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Visit Rouse.com
Technology Media & Telecoms
Brexit Update: Supreme Court Ruling
Rouse Magazine Editor
Prime Minister does not have the power to notify the EU under article 50
On 24 January the Supreme Court in UK gave its ruling on the constitutional requirements necessary for the Government to commence departure from the European Union. As the matter was of such significance all eleven judges sat together for the first time. In brief, they ruled that the Prime Minister does not have the power to notify the EU under article 50 of the EU Treaty of the UK’s intention to leave using her residual prerogative powers to sign international treaties. It is necessary first for the matter to be considered by Parliament and an Act passed authorising the notification. This upheld the long established principal of the unwritten UK constitution that Parliament is sovereign.
On 26 January the Government published a very short Parliamentary Bill which, once passed will authorise the notification. In accordance with usual Parliamentary procedure this will be discussed in both Houses of Parliament (the House of Commons and the House of Lords) and amendments may be tabled. Both main political parties, Conservatives and Labour, have indicated their intention to pass the Bill in line with the wishes of the majority of the public who voted in the Referendum in June. So the Government considers its intended timetable to triggering article 50 by the end of March 2017 can still be met.
However, there will be some resistance from politicians who wish to push through amendments to give Parliament more control over the outcome of the subsequent negotiations with the EU on the exit terms. For example, requiring a guarantee that all workers’ rights provided by the EU Treaty will be retained or that Parliament (or the people in a further referendum) will be given the opportunity to consider the final exit package and accept or reject it.
The Government also announced this week that it will publish a White Paper setting out some of its aims for the negotiations. These can then be discussed in Parliament. The timetable for publication is not yet known.
When will the UK leave the EU?
Once article 50 is triggered, there is then a two year period for the exit package to be negotiated and agreed by all 27 remaining EU countries. If this is not agreed then, under article 50, the UK would leave anyway and only standard WTO trade rules would apply. So, the UK could be out of the EU by end of March 2019.
Another question vexing interested parties is whether the UK can change its mind once article 50 has been triggered or if the notice is irrevocable. There are suggestions of a new legal action to be brought in Dublin, Ireland which would seek clarification of article 50 on this point.
brexit archive
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The history of
Royal Crown Derby is one of the few original fine bone china manufacturers that still remains in Britain today, 100% producing in Britain. Ours is a history with an illustrious heritage in British society.
Here, you can discover the story yourself, or discover it first hand and view the craftsmanship in person by visiting our Museum . If you would like to view the trademarks we have used over time, click here .
The history of Royal Crown Derby is one of changing fortunes in the ebb and flow of time and taste. It began some time before 1750, when the Huguenot, Andrew Planche, established the first china works in Derby. His exquisite figures led to a fortuitous link with William Duesbury, who eventually became the guiding light in a very successful partnership manufacturing china of the highest quality.
Royal Crown Derby create their first ever commemorative piece for the coronation of King George III in September 1761.
By 1770, Duesbury had acquired the famous Chelsea China Works and the Bow moulds which resulted in the gradual transfer of a number of extremely skilled craftsmen to Derby. It wasn't long before Duesbury could claim - with some justification - that his Derby factory was the 'second Dresden'. The opening of a London Showroom in 1773 marked the begnning of the widespread recognition of the excellence of Derby porcelain.
King George III recognised the uniqueness of Derby porcelain in 1775 when he granted the factory the rare honour of being able to incorporate a crown into the backstamp. Much later, in 1890, Queen Victoria also gave Crown Derby her seal of approval not only by awarding the royal warrant, but also by granting the title "The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company".
After his father's death in 1786, William Duesbury II set about making the Derby China Works the finest in Europe. Great developments were made in body, glaze, potting and decoration and the factory benefited from what was probably the most talented group of ceramic artists ever assembled. A tremendous variety of objects - all lavishly decorated - has made the 1786-95 decade one of the most desirable and interesting for collectors and students alike. Artistic talent included Boreman, the water-colour landscape genuis; figure painters Askew and Banford; and the exceptional talents of flower painters Withers, Billingsley and Pegg.
When William Duesbury died in 1797 at the early age of 34, many of his remarkable team left the factory which led to a temporary decline in the fortunes of Crown Derby.
It was Robert Bloor who restored the Derby porcelain reputation when he took control of the factory in 1811 and began to build a team of very fine painters.
Many rich and elegant services were produced at this time and shapes tended to be larger and more flamboyant. Typical of the period are the lavishly decorated Japan, or Imari, patterns whose deserved popularity continues in various forms to the present day.
When the first factory on Nottingham Road closed down in 1848, 6 of the workers joined forces and set up their own factory on King Street in Derby. Although today we refer to this period as King Street this was not a name used by the company, they tended to use the title ‘Old Crown Derby China Works’. This shows clearly that they were looking to exploit the same markets as Nottingham Road, building on the reputation of the earlier factory. They produced many of the patterns and pieces from the earlier factory as well as a wide range of ornamental pieces and special productions.
Confidence in the Crown Derby name was underwritten in 1875 by the opening of an impressive new factory at Osmaston Road, Derby. This was the beginning of a period of growth and diversification which has continued to the present day.
Royal acclaim followed in 1890 when the company was appointed 'Manufacturers of porcelain to Her Majesty'.
In the same year, the gifted artist Desire Leroy arrived at Osmaston Road to form a studio dedicated to creating new standards in gilding and hand painting. His ambitions were realised most notably in the form of elaborate gilding and jewelling on service plates, vases and ornamental pieces.
Royal Crown Derby was acquired by S.Pearson and Son, the Pearson family company, to become part of their Allied English Potteries group. Brian Branscombe was appointed Art Director, and established the new graphic and printing departments. Pearson subsequently Bought Royal Doulton. The company was then merged into the larger group.
The first Royal Crown Derby paperweights, five birds and a rabbit, were launched at a reception at Chatsworth House. These models were to develop into one of the most important ranges of china figures in the world of collecting.
Hugh Gibson, a former director of Royal Doulton and member of the Pearson family, leads a buy-out of Royal Crown Derby. Once more the firm becomes an independent and privately owned concern, during the year in which it also celebrates 250 years of manufacture of porcelain in Derby.
The paperweight range celebrates its 21st birthday, with a special stopper for the year, and a new collection of five birds and a rabbit.
With the retirement of long time owner Hugh Gibson, Royal Crown Derby enters an exciting new phase in it’s illustrious history by being acquired in 2013 by one of the world’s most successful ceramic brands, Steelite International. The company remains firmly committed to the highest quality UK manufacture and sets its sights on launching into a new market providing fine bone china tableware to luxury hotels, high-end restaurants and hospitality throughout the world.
Ceramic industry business leader, Kevin Oakes, has acquired 100% of the share capital in Royal Crown Derby. In doing so, Mr Oakes has chosen to exit one of the world’s leading tableware manufacturers, Steelite International, after a 39-year tenure, the last 10 of which were spent as Chief Executive. Mr Oakes commented “Royal Crown Derby is one of the UK’s most iconic brands and I’ve always passionately believed that the business can succeed on the global stage. I led Steelite International’s acquisition of Royal Crown Derby in 2012 and following the announcement I plan to invest heavily in the business to ensure our long term vision is realised.”
Royal Crown Derby reveal an industry first, extending the technicalities of producing fine bone china through the use of a reactive glaze application unseen before on such a pure, translucent material. Hand-applied sprayed for the Art Glaze Collection and hand applied brushed application for the Studio Glaze Collection, each item of tableware individually reacts to the glaze producing a unique result, without method or conscious decision during the firing and glaze process.
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Highlight · Malaysia
A Trail Runners Guide to Five Dangerous Animals in Malaysia
by Aidan H. On Aug 11, 2014
http://runso.co/1VAWQB3
Malaysia is a beautiful country to run in thanks to its great biodiversity and beautiful terrains. However, it is home to some of the most dangerous creatures on Earth. Ignorance of potential dangers can turn a pleasant run into a nightmare. Therefore, it is essential to have foreknowledge about some of the hazards that may await you while running in the country. A list of 5 potentially harmful animals, along with general information and advice, is provided below.
1. Mangrove Pit Viper
Appearance/Identification: The National Poison Centre in Malaysia says that the mangrove pit viper can grow as long as 1 metre. The color of its skin ranges from black to violet-brown and is sometimes accompanied by patches of green.
Behavior: The mangrove pit viper is notorious for its short temper. It strikes and bites its foes with great speed. Although its bite is poisonous, people usually do not die from it.
Habitat: This snake is found in the western part of Malaysia. The National Poison Centre adds that it is found on islands and in coastal mangrove forests, as well as swampy forests.
Diet: The mangrove pit viper's diet consists of birds, lizards, frogs and rodents.
Advice: Because the mangrove pit viper comes in a large variety of colors, the identification of it can be difficult. It would be wise to be on the lookout for all snakes while running in areas where this snake is known to live. Although the mangrove pit viper's snake bite is not normally lethal, runners should still treat it as if it were. Should they have the misfortune of being bitten, they should make a trip to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. The National Poison Centre, in addition, suggests that those who are bitten should avoid the consumption of anything that will increase the rate of venom absorption (i.e. alcoholic beverages).
Photo Credit: 123rf
2. Reticulated Python
Appearance/Identification: The reticulated python can weigh up to 158.8kg. It generally grows to be between 3 to 6 metres. It has skin that can be golden yellow to black in color and that possesses ornate geometric shapes. This coloring and design allows it to work with a good deal of stealth.
Also read: 10 Top Community Parks in Singapore
Behavior: The reticulated python has a reputation for being aggressive, delivering vicious bites and suffocating its targets by constriction.
Habitat: The large reticulated python is located in rain forests, grasslands, woodlands and various bodies of water.
Diet: The reticulated python's diet consists mainly of rats, pigs, and binturong. It is known to sometimes attack and eat humans, however.
Advice: It is important to be vigilant and wise, especially when running through places where the reticulated python is traditionally found. Although the bite of the reticulated python is not venomous, it has the capacity to cause infection. For this reason, the affected area should be cleaned with clean water. It also suggests that people avoid the use of hydrogen peroxide or strong antibacterial soaps during the cleaning process and that they blot, not rub, the area dry. Bandages should be used only in order to avoid contamination.
3. Equatorial Spitting Cobra, or Sumatran Cobra
Appearance/Identification: The spitting cobra has pale, narrow bars on its dorsum and can be a black, bluish black or brown color. They grow up to 1.6 metres.
Behavior: While the spitting cobra may be smaller than the more renowned king cobra, its bite can be just as deadly. But it need not get close to give runners a taste of its powerful toxins. The spitting cobra can spray venom into the eyes of foes from distances as far as 3 metres with high levels of accuracy. The venom spray employed by the spitting cobra is not fatal and does not react with skin, but it does react with eye tissue, causing stinging pain and temporary blindness. The spray can cause permanent blindness if interaction with eye tissue is severe and long enough.
Also read: Top Singapore Running Trails That Let You Discover Running in Singapore
Diet: The diet of the spitting cobra includes rats, mice and toads.
Habitat: The spitting cobra habitat includes the forests, jungles, and urban gardens and parks.
Advice: If runners encounter the spitting cobra, they should come no closer to it than 3 metres and, they should not look at the cobra directly. If they are bitten, they should go to the nearest hospital where they can gain access to the appropriate antidote as quickly as possible. If runners are sprayed in the eyes, they are advised to rinse them with water for extended periods of time. Milk may also be used to sooth the pain. As in the case of a venomous bite, affected runners should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
4. Saltwater Crocodile
Appearance/Identification: The crocodile typically has a large head, heavy jaws, and ridges running down its body. They can exceed 6.1 metres in length.
Behavior: The saltwater crocodile is a very vicious and ruthless animal. It shows no mercy when it has a victim in its grasp. The saltwater crocodile may not always be visible, for it often waits for its prey by lurking below the surface of water. When it is ready to attack, it explodes out of the water and reaches out for its prey. It may then be too late for the unwitting victim.
Diet: It regularly eats people. It also eats livestock, amphibians, reptiles, fish and birds.
Habitat: It generally inhabits saltwater estuaries, swamps and, despite its name, freshwater rivers.
Advice: When dealing with the saltwater crocodile, it is best to prevent an attack. Due to the many incidences of death due to crocodile attacks, Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Malaysia, has some advice for its residents. Some of the advice useful to runners in Malaysia includes staying at least a few meters away from bodies of water where the crocodile is present and avoiding areas where crocodile slide marks are present.
5. Black Leopard
Appearance/Identification: Only at a distance does the black leopard have the appearance of being uniformly black. Actually, it has the same stripes and markings as its lighter counterparts. They are less apparent because of the high amount of melanin (the reason for the dark color) in its skin.
Also read: Want to Lose Weight Better? Try These Top Running Gear
Behavior: Since the difference between the black leopard and other leopards is largely one of color, one should presume that their behavior is similar. The black leopard is a quiet, stealthy animal. It looks for its prey between sunset and sunrise. It craftily goes behind the prey and kills it with a savage and fatal bite to the throat.
Diet: The black leopard has a diverse, albeit carnivorous, diet. It consumes a wide variety of animals. Wikipedia says its diet includes rodents, reptiles, amphibians, birds, zebras, foxes, and even primates such as fully-grown gorillas. The black leopard does not usually eat humans.
Habitat: The black leopard can be found in the dark rainforests of Malaysia.
Advice: If runners encounter the black leopard, they should not make an attempt to approach it. Although, leopards rarely eat humans, they have been known to do so. Sick, injured or starved leopards are most likely to attack.
Happy Trailing and Stay Safe
There are other potentially dangerous animals that you should take note of in Malaysia trails. Whether running in Malaysia or not, you should know about the potential hazards you may face. When you are informed and prepared, potential threats lose much of their weight. And when this weight is lost, what is there to prevent a run from being anything but pleasant for the runner?
Have you encountered any dangerous animals at any trails? What is your most dangerous encounter during trail running? Share your experience with us in the comments below or on our forum.
Aidan is the Editor-in-chief of RunSociety. His focus is to oversee RunSociety’s Creativity Channel, spanning a wide range of inspirational and enriching topics daily to the running community. Get in touch with him if you have something to say, or want to weigh in on an interesting topic at hello@runsociety.com.
No. of Posts
View more posts by Aidan H.
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Our Community Grows, c. 1900 – c. 1957
By October, 1923, a parish census showed 140 families where both spouses were Catholic, and 260 families where only one spouse was Catholic. There were then 859 Catholics in the parish. A Sunday School held at the time averaged 135 youngsters in attendance. Fifty were baptized that year; 26 made Holy Communion; thirteen couples were married; and there were 16 deaths.
Vintage post card view of the front entrance to St. Boniface School.
The “diamond-in-the-rough” who followed Father Sloane as pastor is still remembered by some in the community: Reverend Patrick J. Ford (1926-1937). Irish-born, with a tough exterior, he was the sort of pastor who visited his flock, family by family. Carrying forward Father Sloane’s dream, the school became his great effort, and it was brought to a reality at a cost of a quarter-million dollars. It opened in September, 1928, with an initial enrollment of 150 pupils, and the Sisters of Mercy of Dallas, Pennsylvania were enlisted to teach.
When the Great Depression hit the country, it seriously affected St. Boniface Martyr Parish. Few could meet pledges made in good faith, and the church was burdened with debt. Father Ford, in 1932, organized a “conference” of the St. Vincent de Paul Society as one bulwark against personal need suffered by the parishioners and others in Sea Cliff during those stark days. To make matters worse, in 1936, an arsonist set fire to the church building on three occasions, causing heavy damage and adding to the financial debt of the parish.
When Father Ford was moved to St. Sylvester’s in Brooklyn, he was succeeded by Reverend Charles B. Garvey (1937-46), a native of Cutchogue who was one of the first vocations from Suffolk County. During his pastorate, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) was organized, the Confraternity of the Rosary was begun, and the Carmelite Third Order set up a chapter here.
During W.W.II parishioners knitted scarves, held blood-banks, rolled bandages, sat fire-watches, and entertained “the Boys” from Mitchell Field and Roslyn Air Base. They whispered about the strange boats quartered at Fyfe’s Shipyard in Glenwood Landing that were tested up and down the harbor (which they later learned were the “PT Boats” of Pacific fame). They wrote a lot of V-Mail letters and also held special prayer services for a victorious D-Day. As a matter of fact, they did a lot of praying! During the war, more than 400 men and women of St. Boniface served in the armed forces and of these, 15 made the supreme sacrifice of their lives.
During the era of post-world war prosperity, many Catholic families moved out to the suburbs and into the parish. Despite the return to better times, many still felt the pinch of the long depression. To aid them in adjusting financially, while helping them avoid the high interest rates of the loan companies, a cooperative credit union was established among the parishioners. Small loans at very low interest rates were of untold value.
Father Garvey died as pastor in 1946, and was succeeded within a month by the Reverend William J. Gately. Under Father Gately’s leadership, the parish debt was paid off, and the church, school, convent and rectory were repaired and redecorated.
In May, 1947, a census revealed that the parish had grown to 1,198 families representing 3,645 individuals. During Father Gately’s stay, the parish celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1948, with a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving, with the Most Reverend Thomas E. Molloy, Bishop of Brooklyn, presiding. Father Gately was instrumental in establishing a Mothers’ Club as a support for the parochial school.
In 1952, Reverend Thomas W. Smiddy succeeded Father Gately. After a year of dedicated pastoral work Father Smiddy, in 1953, was transferred to the Chancery Office in Brooklyn where he was eventually elevated to Papal Chamberlain as a Very Reverend Monsignor. In exchange, the man who held that post in Brooklyn, Very Reverend Monsignor Vincent J. Baldwin, came to St. Boniface. He was aided in his adjustment to the life of pastor by Fathers O’Mara and Canning, who had long served in the parish. Three years later, Monsignor Baldwin left for St. Aloysius in Great Neck, and was succeeded by the Reverend John J. Fee.
Since three successive pastors, Fathers Gately, Smiddy and Baldwin, had each won high office in the Church after leaving St. Boniface, it was said at the time that a priest apparently “is never simply transferred from St. Boniface — he’s promoted!”
About a year after Father Fee’s arrival, an important change occurred. The Brooklyn Diocese had, from 1853, extended control over the entire length of Long Island. In May 1957, Nassau and Suffolk counties were separated from the old order and designated as a new diocese with its seat at Rockville Centre. The Most Reverend Walter P. Kellenberg became the new Bishop. At this time, Father Fee’s devotion to Mary was recognized and he was appointed director of the Legion of Mary for the new diocese, a post which he held until his death.
Filed Under: history Tagged With: Blood Banks, Boniface Martyr Parish, Bulwark, Carmelite Third Order, Confraternity Of Christian Doctrine, Cutchogue, Dallas Pennsylvania, Financial Debt, Fire Watches, Great Depression, Holy Communion, Initial Enrollment, Mitchell Field, Parish Census, Pastorate, Personal Need, Reverend Charles, Sea Cliff, St Boniface, St Boniface School, St Vincent De Paul, St Vincent De Paul Society, Vincent De Paul, Vincent De Paul Society
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"Affordable birth control": No longer an oxymoron
Senate finally reverses high-cost SNAFU.
Check out this article! https://www.salon.com/2009/03/11/affordable_birth_control_act/
Lynn Harris
Freaky Wednesday! News from Planned Parenthood that includes the word "victory!" Late yesterday, the Senate passed the 2009 omnibus appropriations bill that included a provision to make birth control affordable -- once again -- at community health centers and college campus clinics. As a result of a SNAFU in the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act, which tightened eligibility requirements for low-cost drugs, women had been paying up to 10 times more per month for basic contraception (depending on whom you ask, the equivalent of approximately 385 packages of ramen noodles). And, as a result of a SNAFU in the 2004 elections, the legislative branch had not heretofore seemed particularly interested in making the cost-free fix.
"We applaud Congress for righting a wrong that has restricted access to basic but critical preventive health care services, and left millions of women at risk of unintended pregnancy," Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said yesterday. "The passing of today's legislation is a victory for women's health and especially for women who have struggled to afford the rising costs of basic contraception in these tough economic times." Planned Parenthood notes that with 14,000 Americans losing health coverage every day, access to basic healthcare -- which, yes, includes affordable birth control -- is more important than ever. (President Obama's -- STILL love that -- re-upping of SCHIP should help, too.)
In related "victory" news, the fatuous anti-abortion/contraception amendments filed (and covered here) last week -- including Jim DeMint's downright dumbass attempt to call the federal-funding-free birth-control fix an "earmark" -- never even made it to the floor. Meaning: Vitter and DeMint's colleagues' response to the proposals was basically, "Yeah, don't even waste our ... Oh, look, a sandwich."
Of course, when it comes to reproductive health and justice, this is not yet Obamatopia; we are so not done. The bill did include, for one thing, a $14 million cut in abstinence-only education, with (long story short) new language stating that remaining grants must support stupid-boy and slutty-girl-based scientifically accurate curricula (PDF). Yeehaw. But that's a cut, not a down-to-zero purge. So today -- Happy Abstinence Day on the Hill! -- we have to make sure that abstinence-only education (both a "colossal failure" and a "national embarrassment") gets 100 percent un-earmarked for 2010. But as of yesterday, at least, the Senate has spent approximately 385 times more capital than before on common sense.
Award-winning journalist Lynn Harris is author of the comic novel "Death by Chick Lit" and co-creator of BreakupGirl.net. She also writes for the New York Times, Glamour, and many others.
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Talbert cuts ribbon on expanded North Carolina facility
By Talbert
June 18, 2019 - Rensselaer, Ind. - Talbert Manufacturing hosted a ribbon cutting May 14, 2019, officially opening the 58,000-square-foot expansion of their Liberty, North Carolina facility.
The 120,000-square-foot Liberty Trailers LLC will manufacture Talbert’s Tag-A-Long Series, Traveling Axle Series and Hydraulic Tail Series trailers. With the expansion, the manufacturer looks to increase dealer and customer support throughout North America with increased production capabilities and a support staff of 60 associates. Several Talbert representatives were on hand for the occasion, including President Andrew Tanner, Co-Owner Russ Stern, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Troy Geisler, Vice President of Operations Jim Hall and Vice President of Purchasing Jamie Myers.
“In 1938, Austin Talbert set out to change the heavy-haul industry,” said Andrew Tanner, president of Talbert Manufacturing. “With the expansion of Liberty Trailers LLC, Talbert Manufacturing is closer than ever to realizing his vision of customer-driven design that meets the ever-changing needs of the hauling industry. We’re able to double our current output, allowing us meet the needs of our Tag-A-Long customers and dealers across the U.S. and Canada so we can continue growing together.”
The Liberty facility was originally home to Ferree Trailers, which Talbert purchased in 2014. The 60,000-square-foot building was completed in 1999. From there, Ferree served a loyal following of customers in industries including transportation, construction, military, government and special OEM companies, producing a wide array of trailers. With the acquisition, Talbert continued producing select Ferree products and moved production of their Tag-A-Long, Traveling Axle and Hydraulic Tail series trailers from their Indiana facility to Liberty. As the OEM grew, so did demand for the trailer series being produced at Liberty. In 2018, Talbert began expansion of the building and staff as part of its overall growth plan.
The opening of the expansion marks the completion of the Liberty Trailer LLC upgrade. In addition to the 58,000-square-foot increase in space, the expansion also houses two state-of-the-art painting booths, overhead cranes and a large finishing area. Equipment and staging areas were designed for optimum flow throughout the manufacturing process, allowing Talbert’s production at Liberty to grow, even past their current goals, while maintaining the high degree of safety, durability and resale value that are the pillars of the Talbert brand.
“When we purchased the facility in 2014, we had 18 employees and a modern facility to allow for the type of growth we needed,” Tanner said. “Today we have 60 employees at Liberty and are looking to staff well over 100 long-term. Talbert has been able to remain on the cutting edge of heavy-haul innovations for more than 80 years because we understand the value of investing in our people as much as our products. The Liberty expansion is an investment not just in Talbert, but in our dealers and customers.”
“Part of what makes Talbert special is how the company has been able to keep Austin Talbert’s vision alive and growing in such a fast-paced industry,” Stern said. “Today’s Talbert might look quite different on the surface than what Talbert or my father — who purchased the company in the 1970s, knew — but I know they would be proud of the high-quality trailers coming off the lines in Rensselaer and Liberty, of the dedicated dealers that make up our extensive dealer network, and the loyal customer base we have been able to grow over the past 80 years.”
Talbert Manufacturing would like to thank Landmark Builders of Winston-Salem, North Carolina for construction of the addition. They would also like to acknowledge the officials at Randolph County for welcoming Talbert to the area as well as for supporting their growth.
More in this category: « Waldorf Joins Telsmith as regional sales manager | Nominations are now open for AEM’s $50,000 grant program »
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SportFootball
Chris Maguire's heartfelt message to Sunderland fans following injury blow
Chris Maguire has thanked Sunderland fans for their support and well-wishes after he was ruled out for up to two months.
By Mark Donnelly
Saturday, 23 February, 2019, 10:06
Chris Maguire is set to be absent for up to eight weeks
The popular forward was withdrawn during the early stages of the Black Cats' 4-2 win over Gillingham on Tuesday evening with an impact injury, which was later concluded to be a fractured fibula.
Maguire now looks set to miss the next six to eight weeks, although the club are confident that he will not require surgery to amend the issue.
And after Jack Ross confirmed the injury blow, messages from Sunderland fans flooded in - with many praising the 30-year-old after he tried to play on despite the injury.
Now, via his personal Instagram page, Maguire has moved to thank supporters for their well-wishes in a heartfelt message, during which the Scot also promised to play his part in the remainder of the season once his comeback is complete.
He posted: "Gutted with the news about my injury, thanks for all the messages of support I have received and I will be back stronger ready for the final push towards our goal."
Manager Ross addressed Maguire's absence at his press conference on Thursday afternoon, during which he revealed how the wideman had responded to the news.
"He's frustrated because he just wants to play all the time, that's how Chris is as a guy," he said.
"He knows he's going to be out and not be able to do much for four to six weeks anyway, and then obviously he wants to contribute on the park.
"He wants to play a part in things and knows what lies ahead of us as well.
"We've got an exciting end to the season in two competitions and it could be very enjoyable.
"He's already setting targets for when he thinks he could be back, so he's okay just now.
"We've given him some time off that will help him in terms of clearing his head.
"I would prefer not to have it, but we just have to find a solution to keep winning games."
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Review – Love & Theft’s “Whiskey On My Breath”
Trigger Reviews 55 Comments
To be perfectly honest, Love & Theft was never a duo I felt much need to pay attention to. They were sort of in this gaggle of acts with two-word names like Thompson Square and Steel Magnolia, sporting middling careers with middling songs. It was just tough for them to raise the pulse, positively or negatively.
Earlier this year, the news came out about Love & Theft really getting the shaft from their RCA label in Nashville. The story was they got dropped because they weren’t Bro-Country. They were told that in as many words. And even worse, it happened when they had masters sitting on a shelf with the label, so they were left in a lurch like so many major label acts are when the ax falls. RCA Nashville was one of the many labels under Sony Nashville CEO Gary Overton’s control—the guy that uttered the now notorious words about not existing if you’re not on radio. Overton has since lost his own job.
So Love & Theft regrouped and decided to strip down their sound to mostly acoustics and record a new album called Whiskey On My Breath. With song titles such as “Hang Out Hungover” and “Tan Lines,” you can probably anticipate some of the flavors this album includes. A few of the songs probably could be characterized as stripped-down versions of Bro-Country in some respects, but others show much more promise. The title track especially caught my ear.
The very beginning is where the song can almost lose you. It’s just a little too progressive, a little too stylized for my taste. Hand drums are not exactly what I have in mind when I think of a weighty country song. But then it settles in just fine and you virtually forget about all that by the first chorus.
Co-written by Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson of Love and Theft with Trent Tomlinson, Russell Dickerson, Adam Craig and Mark McGuinn, the song takes almost the exact opposite approach of the modern day country song by instead of glorifying the party lifestyle, representing the other side of the coin in more of a cautionary tale. It’s fair to call it a religious song, but the contriteness and real life narrative grounds “Whiskey In My Breath” in more of a universally-resonating sentiment, impacting the listener no matter what their religious affiliation happens to be.
One of the many unfortunate parts about the modern day Nashville machine is that you never know how truly talented (or not talented) the artists are once layer upon layer of production has been added on top. By peeling that all back and exposing their voices, Love & Theft soar in a way virtually unseen from major label acts these days aside from maybe Carrie Underwood. “Whiskey On My Breath” reminded me a lot of Underwood’s “Something In The Water,” and Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain” especially. No wonder after the duo performed the song on the Grand Ole Opry, Gill said to them as they walked off stage, “That’s how you sing boys.”
As you could probably anticipate, despite being released as a single, “Whiskey On My Breath” didn’t raise a blip of interest on country radio without a major label behind its back. But the hook is chilling, the sentiment is pure, and it’s definitely something worth bending an ear to.
1 3/4 of 2 Guns Up.
Carrie Underwood, Eric Gunderson, Gary Overton, Love & Theft, Review, Stephen Baker Liles, Vince Gill, Whiskey On My Breath
TheSarge
I absolutely love this song. Chilling and haunting. It also brought to mind another song with a similar hook. “Don’t Tell Mama” by Gary Allan. “Don’t tell mama I was drinking, lord knows her soul would never rest. I can’t leave this world with mama thinking, I met the lord with Whiskey on my breath.”
Acoustic guitars ,accordion, fiddle solo ,mandolin , piano , substance-driven AUDIBLE narrative , solid vocals featuring arresting harmonies . No wonder it didn’t get played on radio . Where’s the fake twang , the drum loops , the ‘girl,’ the wall of Les Pauls , the rapped ‘bridge’ , …and what ..not even a token BANJO ? Everybody knows a ‘country song’ needs a token banjo !
Seriously though …it takes over 1:30 to get to the chorus/ title and another 1:30 to get back to it with the tag title happening once again ( come early , come often ). . Twangtown wants that title within 30-45 seconds and sooner if possible ( attention spans ). The overall song length is 4:40 . Some bigger acts ( named Hunt , Bryan , Aldean ) MIGHT get away with that length but no mortals would . Eats into ad time . Last but not least , the hymn-like arrangement and the mention of Jesus’ name still scares the hell out of most stations/chains/networks unless your band’s name is UNDERWOOD …and even then …. .
