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How Afghanistan became the ignored war
By Julian E. Zelizer, Special to CNN
Paratroopers in the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division carry a seriously wounded Afghan civilian to Army Medevac helicopter.
Julian Zelizer says Afghanistan war has gotten very little public attention in the U.S.
He says it has cost the nation greatly and there's no assurance of victory
War overshadowed by economic crisis, reluctance by both parties to criticize, he says
Absence of a draft also limits U.S. attention to war, Zelizer says
Editor's note: Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Arsenal of Democracy: The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism" and a book on former President Carter, to be published next fall by Times Books.
Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- If the Korean War, which began 60 years ago this past weekend, was America's forgotten war, Afghanistan has been America's ignored war.
Since President Obama authorized a surge of troops in Afghanistan in December 2009, there has been a notable absence of public debate or interest about this conflict.
Although the media has tracked conditions on the ground and more recently has examined the rapid deterioration of U.S. military strategy, Afghanistan has not elicited the same kind of civic dialogue that surrounded President George W. Bush's war in Iraq and certainly nothing like President Johnson's war in Vietnam.
Indeed, when the controversy over Gen. Stanley McChrystal's comments in Rolling Stone magazine erupted in the past week, one of the most surprising aspects of the story was that, for a brief moment, Americans were actually talking about Afghanistan once again. Our nation is in the middle of a war that has gone on for over nine years, but many people have not been paying attention.
Video: Time to rethink Afghanistan?
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Video: Can Petraeus succeed?
Afghanistan War
Afghanistan cannot be ignored. The war, which started in the aftermath of 9/11, costs the federal government about $6.7 billion a month. That's more than the monthly cost of Iraq.
June 2010 marked one of the deadliest months in this war. Since the war began, more than 1,000 American servicemen and women have died. The government of Afghanistan, our ally, remains mired in corruption and teeters on instability. Gen. David Petraeus' counterinsurgency strategy is apparently not working its magic.
Many experts doubt that the president can abide by the July 2011 timetable that he set to begin withdrawal. The end is not in sight, and it is unclear whether policymakers even know what the end is. According to Newsweek, one expert working with the Pentagon commented, "We could sink in billions more dollars for another 10 to 20 years, and if we're lucky, we'll get Haiti ..."
What accounts for the utter lack of attention to this war?
The first factor has been the fragile state of the economy within the U.S. The severity of economic conditions since the financial crash in the fall of 2008 has naturally led citizens to focus on the health of their pocketbooks and the stability of their mortgage payments rather than on war and peace. The listless recovery that has left high rates of unemployment has meant many families don't have the time or energy to pay attention to events overseas.
The second factor has to do with the political incentives that inhibit liberals and conservatives from making too much of an issue of this war. Many liberal Democrats have been either angry or quietly uneasy with Obama's decision to escalate troop levels in Afghanistan.
Yet they have generally remained silent since the surge began, fearing they could undercut Obama as he moved forward with health care, a high priority for Democrats.
They were also in a bind since they had based much of their criticism of President Bush on the claim that he had diverted resources from the war in Afghanistan, where the terrorists who perpetrated 9/11 had been given shelter by the Taliban, and used them for the war in Iraq, which they said was not essential to the war on terrorism.
At the same time, conservatives have not made much noise either. Although there are many conservatives who support President Obama's strategy, there are also political factors at work. Talking too much about Afghanistan cuts against a central argument that they want to make about this administration: that Democrats are weak on defense.
It is hard to make a hawk look like a dove. By focusing on other national security issues, such as President Obama's efforts to strengthen civil liberties in the war on terrorism, conservatives have found easier targets. Afghanistan, where Obama has continued and accelerated a central component of Bush's war-on- terrorism strategy, does not fit neatly into their narrative.
Finally, there is the persistent effect on wartime politics that results from not having a draft. Without a draft, many Americans simply don't feel or fear the costs of war. They don't feel the urgency of paying close attention to what is going on. Rather, our nation depends on the valiant efforts of our professional army to handle these challenges.
President Nixon, who pushed for the end of the draft in 1973, believed from the start of his term that much of the grass-roots anti-war movement was driven by the fears of middle-class families that their children would be sent into war. Nixon made ending the draft a top priority because he believed it would undercut this sentiment. Anti-war activism, in his mind, had to do primarily with having to go to war rather than the war itself.
In many respects, Nixon's prediction turned out to be true. Even with President Bush's war in Iraq, which strained public opinion and required more ground troops than any war in recent history, the nation did not experience the kinds of grass-roots protests that rocked Lyndon Johnson's administration in the 1960s.
The absence of a draft, combined with the unwillingness of Democrats or Republicans to call on citizens to sacrifice for the war effort through other means (such as higher taxes) produced national apathy even though our men and women are right in the middle of a conflict.
As a result of these factors, Afghanistan has remained off the radar. Perhaps with the McChrystal controversy, the nation will start asking tougher questions about what is going on in this war, what our objectives are and how the strategy is working.
Unfortunately, we will most likely turn our attention back to other issues, such as the feature story in Rolling Stone called "Lady Gaga Tells All." In doing so, we will continue an unhealthy pattern of fighting wars outside of the public mind.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian E. Zelizer.
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42nd/1
Zero Waste Packaging Act - C-429
Thu Jun 20, 2019
An Act to amend the Parks Canada Agency Act (Canada’s tentative list for world heritage protection)
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Day Act
An Act to amend the Employment Equity Act
Wed Jun 19, 2019
PASS 161 to 58
Modifying Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-75, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Motion for closure
FAIL 238 to 49
Modifying Federal Courts Act (international promotion and protection of human rights)
2nd reading of Bill C-331, An Act to amend the Federal Courts Act (international promotion and protection of human rights)
Putting Victims First Act
Supporting Small Breweries, Wineries and Distilleries Act
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (automated external defibrillators)
An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (disclosure of information to victims)
Vote #1377 PASS 285 to 0
On motion: Private Members' Business M-173 (Diabetes Awareness Month) more
Vote #1375 PASS 256 to 36
On motion: Ways and Means motion No. 34 more
Tue Jun 18, 2019
About regulation of vessels that transport crude oil or persistent oil to or from ports or marine installations located along British Columbia's north coast
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-48, An Act respecting the regulation of vessels that transport crude oil or persistent oil to or from ports or marine installations located along British Columbia's north coast
PASS 157 to 113
An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-102, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020
Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-102, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020
2nd reading of Bill C-102, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020
Modifying Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
An Act to amend the Department of the Environment Act (greenhouse gas reduction action plan)
Appropriation Act No. 2, 2019-20
Vote #1369 PASS 167 to 123
On motion: Concurrence in estimates more
Vote #1368 FAIL 206 to 83
On motion: Opposition Motion (Carbon tax and environment plan) more
Modifying Fisheries Act and other Acts in consequence
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-68, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act and other Acts in consequence
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-68, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act and other Acts in consequence (amendment)
Modifying Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-88, An Act to amend the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Modifying Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act
Time allocation for Bill C-83, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act
An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (trafficking in persons)
On motion: Government Business No. 29 (National climate emergency) more
On motion: Government Business No. 29 (National climate emergency) (amendment) more
On motion: Motion for closure more
Fri Jun 14, 2019
An Act to amend the Interest Act (prepayment charge)
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sentencing principles – remote emergency medical or police services)
Enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-69, An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-69, An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (amendment)
Implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the United Mexican States
Time allocation for Bill C-100, An Act to implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the United Mexican States
42nd Parliament, Session 1
Introduced: Wednesday 20th of February 2019
Status: Second reading (House)
Nathan Cullen
Full text: Bill C-429
An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (packaging)
Search: Google News / Google / Bing News / Bing
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"A few years ago Andy Low from Robotic Empire put out a box set of ours, and we were supposed to do a few shows to coincide with the release, but what happened was that the shows were huge," says Vialon. "We were playing in front of audiences that were a lot bigger than when we used to play and so many more people had heard of us because of the success of Torche, and the internet. With all of these people coming out we decided to do some more shows.
"After a couple more tours and the crowds still being bigger, it just got to a point where we couldn't keep going out and touring on the strength of one record, because it was really the self-titled record that people were singing all of the words to; we couldn't keep going out and doing the same set. We just couldn't. Henry was really vocal about saying if we were going to keep playing live, we really needed to do a new record and we couldn't keep playing these same songs. And Steve and I agreed."
Enter Oblation, a 14-song opus due April 29 on Season of Mist. The album picks up right where 2002's self-titled album left off, with the same equipment setup and weirdo string tunings the band became known for. And, yes, that includes the legendary "bomb string."
"It's the same tunings that we used on the self-titled record," confirms Vialon. "There's the bomb string, the one E string that's not really tuned, it just kind of hangs there. And then there are two more E strings, which are both tuned to a low A, and then the high strings, which we really don't use that often, but they're E, B, E. It's really just the three E strings though, one bomb and two A's.
"Live, it's always been two guitars. We've tried using a bass player, but it just doesn't work. When we play live we find that it's not really necessary and it gives us a unique sound. But in the studio Henry plays drums and bass. So it's the same setup as the self-titled record."
A few of the songs on the new album were started before the band broke up in 2003. One track, "Homegoings and Transitions," is a departure for the band, featuring softer female vocals and an atmospheric guitar line, but Vialon says the tune still fits into the Floor model.
"On 'Homegoings,' the opening riff with the guitar effect, that was something Steve was working on back then, but the rest of the song is new," he says. "When we were working on the vocals for it, we were really stuck. We went to Henry's girlfriend, Melissa Friedman, because she's been in bands and she's a real singer, so we asked her for some help coming up with something, and she did. She came to me about the lyrics and asked about the vibe of the song, and they were perfect. So she sings with Steve on the song. It's a different song for us, but we look at it as still being part of our sound. We can kind of do whatever we want and it will still sound like and be us."
Recording with the same person as they did for their self-titled album was key, according to Vialon. The band again tapped Mark Nikolich in Tampa, then they sent the recordings to be mixed by Kurt Ballou (GodCity Studios) and mastered by Alan Douches (Baroness, Black Tusk).
"Mark is the reason why the self-titled record sounded so great, so that's why we went with him again," says Vialon. "So yeah, we're real happy with it. We were really happy with the self-titled record, it was what we wanted to sound like, and Mark was really able to help us get there. So when we did the new record, we wanted to go with Mark again."
Vialon originally left the band right before they broke up in 2003 and says it's a great feeling to be making new music with Floor again. Despite it being over a decade since they dissolved, he feels the band has picked right back up where they left off.
"Where we're at now is where we should have been 12 years ago," he says. "This opportunity to get out there and continue on from that self-titled record, I'm very, very happy about it, and just so stoked that more people know who we are and have a great time at the shows. The affect that we've had on people since getting back together, it's all been so very positive. When we get together and play, it's magical for us. There's a bond and vibe there that's very sincere and positive, so I'm real excited. We all are."
Read our full interview with Vialon here.
METAL AND HARDCORE
More Floor
Floor Unleashing the Bomb String Again
The story of Floor is legendary. Band get together in Miami, FL in the early '90s, release one actual full-length in 2002, break up in 2003...
Floor Oblation
Floor, the band that predates the mighty Torche, are back with Oblation, their first new album in over a decade. Featuring Torche vocalist/g...
Floor Announce Return with 'Oblation' Album
Though reunited Floridian sludge-pop practitioners Floor have a reissue of their 2002 self-titled LP hitting stores early next month, the ev...
Floor's Self-Titled Debut Gets Expanded Vinyl Reissue
Almost four years on from the release of Floor's massive retrospective box set, the reunited Floridian stoner-pop crew are now giving their...
Floor Announce Reunion Dates to Coincide with Box Set Release
We told you about the absolutely massive and extremely cool upcoming Floor box set , Below and Beyond, back in September. Well, looks like t...
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Five Eastern and Southern African countries announce groundbreaking move to curb regional illegal timber trade
The national forest agencies of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar and Mozambique has signed a historic declaration to jointly combat illegal timber trade in Eastern and Southern Africa, taking a significant step towards addressing this growing driver of forest loss.
“WWF welcomes the Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Trade in Timber and Other Forest Products, the first such agreement of its kind in the region. The declaration comes at a crucial time. Illegal trade in timber is expanding at an alarming rate and this new commitment by governments will greatly amplify efforts to reduce such trade at the regional level,” said Geofrey Mwanjela, WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative Head of Terrestrial Programme.
The declaration was signed at a side event in Durban, South Africa, at the XIV World Forestry Congress, one of the largest gatherings of world forestry leaders. The event was facilitated by WWF, TRAFFIC, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
There is growing intra-regional and inter-regional illegal trade of timber and other forest products flowing across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, as well as further towards the Western and Central Africa termed Africa’s ‘Green Heart.’ Kenya loses roughly US$10 million per year from illegal cross-border trade between Tanzania and Kenya, according to a 2012 study by the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum and East African Wild Life Society. Tanzania loses around US$8.33 million annually from such trade, according to a similar government report.
The alarming growth in illegal timber trade challenges the effectiveness of current national and regional mechanisms to control illegality.
“Current national and regional mechanisms to control illegality are hindered by inadequate collaboration among national forest agencies and customs agencies across the region. It is for this reason that WWF is providing support to forest agencies as they make this bold step towards significantly reducing illegal trade in timber and other forest products,” said Mr. Mwanjela.
Juma S. Mgoo, Tanzania Forest Service Chief Executive Officer, notes that the loss of forests due to illegal trade in timber continues to increase at alarming rates and something needs to be done to begin to save our rich natural forest heritage.
“Forests continue to dwindle at unprecedented rates in our region calling for new strategies to claw back these losses because if we continue at the rate which we are going, there will be nothing left for our children and their children to enjoy,” said Mr. Mgoo.
WWF’s Living Forests Report projects potential forest loss in the East Africa region of up to 12 million hectare between 2010 and 2030. WWF’s remote sensing analysis has indicated that forest losses from 2000 to 2012 were concentrated in Mozambique (2.2 million hectares), Tanzania (2 million hectares) and Zambia (1.3 million hectares).
Globally, between 50-90 per cent of wood is harvested or traded illegally, according to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and it’s estimated to cost US$30-100 billion annually.
The announcement today is the outcome of long-term debate and negotiations among key stakeholders in the forest sector, national forest agencies as well as regional and international partners and civil society organizations, including WWF.
The declaration will be signed at the side event, “Exploring opportunities to improve inter-regional cooperation in Eastern and Southern Africa on tackling the illegal trade of timber,” taking place on Wednesday, 9 September, 2015, 12:45-14:15, Durban ICC, Meeting room 11AB
A media briefing with representatives from national forest agencies and WWF will be held immediately following the side event, 14:30, at the World Forestry Congress exhibition area, WWF booth (D5-D10).
Huma Khan, Communications Manager, WWF Global Forest Programme, 1 202 203 8432, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More in this category: « Not clearing but logging Finnish mobile technology solutions are launched into UK forestry & energy markets »
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Category: Short Film
Posted on July 12, 2017 February 14, 2018
Kevin de la Isla O’Neill, Director of ‘Acorn’
Kevin de la Isla O’Neill tells us about the seed that became the Acorn.
What can you tell us about the film?
It’s a sweet and fun story about a mum who gets called into the Principal’s office at her son Gregg’s school during nativity play rehearsals. She assumes it’s because he’s in trouble again and is ready to defend his actions, however the principal has something rather different to tell her about Gregg which leaves her completely gobsmacked.
How did you become involved in the project?
I entered the Filmbase Short-Shots scheme as a director back in Feb 2016. It’s where directors, writers and producers come together to create one of 4 films offered by RTÉ/Filmbase.
As a director in the scheme, I had to first find a script I liked through various methods. Among them, a Facebook group where people send and request scripts and also a few speed-dating events for writers and directors. So after an extensive selection process I came across Jonathan’s [Hughes] script and I found his sense of humour to be very in tune with my own. I contacted him and we got on great, so pitching the idea came naturally. After that, we had to find a producer that would serve the project best. So we approached Sharon Cronin [producer] with our ideas on the project and she happily came on board to make the perfect team complete.
Can you tell us a little about putting the cast together?
Casting Gregg was the most important at the beginning and we saw some boys who had a lot to offer. But we all thought Luke [Kerins] brought that something extra, a kind of ’knowing’ look in his eye. He was also a bit older than what we were looking for but looked young enough for the part, which I think worked in his favour as he did a fantastic job! For Barbara we always had Norma Sheahan in mind, and when approached, she happily came on board.
We went through many ideas for the mother and principal and we all had suggestions that would make the characters very different, but in the end we decided on Aideen Wylde and Aidan O’Hare, who were both comfortable with comedy and they worked incredibly well together, and really made the characters their own; a very unique take on the roles that we were thrilled with.
How involved was Jonathan in the filming process?
Jonathan was very involved from the beginning and whenever we had questions about the script or characters he was always on hand to help or advise, and to make changes where we needed to if things weren’t working. He travelled over from London where he was residing at the time and was on set for the filming days, so I think it was all really exciting to see his script come to life. It also helped when we needed to rejig things very quickly on set, to get his opinion on how the changes might make the characters react, etc.
Any particular challenges you faced on this production?
There were various types of challenges as there are with any production, whether it’s a short or a feature, working with a big crew or small, and then working with children and animals, etc. So sometimes it comes down to trying to get the most out of the budget and dealing with time restrictions or location limitations, etc. scheduling picks-ups with actors and crew.
Sharon is an extremely competent producer and organized everything with acute efficiency, which meant we had a more than capable team throughout production, so challenges were quickly addressed when faced with them.
Working with Director of Photography Richard Donnelly was also a great asset, as I had worked with him once before and we seem to speak a common language, so when faced with any challenges we would quickly find a creative solution to the problem at hand.
No matter the budget or scale of production, you always wish you had more time and budget. In this case we were fortunate to have Natasha Waugh as our 1stAD, so thanks to her shoot management we were able to get the most off our time on location.Some locations kept changing and, as the story takes place on a school, we had to wait for a holiday break from the school to be used in order to shoot there, as weekends would be too restrictive. Also due to location access, some scenes were cut and replaced by others.
As the film takes place during nativity play rehearsals, the costume and production design are hugely important as the costumes are very specific, specially for the children, but Ciara Coleman-Geany did a fantastic job creating these and then the set design was very prop heavy, but Jill Beecher, our set designer, looked after that extremely well too, from finding bits and pieces everywhere, to creating a very Christmassy look, to even building a full stage for the nativity play rehearsals, as there was none at the location.
At some stage we had a very visual scene in a swimming pool, but that proved too burdensome due to the time allowed at the location and the amount of time we had for the shoot as a whole.
There were a lot of VFX required, which were done in After Effects, that you probably wouldn’t even notice (and shouldn’t), which is a great thing if it doesn’t stand out of course. But it takes an incredible amount of time and patience to do those types of things especially when working to a deadline on a small budget, etc. But it’s all part of the process and we want to make sure that the best possible version of this film is the one you see on screen at the end of the day. So all the challenges make it worth it.
You must be excited about Galway…
I am very excited about Galway as I feel we have a lovely little film with a lot of heart. I’m really looking forward to seeing the film on the big screen and hearing its 5.1 mix, which was done and designed by Mutiny post, ans the score, composed by Sarah Lynch, was performed by the RTE concert orchestra, thanks to the IMRO | RTÉ Scoring for Film Program, so it should be an amazing experience to see and to listen to.
It also has been a while since I’ve been in Galway as part of a film project in the programme, instead of in the market pitching, etc. So I’m really looking forward to getting to showcase our film, network and talk about the next projects in order to develop further and enjoy all that the Fleadh has to offer.
Acorn screens at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh as part of New Irish Shorts 4 on Friday, 14th July at the Town Hall Theatre at 12.00.
The 29th Galway Film Fleadh runs 11 – 16 July 2017.
Andrew Stevenson, Director of ‘Man to Man’
We talk Man to Man with director Andrew Stevenson ahead of his short film screening at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
What can you tell us about Man to Man?
Well, the film is a poignant short story of a father-son relationship, told through a series of conversations as the two catch up over a quiet pint in their local to discuss life, love, and everything in between. It takes place over a number of years, and – hopefully! – presents a subtly emotional tale of bonding, fellowship, and the circle of life.
It’s obviously quite a personal film – how did it come about?
As you may have guessed, it was inspired by my relationship with my own father, who has been an incredibly influential figure in my life. It struck me one evening, when we met for a pint, that our kind of relationship, and the effect it has on each person, isn’t something you often see in film. Or in real life, actually. Father-son relationships are quite difficult to examine and/or explain, largely because it requires acknowledgement of the underlying emotions involved, and men are traditionally not supposed to have any! I guess that’s why I saw a potentially interesting subject matter in this as a story. It attempts to address that unspoken – often deliberately muted – male connection, and presents the variety of emotions that contribute to the characters’ understanding of, and ultimately love for, one another in a subtle and understated way.
The chemistry between Hugh Gormley and Killian Coyle is key to the film.
Both actors did a phenomenal job, and brought so much to the characters and their on-screen chemistry. Despite having never met before, the pair had a natural, relaxed rapport immediately, and this was so helpful to the realism and believability of the film.
Did you always know you would direct it?
Yeah. In fact, part of the reason I wrote it was to create something for me to direct. I knew what I wanted to achieve with the story – to use inference and indirect narrative as a kind of decoy for what the real story is about. Because of this, the script would probably not have been the easiest to interpret for an outside director. And of course, directing is what I want to do above all else. I really only write and produce out of necessity, to facilitate the directing. The jury is still out on my ability at all three though!
How was your experience as director?
It was amazing. Directing is such a funny role, because your ‘talent’ is recognising the talents of everyone else and combining them. Our crew were incredible – so committed, efficient, and skilled. In particular, Rua Meegan [DoP] made each scene look beautiful and rich, despite only having a tiny pub snug to work with! And Michael Donnelly V [Editor] tied the story together better than I ever could have myself, so to have him involved was a privilege as well. I received all sorts of favours, advice, and help from too many people to mention but needless to say I am so grateful to everyone for what they gave. This was my first professional short film, and it took a long time – from writing and fundraising at the beginning, to shooting, editing, mixing and now festival entering – but I have to admit I’m really happy with how it has turned out.
What were the important lessons you learned from your time as AD that you brought to bear on the director’s role?
Funnily enough, I actually kind of had to 1st AD the shoot due to unfortunate circumstances on the day. This shoot needed to be really efficient, because we only had two days and multiple lighting setups and hair/make-up/wardrobe changes to simulate time passing and the ageing process. As you’ll see in the film, Rua [from above] and Madonna McNamee [Stylist] and her team did an excellent job creating that sense of passage of time. And they also very graciously put up with me being bossy and impatient trying to get everything in place as quickly as possible! It came down to the wire but we got there in the end. I think I stopped crying at that point.
Thrilled to be going to Galway. I’ve never been before but I’ve heard it’s a fantastic week of film and fun. The actors and loads of the crew will be coming down as well so it’ll be great to catch up with everyone too! And I’m also looking forward to seeing all the other shorts – just being in the same competition as Jim Sheridan and Ben Cleary is exciting in its own right! And all the Irish features, one of which I worked on. As a heads-up I’ve been told to pack a spare liver. All I’ve got is an old sponge in the boot of my car. Should be grand, right?
Man to Man screens at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh as part of New Irish Shorts 1 on Wednesday, 12th July at the Town Hall Theatre at 10:30.
The 29th Galway Film Fleadh runs 11 – 16 July 2017
Preview of Irish Film @ Galway Film Fleadh 2017
Emma Eliza Regan, Writer/Director of ‘Wild Fire Nights’
Emma Eliza Regan
Emma Eliza Regan gives us a glimpse into the world of Wild Fire Nights, which screens at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
What can you tell us about Wild Fire Nights?
It’s a 17-minute contemporary drama, that centres around Lila – a deeply troubled and dysfunctional young woman, who tries to maintain an image for the world, but inside she’s crumbling and trying to numb the pain out. I’ve tried to reflect the inner world of young women today, all the grey areas that don’t ever get tapped into on Irish screens. The ‘selfie generation’ has created a situation where one’s validation only comes from her sex appeal – there’s severe consequences on the psyche of young women, which I could see around me every single day, as young as 14 up to 34. Anytime I looked at my phone, whether it was Facebook or Instagram, it was there, so I was trying to capture the real darkness and the massive psychological consequences of it all.
… and the title, Wild Fire Nights?
The film was called ‘Unfiltered’ for a while, but the title Wild Fire Nights seemed to really depict the total destructiveness and utter waste… it expressed how one tiny situation can ignite something in us, that causes a series of events, that just spread fast and destroy everything in such an irrevocable way.
I called her Lila as it comes from the Hebrew word for ‘’Night’ and ‘Dark Girl’ – which was fitting for her.
How did the story come about for you?
The character itself came from a night out – I was in a cubicle, and there were empty vodka and pregnancy tests thrown on the floor, and I guess that image was such a very dark juxtaposition that it stuck with me. Who was this girl, and how did she end up in here? I also would see so many young women completely out of it and nobody really investigates that. I wanted to dig a bit deeper and see well what is going on in a young woman that she’d need to do that? What has happened? Most of these girls are just deeply hurt and trying to cope.
Wild Fire Nights
Were you planning to direct from the get-go?
Yes, I had such a clear vision of it that it just made sense. Also, I started to feel that directing was the one place where I could contribute something substantial – I was able to use my own voice, instead of offering just the little tiny box of my performance. I was at the stage I wanted to move on from playing the school girls, and use my other capacities too and create my own work.
I suppose as a girl in my twenties myself, I felt I could write about certain topics and portray them in a way that’s totally authentic – so I just started writing what I saw and questioned around me.
What was it like directing your first short?
I really enjoyed the experience! It was hard work too, being responsible for so much, but I just rolled up my sleeves and kept going because I was so passionate about it and had fun times with the crew around me. I’ve always been sort of observing and contributing ideas on every set I was on anyhow, I hang around on set watching what’s going on even after I’m wrapped… so it was a natural decision for me. It was the post-production I needed to learn a lot, all those elements were new to me, so I took away a huge amount of lessons from the edit.
Hanging around on set
What experience as an actor did you bring to working behind the camera.
Firstly, all a director needs to do is make sure the actor doesn’t feel like it’s acting… make it about not acting as much as possible. I was very in tune with them all anyhow, and gave them complete trust to keep the takes fresh and spontaneous. I knew from experience that if something doesn’t work, scrap it, it’s not working for a reason, change it around rather than stay there forcing and forcing a scene. I have been on sets where a director keeps forcing it, although it doesn’t feel right, so I was sharp in keeping each scene instinctive from my acting side of my brain. For an example, James Browne, who’s one of the most instinctive actors anyhow, I had him swinging around on bars of a boat as Lila tried to talk to him about her mother’s death, it was actually written as them sitting by the beach, but I knew I needed both that tension and lightness…. Also, the same with Dara Devaney, before his scene I gave him a bowl of porridge to be feeding the granny, that one tiny action told more about his character than any words could – so I used a lot of simple, authentic actions in a scene to click a performance into place.
Did you pick up a bag of tips from directors you have previously worked with?
Of course, I mean I was privileged to have that experience with very talented people, so of course it shaped me in some way. I did learn a huge amount about performance and film in general from Shimmy Marcus when I was in the Factory, he deconstructed everything from script to the edit to the performance, and taught me that it’s much about show rather than tell… Then on set, I went with longer takes with certain actors, like Gerry (Mc Sorley) and David Murray, because I knew the level of experience they carried, and that those extra few seconds after the scene would be where they would just nail it, and I remember Ivan Kavanagh working with us in a similar way. Also, I personally think Brendan Muldowney is a phenomenal director, I love how he captures so much tenderness in the darkness of the subject matter – so if I could have learnt anything at all from a director I worked with, that would be it.
You assembled a great cast. Can you tell us a little about this?
I had a very clear idea of who would work from the writing stage. I had worked nearly everyone with previously, except Gerard McSorley – although we were both on Penance last year, we hadn’t any scenes together, but he is such a prolific actor, someone I admired for years on film, and he connected with the subject matter on a personal level, so he brought a lot of real and powerful truth to that scene. He had me in tears and it was still only on his close-ups, so that’s the strength and brilliance of his performance for you right there.
With James Browne and Dara Devaney, they were both actors that I did theatre with at the very start that I sort of just clicked with. Dara Devaney and I had worked in the Abbey and we became good pals, he’s got such a genuine and honest quality to him, and I knew our ease with each other that would come through on screen. He added a very warm and kind presence in the final scenes, and James Browne was also someone I met back at the very start. I did a version of A Midsummers Nights Dream when I was 17, and then, earlier this year, I was in a screening of Lorcan Finnegan’s Without Name at ADIFF and he absolutely stole every scene. He has that exact mix of both elusiveness and danger, and he brought so much intensity to Flynn. He’s also going to be in Maze which screens at the Fleadh on Saturday night, so he’s gaining a real momentum in her career now, and think he’s only going to go from strength to strength.
With David Murray, we worked with one another on Jack Taylor – and again, was the first and only choice for the role –and he brought such an edge to that scene. I loved his performance in Amber. He’s a great voice, and had that mix of both masculinity and vulnerability it needed.
How did you find the role of producer?
Very full on, I have actually helped produced some projects over the last few years, so I wasn’t totally clueless. It was a huge amount of work with locations, insurance, health and safety, getting the whole crew together, catering, but my production designer, Steve Kingston, came board as a co-producer and helped me out with everything. So when we were both working together, we actually had a lot of fun in the process.
You must be excited to screen at Galway…
Yeah, it will be great to have a screening and finally see how people react to it. It’s only the start for this film.
Wild Fire Nights screens at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh as part of New Irish Shorts: Way Out West programme on Wednesday, 12th July at the Radisson Blu Hotel at 2.30pm.
Tristan Heanue, Writer/Director of ‘A Break in the Clouds’
Tristan Heanue gives us a look at A Break in the Clouds, which screens at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
What can you tell us about A Break in the Clouds?
It is about a young couple who are struggling in different ways following the birth of their first child. It follows them over one morning as things come to a head.
How did the story come about?
It came from a few different places. A few friends of mine had babies in quick succession and I saw first hand the different types of strain that it had on them. It just stuck with me and I wanted to tell a story that showed what the pressures were like for both sides during this time.
Did you always know you wanted to direct this story?
Yes, I had been working on the script for over a year and it was always in my head to direct it. Originally, I hadn’t planned to act in it as I submitted it to a short film scheme, but once we didn’t get selected for that I had to re-think it. Paddy Slattery [producer] had always suggested me acting in it so I decided to go for it. I had a wonderful cinematographer in Narayan Van Maele who made the whole experience so much easier. We spent a day in Connemara walking through the locations and planning everything so when the time came for me to step in front of the camera for my shots he had it all under control.
You’ve worked with Paddy Slattery before – what does he bring to the table?
A number of things, he is always the first person to read my scripts so I trust him more than anyone. He gives the best advice when it comes to screenwriting and doesn’t sugar coat it. He always helps you keep belief in a project and pushes you on when you sometimes might be having doubts about the material, which usually happens weekly!
What were the important lessons you learned from your debut directing experience that you brought to bear on this film?
Mainly to not try to cut corners with anything, to be more prepared. Sometimes you look back at the other films and see little mistakes and you just do your best to not do the same again. I spent a lot more time on the script also, it went through quite a few different versions as we had a certain budget and had to make sure it was possible to shoot it on that.
How important was the chemistry of the cast to successfully tell this story?
It wasn’t as important as maybe on others. All the characters are somewhat estranged in it or have bad communication with each other so I think it would have worked either way. But as it happened everyone kinda knew each other. I had met Marie Ruane, who plays Natalie, a few times before and we spent an evening rehearsing our scene beforehand but that was the only rehearsals we did for the film. Gemma-Leah Deveraux, who plays Sarah, and Marie had also known each other for years so they were comfortable working together. And I had also met Linda Bhreathnach, who plays Ally, a couple of times before so that always helps things flow a little better.
Yeah, I’m so excited to show this film to people. I’m nervous as well of course but I think the excitement is maybe edging it this time. Galway is obviously special for me being a native so it will be great to have all my friends and family there with me.
A Break in the Clouds screens at Galway Film Fleadh on Friday, 14th July at the Town Hall at 10am as part of the New Irish Shorts 4 programme.
Jason Branagan: How We Made ‘Jaffa’
Jason Branagan tells us about his film Jaffa, which screens at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
Jaffa is about a young man who discovers that he can’t have children. He struggles to come to terms with his new reality while trying to find a way to tell his partner.
The idea for Jaffa came to me as a result of my age I think. I’m at that stage in my life where a lot of people I know are settling down – getting married, buying houses, having babies. Being conscious of this around me got me thinking. The thing that struck me most was this idea of someone wanting to have children only to find out that it’s simply not an option for them.
I think it’s often taken for granted that men can always have children. And more often than not, if a couple can’t conceive it’s usually the woman who will go for fertility tests first. But the reality is, in a lot of cases it’s the man who is infertile. But, for whatever reason, it’s not something we talk about – the discourse around fertility usually revolves around women. So I really wanted to explore the issue from a male perspective; the more I read and researched the more it felt like an important story to try to tell.
The most difficult part of the process was getting the script right. It’s a delicate subject and it’s easy to try and lighten the mood with humor, but the reality of the situation isn’t light at all. So I wanted to make a film that hopefully represents the reality of the situation. That took a lot of research and a lot of re-writing. I work with fantastic cinematographer, Noel Greene. He shot Jaffa but he’s one of my go to people with anything I write – he’s brutally honest and critical of my writing. When it came to this film, he consistently challenged me and pushed me to stay true to the story I was trying to tell. Before we brought the script to anyone we spent a lot of time working on the script and figuring out some of our key visual motifs.
Once I was happy with the script we contacted our producer, Roisin O’Brien. She came on board right away and we went straight into pre-production. Roisin was amazing – I was very particular about what type of locations I wanted and she was able to find everything for a budget of basically nothing. No easy task, but she killed it. And she actually has a small cameo in a teacher’s lounge!
Casting was a pretty easy process – as I wrote the film I knew I wanted Danny Mahony to play the male lead, Sean. We worked together previously on Shoebox Memories and Transitory and we have a good working relationship so I knew he’d knock it out of the park. Thankfully, the rest of the cast fell into place – Aoife Honohan had worked with Danny on the short film, The Ladies. Danny recommended her and once I met her, that was that. The film also stars Brendan Sheehan, Dave O’Neill and John Branagan.
The whole film came together very quickly and production itself went surprisingly smooth. I think some of this has to do with our pre-production process – for this film we knew we had very specific shots and visuals that we wanted to achieve so Noel and I actually storyboarded the film by shooting a lot of the film with stand ins. This was important because it meant we weren’t wasting time on location and seeing as we didn’t have any particular budget to work with, we built camera rigs to achieve some of the things we wanted to achieve. When I say we, I mean Noel built rigs. He built a “God’s Eye” rig and a dolly with tracks.
The post-production process was a long one. It took a while to get to the point where we were really happy with a cut. Once we picture locked, Noel graded the film. Although we were happy with the film, it was still missing something. I wanted a lot of silences in the film. I think the absence of sound can be as powerful as a good score but we knew the film needed an original musical score. We got extremely lucky that a group of Dublin-based musicians were willing to come on board and score the film. Dara Ryder, Aoife Ruth and Tom Cosgrave (from Irish band The Minutes) created a beautiful score that really ties the whole film together. It can get to a point where you become to close to a film, so for this part of the process I really just let the guys create what the film made them feel and when they sent us the finished piece I was confident that staying out of their way was the right decision.
I’m proud of this film so I’m really excited for people to finally see it when it premieres in Galway.
Jaffa screens at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh as part of New Irish Shorts 1 on Wednesday, 12th July at the Town Hall Theatre at 10:30.Buy Tickets
Run Run as Fast as You Can
Katie Smith’s new film Run Run as Fast as You Can follows a group of children who are being pursued through the woods by an unseen mob. Their determination to get away is matched only by their assailants’ determination to stop them at all costs.
Written by BAFTA-nominated writer Danny King (Wild Bill, Eat Local), the film features 5 actors and 5 children actors including award-winning Irish actor Johnny Vivash (Rendel) and Paul Dewdney (Crossroads).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfDgKx8h0TQ&feature=youtu.be
Facebook: www.facebook.com/runrunshortfilm
Twitter: www.twitter.com/runrunshortfilm
Amy-Joyce Hastings, Co-writer & Director of ‘QED’
Charlene Gleeson (QED)
Amy-Joyce Hastings shines a light on her short film QED, which screens at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
What can you tell us about QED?
I’m being somewhat tight-lipped about some of the major themes until after it’s had its world premiere in Galway. You only get one chance to see it with a virgin audience if that makes sense… QED tackles some big issues, it will be controversial to some I imagine but sure to spark debate at any rate! At its core it’s a film about love. For a short, at just 17 minutes, it takes a deep dive into a passionate marital relationship and poses the ultimate question – what won’t love do?
How did the story come about for you and Michael O’Kelly?
So the story was Michael’s, and the screenplay was mine. He had this amazing idea he’d been carrying around in his head for years, it was loosely inspired by real events from his own life. He first pitched the idea to me last year at the Kerry Film Festival and I was blown away by it. When I read his first draft it didn’t really put across the story he’d described to me back then so we worked on the story for several weeks till we had a filmable script that effectively put across the themes and relationship I’d found so captivating initially. Michael was great to work with on the script, and that is so often not easy for somebody to do. It was a very fluid collaboration.
No, not at all. I was just at a festival listening to an actor’s idea for a short. That happens a lot. I never imagined I’d end up making it! Then a month later I asked Michael to take part in a reading of my feature screenplay After The Rain, after which he asked if I’d direct his short. I was very taken with the idea but was stuck into my own screenplay and thought his first draft needed time I didn’t have to develop it into a film. But at the same time, something in it just struck a chord with me and I couldn’t let it go. And here we are now….
Amy-Joyce Hastings
You’ve written and directed a number of shorts now – it’s obviously something you enjoy alongside acting…
I love it. It’s a crazy amount of work, but there’s something addictive about taking something from your imagination and making it manifest. There are commonalities with acting – the storytelling, the creativity, and of course there are differences – it’s a lot more technical and time consuming on the one project, but they are all very rewarding in their various ways.
Can you tell us a little about Filmbase’s involvement in the project?
Yes, I’m delighted Filmbase was one of the main production companies on QED. It was similar to the scheme Alan Fitzpatrick [Filmbase MD] devised last year with Lily. So, each Spring the Filmbase Digital Masters students make a feature film through Filmbase. And last year Graham Cantwell, who mentors on the course, had a short film script he really wanted to make, so Alan cleverly suggested they produce it through Filmbase and use it as a training exercise for the Digital Masters, prior to going out to shoot their own feature. They hired in professional Heads of Departments and each HOD supervised a team of students who made up the crew. I sent Alan the QED script in January and he really responded to it and suggested we do it the same way as we had with Lily, provided we could shoot early February! It was a very quick pre-production period but we took that great momentum into the shoot. Filmbase also provided some of the resources and film equipment for us. It really helped us achieve high production values so we could best utilise our budget.
I’m thrilled to premiere the film at Galway. It’s an exceptional year for shorts programming with some big names in the category. It’s always a great launching pad for films in Ireland. I had to press very hard to get the film ready in time but it was worth it now it’s in!
QED screens at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh as part of New Irish Shorts 1 on Wednesday, 12th July at the Town Hall Theatre at 10:30.
Claire Gormley, Producer of ‘The Date’
Claire Gormley gives us an insight into The Date, which screens at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
What can you tell us about The Date?
The Date is a story of young love. It centres around our couple, Sinead and Brian, played by Charlene McKenna and Rory Fleck-Byrne. It’s a really charming and sweet story. The film is directed by Selina Cartmell, the new creative director of The Gate Theatre and produced by myself for Parallel Films. Selina is obviously incredibly talented and very successful in the world of theatre so it was really exciting to work with her on her first film.
I met Selina and writer Liz Quinn on last year’s Filmbase/RTE short film’s funding scheme. I had read the script as part of the process and once I met both of the ladies I immediately knew I wanted to work with them. There was a really strong shared vision for the film and we all seemed to agree on how it would all play out.
What is your role as producer on a short film like this.
I was involved in all areas of the production – from discussing the script to casting, budget management, assembling our brilliant crew, locking in locations – basically anything that needed to be done. It’s great how hands-on you get to be with short films so I was more than happy to pull it all together.
You assembled a terrific cast – can you tell us a little about this process.
Yes, we were so delighted with our cast. It’s always exciting when you have a really strong script as you know people will do it for the right reasons. I think the combination of a great script and Selina’s talent as a theatre director attracted our cast. Charlene and Rory were both on board as soon as they read the script. We also assembled an amazing cast to surround them, including Owen Roe, Camille O’Sullivan and Donnacha Crowley. We struck gold when we came across the band “Darktown”. They feature in the film and their music is a really important part of the story.
How involved were you day to day on set.
With shorts like these it’s a really good opportunity to get stuck in and get all-hands-on-deck for the shoot so I was very involved on the shoot days. We had a lot to fit into our days so it was important to make sure we kept moving and all of the cast and crew were happy and able to do their jobs. There’s a certain buzz that you get from the intensity on shorts like this, with everyone pushing themselves to get the very best out of what we have so I loved being heavily involved on set.
And now onto Galway…
We’re thrilled to be launching The Date at the Galway Film Fleadh. Galway is such an encouraging environment for young filmmakers and we can’t wait to finally see it on the big screen!
The Date screens at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh as part of New Irish Shorts 4 on Friday, 14th July at the Town Hall Theatre at 10:00.Buy Tickets
Irish Short Film Review: Gridlock
Stephen Porzio reflects on the Irish short film Gridlock, directed by Ian Hunt Duffy, who won a Young Directors Award in Cannes last week.
Atmospheric and tense, Ian Hunt Duffy’s short film Gridlock finds terror in the every day. Moe Dunford (so terrific in Handsome Devil) plays Eoin, a father – travelling with his daughter – caught in a traffic jam. Leaving the car briefly to discover the cause of the gridlock, he returns to find his child missing. Suddenly, everyone becomes a suspect.
Like any good short, Gridlock is brief but leaves an impact. Darach McGarrigle’s script does an effective job at highlighting the many different ways people react in traumatic situations. Gridlock shows how, in the event of a potential child disappearance, mob mentality can take over. As with the character played excellently by Love/Hate’s Peter Coonan, certain people’s eagerness to find the child mutates into hostility – often aimed at the wrong person. They can accuse others without any serious evidence to back up their claims. Also, personal views or prejudices may colour how they act. They jump to conclusions, quickly regarding alleged “culprits”.
McGarrigle’s script also feels natural and organic. Characters don’t immediately fly off the handle. Instead, events gradually intensify as people begin to grow more agitated and frightened, eventually tipping over into violence.
Duffy’s direction is solid too. Not only does the short look and sound great, it wisely isn’t flashy – a good choice as it makes the events feel realistic to the audience. Any overt stylistics could have perhaps made the viewer more aware they were watching a film.
Without spoiling, there is a stinger in the tail – a final moment which will leave the film lingering long in the memory. Ultimately, Gridlock is a compact short – one which leaves a distinct mark in little time. In the way Lorcan Finnegan and Garret Shanley moved from short filmmaking with Foxes to feature length with Without Name, I hope Duffy and McGarrigle make a similar transition.
Galway Film Fleadh Announce Short Film Highlights
An Béal Bocht
This year the Galway Film Fleadh present a total of fourteen short film programmes, featuring a rise in short film co-productions from around the globe including the United Kingdom, Mexico, Norway, Lebanon and the United States.
The competitive short film programme showcases an exciting mix of drama, documentary and animation, with the winners of the Tiernan MacBride Award for Best Short Drama and the James Horgan Award for Best Short Animation gaining eligibility for Oscar consideration.
This year’s short animation programme features an abundance of styles from old school stop-motion to dark comedy. Highlights include an adaptation of the classic Irish Novel An Béal Bocht by Tom Collins and the Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders produced Sorry I Drowned, inspired by a letter found on the drowned body of a refugee fleeing from war.
Short documentaries explore a variety of subjects from the therapeutic power of tattoos to Olympic dreams, from urban cowboys to vintage motorcycles, the latter being the focus of Charlie Endean’s directorial debut, Open Road.
There is also the return of Oscar winner Benjamin Cleary, co-directing his new film Wave;, the Irish premiere of A Drowning Man, hot after competing in Cannes; the directing debuts of The Gate Theatre Director Selina Cartmell, for her Filmbase/RTE funded film The Date and the renowned MTV VMA nominated Music-Video director Brendan Canty with his film For You; and Ireland’s own top model Laragh McCann goes behind the camera for her first time for her debut film Day.
In addition to the curated programme of over seventy short films in a mix of Irish, English and foreign languages, the festival will also premiere two programmes of films funded by the Irish Film Board: Short Stories and Frameworks Animations.
As well as screenings, look out for the return of the short film forum. This panel discussion is dedicated to emerging and established short filmmakers in all genres, with a focus on strategies and advice from international film festivals and short film programmers. Following the panel there will be an opportunity for discussion, debate and networking.
The Galway Film Fleadh shorts programme runs every day from Wednesday 12th to Sunday 16th of July.
Full details of each programme will be live on www.filmfleadh.ie from Tuesday 27th June.
Filming Wraps on ‘Wild Fire Nights’
Filming has wrapped on Emma Eliza Regan’s short drama Wild Fire Nights. The film centres around Lila – a rudderless millennial, caught in a destructive whirl of reckless nights, drugs and sex – until an alarming discovery forces her to face the grave consequences of her actions. Alone and desperate, she meets the elusive Flynn, who gives her an offer she can’t refuse…
The cast attached include Gerard McSorley, Dara Devaney, David Murray and James Browne.
Brian Durcan is D.O.P, with Rossa O’Dowd as camera assistant and Stephen Molloy on sound. Production design is by IFTA-nominated Steve Kingston.
The film is currently in the post-production phase, Ivor Novello, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Ilan Eskheri (Still Alice, Young Victoria) is currently creating an original soundtrack.
Watch Short Film: Swerve
ross@rosscostiganphotography.ie
The award winning short film Swerve has just been released online. Swerve is a crime comedy about a deadly game where it’s every man for himself as a group of ambitious criminals do battle for a mysterious bag. This game has been going on for as long as anyone in the criminal underworld can remember. If you play, you play to win. If you lose, you die. But the question is, what’s in the bag?
The film is directed by Ross Costigan and written by John Morton. It was produced by Alan Slattery for Mycrofilms. It won best Short Film at the 2015 Underground Cinema Film Festival and has just finished a festival run where it has screened all over the world.
The cast of the Swerve includes Ed Murphy, David Thompson, John Doran, Peter McGann, John Morton, Stephen Colfer, Niall Sheehy, Paul Young, James McHale, Brendan Corcoran, Ger Cody, Joe Cleere, Niall Morrissey, Ken McGuire, Niamh Moyles and Adrian Kavanagh.
Director Ross Costigan told Film Ireland that “About five years ago we were shooting an episode of webcom Vultures when John Morton said he had a script I should read. It might be good for me to direct and that it was basically inspired by the video game Streets Of Rage but set in Ireland. Then Mycrofilms and myself received a small collaboration bursary from Artlinks and thought we might just be able to make a film out of it. We managed to assemble a huge cast and crew of amazing talented people, all working for free and from there we spent six days turning the streets of Kilkenny into the most ridiculous, violent relay race imaginable”
Speaking to Film Ireland, writer John Morton explains that “The idea was inspired by the video game Streets Of Rage and the idea was to do a short about a game that moved in a scrolling beat ’em up fashion, with random players entering at different stages. I wanted to write something pulpy and kind of schlocky, which I hadn’t really done before so Swerve scratched that itch for a lot of us. Thematically, it’s about the nature of crime and how criminals once had a semi noble code but are now opportunists and cheaters and in that idea, it gave us the scope to do a ridiculous shoot ’em up and play with guns.’
The making of Swerve was supported by Artlinks. It was shot entirely on location in Kilkenny City
Previous short movies from Mycrofilms include John Morton’s Daffney Molloy and Other Catastrophes (Chicago Irish Film Festival/Indie Cork) Hot Water Bottle (Cork Film Festival) and Terrence White’s Baby Love which played numerous national and international film festivals.
For more on the film, please visit www.mycrofilms.com/swerve
‘Peel’ Short Film Wraps in Dublin
Ally Ni Chiaran and Lauryn Canny
Annika Cassidy makes her directing debut with Peel, a new short film that captures the painful effects of alcoholism on family through the eyes of those who pick up the pieces.
Lauryn Canny (A Thousand Times Goodnight) gives a realistic portrayal of the daughter of an alcoholic mother. The plot centres around schoolgirl Olivia who comes home to find her mother- played by Ally Ni Chiaran (My Name is Emily) motionless on the couch.
With cinematography from ADIFF 2017 Rising Star nominee Eimear Ennis Graham (Lily, Cold), the film shows the control that alcohol can have on a person and how often, it is the accidental victim who assumes responsibility for the failure of those so close to them.
Filming has wrapped this month and the film is being edited by Colin Campbell (The Young Offenders, You’re Ugly Too) at present.
Irish Film Festa Announces Short Films Competition Line-Up
The 10th Irish Film Festa, the only Italian film festival completely dedicated to Irish cinema, will take place from March 30th to April 2nd, at the Casa del Cinema in Rome.
The competition section, reserved for short films produced or co-produced in Ireland, comprises 15 works this year, spanning various genres and techniques: three animated shorts (A Coat Made Dark, The Lost Letter and Second to None), a documentary (Seán Hillen, Merging Views), a mockumentary (Starz), a horror (Blight), a thriller (Gridlock), a fantasy (The Clockmaker’s Dream), a humorous and contemporary adaptation of an ancient Gaelic poem (The Court, directed by actor Seán T. Ó Meallaigh who attended the last edition of IFF), a biopic (Two Angry Men), a romantic comedy starring children (The Debt), a formative tale with an LGBT theme (Lily), and three dramas (Homecoming, Pause and Today).
Also of note is the presence of big names among the cast of the selected short films: the protagonist of Gridlock is Moe Dunford (guest at the festival in 2015 with Patrick’s Day by Terry McMahon, and actor in the series Vikings); Gerard McSorley offers an extraordinary performance in Starz, whose co-director, Martin McCann, is himself an actor (as we saw last year in The Survivalist by Stephen Fingleton); Two Angry Men sees Adrian Dunbar in the shoes of the Northern Irish playwright Sam Thompson, and newcomer Michael Shea in those of a theatre director James Ellis (the son of Ellis, Toto, is the director of the short); Jared Harris and Kate Winslet are, respectively, the narrators of The Clockmaker’s Dream and The Lost Letter, directed by the winner of the IFF in 2012 (with The Boy in the Bubble, narrated by Alan Rickman) Kealan O’Rourke.
“The short film competition, which we launched in 2010, becomes more interesting and attracts a greater following each year: both by the filmmakers (this year we received nearly 100 submissions) and the public. Moreover, as the names of the actors appearing in the selected short films attest, this is an area that Irish film industry considers highly important, and in which is reflected the vitality and richness of Irish cinema. ” says artistic director Susanna Pellis.
IRISH FILM FESTA 10 – SHORT FILMS COMPETITION
Blight (2015), Brian Deane
with George Blagden, Alicia Gerrard, Joe Hanley, Marie Ruane, Matthew O’Brien, John Delaney, Tristan Heanue, Donnacha Crowley
A young priest is sent to a remote island off the Irish coast to help protect an estranged fishing community from dark supernatural forces, but nothing is as it seems.
An Chúirt (The Court, 2014), Seán T. Ó Meallaigh
with Séamus Hughes, Michelle Beamish, Joanne Ryan
A modern adaptation of the epic Irish poem Cúirt An Mhéan Oíche / The Midnight Court, written in the 1700s by Brian Merriman.
The Clockmaker’s Dream (2015), Cashell Horgan
with Joe Mullins, Jared Harris (narrator)
A Clockmaker, in an automata world, tries to build the perfect woman to replace his lost wife but finds his creations are proving more difficult than he imagined; he must find a solution before his time runs out and his world stops forever…
A Coat Made Dark (2015), Jack O’Shea [animation]
with the voice of Hugh O’Connor, Declan Conlon, Antonia Campbell Hughes
A man follows the orders of a dog to wear a mysterious coat with impossible pockets.
The Debt (2015), Helen Flanagan
with Lee O’Donoghue, Susie Power, Eabha Last
When lovestruck ten year old Daithi falls for his classmate Jessica, he turns to his best friend Penny to help win her heart.
Gridlock (2016), Ian Hunt Duffy
with Moe Dunford, Peter Coonan, Steve Wall
When a child go missing during a traffic jam, her distraught father form a search party to find her. But soon everyone is a suspect.
Homecoming (2016), Sinéad O’Loughlin
with David Greene, Johanna O’Brien
A young man struggles to find his place in life after returning to Ireland. A familiar face makes him wonder if things are about to change.
Lily (2016), Graham Cantwell
with Clara Harte, Dean Quinn, Leah McNamara, Amy-Joyce Hastings
Lily, a girl with a secret on the cusp of becoming a young woman, is faced with the greatest challenge of her young life.
The Lost Letter (2016), Kealan O’Rourke [animation]
with Kate Winslet as the narrator
The tale of a young boy as he prepares his neighbourhood for Christmas.
Pause (2016), Niamh Heery
with Janine Hardy
A woman arrives on an island in an altered state to confront her past. As she listens to old family tape recordings her surroundings begin to take on new life.
Seán Hillen, Merging Views (2016) Paddy Cahill [documentary]
This portrait observes artist Seán Hillen as he creates a beautiful new photomontage – he shares thoughts about his work and recent personal discovery.
Second To None (2016), Vincent Gallagher [animation]
A dark comedy about the world’s second oldest man.
Starz (2016), Kevin Treacy, Martin McCann
with Gerard McSorley, Martin McCann, Michael Smiley, Tierna McGeown, Shane Todd, Laura Webster, Gerard McCabe
A documentary film crew follows hopeless actors agent Dan Cambell as he tries to save his sinking business from another industrial tribunal.
Today (2015), Tristan Heanue
with John Connors, Lalor Roddy
A hard hitting drama about a man who wakes up one morning in his car, disorientated, with no recollection of how he ended up parked in the middle of nowhere. The harsh reality soon comes flooding back once he gathers his thoughts.
Two Angry Men (2016), Toto Ellis
with Adrian Dunbar, Michael Shea, Conleth Hill, Michael Smilie, Julie Dearden, Lalor Roddy, Stefan Dunbar
The battle of James Ellis and Sam Thompson to stage the play Over the Bridge in face of censorship in 1950s Belfast.
Watch Short Film: ‘Fuller Democracy’
Dr. Roslyn Fuller
On her quest to transform democracy, Canadian author Roslyn Fuller runs for election. She wants to open up the political process by unleashing the power of ‘digital democracy’; having her constituents decide how she votes in the Dáil. How will the realities of money and the media affect her chances as the votes are counted?
Roslyn Fuller was awarded a PhD in International Law from Trinity College Dublin. Her thesis formed the basis of her book “Beasts and Gods: How Democracy Changed its Meaning and Lost its Purpose”. Her book dissects the shortcomings of elections across 20 Western democracies and puts forward bold proposals for a ‘digital democracy’ where the people deliberate on big decisions. This new 14-minute documentary Fuller Democracy follows her most recent election campaign. She ran as an Independent for Dublin Fingal in the 2016 general election, seeking to highlight her digital democracy platform and implement it if elected.
Filmmaker Jonathan Victory followed her election campaign to see how her message of revitalising democracy was received on the doors and in the polls. “Roslyn Fuller makes for a compelling subject,” says Victory. “Her flare for critical thinking never devolves into lazy cynicism. She remains upbeat, affable and pragmatic, even when the odds are against her. There are election candidates who have allowed documentary crews to follow them before, but few have ever been as candid or insightful as Roslyn Fuller.”
Victory acted as his own crew, filming, editing and even recording music for this film. Victory says, “If an opportunity arises for an important story to follow then go for it. The advantage of documentary filmmaking is that one could capture plenty of footage with one consumer camera.” Victory has released the film online for free following its festival run which included a Distinction Award at Canada Shorts.
Victory intends to develop a feature-length documentary based on Fuller’s book. Fuller herself is pressing ahead with a project called ‘The People’s Programme’; an experiment in digital democracy that will invite the public to deliberate on policy issues. More information on that project is available here: http://fullerdemocracy.com/
Fuller Democracy screened at the following 2016 film festivals:
Canada Shorts Canadian & International Short Film Festival
Dun Laoghaire Underground Cinema Film Festival
Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival
Watch Short Film: Let Those Blues In
Let Those Blues In is a portrait of Paddy Smith, one of Ireland’s best blues harmonica players, who, after a stint in Chicago’s Cook County Prison, used his passion for music to conquer his demons.
Speaking to Film Ireland, director Paul Webster says, “The producer of the film, Shay Casserley, is a school friend of Paddy’s and they had been shooting together for about a year when they invited me to come on board as director. As a result, there was a fantastic resource of footage already built up. We spent a lot of time listening to Paddy’s stories about his life as a Blues musician, there were so many amazing stories, we couldn’t fit them all in. I was fascinated to hear how he ended up in Cook County Prison,which is one of the toughest jails in America. Paddy’s alcoholism took him to some pretty dark places and we follow him there in the film, but overall I think it’s a really positive and hopeful film. I think that’s why it has resonated with so many audiences, especially in immigrant communities in America and England.
“I have always been interested in the power of music and this film is a testament to that. It’s amazing to see how Paddy has used music to turn his life around and now he helps so many people who are in the same situation he was in. As he says himself, ‘If I could do it, anyone could.’ ”
Winner of Best Short Documentary in association with RTE at The Sky Road Film Festival, Clifden, Co. Galway – October 2015.
Galway Film Fleadh 2015
Sky Road Film Festival 2015
The Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, Kerry 2015
The London Irish Film Festival 2016
The Boston Irish Film Festival 2016
The Chicago Irish Film Festival 2016
Craic Fest Film Festival, New York 2016
Review of Irish Film @ Feminist Film Festival: The Sea Between Us
Naomi Shea was at the recent Feminist Film Festival to see Caoimhe Butterly’s The Sea Between Us.
The Sea Between Us, Caoimhe Butterly’s 2016 documentary short, screened on the first day of the Irish Feminist Film Festival at the New Theatre in Temple Bar this November. The opening scene pans in jagged close-up across the ruinous wasteland of thousands upon thousands of discarded life jackets, paradoxically connoting the bodily absence of innumerable lost lives, as well as the people that may have been saved. The Sea Between Us, with a run-time of just under 50 minutes, packs a succinct, intense and necessary punch. With Butterly’s gentle direction, gritty, unpolished cinematography from Marcelo Biglia and documentary cinema’s overarching tendency toward verisimilitude, The Sea Between Us offers what feels like a real-time exposition of a singular instance in the current global refugee crisis, one that achieves an immediacy and an honesty that only the filmic image can provide.
Structured by a series of vignettes set on the shores of Lesbos in Greece, where refugees arrive after their journey across the Aegean Sea, the film juxtaposes scenes of the boats’ safe arrival to land with the aid of volunteers working on the island against interviews with a range of people, refugees and volunteers alike, whose lives have been irrevocably changed by the crisis. The interviews are often staged against the backdrop of the sea, the sound and image of which continually foregrounds the urgency and the peril of the journeys taken across the water.
Butterly offers a testimonial platform for the refugees interviewed, where the watershed in their lives, literal and figurative, finally gives way to a space of hope and security. Many speak of the shattered homes they have fled, the family members they have lost and the livelihoods that have been destroyed, but they speak also of the families and communities they will join in Europe and all speak of the hope and opportunities they can now provide for their children.
An elderly woman from Syria proclaims herself a hero, having raised ten children and her grandchildren, who she can now join in Germany. A sixteen-year-old volunteer from Sao Paolo, who has come to the island for 45 days with her mother, tells of a fourteen-year-old Afghan girl who has fled her home alone. Having described the young girl’s journey, the volunteer says that she does not consider her a victim, but just a girl, like many other girls throughout the world.
Butterly offers insights into the female experience of the crisis that are at once singular and universal. These instances reveal a profound female strength and resilience that is contextualised by the film within the broader celebration of human strength and resilience in all its multifariousness and diversity.
Butterly has offered up an enlivened and pertinent discourse on the refugee crisis that displaces the image of the refugee as helpless and pitiable. The film gently but boldly lays the groundwork for a reappraisal of the crisis as a fundamentally humanitarian issue, unfettered by the specifics of religion, race, gender or age. As the sixteen-year old volunteer succinctly posits, the immediate requirement now is for safe journeys to be provided for all those needing to leave their countries of origin. While the physical and psychological impact of their personal and political histories is irrefutable, the guarantee, and not the arbitrary chance, of a safe journey and arrival is a hopeful and necessary step forward.
However, experiencing The Sea Between Us as part of a film festival is disarming for the passivity that is so inherent within the cinematic experience. The film engenders both a celebratory hope and an intense anger in the audience, but if the film is, after the credits have rolled and the lights come up, simply something that has been seen and emotionally experienced then we have failed as viewers to engage with what cinema of this nature is driving toward; a refusal of things as they are, a refusal to depict the same stories time and time again, because real change must always push beyond the cinematic frame.
The Sea Between Us screened on 18th November as part of the Feminist Film Festival (18 – 20 November 2016)
Posted on November 29, 2016 December 16, 2016
Watch Short Film: Adam
Adam, a short film written by Caroline Farrell and directed by Denise Pattison, has just been released online. The film is a dramatic exploration of how a little boy struggles emotionally as he witnesses the violent arguments between his parents amid the constant tension and the spoken and the unspoken messages he is too young to comprehend.
Caroline Farrell told Film Ireland that “the story originated with a haunting image I imagined – a little boy cycling around his neighbourhood, filled with anxiety, disengaged from other children, and standing out as ‘odd’ because he had taken to wearing his father’s motorcycle helmet everywhere. His attempt to be ‘invisible’. His parents are so caught up in their own private miseries and the increasing cycle of arguments that have turned violent, they fail to see how their actions are affecting their children. The compelling theme of the story for me was how this little boy’s confusion and fear manifested into rage, bubbling away, unseen by anyone, until it bursts out of him, and he destroys his precious things. A turning point in his development that goes unseen, and perhaps changes the course of his life, his way of being, his way of seeing any challenge that will present in his future.”
Also produced by Farrell and Pattison, this low-budget film was shot over two days, and stars Johnny Elliott, Sinead Monaghan, Aideen McLoughlin and Eric McGuirk as Adam.
ADAM-HD Short Film from Caroline Farrell on Vimeo.
Caroline Farrell has written several feature and short scripts. Caroline blogs here… on writing and film… and on a few of her favourite things.
IFB Announce Real Shorts Successful Teams
Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board has announced the successful teams for Real Shorts, a new short documentary film scheme which enables creative documentaries with high cinematic production values to reach an international audience through theatrical and festival exposure.
The filmmakers were encouraged to produce works of up to 10 minutes in length, with strong personal voices, presenting material which utilises the emotional and aesthetic technique of cinema.
From a number of submissions of a very high standard, the following five projects were chosen:
Mother and Baby to be written and directed by Mia Mullarkey and produced by Alice McDowell; a documentary which McDowell states, “looks at the Tuam Mother & Baby Home where 796 children were allegedly buried without ceremony or grave”, noting that “the film delves into details, memories, and perspectives of three past residents interwoven with the powerful story of one woman whose personal history pushed her to fight for 796 lost voices.”
Hey Ronnie Reagan to be written and directed by Maurice O’Brien and produced by Daniel Hegarty, described as “an ode to local legends and the day the most powerful man in the world came all the way to Tipperary.”
Bordalo II : A Life Of Waste to be written and directed by Trevor Whelan and Rua Meegan and produced by Glen Collins. Meegan describes the documentary as “a portrait of artist and activist Artur Bordalo, through which we gain an insight into his inspiration, motivation and creative process as he assembles his ‘Trash Animal’ sculptures in prominent urban locations around the world”, adding that “Bordalo creates these towering installations of endangered species from a city’s own trash to illustrate the victims of humanity’s disposable habits.”
The Swimmer to be written and directed by Thomas Beug and produced by Jessica Bermingham, whereby according to Beug, the “world-renowned Irish endurance swimmer, Stephen Redmond, serves as the entry point into this deeper exploration of ocean-swimming and man’s relationship with the sea.”
Smithy & Dicky-boy to be written and directed by Hannah Quinn and produced by Michela Orlandi. Quinn explains the premise behind the documentary, calling it “an ode to precious memories from love letters and photographs, and their potential obsolescence, now that we’re in the digital age.”
This scheme is funded by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board and the films will premiere in 2017.
Review of Irish Film @ Cork Film Festival: Irish Shorts 1: The Cycle of Life
Rebecca Graham takes a look at Irish Shorts 1: The Cycle of Life – a selection of Irish short films that screened at this year’s Cork Film Festival.
