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Google Chrome – Bug Makes Pirating Easier
There is an ongoing battle between Hollywood and online pirates that have lasted for about a decade already, and a recently bug from popular web browser Google Chrome seems to tip the balance in favor of piracy. A pair of security researchers stated that they have discovered a security vulnerability in the web browser of which allows people to actually save illegal copies of movies from streaming sites, some of which can be acquired from popular video streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Google Chrome Bug Lets Users Save Videos from Netflix and Amazon Prime
The Google Chrome vulnerability was first reported by Wired, and it takes advantage of the Widevine EME/CDM technology of which the browser users in order to let users stream videos from online content providers while still being encrypted. The aforementioned researchers are that of David Livshits from Cyber Security Research Center located at Ben-Gurion University, and Telekom Innovation Laboratories’ Alexandra Mikityuk. They have discovered a way to get into a streaming video from the decryption module in the browser after the content has been sent from services.
In order to show evidence of the existence of the Google Chrome bug, they have created a proof-of-concept (which is, at the time of writing, the only evidence of the online exploit). In the evidence, the researchers showed how easily it is they could illegally download streaming videos once the CDM technology decrypts it.
Back on May 24 of this year, the two researchers privately disclosed the security vulnerability to search engine and tech giant Google. Surprisingly, to this day, the bug has not been resolved yet. Livshits and Mikityuk stated that they’re waiting at least 90-days following the disclosure to Google prior to the researchers revealing the details about the bug to the public. It should be noted that this is the same amount of time Google’s Project Zero security analyst team gives vendors to repair security vulnerabilities that they discover.
Wired reports that the major concern facing Google with regards to this particular exploit can be traced to Chromium, which is the open-source code of which the Google Chrome browser is based off. In Chromium, it would still allow malicious cyber attackers to take advantage of the known vulnerability. Therefore, even if the company were to find a solution or a patch to repair the bug, there are other capable developers out there that could theoretically create another web browser while still using the open-source code found in Chromium. Then, they could override said code and exploit the bug nonetheless.
Moshi Avanti Review – Sound and Fashion Combined
There is an ongoing battle between Hollywood and online pirates that have lasted for about a decade already, and a recently bug from popular web browser Google Chrome seems to tip the balance in favor of piracy. A pair of security researchers stated that they have discovered a security vulnerability in the web browser of which allows people to actu...Read More
4.1 (82.16%) ratings from 74 users
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Tag: Film Review
Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) is a man. A man with who is slightly unhinged. A man who hears disembodied voices - The Voices. When he accidentally kills the woman of his dreams, Fiona (Gemma Arterton), he must decide whether he is going to listen to his sardonic talking cat, Mr. Whiskers, and become a serial killer, or to his loving, supportive dog, Bosco, and be a "good boy".
When Will (Logan Marshall-Green) and his partner Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are invited to his ex-wife's house for a dinner party, all appears to be a relaxed affair with old friends and good wine. But as ex-wife Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and her new partner David (Michiel Huisman) begin acting increasingly shady, Will grows increasingly suspicious of their intentions.
"That’s what kills all the men in my movie – having to experience their own feelings." Writer, director, producer, set designer, costumer, Jane-of-all-trades, Anna Biller has her finger on the feminist pulse with The Love Witch, a fantasy romance horror comedy (FanRoHoCo?) about witchcraft in the modern era, set in a technicolor dream world of 60's style and grace. Femme fatale Elaine (Samantha Robinson) is the titular love witch who, after racking up a body count in the search for love, sets her lustful sights on the police officer investigating the strange deaths around her.
Adapted from Stephen King's 9th novel of the same name, Pet Sematary is the haunting and thrilling tale of the Creed family's misfortunes when they move to Maine. Louis Creed (Dave Midkiff), his wife Rachel (Denise Crosby), and their two children, Ellie (Blaze Berdahl) and Gage (Miko Hughes), are a perfectly happy, unremarkable feamily. They even have a pet cat, Winston "Church" Churchill. They couldn't be more 'run-of-the-mill'. That is until a tragedy befalls them, and Louis finds himself answering the question, 'just because death can be cheated, reversed, should it be?'
Julia Ducournau's debut film, Raw, is a deliciously affecting coming-of-age horror drama about a young woman who develops a taste for human meat. Over the course of a week, during veterinary school hazing, staunch vegetarian Justine (Garance Marillier) finds herself in the midst of an identity crisis; her head saying 'no' to food that once lived, but her heart and gut crying out for a feast of flesh.
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Tag Archives: The Brotherhood Without Banners
Game of Thrones: Season Six, Episode 3 – “Oathbreaker”
Aidan Gillen, Alliser Thorne, Anton Lesser, Art Parkinson, Arthur Dayne, Arya Stark, Ben Crompton, Beric Dondarrion, Braavos, Bran Stark, Brenock O'Connor, Bronn, Carice van Houten, Cersei Lannister, Charles Dance, Cleganebowl, Conleth Hill, Daenerys Targaryen, Davos, Dean-Charles Chapman, Diana Rigg, Emilia Clarke, Faye Marsay, Game of Thrones, Game of Thrones Season Six, Gendry, Gilly, GoT, Grand Maester Pycelle, Grey Worm, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, Hannah Murray, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Iwan Rheon, Jacob Anderson, Jaime Lannister, Jerome Flynn, Joe Dempsie, John Bradley, Jon Snow, Jonathan Pryce, Julian Glover, King's Landing, Kit Harington, Kristofer Hivju, Lena Headey, Liam Cunningham, Littlefinger, Maisie Williams, Max von Sydow, Meereen, Melisandre, Missandei, Natalia Tena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ned Stark, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Oathbreaker, Olenna Tyrell, Olly, Osha, Owen Teale, Peter Dinklage, Qyburn, Ramsay Bolton, Richard Dormer, Rickon Stark, Rory McCann, Samwell Tarly, Sansa Stark, Shae, Sibel Kekilli, Sophie Turner, The Brotherhood Without Banners, The Citadel, The Dothraki, The High Sparrow, The Hound, The Mountain, The Night's Watch, The Sand Snakes, The Three-Eyed-Raven, The Tower of Joy, The Waif, The Wall, Tommen Baratheon, Tormund Giantsbane, Tyrion Lannister, Tywin Lannister, Varys
This episode of “Game of Thrones” season 6 was my least favourite of the three to be aired thus far. Whilst it would be a decent episode on any other show, in my opinion it was substandard given the level of quality that we’ve become accustomed to since this series began.
“Oathbreaker” started where the previous episode left off, with a naked Jon Snow (Kit Harington) rising from the dead. I have to say that after such a long build up to this moment I was incredibly disappointed with its lacklustre execution; the dialogue was uninspired, the performances were overstated, and the way that characters acted didn’t make sense given how they’d been established in previous episodes. It should’ve been one of the most memorable moments of the series so far, but instead it felt soulless.
There was no sincerity in Davos (Liam Cunningham) when he spoke to Jon, and Jon didn’t seem particularly grateful to be back, so the whole escapade felt flat for me. I’d have also liked shock to have been shown by Davos and Melisandre (Carice van Houten) in a more subtle and considered way, because rather than stumbling on their words or expressing their disbelief they pulled their best ‘oh my god’ faces and then moved on. I’m not sure when “Game of Thrones” became a soap opera, but that was the standard of this moment.
The next scene at The Wall was equally frustrating, although the conversation between Edd (Ben Crompton) and Jon made it slightly less so. I didn’t appreciate the fact that Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) gave Jon a hug, because that isn’t the way that a wildling would act, but it was interesting that when Edd looked into Jon’s eyes he asked if Jon was still in there. This was intended to remind the audience of previous scenes such as the one in which Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer) told Melisandre what being resurrected by the Lord of Light was like – in this scene Beric told Melisandre that each time he came back he was ‘a little less’, which makes me wonder whether or not Jon will be significantly different now that he’s back. That remains to be seen, but I’m looking forward to watching this storyline play out in future episodes.
After this scene we finally got to see what Sam (John Bradley) and Gilly (Hannah Murray) have been up to since the end of last season, and it turns out that they’ve done very little. We knew that Sam would be heading to the Citadel when Jon allowed him to leave The Wall, and he’s still on that journey now. The scene served as a tool to re-establish the dynamic between the two star-crossed lovers and tell the audience what their plans were, so it didn’t really do much for me. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but it could’ve easily been cut out to give more interesting characters extra screen time.
Then we saw Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) continuing his training with the Three-Eyed Raven (Max von Sydow), as he delved into the past in a scene which book readers have been talking about for many years. I didn’t dislike this scene, but in my opinion it was weaker than it should’ve been because of the actors that were involved. I personally didn’t feel very attached to Ned Stark because of the actor that was playing him – he didn’t look powerful or manly enough for my liking – and (as usual) Isaac Hempstead-Wright’s performance was devoid of emotion; it felt more like the work of an amateur drama student than that of a top actor. I also thought that the Three-Eyed Raven’s line about learning ‘everything’ was very cliché, and it reminded me of a comedy sketch from BriTANick (which you should definitely watch on YouTube – just type in ‘BriTANick everything’ and it will pop up).
Moving south, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is still biding her time with the Dothraki. I’ve said before that this is a storyline that I’m not interested in, and this is only furthered by the fact that Daenerys doesn’t seem to be learning anything by going backwards and revisiting her past. She’s so arrogant and sure of herself right now that it’s almost sickening, and I’m really starting to dislike her as a character. She doesn’t respect anyone else’s traditions or views and she belittles them at every turn – just look at what she’s done to Meereen.
My biggest problem with her storyline is that it’s unclear whether or not this is the angle that the writers are going for – the plot is formed in such a way that Daenerys should be the protagonist, and I feel as though that’s what the writers are going for, yet from my perspective she isn’t. She isn’t likeable, she isn’t humble, and she’s a conqueror not a liberator. If she takes King’s Landing in the state that she’s in right now then she’ll destroy it!
In Daenerys’ absence Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) has been ruling over Meereen, and so far he’s had a relatively easy job (compared to the job that Daenerys had). There’s not been a lot of resistance, and with Varys (Conleth Hill) taking control of the situation he finds himself making small talk with Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) and Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) as though he didn’t have a care in the world. It’s common on “Game of Thrones” for Tyrion to spend the majority of his time enjoying the sound of his own voice, but usually his friends have something to say back; however, right now only Varys is on his level, so having a meaningful conversation is becoming difficult. This is something which this episode tackled in an attempt to create comedy, as Tyrion tried to play the game that he played with Bronn (Jerome Flynn) and Shae (Sibel Kekilli) in season one with Missandei and Grey Worm, only to be met with confusion and silence. Sadly, this scene wasn’t particularly funny, and only served to show that Missandei and Grey Worm are underdeveloped characters.
Elsewhere, in King’s Landing Qyburn (Anton Lesser) persuaded Varys’ little birds into doing his bidding by offering them candied plums. This was another scene which was designed to reintroduce a character and his role in the story, as having not seen him yet this year it would be easy to forget that he is the Master of Whispers. It wasn’t a bad scene, but the fact that the writers are still wasting screen time to reintroduce characters in episode three is worrying, particularly because people like Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) are yet to appear.
One positive aspect of this scene was that Cersei (Lena Headey) revealed her intention to request a trial by combat, something which will have excited book readers aplenty. It’s been speculated for a long time that Cersei would request such a trial, and that her champion would be The Mountain (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson), and it looks like that will be the case. The question then is who will The Faith choose as their champion – the prevalent theory is that The Hound (Rory McCann) will come back to fight his brother, in an epic clash that has been foreshadowed since the very start of the series, and I have to say that it’s a theory I believe.
via thewrap.com
However, there are other possibilities; in case you’d forgotten, there are two Sand Snakes running around in King’s Landing who have a hatred for both Lannisters and The Mountain – after all, the latter killed their father and their aunt. To see one of them fight on behalf of The Faith would be pretty amazing, not only because it would bring Dorne into the wider story, but also because there would be a massive size difference between the two fighters.
After Cersei revealed her plans we saw her, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and The Mountain interrupt a meeting of the Small Council. This was probably the best scene in the episode in terms of dialogue, as the sharp-tongued Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) was brought back into the fold to throw insults at the Lannisters and bring the only genuine laugh of the season so far. It’s just a shame that the scene was tarnished by a ridiculous moment in which Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover) farted in fear at the sight of The Mountain. “Game of Thrones” is beloved because of its dark tone, so I can’t comprehend why the writers thought that it would be a good idea to lower the tone with such a pointless attempt at producing a cheap laugh. Whoever made that call should be paraded in the streets naked and face a trial by combat – shame.
Next we saw The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) and Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) having a civil chat about Cersei and why she deserves the punishment she’s receiving. This scene really pushes the fact that The High Sparrow is so much more than a holy man attempting to rid the world of evil – he’s a master manipulator and he preys on the insecurities of those around him to get what he wants. He lets Tommen have his say because he knows that Tommen feels powerless, but then he talks him down by presenting himself as a wise father figure, something that Tommen has never had. He talks about Cersei and Tywin (Charles Dance) as though he cares about them and he tricks Tommen into calming down.
After this, the episode turned its attention to Arya (Maisie Williams) and her journey to become ‘No One’. This scene wasn’t perfect, but it was definitely my favourite of the episode. Montages are usually a cheap device to tell a story in a swift but still compelling way, and that’s clearly the case here, but it works for this storyline because nobody really wanted Arya’s blindness to be drawn out. I think what everyone would like is for Arya to leave Braavos immediately, so at least by streamlining her narrative in this way we’re getting closer to what we want. It’s another story which will feel hollow when it’s watched back on DVD, because Arya was only blind for a combined period of about three episodes, but right now it leaves her in a good place.
Moreover, a couple of smart decisions were made in these scenes which I appreciated. Through Arya’s conversation with The Waif (Faye Marsay) we were reminded of Rickon at the perfect moment (Art Parkinson) – a character who many will have forgotten all about – and also of The Hound, who may well come back this year. I also liked that she said she was confused when she made the decision to travel to The House of Black and White, as this set up the conflict that will occur in Braavos in future episodes nicely.
However, the fact that Melisandre wasn’t on Arya’s list annoyed me, because after Gendry (Joe Dempsie) was taken from The Brotherhood Without Banners in season three Arya added The Red Woman to her list, and there’s absolutely no reason why she would’ve removed her name from it.
After Rickon was verbally re-established, he was given to Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) as a gift from The Umbers. It’s unclear exactly what Ramsay is going to do to Rickon and Osha (Natalia Tena) at this stage, but it probably won’t be much fun for the youngest of the Stark children. By now the audience is pretty desensitised to Ramsay’s actions, and we’ve already seen him do deplorable things to characters we’re more interested in than Rickon, but that doesn’t mean that this won’t be an interesting development in the story. Personally I’d prefer if we didn’t see Ramsay torture Rickon at all, because his doing so wouldn’t achieve anything, but that might be wishful thinking.
From my perspective, the easiest way to move the plot along using Rickon is to introduce the pink letter, which book readers will know all about. In the books this is a letter that’s sent to Jon Snow and it relates to ‘Arya’, or rather a person who Ramsay claims is Arya. This character’s place was taken last year by Sansa (Sophie Turner) but the pink letter didn’t appear, so it would be very easy for the writers to introduce it now and use Rickon as the bait to force Jon and the wildlings into battle.
Speaking of Jon, the episode ended with our favourite dead man walking getting revenge on his killers. Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) and Olly (Brenock O’Connor) were hung, to the delight of fans all over the world. It was a very satisfying scene, as two of the most hated characters on the show were killed in a pretty nasty way. Alliser took it in his stride and died honourably, if that’s possible for a man who organised the murder of his commanding officer, and Olly stuck to his guns despite the fact that if he’d asked for mercy he probably would’ve got it. Both men had their reasons for doing what they did, so it was nice that neither of them were willing to apologise.
When the deed was done Jon passed on command of The Night’s Watch to Edd, (which explains why the show has been placing the character at the forefront of the storyline in recent times), and announced that his watch had ended. This is contentious, but technically he did die and the vows he made were null and void upon his death (I still think that because the vows say ‘for this night and all nights to come’ he should be bound to them, but what do I know?). This was a great mic drop moment, and served as a cool way to end the episode, but it’s unclear exactly what Jon is going to do with his new found freedom. Hopefully he’ll still meet up with Sansa in the near future.
So, that was the episode. Over the course of about fifty minutes a total of eight locations were visited, which in my opinion is a bit excessive. Every episode feels like a battle for screen time between the characters, which for me takes all impact from the show. I like where Arya’s story is headed, but because we spend so little time with her each week it’s hard to become invested. Nevertheless, I am a harsh critic, and it would be wrong of me to say that there weren’t moments in this episode that I enjoyed. I thought that the final three scenes (Arya’s, Ramsay’s, and the execution) were quite good, and the episode definitely improved as it went on. However, if the season continues in this disjointed manner then it will definitely be my least favourite of the show so far.
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Going into our 50th year in business
Livestock Gallery
Located in a western suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Aquatics Unlimited has an outstanding selection of freshwater fish, invertebrates and live plants for the aquarium and outdoor ponds. Aquatics Unlimited also has a large selection of marine fish, invertebrates and corals for any saltwater aquarium large or small. With over 12,000 square feet of floor space, Aquatics Unlimited carries a variety of products for the simple to advanced hobbyist to help ensure a successful aquarium or pond. Come visit us at 3550 S. 108th Street in Greenfield, Wisconsin 53228-1257. We are open from 12 P.M to 8 P.M. Monday through Friday, 10 A.M to 8 P.M. Saturdays and 11 A. M. to 7 P.M. on Sundays. We can also be reached by phone at 414-543-2552 or fax at 414-543-4929.
Over 12,000 square feet of livestock and products.
Over 500 display aquariums.
Over 10,000 gallons of freshwater.
Over 3,000 gallons of saltwater
Serving the Greater Milwaukee Area since 1969
It was in August of 1969 that Aquatics Unlimited first opened its doors on the corner of 95th Street and Greenfield Avenue in West Allis. Most of our dry goods fit on a single 8-foot shelf, our “cash register” was a cigar box, and all-glass aquariums were but a glimmer in somebody’s eye. On busy weekends, we doubled our staff to two. The past few decades have seen four different locations, a lot of water changes, and plenty of new faces, but our aim is still the same – to provide “The Best in Tropical Fish” and aquarium equipment. We’d like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to so many faithful customers who have helped us towards that goal.
Aquatics Unlimited IS “bestfish.com.”
In the 1990’s scramble for .com identities, Aquatics Unlimited was looking for a name that was (1) still available, (2) easy to remember and (3) easy for customers to type and spell correctly. Since our logo and advertising had contained “The Best in Tropical Fish” since 1969, www.bestfish.com was a natural choice. We are not affiliated with any other pet or aquarium business of that name, in either the real or virtual world.
Resources Index
Aquarium Equipment
Articles for Retailers
General and Beginner
Aquatics Unlimited
12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Website Developed by: Smart Interactive Media
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TIFF TIFF 2017: With latest documentary, Alanis Obomsawin reaches an optimistic moment in her career
The education of
Alanis Obomsawin
The 85-year-old filmmaker is launching her latest documentary, which focuses on a school in Manitoba that puts Indigenous studies at the forefront
Alanis Obomsawin’s latest film Our People Will Be Healed documents the Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre at the Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba.
Published September 5, 2017 Updated November 12, 2017
The documentary filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin has visited hundreds of Canadian schools over the years. As a young woman of Abenaki descent, she worked as a performer, taking traditional songs and stories across the country in an effort to give both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children a positive image of Aboriginal culture, and she has continued visiting schools with her documentaries. But she had never been in a place as impressive as the Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre at the Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba.
"The children are so happy; they love their school. It's so encouraging. The children are kings there," she said in a recent interview as she prepared to both launch her 50th film, Our People Will Be Healed, at the Toronto International Film Festival and celebrate her 85th birthday. "It's a model for other communities."
Alanis Obomsawin Cosmos Image
As part of the pioneering Frontier School Division that covers northern Manitoba, the provincially funded school teaches the Cree language, Indigenous studies and a lot of fiddle music alongside the usual classes in math, science and English – and it was the starting point for Obomsawin's new film, the latest in a long career making point-of-view documentaries from an Indigenous perspective at the National Film Board of Canada.
"The biggest reason is to show how possible it is to change the system of education and make it healthy," she said about a film that then branches out to reveal how all of Norway House is successfully battling the legacy of the residential schools. "The root of it all is love of the children, love of the people. And to pay attention to what our ancestors went through and these traditions. You take the best of it and apply it. My God, there has been so much suicide and such a history of alcohol and drugs, but there is a strong movement with young people saying no … a strong movement of young people helping other young people who still have problems."
Our People Will be Healed reveals how Norway House is successfully battling the legacy of residential schools.
Obomsawin had originally visited Norway House to document the story of Jordan River Anderson, a local child with a rare muscle condition who spent the entire five years of his short life in a Winnipeg hospital because the provincial and federal governments could not agree who would pay for home care if he was discharged and returned to the reserve. (His story is included in Obomsawin's 2016 film We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice, which covers the human-rights suit against the federal government over social services for children on reserves, and she currently has a second film, exclusively about the boy, who died in 2005, in production.)
Anderson's death established Jordan's Principle – pay first, argue later – but the social-service issues don't make happy stories. Yet when Obomsawin visited Norway House, she found, as is often the case in a documentarian's life, that there was another story waiting there, too, that of the school and of the community's efforts to reground itself in tradition. Her film ends in a poignant moment where people gather to revive the sun dance, a traditional ritual of sacrifice and prayer that was largely suppressed by the federal government until 1951, but kept alive through underground practice. Unusually, Obomsawin was allowed to film some of the ceremony – although she kept a discreet distance during the shoot.
"I was touched that I could film there, but I would not be aggressive. I felt you have to restrain yourself, but at the same time I want young [Indigenous] people to know that it's there and it's theirs, and they would be welcome."
And so, Our People Will Be Healed – the title is a quote from a person interviewed in the film – marks a particularly optimistic moment in Obomsawin's long career.
"I really think we are going somewhere where we have never been before. I don't even know how to express how rich it is. It is more than hope, it is higher than that," she says, speaking of both Indigenous people's resurgence and settlers' increased sensitivity. "I am so thankful I am still alive to see the change. Everywhere I go, I feel respect."
Obomsawin, who has no plans to retire as long as she is healthy and has several more films in the can, feels she was chosen to live and destined to work: She almost died at six months and her parents lost four other children in their infancies; her father died of tuberculosis at the age of 42. Born in New Hampshire, Obomsawin grew up on the Odanak reserve near Trois Rivières, Que., but her family moved into town when she was 9. She remembers that in those years the school books taught her classmates that she was a savage whose people scalped their enemies.
"The education system was designed to create hate towards First Nations, Inuit and Métis people … Every time it was 'histoire du Canada,' I knew I couldn't get home without getting beaten up," she recalls.
‘The education system was designed to create hate towards First Nations, Inuit and Métis people,’ Obomsawin says. ‘Every time it was ‘histoire du Canada,’ I knew I couldn’t get home without getting beaten up.’
She began her career determined to change the narrative with her work as a singer, and was fundraising for a swimming pool on her reserve in the early 1960s when her crusade was filmed by the CBC and she came to the attention of producers at the NFB. In 1967, she signed on as a consultant but felt she was mainly being used to gain access to reserves. Instead, she began working on educational materials, producing the NFB filmstrips that used to be shown in schools, and made her first NFB short, Christmas at Moose Factory, about children's experience of the holiday in that northern Ontario community, in 1971.
Since then, she has produced films at the rate of about one a year and is still probably best known as the filmmaker who stuck it out for the entire 78 days of the blockade at Oka, Que., in 1990, producing her classic Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance.
Asked if that dispute triggered by the town's desire to expand a golf course into traditional Mohawk territory could happen today, Obomsawin warns that the land claim was never fully resolved and there are further plans for development in the area. But more generally, she feels the relationship between First Nations and other Canadians has altered significantly.
"With reconciliation, Canadians have learned a lot of that history; you have a feeling that they are listening to you. That they want to know and that they want to see justice," she said. "I have a great feeling."
Our People Will Be Healed screens at TIFF on Sept. 9, 11 and 15 (tiff.net/festival). It will also screen at the Calgary International Film Festival, which opens Sept. 20, the Vancouver International Film Festival, which opens Sept. 28, and at the imagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival in Toronto, which opens Oct. 18.
Follow Kate Taylor on Twitter @thatkatetaylor
Drug kingpin 'El Chapo' gets life sentence in U.S. 2:32
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Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee 03 October 2017
The agenda for the day:
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Social Security (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016, Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill: After Stage 2.
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Decision on Taking Business in Private Social Security (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure Instruments subject to Negative Procedure Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill: After Stage 2
Social Security (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure
Instruments subject to Negative Procedure
Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure
Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016
Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill: After Stage 2
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The Deputy Convener (Stuart McMillan)
Good morning and welcome to the 27th meeting in 2017 of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. Monica Lennon has sent her apologies, and I welcome Pauline McNeill, her substitute. I also welcome David Torrance back; he has been off for a few weeks.
It is proposed that the committee take items 8, 9, 10 and 11 in private. Item 8 is consideration of our approach to the proposed draft Police Act 1997 and Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 Remedial Order 2018; item 9 is consideration of the Scottish Government’s response to the committee’s questions on the delegated powers provisions in the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Bill; item 10 is consideration of the contents of our report to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee on the delegated powers in the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill; and item 11 is consideration of the evidence that we are about to hear from the minister on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. Does the committee agree to take those items in private?
Members indicated agreement.
The Deputy Convener
Item 2 is consideration of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. I welcome Jeane Freeman, the Minister for Social Security, who is here to speak about the bill, and her Scottish Government officials: Chris Boyland, legislation team leader in the social security policy division; Fraser Gough, parliamentary counsel; and Colin Brown, senior principal legal officer. I understand that the minister wants to make opening remarks.
The Minister for Social Security (Jeane Freeman)
Thank you for the opportunity to come to committee and answer your questions—I hope productively.
I thought that it might be helpful to begin by outlining the thinking behind the Government’s approach to the bill. We have introduced the bill in the Parliament with a track record of positive engagement with stakeholders and all those who have an interest in ensuring that our future Scottish social security system works well. The approach that we have taken to the bill is the result of our keeping foremost in our minds the interests of those who will use, advise on and operate the system.
The United Kingdom Government’s approach has been to put its benefit rules partly in primary legislation while requiring that its primary legislation has to be read alongside further rules in subordinate legislation. In our view, that makes the UK legislation confusing, difficult to follow and open to different interpretations.
By contrast, putting the detailed rules for the operation of our devolved benefits into subordinate legislation allows us to make our legislation clearer and more accessible. It will also ensure that our legislation is flexible enough to deal with changing circumstances.
In general, I am pleased that the stakeholder community has acknowledged the logic in our approach and the reasoning behind it. For example, Citizens Advice Scotland said in its submission to the Social Security Committee:
“Citizens Advice Scotland accepts the Scottish Government’s view that setting out some of the rules for the new benefits should be made in Regulations. Much of the important detail affecting the operation of the social security system is contained in regulations and guidance which are regularly issued and updated.”
In recognition of the part that secondary legislation will play in our overall approach, we have made a commitment to produce illustrative versions of some of the regulations that we will make under the bill. I am pleased to say that we have already begun to honour that commitment. Committee members will have received the illustrative drafts of our planned best start grant regulations last week, along with a briefing paper that explains the policy intent behind the regulations. Those documents make clear how we intend to use the relevant powers, both specifically in relation to the best start grant and more generally in the context of our indicative approach to drafting regulations across the piece.
Given the emphasis that we intend to place on co-production and developing all the constituent parts of the overall system in collaboration with others, I have also been mindful of the need to ensure that regulations are considered in an open and transparent way that allows stakeholders to provide evidence and feed in their views. We have produced the illustrative regulations so that the wider public and the stakeholder community can see what we intend to do with the powers under the bill. That is also why, with the exception of a small number of areas that mostly deal with administrative matters, regulations that are made under the bill will be subject to the affirmative procedure, which will allow for full scrutiny by the committee.
I would like to say a bit more about scrutiny. For some time, I have consistently made it clear in my discussions with stakeholders that I believe that there is a need for independent expert scrutiny of social security matters in Scotland, and I am happy to make that point clear once again. If we are agreed on the need for scrutiny, the next question is about when we should scrutinise. How do we ensure that the right people are involved at the right stage to deliver the most value? In my view, the absence of such involvement represents a failing in the current UK arrangements that we should correct.
The statutory rules at UK level that currently govern the work of the advisory committees mean that regulations come to the existing committees only once they have been drafted—there are a number of exceptions, whereby the secretary of state can circumvent the committees’ involvement—and the committees’ advice is provided to the Government, not to Parliament.
That is not the only difference between what currently happens at UK level and what will happen in relation to our devolved social security system. It is likely that there will also be a difference in the volume of regulations that are scrutinised. When Professor Gráinne McKeever gave evidence to the Social Security Committee on 14 September, she said that the UK Social Security Advisory Committee had scrutinised 44 pieces of legislation in the previous year. That is a significant volume, but it is not directly comparable to what will happen in Scotland once the initial sets of regulations to establish the new system have been made. My advisers estimate that, of the instruments that were considered by the UK Social Security Advisory Committee in 2016-17, only around four or five would fall within devolved competence.
If we have a commitment to involve stakeholders and experts and we are potentially dealing with a smaller volume of regulations that will give us the time and space to submit those regulations to a full and detailed scrutiny process, the next question is who, exactly, should provide that scrutiny. I have made it clear that I do not think that that is a question that the Scottish Government can answer on its own. It is not for us to decide how our proposed legislation should be scrutinised. To me, that would feel a bit like marking our own homework.
I will tell the committee what I have done so far. Back in May, I met the convener of the Social Security Committee to ask her and her committee’s members to consider what role the Parliament should play in filling the space left by the existing UK advisory committees. I have since written to Dr Jim McCormick, who is the chair of our expert advisory group on disability and carers benefits, to ask him to set up a short-life working group from among his members to consider how scrutiny of social security matters should work as part of our new Scottish system. I have asked for an initial response from him in line with what I understand to be the timetable for the drafting of the Social Security Committee’s stage 1 report. I think that it is important that the expert group’s initial findings should, if at all possible, be taken into account at this stage in the parliamentary process.
As Dr Jim McCormick outlined to the Social Security Committee on 21 September, the expert group plans to engage with that committee and the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee, and I will be interested to hear from members if you feel that the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee could also make a contribution to that work. Once those various groups and bodies have had an opportunity to consider the matter, I expect to be able to say more on how we will ensure that expert scrutiny is built in to the system later on during the bill process.
In all of that, I ask that we do not lose sight of the real prize: a system that works in the best interests of all those people who depend on it. To do that, we need scrutiny arrangements that are expert led, open minded and forward looking, and that drive improvements in the system and make things better. By the end of this parliamentary process, I hope that that is what we will have in place.
I am happy to take any questions that members may have.
Thank you, minister, for that comprehensive opening statement, which I am sure will have touched on many areas of questioning. A number of respondents to the Social Security Committee’s call for evidence on the bill have expressed concern about the uncertainty that is created by not including in the bill detail about eligibility and what will be provided for each type of assistance. In light of those concerns, have you considered including more information in the bill?
Jeane Freeman
We have designed the bill to give flexibility for policy development, now and in the future. We have used a framework that allows Parliament to control what is provided as it sees fit. It is important to keep it in mind that the schedules to the bill do not aim to define individual benefits; they are the framework within which benefits will be designed. For some types of assistance, there will be more than one benefit—for example, disability assistance currently covers four benefits.
Working within that framework, we intend to co-design policy for our new social security system, working with people who have lived experience of the existing system. That is where the role of our social security experience panels comes into play. They involve more than 2,400 people who have recent experience of receiving benefits to help us to develop our policies and to design and test the new system so that it works for them.
Alongside the experience panels is our disability and carers benefits expert advisory group, chaired by Dr McCormick, which I have referred to. By putting those together, I am confident that we will come up with the right policy solutions at the right time to ensure the safe and secure transfer of benefits to those people who receive them and to deliver our overall ambition.
Some UK social security legislation is confusing because certain rules have been put up front in the primary legislation, reflecting the views that were held when the legislation was made. As things have moved on, and perhaps new Governments have been elected, secondary legislation has qualified or undercut the rules that were initially in the primary legislation. By contrast, the illustrative draft of the early years assistance regulations shows how the first paragraph in each schedule to the regulations sets out all the eligibility rules that apply for the different grants. People who are trying to understand the legislation can find everything that they need to know about who is eligible, right there in the regulations, without having to be concerned that the rules are displaced or altered by another piece of legislation somewhere else.
The committee is grateful for the illustrative early years assistance regulations that were provided by the Scottish Government, which you have touched on. As the Scottish Government recognises, the final version of the regulations might be different, depending on any comments that it receives. Similarly, a future Government might seek to exercise the powers in the bill in a different way from those that are set out in the illustrative regulations. Has any consideration been given to limiting the breadth of powers, with a focus on including more detail in the schedules to the bill on what the regulations must or must not do?
We included the schedules to the bill precisely because we think that it is important to ensure proper parliamentary involvement in setting the core rules that will govern the giving of assistance under our social security systems. The schedules set out a mixture of rules about things that must be included and things that may be included in the regulations. As they stand, they reflect the Government’s view of those matters at the time the bill was introduced. Through the bill process, Parliament has complete control over the final terms of the bill, including the schedules. It is the Parliament that will decide whether further rules should be included in any of the “may” or “must” categories, whether those presently in the “may” category should move to the “must” category and whether rules should be added about what regulations must not include.
I can give you an example of that. One of the areas that have come up already in my discussions with stakeholders, and in evidence that has been given to the Social Security Committee, is a concern that people should be given assistance in kind and not financial assistance. Our policy intent is that individuals should have the choice. It is reasonable to say that there might be a case to be made for bringing about a change in the primary legislation that makes clear the policy decision to ensure that individuals should have a choice between receiving assistance in kind or financially. That is an example of a case in which, as issues are dealt with by the Social Security Committee and others, it will be for Parliament to determine whether what is currently in the bill should be changed.
Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con)
Schedule 3 makes provision about winter heating assistance regulations. No mandatory provision is made in schedule 3, so there does not appear to be any specific limit on what winter heating assistance regulations could provide for. Your response to the committee’s written questions explains that that is because no mandatory provision is currently described. Can you expand on that explanation by explaining why it is considered appropriate that the schedule contains no mandatory provision?
It is a bit of a stretch to say that there are no limits on what winter heating assistance regulations can be used to provide for. Section 13 defines “winter heating assistance” as assistance to help people
“meet ... heating costs during the winter months”,
and any regulations that are made about it will have to be consistent with that purpose.
My officials’ response to the committee made a comparison between all of the other schedules and schedule 3 to illustrate that every other schedule contains what was described as mandatory provision or limits. Mandatory provision is about defining the essence of who is to receive each type of assistance. For example, in order to receive carers assistance, the individual has to be or have been a carer; disability assistance depends on first having a disability; early years assistance depends on the person having a child; and so on. At the moment, winter heating assistance is mostly paid to people of state pension age. However, I see no reason to rule out the possibility that that might be extended in the future—indeed, we have already said that it will be extended to families with severely disabled children. That is why we have not set the same limits on the rules for who will receive it.
Alison Harris
Schedules 1 to 7 each provide that the generality of the power to make regulations is not limited. In schedule 3, for example, which relates to winter heating assistance regulations, paragraph 7 states that
“nothing in this schedule is to be taken to limit what may be prescribed in the regulations.”
For the other schedules, that limitation applies to particular parts of the schedule. Given that the stated purpose of the schedules is to ensure that parliamentary control is not sacrificed in light of the regulation-making powers, why is that provision necessary?
Parliament has control because, if there are rules that it wants to add to the schedules and make mandatory, it can amend the schedules to achieve that during the bill’s consideration. Using schedule 3 as an example is misleading. Only that schedule has the wording relating to no limits, because winter heating assistance has no mandatory criteria around who is eligible for help.
The wording for all the other schedules expressly says that the generality does not override what Parliament agrees as mandatory provision. The current balance between which parts of the schedule create mandatory rules and which parts illustrate what regulations might provide is based on the Government’s view, at the time that the bill was introduced, of where that balance should lie. The bill process allows Parliament to change that balance, should it wish to.
David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Good morning, minister. Provision for the types of assistance will be made in regulations, which means that the Parliament will be able only to accept or reject them in their entirety. Does that not limit parliamentary scrutiny, because there is no opportunity to amend the eligibility criteria or what assistance is to be provided? How do you respond to the argument that parliamentary scrutiny would be more effective if provision for those types of assistance had been included in the bill?
I, too, welcome you, Mr Torrance. It is good to see you back.
David Torrance
Parliament has a power of veto, and I think that it is overstating the case a bit to say that that is limited control. Parliament can simply reject regulations entirely if members are not happy with what they hear about them. Because of that, the onus is on the Government to do the consultative work in advance, to ensure that any proposals that it makes are ones that Parliament can support. That would be true even if the bill that finally emerges were to contain no express consultation requirements.
However, as we have consistently said, we recognise that the bill should probably say more about how proposals for regulations should be scrutinised. We are keen to hear the views of Parliament on what role it should have in that process, as I outlined in my opening statement.
The scrutiny of regulations is reactive, but I hope that Parliament and stakeholders will play a proactive role in influencing the design and development of the social security system. My reference to the expert group, the many stakeholder groups that we are engaging with, and, in particular, our experience panels underlines our commitment to that proactive role. It is a mistake to wait for draft regulations to be issued and for regulations to be considered as the be-all and end-all, if you like. It is the Government’s job to ensure that its draft regulations have been adequately consulted on, that those views have been heard and that Parliament does not feel obliged to exercise its power of veto.
If the rules on eligibility and the assistance to be given are to be contained in regulations, does the Scottish Government think that there would be any merit in applying a super-affirmative type of procedure to the regulations, to give the Parliament the opportunity to shape the regulations and approve them?
If we are talking about opportunities for people to feed into the process by which regulations are developed and drafted, in order to identify issues and help to ensure that they are fixed before the regulations become law, then, yes, I think that that should be the case. I think that we have already taken the first steps towards that in producing our illustrative drafts of the best start grant regulations.
There are many models for the super-affirmative process and my mind is open to considering what might be the best approach in the bill. However, as I said, this is not something that the Government can or should address on its own, because Parliament also needs to consider its role in this space. I look forward to having a response from not only the Social Security Committee but Dr McCormick and, indeed, this committee—I think that I made that offer at a previous appearance before the committee. It is not just about the process that attaches to the regulations; they are only a part of the picture, and we need to look more widely at the scrutiny roles in the Parliament and any independent expert-led scrutiny body that it might be appropriate to establish.
The Scottish Government’s delegated powers memorandum refers to the objective of improving the accessibility of the rules that govern each type of assistance. If the rules on eligibility and the assistance to be given are to be contained solely in regulations, what are you doing to ensure that the rules are accessible in terms of language and availability?
What counts as accessible differs for different audiences. The delegated powers memorandum talks about making the legislation as accessible as possible. I hope that you will find that the illustrative drafts of the best start grant regulations that we have provided are drafted in a logical order and in fairly plain English.
Of course it will not be accessible to everyone. The need for legislation to be drafted in a way that delivers legal certainty makes that impossible. Therefore, information will be provided and made available in different formats, to meet the needs of different audiences. I think that we have been clear throughout that the information that people need will be available in whatever format people need it to be in. We have demonstrated that in the past year, from our consultation to our current work with the experience panels.
What needs to be legislatively clear will inevitably not be accessible to every audience. Therefore, our intent is to provide information in whatever format individuals need it to be in, so that they can understand what the legislation says.
Before I bring in Pauline McNeill, I want to clarify one point. A number of months ago, minister, you and I had a discussion regarding the provision of information in various formats, as I chair the Parliament’s cross-party group on visual impairment. Can you confirm that information about the bill will be provided in formats that people who are blind and visually impaired will be able to access?
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Good morning. Section 18(1) provides for short-term assistance. Although subsection (3) provides for those who are entitled to such assistance, there is very little limit on the power in subsection (5) to set alternative forms of eligibility rules, other than that the assistance must be for a short-term need. As that power is potentially very wide, has consideration been given to making primary legislation to provide for other types of short-term assistance, or to applying a super-affirmative procedure to instruments that make provision for additional eligibility rules?
As we explained in the delegated powers memorandum, the power to provide for short-term assistance is being taken to deal with circumstances that, at present, cannot be fully anticipated. Primary legislation can take up to a year to change, and it is not, in my view, the best vehicle for dealing with the unexpected. A power to deal with the unforeseen must necessarily be broad because, by definition, the Government does not know what situations it might need the power to deal with.
On scrutiny procedure, as I said—I do not want to keep repeating myself—I believe that there should be independent scrutiny. My mind is open to looking at the various models that are available under the term “super-affirmative procedure”. However, I do not think that it is the role of Government exclusively to turn our minds to that. This Parliament has an important role, particularly given the scrutiny responsibilities that our parliamentary committees have. I would hope that we as a Government would be able to reach a view—based on views certainly from the lead committee and perhaps from other committees and from the expert group—on what should be in the legislation by way of independent scrutiny of Government exercise of social security powers.
Is flexibility about the need to have an eye to potential changes to the social security rules at Westminster, given that 85 per cent of social security powers remain reserved? If something is in the bill, does that make it potentially difficult to deal with any change at Westminster that has an effect on citizens in Scotland? Am I incorrect to think that?
No, broadly speaking you are correct and I agree with you. The nature of making a provision for short-term assistance is to allow a Government to deal with the unexpected. Because it is unexpected, we cannot list what it is going to be—that is not possible or sensible. If we create a power to provide short-term assistance and specify the things that it covers, we will undercut it because the point is to cover the unexpected.
As the convener rightly said, we are talking about legislation that covers 11 benefits. The UK welfare system will still be covering the majority of the spend on benefits, including virtually all the employment-related benefits. It is, therefore, sensible for the Scottish Government to have the power to provide short-term assistance in circumstances that cannot, at this point, be foreseen. Does Colin Brown or Fraser Gough want to add anything to that?
Fraser Gough (Scottish Government)
The constraint on short-term assistance is that it has to be for a short-term need. It could not be used to institute a mechanism to replace an entire benefit that had disappeared from the Westminster model. The Government is clear that if we were going to create a whole new type of assistance to run on a long-term basis, that ought to come back before Parliament for proper scrutiny and consideration. However, if there were short-term needs arising from the UK Government rolling people on to universal credit and leaving them without benefits for six weeks, for example, the Scottish Government might want the power to step in and help people out a bit in that kind of unexpected circumstance.
I would like to ask about the top-up of reserved benefits. Why does the bill not contain provisions specifying the existing UK benefits that the Scottish ministers seek to top up? Was any consideration given to specifying in the bill the relevant existing UK benefits, while taking a power to amend the bill to respond to future changes in the UK benefits system?
The bill does not specify existing reserved benefits that Scottish ministers seek to top up because at present there are no plans to top up such benefits. In addition, if we were to list in the bill specific benefits that could be topped up, section 45 would have to be updated every time the UK benefits system changed. Whether that was done via an amending power or in any other way, I do not think that it would be a particularly sensible use of parliamentary time.
Again, we cannot sensibly anticipate what might or might not be done at UK level. At present, the power is provided to top up any reserved benefit within the limits of devolved legislative competence. We have deliberately framed it broadly to reflect fully the devolution settlement. I think that that is clear and generally understood, but I am happy to commit to ensuring that our new social security agency publishes information that explains very clearly which benefits are delivered by the Scottish Government and which remain reserved to the UK.
Pauline McNeill
We have probably covered this in part, but I will ask my question anyway.
The guidance on discretionary housing assistance that can be issued by the Scottish ministers under section 52(2) might contain details relating to a wide range of matters that, in relation to the other forms of assistance in the bill, are set out in regulations and are subject to a particular parliamentary procedure. In your written response to the committee you said that to require parliamentary approval of guidance of that type would not seem to be an appropriate use of parliamentary time. I guess that that is the same theme.
It remains my view that the best use of Parliament’s time is making law, not guidance. The obligation on local authorities is to have regard for the guidance that will be issued under section 52(2) of the bill. That reflects the current arrangements, which work well without detailed ministerial direction. Guidance is not binding on local authorities, to allow them a degree of scope to deliver services in a way that suits their particular local needs and circumstances. Our preference is always to allow for that degree of flexibility for local delivery. However, any such guidance will be laid under section 52(5) of the bill, which requires a copy to be laid before Parliament. That means that Parliament will be free to take any steps that it thinks appropriate at that stage.
Thank you for your helpful opening remarks on parliamentary scrutiny. You said that there is an important role for the Scottish Parliament in scrutinising the regulations and the primary legislation. Given the technical nature of the regulations, do you have a view about the balance between an independent scrutiny committee and the Parliament itself? In terms of the scrutiny of the operation of the regulations as a whole, would there be any advantage in having some kind of cross arrangement with Westminster so that we could use the technical expertise that is available there?
Sorry, could you explain what you mean by a “cross arrangement”?
I am asking the question in my capacity as a member of the Social Security Committee, which heard from a witness who talked about the Irish situation. The witness said that it would be worth considering having someone from the independent scrutiny committee at Westminster sitting on any committee that might be set up for independent scrutiny of Scottish Parliament regulations, and vice versa, as such people deal with technical regulations all the time.
Currently, two members of the Social Security Advisory Committee, which operates at UK level, are on the expert group. They are Dr McCormick, who is the chair, and a member who recently joined. What they bring in terms of their experience of the operation of that committee is invaluable.
The situation in Northern Ireland is different in that Northern Ireland has some powers over the delivery of the entire social security system, which we do not have. However, there is a limitation on those powers, as it is not really possible to change too much between what is implemented in England and what is delivered in Northern Ireland. Therefore, in making comparisons, we need to be mindful of the differences.
That said, in the consideration of how we go forward with independent scrutiny, it might be helpful and valuable to ensure that what is done in relation to social security in Scotland—and, equally, what is done south of the border—does not create unintended consequences. I have often said elsewhere that whatever we do in the immediate or longer term with the 11 benefits for which we will take responsibility, any future Government needs be able to work in a complementary way with what remains of the UK welfare system, because, at times, individuals will be in receipt of benefits from both Governments.
We do not want to get into a situation where what one Government does creates an unintended negative impact on what another Government does. There are issues about how the fiscal framework seeks to deal with that. For example, as I think that I said to Parliament when I made the statement on the new social security agency, we have recently resolved the issue of abolishing bedroom tax at source. Therefore, I can see value in making sure that at senior level there is at least co-operation, in terms of understanding and experience, between whatever body we have in Scotland and the Social Security Advisory Committee.
Just so that we are all clear, I say that I have always believed that there is an important role for independent scrutiny of how social security in Scotland is designed, delivered and legislated for in future. We should not simply say that we will do what is done south of the border, because it is not an easy comparison, for two reasons. First, our Parliament is different and its committees have a clear scrutiny role that Westminster committees do not have. Secondly, I do not believe that it is right to have an independent body operating at such a level and with such a purpose that ministers of any Government can bypass when they introduce measures, as is currently the case at UK level.
I am keen to reach a final conclusion—with, I hope, input from the Social Security Committee and the expert group, as well as from this committee if it has views—that will allow us, before the bill completes its road through the Parliament, to be clear about what the independent scrutiny arrangements will be, what role such a committee will have, what requirements there will be on the Scottish ministers to consult it and to whom it might report.
I have a final question. The experience panels, which involve more than 2,400 people, have an input role, but will they have a role in scrutiny as well?
Under the bill, they do not currently have such a role. That issue is part of what the expert group is considering. As I think that I said, and as Dr McCormick has certainly said, the group will want to engage with the Social Security Committee and perhaps other committees of the Parliament. It will also want to consider views from other stakeholder groups, including the experience panels. It is up to the expert group, which is independent, to work out exactly how it wants to do that.
As we have no further questions, I thank the minister and her team.
10:43 Meeting suspended. 10:44 On resuming—
Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2017 [Draft]
The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 introduces a new type of tenancy for all future lets in the private rented sector. Regulation 5(2)(b) of the draft regulations will amend paragraph 82 of the schedule to the Letting Agent Code of Practice (Scotland) Regulations 2016 (SSI 2016/133), which is on visiting and entering property, so that part of the paragraph reads:
“Section 184 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 specifies that at least 24 hours’ notice must be given, or 48 hours’ notice where the tenancy is a private residential tenancy, unless the situation is urgent”.
Regulation 5(2)(b) could have been drafted more clearly, given that the 48 hours’ notice period is set out not in section 184 of the 2006 act but in paragraph 6 of the schedule to the draft Private Residential Tenancies (Statutory Terms) (Scotland) Regulations 2017, which were laid before the Parliament on 14 September. The Scottish Government has undertaken to include a provision to clarify the matter in an instrument that will amend SSI 2016/133 prior to those regulations coming into force on 31 January 2018.
Does the committee agree to draw these regulations to the Parliament’s attention on reporting ground (h), as the meaning of regulation 5(2)(b) could be clearer in a particular respect?
Does the committee wish to welcome the Scottish Government’s undertaking that it will clarify the matter in an amending instrument?
No points have been raised by our legal advisers on the following two instruments.
Scotland Act 1998 (Insolvency Functions) Order 2017 [Draft]
Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 Amendment Regulations 2017 [Draft]
Is the committee content with the instruments?
Agricultural Holdings (Modern Limited Duration Tenancies and Consequential etc Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/300)
A main purpose of the regulations is to make provision on who a “new entrant” to farming is for the purposes of determining whether a person’s lease of a modern limited duration tenancy under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 can contain a break clause. Paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 6 of schedule 2 to the regulations all provide that, until the coming into force of section 92 of the 2016 act for all purposes, various specified enactments are to be read as if references to certain phrases that are expressed in quotation marks in each regulation were omitted. Those phrases are “repairing tenancy” and “a repairing tenancy”.
Our legal advisers suggest that the provisions could be more clearly expressed if the precise wording that falls to be omitted or modified in each enactment were quoted, so that the provision as modified reads sensibly. In the case of paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 6 of schedule 2 to the regulations, the precise wording is not quoted in the provisions. The Scottish Government has acknowledged that it might have been clearer to have drafted the transitory provisions in the manner that has been outlined.
Does the committee agree to draw the regulations to the Parliament’s attention on reporting ground (h), as the meaning of various transitory provisions could be made clearer in a particular respect? That applies to paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 6 of schedule 2 to the regulations.
Does the committee agree to call on the Scottish Government to further consider laying an amending instrument to clarify the drafting of the provisions?
Functions of Health Boards (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017 (SSI 2017/304)
Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/310)
Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 (Commencement No 2 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/293 (C 21))
The regulations commence the remaining provisions of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 on 1 December 2017, with the exception of paragraph 5 of schedule 4, and they make saving provision for existing short assured tenancies. However, no provision appears to have been made to reflect the terms of paragraph (a) or (b) of section 79(4) of the 2016 act in relation to the commencement of section 1 of that act. The Scottish Government has confirmed that that is an oversight and that it intends immediately to bring forward an amending instrument to make provision that reflects the terms of section 79(4).
Does the committee agree to draw the instrument to the Parliament’s attention under reporting ground (g), on the basis that it was made by what appears to be an unusual or unexpected use of the powers conferred by the parent statute?
Does the committee agree to welcome the Scottish Government’s undertaking to bring forward an amending instrument immediately to make provision that reflects the terms of section 79(4)?
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 (Commencement No 6, Transitory and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/299 (C 23))
A main purpose of the regulations is to commence a number of provisions of part 10 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 on 30 November 2017. The regulations make provision, until the coming into force of section 92 of the 2016 act for all purposes, for various specified enactments to be read as if references to certain words that are expressed in quotation marks in each regulation were omitted. Those words are “a repairing tenancy” and “repairing tenancies”.
Our legal advisers suggest that the provisions could be more clearly expressed if the precise wording that falls to be omitted or modified in each enactment were quoted, so that the provisions as modified read sensibly. In the case of regulations 5 to 11, regulation 12(a) to (j), regulation 12(m), regulation 12(n) in respect of section 77(4) of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 and regulation 13, the precise wording is not quoted in the provisions.
The Scottish Government has undertaken to lay an amending instrument before the Parliament to correct an error in regulation 1(2) at the earliest opportunity, and before the regulations come into force on 30 November 2017.
Does the committee agree to draw the regulations to the Parliament’s attention on reporting ground (i), as there appears to be defective drafting in regulation 1(2), where a “limited duration tenancy” is defined for the purposes of the regulations as having the same meaning as in section 93 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016, but the definition is in section 93 of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003; and on reporting ground (h), as the meaning of various transitory provisions in regulations 5 to 11, regulation 12(a) to (j), regulation 12(m), regulation 12(n) in respect of section 77(4) of the 2003 act and regulation 13 could be made clearer in a particular respect?
Given the Scottish Government’s undertaking to lay an amending instrument to correct the error in regulation 1(2), and its indication that it might have been clearer to have drafted the transitory provisions in the way that has been indicated, does the committee agree to call on the Government to so clarify the provisions by means of the amending instrument?
Item 6 is consideration of motion S5M-07795, which relates to the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 (Reporting Procedures) Resolution 2017. The purpose of the motion is to seek agreement to that resolution. Our legal advisers have raised no points on the motion. Is the committee content with the resolution that is set out in motion S5M-07795?
The Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill is a member’s bill that was introduced by Gillian Martin on 28 February 2016. The bill passed stage 1 on 23 May 2017 and amendments were agreed to by the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee at stage 2 on 28 June 2017.
The committee has before it a paper that considers a revision that was made at stage 2 to the sole delegated power in the bill, which inserted a new subsection into the commencement provisions at section 5. The new subsection requires that regulations that make provision in relation to the commencement of section 1
“may not appoint a day later than 31 December 2018.”
Section 1 requires a school authority to ensure that seat belts are fitted to each passenger seat that is used for a dedicated school transport service.
Our legal advisers have raised no issues with the amended power. Does the committee agree to find the commencement power in section 5 of the bill, as amended at stage 2, to be acceptable in principle?
Is the committee content that regulations made under that section will be laid before the Parliament but will not be subject to any further parliamentary procedure?
Is the committee content to report to the lead committee accordingly?
10:55 Meeting continued in private until 11:49.
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Copper Country Adventure
Ethel C. Brill
Bruce Adams
Sixteen-year-old Steve Harlow is on his own and nearly penniless in a remote area on the shores of Lake Superior—territory that is just now, in 1846, being developed for its copper riches. After leaving his widowed mother behind in Maine, Steve and his Uncle Mark had set off on the slow journey by steamboat for the Keweenaw Peninsula, only to have tragedy strike midway at Mackinac Island. Forced to continue on alone, carrying important letters for his uncle’s business partner, Steve runs afoul of a confidence man and his crew, who will go to any length to prevent the young man from finding out the truth about his uncle’s investment. Steve is befriended by a sympathetic mining company surveyor and his two children and soon joins forces with the family and Old Anatole, a French-Canadian boat captain. On board the small but sturdy Mackinaw boat, Jeanne, he embarks on a series of adventures that lead him not only toward the truth about his Uncle’s partner, but also cast him headlong into a dangerous race to find a mysterious and abandoned copper mine. Ethel C. Brill, using her gift for authentically capturing a time and a region within the vehicle of an exciting story, renders a memorable, historical portrait of the remote and wild area of what is now part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Original Book: 213 pages
E-Book only
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Subscribe To How Walt Disney Animation Aims To Balance Original Movies And Sequels Going Forward Updates
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How Walt Disney Animation Aims To Balance Original Movies And Sequels Going Forward
By Eric Eisenberg
This is a big week for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Not only is Ralph Breaks The Internet now available for Digital Download, but the first trailer for the upcoming Frozen 2 was released earlier today. These are obviously two very different titles released by the same company, but one big thing they share in common is that they are sequels. After all, Walt Disney Animation is a studio definitely not known for theatrically-released follow-ups, and now we’re getting two of them in a row.
Naturally, this raises an important question: how will sequels be approached moving forward? The library of titles in this arena used to be limited to Rescuers Down Under and Fantasia 2000, but that was before our current Hollywood era of franchise and IP dominance. It puts Walt Disney Animation in an interesting position, and one that I got the chance to recently discuss with two members of Disney’s Story Trust: Ralph Breaks The Internet directors Rich Moore and Phil Johnston.
I sat down with the filmmakers earlier this month during the home video press day for their new movie, and it was at the end of the interview that I raised the discussion about the company’s sequel philosophy. In responding to my question, they fully acknowledged the interesting position in which Disney currently finds itself when it comes to demands from the audience. Said Rich Moore,
People want sequels. They want to see their favorite characters again a story that they love - and it's going to be tough! We have Frozen 2 coming, and people want to see Anna and Elsa on the big screen again, but I don't think that we ever want to get into a practice where we're just making sequels. We really doubled down on, 'We need to create new stories.' We can't just get into this rut of just revisiting something that we did five years ago, and giving another chapter of that.
Walt Disney Animation isn’t exactly going sequel overboard right now (per the old saying, two doesn’t make a pattern), but they have released some massive hits in recent years with worlds fans would be eager to revisit – including Zootopia and Big Hero 6. Furthermore, we don’t exactly know a great deal about their upcoming slate right now. Frozen 2, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and set to be released on November 22nd, is the only officially announced Walt Disney Animation project that we currently know about. And while we’ll surely hear about a lot more at this summer’s D23 Expo, one has to wonder how many of the earmarked release dates in the next three years will feature familiar characters.
This isn’t a specific question that Disney is ready to answer yet, but Rich Moore was definitely happy to share how he feels all sequels need to be developed at Walt Disney Animation – noting his experience with Ralph Breaks The Internet as a prime example. Basically, the decision to make any kind of follow-up should not be motivated by box office earnings, but instead via desire and interest on behalf of the original filmmakers. Moore explained,
Really it was the love of the characters that we had for Ralph and Vanellope, and just the team that made the movie that made us go back to it. No one said to us, 'We want you to make another Ralph movie.' It came from us. So if we can keep it honest like that, that no one is saying make sequels, that it comes from the filmmakers, and we're making just as much original content here, then I think we're okay. Then it's healthy.
Taking a wider view, the longevity of the film industry as a whole is dependent on original and diverse storytelling that shows audiences things they’ve never seen before, and within that realm Phil Johnston acknowledged the important role Walt Disney Animation serves. While every studio constantly struggles to get audiences to engage with the unfamiliar, WDAS is one of the few companies that regularly makes it work, and that success creates a certain responsibility.
If Walt Disney Animation is one of the few names in the game that can get people to “take their medicine” in the form of original characters and storytelling (oh the horror), then that’s something that they need to embrace. Said Johnston,
The beauty to me about animation at our studio is that it's really one of the last places in big budget Hollywood filmmaking where original ideas can thrive and grow and become their own thing. Most of what exists now is existing brands or IP that lives in the world. The fact that we created Ralph and Vanellope those years ago, and we have revisited them, but I love that they live in the world and they didn't live in the world 10 years ago, and same with Nick and Judy in Zootopia.
Continuing, Phil Johnston further explained that there is also still something incredible about leaving a particular stamp on the world as a result of your own creativity:
I love that you can still make stuff up out of your imagination, and it can become a fun, successful movie whether it's a brand or a franchise or not. I don't know, I'm just proud that this place is making stuff that's original, and coming from the hearts and imaginations of the people who work here.
You can watch Rich Moore and Phil Johnston discuss the future of Walt Disney Animation Studios – and also pitch a super-weird crossover idea – by clicking play on the video below.
The next moves made by Walt Disney Animation Studios are going to be heavily scrutinized by fans and critics alike, and it should go without saying that our curiosity is piqued. We’ll continue to follow developments here at CinemaBlend, and in the meantime you can enjoy the latest hit from the filmmaking giant.
As mentioned above, Ralph Breaks The Internet, starring John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, and Taraji P. Henson, is now available for digital purchase. And for those of you waiting for physical copies, the film will be available on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD.
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Netflix New Releases: Movies And TV Shows Coming To Netflix Streaming In June 2019
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State Department Approves Illegal Scheme for Doubling Tar Sands Flowing through the Great Lakes
Jim Murphy | August 25, 2014
Updated: Take action below to tell the State Department not to allow expansion of the Alberta Clipper tar sands pipeline.
On August 18, 2014, the State Department posted documents that show Enbridge has hatched a scheme to almost double the flow of tar sands into the Great Lakes region along its Alberta Clipper pipeline ( also known as Line 67), in contradiction to its existing permit. In a privately sent letter from a mid-level State Department official, the State Department acquiesced to Enbridge’s new plan. This letter has yet to be made public by the State Department.
This is a substantial change in how tar sands enters the United States. Federal law requires the State Department to approve any such change only if the following requirements have been met: (1) public notice and involvement, (2) a detailed environmental review, and (3) a national interest determination. This is the process governing review of the Keystone XL pipeline. But here, none of these requirements have been followed.
Increased tar sands in the Great Lakes would present spill risks to the wildlife and people that depend on these treasures, as well as spurring carbon pollution and climate change.
The State Department must immediately correct this illegal mistake and stop Enbridge from any tar sands expansion along the Alberta Clipper line until the law has been followed. A failure to do so violates both the law and President Obama’s commitment to ensure that tar sands pipeline projects not exacerbate the problem of climate change.
Great Blue Heron covered in oil from the Enbridge oil spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan Photo/David Kenyon
Enbridge’s Plans to Move Tar Sands through the Great Lakes
Enbridge, a giant Canadian oil pipeline company, operates a vast array of pipelines through the Great Lakes region that carry climate-disrupting, toxic tar sands from Northern Alberta to refineries in the region and beyond. The main artery for this system is Alberta Clipper, a 1,000 mile line that transports tar sands to terminus in Superior, Wisconsin, where the tar sands is either refined or loaded onto other pipes for refinery or possible export.
Alberta Clipper currently has a Presidential Permit allowing it to ship up to 450,000 barrels per day (bpd) on the that line. To fulfill the industry’s desire to increase carbon intensive tar sands extraction, Enbridge submitted an Application to the State Department in November of 2012 to ultimately approximately double the amount of tar sands flowing through Alberta Clipper to 880,000 bpd. This would make it larger than the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
The State Department made clear that it would require a new amended permit before this expansion could take place and that it would prepare, prior to approval of any expansion, a comprehensive Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, or environmental review, that will include “information and analysis about potential impacts associated with the proposed increased volume of crude oil, as well as any other subjects that may need to be updated because there exist significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns bearing on the proposed action or its impacts.”
This review process has been underway, with the State Department accepting scoping comments on the review process in May of 2013. Applicable law requires that the State Department issue a draft review, take and consider public comments on that review, and then make a reasoned determination as to whether Enbridge’s expansion proposal is in the national interest.
While there is not a specific test for the national interest, in a June 25, 2013 speech, President Obama stated that tar sands pipelines projects are not in the national interest if they “exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution.” After a previous consultant withdrew for unknown reasons, the State Department contracted with another outside consultant in or about March of 2014 to resume the environmental review process.
Scheming to Avoid Review
In a June 16, 2014 letter made public by the State Department on August 20, 2014, Enbridge attorneys provided details of a plan first laid out in a referenced meeting between Enbridge and State Department officials on June 3, 2014 to approximately double the capacity of Alberta Clipper without going through the required review process.
Enbridge’s plan is to increase the volume of the flow of tar sands on Alberta Clipper by pumping tar sands to a neighboring pipeline (Line 3) north of the US/Canada border and then pumping it back to Alberta Clipper just south of the border. Line 3 has a Presidential Permit, but unlike Alberta Clipper’s permit it does not appear to expressly limit the capacity of that line. However, Line 3 is not a tar sands pipeline and was not approved as such.
This switch would currently allow an increase of volume of tar sands on the Alberta Clipper line of up to 800,000 bpd. This would effectively double the flow of carbon intensive tar sands on the line – the very thing Enbridge is seeking in its permit application and State Department is supposedly reviewing.
Tar Sands protesters via Rainforest Action Network/Flickr
State Department’s Illegal Approval of this Scheme
On July 24, 2014, Patrick Dunn, a mid-level State Department official, wrote a letter to Enbridge’s attorneys stating that Enbridge’s plan to move up to 800,000 bpd on Alberta Clipper by switching lines with Line 3 at the border does “not require authorization.” This is like interpreting a speed limit as only applying to the road, but not the road’s shoulder.
To make matters worse, this letter was never made public or subjected to public review. The Keystone XL pipeline – which is indefinitely delayed – has already received millions of public comments expressing concern over the impacts of tar sands.
Enbridge’s proposal violates its permit which does not allow it ship more tar sands and also appears to violate Line 3’s permit, which does not contemplate moving such a high volume of tar sands. State Department must follow the law before approving the proposed change. Enbridge’s permit limits the flow on Alberta Clipper to 450,000 and State Department has already made clear any increase requires an amended permit and comprehensive environmental review.
The State Department must reverse this decision, prohibit Enbridge from moving forward with any capacity increase until the current review, and ensure the President’s climate test is applied to this effort double the amount of toxic tar sands snaking through the Great Lakes.
Tell the State Department: Do not allow expansion of the Alberta Clipper tar sands pipeline!
Conservation | Alberta Clipper, Enbridge, Great Lakes, state department, tar sands
Written by Jim Murphy
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Schoolyard Blog | Teacher Resources | School Specialty
Classroom must haves for teachers plus essential teacher supplies, lesson plans and activities.
Inspiration & Planning
STEAM & STEM
School Specialty • Feb 22, 2019
Women in STEM: Dorothy Hodgkin Facts & Discussion Questions
Throughout history, there have been thousands of impactful STEM field innovators, but under representation of women means that educators should take time to highlight key female role models. Dorothy Hodgkin was a British chemist who won the Nobel Prize for the development of protein crystallography in 1964.
“I should not like to leave an impression that all structural problems can be settled by x-ray analysis or that or that all crystal structures are easy to solve. I seem to have spend much more of my life not solving structures than solving them.” – Dorothy Hodgkin
Who Was Dorothy Hodgkin?
Dorothy Hodgkin was born Dorothy Mary Crowfoot in 1910. She and her siblings were raised spending time in both Egypt and England, with her primary education being in England where she developed a passion for chemistry. Her mother, a highly proficient botanist, encouraged her interest in all the sciences.
After graduating from high school, Dorothy began studying chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford. In 1932, she became only the third woman in history to be awarded a first-class honours degree. After receiving her degree, Hodgkins began using x-ray crystallography to research the structure of proteins. It was because of this research that she was awarded her PhD in 1937.
