan’s role. She spent hours running around pretending to swing that stupid plastic sword in mock battle with Bashe, shouting my character’s name, and grunting. I was embarrassed for her. There was one thing I wasn’t pleased with, however, and that was my surprisingly small amount of lines. Other than one scene where I told my mother I would be careful in the woods and another where I was stolen by Bashe, I wasn’t in much of the production. I spent a good deal of time on stage of course, cruelly bound to a pillar by the evil creature who planned on making a meal of me after slaughtering my rescuer, but it just wasn’t the same. The night of the performance, the teachers took us into a chapel off to the side of the church’s multipurpose room where the play was to be performed and had us each lie down in one of the padded pews. “Close your eyes,” Bob, the director, whispered. “Imagine yourself on the stage tonight. You’ve seen it with your eyes, so now you can picture it in your mind. Think about who you are tonight, who the people in the audience will see.” I closed my eyes and tried to think about Niulang. A handful of lines and a tiara—not much to go on. “You aren’t yourself to them; you are a beaver or an old woman. And if you believe you are that other person, they will, too. It’s up to you to take them where you are, to tell them the story,” he finished in a nearly breathless murmur. “Are you ready?” A chorus of “mmm hmms” and “uh huhs” wafted up from the pews. “Then let’s get out there and break a leg,” he said, putting on a grotesque latex mask. He’d had to play Bashe himself because everyone else was too small for the costume. I’d chosen to wear a pastel pink t-shirt and a long white skirt to look feminine. And with the delicate crown firmly stuck to my scalp with the help of a box of bobby pins, I was as ready as I’d ever be. However, once I was done with my lines, done with reassuring my mother and pitifully pleading for my life, and set on the periphery of the stage to watch the drama unfold, I saw how wrong I’d been to pick the part I had. In a pair of acid wash jeans, cowboy boots, and a black collared shirt, with only plastic weapons and the suspension of disbelief to help her, Rona became her character. I stood and watched as she gained the trust of all the animals of the forest, bravely fought all obstacles in her path, and worked her way in and out of danger. She was all dynamic action. Her curly shoulder-length black hair trailed behind her like smoke, and every gesture she made had purpose. To block. To advance. To point the way to victory. Because she believed she was Li Tan, that’s who the rest of us saw. Meanwhile, all I could do was stand there and pretend to wriggle. I felt weak and small, not because I was loosely bound to a Styrofoam column with a piece of rope, but because I’d chosen to put myself there. I’d taken the safer role, gone the expected route, and I was missing out on what could have been my first chance to vanish in front of an audience. I suddenly felt naked in my pastel costume, more out of place than ever before. Because I couldn’t see myself as a princess, it was impossible for me to pretend to be. When Li Tan rescued me and led me back to my mother, I followed with my head down in what everyone assumed was humble thanks but was actually shame and an eagerness to be off that stage entirely. On the way out, my family, who’d brought me a bouquet of yellow roses, congratulated me and told me what a wonderful job I’d done. “I really believed you were scared, being stuck up all alone in that tower,” my grandmother said, affectionately patting me on the back. I didn’t have the heart to tell her drama looks easy when you’re not really acting. Posted in Non-fictionTagged acting, appearance, childhood, drama, imagination, memory, stage, theater Sweet Game of Youth April 9, 2012 April 10, 2012 jamieahughes7 Comments From our fascination with the mythical Fountain of Youth to a desire for the latest anti-wrinkle treatment that renders our faces incapable of expressing emotions, it’s not hard to see that we’re a culture obsessed with staying young. When I was in my teens and twenties, I didn’t give it much thought; I just shoved the topic into the corner of my mind as unceremoniously as I did the clothing I was too lazy to fold up and put away. However, now that my hair is changing color of its own free will and I’m running into more people who think Hall and Oates is a brand of organic grains, I’ve been confronted with the brutal truth that time soldiers on whether I want it to or not. (It also doesn’t help that I’ll be turning 34 in less than two weeks, but I digress.) But I have found that there is a source of eternal renewal. Like the trees outside my home, it comes to a glorious finish of color and pageantry in autumn, lies dormant like a bear in winter, and returns afresh and anew every spring. I’m not talking about a garden full of flowers or a flock of migratory birds. No, it’s something altogether more beautiful and majestic than than either of those things. I’m talking about baseball, the most glorious of all sports. The game that leaves me each November only to return as faithfully as a well-chucked boomerang. I spent a good deal of time wallowing joyfully in Opening Weekend, which was as rejuvenating as a dip in one of Ra’s al Ghul’s Lazarus Pits. I’ll be the first to admit I’m blessed because, last year, my team did the improbable (and hacked off a good number of fans and sports writers around the nation) by winning the World Series in grand fashion. Yes, for an entire year, I get to relive that series that no one, and I mean NO ONE, thought we’d win. Game six alone was like that “Pit of Despair” machine in The Princess Bride; it took two years off my life and left me in a laughing, crying puddle on the floor. But man, was it worth it. David Freese, hometown hero! Motte closes the door on the Rangers. However, that confetti-drenched moment doesn’t matter now because it’s 2012, and everyone is in the running once again. Every team from the billion dollar juggernauts like the Yankees to squads like the Astros that are in a rebuilding year has the exact same chance of grabbing the brass ring like we did in 2011. Do some teams stand a better chance? Sure. But it’s never guaranteed. That’s the beautiful thing about baseball. The season is long enough that any number of X-Factors can change the make-up of a division or even a league. There is no clock. There are no time-outs. Very little is up to official review (and may it stay that way). One lucky catch or hanging breaking ball can have a huge effect on momentum, and the later it happens in the season, the wackier the run to the playoffs gets. Every one of the “Boys of Summer” is reborn in the spring and given the chance to once again prove his mettle and emerge victorious. I also relish the re-boot each season gives me and my family. We couldn’t go this year because we’re so poor we make church mice look like Rockefellers, but we usually get to travel down to Florida and savor the game in its purest form—Spring Training. Like the players, we observe more than a few rituals during this brief sabbatical. For instance, one Teppanyaki meal must be shared per trip, autographs must be sought, and we must spend at least one hour before the gates open on the back fields watching the players warm up and perform drills. Once we’re inside the park for the first game, we always climb the stairs simultaneously so we get to see the most beautiful sight in the world—the geometric spectacle of grass that is a baseball field–together. Sometimes, we say a few words, but more often than not we stand there in silence enjoying the sight like it was the first time. On a side note, I actually get to games early so I can watch the field crew groom it. I’m not lying. Watching them dampen the infield and sketch out the dimensions of the batter’s box is better than Zoloft. Likewise, there are things we eschew in the name of purity. For example, we never show up late or leave early. We never participate in “The Wave.” And we never ever ever get up in the middle of an inning. Decorum demands these things, and we’re sticklers for it. I won’t even wear a pink jersey; it’s my team’s colors or nothing. Me in the visitor's dugout at Turner Field during this year's open house. This sport has united three generations of my family. It’s something–like brown eyes and a penchant for peskiness–that we all share. I remember watching Ozzie Smith’s back flips in rapt fascination, falling asleep listening to Jack Buck calling games on the radio, and spending time with my grandfather learning how to keep a scorecard. It’s as much a part of who I am as the language I speak and the places I’ve lived in my three decades on this planet. To call it “a game” is both true and somehow trivializing in my mind. But, truth be told, that’s what it is…a game. It’s the same one I grew up watching on television, and while many things in my world have changed, very little about it has. Sure, the powers that be try to “keep it interesting” by adding designated hitters or a second wildcard team, but at its root it’s still comprised of nine innings and twenty-seven outs that each team is given to do the most with. There is still the poetry of the double play and the thrill of the suicide squeeze to enjoy. There are still hot dogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jacks to feast on, foul balls to catch, and stretches to perform to organ music in the middle of the seventh. I swear, it’s like the Elysian Fields the Greeks once imagined. I love the game for its beauty and grace, the absolutely perfect timing it requires for a hitter to put a tapered piece of wood on a diminutive leather ball and for a fielder to arrest that same ball mid-flight. I love it because of men like Dizzy Dean, Rollie Fingers and Catfish Hunter—aptly named players who were characters in their own right—and the unique language we’ve all learned to speak where a cement mixer can become a frozen rope or can of corn that leads a team to hang a bagel. I love it because of quirky things like the Curse of the Billy Goat, the Sausage Race, and Chief Noc-A-Homa. But most of all, I love its timelessness and how it temporarily helps me forget how quickly the years pass. Each season, I can still feel the way I did when I was eight and walked into Busch Stadium for the first time, my mouth agape and a new pennant clenched in my sweaty fist. Me and my favorite teammate! Posted in LifeTagged baseball, childhood, MLB, renewal, spring, St. Louis Cardinals, youth Culinary Misnomers March 9, 2012 September 23, 2016 jamieahughes6 Comments I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I can say with confident conviction that I love Chinese food. Oh, I know what some of you might be thinking…The stuff that we eat in America isn’t even really Chinese food, you know. I am well aware of this truth, and I’ll tell you that unless it still has a head on it or is still moving when they bring it to me on the plate, I’ll usually eat it. So, yes, I love all kinds of fusion cuisine be it Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese–the list goes on and on. The one thing I can say I have fallen out of love with, however, are fortune cookies. I used to eagerly await their arrival at the table when I was a kid. The waitress would bring them out at the end of the meal on a tiny tray, and I would follow a specific ritual for selecting, opening, and eating mine. I think some of it might have been generated by urban legend or things I was told one was supposed to do with the tawny, brittle oracle, but most of it was a product of my own overactive imagination. I would never go for the first cookie I saw; neither was the one closest to me the one I was “meant” to choose. I’d usually spin the tray and grab one at random. So there was some chance to my selection, but I had a hand in it as well instead of simply taking what I was dealt. Image from inkyanticsrubberstamps.com I then carefully unwrapped the cookie, checked it for imperfections such as a crack or (gasp!) a hollow center lacking the necessary strip of paper. Once I was assured that my cookie had arrived parcel post from the Szechuan universe with all its parts intact, I proceeded to open it by attempting to pull the two halves apart at the seam rather than cracking it in half vertically. Often, I couldn’t do it, but when I could, I just knew that the fortune was an accurate one. Now, any fortune cookie aficionado will tell you just how truly gauche it is to eat your cookie before you read your fortune, to shove it in your gaping maw and masticate it briefly before sending it down to join the rest of the grub in your already painfully full, distended abdomen. For me, eating the cookie was the proof that I accepted said fortune, that I agreed to abide by its command or advice. If I chose to leave the cookie on the table after reading my message, it meant I was choosing to bite my thumb at the universe instead. It could take its tiny note and shove it as far as I was concerned. THIS is why you never eat them first! (From bustedtees.com.) For someone who put so much thought into a nearly tasteless piece of baked dough, you’d think I’d be more forgiving. However, whoever manufactures these things now really needs to step up their quality control standards. (I think it’s likely some place in New Jersey. Nothing good comes from there.) Back in the day, the fortunes were just that….fortunes. You’d get messages that told you something relatively specific that would likely happen in your future. For instance: The project on your mind will soon gain momentum. A new business venture is on the horizon. Tell them, for it will soon be too late. You will receive a gift from someone you care about. People in your surroundings will be more cooperative than usual tomorrow. Impossible standards will make life difficult. You can fix it with a little energy and a positive attitude. There you have it! Each one of these examples, while some are more specific than others, was a bite-sized augur, a prognostication of upcoming events in my pre-teen life. They were exciting and fun, and I loved reading them, collecting them, and even writing stories based on their messages. Nowadays, however, “fortune cookie” is a bit of a misnomer. I got one at lunch this week, read it, and was flummoxed. I thought it might have been a random gaff, but two cookies later, I had to admit that fortune cookies were no longer fortunate. Look at the three I pulled. The top one is the first one I pulled. I consider myself a fairly deep thinker and critical reader, but that statement makes no sense to me at all. I firmly believe that is, in fact, impossible to do. I’m calling this one, and all those like it, “conundrum cookies.” The second one sounds like something my dad would have said to me when I was practicing my French horn for an upcoming audition and had finally slammed headfirst into wall of frustration. Many cookies fall into the category of “sage advice,” and while it might be good to note their wisdom, they are not in any way, shape, or form considered fortunes. Hence, they are “admonition cookies.” The third one, I’ll call it the “gumption cookie,” reminded me of those motivational posters that were huge back in the early nineties. You know the ones… Image from allposters.com If the advice in these posters were water, they were just a shade shallower than a half-full kiddie pool. It was something bosses hung in the office hoping to increase positive vibes and employee enthusiasm. However, they mostly made us want to snatch them off the wall set them on fire, Hendrix style. In fact, the demotivational posters that followed them are the ones that have survived in popular culture. What does that say about us? Image from marcofolio.com So my beloved fortune cookies are now nothing more than crunchy carryalls for pablum. They, like the Happy Meal that actually came in a box and the opportunity to ride a bike without being legally required to wear a helmet are things of a better yesteryear, I suppose. How about you, dear reader? Anything from your childhood been destroyed lately? Do you want to bemoan the loss of better times with me? How about your recent fortunes—were they as insipid as mine? Tell me about it in the comments! Posted in LifeTagged childhood, chinese, culture, demotivational poster, eating, Food, fortune cookie, memories, recipes Precious Memories, How They Linger…Like Fungus January 21, 2012 September 21, 2016 jamieahughes4 Comments Wayne and I were just discussing awkward childhood moments, those slivers of time where you’d prefer to be the floor of a New York taxi cab rather than yourself. Sometimes, they are the product of your own stupidity. Trying to pass sensitive boy/girl notes in class, ill-advised spiral perms, and belting out “Electric Youth” into a hairbrush while standing in front of an open window wearing nothing but a bra and shorts all fall into this category. Other embarrassing moments are also your fault, but they come as a result of your ignorance rather than outright imbecility. For instance, I once vociferously uttered the phrase “F%$# It” in McDonald’s, completely unaware of the verbal malfeasance I was committing. In my defense, I was eight and had come across Robin Williams’ A Night at the Met a week before. He said the word quite a bit during that performance, and I liked the sound of it. I was nothing more than a parrot, an obnoxiously red and horrifyingly boisterous parrot for my poor mother. I just remember the beating…and not getting the McNugget Happy Meal I was promised. There was supposed to be a Thundercats toy in it. Yes, epic fail all around on that one. Childhood also wouldn’t be complete without embarrassing moments you must endure but never asked for, didn’t bring on yourself, and likely didn’t deserve. You know, those “Ralphie in the Bunny Suit” moments? I have several of these from all levels of my elementary and secondary education. I even have photographic evidence of one of them. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…”Hickety Pickety, My Black Hen,” my kindergarten theatrical debut. Yes, in our “Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes” school play, I had to recite the following lines: Hickety Pickety, my black hen, she lays eggs for gentlemen. Sometimes nine, and sometimes ten, Hickety Pickety, my black hen! You can tell by the zombie-like expressions on many of my classmates’ faces that none of us was thrilled to be there in costume sitting criss-cross-applesauce on stage. I, however, had to bear the burden of showing up dressed like an extra from the first episode of The Beverly Hillbillies. A straw hat, overalls, plaid shirt, and what looks to be a pair of Velcro-closure Pumas complete my resplendent costume. I’ll not even mention the Strawberry Shortcake goggles glasses I have on. Those things are traumatic enough for another post of their own. My teacher, doing a wicked impersonation of Thing from The Addams Family, is likely lowering the microphone so I can deliver my Shakespearean-level verse to the illiterate masses huddled in the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School gymateria/cafetorium. What makes this moment so gut-wrenchingly embarassing is not the fact that I’m being forced to deliver my lines in front of people or that I am so ridiculously dressed (though both of those factor into this being the worst moment in my life up until this point). See that girl in the yellow dress? She’s going to be the symbol for all that was wrong in my six or seven years of existence. I have no clue who she was supposed to be, but she got to wear a frickin’ adorable yellow dress. My cousin, April, was Betty Blue and wore an even cuter cornflower frock. She’s somewhere to my right…no doubt looking adorable with her curly blonde hair done up in princess ringlets and two patent leather “holiday shoes” on her feet. Already awkward and tall for my age, the only thing I wanted more than to NOT be on that stage was to be lovely on it. Alas and alack, that was not in the cards for me. I should have expected it. For instance, whenever April and I received dolls as gifts, she got Barbie—ostensibly because she has matching hair. As a brown haired, brown eyed girl, I got Barbie’s friend Kimber, P.J., or Steffie (or some other doll with an equally bubblegum pink name.) Yes, I was forever relegated to the posse (even by my own family) because of my mother’s dominant genes. Being Hickety Pickety didn’t help matters much. However, it does shed some light on why I’ve had a longstanding and inexplicable hatred of eggs…. Okay, so I have to ask. What are the most embarrassing moments from your childhood that you didn’t cause but had to endure with Herculean resolve? Also, if you could go back and save yourself one of those “Self-Induced” moments of shame, which one would you choose and why? Posted in LifeTagged bad decisions, childhood, embarrassment, memories, mistakes, nursery rhyme, theater From Wild Things to Magic Rings December 6, 2011 September 21, 2016 jamieahughes8 Comments Yep, it’s that time of the week again! Time for another Top Ten Tuesday book list! This time, it’s a trip down memory lane as I will be listing, discussing my favorite ten books from my childhood. This is a fairly extensive list because, well, reading has always been just about my favorite thing in the world to do. Seriously, the second we’d get everything done around the house, the only thing I wanted to do was crawl in someone’s lap and have a book read to me. I just liked the way words sounded when people said them, the way they matched the letters on the page and could exist both for my eyes and my ears. (I was also a whore for adult attention back in the day, but that’s a story for another blog.) The result of all my begging to be read to whenever possible was that I could read myself at the age of four. My grandmother heard me reading at the table one day and thought I was merely reciting the story to myself from memory until she realized that the Little Golden Book I had in front of me was brand new and had never been read to me before. 🙂 Once I could do so on my own, the addiction only got worse. I was the kid who hoarded lunch money for weeks before the book fair came to school, whose yearly bookworm always ran around the classroom at least twice, and who was often sent back to the reading corner in class just to shut me up. I’ve tried to list these books chronologically, from the first one I read to the last in my childhood, but the dates are a little fuzzy. Also, by no means is this list all-inclusive. There are dozens I’m not thinking of or have looked over. All images, unless labeled otherwise, are from Wikipedia. Image from crustandcrumbs.blogspot.com The Tawny Scrawny Lion–The Little Golden Books were one of my favorites when I was little. This one, along with other classics like The King’s Cat, were a source of joy to me because of the rhyming or sing-song text I could hear and the crazy illustrations. This one is about a lion that eats a different animal each day of the week; however, the rabbits are crafty and teach him to eat carrot soup instead of delicious rare hare. 🙂 Are You My Mother?—This one has stayed with my family for years. My kid cousin, who is seventeen years my junior, even read and loved this one. In this book, a baby bird hatches while his mother is out looking for food and goes on the hunt for her. He asks a dog, a kitten, and an assortment of other animals and inanimate objects if they are his mother, each of which says, “No!” Thankfully, the “Big Snort” (a power shovel) drops him back into his nest the moment his mother gets back home to the nest—crisis averted. Go, Dog, Go!—This one is about a bunch of dogs who can somehow drive cars, wear clothing, and talk to each other. The end goal of the book is for all the dogs to go to a “Dog Party.” From this book, I learned both prepositions and basic social skills (such as complimenting someone’s hat even if it’s ugly.) My family still uses the “Do you like my hat?….I do not like your hat!” line. The good stuff is always timeless, I guess. Where the Wild Things Are–I can’t think of anyone I grew up with who didn’t adore this book. Max rebels and is sent to his room for punishment where he imagines sailing away to a land inhabited by monsters that quickly realize he is the wildest of them all and crown him their king. His first royal decree is to, “Let the wild rumpus start!”