The first selection of Irish short films screened at this year’s Cork Film Festival was a wonderfully eclectic mix of styles and techniques, showcasing some of the immense talent at work in Ireland’s film industry. The shorts on show dealt with the themes of love, ageing and death, as the title The Cycle of Life suggests. In the first short, City of Roses, a voiceover introduces a young boy as he bravely, or foolishly, rescues an old suitcase from a towering bonfire. Inside the suitcase, the boy discovers old letters which describe the tragic love story of Paddy, who emigrated to America, and the woman he fell in love with, Rose. Interposed with the live action scenes of the young boy and his mom reading the letters is a beautiful animation of Paddy and Rose’s life in America. Directed by Andrew Kavanagh, this moving film, based on true events, manages to capture the hopefulness and possibility of youth while revealing the finality and seeming injustice of death. The unique style of the animation leaves a lasting impression ensuring the story of Paddy and Rose lingers in the mind long after the final scene.
The unfairness of death is once again forcibly felt in the skilfully-crafted and moving documentary, A Beautiful Death, directed by Patrick McDermott. A Beautiful Death follows a care worker, James, as he carries out his daily rounds of caring for and supporting elderly people in his community. The scenes of the young, charismatic James at work are poignantly cut with home-video footage of James as a young boy with his mother. James’ heart-breaking revelation of his motivations for doing this difficult, demanding work imparts a positive sense of the power and wonder of life in spite of the pain and suffering that accompanies death.
The struggle to find meaning and positivity when faced with life’s challenges underlines Paul Heary’s Neolithic Patchwork Quilt, a film that centres on Herman, an ordinary Irish man, who is being treated for cancer. His illness gives Herman a negative outlook, reinforced by the film’s dark, grey colour palette. His wife wants him to practice mindfulness but Herman’s mind cannot stay in the present. His thoughts wander across times and Galaxies, and the viewers are taken through his wanderings, continually returning to images of Neolithic cave people. Herman’s wandering thoughts create a sense of the interconnectedness of all human life in a vast, unimaginable universe. The acting is excellent throughout, and the dramatic twist at the end is intelligently engineered to shock viewers.
Following the shocks of Neolithic Patchwork Quilt, Jonathan Shaw’s subtler short, Pebbles, deals with the fallout of betrayal in love. Pebbles focuses on Ruby’s return to a hotel she stayed in fifty years previously. She sees flashbacks of her younger self in the throes of love. The quiet slow pace of the film reflects the slow inevitable passing away of youth and romance. Marie Mullen’s performance as the lost and lonely Ruby is powerfully understated. The décor of the hotel is unchanged from Ruby’s honeymoon visit. There is a sense that Ruby is stuck and has come to the hotel looking for closure in order to move on with her life. Within the confines of the hotel, Ruby and her husband are sheltered from the elements that have buffeted and beset their former lives together. The conversations are elliptical. There is a weight of things not said, feelings not expressed, wrongs that will never be made right. The small grey pebble Ruby returns to the beach is the symbolic weight of heartbreak and loss she has carried with her. She lays it down, ending this intelligent, engrossing film with a moment of a hope.
Following this quiet pebble creating gentle ripples on love and loss and moving on, comes the boulder of a short film, Robert McKeon’s Wifey Redux. This is a loud, hilarious and angry portrait of middle-age, based on the highly-acclaimed Irish writer Kevin Barry’s short story of the same name. Starring Aidan McArdle as Jonathan Prendergast, Wifey Redux is a darkly comic insight into the difficulties of sustaining a happy marriage. Angeline Ball plays Jonathan’s beautiful wife who, in every scene, is clutching a wine-glass in the pristine surroundings of their large, luxurious Dublin property. Jonathan’s run-ins with his teenage daughter’s boyfriend and later, with the exclamation mark of a shop sign, are perfectly acted, timed and shot. Though revealing the bitter regrets and losses that can accompany middle-age, this is a highly entertaining film with many laugh-out-loud moments that audiences can relate to.
In a change of tone, Brian Crotty’s Crash Bang Wallop is an experimental exploration of love and relationships, which originally formed part of an art exhibition. A number of different scenarios are played out including the first meeting of a couple at a fancy dress party: He is the Titanic, she is an ice-cube (which is close enough to an ice-berg for him). His rhythmic Cork accent and bright red face (one of the ship’s funnels) create an endearing sense of his innocence and naivety. As they chat and he makes jokes, viewers cannot but want this couple to fall in love. The film flips between different, increasingly strange scenarios, highlighting the raw emotions associated with love such as lust, anxiety, and anger. There are many funny moments, the acting is convincing, and it is all accompanied by an energetic soundtrack.
The final short film, Proceeds of Crime, provides a unique viewing experience, using animation and the alphabet to draw attention to Dublin’s gangland crime. At just three minutes long, David Quinn’s very short short brings humour, satire, and wit to the political reality of the dangers of organised crime and the Irish government’s inadequate responses. It ends the selection of shorts on a political note. Viewed together this intriguing selection of shorts creates a narrative of love and hope in the face of overwhelming pain and grief, underscored by the potent power of humour to provide relief in the most agonising of circumstances.
Irish Shorts 1: The Cycle of Life screened on 15 November 2016.
The Cork Film Festival 2016 runs 11 – 20 November
RTÉ 2 Screening Limerick Film Trilogy
RTÉ 2 is screening The Limerick Film Trilogy over three weeks in November on the Monday night Shortscreen slot. The trilogy consists of three short films that were made with the support of Limerick City of Culture in partnership with Behind the Scenes. The scheme also received assistance from Screen Training Ireland. The dates for screening are:
LIMERICK TRILOGY – Day Off – 7th Nov ’16
LIMERICK TRILOGY – The Apparel – 14th Nov ’16
LIMERICK TRILOGY – Date: Time – 21st Nov ’16
This ambitious project was realised by Film Limerick Project Manager Ronan Cassidy and acclaimed Limerick writer and director Gerard Stembridge. The idea behind the project was a way of providing training and experience for those seeking to break into the film industry. Three short films were produced using local filmmakers mentored by industry professionals. Gerard Stembridge selected three writers and worked with these writers individually to make each script as good as it could be. He also took an overview, looking for connecting features and elements that would create links between the stories.
The writers were given maximum freedom to tell whatever story they wanted to tell. The stories had to be contemporary and preferably unfold within a limited time period and Limerick City itself was to be evident as the backdrop. The use of locations in the city is therefore at the heart of each of the films. Even though the films are quite separate stories and work as stand-alone films, seen together they are subtlety linked.
Three teams were put together with everyone who took part gaining invaluable experience from top industry professionals. The teams consisted of three first time writers and three first time directors. In addition there were DOP’s, sound operators, set designers, wardrobe, make-up, hair etc., each team being mentored by designated industry professionals.
Gerard Stembridge worked with the directors on casting to secure the best available local talent for the individual films. He also oversaw the filming and mentored the directors on set and ensured that the important linking elements between the stories were taken care of, so that the final product would stand up as a single entity.
For those who miss the screenings, there will be an opportunity to catch up on player at: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/shortscreen
Synopsis of films:
Day Off (Drama):
Laura struggles at first to come to terms with her husband’s life-changing affliction, the early-onset dementia. Her only distraction is her Day Off, where once a week she finds time to see her friends and socialise.
The Apparel (Comedy):
Joesph is a forty-something whose life seems to be unravelling just a little. Moved into emergency accommodation with an unkempt twenty-something, he clings to the last vestiges of the life he knew before – his job as curator of an art gallery.
Date: Time (Romantic Comedy):
A romance develops between Ann and Bob, but his bad habit of being continuously late is taking the excitement away and she feels taken for granted.
‘Maeve and the Moon’ Wraps
Filmed in Wicklow and Monaghan, new Irish short Maeve and the Moon just wrapped on a four-day shoot. Privately funded and sponsored in part by Teach Solais, this marks the debut short film by writer and director Elynia Betts.
Poppy Caraher, who made her brilliant debut as the lead in The Boring Diary of Frances Noone, stars as ten year old Maeve. When her father off handedly remarks that her mother is “asking for the moon,” imaginative and resilient Maeve decides to set off on her own to find the moon and bring it home. After sourcing a boat from a local fisherman, and inspiration from Yeats, Maeve finds herself among the moon’s Eight Phases–putting the success of her quest on an unusual path.
Emma Eliza Regan (Darkness on the Edge of Town, Get Up and Go), who just wrapped on Tom Collin’s new feature Penance: Aithri, also stars as Rhiannon–the Irish-speaking leader of the Phases. In another leading role is Seán McGillicuddy (Sineater) as the Fisherman, who is much more than what he appears to be. Maeve’s parents are played by Jeanne O’Connor (Éirí Amach Amú) and Declan Reynolds (Love/Hate). Other talent includes Sohaila Lindheim (Red Room) and Martina Babisova (Operation Liberland). The film was shot on a Blackmagic Cinema Camera by Limerick director of photography Niall Coley.
Combining Irish mythology with childhood whimsy, ‘Maeve and the Moon’ aims for the 2017 film festival run in Ireland and abroad.
Call For: Submissions for Irish Film Festa
The 10th edition of Irish Film Festa, which will take place in March 2017, is now open to submissions for short films from Ireland.
In order to be eligible for Irish Film Festa competition, films must be under 30 minutes in length and produced or co-produced in Ireland.
Accepted categories are Live Action, Documentary, Animation.
Entries must be submitted as an online screener link to submissions.IFF@gmail.com or as a DVD to
Associazione Culturale ARCHIMEDIA
via Segesta 16
00179 Roma (Italia)
Deadline is December 20th, 2016. No fee requested.
DVDs sent by post will not be returned.
Out of all the accepted entries, Irish Film Festawill select – at its sole and absolute discretion – a shortlist of films for the competition. Irish Film Festa will notify all the authors of selected films; not-selected applicants won’t be notified.
Within a week after admission, authors of selected film must provide:
a high-definition copy of the film (Digibeta/DCP/DVD/Blu-Ray)
a timecoded dialogue list
a high-resolution still from the film to be used for the festival catalogue
Please note that this is mandatory. If a timecoded dialogue list won’t be provided, the short film will be disqualified from the competition.
‘Don’t Run’ Screens @ Underground Cinema Film Festival
Don’t Run is a 6-minute short film from Reckoner Productions telling the story of ‘The Architect’ played by Eoin Quinn (Fair City, Portrait of a Zombie, Limp, Mirror Image) who receives a strange call in the middle of the night from someone claiming to be him, giving only one simple message – “Don’t Run.” From here ‘The Architect’ is led to a discovery that will change his fate forever.
Shot on a zero budget, both Alan Dunne (Against The Wall, IDLE) and Eamonn Tutty (Anna, Mirror Image) wanted to create an unnerving story that plays on the mind and stays with you long after the credits.
“Don’t Run for me was such a great project to make. We had a small but incredibly talented cast and crew. We wanted to tell an original story that would stay with the audience long after the credits rolled. Creating the look and feel of the film was a challenge but amazingly it turned out better than we could have imagined. We were able to achieve this by working with our small crew and following strict rules we set for ourselves during the filmmaking process” says Alan Dunne.
“Securing budgets and raising funds is always a hard task, but the worst thing is getting complacent while waiting on news of development. It is important to keep active, hone your skills and practice. I felt this was a piece that could do just that, challenging Alan on a technical level for a vfx heavy piece, challenging ourselves with organising the shoot and getting the best team to push it to completion. Eoin did a fantastic job getting the subtleties and nuances right for the character. The whole team did a great job and you can see it on screen,” says Eamonn Tutty.
“Working on Don’t Run was quite an experience. Not just an acting challenge but also blocking was very important so that post-production would look perfect. It was great to be involved in such an original shoot that I feel will leave the audience scratching their heads” says Eoin Quinn.
The film was directed, edited cinematography by Alan Dunne and written by Alan Dunne and Eamonn Tutty, produced by Alan Dunne and Eamonn Tutty, starring Eoin Quinn, with Sound Op’s from Tadhg Collins & Tom Stafford, sfx mua Niamh O’Malley, music by SL – 88, sound mixing and& mastering by Luis Diaz, and colour grading by Sean Buffini.
Don’t Run will have its official premiere at the Underground Cinema Film Festival in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday September 10th at 3pm in the Royal Marine Hotel.
For tickets, click and follow the link below.
http://www.ucff.ie/
Posted on August 23, 2016 September 26, 2017
Irish Short Film Review: Radha
Stephen Porzio takes a look at Nicolas Courdouan’s 22-minute drama with horror elements. The short recently had its world premiere at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Providence, RI (19 – 21 August ) and will go on to compete at the Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, OR (7 – 9 October).
A meditation on grief, as well as a nicely twisty and surprising horror, Nicholas Courdouan’s Radha is a rather effective short film. Sue Walsh stars as Saoirse, a woman trying to form a new life in the aftermath of a tragic event, who stumbles upon the enigmatic titular dancer (Kojii Helnwein).
The short benefits from some memorable, well-executed set-pieces. For example, Radha’s central dance would not be as compelling if it wasn’t so tightly edited. The camera lingers on her contorted body, not revealing her face. This is then juxtaposed with the gazes of her gaunt-looking viewers, who she claims she “helps”, creating a real sense of dread, even when the viewer is unaware of what exactly there is to fear.
The clothing and lighting contribute to this paranoid atmosphere. Through the dark moodiness of the room and the way Radha’s black hair and clothes hang off her body, the short evokes the feel of a J-Horror. At times, the titular character resembles Sadako from Ringu, particularly with the unnatural way she moves.
There are moments within the short where the dialogue does not ring true and is delivered rather stiltedly. However, this is easy to forgive when there is so much else to like. The final scene, taking place on a beach, is gorgeous looking, resembling the coastal scenes from the similarly Irish Calvary and The Eclipse. Also as it continues, Courdouan’s film interestingly plays with audience expectation. Radha is less the villain we expect and more a beacon to Saoirse of what the movie’s title translates to in Irish (vision, sight, aspect).
The short also builds an intriguing mystery. Who is Radha and where does she come from? This is something I would be curious to see explored to some degree should Courdouan expand this twenty-two minute short into a feature length.
‘Falling In Love’ Premieres @ Montreal
Oisin Robbins and Ingrid Saker in Falling In Love
Falling In Love, a short film featuring emerging young Irish actor Oisin Robbins, will premiere at the prestigious ‘Focus on World Cinema’ section of the 40th Montreal World Film Festival from 25th August to 5th September 2016.
An independent Irish production Falling In Love depicts the hopelessness the new generation of post Celtic Tiger cubs have grown up to face.
Playing loosely with the ancient Greek legend of Orpheus the film dramatically portrays the gritty reality of life on the margins of modern-day small town Ireland.
Directed by Finian Robbins the film is a sequel Railway, which explored similar themes in a humorous way.
Both films will be screened at the Underground Film Festival in Dun Laoghaire from 9th to 11th September.
Falling In Love was shot on location in Clara, County Offaly.
Film Board Shorts @ Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival, Bristol
The programme for the Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival will this year include six Irish Film Board supported shorts, including a mixture of live action and animation, documentary and fiction.
Two films have been selected from After ’16, a series of films commissioned by the Irish Film Board to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. Set in 1970s Belfast, The Party was directed by Andrea Harkin and produced by Farah Abushwesha and Emmet Flemming. A Terrible Hullabaloo is an animated short directed by Ben O’Connor, written by Aoife Noonan and produced by Bob Gallagher.
Three films were selected from the Frameworks scheme, co-financed by the IFB and RTÉ. City of Roses reveals a true story of love, loss and hope. It was written and directed by Andrew Kavanagh and produced by Jackie Leonard. A Coat Made Dark has already travelled to a number of international festivals including Clermont-Ferrand and Sundance. Written and directed by Jack O’Shea, it was produced by Damien Byrne. Geist has screened at SXSW and picked up prizes at Fastnet, ADIFF and IFTA. Written, directed and edited by Sean Mullen, Ben Harper, Alex Sherwood, it was produced by Daniel Spencer.
Starring Eileen Walsh, How Was Your Day? was written and directed by Damien O’Donnell and produced by Emmaline Dowling. It picked up the Best Narrative Short prize at SXSW and was also a winner at Foyle Film Festival, an Academy Awards qualifier.
Encounters takes place in Bristol from September 20th – 25th 2016.
Posted on August 8, 2016 August 8, 2016
Watch Short Film: ‘Heartburn’s A Killer’
Heartburn’s A Killer, a one minute action-comedy directed by Fergal Costello has just been completed. The film stars comedian Ross Browne and Peter McGann, dealing with a devastating effects heartburn can have on a gunfight.
Costello wrote, directed, edited and created the visual effects for the piece, which was shot by Paddy Jordan [The Young Offenders, Pentecost] and produced by Claire Gormley [Mute, Trampoline].
The piece was funded by commercial company DBC. www.drivenbycreatives.com
More of Costello’s work can be seen here: www.fergalcostello.com
Short Film: Watch ‘Transitory’
Transitory, the new short film from writer/director Jason Branagan has been released online. The film was made as part of this year’s March on Film festival and premiered at the festival’s finals event in June, where it won Best Actor and Second Place, Best Film.
Transitory is a drama set over one day in Dublin. It tells the story of a Robin, a young man who lives in his car. After his car is stolen, Robin struggles to find a place to sleep.
Speaking to Film Ireland, director Jason Branagan said “the film came about because there had been so many news stories about families forced from their homes, many of which found themselves living out of their cars because they had no where else to go. This wave of ‘new-homeless’ were often people with financial trouble as a result of the crash so it made me think about how easy it could be to find yourself in that situation, and just how difficult that situation would really be. So the film started with that question of ‘what if’…”.
The film stars Danny Mahony (Shoebox Memories, The Devil’s Woods). It is written and directed by Jason Branagan, with Noel Greene serving as Director of Photography. Plain Sailing Films produced the film.
Watch ‘Daffney Molloy And Other Catastrophes’
Daffney Molloy And Other Catastrophes, the new short film from Mycrofilms has been released online. It premiered at last years IndieCork Film Festival as well as screening at the Chicago Irish Film Festival this past March. It is adapted from the same stage play that also formed the basis of one of this year’s RTÉ Storyland commissions Smitten and features much of the same cast and characters.
A comedy set in present day Kilkenny, it tells the story of four men who whilst drowning their sorrows at a housewarming party, get caught up in stories about a near mythical girl from their past. Apart from one of them. Crippled with social anxiety and struggling with his newly found sobriety, Tommy has no idea who Daffney Molloy is. As the yarns are spun, he begins to question how much of what he’s hearing is reality and how much of it is fantasy.
The cast for the film includes Eddie Murphy, Aoife Spratt, Amy Dunne, Jack O’Leary, Niall Morrissey, John Morton, Peter McGann, Lynsey Moran and Leah Egan. The film is written and directed by John Morton, produced by Alan Slattery and shot by Ross Costigan. Swerve, the last short film from Mycrofilms, won the Best Short Film award at this years Underground Film Festival.
Speaking to Film Ireland, John Morton said, “The film is adapted from a play I wrote some years ago called Smitten, part of which was also adapted for this year’s RTÉ Storyland. This story is about four men trading tales at a dull grown-up house party, like fishermen talking about great catches that got away. Three of them are in situations where they’re forced to get real about life, pregnant girlfriends, settling down and struggling with commitment. They wax philosophical about a girl who represents more innocent times for them. Like a manic pixie dream girl on steroids. Tommy, the protagonist, is just out of rehab and as he’s struggling to adjust to reality, isn’t sure what to make of these yarns. He’s captivated but wary. Will he get real or, like his friends, regress into fantasy?
“I was interested in doing something about the conflict in your late 20s of getting real about life or avoiding responsibility. For Tommy, it’s going to be telling if he’ll meet a real girl or just another fantasy version.
“The stage version told a lot of different stories with these characters and this short tries to distill the central theme, which is essentially ‘the grass is greener on the other side’. And in this case the greener grass is a fantasy which may be nowhere near as interesting as where you’re currently standing.”
For more on the film, please visit mycrofilms.com/daffney and facebook.com/daffneymolloy/
Interview with Jack Reynor, actor 'Sing Street'
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CHANCELLOR MERKEL IN TROUBLE FOR TERRORISM
December 24, 2016 freespeechadmin Leave a comment
Backlash Swells in Germany as Hunt for Terrorist Ends
www.google.co.uk
The Tunisian man suspected of carrying out the Berlin truck attack has been killed in a shootout with police in Milan. Anis Amri shot at police during a routine police stop at 3 a.m. Friday morning. Photo: EPA By Anton Troianovski in Berlin and Eric Sylvers in Milan Updated Dec. 23, 2016 6:55 p.m. ET
The hunt for the suspect in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market ended before dawn Friday in a shootout with Italian police near Milan, but the political fallout was just beginning to gather force.
Anis Amri, a Tunisian, lived in Germany for more than a year, despite having been previously jailed in Italy and denied asylum in both nations. Even as Europe’s most-wanted man, he traveled hundreds of miles this week, crossing at least two European Union borders on his way to Italy, where police stopped him to check his identity.
ENLARGE A computer screen grab shows images taken from a copy of the arrest warrant for a Tunisian man identified as Anis Amri, the main suspect in the Christmas market attack that killed 12 people in Berlin on Monday. Photo: Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Chancellor Angela Merkel responded to mounting pressure Friday over her approach to migrants and national security as she readies for a re-election battle next year.
“The Amri case raises a series of questions, not just about the deed itself but also about the time since he came to Germany,” she said. “We will now examine with urgency to what degree state practices must be changed.”
Police in multiple countries were working Friday to figure out how Amri, who authorities said had train tickets from France, made his escape and whether he had help.
“I am very relieved that there is no more danger stemming from this perpetrator,” German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said, but he added that authorities would continue hunting for any accomplices. As of late Friday, police hadn’t disclosed any additional arrests.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The terror group’s official Amaq news agency posted a video of a man it said was Amri urging followers to kill “crusaders.” The man strongly resembled photos of Amri released by German police.
Berlin attack suspect Anis Amri arrived in Europe in 2011. Since then, authorities in Italy and Germany have tried multiple times to send him back to Tunisia. They failed. WSJ’s Jason Bellini reports. Photo: Najoua Amri to AP
On Friday U.S. President-elect Donald Trump tweeted: “Such hatred! When will the U.S., and all countries, fight back?”
German authorities have come under heavy criticism for failing to stop Amri. He was flagged as having been radicalized, but the country’s overtaxed security services dropped intensive surveillance of him earlier this year after failing to find enough evidence to make him a high-priority target.
Ms. Merkel said her government would “quickly agree on and implement” any necessary legal or policy changes, repeating vows to speed up deportations of migrants whose asylum claims have been denied. Her statement struck a new tone of flexibility from a leader who has forcefully defended her approach to migration and security. But the chancellor didn’t signal a shift in her positions that Germany wouldn’t cap the number of refugees it takes in and that Europe’s internal borders should be open.
In 2015, Ms. Merkel declined to close Germany’s borders to refugees and migrants even as thousands of people a day streamed into the country, especially from war-torn Syria. She argued that stopping them would cause widespread suffering and potentially destabilize southeastern Europe. Her critics say the move left a dangerous opening for radical Islamists to enter.
The challenge authorities face as they screen new arrivals is daunting. At the end of November, authorities say, there were nearly 33,000 asylum seekers in Germany just from Tunisia, Amri’s country of origin. Decisions had been made to repatriate 1,500 of them, but only 111 had actually been returned to Tunisia.
One reason is Tunisia’s reluctance to take the people back. Ms. Merkel on Friday called Tunisian leader Beji Caid Essebsi and urged him to help. “I told the president that we must still significantly accelerate the repatriation process,” she said.
Such moves may not be enough to assuage Ms. Merkel’s political opponents.
“The state has failed,” Karsten Woldeit, a lawmaker for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany in Berlin’s state legislature, said after a hearing on the attack on Friday. “It’s almost as though the coordinated protection of the citizenry is politically undesirable.”
Amri’s case has been especially embarrassing for the authorities. After serving nearly four years for arson in an Italian prison, he came to Germany in summer 2015.
Soon after he arrived, investigators noticed he was making contact with known Islamist radicals. He appeared to research how to build a pipe bomb online and seemed interested in obtaining automatic weapons through a contact in Paris, a Berlin government official, Torsten Akmann, said Friday.
But none of the clues were solid enough to stand up in court, officials say. Berlin prosecutors stopped monitoring him in September. By early December, he had slipped the gaze of German intelligence officials still trying to keep tabs on him.
On Monday, authorities say, he rammed a stolen truck into the crowded Christmas market and killed 12 people. He fled the scene, and police didn’t find his wallet in the truck until the day after the attack.
Despite the intensity of the manhunt, Amri succeeded in reaching Italy via France, Italian police said. They said he was carrying several hundred euros in cash, a small knife and a train ticket from the southeastern French town of Chambéry to Italy.
French officials are checking video footage to figure out if he took that train and if so how he got there. “We still have only a vague idea of what happened,” said Luc Poignant, a spokesman for a police officers’ union.
After arriving in Turin at about 9 p.m. Thursday, Italian police said, Amri made his way to Sesto San Giovanni, north of Milan, where police stopped him just after 3 a.m. When two officers approached and asked for identification, he became agitated, pulled out a .22-caliber gun and began to shoot, shouting “Bastard police!” in Italian.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed relief that the Tunisian truck-attack suspect had been shot and killed, adding, “Germany and Tunisia have significantly intensified their cooperation in the fight against terrorism.” Photo: Getty
The police said they returned fire, killing him. One officer received non-life-threatening injuries in the shootout. Fingerprints identified the dead man as Amri “without a doubt,” Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti said.
Officials said they didn’t know if the gun Amri had was the same one used to shoot the Polish driver found dead in the truck that plowed through the market. Also unknown are Amri’s motives for coming to Italy. Sesto San Giovanni, an industrial area, is home to a large foreign-born community, including many Muslims drawn over the years to jobs in heavy industry, and authorities are investigating whether Amri traveled to Italy to meet someone. “It is among the many hypotheses that we are looking at,” said Antonio De Iesu, Milan’s police chief.
—Manuela Mesco, Andrea Thomas and Karen Leigh contributed to this article.
Corrections & Amplifications: The town of Chambéry is in southeastern France. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated it is in southwestern France. (Dec. 23, 2016)
Write to Anton Troianovski at anton.troianovski@wsj.com and Eric Sylvers at eric.sylvers@wsj.com
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A Fascinating Journey of Clocks in Muslim Civilisation
(From right) Professor Assobhei Omar, President of Sidi Mohammed ben Abdullah university, Fez.presenting a painting of the old city of Fez to Professor Salim Al-Hassani.
On 22-23 October 2015, the “3rd International conference on History of Medicine and Cures (Colloque international de toxicologie)” was opened at Fez university of Sidi Mohammed ben Abdullah (Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Fès). Professor Salim Al-Hassani gave the keynote presentation.
The president of FSTC, Professor Salim Al-Hassani's presentation told the story of how, a 1000 years ago, men and women of different faiths and cultures built upon the achievements of previous civilisations to generate thousands of new scientific inventions and beneficial innovations that transformed their world in science, technology, medicine, architecture, art, business and education.
Professor Salim Al-Hassani delivering his keynote speech.
Examples were used of fascinating water clocks from the Muslim world, especially the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque astronomical clock and the Bou-Inania Mangana clock of Fez. A 3D model animation of the clock that Harun al-Rashid gifted to King Charlemagne was shown with sound. Other detailed animations of clocks such as Ibn al-Haytham’s, Al-Jazari’s elephant clock and the mechanical clock of Taqi al-Din.
The presentation highlighted how one of FSTC’s global initiatives, 1001 Inventions, is engaging millions of young people in learning how people from many cultures worked together in the fields of science, technology and innovation and built a better society for those that came after them. This historical example provides a bedrock of learning and inspiration for how they might work together to build a better, smarter society. It alluded to a new initiative entitled 1001 Cures, which aims at bringing fascinating stories on medicine and healthcare from non-European civilisations over a 1000 year period.
Professor Al-Hassani explained that for the building of a smart knowledge society, the most important asset, i.e the young generation, would have to be motivated and transformed so that their aspirations resonate with the leadership vision. For this to happen effectively, they need to look afresh at the past to re-perceive it and learn from it. Stories of exemplary role models would inspire them to focus on transforming their society and build a better future for humanity.
To achieve this, a supportive educational environment will be required. A principal feature of this environment will be that it ensures a curriculum, which balances science and technology, and recognises scientific contributions of all cultures; a feature missing from present STEM courses in schools and universities.
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NatWest RugbyForce
Players, families, supporters and sponsors all “mucked in” at Ellingham & Ringwood’s Raymond Brown Memorial Ground to get their clubhouse ready for the new season and for the Rugby World Cup, which starts in September.
The event was part of Nat West Rugby Force, which is investing in rugby clubs across the country as part of the build up for the Rugby World Cup.
Nat West helped meet the cost of materials, but all of the work had to be carried out by club volunteers.
Ivan Torpey, Hampshire’s Rugby Development Officer helped out at the event and said “It was great to see so many volunteers from across the whole club”. He added, “This has not only helped get the club ready for the coming season, but has also built up a great team spirit across the club”.
Ellingham & Ringwood run three men’s sides and a women’s side, as well as junior boy’s and girl’s teams in every age from Under 6’s to Under 18’s. If you’d be interested in playing for the club, or would like to get involved in any other way you should contact Steve Benson on (07702) 953500.
During the World Cup all of England’s fixtures and a number of other big games will be shown on television at the club house – and details will be available on the club web site www.errfc.com closer to the event.
The photograph shows club members working hard on the Nat West Rugby Force Day.
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Gun violence: What will really change the statistics?
@rklindgren May 28, 2018 October 28, 2018 2 Comments on Gun violence: What will really change the statistics?
The wave of mass shootings in the U.S. continues unabated and, based on my prior analyses of the math behind the shootings [1], it will get worse because Americans can’t or won’t deal with that math. It will get worse because the root causative factor is, simply stated, the ready availability of weapons, and the root predictor of “high-lethality events” is similarly the ready availability of “high-lethality” weapons and ammunition.
In an earlier post I described how each weapon is basically low-probability “lottery ticket.” Any one weapon or owner has a tiny, lottery-level chance of becoming a problem, but because of the statistical Law of Large Numbers, we can predict the number and rate of future gun violence events to a high level of accuracy. And because we keep adding more weapons to the “lottery ticket pool” daily, somebody will inevitably become a tragic “gun violence lottery winner.” Make that “multiple somebodies.”
The stress on the “cultural chain”
My approach is to think of this basic availability of weapons as a primary stressor on the “cultural chain” of people and events in the United States today, much more so than in any other developed country. People with mental illness, or radical religious believers, or students wearing trenchcoats, or other questionable “causes” touted by pundits, are at best thought of as “weak links in the chain” (if they are indeed significant at all). You could try to improve the strength of every link the “cultural chain,” but we will get the biggest impact by reducing the overall stress on the chain.
The chain itself is only as strong as its weakest link, and there are millions of what I call “casualties of culture” who, for a myriad of reasons, may be pushed beyond the limits of coping on any given day and also have a weapon available, which is exactly what makes the United States different from the rest of the world. There are millions of people at any point in time in the rest of the developed world under stress equal to or greater than that of Americans, but they invariably have less access to the most lethal weapons, and thus there is statistically less gun violence.
Source: Steven Rattner – MSNBC
You or I may well be among those over-stressed people, by the way. But I am personally at a very low-risk of committing gun violence solely because I have no easy access to guns. And if you are female, your statistical risk of being a “mass gun violence problem” is pretty close to zero, regardless of the stress you are under. This second reality, by the way, is one that gets far too little press. 50% of the population is of relatively-negligible risk, and we can’t seem to learn anything from that fact.
So how do we best “reduce the stress on the chain”? For starters, I prefer to divide the issue into three manifestations of gun violence. First, there is the basic rate of overall gun violence of all types, with deaths currently right in the range of the number of automobile-related deaths in the U.S. Second, what I call the “high lethality” events are a special case of gun events, but these are the ones that get the news coverage, and perhaps a disproportionate amount of the public fear. Nevertheless, their special circumstances need to be addressed. Finally, the single-largest category of gun death is suicide. The most likely victim of your own gun is you or someone that you know. Any given attempt to address this issue may impact just one of the three, but somehow all of these need to be in our vision.
Add to this the question of which options are best accomplished by state versus federal legislation. The chances of the latter look poor for some time to come. Then there is Second Amendment constitutionality, although I believe this issue may be overblown and over-feared. Finally, there is the difference between “popular culture” remedies versus what will actually lower the statistical rates. Math is not the strong suit of most Americans, so the most popular remedies may not be the most effective.
There are several good lists arraying proposed abatements and remedies on different criteria of projected effectiveness and public support. [2] I want to toss in three that don’t, in my view, get enough attention given what I think is both the potential statistical benefit and the legal achievability.
Define a “Lethality Index” for weapons
As soon as you mention “assault weapons” to a Second Amendment radical in an online forum, you will get inundated with assertions that there is “no such animal.” You will get picked to death by pedants citing obscure gun specifications (and I have). Those very detailed specifications do demonstrate, however, the data that support what I call a “lethality index” for both types of weapons and for types of ammunition.
The purpose of a defined “lethality index” is to put some quantification on the statistical threat. Indeed, it is likely that weapons manufacturers already have much of this information in their attempt to “optimize” their products. A “lethality index” would measure how much damage, and to how many large mammals, a weapon and its ammunition could accomplish in X amount of time. These three factors statistically determine to a large degree the size of a single gun event’s impact.
A knife, for instance, is a “low-lethality-index” weapon, as is a pellet gun. You can kill people with either, but both weapons are “inefficient” at their task. The reason you see knives used in acts of violent desperation in Europe is precisely because it is a last-ditch alternative, and a poor one at that.
By the same measure, an AR-15, whether you call it an “assault rifle” or not, is definitely a “high-lethality-index” weapon. Some conventional hunting weapons may well push into that end of the “lethality scale,” but most pale in this regard to the many variants descended from military weapons.
So what does this lethality index get you? Primarily this measure would be an effective “reasonableness standard” for helping regulations survive court challenges. There is NO blanket constitutional protection for high-lethality weapons (contrary to popular belief), so my assertion is that if such a reasonable standard can be established, then equally-reasonable restrictions on the sale, ownership and use of firearms can legally be arrayed across a “lethality” spectrum, tested among the various states with different “gun cultures,” and still survive constitutionality challenges
Liability insurance and secured access
I put these two items together because the first helps to enforce the second. There has also been, to my knowledge, no ruling against the constitutionality of reasonable requirements for the same types of liability coverage on weapons required, say, for the ownership of an automobile. Nor is there any reason why guns cannot be required to be kept in well-secured locations, away from teenagers and impaired adults, for example. The required level of security of the weapons could well be a function of lethality as described above. And some weapons should only be available at well-regulated and well-insured shooting facilities.
Insurance is a “free market” approach that would no doubt require the legal weapons owner to implement some security efforts. As is the case with uninsured motorists, this is no guarantee of compliance, but it does provide for preventative action when uninsured weapons are encountered by police and other responsible community members. It also helps to create and enforce a “social norm” of individual responsibility, which is a supposed hallmark of a conservative society.
Secured access not only lessens the probability of a young person getting access to weapons, but it has also been shown to lower suicide rates as well. Suicide by gun is less a function of mental illness than it is of simple availability of an “easy and effective option.” If guns are harder to access on a “whim,” then it is very likely that gun-related suicides could drop precipitously. See the Army suicide study linked in Note 1 below, which indicates that as many as nine out of ten gun suicides can be prevented in this way.
Uniform chain of custody standards
Gun registration is clearly constitutional, and yet the “loopholes” are quite well-known, most of them intentionally kept in place. For instance, the insistence that firearm transaction records be kept in paper form is particularly egregious given the technology we use every day. [3] The technology clearly exists to track this chain of custody by electronic means. In practicality, a national solution to this is likely not possible, but cooperating states and cities could make this process more uniform and efficient for the parts of the country that are truly committed to reducing gun violence rates.
The curious thing about the recent spate of gun violence incidents is that the feared “criminal with a gun” issue, while still a problem in pockets of some cities, seems to be losing ground to “basic gun nut with a gun” in terms of the perpetrators of violence. The very act of owning multiple weapons raises the statistical likelihood of problems significantly. Efficiencies in custody records can both provide important information in tracking of stolen weapons and after-the-fact evidence gathering. Remember that the key objective is not eliminating gun violence, but rather bending the “rate curve” downward, a goal which certainly can be accomplished.
The sad reality in the United States is that most of us (almost all women and young children, and over half of the men) are statistical iotas in the middle of a “high risk sea” of irresponsible gun owners. And yet, we can’t seem to make any progress here in making our public places safer. More guns (the NRA proposal) makes our public places less safe, and it is time for the rest of us to take them back.
None of these proposals “stops” gun violence. But in my view, they could make the “gun violence lottery” harder to perversely “win” and reduce the number of casualties from any given incident. It just takes the willingness of voters.
See my earlier posts in this blog: “The gun violence lottery”, “The “mentally-ill shooter” fallacy”, and “Army suicides and gun policy”.
One of the best recent lists, in my view, is Sanger-katz, Margot, and Quoctrung Bui. “How to Reduce Mass Shooting Deaths? Experts Rank Gun Laws.” The New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017.
“Gun Registration Paper Trail Is Long And Convoluted.” NPR, 11 Apr. 2013.
Ends, means and the banality of evil
2 thoughts on “Gun violence: What will really change the statistics?”
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All posts tagged: title insurance endorsement
Seven Unlucky Lots in Bostwick
May 31, 2012 Stephen Collins Title Insurance No comments
Wetlands is defined by three things: vegetation, soil, and water. There are uplands, wetlands and middle ground, but a change in environmental regulation can leave a homeowner stranded on property rights, unable to fulfill his intent for purchasing a given piece of real estate.
There were seven lots in Bostwick—this is a true story passed along by Ryan Carter of Carter Environmental Services—each lot was approximately 250 feet from the road to the river, and each was sold for approximately $350,000 or more. That was pre-2007. Now they’re worth much much less…AND several of the lot owners are charged with filling the wetlands, though the current owners had purchased the lots in that condition.
It was the previous owner who had filled the lots to make them buildable and more valuable. He created what was later deemed by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) “illegal uplands.”
Now in order to mitigate what the previous owner did, the new landowners could spend an additional $50,000 in mitigation fees…AND they are restricted to only using a small portion of that 250 feet. That’s a big oops all over your bank account and your property value!
While the laws of nature don’t change, environmental regulation has left the new landowners high and dry on the wrong side of the mitigation fees.
Wetlands restriction can be very non-liberating for the landowner who buys the lot, builds the house, then owes mitigation fees and fines because of changes to the property that predate his ownership.
Seven unlucky lots in Bostwick represent seven more reasons every homeowner should have the proper Owner’s Title Endorsements when they get Title Insurance. These seven unlucky lots don’t represent the extreme—they represent the risk that underlies ownership of any real estate. Don’t add yourself to the list of woe, make sure your property is insured with proper Owner’s Title Endorsements and Owner’s Title Insurance.
Stephen CollinsSeven Unlucky Lots in Bostwick 05.31.2012
Environmental Protection & Financial Protection
Sally was a smart woman. She got title insurance and proper endorsements when she bought her real estate. Sally had no idea at the time how smart she was.
It was the perfect property—more than an acre of land where she could have her horse, and live in the nice sized home, comfortably laid out for her and her mother. Sally did everything right. Like I said, she got owner’s title insurance and proper endorsements, next she did a survey and started to clear the land for her horse and put up a pole barn. Then this nice little lady from the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) knocked on the door. It was not Avon calling.
“Did you know you’re impacting a wetland easement?” the DEP lady asked. Sally had no idea…and she had no idea what kind of fines she was facing…and she had no idea how this could have happened in the first place. Let’s take a look:
Bob had inherited the property from his father, Gary. He had inherited it properly—after Gary’s death, the estate had gone through probate and ownership had lawfully passed to Bob as the only heir. But Bob already had a house of his own where he and his family lived. He was all set, he didn’t need another house, and Bob knew he had the lawful right to sell his deceased father’s house. What Bob didn’t know was that his daddy had made a deal with the Devil—oops, err, oops—the DEP.
Yes siree, the DEP. Bob’s father, Gary, had granted a Conservation Easement to the DEP when he built the house. When Gary went to pull building permits for the house, he’d learned that his land had been reclassified as “wetlands.”
If your land has been designated as “wetlands,” then you can only clear without soil disturbance on the property—that means no stump pulling and no fill or draining. If you can’t clear it with a machete or a chainsaw, you can’t clear it.
Hard not to disturb the soil when you build a house. So Gary had made a deal with the DEP: they would give him a postage stamp lot to build his house, his garage, his drain field—but that’s it. The rest of his property he had to deed to them in a Conservation Easement. Once it became a Conservation Easement, he couldn’t touch it, not even with a pocket knife. As far as land use in a Conservation Easement, there’s no nothing but fines.
Let’s review for clarity: Once a Conservation Easement is in place, no further clearing is permitted by hand or otherwise—the landowner cannot touch the land, not even with a pocket knife.
Gary did the deal so he could build his house on the land he’d already paid for, but the deal with the DEP was never recorded because Gary died before it could be completed. So there was no public record of the Conservation Easement, and Bob didn’t know about it so he couldn’t disclose it with he’d sold the property to Sally. When she got title insurance, the title search didn’t reveal it because it wasn’t in public records. Gary had done the deal with the DEP, built his house, but passed away before he could get the Conservation Easement recorded. And by no fault of her own, or the title company’s, that’s how Sally wound up with the whole entire mess.
Any resemblance of these characters to actual people is more than coincidental. This is a true story. The names have been changed to respect the privacy of those involved in a very public matter: landowner rights.
The only good side to this story is that Sally had gotten title insurance with proper endorsements. Despite the fact that she may have to leave the property that was perfect for her, and find a new place for herself and her mom and where she could keep her horse, Sally will not have to pay the cost to resolve this issue. By no fault or negligence of her own, the title company, or the seller, the land use restrictions had been violated.
Title claims are not something you hear about all the time (unless of course you’re me), but title insurance with proper endorsements is vital to personal financial protection if you do have a challenge to your ownership. Conservation Easements can be one of those challenges, especially if not recorded correctly.
Conservation Easements are pretty restrictive on their own, but they can be economically crippling if you don’t know about them. Just when you think you own your property, Bambi, Thumper, or Flower could claim it because they were given a Conservation Easement!
Guard against undisclosed Conservation Easements and all other flaws in public records by securing your ownership interest with owner’s title insurance with proper endorsements.
P.S. Beware of Bambi!
Stephen CollinsEnvironmental Protection & Financial Protection 05.16.2012
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Home BREAKING NEWS Police are responding to a reported active shooter incident in Salem County,...
Police are responding to a reported active shooter incident in Salem County, New Jersey
Salem County, NJ Police are responding to an active shooter incident in Salem, New Jersey.
The incident is happening in the area of 172 East Broadway after 12:15 PM
The state attorney general said the incident now involves a standoff between police and a fugitive they were in the process of arresting.
There are reports of shots fired, Attorney General Gurbir Singh Grewal said, but there are no reports of injuries.
State police are on the way with negotiators, Grewal said.
A post on the Facebook page for Salem County government asked the public to avoid the area of the county offices.
“Please do not come in this surrounding area as currently there is an active shooter incident taking place,” the post reads.
Some 10 to 12 people could be seen coming out of the courthouse under police escort. They were in a single line and holding hands. (ABC6)
WPIX- U/D 1:15PM Police are responding to reports of an active shooter in New Jersey Wednesday, officials said.
During a press conference with Gov. Phil Murphy, authorities confirmed they were responding to an active shooter investigation in Salem County.
According to Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, there was a standoff between police and a fugitive they were trying to arrest in the vicinity of the 100 block of Broadway in Salem.
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Playford, Henry
Son of John Playford, whom he succeeded in business in 1684. Born and died in London. Was a partner of Richard Carr at the Middle Temple Gate, opposite St. Dunstan's Church, but later became proprietor. The date of his death is uncertain. He continued the publication of his father's works, and himself issued the Theatre of Musick; Banquet of Musick; Blow's Ode on the Death of Purcell; ten sonatas, and a Te Deum, and Jubilate for St. Cecilia's Day, both by Purcell; Purcell's Orpheus Britannicus; Blow's Amphion Anglicus; a collection of original Scotch tunes. The publication of The Pleasant Musical Companion resulted in the organization of a club which gave concerts three times a week at a London coffee-house and one which met weekly at Oxford.
‹ Platt, Charles Easton up Playford, John ›
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FEMA Puts Out Contract For Emergency Camps to House "Displaced Citizens"
Solicitation calls for camps to be ready for occupancy within 72 hours
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is looking for contractors to construct temporary emergency camps inside the United States which can be ready for occupancy within a 72 hour time period and used to house emergency responders as well as “displaced citizens”.
The National Responder Support Camp contract, posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website, calls on contractors to “provide all necessary supervision, professional staff, labor support, material, supplies and equipment as necessary to make a RSC within a disaster-impacted area anywhere within the CONUS (Continental United States) within 72 hours after notification.”
The camps are primarily designed to house emergency responders, but will also be utilized to shelter “displaced citizens,” who will be “given the first opportunities for employment within the camp,” according to the solicitation. The camps will be able to service up to 2,000 people at one time.
As well as natural disasters, the 72-hour camps are designed to deal with terrorist attacks, National Response Framework activities of federal agencies, National Special Security Events, “or any other situation where FEMA or an agency working through FEMA needs a RSC.”
The camps will be secured with fencing and barricades that will also serve to create areas that are “off limits” to certain occupants. Entry to the camp will be controlled through a photo ID system for all occupants and visitors.
Medical treatment facilities, dining facilities, mobile showers and “morale welfare and recreation” facilities are all required as part of the contract.
FEMA’s latest efforts to satisfy the demand for emergency camps represents a continuation of preparations on behalf of the federal government to prepare for civil emergencies and potential social disorder.
Last December, Department of Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano directed ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to prepare for a mass influx of immigrants into the United States, calling for the plan to deal with the “shelter” and “processing” of large numbers of people.
In 2006, Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root was contracted by Homeland Security to build detention centers designed to deal with “an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S,” or the rapid development of unspecified “new programs” that would require large numbers of people to be interned.
Last year we received a leaked memo from a state government employee detailing KBR’s efforts to hire subcontractors to provide services required for temporary “emergency environment” camps located in five regions of the United States, indicating that many of the camps have now been constructed and are ready for use.
The construction of new detention camps inside the United States has provoked fears that the facilities could also be used to intern American citizens in the aftermath of a national emergency.
Rex 84, short for Readiness Exercise 1984, was established under the pretext of a “mass exodus” of illegal aliens crossing the Mexican/US border, the same pretense used in the language of the KBR request for services.
During the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987, however, it was revealed that the program was a secretive “scenario and drill” developed by the federal government to suspend the Constitution, declare martial law, assign military commanders to take over state and local governments, and detain large numbers of American citizens determined by the government to be “national security threats.”
A provision within the National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law by President Obama on New Years Eve, hands the government power to have American citizens arrested and detained without trial.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/fema-puts-out-contract-for-emergency-camps-to-house-displaced-citizens.html
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You are here: Home / Health care spending / Five decades of U.S. health spending data now available with a click
Five decades of U.S. health spending data now available with a click
April 21, 2015 by Mary Damitio
Anyone with questions about U.S. health spending trends over the last 50 years can look for answers from a new interactive application, the Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation Health System Tracker.
The Peterson Center on Healthcare and the Kaiser Family Foundation teamed up to create the Health System Tracker, which monitors the U.S. health care system’s performance in the areas of quality and cost. The Health Spending Explorer, which is part of the Tracker, is an application that allows users access to data showing five decades of U.S. health spending by federal and local governments, private insurers, and individuals. The data also includes 15 areas of spending, including, hospitals, physician and clinic care, and prescription drugs. The Health Spending Explorer allows users to compile data and create charts that can be shared on websites and via email, Twitter, and Facebook.
The application provides a wide variety of statistics and promises the most up-to-date health care spending data, which is drawn from the National Health Expenditure Accounts. A user can access not only current health data, but also historical spending data and compare the two with a built-in tool that can adjust the figures for inflation. All of the information can then be compiled into custom charts for a variety of uses.
For example, if a user wanted to compare U.S. health care spending in 2013 with 1960 from all sources, the following chart could be created:
That same spending data could then be broken down by service type:
The application also provides ready-made charts for reference and includes a video tutorial that outlines the steps to access the health data and create customized charts.
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Filed Under: Health care spending, News
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Home NewsInternational ‘Women’s participation critical to attainment of SDG’s’
InternationalNews
‘Women’s participation critical to attainment of SDG’s’
by Asmau Ahmad May 8, 2019
The President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Ms Maria Garces says full participation of women in different sectors is critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), peace and security.
She made the assertion in Abuja while presenting a paper entitled:“The Role of Women and Girls in the achievement of the SDGs, including sustaining peaceful societies” at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Garces said that despite progress made, women still lagged behind in every SDGs target, adding that the gap was greater for older women, women with disabilities, women in rural areas, minority and indigenous communities.
Ms Maria Garces
She said participation of women in the military would also ensure a peaceful society. “Yes, it is progress that 24 per cent of parliamentarians are women, but it is not parity and we know that women in politics face enormous hurdles, including verbal, physical and sexual abuse.
“Yes, we have made progress on women’s economic empowerment, but just 42 per cent of countries afford women the same rights to land ownership. Just 60 per cent give women equal access to financial services.
“And at current rates, the global gender pay gap is not due to close until 2086 – with huge knock-on effects for women’s social protection and status.
“We have made progress on women’s education, but enrollment statistics mask participation rates – and quality of outcomes.
“It is unacceptable that there are still more than 40 countries in the world where over 20% of women are illiterate. “And while there is certainly more emphasis now on role of women in conflict settings, it is still the case that just 2% of mediators and 8% of negotiators are female.
“Perhaps most worryingly, even the gains we have made are now at risk – as there is a growing backlash against women’s rights, most prominently in the area of sexual and reproductive health.
“So, we must all continue to make the case for the full inclusion of women and girls in efforts to achieve the SDGs, it is not a difficult case to make”, Garces said.
Garces said there was a wealth of evidence on the positive impact that women’s participation in politics has on economic stability, good governance and investment in areas such as health, education and social protection.
She said that according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), 2.5 million new engineers and technicians would be needed to achieve the SDGs on water and sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa.
The UNGA president said that men alone cannot make up this shortfall, stressing the need for women and girls to pick the gauntlet.
Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, Minster of Women Affairs and Social Development said that Nigeria was committed to redoubling efforts at ensuring gender equity and fundamental rights of women and girls.
She said that in a bid to meet objectives of the SDGs, the President Muhamadu Buhari-led administration had created economic structures and infrastructure to create jobs for youth and women.
Abubakar enumerated several interventions of the Federal Government in meeting the SDGs, most of which have recorded laudable achievements.
She called for more support of the UNGA President, cooperation and partnership of the International Community founded on true commitments to sustainable funding of development strategies.
Mr Anthony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission also called for more participation of women in politics, noting that the number of women parliamentarians in the ninth National Assembly was low.
Asmau Ahmad
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From the Page to the Metal
Posted by :cGt2099 On : October 16, 2014
Tags:A Band Of Orcs, Aerosmith, Alan Moore, Aleister Crowley, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Alice Cooper, Amon Amarth, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Anthrax, Anton LaVey, Avalon, Black Sabbath, Black Widow, Blaze Bayley, Blind Guardian, Bob Dylan, Bram Stoker, Bruce Dickinson, Carcass, Christopher Nolan, Christopher Tolkien, Cliff Burton, Clive Jones, Dalton Trumbo, Dave Gibbons, Devin Townsend, Dream Theater, Edgar Allen Poe, Edguy, Eric Calderone, Ernest Hemmingway, Exodus, Frank Herbert, Galadriel, Gaston Leroux, Gorgoroth, Green Day, H.G. Wells, Henry Rollins, In This Moment, Iron Maiden, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jeff Wayne, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Joan Jett, Joe Perry, Judas Priest, Kari Rueslatten, Kevin J. Anderson, KISS, Lars Ulrich, Leaves’ Eyes, Led Zeppelin, Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull, Lou Reed, Megadeth, Metallica, Morgoth, Neil Gaiman, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Patrick Suskind, Paul Gray, Peter Jackson, Phil Lynott, Ramones, Ramsey Campell, Raymond Briggs, Robert Burns, Rollins Band, Rush, Samuel Taylor Coelridge, Scott Ian, Slipknot, Stephen King, Steve Harris, Suicide, Summoning, The 3rd and Mortal, The Gathering, The Sirens, The War of the Worlds, Thin Lizzy, Tim Burton, Tony Martin, War, Watchmen, Within The Ruins, Yukio Mishima, Zack Snyder
Through history, bands and artists have taken influence from a variety of sources for lyrical concepts. But it is in the realm of fiction where some metal bands have concentrated some of their energies. For this edition of our show, from classic books to contemporary graphic novels, we examine how literature has influenced Metal…
CARCASS: ‘The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills’ Music Video Released
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THE SIRENS: Two Songs Released
“Still Life” by Iron Maiden from the album Piece of Mind
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Iron Maiden from the album Live After Death
“Misty Mountain Hop” by Led Zeppelin from the album Led Zeppelin IV
“Misty Mountains” by Howard Shore from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
“Into the Storm” by Blind Guardian from the album Nightfall in Middle Earth
“The Legend of the Master-Ring” by Summoning from the album Minas Morgul
“I am the Law” by Anthrax from the album Among the Living
“Spider-Man” by Ramones from the album We’re Outta Here!
“Calling Dr. Love” by KISS from the album Rock and Roll Over
“Horsell Common and the Heat Ray” by Jeff Wayne from the album War of the Worlds
“Batman Meets Metal” by Eric Calderone available online at YouTube
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Nikola Pašić Square The Residence of Prince Miloš
Nikola Pašić Square
The Residence of Prince Miloš
Ethnographic Collection
The richness of complex museums, including the Historical Museum of Serbia, is reflected in the diversity of collections and funds which from different perspectives supplement the general picture of the continuity of life in a certain cultural-historical area. The Ethnographic Collection of the Historical Museum of Serbia was formed from the first ethnographic material collected when the Museum was formed, making, with its scope and content, a significant part of the museum fund. Up to the present day, over two thousand objects related to clothing, housing culture, jobs and professions, handicraft and artifact production, customs, rituals and art, have been acquired. In addition to the undeniable value that ethnographic objects have in the domain of material culture, their importance is also reflected in the intangible cultural heritage. From the context of their purpose of use, we can discover some deeper levels of human creativity such as general cultural values and attitudes, ethical and moral principles, aesthetic models, educational measures, customs, beliefs and the ritual practices closely related to them, all of which make a society and culture rich and complex.
The ethnographic objects of the Historical Museum of Serbia are related to the spheres of both public and private life; however, their most important role in the museum and its primary purpose in the preservation and presentation of the cultural and historical heritage of the nation, is to be found in their providing a deeper insight into the everyday life, i.e. the so-called ‘history of ordinary people’, which until recently has not been a subject of interest in the humanities and social sciences and was therefore omitted from the institutional, scientific and cultural frameworks and museum exhibitions. It is from ethnographic objects that one can comprehend the general social interaction and organization that penetrate into and affect everyday life. For example, according to the type of women’s dress and decoration, it can be concluded whether a woman was married or not, to which social class, ethnic or religious group she belonged, what she possessed, etc. Besides understanding items of clothing as marks of identity, deeper studies of clothing may provide answers to some narrowly specialized issues of social importance, such as the relation of a certain culture to the female body in general, the history of gender (in)equality, politicization and the hierarchy of relations between the sexes, etc. Ethnographic objects should therefore be observed as inexhaustible material for different types of research that contribute to a better understanding of the general social organization and, more specifically, neglected aspects of history that have been overshadowed by big battles, historical events and ruling structures.
Belt “ćemer''
The Ethnographic Collection of the Historical Museum of Serbia also reflects the different stages of development of ethnology and anthropology in Serbia. Until a few decades ago, a romanticist conception of culture and tradition as primarily a rural folk creativity had prevailed in the Yugoslav and Serbian scientific community, while the museum displays saw this concept surviving for much longer. This is why a large number of objects of rural origin are contained in the Ethnographic Collection. However, numerous objects related to 19th and 20th-century civic culture testify to the gradual extension of the original concept of culture to urban phenomena that occurred both in science and in museum practice.
Historical Museum of Serbia All rights reserved 2015
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Is your closet brimming with clothes yet somehow, you still have nothing suitable for the occasion? Looks like it is time to reorganize your wardrobe. What you don't see, you probably wouldn't wear. The perfect outfit for the occasion is...
The bra is something that all women take for granted these days; a wonderful garment that keeps us well supported and helps our clothes to look really good on us. But bras weren't always around - and even when they were, it wasn't always easy to get...
Let's put a way the flip-flops, pack up our summer shorts and bring out this fall's newest line of casual wear. In today's fast paced and changing lifestyle, we women love to dress casual. We want to feel good about ourselves and our...
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The Pervasive Color This Season? Think Pink!
(ARA) - Flip through the fashion and holiday magazines this winter and there is one trend that is impossible to miss. The color pink is the new neutral for everything from designer watches and hand bags to cargo pants and trench coats -- all...
Precious Stones Explained!
The mineral to which the term " precious stone" is applied, must be adaptable for jewelry or ornamental purposes and must possess beauty, hardness, and rarity.
The beauty of a precious stone or gem consists of its color or colorlessness, brilliancy or softness of luster, and transparency. To take a high and lasting polish, a mineral must be hard, �and many stones that would otherwise be highly valued are low in the estimate of worth because they do not possess of sufficient hardness to make them endure the wear and friction to which a precious stone is subjected when used in the form of jewelry. The rareness of precious stones has a decided effect in determining their values. For instance, the crocidolite, commercially known as tiger-eye, was sold by the carat some years ago, and was largely used in the making of fine jewelry. Today, this material is so plentiful that it is no longer classed among the higher gems, but serves for cameos and intaglios like chalcedony and onyx.
The changes of fashion have much to do with determining the market value of precious stones. Amethysts, topazes, cat's-eyes, aquamarines, alexandrites, and even emeralds and opals have been eagerly sought for at times and then again neglected for other gems, causing a sensible difference in the value of these stones.
It has been a mooted question as to the proper dividing line between stones that deserve the
title �precious,� and those, which should be placed in a so-called semi-precious or lower category. To draw such a line is hardly possible, as neither hardness, rareness, nor value would be a positive test--some of the hard stones, like zircon and almandines being less valuable than softer opal, while the diamond, one of the most plentiful of precious stones, is at the same time, one of the most valuable.
Neither can price be taken as a complete test, because fashion makes a turquoise, an opal, or an emerald much more valuable at one time than at another, All precious minerals used for ornamental purposes, from the diamond to quartz, or chalcedony, may properly be termed precious stones.
The Final Word On Precious Stones
The most precious stones are the diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. The pearl is oftentimes classed with precious stones. Although strictly speaking while it is not a stone it holds an esteemed place in jewelry.
The Authors of the above Article, Sam and Tami Serio have been passionately involved with Jewelry and Gemstones for over fifteen-years. You are cordially invited to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com for a wealth of information about the fascinating world of Jewelry and Gemstones. Together they also shelter 20 abandoned and abused dogs & cats. A portion of their profits goes to the care and feeding of the animals.
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VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Jul 1, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) today announced that it plans to release its Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2002 results on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 prior to the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
The Company will host a conference call to discuss the results at 11:00 am Eastern Daylight Savings Time on July 31, 2002.
Participating in the conference call will be:
Michael D. DiCandilo, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial
The dial-in numbers for the live call will be as follows:
800-553-5260 from within the United States. No access code
612-332-1210 from outside the United States. No access code
In order to ensure the widest distribution possible, the Company will be broadcasting the conference call over the Internet. The call will be accessible through AmerisourceBergen's web site, www.amerisourcebergen.com, and also through Street Events, www.streetevents.com.
Following the live call, replays will be made available on the Internet and via telephone. A replay of the webcast will be posted on www.amerisourcebergen.com approximately two hours after the completion of the call and will remain available for thirty days. To access the telephone replay from within the US, dial 800-475-6701. From outside the US, dial 320-365-3844. The access code is 643950.
The telephone replay will be available from 4:15 p.m. EST on 7/31/02 to 11:59 p.m. on 8/7/02.
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) is the largest pharmaceutical services company in the United States dedicated solely to the pharmaceutical supply chain. It is the leading distributor of pharmaceutical products and services to the hospital systems/acute care market, alternative care providers, independent community pharmacies, and regional chains.
The company is also a leader in the institutional pharmacy marketplace. With approximately $39 billion in annualized operating revenues, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs more than 13,000 people serving over 25,000 customers.
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein include statements addressing future financial and operating results of AmerisourceBergen and the benefits and other aspects of the merger between AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation.
More detailed information about these factors is set forth in AmerisourceBergen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent 10-Q, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2001, and AmeriSource's and Bergen's joint proxy statement-prospectus dated August 1, 2001.
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Farah Louis, an ‘active’ Council member, wins primary
Stephon Johnson | 6/26/2019, 6:32 p.m.
Farah Louis Facebook
Farah Louis was referred to as an “active” New York City Council member more than a month ago. After Tuesday night, she becomes closer to losing the “active” title.
Louis won the primary for the 45th City Council District this week with 50.4 percent of the vote besting Monique Chandler-Waterman’s 43 percent. It was a repeat of May’s special election results. More than 4,500 residents voted.
The 45th City Council District covers parts of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, Midwood and Canarsie. The seat was previously held by current New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
“WE DID IT!,” said Louis on Twitter. “Your hard work and dedication to the vision of HYPERLINK "https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUnified45?src=hash"#AUnified45 prevailed. I would be nowhere without your support. Our vision seemed scary to a lot of people, but a unified BK is a more prosperous BK. I am humbled to serve as your representative. Let’s continue the work!”
Louis worked as Williams’ deputy chief of staff when he held the Council seat. Chandler-Waterman also previously served under Williams as the director of community outreach. Williams endorsed Chandler-Waterman in the special election. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed Louis in the primary.
“Farah Louis is an impressive, hard-working leader in her community,” stated de Blasio in his endorsement. “I have witnessed her strength in serving her community and her work in the City Council. I look forward to our partnership in making our city a fairer and safer place to be. I am proud to endorse Farah Louis for her re-election to the City Council.”
She also received endorsements from the United Federation of Teachers, DC37 Local 372, the Professional Staff Congress, LAMBDA Independent Democrats, the Police Benevolent Association and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
Louis ran for special election in May to fill Williams’ vacancy for the rest of the year. Now, she’ll run in November in a shot for a full term in office.
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Charles Reich and The Greening of America – an Appreciation
tags: obituaries, historians, Charles Reich, Greening of America
by James Thornton Harris
James Thornton Harris is an independent historian and a regular contributor to the History News Network. For more information see www.JamesThorntonHarris.com.
Charles Reich, author of The Greening of America, passed away last month at the age of 91.
His book was first published in 1970 to mixed reviews: Newsweek’s Stewart Alsop called it “scary mush.” Another critic labeled it “a toasted marshmallow,” devoid of substance. Yet Reich’s book, a combination of history, sociology and philosophy struck a chord in a somber time of war and national protest. It went on to sell five million copies and become a key cultural anchoring point, a book that explained the new counterculture in a clear, uplifting manner.
In 1970, I was one of the legions of long-haired, dope-smoking, anti-war protesting college students. We knew what we were against, but were struggling to define a vision of the future. Like many of my friends, I devoured Reich’s book, underlining dozens of passages. The Greening of America became a touchstone for our generation, the center of many intense conversations in campus cafeterias and smoke-filled dorm rooms. We were angered by Nixon’s deceitful actions to prolong the Vietnam war, distrustful of a soul-crushing corporate culture and curious about the promise of new technology (NASA landed on the moon in 1969, but an affordable personal computer was still a decade away).
The Greening of America spoke to our concerns with a carefully reasoned, historically anchored thesis. It explained many of the hopes and fears we felt intuitively but had not been able to articulate at length.
Rather than talking about a violent political revolution, Reich described a revolution based on a new, open culture that freed men’s minds, not repressed them. He described an America that had evolved since the 1776 Revolution through three “consciousnesses.” In the first hundred years, Consciousness I, based on individual freedom and self-reliance, spurred the settling of the new nation. Consciousness II, born with the rise of industrial society in the 19th century, created a new hierarchy and demanded submission of an individual’s identity to the corporation. The rise of a mass consumer culture defined happiness in the terms of a man’s position in a hierarchy of status. Factories and workshops produced a split between the duties and identity of “man at home” versus the “man at work.”