Out of all her research and discoveries, Dorothy Hodgkin is most well-known for the discovery of three-dimensional bio-molecular structures.
5 Facts About Dorothy Hodgkin
Share these 5 fun and interesting facts about Dorothy Hodgkin with your students.
Dorothy was born in Cairo, Egypt, but spent the majority of her life with her grandparents in England while her parents worked abroad in Egypt.
Hodgkin was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1964 for Chemistry after having discovered the structure for many molecules including the vitamin B12, penicillin and insulin.
Dorothy also received the Order of Merit in 1965 – she was only the second woman in history to have received the distinction.
Hodgkin developed chronic rheumatoid arthritis at the young age of 28, leaving her hands swollen and painful. Despite this she continued to pursue her passion and work.
From 1975 to 1988 Dorothy was president of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs – an organization that seeks to bring together scientists from around the world.
Quick Group Discussion Questions
After sharing this information about Dorothy Hodgkin and her career and achievements, have students break into groups and answer the following questions before sharing their thoughts with the class.
Dorothy Hodgkin struggled with painful arthritis throughout her life, but persevered and continued to make important discoveries. How can we be better supports for other people when they are struggling?
Three-dimensional models of molecules has inspired many creative works of art. Can you think of any other scientific structures or discoveries have inspired artists throughout history?
Dorothy Hodgkin had to show perseverance despite facing sexist attitudes as one of the first women in history to be awarded a first class honors degree (typically reserved for men). Share a time where you felt you had to persevere to accomplish something you were passionate about.
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Sports Illustrated snubs Al Davis
By Will Kane on October 13, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Al Davis in a helmet. Or not.
In this case, you can judge a book by its cover.
Sports Illustrated essentially left late Raiders mastermind Al Davis off its most recent cover, choosing to instead focus on NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson.
What could be more important in the world of sports than the man who took the Silver and Black to three Super Bowls and was one of the most recognized franchise owners in America?
To their credit, the folks at SI devoted a number of inside pages to Mr. Davis, who died Saturday at the age of 82.
But the only mention on the cover was a little box in the middle of the logo.
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Sociocultural Perspectives in Social Psychology: Current Readings
Letitia Anne Peplau, Shelley E. Taylor
Prentice Hall, Jan 1, 1997 - Psychology - 411 pages
This supplementary text offers students current findings on sociocultural issues in social psychology. Presented with a multicultural perspective, this collection of readings complements a basic textbook with new research and concepts about culture, ethnic minorities, and established principles as they relate to standard topics of social psychology. The readings in this book are derived from primary sources written by renowned authors, and reflect the field's diverse methods for conducting research. Context-setting introductions and critical thinking questions encourage students to carefully consider each topic's applications and implications both in and out of the classroom.
83 pages matching significant in this book
The Study of Culture Ethnicity and Race in American Psychology
Influences of a Narrow Data Base
Trends in Published
acculturation achievement advertising African African-American American Psychological Association anagrams analysis ANOVAs appeals assessed associated attitudes attributes behavior bicultural competence Black Chinese cognitive collectivism collectivistic college students communication construal context contrast cross-cultural psychology cultural differences Developmental Psychology dimension effects emotions emphasize ethnic group example experience experimental expressions factors feelings gender Hispanic homicide Hong Kong hypothesis identification important in-group incidents Indian individual individualistic interaction interdependent internal interpersonal intimacy involvement Japan Japanese Journal of Personality JPSP laboratory Latinos mainstream majority marriage measure Mexican-American moral Morita therapy motivation negotiation norms objective obligations one's pattern perceived Personality and Social perspective racial rape rates relationships reported response role romantic love sample secondary control self-esteem sexual significant situation Social Psychology society specific subjects suggested theory tion token Triandis tural values variables White women York
Shelley E. Taylor is professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Taylor received her B.A. in psychology from Connecticut College and her Ph.D. in social psychology from Yale University. She taught at Harvard University until 1979, when she joined the faculty at UCLA. She has won a number of awards for her work, including the Donald Campbell Award for Distinguished Scientific Contribution to Social Psychology, the Outstanding Scientific Contribution Award in Health Psychology, the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Psychological Association, and the William James Fellow Award from the American Psychological Society. She has served on the editorial boards of many journals. Her other books include "Social Cognition" (with Susan T. Fiske)," Health Psychology, Positive Illusions," and "The Tending Instinct," She has published numerous articles and book chapters in social cognition, health psychology, and social neuroscience.
Letitia Anne Peplau is professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Peplau received her B.A. in psychology from Brown University and her Ph.D. in social psychology from Harvard University. Since 1973, she has taught at UCLA, where she has served as chair of the social psychology program and co-director of the Center for the Study of Women. She was elected president of the International Society for the Study of Personal Relationships and received the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Her other books include "Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory, Research, and Therapy" (edited with Daniel Perlman), "Close Relationships" (withHarold H. Kelley et al.), and "Gender, Culture, and Ethnicity" (edited with Rose Veniegas et al.) She has published numerous articles and book chapters on such topics as loneliness, friendship, gender roles in heterosexual dating and marriage, the relationships of lesbians and gay men, and the development of sexual orientation.
David O. Sears is professor of psychology and political science, former dean of social sciences, and current director of the Institute for Social Science Research at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Sears received his B.A. in history from Stanford University and his Ph.D. in psychology from Yale University. Since 1962, he has taught at UCLA. He has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, president of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, and president of the International Society of Political Psychology. His other books include "Public Opinion "(with Robert E. Lane), "The Politics of Violence: The New Urban Blacks and the Watts Riot "(with John B. McConahay), "Tax Revolt: Something for Nothing in California "(with Jack Citrin), "Political Cognition" (edited with Richard R. Lau), "Racialized Politics: The Debate About Racism in America" (edited with Jim Sidanius and Lawrence Bobo), and the "Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology" (edited with Leonie Huddy and Robert Jervis). He has published articles and book chapters on a wide variety of topics, including attitude change, mass communications, ghetto riots, political socialization, voting behavior, racism in politics, and the politics of multiculturalism.
Shelley E. Taylor is a distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA and one of the country's leading scientists. She lives in Los Angeles.
Title Sociocultural Perspectives in Social Psychology: Current Readings
Editors Letitia Anne Peplau, Shelley E. Taylor
Contributor Shelley E. Taylor
Publisher Prentice Hall, 1997
Psychology / Social Psychology
Social Science / Sociology / General
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Columbia College of Nursing
From combat to clinical care: a nursing degree decades in the making
Shane Ley is a non-traditional student who is pursuing his degree at Columbia College of Nursing.
Nursing student strives to join the team that saved her life
Chelsea Wardecke is following her dream of becoming a nurse at Columbia College of Nursing.
Visit a College Campus
Go beyond the brochures – take a tour of a private college in Wisconsin.
Attend Private College Week July 11-16
Visiting the campus is a big part of the college selection process. Take advantage of WI Private College Week, July 11-16, 2016.
Small is smart: Wisconsin’s 24 private, nonprofit colleges provide students with an extraordinary education
Our students can attest to the benefits of a small academic environment, from the personalized guidance, to the opportunities for hands-on learning.
There’s a lot of history behind the names of Wisconsin’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities. Read on to find out what “Nashotah” means in the Chippewa language, who St. Norbert was, where the city of Carthage is located (spoiler alert: it’s not in Wisconsin), and how much a pound of bacon cost when Columbia College of Nursing was founded, among other fun facts.
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Evidence-based analysis and commentary on European politics
EU Politics
Romania’s politics on fire: Why Victor Ponta resigned and what it means for the country
A tragic accident at a Bucharest nightclub resulted in 32 people losing their lives and triggered a series of events that culminated in the resignation of Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta on 4 November. Ponta was already under significant pressure to quit following corruption allegations, but had resisted handing in his resignation until now. Why this change of heart? Dan Brett provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation and points out that, for Ponta, resigning over an accident he could not be blamed for was the easiest way out. Despite Ponta’s resignation, widespread anger at perceived political corruption has ensured protests have continued on the streets of Romanian towns and cities, with even the country’s popular President Klaus Iohannis potentially in the firing line.
Victor Ponta’s resignation as Romania’s Prime Minister on the morning of 4 November, after 20,000 people protested on the streets of Bucharest the day before, came as something of a surprise. Ponta – who had survived protests since becoming Prime Minister, had been accused of plagiarism and corruption, was heavily defeated in the Presidential elections, and was facing court cases for corruption – had so far refused to quit. Now, following the deaths of 32 people in a fire at the Colectiv Club in Bucharest, he has finally resigned.
‘Corruption is toxic’ (via Gândul)
Despite Ponta’s resignation, more protesters took to the streets on Wednesday night: the newspaper Gândul reported 30,000 people on the streets, with others placing the number as high as 60,000. The protests have not been limited to Bucharest, as is often the case, but have spread to provincial towns and cities including Cluj, Iași, Ploiești, Brașov, Alba Iulia, Miercurea-Ciuc, and Râmnicu-Vâlcea, reflecting the nationwide anger.
The deaths at an unsafe club with no fire protection galvanised the population to take their widespread discontent to the streets. The protests come in the wake of the death of a police motorcyclist in a motorcade for Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea. Although Oprea was not entitled to a motorcade, he had claimed one anyway, using it for things such as his trips to the hairdresser and restaurants. Following the death, Ponta used his powers of emergency decree to change the law post-factum to entitle Oprea to a motorcade. Oprea has since come under further scrutiny over his military and academic CV.
In the eyes of the population, the tragic accident at the club was the result of corruption, with permits and licenses given out upon receipt of a bribe. Indeed, the recent anti-corruption drive resulted in the Mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu being caught red-handed taking bribes. After the fire, appeals for blood donations and medicine for the victims brought into sharper focus the underfunding of healthcare services and the theft of public money by the elite, who are accused of squandering it on vanity projects.
Corruption and enrichment is such a common feature of Romanian political life that it has become easy to dismiss it as ‘over-stated’ or to say ‘they are all equally corrupt, so why care?’; however, the deaths of 32 people as a direct result of corruption has provoked widespread anger. It is no longer a game played by elite politicians to enrich themselves or their cronies, but rather the cause of the deaths of many innocent people.
‘You should have burned’ placard depicting Piedone, Patriarch Daniel, Oprea and Ponta. (via Gândul)
Ponta came to power on the back of street protests against austerity in 2011-12. Seeing the popular anger, Ponta’s Social Democratic Party (PSD) allied with members of the National Liberal Party (PNL) to form the Social Liberal Union electoral coalition (USL) and positioned themselves as opposed to austerity. In so doing, they successfully captured the sentiments and used them to propel themselves to power. However, once in office Ponta and the USL went back on every promise made. This explains the anger with the system – a political elite that has consistently captured and then betrayed every popular movement from the revolution of 1989.
While Victor Ponta and the allegations against him are relatively well known, his deputy and Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea is less well known. Oprea is a member of the smaller National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) party. The UNPR is in office not because they gained enough votes, but because they agreed to be part of the USL electoral coalition with the PSD, and at the time the PNL, against then President Basescu’s Democratic Liberal Party (PDL).
A part of various governments since the fall of communism, he has frequently switched sides, always claiming that it was ‘in the national interest’. His roots lie in the military and the security apparatus, although his path from waiter in the military restaurant to four-star general has recently come under scrutiny. He is also reported to have threatened critical bloggers by telephone as well. Thus he is seen as a very murky and unpleasant politician.
Cristian Popescu aka Piedone, the mayor of Sector 4 in Bucharest, has also resigned. Bucharest has a mayor, and its 6 districts each have their own mayor as well. Piedone’s sector includes the working class district of Berceni, as well as the southern part of Central Bucharest. Piedone is a member of Oprea’s UNPR, but he had previously been elected as an independent mayor.
A populist, activist mayor, Piedone made his name as a health inspector, going to the markets with a television crew in tow and condemning meat that was unsafe. He maintained a visible profile on the streets of Sector 4; in the winter he could be seen outside directing trucks clearing the snow. In a country where politicians do nothing, he was seen as doing something. Thus he had built up a considerable support base among the population in Sector 4, whose general appearance and infrastructure considerably improved while he was mayor, and hence he was someone that national actors appealed to for support.
An arrogant, vain elite
The satirical website Times New Roman‘s view of the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel Ciobotea.
In addition to anger at politicians, anger has become increasingly directed against the Orthodox Church. Criticism has long been levelled against the church for its self-enrichment and exploitation of the poorest members of the population. The church, exempt from paying many taxes, has launched vanity projects such as the Cathedral for the Salvation of the Romanian People, which will cost approximately 500 million euros, and the Romanian Parliament has given 12 million euros of public money to the project. Moreover, it was recently revealed that the Patriarch, like Oprea, has also been using a police motorcade. Satirical journal Times New Roman portrays the Patriarch’s staff as topped with a dollar sign.
At the same time, the accident has shown the acute pressure under which Romanian hospitals operate. The appeals for help in the aftermath of the fire highlighted that the drugs hospitals need are simply unaffordable, and that the hospitals themselves are under-funded and under-staffed. A state of the art burn unit in Bucharest has never opened due to lack of resources and trained staff. The contrast between the Church taking money from the state and the population and the underfunding of key services has caused further tensions.
The Church and many politicians and commentators have shown a tin ear in their response to the tragedy. Some have explained the accident as the result of people invoking Halloween and evil spirits; the Metropolitan of the Banat claimed that the Church had failed to instil the correct moral values in those who died, suggesting that such values would have saved them. Others, like Christian Democratic National Peasants’ Party (PNȚ-CD) leader Aurelian Pavelescu, rejected the national mourning decreed by the President and accused the victims of being uncultured, drug-taking, promiscuous anarchists.
Akin to an alcoholic denying they have a problem with drinking, apologists for the Church claim that it is being unfairly victimised, that there are many ‘good’ priests and only a few give the church a bad name; apologists for the PSD deploy much the same argument. However, in both cases this argument is based upon a denial of the problem and a desire to play the victim. This is not only in exceptionally poor taste, given the circumstances, but reflects the problems of a Romanian elite that thinks only of itself.
The exception to this response has perhaps been Piedone, who, after initially denying any responsibility and turning up with papers absolving him of any liability, accepted moral responsibility in his resignation.
Where are the intellectuals?
It is significant that these protests have come from below and reflect anger not just at the government but the wider elite. While President Iohannis has shown more political deftness than Ponta, this anger is directed at the whole establishment, and there is a widespread view that swapping the PSD for the PNL will not improve anything, as the PNL is just as corrupt as the PSD.
While some intellectuals have criticised others for failing to take an active role, the Romanian intelligentsia as a whole has been deeply ineffective in providing leadership, let alone working with or for the population. Thus something of a vacuum is emerging without any clear leadership or alternative. This has been evidenced in the protests of Tuesday night where rumours spread of agitators from the security services or other unknown groups attempting to disrupt and divide the protesters.
Other roadblocks to reform
At the same time, it is clear that considerable resistance from the Romanian political elite will remain. Despite the protests and calls for reform, on 4 November a collection of politicians from different parties launched an appeal to the Constitutional Court to challenge the recently passed law allowing the diaspora to vote by post. The diaspora, which is seen as a major force demanding change and supporting the reformists, is seen as an enemy to the political elite.
The timing of the move was deliberate: the cut off for changes to the electoral law is 15 November, and, by waiting until now, the challengers ensured that the Constitutional Court will not be able to make a decision until 18 November. Hence, even if the appeal ends up being rejected, the diaspora will still not be able to vote, and the Romanian political elite will more easily achieve its goal of keeping the rule. These political games and displays of power by the political elite go some way toward explaining why anger has now boiled over.
Why resign?
The cynical view expressed by many Romanians is that Ponta is resigning now, when he is not under direct fire, in order to appear as a martyr. He has no direct responsibility for permits for clubs in Bucharest, nor is the incident connected to allegations of corruption against him. If he had resigned when accused of plagiarism or corruption, this would have been seen as an admission of guilt. By resigning over something for which he is not directly responsible, he is trying to make himself look like a ‘good guy’ – the victim of a baying mob.
Furthermore, by resigning now and taking Oprea and Piedone with him, Ponta has removed the main targets of popular anger. He hopes this will draw the sting out of the protests and that no deeper changes will need to be made. Thus, the resignation of the Ponta government may ensure that no real changes are made in the long run. However, the increase in the size of the protests on the evening of 4 November suggest that this may not happen.
Where to now?
The recent anti-corruption drive that led to criminal charges being levelled against Ponta has also swept up Mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu, as well as several district Mayors. Large parts of the administration have thus been gutted, with temporary replacements in charge.
One reason Ponta held on for so long as Prime Minister is because, under the Romanian constitution, his successor has to be nominated by the President. Thus it was likely that any replacement would be from President Klaus Iohannis’s PNL party rather than Ponta’s PSD or their allies. By refusing to resign, and with a sufficient parliamentary majority to ensure that he could not lose a vote of confidence, Ponta was able to brazen his way out. By resigning now, he puts the pressure on Iohannis and Ponta’s replacement as president of the PSD, Liviu Dragnea (a man convicted of electoral fraud and suspected of widespread corruption), to find a replacement and to deal with the aftermath.
Placards warning president Iohannis not to follow in other Romanian politicians’ footsteps. (via Gândul)
Some have suggested that the new government will be technocratic in character; however, this view is being met with suspicion that such a government would equate to more of the same. Names being floated as potential Prime Ministers include the likes of Monica Macovei, the former Justice Minister whose work started the current anti-corruption drive. Alternatively, Iohannis may push for early parliamentary elections to take advantage of the weakened PSD. However, this assumes that his supporters (especially in the diaspora) will vote and have not been alienated by anger with the situation. More significantly, the question remains whether the fire will result in any meaningful change in Romanian political life – whether corruption and the shirking of responsibility will end, or whether the names will change while the system remains the same.
The chant of the protesters of ‘No PNL, No PSD, No USL, all out’ reflects anger at the whole system, and placards warning Iohannis: “you have one chance – no Securitate guys, no Mafia guys, no corruption, otherwise you’ll end up in the garbage of history just like Ponta, Băsescu, Iliescu”, show that, while Iohannis has an opportunity to reshape Romanian politics for good and is still widely trusted, he also has a serious challenge to face. Any failure will result in further alienation and anger with the system.
Note: This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of EUROPP – European Politics and Policy, nor of the London School of Economics. Featured image credit: PSD / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Shortened URL for this post: http://bit.ly/1Mewex1
Update 11 November 2015:
The blog Prinţesa Urbană has set up a page with information on the most seriously injured and details of how people wish to donate to their care. Several of the victims have been transported abroad, while others remain in Romania for treatment. Access the page here.
Daniel Brett – Open University
Daniel Brett is an Associate Lecturer at the Open University, he has previously taught at Indiana University and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies. He works on contemporary Romania, rural politics and historical democratisation.
November 5th, 2015|current-affairs, Daniel Brett, EU Politics|23 Comments
Bucharest Life | The Week in Bucharest Life | Bucharest | Living in Bucharest | Mundane living in Vitan / Dristor, in Bucharest, Romania | An insider's Bucharest & Romania blog November 6, 2015 at 4:54 pm - Reply
[…] If you read just one article about what’s currently happening in Romania, make sure you read this one. […]
Florin November 6, 2015 at 10:16 pm - Reply
Well.. welcome to Romania, where politicans give laws against the population but they have immunity to them and the church is getting more rich by the day from the money from the poor.
Diane November 6, 2015 at 10:53 pm - Reply
Great article. It explains the current political situation in Romania clearly for everybody to understand.
Georgiana November 7, 2015 at 9:57 am - Reply
I wholeheartedly agree with you. However, I believe that this revolution will come to an unfavorable end for us, the people. I’m saying this because we don’t know what to ask for. Indeed, the entire political elite is corrupted, no doubt. But the laws in my country are also poorly written. Or more like, they are written to favor bribery. The law is obscure, difficult to understand and impossible to follow. Even if you have everything according to the law, the law is written in such a matter that it allows the inspectors to decide whether to give you a fee or not. In order not to get a fee, you will bribe the inspector. And so, there you have it.
I don’t blame the owners of Colectiv, the club that burned down. The problem is deep within our law system and our “rulers”.
andrei constantinescu November 7, 2015 at 10:21 am - Reply
Dear Georgiana,
… the owners of the club are to be blamed among a lot of other and probably most of the people as all small gesture of bypassing the rules: not accepting safety belts in cars, trying to cheat with constructions regulations, … are a step foward disasters of this type, they are not a fatality. Accident can happen, but security gesture can reduces the probability of disaster by several order of magnitudes.
Daniel November 7, 2015 at 6:33 pm - Reply
Georgiana, not blaming the owners of the club is part of the problem in our country. We say “it’s not their fault they bribed their way around the law, it’s the officials’ fault for accepting those bribes.” As long as we think that way, nothing is going to change. We have to take responsibility for our actions. It is MY fault for offering a bribe, not the other’s fault for accepting it. It is MY fault for not ensuring my clients are safe. And most importantly: I don’t have to ensure safety measures in my club in order to get a permit, I have to do it out of concern for my customers.
I use this story a lot to illustrate the key problem in how we should be thinking: A friend of mine brought her good American friend to visit Romania. She wanted to experience something that she’s been enjoying here during high-school and college: a train trip to the mountains. The trip was a familiar image for us: the train was packed, they could find no seats and were forced to spend the long hours crammed in a hallway. The American friend was furious. BUT, not because of the conditions he was forced to endure. He was furious on my friend that she accepts to be treated this way. He was furious because she wasn’t revolted by how the train company is treating her. She should be getting what she paid for, she should not accept anything less.
And THAT is the problem in Romania. We blame everyone else for our problems, but we never blame ourselves for accepting them, for enabling them, for being a part of the problem. We just say “nothing is going to change anyway if I do this” or “the system doesn’t allow you to succeed if you don’t do the same as everyone else.” I’ve heard people say that the club could not have been profitable if they followed the law. That simply is not true. I know people who run 100% legal businesses in Romania, I was one of them too, so I know it is possible. It is very hard. The system fights you every step of the way. But there’s a difference between hard and impossible. People tend to turn that “very hard” into “impossible” because that allows them to escape the blame instead of admitting that they’re just accepting the easy solutions.
Thank you for your precise and detailed analysis, which I highly appreciated and consider to be close to the analysis.
However, I think you miss an important point in the analysis of the people and their attitude. Romania will not make a serious step forward unless the people understand that the current gesture will affect the living of tomorrow. In the past they systematically refused serious changes, better men, … and voted for ancient apparachicks, doubtfull bussinessmen, …. which are actually the current governors and their friends, which we all now dislike.
I doubt that the actual street movement is more than a simple protest, …. but fully hope that this grain is going to grow.
Adina Luca November 7, 2015 at 4:47 pm - Reply
Dear Daniel, would it be possible to get in touch via email for a possible advise on sources of governance information that would be applicable in Romania? I am in London myself and asked about this by a civil society group in Romania. Thank you. Adina
Madalin Blidaru November 7, 2015 at 5:27 pm - Reply
Partial agreement, except the fact that Iohannis doesn’t have the opportunity to reshape Romanian politics, even if this one of his main discursive promises. In May, for example, the street shown that he cannot be trust, considering the ‘unofficial lobby’ for woodcutting companies (with doubts related to the conformity with the competition policy) and, in September, the populist position on the refugee crisis (surprisingly, there are contrary positions of the two stakeholders – the president and the street – on this matter).
Dan November 8, 2015 at 1:49 pm - Reply
I hope to write a follow up article discussing some of these issues soon.
I certainly think that there are a lot of question marks about Iohannis’ ability and willingness to engage in reform. But at the same time, I do think that many people are putting their hopes into him to deliver. This is why I pointed out that if he fails to deliver meaningful reform then the situation could be worse – either a continuation of the status quo, or even more anger spilling over into the streets.
The scale of the task is huge – while Ponta, Oprea and Piedone have gone, the parliament remains untouched, the party machinery remains untouched (so fresh elections are unlikely to produce much change), the corrupt local and national officials remain in place (how many other dangerous clubs and buildings are there in Romania that could cause another disaster like Colectiv).
At the same time, the streets are speaking but there are deep divisions between different groups. whether they can work together is also a question. Those who have tried to work with Iohannis have been accused of selling out, while Oana Zavoranu is not everyone’s cup of tea, her desire to stick her head above the parapet and call for a new party was immediately met with derision (and a lot of sexism). So not only are people battling the old guard in front but they are also battling those behind. It is little wonder that people are unwilling to offer themselves as an alternative – and in turn this explains why many still have hopes in Iohannis, because if not Iohannis then what or who else is there?
I do think that the old guard will try to play a long game and string it out, hoping that the protesters will either get bored and go home, or divide among themselves.
The key task is deep and meaningful change in Romanian politics and society. Whether that will happen and how it will happen I am uncertain.
Larry November 7, 2015 at 9:46 pm - Reply
So sorry this happened… we wish the victims and families in Romania a lot of love and strength from the Netherlands.
Unknown John November 8, 2015 at 8:47 am - Reply
New update regarding the victims, straight from Romania:
There are 41 deaths now…
David November 8, 2015 at 2:02 pm - Reply
A couple of points here.
1. Your claim “the deaths of 32 people as a direct result of corruption” is perhaps overreach. Certainly corruption enables the sort of disregard for health and safety regulations – and law more broadly – that can lead to such tragedy but direct result in this case? (I may have missed something in the coverage that does demonstrate clear attribution).
2. Corruption has two sides. Placing blame on the government and elite denies agency on the part of those paying the bribes. It also misses the point that the culture of customer service/care in Romania retains a communist mentality i.e. it is wholly lacking. The owners of businesses all to often have no regard for their patrons. This can mean over-occupancy or other cutting of corners – exactly the sort of thing that makes such a tragedy more likely. (I do note this is addressed in a subsequent comment).
This second point also urges skepticism of simplistic narratives about the protests “The Street”. There is obvious cause for anger about the elite, about corruption, about many other things, but an outward expression of pent up rage that latches on to a specific instance serves as an escape valve that allows a pointing of fingers outwards rather than reflection about complicity.
Alina Gavrila November 9, 2015 at 1:19 pm - Reply
Point #1 I disagree with. The evidence is pretty obvious that critical standards of safety were not followed (proper exits, fire extinguishers, over-crowding). And it IS corruption that allows businsses such as this to operate without basic fire safety standards. While I too share the opinion that in many cases Romanian laws are hyper-technical, nonsensical and absurd, when it comes to fire safety and food safety I happen to agree that laws (even Romanian ones) have validity, and a situation that enables companies to operate outside this legal framework is at its root caused by corruption.
If by expressing doubt that we can ever know for sure that the tragedy was a “direct” result of corruption you simply mean a critique of the term “corruption” as the Romaninan population/protestors use it (as merely a top-down problem rather than recognizing their own complicity), then I whole-heartedly agree with you.
Your Point #2 is extremely shrewd and possibly the most honest analysis I read all day, from anyone. I agree with you completely. Those doing the finger pointing are as guilty as those they are pointing to. I might even argue they are more guilty. Because how can we expect clean politicians from a corrupt population? If you’re selecting individuals from a sample pool that is already crooked.. well then it’s simple mathematics and rules of probability: you have 100% chance of crooked politicians. No other possibility exists. The politicians merely have more access to power and wealth, enabling them to steal on a grander scale, but they are just perpetuating habits they picked up years ago, in society at large. More specifically, Romanians (in their collective deceit) are colluding in their own suffering, and they wont even acknowledge this is the bigger problem. But I could go on and on about the Romanian fetish for self-victimization and scape-goating… with politicians, gypsies, Jews.
Finally, I’d make a Point #3. Getting rid of ALL politicians (as some protesters demand) borders on delusional utopianism. Even Mandela knew better than to do that, and he kept in power individuals that were responsible for his 27 years of imprisonment and torture. Until we change ourselves, and change the cultural makeup of the very pool from which politicians are selected we have changed nothing. Everybody demands change but nobody wants to change. As Pogo said: We have met the enemy — and he is us.
Brad November 8, 2015 at 5:19 pm - Reply
I am also a journalist. A Romanian journalist. I’ve been closely following the events for the last 10-11 years. Your article is very biased and lacks accuracy. I could not read it all. I don’t know who gave you the info, nor do I know whether you’ve bothered to check them.
First off: just an update – 44 dead by now. Not your fault. Unfortunately, no one can keep track with the number of victims for now. Let’s hope no further updates will be needed.
Second: you mention that PM Ponta was accused of corruption twice in the same phrase. It’s like I suspect you of bias, lack of research, lack of research and bias. On the other hand, you are right: he was accused of corruption by his opponents’ friendly media, then by his opponents, then by the prosecutors. However, we should wait for – and hope for – the trial. I can accuse you of corruption then go add a phrase to the Dan Brett Wikipedia page. Sorry, to the “accused-of-corruption-Dan-Brett”. Yes, Ponta is going to trial, but it’s not his opponents or media or prosecutors to decide if he’s guilty or not. And neither are you.
Third: VPM Oprea WAS entitled to a motorcade, by a Government ordinance issued a few days before the unfortunate accident of the policeman. It’s not that we like his face or personality or not: it was legit by Romanian laws at that moment.
Fourth: You treat PM Ponta’s resignation as a reaction to the protests, but his accession as “coming to power on the back of the street”, street which was used to “propel” himself and his partners. So, the protests against him were legitimate and no one used them to out him. But his coming to power was just a trick. He shamelessly surfed his way up.
Fifth: “However, once in office Ponta and the USL went back on every promise made. This explains the anger with the system – a political elite that has consistently captured and then betrayed every popular movement from the revolution of 1989.” This is outrageous misinformation for two reasons.
1. If you try do some homework, you will be surprised to learn that Mr. Ponta’s team promised were partially fulfilled and that he never back off from what he promised, although the USL coalition broke off mid-term.
His former main partner PNL (National Liberal Party) decided to leave the coalition so, obviously, Mr. Ponta’s PSD (Social Democratic Party) had to try fulfill the common promises against their former partners, who are now applauding his resignation. I won’t enter into more details because it would be too technical.
2. Speculating on why the people took it to the streets without having interviewed them is “sofa journalism” a.k.a. arrogance. There is anger, of course, as there has been anger throughout the last 25 years. Suggesting that a Government that lasted for 3 years is to blame for the frustrations of a whole generation is speculative and unprofessional.
Really, I could not read further. If you need some professional advice drop me a line and I will do my best to help.
For the sake of the written word and out of respect for your readers, please do your research from at least two sources (if not three by the book or as many as needed, by the unwritten laws) before you push the “publish” button on any issue related to my country.
Daniel November 8, 2015 at 11:10 pm - Reply
The disclaimer at the end of the article clearly states that this article gives the views of the author. That means it’s not meant as a piece of objective reporting (that’s after all the difference between a blog and a newspaper). But the value of this article is clear in the fact that the views of the author are in line with the views of most people who took to the streets. It gives an accurate image of what drove those people to protest in such great numbers. Whether the public opinion is right or wrong won’t change the course of events.
Lizzie November 9, 2015 at 1:06 am - Reply
The man is not a journalist, you arrogant twat
Gabriel November 9, 2015 at 3:42 pm - Reply
Your second point is valid. I will look for you and buy you a beer if the trial will be resolved before he gets old while it is still relevant. The problem is we might die of thirst until then.
Stating that “Third: VPM Oprea WAS entitled to a motorcade, by a Government ordinance issued a few days before the unfortunate accident of the policeman. It’s not that we like his face or personality or not: it was legit by Romanian laws at that moment.” is like stating that if I am entitled to own a gun I should also kill someone if I am getting annoyed.
Being legally entitled to something also involve that you have the decency not to abuse it and that it will be used for a good cause. In this particular case it was no rush no good cause. It was just ” ’cause I can, like a boss”.
“Fourth: You treat PM Pon…” maybe I missed it but the author states pretty much the same as you do.
In my opinion this article highlights our situation quite well to someone who has no knowledge, from a blogpost. If the author would write the post in the way that you describe it would end up in a “tl;dr” post because our situation is quite entangled I might say.
Loredana November 9, 2015 at 5:26 pm - Reply
The article describes and summarizes very well the current situation in Romania. I don’t agree with some of the reactions, but at the end everybody is entitled to an own opinion.
People are wondering how to change the system, probably forgetting that system is created and maintained by us, all of us. Thus, we can change the system but this also requires changing our own mentality. Let’s take for example the attitude in traffic: why to walk instead of leaving the car in front of the shop, blocking the flow of the traffic; why to respect the other drivers, when we can simply overpass everybody on the tram line; why to allow somebody to enter the traffic, we just want to be first.
Changing mentality means in my opinion requesting respect and delivering the same respect, regardless the situation and circumstances: when doing shopping, when registering a request with whatever institution, when bringing the children to school, and the examples can continue. Although we tend to think that one gesture will not change the world, I believe that a grain of sand will attract others, forming a see of sand which finally will move the ground.
The same holds good for the corruption. We maintain the corruption because we offer the bribe. Why to blame others for accepting it, instead of blaming ourselves for giving it? We should take a good look inside us and take the responsibility for what we see. And if we don’t like what we see, then the change may start, and the system may change as well.
Raluca November 10, 2015 at 4:12 am - Reply
Brad, I am puzzled. Ponta never went back on his promises? And he has never been accused of corruption? I’ll be damn, I must be living in a reality alternative to yours. I am also puzzled by a few other aspects of your post above, but pointing out just these two, I believe, will suffice.
Aside from the number of victims, I am not sure I see any glaring inaccuracies in Daniel’s article. Au contraire, I think it hits the nail on the head in many respects, and Daniel has a grasp of the current situation in Romania in a way many Romanians don’t. Just because his POV is different than yours does not warrant the acid language you’re using, and the pile of brown matter you decided to publicly hurl at him in your response. That’s what people do in a sandbox when they are 3, or when their pay cheque is signed by Antena 3.
Might it be possible that the inaccurate number of victims in the article was not inaccurate at the time this article went to press? Uh, oh, I am seeing 2015/11/05 in the link above. Any self respecting journalist – I’m hearing you are one – would check sources and facts before making accusations. Just saying.
Raluca November 10, 2015 at 2:44 pm - Reply
Mea culpa with regards to Brad’s comment re: number of victims. I got caught up in the rest of the vitriol and missed the “not your fault” part. Just for the record.
Georgiana November 11, 2015 at 10:48 am - Reply
Such a burning hatred for everything the Orthodox church stands for. i have tried for decades to understand it and the role it played during the traumatic transition of the 90s. I have no desire to excuse it anymore. At the risk of appearing to be an anti traditionalist/antipatriot Westernised pariah, we must unite against it and deplete it of its obscene amount of money
Popescu Ion January 3, 2016 at 1:23 pm - Reply
Maybe Ponta isn’t perfect,but compared to the other politicians,he’s the only one who made a positive change in Romania.While he was prime minister,the country was actually safe and has evolved.The technocrats are willing to introduce austerity,even though that’s NOT necessary,bcs the situation in Romania is better than ever(due to the fact that while Traian Basescu was president,the situation was quite bad).
What happened in the “Colectiv” is such a good excuse for removing Ponta,in order fot the others to do what they want in this country.
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Tag Archives: Kathy Baker
Posted on May 11, 2015 by carlosdev
Blake Lively is lovely.
(2015) Romantic Fantasy (Lionsgate) Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn, Kathy Baker, Amanda Crew, Lynda Boyd, Hugh Ross (voice), Richard Harmon, Fulvio Cecere, Anjali Jay, Hiro Kanagawa, Peter J. Gray, Izabel Peace, Cate Richardson, Jane Craven, Noel Johansen, Aaron Craven, Primo Allon, Darren Dolynski, Alison Wandzura. Directed by Lee Toland Krieger
Immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. For one thing, you get to watch all your friends and family grow old and die as you remain young and vibrant. You also get to worry about secret government agents kidnapping you and turning you into a lab rat. After all, when you have eternal life everybody’s going to want what you’ve got. I would imagine that eternal life would be exceedingly lonely.
Adaline Bowman (Lively) doesn’t have to imagine; she knows. Born at the turn of the century in the San Francisco area. Widowed at 29 (in the early 1930s) with a daughter Flemming (Pearce – Age 5/Richardson – Age 20/Burstyn) to raise on her own, she is involved in a freak car accident during a freak snowfall in Northern California in which a freak lightning bolt hits her freakin’ car after she skids into a stream and dies of hypothermia or drowning, take your pick. All this freakishness serves to stop her from aging and she remains eternally 29.
At first this is just a cause of amusement; how is it possible that Adaline looks young enough to be her daughter’s sister? Then as her contemporaries grow into middle age and she doesn’t, the wrong word is whispered into the wrong ear. This being the McCarthy era, some firm men in dark suits come calling. Adaline manages to escape but realizes that she has to stay on the run for the rest of the life. Move constantly, then change identities once a decade or so.
Still, she can’t stay away from her beloved San Francisco, working as an archivist at the San Francisco Public Library at the tail end of her current incarnation as Jenny Larson. She has only one friend – a blind pianist (Boyd) who doesn’t realize the woman she believes to be middle aged is actually still in the full flower of her youth. Only her daughter Flemming, now in her 80s and considering a move to a retirement home, knows Adaline’s secret. Other than those two and a series of dogs, Adaline has formed no attachments to anyone; any attempt at love is eventually rebuffed although she came close during the 1960s.
However, on New Year’s Eve she meets Ellis (Huisman), a hunky dot com millionaire who loves books and is really, really into Adaline. At first she repulses all his attempts to flirt and to ask her out. When he plays a little dirty, threatening to revoke a donation to the library, she relents. Soon the two of them are sleeping together although she knows that in a short time she’ll be leaving but she is drawn to him like a moth to the flame. When he takes her up to Sonoma to meet his parents, he discovers that his dad (Ford) is 1960s jilted guy, who is now celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary to Ellis’ mom (Baker). Awk-ward. Especially since he recognizes her.
So Adaline is ready to run again, but she is beginning to tire of the chase. All she wants to do is stay in one place, with one guy and Ellis looks to be that guy. But how can she stay with someone she is going to outlive…by a LOT? Is it truly better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all when you’re immortal?
The premise here is an interesting one but by and large it is wasted. Being an ageless immortal must have an upside as well as a downside but all we really see here is the down, and perhaps to appeal to a certain kind of audience, the movie centers on Adaline’s romantic history. We see none of what other things she does, what careers she undertakes, the things she witnesses. It is as if the filmmakers figure that the only thing that matters in a woman’s life is for her to fall in love. Kind of myopic and maybe borderline misogynistic when you think about it.
For that reason Adaline is written as a cold and distant woman, rarely speaking in a tone that isn’t devoid of warmth or possessed of any humanity whatsoever. Therefore the brunt of why this movie doesn’t work falls squarely on Blake Lively’s shoulders and the sad part is that it really isn’t her fault. She is given direction to be icy and unreachable – so she is that to the audience as well. Lively is one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood and she has shown that she is capable of being a charismatic onscreen presence in other roles but because of the coldness that she is made to possess here, rather than generating audience sympathy for her plight she actually repels it.
There are other problems besides Lively, most of which I’ve already mentioned. There are a couple of plot lapses; for example, Adaline theoretically changes her identity every ten years and yet Ellis’ dad recognizes her and calls her Adaline. So she used her own name one decade just for kicks? Doesn’t seem to be in her character.
Fortunately, Ford is here to give a sympathetic performance that will remind you why he has been for 35 years one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. Burstyn and Baker, both getting on in age, are both dependable actresses and they don’t disappoint here. Maybe the biggest star of the movie is San Francisco and Northern California. The beauty of the City and its environs takes center stage.
Still, this is merely marginally entertaining, a rote romantic fantasy that could have been so much better. We really don’t get any insight to who Adaline is and how her immortality affects her as a person, other than to put her on the perpetual lam. With longevity must come at least some sort of insight into the world but we get none here. There are a lot of reasons why immortality would suck, but hopefully one of them won’t be that we remain as shallow as a saucer. If I knew I was going to be eternally young but would neither grow nor learn well, I think I might turn down that particular gift. Yes, I think that I definitely would.
REASONS TO GO: Ford, Burstyn and Baker are solid. San Francisco utilized nicely.
REASONS TO STAY: Lively is beautiful but ultimately empty here. Wasted opportunity.
FAMILY VALUES: Some sexuality and a suggestive comment.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Burstyn also played a daughter older than her parent in last year’s Interstellar.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 5/11/15: Rotten Tomatoes: 54% positive reviews. Metacritic: 51/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
FINAL RATING: 5/10
NEXT: Gemma Bovery
Posted in New Releases | Tagged Amanda Crew, anniversary party, archivist, Blake Lively, blind pianist, car accident, cinema, daughter, dogs, Ellen Burstyn, eternal youth, Films, government agents, Harrison Ford, immortality, Kathy Baker, lightning bolt, Lionsgate, loneliness, Michiel Huisman, movies, New Year's Eve, Northern California, retirement home, reviews, romantic fantasy, running away, San Francisco, San Francisco Public Library, The Age of Adaline | Leave a reply
New Releases for the Week of April 24, 2015
Posted on April 23, 2015 by carlosdev
EX-MACHINA
(A24) Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Alice Vikander, Corey Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Claire Selby, Symara A. Templeman, Gana Bayarsaikhan, Tiffany Pisani. Directed by Alex Garland
A programmer at an internet search company wins a competition to spend a week with the reclusive CEO in his secluded mountain estate. Once there, he discovers that this isn’t a paid vacation; he’s been selected as the human component in a Turing test of a new artificial intelligence, testing the capabilities and essentially the self-awareness of Ava, who turns out to be much more than the sum of her parts and much more than either man could have predicted.
See the trailer, interviews, clips and featurettes here.
For more on the movie this is the website.
Release Formats: Standard (opens Thursday)
Now Playing: Wide Release
Rating: R (for graphic nudity, language, sexual references and some violence)
(Lionsgate) Blake Lively, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn, Kathy Baker. A freak automobile accident in 1935 leaves young Adaline ageless and deathless. However, immortality proves to be more of a curse than a gift and she spends 80 years hiding her secret and running away from life until she finds the possibility of love. A weekend with his parents though threatens to expose her secret, leaving her to make a momentous decision.
See the trailer, clips, interviews and preview video here.
Rating: PG-13 (for a suggestive comment)
(Freestyle Releasing) Keke Palmer, Cory Hardict, Faizon Love, Macy Gray. Philadelphia’s Overbrook High has been one of the most prestigious basketball powerhouses in the country ever since Wilt Chamberlain played there. Now, a young student there has been named the number one prospect in the country. Dealing with high school alone is no easy task but to have that kind of pressure on top of it is nearly impossible.
See the trailer here.
Release Formats: Standard
Genre: Sports Drama
Now Playing: AMC Altamonte Mall, AMC Downtown Disney, Cinemark Artegon Marketplace, Regal Pointe Orlando, Regal Waterford Lakes
Rating: R (for violence and language)
Desert Dancer
(Relativity) Nazanin Boniadi, Freida Pinto, Tom Cullen, Marama Corlett. Afshin Ghaffarian wanted nothing more than to express himself through dance. Unfortunately, he lived in Iran where the imams had forbidden dance and any attempt for him to learn how to was met with terrible punishments. After co-founding an underground dance group there, he runs afoul of Iranian authorities and is forced to flee his home, but he comes to Paris more determined than ever to achieve his dream.
See the trailer, interviews, clips and B-roll video here.
Genre: Biographical Drama/Dance
Now Playing: Regal Winter Park Village
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, some drug material and violence)
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
(Amplify) Rinko Kikuchi, Noboyuki Katsube, Shirley Venard, Nathan Zellner. A Japanese office drone discovers a VHS copy of the Coen Brothers classic film Fargo. Fed up with her mundane existence and possessed of an imagination that can’t be held in by the confines of her dreary job and her tiny apartment, she seizes on the idea that the buried treasure in the film is real and that the cash is waiting for her to find in the rugged prairies of North Dakota.
See the trailer and clips here.
Now Playing: Enzian Theater
Little Boy
(Open Road) Kevin James, David Henrie, Michael Rappaport, Emily Watson. A 7-year-old boy is devastated when his father is called off to fight World War II. However, chats with the family pastor lead him to believe that his faith can move mountains. And it seems that it may be literally true. However, will it be enough to bring his dad home safely from war?
Genre: Family Faith-Based Drama
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic material and violence)
(Sony Classics) Sebastiao Salgado, Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Lelia Warnick Salgado. The life and career of Brazilian photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado, whose pictures have shown stark beauty and the depths of human cruelty. His photographs have drawn attention to suffering and privation in the four corners of the earth. Noted German director Wim Wenders was so moved by Salgado’s work that he made a documentary about him, something Wenders isn’t particularly known for.
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic material involving disturbing images of violence and human suffering, and for nudity)
See You in Valhalla
(ARC Entertainment) Sarah Hyland, Steve Howey, Odeya Rush, Jake McDorman. A young woman returns home following the untimely death of her brother, finding her family as dysfunctional as ever. Old jealousies, feuds and disagreements resurface and the family seems to sink further into dysfunction until a brilliant idea to send off the brother in style is suggested.
Genre: Dramedy
Now Playing: AMC Downtown Disney
Rating: R (for language, sexual references and drug use)
(Warner Brothers) Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney, Yilmaz Erdogan. An Australian farmer is devastated by the news that both of his sons were declared missing presumed dead in the epic battle of Gallipoli during the First World War. Four years after the battle, he journeys to Gallipoli to find out once and for all the fate of his sons and get some closure but with the help of a compassionate Turkish officer and the woman whose hotel he is staying in, he discovers hope amidst the carnage.
See the trailer, clips and a featurette here.
Now Playing: AMC Downtown Disney, Regal Winter Park Village
Rating: R (for war violence including some disturbing images)
Posted in Weekly Preview | Tagged 2015, Alice Vikander, April 24, Blake Lively, brotherly love, cinema, Desert Dancer, Domnhall Gleeson, Ellen Burstyn, Ellen Watson, Ex-Machina, Faizon Love, Films, Freida Pinto, Harrison Ford, Kathy Baker, Keke Palmer, Kevin James, Kumiko the Treasure Hunter, Little Boy, Macy Gray, Michael Rappaport, movies, Olga Kurylenko, Oscar Isaac, Previews, Rinko Kikuchi, Russell Crowe, Sarah Hyland, See You in Valhalla, The Age of Adaline, The Salt of the Earth, The Water Diviner, Wim Wenders | Leave a reply
Posted on December 28, 2013 by carlosdev
The happiest place on Earth.
(2013) True Life Drama (Disney) Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Kathy Baker, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Lily Bigham, Melanie Paxson, Andy McPhee, Rachel Griffiths, Ronan Vibert, Jerry Hauck, Laura Waddell, Fuschia Sumner, David Ross Patterson, Michelle Arthur. Directed by John Lee Hancock
There are few adults or children who aren’t at least aware of the Disney classic Mary Poppins and most of those bear at least some sort of love for the film. In the review of the film, I mentioned that there are no others that take me back to my childhood like that one and I’m sure I’m not alone in that regard. It is therefore somewhat unsettling to note that the movie nearly didn’t get made – and if author P.L. Travers who created the character had her way, it would have been a very different movie indeed.
Walt Disney (Hanks) had always been enchanted by the tale of the flying nanny and made a promise to his daughters that he would make a movie of it someday. However, getting it done was a whole other matter entirely. P.L. Travers (Thompson), the prickly author of the Mary Poppins books, was unwilling to part with her creation to Hollywood which she considered a vulgar and schmaltzy place. Her prim and proper Poppins would doubtlessly be turned into a mindless dolt or worse still, a cartoon. Travers, you see, hated cartoons.
Finally nearly broke, she at last reluctantly consented to travel to Hollywood to sign away the rights to Poppins and the Banks family which she thought of as her own family. However, she insisted on script approval and Disney in a nearly-unheard of move for him granted it. He gave the chilly Brit over to writer Don DaGradi (Whitford) and composers Richard (Schwartzman) and Robert (Novak) Sherman.
Things go rapidly downhill from there. Travers is uneasy with the idea of making Poppins a musical – “Mary Poppins doesn’t sing” she sniffs – and absolutely hates the idea of casting Dick van Dyke as ert the Chimney Sweep. She’s very uncomfortable with the Americanization of her characters and the songs – well, she hates those too.
In fact there’s very little American that she doesn’t hate from the architecture to the smell of Los Angeles which she describes to her Disney-supplied driver Ralph (Giamatti) as “sweat and exhaust” but what he describes as jasmine which pretty much sums up the difference between the characters. She hates the pastries and treats that the long-suffering production assistant Biddy (Bigham) supplies and she barges in on Disney which drives his assistant Tommie (Baker) batty.
And nothing they do makes her happy, not even a trip to Disneyland with Walt himself. Walt is at wit’s end, particularly when she announces that the color red has been banned from the film. “You’re trying to test me, aren’t you,” he murmurs quite perceptively. “You’re trying to see how far I’m willing to go.” She holds the unsigned rights over his head like a Sword of Damocles. It isn’t until she retreats back to England, furious that Walt is planning on animating the chalk drawing sequence, that he figures out what is motivating her and why she is so reluctant for the movie to proceed.
There are clues throughout, almost all of them in flashback sequences in which an 8-year-old Travers, nicknamed Ginty (Buckley) adores her banker dad (Farrell) in rural Australia in the early 20th century but watches alcohol and disappointment slowly wear him away. It is there we see the genesis of Mary Poppins and the reason that P.L. Travers is a far different woman than Helen “Ginty” Goff was meant to be.
It’s something of a miracle that this movie got made at all. Although the script was independently commissioned, what other studio other than Disney would buy it? And Disney had a tight rope to walk on the film; if Walt comes off as a saint, it smacks of self-aggrandizement but if he comes off flawed they might see their brand eroded. I think that in the end that Walt comes off here as a genuinely good man but one who was a sharp businessman and who could be equally as cold and calculating as he was warm and compassionate. Near the end of the film, Tommie asks him why Mrs. Travers was left off the invitation list for the premier of Poppins and Walt says in a somewhat cold voice that there would be interviews and press to be done and he had to protect the film. Travers had to literally ask for permission to come and she never forgave him for that, among other things.
In fact the movie seems to imply that a certain understanding and mutual affection existed between Disney and Travers and that simply wasn’t the case. She found him overbearing and thought him deceitful and refused to work with him ever again. In fact when Broadway musical producer Cameron Mackintosh approached her to do a stage version of Poppins, she outright refused but later relented with the stipulation that nobody who worked on the film be connected in any way with the musical. After Travers’ death in 1996, Mackintosh later approached Disney and got input from them.
Thompson’s name has come up in Oscar discussions and for good reason; this is one of the finest performances of a stellar career on her part. Travers is a disagreeable, cantankerous sort who insists that every script meeting be audio taped and finds reason after reason why things can’t be done. However when she allows people in, the vulnerable child emerges and we see her regrets and her pain. I certainly wouldn’t object to her getting nominated for Oscar gold and I wouldn’t be surprised either.
I read that some retired Disney sorts who actually worked on the film who saw Saving Mr. Banks were brought to tears because the details were so on-target. Certainly this was a labor of love and like most labors was a difficult and often painful one. Hancock actually plays one of the actual audio tapes of one of the initial script sessions over the end credits so you get a real idea of how the real Mrs. Travers was (the same session is recreated in the film) and if anything, they softened her image from reality somewhat.
Disney, like most men who accomplish the sort of success that he did in life, is either sanctified or demonized depending on the nature of the person making the opinion. The real Walt Disney lay somewhere in between the two extremes. I think that this is as close a glimpse as we’re likely to get at the real Walt and while I tend to think that this is a fictionalized account of the real events surrounding the making of Mary Poppins, it is nonetheless entertaining and engrossing and one of the year’s best films.
REASONS TO GO: Terrific performances by nearly all of the cast. A lovely walk down Memory Lane.
REASONS TO STAY: Diverges from fact a few times.
FAMILY VALUES: Some of the themes may be a bit too intense for children. There are also some unpleasant images.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Hanks, who plays Walt Disney, is in fact a distant cousin of the studio chief.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 12/28/13: Rotten Tomatoes: 81% positive reviews. Metacritic: 65/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Finding Neverland
NEXT: Blood Creek
Posted in New Releases | Tagged 1960s, alcoholism, Australia, bankers, Bradley Whitford, carousel, chauffeur, cinema, Colin Farrell, Disney, Disneyland, Emma Thompson, fair, Films, Hollywood, influenza, Jason Schwarzman, John Lee Hancock, Kathy Baker, London, Mary Poppins, movies, P.L. Travers, Paul Giamatti, premier, Rachel Griffiths, reviews, rights, Ruth Wilson, Saving Mr. Banks, script meetins, tea, Tom Hanks, true-life drama, turn of the century, Walt Disney | 1 Reply
Posted on December 6, 2013 by carlosdev
Michael Shannon has a point.
(2011) Drama (Sony Classics) Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon, Kathy Baker, Tova Stewart, Natasha Randall, Ron Kennard, Scott Knisley, Robert Longstreet, Heather Caldwell, Guy Van Swearingen, LisaGay Hamilton, Ray McKinnon, Stuart Greer, Bart Flynn, Sheila Hullihen, John Kloock, Marianna Alacchi. Directed by Jeff Nichols
One man’s prophecy is another man’s mental illness. We sometimes have dreams that are disturbingly real and sometimes we ascribe some sort of prophecy of the future to them. Sometimes the dreams are so vivid and repetitive we think that they MUST be trying to communicate something to us. Is it a kind of craziness – or something we ignore at our peril?
Curtis LaForche (Shannon) is a pretty ordinary guy living in a small town and working construction. His wife Samantha (Chastain) sells crafts to supplement their income which they sorely need; their daughter Hannah (Stewart) is deaf but a cochlear transplant might restore at least partial hearing. Curtis’ insurance would make that operation possible. With this hope looming ahead of them, life is pretty good all in all.
But all is not perfect. Curtis begins to have some disturbing dreams; the family dog inexplicably attacks him. And most importantly, a massive storm destroys his home. The dreams are so vivid that Curtis begins to act on them in waking life. He pens his dog – who has always been mellow and well-behaved – in the yard. And he begins to work on expanding his storm shelter.
His best friend Dewart (Whigham) is sanguine about all this, defending his friend as the towns people begin to whisper that Curtis may be losing it. Curtis isn’t so sure that they’re wrong – there’s a history of mental illness in his family, and he consults with his institutionalized mother (Baker) to see if she had dreams when her problems started.
But things are escalating out of control as Curtis’ dreams grow more and more disturbing. His behavior takes a turn for the worse and when he loses his job even his saintly wife must admit that something is terribly wrong. Is Curtis losing his mind? Or is he privy to a terrible tragedy that will destroy everything he has if he does nothing about it?
Nichols, who first directed Shannon in Shotgun Stories and met him as an actor on Tigerland does a fine job of blurring the line between dreams and reality. There are times when we realize that we are viewing a dream (as when the sky rains oil) but there are others where we aren’t entirely sure and neither is Curtis.
Speaking of Curtis, this is one of Shannon’s best roles to date. Most people to this point recognized him for his work on Boardwalk Empire although his turn as General Zod on Man of Steel may have netted him some mainstream notice. Shannon has always come off to my way of thinking and a tightly wound spring. There is always an undercurrent of darkness in his characters, even his comedic ones (although his comedic rules are few and far between). His size and his intensity make him intimidating and that shines right through in nearly every role he plays.
Chastain, who was in the midst of a pretty good run when this was made, also does some sterling work although she’s a bit overshadowed by Shannon. She has quickly become one of the most reliable actresses in Hollywood. While she has been less busy in 2013 (she appeared in no less than seven feature films that were released in 2012) she has built a great base to build a stellar career on. No doubt there are further accolades in her future.
The movie is a bit predictable in places, particularly towards the end but otherwise this is a really good movie. The viewer is left, along with the characters in the movie, to wonder if Curtis is really having visions or just going nuts. I wish the ending would have been a little more ambiguous but otherwise I really liked the way this movie developed and even more so Shannon’s performance which was Oscar-worthy although he wound up not being nominated. Something tells me you don’t have to be much of a prophet to predict that there will be Oscars in his trophy case at some point.
WHY RENT THIS: A bravura performance by Shannon. Blurs the line between reality and dreams nicely.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: Predictable at times.
FAMILY VALUES: The language is a bit rough here.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Stewart, who plays Hannah, the deaf daughter of Curtis and Samantha, is deaf in real life.
NOTABLE HOME VIDEO EXTRAS: There is a Q&A in which Shannon and Nichols discuss their long-time friendship and this film in particular.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: $3.1M on a $5M production budget.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Field of Dreams
NEXT: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Posted in DVD Review | Tagged cinema, cochlear transplant, construction worker, crafts, deaf, dog bites man, Drama, DVD Reviews, Films, Guy Van Swearingen, insurance, Jeff Nichols, Jessica Chastain, Kathy Baker, LisaGay Hamilton, mental illness, Michael Shannon, movies, Ohio, prophecy, Ray McKinnon, Shea Whigham, Sony Classics, storm cellar, storms, Take Shelter, visions | Leave a reply
Posted on February 19, 2012 by carlosdev
Drew Barrymore is not so sure about her big kissing scene with her latest co-star.
(2012) Family (Universal) Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Tim Blake Nelson, Ted Danson, Stephen Root, John Pingayak, Ahmaogak Sweeney, Kathy Baker, Vinessa Shaw, Andrew Daly, John Michael Higgins, Gregory Jbara, James LeGros, Rob Riggle, Sarah Palin. Directed by Ken Kwapis
Americans sometimes overly admire self-reliance. There’s nothing we love more than a lone wolf taking care of business on his/her own. Situations arise in life however where help is needed. Generally we as a nation despise asking for assistance although there are instances where reaching out is the only way.
Adam Carlson (Krasinski) is a reporter for an Anchorage television station whose current assignment in the winter of 1988 is to go to small towns on the fringes of the 49th State and file reports about life on the last frontier. He has amassed quite a following in the small town of Port Barrow, Alaska where he is finishing up his most recent assignment, particularly from Nathan (Sweeney), a young Inuit lad who is a bit star-struck and looks to be fleeing tiny Barrow for bigger and better things.
Filing one last story, Adam notices something rather peculiar – water spouts coming from a small hole in the ice five miles from the nearest ocean. Upon further investigation, it is discovered that three California Gray Whales are trapped there, cut off from the ocean where their fellows have begun their Southerly migration. In a short time, the hole will freeze over and the whales will drown, having no means of getting air.
The filing of this story causes quite a ripple effect. Greenpeace activist (and Adam’s ex-girlfriend) Rachel Kramer (Barrymore) charges in, guns blazing, in an effort to rescue the whales and alienate the humans who might not necessarily agree with her points of view. One of those is oilman J.W. McGraw (Danson) who has a towable ice hover barge that is only a few miles away; it can break up the ice and carve a path to the ocean for the whales but Rachel and J.W. have had run-ins before over oil drilling rights in Wilderness Preserves.
The national guard has to be mobilized in order to get the helicopters to tow the barge to Barrow, which requires the co-operation of the Governor (Root) who isn’t giving it, until Kelly Meyers (Shaw), one of Reagan’s press coordinators in the White House recognizes an opportunity to improve her boss’s environmental record and give a boost to the Bush campaign (the first George, not the second) and puts pressure on the Governor to co-operate.
Colonel Scott Boyer (Mulroney) is assigned to lead the helicopter team to move the huge barges but it is a dicey proposition at best. Meanwhile, the media is descending on tiny little Barrow to cover what has become an international sensation, including L.A. reporter Jill Jerard (Bell) who like Adam yearns for the big time.
In the meantime, the situation for the whales – dubbed Fred, Wilma and Bam-Bam – is getting more desperate by the hour and it doesn’t appear as if help is going to arrive in time. There is something closer that may well be the only chance for the whales. The trouble is, that it’s a Soviet icebreaker and to allow them to save the day might not be possible in that political climate.
These are based on actual events (Kwapis skillfully intercuts actual footage from the incident) although the plot has been condensed and made Hollywood-friendly. On paper it seems like it could be one of those treacly family movies that just reeks of cliché – dumbed down to kid levels. There is a kid here but unlike most family movies he doesn’t save the day – instead Nathan is taught the beauty of his heritage and learns to value his ethnic background. Otherwise, this is a movie that the whole family can appreciate.
The cast is well-assembled. Krasinski in particular is one of the most likable leads working in Hollywood today and the more movie work he gets, the more likely it is that the small screen is not going to be able to afford him shortly. Personally I think he’s one or two roles from being a huge star.
Barrymore is likewise a reliable lead, albeit further up the wattage ladder than Krasinski. She usually plays ditzy – and there’s a hint of that in Rachel – but she takes the committed environmentalist with tunnel vision cliché (she won’t wear make-up because so much of it is animal tested for example) and rather than make the character a caricature gives her flesh and blood instead. It’s a nice portrayal and illustrates why she’s one of Hollywood’s finest.
Danson, Nelson (as a state wildlife expert) and Baker are all fine actors who never disappoint; Danson is as close to a villain as the movie gets but he’s just so dang likable you wind up kind of wanting him to do the right thing – and not to be much of a spoiler but he does.
In fact, nearly everybody does the right thing here. It’s one of those movies where there are no real villains other than the elements and the conviction and commitment of the people of Barrow and those whom the story touches becomes the real focal point. That’s where the warmth is in the story, despite the chilly setting (which was filmed in British Columbia rather than Alaska).
The whales are portrayed both animatronically (well done) and by CGI (not so well done) and remain more or less on the periphery. Yes, everyone loves them and wants to save them but the people are the focus of the story. It becomes a family film that actually doesn’t pander to the kids at the expense of the adults, but rather treats kids intelligently and expects them to understand what’s happening without drawing in crayon.
I found myself liking this more than I expected to. Originally sentenced to the doldrums of the first release week in January, Universal moved it up into February, perhaps because the movie turned out better than they expected it to. This is good solid family entertainment that doesn’t disappoint the kids or the adults and hopefully, not the studio accountants either. Movies like this are to be encouraged.
REASONS TO GO: An engaging story. Krasinski is rapidly becoming one of the most compelling leads in Hollywood. Doesn’t talk down to its family audience, at least not much.
REASONS TO STAY: CGI whales aren’t always authentic looking.
FAMILY VALUES: There are a few bad words here and there.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Stephen Root’s Governor Haskell is a fictional character; the governor of Alaska t the time this actually took place was Steve Cowper who was fairly supportive of the rescue efforts.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 2/19/12: Rotten Tomatoes: 73% positive reviews. Metacritic: 61/100. The reviews are solidly positive.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Dolphin Tale
INUIT LOVERS: Offers a rare and intimate look at Inuit culture in modern society, specifically in regard to their view about whales and how they use them for food and as a spiritual touchstone as well.
TOMORROW: Journey 2: Mysterious Island
Posted in New Releases | Tagged 1980s, Alaska, avocados, based on a true story, Big Miracle, cinema, Dermot Mulroney, Drew Barrymore, eskimos, family film, Films, George Bush, Greenpeace, helicopters, hoverbarge, icebreaker, Inuits, James LeGros, John Krasinski, John Michael Higgins, Kathy Baker, Kristen Bell, media, Mexican food, movies, news anchors, oil drilling rights, politics, presidential election, reviews, Rob Riggle, Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin, Stephen Root, Ted Danson, Tim Blake Nelson, Universal Pictures, Vinessa Shaw, whales | Leave a reply
New Releases for the Week of November 4, 2011
Posted on November 2, 2011 by carlosdev
TOWER HEIST
(Universal) Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Tea Leoni, Gabourey Sidibe, Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Judd Hirsch, Michael Pena. Directed by Brett Ratner
When the staff that work in an exclusive Manhattan apartment tower discover that their pensions have been stolen by a Wall Street billionaire who lives in the penthouse, they’re at first stunned. Some of them have nothing but their pensions to rely on and it appears that the old fraud is going to get away with it. However, the staff have a couple of aces in the hole; intricate knowledge of the tower and a school chum of the concierge who happens to be a professional thief. Even with a full house of FBI agents and security, these amateurs might have the best hand after all.
See the trailer, clips, interviews, promos and a featurette here.
Rating: PG-13 (for language and sexual content)
A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas
(New Line) John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris, Tom Lennon. The two stoner buddies have been apart for six years following their last adventure and have moved off into other circles, other friends. However a mysterious package that arrives at Kumar’s house begins a series of misadventures including the search for the perfect Christmas tree, the return of Neil Patrick Harris from the dead and the shooting of Santa Claus. It’s quite possible that this movie will be much funnier while on drugs. Then again, most movies are. Besides, any movie with NPH in it is all right by me.
For more on the movie this is the website
Release formats: Standard, 3D
Rating: R (for strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence)
(Sony Classics) Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Katy Mixon, Kathy Baker. A quiet family man in the Midwest begins to have terrifying dreams. Terrified of what the dreams may signify, he begins to work obsessively on a storm shelter in his backyard. His odd behavior begins to put a strain on his marriage and puzzles his friends and family who begin to question his sanity, but if he’s right the consequences may be far more dire than a trip to the mental institution.
Rating: R (for some language)
Posted in Weekly Preview | Tagged 2011, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, Alan Alda, Ben Stiller, Casey Affleck, cinema, Films, Gabourey Sidibe, Jessica Chastain, John Cho, Judd Hirsch, Kal Penn, Kathy Baker, Matthew Broderick, Michael Pena, Michael Shannon, movies, Neil Patrick Harris, November 4, NPH, Previews, Take Shelter, Tea Leoni, Tom Lennon, Tower Heist | 1 Reply
Last Chance Harvey
Posted on January 16, 2010 by carlosdev
Hoffman and Thompson bask in the admiration of the rest of the cast.
(Overture) Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kathy Baker, James Brolin, Richard Schiff, Eileen Atkins, Liane Balaban. Directed by Joel Hopkins
Happiness is a rare and precious commodity in this life, and we get so few opportunities to reach out and grab it. We have to treat each of these opportunities as if they are our last chance to be truly happy.
Harvey Shine (Hoffman) is a failed jazz pianist who has made a living – okay, quite a bit more than that – writing jingles for Madison Avenue. He has flown to London to attend the wedding of his daughter Susan (Balaban). While arriving at Heathrow, he has a brief encounter with Kate (Thompson), who works as one of those airport survey takers, the kind of job that one must have a very thick skin to perform. Harvey is somewhat rude to her, as many are.