This is one of the best songs/lyrics to come to country radio in a very long while , IMHO,… as is the performance and arrangement . I applaud these guys for recording and releasing this . I would hope the rest of the CD has the same integrity about it . And I would hope someone in radio-land appreciates that fact and supports it and similar trad-leaning efforts by other acts . I’m in total agreement with your 1 3/4 guns -up assessment Trigger .
BwareDWare94
April 30, 2015 @ 9:14 pm
Mentioning Jesus’ name doesn’t scare anybody away. Half-assed pandering religion sentiments are all over modern “country.”
I’m looking at you, Brantley Gilbert.
Emily Hall
Listen to this and tell me he doesn’t mean every damn word he’s saying.
http://theboot.com/brantley-gilbert-one-hell-of-an-amen-no-1-party/
carmines04
“One of the many unfortunate parts about the modern day Nashville machine is that you never know how truly talented (or not talented) the artists are”.
Ha! One of the truest things you have ever written on this site. I wonder sometimes how many artists get just written off by country music fans because they get sucked into the machine. (See your post from a few months ago about “Before they sucked” https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/before-they-sucked-big-country-stars-at-the-start). Some of the most annoying mainstream artists used to actually be creative and would actually sing some darn good country songs.
Before reading this, Love and Theft was one of those duo’s that I paid no attention too.
Thanks for writing this one, Trigger. When I saw the title I figured it was probably a rant, I tried to like these guys a few years ago but couldn’t so would have never given another listen without you bringing the new album to my attention. I know you are getting some heat after your reviews of the bigger names recently but bringing attention to a band most people assumed to be C-list bro-country shows how positive and valuable this site is.
April 30, 2015 @ 10:03 am
“Whiskey On My Breath” isn’t bad, but as far as songs about meeting the Lord with whiskey on your breath go, I prefer “Don’t Tell Mama I Was Drinkin’.” Gary Allan and The Grascals both do fantastic versions.
I really appreciate you reviewing this one Trig. If it wasn’t for the fact that I have Sirius, I would never have heard this song but it is hands down one of the best on there right now. Trent Tomlinson is a name I have not heard in quite a while and its a real shame because he might be one of the most overlooked guys in the business in the last 10 years. Really miss hearing “One Wing in the Fire” and his various other hits.
Wow. clever song idea.
Mo Crawdford
This song is very contrived, these guys are bros and it shows. DAC would bitch slap these tools, and mainstream country will always be horrible music for lame white people
Yeah, I can definitely see where you’re coming from. Granted, this is probably one of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time from a couple of mainstream Nancy’s, but that bar was set too low too long ago.
I think we’re all starved for even just halfway decent country music these days. And this is definitely better than most mainstream “country” (that’s not actually how I judge country music, but it is what it is).
Sturgill can’t release his next album soon enough…
April 30, 2015 @ 11:52 pm
I like the lyrics and the harmonies, but it certainly does feel contrived. I’d be hard pressed to think these two actually lived this song.
May 1, 2015 @ 1:11 am
Congratulations on injecting race into this discussion. Now back to the topic at hand.
Who cares if this song is contrived? When I judge a song, I don’t give a damn about the life story of the writer or vocalist. A good song that is contrived is far superior to a bad but authentic song. If this silly type of “authenticity” standard were used in literature or drama, most great stories, plays, and movies would not exist.
Madwolfe
I’m OK with a contrived song as long as it feels authentic.
I think Whitey sums up what’s missing from contemporary music nicely:
“…I always tell people, “it takes getting your heart broken a few times, and maybe losing a job or a couple of loved ones, before you really understand that these songs are about real shit.” They might sound too perfectly generic to be about real shit, but they actually are. That”™s just how good they are. It takes you a little while. Ray Price and Merle Haggard, when they sing those songs, it”™s about real life. Nowadays, it couldn”™t be further from it. They don”™t have real singers. They”™re airbrushing photos of all these dudes. It”™s like, it couldn”™t be less real than it is right now. It blows my mind. That”™s what it”™s supposed to be about. The word that goes best with country music is “real,” in fucking giant bold letters: REAL. I think about the way we”™re going down the road listening to these songs, and a song hits me and I”™m like, “I”™ve been there.” Or I look at Brett and go, “yeah, been there buddy?” He”™s like, “oh fuck, man.” It hits you. It brings you back down to earth. Someone else forty fuckin”™ years ago wrote about some shit that happened to you last night, because you were drinking and you weren”™t where you shoulda been, maybe you did something stupid you shouldn”™t have done. With a lot of George Jones songs, when it hit me, it totally reminded me of this girl, this time, this day. That”™s just what it does. Even if he didn”™t write it, you know damn well he felt the same way about it, and the reason why he sang it better than the dude that wrote it, the reason why he can sell it, is because he probably had the same experience. It”™s all these same memories and experiences that we keep tossing around, all these country guys. There”™s only so many of ”˜em.”
http://noisey.vice.com/blog/whitey-morgan-interview-stream
May 1, 2015 @ 1:47 pm
First off, I obviously have a great fondness of Whitey Morgan, and what he said here. I find it funny that he’s said similar things on SCM and other places many times, but it only became news when he said it on Vice. But that’s the way these things go.
I don’t think it’s fair to say that Love & Theft are not “real” or “authentic.” Two years ago, that was probably a very fair accusation. But we’ve all had our hearts broken. Just because someone is rich, attractive, or has good hair doesn’t mean they’ve never experienced heartbreak. We all have, and it doesn’t make anyone special, unique, or more real than anyone else. Also, this duo does know how it is to go through hard times, lose your job, and have your dreams crushed, because as explained in this review, they got completely jobbed by their major label and were left out on the street to fend for themselves. Maybe they should have known better and never signed that deal, but the point remains, just because Love & Theft have a name more people recognize compared to Whitey Morgan, doesn’t make one more real than the other. I’m not comparing the two mind you, I’m just saying they are two completely different artists with different influences and motivations, and just because they’re different, doesn’t mean one is more real than the other. I would still suspect Whitey is still more “real” than Love & Theft, but that’s not based on anything more than an opinion.
As for this REAL moniker that has become very trendy to assign to certain segments of country music. When SCM very first started, the banner at the top of the page read, “Fighting for REAL country music.” Then I started shying away from saying REAL because when it got parroted back to me, it was usually followed by someone sending me music that was all played in the Waylon half-time beat, with super countrified vocals singing about how REAL country they were and they weren’t like that bullshit coming out of Nashville.
Is that type of country “REAL”? Sure. But that doesn’t mean it’s real good. What I started to discover is that “REAL” is in the eye of the beholder, and is used to describe simply a mindset, just like “Outlaw,” instead of being an total, bulletproof describer of music. There’s a lot of misguided musicians out there right now playing REAL or Outlaw country that are contributing to the noise pollution of modern music just as much as anyone. I wouldn’t mark Whitey Morgan in that camp by any stretch, but just like Waylon did, Whitey has spawned some half-timed Waylon impersonators that really need to give it a rest, especially with their incessant Nashville protest songs that are self-ingratiating and as cliche as the music they’re criticizing.
Thirty Tigers—the same entity that aided the rise of Sturgill Simpson, has gotten behind Love & Theft now. I think that tells you just where this duo sits, and what promise they could have. Are they real? I guess that matters from your perspective. But after getting spit out of the Nashville machine, they’re definitely much more real now than they were a year ago.
On a plane to Austin right now… but it looks like I’m gonna have to give it a listen after I land. Damnit, Trig. I’ve been doing a great job of not liking these guys for years. Don’t tell me they decided to buck the trend and make country music.
hoptowntiger
Ok song. Better than the one they did with Nick Jonas on the ACM award show.
That was Dan + Shay, but I still laughed.
Prior to this release, Love And Theft got on my nerves much more often than I deemed them listenable.
Granted they had some moments that showed promise: most notably “Running Out Of Air”. But their signature hit “Angel Eyes” pandered squarely to carnal bro fantasies (even if the production sounded pleasant)…………..and then they had some truly AWFUL album cuts including the one-two punch that closed their previous album: “Girls Like To Shake It” and “Girls Look Hot In Trucks”.
……………..yes, those are ACTUAL song titles; with the latter actually being a hilariously awful schmaltz-sounding fest about how we may barely ever agree on anything……………but HEY………….can we at the very least agree that girls look hot in trucks and that a cold beer tastes great on a sunny day? (eye roll) -__-
Thus, I had understandably pretty much written off Love & Theft entirely as anonymous trend-peddlers.
And, when this duo had three consecutive single releases fail to reach the Top Twenty…………..while I obviously am saddened whenever artists are not given the green light to release their albums and just wind up shelved indefinitely, if not permanently……….while they are ousted from their respective labels……………I wasn’t expecting anything noteworthy when I had heard they were releasing a new album on their own.
But when I heard the abrupt buzz surrounding “Whiskey On My Breath”, I kind of figured “Hey, ‘Runnin’ Out Of Air’ was a pretty good song, so if ‘Whiskey On My Breath’ is remotely as good as that, then it’s worth a listen, why not?”
And I am absolutely relieved I gave this a chance.
“Whiskey On My Breath” easily joins Jana Kramer’s “I Got The Boy”, and what hopefully turns out to be Dierks Bentley’s “Riser”, as one of the best mainstream country singles released this year, thus far.
You’ve already covered the beautiful vocal harmonies and intimate production enough here, but I want to touch on the lyrics as well because they’re equally as exquisite.
“Whiskey On My Breath” is proof that, ever still, less is more. We’re immediately presented with a picture of a helpless narrator lying in bed in the midst of a hangover with a bottle resting beside him. All of this is revealed in merely four lines, but it already sets the stage for a cathartic chorus stinging with remorse, but never veering too much to the schmaltzy in that he at least sounds resolute in not disappointing Jesus by eventually showing up under the influence.
Even still, it’s the open-endedness of the resolution: “I need to pull myself together before then…”, as well as the ache underpinning its vocal delivery, that makes the chorus all the more devastating. You believe his sincerity when he insists he’s scared of showing up in heaven in the current state he’s in, but he also doesn’t downplay the fact he has a long way to go and is presently at a loss as to where to start. The desperation is contained so well here, and while we maintain hope the narrator is setting himself on the right track in resolving to get right with the Lord and doesn’t make any excuses for his follies, the hazy ambiguity in both the vocal delivery and production underscores the fact this will be no easy work and there are no quick fixes to changing your ways………..and we’re not even sure he’ll stick with his resolution or not.
The second verse also holds some razor insight. He states he has broken nine out of ten commandments, but then insists he knows he’ll get to heaven because Jesus died for all his sins. That disclosure, alone, speaks volumes. Because had he figured that he would already be judged otherwise, we have every reason to believe he wouldn’t come to the same cathartic release he does. Because there would be no incentive to reverse course if he interpreted Jesus as any less forgiving.
Growing up, many of us soaked up these particularly black-and-white dichotomous views of heaven and hell, right and wrong, saints and sinners, etc. But when you really delve into the Holy Book, regardless if you identify as religious or secular………….the richness of the text is decisively grayscale and replete with moral ambiguity and parables that intentionally contradict each other. So that insight in the second verse definitely hit me hard……….and only adds further impetus with the refraining chorus.
“Whiskey In My Breath” hits just the right balance of self-awareness and moral ambiguity that makes for a most haunting and brutally honest ballad that is in equal measure intimately personal as well as universally relatable (I personally can’t imagine, despite references to Jesus and heaven, how secular listeners and even listeners of other faiths won’t be able to appreciate the sentiment here).
This deserves a strong 8/10 to weak 9/10 from me, and is easily among the best mainstream country has to offer this year (heck, make that the past five years).
By the way, I can also warmly say that more than half of the album of the same name is also a much-welcomed effort that consists of more to like than dislike.
Yes: I won’t diminish the fact that they DO still pander to the most banal and irritable commercial country tropes on several tracks. “Tan Lines” simply sucks, and the first three songs on the album (“Can’t Wait For The Weekend”, “Anytime, Anywhere”, “Hang Out Hungover”) are all tracks I’d interject “Skip It!” toward. I’m by no means saying this is a home run.
But considering their worse-than-mediocre track record beforehand, and their situation with finding a label and means of releasing future music…………I honestly am optimistic about where they can further grow and take their strengths from here. Aside from the title track, “Everybody Drives Drunk” hits hard (don’t let the title fool you, it’s actually a song about how past heartbreak and disappointment impacts and influences us to the extent we all may struggle to let loose of those haunted memories and live freely again.). And “Wrong Baby Wrong” (originally made a moderate hit by Martina McBride), “Easy” and “Get Drunk and Make Friends” (again, don’t instantaneously dismiss the song by its title: it’s actually a competent and listenable brand of party song that sounds like a 90s throwback) all impress me based on the production and exquisite harmonies.
So, for the first time yet, I’m actually looking forward to where Love & Theft can potentially move from here.
Until then, we have this outstanding single.
I always liked “Angel Eyes.” Yeah, it was a theme well-covered by country singers, but it was a fun song about a girl and the final verse/bridge about holding her at night contained some nice reflection on love in a more mature way than one would expect.
I haven’t listen to their other songs yet, so I cannot render an informed opinion on those songs.
While I respect your take on “Angel Eyes”, I don’t buy it myself.
The lyrics give me the impression they’re much more lust than love, and spend most of the time, in a laundry list format, listing wild things she does that are stereotypically “naughty” like drinking beside the bonfire and cranking up the dial, while contrasting them with stereotypically “nice” things like singing in the church choir.
Now, like I’ve said, I like the production of “Angel Eyes”. It has a nice jangly drive to it that wouldn’t feel out of place on a sunny AM station back in the day. But, lyrically, it just didn’t work for me. It came across as written-by-committee and impersonal.
Glad I wasn’t the only one that thought “Running Out Of Air” was pretty good.
Sounds like a country boy band; not a fan of the vocals – higher-octave male duo harmonies just aren’t my thing.
I understand that high harmonies can be off putting or even sound feminine to some, but that’s the old bluegrass register, and that’s one of the things I like about the song because it harkens back to that tradition. That’s Ira Louvin’s part.
Everything about this song makes me think about Ira Louvin
Robberino
I like this song a lot, and I can pretty well guarantee that this is the first time Love & Theft and Ira Louvin have been mentioned in the same context.
KathyP
Just beautiful. Brought a few tears to my eyes. Maybe I can get our local university station to play it.
Very good song. Not a fan of the band in general and I admit to not having checked out their new album, guess only time will tell if this is a case of a “blind squirrel find a nut” or the start of these guys actually making good music. I mean, let’s face it FGL cut “Dirt” which was solid and the same goes for Luke Bryan with “Drink a Beer”. Granted “Drink a Beer” was pretty much a bro-Country ballad if there ever was one, but it wasnt completely terrible and included Chris Stapleton’s always solid vocals.
I almost feel for artists like Love and Theft in a way, because they have to try and appease their fanbase, no matter the size of it now, by recording some songs that are basically the “diet” version of their Country radio hits, while also wanting to try and appeal to more independently minded Country fans. Has to be a hard, often creatively stifling line to straddle.
Mo Crawford
I take it none of you have heard Jason Boland’s Bottle By My Bed or Matt Borden’s Jack Daniels Daze? Two cautionary drinking songs by current artists(not boy-band bros) that are way more real
I’ve definitely heard Jason Boland’s “Bottle By My Bed.” I’ll have to look up Matt Borden’s. I don’t think you have to hate one song just because you like another. As I said in my review, I’m far from wholeheartedly endorsing Love & Theft as a band you should be listening to, but I thought this song was surprising and refreshing from an act like them, and evidenced growth.
It’s always said that 90% of what comes out of the mainstream is garbage. Well then it stands to reason that 10% is not. So in my opinion, it’s not my job to ignore all the mainstream or just spend all my time trashing it, but seek out that 10%, shine a spotlight on it, and hope that the 10% grows and takes shape and encroaches on that 90%. If a mainstream fan hears a song like this and connects with it, it could be the moment that opens up their musical horizons, and leads them to discover an artist like Jason Boland.
Failed to get the memo
This song is dumb. It sounds like someone listened to Charlie Robison “Life of the Party” And wrote a watered down bullshit song.
Mike2
I didn’t think that Zac Brown was capable of releasing anything truly bad, or that Love and Theft were capable of releasing anything truly good, yet both happened in the same week.
Best remorseful drinkin song I’ve heard in 20 years is YOU DON’T KNOW JACK co-written by Erin Ederlin ( Monday Morning Church ) .Incredible lyric ….cuts to the bone .
But even MORE amazing than the song is the only cut I’ve heard on it except for Erin’s from her album …and its by ….wait for it ………….LUKE BRYAN . Yup …THAT Luke . It’s the only reason I’d give Luke a ride if he were hitchhiking on a wilderness back road at 3 in the morning . He seems to KNOW what a good song is . He just doesn’t wanna sing one on the radio .
Check out his version on You Tube if you are serious about a lyric .
DarthBadGuy
This song’s not incredible, but it’s definitely more than I expected from a duo I dismissed as Nashville B-listers when I first heard them on the radio a couple years back.
If anything, I think it’s proof that no artist; and no song; should be dismissed out of hand without being given a shot. Thanks for highlighting this, I definitely would have missed it otherwise.
Allbenny
like it when you make me take a second look at someone. favorite part of the review is the ‘one of the unfortunate parts of the Nashville machine is you never know how truly talented or not the artists are after production’ statement. I agree, and tend to lean to talented side, even some of the ones who get blasted on here regularly. If more would just strip it down and pull back a little it would come thru more. A lot of radio singles suck, but some of the deeper cuts, by even some of the ‘bros’ make me wonder why can’t you just stick with that type of stuff. Seeing some of these pop country type acts, usually up and comers, at acoustic, storytellers type shows, seem so much better, than when it is finally cut to record. At any rate, thanks for the unexpected review, and little bit of history on a band I knew not much about.
Thanks for this one. Probably would not have ever heard it if not reviewed. I know people are giving it mixed reviews on here, but I have to say it is a great song. They have been very forgettable up until this. It has that bluegrass sound. I know a lot of people are referring to Gary Allen’s song, but I’ll go back a few more years and reference “cheap whiskey” by both Martina McBride and Patty Loveless. Damn good song. Even better voices.
That song…wow. For those of us who have lived/are living that song it’s a pretty chilling moment, and almost uncomfortable in a way. Could you imagine George Jones singing that?
Ballgame
Sonically, it’s a cheap knockoff of Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on that Mountain”
I don’t know what it is, but I honestly can’t take any modern country religious songs seriously. I don’t honestly believe that any of these artists truly release these songs without the understanding that they’re pandering to some extent.
Granted, I’m not much on organized religion, but still. It all sounds hollow. “Something in the Water” even sounded somewhat insincere, but it was probably the most authentic sounding song since “Long Black Train.”
So, the “guys” from Panic! at the Disco have “gone country?”
News just came down today, this song is getting a new push on country radio through Thirty Tigers’ new radio division. Should be interesting.
http://www.musicrow.com/2015/05/love-and-theft-take-whiskey-on-my-breath-to-radio/
May 1, 2015 @ 12:05 pm
While I still think it will be an uphill struggle pushing this track to broad mainstream consciousness, Thirsty Tigers has definitely proven their mettle over the past year in marketing and promoting some top tier talent including Sturgill Simpson, Aaron Watson, Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams and the emerging St. Paul and the Broken Bones.
Heck, Chase Rice is their only signee whose music I don’t like, but it is indisputable they’ve done a fabulous job marketing and promoting “Ignite The Night” when it has been a mainstay within or around the chart’s Top Ten for months now despite his current single “Gonna Wanna Tonight” hardly moving the needle at all. “Ignite The Night” is easily one of the strongest sales-to-spins ratio mainstream releases out now, and Thirsty Tigers deserves a whole deal of credit there as well.
It obviously remains to be seen whether they can strike lightning twice with radio promotion, but I trust they know what they’re doing as they’ve earned my respect for how they’ve nurtured their existing roster of exquisite talent.
Love & Theft make a great entry point for Thirty Tigers with their new radio promo company because it’s a name mainstream listeners will recognize, but it’s a song that fits into the spirit of what Thirty Tigers is about. I get this strange sense that what once was laughed at as a label dining on table scraps is at some point going to get the last laugh as it makes established stars out of Music Row’s overlooked and castoffs.
This is actually quite a good song. Even after reading your review I was still expecting something that was just maybe a little above average for a mainstream act. I know it’s nothing groundbreaking, but still very good. The only other song I’ve heard by them is Angel Eyes which I really disliked, so I pretty much have ignored them. I’ll certainly be paying closer attention to them in the future. I would say the song definitely has a strong Irish influence (which is always a plus a far as I’m concerned). Their vocals are good but quite pop influenced, but it’s not too big of a drawback. Great harmony though. Hopefully this does well on radio but I’m not getting my hopes up. Thanks for the review.
This is an ok song…Saw them last year as part of an event & many of us left…They were awful. They will need more than one song to make me give a darn
K so anyone else notice how this sounds very close to go rest high up on that mountin?
I did. Mentioned it in the review.
I read an article a coue months ago that said religion wasn’t much of a common subject in country music anymore
Well I don’t know about yall but this and Chris Stapletons “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore” look to me like religion may start making a comeback
At least in traditional circles
Lawana Grimsley
There is some songs that you has to grow on you but, not this one I rushed out and bought the cd after hearing this awesome song. I haven’t decided which version I like the best but, the acoustic one is in the lead right now. 🙂 I love it. !!!!! Great Job guys
I grew up with Eric and have tried to be supportive of his career. I had no idea people loathed them so much until reading these comments! Eric has always been his own biggest fan, but I’d never deny that he’s truly talented. At a very young age I’d listen to him sing and I knew he was going to be famous for it. He just had that indescribable something. I think these boys need to read these comments and take the criticism to heart. Songs like “Girls look hot in trucks” insult the listeners intelligence, and make them look like a big joke. They’re wasting their talent on mindless songs like that. With that being said they also have some great songs on all of their records. Some of the lyrics are very strong, and their harmonies are really beautiful on some of the more stripped down songs like “Whiskey on my Breath”. They can both truly sing their faces off. I don’t think they’ve really found their own voice and what they have to say yet. They’re just trying to write songs like the others on the radio. I know they’re incredibly talented and are both great writers. They need to stop trying to be copy cats and be more authentic. It’s clear that most of you see them as fakes and wanna be’s, and that’s truly sad because they do have real talent and have worked hard to be where they are today.
As a big Love & Theft fan, I feel I need to stick up for them a bit. If you’ve seen them in concert, you’ll know what a fun show they put on and how they love interacting with their audience. Stephen and Eric are both very talented singers and songwriters. They really did get screwed by RCA. Recorded an album they were so excited to release and share. Now Reba (who I love!) Is getting lots of air time with one of those songs “Out Like That”. They had to record a completely new album for their new label.
Just a little trivia…and Stephen told me this himself …the inspiration for “Angel Eyes” was actually his sister.
I recommend checking out some of LnT’s older stuff again…there are some great tunes you’ve probably never heard! At one time they were actually a trio with another talented artist, Brian Bandas.
Anyways…good luck to them with their new label and album!
Thanks for the review. It seems to me some very good points for the boys to ponder, both good and bad. The choice of songs are not always the artists favorites. Labels have much to do with it. Country music has many styles and flavors. No one likes it all. If we listen to country radio, we are given what to like. If we hear it enough we forget it has dumb lyrics or sounds like the last song played. Overall I’m encouraged to see Love & Theft find their voice in country music. Their first album had some great messages. They were a trio. That label shut down and Bryan dropped out. Obstacles they worked through. I know Stephen has been writing songs since he was 14, taking his guitar to school and writing songs with heart. He grew up being encouraged to write songs to help others. How many times would he sing me a new song and I would get choked up. Most have never been cut. Mom, that’s not what people want. But, maybe someday they will or he will have the courage to try. For now I thought “whiskey on my breath” was a meaningful message.
He wrote it with friends and it is heart felt. Drinking in moderation often gets out of control and our life is lost. It’s happened to our family members. I hope the song brings hope, because we can always change for the better. It’s never too late. Thanks again for writing a positive review, as Stephens mom I’m proud of his perseverance amidst both personal and professional challenges. He keeps moving forward and helps others along the way.
Mrs. Liles, one of my favorites is “Try to Make it Anyway”. After a show in Charleston, I told him so and he sang part of it for me. Congrats to you for raising such a talented and generous son!
February 1, 2017 @ 4:50 pm
LOVE THIS SONG from the first time I saw it on CMT but I was looking it up because it struck me as sounding very close to my favorite singer ever Vince Gill’s Go Rest High like I said the song struck me hard the visual was strong and the words are strong and the music even stronger. Just give my boy a little credit he wrote it the notes I say
Hminga
‘Broke all but one of my Lord’s 10’
what exactly is 1 commandment amongs 10 that he’s talking about?
Leave a Reply to Jonathan Cancel reply
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Nations impose new air tax to fight AIDS
Airfare Deals Jan 12, 2009
Josh Roberts
Executive Editor Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up. Follow him on Instagram at @jauntist and on Twitter at @joshwritesYA.
Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.
The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."
Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."
Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien
Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."
See recent posts by Josh Roberts
jauntist @joshwritesYA josh@smartertravel.com
Reuters reports 13 countries, led by France, will soon start levying a new tax on air travel as a means of raising funds to fight AIDS and other diseases.
“There are six million people on the planet who need urgent treatment against AIDS and don’t get any medicine,” says French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy. “We are creating something that is completely new and revolutionary.” That “something” is a levy of at least one euro on air tickets (up to 40 euros on international flights).
The other countries joining France are Brazil, Britain, Chile, Congo, Cyprus, France, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mauritius, Nicaragua, and Norway. Another 25 countries are not imposing the tax but plan to contribute to the central fund.
The United States is among the countries officially opposed to the new tax.
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Mum Imposes ‘Bath Ban’ For Her Husband As She Refuses To Let Him Bathe Their Daughter...because they have 'different body parts'
Mum Imposes ‘Bath Ban’ For Her Husband As She Refuses To Let Him Bathe Their Daughter
By Sahm Community
Stories that have been written by mums, with a raw, honest, heartfelt sometimes tearful emotions put into words. Just so that we as a community know that as mums you are not alone!
A mother has imposed a ‘bath ban’ for her husband as she refuses to let him bathe their young daughters ‘because they have different body parts’.
The mother, from Queensland, took to social media to talk about her ‘bath ban’ that has sparked criticism from people online.
She said that her husband was offended by her refusal to allow him to bathe their young daughters, but said that she has no problem with him washing their son. She wrote:
“So hubby is upset with me because I have told him that I don’t (want him to) wash our two daughters in the bath or shower.
“I just don’t feel comfortable for a man to do this.
“I just believe that girls should be getting washed by their mothers and boys get the same from their fathers.
“It’s just got to do with the fact that mum and daughters have the same parts, same goes for men and their sons.”
The mother added that she just wanted to protect her daughters.
“Hubby thinks I think ill of him, but it’s always been this way for me.
“People play the “I was molested card” so very often these days, I just don’t want in any way to give my kids the chance to even think about that,” she said.
Her post has earned the ire of most people on social media saying she’s ‘sexualising bath time’ with the kids.
“What about single parents? Should they not bath their son or daughters in case they molested them?,” a mother said.
A man also commented: “You have more than a few screws loose, you shouldn’t even be thinking like that putting your partner in the same category as a child sex predator.”
So, what do you think about this mum’s ‘bath ban’?
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NHS South Tees CCG is required to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing, or administering public funds, or where undertaking a public function in order to prevent and detect fraud.
The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.
Data matching involves comparing sets of data such as the payroll records of a body against other records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. The data is usually personal information. The data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or another explanation until an investigation is carried out.
We are a mandatory participant in the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative; a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching each exercise, as detailed here on the www.gov.uk website. For further information on how the CCG uses your information, please refer to the CCG’s Fair Processing Notice.
The processing of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under its powers in Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under data protection legislation or the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a code of data matching practice, also available on the www.gov.uk website.
The Cabinet Office has published its Data Privacy notice, which sets out how the Cabinet Office will use your personal data and your rights. The notice is made under Article 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The legal basis for processing your personal data is that processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller.
We want you to know that we take privacy very seriously. Please be assured that we will always manage your data securely and responsibly.
For further information on data matching at this organisation, please contact the Counter Fraud team on 0191 441 5936 or email counterfraud@audit-one.co.uk.
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- Tinnitus, Hearing loss and Acupuncture. WDDTY
Tinnitus, Hearing loss and Acupuncture. WDDTY
Tinnitus, hearing loss and acupuncture
A recent article In What DoctorsDon’t Tell you – Very inspiring.
I also have helped with patients with many of these conditions.
Reverse tinnitus and hearing loss
When nothing else works for tinnitus and hearing loss, brain damage from stroke or an accident, Parkinson’s and even paralysis, scalp acupuncture gets to the parts that Western medicine can’t reach, says Cate Montana.
In 1935, a Chinese medical doctor named Huang Xuelong first introduced the concept of a relationship between the scalp and the cerebral cortex. Initial clinical studies showed that scalp acupuncture was particularly effective at treating neurological problems, especially those experienced by stroke victims, such as paralysis, tremors, aphasia (trouble speaking) and ataxia (lack of muscle coordination).
Over the years, its use has expanded. In the 1970s, three Chinese medical doctors, Jiao Shunfa, Fang Yunpeng and Tang Songyan, brought scalp acupuncture to greater prominence, creating a diverse system with different needling techniques (varying angles of insertion, depth, the number of needles, manipulation, twirling, etc.) Each doctor also focused on different areas of the scalp. Jiao specialized in motor and sensory areas, Fang focused on memory and speech centers, while Tang zeroed in on something called the “triple burner” (three energetic “organs” that have no corresponding physical organ known to Western medicine).
Today, these techniques have been refined, and one of the most recent developments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is needling the shu points of the scalp for specific health problems. (Shu refers to points where the life force, or qi, of the internal organs can be energetically influenced on the scalp.) Modern scalp acupuncture combines the best of acupuncture with the best of Western medicine. It is heavily based on Western physiology as it pertains to circulation within the central nervous system, especially that involving the cerebral cortex, the circle of Willis (the cerebral arteries supplying blood to the brain) and the cranial nerves. The technique also incorporates a good deal of Western diagnostics. As Roisin Golding, an acupuncturist and founder of Acupuncture Works in London, UK, says, “Western medicine is incredible when it comes to neurological diagnostics. Unfortunately, Western medicine treatments themselves are so very broad-based, they’re not that effective. Acupuncture and scalp acupuncture, on the other hand, are much broader in their diagnoses, but the treatments themselves are incredibly tailored to the individual.”