According to Reich, the post-World War II boom brought new economic security and allowed the first stirrings of Consciousness III to emerge among the children of a new, expanded middle-class. Many members of this generation sought to gain a new freedom based on a “lifestyle” that was authentic. Their identity was based on cultural interests, creativity and self-expression, not status-seeking through the accumulation of consumer goods.
One of the joys of Reich’s book was its optimism; one reviewer noted “It combined the rigor of an intellectual and the enthusiasm of a teenager.”
Greening was based on the belief that America had been founded with great hopes for personal freedom and that its Constitution allowed for major societal change. As Reich saw it, “there is a revolution underway. If it succeeds it will change the political structure as its final act. It will not require violence to succeed. Its ultimate creation could be a higher reason, a more human community and a new and liberated individual.”
1950s Social Criticism
Reich’s book did not appear in a vacuum. Concern about the domination of large corporations in culture and politics and the loss of individual identity has been brewing for some time. David Riesman’s The Lonely Crowd, a critique of the new suburban culture, appeared in 1950. In 1964, Herbert Marcuse, a philosophy professor at UC San Diego, published One Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society. Marcuse’s book contained scores of profound insights, but it was written at the level of a philosophy textbook. It contained numerous references to Marx, Hegel, Max Weber, Walter Benjamin and other German scholars. While we loved the title, One Dimensional Man was simply beyond the comprehension of most undergraduates.
For college students today, the word “greening” today is closely associated with the environmental movement (green buildings, a Green New Deal), but Reich’s book barely touched on the environment. For him, greening meant newness, a natural growth. He compared the emerging youth culture to like “flowers poking up through the concrete.”
Reich wrote in 1970, before the 1973 oil embargo, when gasoline was around 30 cents per gallon and solar power was so expensive it was used only on NASA space probes. The rainforests were still intact and global warming had yet to manifest itself.
Greening did not meet with universal acclaim. Critics on the far left, including Herbert Marcuse, condemned it for being “naïve,” and imaging that massive social change was possible without violent action. Marcuse, in a critique published in the New York Times in November 1970 warned that no national revolution has ever succeeded without violence. Marcuse advised that the entrenched “groups, classes, interests” in America controlled the police and armed forces. They set the priorities for America and they would not voluntarily give up any of their power.
Reading Reich’s book today, some fifty years after its publication, we can see that many of the descriptions of the descriptions of repressive culture accompanying Consciousness are still valid. But his predictions about an emerging Consciousness III were off-target.
From today’s vantage point, it is clear this book was written by an affluent white man working at an elite cultural institution and for an audience of well-educated young white people. Although Reich included a few quotes from Eldridge Cleaver’s recently published Soul on Ice, he never discussed the crushing poverty of inner-city ghettos, the suburbs’ segregated schools nor the structural racism still in place in the 1960s.
He also seemed blind to the nascent feminist movement. Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique was published in 1963 and the National Organization for Women founded in 1966, so the basic tenets of feminism were known, if not yet widely practices. His vision for Consciousness III women was confined to “liberated housewives” and enlightened school teachers.
Still, Reich was eerily prescient about many other trends in American society. In Greening he posited that “the great question of these times is how to live in and with a technological society; what mind and what way of life can preserve man’s humanity against the domination of the forces he has created.”
He also warned of “the willful ignorance in American life.” He lamented that Americans “could be sold an ignorant and incapable leader because he looked like the embodiment of American virtues.”
Reich left Yale Law School in 1974 and moved to San Francisco. He published several more books, including an autobiography, The Sorcerer of Bolinas Reef, in which he revealed his gay identity.
Reich gave the younger generation hope in a dark period in American history. He will be missed.
Note: Although the original 120,000-word edition of Greening of America is out of print, a condensed, 25,000 e-book version, with a new forward by Charles Reich, was published in 2012 and is available on the Internet.
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Home Uncategorized Salesforce.com, inc (NYSE:CRM) Strikes A Progressive Business Collaboration With Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ:CERN)
Salesforce.com, inc (NYSE:CRM) Strikes A Progressive Business Collaboration With Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ:CERN)
Eli Adelmen
The stock of Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ:CERN) closed at $64.33 gaining 2.21% in yesterday’s trading session. Cerner has pronounced its new collaboration with salesforce.com, inc (NYSE:CRM) outlining that it is a progressive move that will see it scale higher in terms of achieving immense business success.
The spokesperson of Cerner has revealed that the company is committed to extending its administration, clinical and health portfolio with an integrated solution that combines Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Marketing Cloud with Cerner’s HealtheIntentSM which happens to be the company’s big data platform.
The president of Cerner Zane Burke opined, “Combined with Cerner’s data, analytic and application platform, electronic health record (EHR) and intelligent solutions, the addition of Health Cloud and Marketing Cloud will support enhanced consumer and provider engagement.”
He went further to outline that as a company they were making their way into the next phase of health care delivery transformation. According to him, striking the collaboration with Salesforce will move a long way towards versing consumers with a wide array of game-changing solutions. It will be about giving them the opportunity to be a part of the decision-making of the physician as well as get to engage in their own health and care.
The company has succeeded at digitizing EHRs and at the moment it is enriching and aggregating the data for clinical and engagement insights via applied intelligence. The next section of the process has much to do with modernizing the way in which the industry interacts and personalizes with various people in their respective communities.
The best part about these combined technologies lies in the fact that they will be moving quite a long way helping support an enhanced clinician communication and an improved consumer experience. It will also substantially advance the quality of care while at the same time cutting down on the overall cost.
The integrated solution is fundamentally powered by clinical content and data emanating from Cerner HealtheIntent. It is about the designing as well as the aggregation of data with the objective of coming up with an elaborate view of an individual’s health interactions across the continuum of health and care.
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Eli is a New Yorker with an eye for counter-trend investing, having held influential analyst positions at a number of top Street firms. He was born and raised on the East Coast and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from NYU. Outside of the equities space, he's a keen flyer of light aircraft.
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Sandow was so successful at flexing and posing his physique that he later created several businesses around his fame, and was among the first to market products branded with his name. He was credited with inventing and selling the first exercise equipment for the masses: machined dumbbells, spring pulleys, and tension bands. Even his image was sold by the thousands in "cabinet cards" and other prints. Sandow was a perfect "Gracilian", a standard of ideal body proportions close to those of ancient Greek and Roman statues. Men's physiques were then judged by how closely they matched these proportions.
The day I walked into Planet Fitness I weighed 315 pounds. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I wanted to do something about it. Joining Planet Fitness may have saved my life. Since the first day I walked into Planet Fitness and started doing a workout program, I’ve lost 50lbs and have dropped several clothes sizes! I feel great. Everyone who sees me now tells me how good I look. All I can say to Planet Fitness is thank you for a great place to work out!
Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by health care providers. Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences. The term "healthy" is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of healthy communities, healthy cities or healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a person's surroundings, a number of other factors are known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic, social conditions and spirituality; these are referred to as "determinants of health." Studies have shown that high levels of stress can affect human health.[15]
^ Mangano, Kelsey M.; Sahni, Shivani; Kiel, Douglas P.; Tucker, Katherine L.; Dufour, Alyssa B.; Hannan, Marian T. (February 8, 2017). "Dietary protein is associated with musculoskeletal health independently of dietary pattern: the Framingham Third Generation Study". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 105 (3): 714–722. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.136762. PMC 5320406. PMID 28179224 – via ajcn.nutrition.org.
Carbohydrates play an important role for bodybuilders. They give the body energy to deal with the rigors of training and recovery. Carbohydrates also promote secretion of insulin, a hormone enabling cells to get the glucose they need. Insulin also carries amino acids into cells and promotes protein synthesis.[26] Insulin has steroid-like effects in terms of muscle gains.[27] It is impossible to promote protein synthesis without the existence of insulin, which means that without ingesting carbohydrates or protein—which also induces the release of insulin—it is impossible to add muscle mass.[28] Bodybuilders seek out low-glycemic polysaccharides and other slowly digesting carbohydrates, which release energy in a more stable fashion than high-glycemic sugars and starches. This is important as high-glycemic carbohydrates cause a sharp insulin response, which places the body in a state where it is likely to store additional food energy as fat. However, bodybuilders frequently do ingest some quickly digesting sugars (often in form of pure dextrose or maltodextrin) just before, during, and/or just after a workout. This may help to replenish glycogen stored within the muscle, and to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.[29]
The winner of the annual IFBB Mr. Olympia contest is generally recognized as the world's top male professional bodybuilder. The winner of the Women's Physique portion of the competition is widely regarded as the world's top female professional bodybuilder. The title is currently held by Juliana Malacarne, who has won every year since 2014. Since 1950, the NABBA Universe Championships have been considered the top amateur bodybuilding contests, with notable winners such as Reg Park, Lee Priest, Steve Reeves, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Winners generally go on to become professional athletes.
Personal health depends partially on the active, passive, and assisted cues people observe and adopt about their own health. These include personal actions for preventing or minimizing the effects of a disease, usually a chronic condition, through integrative care. They also include personal hygiene practices to prevent infection and illness, such as bathing and washing hands with soap; brushing and flossing teeth; storing, preparing and handling food safely; and many others. The information gleaned from personal observations of daily living – such as about sleep patterns, exercise behavior, nutritional intake and environmental features – may be used to inform personal decisions and actions (e.g., "I feel tired in the morning so I am going to try sleeping on a different pillow"), as well as clinical decisions and treatment plans (e.g., a patient who notices his or her shoes are tighter than usual may be having exacerbation of left-sided heart failure, and may require diuretic medication to reduce fluid overload).[57]
Although muscle stimulation occurs in the gym (or home gym) when lifting weights, muscle growth occurs afterward during rest periods. Without adequate rest and sleep (6 to 8 hours), muscles do not have an opportunity to recover and grow.[citation needed] Additionally, many athletes find that a daytime nap further increases their body's ability to recover from training and build muscles. Some bodybuilders add a massage at the end of each workout to their routine as a method of recovering.[51]
YouTube sensation and Real World alum Scott Herman knows there's no BS-ing on social media. After working his way up from maintenance to manager at his local gym and earning his personal training certification in the process, it didn't take long for this natural-born entrepreneur to see the value of YouTube when it was still in its infancy. Fast-forward a decade, and Herman has built an online fitness empire as one of YouTube's best-known authorities on exercise and fitness and a go-to guru for results-driven workouts. May 21, 2019 • 34 min read
About Blog Getbig.com started as a fan page for everyone who enjoyed bodybuilding and all things relevant to the bodybuilding industry. It has since grown into a site with older historical magazines and info, and a large forum with millions of threads and posts about current and historical events, whether bodybuilding, contest results, upcoming contests, expo, gossip and opinions, politics and general.
Focusing more on lifestyle issues and their relationships with functional health, data from the Alameda County Study suggested that people can improve their health via exercise, enough sleep, maintaining a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol use, and avoiding smoking.[27] Health and illness can co-exist, as even people with multiple chronic diseases or terminal illnesses can consider themselves healthy.[28]
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Thomas R. Armstrong is President of the Madison River Group (MRG) and served as a senior advisor for the Montana Climate Assessment. He also serves as an Affiliate Faculty Member at Montana State University. Prior to MRG, Dr. Armstrong served within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as the Executive Director of the United States Global Change Research Program. He was the lead in the development of the USGCRP’s new Ten Year Strategic Plan and a key player in the Third National Climate Assessment, the President’s Climate Action Plan, and other activities related to the federal climate change enterprise. He also served as the US Head of Delegation to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report. Before Joining the White House, Tom served as the Department of the Interior’s Senior Advisor for Climate Change.
Ashley P. Ballantyne is an Assistant Professor of Bioclimatology at the University of Montana. Dr. Ballantyne’s background is in the ecological and Earth sciences and he is curious about the interactions between Earth’s climate and biology over a range of scales. His research seeks to gain insight into factors regulating Earth’s climate in the past as well as factors limiting CO2 uptake in the future. Dr. Ballantyne earned an MS from the University of Washington and a PhD from Duke University. Dr. Ballantyne’s research explores how Earth’s climate and biogeochemical cycles are inextricably linked.
Anton Bekkerman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University. His research interests include price analysis in grain markets, agricultural marketing, and the economics of production and management in the agricultural industry. Anton’s recent research focus has been on improving wheat price predictions for the northern United States, identifying the economic impacts of changes in the grain handling industry, and understanding the market-level impacts of increased pulse production in Montana. On campus, Anton teaches the Economics of Agricultural Marketing and Managerial Economics courses and is a faculty advisor to a collegiate student club.
Scott Bischke of MountainWorks Inc. served the Montana Climate Assessment as Science Writer. Scott is a BS (Montana State University), MS (University of Colorado) chemical engineer who has worked as an engineering researcher at three national laboratories: the National Bureau of Standards (now National Institute of Science and Technology), Sandia, and Los Alamos. He worked for roughly 11 yr as lead environmental engineer for a Hewlett-Packard business unit. Scott has authored, co-authored, or edited two environmental impact statements, book chapters, technical papers, four popular press books, and successful proposals totaling multiple-millions of dollars.
Madison Boone graduated from Hendrix College with degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies. She has worked for Heifer International’s Heifer Farm in Rutland, MA where she was a livestock steward and led educational programs. Madison moved to Bozeman, MT in January 2016 to serve with the Big Sky Watershed Corps, through which she worked for the non-profit One Montana on their Resilient Montana program. She is now serving a second term of the Big Sky Watershed Corps program in 2017, during which she will continue to work with One Montana as well as MSU-Extension on their Climate Science Team.
Samantha Brooks is the Lead Director for Science, Policy and Programs at Madison River Group (MRG) and an advisor to the Montana Climate Assessment. Prior to MRG, Ms. Brooks served for 3 yr with the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) as Executive Secretary, and a member of the USGCRP Leadership Team, providing strategic advice and direction to the White House Subcommittee on Global Change Research (SGCR). Her academic background is in international environmental policy with a particular focus on climate change. She holds a BA in International Relations from James Madison University and MA in Global Environmental Policy from American University. She holds the title of Affiliate Professor in Political Science at Montana State University.
Colin Brust is an undergraduate student at the University of Montana majoring in resource conservation and minoring in climate change studies and Spanish. Colin currently works as an intern for the Montana Climate Office.
Laura Burkle is an Assistant Professor in Ecology at Montana State University. Her research is focused on the biodiversity and function of complex communities of flowering plants and pollinators. She uses plant-pollinator interactions as a tool to understand how environmental conditions—including climate change, land-use change, and disturbances like wildfire—influence the structure and function of ecological communities. At MSU, she teaches Principles of Biological Diversity, Plant Ecology, and Community ecology, and she mentors undergraduate and graduate students in field-based research.
Mary Burrows obtained her PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She started her position as the Extension Plant Pathology Specialist at Montana State University in August of 2006. Her extension and research activities focus on diseases of field crops. She directs the Schutter Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, the Regional Pulse Crop Diagnostic Laboratory, serves as the Integrated Pest Management coordinator for Montana, the IR-4 Project State Liaison Representative, and has an active applied research program.
Wyatt F. Cross is Director of the Montana University System Water Center, and an Associate Professor of Ecology at Montana State University. His current research focuses on ecological responses of streams and rivers to human activities, including climate warming, river regulation, and nutrient enrichment. Wyatt is also working to strengthen connections between the Montana university system and state agencies and non-governmental organizations in the context of water resource science and management.
Edward Dunlea is the Chief Scientist for Madison River Group. Prior to MRG, he was a Senior Program Officer at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate; he led studies on high profile topics in climate and atmospheric sciences, including climate intervention (geoengineering), seasonal forecasting, abrupt climate changes, and climate modeling. Previously, Edward was a Program Manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Climate Program Office, and a post-doctoral researcher in atmospheric chemistry at the University of Colorado and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Edward holds a doctorate in atmospheric physical chemistry from the University of Colorado and an AB in chemistry from Harvard University.
Paul Herendeen is an environmental scientist and engineer, working to provide practical solutions to environmental problems. Initially trained in research, he worked in silviculture, hydrology, and biogeochemistry for the US Geological Survey and Forest Service. After earning a graduate degree, he has shifted his focus to the built environment, with the goal of integrating human activity into the natural world. He holds a BA in Biology from the University of Virginia and a MS in Biological & Environmental Engineering from Cornell University.
Laura Ippolito is an honors student and sophomore at MSU dual majoring in Economics and Sustainable Foods and Bioenergy Systems with a concentration in Agroecology. She graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in May of 2014, and took a gap year before attending MSU in the fall of 2015. During her gap year, Laura got her certified Wilderness EMT license from NOLS, worked on a permaculture farm in Ecuador, and volunteered in Nepal and Thailand. At school, Laura is still working on agricultural research under the guidance of Bruce Maxwell.
Kelsey Jencso is an Associate Professor of Watershed Hydrology at the University of Montana and the Director of the Montana Climate Office. His research focuses on forested mountain watersheds and the mechanisms that influence forest growth and the movement of water, nutrients, and sediment in upland and aquatic environments. In his capacity as the Montana State Climatologist, Kelsey is leading efforts to provide climate and meteorological information to the public in a user specific context, the development of a statewide soil moisture and weather measurement network, and a collaborative effort to develop satellite based evapotranspiration and water deficit tools in agriculture and rangeland settings.
W. Matt Jolly is a Research Ecologist in the Fire, Fuel and Smoke Science Program at the US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. His research explores the influence of live fuels on wildland fire behavior and it also explores ways to use this improved understanding to develop predictive tools that can help support strategic and tactical wildland fire management decisions.
John LaFave is a senior research hydrogeologist and manages the Montana Ground Water Assessment Program at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. His research interests include characterizing large groundwater flow systems and identifying areas of anthropogenic recharge in western Montana using environmental tracers, long-term water level measurements and water chemistry data. John has Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Texas.
Andrew J. Larson is Associate Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of Montana. His research examines disturbances and dynamics of forest ecosystems, including forest management strategies for forest restoration and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Themes in his research program include forest productivity and carbon storage; rates, causes, and consequences of tree mortality; development and functional consequences of spatial heterogeneity in forest ecosystems; and fire-effects and succession in mixed-conifer forests. Dr. Larson instructs at UM and serves as Associate Editor for the journal Fire Ecology. His fire ecology research in the Bob Marshall Wilderness was recognized with the USDA Forest Service National Award for Wilderness Stewardship Research.
Alex Leone works for the Clark Fork Coalition on stream restoration in the Upper Clark Fork focusing on water planning efforts and conservation projects aimed at enhancing flows and restoring aquatic habitat. Alex has spent most of his life in Montana and attended both the University of Montana (BS in Forest Management) and Montana State University (MS in Earth Sciences). Alex spends the majority of his free time chasing trout on Montana’s seemingly endless supply of streams and exploring wilderness areas in the Northern Rockies.
Whitney Lonsdale has a strong interest in climate change and water resources in Montana and the West, particularly water scarcity and its implications for human and ecological systems. With a background in education and a graduate degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University, Whitney is dedicated to informing strategies that build resilience in Montana and bringing science to the public in ways that are relevant and accessible. Whitney joined the Montana University System Water Center as Assistant Director in early 2017.
Bruce Maxwell is Professor of Agroecology and Applied Plant Ecology in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science (LRES) and co-Director of the Montana Institute on Ecosystems at Montana State University. Maxwell was instrumental in the formation of the Department of LRES and has received national awards for outstanding teaching, best peer reviewed papers and outstanding graduate student from the Weed Science Society of America. He has published over 100 scientific journal articles and book chapters, chaired and been a member of numerous agricultural and ecological research grant review panels and been a member of two National Academy of Science National Research Council Committees on Agriculture. He was a Fulbright Fellow in Argentina in 2007. His research has historically straddled the disciplines of invasion biology and agroecology.
Stephanie McGinnis is the outgoing Assistant Director of the Montana Water Center and the Coordinator of Education and Outreach at Montana Watercourse. Throughout her career, Stephanie has been heavily involved in environmental education and outreach, working for public schools, state and federal agencies, and currently as an adjunct faculty member at MSU. She has also conducted research in Montana and Wyoming focused on the conservation and restoration of freshwater ecosystems.
Megan Mills-Novoa is a PhD student in the School of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona. A native Minnesotan, Megan graduated with a BA in environmental studies and biology from Lewis & Clark College in 2009. Following graduation, Megan worked as a Fulbright Scholar with the Global Change Center in Santiago, Chile and as a Luce Scholar with the Centre for Sustainable Development in Hanoi, Vietnam. In the summer of 2016, Megan worked as a Sustainability Fellow with One Montana where she worked with the Montana Climate Assessment team.
Thomas Patton holds a MS in Geology from Montana Tech and is the Research Division Chief at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. Tom was instrumental in early development of Montana’s Ground Water Information Center and Montana’s first statewide long-term groundwater monitoring network. His research interests include relationships between groundwater-level changes in wells and departures from average precipitation at various accumulation periods.
Alisa Royem grew up in the West and is deeply concerned with water resources, water rights, and climate change. She has a BS in Environmental Biology from Fort Lewis College and an MS in Hydrology and Natural Resources from Cornell University. Today she lives in Montana where she works with emerging water issues, climate change, mitigation, and resilience.
Nick Silverman is a Research Scientist at the University of Montana. His academic interests include mountain landscape hydroclimatology, remote sensing, land surface modeling, and hydroeconomics. Nick has received an MS from the University of Washington and a PhD from the University of Montana in Regional Hydroclimatology. Nick is passionate about making connections between science, people and policy. He spends his free time speaking to farmers, ranchers, government agencies, and water resource professionals throughout Montana about impacts and adaptations related to climate and water interactions.
Kristina Sussman has over 11 yr experience in brand and marketing communication strategy, graphic and web design. She has her Bachelors in Graphic Design and is the UX/UI Designer and Marketing Strategist with the Madison River Group (MRG) team. She was the Lead Web Designer for 5 yr at the USGS and recently launched their new Drupal website in April 2016. Kristina has designed a variety of marketing and branding materials to include brand strategies, style guides, logos, identity packaging, direct and email marketing, animations/video, website design, exhibits, infographics, advertising, and more.
Michael Sweet is a data manager and analyst with the Montana Climate Office at the University of Montana. After a 27-yr stint in applied forest management research, in 2010 Mike was presented with the opportunity to revive the dormant Montana Climate Office. He enjoys problem solving and the challenge of packaging information into a tasty morsel. When he’s not attached to a keyboard you will find him on the water, in the mountains, on the dance floor, working in the garden, or playing music.
Anna Tuttle is the Program and Communications Manager for the Institute on Ecosystems (IoE) at Montana State University (MSU), and is also a non-tenure track faculty member at MSU. After receiving her MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana, Anna spent 10 yr teaching leadership, communication, safe backcountry travel, and college-level academics for several field-based schools and university programs. This work involved researchers, ecologists, ranchers, farmers, tribal members, educators, and guides from across the country.
Alisa A. Wade is an Affiliate Faculty member at the University of Montana. She is a conservation scientist with a particular interest in bridging the gap between science and management by creating analytical and decision-making tools for conservation planning. Dr. Wade’s research has focused on assessing climate change vulnerability across broad spatial scales, with a particular emphasis on freshwater ecosystems. She earned degrees in political science (BA, UC Santa Barbara), public administration and environmental policy (MPA, San Jose State University), environmental planning (MCP, UC Berkeley) and Earth science (PhD, Colorado State University), and she completed her post-doctorate position at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.
David Weaver is Professor of Entomology in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science at Montana State University. Prior to MSU, he worked for USDA-ARS for several years on automated detection of insects in stored grain, insect biological control and insect ecology. He is former editor-in-chief for the Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology and has published over 100 scientific journal articles, in addition to book chapters and outreach materials. Since 1997, he has worked primarily on the chemical ecology, biological control, and biorational management of agricultural pests. A particular focus is the wheat stem sawfly, a native pest that has damaging populations that are currently expanding southward.
Becky Weed is currently a research associate at Montana State University, combining her backgrounds in agriculture and the geological sciences. Becky raises sheep and operates a fiber-processing mill on the ranch that she has been operating with her husband for 30 yr. She has worked as a geologist/geochemist in the environmental consulting industry in Montana, Colorado, and Utah, and in a research capacity in Antarctica and Greenland. Her degrees are in the geological sciences from Harvard University (BA) and the University of Maine (MS). She has served on the Montana Board of Livestock and on the Conservation and Science Board for Lava Lake Land and Livestock.
Cathy Whitlock is Professor of Earth Sciences, Fellow, and former co-Director of the Montana Institute on Ecosystems. She is recognized nationally and internationally for her scholarly contributions and leadership activities in the areas of paleoecology and paleoclimate. Whitlock has published over 180 scientific papers on these topics and her research has been supported by grant-funding from the National Science Foundation, Joint Fire Sciences Program, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, and Department of Energy. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Geological Society of America and received the international EO Wilson Biodiversity Technology Pioneer Award in 2014 and Professional Excellence Award in Academic/Research, Association of Women Geoscientists in 2015.
Climate Assesment
Multimedia, Education
News, Social Media, Events
Partners, Stakeholders
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Interview: Pierce the Veil
Pierce the Veil were playing Warped Tour in Pomona, so MEB staffer Ridge Breil was lucky enough to interview this already legendary post-hardcore band? After Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens) makes an unexpected stop, Vic Fuentes talks about their stellar new album, Warped Tour, and the possibility of an Isles & Glaciers reunion.
MEB: You guys have a brand new album called Collide With the Sky coming out soon. First of all, what is the meaning of the album title?
Vic: The title kind of goes with the album artwork. You see a girl above a house and it’s supposed to look like she’s jumping off the house, which is like jumping off of things breaking beneath you. There’s a bunch of paintings of people doing that. The person kind of looks like they’re floating there, they could be falling, they could be flying. The idea is to instill a little bit of hope amidst the chaos and connect to people’s lives. A lot of kids write to us about their depression or problems at home, so it’s like trying to keep a little bit of hope.
I’m really blown away by the quality of it and how different it is compared to your previous albums. It’s a lot faster and more in-your-face than before. What was the songwriting process like and what made you want to write in this fashion?
This record came together more aggressive-sounding and that is probably because of all the touring we’ve been doing. There’s so many different bands we tour with, and most of them are pretty heavy. Even our producer, this is our first time working with Dan [Korneff] and Kato [Khandwala]. We really meshed well with those guys and they really brought the best out of us.
What are the meanings behind the songs “Bulls in the Bronx” and “The First Punch?”
“Bulls in the Bronx” has a crazy story to it. It’s a sad story, but it inspired the song. It’s about this girl who is 16, and her friends wrote to me and said she recently committed suicide, along with a link to her Tumblr page. It was one of the most haunting things I’ve ever seen. It’s so sad because she was such a sweet-looking girl too. There were things on there where she would say how she thought she was worthless, ugly, and all this crazy stuff. That whole thing really stuck with me for a while, and I wrote this song about her. “The First Punch” is about a few different things, but I’ll tell you about one of them. We tour with a lot of bands that act like little rockstars and treat their fans like shit. It’s kind of a ‘fuck you’ to those kinds of people. I don’t ever want to be like that.
That’s one thing I’ve always liked about you guys is that you’re really down to earth and know how to connect with the fans. So how did you get hooked up with Kellin, Jason [Butler] and Lindsay [Stamey] to do vocals for the new album?
Lindsay happened to be recording with her band [Oh No Fiasco] at the same time we were in the studio. We never planned it, we just heard her voice and were like, “she’s like a mini Mariah Carey.” We needed a girl vocal to be on the song and I was like “We would love to have you on it.” I was so happy she did it, she really killed it. We’ve always loved working with other artists and we, along with our fans, really enjoy it. Well, that was Kellin who walked by earlier and gave us the prolonged creepy look [laughs]. Kellin was a really unique situation in that our fans brought us together from both of our bands and started hitting us both together on Twitter on the same tweet saying that we need to do a song together. I called up Kellin and said “You know, these kids want us to do a song together. We have a new record coming out, so let’s do it.” So we did the collaboration and are on Warped Tour together.
For a genre that’s known for having a revolving door of musicians, how is it that you all have managed to keep it all together throughout the years?
We have an underground fight club where we get real crazy. Well there’s me [Vic] and Mike [Fuentes], we’re brothers, but I’m sure everyone knows that by now, and we’ve been friends with Tony [Perry] and Jaime [Preciado] since we were younger. I feel that we’re all in it for the same reasons, which is the reason why it’s been easy for us to keep it together. Everyone’s loving what they do every second. We’re one of the lucky ones I guess.
Being known for making excellent covers, is there a song you guys plan on covering next?
We always like to keep it fun and fresh, so we never really plan to do anything – it just kind of happens. We’re not playing any covers at Warped tour, but after Warped, on our other tours, we might play some live.
In the future, is there any chance you will re-release the pre-PTV Before Today album A Celebration of an Ending? It’s a CD that I see people wanting to have and always asking for it, but no one has it.
Honestly, I haven’t thought about it, but it’s not a bad idea. We’re always looking towards the future and putting our best foot forward, and we try to make everything better than the last. I look at that album and I look at where we are now, and we’re doing so much better than that.
*Kellin walks by again, staring intently at all of us*
Vic: Go to sleep! You need it! Creeper! I love you! Kellin says hi everyone. Telling him to go to sleep at 2:30, what am I thinking?
After the whole rehab stint with Jonny Craig, he seems to be doing a hell of a lot better. Is there any chance of Isles & Glaciers getting back together to make something new?
If I&G doesn’t get back together, we will still be writing music together. I still want to write with them. We’ve all actually talked about it, so it’s a possibility. Since Jonny got out of rehab, he called me up while we were recording and said, “I’m ready to do this again. I’m ready to write songs together again.” On the new record, the song that Jason sings on [“Tangled in the Great Escape”], Brian Southall co-wrote it, and he’s also in I&G.
Any last words for the fans who came out here to Warped to see you play and what people can expect from the new record?
July 17th, go get Collide With the Sky. You can get the first and second singles now from that record. Come out and hang with us on Warped Tour!
InterviewKellin QuinnPierce the Veilpierce the veil interviewSleeping With SirensVic Fuentes
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Album Reviews 2
The Cinema: My Blood Is Full of Airplanes
By Jordan Walsh · On September 28, 2011
It’s always a bummer when a blossoming band diffuses just as they begin to show their full potential. Even worse is when the band diffuses just as they begin to show their full potential and you have just discovered them. Getting into a band is much more difficult when that band is no longer active, as the lasting value is somewhat less, with no hopes of catching them at a live show or looking forward to a new release. Fortunately, I came to love Lydia even after their breakup because their material was just too good to ignore. Illuminate is a masterpiece for sure, with delicate male/ female vocal arrangements that other artists wish they could rival. Assailants was a great swan song, but much too short and simply lacking an adequate amount of music to leave us with. A musician’s first move after the breakup of their most popular band is crucial, forcing them to prove that they can stand on their own and that they are indeed versatile. Did Leighton Antelman, former front man of Lydia, take the right first steps into his post-breakup life with his new project The Cinema? Well, that’s what you’re here to find out, isn’t it?
The best way to describe The Cinema’s debut album My Blood is Full of Airplanes is to compare it to a similar outing that another indie band took a few years back. Basically, Lydia is to The Cinema as Death Cab for Cutie is to The Postal Service. It is essentially Antelman’s sleepy yet soaring vocals, the same as they were on Assailants, mixed up with Matt Malpass’ techno beats and synthesizers. The difference between this and The Postal Service is that Airplanes is much more direct and catchy than The Postal Service’s dynamic and dreamy debut, Give Up. This plays to both its advantage and its disadvantage, as the album is much more accessible than Give Up, but is somewhat less impressive in the long run.
Not to worry though; there is still much worth checking out on The Cinema’s first album. “The Wolf” and “Kill It” have the potential to make a splash in the mainstream, and show the radio how pop music is done right. “Picasso” is insanely catchy and lyrically clever. “She’s On My Arm Now” is the most Lydia-like on the set, drawn out and hugely produced. The album as a whole does not stray too much from the typical Lydia formula, and this is somewhat disappointing. It’s not a huge complaint, as Lydia is a great band and has great songs, but it’s always refreshing to see an artist stretch out and take a few more lets-jump-out-of-an-airplane-like risks, even if they don’t always work. Also, the techno beats can become a bit overwhelming and give the impression that there is too much going on. With that said, the title track ranks among Antelman’s best songs with one of his best vocal performances and some of his most imaginative lyrics:
“Get it right this time
I’m throwing lassos at the sky
Catching moments as big as my eyes…..
I’m throwing islands at your eyes
Intoxicating like we’re on a gold mine.”
Is it mind-bending or life-changing or album of the year? Probably not. Is it good and worth checking out? Yes, absolutely, especially if you are a fan of Lydia. But don’t expect the next Postal Service or anything of that sort. Expect a catchy, melodically sound album that will surely produce a few of your favorite tracks this year. And, in case you were wondering, look forward to the new album by the newly reunited Lydia next month.
Leighton AntelmanLydiaThe CinemaThe Postal Service
Jordan Walsh
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Wildcats fall 70-57 to Purdue on Senior Day
Jacob Munoz, Sports Editor, Social Media Editor
While one team celebrated in the locker room, the other had their Senior Day spoiled. Though the Wildcats (13-8, 4-16 B1G) fought hard in a spirited Welsh-Ryan arena, the team couldn’t pull off a win against the Purdue Boilermakers (23-8, 16-4), falling 70-57 in their final regular season game. The loss closed out a difficult conference season for Northwestern, who struggled to stay afloat in the competitive Big Ten. Purdue’s victory secured them a share of the Big Ten regular season title.
Toward the end of the game, Vic Law (13 pts, 7 reb) went down and had to be helped off the court. A team representative said Law sustained a lower-body injury and that further evaluation is needed. With the Big Ten tournament coming up on Wednesday, it is undetermined if Law will miss what is potentially Northwestern’s last game of the season and the last of his career.
The early game was a 3-point fest for both teams, as Northwestern and Purdue each shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc halfway through the first half. Law, Miller Kopp (7 pts) and Anthony Gaines (9 pts) were the team’s only three scorers for the most of the first half, attempting well over half of the team’s shots.
Dererk Pardon (8 pts, 2 reb) was mysteriously quiet on both ends of the court, going 0-for-4 from the field, while A.J. Turner (14 pts), who was wearing injured senior Jordan Ash’s #23, missed his three shots of the half. Pete Nance (3 pts, 5 reb) had some sneakily good moments, including a thunderous block, a contested jump-ball, and a three off the backboard.
Pete says nah! @NUMensBball is playing tough in the first half: pic.twitter.com/JFxbpHos1s
— Northwestern On BTN (@NUOnBTN) March 9, 2019
A team that has struggled on offense for most of the season caught a break as Purdue had difficulty connecting long shots, with more than a few “air-ball” chants coming from the student sections. The Boilermakers also couldn’t take control of the charity stripe, missing five of their first six free throws. They were helped, however, by an impressive half one 8-to-0 offensive rebounding advantage.
The end of the first half got testy, aided by a Welsh-Ryan crowd comprised of many Purdue fans. Coach Chris Collins argued a foul on Dererk Pardon a bit too passionately, leading to a rare technical on the otherwise-restrained coach. A lane violation call on Northwestern led to more free throws, prompting angry student reactions and delight from Boilermaker fans. A few minutes later, the teams headed into the break with Purdue up 33-25. The only thing able to unite the arena was an impressive halftime routine by The Firecrackers Jump Rope Team.
Heading back into the game, Northwestern found it difficult to maintain any sort of strong momentum on either side of the court. Purdue grew more efficient on their trips down the court, and the team's lead grew to 15. But Pardon and Turner decided to break out of their slumps at the right moment, as some successful plays in the paint and past the arc, respectively, took them to within seven.
But quickly, the game turned scary. Law, who had been visibly in pain earlier in the half with some physical tie-ups with Purdue, ran into Boilermaker star Carsen Edwards (21 pts, 5 ast) while dribbling and hit the court. The arena went silent, both sides realizing the severity of the moment due to his calls for help. He was carried off the court to applause, and though he wouldn’t check into the game again, he later returned in uniform to NU’s bench.
Best wishes to you for a quick recovery, @Followthe_LAW!
Unfortunate scene at Welsh-Ryan Arena as the @NUMensBball senior had to be carried off the court with a leg injury. pic.twitter.com/mE5cxwXuiX
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 9, 2019
Observant Wildcat fans know that Vic Law has had injury trouble throughout his career. It has led to several absences: Law sat out in an away game against Michigan this year, missed the end of the 2017-18 season, and didn’t play in 2015-16.
“I know Vic’s gonna do everything in his power to keep going,” said Collins after the game. “He’s a fighter . . . I know that if there’s a way for him to keep playing he will, but we’ll find out more. He’s going through the tests and we’ll figure it out.”
From there, Purdue responded to any serious Northwestern threats and maintained a sizeable lead. Even though Turner got hot and hit two more three-pointers to bounce back from a rough first half, it wasn’t enough. An Edwards three after the lead had dropped to seven proved crucial as the remaining four minutes saw no further response from the ’Cats.
Pardon and Falzon (3 pts) checked out of the game in the final minute to close out their time at Evanston, and once the clock hit zero Purdue celebrated their successful Big Ten season. The Boilermakers, led by Edwards, were assisted by Nojel Eastern (15 pts, 5 reb), Matt Haarms (11 pts, 6 reb) and Trevion Williams (6 pts, 7 reb).
After the game, Collins praised the rebound Purdue basketball has had since he first started coaching at Northwestern.
“They do the little things really well, and they’re a really tough-minded team,” said Collins about Purdue. “They’ve found the right guys to embody what they want their program to be, and that’s where we need to go.”
Before the game, four Wildcat seniors and two redshirt juniors were honored in the Senior Day ceremony. Law, Pardon, Ash, Taylor (who also did not play), Falzon and Charlie Hall were celebrated on the court with their families. Hall, the son of actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, started the game to cheers from the crowd and played for the first two minutes.
“It meant a lot, especially knowing that the other guys in my class wanted me out there with them," Hall said. "It was a really surreal moment and not something I was expecting. And so to be out there was really special and something I’ll never forget.”
A well-deserved standing ovation for @NUMensBball senior @charlie_hall23, with his parents Brad and @OfficialJLD cheering him on. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/OZIlQhMMQ5
Northwestern holds the #14 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and will face off against the #11 seed on Wednesday, March 20, at the United Center.
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Bishop Woods
Bishop Victor T. Woods was born to Elder William H. Woods, Jr. and Evangelist Deloris A. Woods on April 9, 1975 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the youngest of four sisters and one brother. He gave his life to Christ at the age of 8 years old at Unity Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at age 12. Subsequently, he was called into the ministry in late 1993. In April of 1994, at the age of 18, he preached his first sermon at Unity Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. To further his theological education; in 1995 Bishop Woods enrolled at Crossroads Bible College, formerly known as Baptist Bible College of Indianapolis, Indiana. Eventually, in 1998 Bishop Woods became a member and an associate minister at New Haven Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis, where he served for five years under the pastorship/leadership of the beloved Pastor Raymond F. Hiser. During that time, the Holy Spirit was leading Bishop Woods to found a church. In June 2003, Pastor Hiser gave his love and blessings releasing him to start his own ministry. Therefore, in August 2003 he became the proud Founder/Sr. Pastor of New Unity Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In addition to pastoring, in the year 2012 he started serving on the Board of Directors for the Community Resurrection Partnership Organization (CRP) of the Martindale-Brightwood area in Indianapolis; an organization of church/community leaders developed to address the many spiritual, economic and social issues of the local community. Also in the month of October 2012, he was elevated in the Lord’s church in the calling to the office of General Overseer of Finance for the Sharpening Swords Fellowship (SSF), where the Presiding Bishop is Bishop Larry D. Grinstead. Fellowship headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. With all that God had done, he saw that there was another mandate on Bishop Woods’ life. With that mandate, in June 2015, he became the Diocesan Bishop of the Indianapolis Diocese of Antioch Network Of Churches And Ministries, Bishop Tavis L. Grant II, Presiding Bishop. Location of National Headquarters is Indianapolis, Indiana and Global Headquarters is East Chicago, Indiana.
On May 7, 2016, the Lord commanded that two become one in holy matrimony; therefore, wedded his beautiful wife, Kourtnee D. Woods. In November 2017, he held the stance of Apostolic Vicar for ANCM and in November 2018, the Lord blessed him with favor to transition into the capacity of First Administrative Assistant to the Presiding Bishop of ANCM. Bishop Victor T. Woods is truly a servant of the Most High God, who loves God’s people and empowers them to live the life God is calling for. He is an anointed, spirit-led, visionary leader. Moreover, after years of pastoring, he continues to show the people how to move from a church mentality to a kingdom mentality, desiring New Unity Church to continue increasing and walking in abundant blessings.
© 2019 New Unity Church. All rights reserved.
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Northwestern Connecticut Youth Hockey and Skating Association
Article 1 Name
The name of this organization shall be the Northwestern Connecticut Youth Hockey and Skating Association (NWCYHSA), incorporated under the Connecticut statutes as a nonprofit corporation.
Article 2 Objectives
The objectives of the NWCYHSA shall be to promote and develop the game of ice hockey and the government of the game in the towns relegated to the NWCYHSA by the Connecticut Hockey Conference (CHC).
Article 3 Headquarters
All annual, regular, and special meetings shall be held in a location as decided by its Board of Directors.
Article 4 Affiliation
NWCYHSA shall be affiliated with USA Hockey and shall operate as an integral unit of that association through the CHC.
Article 5 Board of Directors
The affairs of the NWCYHSA shall be directed by the Board of Directors consisting of members voted in by a majority vote of existing Board members. The number of Board members shall not exceed 14 or be fewer than 7. Of these directors, Board Officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer and shall be elected from the present Board.
The Board of Directors shall transact the business of the NWCYHSA. It shall have the power to enforce laws of the game, and the rulings of the CHC or USA Hockey. It shall have the power to settle all disputes and protests of appeals from the decisions of program members when requested. The Board of Directors decisions shall be final. All members of the Board of Directors (Board Officers and Board Members) shall have one vote except for the President as provided for in Section 1 [1] below. The following positions are created by the Board and may vary depending on the needs of the Association.
Section 1 Board Officers (Total 4)
[1] President
The President shall preside at all meetings. The President shall cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie vote at Board meetings. The President has the power to appoint all officers and committees not required to be elected, and shall serve as ex-officio on such committees. The President shall have signatory authority on all money accounts of the Association.
[2] Vice-President
The Vice-President shall succeed to the powers of the President in his absence, and perform other duties as may be delegated to him by the President. The Vice President may appoint an assistant with whom he/she will divide the responsibilities of allocating ice time among the various divisions, schedule games, and distribute ice and game schedules to coaches. The Vice President shall also appoint schedulers for each of the divisions.
[3] Secretary
The Secretary shall record all business transactions of the NWCYHSA, attend to the correspondence, and keep records of the NWCYHSA including the minutes of the Board of Directors meetings.
[4] Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have charge of all money accounts of the NWCYHSA and shall keep a detailed account of income and expenditures of the NWCYHSA. The Treasurer shall submit a statement of the financial condition of the NWCYHSA at Board meetings. The Treasurer shall supply the Secretary with copies of the statement for the minutes. The Treasurer shall have signatory authority on all money accounts and shall sign all checks of the NWCYHSA. The Treasurer shall file all NWCYHSA income tax forms.
Section 2 Board Members (Total 11)
[1] Registrar
The Registrar shall have charge for the registration of all players, coaches, and volunteers in the NWCYHSA. The Registrar shall determine the eligibility of players under CHC and USA Hockey rules, taking into consideration NWCYHSA policies. The Registrar shall advise the President for the issuance of release forms.
[2] CHC Representative
The CHC Representative shall represent the NWCYHSA at CHC meetings, and report all information to the Board.
[3] Coaching Director
The Coaching Director shall oversee coaches, and ensure that all coaches are certified to the appropriate level as determined by CHC and USA Hockey guidelines. The Coaching Director shall also implement a unified program for all levels, and encourage coaches to prepare for practices and that this preparation includes both a general conception of the needs of his/her players, as well as basic drills.
[4] Gunnery School Representative
The Gunnery School Representative shall represent the Gunnery School and maintain relations with the NWCYHSA.
[5-11] At Large Board Members
There shall be a total of 7 At Large Board Members who may be designated specific responsibilities depending upon the needs of the Association.
Section 3 Ex-Officio
The outgoing President and Vice-President may sit on the Board of Directors for a period of one (1) year at the end of their term to ensure continuity of the program. The Ex-Officio Board Member shall not have a vote on the Board of Directors.
Article 2 Meetings
[1] Regular Meetings shall be held monthly during the season, at a location determined by the Board of Directors. The President may call Special Meetings at the request of three (3) members of the Board of Directors.
[2] Six (6) members in good standing of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at all meetings. Motions are carried or deferred by the majority of affirmative votes cast.
[3] Any Officer absenting himself from three (3) meetings without cause shall have his office declared vacant at the discretion of the Board of Directors, who may appoint his successor.
[4] In case of doubt as to procedure or where not covered herein, the latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised Edition,” shall govern.
Article 3 Election of Officers and Board Members
Section 1 Nominations
The President, prior to the last regular Board meeting, shall appoint a nominating committee. It will be the duty of this committee to receive nominations of candidates. The Gunnery School Representative shall be nominated by the Head Master/Mistress of the Gunnery School.
Section 2 Voting
The Board of Directors of the NWCYHSA shall be voted separately by voice vote and shall receive a majority of the votes cast.
Section 3 Term
[1] Officers shall serve for three (3) year terms, commencing on July 1 and terminating on June 30. The Officers terms shall be staggered such that no more than two (2) Officers terms shall expire in the same year.
[2] Board Members shall serve for two (2) year terms, commencing on July 1 and terminating on June 30. The Board Members terms shall be staggered such that no more than five (5) Board Member terms shall expire in the same year.
[3] If a vacancy of any Board position shall occur other than as a result of natural expiration of such term, then a Special Meeting of the remaining Board of Directors will be held to elect a person to fill the vacated Board position for the remainder of that term.
[4] The duties and powers of appointed officials shall cease after their successors have been appointed or after their delegated task has been completed and they are discharged by the President.
Section 4 Dismissal
An Officer or member of the Board of Directors, whois not fulfilling their duty or is overstepping their assigned duty as described in Article 1, Sections 1 and 2, may be removed from office as follows:
1. A petition, signed by at least three members of the current Board of Directors, and setting out the specific offense and reason for dismissal, shall be presented to each Board member at a regular monthly meeting.
2. Discussion of the petition shall be allowed, and the board member whose removal is sought (petitioned Board member) shall have the opportunity to respond to the Board of Directors at the time the petition is presented or may request to postpone such response until the next regular meeting. A request to postpone a response shall be granted, unless the next regular meeting falls outside the season calendar (October 1 through March 31).
3. The Board of Directors shall cast ballots after discussion and response by the petitioned Board member. A majority vote of all non-petitioned Board members must be achieved, provided at least six affirmative votes are cast.
4. If the vote cast determines that the petitioned Board member will vacate his/her position, a Special Meeting will be held to fill the vacated Board position.
Article 4 Membership
To be eligible for membership in the NWCYHSA, a CHC affiliate based amateur youth hockey program must be:
1. Voluntary; in the sense that at the beginning of his/her participation in the program, no adult shall have been promised, have anticipated and/or received any compensation for their services, with the exception of attorneys who draw and file articles of incorporation. Such attorneys may be rendered their customary fees for such professional services.
2. Non-profit; in the sense that no funds of the program shall be paid to and/or distributed among participants of the program for their personal account except as may be provided for documented and previously authorized expenses.
3. Primary; in the sense that the instructional and coaching scheme of the program shall begin with the fundamentals of how to skate and how to use a hockey stick within the rules of the game.
4. Open; in the sense that it will accept any child from the community it serves for fun, competitive participation regardless of sex, race, creed or religion, provided that the registration fees and/or any other such membership requirements specified by the program are complied with, excepting:
(a) no program depending upon municipal tax-based funding shall be required to accept nonresidents as participants; or
(b) no program shall be required to accept registrants whose registration may violate provisions of a league conference or tournament in which that program usually participates.
Article 5 Registration and Eligibility
Section 1. General
All NWCYHSA teams and players shall be organized, registered and rostered in accordance with CHC Bylaws Article VI and CHC Rules and Policies.
Section 2 Fees
[1] Prior to the beginning of each new season, the Board of Directors will set the registration fees for NWCYHSA hockey and skating programs.
[2] A pre-registration letter shall specify the date of registration and a deadline or deadlines by which fees must be paid.
[3] The amount of registration fees shall be payable upon registration. This fee, registration application and insurance forms must be submitted to the Registrar prior to participation in any NWCYHSA activities.
[4] If fees are not paid prior to the established dates, then youths sponsored by the delinquent applicant will not be allowed to participate in any NWCYHSA activity until the financial obligations are satisfied.
Article 6 Competition
Competition shall be governed by the CHC Rules and Policies, specifically Article V.
Article 7 Amendments
Section 1 Standing
Any member of the Board of Directors in good standing may propose amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 2 Procedure
[1] Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
[2] The Secretary shall present at the next regular Board of Directors Meeting, all proposed amendments for the Board of Directors to review.
[3] The Board of Directors will discuss and revise the proposed amendments as necessary at the subsequent meeting, and shall be voted on at such meeting of the Board of Directors.
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APDP seeks great focus & extensive monitoring of UN High Commissioner
Sunaina Malik
Srinagar (PR): The number of enforced disappearance in Jammu and Kashmir is alarming and more than many countries in Asia. As per rights groups Nepal has around 900 disappeared persons, Pakistan has 1532, Bangladesh has 329, Philippines has 1166, Indonesia 1270, Thailand 293, Timor-Leste has 428 etc. while as more than 8000 persons have been subjected to enforced or involuntary disappearances in Jammu and Kashmir, which is higher than most of the Asian countries. Despite less number of disappearance cases many countries have constituted enquiry commissions to investigate into the cases and have initiated certain processes for providing justice and reparations to the victims, but on the contrary the Indian state continues to be in denial for investigating the crime of enforced disappearances and establishing a commission of enquiry despite recurrent appeals from APDP from more than two decades. Despite recommendations by government’s State Human Rights Commission [in 2011 and 2017] and various international institutions like UN OHCHR & European Parliament, the Indian government maintains it reluctance to conduct comprehensive forensic investigations including DNA testing into more than 7000 unmarked and mass graves.
The countries even with less number of disappearances have allowed United Nations Working Group on Enforced or involuntary Disappearance (UNWGEID) to visit these countries and gave them access to monitor the situation of enforced disappearances. While as the government of India continues its reluctance for giving access to UNWGEID for monitoring situation of disappearances in Jammu and Kashmir. Even the Indian government barred operations of many international humanitarian organizations like International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), etc. by restricting their mandate from unraveling truth behind distressing situation of human rights particularly enforced disappearances in Kashmir.
Besides giving access to UNWGEID for country visits, the countries like Nepal, Sri-lanka, Pakistan, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Turkey, etc. have allowed other international bodies and processes to look into the crimes against humanity including the crime of enforced disappearances. Unlike Indian state these countries to some extent have allowed investigations as well as enquiries for initiating the process of justice. While, in Kashmir the victim families feel exhausted as the government along with its judiciary has largely failed to provide any remedies and to act against the crime of enforced disappearances due to prevalence of continued impunity to armed forces.
Despite bragging the claim of world’s largest democracy Indian state has failed to extend respect to international human rights and humanitarian laws by not allowing access to truth and justice in Jammu and Kashmir. India signed the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced or Involuntary against disappearance in 2007, but till date there is no development towards its ratification. Whenever many Asian countries like Japan, Philippines and Sri-Lanka have already ratified the International Convention against Disappearances. Even the Indian government is yet to legislate against the crime of enforced disappearances.
In light of the recent first ever human rights report on Kashmir by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), APDP appeals international institutions to intervene for a comprehensive fact finding on the issue of enforced disappearances in Jammu and Kashmir. The association calls upon UN OHCHR and Working Group on Enforced Disappearance (UNWGEID) to conduct specific extensive in-depth monitoring of the phenomenon of enforced disappearances in Kashmir for consistent periodical update to the global community. Further, the international community must urge Indian state to ratify International Convention against Disappearances and constitute a process of justice, which will ensure that the government and its institutions adhere to a rule of law-based approach for impartial investigation into all the cases of enforced disappearances, bringing the perpetrators to justice through criminal trials and provide truth, justice and reparations to thousands of agonized and distressed families of disappeared persons in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bar team to appear before SC Application of intervention already filed: Shaheen
Traders protest against assault on Art 35-A Any attempt to dilute state subject law will have disastrous consequences
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GREATER KASHMIR
Friday, 19 July, 2019 | Time: 5:28 AM
Chapmion Spirit: The inspirational story of Kashmir's first national Paralympic medallist
Ufaq Fatima
Publish Date: Mar 5 2018 2:50AM
Updated Date: Mar 5 2018 2:50AM
Showkat Jeelani is a living monument to courage. The 56-year-old from Lal Chowk, Anantnag district met with a car accident in February 2006 that left him 75 percent disabled. Most people would have given up on life. But Showkat is not most people. He put his heart and mind into sports, becoming Kashmir’s first national Paralympic medallist, winning a gold and three silver medals at the National Paralympics Championship in Bangalore in 2012.
“I could not believe it when I won the gold in throw jump. I felt like my body had grown wings,” says Showkat, who was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Sportsperson by the Jammu and Kashmir Police that year. Soon after he won the National Para Athletic Championship.
“It was the first time I was travelling alone after my accident,” he recalls about the 2012 national championship. “My wheelchair was my support. With the help of people at the airport and the hotel, I managed my first day in Bangalore. The next morning, the organisers refused to sign me up as I was not affiliated with any sports council because in Kashmir the one we have is dysfunctional.” But realising his love for sports, the organisers let him participate.
In 2014, Showkat won the Sub Junior Tong-IL Moo-Do Championship, organised by Tong-IL Moo Do Federation of India. On Republic Day in 2016, the state government awarded him for his achievements.
The youngest of eight siblings, Showkat completed his higher secondary studies from SP College in Srinagar in 1981 and subsequently earned a diploma in civil engineering from the city’s Government Polytechnic College. In 1994, he was recruited as an engineer in the Roads and Building (R&B) Department, Anantnag. He got married soon after and fathered two daughters. It was a fulfilling life, he says. Until, that is, he got into an accident while travelling from Srinagar to Anantnag. His car had collided with an army vehicle. He suffered a spinal injury that left him paralysed waist down. “He was an outgoing person and was fond of travelling. After the accident he became weak and with time short tempered as well,” says Rehana, Showkat’s wife.
Showkat was in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science, Srinagar, for over a month. But seeing that he was not getting better, Rehana took him to Delhi for further treatment. They had to leave their kids with relatives.
“We spent two months in the Indian Spinal Injury Centre in Delhi. There, seeing people in worse conditions doing routine work gave him hope to fight back,” says Rehana, who looked after her husband single-handedly.
It was at the Indian Spinal Injury Centre that Showkat learned of sports programmes for people like him. He decided to give it a go, and hired a personal coach. The rest, as they say, is history.
Showkat’s younger daughter Aaliya was barely five when her father was injured. He could not even lift a spoon then, she has been told, but now he is a champion. No wonder Aaliya sees him as a role model. “Papa worked hard to give himself hope. He’s an example for anyone going through a tough phase,” says Aaliya, now 17.
In the last 11 years, Showkat has fought every battle with courage. Hard training and regular exercise has now enabled him to walk on his own. He has also made judicious use of technology, buying a customised car for specially-abled people. “We always see an injury like this as the end. It’s just a pause in your life and you just have to come out of this distress and fight. One should never give up. No matter how you feel, dress up, get up and never give up.”
He is a frequent visitor to Shafqat Centre in Bemina for the disabled people. He actively participates in sports and other activities there. Recently, he was appointed a counsellor at the centre and he says he’s determined to help people like him realise their potential. “I want to touch as many lives as I can. It gives me immense joy if I can become a hope for any hopeless person.”
Showkat recently met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to raise the issue of the lack of basic facilities for the disabled people in Kashmir. “She assured me the government will take the issue seriously, but so far I have not seen anything.”
Copyright © 2016 Greaterkashmir.com. GK Communications Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved
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Two can play that game
Summary: Samantha McCall arrives in Port Charles with a mission. She wants to con Sonny Corinthos, the mob boss out of his money. But what happens when she messes up her plans by sleeping with his enforcer, Jason Morgan? What will happen when Jason finds out what she is planning to do?
Samantha McCall stepped out of her car and looked up at the building in front of her. It wasn't much, but it was all she could afford right now. She stepped back in the car and looked at her brother. Danny was all the family she had left, and she wanted to take good care of him; that was hard when she didn't have money. She smiled at Danny, and he looked like he was going to cry. Her brother had a mental problem, called Fragile X-syndrome. He was behind with everything, but he was the best big brother anyone could ever have.
''It's going to be ok, Danny,'' she whispered, and laid a hand on his knee. He nodded and smiled sadly, and she sighed. ''Come on, we're going in,'' she said, and he nodded again. Danny wasn't much of a talker, but she didn't mind. She would do the talking for both of them.
She had found her brother a year ago, and ever since she took care of him. She used her skills as a con artist to do so. He helped her as much as he could, but never with the cons. He would make sure the house was kept clean when she had to be away.
They stepped out of the car and she locked it. He looked around and smiled; he would like this place once he got used to it, Sam knew. She took his hand and they walked through the doors. The hall was big and dark; the only light was from the spotlights on the ceiling. She hated dark places, and she knew Danny did too. She stepped forward and Danny stayed behind her, and they waited for someone to come to the desk.
It seemed like forever, but suddenly she felt Danny jump; he was really close to her, and she turned around really quick, to see a man in uniform standing in front of her. He was a little taller than she was; she was 1.60-cm. She looked up at his face and almost gasped. He was covered in acne, like she had never seen before. His eyes almost popped out and he looked like he wasn't that bright.
''How can I help you?'' he asked, and she frowned. What could possibly be the reason they were here? The man didn't see her frown; he was too busy looking at her breasts.
''I rented an apartment in here,'' she replied, and he nodded. Then he walked over behind the desk, and both Danny and Sam turned around to watch him type something in the computer.
''What is your name?'' he asked, and she sighed. She didn't think a lot of people rented a place here, but she had to stay calm and just answer his questions.
''Jillian Devlin,'' she stated, and he nodded again and typed some more. Then he turned around and searched for the key, and he handed it to her.
''Third floor, second door on the left,'' he said, and she nodded and looked at Danny.
''Come on, sweetheart,'' she said, ''we're going up,'' she added, and he nodded and took her hand again. She hoped the apartment was lighter, because she couldn't live in a place that's dark. Once they were up on the third floor, and standing in front of the door, Danny spoke.
''Jillian Devlin?'' he asked, and she nodded with a smile. She would explain later. He seemed to catch on, because he didn't say anything and she opened the door. It revealed a small living room, and she sighed of relief when she saw it wasn't as dark as the hall downstairs. She could feel Danny relax too, when he saw it, and she smiled. The place was completely furnished; she had asked for it, because she didn't want to stay here for too long. This was the only way to get settled sooner. ''Sam, you need to tell me why you used an alias,'' Danny said, and he pulled her towards the couch and pushed her down; after that he sat down himself and looked at her expectantly.
''Listen, Danny,'' she started with a sigh, ''I can't give my name here, because you know everyone will know who I am,'' she said, and he nodded. ''I need to play this game one more time, and after that we will have a normal life, ok?'' she felt bad about taking him with her everywhere she went, but she didn't want to leave him behind. He was her brother; she never wanted to lose him out of her sight ever again.
''I understand,'' he said, and smiled at her. She knew he would understand. ''Are you going out tonight, then?'' he asked, and she nodded her head sadly.
She had a con that involved her marrying a man – a rich old man. She had been all over the place, and she had decided to do it one last time, in Port Charles. After that she would leave town, and settle down somewhere with Danny. He didn't really know what she did to get the money, but he never asked. He knew it was something complicated, and that she didn't want him to know what she did to get it. He saw it as a game.
''You know I have to, Danny,'' she whispered, and he nodded again. ''I will make sure that this time I will take less time, ok?'' to that, he smiled. She would just have to make sure she would get married fast, and then take the money. ''Come on, lets get our stuff up here,'' she said, and he nodded. They got up and made their way down to get their stuff.
Once they had brought their stuff up, she ordered dinner. They both loved Chinese, and she had found a little place before, when they drove through the town to get here.
''You like it?'' she asked him, and he nodded. She could see he was enjoying it, and she had to be honest she did too. ''Good – me too. This means we can order there more often,'' she added, and he smiled.
''What are you going to do tonight?'' Danny asked her, and she thought about how to answer him. She had heard about a man named Sonny Corinthos. She knew he was dangerous but that made it all the more fun. She was going to go through his enforcer, Jason Morgan. She would go to Jake's, a little bar in town, where she knew Jason liked to spend time, and she would befriend him. After she had befriended him she would go on to the boss; Sonny Corinthos was the mob boss. They tried to hide it, but the places she went were full of rumors about them. She looked up at Danny before she spoke.
''I'm going out,'' she replied, she didn't want to tell Danny the details about where she would go. He nodded; he knew he shouldn't ask too many questions because she would just avoid answering.
He got up to clear the boxes, and she helped him get them to the kitchen. After she had put them down she went to her bedroom. She didn't need much time, but she wanted to take a shower and change before she went out. She took a shower and felt a little more relaxed every minute. This was something she was good at – playing games and conning men. She had done it many times before. The last time didn't go as planned, and she had left the house with a broken wrist. The man she was conning had found out what she was doing and almost beat her to death; that was before she shot him. She pleaded self-defense; it went on trial and she won the case. She didn't have a doubt about it at the time, but she knew now she could've easily lost it and then she had to go to jail. She was glad it didn't work out that way.
She got dressed in a jeans and a simple tank top, she didn't have to impress Jason, but she had to befriend him. She walked back to the living room where she grabbed the pocket mirror and slapped on some make-up. Danny came back to the living room just as she was about to finish, and he smiled at her.
''You look great, Sam,'' he said, and she smiled up at him. He would always say that, even if she was wearing the most horrible clothes. She got up, gave him a hug ad kissed him on his cheek.
''I will be late, so don't wait up, ok?'' she said, and he nodded. ''What are you going to do?''
''Watching some TV, maybe read that magazine,'' he said, pointing at the magazine about bikes. He loved bikes, and she had bought that magazine on the way over here.
''Have fun, baby,'' she said, and smiled when he rolled his eyes. He didn't like it when she called him that, but she was the only one who could talk to him like that. He waved when she opened the door, and just before she closed the door she could see him sit down with the magazine. She smiled as she walked to the elevator and pressed the button. He was such a sweet boy, and she wished she could take better care of him.
She stepped out of the elevator and hurried to her car; she really didn't like this place much. She drove to Jake's, and smiled when she found it right away. She had been looking at the map to see where it was, and was glad she didn't drive past it. She got out of the car, and walked towards the doors. She pushed them open and saw it wasn't really busy, and at a glance around the room she found Jason wasn't there yet.
She walked over to the bar and sat down. The bartender came over right away, and asked her what she wanted.
''A beer, please,'' she said, and he nodded and grabbed her a beer and gave it to her, after taking off the cap. She took a sip and just sat there for a while, looking at the men playing pool.
After half an hour the door opened and she looked around. Jason was standing in the doorway, looking around and then he came to the bar. She smiled. This was her first chance, and she wasn't planning on blowing it.
Sam woke up and looked around the room in confusion. She didn't know this room; how did she get here? She realized where she was and cursed, softly not to wake up Jason, and she got out of bed.
'Shit,'' she whispered, when she saw she was naked. She had just blown her plan to pieces, by sleeping with Jason. Last night had been intense; he had been flirting with her all the time, and she couldn't help herself and flirted back. Now, looking back on it, she knew it was a stupid thing to do. While she was getting dressed she thought back on last night.
When Jason had walked in, she had smiled at him and he just gazed at her. He came to sit next to her and she immediately knew he was planning on getting her into bed. He had that look on his face the whole night – the bedroom eyes – and she loved it. She felt attracted to him, and when he started flirting and buying her rounds she knew she had to be careful. They played pool with a bet; she wanted a dance, but he never said what he wanted. She had won; she knew he had let her win.
She hadn't cared about it, and after a couple more beers she knew she had messed up. She was drunk, and even though he wouldn't take advantage of her, she had been all over him. He had asked her to come home with him, and stupidly she said yes. That's when he had dragged her to his car and drove to his penthouse. He started kissing her and from one thing came the other, and she woke up next to him, almost on top of him the next morning.
She sneaked out of the bedroom and was glad he hadn't woken up. When she got downstairs she looked around. It was like she was in a model house. She smiled, and opened the door and walked towards the elevator, and pressed the button. She rubbed her forehead, still beating herself up over being stupid. She had forgotten about Danny for the first time since she had found him. She stepped in the elevator and heard the door of Jason's penthouse open just as the doors of the elevator closed, and she sighed of relief. Now it was time to get home.