Harvey has reason to be in a pissy mood. He is entering the lion’s den, as it were. He and his daughter have been drifting apart for many years, especially after Harvey’s marriage to Jean (Baker), Susan’s mother, collapsed. Jean is married to Brian (Brolin) now, and at the rehearsal dinner Harvey is informed by his daughter that she wants Brian to give her away at the ceremony the next day rather than Harvey.
For a father, that would constitute something akin to water boarding. It is the rejection of a man’s paternal abilities, a means of telling a dad that his services were never appreciated. Whether or not Harvey had earned that kind of rejection, it still hurts in ways that cannot truly be fathomed by someone who has never been father to a daughter.
To make matters worse, Harvey gets a phone call from his boss (Schiff) at the agency he works for to inform him that his services are no longer required there either. Drowning in a sea of emotional torment, Harvey decides to get out of London with what little pride he has remaining, stick his tail between his legs and head home to lick his wounds.
Unfortunately, he is denied even that and he winds up at an airport bar waiting for a flight to take him back to New York. There, he sees Kate reading while on a break from her thankless job. Remembering her from his arrival, feeling guilty at his rudeness (and perhaps feeling a need to improve his karma somewhat), he tried to strike up a conversation with her and apologize. She is distant and uninterested, but he gradually wears her down with his charm. As they get to talking, they begin to realize that they are more like than unalike, and that one of those opportunities we spoke about earlier is suddenly right there in front of them.
Writer/director Hopkins had the framework for what could have been one of the better romantic movies of recent years. Certainly he has a couple that an audience can get behind; there is definite chemistry between Hoffman and Thompson and the couple they portray have been wounded by life, people who have been abandoned by the angels of their better nature. Instead, they have suffered from wrong choice after wrong choice, leading them to an encounter in an airport bar that might well be their last chance at happiness.
Hopkins could have just easily sat his camera in a two-shot in front of these two magnificent actors and just let it film the two of them talking. Instead, he opts for romantic interludes of montages of the two of them walking on the banks of the Thames, chatting animatedly with a truly awful, treacly score drowning out what they’re actually saying. It’s frustrating as all get out because we would much rather hear what they have to say.
There’s also an unnecessary subplot involving Kate’s paranoid mom (Atkins) and a neighbor she suspects of being a serial killer. While Atkins is a charming enough actress, whenever her character calls Kate it blows the movie right off of the tracks. And, let’s not even talk about the movie’s third act in which all the charm of the first two is lost in a cliché and hoary finish that makes us wish this movie had been made by more capable filmmakers, which isn’t to say that Hopkins isn’t one – he just isn’t one here.
The saving grace of this movie, and the reason to seek it out, are those scenes in which Hopkins simply lets us watch Kate and Harvey interact. There is literal magic in those scenes, and those moments are worth cherishing. This is a case of the actors transcending the material they are given to work with and making a decent movie out of one that might easily have been just awful.
WHY RENT THIS: Hoffman and Thompson are two of the best actors of our generation; any opportunity to see them is worth taking. They make a likable couple that you can’t help but root for; whenever they are onscreen together chatting, there’s plenty of magic.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: An unnecessary subplot involving Kate’s paranoid mother derails the movie at every turn. The movie falls apart in the third act, relying on cliché and happenstance to resolve the action.
FAMILY VALUES: A little bit of blue language but nothing more than that.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Hoffman and Thompson first performed together in Stranger than Fiction. While they only had a couple of scenes together, they both enjoyed the experience so much that they looked for a project that they could tackle together as leads.
NOTABLE DVD EXTRAS: None listed.
TOMORROW: Up in the Air
Posted in DVD Review | Tagged airport bar, cinema, daughter's wedding, Dustin Hoffman, DVD Reviews, Emma Thompson, Films, giving away the bride, James Brolin, Kathy Baker, Last Chance Harvey, London, middle age, movies, Overture Films, reception, rejection, Richard Schiff, romance, surveys, Thames | 2 Replies
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TTT – Top 10 Horror Movies
October 24, 2017 carlosnightman
Greetings, Glancers! It’s been an age and a half since I did one of these Top Ten Tuesdays lists, and that is simply unacceptable. As it’s the season of ghouls and murder I’m going to throw my head into the ring and let you know my Top Ten favourite Horror Movies of all time. Now, I haven’t put a lot of thought into this – I’ve just gone back to my old, faithful, never updated since created Top 250 IMDB favourite movies list and picked the highest ranking horror films. The lowest ranking movie in this Top Ten comes in at 40th in my IMDB list – so you know how much I love horror when 10 movies appear in my top 40 favourite films of all time.
Yes, I’ve loved horror all my life, and I’ve always been the morbid kid. One of my first Primary School stories came back with a note from the teacher saying I had a keen interest in the macabre. I had no clue what that meant, or how to pronounce it. Most of my stories and the games I imagined up to play with my friends involved monsters and gruesome mayhem. And ninjas – it was the 80s after all. I’ve probably mentioned it before – how I was always drawn to the horror section of the VHS store – and I don’t really know where it comes from. I think some of us are just born the right kind of wrong. That’s a good thing too, otherwise we would have never had many wonderful works of fiction and film.
I’m not saying any or all of the below films are wonderful, or masterpieces, or anything like that – just that they represent a decent picture of what I love from the genre (however some of them are genuine masterpieces). I don’t think this list will be too different from any horror fan’s list but maybe there will be a few surprises. If I went back to my Top 250 there would be some definite changes, not just to the ordering but additions, removals, and not just from the horror genre. Enough warbling though. The below ten films are as good an introduction to Horror Movies as any, and they have provided me with a lifetime of entertainment and insight. Scares? Yeah, scares too.
10. Interview With The Vampire
This is probably the most controversial and least loved film on my list. I’m actually surprised I had it so high on my Top 250 too, but there you go. I do love the film, and it’s a great adaptation of one of my favourite books. The cast is top notch, it looks gorgeous, it’s sexy, bloody, and in Claudia we have one of my favourite tragic figures.
9. The Lost Boys
The ultimate MTV generation movie. One of the coolest movies ever too, but you had to be there around the time of release to see that, because watching today it looks either cheesy as hell or a product of another world. It’s vampires again, but rather than mopey, sorry figures, these guys are perma-teens of the cool kids club – sleeping all day, partying all night, pouting in leather and denim. Again there’s a great cast, everyone is ultra-hot, it’s hilarious, quotable, and endlessly entertaining.
8. Night Of The Living Dead
Probably the most important film on the list, this is where modern horror truly kicked off – Psycho started things rolling, but this brought realism where Psycho still felt like a movie. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is the film where zombies feel most plausible and most scary. Other films use their zombies for sheer shocks and gore, Romero included, but here they are at their most chilling – we don’t know where they’ve come from, they look like our loved ones, and they just keep coming.
7. Jaws
I’m going to assume everyone has seen this. It’s the ultimate gateway horror film, and one its best to see in your youth. Its scares range from jump-shocks, dread, tension, gore, but at its core it’s a story of man versus monster with universal characters and a simple, entertaining story.
6. Scream
Horror in the 90s was in a downward spiral – Scream almost single-handedly brought it back to relevance, making a tonne of money and getting praise from critics and fans new and old. As much as it nods, winks, and plays with tropes, it’s still an emotive story with a great heroine, tonnes of memorable dialogue and iconic scenes, and plenty of violence, laughs, and scares.
5. The Stand
I could get a lot of stick for this, but I don’t care – I love The Stand. It’s probably my favourite or second favourite book ever, and Mick Garris does it justice. Sure, some of the acting is painful in places and its age and budget are showing now, but the opening scenes and the following collapse of society were shamelessly stolen by The Walking Dead and yet are still effective. There are jump scares, there is violence, nihilism, hope, but it’s the ultimate battle of good versus evil. The soundtrack is also on regular rotation in my car/pocket. As much as I love it, I think an updated version could be epic.
4. The Thing
Now, these top four films – every one of them is a masterpiece – that can’t be disputed – and there isn’t much between how much I love, respect, and appreciate them. The Thing transcends horror – it’s one of the best movies of all time. It’s one of those movies I can’t really fault… the only thing I would say is, as great as the cast is, maybe we don’t spend enough time in the early moments with certain characters, and it can be difficult to differentiate between them. Regardless, it’s a perfect film.
3. Dawn Of The Dead
I can find fault with Dawn Of The Dead, and yet I love it just as much, if not more. The Thing is bad-ass, but Dawn Of The Dead was life-changing. I already loved horror, I already loved zombies, but this opened up a whole new world – it’s one of those movies that feels like something I would make or write. You know when you’re starting out as a writer or performer or artist – and I’m speaking to those of us who started young – as children – you get an idea and you begin tossing it around your juvenile mind, working out the plot and intricacies, and then one day you find out that someone else has already done it. They got there before you, and did it better than you ever could – suddenly you see your dream or nightmare on screen before you, but rather than being bitter, you love it. Someone else gets it. That’s Dawn Of The Dead, and it’s mind-blowing every time.
2. Ringu
This one was also life-changing. I already love foreign movies, Japanese movies, but my experience of Asian Horror was fairly limited. When I first saw Ringu around 1999 I had never seen anything like it. It was modern, beautifully shot, paced to perfection, and holy heavens did it scare my soul away. I couldn’t buy it anywhere, but once it came to TV a year or two later I recorded it and must have watched it every day for a week, showing it to my brother, sister, friends, and loving it every time. I don’t think I’ve had a horror film which has made me do that before or since. Sure I have recommended films to people and have sat people down and forced them to watch some movies, but no movie felt so necessary – I had to see and feel their reactions and I had to be part of that world again. I love the sequels, I love the books, but this is where it started. I was picking up every single Asian horror film I could find after this.
1. A Nightmare On Elm Street
I don’t want to say this is where it all began – the first true horror film I remember seeing was Salem’s Lot – but really this is where it all began, and where it’s still at. Those VHS stores I mentioned – the Elm Street movie VHS covers were the ones which most caught my eye. Sometimes there would be a poster or cardboard cutout of Freddy there and I’d look at it cautiously, waiting for it to come to life. Who was this guy? What was that glove about? What happened his face, what was he doing? Somehow – credit to the wonderful powers of childhood imagination – somehow, though reading the backs of the videos, looking at the pictures, and splicing together rumours, by the time I was 6 or 7 I kind of had the whole thing worked out. I knew Krueger’s name, I knew the 1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you song, I knew that he got you in your sleep, and yet I didn’t see any movie until years later.
I somehow caught the last minute or so of the movie once, and that stayed in my head for years, even after I finally watched the whole thing. The same goes for snippets of other films in the series – something about the characters crept inside me on a personal level to the extent that I credit Krueger, Craven, and the series as being my true doorway to horror cinema. That idea of not being safe in your sleep is something chilling for all of us, but I think it’s something kids are especially susceptible too. We’re supposed to go to sleep, dream sweet dreams, and wake knowing we are safe and warm and loved. Craven turns that upside down and inside out, and goes further, exploring that idea that it’s the fault of the protector, the parent, that we are put in this mess. That idea is explored in many of his films – the mistakes of the parent coming back to haunt the child, but it’s perfected here. I still have a crush on Langenkamp, and while the film doesn’t remotely scare me any more, I can still put it on and love the imagination, the characters, the nostalgia, the story, and all of the more artistic and technical elements.
So there you have it, my very own favourite horror movies. What are your’s? Let us know in the comments! Before I go though, as a bonus, I have other genre crossover movies which some would consider horror or as having horror elements that I rate just as highly, if not higher than some of the above (in other words, they are not lower than 40 on my Top 250 list):
Firmly placed in the action genre – it’s essentially a chase movie – nevertheless The Terminator has a lot in common with the slasher genre. There’s a final girl, an unstoppable killer, tonnes of violence, and plenty of kills.
Unstoppable killer, violence kills, sort of a final girl, but a bunch of bad-ass marines kicking ass. Predator is a horror icon, even though this is more entrenched in the sci-fi genre.
Unstoppable killer, violence kills, a definite final girl, but a bunch of bad-ass marines kicking ass. The Alien is a horror icon, even though this is more entrenched in the sci-fi genre.
It’s questionable that anyone should include this in the Horror genre… but if it’s not, then what the hell is it? Drama, action, satire, and horror elements – kids forced to kill each other. Regardless, I still say it’s the best film of the 21st Century.
Is comic book adaptation its own genre? There are loose connections to horror here, with the unstoppable killer being the hero. The dark visuals and the origin plot are horror.
Like many (most?) of Carpenter’s movies, this is a siege film. There isn’t anything supernatural, but it features hordes of faceless gang members attacking relentlessly – Night Of The Living Dead anyone? Also – ice cream.
It’s lighter and more family friendly than Jaws, but it’s still Spielbergian horror. Kids under threat from dinosaurs, huge unstoppable monsters, nowhere to run – good stuff.
Happy October everyone – Happy Halloween, Happy Horror Watching, and don’t forget to share your comments and memories!
ListsA Nightmare On Elm Street, Dawn Of The Dead, Film, Horror, Interview With The Vampire, Jaws, Movies, Night Of The Living Dead, Ringu, Scream, The Lost Boys, The Stand, The Thing, TTT
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5 thoughts on “TTT – Top 10 Horror Movies”
John Charet October 26, 2017 / 4:43 am
Great post 🙂 A lot of these are great choices. I am almost done with my review of a horror film (I will let you find that out for yourself). I love The Thing, Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead. I love all of your choices here. I have a ka-zillion favorite horror films of all-time, so I have to work on the rankings. Anyway, keep up the great work as always and I hope you have a great Halloween 🙂
carlosnightman October 26, 2017 / 6:43 am
Horror has always been my favourite genre and there are a bunch more that I didn’t mention. I went for those with the longest and largest personal impact. Thanks for reading!
Actually, I will probably be viewing this site long before that so let me just say keep up the great work as always 🙂
Kathy Arundel October 28, 2017 / 9:20 pm
Could you name all the Movies in this Picture?? 4 Of them are driving me crazy!! I cant Identify them and I’m surposed to know ALL about Horror movies, It’s my side job! LOL Plus, Where can I get a copy? I’d love to frame it!?
carlosnightman October 28, 2017 / 10:38 pm
Which four? There’s a lot in there, most are classics but some are more obscure. I grabbed it from Google, not sure who the original creator is 😦
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Professor Richard Susskind OBE
President, Society for Computers & Law
Professor Richard Susskind OBE is an author, speaker and independent adviser to international professional firms, general counsel, judiciaries, and national governments. His main area of expertise is the future of legal service, with particular reference to the impact of information technology. He has specialised in legal technology since the early 1980s and his views have influenced a generation of lawyers and legal technologists around the world.
He has written numerous books, including Expert Systems in Law (Oxford, 1987), The Future of Law (Oxford, 1996), Transforming the Law (Oxford, 2000), The End of Lawyers? (Oxford 2008), Tomorrow’s Lawyers (Oxford, 2013), and (co-author, Daniel Susskind). The Future of the Professions (Oxford, 2015). He has written around 150 columns as a columnist for The Times and he is Founding Editor of the International Journal of Law and Information Technology. His work has been translated into 12 languages.
Richard is President of the Society for Computers and Law and, since 1998, he has been IT Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. From 2003 until 2008, he was Chair of the UK’s Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information (a non-departmental public body set up by the Cabinet Office in 2003, and now part of the Ministry of Justice). He is Chair of the Advisory Board, and Visiting Professor in Internet Studies, at the Oxford Internet Institute in the University of Oxford. Richard is also Chair of the Online Dispute Resolution Group of the Civil Justice Council of England and Wales, Special Adviser to the Canadian Bar Association, and IT Adviser to the Jersey Legal Information Board
Richard has been widely recognized by the legal industry, he is an Honorary Professor at the Law School in University College London, Emeritus Law Professor at Gresham College in London, and a part-time law professor at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
Richard has a first class honours degree in law from Glasgow University and a doctorate in law and computers from Balliol College, Oxford. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was awarded an OBE in the Millennium New Year’s Honours List by Her Majesty the Queen for services to IT in the Law and to the Administration of Justice.
Presentation Details
Has Legal Tech Finally Arrived?
Stage 'Luminance' Future Tech stage
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The Brunel Writer Prize 2018
Posted on July 6, 2018 by brunelwriter
The Brunel Writer Prize is awarded to the student who achieves the highest graded non-fiction article submission for the Creative Industries module on Brunel University’s Creative Writing programme. The piece of non-fiction should be ‘fresh, original, compelling and well balanced’. This year’s prize is shared between two students: Adam Johnson and Fleur Rollet-Manus. Adam’s piece tells of the video game, Overwatch, and its online community’s refusal to embrace the progressive vision of its creator. Fleur’s article debunks the Hollywood myth of the magazine industry via her personal experience of securing a position with Suitcase Magazine.
Overwatch: The game that brought the world together (And tore it apart)
Hello, I am a video game nerd. It’s okay, I am comfortable in my albeit pasty skin. Every video game nerd has a weapon of choice, a game they hold in high esteem above all others, and mine is Overwatch. This game was first conceived when Blizzard executive Geoff Kaplan dared to ask the question, ‘what would happen if first person shooter Call of Duty and Disney Pixar Studios went on a blind date, and that date went really well, and it led to a wholesome marriage and inevitably, a beautiful video game birth child?’ Well Geoff, Overwatch happens, and it’s pretty good.
This is an online video game: players are split into two teams of six and battle against one another for an objective, like King of the Hill, for example. It boasts beautiful landscapes, set in a utopian future, and has a roster of twenty-seven characters for players to choose from. There’s an equal number of male and female characters and not all the females are sexualised (this is a rarity in the video game world, so good job Geoff, I guess) but, above all else, what makes this game so special is its diversity. It celebrates so many cultures. For example, there’s this guy from Brazil who’s a successful DJ, he’s called Lucio. Then there’s Diva, a South Korean professional gamer, and there’s Angela, a medic from Switzerland, and she’s going out with a cyborg Japanese ninja called Genji but they can’t meet and have to send forbidden love letters because he’s training in the Tibetan mountains with a robotic monk who is a badass. See? It sounds awesome. It’s wonderfully progressive, there are so many indiscriminate characters and they are all working together for a common cause. So, according to Overwatch the future couldn’t be brighter. According to Overwatch race relations surpass even Martin Luther King’s wildest dreams.
But there is a problem and it’s a big one. To reiterate, Overwatch is an online game. This means that real people are playing the game. Real people are asked to work together, as a team, with people they’ve never met before. Now, it’s all well and good that the characters in the video game are so tolerant of one another, but real people…that’s a whole other story.
Foolish Geoff Kaplan. Much like Dr. King before him, Geoff too, had a dream. This dream was simple. He sought to unite pasty nerds across the globe in a first-person team-based experience. They would greet random strangers online with open arms and together, they would achieve ultimate victory, much like the beloved characters they play as. Overwatch would set a shining example of what the world could be, if discrimination was but a bitter memory. This was Geoff Kaplan’s extraordinary dream.
But Geoff, oh foolish, delusional Geoff. Human beings are terrible, mate. I believe it was Edelman that once said:
‘Man is evil. By nature, man is a beast.’
Of course, Marek Edelman was talking about Warsaw, but I think the point more accurately describes the Overwatch online community. They are just awful. Since playing Overwatch, I have experienced racism a total of fifty-two times and I am white. My sexuality is constantly inferred. I am encouraged to kill myself on a regular basis. The list goes on. I won’t bore you with the details. But it’s bitter irony that a game that celebrates tolerance and diversity couldn’t have a more toxic community.
Poor unfortunate Mr Kaplan. All he wanted was for people to make friends. But a horde of angry nerds across the globe that make up the Overwatch community, have taken Geoff Kaplan’s beautiful dream in their sweaty hands and smashed it into a million tiny pieces.
Way to go humanity.
Adam Johnson is a writer, actor and shameless gamer. Hailing from Kent, his proudest achievement is co-writing the musical Super Hero which had a mini pop-up tour around the country with the National Youth Music Theatre. He is soon to perform at the Camden Fringe, and finally, he is better than 51% of all players on Overwatch (he insisted we include this).
The Devil No Longer Wears Prada
It’s about time we debunked the myth that the magazine industry is full of angry, designer-clad, triple-shot-half-soy-half-milk-from-mars-extra-hot coffee wielding Miranda Priestly clones. Whilst lifestyle journalism does bring with it the same glitz and glamour displayed in the hit movie and best-selling novel that thinly veils the life behind the glossy pages of Vogue, the stereotypes that suggest the industry is full of girls that survive solely off diet coke and lettuce leaves under a fearful, but perfectly-groomed dictator are both inaccurate and damaging.
Last year through the power of social media, I landed an interview at SUITCASE Magazine, the publication I’d been fangirling over ever since I’d been (unfairly) sacked from playing Farmer Fleur on an Australia banana farm – truly a story for another day. After much to-ing and fro-ing (the then Deputy Editor had commitments in Palm Springs, Havana, Nice) a date and the location was set. I arrived at the swanky, marble-topped bar of Soho House’s member-only Dean Street Townhouse early, by an hour. Unsurprisingly, I had yet to be in a financial position to shell out for a House membership therefore was denied entry and asked to leave until the Deputy Editor (who naturally was a member) arrived. Was this the first sign that I wasn’t elite enough to be writing for the cool kids? Was my tube-creased Zara shirt evidence that I wouldn’t cut it against the clean lines of Valentino’s latest capsule collection? Apparently not, I started the next day.
Having religiously poured over the pastel, perfectly symmetrical, witty pages of every published edition, I expected the SUITCASE offices to be filled with clean, minimalist lines and equally intimidating staff writers. The kind that you long to ask where their boots are from, but already know they’ll reply ‘they’re vintage, duh’. For the second time in as many days my stereotypes were being torn at the seams. Instead, I was met with a sea of articulate, bright and funny individuals who were keen to welcome any new talent – intern status or not.
I’d brushed up on my tea-making skills the night before and had practiced my telephone manner, only to quickly find this to be a waste of time. Making tea and screening phone calls were at the bottom of the agenda and instead within the first hour I was set numerous writing and research tasks. As the weeks went on and my writing went from strength to strength having mastered the SUITCASE voice, my portfolio grew and the contacts I was building within the industry would soon provide me the stepping-stones in which to launch a freelance career. A far cry from juggling multiple Starbucks cups that the film predicted.
The Devil Wears Prada Fashion Editor Nigel sarcastically retorts ‘Yes, because that’s really what this whole multibillion-dollar industry is all about, isn’t it? Inner beauty.’ Well, in fact at SUITCASE it is. Celebrating life through the culture of travel lies at the crux of the publication ensuring that the women, and men, featured have a desire to initiate change through their creative skill set. Perhaps this is why independent publications such as SUITCASE provide invaluable industry experience to hard-working and driven individuals who are eager to absorb the publication’s unique ethos.
One thing that The Devil Wears Prada does correctly reiterate is that a million girls would kill for this job. Yet it brings into question whether it’s just the lure of jet-setting and frequent Heathrow Terminal 5 departures that pulls them in? Remembering the reason why we pursue a creative career has to remain at the forefront of our motivation, as without this we will turn into a bickering clack of airheads and lose the strong, empowering voice that the industry can, and does, possess.
In the words of Miranda Priestley – that’s all.
Fleur Rollet-Manus can often be found racking up air miles, sitting on an oversize suitcase wrestling with an already strained zip or clutching an extra large coffee while penning her latest travel disaster. She’s currently the Contributing Editor for SUITCASE Magazine and has just landed her first junior editor role at Food and Travel.
This entry was posted in Competition, Creative, Creative writing, Uncategorized, Writing by brunelwriter. Bookmark the permalink.
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Missouri Soil in His Veins
Agriculture's fourth Dean continues making a modern college
Written by Randy Mertens · April 12, 2013
Henry Waters (1865-1925) was the author of several treatises on the influence of nutrition, ratio … Expand ▸Henry Waters (1865-1925) was the author of several treatises on the influence of nutrition, ratio and quality of food, on economy of milk and beef production. He also wrote about the comparative value of root crops and silage for milk production and other articles on influence of shelter, on rate and economy of gain in cattle, comparative value of different coarse fodders for production of beef, methods of fattening and wintering cattle, growth of animals under adverse conditions, influence of nutrition on the form of animals and the duty of an agricultural college. Courtesy Kansas State University Archives.
Henry Jackson Waters, named fourth Dean of the MU College of Agriculture in 1895, was no product of a prestigious eastern university as were the previous Deans. Only nine years separated his graduation from the Missouri College of Agriculture and his appointment. His youth (he was 29) was no issue, a rural Missouri newspaper of the day noted — “he has Missouri soil in his veins.”
Additionally, he was familiar with rural Missouri and had been a member of the state’s Board of Agriculture, an influential group of farmers and businesspeople who supported agriculture. He was considered a man of integrity, intelligence and common sense. Waters was respected, and was known for a passion for advancing agricultural education.
Grandson of a Famous Farmer
Waters was born on a farm near Center, Mo. (between Paris and Hannibal) on Nov. 25, 1865, the son of George Washington and Lavinia Jane (Smith) Waters.
His grandfather, George Washington Waters, was a Tennesseean, who moved to Missouri in 1829. George Washington Waters was famous throughout the Middle West as a Farmers Institute lecturer and as an agricultural writer. He paid his own expenses and visited every county and almost every farming community in Missouri. He was a regular contributor to agricultural publications and especially to Colman’s Rural World of St. Louis.
He donated practically all the material that made up Missouri’s agricultural exhibit at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, performed a similar service as a commissioner from Missouri to the Omaha Exposition, and was assistant superintendent of the agricultural department from Missouri at the St. Louis Exposition.
He was active in the movement for the improvement of corn, and it is said that he did more to accomplish that purpose than any other man in Missouri. The young Henry J. Waters labored on the family’s Ralls County animal and crop operation until enrolling in the troubled MU College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts.
Waters’ first job after graduation was assistant secretary of the Missouri State Board of Agriculture (1886-1891) – an impressive career leap even in the days when people with degrees in agriculture were rare. He resigned to become a MU professor of agriculture and assistant director of the MU Agricultural Experiment Station. Tired of the bickering between the University, College and Missouri Legislature over Morrill Act funding, he resigned for a professorship in Pennsylvania. He distinguished himself there. There were only three students at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station when he took charge. He visited every county in Pennsylvania and worked up an interest in the program until it had more than 100 pupils enrolled when he left the university.
Back to Missouri
When the third Dean of the MU College of Agriculture, Edward Porter, died of a heart attack, the MU Board of Curators and Board of Agriculture, in rare agreement, heavily recruited Waters to return to MU and continue Porter’s progress. In his 1944 book the History of the Missouri College of Agriculture, Frederick Mumford, fifth Dean of the College, admitted that Waters was a politically astute choice. He was a Missouri farmer and had the trust and support of other farmers angered over allegations of University misappropriation of Morrill Act funds intended for the College. The issue was so hot that the Legislature drafted the Murray Act to separate the College of Agriculture from the University and relocate it to another part of the state. Progress made by Porter to clean up the mess and upgrade College facilities was probably instrumental in the narrow defeat of that act. The onus was on Missourian Waters to fix things permanently.
Richard Henry Jesse (1853-1921) was born in Lancaster County, Va., and attended the University of … Expand ▸Richard Henry Jesse (1853-1921) was born in Lancaster County, Va., and attended the University of Virginia. He taught Greek, Latin and English at the University of Louisiana and Tulane University before coming to MU. At age 38 he assumed the presidency in 1891 (with A. Ross Hill, Jesse is the youngest President of the University). During his tenure, Jesse oversaw an unprecedented expansion of the University – an expansion made more remarkable because of the burning of Academic Hall in 1892. After the fire, the University had no classrooms. The next morning, Jesse arranged for public buildings and private residences to be used as classrooms. By 1907, Jesse had led the expansion of the University to five times the number of buildings and five times the student enrollment. He was just 54 years old when he tendered his resignation letter in 1907. In his letter he cited advice from physicians who that said his health would deteriorate if he continued with administrative responsibilities. He planned to take a year off in Europe. On the day of his departure, a multitude of students came to his residence. Although his horse and carriage were prepared for his trip to the station, the students unharnessed the horses and pulled his carriage to the station themselves. He died in 1921 and is buried in Columbia Cemetery. Jesse Hall was dedicated in his honor in 1922. John Ankeney painted this portrait of Jesse that is on display on the seventh floor of Lewis Hall. Courtesy University Archives.
The new Dean came back to Columbia with an important ally already in the MU President’s office. Richard Henry Jesse unequivocally supported the College. The College of Ag’s future was Jesse’s first order of business. In his inaugural address he asked the question, “What should the University develop first?” Answering himself, he said it was the continued development of the College of Agriculture. Jesse boldly announced his intention to elevate the College to academic and infrastructure standards equivalent to the best schools in the nation.
Gaining Support Through Research and Service
Mumford wrote that farmers remained suspicious of the University. Many even thought a formal education was unnecessary and distracted young people who should get practical on-the-job experience. Waters realized that the best way to gain their support was through research that directly improved crop and animal yields.
He hired a squadron of research faculty in areas such as agricultural chemistry, mechanical engineering, veterinary medicine, dairy science and plant science. They didn’t just teach, but addressed practical farm problems and published solutions in widely distributed bulletins. Waters sought, and got, endowments that created chairs in entomology and botany.
He oversaw construction of a horticultural greenhouse, and created a two-year practical course for young farmers who couldn’t stay for a four-year education. He also instituted two-week-long winter courses – an idea of Porter’s – that allowed farmers to catch up on the latest discoveries of direct value to them.
With Waters’ encouragement, the Missouri State Board of Agriculture recommended that new buildings be erected to foster research and education. This resulted in the Agriculture Building (now Mumford Hall), Whitten Hall, Switzler Hall and the Dairy Building (now Eckles Hall). As a way to highlight that these were agricultural buildings separate from the University, they were constructed of white limestone instead of the red brick of buildings around MU’s Quad.
Though touted today as one of its pride points, MU’s famous red and white campuses have their roots in a bitter money battle between the University and the College of Ag. The Legislature showed its confidence in the College’s research abilities by placing enforcement of the new fertilizer control law in the hands of the College’s Experiment Station. The College’s Ag Chemistry faculty were put in charge of all analytical and certification work.
Steady Growth in Public Sentiment
Waters’ and Jesse’s efforts soon bore fruit. In his 1896 annual report, the Experiment Station Supervisor noted that “there is a slow but steady growth of public sentiment in favor of more rational agricultural practices.”
Bulletins describing research that had a practical application to Missouri farmers was one way that … Expand ▸Bulletins describing research that had a practical application to Missouri farmers was one way that Edward Porter and Henry Waters hoped to build a positive relationship with an important constituency. This 1922 publication was co-written by MU horticulturist Charles Frederick Bradford. Bradford Research Center is named in his honor.
In a moment of partnership that could not have existed a few years before, the Legislature, College, University and State Board of Agriculture in 1897 began work to establish a number of experiment sub-stations throughout the state to address regional challenges.
“The demand of communities for sub-stations was an indication that the people had come to fully appreciate the value of this class of research,” Mumford wrote. Today, CAFNR runs more than 20 of these stations. MU agricultural research became nationally famous in 1899 when Professor John Connaway of the Missouri Experiment Station, and Mark Francis of the Texas Experiment Station, announced an effective inoculation for Texas Fever, a tick-borne disease that killed 40-70 percent of cattle driven from Texas to Kansas. Suddenly, the MU College of Agriculture was garnering big headlines for something other than financial controversy.
Waters was making progress in education, as well. From 1891 to 1899 there had been just one graduate student at the MU College of Agriculture. In 1901 there were six.
With funds from the Legislature, Professor C.H. Eckles (Eckles Hall) of Iowa Agricultural College was named chair of the new dairy husbandry section – along with a $40,000 grant to build a livestock and dairy building (in addition to $40,000 for a horticulture building, now Whitten Hall). This was a big boost in governmental confidence in the College.
Just a few years before, the Legislature authorized $50,000 for the construction of Jesse Hall. In 1904, the Department of Rural Economics was established. The Board of Curators thought highly of the soil survey made by the College in 1906. “The most important new line of [research] undertaken is the State Soil Survey,” the Curators bragged.
By 1908, the MU College of Agriculture was a recognized success. Enrollment in that year was up 15 percent over 1907. The University Missourian newspaper reported that the growth of the College “has been so rapid that every inch of available space will be fully taxed by the time [a new] building is ready for occupancy.”
Building a National Reputation for MU Ag
Dean Waters began to develop a national reputation for the Missouri College of Agriculture. During 1902 he served as a visiting professor in animal nutrition at the Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Ohio. From 1901 to 1903 he assembled agricultural exhibits for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis. He served as director of the Missouri State Agricultural Exhibit at that fair during 1903-04.
The year following the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Waters used a leave of absence from his University duties to go abroad and pursue studies at the universities of Leipzig and Zurich during 1904-05, under the eminent German authorities, Doctor Kelner and Doctor Zuntz. Waters’ success was being noticed. While in Europe he was offered the presidency of the new Agricultural College of California, but he declined that office. He similarly didn’t accept presidency of the Colorado Agricultural College. But he wasn’t adverse to a new job in the Sunflower State.
A Move to Kansas
In 1909, Waters resigned from Mizzou to accept the presidency of the Kansas State Agricultural College. “Missouri has certainly sustained a great loss in the resignation of Dean Waters,” the influential Colman’s Rural World magazine reported. The Columbia Herald newspaper said Waters was “recognized as the man who made the MU ag school the pride of Missouri and the envy of the other states.” In appreciation, MU conferred on Waters an honorary doctorate.
Waters Hall, Kansas State Univerity. Courtesy Kansas State University.
Waters was as succcessful in Kansas as he had been in Missouri. The official K-State history states:
Waters was a man of strong convictions and forceful personality. He recognized the value of a sense of stability, and was willing to hold his judgment in abeyance or defer action in minor matters for the sake of the greater good. He greatly magnified the duties of the deans, relinquishing to them all supervision of academic work, and placing much responsibility upon them in respect to the personnel of the departments, and allowances of funds to them. He also conferred freely on matters of policy.
“[He did] much to improve the course of instruction and render the work of the institution to the greatest practical avail,” the K-State history continued. After eight years as President of what is now K-State, Waters returned to Missouri to accept the editorship of the Weekly Kansas City Star (now The Star Magazine), living in the Country Club Plaza with his wife Margaret. In 1913, K-State dedicated Waters Hall – home of the KSU College of Agriculture – in his honor.
Waters Hall, University of Missouri. Courtesy University of Missouri.
During World War I, Waters was chairman of the Council of National Defense for Kansas and continued to occupy that position until 1919. He was also state food administrator for Kansas in 1917. He traveled internationally, giving lectures and writing journal articles. After a brief illness in 1925, Waters died in October. One month later, the MU Board of Curators renamed the MU Agriculture Building as Waters Hall.
CAFNR DEAN HISTORY SERIES
Border Ruffian Savant: MU’s First Dean of Agriculture Academic Co-Stars: Tribulations of Ag’s Second Dean Change Agent: The Third Dean Begins to Fix the Place Mission Excellence: Mumford Makes the College a Top School
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Sign up now for a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial so you don't miss any Prime Day deals
Jared DiPane
July has arrived, and that means that Prime Day 2019 will be here before you even know it. We've been talking a lot about the upcoming event, but now that we have less than two weeks until the 48-hour event takes place, it's time to really start getting ready. In order to participate in all the deals that will be happening, you're going to need to be a member of Amazon's Prime subscription, which normally costs $119 per year.
If you don't already happen to be a member, don't worry. Amazon offers a free 30-day trial of the service, which gives you full access to all of its great features, without costing you anything. If you sign up for a trial now, ahead of Prime Day, you'll be able to pick up all the discounted goods, try all the services that are free, and so much more.
At no cost
Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
To participate in Amazon's upcoming Prime Day event, you'll need to be a Prime member. If you aren't already one, now is the perfect time to sign up for a free 30-day trial so you'll have access to all the benefits.
Beyond just being able to access the deals, this free trial lets you take advantage of the awesome Prime shipping speeds, which Amazon has been working to make as quickly as next-day in many areas. It makes for a great way to really test out the service and all of its benefits, without any long-term commitment or expense on your end.
Signing up for the trial now will ensure that you have access to the early Prime Day deals that continue to surface, as well as any that may linger on for the rest of the month after the big event.
Once you've signed up for your free trial, you'll want to make sure you are fully prepared for Prime Day and that you check out some of the best deals that are already available. Finally, you can also sign up for our Prime Day specific newsletter list to have the best tips, tricks, and deals delivered right to your inbox as they happen.
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Google Hangouts – What are they all about?
With the name “Google” being an everyday part of most people’s lives, it’s hard to think that just 20 years ago, the word and the company did not exist. It was 1995 when Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin first met at Stanford University and two years later, having worked together for a year on a search engine called BackRub, the domain google.com was registered. A year later in 1998 the company Google was registered and the rest, as they say, is history.
Whilst we are of course most familiar with Google Search (around 90% of UK Internet searches are carried out via Google), the company is responsible for many other products that we use regularly, perhaps even daily, such as Maps and YouTube. You may have heard of Google+ too although possibly don’t know very much about it, but one product which you may not have heard about at all is Google Hangouts.
Group messaging and video meetings
Google Hangouts can be a tricky thing to explain as they come in so many different shapes and sizes. You can have hangouts that are like group text messaging including photos – on your computer or on your phone or tablet – but where Google Hangouts should really begin to make you sit up and take notice is with what you can do with them for face-to-face conversations via video. A Google video hangout is a private video chat room with up to 9 other people (i.e. 10 in all) from anywhere in the world – for free. You can use these for conference calls with friends, remote workers, or even clients, saving both travelling time and reducing your carbon footprint.
Hangouts On Air – Broadcast Live Video
But if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, there is more. Google’s Hangouts On Air (or HOAs as they are sometimes referred to) are like the face-to-face video conversations described above, but On Air, meaning they can be watched by other people live on YouTube or Google+ and the audience watching can join in the conversation with their questions and comments brought directly into the hangout and shown on screen. What is more, for the person or business running the Hangout On Air then at the end of the live video event, a recording of the video broadcast live is stored on their YouTube channel to further share or edit and re-purpose. And yes… as above, all of this is free.
Don’t hang around… hangout on air instead!
Google Hangouts and particularly Hangouts On Air present an excellent opportunity to reach potential customers in your target market. That of course raises the question, what should you use them to broadcast?
The answer to that question largely depends on your target market. Whatever you do needs to be focused on providing the information your audience is looking for and answering the questions they may have. Whether your business is focused on providing products and services to other businesses (B2B) or serves consumers (B2C), you will no doubt be providing the information and answering the questions they have already on a daily basis. You are an expert and you provide information and answers from your pool of expertise every day. What HOAs allow you to do is to reach a far bigger market of customers than your day-to-day customers.
Don’t broadcast… engage!
But whilst hangouts provide you with a broadcast medium to reach those customers, don’t be tempted to use them just to “broadcast”.
The best way to use Hangouts On Air is for engaging your audience not for broadcasting at them. There is an abundance of video content out there all competing for the limited attention of its audience. The key to make hangouts work is to make them useful for your audience. If used well you can encourage your audience to participate during the broadcast which makes your hangout far more interactive and engaging for those watching.
Hangouts On Air… some examples…
The limits of Hangouts On Air are to a large extent bounded by the limits of your imagination and what would work for your audience. If you are still unsure then take a look at the examples below. There are many ways to use them… here are just a few, but if your imagination is holding you back, then why not have a chat with us to explore more of the opportunities that Hangouts and indeed Google+ as a social network could provide for marketing your business.
Click the images below to view or play the examples…
Liverpool Football Club – Kolo Toure – engaging with fans of your brand
Premiership footballers are often put on a pedestal along with their big salaries and that’s the closest you are likely to get to them. But a lot of UK Premiership and Championship clubs like Liverpool have used Google Hangouts On Air to interact in live question and answer sessions with their fans, including inviting some of their fans into the live hangout. These are a great example of a brand engaging with its audience and engagement is the very best way to grow an audience. Cadburys, the iconic British chocolate brand, also use Google Hangouts On Air to interact with the fans of their brand, but that doesn’t mean you need to be a big brand to use Hangouts and make them work for you.
http://goo.gl/cpGnxB
Home Shopping Network – Shoppable Hangout – Live, interactive shopping
You may be familiar with TV shopping channels that have been around on digital TV like QVC complete with a sizeable budget that goes with them to buy airtime, But with Hangouts On Air it’s possible to do something very similar. The Home Shopping Network created a Shoppable Hangout that linked to products on Google Shopping to produce this interactive shopping experience. Using the Showcase App, that comes with Google Hangouts On Air, you can create your own showcase that could link to your products on eBay or Amazon or your eCommerce website or if you’re a service-based business then you could share more information about services on your website.
http://goo.gl/AjdiQp
Cooking with Azlin Bloor – Mohinga, Burmese Noodle Soup – Sharing your expertise
Food is a favourite with most of us so what better way to engage an audience of food fans than through a hangout. You could produce a live event with people participating in the hangout (much like the Liverpool FC example above), or you can use hangouts to record and edit a show to share later. Azlin Bloor has brought her Far Eastern cooking to a worldwide audience through Google+ and Hangouts (both live and recorded), but equally a restaurant could use hangouts to reach its local audience, perhaps by recording the cooking of an upcoming special dish to be served by them in their restaurant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTxlcHO5t4
Dell Tech Support – Customer Service / Interest
The value of good customer service has perhaps never been as high as it is now. With so much choice for products and services available it is difficult to differentiate what you provide compared to your competitors. The long-standing concept of a unique selling point (USP) is certainly challenged in today’s World Wide Web world. Dell have used hangouts to differentiate themselves by providing customer support and insights into new tech equipment through HOAs. Along with the Showcase App mentioned earlier, Google Hangouts also provide you with a Q&A App that allows questions to be submitted in advance of or during the live broadcast. This gives you the opportunity to tailor your hangout very closely to the needs of your audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6omYBTHIPo
My Music Hangout – The Aston Family – Reaching a global audience
Live music has grown and grown in popularity and My Music Hangout has brought it to Google HOAs. They produce regular hangouts with musicians covering a wide range of styles and genres. A particularly popular hangout was produced with The Aston Family live from their home in Cornwall, UK. The unique live event received a lot of positive interest from all over the world.
http://goo.gl/uO4qIF
The above are just some examples of how Google Hangouts and in particular Hangouts On Air are being used. But as said above, the limits are mostly bounded by your imagination and what will work with your audience.
Whilst there’s been a lot of buzz recently with the Meerkat and Periscope apps used for live streaming on Twitter, Google Hangouts provide an opportunity for both B2B and B2C businesses to reach out to existing and potential customers in a deeper and more engaging way that has not been possible before through regular marketing channels.
So how could you use Google Hangouts?
Why is it important for your website to be mobile-friendly
5 Reasons your business should have a blog
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Construction Groups and Other Business Leaders Encourage Voting in Texas Primaries
by Scott Braddock | January 18, 2018
Construction associations are among the business groups this year encouraging employers and their employees to get out the vote in the Texas primary elections. They and others are stressing that in Texas, the vast majority of the state-level races are actually decided by voters in the March primary while the November elections are often just an afterthought.
"AGC Texas Building Branch encourages all members to register for primary elections and get to the ballot boxes to cast your vote," said the AGC-TBB in a recent email. The group added that "These are the elections that make a difference in Texas - the vast majority of state races are decided in March, not in November!"
"In 2016, Texas had one of the lowest primary voter turnouts in the nation," AGC-TBB said.
"Despite 2016 being a presidential election year, only seven states out of 35 states holding primaries had lower turnouts than Texas," the group said. "While nearly 75 percent of the Texas voting-age population registered for the 2016 primaries, only 19.9 percent of registered Republicans and 10.1 percent of registered Democrats actually voted."
The AGC-TBB also passed along information on how to tell if you are registered to vote.
"You can confirm your registration status on this website by going to Am I Registered? where you will select one of three methods for conducting your search. You can base your search on: 1. your Voter Unique Identifier (VUID), which appears on your voter registration certificate; 2. your Texas driver's license number, if you provided it when you applied for voter registration; or 3. your first and last name. Or, you can call the voter registrar's office in the county where you reside."
If you're not registered to vote, you can "obtain a voter registration application from your voter registrar's office, libraries, most post offices, and high schools. You can also fill out a voter registration application online or request a postage-paid application be mailed to you,” AGC noted.
“Your voter registration becomes effective 30 days after it is submitted (and accepted*) by the county voter registrar. The county office will then put your name on the voter registration list, generate your voter certificate, and mail it to you. Once received, be sure to read the information on the back of the certificate, sign by the X on the "front" of the card (the blue area) and keep your voter card in a safe place,” the group said. Put simply: The faster you become registered to vote, the better.
Other business groups are ramping up their voter engagement efforts as well. For example, a group called the North Texas Commission is working to turn out the vote in the primaries. TheDallas Business Journal quotes the group’s President and CEO James Spaniolo, who said that in the last legislative session, “there were a number of organizations that had similar and consistent views on the issues, but we were working in our own lanes.”
“This is an effort to create a super-lane for issues that we care about,” Spaniolo told the Business Journal.
From Toyota to Facebook, Exxon and American Airlines, North Texas has been a magnet for business growth, said Chuck Allen, the commission’s chairman and managing director of Government Affairs for American Airlines.
“We’re based here because Texas supports business, it offers a great quality of life for our employees, and does so many things right,” Allen said.
Today, people are increasingly moving to a place and then finding a job rather than moving because a company moves them, he said.
“If we lose this business-friendly environment in Texas, there is no doubt our economy will suffer,” Allen said.
Late last year, a Texas House committee held hearings on preserving the economic edge the state has long held. During those hearings business leaders told lawmakers that several things are key, including robust economic incentive programs, bolstering the workforce, and avoiding divisive and unnecessary legislation.
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HomeCLS research
Childhood mental health trajectories and lifetime consequences: a cross-cohort programme of work
Detail Outputs Team Relevant studies
Drawing on data from all four of our cohort studies, this project examines young people’s mental health trajectories today in the context of previous generations. The project is part of the Cross Cohort Research Programme.
Alissa Goodman
1 January 2016 – December 2018
Policy circles and a range of disciplines increasingly recognise that childhood mental health shapes later outcomes across all important life domains including health, partnerships, employment, and incomes.
This project examines young people’s mental health trajectories today in the context of previous generations, using data from the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS), 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70), Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) and Next Steps.
This cross-cohort comparative project provides new evidence about how the mental health of contemporary children evolves from early childhood onwards through to adolescence. Drawing on the latest data from all four CLS studies, it assesses how these trajectories are shaped. Using the adult cohort studies (NCDS and BCS70), it sheds new light on the long-term adverse effects of mental health problems in childhood, and the factors that may reverse these.
Children’s mental wellbeing and ill-health: not two sides of the same coin
Mothers’ depression more harmful than poverty for children’s mental health, study finds
Psychological distress on the rise for younger generations as men feel the strain in middle age
Featured scientific publications
Patalay, P., Fitzsimons, E,. (2018)
Development and predictors of mental ill-health and wellbeing from childhood to adolescence
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Read the full paper
Patalay P, Moulton V, Goodman A, Ploubidis G B. (2017)
Cross-domain Symptom Development Typologies and Their Antecedents: Results From the UK Millennium Cohort Study.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 56(9) pp765-776
Ploubidis, G., Sullivan, A., Brown, M. and Goodman, A. (2017)
Psychological distress in mid-life: evidence from the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts.
Psychological Medicine 47(2) pp. 291-303.
Flouri E, Ioakeimidi S, Midouhas E, Ploubidis G B. (2017)
Maternal psychological distress and child decision-making.
Journal of affective disorders. 2017;218:35-40.
Fitzsimons E, Goodman A, Kelly E, Smith J P. (2017)
Poverty dynamics and parental mental health: Determinants of childhood mental health in the UK.
Social science & medicine (1982). 2017;175:43-51.
Patalay, P. and Fitzsimons, E. (2016)
Correlates of Mental Illness and Wellbeing in Children: Are They the Same? Results From the UK Millennium Cohort Study.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 55(9), pp. 771-783.
Alissa Goodman Director of CLS, Professor of Economics and Principal Investigator of the National Child Development Study
Full UCL profile
Email: alissa.goodman@ucl.ac.uk
Alissa is Director of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, leading the work of the Centre across all of its scientific and operational teams. Alissa is also Principal Investigator of the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS), leading the team responsible for developing its content, design and analysis.
Alissa is an economist whose main research interests relate to inequality, poverty, education policy, and the intergenerational transmission of health and well-being. In her previous employment, she served as deputy director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Emla Fitzsimons Professor of Economics and Director of the Millennium Cohort Study
Email: E.Fitzsimons@ucl.ac.uk
Emla is the Director of the UK Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study following children born at the turn of the new century. Her research is focused on the development of human capital throughout the life course, and in particular how experiences and circumstances in early life and childhood affect causally the acquisition of skills later on.
Praveetha Patalay Lecturer in Population Mental Health and Child Development
Email: praveetha.patalay.11@ucl.ac.uk
Praveetha’s main areas of interest relate to investigating the development and antecedents of mental health (both ill-health and wellbeing) and their consequences through the lifecourse. She is involved in the Mental Health strand of the Cross-Cohort Research Programme and also contributes to mental health research with the Millennium Cohort Study.
George Ploubidis Professor of Population Health and Statistics, Research Director & Chief Statistician
Email: g.ploubidis@ucl.ac.uk
George is Professor of Population Health and Statistics at the Department of Social Science and currently holds the posts of Research Director and Chief Statistician at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies. Prior to joining UCL he held posts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Cambridge.
George is a multidisciplinary Quantitative Social Scientist with a primary interest in socio-economic, demographic and macrosocial/structural determinants of population health and the mechanisms that link these over the life course. He leads the Applied Statistical Methods programme at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies and is PI on the ESRC funded Cross-Cohort Research Programme,investigating determinants of healthy behaviours and lifestyles and the intergenerational transmission of economic status over the life course.
National Child Development Study
Following the lives of 17,000 people born in a single week in 1958 in Great Britain.
The most recent of Britain's cohort studies, following 19,000 young people born in the UK at the start of the new century.
Following 16,000 people who were in Year 9 in 2004 at secondary schools in England.
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Sandcroft Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History
Ar. on a chev. betw. three crosses formée gu. as many doves of the first.
Origin, Meaning, Family History and Sandcroft Coat of Arms and Family Crest
Sandcroft Coat of Arms Meaning
The main device (symbol) in the Sandcroft blazon is the cross formee. The two main tinctures (colors) are gules and argent.
Red in heraldry is given the name Gules, sometimes said to be the “martyr’s colour”1. The colour is also associated with Mars, the red planet, and the zodiacal sign Aries 2. Later heralds of a more poetical nature would sometimes refer to the colour as ruby, after the precious stone.3.
Argent is the heraldic metal Silver and is usually shown as very pure white. It is also known more poetically as pearl, moon (or luna) 4. In a sketch or drawing it is represented by plain, unmarked paper 5.
No other symbol appearing in heraldry is subject to as much variation as the cross 6. Mediaeval Europe was a deeply religious and Christian and many of the nobility wanted to show their devotion by adopting the symbol of the cross as part of the arms. Since no two arms could be identical there arose many variants of the cross, typically involving patterning along the edges 7, or fanciful, decorative endings to the arms of the cross 8. The cross formee is typical of these, (also known as a cross pattee) it has arms which broaden out in smooth curves towards the ends.
1 The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P36
2 Understanding Signs & Symbols – Heraldry, S. Oliver & G. Croton, Quantum, London, 2013, P53
3 A Complete Guide to Heraldry, A.C. Fox-Davies, Bonanza (re-print of 1909 Edition), New York, 1978, P77
5 A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1847, P11
6 Boutell’s Heraldry, J.P. Brooke-Little, Warne, (revised Edition) London 1970, P 47
8 A Complete Guide to Heraldry, A.C. Fox-Davies, Bonanza (re-print of 1909 Edition), New York, 1978, P128
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FCS coach lobbies to end NCAA’s graduate transfer rule
By Brent SobleskiFeb 12, 2015, 7:32 PM EDT
When quarterback Vernon Adams decided to transfer from Eastern Washington to Oregon, Montana State head coach Rob Ash said he would “cheer for him.” But the move has Ash questioning the FCS’s standing within the grand scheme of major college football.
Adams was one of the best players at the FCS level. Ash is worried that his school and others of its ilk might develop into a feeder system for much bigger programs.
“We’re Division I like the other level,” Ash said in a telephone interview, via ESPN.com. “Our guys need to start and finish at the same school. We cannot be perceived as a farm system or Triple-A ballclub or anything like that.”
A loophole in the NCAA’s rules has been exploited in recent years. A graduate student is allowed to transfer without sitting out a season if his previous school doesn’t offer graduate studies in his preferred area. It’s become a way for student-athletes to control when and where they play.
Russell Wilson made the rule famous when he transferred from North Carolina State to Wisconsin, and Adams is simply the latest example of a talented player taking advantage of the situation.
“I’m really opposed to this rule the way it’s starting to be manipulated by FBS schools,” Ash continued. “As FCS coaches, we need to lobby now to get this rule changed. It’s going to be potentially a very difficult, bad situation for FCS with really good players that we recruit, we develop, being tempted to move on for that fifth and final year.”
Fellow FCS coaches are worried they won’t get to benefit from their work with certain players.
“It’s not what the rule is intended for,” Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin said. “… Ultimately we feel like, you know what, we were also the ones who developed [Adams] from a level where obviously out of high school he wasn’t at that level.”
Due to Baldwin’s stance on the transfer, he won’t allow Adams to work out in the team’s facilities before his transfer is official.
The school, however, still supports Adams’ decision.
“We wish Vernon the best in his future endeavors and thank him for all that he has done for Eastern,” athletic director Bill Chaves said in a statement. “The chance for him to pursue this opportunity is certainly a unique one given the fifth-year transfer rule. We are not sure that this was the actual intent of the legislation when it was approved, but it is the rule currently in place that we and potentially other schools have to adhere to. We will continue to work through the process of this transfer based on the rule as it stands now.”
Tags: Eastern Washington, Eastern Washington Eagles, Montana State Bobcats, Oregon Ducks, Rob Ash, Russell Wilson, Vernon Adams, WIS
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Sunny. Hot and humid. High 94F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..
Clear skies. Warm and humid. Low near 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Recent editorials published in Nebraska newspapers
Lincoln Journal Star. July 5, 2019
Lincoln, Omaha wise to partner for tech hiring
The Midwest's budding tech industry may be called the Silicon Prairie, but it needs workers to help sow the seeds that will create future growth.
Given the demand for those employees, however, they're often few and far between. Competition among businesses and cities is frequently fierce.
Bearing that in mind, the recently announced Opportunities in Tech partnership between Lincoln and Omaha - including both chambers of commerce and a variety of companies in both cities - marks a positive development. Rather than having the state's two largest metro areas attempt to poach talent from each other, collaborating to recruit it to the area makes so much sense.
With so many ties binding Lincoln and Omaha, their pull becomes stronger when the cities work as one instead of against one another. Rather being divided in hopes of conquering, this "super region" with 1.3 million residents, as Lincoln Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Birdsall calls it, becomes more powerful with the combined resources of both communities.
The mutual benefit becomes clear when one looks at Lincoln's leading high-tech employers. Many of them - Hudl, Nelnet, Spreetail, etc. - are headquartered in the capital city but have offices and presences in Omaha. Given their proximity, many employees commute between the two cities.
With the dearth of available employees forcing these companies to turn to remote workers or offices in larger tech hubs in other states, Nebraska needs every advantage possible in its attempts to lure these workers to the Cornhusker State.
Though it's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, the folly of such high-stakes competition between geographic neighbors can be seen in the Kansas City metro area.
Businesses have long played Missouri and Kansas against one another to see which state offers the best tax incentives, often jumping back and forth across state lines in a process that's cost hundreds of millions of dollars over an arbitrary line on a map. After years of this border war, leaders both states are examining the best way to end this expensive game of tag.
Lincoln and Omaha could easily have fallen into a similar trap. Instead, they've correctly realized both communities benefit from growing the pool of available workers in these good-paying jobs. It follows in the footsteps of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce's Economic Development Partnership, which has united similar organizations in six counties "in the metropolitan region for the benefit of all."
If either Lincoln or Omaha win in attracting new talent, the other will benefit. The large number of entertainment options in and the short distance between these cities mean that a resident of one community will almost certainly spend money in the other.
That's a good thing - and indicative of the broad thinking required for Nebraska to grow its workforce well into the coming years and beyond.
Grand Island Independent. July 3, 2019
Independence Day carries a powerful message
This week we observe another birthday of our country's birth. Across the nation people in communities large and small will enjoy a day off from work. They will have fun and participate in some 15,000 fireworks displays. They will gather with friends and family and consume some $6.7 billion worth of food and drink. More beer is sold on July 4 than any other time of the year. The 150 million hot dogs consumed — if laid end to end — would stretch from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles more than five times.
This is a day we should celebrate and remember. In July of 1776 our colonial forefathers adopted one of the most important documents ever written. It declared our independence from England and the result, after a long and difficult Revolutionary War, was an independent country which today has individual freedoms and opportunities without parallel in history. It would provide its citizens the highest standard of living any people has ever enjoyed. It would use its military might to help keep freedom alive at crucial times in history.
The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by a nation's people asserting their right to choose their own government. It was an idea whose time had come and an idea which has contained great power since it was formally accepted 243 years ago. It contains ideas feared by those who want despotic powers. It contains ideas that many men and women have been willing to die to preserve.
The preamble to our Declaration of Independence includes ideas so bold that they can be considered audacious.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable right; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
Given that some of the men who wrote the Declaration of Independence were slave owners did these authors really believe what they wrote about equality and inalienable rights? History does not tell us why a Thomas Jefferson, who owned slaves and had children with one of his slaves, wrote those words. However, the Declaration of Independence has met the test of time and its words say much about the kind of nation we are.
Surely the ideas stated in the Declaration of Independence help explain why so many people who were born in other countries have wanted to live in the United States. The immigrants coming to our southern borders come because they know that for them it is a place with greater security, freedom and opportunity.
Our tradition of fireworks on July 4 dates back to the Revolutionary War. John Adams said he hoped the anniversary of our independence would be marked for years to come by "guns" and "bonfires" and "illuminations." Just one year later on July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. After almost 250 years, the tradition continues.
Fireworks were first made in China. In 2016 $292.2 million worth of fireworks were imported to the U.S. from China. Whether the current trade disputes between China and the United States has affected the import of fireworks for the 2019 Fourth of July has not been in the news. Better to enjoy the day and worry about trade disputes later.
Omaha World Herald. July 6, 2019
The state takes a big risk with its child welfare changeover for Douglas, Sarpy
State leaders were badly stung a decade ago when their attempt to privatize Nebraska's child welfare services threw the system into disarray. It took years to straighten out the problems and restore public confidence. That tumultuous experience provided an important lesson: Stability is vital for the child welfare system, whose services help abused and neglected children.
Now, concerns have understandably arisen that a new state decision threatens the stability of child welfare services, this time for Douglas and Sarpy Counties. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has selected a new, out-of-state private child welfare provider for the two counties, with the provider's low-cost bid a key consideration. Kerry Winterer, a former head of Nebraska HHS, wrote in a Midlands Voices essay Friday that the decision is a major mistake.
The current provider, PromiseShip (the only remaining private child welfare in Nebraska), scored higher than its competitor — St. Francis Ministries, a Salina, Kansas, nonprofit — on measures for service quality and management. But HHS awarded the contract to St. Francis, which offered a bid of $196 million over five years, far lower than PromiseShip's proposal of $341 million.
St. Francis currently serves more than 31,000 people through subsidiaries in Nebraska and six other states, plus two Central American countries.
HHS officials say that they will hold St. Francis to the needed standards for service delivery and cost management and that the Kansas-based nonprofit offers the best opportunity for innovative service.
The state has an enormous responsibility to get this right. Child welfare service for Douglas and Sarpy Counties is complicated, demanding work requiring a high level of competence. PromiseShip — a collaborative nonprofit that includes Boys Town, the Child Saving Institute and Heartland Family Service — currently handles 40% of the state's caseload and some 59% of the cases requiring the most extensive intervention. The total number of children served last year in the two counties was just under 5,000.
Public confidence will be gravely shaken if these tasks are mishandled. Critics point to various concerns regarding St. Francis:
“ Multiple placements. Kansas has transferred children multiple times at a rate far higher than in Nebraska: 7.1 times for every 1,000 days spent in Kansas foster care in 2017, compared to Nebraska's statewide rate of 2.56 moves per 1,000 days in January 2017. This issue spurred a lawsuit against Kansas state officials.
“ Caseloads. Nebraska law limits HHS workers to 12 to 17 cases. St. Francis' proposal for a Nebraska contract was built around a target of 25 cases per case manager.
“ Contract cost. In its protest to the state, PromiseShip stated that Nebraska's per-case cost, statewide, was $3,000 in 2017 and $3,100 in 2018, whereas in its bid St. Francis proposed a per-case cost of $1,130 in year one and $1,650 in year two. St. Francis' contract with Kansas "has been amended multiple times" to increase the payment rate to the nonprofit, PromiseShip wrote. State Sen. Sara Howard of Omaha, who chairs the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, said she has concerns over whether St. Francis could fulfill the contract at the proposed rate. During the failed privatization effort a decade ago, cost issues forced all private providers but one — the agency now named PromiseShip — to pull out of service delivery in Nebraska.
St. Francis says it can achieve significant cost savings through innovative service-delivery approaches, a key goal in having a private provider.
The state Department of Administrative Services, in its response to PromiseShip, said that cost was only about 25% of the bid selection criteria. A team of HHS financial officers "questioned both vendors on costs, cost management and other financial particulars, assessing them qualitatively on their responses."
The state intends to "ensure that once services are provided, case management ratios fall within statute," Administrative Services said.
With this decision, the state is taking a major risk. It's imperative that the transition be made seamlessly and that the state rigorously ensure that service is delivered at the appropriate standard. Meeting those obligations is crucial to make sure that abused and neglected children receive needed help and that the system retains a vital need: stability.
Nebraska State News
Abuse And Neglect Of Children
Which season are you?
DAVID PLACE - Ad from 2019-07-12
David Place
260 S 10 St, David City, NE 68632
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Vivien Schweitzer’ tag.
125 Moments: 124 Verdi’s 200th Birthday
October 13, 2016 in Uncategorized | Tags: 125Moments, Benito Juarez Community Academy, Camilla Nylund, CSO125th, Daniela Barcellona, Duain Wolfe, Ekaterina Gubanova, Eric Owens, Giuseppe Verdi, Ildar Abdrazakov, John von Rhein, Mario Zeffiri, Mark Caro, Matthew Polenzani, Millennium Park, Pritzker Pavilion, Riccardo Muti, Tatiana Serja, Vivien Schweitzer | Leave a comment
Orchestra Hall, October 10, 2013 (Todd Rosenberg photo)
To celebrate Giuseppe Verdi’s 200th birthday on October 10, 2013, Riccardo Muti led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (prepared by Duain Wolfe)—along with soloists Tatiana Serjan, Daniela Barcellona, Mario Zeffiri, and Ildar Abdrazakov—in Verdi’s Requiem at Orchestra Hall. The concert capped off a celebration that was comprised of several performances of Verdi’s music, including concert performances of his opera Macbeth.
The video of the Requiem was projected into Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion and Benito Juarez Community Academy in Chicago, as well as streamed live across the Internet via numerous collaborating websites and the Orchestra’s Facebook page.
“All great performances of the Verdi Requiem carry a sense of occasion, and Thursday’s carried a sense of truly momentous occasion,” praised John von Rhein in the Chicago Tribune. “Muti understands the importance of respecting Verdi’s markings in regard to tempo, dynamics, and expression, and he also knows the importance of breathing with the singers and instrumentalists. His wholehearted dedication carried over to every musician under his command.” In The New York Times, Vivien Schweitzer added, “Alluring dynamic contrasts and shadings rendered the performance exciting and moving by turns, with impeccable playing from the Orchestra and exemplary singing by the Chicago Symphony Chorus.”
Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, October 10, 2013 (Todd Rosenberg photo)
More than 3,000 people viewed the concert in Millennium Park, reported Mark Caro in the Chicago Tribune. According to one patron, “You get to see the city in the evening, you’re near the lake, the music is beautiful, and we love Muti and think he’s done a beautiful job with the CSO.”
The following year, to open the 124th season on September 18, 2014, Riccardo Muti led the Orchestra, Chorus, and soloists Camilla Nylund, Ekaterina Gubanova, Matthew Polenzani, and Eric Owens in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Orchestra Hall. Also video recorded, the performance was made available for free streaming on the Orchestra’s website.
This article also appears here. Videos of Verdi’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony are available here and here.
Who you gonna call? For Ghostbusters in concert, it’s conductor Peter Bernstein. Read more on CSO Sounds and Stori… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 12 minutes ago
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In Statu Nascendi
Journal of Political Philosophy and International Relations 2019/1
Edited by Piotr Pietrzak
Pub Date: April 2019
In Statu Nascendi is a new peer-reviewed journal that investigates specific issues through a socio-cultural, philosophical, and anthropological approach to raise a new type of civic awareness about the complexity of the contemporary crisis, instability, and warfare situations, where the “stage of becoming” plays a vital role.
Issue 2019:1 comprises, among others, the following articles:
- An Interview with Marcin Grabowski on the Political Situation in Asia in General and North Korea in Particular
- The EU and the Migration Crisis: ‘The EU-Turkey Deal’: Policy Effectiveness and Challenges of Implementation
- The Syrian Conflict (2011–2017): How a Perfectly Winnable Uprising has been Transformed into a Civil War, Only to End up as a Ferocious Proxy War
- Interview with Prof. Maria Dimitrova on Continental Philosophy in General and Emmanuel Levinas’ Philosophy in Particular
- Patristic Tradition, Criterialism, and Levinasian Quasi-Theological Conditions of the Self
- Reconsidering the Notion of the Creative Genius in Postmodern Philosophy and Art
Piotr Pietrzak is a PhD Candidate at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridiski”. He holds a master’s degree in international politics and international relations from the University of Manchester and a master’s degree in politics from the University of Warmia and Mazury (Poland). Pietrzak was awarded an Erasmus Scholarship in 2007. He specializes in the politics of the Middle East and the Islamic world, and focuses his attention on the theory of international relations; geopolitics, conflict resolution strategies, and international law; and primarily matters related to the First and Second World Wars, and superpower competition during the Cold War.