Multiple scalp acupuncture methodologies are still in development, but a standard nomenclature for acupuncture points has been developed, and various “zones” mapped out. In general, the front zone of the scalp toward the face is used to treat the upper body, while the rear portion of the scalp is used to treat the lower body. Zones relating to functions, such as sensation, memory and motor skills, are usually found at the back and sides of the scalp.
Upon inserting the needles, manual stimulation is usually applied for one to two minutes, and then the needles are twirled again at intervals of about 10 to 15 minutes throughout the patient’s visit.Unlike traditional body acupuncture, where the practitioner has a wide array of choices concerning the points and techniques to use for different issues, scalp acupuncture has more of a Western medical approach, with patients given the same diagnosis usually receiving the same or very similar treatment.
Scalp acupuncture for tinnitus and hearing loss
A puzzling ringing in the ears, a tone, a low buzzing or a whirring sound—that’s how people describe tinnitus. It’s a sound you can’t get away from, and it can drive some people to distraction. Often accompanied by some sort of hearing loss, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 15 percent of the general public—over 45 million Americans and 360 million people worldwide—experience some form of tinnitus.
The most common cause of tinnitus is damage or loss of the tiny sensory hair cells that line the cochlea of the inner ear, which typically occurs as people age. It can also occur when a person is exposed to damaging sound levels—especially for long periods. Unfortunately, traditional medical treatments for treating tinnitus and the related condition of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) are mostly hit-or-miss.
However, two studies on the use of scalp acupuncture have shown that it is effective for immediately and significantly reducing the effects of tinnitus.1 In addition, scalp acupuncture, in combination with traditional acupuncture, was found to be effective for treating SSHL.2
A new solution for stroke and neurological disease
Stroke, which affects approximately 800,000 people in the US and 100,000 in the UK every year, is the third leading cause of death and a major cause of long-term disability in adults. Strokes are most often caused by a blood clot or the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain that interrupts the blood supply, depriving brain tissue of nutrients and oxygen and resulting in a sudden die-off of brain cells.
Sensory perception, speech, movement and memory are often affected, resulting in such problems as difficulty seeing, walking, talking, and using one’s arms and hands (usually on just one side of the body). Headaches, loss of consciousness, numbness and paralysis are also common symptoms.
Currently, there is only one approved approach to treating ischemic stroke (strokes that result from an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying the brain), and that is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1996. Although tPA is able to dissolve blood clots, it is only useful if applied within a three- to six-hour window after a stroke has occurred. Any later than that, and its use can cause further hemorrhages in the brain.3
In 1997, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) began recommending general acupuncture as a complementary rehabilitation therapy to restore movement, sensation, speech and other neurological functions after stroke. In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) followed suit. Since then, acupuncture has become a widely accepted treatment, showing better clinical curative results than conventional Western treatments for stroke-related disabilities.4
Scalp acupuncture takes stroke treatment to an entirely new level. Remarkably effective for treating acute and chronic central nervous system problems including stroke symptoms, it often produces immediate improvement within several seconds to a minute using just a few needles.5
Dr Philip Trigiani, orthopedic acupuncturist and founder of Physical Medicine Acupuncture and Dr Phil Wellness NYC in New York City, says he has many stroke patients referred to him from neurologists. “A couple months ago a man came in who was in his early 60s, with total paralysis in most of his upper body and part of his lower body on the right,” he says. A smoker with cardiovascular disease, the man had had a stroke some months beforehand. “We got motion back right away after the very first session,” says Trigiani. “He came in about two times a week for about a month and half and is now about 80 percent recovered.”
Randomized controlled trials using scalp acupuncture show significant effects and improvement in neurological deficits following ischemic stroke.6 In a rat model of stroke, scalp acupuncture was reported to have a “rapid and strong effect” on neurological symptoms by reducing fluid buildup around the brain (cerebral edema).7 It’s also effective for treating stroke-related paralysis, acute intracerebral hemorrhage and spastic hemiplegia (a condition where the muscles on one side of the body are in a constant state of contraction).5,8
After an ischemic stroke, it is important to use scalp acupuncture as soon as possible to achieve optimum clinical results. For hemorrhagic stroke—when a blood vessel in the brain bursts open, as opposed to being clogged up—it’s advisable to perform scalp acupuncture as soon as the bleeding is controlled. Researchers from Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine in China also note that superior clinical outcomes are achieved when scalp acupuncture is combined with other methods of what is termed regular “body acupuncture.”
Furthermore, scalp acupuncture has proven effective for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other central nervous system disorders. One study, for example, cited how scalp acupuncture restored mobility and energy and eliminated incontinence, dizziness, numbness and tingling in the limbs in a 65-year-old man who had suffered from MS for 20 years. After 16 treatments, he was able to return to work.9 Scalp acupuncture is also a promising treatment for Parkinson’s disease.10Golding says she’s treated many patients with Parkinson’s over the years, such as a woman who suffered from ataxia and aphasia, such that her ability to speak was severely impeded. “I found her very hard to understand,” says Golding.
“Her husband had to serve as an interpreter. She was also unable to walk because of her lack of balance, and her vision was badly disturbed.”
Within a few scalp acupuncture sessions, Golding’s patient was able to walk to the park unaided, and her speech was much clearer. Although her vision hasn’t yet responded, says Golding, “she’s doing much better, and it is easy for her to speak on the phone and have conversations with people.”
Another patient, aged 68, with Parkinson’s, “would shuffle in the door, and I’d do scalp acupuncture, and she would sometimes run for a cab outside my office afterwards!” says Golding. The woman did remarkably well for about 10 or 12 years on very reduced medications, carrying on an active social life, until eventually she deteriorated. “She said it was the only thing that ever really helped her,” says Golding.
Golding combines electro-acupuncture (where a very low electrical current is passed between pairs of acupuncture needles) with scalp acupuncture in order to avoid some of the rapid needle twirling techniques that characterize most scalp acupuncture treatments, which she found both laborious for her and often uncomfortable for her patients. Since switching to electroacupuncture, “I find that it makes scalp acupuncture much more comfortable and completely tolerable for people,” she says. “The patients can quite comfortably sit there and chat, and you can also increase and decrease the sensitivity of it so you can get the current strong enough.”
Scalp acupuncture has even shown promise for facilitating the recovery of acute traumatic injuries, such as restoring some nerve communication in a patient suffering from acute spinal cord injury.11 Up to 80 percent of amputees develop phantom limb pain (where pain is felt in the missing limb area), and conventional medicine has few answers for alleviating their pain. Scalp acupuncture has been shown to provide pain relief for amputees suffering from pain in the amputated limbs.12
How scalp acupuncture works
According to Trigiani, scalp acupuncture is highly detailed in terms of how it affects certain cranial nerves and the microsystem that governs reflex changes in the rest of the body. For one thing, acupuncture on the scalp has an immediate effect, especially when dealing with neurological symptoms such as numbness, pain and paralysis from stroke. It works through something called proprioception, he says.
Proprioception is our unconscious perception of where our body is located in space—for example, reaching for a glass without needing to look for it. The sense of proprioception comes from nervous system signals generated throughout the body, like muscle tension and the balance mechanisms within the inner ear. “Touch any part of your body, and your brain immediately receives information as to what’s being contacted and where you’re at in terms of your physical being,” says Trigiani. “The most dynamic points of contact in the body are the distal points: fingertips, toes, earlobes, inner ear and, of course, your cranium. In the case of scalp acupuncture, it’s sending a signal to the central nervous system to cue that particular part of the organ. In this case, we’re talking about the brain.”
Trigiani says that scalp acupuncture is about ‘waking up’ the nerve cells in a particular complex of nerves and raising awareness at a certain level within the body that in turn allows it to self-correct and self-heal. “And because we’re dealing more with proprioception, rather than trying to stimulate tissue and nerves directly, it’s generally painless,” he says. “I also use very fine needles—about the width of one human strand of hair—that go into the scalp almost effortlessly.”
Trigiani particularly likes scalp acupuncture because it works within minutes, “sometimes even just seconds.” He often asks patients to move a body part during a treatment, or he might use osteopathic methods (treating disorders by manipulation and/or massage of the bones, joints and muscles) or touch contact points on the body related to the problem area while performing the scalp treatment. All of this is designed to maximize the conversation between the brain and the body, waking the brain up to what’s going on with various systems and organs.
Take Bell’s palsy, for example, a sudden, temporary weakness in the facial muscles that makes part of the face droop. In addition to needling the appropriate scalp points for this condition, Trigiani also sometimes uses a fingertip to hold a contact point on the opposite side of the body along the appropriate nerve pathway. “A few minutes later, you can see the face start to go back into a more balanced position,” he says. While dramatic results can be seen in one session, generally a number of treatments are necessary for permanent changes to occur. “If somebody comes in with allergies, and they’re sneezing or if they have asthma, I can relieve it in about one second with scalp acupuncture. But the body may go back to that old anchor point because there’s been damage to the neural pathways,” Trigiani notes. “But it’s just a matter of coming in a few times to stabilize and solidify the results.”
In addition to all the other conditions he addresses with scalp acupuncture, Trigiani has about an 85 percent success rate with women coming in for fertility treatments. “There are very powerful points along the cerebral cortex for fertility and for the stomach,” he says, “that strengthen the uterus and other reproductive organs, as well as the kidneys.” One recent patient, Christy, 42, had been unable to get pregnant and was told she never would—even though her reproductive organs were in good shape, and she was healthy. She went to see Dr Phil for pain issues, going for sessions two to three times a week. In addition to resolving her pain, she soon discovered that she was pregnant. Says Christy: “It’s definitely given me a broader perspective of what’s possible.”
Science catches up with ancient practices
Acupuncture is based in the ancient premise of Traditional Chinese Medicine that qi (energy) moves throughout the body along 12 main energy channels known as meridians, and that energy points along the meridians correspond to the major organs and functions of the body.
The first known historical reference to acupuncture and the practice of needling specific points on the body to release energetic blockages or stimulate energy to affect various disorders is The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, dated somewhere around 100 BCE. But recently, scientists from New York University School of Medicine and Beth Israel Hospital discovered the ‘interstitium,’ a ‘superhighway’ of interconnected compartments throughout the body supported by a meshwork of strong, flexible proteins, which sits just below the top layer of skin.1
In addition to its roles as a shock absorber preventing tissues from tearing and as the source of lymph, the fluid involved in the immune system, the interstitium also generates an electrical current (via its protein bundles), which at last could offer a scientific explanation of exactly how acupuncture works (see Last Word, WDDTY, July 2018).
A needle in time
Michael L, 61, of New York City came in to see Dr Trigiani for severe tinnitus in the left ear. He’d also experienced an 85 percent loss of hearing. The onset was sudden and inexplicable, and he had not been able to find a successful treatment for almost a year. He also struggled with dizziness and lack of balance.
He went to at least eight different specialists, including ear, nose and throat doctors, and was tested for everything, including Lyme disease. He was given steroid and antiviral injections into the inner middle ear, but nothing helped. Eventually, he says, “Doctors shrugged their shoulders and said, ‘We don’t know what to do for you.'” He received immediate relief from the tinnitus and pressure resolution in the middle ear with scalp acupuncture. “During about the third session I had an emotional experience,” he says. “I blew my nose and what appeared to be a fluorescent mucus came out. And that was when I knew I was on the right trajectory, and hope was born!”
After four to six months of twice-weekly treatments, which also included electrically stimulating the nerves around the ears themselves, 95 percent of his hearing had been restored. “It’s been three years now, and the symptoms have not returned,” he says.
Zoé S, 44, of London, was suffering from cerebellar ataxia, which is when the cerebellum—the area of the brain responsible for controlling gait and muscle coordination—is somehow damaged, causing a lack of fine control of voluntary movements. Medically diagnosed in November 2016, she tried physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and the Alexander Technique. Nothing provided anything more than partial and temporary relief. Then she found Roisin Golding. Then, she says, “I improved drastically within two weeks, especially in the areas of my speech and balance.”
Joe M, 58, of New York City, had suffered from spasmodic torticollis—an extremely painful chronic neurological movement disorder—for 26 years. The condition, also called cervical dystonia, caused his neck to involuntarily turn left and right, upward and down, with little or no ability on his part to control the painful and embarrassing movements. For over two decades he sought relief through massage and physical therapy, exercise and even Botox injections. Nothing worked.During his very first appointment with Dr Philip Trigiani for a scalp acupuncture treatment, he says, he felt quick relief, a loosening of neck and back muscles and a lessening of neck spasms and pain. Now, he reports, “I feel more overall relaxation, more mobility, less pain and fewer neck spasms.”
Dr Phil Wellness NYC: www.drphiliptrigiani.com
Neuro-Acupuncture Institute: www.neuro-acupuncture.org
Acupuncture Works: www.acupunctureworks.co.uk
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Solar Success Through Experience and Expertise
Sunwealth® is an innovative, tech-driven clean energy investment firm. By leveraging our deep understanding of solar with our extensive investment experience, we have developed a well-rounded portfolio of commercial solar projects that boast significant financial returns and provide high-efficiency solar power to businesses, municipalities, and non-profit organizations.
Combining clean energy expertise with an exclusive technology-driven review process, we facilitate collaboration between communities, developers, and investors, and support successful, high-yield commercial solar projects that provide affordable clean energy directly to power recipients and assert exceptional return potential to our investors.
Learn About Our Approach
Jonathan Abe | Chief Executive Officer
Jon is a renewable project developer, financier, and asset manager with deep commercial solar transaction experience. Previously, Jon was a Senior Vice President at Nexamp, where he served as the head of business development, asset management, and policy. At Nexamp, Jon supported the development and financing of more than 40 MW of commercial-scale solar projects. He was also General Manager of Nexamp Capital, which controlled a diverse portfolio of solar assets. Additionally, Jon worked for the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust where he developed and managed the $68 million Commonwealth Solar program. Jon holds a BA from Cornell University.
Jess Brooks | Chief Development Officer
Jess is an impact investing leader with over 15 years experience helping individuals and organizations align their investments with their values. Prior to joining Sunwealth, she was a Senior Vice President at Boston Community Capital, where she helped grow assets under management from $60 million to over $1 billion, leveraging over $5 billion in public and private investment in underserved communities nationwide. Jess previously served as Director of Communities and Affiliates at The New York Times Company, as an account manager at Abuzz, a technology start-up, and as a securities trader on Wall Street. An active civic leader, Jess serves on boards of Generation Citizen Massachusetts and First Teacher, and chairs Brown University's Advisory Council on Relations with Tougaloo College, a historically black college in Mississippi. Jess holds a BA from Brown University.
Omar Blayton | Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, Omar is responsible for creating and structuring Sunwealth’s investment portfolios for maximum financial performance and social impact. Prior to joining Sunwealth, Omar was Managing Director of Project Finance at Innova Energy Partners and before that, Vice President of Structured Finance at Greenskies Renewable Energy, a leading commercial and industrial solar developer. Earlier in his career, Omar was a Vice President with Reznick Capital Markets Securities and an associate in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Leveraged Finance Group. Before entering finance, Omar was an attorney with Reed Smith LLP in its Investment Management group. A recent transplant to Boston, Omar has begun to engage civically in his new home as a member of the Council of the Friends of the Public Garden. Omar holds a JD from Columbia Law School, an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School, and a BA from Cornell University.
Ryan Dings | Chief Operating Officer
Ryan is an experienced clean technology executive with a deep commitment to impact investment. In addition to his role at Sunwealth, Ryan is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Social Innovation Forum, Boston's leading community for social impact engagement and investment. Prior to joining Sunwealth, Ryan served as Head of Strategy and General Counsel at WrightGrid, LLC, a Boston-based firm that provides point-of-use power management solutions for emerging markets. Ryan previously served as Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Blu Homes, Inc., the nation's leading premium prefab home builder. Ryan began his career practicing commercial real estate and construction law at a boutique firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ryan holds a JD from Wake Forest University School of Law, an MDesS from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Charley Gould | VP of Asset Management & General Counsel
Charley is a business-oriented attorney with significant experience representing both early and later-stage companies. Prior to joining Sunwealth, Charley served as senior counsel for Nova Ventures Group, a private equity firm with a global portfolio of industrial technology companies serving a variety of industries, including energy, aerospace, semiconductor and infrastructure. Previously, Charley served as Director of Legal Affairs and Corporate Counsel at Blu Homes. Charley began his career in private practice assisting privately held companies, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations in all stages of the business cycle - startup to acquisition. Charley holds a JD from Wake Forest University School of Law and a BA from Boston University.
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Michael is an operations executive with deep experience in growing companies. Previous to his role at Sunwealth, Michael was Chief of Operations at MultiPlan, a leading company providing technology driven cost containment solutions in healthcare. At MultiPlan, Michael led all technology, operations, and product delivery across 1,500 team members. Additionally Michael was on the diligence team for all mergers and acquisitions, and led all corporate integrations across over a dozen acquisitions. Over his 22 year career at MultiPlan, Michael helped lead the growth of the company from a market value of $200 million to over $8 billion. In addition to his Executive in Residence role at Sunwealth, Michael is an Executive Member of Galehead Development, the trusted greenfield development platform for IPPs, global utilities and Fortune 500 energy companies. He holds a BS in Mathematics from Fairfield University, and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
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From Eating in the Instagram Era
Understanding why we eat what we eat
by Francis Lam
Listen: Understanding why we eat what we eat
Photo: gilaxi | E+
How we eat says a lot about us. How we say we eat also says a lot about us. Rachel Herz is a psychologist and neuroscientist who teaches at Brown University and Boston College. She has written a book called Why You eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food, a fascinating read about the psychology of our food choices. And a lot of what she's found is probably not what most people would expect.
Francis Lam: Can you tell us about the study regarding people who brought their own bags while shopping at the grocery store?
Rachel Herz: People who bring their own bags to the grocery store do it out of their own free will. It's different if you shop in places where they penalize you for not bringing your own bags – and plastic costs money – or they don't have it, or whatever the case might be. But if you're still somewhere in the country where you're doing something virtuous by bringing your own bag and being conscientious about the environment, then two things tend to happen: one is that you buy more organic produce and products, which isn't all that surprising considering that if you're being environmentally conscientious you're probably also concerned with eating organic food.
The part that is surprising, however, is that people who bring their own bags often tend to put more treats into the carts for themselves than people who don't. And this is because we have this incredible balancing act within ourselves of matching our virtues with our vices. So, bringing that reusable bag – which is good for Mother Nature – makes you feel like you deserve a little pat on the back, and in a grocery store that comes in the form of something tasty that you like to eat. Now this happens only when people are shopping for themselves. If you're shopping for the family, you're less inclined to put extra treats in your cart. But if you're a singleton shopping with your reusable bag, you end up buying yourself more goodies – which is not necessarily virtuous from the point of view of responsible eating. But I think we all deserve a little treat now and then, and it's a good reason to give yourself one if you're doing something good for Mother Nature.
Another study that had to do with grocery shopping had radio frequency tags on the grocery carts themselves and focused on the geography of the grocery store. After people had shopped in the produce section and put the kale into their basket, the next area of the store they went to was either the alcohol or the ice cream departments. Again, balancing good with bad.
Rachel Herz
Photo: Kathleen McCann
FL: You know, that's amazing. Really? So people just naturally think, hey, I bought kale – now I'm going to go get some booze. Like that's the next thing you shop for?
RH: Obviously this is on a semi-unconscious level. Most people I know set themselves up for little goals. For instance, if I stay at my desk working on this grant – or whatever it is I'm working on – for another hour, I'll let myself have a cookie. Or maybe I’ll go to the gym today, but then I'm going to drink beer tonight. The problem is that often these things, in caloric terms, don't balance themselves out. And people really have an expectation when it comes to exercise: we burn more calories exercising than sitting still. But the amount of calories we burn for various activities depends on static height and weight to start with, and it is not as much as we think. Often, we're making up with it for a handful of extra cookies or muffins, which have tremendous amount of calories.
FL: You have another story in the book that I'm fascinated by. It's an anecdote – this wasn't a study, I don't think. You mentioned a person who said to you that when she leaves a Whole Foods and sees a Salvation Army volunteer asking for donations, she feels annoyed by that person. But when she leaves a Walmart and sees that person, she is happy to give to them. Tell me about how that matches in your virtue and vice balancing thing.
RH: That's an anecdote which explains other research that has found when people shop in an environment highly promoting of organic products with a lot of labeling, it has this sort of imbued moral superiority. The branding actually makes people feel that they are morally superior, that after they have done the morally superior thing of purchasing said products, they are [morally superior]. But in fact, they are less kind to other people, less generous, and more likely to engage in immoral acts like being deceitful, lying, and stealing. Not robbing a bank or anything like that, but –
Why You Eat What You Eat
by Rachel Herz
FL: Being a jerk.
RH: Being a jerk, but also even more immoral than that. One study looked at people who were shopping in virtual marketplaces. One was a conventional virtual store and the other was an organic-end type of virtual store. After people had been online shopping in the organic virtual store and later played an online game where there was opportunity for stealing or lying to your opponent, they were much more likely to behave with deceitful behavior than the people who'd been shopping in the conventional store where there were matched products like Pringles versus organic potato chips or something like Back to Nature. The point is, this language makes us feel morally superior, and when we are morally superior – or we think we are morally superior – we tend to behave badly.
This is based on other research in morality. For instance, if you give somebody an antiseptic wipe after they have reported something that they did in their past, like admit to a time that they were lying – and then you give them an antiseptic wipe – they are much more likely to then do something else immoral than if they told their little past transgression and didn't clean their hands in the Lady Macbeth kind of way.
FL: Oh my goodness. That's so wild. Like that metaphor really means something to us psychologically, like we're actually clean now, so we're going to do something gnarly again.
RH: Exactly. It is fascinating. The idea behind these simple acts is called embodied cognition – we do something physical and it actually affects our state of mind. We do something like cleaning our hands and we feel morally cleansed and therefore capable of engaging in transgressions again because we've cleaned the slate – and, in fact, may be starting at an even higher point than having done nothing in the past. Similarly, when we're grocery shopping and we purchase products that describe themselves as morally superior by the branding, we often behave in negative ways. Other research on the same topic found that when people saw labels like USDA Organic on products they were more likely to be harsher in their evaluations on other people and moral transgressions and so forth. So, it makes us more judgmental of others as well. In the case regarding the anecdote of grocery shopping – after being in an environment where there's all this moral purity being expounded upon in your groceries – people are less inclined to be generous, as opposed to in an environment where moral purity isn't as sanctified and blared from every speaker.
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Francis Lam
Francis Lam is the host of The Splendid Table. He is the former Eat columnist for The New York Times Magazine and is Editor-at-Large at Clarkson Potter. He graduated first in his class at the Culinary Institute of America and has written for numerous publications. Lam lives with his family in New York City.
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Dorothy Hocker
GALION -- Dorothy A. Hocker, 90, of Galion, died Friday, July 13, 2007, at Village Care Center in Galion.Services will be Tuesday, July 17, at 10:30 a.m. at Richardson-Davis Funeral Home, 218 S. Market St., Galion, with the Rev. Loyd Caudill officiating. Burial will be next to her husband in Windfall Cemetery.Friends may call Monday, July 16, from 6-9 p.m. at the funeral home. An online obituary and guest registry are available at www.richardsondavis.com.Memorial contributions may be made to Fairhaven Community Church Home in Upper Sandusky; or Gideon International Society.Dorothy was born Dec. 28, 1916, in Crawford County, the daughter of the late John H. and Emma (Shumaker) Gerstenslager and married Paul Hocker on Jan. 25, 1941. He preceded her in death on Aug. 10, 1988.She was a graduate of North Robinson High School and a life resident of the Galion area. She was a devoted member of Fairhaven Community Church Home Volunteer Services Group in Upper Sandusky for many years.She was a member of Windfall United Church of Christ, where she was the choir director and played organ and piano for more than 50 years, retiring in 1998.Surviving are children, Jane Graven of Millersburg, Linda McElroy of Willard, Mo., Ronald (Sharon) Hocker of Crestline and Michael (Nancy) Hocker of Galion; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Clinton G. Gerstenslager, a sister, Edna B. Hart and sons-in-law, Richard Graven and Lyndvel McElroy.
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Apple’s iTunes finds place in Windows Store, downloadable for free of cost
The iTunes of Apple is available on Windows Store starting today, April 27. This means that the software will now run on the PCs running Windows 10 S that’s soon to be the S mode.
The best part is that it is downloadable for free of cost. Home to Apple Music, now you can have access to 45 million songs without the need of Wi-Fi. The app description in the Store further reads that you can have a radio in every genre, along with “handpicked playlists, and Beats 1 live or on demand.”
The Windows 10 users who are already using the standard desktop app of iTunes, its introduction to the Windows Store isn’t going to make a difference. However, the Windows 10 S only allows app installation from the Microsoft Store, and its users will now be able to find the app easily.
Alongside Apple Music streaming, the app also provides syncing of iPhones and iPads. It can even upgrade the devices. Additionally, it enables users to go for purchases in the iTunes Store.
The Store version of iTunes is equipped with the Centennial technology of Microsoft. It lets packaging up of regular Windows apps for distribution and installation via the store. Now, it doesn’t possess the installer and updater of Apple, but the Windows Store updater. This ensures that iCloud or other Apple software will not be downloaded by the app.
Stay with us for the next updates from Apple and Microsoft.
Source: Windows Windows
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Couples’ Blessing on St. Sarkis Day
Press office –
By the invitation of Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian, pastor of Holy Trinity Armenian Church, engaged couples took part in Divine Liturgy on February 1, 2015, on St. Sarkis Day celebration. Following the annual tradition, the couples were invited to the Holy Altar and received special blessing. It was a beautiful, heartwarming ceremony. Verses from 1 Corinthians were read by Davit Kara-Yacoubian.
Fr. Zargarian acknowledged the presence of Mr. Jim Karigianis*, at the Divine Liturgy, and on behalf of the church parishioners and community members expressed heartfelt appreciation for the support he has shown to Armenian cause over the years and his role in recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the government of Canada.
Fr. Zargarian also invited those who carry the names: Sarkis, Sergio, Serj and Sako to be blessed on this feast day of Saint Sarkis.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the couples gathered at the church boardroom for light refreshments and had a chance to meet one another. They received well wished comments, advice and words of encouragement from Fr.Zargarian and Mrs. Calabrina Boyajian.
St. Sarkis, the Captain, Patron of Youth and love Captain St. Sarkis is one of the most beloved saints among the Armenian nation. Together with his 14 soldiers-companions, he was martyred for the sake of Christian faith.
In Armenia it is accepted to celebrate the Feast of St. Sarkis not only according to church rites and prayer, but also according to various folk traditions. St. Sarkis the Captain is the patron of youth. Many miracles happen thanks to his intercession. On the day of the feast young people pray the saint asking him to make their prayers audible to God. St. Sarkis is the realizer of the love longings.
Fast of Catechumens established by St. Gregory the Illuminator precedes the feast. On the eve of the feast, in the evening, young people eat salty cookies and relate the appearance of their future bride or bridegroom in their dream to eating of the salty cookie. Also, on the night preceding the feast of St. Sarkis the faithful people place a tray full of gruel before the door believing that while passing near their door at dawn St. Sarkis will leave his footprint on the gruel symbolizing the fulfillment of their dreams.
People in love present each other cards, flowers or sweets on the occasion of the feast.
*In 2014 Mr. Karygiannis was awarded The Mkhitar Gosh Medal’ from the Government of The Republic of Armenia for his substantial input in international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In 2014 he received the ‘25 Year of Karabakh Movement’ Gold Medal by the Government of The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as the first Canadian to visit the Republic in 2012 to observe the Presidential Elections.
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there and back again: minnesota for thanksgiving and homesickness that doesn't fade
December 01, 2018 in Our Year in Maryland
We leave, we return, we leave again, and the lines I drew between home and not home begin to blur.
Before we flew home for Thanksgiving, I told Chris I was anxious. Big feelings make me anxious. What would it feel like to be in Minnesota again? Would it make Maryland more familiar? Or less? Would my heart break when I left, or does it get easier to hop from here to there? (A friend whose done this longer than me told me it never does.)
I cried when we landed at MSP. Actually, I cried when we entered northern airspace, and Chris pointed out I was crying over Wisconsin, but I teared up again when we circled low over the airport, and I recognized the world we were coming down to. Walking through the MSP terminal to baggage claim, I asked Chris if we could come home after just one year.
We’ve made no decisions—they’re not even on the table yet, but in my small voice, I needed to hear home is always an option. Maryland was never meant to be forever, but the question is what did we move out here for? And when will we have had enough of it that we’re ready to move home again?
When we talk about what home is, Chris and I fall on different sides of the track. He misses access to friends and family (and trust me, I do too), and he misses the familiarity of knowing the area (again, me too), but what he doesn’t have is achy clawing I do over being away.
When we landed, I had to stop myself from buckling. The air, the air, felt like home. For four days, I paused each time I stepped outside. You don’t know homesickness until you’ve sucked home-air like it’s your saving grace.
As much as I’ve missed my people, it’s been the intensity with which I miss Minnesota that’s surprised me. It’s what I was promised: that I’ll miss the water and the trees, but missing water and trees is more painful than I could have known. (Maryland’s got water and trees too.)
On Wednesday, I drove around the cities, and I named each city blocks. You know me, you know me, you know me. My sense of direction is the eternal joke, but there’s a difference between knowing where you and not knowing. Being back in Minnesota, I knew. These street hold my history.
Our visit back was four days, two short days and two full, structured around the holiday and buffeted by the promise that we’d be home longer at Christmas. We bought the tickets In September, when we were high on homesickness, and wondering how to make the long Maryland days move faster.
This season away is teaching me what everyone whose ever needed to build a home for themselves knows: That you create it wherever you are. It sounds like a Hallmark card, but it’s true: Home is where Chris and I are together. It only took a few days for our apartment in Maryland to become every bit the retreat that our apartment in St. Paul was. Now that I’ve hung Christmas decorations, we’re as anchored to what we know and love as we’ve ever been.