Jason opened the door just as the elevator doors closed and he smiled. He walked back in the penthouse and closed the door, and thought about last night.
He had gone to Jake's because he had heard there was a new woman in town, one that could bring trouble. He had been having a rough day and needed a distraction. When he had walked in the bar he had seen her right away, the new woman. She had smiled at him and he knew she was the one he needed tonight. There was something mysterious about her, and she intrigued him. He had walked over to her and sat down next to her. He had begun flirting with her, and he was pleased when she flirted back.
They had played a couple of games of pool, and he had let her win to get closer. She wanted a dance, and he gave her one. He had been surprised at how good she felt in his arms, and he had kissed her. Then, he had bought another round of beers, and he had realized it was just one too much for her. Her had wanted to bring her home, to her home, but he had thought maybe she wanted to come with him so he asked. She did want to go home with him, and one thing led to another, when he kissed her upon arriving at his penthouse.
When he woke up this morning he wasn't surprised to see her gone, because she had mumbled to herself in her sleep; about messing up her plan. He wanted to know what that was about, but he had to do it without her knowing. She wouldn't know either way; he had called Stan for a little information before he went downstairs. That's when he heard the ping of the elevator and opened the door to see if she was still there. She had just gotten in the elevator.
He walked back upstairs, took a shower and got dressed; he had to go over to Sonny to talk about the shipment that had been hijacked.
Once she had taken a shower she felt better. Danny was still asleep, and she made coffee. She sat down on the counter to wait for it, and she thought about her plan.
She had to come up with another plan, because going after Sonny wasn't an option anymore. She had ruined it the moment she had started to flirt with Jason, and she had known it from the start.
''Good morning,'' she heard Danny's sleepy voice, and she almost fell of the counter. He laughed when he saw it; she had been deep in thought and she hadn't seen or heard him come in the kitchen.
''Morning,'' she said with a sigh, and smiled at him. ''Did you sleep ok?'' she asked, knowing he had a hard time sleeping at a new place. She felt guilty for not coming home last night, and when he nodded she felt relieved. She took a cup out of the cupboard and poured coffee. Danny didn't drink coffee.
''I didn't hear you come home; when did you get home?'' he asked, and when she looked at him he knew. ''Really?''
''Yep, had a fun night at that bar. Sorry I didn't come home,'' she said, and he shrugged.
''Did you make a good start with your game?'' he asked and she shook her head. ''What? Why not?''
''I messed it up – the whole plan is off the table,'' she said, and he frowned. He didn't know much about it, she didn't want him to know all, but he knew enough.
''What are you going to do now?'' he asked, and she shrugged. She was thinking of moving on to Jason, she knew he also had enough money to con out of him, but she didn't think he would be stupid enough to marry her. Maybe she could make him fall in love with her, and then he would be stupid enough. She shrugged again; thinking about Jason gave her butterflies.
''I don't know,'' she said, and then she emptied her cup and got up, ''I'm going to scout for a job,'' she said, and Danny nodded. She needed a job if she wanted to stay here for a while, and she had seen the question for help at the local diner, Kelly's, ''see you in a bit,'' she added, and she kissed Danny on the cheek.
''Jason, I have some information on the woman,'' Stan said. Jason sighed, he had just gotten back from Sonny's, and Stan had called him and told him he was coming over. The conversation with Sonny had turned into an argument about his job. Sonny wanted him to kill the guy who was behind the hijack, and Jason didn't think it was necessary. The guy, Johnny Zacchara, was a friend of Jason, and he didn't want to kill him. So he told Sonny he would talk to him later, and Sonny had reluctantly agreed with that.
''Tell me,'' he said, and he sat down on the couch. He placed his elbows at his knees and rested his head in his hands, while listening to Stan.
''Well, it looks like Jillian Devlin just appeared out of nowhere,'' he started, and it got Jason's undivided attention, ''look, Jason. I don't know what this is, but this woman isn't Jillian Devlin,'' Stan said with a frown, and Jason watched as he typed something in his laptop and turned it to him. There was a picture of Jillian; but this wasn't Jillian Devlin. The name under the picture stated Samantha McCall.
''What kind of crap is this?'' he asked Stan, and Stan turned back the laptop and started typing and talking at the same time.
''Samantha McCall, grew up with her father Cody McCall and helped him with his cons and scams,'' he said, and Jason raised an eyebrow. He didn't understand; what did this have to do with Jillian Devlin?
''I still don't understand,'' he said, and Stan sighed.
''She uses aliases,'' Stan said, ''last one was Angela Monroe. She had married Bill Monroe and shot him when he almost beat her to death,'' he added, and Jason sighed. He didn't understand, what was she doing in a town like this?
''So you say the woman I slept with last night, is Samantha McCall?'' he asked Stan, who nodded.
''She did that scam 5 times before. Marry a rich old man and empty his bank account when she was close enough,'' Stan said. Jason started thinking about this.
She was in town to do this scam, he just knew it, but with who? His family was rich, and it had old men in it, but all of them were married or too old. Then there was Jax, who was not old enough, and Sonny. It could be Sonny. Maybe that's why she flirted with him, and maybe that was the plan all along. But she had been wrong about sonny; he was happily married with Carly.
''I know what she wants, and I know she doesn't know this. Sonny is married, happily I might add,'' Jason said, and a plan formed in his head. ''She also messed up yesterday,'' he added, and when he saw the look on Stan's face he laughed.
''I am going to make her fall in love with me, and when that happens, I am going to dump her with nothing on her,'' he whispered. That was the plan. He was going to flirt his way in her heart, and when he was there, he was going to make her pay for what she did to all those men, and what she wanted to do to Sonny.
Jason sighed as he stepped out of his car. He had been talking to Sonny, and Sonny was just as short tempered as always. Jason had told him about the woman, Samantha McCall, and Sonny had gotten angry. When Jason had told him his plan, he argued. He didn't want him to play a game; he wanted him to take care of it like usual. Only Jason didn't want to do that; he wanted to play the game with her and he wanted to do this his way. He had walked away, not listening to Sonny, and it was the first time he had done that.
He saw her standing at the counter talking to Mike, and he closed the door of his car and walked over to the little diner. She opened the door and walked right into him, and he had to smile when she stumbled back. He wrapped his arms around her to stop her from falling, and when she looked up he thought he saw a shimmer of fear in her eyes, but it was gone before he could know for sure.
''I'm sorry,'' she mumbled, and he smiled at her while she took a couple of steps back. When she stopped walking she looked up at him with a smile. ''I didn't mean to walk into you,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I know,'' he said with a frown, and she laughed.
''I wasn't looking where I was walking and-'' she started but he interrupted her.
''You don't have to explain. I understand,'' he said, and he winked. He never winked, but he had to make sure she was falling for him soon. He didn't want to drag this out too long. ''So, you found a job?'' he asked after a moment of silence, and she nodded, her expression surprised.
''Yeah – how do you know? I just…'' she said, but her voice faded when she saw he was having the piece of paper in his hand. He had glanced at it.
''I think you have a good taste – Kelly's can be really crowded at times,'' he said, ''I had just told Mike he needed to hire someone, and he did,'' he added, and she smiled.
''Well, thank you for telling him – in a way you helped me get a job,'' she said, and he laughed. ''I'm-''
''Are you going to Jake's again tonight?'' he asked, and she shrugged. ''What if I ask you to come?''
''Do you have a reason to want me there?'' she asked, and he nodded. She was playing with him a little; she liked it to tease him.
''I um, I like you, and I had a great time last night,'' he said, and he looked down. ''So that's why I asked,'' he added after a while. When he looked up he saw her smiling at him, and he smiled back.
''I think I'll be there,'' she said, and he nodded. ''But now I have to go back home,'' she said, and he nodded again. She waved, and walked away, leaving him to stand there. Jason smiled, knowing he was getting really close to her like this. Just make sure he'd see her occasionally, and it wouldn't even take that long. He walked inside Kelly's and walked to the counter, where he waited for Mike. He was just in the back, he had seen him walk there, and he didn't mind waiting for a little.
He thought about Sam, and he had to make sure he wouldn't slip up and call her that. She was still using the name Jillian, he wouldn't want to slip up and let her know he knew about her.
''Jason, your usual coffee?'' Mike asked when he came from the back. He had pulled Jason out of his thoughts, and Jason nodded. Mike went to make the coffee, and Jason sat down on the stool in front of him.
''So, you hired someone to help you – finally,'' Jason said, and Mike nodded without turning around.
''Yeah. I had placed a paper in front, and it didn't even take long. The new woman in town, Jillian, she came to apply,'' he said, and Jason smiled. ''I told her to come back tomorrow on a try out.''
''That's good. You finally listened to me,'' Jason said, and Mike laughed. Then he nodded and turned back with a cup of coffee. ''Here you go,'' Jason said, and he slapped some money on the counter and waved at Mike. Then he walked away and went on his way to the penthouse.
Sam was making sure she looked good, because she was still playing her game. Danny had been disappointed when she had told him she was going out again tonight; he had hoped on a night together. She couldn't blame him. She had told him a little about Jason, but only telling him he was a friend. He had smiled knowingly, and she knew he knew what she was going to do.
''Sam, come on, you don't need that much time for a friend!'' Danny yelled from the kitchen, and she chuckled. He knew exactly what was going to happen tonight, only because she had told him. She had told him she was meeting Jason at the bar, and he had smiled at her.
''I'm almost ready,'' she yelled back, and she heard him mock. She laughed again, and finished putting up her make-up. She walked towards the kitchen and twirled around for Danny, and when she turned back to face him she knew he liked it.
''You're beautiful like always,'' he said, and she smiled. ''Now, tell me why you have to dress up like that for Jason?'' he asked again. He had been asking the same all day, and she smiled again.
''I don't need to, I want to,'' she said, and he nodded. ''I just felt like dressing up, that's all,'' she added, and he nodded again.
''Ok, now go have fun,'' he said, starting to push her towards the door.
''Are you going to be ok? What are you going to do?'' she asked him, and he shrugged.
''I don't know, just relax a little,'' he said, ''have fun.'' And he pushed her out the door, gave her purse and jacket and closed the door. She laughed, and she heard him chuckle on the other side. She walked towards the elevator and pressed the button.
Stepping into the bar she looked around and smiled when she saw Jason was already there. She walked over to him and patted him on his shoulder. He turned around, and smiled when he saw her.
''You came,'' he said, and she nodded with a frown.
''I said I would,'' she replied, and he nodded. ''So, are you going to buy me a drink or what?'' she said with a smile, and he laughed. He asked Coleman for another round and he turned back around.
''Are you excited about getting to work?'' he asked, and she nodded. ''You know, Mike is a really nice guy,'' he added, and she sat down next to him, turning around to face him.
''I know, he's really nice. I think the whole town is nice, or at least most of them,'' she said, and he nodded. ''You've been nice to me from the start,'' she said with a wink.
''I know, right,'' he replied, and he laughed, ''I don't know about the town, but I know I like you,'' he added, and she nodded and smiled. Her heart started beating faster when he leaned in, and she felt like she was in a haze when she looked in his eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen. ''I really enjoyed last night,'' he whispered in her ear, and she felt a shiver on her back, ''would you care to explore more?''
''Um…'' she didn't know what to say. Him being so close to her made her lose her mind, and she smiled at him when he leaned back. This was better. When he was so close she couldn't even think. ''Sure,'' she said seductively, and he smiled sweetly.
''Play a game of pool first,'' he softly said, and she nodded. They grabbed their beers and started towards the pool table.
She knew this was going to be a great night, and she knew she had to be careful not to mess this up. The attraction between them sure was something that helped her in her plans, and she knew it was going to be easy to make him fall in love with her. He was a difficult man, but once she was playing her games, he didn't stand a chance. She smiled at him as he racked up the balls and shot the first shot. She was going to enjoy this game.
They played pool all night, and talked about their lives.
Jason knew Sam didn't tell him everything, she had told him about her father and mother, but she seemed to let something out of the story. He listened to her, and promised himself he would check it when he woke up the next morning.
Jason told her about his accident, his brain damage and his memory loss, and he surprised himself by telling her about the problems with his family. Somewhere between the talking and the pool, they made another bet. She wanted another dance of him, and he still didn't want to say what he wanted from her; he was planning on letting her win anyway. And she did win.
''You know, I really don't like dancing,'' he mumbled when he took her in his arms. Coleman saw they were slow dancing, and he smiled when he listened to the fast music. He turned another song on; a slow song, and he watch the two lovebirds dancing.
''You didn't complain last night,'' she whispered, and she laid her head on his chest. He laid his chin on the top of her head and they swayed.
''I like having you in my arms,'' he whispered, and he felt her chuckle. He really meant that, he loved having her in his arms. It was like they were made for each other, they melted together like one.
''Same here,'' she said after a moment, and she lifted her head. ''I'm sorry,'' she said, after a yawn, and he smiled at her.
''I'll bring you home,'' he said, and she nodded. She was tired, and she didn't want to go home, but they could dance another time. he grabbed their jackets and helped her get in hers. Then he put his own on, and grabbed her hand and took her with him to his car. ''Where is yours?'' he asked, and she looked at him with confusion. ''Your car?''
''At home,'' she replied, ''I walked here,'' she said and he frowned.
''You have to be careful in this town. Even if it seems calm, its not,'' he said, and he smiled when he saw the expression on her face. He helped her get in his car and walked around it to get in the drivers seat. He drove her home, and she realized he knew where she lived, because he didn't ask her where to go. She was too tired to say something about it, and he didn't say anything. She felt herself doze off a couple of times, but she wanted to stay awake.
''Come on,'' he said, suddenly, and she saw him standing at the passengers side. She had only closed her eyes for a moment, but that moment was enough to get home. She got out of the car and swayed, her legs felt like rubber. ''I'll carry you,'' he said, but she lifted her hand and shook her head.
''I can walk,'' she said with a sleepy voice. He smiled, and he wrapped an arm around her waist. They walked to the elevator, and he brought her up. She opened the door and turned around to look at him. ''I had fun tonight,'' she said, and he nodded with a smile.
''Me too,'' he said, and he leaned in to kiss her. When their lips connected, she sighed. she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her closer by putting his entangled hands on her lower back. She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach, and she knew what he wanted.
''Jason,'' she chocked out after breaking the kiss, and he looked at her and saw what she wanted to say. She was exhausted, and she couldn't do this now.
''I know, you want me to help you get in bed?'' he asked seductively, still trying, but she shook her head.
''I have it,'' she said with a smile, and he nodded and gave her one last kiss. He waited until she was inside and heard her lock the door, and he turned around. He moaned, and went though his hair with his hand. He knew she was tired, and he was tired all the same, but he had really wanted her.
He walked over to his car and drove home, and when he was in front of his door, his phone rang.
''Morgan,'' he answered it, and he sighed when he figured it was Sonny.
''Jase,'' he heard, and he frowned. It was Emily.
''Hey, Em, what's up?'' he asked, and he heard her sigh.
''I don't know, Nikolas is doing really off, can I stay with you tonight?'' she asked, and he sighed.
''Of course,'' he said, and he told her about the key he hid. Then he disconnected the line and went inside and upstairs to get cleaned up a little.
Danny was still awake, and she smiled when she saw him. She was tired, but she had played a little. She didn't want to move to fast, and the way Jason was looking at her, she knew she had to come up with something. So she played exhausted, and he bought it.
''Danny, what are you still doing up?'' she asked, and he jumped. He hadn't even heard her; he was reading his motorcycle magazine. She smiled, and he looked at her.
''Did you have a fun night?'' he asked, and she nodded, still waiting for him to answer her question. ''I couldn't sleep, so I went back here,'' he said, and she nodded.
''Come on, we need the sleep. Tomorrow we are going to go to dinner after my shift,'' she said, ''to celebrate or wallow in pity,'' she added with a wink, and he smiled. She had thought about bringing him with her to work, but she was still contemplating. She didn't tell Jason about Danny before, and she knew he would find out when she brought him with her.
''Good night, Sam,'' Danny said, and he walked to his room and she heard the door close. She walked to her own bedroom and changed into a sweat pants and an oversized t-shirt, and she climbed into her bed. She thought about her plan, and she knew it worked. The only thing that bothered her was that she was getting the butterflies every time he touched her, and she loved to be in his company. She only knew him two nights, and she wanted to know him better. She smiled as she thought of his eyes and his smile. He wasn't someone that smiled often, she could see it in his face, but he did when he was with her.
With the thought of his smile, she fell in a deep slumber.
The knock on the door woke him up, and he was surprised he even fell asleep. He had been waiting for Emily, his sister, to arrive, and he had been more exhausted than he thought.
''Em,'' he said, when he opened the door, and he saw her face. She had been crying, and he hugged her. ''What happened?'' he asked her, and he stepped aside to let her in.
''Nikolas has been having these blackouts, and rage problems,'' she said, and he frowned.
''Did he hurt you?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''No, no that's not it. He gets angry at the most weird times. Tonight,'' she said, and she wiped away a stray tear, ''We were sitting relaxed, and he suddenly got angry about something and he started yelling at me,'' she said, ''I don't know what it is,'' she added, whispering.
''We'll figure it out,'' he said, to calm her down, and she nodded.
''I'm going to ask him to get checked up,'' she said, and he nodded, but he didn't understand why. ''This just started, Jase. It's something medical, I just know it.''
''Ok, if you need any help with that, just tell me,'' he said. He had been having problems with his family, but Emily and his grandmother Lila were the only two of his family he didn't feel he was the bad guy.
''Thanks, Jason,'' she said, and she hugged him. ''Where do I sleep tonight?'' she asked him, and he walked upstairs, with Emily following him and he showed her the room. She kissed him on the cheek and turned to the bed. She climbed in and he closed the door, and walked to his own room.
He was worried about Emily. She was deeply in love with Nikolas, but he didn't want her to get hurt. The thoughts of Sam were pushed up front, and he smiled. She was already falling for him; he could see it in her eyes. The only thing that bothered him was that he felt butterflies every time she smiled at him, or laughed.
He fell asleep with the thought of her smile.
Two weeks had gone by since the night at Jake's, and Jason had stopped by Kelly's occasionally, to say hi to her. She had been enjoying spending time with him, and she had even gone to Jake's a couple of times to meet him there. They played pool all night and then he would bring her home. He would kiss her senseless, but before it could go any further she would push him away.
She didn't tell him about her brother, because she didn't want Danny involved if and when it all came out. If she messed up, it would be hers to clean it, not Danny's. She also knew that if she told him, he would be mad and 'dump' her, and she didn't want that. Not now at least.
Jason had asked her again if she would be coming to Jake's tonight, and she had said she would think about it. They both knew she would come, and he had smiled and nodded. He would ask her almost every day to come to Jakes, and she would say she would think about it, and then show up.
She walked to Kelly's, she loved the walk, and when she got in she saw Mike standing behind the counter. The place was empty still, and she walked over to Mike.
''Hey, Mike,'' she greeted, and he smiled at her.
''Hey, Jill,'' he said, using a short version of her alias. She found herself reacting to it more often than she had with Jillian. She didn't like the name, but at the moment she decided on it, she couldn't think of anything else. She had to say her name in a spur of the moment, and this is what she came up with. Last week she had called someone to make the ID for it, and she had received it right away.
''You want me to open?'' she said, and he nodded. She walked back to the front and switched the board from closed to open. She saw Jason across the street, and she smiled. He was always here when she was working, and she liked it. She had to admit; the guy was someone she could fall in love with; if it wasn't for the game.
''Jill, come back and help me,'' she heard Mike call out from the back, and she walked away from the window and started helping Mike.
Jason smiled as he saw her turn the sign. He would wait for a minute because he wanted to talk to her. He wanted to change the plans for tonight. He had thought about it and noticed that every time he would bring her home she would push him away. She didn't want him to enter her apartment, and he wanted to find out why. He didn't plan on asking her, but he had to get her to talk eventually.
He would ask her to come over to his place for dinner, and he just knew she would agree. He walked towards the door and listened to the bell that sounded when he opened it, and Sam walked out the back and smiled at the costumer. When she saw it was him, her smile didn't falter, it only seemed to grow bigger. He knew he was getting closer to her.
''Hey, Jill,'' he said, and he kissed her on her cheek. She looked surprised, he had never done that before when he came to Kelly's, but the surprise left quickly, and she smiled again.
''Hey Jase,'' she said, and he sighed when he heard that. He didn't like anyone calling him that, only his sister Emily could, and for one reason or another he didn't really mind Sam calling him that. ''What brings you here the early morning?'' she asked him, and he raised an eyebrow.
''You. I wanted to ask you something,'' he said, and she nodded, so he asked, ''Well, seeing as you wont let me in your apartment…''
''I know, its just a mess in there and I still need to unpack and settle – but because I come to Jake's almost every night with you I didn't-''
''You don't have to explain,'' he said with a smile, because he liked when she rambled, ''I wanted to ask you if you wanted to come over to my place for dinner and a game of pool,'' he said, and she nodded with a smile.
''I would love that – wait, you have a pool table in your house?'' she asked surprised, and he nodded.
''Yeah, I will pick you up?'' he asked, and she frowned.
''Why? I can go over to your place, just give me an address and I'll find it,'' she said, and he smiled.
''Ok, I'll write it down,'' he said, and she grabbed a pen and paper out of her apron. He smiled, and he wrote down his address on the paper and gave it back to her. ''Can you get me a coffee while you're at it?'' he said, smiling, and she nodded.
Sam gave Jason the coffee to go, and waved goodbye. She was looking forward to the evening, and she smiled. Mike came out the back and when he saw her smiling at the door he frowned.
''Was that Jason?'' he asked, and she turned around and nodded. ''He was married to my daughter once.'' He said, softly.
''O – I didn't know,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Yeah – well, my daughter didn't like his kind of life. He works for my son, Sonny Corinthos, and he had a dangerous lifestyle,'' Mike told her, and she nodded. She knew all about the lifestyle Jason and Sonny were living, and she didn't mind it. She would be out of here in no time, and no one would even think about her after she left.
They fell silent when the first costumers walked in, and after that the morning rush came. Sam worked on the floor and Mike behind the counter, and the day flew by.
Jason sat there, and he realized he didn't know what time she would come. It didn't really matter. He walked upstairs to take a shower; he had just been to Sonny's. Sonny wanted him to, once again, do something about Sam, and Jason had, once again, said he wouldn't do it his way. He was doing something about Sam, and Sonny just had to accept it.
After his shower he got dressed in his normal black t-shirt and jeans. He didn't care about fashion and the clothing was great for his job. He was always on the job, and he could move in them. That's all that mattered. There was a knock on the door and he opened it. He watched as Emily walked in the room, and he smiled.
''So, everything ok, with Nikolas?'' he asked, and she smiled.
''Yes, he is going to get checked tomorrow, and I'm going home tonight so I can get him to the hospital,'' she said, and he walked upstairs. He was glad she was going home. It had been two weeks, and she and Nikolas had been having the same fight over and over again. Nikolas didn't want to get checked out and she would yell at him to do it. Then one day she just wanted to give up, and Nikolas gave in. he would get checked out, and she couldn't be more happy.
''So, thanks, Jase, for letting me stay here,'' she said when she walked down the stairs, and she came over to him to give him a hug. He hugged her back. Even though he was glad she would be going home, he knew he would miss her around.
''Any time, little sis,'' he said, and when she frowned he laughed. She didn't like it when he said that, but she would let him because she knew he liked to say it. And after the accident she and his grandmother Lila were the only family he wanted to see, and she was glad because of it.
''See you around Jase. And have fun with your date tonight,'' she said, and he looked at her in surprise as she left the penthouse. How did she know he was having a 'date' tonight?
Sam looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She was wearing a simple top, and jeans. She didn't want to look all dressed up for a dinner at home. Danny looked at her, smiling. He knew she was looking at herself because she wanted to look good for Jason.
''Hey Sammy,'' he said, and she turned around to look at him. She had put on little make up, because again, she didn't want to look all dressed up. ''You look great, now why don't you tell me…''
''Tell you what, big brother?'' she asked with a smile, and he laughed.
''Do you like Jason – more than a friend?'' he asked, and she frowned. She didn't know what to think of Jason. Every time she was with him she felt butterflies, and she loved spending time with him. Even if it was just a little moment on the day, she would enjoy the talk with him.
''I like him, but I don't know what I feel for him,'' she said, and Danny nodded. ''I better get going,'' she said, and he nodded. She grabbed her purse and threw her phone in it, and then she grabbed her jacket and put it on.
''Have fun, Sammy,'' Danny said, and he kissed her on the cheek.
''Thank, Danny,'' she said, and she left. She was excited about tonight, because what man would invite a woman to his home, if he didn't have a plan?
Jason looked around. He had figured she wasn't the kind of person who wanted simple. So that's what he did; he had put up some candles, and he had ordered Chinese. The Chinese still had to be delivered, but that didn't matter, because Sam wasn't here yet. He had to remind himself to think of her with the name Jillian, because he didn't want to slip up and ruin all the plans he made for her.
There was a knock on the door that pulled him out of his thoughts, and he walked over to the door to open it. It was Carly.
''Jase, there is a-''
''Wait just a second. I have a date, here in my home, and I want you gone before she gets here,'' he replied, interrupting her before she could go any further. He knew there was a problem; with her there was always a problem.
''What I wanted to say is that there is this woman who wants to con Sonny,'' she said, and he nodded. Wasn't that the woman he was working on right now?
''I know, and I am handling it. Now go!'' he said, and he closed the door. He waited, and he heard her huff. He smiled, when he heard her walk back to the elevator. This had been easy. She had gone away without saying to much, but he knew the next time he would see her he wouldn't get her away that fast.
Carly was a pain in his ass, and right now he didn't need it. He needed to focus on the little brunette who would arrive soon, and he needed to make sure everything was ready for her arrival.
Sam stood in front of the door of the penthouse and took a deep breath. She was excited about tonight, and she was wondering what Jason had planned for them. She knocked on the door, and waited. It didn't take him long to open the door, but his face was twisted in frustration. When he looked down and saw her, he smiled.
''Hey. I'm sorry, I thought you were Carly,'' he said with a sigh, and Sam smiled. She didn't know who Carly was, but it didn't matter.
''I'm not,'' she simply said, and waited for him to step aside. He did, after a while and when she wanted to step passed him, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. The ends of her nerves began to tingle, and she wanted nothing more than forget everything he planned and just jump in bed with him.
''I'm sorry. I've been waiting to do that ever since the last time I saw you,'' he said after breaking the kiss, and she nodded.
''Who's Carly?'' she asked, and he let out a frustrated sigh, ''you don't have to tell me if you don't want to,'' she added when she heard it, and he shook his head.
''No, that's not it. Carly is my friend,'' he said, and he gestured for her to come sit down on the couch with him. She did, and she turned to look at him. ''She has been my friend for some time now, and she wanted to warn me about something. I told her I had a date and she had to leave,'' he said, and she smiled. He did the same. ''She did leave, but I just know the next time I see her, I wont be able to get away from her that easy,'' he added, and he sighed.
''I bet she is pissed now. She sounds like someone who always gets what she wants,'' she replied, and he nodded. Then he shifted, turned and looked at her.
''Ok, I ordered Chinese, I didn't know what you liked so I ordered some of everything,'' he said, changing the subject, and she widened her eyes.
''You ordered Chinese? Jason, I love Chinese!'' she said with a big smile, and he couldn't help but smile at her. She was beautiful when she smiled.
''Well, that's good. I don't like it at all,'' he said with a frown thinking about Chinese.
''Why did you order it then?'' she asked, confused, but he just shrugged. She let it go, but she was determined to make him like Chinese, maybe even as much as she did.
''This is gross,'' he said with a sigh, after he took a bite of the quid. She smiled, knowing now he really didn't like it.
''Ok, next time I wont ask you to eat that again,'' she said, and he nodded, ''but did you just acted like you can't eat with chopsticks or…''
''I didn't,'' he said, ''I just can't, I never eat Chinese, I told you,'' he added, and she laughed at the expression on his face when he dropped another one of his bites. He threw the chopsticks down. ''I'm done,'' he said, and she nodded. She couldn't eat another thing even if she was forced to, and she laid down the chopsticks.
''Me too,'' she replied. ''I loved it, the Chinese. I didn't figure you for the romantic kind of guy,'' she said, and she looked around at the candles.
''Normally I'm not. But I had some help from my sister. I asked her a couple of days ago to help me with something like this when her…'' he stopped talking. He didn't want to tell Sam too much about his sister, because he didn't want her to use Emily for her gain.
''So you asked your sister, but you did this all by yourself,'' she said, and he nodded, glad she got the hint. He had stopped talking and just stared ahead.
She turned, looked at him and smiled. She leaned in and kissed him, wanting to feel his hands on her skin. He lifted his hands to her face, cupping it and pulled her on top of him as he laid back. They were on the couch, and he wrapped one arm around her waist to keep her in place while the other roamed over her body.
''Jillian,'' Jason whispered, the sound of the name strange when he looked at Sam. That was a name that fit her, not Jillian.
''What is it, Jason – you don't want this?'' she asked, but he shook his head. He wanted this so much, he thought he was going to explode.
''That's just it, I want this too bad,'' he said, and she nodded. ''You want this?''
''I want this,'' she whispered, and he kissed her again. Then he moved and got up, lifting her in his arms and walked to his bedroom, with her in his arms. Once there, he set her down on the floor and stared at her.
''I want to feel everything of you. Take it off,'' he demanded, pointing to her clothes. She did, and he did the same. He didn't want to waste any time with taking off the clothes, and when he saw she was ready taking her clothes off, he walked over to her and kissed her.
''Jason,'' she whispered, and he laid her down on the bed, sinking down on top of her and he began kissing her skin. He wanted to taste every part of her skin, and his mouth went to her breasts. He kissed one, until it was hard, and then he went to the other one.
By the time he was done, she was moaning and arching her back, and he moved down to her clit. He licked it. She began moving restless, and he smiled. He loved to make love to her.
''Oh god,'' she started, ''Oh god,'' she repeated, and she kept on repeating it, until she reached her climax. She rode it out, but before it was completely gone, he laid on top of her.
''I want to feel you around me,'' Jason said, and she nodded though the fog in her head. He slid inside her without warning, but she didn't care. She loved having him inside of her.
They both moaned, and he laid still for a moment before he started moving. At first, he moved slowly, but she wrapped her legs around his waist and tried to make him to move faster.
''Jason, please, faster,'' she whispered, and he listened. He listened to her pleas and he did what she asked. He started moving faster.
Soon he felt her spasm around him and he went after over the edge. He wanted to scream out her name, but he didn't. He moaned, and he heard her scream out his name.
He turned around, laid on his back with her on top of him. She really did seem to fit in his arms, and he smiled. She was already asleep, exhausted of the day. His hand moved to her head and he ran his hand through her hair. Smiling, he thought about what he was going to do with her in the morning, maybe in the shower, and with that thought, he fell asleep.
This was the second time she woke up like this. She was in Jason's arms, and he was still sleeping. She noticed she was all over him, and she smiled. His arm was around her waist, and her arm was over his chest. She didn't know what to do; should she stay or go? Last time she ran away, because it wasn't part of the plan. This time, it wasn't part of the plan either, but it didn't hurt. She decided to go, but first she wanted to take shower and call Danny.
She carefully got out if his grasp, hoping he wouldn't notice. When his arm was off of her waist, she watched him for a moment to make sure he didn't wake up. She got out of bed, careful not to wake Jason, and when she was out, he began to stir. She stiffened, holding her breath. She didn't know why she was acting like this, but she let out a sigh of relief when he didn't wake up.
She walked towards the bathroom - glad Jason didn't wake up. If he had woken up she couldn't call Danny. She really needed to call him, to make sure everything was ok, because she had left him alone again. She felt guilty for that, and she didn't want him to worry. She hoped he was already awake.
Jason woke up and noticed her standing there. He knew she had been making sure he didn't wake up. She didn't know he was a light sleeper, and when she moved his arm, he had woken up. She didn't want him to know she was sneaking out, so he held his eyes closed and pretended to sleep. She sighed, and then walked towards the bathroom. He had thought she would run again, like last time, but she didn't. He smiled. He wanted to get her in the shower, and she had just gone there. He got up, with all intention on getting her in the shower when he heard her talking.
''Hey… I know, and I will be home soon… yeah, and I will get you something for breakfast… what?... ok, see you soon,'' she said, and she hung up. He waited for a moment, thinking about whom that could be. He didn't know she lived with someone, she hadn't told him. He knew there was something before, but now he knew for sure. He didn't plan on saying anything about it; he was just going to play the game.
He opened the door without knocking, and he looked at her. She was staring at him. He looked down and saw he was still naked, and he looked up with a smile.
''You want to take a shower?'' he asked, and she nodded, ''you want me to join you?'' he asked seductively, and again, she nodded.
''Sure,'' she said with a smile, and he grinned. He liked her, and he loved spending time with her. If he had met her some other time, in another situation, he could love her. He wasn't sure where the thought came from, but he didn't care. He looked down at her – his – robe, and smiled.
''So, why don't you take that robe off?'' he said, and she looked down. She was wearing his robe, and when she looked up she began taking it off.
After another round in the shower, they got dressed. She walked downstairs when she was dressed and noticed Jason sitting on the couch.
''I made coffee,'' he said, and he gestured towards the kitchen. She nodded, walked towards the kitchen and smiled while pouting herself some coffee. Walking back to the living room she sat down on the couch next to Jason, making sure there was enough space between them.
''So, I have to go soon,'' she said, not really knowing what to say. He looked at her and nodded.
''I know. I have to get to work later,'' he replied, and she nodded, ''I had a good time last night – and this morning,'' he added, and he grinned. He did have a good time, and he was sure she had too.
''Me too,'' she whispered with a smile, and he nodded. She did have a good time. She had loved waking up next to him, feeling safe. She got up, wanting to go home to Danny. She really wanted to stay with Jason, too, but she had to go to Danny to see if he was all right. Jason got up too, and she smiled up at him when he stood next to her and turned her around.
''When will I see you again?'' Jason asked, and he was surprised that he really wanted to see her. Even if it was just to talk to her.
''Soon, I promise,'' she replied, and he nodded. He leaned in and kissed her, and just as he was about to lift her up and carry her upstairs again, there was a knock on the door. She took a couple of steps back, and he opened it to reveal his sister, Emily. He sighed; he didn't want Sam to meet Emily. She could use his sister for her gain, and he didn't want that.
''Emily,'' he said, and he looked around to Sam. ''What are you doing here?'' he asked, and she smiled and stepped around him inside the penthouse. When she noticed Sam, her eyes grew wide and her smile did the same.
''I didn't know your date would be staying over,'' she said, and he sighed again.
''Emily, this is Jillian,'' he said, as he pointed between the two of them, ''Jillian, this is my sister Emily,'' he said, and Sam smiled. She did have a beautiful smile, and it seemed genuine.
''Nice to meet you,'' she said, and she shook Emily's hand. Emily nodded with a smile and turned back to Jason.
''I came here to talk about Nikolas, but if you…'' she said, her voice fading and her smile still on her face.
''No, it's ok, I had to go to work anyway,'' Sam replied, and Emily nodded. ''See you later,'' she said to Jason, and she walked away after grabbing her jacket.
''Em…'' Jason said, and he sighed. He gestured for her to sit down, and she did, ''how is Nikolas?''
''Jason. Nikolas is going to need treatment,'' she said, and her smile faded when she thought of it. ''We got the results; they rushed it, and he has a tumor,'' she added.
''Well, what I think is that it's good he is going to let it be treated. And he is lucky to have you,'' Jason said, feeling sorry for his sister. He didn't know what to say.
''Yeah,'' Emily said. Then, suddenly, she looked up at a twinkle in her eyes, ''how was your date?''
''My date? It was fine,'' he said, looking away.
''You really like her, don't you?'' Emily asked softly, and he nodded. He couldn't say it; he didn't want to say it. He had to finish the game, make her fall in love with him and then dump her. ''Well, good. From what I've seen she is really nice,'' Emily said, and Jason smiled at her. As long as he could keep her from Emily, it would all be ok.
Sam opened the door to the apartment and closed it behind her, putting her coffee on the table next to the door.
''Danny,'' she called out, and she smiled when she heard him walking towards the door. He was smiling at her when he saw her, and he came to give her a hug.
''How was the date? You stayed there, so it had to be good, huh, Sammy?'' Danny asked, and she just nodded.
''It was good,'' she said, and he smiled again. ''I met his sister,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Was she nice to you?'' Danny asked, and the protective brother came out. She knew that he had the feeling he had to protect her from people who aren't nice to her, and she nodded to let him know she had been nice.
''She was nice. She didn't know I would be there, and Jason was being protective of her,'' she said, and suddenly she frowned. Jason had sighed, and he had gazed at her, like he didn't want her to meet his sister. She didn't think much of it then, but now she thought about it, it seemed a little off.
''So, when are you going to see him again?'' Danny asked, knowing it would be soon.
''Soon. Now I'm going to take a shower and go to work,'' Sam said, and Danny frowned.
''You don't have to work today, Sam. It's Sunday, and Mike gave you the day off today,'' he said, and she laughed. She didn't think about that, but now she could just make her plans for the next time she saw Jason.
''Thanks for telling me,'' she said, still smiling, and he nodded. She walked towards the bathroom, and she tried to figure out what to do next with Jason.
Sam looked around the diner and smiled. They had just closed, and she was cleaning up. She had to be honest to herself; she liked this place. She liked the town; the people were nice to her. She couldn't remember the last time she liked a place, she didn't even think she ever liked a place like this.
Danny also liked it, because she could see it in his eyes. She felt guilty for dragging him with her, and she knew she would feel even guiltier when they had to leave this town.
''Jill, why don't you go home, I can finish up here,'' Mike said, pulling her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw him standing there, smiling at her. She liked Mike. He had been nice to her from the start, and she wasn't used to that. Normally, men would treat her like dirt, even if they didn't know her.
''I know you can, but I want to do this,'' she said, and he nodded. She had been doing this every day when she had to work. She would stay to clean up, unlike the other waitresses he had hired before.
''Ok, well, don't stay to long, ok?'' he said, and she nodded. He turned around and walked to the back again. She continued her cleaning.
It had been two weeks since the first date at his home, and he had invited her on some more dates. They would play pool, and she would stay over for the night. Thinking about Jason made her smile, because she really liked him. The plan she had was going along fine, and she didn't mind spending time with him. He was always thinking about what she wanted, and she liked it. The only thing that bothered her was the thought of falling in love. She had the feeling she was falling for him, and falling hard. She didn't want that, but she couldn't stop it.
It didn't really matter, because once she had what she needed, she would be out of his life and forgetting all about him.
Jason was not a man she would normally fall for, that was one thing she was sure of. Yes, he was sweet and loving, but the job he did wasn't something she wanted to live in. He had a dangerous job, a dangerous life, and she didn't want Danny to be in that kind of life. She didn't care about herself, because she could handle it. But Danny couldn't be there.
She remembered on time she had almost told Jason about Danny, and she was glad she didn't. Telling him about Danny would make him want to know more, and when she would tell him more, she would also mess up her plan. Telling him about Danny was something she didn't want to do.
She finished cleaning and called out to Mike, telling him she was done and she was leaving. She walked out the door, breathing in the fresh air, and started walking home. It was late, she didn't plan on staying there too long, but she had. She picked up her pace, wanting to get home as soon as she could.
Jason watched Sonny pace the room, and he sighed. The man acted like Sam was his problem, but she wasn't.
''Sonny, what is wrong with you? I've been making nice with her from the start, from when I found out her plans, and she didn't come after you, did she?'' he said, and Sonny looked at him, and continued pacing.
''She is stupid to think she could come after me. I just don't understand why you didn't drop her already,'' Sonny replied, and Jason sighed again. What did Sonny think – Jason had told him everything he planned for her, and it wasn't like he could make her love him in 4 weeks.
''I know. Sonny, I'm making progress. We have been having a couple of nights in my home, and the way she looks at me makes me think I'm getting there. But to be honest – I don't think she is that much in love yet. She can con with the best of them,'' Jason said, ''and when I have her where I want her – when I hear her say she loves me, I will dump her,'' he added, when Sonny frowned.
''Sure, she is good. But you are better. You can make sure she loves you? You can make sure she says it?'' he asked, and Jason nodded, ''ok, you know I trust you. Do it the way you want,'' he said with a sigh. Jason felt relieved. Sonny didn't want her to stay here to long, and Jason was afraid he would do something stupid to make sure she left.
Jason got up, and shook his head when Sonny started pacing again.
''Sonny, I'm going to go, see you later,'' he said, and he left without waiting for a reply. He knew Sonny would just nod, even though Jason couldn't see it.
Jason made plans for tonight. He wanted to spend some time with Sam and do something romantic, but he had the idea Sam wouldn't mind some time at home. Maybe he could try to come in her home, but he doubted it. She had been very secretive about her home, and her excuse was that it wasn't ready yet. He had Stan on it, and he wondered what or whom she was hiding. He shook his head again, and decided to call her.
''Hello?'' he heard, and he smiled. She sounded tired, and he couldn't blame her. She had been working a lot lately, and helping Mike clean up. He knew, because Mike told him; Mike thought he was falling for her, and he wanted to play matchmaker.
''Jill,'' he said, and he heard her sigh. It was a good sigh, though.
''Jase,'' she said, ''how are you?''
''Fine, listen, I was wondering if we could get together,'' he said, and it sounded a little weird in his ears. ''I mean, order in and play some pool, or maybe just watch TV. Maybe at your home?'' he said, and he waited. He waited for the excuse that it wasn't ready yet.
''Sure, you want to go to my home? It's ok, when are you coming?'' she said, and he frowned. Now, after all that time, he could come to her home?
''Um… What do you say an hour? I still have to get home and finish some work,'' he said, surprised she could let him go to her home.
''Ok, I'll be waiting,'' she said, and he could hear the smile in her voice. ''See you,'' she said, and she disconnected the line. He stepped in his car and drove home.
Sam looked around and smiled. Everything was perfect. She had put some candles around the room, Danny's room was locked and everything that would tell there was more than her living there, she removed.
''Sammy, I'm going to go now,'' Danny called out, and she walked to the door with him. He would go to his friend next door, and Jason wouldn't even know he lived here. Danny had come up with that plan himself, because he knew Jason would get suspicious when he couldn't come to her home ever.
''Ok. Be careful, and don't do anything stupid,'' Sam said, and watched him walk next door. The girl that lived there had liked Danny from the start, and they had been spending a lot of time together. Even if Danny had to stay over, she didn't mind, because she and Danny liked spending time. Sam wondered if maybe they were falling in love, and that made her feel guiltier, because she would drag him away from his girl soon.
He waved at her before stepping inside, and she stepped inside her apartment. She looked around one more time and looked at the time. Jason would be here soon, and she was ready for him.
Jason smiled at his sister, but he didn't want to stay here to long. She had called him just as he was about to finish his work at home, and he wanted to go to Sam's and spend a night there.
''Jason, what's wrong?'' Emily asked, and he looked at her again.
''I'm having a date, and I was supposed to be there now,'' he admitted, and she widened her eyes in surprise, and then she smiled.
''Well, then go, I can tell you about it tomorrow,'' she said, and he nodded. He wanted to walk away, but she grabbed his arm, and he turned around again. ''You really like her, don't you?''
''Yeah, I like her. And she invited me to her home tonight, and I was starting to wonder what she was hiding in there,'' he said, partly as a joke and partly serious.
''She invited you home? For the first time in 4 weeks?'' she asked, and he nodded, ''well, that sounds really good. She is falling for you, just as you are falling for her,'' she said, and her smile grew even wider when Jason frowned at her.
''What are you talking about?'' he said, and his voice sounded weak in his ears. He didn't want to fall for her.
''Look at your face. You are falling for her, even if you don't want to admit it. Now go, I'll see you tomorrow,'' she said, and he nodded. He watched her walk away and he shook his head. He walked to his car, and he drove over to Sam's apartment, thinking about what Emily had just said.
Was he falling for Sam?
Sam heard the knock on the door and got up to open it. She had been waiting for Jason, because she had something to tell him. She smiled when she opened the door and saw Jason standing there, and he stepped in and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her, and then he let go to look her in her eyes.
''I missed you,'' he said, and he smiled. He didn't smile a lot, but when he did, she could just drown in his eyes.
''I missed you too,'' she said softly, and that's when she heard the door of her neighbour, the one where Danny was, slam closed. She saw Jason turn around the same time she saw Danny walking towards them, and when he started to speak she felt like fainting.
''Sam, I forgot…'' he stopped talking when he saw Jason, but it was too late. He had heard what Danny said, and she could see the anger in his eyes.
''Sam,'' he said, and he sounded surprised, confused and angry, ''you lied?''
''Jason, I can explain,'' Sam started, but he raised his hand, and she fell silent.
''You know, I figured out you had something to hide. But I didn't know it was something this big. What were you planning?'' he asked, and she shook her head. She had given up conning him some time ago, when she realized she was in love with him.
''Jason…'' she started, but she began to feel like she was going to faint, and she stumbled towards the desk to hold on to it.
''You – you were playing me, and the only thing I can think of is money. You were trying to steal my money for you and your boyfriend?'' he asked, and she shook her head again.
''No, you listen to me,'' Danny said suddenly, and Jason turned around, ''you don't treat my sister like that, you big block of cement!''
''Get the hell out of my face; I don't want to see you here anymore. Sam, you better take him and get out of town, because I will come after you when I see you next time,'' Jason said, and he left the apartment.
''No, please, Jason, let me explain!'' she yelled after him, but he didn't listen, or he didn't hear her, and she sank down to the floor and started crying.
''Jill, wake up baby,'' Jason said, when she started screaming and crying in her sleep. He had knocked on her door an hour ago, and when she didn't open it, he tried, and was surprised it was open. He walked inside and saw her sleeping on the couch, and he decided to let her sleep a little while longer before waking her up for dinner. It had arrived just after he did, and he had left it in the kitchen.
''Jason…'' he heard her sigh and he looked at her again. She had opened her eyes and was looking at him with her eyes wide. He frowned, wondering why she was looking at him like that, but he didn't ask. ''I'm sorry – I didn't mean to fall asleep. How did you get in?'' she asked him, and he shrugged.
''You didn't open the door, I tried it and it was open,'' he replied, and she nodded.
''That was stupid of me,'' she whispered, and he smiled. It was stupid of her, and he was glad he was the one to be breaking in.
''If you want dinner, it's in the kitchen. All we have to do is warm it up,'' he said, and she smiled. ''The delivery man came just after I saw you sleeping on the couch,'' he said, and she nodded.
''You want something to eat? I mean, I'm not really hungry,'' she said, thinking about food made her stomach turn. The dream seemed so real, and when she thought about it, she felt sick. She was afraid Jason would find out that way, and she didn't want him to look at her like he did in the dream.
''What's wrong?'' Jason asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
''Nothing, really. I'm just not hungry – maybe it's the exhaustion,'' she said with a smile, trying to make him stop asking. ''I didn't realize I was so tired,'' she added, and he smiled.
''I can go home, if you want,'' he said, and she shook her head. ''No?''
''No, you can stay, if you want. I mean I'm not really good company, but I'd like it if you stayed,'' she said, and he nodded. He wanted to stay; he loved spending time with her, even if it was just a night in, nothing special.
''I ate before I got here,'' he lied, and she nodded. He sat down next to her and pulled her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and sighed. ''You want to tell me about the dream?''
''No,'' she said, she couldn't tell him about the dream, ''it was just a dream,'' she added when he shifted.
''It didn't sound like just a dream. You were screaming my name,'' he said, and she closed her eyes. She did scream, but she couldn't tell him. ''What was that about?''
''You are always on my mind,'' she said, and he laughed, ''you know the kind of dream where you put some things from the past with what happens now?''
''No, I don't. I don't dream,'' he replied, and she nodded. She knew about that, or at least, she knew why it was. Ever since the accident he couldn't imagine, he couldn't dream.
''How come?'' she asked, even though she knew the answer.
''I was in a car accident. I have permanent brain damage and they say I don't have real feelings and I can't place myself in other people,'' he replied, and even he was surprised he told her. She was easy to talk with, ''you are really easy to talk with,'' he said, and she looked up at him.
''Same here. Even though you don't say much,'' she said, and he laughed. She stared at him and then laid her head against his chest again. ''I don't know what it is, Jason.''
''What?'' he asked, and she sighed. She didn't know what she wanted to say.
''I don't know. You know the feeling – the butterflies?'' she asked, and he nodded, ''well, all the time with you I have them. And I feel weird. I think I may be falling for you,'' she said, and she knew it was true. Even if it was part of the game, it was also the truth. She cursed herself for letting that happen, but it had happened and she knew it was to late to turn it back now.
''You are?'' he asked, and she could hear the surprise in his voice. She couldn't look at him, so she just nodded against his chest. She didn't want him to look her in the eye and reject her. ''I think I have the same feeling,'' he suddenly said, and now she looked up.
''Really?'' she asked, with a little smile, and he nodded. She looked in his eyes but couldn't see anything specific. He was really good in hiding his feelings, and she wished this time he wouldn't do that. He didn't do it on purpose, she supposed, but she wanted to see something.
''You know, maybe it's time for you to go to bed,'' he said, and she nodded. She didn't want to go to bed, but she was tired. She wanted him to stay with her.
''Jason?'' she asked, and he looked at her again, ''will you stay?'' he looked at her, silently, and then nodded.
''Sure,'' he said, and he got up and helped her do the same. They walked to the bedroom, and she was glad Danny was sleeping over next door. She didn't want Jason to know about him, she had made up her mind. Since the dream, she couldn't stand the look in Jason's eyes, the look he had in the dream. It was full of disgust and anger, and also towards Danny. She couldn't let him go through that, because it was her fault.
''I don't have…'' her voice faded when she saw he was undressing, only leaving his boxers on.
''It's ok,'' he said, and he smiled. She undressed herself and put on a t-shirt. She always had t-shirts for sleeping, and she climbed into bed. He did the same and pulled her against him.
''Good night, Jason,'' she said softly, and he kissed her cheek.
''Good night,'' he said, and soon she was asleep. Jason, however, was wide-awake. He had just told her he was falling for her, and he knew it was true. It had been part of her plan, and he was a fool to let it happen.
He could use that to his advantage, though, and he sure was going to do that.
Sam woke up alone, and she sat up. She thought Jason had been here, but she had been wrong. She sighed and got out of bed, put on her bathrobe and walked to the kitchen. She was surprised to see Jason standing there, only his jeans on and he was making coffee.
''Morning,'' he said, without turning around and she smiled.
''Morning to you too,'' she replied, and that's when he turned around. He pulled her to him and kissed her.
''Did you sleep ok? I mean, after last night, and that dream,'' he asked, and she smiled.
''I did, thank you,'' she replied, and he nodded. He poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her, and she nodded her thanks. They walked to the living room and sat down, and drank their coffee in comfortable silence.
''I have to go out for business,'' Jason said, and she looked up at him. ''Sonny called me this morning and said I had to make sure everything was alright in Brazil,'' he said, and she nodded.
''Ok, how long do you have to stay there?'' she asked, and he shrugged.
''I don't know yet, but I hope I will be home soon. I leave when I'm ready,'' he said, and she nodded. He just had to pack and then he would be gone.
''I think I'm even going to miss you,'' she said with a smile, and she realized it was the truth. He nodded, and then he took the cup from her hands and put it on the table. Then he kissed her passionately, and laid her down on the couch while laying on top of her.
''You want to give me something to remember before I leave?'' he asked, and she nodded with a grin. She would give him something to remember.
''Danny, don't go there yet, we didn't hear him leave yet,'' Tamara said, and Danny sighed.
''I know, but I need that magazine,'' he replied. He liked Tamara, but she didn't know a lot about him because Sam had told him not to tell her too much.
''You know what? We are just going to the store now, and buy a new one,'' Tam said, and he smiled.
''You know, I like the idea. Tam…'' he said, his voice fading when he heard something next door. He widened his eyes when he saw Tam laugh, ''what are they doing?''
''Don't worry, that's all good in there. What did you want to say?''
''Do you think Sam is in love with Jason?'' he asked, and when he saw the look of surprise on her face he knew he had slipped up.
''I knew there was something. Jillian didn't sound like her name anyway,'' she said with a smile, and he widened his eyes.
''Sorry. O god, Sam is going to flip out!'' Danny exclaimed, and Tam shook her head.
''I am not going to tell her. I just want you to tell me what is going on,'' she said, and she pulled him to the couch.
''Ok, just promise me you wont tell her,'' he said, and when she nodded he sighed and started telling her. ''Sam is trying to make sure we live a good life, and she cons man out of their money,'' he said, and she widened her eyes. After this, she wouldn't trust him again, he knew it, but he liked her, and he wanted her to know.
''She…'' Tam started, but he shook his head and she stopped.
''She doesn't know I know this, but she wants to provide for me. She makes the men fall for her, then marries them and clears their bank accounts,'' he said, ''but this time is different, because normally we would be out of town now.''
''Ok, so you think she is in love with the man?'' she asked, and he nodded.
''I do, because she's even invited him home, she never does that,'' he replied, and she nodded. ''I just want her to stop, so we can stay here,'' he said.
''You know what? We go run a con ourselves,'' Tam said, and she had a grin on her face. Danny smiled, ''she wouldn't know what hit her,'' Tam said.
''What do you want to do?'' Danny asked, and Tam began telling him the plan.
Sam laid on his chest, and smiled. She knew he had to go, but he was asleep right now, and she didn't want to wake him. She wanted him to stay here, but she knew there was no way he would do that. He had a job to do, and she knew what.
''Jill, you know I have to go,'' she suddenly heard him say, and she looked up.
''I know,'' she said, and she got up. He did the same and got dressed, while she wrapped the blanket around herself. ''Just… be careful,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I will. You too, and I'll call you,'' he said, after he returned to the living room. She smiled at him, glad he would call her.
''Ok, go, before I ask you to stay,'' she said, and he smiled. ''See you soon,'' she said, and she leaned in to kiss him one last time.
''Bye,'' he said, and he opened the door and walked away. She looked at him until he stepped in the elevator, and then walked back in the apartment and walked towards the bathroom. She would take a shower, and then she was going to get Danny.
Jason sighed as he stepped inside the jet. He didn't want to leave, but Sonny had told him there was a problem in Brazil and he needed to get it under control. Sam had understood, and when she said goodbye to him, the way she did, was breathtaking. He really did like her, and he was surprised he didn't want to go. Suddenly his phone rang and he picked it up without looking at the caller ID.
''Jase, where are you going?'' he heard Emily ask, and he sighed. How she found out he was going somewhere, he didn't know, but he didn't want to tell her too much. He knew she knew about his job, but that didn't mean he wanted to drag her into it.
''I'm going to Brazil, be back in a couple of days,'' he replied, and she sighed.
''Ok, thanks for telling me. How's Jill?''
''She's ok, listen. Em, I can't talk, have to go,'' he said, and he disconnected the line. he didn't like to do that, especially to his sister but there was no way he was going to tell her about his relationship with Sam.
As the jet started to move, he thought about Sam and smiled. He would love to see her face when he returned.
Sam sat on the couch and waited for Danny, and she was surprised that he didn't show up yet. She got up and walked next door and knocked. A little while later Tamara opened the door.
''Hey,'' Tam said, and she stepped aside to let Sam in. Sam looked around and smiled when she saw Danny on the couch.
''Danny, I was wondering if we could go to Kelly's for breakfast,'' Sam said, and he nodded. ''You want to come, Tam?'' Sam asked, and Tam nodded.
''I would love too, let me grab my stuff and I'll be right back,'' Tam said, and Danny got up.
''Did you have a nice night?'' he asked, and she nodded.
''Yeah. Jason left to go on a business trip,'' she said, and he frowned.
''Ok, so that's why you came to get me? You felt alone?'' he asked, and she frowned at the anger in his voice.
''No, Danny, don't be like this. I came to get you because I…'' her voice faded when she saw his face, and she knew she couldn't say anything to change his mind about this.
''I want to go to Kelly's. But maybe it's best if I go alone with Tam. I don't want you with me today,'' Danny said, and he grabbed Tams hand as she walked back in the room and they walked away. Sam gasped, Danny had never been this angry with her. She walked back to her apartment and she knew she had to do something to make Danny see she didn't mean it like that.
''Maybe it's time to give up,'' she said to herself, meaning the game.
''You want to give me something to remember,'' Jason said, and Sam nodded. He laid down on his back and pulled her on top of him. ''Then give it to me,'' he added, and he looked at her. She kissed him, and began rubbing her hands over his bare skin.
''I will,'' she said, and he smiled. Then she moved her hands over his stomach and stopped just above the button of his jeans. She softly caressed him there, and he shivered. She could feel his erection pressed between her legs as she sat on top of him, and she smiled.
''Jill, just un…'' his voice faded when she started doing what he was going to ask. She unbuttoned his jeans, and he lifted his hips to help her get him out of it. She pulled his boxers down at the same time, and he smiled at her again.
''Jason, you have to do something for me,'' she whispered, and he nodded. She looked at him, and he couldn't help himself. He pulled her to him, and he kissed her again. Their tongues fought for control, and after some time he let her win.
''Jill, just…'' he said, and she nodded. She knew what he wanted, but she wasn't going to give it to him. Not just yet. She moved down again, and she took him in her hands. He jerked, knowing what she was planning, and she looked up at him with a big smile on her face. Then, she took him in her mouth. ''O god,'' he moaned, and she started sucking on him. When he couldn't handle it anymore and he felt like exploding, he pulled her up, and she smiled at him again. He laid back down, and pulled her on top of him again.
''Jason,'' she whispered, as he pulled her on his erection and he slid inside her. He wanted this too much, and he started moving her hips. He wanted her to control this, and she did. She started moving really slow, and he knew she did this on purpose. She wanted to make him crazy. He started moving too, not wanting to make it too fast, but also wanted to come inside of her.
''Jill,'' he said, and he rolled her over and laid her on her back. He needed to take control back, and she smiled up at him while caressing his back and shoulders. She could feel her orgasm coming, and she started shaking.
''Jase…'' she exclaimed, just as she reached her climax. He followed her soon after, and he fell down on top of her.
The door opened and closed and Sam looked up, blushing from her daydream. She saw Danny come in the living room, and she jumped up. He had been avoiding her for the last two days, after he had left her standing in the apartment of their neighbour.
''Danny,'' she called out, and he looked at her, but didn't say anything before walking to his room. She followed him, tired of him ignoring her, ''I've had enough,'' she told him, and he looked at her in surprise.
''Of what?'' he asked, and she rolled her eyes.
''What do you think? You ignoring me! I've had enough. If you want to act like this, you go to Tam and stay there until you can act normal!'' she said, and she turned around and walked back to the living room. She heard him follow her, and she knew she had finally gotten his attention.
''I'm sorry, Sammy,'' he said softly, and he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, ''I was just – I acted like a baby,'' he said, and she nodded. But she had to smile at him when she saw his puppy dog eyes.
''I know, I'm not really mad, just sad,'' she replied, and he nodded.
''I know. I shouldn't have acted like that, but I was just thinking about you falling for him, and it made me think you would forget about me,'' he said, and she frowned.
''Never, Danny. Even if I fall in love with someone, I will never, ever forget about you,'' she said, and he nodded.
Danny smiled at Tam when she opened the door. He had talked it over with Sam, and was glad they had worked it out. He had waited for her to talk to him, because he didn't want to be the first one to talk to her. Tam had opened the door and he stepped in, closing the door behind him.
''Ok, so what did you plan?'' he asked her, and she grinned. ''Is it something good?''
''Yeah. Listen, I think we just need to make sure the two of them spend a lot of time together, and when it takes to long we will jump in,'' she said, and he nodded. He had seen the way Sam looked when she was talking about Jason, and he really thought she was in love with him already.
''Ok,'' he said, and she looked at him. ''What are we going to do when it takes to long? Or what if he finds out she is conning him?''
''Ok, first of all – he will find out eventually. Either she tells him of he will find out some other way, but Jason Morgan is a smart man. When it takes to long we will just push them together,'' she replied, and he nodded. He didn't like the part where Jason was a smart man, because the last time one of the man found out, Sam had been in real danger.
''What happens when he is really angry? What are we going to do to make sure Sam is safe? I don't want her hurt like the last time,'' he said, and then he covered his mouth with his hand. He didn't want Tam to know that, what happened last time.
''It's ok. Jason isn't the kind of person who beats women,'' Tam said, and Danny nodded. He didn't know how she knew, but she knew and he smiled at her. This was going to be fun.
Sam wanted to turn the board saying the diner was closed when a blonde woman walked in. she didn't know her, she had never seen her before, but the woman was looking at her like she wanted to say something.
''Can I help you?'' she asked politely, and the woman nodded.
''I am Carly. I'm Jason's best friend and I wanted to warn you,'' she said, and Sam raised an eyebrow. She didn't mind a best friend to warn her, she wished she had someone to do that for her, but she didn't like the tone the blonde one used.
''Ok, warn me then,'' she said, and Carly smiled at her.
''Jason is really smart, and if you do anything to hurt him or make him angry, they won't find you before you are decomposed,'' she said, wiggling her eyebrows. Sam stared at her for a moment and burst out in laughing.
''Ok,'' she said, gasping for air, ''thanks, for the warning.''
''Ok, just think about that,'' Carly said, looking surprised. Then she turned around, and walked away. Sam watched her leave and smiled. The woman had nerve, but she didn't blame her for protecting her best friend. She called out to Mike, saying she was going leave, and walked home.
When she opened the door to her apartment she was surprised to see it dark. Danny was probably still next-door, and she smiled. Danny and Tamara were becoming close, and she was glad he had found someone he really liked here. She also felt guilty, because she knew they had to leave once the plan she had worked out. When she walked towards the couch to relax for a minute, her phone rang. She walked towards it, and smiled when she looked at the caller ID and saw it was Jason.
''Hey,'' she said, when she picked up. She had missed him already, even if it was just two days.
''Hey, how are you doing?'' he asked, and she smiled, even though she knew he couldn't see her.
''I'm fine. How about you? Is everything ok in Brazil?'' she asked, and he chuckled.
''Yep. All is good, I have to stay here longer than anticipated, but it's ok,'' he said, and she sighed. She would miss him, ''I know, I don't like it either.''
''Well, I'm really busy at the diner, working more that before, so when you get back we need to get together and relax together,'' she whispered, and he laughed.
''I would like that. Listen, I need to go. I will call you later, ok?'' he said, and she nodded.
''Ok, sure. I'll see you when you get back,'' she replied, and then he disconnected the line. She didn't like it when he did that, but she smiled because she was glad she had heard from him. She walked towards the bathroom to take a shower and began planning a romantic evening for the two of them for when he got home.
Sam smiled as she turned the board. The diner was closed now, and she was going to see Jason again. He had been away for three weeks, and he had called her a couple of hours ago, telling her he would be home tonight. She didn't plan the dinner for tonight, but she wanted to see him.
''Mike, you need me to clean?'' she asked, and she heard Mike say she had to go to see Jason. She smiled, and then thought back on the last couple of weeks.
She had worked a lot, and Danny decided it was ok to drop over when she was working. She had asked him about it, and he said he was with Tam, and acted like he didn't know her, and he had asked her what the big deal was. When she thought about it, it wasn't a big deal. She had told him to be careful, and had let it go. He knew what he was doing, and Tam would make sure he didn't do anything stupid.
With Jason gone, Danny and her spent a lot of time together. They had been watching old movies at night, and she had enjoyed the time together. Jason would call at night when he got the chance, and she was glad he called.
Danny would go to Tam a lot, and she knew it was going to be a great friendship. She even had the feeling Danny liked Tam more than a friend, but she didn't say anything, because it wasn't her business.
She would never admit it, but she had missed Jason more than she had missed anyone before. She smiled, thinking tonight would be nice.
''Jill, go home, sweetheart. I can handle it for tonight,'' Mike said, pulling her out of her thoughts, and she smiled at him.
''I know, I was just thinking about something and I forgot to…'' she started, but when she saw the look on his face she laughed, ''I'll go. I think I'm going to see Jason tonight,'' she said, and Mike nodded with a knowing smile.
''Have fun sweetheart. See you tomorrow?'' he said, and she nodded. Then she left the diner and made her way home. She wanted to shower and change before going to see Jason.
Jason smiled at Carly, wanting her to go away so he could go home. He had gone over to Sonny right after the jet landed, and he wanted to go home and sleep. He had called Sam earlier, and he had told her he would be home soon, so maybe she would be there when he came home, or maybe she would come over later. He wanted to see her, he had missed her a lot the passed couple of weeks.
''So, I go over to Kelly's, and guess who's there?'' she asked, but before he could answer, she did herself, ''Yes, that little girlfriend of yours. Well, I told her if she ever hurt you, she was going to regret it.''
''Carly! What did you do? Why?'' Jason exclaimed, and Carly looked at him in shock. She didn't know Jason to have a reaction like that, and he found it amusing.