Philosophy: Political Theory
Political Science: Political Theory
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Trae Young Buried TCU Under A Barrage Of Insane Three-Pointers
Filed to: trae youngFiled to: trae young
Photo credit: Garett Fisbeck/AP
Trae Young rules. He leads all of NCAA Division 1 basketball in both scoring and assists, and his 9th-ranked Sooners lead the nation in points per game. Back in mid-December, Young, a freshman playing in his 10th official college game, tied an all-time record when he dished 22 assists in 29 minutes, against Northwestern State. He rules. I will entertain no arguments to the contrary.
The Sooners prevailed in an insanely fun overtime game against 16th-ranked TCU Saturday, in which Young exploded for 43 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, on a dizzying selection of step-back threes and feathery floaters. This is already Young’s second 43-point game of the season, and the Sooners needed every last one of his buckets against the Horned Frogs:
Lots of ridiculous highlights in there, but the two threes Young splashed home in the last four minutes of regulation (at about 3:45 in the video, and again at about 3:55) are breathtaking: Young’s feet aren’t anywhere close to set for either shot; the guy who yells “OH MY GOD” while the second one arcs towards the basket expresses the thoughts of every person in the arena. Young’s 43 points came on 56 percent shooting from both the floor and the arc, and maybe one of his 10 made threes would be considered open by any reasonable standard.
TCU is good, and they gave the home team everything they could handle, all the way to the finish. This wasn’t an upperclassman eating up an out-of-conference bottom-feeder; this was a scrawny freshman throwing and landing heavy shots against as live an opponent as anyone could ask for. Trae Young is appointment television.
An Introduction To Trae Young, Who's More Than Just "Steph Curry 2.0"
There Are No Remaining Undefeateds In Men's College Basketball
Ohio State Takes Down Number-One Michigan State
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Music Projects
Compositions, Recordings, Performances
New, original music with a West African vibe.
A distinct new fusion of jazz, funk, and Afrobeat
Listen & Download
Two flutes: a master and his apprentice bring ancient songs to life.
As a musician, I’m passionate about combining my studies of world music styles with my love for creating new and unique musical compositions. The projects below showcase the best of my work as a multi-instumentalist and composer.
From 2001 – 2014, I traveled extensively in West Africa to study music with master musicians such as Famoudou Konaté, Sayon Camara, Nansady Keita, and other musicians of the region. During this period of almost yearly sojourns to Guinea, I immersed myself in studies of the complex and powerful traditional rhythms of the Malinké, becoming proficient on the djembe, dununba, sangban, and kenkeni drums. I also had the opportunity to study the balafon (wooden xylophone) and kamale ngoni (10-string harp from Mali), and I use these instruments frequently in my projects.
In 2006, I began an apprenticeship with a master of the Malinké flute tradition, Lanciné Condé. That apprenticeship continues to this day, and my study of the tambin (also known as the Fula Flute) has become my area of focus.
Music Projects:
Rhythms and Melodies of West Africa
About the Instruments
Fula Flute (tambin)
The Fula flute (known as tambin in the Fula language) is a little-known type of flute with its origins in West Africa. Traditionally played by the Fulani people of the Fouta Djalon region of Guinea, it is also been incorporated into the traditional music of the Malinké people, who primarily inhabit regions of Guinea and Mali, and live in close proximity to the Fulani.
The tambin is a three-holed flute constructed from a conical vine that grows along the Niger River and in the forest region of Guinea. Its embouchure (mouthpiece) is typically constructed from a special beeswax mixture, which is heated and shaped to the flute and the player’s liking. Often decorated with cowry shells and other decorations, the vine is sometimes covered with leather or other skin, to strengthen the flute and protect it from cracking.
The tambin is a beautiful instrument both in sound and appearance, and is capable of creating stunning and often profound melodies. It uses a scale that is roughly equidistant (consisting of seven whole tones), and has four “registers” that are accessed by variations in breath (ie, overblowing), with a total range of roughly an octave and a half. While the scale of the traditional Fula flute does not match our Western scales precisely, it can approximate a diatonic scale and when played with Western instruments (guitar, etc), the tambin adds a tonal coloring that is unique and interesting.
Tambin (flutes) made by Lancine Conde in Guinea, West Africa. Photo by Dave Kobrenski.
Kamale ngoni
The kamale ngoni is type of West African stringed instrument, constructed from calabash (or wood) for its body and bamboo (or other wood) for its neck. Harp-like in nature, the kamale ngoni is a derivative of the older and more traditional donso ngoni (hunters harp), originating in the Wassoulou region of Mali. The donso ngoni, played primarily for hunting ceremonial occasions, has six strings and a deep, haunting sound.
A relatively new invention, the kamale ngoni was created as a modern derivative of the donso ngoni within the last 50 years, as a means of playing popular music. Tuned higher than its donso equivalent, the kamale ngoni (literally, the “young man’s harp”) often has 8, 10, or 12 strings. Its creation gave rise to the genre of popular music know as Wassoulou music, for the region from which it comes, and is heard in modern music throughout West Africa today. Artists such as Oumou Sangare, Issa Bagayogo, Salif Keita, and many others have use the kamale ngoni in their music with much success.
The kamale ngoni is typically tuned to a pentatonic scale. Its two rows of strings are plucked with only the thumb and forefinger. Traditionally, the strings were made of stretched gut, but today it is quite common to see the ngoni made from nylon fishing line. Other instruments related to the kamale ngoni are the cora (21-stringed harp) and the bolon (3-4 stringed bass harp).
Kamale ngoni made by Craig Myers. Photo by Dave Kobrenski.
The djembe is a skin-covered drum made form wood that is played with the bare hands. Originating in what is now Mali and Guinea, the djembe has a great history for the peoples there and has much significance both musically and culturally. The djembe likely has its origins with the Malinké blacksmith caste (known as Numun). According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes from the saying Anke djé, anke bé which means “everyone gather together in peace”. (source: Wikipedia)
The djembe shell is constructed from a solid piece of wood, and traditional woods include the Lenke (or Lingué), “African Mahogany” (Acajou), Bala wood, or Melina wood. Goat skin is stretched across the top, and rope woven between and metal or leather “rings” are used to attach and then tighten the skin, achieving a range of sounds.
Traditionally, three sounds are created on the djembe; from low to high: the bass, tone and slap. Players of the djembe in West Africa (know as djembefola) spend many years perfecting the technique of the djembe. The music played on the djembe is complex and has evolved over many centuries, and typically the djembe accompanies three bass drums: dununba, sangban, and kenkeni. Together, these drums can create complex polyrhythmic patterns.
The djembe has received much widespread attention in recent decades, due to the rise and success of several of the national ballets (performance troupes) that have come from West Africa. These troupes have also had their stars; djembefolas like Mamady Keita, Famoudou Konate, Fadouba Oulare, and many others have continued to perform and teach their music to students around the globe.
Djembe from Guinea, West Africa. Photo by Dave Kobrenski.
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Grinnell (x)
info:fedora/grinnell:phpp-dcl (x)
1001 Broad
Details of the building on the NW corner of 5th Avenue and Broad St. (1001 Broad). This was the second permanent structure of the colony of Grinnell, built in the summer of 1854, for Anor Scott, store-keeper and merchant. It first stood near what is now the NW corner of the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broad Street. (There were then no streets as such: the town would not file a plat until January, 1855). Later it was moved to High Street, then to the SW corner of the intersection of Third Avenue and Elm Street where it is now part of a small house. Fragments of the handsome hand-painted wallpaper (four colors) fixed directly to the inner skin of the building--boards of the board-and-batten construction, gaps, studs, cross-pieces and all--are still within the present walls. (Courtesy of Hugh and Deborah Sheridan)
1002 High
Photograph of the brick house at 1002 High Street built in the late 19th century. Owners have included William M. Holmes and John Manly. The house was demolished in 1977.
1008 High Street
Photograph of the house at 1008 High Street built sometime before 1861. It was the family home of H.W. Williams and later was converted to student apartments. house. Abby Williams Hill (artist of note) was the daughter of H. W. Williams and was born in this house in 1861. See Abby Williams Hill, by R. Fields, ISBN 0-917048-63-6, c. 1989, page 11 where there is the picture of the house and more biographical information about her. Abby taught at the college briefly.
Photograph of the house at 1011 Broad Street, built in 1895 for J. W. Billings, a local dentist. The house was later (1921?) moved to its present location on the north side of 16th Ave, east of the railroad tracks (1533 16th Ave.) At the time of the move it was stripped of its chimney and cupola. The house was moved by horse and block and tackle on 6th to Penrose, and then north on Penrose to 16th. Other buildings to occupy the original site on Broad Street were Van Wechel car dealership/garage, an St. Mary's Education Center.
The home at 1110 Main Street (6th and Main) was built in 1892 for Henry C. Spencer. The tower and chimneys were eventually removed and roof line altered from the original.
Photograph of the house at 1124 Third Ave. built in the late 19th century. An early owner was Louise Henley, wife of the county superintendent of schools. Later owned by Janet Carl and Greg Johnson.
Photograph of the J. H. McMurray home at 1125 Broad Street, built in 1895. In 1915, McMurray made changes to the structure, including replacing the front porch and cutting off the pediments. At the NE corner, the second floor open porch was enclosed and windows added. A smoking balcony was created for Mr. McMurray with wood that would not absorb smoke. The Grinnell Historical Museum acquired the property in 1965.
Photograph of the house at 1126 Broad Street owned by E. W. Clark, a doctor. It was originally built in the 1870s but damaged in the 1882 cyclone. The cupola was later restored.
C.U. Williams Photoette (author) (8) + -
Pustz, Jennifer (transcriber) (6) + -
Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce (Grinnell, Iowa) (5) + -
Breunig, Madeleine Louise, 1999- (transcriber) (4) + -
L.L. Cook Company (author) (4) + -
Clotfelter, Mary Lou Hixson, 1928-2017 (interviewer) (2) + -
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Fredo Rivera (Grinnell College Class of 2006) (Faculty Advisor) (2) + -
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Poweshiek County (Iowa) (8) + -
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Arbor Lake (Grinnell, Iowa) (3) + -
Grinnell, IA (3) + -
Chester (Poweshiek County, Iowa : Township) (2) + -
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Kleinschmidt Architectural History (58) + -
Visualizing Abolition and Freedom (2) + -
Poweshiek History Preservation Project (543) + -
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Poweshiek History Preservation Project, Grinnell Historical Museum (16) + -
Campus Events (2) + -
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Contributions to the Nation’s Colleges and Universities Reach Historic High of $40.30 Billion
Council for Aid to Education
Contributions to the Nation’s Colleges and Universities Reach Historic High of $40.30 Billion Charitable contributions to colleges and universities in the United States increased 7.6 percent in 2015, according to the Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) survey, conducted annually by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE). At $40.30 billion, the total is the highest recorded since the inception of the survey in 1957.
Colleges Raised $1.2 Billion in Donations for Sports in 2015
The following athletics programs reported raising the most money in private donations in 2015.
College Amount raised
Texas A&M University $66,987,139
University of Oregon $53,698,089
University of Michigan $51,717,862
University of Texas at Austin $42,234,883
Texas Christian University $38,319,614
Kansas State University $34,369,836
Auburn University $31,739,556
University of Washington $30,730,210
University of Notre Dame $30,461,237
University of Kansas $28,934,681
The totals include deferred gifts and contributions received during the 2015 fiscal year.
← China’s Nuclear Emergency Preparedness 2016
Israel: Jerusalem Municipality approves second light rail line →
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Progress and Confusion: The State of Macroeconomic Policy
Olivier Blanchard is C. Fred Bergsten Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC. He was Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund from 2008 to 2015.
Raghuran Rajan is Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Kenneth Rogoff is Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Economics at Harvard University.
Lawrence H. Summers
Lawrence H. Summers is Charles W. Eliot Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University. He served as Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration and as Director of the National Economic Council in the Obama administration.
Part VI: Capital Flows, Exchange Rate Management, and Capital Controls
2016. "Capital Flows, Exchange Rate Management, and Capital Controls", Progress and Confusion: The State of Macroeconomic Policy, Olivier Blanchard, Raghuram Rajan, Kenneth Rogoff, Lawrence H. Summers
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About Delbert
Secretary of State Auction of 320 Hinds County Parcels to Bring in Money for Schools, Cities
Jackson, Miss. (News MS) – New tax-forfeited properties are up for auction on the Secretary of State’s website. An online auction of 320 tax-forfeited properties in Hinds County valued at $1.9 million is now open.
Most of the available parcels are in the Pecan Park area of the city of Jackson, which touches Lynch, Capitol, and Prentiss Streets, and Ellis Avenue.
“We continue to work closely with the Mayor, City Council, and non-profit organizations to clean up blighted property and return parcels to the tax rolls. Online auctions are one of the tools in our belt which help us reach these goals,” said Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, who launched online auctions in July 2016. “Auctions are a great deal for buyers who receive valuable property at a fraction of market price, and sales benefit schools and the community.”
Bids may be submitted through the Secretary of State’s online auction portal until 11:59 p.m. CST on Wednesday, May 1. To place a bid, a user is required to register online. Users may view property details such as parcel location and an auction map. Other information, such as auction dates, bid notices, and market values of the properties are also available online.
Successful bidders will be notified by e-mail as soon as possible once bids are placed, and payment of the bid amount must be paid within 5 to 7 days of notification. Buyers will also be permitted to pay a “Buy It Now” price on any parcel, which allows them to purchase a property immediately instead of waiting until the end of the auction.
In recent years, successful auctions in Bay St. Louis, Bolivar County, Greenville, Greenwood, Jones County, Madison County McComb, Meridian, Pearl River County, Rankin County, Waveland, Vicksburg, Yazoo City, and many other communities, have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Mississippi schools, municipalities, and counties.
To learn more about tax-forfeited properties, visit the Secretary of State’s website or call the Public Lands Division at (601) 359-5156.
View Original Story
Hosemann Pledges Teacher Pay Raises
Hosemann Keynotes Madison Schools’ ACT 30+ Club Ceremony, Commends Students for High Scores
Paid for by Delbert Hosemann
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Colors / #F8D4D0
Oaza Landing — True oaza. .............................................................................................................................................. For more WP stuff, check out Qode Interactive team to see more amazing projects! .............................................................................................................................................. L | ❤
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Talk about town: Firefighters from Four Corners remember Sept. 11
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018 10:53 PM
Regional firefighters Tuesday climbed the Sky Steps in Durango three times, equivalent to the height of the Twin Towers, to honor New York City firefighters who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001.
Firefighters from Durango, Bayfield and Farmington fire departments Tuesday climbed the 500 steps leading from Durango to Fort Lewis College three times, equivalent to the height of the Twin Towers that collapsed in the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001.
In full gear, firefighters climbed the Sky Steps as part of the 2018 Colorado 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, a program from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The program honors and remembers the firefighters from New York City who gave their lives trying to save people Sept. 11, 2001.
Upper Pine Fire Chief Bruce Evans said local firefighters wanted to be part of the national effort by fire departments to honor the Fire Department of New York.
Evans said firefighters climbed the steps in full gear to help make a more empathetic tribute to what the firefighters in New York endured that day.
Across the nation, firefighters paid tribute to the heroism of FDNY by climbing a height equal to the 110 stories of the World Trade Center towers.
A financial donation made by Unistaff Inc. and Wayne Walters, an Upper Pine River Fire District board member, was also made on behalf of the firefighters to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Herald Staff
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Tag: Angus King
U.S. Senate Democrats Unwisely Re-elect Harry Reid as Leader
Today, November 13th, the Senate Democrats re-elected Senator Harry Reid as their leader, now Minority Leader, for the next Session of Congress starting in January. [1]
Although the voting was by secret ballot, it was not unanimous. At least four of the Senators rejecting Reid have been identified: Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. McCaskill said, “When you have an election like this, common sense says we need to change things. The voice was very loud and unmistakable. To me that means changing leadership, and it was just that simple.” Heitkamp added, “This was a change election. I think that we needed to demonstrate that we heard the American public.”
Over the last several months, these four were part of a group of about 10 more junior Democratic senators have begun more openly registering their dissatisfaction with Mr. Reid’s approach. Others include Senator Angus King of Maine and Senator Jon Tester of Montana.
The leadership votes went ahead after several in the caucus asked for a delay to give them an opportunity to consider others for the leadership posts.
Senator Reid apparently responded to these negative views of his leadership by appointing Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts as the Caucus’ Strategic Policy Advisor, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota to chair a caucus committee that handles outreach to outside allies and activists and Senator Tester as Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
As a Democrat, I think the re-election of Reid is a horribly unwise. I have cringed every time Reid appears on television as the voice of the Senate Democrats. He comes across as tired, old, cranky, dull, weak and unpersuasive. When he appears on television with the Republican leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, soon to be the Majority Leader, the personal animosity between the two often is apparent. The Democrats and the country do not want to see a continuation of this outworn drama.
Senator Amy Klobuchar
As a Minnesotan, I believe our Senator Amy Klobuchar would be an excellent new Minority Leader. She would be a fresh face, younger (age 54) and female in sharp contrast to McConnell. She also has a record of being able to get along with Republicans in the Chamber. In the final debate this year for Minnesota’s other U.S. Senate seat, the unsuccessful Republican candidate, Mike McFadden, frequently praised Klobuchar and said “I’m here to say Amy Klobuchar sets the bar for work ethic and authenticity.”
Scott Lehigh, a Boston Globe columnist, said the 74-year old Reid “should announce that when this session of Congress ends, [he] will relinquish [his] role as leader of [the] . . . Democratic [caucus].” Reid is a “tired face, stale voice, entrenched presence in Washington. . . . After a certain period, congressional leaders’ caricatured images get so ingrained that they become electoral liabilities for their parties.” (Lehigh makes the same argument about why Nancy Pelosi should not be the Democratic leader of the House in the new Congress, but that is an argument for another day.)
Another columnist in the Wall Street Journal, Gerald Seib, posed a similar question, “Where are the [Democrat] party’s fresh young leaders?” But he assumed that Reid would be the new Minority Leader, and instead mentioned Senator Elizabeth Warren as a potential national leader of the party along with “highly capable younger Democrat [Senators]:” Mark Warner, . . . a 59-year-old moderate from a key swing state, as is Colorado’s 49-year-old Michael Bennet. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, 47, is a rising star.”
I have no quarrel with any of these prominent Democratic Senators, and any of them would change the public persona of the Senate Democrats, but I point out that they have less experience in the Senate than Senator Klobuchar’s eight years: Warner (six years), Gillibrand (six years), Bennet (four years) and Warren (two years).
Here is a personal plea to Senator Reid. Wake up. Give someone else the opportunity to lead. Do not be a liability to your party. Stand down.
[1] This account of the re-election of Senator Reid is based upon articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and Politico.
Posted on November 13, 2014 November 13, 2014 Categories PoliticsTags Amy Klobuchar, Angus King, Boston Globe, Claire McCaskill, Democrats, Elizabeth Warren, Gerald Seib, Harry Reid, Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Machin, Jon Tester, Kirsten Gillibrand, Mark Warner, Michael Bennet, Mike McFadden, Mitch McConnell, New York Times, Politico, Scott Lehigh, U.S. Senate, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post2 Comments on U.S. Senate Democrats Unwisely Re-elect Harry Reid as Leader
Sign Petition for Reform of U.S. Senate Filibuster Rule!
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon is leading a campaign for a petition of public support for the Senate´s passing “meaningful filibuster reform as its first order of business when the new Congress begins” in early January 2013. He is joined in this campaign by five other Senators—Tom Udall of New Mexico, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire–and by Senator-Elect Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
I have signed this petition and urge all other U.S. citizens to do the same. All of us also should write to these Senators and Senator-Elect and applaud them for proposing the change while urging other Senators to join them.
I do so even though I do not like the proposed reform they are advocating. It calls for a new “Talking Filibuster” rule. It would retain a rule allowing a filibuster that would prevent voting on the merits of proposed legislation or other action unless 60 Senators vote to close debate, but would require filibustering Senators “to stand on the floor and make their case to the American people with a real talking filibuster!” (Now Senators can filibuster without making any speeches, and this makes filibustering too easy to invoke and too easy to abuse.)
Senator Merkley recently elaborated on this proposal. He said under “the proposed rules, if a cloture vote[to end debate failed to win a simple majority, the bill would be killed and the Senate would move to new business. But if it won a majority — though less than a supermajority of 60 — the bill would remain on the floor for any senator who wished to opine on it. If at some point no senator rose to speak, after given several chances to do so, a new vote would be called — and only a simple majority would be needed to pass it.” Merkley also said the not yet completed proposed change might also include eliminating the filibuster on motions to proceed to debate and restrictions on filibustering efforts to send a bill to conference.
Making any change to the Senate rules at the start of a new session of the Congress permits, they will argue, adoption of new rules by a simple majority vote, rather than the two-thirds requirement (67 votes) under the current rules for their amendment. (We can anticipate that some Senators will oppose the proposed change and will argue that a two-thirds vote is still required under a long-standing Senate practice that the Senate is a continuing body and that its rules continue from one Congress to the next.) I strongly favor the argument that only a simple majority vote is necessary for these changes when the new Congress meets for the first time.
Perhaps this group of reformers believes that their modest change is the only one that stands a chance of obtaining at least 51 votes for adoption. If so, then this political judgment must be respected by the citizenry even though, in my opinion, it is not sufficient to stop abuse of the filibuster. Indeed, as discussed in prior posts, I believe this rule should be eliminated in its entirety.
The seven organizers of the petition apparently have the important backing of the current Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, who said at a November 7th press conference that filibuster reform will happen in the new Congress. Reid is proposing some modifications to the filibuster rule — most notably to eliminate the possibility of filibustering efforts to begin debate on legislation. “I think that the rules have been abused and that we’re going to work to change them,” Reid said. “We’re not going to do away with the filibuster, but we’re going to make the Senate a more meaningful place, we’re going to make it so that we can get things done.”
Changing the filibuster rule also has the support of seven other Senators-Elect: Angus King of Maine, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tom Kaine of Virginia and Chris Murphy of Connecticut.
Earlier posts have discussed my criticism of the filibuster as well as the pending federal court lawsuit by Common Cause challenging the constitutionality of the rule.
Posted on November 20, 2012 Categories History, Law, Personal, PoliticsTags Amy Klobuchar, Angus King, Chris Murphy, Common Cause, Elizabeth Warren, filibuster, Harry Reid, Jeanne Shaheen, Jeff Merkley, Kirsten Gillibrand, Maria Cantwell, Martin Heinrich, Mazie Hirono, Tammy Baldwin, Tom Harkin, Tom Kaine, Tom Udall3 Comments on Sign Petition for Reform of U.S. Senate Filibuster Rule!
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Our passion for gymnastics is stronger than ever!
It all started in 1986
Debbie Richardson née Hampton and Keith Richardson set up the Southampton School of Gymnastics (S.S.G.) in 1986 at the Eastpoint Community Centre in Southampton. At Eastpoint there were two multifunctional halls and gymnastics shared these with football, badminton, basketball, athletics and a number of non-sporting functions such as exhibitions, weddings and bird shows.
S.S.G. ran classes for male and female artistic, recreational, adult and pre-school gymnastics. It also ran classes for special needs male and female gymnastics both at a recreational and competitive level as well as trampolining classes.
Courses at S.S.G. were extremely popular as well as successful. The school produced both male and female gymnasts involved in county and regional as well as Centre of Excellence training squads and gymnasts from the special needs competitive section competed and won titles at a national level. Moreover, gymnasts from the recreational groups attended the World Gymnaestrada festival of gymnastics in Amsterdam.
2002… Moving on
The needs of gymnastics are quite extensive in terms of specialised apparatus requirements, however, and with the ever-increasing success of S.S.G. and the growing number of youngsters wishing to participate in the sport,it soon became impossible to operate in the limited space that Eastpoint had to offer. Moreover, the shared nature of the facilities meant that all apparatus needed to be erected at the beginning of each training session and taken down at the end, thus eating into valuable working time.
The decision was taken, to commit to a 10-year lease on a factory unit on the Solent Industrial Estate in Hedge End; however these premises eventually proved too costly and in 2002 the school was once again faced with looking for a new site.
At the time, Hamble School was bidding to become a Specialist Sports College and S.S.G. launched a bid for Lottery funding to build a specialist gymnastics centre on the school site. Funding was eventually approved and the gymnastics school as we now
Twinning with Moscow Dynamo and a new name for S.S.G.
During this time S.S.G. had formed a close relationship with one of the top gymnastics clubs in the world, Moscow Dynamo, and particularly with its president, Dr. Vladimir Zaglada, one of the main forces behind Soviet gymnastics, and its vice-president Michael Voronin, one of the most successful gymnasts to come out of the Soviet gymnastics system. This relationship eventually resulted in the two clubs twinning, with Dr. Zaglada and Michael Voronin becoming vice-presidents of the Southampton club. The two clubs then embarked upon a program of co-operation, which led to the exchange of gymnasts, coaches and technical expertise and as a result of the twinning, S.S.G. changed its name to the Dynamo School of Gymnastics.
Unfortunately our dear friend Michael Voronin passed away in 2004 and Andrei Zudin, a prominent figure in the Russian Gymnastics Federation, succeeded him as president of Moscow Dynamo.
We are honoured that during a 2012 trip to Moscow for the Voronin Cup, Andrei also agreed to assume the position of vice-president of Dynamo UK alongside Vladimir Zaglada who now lives in the USA.
Valuable support from Hamble Sports Complex
Dynamo is now one of the top gymnastics schools in the country and is the only school to coach both men’s and women’s gymnastics at a high level. In fact, Dynamo boasts a team member in both the men’s and the women’s Great Britain squads and the facility is even used on occasion for Team GB training. As well as competing at such a high level, our elite gymnasts are excellent role models for the younger squad members who are lucky enough to train alongside them regularly.
The Dynamo coaching staff has greatly helped in the training of the Sports Complex staff and together they have set up popular after-school clubs for all ages and abilities. Conversely, the Sports Complex is able to support the work of Dynamo in the provision of changing facilities, social areas, a first aid room and a staffed reception. And in the event of large competitions, the gymnasts are able to use the sports hall and mirrored dance studio, both of which have sprung wooden floors.
2012 saw the completion of Dynamo’s most recent extension project. Once again with the support of EBC and British Gymnastics, the target was to increase working space for new pre-school gymnasts. The dedicated pre-school studio space was created to meet these demands and to provide additional specialised fundamental movement sessions.
In addition to the pre-school space, Dynamo has also erected a new viewing gallery and has made improvements to existing facilities, most notably by extending the vault run up to meet the International Federation of Gymnastics’ (FIG) standards of 25 metres. This has meant that Dynamo was able to host the Singapore National Team in the lead up to London 2012!
The current dedicated gymnastics centre is 35 meters long and 25 meters wide. It is fully equipped to the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) standards for both male and female artistic gymnastics and it has foam filled safety pits for the safe development of world-class gymnasts.
And as one of the leading gymnastics training centres in the country, Dynamo carries the British Gymnastics stamp of approval and is Gym Mark accredited.
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Qatar and the EU
EEAS homepage > Qatar > Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the press conference following the meeting of the International Contact Group
Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the press conference following the meeting of the International Contact Group
San Jose, Costa Rica, 07/05/2019 - 23:15, UNIQUE ID: 190507_20
San Jose, 7 May 2019
Check against delivery!
Let me start by thanking the Foreign Minister [of Costa Rica], my good friend Manuel [Ventura Robles], and the authorities of Costa Rica for an excellent hospitality and a very useful way of hosting us all that has contributed to a very productive meeting. I am now going to read, as is established practice, the English version of the statement of the International Contact Group:
Q: You have had two meetings in Montevideo and Quito. What is the difference of this meeting from the previous ones?
Today’s meeting takes place exactly three months after our first meeting in Montevideo. What we have decided today is to step up the work of the International Contact Group, as we have together assessed that the Group has developed in these three months of work the unique capacity to have access to all relevant interlocutors both inside Venezuela, in the region and on the global scene. We have managed to open, maybe for the first time, the initial steps, the initial space for the humanitarian assistance to the country. These first steps now need to be consolidated. This is why the first practical result of our meeting today is our decision to set up a group of the International Contact Group in Caracas on the humanitarian work to monitor the developments, the follow-up of the engagement and the commitments that have been taken in these recent months, thanks to the fact that we have sent several missions at technical level to Caracas on the humanitarian work, but also on the political developments.
The first concrete outcome is that we have decided to have a constant presence in Caracas as a Group, to accompany the humanitarian assistance in the country in the most effective manner, as all our interlocutors in Venezuela but also in the UN system and NGOs tell us that our work in this respect has been vital - but is still not enough. We need to continue. The second news of today’s meeting is the fact that we have discussed with the Ministers what we have referred to in the document as «Concrete options for a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis». It is a set of ideas that we are not going to make public, but that we are ready to present and discuss with the different interlocutors in Caracas, through a mission at a political level in the coming weeks, if there is interest to go in that direction. As we discussed yesterday with the President of Costa Rica [Carlos Alvarado Quesada], it is time to move to concrete ideas that could unblock the situation and this Group has produced these concrete ideas quite in details. We are now ready to engage in the presentation and discussions of these concrete ideas that would also require a certain level of confidentiality, so you would understand that we would not share any details.
Third new element of today’s meeting is that we have decided to intensify our work with other interlocutors and partners in the region and the international community. You have seen that a few days ago in Lima – also thanks to the good coordination and the good work with Costa Rica and the Canciller [Ventura Robles] personally, Costa Rica being the only country member of both the International Contact Group and the Lima Group – the Lima Group has extended an invitation to the International Contact Group to have a meeting at ministerial level. We have decided today to accept this invitation so we will have contacts with the Lima Group in the coming hours to define a date and a place for this meeting to take place. We have also decided in parallel to further develop our contacts and coordination with other relevant interlocutors for a democratic and peaceful solution to this crisis, such as CARICOM [Caribbean Community] but also the permanent members of the UN Security Council such as the United States, Russia or China, beyond the two permanent members that are already members of our Group – France and the UK – and other players, countries of the region – I specifically think of Cuba, Mexico or the Holy See that was present today with us with their representative – that can be of help in case the Venezuelan parties would be ready to engage in a process.
I think that this has maybe been the most productive meeting of the International Contact Group. Each time we meet, we see a situation in the country that deteriorates and even more importantly, the need to urgently help, support or facilitate the Venezuelans themselves to find their own way out of the crisis.
Q: [Inaudible] How do you justify these events in Venezuela? I would like to know the details of this High Level Group. Have they been to Caracas? Who could be the interlocutors?
The International Contact Group was established with clear terms of reference that have been made public from the very first day and that clearly state that after 90 days of work the Group itself – the members of the Group – would assess the results achieved and review the Group’s work. And our common assessment today is that some achievements have been reached, especially in the humanitarian field - initial steps, not sufficient. But this is why we see even more so the need to consolidate and expand these first results. All of our interlocutors are encouraging us to continue the work in this field, but also on the political track. I believe that it is clearly too early to say that there are signs inside Venezuela of willingness to go in the direction of early, fair and transparent presidential elections, but I believe – and I think we share the assessment with all the members of the Group and also with our interlocutors, for instance, that joined us today - that especially in these last days it is self-evident inside the country that the only way forward and the only way to unblock the stalemate in which the country clearly is, is to find a democratic, peaceful, political way forward that can be inclusive and that can respect the will of the Venezuelan people. This is why, as I said, we have decided together to continue our work with the Group and to offer as a contribution to this perspective of a peaceful, democratic, Venezuelan solution some concrete ideas and options - as a contribution - that then will be up to the Venezuelan parties and interlocutors and different sectors of society to discuss and decide upon. It is a contribution that we offer knowing very well that the solution will have to come from inside Venezuela, but we feel the responsibility to contribute if we can.
Q: How does the Group see the time frame, because this is a situation that has been developing for some time? And on contacts: you mentioned Cuba and Russia. Do you foresee any contact with the United States?
First of all, on the time framework: as soon as possible. We all agreed on the urgency of intensifying out work, exactly because the first priority is to avoid negative developments. And I want to stress here the need to preserve, protect the constitutional role of the democratically elected National Assembly and of all its members - the parliamentary immunity of all its members - and the need to avoid any move, any step, in these hours, in these days, that could make a political solution more difficult in the coming weeks. So we share the urgency of first and foremost avoiding negative developments on the ground to be even further expanded. And to avoid a violent cycle or development. We have always been very clear from the beginning on the fact that we believe that there should be no military attempt, neither from within or from the outside of the country, to resolve the crisis through military means or through the use of force in whatever form. The sooner the better, because it is true: there is no winner, but there are many losers in the situation. And these are all the Venezuelan citizens - over 1 million of which are also European citizens - and the rest of the region that is dramatically de-stabilised by a crisis that has a potential to impact even more the stability in the region in the coming weeks. There is a sense of urgency. And we believe that the next days and weeks are crucial to explore the possibility of engaging the different relevant interlocutors inside Venezuela into these concrete ideas on how the crisis can be unlocked politically, democratically and peacefully.
The second part of the question on the contacts: we have contacts not only with the different parties within Venezuela, but we also have contacts with all the different regional and international interlocutors, nobody excluded. Some of them are already ongoing. You mentioned Cuba – the Foreign Minister [Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla] was visiting Costa Rica last week, I had a phone call with him last Saturday. Not only Venezuela, but Venezuela was also part of our discussions with the Chinese Foreign Minister [Wang Yi] when he last visited Brussels a few weeks ago. We have had contacts with both Moscow and Washington in these recent days, not only to inform about our work, but also to try and explore convergences. Because the approach that the Group is taking is, again, that the process needs to start, but also to be fully Venezuelan. But the international community has the responsibility to create the conditions and accompany as much as possible this process, if possible. We have discussed today the need and the decision to intensify contacts and coordination with the Lima Group upon their invitation that we value enormously, but also with CARICOM [Carribean Community] countries, with the US, with Russia, with China, with Cuba, with Mexico, with the Holy Sea, with others that can help creating a conducive environment for the Venezuelans to engage in a democratic and peaceful outcome of this crisis.
Q: The High Level Group that would be sent to Venezuela would sit down with both parties? Some countries have taken other measures, like economic sanctions, but how how do you see those measures? What can you do in this regard?
We will explore in the coming hours, as the Foreign Minister has mentioned, the possibility of having a mission at political level. As I mentioned and as you can read in the statement, we offer an availability: we are ready to send a mission at political level. Let me stress that we have already sent several missions to Caracas in these last three months – if I am not wrong, two on humanitarian issues and two, if not three on the political track. So this is not a “first” in itself. But we are ready to upgrade the level of our political engagement, giving a political nature to the next mission, if there is the readiness and the desire to hear our ideas and our proposals and discuss them in direct contacts at the political level. We will explore this possibility in the coming hours. As I said, it is not a request, it is a readiness to engage further if required, if considered useful by different interlocutors in Caracas, on a set of ideas and concrete options that we have worked on and that we can offer to the different interlocutors as “food for thought” to consider further. It is not a peace plan we are coming up with, it is a set of options that we have identified as issues that might help moving forward and that we are ready to present and discuss if there is interest to do so. It is an offer.
And on the issue of the pressure: here I cannot speak on behalf of the International Contact Group that, by definition, is composed by different countries and entities having different approaches to this. And this is also the richness of our Contact Group that has a certain diversity in sight, but a convergence on the purpose of the work that we are doing. But I can speak for the European Union: we have introduced last year some restrictive measures on some individuals in Caracas that have been responsible for some impediments and violations of democracy and human rights in the country. I want to stress that these are not sanctions against Venezuela and the Venezuelan people, but these are targeted measures against some individuals that the European Union has taken on a very sound legal basis and that we are always ready to scale up or to take away, in case we see that developments go in the right direction. This is an instrument the European Union uses when considered useful by our Member States by unanimity and that we have used last year exactly after the last presidential elections that we have not recognised. I do not exclude that the Member States of the European Union could take further decisions in one sense or another on this. But I cannot speak on behalf of the International Contact Group on this.
Q: Why did Bolivia not sign the statement?
This is not something new to this meeting of the Contact group. Also in the previous two meetings Bolivia was actively participating in the work of the Contact Group, both during the ministerial meetings and in between. As I mentioned we have sent several missions to Venezuela in these three months and we have been working very closely together on both preparing the humanitarian and the political track. Bolivia has always been and continues to be an active and positively contributing member of the Group. But since the very first meeting we had in Montevideo, the Bolivian delegation expressed the will not so sign the final declaration without impeding the rest of the members of the Group to adopt it and without leaving the Group, but staying engaged in a way that the Bolivian delegation considers more productive for its own role inside the Group. We are very respectful of that. We are also very grateful for the constructive approach that the Bolivian colleagues have always shown in these three months and we continue to work together very closely.
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-172005
Xavier CIFRE QUATRESOLS
EEAS Press Officer
Elena GONZALEZ VERDESOTO
Press Officer for Latin America and Caribbean / International Cooperation and Development (ad interim)
EEAS Press Team
Contact the Press Team of the European External Action Service
Speech on behalf of High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini in the European Parliament plenary session: urgency debate on human rights breaches in Hong Kong
Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the implementation of the EU Global Strategy at the plenary session of the European Parliament
Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence)Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence)
Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council
Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the joint press point with the Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Chingiz Aidarbekov following the signature of the EU-Kyrgyz Republic Enhanced Cooperation and Partnership Agreement Thank you, Mr Minister [of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Chingiz Aidarbekov]. It is indeed a pleasure for me to be back in Bishkek for my second official visit in my capacity [as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European
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These are the law enforcement men
Last week we knew that a local police force attacked a small village in the heart of Miniya governorate. The small population of that remote village "Gabl El-Tir" is mostly Christian.That local police force stormed the houses of the citizens there smashing doors, destroying furniture and attacking the people whether they are women or children or elderly.
They rounded up the men and youth whose hands were tied to their backs. In the village's public square the police mocked the men and called them "infidels" and "animals" beating them in front of their wives and children.
All this started from two weeks ago when a Christian housewife mother of 5 suddenly disappeared and as usual we got the same old story that a Muslim man "who is a friend of her husband" from another village seduced her. Last week a group of angry Christian youth protested at Samalout police station against the neglect of the authority to the case.
They hurled rocks at the police vehicles and destroyed the facade of the police station as I understand in a failed attempt to storm it. Fourteen protesters were arrested in that incident.
Then came the collective punishment to the citizens of "Gabel El-Tir" , the revenge of the police force in Samalout.
The people of the village spoke to the media but no one listens because we are in war on terrorism least we become like Syria and Iraq. Well Christians in Egypt are attacked in their villages but not by crazy extremists but rather policemen !!!!!!!
According to friends in Upper Egypt , this is the not the first time something like that happens. A similar incident happened in Sohag governorate also from couple of weeks ago in a small village. The villagers in that Sohag village mostly from Muslims and currently the elderly are trying to contain the anger of the people.
Now according to what I know about Upper Egypt , I will say that anger is not contained but is kept to one hell rainy day.
Nothing in the Egyptian laws or traditions justify what happened in Miniya or in Sohag and yes I am bringing up the traditions as we speak about Upper Egypt where the traditions rule. In fact such attacks against whole villages and innocent people including women,children and elderly usually cause tribal fights that can keep going on for days if the elderly do not interfere wisely.
The police thinks in this way it restores that fearful status it had in Egypt more than the law and order after the 25 January revolution. It does not care that much about the law and order ,it cares more about that state of fear. Donot be shocked but many policemen in Egypt believe that the only way to deal with the people is through fear and discipline.
Of course I can not neglect the "infidels" part, this part shows a clear sectarian problem whether you like or not , yes our law enforcement men got some serious sectarian problem
The head of Miniya security directorate defended his men and said the people started by attacking the police first. Now Christian activists demanded that he would be held accountable and to be dismissed. Something many believe that it won't happen.
In the end many people believe that this incident will be forgotten and no body will be held accountable officially. Of course just imagine a similar incident to happen to Christians in Egypt during the time of Morsi and the anger it would produce in the media and how the media is acting modestly now.
Filed under Citizen Journalism, Egypt, Human rights, Media, Minorities, Politics, Video
Fiona Carty 9/21/2014 10:26:00 PM
Have attacks like this always happened or is it a recent(ish) thing? No one should abuse their power :(
Oh, please. Orange Ketchup? Deb?... Hamdy Youssef? Isn't anyone going to weigh in here?
Orange Ketchup 9/22/2014 04:37:00 PM
I have weighed in on other similar incidents before but will comment on this one too. This is another mixture of toxic sectarianism and the drug of out of control police power. The reactions toward the event are also revealing of the true nature of various political actors.
It shows the hypocrisy of the Egyptian elite. They don't really want to accept liberty, equality, or universal rights, instead preferring their caste-like hierarchical system. This applies to religious minorities and to anyone outside their political-economic-military elite. Their rhetoric shifts around and generally returns to being anti-minority once they feel firmly in control.
The incident also goes to show how asinine it is one some argue that Middle Eastern dictators should be supported for religious reasons. You cannot effectively disentangle various forms of basic freedoms and respect for human dignity. In most places, there is a strong connection between support for oppressive state power and religious and ethnic bigotry and racism. Why would this region be any different? To accept and condone the Arab dictators is to accept their myriad forms of oppression, obscurantism.
Contrast the tacit support of this behavior by Sisi zealots with rational movements like the April 6. The April 6 movement actually does support religious freedom and equality, opposes torture, and opposes the rampant police brutality. Theirs is a credible political and social vision.
This is also another reason why the democratic elements of the Egyptian left have an important role to play in actually starting off the transition to a freedom respecting society. Regardless of whether or not their economic vision is viable, they do stand against tyranny like police actions in Gabl el-Tir. They have a consistent record of opposing these absurdities. The pro-police state scum do not. Remember the Maspero massacre or assorted other events in which dictatafans cheered on repulsive slaughter?
Ultimately, the religious leaderships, both Christian and Muslim, will start to face increasing credibility problems if they simply accept and condone government abuses and represent the views of their followers. They seem unwilling to actually take a firm stand on events like this obscenity. Many of these leaders seem to believe that they have a vested interest in remaining enmeshed with the state but this connection is harmful to them.
Orange Ketchup 9/25/2014 04:49:00 AM
Woops, I meant to say in the one late sentence "and do NOT represent the views of their followers."
Thank you. That all seems right to me, O.K.
"It shows the hypocrisy of the Egyptian elite. They don't really want to accept liberty, equality, or universal rights"
And you think the average Egypian does? Do you think the revolution had anything to do with "liberty, equality, or universal rights"? These things are against the culture of Egypt and the religious beliefs of most Egyptians. If there was a leadership in Egypt that attempted to force these kinds of things (religious freedom, equality between men and women, rights for gays and lesbians), that would be a guarantee for another revolution. The true elite in Egypt are the bloggers and the political activisits that people in the west are accustomed to seeing and hearing, but that says nothing about the majority of Egyptians.
I believe that the majority of Egyptians are substantially more desirous of and receptive toward individual freedom and universal rights than the political/economic/military elite. They could not possibly relish the massive scale of torture, arbitrary imprisonment, and massacres that continue to take place. The revolution occurred because people had enough with those who control the country trampling on every aspect of humanity and dignity. Even if there wasn’t a single, clearly articulated list of goals for the uprising, it is the case that creating an Egypt in which a better life is possible was a main goal. The participants in the revolution could sense that things were dreadfully wrong and a change of course was vital. This was also true of the 2008 April 6 uprising.
Egypt and many other places are far more conservative than the West and are just now struggling to begin the experiment with democracy. No country moves from oppressive autocracy to a democratic transition in a smooth, singular stage. The Western states where not much different from Egypt or other Arab countries when they began shifting to more liberty and democratically based political systems and modes of governance. Thus, while it is certain that many things which have come to be seen as additional freedoms in the West will be controversial in the Middle East in the near future, the only way to move forward is to establish a minimum base line of free speech and openness that will allow a free exchange of ideas. Progress will happen at best at a glacial pace if Egypt remains a militaristic dictatorship.
Even a feeble democracy with a flawed level of liberalism is far superior to a military controlled political order. In the case of the emergent, albeit feeble, democracy, there actually is space for improvement and progress.
All ideas of liberty and completely inimical and contrary to the authoritarian clique which continues to subjugate the country. They innately must oppose movements like the Dostour Party or the April 6 movement since these factions support civil liberty and freedom of thought. The authoritarians also cannot support religious freedom and certainly not tolerance of homosexuality. To do so would utterly and entirely go against the fabric of their beings. In this regard, the Middle Eastern dictators are no different from all of the others that have existed across the world. However, the majority of the population has no such vested stake in a permanent caste-like hierarchal order. They are starting to increasing see through the garbage that is used to sustain this grossly inequitable system.
Sisi is a just another mass murderer who lied and deceived his way into a presidential position. The rationales used to defend him are similar to those used to defend various other dictators such as Pinochet, Suharto, Mugabe, Yanukovych, Putin, the Thai dictatorship, and the thugs that sparked the Guatemalan civil war. History will not be kind to his legacy.
Anonymous 10/03/2014 04:36:00 AM
People in Egypt don't want "individual freedom and universal rights", which are against their beliefs and culture. They just want democracy and certain political rights, and the government to take care of them (free education, free healthcare, jobs for everyone, redistribution of wealth etc.), and that's what the "revolution" was about, and none of that has anything to do with "individual freedom and universal rights", The views of bloggers and political activists are not reflective of what society as a whole believes in.
Egypt is an Islamic state not only according to the constitution, but according to what people their believe. Nothing is more important than following the teaching if their religion (the same goes for the Christians in Egypt). In addition, women will still get killed by their own families if they had premarital sex. Families will still disavow their gay and lesbian sons and daughters, if not kill them. Muslims who converts to Christianity (or vice versa) will be kicked out of their house by the family, disavowed by their family, friends, and community, and/or killed by their own families. Women will still need their husbands permission to go to work. Women will still get half the inheritance that her brother gets, because it is both a cultural and a religious thing. None of that requires a military dictatorship nor is a military dictatorship there a prerequisite for any of it.
This western idea that "democracy" is everything and that nothing is more important than elections doesn't exist in reality, and has the potential of slowly turning a country like the United States into a third world country, because everyone will vote in what is in their own best interest or the best interest of their racial/ethnic group, not for what's in the best interest of the country. Democracy is a nice way to interfere in and influence other countries. Democracy is also what caused a man you claim is a "mass murderer" to be voted into power in Egypt.
Orange Ketchup 10/07/2014 12:50:00 AM
While those problems exist either in the presence or absence of a military dictatorship, the existence of a military cultic system exacerbates, worsens, and blocks progress on every single one of those issues. It is a characteristic of the mentality of such rulers to oppose changes/developments in the political or social realms and goes against their entire mode of thought. These are retrograde and extremely selfish types of individuals. Furthermore, it goes against their interest retaining power to allow too much freedom or self-empowerment. This can even be seen in China (although its political oligarchy is far less influenced by the military flavor) where, though there has been an opening of the economic system to allow more rational development, there are still considerable restrictions and intrusive governmental interventions into the matters of citizens. Popular views can be more exposed to tolerant ideas in a place where at least some freedom of thought is tolerated and the existence of popular sovereignty rewards exercise of personal and public responsibility and disincentives abdication of responsibility.
Taking a look at three historical examples, Chile, Indonesia, and Tunisia, it can be seen that a newly emergent democracy provides more space for advancement on all fronts. The Indonesian political system, one of the more successful in the Muslim world, has seen a gradual rise of various kinds of freedoms and rights. In Tunisia, press freedom has increased, political diversity increased, crucial societal debates given new impetus, and the use of torture has been considerably rolled back since the fall of Ben Ali. Under various dictatorships, Chile was a place infamous for brutality and the execution and disappearance of dissidents. Now, it has a fairly successful democratic system where all of the above debated issues have progressed in ways that you would approve of. While in none of these cases was improvement purely the result of politics, it has to be acknowledged that the emergence of more civilized political structures did help facilitate the changes.
Tunisia is an example of what the North African countries could try to be like in the near term.
Democracy is a not a utopian cure or miracle panacea, but in all likelihood, Egypt would gradually experience a process similar to the above cases if it embarked upon a similar course. Simply fulfilling the fundamental demands of the revolution would already establish a minimum baseline far ahead of what currently exists.
Part II:
Once the history of the Sisi era is written, it will most likely be widely acknowledged, even more than now, that Sisi indeed is a mass murderer who condoned and accept a number of massacres. He also has declined to ameliorate the widespread and documented usage of torture as a state tool of intimidation. He did have a significant base of support and still retains a core of people who support him essentially no matter what, but the election in which he was coroneted as president was a mockery of democracy.
Sisi tightened his grip over media institutions, repressed and rounded up political dissidents, waited until nearly the last second to announce his candidacy so as to sabotage other potential contenders, and utilized the full extent of state power and money to bolster himself. Then, there is also the matter of the arrest of Sabbahi supporters. Khaled Ali and Aboul Fotouh, no matter what their own levels of popularity, were absolutely correct in their assessments of the game as farcical. The fact that he rejected the choice of not running as a candidate or allowing the election to be a fair contest speaks volumes about the man and the true powers that set him up and run his regime.
In this way, the ascent of Sisi bears striking similarities to the replacement of Allende in Chile with Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet too staged a coup against a controversial president by hijacking genuine discontent with triple digit inflation and dubious media and economic policies. Many welcomed the overthrow of Allende and even the ramming through of an autocratic constitution by fraudulent means. However, in time, the military junta of Pinochet proved far worse than the shaky democratic system that it overthrow. The generals lied about any return to democracy or power sharing. Before Pinochet’s seizure of power, there had been alternations between Christian Democrat presidents and various kinds of leftists, but both ended up being frozen out of power with the solidification of the junta. Much like what is happening now in Egypt. Sisi may end up in similar fashion, with a new, united opposition finally realizing how to overcome their collective mistakes and demand permanent change.
Both Sisi and Pinochet had opportunities to share power with other factions even after staging coups, yet both threw those chances away. Power, not ideological opposition to the previous leaders, was their true primary motivations.
This story may or may not be factual but it is plausible. As is plausible the fact that it may have been invented by quarters whose interest is aligned with exploiting it. Assuming it is factual it may boil down to governments to justifiably choose their battles.
As for the democratic credentials of April 6 and other revolutionists nothing is further from the truth than the narrative by OK. Those groups rather than democrats are more akin to a mix of Jacobins and Sans culottes street enforcers.
How about this as democratic credentials:
Clamoring for revolutionary tribunals with no appeals or lawyers
Publishing public lists and addresses of so called felouls
Demanding gallows at Tahrir to summarily execute Mubarak and Co.
Insisting to deprive whoever they accuse of being feloul from voting or running for public office
Expressing utter contempt for the masses that want revolutionary ardor to cease and desist
Hating and ressenting the armed forces right from June 30 for no other reasons then that they are the armed forces, and that they answered the pleas of the majority to save them from terror.
Voting en masse for terrorist Morsi thus ensuring his victory.
And on and on.
Wouldn't it be easy to find out if it really happened by asking a few Copts? Things like that get around. There is a Coptic TV station, I forget its name, and no doubt there are some Coptic newspapers.
Also, the recent events in Hong Kong clearly echo the purposes of the 2011 revolution in Egypt. The struggles by Arabs, Amazigh, Kurds, Azeris, and others quite obviously overlap with those of Chinese freedom seekers.
Those who denigrate the Arab revolutions may as well argue that past events such as the American Revolution, the French Revolution, historical political disturbances in Britain and the Netherlands, were quite atrocious regressions. Obviously, to believe that all of those who historical events were in their entireties negative, is not a defensible viewpoint.
The Arab Gandhis do exist, and they are being heavily persecuted by a ruthless and terroristic political order clinging to the past.
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Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority
It has been suggested that this article be split into a new article titled Swedish extradition request against Julian Assange. (Discuss) (May 2019)
The Swedish Prosecution Authority
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Argued
Decided
Neutral Citation
[2012] UKSC 22
Prior action(s)
[2011] EWHC 2849 (Admin), [2011] EWCA Civ 2849
A European Arrest Warrant issued by a public prosecutor is a valid Part 1 warrant issued by a judicial authority within the meaning of section 2(2) and 66 of the Extradition Act 2003.
Case opinions
Lord Phillips, joined by Lord Brown, Lord Dyson, Lord Kerr and Lord Walker
Lady Hale, Lord Mance
Area of Law
Extradition (European Arrest Warrant)
Assange v The Swedish Prosecution Authority were the set of legal proceedings in the United Kingdom concerning the requested extradition of Julian Assange to Sweden to further a 'preliminary investigation'[1] into accusations of his having committed sexual offences. The proceedings began in 2012 and on 12 August 2015, Swedish prosecutors announced that they would drop their investigation into three of the allegations against Assange, because of the expiration of the statute of limitations. The investigation into the allegation of rape, as of 19 May 2017, has been dropped by Swedish authorities.[2][3] A disputed issue over the course of the legal proceedings was the claimed fear that Assange could ultimately be extradited to United States of America should he be sent to Sweden.
In May 2019, Swedish prosecutors reopened the investigation against Assange. The prosecutors mentioned their intent to seek extradition of Assange from the United Kingdom after he has served his 50-week prison sentence for skipping bail.[4]
In June 2019 the Uppsala District Court denied a request to have Assange detained and thereby prevented Assange's extradition to Sweden. It said the Swedish investigation did not require Assange's presence in Sweden and the prosecutor said she intended issuing a European Investigation Order to interview Assange instead.
1 Swedish investigation
1.1 Complaints and initial investigation
1.2 Investigation reinstated
1.3 Arrest warrant
1.4 Review of detention order
1.5 Inquiry into three of the allegations dropped
1.6 Revocation of arrest warrant
1.7 After withdrawal of political asylum in April 2019
2 Extradition process
2.1 First instance proceedings
2.1.1 Detention and bail
2.1.2 Extradition hearing
2.1.3 Extradition decision
2.2 Appeal to the High Court
2.3 Appeal to the Supreme Court
2.4 Ecuador asylum and bail forfeiture
2.5 Accusations
2.6 l'Espresso document publication
2.7 Decision to interview Assange in London
2.8 Opinion of arbitrary detention by UN Working Group and move to lift European arrest warrant
2.9 Offers to Obama Administration
2.10 Statements made by Trump Administration
Swedish investigation[edit]
Complaints and initial investigation[edit]
On 20 August 2010, two women, a 26-year-old living in Enköping and a 31-year-old living in Stockholm,[5][6] reported to the Swedish police that Assange had engaged in unprotected sexual activity with them that violated the scope of their consent.[7][8] The police told them that they could not simply tell Assange to take an STD test, but that their statements would be passed to a prosecutor.[9]
The next day, the case was transferred to Chefsåklagare (Chief Public Prosecutor) Eva Finné. In answer to questions surrounding the incidents, the following day, Finné declared, "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape". However, Karin Rosander from the Swedish Prosecution Authority, said Assange remained suspected of molestation. Police gave no further comment at the time, but continued the investigation.[10]
After learning of the investigation, Assange said, "The charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing".[11]
The preliminary investigation concerning suspected rape was discontinued by Finné on 25 August,[12] but two days later Claes Borgström, the attorney representing the two women, requested a review of the prosecutor's decision to terminate part of the investigation.[12][13]
On 30 August, Assange was questioned by the Stockholm police regarding the allegations of sexual molestation.[14] He denied the allegations, saying he had consensual sexual encounters with the two women.[11][15][16]
Investigation reinstated[edit]
On 1 September 2010, Överåklagare (Director of Public Prosecution) Marianne Ny decided to resume the preliminary investigation concerning all of the original allegations. On 18 August 2010, Assange had applied for a work and residence permit in Sweden.[17][18] On 18 October 2010, his request was denied.[17][18][19] He left Sweden on 27 September 2010. Assange's London lawyer Mark Stephens said that Assange had asked to be interviewed by prosecutors before leaving Sweden but was told he could leave the country without being interviewed.[20] Swedish prosecutors said that on the day Assange left Sweden they had informed Assange's Swedish lawyer Björn Hurtig that an arrest warrant would be issued for Assange.[21]
Arrest warrant[edit]
On 18 November 2010, Marianne Ny ordered the detention of Julian Assange on suspicion of rape, three cases of sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. The Stockholm District Court acceded to the order and issued a European Arrest Warrant to execute it.[12] The warrant was appealed to the Svea Court of Appeal which upheld its issuance, but lowered it to suspicion of rape of a lesser degree, unlawful coercion and two cases of sexual molestation rather than three.[22][23] The warrant was also appealed to the Supreme Court of Sweden, which decided not to hear the case.[24] Assange's legal team argued that there is no such thing as "minor rape", that "rape" is a mistranslation from Swedish, and that the allegations given do not meet the English or European legal definition of "rape".[25]
At this time Assange had been living in the United Kingdom for 1–2 months. An extradition hearing took place in an English court in February 2011 to consider an application by Swedish authorities for the extradition of Assange to Sweden. The outcome of the hearing was announced on 24 February 2011, when the extradition warrant was upheld. Assange appealed to the High Court. On 2 November 2011, the court upheld the extradition decision and rejected all four grounds for the appeal as presented by Assange's legal representatives. £19,000 costs was also awarded against Assange. On 5 December 2011, Assange was refused permission by the High Court to appeal to the Supreme Court. The High Court certified that his case raised a point of law of general public importance. The Supreme Court subsequently granted permission to appeal,[26] and heard the appeal on 1 and 2 February 2012.[27] The court reserved its judgment and dismissed the appeal on 30 May 2012.[28] Assange has said the investigation is "without basis". He remained on conditional bail in the United Kingdom.[14][failed verification][29][30][failed verification] On 19 June 2012, Assange sought refuge at Ecuador's Embassy in London and was granted temporary asylum. On 16 August 2012, he was granted full asylum by the Ecuadorian government.
Review of detention order[edit]
On the 24 June 2014, The Guardian reported[31] that Assange's lawyers filed a request to Stockholm District Court to dismiss his detention,[32] based on an update to Sweden's code of judicial procedure (1 June 2014) to conform with EU law including a new provision that those arrested or detained have the right to be made aware of "facts forming the basis for the decision to arrest".
On 16 July 2014, the Stockholm District Court reviewed the detention order on request by Assange. During the course of the proceedings, Assange's defence lawyers said that the prosecutors have a "duty" to advance the case, and that they had shown "passivity" in refusing to go to London to interview Assange.[33] After hearing evidence, the district court concluded that there was probable cause to suspect Assange of committing the alleged crimes, and that the detention order should remain in place.[34]
In response, Assange's Swedish legal team stated to Radio Sweden: "We still think we have very good legal arguments to get this decision overruled, so we are confident in the result of the appeal. We think the court of appeal can make another decision on the same arguments as the district court."[35] Ecuador immediately issued a statement: "The Ecuadorian Government reaffirms its offer of judicial cooperation to the Kingdom of Sweden, to reach a prompt solution to the case. In this sense Ecuador keeps its invitation to judicial officers visit the London Embassy so that Julian Assange can be interviewed or via videoconference. Both possibilities are explicitly referred in the current procedural legislation in Sweden and the European Union."[36]
On 20 November 2014, the Swedish Court of Appeal refused Assange's appeal, upholding the 2010 detention order, though at the same time issuing a statement criticising the prosecution for not having done more to advance the case by proceeding with an interrogation of Assange.[37]
Inquiry into three of the allegations dropped[edit]
On 12 August 2015, Swedish prosecutors announced that, as the statute of limitations for the less serious allegations had run out, and they had not succeeded in interviewing Assange, they would end part of their preliminary investigation. After 18 August 2015, Assange could no longer be charged for any of the three less serious charges. However, the preliminary investigation into the more serious allegation remained open as the statute of limitations for this charge was not expected to expire until 2020.[38] Swedish authorities interviewed Assange on this allegation in November 2016.[39]
Revocation of arrest warrant[edit]
On 19 May 2017, the Swedish chief prosecutor applied to the Stockholm District Court to rescind the arrest warrant for Julian Assange,[40] effectively ceasing their investigation against Julian Assange.[41] The case may be reinstated until the expiration of the statute of limitations. Additionally, Britain's arrest warrant pertaining to bail violations remains open.
In 2013, Sweden tried to drop Assange extradition but the English Crown Prosecution Service dissuaded them from doing so.[42]
After withdrawal of political asylum in April 2019[edit]
In May 2019 Swedish Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson applied to have Assange detained as a prelude to the issue of a European arrest warrant and extradition to Sweden. The Uppsala District Court denied the request stating that the investigation did not require Assange's presence in Sweden. Persson said she intended issuing a European Investigation Order to interview Assange instead.[43]
Extradition process[edit]
First instance proceedings[edit]
Detention and bail[edit]
Assange presented himself to the Metropolitan Police on December 7, 2010, and was remanded to London's Wandsworth Prison.[44] On 16 December, he was granted bail with bail conditions of residence at Ellingham Hall, Norfolk, and wearing of an electronic tag. Bail was set at £240,000 surety with a deposit of £200,000 ($312,700).[45]
On release on bail, Assange said "I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter,"[46] and told the BBC, "This has been a very successful smear campaign and a very wrong one."[47] He claimed that the extradition proceedings to Sweden were "actually an attempt to get me into a jurisdiction which will then make it easier to extradite me to the US." Swedish prosecutors have denied the case has anything to do with WikiLeaks.[45]
Extradition hearing[edit]
The extradition hearing took place on 7–8 and 11 February 2011 before the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court sitting at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court in London.[48][49] Assange's lawyers at the extradition hearing were Geoffrey Robertson QC and Mark Stephens, human rights specialists, and the prosecution was represented by a team led by Clare Montgomery QC.[50] Arguments were presented as to whether the Swedish prosecutor had the authority to issue a European Arrest Warrant, the extradition was requested for prosecution or interrogation, the alleged crimes qualified as extradition crimes, there was an abuse of process, his human rights would be respected, and he would receive a fair trial if extradited to Sweden.
Extradition decision[edit]
The outcome of the hearing was announced on 24 February 2011, when the extradition warrant was upheld.[51][52][53] Senior District Judge Howard Riddle found against Assange on each of the main arguments against his extradition.[54] The judge said "as a matter of fact, and looking at all the circumstances in the round, this person (Mr Assange) passes the threshold of being an accused person and is wanted for prosecution."[54] Judge Riddle concluded: "I am satisfied that the specified offences are extradition offences."[54]
Assange commented after the decision to extradite him, saying "It comes as no surprise but is nevertheless wrong. It comes as the result of a European arrest warrant system run amok."[55]
Appeal to the High Court[edit]
On 2 March 2011, Assange's lawyers lodged an appeal with the High Court challenging the decision to extradite him to Sweden.[56] Assange remained on conditional bail.[56][57] The appeal hearing took place on 12 and 13 July 2011 at the High Court in London. The judges' decision was reserved, and a written judgment was delivered on 2 November 2011, dismissing the appeal.[58][59][60][61][62]
Appeal to the Supreme Court[edit]
The High Court refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court, but this was granted by the Supreme Court itself, after the High Court certified that a point of law of general public importance was involved in its decision.
The point of law certified was whether the wording Judicial Authority in the 2003 Extradition Act was to be interpreted as a “person who is competent to exercise judicial authority and that such competence requires impartiality and independence of both the executive and the parties” or if it “embraces a variety of bodies, some of which have the qualities of impartiality and independence …and some of which do not.”[63]
The Supreme Court heard the appeal on 1 and 2 February 2012.[27] The court reserved its judgment,[64] and dismissed the appeal by a 5–2 majority on 30 May 2012.[28][65]
The court granted Assange two weeks to make an application to reopen the appeal after his counsel argued the judgments of the majority relied on an interpretation of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties that was not argued during the hearing.[66] The application was rejected on 14 June, thereby exhausting Assange's legal options in the United Kingdom.[67]
Barring any appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, extradition was expected to take place over a ten-day period commencing on 28 June 2012.[68]
Ecuador asylum and bail forfeiture[edit]
Wikinews has related news: Assange seeks asylum in Ecuadorian embassy
From 19 June 2012, Assange lived in the Embassy of Ecuador in London, where he asked for and was granted political asylum.[69] Because Assange did not comply with his bail conditions, his supporters forfeited £93,500.[70]
Assange remained in the Ecuadorian embassy until 11 April 2019, when he was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Service (for violating his 2012 bail conditions) after the police were invited in by the Ambassador of Ecuador to the United Kingdom.[71]
Assange’s lawyers invited the Swedish prosecutor four times to come and question him at the embassy, but the offer was refused.[72] In March 2015, faced with the prospect of the Swedish statute of limitations expiring for some of the allegations, the prosecutor relented and agreed to question Assange in the Ecuadorean embassy.[73] The UK agreed to the interview in May awaiting Ecuadorean approval.[74]
Assange said he would go to Sweden if provided with a diplomatic guarantee that he would not be turned over to the United States,[75] to which the Swedish foreign ministry stated that Sweden's legislation does not allow any judicial decision like extradition to be predetermined.[76] However, the Swedish government is free to reject extradition requests from non-EU countries, independent of any court decision.[77]
Accusations[edit]
Assange was arrested in his absence and wanted for questioning in relation to accusations against him of rape and sexual molestation. This was the first step in the criminal prosecution procedure in Sweden, and only after the questioning would the prosecution authority be able to formally indict him.[9]
l'Espresso document publication[edit]
On 20 October 2015, a new batch of documents resulting from a FOIA request to the Swedish authorities filed by the Italian news magazine l'Espresso was published online.[78] They contain records of correspondence between the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Crown Prosecution Service. A CPS lawyer wrote in an email to Marianne Ny that "it would not be prudent for the Swedish authorities to try to interview the defendant in the UK... He would of course have no obligation under English law to answer any questions put to him.... any attempt to interview under strict Swedish law would invariably be fraught with problems." Referring to the case itself, he wrote, "It is simply amazing how much work this is generating... Do not think that the case is being dealt with as just another extradition request." Assange's legal team stated that, following these revelations, they would probably challenge the extradition request in court again.[79]
Decision to interview Assange in London[edit]
In March 2015, Marianne Ny indicated that she would allow Assange to be interviewed in London, and that the interview would be conducted by a deputy prosecutor, Ingrid Isgren, as well as a police investigator.[80] In December 2015, Ecuador stated that it had reached a deal with Sweden which would allow him to be interviewed in the Embassy.[81] In September 2016, Ecuador set a date for Assange's interview over the rape allegation. The date was 17 October 2016. It was established that the interview would be conducted by an Ecuadorian prosecutor, with Isgren and a police officer present.[82] The interview was subsequently postponed until 14 November 2016, "to ensure the presence of Mr Assange’s attorneys," according to a spokesman for Assange’s legal team.[83] According to Assange's lawyer, the "shape" of the questions was still being discussed a week before the scheduled interview.[84] Assange released his testimony to the public on 7 December.[39] In his statement, Assange says that his Swedish lawyer was not actually permitted to be present during the interview, among many other complaints concerning the length and irregularities of the process and events leading up to it.[85]
Opinion of arbitrary detention by UN Working Group and move to lift European arrest warrant[edit]
On 5 February 2016, it was announced by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had found that Assange is effectively being held in arbitrary detention by the UK and Swedish governments. High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein reaffirmed later the same month that the opinion is based on international law. Immediately following the opinion's publication, Assange's lawyers asked the Stockholm District Court to lift the European arrest warrant.[86] On 14 April, the Swedish prosecution authorities responded saying the warrant should be upheld.[87] The Svea Court of Appeal decided to uphold the warrant on 16 September.[88][89] After being asked by the British to review the case, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention formally declined to do so in late November, saying that there was not enough new information provided to warrant such a review.[90]
Offers to Obama Administration[edit]
Assange and his supporters have expressed concerns that upon his return to Sweden, Assange may be extradited to the United States to face charges related to his professional work, since Wikileaks has been under investigation in the US since at least 2010.[91] On 13 January 2017, Wikileaks announced that Assange would agree to extradition to the United States if the Obama administration granted clemency to Chelsea Manning though he claimed the charges that might be pressed against him there had no merit.[92] The offer followed one made via Assange's attorney in September 2016 that an extradition waiver would be made conditional on a pardon for Manning.[93] Chelsea Manning's sentence was commuted on Obama's last day in office but Assange's lawyers stated that the 120 day delay in her release did not meet the conditions of their offer.[94] As of May 2017, the United Kingdom is refusing to deny rumours that it has received extradition requests from the United States.[3]
Statements made by Trump Administration[edit]
Two weeks before the Swedish arrest warrant for Assange was dropped, one of his lawyers, Per Samuelson, reiterated his opposition to it saying "With the Supreme Court's own reasoning, his detention should now be rescinded because we can now prove that the U.S. is hunting Julian Assange."[95] This followed public statements[specify] made by American President Donald Trump, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions as to the appropriateness of charging Assange in the U.S. with crimes related to WikiLeaks[citation needed].