But still. Minnesota’s there like a specter, and a promise, and something else too profound and mysterious for me to yet name. It’s my home, and I’m not there, and that alone tilts the earth just a little bit.
On Sunday night, I cried in the dark, and told Chris I didn’t want to return to work. It seemed like a concession to say to all this heartache “look, you’ve got a life here too.” A day of work and a trip to the grocery store, and I remembered that that yeah, we do live here now, and most days, that doesn’t make me blind with homegone sadness.
We’re back to holding Minnesota and Maryland in both hands. In August, I told myself my job was to observe and honor what I was feeling. Observe and honor, observe and honor. Decide nothing. There’s the right now, and there’s the what’s next, and there are the places we someday want to get to, but how?
Tags: minnesota, maryland, southern maryland, thanksgiving, home for the holidays, grand avenue, st. paul, minneapolis, explore Minnesota, leaving minnesota, homesickness
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Rethinking Waste: The State of Reuse in North America
Words by Jan Lee
Savers Sponsored Series
Rethink Reuse
Most of us wouldn’t think twice about recycling unusable items. Ushering that defunct computer or broken toaster toward a business that can break it down for resalable parts has become a routine step in many communities, especially those with curbside pickup.
But how many of us make the same effort when it comes to donating old but perfectly good clothes, textiles and household products to charities and thrift stores?
More than half of us do, says the global thrift retailer Savers. According to a survey it conducted for its 2016 State of Reuse Report, 59 percent of North Americans take the time to donate their reusable items to thrift stores or charities -- and many do so to make sure their much-loved belongings go to good use.
Savers, also known in Canada and parts of the U.S. as Value Village, conducted the online survey in April of this year. A total of 3,094 respondents (1,634 in the U.S. and 1,463 in Canada) weighed-in on how and why they donate their reusable household and personal goods.
One of the aims of the survey, said Ken Alterman, president and CEO of Savers, was to determine North Americans' perceptions about their own clothing “footprints” and the role that thrift stores and charities play when people decide it's time to part with belongings. Did they bring those items to organizations that could repurpose their unwanted clothing and household goods, or did they throw them away? If they tossed them out, were there reasons why?
Not surprisingly, the survey found that many people feel they have too much stuff sitting in closets and rooms. But their perception of just how much of those goods they take to the landfill revealed an interesting fact about North American habits: We vastly underestimate how much clothing we throw out each year and often aren’t aware of how much we own -- and how much impact our habits can have on the environment.
U.S. respondents said they ditched on average about 47 pounds of belongings a year. In fact, the nonprofit trade association SMART (Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles) found that the average amount of material U.S. consumers throw out is closer to 81 pounds per year – almost twice the amount that respondents reported.
Equally revealing was the fact that 54 percent of those respondents tossed discards in the landfill because they didn’t think donation centers would take them. Another 25 percent said convenience motivated their decision. Seventeen percent said they weren’t sure what to do with their pre-loved items.
In many cases, the survey found, consumers expressed confusion about what they could and couldn’t donate. For example, 51 percent said they knew many textiles could be reused or recycled. But 61 percent were misinformed about what donation centers would and would not accept. Another 21 percent admitted they either didn’t know or were unsure.
Altruism, or the idea that donating their belongings would help someone else, played a large part in why respondents donated clothing and other items. Forty-two percent of Americans and Canadians said knowing that their donations would help a nonprofit program or agency would prompt them to donate more.
Those statistics also align with the way consumers usually get rid of reusable items, according to the survey. Sixty-one percent said they chose to donate to thrift stores that were associated with a charity, and another 42 percent preferred to give to a community shelter or other nonprofit that benefited the local community. Charitable contributions and the ability to contribute their valuable belongings to the betterment of others are important driving forces when it comes to what people do with unused property.
At the same time, 35 percent said it was simply convenient to donate their goods. The often-touted perk of receiving a tax write-off was also a low priority for respondents.
And while very few respondents said they specifically donated in order to keep things out of the landfill (13 percent in the U.S. and 15 percent in Canada), a whopping 79 percent said they would pick a reused outfit over a brand-new one if it would cut down on environmental impact. Baby boomers were particularly supportive of that idea, with 75 percent of boomer respondents affirming that they would choose a pre-used item over a new one if it were good for Mother Nature.
Education, the report noted, was at the heart of consumer trends. Irrespective of the difference between people’s purchasing and donating habits, the report found that most respondents agreed that educating consumers about the environmental and community benefits of donating and reusing pre-owned items was key to cutting down on waste.
“A promising finding of the survey was that nearly all respondents unanimously agreed that the concepts of reuse should be taught in schools to increase sustainability habits. Ninety-four percent of respondents endorsed this idea. Savers sees these misconceptions as an opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together to educate consumers and develop innovative solutions that promote and encourage reuse,” the retailer concluded in its report.
Images: Flickr/Mike Mozart; Flickr/Catiemagee
Jan Lee is a former news editor and award-winning editorial writer whose non-fiction and fiction have been published in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Australia. Her articles and posts can be found on TriplePundit, JustMeans, and her blog, The Multicultural Jew, as well as other publications. She currently splits her residence between the city of Vancouver, British Columbia and the rural farmlands of Idaho.
Read more stories by Jan Lee
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Lessons From Sherlock Holmes: It’s Elementary!
-by- Sue Waters last updated - Oct 8, 2018 5 Comments: jump to comments
Take a moment to think about this quote…
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories was lucky enough to rediscover his love of literature in his later years. Is this true for all students?
What role do teachers play in instilling a passion for learning and a love of reading? What impact do reading logs, chapter studies, exams, worksheets, teacher-generated questions and so on have on a students’ love of reading?
As an avid reader, I’d love to share an author I’ve recently come to appreciate with some lessons that may be useful to everyone in the education community.
About Sir Arthur Conan Doyle And Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes wasn’t the first fictional detective but he is the “most portrayed movie character” in history. The Sherlock Holmes stories have had a profound and lasting effect on mystery writing and popular culture.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, has been credited as an influence to forensic science as a result of Holmes’ use of methods such as fingerprints, trace evidence, serology, ciphers, and footprints long before they were commonly used by the police.
Lesson — we’re not bound by what’s already possible. Anyone is capable of invention and creativity.
Portrait of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget, 1904
From Humble Beginning
The first Sherlock Holmes story, “A Study in Scarlet”, first appeared in print in 1887 after it was rejected by about five publishers. It was finally accepted by Ward, Lock & Co, who specialized in cheap and often sensational literature, for £25 for the copyright.
The book was published in Benton’s Xmas Annual of 1887 and Arthur Conan Doyle never received any further money from the sale of the book. His follow up Holmes novel, “The Sign of Four”, published in 1890 fared slightly better but it wasn’t until Conan Doyle published Holmes as a series of short stories in The Strand magazine did he go onto to become a popular author — and the highest paid of his time.
Lesson — resilience and determination often lead to success.
Watch Treasures of the Sherlock Holmes Collections to see an original copy of “A Study in Scarlet” and to learn more about The Strand Magazine.
Practice and Persistence
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s story is no different from others that go on to achieve greatness in any field — science, engineering, sports, or the arts; it’s more about practice and persistence than innate talent.
Arthur Conan Doyle by Walter Benington , 1914
Conan Doyle’s literary journey didn’t start with his Sherlock Holmes stories and he didn’t give up when his stories or novels weren’t received as well as he would have liked.
This is why he continues to inspire new generations 88 years after his death and 131 years after the first Sherlock Holmes novel was published.
Lesson — we all have our own stories to tell or legacy to share. Sometimes the impact will be astounding.
Impact of Sherlock Holmes’ Death
On a side note, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle says in his memoirs that,
If I had never touched Holmes, who has tended to obscure my higher works, my position in literature would … be a more commanding one.
Conan Doyle even killed off Holmes in the “Final Problem” published in The Strand Magazine in December 1893.
Tired of writing about Holmes, he wanted to focus on writing what he considered more serious literature. On a practical level, writing out twelve short stories, each with unique plots, in a year would have been hard work.
1893 illustration by Sidney Paget
His fans weren’t happy — more than 20,000 Strand readers canceled their subscription, outraged by Holmes demise.
Eight years later, in 1901, he published “The Hound of Baskerville” as a serial in The Strand Magazine set before Holmes dies in the “Final Problem” and in 1903 he resurrected Holmes in “The Adventures of the Empty House”.
Serialization of “The Hound of Baskerville” in 1901-1902 was estimated to have increased the magazine’s circulation by 30,000 — with Conan Doyle being paid £480 – £620 per episode.
Lesson — learn when to follow your heart and when it’s important to listen to others.
For More Inspiration
It’s impossible to do justice to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and all his literary, and other work, in this short post.
Read his Sherlock Holmes stories! They are suitable for young adults upwards.
Being reluctant to read his stories after watching the different movie and TV adaptations, I now appreciate how amazing his stories are and how they’ve withstood the test of time.
My hardest part was working on where to start so here’s my recommendation of order to read:
A Study in Scarlet (1887) – introduces Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.
The Sign of Four (1890) – introduces Dr. Watson’s future wife Mary.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – 12 short stories published in The Strand in 1891-1892 with the most famous being “A Scandal in Bohemia” which introduces Irene Adler.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – 11 short stories published in The Strand in 1892-1893 with the most famous being “The Final Problem” which kills off Sherlock Holmes.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes – 13 short stories published in The Strand in 1903-1904 with the most famous being “The Adventures of the Empty House” where Sherlock Holmes is resurrected.
The Hound of the Baskervilles – serialized in the Strand in 1901-1902. Considered by many as the best Sherlock Holmes novel.
The Valley of Fear – serialized in The Strand from 1914–1915.
His Last Bow: Some Later Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes – stories published 1908–1917.
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes – stories published 1921–1927.
You can read as individual novels or you’ll find them all in The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
To learn more about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle refer to:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle “Memories and Adventures” – provides good insight but isn’t the easiest biography I’ve read.
Arthur Conan Doyle Interviewed on Sherlock Holmes and Spirituality – 10 minute interview on YouTube from 1930.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Stamp of Greatness – Documentary 1985 – 26 minute video on YouTube.
The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – BBC Radio – 43 minute audio from BBC radio documentary in 1980.
Final Reflection
Reading opens up a whole world of new insights and perspectives. The joy of reading is too important to not instill or encourage in every student.
After reading this post, I’d love you to share one of your favorite authors with your students. Or perhaps tell them about Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.
I also encourage you to leave a comment to tell us about the stories or authors that inspired you most. What lessons did you learn? These are conversations that should be had.
Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England.
azaali2019
I loved and love Holmes. His story, as a whole, reminds me of so many other characters created for their depth and ability to see more than one ending to a story.
Cyndi Goodgame
I love sherlock holmes more than I did before my parents gave me the copy of:the hound of the baskervilles
resteghinii
Sherlock Holmes is Great Man.
i will like to learn about this some more
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Bullet Catch – Edinburgh festival review
Lyn Gardner
@lyngardner
Sun 5 Aug 2012 12.52 EDT First published on Sun 5 Aug 2012 12.52 EDT
"This isn't magic; it's a conversation," says Rob Drummond in this remarkable, multilayered and utterly gripping show inspired by the infamous bullet-catch trick. It's remarkable for several reasons, not least for the levels of tension it invokes as it heads towards a climax in which Drummond persuades a member of the audience to shoot him.
I'm giving nothing away by telling you this is a piece that plays, with swaggering confidence, with the nature of truth and illusion, invoking Harry Houdini and claiming to be inspired by the real-life case of William Henderson – apparently killed while undertaking the trick in 1912 in front of 2,000 people. Was it an accident or did something more sinister take place when a labourer with no history of violence was grabbed from the audience and invited to pull the trigger?
It is also remarkable because while it revels in sleight of hand and celebrates the magic of theatre, it is also painfully honest about the choices we make and the way we stare despair in the face while pretending we are OK.
This is always far more than Derren Brown with heart. Drummond is both measured and infinitely vulnerable and, in a way that reminds me of theatremaker Tim Crouch, he introduces an element of dangerous uncertainty into the show by inviting a member of the audience to play a major role. "It couldn't have happened any other way," are almost his final words, but Drummond marries form and content to prove that it's a lie.
Edinburgh festival 2012
Traverse theatre
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Panama Papers: a special investigation
Argentina's president Mauricio Macri fights back after Panama Papers reveal offshore links
Macri says he has nothing to hide after prosecutor calls for investigation into his links to an offshore company
Jonathan Watts Latin America correspondent and agencies
Fri 8 Apr 2016 04.52 EDT Last modified on Mon 11 Apr 2016 05.08 EDT
Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri, is among scores of international politicians and business figures named in the leak of Mossack Fonseca documents. Photograph: Handout/Reuters
Lawyers for the Argentinian president, Mauricio Macri will present a writ to a judge on Friday to deny allegations that he secretly benefited from an offshore company named in the Panama Papers.
Prosecutors have called for an investigation of Macri’s ties with the Bahamas-based company, Fleg Trading, which were revealed by the leak from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
Macri – who was listed as a director of Fleg Trading from 1998 until 2009 – did not mention the company in his 2007 financial declaration, when he became mayor of Buenos Aires, or in his 2015 declaration when he became president.
In a televised address on Thursday, the president denied the allegations. “I know there are people who are concerned about the accusations,” he told the nation. “I have acted in accordance with the law, I have told the truth and I have nothing to hide.”
He said he was not legally obliged to declare his connection because he never had a stake in the company nor received any income. Fleg Trading was created by his father - an Italian-born business tycoon - to make investments in Brazil. It is now closed.
Macri said he would ask a court to certify his declaration of assets in order to clear up any doubts. To prevent conflict of interest, he also promised to put his assets in a blind trust. Critics have demanded a more detailed explanation of his involement with Fleg Trading and his alleged connection with another offshore company, Kagemusha SA, registered in Panama.
“All these companies are created as vehicles to launder assets, evade tax or commit other crimes,” lawmaker Norman Dario Martinez noted in a complaint filed earlier this week. “They are registered in tax havens like the Bahamas to protect the financial secrets of directors and shareholders, and hide their operations.”
State prosecutor Federico Delgado asked the judiciary on Thursday to investigate if Macri’s failure to declare his connection with the offshore company meant he had “maliciously failed to complete his tax declaration”, a crime which carries a sentence of 15 days to two years.
Judge Sebastián Casanello must now decide if there is sufficient evidence to open a probe. Among those likely to testify are the tax authority and anti-corruption office. Macri’s appearance in the Panama Papers and the way his administration has handled the matter has cast some doubt over his 2015 campaign pledge to fight corruption.
The head of the Argentinian anti-corruption office, Laura Alonso, a member of Macri’s party, swiftly defended the president after the leak emerged, saying that creating a company in a tax haven was not a crime. Opposition lawmakers called for her resignation on the grounds that her job was to root out corruption, not defend the president.
The scion of one of Argentina’s wealthiest families, Macri is a member of the city’s white, rich, Catholic, conservative elite. He has previously served as Buenos Aires mayor and president of the Boca Juniors football club. His pro-business stance has prompted political rivals to label him a representative of “savage capitalism” but his Cambiemos (Let’s Change) party is usually described as “centre-right”.
Last November, they won power, breaking a 12-year-hold by leftist governments. Since then, Macri has cut agricultural taxes, loosened currency controls and slashed thousands of public sector jobs. The Panama Papers, however, have focussed attention on his promises to introduce a new era of clean, transparent government.
In a victory speech last November, he condemned the previous leftist administration of Cristina Fernández Kirchner for “lying and deceiving with false information” and declared he would be “implacable” against corruption by officials.
Proclaiming himself a champion of disclosure, he has since overhauled the state statistics agency – which had been widely criticised under Fernandez for obfuscating the true condition of the Argentinian economy – and pledged greater independence for the judiciary.
As in neighbouring Brazil, this has led to a corruption investigation that has targeted several prominent businessmen and politicians, including senior members of the previous administration. Responding to the growing scandal last month, Macri said he felt “the same as the majority of Argentines: rage, disenchantment and helplessness,” and promised, “there will not be a repeat of this kind of embarrassing corruption, these abuses of power.”
This week the president launched a freedom of information bill to allow the public greater access to official documents, even as he rebutted claims that he has been covering up his own offshore business connections.
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Surgery Without Consent
Surgery Without Informed Consent in Virginia
Surgery without informed consent in Virginia is a form of medical malpractice. The longstanding principle of informed consent requires a doctor to provide information about the medical condition of a patient and the available medical care options before a procedure.
Informed consent is important because the patient must have all of the facts at his or her disposal before making a decision with potential long-term health implications. Informed consent forms the basis of mutual trust between a healthcare provider and a patient. If a doctor fails to adequately inform a patient about the possible implications of a medical procedure and he or she develops complications, the doctor can be sued.
If you were not informed about the possible consequences of a procedure, you may have grounds for a lawsuit for surgery without consent in Virginia. You should contact our medical malpractice attorneys as soon as possible.
The Elements of Informed Consent
When a patient is considering a procedure, he or she must be informed of:
· The diagnosis;
· The purpose and nature of the suggested treatment;
· The benefits of the procedure;
· The alternatives;
· The risks of the procedure and possible side-effects afterward.
Under the principle of informed consent, the doctor or surgeon must not only secure the patient's consent to treatment, but the treatment itself must be obtained from a fully informed patient.
When a patient consents to treatment, this may impose certain limits on his or her legal recourse. However, signing a statement assuming the risks inherent in a procedure does not mean that that the patient has no recourse to sue if a hospital or healthcare provider fails in a duty or is negligent.
Patients do not consent to unacceptable risks during surgery or another procedure under the doctrine of informed consent.
The Reasons for the Doctrine of Informed Consent
Informed consent goes to the very heart of shared decision-making, states the American Medicine Association. Patients should actively participate with their doctors. Giving them adequate information ensures they can play a significant role in making decisions that reflect their own values, preferences and future health outcomes. Physicians play a key role as educators in this process.
Many patients know very little about medicine. It’s, therefore, difficult for a doctor to confirm that a patient has given adequately informed consent. It’s imperative that the doctor discloses enough about the dangers and benefits of proposed treatments that the patient becomes sufficiently informed to participate in the shared decision making process.
However, a doctor may find it challenging to strike a balance between providing too much and too little information.
How To Give Informed Consent?
Informed consent in Virginia may be given orally or in writing. Typically, doctors give patients consent forms for them to sign. In some cases, informed consent is more difficult to obtain or more nuanced as in the case of a patient in a serious condition or an unconscious patient who is unable to give consent and there is no family member on hand to give it on the patient’s behalf.
When a patient is a child, the parent or guardian is required to consent to any treatment, unless emergency treatment is required when a parent or guardian is unavailable to give consent. There are some exceptions to this rule if the minor seeks treatment for a sexually transmitted disease, or for drug and alcohol treatment when he or she does not want a parent to be aware of the nature of the treatment.
Recovering Damages for Surgery Without Informed Consent in Virginia
The damages a patient may recover in an informed consent case are different from the damages related to a typical medical malpractice negligence action. Because the liability relates to the lack of consent to a particular procedure, a patient may recover damages even when a medical procedure was successful. In a negligence case, a patient is required to show he or she was injured.
Often informed consent cases involve patients developing a complication from an operation or another procedure that their doctor failed to warn them about. Patients who develop a condition that a doctor failed to warn them about, have grounds to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Contact an Experienced Virginia Injury Lawyer in an Informed Consent Case
At the Smith Law Center, our attorneys have considerable experience in representing people hurt in hospitals across the country. Our past results include an award of $2.2 million for a child who suffered a brain injury due to the negligence of surgeons at a hospital in Louisiana. Call us for a free consultation if you have been a victim of hospital negligence at (757) 244-7000.
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Reports of illegal rave in Sheffield woodland
Sheffield Wednesday: Chelsea legend becomes shock favourite to become next Owls manager
NewsOpinion
Glasgow crime unit’s valuable lessons for South Yorkshire force
Glasgow used to be the murder capital of Europe. There seemed no way that they could stem the rising tide of serious violence.
By Dr Alan Billings
South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings
Then they heard about a different approach to tackling crime in Cincinnati in the United States of America and they decided that they would try the approach in Scotland.
In 2005 they agreed to set up a Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) in Scotland and they decided to treat crime as if it were a disease.
To stop a disease spreading, you map out where that disease is breaking out and then you take steps to prevent it going further. You tackle the root causes of the disease and not just the symptoms.
This is called the 'public health approach' to crime.
Recently the BBC asked me to visit the Glasgow Violence Reduction Unit with a film crew to see how it was working. You may have seen the film on Look North.
The unit in Glasgow is having impressive results. Figures for the numbers of murders and stabbings have fallen dramatically.
What is clear, though, is that this cannot be achieved just by police action alone.
The police have to work with other partners – these include schools, local authorities, the voluntary sector, the health service, employers, and so on.
This is because what people in these areas need to keep them away from the gangs and the violence is not something the police alone can deliver.
In Glasgow I met one young man, Callum, who had been carrying a knife since he was eleven. He said it was for 'protection'. All his life he had been in fear – fear of being caught by the police and fear of being hurt by a gang.
Finally, he was stabbed nine times and ended up in hospital. Here he met someone from the VRU's Navigator programme. This was a man who had once been a victim of stabbing himself but had broken free of the gangs.
The Navigator offered to be a mentor to Callum and help him get off alcohol, find a job and stick with it. This one-to-one support meant that Callum was now off the bottle and in work.
This was just one of many projects the VRU brokers that are turning lives around.
South Yorkshire Police have been following this same approach for the last two years so it was good to hear how we could develop it further in Sheffield. If only we had the funding.
The day after I came back from Glasgow the government offered us £1.6m to develop a VRU here.
With the VRU on the one hand and more police officers on the other we are now well set up to reduce violence significantly.
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Booming maritime trade provides opportunities for drug and car smugglers
MONTREAL - On a crisp day in early March, Tony Boemi looks out on the stacked shipping containers that stretch into the horizon of the 26 kilometre-long Port of Montreal.
“We’ve been going up tremendously,” the port authority vice-president says.
Traffic at Canada’s second-largest port rose nine per cent in 2018 to the equivalent of more than 1.6 million 20-foot containers for the fifth straight year of record volumes, prompting concerns the docks will be overloaded by 2022. Vancouver and Halifax, the largest and third-largest ports, respectively, also saw record container traffic last year.
“I’d be lying if I said we weren’t struggling with managing the sudden surge,” Boemi says.
Driving the boom is Canadian demand for clothing, appliances and other consumer products made in Asia, as well as a new free trade agreement with Europe.
However, the surge in traffic comes with a downside: The additional containers present an opportunity for criminals to capitalize on limited law enforcement resources and hide more contraband among the legitimate goods.
Bud Garrick, an investigator with Presidia Security Consulting and former deputy director-general of the RCMP’s criminal intelligence service, said imported drugs and exported stolen cars constitute the biggest smuggling problem, with authorities nabbing only a small fraction of the spoils.
“Marine ports are an attractive environment for individuals with ill means and mind to smuggle things into Canada,” he said. “The amount of cargo — shipping containers — that moves in and out of ports is phenomenal...It’s a magnitude problem.“
The criminal allure of ports is simple. Airports are under too much scrutiny, and air freight is costly. Overland smuggling does occur, but on a smaller scale.
“Trying to intercept smuggled cargo at a port is expensive and disruptive, and you’ll never have enough resources to catch most things through random screening,” Peter Hall, an associate professor of urban studies at Simon Fraser University, said in an email. “Mostly [the CBSA] focus on screening for terrorist and bio-hazards.”
A 2015 federal auditor general’s report found that the Canada Border Services Agency “did not fully have the necessary authorities, information, practices and controls to implement its enforcement priorities and prevent the export of goods that contravene Canada’s export laws.”
Just like legitimate trade, black market port activity works both ways. Incoming ships bring drugs such as cocaine and heroin, while outbound ships contain a growing number of stolen vehicles.
“The most prolific is actually in Alberta,” said Henry Tso, vice-president of investigative services at the Insurance Bureau of Canada. “A lot of the cars are being shipped from Alberta to various ports in Canada, mainly Vancouver.”
More than 25,000 vehicles were stolen in Alberta in 2018, part of a 50 per cent increase over the past five years that stems in part from overseas demand for high-end pickup trucks and SUVs.
The thefts, which recent cases have linked to criminal organizations in West Africa, northern Europe, the Middle East and China, rely on human as well as technological flaws.
“Certain docks, there are some you know are run by organized crime. Even in Quebec, like the Montreal ports, one terminal is clean, the other one is not clean,” said Tso.
“The major issue is corruption,” said Anthony Nicaso, who has authored more than two-dozen books on organized crime.
“There is no political will to fight organized crime,” he said, “probably because money does not stink, so who cares — money is money.”
Back at the Montreal port, Boemi estimates the CBSA thoroughly inspects about three per cent of containers that roll through the port. The CBSA declined to give statistics, but noted that screening devices such as gamma-ray detectors — which sense radioactive material — scan each container.
“The CBSA requires marine carriers to electronically transmit marine cargo data to the Agency 24 hours prior to the loading of cargo at a foreign port. This requirement allows the CBSA to effectively identify threats to Canada’s health, safety and security and take actions prior to cargo and conveyances leaving foreign ports,” the CBSA said in an email.
A Canadian Senate report from 2006 found that 15 per cent of stevedores and more than two-thirds of checkers who worked at the Montreal port had criminal records, along with more than half of the workers at an outside company contracted to pick up waste and maintain ships at the docks.
In an effort to boost security, the Port of Montreal now requires that truckers with Transport Canada security clearance have their fingerprints scanned upon entry.
The port and CBSA have signed on for a trial run of blockchain technology that aims to better secure and streamline freight shipping.
Jean-Pierre Fortin, president of the Customs and Immigration Union representing some 10,500 CBSA employees, is not satisfied.
“With stolen cars, with drugs, with guns, we need to increase our capacity to monitor this properly,” he said.
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Second City launches new improv comedy class for teenage girls
By Maija KapplerThe Canadian Press
Thu., Nov. 23, 2017timer4 min. read
Comedian Stacey McGunnigle says it’s hard to be confident when you’re a teenage girl.
“You’re so concerned about what people think,” she says, recalling how self-conscious and awkward she felt as a teenager. “And I didn’t even have the internet then,” she adds. “I can only imagine what it’s like now.”
McGunnigle’s desire to arm teenage girls with boldness and self-confidence is what led her to develop Empower-Prov, a new improv comedy class at Toronto’s Second City aimed specifically at girls between Grades 9 and 12.
“I think it’s just putting that tool in the toolbox young and early, about being confident, stepping forward, trusting your instincts, trusting your gut,” she says.
McGunnigle, a Second City alumna, says the skills she learned improvising — being quick, resourceful, self-assured — have helped her outside of the comedy world.
“Knowing who you are and knowing your voice is so crucial, especially with women,” she says. “Walking into a room and knowing your value, and knowing your boundaries, and knowing what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate.”
She says she expects an all-female space will allow students to be more open and collaborative than they might be in a coed class, where in her experience, male voices are often the loudest.
“Even in teen classes I’ve taught before, it’s the guys who will say stuff first,” she says.
“The girls are ... in the back, taking it all in, before saying anything. This course is like, no, be bold. Be brave. And feel like that’s OK.”
It’s not just teenagers who are benefiting from classes designed specifically for a female experience.
Vancouver comedian Amy Shostak ran a one-day improv workshop for women last year that was so successful it’s coming back as a four-part class at Blind Tiger Comedy. She says there are several reasons why many women are seeking out classes designed specifically for them. In addition to the benefits of building new skills in a comfortable environment, a women-only class also provides an opportunity to talk about tactics for dealing with uncomfortable situations onstage.
“The thing about improv is, it’s in the moment,” Shostak says. “When I was kind of coming up, there were lots of moments onstage where I would get offstage and feel like: I really wish I could have done something in that moment.”
She remembers one instance early in her career when a male improv performer called for a doctor, and when she walked onstage, he said, “Nurse, could you go get the doctor?” She was shocked, and didn’t know what else to do but to go get someone else.
“That moment, I always reflect on it and think, what could I have said?” Shostak says. “I could have said, ‘You don’t know me, I am the doctor.’ Or I could have said, ‘You don’t need a doctor, I’m a nurse, it’s a routine flu shot.’ There are ways that I could have probably held on to that space, but I just didn’t know how.”
One of the core principles in improv is agreeing with someone else’s premise, which can make it hard to set boundaries. But “there are some ways to say yes to an offer and still maintain your dignity,” she says.
But she also teaches her students that it’s OK to sometimes just say no.
Once, during an improv game where someone from the audience comes onstage and moves the performers around like puppets, an audience member repeatedly tried to push Shostak onto her knees in front of a male performer.
“In that moment, I just had to physically resist,” she says. “I was like: I’m not doing that.”
Amanda Scriver, who took a women-only standup class at Toronto’s Comedy Bar this summer, says she sought out a female environment because she wanted a place where she felt comfortable doing something she describes as “new and terrifying.”
“Comedy, that is the most vulnerable and terrifying you can get,” she says. “It’s just you, and some lights, and a microphone, and a stage. And that’s it. Nothing else.”
Scriver says she felt comfortable in her vulnerability because the class was a supportive environment, both in terms of guidance from instructor Jess Beaulieu and from her classmates. They all worked together to develop their joke-writing skills, and were able to workshop their material with each other.
“I feel like oftentimes women are more gentle to one another in offering criticism, but also lending support for one another,” Scriver says.
Another benefit of a female space, she says, are the topics they covered in class.
“I don’t think that if I was in a coed comedy group I could have opened up about the self-image issues that I have,” she says.
Women in the group felt safe talking about body image and sexual assault. That wouldn’t be impossible in a mixed-gender class, Scriver says, but she doesn’t think she would feel as comfortable.
That level of comfort makes a big difference in developing skills as a comedian, Shostak adds.
“The audience can feel how you feel, so if there’s a moment where they see you shrink or back-off onstage, they do notice that,” she says.
“If someone’s feeling not their best, then their comedy isn’t at their best, and that’s probably why people say women aren’t funny. They’ve seen a single woman in an improv troupe be diminished, or the audience perception of them is bad. But I think it’s because they haven’t been lifted up or given the space.”