''I just told her she better not hurt you,'' she said, and he sighed. She always did that. The women he liked, she would make sure they would run away. He knew Sam wouldn't run away, because she hadn't told him about this conversation with Carly. He smiled, knowing now that Sam could handle Carly, and he was glad about it.
''Ok, I am going to go home, can you tell Sonny I will get back when I'm rested?'' he said, and she nodded. She didn't say a word, still a little shocked at his outburst, but he didn't say anything about it. He didn't want her to think it was ok for her to run the women he liked out of town.
Danny was sitting on the couch when the door opened and Sam came in. he smiled at her, but turned his attention back to the bike magazine he was reading. Tam had bought it for him, and he really liked this one.
''Hey, Danny, I will be out tonight,'' Sam said, and he looked up again. He saw the smile on her face and he smiled at her. He knew Jason was back in town, just by the look on her face, and he nodded.
''Seeing Jason?'' he asked, and she nodded. ''Ok, well, I think I will be going to Tam. I don't like to be alone and she asked me to stay over whenever you were gone,'' he said, and Sam looked guilty.
''I'm sorry, I didn't think…''
''Sammy, it's ok. I'll stay over at Tam's, you can have your fun,'' he said, and he winked. She widened her eyes, and he smiled.
''I'm going to take a shower,'' she said, and he watched her walk towards the bathroom. He smiled, knowing she would make sure she looked all right, but at the same time casual. He never paid much attention to clothing, but she did.
He waited for her to come out of the shower, and when she came out it was thirty minutes later and she was all dressed. She looked great, a simple tank top of a low rider jeans, and he nodded and smiled.
''Like it?'' she asked, and she turned around. He nodded again, and watched her walk towards the desk. ''Ok, well, I don't know if I'll see you, or if I come home tonight, but I will see you tomorrow night, because I have to work tomorrow.''
''Ok, have fun, Sammy. And I will see you tomorrow,'' Danny replied, and watched her leave. Then he walked over to Tam, and waited for her to open the door after he knocked.
''Tam, I have a bad feeling about tonight,'' Danny said when she opened the door, and she ushered him in.
''What do you mean?'' she asked him, and he shrugged, not really knowing what it was.
Jason came out of the shower and sighed when his phone rang.
''Carly,'' he said with one raised eyebrow. He wanted to relax tonight, not have Carly rant and rave about Sonny again.
''You left your bag here,'' she said, and she sounded calm.
''Ok, I will come and get it,'' he said, and he disconnected the line. He knew nobody liked it when he did that, but it was much easier than saying goodbye if all it did was make him lose time. He got dressed and went to the greystone.
Once there, he tried to get out without Carly noticing him, and that worked, but Sonny did notice him.
''Jase,'' he heard Sonny call out, and he turned around to face his friend. ''Why didn't you come over earlier?''
''I did, I forgot my bag, and I wanted to get home to get some rest,'' he said, and Sonny nodded. He didn't like it when Sonny didn't say anything, but he just looked at him.
''Ok, well, I'll see you tomorrow then,'' Sonny said, and he walked away. Jason frowned, but didn't linger, and he went on his way home. He wanted to relax, maybe even call Sam to spent the night with her.
he climbed in his car and drove home, and was not surprised to see Max standing there waiting for him.
''Jason, I have to talk to you,'' he said, and Jason nodded. ''There has been some disturbance at the penthouse and I checked it out, but there was no one there,'' Max said, and Jason nodded again.
''Don't worry about it, Max. I will take care of everything from now on. Can I go home now?'' he asked, tired of everyone wanting to talk to him.
''Yeah. I'm sorry to bother you with something like this. But I thought you'd want to know,'' Max said, and Jason nodded.
''Thanks for telling me. I want you to tell me everything – later. Now I just want to go home and sleep this jetlag off,'' he said, and Max nodded.
Jason walked up to the elevator and was glad it was already there. Then he pushed the button and waited for the thing to get to his floor. He decided not to call Sam over, because he was really tired and he just wanted to sleep right now. He had to admit he had missed seeing her, but he could see her tomorrow. The elevator stopped and he stepped out, surprised to see Sam, sitting on the floor in front of his door. When he came closer, he saw she was pale, and her eyes were closed. Then he saw the blood behind her and he began to worry. What the hell happened? She opened her eyes and smiled weakly, then she tried to get up and he saw the tear in her jacket.
''O my god, Sam, what the hell happened?''
''O my god, Sam, what the hell happened?'' Jason asked, and he gasped when he realized what he had said. But she didn't seem to notice, and he was glad. ''We have to get you to a hospital!'' he said, even though he didn't like hospitals. From what he saw, she had lost a lot of blood.
''No, please, no hospitals,'' she said, and he nodded, ''He'll find me there,'' she added.
''Ok, can you tell me what happened?'' he asked, and then he realized he had to get her inside. He opened the door and turned back to her.
''This guy,'' she whispered, as he helped her up. She gasped in pain, and continued, ''he followed me and tossed me around when I noticed him. Then he told me I was to close,'' she said, and she stopped talking when he gestured for her to lie down on the couch. He called a doctor – his doctor, and came back to see her lying on her stomach. She was crying, he knew she was having a lot of pain right now, but he needed to do something to stop the bleeding.
''Jill, you have to calm down and let me cut your coat and shirt open,'' he said, and he grabbed a scissor. She nodded; frowning in pain as he cut her clothes open, and when he saw the cut in her back he knew it was nothing to serious. ''It's not that bad. The doctor is coming over to clean it up,'' he said, and she nodded. He grabbed the towel he had brought from the kitchen and pressed it on the wound. She stiffened, but didn't make a sound.
''I wanted to surprise you, but then I realized that guy following me and I walked a couple of rounds around the block,'' she whispered, tears streaming down her face. He knew she was in pain, but she didn't let him see it. She was a strong and brave woman, and he admired her for that, even though he was suddenly angry with her for trying to con him. ''Then when I thought I lost him I slipped in the alley and he came up from behind me and pressed me against the wall,'' she said, and Jason nodded.
''You said he said you were to close,'' he said, and she nodded. There was a knock on the door when she wanted to answer, and he got up and opened it to reveal the doctor he had called over.
''Check on her while I make some calls,'' Jason said, and the doctor nodded.
Sam moaned when the doctor put the bandage on. He was done, and she was glad. She looked up at him and waited for him to tell her what to do.
''It's looks ok, nothing bad. What I want you to do is take it easy, you will be feeling a little weak a couple of days,'' he said, and she nodded. ''I have some painkillers and I want you to have someone to take care of you. I suggest – if it's possible, you stay here,'' he continued, just as Jason walked back in the room.
''She stays here until she feels better,'' he said, and the doctor nodded happily. The doctor handed Jason the pills, and Jason let him out.
''Are you sure, Jason?'' Sam asked, him, and he came over to the couch and sat down next to her, gesturing for her to lay her head on his lap.
''Come, rest a bit. Yeah, I'm sure. You don't have anyone to check up on you and I have room enough here,'' he replied, and she nodded. She was tired, and she really wanted to rest, but she had the feeling she had forgotten something.
''He told me I was to close to you,'' she whispered, when she realized she still had to tell him. He had asked before the doctor came and she wanted him to know what the guy had said.
''Ok. I have someone check it out. How did you get in?'' he asked, and she frowned.
''I went through the door in the back. It was the closest and I didn't have that much energy left. I was so cold, Jason,'' she whispered, and he nodded.
''Just get some rest, I will make sure the guy pays for hurting you,'' Jason said, and she nodded and closed her eyes.
''Hey Tam, what about Sam?'' Danny asked, and Tam looked at him.
''What about her? She's with Jason, don't worry about her,'' she replied, and he frowned and shook his head. He really had a bad feeling about all this, and he wanted to know if she was ok.
''Tamara. I have a bad feeling. Like something is going to happen – maybe something happened to her and she cant call me,'' he said, and he was starting to panic a little.
''Danny, listen to me. Nothing bad is going to happen. She is with Jason, she is having fun and you have to stop panicking about her. She is a grown woman, and you have to stop this,'' she said, and he nodded. He knew she was right, he just couldn't get rid of the feeling something had happened.
''I'll go over to Kelly's tomorrow to see if she is ok,'' he said, and he decided to get her out of his head for the night. He needed to do that, or else Tam was going to be mad.
''Good. Now lets play,'' Tam said, and she handed him the controller.
Jason watched Sam sleep, and was glad she had fallen asleep. She hadn't taken the painkiller yet, but that didn't mean she wasn't in pain. There was a knock on the door and he got up, placed a pillow under her head and opened the door. It was Carly. He sighed, he didn't need her ranting right now, he just wanted for Sam to get enough rest.
''Carly. Take it outside,'' he whispered, before she could say anything, and he stepped outside and closed the door.
''What is that bitch doing here?'' she asked, and he sighed again. he had hoped she didn't see Sam, but it had been false.
''She had a little accident, now. What are you doing here?'' he asked her, and she looked at him in surprise.
''What… Jason, I'm your best friend, do I need a reason to be here?'' she asked, and he shook his head in disbelief. He had just seen her.
''What is it?'' he asked again, and she sighed.
''I just wanted to let you know, sonny and I are over,'' she said, and he sighed. it wasn't the first time she told him that, so he didn't really believe her.
''Ok. You know what, I need to get back inside before she wakes up,'' he said, and just after he said that he head a scream. He ran back inside, Carly following him and he looked at Sam, who was sitting upright, a pained expression on her face.
''Sorry…'' she said, and she looked at Carly.
''It's ok. Carly was just leaving. Did you have a nightmare?'' he asked, and she nodded, while still looking at Carly who was looking at Jason.
''Jason…'' Carly started, but Jason lifted his hand and she stopped. Then he took her arm and helped her out.
''Bye, Carly,'' he said, and he closed the door. Then he turned around, looked at Sam and decided she needed a painkiller. She was holding her hand over her wound, frowning.
''Jason, I didn't know she was here,'' she said softly, and he frowned.
''It doesn't matter. Here,'' he said, and he grabbed a bottle of water and gave her a pain pill, then he gave her the water after turning off the cap.
''Thank you,'' she whispered after taking the pill, and he smiled at her. She was silent for a moment before looking up at him again, ''I missed you,'' she said softly, and he looked at her in surprise.
''I've missed you too,'' he said, and he smiled at her. He patted on his knee, and she laid her head on his lap. She sighed, and then cringed because her wound pulled, and then relaxed again. ''Just rest, I'll be here when you wake up,'' Jason whispered, and she nodded. She fell asleep pretty fast, and he wondered if he needed to bring her upstairs. He decided it was the best thing to do, and he lifted her in his arms, careful not to hurt her and he laid her down on his bed. After undressing he stepped in bed beside her, and he was surprised when she curled into his side.
He realized he had to end this game they were playing, because in the end, if he would let it go on to long, they would both get hurt by it. He wasn't the kind of guy to forgive someone, and when he had let it all out that he knew about her plans, he would be angry. He would be even angrier than he was now, and he didn't want her to get to hurt by all of this.
''I have to end it,'' he whispered, and then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Sam woke up with a throbbing pain in her back and sighed. She had hoped she had dreamed it, but that wasn't the case. She also noticed she was in a bed, and not on the couch. Jason wasn't with her, and he had promised he would be there.
She didn't know where it came from, but it was there, and she knew that it was Jason who had said it. Maybe she had imagined it, because she was pretty sure she had lost a lot of blood when he came out of the elevator. She shrugged it off, and got out of bed. It wasn't really easy, because the throbbing worsened, but she bit through it and noticed she was almost completely naked. How did that happen?
She saw her clothes and saw what had happened.
''Jill, you have to calm down and let me cut your coat an shirt open.''
He had cut them open because she was bleeding and he needed to see what the damage was. She smiled, he had sounded pretty concerned. She walked to the closet and opened it, and found jeans and shirts. They were all the same, and she smiled while taking one of the shirts and putting it on. She had never seen Jason in anything other than a jeans and a black shirt, and it didn't really surprise her to see that's all he had.
''Jill, what are you doing out of bed?'' she heard Jason ask, and she turned around to see him standing in the doorway. She smiled at him, and walked back to the bed. She had to admit she felt a little weak, and she had the feeling her legs were going to give out from under her all the time.
''Sorry, I didn't want to walk around almost naked,'' she said, and he smiled and gave her the tray he had been carrying, ''did you make all this?'' she asked him, when she saw the breakfast that was on it. He nodded.
''Yeah. I thought you needed something to eat – I didn't know when the last time was you ate, so I…'' he was rambling, and she liked it.
''It's ok. Thanks, I'm actually starving,'' she said, as she looked at the tray and started eating.
Danny made his way over to Tam, who was sitting at a booth in Kelly's.
''Tam, I told you something happened!'' he exclaimed, and Tam looked up and saw Danny looking at her with concern in his eyes.
''What is it, Danny?'' she asked him, hoping he was calm enough to tell her.
''Sam never showed up for work today. What if she is dead?'' he asked, panicking about Sam.
''You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to go over to see if she is with Jason,'' Tam said. Danny had been worried over Sam the whole night, and she had noticed the circles under his eyes when he woke up, which meant he didn't get much sleep.
''I want to come with you!'' he said, and Tam shook her head.
''What good will that do? What are you going to say – 'I need to see my sister'?'' she asked him, and he shook his head, ''no. Baby, I will go over there, you go home and wait, I will call you ok?'' she said, and he nodded. He finally got what she meant, and she was glad. They got up and both went different ways.
Jason walked in front of Sam as they walked down the stairs. If she got dizzy or anything he would be able to catch her. He looked at the empty tray he was carrying and smiled. There had been a lot of food on it, and she really did eat all he made.
''I didn't think you meant it, the starving part, but you ate it all,'' he said jokingly, and she laughed softly.
''I need my food,'' she replied, just when there was a knock on the door. Jason looked up at Sam and waited until she was down and then put the tray on the desk and opened the door.
''Um… Can I help you?'' he asked the woman in front of him, and she nodded.
''I was looking for Jill. She was supposed to be at work and…'' she was cut off by Sam.
''Tam? O god, I didn't call Mike,'' she said, and she looked at Jason, who sighed.
''I didn't think about it. I will call Mike and tell him you wont be coming the next couple of days,'' he said, and she looked at him thankfully. He went upstairs, giving Sam a little privacy with the woman, and called Mike.
''Tam!'' Sam whispered, and Tam raised her hand.
''Listen – Danny was concerned and he wanted to come here, I told him I would,'' she said, and Sam nodded gratefully. If Danny had come here all would be ruined.
''Thanks. Can you tell him I'm ok and will be staying here for a couple of days?'' she asked, and Tam nodded with a frown.
''What happened?'' she asked, and Sam sighed. She was still a little weak, and she was tired and hurt, but she didn't want Tam to tell Danny any of that.
''I had a little accident,'' she lied, and Tam raised an eyebrow.
''Listen, I'm not stupid, ok? You have to tell me what happened, Sam,'' she said, and Sam widened her eyes and stared at Tam.
''Danny told you. Great,'' she whispered, and Tam nodded, ''Well, I was stabbed – it's nothing bad, but I have to stay here for a while ok?'' she said, and Tam nodded. ''Just – tell him I'm ok,'' she added, and she ushered Tam out the penthouse. She didn't want Jason to hear something. She said goodbye to Tam and closed the door, and made her way over to the couch and sat down. She gritted her teeth when she felt the wound began to throb even worse, and sat down different to get the pressure off. Now, she was lying on her side on the couch. She thought about Danny.
Tam coming over must mean Danny had one of his 'feelings'. Danny was really sensitive and she should have known by the way he acted before. He wasn't really himself, trying to make light talk. She understood now, and she had to tell him she was ok in some way. Now Tam was going to tell him that, and she was glad they had someone who could tell him that.
She didn't even hear Jason come down until he sat down next to her.
''Hey, I called Mike. He said take care of yourself,'' he told her, and she nodded.
''Mike is a good man,'' Sam said, and Jason nodded and smiled. ''I heard you work with his son.''
''Yeah. Sonny is my boss, and best friend,'' Jason said, and Sam nodded. She had known that much, but she wanted to hear more about Jason.
''So, now I stay here?'' she asked, when he didn't continue, and he nodded.
''Yeah, I think its best. You don't have anyone at home to take care of you, do you?'' he asked, and she nodded. ''What, you do have someone at home?''
''What? I didn't say that. I have no one at home,'' she said, a little defensive. Jason looked at her and decided to get up.
''You want something to drink?'' he asked, and when she shook her head he walked to the kitchen. Once he was there he cursed.
He had the feeling she had someone at home, and the woman in his home earlier had said something about Danny. He had heard their conversation for some parts, and he had heard it right. Danny was someone in her life, maybe even her boyfriend, and she was here trying to play him.
He didn't understand, but he would find out what the deal was, and when he had found out he would get it all out in the open.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and walked back, not surprised to see Sam sleeping on the couch.
He decided to go to Stan to see if he could find out something more about her life, and he grabbed his jacket and keys and walked out to see Stan.
When Sam had woken up earlier she noticed Jason was gone. She didn't think he would be back soon, so she had decided to take a shower. She didn't think something would happen, but halfway through the shower she got dizzy, and suddenly Jason was there. He helped her get out and dried her up, then he took care of her wound and told her to stay put.
He left again, but he told her he would be home soon. She sat on the bed for a while before deciding to go down, to get something to drink. Every step she took on the stairs sent a throbbing pain through her body, and she turned to the kitchen when she finally reached the bottom. That's when there was a knock on the door. She moaned and made her way over to the door, with some difficulty because she felt like she was going to faint. When she opened the door she held on to it, and she saw Emily standing there.
''O god, Jill, what happened,'' Emily exclaimed, and she wrapped her arms around Sam's waist.
''Little higher,'' Sam moaned, when Emily grabbed her near her wound. Emily looked at her surprised and did as she was told, and helped Sam to the couch. Sam sat down, positioned herself so the wound wouldn't bother her and looked at Emily, who sat down next to her.
''What happened, Jill?'' Emily asked, and Sam was surprised she even remembered her name. She took a couple of deep breaths to take the lightheadedness away, and looked at Emily again.
''I had a little accident on my way here last night,'' she said, and Emily frowned. She shook her head, and Emily didn't say anything. ''I mean, I was on my way here because Jason had called to tell me he was on his way home,'' she said.
''I know – I came here to see if he was ok and now you're here,'' she said softly, and Sam got the idea Emily was a caring woman. ''What happened? Is there something I can do for you?''
''No, I'm good, but thanks,'' Sam said, with a smile, ''do you want to wait for Jason, or maybe I can call him,'' Sam said, the last part more to herself.
''No, if you don't mind I want to wait, you don't have to call him,'' Emily said, and she smiled at Sam, ''now, what happened? I mean – I know Jason is going to flip out when he sees you like this,'' Emily said, and Sam smiled. She told her a story about what could have happened, but she didn't want to involve Emily in the whole problem. Emily seemed like a nice person.
There were voices. In his penthouse. He knew Sam would not invite someone over, because that would be stupid. But who could it be? He opened the door and was surprised to see Emily, smiling and laughing with Sam on the couch. Sam looked pale, but she looked like she was ok.
''Hey,'' he said, and the two women turned around to look at him. Sam hissed, probably because the movement hurt her, and Emily looked at Sam with concern. He wondered what happened between them, because Sam turned to send her a comforting look.
''Jason, I came over here to talk to you, to see you because I heard you were home, and Jill told me what happened,'' Emily said, and Jason frowned and looked at Sam, who shook her head discretely, to let him know she didn't tell Emily about the stabbing.
''Ok, well, I'm sorry I didn't call you myself,'' he said, when Emily got up and walked over to him. Emily hugged him, and Sam looked at them with a small smile on her face.
''I'm glad you're ok, I have to go now, thanks for the time Jill,'' Emily said with a smile to Sam. Sam nodded and Emily left. Jason frowned – why would she leave after he came in, if she came for him? he shrugged his own thoughts away, and looked at Sam.
''Are you ok? You look pale,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I'm fine. When Emily came I almost fainted and she helped me to the couch. She asked me what happened and I told her I fell down the stairs and cut myself,'' she said, and he laughed.
''I wish that was what happened, because then you would be safe,'' he said, and she nodded. ''I went to check on the progress on the search. Did anything come to mind about the guy?''
''No, I told you I didn't see him,'' she said, shivering when thinking of the guy who attacked her, ''I did recognize his voice – somewhat. He whispered, but I don't know, it sounded familiar,'' she added, and he nodded.
''You told that before. Now, I had the day off and you have to rest,'' he said, and she frowned.
''If you had the day off, why did you go to work?'' she asked, and he looked at her in surprise.
''I didn't go to work – I mean, just for a little while before I had to help you in the shower,'' he said, and she nodded, ''ok, that was also a little personal, I had him look something up for me,'' he said, and she frowned.
''Ok, well I don't care if you go to work on your day off. I was just worried before, because you didn't tell me you were going out,'' she said, softly.
''I know, and I'm sorry. I'm not used to it – having someone living with me,'' he explained, and she nodded with a smile.
''I'm going upstairs and sleep for a little,'' she said, and she got up. She waved him away when he wanted to help her, and he frowned, but she didn't see it. She walked to the stairs slowly, and it took her some time to get upstairs, but he didn't help her. He realized she didn't want help, she was a strong woman.
Sam sat on the edge of the bed, she was out of breath just by walking the stairs, and Jason wanting to help her didn't help at all. She wanted to go home, and she wanted to do it on her own. She knew it wasn't smart, but the sooner she could get home, the sooner she could stop this stupid plan of hers. She would only end up breaking her own heart, if she went through with it.
Suddenly she realized she didn't call Danny, she wanted to call him to tell him she was alright, but she was afraid Jason would hear her. She shook her head and thought about texting Tam, to tell her she was ok, and that's what she was going to do. She grabbed her cell, that was on the nightstand next to the bed, and laid down on her stomach.
Tam – everything is ok. Tell Danny I miss him. Sam.
That was all she could think about, and she sent the message. She smiled, knowing she would be home soon, and she fell asleep.
Danny looked around and saw Tam sitting on the couch in his apartment. He missed Sam, but Tam had told him she was ok. He wanted to know what had happened, but Tam didn't tell him anything.
''Tam, did you hear from Sammy?'' he asked her, and she looked up from her phone.
''She just sent me a text telling me she was ok – she wants me to tell you she misses you,'' she said with a smile, and Danny sat down next to her.
''I want you to tell me what happened,'' he said, and she shook her head, ready to protest, ''no, tell me, or I'm going to go to Jason and…''
''Danny, come on, you don't want to know,'' she said, but he shook his head and waited for her to tell, because he knew she was going to crack soon.
''Tell me,'' he said, again, and she looked at him for a couple of moments before nodding.
''She was stabbed when she was on her way to Jason. He is helping her heal,'' she said, and Danny widened his eyes. Why would they have kept it from him?
''Sam told you not to tell me, right?'' he asked, and Tam nodded.
''Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. You have to understand that Sam doesn't want you to worry about her,'' Tam told him, and he nodded. He knew Sam didn't want him to worry, but he wasn't a child, he wasn't her child and he hated it when she did that.
''I know. I just don't like the way she is treating me. I'm not a baby anymore,'' he said, and he got up. He wanted to call her and tell her to stop this stupid game, and maybe just stay here and live their lives here. ''Tomorrow when she texts, I want you to call her and I want to talk to her,'' he said, and he walked away before she could reply. He needed to do this; he wanted to stay here in Port Charles. He wasn't planning on leaving the woman he really liked, maybe even loved, behind.
''This has to end,'' he whispered to himself.
''Sam, I want you to tell me what happened, and don't you dare tell me that nothing happened, because I know you were stabbed!'' Danny yelled in the phone, and Sam moaned. She knew how Danny could react, and she didn't blame Tam for telling Danny about that, but she didn't like it either.
''Danny, first I want to tell you everything is ok,'' she said, and she could hear him huff, and preparing to protest but she continued before he could, ''I was stabbed when I was on my way to Jason. I don't know who did it and what his problem was – he told me I was too close to Jason,'' Sam told Danny, and she could hear him gasp.
''What – where did he stab you?'' he asked, and she smiled in the phone.
''In my back – it's superficial, so all is good. I feel better now, especially now that I heard your voice,'' she said, and he laughed.
''Ok, I'm not mad anymore Sam. I was worried about you and I told Tam there was something wrong with you – you know I had that feeling again, and she went there to see you and told me what happened,'' he said, ''I had the feeling she wasn't telling me everything so when I came home and saw her sitting on the couch I kind of pressured her to tell me and she did.''
''I can see. You also told her about my name, right?''
''Yeah – and I'm sorry, but I slipped up and I told her. I didn't mean to, though. You're not mad are you?'' he asked, and
''No, Danny, I'm not mad. Danny…''
''Sam, what's wrong?'' Danny asked, when she stopped talking. She looked around and smiled, and for the first time she was glad Jason wasn't home.
''Nothing, I just have a feeling Jason knows more than he says he does. Maybe I'm just imagining it but he called me Sam when I was sitting on the floor,'' she said, also more to herself than to Danny. She heard the door open and close and jumped, knowing it was Jason who returned home.
''Sam?'' Danny called out, and she whispered she had to go and disconnected the line, just as Jason walked in the bedroom.
''Who was that?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''Just the girl next door. She told me she would water my plants,'' Sam lied, and he nodded.
It was a week after Sam had been stabbed and she wanted to go home. She had tried to talk to Jason about it, but every time she did he changed the subject.
She was getting used to having Jason around, and waking up in his arms, but she wanted to create some space between them to think her plan over. It was starting to get harder and harder to play him, and she didn't want to get too involved. Somewhere in her heart she knew it was already too late. If she was glad to see him when he returned home from work, and when she wanted to see if he was ok when he was out, it was already too late.
She walked down the stairs and saw Jason looking over some papers. She didn't know what he was doing, but he was a little shut down today, and she wondered what had caused it.
''Hey,'' she said, and he turned around quickly, and smiled at her before turning back to the papers and putting them away. ''I'm going home,'' she said, and he turned back around, looked at her and shook his head.
''No way. You cant go home, because you are not healed completely,'' he said, and she frowned. She was healed; enough to go home and take care of herself. She couldn't tell Jason she had Danny to help her when she couldn't do something herself.
''I can take care of myself, thank you,'' she said, a little angry with him for even suggesting she couldn't.
''I didn't say that, I just want you to stay here until-'' he said, but she interrupted him.
''No way, Jason. I'm going home, and you don't have a say in it,'' she said, and she walked back upstairs.
Jason sat there watching her walk up the stairs and shook his head. She had a mind of her own and he knew that from the start. Why did he push her to stay here when she had started over and over she wanted to go home?
He turned back to the papers and took them out of their hiding place, and then he looked them over. When he had gone to Stan for another background check, he told Stan to take his time to find out everything he could. He also told him about some guy named Danny, and he was connected to Sam. If there were anyway to find out who the guy was, Stan would find it.
He was not surprised when Stan couldn't find anything about a guy named Danny, but he wasn't going to give up. He needed to find out who Danny was, and he was going to. He just didn't know how, but that didn't matter. Maybe he could go over her place one time when she was at work, and find out if this Danny guy lived with her. He didn't know how he was going to, but he was going to find out.
When he heard Sam coming down the stairs, he did his best to hide the papers without looking suspicious. She looked at him with that angry look in her eyes and he smiled at her.
''I'm sorry for even thinking you cant take care of yourself. I know you can, I'm just protective of you. You mind if I put some guards on you?''
''Yeah, I mind, but I don't think it will matter because you will do it anyway. Listen, I know you don't want to push me, but you do, and I want to take some time to get back to work and stuff,'' she said, and when he wanted to say something she held up her hand, ''I want some time to myself, and I want you to understand – I do want to get to know you more, but I need this time for me, ok?''
''Ok, I will respect that. Now let me say something, ok?'' he said, and when she nodded he said, ''I'm going to call you every day – just to check on you, and you have to be honest with me about how your doing. If you see something suspicious you call me, ok?''
''Ok, what about the guards?'' she asked him, and he frowned a little while thinking about that. He knew she didn't want to have guards on her because they could see something she didn't want him to know, but he was worried something was going to happen to her. If he didn't put a guard on her he would be worried all the time, but he could just lie to her and tell her he wouldn't put a guard on her and just do it. Maybe that would give him some information on who Danny was.
''I will not put a guard on you, ok?'' he said, and she nodded with a smile, ''now, go home and take some rest,'' he added, and he walked over to her and gave her a hug.
''I'll call you tonight, when I have had enough time to get used to being alone again,'' she said, and she turned around and walked away. When he knew for sure she was gone he grabbed his cell and called Max, told him to put a guard on Sam and to make sure she wouldn't notice.
Sam smiled as she opened the door to her apartment, and was glad to see Danny sitting on the couch with Tam. When Danny heard the door open he jumped up and ran to Sam, and pulled her in a careful hug.
''I missed you so much, Sammy,'' he said, and Sam smiled, ''Tam said you texted her every day,'' he added, and she nodded.
''Yeah, I did, because you don't have a cell phone, and Tam did,'' she said, and Danny nodded.
''Glad you are home, Sam,'' Tam said, and Sam smiled at her.
''Thank you for taking care of my brother – I mean, for spending time with him,'' she added when she saw Danny glare at her. Tam laughed and Sam smiled, and she went to sit on the couch.
''I'm glad Jason let you go,'' Danny said, and Sam rolled her eyes.
''It's not that he had a choice, because I told him I needed this,'' she said, ''I didn't tell him about wanting to get back to you, because he still doesn't know but I am thinking about giving this all up and staying here,'' she said looking at Danny and Tamara.
''You are?'' Danny asked, surprised, and when she nodded he smiled, ''I knew it. You know I see you are in love with that guy,'' Danny said.
''Yeah, I am, but listen. If I give all this up I need to let him go,'' she said, and he nodded sadly. She felt the same way, because she didn't want to let Jason go, but she had to think about it in the next couple of days, because she didn't want to hurt him. It would only hurt the both of them if she went on with the plan, and that's also part of the reason she told him she needed time. She was going to call him and take his calls, but she wasn't going to meet him anywhere. She had to think about all of this first.
A week after she left Jason's penthouse Sam was ready to make the decision. She wanted to stop this game, and she wanted to tell Jason all about her trying to con him. She realized the only one that was conned here, was her. She was in love with Jason, and she couldn't go through with the plans she had made before she went to Port Charles.
She had decided to go and talk to Danny about it, and see what he wanted to do, and then she was going to ask Jason to meet her, so she could tell him all about it. Danny was out with Tam right now; he would be away for a couple of days. Tam had asked him to go with her to a show, just outside New York City. He had asked her if he could go, and she told him to go. She wanted him to have a good time, and she wanted to have some time to herself.
Last week, she went back to work and she had seen a lot of people who asked her where she was when she was stabbed. She didn't answer them truly, she just told them she had taken some time off. They didn't believe her, she knew it, and she wondered when it was she lost her touch. She couldn't lie to the people in Port Charles, because they all knew when she was lying. The only one who called her on it was Carly, but she knew what had happened.
On her way to Kelly's she smiled and took in the air. It was a beautiful day, and she planned on taking a walk through the park after her shift. When she walked inside Kelly's she saw it was already busy. She had the late shift, working from noon to evening, and she loved those shifts. She made her way to the back and dropped her purse, then walked back inside the diner.
''Hey Mike,'' she said, when she saw him standing behind the counter. He smiled at her but didn't react, and she shrugged. Then she saw people were looking at her strangely, and she frowned. She didn't pay much attention to it, she got to work and didn't think any of it.
Jason felt guilty. He had told Carly to spread rumors about the new woman in town, and she had asked him why.
''What's the matter with you, Jason? You told me the new woman in town was yours to deal with?'' she asked, but he knew she wanted to do what he asked.
''I know, and she is. I ask you to do this for me, because this is the way to make sure she doesn't make friends,'' he said, ''other than me, and I will run her out of town before the month is over,'' he added, and she smiled.
''You won't. I bet you, you won't get that far. She will stay here, no matter what, no matter how the people in town react to her being here,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Yeah, until I say I know about her games, and I want her gone. I know she knows what I do, and I will warn her,'' he said. She nodded, and when she wanted to say something she changed her mind.
''I will do what you ask, but why not do it yourself?''
''Because it has to look like I don't know she is playing me. I'm in a relationship with her, or so she thinks,'' he said. He thought some more. It seemed low. ''I know it seems low, but I don't know another way to get the people to dislike her.''
''I'll do it,'' Carly said.
That conversation was the day before yesterday, and he had heard the rumors around town. He wanted to go to her, to tell her it was all his fault and he wanted to comfort her, because he heard in her voice she was hurt. He was on his way to Kelly's to get some coffee, and when he saw her he smiled at her.
When he came in the whole place was buzzing and when he walked to her and hugged her, he could feel her relax in his arms. That only made him feel even guiltier, and he wanted to tell her he was sorry. He smiled at her when he pulled back.
''How are you doing?'' he asked, and she shrugged.
''I'm a little under the weather, but all in all, I feel good,'' she replied, and he nodded. She did look a little under the weather.
''Why don't you take it a little easier? I hear you are taking on a lot of shifts here, and it will only make you sicker,'' he said, and she shrugged.
''I need the money, Jason,'' she replied softly, and he nodded. He had the feeling this wasn't a game anymore, but he couldn't trust that feeling. His judgment was clouded because he cared about her, even though he despised her for playing him.
''You want to come over to my place tonight?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''No, I can't. I have a friend coming over later and I need to be here for him,'' she said, and he frowned. Him – maybe it was this Danny guy.
''Ok, well, I'll see you later, I'm going to take my coffee to go,'' he said, a little sad she didn't want to come over. Or maybe she couldn't. he didn't know. He bought the coffee and after a little chat with Mike he left, making his way home to check out what Stan had found.
Sam felt sick. She knew what was going on, she heard the talk around town. Someone had spread a rumor about her, she had heard people talking.
''You know that new woman? She is a slut, she slept with Jason Morgan and a couple of other guys in the past view weeks, and now she might be pregnant…''
''I heard she is just a whore who asked money for her services. She doesn't sleep with anyone without getting paid…''
That was just the beginning, she knew it and her instincts told her to leave and never look back, but she couldn't do that. She didn't want to give them the satisfaction. When Jason came in, everyone stopped talking, and when he left she was ready to go home.
She hadn't lied about the friend, there was someone coming to town for her. James was one of her friends, and she needed his opinion on what to do about her feelings and her plan.
She didn't have much time after her shift to go home and get changed, because James would be there early. So she rushed home, took a shower and dressed herself comfortable. She put on sweats and a tank top, and when she walked out of her bedroom there was a knock on the door.
She walked towards it and opened it, and when she saw James standing there she jumped in his arms and cried. It wasn't like her to break down like that, and he pulled her towards the couch and kept her in his arms the entire time.
''So, are you going to tell me who made you cry like that?'' he asked, after her sobs had subsided and she was in his arms calmly.
''You want something to drink first?'' she asked him, and he shook his head. She sighed, knowing she couldn't hide anything from James, and she couldn't stretch it.
''Tell me, sweetie, and I'll help you,'' he said, softly, and she nodded while wiping away the fresh tears.
''I came here with Danny to con one last man,'' she started, ''and I met his enforcer, Jason Morgan…''
''You were planning on conning Sonny Corinthos?'' he asked surprised, and when she nodded he whistled.
''I know. But I didn't come that far because I went to this bar, to make nice with Jason, and I ended up sleeping with him,'' she said, and he nodded, but didn't interrupt her, ''I knew I messed up my plans to con Sonny, so I went on with it, but with Jason. Only I didn't anticipate falling in love with him,'' she said, and he widened his eyes.
''You fell in love with the target. That's tough baby. What do you want to do now?''
''I don't know. I want to stop this, I want to tell him everything. But on the other hand, I don't want to lose him,'' she replied, and he nodded.
''I can see the problem. If you tell him, he will dump you like a brick. I don't mean to be rude, but what were you thinking; sleeping with him?''
''I didn't mean for it to happen, Jamie. The thing is, I couldn't get enough of him and now I am in this dilemma,'' she said, and again, tears began falling.
''I know baby, but you have to think about this. You want him to push you away because you tell him the truth, or do you just stop the game and don't tell him? I mean, if you stop you can stay with him, make him fall in love with you and you don't have to go anywhere,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I was thinking the same thing earlier. But what if he finds out? What if he already knows and he…''
''He doesn't know, I tell you that. He cant know because he is a man of honor, and even if he knew I think you'd know by now. Just stay close to him, make sure he falls in love with you but don't steal his money,'' James said, and she nodded again. it was a good plan, that way Danny and she could stay in town and she could just work for the money she needed.
''Thanks, James. Now, want something to eat?'' she asked, and he nodded with a smile. Everything would be just fine.
Sam woke up the next morning and took a shower. She heard James in the kitchen, and she knew he was making coffee and breakfast. She knew James a long time, and she even lived with him for a short while before she found Danny. James had always helped her when she was in trouble, and she knew he would help her this time.
When she was done with her shower she dried and dressed herself, and went to the kitchen. Today was her day off, and she wanted to show James around town a little.
''Good morning, sweetie, want some breakfast?'' James asked, and she nodded with a smile. ''You know I heard some rumors around town,'' he said when he sat down opposite of her and gave her a plate.
''I heard some too,'' she replied, not wanting to talk about it. When she looked up and saw his expression she knew he wanted to talk about it, and she sighed.
''I heard you were pregnant,'' he said with a smile, and she shook her head in disbelief.
''I'm not. You know I would tell you,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I'm sorry I haven't been in touch lately,'' she added, and he nodded again.
''I know baby. I've been busy myself,'' he said, and she nodded. She stopped talking and started eating her breakfast. He was a sweet man; he always took care of everyone around him. He was much like Jason, but she looked at James like he was her brother. Jason, on the other hand, was the man who lit her fire, and she really was in love with him. She simply loved him.
''James, I know about the rumors but I have to stay here. Not only for me, but for Danny,'' she said, and James looked at her in surprise.
''Why for Danny? He will go with you wherever you go, you know that,'' he replied, and she nodded. She pushed away her empty plate and placed her elbows on the table.
''He is in love. The girl next door – she's the one who he's with right now, I told you he was out of town right,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Well, good for the boy. Seems like the both of you are in love,'' he said, and she nodded sadly.
James watched Sam as they stepped inside the little diner, and he saw her eyes light up when she saw someone inside. He looked the way she was looking and saw a big guy, buff with short hair. He looked back at Sam, and saw her turn the other way. She didn't want to go to the man, and he didn't understand it.
''Sam,'' he whispered to her, and she shook her head. Then he realized it. She didn't want to see him now, because she didn't know what she was going to do yet.
''You want something to drink?'' she asked him, and he nodded, but held up his hand when she began to walk away.
''I'll get it,'' he said, and she nodded. He walked to the counter and ordered two coffee, and then he turned to the man. He was still standing there, and he was glad he was.
''You must be Jason,'' he said, and the man turned around and nodded, but looked at him suspicious.
''And you are?'' he asked, and James wanted to introduce himself, but Jason was faster, ''you must be the friend Jill was talking about,'' he said, and James nodded. So that was why Sam didn't want him to call her Sam. She hadn't told him what alias she had used, but she had told him earlier she couldn't stay here the way it was.
''I'm James. Do you want to join us for a drink?'' he asked, and Jason shook his head.
''I have something to do,'' he said, and then he walked away. James watched him walk away with raised eyebrows, and when he looked at Sam he saw the sadness in her eyes. Jason had walked passed her without a word, and he cursed the bastard for hurting Sam.
He walked back to the table and looked at Sam as she played with the little spoon in her coffee, and he waited for her to begin talking. But she didn't, so he started.
''So, Jill, why don't you tell me what you are going to do about that?'' he asked, and she looked up at him. he could see the tears in her eyes, but she was a strong woman, she wouldn't cry in the diner. He had the feeling no one here had ever seen her crying.
''I don't know, Jamie. I know it's stupid but I want to go away, come back and act like myself. Tell my own name…'' her voice cracked and faded away, and he looked at her sympathetic. He didn't like to see her like this.
''You have to think about this. You messed up, that can happen, but what do you want to do about your name?''
''I don't know, ok?'' she said and she looked around when she realized she had raised her voice. She never did that, not even when she was angry and he knew she was in this deep.
''It's ok, Sam, you have to take care of this and I am going to help you, ok?'' he said, and she nodded. He knew she believed him, because he could see it in her eyes.
Jason sat there, on the couch in his penthouse thinking over what James had said. It wasn't much, but he had heard him talking to Sam before. He had called her Sam, so he must know her. Maybe it was just a friend, but Jason didn't know and he wanted to find out. He couldn't do anything because he didn't know his last name, but the guy seemed nice enough. Maybe he could help Sam when she was moving out of town, or maybe he would be gone by then. Come to think of it, Sam never talked about him. She never talked about the really personal things, and even though he knew most of it, he wanted to hear it from her. She was closed, she didn't like to talk about herself and he knew the main reason, but maybe there was something else that held her back.
There was a knock on the door and he got up to open it. When he was at the door he looked through the peephole and he saw Emily standing there, he opened the door and let her in.
''Jason, I don't like those rumors,'' Emily said, cutting to the chase. He didn't blame her, Carly had said some pretty harsh stuff, and he wished he hadn't put Carly to the task.
''I know, me either, but you have to stop listening to them,'' he said, and he was surprised when he heard himself say it. He wanted to get the people to hate her, despise her, and he was telling Emily not to pay attention to the rumors? ''What did you hear?''
''I heard she was a whore for getting pregnant,'' she said, ''but I know she is not pregnant because how could she? She was stabbed last week and she didn't act differently, she wasn't abnormally stressed,'' she said.
''She isn't pregnant, that's for sure. She would've told me that,'' he said, and she nodded. He hated those rumors, because he didn't know what to believe anymore. Even though Carly started them, at his account, he didn't like it.
''Ok, well I just wanted to tell you about it, because I didn't know if you knew about them,'' she said and she made her way back to the door.
''Em, just be there for her,'' he said, surprising himself again, and she nodded.
''I like her, and I want her to be happy. She seems happy with you, I've seen the way she looks at you,'' Emily said, and she waved before closing the door behind her.
He stood there, wondering what had just happened. He had told his sister to be there for a lying woman, who was trying to con him out of his money. He didn't understand what he had done but he knew this was it. He was in love with Sam, even though she was lying to him.
Sam looked at James as he walked around the apartment.
''Are you feeling any better?'' he asked her suddenly, and she looked up at his face. She had been feeling a little nauseated all day, and half an hour ago she emptied her stomach because she couldn't handle it anymore.
''Yeah,'' she replied, and he nodded and sat down next to her. She knew he was going to ask her what was going on, but she didn't know herself.
''Why didn't you want him to see you? Why didn't you just go to him and talk to him? I don't understand, Sam. If you love him, why do you act like this?''
''You know why, Jamie,'' she whispered, and he nodded. He did know why, because he knew Sam better than anyone.
''I know,'' he said, ''and I don't believe you. You can do two things – go to him and tell him everything and hope for the best, or stay here, don't tell him and be like this all the time,'' he said, getting angry.
''Or I could just leave town and never look back,'' she said, and he nodded. He knew she wouldn't do that, she knew she wouldn't do that. She couldn't do that to Danny, but she could think about it, and she would.
Two weeks had gone by and James was still in town. He didn't want to leave Sam the way she was. She had been sick a lot lately, but she brushed it off as a bug. He didn't want to push her, so he didn't, but he had to know what was going on with her. He wasn't a doctor, but he could talk to someone who knew more about this. He also knew Jason's sister was practicing medicine so he made an appointment with her. He was going to see her later today.
He walked to the kitchen and made some coffee, knowing Sam wasn't home anymore he only made some for himself. Danny didn't drink coffee.
''Hey Jamie,'' he heard Danny say, and he turned around and smiled at him.
''Hey Danny, how are you?'' he asked, and Danny shrugged.
''Just a little worried about Sam,'' he said, and James nodded. He was worried about her too, and had asked her to go to the doctor to find out what was wrong with her, but she didn't listen to him. She told him it was the flu or something and she told him to let it rest.
''Me too, buddy,'' he said, and Danny nodded. ''What do you say to breakfast at Kelly's?'' he asked Danny, who nodded happily.
''I'll go get Tam. I know you have an appointment later, and she can walk home with me later,'' he said, and James smiled. Danny knew Sam didn't want him to walk home alone, and it was the perfect excuse to be close to Tamara.
Once Danny had asked Tam to go with them they went on their way.
Sam smiled as she served the customer his breakfast and walked back to the counter and took a couple of deep breaths. She didn't know what it was, but she felt sick again. She had been feeling sick a lot lately, and she didn't know what it was. The bell above the door chimed and she looked up to see Emily walking in. she smiled at the woman; Emily had been there for her when all those rumors went around, and after a while they just stopped talking. She was glad she had someone as Emily to help her, and they had gotten pretty close.
''Wow, Jill, you look like you are…'' Emily said, and her voice faded when Sam paled and ran away. Sam ran to the bathroom, and let herself fall on her knees. She was just in time because once her knees hit the ground she emptied her stomach. She moaned when she was done, and stayed on the ground for a while. Emily had walked in when she was throwing up, and was rubbing her back to comfort her.
''I'm sorry, I don't know what kind of bug this is,'' Sam whispered, and Emily nodded.
''I know sweetie. Why don't you go see a doctor?'' she asked, and Sam shrugged. She didn't want to go to the doctor, she hated hospitals.
''I don't want to,'' she said, and suddenly she laughed because that sounded childish. Emily watched her and smiled, ''ok, let me put it this way. It's just a bug and I don't have to go to the hospital for a bug. I don't like hospitals – spent to many time there,'' she said, and Emily nodded.
''I'll go with you, ok?'' she said, and Sam shook her head.
''No way I'm going to the hospital, I'll just go home and be sick there,'' she said, and Emily nodded.
''That's a start. And if you don't get better at the end of the week you will go to the doctors?'' she said, and Sam reluctantly nodded.
''I will go to the doctor when I'm not better by the end of the week. Now – I'll just tell Mike he has to find someone to take my shifts for the rest of the week, ok?'' Sam said, and she got up, rinsed her mouth and went back to the diner. She searched for Mike but she found James, Danny and Tamara. She smiled at them, and James looked at her in concern, as did Danny and Tam.
''Are you ok?'' Danny asked, and the other two nodded.
''Yeah, I'm ok. I'm working this shift and I'll stay home to get better the rest of the week, ok?'' she said, and they all nodded, relieved she finally listened to someone to take it easy for a while. Then she suddenly turned around and finally found Mike standing at the counter.
''Mike, can I talk to you for a bit?'' she asked, and he nodded and they went in the back.
Jason walked into Kelly's and saw James, with another guy and a woman. He frowned, this was getting too complicated, and he walked to the counter to wait for Mike.
''No, Danny don't do that,'' he heard someone say, and he turned around to see who Danny was. Then he saw the guy with James. The woman was laughing and James was too, when Danny had done something he didn't see. Now he was curious who this Danny was, because he had heard Sam talk about him.
''Hey, Jason,'' he heard her say, and he turned around again to see a very pale Sam. He widened his eyes when he saw her; he hadn't seen her this week because he had been busy with work.
''Jill, you look awful,'' he said, and she rolled her eyes. ''Who is this Danny guy with James and Tamara?'' he asked, and she widened her eyes and looked passed him and to the trio.
''He's… Tamara's boyfriend,'' she said, and he frowned. Was he really her boyfriend and had he been too suspicious of him? Or was he someone connected to Sam and…
''Ok,'' he simply said, ''hey, you want to come over tonight, have dinner or something?'' he asked, and she turned to look at him again.
''I have James at home, Jason,'' she said, and he nodded, ''but if you want I can come over tomorrow. He is leaving tomorrow morning,'' she added, and he nodded again, with a smile this time.
''Sure, it's a date,'' he said, and she smiled at him and went back to work. Jason watched her for a moment and turned back to Mike to order his coffee, and waited for Mike to give it to him and left Kelly's.
He was worried about Sam, he didn't know what was going on, but he knew he had to find out. Maybe she was sick – he knew she was sick, but maybe it was something serious. He started to panic, and that's when he knew. There was really no turning back; he loved her.
James sat opposite of the woman named Emily and waited for her to settle in. he looked at her; she was beautiful, but he didn't want to think about that. He had to think about Sam, and he had to be careful with what he said.
''So, I know you know Jill,'' he said, and she nodded with a smile, ''I'm worried about her,'' he said, and she lifted her brows.
''Me too, but I don't butt in her personal stuff,'' she said, and he knew she had an idea of what was going on.
''You are a doctor – or leaning to be one,'' he said, and she nodded, ''I wanted to ask you if you had any suggestions as to what could be wrong with her,'' he asked her, and she nodded again.
''Well, I do think there is something wrong, but I don't know what. She is sick, maybe it's just a bug, maybe it's something more,'' she said, and he nodded thoughtfully.
''Can she be pregnant? I know she would deny it every way she could, but is it possible?'' he asked her, and she looked at him in surprise. The expression on her face told him she had thought about it, and he knew it was a possibility before she even said it.
''It's possible. Listen, James. I told her to go to see a doctor when she was still sick by the end of the week, so don't worry about it – it's all under control,'' Emily said, and she got up.
''Thank you, Emily. And I will worry about it, Jill is a really good friend of mine,'' he said, and she nodded and walked away. He sat there for a while looking around. The diner was small but cute, and he could get used to a place like this.
After several moments he went back to Sam's apartment, because he had to talk to her. He wanted to know some more about her relationship with Emily, because the woman didn't seem to have a clue about what was going on.
James thought about Jason; he knew something. Jason knew more than he told people, he was smart. Maybe he found something on Sam, or maybe he knew what Sam was doing, but James couldn't tell. He sighed, making his way to the apartment and thinking about the problems Sam had caused just by coming to this town.
The next week Sam made an appointment at the doctors with no one knowing. She didn't want people to know she was sick, and she knew the doctors couldn't tell what was wrong with her. On her way to the hospital, she called in and told them she wouldn't come, because she knew what was going on. She didn't, but that didn't matter.
She didn't go. She went to the drugstore and bought some tests. Home pregnancy tests. She knew it was a long shot, but if she were really pregnant, like James had said before, she would find out like this. She didn't want anyone to know, and if she were pregnant she would go to the hospital to get checked out.
She was now sitting in her bathroom; she had her own in the apartment, and the boys shared the other. She was looking at the tests, still in the package and decided not to do it just yet. She had to drink first anyway, because she didn't need to go to the bathroom.
She got out of the bathroom and bumped into James, who was looking at her intently, but didn't say anything.
''What where you doing in there? I thought…'' he started, and then he sighed. He knew she didn't go to the hospital, but he didn't want to push her.
''I wasn't throwing up, if that's what you think. And I didn't go to the hospital because I think I know what is wrong with me,'' she said, she knew she couldn't hide anything from James, and he was going home soon anyway. She figured she could tell him.
''Tell me, babe,'' he said, and she nodded and took him to her room. She didn't want Danny to know what she thought was going on, and she had to tell James that too.
''Ok, first of, I don't want anyone to know, ok?'' he nodded, ''I think I might be pregnant,'' she blurted out, and he nodded. He didn't seem surprised.
''I thought so a week ago. I saw you and I put two and two together. I think I remember from when my ex was pregnant,'' he said, and she nodded. She didn't want to talk about it too much, but she knew he wanted to know more.
''I was on my way to by some orange juice,'' she said, and he looked at her like she was crazy. She didn't even like orange juice.
''For what? You don't even like…''
''So I can pee, you idiot!'' she said, and he widened his eyes. She saw he got the point, and smiled at him. ''You want to come with?''
''Sure, just give me a moment to get my jacket and stuff,'' he said, and she laughed.
''Don't forget your purse, sweetie,'' she joked, and he threw his hands in the air. She smiled when he came back and they made their way to the store.
Jason smiled at Emily. He had agreed to meet her for coffee and now she was rambling on about Nikolas. Nikolas had agreed to go for tests, and they had found out he had a tumor. They had done some tests to determine what kind of tumor it was and if they could get it out, and they were still waiting on the results.
''…So, he made his way over to the elevator, and then he had another one of those blackouts, but somehow he didn't get angry – not too angry,'' Emily concluded her story.
''So, he was just a little angry? What did he do?'' Jason asked, wondering if he had hurt someone, sometime.
''Well, he just slammed in the elevator doors and it was over. He never really hurt someone, though. Not in one of his blackouts. Maybe he doesn't know what he is doing, but he really never hurt someone before,'' she said, and Jason nodded. It was weird how she could tell what he was thinking.
''Well, I'm glad. Did you hear anything from Jill?'' he asked. He hadn't heard anything from her the past few days, and he was getting worried about her.
''Yeah, she said she was ok last time I spoke to her,'' Emily said, and she smiled at him.
''Thanks. Sorry, I have to take this,'' he said, and he got his phone, and he picked it up.
''Jason, I need you to come to my office,'' Sonny said, cutting right to the chase.
''I'll be there in a minute,'' Jason replied, and he disconnected the line and looked at Emily, ''Sorry, I need to go help Sonny with something,'' he said to her, and she nodded understanding.
''See you later, Jase,'' she said, and he got up and walked to his car. He knew he had to go to Sonny for Sam, Sonny wanted to know what was going on. He always did that, and he had called him the past few days to come over. Jason always told him he had something to do, and Sonny always told him to come over right away.
He started his car and drove to Sonny's office, with Sam on his mind.
After Sam and James got back home, she started drinking, and he smiled at her while she was drinking. She was having an expression on his face he knew all too well. She didn't like orange juice, and she wanted to drink the whole can.
''Why don't you just drink some of it and then…'' he stopped talking when he saw her shake her head, and he smiled again.
''I need to drink all of this, because I want to be sure of it,'' she said, and he shook his head. He loved Sam, like a little sister he did, but he didn't like to see her like this. She was pale, still, and when she was pregnant she would be devastated. She would for sure not tell Jason right away, because she wanted to make sure it was Sam who was telling him, not Jillian.
''Ok, baby. Let's just calm down then, stop drinking,'' he said, and she set down her glass on the table and looked at him.
''I know what you are thinking. I think you are right,'' she said, and he frowned.
''About what?'' he asked her, and she shrugged.
''I wont tell Jason right away if I am pregnant. I want him to know what I did before I tell him, and I don't think he wants to have anything to do with me if I told him, so there is a really big chance I will be raising a baby alone. But that is, if I am pregnant,'' she rambled, and he nodded.
''I know. But you wont be alone. If you are pregnant I will move here with Daisy and I will help you,'' he replied, and she frowned.
''Who is Daisy?'' she asked, and he smiled. ''Oh, it's your new girlfriend?''
''It's my girlfriend,'' he said, and she frowned again. ''She knows where I am and I call her every night, Sam. She wants to meet you,'' he added, and she nodded.
''I would like to meet her too. But not right away. After all this is resolved,'' she replied, and then she walked away. He knew she was going to the bathroom, and he also knew he wouldn't know if she was pregnant for another couple of days.
She was not the kind of woman to tell him everything, although he knew almost everything about her. Mostly he did a background check, but she told him enough about her life to know her. The pregnancy, she would keep it from him if he didn't bump into her in the hallway earlier. The results he wouldn't know, because she wouldn't want him to know before she knew herself, and he knew when to stop pushing.
Sam left James standing there and she knew he knew. He wouldn't push her to tell what the tests had told her, but she also knew he would know what the results were after a couple of days. James was smart, and he knew almost everything about her.
After she had peed on the sticks, she went to her bedroom and laid them in a row on her nightstand. Then she sat down on the bed. She had four of them, just to be sure, and she waited for the time it took.
James had been there for her from the moment he saw her, and she loved him for that. She had told him about Danny right away, because he was her reason to live at that moment. He still was, but not the same as before.
When she would get out of her room he would see her face, and he would know. That's how smart he was, and he could read her like a book. That is why she would con him into thinking she wasn't pregnant. She didn't want him to stay here, no matter how much she loved it when he was here. She didn't want to burden him with her life.
Sam smiled when she thought of James settling down. Now he had a girlfriend and she didn't expect that, and she didn't understand why he hadn't told her before. He had been here for a couple of weeks and she didn't know he was married.
Suddenly, there were several beeps, and she got up to see what the verdict was.
When Sam came to Port Charles her only reason was to con Sonny Corinthos. Never did she think she would fall in love with his enforcer, but it happened. Sitting down on the bed she looked at the tests, and sighed. They were all positive; she was pregnant. She felt something hot on her face, and realized she was crying.
How was she going to tell Jason?
She got up and threw the tests in a bag, and then she got the phone. She had to call the hospital to make an appointment with an OB/GYN. She called and waited for someone to pick up.
''This is General Hospital, Port Charles,'' she heard, and she took a deep breath.
''I want to make an appointment with an OB/GYN,'' she said, her voice cracking. She cursed herself for being emotional.
''Ok, let me check her schedule,'' the nurse said, and there was a waiting tone. She waited, while the nurse called the OB/GYN.
''I'm sorry, but Dr. Lee is really busy this week; the next opening is Tuesday, is that ok with you?'' the nurse asked after five minutes, and Sam sighed.
''Yeah, its ok. Tell me what time and I'll be there,'' she said, and the nurse gave her the time and date to write down and after thanking her Sam disconnected the line.
She grabbed the bag where the tests were in and walked out of her bedroom to the living room, and saw James wasn't there. She looked around and saw the apartment was clean, and she smiled. While she was gone he must've cleaned up. She saw a piece of paper in the table and she walked over to it.
I'm out to get some dinner. James.
She smiled as she read it, because she knew she would be getting dinner from Kelly's. That's the only place James knew around here, and she didn't mind. She was in the mood for a burger from Kelly's.
James was on his way to Kelly's to pick up some dinner when he ran in to Emily.
''Hey, Emily,'' he said, and she looked up and seemed to have some trouble recognizing him. ''It's James,'' he added, and she widened her eyes and smiled at him.
''I know! I remember you, I was thinking about something – did Sam go to the hospital to get checked out yet?'' she asked him, and he shook his head. He didn't want to tell her about the tests Sam had been talking about. If Sam wanted Emily to know she would tell her, and he wasn't the one to tell anyone. ''O, that's too bad. I hope she will do the right thing,'' Emily said, and then she shuffled her feet, ''I have to go, I have a shift at the hospital right now and I need to get there,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Ok, see you around,'' he said, and he walked in the diner while Emily walked away. He smiled – he wasn't one to cheat, but Emily certainly was someone who would make him.
James walked to the counter and ordered dinner for him and Sam. When he turned around he saw Jason standing there, and he smiled. He didn't really like Jason, but he didn't know him either, and he knew he had to give him a chance. Then Jason saw him and walked over to him.
''How's Jill?'' he asked James, who widened his eyes. Jill hadn't heard much from him the past week, and he didn't like Jason asking him how she was doing.
''Why don't you ask her?'' James replied, and Jason sighed.
''Look, I know you are her friend and I know you don't like me, but I just want to know how she is – I can't go ask her because I'm busy and she is not answering her phone right now,'' he said, and James sighed.
''Well, she is sick, still, and I don't know what is going on with her but she says she knows. So I let it go, because she doesn't like being pressured,'' he said, and Jason nodded.
''Sir, your dinner is ready,'' Mike said, and he handed James the bag. James thanked him, nodded at Jason and walked away.
Jason watched James walk out of the diner, and smiled when he saw Tamara coming in. Just the person he needed.
''Tamara,'' he said, calling out to her, and she turned around and smiled at him. she walked towards him and he could see on her face she knew something was the matter, and when she stopped in front of him she raised one eyebrow, waiting for Jason to tell her whatever he had to say.
''Jason, do you need anything?'' she asked, when he didn't say anything, and he nodded.
''I want to know what Danny is to you. I don't know if you noticed, but you don't really act like you are living together,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I know. That's because we just moved in together,'' she replied, and he frowned. She was lying, and he didn't know why.
''Danny is new to town; I need to know what you are hiding, because he isn't your boyfriend, Tamara, and you don't lie that good,'' he said, and she paled. He didn't mean to scare her, but if she was going to open up he didn't mind.
''Danny is… he is new to town, yes, but really, you… it's none of your business,'' she said, and he sighed. She wasn't going to open up. He thanked her and walked back home, not knowing what to do.
Sam heard James walk in; Danny was staying at Tamara's for the time being, and James was the only one who had a key to her apartment at the moment. She walked out of her bedroom and walked to the kitchen, where James was unloading the bag from Kelly's.
''Dinner is ready,'' he said, when she walked in the kitchen, and she almost jumped. He didn't even see her come in and he knew she was there. He always did that, and then he would turn around and smile at her, like now.
''Thanks,'' she said, and he placed the plate he had made up for her in front of her as she sat down at the table. He made a plate for himself and sat down opposite of her, and he began to eat.
''Well, I ran in to Jason when I was at Kelly's,'' he said, and she looked up and saw the look on his face, telling her he didn't like Jason at all.
''Ok,'' she simply replied, and he looked at her with his eyes wide. He didn't ask her about the tests, yet. She knew it would come after dinner. They ate in silence, and she cleaned the plates and set them back in the cupboards. Then she noticed James looking at her, and she looked at him and waited for him to ask.
''What did the tests say?'' he asked, and she shook her head. She knew him too well. She took a deep breath, suddenly feeling tears in her eyes.
''You know, I don't know what I wanted; but now I know for sure I'm not pregnant, and I don't know what to feel,'' she said, as the tears formed in her eyes. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
''I know it's hard now, but it will be better in time, baby. You will know this is for the best,'' he whispered in her ear, and she nodded. She felt a little guilty, but she had to do this. He had someone waiting for him at home, and she didn't want to keep him here because she was pregnant. She sniffed and stepped out of his embrace, and smiled at him.
''I know, you're right. You know, James, you know I love you, right?'' she said, and he nodded with a frown. ''Well, I think you can go home now, to Daisy,'' she said, and he nodded again.
''I know, I told her I would be home soon,'' he replied, and she nodded. She didn't know what to think; she didn't know what to feel right now. She wanted him to go home, but she also walked him to stay and help her.
''Then go home, sweetie. I can handle Jason, I will tell him everything when I see him, ok?'' she said, and he nodded again. She yawned, she felt emotionally exhausted, and she wanted to go to bed, but she knew James wanted to talk.
''Go, sleep, we will talk tomorrow,'' he suddenly said, and she frowned at him. He smiled, and she knew he wanted to talk, but he was looking at her with concern. He knew she was tired and wanted her to take care of herself. She nodded, then walked to her room and changed in to a shirt and sweats. Then she climbed in bed and was surprised at how fast she fell asleep.
The next morning Sam was standing in the kitchen, making some tea when James walked in. He had woken up when he heard Sam walking around. He watched her for a moment, looking at her appearance. She was wearing a tank top and jeans, very simple but she looked great. When he saw she was making a cup of tea he smiled.
''Tea? You don't usually drink tea in the morning. Are you still sick?'' he asked, and he saw her nod, but she didn't turn around. He shrugged, and turned around, ''I'm going to get dressed,'' he said, and she nodded again, but still didn't turn around. When he walked away she turned around and just stared ahead.
She had heard James talking on the phone last night, telling his girlfriend he would be home in a week, and she was relieved. If James knew she was pregnant, he wouldn't say that, and she didn't want him to stay around. He would – without knowing it – pressure her into telling Jason about the baby, and all the other stuff going on.
She still didn't know what to do, and when she called Jason this morning he didn't pick up. She had been up early, feeling sick to her stomach. She had decided to eat a cracker and drink some tea before work, and then she got a call from Mike telling her she didn't have to come to work today.
Suddenly her phone rang, and she went to the living room where she had laid it down before, and picked it up. It was Jason.
''Hey, Jason,'' she said when she picked up. She didn't know what to say, so she waited for him to say something.
''Hey. You called me earlier, but I couldn't answer. How are you doing?'' he asked, her, and she sighed and looked up, praying for the strength to just tell Jason everything.
''I'm doing ok. I wanted to talk to you, Jason,'' she said, and she could hear him say something to someone with him. She waited for him to say something, and it took him some time.
''I have to get out of town for a couple of days – and I do mean days this time,'' he said, and she chuckled a little, ''so yeah, if you don't mind waiting a couple of days, we can talk,'' he said, knowing what she meant by talking.
''It can wait. When do you leave?'' she asked, and he sighed.
''Now, and I wanted to tell you last night, but when I called your phone it went straight to voicemail,'' he said, and she sighed, ''I know, I was just thinking – when I get home, we can talk and maybe we can go out or something,'' he said, and she smiled.
''Sure, I would like that. Call me, ok – when you get home? I really need to talk to you,'' she said, softly, and she could hear him think. She knew he wanted to know what about, but he didn't ask.
''Listen, I need to go now, but I will call you when I get back, ok?'' he said, and she nodded.
''Ok, be careful, Jason,'' she said softly, and he chuckled.