–a line I have used several times. However, when he smells dinner, Max sails home where he belongs, knowing that a few rules are worth a place where’s he’s loved. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.–This was one of those “tweener books” that everyone should have to read, especially since it’s been banned more than once. Margaret runs the gamut of horrid things that can happen to a child who’s just entered the double-digit age bracket for the first time–questions of faith, moving, new school (in New Jersey no less!), boys, periods, bras. It’s all here. I remember liking this book when I was in fourth or fifth grade because I felt like it was giving me the straight skinny on middle school and what I was in for. It didn’t help as much as I’d planned, but at least I had a road map of sorts. Image from abductedbybooks.com The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe–Gracious glorious mercy jellybean gumdrops, did I love this book when I was a kid!!! (I loved the entire series to tell the truth, but this is the most easily recognizable one, so I’ll use it for the sake of clarity on this list.) I used to read C.S. Lewis’ books beneath my desk during math, science, and history. I simply couldn’t bear to stop reading and got in trouble more than once for my unwillingness to do exactly what my teacher told me. But how can you blame me when the choice is between long division and Prince Caspian!? Seriously, long division. Solve your own problems. The Outsiders–This was one of those books that also found its way onto the naughty, banned books list for some time, which is probably why I picked it up. However, it introduced me to two things that have had a hold on me ever since–literary bad and/or brokenhearted boys from the wrong side of the tracks that I want to fix and Robert Frost. I kid you not, I must have read “Nothing Gold Can Stay” a thousand times as I read that book. (It didn’t hurt that there was a film version with such an extensive cast of cute boys ranging from Ralph Macchio to Patrick Swayze that it should have been illegal!) Greasers forever! ❤ The Hobbit–I think this one might have been one of the few books I literally read the cover off of as a kid. I simply couldn’t get enough of Bilbo and his retinue of dwarfs. The stone trolls, the Mirkwood elves, Smaug, Gandalf–these were my friends late at night when I couldn’t sleep. There was just something so entrancing about it. Bilbo was minding his own business in Bag End when the story starts; it just walks in and carries him along with it. In a way, you feel like Bilbo because you are also brought along for the ride. It’s good to see this one is also being made into a two part movie by Peter Jackson who I trust will do this gem of a book justice on the silver screen. To Kill a Mockingbird–I’ve read this book dozens of times, taught it at least six times, and I never get tired of it. I seriously want to name my kid Atticus for the courtroom scene alone. (I went around for weeks after reading it using the phrase “unmitigated temerity” because I liked the way it sounded. Naturally, I had to look both words up before doing so.) It’s such a marvelously written book with a timeless story that it’s hard to leave it off any of my “Top # Lists.”The writing is clear and direct; there’s no mistaking what Lee wants to tell readers. However, there are lines that just make me smile each time I read them for their imagery-laden beauty. (The line in the opening paragraphs that always sticks in my mind is “Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.”) The Gunslinger–“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” For me, it’s up there with the great first lines in literary history. I’m putting this one on here because I’ve read it ten or eleven times but also because it marked my entrance into “adult fiction.” I couldn’t believe my mom would let me read a Stephen King book when I was so young, but she did for some reason. I started stealing hers from that moment on. I fell head over heels for Roland Deschain and got to spend most of my adult life reading about his long journey to find the Man in Black and the elusive Dark Tower. (I’d like to say it was my generation’s Harry Potter, but not nearly as many kids dress up like Roland or Cuthbert for Halloween.) I think books one through four came out when I was a kid, book five when I was an undergraduate, and five through seven when I was in graduate school. As an English major, I’ve been taught to disembowel texts, to pick them over like a buffalo carcass on the prairie to glean every possible meaning and interpretation from them, and my growing skill with literary analysis was richly rewarded with these books. They are the thread that holds his entire literary universe together, crossing over at times into It and Salem’s Lot, and King himself (in one of the greatest postmodern literary achievements of all time) not only allows his characters to realize they are in fact characters, but also inserts himself as the author into the work! Perfectly cyclical, rich in design and detail, this has to be one of my favorite series of all time—right up there with Tolkien and Lewis. Posted in BooksTagged Books, childhood, Fiction, king, lewis, reading, tolkien, top ten tuesday	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1023
__label__wiki	0.597065	0.597065	Tri-Arrows Aluminum Tri-Arrows Aluminum is a leading supplier of rolled aluminum sheet in the North American Market focusing on the Beverage Can Sheet and Automotive Sheet markets. Our products are manufactured at Logan Aluminum, a joint venture production facility between Tri-Arrows and Novelis Corporation. Logan Aluminum is a world-class facility respected as one of the most efficient aluminum mills in the world. Tri‑Arrows is owned by a consortium composed of the UACJ Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, Itochu Metals Corporation, and Itochu Corporation. Tri-Arrows has always focused on productivity, reliability, technical expertise, sustainability, and customer service leading to long-term industry supplier and customer relationships and sustained success. Success in our key markets has driven recent investments of over $400M at Logan Aluminum impacting everything from recycling to finishing operations. With a lean operation in Louisville, KY, Tri‑Arrows delivers the highest quality aluminum sheet to customers who put their trust in us every day. Our employees pride themselves on delivering value to both our customers and to Tri-Arrows. Tri-Arrows focuses on maximizing value, flexibility and sustainability. Everything we do is intended to benefit our stakeholders, employees, and local communities. Be it to shareholders, customers, employees, or anyone else – it is core to who we are. It’s not always the same value, but it’s important to understand why what you are doing is important. We pride ourselves on being flexible in the market. We are there for customers when we are needed. We are lean and able to quickly adapt to new market situations. This flexibility is core to who we are. In addition to recycling, this includes ensuring our business model, employees, and strategy is relevant for years to come. It’s training, it’s innovation, it’s profitability. Tri-Arrows is owned by UACJ Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, Itochu Corporation and Itochu Metals Corporation. Additionally, we are involved in a joint venture that owns the Logan Aluminum manufacturing facility in Russellville Kentucky, United States. Our owners along with our joint venture interests provide us with access to unparalleled production facilities, market networks, and R&D capabilities. Tri-Arrows is located in Louisville, Kentucky where we have a lean team focused on delivering the best products and service to our customers. Tri-Arrows Aluminum’s rich tradition began when Atlantic Richfield purchased Anaconda Corporation. ARCO began construction on ARCO Logan Inc. ARCO formed a joint venture with Alcan Aluminum Corporation called Logan Aluminum Inc. BP acquired the ARCO and its interest in Logan Aluminum Inc. ARCO completed construction of a 100% owned state-of-the art recycling/scrap processing center. BP’s interest in ARCO Aluminum was acquired by a consortium of five Japanese companies (Sumitomo, Furikawa Sky, Sumitomo Light Metals, Itochu, and Itochu Metals) and was renamed Tri-Arrows Aluminum Inc. Sumitomo Light Metals and Furukawa-Sky Aluminum Corporation merged to form UACJ Corporation which owns the controlling interest in Tri-Arrows. Tri-Arrows started development, production and qualification of auto body sheet starter coils for supply to our customers external heat treat and finishing operations. Tri-Arrows began executing an aggressive capital investment plan expanding capabilities and capacities from recycling to cold rolling and totaling over $400M. HENRY GORDINIER Henry Gordinier was appointed President & CEO of Tri‑Arrows Aluminum Inc. in April 2017. Mr. Gordinier previously served as Tri‑Arrows Executive Vice President of Commercial and Planning, and Vice President of Business Management. He rejoined Tri-Arrows in 2014 after serving as the Vice President of Strategy for Kindred Healthcare, a Fortune 350 healthcare company. At Kindred, he oversaw pilot programs to test models for at-risk payment and service delivery. Mr. Gordinier initially worked for eight years with Tri‑Arrows predecessor, ARCO Aluminum Inc. with responsibility for financial risk management, business planning and analytics. He has an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BA from Brown University. Currently, Mr. Gordinier serves as Chairman of the Board of Logan Aluminum, a production joint venture between Tri-Arrows and Novelis Corporation, as a member of the Board of Directors of Constellium‑UACJ ABS LLC, a joint-venture between TAAH and Constellium, and is on the Board of the Aluminum Association and a member of its executive committee. MATT BEDINGFIELD Matt Bedingfield joined Tri‑Arrows Aluminum in 2014, was named Senior Vice President of Commercial in 2015, and promoted to Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer in 2017. He is responsible for all commercial activities in both Can and Automotive, Corporate Strategy, as well as IT within Tri-Arrows. Prior to Tri-Arrows, Matt held various leadership positions at Novelis, primarily in the recycling and corporate strategy areas. Matt earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and continued his education earning a Juris Doctorate and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Alabama. Mark was appointed Chief Operations Officer of Tri-Arrows in 2017 and is responsible for Operations, Supply Chain, and Metal Procurement at Tri-Arrows. He joined Tri-Arrows in August of 2012 as Director-of-Operations and Planning and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations in 2015. Prior to joining Tri-Arrows, Mark served in various manufacturing and technical roles at the Logan Aluminum beginning in May of 2009. Before starting at Logan Aluminum, Mark worked for Noranda Aluminum in New Madrid, Missouri. Mark holds a degree in Metallurgical Engineering from University of Missouri – Rolla, an MBA from William Woods University and has continued his education through Six Sigma – Black Belt and various lean manufacturing training programs. Mark currently serves on the Logan Aluminum Board of Directors. INGRID GENTRY Ingrid Gentry joined Tri-Arrows in 2018 as Chief Financial Officer. Ingrid is an accomplished finance executive who has spent the majority of her career with Brown-Forman. She most recently served as Interim Associate VP of Finance at the University of Louisville and, earlier, served as CFO of Keurig Green Mountain’s North American business unit prior to the company’s sale to JAB. Prior to this, she spent 18 years at Brown-Forman where she was most recently responsible for leading the brand and regional finance teams. Additionally, she headed up financial planning & analysis for the company. Ingrid holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and earned her MBA at The Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Manufacturing Sites Global Network of Mills through UACJ UACJ began in 2013 as a combination of Furukawa-Sky Aluminum Corp. and Sumitomo Light Metals Industries, Inc. UACJ operates plants around the world, producing flat-rolled products, extruded metal, foil, casting and forging, copper tubing, and precision-machined components. Logan Aluminum in Russellville, KY Logan is a joint venture with two shareholders, Tri-Arrows and Novelis. The plant is a leading manufacturer of flat-rolled aluminum sheet, primarily in the beverage can market. Rayong, Thailand As UACJ’s newest asset globally, this plant located two hours from Bangkok represents UACJ’s continued commitment and belief in the Southeast Asian economy. This plant is the largest aluminum rolling mill in Southeast Asia. Fukui, Japan Fukui Works is a fully integrated mill including casting, hot-rolling, cold-rolling, and multiple finishing processes. Nagoya, Japan The Nagoya plant supplies 300,000 tons of high-quality, high-precision sheet products per year. Nagoya Works offers ingot production, hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and heat-treated aluminum. Tri-Arrows Aluminum, Inc. 9960 Corporate Campus Dr. © 2019 Tri-Arrows Aluminum, Inc., All Rights Reserved / Legal Notice / Privacy Statement / Sitemap / Website by Prime Concepts Group Inc.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1028
__label__wiki	0.901018	0.901018	Home Tech World View keeps one of its high-altitude balloons afloat for a full... World View keeps one of its high-altitude balloons afloat for a full 16 days World View Enterprises – the company aiming to hoist payloads and people to high altitudes with giant balloons – has kept one of its vehicles afloat for the longest time yet. Today, the company announced that one of its payload-carrying balloons remained at high altitude for a consecutive 16 days before landing safely back on Earth. It’s the latest milestone on World View’s quest to keep a high-altitude balloon up for a full 60 days. The balloon vehicle that World View has been testing is the company’s Stratollite system. The idea behind it is to create a vehicle that functions like a satellite, without requiring an expensive rocket launch to orbit. World View’s Stratollites are designed to leisurely float to an altitude between 50,000 and 75,000 feet where they’re meant to hover over the same patch of Earth for up to two months at a time. From that height, whatever payload or instruments the balloon is carrying can gather data of the same part of the surface continuously, similar to a stationary satellite in a high orbit. a vehicle that functions like a satellite without requiring an expensive rocket launch to orbit World View still has a ways to go before the Stratollite’s promised capabilities are fully realized. But the company has been getting closer to its goals through a series of tests. Before this most recent test flight, World View had only flown a Stratollite for five days at a time. Then on May 18th, the company launched this latest test vehicle out of World View’s headquarters in Tucson, Arizona, with the goal of staying up for just two weeks, and it was able to stick it out for an extra two days before coming back down. While in the air, the Stratollite vehicle tried out various ways of station-keeping, staying above the same plot of land for hours at a time. “The ability to provide persistence over an area of interest was an important part of this flight,” Ryan Hartman, president and CEO of World View, tells The Verge. Stratollites are designed to “sail” on air currents, using the directional winds at high altitudes to stay in one spot. If the wind is moving the balloon too far in one direction, the vehicle will drop or rise to a different current to maintain a relatively stable position. “The ability to provide persistence over an area of interest was an important part of this flight.” During the 16-day flight, World View was able to spend up to eight days total in an area about 75 miles wide. It also demonstrated more precise station-keeping, says Hartman, by spending 55 straight hours in a region 62 miles wide and also 6.5 hours in an area a little less than 6 miles wide. Staying within such a small area is crucial for the Stratollite system, as that capability could be useful for a number of different applications for customers, according to Hartman. He notes that such a system above Earth could be used by the military to aid certain missions operations, or the Stratollite could help monitor natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes, and help with disaster relief. “There’s just all kinds of very important use cases when we can provide a station keeping capability in an area as small as a [6-mile] diameter area,” says Hartman. Throughout this flight, the Stratollite covered a distance of 3,000 miles, making its way to the Grand Canyon, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. Once the World View team decided to bring the Stratollite back down to Earth, the company was able to land it within 400 feet of a targeted area in the Nevada desert where the vehicle was then recovered. World View even hopes to fly some of the components from this flight on an upcoming mission. The next big milestone is to keep a Stratollite up for a full 30 days, which would bring World View even closer to opening up the system to commercial customers. That may or may not be the goal for the next test flight, depending on what the company learns from this most recent test. “With every flight, we’re going to learn something that will make the next flight a little bit better,” says Hartman. “And we’ll always be making progress.” Eventually, World View hopes to finalize the Stratollite product by the end of the year and go to market by 2020. “With every flight, we’re going to learn something that will make the next flight a little bit better.” World View isn’t the only company looking to capitalize on the benefits of high-altitude balloons. Google’s Project Loon is also hoping to use balloons to provide internet coverage from high in the sky, claiming it can keep its vehicles afloat for between 100 and 200 days. World View hasn’t explicitly expressed any plans for providing internet coverage, but the company says it already has customers signed up and interested in the service. However, Hartman won’t say which organizations are involved. “A lot of the work that we’re doing is based on what the market needs from us,” says Hartman. “And so we look forward to bringing them a product to the market and supporting those customers.” Additionally, World View’s long-term goals also include sending people, not just instruments, high into the sky on a program called Voyager. But those plans are seemingly on the back burner as the company focuses on Stratollites. “Once we have Stratollite in the marketplace, we’ll turn our attention to our future products,” says Hartman. SOURCEThe Verge	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1030
__label__wiki	0.957651	0.957651	No. 2 Zverev survives, Dimitrov falls at French Alexander Zverev wins second straight 5-set match at French Open ESPN News Services PARIS -- Second-seeded Alexander Zverev saved a match point in the fourth set and then outlasted Damir Dzumhur in the fifth on Friday to reach the fourth round of the French Open for the first time. Zverev struggled against the array of deft drop shots that Dzumhur used to drag the German into the net, where he was less effective, after the first set, but he eventually prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 on Court Philippe Chatrier. Bosnia's Dzumhur, seeded 26th, had a match point on Zverev's serve at 5-4 in the final set. Having never played a five-set match at Roland Garros until this year, Zverev has now won two back-to-back. Said Zverev, when asked what was going through his mind about playing another five-setter: "Mainly, I was thinking [about] what I was going to have for lunch." Alexander Zverev has reached the fourth round at a major for only the second time in his career. Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports Dzumhur had just held serve at the start of the fourth set when he and the ball boy ran into each other as they were both looking skyward to catch a ball. For a few anxious moments, the boy seemed hurt, lying on the red dirt. But he then picked himself up with Dzumhur's help. Zverev, ranked third, has never been seeded as high as No. 2 at a major before. It is the first time since the 2006 Australian Open that someone other than Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray has been among the top two seeded players at a major. W2W4 at French Open: The stars are beginning to align in Paris Djokovic smashes racket, ousts Bautista Agut The courts of Roland Garros are more than a workplace for Steve Johnson Fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov fell to 0-7 against top-50 opponents at the French Open and still has never made it to the fourth round at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. Dimitrov, a two-time major semifinalist, bowed out 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 in the third round against Fernando Verdasco, who is ranked 35th and seeded 30th. In his previous match, Dimitrov had come back after trailing two sets to one and defeated Jared Donaldson 10-8 in the fifth set. That 4-hour, 19-minute victory might have taken something out of Dimitrov, who fell to 0-15 when trailing by two sets in a match at a major. "I definitely need to take some time off now to reassess the whole clay-court season, to be honest," Dimitrov said after the match. "That's going to be the No. 1 priority for me now to kind of step out from the tennis for a little bit, try to watch some matches and try to progress somehow and just get better." Verdasco, meanwhile, got to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the seventh time. He has lost at that stage on all six previous chances to reach the quarterfinals. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the last No. 2 seed that failed to reach the second week at the French Open was Andy Roddick in 2005. Kei Nishikori advanced to the fourth round by beating Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. The 19th-seeded Nishikori, who broke Simon's serve five times and saved all six break points on his own serve, will next play either seventh-seeded Dominic Thiem -- a semifinalist at Roland Garros the past two years -- or unseeded Italian Matteo Berrettini. Nishikori has twice reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, including last year. He will next face seventh-seeded Dominic Thiem, who reached the fourth round by beating unseeded Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2. Thiem, who has reached the semifinals at Roland Garros the past two years, dropped his serve twice, but had seven aces and broke Berrettini's delivery six times. Lucas Pouille and Karen Khachanov were in the third set on center court when their third-round match was halted because of rain. On nearby Suzanne Lenglen Court, eighth-seeded David Goffin was midway through the third set against No. 32 Gael Monfils. Both matches will be completed Saturday.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1032
__label__wiki	0.853547	0.853547	Nations, Philosophy, Simbols Trier (German pronunciation: [tʁiːɐ̯] ( listen); Luxembourgish: Tréier [ˈtʀɜɪ̯ɐ]), formerly known in English as Treves (French: Trèves, IPA: [tʁɛv]) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. Trier lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the west of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, near the border with Luxembourg and within the important Moselle wine region. The German philosopher and one of the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx was born in the city in 1818. View over Trier Coordinates: 49°45′N 6°38′E • Lord Mayor Wolfram Leibe (SPD) Population (2015-12-31)[1] 980/km2 (2,500/sq mi) Trevian CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) 54290–54296 (except 54291) Dialling codes www.trier.de Founded by the Celts in the late-4th century BC as Treuorum, it was later conquered by the Romans in the late-1st century BC and renamed Trevorum or Augusta Treverorum (Latin for «The City of Augustus among the Treveri«). Trier may be the oldest city in Germany.