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Stories of faith: losing it, talking about it, constructing it, and working within it.
A story of faith lost, thanks to a book about extraterrestrials and a Rabbi. (6 minutes)
Adventures In Turning The Other Cheek
An explanation of what Christians and Muslims talk about in a place you might not expect them to get along at all: Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Host Ira Glass talks with Georg Taubmann, a relief worker with the Christian missionary group Shelter Now, who built houses and did other good works in Afghanistan for seventeen years, until he was arrested by the Taliban in August. He was rescued in November. He says that it's actually easier to talk religion with the Afghans than it is in the U.S. or in Taubmann's home country of Germany. (7 minutes)
Does Size Matter If You're Talking About A Cross?
Josh Noel reports with Alex Blumberg from Groom, Texas, 45 minutes east of Amarillo, on the largest cross in the Western hemisphere—it's 19 stories tall—the man who built it, and the people who stop at the cross to pray. (18 minutes)
“Jesus Was a Cross Maker” by Cass Elliot
The Epiphany Biz
Bill Lychak reports on what it's like to be a factory worker in the Epiphany Plant, bringing news of miracles to Christians in a magazine called Guideposts. It's a good job, he says. His account first appeared on Open Letters. (8 minutes)
“The Bible Tells Me So” by The John Matthews Family
First Be Reconciled To Thy Brother, And Then Come And Offer Thy Gift
Susie Putz-Drury reports on Bethel Church in Dandridge, Tennessee. It's an all-black Presbyterian Church with a white pastor, who does not always agree with his own congregation on the best way to worship God. They yearn for more spirit, more charisma. He says if emotion is all you get from church, you're not getting enough. Susie explains how he's stayed there fifteen years. (16 minutes)
213: Devil on My Shoulder
Act Two: Sixteen Candles Can Lead To A Lot Of Fire
Faron Yoder lives in Amish country in Indiana.
Act Seven: Elbert County
Chuck Salter, son of Georgia Rambler Charles Salter, Sr., visits a man named Windell Cleveland, who was interviewed by his father 33 years ago.
254: Teenage Embed, Part Two
Act Two: Part Two
Hyder's story continues.
Lower 9 + 10
We go to the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans to talk to residents about what matters most to them ten years after the hurricane.
I'm From the Private Sector and I'm Here to Help
Nancy Updike goes to Iraq to try to figure out what it's like to be a private citizen working in the middle of a war zone.
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D.J. Niko's The Judgment - Review #TheJudgment
The Judgment is an historical novel based on the life and reign of the biblical Solomon. It is very well written, descriptive and lyrical.
I have to admit to not knowing much of Solomon's story. I'm more familiar with his father, David's story, as I have always been fascinated by the story of David and Bathsheba. The author has done a wonderful job of telling the story (with some embellishment, I'm sure), taking the reader on a jury into the historical and biblical past. However, I have to admit to having a hard time with all the religious talk. My views on religion have changed dramatically in the last four years so the religious dedication, and at times, fervor the characters experience was a bit much for me. I had to keep reminding myself how important religion was, especially in historic times.
Niko definitely has a knack for storytelling and she even writes a fantastic battle/siege scene. The opening scene when the women and children flee to the tunnel was nail biting. Also, the plotting of Solomon's wife, Nicaule, and how easily Solomon is deceived, was an intriguing part of the story. Once again, a man makes his decisions from the wrong end of his body. Why does it still surprise me when this happens in a story? It really shouldn't.
I have not read Niko's Sarah Weston Chronicles yet, but upon reading The Judgment, I'm definitely adding them to my to-be-read list. I look forward to her future historical offerings as well.
Publisher: Medallion Press
Publication Length: 416 pages
Upon the death of his father, Solomon has been appointed king of the united monarchy of Israel and Judah and charged with building the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. He travels to Egypt to negotiate with Pharaoh Psusennes II for gold for the temple and to improve relations between the two nations. There he falls in love with the pharaoh’s beautiful daughter, Nicaule, and the two kings agree to an arranged marriageh. Against her will, for she loves another, Nicaule follows her new husband to Israel.
Forty years later, Solomon’s empire is on the verge of collapse. Power has made him arrogant, permissive, and blind to the scheming of his wife and one of his lieutenants to topple the united monarchy. As the king’s faith falters and his people’s morals collapse, enemies gather at the gates of Israel. A visit from a mysterious queen restores Solomon’s perspective in time to save his soul—but it is too late to preserve his kingdom.
Someone who once was loyal to King Solomon has come back to claim the crown of Israel—and tear Solomon’s empire asunder.
D.J. Niko is the pseudonym for Daphne Nikolopoulos, an award-winning journalist, author, editor, and lecturer who has spent her entire adult life traveling the world.
As a former travel writer and zealous adventurer, she has visited remote spots on six continents, many of which have inspired her archaeological thriller series, The Sarah Weston Chronicles. She was born and raised in Athens, Greece, and now resides in Florida with her family.
Find out more about D.J. Niko on her website.
Praise for D.J. Niko
“Like a sandstorm roaring out of the Judean Desert, The Riddle of Solomon rips readers out of the familiar world, dropping them breathless in a place where ancient kings still keep their secrets. D. J. Niko’s storytelling carries the grit of desert dust and the seductive scent of incense on every page as Sarah Weston races with a madman to save the treasures that King Solomon left behind.” - Mary Anna Evans, award-winning author of Artifacts and Wounded Earth
"Take a dash of Dan Brown, a sprinkle of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and a whole lot of originality, and you've got the recipe for D.J. Niko's latest novel, the second in the spellbinding Sarah Weston saga. For readers who like their adventures steeped in research, authenticity, and nonstop intrigue, The Riddle of Solomon is highly recommended!" - Ronald Malfi, author of Floating Staircase and Cradle Lake
“Action, adventure, romance and historical mystery—who could ask for more? The Oracle is a great read.” —James O. Born, award-winning author of Scent of Murder
“Although each book in the Weston series can be read as a stand-alone, there is clearly a story arc involving the series’ two lead characters, one that enriches each book and makes the series more than just a collection of independent thrillers.” —David Pitt, Booklist
“This wonderful action-adventure story has all the elements of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider and a little James Bond thrown in for good measure. This is exactly the kind of story I love, and I found it very hard to put down. The story moves between the fall of Delphi and a modern-day archeology thriller. Well researched, well written, with strong and believable characters.” — LibraryThing
Want to Feature D.J. Niko?
If you would like a copy of the book for review or to conduct an interview with D.J. Niko, please contact Erin Al-Mehairi, Publicist, at Hook of a Book Media: hookofabook@hotmail.com.
Posted by Michelle Stockard Miller at 5:59:00 PM
Labels: 10th century BCE, 2016 releases, biblical history, book review, book tour, historical fiction
Susan @ Reading World July 12, 2016 at 8:08 PM
Sounds interesting. I recently read Geraldine Brooks' novel about David, so I think I'd like to continue on to read about Solomon.
Lucy July 13, 2016 at 8:59 PM
Great review! I'll be reading this one (just ordered a copy). Other commenter Susan reminded me to get a copy of Brooks' The Secret Chord too from my library. Queue was so long when it came out. Thanks, Michelle!
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#CatThursday - #Authors and #Cats (72) Rachel Carson
Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)
The second Cat Thursday of each month is Authors and Cats Thursday. Each time I will feature an author with their cat(s), pictured with a cat(s), or guest posts by cat loving authors who also (sometimes) write about cats.
Biologist and author Rachel Carson at home, with Moppet
This month's cat loving author is Rachel Carson, who was born May 27, 1907 (d. April 14, 1964).
Rachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose book Silent Spring and other writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement.
Carson began her career as an aquatic biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, and became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s. Her widely praised 1951 bestseller The Sea Around Us won her a U.S. National Book Award, recognition as a gifted writer, and financial security. Her next book, The Edge of the Sea, and the reissued version of her first book, Under the Sea Wind, were also bestsellers. This sea trilogy explores the whole of ocean life from the shores to the depths.
Late in the 1950s, Carson turned her attention to conservation, especially environmental problems that she believed were caused by synthetic pesticides. The result was Silent Spring (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented share of the American people. Although Silent Spring was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy, which led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides, and it inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Carson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
A variety of groups ranging from government institutions to environmental and conservation organizations to scholarly societies have celebrated Carson's life and work since her death. Perhaps most significantly, on June 9, 1980, Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. A 17¢ Great Americans series postage stamp was issued in her honor the following year; several other countries have since issued Carson postage as well.
Carson's birthplace and childhood home in Springdale, Pennsylvania — now known as the Rachel Carson Homestead—became a National Register of Historic Places site, and the nonprofit Rachel Carson Homestead Association was created in 1975 to manage it. Her home in Colesville, Maryland where she wrote Silent Spring was named a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Near Pittsburgh, a 35.7 miles (57 km) hiking trail, maintained by the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy, was dedicated to Carson in 1975. A Pittsburgh bridge was also renamed in Carson's honor as the Rachel Carson Bridge. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection State Office Building in Harrisburg is named in her honor. Elementary schools in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, Maryland, Sammamish, Washington and San Jose, California were named in her honor, as were middle schools in Beaverton, Oregon and Herndon, Virginia (Rachel Carson Middle School), and a high school in Brooklyn, New York.
Between 1964 and 1990, 650 acres (3 km2) near Brookeville in Montgomery County, Maryland were acquired and set aside as the Rachel Carson Conservation Park, administered by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. In 1969, the Coastal Maine National Wildlife Refuge became the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge; expansions will bring the size of the refuge to about 9,125 acres (37 km2). In 1985, North Carolina renamed one of its estuarine reserves in honor of Carson, in Beaufort.
Carson is also a frequent namesake for prizes awarded by philanthropic, educational and scholarly institutions. The Rachel Carson Prize, founded in Stavanger, Norway in 1991, is awarded to women who have made a contribution in the field of environmental protection. The American Society for Environmental History has awarded the Rachel Carson Prize for Best Dissertation since 1993. Since 1998, the Society for Social Studies of Science has awarded an annual Rachel Carson Book Prize for "a book length work of social or political relevance in the area of science and technology studies." (from Goodreads)
Labels: authors, authors and cats, cat thursday, cats, feature, meme, weekly feature
Heather G. May 10, 2018 at 1:07 PM
I love celebrities with cats. Makes them more human!
#CatThursday - On hiatus this week
#Review - Insomniatic [Poems] by Valerie Fox #Poe...
#CatThursday - #Cats in #Art (29) Pablo #Picasso
#BoutofBooks Day 6 - An update and The Royal Weddi...
#CatThursday - #Cats ...always judging
#BoutofBooks Day 3 + Challenge: Show Me Your Preci...
Bout of Books 22 + Challenge: Year of You #boutof...
#CatThursday - #Authors and #Cats (72) Rachel Cars...
RED ALERT: U.S. Senate to vote on net neutrality #...
#CatThursday - #Cats and Irony
The Classics Spin 17 - Updike's Rabbit, Run...a bi...
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What is impact?
UCL support for impact
Search case studies
Impact Resources for UCL Staff
vCJD prion infection: improving diagnosis and surveillance
The MRC Prion Unit at UCL has played a key role in addressing the public health issues raised by 'mad cow disease' and its human variant, by developing blood tests to screen donated blood and organs for transplantation.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), popularly known as 'mad cow disease', is related to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans. This degenerative neurological disorder is invariably fatal, and a study by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) estimates that one in 2,000 UK citizens are carriers - clearly alarming when coupled with the known potential for transmission via blood transfusion.
The MRC Prion Unit was established at UCL in 1998 to address this national public health issue. One of its key strategic priorities was to create a validated blood test for vCJD in order to protect public health through the screening of donated blood and organs for transplantation.
Using existing World Health Organization diagnostic criteria for vCJD, disease can only be classified as 'probable' in the presence of significant neurological deficit and confirmed as 'definite' using neuropathological examination. Despite the relentlessly progressive nature and devastating prognosis of these disorders, securing a firm early diagnosis is crucial. This helps to identify potentially reversible conditions, and removes uncertainty, which in itself is distressing. Once a disease is identified, patient care plans can be established, patients and families counselled and appropriate infection control measures implemented. A sensitive and specific blood-based molecular diagnostic test for prion disease facilitates early disease diagnosis and entry into therapeutic trials. In addition, such a test has obvious applications in reducing transmission, screening of blood products for transfusion, food and medicinal products.
Detection of disease-associated, abnormal forms of the prion protein such as PrPSc is the most specific criterion for the diagnosis of prion disease in humans and animals, but there is a counterbalancing limit on the sensitivity of detection. Research led by Professor John Collinge (UCL Institute of Neurology) has identified new methods for the specific detection of abnormal forms of PrP without sacrificing sensitivity. These methods were used in conjunction with monoclonal antibodies developed at UCL to detect the presence of unique conformers of PrP, to develop sensitive methods capable of diagnosing prion infection from biopsies of neural or tonsillar tissue. This is a crucial breakthrough for both individual patients and public health services.
The UCL blood test is now in use at the National Prion Clinic (NPC) - the national referral centre for prion disease based at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery - to allow diagnosis of vCJD. Approximately 115 patients have been tested so far through the clinic. The immediate impact of this is that patients can be diagnosed quickly, other conditions can be excluded, and care plans can be put in place quickly. The blood test has been demonstrated to detect infection in over 70% of patients with vCJD with, to date, 100% specificity.
MRC Prion Unit at UCL
Email the UCL Research Impact Curation & Support (RICS) team
RICS is part of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research
Resources for UCL staff
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Author: Alex Jones
Alex has been writing for UK Anime Network since 2014, and has been raised on a nutritional diet of anime, giant robots and spandex-wearing superheroes.
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness
Nagata Kabi
With a name like My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness you’d expect that this book would appeal to a fairly limited audience. However Nagata Kabi’s autobiographical manga, originally self-published via popular Japanese art website Pixv, took the internet by storm – offering far more than simply the LGBT or Yuri themes that its title suggests. Instead the book takes its rather unique premise and tackles a number of difficult subjects, offering an experience that many have praised for describing mental health far better than others that have tried. For many it will be relatable, but for others it presents an opportunity to gain a better understanding of what it’s like to suffer from these issues.
Its story follows a 28-year-old Kabi as she prepares to lose her virginity to a lesbian escort in a Japanese love hotel, flashing back to her teenage years and the path that led her to make the decision to do this. Her story is far from a happy one, tackling depression, self-harm and the ideals her parents project onto her as well as coming to terms with both her identity and sexuality.
Straight from the get-go it’s abundantly clear that My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness isn’t going to be one to sugar-coat its subject matter. So if eating disorders, self-harm, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or the even idea of eating an unprepared packet of instant noodles (which when described is far grimmer than you might think) are difficult topics for you then consider this a warning. But it’s this honest depiction that makes Kabi’s story so approachable. While the idea of using an escort as the first step towards understanding sexuality and overcoming depression may be unique to her, the thoughts and feelings she describes are not. With the sheer amount of factors that contribute towards Kabi’s mental state you don’t need to be gay or depressed to relate with her on at least some level. It’s incredible that such a depiction came from a country where its population are usually more reserved about such things.
The rawness of Kabi’s emotions are also reflected in her artwork, depicting herself as this sketchy cartoonish avatar with all flaws on show rather than embellishing it behind lavishly drawn characters and flowery scenery. This aesthetic combined with the use of pink for shading (kudos to Seven Seas for retaining that) give the book a really unique feel – one that makes it feel less like a published manga and more along the lines of an illustrated journal shared in the hopes of helping others.
It isn’t all completely grim though, as Kabi is careful to inject some level of humour into her story to keep things from getting too weighed down. As crucial as her experience with the escort is she is still able to recognise the absurdity of it and have fun with it where appropriate. In its mission to break down the misconceptions and romanticisation when it comes to sex it also targets the myths romance and yaoi fiction perpetuate. Similarly Kabi’s over-exaggerated mannerisms and reactions show that she’s able to inject personality into her experiences in hindsight. Calling it a “fun” read would definitely be overdoing it, but the occasional humour is just another facet to a book that’s as educational as it is honest.
If there was one thing that had to be wrong with My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness it’s that it may leave you wanting more. With how engrossing the book is it’s very easy to breeze through the one volume in no time at all, and its ending leaves you wanting to know what Kabi went onto after she began to accept who she is. But at the same time its brevity is also part of its charm – making it a title you’ll want to pick up again and again. But in some ways where Kabi goes after this seems inconsequential – the extra chapter she provides reveals that things are getting better for her even if she still doesn’t have all the answers (and that’s perfectly okay), making this seemingly abrupt finish ideal as the point where this chapter of her life ends and a new one begins. Seven Seas have also confirmed that they will be releasing her follow-up manga My Solo Exchange Diary in 2018, so thankfully her story isn't over quite yet.
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is engaging but often difficult read, so will undoubtedly stir up emotions in anyone who’s ever been in a similar situation. But at the same time the book is so much more than that, and for those fortunate to say they’ve never felt the same it contextualises it in a way those suffering from these issues often struggle to put into words. And despite the dark subject matter the book is ultimately one of hope – with Kabi coming through these experiences to realise that a “normal” life is exactly what you make of it. Surely that’s a message that everyone can relate to.
Powerful, insightful and possibly one of the most important manga you’ll ever read.
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INTERVIEW: Tom Robinson
Welcome to UK Music Reviews » INTERVIEW: Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson, a British singer songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, chats with Kevin Cooper about his most extravagant purchase, his most embarrassing moment, forty years since the release of Power In The Darkness and his forthcoming tour of the UK.
Tom Robinson is a British singer songwriter, bassist, radio presenter and long-time LGBT rights activist, best known for the hits Glad To Be Gay, 2-4-6-8 Motorway, and Don’t Take No For An Answer, with his Tom Robinson Band.
Power In The Darkness was Tom Robinson Band’s debut studio album which they released in early 1978. The UK album had ten tracks and it included a stencil similar to the cover art, but with the album title replaced by ‘Tom Robinson Band’; it held the warning, “This stencil is not meant for spraying on public property!”
He has also had a successful solo career, the highlight of which was when War Baby peaked at number six in the UK Singles Chart.
Robinson is a supporter of Amnesty International and Peter Tatchell’s OutRage! human rights organisation and a leader of the Rock Against Racism campaign.
Whilst busy getting ready for his tour of the UK, he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.
Hi Tom how are you?
I’m very well thank you Kevin, how are things with you up there in Nottingham?
All is good thank you and before we move on let me thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.
You are entirely welcome. Thank you for being interested in what we are up to.
And I have to ask, just how is life treating you at this moment in time?
Well I have to be honest with you and say that life at the moment is pretty damn good (laughter). Who knew that being nearly seventy could be so much fun (laughter). The thing is that it is forty years now since I released Power In The Darkness and I most definitely will not be touring it in another forty years. It also recently occurred to me that I won’t be touring it in another twenty years when I will be eighty-eight (laughter). So if I am ever going to do it, then this is the year for me to do it.
You can’t say that with any certainty, look at The Rolling Stones (laughter).
Yes I know but those guys are only ten years ahead of me. And also you do have to be Mick Jagger in order to be able to pull it off. And what you also have to remember is that there is only one Mick Jagger (laughter).
Anyway enough of The Rolling Stones and back to the business in hand. I have been playing Power In The Darkness recently and I have to say that I had forgotten just what a great piece of work it is. It still sounds fresh and is perhaps even more relevant today than it was forty years ago.
Ah well thank you very much for saying that. It is always very nice to hear that your work is still being appreciated even after forty odd years so thank you very much for saying that. That is very sweet of you.
The last time that you and I spoke you informed me that you were busy working on a live version of the album that had been recorded at London’s 100 Club.
Yes I did and I am now pleased to tell you that the album is now all recorded, mixed and is being manufactured as we speak. It is scheduled to be released on both CD and vinyl later this month.
(Laughter) playing the album once again has bought back memories of my rebellious streak back in the day. I was fortunate enough to buy a vinyl copy forty years ago which included the Tom Robinson Band ‘Fist’ logo as a stencil. My dad at that time had a lime green Vauxhall Viva which thanks to me had the logo on the bonnet (laughter).
(Laughter) wow, really (laughter). We actually had some replica stencil’s manufactured a few years back so if you are in need of a replacement (laughter).
You have recently been playing the album in its entirety. How have the audiences taken to it; are they enjoying it?
Well to be honest I think that it is really because the audiences have enjoyed it so much last year when we were celebrating the fortieth anniversary of 2-4-6-8 Motorway and when we played those songs, suddenly everything became electrified. The whole thing simply took off and it became apparent that it was the right music for the times. Obviously with updated lyrics, but yes, everything simply felt right.
Will you be playing the album sequentially, as it was recorded forty years ago?
Oh yes, you have to start with Up Against The Wall and finish with Power In The Darkness. And don’t forget to turn the audience over half way through(laughter). It was very interesting to go back; some of those songs I have hardly played at all and there is a track on the album that we never did play back in the day, simply because we couldn’t (laughter).
Listening to the album again recently I still think that Up Against The Wall is a fantastic opening track. It grabs you and takes you on a journey through the rest of the album.
I’m so pleased that you have said that, thank you. I always thought that Up Against The Wall was the ideal opening track but there was some dissent within the ranks when I first suggested it laughter). Let’s just say that it wasn’t popular with all of the band members (laughter).
Do you have a favourite track on the album?
Oh yes, for me it has always been You Gotta Survive. I really like that track and I think that it is a bit Mad Max like (laughter). It has a bleak, futuristic scenario. I always felt that it had a certain smokey atmosphere to it.
Do you feel proud that the album has stood the test of time?
Yes I do I really do. Having now worked for the BBC for nigh on twenty years now, my job has been to listen to music and so with those ears on for me to go back and listen to all of the old recordings again, you suddenly realise that actually it was pretty good. And in particular the original playing of those instruments by those original band members was so very special. You don’t realise it at the time because you simply say “well that’s my band, that’s what we sound like” (laughter). You don’t realise how that then stands up in the context of what’s out there. I think that they did a fantastic job, and it’s just a shame that in terms of getting on with each other we had the kind of relationship of four ferrets in a sack (laughter).
Will EMI be doing anything special to commemorate the forty years?
No, as far as I am aware, EMI are not doing anything and that is partly the reason for me to be putting out the live version of the album on my own Castaway Northwest label. The live album is very much marking the occasion so we will just have to wait and see if people like that (laughter).
I have to ask you, who was responsible for the ‘fist’ logo?
Well, I suppose that originally the Gay Liberation Front because when I first moved to London and came out aged twenty-three, the Gay Liberation Front was really important to me and their badge was a fist with the wording Gay Liberation Front Rally round the side. So when the modestly named Tom Robinson Band came into being approximately four years later, I went to see Rock Against Racism’s designer Roger Huddle and said “could you make me a logo that has a fist in the middle and the Tom Robinson Band in stencil letters around the outside” and so Roger went away, found that fist and put the whole thing together for us. So it was my idea but in a way it wasn’t mine if you see what I mean; I nicked that (laughter).
Did the logo ever work against you due to the fists close affiliation with the Black Panther Party which was founded by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton in October 1966?
Wow you have certainly done your research. No not really. That fist is actually out there in the public domain and has been used by the Socialist Workers Party in the late 70s. It was the fist that was used in the Free Nelson Mandela campaign, so it is a good fist and we all know that you can’t beat a good fist (laugher).
Swiftly moving on (laughter). From writing to recording, how long did it take you to make the album?
Well the album actually contains two or maybe even three years’ worth of songs and then the record company gave me three months to write the second album (laughter). That is the nature of the second album syndrome. You have all that time to put together your best shot and then not very much time to follow it up. The recording took about eight weeks; I actually kept a diary, and let me tell you it was very interesting to go back and look at that diary and to see just how painful the making of the album was. Our producer Chris Thomas really knows what he is doing in the studio but he is such a perfectionist. And so in order to make it sound spontaneous and like a live band actually playing together, he actually put at least five days work into each song. They were compiled from many takes and put together. There are at least three or four guitars on every song.
Were you always happy with the album?
I think that it is an interesting thing which all artists find, and it is certainly the case with everything that I have ever released, which is that you are never happy with something when you have finished it. You are always thinking ‘oh that could have been so much better’ or ‘that’s a bit out of tune’ (laughter). And it is only as time goes by and it recedes into the distance and you get used to what it sounds like, that it sounds like it should never have sounded any other way. That has been true for almost everything that I have ever released (laughter). You always feel a little discontented. It’s interesting isn’t it? You must find this when you interview people who you think of having done something extraordinary and they say to you “oh that was so rubbish, I really hated that, I could have been really successful”. An example is, Ani DiFranco moaning about her lack of success (laughter).
So in answer to your question, yes I am really happy at the way that it sounds. And whilst I wasn’t at the time, if it hadn’t have been for that album, that band and the way that the audience received it, then I wouldn’t be talking to you today.
I have to say that I find a hell of a lot of artists to be totally insecure. Would you agree with that?
Oh god yes, terribly insecure. We seek validation through our ‘art’ (laughter). That was the fatal mistake at the time. I was so extraordinarily insecure back in the 70s and I had this desperation to be validated by having a successful record. Because I thought that if lots of people loved me then I would be alright as a human being. And when that was taken away after my fifteen minutes of fame were up, I was completely crushed (laughter). It took me a hell of a long time, all through my thirties, to actually be able to inhabit my own skin, start to enjoy life and to get my validation from relationships with other human beings instead of trying to have a relationship with an audience.
Are you looking forward to the forthcoming tour?
Yes I am, I really am. The only reason why we are doing this tour is the fact that I want to be there and for no other reason. For me it is such a nice luxury for me to be out there for the fun of it rather than because you have got to pay the mortgage.
Are there any signs of any new studio material?
No, I have to say that there are no signs of any new studio material at this moment in time. We actually had our hands entirely full mixing three nights recordings at The 100 Club last year ready for the album release plus we have also got the album Live In Gateshead from the recent Only The Now tour. There is another entire album there which includes War Baby and Atmospherics: Listen To The Radio on it plus the songs from the Only The Now album and that will now have to wait until 2019. So in answer to your question, there won’t be any new material until 2010 at least.
What is the one thing that Tom Robinson cannot live without?
(Laughter) wow that is such a searching question. I would have to say that would have to be love.
During your music career what has been your most extravagant purchase?
That would have to be my very first Apple Mac back in 1985 and it had a whopping 128 KB of memory together with not one but two floppy disc drives that were 400 KB each (laughter). The whole package, together with a printer cost me two and a half thousand pounds. Imagine that back in 1985. It was ludicrously expensive. At that time it was the price of a car. But, having said all of that, it was the start of my love affair with Apple which continues to this day. Don’t get me wrong I don’t love Apple but I do love their products (laughter). It was the first computer that you really could just get on and use and not have to think about code or obeying all of those end commands. So yes, it would have to be buying my first Apple Mac in 1985.
Working on BBC Radio 6 gives you access to lots of people, so putting you on the spot, which new artists, if any, do you find exciting?
Well firstly let me say that it is hard to nail it down to just one (laughter). Thinking about it Sam Vance-Law who originates from Berlin would have to be right up there. He made an album called Homotopia last year and I have to say, if that album had existed back in 1967 I wouldn’t have needed to attend Finchden Manor which I’m sure you know is a therapeutic community for emotionally troubled boys.
What would you say has been your biggest achievement so far?
That would have to be performing at the Rock Against Racism Carnival back in 1978 together with Steel Pulse who were fantastic, The Clash and X-Ray Spex. That is the thing that I am most proud of.
Without offending anyone, do you have an embarrassing moment that you can tell me about?
(Laughter) there are just so many (laughter). When I was at my lowest ebb, and my first fifteen minutes of fame had finished, I was having to sell-off everything that wasn’t nailed down. A couple of guys with dreadlocks came round to look at the equipment that I was trying to sell. They saw Tom Robinson Band stencilled on the side of one of the flight cases and one of them said “yes, Tom Robinson, whatever happened to him man” and so I said “I am Tom Robinson”. He said “well don’t worry about it man, you will write a new song and come back” which I did with War Baby six months later. I said to him “yes sure, look at Eddy Grant” and he turned to me and said “I am Eddy Grant” (hysterical laughter). And I have to say that actually is true.
If you have five minutes spare take a look on Amazon. They are selling a compilation album entitled War Baby for well over eighty pounds.
Really, well I think that is an illegal one. To be honest with you it is a terrible live album that we licensed to some bastard in Finland. Just so that we could get a foot hold in Finland. He then renamed it War Baby and relicensed it to loads of people. So absolutely under no circumstances buy that album. Just nip along to TomRobinson.Bandcamp.com and you can download the whole album in 24bit for a fraction of that.
One final question. A lot has been written about the fact that you didn’t include either of your most famous songs, 2-4-6-8 Motorway or Glad To Be Gay on Power In The Darkness. With hindsight, do you still regret taking that decision?
Yes I do, I really do, so much so that I refer to it as the fatal mistake.
On that note Tom let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been an absolute pleasure once again and good luck with the tour.
You are entirely welcome Kevin, and I hope to see you very soon. Bye for now.
Tags: Tom Robinson
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Computer Science Technical Paper Format
Posted on November 1, 2018 November 1, 2018 By adminPosted in Articles
Advice on graduate studies, research, writing, and careers in computer science. Online Resources on Graduate Study in Computer Science. How (and How Not) to Write a Good Systems Paper by Roy Levin and David D. Redell; Hints on.
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The dblp computer science bibliography is the on-line reference for open bibliographic information on computer science journals and proceedings
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« On Air with Red Meat Radio Concerning Educating for Democracy
Daily Herald Carries ASD Story »
Mary Mostert Educates ASD Board
To: Alpine School District:
American Fork, Utah
Superintendent Henshaw, and Board Members
Because I am the author of books on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, recently I was contacted by some residents of the Alpine School district who are concerned about the District’s Mission statement: “Educating all students to ensure the future of our democracy”. (http://www.alpine.k12.ut.us/phpApps/genericPage.php?pdid=2789)
I wrote an e-mail to your public relations people, whose e-mails are listed below the mission statement pointing out that the Alpine School District is not IN a Democracy, but in a Republic which is clearly guaranteed by Article 4 Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States:
“The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.”
The Constitution of the State of Utah in Article I, Section 2 says :
“The State of Utah is an inseparable part of the Federal Union and the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the Land .”