''I will, you too, and hope you get better,'' he said, and then he disconnected the line. She put her phone down and smiled, glad she had some time before telling Jason what she had done, and she could figure out how she was going to tell him.
She walked back to the kitchen when she heard James come out of his room and heard his shoes click on the floor.
''Sam, Daisy called and I have to get home,'' he said, and she turned around to looked at him. He looked concerned, and she frowned.
''Did something happen?'' she asked him, and he shrugged.
''I don't know, she wanted me to come home because she had to tell me something. She didn't want to say it on the phone, so I have to get back,'' he said, and she nodded.
''Go, I'll be fine,'' she said, because she knew that's why he stood there looking at her like that. He nodded, then turned back to go to his room. She knew he had packed already, and she wasn't surprised when he came back right away with his bag. He walked over to her and pulled her to him.
''I'm going to call you, and maybe even come back here with Daisy, because I know you will have a hard time now,'' he said, ''I'm sorry I have to leave you right now, but I know you, and you can handle everything thrown in your way,'' he added, and she nodded while he hugged her tightly.
''Go, James. I love you and you take care,'' she said softly, and he nodded.
''I love you too,'' he said, and then he walked away. She sighed, knowing she would miss him being with her, but she also knew that this time around, they would keep contact.
Danny paced around the room, looking at Tamara and frowning.
''Danny, I didn't tell him anything,'' she said, for the third time, and he stopped pacing.
''I know you didn't, but I know he is going to find out, and I know he is going to be pissed at Sam. I don't want that for her,'' Danny said, and he turned around and walked to the door.
''What are you doing?'' Tam asked with wide eyes, and he turned around, looked at her and walked away. He went next door and opened it, when he saw Sam sitting on the couch he walked over to her. Sam looked at him in surprised, but smiled at him when he sat down next to her and hugged her.
''Sam, I need to tell you something,'' he said, and she nodded, ''Jason is asking around to find out who I am, and I know he is going to find out soon. Tam and I have been talking and maybe it's time you tell him I'm your brother,'' he said and she nodded.
''I know, and I will when he gets back. I will also tell him what I did and we'll see how he reacts,'' she said, and he nodded with a frown.
''I know you love him, Sam. You have to understand I want you to be happy, but he needs to know now, because the longer you wait the harder it's going to get,'' he said, and she nodded again.
''I know, Danny. I will tell him, but he is out of town for a couple of days, and I don't want to tell him over the phone,'' she told him. He looked around and noticed the quiet.
''Where is James?'' he asked, suddenly thinking about James.
''He left. His girlfriend called and needed him home,'' she replied, and he frowned.
''Ok. I thought maybe he would stay longer. But he knows everything and he left so he must think you will be ok,'' he said, and she nodded. He looked at her and saw tears in her eyes, and he knew something was wrong. He didn't want to push her to tell him, so he just sat there, waiting for her to tell him. She didn't, though.
Jason cursed. This was getting even more complicated than he thought, and he knew he was getting everything thrown in his face. He wasn't out of town, he was still in Port Charles, but he was at one of his safe houses to think about how he was going to confront Sam about what he knew.
He knew who Danny was. Stan had called him and told him about Danny McCall. He was Sam's brother. Jason had known from the start she was hiding something more than the conning, and now he found out. He thought about what her reason could be – she could do all of this to support her brother, but on the other hand she could do it just for fun.
He was angry, with her, and himself, because he had played along and screwed up all the plans he had made. He wanted her to pay for what she did, what she was planning and he had screwed up by falling in love.
''Damn it,'' he muttered to himself, and he laid down on the bed. All these plans he made to confront her didn't work, because she had called him this morning. She wanted to talk, and she sounded serious and nervous, and he had the feeling she wanted to tell him about the cons. He wanted to push her away, which was the reason he hadn't called her the whole week. He felt a little guilty for doing that without telling her why, even if he had lied.
When he heard she was still sick, he wanted to go to her and help her, make sure she was getting better, but he couldn't. He still wanted her to pay, of maybe just explain to him why she did what she did, but he couldn't be the one to do it.
He knew he had too, and he was planning too, but he didn't feel right about hurting her anymore. Come to think of it – he never did. She intrigued him from the start, and he wanted to make sure she was safe, from the start. Now he was going to be the one to tell her off because of what she did, and he was still not sure on how to do that.
Suddenly it came to him. He wouldn't give her a chance to explain, he would just get it out in the open and tell her to leave. It would hurt him, he would be devastated but he deserved it.
Standing in the kitchen making tea Sam thought about her appointment with Dr. Lee today. The week had gone by really fast, and she was nervous for the appointment. She knew it was nothing to worry about – it was just an appointment – but still she was nervous. After the appointment she had to find a way to tell Jason; about the con and about her being pregnant.
Jason still wasn't home, and she wondered what took him so long. She wanted everything out in the open, and she wanted him to know she was pregnant with his baby. She wanted to figure out what to do; if it was with or without him. She didn't think he would forgive her right away, but hoped and prayed he would eventually forgive her for what she had done.
When the water was cooking she poured it in a cup and made her tea, then she sat down at the kitchen table and blew in the steaming tea. Danny had returned home to stay last night – he liked Tamara, but he didn't want to love with her yet. He had stayed there when James had been here, because they didn't have enough room for the three of them.
She still missed James, but she knew he would come back sooner or later. He had been calling her to ask how she was doing, and tell her what went on with him. His girlfriend, Daisy, was sick, and they still didn't know what it was. She was just as stubborn as Sam – she didn't want to go to the hospital to get checked out.
She looked at her watch and decided it was time to get ready for her appointment. It was early, and she was glad for that. She didn't want to have to explain to Danny what she was going to do, and she had made up an excuse when he would wake up early so he wouldn't know. She didn't want him to know, because she wanted Jason to know the first.
After her shower and dressing, she stepped out of the bathroom and stood face to face with Danny. He was looking at her with hi sleepy eyes, and she smiled at him.
''What are you going to do this early? I thought you had the day off?'' he asked, and then rubbed his eyes. She nodded, and walked to the living room while telling him.
''I was on my way for a walk to clear my head. Why don't you go back to bed?'' she asked him, and he looked at her like she was crazy.
''You want me to come? I mean, I don't really like it when you are all alone here, you don't really know anyone,'' he said, and she shook her head.
''No, Danny, I want to be alone for a while. Don't worry about me, I'll be ok,'' she said, and she grabbed her purse. She put on her jacket and turned back to Danny.
''Ok, I will go and talk to Tamara later, so I won't be home when you get home,'' he said, and she nodded, ''call me if you need anything,'' he said, and he went back to his bedroom. She smiled, she knew she wouldn't call him, but it was sweet of him to say something like that.
She didn't walk to the hospital, she couldn't because it was on the other side of town, but she parked her car near the docks and from there she walked. She was relieved when she made it to the parking lot of the hospital, when she heard someone call her name. She turned around, not really thinking about what the person had called her, until she heard the gasp.
''God, you really are stupid,'' Carly said when she made it to Sam, and Sam just sighed. She had made a mistake, and she couldn't make it right now.
''What do you want, Carly?'' she asked softly, the nerves were really getting to her right now. Carly only made it worse, and she could feel the nausea creep up again.
''I wanted to know if you were Sam McCall, and I guess I know now. You look horrible,'' she said, and she looked at Sam. Sam didn't doubt she was pale, because she felt like fainting at the moment. Carly had found out about her, what would she do – would Carly tell Jason?
''Carly, please,'' she started, but Carly raised her hand.
''I will not tell Jason – that is, if you tell him first. I will wait until tomorrow to tell him,'' Carly said with a grin, and Sam nodded. ''Don't you have anything to say?''
''I was going to tell him when he got back,'' Sam whispered, and Carly suddenly frowned. She grabbed Sam's hand and led her to a bench in front of the hospital, and she sat down next to Sam.
''What is the matter with you?'' she asked concerned, and Sam almost smiled at that. Just seconds ago Carly had called her stupid, and now she was concerned about her.
''Nothing, Carly – how would you feel when someone found out something you didn't want anyone to find out in the first place?'' she asked, and she wanted to get up to go in, but Carly didn't let her.
''Sam, something is wrong with you, is that why you came here?'' she said, pointing to the hospital behind her. Sam shrugged; she didn't want to tell Carly anything. Carly was a friend of Jason's, and she knew Carly had something to do with the rumors that had been spread.
''Just – just go home or something, I can take care of myself, thank you,'' Sam said, and Carly shrugged. Sam thought she gave up, but she thought wrong.
''I'm bringing you in. Where do you need to go?'' Carly said, while standing up and reaching out for Sam's hand.
''Carly, please, just let me go in myself, I don't want to have you around when I find out what is wrong with me – I know the whole town will know when you get out of here,'' she said, and she walked away. She knew Carly wouldn't follow her, and she felt a little guilty for talking to her like that, but she knew it would be the only way to make her back off. She didn't want Carly to know what she was going to do, who the appointment was with, and what was going on with her.
Carly could have been a great friend when she wasn't the friend of Jason, and if she didn't spread those rumors, but she just didn't trust her with something big like this. She knew she would tell Jason, because he was her friend. In the elevator she took a couple of deep breaths, and when the elevator stopped on the floor she needed to be on, she walked to the nurses' station and told a nurse she was here for her appointment. She walked to the waiting room and sat down, smiling at a little girl that ran by, and when the girl was out of sight, her nerves returned.
''Miss. McCall, you can come in,'' she heard the nurse say, and she got up and followed her to an office. She sat down and waited for the doctor to come in.
Carly had never felt this guilty for acting like this to someone. She never felt she had no right to do what she did. She didn't think before she acted, and this was her punishment. After Sam had left to walk inside the hospital, she waited and went up with the elevator, to see Sam sitting in the waiting room. Then a nurse came to get her and she knew what was going on. Sam was pregnant. She knew that office too well; she had been there quite a few times herself.
She cursed herself for feeling sorry for Sam. She knew Jason too well, and she knew he would never forgive her for conning him – or trying to. Jason wasn't someone who forgave easily, and Sam didn't know that. She turned around and made her way to the elevator, deciding to call Jason when she was outside.
Once outside, she did call Jason.
''Morgan,'' he answered the phone with. ''Carly,'' he said after that, and she almost smiled.
''Jason, I messed up,'' she said, and she could hear him sigh, ''I know about Sam McCall, and I called out for her when she was on her way to the hospital – her real name, and she didn't realize it and turned around,'' she said.
''Carly – why the hell did you do that?'' he asked exasperated, and she sighed.
''I didn't think before I said anything, like always – but Jason, I feel guilty. She almost passed out,'' she told him, and he sighed again, ''I don't know what is wrong with her, but she didn't want me around – she also knows about me spreading the rumors,'' she added, and he sighed again.
''Damn it, Carly. Did she say anything about me? I mean, did she ask if I knew?''
''No, but I told her to tell you before I told you,'' she said, softly, and he cursed.
''Ok, I will call her in a minute to tell her I'm home. Now, you shut up and let me handle this. You didn't have the right to go through this, Carly,'' he said, and he disconnected the line, leaving Carly to feel even guiltier.
Carly walked back inside to wait for Sam, because she wanted to know what had happened and she wanted to tell her about Jason. She wanted her to know that Jason didn't forgive, and she had to think about her baby. Sam had the right to know what would happen if she told Jason. She didn't want Sam to change her mind, she just wanted her to be honest with him about the baby – to Jason family was sacred. He would take care of Sam and the baby, even if he didn't forgive her for what she had done.
For the first time in a long time, Carly vowed to herself not to tell Jason if Sam didn't tell him. She wanted to be there for both of them.
As Sam sat waiting for the doctor, she looked around and saw ultrasound pictures and pictures of babies. She smiled, but it faded when the door opened and a woman walked in.
''Hi, I'm Dr. Kelly Lee, and I will be your OB/GYN,'' she introduces herself, and Sam nodded.
''I'm Sam,'' she said, not even bothering with her alias.
''I didn't find Jillian fit,'' the doctor said, and when Sam looked at her in surprise, she smiled, but didn't say anything. She walked around the desk and sat down, facing Sam. She looked at Sam, waiting for Sam to talk and tell her, and Sam began talking.
''I just, I've been sick for a couple of weeks now, and I took those home pregnancy tests, and they all said I was pregnant,'' she said, and Dr. Lee nodded.
''I want to do a blood tests to determine how long you are pregnant, as well as if you are really pregnant – because even if you took more than one, they are not always accurate,'' Dr. Lee said, and she called in the nurse. While the nurse took some blood, Dr. Lee continued, ''when the results are back I will come on here and tell you the news, then we will talk some more,'' she said, and Sam nodded. Dr. Lee got up and walked out of the room with the nurse, who told her to wait here.
It didn't take long for the tests, but it was long enough to get nervous again. When Dr. Lee had been with her it was gone for a moment, but now, waiting for the results, they crept back up and she didn't like it one bit.
''Sam, I have the results, and it seems like you are approximately nine weeks pregnant,'' Dr. Lee said when she walked in, and Sam sighed and tried to get her tears under control, but it didn't work. They rolled over her face and she wiped them away.
''I have a question, and I know it will probably sound stupid or mean…''
''No, nothing is stupid or mean, you ask, and I will answer,'' Dr. Lee said, and she smiled at Sam.
''Well, I don't know if I want to keep the baby…'' Sam said, softly, and at the moment she said it, she knew it wasn't true. She wanted to keep this baby, but she didn't know if she could handle raising a baby if Jason didn't want to be there.
''You want to know how long you have before you have to decide?'' Dr. Lee asked, and Sam nodded, ''well, you have a couple of weeks,'' she added, and Sam nodded again, wiping away more tears that had fallen, ''do you have any more questions?''
''No thank you, Dr. Lee,'' she said, and Dr. Lee nodded, walked around her desk and wrote something down.
''Here is a prescription for prenatal vitamin, and go to the front desk for your next appointment,'' she said, and she handed Sam the piece of paper. Sam took it, and walked out of the room after saying thanks.
After Carly had called him, Jason had decided to go back to the penthouse and set it up for tonight. When he had started to put all the candles up, he changed his mind and decided he didn't want to make it romantic only to ruin it again. He discarded all the candles and just sat there, thinking back on his week in the safe house.
He had been a coward, and he knew it too well. Stan had come and told him that over and over again, and he knew he would ruin all his chances on a happy life with Sam. He also knew that she was a con, and she would run away when things got good. After the millionth time talking with Stan and then the phone call from Carly today, he knew what he had to do.
Maybe with time he could fix everything he was about to ruin tonight, but he wasn't counting on it. If he did this tonight, he would lose Sam forever, and he had only himself to blame. Getting up from the couch he decided to set the plan in motion – he dialed Sam's number and waited for her to pick up the phone.
''Jason,'' he heard her voice and he smiled. He had missed hearing her voice, and it had only been a week.
''Hey baby, I'm home and I was wondering if I could see you tonight,'' he said, and he was disgusted by himself. The game wasn't a game anymore, it was just sick.
''Yeah – listen, Jason, I have something to tell you so I was thinking the same thing,'' she said, and he nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him.
''Tonight it is. I will be home all day so you want me to pick you up later?'' he asked, and he heard her sigh.
''No, it's ok, I can handle coming to your place, Jason,'' she said with a smile in her voice, and he smiled.
''Ok, see you tonight,'' he said, and he heard her chuckle. Then she stopped and suddenly he was worried, ''what is it?''
''Nothing. I will see you tonight, Jason. I love you,'' she said, and then she disconnected the line.
Jason stared at the phone in his hand and heard her last words over and over again. She loved him, and he was going to ruin everything. He couldn't stop now, he wouldn't stop now. Realizing she just gave him the perfect opening for tonight he smiled sadly. She just helped him figure out how to bring everything out in the open.
Sam cursed herself for telling him she loved him. She didn't want to tell him over the phone, but it had slipped out without her realizing until it was too late. She opened the door to her apartment and smiled when she saw Danny sitting on the couch.
''Hey, Sammy. What are you going to do tonight?'' he asked, and she sighed. She knew he asked because if she was away, he could have Tamara over.
''I'm going to see Jason,'' she said, and he smiled. He got up and walked over to her, and then he grabbed her and hugged her.
''I knew you would. Now, are you going to tell him?'' he said, and after that he let her go.
''Yes, I am going to tell him. Can you take a step back?'' she asked him, and he looked at her in confusion. He had put on his best cologne, and she was asking him to take a step back? Yes, she was.
''What is wrong with you, Sam?'' he asked, and she shrugged.
''I don't know what your wearing, but I don't like it very much,'' she said, and he frowned. She realized her mistake – she realized he was wearing his best cologne and she just told him she didn't like it. She had told him a thousand times before how she liked it, and normally she did like it. But right now she didn't.
''Ok, well thank you for pointing it out. I will go now,'' he said, and she sighed when he left. She had hurt him by telling him she didn't like his cologne, and now he was mad at her. Just what she needed today, after all the things that happened and being pregnant was just not helping. She realized she was crying, and she cursed herself again, and wiped away the tears.
She was a strong woman, and here she was, crying over everything. It was nothing like her, and she knew it had something to do with the pregnancy, but it also was the stress over telling Jason all the things she had done. When Carly had told her she knew, she couldn't help but think Jason knew too.
She topped thinking about it and focused on taking a shower and getting ready for tonight. When she left the hospital she had walked to her car, and then went to pick up her vitamins and drove around town a little. Looking at the time when Jason called she saw it was later than she had thought, and she had to get ready to meet him at his place tonight. She was nervous, about telling him all the things she had done, but she also was happy to see him again.
Sam stepped in the elevator in the Harbor View Towers and pressed the button for the top floor, where Jason's penthouse was.
After her shower all the nerves had come back and she had began to feel nauseous again. It wasn't as bad to make her want to throw up, and she was glad for that, because she couldn't handle that right now.
When she had heard about morning sickness she laughed – she was sick all though the day, nothing 'morning sickness' about that. She almost jumped when the elevator stopped and the doors opened, and she stepped out and walked to Jason's door.
She knocked on it, taking deep breaths. It was now or never.
Jason opened the door and saw Sam. He smiled at her, and he could see she was nervous. He knew she was ready to tell him about what she had done, but he wasn't going to give her a chance. She wanted to hug him, but he stepped aside and he saw her face fall. She didn't say anything when she walked inside his penthouse, and he turned around after he had closed the door. He could see she was hurt by his rejection.
''Why did you say you loved me?'' he asked, and she looked at him in surprise.
''I said that because it's true. I didn't want to tell you over the phone but it kind of slipped out before I realized,'' she replied softly, and now he knew something was off. It wasn't only her nerves, she looked like she was going to faint.
''You don't play with someone you love,'' he said in a low voice, and she started to sway. She held on to his desk, and he wanted to walk over to her and help her, but he couldn't. Not if he wanted to get her out of his life.
''What are you saying?'' she whispered, and he laughed hollowly.
''I'm saying I know who you are, Sam, and I know what you did,'' he said, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
''Jason, I can explain,'' she said, and she walked over to him only to get rejected again. She felt sick to her stomach and felt like she could pass out any moment, but she wasn't going to give up. She didn't want to lose him; he was the love of her life.
''Sure you can – but I don't want to hear it. I want you to listen to me,'' he said, and she nodded. She made her way over to the couch and sat down, ''did I say you could sit down?'' he asked, and he blocked all emotion. He knew it was the only way.
''I'm sorry,'' she said, and she got up again, slowly, ''I'm sorry,'' she said again, and he nodded with a frown. He didn't want to hear she was sorry, he lifted his hand to make her stop talking. He needed to get this over with.
''When I first met you I thought you were someone I could like – then you slept with me and we started seeing each other,'' he said, and she nodded while tears rolled down her cheeks, ''I did a back ground check, and guess what I found out?''
''You knew?'' she asked, shocked that he had known all along.
''Listen to me, and don't you dare say a word before I finish,'' he said, and she nodded again, flinching at his tone, ''I found out you were conning man by marrying them, and run away with their money when you got all the information you needed. Then I decided I would make you pay,'' he said, and she gasped. He had been playing her all along.
''What…'' she started, but her voice faded when he raised his hand again. She held on to the couch and braced herself.
''I figured you were going after Sonny, but the plan was ruined when you slept with me, and I decided to play along. You didn't have a clue, and I thought I had you when I left to Brazil,'' he said, and she nodded. She had told him before he left; she had told him she was falling in love.
''You told me you were falling for me too,'' she said to him, and he nodded with a smile.
''I lied,'' he lied, but she didn't notice. She was wiping away her tears and swaying back and forth dangerously, ''sit down,'' he snapped, and she did.
''I'm sorry,'' she said again, and he raised his hands again. He wanted her to be quiet, he didn't want to hear her voice, because he knew he would cave.
''Don't talk. I'm the one who is talking now,'' he said, ''when I returned from Brazil, and you were on the floor, I kind of felt sorry for you,'' he said, and she looked up to him with blood shot eyes.
''I didn't stab myself,'' she said, and he heard the anger in her voice.
''I didn't say that. I know you didn't stab yourself and I know there is someone after you. I still have some people on it and I will find out who did it, but it's not for you,'' he said, and she looked down again, ''it's for me. I want to know who helped me make that jump to get closer to you,'' he added, and she gasped.
''You are really sick,'' she whispered, and he laughed.
''Says the woman who tried to con me,'' he said angrily, ''I was planning on telling you I knew about the con when I came back from Brazil, but when you sat there I slipped up,'' he said, and she nodded. She remembered him slipping up, ''you didn't hear and I was glad, because I was not ready yet,'' he said.
''I heard you, but I didn't think you would know about my name, and I thought maybe it was because…''
''Shut up!'' he yelled at her, and she stood from the couch, her face angry.
''You are crazy if you think I will listen to you talk to me like that. From the moment I left here – after I got back to work, I stopped playing a game. I wanted to tell you all along, and you stand here, talking to me like that – while all the while you knew and you were playing me!''
''Yes, and I still want you to pay!'' he yelled, ''you brought this on yourself!''
''I know!'' she yelled back, ''I know what I did, and I know the consequences, I have to live with them!''
''I found out about Danny – at first I thought he was your boyfriend, but I found out he is your brother,'' he suddenly said, and she nodded, ''you had a job, and still you were conning me. What, you wanted to live royally?''
''I wanted to take care of him!'' she said, and he smiled without emotion.
''You were taking care of him just fine-''
''I couldn't pay for him to go to school, I couldn't pay for him to have the attention he needed, and this was the only way I knew how to do that!''
''The only way – sure. You know I feel sorry for him. To have a sister like you,'' he said, and she tried to suppress a sob.
''I was good enough for you to sleep with, right?'' she said, and he nodded. She closed her eyes, the pain in her heart intensified, ''you know I stopped playing you from the moment I had lived with you for a week. I wanted to take care of Danny, but when I realized I was in love with you, I stopped the game and started working more. James let me see what I had to do, and I knew you wouldn't be able to forgive me,'' she said.
''No, I'm not going to forgive you, because you played with my life. You didn't have to con men to take care of Danny, you just said it yourself – you could've just worked for your money. You decided not too,'' he said softly, drained from energy when he saw her face. She was angry, hurt and sick.
''I'm so sorry, Jason,'' she said softly, and he just looked at her. He didn't want to feel sorry for her; he didn't want to hear her say she was sorry.
''Why don't you just leave?'' he asked her, and she shook her head.
''I came to town to con Sonny Corinthos, but instead I found love with you. I thought you loved me, and I thought if I told you… I knew it would take some time but I thought you were able to forgive me,'' she said, and he just stared ahead of him, ''I saw Carly today, and she told me she knew about my con, and I couldn't help but wonder if you knew too. I was right – you knew, and I didn't suspect a thing, you were right.''
''Just, go,'' he whispered, but she didn't. She walked towards him and stopped right in front of him, and he didn't know where to look. He could smell her perfume. He blinked, surprised by the tears in his eyes, and he looked up to the sky, asking for strength. Asking for the power to let her walk away.
''I know this is the end now,'' she said, and she wiped away her tears, and walked to the door, ''I hope – with all my heart – you can find it in yourself to forgive me, and I hope I can find a way to forgive you,'' she said, and she walked out.
Jason just sat there, and he felt a tear slip down his face. He wiped it away and sighed. The evening went as planned, and he knew he was going to feel like this before she walked in. What he didn't know was his reaction to the feeling. He was hurt, and he felt like his heart was ripped out of his chest. The funny part was that he did this to himself. He had ripped his heart out when he started fighting Sam.
Sam opened the door to her apartment wondering how she made it home. She had cried the way home, and she knew she had messed up when she left. She knew Jason wouldn't forgive her, but she knew she could forgive him for what he had done. He was the father of her child, she had to forgive him.
She had wanted to tell him about her being pregnant, but when he began talking she knew he wouldn't give her a chance to talk, and when he revealed he had played her, she was too angry to think, and she just left. She didn't plan on keeping it from him, but she sure wasn't going to tell him now. She was going to wait some time before telling him. She jumped and turned around quickly when she heard footsteps behind her, only to see Danny standing there. When he saw her face he looked at her in concern, and then he walked over to her and pulled her in his arms.
''O Sammy, it's going to be ok,'' he said, and she sobbed uncontrollably when he said that.
''No, Danny, it's not going to be ok. He knew all along and he played me,'' she whispered, and he nodded.
''We are going to make it ok, sis. You always said we could handle everything thrown in our way – we can, and we are going to handle this,'' he said, and she nodded against his chest.
''I love him, Danny. I just didn't know what it meant to love someone before I met Jason. I don't want to lose him,'' she said, fresh tears streaming down her face. Danny soothed her, rubbing a hand across her back and then he helped her get to her bedroom.
He didn't want to leave her, so he laid down next to her and listened to her, crying herself to sleep.
Sam woke up, her head pounding and her heart aching. She remembered what happened last night and she fought back the tears. She got up and walked to the living room after putting on her sweats and sat down on the couch. Not much later she got up and walked to the kitchen to make some tea, and when she was finished making it she walked back to the living room. She felt empty, and she knew the feeling too well. She didn't like it at all, and just as she was about to break out in tears there was a knock on the door. Thinking – hoping – it was Jason she jumped up and walked to the door, and once she had opened it she suddenly felt lightheaded. She brought a hand to her forehead and looked at Carly, who was standing there looking concerned. She held on to the door and stepped aside to let her in, and Carly grabbed her arm and helped her to the couch.
''I'm sorry,'' Carly said, and Sam looked at her with a frown. What was Carly sorry for?
''You're sorry for what?'' she asked, and Carly shrugged, ''Carly, what is this? You know what happened with Jason and you are here. Why?''
''Because I should have told you,'' she said softly, and Sam looked at her in confusion, ''I knew he knew all along, and I knew what he was going to do when you came over,'' she added, and Sam got up from the couch and walked back to the kitchen, her hand pressed against her forehead as the tears started to burn in her eyes again.
''God, Carly. Why are you here – do you want to rub it in?'' she asked, when she noticed Carly had followed her. Carly was speechless. She didn't know what to say and Sam stared at her.
''Sam, why didn't you tell him you were pregnant?'' she asked instead of answering her question. Sam sighed and rolled her eyes, and Carly waited for an answer.
''When did you think I had a chance to do that? Before Jason started yelling at me, or after when he told me to leave?'' she asked, and Carly widened her eyes.
''If you had told him when you walked in the door, he would have listened to you!'' she said, and Sam shook her head.
''No, Carly. When I walked in the penthouse he asked me why I told him I loved him. I didn't get a chance to talk, and after he told me he knew all along, I was angry. I didn't want to stay there,'' she said, and Carly sighed.
''What are you going to do now? Are you going to leave, and never tell Jason about his baby?'' Carly asked, and Sam shook her head.
''No, I'm not going to leave town. I will tell him eventually,'' she whispered. Carly sighed in relief, and Sam frowned at her.
''I'm sorry for what happened – if you ever need anything I will be here for you,'' Carly said, after a while, and she walked to the door and left the apartment. Sam stared at the door for a moment and smiled. Carly just offered her friendship to a con woman, and Sam realized she needed a friend.
Jason opened the door to Sonny's office and walked in, seeing Sonny sit behind his desk. When Sonny heard him he looked up and smiled at him.
''How did it go last night?'' he asked Jason, and Jason shrugged.
''It went as planned, but I don't feel right about it,'' Jason replied, and Sonny looked at him with a frown.
''What do you mean?'' he asked him, and Jason shrugged again. He sat down on the chair in front of the desk and sighed.
''I told her I knew all along and I was playing her, and she almost fainted. I knew she was coming to me to tell me all of it, and I just didn't let her talk,'' he said, ''when she walked in she looked pale, but I didn't pay attention to it. But when I sat there when she left, I couldn't stop thinking about how I acted – it only hurt us both,'' Jason sighed again.
''You love her, don't you?'' Sonny asked, surprised when he heard Jason talk.
''Yeah – or at least I thought so. How can you treat someone you love like I did last night?'' he asked, and Sonny shrugged.
''You were hurt she played you,'' he replied. Jason shook his head.
''No, that's not true. In the beginning I was hurt, and now I realize I liked her already. When I began telling her last night, she wanted to explain but I didn't let her, because I knew that once she started talking I would cave and tell her I loved her,'' he said.
''But you didn't? You didn't give her a chance to say anything and she left?''
''She was angry with me, because I played her. Now I realize I'm worse than her. She told me after she was stabbed, she stopped playing a game and started opening up,'' he said, adding the part where she opened up. He realized she had been open to him – except for the part where she played him.
''Did you find out the reason?'' Sonny asked, and Jason nodded.
''She wanted to take care of her brother. He is mentally challenged, and he needed to get an education. She couldn't pay for it so she started conning men,'' Jason explained.
''Did she tell you that?'' Sonny asked, and Jason nodded, ''I think you're an idiot for letting her walk – even if I wanted her to leave, wanted her to be dealt with in the beginning. But the funny part is; I can see you love her, and you didn't want to hurt her, but now you did and you pushed her away,'' Sonny said.
''I know, Sonny. I know, and I don't know how to fix this,'' Jason said, ''I think I just need to give her some time and maybe we can talk in a couple of weeks or something,'' he added, and he liked the idea. He could give her some time to think about it and he could figure out what to do. He was going to talk to her no matter what, but he understood if she didn't want to talk to him. He got up and looked at Sonny, ''thanks,'' he said, and when Sonny nodded and looked back at his papers Jason walked away with his heart a little lighter. He knew what he had to do now.
Sam walked in the diner with her head held high. She had taken a shower and got dressed and decided to go in the diner and ask Mike for more shifts. As she walked in she saw Carly and her boys sitting at a booth. She smiled, and when Carly looked up and saw her, she smiled at her but didn't come to talk to her. Sam walked over to Mike.
''Hey, Jill,'' Mike said, and she sighed. Thinking of telling him her real name she knew he would probably fire her ass.
''Mike, can I talk to you for a second – in private?'' she asked, and Mike nodded and looked at her in concern. He took her by her arm and led her to the back.
''Talk to me, sweetheart. I can see something is wrong,'' Mike said, and Sam smiled trough her tears.
''I lied,'' she said softly, and Mike nodded, ''I lied about my name and the reason I was here. My – my name is Sam McCall and I came to town to con Sonny – and when I messed up I tried Jason,'' she said quickly, wanting it to get over with. The tears she had tried to suppress rolled over her cheeks, and she was surprised by Mike's reaction.
''I know – Carly told me, and I think it's very brave of you to come and tell me,'' he said, and he wrapped his arms around her. As surprised as she was, Sam leaned in and couldn't stop the tears anymore, ''it's ok, Sam, and you can stay here as long as you want. You do good work here, and I want you to stay,'' he said after a while.
''Thank you – sorry for this,'' she whispered, and he shook his head with a smile. She wiped away the tears and smiled at him, ''Mike, I was wondering if I could get more hours…''
''Sure, sweetheart. Don't worry about it,'' he replied, and he kissed her on her cheek. She walked to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked awful, and after throwing some water in her face she walked back in the diner and looked around. She saw people looking at her, and all she could see was disgust.
She made her way to the door and was almost there when someone grabbed her hand. She looked at the person.
''I heard you tried to con Jason Morgan – you better watch your back from now on,'' he said with a grin, and she paled. She tried to pull her hand out of his grasp but he didn't let go, ''why don't you come home with me, babe?'' she wanted to say something but someone else did before she could.
''Get your hands off of her, you sick bastard,'' she heard Carly say, and the man let go of her. After the man let go of her, she thanked Carly and walked away, now feeling only guiltier for what she had tried to do with Jason. She really hoped he could forgive her.
She made her way home to Danny, and when she opened the door to her apartment, she saw James and she assumed Daisy standing there.
''Hey, babe, we're back,'' James said with a smile.
''Hey, babe, we're back,'' James said, and before he finished talking Sam was in his arms, her head buried in the crook of his neck. Tears fell and she held on to him like she never wanted to let go. James soothed her with his voice and hands, rubbing her back and telling her it was all going to be ok.
''I'm sorry,'' she said after several minutes, and she let go of James. She didn't realize she had been dangling above the floor until he let her go, setting her back on the ground.
''Hey, it's ok, don't worry about it,'' James said, and Sam nodded with a smile. She wiped away her tears and turned around to face the woman in the room. Daisy was looking at her in concern, and she tried to smile, but it was a weak attempt.
''You must be Daisy?'' Sam asked, and when the woman nodded she smiled, ''nice to finally meet you,'' she added. She didn't want to say she hears much about her, because she would be lying. She swore off lying last night.
''Same here, Sam. I've heard a lot about you,'' she said, and she reached out her hand. Sam took it and shook it, and then looked at James. He shrugged and smiled, and then looked back at Daisy.
''All good, I hope,'' she said with a smile, and Daisy nodded. Sam gestured for James and Daisy to sit down, ''do you want something to drink?'' she asked, and when they both shook their heads she sat down in the chair opposite of the couch.
''Ok, don't blame your brother for calling me, but he was worried about you after your confrontation with Jason and we decided we would stop by,'' James suddenly said, and Sam nodded.
''I knew he would call you – after I woke up this morning and he was gone, I knew he was at Tam's to call you so I wouldn't know,'' she said, and he nodded with a smile.
''I rented an apartment on the other side of town, so we don't have to stay here,'' he said, and Sam nodded. She didn't really think about that, but she was glad he rented something, because he still didn't know she was pregnant and she didn't know if she wanted him to know. He would be pissed at Jason – even if Jason didn't know.
''James, you told me about that little diner,'' Daisy said, and James nodded, ''what do you say we go there for a coffee?'' she asked, and she looked at James and Sam.
''Sure, what do you think, Sam?'' James asked, and Sam nodded. She just left there, but she wanted to get out of the apartment. ''Let's go then,'' James said with a smile, and they all got up and walked out of the apartment.
Jason stepped inside Kelly's. He was meeting Carly and the boys, and he knew he was going to get a speech on how he handled Sam last night. When he saw the boys sitting at a table and Carly at the counter, he smiled. He walked over to the boys and suddenly Carly turned around – her mother instincts kicking in and she looked angry, until she saw it was Jason. She smiled, and told Mike something before walking over to Jason and hugged him.
''You know I'm not really happy with you at the moment, but I'm glad to see you,'' she said in his ear, and he nodded. He knew she wasn't happy – he figured she had seen Sam today already.
''You seen Sam, I'm sure?'' he asked, hoping she would tell him how Sam was doing.
''Yeah, I've seen her this morning when I went over to her place and when she was here to tell Mike,'' she said, but she didn't tell him how Sam was doing. She wasn't going to tell him everything regarding Sam.
''Ok,'' he simply said, and he sat down next to the boys, ''hey, guys. How are you doing?''
''We're going to the park later, uncle Jason!'' Morgan told Jason, and Michael smiled and nodded, ''you want to come?''
''I'll think about it, Morgan,'' he said with a smile, and Morgan nodded. Then Mike called them and they went on their way to see why he called them over.
''So, you wanted to know how Sam was doing right?'' Carly asked, and when he nodded she shrugged, ''I'm not going to tell you,'' she said just as the door opened, ''but you can ask her yourself,'' she finished, and when he turned around he saw Sam walking in with James and another woman. She didn't see him, and she looked happy. He was glad she was happy – maybe she wasn't as affected by last night as he was.
''She looks happy,'' he said softly, and Carly laughed.
''You see her – she doesn't look happy. Don't you see she is broken?'' Carly said, and he looked at her before looking back – staring her right in the eye. And sure, he saw what Carly saw – she looked broken. Her eyes were swollen and her body language told him she was broken. She looked away and smiled at James when he said something, and they sat down.
''God – Carly, I know I've been wrong, and I know I have to make it right, but what do I have to do to make that happen?'' he asked Carly, and she shrugged.
''You are the one that messed up, Jason. I don't know Sam all that well, so I can't tell you what you have to do. But by the looks of it you are not getting anywhere near her anytime soon.'' When she said that he turned around again and looked at James, who was shooting daggers his way, and he nodded.
''I know, but I'm going to make it right,'' he said and Carly nodded.
Sam sat down and looked over at James. He had asked her something but she couldn't remember what – when he was talking to her she was looking at Jason and remembering what had happened last night. Suddenly it came to her.
''Sorry – I want some tea, thanks,'' she told James, and he nodded and walked to the counter to order their drinks. Daisy looked at Sam and smiled.
''Last time I drank tea was when I was pregnant,'' Daisy said, and Sam looked at her in surprise, ''I heard you were sick,'' she added.
''Yeah – I've been a little under the weather,'' Sam replied, and Daisy nodded.
''You can't fool me, sweetheart,'' Daisy said with a knowing smile, and Sam took a deep breath, ''I won't tell James if you don't want me too, but I know you're pregnant,'' she said, and Sam nodded. Another person who knew; she didn't know if she liked the idea of people seeing she was pregnant, but Daisy had heard everything she had told James, so she wasn't surprised.
''I don't want James to know yet – I know he would kick Jason's ass if he knew,'' Sam said softly, and Daisy nodded. Sam looked at the woman opposite of her, and she knew she was truthful. She wouldn't tell James if Sam didn't want too, and she wouldn't do anything to make it worse. She smiled at her gratefully, and Daisy grabbed her hand.
''I know what it is to be pregnant and you don't know how the father will feel, but I do know that once Jason knows he would be there for you,'' she said, and she squeezed her hand before letting it go. James walked back to the table and gave them the drinks, and then sat down.
''Woman bonding – I love that the two of you don't bite each other's throat out,'' he said with a smile, and it lightened the mood.
''You've picked one I like this time, James,'' Sam said teasingly, and Daisy laughed.
They had talked for an hour before someone walked up to the table, and Sam recognized him as the man from before – the one who had grabbed her hand. She didn't know who he was, but it was someone who knew her.
''Sam, what do you say we talk all this out,'' he said, and she frowned
''Listen, I don't know you and you have to leave me alone,'' she said, and he smiled at her.
''You remember that alley?'' he asked, before he walked away, leaving Sam sitting there. She remembered the alley, the one where she was stabbed, and she had the strange feeling he had something to do with that before, but now she knew he had.
''What was that all about?'' James asked, and Sam looked at him, ''what was he talking about – some alley?''
''I was stabbed remember? I think he had something to do with it – maybe he was the one who stabbed me, I don't know,'' she whispered, and James suddenly jumped up and wanted to follow the man, but Sam grabbed his hand, ''let it go, I will talk to Jason – he is trying to find a lead ever since I showed up on his doorstep, so I will talk to him,'' Sam said, not really wanting to talk to Jason, but it was necessary. She looked around but didn't see Jason. She knew she had to go to him with this information, but she didn't want to see him right now.
''I'll go talk to him right now, I want this over with,'' Sam said, and she got up. Daisy looked at her in concern, and Sam knew why, but James looked like he was going to jump out of his skin with anger. She walked away, going to Jason's penthouse. She figured she didn't have to talk to him other then tell him about what she found out, and she lifted her head and stepped in her car. She started it and drove over to the Harbor View Towers.
Jason smiled at Michael, who seemed to have caught on to his mood, and was asking him a lot of questions.
''What is wrong, Jason?'' he asked again, and Jason looked at him and shrugged.
''Nothing, buddy – it's grown up stuff,'' he said, and then he looked back at Morgan. He was running around while Carly chased him. Jason had decided to go to the park with Michael, Morgan and Carly, because he needed to get his mind off of Sam. It didn't work, because all he could think about was Sam, and the way she had looked at him at Kelly's. He got up from the bench when he saw a petite brunette walk his way, and he knew right away it was Sam.
''Michael, I have to go talk to her, stay here ok?'' he said, and Michael nodded and looked at Sam. Jason walked towards her and stopped in front of her, and she looked up to him with a weak smile on her face.
''Jason, I need to talk to you,'' she said softly, and he could hear the hoarseness in her voice. He nodded, and took her arm, but she pulled it out of his grasp and looked at him, ''It's about the guy who stabbed me,'' she said, and he widened his eyes.
''What about him? I still don't have the information,'' he said, and she raised her hand to stop him from talking.
''I think I saw him. He was at Kelly's and before when he grabbed my hand I didn't know who he was, but when I was there with James he said something about the alley – nobody knew that,'' she said, and he nodded. She didn't look at him, and she didn't show emotion on her face or in her voice. He could understand why she did that.
''I don't – did he say something else? What did he say?'' Jason asked, and she shrugged.
''He said something about the alley and then he left,'' she said, and then he suddenly thought of something she just said. At first it had slipped his mind but then when it hit him he widened his eyes.
''He grabbed you before?'' he asked, anger clear in his voice, and she nodded and stepped back.
''I went to your penthouse to tell you and the guard said you didn't come home yet. I just wanted to tell you because you were looking for him,'' she said, and then she looked up, ''to thank him,'' she said, and for the first time she showed emotion. her voice was shaking, and Jason cursed himself for what he said last night.
''I didn't mean that,'' he said, and she shrugged, ''Sam, I didn't mean what I said about the guy last night, you have to believe me on that, if you don't believe me on anything else,'' he said and she nodded.
''I'll believe you on that part. I'm going to go home, I don't feel so well,'' she said softly, and she walked away. He watched her walk away and when she was out of sight, he turned around and saw Carly look at him. He shook his head, he didn't know what Carly knew but he was going to find out. By the look on her face it was something important, because she was concerned.
''How is she?'' she asked when he walked back to them, and he shrugged, ''Jason, what did she say?''
''She wanted to tell me about the guy who grabbed her in Kelly's. You know she was stabbed – the guy said something about that and she wanted to tell me so I can find him,'' he said, and she widened her eyes.
''Jason, she didn't look so well when she left, was she ok?'' she asked again, and he shrugged.
''Carly, she doesn't tell me how she feels. She doesn't want to have anything to do with me, and I don't blame her. Hell, I don't even want to have anything to do with myself. But she did say she didn't feel well,'' he said, and she nodded. She didn't say anything about it anymore, but Jason wasn't in the mood for staying in the park anymore, ''I'm going to go and put Stan on this, and I will have to call Sam again to ask her what he looked like,'' he said, thinking about it.
''I can tell you, because I saw the guy too,'' she said, and he frowned at her, ''I didn't think it was important, but now I know it is so let me just get the boys home and I will come over to tell you what he looked like,'' she said, and he nodded. He waved at the boys and walked to his car, disappointed because he didn't have an excuse to call Sam anymore.
James looked over at Daisy and knew she was keeping something from him. he didn't know what, but he knew it was about Sam. After the second time of asking he just tried to suggest.
''Maybe she has some kind of disease,'' he said, and Daisy looked up with wide eyes, and then shook her head.
''She doesn't have a disease,'' she replied, and James nodded. He wasn't going to give up, and she knew it. She sighed, and looked at him again, ''ok, do you swear – if I tell you – you wont do anything she doesn't want?''
''What do you mean?'' he asked, and she shrugged.
''Just, want you to swear not to do anything she doesn't want,'' she said again, and he nodded just to get her to tell him, ''she's pregnant,'' Daisy said, knowing Sam would be angry at her for telling him, but she just couldn't keep it from him. She never could, and she didn't want too. She looked at him and saw he wasn't really surprised, and she sighed. ''You knew already?''
''I had a feeling. She did take the tests and that day after dinner she told me she wasn't pregnant. But she was crying too much for someone who is happy – and I actually kind of thought she was lying then but I didn't say anything,'' he explained, and Daisy nodded. He sat down next to her on the couch and pulled her in his arms, his head on her head.
''James, Jason didn't know – he still doesn't know yet,'' she said, and he nodded. He had figured that when he thought back on the fight. He didn't know Jason that well, but he knew he would never fight with a pregnant woman.
''I figured as much. Babe, I'm going to go to Sam to talk to her, do you mind staying here alone for some time?'' he asked her as he sat up and looked at her.
''James! No, don't go talk to her and tell her I told you – I mean, she told me before and asked me not to tell you,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I know she did – that's Sam for you. I'll just tell her I figured it out on my own,'' he said, and she nodded but frowned, ''what?''
''I don't think she will believe you. You were never one to figure things out on your own,'' she said, half joking, and he smiled at her.
''You're forgetting the part where I knew about the tests. I'll just tell her after seeing her today I just put two and two together,'' he said, and she nodded. He got up and walked towards the door, but once there, he turned around and looked at her, ''I won't be long.'' With that, he left, and he walked to his car. He knew he had to think of something to say to Sam about her pregnancy, and he knew he had to be subtle. He stepped in his car and drove off.
Sam looked at Danny when he walked out the door again. He didn't say much, because he thought she was angry or mad, but she wasn't. She was glad he had called James, because she really needed him right now. She loved how James had just showed up, and she liked Daisy. After the day she just had – going to Kelly's to tell Mike about what she did and a run in with Carly, the guy who grabbed her and seeing Jason again – she was tired, and she wanted to take a nap. When she got up from the couch and walked towards her bedroom, there was a knock on the door and she sighed while walking to open it. She smiled when she saw James standing there.
''Come in,'' she said as she stepped aside, and he walked past her and waited until she closed the door.
''You're pregnant,'' he said, and she widened her eyes in surprise. She didn't think he would notice, and then she thought of Daisy. She could understand if she had told James, because she knew James – he could be very persistent when he wanted to know something.
''Did Daisy tell you – I'm not mad if she did, ok?'' she asked, and he nodded.
''She did tell me, but I kind of figured as much when you didn't drink your coffee, and you forgot about the tests?'' she shook her head and closed her eyes when they started to sting.
''Please, James, don't-'' she started, but he interrupted her.
''I won't do anything to hurt Jason. I just want to know one thing – are you going to tell him?'' he asked, and she nodded.
''I am going to – but not now. I don't know why – but I have a feeling he…'' she stopped talking when she thought of it. What if she told him – would he want to have the baby, would he want full custody because of what she did? Her breathing became shallow and she tried to keep the tears from falling, but she didn't have any success.
''Hey, he's never going to get a chance to take the baby from you – he has to go through me first,'' James said, as he took big steps towards her and took her in his arms, ''how far along are you?''
''James, I know he has the right to know, and I will tell him – I'm nine weeks,'' she replied, and a sob escaped her lips. She laid her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It calmed her down, because it was steady and she knew he wasn't angry. He could hide the anger on his face, but he couldn't in his heart, ''thank you – for not going after Jason,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I can't promise, though, if he does anything else to hurt you I will go after him. I will hurt him like he has been hurting you,'' he said, and she nodded when she heard he was serious. She couldn't blame him for wanting that.
''James, where is Daisy? Did you leave her waiting for you at home?'' she asked, suddenly thinking about his girlfriend. James nodded, and looked at her when she stepped back, ''go home, I will be fine here.''
''Ok, just – Sam, don't tell Daisy I told you she told me,'' he said, and Sam laughed.
''I won't, James. Just like you promised not to tell me she told you – but I'll keep the promise,'' she said jokingly. He nodded with a smile and waved before opening the door and leaving the apartment. Sam stood there, a smile still on her face. She was really glad James had decided to come back to Port Charles. Now he knew about her pregnancy she would have someone to confide in about it, and maybe she wouldn't feel so alone anymore.
''Did you hear what she did? She tried to con Jason for his money – he threw her out of his house after confronting her about it…''
''…She is just another whore after his money…''
A week had gone by and all Sam heard were strangers talking about what she had done. After she had gone to Jason and told him about the guy, he didn't contact her again, and she felt sad about that. She didn't know what she wanted him to do, but she missed his voice. She missed his smile – and she'd seen it this week but it wasn't for her.
She had seen him around town, mostly at Kelly's, since she was working a lot lately, and he would smile to Mike, Carly, and her sons – everyone, except her. When he saw her, he would turn around and he didn't say anything to her.
James had decided to stay in town until all the talk had faded and he knew she was ok, and she was glad about that. She loved him like a brother and she began to see Daisy as a sister really fast. She had been talking a lot with Daisy, and she was glad she had someone to confide in. Daisy was there for her to talk about her pregnancy when she wanted, and even though it didn't happen much, she felt like she could handle it all now.
Carly had been around – she randomly stopped by at Kelly's and Sam began to see her as a friend. She didn't know if she could confide in her, because Carly was Jason's best friend. Carly still hadn't told him about her pregnancy, but Sam didn't doubt she would slip up one day. After all she was a gossip queen – Sam still thought Carly had spread the rumors about her.
As she was sitting on the couch watching Danny talk with James and Daisy, she knew she had to tell Jason soon. She had to tell him she was pregnant, she didn't want to keep this from him any longer.
''…right Sam?'' she suddenly heard, and she shook her head to clear it and looked up. She saw Danny looking at her expectantly, and she smiled at him.
''I'm sorry, Danny, I didn't hear what you said,'' she softly said, and he laughed.
''I know – I was teasing you, because we were silent for a while now,'' he said, and she looked at James, and then at Daisy who was looking at her in concern.
''Sam, I want to show you something,'' she said, and Sam nodded and got up, following Daisy to the kitchen leaving James and Danny to talk together. When they were in the kitchen, Daisy looked at Sam, ''what is the matter? You were far away, and I know you were thinking about Jason,'' she said, and Sam nodded.
''I was thinking about telling him I'm pregnant, but I don't know how to tell him,'' she replied softly, and Daisy nodded.
''It's already hard to tell someone you're pregnant – but in your situation it's even harder,'' she said, and Sam nodded sadly, ''Well, I would just go to him and tell him. It's his child too, Sam, and he has a right to know,'' Daisy said, and Sam nodded again.
''I know, and that's why I was thinking about it just now. I want him to know, I want to tell him but I am afraid what he is going to say,'' she said, and Daisy shrugged.
''Well, even if he says he doesn't want anything to do with it, you're not alone,'' she said as a matter of fact.
''I know, and I'm grateful for that but…'' she started, but her voice faded when Daisy raised her hand and shot her a stern look.
''You listen to me, Sam. When I was pregnant before, I didn't tell the father until she was born, and I still feel guilty for it. Now, my baby was stillborn, and I can only imagine the pain I've caused for the father,'' she said.
''I'm sorry,'' Sam said, feeling guilty for being so difficult. She decided she'd learn from Daisy and just tell Jason, ''I'll just tell him and it's up to him what he is going to do. But I swear – if he wants to take away my baby I'll fight – until my last dying breath,'' she said strongly, and Daisy smiled and nodded.
''I know you will, Sam. And I will support you, and so will James – and if you tell Danny he will be there for you too,'' she said, and when Sam looked up in surprise she said, ''I know you didn't tell him yet. He would be talking about it non stop.''
''I know. I was just thinking I'd wait a little while longer. I'm not showing yet so…'' she said, but her voice faded when Daisy started laughing.
''You say you're not showing yet – but you are,'' Daisy said, looking at her waist. Sam looked down and frowned.
''I'm showing?'' she asked, and felt a little stupid asking it, but Daisy nodded.
''Your waist starts expanding before your belly does, sweetheart,'' Daisy said, and Sam sighed. Now she had to tell Jason sooner than she thought, but she realized she had decided to tell him rather sooner than later. ''Sam, I recommend you tell Jason – today, preferably.''
''I know I have to tell him soon, I don't know if I want to tell him today,'' she replied, trying to hold it off just a little longer, ''I can tell him after my appointment,'' she added, and she looked up at Daisy.
''When is that? That's in three weeks, Sam,'' she said looking at the calendar. Sam looked down, not wanting Daisy to see she was afraid to tell Jason. She didn't want to tell him because she was afraid of his reaction, but she wanted to tell him because she wanted him involved. She didn't know what she wanted anymore, and it frustrated her.
''Damn it,'' she muttered, and soon she felt arms wrapped around her and she leaned against Daisy as she took deep breaths, ''I'll call him to ask him when I can meet him. I don't know if he wants to see me, but I better call before I go to see him – when I went there last week he wasn't home and I had to go look for him,'' she said, and she walked over to the living room to get the phone, then she walked to her bedroom. She wanted to do this alone, and Daisy somehow understood because she didn't follow.
Once in her bedroom she had to take some time to calm down before she could dial his number and waiting for him to pick up the phone.
Jason walked into his penthouse cursing under his breath. It was the third time this week Sonny had make him angry – and all because of Brazil. Sonny wanted him to go to Brazil, and normally he would go in a heartbeat, but this time was different. There was someone he needed to chase.
He still hadn't found the guy who stabbed Sam, and it was frustrating him.
He walked upstairs and started packing his bag – because he couldn't hold off going to Brazil anymore. Sonny was getting frustrated too, and he didn't want to make a fight about going to Brazil. There was a problem – one Sonny caused himself – with an ally. Sonny sent Jason to make sure the threat was neutralized and he had to go.
As he was walking down the stairs with his bag, his phone started to ring. Thinking it was Sonny again to urge him to hurry, he took his phone out of his pocket and sighed when picking up.
''Yeah,'' he said, sighing again. Sonny had called him already on the way home, and now he was calling again.
''I'm sorry – are you busy?'' he heard Sam say, and he widened his eyes and slapped himself on his forehead.
''Sam! No, I'm not at the moment, is there something wrong?'' he asked, concerned. She wouldn't call if there was nothing wrong, so he worried.
''Well, no – I mean, yeah, I have to talk to you,'' she said, stuttering. He almost smiled when she said she needed to talk to him, but he knew there was something important.
''Talk to me,'' he said, but she sighed. He wondered what was wrong, because she sounded like there was something wrong.
''I don't want to do this over the phone – can we meet?'' she asked, and he cursed again. What kind of game was God playing with him? Then his phone rang again and he checked who it was. Sonny, and he knew he had to pick up.
''I'm sorry, can you hang on for a second, I have another call,'' he said, and he heard her say to pick it up. He pressed the wait button and answered Sonny.
''Jason, you need to get going – right now!'' Sonny said, and Jason moaned.
''God, Sonny! I told you I needed to pack my bag then I will get going. Geez, have a little patience, it's not like I can miss my plane,'' he said, and then he hung up. He felt good hanging up on Sonny, and he wanted to go back to Sam, ''Sam?''
''Yeah – so, I just wanted to know if and when we can meet, it's kind of important,'' she said.
''I'm sorry – is… can it wait? I have to go to Brazil right now and I don't know when I will get back,'' he said, feeling weird for leaving. He didn't know what was wrong, and she didn't want to tell him over the phone, but he couldn't meet her now, because Sonny would have a fit. He grabbed his bag and walked out the door, while still waiting on an answer.
''I guess it can wait until you come back,'' she said softly, and he nodded gratefully.
''Thanks, I'm really sorry – are you sure you don't want to tell over the phone?'' he asked, because he actually wanted to know.
''No – Jason, I need to see your reaction, and I don't think its something you tell someone over the phone. Can you call me when you're home?'' she asked softly, and he looked up and pressed the elevator button.
''I'll call you when I get home, Sam. I'm sorry, I'm getting in the elevator right now – Sonny is urging me to hurry,'' he said.
''It's ok,'' she said, and he could hear her voice thicken. He knew she was on the verge of tears, but he didn't say anything, ''be careful, Jason,'' she said, and then she disconnected the line. He looked at his phone as stepping in the elevator and frowned. There was something important going on, and he didn't have the feeling it was about the guy who stabbed her. He wished he could stay and talk with her, but he couldn't.
He just had to make sure he would be home soon, so he could talk to her.
After she had called Jason and after she had disconnected the line she couldn't hold back the tears. He would be gone for a couple of weeks at best, and she knew it was for the best this way, but she really had set her mind on telling him as soon as possible. She didn't go back to the living room, and when there was a knock on the door she didn't answer. Not much later, though, the door opened and James walked in. He made his way over to her bed and sat down next to her, looking at her intensely.
''Hey, what's up?'' he asked, and she smiled at the question. He would do that often, just ask what was up so she would talk, and it always did the trick.
''I called Jason,'' she whispered, and he nodded. She knew he thought it was best if Jason knew, ''he had to leave, he's going to Brazil again,'' she added. James looked up and sighed.
''You didn't tell him over the phone – I know you didn't, but do you know when he'll be back?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''No, he doesn't even know himself when he will be back. He will call me when he's home,'' she replied, and James nodded. She looked at him and saw the anger in his eyes, and knew there would be no way to stop him from going after Jason when he got back.
''The bastard left – he didn't even want to meet you?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''No, it's not like that – he got a call from his boss, saying he had to leave right now, and he couldn't meet with me,'' she said, defending Jason.
''Yeah, right – I get the feeling he doesn't really want to make up,'' he said, and he got up. He stormed out of the apartment, angry – and Sam knew he was going to see if he could catch up with Jason. She didn't do anything to stop him, she just went to the living room where Daisy and Danny were sitting – looking at the door that just slammed close when James had walked out. They had wide eyes, and when they heard Sam walk in the room they looked at her.
''What happened?'' Daisy asked, and Sam shrugged.
''I told him Jason had to leave town – he couldn't meet up with me,'' she said, not telling any more. She didn't want Danny to know yet, not before Jason. Too many people knew already.
''James went after Jason, didn't he?'' Daisy asked carefully, and Sam nodded.
''Don't worry – he wont hurt him, because Jason is already gone. There is a private jet – courtesy of the company – and he is already out in the air, I guess,'' she replied, and Daisy sighed in relief.
''That's good. He is strong, but I've seen Jason and he seems like some…'' her voice faded as she took another deep breath, and Sam started laughing. The situation was far from funny, but all the tension and nerved of the last couple of days came out.
All the people who have been talking about her, calling her a slut and a whore – it just got to her. she sat down, now crying, and Danny came to sit next to her and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't know what to say or do, but he didn't have to say anything. Sam felt better when he was just holding her like he was now, and she was glad she had a big brother like him.
''Shh, it's going to be ok, Sammy – we'll make sure of it, James and I,'' he said softly, and Daisy sat down on the other side of Sam. She had tears in her eyes as well, and when she looked up at Danny, who was holding Sam's head against his chest, she saw he was having trouble keeping them in as well.
Danny knew how much a heartbeat calmed Sam down, and he let her hear his – his steady heartbeat as he relaxed as much as possible – for his little sister.
''Thanks,'' Sam said after a while, and he could hear she had calmed down enough. Sam looked at her brother, then at Daisy and smiled weakly.
''It's ok, right?'' Daisy said, and Sam nodded. She knew it was ok, and it was going to be ok after she had told Jason she was pregnant. She didn't know when he would be back, but she knew she would have to find the strength to tell him.
''You know I'm actually glad I didn't get the…'' she started, but stopped when she thought about Danny. She looked at Daisy, who looked at her knowingly and nodded, and she knew Daisy knew what she was going to say.
''I'm going to make some tea,'' Daisy said, and Danny looked at her with a smile, ''you want tea, Sam?'' Sam nodded, ''yeah, what about you Danny?'' when Danny nodded too, Daisy walked to the kitchen. Sam looked at Danny, who was smiling at her.
''Danny, thank you – for helping me after that stupid breakdown,'' she said, and he nodded.
''It's not stupid Sam. After all those people talking about you and now Jason…'' he said, and his voice faded as he said Jason's name, ''well, let's just say I kind of understand,'' he said with a frown. Sam smiled, and leaned in for a hug.
After Jason stepped in the jet he had to wait for another half hour before it would fly off. He didn't mind, but he wanted to go as soon as possible, so he could be home as soon as possible. He was frustrated with Sonny, because he had urged Jason to hurry – and when he arrived at the jet he got to hear he had to wait just a little while longer on bosses' orders.
After the time had gone by the jet started to make speed, and that's when he saw a car pulling up and stopping. The door opened and James stepped out, and Jason laughed when he saw how angry he looked. He disappeared out of sight, and Jason knew – when he would come back – James would come and talk to him. He didn't blame the man – for wanting to protect Sam. He would even say he was right about it. But he didn't have a choice in this.
The jet set off and started making more speed and go up in the air, and Jason looked out of the window. He liked flying, he felt like nothing could touch him in the air, and he sighed deeply. He would enjoy the flight, make sure everything was ok in Brazil and return as soon as he could to talk to Sam.
James cursed and kicked the wheel of his car. He had missed him by a second, and he hated it. He wanted to kick his ass for leaving Sam like that. He knew Jason didn't know Sam was pregnant, but he was pissed at him for not even waiting to go to Brazil – not even for Sam. He knew Sam had messed up, and he knew Jason was angry, but he didn't even listen to Sam when she had said she wanted to talk.
He stepped back in the car and drove back to Sam's apartment, still cursing Jason for being an ass. He stepped out of the car in front of the building, stepped in the elevator when he was inside and stepped out. He opened the door to the apartment and was surprised to see Sam sleeping on the couch and Daisy and Danny sitting there – talking softly not to wake up Sam. He closed the door and they looked up, Daisy smiled and came to hug him.
''Did you find Jason?'' she asked, knowing he didn't – or he was too late to talk to him.
''Yeah – I found him alright. Only problem was I couldn't get to him because his plane set off,'' he said softly, and Daisy nodded. James looked at her and saw that was what she had expected, and he smiled, ''when he comes home, I will know before Sam will, and I will kick his ass,'' he added, and she widened her eyes. Danny smiled, but didn't say anything.
''James…''
''Come on, Daisy, we're going home and will talk there,'' he said, and she nodded, ''Danny, tell Sam we will be seeing her at Kelly's tomorrow,'' he said to Danny, who nodded and then they left. He looked at Daisy and smiled when he saw she was staring ahead – probably thinking about what he just said.
''James, I don't like this,'' she said after some time, and he started the car once they were settled.
''I know you don't – but Jason hurt Sam, and I am going to hurt him, even a little bit,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I know, and I won't stop you, but I'm just saying I don't like it,'' she said, and James nodded.
''It will all be ok, baby,'' he said, ''I will make sure of it,'' he added, and she nodded.
Sam woke up on the couch, and she looked around in confusion. She had fallen asleep waiting for James, and she was worried about him because he still wasn't back. Then when she looked around again she saw Daisy wasn't there either. She got up and walked to the kitchen, and saw Danny standing there, making a sandwich.
''Danny, where are James and Daisy?'' she asked, her voice groggy from sleep. Danny jumped and turned around, and when he saw her he smiled.
''James came back – he was mad as hell because Jason's plane just left – and he told me to tell you they were home, and that they would see you tomorrow at Kelly's,'' he replied, and Sam nodded.
''Well, I'm going to sleep – in bed this time, so I'll see you tomorrow,'' she said, and she saw the look of surprise on Danny's face, but she decided not to say anything. She changed into sweats and a tank top and laid down on the bed, surprised she fell asleep right away.
Sam turned to the side and looked at her stomach in the mirror. She was 13 weeks pregnant, and she was showing already. It wasn't much, but she was surprised Danny hadn't seen it yet. If she wore a tank top he would have seen it. But she only wore those when she went to bed lately. Last week she had borrowed one of Danny's sweaters, and she wore it all the time. If she didn't wear that, she would wear a tunic or something wide, so he wouldn't see.
She would have an appointment with Dr. Lee next week, and she was hoping she had the chance to tell Jason before that, so he could come with if he wanted too. He had been gone for two weeks now, and she really missed him. Even though they didn't talk much before he left, having him around was comforting.
She made her way to her bedroom and got dressed – she had the day off and she was glad for it, but when she walked to the living room there was a knock on the door. Before she could answer it opened and Carly walked in. Sam looked at her in surprise, and when she saw the look on her face she smiled.
''Carly, what brings you here?'' she asked. She had been spending some time with Carly and the boys over the last two weeks, and she was starting to get to know her a little more. Carly was really nice once you got to know her, and if she loved you, nobody would get to say something bad about you.
''Well, I just wanted to tell you that Sonny told me Jason would be home soon – and I wanted to see how you were doing. I heard you have been working a lot, and I wanted to see if you didn't overworked,'' she said, and she sat down on the couch.
''Well, as you see I didn't overworked – I feel pretty good. Thanks for telling me,'' she said, and Carly nodded. She sighed and sat back.
''Well, I was just thinking we could go and walk a little – you know, just the two of us,'' she said, and she looked back at Sam.
''Sure, why not,'' Sam said with a smile, and Carly got up from the couch, and hooked her arm through Sam's and they walked out of the apartment.