[2][3] It is also the oldest seat of a bishop north of the Alps. In the Middle Ages, the Archbishop-Elector of Trier was an important prince of the church, as the archbishop-electorate controlled land from the French border to the Rhine. The Archbishop-Elector also had great significance as one of the seven electors of the Holy Roman Empire. With an approximate population of 105,000, Trier is the fourth-largest city in its state, after Mainz, Ludwigshafen, and Koblenz.[4] The nearest major cities are Luxembourg (50 km or 31 mi to the southwest), Saarbrücken (80 kilometres or 50 miles southeast), and Koblenz (100 km or 62 mi northeast). The University of Trier, the administration of the Trier-Saarburg district and the seat of the ADD (Aufsichts- und Dienstleistungsdirektion), which until 1999 was the borough authority of Trier, and the Academy of European Law (ERA) are all based in Trier. It is one of the five «central places» of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Along with Luxembourg, Metz and Saarbrücken, fellow constituent members of the QuattroPole union of cities, it is central to the greater region encompassing Saar-Lor-Lux (Saarland, Lorraine and Luxembourg), Rhineland-Palatinate, and Wallonia. Main article: History of Trier The Porta Nigra The Cathedral of Trier Palais Walderdorff Electoral Palace The first traces of human settlement in the area of the city show evidence of linear pottery settlements dating from the early Neolithic period. Since the last pre-Christian centuries, members of the Celtic tribe of the Treveri settled in the area of today’s Trier.[5] The city of Trier derives its name from the later Latin locative in Trēverīs for earlier Augusta Treverorum. The historical record describes the Roman Empire subduing the Treveri in the 1st century BC and establishing Augusta Treverorum in 16 BC.[citation needed] The name distinguished it from the empire’s many other cities honoring the first emperor Augustus. The city later became the capital of the province of Belgic Gaul; after the Diocletian Reforms, it became the capital of the prefecture of the Gauls, overseeing much of the Western Roman Empire. In the 4th century, Trier was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire with a population around 75,000 and perhaps as much as 100,000.[6][7][8][9] The Porta Nigra («Black Gate») dates from this era. A residence of the Western Roman Emperor, Roman Trier was the birthplace of Saint Ambrose. Sometime between 395 and 418, probably in 407 the Roman administration moved the staff of the Praetorian Prefecture from Trier to Arles. The city continued to be inhabited but was not as prosperous as before. However, it remained the seat of a governor and had state factories for the production of ballistae and armor and woolen uniforms for the troops, clothing for the civil service, and high-quality garments for the Court. Northern Gaul was held by the Romans along a line from north of Cologne to the coast at Boulogne through what is today southern Belgium until 460. South of this line, Roman control was firm, as evidenced by the continuing operation of the imperial arms factory at Amiens. The Franks seized Trier from Roman administration in 459. In 870, it became part of Eastern Francia, which developed into the Holy Roman Empire. Relics of Saint Matthias brought to the city initiated widespread pilgrimages. The bishops of the city grew increasingly powerful and the Archbishopric of Trier was recognized as an electorate of the empire, one of the most powerful states of Germany. The University of Trier was founded in the city in 1473. In the 17th century, the Archbishops and Prince-Electors of Trier relocated their residences to Philippsburg Castle in Ehrenbreitstein, near Koblenz. A session of the Reichstag was held in Trier in 1512, during which the demarcation of the Imperial Circles was definitively established. In the years from 1581 to 1593, the Trier witch trials were held, perhaps the largest witch trial in European history. It was certainly one of the four largest witch trials in Germany alongside the Fulda witch trials, the Würzburg witch trial, and the Bamberg witch trials. The persecutions started in the diocese of Trier in 1581 and reached the city itself in 1587, where it was to lead to the death of about 368 people, and was as such perhaps the biggest mass execution in Europe in peace time. This counts only those executed within the city itself, and the real number of executions, counting also those executed in all the witch hunts within the diocese as a whole, was therefore even larger. The exact number of people executed has never been established; a total of 1,000 has been suggested but not confirmed. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Trier was sought after by France, who invaded during the Thirty Years’ War, the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Spanish Succession, and the War of the Polish Succession. France succeeded in finally claiming Trier in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars, and the electoral archbishopric was dissolved. After the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815, Trier passed to the Kingdom of Prussia. The German philosopher and one of the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx was born in the city in 1818. As part of the Prussian Rhineland, Trier developed economically during the 19th century. The city rose in revolt during the revolutions of 1848 in the German states, although the rebels were forced to concede. It became part of the German Empire in 1871. In June 1940 over 60,000 British prisoners of war, captured at Dunkirk and Northern France, were marched to Trier, which became a staging post for British soldiers headed for German prisoner-of-war camps. Trier was heavily bombed and bombarded in 1944 during World War II. The city became part of the new state of Rhineland-Palatinate after the war. The university, dissolved in 1797, was restarted in the 1970s, while the Cathedral of Trier was reopened in 1974. Trier officially celebrated its 2,000th anniversary in 1984. View of the city from St. Mary’s Column (Mariensäule). Trier from the east (Petrisberg). Trier sits in a hollow midway along the Moselle valley, with the most significant portion of the city on the east bank of the river. Wooded and vineyard-covered slopes stretch up to the Hunsrück plateau in the south and the Eifel in the north. The border with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is some 15 km (9 mi) away. Largest groups of foreign residents Population (2013) Poland 688 Luxembourg 573 Neighbouring municipalities Listed in clockwise order, beginning with the northernmost; all municipalities belong to the Trier-Saarburg district Schweich, Kenn and Longuich (all part of the Verbandsgemeinde Schweich an der Römischen Weinstraße), Mertesdorf, Kasel, Waldrach, Morscheid, Korlingen, Gutweiler, Sommerau and Gusterath (all in the Verbandsgemeinde Ruwer), Hockweiler, Franzenheim (both part of the Verbandsgemeinde Trier-Land), Konz (Verbandsgemeinde Konz), Igel, Trierweiler, Aach, Newel, Kordel, Zemmer (all in the Verbandsgemeinde Trier-Land) Organization of city districts Districts of Trier The Trier urban area is divided into 19 city districts. For each district there is an Ortsbeirat (local council) of between 9 and 15 members, as well as an Ortsvorsteher (local representative). The local councils are charged with hearing the important issues that affect the district, although the final decision on any issue rests with the city council. The local councils nevertheless have the freedom to undertake limited measures within the bounds of their districts and their budgets. The districts of Trier with area and inhabitants (December 31, 2009): Official district number District with associated sub-districts in km2 11 Mitte/Gartenfeld 2.978 11,954 12 Nord (Nells Ländchen, Maximin) 3.769 13,405 13 Süd (St. Barbara, St. Matthias or St. Mattheis) 1.722 9,123 21 Ehrang/Quint 26.134 9,195 22 Pfalzel 2.350 3,514 23 Biewer 5.186 1,949 24 Ruwer/Eitelsbach 9.167 3,091 31 West/Pallien 8.488 7,005 32 Euren (Herresthal) 13.189 4,207 33 Zewen (Oberkirch) 7.496 3,634 41 Olewig 3.100 3,135 42 Kürenz (Alt-Kürenz, Neu-Kürenz) 5.825 8,708 43 Tarforst 4.184 6,605 44 Filsch 1.601 761 45 Irsch 4.082 2,351 46 Kernscheid 3.768 958 51 Feyen/Weismark 5.095 5,689 52 Heiligkreuz (Alt-Heiligkreuz, Neu-Heiligkreuz, St. Maternus) 2.036 6,672 53 Mariahof (St. Michael) 7.040 3,120 Totals 117.210 105,076 Main sights Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier Ruins of the Imperial Baths Amphitheater, Roman bridge, Barbara Baths, Igel Column, Porta Nigra, Imperial Baths, Aula Palatina, Cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche Cultural: i, iii, iv, vi 1986 (10th Session) Trier is known for its well-preserved Roman and medieval buildings, which include: the Porta Nigra, the best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps; the huge Constantine Basilica, a basilica in the original Roman sense, was the 67 m (219.82 ft) long throne hall of Roman Emperor Constantine; it is today used as a Protestant church; adjacent is the Electoral Palace, Trier; the Roman Trier Amphitheater; the 2nd century AD Roman bridge (Römerbrücke) across the Moselle, the oldest bridge north of the Alps still crossed by traffic; ruins of three Roman baths, among them the largest Roman baths north of the Alps; including the Barbara Baths and the Trier Imperial Baths; Trier Cathedral (German: Trierer Dom or Dom St. Peter), a Catholic church that dates back to Roman times; its Romanesque west façade with an extra apse and four towers is imposing and has been copied repeately; the Cathedral is home to the Holy Tunic, a garment said to be the robe Jesus was wearing when he died, as well as many other relics and reliquaries in the Cathedral Treasury; the Liebfrauenkirche (German for Church of Our Lady), which is one of the most important early Gothic churches in Germany, in some ways comparable to the architectural tradition of the French Gothic cathedrals; St. Matthias’ Abbey (Abtei St. Matthias), a still-in-use monastery in whose medieval church the only apostle north of the Alps is held to be buried; St. Gangolf’s church is the city’s ‘own’ church near the main market square (as opposed to the Cathedral, the bishop’s church); largely Gothic; Saint Paulinus’ Church, one of the most important Baroque churches in Rhineland-Palatinate and designed in part by the architect Balthasar Neumann; two old treadwheel cranes, one being the Gothic «Old Crane» (Alte Krahnen) or «Trier Moselle Crane» (Trierer Moselkrahn) from 1413, and the other the 1774 Baroque crane called the «(Old) Customs Crane» ((Alter) Zollkran) or «Younger Moselle Crane» (Jüngerer Moselkran) (see List of historical harbour cranes). Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier Rheinisches Landesmuseum (an important archaeological museum for the Roman period; also some early Christian and Romanesque sculpture); Domschatzkammer (Treasury of Trier Cathedral; with the Egbert Shrine, the reliquary of the Holy Nail, the cup of Saint Helena and other reliquaries, liturgical objects, ivories, manuscripts, etc., many from the middle ages); Museum am Dom, formerly Bischöfliches Dom- und Diözesanmuseum (Museum of the Diocese of Trier; religious art, also some Roman artefacts); Stadtmuseum Simeonstift (history of Trier, displaying among other exhibits a scale model of the medieval city); Karl Marx House; a museum exhibiting Marx’s personal history, volumes of poetry, original letters, and photographs with personal dedications. There is also a collection of rare first editions and international editions of his works, as well as exhibits on the development of socialism in the 19th century; Toy Museum of Trier; Ethnological and open-air museum Roscheider Hof, a museum in the neighbouring town of Konz, right at the city limits of Trier, which shows the history of rural culture in the northwest Rhineland Palatinate and in the area where Germany, Luxembourg and Lorraine meet; Fell Exhibition Slate Mine; site in the municipality of Fell, 20 km (12 mi) from Trier, containing an underground mine, a mine museum, and a slate mining trail. Uni Trier Campus 1 University of applied sciences, central campus Trier is home to the University of Trier, founded in 1473, closed in 1796 and restarted in 1970. The city also has the Trier University of Applied Sciences. The Academy of European Law (ERA) was established in 1992 and provides training in European law to legal practitioners. In 2010 there were about 40 Kindergärten,[10] 25 primary schools and 23 secondary schools in Trier, such as the Humboldt Gymnasium Trier, Max Planck Gymnasium, Auguste Viktoria Gymnasium and the Nelson-Mandela Realschule Plus, Kurfürst-Balduin Realschule Plus, Realschule Plus Ehrang.[11] Until 2014, Trier was home to Germany’s largest Roman festival, Brot und Spiele (German for Bread and Games — a translation of the famous Latin phrase panem et circenses from the satires of Juvenal) Trier has been the base for the German round of the World Rally Championship since 2000, with the rally’s presentation held next to the Porta Nigra. Trier holds a Christmas street festival every year called the Trier Christmas Market on the Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square) and the Domfreihof in front of the Cathedral of Trier. Trier station has direct railway connections to many cities in the region. The nearest cities by train are Cologne, Saarbrücken and Luxembourg. Via the motorways A 1, A 48 and A 64 Trier is linked with Koblenz, Saarbrücken and Luxembourg. The nearest commercial (international) airports are in Luxembourg (0:40 h by car), Frankfurt-Hahn (1:00 h), Saarbrücken (1:00 h), Frankfurt (2:00 h) and Cologne/Bonn (2:00 h). The Moselle is an important waterway and is also used for river cruises. A new passenger railway service on the western side of the Mosel is scheduled to open in December 2018.[12] Moselstadium Trier Major sports clubs in Trier include: SV Eintracht Trier 05, association football Gladiators Trier, basketball (former TBB Trier) DJK/MJC Trier, women’s team handball Trier Cardinals, baseball PST Trier Stampers, American Football FSV Trier-Tarforst, intera alia football and rugby Notable residents See Heinz Monz: Trierer Biographisches Lexikon. Landesarchivverwaltung Rheinland-Pfalz, Koblenz 2000. 539 p. ISBN 3-931014-49-5. Kaspar Olevianus Eucharius (died ~250), first bishop of Trier Maximian (ca. 250–310), Roman emperor Valerius (died 320), second bishop of Trier St Athanasius (In exile ca. 335) Helena (ca. 250–330), saint, mother of Constantine the Great[13] Paulinus (died 358), bishop of Trier Valentinian I (321–375), Roman emperor Ausonius (ca. 310–395), Roman consul and poet Ambrose (ca. 340–397), saint Kaspar Olevianus (1536–1587), theologian Heinrich (1777–1838) and Henriette Marx (1788–1863), parents of Karl Marx Jenny Marx née von Westphalen (1814–1881), revolutionary, drama critic, wife of Karl Marx, mother of Jenny Longuet, Laura Marx and Eleanor Marx Karl Marx (1818–1883), German social philosopher and revolutionary August Beer (1825–1863), scientist Frederick A. Schroeder (1833–1899), American politician, mayor of Brooklyn Ludwig Kaas (1881–1952), Catholic priest and politician of the Zentrum Oswald von Nell-Breuning (1890–1991), German theologian Reinhard Heß (1904–1998), painter and glass painter Wolf Graf von Baudissin (1907–1993), German general, military planner and peace researcher Peter Thullen (1907–1996), German-Ecuadorian mathematician Gitta Lind (1925–1974), singer (e.g. «White Elder») Ernst Huberty (born 1927), sports reporter («Mister Sportschau») Günther Steines (1928–1982), athlete Franz Grundheber (born 1937), baritone Günther Geiermann (1939–2013), actor Otmar Seul (born 1943), lawyer, professor Helga Zepp-LaRouche (born 1948), journalist and politician Xavier Bout de Marnhac (born 1951), French general, former commander of KFOR Robert Zimmer (born 1953), German philosopher and essayist Ernst Ulrich Deuker (born 1954), musician of Ideal François Weigel (born 1964), French pianist, composer and conductor Eric Jelen (born 1965), tennis player Martin Bambauer (born 1970), church musician Frank Findeiß (born 1971), poet International relationsEdit Trier is a fellow member of the QuattroPole union of cities, along with Luxembourg, Saarbrücken, and Metz (neighbouring countries: Luxembourg and France). TwinningEdit See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany Trier is twinned with: Metz, France since 1957 Gloucester, United Kingdom, since 1957 Ascoli Piceno, Italy, since 1958 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, since 1968 Pula, Croatia, since 1971[14] Fort Worth, Texas, United States since 1987[15] Weimar, Germany since 1990 Nagaoka, Japan, since 2006 Xiamen, China, since 2010 NamesakesEdit New Trier Township, Illinois, USA, originally settled by people from Trier. New Trier, Minnesota, USA, settled by people from Trier about 1856. New Trier High School, an Illinois school named after Trier. «Gemeinden in Deutschland mit Bevölkerung am 31. Dezember 2015» (PDF). Statistisches Bundesamt (in German). 2016. Rathaus der Stadt Trier. «Stadt Trier — City of Trier — La Ville de Trèves \| Website of the Municipality of Trier». web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2002-08-08. Retrieved 2015-08-26. The honor is disputed among Trier, Worms, Kempten, and Cologne. «Bevölkerung der Gemeinden am 31.12.2010» (PDF). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz (in German). 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-31. See: Heinen, pp. 1-12. «TRIER THE CENTER OF ANTIQUITY IN GERMANY» (PDF). 8 March 2012. Retrieved 2015-08-26. LaVerne, F.K. (1991). Europe by Eurail 2010: Touring Europe by Train. Globe Pequot Press. p. 337. ISBN 9780762761630. Retrieved 2015-08-26. «The Fall and Decline of the Roman Urban Mind \| Svante Fischer and Helena Victor — Academia.edu». academia.edu. Retrieved 2015-08-26. «Stadt Trier — Startseite \| Kindergärten in Trier». cms.trier.de. Retrieved 2015-08-26. «Stadt Trier — Startseite – Schulen in Trier». cms.trier.de. Retrieved 2015-08-26. Fender, Keith (12 February 2014). «Plans approved for Trier suburban line Written by». International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2014-02-25. «Catholic Encyclopedia — St. Helena — Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon». heiligenlexikon.de. Retrieved 2015-08-26. «Međunarodna suradnja Grada Pule». Grad Pula (in Croatian and Italian). Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2013-07-28. «Fort Worth». Sister Cities International. Retrieved 2014-04-11. authorchurchEnglish as TrevesGermanyGrand Duchy of LuxembourghistoryKarl MarxLuxembourgPhilosophyReligionSt. Mary's Column (Mariensäule)Trier Назад Предыдущая запись: Бригита Далее Следующая запись: William Stukeley	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1033
__label__wiki	0.534927	0.534927	Music to shed tears to I have mentioned before that certain songs can make me cry. Of course, with my mental wobbliness factor, I don’t necesarily need any songs to accomplish this goal, as at my worst somebody saying hello or a black cloud or nothing at all can open the floodgates, but there are definitely songs which can cause me to well up even when I am in a stable mental state. I have expressed my tearful admiration for ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’ before, and it sits alongside other songs written for Broadway shows before the Second World War which have stood the test of time in both singability and the power to move listeners to tears. The Gershwin brothers’ ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ and Jerome Kern’s ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’ (lyrics by Otto Harbach) are the greatest examples of this for me. Songs of love either lost or never found in the first place, expressed with simplicity, directness and a velvety melody. From the other side of the coin, Irving Berlin’s ‘How Deep is the Ocean?’ (not from a show as far as I know), which speaks of a love of incredible depth and fortitude can make me start to well up, as can ‘All the Things You Are’ by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein. Of those, only Cole Porter’s ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’ is absolutely consistent in its tearjerking, as the others depend on the rendition. The right singer coupled with these songs can be absolutely heart-wrenching. If the signer truly inhabits the lyrics, they bring the listener in and make them really feel the sense of loss, longing or passion, sweeping all and sundry up in the emotions of a truly glorious song. Other examples depend very much on context. With music from the theatre, context can be everything. An otherwise fairly mediocre song can really pull on the heart strings if it’s in the right place in the plot, pushing the right buttons, an advantage that pop songs don’t tend to have. The finale for Cabaret, for instance, is peculiar. Discordant, messy and completely unable to stand on its own outside the show. However, having seen and performed in the musical, it can bring forth tears for me in subsequent listenings, because it rekindles the memories of the show’s emotional content, mixed as it is with the beginnings of the Holocaust. Not to be outdone, British composers for the theatre have also contributed to the theatrical tearjerker catalogue. In Blood Brothers, Willy Russell created a moving play where the music is not necessary, but certainly enhances the theatregoing experience. The final number, ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’, which comes at a moment which is utterly devastating for characters and audience, has the auditorium in floods of tears. And in Billy Elliot, Elton John and Lee Hall may as well have hung signs saying “Cry NOW” from the lighting rig when ‘The Letter’ arrives, as young Billy reads a letter his mother wrote to him before she died. It would be a moving moment in a non-musical play, but the music gives it that cathartic edge. And sometimes, it’s a different kind of context that can cause a song to make me cry. After my grandfather’s death, the song ‘You Walk With Me’, from (of all things) the stage version of The Full Monty, moved me in a way it never had before, speaking of the way in which a departed loved one lives on in your life. When evening falls and the air gets colder And shadows cover the road I am following. Will I be alone, there in the darkness? No, not alone. Not alone and I’ll never be. Never alone. You are walking, you’re walking with me. And from Curtains, currently running on Broadway, ‘I Miss the Music’ has a depth and resonance outside of its theatrical context. In it, a composer sings of how he misses his lyricist, his wife who has drifted away from him. However, the hidden context of this is that it is a song written by composer John Kander after Fred Ebb, his songwriting partner for over 40 years, died. Knowing this context, having admired the work of Kander and Ebb for many years, and feeling the depth of loss behind the words and the halting, hesitant melody, brought me to tears the first time I heard the song. A performance of this song has been YouTubed, and though it may not be the greatest song in John Kander’s catalogue, it will remain one of the most moving, at least for me. Some songs then, needed no context before they moved me, while others needed either their theatrical context or a moment that connected with my life to achieve the same effect. I have often mentioned the power of music to uplift and excite me, and it seems quite clear that it can affect me in many other ways. In these cases, it is primarily the lyrics which have the effect, but they would not have anything like the same effect if the melody and harmony were removed. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye evocative music Fred Ebb I Miss the Music John Kander You Walk With Me This is a very moving post. I was nodding vigorously nad sniffling just a little through-out. Thank you. I know all the words to Every Time We Say Goodbye. We have the Ella Fitzgerald version on CD, and while I make an appalling hash of it, I do sing along. And feel weepy. And this despite being one of the luckiest women on earth in that I did marry the great love of my life. You see, we spent the first six years of our relationship at least 200 miles apart except for the odd weekend, and I lived in terror the whole thing would fall to pieces any minute. So while I can sing it happily now, I remember being unable to sing it without choking up then. Ah, music. And Tallis’s Spem in Alium. I first heard it at the funeral of a beloved and tragically young aunt (not even 40). I cry helplessly every time I hear it now. And it’s so beautiful. Singing Librarian I can certainly see why it makes you sniffle. I don’t really understand why it affects me, as I’ve never been in love at all. With non-theatre music, the ‘In Paradisum’ from Verdi’s Requiem gets me, and from the world of opera, Dido’s Lament and the chorus that comes after it are very sniffle-worthy. I’m not sure whether that is a result of having performed in it, though. I would like to agree with Reed. Thank you for a moving post, which brought to mind lots of beautiful songs. I don’t know all of the songs you mention, but I empathise with your reaction to the ones I do know. Of the songs that you mention, I think ‘Someone to watch over me’ is still the one that gets to me the most, followed closely by ‘All the things you are’. I agree with you about the finale for Cabaret, as well. It’s so ominous, but also very moving. Leave a Reply to Singing Librarian Cancel reply	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1035
__label__cc	0.559879	0.440121	Somebody’s not clear on the concept… DALLAS — Anyone turning in their U.S. citizenship application on Wednesday or after will have to learn “What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?”‘ and “What does the Constitution do?” This country wasn’t set up as a democracy per se; in fact, the word “democracy” appears nowhere in that document. And there were reasons for that, not the least of which was that it’s all too easy for individual rights — such as, to cite a pertinent example, the Right to Keep And Bear Arms — to be sacrificed to the whim of the majority under the democratic form of government, whereas in a republic, there are certain safeguards to reduce the likelihood of that happening. I have to wonder, are there any questions about which form of government the Founding Fathers actually set up in the Constitution? And are there any questions about the differences between that form of government and a pure “democracy”? I’m betting there isn’t. And that’s just downright pathetic. Another random observation… I’d heard about the Microsoft “I’m a PC” ads but up until now I’d never seen one. Well, that just changed. I saw this one, and the only thing I really know to say is, “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over?” “I’m a PC, and I wear a suit!” And…? This is the best Bill Gates’ whiz kids could come up with? All righty then. Not surprised, just disappointed… I thought it was more than a little disingenuous for Kathleen Parker to point to the Charles Gibson interview with Sarah Palin as evidence that she’s “out of her league” when that was clearly — when compared to Gibson’s interview with Barack Obama — one of the biggest mainstream media hit jobs on a Republican candidate that’s ever been done. (And of course it was by no means the only one.) And I didn’t really think the Palin soundbites Parker cited in her own hit piece were really so bad compared to the word vomit Obama and Biden have been belting out that the mainstream media have been slobbering over since day one. I daresay it’s a good bit more substantive, even, than Obama’s HopenChange(tm) gimmick. But it should be remembered that Parker in effect referred to the sins of Dan Rather and Eason Jordan as “tripping.” I’ll admit that Kathleen Parker does hit the X-ring many times, but when she’s off the mark, she’s WAY off the mark. Tags:media, politics Posted in media, politics \| Leave a Comment » "..because of teh RACISM!" …according to a rather unexpected politician, apparently… What is Barack Obama’s biggest remaining obstacle on his road to the White House? A nationally prominent Republican sums it up in a word: “Bubba.” “The Bubba vote is there, and it’s very real, and it is everywhere,” former House Majority Leader Dick Armey recently said. “There’s an awful lot of people in America, bless their heart, who simply are not emotionally prepared to vote for a black man.” It’s bad enough to see the Democrats copping this shit…it’s beyond disheartening to see a Republican doing it too, and one of the heroes of the 1994 revolution to boot. What about Obama’s associations with people like William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright? Or his proposal of the civilian national security force? Or the mandatory community service? Oh his blatant disrespect for tens of millions of people in this country, as evidenced by the bitter-clinger remark to the San Francisco donors? Or his further alienation of those same voters with his extremely anti-firearm record? (Speaking of that, is anyone REALLY surprised that his brownshirts would threaten to yank the broadcast licenses of stations that ran ads exposing that record? Obama has no respect for the Second Amendment, what makes anyone think he or his minions respect any of the other amendments in the Bill of Rights?) How about his choice for vice-president, a man who thinks gun owners are mentally ill? No, it’s none of that, it’s because of teh RACISM! Really, you’d think that would have manifested itself more during the primaries, if it was really that big of an issue…and why is it that voting against Obama because of his race is cast as a bad thing, yet nothing is said of those who will be voting for Obama for the same reason? I guess this is how the left applies the “any chair in a bar fight” philosophy, but it’s still quite disgusting. Ooooh, good taste… Bill Cody’s Classic Country Weekend is playing here. Lee Ann Womack’s his in-studio guest this week. She just said that if she had one record to listen to for the rest of her life, it’d be Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman.” I always thought Womack had great taste…while I don’t know if that one would be at the top of my list, it’d be damn close. “And I need you more than want you…and I want you for all time…” do we really want to legitimize this? Wow, what do you say to this? Rep. Alcee Hastings told an audience of Jewish Democrats Wednesday that they should be wary of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin because “anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks.” I have to wonder what hunting moose and carrying guns has to do with the fate of Jews and black people. It’s quite a rich irony that it’s always whites who get accused of racism and bigotry, yet other races seem to get a pass on that even though theirs is often much more potent, as we see here. Perhaps this example doesn’t mean that much, considering that such rhetoric comes from an impeached federal judge, but taken in tandem with the support of people like Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers — not to mention those asshats who warn of things like race and class wars if Obama loses, or even the fact of Obama’s being a product of the thoroughly corrupt Chicago political machine — it more or less demolishes the “post-racial candidate of change” shibboleth Obama and his worshippers like to peddle. Do we really want to legitimize the statements like the one Alcee Hastings made — and the mindset embodied in such statements — by electing Barack Obama president? I sure as hell hope not. you’re a…what? Yeah, I got a huge kick out of this: Microsoft’s new ad features contrasts a “stereotyped PC user” dressed up like John Hodgman in Apple’s Get a Mac ads with a number of people who say, “I’m a PC” apparently to affirm that they run Windows. However, not even Microsoft itself can wean itself off the Mac, as the metadata discovered by Flickr user LuisDS points out. Microsoft was not only using Macs but also Adobe’s software in place of its own Expressions Studio, which the company bills as software that “takes your creative possibilities to a new level.” Sort of makes those folks who claim Apple’s success is all about marketing and those who go on and on about the “serious design and operational shortcomings” look like they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. I don’t claim that Apple’s perfect, but when you have the manufacturer of the Mac operating system’s main competitor using the Mac operating system to make the advertisements for that competing system, well, that pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? (h/t Cold Fury) Random Musings: Sniper Rifles? And what about those OTHER guns? Sean Braistead says, “I’d say an important difference between a 12 gauge shotgun and a .50 caliber sniper rifle is the ability to blow a head off from a half mile away.” Leaving aside the disgusting leftist hyperbole inherent to all their gun-related discussion, what about the lethality of less-powerful cartridge such as the 7.62mm NATO at an even greater distance? Are we next going to start hearing all about the threat to national security posed by those eeeeevil 7.62mm NATO sniper rifles? It just goes to show that demonizing something like a deer rifle as a “long-range sniper gun” isn’t that far from the more common gun-ban talking points. As far as Greasy Joe Biden (thanks, Michael Bane) saying Barack Merle Haggard Obama isn’t going to take his shotgun…well, what about my 1911s, or, say, Mike’s AR-15? Would that the press had asked him about that, but I suppose that’d be too much to ask. Of course, as Robert says, the NRA actually encourages this sort of thing with, for example, the photos of Charlton Heston waving the flintlock instead of a more politically-incorrect weapon… Tags:guns, politics Posted in guns, politics \| Leave a Comment » Some irony for your Monday morning The headline on this story reads, “Bailout strikes many on Main Street as unfair.” The prevailing sentiment among the regular folks interviewed is that it’s wrong for the feds to effectively force taxpayers (and it should be noted we’ll ultimately be forced at gunpoint, natch) to pay for the bad decisions of Wall Street, i.e., to make loans to people who didn’t have sufficient income or assets to pay those loans back. Yet in that story, there’s a picture of a man holding a sign that says, “Bail out Main Street Not WALL STREET.” What this sign holder is apparently advocating is for the taxpayers to be forced to pay for the bad decisions of just a different set of people. Now, how is THAT any more fair to those who actually lived within their means? Random Sunday Media Musings I am not really sure what to say to this, from Ellen Goodman of the Boston Globe… Sarah Palin may yet be the fulfillment of an old feminist prophecy that Texan Sissy Farenthold once described with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. We will have achieved equality the day mediocre women take their place beside mediocre men. Check that one off the to-do list. Oh wait, I know exactly what to say to that. Palin should consider it a badge of honor to be called mediocre by a bitter old harridan like Ellen Goodman. Ole Sarah Barracuda must really be doing something right. And then there’s this, from Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune… As we enter the season of highest political advice, here’s my advice to the Democrats: Dumb it down. I don’t need to give that advice to the Republicans. They’ve been dumbing it down for years. That’s why they keep winning. Do I sound condescending? Do I sound like I am talking down to Joe and Josephine SixPack out there in working class America? No way. I come from working class America. I know. It takes smarts to dumb the issues down well enough to help people to make an intelligent choice. Hey, um, Clarence? Just a tip…when you’re basically asking for someone else’s opinion, you’re really not supposed to give your own. Makes you look like more than a bit of an arrogant ass..Methinks you’re not nearly as smart as your station in life has led you to think you are. …(McCain’s) party’s ticket is well positioned to pull off a possible victory. Why? A big reason is how McCain-Palin has outmatched Obama’s elegant charisma in winning the support of working-class white voters. …(Obama’s) college professor side tends to show…. Ok then. I’d argue that another (arguably as big) reason McCain has pulled into a dead heat with Obama is that as more and more Americans get wind of Obama’s plans for the country — i.e., an economy-crushing tax burden to finance yet more Nanny-state reindeer games and potentially an all-out ban on civilian ownership of firearms — they come to see that while flawed, the McCain-Palin ticket is much preferable to that. As for Obama and his college professor side…it’s not the “eloquence” that’s the problem there. It’s the idealism and utter lack of knowledge of how the world outside academia works that’s the problem. But I really didn’t expect Page to know that.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1036
__label__cc	0.731819	0.268181	Tankini 1998 The tankini is a swimsuit combining a tank top and a bikini bottom.[134][156][157] Tankinis can be made of spandex-and-cotton or Lycra-and-nylon.[158] Designer Anne Cole, the US swimwear mogul, was the originator of this style in 1998.[134][159] A variation is named camkini, with spaghetti straps instead of tank-shaped straps over a bikini bottom.[160] According to Beth Dincuff Charleston, research associate at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "The bikini represents a social leap involving body consciousness, moral concerns, and sexual attitudes."[38] By the early 2000s, bikinis had become a $811 million business annually, according to the NPD Group, a consumer and retail information company,[107] and had boosted spin-off services like bikini waxing and the sun tanning industries.[7] Thailand has some of the most beautiful islands and beaches in the world. I could do an entire tropical island pictures photo story from its off shore getaways alone! Koh Lipe is one of those islands. Located right on the Malaysian Border, the trip out to Koh Lipe is worth it. Longtail boats line every beach in Southern Thailand making for the picture perfect setting for anyone travelling to the tropics. As bikinis leave most of the body exposed to potentially dangerous UV radiation, overexposure can cause sunburn, skin cancer, as well as other acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eyes, and immune system.[250] As a result, medical organizations recommend that bikini wearers protect themselves from UV radiation by using broad-spectrum sunscreen, which has been shown to protect against sunburn, skin cancer,[251] wrinkling and sagging skin.[252] Certain sunscreen ingredients can cause harm if they penetrate the skin over time.[253] One feminist viewpoint sees the bikini uniform as objectification of women athletes.[178] US beach volleyball player Gabrielle Reece described the bikini bottoms as uncomfortable with constant "yanking and fiddling."[177][188] Many female beach volleyball players have suffered injuries by over-straining the abdominal muscles while many others have gone through augmentation mammoplasty to look appealing in their uniforms.[178] Australian competitor Nicole Sanderson said about match break entertainment that "it's kind of disrespectful to the female players. I'm sure the male spectators love it, but I find it a little bit offensive."[189] The tropical islands of the South Pacific are one of the last unspoiled regions of our planet. Isolated from the rest of the world by the vast expanse of the blue ocean, these volcanic islands rise with immense beauty from the depths, while others are but mere flat coral atolls. Home to exotic ancient cultures, thrilling hikes, endless underwater treasures and of course, the prettiest beaches in the world – no two islands are ever the same. I have visited over 30 Pacific islands on several trips to the region and here are my personal favorites, the very best – the top 10 tropical islands in the South Pacific. Panama is an underrated destination in Central America, including the San Blas Islands. This is a popular spot for sailing and boat tours, though there are also some resorts in case you’re looking for a more luxurious stay. Generally, the islands are quite rustic and make for a great off-the-grid island getaway. There are tons of beautiful spots for good sailing, diving, and snorkeling. Come to the beaches of happy people acrobats fire flow artists, creators, innovators, exercise junkies, The happiest homeless people you'd ever meet! The breathtaking scenery and positive vibes are contagious and make you want to stay and live here which I did ! Definitely go on a Wednesday night to see acrobatic performances by their pier and the amazing OB market ! Grenada is not your typical Caribbean Island. Dubbed Spice Island, visitors will find numerous nutmeg plantations in the island’s interior. A tour of Belmont Estate, Belvedere Plantation, the nutmeg processing and spice factory at Gouyave, and St. George’s Market Square should be on every visitor’s bucket list. Of course there are the requisite stunning beaches, 45 in all, with Grand Anse being the premier beach. Other Grenada highlights include River Antoine Rum Distillery, the spectacular harbor town of St. George’s, and day sails to the two smaller islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique. Eco-travelers will appreciate La Sagesse Nature Center and Grand Etang National Forest Preserve. Tour companies and guides are given specific times for when their guests can snorkel at a particular site. This restriction enhances the experience, as your view of a shark won’t be interrupted by another group’s flippers. The best place to snorkel without a guide is a beach close to the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, which is reached by passing iguanas and sea lions that sit on the sand along the way. A third type of volcanic oceanic island is formed over volcanic hotspots. A hotspot is more or less stationary relative to the moving tectonic plate above it, so a chain of islands results as the plate drifts. Over long periods of time, this type of island is eventually "drowned" by isostatic adjustment and eroded, becoming a seamount. Plate movement across a hot-spot produces a line of islands oriented in the direction of the plate movement. An example is the Hawaiian Islands, from Hawaii to Kure, which continue beneath the sea surface in a more northerly direction as the Emperor Seamounts. Another chain with similar orientation is the Tuamotu Archipelago; its older, northerly trend is the Line Islands. The southernmost chain is the Austral Islands, with its northerly trending part the atolls in the nation of Tuvalu. Tristan da Cunha is an example of a hotspot volcano in the Atlantic Ocean. Another hotspot in the Atlantic is the island of Surtsey, which was formed in 1963. I’ve traveled quite a bit internationally as my husband is from Austria so I’ve visited some of the places you’ve mentioned. But I’m looking to leave MI for 3 months in winter and head down south, but have to stay in the US due to my husband staying back in MI for work, so he would fly down and visit me once a month. Plus my two kids will be in college, so I’d like them to have the chance to visit me as well. In Scuba diving, as one descends, in addition to the normal atmospheric pressure, water exerts increasing pressure on the chest and lungs—approximately so the pressure of the inhaled breath must almost exactly counter the surrounding or ambient pressure to inflate the lungs. By always providing the breathing gas at ambient pressure, modern equipment ensures the diver can inhale and exhale naturally and virtually effortlessly, regardless of depth. Bait Reef has some of the most eye-popping coral formations in the world. Most famous are The Stepping Stones, made up of nearly 20 flat-topped pinnacles lined up like soldiers in formation on the southwest side of the reef. Each rises from a depth of 80 feet and stop only three feet from the surface. They are completely covered with coral. Be on the lookout for the small tropical fish that swarm around the tops of the stones. Women in athletics often wear bikinis of similar size as those worn in beach volleyball. Amy Acuff, a US high-jumper, wore a black leather bikini instead of a track suit at the 2000 Summer Olympics.[198] Runner Florence Griffith-Joyner mixed bikini bottoms with one-legged tights at the 1988 Summer Olympics, earning her more attention than her record-breaking performance in the women's 200 meters event.[199] In the 2007 South Pacific Games, the rules were adjusted to allow players to wear less revealing shorts and cropped sports tops instead of bikinis.[200] At the West Asian Games in 2006, organizers banned bikini-bottoms for female athletes and asked them to wear long shorts.[201] 9:00am, 12:30pm, 5:00pm low 3 hrs Beverages Despite the garment's initial success in France, women worldwide continued to wear traditional one-piece swimsuits. When his sales stalled, Réard went back to designing and selling orthodox knickers.[67] In 1950, American swimsuit mogul Fred Cole,[38] owner of mass market swimwear firm Cole of California, told Time that he had "little but scorn for France's famed Bikinis."[68] Réard himself would later describe it as a "two-piece bathing suit which reveals everything about a girl except for her mother's maiden name."[69] Fashion magazine Modern Girl Magazine in 1957 stated that "it is hardly necessary to waste words over the so-called bikini since it is inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency would ever wear such a thing".[9][38] Attached to the demand end of the snorkel at the bottom of the barrel, the mouthpiece serves to keep the snorkel in the mouth. It is made of soft and flexible material, typically natural rubber and latterly silicone or PVC. The commonest of the multiple designs available[51] features a slightly concave flange with two lugs to be gripped between the teeth (see Figure 9): Snorkels constitute respiratory dead space. When the user takes in a fresh breath, some of the previously exhaled air which remains in the snorkel is inhaled again, reducing the amount of fresh air in the inhaled volume, and increasing the risk of a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can result in hypercapnia. The greater the volume of the tube, and the smaller the tidal volume of breathing, the more this problem is exacerbated. A smaller diameter tube reduces the dead volume, but also increases resistance to airflow and so increases the work of breathing. Occasional exhalation through the nose while snorkeling will slightly reduce the buildup of carbon dioxide, and may help in keeping the mask clear of water. It may also increase fogging. thailand in phuket maybe got around 20m but very urban area …..to teach sax you basically going to have to set up your own little teaching studio long term and your internet requirements are really going to limit you to very specific larger urban islands… believe me I’ve been learning about this the hardway , like I said my wife needs half way decent internet to work , we moving to a house in the jungle on Morro de Sao paulo in Brazil….you can get internet there , but try pinning down the one install guy on the island who has to shlepp down there to install it…..and my wife’s Brazilian so theres no communication barrier….if you can’t communicate in these places with such specific needs you really going to get fustrated quick. Make sure to bring at least two months cash to live off (at least) til you get everything sorted out Beginning in the early 1970s, local development and land interests pressed for the development of Ocean Beach's oceanfront, with plans for tourist-oriented resorts, hotels and a marina outlined in the Ocean Beach Precise Plan. With the passage of a 30-foot (9.1 m) height limit in 1972 and the re-writing of the Precise Plan, the development plans for the waterfront were abandoned.[citation needed] While this is not a tropical island, it is one of the most beautiful beaches in central America, so it made the list anyway. Located on the northeast corner of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, the Mayan Riviera offers stunning Caribbean views, powder-fine sand, warm azur water to swim in and some of the best all-inclusive beach resorts in the world. You’ll find incredible snorkeling and diving just off the coastline, and a plethora of adventure sports and activities, not to mention a very active nightlife. There are dozens of Mayan archaeological sites, like Tulum and Chichen Itza, as well as hidden underground cenotes to explore. 