Article III paragraph 4 of the Utah Constitution, which lists four irrevocable ordinances unique to Utah, states:
“The Legislature shall make laws for the establishment and maintenance of a system of public schools, which shall be open to all the children of the State and be free from sectarian control.”
Sectarian Control not only pertains to control of the schools by any religious sect, but any other sect, i.e. any group, party or faction united by a specific doctrine or under a doctrinal leader. (Utah Constitution: http://le.utah.gov/~code/const/00I01.htm)
From the response I received from Michelle Gray and from other information on your website, it appears that the Alpine School District has violated both the precepts of the U.S. Constitution, and the precepts of the Utah Constitution by implementing sectarian support of a specific doctrine that is contrary to the precepts of a republican form of government guaranteed by the Constitution.
I realize that there are many people today who do not understand the Constitution or the differences between a democracy and a republic. Yet, I note that you yourselves run the Alpine School Board on republican, not democratic, principles. You have school board meetings, policies and decisions that are not democratically decided by all the people in your district. They are decided by you, who are elected representatives of the people living in your district. You appear to want to teach the children a doctrine you don’t practice yourselves.
I recently wrote the two paragraphs below to help some younger people who asked what the difference was between a democracy and a republic. I am somewhat surprised to learn that these differences are not very well understood by those who wrote and adopted your mission statement. Here’s the difference:
The following references are from my 1848 dictionary which explains more clearly than modern dictionaries the differences that the Founding Fathers were debating when they replaced the Articles of Confederation in 1787 because the nation was beginning to slide into anarchy, a common cause in the failure of democratic nations:
A democracy is government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is in the hands of the people.
A republic, from the Latin words les publica means “a public affair;” in which the sovereign power is exercised by representatives elected by the people.
In France and Quebec, Canada, Bastille Day is celebrated as “the birth of democracy.” The historic event celebrated on Bastille day is:
In France on July 14, 1789 a mob of 8,800 people stormed the Bastille, a fortress-prison in Paris built by and a symbol of the Bourbons. The mob freed the prisoners, seized the ammunition stored there, wrecked the building and killed the guards. The “law” and the prison were created by the Bourbon kings that ruled France from 1589 to 1793. The law and the prison were democratically demolished by the people of Paris.
There were no representatives. The people of Paris, having seized supreme power by force, removed the king, guillotined him, and took control of the city. This started the French Revolution, which actually was a civil war in which more than 17,000 men, women and children were seized by factional groups and beheaded.
In America, in 1776, a group of 55 men of the Second Continental Congress, who were elected by the people to represent the 2.5 million people of the 13 colonies, met in Philadelphia and wrote a document that declared the end of the rule of kings that inherited their position of power. Although not all the people in the colonies WANTED independence, they did not reject the document, though eventually many did move to Canada.
In 1777 the Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation as its form of government. There was no judiciary or executive included in the Articles. There was a treasury and the Congress was given the right to decide matters of peace and war and other decisions. By 1787 the weakness and ineffectiveness and democratic lack of unity of the Articles of Confederation led to the new nation starting to slide into anarchy
To save the country from anarchy, a Constitutional Convention made up of 55 men selected by their State Assemblies, met to write the Constitution. At no point in the founding of this nation was democracy ever part of the process.
I received a brief paragraph from Michelle Gray that didn’t address the issue, but simply re-enforced the confusion of the mission statement. I had written to point out that our nation was not founded as a democracy. In fact, a great deal of effort was put into writing a document that tried to make SURE that the nation never deteriorated to the level of a democracy.
She wrote back, on the same day (February 18) a paragraph I notice has been added on your website:
“The Mission Statement was drafted after meeting with a committee comprised of district administrators and Board of Education members. The mission statement is inclusive of the Moral Dimensions of Teaching (that echo the values of our district in addition to setting the performance standards and directing the implementation of our mission). It was adopted by the full Board of Education in an open board meeting and has been shared with the District Community Council as well as all School Community Councils in the district. It has been met with favorable comments with few exceptions.”
So, I gather you folks are the authors of the statement which proclaims the Alpine School District mission is to train students in your district to ignore both the US Constitution and the State of Utah Constitution? If you really believe so strongly that we need to become a democracy, don’t you think it would be appropriate to allow the parents of the Alpine School District to democratically follow the example of the founding of the French democracy and take direct physical action? Or, perhaps you could open this discussion up based on the current republican form of school board control and allow public discussion and a vote on what the school district’s mission is?
Mary Mostert
Author: A Hunger for Liberty Leads to the Declaration of Independence & The Threat of Anarchy Leads to the US Constitution
10 Responses to “Mary Mostert Educates ASD Board”
JC:
Thank you for an excellent letter. I can only hope that it will receive the attention it’s due. Unfortunately ASD seems intent on being “correct” in all things and unwilling to listen to the many parents (not the few as I believe you were told in your brief response from ASD) who have contacted them expressing concern about the mission statement.
Buffy Snell:
We are losing our liberties in this country at an alarming rate because of political ignorance. The fact that the inaccurate “Mission Statement” has been adopted by the “full Board of Education, the District Community Council and the School Community Councils in the district” is NOT consoling. It simply reflects the mammoth task we have before us of re-educating our educators.
One more thing I’d like to add. Let’s just say that we were a democracy. “Majority rule” sounds good in theory, right? But what if the majority is ever wrong? What if the majority decides that morality is relative? That all Jews deserve to be burned or gassed? That people with dark skin should indeed be enslaved? The implications of such misguided thinking could have far-reaching, devastating affects on Society as a whole. The Constitution of the United States is not brilliant because it is anchored in “the people”. It’s brilliant because it is anchored in truth. And truth, though fixed, can and does and is becoming unpopular.
Buffy Snell
harrypayne:
It appears to me that some (or all) of our educators are not well educated in the principles of the founding of our Great Nation. The Mission Statement of the ASD can and really should be changed to reflect the true principles of freedom and liberty. Education begins at the top, then proceeds to the education of the students.
How can we remain free when we are not being taught what real freedom is and should be?
I would propose that all of us be more involved in the processes of our school district and make sure that: correct moral, ethical and historical education be taught in our schools to our children. Math, English and History in their correct and complete forms are necessary to keep us from falling into the destructive patterns that other nations have and are falling into. In fact, few other courses need be added to those basics of education. I feel that TOO MANY other courses detract from and confuse and do not prove to be productive in educating our next generation. After our youth have the basics, then they are better able to move on to higher education, having a firm foundation in those things that really do matter.
My basic education was obtained at the hands of Provo School District and my children received theirs in the Alpine School District, many districts have fallen into this pattern. We need to know the difference between a Republic and a Democratic form of government and make sure that our children do too.
ATTN: Utah Alpine School District Parents | Mormon Bloggers:
[…] Leave comments on this post here:https://www.utahsrepublic.org/education/mary-mostert-educates-asd-board/ […]
amberoseinjune:
Well put, and thank you for clearing up the fuzzy understanding of democracy vs. a republic. I hope that ASD can put humility first and listen to facts and reason.
edarrell:
So, then, Mostert does not believe that Madison knew what he was talking about when he named his political party the Democratic Republicans? What sort of a republic does she think we have? Monarchical? Socialist? Soviet?
Then she whines about “sectarian control,” butchering the legal understanding of that phrase (religious), and joining you in your crusade for sectarian control, but demonizing the word “democracy.”
Both Oak and Mary need to go back to school, to study history, government and law.
Mary Mostert:
Reply to edarrell
James Madison’s View of Democracy
It won’t help to go back to school to learn what James Madison’s views on the differences between a democracy and a republic were. Obviously, while that was a major issue in the writing of the U.S. Constitution, the Alpine School District doesn’t seem to know, much less teach, what kind of government the U.S. Constitution created. Besides, it takes a lot less time to simply READ what James Madison wrote on the subject in Federalist Paper No. 10 on the subject. (see: http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm )
The kind of factious spirit edarrell displays in his comment is the subject of Madison’s Federalist Paper 10. It is entitled “The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection.” Madison states, that a “pure democracy”, that is “a society consisting of a small number of citizens who assemble and administer the government in person can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction” and concludes that leads to there being “nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual.” Even back in 1787, it appears, obnoxious individuals used the same kind of argument that edarrell used in attempting to convince people they were “right!”
What James Madison said in Federalist Paper 10 about democracy was:
”Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.”
It is obvious that President Obama and the Democrats in Congress support democracy. They have passed the Health Bill and have promised other bills designed to limit our liberty, control our thinking and redistribute wealth. As a result, we are seeing a rapid increase in turbulence and contention that is incompatible with our personal security or our rights of property.
Mary M.:
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Cromwell Bottom is one of the richest areas in Calderdale in terms of biodiversity, boasting over 130 species of plant, 200 species of birds, large...
Cromwell Bottom is one of the richest areas in Calderdale in terms of biodiversity, boasting over 130 species of plant, 200 species of birds, large numbers of mammals, amphibians and lots of invertebrate life. Anyone, adults and chiildren, who is interested in nature needs to visit Cromwell Bottom. The area is mainly woodland with a really good network of paths. There is also a wheelchair and pushchair accessible route. There is a guide to the paths and points of interest available from visitor centres and the Heart of the Pennines on-line shop There is a car park at the reserve and a regular bus service from Halifax bus station
Open all year round, Manor Heath Park's Walled garden is part of this nineteen acre Green Flag Award and Yorkshire in Bloom Gold Award winning p...
Open all year round, Manor Heath Park's Walled garden is part of this nineteen acre Green Flag Award and Yorkshire in Bloom Gold Award winning park.
The Walled Garden was once used to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables for the former Manor Heath Mansion (you can read about the history of Manor Heath Park and the Mansion here) and is today used to demonstrate different types of gardening techniques of topical interest and bedding plant trials for Calderdale's parks.
There are several sections in the walled garden:
The Container Garden demonstrates the different ways of displaying plants in pots and hanging baskets.
The Alpine Mint Walk. Enjoy the fragrance of the Corsican Mint planted between the paving stones. Bees and insects love the small blue flowers during the summer.
The Rock Garden is made from local sandstone and planted with specialist alpines and bulbs.
Herbaceous Borders using traditional plants for a magnificent summer flowering display.
Prairie Planting. A bed specially designed and planted with grasses and some herbaceous perennials for very low maintenance i.e. no staking and only trimming back in spring. The coloured grasses and seed heads last right through the autumn and into winter.
The Necklace Garden boasts tradtional plants and old-fashioned roses growing in a formal setting.
The Winter Garden features plants of winter interest including flowers, stems, foliage and berries; to illustrate how gardens can still be attractive in winter.
The Mediterranean Garden shows how plants normally found in the Med can be grown in Calderdale, with plenty of ideas for plants to grow in domestic gardens for the water conscious gardener. The gravel garden shows plants that will survive in hot, dry places.
Exhibition English Garden This professional design gives colour and texture throughout the growing season with many unusual plants and bulbs.
Demonstration Beds. Watch out in summer for trials of new varieties of bedding plants and bedding schemes. If successful, some will be put into practice in flower beds across Calderdale. The Dahlias and Chrysanthemums are grown in the summer by volunteer growers who grow to show standards. We are very fortunate to have them helping us out and we thank them for the time they spend here.
Rose Walk and Plummery. Enjoy the shade of the willow tunnel and rose walk; see the craftsmanship in the curved dry stone walls built from recycled stone. The Victoria Plum Trees were donated by members of the public.
Educational and school visits covering all stages of the national curriculaum can be arranged. Prior booking is essential, please phone Manor Heath on 01422 365631 or email parks@calderdale.gov.uk for more details.
When visiting the Walled Garden, you can also visit The Jungle Experience and refresh with a cuppa and cake at The Flutterbites Cafe.
Entrance to the Walled Garden and Mnaor Heath Park is FREE.
All year round opening times for the Walled Garden are:
Opening time:10 am every day.
Closing times: last entry 3.30pm, closed 3.45pm every day except Friday.
Friday closing: last entry 3pm and closed 3.15pm.
Educational visits to Manor Heath for schools covering the national curriculum can be arranged by Phoning 01422 365631 or emailing parks@calderdale.gov.uk. Booking is essential.
The Rochdale Canal runs for 33 miles between Sowerby Bridge in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, all the way to Manchester. It runs through the Upper Cal...
The Rochdale Canal runs for 33 miles between Sowerby Bridge in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, all the way to Manchester. It runs through the Upper Calder Valley passing Luddendenfoot, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Walsden. The canal is close to train stations at Sowerby Bridge, Mythomroyd, Hebden Brige, Todmorden and Walsden. There is a towpath all the way which makes it a great flat walking route, suitable for buggies. You can walk short sections by using regular local buses to get you to the start and finish of your walk.
Todmorden Town Hall
Todmorden Town Hall is a fantastic Grade 1 listed building. Visit take a tour, attend an open day or hire the space and be amazed by the architect...
Todmorden Town Hall is a fantastic Grade 1 listed building. Visit take a tour, attend an open day or hire the space and be amazed by the architecture. The Grade 1 listed building is home to: • An impressive ballroom • Magistrate’s Court, now Todmorden Town Council Chamber • Grand staircase • Heritage Centre For a look inside please follow the hyperlink to the GillGraphics website below.
Situated within 13 hectares of beautiful countryside, Jerusalem Farm has fantastic facilities, enabling disabled children and young people to enjoy...
Situated within 13 hectares of beautiful countryside, Jerusalem Farm has fantastic facilities, enabling disabled children and young people to enjoy holidays with their families. Situated on The Calderdale Way and only 6 miles from The Pennine Way, within 13 hectares of beautiful countryside, Jerusalem Farm has fantastic facilities, enabling disabled children and young people to enjoy holidays with their families. Jerusalem Farm worked closely with the parents and carers of disabled children and young people, developng the converted barn to ensure that the facility can be easily used by all visitors. The welcoming atmosphere, stunning scenery and accessible overnight facilities ensure that it's a great place for a relaxing break. The three bedroom accommodation has an adjacent car park with a wheelchair friendly pathway to the barn. Inside, the barn has been designed so that disabled children, young people and their families have all the equipment they need. There's a spacious, specially adapted bedroom with an en-suite bathroom with a hoist which can carry people from the bed to the bathroom. The fully equipped kitchen has also been tailored for wheelchair users, with work surfaces and cooking equipment lowered in height. The large terrace is the perfect place to sit and admire the outstandng countryside, spectacular valleys, woodland birds and sometimes even deer! The facilities include: A bedroom with bunkbeds (H165xL205xW104cm) A fullt adapted bedroom with two beds and a hoist into the adapted bathroom. A double bedroom. A fully equipped kitchen. Two bathrooms, including easy to use en-suite, accessible toilet and bathroom facilities. Underfloor heating Fully equipped living room with a television, DVD player and payphone. High quality furniture throughout. Jerusalem Barn is adjacent to a Local Nature Reserve and campsite. Halifax is 7 miles away, with Eureka! The National Children's Musuem, Shibden Estate, theatres, museums and art galleries. Sowerby Bridge is 5 miles away, with a leisure centre and swimming pool. Hebden Bridge is 4miles away, with a cinema, canal cruises, Visitor Information Centre and many independent shops and restaurants. Mytholmroyd Railway Station is 3 miles away. We are Walker and Cycling friendly. We have an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Point: 1 x 7kW 32A Type 2 Mennekes, ZeroNet.
Apple Tree Farm Alpaca Walks
Hello!! We (and the Alpacas) are based in the Southern Pennines in the picturesque Calder Valley outside the small market town of Hebden Bridge. We...
Hello!! We (and the Alpacas) are based in the Southern Pennines in the picturesque Calder Valley outside the small market town of Hebden Bridge. We are a 15 minute bus ride from town. We first became interested in Alpacas in 2012 and have then since travelled South Wales to build our small award winning heard. Our boys are suited to the South Pennines given there native roots in South America and they love the long Summer days up in the hills just outside the lovely village of Blackshaw Head which is a mere 5 minutes away by car and bus from Heben Bridge. Come along and go for a walk with one of the guys, both you and they will love walking round our land in the country and you will experience the serenity and peacefulness of these beautiful Alpacas, and oh.. did I forget, the scenery ‘ain’t alf’ bad either!
North Dean Woods
North Dean Wood is an example of the type of woodland that used to cover much of the countryside in the North of England. The woods lie on the outs...
North Dean Wood is an example of the type of woodland that used to cover much of the countryside in the North of England. The woods lie on the outskirts of Greetland and offer an extensive network of footpaths, including part of the Calderdale Way. You will also discover a wide variety of plant and birdlife. The entrance to the wood is near to Clay House and Clay House Park. Oaks are the most common trees in the wood, but in some areas Birch trees are dominant. You will also find Beech, Sycamore, Rowan, holly, Alder and ash trees. Over 60 different species of birds have been recorded in North Dean Wood. Some are resident all year, some are summer visitors arriving in spring and leaving in autumn and a few are winter visitors. A wide range of plant life can be found, from mosses, liverworts and lichens to the mighty trees and some fungi, which offer a varied and colourful display, especially in the autumn. The many flowering plants include Heather, Bilberry, Wood Sorrel and Bluebells. Wildlife in North Dean can be difficult to observe, with many of the residents being nocturnal and the remainder keeping well hidden even when active during the day. Most often seen are rabbits and squirrels. Foxes and Stoats may also be seen although both are largely nocturnal . Smaller mammals such as Shrews, Voles, Mice and hedgehogs are present, but seldom seen. Frogs, Toad and Newts can be found in the wettest areas of the Wood. The visible rocks in North Dean Wood are from the Upper Carboniferous Period (formed about 250 million years ago). The rocks belong to the Millstone Grit Series. The valley floor is covered with a thick layer of gravel and sand, deposited in the Late Glacial Period when, as the ice melted, vast quantities of water flowed into what is now Calderdale through the gaps at Waldsden and Cliviger. On top of this gravel is silt deposited by the River Calder, on which the plant cover grows. There are regular bus services from Huddersfield and Halifax bus stations to Greetland.
The Wool Merchant Hotel
The Wool Merchant Hotel is a well-established independent hotel and hospitality venue located in Halifax town centre. The hotel is well equipped...
The Wool Merchant Hotel is a well-established independent hotel and hospitality venue located in Halifax town centre. The hotel is well equipped with 55 luxury rooms, all of which have en suite bathroom facilities, a TV and tea & coffee making facilities. Nine of the rooms are suites, providing guests with a separate lounge area for extra relaxation. Guests also have free WI-FI and free speciality coffees, which are available in the reception area. Car parking is also available and all room rates include breakfast. The Wool Merchant offers a fully licensed bar and delicious food at its La Taverna restaurant, with a wide variety of starters , mains and desserts You will always receive a warm reception and quality service from all our staff.
Open all year round, Manor Heath Park is a nineteen acre Green Flag Award and Yorkshire in Bloom Gold Award winning park, featuring
a woodland walk and wild flower area, planted with over thirty species of wild flowers and bulbs
a well-equipped children's play area for all abilities
a water park and sand pit (from April to October)
plenty of spots for the perfect picnic
The Jungle Experience
The Flutterbites Cafe
Entrance to the park is FREE. Entrance to the Jungle Experience is £1 per person, for everyone 3 years old and over.
All year round opening times for The Jungle Experience and Walled Garden are:
Closing times: last entry 3.30pm, closed 3.45pm every day except Friday.. Friday closing: last entry 3pm and closed 3.15pm.
Hardcastle Crags encompasses deep rocky ravines, tumbling streams, oak, beech and pine woods and some of the best examples of upland meadows in the...
Hardcastle Crags encompasses deep rocky ravines, tumbling streams, oak, beech and pine woods and some of the best examples of upland meadows in the country. Gibson Mill is situated within Hardcastle Crags woodland beside Hebden Water. The National Trust have put in some superb waymarked walking routes suitable for all abilities. Cross the river on stepping stones and spot birds, insects, amphibians and if you're lucky; deer! You'll find Hardcastle Crags offers a completely different experience throughout the year - from the icicles of midwinter to the carpet of bluebells in the spring. The early 19th century Gibson Mill is situated within the site. A tour of the mill tells the history of the valley and the mill over the past 200 years. The mill also has changing exhibitions throughout the year. Gibson Mill is 100% self-sufficient in energy, water and waste treatment. It has a hydro-electric system, solar photovoltaic panels and a log-burning stove fuelled by wood from the estate. You can also rest and recharge at the Weaving Shed Café, serving delicious ethical and locally-produced food and buy the perfect gift or memento in the shop located there. Built in around 1800,Gibson Mill was one of the first mills of the Industrial Revolution. The mill was driven by a water wheel and produced cotton cloth up until 1890. In the early 1900s, Gibson Mill began to be used as an ‘entertainment emporium’ for the local people. After the Second World War, the mill slipped into disuse, and was acquired by the National Trust in 1950. Hardcastle Crags is open all year round from dawn until dusk, admission to Hardcastle Crags and Gibson Mill are FREE. Dogs are welcome (including in the café and mill) if kept under close control. GETTING THERE You have three options to get to Hardcastle Crags: By car - there is parking at Midgehole (for Sat Nav use HX7 7AA) and Clough Hole (for Sat Nav use HX7 7AZ). A parking fee applies at both car parks, although parking is free for National Trust members By bus – the 906 runs from Hebden Bridge on weekends between May and October. It will take you to both the bottom and the top of the valley. Walking – there is a route from Hebden Bridge on good paths with a bit of road walking. It will take you about 45 minutes. Pick up a guide from Hebden Bridge Visitor Centre. See below for details of the wildlife you can discover at Hardcastle Crags.
The stunning landscapes of Calderdale offer walks that are suitable for all ages and abilities. There’s n...
The stunning landscapes of Calderdale offer walks that are suitable for all ages and abilities. There’s no better way to immerse yourself and discover more about this beautiful area than on foot.
Read our Walking in Calderdale blog post for information aboiut guided walks, E Trails, walking guides, easy & family walking and ideas for great walking routes to follow, such as The Calderdale Way, the Pennine Way & Hebden Bridge Loop, Todmorden Centenary Way and great walks at Hardcastle Crags, Ogden Water and more!
Shibden Hall is open 2nd March - 27th October 2019.
Monday to Thursday 10am - 5pm and Saturday & Sund...
Monday to Thursday 10am - 5pm and Saturday & Sunday 11am - 5pm.
NB The Hall is closed on Fridays.
Welcome to the valley of the sheep - schep dene - the home of the Lister family for over 300 years. Shibden Hall was the home of the noted 19th century diarist Anne Lister (1791 - 1840). The Hall, dating originally from circa 1420, is a distinctive half-timbered building furnished in the styles of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, adapted and extended throughout the centuries by the families who lived here.
Anne Lister is the focus of the new BBC drama series 'Gentleman Jack' written and directed by Sally Wainwright for Lookout Point Productions. The series will explore Anne's life and those who lived in the Hall and Estate. The series is currently being filmed will be aired on BBC and HBO in 2019. Suranne Jones plays the role of Anne Lister and Shibden Hall is being used as a filming location.
Shibden Hall is set in a 32 hectares of informal park and woodland, which have won the Green Heritage Award. Explore the beautifully restored historic grounds which offer cascades, pools, tunnels, terraced and fruit gardens and "Paisley Shawl" inspired Victorian bedding designs by Joshua Major.
Enjoy the boating lake, ride on the miniature railway, play on the pitch and putt course or the new children's play area -suitable for all abilities. The grounds also offer footpaths, an orienteering course and a permanent dry stone walling exhibition - a fine example of this fascinating craft.
Hidden within the depths of Shibden Park is a small wooded area known as Cunnery Wood. This Local Nature Reserve is on the footprint of Anne Lister's kitchen garden, fish pond, top up of the cascade and rabbit warren (hence the name Cunnery from Coney-rabbit). The area is rich in wildlife from stunning displays of bluebells under English oak, elm and birch to a multitude of songs from birds, healthy butterfly and moth populations and numerous small mammals throughout.
The Shibden Mereside Cafe and visitor centre is the perfect place to relax on your visit, with displays and information about the history of Shibden Estate, its habitat, landscape and environment. Function rooms are also available for you to hold your conferences, meetings and events in style. Shibden Estate also hosts live entertainment, music, walks, guided tours, storytelling and craft events in the park.
Craft fairs, exhibitions, workshops and working demonstrations take place regularly throughout the year.
Click here to Watch a short video, 'Shibden: 500 Years of History.'and click here to watch a second short video about 'The Anne Lister Story', with Helena Whitbread (you can see the video in full at Shibden hall).
There are frequent buses every 15 minutes or better from Monday to Saturday passing Shibden Hall, between Halifax and Bradford, Halifax and Todmorden/Burnley and Halifax and Brighouse. with other regular and less frequent services throughout the week. Up to date timetables are available from West Yorkshire METRO.
Make your trip to Shibden Hall into a stay to remember at the award-winning Four Star Holdsworth House Hotel and Restaurant.
Hebden Bridge Town Hall
The Town Hall, Hebden Bridge is at the centre of local civic and community life in our Pennine Yorkshire town. We are one of the first towns in Bri...
The Town Hall, Hebden Bridge is at the centre of local civic and community life in our Pennine Yorkshire town. We are one of the first towns in Britain where the Town Hall is community-owned and managed. Hebden Bridge Community Association Ltd, a member-controlled charitable trust, took over the building from Calderdale Council in April 2010.
The Calder and Hebble Navigation runs for 21 miles from Wakefield to Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire. It has 27 locks and a number of flood locks. The...
The Calder and Hebble Navigation runs for 21 miles from Wakefield to Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire. It has 27 locks and a number of flood locks. There is a towpath all the way which makes it a great flat walking route. You can do short sections by using local buses to get you to the start and finish of your walk.
The Jungle Experience is located in the Green Flag Award and Yorkshire in Bloom Gold award-winning Manor Heath Park;
When you visit the Jungle Experience you will discover a tropical greenhouse filled with a wide range of plants from all over the world, including Bird of Paradise, Tropical Water Lillies, Orchids, Banana Plants and many more.
Wooden walkways in the greenhouse take you over streams and past ponds containing fish and terrapin, with information boards explaining the different varieties of plants.
The Time Zone takes you back 400 million years with specimens of plants dating back to the days of the dinosaurs and then bringing visitors back to the 21st century.
Butterfly zone with tropical butterflies flying freely around you as they gather nectar from the tropical flowers. Insect eating plants in our Savage Garden.
When visiting the Jungle Experience, you can also visit Manor Heath Park's Walled Garden and rechrage with a sandwich, cuppa and cake the Flutterbites Cafe.
Entrance to the Manor Heath Park and the Walled Garden is FREE. Entrance to the Jungle Experience is £1 per person, for everyone 3 years old and over.
Ogden Water offers excellent opportunities to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life.
Ogden Water is a very popular desti...
Ogden Water is a very popular destination for picnics, walking, family outings and nature activities and is officially Yorkshire's Favourite Reservoir , having won a public vote held by Yorkshire Water in 2018.
Why not enjoy a picnic at our picnic tables whilst taking in the stunning views.
There are hourly buses to Ogden Water from Halifax bus station.
There is a lovely level footpath around Ogden Water and three longer walks from the site. Friends of Calderdale Countryside have produced a detailed guide which is available at the Ogden shop, local visitor centres and the Heart of the Pennines on-line shop.
What are you interested in?: Meeting & Conference
Services & Information (1)
Farm Shop (3)
Meeting & Conference (5)
Greetland (1)
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The Vampire Diaries is a huge hit TV show based on books that are just as popular. L.J. Smith’s novels were first published in 1991 and they continued to grow from there. The television show premiered in 2009 and stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. The books and the show have the same basic premise – two vampires are in love with a teenage girl. Yet, while the basics are similar, fans of L. J. Smith’s books can’t help but point out the differences between the Vampire Diaries’ books and the TV show. So this one is for you guys, here’s a list of some of the big differences between the two:
1. One big thing that every fan of the book can’t stand is the hair issue. In the books, Elena is fair and blonde, but in the show she is a brunette. Fans were crying foul before the show even aired.
2. The name of the town. In both the show and books, it’s a small town in Virginia founded before the Civil War. But, the show calls the town Mystic Falls, while in the book it’s called Fell’s Church. The show does feature a Fell’s Church, but it’s just a structure in the cemetery.
3. In both, Elena lives with her aunt after the death of her parents. However, in the book the aunt’s name is Judith. In the show it is Jenna.
4. Another big BIG difference is Elena’s family. In the book, Elena has a four-year-old sister named Margaret. In the show she has a teenage brother named Jeremy. HUGE difference there.
5. In the book, Elena’s parents have been dead for three years when the story starts. But in the show, they had just died.
6. In the show, Elena learns that she is adopted and a descendant of Katherine’s. The book never explained why she looks so much like Katherine.
7. There are a whole lot of friend changes in the show as well. Elena’s best friend in the books, Meredith Sulez, plays a big role in the story. But, she isn’t in the show at all. Then there’s Bonnie McCullough, who in the books, is a tiny little redhead. In the show, her name is changed to Bonnie Bennett and she is an African American. In both, Bonnie has magical powers, but in the books she is descended from druids, in the show she is descended from the Salem witches.
8. Matt, Elena’s ex, went through a change too. His last name changes from Honeycutt in the book to Donovan in the show. In the book, Vickie isn’t his sister. But Matt’s last name isn’t the only one changed. Tyler’s last name is originally Smallwood, not Lockwood.
9. The Damon, Stefan and Katherine love triangle is also significantly different in the show and books, but it’s far too complicated to explain here. The whole vampire history is different.
10. In the show, Stefan doesn’t drink human blood (except when he lost control that one time), but in the books he drinks Elena’s blood in an intimate kind of way.
What other differences have you guys noticed between the books and the TV show? Let us know in a comment below.
– Moonlight
Moonlight (aka Amanda) loves to write about, read about and learn about everything pertaining to vampires. You will most likely find her huddled over a book of vampire folklore with coffee in hand. Touch her coffee and she may bite you (and not in the fun way).