James frowned when he saw Sam with Carly. He knew they had been spending some time together, and he was grateful for Carly at the moment.
But that wasn't the problem. He had been looking for the person who had stabbed Sam, and he had found a lead. The man who stabbed Sam was a hired person, but he didn't know for whom he worked. He had someone follow Sam everywhere she went, and nothing had happened yet. He knew Jason had someone guarding on Sam too, and for that he liked the guy. He was still angry, and he had someone tell him when Jason came home so he could have a word with him before Sam could talk to him.
He heard something behind him and tensed, but when he turned around he saw it was Daisy and he relaxed again.
''Hey babe,'' he said, and she smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him. He held her close to him and breathed in her scent. But it didn't take long for the peace to be broken when one of his informants came.
''Mr. Morgan is on his way home,'' he said to James, who tensed again. James nodded to the man and he disappeared again, and then James turned to Daisy.
''I'm going to get ready for his arrival,'' he said, and she nodded, with a concerned look in her eyes. She didn't say anything, because she knew nothing would change his mind. He walked away and made his way home.
Jason sat on the jet back home and he sighed a breath of relief. Brazil was neutralized, and he was anxious to get home to talk to Sam. He had missed her, but he didn't call her to hear her voice, because he knew it would only distract him from his job.
He had spoken to Sonny to tell him he was getting home, and he knew Sonny would tell Carly. And knowing Carly, Sam would know by now, and he was glad. He still had to call her when he got home, but he was just glad she knew. He looked out the window and again wondered what she wanted to talk about. He had been thinking about it the whole time, and he couldn't figure out what it was. When she had told him she needed to see his reaction, he had been thinking what it could have been. At first he thought she wanted to tell him she was going to leave, but he discarded that thought because then it couldn't wait.
He just had to wait for her to tell him what is was she wanted to tell, because he was making himself crazy thinking about all the possibilities.
The jet had landed and he was glad. He wanted to get home and call Sam to tell her he was home. He jumped in his car – he had asked Sonny to send it to the airport – and he drove home.
When he arrived home, he was informed that there was a visitor waiting for him, and he wondered who it was. He stepped in the elevator and when it arrived at his floor, he stepped out and opened the door to his penthouse. He was glad to be home, but when he saw who was waiting for him he sighed. James was sitting on his couch, the look on his face angry.
''So, you decided to come home again?'' he asked Jason, who looked at him in surprise. He didn't understand why he was surprised, and he set down his bag and leaned against his desk.
''Yeah – and I would appreciate it if you left so I can call Sam. She wanted to tell me something, and you are keeping me from finding out,'' he said, his voice ice cold. He didn't mind James protecting Sam, but he didn't like him showing up at his place – on his couch. James got up and got in his face.
''You are a bastard – you act like Sam has hurt you so bad, but look at what you did to her? I am trying to be nice to you for her sake, but god do I wish I could kill you,'' James said, anger in his voice was evident.
''Why don't you try, huh?'' Jason asked, and he didn't even see the fist coming. He staggered back a little, and he lifted his hand to his jaw. James had hit him, and he wasn't as weak as he looked. James lifted his fist again, and this time Jason saw it coming and grabbed it. He slammed James against the wall and held him by his shirt.
''You be careful, James. I'm giving you a chance to walk away because you're Sam's friend, but touch me again and I will hurt you,'' Jason said, and he opened the door and threw James out. He didn't have the patience to put up with him right now, and he just wanted to take a shower before calling Sam.
Walking from her bedroom to the living room, Sam thought about her day with Carly. They had gone for a walk in the park, and after that, they went shopping. She had bought some maternity clothes, and Carly had helped her with it.
She liked spending time with Carly, and she was glad Carly could help her with her pregnancy. She loved talking to Daisy about it, but Daisy didn't know Jason, but Carly did, and she could tell some things about Jason.
She had learned Jason loved kids – he had raised Michael for the first year of the boy's life – and he had loved it. He was still very close to Michael, and she hoped he would like to have a child of his own. She sat down on the couch, and sighed when there was a knock on the door. She got up, and the person knocked again, but harder this time.
''I'm coming,'' she yelled, and there was another knock before she opened the door. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing there.
''Hey, Angela. Did you miss me?'' Bill Monroe said, and she wanted to close the door, but he stepped forward, making it impossible to close it, ''Now, now. Why would you do something like that?'' he asked, and she looked up at him.
''Bill,'' she whispered, scared of what he would do.
''Did my guy find you?'' he asked, and she looked at him again and knew he was behind the attack, ''I guess he did, huh?'' he pushed her aside and walked in, closing the door behind him. He turned around and grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.
''I missed you – you didn't give me a chance, did you?'' he asked, and she shook her head, fear souring through her body. She didn't want anything to happen to her, but she was afraid for her baby. Bill Monroe was supposed to be dead – she had shot him, she should know, ''I know you didn't expect me to be alive, did you? I have news for you – it's real stupid, but my phone saved my life,'' he said, and she shook her head again.
''No, I saw you – after the trial, you were dead, I'm sure,'' she said, and he laughed. She felt shivers run on her back, and she swallowed thickly.
''I know – nicely done if I say so myself,'' he said nodding. She looked up at him again and he smiled at her. Then he grabbed her head and kissed her hard. She tried to get out of his grip, and his whole body tensed just before he slapped her, ''you don't want to fight me,'' he said softly, but she could hear the anger in his voice loud and clear. Then he kissed her again.
Jason made his way to Sam's apartment. He had called her after he had taken a shower and she didn't pick up her phone. When he walked out of his penthouse to go see her, Carly came out of the elevator and told him Sam was at home.
''She promised to call me when she returned home, but she didn't yet,'' she said, concern evident in her voice.
He decided to go see for himself if she was home, and they could talk. He stepped out of the elevator on the floor he had to be on and walked over to her door. He didn't hear anything, but that didn't say much. He knocked on the door and waited, but nobody opened it. He knocked again, not wanting to just walk in, but when nobody opened, he turned the doorknob and was surprised it was open.
When he had opened the door he was shocked at what he saw.
Sam tried to fight off Bill, but he was strong, and she didn't want to get hurt. She didn't want to lose the baby, and she knew not to make Bill angry. She let him think she stopped fighting, but it only made him want more and he threw her on the couch. She gasped, and then she heard her phone ring again. It was the second time – the first time she heard it she wanted to pick up, Bill grabbed her again.
''Bill, please, stop this,'' she tried to talk to him, but he didn't listen. He started kissing her neck, and she started struggling again, but he slapped her in the face again – this time hard enough for her to see black dots. She stopped struggling and he continued what he was doing, when there was a knock on the door. She heard it loud and clear, but Bill didn't hear it and he didn't stop what he was doing.
Not much later there was another knock, and she wanted to scream for the person to come in, but when she took a deep breath, Bill kissed her and forced his tongue in her mouth and she gagged. She tried to turn her head, but he wouldn't let her and she gave up. She didn't want this to happen, but if she tried to get away it would only get worse. He would hurt her, and she didn't want anything to happen with the baby.
Jason opened the door and saw the man on top of Sam, and he saw red. He stormed over, and when he lifted the man off of Sam, the man started to struggle. Jason threw him across the room and walked after him.
''Stand up,'' he growled, and the man looked up and smiled. He got up and Jason sucker punched him in the face. The man fell back against the wall, and he didn't get up again. Jason cursed, disappointed that the man was so weak – he wanted to fight him. He turned around to look at Sam, who was still on the couch, curled up like a baby, crying. He walked over to her and sat down, and she flinched, ''Sam, it's me,'' he said, and his voice sounded weak in his own ears. He heard a movement behind him, and he jumped up and walked over to the man who was starting to get up, and he kicked him in the face. He knew it was weak to kick someone when they were down, but he wanted to get to Sam as soon as possible.
When he walked in the apartment, he saw Sam didn't like what the man was doing, and he could not look past his anger. Now he could, and when he saw Sam curled up on the couch, all he wanted to do was hold her. He walked back to her, and he grabbed her phone. He decided to call the cops, he didn't want this guy out on the street again and he would get some evidence on something else.
When he had told the police to come to Sam's apartment, he looked at Sam again, who was sitting now, with a pillow against her chest.
''Sam, are you ok?'' he asked, and she nodded, but tears were rolling down her face. He walked over to her and sat down next to her, holding out his arms. She could decide if she wanted him to hold her, and if she didn't want it he wouldn't be surprised.
She surprised him by coming to him and she laid her head against his chest as the sobs wrecked her body. He sat there, and he rubbed her back, until the cops showed up. When he saw Lucky he was glad he came, and he looked up. In his anger and hurry to get the man off of Sam, he left the door open.
''Miss McCall?'' Lucky called Sam, and she looked up, her eyes puffy and her face pale, ''are you ok?''
''I'm going to be ok, if you throw his ass in jail,'' she said softly, and Jason smiled at her reassuring, ''he was the one that paid the guy to stab me,'' she said.
''I didn't know you were stabbed – when did this happen?'' Lucky asked, but Jason shook his head.
''I'll tell you everything later, Lucky, just get him out of here – he just tried to rape her,'' he said, his voice full of emotion. He looked at Sam, ''do you need to go to the hospital?'' he asked, and she shook her head but then nodded.
''I need to call James,'' she said, ''and Daisy – and Carly, she needs to come,'' she said, and Jason frowned but nodded. He gave her the phone and looked at her again.
''I'll tell Lucky – you,'' he said pointing to another officer, ''take him out of here,'' he said pointing at the man, ''Lucky, Sam was stabbed two and a half months ago, and she came to me and didn't want to go to the hospital or the police, so I took care of her,'' he said, and Lucky nodded. Jason decided to go on when Lucky didn't say anything, ''I've been looking for the man who stabbed Sam, and I haven't found anything. It seems that Sam knows this man, so I will ask her when she is ready to tell me,'' he said, and Lucky frowned.
''Listen Jason, I appreciate what you're doing but I need to hear this from her,'' he said, and Sam got up and walked over to them.
''The man is Bill Monroe. I tried to con him and he found out. He started beating me and I shot him – I thought he had died but he didn't and he came after me again. He sent a man after me and that guy stabbed me – I still don't know who it is, but Bill just told me he was the one who sent the man after me. I don't understand you need to hear it from me, because Jason just told you all of this, but Bill tried to rape me just a moment ago, so I want to take a shower and try and forget this, Lucky,'' she said, the last part angrily. He nodded, and then he thanked Jason and walked away. He closed the door on his way out, and Sam turned around to go take a shower when Jason stopped her.
''Sam,'' he said, ''are you really ok?'' he asked her, and she nodded without looking at him.
''Just give me some time to take a shower and we'll talk, ok?'' she asked, and when he mumbled something she walked to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and undressed herself. She touched her stomach, and was glad she didn't feel any pain. All the stress from the situation could have caused her to feel pain or maybe even miscarry, but that didn't happen. She stepped in the shower and started scrubbing herself, wanting to lose the feeling of Bill's touch. She knew it would take some time – it wasn't the first time something like this happened, but taking a shower like this did help. She washed her hair, and rinsed every part of her body twice. Then she stepped out, and dried herself. She wrapped a towel around her head to dry her hair, and got dressed in sweats and a big sweater. It was Danny's, but she needed it right now. She was cold to the bone, even after the hot shower. She took a deep breath and walked back to the living room.
Jason sat in the living room waiting for Sam to get back. He was worried about her, even though she acted tough. She was sensitive, that much he knew. When he heard her walking in the room, he turned around and jumped up.
''Are you ok?'' he asked again, and she smiled weakly and nodded.
''I'm going to be ok,'' she replied, and that was all he got, ''you want something to drink?'' she asked him, and he shrugged.
''Do you have beer?'' he asked, and she nodded and walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of beer, and a bottle of water. Then she walked back and he was sitting again.
''Here you go,'' she said, and he opened the bottle and took a drink, ''Jason,'' she said softly, and he looked at her.
''Sam, what is it?'' he asked, when he looked at her. She was pale, and she was nervous. He couldn't blame her, but he wanted to know what was wrong, ''you wanted to talk about something, right? Was it about the guy who stabbed you? Or was it about whatever you wanted to talk about before I had to go away? I'm sorry I left like that, but I didn't have a choice,'' he rambled, and she smiled at him.
''Yeah, I wanted to talk, but not about the guy who stabbed me. I wanted to talk about something else,'' she said, and she took a deep breath, ''Jason, I'm pregnant,'' she blurted out, and he choked on his beer. He had just taken another swig when she told him, and his eyes widened. She patted him on the back with concern in her eyes, and somewhere he saw fear.
''You're pregnant? How – I mean I know how, but when…'' he said, and his voice faded when he saw tears in her eyes, ''what? Did something – does it – are you in any pain now?'' he asked, afraid she might've lost the baby after what happened, ''we need to get you to the hospital,'' he said and he got up, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
''Jason, the baby is fine,'' she said, as the tears rolled over her face. She had been afraid of how he would react, but his actions had given her an answer about what he would want. He sighed of relief and looked at her again.
''When did you find out? Was this what you wanted to talk about before I left?'' he asked, and she nodded.
''I wanted to tell you the night you – the night I wanted to tell you about what I had done,'' she said softly, and he widened his eyes and cursed, ''I'm sorry,'' she said, fresh tears rolling on her cheeks.
''Sam, if I would've known I would never talk to you like that – in fact, if I could change it I would've. Even before this – o god, I am so sorry Sam,'' he said, his own eyes started to burn with tears, ''I'm so sorry for treating you like that. After you left I knew I made the wrong decision,'' he said softly, and she looked up at him.
''What?'' she asked surprised, ''what do you mean?''
''I didn't want to confront you – I mean I wanted to ask you why, but nothing like that, but I decided I had to, because Sonny wanted you gone after he had found out what your plan was,'' he said, and she widened her eyes again, ''when he told me to get rid of you this was the only way I could think of – I didn't want to hurt you in any way, and he would want me to kill you – to handle the threat. But I couldn't, and I did it like this,'' he continued.
''So, you didn't want to kill me, and you threw me out thinking I would leave town?'' she asked him, shock in her voice. When he nodded she sighed.
''I'm sorry – when you left, I realized what I had done – and I regretted it the moment I had done it. I wanted to tell you the day after – in the park, but you told me about the guy who stabbed you and left right after, I didn't get a chance,'' he said.
''You felt how I felt when I didn't get a chance to tell you what I wanted to tell you,'' she snapped suddenly, and she got up from the couch and started pacing.
''I'm sorry, and I know I deserved that comment – but you have to understand I couldn't let you talk,'' he said softly.
''Oh? Why the hell not?'' she asked, and he knew she was angry. ''I let you talk to me like that, and I let you get it off your chest, but did you give me a chance? No, you didn't, and I hate you for it, but I also love you…'' her voice faded when she told him she loved him, cursing herself for saying it again.
''I couldn't let you tell me why, because I knew I would cave. I didn't want to hear your voice because it would make me see what I was doing – I love you,'' he said, and she laughed hollowly.
''You love me, huh? It sure shows,'' she said and he sighed.
''I'm sorry, Sam, I didn't know what else to do,'' he said and he got up, ''I'll go now, because I don't want to upset you,'' he said, and she stopped him.
''O no, the hell you are,'' she said, angrily, and she grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the couch, ''you will let me explain why I did what I did,'' she snapped.
Jason looked at Sam, who had just pulled him back to the couch and waited for her to start talking. He didn't have to hear it, he didn't want to hear it anymore, but he listened to her regardless.
''My father was a con, and he taught me everything he knew. The last con we ran together he stole all my money and ran off, and left me to fend for myself,'' she said, and he nodded. He knew this already, ''I started conning older men into marrying me and would take their money after that. I would use aliases, and they never had a clue until it was too late,'' she said.
''Where does Danny fit in?'' he asked.
''I found Danny at my mother's home and took him with me. I conned those men because I had to take care of him, but I didn't know anything else than conning the men,'' she told him, and he nodded. He didn't know about Danny, ''Danny was locked in the basement, and my mother treated him like crap. When I found him I couldn't leave him behind, and when we were gone, I didn't know what to do, so I searched for older, rich men and conned them. Until Bill Monroe it was a good scam, but he found out and almost beat me to death. I thought I'd killed him, but obviously I didn't,'' she said, and he nodded.
''He set the whole thing up, I presume. What did you do after Bill? It's been a couple of years,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I didn't want to do it again, but we ran out of money and I had too. I mean, it was the only thing I knew how to do. Then I met you,'' she said, and she looked at him, ''I fell in love, and I wanted to tell you long before you confronted me, but I couldn't. I didn't know how,'' she said, and he nodded again.
''I know what your motive was, because you told me that night you did it for Danny, and now I know all,'' he said, and he looked at her, ''I have some things to make right, but I do want to be a part of our baby's life, Sam,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I know, I want that too. When I found out I wanted to tell you right away, but then… that happened and I didn't want to bother you with it,'' she said, and he widened his eyes and wanted to say something, but she stopped him, ''the week after, I had to go to the hospital because I made an appointment, and Carly called me – Sam – and we talked. She found out by following me, and she told me she knew,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I found out how far along I was, and I realized it was the day you left for Brazil we conceived our baby.''
''Carly called me that day you were in the hospital – she told me she found you and confronted you, and she said you didn't look so well,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I know, I had the feeling I was going to pass out because I was already nervous for that appointment and then Carly came and told me she knew. All I could think about what that you knew too, and I knew I had to tell you,'' she said, ''and you knew already, so after that night I didn't want to bother you with it and then that guy came to me and told me about that night he stabbed me,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I couldn't tell you when I came to you, and Daisy eventually got me to call you to meet up, and you had to leave,'' she finished.
''I'm sorry about that too. I didn't know it was about you being pregnant – if I did I wouldn't have left,'' he said, and she nodded with a weak smile. She looked at him for the first time really, today, and she saw the bruise on his jaw. Her eyes widened, and she reached out to touch it.
''What happened?'' she asked, concerned, and he looked at her hand. She pulled it away like it was burned, and he was disappointed. She didn't want to touch him.
''James happened,'' he said, and when she wanted to ask he stopped her, ''he came by today when I got home and he was pissed at me for leaving like I did. I can't blame the man, but he was getting on my last nerve so I kind of provoked him and he hit me,'' he added.
''Did you hurt him?'' she asked, and he shook his head, ''thank god – I'm sorry he hit you, but you kind of deserved it,'' she said, and he laughed.
''I know I did. I didn't do anything to him, because he is your friend,'' Jason said. She nodded, then she took a long drink of her water, ''are you taking good care of yourself? I mean, now that you're pregnant and all,'' he asked her suddenly, and she looked at him with wide eyes. He knew it was a stupid question, but he was concerned and worried about her welfare. He had been when he left for Brazil, and even far before he even realized he loved her.
''Yeah – I'm taking my vitamins as supposed too, and I eat healthy – most of the time,'' she replied, and he smiled. There was a knock on the door and it opened.
Daisy ran into Sam's apartment and saw Jason sitting on the couch. Sam was looking at her in surprise before getting up and seeking comfort. Sam was shaking from emotion and when she felt Daisy's arms around her she started crying again. Daisy started rubbing her back – and she held Sam's head against her chest. She knew it would help her calm down, even if it seemed strange. Daisy was taller than Sam, and when Sam was calm again Daisy looked up at Jason, who was looking at her with a frown. She didn't say anything to him, but walked over to the couch with Sam and sat her down.
''James is on his way to pick Danny up – and Tamara, and I was in the area so I came here as soon as I could,'' she finally said and Sam nodded. Then Daisy turned to Jason, ''thank you, for saving her from that creep,'' she said to him, and he nodded.
''Jason just threw him against the wall,'' Sam said, still amazed at his strength. ''You be happy he didn't kill James when he showed up at his place,'' she said to Daisy, who widened her eyes.
''What happened?'' she asked, ''did you hurt James?''
''No, I didn't hurt him, I just told him to get out of my face. And I'm glad I did, or else I wouldn't have been here in time to get that bastard off of Sam,'' he said, grinding his teeth. Then his phone rang, and he wanted to ignore it at first but Sam looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he picked it up, ''Morgan,'' he said.
''Jason, are you still with Sam? I can't seem to reach her,'' he heard Carly say, and he didn't say anything, he just gave the phone to Sam, ''it's for you,'' he said to her, and she nodded and took it.
''Hello? Carly,'' she said when she heard Carly sigh.
''Sam, are you ok? What about the baby – does Jason know? What happened, why didn't you pick up your phone?'' Carly asked in one breath, and Sam smiled and looked at Jason rolling her eyes.
''Carly – I'm ok, I didn't pick up my phone because I was… occupied, but I will tell you all about that when I see you later, and yes, Jason knows about the baby – and the baby is fine too,'' she answered all of Carly's questions, and she heard her sigh of relief again. She looked at Jason again who was smiling and she stuck her tongue out to him. He didn't have to deal with crazy Carly, and he loved to see her do what he had to do all the time. He laughed, and got up and walked to the kitchen.
Jason didn't know what to think – about the baby, and what would happen with Sam. He was glad she wanted him to be a part of their baby, but he would have never taken the child away from her if she didn't want him there. He smiled when he thought of having a baby, and he jumped when he heard someone talking.
''So, I guess she told you,'' he heard, and he turned around and saw Daisy standing there, ''She hasn't told her brother yet, so you better keep quiet until she does,'' she said, and he could hear in her voice the dislike of him.
''Listen, Daisy – I can understand you don't like me because you're a friend of Sam. But you have to understand the situation we were in and I am willing to make it right,'' he said, and she nodded, ''now I don't know Sam that well, but we are going to have a baby, and she wants me there – I'm willing to beg for her forgiveness, and I hope you will set aside the disgust you are feeling for me and try and understand and get to know me,'' he added, and she nodded again.
''I am – because you actually seem like a nice person. But you also have to understand that you hurt my friend, and I will not forgive that easily. I know Sam loves you and I will stay out of it, but I want you to know – if you hurt her again, I will make you pay,'' she said, and she turned around and left the kitchen. He waited until she was gone and turned around again. She was right – he had hurt her friend, he had hurt Sam deeply, and he was going to have to work to make it all better. He didn't mind it at all, if it meant he could have Sam back. He had a good feeling about this, and bonding over the baby was something he was also looking forward too. He had missed her when he was away, and he would tell her when he got the chance; he wanted to make everything right again.
He walked back to the living room just as Sam ended the call, and James walked in. He was shooting daggers at Jason, but Jason didn't mind. He didn't like it – but he could understand where James was coming from. James walked over to Sam and hugged her.
''Danny is next door, he wanted to wait before coming in because it was crowded in here,'' James informed Sam, and he looked at Jason. Sam slapped him on his arm playfully.
''James, be nice,'' she said with a smile, actually liking the way James was so protective of her. ''Jason was here to save me, and I'm grateful for that. Now, you've seen I'm ok and I want you all to leave,'' she said sternly, ''you don't have to hover around me,'' she added, and James nodded, and got up again. Daisy did too, and they walked out together. Jason turned to leave too, but Sam stopped him, ''you don't have to go, I still have something to ask you,'' she said, and he nodded and sat down next to her.
''I'm sorry, I thought you meant I had to leave too,'' he said, and suddenly she gasped, ''what is it?'' he asked concerned.
''Jason – I don't know, but I think I felt the baby move,'' she said softly, her voice full of wonder. He widened his eyes and looked at her, and he smiled, ''here,'' she said, and she grabbed his hand and pulled up the sweater she was wearing. He was surprised to see a little bump there, but she laid his hand on her stomach and he waited. Then he felt it, and he smiled again. It was just a little flutter – he didn't even know how to describe it.
''This is amazing,'' he whispered, and she looked up at him and nodded with a big smile, ''what did you want to ask?'' he asked after a while, and he pulled his hand away.
''Well, I have an appointment next week and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me,'' she asked, still smiling. He nodded, ''great, that's great. Now, I was wondering if you wanted to stay – I mean, I want to get some rest but if you want to…'' her voice faded when he lifted his hand to her cheek and laid his thumb on her lips.
''I'll go, but I will be back tomorrow to check on you, ok?'' he asked, and she nodded. He got up, and kissed her gently on her cheek. Then he turned and left. Sam lifted her hand to her cheek and touched the spot where he had kissed her – it still tingled. She laid down on the couch, and closed her eyes.
She had the feeling everything was going to be just fine, now that Bill was gone, and now that Jason knew about the baby. He had seemed to be really happy about it, and he didn't once tell her what to do. She really liked it when he just listened and agreed with her, and she was glad she didn't make more of a fight. She knew it would be a long way, but she had a good feeling about Jason and her coming back together.
Sam looked at Jason, who was sitting next to her in the waiting room. He was nervous, and she couldn't blame him. She was nervous too, but not as much as Jason was. He tried not to show it, but it showed all over his face, and she smiled. It had been a week after Bill had come after her, and after Jason had saved her from him, and he had come by the day after with flowers in his hands. He had told her he would call her – and she could call him whenever she needed him.
''Stop doing that,'' she said, when she looked at his hands. He clenched them, and then unclenched them every few seconds, and it was getting on her nerves. He looked up at her and smiled shakily, and she was surprised to see the big bad enforcer nervous.
''I'm sorry – I'm kind of nervous,'' he said, and she laughed softly, ''what is so funny?''
''You are so nervous you are about ready to jump out of your skin. Don't worry, Jason, it's just… the first time we will see our child,'' she said, her voice now shaking. Saying it was nerve-wracking, and if she wasn't nervous before, she was now. She was going to see and hear the baby for the first time. She took a deep breath and smiled again. She was getting used to being pregnant – as far as getting used to went. She loved seeing her body change – and she wasn't the only one. Jason would touch her stomach every time when he came over to see how she was. At first it was a little awkward, but after the millionth time she didn't even really pay attention. Of course she felt his hand on her stomach, and after he took his hand away the skin was tingling, but she tried not to pay attention to it.
''Miss McCall, Dr. Lee can see you now,'' she suddenly heard a nurse say, and she got up and held out her hand for Jason. It was natural to want to hold his hand, and she realized what she did when he looked at her hand. She dropped it, but then he surprised her by grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently before leading her to follow the nurse. The nurse led them to Dr. Lee's office, and told them she would be in soon. Sam sat down on one of the chairs, but Jason didn't.
''Jason, sit down, please,'' Sam said, and he shook his head, ''I don't want to have to look up to you like this – I have to do it when I stand already,'' she said, and then he laughed and sat down. They sat waiting in comfortable silence, and she sighed. She was glad they could sit there without having to talk – even though she loved talking, she liked the quiet too.
''Sam, Jason,'' Dr. Lee said when she walked in, and smiled at them. She rounded the desk and sat down, ''I realized I made a mistake last time we saw each other – nothing serious, but we have to do a screening before we go and look at the baby,'' she said, and Sam nodded. A nurse walked in at that moment, and Dr. Lee explained, ''I will ask you some questions – the both of you, and the nurse will take some blood. After that – it wont take long, but after that we will do an ultrasound.''
The screening took about half an hour, and Dr. Lee asked questions about their medical history to see if there was anything they had to look out for. So far everything was fine, and Sam's blood came back 'clean'.
''Now, if you would just lie down on that table, we will get started with that ultrasound,'' Dr. Lee said, and Sam got up and looked at Jason. He had been nervous before going in, but he seemed calm now. It calmed her down too, and she walked over to the table and laid down on it, ''if you would just lift your shirt and unbutton your jeans a little – look at that,'' Dr. Lee said, when she saw Sam's stomach, ''that's going to be had to conceal now,'' she said with a smile, and Sam nodded and looked at Jason again.
''I still have to tell my brother,'' she said, and Jason nodded, ''ok, I'm kind of nervous for this, Dr. Lee,'' Sam said to Dr. Lee, who nodded.
''That's perfectly normal,'' she said, and she grabbed a tube of gel, ''this is going to be a little cold,'' she said, and she squeezed it out on Sam's belly. She sat down on the stool and grabbed the wand, and put it on Sam's belly, ''ok, so this thing,'' she said lifting the wand a second, ''also lets us hear the heartbeat – it's really great when you think of it,'' she said, more to herself, and Sam laughed. Then she looked at the screen and waited to see their baby, ''there you go – look at that,'' Dr. Lee said, pointing. Sam looked at the dot on the screen, and smiled. She looked up at Jason and saw he was looking at her, and she raised her hand and touched his. He grabbed it, and they held hands. Dr. Lee turned up the sound and the sound of a heartbeat filled the room.
''Wow, this is amazing,'' Jason said, his voice full of wonder and excitement. The heartbeat was strong and steady, and it was a sound she would never forget.
''It is, isn't it – the baby sounds healthy, let me just measure everything,'' Dr. Lee said. She started pressing buttons on the machine, and after a while she looked at Sam and Jason, ''the baby is on schedule in everything – it looks really good,'' she said, and she took the wand off of Sam after taking a picture. She gave Sam a paper towel to clean her stomach and walked back to her desk and wrote some things down. Jason helped Sam get off of the table and they walked towards the chairs and sat down.
''Dr. Lee, I have a question,'' Jason said, and Dr. Lee looked up and nodded, ''Sam's brother is mentally challenged, what is the chance we get a baby with the same disease?'' he asked, and Sam looked at him in shock. She hadn't even thought about that, but she was glad Jason did. He looked at her and smiled.
''Well, from what we can see in her blood nothing is wrong – so there is a chance she doesn't carry the marker, but if it makes you feel better, in a couple of weeks we can check on it,'' Dr. Lee answered, and Sam nodded, ''We'll schedule it in for the next appointment,'' she said, ''do you have any other questions?''
''Well, yes. Is it possible to feel the baby move in the thirteenth week?'' Sam asked, and Dr. Lee smiled.
''There is a small possibility, but I don't think you felt the baby move – most women feel it in the next couple of weeks – for the first time,'' Dr. Lee said, and Sam smiled. She really had thought she felt the baby move, but it obviously wasn't that. It didn't matter, and when she looked at Jason he was smiling too.
''Thank you, Dr. Lee,'' he said, and Dr. Lee nodded and got up. She shook Jason's hand, then Sam's, and smiled again.
''I have scheduled your next appointments for you,'' she said, and she handed Sam a piece of paper. Sam took it and put it in her pocket, ''I will see you two in a couple of weeks, and I think it's even scheduled around the time we can determine gender,'' she added, ''so if you want to know – you can think about that,'' she said, and Sam nodded.
Jason and Sam made their way to the elevator after Dr. Lee gave them the picture of their baby, and Jason couldn't stop looking at it.
''Sam – where was it again?'' he asked when they stopped for the elevator, and Sam smiled.
''Right there,'' she said, as she pointed to the little dot on the picture, and Jason smiled, ''it's kind of amazing, right – thinking about a baby growing inside of me,'' she said softly, and he nodded.
''Yeah, it kind of is,'' he said, and he surprised her again by kissing her on her cheek, ''thank you, for letting me be a part of this,'' he whispered in her ear, as the elevator doors opened. They stepped in, and Sam smiled at Jason.
''Thank you – for giving me this,'' she whispered, patting her stomach. She really loved thinking about what it would be like when the baby was born – she knew it would be messy and hard work, but she had Jason to help her and she knew it was going to be amazing.
''You know I'm not the kind of guy to fantasize,'' he said, and she nodded. She knew he wasn't, ''but thinking about this baby being born, and the first year of his or her life – it just throws me. I love it, and I love you,'' he said, and he realized what had slipped out. He smiled, he didn't mind saying it, but he was a little afraid of what Sam would do. She smiled at him, but didn't say anything and he knew he had a long way to go. She had said it last week in the heat of the moment, but now she was clearheaded and he knew she wouldn't say it again until she trusted him to be with her – and not only for the baby.
''Can you drop me off at Kelly's – maybe you want to join us, I'm meeting with James and Daisy,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I can drop you off – I'm sorry, I can't join because I have some work I have to finish at home,'' he said, and he stepped in the car after helping Sam.
''Ok,'' she said, a little disappointed he couldn't come with them, ''Jason,'' she said, and he looked at her before looking about to the road.
''Yeah, Sam?'' he replied, and she smiled. She looked at him and saw his face – concentrated and she liked what she saw. She had always liked what she saw when she looked at him, but this time he looked really happy, and she was glad.
''Do you want to keep the picture?'' she asked, and he shook his head. He smile fell, he didn't even want to keep the picture – maybe he was still playing her, she thought, but she shook her head to clear it. She didn't want to think like that.
''No, babe – I want you to have it. Next time we see our baby I'll keep the picture,'' he said, and she smiled again, ''or maybe we could just make a copy,'' he added, and she nodded. He stopped in front of the diner and she looked at him.
''Thanks, for dropping me off,'' she said, and he nodded. He stepped out of the car, walked around it and helped her out.
''Sam,'' he said softly, and she looked up at him. He smiled at her, and then he leaned down to kiss her. He looked at her lips, and she knew he wouldn't kiss her on her cheek this time. She held her breath, and when his lips touched her she felt electricity flow through her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, while his arms lingered on her hips, and he pulled her to him. as soon as it started, he broke the kiss, and she looked up at him with a hazy mind, ''be careful,'' he whispered, and she nodded and cleared her throat.
''Thank you – you too, and call me,'' she said, and then she widened her eyes and he smiled. She never said something like that – she had just demanded him to call her.
''Your wish is my command,'' he teased, and she laughed softly, ''have fun with Daisy and James and tell them I said hi,'' he added, and she nodded. Then she started walking to the diner, and he stepped in his car. She knew he would wait until she was inside before driving off. She walked in and spotted Daisy and James sitting at a table, and they were looking at her with huge smiles on their faces. When she sat down, they didn't say anything.
''Jason said to tell you he said hi,'' she said, and they both nodded. James waved over a waitress and ordered their food and drinks, and then he looked at Sam.
''How did the appointment go?'' he asked, and Daisy nodded with a smile, wanting to know too.
''It went well, we had a screening and we saw the baby and heart the heartbeat. Look at this,'' she said, and she took the picture out of her purse and gave it to Daisy. She smiled when she saw the look on both Daisy and James' face, and waited for them to return the picture.
''You know, I was wondering what it would be like to have a kid of my own,'' James suddenly said, looking at Daisy, and she widened her eyes. She looked at Sam, who was smiling, knowing James was half teasing and half telling the truth. She would love for Daisy and James to have kids, and they talked about it over their food when it arrived. They ate, laughed and teased each other, and it felt like old times with James. She smiled, and thought about Jason. She missed him with her – he was supposed to be part of this, but the next time, she swore, he would be there – next to her.
James waited for Jason to come home, and leaned against the building. Jason had been really nice with Sam, but he wanted to know what Jason was expecting. Sam had been happy, and he didn't want her to get hurt again. After they had left Kelly's earlier that day, he had brought Daisy and Sam home and went to the Harbor View Towers. He really didn't want to make a fight with Jason; he just wanted to know what his expectations were. He stood straight when he saw Jason approach, and when Jason stopped in front of him he smiled at the man.
''James,'' Jason said, and he gestured for James to follow, ''let's go inside, I know you want to talk,'' he said, and they made their way up to his penthouse. James stepped in after Jason and closed the door, and Jason turned around to face him. James smiled again, showing Jason he wasn't here for a fight.
''I know you don't really like me,'' James said, and Jason shook his head.
''I never said I didn't like you – I don't know you,'' he said, and James nodded.
''Well, I'm here for Sam – she doesn't know – but I want to know what you think is going to happen,'' he said, and Jason shrugged.
''I'm hoping to raise our child together, what else do you think has to happen?'' Jason asked, knowing it would make James angry.
''Damn you – is that all you want? Because if it is, I think you need to stop leading Sam on!'' James yelled, angry because Jason seemed to think it was alright to kiss Sam and not want anything.
''Well, you know it's none of your business, but I do want something more. I would like to get to know Sam – she is the mother of my child,'' Jason said, and James nodded, ''listen, I don't want to lead Sam on, its not like that. I really love her, and I want to get to know her a little more. I want to know what her favorite color is and what her favorite food is – expect I know she loves Chinese – I don't know anything about her, because she never told me anything like that,'' he said.
''I know, she doesn't like to share with people she doesn't know – but she loves you and I am here on her behalf,'' James said, and Jason nodded, ''I want you to know – the next time you hurt Sam-''
''You will hurt me,'' Jason interrupted James, and he nodded, ''I know, I had this talk with Daisy too last week. I don't intent on hurting Sam,'' he said, and James nodded.
''Thanks for telling me,'' he said. He held out his hand for Jason to shake, and Jason looked at it for a moment before grabbing it.
''I hope we can start being civil – maybe even friendly, for Sam. I know you're her friend and I don't want her to think we don't like each other – lets just start over,'' Jason said, and James nodded, ''great. Now, get out because I have work to do,'' he said with a smile. James nodded again and walked out, closing the door behind him. he was glad he had that talk with Jason, because now he knew what to expect, and Jason knew what was coming for him if he ever hurt Sam again.
She was exhausted after the day she had. It hadn't even been a full day, but after the appointment and the lunch at Kelly's, she had gone to the park to walk, and she ended up staring at the water. She sat on the couch, her head falling back every once in a while, waiting for Danny to return. She wanted to tell him, and to be honest she had liked it if Jason would be there, but she didn't tell him about it. She didn't want to push him – she didn't want to become a burden to him. After he had kissed her, he was all she could think about. Not that she didn't think about him all the time before – but it was getting even worse than before. There was a knock on the door and she jumped, startled by the sound. She knew it wasn't Danny, because he had a key, so she got up and opened the door. She was surprised to see it was Jason, and she smiled at him.
''I was wondering when you would tell Danny, and I thought maybe we could tell him together,'' he said, and she nodded. He stepped inside, and pulled her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling safe in his arms, ''is he home?'' he asked softly, and she shook her head.
''No, I was waiting for him, but I think he is spending the day with Tamara,'' she said, her voice hoarse.
''You know what?'' Jason asked, and she shook her head, ''why don't you take a nap, and I will wait for Danny. When he get's home I will wake you,'' he said, and she nodded gratefully.
''Thank you,'' she said, and he nodded and gently pulled her to the couch. He knew she wouldn't want to go sleep in her bed. He sat down, and patted on his legs. She looked at him, and then sat down too, and laid her head in his lap, ''are you sure?'' she asked, and he laughed softly.
''Yes, I'm sure. Just rest a little, you need it,'' he said, and she wanted to say something, but she was too tired. She closed her eyes and listened to his breathing, and fell asleep.
He looked down on her and smiled – she trusted him to wake her up when Danny came home, and he was glad. It was only the start – but this was a step in the good direction. When he had kissed her, it was a spur in the moment thing, but it felt right. He didn't know what she would do, but she was passionate and kissed him back, and he was glad. There was chemistry between them – it sparkled when they were together and he couldn't stop thinking about her when he wasn't with her. He missed her when he was away and he knew it was love what he felt. He just had to make Sam see he really did love her, and that he wasn't only around for the baby.
Jason looked up when he heard the key in the door, and was glad to see Danny got home. Sam had been sleeping for a couple of hours now, and he shook her gently to wake her up.
''You don't have to wake her because I'm home,'' Danny whispered frustrated, but Jason shook his head and watched Sam wake up.
''Is Danny home yet?'' she asked, without opening her eyes, and Jason smiled.
''I'm home Sam,'' Danny said, and Sam sat up, ''why did you have to wake her up, you idiot,'' he said to Jason, who widened his eyes but didn't say anything.
''Danny, stop that. I asked him to wake me up when you got home,'' she said and she stretched out, ''we have something to tell you,'' she added, and Danny nodded and sat down on the chair opposite of the couch.
''What is it?'' he asked, and Sam looked at Jason, who smiled at her reassuring.
''Well… you know this is harder than I thought,'' she said after some time, ''Danny, I'm just going to say it ok?'' she said, and Danny nodded frowning, ''I'm pregnant,'' she said, fast to get it over with.
''You're pregnant? How did you…'' he said, but he stopped talking. He frowned, then he started looking sad, ''where does that leave me?''
''Danny, it doesn't have effect on you – I mean it has effect but not in the way you think. You stay with me, or I don't know, where ever you want to go,'' Sam said, tears in her eyes when Danny had asked where it left him.
''Danny, your sister and I didn't plan this, and I think you know that, but this won't change her love for you and it won't change the situation for you except that you're going to be an uncle,'' Jason interjected, and Danny nodded. He still didn't know what to say, and he looked at Sam, who was wiping away her tears and smiling at him, and he smiled.
''I think it's great,'' he said, and Sam nodded – relieved he didn't get mad, or he didn't get sad, ''so, now I guess you have to get ready for the baby to come, huh? How are you going to be a part of this?'' he asked Jason, and Jason smiled.
''I'm going to be here for Sam, and for the baby just like every normal family. I know it's a difficult situation but I plan on being here for both of them – and for you,'' Jason said, and Danny nodded. Then he got up and started walking towards the door.
''I'm going for a walk, with Tam. Can I tell her?'' he asked, and Sam nodded, a little surprised he would leave like that again, but he was gone before she could ask.
''Jason – I don't think he took it that well,'' she whispered, and tears sprung in her eyes. She didn't like it when Danny was sad and she caused it. She felt guilty, but Danny would understand sooner or later what this meant. It really didn't mean he was going to have to go away, or that he was going to be left out, but she didn't like fighting with him about this.
''Sam, listen to me,'' Jason said, and she looked at him, ''he will get around to the idea, just give him some time. He's just a little unsure of what will happen now, and I guess he felt the same way when you were born. He will get around,'' he repeated, and she nodded. He pulled her against him and hugged her, and she smiled. He was so sweet to her, and he always knew what to say to calm her down. All he had to do was look at her or hold her and she would feel safe again – and happy.
''I'm glad you were here, and I'm sorry for the way he acted,'' she said, referring to what he had called Jason when she had woken up, ''he's just trying to protect me, and he did see I was tired all the time – but he thought it was because I work so much,'' she added, and Jason nodded.
''I know, Sam. I know, and I don't blame him. He knows that, and I know he will turn around too, about this. He just has to get to know me,'' Jason said, and she nodded. She sat up, yawning, and she looked at him, ''just like James,'' he added, softly, and she nodded.
''He didn't bother you, did he? I mean, after the time he hit you?'' she asked him, and he shook his head. She sighed of relief, ''good, because then I would have to kick his ass,'' she said smiling, and he laughed.
''He did come by today but he didn't bother me,'' Jason said, and she nodded, ''we called it a truce,'' he added, and she smiled. Suddenly Jason wondered, ''Sam, would you like to go on a date with me?''
''A date – you don't do dates, you told me so,'' she said, surprised he asked her, and he nodded.
''I know, but I would love to get to know you better, and I don't mind going on a date with you – that is, if you want too,'' he added, and she smiled at him.
''I would love to go on a date with you, Jason – thank you,'' she said, and he nodded, walked over to the door and turned around.
''I'm going now, I don't want to ruin anything by hanging around too long – I will call you tomorrow and we'll set up a date for our date,'' he said and he winked at her before he turned and left. Sam stared at the door for some time and wondered what changed. He had asked her on a date, and that while he didn't even like to go out. She smiled, she knew they had a long way to go to trust each other again – or yet, and she knew it would be nice to get to know each other.
Sam woke up again when her phone rang, and she searched for it. She didn't know where it was, and then suddenly she saw it on the table. She sighed.
''Hello,'' she said softly and sleepily. She didn't like waking up like this – she had fallen asleep again after Jason had left and Danny hadn't returned yet.
''Sam, I'm calling to see how you were doing – but I guess you fell asleep again,'' Jason said, and she smiled.
''Yeah, I fell asleep and you woke me up again. I'm fine, Jason,'' she said, and he chuckled.
''I'm also calling to ask you – how's tomorrow sound?''
''Tomorrow sounds great – what time do I have to be ready?'' she asked, and he laughed again.
''I'll come and pick you up around 7,'' he replied, and she noticed he didn't tell her where they were going.
''Where are we going?'' she asked, she wanted to know so she could prepare.
''It's a surprise,'' he replied, and she laughed, ''now, go eat something before I come over and make you eat,'' he said.
''Ok, ok, I'll go eat something. I'm kind of hungry, actually, so you are in luck – so to speak. I'll see you tomorrow at 7,'' she said, and she disconnected the line.
After Jason had called yesterday she made some dinner and Danny came home soon after. He told her he was sorry for running out like that, and he went to his room. She didn't see him all night, and she knew he was trying to figure out what it meant to have a niece of nephew around in a couple of months. She didn't blame him for not knowing what to think – but she did feel sad he didn't know what to think. Danny had gone away that morning again, and he had told her he was spending the day with Tamara. He had been spending a lot of time with her, and she liked it. He finally found someone who didn't look at his disability, but looked at Danny.
There was a knock on the door and she looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was almost 7. She walked to the door and opened it, to see Carly standing there. She realized that after the call last week, she didn't see her again, and she widened her eyes and looked at her apologetically.
''Carly – I'm so sorry I didn't call you or came by to see you,'' she said, and Carly nodded.
''It's ok, but that's not why I'm here. Jason sent me up to get you and told me to get lost after you were down,'' she said, and Sam frowned. Why didn't Jason come pick her up himself?
''Ok. Let me just grab my things,'' she said, and she went to get her purse and jacket. She put her jacket on and walked to the door and closed it behind her, locking it. They stepped in the elevator and pressed the button for the floor. Carly didn't say anything, and Sam didn't know what to think about this. Once they were on the ground floor Sam stepped out, but Carly didn't.
''I forgot something. Can you give me your keys?'' Carly said, and Sam looked at her in surprise. She shrugged and gave Carly the keys, ''thanks, I will make sure they get back to you,'' she said, and then the elevator doors closed and Sam walked outside. She looked around and suddenly she saw Jason, standing in front of a limo, with a red rose in his hands. He smiled at her, and she walked over to him and stopped in front of him.
''What did you do?'' she asked him with a smile, and he shrugged.
''I planned dinner with the woman I love,'' he said, and she looked up at him. He gave her the rose and kissed her on her cheek, and she smiled at him again, ''now, why don't we step in and talk on the way over,'' he said, and he turned around and opened the door. He took her hand and helped her climb in, and then stepped in after her, ''you want some sparkling cider – no champagne in here, I will drink the cider with you,'' he said, and when she nodded he poured two champagne glasses and handed her one.
''Jason, this is amazing – you're so thoughtful,'' Sam said softly, and she took a sip of the cider.
''I know,'' he said with a wink, ''I'm taking you to a little place I found when I was riding my bike one day. It's small and Italian, and I know you'll love it,'' he said, and she nodded, not knowing what to say, ''it's just around the border – when I ride the bike I like to see how far I can get – and I fell in love with the place when I saw it,'' he added, ''I never told anyone about it – you are the first,'' he said, and he winked again with a grin. She looked at him and smiled, he was teasing her and flirting with her and she didn't know what to say. She never thought he could do something like this, and she never thought he would.
''Jason,'' she whispered, ''I don't know what to say – I really…'' her voice faded when tears stung her eyes, and before she knew it she was crying. He looked at her in shock for a moment and then took her in his arms.
''I didn't mean to make you cry, if you don't – I mean if you don't like it we can turn around and just go home,'' he said, not knowing what caused her to cry.
''No, Jason – this is wonderful, and I love it – I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry, I'm all over the place,'' she said, laughing through her tears. She wiped them away and kissed him. He pulled her even closer, and wrapped his arms around her waist while she threaded one hand in his hair and the other around his neck. He pushed his tongue against her lips and she opened them, giving him access to her mouth. He took his chance and their tongues started a sensual dance of their own. His hand roamed over her body, one on her lower back, and one started moving to the front. When he touched her breasts, she gasped, and he kneaded one breast. Then he broke the kiss and started kissing her neck, and she threw her head back.
''We need to stop,'' he suddenly said, and he removed his hand from her breast and stopped kissing her, but didn't move away, ''I wont be able to stop if we continue,'' he said, and she nodded, disappointed he stopped, but understanding why he stopped.
''I know,'' she said softly, and he looked at her. She was blushing from the passion, and he smiled at her.
''I don't want to ruin my perfect night,'' he said. When she nodded, he decided to change the subject, ''have you ever been to Rome?''
''Yes – Rome is amazing. I've spent a couple of weeks there before I found Danny in the basement of my mother's home,'' she replied, and he nodded.
''Have you been to Formula 1 – the pizzeria?'' he asked, and she nodded, her eyes wide.
''Yes – o Jason, they have the best pizza's there, and the bruschetta is amazing,'' she said, thinking about her time in Rome, ''I've spent most of my time in a bed and breakfast there, the man who set it up is Dutch, and I've roamed around Rome – it's just amazing,'' she said, and Jason nodded.
''I've never been at the pizzeria, but they say it's the best of Rome,'' he said, and she nodded, ''I heard someone from that pizzeria works at the place we are now,'' he said, and he looked at her to see of she got it. She looked around and noticed the car had stopped, and her eyes widened, ''I hope you don't mind – I've told them what we wanted before – so that you don't have to wait for your food,'' he said, and she shook her head and looked out of the window. He stepped out, and opened the door for her, holding out his hand to help her.
''You are a real gentleman, Jason,'' she whispered, and she stood on her toes to kiss him on his cheek. He smiled at her, and led her inside of the little restaurant. The light inside was dim, but just enough for the guests to read the menu. Tonight, the place was empty, and the only table was in the middle of the restaurant, ''did you do this – all of this?'' she asked Jason, gesturing around the room, and he shrugged.
''I've had some help – I couldn't do this alone in a day,'' he said, and she nodded. She was impressed; she didn't know what to say. When Jason led her to the table and pulled back her chair, she looked up at him with a smile. He smiled back, and she sat down. He pushed the chair towards the table and then sat down himself.
''Thank you, Jason,'' she whispered, just as a waitress came to their table.
''Would you like something to drink?'' she asked, them, and Jason nodded and ordered their drinks. Then he looked back at Sam.
''I was planning to go to the Metro Court, and I had a great talk with Carly. She said I had to do something completely different from taking you to some hotel restaurant and I remembered this place,'' he said, and she nodded, ''when I thought of what you would like, I realized I didn't know, but it was worth a try, and thank God it was a good one,'' he added with a smile, and she laughed softly. Suddenly she started shifting in her seat, ''is there something wrong?'' he asked, full of concern, and she blushed.
''I have to go to the bathroom,'' she whispered, and he smiled at her and pointed her to the bathroom. He knew this place in and out; he had been here before when he had been to late to go home to eat. When she got up and walked to the bathroom, he smiled. He didn't know what she would think about this place, but she seemed to really like it.
Sam walked to the bathroom and did what she had to do. At first, when they were in the car, she didn't know what the place would look like, and she had been really nervous all day about where he would take her. She loved this idea of him, and when they had walked in she had been speechless. The place was wonderful, and when they had seated, she suddenly released all the nerves. When she was done she washed her hands and walked through the door, only to bump into someone. She looked up and widened her eyes in surprise when she saw whom it was.
''Antonio, what are you doing here?'' she asked, smiling at the man in front of her. Antonio was one of the cooks at Formula 1 – the pizzeria in Rome. She had gotten to know him when she ate there, and she was surprised to see him here.
''Sammy, my girl,'' he said when he recognized her, and she smiled. She loved listening to him talk, with his accent it was like she was back in Rome, ''I've missed you!'' he said, and he hugged her.
''I've missed you too, Tony, but what are you doing here?'' she asked again, and he smiled, as he led her back to the table.
''I work here, Sam. I came here a couple of years ago – after you left Rome and broke my heart,'' he said with a wink, ''I wanted to bring some of Formula 1 to America, and I did. Now sit down and eat – nice to see you again, Jason,'' he added when he saw Jason. Jason looked up at Antonio and frowned when he saw where the mans hand was. He didn't like how he was all touchy with Sam, but he didn't say anything about it. Tony walked away when Sam had taken her seat, and when Jason looked at Sam he could see her smile.
''You know him?'' he asked, surprised, and Sam nodded, ''how?''
''When I was in Rome, I met him. He worked for the pizzeria, and I ate there a lot. We became friends,'' she explained, and he nodded. He still didn't like the way he had been touching her, ''Jason, he's just a friend, and I missed him, ok?'' she said, and he nodded.
''I know – it's just,'' he paused, shook his head, ''never mind, let's eat,'' he said, and just at that moment – like it was rehearsed – the waitress came with the appetizer. Bruschetta, with tomatoes, and Sam's mouth started to water when she saw them. Jason waited until Sam had taken a bite, and smiled when she closed her eyes and moaned.
''I've missed this kind of food – this is just amazing,'' she said, after she had swallowed, and he nodded. They ate in silence, and when she had cleared her plate she looked at Jason, ''you don't know how much this means to me,'' she said, and suddenly she felt her eyes burn. She didn't want to cry now, and she closed her eyes to push them back.
''I do, I can see it all over your face. You know I would do anything to make you happy,'' he replied, and she nodded and smiled at him. After some moments the pizza came, and it was one big pizza for the two of them. It was a pizza margherita, because Jason didn't know what Sam would like on her pizza, ''I ordered this, because I didn't know what you would like – this was a safe choice,'' he explained, and she nodded.
''I eat most of the pizza's Tony makes – they are all amazing,'' she said, and they started to eat, ''when I met Tony, I just found out about my brother – it was in the last week of my stay in Rome,'' she said, and Jason knew she was explaining to him what her relationship with Tony was, ''he brought me the pizza I ordered and we started talking – he asked me what was wrong because I had been crying. Then after he was done working, he came to me and asked me if I wanted to take a walk with him, and I agreed because I missed someone to talk with,'' she said, and he could see she was thinking back on that night, ''he brought me to the Colosseum, and he tried to hit on me but I rejected him,'' she said, and she laughed, ''he was so sweet that night, and the next day he found me – in the big city, and asked me how I was doing. It started a friendship, and I was grateful for it. Then he helped me decide to go back and get my brother,'' she ended the story, and he nodded.
''You didn't have to explain, but thank you. I'm glad Tony was there to help you,'' he said, and he realized the pizza was gone. He smiled, and looked at her, ''you have room for a desert?'' she nodded, and then the waitress came to get the plate of the pizza. Moments later Tony walked in with two plates, and Sam wondered what he made for desert. When she saw two slices of apple pie, and laughed softly.
''Just what I thought – apple pie. Did you ever eat the apple pie Tony makes?'' she asked Jason, who nodded, and she smiled. They ate the apple pie in silence, and when they were done he looked at her.
''Sam, I want to take you home now,'' he said, and she looked at him in surprise and disappointment. She was sad to see this night end, but she could understand Jason wanted to end it.
''Ok, I'm kind of tired anyway,'' she said, and she looked at him with a smile. He nodded, he didn't want to say what he had planned, and he was surprised to hear she was tired. He didn't know why – but he hoped she would let him give her one last surprise. He got up, helped her get out of the chair and led her to the limo. He helped her in, and stepped in behind her. She looked at him and he pulled her in his arms, where she settled in and fell asleep. She was tired, and now he saw how exhausted she had been. He smiled and looked out of the window.
The ride home was faster – it always was – and Jason looked at Sam and decided to lift her in his arms. He got out and did just that, and he walked – with her in his arms – and made his way up to her apartment. He had sneaked out and made a copy of her key – he intended on giving it back to her tomorrow – because Carly had the keys of the apartment. Sam woke up in his arms, and she looked up at him with sleepy eyes. He slowly set her down on the ground and she smiled at him.
''I still don't have my keys,'' she said suddenly, and he nodded. He lifted his hand and showed her the key, and she smiled, ''you open the door,'' she said to him, and he lifted his eyebrows and did as she told him.
''Ok, milady,'' he said, and she laughed softly, but gasped when she saw her apartment.
Sam widened her eyes when she saw all the candles, the huge pillows on the floor, in front of the couch. There were two champagne glasses and a bottle of cider in a bucket full of ice cubes. She looked at Jason, who seemed just as surprised as her.
''I never thought Carly could think of this,'' he said softly, and Sam laughed softly. She knew Carly had been up to something when she asked for the key, and she knew Jason was in on it, but she never knew Jason would ask Carly to do such a thing. He grabbed her hand and led her to the pillows, and they sat down. There were rose paddles all over the place, and Jason looked around.
''Jason, how did you manage all of this – the whole night you had planned, and I thought you were going to drop me off and leave, was I wrong,'' she said, and she looked at him again. He nodded, and smiled when he saw the look on her face.
''I know you did – when I talked to Carly yesterday, she offered to do this, so I could plan the dinner,'' he said, and she nodded. She didn't know what to say, she loved every minute of this night, and she didn't want it to end. Jason poured the cider and gave her a glass, ''I want to toast – on us, and on our baby, may he or she be healthy and happy with us as his or her parents,'' he said with a wink, and she brought up her glass and clinked his. He smiled, and took a sip of the cider.
''I love what you did tonight, Jason, and I can't say it enough,'' she said, and he nodded. She set down her glass, and leaned in and kissed him. His heart started pounding and he pulled her against him, and she moaned. He deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue through her lips and she pressed herself against him. He could feel her stomach against him, and he loved the feeling. He laid down, and pulled her on top of him, only to turn around again and lay on top of her – all that without breaking the kiss. Her hands roamed on his back, caressing him and pulling him closer, and his hands went through her hair and caressed her face. He broke the kiss, both out of breath, but he kissed her in her neck and she moaned again.
''You like that?'' he asked her hoarsely, and he got another moan in response. He smiled, and kissed her again. His hands went to her breasts, and he started kneading them and rolling her nipples between his thumb and index finger through her shirt, ''Sam,'' he moaned and he stopped touching her, and she lifted her head and looked at him.
''Jason?'' she asked, and he looked at her, ''what is it?''
''I'm not sure we should do this,'' he whispered, and she laid her head back down and closed her eyes, ''it's not that I don't want you – it's just that I don't want to ruin this by going to fast,'' he said, and she nodded. She had the same feeling, but she wanted this. She wanted him.
''Do you want this? I mean – I do, and I think you're right, but what could happen? We already conceived a baby, Jase,'' she said softly, and he nodded with a smile.
''I know,'' he said, and he kissed her again. He just couldn't stop anymore, he wanted her so badly it hurt, and he now knew she wanted him too, so what could happen, really? ''Are you sure?'' he asked again, and she nodded. He lifted her in his arms and too her to her bedroom, where he laid her down gently, and laid down next to her. She turned her head and looked at him, and smiled, then she rolled on top of him and urged him to take of his shirt. He did, and she smiled and caressed his bare skin.
''You are so strong,'' she said, and he laughed softly, then he lifted his hands and pulled off her shirt. He pulled her down and kissed her, then rolled over, taking back control. Her hands went to his back and down to his waistband, and he kissed her neck again. She moaned, and one hand went to his head to go through his hair. He moved down, and at the same time he unclasped her bra. She arched her back to help him, and then lifted her arms and let him take it off.
''Wow,'' was all he said, and he looked at her face. She was flustered, and he smiled when she opened her eyes and saw him looking at her. He laid down again and started pressing kisses on her stomach, and he went up to her breasts and kissed one, while he worked the other with his hand. Her nipples were rock hard, and she arched her back again when he started kissing one breast, and then he shifted and kissed her other breast.
She pulled his jeans, trying to open the buttons and he helped her and slid down the jeans, after taking off his socks and jeans he took off her jeans. He smiled, and kissed her again when he laid back, and she laid her hands on his butt and squeezed. He laughed softly, and she smiled when he pushed his hips against hers. She could feel his erection press in her stomach, and she pulled off his boxers, as he helped her out of hers. He laid down, and moved down his body. Once she realized what he was planning to do, she moaned.
''No, Jason, please,'' she whispered, but he smiled at her and kissed her wet core. She arched her back, as he started kissing her, and felt the heat build up even more in her body. Her head went from the left to the right, and she closed her eyes, and then opened them when she reached her climax. He kept kissing her, and when she had rode out her climax he went up and pressed the top of his erection against her opening.
''You were all ready for me,'' he whispered, and she nodded, as he pressed harder, and entered her slowly. They both moaned, and he slid in to her all the way, ''you feel so good,'' he said, and she smiled.
''Jason, please,'' she said, when he laid still, ''please,'' she whispered again, and he slid out almost all the way, before thrusting into her again. He picked up the pace, and she started moving along with him.
''God, Sam,'' he moaned, and he began thrusting harder, faster, until they were almost over the edge, ''come with me,'' he said, and that brought them over the edge, and they were flying. They were flying hand in hand as he collapsed on top of her, and they were catching their breath. Then he rolled over and pulled her with him, so she was safely nestles in his side. He held her close, and then threw the covers over them as they started cooling down.
They didn't say anything for a long time, still catching their breaths.
''Sam, that was amazing,'' he whispered, and he looked down on her to see she was already sleeping, and he smiled. He closed his eyes, and fell asleep soon after.
Sam woke up the next morning and smiled when she noticed she was on top of Jason. She rolled off of him, but he pulled her back against him and she looked up to see him staring at her.
''Good morning, sleepyhead,'' he said, and she widened her eyes.
''You're still in bed too, so why am I the sleepyhead?'' she asked, teasing him.
''I couldn't get out – there was someone on top of me,'' he said smiling, and she blushed. She laid her head back on his chest and sighed.
''Thank you,'' she whispered, and he looked at her when he felt something wet on his chest. She was crying, and he didn't like it one bit.
''What is it? Why are you crying, Sam?'' he asked, surprised and concerned.
''I'm happy – and I'm thankful for the night you gave me. I loved every second of it, and I thank you for that,'' she said, and he nodded. He had loved every second of it as well, but he didn't cry.
''I loved it too – but why are you crying?'' he asked again, and she shook her head and smiled.
''It's the hormones – they have me all over the place – I'm crying because I'm happy,'' she said again, and now he understood. He knew what hormones could do to a woman, because he had seen Carly through both of her pregnancy's, and he laughed softly when he thought back on those. It had been hell with her – one minute she was sweet and loving, the next she would cry, or be angry with him for something he didn't know.
''You want some breakfast?'' he asked her, but she shook her head and made a face, ''ah, morning sickness?'' he asked, and she nodded. He nodded, but he got out of bed and pulled his boxers and jeans over his legs. He walked away, leaving Sam on the bed, looking at him confused and disappointed he left. She thought about last night and smiled – she had never had someone who treated her like a queen, but Jason did. He had made an effort to let her know he wanted this to work, and even though they had gone a little fast with sleeping together she knew it didn't change anything – or maybe it did, but only for the better. She realized last night just how much she loved him, but she hadn't told him yet.
She knew she couldn't live without him even if she tried, because she would be empty without him. She felt tears in her eyes only thinking about it, and she shook her head to stop. Ten minutes later Jason walked back in the bedroom with crackers and two mugs. She looked at him and he sat down next to her on the bed, handing her the crackers and one of the mugs.
''It's tea – and I heard crackers did wonders for an upset stomach,'' he told her, and she nodded, ''I hope you feel better soon, because I don't like to see you sick,'' he said softly, and she nodded.
''I'm ok – Jason,'' she said, and he looked up, and smiled at her, ''last night was amazing,'' she told him, and he nodded.
''I thought so too, I enjoy spending time with you – and now we have to spend a lot of time together before the baby comes,'' he said, and he wiggled his eyebrows. She smiled, and took a bite of the cracker.
''I know, right?'' she replied, ''but I would just like to say that I do not regret anything that happened last night, just so you know,'' she told him, and he nodded.
''I don't regret it either,'' he replied. She nodded and got out of bed, took her mug and cracker and gestured for Jason to follow her. He did, and they walked to the living room. She smiled when she saw the evening was still there, because nothing had been taken away yet. She saw the candles were out, and she wondered who did it – because Jason and she didn't think about it after going to the bedroom.
''I think Danny blew out the candles, don't you think? I mean, I didn't think of it,'' she said, and he nodded. Just then the door opened and Danny walked in, smiling at them.
''Sammy! I thought I heard you – or Jason, maybe,'' he said looking at Jason and then back at Sam, ''I blew out the candles last night because you forgot, but I didn't stay here – went to stay at Tam's,'' he said, and Sam nodded.
''Thank you, Danny – I'm glad you're talking to me again,'' she said, and he frowned and then looked down, feeling guilty.
''I didn't mean to act like that – Tam's let me see that nothing will change except that you will have a baby,'' he said, ''but I think I want to help you, and I think I want to go to a home,'' he said, and Sam widened her eyes, and looked at Jason, who was just as surprised.
''To a home – you mean a place where you can learn and be with people who have the same disease as you?'' she asked, and Danny nodded, ''why would you do that – you can stay here, Danny, you know that,'' she said, and she felt her eyes burn again.
''I know, but I think it's best that way – I know you want to take care of me, and I know you can do that, but I also know that this is best,'' he said, ''because I can be with people I understand all the time – and we can still see each other,'' he said, and she nodded.
''If this is what you want, I will support you, Danny. I love you,'' Sam said, and she hugged Danny tight, and he held her.
''I love you too – I've found a place already, but it's in Hawaii,'' he said, and she widened her eyes again, ''yeah, it's far, but it is something I like – it's near the ocean,'' he said, his face lit up when he told her about the place, and she smiled. If he wanted to do this, she would support him. She could always come to see him, and she knew Danny wanted this. She couldn't stop him, although she had to have some time to get used to the idea.