4. Cranium care: Wearing a swim cap or bandana around your head not only keeps hair out of your snorkel but also helps to keep your scalp from burning on a sunny day. An especially good style of bandana to wear is the one that surgeons don in the operating room—the ties prevent them from slipping off. Pick one up from a medical supply company for cheap. I really liked the atmosphere in Kaohsiung and Kenting, Taiwan as well as Yeosu, South Korea. I enjoyed their beaches, fast wi-fi, and laid back vibe. Kaohsiung is a larger city, but is artsy. Kenting is a tad touristy and expensive, but made up for it with it’s beautiful secluded beaches. Yeosu also has a lot of tourists, but totally unique rock formations and numerous islands along the coast. Another safety concern is interaction and contact with the marine life during encounters. While seals and sea turtles can seem harmless and docile, they can become alarmed if approached or feel threatened. Some creatures, like moray eels, can hide in coral crevices and holes and will bite fingers when there is too much prodding going on. For these reasons, snorkeling websites often recommend an "observe but don't touch" etiquette when snorkeling.[67] Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island is a long crescent of coral sand beach on the western end of the island. Seven Mile Beach is known for its incredible beauty, and even though it’s not exactly seven miles (more like 4.5), vacationers flock to its developed coastline in troves. You can spend your days lounging at a resort right on the beach, go to nearby Stingray Island and swim with the stingrays or go snorkeling with the turtles. Which of these great locations would you recommend for a family with teenagers who like to dive and surf? We have been to Hawaii, Costa Rica and Tahiti. We are looking for a safe, yet different, cultural experience with exotic plants, fish and animals. We would prefer to stay in one villa, as opposed to multiple rooms in a hotel. We don’t mind if it is far away from Southern California. I realize this may be painful financially. Great article – I found it last year and went to ko phanang for a month over Xmas because of it! I loved it so much I went back for the month of April – I’ve been back in London for a month and already thinking of going back again…. Or trying out one of your other suggestions – however I’m just not sure how to beat ko P for wifi, food & budget… Out of all the above I’m drawn to try out Vietnam – thank you for this article – it actually helped changed my life to become more digitally nomadic X The greatest danger to snorkelers are inshore and leisure craft such as jet skis, speed boats and the like. A snorkeler is often submerged in the water with only the tube visible above the surface. Since these craft can ply the same areas snorkelers visit, the chance for accidental collisions exists. Sailboats and sailboards are a particular hazard as their quiet propulsion systems may not alert the snorkeler of their presence. A snorkeler may surface underneath a vessel and/or be struck by it. Few locations demarcate small craft areas from snorkeling areas, unlike that done for regular beach-bathers, with areas marked by buoys. Snorkelers may therefore choose to wear bright or highly reflective colors/outfits and/or to employ dive flags to enable easy spotting by boaters and others.[citation needed] These statues, which average 13 feet in height and weigh about 14 tons, were created between the 10th and 16th century by the early inhabitants of the island. These monolithic stone heads are baffling to researchers who cannot figure out why the Rapa Nui people went through such enormous efforts to create them or how they carved them with primitive tools. Another lingering question is what happened to the Rapa Nui people? Rapa Nui’s early inhabitants came from other Polynesian island to this one to build a unique culture away from any influences. One theory is that they may have built these statues to honor their ancestors but had to leave once they had completely depleted the island resources. Once a thriving culture, Rapa Nui is today almost barren, with no trees and most of its soil being washed away in erosion. All that is left are these enormous monuments as a reminder of human achievement and resilience. The fitness boom of the 1980s led to one of the biggest leaps in the evolution of the bikini. According to Mills, "The leg line became superhigh, the front was superlow, and the straps were superthin."[211] Women's magazines used terms like "Bikini Belly",[212] and workout programs were launched to develop a "bikini-worthy body".[213] The tiny "fitness-bikinis" made of lycra were launched to cater to this hardbodied ideal.[214] Movies like Blue Crush and TV reality shows like Surf Girls merged the concepts of bikini models and athletes together, further accentuating the toned body ideal.[215] Some women, motivated by yearly Spring Break festivities that mark the start of the bikini season in North America,[216] engage in eating disorders in an attempt to achieve the ideal bikini body.[215] I've been to a lot of beaches, and this is one of the more beautiful beaches in California. And it wasn't crowded, the people here are friendly and the beach looks very clean. There are Mountain Views on the north side of the beach and many cafés surrounding on the east. You should come out and enjoy a day of fun! There was also a lot of parking and bathroom so very assessable facilities. It’s all about doubling your pleasure when you go to this private Brazilian spot, and no, we aren’t talking about a threesome post-Carnival. This private island is actually two islands connected by a bridge. Two houses, two decks, two times the fun. The property is on Ilha Grande, a 15-minute crossing by boat from Portogalo and two hours from Rio. The main house rocks four bedrooms, the smaller house two, and there are five canoes on site for all of your paddling needs. Ocean Beach has two schools: Ocean Beach Elementary (a K-4 public school) and Warren-Walker (a K-8 private school). The community also features multiple churches, a public library, a U.S. post office, and a vegetarian food co-op. Recreational facilities include the Ocean Beach Recreation Center, Dusty Rhodes Park, and the Robb Field athletic fields and skate park. Sports journalism expert Kimberly Bissell conducted a study on the camera angles used during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games beach volleyball games. Bissell found that 20% of the camera angles were focused on the women's chests, and 17% on their buttocks. Bissell theorized that the appearance of the players draws fans attention more than their actual athleticism.[190][191] Sports commentator Jeanne Moos commented, "Beach volleyball has now joined go-go girl dancing as perhaps the only two professions where a bikini is the required uniform."[177][188][192] British Olympian Denise Johns argues that the regulation uniform is intended to be "sexy" and to attract attention.[193] Rubén Acosta, president of the FIVB, says that it makes the game more appealing to spectators.[178] No personal information on users of the site www.snorkeling-report.com is published without the knowledge of the user, nor exchanged, transferred, transmitted or sold on any media to a third party. In the event of Snorkeling Report Int. and its rights being sold, the said information would be transmitted to the buyer, who would in turn have the same obligations of preserving and modifying data relating to the site’s users. During my time as a digital nomad, I’ve done a lot of research to find the ideal places to spend the winter where there is rich culture, natural beauty, reliable high-speed Internet, a low cost of living and a thriving community of English-speaking digital nomads. I’m also not a big drinker or partier, so I like to avoid the superficial party scenes and go to places where I can meet interesting expats and get work done. As the sun began to set, I suddenly realized that most of the light would go with it. Before my visit, I’d imagined T.I. would simulate the long days by the equator. Instead, because most of the dome is opaque, it’s darker inside T.I. on a sunny day than outside the dome, and when the sun goes down IRL, it also goes down inside the cavernous air hanger. But first, a faux sunset—courtesy of magenta and orange stage lights—that made the rock grotto lagoon pool look ripe for a Bachelorette taping. Express offers a variety of women’s bikini top styles for you to rock in the warm weather! For a classic cut, try the triangle top, or stay on trend with a halter neck or mesh bikini top. If you’re a fashion leader, go for the one shoulder look, like the Ribbed One Shoulder Bikini Top, or try a detailed look with a Ruffle Scoop Neck Bikini Top. Finish the look with your favorite pair of sunglasses! Mask & Snorkel- There is nothing worse than having equipment that don’t fit. This can cause panic and hysteria as bubbles and water seep in your mask. When renting equipment, make sure that your mask fits you. A general test is if you hold the mask to your face and breath in through your nose. If the mask seals perfectly and stays in place without you holding it then you have yourself a mask that fits perfectly. The word island derives from Middle English iland, from Old English igland (from ig or ieg, similarly meaning 'island' when used independently, and -land carrying its contemporary meaning; cf. Dutch eiland ("island"), German Eiland ("small island")). However, the spelling of the word was modified in the 15th century because of a false etymology caused by an incorrect association with the etymologically unrelated Old French loanword isle, which itself comes from the Latin word insula.[3][4] Old English ieg is actually a cognate of Swedish ö and German Aue, and related to Latin aqua (water).[5] Located in the Caribbean Sea, this Dutch-owned island is perfect. Voted one of the best in the Caribbean, Curacao is like being in tropical Holland. The town is built in the Dutch style, but the surrounding areas are all tropical. Hit the beaches, lay in the sun, and party the night away. This may not be Gilligan’s Island, but what it lacks in privacy, it makes up for in romance and fun. NO FOGGING OR FILLING UP: No Mask is completely fog proof, warm body heat and colder water temperature can create fogging in any mask. We have included a premium anti fog spray Fog-X for use during these conditions. Our fog resistant design pushes air away from your face, leaving you with a clear view of the wildlife. The silicone edging seals water out, and the one-way drain technology pulls any extra water away when tilted. Looking great and feeling your best is easy when you have cute bikini swimsuits & two-piece swimsuits. With a stylish selection of on-trend women’s bikini tops, bikini bottoms & bikini sets, we’ve got your next look covered (at prices you’ll love). First, start with supportive styles you’ll wear again & again. Great-fitting underwire bikinis, push-up bikinis and bra sized swimwear will be new your vacay faves. Looking for the latest swimwear styles? Try popular bandeau bikinis or crochet bikinis. Plus, you can find swimsuits in your favorite colors, like trending pink bikinis. Make any day a beach day when you style up with Target.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1037
__label__cc	0.54692	0.45308	It’s quite amusing how strangers warn us every time we are about to enter a neighboring country. This happens nearly everywhere you go. Back in Europe people in Montenegro told us we are going to be robbed in Albania. Once there the locals were certain that Macedonia is a really rough place to be. We really enjoyed all the Balkan countries and met great people whose last thought would be to harm us. Now, in South America, history repeats itself. In French Guyana folks swore that by the time we reach Paramaribo the capital in Suriname, we will surely be kidnapped. Surinamese warned us about thieves in Guyana, ready to pull out knives in order to get our stuff. Only a few days ago we were told that there are cannibals all around Venezuela suffering the hunger because of the financial crisis. With a certain amount of distance, we listen to every advise and react with an even bigger measure of common sense. We are attentive and focused. However, we do avoid prejudice and never assume the worst case before reaching a new country. So we did arrive in Suriname. Avoiding the threat of kidnapping we’ve reached Paramaribo at the beginning of the New Year. The city’s architecture is a mixture of Dutch and British style. Wooden buildings with verandas, painted white with squeaky floors and undeniable charm are to be found everywhere. In front of many countryside houses, you can find little channels with bridges leading to properties. Some of them are built on high pillars in order to avoid flooding. British colonization left the country with left-hand side traffic which, like in Guyana, didn’t change since then. It’s worth to know that Suriname was colonized by Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands-with the biggest influence of the latter. Suriname, so unknown and unpopular in Europe, is extremely rich in culture and history. It’s home of 5 different religions and 5 different ethnicities. All live together, very surprisingly, in peace and harmony. One of the ethnic groups are Maroons- descendants of African slaves brought to Suriname to work. Their ancestors escaped plantations and lived in the jungle for years cultivating their traditions and customs. Therefore Surinamese interior is often told to be the home of the best preserved African culture outside of Africa. Creole people represent another ethnic group although they also are descendants of slaves. Their ancestors though were not the ones who fled to the interior. The line between them and the Maroons is not constant therefore the percentage of both ethnic groups varies from one survey to another. The biggest groups are Hindustani Indians and the second-Indonesians, mainly Javanese, who were sent to work in former British Guyana right after slaves fled in huge numbers to the interior. One can notice their influence in the architecture, occurring in vivid colors and rich ornaments of houses. The next group is the Amerindians living in the very south of the country in regions accessible only by plane or within days of boat journey. The native inhabitants don’t have much in common with other Surinamese citizens. With time they opened slightly to the tourism inviting people to their villages but remain independent. Many of Amerindian tribes were discovered recently, the last of them only in 1967! It is possible that there are still unknown nomadic tribes living in the jungle without any influence of the western world- no phones, no plastic, no Chinese clothes. Sounds incredible and wonderful at the same time, right? The next group is Europeans who came to Suriname during the colonization and Chinese who have overtaken entirely the food market and own almost all grocery shops in the country. You can still observe a strong bond between the Netherlands and Suriname. In fact, after establishing independence in 1975, Surinamese who were born by that time could choose if they wanted to remain Dutch citizens. Nearly everyone in the country speaks fluent Dutch even though the lingua franca is Sranan Tongo (the same language is spoken by the Bushinengue- Maroon in French Guyana which is called there taki-taki). Many people from Holland come here to study and work and even more to spend here their retirement. The four religions are Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Pagan believes of some Amerindians and Maroons. Hundreds of temples, often neighboring one another are built all over the country. The modern history of Suriname is very complicated and the political situation hard to understand. The country was divided by a civil war in the eighties. After establishing independence from the Netherlands, the new government lasted five years before the first military coup. The army led my Dési Bouterse took over the country. People of Suriname were at first happy with the events, because it seemed like the government appropriated all the money given to Suriname by Holland and the USA. The happiness didn’t last long, as people realized that the army’s leadership became a dictatorship. The Dutch initially accepted the new government; however, relations between Suriname and the Netherlands collapsed when 15 members of the political opposition were killed by the army on December 8, 1982. This event is also known as the December murders. The Dutch and Americans cut off their aid in protest at the move. Dési Bouterse is believed to have killed personally two of his opponents himself. 1982 brought the Maroon rebellion. The guerilla army fought the government in Paramaribo accusing them of stealing citizens money. The revolt was strongly suppressed by Bouterse and many innocent Maroons were brutally killed. The leader of the jungle troupes is now one of the richest people in the country and has his own political party. He used to have a habit of throwing money on the streets to poor people. Now, the most surprising and the craziest fact is that Dési Bouterse was elected a Surinamese president in 2010 and is most likely to win the next elections. Nobody was able to explain to us exactly why people voted for someone known to be a killer except the fact he is a charismatic spokesman. It can be difficult to fully understand the country without being born in it. On our very first day, we got to know about fruits and plants of the country, cultivated in Surinamese gardens – if you also want to learn, click here. The second day wasn’t any less exciting as there was dolphin spotting in the plan! Pink dolphins can be seen all over the Amazonia region and it’s a truly wonderful experience to meet them. We did a city tour, have seen the most wonderful temples- the Basilica, Great Mosque, the biggest Hindu temple as well as the Synagogue and visited a former plantation called Pepperpot. Almost all the buildings remained there untouched so we could see how the masters and slaves were living, where they worked and stored their goods. Sugar cane, coffee, and cacao were the most popular plants to be cultivated. Did you know that coffee usually grows in the shade of a large tree planted to protect it from the strong sun? This tree is known under the wonderful name of Coffee Mama! Talking about pepper-pot we can’t omit the topic of Surinamese food. Pepper-pot is a special sauce made out of juice of the bitter cassava and hot pepper. It is known as a Guyanese national dish but is popular and prepared all over the region. Pepperpot is used to marinate meat, it’s black and very thick. Now the interesting thing is that the juice of the bitter cassava is poisonous and if you would drink it, your hours are counted. To get rid of the toxicant it has to be boiled for hours or rather days. The bitter cassava juice is a secondary product of cassava bread production. Women in villages grain the raw vegetable and put into the long tube made out of straw called matapi. Then the tube is hanged high so the whole water can be squeezed out. Afterward, ladies stamp the drained cassava using tatti which looks like a huge baseball bat to finally get a dry powder- cassava flour. With that, they bake large round flatbreads which can be stored for weeks. We’ve seen the whole, long production during our stay in the interior. The most popular and the cheapest food available in Paramaribo is the Javanese one. Everywhere you can eat Indonesian style noodles called bami or rice called nasi. It is usually served with chicken or in a vegetarian version with long beans. Indian curry and Roti are another low budget options which are always a good idea. You haven’t seen Suriname if you haven’t seen its interior. That’s what we were told, so we cycled south to Pokigron to the point where the road ended and together with the tandem we took a boat further into the jungle. On our way there we spent some time in Berg en Dal where we zip-lined over the Suriname river and went for a short trip with a kayak –For more click here. Farther south we took a boat ride around Ston Eiland- a one of its kind place where thousands of trees were flooded and died creating a unique landscape of naked trunks poking out all over the lake. Finally, we’ve reached our destination- the village of Jaw Jaw. There we’ve spent two wonderful days with Saamaka people- one of the Maroon tribes. Bele- our dear host, guide and a very (!) talented cook told us all about the daily life in his village. We cooked together in gangasa- and outdoor kitchen and slept in traditional wooden huts. Some of those houses had a very small door and the reason for that is the fear of evil spirits. It is believed that ghosts can’t get inside a home if the door isn’t big enough. Together with Bele’s family and friends- his uncle, kids from the village (one of them was named Businessman- true story), a local hunter and Mr. Sweet Cake- the baskets manufacturer, we ate delicious food from the morning till the evening. The djanga futu (jungle deer) stew, green papaya and fried angooki (sort of a spiky cucumber) will remain in our memory for a long time. The recipe for coconut pancakes- boong coconoto is coming home with us and will be used to spoil our families and friends. The Jaw Jaw family has one very peculiar member. His name is Binky and he is a sloth. Spoiled by everyone, he enjoys eating rice and drinking from the bottle. We also had a pleasure to meet him and feed him. Strolling around the village we have seen the banana plantation, local school, and the cultural center where all the ceremonies and important meetings are held. When a person dies in Jaw Jaw, the funeral becomes a reason to celebrate, meet up and laugh together. People share good memories of the one who passed away happy that he is now in a better place. Learn all about Jaw Jaw here. Talking about death we have to mention the center of living in the Maroon society. The Suriname river is the source of life for people in Jaw Jaw and all the other villages on both banks. Its a source of food, it functions as a highway, it is a place where folks bath, women clean the dishes and wash clothes and a spot where all the children meet up to play together. One of the highlights and one of the most wonderful days in Suriname was the one we went for a quad trip. We drove through thick jungle and vast savannah, through muddy paths and sandy roads and it was simply amazing! Except of the part when Marta crashed into another quad (no casualties) we had the best time ever! It was a true adventure with a lot of action and beautiful landscapes. It’s an undeniable fact that during traveling you gain new skills and knowledge. Today we can say that we’ve learned how to fish the Surinamese way. Going to the swamp area on a motorboat with Fritz, a Surinamese fisherman with Indonesian origins and very German name we caught over 50 of them! We put the net across the water and distanced ourselves from it for about 100 meters. Coming back in a zigzag we hit the water with sticks to scare the fish and make them swim right into the net. It turned out to be a very efficient technique. And nothing tastes better than success! Well, maybe except for a fresh fried fish. Check out our swamp adventure here. After leaving Paramaribo we cycled in no time, supported almost all the way by a tailwind, to Nickerie- the second biggest city in Suriname located at the border with Guyana. We passed kilometers of rice fields and only a few small villages. Soon we’ve reached the ferry border crossing and the next country to explore.