^ Douglas Stanglin (September 2010). "Sweden reopens rape investigation against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange". USA Today.
^ Avila, Renata (19 May 2017). "Human Rights Lawyer: Sweden Dropping Investigation of WikiLeaks' Assange is "Long Overdue Decision"". Democracy Now!. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
^ a b Rothwell, James; Ward, Victoria; Nianias, Helen (2017-05-19). "Julian Assange emerges on embassy balcony to say he will not 'forgive or forget' as Swedish rape investigation is dropped". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
^ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48253343
^ Cody, Edward (9 September 2010). "WikiLeaks stalled by Swedish inquiry into allegations of rape by founder Assange". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
^ "Sex accusers boasted about their 'conquest' of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange". The Times of India. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
^ Hosenball, Mark (7 December 2010). "Special Report: STD fears sparked case against WikiLeaks boss". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
^ "10 days in Sweden: the full allegations against Julian Assange". The Guardian. 2010-12-17.
^ a b Nick Davies (17 December 2010). "10 days in Sweden: the full allegations against Julian Assange". Guardian. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
^ "Swedish rape warrant for Wikileaks' Assange cancelled". BBC News. 21 August 2010.
^ a b Davies, Caroline (22 August 2010). "WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange denies rape allegations". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ a b c "Chronology. Events concerning Julian Assange in chronological order". Swedish Prosecution Authority. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
^ "Timeline: sexual allegations against Assange in Sweden". BBC News. 16 August 2012.
^ a b "WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange questioned by police". The Guardian. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ Leigh, David; Harding, Luke; Hirsch, Afua; MacAskill, Ewen (30 November 2010). "WikiLeaks: Interpol issues wanted notice for Julian Assange". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
^ "Assange charges: Consensual sex or rape?". MSNBC. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ a b "Timeline: sexual allegations against Assange in Sweden". BBC News. 2010-12-16. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
^ a b "Assange denied Swedish residence permit". The Local - Sweden. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
^ "Rundle: timeline of Assange's visit to Sweden and events that followed". Crikey. 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
^ Esther Addley (8 February 2011). "Julian Assange's accusers sent texts discussing revenge, court hears". Guardian. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
^ Whalen, Jeanne (8 February 2011). "Sweden Questions Assange's Departure". The Wall Street Journal.
^ "Wikileaks' Assange faces international arrest warrant". BBC News. 20 November 2010.
^ "Wikileaks' Julian Assange loses extradition appeal". BBC News. 2 November 2011.
^ "Supreme Court Protocoll" (PDF). undermattan.com. Retrieved 2012-11-28. [permanent dead link]
^ "Wayback Machine". 2011-02-10. Archived from the original on 2011-02-10. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
^ "Julian Assange wins right to pursue extradition fight". The BBC. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
^ a b Assange extradition case is heard by Supreme Court
^ a b "Julian Assange loses extradition appeal at Supreme Court". BBC News. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
^ "Tell-All on WikiLeaks' Assange Coming out in March". ABC News. 18 February 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ "Wikileaks' Assange appeals over Sweden arrest warrant". BBC News. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ Crouch, David (24 June 2014). "Julian Assange makes fresh bid to break deadlock in Swedish rape case". The Guardian.
^ "Assange files case to dismiss Swedish warrant". Justice for Assange. On Tuesday 24th of June at 1pm CET, Julian Assange’s lawyers filed a request to Stockholm District Court to rescind the decision to detain him without charge.
^ Crouch, David (17 July 2014). "Julian Assange's lawyers will appeal against ruling to uphold arrest warrant". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
^ "Decision concerning a detention order". domstol.se. 2014-07-16. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
^ "Assange team confident of Appeal Court win". 17 July 2014.
^ "Ecuador reaffirms its commitment in defense of human rights, freedom and the life of Julian Assange". 16 July 2014.
^ "Swedish court upholds Assange order". BBC News. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
^ Hawley, Caroline (12 August 2015). "Assange Assault Inquiry to Be Dropped". BBC News. BBC.
^ a b "Assange releases testimony from London questioning, says he is innocent". Reuters. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
^ "Julian Assange: Sweden drops rape investigation". BBC News. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
^ Addley, Esther; Travis, Alan (19 May 2017). "Swedish prosecutors drop Julian Assange rape investigation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
^ "Sweden tried to drop Assange extradition in 2013, CPS emails show".
^ Coote, Darryl (4 June 2019). "Swedish court rejects request to detain Julian Assange". UPI. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
^ Addley, Esther (17 December 2010). "Q&A: Julian Assange allegations". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ a b "Extradition part of 'smear campaign': Assange". The Local. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
^ Coles, Isabel; Ormsby, Avril (16 December 2010). "WikiLeaks' Assange walks free on bail in London". Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
^ Ormsby, Avril (17 December 2010). "WikiLeaks' Julian Assange says he is victim of smear campaign". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
^ "Besieged Assange hires PR team". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 January 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
^ Addley, Esther (11 January 2011). "WikiLeaks: Julian Assange 'faces execution or Guantánamo detention'". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
^ "Lawyer: WikiLeaks Founder Cannot Get Fair Trial in Sweden". Voice of America. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
^ Dodd, Vikram (8 December 2010). "Julian Assange extradition attempt an uphill struggle, says specialist". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
^ Jeffery, Simon (8 February 2011). "Julian Assange extradition hearing – final day live updates". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
^ "Wikileaks founder Julian Assange refused bail". BBC News. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
^ a b c Coleman, Clive (24 February 2011). "Wikileaks' Julian Assange handed 'resounding defeat'". BBC News. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
^ Addley, Esther; Topping, Alexandra (24 February 2011). "Julian Assange attacks 'rubber-stamp' warrant as he loses extradition battle". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
^ a b Meikle, James (3 March 2011). "Julian Assange lodges extradition appeal". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
^ Gordon, PA, Cathy (3 March 2011). "WikiLeaks' Assange appeals against UK extradition". Reuters. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
^ Assange v. Swedish Prosecution Authority [2011] EWHC 2849 (Admin)
^ "Assange case set for July". The Independent. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
^ "Wikileaks' Julian Assange extradition decision deferred". BBC News. 13 July 2011.
^ Booth, Robert; Addley, Esther (28 October 2011). "Julian Assange extradition judgment due on Wednesday". The Guardian.
^ "Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority" (PDF). Judiciary of England and Wales. 2011-11-02. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-03-10. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
^ "Supreme court judgement" (PDF). the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-12-04. [permanent dead link]
^ Owen, Paul (2 February 2012). "Julian Assange extradition appeal at supreme court - Thursday 2 February". The Guardian.
^ Assange v The Swedish Judicial Authority [2012] UKSC 22
^ "Further statement – Julian Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority," United Kingdom Supreme Court, 30 May 2012. Accessed 30 May 2012.
^ Julian Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority: Application to re-open appeal, Supreme Court, 14 June 2012. Accessed 18 March 2014.
^ "Assange loses final legal bid to block extradition to Sweden," Zee News, 14 June 2012. Accessed 14 June 2012.
^ Reuters, 19.06.2012
^ Booth, Robert (2012-10-08). "Julian Assange supporters ordered to forfeit £93,500 bail money". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
^ "Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange arrested". BBC. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
^ Feneley, Rick (2014-06-19). "WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to release files on 50 countries". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
^ "Julian Assange case: Sweden U-turn on questioning". BBC News. BBC. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
^ Alexander, Harriet (2016-02-04). "Why is Julian Assange still inside the embassy of Ecuador?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
^ AFP (24 June 2012). "WikiLeaks founder wants guarantee he won't be sent to US". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
^ Guardian, September 2012
^ "Extradition for Criminal Offences". The Government Offices of Sweden. April 13, 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-22. The Government can, however, refuse extradition even if the Supreme Court has not declared against extradition, as the law states that if certain conditions are fulfilled, a person "may" be extradited - not "shall" be extradited.
^ Five years confined: New Foia documents shed light on the Julian Assange case, 20 October 2015
^ Julian Assange lawyers may launch new appeal against extradition in light of CPS emails, 20 October 2015
^ David Crouch (13 March 2015). "Julian Assange to be questioned by Swedish prosecutors in London". Guardian. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
^ Jessica Elgot (12 December 2015). "Julian Assange may face Swedish interrogation within days". Guardian. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
^ Reuters (14 September 2015). "Date set for questioning of Julian Assange over rape allegation". Guardian. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
^ Esther Addley (12 October 2015). "Date set for questioning of Julian Assange over rape allegation". Guardian. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
^ "Julian Assange to be questioned by Ecuador over rape allegation". Guardian. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ Assange, Julian (2016-11-18). "14/15 NOVEMBER 2016 QUESTIONING AT THE ECUADORIAN EMBASSY". Justice4assange.com. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
^ "Assange lawyers request overturn of arrest warrant". Newsmax.com. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
^ Dickson, Daniel (14 April 2016). "Swedish prosecutors argue for upholding Assange arrest warrant". Reuters.com. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
^ "Swedish appeals court upholds Assange detention order". al-Jazeera. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
^ " Julian Assange's Arrest Warrant in Rape Case Upheld by Swedish Court"NBC News, 16 September 2016, Accessed 16 September 2016.
^ "UN panel: WikiLeaks' Assange a victim of arbitrary detention". The Daily Star (Lebanon). Associated Press. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
^ "Edward Snowden and others urge Trump to drop case against Assange". The Guardian. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ Firozi, Paulina (13 January 2017). "Assange agrees to be extradited if Obama grants clemency for Manning". The Hill. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
^ WikiLeaks' Julian Assange fails to overturn arrest warrant again, CNN, Wesley Bruer & James Masters, September 16, 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
^ Griffin, Andrew (2017-01-18). "Julian Assange will not hand himself in because Chelsea Manning's release won't happen immediately, lawyer says". The Independent. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
^ "Assange lawyer asks Swedish court to tear up detention order". Reuters. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
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Bar Confederation
War of the Bar Confederation
The Bar Confederates pray before the Battle of Lanckorona. Painting by Artur Grottger.
Russian victory:
First Partition of Poland
Russian Empire Bar Confederation
Kingdom of France
Alexander Suvorov
Ivan Karpovich Elmpt Karol Radziwiłł
Casimir Pulaski
Michał Jan Pac
Count Beniowski
Charles François Dumouriez
Lanckorona: 4,000 troops Lanckorona: 1,300 troops; 18 cannons
Total: 100,000[1]
unknown heavy
Słonim
Łomazy
Lanckorona
Stołowicze
Polish–Russian Wars
Muscovite/Lithuanian
Livonian
1605–18 (Dymitriads)
War of the Polish Succession
Kościuszko Uprising
Napoleon's Invasion of Russia
November Uprising
Polish–Soviet
The Bar Confederation (Polish: Konfederacja barska; 1768–1772) was an association of Polish nobles (szlachta) formed at the fortress of Bar in Podolia in 1768 to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth against Russian influence and against King Stanisław II Augustus with Polish reformers, who were attempting to limit the power of the Commonwealth's wealthy magnates. The founders of the Bar Confederation included the magnates Adam Stanisław Krasiński, Bishop of Kamieniec, Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł, Casimir Pulaski, Moritz Benyowszki and Michał Krasiński. Its creation led to a civil war and contributed to the First Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.[2] Some historians consider the Bar Confederation the first Polish uprising.[3]
1.1 International situation
1.2 In the Commonwealth
2 Civil war and foreign intervention
Casimir Pulaski at Częstochowa. Painting by Józef Chełmoński, 1875. Oil on canvas. National Museum, Warsaw, Poland.
International situation[edit]
Around the middle of the 18th century the balance of power in Europe shifted, with Russian victories against the Ottomans in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) strengthening Russia and endangering Habsburg interests in that region (particularly in Moldavia and Wallachia). At that point Habsburg Austria started to consider waging a war against Russia.[4][5]
France, friendly towards both Russia and Austria, suggested a series of territorial adjustments, in which Austria would be compensated by parts of Prussian Silesia, and Prussia in turn would receive Polish Ermland (Warmia) and parts of the Polish fief, Duchy of Courland and Semigallia—already under Baltic German hegemony. King Frederick II of Prussia had no intention of giving up Silesia gained recently in the Silesian Wars; he was, however, also interested in finding a peaceful solution — his alliance with Russia would draw him into a potential war with Austria, and the Seven Years' War had left Prussia's treasury and army weakened. He was also interested in protecting the weakening Ottoman Empire, which could be advantageously utilized in the event of a Prussian war either with Russia or Austria. Frederick's brother, Prince Henry, spent the winter of 1770–71 as a representative of the Prussian court at Saint Petersburg. As Austria had annexed 13 towns in the Hungarian Szepes region in 1769 (violating the Treaty of Lubowla), Catherine II of Russia and her advisor General Ivan Chernyshyov suggested to Henry that Prussia claim some Polish land, such as Ermland. After Henry informed him of the proposal, Frederick suggested a partition of the Polish borderlands by Austria, Prussia, and Russia, with the largest share going to Austria. Thus Frederick attempted to encourage Russia to direct its expansion towards weak and non-functional Poland instead of the Ottomans.[4]
Bar Confederation 1768-72
Although for a few decades (since the times of the Silent Sejm) Russia had seen weak Poland as its own protectorate,[6] Poland had also been devastated by a civil war in which the forces of the Bar Confederation attempted to disrupt Russian control over Poland.[4] The recent Koliyivschyna peasant and Cossack uprising in Ukraine also weakened Polish position. Further, the Russian-supported Polish king, Stanisław II Augustus, was seen as both weak and too independent-minded; eventually the Russian court decided that the usefulness of Poland as a protectorate had diminished.[7] The three powers officially justified their actions as a compensation for dealing with troublesome neighbor and restoring order to Polish anarchy (the Bar Confederation provided a convenient excuse); in fact all three were interested in territorial gains.[8]
After Russia occupied the Danubian Principalities, Henry convinced Frederick and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria that the balance of power would be maintained by a tripartite division of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth instead of Russia taking land from the Ottomans. Under pressure from Prussia, which for a long time wanted to annex the northern Polish province of Royal Prussia, the three powers agreed on the First Partition of Poland. This was in light of the possible Austrian-Ottoman alliance[9] with only token objections from Austria,[7] which would have instead preferred to receive more Ottoman territories in the Balkans, a region which for a long time had been coveted by the Habsburgs. The Russians also withdrew from Moldavia away from the Austrian border.
In the Commonwealth[edit]
Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł
In the early 18th century the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth had declined from the status of a major European power to that of a Russian protectorate (or vassal or satellite state), with the Russian tsar effectively choosing Polish–Lithuanian monarchs during the "free" elections and deciding the direction of much of Poland's internal politics, for example during the Repnin Sejm (1767-1768), named after the Russian ambassador who unofficially presided over the proceedings.[6][10]
In 1767-1768, Russian forces forced the Polish parliament (Sejm) to pass resolutions they demanded. Many of the conservative nobility felt anger at that foreign interference, at the perceived weakness of the presiding government under king Stanisław II Augustus (reigned 1764-1795), and at the provisions, particularly the ones that empowered non-Catholics, and at other reforms which they saw as threatening the Golden Freedoms of the Polish nobility.[11][12] In response to that, and particularly after Russian troops arrested and exiled several vocal opponents (namely bishop of Kiev Józef Andrzej Załuski, bishop of Cracow Kajetan Sołtyk, and Field Crown Hetman Wacław Rzewuski with his son Seweryn), Polish magnates Adam Krasiński, Bishop of Kamieniec, Casimir Pulaski and Michał Krasiński and their allies decided to form a confederatio - a legal military association opposing the government[13][11] in accordance with Polish constitutional traditions. The articles of the confederation were signed on 29 February 1768 at the fortress of Bar in Podolia.[12] Some of the instigators of the confederation included Adam Stanisław Krasiński, Michał Hieronim Krasiński, Kajetan Sołtyk, Wacław Rzewuski, Michał Jan Pac, Jerzy August Mniszech, Joachim Potocki and Teodor Wessel.[12] Priest Marek Jandołowicz was a notable religious leader, and Michał Wielhorski the Confederation's political ideologue.[12]
Civil war and foreign intervention[edit]
Marshal of the Bar Confederation Michał Krasiński receives an Ottoman dignitary.
The confederation, encouraged and aided by France, declared a war on Russia.[12] Its irregular forces, formed from volunteers, magnate militias and deserters from the royal army, soon clashed with the Russian troops and units loyal to the Polish crown.[12] Confederation forces under Michał Jan Pac and Prince Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł roamed the land in every direction, won several engagements with the Russians, and at last, utterly ignoring the King, sent envoys on their own account to the principal European powers.
King Stanisław Augustus was at first inclined to mediate between the Confederates and Russia, the latter represented by the Russian envoy to Warsaw, Prince Nikolai Repnin; but finding this impossible, he sent a force against them under Grand Hetman Franciszek Ksawery Branicki and two generals against the confederates. This marked the Ukrainian campaign, which lasted from April till June 1768, and was ended with the capture of Bar on 20 June.[12] Confederation forces retreated to Moldavia.[12] There was also a pro-Confederation force in Lesser Poland, that operated from June till August, that ended with the royal forces securing Kraków on 22 August, followed by a period of conflict in Belarus (August–October), that ended with the surrender of Nesvizh on 26 October.[12] However, the simultaneous outbreak of the Koliyivschyna in Ukraine (May 1768–June 1769) kept the Confederation alive. The Confederates appealed for help from abroad and contributed to bringing about war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire (the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) that began in September). The retreat of some Russian forces needed on the Ottoman front bolstered the confederates, who reappeared in force in Lesser Poland and Great Poland by 1769.[12] In 1770 the Council of Bar Confederation transferred from its original seat in Silesia to Hungary, whence it conducted diplomatic negotiations with France, Austria and Turkey with a view to forming a league against Russia. The council proclaimed the king dethroned on 22 October 1770. The court of Versailles sent Charles François Dumouriez to act as an aid to the Confederates, and he helped them to organize their forces. The Confederates also began to operate in Lithuania, although after early successes that direction too met with failures, with defeats at Białystok on 16 July and Orzechowo on 13 September 1769.[12] Early 1770 saw the defeats of confederates in Greater Poland, after the battle of Dobra (20 January) and Błonie (12 February), which forced them into a mostly defensive, passive stance.[12]
The standard of the Bar confederates
Remanents of the Bar Fortress (now in Ukraine), designed by Guillaume Levasseur de Beauplan
In the meantime, taking advantage of the confusion in Poland, already by 1769—71, both Austria and Prussia had taken over some border territories of the Commonwealth, with Austria taking Szepes County in 1769-1770 and Prussia incorporating Lauenburg and Bütow.[7] On 19 February 1772, the agreement of partition was signed in Vienna.[9] A previous agreement between Prussia and Russia had been made in Saint Petersburg on 6 February 1772.[9] Early in August Russian, Prussian and Austrian troops simultaneously entered the Commonwealth and occupied the provinces agreed upon among themselves. On 5 August, the three parties signed the treaty on their respective territorial gains on the Commonwealth's expense.[4]
An attempt of Bar Confederates (including Casimir Pulaski[14]) to kidnap king Stanisław II Augustus on 3 November 1771 led the Habsburgs to withdraw their support from the confederates, expelling them from their territories.[15] It also gave the three courts another pretext to showcase the "Polish anarchy" and the need for its neighbors to step in and "save" the country and its citizens.[12][16]
The king thereupon reverted to the Russian faction, and for this act targeting their king, the Confederation lost much of the support it had in Europe.[15] Nevertheless, its army, thoroughly reorganized by Dumouriez, maintained the fight. 1771 brought further defeats, with the defeat at Lanckorona on 21 May and Stałowicze at 23 October.[12] The final battle of this war was the siege of Jasna Góra, which fell on 13 August 1772.[12] The regiments of the Bar Confederation, whose executive board had been forced to leave Austria (which previously supported them) after that country joined the Prusso-Russian alliance, did not lay down their arms. Many fortresses in their command held out as long as possible; Wawel Castle in Kraków fell only on 28 April;[9][17] Tyniec fortress held until 13 July 1772;[18] Częstochowa, commanded by Casimir Pulaski, held until 18 August.[9][19] Overall, around 100,000 nobles fought 500 engagements between 1768 and 1772.[1] Perhaps the last stronghold of the confederates was in the monastery in Zagórz, which fell only on 28 November 1772. In the end, the Bar Confederation was defeated, with its members either fleeing abroad or being deported to Siberia by the Russians.[20]
Bar Confederates taken as prisoners by the Russians, together with their families, formed the first major group of Poles exiled to Siberia.[20] It is estimated that about 5,000 former confederates were sent there.[12] Russians organized 3 concentration camps in Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth for Polish captives, where these concentrated persons have been waiting for their deportation there.[21]
Legacy[edit]
Until the times of the Bar Confederation, confederates – especially operating with the aid of outside forces – were seen as unpatriotic antagonists.[22] But in 1770, during the times that the Russian Army marched through the theoretically independent Commonwealth, and foreign powers forced the Sejm to agree to the First Partition of Poland, the confederates started to create an image of Polish exiled soldiers, the last of those who remained true to their Motherland, an image that would in the next two centuries lead to the creation of Polish Legions and other forces in exile.[22]
The Confederation has generated varying assessments from the historians. While none deny its patriotic desire to rid the Commonwealth from the outside (primarily Russian) influence, some such as Jacek Jędruch, criticize it for its regressive stand on the civil rights issues, primarily with regards to the religious tolerance (Jędruch writes of "religious bigotry", "narrowly Catholic" stand) and assert it contributed to the First Partition[2][11] while others such as Bohdan Urbankowski applaud it as the first serious national military effort trying to restore Polish independence.[22]
The Bar Confederation has been described as the first Polish uprising,[3] and the last mass movement of szlachta.[11] It also is commemorated on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, with the inscription "KONFEDERACJA BARSKA 29 II 1768 – 18 VII 1772”.
Aleksandr Bibikov
Anna Jabłonowska
Józef Sawa-Caliński
Koliyivshchyna
^ a b Lieven, Dominic, ed. (2006). The Cambridge History of Russia: Volume 2, Imperial Russia, 1689-1917. Cambridge University Press. p. 171. ISBN 9780521815291.
^ a b "Confederation of Bar". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 29 April 2010. Its activities precipitated a civil war, foreign intervention, and the First Partition of Poland.
^ a b Deck-Partyka, Alicja (2006). Poland, a Unique Country & Its People. Bloomington: AuthorHouse. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-4259-1838-5. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^ a b c d "Partitions of Poland". Encyclopædia Britannica.
^ Little, Richard (2007). The Balance of Power in International Relations. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-87488-5.
^ a b Lukowski, Jerzy; Zawadzki, Hubert (2001). A Concise History of Poland. Cambridge University Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-521-55917-1. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
^ a b c "Poland: The First Partition". Encyclopædia Britannica.
^ Korman, Sharon (1996). The Right of Conquest: The Acquisition of Territory by Force in International Law and Practice. Oxford University Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-19-828007-1. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
^ a b c d e Lewinski Corwin, Edward Henry (1917). The Political History of Poland. Polish Book Importing Company. pp. 310–315.
^ Scott, H. M. (2001). The Emergence of the Eastern Powers, 1756-1775. Cambridge University Press. pp. 181–182. ISBN 978-0-521-79269-1. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
^ a b c d Jędruch, Jacek (1998). Constitutions, Elections, and Legislatures of Poland, 1493–1977: A Guide to their History. EJJ Books. pp. 159–160. ISBN 978-0-7818-0637-4. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Barska Konfederacja". WIEM Encyklopedia (in Polish).
^ Morfill, William Richard (1893). The Story of the Nations: Poland. London: Unwin. p. 215.
^ Kajencki, AnnMarie Francis (2005). Count Casimir Pulaski: From Poland to America, a Hero's Fight for Liberty. New York: Power Plus. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-4042-2646-3. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
^ a b Stone, Daniel (2001). The Polish-Lithuanian State, 1386-1795. University of Washington Press. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-295-98093-5. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
^ Pickus, David (2001). Dying with an Enlightening Fall: Poland in the Eyes of German Intellectuals, 1764-1800. Lanham: Lexington Books. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7391-0153-7. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
^ Nehring, Halina. "Kartki z kalendarza: kwiecień". Opcja Na Prawo (in Polish). Archived from the original on 20 April 2008.
^ "Tyniec jako twierdza Konfederatów Barskich". Stowarzyszenie "Nasz Radziszów" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 July 2008.
^ Davies, Norman (2005). God's Playground A History of Poland: Volume 1: The Origins to 1795. Oxford University Press. p. 392. ISBN 978-0-19-925339-5. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
^ a b Davies, Norman (1996). Europe: A History. Oxford University Press. p. 664. ISBN 978-0-19-820171-7. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
^ Konopczyński, Władysław (1991) [1938]. Konfederacja barska (in Polish). 2. Warsaw: Volumen. pp. 733–734. ISBN 83-85218-06-8.
^ a b c Urbankowskipl, Bohdan (1997). Józef Piłsudski: marzyciel i strateg [Józef Piłsudski: Dreamer and Strategist] (in Polish). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo ALFA. p. 155. ISBN 978-83-7001-914-3.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bar, Confederation of" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Aleksander Kraushar, Książę Repnin i Polska w pierwszem czteroleciu panowania Stanisława Augusta (1764-1768), (Prince Repin and Poland in the first four years of rule of Stanislaw August (1764–1768))
2nd edition, corrected and expanded. vols. 1-2, Kraków 1898, G. Gebethner i Sp.
Revised edition, Warszawa: Gebethner i Wolff; Kraków: G. Gebethner i Spółka, 1900.
F. A. Thesby de Belcour, The Confederates of Bar (in Polish) (Cracow, 1895)
Charles Francois Dumouriez, Mémoires et correspondance (Paris, 1834).
Radom i Bar 1767-1768: dziennik wojennych działań jenerał-majora Piotra Kreczetnikowa w Polsce w r. 1767 i 1768 korpusem dowodzącego i jego wojenno-polityczną korespondencyą z księciem Mikołajem Repninem Poznań 1874
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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bar_Confederation&oldid=892047848"
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Mary Rose (play)
Mary Rose is a play by J. M. Barrie, who is best known for Peter Pan. It was first produced in April 1920 at the Haymarket Theatre, London, with incidental music specially composed by Norman O'Neill.[1] The play was produced in New York that year. Later it received revivals in New York in 2007 and in London in 2012.
2 Productions
4 Adaptations
This is the fictional story of Mary Rose, a girl who vanishes twice.[1] As a child, Mary Rose was taken by her father to a remote Scottish island. While she is briefly out of her father's sight, Mary Rose vanishes. The entire island is searched exhaustively. Twenty-one days later, Mary Rose reappears as mysteriously as she disappeared…but she shows no effects of having been gone for three weeks, and she has no knowledge of any gap or missing time.
Years later, as a young wife and mother, the adult Mary Rose persuades her husband to take her to the same island. Again she vanishes: this time for a period of decades. When she is found again, she is not a single day older and has no awareness of the passage of time. In the interim, her son has grown to adulthood and is now physically older than his mother.
Productions[edit]
Fay Compton, for whom the title role of Mary Rose was written
Mary Rose first opened in London at the Haymarket Theatre, running from 22 April 1920 to 26 February 1921, with Fay Compton as Mary Rose, a role which was written for her by Barrie.[2] Barrie, who normally wrote with his right hand, wrote Mary Rose with his left hand due to a "writer's cramp".[3]
Mary Rose opened that year in New York on Broadway at the Empire Theatre, running from 22 December 1920 to April 1921. Direction was by Ben Iden Payne with Ruth Chatterton as Mary Rose.[4]
A revival ran on Broadway at the ANTA Playhouse, running from 4 March 1951 to 16 March 1951. The play was directed by John Stix, produced by Helen Hayes, with Mary Rose played by Bethel Leslie.[5]
The play was revived off-Broadway by the Vineyard Theater in 2007. The play was produced in a London revival in 2012 at Riverside Studios.
In 1921, the play was included in Best Plays of 1920–1921.
The New York Times reviewer called the 2007 revival of the play an "elegantly plotted ghost story". He noted, "The play is in many ways a more mature and mournful reworking of themes Barrie explored in the tale of the boy Peter Pan who refused to grow up. Time is seen as a quiet despoiler of happiness and innocence, and the lure of another world unblemished by its passing has an irresistible seduction."[6]
Of its London revival in 2012, a reviewer wrote that the play "...reveals a somewhat uncomfortable preoccupation with childhood innocence extending some of the themes of [Peter] Pan; the child who cannot grow up, and meditation on death and loss."[7]
Adaptations[edit]
Alfred Hitchcock had seen the play as a young man in its original production. Later in his career as a film director, he wanted to film it, asking Jay Presson Allen to write a screenplay after she had written the screenplay for Hitchcock's film Marnie (1964). However, Hitchcock was under contract to Universal Pictures at the time, and the studio believed that the project was "too troubling", with not enough commercial appeal, so would not approve production.[8]
In 2016, a radio play adaptation of Mary Rose was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. It was adapted and directed by Abigail le Fleming with music composed and performed by cellist Laura Moody.[9]
In 2017, Adaptive Books published the novel MARY ROSE by Geoffrey Girard, a modern retelling based on the original play and Hitchcock's plans. Booklist gave the novel a starred review, calling the adaptation "a ghost story that should be suggested to a wide range of readers." [10]
List of unproduced Hitchcock projects
^ a b Everybody's magazine, Volume 43, page 30, December 1920.
^ [1] Yahoo Movies, accessed 4 March 2013
^ Heywood Broun, Seeing Things at Night, page 127, 1921
^ Mary Rose, 1920 Internet Broadway Database, accessed November 11, 2012
^ Isherwood, Charles. "Theater Review. 'Mary Rose'" The New York Times, February 21, 2007
^ "Review: 'Mary Rose', Riverside Studios", Fourth Wall Magazine, April 4, 2012
^ Joseph McBride, An Old Master's Unheard Cri de Coeur: Alfred Hitchcock's Mary Rose, Cineaste volume 26, issue 2 (01/Mar/2001), pages 24-28
^ "Mary Rose, Drama on 3 - BBC Radio 3". BBC. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
^ Booklist http://www.booklist-digital.com/booklist/october_1_2017?pg=39#pg39. Retrieved 2017-10-01. Missing or empty |title= (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Rose_(play)&oldid=872856427"
Plays by J. M. Barrie
Plays set in Scotland
Pages with citations having bare URLs
This page was last edited on 9 December 2018, at 17:36 (UTC).
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Home Tech Trends Must Reads
Technology Focus
The Latest In Artificial Intelligence And Its Applications
By Sani Theo
AI is becoming a disruptive force that is redefining the modern industry. This article features some exciting applications of AI, along with a glimpse into the future, illustrating how AI will continue to transform industries and our lives.
Sophia, an AI-powered humanoid robot, meeting journalists (Credit: www.forbes.com)
Sophia, an artificial intelligence (AI) humanoid, was in the news recently for becoming the first robot ever to have a nationality. In October 2017, Sophia was granted Saudi Arabian citizenship. This AI-powered robot is famous for speaking at the United Nations, and interviewing celebrities and world leaders.
Sophia, developed by Hanson Robotics, is an example of the most sophisticated AI-powered robots built by humans in recent times. It can imitate human gestures, facial expressions, and make conversations in the form of answering certain questions and initiating discussions on predefined topics.
AI was founded as an academic discipline in 1956. Since then, AI techniques have become an essential part of the technology industry. Different types of AI-powered robots are being developed in different parts of the world, including the US, China, Japan, Korea and India. As per reports, two-thirds of global investments in AI poured into China. This led to the AI industry grow 67 per cent last year alone.
China developed its first human-like female robot called Jia Jia in 2016, at its University of Science and Technology. Then, there is Erica, a Japanese female robot created by Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories, who is considered the most beautiful robot in the world.
AI technologies
Latest AI technologies include natural language generation, speech recognition, virtual agents, machine learning, deep learning, biometrics and AI-optimised hardware. AI experts break AI down into three broad categories: artificial narrow intelligence (ANI), artificial general intelligence (AGI) and artificial super intelligence (ASI).
Sophia uses AI, visual data processing and facial recognition technology. Complex and intelligent algorithms and good sensory systems could make AI robots perform even better. With improved machine learning and deep learning algorithms, future AI could be much more efficient, powerful and smarter than the present ones.
Jia Jia, a humanoid robot displayed on an exhibition stage in Shanghai, China (Credit: www.chinadaily.com.cn)
Types of AI applications
There are many emerging applications of AI. You can find AI in robotics, healthcare, education, businesses and on your mobile devices, to name a few. We have narrowed down the list of AI applications to a few, each accompanied with a glimpse into the future, illustrating how AI will continue to transform industries and our lives.
These are basically software agents that provide a wide variety of services. Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri are some of the most popular AI assistants. Many virtual assistant software are now being installed in smartphones as well to serve you in a better way.
Internet applications
AI finds many useful applications in Internet-related technologies, such as digital marketing, creating and generating online content, digital advertising, Web searches, Web designs, chatbots, the Internet of Things (IoT) and others.
This field has revolutionised modern businesses. While the amount of information on potential consumers grows, AI-related technology will be of utmost importance when making data-based decisions. AI helps find people and customers based on their interests, demographics and other aspects to learn and detect the best audience for particular brands.
There are areas where content created by AI can be useful and help attract visitors to a website. AI can also write reports and news based on data and information. Hundreds of articles can be created with AI technology quickly, which can save a lot of time and resources.
Old ways of performing online searches no longer stay true. Two use cases using AI that have revolutionised Internet searches and search engine optimisation (SEO) are voice search and Google’s algorithm called RankBrain. These have changed the way marketeers create and optimise their Web content.
With AI, websites could exist without the help of programmers and designers. Applications, such as Grid, use AI to design websites based on the information provided by users like images, text, calls-to-action, etc. AI can make websites look professional in very little time and at a much lower cost.
Consumers are already using chatbots to chat with friends and colleagues without waiting for a long time for a response. Chatbots automate responses to potential buyers’ frequently asked questions and provide them a way to search for the product or service they are looking for.
Natural learning processing and machine learning techniques are used by these bots to find the correct responses. Many brands have started using these techniques to communicate with their prospective customers through messenger applications like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Slack.
The main concern in today’s digital world is cybersecurity. Malware and virus attacks are common in the cyber world. There is a constant threat of data security to not just individuals or corporates but also government sectors. AI along with machine learning is used for the protection of data. AI allows you to automate the detection of threat and combat without the involvement of humans. AI has been used for password protection and authenticity detection.
The IoT
AI is used to manage huge data flows and storage in the IoT network. With high-speed Internet networks and advanced sensors integrated into microcontrollers (MCUs), AI along with the IoT is creating a new wave of disruptive technologies.
With the explosion of the IoT, there are problems regarding data storage, delay, channel limitation and congestion in networks. One solution to solve these is to use AI in data mining, managing and controlling the congestion in networks. Techniques used in AI include fuzzy logics and neural networks in conjunction with the IoT network.
Wall Street, financial district of the US, uses complex computer programs to do heavy jobs. These programs run on their own. A few years ago, stock markets plummeted, taking down a trillion dollars worth of market value, due to a malfunctioning ANI program.
Also, for example, when you deposit a cheque using your mobile banking app, it runs through a refined ANI system that can read the cheque much faster than humans. When you shop online, you are essentially feeding data into ANI systems.
AI has been used to algorithmically generate objects that can be rendered digitally. It can generate new patterns with high speed, good efficiency and verisimilitude. Algorithm-driven design tools help you construct user interfaces, content and personalise user experiences.
Publishing tools such as Readymag and Squarespace have greatly simplified the work to the extent where you can get many high-quality templates and designs without having to pay for a designer. There are many other algorithm-driven design tools for graphic design including identity, drawing and illustrations.
AI solution providers offer tools and libraries to manipulate images and photos. Soon, AI will drive the next generation of apps for visual arts and creative designs.
An AI model, called CRAFT (Composition, Retrieval and Fusion Network), is being developed by researchers from University of Illinois, USA, and Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, USA. It can convert provided text descriptions into video clips of an animated series. To simplify, AI matches videos with word descriptions, builds a set of parameters and generates scenes.
Exploration and research
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), USA, is working on its Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) programme, which is a key component of the agency’s broader AI.
AI in space exploration is gathering momentum, too. Over the next few years, new missions would be taken up by AI as we voyage to the Moon and the planets, and explore possibilities in Space. AI is also being used in NASA’s next rover mission to planet Mars.
National Geographic Society and Microsoft are partnering to explore how AI can help us understand, engage and protect Earth.
AI is helping the oil and gas industry to preserve the ecosystem while discovering new resources.
Robotics and AI have been replacing traditional research and exploration methods in ocean science and technology.
AI is being used to improve education systems. Traditional techniques might be replaced by personalised, adaptive learning to tailor individual students’ strengths and weaknesses. Machine learning can be used to identify students and focus extra resources on weaker ones.
AI-based robo-readers are being used in essay grading in schools. The approach involves pairing human intelligence with AI to improve the overall grading system and help students accomplish more.
ANI-assisted automotive technology is being employed in driverless cars. Recently, IBM developed an IoT for automotive—a program to eliminate driver errors through connectivity. Since many accidents are caused by human errors, researchers are trying to find ways to minimise human errors using AI algorithms.
In the future, your car is likely to have well-packaged complex computer programs. An automated vehicle uses AI, sensors and global positioning system coordinates to drive itself without a human operator.
You might already know about Deep Blue, IBM’s chess-playing supercomputer, which beat international grandmaster Garry Kasparov in the late 1990s.
Chinook, a program developed at University of Alberta, Canada, can beat any human player at the game of checkers. There is also a computer program called Maven for scrabble game. These are perfect examples of AI.
More recently, AlphaZero, an ANI developed by DeepMind, won 100 games in a row against the world’s current best chess program.
Almost every modern video game has an AI component. Video game reviews are based on the quality of AI.
A new type of AI algorithm is being used by Google’s Medical Brain to make predictions about the likelihood of death among hospital patients. This technology is the latest attempt to revolutionise healthcare. AI programs are being developed and used in diagnoses, treatments, drug development, and patient monitoring and care.
Today, most doctors use ANI programs. These assist doctors in accurately diagnosing cancer and various other diseases. Then, there is a robot chemist that uses machine learning to study new molecules and reactions.
AI and robotics are enabling new military capabilities and strategies including intelligence, surveillance and even nuclear weapon systems. AI is used in autonomous weapons and sensing systems.
There is a lot of military AI research and development going on around the world to keep fast-paced advances in machine learning.
India and AI
As per a report by Accenture, AI holds the potential to add US$ 957 billion or 15 per cent of India’s current gross value by 2035.
Union Budget 2018 announcements include national programmes to conduct research and development on technologies like machine learning, AI and others.
NITI Aayog, the nation’s think-tank and premier policy-making body, is working on new technologies for the development of the economy.
The government is working on AI initiatives to put India on the global map with regards to AI, and to promote it in health, education and agricultural sectors.
India-made Miko by Emotix, a companion robot, is an example of technologies that incorporate AI. Miko engages, educates and entertains children besides talking to and playing games with them. It is equipped with answers to basic questions related to general knowledge and academics.
There is a humanoid robot called Rashmi, developed recently in India. It is the first Hindi-speaking robot who is hosting a show on Red FM since December 2018.
Miko, a companion robot (www.amazon.in)
AI is becoming a disruptive force that is redefining modern industry. Importance of AI technology is being felt across a broad spectrum of industries. From voice-powered personal assistants like Alexa to technologies such as behavioural algorithms, suggestive Internet search algorithms and autonomous vehicles, there is a lot of scope for applications of AI today. Robots built to look and act like humans are getting a lot of attention, and making splashy headlines and appearances.
As far as India is concerned, initiatives by the government and its roadmap for national AI programmes along with private players are expected to bring a revolution to the Indian industry.
AI is still in the developing stages. The market is not easily quantifiable and yet there are plenty of opportunities available for AI. There is hope that AI applications will keep serving humans in the most beneficial way going forwards.
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“Enhanced sense of presence”: How Samsung took The wall to the next level with Steinway Lyngdorf
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— “Viewers will be struck by the enhanced sense of presence the first time they experience The Wall and Steinway Lyngdorf combination,” —
Samsung Electronics recently teamed up with the world’s finest audio systems manufacturer Steinway Lyngdorf in search of the ultimate audiovisual experience. The result is a groundbreaking system which combines the dynamic visual qualities of The Wall with Steinway Lyngdorf’s exquisite Model B loudspeakers.
Founded in Denmark in 2005, Steinway Lyngdorf brings together the heritage of Steinway & Sons, the world’s finest piano maker, with the uncompromising vision of audio innovator Peter Lyngdorf to create high-end sound systems. A world-renowned audio engineer, Lyngdorf is responsible for some of the biggest breakthroughs in sound technology. Not only did he create the first fully digital amplifier, the engineer also pioneered Digital Room Compensation technology.
Here’s the story of how Samsung collaborated with Steinway Lyngdorf to create a one-of-a-kind audiovisual system.
Peter Lyngdorf, founder of Steinway Lyngdorf
A Shared Passion for Innovation
When Samsung unveiled The Wall earlier this year, it marked a key milestone in the company’s development of top-end displays. While the Wall has superior color display with true black and HDR capabilities, and it is designed and manufactured through a host of cutting-edge technology innovations, one final piece of the puzzle was missing.
“The Wall requires an independent audio solution that can match the visual experience regardless of the acoustic setting,” says Alex Szabo(below) from Samsung Electronics’ Enterprise Product Marketing Group. “Being a great and prestigious audio brand, we thought Steinway Lyngdorf was the natural choice for collaboration may our clients require high end stereo of full surround solutions.”
Samsung and Steinway Lyngdorf both share the same desire to push the envelop in their respective fields, which meant that a common language was already in place for a dynamic partnership to flourish.
As Lyngdorf explains, “Our systems do not require extensive acoustical modifications to the space to allow for great sound. We wanted to use our scientific research to make a range of audio solutions to complement the great visual quality of The Wall.”
In Search of Perfection
After hours of testing and fine-tuning, both companies finally settled on the ultimate audio companion for The Wall – Steinway Lyngdorf’s Model B speakers.
“The Model B system is controlled by our P100 multichannel processor,” Lyngdorf says. “This means the speakers can handle all audio parameters to produce optimum sound.”
Equipped with Steinway Lyngdorf’s RoomPerfect system, the Model B speakers can be adjusted to maximize the acoustics of any room, regardless of its size or shape, and allows for artificial calibration as well.
“Our unique technologies in sound management not only provide realistic sounds even in the most challenging environments but also allows for flexibility in installation,” says Lyngdorf. “They can be virtually invisible or become a part of a room’s décor without compromising on sound quality.”
Enhanced Sense of Immersion
Viewers experiencing The Wall and Steinway Lyngdorf Model B system
Spending time with The Wall and Steinway Lyngdorf speakers (such as the Model B) in person is the only way to truly appreciate the monumental creation of Samsung’s collaboration with Steinway Lyngdorf. Surrounded by life-like images and sound, viewers will feel like they are in the heart of the action, enveloped in a dazzling audiovisual spectacle unlike any other.
“The result of the collaboration shows that exceptional sound and image together add up to far more than the sum of the parts,” says Lyngdorf.
The UHD 146” Wall Professional will be exhibited alongside a pair of matt black color (designed specifically for the collaboration) Model B speakers at Infocomm 2018 from 6 to 8 June. The audiovisual system is now available for pre-order.
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Sylvain Kahn - Could we have foretold that the "Leave" would win?
Geopolitics of Europe
"Geopolitics of Europe" offers a dynamic program on both tensions and issues within the European Union, as well as its interactions with the rest of the world. Through maps, iconography, videos, computer graphics and role playing, the Mooc renders the main geopolitical issues appropriate to Europe while focusing on its representations around the world. Definitely multi-disciplinary, this Mooc offers the learners a real tool box built up through a combination of History, Geopolitics, Economics, Political science, Geography and Law. Format : The pedagogical program is both progressive and modular. It is composed of seven thematic blocks. Each block has a different scale and view point. Even though the main issue exploration in each block is thought as free navigation, each block remains marked out by specific steps : a mapping situation scenario, the study of a documentary corpus, a focus on the national perceptions, as well as an emphasis on the news. Please notice that some very limited content will only be available in French. The knowledge acquired in the first four blocks can then be assessed through a quiz and put into practice through the final serious game : a European scenario, a mission, and decisions to make...! Block number seven offers new analysis that will enable you to understand the latest events of the year 2016.
An alternative approach to understanding the place of Europe in the world from a French perspective. Particularly enjoyable.
Very interesting course, the real added value is the interviews from experts!
To go further: 2016 : The European Union crisis is getting more acute
In 2016, the European Union current affairs were troubled. The challenges analysed within the six sessions of the Mooc have become even more pronounced. These videos of analysis will allow you to integrate and to put these news into perspective along with the best experts.
Sylvain Kahn - Could we have foretold that the "Leave" would win?5:07
Sylvain Kahn - The victory of the "Leave" is the Name for What?9:28
Sylvain Kahn - What will be the consequences of the Brexit?10:53
Sylvain KAHN
Thomas RAINEAU
Philippe PERCHOC
"Could we have predicted that the "leave" would win?"
-Hello, Sylvain Kahn.
-Hello, Sophie Teyssieres.
-You are a historian, a geographer, an associate professor at Sciences Po
and a specialist of the European construction.
We are in July 2016, the British people voted in favor of the Brexit
a month ago now.
David Cameron announced the referendum two years ago,
when he was Prime minister.
Could we have predicted that the "leave" would win?
-Some people could probably have predicted it.
However, as far as I am concerned, I had not predicted it.
I had been telling my students for two years
that this would not happen,
that the "in" would win at the referendum, should it take place.
I think my opinion was rather representative
on average, and even on the whole, of my colleagues' opinion
in the academic field.
Why did we believe this?
The United Kingdom,
since the beginning of the European construction,
has held a special status.
People would say that it was in while keeping one foot out.
This means that, since the United Kingdom joined the EU in 1973,
it has continuously requested and been granted exemptions,
or a specific status.
To mention the best-known examples, it is not part of the Euro Area.
It is not the only country in this situation.
However, the United Kingdom and Denmark are the only countries
which were granted the possibility of never joining the Euro Area.
Every other country, when they joined the European Union,
committed to, one day, integrating the Euro Area.
The other example is that of Schengen.
The United Kingdom is not the only country out of the Schengen Area,
but it is the only country which is permitted to never join it.
Since it joined in 1973,
it has been said that the UK has inflected somewhat
the European construction,
which now has a variable geometry and exemptions,
also called "opting out".
Since the early 1980s,
various European public policies have been developed
which do not involve every country, which is a legacy of the UK.
The United Kingdom is also said to have influenced European construction
toward a more liberal and mercantile vision.
To put it simply,
the United Kingdom is much attached to deepening the internal market,
but much less so to federalizing public policies,
what we call the "European integration".
However, and some say that one leads to the other,
the UK is in favor of the enlargement.
The larger the EU is, the less federal and integrated will the union be.
To summarize, the United Kingdom accustomed us
to considering that the European Union was a large market first,
that the construction of the European Union ought to benefit
the British interests first.
You may say that every member state pursues its own interests
in working toward the European general interest.
But we may feel that the United Kingdom aimed mostly
at pursuing its own national interests
and at pursuing the general interest less than the others.
For all these reasons, many of us thought
that during the electoral campaign,
which extended from January 2016 to June 2016,
we would hear from the workers' unions, the employer's associations,
representatives of finance.
The City, the financial sector, accounts for 10% of the UK's GDP,
which is a lot.
We thought that major institutional and economic actors would
explain that it was in everybody's interest
for the UK to remain in the EU.
Because of this, because we kept erroneously repeating a cliché,
which is that British people are more pragmatic than others,
many of us believed that the "yes", the "in" would win.
And in the end, this was not what happened.
We can say that what looked like a British cultural exception
was pushed up to a point where a majority of British people,
52% of people who voted in June 23rd, 2016,
voted to leave.
-Thank you very much, Sylvain Kahn.
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WNTR - Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc.
Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc.
332 North Henry Street
http://www.wdhinc.com
Industry: Asset Management
Full Time Employees:
Exercised
Year Born
Mr. Frank J. Kristan Pres, Treasurer & Director N/A N/A 1958
Amounts are as of and compensation values are for the last fiscal year ending on that date. Pay is salary, bonuses, etc. Exercised is the value of options exercised during the fiscal year. Currency in USD.
Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc. operates as a diversified holding company. It holds a diversified portfolio of companies with business operations and investments across various industry sectors. The company was formerly known as Worldwide Internet, Inc. and changed its name to Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc. in January 2015. Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc.’s ISS Governance QualityScore as of N/A is N/A. The pillar scores are Audit: N/A; Board: N/A; Shareholder Rights: N/A; Compensation: N/A.
Corporate governance scores courtesy of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). Scores indicate decile rank relative to index or region. A decile score of 1 indicates lower governance risk, while a 10 indicates higher governance risk.
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‘Emanuel’ explores life after tragic church shooting
By MESFIN FEKADU
NEW YORK (AP) — Jennifer Pinckney was hiding under a desk holding the mouth of her then-6-year-old daughter when Dylann Roof fired more than 70 shots in Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine black worshippers.
The new documentary, “Emanuel,” explores life after the tragic shooting on June 17, 2015, as family members, friends and the community try to heal through faith and forgiveness.
Pinckney’s husband, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, was one of the nine killed by Roof, who sat through 45 minutes of Bible study at the church before firing shots. Pinckney and her daughter, Malana, were in the reverend’s office when they heard gun shots in another room.
“It brings it all back for me,” Pinckney said of watching “Emanuel,” which opens in theaters nationwide for a limited run on Monday and Wednesday . Oscar winner Viola Davis and NBA star Steph Curry are executive producers.
“It’s emotional. I can’t help but to relive what happened.”
Roof was convicted of federal hate-crime and obstruction-of-religion charges and sentenced to death.
Before the attack, the then-21-year-old had told a friend that he intended to kill people at the historic black church to start a race war. Emanuel is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal church in the U.S. South.
Pinckney said she hopes the film, directed by Brian Ivie, “kind of opens people’s eyes.”
“It’s like an awareness,” she said. “We have to get to that point where we start respecting, and showing more love and more care, and coming together, (and) becoming one unity.”
At a bond hearing days after the attack, some of the victims’ family members offered Roof forgiveness and said they were praying for him, even as they described the pain of their losses. Emmy-winning actress Mariska Hargitay, a co-producer of “Emanuel,” was touched when she saw the way the family members reacted.
“We’re all fascinated by people who can do things that we can’t do. I’m watching a movie (where) a group of people were loving at the highest level. You feel like these people are shamans and possessed something deeply extra, and the extra was indeed grace for me,” Hargitay said.
“Like everyone does in seeing a movie like this, it goes straight to the core and straight to our souls,” she said. “I experienced deep outrage and sorrow and anger and all that for those we lost. I also experienced hope.”
Keep up with the latest commentary and interviews from Tom Temin and the Federal Drive by subscribing to our newsletters.
The shooter killed six women and three men. Eight died at the scene, while the ninth, Daniel Simmons, died at the hospital. Then-U.S. President Barack Obama delivered the eulogy at the Rev. Clementa Pinckney’s funeral and led the singing of “Amazing Grace.”
Jennifer Pinckney said thanks to counseling and prayer, she and Malana, now 10, are doing OK. She also has a 15-year-old daughter.
But Pinckney, like many other family and friends of those who died, said it’s hard moving on with life after losing loved ones.
“We’ve already started college tours and stuff like that — kind of difficult just to think on that level, but also to think this is something that we’re doing that Clementa’s not sharing,” she said. “That he’s not physically with us.”
Despite her own grief and loss, she hopes the community can continue to come together.
“You have to learn to respect each other’s differences. No two people are alike,” she said. “That’s something that I hope people will get from this (film) — to love more and get right with God.”
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The NY Times sniffs at Sofia Coppola
The Sunday New York Times Arts section is typically full of generous articles about movies designed for those of us who love film — but not so Dennis Lim’s article this week about Sofia Coppola. Let’s see if we can sense … oh, let’s call it the slight whiff of patronizingly sexist disdain here in his first paragraph:
AT 39 and with four features to her name, Sofia Coppola finds herself caught in something of a double bind — the predicament of the auteur whose constancy risks being seen as predictability, or worse. Her admirers detect in her work a good eye, impeccable taste, an exactitude with indistinct moods and feelings. Her detractors claim that her frame of reference is narrow, that she makes the same film over and over again.
Lim continues in the next paragraph:
By her own admission Ms. Coppola’s first three movies — “The Virgin Suicides” (2000), “Lost in Translation” (2003) and “Marie Antoinette” (2006) — constitute a trilogy about young women on the awkward verge of self-definition. As her critics see it, the problem is not just repetition but a kind of solipsism.
As much as I love his side-stepping use of these unnamed “critics” and “detractors,” let’s set aside the patronizing air for the moment to ask whether he has seen anything other than Marie Antoinette. (And I hasten to add that I really liked that film, though I know some didn’t.) How, Mr. Lim, can anyone characterize her first two films as about “young women on the verge” when The Virgin Suicides is at least as much about boys who look at and admire a group of unknowable sisters, and Lost in Translation is about a relationship between a shlubby, aging actor and a woman less than half his age? Deep into the article Lim recounts Kirsten Dunst’s exasperated response to this charge at Cannes several years ago: “Observing that ‘mopey-man movies’ often get a free pass, Ms. Dunst suggested that there is less tolerance for feminine introspection.” That’s the very least one can say about movie-makers’ tolerance for male solipsism.
Most of all, Lim casts a skeptical eye on the fact that Coppola is the “supremely well-connected daughter of Francis Ford Coppola” and that this has dictated her interest in filming what he calls “the luxe life.” (Again, have you seen the decidedly middle-class The Virgin Suicides?) No one doubts that her family ties have helped her, but they didn’t bring her the multiple awards she’s received, including a Golden Globe (for Lost in Translation) and the Golden Lion (for her current film Somewhere). And I ask you, Mr. Lim, have you ever described Jeff Bridges, Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Jaden Smith, director Jason Reitman, or even Coppola’s cousins Jason and Robert Schwartzman as the “supremely well-connected son of …”?
Turning to Lim’s sexist and patronizing dismissals, let’s tick through some of his charges:
Her work is predictable
Her work is somehow about herself
Her work is solipsistic
She got where she is due to nepotism
Her films only portray the cloistered elite, because that’s all she knows
She is well known to love fashion, “which seems to have contributed to a perception that there is something frivolous about her films” (we here at Feminéma LOVE the use of the passive voice!)
She has responded to past criticism by turning her film Somewhere into a minimalistic film about a male perspective
Her films are “delicate”
Coppola displays a “lack of awareness” about her films as a group, a lack of awareness Lim calls either “blissful or protective” (hang on, she’s both solipsistic and blissfully unaware?)
Great job, Dennis Lim! Let’s hope that your own supremely well-connected work with The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Moving Image Source, the Museum of the Moving Image, The Village Voice, The Village Voice Film Guide, the National Society of Film Critics, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the 2010 Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, and many film festivals including New York, San Sebastian, Vancouver, Tribeca, and South by Southwest Film Festivals — to name only a few I found online — permits you to continue to offer such useful assessments of one of the very few top-shelf female directors in the world. The New York Times does it again!
Filed in 1990s films, 2000s films, 2010s films, female directors, Film awards and prizes, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, New York Times, Sofia Coppola, Somewhere (2010), The curious case of women in film, The Virgin Suicides, The woman problem in the media
Tags: Dennis Lim, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola, Somewhere (2010), The New York Times, The Virgin Suicides
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Tag: retableros
Frida Kahlo and Retablos
Ballpoint pen drawings, Frida Kahlo, Mexican Folk Art
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, dreaming of a unified and independent Mexico, sustained the Mexican Revolution and thus all things indigenous. They, like many other artists at the time, were highly influenced by educator and philosopher José Vasconcelos as well as painter and filmmaker Adolfo Best Maugard who both encouraged a return to Mexico’s native roots. This was the beginning of “Mexicanism” in the fine arts. Previously Mexicans, colonized by Spain, had a sense of artistic inferiority feeling that anything of cultural worth had to be of European origin.
So with this Mexican Renaissance, Frida and Rivera began collecting Hecho en Mexico. Their collection included folk art, Pre-Columbian artifacts as well as over 1000 retablos many of which are on display today at the Casa Azul. Collecting retablos was made easier for them by the fact that during the Revolution, many churches were closed by the authorities facilitating the appropriation of the retablos inside.
The term retablo comes from retro tabula (“behind the altar”) and, in Spain, refers to the large paintings behind the church altar. However, in Mexico, retablo generally refers to small devotional ex-voto paintings commissioned by someone who wants to give thanks for an answered prayer.
The origin of a retablo is a need. And to resolve this need, one prays for help. If this need is taken care of, thanks must be given. So a retablero, one who paints retablos, is commissioned. The ex-voto painting has 3 basic elements: an icon of the person prayed to, a graphic description of the reason behind the prayer, and an inscription describing and thanking.
Prayers are generally directed to the Virgin of Guadalupe but sometimes Jesus or anyone of the infinite number of saints is supplicated including St. Lucia, St. Francis, St. Juan Diego and St. Peter of Verona.
Frida found a retablo regarding a trolley car accident that so resembled her own that she decided to retouch it in such a way as to make it seem that the retablo had been made specifically for her. At the bottom she added the inscription: Mr. and Mrs. Guillermo Kahlo and Matilde C. de Kahlo give thanks to Our Lady of Sorrows for saving their daughter Frida from the accident which took place in 1925 on the corner of Cuauhtemotzin and Calzada de Tlalpan.
Many of Frida’s paintings resemble retablos in that they are narrations painted in a naïf style with an element of despair based on real life situations.
When André Breton saw Frida’s work, he called her a surrealist. But he also said that Mexico was the most surrealistic country in the world—relief sculptures of bloodletting Aztecs, Day of the Dead skeletons, martyred saint statues, imaginary animal carvings are all examples of this surrealism.
One of Frida’s paintings is based on a newspaper article about an unfaithful woman who’d been stabbed to death by her husband. The husband defended himself by saying that “it was just a few small nips”. Angered by the violence so frequently inflicted upon women, Frida painted the massacred wife (Unos Cuantos Piquetitos, 1935).
Dorothy Hale was the wife of a well-to-do portrait painter but when her husband died in a crash, Dorothy was left without means to support herself. She decided to resolve the situation by throwing herself out of a skyscraper window. Dorothy’s friend, Clare Booth Luce, commissioned Frida to do a portrait for Dorothy’s mother. But the result was too hardcore for Luce who, instead of giving it to Dorothy’s mother, kept it hidden for years (The Death of Dorothy Hale, 1939).
When Frida discovered her husband was having an affair with her sister, she decided it was time for a divorce. Wearied by womanhood, Frida replaced her Tehuana costumes for a man’s suit, cut her long hair and portrayed herself with scissors in hand and locks of hair scattered all over the floor. The verse of a song is painted across the top: «See, if I loved you, it was for your hair, now you’re bald, I don’t love you anymore». (Pelona, 1940)
Although there is no longer a market for retableros as in years past, there are artists such as Alfredo Vilchis Roque, Fermín Luna Sanbrano (or Zambrano) and David Mecalco who make paintings in retablo style. And, in the not too distant past, migrant workers from Mexico working in the U.S. also commissioned a number of retablos. Today, instead of commissioning retablos, many people simply leave on the wall of small churches photos with inscriptions of thanks.
I, too, have a passion for retablos. Retablos are not only visually delicious, they also represent the concept of gratitude. That’s why years ago I wrote about the Aesthetics of Appreciation and did a series of Cardboard Retablos. Expressing thanks for what we have has many benefits like reshaping our brain.
A smile can automatically lift our spirits as can gratitude because both provoke chemical reactions in our brain. Both increase the production of serotonin and dopamine, the feel good neurotransmitters. Gratitude, then, is like Prozac. Some people take pills. Some people say thanks.
When you start expressing gratitude on a regular basis, negative thoughts are sent to the shadows. Instead of seeing the glass half empty, you see it half full.
The more you give thanks, the more you realize how much you have to be grateful for. So why not make a retablo!
(Originally posted HERE)
Related links: A Brief History of the Mexican Votive Paintings That Inspired Frida Kahlo
October 26, 2016 November 6, 2016 Art for HousewivesAdolfo Best Maugard, Alfredo Vilchis Roque, André Breton, cardboard retablos, Casa Azul, Clare Booth Luce, David Mecalco, Dorothy Hale, ex-voto, femicide, gratitude, José Vasconcelos, Mexican Revolution, Mexicanism, retableros, retablos, surrealism, Tehuana costumes, Virgin of Guadalupe, Zambrano1 Comment
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Tag Archives: Portal
via marcofolio.net
Portal: The Flash Version is a flash game created by We Create Stuff based off of the award-winning video game Portal.
Games flash, Portal, Portal: Still Alive, Portal: The Flash Version, We Create Stuff
Portal 2 Teaser Trailer
Leave a comment Posted by TheAsylum on June 28, 2010
The teaser trailer for Portal 2 has been released. The game itself will be released in 2011.
Games 2010, 2011, Aperture Laboratories LLC, Game of the Year, Game Trailer, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, PC, PlayStation 3, Portal, Portal 2, PS3, Steam, Teaser Trailer, Valve, Xbox 360
Portal 2 slated for a 2011 release
via omohide.com
Valve, the creators of some of the best-selling game franchises out there including Left 4 Dead, Counter-Strike, and Half-Life; and software such as Steam and the Source game engine, has announced Portal 2 which is slated for release in 2011 (not fall of 2010 as previously announced) for the Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Xbox 360 platforms.
Portal 2 is the sequel to Portal (released in 2007), which has won over 70 industry achievement awards and over 30 Game of the Year awards.
Email statement from Valve:
June 9, 2010 — Aperture Science, doing business as Aperture Laboratories LLC, in partnership with Valve today announced the successful completion of an ethics-review-panel-supervised release date restructuring process. Portal 2, the sequel to the ground-breaking title that earned over 30 Game of the Year awards despite missing its original ship date, is now targeted for a 2011 release.
They also went on to mention that, “… the game will be even better.”
Update 1: Portal 2 is coming to the PlayStation 3.
Update 2: Demo Gameplay footage:
Games 2010, 2011, Aperture Laboratories LLC, Game of the Year, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Portal, Portal 2, Steam, Valve, Xbox 360
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The Shapeshifting Detective Review (Xbox One)
November 30, 2018 June 30, 2019 Ben Robinson
This review was written using a review code provided to me via the game’s publisher. This does not affect my judgement of the game and this message is included for the purpose of transparency.
FMV games are something that I found myself coming to enjoy recently. It started with my interest in The Bunker. I then reviewed The Late Shift for this site, and enjoyed my time with that game. Both of these are by a publisher named Wales Interactive, so when I found out they were publishing a new FMV I was intrigued. With a title like The Shapeshifting Detective, I was very intrigued. A FMV where I controlled a detective tasked with solving a crime, using his unique power to complete the task? Sounds excellent, but unfortunately the game does feel short in a number of areas.
Lets start with the games plot. The game begins with you in a room, and an agent asking you questions. He explains that you are to go to a town called August, and are to find Chief Dupont. He hands you a document and explains that the chief will think you are this person. You are not to get caught, and no-one is to suspect you are different. When you get to Chief Dupont he believes you are here to investigate a recent murder in the town. A woman by the name of Dorota Shaw was strangled, and it is your job to find the killer. Chief Dupont explains that the murder was predicted by 3 tarot readers, and that they are currently the main suspects due to their sketchy alibis. You travel to the guest-house where the tarot readers, and you yourself, are staying. Upon talking to them new clues come to light, and the investigation continues from there. The game does feature three possible killers, and in my 2 playthroughs I got the same killer both times. One time I caught them, the second time I didn’t.
Chief Dupont
In my second playthrough I deliberately attempted to sabotage the investigation, to see if it was possible to completely mess up the investigation. My attempts were unsuccessful. Even with attempting to screw everything up, I still knew who the killer was. However instead of naming the killer correctly, I picked the wrong person. This resulted in a scene with the actual killer, and gave me one of the many possible endings to the game.