Damon SalvatoreElena GilbertIan SomerhalderL. J. SmithNina DobrevPaul WesleyStefan SalvatoreThe Vampire DiariesVampire Diariesvampire diaries booksvampire diaries show
Moonlight • September 23, 2010
The Draugr
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Erzsebeth June 12, 2013 - 2:26 pm Reply
In the recent collection of Vampire Diaries books written by a ghost author, it is revealed that Elena is a angel/Guardian and has the ability to see other people’s auras (and a variety of other powers). Her blood is also sacred and irresistible to vampires, however, it’s lethal if drunk by ancient vampires and thus can prevent them from ever resurrecting. Her little sister, Margaret, is also a half angel/Guardian, Whether one wishes to consider the ghost written books canon with what L.J. Smith wrote before she was fired by her publishers is debatable.
As far as I know, there are no angels/Guardians in the TV series.
Marissa November 10, 2013 - 8:46 pm Reply
I hate to say this, Bree, but I read the first two Vampire Diary books and absolutely hated them. But from episode 1 of the Vampire Diaries show I LOVED it and just about had a coronary finishing season 1 today. Can’t wait to see the rest of it :)))
OH MY GOSH – I’m so glad I’m not the only one…that’s exactly why I hated the books (I read the first two and they never got better), in the books Elena is definitely a self centered prissy BLAAAH that I couldn’t stand. I loved the show from episode one, primarily because she was portrayed as a responsible damsel in distress (but didn’t drown in a pity party victim mentality) and because Stephan never drank her blood until she offered it to save his life, he didn’t drink it in a creepy “romantic” way like in the books. Ugh. The TV show is definitely a winner.
laomeni April 7, 2017 - 6:24 am Reply
I read the books too and I hated her character. Elena in the books is a spoiled girl who is very pretty and attention seeker.
Amna January 12, 2014 - 9:55 pm Reply
I’m glad I’m not the only one that feels this way! I remember when they first announced the show and I read all the differences, I got so pissed! I can’t ever even try to make myself watch it because I know I’ll just get angry at the destruction of an amazing story!!
kelti January 13, 2014 - 1:00 pm Reply
dark shogun i dont suppose you can help me, there are two versions of the book, with two diffrent covers, i was wondering if they are diffrent i tried reading the book that doesnt have alena and the brothers on the front and i couldnt get use to it, is the book with the other cover the same as the tv show?
Brianna January 14, 2014 - 1:13 pm Reply
Katherine is described in the books as a kitten, and Elena as a tiger. In the show, it is opposite
KARA March 8, 2015 - 1:59 pm Reply
Right ugg they totally screwed up the show
Dajiné Colón March 3, 2014 - 2:49 am Reply
Also, I believe in the book series of the Vampire Diaries, Damon has black eyes, where on the show, Ian Somerharlder (playing Damone Salvatore) has gorgeous blue eyes.
Another difference between The Vampire Diaries’ characters I’m both the book series and show are the personalities between Katherine and Elena. Elena in the book is more like Katherine on the show. Katherine on the show is more like Elena in the book.
Kirby October 8, 2014 - 11:31 am Reply
There are no kitsune. I believe Katherine had the ability to turn into a white tiger? I am on the The Hunters: Destiny Rising. They left out so much detail and just took this story at a whole new level. After all the hell that has happened in fells church. Bonnie Elena and Meredith (who is not in this rotten tv show) go to college where klaus is resurrected by a cult. Beforehand klaus was killed by Elena and the ghosts of fells church. ALSO, Elena’s parents were suppose to die because she is to become a guardian. In the tv show there is no mention of the “Underworld” or any “Guardians”
The Vampire Diaries Tv show is just ridiculous in the end. It would’ve been better if they just stuck to the storyline of the book. Way, way better.
Vampire E to H | Baby Gates Down
Sydney_b550 August 14, 2015 - 10:47 pm Reply
Klaus was killed within one book, Elena was killed and came back as an Angel, they never battled a Kitsune, Caroline never turned evil and had Tyler’s evil werewolf babies or accused Matt of rape, Damon never turned human, there are no mentions of an “underworld” or human slavery, and there’s a billion other things that were wrong in general. Honestly, it’s two entirely different things that just share the same name.
Bianca Salvatore December 2, 2015 - 12:04 am Reply
In the book Caroline and Elena are rivals but in the show, they are best friends
anon tv show fan January 30, 2016 - 1:11 am Reply
i didnt read the books AT ALL and i just watched the TV show. and i started reading it, but then i am like: WHERE THE HELL IS JEREMY. thanks, otherwise i would have never known he doesnt exist! :”D i would have just been confused. i think one of the things that i really loved about the show was how elena loved her brother SO MUCH as her only family left. it is a really beautiful relationship. so i love the tv show more (personal opinion, no offence :”D) i especially loved the scene where elena cried after jeremy’s death in 4th season. SO REALISTIC. amazing. it really isnt vampire diaries without jeremy :/ for me anyways. i think the actress really suits elena’s character as well. and hating her because she is a brunette is really stupid. -.-” do you see her acting? SHE IS ELENA!
Andrew Lacey April 2, 2016 - 10:48 am Reply
I Think From Damon’s Journal His Name Is Silas From The Novals & In The Tv Series His Name Is Damon
Vanna February 12, 2016 - 3:34 pm Reply
Another big difference is in the show, Stefan and Damon were from Civil War era America, and in the books they were from Renaissance Italy (I think it was Italy, their last name is Salvatore).
Noelle Ramos March 26, 2016 - 8:23 pm Reply
yeah, you’re right in the show they say they are of Italian descent but in the books they are like legit from Italy.
Love the books, love the show. But I can’t think of them as the same thing or else I will hate them both for being so different. So, in my head, they are just a book series and a TV series that happen to have the same name and similar plots (kind of lol).
Keerthi May 9, 2016 - 4:44 am Reply
Attention TVD fans… about tht sixth difference in the article, its kind of incorrect! the book really does explain why elena is so similar to katherine, u can refer to the 10th volume of TVD. U would know if u have read all the volumes of TVD.
Liz Ford June 1, 2016 - 4:28 am Reply
Did anyone fo bk n read Stephens dairies. Mystic falls is where they begin with last names of main characters of show so I am lost as why the difference begins with the hunter series is this a part of the writers change tho only those that read these specific books will know my question as I’m what over a century away from Elena as I finished six, where to now? I began reading bc of the books of The Originals early years, finished and needed more similar writing
Please advise me …I am new to books seen many episodes do not mind different plots or parts its a common event…I am 38 been reading a while…
The article above doesn’t say about Elena’s character. In the book she is a very spoiled girl who lives for boys attention. It mentions all the time how pretty she is and how everyone died to date her. She’s a cheerleader and pays many attention to her appearance. She is very social too. She belonged to a squad of famous girls who hated the poor kids and bullied them. In few words she was a girl who wouldn’t like as a friend. In the series though she looks like next door’s girl. She isn’t the most popular girl in the school and of course she’s not an attention seeker. Also Caroline is totally different than on tv. She’s red head if I remember well and she’s the enemy of Elena and bullies her all the time. Both are very popular. On tv she’s blonde, unpopular she isn’t her enemy neither her friend. She doesn’t seem spoiled just a bit troubled. After awhile they became friends though. I was very surprised when I saw a few episodes. I loved Elenas character. It made me to want to be her friend.
One of the Originals…. May 2, 2017 - 7:39 pm Reply
I read the series as it came out… I was 12. I actually had to wait to read them as they came out. I’ve tried watching the TV series, but I guess, as an adult who read the series, I couldn’t stand the changes until I separated them in my head. (Books are ALWAYS better than their adaptations.)
Anything May 21, 2017 - 1:57 pm Reply
Actually we know why are elena and katherine really look like eachother in book too. They are sisters… And in the book they aren’t exactly same they just look like eachother.
Tanisha Cook April 4, 2018 - 9:17 pm Reply
I’m glad I never read the books because I love the tv show and the books sound ridiculous. It makes it more interesting that Elena has a brother around the same age who can also be part of her group of friends and it wouldn’t make sense to have the girl who turned them into vampires and pitted them against each other be the nice one while the main character is the bad version. Most main characters are antagonists not protagonists. The names in the show are much better too.
Ashlyn April 18, 2019 - 1:01 am Reply
1. In the books elena is a self centered b.tch… and in the show shes compassionate and thinks of others
2. No Jeremy
3.Stephan didnt seek her out in the books, but in the show it was the whole reason he came to mystic falls.
4. Stephan doesnt come/didnt live in mystic falls(fells church) in the book. He came from Italy.
I love the shows, hate the books, I couldn’t even finish the first book. They arent completely different.
Cassie Phillips May 20, 2019 - 1:04 pm Reply
I liked the books better. I watched the show for several years but after elena went to college I stopped. I wish they would have kept with the books a little more.
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As Barry approaches, New Orleans residents debate evacuation
by: REBECCA SANTANA, KEVIN McGILL and JANET McCONNAUGHEY, Associated Press
People walk past Brennan’s restaurant in the French Quarter with sandbags on the front door as bands of rain from Tropical Storm Barry from the Gulf of Mexico move into New Orleans, La., Friday, July 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Go or stay?
It is a question people in and around New Orleans ask themselves every time a threatening storm lurks in the Gulf: a major hurricane like Katrina, which devastated the area in 2005 when levees failed, and now Tropical Storm Barry , which forecasters said was unlikely to become a ferocious hurricane but could still bring historic levels of rain and devastating floods.
The dilemma is one that confronts people anywhere, but New Orleans has a unique set of circumstances: It’s particularly susceptible to hurricanes and flooding and, as underscored by Katrina 14 years ago, many of its people are poor. They don’t have the financial means or transportation to leave, and after a storm, they lack the resources to rebuild and recover.
Many remember the heartaches and hardships that befell victims of Katrina — whether they fled or rode it out: the deplorable conditions of the overcrowded Superdome that served as an inadequate shelter; and the harrowing experience of residents who clung to their rooftops as floodwaters swirled around them, sweeping many to their deaths.
Maria Thomas, a self-described housewife and soprano with the Symphony Chorus of New Orleans who lives in the suburb of Metairie with her wife, a local chef, is among those who recall the trauma that accompanied the decision to evacuate during Katrina.
Back in 2005, the couple fled to the house of Thomas’ now-mother-in-law north of Lake Pontchartrain, only to have a tree fall into it. But staying wouldn’t have been any better: They discovered later that their second-floor apartment was heavily damaged when the apartment above collapsed on top of it.
“Prior to Katrina, storms were fun,” says Thomas. “You got to play with flashlights and eat cold soup. It was an adventure. Not long into my adulthood, Katrina happened. It was like everything changed as soon as I became an adult.”
Thomas said she will evacuate again this time, but only because she has to: She has multiple sclerosis and can’t risk being without air conditioning in the event of a prolonged power outage.
Herman Grady, 72, also evacuated during Katrina. This time, though, he isn’t going anywhere.
“I’m tired of running,” Grady said.
The city has not called for a mandatory evacuation as happened during Katrina. Mayor LaToya Cantrell has said the storm formed too quickly to prepare for one and won’t reach the dangerous Category 3 strength that would trigger an evacuation. But she added that people are free to leave.
“They know their situation better than anyone else,” she said.
Nadia Jenkins said she has stocked up on supplies she’ll need if she stays and gassed up the car in case she decides to go.
“The river should be taken seriously,” she said, adding that she was taking time “to educate myself about the levee system and figuring out the game plan … if I have to leave.”
The reality for many people here is that the choice of staying or going is not really theirs to make. New Orleans was a poor city before Katrina — and still is — and some residents simply can’t afford to leave. Many don’t have cars. Others have vehicles but are hard-pressed to come up with the money needed to make a long trip or pay for a hotel. Such residents also work in low-paying tourism and service industry jobs that require them to stay in town. With numerous hotels and restaurants still open Friday, many were working right up until the storm’s arrival.
“I really don’t have any other options,” Paul Hughes, a cook at Polly’s Bywater Cafe, said of his decision to ride out the storm. He came to New Orleans from Massachusetts five years ago. A motorcycle is his chief mode of transportation.
“My only option would be to get on the bike and go until I get into a cheap motel,” Hughes said. “And then I’d have to come back again.”
This story has been edited to correct the spelling of Metairie.
Associated Press reporter Sarah Blake Morgan contributed to this report.
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Honours for people who helped make City dementia friendly
People who have been instrumental in helping make Wolverhampton a dementia friendly City have been honoured at a special ceremony.
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The City was officially granted Dementia Friendly Community status by the Alzheimer's Society in December in recognition of the efforts being made to improve services for people living with dementia, and their families and carers.
And last week the Wolverhampton Dementia Action Alliance, a partnership of dozens of local organisations and individuals working to become dementia friendly, hosted a special event to highlight the steps organisations large and small are taking to make people living with dementia and their carers feel better understood, respected and supported.
The highlight was an awards ceremony during which the specific contributions of 7 individuals were officially recognised by the Dementia Action Alliance.
They included Julie Willoughby from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, a dementia nurse for 30 years who has trained 2,000 Dementia Friends, implemented numerous campaigns across the Trust and is constantly looking for opportunities to raise awareness. She is also instrumental in supporting the Dementia Action Alliance and was described as a colleague as "the anchor in our efforts to create a dementia friendly hospital and City. She is a true professional in every sense of the word".
Joanne Evans from the City of Wolverhampton Council and Wendy Goodall from the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust were recognised for their work in establishing Memory Matters, an informal drop in service offering support and guidance to people with concerns about their memory. Memory Matters is an excellent example of collaborative working between health and social care, with the pair balancing their existing workloads to make the service, which has improved dementia diagnosis rates, a success.
Also honoured was Maureen Higginson from Asda Wolverhampton, one of the Alliance's most long standing members. Over the years she has continually expanded her role to support people with dementia, and has had a huge impact on the local community, raising both funds and awareness. She has trained over 120 colleagues to become more dementia friendly and acts as an advocate for people living with dementia to ensure they are included in services, meetings and discussions. She has organised numerous fundraising and information events in store, and even introduced a 'slow lane' checkout for people living with dementia and their carers.
Linda Evans, from Wolverhampton Homes, received an award in recognition of her commitment to the Dementia Action Alliance. She regularly hosts meetings of the group, and is rolling out e-learning sessions about dementia to 700 staff across her organisation. She has also hosted dementia cafes and drop in sessions for people living with dementia and their carers.
Finally, Sue Parker and Tom Harnett from the Diocese of Lichfield received an award for their work to raise awareness of dementia in the community. The Diocese has supported more than 1,900 people - including 1,282 pupils from the Girls High School and Warstones, St Michael's CE, Bhylls Acre and St Jude's primary schools - to become Dementia Friends by holding awareness sessions in local churches, pharmacies, schools and other settings.
Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "Some excellent work has taken place to help Wolverhampton become a Dementia Friendly Community, and I was delighted to be able to personally thank Julie, Joanne, Wendy, Maureen, Linda, Sue and Tom for the fantastic contributions they and their organisations have made to our success.
"Last week's celebration was also a great opportunity to share good practice among members of the Dementia Action Alliance, and to also hear from carer Shareen Mettam and her mother Pearl, who has sadly been afflicted by this cruel disease, who spoke movingly about why it is important for all of us to continue working hard to improve the lives of people living with dementia.
"The NHS estimates that there are 3,027 people over 65 living with dementia in Wolverhampton and we will keep looking for ways to improve the help and support available for people affected by this cruel disease."
The Alzheimer's Society defines a Dementia Friendly Community as one where people living with dementia feel included and involved, have choice and control over their daily lives and are supported to contribute to the local community. It is also a place where other people are aware of dementia and understand the needs of people living with the condition.
Lee Allen, Services Manager for Alzheimer's Society in the Black Country, said: "I am delighted that Wolverhampton has become a Dementia Friendly Community at a time when more people are affected by dementia than ever before."
The Dementia Action Alliance, which comprises a wide range of organisations including retailers, businesses, health and the emergency services, charities, religious groups and education providers, meets on a regular basis to discuss ways in which they can improve services to better meet the needs of people living with dementia. Its membership also includes carers and people with the condition who can speak first hand about their experiences.
To find out more about the Alliance, please contact Susan Eagle from the City of Wolverhampton Council, on 01902 555344 or via susan.eagle@wolverhampton.gov.uk, or Jessica Knight, Alzheimer's Society Dementia Friendly Communities Officer for the West Midlands, on 01543 255955 or by emailing jessica.knight@alzheimers.org.uk. More information is also available at Type=links;Linkid=9739;Title=Dementia Action Alliance;Target=_blank;.
Caption: At the Dementia Action Alliance awards are (back, left to right) Tom Harnett and Sue Parker from the Diocese of Lichfield, Julie Willoughby from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Deputy Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Phil Page, Cabinet Member for Adult Services Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, Deputy Mayoress Elaine Hadley-Howell, Chair of the Dementia Action Alliance Jon Crockett and, front row, Maureen Higginson from Asda Wolverhampton, Joanne Evans from the City of Wolverhampton Council, Wendy Goodall from the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Linda Evans from Wolverhampton Homes.
released: Monday 5 February, 2018
Released: Monday 5th February, 2018
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New electric taxi charging points to also be publicly accessible
New electric car charging points for taxis in the City of Wolverhampton are also to be made accessible to the public.
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City of Wolverhampton Council was handed £478,000 government funding in March to help fulfil a long term plan to grow the number of electric taxis in the city.
The Office for Low Emission Vehicles' (OLEV) has since confirmed the electric charging network can also be made available for public use.
The funding means work can now start in the city on building the infrastructure to facilitate electric vehicles as they become more readily available over the next decade.
An initial 24 charging points will be installed over the next 3 years, with the aid of match funding from a private sector partner.
A report going to the council's Cabinet on Wednesday (13 September) recommends management of the project is put in the hands of a specialist private partner, who would be responsible for building, operating and marketing the network as well as providing 24/7 service, maintenance and repair.
The OLEV funding comes at a time when the Government has announced its plan to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
The widespread introduction of electric cars in the city would have significant environmental benefits such as a reduction in vehicles' exhaust emissions to help improve local air quality, reduced carbon emissions, and a reduction in traffic noise.
Cabinet Member for City Environment, Councillor Steve Evans, said: "We are working closely with the taxi drivers in the city on this project and we are delighted OLEV has allowed us to broaden the scheme out for public use.
"Electric vehicles bring many benefits. They improve air quality and public health, make the city more attractive, support the economy of the Midlands, and support innovation and transformation, as well as help reduce carbon emissions.
"The idea of bringing on board a private sector partner also means we don't anticipate any need to use council funds."
released: Thursday 7 September, 2017
Released: Thursday 7th September, 2017
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Threat of global disease outbreaks spawns 27-nation pact
The Global Health Security Agenda aims to prevent avoidable epidemics by, for instance, keeping to a minimum the number of labs worldwide that store dangerous microbes and by extending vaccination programs.
Twenty-seven countries announced on Thursday the launch of an effort to improve the ability to prevent, detect, respond to and contain outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases.
The Global Health Security Agenda was formed to take on such outbreaks whether they are natural, accidental or intentional, as in the case of a biological weapon.
Meeting in Washington, D.C., the countries include several that have been Ground Zero for recent outbreaks of potentially fatal contagious illnesses such as H7N9 bird flu, which was detected in China a year ago, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
The initiative is a tacit recognition that the vast majority of countries are poorly prepared to detect, let alone contain, disease outbreaks, and that their failure to institute effective disease-surveillance and -control systems poses a global threat.
"In our interconnected world we are all vulnerable" when countries lack the will or the ability to detect and contain infectious-disease outbreaks, Laura Holgate, senior director for Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism and Threat Reduction at the U.S. National Security Council, told reporters ahead of the Thursday meeting.
"Disease threats spread faster than ever before," and "outbreaks anywhere in the world are only a plane ride away" from everyplace else.
The Pentagon, too, is involved, already spending nearly $300 million a year to build laboratories and other health-security infrastructure overseas.
"The global threat (of disease outbreaks) requires the Department of Defense to innovate," said Andrew Weber, assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs.
Another goal is to detect threats early, such as by strengthening and linking disease-monitoring systems of individual countries, developing real-time electronic reporting systems, and promoting faster sharing of biological samples, such as throat swabs and blood samples from people with a new form of influenza.
Experts in global health security say there is a long way to go before such goals are achieved, as evidenced by failures to meet targets set by an earlier pact.
Under a legally-binding 2005 agreement overseen by the World Health Organization, for instance, 194 countries vowed to improve their capacity to prevent, detect, report and respond to public health threats of international concern. They included novel diseases, such as new strains of influenza and outbreaks of known threats such as Ebola. In particular, countries are required to focus on outbreaks that may constitute a global health emergency.
The countries had until June 2012 to meet the core requirements, such as strengthening surveillance systems to detect emerging diseases. Eighty-four percent failed to do so, said Rebecca Katz of George Washington University, an expert in global health security. The reasons included lack of scientific capacity to conduct disease surveillance, such as to detect a new bird virus spreading to people, too few trained epidemiologists and the fact that "some things are just plain hard, like being able to detect and contain a disease at points of entry into a country," said Katz.
Touchier issues have also slowed efforts to improve the early-warning network for emerging diseases, such as Indonesia in the last decade invoking "viral sovereignty."
That nation argued it was unfair to expect it to ship flu samples to western labs that could be used by pharmaceutical companies produce a vaccine that would then be sold at prices that most Indonesians could not afford.
It took four years of tense negotiations before Indonesia reached an 2009 agreement to share disease samples.
Pakistani premier offers dialogue to India amid tension
Survivor of Syrian regime prisons recounts ordeal
US, Russian envoys for Afghanistan meet in Turkey
UK: Karl Marx memorial vandalized for second time
Trump urges Europe to 'take back' Daesh terrorists
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Japan stuns the USA to book a place in the semifinal!
Japan national water polo team is the biggest winner of the day at the FINA World League Super Final in Budapest. The...
Montenegro and USA seal top spots after the group phase
Montenegro and USA national water polo teams won top places in their groups at the FINA World League Superfinal tournament in Budapest....
Everything is ready for the World League showdown
The time has come for the FINA World League Superfinal tournament in Budapest. The best eight national teams in the competition will...
USA ladies win 5th straight World League gold
The USA team successfully defended the gold medal in the FINA Women’s Water Polo World League, beating the Netherlands 8:6 in the...
USA and Netherlands face for WWPL gold
The FINA Women’s Water Polo League Super Final in Kunshan (China) is near to an end. The semifinal games of the Final...
Dragan Jovanovic: FINA’s historic step forward
FINA Water Polo Conference, which was ended in Budapest yesterday, may be the begin of the revolution in the sport of the...
FINA Conference: Water polo must be modernised!
The FINA Water Polo Conference, a big convention, with 224 delegates from 107 nations, was closed in Budapest today. During the three-day...
Montenegro secures a place at the Super Final
Montenegrin water polo players have fulfilled their goal – they have defeated Romania with the needed goal difference in the final round...
Double crown for USA at Inter-Continental Cup
The national teams of the USA won two gold medals at the FINA Inter-Continental Cup, which was ended in Auckland (New Zealand)...
USA and Australia face in two final games at Inter-Continental Cup
The Intercontinental qualifications for the FINA World League Super Final tournaments are approaching the end. The competition, called the Inter-Continental Cup, both...
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History > Military history > Second World War
History > Regional & national history > Australasia & Pacific
History > Historical periods > 20th century history: 1900 to 2000
The Toughest Fighting in the World: The Australian and American Campaign for New Guinea in World War II (Paperback)
George H. Johnston (author)
Following their attacks on Pearl Harbor, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines, the Japanese invaded New Guinea in early 1942 as part of their attempt to create a Pacific empire. Control of New Guinea would enable Japan to establish large army, air force, and naval bases in close proximity to Australia. The Australians, with American cooperation, began a counterattack in earnest. The mountainous terrain covered with nearly impenetrable tropical forest and full of natural hazards resulted in an exceedingly grueling battleground. The struggle for New Guinea, one of the major campaigns of World War II, lasted the entire war, with the crucial fighting occurring in the first year. In The Toughest Fighting in the World, first published in 1943, Australian war correspondent George H. Johnston recorded the efforts of both the Australian and American troops, aided by the New Guinea native people, throughout 1942 as they fought a series of vicious and bitter battles against a determined foe. In one of the classic accounts of combat in World War II, the author makes a compelling case that the hardships endured by the soldiers in New Guinea from both nature and the enemy were among the most severe in the war.
Publisher: Westholme Publishing, U.S.
Hugh Sebag-Montefiore
Lloyd Clark
Sir Max Hastings
The Battle of Britain
Dam Busters
Monte Cassino
Peter Caddick-Adams
Abducting a General
All the Countries We've Ever Invaded
Stuart Laycock
All Hell Let Loose
Geoffrey Wellum
Churchill's Secret Warriors
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North Carolina places women's basketball coaching staff on administrative leave for internal review
By CBS Sports |
Posted: Mon 7:16 PM, Apr 01, 2019 |
Updated: Tue 3:45 AM, Apr 02, 2019
By: Kevin Skiver | CBS Sports
North Carolina placed its women's basketball coaching staff on administrative leave on Monday, as it announced an internal investigation of its program. Sylvia Hatchell, the winningest coach in ACC history with a career record of 751-325 with the Tar Heels, was elected into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
The team's statement, released on Monday via News & Record, reads:
"The University of North Carolina is committed to the well-being of our student-athletes and to ensuring that they have the best experience possible in and outside of competition. Due to issues raised by student-athletes and others, the University has initiated a review of our women's basketball program.
The Charlotte-based firm Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein will conduct the review and assess the culture of the women's basketball program and the experience of our student-athletes. The women's basketball coaching staff has been placed on administrative leave while the review takes place.
While we do not know the exact timetable, the review will be thorough and prompt."
The precise nature of the investigation is unknown. North Carolina finished this season 18-15, and was 8-8 in conference play. The Tar Heels were eliminated in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament.
Florida State basketball announces full non-conference schedule
Florida State announces full women's basketball non-conference schedule
Emerald Coast Classic schedule set for Florida State men's basketball
Rattlers hoops to take on Iowa State on New Year's Eve
Mock Draft Roundup: Kabengele seeing stock improve
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Graphs | Tables
» Czech Republic
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Petrobaltic Beta
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Temperatures and Precipitation
The weather-history for more than 4700 stations worldwide
What was the weather in London on August, 11th 1998. Or in Sydney? Or in Lerwick? You can answer these questions now with the new 'history'-service from WeatherOnline. Simply select a location from the list. Then choose the parameter that you want to have being displayed (e.g. maximum or minimum temperature or precipitation) from the list at the left input field. Please use the other input fields to select the desired time-period (between 4 and 52 weeks) and the year and month you want to start from.
Was it a warm or wet summer? April too cool? Have a look at our monthly summaries !
you would like to see the curve of the daily maximum temperature in London for the time-period between August 1998 and August 1999.
First, select the location 'London' from the list at the right. The location London is represented by the weather station at London-Heathrow. Therefore, strictly speaking, the curve you'll get is the daily maximum temperature at London-Heathrow. As this is the case for many locations the name of the actually reporting weather station will always be shown in graph's title. The maximum temperature, a time period of 4 weeks and the present month and year are set by default. Therefore you only have to change the time-period to 52 weeks and to select the starting month and year. In this case August 1998. Submit your settings with 'Go' and your requested curve will be produced.
The daily maximum temperatures in London for the time-period between October 2, 2000 and October 30, 2000.
The daily minimum temperatures in London for the same time-period.
The daily precipitation in London for the same time-period.
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white collar workers
There is one post tagged white collar workers.
What #OccupyWallStreet is about
#OccupyWallStreet is just the sort of movement I’ve been expecting. It’s a true grassroots movement catalyzed and sustained by social media (which is probably crucial, as I explained in an earlier post). While there is an overriding agenda about economic justice, OWS represents a diversity of interests and concerns. It’s a working class phenomenon, but it includes both blue collar and white collar workers, many of them newly unemployed. These are the statistics that corporations ignore when they cut jobs and strip healthcare benefits. These are people who heard a promise throughout their lives and saw it shattered to dust over the last decade. These are people who have created much of the value that millionaires and billionaires have captured and stashed in their Swiss bank accounts. These are honest, hardworking swimmers who didn’t see the sharks coming until it was too late.
Remember Frank Capra’s film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” where an ordinary guy played by James Stewart takes on Washington corruption? Sending a true-blue Mr. Smith to Washington didn’t work to his advantage, the level of corruption almost took him down. What happens, though, if you have an army of idealistic, straight-shooting Mr. Smiths who actually believe that the system should work for everybody, not just the wealthiest 1%? To me the Occupy movement is that army, and they’re occupying not Washington D.C., but Wall Street, which has become the real seat of power as corporations ascend and governments weaken.
I saw a talk last night by David Cobb, a former shrimper and construction worker who got his law degree in 1993 and was the Green Party’s presidential candidate in 2004. He’s currently active with MoveToAmend.org, and organization that seeks an amendment to abolish the concept of corporate personhood, arguing that corporations never should have been assigned the rights normally assigned to a person in the first place. Why is this a problem? The biggest issue currently is the assertion of a corporation’s Constitutional right to contribute to political campaigns. The question is the extent to which corporate power and influence over government should be limited. Cobb’s argument was that the supposed American democracy is not really “of, by, and for the people” because corporations are making and enforcing (through influence) decisions that we should be making together. What’s an example? One might be the complex of government decisions connected with the recent “too big to fail” financial crisis and bailouts, including weakened regulation of banking and credit card industries. It’s the financial crisis, and more so the response to it, and resulting loss of jobs and benefits, that’s brought diverse citizens to the streets in the “Occupy” movement. Also, for that matter, it was an inspiration for the formation of the Tea Party on the right side of the fence.
Like Cobb, I don’t think the issue is the idea of the corporation, of people coming together to create an entity to accomplish something, like building a business or fulfilling a not for profit mission. The problem is an imbalance of power and influence, and the growing sense that a few rule the many. Most of us grew up believing in something called democracy, which is difficult to achieve and too easy to game. Cobb pointed out that there’s been a democratization trend – more and more people assigned the rights of a person, women minorites, etc. But at the same time there’s a corporatist trend, a kind of gentler version of what we used to call fascism, that has been growing and is currently ascendant and taking as much power as possible.