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1038
__label__cc	0.729949	0.270051	Building a Magnetohydrodynamic Multiphysics Model in COMSOL® Walter Frei June 19, 2019 The COMSOL Multiphysics® software is built from the ground up to be multiphysics capable so that the user can easily combine models representing different physics phenomena in whichever way they wish. Sometimes this can be achieved simply by using built-in features of the software, but in other cases, the user will need to do a little bit of extra work. Let’s look at such a workflow in the context of building a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. Modeling the Multiphysics of Magnetohydrodynamics The modeling of MHD phenomena is intrinsically a multiphysics problem; one must numerically solve for the coupling between fluid flow, current flow, and magnetic fields. These different fields are all described by partial differential equations, which can be solved for via the finite element method. An MHD problem of a conductive fluid in a channel between two magnets with applied current. Let’s look at how to do this in the context of a relatively simple-looking problem, as sketched above, of an incompressible conductive fluid within an insulative rectangular channel that connects two infinite reservoirs (not modeled) of equal hydrostatic pressure. There are two electrodes protruding through the flow channel on either side that drive an electrical current through the fluid by applying a potential difference. In addition, two circular magnets are placed above and below. The magnets set up a static magnetic field, \mathbf{B}, such that the fluid with conductivity, \sigma, moving with a velocity, \mathbf{v}, through this field will experience induced currents of \mathbf{J} = \sigma \left( \mathbf{v \times B}\right) . In addition to these induced currents, there are currents that arise as a consequence of the boundary conditions on the electric potential field, V, so that the total current in the fluid becomes: \mathbf{J} = \sigma \left( – \nabla V + \mathbf{v \times B}\right) This current, flowing through the magnetic field, will lead to a volume force on the fluid of \mathbf{F = J \times B} , and this will act to pump the fluid from one reservoir to the other. We will assume that the system operates at steady state. Coupling the Electric, Magnetic, and Flow Fields For this problem, we need to solve a system of partial differential equations within the fluid to describe the electric and magnetic fields. The equations are the following: \nabla \times \left( \mu_0^{-1} \mu_r^{-1} \mathbf{B} \right) = \mathbf{J} \nabla \cdot \mathbf{J} = 0 This set of equations is solved via the Magnetic and Electric Fields interface, which is part of the AC/DC Module, using the Ampère’s Law and Current Conservation feature along with the separate Velocity (Lorentz Term) feature. In the space surrounding the moving fluid, there is no current flow, so we only need to solve the single vector equation: \nabla \times \left( \mu_0^{-1} \mu_r^{-1} \mathbf{(B+B_r)} \right) = \mathbf{0} where \mathbf{B_r} is the remanent flux density, which is only nonzero in the magnet domains. When solving solely the above equation, use the Ampère’s Law feature available within the Magnetic and Electric Fields interface. We assume that the properties of the channel walls do not affect the fields and thus omit them from the model. A set of material properties and boundary conditions are used that will give illustrative results. The magnetic field boundary conditions everywhere are the Magnetic Insulation condition, except for on the xy-plane, where the Perfect Magnetic Conductor condition is used to exploit the symmetry of the system. The domains representing the electrodes must extend all the way to the boundary of the modeling domain, touching the Magnetic Insulation boundaries, to provide a current return path. The Ground and Terminal of type Voltage are applied on these exterior faces, while Electric Insulation conditions are applied on all other applicable boundaries. In addition, we also need to solve for the flow field in the channel. We will assume that the flow is laminar and thus solve the Navier–Stokes equations in the channel domain. If the flow were turbulent, we could have added a turbulence model. The Open Boundary condition is applied at either end of the channel, with a gauge pressure of zero. The Symmetry condition is applied on the xy-plane. The computational domain is shown in the image below. The computational domains and boundary conditions. The flow will be driven by the volume force that arises due to the interaction of the electric currents in the fluid and the magnetic fields, which is \mathbf{F = J \times B} . The expression for this force is not built into the software, so here we will need to do a little bit of manual work. We need to find the built-in expressions for the components of the current flow and magnetic field, which we can do by looking at the Equation View and generating a report, as described in a Knowledge Base entry on implementing user-defined multiphysics couplings. These built-in expressions are used to define the volume force on the fluid, as shown in the screenshot below. Screenshot showing the variables that compute the force components. Lastly, to couple the computed velocity field back to the electromagnetic problem, use the Velocity (Lorentz Term) feature within the Magnetic and Electric Fields interface, as shown in the screenshot below. Note that the software automatically recognizes the fluid velocity field as an input to this feature. And that is all there is to it! The coupling between the two physics is now completely implemented. Screenshot showing how the velocity is coupled into the Magnetic and Electric Fields interface. Meshing and Solving the MHD Problem As far as the element meshing and element order, a significant concern here is the computational size of the model. Solving for the magnetic and electric fields in the fluid and surrounding domains is the most computationally expensive part of the model, and we would thus like to keep the total number of mesh elements in the whole model at a minimum. Based on some rules of thumb for linear static problems, we can say that having at least second-order elements is a good starting point. Thus, we will switch the discretization of the fluid flow to a P2+P2 discretization, meaning that both velocity and pressure are described with second-order base functions. The magnetic and electric fields are both described using second-order discretization. Since all fields are discretized to at least second order, the geometry shape order will thus automatically also be second order. A complete investigation of alternative mesh orders and mesh size is left as an exercise to the motivated reader. When solving, the software will automatically use a so-called segregated approach that switches back and forth between determining the electromagnetic fields and the velocity field and calculates the linear subsystem for those fields, each with its own optimized iterative solver. As this multiphysics problem is inherently nonlinear, it is also generally helpful to be aware of the issues that might arise when solving such problems and how to address them, as discussed in this Knowledge Base entry on improving the convergence of nonlinear stationary models. The results of this multiphysics analysis are shown in the plots below. We observe a distinct pumping effect: The applied voltage causes current to flow through the fluid, and as these charges move through the magnetic field, they experience a force, which is imparted to the fluid. Results showing a fluid pumping due to the MHD multiphysics couplings. Simplifying the MHD Model What we’ve built up to this point is a model involving magnetic fields, electric currents, and fluid flow, and we have considered bidirectional couplings between all physics equations. That is, every physics phenomenon can affect all other physics phenomena. As it turns out, though, we do not need to do so for this particular case. Let’s next look at why this is and how it makes our model much simpler. If we go back and look at all of the governing equations from earlier, we can see that there are only two equations that introduce couplings between the physics phenomena. There is the equation \mathbf{F = J \times B} that imposes a force on the fluid due to the current and magnetic field, and there is the equation for the total current in the fluid \mathbf{J} = \sigma \left( – \nabla V + \mathbf{v \times B}\right). The latter equation says that the current arises due to the imposed voltage boundary conditions as well as due to the movement of the conductive fluid through the magnetic field. However, if we assume that the former term is much larger than the latter (that is, – \nabla V \gg \mathbf{v \times B}), then we simplify the current equation to: \mathbf{J} = \sigma \left( – \nabla V \right) . This means that the fluid flow problem does not affect the current, which means that the flow equations can be solved entirely separately from the electromagnetic field equations. That is, we can first solve for the electromagnetic fields, and once those are known, use those fields as an input to the flow problem, which makes the problem unidirectionally coupled. An additional simplification can be made. Strictly speaking, the magnetic field arises due to the magnets as well as the current flow. However, for the boundary conditions and material properties that we consider here, the magnetic field that arises due to the current flow is much smaller than the magnetic field due to the magnets. Thus, we can make the simplifying assumption that the magnetic field arises solely due to the magnets; that is, the currents do not produce a significant magnetic field. As a consequence, we can solve for the magnetic fields under the assumption of no currents and solve for the electric currents separately using the Magnetic Fields, No Currents and Electric Currents interfaces, respectively. These physics interfaces have a similar set of boundary and domain conditions to the ones previously discussed. The Magnetic Fields, No Currents interface defines the equation \nabla \cdot \left( \mu_0 \mu_r \mathbf{H + B_r} \right) = 0, which is much less computationally expensive than the set of equations defined in the Magnetic and Electric Fields interface. Also, this equation can be solved independently of the electric currents. Screenshot showing the setup of the simplified model. The screenshot above shows the setup of a new model after considering these simplifications. The expression for the volume force on the fluid will use different variable names, but otherwise, the model is very similar to before. Note that three different physics interfaces are solved in three separate study steps. The Magnetic Fields, No Currents and the Electric Currents interface equations can be solved separately and both must be solved prior to the Laminar Flow interface equations. Results of the simplified MHD model. The solution time will be greatly reduced when solving this simplified case, as compared to the fully coupled case, since the physics equations are solved separately and the software does not need to iterate between them. We can see from the results shown above that the solutions are almost identical to the previous, unsimplified case. Of course, these assumptions and simplifications that we’ve made do have their limitations, so it never hurts to check against a full model, but the power and flexibility of the COMSOL Multiphysics platform let us easily build both simplified and complete models, compare them, and modify them in whatever way we desire. Are you ready to get started with your own multiphysics modeling? Contact COMSOL here! If you want to download the example model presented, it is available by clicking the button below (note that you must log into a COMSOL Access account and have a valid software license): AC/DC & Electromagnetics AC/DC Module CFD Module Automatic Time Step and Order Selection in Time-Dependent Problems Using Simulation Software in the Courtroom	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1044
__label__wiki	0.949223	0.949223	Finsbury Park mosque attack: JK Rowling slams 'victim blaming' press coverage Anthony Pearce Yahoo News UK 19 June 2017 One man has died after an attack on a Mosque in north London (Rex) JK Rowling has condemned press coverage of the Finsbury Park mosque attack that left one dead and injured 10 as “disgusting” victim blaming. In the early hours the morning, a van driver mounted a pavement running down Muslim worshippers at prayers in north London. The terrorist suspect, 48, who shouted “I’m going to kill all Muslims” before he was tackled to the floor according to witnesses, is now in police custody. Rowling, the Harry Potter author, attacked the “usual newspapers” after elements of the press accused the place of worship as harbouring terrorists. Victim blaming in the usual newspapers is disgusting. #FinsburyPark mosque won an award for combating extremism. https://t.co/xhmfpmSubN — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 19, 2017 The Mail has misspelled 'terrorist' as 'white van driver.' Now let's discuss how he was radicalised. pic.twitter.com/HPw2czZiV9 Linking to a article in the Islington Gazette, she noted that the Finsbury Park Mosque, on St Thomas’s Road, has been commended for tackling extremism. In November 2014, it was given a Visible Quality Mark by national body Community Matters. At the time, Jeremy Corbyn, who is MP for Islington North, congratulated the mosque’s achievements. Thoughts & prayers with all those affected by the horrific terrorist attack on innocent people in #FinsburyPark. https://t.co/mbBCS9Gaad pic.twitter.com/Fvhl3DOAV4 — Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 19, 2017 “Your hard work and good results that are so valuable within our community deserve this wider recognition,” he said. “It can be tough for charities in this climate, yet despite that you have been able to demonstrate high standards in all areas across your organisation.” MORE: Theresa May to hold emergency meeting as Sadiq Khan decries ‘horrific terrorist attack’ at Finsbury Park mosque The Telegraph MORE: Witness describes Finsbury Park mosque attack The religious site is where radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza had preached for more than a decade, and became known as a “haven” for extremists. In 2003, it was raided by police and then shut down. It was reopened in February 2005 with a new board of trustees supported by the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), who were tasked with stamping out extremism. Let's talk about how the #FinsburyPark terrorist was radicalised. pic.twitter.com/Lx1woEaLKL Hamza was the imam of Finsbury Park Mosque from 1997 until 2003, when he was expelled by the Charity Commission, having been suspended in 2002. He was charged with 16 offences of inciting violence and racial hatred and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in 2006. In 2012, he was extradited to the US where was found guilty of 11 terrorism charges and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Abdulrahman Saleh Alamoudi, who was at mosque last night, said he was among a group of people helping an elderly worshipper who had fallen down, possibly due to the heat, when the van swerved towards them. He told BuzzFeed News: “This big van just came and went all over us. “I think at least eight or 10 people got injured. Luckily I managed to escape. And then the guy came out of his van and I got him. “He was screaming, he was saying, ‘I’m going to kill all Muslims, I’m going to kill all Muslims’. He was throwing punches. “Then we managed to get him on the floor. Then he was saying, ‘Kill me, kill me’. “I said, ‘We are not going to kill you. Why did you do that?’ He wouldn’t say anything.” Evening Standard comment: We give full marks to the #FullStrength campaign Man who drove car into police at UK parliament guilty of attempted murder Boris Johnson claimed his bike had been stolen after previously saying it broke Gun megastore plan in New Zealand's Christchurch sparks backlash - media Billie Holiday: The wild lady of jazz who adored England MH17: Five Crucial Questions Investigators Still Want Answers To Brit tourist, 23, could be paralysed after horror water park accident in Benidorm	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1045
__label__cc	0.574992	0.425008	Markets New Zealand Stocks Consumer Cyclicals Other Specialty Retailers KATHMANDU HOLDINGS NPV NZX Follow KMD Following KMD Unfollow KMD KMD Stock Chart Data for NZX is only available to registered users Sector: Consumer Cyclicals Industry: Other Specialty Retailers Kathmandu Holdings Limited is a specialist outdoor retailer. The Company is engaged in designing, marketing and retailing of clothing and equipment for travel and adventure. The Company's segments include New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. It offers a range of apparels, including waterproof jackets, down jackets, thermals, fleece jackets, shirts and pants, merino apparel and thermals, and footwear and socks. It also offers equipment, including packs, bags, sleeping bags, tents, travel accessories and camping accessories. The Company operates approximately 110 stores in Australia, over 46 stores in New Zealand and approximately four in the United Kingdom. The Company's subsidiaries include Milford Group Holdings Limited, Kathmandu Limited, Kathmandu Pty Limited and Kathmandu (U.K.) Limited.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1046
__label__wiki	0.631969	0.631969	Los Angeles EyeCare Optometry Group Member Vision Source Network Menu (213) 628-7419 Call Us Appointments Meet the experienced and friendly doctors and staff who make Los Angeles EyeCare Optometry Group a proud provider of vision care products and services in Los Angeles. Gregory Y. Kame, O.D., F.A.A.O. Doctor of Optometry Doctor Greg Kame received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Irvine in 1995. He then graduated in 1999 from the Southern California College of Optometry where his father graduated 37 years earlier. Dr. Kame is a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Optometry. He served on the California State Board of Optometry, accepting 1 of only 6 professional positions appointed by the Governor of California. He is a past President of the Asian American Optometric Society and has served many years on its board. He currently serves as one of its trustees. Dr. Kame serves as Past-President of the Alumni Association Board at the Southern California College of Optometry. He has served many years on its board as a Director and as Vice-President. He is Treasurer and Secretary of the nationally renowned contact lens group called the Society of Contact Lens Specialists. He is the Secretary of the Optometric Consultants in Contact Lenses. He is a San Gabriel Valley Vision Source Administrator. Vision Source is the world largest, independent optometric alliance with over 5000 doctor members. He is also a member of the Los Angeles County Optometric Society, California Optometric Association, Asian American Optometrc Society, and American Optometric Association. Dr. Kame has served on the National Professional Advisory Panel coordinated by Vistakon, a Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. He is also a Clinical Examiner and Grader for the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). The NBEO is a nationwide clinical exam that graduating optometric students must pass to obtain their practicing license. Dr. Kame is Glaucoma certified and is licensed in the use of diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. He is able to treat eye diseases such as “pink eye”, corneal ulcers, conjunctivitis, herpes, keratitis, and bacterial infections. He has had extensive clinical experience at Nellis Air Force Base Veterans Hospital in Nevada, the Optometric Center of Los Angeles, the Optometric Center of Fullerton, and the West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital. Dr. Kame’s goal is to continue the tradition of excellent, innovative, “cutting edge” eye care his father provided for his “extended family” for 38 years. His office continues to participate in pharmaceutical, medical, and ocular research studies. Dr. Kame is an avid golf and basketball player. He is married to Anna S. Kame, also an optometrist, who works near their home in Orange County. They have 4 children: 3 daughters and a son. Their names are: Kaitlyn, Brooklyn, Lucas, and Avery. In honor of Dr. Greg Kame’s father, the late Dr. Rodger Toshio Kame, Lucas was given the middle name, Toshio. Lynn K. Matsuda, O.D., F.A.A.O. Dr. Matsuda received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, followed by her matriculation at the Southern California College of Optometry, where she graduated with distinction in 1990. Dr. Matsuda is a past president of the Asian American Optometric Society, California’s largest Optometric Society. She is a member of the California Optometric Association, Los Angeles County Optometric Association, and the American Optometric Association. She is a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Optometry. She is Glaucoma certified and is licensed in the use of diagnostic and theraputic pharmeceutical agents. Dr. Matsuda became a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (F.A.A.O.) following an arduous qualifying process. To become a Fellow, one is required to write clinical case reports, as well as publish papers in referred journals, and meet stringent professional standards. A final oral examination requirement is required. Upon successfully completing the oral examination, one is then awarded the Fellow status. Only 10 percent of Optometrists ever become Fellows of the Academy. Dr. Matsuda is an avid hula dancer and competitor. She and her husband, Doug Kato, have 2 kids: Halli and Kyle. Desireh Akhamzadeh, O.D., F.A.A.O. Doctor Desireh Akhamzadeh, known as Doctor Desi by most, was born and raised in the West Los Angeles area. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2012. During her undergraduate career, Dr. Desi worked as a vision therapist, an experience that ultimately solidified her decision to pursue a career in optometry. She went on to complete her optometry training at the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University, graduating in 2016. Dr. Desi has had extensive clinical experience at many institutions including Cedars Sinai Medical Group of Beverly Hills, John Wesley Community Health Clinic in Los Angeles, and the University Eye Center in Los Angeles. Following graduation, Dr. Desi completed a prestigious residency in Pediatric Optometry and Vision Therapy at Marshall B. Ketchum University. Upon completion of residency, Dr. Desi was offered the privilege of serving as adjunct clinical faculty for the Southern California College of Optometry. She currently serves as a clinical preceptor to fourth year optometry students at Marshall B. Ketchum University’s clinic, University Eye Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Desi is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and serves on the board of the Los Angeles County Optometric Society. She is a member of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development as well as the California Optometric Association. Dr. Desi is Glaucoma certified and is licensed in the use of diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. Her passions include the diagnosis and management of pediatric and adult strabismus, amblyopia, and binocular vision conditions. During her residency, she served as an associate investigator for the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group, a collaborative group of optometrists and ophthalmologists dedicated to answering important clinical questions through clinical trials. Dr. Desi enjoys serving the community and continuing the tradition of excellent patient care as part of the Los Angeles Eyecare Optometry Group. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, hiking, cycling, drinking boba, and spending time with her friends and family. Judy Nojima Judy, our bilingual Optician has been with us for over 20 years. She has been in health care related employment for the past 30 years. Her bilingual ability makes non-english speaking patients comfortable while visiting our office. Judy is involved in The Kevyn Nojima Foundation, honoring her son who passed away in 2003 from bone cancer. She has an older son, Eric, who was married in May 2011. Judy holds degrees as Natori in classical Japanese dancing as well as Koto (Japanese Harp). She enjoys babysitting my grandkids Lauryn and Conner. April Miyatake Finance Coordinator April was born in Los Angeles in the Crenshaw district. She moved to the Los Feliz area in the mid-60s and later attended John Marshall High School. While attending CSUN she worked in Little Tokyo at Joseph’s Mens Wear. While working at Joseph’s she met Alan, her future husband. They were later married in 1978. April and Alan have two beautiful daughters, Sydney and Lindsey. She also enjoys traveling, especially to the High Sierras to fish for trout in the back country lakes and streams. If anyone needs great quality photography for weddings, special occasions, portraits, etc., be sure to ask April about Toyo Miyatake Studio. Her husband, Alan, owns his family photography business. Jenny Bott Jenny is very outgoing and free-spirited. She likes to go on adventures and do outdoor activities with her dog, Brody and her friends, such as: rock climbing, off-roading, snowboarding, hiking, and camping. She also enjoys going to the beach and attending concerts. Jenny was in the AFJROTC for 3 years and volunteered in the Memorial Honor Detail at the Riverside National Cemetary. She’s very open-minded and kind-hearted. She loves to help others in anyway she possibly can. Stephanie Pardo Patient Care Specialist Stephanie was born in Los Angeles. She spent most of her youth living in Palm Springs. She enjoys exercising daily, which includes swimming and running. She has a big heart and cares about how people are treated. She loves to learn new things and explore new places. She especially loves spending time with her family and son. Paul was born and raised in Southern California. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from UC Irvine. Paul is an AOA certified paraoptometric and ABO certified optician. He finds fulfillment in helping and working with people. Some of his hobbies include: working out at the gym, singing, and playing the piano. On his off days Paul enjoys exploring Logic Pro, a music production software. Ryan Nakamura Ryan was born and raised in Southern California. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis. He enjoys meeting new people and is always looking for ways he can help. Ryan likes to travel and go on adventures with his family and friends during his free time. Some hobbies of his include photography, backpacking, fishing, and cooking. Linda To Linda was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from UCR. She enjoys hanging out with her family, friends, and her dog, Snooki. She enjoys cooking, shopping, and finding new places to explore. Linda is very patient and finds joy in helping others. Alice Kim Bio: Coming Soon Cyndi Nguyen Rodger T. Kame, O.D., F.A.A.O. Founder, Los Angeles EyeCare-Optometry Group Dr. Rodger T. Kame was born on September 23, 1938 in East Los Angeles. He had 4 brothers and 1 sister. While growing up he attended University High School in Los Angeles. After his graduation he went on to Santa Monica College and then the Los Angeles College of Optometry (now called the Southern California College of Optometry, or, S.C.C.O.) where he graduated with both a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Optometry degree in 1962. He served in the United States Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant in the Biomedical Science Corps as an optometrist from 1962 to 1965. In 1965 he was honorably discharged from service. Then in 1966 he accepted the opportunity to continue the practice left by Dr. Art Sugino. Since 1971 he has served on the faculty of his alma mater of S.C.C.O. as an adjunct associate professor. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for S.C.C.O. for the past 6 years and most recently served as a member of its Executive Committee. Prior to his passing he was elected to be the next chairman of the Board of Trustees. In 1975 he served as president of the Los Angeles County Optometric Society, the country’s largest optometric organization. He was the 1993-94 chairman of the Optometric Association and the 1987-89 chairman of the American Academy of Optometry’s Section on Cornea and Contact Lenses, one of only two individuals to have served both positions. Dr. Kame has received numerous honors for his outstanding contributions to the profession. Among them, he was named Los Angeles County’s “Optometrist of the Year” recipient in 1978, the Heart of America Contact Lens Society’s “National Vision Service Award” recipient in 1984, the Max Shapero Memorial Lecture Award recipient in 1997 and the American Optometric Association’s Contact Lens Sections Achievement Award recipient in 1998. He was also honored as a “Distinguished Practitioner in Optometry” in the National Academies of Practice. In 2000 the Los Angeles County Optometric Society honored him by renaming their contact lens continuing education series, “The Rodger T. Kame Contact Lens Series”. Dr. Kame has gained international prominence for his clinical and professional contributions, having published over 50 articles, papers, and chapters for journals and textbooks, including some original discoveries. He was the “inventor” of the idea behind disposable soft contact lenses. He had presented more than 250 lectures worldwide. In May of 1999, Dr. Kame was unanimously voted by the Class of 1999 to be its Commencement Speaker at their graduation. His address was entitled, “Class of 1999 – Bridging Two Centuries of Optometry”. Dr. Kame was also given the opportunity to “hood” his son, Gregory, at the graduation ceremony. Dr. Kame underwent surgery in October 1999 to remove his right kidney, which contained a malignant tumor. He underwent many sessions of chemotherapy and radiation over the next 8 months. The cancer eventually spread from his kidney to his spine and finally to his lungs. Dr. Kame’s valiant battle with cancer ended the morning of July 11, 2000. A few weeks before his passing, Dr. Kame wrote a farewell letter expressing his gratitude towards his patients. It was a letter designed to be sent out to his patients if his health took a turn for the worse. We all hoped that letter would not have to be mailed. Unfortunately, the letter was sent out a few days after his passing. Dr. Kame was able to witness the marriage of his second son, Gregory, to Anna Sun on Father’s Day, June 18, 2000 at the family’s church in West Los Angeles. He signed the marriage license certificate as a witness to the marriage. ““Best and most thorough eye exam I’ve ever had in the 40 years of wearing glasses!” ” Ann K. Please take a moment and let us know how your experience was. Los Angeles EyeCare Optometry Group 334-B E. 2nd St Copyright © 2019 Los Angeles EyeCare Optometry Group. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1049
__label__wiki	0.613598	0.613598	Fullscreen player CHAT Jobs Work online from anywhere in the world remove the playlist Party Crusader Crusader (Bloor novel) Crusader tank Crusader (TV series) The Mighty Boosh (series 3) Party (Beyoncé song) Stardust Crusaders 100 single-use free download links: https://pastebin.com/cJVrFJz8 https://biftek.itch.io/crusader-party Free-to-play link: https://www.kongregate.com/games/BifTek_Games/crusader-party-online In this week's episode, Chris and Johnny plan a series of murders in Crusader Kings 2. Subscribe to Eurogamer - http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=eurogamer For the latest video game reviews, news and analysis, check out http://www.eurogamer.net and don't forget to follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eurogamer Music for the first half of No Regret's fourth mission. by Dan Gardopée (aka Dan Grandpre) DOWNLOADS FOR SUPER DUPER DANCE PARTY EP COMING SOON Here's the single for my EP called "Super Duper Dance Party". Stay tuned for digital downloads on BandCamp! Special Credits for artwork and typography below. In this EP, I use my love for 80's, pop music, and ponies to create a few dance tracks. It started with this track, then I knew I wanted to do something a little more ambitious. This was a lot of fun to work on and I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for your support! -------------------------------- Follow me! Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrusaderPony Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crusaderpony Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/crusaderpony -------------------------------- Typography made by: https://twitter.com/MokeDoesThings Artwork made by: https://moozua.com/ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/SubscribeParvati Get it: https://beatspace-parvati.bandcamp.com/album/modular-tea-party Flipknot - Modular Tea Party, released on 24.05.2019. by Parvati Records - PRVEP27 Flipknot is ready with 3 freshly baked goodies in form of a crispy new ep "Modular Tea Party' with one solo track and 2 tracks featuring his students Gnomon & Aj Psybaba from his now legendary audio production school S58 Stomp studios. Flipknot aka Brian Fernandes thanks the mothership 'Parvati Records ' for being the psychedelic cutting edge cushion as the constant support for letting all of us party freaks jump ,bounce n celebrate the sonic side of life. For now Go hit the 'play' button. Also check out: Ectogasmics - I Need A Computer: http://bit.ly/2JDkDkS Follow us: Website: http://parvati-records.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParvatiRecords Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/p-30 Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/label/parvati-records/23616 Parvati Records is an independent record label started in Denmark during the summer 2000 by Dj Giuseppe with the wish to contribute actively to the growth of the Psychedelic-trance scene. our goal is to discover and present quality music to party people all around the world. our artists include Giuseppe, Jahbo, Arjuna, Onkel Dunkel, Atriohm, Derango, Vertical, Ectogasmics, Nobot, Farebi Jalebi, Archaic, Tengri, Mussy Moody, Mubali, Ulvae, Petran, Red Eye Jedi, Nargun, Elowinz, Claw, Flipknot, Lurker, Vlastur and many more. Our V/A serieses include Psychedelically Yours, Psy Stories, Parvatrip etc. #Psytrance #PsychedelicTrance #Trance #Flipknot #Gnomon I haven’t written a pony love song in a while. This is from a perspective of a pessimistic pony who fell in love with Pinkie Pie, some some lines being from Pinkie’s perspective (My songs do that a lot). The awesome artwork was done by my good friend, Fede. Lyrics, download, and art credit below. Also, please follow me on my socials. Hope you enjoy this one! Download: https://soundcloud.com/crusaderpony/party-of-two Facebook: http://facebook.com/crusaderpony Twitter: http://twitter.com/crusaderpony Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/crusaderpony Art: http://fedetru.deviantart.com/ Through every morning, let out a yawn, only to want to sleep again What’s so special about today? Prepare myself ready for the day, I’ll head out, though, I don’t see why I can’t help but also want to stay Then, there she is Oh, now I can’t help but smile “Hey, good morning, how do you do? Say, you look a little down. Oh, I think I know just what you need” If anyone can cheer anyone up, I know it’s the one in front of me Would she talk to a downer like me? "Now, you see No one can resist a party from me" She grabs my hooves and we both dance She’s just doing what she does best I sure don’t want this to end I can’t recall what brought me down She could make friends anyone around I just wish we could be more than just friends Still, I never want this party to end She once said “A party is still a party, even with only two guests” Could those guests be just us two? I’m far too shy, but when I’m with you I’ll burst out in song, through and through Now, I know nothing can bring me down I love the way she- She grabs my hooves and we both dance She’s just doing what she does best I sure don’t want this to end I can’t recall what brought me down She could make friends anyone around I just wish we could be more than just friends DOWNLOAD FULL EP BELOW https://crusaderpony.bandcamp.com/album/super-duper-dance-party -------------------------------- In this EP, I use my love for 80's, pop music, and ponies to create a few dance tracks. As I started producing Club Pony Party Style, I knew I'd want to make something a little more ambitious. This was a lot of fun to work on and I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for your support! -------------------------------- Track list Club Pony Party Style 00:00 Let's Hear it (For the Wonderbolts) 03:27 Long Live the King 07:10 Another Day 11:42 -------------------------------- Artwork by Moozua! Check out her work at https://moozua.com/ Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqYpq0_q_rZcZwCxVi0NT6whUvZGwcyyM i'm a big fan of the sdc soundtrack so i got really excited upon hearing it in diu. here are the tracks (in order of clips) Fists of Platinum (00:00-00:41) Purple Thorns (Joseph Joestar's theme) (01:01-01:23) Return of Travellers (01:24-02:31) Setting Off (02:35-03:00) Gentle Sunshine (03:13-03:28) Head-to-Head (03:33-04:13) Stardust Crusaders (Jotaro's theme) (04:25-05-20) A Party of Stardust (05:26-05:34) Approach (05:40-05:57) Stardust Crusaders (Jotaro's theme) (06:04-06:50) DIO's World (06:52-07:34) Stardust Crusaders (Jotaro's theme) (07:47-08:25) Return of Travellers (08:31-11:00) i do not own jojo's bizarre adventure. How come there are no samurais in this game yet? Song used in the video: Mark Henry's WWE the Music Vol 8 theme - The Wall Crusader is a novel by Edward Bloor which was published on October 15, 1999. This novel was Bloor's follow-up to the award-winning Tangerine. The central character in Crusader is 15-year-old Roberta Ritter, who lives in south Florida with her widowed father. Roberta is an aspiring journalist, but works after school and on the weekends at Arcane, the virtual-reality arcade run by her father and uncle. Roberta is not content with her life so far; her father barely seems to notice her, instead spending much of his free time with his new girlfriend, Suzie. Roberta doesn't approve of the games offered in Arcane, which are all filled with over-the-top violence and racial overtones, nor does she like having to deal with the arcade's often unsavory clientele. Roberta deals with coming of age problems, criticized by her cousin's popular friend Nina for her disinterest in make-up and never having menstruated. She also is forced to come to terms with finding many of the people around her to be motivated by self-interest and the deaths of both an elderly friend and her mother. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Crusader_(Bloor_novel) The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VI or A15 Crusader was one of the primary British cruiser tanks during the early part of the Second World War. Over 5,000 tanks were manufactured and they made important contributions to the British victories during the North African Campaign. The Crusader tank would not see active service beyond Africa, but the chassis of the tank was modified to create anti-aircraft, fire support, observation, communication, bulldozer and recovery vehicle variants. The first variation 'Crusader I' tank entered service in 1941 and though manoeuvrable, it was relatively lightly armoured and was under-armed. Improved armour thickness to 49mm marked out the "Crusader II' variant. The main armament for the Crusader Mark I and II's was an Ordnance QF 2 pounder (40mm) main gun, but the 'Crusader III' was fitted with an Ordnance QF 6 pounder (57mm) main gun. This variant was more than a match for the mid-generation German Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks that it faced in combat. As part of the 1st Armoured Brigade, the Crusader was to prove vital during the Battle of El Alamein, at Tobruk and in Tunisia. Retained in service because of delays with its replacement, by late 1942 the lack of armament upgrade plus reliability problems due to the harsh desert conditions and the appearance of Tiger I heavy tanks among the German Afrika Korps saw the Crusader replaced by US-supplied M3 Grant and then by the Sherman medium tanks. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Crusader_tank Crusader (sometimes erroneously listed as The Crusader) is a half-hour black-and-white American adventure/drama series that aired on CBS for two seasons from October 7, 1955 to December 28, 1956. The series stars Brian Keith as the fictitious free-lance journalist Matt Anders, whose mother's death in a World War II Nazi concentration camp in German-occupied Poland propels him to combat injustices worldwide during the height of the Cold War. Keith's Crusader has been compared to Zorro, The Lone Ranger, or The Cisco Kid in that the principal character is devoted to altruism. Anders is particularly interested in liberating oppressed peoples from communism. The series began as Nikita S. Khrushchev emerged as the premier and the general secretary of the Communist Party in the former Soviet Union. The 52-episode program, Keith's first television series, aired on CBS at 9 p.m. Eastern on Fridays. It was replaced on January 4, 1957, by the Howard Duff and Ida Lupino sitcom, Mr. Adams and Eve, the story of the private lives of two fictitious married Hollywood actors. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Crusader_(TV_series) A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration of a special occasion. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing or other forms of entertainment. In many Western countries, parties for teens and adults are associated with drinking alcohol such as beer, wine or distilled spirits. Some parties are held in honor of a specific person, day, or event, such as a birthday party, a Super Bowl party, or a St. Patrick’s Day party. Parties of this kind are often called celebrations. A party is not necessarily a private occasion. Public parties are sometimes held in restaurants, pubs, beer gardens, nightclubs or bars, and people attending such parties may be charged an admission fee by the host. Large parties in public streets may celebrate events such as Mardi Gras or the signing of a peace treaty ending a long war. Types of parties This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Party The Mighty Boosh's third series was originally broadcast between 15 November 2007 and 20 December 2007. The series features five main cast members; Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Michael Fielding and Dave Brown. The third series revolves around Howard Moon and Vince Noir (Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding), and the adventures they have whilst running a second-hand shop. A DVD of the series was released on 11 February 2008 in Region 2 and 7 August in Region 4. Whereas the second series was set mainly in a flat in Dalston, England, the third series was set in a second hand shop below the flat called the Nabootique, owned by Naboo, and run by Howard Moon and Vince Noir. The flat, however, is re-used for most of the setting of the episode "Party". Series 3 had the smallest budget of all three series to date. Filming for the series took place in seven weeks, from July to September 2007, in a warehouse in a disused Ministry of Defence site in Surrey, England. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/The_Mighty_Boosh_(series_3) "Party" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her fourth studio album, 4 (2011). It features guest vocals from American rapper André 3000, and was released by Columbia Records as the third single from 4 on August 30, 2011. The song was written by Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Beyoncé, Dexter Mills, Douglas Davis and Ricky Walters and produced by Beyoncé and West and co-produced by Bhasker. A midtempo R&B song, "Party" exhibits elements of the 1980s funk and soul music, and samples the 1985 song "La Di Da Di". It recalls the work of New Edition and Prince, among others. Built on a 808-retro beat, multi-tracked harmonies, and a smooth groove, the song's instrumentation includes slow-bouncing synthesizers, keyboard tones, and drums. Lyrically, "Party" gives ode to political themes such as feminism and sexual empowerment. In his rap verses, André 3000 references milk and gets philosophical about his own career. "Party" was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 54th Grammy Awards. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Party_(Beyoncé_song) Stardust Crusaders (スターダストクルセイダース, Sutādasuto Kuruseidāsu) is the third story arc of the Japanese manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. It was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1989 to 1992. In its original publication, it was known as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3 Jotaro Kujo: Heritage for the Future (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険第三部空条承太郎 ―未来への遺産―, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Dai San Bu Kūjō Jōtarō -Mirai e no Isan-). It is the most popular of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series as it introduced the audience to the concept of Stands, which made it stand out from its predecessors. This popularity later spawned video games, a three volume drama CD series, two novels, two OVA series, and English adaptations of the manga and OVAs (licensed in North America by Viz Media and Super Techno Arts respectively) of this arc alone. A television anime adaptation by David Production, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, aired in Japan between April 2014 and June 2015. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Stardust_Crusaders Crusader Party Gameplay Preview Let's Play Crusader Kings 2 - Late to the Party Crusader: No Regret music - Party Club Pony Party Style - Crusader! (MLP:FiM Fan Song) LYRIC VIDEO Flipknot Feat Gnomon - Neurotic Crusader Party of Two - Crusader! (MLP:FiM Fan Song) Super Duper Dance Party (FULL EP) - Crusader! [ALL PONY MUSIC] 28. A Place of Rest - Engineer Party! \| Stronghold Crusader Jojo - Stardust Crusaders OST in Diamond is Unbreakable Crusader No Regret Party Darkest Dungeon: The four man wall 8. Sands of Time - Arabian Swordsman Party! \| Stronghold Crusader Subscribe: http://bit.ly/SubscribeParvati Get it: https://beatspace-parvati.bandcamp.com/album/modular-tea-party Flipknot - Modular Tea Party, released on 24.05.2019. by Parvati Records - PRVEP27 Flipknot is ready with 3 freshly baked goodies in form of a crispy new ep "Modular Tea Party' with one solo track and 2 tracks featuring his students Gnomon & Aj Psybaba from his now legendary audio production school S58 Stomp studios. Flipknot aka Brian Fernandes thanks the mothership 'Parvati Records ' for being the psychedelic cutting edge cushion as the constant support for letting all of us party freaks jump ,bounce n celebrate the sonic side of life. For now Go hit the 'play' button. Also check out: Ectogasmics - I Need A Computer: http://bit.ly/2JDkDkS Follow us: Website: http://parvati-r... I haven’t written a pony love song in a while. This is from a perspective of a pessimistic pony who fell in love with Pinkie Pie, some some lines being from Pinkie’s perspective (My songs do that a lot). The awesome artwork was done by my good friend, Fede. Lyrics, download, and art credit below. Also, please follow me on my socials. Hope you enjoy this one! Download: https://soundcloud.com/crusaderpony/party-of-two Facebook: http://facebook.com/crusaderpony Twitter: http://twitter.com/crusaderpony Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/crusaderpony Art: http://fedetru.deviantart.com/ Through every morning, let out a yawn, only to want to sleep again What’s so special about today? Prepare myself ready for the day, I’ll head out, though, I don’t see why I can’t help but also want to stay Then,... Order: Reorder Uploaded Date: 29 May 2019 100 single-use free download links: https://pastebin.com/cJVrFJz8 https://biftek.itch.io/crusader-party Free-to-play link: https://www.kongregate.com/games/BifT... https://wn.com/Crusader_Party_Gameplay_Preview Uploaded Date: 24 Feb 2017 In this week's episode, Chris and Johnny plan a series of murders in Crusader Kings 2. Subscribe to Eurogamer - http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?ad... https://wn.com/Let's_Play_Crusader_Kings_2_Late_To_The_Party Uploaded Date: 14 Oct 2008 https://wn.com/Crusader_No_Regret_Music_Party Uploaded Date: 23 Apr 2019 DOWNLOADS FOR SUPER DUPER DANCE PARTY EP COMING SOON Here's the single for my EP called "Super Duper Dance Party". Stay tuned for digital downloads on BandCamp... https://wn.com/Club_Pony_Party_Style_Crusader_(Mlp_Fim_Fan_Song)_Lyric_Video Subscribe: http://bit.ly/SubscribeParvati Get it: https://beatspace-parvati.bandcamp.com/album/modular-tea-party Flipknot - Modular Tea Party, released on 24.05... https://wn.com/Flipknot_Feat_Gnomon_Neurotic_Crusader Uploaded Date: 10 Jun 2016 I haven’t written a pony love song in a while. This is from a perspective of a pessimistic pony who fell in love with Pinkie Pie, some some lines being from Pin... https://wn.com/Party_Of_Two_Crusader_(Mlp_Fim_Fan_Song) DOWNLOAD FULL EP BELOW https://crusaderpony.bandcamp.com/album/super-duper-dance-party -------------------------------- In this EP, I use my love for 80's, p... https://wn.com/Super_Duper_Dance_Party_(Full_Ep)_Crusader_All_Pony_Music Uploaded Date: 16 Mar 2018 https://wn.com/28._A_Place_Of_Rest_Engineer_Party_\|_Stronghold_Crusader i'm a big fan of the sdc soundtrack so i got really excited upon hearing it in diu. here are the tracks (in order of clips) Fists of Platinum (00:00-00:41) ... https://wn.com/Jojo_Stardust_Crusaders_Ost_In_Diamond_Is_Unbreakable Uploaded Date: 03 Nov 2010 https://wn.com/Crusader_No_Regret_Party Uploaded Date: 30 Jul 2017 https://wn.com/Darkest_Dungeon_The_Four_Man_Wall https://wn.com/8._Sands_Of_Time_Arabian_Swordsman_Party_\|_Stronghold_Crusader fallspartystation.com partycrusader.com crusaderprince.com partystreet.org partycomputer.com francepartyshop.com partybags.org partybags4all.com partystreet.com czechparty.com azerbaijanparty.com bayernparty.com afrolatinparty.net besthouseparty.com parisparty.com dancepartysong.net maxparty.net partyfeature.com crusaderkings.net bangkokparty.com 100 single-use free download links: https://pastebin.com/cJVrFJz8 https://biftek.itch.io/c... Play in Full Screen In this week's episode, Chris and Johnny plan a series of murders in Crusader Kings 2. ... Music for the first half of No Regret's fourth mission. by Dan Gardopée (aka Dan Grandp... DOWNLOADS FOR SUPER DUPER DANCE PARTY EP COMING SOON Here's the single for my EP called "... Subscribe: http://bit.ly/SubscribeParvati Get it: https://beatspace-parvati.bandcamp.com/a... I haven’t written a pony love song in a while. This is from a perspective of a pessimistic... DOWNLOAD FULL EP BELOW https://crusaderpony.bandcamp.com/album/super-duper-dance-party -... i'm a big fan of the sdc soundtrack so i got really excited upon hearing it in diu. here... How come there are no samurais in this game yet? Song used in the video: Mark Henry's W... Latest News for: Party crusader Moulton: Trump voters 'know that he's an a--hole' The Hill 12 Jul 2019 'What was your name, dear?' MORE "know that he's an asshole," cautioning Democrats against trying to launch a "moral crusade" against the president ... Moulton, a long-shot presidential candidate, told the outlet that his party could not afford to go on a "moral crusade" heading into next year's general election.... Potpourri-Of-Ruses Peace FM Online 10 Jul 2019 The past few weeks have been awash with a high-pitched cacophony from the opposition party. It has been a coordinated propaganda choreographed to present the New Patriotic Party (NPP), especially the President, as intolerant in a country experiencing anything but economic growth.... How Ross Perot Changed Political Campaigns Time Magazine 09 Jul 2019 Ross Perot, the self-made Texas billionaire and one of the most successful third-party presidential candidates in U.S ... Win or lose, his populist crusade and the challenge he is mounting to the establishment parties may well help break the deadlock of American democracy.”