In terms of gameplay, The Shapeshifting Detective plays in a way similar to the other FMVs published boy Wales Interactive. The main bulk of the game sees you deciding where to go. You begin in the guesthouse as Sam (the shapeshifters new identity), and navigate the investigation via a menu. This menu lets you decide who to talk to, to visit your room so you can transform into another character, or hail a cab to head to one of the other locations outside of the guesthouse. These include Chief Dupont’s office, the house of Dorota’s boyfriend, as well as future suspects in the case. All of this is navigated via a menu. Once you finish chatting to someone you can then decide where you want to go next. It’s something that becomes very tedious very quickly, however after a while the tediousness of it wears off. I also understand that there was no other way that the game could have been navigated, giving the investigative nature of the game’s plot.
As explained earlier, you progress the investigation by talking to the characters in the game. They will in turn tell you things, or refuse to tell you things. You can then transform into a character and pry that information from them. One instance that pops to mind is of a character called Violet, and her reported alien abduction. She refuses to talk to Sam about the abduction. It’s of importance as she cannot remember where she was the night of Dorota’s murder. Earlier in the game Chief Dupont mentions that Violet tells him stuff she will not tell other people. You transform in Chief Dupont and talk to Violet. You convince her to talk to Sam about the abduction, and rule her out as Dorota’s murderer. In my playthroughs at least.
This system of not being able to gain knowledge, transforming, getting the person to agree to chat (or divulging that information to you), and then transforming back and getting that information. This is one of the small issues I have with The Shapeshifting Detective. The game feels like endless loops of going through conversation, to meet a roadblock, transform, get info, carry on. Rinse and repeat. It becomes very repetitive, and unfortunately is not something that becomes easier with time.
One of the tarot readers, Bronwyn
Visually the game looks amazing. Shot very well, the actors stand out very clearly. When playing The Shapeshifting Detective it is extremely believable that you are genuinely Sam, actually going and investigating this murder. The audio of the game is spot on as well, every sentence is easy to hear. There is no overly loud background music like I found with The Late Shift. The acting itself is something I found issue with. The dialogue of the game feels very forced, very obviously a script as strange as that sounds. Some parts of the conversation do feel very natural, however most of it feels awkward and draws you out of the immersion of The Shapeshifting Detective.
The Shapeshifting Detective is not a game I would recommend for those looking for a gritty FMV. The game tries very hard to be gritty, and the plot is interesting to some extent. However overall it falls very flat, leaving the player with more unanswered questions. If you want to get an FMV fix, then The Shapeshifting Detective will meet your needs. For £10 it won’t break the bank, but it won’t blow you away either.
The rest of this review will contain spoilers for the game. This is not something we normally do, however these are being mentioned as they are relevant to the review of this game.
My main issue with the Shapeshifting Detective is simply that some major parts of the game’s plot make no sense. Some parts of the game are out there, such as the player being a shapeshifting detective, but you can roll with it because it’s a video game. Some things can’t be overlooked though.
For instance late in the game the tarot readers conduct another group reading and, after getting the same cards as the day of Dorota’s murder, conclude that another murder is going to happen. Okay, seems logical enough. However then one of the tarot readers uses her ouija board to find out the name of the person who is going to be murdered. She comes up with a name, Ellis Monroe, and the plot progresses. The issue is in how the use of the ouija board is explained.
Ellis Monroe
It is explained that the dimension travelling creature the tarot readers are hunting inhabits the body of a human. It then uses this body to kill humans as a coming of age rite. The tarot readers apparently know who is going to die because Lexie, the lady who uses the board, uses it to receive messages from the spirit world. The reason being that the spirit world is so far away that messages take a while to reach us, therefore the spirit world is actually a few hours ahead of us. So Lexie receives messages from people who are already dead, but not actually dead yet. It feels like a very put together excuse. Almost as if the developers realised this plot hole and had to come up with a way to sew the plot together. There is also the added fact in my first playthrough I saved Ellis, so Lexie can’t have received a message from Ellis’s spirit in the spirit world.
This next issue we are going to discuss involves an uncomfortable experiencing while playing as a female character, including hints at an intended sexual assualt. If this makes you uncomfortable please do not read on. Just know that it exists in the game, for no valid reason.
In The Shapeshifting Detective there is a character called Zak Weston. A local photographer, he fancies himself a ladies man. We know he was seeing Violet, trying to get Ellis to pose topless and is just generally creepy with his attitude towards women. In one part of the game, it is possible to transform into Lexie and visit Zak. He offers you a drink. The first playthrough I declined. However in my second time I decided to see how far the developers were willing to go with this. I took the drink. I agreed to let Zak photograph me (as Lexie). He then began asking if Lexie would remove her top. I agreed and he took the top off. Rather Zak took it off me. Strange having just met the woman, but the player agreed and you do have the chance to say no. However it gets weird and super creepy when the flashback happens.
A Youtube video showing the Zak scene
This isn’t a flashback that we saw when we started the game. It shows the agent from the beginning tell Sam not to get drugged, or he will revert back to his original form and “no-one wants to see that”. It then comes back to Zak photographing the player. The camera begins to shake, as it does when you transform into another character. Zak begins to panic, asking what you are before running out of the room. It is obviously clear from this interaction that Zak had plans to drug Lexie.
His intentions afterwards cannot have been good ones. I can honestly say I have never felt that uncomfortable playing a game. Seeing that happen from a first person view, the implied intentions, is very disturbing and completely unnecessary. Having gone through this experience, what can the player do with this knowledge? You cannot tell anyone what happened, as no-one is allowed to know you’re a shapeshifter. It couldn’t be used as evidence against Zak. There was no need for this to be in the game. The first time I played I correctly identified Zak as the killer, without him drugging me while I was Lexie.
Posted in Reviews, Xbox One Review Tagged The Shapeshifting Detective,xbox one
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It’s a pretty good time to be a sports fan in Toronto.
Despite the Raptors’ one-point loss in Monday’s fifth game, the sunniest story of the month – certainly for golf fans, locally and nationally – has to be the resurgence of the Canadian Open. Now placed in a far more appealing spot in the PGA Tour schedule, for the first time in decades, our Open benefitted from a renewed level of interest and commitment from big name players. And it wasn’t just the guys with RBC logos on their sleeves, who, for all intents and purposes, are “expected” to show up as part of their endorsement deal with the bank.
The field this year had most of the Tour’s biggest names, including probably the prize catch of them all, Rory McIlroy. It would’ve been absolutely perfect if Tiger had decided to come, but with crowd-pleasing names like Koepka, DJ, JT, Bubba and Sergio on the list, that was enough to give the event the prestige it’s been missing for a long time.
The Open also had great weather going for it, and what I would argue is Canada’s finest golf course, Hamilton G&CC. Personally, I hate it when PGA Tour players come up here and make mincemeat of our best courses – like Hamilton, and St. George’s – as Brandt Snedeker did on Friday with an other-worldly score of 60, and McIlroy and Canadian Ben Silverman did with 61’s.
I was at the Open on Friday, and walked through much of the rough that the players had to hit out of if they missed the fairway or the green, and I asked myself how can they make this course any tougher? Yes, it’s relatively short by today’s championship standards, but these guys are SO good now that, on a course and conditions that would make a 5-handicapper struggle to break 90, you simply can’t put together a layout that can defeat the best in the game. Until tournament organizers find a way to harness the weather and turn up the wind and the rain at will, par will continue to devolve into a laughing matter.
By my count, 10 players shot all four rounds in the 60s. The last of them, Rod Pampling, tied for 35th place. For all those fans who say, well, wait till next year at St. George’s… there’s no way you’ll see such low scores there… I’ll remind you that Carl Pettersson shot a smooth 60 THERE when he won the tournament in 2010. Anyway, for most golf fans, watching players bring courses to their knees, begging for mercy, is a pleasure not an affront, so I’ll park my dinosaur opinions forthwith.
One of the delights of visiting the Open on Friday was watching the threesome of Rory, Matt Kuchar and Webb Simpson all make splendid birdies on the beautiful 9th hole… Rory with a 37-foot uphill bomb of a putt. I remember thinking, wouldn’t it be just fabulous for the tournament if Rory went on to win, and yes, by golly, he did, and it was.
My visit to the Open on Friday was a personal pleasure in other ways, too. To see the development of the tournament into a genuine spectator festival was just great. So many fan-friendly features, sponsors, viewing stands, and post-play music concerts designed to draw new spectators onto the grounds… I was really impressed with the whole operation. Also, with the good manners of the galleries… I didn’t hear one moron shout “Babba Booey” or “In the HOLE!!”, just appreciative applause and cheers when warranted.
I had the honour to be Tournament Director of the Open back in the early 80s. My last one was the 1982 version held at Glen Abbey. That year’s tournament may have been the one that started the Open’s decline from its previously lofty position as the unofficial “fifth major” of the Tour at that time. Through no fault of anyone (including me), that event suffered from bad weather, a grass disease which made the greens almost unputtable (causing many players to give the event a pass), the early departure of headline players Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino, and media coverage which then dubbed the tournament “the No-Name Open”. This encouraged the public and their wallets to stay home. Because the tournament failed to make its expected quota of revenue, the RCGA (now Golf Canada) was forced to lay off some people, and I was one of the victims, to be replaced by the venerable Richard Grimm.
If it hadn’t been for generosity of tournament sponsor Imperial Tobacco at the time, and subsequently Bell Canada and RBC, our tournament might have disappeared altogether by the 90s and 2000s.
But with this new date slot, and almost universal accolades for the organization of the course and the operation from the top players, I’m delighted to think that the Canadian Open has finally found its happy place for the next few years, and so have I.
Surprise! The RBC Canadian Open is almost here
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Shih-Ying Lee, longtime mechanical engineering professor, inventor, and entrepreneur, dies at 100
Shih-Ying Lee, a longtime MIT mechanical engineering professor and expert in process control, measurement, and instrumentation, passed away peacefully on July 2 in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Lee ’43, SCD ’45 had recently celebrated his 100th birthday in April.
Lee’s career spanned over six decades and included positions in both academia and industry. In 2015, he provided an overview of his professional and personal achievements in his autobiography entitled, “From Tsinghua to MIT — My Journey from Education to Entrepreneurship.”
Born in Beijing (known at the time as Beiping), China, on April 30, 1918, Lee was drawn to engineering at an early age. He received a bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University in the midst of World War II and the Second Sino-Japanese War. Upon graduating, Lee worked as a bridge designer and hydraulic power research engineer for the Chinese government.
Eager to continue his education in the United States, Lee made a harrowing journey halfway around the world in the midst of global conflict. He flew first to India, then took a ship to the U.S. via South America. In 1942 he enrolled at MIT, where he received master’s and doctor of science degrees in civil engineering.
After a two-year stint at Cram and Ferguson Architects, Lee returned to MIT as a research engineer in the Dynamic Analysis and Control Lab. He joined the faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1952. Throughout his tenure as a professor, Lee made extensive improvements to several courses including 2.171 (at the time, Fluid Power Control) and 2.173 (Measurement and Control).
Lee’s interest in measurement and instrumentation extended beyond the classrooms of MIT. He shared an entrepreneurial spirit and interest in startups with his brother, MIT professor of aeronautics Yao-Tzu Li SM ’38, SCD ’39. In 1953, they co-founded Dynisco Inc., which manufactured pressure-measuring instruments. To focus on his work at MIT, Lee sold Dynisco to the American Brake Shoe Company in 1960.
Less than a decade later, the brothers formed Setra Systems Inc., which specialized in instruments for sensing and measuring. The company designed and manufactured devices such as accelerometers, pressure transducers, and laboratory balances. These instruments, and all other products produced by Setra, had variable capacitance sensors, an application co-developed by Lee and his brother.
In 1974, Lee retired after 22 years on the mechanical engineering faculty at MIT. For the next three decades, much of his professional focus was on Setra Systems, where he served as chair and chief executive officer in the 1990s. Many of his patents involved pressure and force sensing products developed at Setra.
Throughout his career, Lee received a number of prestigious awards in recognition of his many contributions to the fields of process control, instrumentation, and sensing. In 1981 he received the Rufus Oldenburger Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for his permanent contribution to the field of automatic control. Several years later, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for “original research on control valve stability, for innovative dynamic measurement instrumentation, and for successful entrepreneurial commercialization of his inventions.” He also received the Technical Excellence Award from the International Society of Weighing and Measurement for his introduction of a new force and weight sensing method.
Lee was married to his first wife, May Kao Lee, for 22 years until her death. He was married to his second wife, Lena Yin Lee for 45 years until her death in May 2018. In 1991, Lee and Lena established the Shih-Ying (1943) & Lena Y. Lee Endowed Fellowship Fund in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The scholarship was most recently awarded to a graduate student in 2016.
Later in his life, Lee enjoyed keeping up with the latest personal computing devices, staying fit with his daily walks and exercises, connecting with his children and grandchildren, and playing Scrabble with his wife at their home in Lincoln. He is survived by their four children: Carol Lee; David Lee ME ’73, PhD ’80; Linda Lee PhD ’85; and Eileen Brooks.
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Jean Baptiste RENAUD
(b. 3 June 1846 , Sorel, Lower Canada d. 20 December 1910 , Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA )
Cause of Death: Influenza/Pneumonia
RENAUD Genealogy
Jean Baptiste RENAUD was born 3 June 1846 in Sorel, Lower Canada. Jean Baptiste RENAUD was the child of Jean Baptiste RENAUD dit LOCAS and Angeline (Angel) THIBAULT (THIBEAU) and the grandchild of: (paternal) Joseph RENAUD dit LOCAS and Elisabeth (Isabelle) CARRE dite LAROCHE (maternal) Charles THIBEAULT and Marie-Elizabeth-Isabelle TAILLON dite LATAILLE
Jean Baptiste was an immigrant to the United States, arriving by 1858.
He married Judith BROUILLETTE abt 1864 in Massachusetts, USA . The couple had (at least) 12 children. Judith BROUILLETTE was born July 1844 in Québec Province, Canada (Quebec). She died abt. 1925 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Jean Baptiste RENAUD died 20 December 1910 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Death Source: Massachusetts Vital Records Vol 94, Page 174 shows Jean B. Reno, 11 East Main St. Southbridge, born June 3, 1846, died Dec 20, 1910. He was a spectacle maker at an optical factory. He was born in Canada. He was the son of Jean B. Reno and Angel Thibideau, both b. in Canada.
Details of the family tree of Jean appear below.
Québec Généalogie - Over time, Québec has gone through a series of name changes
From its inception in the early 1600s until 1760, it was called Canada, New France.
1760 to 1763, it was simply Canada
1763 to 1791 - Province of Québec
1791 to 1867 - Lower Canada
1867 to present - Québec, Canada.
Thanks to Micheline MacDonald for providing this information.
Québec Généalogie - Did you know? In New France, the vast majority of newcomers were either soldiers or indentured workers. Before...Read MORE...
History of Quebec for Dummies by Eric Bedard, published by John Wiley & Sons, Canada, Ltd.
Marriage / Partner(s) and Child(ren) of Jean Baptiste RENAUD
Jean Baptiste RENAUD married Judith BROUILLETTE-- Date: abt 1864 Place: , Massachusetts, USA
Baptiste RENAUD (b.January 1865, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. 19 February 1866, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
Jean Baptiste RENAUD (b.29 July 1866, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. 7 May 1898, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
m. Mary TOBIN 28 June 1886
Joseph RENAUD (b.28 March 1868, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. , )
m. Emma E MORSE 8 October 1889
Corrine RENAUD (b.7 July 1870, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. abt. 1957, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
m. Joseph BIBEAU 9 November 1896
Caroline RENAUD (b.26 March 1872, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. bef. 1880, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
Aldolphe Alfred RENAUD (b.20 July 1873, , Massachusetts, USA d. 1945?, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
m. Azilda DUCHESNEAU 21 June 1897
Marie D. RENAUD (b.19 April 1875, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. , )
Napoleon Paul RENAUD (b.31 March 1876, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. 28 October 1975, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
m. Rosanna HOULE 28 August 1899
Marie RENAUD (b.19 February 1878, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. abt. 1930, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
m. George Elzear LATAILLE 1 September 1902
Delia RENAUD (b.1 August 1880, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. 24 October 1883, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
George Arthur RENAUD (b.5 August 1882, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. 5 July 1941, Cranston, Rhode Island, USA )
m. May Alma JALBERT 7 September 1904
Emilien RENAUD (b.3 November 1884, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA d. 26 August 1886, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA)
Events, Pictures and Documents Related to the Genealogy of Jean Baptiste RENAUD
1910 Death. Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Sorel, Lower Canada
Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Check out more pictures of Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA!
Sorel, Québec, Canada
1848 - January 24 – California Gold Rush: James W. Marshall finds gold at Sutter's Mill, in Coloma, California.
1848 - February 2 - Mexican–American War formally ends with signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ceding virtually all of what becomes the Southwestern United States to the U.S.
1849 - The boundary of the 49th Parallel is extended to the Pacific Ocean. An Act of Amnesty provides for W.L. Mackenzie's return from exile in the U.S.
Despite diversification of the rural economy, more than 80% of French Canadians were employed in farming in 1850.
1851 - June 5 - Uncle Tom's Cabin Appeared in Serial Form
1853 - Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations
1854 - The French seigneurial system of land tenancy is finally abolished in Canada East
1854 - July - Republican Party formed for abolition of slavery.
1857 - Ottawa chosen by Queen Victoria as the capital of the united colony of Canada
1858 - The Halifax-Truro line begins rail service. Chinese immigrants from California arrive in British Columbia, attracted by the Fraser River Gold Rush.
1859 - October 16 – John Brown raids the Harpers Ferry Armory in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in an unsuccessful bid to spark a general slave rebellion.
1860 Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
John Renoe, age 45, b. Canada lives with his wife, Angel, age 34, b. Canada and the following children: John Jr., son, age 15, b. Canada; Joseph, son, age 13, b. Canada; Peter, son, age 11, b. Canada; Edward, son, age 7, b. Canada; Mary, daughter, age 1, b. Canada
1860 - Civil War - On December 20, 1860, a little over a month after Abraham Lincoln had been elected President, South Carolina seceded from the Union. Six more states followed by the spring of 1861.
1861 - January 21 – American Civil War: Jefferson Davis resigns from the United States Senate.
1861 - February 8 – American Civil War: The Confederate States of America are formed, comprising the first six break-away States
1861 - Start of U.S. Civil War - April 12, 1861 - Confederate forces fire upon Fort Sumter.
1861 - April 20 - American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia.
1861 - October 26 – The Pony Express announces its closure.
1861 - November 6 - Jefferson Davis Elected President of the Confederate States of America
1863 - January 1 - Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves
1863 - July 1–3 – American Civil War: Battle of Gettysburg – Union forces under George G. Meade turn back a Confederate invasion by Robert E. Lee in the largest battle of the war (28,000 Confederate casualties, 23,000 Union).
1863 - October 3 – President Lincoln proclaims a national Thanksgiving day to be celebrated the final Thursday in November in the United States
1863 - November 19 – American Civil War: U. S. President Abraham Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the military cemetery dedication ceremony in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
1864 - Quebec Conference of 1864 held to discuss Canadian Confederation which will lead to the creation of the Dominion of Canada.
1865 - No Draft
1865 - April 9 - Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysees S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.
1865 - April 14 - Assassination of Abraham Lincoln:
1866 - The Fenians, a group of radical Irish-Americans organized in New York in 1859 to oppose British presence in Ireland, begin a series of raids on Canadian territory
1867 - Canada becomes a sovereign nation by an act of the British Parliament (the British North America Act). Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick are united as the Dominion of Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald becomes the first prime minister
1867 - March 30 – Alaska is purchased for $7.2 million from Alexander II of Russia, about 2 cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward. The news media call this "Seward's Folly"
Canada blunders catastrophically in seeking to take over the west without the consent of its inhabitants, especially the Métis of Red River and their leader, the charismatic, troubled Louis Riel.
1869 - May 10 - The Union and Central Pacific Railroads joined their rails at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory and forged the destiny of a nation. (Golden Spike National Historic Site, Utah)
The 1870s and 1880s are a time of trial for the young Dominion of Canada.
1870 - France declares war on Prussia and Emperor Napoleon III is overthrown
Baptiste RENAUD was born January 1865, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Jean Baptiste RENAUD was born 29 July 1866, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Joseph RENAUD was born 28 March 1868, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
1870 Southbridge, Massachusetts
John Rano, age 24, living in Southbridge, Massachusetts with wife Juda 27, son John 4, son Peter 2.
1870 - A cable dispatch on the 28th says the Pope has issued a special elimination against the Fenians, both in America and Ireland.
1870 to 1871 - Franco-Prussian War, ending in French defeat, loss of Alsace-Lorraine and end of the Second Empire
1872 - 'Yellowstone Wonderland' is established as first national park.
1876 - May 10 - Centennial Exhibitiion
1876 - June 25 – American Indian Wars – Battle of the Little Bighorn:
1879 - Cleveland became the world's first city to be lighted electrically in 1879 when Charles Brush successfully demonstrated arc lights on the streets.
1880-84 - The Canadian Pacific Railway recruits thousands of underpaid Chinese Labourers.
1881 - The American Red Cross is established by Clara Barton.
Corrine RENAUD was born 7 July 1870, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Caroline RENAUD was born 26 March 1872, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Aldolphe Alfred RENAUD was born 20 July 1873, , Massachusetts, USA
Marie D. RENAUD was born 19 April 1875, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Napoleon Paul RENAUD was born 31 March 1876, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Marie RENAUD was born 19 February 1878, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Delia RENAUD was born 1 August 1880, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Renault John, mill operative, house rear West
Renault John 2d, mill operative, house rear West
Renault John 3d, laborer, house off West
Renault Joseph, mill operative, house rear West
Renault Pierre, operative, house West
(MA) - 1882 Massachusetts City Directory - Webster and Southbridge (MA)
George Arthur RENAUD was born 5 August 1882, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
1883 Death of Child
Delia RENAUD died 24 October 1883, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
1883 - November 18 – U.S. and Canadian railroads institute 5 standard continental time zones, ending the confusion of thousands of local times.
1884 - May 1 – The eight-hour workday is first proclaimed by the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in the United States. This date, called May Day or Labour Day, becomes a holiday recognized in almost every industrialized country.
1884 - December 6 – The Washington Monument is completed in Washington, D.C., becoming the tallest structure in the world at this date.
1885 - The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor.
1885 - November 7 - Canadian Pacific railroad completed (Montreal to Vancouver)
1886 - January 29 – Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile, the Benz Patent Motorwagen (built in 1885).
1887 - February 2 – In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the first Groundhog Day is observed.
1889 - The first Canadian troops sent overseas participate in the Boer War in South Africa (Oct. 30).
1890 - Free land for large families
1890 - December 29 - Wounded Knee Massacre occurred - 7th Cavalry killed more than 250 Lakota men, women and children; Sitting Bull killed at Little Eagle; Indian wars ended
1892 - NO MORE BARGE OFFICE. Immigrants Will Hereafter Land at Ellis Island.
1893 - May 1 - World's Columbian Exposition
1894 - Pullman strike
Massive waves of immigration, a headlong economic boom with the growth of prairie agriculture and urban industry transform Canada between 1896 and 1915.
1896 - Gold discovered in the Yukon's Klondike
1897 - September 1 – The Boston subway opens, becoming the first underground metro in North America.
Emilien RENAUD was born 3 November 1884, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Emilien RENAUD died 26 August 1886, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Jean Baptiste RENAUD died 7 May 1898, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Jean B. Renaud, age 53, living in Southbridge, Massachusetts with wife Judith 55, son Arthur 17, daughter Marie 22, grandson William 14, daughter Nelda 9, son Elmer 5. He was born in Canada. His year of immigration was 1858.
1903 - Canada loses the Alaska boundary dispute when British tribunal representative Lord Alverstone sides with the U.S. (Oct. 20).
1910 Death
Name: Jean B Reno
Death Date: 20 Dec 1910
Death Place: Southbridge,,Massachusetts
Death Age: 64
Estimated Birth Year:
Birthplace: Canada
Spouse:
Father: Jean B Reno
Mother: Angel Thibideau
Film Number: 2314921
Digital Folder Number: 4283216
Image Number: 01132
Reference Number: 174
Collection: Massachusetts Deaths,...Read MORE...
1910 East Main St., Southbridge, Massachusetts
Name: John Reneaud
Age in 1910: 64
Birth Year: abt 1846
[abt 1856]
Birthplace: Canada
Home in 1910: Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Street: East Main
House Number: 11
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Julia Rureand
Father's Birthplace: Canada
Mother's Birthplace: Canada
Native Tongue: French
Occupation: Laborer
Industry: Odd Jobs
Employer, Employee or...Read MORE...
Race or color (expanded): White
Age in years: 64
Birthdate: 03 Jun 1846
Father's name: Jean B Reno
Mother's name: Angel Thibideau
Digital GS number: 4283216
Collection: Massachusetts, Death...Read MORE...
Jean is buried at: Old Notre Dame/ St. Mary's/ Sacred Heart Cemetery
220 Charlton Street
Southbridge, Massachusetts
Added: - Updated: 3/15/2018 7:47:12 PM
About Jean - Family History / Genealogy Charts
Genealogy research for Jean Renaud (on other sites)
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If you'd like to be contacted by others who are related to Jean Baptiste RENAUD, leave a message here!
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Ashok Srinivasan
Brinda is born in a traditional joint family, but behind the veneer of normalcy lurks an enigmatic life. She has detailed memory of things that happened before her birth. Physical contact with her heals the sick, the rotten and the corrupt. Brutalised repeatedly, she only becomes more beautiful and remains inviolate, unable to achieve physical intimacy even with the man she loves. There comes a time when she is arrested without any charges and moved from prison to prison. But in a world where time and history are as fluid as her memory, she stays radiantly young while those around her age and decay. Both as witness and victim, she lives through the horrors of a society sliding into superstition and intolerance. Ultimately, she is subjected to a farcical trial where every aspect of her past is presented to the court in a dark, new light before a tragic conclusion. Once Upon a Time is Ashok Srinivasan’s powerful debut novel and the successor to his prize-winning collection of short stories, Book of Common Signs. A multi-layered fairy tale for adults that comes close to some of the harshest cruelties of our times, it reconfirms the arrival of an important new writer on India’s literary firmament.
Ashok Srinivasan’s collection of short stories, Book of Common Signs, which was longlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, went on to win The Hindu Prize 2014. His fiction has been compared to the works of Franz Kafka, Bruno Schulz and Haruki Murakami. Once Upon a Time is read more
Books by Ashok Srinivasan
Book Of Common Signs
Not Only The Things That Have Happened
Mridula Koshy
The Association of Small Bombs
The King Within
Nandini Sengupta
The Sacred Grove
Daman Singh
Nine By Nine
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Cellina Epps named as head volleyball coach for Darlington High
DARLINGTON, S.C. – Darlington High School announced Wednesday that Cellina Epps as the new head varsity volleyball coach.
Epps, who is a fourth-grade teacher at St. John’s Elementary School, will take over the school’s varsity volleyball program after previously serving as the team’s associate head coach. She also spent the past three years as the school’s head junior varsity volleyball coach. Epps has served the past 17 years as a coach of numerous sports through the Darlington Recreation Department.
“We are very excited for Coach Epps to become our new head volleyball coach,” Gehrke said. “She has done an excellent job as our junior varsity coach. Her love for our student-athletes and the sport is evident. We know she will do a wonderful job in her new role.”
Epps holds an associate degree in Health Science from Florence-Darlington Technical College and a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University.
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« Jul Dec »
On this day in history August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan begins firingthe 11,359 air-traffic controllers who ignored his order to return to work after illegal striking two days before, causing the cancellation of thousands of flights. The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization or PATCO’s nearly 13,000 members went on strike on August 3, after the government refused to give them a $10,000 raise and shorten their workweek from five to four days, a request of $770 million. The government counter offer only included a package of $40 million, generous but not enough according to PATCO. The strike on August 3, paralyzed air travel, with 7,000 flights canceled. Reagan gave PATCO strikers an ultimatum, return to work within 48 hours or be fired.
Robert E. Poli, the president of PATCO had the union endorsed Reagan as the Republican presidential nominee in the 1980 election. Now a federal judge found Poli in contempt for the strike, fining him $1,000 and the union a million each day of the strike, the rate based on a Congressional law passed in 1955 and upheld by the Supreme Court in 1971. Transportation Secretary Drew Lewis suggested to Reagan that he fired the air traffic controllers, and on August 5, Reagan did just that. Reagan later recognized the significance of his action early in his administration calling it “an important juncture for our new administration. I think it convinced people who might have thought otherwise that I meant what I said.” (Cannon, 438) Reagan banned the strikers for life, while the Federal Labor Relations Authority decertified the union just two months later on October 22.
Historian Joseph A. McCartin and author of “Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, the Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike That Changed America, argues, “Ronald Reagan not only transformed his presidency but also shaped the world of the modern workplace.” McCartin claims the move “polarized our politics in ways that prevent us from addressing the root of our economic troubles: the continuing stagnation of incomes despite rising corporate profits and worker productivity.” Reagan’s decisive move would both alter the influence of labor unions stripping them of their bargaining power and showed the Soviet Union his strong leadership establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in the Cold War.
McCartin, Joseph A. Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, the Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike That Changed America. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Cannon, Lou. President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime. New York: Public Affairs, 2000.
Bonnie K. Goodman has a BA and MLIS from McGill University and has done graduate work in religion at Concordia University. She is a journalist, librarian, historian & editor, and a former Features Editor at the History News Network & reporter at Examiner.com where she covered politics, universities, religion and news. She has a dozen years experience in education & political journalism.
Remarks and a Question-and-Answer Session With Reporters on the Air Traffic Controllers Strike
The President. This morning at 7 a.m. the union representing those who man America’s air traffic control facilities called a strike. This was the culmination of 7 months of negotiations between the Federal Aviation Administration and the union. At one point in these negotiations agreement was reached and signed by both sides, granting a $40 million increase in salaries and benefits. This is twice what other government employees can expect. It was granted in recognition of the difficulties inherent in the work these people perform. Now, however, the union demands are 17 times what had been agreed to—$681 million. This would impose a tax burden on their fellow citizens which is unacceptable.
I would like to thank the supervisors and controllers who are on the job today, helping to get the nation’s air system operating safely. In the New York area, for example, four supervisors were scheduled to report for work, and 17 additionally volunteered. At National Airport a traffic controller told a newsperson he had resigned from the union and reported to work because, “How can I ask my kids to obey the law if I don’t?” This is a great tribute to America.
Let me make one thing plain. I respect the right of workers in the private sector to strike. Indeed, as president of my own union, I led the first strike ever called by that union. I guess I’m maybe the first one to ever hold this office who is a lifetime member of an AFL-CIO union. But we cannot compare labor-management relations in the private sector with government. Government cannot close down the assembly line. It has to provide without interruption the protective services which are government’s reason for being.
It was in recognition of this that the Congress passed a law forbidding strikes by government employees against the public safety. Let me read the solemn oath taken by each of these employees, a sworn affidavit, when they accepted their jobs: “I am not participating in any strike against the Government of the United States or any agency thereof, and I will not so participate while an employee of the Government of the United States or any agency thereof.”
It is for this reason that I must tell those who fail to report for duty this morning they are in violation of the law, and if they do not report for work within 48 hours, they have forfeited their jobs and will be terminated.
Q. Mr. President, are you going to order any union members who violate the law to go to jail?
The President. Well, I have some people around here, and maybe I should refer that question to the Attorney General.
Q. Do you think that they should go to jail, Mr. President, anybody who violates this law?
The President. I told you what I think should be done. They’re terminated.
The Attorney General. Well, as the President has said, striking under these circumstances constitutes a violation of the law, and we intend to initiate in appropriate cases criminal proceedings against those who have violated the law.
Q. How quickly will you initiate criminal proceedings, Mr. Attorney General?
The Attorney General. We will initiate those proceedings as soon as we can. Q. Today?
The Attorney General. The process will be underway probably by noon today.
Q. Are you going to try and fine the union $1 million per day?
The Attorney General. Well, that’s the prerogative of the court. In the event that any individuals are found guilty of contempt of a court order, the penalty for that, of course, is imposed by the court.
Q. How much more is the government prepared to offer the union?
The Secretary of Transportation. We think we had a very satisfactory offer on the table. It’s twice what other Government employees are going to get—11.4 percent. Their demands were so unreasonable there was no spot to negotiate, when you’re talking to somebody 17 times away from where you presently are. We do not plan to increase our offer to the union.
Q. Under no circumstances?
The Secretary of Transportation. As far as I’m concerned, under no circumstance.
Q. Will you continue to meet with them? The Secretary of Transportation. We will not meet with the union as long as they’re on strike. When they’re off of strike, and assuming that they are not decertified, we will meet with the union and try to negotiate a satisfactory contract.
Q. Do you have any idea how it’s going at the airports around the country?
The Secretary of Transportation. Relatively, it’s going quite well. We’re operating somewhat in excess of 50 percent capacity. We could increase that. We have determined, until we feel we’re in total control of the system, that we will not increase that. Also, as you probably know, we have some rather severe weather in the Midwest, and our first priority is safety.
Q. What can you tell us about possible decertification of the union and impoundment of its strike funds?
The Secretary of Transportation. There has been a court action to impound the strike fund of $3.5 million. We are going before the National Labor Relations Authority this morning and ask for decertification of the union.
Q. When you say that you’re not going to increase your offer, are you referring to the original offer or the last offer which you’ve made? Is that still valid?
The Secretary of Transportation. The last offer we made in present value was exactly the same as the first offer. Mr. Poli 1asked me about 11 o’clock last evening if he could phase the increase in over a period of time. For that reason, we phased it in over a longer period of time. It would have given him a larger increase in terms of where he would be when the next negotiations started, but in present value it was the $40 million originally on the table.
1 Robert Poli, president, Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization.
Q. Mr. Attorney General, in seeking criminal action against the union leaders, will you seek to put them in jail if they do not order these people back to work?
The Attorney General. Well, we will seek whatever penalty is appropriate under the circumstances in each individual case.
Q. Do you think that is an appropriate circumstance?
The Attorney General. It is certainly one of the penalties that is provided for in the law, and in appropriate cases, we could very well seek that penalty.
Q. What’s appropriate?
The Attorney General. Well, that depends upon the fact of each case.
Q. What makes the difference?
Q. Can I go back to my “fine” question? How much would you like to see the union fined every day?
The Attorney General. Well, there’s no way to answer that question. We would just have to wait until we get into court, see what the circumstances are, and determine what position we would take in the various cases under the facts as they develop.
Q. But you won’t go to court and ask the court for a specific amount?
The Attorney General. Well, I’m sure we will when we reach that point, but there’s no way to pick a figure now.
Q. Mr. President, will you delay your trip to California or cancel it if the strike is still on later this week?
The President. If any situation should arise that would require my presence here, naturally I will do that. So, that will be a decision that awaits what’s going to happen. May I just—because I have to be back in there for another appointment—may I just say one thing on top of this? With all this talk of penalties and everything else, I hope that you’ll emphasize, again, the possibility of termination, because I believe that there are a great many of those people—and they’re fine people—who have been swept up in this and probably have not really considered the result—the fact that they had taken an oath, the fact that this is now in violation of the law, as that one supervisor referred to with regard to his children. And I am hoping that they will in a sense remove themselves from the lawbreaker situation by returning to their posts.
I have no way to know whether this had been conveyed to them by their union leaders, who had been informed that this would be the result of a strike.
Q. Your deadline is 7 o’clock Wednesday morning for them to return to work? The President. Forty-eight hours.
The Secretary of Transportation. It’s 11 o’clock Wednesday morning.
Q. Mr. President, why have you taken such strong action as your first action? Why not some lesser action at this point?
The President. What lesser action can there be? The law is very explicit. They are violating the law. And as I say, we called this to the attention of their leadership. Whether this was conveyed to the membership before they voted to strike, I don’t know. But this is one of the reasons why there can be no further negotiation while this situation continues. You can’t sit and negotiate with a union that’s in violation of the law.
The Secretary of Transportation. And their oath.
The President. And their oath.
Q. Are you more likely to proceed in the criminal direction toward the leadership than the rank and file, Mr. President?
The President. Well, that again is not for me to answer.
Q. Mr. Secretary, what can you tell us about the possible use of military air controllers—how many, how quickly can they get on the job?
The Secretary of Transportation. In answer to the previous question, we will move both civil and criminal, probably more civil than criminal, and we now have papers in the U.S. attorneys’ offices, under the Attorney General, in about 20 locations around the country where would be involved two or three principal people.
As far as the military personnel are concerned, they are going to fundamentally be backup to the supervisory personnel. We had 150 on the job, supposedly, about a half-hour ago. We’re going to increase that to somewhere between 700 and 850.
Q. Mr. Secretary, are you ready to hire other people should these other people not return?
The Secretary of Transportation. Yes, we will, and we hope we do not reach that point. Again as the President said, we’re hoping these people come back to work. They do a fine job. If that does not take place, we have a training school, as you know. We will be advertising. We have a number of applicants right now. There’s a waiting list in terms of people that want to be controllers, and we’ll start retraining and reorganize the entire FAA traffic controller group.
Q. Just to clarify, is your deadline 7 a.m. Wednesday or 11 o’clock?
The Secretary of Transportation. It’s 11 a.m. Wednesday. The President said 48 hours, and that would be 48 hours.
Q. If you actually fire these people, won’t it put your air traffic control system in a hole for years to come, since you can’t just cook up a controller in—[inaudible]?
The Secretary of Transportation. That obviously depends on how many return to work. Right now we’re able to operate the system. In some areas, we’ve been very gratified by the support we’ve received. In other areas, we’ve been disappointed. And until I see the numbers, there’s no way I can answer that question.
Q. Mr. Lewis, did you tell the union leadership when you were talking to them that their members would be fired if they went out on strike?
The Secretary of Transportation. I told Mr. Poll yesterday that the President gave me three instructions in terms of the firmness of the negotiations: one is there would be no amnesty; the second there would be no negotiations during the strike; and third is that if they went on strike, these people would no longer be government employees.
Q. Mr. Secretary, you said no negotiations. What about informal meetings of any kind with Mr. Poli?
The Secretary of Transportation. We will have no meetings until the strike is terminated with the union.
Q. Have you served Poli at this point? Has he been served by the Attorney General?
The Attorney General. In the civil action that was filed this morning, the service was made on the attorney for the union, and the court has determined that that was appropriate service on all of the officers of the union.
Q. My previous question about whether you’re going to take a harder line on the leadership than rank and file in terms of any criminal prosecution, can you give us an answer on that?
The Attorney General. No, I can’t answer that except to say that each case will be investigated on its own merits, and action will be taken as appropriate in each of those cases.
Q. Mr. Lewis, do you know how many applications for controller jobs you have on file now?
The Secretary of Transportation. I do not know. I’m going to check when I get back. I am aware there’s a waiting list, and I do not have the figure. If you care to have that, you can call our office, and we’ll tell you. Also, we’ll be advertising and recruiting people for this job if necessary.
Q. Mr. Secretary, how long are you prepared to hold out if there’s a partial but not complete strike?
The Secretary of Transportation. I think the President made it very clear that as of 48 hours from now, if the people are not back on the job, they will not be government employees at any time in the future.
Q. How long are you prepared to run the air controller system—[ inaudible]?
The Secretary of Transportation. For years, if we have to.
Q. How long does it take to train a new controller, from the waiting list?
The Secretary of Transportation. It varies; it depends on the type of center they’re going to be in. For someone to start in the system and work through the more minor office types of control situations till they get to, let’s say, a Chicago or a Washington National, it takes about 3 years. So in this case, what we’ll have to do if some of the major metropolitan areas are shut down or a considerable portion is shut down, we’ll be bringing people in from other areas that are qualified and then start bringing people through the training schools in the smaller cities and smaller airports.
Q. Mr. Secretary, have you definitely made your final offer to the union?
The Secretary of Transportation. Yes, we have.
Q. Thank you.
Note: The President read the statement to reporters at 10:55 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White House.
APP Note: In the “Public Papers of the Presidents” series, this document is titled, “Statement and a Question-and-Answer Session With Reporters on the Air Traffic Controllers Strike.” It was re-titled to reflect the fact that the president read a prepared written statement.
by bonniekgoodman on August 5, 2018 • Permalink
Posted in American History, Former Presidents, History Buzz Features, History Buzz Topics, OTD History, Political History, Presidential History, Ronald Reagan, US History
Tagged Air Traffic Controller, American History, History, Labor Unions, Ronald Reagan
Posted by bonniekgoodman on August 5, 2018
https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2018/08/05/otd-in-history-august-5-1981-president-ronald-reagan-fires-striking-air-traffic-controllers/
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bowing to the movie gods
There is some AMAZING "Guardians of the Galaxy" news and we never saw it coming!
Alyssa Morin
Vin Diesel has a lot more to say than “I am Groot.” The actor, who plays the adorable talking tree in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, accidentally spilled the beans about the superhero team joining the Avengers in the upcoming movie Avengers: Infinity War.
Even though we previously reported the Guardians/Avengers crossover probably wouldn’t happen because of James Gunn’s Facebook comment, we’re so glad Diesel let it slip that the superhero mash-up is totally on.
This mash-up is going to be insane, and we never saw it coming!
During a Facebook Live video on Friday, the Fast and the Furious franchise star teased that his goofy yet lovable team of superheroes will join the third Avengers movie. We can’t wait for Chris Pratt and Chris Evans to share the big screen. Swoon!
Posted by Vin Diesel on Friday, August 19, 2016
Diesel said it’s “incredibly exciting” that the Avengers and the Guardians are planning to join forces. He added that his Facebook Live audience was “told before everybody.”
Disney / giphy.com
When you think about the Guardians of the Galaxy storyline, it’s easy to assume that the mastermind behind everything is Thanos. The first Avengers teased the villain, and Guardians of the Galaxy revealed he played a major role in Ronan’s evil plan.
Fox News points out that the third installment of the Avengers franchise will most likely bring together several Marvel characters from across 18 films.
Before we see the Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye share the screen with the Guardians superhero crew, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is scheduled to hit theaters on May 5th, 2017. Infinity War is set to release on May 4, 2018.
By Alyssa Morin
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HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY!
This May 1st, workers all over the world will be celebrating International Workers Day. Our own Hesperian offices will be closed the following Monday, May 2nd, to show our solidarity with workers all around the world. Although International Workers’ Day originated in the US, we no longer celebrate it with other nations, instead celebrating our Labor Day in September, stripped of all political significance.
In the marches, speeches, and assemblies that happen on International Workers’ Day, unions and workers’ groups speak about organizing, labor laws, and campaigns for better wages and benefits – powerful messages the reflect the current race-to-the-bottom capitalism that is oppressing workers worldwide. However, these groups often leave out issues of occupational safety and health (OSH). OSH groups worldwide mark a different day, April 28th, as Workers Memorial Day to commemorate workers who were injured or killed at work and to call for more safety in the workplace.
You can find events in your city or community here.
With limited funds and manpower, groups that support workers often have to make a very tough choice: work for better salaries or work towards safer jobs. In our newest book-in-development, A Workers’ Guide to Health and Safety, Hesperian is trying to merge these approaches into a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of workers’ health: one in which low salary affects health just as much as poor ergonomics does. By including all the social hazards of working in a health framework, the Workers’ Guide makes the case for a labor movement that includes OSH.
You can learn more about this new material or find ways to be part of its development process by writing to Miriam at [email protected].
We also encourage you to stop by the Addison Street Windows Gallery if you’re here in Berkeley – there’s a great show of photographs of migrant workers and political activists in the US and Mexico called “Beyond Borders”. The window gallery is between Shattuck and Milvia, and the photographer, David Bacon, is a friend of Hesperian and long time activist writer and photojournalist. You can read more about the exhibit and David’s work here.
Photo of ASU contingent at the Brisbane Labour Day March, May 3, by Holly Paterson
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Institute for Educational Initiatives
Institute Units & Programs
Community-Based Courses in Education Generate Research and New Insights for Campus, City
November 06, 2015 • Bill Schmitt
A neighborhood development project encouraging creative expression and civic action among young South Bend residents has reached a milestone in its nearly five years of connection-making through a partnership between the city’s non-profit Neighborhood Resource Connection and the University of Notre Dame.
The community-based learning initiative, “Engaging Youth, Engaging Neighborhoods” (EYEN), has generated a powerful display of local young people’s message-driven photographs, now on exhibit (through Nov. 15) at the South Bend Museum of Art.
The initiative, under the direction of Institute for Educational Initiatives fellow Maria McKenna and associate professor of English Stuart Greene, has flourished in its many collaborations. Formal or informal partners have included associations with roots on the campus or in the city, including the Robinson Community Learning Center and the Notre Dame Center for Arts and Culture.
Its multiplying accomplishments have generated powerful impacts for young city residents, as well as for undergraduate students in the Institute’s Education, Schooling, and Society (ESS) minor program. Greene, who was the founding director of the ESS minor, started the tradition of connecting experiences of education on- and off-campus. This initiative’s impacts now extend to area museum-goers, scholars at Notre Dame and across the country, and stakeholders supporting education through local engagement.
“This venture in teaching and learning through community-based service and research has generated amazing synergies, with the latest being a photo exhibit at the South Bend Museum of Art and academic presentation at the Great Lakes Place-Based Education Conference in Grand Rapids,” said McKenna.
As senior associate director and assistant professor of the practice in the ESS program, as well as director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Africana Studies, McKenna pursues many collaborations with her students. Faculty colleagues such as Greene have joined her in engaging students in outside-the-classroom interactions helping young people in disadvantaged neighborhoods to broaden and pursue their visions for improving the world one step at a time.
Tangible steps toward improvement and learning at various levels—and a bolder vision of how to educate, motivate, and empower middle school and high school students—have sprung from the partnership that started in 2011.
These are key steps, with some especially timely elements:
· Park renovation phase one completed. In 2012, the EYEN initiative prompted the Kelly Park Project, a long-term effort to renew a centerpiece of a section of South Bend. The project, recognizing local students’ desire for safer, cleaner parks and a stronger sense of community in low-income neighborhoods, has led to the full-scale renovation of Kelly Park. Phase one of the restoration was completed recently, and the park will be fully operational next spring.
· Ganey seed grant utilized. In 2014, EYEN was awarded the Ganey Collaborative Community-Based Research Seed Grant. This grant provided funding for project materials and digital cameras that allowed the local young people to personally express their needs by taking photos that continue to capture the attention of city and neighborhood leaders. The Ganey seed grant, part of a generous local benefactor’s community outreach through Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns, involved yet another campus unit in offering support and raising awareness among students and scholars.
· Photo exhibit open to the public. Community leadership among young people has now been nurtured and shared among five cohorts over five years, producing a youth leadership council and an annual youth summit for their neighborhoods. Most visibly, with the help of the cameras provided, the youth’s desires to tell their local stories has produced a wealth of public displays of photographs—and poems, drawings, and other media, too—that speak out to more South Bend citizens. The South Bend Museum of Art asked to display the young people’s work in an exhibit now open until Nov. 15, 2015.
· Undergraduates gained insights into education. Since the partnership began, Notre Dame undergraduates in service-learning research courses in the ESS minor have worked alongside the local youth. A new team of undergraduates is sustaining Notre Dame’s solidarity with the initiative and the partner organizations. Both the undergraduates and the high school students have gained confidence and experience through civic engagement—efforts that included pushing for the Kelly Park renovation and establishing long-term relationships with local leaders.
· Conferences allowed for learning to be shared. Each year, the Engaging Youth, Engaging Neighborhoods group of professors, undergraduates, and young residents travels to an academic conference to present their research. McKenna said she and Greene see this as an extension of their work building capacity and agency in the youth and their young scholars. The cohorts were scheduled to make a joint presentation in Grand Rapids at the Great Lakes Place-Based Education Conference this
· Approach spread to another university. Kevin Burke, who collaborated in the EYEN initiative for years with McKenna and Greene, has joined the University of Georgia’s College of Education as an assistant professor. Building upon his South Bend collaborations and his work in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) in Notre Dame’s Institute for Educational Initiatives, he said he is developing a graduate-level course that will draw upon and extend the impact of education in civic engagement.
· Book set to spread community-based research insights. Burke, Greene, and McKenna are co-editors of a book, Youth Voices, Public Spaces, and Civic Engagement, to be published next year by Routledge.
“The book represents a growing desire for youth voices to be heard in the educational landscape,” said McKenna.
The interdisciplinary ESS minor, one of the most popular undergraduate minors for students in Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters, uses a big-picture perspective to study the purpose, practice, and social relevance of education and schooling. The program requires independent research by students.
McKenna said the ESS collaborations with South Bend’s Neighborhood Resource Connection and other organizations and civic leaders will continue. “There’s still much to be learned by all parties as we maintain a commitment that deepens our relationships to the local community, to young people, and to undergraduates,” she said. “This combination of courses and research holds benefits for scholars and students around the country, as well as for colleagues and classmates on this campus and our neighbors and organizations throughout this area.” --- For more information: Bill Schmitt wschmitt@nd.edu
Copyright © 2019 University of Notre Dame Institute for Educational Initiatives
200 Visitation Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Phone 574.631.4449 iei@nd.edu
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Home | Hurricane Victim Rebuilds with Life Coach Training
Hurricane Victim Rebuilds with Life Coach Training
It started out as a tropical wave that came off the western coast of Africa and ended up as the tenth most intense hurricane in history. Hurricane Maria was the thirteenth named storm in a hyperactive year that broke all the records. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season produced six major hurricanes. A number of them ranked as category five storms, including Maria.
The world watched as Maria moved across the Atlantic ocean towards land, but none so much as the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Just two weeks earlier, the island had been hit with another major hurricane, Irma. As Maria approached, they scrambled to get more of the already meager supplies and to hunker down for another hit.
Meet Fabiola
Among those people scrambling for supplies as Maria barreled towards Puerto Rico were Fabiola and her family.
Originally from Columbia, Fabiola was no stranger to tropical storms. For the last 20 years, she had made a life on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico.
As a licensed psychologist and hypnotherapist, Fabiola had built a thriving practice in her years there. Her son went to a good school and her family enjoyed a good life in the tropical paradise.
Fabiola spent three consecutive days gathering what supplies she could find and securing her apartment, with the help of her husband prior to Maria’s landfall. It was difficult to find the basics because the store shelves were already bare as residents had prepped for Irma just two weeks earlier. The anticipation of the approaching hurricane and the potential damage it was likely to cause was exhausting.
As anticipated, Hurricane Maria had an apocalyptic effect on the island and its people, leaving many dead and homeless in its wake. The infrastructure was all but wiped out, along with the power grid. Fabiola could see cars overturned outside her window and other signs of major structural damage.
There was too much debris to return to work for days after the storm, even though her office was intact. Her counseling practice was closed for weeks as island residents looked for food, water, and generators. Some patients called Fabiola and she did what she could to help, but without power and stable communication, it was a struggle.
During the storm, Fabiola’s apartment suffered only minor damage but the experience of Maria left a lasting impression on her, one that led her to decide it was time to make a change.
A New Path in Life
Two months after the devastating effect of Hurricane Maria, Fabiola and her husband knew they needed to make some tough choices. It wasn’t the lack of power or communication that drove this need. It wasn’t the scarce supplies or the decrease in clientele, either. For Fabiola, it was the knowledge that Puerto Rico would almost certainly be in the path of future hurricanes and she knew she never wanted to go through that again. With this in mind, they started to look for a new home, one far away from fierce tropical storms.
Fabiola and her family made plans to resettle in the beautiful and hurricane-free town of Asheville, North Carolina. Known as a place of healing, Asheville was a place to start over. There was just one major obstacle to contend with as she made her plans. In Puerto Rico, she was a licensed psychologist but relocation signaled the end that career. She would not have the license to practice in North Carolina and getting one would be an unreasonable challenge. Each state has its own set of rules for counseling licensure. A little investigation told her that opening a practice in North Carolina would require an additional 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training.
Not willing to give up on her dream of life in Asheville, Fabiola considered other career options. A simple search took her to the internationally accredited iNLP Center and the possibility of using her talents as a life coach.
A life coach is a professional that provides the drive and guidance necessary to improve careers, enhance relationships and build happy successful lives. It’s a concept very familiar to someone who survived Hurricane Maria. Fabiola found she could put her skills to use as a life coach with the help of iNLP. Through the iNLP Center, she had access to three levels of certification and a lifetime of resources to continue her education, even as she builds her new business in Asheville.
When asked what she like best about iNLP’s life coach training, Fabiola said the professionals at iNLP were teaching her to distill the techniques she already new into something she could use to help others looking to overcome the obstacles in their lives. For example, methods like the outcome specification model allowed clients to clarify their goals and create steps to make them a reality.
Being in transition herself meant she was learning ways to make her own goals happen, too. Through the iNLP Center, Fabiola took part in live conferences, watched training videos and was provided with guidebooks to expand her knowledge base and apply new skills.
What’s Next for Fabiola?
Finding the iNLP Center gave Fabiola the direction she needed to grow beyond the devastation of Hurricane Maria. It gave her a chance to find a new life away from the risk of hurricanes, one that came with purpose and fulfillment.
After completing her training and resettling in the mainland U.S., Fabiola wants to expand her reach by doing one-on-one life coaching sessions with a new clientele and to do motivational workshops that teach others how to adapt and grow with the curveballs life throws at you. As part of her practice, she intends to set up a website and offer online courses that drive others to make the changes they need to succeed in their lives and careers.
“I found iNLP to be very professional and knowledgeable. It helped me review what is really important in helping people change for their own good. I was really impressed with the quality of the material they offered and found the instructors like Mike able to bring depth and clarity to every topic.”
Life coaching gave Fabiola a way to build on what she already knew and transform it into a career that serves others. It gave her purpose after Hurricane Maria almost destroyed her hopes. As with most traumas, surviving the hurricane just made Fabiola more determined to rebuild and iNLP gave her the tools to make it happen.
The iNLP Center wishes to thank Fabiola for sharing her courageous story. We’re here for you every step of the way, Fabiola!
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Our team is composed of very talented individuals who are very passionate about what they do.
Barbara Dischinger
Founder & Managing Director – London, UK
Barbara Dischinger is passionate about the advancement & promotion of women. She set up Women in Mining UK in April 2006 and International Women in Mining in November 2007. Barbara worked in executive search for 15 years of which 9 years in mining prior to joining the WISE Campaign (Women in Science and Engineering) in 2015 to advance her knowledge of Diversity & Inclusion. She also sits on the steering committee of Women in Rail. Since January 2019 she is working full-time as MD of IWiM.
barbara@internationalwim.org
Birgit Rameseder
Liaison with WIM Groups in Southern Africa & IWiMSpeakUp – Zambia
Birgit is currently working as a Senior Techno-economic Analyst at De Beers Global Services in Johannesburg, South Africa, involved in the business planning process for all of the Group of Companies operations and strategic projects along the diamond pipeline. Prior to moving to “Jozzi” in 2013 (original assignment as Sr. Mineral Resource Management Specialist responsible for the company’s resource and reserve reporting) she worked for De Beers for 12 years in the Canadian North at its Victor Diamond Mine in northern Ontario (Chief Geologist) and at a variety of diamond exploration projects (project manager). Originally from Germany, Birgit completed her maîtrise in Geology at the University of Caen, France and holds a MSc in Earth Sciences from the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada, as well as a MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, Canada.
birgitr@internationalwim.org
Camila Reed
Director of Communications – London, UK
Camila owns a digital media consultancy and has strong links to the mining sector forged during her career as a multi-media journalist and broadcaster. She was the Global TV Editor Commodities & Energy for Reuters News, and covered metals and mining globally for many years as a journalist and editor at Reuters and Metal Bulletin. She has experience in text, TV, video-on-demand and radio, having worked for the BBC World Service and a variety of magazines. She also trains business professionals and journalists and provides companies and individuals with advice on how to use social media effectively. Camila develops digital media campaigns through the use of video, blogs, forums and all aspects of social networking.
At Thomson Reuters she was on the editorial management team and helped set up and run a mentoring programme for women. She was part of the flexible working, diversity and women’s groups for EMEA. Camila now mentors journalists in developing nations as part of a programme run by the charity Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) and is also the Editor of TRF’s Global Journalism Mentoring Programme.
camilar@internationalwim.org
Fiona Childe
IWiMSpeakUp – Toronto, Canada
Fiona began her career as an exploration geologist working throughout the Americas and transitioned to senior management roles with exploration and mining companies internationally. For the past several years she has consulted to the exploration industry and has taken an active role in volunteerism. She was previously Vice-Chair of the Board of The Period Purse, a non-profit organization based in Toronto, Canada.
Fiona holds a Ph.D. in Economic Geology from the Mineral Deposit Research Unit at the University of British Columbia and M.Sc. (Geology) and B.Sc. (Chemistry) degrees from McGill University.
fionac@internationalwim.org
Gladys Smith
Head of Latin America Team – Colchester, UK
Gladys started her career in the mining industry in London more than 20 years ago, when there were few women in the business. She received her training as a Trader in Minor Metals while working for a Peruvian producer in the UK. She owns Sanab Limited, which was founded 20 years ago. She has experience in negotiation, operations trading and does consultation work. She was a member of the board of the Minor Metals Trade Association for 8 years, and has been a speaker at conferences in China and India. Gladys is from Peru and will be liaising with all Spanish speaking WIM groups.
gladyss@internationalwim.org
Karen Chiu
Social Media – Toronto, Canada
Karen is a Field Geologist at Century Iron Mines Corp. She has experience in mineral exploration and geological modelling and has delved in M&A processes as well as database management. Prior to this role, she completed her MSc at the University of Toronto in Geodynamics, modelling mantle-crust interactions within a tectonically active collision zone, and has a BSc in Geological Sciences from Queens University.
karenc@internationalwim.org
Kathy Sole
Interview Series – Johannesburg, South Africa
Kathy obtained her PhD in metallurgical engineering from the University of Arizona, USA. She has more than 30 years’ hydrometallurgy experience, with specialist expertise in solvent extraction, ion exchange, and electrowinning. Her commodity exposure includes copper, cobalt, uranium, nickel, zinc, titanium, vanadium, PGMs, and gold. After working for many years for Mintek and Anglo American in South Africa, she now consults independently. Her clients span six continents, and she has worked on mine sites and operations in Zambia, DR Congo, Kazakhstan, Namibia, USA, Chile, Australia, and South Africa. She is the co-author of Extractive Metallurgy of Copper, the benchmark industry textbook, and chairs the Copper Cobalt Africa conference. Kathy has been awarded the Silver Medal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and the Bronze Medal of the South African Association for the Advancement of Science (S2A3).
media@internationalwim.org
Margaret O’Malley
Membership Manager – Queensland, Australia
Margaret joined Downing Teal in September 2011 and enjoys a dual role in both consulting and leading the National Executive Research Team. She has a wide network within the Queensland Construction Sector with her being a regular speaker at NAWIC events as well as holding the position of Chair for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Events Committee. She is in her second term as a mentor for the NAWIC Queensland mentoring program and in her third term as a mentor for the AWRA (Australian Women in Resources Alliance) e-mentoring program. She is also an active member of WIMARQ (Women in Mining & Resources Qld) & WIS (Women in Safety) where she has chaired events & is a regular guest speaker for Women in Safety. As Membership Manager of IWiM she has been tasked with increasing their global membership base.
Margaret is passionate about building awareness across the Downing Teal Group with her focus on increasing the number of women in operational roles. She is able to provide top tier clients with talent mapping across all level of roles & engages with gender equality groups nationally. Margaret is dedicated to delivering search capability at the executive and professional level in the construction, defence and resources sectors.
Mia Trina
Head of Admin – Toronto, Canada
Mia is from Canada. She has worked for TD Waterhouse, CIBC World Markets and Canaccord Capital.
miat@internationalwim.org
Muza Gondwe
Senior Projects Advisor – Perth, Australia
Muza is the Alumni Co-ordinator at the Minerals and Energy for Development Alliance (MEfDA). MEfDA (formerly International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) is a partnership of University of Western Australia and University of Queensland. MEfDA facilitates an integrated program of capacity building on resource governance for emerging economies. Muza is responsible for coordinating activities of the Mining and Energy for Development global community, maintaining ongoing alumni engagement through M4DLink, the online community of practice; following up alumni return to work plans and providing alumni with further opportunities for training and capacity building.
muzag@internationalwim.org
Alex Atkins
Director – Perth, Australia
Alex’s purpose is to promote value-creative cultures & prevent value-destructive events in mining. She holds 2 BEng degrees from the University of Queensland and WA School of Mines qualifying her as a Mining Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer & Geologist. She holds First Class Mine Manager’s Certificates for WA & Queensland, has an MBA (Finance), is a graduate of AICD and Chartered Professional Fellow of The AusIMM. Alex has 25+ years’ multi-commodity experience through the full mining value chain in roles that find, design & run mines, regulate mines & in the Big4’s auditing mining companies. Alex is a NED of Ausdrill Ltd (ASX:ASL), Founder of her own consultancy & Director of Global Mining Sustainability. In 2019 she was made a Fellow of Engineers Australia. She is also the devoted mother of two beautiful teenagers.
Andrew Cheatle
Director – Toronto, Canada
Senior Vice President, Africa for Forbes & Manhattan, Andrew Cheatle (P.Geo. FGS, MBA) is a mining industry executive, professional geoscientist and graduate of the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London. His 30-plus-year international career has encompassed both the senior and junior mining sectors as a mine geologist to Chief Executive Officer, former Executive Director of PDAC, and he was most recently appointed to the Board of Condor Gold plc. Mr. Cheatle also volunteers with not-for-profit organizations, notably as past-president of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario. He also sits on the advisory councils of the Development Partner Institute, the Canada-International Finance Corporation Africa Local Economic Development Partnership and as a Director of International Women in Mining.
Director – London, UK
Barbara is passionate about the advancement & promotion of women. She set up Women in Mining UK in April 2006 and International Women in Mining in November 2007. Barbara worked in executive search for 15 years of which 9 years in mining prior to joining the WISE Campaign (Women in Science and Engineering) in 2015 to advance her knowledge of Diversity & Inclusion. She also sits on the steering committee of Women in Rail. Since January 2019 she works full-time as IWiM’s MD.
Beatrice Opoku-Asare
Director – Denver, USA
Beatrice has been with Newmont since May 2010 in roles of increasing responsibility on the Africa Human Resources team. Before moving to Denver in 2016 to take up the position of Global Director, Inclusion and Diversity, she was the Regional HR Manager in Ghana with responsibility for talent management, inclusion and diversity, global mobility, HR technology, talent acquisition, and facilities. Her expertise in Talent Management as well as her operations knowledge is a strength as the organization progresses its Global Inclusion and Diversity strategy with an emphasis on systems, behavior change and business integration. Prior to joining Newmont, Beatrice worked with K-NET Limited, Golden Star Resources, and the Environmental Protection Agency in Ghana. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management and is currently pursuing an MBA from Leicester University, UK. Beatrice is passionate about people and how leaders can bring out the best in their teams.
Deborah Craig
Director – Stockholm, Sweden
Deborah began her professional career in banking before moving to the executive management of mineral exploration companies. She currently provides advisory services within the mining sphere to private industry, government, development agencies and NGOs. Deborah has a special interest in African mineral development and women’s economic empowerment, and has been instrumental in building up IWiM’s outreach to African WiM groups. She is also a gemmologist (FGA, DGA) and an advocate for transparent, responsible mine-to-market gemstone supply chains.
Gillian Davidson
Director & Chair – Edinburgh, UK
Gillian is a leader in sustainability, corporate social responsibility and responsible supply chains with extensive experience in the extractives and natural resources sectors. She is currently a sustainability advisor to global mining companies and international organisations. She is a Non-Executive Director at New Gold Inc and Lydian International, both gold development companies, where she also chairs the Sustainability Committees of the Board. Gillian previously served as the Head of Mining & Metals at the World Economic Forum and Head of Social Responsibility at Teck Resources. Gillian is a member of the Boards of the Global Battery Alliance and Cobalt Institute; a fellow of Chatham House, The Royal Society of International Affairs; a co-chair of the Resolve Natural Resources and the Energy Leadership Council. She holds a PhD in Development Economics and Geography.
Jon Samuel
Jon is a Senior Associate of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, a trustee of the Anglo American Foundation and a Director of the Development Partner Institute. In 2012 he was recognised by Business in the Community (BITC), one of Prince Charles’s charities, as one of 150 leaders who had made a significant contribution to responsible business practices in the UK in the thirty years since BITC was founded. Jon is an economist by training and studied at University College London and the University of Cambridge.
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O povestire deosebită: Omul care planta copaci
Irina Bazon povestiri, video Omul care planta copaci, The Man Who Planted Trees Leave a comment
The Man Who Planted Trees
In order for the character of a human being to reveal truly exceptional qualities, we must have the good fortune to observe its action over a long period of years. If this action is devoid of all selfishness, if the idea that directs it is one of unqualified generosity, if it is absolutely certain that it has not sought recompense anywhere, and if moreover it has left visible marks on the world, then we are unquestionably dealing with an unforgettable character.
About forty years ago I went on a long hike, through hills absolutely unknown to tourists, in that very old region where the Alps penetrate into Provence.
This region is bounded to the south-east and south by the middle course of the Durance, between Sisteron and Mirabeau; to the north by the upper course of the Drôme, from its source down to Die; to the west by the plains of Comtat Venaissin and the outskirts of Mont Ventoux. It includes all the northern part of the Département of Basses-Alpes, the south of Drôme and a little enclave of Vaucluse.
At the time I undertook my long walk through this deserted region, it consisted of barren and monotonous lands, at about 1200 to 1300 meters above sea level. Nothing grew there except wild lavender.
I was crossing this country at its widest part, and after walking for three days, I found myself in the most complete desolation. I was camped next to the skeleton of an abandoned village. I had used the last of my water the day before and I needed to find more. Even though they were in ruins, these houses all huddled together and looking like an old wasps’ nest made me think that there must at one time have been a spring or a well there. There was indeed a spring, but it was dry. The five or six roofless houses, ravaged by sun and wind, and the small chapel with its tumble-down belfry, were arrayed like the houses and chapels of living villages, but all life had disappeared.