I don’t think it’s too radical for the people to demand their rights as persons and as citizens, and assert those rights against the rights of “legal fictions,” i.e. corporations. But (as I posted in Facebook and Google+ earlier), we have to stop feeling outraged and start feeling a tranquil and firm sense of empowerment. That’s what I think I’m seeing in the OWS demonstrations so far.
in Democracy, Economy, Futures, Politics | October 10, 2011 | 664 Words | Comment
J.D. Lasica, Darknet
Ed Ward and Jon L. discuss SXSW
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MultimediaPhotos and Video
multimedia, photos-and-video,
The federal government has promised tougher sanctions for animal activists. Attorney General Christian Porter announced this afternoon a new law to deal with the new threat he said was posed by animal activist groups like Aussie Farms, which publishes an interactive map with the locations of hundreds of rural properties across the country, including livestock farms, meatworks and dairies. It has pledged to create a new offence with up to 12 months jail time for those who use a carriage service, such as the internet, to disclose personal information and incite others to trespass on farmland and livestock facilities. "We have seen with Aussie Farms the malicious use of personal information, including farmers' names, addresses and workplaces, designed specifically to encourage others to trespass on properties and damage businesses," Mr Porter said. "This is not acceptable and the Morrison Government will, if re-elected, introduce a new criminal offence specifically designed to protect Australian farmers from the sort of vigilante action we have seen this week. The Attorney General said the new laws would include exemptions for 'bona-fide journalists' and for whistleblowers who expose breaches of animal cruelty. Last week, the Attorney General prescribed Aussie Farms under the Privacy Act which exposes it to fines up to $2.1 million for breaches. He also wrote to his counterparts to encourage them to heavily prosecute trespass cases on their books, and to consider a consistent approach to farm trespass. Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals Leader Michael McCormack pledged the Federal Coalition would introduce the new legislation if they formed government after the election. Mr McCormack said militant activists should be punished with jail time. "I'd like to get their addresses and announce it so they could know what it's like to have their privacy invaded," he said. "They tie themselves to milking machines, tractors and other farm equipment (but) at the end of the day they should actually be locked up and for a good time to serve as a lesson to others not to do the same thing. "These activists should be locked up for a long time, and the Commonwealth Attorney General will be making some announcements later, on what we intend to do as a federal government." The government's announcement follows a day of vegan activism and anti-farm protest across the country on Monday, which included protests to block traffic in Melbourne and at abattoirs across the country. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said online activists such as the Aussie Farms website, which publishes details of farm locations and livestock facilities and encourages people to obtain footage of them, was of particular concern. "When they are pursuing personal information... it's not just about farms but their homes. It's where their kids live and grow up and they are being targeted in the most mercenary way. "I can assure you I have got their back. If we are re-elected I will put that legislation in place and they will feel the full force of my government's laws to bring them to justice for what I think is a despicable act." National Farmers Federation chief executive Tony Mahar welcomed the public support in recent days and the government's announcement, which he said came as a relief to farmers, many of whom are nervous at the prospect of their properties being invaded by trespassers. "People from all walks of life have come out in public support of farmers. It's been particularly heartening to see those who choose a plant-based diet, distancing themselves from the radical extremists and their modus operandi," Mr Mahar said. "The announcement by the Government today, in conjunction with changes to Commonwealth privacy laws last week, will be supported by all fair-minded Australians. "We are sure the proposal will receive bi-partisan support and we look forward to working with the Parliament to see these tough but fair new sanctions introduced." This publication launched the #protectourfarms campaign in January, calling on governments to grant stronger protections from extreme activists in the wake of the social media storm around the release of farmers' personal details on the anti-farming website, Aussie Farms. Join our campaign and protect our farmers The campaign is calling on the government to revoke the charity status of Aussie Farms, strengthen farmers' privacy protections and increase penalties for trespass. FarmOnline
https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/GJZ5TVpAk84wrTzsQfLQRB/d7a35b12-d196-4588-ac6a-eb50b52885c1.png/r5_0_1915_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
April 10 2019 - 3:01PM
Jail time for animal activists under government's new plan
Mike Foley
nside the farrowing shed at Glasshouse Country Farms where 68 vegan activists staged a protest but raised alarm bells about biosecurity breaches (left) and Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals Leader Michael McCormack (right)
The federal government has promised tougher sanctions for animal activists.
Attorney General Christian Porter announced this afternoon a new law to deal with the new threat he said was posed by animal activist groups like Aussie Farms, which publishes an interactive map with the locations of hundreds of rural properties across the country, including livestock farms, meatworks and dairies.
It has pledged to create a new offence with up to 12 months jail time for those who use a carriage service, such as the internet, to disclose personal information and incite others to trespass on farmland and livestock facilities.
"We have seen with Aussie Farms the malicious use of personal information, including farmers' names, addresses and workplaces, designed specifically to encourage others to trespass on properties and damage businesses," Mr Porter said.
"This is not acceptable and the Morrison Government will, if re-elected, introduce a new criminal offence specifically designed to protect Australian farmers from the sort of vigilante action we have seen this week.
The Attorney General said the new laws would include exemptions for 'bona-fide journalists' and for whistleblowers who expose breaches of animal cruelty.
Last week, the Attorney General prescribed Aussie Farms under the Privacy Act which exposes it to fines up to $2.1 million for breaches.
He also wrote to his counterparts to encourage them to heavily prosecute trespass cases on their books, and to consider a consistent approach to farm trespass.
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals Leader Michael McCormack pledged the Federal Coalition would introduce the new legislation if they formed government after the election.
Mr McCormack said militant activists should be punished with jail time.
Coalition pledges to lock up militant activists
New laws to target online activists that publish farmers private details and incite others to trespass.
https://players.brightcove.net/3879528182001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6024545381001
"I'd like to get their addresses and announce it so they could know what it's like to have their privacy invaded," he said.
"They tie themselves to milking machines, tractors and other farm equipment (but) at the end of the day they should actually be locked up and for a good time to serve as a lesson to others not to do the same thing.
"These activists should be locked up for a long time, and the Commonwealth Attorney General will be making some announcements later, on what we intend to do as a federal government."
The government's announcement follows a day of vegan activism and anti-farm protest across the country on Monday, which included protests to block traffic in Melbourne and at abattoirs across the country.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said online activists such as the Aussie Farms website, which publishes details of farm locations and livestock facilities and encourages people to obtain footage of them, was of particular concern.
"When they are pursuing personal information... it's not just about farms but their homes. It's where their kids live and grow up and they are being targeted in the most mercenary way.
"I can assure you I have got their back. If we are re-elected I will put that legislation in place and they will feel the full force of my government's laws to bring them to justice for what I think is a despicable act."
National Farmers Federation chief executive Tony Mahar welcomed the public support in recent days and the government's announcement, which he said came as a relief to farmers, many of whom are nervous at the prospect of their properties being invaded by trespassers.
"People from all walks of life have come out in public support of farmers. It's been particularly heartening to see those who choose a plant-based diet, distancing themselves from the radical extremists and their modus operandi," Mr Mahar said.
"The announcement by the Government today, in conjunction with changes to Commonwealth privacy laws last week, will be supported by all fair-minded Australians.
"We are sure the proposal will receive bi-partisan support and we look forward to working with the Parliament to see these tough but fair new sanctions introduced."
This publication launched the #protectourfarms campaign in January, calling on governments to grant stronger protections from extreme activists in the wake of the social media storm around the release of farmers' personal details on the anti-farming website, Aussie Farms.
Join our campaign and protect our farmers
The campaign is calling on the government to revoke the charity status of Aussie Farms, strengthen farmers' privacy protections and increase penalties for trespass.
FarmOnline
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Updated: Sat 7:36 AM, Jul 13, 2019
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence toured two detention facilities on the Texas border Friday, including a Border Patrol station where hundreds of men were crowded in sweltering cages without cots.
Vice President Mike Pence is pictured speaking at the Christians United for Israel's annual summit, July 8, 2019, in Washington. Pence visited migrant detention centers in Texas on July 12. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Some of the men said they were hungry and had been held there for 40 days or longer.
"Look, this is tough stuff," Pence acknowledged at a later news conference.
"I knew we'd see a system that is overcrowded," he added. "It's overwhelmed and that's why Congress has to act."
Pence's office said the tour was part of an effort to show the Trump administration is providing adequate care for migrants. But the scene the vice president witnessed is sure to spark new criticism of the conditions facing migrants in U.S. government facilities.
The caged migrants were being held in an area at the McAllen Border Patrol station. When detainees saw reporters arrive, many began shouting, saying they had been there for 40 days or more and they were hungry and wanted to brush their teeth. Agents guarding the cages were wearing face masks. The press pool covering the vice president was removed within 90 seconds.
The conditions were described by a pool reporter from The Washington Post, who said the fenced cages were so crowded that it was impossible for all the men to lie on the concrete.
The scene resembled what an inspector general found in a scathing report delivered last week based on trips to Border Patrol facilities near the Rio Grande, including the station Pence visited. The report quoted a senior government manager as calling the situation a "ticking time bomb."
Michael Banks, the agent in charge of the McAllen station Pence visited, said the men held there were allowed to brush their teeth once a day. He said they were given deodorant after showering, but conceded many of the men had not showered for 10 or 20 days. He also said the longest any man had been there was 32 days.
President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that he had dispatched Pence to the border to dispel reports of dire conditions at the migrant detention centers.
"They're crowded because we have a lot of people, but they're in good shape," Trump said. He complained about "phony" reporting on conditions by The New York Times.
Earlier in his tour, Pence visited another detention facility with a series of large white tents where most of the detainees were lying on kindergarten-like mats with thin, tinfoil-like blankets. Many of the families there were to be released within 72 hours. Pence told reporters every family he spoke to there said they were being well cared for.
"And while we hear some Democrats in Washington, D.C., referring to U.S. Customs and Border facilities as 'concentration camps,' what we saw today was a facility that is providing care that every American would be proud of," Pence said.
After visiting the second site, Pence had a more sober assessment. He stressed that he had called for more Department of Homeland Security spending because of the overcrowded situation, including a $4.6 billion humanitarian aid package that Congress passed recently.
The Trump administration has also been under fire over conditions inside a Border Patrol station in Clint, Texas, where children were found in filthy conditions and keeping watch over younger kids amid the overcrowding. Five immigrant children have died since late last year after being detained by the government.
Central American families fleeing violence, poverty and drought have been coming to the U.S. in record numbers this year, peaking in May, when the Border Patrol made nearly 133,000 apprehensions. Facilities to detain adults and children quickly filled up, forcing many migrants to languish in unsuitable Border Patrol facilities much longer than the 72 hours normally required by law.
FaceApp: What are you willing to give up to see an older you?
Okla, sheriff offers man a cheeseburger to end a standoff
Wednesday forecast: Extreme heat begins today
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DSP of 18 Years Known as 'Captain'
YAI Communications
YAI salutes its Direct Support Professionals. As part of National DSP Recognition Week, we will share profiles of some of our valued employees. They represent all our DSPs in their commitment and dedication to the people YAI supports.
Stephen Middleton
If you see Charles Hunter and Ellen Coren enjoying a meal together in Queens or just window shopping at the mall, chances are YAI's Stephen Middleton, a Direct Support Professional, will be there, too. It doesn't matter if it's over the weekend or on his day off.
"It's really one of the most rewarding parts of my job," says Stephen, who is in his 18th year as a DSP at YAI's Woodside residence. "That Charles is happy and doing something he wants to do means the world to me."
Supporting a Relationship
With no short-term memory, Stephen talks to Charles each day about Ellen and their next date to keep her on the top of his mind. During their dates, Stephen provides coaching. It's that kind of support which ensures that Charles and Ellen, who lives in YAI's Bayside residence, enjoy their time together.
Known as the "Captain" of the home, Stephen is a constant for the people who live there and the staff who support them.
"He's like the father figure here," adds Sam Chan, Woodside Supervisor. "People look to him for approval. He is the Captain. He guides our ship. I can't imagine this home without him."
Priceless Rewards
In search of work, Stephen was referred to YAI and thought "let me give it a try and we'll see how it goes," he recalls. The rewards of the job outweigh the challenges, he says.
"When Charles sees Ellen, the expression and smile on his face is priceless," Stephen says. "I just want them to be happy and have the same opportunities as anyone else who wants to have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Why should they be denied that privilege?"
As our field moves more toward a person-centered approach, Stephen was already incorporating person-centered practices, Sam says. "Stephen was always saying, 'Let's see what they want. Let's see what they can do.' He has shared that approach with all of Woodside’s staff."
"I like to make sure everybody's taken care of and everybody's happy; that goes for our staff and people we support," says Stephen, who is married and has a son, 19, and daughter, 22, as well as two grandchildren.
Over the years he has learned the art of balancing his family life and career at YAI. "I make sure I make time for my family; it's important," he says. "Just like I make time for my Woodside family."
Do you have what it takes to bring YAI's mission to life? Visit our careers section.
DSP Week 2016
From Dentist to DSP & Loving It!
Always on Time & Enhancing Lives
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Attorney: Ex-Northern band director engaged to former student
Deputy Prosecutor Tara Wikhian said that does not change anything with a sexual assault case against Jeremy Leidhecker.
Attorney: Ex-Northern band director engaged to former student Deputy Prosecutor Tara Wikhian said that does not change anything with a sexual assault case against Jeremy Leidhecker. Check out this story on ydr.com: https://www.ydr.com/story/news/crime/2015/10/27/former-northern-band-director-charged-engaged/74682448/
Dylan Segelbaum, dsegelbaum@ydr.com Published 4:41 p.m. ET Oct. 27, 2015 | Updated 5:02 p.m. ET Oct. 27, 2015
Deputy Prosecutor Tara Wikhian said, from the prosecution's standpoint, that does not change anything with the sexual assault case against Jeremy Leidhecker, 28.
Police lights by night(Photo: Alex_Schmidt, Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The former band director of Northern High School who’s accused of having sex with an underage student in 2013 is engaged to the woman, and they’re planning on moving to California.
“I would hope that clearer minds would prevail here,” said Rick Robinson, an attorney representing Jeremy Leidhecker, after his client's preliminary hearing. “Because two people at this point — two years later — they kind of want to get on with their lives."
Leidhecker, 28, of Williamsport, was charged on Sept. 22 with institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors. The Pennsylvania State Police have said that he admitted during an interview in October 2013 to having sex with the student, who was then 17. District Judge Richard Thomas on Tuesday found that there was enough evidence for the case to continue to the York County Court of Common Pleas.
Former Northern teacher shocked by charges of having sex with student, attorney says
The fact that Leidhecker and the woman are engaged does not change anything with the case, Deputy Prosecutor Tara Wikhian said after the hearing. Wikhian also said she believes the case can be prosecuted without the woman’s cooperation.
During the hearing, the woman’s mother sat in the front row of the courtroom in support of Leidhecker, occasionally shaking her head. She declined to be interviewed afterward.
The prosecution called four witnesses, including Trooper Jeff Gotwals of the Pennsylvania State Police. He was part of the investigation.
The woman, now 19, initially talked with police, telling them that she was at Leidhecker’s apartment on Sept. 28, 2013, to take care of his cats. But later, through an attorney, she declined to be interviewed again, Gotwals said.
On cross-examination, he said that no new evidence in the case has come up in the two years after Leidhecker and the woman were interviewed. Leidhecker resigned shortly after the district got a complaint about possible misconduct. The York County District Attorney’s Office, Gotwals said, told the police not to file charges.
“But apparently around Sept. 22 you were instructed to file charges?” Robinson asked.
“That’s correct,” Gotwals said.
Kyle King, a spokesman for the York County District Attorney’s Office, said in a text message that it was asked to review the case by the police in early September. That eventually lead to charges being filed, he said.
Leidhecker, who declined to be interviewed, is out on $10,000 unsecured bail — meaning he did not have to put any money up. He waived his formal arraignment, which was set for Dec. 4.
Contact Dylan Segelbaum at 771-2102.
Read or Share this story: https://www.ydr.com/story/news/crime/2015/10/27/former-northern-band-director-charged-engaged/74682448/
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What codes do I enter in lines 14 & 16 for an employee who was not employed by us for part of the year?
Views: 1542 Created: 2017-06-21 10:35 Last Updated: 2017-12-15 10:51
For an employee who was hired mid-year or terminated mid-year, code 1H will be used in line 14 for months in which the employee was not employed or for months that coverage was not offered every day of the month. An offer of coverage needs to be made every day of the month to be considered an offer for that month.
Line 16 codes will differ depending on the employee’s status for the month. If the employee was not employed at all for the month, code 2A can be used in line 16 for that month. If the employee was part-time, or the employee was full-time and his/her offer of coverage ended before the end of the month due to termination, code 2B would be used. 2D will be used if the employee was hired mid-year, but was not offered coverage for the month due to a waiting period.
Hired mid-year example:
John Doe was hired on April 8th and was offered coverage immediately. Since the coverage was not offered every day of April, code 1H will be used in line 14 for that month. Likewise, since John was not employed by the company until April, 1H would also be used for January, February, and March.
Code 2A would be used for line 16 in months January, February, and March, as John was not employed at all for those months. Code 2B would be used for April, as the employee was not considered a full-time employee for that month.
Hired mid-year with waiting period example:
John Doe was hired on April 8th but was not offered coverage until June 1st due to a waiting period. Since the coverage was not offered until June, code 1H will be used in line 14 for January through May.
Code 2A would be used for line 16 in months January, February, and March, as John was not employed at all for those months. Code 2D would be used for both April and May, as the employee was in a waiting period for these months.
Terminated mid-year example:
John Doe was terminated on September 29th and was offered coverage until that point. Since the coverage was not offered every day of September, code 1H will be used in line 14 for September through December.
Code 2A would be used for line 16 in months October, November, and December, as John was not employed at all for those months. Code 2B would be used for September, as the employee’s offer of coverage ended before the end of the month due to termination.
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JavaScript must be enabled in order for you to use Knowledgebase Manager Pro. However, it seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To use Knowledgebase Manager Pro, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, then try again. Learn more.
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CEO of Dash: Cryptocurrency More Than a Bolivar Hedge, It’s a Way to Survive in Venezuela [Interview]
Posted on 9th February 2019 by admin
Dash CEO, Ryan Taylor, says a few factors saw them enter the Venezuelan market three years ago, but the political situation has made their cryptocurrency a critical survival tool for many in the beleaguered country.
Dash, a portmanteau of Digital Cash, has in many instances for the public in Venezuela become a way in which to negotiate their economic standings in the South American country, which is under tremendous civil unrest, because of its cash-like nature.
It is not only the fact that the native fiat currency, the Bolivar, has hyperinflated to a point where it is virtually useless, but it is also the financial limitations imposed by the government and its central bank which has seen a migration towards the cryptocurrencies such as Dash and Bitcoin.
Taylor admits that there are use cases where people have invested in Bitcoin to try and preserve the value of their money, utilizing the major cryptocurrency as a store of value. But it is Dash’s adoption and quick, cheap transactions that are making it an important financial tool in Venezuela.
Taylor spoke to Cryptoslate about how they noticed a potential gap in the market in Venezuela:
“There was a bit of recognition from locals in Venezuela for Dash,” Taylor said. “That started the initial community that has been built. But it was also a recognition that it could be a great market for us.”
He went on to elaborate on how Dash laid the infrastructure for transactions in cryptocurrency, leveraging an existing crypto service:
“Back in early 2016 we approached a company based out of Panama that was providing services in Venezuela called Cryptobuyer, and we felt like we needed to set ourselves up to have a marketplace there that people could easily get the coin in and out of. We recognized that there would be demand there, and there would be an opportunity for us, so we laid the infrastructure to allow that to happen.”
Things have moved rather rapidly in Venezuela for Dash’s adoption as Taylor explains: “In February of last year, there were about 600 merchants that accepted Dash. Today they are about 2,700, and this growth was in a bear market.”
Part of the growth is owed to Dash actively approaching merchants and educating them about using Dash as a payment option. However, there must also be a demand for an alternative currency and payment system in the country’s broken economy.
Taylor explains that a lot of the merchant adoption came about because of factors that many outside of Venezuela would not give a second thought to.
“They [the merchants] did it because it is not just because of the currency, the currency is a big reason, but what we discovered was there are other problems with the payment system there,” said Taylor.
He went on to elaborate on the deficiencies of the payment system in Venezuela, which has been crippled by decades of authoritarian governance, on top of financial sanctions from the United States:
“The infrastructure goes down; there are limits on the amount people can transfer, the number is so low that one dinner with your friends would wipe it out—if you want to make a large purchase, you need five friends to each pay for a part of it. Cash is completely broken, when you think just use a credit card, even small purchases, that can be a problem, you need something that is cash-like, and we provide that solution without the restrictions.”
Taylor also explains that because of the exodus out of Venezuela, there is a growing need for remittance payments as family and friends need to send money back home, but there is no point in them receiving it in Bolivars:
“Over 30,000 people are crossing the border every day, they are doing it out of desperation,” Adds Taylor. “They need to send money back to their family. Sending through the bank takes a significant amount of time and high fees. If they have a currency that is digital and useable at merchants throughout the country, then that solves a real problem for them.”
The Economist talked about the exodus from Venezuela, where over 10 percent of the population have left because of conditions in the country. During Nicolás Maduro’s term, Bolivar, the local currency, has become worthless, violence has soared, and utilities have become widely unavailable.
“I’ve had people tell me that Dash has saved their lives,” said Taylor.
In a country rife with instability an independent cryptocurrency makes a lot of sense. It’s hard to seize, easy to transact, and difficult to stop. Taylor went on to say:
“This isn’t about a need to hedge their way out of the currency, for that there is Bitcoin if you are trying to store wealth. But when it comes to transacting with it, using it like cash, we are the ones out there educating the merchants, getting them signed up, educating the consumers on how they can use it as part of their lives and that what makes it far more relevant than other cryptocurrencies out there.”
Venezuela seems to be the first proving ground for cryptocurrency replacing a local currency. That said, it is an outlier in the sense that the local currency is being devastated by hyperinflation, so any asset is a better store of value than Bolivars.
However, the verdict is still out on whether Dash, or any other digital currency, can develop a payment system in a country with limited infrastructure. If cryptocurrency can do that then adoption in places such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe could be next.
The post CEO of Dash: Cryptocurrency More Than a Bolivar Hedge, It’s a Way to Survive in Venezuela [Interview] appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Posted in Adoption, Altcoins, Dash, Interview, Nicolas Maduro, People of Blockchain, Price Watch, ryan taylor Tagged Adoption, Altcoins, Dash, Interview, Nicolas Maduro, People of Blockchain, Price Watch, ryan taylor
High School Team Places Third in Barclays Blockchain Challenge Event
Union Bank of the Philippines Launching Cryptocurrency ATM
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Best in the world: Messi wins Ballon d’Or fourth time in a row
by Online Editor · February , 2013
Kazi Mukitul Islam
He breaks records as easily as he finds the back of the net. Barcelona and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, the soccer player many believe is the best of all time, won the prestigious Ballon d’Or for a record fourth time (in a row) in Zurich. He beats out his club teammate Andrés Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo, his great Real Madrid and Portuguese rival. “To tell you the truth, it’s really quite unbelievable to win this award,” he said on stage in Spanish.
Lionel Messi finished 2012 on 91 goals in 69 games. He began 2013 by winning the Fifa Ballon d’Or (with 41.6% of the votes), Cristiano Ronaldo (23.7%) came second and Andrés Iniesta (10.9%) third. It is the fourth time Messi has won it and no one else has won it so often. Because the award is a merger of the old European Footballer of the Year and the FIFA World Player of the Year which was inaugurated only in 1991, Diego Maradona never won it and nor did Pelé but it is doubtful if they would have matched Messi’s achievement. Marco van Basten won the European award three times in five years, Johan Cruyff three in four and Platini three years in a row. Alfredo Di Stéfano won it twice. Messi has superseded all of them.
The FIFA Ballon d’Or (means “Golden Ball”) is an association football award given annually to the player who is considered to have performed the best in the previous season. It is awarded based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams, as well as journalists from around the world. The award started in 2010 after France Football’s Ballon d’Or and the men’s FIFA World Player of the Year award were merged. Here is the list of previous wins since the inception:
BPL 2 begins
The 2013 Bangladesh Premier League season, abbreviated as BPL, will be the second season of the Bangladesh Premier League, established by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in 2012. The tournament commenced on 18 January 2013 and will end in 19 February. The competition will feature seven teams, with the addition of the Rangpur Riders for the first time.
The player auction was held on 20 December 2012. Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh all-rounder, fetched the highest price, going for $US 365,000. However, the amount was almost half of what Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan captain, was sold for when the Twenty20 tournament was launched in February 2012. Imran Nazir, the Pakistani opener, was commanded the second-highest price tag, going for $US 280,000 with Afridi close behind at $US 275,000, while more than a dozen foreign players went for over $US 100,000. Pakistan Cricket Board refused to release any of its 27 sold players for the second season of Bangladesh Premier League in retaliation to Bangladesh canceling Pakistan tour over safety issues.
Most will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. The opening and closing ceremonies will be held Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur. However, for the first time matches will be played in Khulna at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium. MA Aziz Stadiumwill host the matches in Chittagong instead of Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, which hosted the matches in the first season.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board created the cricket tournament BPL based on the Twenty20 form of the game. There are seven teams in the Bangladesh Premier League second season named as below;
l Dhaka Gladiators
l Sylhet Royals
l Barisal Burners
l Chittagong Kings
l Duronto Rajshahi
l Khulna Royal Bengals
Dutch coach in Bangladesh Football
Lodewijk de Kruif and his assistant Rene Koster have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the BFF in January 12 to take up the national team duties in July after the expiration of their current contract back in the Netherlands. Although their two-year agreement will start in July, two months before Bangladesh’s SAFF Championship campaign in Nepal, the coaches will come to Dhaka on February 20 for three weeks to train Bangladesh for the AFC Challenge Cup in March.
Bangladesh’s new coach Lodewijk de Kruif promised to take Bangladesh to 100 to 120 in the FIFA rankings if he is given the job as planned for one year. The 43-year-old Lodewijk, who never had the experience of guiding a national team in his 16-year coaching career, said that he was very happy with the details of the agreement and will work hard to help Bangladesh achieve their goal. Bangladesh is now working with the aim to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and one of the biggest steps towards achieving that goal is to launch the BFF academy. Lodewijk’s assistant Rene will look after the academy as an additional job.
Rene, however, said it is not impossible to fulfill ‘Vision 2022’, though it has been dubbed as an overambitious goal by many.
FIFA World Cup in BRAZIL
by Online Editor · Published June , 2014 · Last modified September , 2014
South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis retires from Test cricket
by Online Editor · Published January , 2014
London begins 100-day countdown
by Online Editor · Published May , 2012 · Last modified February , 2013
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You are here: Home » Debts in Collection: How They Can Affect Hiring and Renting
Debts in Collection: How They Can Affect Hiring and Renting
Almost one-third of Americans got calls and/or letters from a collection agency in the past year about debts they hadn’t paid. Over half of those, 57 percent, were contacted about two to four debts. So reports the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) in its Consumer Experiences with Debt Collection report. You don’t get a call from a collection agency unless you are severely delinquent with a bill, usually if you haven’t paid it for 180 days. Creditors don’t have to wait that long, and some types of bills usually go sooner or later, but that’s the rule of thumb and a step closer to the creditor taking legal action, from which garnishments and attachments can result.
The CFPB report breaks down the collections in several ways, by income, ethnicity, type of debt (bills or loans), and number of errors in the bills under collection. It is instructive in what we might look for when examining an applicant’s credit.
First, 68 percent of consumers were NOT contacted about a debt in the previous year, but of those who were, 27 percent were contacted about one debt, 57 percent about two to four debts, and 16 percent about five or more debts.
The people with a non-prime, not sub-prime, credit score, that is a FICO score between 640 and 720, were far more likely to be contacted than those with a prime score, 720 or higher. Two in three people, some 66 percent, with a non-prime score were contacted. And over half, 53 percent of them, had two or more debts in collection. Over all, people with a non-prime score amount to only 37 percent of the population but have two-thirds of the debts in collection.
By far the most prevalent collection debt for loans was that for a credit or charge card, some 44 percent, followed by student loan debt, 28 percent. Auto purchase loans were 18 percent, mortgages 12 percent, and payday loans 11 percent. Student loans have a little more forbearance and become delinquent after the borrower has failed to make a payment for 270 days. That is typically when a student loan gets turned over to a collection agency. (34 Code of Federal Regulations 685.102)
For bills, as opposed to loans, by far the most common was medical bills with 59 percent of the people whom collection agencies contacted owing those followed by telecom bills at 37 percent and utility bills at 28 percent. Collection agencies also contacted them about taxes, legal judgments or expenses, and rent. The federal reserve says medical bills amount to more than half of the accounts in collection.
Of particular interest to employers and landlords is the number of auto loans in collection. Statistics.com reports that .95 percent of all car loans were in default last year but 4.61 percent of sub-prime car loans were, those customers with FICO scores below 640. Cars can be repossessed after a borrower misses even on payment explains nolo.com, but the collection efforts may continue for the amount of the missed payments. And depending on the terms of the loan or lease, a lender can even come after a defaulted borrower for the total amount of the contracted unpaid balance. Thus if you see an auto loan in default, even after the car has been repossessed, your applicant could still get collection calls and notices, and even be sued for the total unpaid balance. Just think, no car but still in the clutches of a debt collector.
As we might expect, income correlates with the likelihood of loans going to collection. More than half, 52 percent, of those with incomes of less than $20,000 had debts in collection followed closely by those with incomes between $20,000 and $39,999 at 41 percent. However, lower income does not correlate with medical bills as those are relatively consistent at around 60 percent across all income levels.
Also of interest is the number of people who said the debt the collector claimed they owed was incorrect. Some 28 percent said they didn’t owe the debt, a mistake by the creditor. Another third, 33 percent, said the amount owed was incorrect, and 16 percent said that the debt was that of a family member, not them. What is important for employers and landlords is that we are in no position to judge the accuracy of a debt, nor are we in a position to offer advice about what a debtor should do. Our main concern is if the debt, legitimate or not, will affect the work or ability to pay rent of the applicant.
Ideally we hire people and rent to people who are current on their bills. But we don’t live in an ideal world. If someone has debts either in collection or past due, we have to decide whether those debts might end up affecting someone’s ability to get to work and work effectively or to pay the rent on time.
Read the full CFPB report at files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/201701_cfpb_Debt-Collection-Survey-Report.pdf
How do you screen for nice?
A Generation in Debt
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