.... Sort type: Crusader Party Gameplay Preview... Let's Play Crusader Kings 2 - Late to the Party... Crusader: No Regret music - Party... Club Pony Party Style - Crusader! (MLP:FiM Fan Son... Flipknot Feat Gnomon - Neurotic Crusader... Party of Two - Crusader! (MLP:FiM Fan Song)... Super Duper Dance Party (FULL EP) - Crusader! [ALL... 28. A Place of Rest - Engineer Party! \| Stronghold... Jojo - Stardust Crusaders OST in Diamond is Unbrea... Crusader No Regret Party... Darkest Dungeon: The four man wall... 8. Sands of Time - Arabian Swordsman Party! \| Stro... Justin Amash should name names Alternet 08 Jul 2019 Congressman Justin Amash deserves credit for standing by the courage of his convictions in leaving the Republican Party ... We’ve had it with these two parties trying to ram their partisan nonsense down our throats.’”. Amash’s crusade against the parties aside (someone should explain Duverger’s Law to him sometime), the congressman has a point.... Time for the Sprinboks to start flexing their muscle Independent online (SA) 07 Jul 2019 It’s depressing being invited to a jol and then looking in the window to see everyone partying inside. That was the story yesterday as the Crusaders and the Jaguares went at it for the Super Rugby title ... It’s been nine years since a SA team last cracked the code ... The Crusaders cracked on because their class is marrow-deep ... Too bad about the book.... How Mamata’s mistakes are putting TMC in jeopardy Deccan Herald 06 Jul 2019 Instead of boosting her image as an anti-corruption crusader who does not even spare her own party men, Mamata’s instruction to local party leaders to return “cut money” backfired and provided fresh ammo to the BJP ... "The Chief Minister could have started her drive to weed out corruption from the party internally.... Small parties feeling the squeeze Kathimerini 04 Jul 2019 Those voters, party officials believe, could be enough to help ND form a majority government on Sunday ... In the same vein, SYRIZA has sought to deconstruct the leftist narrative represented by Varoufakis and his MeRA25 party, with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at the forefront of this crusade against his former finance chief.... MapLab: Where the Fight Against Gerrymandering Heads Now CityLab 03 Jul 2019 (University of Vermont/Giphy) The 5-4 decision has been heralded as a victory for Republicans, the party in control of most U.S ... Here are three avenues where redistricting reformers are pursuing their crusade outside of the highest court ... But he’s also crusading against gerrymandering by all parties.... Tension Rises as S’Court Delivers Judgment on Osun Governorship July 5 This Day 30 Jun 2019 There is evident tension in Osun State and environs as the people await the Supreme Court judgment on the Osun State governorship election to be delivered on Friday, July 5, between Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).... Obituary: Rev Dr Ian B Doyle, distinguished Parish Minister and Secretary of the Church of ... Scotsman 29 Jun 2019 Rev Dr Ian B Doyle, minister. Born. 11 September 1921 in Aberhill, Fife. Died. 26 May 2019 at Lornebank Care Home, Hamilton, aged 97 ... When the invitation was made to Billy Graham, the American evangelist, to conduct an All Scotland Crusade in 1955, Ian Doyle was party to this decision and supportive of the venture ... His mind was sharp and organised ... .... Revolutionizing public service Sun Star 29 Jun 2019 NEWS of a neophyte politician winning the gubernatorial post in Davao del Norte made it to the headlines after the midterm elections last May. Edwin I ... Jubahib led the landslide victory of the PDP-Laban Party slate in Davao del Norte with a campaign that is fueled by a sincere pro-poor crusade and no-nonsense call for genuine change ... (PR) .... The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3 Episode 6 Recap Coming Soon 27 Jun 2019 The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3 Episode 6 Recap ... In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3 Episode 6, June traveled with them to Washington, D.C. Silence ... The Handmaids in D.C ... Crusader. The Swiss stepped in to be a neutral party between Gildead and Canada in the battle for Nichole ... Serena revealed to June that Nick had been a soldier in the Crusades ... Not Love ... ....	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1050
__label__cc	0.537461	0.462539	Passion Pit announce new album ‘Gossamer’ Dave Lewis 04.24.12 7 years ago Passion Pit will release their sophomore album — and their first for a major label — this summer. “Gossamer” (Columbia Records) boasts 12 new tracks and will be released July 24. The Cambridge, Mass. band rocked packed houses and shook dance floors with their 2009 debut “Manners” (French Kiss Record). “On ‘Gossamer’ there is more of a dichotomy between the lyrics and the music,” explained frontman Michael Angelakos in a press release. “You hear my lyrics more precisely which is something I was ready for. The lyrics on this album have a lot to say about what the last two years of my life have been troubled with.” Oh. Sad. “Gossamer” was recorded in 2011 in Los Angeles and New York City, with Angelakos re-teaming with “Manners” producer Chris Zane. Starting May 1, the band will hit the road in the U.S., stopping at a number of festivals, including Chicago’s Lollapalooza, NYC’s Governor’s Ball and SF’s Outside Lands. Here are Passion Pit’s U.S. tour dates: 5/1 – Geneva, NY – Smith Opera House 5/4 – West Palm Beach, FL SunFest 6/2 – Dallas, TX – Meltdown Music Festival 6/22 – Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion 6/23 – New York, NY – Governors Ball Music Festival 7/15 – Cincinnati, OH – Bunbury Music Festival 7/20-22 – Dover, DE – Firefly Music Festival 8/3-5 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza 8/5 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Music Festival 8/7 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheater (co-headline w/ Justice) 8/10-12 – San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Music Festival 9/9 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl (co-headline w/ Hot Chip) TAGSGoaasamermannersMichael Angelakospassion pit	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1051
__label__wiki	0.905864	0.905864	Battle of the Legends: Garry Kasparov vs. Nigel Short Two of the world's living chess legends will compete in a Rapid and Blitz Exhibition at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, on April 25-26, 2015, rekindling the duo's meeting at the 1993 World Chess Championship. SAINT LOUIS (April 7, 2015) – World chess legends Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short will meet later this month for the first Battle of the Legends exhibition match, to be held in Saint Louis, the Chess Capital of the United States. On April 25-26, former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov and famed English Grandmaster Nigel Short will play a series of blitz and rapid games at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL), rekindling the duo’s match at the 1993 World Chess Championship. Kasparov is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all-time, one of the youngest World Champions in history who held the world’s No. 1 spot from 1985 until his retirement in 2005. Hailed a chess prodigy at the age of 10, Short was one of the youngest grandmasters in the world, earning the title at age 19 in 1984, and later became the first Englishman to compete for the World Chess Championship in 1993. “Rapid and blitz chess are - as the name suggests, fast and furious. The smallest mistake can ruin a strategy quickly,” Kasparov said. “It’s not often that I get to play Nigel and relive that moment on the chess world stage in 1993, and we’re both excited to have Saint Louis as the venue for this exhibition. An international spotlight has been shown on the city thanks to the efforts of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center, advancing chess through its combination of research, scholastic programs and these high-profile events and exhibitions.” April’s match at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis will feature 10 total games spanning over two days of play, each featuring one game with a rapid time control, and four games with the faster blitz time control. The entire event will be broadcast live on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring live commentary and analysis from a world-renowned commentary team. “We’re honored to host two of the chess greats for this exhibition match,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the CCSCSL. “Our work at the club is focused on raising awareness of chess and we can’t think of a more distinguished match-up to do just that than Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short.” For additional information visit saintlouischessclub.org, and follow the Chess Club on Facebook and Twitter.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1054
__label__cc	0.591018	0.408982	Madden 25 Predicts The Denver Broncos Will Win Super Bowl XLVIII Michael Epstein \| 28 Jan 2014 13:31 If the Super Bowl plays out like Madden says it will, it's going to be a pretty close game. It has been decided! The Denver Broncos have been declared the presumed winners of Super Bowl XLVIII the most important name in (video game) football analysis, Madden Football 25. EA Sports has performed their annual Super Bowl simulation - AI versions of both teams play the scenario out using the most recent game's rosters - and found the Broncos will manage to take down the Seattle Seahawks, 31-28. EA Sports has been using Madden to predict who would win the big game for years now and, believe it or not, the game has a pretty good track record. Madden simulations have accurately predicted the winner in eight of the last ten Super Bowls. The simulation of the game took a few wild twists and turns. After a low-scoring first half, the Broncos took a strong lead in the third quarter. Just when it seemed like the game was over, though, a running touchdown from Seahawks Runningback Marshawn Lynch and subsequent two-point conversion tied things up, sending the game into overtime. After all that work, though, the Seahawks weren't able to keep up, and the Broncos kicked a field goal to win the game. Unsurprisingly, the simulated Payton Manning took home the game's MVP award, though most of the big names on both the Broncos and Seahawks came through with strong performances. Personally, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the real game is half as intense as this version. If you aren't a football fan, though, there's still something to be gained from watching the video: After seeing this, you have a good idea of who to look out for if you end up at a Super Bowl party on Sunday. Source: EA Sports michael epstein, ea sports, electronic arts, football, madden 25, simulation, sports, super bowl, video games The Unofficial Stargate Trilogy m00se 20 Comments The Escapist Podcast - April 7, 2017 Lizzy Finnegan 0 Comments	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1056
__label__cc	0.584444	0.415556	hide You are viewing an archived web page, collected at the request of Road Star Clinic using Archive-It. This page was captured on 18:43:25 Feb 23, 2018, and is part of the Road Star Clinic Closure collection. The information on this web page may be out of date. See All versions of this archived page. Enable QA View Missing URLs This is an archived version of the Road Star Clinic. The Road Star Clinic can now be found at www.roadstarclinic.com. Please join us there! You CAN do it... Tires ( 1 items ) ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... Tech Tips Index Body/Sheetmetal Carb/Manifold/AirKit Chassis/Frame Gauges & Aftermarket Forwards/Floorboards Handlebars + Controls Luggage/Pouches Misc Technical Papers Seats/Backrests Spark Plugs/Coils Fat Tire Mods Transmission/Clutch Wheels/Rims Privacy Policy \| Terms of Service \| Spam Policy \| Report Abuse The Road Star Clinic is a collaborative community of riders who archive and publish user contributed technical data about Yamaha Road Star motorcycles. Copyright 2003-2007 Road Star Clinic and its respective authors.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1057
__label__cc	0.579046	0.420954	Travelers Will Now Have the Unique Opportunity to See Machu Picchu on an Epic Train Journey Machu Picchu \| © skeeze / Pixabay Brandon Dupre One of the best and easiest ways to get to Machu Picchu is by rail. It’s a straight shot to Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, and all you have to do is enjoy the scenery, which isn’t very hard to do. While there are different train companies making the trip, there’s one that’s raising the bar right now. Here, we take a look at the new luxury train that’s been making its way to the Inca Citadel since the beginning of March, 2018. Every year, thousands of travelers make their way to Cusco, heavy with anticipation at visiting Machu Picchu, the famous Inca ruins. Just as there are different ways to trek the Inca Trail, there are different ways to visit the ruins, but the most popular and tourist-friendly way of getting there is by rail. It’s always a highlight for tourists on their way to the famous ruins, and you’ll hear singing and laughing as passengers drink a couple of beers and tell their stories. Inca Rail has always been one of the more reliable companies in the business, and now they have unveiled their new rail line, equipped with everything the modern traveler needs. © LoggaWiggler / Pixabay What’s in store for you Each train now offers passengers 360-degree views of the landscape, so that nothing can get in your way of enjoying the beauty of Peru. The windows even have built-in UV protection to help fight off the surprisingly harsh Andean sun. The company’s goal is to give you the best possible experience of the Peruvian mountains and highlands, which is why each train will have an open-air observation deck where you can take in the mountain air and get an unobstructed peek at the beauty of the Cusco area. Rather than just being a way to get from point A to B, Inca Rail gives its customers a chance to experience the storied landscape firsthand. The train leaves from the Cusco train station and Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley each day and can carry up to 240 passengers. Machu Picchu on a cloudy day © Free-Photos / Pixabay Each seat onboard the new train will be equipped with USB ports so that your devices can be fully charged when you need them the most. The train will also be releasing a new GPS-activated app that will give guided tours along the ride to Machu Picchu. This new addition offers passengers a great opportunity to better understand the Incas and the beautiful ruins they’ll soon see. © Poswiecie / Pixabay It doesn’t end there. The train also offers guests local delicacies and a fully stocked bar. This will be your most relaxed day of the entire trip, as you sit back with a cocktail and wait to be transported to Aguas Calientes in anticipation of seeing Machu Picchu the next day. Prices begin at US$78 and will change throughout the year, depending on the season. Why not visit one of the incredible sights in Peru that aren’t Machu Picchu?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1061
__label__wiki	0.574853	0.574853	How to be free: bad medicine Tom Hodgkinson \| 3rd June 2008 Bono may be cheerleading for its charitable wing, but corporate America is not waging a war on AIDS for the sake of its health, says Tom Hodgkinson What do the Global War on Terror, the war in Iraq and the war on AIDS, TB and malaria have in common? The answer is that all three were started by George Bush. We all know about the war in Iraq, but less perhaps is known about the US-declared war on AIDS. This war is administered by a group of 400 or so highly-paid bureaucrats working in tax-free Geneva. Its full title is ‘The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’, its sub-heading line is ‘Investing in Our Future’ and each year it distributes something like $2 billion of grants to ‘support aggressive interventions’ against these diseases. The money goes all across Africa and to South America, Egypt, and Korea. It is to the Global Fund that all the money made by Bono’s Red scheme goes. His recent auction in New York raised $70 million, though that is a drop in the ocean compared to the money put in by governments around the world. Of the Global Fund’s $2.5 billion 2006 income, two billion came from governments and the rest from the private sector. As William Morris wrote in the 1890s, all wars are about new markets – and that includes the US war on disease. Look at the maps on the Global Fund website and you’ll see areas where the US would like to get a foothold, both to gain access to the natural resources and to create new markets. How is the money spent? Well, $2 million goes to fund eight or nine top managers. The Global Fund’s annual operating fees for 2006 were in the region of $85 million, and most of its salaries are paid for by the World Health Organization. It goes without saying that this money received by local groups comes with strings attached. A hell of a lot will go straight back to GlaxoSmithKline, manufacturers of the antiretroviral drugs used to treat AIDS, and which many commentators consider not only toxic, but also deadly. In other words, huge chunks of the money goes straight back into the US economy via tax-free salaries and drugs from American-owned pharmaceutical giants. It’s a typical US strategy: identify an enemy, move in with piles of cash and an aggressive intervention, hook the locals on American products such as AZT or whatever then sit back and watch the share price rise. Quite strange that Irish pop stars should be contributing money to a George Bush war chest. Bono’s mate Geldof accompanied Bush on part of his recent trip to Africa, during which Bush remarked: ‘Africa in the 21st century is a continent of potential.’ Potential for whom? Why is all this relevant? Because it shows the fine line between philanthropy and exploitation. It also demonstrates the never-ending need for the US to expand its commercial territories, whether by war, by aid or by business. It’s an episode in the American journey towards world domination. Some see the American cause as a noble one. Through capitalism, the Puritan apostles probably do genuinely want to bring freedom, women’s liberation and comfort to all. They genuinely do believe in a Brave New World, where disease has been more or less wiped out and we all exist as happy consumers. They probably are well motivated. What do I know? Maybe Bush will save the world. But the US’s interest in Africa looks to me like a case of white man as saviour. It’s a missionary programme; a plan of Americanisation, just as Britain’s missionary programme of the 19th century went hand-in-hand with its imperial ambitions. Money comes with ideological conditions, and ideology itself is totalitarian. An example is that, according to some Africans, the new white missionaries are telling young people to be chaste in order to avoid getting ill. You just need to look at American language to get the vibe; it’s half-militaristic, half-business: ‘investing’, ‘aggressive intervention’, ‘war’, with overtones of moral superiority. Whichever way you look at the US’s global programmes, it’s important to realise that Bono/Geldof are now active fundraisers for its activities, passing the hat for the most powerful government in the world. Anyone interested in ecology, diversity and true freedom should disengage at once, and remember that charity begins at home. Tom Hodgkinson is the Editor of The Idler and author of the book How to be Free (Hamish Hamilton, £14.99) This article first appeared in the Ecologist May 2008 Geldof	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1062
__label__wiki	0.721517	0.721517	Trailers and Premiere Date Released for John Legend-Produced Series Underground Yesha Aldis Hodge as Noah and Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Rosalee in WGN America’s Underground On Wednesday, WGN America announced the premiere date for its upcoming series Underground and released trailers for the thriller. The 10-episode series follows the lives of a group of men and women as they escape from slavery. It is executive-produced by John Legend and his Get Lifted partners Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius. Underground’s cast includes such names as Jurnee Smollett-Bell (True Blood), Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton), Jussie Smollett (Empire), Christopher Meloni (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Alano Miller (Jane the Virgin), ‎Jessica de Gouw (Arrow), Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), ‎Adina Porter (The 100), Mykelti Williamson (Justified), ‎Amirah Vann (Girls), Johnny Ray Gill (Rectify), Chris Chalk (Gotham), Reed Diamond (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Theodus Crane (The Walking Dead) and Renwick Scott (Treme). Hodge’s character, Noah, is a blacksmith who organizes his fellow slaves on a Georgia plantation to devise an escape plan. The series follows the dangers they encounter along the way. The two trailers released are from two distinct perspectives. “The Plan” is told from Noah’s viewpoint: “Wanted” is told from the perspective of the slave owner, played by Diamond. Underground premieres March 9 on WGN. Recent from Yesha Kanye West Talks Trump, Cries and Promises Changes South Los Angeles Street Gets Renamed After Barack Obama Janet Jackson Celebrates Michael Jackson's 60th Birthday With 'Remember The Time' Inspired Video	cc/2019-30/en_head_0042.json.gz/line1063

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