It was a beautiful June day with plenty of sun, but on these shelterless lands, high up in the sky, the wind whistled with an unendurable brutality. Its growling in the carcasses of the houses was like that of a wild beast disturbed during its meal.
I had to move my camp. After five hours of walking, I still hadn’t found water, and nothing gave me hope of finding any. Everywhere there was the same dryness, the same stiff, woody plants. I thought I saw in the distance a small black silhouette. On a chance I headed towards it. It was a shepherd. Thirty lambs or so were resting near him on the scorching ground.
He gave me a drink from his gourd and a little later he led me to his shepherd’s cottage, tucked down in an undulation of the plateau. He drew his water – excellent – from a natural hole, very deep, above which he had installed a rudimentary windlass.
This man spoke little. This is common among those who live alone, but he seemed sure of himself, and confident in this assurance, which seemed remarkable in this land shorn of everything. He lived not in a cabin but in a real house of stone, from the looks of which it was clear that his own labor had restored the ruins he had found on his arrival. His roof was solid and water-tight. The wind struck against the roof tiles with the sound of the sea crashing on the beach.
His household was in order, his dishes washed, his floor swept, his rifle greased; his soup boiled over the fire; I noticed then that he was also freshly shaven, that all his buttons were solidly sewn, and that his clothes were mended with such care as to make the patches invisible.
He shared his soup with me, and when afterwards I offered him my tobacco pouch, he told me that he didn’t smoke. His dog, as silent as he, was friendly without being fawning.
It had been agreed immediately that I would pass the night there, the closest village being still more than a day and a half farther on. Furthermore, I understood perfectly well the character of the rare villages of that region. There are four or five of them dispersed far from one another on the flanks of the hills, in groves of white oaks at the very ends of roads passable by carriage. They are inhabited by woodcutters who make charcoal. They are places where the living is poor. The families, pressed together in close quarters by a climate that is exceedingly harsh, in summer as well as in winter, struggle ever more selfishly against each other. Irrational contention grows beyond all bounds, fueled by a continuous struggle to escape from that place. The men carry their charcoal to the cities in their trucks, and then return. The most solid qualities crack under this perpetual Scottish shower. The women stir up bitterness. There is competition over everything, from the sale of charcoal to the benches at church. The virtues fight amongst themselves, the vices fight amongst themselves, and there is a ceaseless general combat between the vices and the virtues. On top of all that, the equally ceaseless wind irritates the nerves. There are epidemics of suicides and numerous cases of insanity, almost always murderous.
The shepherd, who did not smoke, took out a bag and poured a pile of acorns out onto the table. He began to examine them one after another with a great deal of attention, separating the good ones from the bad. I smoked my pipe. I offered to help him, but he told me it was his own business. Indeed, seeing the care that he devoted to this job, I did not insist. This was our whole conversation. When he had in the good pile a fair number of acorns, he counted them out into packets of ten. In doing this he eliminated some more of the acorns, discarding the smaller ones and those that that showed even the slightest crack, for he examined them very closely. When he had before him one hundred perfect acorns he stopped, and we went to bed.
The company of this man brought me a feeling of peace. I asked him the next morning if I might stay and rest the whole day with him. He found that perfectly natural. Or more exactly, he gave me the impression that nothing could disturb him. This rest was not absolutely necessary to me, but I was intrigued and I wanted to find out more about this man. He let out his flock and took them to the pasture. Before leaving, he soaked in a bucket of water the little sack containing the acorns that he had so carefully chosen and counted.
I noted that he carried as a sort of walking stick an iron rod as thick as his thumb and about one and a half meters long. I set off like someone out for a stroll, following a route parallel to his. His sheep pasture lay at the bottom of a small valley. He left his flock in the charge of his dog and climbed up towards the spot where I was standing. I was afraid that he was coming to reproach me for my indiscretion, but not at all : It was his own route and he invited me to come along with him if I had nothing better to do. He continued on another two hundred meters up the hill.
Having arrived at the place he had been heading for, he begin to pound his iron rod into the ground. This made a hole in which he placed an acorn, whereupon he covered over the hole again. He was planting oak trees. I asked him if the land belonged to him. He answered no. Did he know whose land it was? He did not know. He supposed that it was communal land, or perhaps it belonged to someone who did not care about it. He himself did not care to know who the owners were. In this way he planted his one hundred acorns with great care.
After the noon meal, he began once more to pick over his acorns. I must have put enough insistence into my questions, because he answered them. For three years now he had been planting trees in this solitary way. He had planted one hundred thousand. Of these one hundred thousand, twenty thousand had come up. He counted on losing another half of them to rodents and to everything else that is unpredictable in the designs of Providence. That left ten thousand oaks that would grow in this place where before there was nothing.
It was at this moment that I began to wonder about his age. He was clearly more than fifty. Fifty-five, he told me. His name was Elzéard Bouffier. He had owned a farm in the plains, where he lived most of his life. He had lost his only son, and then his wife. He had retired into this solitude, where he took pleasure in living slowly, with his flock of sheep and his dog. He had concluded that this country was dying for lack of trees. He added that, having nothing more important to do, he had resolved to remedy the situation.
Leading as I did at the time a solitary life, despite my youth, I knew how to treat the souls of solitary people with delicacy. Still, I made a mistake. It was precisely my youth that forced me to imagine the future in my own terms, including a certain search for happiness. I told him that in thirty years these ten thousand trees would be magnificent. He replied very simply that, if God gave him life, in thirty years he would have planted so many other trees that these ten thousand would be like a drop of water in the ocean.
He had also begun to study the propagation of beeches. and he had near his house a nursery filled with seedlings grown from beechnuts. His little wards, which he had protected from his sheep by a screen fence, were growing beautifully. He was also considering birches for the valley bottoms where, he told me, moisture lay slumbering just a few meters beneath the surface of the soil.
We parted the next day.
The next year the war of 14 came, in which I was engaged for five years. An infantryman could hardly think about trees. To tell the truth, the whole business hadn’t made a very deep impression on me; I took it to be a hobby, like a stamp collection, and forgot about it.
With the war behind me, I found myself with a small demobilization bonus and a great desire to breathe a little pure air. Without any preconceived notion beyond that, I struck out again along the trail through that deserted country.
The land had not changed. Nonetheless, beyond that dead village I perceived in the distance a sort of gray fog that covered the hills like a carpet. Ever since the day before I had been thinking about the shepherd who planted trees. « Ten thousand oaks, I had said to myself, must really take up a lot of space. »
I had seen too many people die during those five years not to be able to imagine easily the death of Elzéard Bouffier, especially since when a man is twenty he thinks of a man of fifty as an old codger for whom nothing remains but to die. He was not dead. In fact, he was very spry. He had changed his job. He only had four sheep now, but to make up for this he had about a hundred beehives. He had gotten rid of the sheep because they threatened his crop of trees. He told me (as indeed I could see for myself) that the war had not disturbed him at all. He had continued imperturbably with his planting.
The oaks of 1910 were now ten years old and were taller than me and than him. The spectacle was impressive. I was literally speechless and, as he didn’t speak himself, we passed the whole day in silence, walking through his forest. It was in three sections, eleven kilometers long overall and, at its widest point, three kilometers wide. When I considered that this had all sprung from the hands and from the soul of this one man – without technical aids – , it struck me that men could be as effective as God in domains other than destruction.
He had followed his idea, and the beeches that reached up to my shoulders and extending as far as the eye could see bore witness to it. The oaks were now good and thick, and had passed the age where they were at the mercy of rodents; as for the designs of Providence, to destroy the work that had been created would henceforth require a cyclone. He showed me admirable stands of birches that dated from five years ago, that is to say from 1915, when I had been fighting at Verdun. He had planted them in the valley bottoms where he had suspected, correctly, that there was water close to the surface. They were as tender as young girls, and very determined.
This creation had the air, moreover, of working by a chain reaction. He had not troubled about it; he went on obstinately with his simple task. But, in going back down to the village, I saw water running in streams that, within living memory, had always been dry. It was the most striking revival that he had shown me. These streams had borne water before, in ancient days. Certain of the sad villages that I spoke of at the beginning of my account had been built on the sites of ancient Gallo-Roman villages, of which there still remained traces; archeologists digging there had found fishhooks in places where in more recent times cisterns were required in order to have a little water.
The wind had also been at work, dispersing certain seeds. As the water reappeared, so too did willows, osiers, meadows, gardens, flowers, and a certain reason to live.
But the transformation had taken place so slowly that it had been taken for granted, without provoking surprise. The hunters who climbed the hills in search of hares or wild boars had noticed the spreading of the little trees, but they set it down to the natural spitefulness of the earth. That is why no one had touched the work of this man. If they had suspected him, they would have tried to thwart him. But he never came under suspicion : Who among the villagers or the administrators would ever have suspected that anyone could show such obstinacy in carrying out this magnificent act of generosity?
Beginning in 1920 I never let more than a year go by without paying a visit to Elzéard Bouffier. I never saw him waver or doubt, though God alone can tell when God’s own hand is in a thing! I have said nothing of his disappointments, but you can easily imagine that, for such an accomplishment, it was necessary to conquer adversity; that, to assure the victory of such a passion, it was necessary to fight against despair. One year he had planted ten thousand maples. They all died. The next year,he gave up on maples and went back to beeches, which did even better than the oaks.
To get a true idea of this exceptional character, one must not forget that he worked in total solitude; so total that, toward the end of his life, he lost the habit of talking. Or maybe he just didn’t see the need for it.
In 1933 he received the visit of an astonished forest ranger. This functionary ordered him to cease building fires outdoors, for fear of endangering this naturalforest. It was the first time, this naive man told him, that a forest had been observed to grow up entirely on its own. At the time of this incident, he was thinking of planting beeches at a spot twelve kilometers from his house. To avoid the coming and going – because at the time he was seventy-five years old – he planned to build a cabin of stone out where he was doing his planting. This he did the next year.
In 1935, a veritable administrative delegation went to examine this « natural forest ». There was an important personage from Waters and Forests, a deputy, and some technicians. Many useless words were spoken. It was decided to do something, but luckily nothing was done, except for one truly useful thing : placing the forest under the protection of the State and forbidding anyone from coming there to make charcoal. For it was impossible not to be taken with the beauty of these young trees in full health. And the forest exercised its seductive powers even on the deputy himself.
I had a friend among the chief foresters who were with the delegation. I explained the mystery to him. One day the next week, we went off together to look for Elzéard Bouffier, We found him hard at work, twenty kilometers away from the place where the inspection had taken place.
This chief forester was not my friend for nothing. He understood the value of things. He knew how to remain silent. I offered up some eggs I had brought with me as a gift. We split our snack three ways, and then passed several hours in mute contemplation of the landscape.
The hillside whence we had come was covered with trees six or seven meters high. I remembered the look of the place in 1913 : a desert… The peaceful and steady labor, the vibrant highland air, his frugality, and above all, the serenity of his soul had given the old man a kind of solemn good health. He was an athlete of God. I asked myself how many hectares he had yet to cover with trees.
Before leaving, my friend made a simple suggestion concerning certain species of trees to which the terrain seemed to be particularly well suited. He was not insistent. « For the very good reason, » he told me afterwards, « that this fellow knows a lot more about this sort of thing than I do. » After another hour of walking, this thought having travelled along with him, he added : « He knows a lot more about this sort of thing than anybody – and he has found a jolly good way of being happy ! »
It was thanks to the efforts of this chief forester that the forest was protected, and with it, the happiness of this man. He designated three forest rangers for their protection, and terrorized them to such an extent that they remained indifferent to any jugs of wine that the woodcutters might offer as bribes.
The forest did not run any grave risks except during the war of 1939. Then automobiles were being run on wood alcohol, and there was never enough wood. They began to cut some of the stands of the oaks of 1910, but the trees stood so far from any useful road that the enterprise turned out to be bad from a financial point of view, and was soon abandoned. The shepherd never knew anything about it. He was thirty kilometers away, peacefully continuing his task, as untroubled by the war of 39 as he had been of the war of 14.
I saw Elzéard Bouffier for the last time in June of 1945. He was then eighty-seven years old. I had once more set off along my trail through the wilderness, only to find that now, in spite of the shambles in which the war had left the whole country, there was a motor coach running between the valley of the Durance and the mountain. I set down to this relatively rapid means of transportation the fact that I no longer recognized the landmarks I knew from my earlier visits. It also seemed that the route was taking me through entirely new places. I had to ask the name of a village to be sure that I was indeed passing through that same region, once so ruined and desolate. The coach set me down at Vergons. In 1913, this hamlet of ten or twelve houses had had three inhabitants. They were savages, hating each other, and earning their living by trapping : Physically and morally, they resembled prehistoric men . The nettles devoured the abandoned houses that surrounded them. Their lives were without hope, it was only a matter of waiting for death to come : a situation that hardly predisposes one to virtue.
All that had changed, even to the air itself. In place of the dry, brutal gusts that had greeted me long ago, a gentle breeze whispered to me, bearing sweet odors. A sound like that of running water came from the heights above : It was the sound of the wind in the trees. And most astonishing of all, I heard the sound of real water running into a pool. I saw that they had built a fountain, that it was full of water, and what touched me most, that next to it they had planted a lime-tree that must be at least four years old, already grown thick, an incontestable symbol of resurrection.
Furthermore, Vergons showed the signs of labors for which hope is a requirement : Hope must therefore have returned. They had cleared out the ruins, knocked down the broken walls, and rebuilt five houses. The hamlet now counted twenty-eight inhabitants, including four young families. The new houses, freshly plastered, were surrounded by gardens that bore, mixed in with each other but still carefully laid out, vegetables and flowers, cabbages and rosebushes, leeks and gueules-de-loup, celery and anemones. It was now a place where anyone would be glad to live.
From there I continued on foot. The war from which we had just barely emerged had not permitted life to vanish completely, and now Lazarus was out of his tomb. On the lower flanks of the mountain, I saw small fields of barley and rye; in the bottoms of the narrow valleys, meadowlands were just turning green.
It has taken only the eight years that now separate us from that time for the whole country around there to blossom with splendor and ease. On the site of the ruins I had seen in 1913 there are now well-kept farms, the sign of a happy and comfortable life. The old springs, fed by rain and snow now that are now retained by the forests, have once again begun to flow. The brooks have been channelled. Beside each farm, amid groves of maples, the pools of fountains are bordered by carpets of fresh mint. Little by little, the villages have been rebuilt. Yuppies have come from the plains, where land is expensive, bringing with them youth, movement, and a spirit of adventure. Walking along the roads you will meet men and women in full health, and boys and girls who know how to laugh, and who have regained the taste for the traditional rustic festivals. Counting both the previous inhabitants of the area, now unrecognizable from living in plenty, and the new arrivals, more than ten thousand persons owe their happiness to Elzéard Bouffier.
When I consider that a single man, relying only on his own simple physical and moral resources, was able to transform a desert into this land of Canaan, I am convinced that despite everything, the human condition is truly admirable. But when I take into account the constancy, the greatness of soul, and the selfless dedication that was needed to bring about this transformation, I am filled with an immense respect for this old, uncultured peasant who knew how to bring about a work worthy of God.
Elzéard Bouffier died peacefully in 1947 at the hospice in Banon.
Translation from french by Peter Doyle
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Jepson at Cambridge Summer Program
Jepson at Cambridge is a summer program offered by the Jepson School in collaboration with the University of Richmond School of Law, which has held a summer program in England for more than 30 years. Students spend five weeks studying at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. Students participate in classes, lectures and out-of-town trips to examine law and leadership in an international context and to experience the rich intellectual and cultural history of England.
Meeting an international political leader, analyzing the leadership style of an international corporation and punting along the River Cam are all experiences students can have during the program.
The program is open to all students at University of Richmond, including graduating seniors. Although there are no specific criteria for acceptance, students with a strong academic record and an interest in law are particularly well suited for the program.
The curriculum changes every summer. Courses are taught by Cambridge faculty. The following two courses will be offered in summer 2019:
HIST 401-01 Legal History
(.5 units)
Prof. Neil Gareth Jones
Fellow and Director of Studies in Law at Magdalene College and Reader at the University of Cambridge
The course will examine the development of legal institutions using historical perspective to help understand reasons for apparent anomalies in our legal system, such as distinctions between law and equity and between crime and tort. The course will also focus on decisions of law reform.
LDST 390-01 Comparative Public Law of U.S. and U.K.
Prof. Paul Daly
University Senior Lecturer in Public Law at the University of Cambridge and the Derek Bowett Fellow in Law at Queens' College, Cambridge
The course will examine and compare the underlying principles of constitutional and administrative law in the United States and the United Kingdom.
About Emmanuel College
Founded in 1584 and located in the Cambridge city center, Emmanuel College is one of more than 30 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. Its early graduates were among those who settled New England in the first half of the 17th century, not least of whom was John Harvard, namesake and first benefactor of Harvard University. London is only 50 miles away and is served by frequent fast train and bus connections.
Students are invited to attend an information session in the fall semester. Interested students should submit an application together with a non-refundable $150 deposit to Dr. Terry Price (tprice@richmond.edu) before the end of fall classes. Applicants receive an e-mail notification of their application status in January.
Program dates for 2019: Sunday, June 30 - Saturday, August 3
Note: Applications should be submitted by November 20. Since enrollment will be limited by available accommodations, it is strongly recommended that students apply early. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The application must be accompanied by a $150 deposit. All payments should be made payable to the University of Richmond.
Cost for 2019:
$7,250 ($150 deposit plus $7,100), which includes University of Richmond tuition for two .5 unit courses, as well as room and board. For those accepted into the program, full payment of all fees (tuition, room and board) is due by May 15, 2019. Airfare is the responsibility of the student. Jepson School scholarship funds may in some cases be applied toward these costs.
For more information about the Jepson at Cambridge Summer Program, contact Terry L. Price at tprice@richmond.edu.
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New Montana Copper Mine Explained, Expected to Generate Over $400 Million in Tax Revenues
Photo Courtesy of Tintina
Montana’s motto means “Gold and Silver” but for many miners, copper is the metal the state is most famous for. Tintina Resources Inc. President of Communications Nancy Schlepp says the public comment period on a new copper mine proposed near White Sulphur springs is now open. Schlepp says the Black Butte Copper Project will be conducted with an understanding of the “legacy issues” that copper mining faces in Montana.
"We will be an underground mine only,' Schlepp said. "That is because we are very high grade and the copper is very dense and so we can do it underground very well. We will actually be taking all of the tailings, adding cement to it and putting half of it back underground in all of the mined out area's we've had. The other half that won't fit underground will be sent to a cemented tailings facility."
Schlepp says, if approved, the Black Butte Project will be the first in North America to ship tailings with sealed containers, and that the money generated by the mine will help boost state revenues.
"Our studies are showing that over the life of the mine, total tax revenue between county, state and federal will be around the $400 million mark," Schlepp said. "I can tell you that just in gross proceeds tax alone, our county of Meagher County, which is where I grew up and where this project is, will be over three million dollars."
The plan is that the land will be converted back into grazing land when the project is finished and that no tailing ponds will be used in the project, but other groups like “Save Our Smith” argue the mine could pollute local water ways. An Environmental Impact Study will be prepared over the course of the next year by an independent contractor to predict the actual environmental impacts from the project.
Filed Under: copper
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What's New In Water Technology?
lake_mead6.jpg
Las Vegas has always been a leader in water conservation, but less so with water technology.
But that’s changing as the state recruits tech companies to move here and revolutionize how we process and use water.
A company called WaterStart is heading that effort with a grant from the Governor's Office of Economic Development. WaterStart finds and funds pilot programs from start ups that will help with everything from conservation to infrastructure.
It has helped a company that monitors pipe leaks along the Las Vegas Strip and it has also helped fund a drone company helping farmers near Winnemucca, which is in the northern part of the state, better use water to grow crops that are less water intensive.
WaterStart works with the Southern Nevada Water Authority to find technology to solve some of the agencies challenges, deputy general manager Dave Johnson told KNPR's State of Nevada.
“That’s one of the great benefits that WaterStart has been able to provide to SNWA is help us find some of these leading edge new technologies to be able to solve a specific challenge that adds value to the organization and the rate payers of SNWA,” he said.
The water authority asks employees for problems they have and then asks WaterStart to help find a business to solve that particular problem. One example is a technology company from Australia that helped the water authority manage its 600,000 water engineering drawings. The system now lets technicians in the field access those drawings through a mobile device.
Johnson said it has improved efficiency at the agency.
WaterStart CEO Nate Allen said while a phone app that helps water authority technicians doesn't sound like "water technology," it is because monitoring, upgrading and repairing water infrastructure is expensive and time-consuming.
Allen said it is that kind of technology that is the future of water in Nevada. Most people think of turf removal and low-flow bathroom fixtures when they think of water conservation, but Allen said that kind of "low-hanging fruit" has been taken care of and now it's time to move ahead.
“And now it’s getting into those nuances and how complex it is to fund and maintain infrastructure in order to provide safe water,” he said.
He said providing an incentive for people to remove grass is easy, but trying to incentivize some of the other more complicated technology can be difficult.
Daniel Gerrity is an engineering professor at UNLV. Some of his students are working with WaterStart to move technology they're creating in the lab into something that will work in the real world.
Gerrity said saving water is part of the equation, but also not using the water in the first place means more water stays in Lake Mead.
"What we have here in Las Vegas is known as return flow credits," he said. "So the more that we can send back to the lake, it basically creates a new resource for us."
He said another main focus should be cutting down on outdoor use and getting that water back in the lake.
Nate Allen, CEO, WaterStart; Dave Johnson, deputy general manager of engineering and operations, Southern Nevada Water Authority; Daniel Gerrity, engineering professor, UNLV
Nevada & the Southwest
nathan allen
daniel gerrity
desert research institute
waterstart
Come back soon and know you won’t get ambushed by a paywall. Ever. That’s because members keep public radio accessible to all. Together, we answer to no one but you. Is that your kind of crowd? Great — then join us with a contribution of as little as $5 a month.
Can Las Vegas Become 'The Silicon Valley of Water'?
How Does Selling H2O To Southern California Help Southern Nevada?
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Poole Borough Council v GN and Another [2019] UKSC 25
In Poole Borough Council v GN and Another the Supreme Court considered whether a local authority, in the exercise of its social service functions, owed a duty of care to protect the claimants from harm caused by a third party.
Boyd & Anor v Ineos Upstream Ltd & Ors [2019] EWCA Civ 515
These injunctions were ordered to prevent unlawful protest action against the Ineos Group, known for fracking and shale gas extraction activities.
Stocker (Appellant) v Stocker (Respondent) [2019] UKSC 17
This judgment clarifies the role of the judge at each stage in determining the meaning of words central to a claim of defamation.
In the cause WF [2016]
The Court of Session in Scotland recognised a person’s right under Article 8 ECHR to be heard in opposition to the disclosure of confidential records.
PJS (Appellant) v News Group Newspapers Ltd (Respondent) [2016]
Privacy, private life and the press (Articles 8, 10 ECHR)
Michael and others v The Chief Constable of South Wales Police and another [2015]
On 28 January 2015, the Supreme Court ruled by a 5 – 2 majority that police could not be liable in negligence to members of the public.
Al Rawi (or Deghayes) and others v The Security Service and Others; Home office v Tariq [2011]
On 13 July 2011, the Supreme Court rule by a majority that the courts had no power to adopt a procedure allowing the use of secret evidence in civil trials unless parliamentary legislation directly allowed it.
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Book review: The Hare with Amber Eyes
Jun. 23rd, 2012 at 5:25 PM
The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal
The Hare with Amber Eyes
by Edmund de Waal
I don’t read much nonfiction. I like books that are stories, with a plot and a climax, and characters I can empathize with. Nonfiction often drags for me, with its insistence on sticking with real events and real people. I do read historical fiction because I like to read stories in distant places and long ago times. The Hare with Amber Eyes is the rare nonfiction book that worked for me.
Edmund de Waal is an English potter with a Dutch last name, but his grandmother was born into a fabulously wealthy family of Jewish bankers and grain merchants. The Ephrussi were contemporaries and equals of the Rothschilds, related by marriage. Originally from Odessa, they moved to Vienna and then some of the younger sons moved to Paris. Through this family, de Waal inherited a collection of 264 netsuke, small carved figures that Japanese gentlemen used to wear on their obis, rather in the manner of a watch fob. The collection included the eponymous hare with amber eyes. De Waal decided to tell the history of the various Ephrussi who had owned the netsuke, starting with his great-great-uncle Charles Ephrussi, who was, among other things, a patron of the arts and a critic in late 19th Century Paris. If you are familiar with the famous painting The Luncheon of the Boating Party, Charles is the man in the background, looking slightly overdressed in a top hat and black frock coat. He was a friend and patron of Renoir and other Impressionists, right at the peak of that movement in art.
In fact, as it turns out, the history of de Waal's netsuke is largely the history of the 20th Century. Charles eventually gave them as a wedding gift to a nephew who lived in Vienna, and they made the journey across Europe to take up residence in the incredibly grand Palais Ephrussi where eventually they became the playthings of de Waal’s grandmother and her siblings. From post-war Vienna they eventually made their way to England and then, amazingly, back to Japan.
Obviously, netsuke cannot speak, but de Waal has researched his well-documented family, and he describes their lives and times beautifully. When a visual and tactile artist tells a story, you would expect a level of detail that makes you feel like you are there, and de Waal does not disappoint. He clearly sees more than many of us; he never says “tree” but always linden, or elm, or oak, or whatever kind of tree it was. His history immersed me into first Paris, and then Vienna, and then Tokyo. I even forgave him his extensive use of present tense, a thing I do not forgive easily.
I should mention that I read the Kindle version, which was very clean and had only two tiny formatting errors (an excess hyphen and a space in the middle of a word). The photographs of people and places came through very well; I suspect they were all (or almost all) taken in black and white. The only thing missing from the Kindle version was the book cover! Oh, and the netsuke themselves, which do not appear in the book (not even the printed version; I know because Michael Dirda mentioned it in his review). Luckily, you can see some of them online, as well as Mr. de Waal’s pots. One thing he never mentions is that he is not just any potter, but a world-class potter with gallery showings.
All that and he wrote this fabulous book, too! I am so happy he did.
It was interesting that while there were a huge amount of rave reviews on Amazon, there were also a fair number of one and two-star reviews from people who complained they just couldn't get into it. Get the free sample and see if it hooks you!
Also note, I used the paperback cover because i liked it better. The Kindle version has the much busier hardcover version online. And as I said, NO cover in the book!
karen_w_newton : (no subject) [+0]
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Posted on 12 July 2017 13 July 2017 by Julie
St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch, London
St Leonard’s Church in Shoreditch is where John Keats’ three younger brothers were baptised – all on the same day!
It is assumed that Keats was born at the Swan and Hoop in Moorgate, and he was certainly baptised at the nearby St Botolph’s in 1795.
By the time their next child was born in 1797, Thomas and Frances Keats had established their own family home in Craven Street, Shoreditch. Three sons were born to them there:
George, born on 28 February 1797
Tom, born on 18 November 1799
Edward, born on 28 April 1801
All three boys were baptised on the same day, 24 September 1801, at St Leonard’s in Shoreditch.
Unfortunately, Edward did not survive childhood, and died in 1802, aged only 20 months.
Rather more happily, a daughter Fanny was born in 1803, after the family had moved back to Moorgate.
Before Then
There’s always so much history associated with these City locations!
St Leonard’s, also known simply as Shoreditch Church, stands where all the Roman roads joined up, including roads from Chester, Bath, Lincoln, York and Colchester. (All roads lead to London, in this case!) The Wallbrook river rose at the site, making fresh water available, though I assume it’s all underground now.
There was an Anglo-Saxon church, which was replaced by a Norman church, with mention of its first vicar in 1185. This Norman building became “the actors’ church”, as it was sited near New Inn Yard, the Theatre, and the Curtain. James, Cuthbert and Richard Burbage were buried in the church, as well as Richard Tarlton and Gabriel Spenser!
Given the nearby river and the high water table, the church was fated not to last. When it collapsed, the current building was constructed on top of it – and the old church that would have been known by Shakespeare became the crypt of the new one.
The current church dates to 1740, and was designed by George Dance the Elder. Its light and airy style was very innovative at the time, and initially wasn’t received well.
The Church’s Wikipedia page states that the font is one of the original 18th century fixtures – and, if so, that means it’s the actual font in which the three younger Keats brothers were baptised.
The font, which I assume is the one used in baptising the Keats boys.
The Church is well worth a visit, though I suppose there’s no denying it has a fairly shabby, lived-in feel to it. That’s kind of refreshing, now I think about it! While pretty much everything but the ceiling needs a fresh lick of paint, the overall light colour scheme with a teal accent is just delightful.
The least shabby part of the church is the gorgeous ceiling!
Address: 119 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London E1 6JN
Tube: Old Street on the Northern line and National Rail
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 2pm, and for a service on Sunday. Given the restricted hours, it’s best to check ahead, if possible!
Tours are available of the crypt and the tower, but only by appointment.
St Leonard’s Church official site
St Leonard’s Church page on Wikipedia
CategoriesSt Leonard's Shoreditch Tagsengland, london
Previous PostPrevious 12 Cranwood Street, Shoreditch, London
Next PostNext Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, Islington, London
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Bioinformatics jobs
Bioinformatics, $75,000 - $99,999 10
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Found 6 Employer jobs for $75,000 - $99,999
Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Bioinformatics
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Our department provides a mathematical and computational framework for integration of multi-modal/multi-scalar biomedical data in an AMC.
Director's Postdoctoral Fellowship
Golden, Colorado
This is a paid researcher position that also includes an allowance for certain expenditures
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
Help expand NREL's advancements in science and engineering of energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and renewable power technologies.
Postdoctorate Modeling and Simulation Scientist (2 years)
Canton of Basel-Stadt (CH)
F.Hoffmann-La Roche
Who we are: At Roche, 80,000 people across 150 countries are pushing back the frontiers of healthcare. Working together, we’ve become one of the wo...
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SCHOLARS PROGRAM
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The University of Michigan announces junior, tenure-track faculty recruitment for the recently expanded Biological Sciences Scholars Program (BSSP)...
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Position Description: The Mathematics and Computer Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory seeks a well-prepared postdoctoral appointee w...
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Le Portrait de Petit Cosette
Welcome, My Friends, to horror anime month. For the next five weeks we’ll be looking at things that go bump in the night. Experience suggests that most of them will not actually be scary in the slightest in spite of the genre label. In fact, I think the only truly frightening anime I’ve ever reviewed in October was Perfect Blue and everything else just used horror to mean “there are monsters.” In any case, let’s start the month off with Le Portrait de Petit Cosette which is a bit unique for an anime in that it’s not based on anything. The three episode OVA was produced by Daume, the studio responsible for Onegai Teacher and Shiki. There is a manga, but it’s based on the OVA instead of the other way around. Let’s turn out all the lights and take a look.
Our story begins with our protagonist, Eiri, hanging out with some friends. But don’t get attached to them because they’ll only appear in one other, brief scene. They talk briefly about love and Eiri runs off for his part time job at his uncle’s antique shop. He spends some time just holding and looking at a glass. A glass that seems to contain a girl that only he can see. The biggest problem with this OVA is that it meanders. What I mean by that is that there are a lot of scenes that go nowhere and don’t tie into the main plot. Not only that, but the animation will frequently shift to random things (a street, a mailbox, tableware, bamboo, butterflies, etc…) during conversations. I still can’t figure out whether this is supposed to be disconcerting or it’s just a way to pad the OVA. If it’s the former it doesn’t work. The latter would seem more probable since this OVA drags. You wouldn’t think I’d be able to say that about something that lasts all of three episodes, but it does. There are long stretches of scenes that just show random objects or filled with scene after scene where nothing of value happens. You could probably cut this down to a single episode if you only kept the relevant parts. Don’t expect actual horror from this either. A lot of what happens is strange and/or kind of nonsensical but not frightening. There are some scenes that have promise, but the effect they could have had ends up getting spoiled by random object cuts and pointless scenes.
The characters are pretty dull. Eiri and Cosette are really the only ones who matter, possibly Mataki if you stretch the meaning of “matter.” They could have developed the characters if they had spent less time on pointless moments, but they don’t. They start out as stock characters and experience very little growth as things progress.
The art is pretty good. The random shifts and transitions may not do anything from a story perspective, but the things they cut to are drawn well. There are a lot of really good details in the backgrounds as well. Which I paid close attention to as nothing of merit was happening in the foreground most of the time. The character art looks pretty good as well. The biggest issue with the art comes when they try to do a “scary” scene and random objects of wildly shifting art styles start coming at you. Which just looks odd. Their attempt at drawing a monster, which oddly enough has a negligible effect on the plot, just looks silly. I honestly laughed out loud when I first saw it. They also like to do randomly tilted shots throughout the series. Which just look stupid and out of place.
The voice acting ranges quite a bit in quality. Inoue Marina gives an excellent performance, and it’s the only aspect of the OVA that actually comes across as creepy. But then you have Saiga Mitsuki and Toyoguchi Megumi who are just okay. You also have Ebara Masashi who, thankfully, only appears in one scene in which he over-acts like hell. I know he can act, I’ve heard him do it in Xenosaga and Fullmetal Alchemist, to name a couple examples. The effects, are not at the level of the acting. They try to create this disconcerting cacophony, but it just ends up spoiling the effect in a lot of cases. Inoue Marina will be delivering her lines in a genuinely creepy way, but then the effects will make her voice sound tinny, for lack of a better term, and the creepiness will be gone or the effects will be louder than the character voices and it’ll be hard to hear what they’re doing. The music is just pretty typical of “horror” fare.
The ho-yay factor is a 1/10. This has no ho-yay. The cast is overwhelmingly female, but they can’t be bothered to develop their relationships in any way, romantic or otherwise. Most of the male characters only appear in a scene or two.
This is the best anime I’ve seen in the past four weeks. Which admittedly isn’t saying much since the other anime were the two first series of Sekirei and Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari. The bottom line is that there are some moments that could have been effective but they’re diluted by a whole lot of pointless scenes and random transitions. Still, I do recommend watching it, with two or three friends. Why? Because Le Portrait de Petit Cosette lies in that realm of dullness and semi-stupidity that makes for excellent snark material. Watch it to poke fun at it and it will lead to entertaining moments for you and friends. But as a serious horror piece I have to give it a 4/10. It’s mostly just pretty dull but inoffensive. Horror anime month will continue next week with a look at the only horror anime on my request queue, Blue Gender.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Anime, horror, Le Portrait de Petit Cosette, review on October 2, 2013 by ktulu007.
← Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari Midori: Shoujo Tsubaki →
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Disney buys 21st Century Fox: a monopoly on entertainment?
Published: - Mar 29, 2019
Economy Business Entertainment Disney
Since March 20, Disney becomes the owner of 21st Century Fox and has access to a wide range of franchises and characters
On November 6, 2017, CNBC reported that The Walt Disney Company had been talking for a few weeks with the 21st Century Fox management about the possibility of buying the company. According to the CNBC report, the most important executives of 21st Century Fox shared the opinion that, given the changes that have been developing in the field of media and entertainment thanks to the growth of companies such as Netflix, Google and Facebook , the company would need to achieve a global presence on a large scale that by itself would not achieve, opting for the search for the financial strength of a much larger company like Disney.
Leer en español: Disney compra 21st Century Fox: ¿un monopolio del entretenimiento?
After a few weeks of the report, on December 14 of that same year, Disney officially announced the plans to buy 21st Century Fox for US $ 52.4 billion. After a little over a year and a short bidding war with Comcast, on March 20, 2019, Disney announced the completion of the purchase of 21st Century Fox for US $ 71.3 billion. What does this mean for Disney and for the world of media and entertainment?
With the purchase, Disney has acquired Fox's television and film studios (which include 20th Century Fox and 20th Century Fox Television), the television networks under the name of FX and Fox Sports, National Geographic, the Indian television networks Star India and the 30% of Hulu that was part of the assets of 21st Century Fox ( which makes Disney the major owner of the streaming platform with 60% of the shares of the company).
This means that now Disney is the owner of a large number of franchises and characters among which highlight X-Men & The Fantastic Four (giving Marvel Studios, a company owned by Disney, the opportunity to produce films of almost every character of the comics), The Simpsons, Avatar (film that, being the highest grossing in history for its US $ 2.7 billion in profits according to Box Office Mojo, will have two sequels scheduled for 2020 and 2021 respectively), American Horror Story, Alien , Family Guy, among many others.
Without real competition in the film industry
Given the exponential growth of Disney with the acquisition of the franchises and characters of Fox, is there any other company capable of dealing with it in the world of cinema?
According to different reports made by Deadline Hollywood, a virtual publication specializing in the entertainment industry, Disney has dominated the film industry for the past three years, staying in the first place among the studios with the highest annual global earnings, always above Warner, a company that has remained in second place.
In 2018 it achieved earnings of US $ 7.3 billion (representing 26% of the US market share and 14.2% of the international, respectively 9.7% and 2.05% more than Warner's), in 2017 of US $ 6.5 billion (21.8% of the US market share and 14% of the international market share, respectively 3.4% and 3.24% more than Warner) and in 2016 of US $ 7.6 billion (26.3% of the US market share and 17.2% of the international share, respectively 9.6% and 5.5% more than Warner).
Read also: How much does it cost to Rome to compete for the best film Oscar?
If Disney's profits were taken and added to Fox's, the outlook would change in such a way that it would be difficult to conceive how Warner or any other company could compete: by 2018, the sum of profits would be US $ 10.8 billion (36.3 % of the US market share and 22.19% of the international market share, respectively 20% and 10.04% more than Warner); for 2017, it would be US $ 10.3 billion (34.7% of the US market share and 22.5% of the international market share, respectively 16.3% and 11.75% more than Warner); and for 2016, it would be US $ 12 billion (39.6% of the US market share and 28.1% of the international market share, respectively 22.9% and 11.3% more than Warner).
What's more, according to Box Office Mojo, if you check the profits that Disney and Fox have had together in the US market alone in the short time since 2019, they would already amount to US $ 498.7 million (US $ 133.6 million more than what Universal has won, a company that until now is in the second place of earnings in the US film market).
The possibility of a monopoly
Since before Disney's acquisition of Fox was completed, industry figures expressed concern about the possibility of forming a monopoly.
For example, the Writers Guild of America West, a union that represents film and television writers, published a statement in December 2017 stating that "Disney and Fox have benefited for decades from the oligopolistic control exercised by the six major media conglomerates from the entertainment industry (...). Now, this proposed integration of direct competitors will make the situation even worse by increasing the market power of a corporation composed of the combination of Disney and Fox. The anti-competitive concerns that emerge from this deal are obvious and significant".
During the same days, the publication Axios characterized the purchase of Fox as a case of horizontal integration -when a company buys or integrates with another of the same industry and a similar financial power-, pointing out how this can be seen as a situation in which a company is eliminating its competition.
However, despite the criticism and concerns, Disney has managed to pass anti-competitive practices regulations in the countries where it operates. For this, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the mega-company has agreed to sell 22 regional sports networks in the United States, its sports networks in Brazil and Mexico, and its shares in television networks such as Lifetime and History in Europe.
LatinAmerican Post | Juan Diego Bogotá
Translated from "Disney compra 21st Century Fox: ¿un monopolio de entretenimiento?"
OPEC may not be dead, but it is not what it was before
Cuba is studying cryptocurrency as part of economic crisis measures
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The Harvest Army World Revival Movement was born from the revelation: “Harvest Army”. The Lord gave this word to our General Overseer, Bishop K. D. Collins as a result of the revelation, in 1992, The Harvest Army Outreach Ministries was inaugurated in Falmouth, Jamaica. W.I. By September 1992, The Harvest Army Church International was inaugurated in New York, USA. From there, the world revival movement has spread across the world with branches and affiliates in Africa, Europe, India, the Caribbean, and in the United States.
Harvest Army God’s Revival Arena began out of a revelation of “God’s Revival” in Brooklyn, NY in March of 2007.’. In October 2007, the church branch was launched. Since that time many souls have been saved and baptized. Despite challenges, the Lord has continued to bless the congregation. Members of the church can be seen weekly preaching, and witnessing on the streets and from house to house.
Souls continue to be added in miraculous ways. The prophetic unction continues to operate on the church mightily as the Lord visits, and prophecies continue to go forth. Currently our Senior Pastor is Bishop O. Reid, and Host Pastor, Rev. D. Ranglin; we continue to build on the foundation laid by our General Overseer, Bishop K. D. Collins, and the executive leadership of the Harvest Army Church International.
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Mayor Orr On Possible Senate Run: ‘I like my job now’
Joy Greenwald, Townsquare Media
While Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr did not flatly rule out a run for the U.S. Senate in a Friday morning radio interview in Cheyenne, she also didn't sound like it is something she is planning on.
In response to a question on the possibility of running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mike Enzi [R-Wyo.}, the mayor indicated she enjoys her current position as mayor of the Cowboy State's largest city.
When pressed further by KGAB morning host Glenn Woods as to whether Senate run might be in the cards for her next year, she simply said: "I like my job now."
That response was consistent with a Twitter post she put up over the weekend in which she thanked supporters for asking her to consider running for the Senate, but added "For me - I’m about our city. Great cities make great states. Great states a great nation. #MayorOrr2020"
Enzi, who has held the Senate seat for 22 years, recently announced that he will retire at the end of his current term, which runs through 2020.
Meanwhile, the Casper Star-Tribune is reporting that former Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis is seriously considering a run for the office.
Speculation has also centered on current Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, who initially said she was running against Enzi in the 2014 GOP Senate primary, but later dropped out of the race. The Washington Examiner has reported that House Republicans are expecting her to run for Enzi's seat.
Former Wyoming Governors Matt Matt Mead and Dave Freudenthal have also been mentioned on social media as possible candidates, but neither has given any public indication as to whether they might consider a run.
Filed Under: 2020 election, Mayor Marian Orr, U.S. Senate
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Included in Interviews and portraits Cancer and Haematology
A tale of three researchers: With death as a colleague
In our society we do our best to keep death at bay. Many adult humans have never seen a dead corpse, and do not wish to think about death unless it is absolutely necessary. But some think differently: We have talked to three researchers who have chosen to work full-time with death.
Henrik Druid: "I can help with the grieving process"
"The fact that I became a forensic pathologist, and later a researcher in forensic medicine, was due to a combination of chance and the fact that I wasn't happy with my work conditions in the health services. As a doctor I did not feel that I could give the time required to my patients, something which I can do as a forensic pathologist.
I have carried out around 6,000 autopsies, and in many of these cases I have been in contact with the next of kin. My research include studies aiming at developing better methods to determine the cause of death, something which can be hard when drugs are involved. This is information for which the next of kin tend to be thankful, and in this way I feel that I can help them in their grief.
We try to always make the body look as clean and intact as possible, and I usually recommend that the next of kin to see it. I think it helps people understand and accept what has happened.
Our view of the dead body is culturally conditioned. I personally saw a dead person for the first time when I was 17 years old. It was my grandmother and it looked peaceful, but also weird and I felt uneasy.
In India, where I worked for a while, people have a different attitude. When someone dies, close relatives will take care of the body and take it to the morgue and back when released. Death is there seen as a more natural part of life, and I think we can learn something from these cultures. There is nothing dangerous in seeing or touching a dead person."
Name: Henrik Druid
Title: Professor of Forensic Medicine at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet.
Research area: How the diagnostics concerning the cause of death when a person has died unexpectedly or in a manner that the police consider unnatural can be improved.
Peter Strang: "I have become less afraid of death"
"I started my research on terminally ill cancer patients in the 1980s and I saw that they were not getting the optimal level of support. I felt that I could make a real difference for them, but it was an uphill battle as the issues I brought up seem¬ed alien.
Today I think that we have become good at easing physical symptoms, but we are not always as good at tackling existential anxiety related to life and death issues. I try to develop this in my research.
The time just before a person passes away is almost always quiet and peaceful. But before that point, many who are near death naturally pass through stages of despondency. Death is a situation that we cannot escape, instead it forces us to choose a perspective. The extremes are allowing death to spread out and dominate all aspects of your life, or allowing the reality of death to become the source of an increased feeling of being alive.
It has helped me face the big questions in life, about what is important in my life and what is not, and I try to live my life more consciously now, when I am alive and healthy.
Today, existential questions have become a natural part of the health services, and through discussions you can help a sick person to rediscover their sources of meaning - and the fact that you can live as long as you are alive.
By studying and meeting hundreds of dying people and their next of kin, my own fear of death has decreased significantly, while I still understand and respect people who feel anxiety in the face of the unknown. I have become more aware of the fact that death is a part of life, as a framework that defines that which is inside it - that is to say, life. It has helped me face the big questions in life, about what is important in my life and what is not, and I try to live my life more consciously now, when I am alive and healthy."
Name: Peter Strang
Title: Professor of Palliative Medicine, especially Oncology, at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, consultant physician at Stockholms Sjukhem.
Research area: How to best ease and improve the trying final times of dying persons and their next of kin through reduced pain, nausea, anxiety and worry, and supportive discussions in cases of existential crisis.
Ulrika Kreicbergs: "Many advised against conducting the study"
"As a newly graduated nurse I started working at the children's oncology ward at the Karolinska University Hospital and witnessed how three young boys died in a short period of time, and how their parents handled this in different ways. It affected me deeply, and I eventually started to research how to best approach parents who lose a child, and what is important to them in our care for the child and the family.
Many of my colleagues advised against conducting the study, as they believed it would open old wounds and stir up feelings amongst the parents who had lost a child. But the parents wanted to talk about their experiences, and the study showed that almost all parents felt that the study was valuable, and not a single parent later regretted speaking to their child about death. The staff should therefore, before it is too late, encourage parents who are unsure about if they should talk to their children to do so especially if the child is aware of his or her imminent death.
During the study my children wondered why I did this work when all the stories made me cry. But with the support of family and colleagues I got through it, although I will always carry those stories with me. I do not even want to think about losing my own children, but seeing how parents manage and move on makes me less afraid.
Witnessing how children these young, brave people - have faced death, I too have become less afraid of death. I believe it is easier to learn from children than from adults. Children live until they die and often have a naive view of death, such as it leading to them Nangijala. We have much to thank Astrid Lindgren for.
Name: Ulrika Kreicbergs
Title: Researcher at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, registered nurse.
Research area: How the risk of mental ill health can be re¬duced among family members when a child dies of cancer.
Text: Helena Mayer Photo: Mattias Ahlm Medical Science 2012
Research areas Cancer and Haematology Cell, Molecular and Structural Biology Circulation and respiration Developmental Biology and Reproduction Endocrinology and Metabolism Epidemiology and Public Health Sciences Health Care Sciences Infection and Inflammation Neuroscience
External research funding Swedish foundations Funding from the EU US research funding Strategic research areas
Researchers Professors at KI Adjunct and visiting professors Foreign Adjunct Professors Newly appointed professors
Infrastructure and resources Departments Research centres Core facilities Research networks Comparative Medicine
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Change June 27, 2015 May 11, 2016
Santa Cruz Shows America How to Punish Bank Felons
What if every county, city, and state in America followed Santa Cruz County’s example, and held the big banks accountable for their felonies?
What exactly does it mean for a big Wall Street bank to plead guilty to a serious crime? Right now, practically nothing. But it will if California’s Santa Cruz County has any say.
First, some background.
Five giant banks – including Wall Street behemoths JPMorgan Chase and Citicorp – recently pleaded guilty to criminal felony charges that they rigged the world’s foreign-currency market for their own profit.
This wasn’t a small heist. We’re talking hundreds of billions of dollars worth of transactions every day.
The banks altered currency prices long enough for the banks to make winning bets before the prices snapped back to what they should have been.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch called it a “brazen display of collusion” that harmed “countless consumers, investors and institutions around the globe — from pension funds to major corporations, and including the banks’ own customers.”
The penalty? The banks have agreed to pay $5.5 billion. That may sound like a big chunk of change, but for a giant bank it’s the cost of doing business. In fact, the banks are likely to deduct the fines from their taxes as business costs.
The banks sound contrite. After all, they can’t have the public believe they’re outright crooks.
It’s “an embarrassment to our firm, and stands in stark contrast to Citi’s values,“ says Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat.
Values? Citigroup’s main value is to make as much money as possible. Corbat himself raked in $13 million last year.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon calls it “a great disappointment to us,” and says “we demand and expect better of our people.”
Expect better? If recent history is any guide – think of the bank’s notorious “London Whale” a few years ago, and, before that, the wild bets leading to the 2008 bailout – JPMorgan expects exactly this kind of behavior from its people.
Which helped Dimon rake in $20 million last year, as well as a $7.4 million cash bonus.
When real people plead guilty to felonies, they go to jail. But big banks aren’t people despite what the five Republican appointees to the Supreme Court say.
The executives who run these banks aren’t going to jail, either. Apologists say it’s not fair to jail bank executives because they don’t know what their rogue traders are up to.
Yet ex-convicts often suffer consequences beyond jail terms.
In many states they lose their right to vote. They can’t run for office or otherwise participate in the political process.
So why not take away the right of these convicted banks to participate in the political process, at least for some years? That would stop JPMorgan’s Dimon from lobbying Congress to roll back the Dodd-Frank act, as he’s been doing almost non-stop.
Why not also take away their right to pour money into politics? Wall Street banks have been among the biggest contributors to political campaigns. If they’re convicted of a felony, they should be barred from making any political contributions for at least ten years.
Real ex-convicts also have difficulty finding jobs. That’s because, rightly or wrongly, many people don’t want to hire them.
A strong case can be made that employers shouldn’t pay attention to criminal convictions of real people who need a fresh start, especially a job.
But giant banks that have committed felonies are something different. Why shouldn’t depositors and investors consider their past convictions?
Which brings us to Santa Cruz County.
The county’s board of supervisors just voted not to do business for five years with any of the five bank felons.
The county won’t use the banks’ investment services or buy their commercial paper, and will pull its money out of the banks to the extent it can.
“We have a sacred obligation to protect the public’s tax dollars and these banks can’t be trusted. Santa Cruz County should not be involved with those who rigged the world’s biggest financial markets,” says supervisor Ryan Coonerty.
The banks will hardly notice. Santa Cruz County’s portfolio is valued at about $650 million.
But what if every county, city, and state in America followed Santa Cruz County’s example, and held the big banks accountable for their felonies?
What if all of us taxpayers said, in effect, we’re not going to hire these convicted felons to handle our public finances? We don’t trust them.
That would hit these banks directly. They’d lose our business. Which might even cause them to clean up their acts.
There’s hope. Supervisor Coonerty says he’ll be contacting other local jurisdictions across the country, urging them to do what Santa Cruz County is doing.
This post first appeared at robertreich.org.
Economy, Politics, Solutions
On Leaders and Demagogues
Among the current crop of candidates for president of the United States,...
How the Peoples Party Prevailed in 2020
A New Way to Share: Platform Cooperatives
How Hillary (and Bill) Clinton Lost Me
The Revolution Will Be Open Source
Yanis Varoufakis & Noam Chomsky
A Tale of Two Zip Codes
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Features – Rich Site Services: Web Feeds for Extended Information and Library Services
By Gerry McKiernan, 20 Sep 2004
Gerry McKiernan is an Associate Professor and Science and Technology Librarian and Bibliographer with the Iowa State University Library, Ames, Iowa. He is the compiler of several Web registries that include All That JAS: Journal Abbreviation Sources, LiveRef(sm): A Registry of Real-Time Digital Reference Services, and most recently B-Feeds(sm): Web Feeds for Books and Monographs, eFeeds(sm: Web Feeds from Electronic Journals, and RSS(sm): Rich Site Services.
“There are several practical ways in which the LIS (Library and Information Science) community can both exploit the content of RSS, and improve their services through the presentation and re-presentation of RSS feeds. These do not amount to a revolution, but rather represent a step on the path to better information services, and one which takes advantage of advances in technology.” [1]
‘RSS’ is an umbrella term for a variety of XML files which enable the sharing of Web site content. It can be understood as “a Web syndication protocol that is primarily used by news Websites and Weblogs. RSS allows a Web developer to publish content on their Website in a format that a computer program can easily understand and digest…[R]SS simply repackages the content as a list of data items, such as the date of a news story, a summary of the story and a link to it. A program known as an RSS aggregator or feed reader can then check RSS-enabled Web pages for the user, and display any updated articles that it finds.” For many, RSS is an initialism for ‘Rich Site Summary’; for others it refers to ‘Really Simple Syndication’; while for others it stands for ‘RDF Site Summary.’[2]
At present there are several flavors of RSS, not all of which are related. The earliest RSS versions (.91, .92, .93, .94) and latest RSS version (2.0) were developed by UserLand, while RSS version 1.0 was developed by the RSS-DEV Working Group.[3]
Other Web feed options include Atom,[4] an alternative XML Web feed format promoted by Blogger.com for its blogging service, and feeds created using JavaScript™.[5]
News Aggregators and Feed Readers
Through an RSS or other feed types, new and updated Web site content is received automatically by subscribed users who have installed and activated a news aggregator or reader. As defined by David Winer, the developer of original and current Web feed formats (scriptingNews, RSS 0.92, and RSS 2.0), a ‘news aggregator’ is “software that periodically reads a set of news sources, in one of several XML-based formats, finds the new bits, and displays them in reverse-chronological order on a single page.” Among its many potential benefits, Web feeds can significantly reduce the need to individually re-visit sites of interest for changes or additions.[6]
Among the popular free or fee-based aggregators for news feeds are AmphetaDesk, Bloglines, FeedDemon, FeedReader, NetNewsWire, NewsDesk, NewsIsFree, Radio UserLand, and SharpReader. Feeds need not be limited, however, to news or accessible from ‘news’ aggregators. Using many of these readers, as well as others (e.g., Pluck) individuals can subscribe to Web feeds of interest to create a customized, personal portal.
In addition to their common use within personal and professional blogs, Web feeds are offered as well by major state, regional, national, and international broadcast, print, and Web-based publications and services. Current news sites that syndicate all or part of their content include ABCNews.com and BBC News.com, as well as online versions of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. Similarly, national magazines such as Time and U.S. News & World Report offer a variety of feeds for their respective content. National Public Radio (NPR) offers RSS Web feeds for ‘Top Stories,’ ‘U.S. News,’ ‘World News’, as well as ’Business News’ and ‘Health & Science News,’ as well as for its major syndicated programs (e.g., All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Talk of the Nation) and select member stations (e.g., Minnesota Public Radio).[7]
Search engines (e.g., Yahoo!) e-commerce sites (e.g., Amazon.com) (see Figure 1 below), auction sites (e.g., eBay), and political blogs (e.g., ‘The Official Kerry-Edwards Blog’) also offer Web feeds.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/xs/syndicate.html/
Figure 1. Screen print listing the variety of RSS feeds offered by Amazon.com for its variety of its product offerings.
The Little Orange Button(s)
The availability of a Web feed for a site is typically indicated by one or more button icons (e.g., , or ), or by a hot linked word (e.g., ‘Syndicate’) or phrase (e.g., ‘Syndicate This Page’).
Depending on the particular reader, users can subscribe to a Web feed in a variety of ways: by double-clicking the RSS feed option, or by clicking the icon and copying the Web address (URL) from the displayed page, and pasting the associated address into the reader. Some readers also allow users to subscribe to a web feed by simply dragging and dropping the associated web feed icon (e.g., ) into the reader.
Library Web Feeds
Use of feeds is not limited, however, to blogs, news sources, or commercial Web sites; an increasing number of libraries have also begun to offer feeds to promote and extend their services with content syndication. [8]
The current major use of Web feeds by libraries is to alert subscribers to current activities. Libraries that offer Web feeds for announcements include:
Georgia State University Library (‘Library News,’ ‘Science News,’ and ‘Social Sciences News’) (see Figure 2)
Lunar and Planetary Institute, Center for Information and Research Services (‘New and Noteworthy’)
Minneapolis Public Library (‘What’s New at the Minneapolis Public Library’)
Northwestern University Library (‘In the Spotlight: News from Northwestern University Library’)
Ohio University Libraries (‘News’)
Rowland Institute at Harvard Library (‘Rowland Institute Library Blog’)
Suburban Library System (‘Suburban Library System [News]’)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries (‘UNC-Chapel Hill University Libraries — RSS News Feeds’)
University of Windsor, Leddy Library (‘Leddy Library News’).
http://www.library.gsu.edu/news/index.asp
Figure 2. The Georgia State University Library offers a listing of more than a dozen Web feeds for its ‘Library News and Subject Blogs.’
In addition to offering feeds for news and announcements, some libraries also recognize the value of feeds for extending conventional library functions and services. Some libraries, for example, provide feeds for their Internet resource guides, such as that provided by the Minneapolis Public Library for ‘The List,’ its compendium of Web resources. A number of the major subject Web guides, such as EEVL: The Internet Guide to Engineering, Mathematics, and Computing, Humbul Humanities Hub, and PSIgate: Physical Sciences Information Gateway and SOSIG: Your Guide to the Best of the Web for Social Science offer RSS feeds for select updates to their respective contents.
A few libraries provide Web feeds that allow subscribers to receive updates for new acquisitions including books, compact discs, and videos. Libraries that offer such services include the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST, the National University of Ireland (Galway) library, and the University of Louisville Libraries. The State of Hawaii, Legislative Reference Bureau, provides select feeds for agency reports and recent acquisitions, while the library of the Lunar and Planetary Institute offers a feed that includes ‘Recent additions to the collection’ as well as ‘New and Noteworthy’ items. The Wisconsin Historical Society provides feeds for ‘Library-Archives Recent Acquisition‘ as well ‘Library-Archives Recent Wisconsin Acquisitions.’
E-Journals and Table of Contents Services
Feeds for new acquisitions are not limited to books, other monographs, or media. For example, the Legislative Reference Bureau (Hawaii) also provides a feed for citations for select professional journal articles, in addition to feeds for its institutional publications, while the library of the Royal Holloway, University of London, provides a feed for all recently received journal issues and feeds for individual titles (see Figure 3). OhioLINK, the statewide consortium, provides feeds for all journals available from its Electronic Journal Center.
http://www.pluck.com
Figure 3. Display of ‘Recent Serials Issues received for the Royal Holloway, University of London’ in the Pluck Web feed reader.
Libraries have also begun to use Web feeds to promote instructional and reference services. The University of Alberta (Canada) library provides a feed for its ‘Library and Instruction’ program page, while the University of Tennessee (UT) Libraries offer a feed for ‘Alpha Channel,’ a “guide to library multimedia services for the UT teaching & learning community.” In the arena of reference services, the Ohio University (Athens) provides a feed for its ‘Business Blog’ as well as one for its general ‘Reference’ service. The Moraine Valley (Illinois) Community College Library provides a feed for ‘Resources & Search Tips’ that profiles key print, electronic, and Internet resources, and the University of Winnipeg Library & Information Services department offers a feed that provides descriptions of major ‘Reference Sources.’
Potential Possibilities
In addition to current implementations, other library functions and services could also be enhanced through a broader use of Web feeds. For example, the review of newly published and forthcoming titles by selectors and bibliographers could be significantly expedited if publishers and book vendors provided feeds for individual titles and disciplines.[9]
If electronic journal vendors and publishers syndicated their content, users could choose to receive desktop notification for newly-published relevant articles by journal title or discipline. [10]
IngentaConnect, the e-journal collection offered by Ingenta Inc., is a notable example of a vendor service, providing Web feeds for each of its more than 28,700 journals (see Figure 4), while BioMed Central, “The Open Access Publisher,” is an excellent example of a publisher that offers feeds for all of journals (see Figure 5)
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/browsing/AllIssues?journal=pubinfobike%3a%2f%2faiaa%2faiaaj
Figure 4. RSS feeds are available for all electronic journals in the IngentaConnect service.
http://pscontent.com/biomedcentral.html
Figure 5. BioMed Central, the “Open Access Publisher,” provides Web feeds for each of its electronic journals.
Ideally, such services should also enable subscribers to receive personalized feeds based on a saved search strategy.
The assessment, use, and integration of search results could be significantly improved if database and OPAC vendors offered a Web feed option. Noteworthy examples of the former include HubMed (see Figure 6) and my.PubMed, enhanced versions of the PubMed medical database made available by the National Library of Medicine.
http://www.hubmed.org/
Figure 6. Hubmed, “an alternative interface to the PubMed medical literature database,” offers search results in the RSS format.
[1] Roddy MacLeod, RSS: Less Hype, More Action, 161 FREEPRINT 7-10 (2004). Also available at http://www.freepint.com/issues/170604.pdf?PHPSESSID=18e229b6adc57736563635ce9a931348. <back to text>
[2] Wikipedia, RSS, WIKIPEDIA (September 11, 2004), available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS. <back to text>
[3] Mark Pilgrim, What is RSS, XML.COM (December 18, 2002), available at http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/12/18/dive-into-xml.html. <back to text>
[4] Atom Enable Alliance, What is Atom?, ATOMENABLED.ORG (September 14, 2004), available at http://www.atomenabled.org.
<back to text>
[5] Patrick Fitzgerald, Using JavaScript for Web Syndication, BARELYFITZ, (2003), available at http://www.barelyfitz.com/projects/jssyndicate/.
[6] Dave Winer, What is a News Aggregator, DAVENET (October 8, 2002), available at http://davenet.scripting.com/2002/10/08/whatIsANewsAggregator <back to text>
[7] National Public Radio, RSS Feeds: Deliver NPR News and Information to Your Desktop, (2004), available at http://www.npr.org/rss/index.html. <back to text>
[8] Gerry McKiernan, RSS(sm): Rich Site Services (2004), available at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/RSS.htm. <back to text>
[9] Gerry McKiernan, B-Feeds(sm): Web Feeds for Books and Monographs (2004), http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/B-Feeds.htm. <back to text>
[10] Gerry McKiernan, eFeeds(sm): Web Feeds from Electronic Journals, 2004, available at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/eFeeds.htm <back to text>
Posted in: Features, Information Management, Libraries & Librarians, RSS Newsfeeds, Web Utilities
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09 June 2016 PCWA online course aims to promote accessibility
Inclusion and accessibility are hot topics that impact on the daily lives of around 25% of the population who have a disability or impairment. And...
08 June 2016 How the blind experience the internet
What is the internet like when you have a vision impairment? Chris Moury, who has rapidly declining vision, speaks about this topic on Control Z, a...
07 June 2016 A demo of Microsoft Office 365’s new accessibility features
Microsoft has recently updated Office 365 with three main new features that enhance accessibility for users with vision impairments. We provide an...
06 June 2016 Audio description trial on iview ending soon
The trial of audio description on the ABC’s online iview service, which commenced in April 2015, will soon be drawing to a close.
02 June 2016 Election websites accessibility report – improving but still difficult to use
Media Access Australia’s Director of Digital Accessibility, Dr Scott Hollier, recently tested a number of websites related to the upcoming Federal...
01 June 2016 Vivid Sydney includes AD at the festival
Last week Sydney saw the launch of Vivid, which is claimed to be the largest Winter festival of light, music and creativity in the country. Although...
30 May 2016 A disabled gamer influenced Naughty Dog to improve accessibility in Uncharted 4
Video game developer Naughty Dog has recently updated the accessibility options, thanks to the insight from a gamer with cerebral palsy. After...
27 May 2016 ACMA publishes preliminary captioning exemption orders for Telstra Pay TV
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Simple tips to curb overindulgence can help stop pounds piling on at Christmas
by University of Birmingham
The 'intervention' group was given 10 top weight management tips (adapted from Lally et al (2008) International Journal of Obesity 32; 700-707) Credit: University of Birmingham
A study by the University of Birmingham and Loughborough University has shown that regular weighing at home and simple tips to curb excess eating and drinking can prevent people from piling on the pounds at Christmas.
Researchers, supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and funded by the University of Birmingham, carried out the 'Winter Weight Watch Study' - a trial that aimed to prevent participants from gaining weight over the festive season by arming them with tips and techniques to avoid overindulging.
It saw 272 volunteers being randomly placed into either an 'intervention' or a 'comparison' group. Those in the intervention group were asked to weigh themselves at least twice per week, but ideally every day, and record their weight on a record card to help them monitor their food and drink intake. They were also given 10 top tips for weight management and a list of how much physical activity would be needed to burn off calories found in popular food and drinks consumed at Christmas. For example, it takes 21 minutes of running to burn the calories in a mince pie and 33 minutes of walking to expend the calories found in a small glass of mulled wine.
In contrast, the comparison group received only a brief information leaflet about leading a healthy lifestyle, which did not include dietary advice.
The study, published today (Dec 10th) in The BMJ, was carried out in 2016 and 2017, with participants weighed and measured in November and December each year and then follow-up measurements taken in January and February 2017 and 2018.
The results showed that on average, participants in the comparison group gained some weight over Christmas but participants in the intervention group did not. Those in the intervention group ended the study weighing on average 0.49kg less than those in the comparison group.
Following the intervention, compared with the comparison group participants in the intervention group were assessed to be more able to restrain their eating and drinking to help control their body weight.
The 'intervention' group was given physical activity calorie equivalents (PACE) of popular festive food and drinks. Credit: University of Birmingham
First author Frances Mason, of the University of Birmingham's Institute of Applied Health Research, said: "The festive season coincides with public holidays in many countries, providing an opportunity for prolonged over-consumption and sedentary behaviour.
"On Christmas Day alone an individual might consume 6,000 calories—three times the recommended daily allowance.
"Christmas is likely to tax even the most experienced weight controller. Low intensity interventions such as the one used in our Winter Weight Watch Study should be considered by health policy makers to prevent weight gain in the population during high-risk periods such as holidays."
Senior author Professor Amanda Daley, with the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, said: "On average people gain a small amount of weight of up to 1kg each year and holidays such as Christmas are responsible for most of this annual weight gain.
"Weight gained during holiday periods often is not subsequently lost and, although these gains are small, over 10 years they would lead to a significant increase in body weight.
"Our research has shown that a brief intervention over the Christmas period can help to prevent these small weight gains that accumulate and drive the obesity epidemic."
Few trials have tested interventions to prevent weight gain during high risk periods, and this is the first known trial to test a strategy for preventing weight gain at Christmas.
Corresponding author Dr. Amanda Farley, lecturer in public health and epidemiology at the University of Birmingham, said: "The results of this study are encouraging. The information given to participants was tailored to the local cultural context but could also easily be adapted for use in other settings and countries.
Alcohol intake may be key to long-term weight loss for people with diabetes
More information: BMJ (2018). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.k4867 , http://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4867
Journal information: International Journal of Obesity , British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Provided by University of Birmingham
Citation: Simple tips to curb overindulgence can help stop pounds piling on at Christmas (2018, December 10) retrieved 18 July 2019 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-12-simple-curb-overindulgence-pounds-piling.html
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Few women with history of breast cancer and ovarian cancer take a recommended genetic test
Of the nearly 4 million women in the United States who have had either breast cancer or ovarian cancer, at least 1.5 million have a high risk of carrying certain types of genetic mutations that could increase their risk for additional cancers in the future.
And although the mutations, including those that affect the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, can be identified through a simple blood or saliva test, more than 80 percent of those women have not taken the test or even discussed it with a health care provider, according to a new study from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
The study is published online August 18 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“Many of these women have inherited genetic changes that put them and their family members at risk for future cancers,” said Dr. Christopher Childers, a resident physician in the department of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study’s lead author. “Identifying a mutation is often important for surgical decision-making and cancer therapy, but its importance extends further than that. If individuals are aware that they have these mutations, they can take steps to lower their future cancer risk.”
Childers said people who know they have the mutations would be advised to undergo more frequent and specialized screening (such as breast MRI), consider preventive medications, undergo risk-reducing surgery or make lifestyle modifications (including improving diet and exercise habits, and stopping smoking).
Testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, which are still the leading risk factors for inherited breast and ovarian cancer, has been available since the mid-1990s. But scientists now know that mutations in several other genes can increase the risk for breast and ovarian cancers; those mutations can also be detected by contemporary genetic tests.
The researchers examined data from the 2005, 2010 and 2015 National Health Interview Surveys, which are conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Then, drawing from the National Cancer Center Network’s guidelines for managing care for people with cancer, the scientists identified five criteria to determine women for whom the genetic test would be most beneficial:
Women who have had ovarian cancer.
Women who have had breast cancer, if:
they were diagnosed at age 45 or younger;
they were diagnosed at age 50 years or younger, and have a mother, sister or daughter who has had breast cancer;
they have a mother, sister or daughter who had breast cancer when they were 50 or younger; or
they have a mother, sister or daughter who has had ovarian cancer.
Of 47,218 women whose records were reviewed, 2.7 percent had had breast cancer. Among those who met at least one of these four criteria, 29 percent had discussed the genetic test with a health care provider, 20.2 percent were advised to undergo the test, and only 15.3 percent had taken it.
Some 0.4 percent of women in the survey had had ovarian cancer. Of them, 15.1 percent discussed the genetic test with a health care provider, 13.1 percent were advised to undergo the test and just 10.5 percent had taken it.
Based on those figures, the UCLA researchers estimated that 1.2 million to 1.3 million women in the U.S. who would be most likely to benefit from the test have not taken it.
“Many women are not receiving vital information that can aid with cancer prevention and early detection for them and their family,” said co-author Kimberly Childers, a genetic counselor and regional manager of the Providence Health and Services Southern California’s clinical genetics and genomics program. “Thus, we have identified an incredible unmet need for genetic testing across the country.”
The paper suggests some reasons that so few women have undergone the test, including that NCCN guidelines have changed over the years, and the relatively small number of board-certified genetic counselors who specialize in cancer testing. (The researchers also note that genetic counselors are unevenly distributed throughout the country, with 500 in California but only five each in Wyoming, Alaska, Missouri and Mississippi.)
“Also, when women change doctors, their new physicians may not be aware of their histories or of the new eligibility guidelines,” said James Macinko, professor of health policy and management and of community health sciences at the Fielding School, and the study’s senior author.
The study has some limitations, including that data was self-reported and not verified by medical records, and that subjects may not have accurately remembered whether they discussed or took the genetic test.
Childers received postdoctoral scholarship funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Dr. Melinda Maggard-Gibbons, professor of surgery at the Geffen School of Medicine, was a co-author of the study.
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Melisma Magazine
Tufts' Journal of Music
Friday Playlist
Hibou Has No Idea How Twee His Music Is
September 18, 2015 · by Melisma Magazine · in featured, Interviews. ·
By Jordan Rosenthal-Kay and Joel Reske
In late July, we caught up with the dream-pop bedroom rocker Hibou at Brighton Music Hall. Peter Michel, who performs under the name Hibou, manages his own tour and personally snuck us backstage before the show. He sat us down on some aged couches and grabbed himself a beer. We had brought him fries – the safest food item from the neighboring Refuge Cafe – but Peter had just finished off some sushi. Someone in the band had put on Sufjan’s Carrie and Lowell.
Hibou’s been around since 2013, but looking online, the name doesn’t surface in 2014. You were silent. Why?
It was a lot of hibernating and writing and recording. Hopefully this year all that work will surface!
You’re touring with a full band now. Were they a part of that process?
No. The whole hibernation was just me hanging out in my room, recording stuff on my computer and keeping quiet.
Was the album entirely created on a computer?
No it’s all recorded, it was record in my bedroom. It’s very much my sound; I got to relax and take my time in recording all the instruments. I got modify it the way I wanted to, but then it was all kicked up in the post-production process in LA.
How would you classify your music?
Trop-pop?
Ha. That was from almost a different band. I wrote music under that genre when I was like thirteen – songs like Shana’s House. People want us still to play those songs. I think it’s just pop though.
Are you comfortable calling it twee?
What? I’ve never heard of that. Whatever makes you happy to call us.
How does it feel to have you album promoted on the front page of Barsuck [Hibou’s label]?
It’s cool. It’s been a lot of waiting and working, super pessimistic at times, but now it’s come together, it’s worked. That’s a good feeling.
To you, what does “success” mean for Hibou?
Touring. Really just being on tour. This is what I like to do most. The spontaneity in the day to day life of touring. I still live with my parents, so the goal for me is to be touring enough that it doesn’t make sense for me to have my own place.
You’ve toured before as the drummer for Craft Spells. How does the experience of touring differ now that you’re the frontman?
It’s stuff like this. Before, Justin [of Craft Spells] would be doing these interviews and I would be coming in asking, “can I get the van key?” It was great just to be able to tour at that age, and see what it was like, because now I’m much more prepared. I was observant then and now I can take the responsibility. We don’t have a tour manager. It’s tricky at times. Eventually, I’d love to just focus on the music. I’d love to just be able to put all my thought into my music.
How much thought do you put into both your aesthetic and your internet presence?
I love doing that. I love talking topeople and connecting with people. As far as the aesthetic, there are a lot of color themes and smells I associate with Hibou. I think a large part of Hibou is the visuals as well as the music. Throwbakcs to how I see my childhood: Northwestern pastel colors. For example, the inser that’s coming out in the LP is lavender scented. I emailed the execs if they could do this as a joke and they said, “Yes, of course. Is there anything else we can do?” That took me by surprise, but it was cool to add that touch.
Do you feel like you’ve changed your sound over the last year?
That question would be easier to answer in hindsight. I don’t see it now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if what I’ve been listening to in the last couple of months appear on the record and I’m able to say, “Oh, that’s what I was doing!”
Before Hibou, you were a drummer, but now your playing the guitar and singing. How has that experience impacted your songwriting?
I write the drum tracks but I can’t do it live; I can’t give it that particular touch. I used to struggle playing the drums in Craft Spells. The beats were very particular, not a lot of room for improvisation. That’s why I felt like breaking away in the beginning. I wanted a little more room to breathe. I feel like the drums, while they still have a very 80s sound, are very different live. Jay [Hibou’s drummer] just gets to wreak havoc on them live, which is what I always wanted.
Speaking of the 80s, you’ve said before that your influences are bands like The Field Mice, who are hard to come across now. You only really find them as cassettes in people’s homes. Is that what you grew up listening to?
I grew up with my dad listening to The Smiths and Galaxy 500. That’s just what is imbedded in my head now. I couldn’t steer away if I tried. Jangly guitars, man.
Many groups now are capitalizing on multimedia and their presentation across digital platforms. Is there anything you’d like to do?
That’s something I wish I could get into and think about more, but I don’t have a solid answer now. We toured with Yelle, and her show was entirely based on lights. She’d get there 8 hours early. I wish I could do that.
You’ve put a lot of emphasis on your live sound. How does the recorded album differ?
The album has an electronic drive, electronic drums. Live, there’s no processing. It’s hard to be a reverbed-out band, production-wise, and then to go to a live show. One of my favorite things about Hibou is how I can write a song and record it exactly as I would want people to listen to it with headphones, and then I could take it to a stage and have it be a new song, a new version. People can still hear it and sing along, but it’s a different creation.
How do you feel about comparisons to surf-rock?
I’ve never surfed. I’ve never been around people who surf. It’s that summertime association. Anything that sounds sunny gets blended into surf rock.
Tags: featured, Hibou, Interview, Interviews, Pop
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Jude Law is rumoured to be joining the Captain Marvel movie. Bang ShowBiz
Unexpected star in new Captain Marvel
by James Weir
JUDE Law is in negotiations to play the male lead opposite Brie Larson in Marvel's Captain Marvel, sources tell Variety.
Ben Mendelsohn is on board to play the villain with Half Nelson helmers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck directing. Kevin Feige is producing.
Marvel had no comment.
Geneva Robertson-Dworet wrote the most recent script with Inside Out scribe Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman penning previous drafts, which follows character Carol Danvers, an Air Force pilot whose DNA is fused with that of an alien during an accident. The resulting alteration imbues her with the superpowers of strength, energy projection, and flight.
Law will be playing Doctor Walter Lawson, a.k.a. Mar-Vell, who becomes a mentor of sorts to Danvers as she tries to figure out her new powers.
At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Feige announced that the superhero film will be set in the '90s, before the Avengers ever thought of assembling, and Samuel L. Jackson is expected to reprise his role as Nick Fury.
This would mark the second major tentpole part Law has landed this year after getting the role of young Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. He is also still attached to star in a third Sherlock Holmes film, which Warner Bros. is currently developing.
Law just wrapped shooting Woody Allen's next movie, starring Elle Fanning, and is about to start shooting the spy thriller The Rhythm Section opposite Blake Lively.
This article first appeared on The New York Post.
brie larson marvel comics movies
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#DelilahBookClub ... "Lightning Sky" | Our June Book
posted by David Savino - Jun 11, 2019
Lightning Sky; A U.S. Fighter Pilot Captured during WWII and His Father's Quest to Find Him, by R.C. George, with a foreword by Marcus Brotherton, is my book club pick for June.
GET YOUR COPY HERE
Most of us could never imagine what it would be like to be a parent during war time and hear that your child had been taken prisoner by the enemy. We thank God for that.
But in 1944, with WWII waging, that’s exactly what Lieutenant Colonel Vaughn MacArthur, a chaplain with the 8th Armored Division of Patton’s Third Army was told regarding his son, David.
“October 6, 1944. Twenty-year-old Army Air Corps Second Lieutenant David “Mac” Warren MacArthur was on a strafing mission over Greece when a round of 88-mm German anti-aircraft flak turned his P-38 Lightning into a comet of fire and smoke. Dave parachuted to safety as the Lightning lived up to her name and struck the Adriatic Sea like a bolt of flames. In minutes, he was plucked from the water—only to find himself on the wrong end of a German rifle pointing straight at his head.”
The chaplain refused to give the safe return of his son over to the winds of fate and vowed to find him. It would (obviously) not be an easy task, as David was moved from war camp to war camp, and his dad tried desperately to keep up. The cycle of hope and heartbreak would deter even the most resilient of people, but not Chaplain MacArthur.
While I started this by saying we couldn’t image what receiving the news that the chaplain did would be like, I believe we could imagine the overwhelming joy and relief, when in May of 1945, while standing on the outside of the barbed wire fence encircling Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, Germany, he yelled David’s name into the crowd of POW’s and was rewarded by a very familiar face turning toward him…
Lightning Sky, my book club pick for this month (the month of Father’s Day and many graduations by-the-way) is an inspiring, true story of wartime, faith, family, and the incredible power of love. It’s a testament to ordinary people, who, due to circumstances they’d never imagine, find themselves involved in extraordinary acts.
Pick up a copy for yourself, for Dad, or anyone who you feel would be inspired by this tale.
You can also find out more about this incredible author, R.C. George, on the book’s web page HERE.
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Earth-730911, Television Series, CBS
The Amazing Spider-Man (TV series)
Alvin Boretz
Charles Fries,
Daniel R. Goodman
"Deadly Dust: Part 1"
(April 5, 1978) "The Chinese Web"
This page contains a list of all episodes in the television series. If you have found an episode that is not seen on this page, please add it to this list, as well as the appropriate Season's list (if applicable).
Deadly Dust: Part 1
The Curse of Rava
Night of the Clones
Escort to Danger
The Captive Tower
A Matter of State
The Con Caper
The Kirkwood Haunting
The Chinese Web
The series began with a TV movie, airing in the spring of 1977. The Amazing Spider-Man was a short-lived TV series, in the late 70's, and it starred Nicholas Hammond (previously best known for his role in The Sound of Music).
The show was a contemporary of The Incredible Hulk and Wonder Woman, which also aired on CBS. Like the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk series, TASM didn't feature any of the main character's rogues from the comics, but unlike that series, did use several of the supporting characters: J. Jonah Jameson; Robbie Robertson; Aunt May.
The series was ultimately canceled, along with Wonder Woman, due to the CBS Network's fear of becoming known as a "comic book network".
A revival move was planned in 1984, and it was supposed to revive this series, as well as The Incredible Hulk. Nicholas Hammond and Bill Bixby had the idea for a Hulk/Spider-Man cross-over move while talking on the phone, and so they got a deal with Universal. Hammond would have reprised his role as Spider-Man, who would have been sporting a black costume, and Bixby would've reprised his role as David Banner. However, Universal canceled the film, saying that Ferrigno was unavailable, as he was already filming Hercules. However, Ferrigno stated in his book, My Incredible Life as the Hulk, that he was available for the film, but no one ever contacted him. A Hulk revival movie was made in place of the Spider-Man cross-over though, and it was The Incredible Hulk Returns.
Retrieved from "https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/The_Amazing_Spider-Man_(TV_series)?oldid=4947144"
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The Last Kiss
Reviewed by Ken Hanke on September 20, 2006 September 20, 2006
Genre: Comedy Drama
Director: Tony Goldwyn
Starring: Zach Braff, Jacinda Barrett, Rachel Bilson, Blythe Danner, Tom Wilkinson
Rated: R
Someone writing in praise of this angst-driven whine-fest of a movie noted that it is not escapist fare. That may be true, but well before the halfway point in The Last Kiss, I was looking for an escape route.
Now, I liked Zach Braff’s Garden State (2004) and I liked Braff in it. It was the perfect vehicle for his quirky looks, and his deadpan performance suited the character. Here, he’s just this flat guy, Michael, excessive of nose and bereft of chin, living an ultra-privileged life that he likes to bitch and moan about with his equally privileged buddies who, in turn, kvetch about their lives. I was never sure exactly why they’re so miserable — except that they’re facing their 30s and are in a movie scripted by Paul Haggis.
The first really weighty decision of Michael’s life comes when college hottie Kim (Rachel Bilson, TV’s The O.C.) comes on to him at a wedding. So it becomes a question of should he stick with his equally attractive pregnant girlfriend, Jenna (Jacinda Barrett, Poseidon), or succumb to the blandishments of this slightly newer model. I’d advise him to run like hell from both of them, because like all the women in The Last Kiss, they’re manipulative, self-centered and verging on shrewish. (Come to think of it, that describes a lot of the women characters in Haggis-scripted movies.) In the case of Kim, the lady in question has “potential stalker” written all over her as well — something that escapes Michael and is a good barometer of his smugness, since it never occurs to him to wonder why she’s fixated on him. Despite the fact that the movie is littered with subplots, that’s really all The Last Kiss is about.
The film is based on a fairly well-reviewed 2001 Italian film, L’Ultimo Bacio, which I’ve never seen, so I’ve no idea how closely The Last Kiss adheres to its model. If it’s a close fit, then the good reviews must be a case of cultural inferiority kicking in (i.e., the foreign version has subtitles — so it has to be profound). But it wouldn’t matter if the movie was in Sami and set amongst reindeer herders in Lapland; it would still be a depressing soap opera about a lot of shallow, unlikable characters.
However, it’s hard not to believe that the shallowness of the American version has a great deal to do with Haggis’ screenplay, given his other work, especially the overrated Crash (2004). The Last Kiss works on the same premise of under-the-surface tensions that ultimately result in a lot of Haggisian yelling and screaming. As with Crash, everyone in The Last Kiss is just waiting for an opportunity to start a fight. This is apparently Haggis’ idea of drama. And it might be viable, if he had the least idea how to create and define characters, but he doesn’t.
In The Last Kiss, all we know about Michael is that he works for an architectural firm, has a pregnant girlfriend and lives in fear of turning 30. We have no idea of anything else about him or about his relationship with Jenna. The best the film offers is “cute” scenes of bedroom playfulness that feel like they’re straight out of a bad movie.
The other characters fare no better. His fellow architect buddy, Chris (Casey Affleck), is trapped in a marriage so sour that we’re left to wonder how it ever happened in the first place (the script offers no clue). His friend Kenny (Eric Christian Olsen, Beerfest) is so cool that he lives in a disused shoe store and sleeps with a different woman every 20 minutes or so — and that’s all the characterization he gets. The final friend, Izzy (Michael Weston, Garden State), is bemoaning a failed marriage and an unsuccessful career in the cheese industry (after all, the movie’s set in Wisconsin). That’s all we’re told about these people.
After about 20 minutes with these characters, you just walk away, and maybe tell them all to grow up. But then the film tosses in the marital woes of Jenna’s parents, who are played with dry humor by Tom Wilkinson and with Oscar-desperation overkill by Blythe Danner. They’re slightly more interesting, but they finally just clutter an already cluttered movie that constantly falls back on movie cliches to “enrich” its characters. At least twice, the film resorts to the old montage business of protagonists moping for the length of an undistinguished pop song to fill in the blanks.
It’s lazy and superficial, and lacks the distraction of an “important” theme like Crash offered (racism is bad). All those years Haggis spent churning out scripts for The Facts of Life and The Love Boat took their toll. Not only did he never meet a cliche he didn’t like, he never met one he didn’t want to have bronzed. Tony Goldwyn’s direction of all this is every bit as leaden and plodding as the job he did on his last feature, Someone Like You (2001). It fits the script like a glove. Rated R for sexuality, nudity and language.
— reviewed by Ken Hanke
1.0 K views
About Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."
View all posts by Ken Hanke →
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MUSIC & MEMORY® Enhances Quality of Life for Barnabas Health Hospice Patients and Their Families
Hospice care takes many forms—medical care, pain management, support therapies, compassionate attention to emotional and spiritual needs—in a variety of settings, from home to residential hospices, from nursing homes to hospitals. But there is one quality that all hospices share: a commitment to ensuring quality of life for the patient and support for his or her loved ones, as well.
Beloved music can play a significant role in that mix. That’s the experience of Barnabas Health Hospice in West Orange, New Jersey, which has been offering Music & Memory’s personalized music program for the past three-and-a-half years.
One of the first hospices to become a MUSIC & MEMORY® Certified Care Organization, with original grant funding from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, Barnabas Health Hospice now extends its personalized music program to include two satellite offices in the southern part of the state. About 300 people, both in home hospice and in nursing home settings, have been able to enjoy their favorite music, easing their end-of-life journeys.
“He Died with His Headphones On”
Mary Murray, a registered nurse and former clinical educator for Barnabas Health Hospice, was instrumental in setting up and running the program until this past December. She recalls one of the first patients to experience Music & Memory, a man living in a nursing home whose dementia was beginning to limit his ability to communicate.
“He had a very loving wife who visited daily, but he was quite withdrawn,” recalls Murray. “His wife felt he wasn’t able to feel any happiness. We introduced the program to her and asked what kind of music he liked. It turns out he loved Italian opera, but she hated it and had thrown out all of his CDs. So I went back to iTunes and did some research, found Italian opera’s top hits. We loaded them onto an iPod and put the headphones on him.”
The reaction wasn’t what she expected. “Tears started running down his face,” says Murray. “We thought we’d done something terrible! But his wife said, no, that was always his reaction. He was really moved. Listening to the music became something they could do together. She felt that she was able to give him some joy. He died with his headphones on.”
Tapping Happy Memories that Balance Loss
That experience is but one of many stories gathered over the years by Barnabas Health Hospice staff. The positive benefits for patients have been matched by the boost that Music & Memory has given to families, as well.
“One thing we really didn’t expect was the effect it had on families,” says Murray. “We asked them to tell us what music is important to your mom, what did she listen to when cooking dinner, or what was your parents’ wedding song or favorite church music. It brought the family back to a time when their loved one’s life wasn’t all about hospice and dying—really happy family memories.”
Pioneering the program in a hospice setting brought challenges, especially since Barnabas Health Hospice serves patients both at home and in nursing homes. A volunteer coordinator was hired to manage the program, with hospice volunteers creating playlists and delivering the iPods to patients.
A Key Role for Hospice Volunteers
“We have about 150 iPods out at the moment,” says Volunteer Coordinator Leigh Conforti, who manages more than 140 volunteers. Requests for the iPods can come from a variety of sources—social workers, nurse managers or the volunteers themselves. Typically, the volunteers do the detective work of learning about the individual’s favorite music and create the playlists. They also deliver the equipment—an iPod, headphones, playlist and instructions—in a special bag sewn by another volunteer, and help the patient and family learn how to use the music.
Not only is the program enthusiastically embraced by Barnabas Health Hospice volunteers; Conforti says it also is “the perfect way for volunteers to get in patient hours.” Medicare requires that five percent of hospice volunteer time be dedicated to working directly with patients.
Murray says that Barnabas Health Hospice made a conscious decision to expand the program to all hospice patients, not just those diagnosed with dementia. They provide a stamped return envelope with the iPod, so that it can be re-used when no longer needed. In addition, upon a patient’s death, the Volunteer Coordinator will make a condolence call and sensitively worded request to return the equipment so that it can be refreshed for another patient.
Relieving Pain in the Broadest Sense
“We made the program open to any patients, regardless of where they live,” says Murray. “We left the equipment at bedside. We lost a few iPods along the way, but not many. It was more important to make the iPod accessible and likely to be used.”
In 2016, Barnabas Health Hospice became part of a joint venture, through a partnership with the VNA Health Group, Inc. and RWJ Barnabas Health, that employs music therapists for the benefit of patients. Murray notes that the Music & Memory personalized music program provides another way for the joint venture to share the pleasures of music with more hospice patients and families.
“Personalized music has relieved people’s pain, helped them to feel better and more comfortable,” she says. “In the hospice realm, when we think of pain, we think of it in broad terms. A person may have physical pain from a wound, or pain from cardiac angina, but there’s always more. There’s spiritual pain—questions like why is God doing this to me—or the personal pain of feeling you’ve lost everything. There is much sadness in this work. Music & Memory is a service that is uplifting and happy and joyful for everyone involved.”
Image Credit: Frank McKenna
Filed Under: Alzheimer's and Dementia, Music and Recreational Therapy Tagged With: Alzheimer's, Barnabas Health, dementia, Hospice, music therapy
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Home › News & Gossip
Ladies and Gentlemen…Mariah Carey’s Botched “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” Performance
Written By: D.L. Hughley
First, let’s just say this: live musical performances are not easy to pull off, especially those conducted outdoors in freezing conditions in front of thousands of people, in addition to millions more on television. That said, Mariah Carey’s performance tonight on ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve was one of worst live performances we’ve ever seen, and it was absolutely mesmerizing. It was an utter trainwreck that was virtually impossible to look away from, much like 2016, making it kind of a perfect way to send the year off into the dustbin of history.
Things seemed to start off okay, with Carey performing Auld Lang Syne, the folk song traditionally used to say goodbye to one year and welcome a new one. Carey then transitioned to perform two of her own songs — Emotions and We Belong Together — and that’s where everything started going downhill very fast. Among other things, Mariah expressed open annoyance with the dancers on stage with her, seemed to forget the words to her own songs, gave the stink eye to any number of people, and asked the crowd to sing in place of her. She concluded her performance by saying, “It just don’t get any better,” before turning and walking off the stage in an apparent mix of disgust and humiliation.
Mariah was the top trending subject on social media in no time flat, as you might expect.
Mariah Carey just puttin' a perfect bow on 2016. That shit was performance art and whatnot.
— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) January 1, 2017
There was a ball this NYE and it was dropped by Mariah Carey
— Olivia Caridi (@OliviaCaridi) January 1, 2017
Mariah Carey's disgusted sign off is a perfect goodbye to 2016 https://t.co/Ig35rXICTk
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) January 1, 2017
READ MORE: Uproxx.com
Article Courtesy of Uproxx
Picture Courtesy of Bennett Raglin and Getty Images
First Video Courtesy of ABC, Dick Clark Productions, and Uproxx
First and Second Tweet Courtesy of Twitter and Uproxx
Third Tweet and Second Video Courtesy of ABC, Dick Clark Productions, Twitter, and Uproxx
Third Video Courtesy of ABC, Dick Clark Productions, and YouTube
Maxwell & Mary J. Blige Perform King & Queen of Hearts Tour [Photos]
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Ladies and Gentlemen…Mariah Carey’s Botched “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” Performance was originally published on wzakcleveland.com
#2017WithMariah , abc , Botched , Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve , Lip Sync , mariah carey , performance
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$1.4 Million Solid Gold Darth Vader Mask Marks a 40-Year ‘Star Wars’ Milestone
May 9, 2017 hsc1960Leave a comment
Tokyo-based luxury jeweler Ginza Tanaka just unveiled a 33-pound, solid gold Darth Vader mask to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of the original Star Wars movie.
Carrying a retail price of $1.4 million, the 24-karat gold mask has so many components that it took a crew of 10 goldsmiths three months to perfect the prototype. That piece is now on display at the jeweler’s flagship store in the heart of Tokyo’s upscale Ginza shopping district.
“The most difficult aspect was that each section of the mask was created by a different gold craftsman and then assembled to make one Darth Vader mask,” Hirotsugu Tsuchiyaa, Marketing Manager for Ginza Tanaka, told the Associated Press.
The dazzling life-size replica was offered for sale on Star Wars Day, traditionally the 4th of May. Star Wars fans mark that day because “May the fourth” is a clever pun of the film’s iconic line, “May the force be with you.”
The original Star Wars hit theaters on May 25, 1977. That movie spawned a franchise of seven subsequent films, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which will be released later this year.
Interestingly, the Darth Vader “mask” created by Ginza Tanaka is not a mask at all because it can’t be worn. At 33 pounds, it’s too heavy to be a mask and, secondly, there’s no place to put one’s face. The golden replica of the original black Darth Vader helmet measures 11.8 inches tall and 10.4 inches wide. The precious metal alone is worth $650,000.
Ginza Tanaka noted that the gilded Darth Vader helmets have a three-month delivery time.
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com/NipponNewsNet.
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1. What is whistleblowing?
1.1. Protection of whistleblowers
1.2. Public interest and whistleblowing
2. Who's protected?
2.1. Who is a worker?
2.2. What is a qualifying disclosure?
2.3. What is a protected disclosure?
3. What to do next
4. If you're sacked for whistleblowing
What is whistleblowing?
Whistleblowing refers to workers passing on information about malpractice or misdeeds, which they have received in their jobs, to their employer or some kind of regulatory authority.
As an employee, you're protected under the law if you reveal to those in positions of authority – 'blow the whistle on'- suspected malpractice at work. If you're self employed, for instance as an independent consultant, you may not be protected depending on your relationship with whomever or whatever you're reporting on. Find out about the types of disclosure you can make, who to make them to and what to do if you suffer for whistleblowing.
Public interest and whistleblowing
The law that protects whistleblowers is ultimately based on considerations of public interest, rather than concern for the whistleblower – people can speak out if they find malpractice in an organisation knowing they're protected from losing their job and/or being victimised. This protection encourages them to report where they might have hesitated in the interests of self preservation. Whistleblowing is more formally known as 'making a disclosure in the public interest'.
Who's protected?
You're protected from victimisation as a whistleblower if you meet all of the following:
You're a 'worker'
You're revealing information of the right type (a 'qualifying disclosure')
You reveal it to the right person, and in the right way (making it a 'protected disclosure')
Who is a worker?
'Worker' has a special wide meaning for these protections. As well as employees, it includes the self-employed, agency workers and people who aren't employed but are in training with employers.
What is a qualifying disclosure?
To be protected, you need to reasonably believe that malpractice or 'relevant failure' in the workplace is happening, has happened or will happen. You also need to make your disclosure in the right way.
The types of malpractice the law covers are:
Failure to comply with a legal obligation
Miscarriages of justice
Threats to people's health and safety
Damage to the environment
The law also covers a deliberate attempt to cover up any of these.
You may not be protected if you break another law when whistleblowing – for example, if you've signed the Official Secrets Act as part of your employment contract.
What is a protected disclosure?
For your disclosure to be protected by the law, you must make it to the right person and in the right way.
If you make a qualifying disclosure in good faith to your employer, or through procedures which your employer has authorised, the law protects you. You can also complain to the person who's responsible for the area you're concerned about. For example, you might raise concerns about health and safety with a health and safety representative.
You can also make a disclosure to the official organisation or individual responsible for the issue you are concerned about. For example, if you are worried that your employer is not paying your income tax properly, you would tell HM Revenue and Customs. There is an official 'list of prescribed persons' that sets out who you must go to and for what matters.
In order for a disclosure to a 'prescribed person' to be protected, you must fulfil the following requirements. You must:
Make the disclosure in good faith
Reasonably believe that the information is substantially true
Reasonably believe you are making the disclosure to the right 'prescribed person'
You can also make disclosures to others, in certain circumstances. You can make your disclosure:
To your legal adviser
To a government minister, if you're a public sector employee
More generally (e.g. to a professional standards body or, in extreme circumstances, the media)
However, there are different sets of rules as to when each of these disclosures will be protected. For example, the rules covering disclosures 'more generally' are extremely strict (among other things, you must not be acting for personal gain).
If you are unsure, you should always get professional advice before going ahead (note that anything you say to a legal adviser in order to get advice is automatically protected).
If you want to complain about malpractice at work, you should follow any procedure set down by your employer (this will often be your employer's grievance procedure). If you belong to a trade union, you can get advice from your representative. If you're complaining about a health and safety issue, you can speak to your safety representative if you have one.
If you're sacked for whistleblowing
If you're sacked for complaining about malpractice at work, you can make a claim for unfair dismissal if you're an employee. You do not need to have the normal one year's service to do this.
If you're not an employee, but are covered by the whistleblowing protections and have a contract that's terminated for whistleblowing, you can take your case to an Industrial Tribunal and claim that you have suffered 'detrimental treatment'.
If you're covered by the whistleblowing protections and you've been victimised (e.g. demoted, been denied training opportunities or promotion) for whistleblowing you can take your case to an Industrial Tribunal, claiming that you have suffered 'detrimental treatment'.
Note that industrial tribunals now have the power to send details of whistleblowing claims directly to a prescribed regulator where the claim (or part of it) has been accepted by the tribunal, you have consented to this and the tribunal considers that it is appropriate to do so.
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Tennis 16:22, 12-Jul-2019
Wimbledon set for clash of the titans
Updated 17:20, 12-Jul-2019
Suvam Pal
The mother of all tennis rivalries will once again make a comeback on the hallowed grass of Wimbledon. Two of the most successful men's tennis players ever will lock horns with each other in a much-anticipated semifinal on the Center Court on Friday.
Roger Federer is gunning for his ninth title at the All England Club and seeking to extend his all-time record of 21 Grand Slam singles, while Rafael Nadal is eying his third piece of silverware at SW19 to add to his own overall Grand Slam tally of 18.
The big ticket clash between the two titans is more than a duel or a gladiatorial combat per se. A Federer versus Nadal match can be best viewed as a duet than a duel. If a sublime Federer is poetry in motion, a resilient Nadal is always like powerful prose intertwined with staccato bursts. It's a spectacular visual treat for any tennis connoisseur and unbridling delight for a diehard fan who often forgets to take sides. It's often a one-of-its-kind rivalry where a tennis aficionado returns home with the mesmerizing tennis memories irrespective of who wins or loses. A face-off between the two is not just a match but a grand performance and an opulent opera, where the two continuously and effortlessly shuffle between the roles of playing a tenor and a bass.
Their latest clash for the crown has rekindled the memory of one of the epic battles in the history of world tennis. Eleven years ago, a much younger Federer was outlasted by a gung-ho Nadal in a marathon clash that ended 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7 as the clock ticked past 9 p.m. on Center Court.
Over a decade has passed since then, but the duo continued to remain active in the fantasy of their fans worldwide, even though age seems to have caught up a bit with them without reducing their appetite for more wins or lessening their hunger for more titles. Now they have an incredible 38 Grand Slam titles between them and more than 100 million U.S. dollars in prize money each. But they continued to remain the biggest and the most famous performers with the racquet.
Since their first-ever face-off at the 2004 Miami Masters, the duo have played each other 39 times. Nadal, who won that maiden clash in the round of 32 tie in Miami, is leading the head-to-head numbers with 24 wins to Federer's 15. Their Grand Slam record is also in Nadal's favor with 10 wins whereas Federer has beaten his arch-rival only thrice in the past. However, the serve and volley game on grass helped Federer go one up at Wimbledon with the eight-time champion winning twice at the All England Club with Nadal's sole win coming in that historic 2008 match.
The undisputed king of clay, Nadal may not have bagged more than two titles at the year's third and the most prestigious major but he did break Federer's long and unbroken-winning streak to deny him a 6th successive Wimbledon title in 2008. The Spaniard added another in 2010 after his Swiss rival regained the silverware in 2009.
Since edging past Federer to win his record 12th title at Roland Garros last month, the 33-year-old defending French Open champion is well poised to turn the clock against his struggling 37-year-old rival with the stage set for yet another tantalizing tennis spectacle.
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3:23 PM | July 17, 2019 Prince Harry offers assistance in development of Pakistani youth
Multipolarity and Pakistan
Javid Husain
President Trump’s decisions announced last month to withdraw American troops from Syria and Afghanistan were a stark reminder of the global strategic reality that the days of the US unipolarity, when the US could virtually dictate to the rest of the world, were over and the world was rapidly moving towards multipolarity in which there would be several centers of power vying for influence at the global level. Despite some uncertainty about the number and the time table of the US troops to be withdrawn from Syria and Afghanistan, there is no denying the fact that the US, because of the rise of new centers of power, has failed to have its way in these two countries.
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In the case of Syria, the US was effectively checkmated by Russia and Iran. While the US achieved significant success in defeating ISIS, it failed to bring about the overthrow of the government of Bashar al-Assad which, with help from Russia and Iran, appears instead to have gained the upper hand in the fight against the insurgents in Syria. The withdrawal of the American troops, numbering about 2000, from Syria over time will further brighten the chances of the consolidation of the power of the Bashar al- Assad regime. It wouldn’t be surprising, therefore, if Syria in due course is accepted back into the fold of the Arab League. The obvious lesson for countries like Pakistan is to refrain from interfering in intra-Arab disputes so as not to be caught on the wrong foot when the Arab countries reconcile with one another.
In the case of Afghanistan, it was initially announced by the Trump administration that about half of the American troops, that is about 7000 US soldiers, would be withdrawn in the coming months. Later reports indicated some rethinking about the number of the troops to be withdrawn and the time table for their withdrawal. The decision regarding the withdrawal of troops, which came as a surprise to the Kabul authorities, was perhaps an initial response to the demand by the Afghan Taliban for the withdrawal of the American troops from Afghanistan. It also reflects the reality that the war in Afghanistan no longer enjoys widespread support among the American people or in the US Congress.
The Trump administration’s focus henceforth would be on encouraging a peace settlement among the warring parties in Afghanistan so as to provide it with a graceful exit from the country. The US may vary the number and the time table of the withdrawal of its troops to avoid anarchy and increased bloodshed in Afghanistan, maintain gentle pressure on the Afghan Taliban so as to persuade them to enter into peace talks with the Kabul government, and avoid a power vacuum to prevent the re-emergence of terrorist outfits in Afghanistan. It would be in the interest of Pakistan, Afghanistan and regional peace and stability to encourage the US to continue moving on these lines in an integrated and a well-calculated manner. Our policy makers also need to take note that as an important consequence of the growing multipolarity in international politics, regional countries, especially Pakistan and Iran, and major powers besides the US such as China and Russia will have an increasingly important role to play in facilitating the peace process in Afghanistan.
The most dynamic factor driving the trend towards multipolarity is the dramatic rise of China over the past four decades. The Chinese economy is already the biggest in the world in purchasing power parity terms and will become so even in nominal dollar terms by 2030. Its military power may catch up with that of the US by 2050. It is inevitable; therefore, that China will play an increasingly important role in the global and regional political and economic affairs in the years to come. A re-assertive Russia seeking its own legitimate place in international politics is another potent force behind the trend towards multipolarity. Other major economic powers like the EU, Japan, Brazil, India, South Korea, Nigeria, Indonesia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia will further hasten this process.
READ MORE: CTD arrests JuD chief Hafiz Saeed
Multipolarity will entail several important consequences. The global center of gravity is likely to shift to the Asia-Pacific region in the coming years because of the increasing economic, military and political weight of this region in the world politics. Besides the growing US-China rivalry, the world would witness increasing competition between China and India for power and influence in Asia, especially in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. These developments will inevitably lead to important policy adjustments and shifts in alliances on the part of countries in different regions. Pakistan needs to take note of these developments for safeguarding its security and promoting its economic growth and development.
From Pakistan’s point of view, the most important development is the rapidly growing Indo-US strategic partnership as part of the US policy of containment of China. In the face of these developments, there is an obvious convergence of the strategic interests of Pakistan and China which should lead to increased political, security, economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which will bring the much needed Chinese investment amounting to more than $60 billion into Pakistan from 2015-2030 besides deepening Pakistan-China strategic partnership, is an offshoot of the rapidly growing cooperation between these two countries in various fields. Fortunately, the governments of Pakistan and China are fully cognizant of the importance of the Pakistan-China strategic partnership for both the countries as reflected by Prime Minister Imran Khan’s official visit to China in November last year. All the more reason that our ministers and advisers should avoid making disparaging remarks about CPEC in their official or public statements.
Multipolarity will also offer new policy options and opportunities to Pakistan’s policy makers in the face of the challenges of the 21st century. Building up bridges of understanding and close cooperation with Russia is one of them. It is, however, our relations with Iran which need especial focus and attention because of their close link to Pakistan’s security and economic well-being. Therefore, we should avoid taking sides in the disputes between Iran, on one side, and Saudi Arabia and UAE, on the other. Instead, our emphasis should be on promoting understanding and reconciliation between the two sides since our vital national interests are engaged with both sides. We should also nurture our friendship with Turkey with which Pakistan historically has enjoyed very close relations and cooperation. Central Asian Republics should be the other area for the development of close relations by us. While taking advantage of new strategic opportunities, we should not neglect the maintenance of friendly relations and cooperation with the US, which will remain the most powerful country in the world for a long time to come, and the European countries which constitute an important center of economic power in the emerging multipolar world.
Above all, based on an accurate comprehension of the emerging global scenario, Pakistan’s policy makers should have a vision of Pakistan’s place in the world of the 21st century and a well-considered strategy to realize this vision. Unfortunately, our leaders and senior officials have neither a vision nor a strategy for this purpose. Just to give an example, the most important determining factor for Pakistan’s future place in the international community would be its economic strength and scientific and technological advancement. Tragically, it is precisely in these areas that Pakistan is lagging far behind most of the rest of the world.
READ MORE: ICJ verdict in Kulbhushan case moral victory for Pakistan: Qureshi
The writer is an author, a retired ambassador and the president of the Lahore Council for World Affairs.
javid.husain@gmail.com
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Kipnis homers twice, Indians hammer Orioles 14-7
Cleveland Indians' Jason Kipnis runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dan Straily in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Cleveland.Tony Dejak / AP
Tom Withers
PMN Baseball
CLEVELAND — Jason Kipnis got his first four RBIs on two homers, and two more on a strange play.
“I’ll take it, though,” Kipnis said, smiling.
Maybe the Indians have finally found their groove.
Kipnis homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs as Cleveland showed more signs of busting out at the plate by hammering the Baltimore Orioles 14-7 in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night.
Kipnis hit a solo shot in the first inning, a three-run homer in the fourth off reliever Gabriel Ynoa (0-1) and was credited with two RBIs on an unusual fielder’s choice in a five-run seventh when his grounder never left the infield.
Following a pregame meeting called by manager Terry Francona, the Indians were down 5-1 before rallying, falling behind and then taking the lead for good on Carlos Santana’s hard-smash RBI single in the sixth.
The Indians, who have struggled to score, broke it open with a five-run seventh.
“I thought we played with some personality tonight,” Francona said. “We got down early and instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, they kept fighting and good things happened. We ran the bases really well. We were aggressive.”
Trey Mancini hit a three-run homer and Rio Ruiz had a two-run drive for Baltimore, which has lost seven of eight. The Orioles dropped three games in 24 hours after being swept in a doubleheader by the Yankees on Wednesday.
“We let them hang around and kind of lost control of the game as it went on,” Mancini said. “Not one of our better games overall. Probably one of our worst.”
A.J. Cole (1-1) replaced starter Trevor Bauer in the sixth and picked up his first win for the Indians, whose bats have finally awakened the past two games. They followed up a 9-0 win at Chicago on Tuesday with their most hits and runs in 2019 to successfully open an 11-game homestand.
“We knew we weren’t going to play that way that we did at the beginning of the season the whole time,” said Kipnis, who began the season on the injured list with a calf strain. “Things are about to turn. Numbers always average out a little bit. But we knew that we can’t wait for them to come. You’ve got to kind of play the game hard and the right way.
“We had a nice little meeting today that kind of refocused us from Tito (Francona) and he just said, ‘Hey, you might not be able to control always the results, but let’s control our hustle. Let’s control doing the little things,’ and I thought it paid dividends real fast for us today.”
Cleveland tacked on five in the seventh, with Kipnis’ high-hopper to second scoring two when the Orioles failed to record an out on what could have been an inning-ending double play.
Second baseman Hanser Alberto fielded Kipnis’ ball, but he didn’t tag Francisco Lindor and then threw too late to first to get Kipnis.
The indecision summed up Baltimore’s night.
“It was a couple of odd plays,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “They had some breaks and we didn’t. That made it an unreachable game.”
BAUER DOWN
Bauer has given up at least seven runs in two of his past three outings. He’s got a 6.17 ERA in home starts, and 2.40 on the road.
“I’ve got to be better,” he said. “My teammates, the organization, the fans depend on me to go out there and be better than I am right now, and I need to live up those expectations.”
On a positive note, Bauer notched his 1,000th career strikeout.
NO RELIEF
The Orioles’ bullpen has allowed a major league-leading 121 runs.
After starter Dan Straily was chased, Baltimore’s relievers gave up 10 runs, eight hits and six walks in 4 2/3 innings.
“You can’t win in this league unless you’re putting up zeros out of your ‘pen,” Hyde said. “We have to do a better job of pitching overall. It wasn’t our night on the mound.”
Orioles: LHP Richard Bleier (shoulder tendinitis) was activated from the 10-day injured list and appeared in the seventh. He had 14.54 ERA before being placed on the IL on April 11.
Indians: An MRI revealed more than a left calf strain for OF Tyler Naquin, who can’t do baseball activities for two weeks. Naquin, placed on the injured list Tuesday, has some swelling behind his knee. “He’s a tough kid who was probably playing through something he shouldn’t have,” Francona said. … RHP Danny Salazar has resumed throwing side sessions in Arizona after receiving a cortisone shot in his shoulder.
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (1-5, 5.31 ERA) has allowed 11 home runs this season after giving up an AL-high 41 in 2018.
Indians: RHP Jefry Rodriguez (1-2, 2.92 ERA) will try to make it two straight wins after getting his first with Cleveland last week in Baltimore. Rodriguez made his first career start against the Orioles in 2018 for Washington.
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP–Sports
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Activist hits back at ‘prime groomer’
Hazel Brown, Coordinator of the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women
Head of the Network of Non-Governmental Organisations for the Advancement of Women Hazel Brown, yesterday, described as “offensive and demeaning,” Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s comparison of a golf course to a woman.
Adding her voice to a growing chorus of condemnation at the comparison, Brown insisted the Prime Minister’s comment must not be taken as a mis-speak.
“He really does mean that,” she said in a statement. “That is his true vision of the worth and capacity of women, ‘Mout open tory jump out.’”
Brown said Rowley also probably thinks the comparison is a clear image.
“We may ask what number iron was that.”
In his contribution to the budget debate in the Parliament on Thursday, Rowley, while defending a $3 million allocation for the Chaguaramas Golf Course, told members that a golf course was like a woman.
“You have to groom her every day otherwise it turns into a pasture,” he had said.
The comparison has drawn an incensed response from the Opposition United National Congress, women’s groups and social media users.
Brown said she had taken the trouble to google “golf course grooming.” The outspoken activist found that while a golf course needed grooming, it cannot do it for itself.
“That is where Rowley comes in as prime groomer,” Brown said.
“To mow properly, he has to check the equipment and make sure it is in good working order, hence the check-ups.
“He needs to mow frequently and also to top dress it regularly. No two greens are alike or need the same amount of grooming. After you reach the level of playing quality you desire, you do not need to groom as often.”
Brown said Rowley needed to be taught a thing or two about women as autonomous beings.
“It is a shame that the Prime Minister has such a poor and depraved view of women. But what are we, women of Trinidad and Tobago, as a thinking, empowered collective, going to do about it?” she asked.
Brown said an apology from the Prime Minister would not do any good, “Because that is who he truly is. “The irony is that important matters of policy related to women and girls in Trinidad and Tobago, who they are, and what they can do, come under his direct power and control.
“Just when you think the language and disrespect could not get worse, it does.”
The Prime Minister has yet to speak publicly about the criticism.
Reply to "Activist hits back at ‘prime groomer’"
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Connecticut Student-athlete is 2015 NFHS Spirit of Sport Winner
By NFHS on March 06, 2015 awards
Grace Cummings (left) and her sister, Meghan (right)
Grace Cummings, a student-athlete at Madison (Connecticut) Daniel Hand High School, has been selected the 2015 national recipient of the “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
The “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics.
Described as being fearless, tenacious, self-sufficient and self-motivated, Cummings is a highly accomplished three-sport student-athlete who plays field hockey in the fall, ice hockey in the winter, and tennis in the spring.
On the performing arts side, Cummings has been a member of the percussion section in both the school’s marching band and concert band, and she has also been a member of the flag squad.
Cummings has been equally exemplary in the classroom, where as a high honor student she has maintained a glittering 3.98 grade-point average while taking all honor or advanced-placement college-level classes.
While those accomplishments are amazing in and of themselves, they are made even more remarkable by the fact that since a very young age Cummings has been challenged by serious health issues related to her liver.
At birth in 1997, Cummings had a choledochal cyst in the biliary tract of her liver, and just days later, she had extensive surgery to remove it. She was healthy until age two, when she developed her first episode of cholangitis – a bacterial infection in her liver that required her to be hospitalized two weeks on antibiotics.
Cummings had additional episodes in 2010 and 2011 that also required hospitalization on antibiotics. She had to have a PICC line inserted, which remained for many months. Cummings subsequently was diagnosed with Sclerosing Cholangitis, showed evidence of portal hypertension and cirrhosis – all of which put her on a list for a liver transplant in May 2012.
With that list being ranked by the MELD (Model End State Liver Disease) scores, Cummings had a low score and her diagnosis did not mesh well with the scoring system. The doctors told her family that Cummings needed a transplant as soon as possible.
Unable to locate a cadaver liver, with the assistance of the Yale Transplant Team, the Cummings family sought a live donor. Within three months, they located such a donor – a young man who was about to become a father. The donor had to first undergo a battery of tests and the transplant took place August 14, 2012.
Although that prevented Cummings from attending school and from athletic competition for six months, she maintained both her sterling athletic and academic regimens and has now returned to full capacity.
After being cleared to return to physical activities, Cummings again played her three sports, where she additionally served as captain of both the ice hockey and tennis teams.
On the academic side, she received national commendation for her high scores on the PSATs, and did extremely well on her SAT test, where she scored a perfect 800 in math and in the 700s for reading and writing.
Grace and her parents, George and Colleen Cummings
In addition, Cummings will graduate on time and at the top of her class. With a particular interest in the areas of science and math, she intends to pursue those academic disciplines in college with a possible major in engineering.
Among her recognitions, Cummings received the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Michael H. Savage Spirit of Sport Award, the Sons of the American Revolution Good Citizenship Award, and the Daniel Hand High School tennis team sportsmanship award.
In an effort to give back to others similarly afflicted and to thank those who helped nurse her back to health, Cummings has been a highly active advocate in the fight against liver disease. Among her efforts, she has been a walk ambassador and team captain for the American Liver Foundation’s (ALF) “Liver Life Walk,” for which she helped raise more than $40,000 for liver research and cures. She also received the “Quarter Century Salute “ from the ALF, and her walk team received the “Top Teen Team” from the foundation in 2009.
Although never one to complain – and while her new liver is exceptional - Cummings must remain vigilant in staying healthy and will be taking many medications for anti-rejection for the rest of her life.
In addition to the selection of Grace Cummings as the national award recipient, the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee chose eight individuals for section awards. Following are the 2015 National High School Spirit of Sport section winners:
Section 1 – Grace Cummings, student-athlete, Madison (Connecticut) Daniel Hand High School
Section 2 – Willie Burton, student-athlete, Louisville (Kentucky) Fairdale High School
Section 3 – Kayla Montgomery, former student-athlete, Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Mount Tabor High School
Section 4 – Luke Vervynckt, student-athlete, Plymouth (Indiana) High School
Section 5 – Rachel Woell, former varsity football team student manager, and the Fridley (Minnesota) Totino-Grace High School football team
Section 6 – Josh Derrough-Harvey, student-athlete, and the Dallas (Texas) Adamson High School football team
Section 7 – Jonathan Stern, student-athlete, Scottsdale (Arizona) Desert Mountain High School
Section 8 – Hunter Gopp, student-athlete, Fruitland (Idaho) High School
Nominations for this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members. While the national winner will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, the section winners will be recognized within their respective states and will receive awards before the end of the current school year.
The National High School Spirit of Sport Award was started in 2008. Including this year, eight individuals and three teams have been chosen national award recipients.
The previous award recipients follow:
2008 – Tammy Dufford, cheerleading coach, Evergreen (Colorado) High School, and Megan Bomgaars, cheerleader, Evergreen (Colorado) High School
2009 – Dakota Dana, student-athlete, Afton (Wyoming) Star Valley High School
2010 – Tori Clark, student-athlete, Roselle (Illinois) Lake Park High School
2011 – New Kensington (Pennsylvania) Valley High School Softball Team and Umpire Bill Dithrich
2012 – Jacob Goldberg, student-athlete, Fort Lauderdale (Florida) Pine Crest High School
2013 – Magoffin County High School, Salyersville, Kentucky, and Logan County High School, Russellville, Kentucky
2014 – Zach Pickett, student-athlete, Shingle Springs (California) Ponderosa High School
Field Hockey Goalkeeping Course Added to NFHS Learning Center
Consistency and Clarity Focus of Changes in High School Ice Hockey Ru.
National Coach Certification Honor Roll - 4/22/2019-5/5/2019
Terry Schwartzkopf: National Boys Tennis Coach of the Year (2017-18)
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Ask not ‘What’s in it for me?’
Tzav | Leviticus 6:1-8:36
By Rabbi Joyce Newmark April 6, 2017, 12:00 am 0 Edit
In last week’s parsha, Vayikra, we read about the types of korbanot, sacrifices. The people are told about the occasions and manner of offering the different sacrifices. In Tzav, the list of korbanot is repeated in the form of a priests’ manual telling the kohanim how they were to perform their tasks.
At the very beginning, the language catches the attention of the commentators. The parsha begins, “And God spoke to Moses, saying: Command [tzav] Aaron…” The word “tzav” is unusual. In most cases Moses is told, “dabeir” (speak) or “emor” (say). So why here is he told to “command” Aaron about the korbanot?
Rashi says it indicates encouragement or urging one on. But again, why should Aaron require special encouragement to perform the role for which he had been chosen? Rashi also quotes the Sifra, an early rabbinic commentary on Leviticus: “Rabbi Shimon said, ‘Even more so must the Torah encourage in a case where there are out-of-pocket expenses.’”
So how does offering korbanot cause Aaron to incur expenses? There are several explanations. The Maharal (Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, 1525-1609, Prague) suggests that in order to perform the sacrificial service, the kohanim would have to give up their regular means of earning a livelihood (i.e., they could not also be farmers or merchants). This was particularly an issue in connection with the olah, the wholly burnt offering, to which the verse refers, because the kohanim would not receive a portion of the meat. The kohen did receive the hide, but this would not make up for the forgone income.
Ramban (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, 1194-1270, Spain) connects the financial loss with the requirement that every kohen had to bring a grain offering on the first day of his service rotation and that the kohen gadol (the high priest, Aaron) had to bring such an offering every day.
But whatever the specific reason for Rabbi Shimon’s comment, the rabbis seem to have thought that Aaron might be reluctant to perform his tasks when he added up the out-of-pocket expenses and so would need specific and emphatic encouragement.
I suppose it’s a good thing to know that people measuring the world in terms of “What’s in it for me?” is not just a modern phenomenon. But the fact that looking out for number one is apparently part of human nature doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good thing.
Here’s a letter that appeared in Ann Landers’s advice column a number of years ago:
“I would like to respond to ‘St. Louis Wife,’ whose 52-year-old husband lost his job. My husband, ‘Ed,’ was laid off when he was 59. Although he applied and followed many job leads, nothing came of them.
“Ed started volunteering at one of the local elementary schools two mornings a week and discovered that he enjoyed working with children. Since he had a bachelor’s degree, he was able to be accredited as a substitute teacher. He then took additional classes so he could be certified full-time. Now, at the age of 70, Ed is in his fifth year as a master teacher and has tenure.
“His previous work experience as an executive has been a great asset in his current career. The staff, students, and parents all respect and like him. Most importantly, he is happier as a teacher than he was as an executive. Please tell ‘St. Louis Wife’ not to give up. Good things can happen when you least expect them.”
Sometimes, the best things find you when you’re not even looking — but, if you go around focused on “What’s in it for me?” they just might pass you by.
Touch of Torah
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Go West, Young Man
By Julissa James
One of Mitchell Johnson’s latest works, “From 1750 Taylor,” 2019; 30 × 40 inches oil/linen.
For Mitchell Johnson, a Silicon Valley garage evokes memories of artful color (not tech!).
A cold garage is to Silicon Valley what a dank basement is to Punk culture: where the mulling and magic happens. Anywhere else, a garage is just a garage — somewhere promise gathers dust. But in this corner of the world, it’s a place charged with significance of success thanks to Bill Hewlett and David Packard, Steve Jobs and countless Stanford students who dreamed big. It’s the idea that a sense of place, and possibly lack of sunlight, can influence a favorable outcome. In the late 1990s, it was this mysterious lure that led an innovator of a different variety, the artist Mitchell Johnson, from New York City to the Palo Alto garages that would propel his paintings into the Peninsula stratosphere.
“I really did start my career in these garages,” says Johnson, in a voice Tom Wolfe might describe as soft Californian, tinged with a New York and Virginia upbringing. “What I’ve done in order to get my paintings into the world and make a living from them is pretty unusual. It’s kind of like being an entrepreneur.”
As a twentysomething earning his graduate degree at Parsons School of Design in Manhattan, he began doing odd jobs for Minimalist maestros like Frank Stella and Sol LeWitt. Later, as Johnson was showing in galleries across Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Santa Fe, he grew tired of pay-to-play culture. It was LeWitt himself who advised the color-infatuated painter to look West. “He said, ‘I think California would be a good fit for you because of the way you like to paint. You could get a garage and do your work outside,’”Johnson recalls, adding, “I think he could see that this was a good idea for someone like me.”
When Sol LeWitt tells you to do something, you do it. But a job offer working in the studio of Sam Francis — another art luminary and San Mateo native who shared Johnson’s tendency toward vibrant color — was another motivating force.
In California, Johnson found a valuable niche selling his pigment-happy paintings to art-starved Silicon Valley techies.
The young artist abroad.
Inspired by the region’s DIY spirit, Johnson got creative about selling his work to his new neighbors. He advertised in The New York Times (and still does); he harnessed the newly minted powers of the Internet (today, that includes a robust Instagram, @mitchell_johnson_artist); he displayed his paintings at Palo Alto hotspots like his wife Donia Bijan’s former restaurant, L’Amie Donia.
The California chapter of his career paralleled tech’s growth in and out of the garage.
“The whole Silicon Valley thing was [bubbling] up, and I started selling all these paintings to important people,” he remembers. “Nobody in New York knew what was going on over here because they weren’t paying attention. … But I saw it start because it was impacting me — because all these different people were coming into a lot of money and buying my [work].
Of the Bay Area, Johnson says: “There’s something in the air, and when you’re in those garages, things can happen.”
Frank Stella Mitchell Johnson Sam Francis Sol LeWitt
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ON 2ND THOUGHT, REGGIE REALLY HATES THE KNICKS
By Fred Kerber
PACER NOTES
INDIANAPOLIS – Reggie Miller can’t help himself. Wave orange and blue in front of him, say “Knicks” or show him a picture of Spike Lee and he’ll just gush about the subject. In case he wasn’t clear all those other times, Reggie said it again yesterday: he doesn’t like the Knicks. And he knows he is not alone in his feelings.
“Everyone, they don’t want to say it. I’m the only one that is honestly saying both teams don’t like one another,” Miller offered up for digestion. “Everyone is saying there’s respect there but they don’t like us and we don’t like them.”
It’s always good to have retirement plans mapped out, with goals and dreams in mind in order to finish a full productive life. Or you can do it Larry Bird’s way. When asked what he intended to do with his life after he is finished with the game of basketball, Bird gave the line of the day:
“Just prepare myself for death.”
A former Knick who also is the son of a former Knick has, in a round-about way, hurt the current crop of Knicks. Game 1 hero and Pacer forward Austin Croshere said Bird and Kiki Vandeweghe have wielded the most influence on his career. Croshere and Vandeweghe worked out regularly in California last summer.
“Austin was one of the most dedicated athletes that I’ve seen and has made one of the most dramatic improvements I’ve seen an NBA player make in a short period of time,” said Vandeweghe, who was a Knick teammate of Patrick Ewing and current Pacer Mark Jackson.
Vandeweghe stressed footwork, balance and timing to Croshere as a way to overcome a lack of quickness. After all, that’s what worked for him.
“I’m a big believer that if you know what you’re doing you only need to have one great step,” Vandeweghe said. “But it’s got to be long and fast and well-timed and in the proper position. There’s a lot of things to it and we spent a lot of time on it. Your speed can improve 20 to 30 to 40 percent without you actually getting faster.”
Jalen Rose yesterday was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for 1999-2000. “The people I’d like to thank are my teammates and coaching staff. They picked me up when times are tough. They picked me up when I’d fall down,” said Rose.
Now comes the hard part for the Pacers. Keeping him. Rose is a free agent in July.
“We flat out want to keep Jalen here. I say that as strongly as I can. This award just confirms what we already thought. He’s getting up into a very high class of player in this league. We know what we have to do,” said Pacers president Donnie Walsh.
NEW RIK: NO FOUL, NO HARM
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OMTA’s Spamalot Presents Hilarious Monty Python Adaptation
A student production of Spamalot, a musical based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, opens this Friday, May 3 in Wilder Main Space. I was able to watch one of the final rehearsals of the show, and found it a thoroughly enjoyable experience with a talented cast and ensemble that engaged the audience in some lighthearted and escapist fun. Holy Grail is a comedic parody of King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail, and Spamalot follows the same path. “There is a lot maintaine...
Piscapo’s Arm Draws Laughs at Orientation
Orientation is all about giving first-years a feel for what life is like at Oberlin. Last Monday, Piscapo’s Arm, a student sketch comedy group, performed in an orientation show that introduced new Obies to popular spots on campus and created excitement for Oberlin student life and learning. The show was held at one of Oberlin’s premier performance venues, the Cat in the Cream. Judging from the lack of cookies sold, it was obvious that the show’s audience was mostly first-years; seasoned...
Deborah Kamen, Associate Professor of Classics
Deborah Kamen is an Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Washington. She is also an adjunct professor in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, and the graduate program coordinator at UW. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Bryn Mawr College; a Master of Studies in Greek History from New College, Oxford; and a Ph.D. in Classics from University of California, Berkeley. Her interests include Greek and Roman social history, sexuality, slavery, and status. Kamen is widely published and he...
Sketch Comedy Troupes Deliver Lighthearted Performances
Sketch comedy is a rare treat at Oberlin, but last weekend not just one but two sketch comedy troupes performed at the Cat in the Cream. On Friday night, Oberlin’s newest sketch comedy group; the self-styled “most innovative sketch comedy group on campus,” Doobie Ingenuity, gave a spirited performance to a nearly full house. The performers showcased some of the best skits from the group’s previous shows, introducing the audience to their brand of humor and hoping to inspire other prospec...
On the Record with Ed Helms, OC ’96, and Daniel Radosh, OC ’91
Ed Helms, OC ’96, and Daniel Radosh, OC ’91, hosted this academic year’s final convocation Sunday night, “What’s the Point of Comedy? (And other pointless questions).” Helms, whose most iconic roles include an outlandish Andy Bernard on The Office and an equally obnoxious but fun-loving Stu in The Hangover trilogy, is an actor, comedian, producer, writer and musician. After graduating from Oberlin, Helms’ multifaceted skillset led him to a job as a correspondent for several years on The Daily...
Intersectional Comedian D’Lo Brings Variety Show to Oberlin
A unique blend of stand-up comedy, poetry and storytelling awaits guests at the Cat in the Cream Sunday as actor and comedian D’Lo brings his touring variety show, D’FaQTo Life (pronounced “de facto”) to Oberlin. The show will be his first in Oberlin since 2013, when he performed as part of Colors of Rhythm, and he’s since gone on to perform roles in HBO’s Looking and the Netflix original series Sense8. Co-sponsored by the South Asian Students Association, International Students’ Organi...
Wright Directs Comedic Play to Celebrate Gay Culture
For anyone acquainted with the cinema of the early 1960s — with its psycho thrillers, horror films and beach party movies — Psycho Beach Party will feel familiar. And it will also feel a little ridiculous. This makes sense, given that Pscyho Beach Party is a send-up of all those genres. The play, which will be performed in Hall Auditorium tomorrow and Sunday, is an examination of the U.S. post-WWII and pre-Vietnam. During this time, when teenagers increasingly participated in consumerism, t...
Feature Photo: Kid Business
College sophomore Kitty O’Neill bursts out laughing as the short-form improv comedy group Kid Business engages her in a humorous sketch. The group performed its first show of the semester at the Cat in the Cream on Saturday. Kid Business is the first of the three on-campus improv comedy troupes to hold a show this semester and the only troupe not to welcome new members this spring. Oberlin students can look forward to a performance by one of the two long-form troupes, Primitive Streak, this Saturday...
New Oberlin-Centric Late-Night Show Features Student Comedians
In case you haven’t heard from one of your folk music–loving friends or seen them hanging out at The Local drinking coffee and eating bagels, Punch Brothers are back in town. The American experimental folk and bluegrass band spent a week conducting workshops at the Conservatory culminating in a concert at Finney Chapel on Thursday night. The performance kicked off a three-month tour across the U.S. to promote their new album The Phosphorescent Blues. The band has served as artist-in-residenc...
Williams Controversy Highlights Perils of Fame in Objective Journalism
Media lenses turned inward last week when NBC announced its Feb. 10 decision to suspend Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. Revelations that the Emmy Award–winning news personality had repeatedly misrepresented his experiences reporting on a 2003 Iraq War mission left the news network reeling, trying to assess damage done to the network’s credibility. Williams delivered an on-air apology on Feb. 4 for what he called a “mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” but his words were quickly overshadowed by a media cycle determined to scrutinize stories from throughout the anchor’s Nightly News tenure. On the same day as the suspension, revered newsroom comedian Jon Stewart announced that he would be l...
‘Rotten’ Flick Features Last Farley Appearance
Nate Levinson Columnist This column is the first in a series that will review movies that receive the dubious distinction of an under-20 percent rating on the Tomatometer on rottentomatoes.com: the movies we love that the critics didn’t. This week I turn my attention to Beverly Hills Ninja, a 1997 comedy starring Chris Farley and Nicollette Sheridan with a 14 percent “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Movie critic Pete Vonder Haar hated the movie so much that he wrote, “Maybe Death did Chris Farley a favor by sparing him from making more shit like this.” I definitely wouldn’t go as far as Vonder Haar, as I find it hard to believe anyone who signed up to watch a movie about a fat, idiotic ninja i...
Improv Troupes Find Humor in Low Places
Matthew Sprung, Staff Writer
Sometimes improv comedy gets weird — but even though this weirdness can turn newcomers off to the genre, it’s also the best part of the show. To kick off the two-day Oberlin College Improv Conference last Friday, three professional improvisation teams performed what could be considered “extra” long-form improvisation, staying on stage continuously for fifty-minute sets at a packed Cat in the Cream. The anticipation that usually draws crowds to this annual conference is the name recognition of the headlining act, the hugely popular group Upright Citizens Brigade, but the two other acts of the night also got their share of laughs — and yes, things got very weird. As the room quieted down, the first of the...
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Gov. Christie Orders New Jersey Flags Fly at Half-Staff for James Gandolfini
By Rebecca Hiscott • 06/21/13 4:10pm
James Gandolfini. (Getty)
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has ordered flags to be at half-mast on Monday, in honor of the late actor James Gandolfini, who died on Wednesday at age 51.
“All the people in the state really felt a connection to him, not just to his character, but to him,” Mr. Christie said in a statement, calling Mr. Gandolfini “a fine actor, a Rutgers alum and a true Jersey guy.”
“One could even argue that Gandolfini/Soprano ushered in the latest era of New Jersey politics,” Lee Siegel wrote in the New York Times today. “Without Mr. Gandolfini’s six-season tour de force as Tony Soprano, I don’t think the state would have been ready for big, blustery Chris Christie.”
Filed Under: Entertainment, Chris Christie, The Sopranos, James Gandolfini, In Memoriam, James Gandolfini Death
SEE ALSO: Idris Elba Calls the Racist Backlash to Those James Bond Rumors ‘Disheartening’
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