''It's set, then. You're going to live in Hawaii,'' she said, and he nodded. He smiled, and then looked at Jason. Jason nodded; proud of Danny that he made the decision himself to move out and go some place he fit in.
Sam watched as Danny walked around packing his bags. After he had told her about the place in Hawaii, they had sent a message and got a reply – telling them they were lucky, because they had a free spot. That was two weeks ago, and Danny decided to go along with it. Sam was proud of him – she had tried to make him see he was better off in a home like that, but he didn't want to see it, not until he talked to Tamara about her baby.
''So – I'm ready packing and I know you can't come with, so I asked Tam to come along. She will stay there for a little vacation,'' he said, and she nodded as she smiled. She would miss him, and because she was told not to fly during pregnancy, she couldn't come to Hawaii. She had told him she would come after the baby was born, and she would take him or her with her.
''I'm going to miss you, Danny,'' she said softly, and he nodded and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smiled when he didn't want to let her go.
''Me too, Sammy – but you promised to come after the baby was born, so I know I'll see you soon,'' he said, and she nodded again. just then the door opened and James, Daisy and Jason walked in. Sam smiled at James and Daisy and walked over to Jason to hug him, and then she turned around, still in his arms to look at Danny. He was surprised, but he was smiling and when the door opened again and Tamara walked in his whole face lit up.
''It's time for us to go, Danny,'' Tam said, and Danny nodded. He walked over to Daisy and kissed her on her cheek after he hugged her, then he shook hands with James and Jason. He looked at Sam and hugged her again, and also kissed her on the cheek.
''I will miss all of you, and I'll be looking forward to see all of you – and my niece or nephew,'' he said, and he wiped away a tear on Sam's face, ''It will all be ok, Sammy, trust me,'' he whispered, and she nodded. Then he walked away without looking back, and Sam knew he was now crying. Tam smiled at them before walking after Danny, and Sam turned around and leaned against Jason, her head on his chest, and cried.
A couple of hours later Jason sat on the chair – with Sam sleeping on his lap. After she had started, crying when Danny left, he had taken her to the chair and pulled her on his lap, and she had fallen asleep pretty soon after.
Daisy and James were in the kitchen cooking dinner for the four of them, and Jason even fell asleep himself for some time. But when Sam started moving and mumbling in her sleep he woke up and tried to calm her down. He couldn't hear what she said, but he could feel by the way she tensed that she was having a nightmare. He shook her gently, calling her name softly so he wouldn't scare her, but she wouldn't wake up. He gave up, but wrapped his arms around her tightly, to let her know she wasn't alone. James walked back in the room and saw the two of them.
''Let her hear your heartbeat. It's really strange, but Sam calms down when she hears your heart,'' he softly told Jason, who pulled Sam's head against his chest and relaxed. He had been concerned about her, but after some time, Sam calmed down from hearing his heartbeat. He looked up at James and thanked him with his eyes, to which James walked back to the kitchen. Jason looked back to Sam, and saw she was staring at him. He released her head – he had unknowingly held it – and smiled at her. She lifted her head and looked at him in surprise, not sure how she ended up sleeping on his lap.
''Hey,'' she said, ''what happened – how did we end up here?'' she asked, looking around and she saw they were on the chair. He smiled, and opened his mouth to talk just when James walked back.
''Hey, sleepyhead – dinner is ready, so if you two could come sit down,'' he said, and then he walked back to the kitchen. Jason sighed, and helped Sam get up.
''After Danny left I took you here, and you fell asleep – it's a couple of hours ago, and Daisy and James made dinner. And I have to say it smells really good,'' he said, sniffing in the air. He didn't know what they made, but it really smelled amazing.
''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep,'' she said, and then she widened her eyes, ''did Danny call yet?'' she asked, and she looked at him as he got up.
''No, Danny didn't call yet, but I know you will be hearing of him soon,'' Jason replied, and he took her to the kitchen, where the plates were already filled on the table. Sam sat down and Jason sat down next to her, and then Daisy and James sat down opposite of them.
''I made something simple, because I didn't know what you would want to eat,'' she said to Sam, who nodded and smiled looking down at her plate. It was pot roast, and she loved that.
''It's great,'' she said, and then she paused to take a bite, and moaned, ''it's amazing – you have to teach me to make this,'' she said, and James widened his eyes and shook his head at Daisy.
''Don't let her go anywhere near a stove, Daisy – she will burn the apartment down,'' he said, and Jason widened his eyes and laughed, as did Daisy, ''I'm serious, you cant do that,'' James added, but he was smiling too. Sam laughed, she knew she couldn't cook – she could even burn water, but that didn't matter.
''Well, thanks James – I have an opportunity to learn how to cook and you scare away the one who could teach me,'' she said, acting hurt.
''You know what I think, Sam,'' Daisy suddenly said, changing the subject, ''I think Tamara will stay in Hawaii – to stay close to Danny,'' she told her, and Sam nodded.
''I thought so too – I don't know what is going on with the two of them, but I have a feeling it is really serious,'' she said, and smiled at the thought of Danny and Tamara as a couple. Danny deserved to be happy, and Tamara was someone she saw fit for him. Not that she would stop him from dating her if she didn't think that, but she didn't want him to settle for less than he deserved. He was happy with Tam, and he had been spending a lot of time with her since they had arrived in Port Charles.
''Well, if she stays he will love it – I've seen the two of them together and I love seeing them – they are love,'' James said, and Daisy laughed softly, glad Sam didn't freak out when she had said that. Sam was very protective of Danny, and she didn't want anything to happen to him, but she was also a little overprotective – people didn't always look at Danny, but at his disability and they would use that to their advantage. Daisy knew what that was like, because she knew a lot of people who were mentally disabled.
''I'm glad, though, Sam, that you didn't keep them apart,'' Daisy said, and Sam nodded. At first she didn't see what was going on between the two of them because she was always away, but after a while she started noticing Danny spending a lot of time with Tam.
''I love Danny, and you know I always want the best for him – but this is good for him, he loves Tam and I know Tam loves him. If she wants to stay in Hawaii to be with him, I can't stop them,'' she said, and Daisy nodded. Once they were done eating, Jason and Sam decided they would wash the dishes, because Daisy and James had cooked.
They were done with the dishes in no time – Sam would wash them and Jason dry, and when they were done Sam started making coffee.
''Hey, hey – what are you doing?'' Jason asked, and she looked at him in surprise.
''I'm making coffee for you,'' she said, not knowing what to think. She wasn't going to drink it, even though Dr. Lee had told her she could drink – but minimal as possible.
''For me – as in James, Daisy and me?'' he asked, and she nodded. He sighed of relief, ''I thought you were going to drink it too, but you cant,'' he said, and she nodded again.
''I know, Jason, and I don't drink it – I don't want to risk anything. I'll just take some water or tea,'' she replied, and he nodded and smiled at her. She waited for the coffee to finish, and poured the cups, as Jason made tea for her. He poured it for her and then took one of the cups of coffee and walked to the living room, Sam following him.
''Nice, you two work good together,'' James said with a smile, and he thanked them for the coffee. Daisy thanked Sam as she handed her the cup and Sam and Jason both sat down on the floor. She didn't have enough chairs for them all to sit on, and James and Daisy occupied the couch.
''Sam, why don't you sit down on the chair?'' Jason asked, and she looked at him with a smile.
''I like sitting on the floor – and you are sitting on the floor too,'' she said, and as she ended her sentence, her phone started ringing. Jason got up to get it, and handed it to Sam.
''Danny, did you arrive?'' she asked when she answered it, and she heard Danny chuckle.
''Yeah, Sammy, we arrived, and we are safe and healthy,'' he replied, and she sighed of relief. She had been worried about him, even though the dinner had distracted her long enough to relax a little, ''Tam and I will stay in a hotel tonight, because we can't get there in time to check me in,'' he told her, and she nodded.
''Ok, that's fine. How is Tam? Are you excited?'' she asked, and he laughed and suddenly she didn't hear anything, ''Danny?'' she almost yelled, she was concerned, she didn't know what happened and she was too far away to help.
''No, it's Tam. Danny said you wanted to know how I was doing and I'm telling you we're ok,'' she said, and Sam sighed in relief. Jason had seen her distress and had wrapped his arm around her, and she leaned into him.
''Thank you – what's the weather like there?'' she asked, wondering because it was cold in Port Charles. They were entering winter and she knew Hawaii was known for the great weather.
''It's nice, we're outside waiting for the cab, and the breeze is so nice,'' Tam said, and she could hear Danny say something in the background. ''Sam, I wanted to talk to you about something, later,'' Tam suddenly said, and Sam widened her eyes and smiled.
''Ok, when you are all settled in tomorrow, give me a call,'' she said, ''give Danny a kiss for me, ok?''
''I will do that. We'll call you tomorrow,'' she said, and then disconnected the line. Sam looked around, missing Danny even more now she had heard his voice, and smiled at Daisy.
''You were right. Tam wanted to talk to me tomorrow,'' she said, then she looked at James and Jason, ''He's ok, she is too, and they'll stay at a hotel before checking him in tomorrow. It's too late for them to travel there and check in,'' she told them, and they all nodded.
Danny looked at Tam and smiled after she had ended the call. He knew Sam had been anxious to hear from them, and that's why he had called her right after they stepped out of the airport. She had sounded relieved when he had called her, and he was glad he did it right away. They had found out they couldn't check him in anymore when they had landed, and they had decided to stay where they were for the night. They had just rented a room in one of the hotels in the area, and Tam was pacing around, nervous about talking to Sam tomorrow.
''Tam, stop that – Sam will be ok with it, I promise you,'' he said, and she looked at him with wide eyes.
''What – you think she will just let you marry me? Because I don't think she will, Danny. She doesn't want to see you hurt – and not that I will hurt you – but I can understand after what she has been through,'' she rambled, and he got up and walked over to her, pulling her in his arms.
''Tam, she will be ok with it. It's my decision, and if she doesn't like it, it's her problem. I love her to death, but I won't let her control my life that way, and she knows that,'' he said, and she nodded against his chest. He smiled, and then took a step back, ''I love you,'' he said, and she smiled.
''I love you too,'' she replied, and then he kissed her. It was a passionate kiss, and she drowned in it. After a while he broke the kiss and they got ready to go to bed.
They would be getting married when Sam would give her consent, because Tam didn't want to marry Danny if Sam didn't want it – or if it would build a wall between Sam and Danny. Danny was sure she would be ok with it, but Tam didn't know for sure. She wanted to marry Danny, so bad, and she would do anything to convince Sam if she didn't want it.
Danny had asked her on the plane if she wanted to marry him, and she had told him she wanted to know what Sam thought first. She knew it was stupid, but she really cared about Sam's opinion, and Danny could understand why she wanted to wait with her answer. She knew that even after they got married, Danny wanted to stay in the home, and she didn't mind. She was planning on buying a house nearby, so she could see him all the time, and she would find a job. She smiled at Danny and laid down on the bed, curling up against Danny. Soon she fell asleep, as did Danny.
Sam stood in the kitchen making some tea when Jason walked in. he smiled at her, walked over to her and pulled her in his arms after she let go of her cup, and then kissed her.
''Morning,'' he mumbled, and she smiled at him and kissed him one more time.
''Good morning – did you sleep ok?'' she asked, ''I know I can toss and turn without me knowing,'' she said, and then laughed, ''I mean, Danny once told me,'' she added, and he nodded.
''Yeah, you were restless. What's on your mind?'' he asked, and she shrugged. She didn't know what caused her to toss and turn, because she didn't remember when she woke up.
''I guess it's still the whole Bill thing,'' she said, as she thought of Bill Monroe. She still had dreams about that night, the what if-dreams. She would dream about what would have happened if Jason didn't come on time, and she shuddered thinking about it.
''Why don't you go see someone – I mean a therapist, maybe you can lose it when you talk about it with a pro,'' he suggested, and she nodded. She didn't like talking about things that had happened, but she could always try, ''I don't like talking to therapists myself – I've had some bad experiences, but I want you to do what helps you. I will be there with you if you want,'' he added, and she smiled at him.
''Thank you – you want some tea?'' she asked, changing the subject, and he shook his head.
''If you don't mind, I'll make some coffee. I have a long day ahead of me and I need some caffeine,'' he said, and she nodded. She didn't mind him drinking coffee – as long as he didn't start to brag about it. She knew Jason wouldn't do that, not even to tease her, and he had told her he would drink less coffee just for her. Jason had been spending more nights at her place after the dinner at the little restaurant, and she liked spending this much time with him. She had gotten to know him better, and he had gotten to know her better after spending all day together when they got the chance.
''What are you going to do today?'' he asked her, and she looked at him, smiling when she thought of what she was going to do.
''I'm going shopping with Carly and Daisy – they're going to help me with the nursery. Now that Danny moved out, I was thinking of turning his room into one,'' she said, and he nodded. He didn't say anything, but he was planning on asking her to move in with him. He was aware of how much time they spent in her apartment, but he wanted her to move in with him- where it was safe.
''Oh, by the way – dinner at my place tonight,'' he told her, and she frowned and nodded. Then she smiled and took her cup in her hands and walked to the living room, where she sat down on the couch. Jason followed her after he had poured a cup of coffee, and sat down next to her.
''Dinner at your place tonight at…?'' she asked, and he looked at her to see the twinkling in her eyes.
''At 7, and be there on time,'' he said with a wink, and then he emptied his hot cup of coffee and got up to take a shower. She watched him until he was out of sight, and sat back down. Danny would call today, and Tam wanted to talk to her too, and Sam was a little nervous. She knew what was coming – not really sure of all of it, but she knew the most. Tam would want to stay there, and she wondered why she wanted to talk to Sam about it, but she would not say anything about any of that. After 30 minutes Jason came back to the living room, dressed and ready to go.
''Sam, I need to run – I'll see you tonight,'' he said, and he leaned in to kiss her. She smiled up to him when he broke the kiss, and then he turned around and put on his jacket. After that he turned around and blew her a hand kiss, and left. She got up and walked towards the bathroom to take a shower. She needed to get ready for shopping.
Sam walked towards the door to open it, and smiled at Carly and Daisy when she saw them. They pushed her aside gently and stalked inside, sat down on the couch and waited for Sam to close the door and turn around.
''Have you heard from Danny or Tam yet?'' Daisy asked, and Sam shook her head, ''don't you think they should've checked Danny in by now?'' she asked, and Sam shook her head again with a smile.
''I don't think they've had the chance,'' she replied, ''are you ready to go or do you want something to drink first?'' Sam asked, and both women stood from the couch and walked towards Sam. They hooked their arms in hers, and they walked out the door. They walked towards the car, and Daisy was the driver today. Sam and Carly sat in the back, talking about decorating the nursery, while Daisy drove them to the mall.
Jason sat at his desk at home and looked over the papers for the coffee shop, but he couldn't concentrate. He was thinking about tonight. He had planned the dinner when he was in bed alone that morning, and all he had to do was order some food and he was all set. He had called Emily to set up the roof of the Towers, and she happily agreed to do it. He was planning on asking Sam to move in with him, and he wanted it to be special. He knew it would be a big step for both of them, but he wanted her and the baby close, so in his opinion it was the only solution. He knew she wouldn't want to marry him at this point, and he wouldn't even ask her now. He wanted to wait with that, until he was sure that she was ready.
He got up from his chair and walked over to the balcony, opened the doors and stepped outside. He always loved the view he had of the city, and he had missed seeing it from his balcony. But not as much as he would miss Sam when he wasn't with her. He smiled – Sam had turned around. She was open to their relationship – which wasn't the case in the beginning. He didn't blame her, after the way he had treated her, but after the dinner in the little restaurant everything changed. She had told him when she didn't feel so good, and when she felt the baby move for the first time, he was the second to feel it.
He got back inside and thought back on the night she felt the baby move for the first time. It had been an amazing experience, and he loved feeling the little flutters against his hand. She had pulled his hand to her stomach, and although he had to wait for some time, he had also felt it. She had been so excited, until she was too tired to even look at him straight, and he had brought her to bed. It had been a good night, and it had been a week before Danny had left. He wondered if Danny had called yet, as he watched his clock and saw it was past afternoon. He decided to go see where Emily was with the decorations, and help her with it so everything was set for tonight.
He made his way up to the roof at the same time Emily did, and she dropped the bags she was carrying and hugged him.
''I've missed you so much,'' she said, and he nodded. He had missed her too – they hadn't seen each other in a couple of weeks, because Emily had been busy with studying and helping Nikolas.
''Me too, Em – how is Nikolas doing?'' he asked her, and she shrugged.
''He doesn't like it that he cant do anything for a while, but he is coping,'' she said, and he nodded. He could understand the feeling Nikolas had, because he had felt like that many times before, ''you're planning some romantic dinner, with Sam right? Are you going to ask her to marry you?'' she asked him, changing the subject.
''No – I'm going to ask her if she wants to move in with me,'' he replied, and she nodded with a huge smile on her face. They started working in silence, only talking when they had to say something about decorating, and Jason smiled. This night would be great no matter what would happen.
Sam didn't buy anything that afternoon. She was window shopping – but shopping for the baby didn't seem right without Jason. Daisy and Carly noticed, and they went to Kelly's for something to drink. Just as they sat down Sam's phone rang, and she answered it.
''Danny,'' she said, and she heard Danny giggle.
''Yeah – I just signed in and we are about to go to the room but Tam wanted to talk with you first,'' he told her, and she nodded.
''Ok, I'm ready,'' she said jokingly, and he gave the phone to Tam with a whisper. She couldn't hear what he said, but she didn't mind at all. She was in a good mood – although she didn't like it that she didn't buy anything.
''Sam, I have a question,'' Tam said when she had the phone, and Sam waited, ''When Danny and I were in the plane Danny asked me to marry him,'' she said, and Sam widened her eyes. Carly looked at her in surprise, and Sam shook her head, not knowing what to say.
''What did you say? I hope you didn't hurt him – please tell me you didn't hurt him?'' she said, and she heard Tam laugh softly, ''Tam, don't leave me hanging here – did you say yes?''
''I didn't – I mean, I wanted to wait to see what you would think about it. I know you and Danny are close, and I don't want to come in between,'' Tam said softly, and Sam smiled.
''Tam, I think you should answer his question the way you want to – and I know you want to say yes. You didn't have to ask for my permission to do that, sweetheart,'' Sam told her, and she could hear Tam's sigh of relief, and not much later she heard Danny laugh.
''Oh thank you so much Sam – I wanted to tell you that I'm staying here,'' Tam said quickly, and Sam smiled again, ''to be near Danny, and I hope you will get a free pass to come here for the wedding,'' she added, and Sam laughed softly.
''I will ask my doctor when I see her next time,'' she said, ''you go tell Danny, and I will call you when I hear from my doctor, ok?'' Sam said, and she heard Tam tell Danny something.
''I will – and I'll tell Danny to call you soon,'' she said, and then she disconnected the line after saying goodbye.
''Danny and Tamara are getting married,'' Sam told Daisy and Carly, and both women widened their eyes and smiled.
''That's great,'' they said in unison, and Sam smiled and nodded. The women stayed to finish their drinks, and Sam left to get ready for dinner with Jason.
Jason looked around when it was almost 7 and was satisfied with what he saw. Emily had made the roof wonderful, and he loved her for it. She left about an hour ago, giving him some time to get ready, and he had written a note for Sam telling her where to go. He had dressed somewhat more formal, but not all the way. He was still wearing jeans, but with a button-up shirt. He heard someone come up the stairs and rose from his chair – he was glad he was in time, and the food was already there. When the door opened, he saw the look of shock and surprise on her face and smiled. She walked towards him, and he looked at her and took in her appearance. She was wearing a cocktail dress, and he loved it.
''Hey,'' he said, and when she stopped in front of him he pulled her towards her in a hug, ''I missed you today,'' he whispered in her ear, and she nodded.
''I've missed you too,'' she said, and he gestured for her to sit down. She did, and he sat opposite of her, ''you keep surprising me, Jason,'' she said, and she looked around, ''this is just amazing,'' she added, and he nodded.
''Thank you – I've had help, Em helped me a little – ok, a lot with it,'' he said with a smile, and she laughed softly. Then he got up and kneeled in front of her. Her eyes widened and he could see she was afraid of what he would do, ''I'm not going to ask you to marry me – yet – but I do want to ask you something important.''
''What is it?'' she asked, and he took a deep breath. It was now or never.
''Will you move in with me?'' he asked her, and he held his breath waiting for her reply.
Sam stared at Jason for a couple of moments after he had asked her to move in. She blinked, not knowing what to day – she didn't think it was the right thing to do right now, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings.
''Well?'' Jason urged her when she didn't answer, and she looked at him and smiled weakly.
''I – I don't know what to say. Jason, I don't think it – don't you think it's a little soon?'' she rambled, ''I mean, yeah, we've known each other a couple of months now, but we were only getting to know each other the last couple of weeks,'' she said, and she could see the hurt on his face, ''listen, don't take this the wrong way – I don't want to hurt you – but I think it's too soon,'' she added, and she felt her tears sting in her eyes.
''I understand,'' he said, and he gently pulled her up and kissed her on top of her head. She laid her head against his chest and smiled, glad he understood, ''but I really think it's the right thing to do – because it's also because of Bill,'' he said, and she tensed.
''What about him – he is in jail,'' she said, and she could hear her own voice shake, ''you heard something didn't you?'' she asked him, and he nodded and laid his chin on her head.
''I heard he will be released soon, because Lucky couldn't find anything else on him than attempted rape, and still – I assaulted him,'' he said, shrugging. He didn't like the look on her face – full of fear – and he didn't like the tears in her eyes, but he had to tell her. He wanted to be honest with her, and he couldn't keep it anymore. This afternoon after Emily had left Lucky had called him to tell him about it, and he had been trying to decide whether to tell Sam or not.
''Because you assaulted him – and because Lucky the cop can't find anything else, they'll let him go?'' she asked, shocked. She had been afraid of Bill that night he almost beat her to death, and she had thought she killed him. When it turned out she didn't, he had almost raped her, and now they were letting him go because they didn't have enough evidence?
''I know it's weird – but my guess is that Bill has friends in high places,'' he replied, and she nodded, ''are you still up for dinner? Sorry if I ruined it,'' he said looking down at her, and she smiled at him.
''I'm starved – it's like nothing can stop me from eating. What about you?'' she said, and she looked at him as he nodded. Then she sat down and he did the same. They started eating, and she looked at him, ''how did you know what I liked?'' she asked him
''I asked James and Daisy – they were happy to help,'' he replied, and she nodded. They were silent through dinner, and Jason knew Sam was still thinking about Bill. Now he wished he hadn't told her, but it was too late. When they finished, she still hadn't said anything and he was starting to worry about her. She wasn't supposed to get stressed, and he had stressed her out by telling her about Bill
''Jason, I have to tell you something,'' she said, when they were back in his penthouse, and he nodded and put the plates down in the kitchen before walking back to the living room. She was sitting on the couch, and he sat down next to her and pulled her in his arms.
''Tell me, Sam – you know you can tell me everything,'' he whispered, and she nodded and leaned into him, relaxing when she heard his heart beating steady and strong.
''If you think it's safer here, I will move in with you – I understand it's also because you want to be close to the baby,'' she said softly, and he sighed of relief.
''It's not only because of Bill or the baby, Sam. I want you close to me,'' he said to her, and she looked up and smiled at him.
''You saw the look on my face when you kneeled in front of me – I thought you were going to propose and I freaked,'' she said, and then she sat up, ''not that I wouldn't marry you if we knew each other better, but…'' her voice faded when she saw the smile on his face, and she playfully hit him on the arm.
''I know you freaked – I saw it, and that's why I said I didn't plan on proposing. I've thought about it, though,'' he said, and when she wanted to say something he added, ''but because we don't know each other well enough, and because I knew your would say no because of that, I didn't.'' she nodded, but didn't say anything, ''I'm an old fashioned guy, Sam. I really want to give the baby my name, and you too, because we are going to be a family – but we are going to be a family no matter what – it doesn't matter if we get married,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I know you are old fashioned, Carly told me this afternoon – she was surprised you didn't ask me yet, but I told her that you also know what I would do,'' she said, and he nodded, ''you knew from the start why I was here, but you also knew it was just a game. When it's about my heart – and my life, I mean, marrying someone is pretty big for me,'' she said, ''and I played people and married men to con them, but this would be a whole other story,'' she rambled on.
''Yeah, it would be, and I know you well enough to know how you think about marriage. Now, tell me, did Danny call yet?'' he asked her, and her eyes widened as she nodded with a smile.
''He called me – he is all settled in. I talked to Tamara – you know what they did?'' she asked him, and he shook his head, ''Danny asked her to marry him – and she wanted to call me to tell me and see how I would react before she would answer him,'' she said, her eyes wide in surprise and disbelief.
''She knows how close the two of you are,'' he replied, and she nodded.
''That's what she said – she also said she didn't want to come between us if I didn't agree with that. She would have said no if I didn't want them to get married,'' she said, and Jason nodded, ''what do you think – I mean they obviously thought I wouldn't like it, did you think that?''
''No – I mean, I see how much you love Danny but when you were talking at dinner the other night you were really happy for them. If she wanted to stay there she would have done that either way – but she wanted to know what you would say because she likes you and cares about your opinion,'' he replied, and she nodded.
''Well, I'll call Dr. Lee soon to ask her about flying now. But first I want to call Daisy and James,'' she said, and she leaned back, ''later,'' she whispered and then she yawned. Seconds later she was out.
Daisy sat next to James, looking at him to see what he would say to what she just told him. He stared at her silently for a few moments, then he grabbed her and hugged her tight.
''It's amazing!'' he said, and then she smiled. She had found out she was pregnant about a week ago, and she hadn't told anyone before going to the hospital to confirm it. She had been feeling sick for some time, and she had taken a test and it as positive, ''how far along are you – or do you still need to go to the hospital?'' James asked, and she shook her head.
''No, I went yesterday – and before you flip out, I didn't know how to tell you, but you are the first to know,'' she said, ''and I'm almost 10 weeks along,'' she added, and he frowned.
''That's why you have been sick – I don't know how I could miss it. With Sam I saw right away when she started to get sick, and I suspected she was pregnant right away,'' he said, and she smiled and nodded.
''I've been pregnant before and I didn't even notice,'' she said, and then she looked down, thinking about her baby girl, ''the doctor said I had to be careful and she wanted me to come in regularly,'' she added.
''Ok, we can do that,'' James said, and just then the phone rang. He looked at the caller ID to see it was Sam, and he picked up, ''hey, baby, how are you doing?''
''Hey, is Daisy there too?'' Sam asked him, '' if so, put it on speaker so I won't have to tell you twice,'' she added, and he put the phone on speaker.
''It's done – now tell me what Danny said,'' he replied, and she told him about the phone call that afternoon. He smiled; glad Danny was finally getting a life of his own.
''So, we are having a wedding soon – I still have to call my doctor to see what she says about me flying, but I will hear from Tam and Danny in a couple of days. They wanted to get married as soon as possible,'' she said, and both James and Daisy smiled. But soon Daisy's smile faded.
''I don't know if I can make it, Sam,'' she said, and he could see the tears in her eyes. Even though she had been wanting for this baby forever, she wanted to go to Danny's wedding too, and he could see why she would feel sad.
''Why not – are you sick, Daisy?'' Sam asked, and James could hear the concern in her voice. He tuned out – thinking about Daisy and Sam and he was happy they were getting along so well. Sam was normally really hard and mean to his girlfriends, but ever since he had shown up with Daisy in Port Charles she had been nice to her. Daisy loved Sam, and he knew the feeling was mutual.
''No, I'm not sick, sweetheart,'' he heard Daisy say, and he knew Sam had just been rambling on, not giving Daisy a chance to reply to the first question before shooting more, ''I'll tell you when we see you, ok, Sam?'' she said, and James turned to look at her to see she had disconnected the line.
''We have to tell her we can't go – I mean, if it's not safe for you,'' James told her, and she nodded.
''I will have to contact the doctor when I know when the wedding is, and we'll ask her if I can go,'' she said, and he nodded and smiled at her. He was so happy about her being pregnant, and he couldn't stop smiling about it.
''We're going to have a baby,'' he whispered, just before his lips met hers.
Sam sat on the couch thinking about what Daisy had said. She had told her she couldn't make it, but she knew James could. She would miss Daisy, but if she really couldn't make it, it had to be. She wondered why she couldn't make it – because she had sounded a little weird on the phone.
''Did you talk to them?'' Jason asked when he walked back in the living room, and she nodded, ''what did they think?''
''I think they were excited – but Daisy said she couldn't make it and I was wondering what it could be,'' she said, and she looked down.
''Maybe it's just something that has to do with her family,'' he said, and she shook her head.
''We don't even know when the wedding is,'' she said, and then she changed the subject, ''is it decided – I mean, me moving in? Was the offer still open?''
''Yeah, of course it was – and if you want to, you stay here, because I know I would love that,'' he said, and she nodded. It was decided, she was moving in. At Jason's penthouse she would be safe and he would be close to the baby at all times, and she nodded again.
''I'm moving in,'' she told him.
Jason smiled when he saw Sam sleeping on his couch when he came home. She had moved in last week and it felt good to come home to her. She normally wouldn't be sleeping on the couch, but she wanted to wait up for him. He knew Danny should've called today, to tell them when the wedding would be, and he knew she stayed up just to see if he was ok.
He didn't wake her up, but went upstairs and took a shower. After his shower he walked back down and saw she was still asleep, so he walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of beer and walked back to the living room, where he sat down on the chair next to the couch. He watched her as he drank his beer, and after some time she began to stir. He didn't say anything yet, watching her wake up. She yawned, and then she sat up and almost jumped off the couch when she saw him. Then she smiled, a hand on her chest.
''Hey, you scared me,'' she said, and he nodded, ''how did it go?'' she asked, and he shrugged. He had gone to Sonny to talk to him about Bill Monroe, and Sonny had told him to do what ever he wanted to make sure Bill wouldn't come after Sam again. He had been released a couple of days ago and Sam had been on edge ever since.
''Sonny told me to decide what to do, so I have a free pass on this one,'' he said, and she nodded. He could see the relief in her eyes – he had told her he couldn't just go after Bill without Sonny knowing. He had told her about his job somewhere this week, because he knew she had a right to know; now she was living with him.
''That's good to hear – I was a little concerned he would tell you to back off, or he would tell you that I wasn't any good to protect,'' she said, and he smiled at her, ''by the way – Danny called,'' she added, suddenly changing the subject.
''Ok, what did he say – when is the wedding?'' he asked, and she smiled.
''It's next month. Tam said she kind of asked a doctor around there if I could fly, and he told her it wouldn't be a problem for once. I still have to call Dr. Lee, but I have an appointment tomorrow so I can just ask her then,'' she told him, and he nodded. She rubbed her eyes and he smiled at her.
''Why don't you go up, and get some sleep? I'll come up with you,'' he said, and she nodded. He was exhausted, after the day he had. Carly had come over this morning to talk to him, and he had tried to get her out – she was up to one of her schemes again, and he didn't want her to do anything stupid. Then when she left he had found Sam had left too, without telling him. He went looking for her, only to find her on the roof looking over the city.
''Come on, Jase. You were running around all day, and you need your rest,'' she suddenly said, and he looked up and smiled at her. She was standing in front of him, her hand reached out for him to grab, and he did. He got up and set the bottle down on the table – he would put it away tomorrow – and he wrapped one arm around her waist. They walked upstairs together, and when his head his the pillow, he was out. Sam watched him as he slept, and not long after, she fell asleep too.
Sam woke up the next morning and noticed she was alone in bed. It happened often – Jason would be out before she woke up. Normally there was a note, but this time there wasn't and she wondered where he was. She got up, took a shower and got dressed, and after she walked down stairs. She heard something in the kitchen, and she went to look. When she saw Jason making breakfast she smiled.
''Good morning,'' she said, softly because she didn't want to startle him, and he turned around with a smile.
''Morning – I have breakfast for you before we have to go to the hospital. Also Danny called,'' he told her.
''He called – this early?'' she said, and he looked at her in surprise, shaking his head.
''Babe, it's already passed eleven. You slept in, and Danny called an hour ago because he thought you would be awake already – I told him to call back,'' he said, and she frowned.
''Ok – I never sleep in but it's nice to feel like this,'' she said, ''rested,'' she added when he looked at her. He nodded, finished making breakfast and gave one plate to her. She sat down and he sat opposite of her.
''We have to be in after noon, so I will come with you – but after that I have to go do some work,'' he said, and she nodded.
They ate in silence, and Sam smiled at Jason when he got up and put the dishes in the sink. He left them there, and she thought she could do it later, because she didn't have anything planned. They made their way to the car talking nonsense, and Jason drove them to the hospital for her appointment. When they got there, Sam sat down in the waiting area while Jason told the nurse they were here for their appointment. When Sam looked up, she saw Daisy standing not far away, and she frowned.
''Daisy?'' she called, and Daisy turned around, looked at her and paled. Sam got up and walked towards her, as Daisy stood there looking at her, ''hey, what are you doing here?'' Sam asked, and Daisy looked at her again and sighed.
''I just had an appointment with my doctor – Sam, I wanted to tell you tonight – I would have come over and told you but I had to go in and ask if-''
''You're pregnant,'' Sam said, interrupting Daisy excited, and when Daisy nodded, Sam hugged her, ''congrats, sweetie!''
''I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just told James,'' Daisy said, tears in her eyes. Sam looked at her with a smile, and shook her head.
''It's ok babe. What did James say? I know he wanted to have a baby forever – he loves kids,'' she said, and Daisy nodded. Just then Jason walked towards them and asked Daisy if she was ok.
''I'm pregnant,'' she said, a stray tear streaming down her face, and Sam looked at Jason, who was looking at Daisy in surprise, and then back at Daisy. She wrapped her arms around her again, and felt Daisy was trembling.
''This is about your last pregnancy, isn't it? What did Dr. Lee say about that?'' she asked Daisy, who nodded.
''She told me I have to be careful – I can fly, but I have to make sure I go to a doctor there, if anything goes wrong – and she told me I would have to have more appointments than usual,'' she told Sam. Sam nodded – it would be a high-risk pregnancy, but she knew James and Daisy could get through it.
''Ok, that's great,'' Jason said to her, ''congratulations – but Sam has to go in now,'' he said, looking at her apologetic, ''why don't you and James come by tonight and we celebrate?''
''I'll ask him – thanks guys,'' she said, and Sam and Jason made their way to Dr. Lee's office.
''Well, I have to say I think it's not the best idea, but seeing as it is your brother's wedding I'd say go,'' Dr. Lee said, after the ultrasound. Sam had asked when she could see the sex of the baby, and Dr. Lee told her it would be next appointment. Seeing as she would leave in 3 weeks to go to Hawaii, she wanted to see Sam before going there, so she could be sure everything was ok.
''Thank you, Dr. Lee,'' she replied, and they shook hands. Jason had stepped out because he got a phone call, and Sam had told him she could get home herself. The problems with Bill were still not solved, because he was nowhere to be found, but she wasn't scared of him anymore. She had guards on her when she left the house, even if Jason was there with her, and they would keep her safe no matter what.
''You're welcome. We'll see each other in a couple of weeks, make an appointment just before you go off, I really want to check on you before,'' Dr. Lee said again, and Sam nodded. Then she walked away and smiled at the guards. She didn't know their names, but they wouldn't talk to her. Jason had told them not to make any contact if not necessary. She walked to Kelly's – she hadn't been working lately because when Mike found out she was pregnant he told her to go take care of herself and her baby – she could come back if she wanted but she didn't have to work now. She went by often, to talk with Mike and most of the time she would see Carly there.
She stepped inside and saw Mike standing behind the counter talking to a costumer, and Carly was sitting at a table alone. She waved at Sam who walked over to her and sat down.
''What are you doing her all by yourself?'' Carly asked Sam, looking at her sternly. Carly also knew all about Bill now, and she always called her to ask her if she was alright. When she didn't call, she would come by unannounced, and Sam smiled at Carly.
''I just had an appointment with Dr. Lee, and she told me I could fly to Hawaii to be at Danny's wedding,'' she told Carly, who nodded, ''and I left the hospital alone because Jason got a call and had to step out. I still have those big guys following me all around town,'' she said, pointing at the guard outside, and the guard inside.
''Ok, that's good,'' Carly said smiling, and then Mike came up and asked them what they wanted.
''Sam – sweetheart, I've missed you this week, where were you?'' he asked, and Sam looked up at him with a smile.
''I was moving in last week, and Jason kept me busy this week with all kinds of stuff,'' she said, and he nodded smiling. He walked away and made their orders, and Carly chatted away about her boys and Sonny. Sam listened and nodded, and when their orders came they ate.
''You know I think you eat to much,'' Carly said, and Sam looked up in surprise.
''You do?'' she asked, unsure of whether Carly was teasing her or not, but when she saw the look on her face she smiled, ''you know you can't say that to a pregnant woman!'' she joked, and Carly nodded.
''I know – but I wanted to see what you would do. Never thought you are insecure,'' Carly said with a frown, and she pushed her plate away. Sam did the same, and looked at Carly.
''I guess it's because I'm getting bigger – but I've always been insecure,'' Sam said, and Carly nodded and smiled.
They spent the afternoon and Sam went home. When she arrived at the penthouse Jason called out to her, telling her he was upstairs. She sat down on the couch waiting for him to come down and when he did she smiled at him.
''I ordered food for tonight – James and Daisy will be here in a minute and we'll eat together,'' he told her, and she nodded. Then she got up and told Jason she would be getting ready for dinner, and Jason nodded and sat down on the couch. Tonight would be fun.
Jason opened the door to let Daisy and James in, and right behind them was dinner. He smiled, let James and Daisy walk in and paid the delivery guy for the food. He gave him a generous tip, and walked back inside and set the bag down on the table.
''Sam,'' he called upstairs, and he heard her yell she would be there. He walked to the couch and waited, looking at Daisy.
''I think it's great you are going to have a baby – it's the best thing, James,'' he said, the last part to James. He smiled and James nodded, looking at Daisy with love in his eyes. Jason could see the love between them, and he was happy for them. He knew they weren't even together for a long time, but Sam and him weren't either and look where they were now. They hadn't told each other they loved one another, but he knew he couldn't wait to tell her. He didn't want to freak her out – he knew she would do just that when he told her he loved her, because when he had said it when he took her to the little restaurant, she hadn't said anything. He could see in her eyes though, that she didn't know what to say.
''Ok, I'm sorry to keep you waiting but I had to go and change,'' Sam said, and Daisy nodded with a smile, ''lets eat,'' Sam said smiling, and Jason got up and started unpacking the bag, giving everyone some boxes and then he sat down. They didn't eat in the kitchen because they didn't feel like it, and James and Daisy were just as relaxed and comfortable eating in the living room as Jason and Sam were.
''Danny called this morning but he hasn't called again,'' Sam said to Jason, who shrugged.
''He probably is busy with the planning. I know a lot of energy and time goes into planning a wedding,'' he replied, and Sam nodded.
''I know, but I thought he wanted to talk. So, I was thinking of calling him later, and also telling him I can come there,'' she told him, and he nodded, ''Daisy, when did you find out – or suspect you were pregnant?'' Sam changed the subject, and Daisy smiled.
''I found out a couple of weeks ago. I had been feeling sick and took a home test, but when it was positive I wanted to confirm it. It turned out I was already 10 weeks along by then, and I told James after talking with Dr. Lee about my options,'' she told Sam, and then she turned to Jason, ''I lost a baby before – she was stillborn – and the doctors thought it would be difficult for me to conceive again,'' she told him, and he nodded. James sat there, smiling at Daisy. He was proud of her for telling something personal to Jason so he could understand what it was all about.
''She told me just before you called us about Danny marrying, and she was devastated that she wasn't able to go there. That's the reason she had that appointment today, and I think it's amazing you were there too to find out. She didn't know how to tell you,'' he added when he saw the look on Sam's face.
''Well, I'm glad you can come, because I wouldn't want to miss you,'' she told Daisy, and the rest of the dinner was light talking and joking between the four of them.
After dinner Jason had cleared the table and served their drinks, and Sam and Daisy had been sitting on the couch, feet pulled up and smiling at the men in their lives.
''James is really happy, and to think I was afraid of what his reaction would be,'' Daisy said, and Sam nodded. She remembered feeling the same when she had to tell Jason.
''I can understand. I think it's perfectly normal to have that feeling,'' she said, and Daisy smiled.
''Well, why don't you call Danny and tell the good news – that we both can fly over,'' she said, and Sam nodded. She got up to get her phone, and Jason looked over to her and saw she was about to call Danny. He told James and they both walked to the couch and sat down, and when Sam returned, the phone against her ear already waiting for Danny to pick up, Jason pulled her onto his lap. She smiled at him, but didn't say anything.
''Hello?'' she heard in the phone, and she smiled.
''Hey, Danny – how are you doing?'' she asked, and she could hear something in the background. It sounded like waves, but she wasn't sure.
''I'm fine, Tam and I are on the beach looking at the sea – it's amazing here, and I can't get enough of it,'' he told her, and she smiled.
''I called you because I wanted to tell you and Tam Daisy and I have a free pass. We can both fly over to Hawaii for the wedding if we go in before going there,'' she told him, and she could hear him tell Tamara. Then, Tamara started saying something and she heard Danny gasp. Tamara had figured out what Sam was talking about, and Sam looked at Daisy and winked.
''She's pregnant too? That's great, tell them I'm happy for them,'' Danny said, ''and Tam too,'' he added after a while, and Sam smiled, ''Sam,'' Danny said suddenly, and he gave her a date, ''the wedding – now, I'm going to get back, I love you,'' he said, and she smiled.
''I love you too, say hi to Tam for us,'' she said, and then he disconnected the line. Sam looked up to Jason, who was looking at her with soft eyes, ''Tam figured it out – that you're pregnant – Danny says to tell you he is happy for you,'' she said to James and Daisy, who nodded and smiled. James pulled Daisy in his arms.
''Well, we are going to get to go to a wedding – of your brother!'' he said, and Sam nodded with a smile. She noticed Jason pulling her against him, and she relaxed in his arms, ''Daisy, come on, we're going home, so these two love birds can go to bed – you must be tired too,'' he said, and Daisy first widened her eyes, and then she nodded. James and Daisy got up and started towards the door, pulling on their jackets before opening the door and then Daisy turned around and hugged Sam.
''Thanks – I'm really looking forward to seeing Hawaii for a change,'' she said, and James and Daisy left Sam and Jason alone. Jason turned and watched Sam as she walked towards the couch and sat down with a sigh.
''I'm really happy for James and Daisy. I can't wait to see our babies play – even though it's going to take some time,'' she said softly, and Jason nodded and sat down next to her, ''and I really love Danny is going to get married – but I think I'm going to miss him – because he will be with Tam, and won't need me as much as before,'' she said, and he nodded again.
''I know he won't need you as much as before – but he still needs you, because you are his sister, and he loves you. He will need you when he wants to know something he can't ask Tam, and he will want you to come over as much as you can,'' he replied, ''you won't lose him, baby, you wont,'' he said and she looked at him with a smile and nodded.
''Thank you – I guess I just needed to hear that,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I saw Carly this afternoon. She was teasing me, and I noticed it later when I was looking at her, but I actually thought she was serious about me being fat,'' she said suddenly, a small smile on her face, and Jason laughed.
''That's Carly for you. She just wanted to see what you would do – and you being a con and all she didn't think you would see,'' he replied, and he felt her tense, ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way,'' he said, softly, and she nodded. He leaned in and kissed her, telling her he was sorry again.
''It's ok, Jase – I think I'm just tired. Are you coming up?'' she asked, and he nodded. They made their way up together, changing and climbing into bed. Jason pulled Sam in his arms, and then he put his nose in her hair.
''I love you, Sam McCall,'' he whispered, and she lifted her head and looked at him, at his blue eyes, and he could see the love in them. His heart beating in his chest, he waited to see if she would reply, and then she took a deep breath and laid her head down. He knew she could feel his heartbeat, and he was a little disappointed she didn't reply.
''I love you too, Jason Morgan,'' she whispered, and she could feel his heart skip a beat. She smiled – she knew he hadn't expected her to reply, and she had to be honest to say she didn't expect it herself – but she had to say it. After she moved in she had begun feeling even stronger, because he was always there, and he was always helping her when she needed something. She loved him with all her heart, and she was glad she finally said it.
After that, she heard Jason's breathing steady as he fell asleep, and listening to his heartbeat, she fell asleep too.
She didn't understand where she was – she was a t a beach, and she had the feeling she was in Hawaii already. She looked around and saw she was right, as she spotted a neon sign above a Hawaiian restaurant. She looked around, and then decided to just walk to Jason, because she could see him standing on the beach, looking out at the waves.
When she arrived at the place he had been standing, he was gone, and she frowned and looked around.
''Jason?'' she called out, but she didn't get an answer. Then she was standing in front of a cliff on the bottom, and when she turned around to walk away she felt a hand on her mouth, and one arm slid around her waist. She started to struggle, wanting to get away, when she heard him say something.
''Angela, I don't want to kill you – but you made me angry, and you know what will happen when you make me angry. I don't want to do this,'' he repeated, and she tried to remove his hand from her mouth. He was cutting off her air supply because his hand was also on her nose, ''Jason is already gone – he knows what you did to me wasn't self defense, and I will see to it you die soon. That kid of yours – the girl you are carrying won't even feel a thing,'' he said, and she started to struggle even more. She didn't want her baby to die, and she didn't want to die. She knew he was lying about Jason, she just knew it.
''Stop it!'' she screamed when he finally took his hand away and turned her around, grabbing her upper arms and pushing her against the stones. Her head hit it hard, and she felt her body grow weak, ''please,'' she begged now, and he smiled at her. She shivered, tried to get away from his grip, but he wouldn't let her and she didn't know what to do.
''Here you go,'' he said, and she widened her eyes just before he slammed her head into the stones behind her. She felt her knees give in and she sank down on the ground, because Bill had let her go. Then he looked down at her, she lay on the ground still conscious, but barely. She knew he was going to kill her, and hoped he would so it fast, because she couldn't handle this. Tears streamed down her face, and he started kicking her.
''No!''
''No!'' Sam screamed, and she shot up in bed and looked around. It had all been a dream, but it had seemed so real.
''Calm down, babe, it was just a dream,'' she heard Jason's sleepy voice say and she turned around and nestled in his arms. She listened to his heartbeat and felt her own calm down, and she took a deep breath.
''I know – it was about Bill, and he told me he killed you – or took care of you, and he was mad. He started kicking me when I woke up,'' she said softly, and she could feel him tense.
''Nothing is going to happen to you, Sam. I promise you that,'' he said, and she nodded. Soon she could feel him relax, but she knew he was still awake. She, however, fell asleep when he relaxed, and Jason watched her sleep for a while before sinking back down in his slumber.
Sam was standing in the kitchen making a sandwich and smiled when Jason walked in. He had been out and came home early to go to the appointment with her, and then they would leave for Hawaii. It had been three weeks since that dream, and she started having them regularly. She didn't know what it meant – they felt so real – but Jason had convinced her nothing was going to happen. She finished making the sandwich and put it on a plate, gave it to Jason and started making another one for herself. When she was ready she sat down, and Jason and she started eating.
''Thanks – I packed everything we need and we're staying there for two weeks. I talked to James,'' Jason said, and she nodded and waited for him to continue, ''Daisy and he will be staying two weeks, but will come over there in a couple of days,'' he added.
''Ok, that's fine. We can spend some time with Danny and Tam – maybe some time alone'' she said, and he nodded with a smile. They had been spending a lot of time together, and with her moving in they grew even closer. After they had both admitted they loved each other, the bond between them had become unbreakable.
''That's what I thought. And now we have to go,'' he said after he finished his sandwich. She ate hers, and got up.
''I'm kind of nervous. Now that we are going to know what we are having – but if it's a boy or a girl, I don't mind,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I just want the baby to be healthy,'' she added, and he smiled at her and led her to the car.
''I know, baby, he or she will be healthy because you take good care of yourself,'' he replied, and she nodded, ''I know it will all be ok,'' he added, and she nodded again. On their way to the hospital they were both silent, and she knew he was nervous too, but he tried not to show her. She did care about what the baby would be – a boy or girl – she really wanted a girl, but if it would be a boy she didn't mind either.
When they arrived at the hospital, Jason helped Sam out and they walked inside, and moved to the floor they were supposed to be. Sam smiled at Jason and went to the waiting area while Jason went to tell the nurse they were there. When he came back and sat down next to her, he smiled at her.
''I forgot to tell you,'' Sam said, and he looked at her in surprise, ''I have the passports and every paperwork we need ready in the drawer in the desk,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Well, that's good because I totally forgot that,'' he said, and she smiled. She had started packing her bags last night, because they would be leaving a couple of hours after the appointment with Dr. Lee, and she wanted to be ready before that appointment. She didn't want to have to pack after they had found out if they were getting a boy of a girl.
''Miss McCall, the doctor will see you now,'' the nurse said, and she looked up and smiled. She got up and Jason did the same, and they followed the nurse to the office. Dr. Lee was already inside, and she got up to shake their hands.
''I don't have much to say, so why don't you go and lie down on the table, and we start the ultrasound,'' Dr. Lee said, and Sam nodded and laid down on the table. She unbuttoned her jeans and pulled up her tunic while Dr. Lee went to get the machine for the ultrasound. When she had it, she looked at Sam, ''you know this will be cold,'' she said, and when Sam nodded she squeezed some of the gel on her stomach and put the wand on it.
''Are we going to see what the baby will be?'' Jason asked, and Dr. Lee nodded with a smile.
''If you want – then yes, I will tell you,'' she said, while pressing some buttons to so some measurements of the baby, ''well, this little one is trying to show itself. This is the perfect time to see what sex it is. Do you want to know?'' she asked, and Sam looked up at Jason, who nodded, and then she looked back at Dr. Lee.
''Yeah – I'm dying to know,'' she said softly, and Dr. Lee nodded.
''It looks like you are going to be the proud parents of a baby girl,'' she said, and Jason laughed softly and smiled, while Sam got tears in her eyes and grabbed Jason's hand.
''We're going to get a girl!'' she exclaimed, and Jason nodded and leaned down, kissing her on her forehead.
Dr. Lee made a picture for them and the ultrasound was over, and they sat down in the chairs opposite of Dr. Lee. She wrote some things down, and then looked up to Jason and Sam.
''I've changed the next appointment – I pushed it back a week and a half, so you have some more than a month until that,'' she said to Sam, who nodded, ''I want to give you the number of a friend of mine in Hawaii. I give it to some of my clients when they are going there because he will help you whenever there is something you want to know, or if there is something wrong while you are there,'' she said, and she gave Sam the card, ''then I want to tell you to be careful – don't do anything too stressful and follow what you have to do, what I told you,'' she said, ''and have fun,'' she added with a smile, and then she got up. Jason and Sam did the same, and they shook hands and left.
''I'm glad to have some backup – I know there will be enough doctors there, but having the number of a friend of Dr. Lee's gives me some security,'' Jason said, and Sam nodded. They walked towards the car, both excited about having a girl and going to Hawaii. They didn't even see James walking towards them.
''Hey love birds – did you just come from the doctor?'' he asked, and Sam jumped while Jason smiled.
''Yeah, we just came from the doctors,'' he told James, who nodded, ''we leave later today – when are you going to come?''
''Well, Daisy and I will be there in a couple of days because we wanted to give you some time with Danny,'' he said to Sam. Sam nodded and smiled.
''Well, did daisy have an appointment with Dr. Lee before going to Hawaii?'' she asked, and when he nodded she said, ''then she is going to get a number of an OB/GYN there, I got it too,'' she said, and then Jason looked at his watch and smiled.
''Sam, we have to go,'' he said, and she nodded. They said goodbye to James and walked to the car, where they stepped in and he drove off. He looked at her before glancing back at the road, and saw she was looking at the ultrasound picture. He smiled as she smiled.
''I love that we are going to have a girl,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I'm just scared – in the dreams Bill knows we're going to have a girl and he says she will not feel the pain,'' she said softly, and he looked at her in surprise. She hadn't told him about that part, and he didn't know what to say.
''You didn't tell me about that – but I promised you everything will be fine. I'll be there – I won't leave you out of my sight,'' he said, and they arrived at the Towers. They stepped out and went upstairs, where Sam put the picture on the fridge and smiled.
''I'll just take it with us to show Danny,'' she said, and he nodded with a smile, ''is everything ready? Did you call Carly to water the plants?'' she asked, and he laughed softly.
''Yeah I called Carly last night when you were sleeping, and she will come here every couple of days. Now, are you ready to go?'' he asked, and she nodded. He ran up the stairs and got their bags, and then went down with them, ''one of the guards will drive us so we won't have to let the car at the airport,'' he said to Sam, and she nodded and walked over to him. He opened the door and gave one of the bags to the guard, who walked towards the elevator and pressed the button while Jason grabbed Sam's hand and smiled at her.
''I'm kind of excited to see Danny again,'' she said smiling, and then her phone rang, ''Hello?''
''Sam, it's Tam – I don't know what to do, Danny just got sick and they called 911 but now I don't know what happened,'' Tam started to ramble about what happened. Sam looked at Jason in shock, and gave him the phone because she didn't think she was able to stay calm. Jason took it.
''Tam, calm down and tell me what happened,'' he said, and he heard Tam take a deep breath.
''He collapsed, while we were on the beach – I didn't see it but one of the people there saw it and she called 911. They brought him in,'' she said, and then took a deep breath again, ''and I haven't heard anything yet,'' she added, and Jason sighed.
''Ok, just stay calm, and be there when the doctor comes – Tam, you have to stay calm for Danny's sake,'' he said when she started sobbing again, ''Sam and I are on our way, we will be there soon,'' he said, and he disconnected the line and looked at Sam, who was staring out the window of the car. He didn't even notice they were in the car – he had been all about the call, ''Danny collapsed on the beach, and they don't know what is it yet,'' he told Sam, who nodded and smiled weakly.
''It's kind of a great timing – we were on our way already and he gets sick,'' she whispered, and then she wiped away the tears streaming down her face, ''but we will be there soon,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Come on, babe – try and relax,'' he said, knowing how hard it was to relax for her right now. He pulled her against him, and she laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. After she calmed down enough she fell asleep, and Jason was grateful. He was afraid she would stress out too much, and something would happen to her. He decided to call James, but when he did, James didn't answer.
They arrived at the airport and he lifted Sam in his arms and carried her inside, where she woke up.
''Are we there already?'' she asked, and he nodded with a smile, ''good, lets go,'' she said, and he set her down on the ground and took her hand, leading her to the terminal. They checked in and went into the plane, sat down and there she fell asleep again. Jason smiled – she must have been really tired.
He sent James a message telling him he would call when they arrived, and then he looked at Sam sleeping. He wanted to do something for her, but he didn't know what to do to make it all better. He sighed, and settled into his chair. He knew he couldn't do anything to make it better, but he could be there for her. He took her hand in his, and caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.
He fell asleep just as the plane set off.
Sam woke up and noticed she was in another car. She looked around and saw Jason sleeping and smiled. He looked so peaceful, and she decided to let him sleep. She looked out the window and saw the scenery pass by and smiled again. It was beautiful in Hawaii, and she would love to go into town. But that would be after she knew Danny was going to be ok. She was afraid something bad had happened to him, because Tam had been really afraid and nervous when she called. Jason, as always, had talked her down and she had told him what happened – something she couldn't tell Sam, because she was too scared.
Sam knew Danny was going to be ok no matter what, because she wouldn't let anything happen to him. He would have the best doctors if there were something wrong, and they would make her better.
''Hey,'' she heard Jason, and she turned to looked at him, and she saw him looking at her with a smile. She grabbed his hand.
''Hey – have you heard anything from Tam?'' she asked, not knowing how long he had been asleep.
''No – not since we left Port Charles,'' he said, and he looked at the driver. He had called a cab because he wanted to be quick and go to the hospital right away, ''are we almost there?''
''We are, it's around this corner,'' the driver replied, and Jason looked back at Sam, who was looking at the driver too.
''We'll go in and we will find Danny in no time,'' he said, ''I did get a call from James – he wanted me to tell you to be strong and be there for Danny and Tam if something was wrong,'' he added.
''I'm trying,'' she whispered, and took a deep breath. Just then the cab stopped and Jason paid the cab driver. The man got out of the car, helped them with their bags and left. He took both of the bags and she walked inside, Jason following her. she walked to the desk, and waited for someone to come to them while Jason set down the bags on the floor for a second.
''Hello – I need to know where my brother Danny McCall is, can you tell me,'' Sam said when the nurse came, and the nurse nodded and typed something in the computer. Then she looked up.
''He is on the second floor, there you can ask more about him,'' she said, and Sam almost ran to the elevator and pressed the button, as Jason still had to grab the bags and follow her.
''Sam, you need to slow down if you don't want to forget me,'' he said softly with a smile, and she looked at him apologetically.
''I'm sorry, I just – I need to get to Danny to see how he – what is wrong,'' she said, and he nodded, ''you understand,'' she said, looking at him, and he nodded again. They were silent the rest of the way up, and when the doors opened they were greeted by Tam, who seemed to have been on the way down. She grabbed Sam and hugged her – then she let go and glanced at Sam's stomach with a smile. The smile faded soon, and she was shaking.
''Danny is still in with the doctors, and they came out and I didn't understand a word of what they told me,'' she said, and Sam frowned. She knew the doctors used all kind of words for medical things, but she could always understand. She looked at Jason, and saw he was frowning too.
''You know what,'' he suddenly said, and Sam looked at him again, ''you go and see if you can talk to the doctor, and Tam and me will wait here for you, maybe even go grab something to drink,'' he offered, and Sam nodded, while Tam didn't seem to think it was a good idea.
''I don't know, Jason – I want to be here when Sam comes back,'' she said softly, and Jason nodded and shrugged.
''Then we'll stay here. Sam, go ask the doctor what is wrong with Danny – where is he?'' he asked Tam, who gave them a room number. Sam walked away and found the room pretty quickly, and the doctor that was there walked out.
''Are you Samantha McCall – your brother has been asking for you,'' he said when she nodded.
''What is wrong with Danny, doctor?'' Sam asked, and the doctor looked at Danny in the room before looking back at Sam.
''We found a drug that helps with a cold or something in that direction – but the amount was too much for his weight. Now we couldn't get it out of his system and it doesn't do anything to him, but we want to keep him for a couple of days until the cold is under control,'' he said, and Sam smiled.
''Thank god – I didn't know what happened with him, and I was afraid it was something bad,'' she said, and the doctor nodded.
''I can understand – if the fiancée called you, because she was – if you don't mind me – freaked out when I told her. I also guess I didn't know how to tell her there was nothing wrong and all she seemed to hear were the words drugs and collapse,'' the doctor said with a smile, and Sam nodded. Tam had been so freaked out she didn't listen to the doctor explaining nothing was wrong, ''now I suggest you get in that room, and I will try and tell the girl again that there is nothing wrong,'' he said, and he walked away while Sam nodded and walked in the room. When Danny saw her he smiled brightly, and Sam walked towards him and leaned down to give him a hug.
''Tam kind of freaked me out earlier when she called me to tell me you collapsed on the beach,'' she said, ''I'm glad it was just the cold medicine,'' she added, and he nodded.
''Tam was scared – and I can understand, because I would have the same feeling when something happened to her, but I did try to tell her before I didn't feel so good,'' he said, and Sam nodded, ''I took too much of that medicine, and I didn't feel well a moment after – but she was so excited about going to the beach and check it out,'' he said, then he smiled, ''we want to get married on the beach,'' he told her, and she smiled. He was excited about marrying Tam, and she could understand that Tam had been excited about going to that beach.
''But its not Tam's fault – you are in that home because you wanted to be around people, who could help you,'' she said, ''and they didn't even notice this?'' she asked.
''No they did, but I told them it was just a cold – because that's what I thought made me feel like that,'' he said, and she nodded, ''can you call Tam here – and Jason, I've missed him almost as much as I missed you,'' he said, and she smiled and kissed him on his cheek before leaving the room again. Once outside she took a deep breath and felt herself relax. Danny was going to be ok, and she felt relieved about that.
She walked to the waiting area and saw Jason and Tam together – smiling about something Jason had told. She walked over and Jason took her in his arms the moment she reached them, and she looked at Tam.
''Danny wants to see you – did the doctor come and tell you what was wrong?'' she asked, and she saw Tam nod.
''I just didn't listen good enough – I'm going in, you want to come?'' she asked, and Sam shook her head, and Jason did the same.
''Take some time together, and if you could tell Danny we are coming to see him tomorrow, that'd be great,'' Jason said, and Sam nodded. When Tam practically ran away, Sam turned in Jason's arms and looked up at him.
''You know I was freaked out – and when the doctor explained what happened I couldn't stop freaking yet,'' she said, and he nodded, ''but after I left his room I could really calm down again,'' she added.
''I know babe, that's why I said we were going to see him tomorrow – I want to get to the cottage so we can rest,'' he said, and she nodded. They had rented a little cottage where they would stay for the time spent in Hawaii, and she was anxious to see it. They walked out after Jason had grabbed their bags, and she frowned when she saw him walking to a car and putting the bags in it, ''I asked James to handle this,'' he said when he saw her expression, and she nodded. He helped her in the car – she had to jump to get in, because it was a high car – then he drove to the little cottage.
''Danny told me he wanted to get married on the beach,'' she said, and he smiled.
''That's something – I would love to get married on a beach – he has some taste,'' Jason said, and he winked.
''I know – I taught him,'' she said, teasing him. She didn't teach him anything because at first she didn't even know she had a brother. She had only found out when she had found Danny in the basement of her mother's house.
''Hey – you know that cottage is near the beach – so we can just go swimming when we want to,'' he changed the subject, and she nodded. She remembered it when she read the piece on where the cottage was located.
''Yeah – like I have a bathing suit that fits me,'' she said, and he laughed softly, ''hey, no laughing at me,'' she said with a smile, and he laughed even harder.
''I didn't think you had a bathing suit – but you can always try that bikini,'' he said, and she smiled. Then he stopped the car and she saw they were at the cottage. She looked around and suddenly a woman came out of nowhere and smiled at them as they stepped out of the car.
''Welcome – I was waiting for the two of you this morning, when I got the call from Mr. James telling me you would be a little later. I wanted to give you the keys and show you around a little,'' she told them, and Sam looked at Jason and he looked at the woman.
''I don't need to be shown around,'' he said, and the woman's smile faded and she nodded.
''Then I will just give you the key and disappear,'' she said and she walked away, stepped in her car and drove off. Sam looked at Jason in surprise as he opened the door and turned around to let her in. When he saw her face he frowned.
''What?'' he asked her, and she shook her head and walked passed him.
''You just scared that woman to death – with that stone cold tone of yours. You can't just do that,'' she said, but he could see the smile that crept up her face. He walked towards her and closed the door. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her.
''I can do what ever I want,'' he whispered, and then he took her with him to the back and opened the door there, ''would you look at that – a private beach for just the two of us,'' he said with a grin, and she looked up at him with a smile.
''Well, you want to swim now, or later?'' she asked, and he shrugged.
''I don't want to swim – I just want to see you in that bikini you brought,'' he said with a wink, and she laughed softly. She had brought the bikini just in case, and she wasn't actually planning on wearing it, because she was uncertain about her body. She lifted her hand and rubbed her belly, and then when she felt Jason's hand on hers, and looked down and then up to him. He lowered his face and kissed her, slow and sensual, and she wrapped her arms around him as she turned around. Then he broke the kiss, making her moan, and looked at her, ''why don't we rest for a while before going out to dinner?'' he asked, and she nodded. She was tired, even though she had slept through all the whole trip here.
''Sounds like a great idea,'' she said, and they walked to the bedroom. He grabbed the bags on the way and they changed in something to sleep in, after climbing in the bed. Sam fell asleep pretty fast, as did Jason.
Danny looked at Tam, who was hovering over him while he was lying in the hospital bed. The doctors had just told him they wanted to hold him over night for observation, and she had been walking around cleaning the room. He shook his head at that – he didn't understand why she would do that.
''Tam,'' he called her, and she turned around and walked towards him, the intention to ask him if there was something wrong when he spoke, ''why don't you go home and rest? I'm ok, and I want to sleep too,'' he added when she shook her head. She looked at him and sighed.
''I'm just worried about you – I was so scared when you were brought here. I don't ever want to lose you, Danny,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I'll go home, but I will be back in the morning,'' she said when he yawned, and he nodded again.
''Thanks – you know I love you, right? I will never leave you,'' he said, and she nodded and smiled for the first time since she entered the room.
''I love you too – now rest,'' she said, and she kissed him on his forehead and left the room. Danny shook his head again and smiled. He had taken the medicine before leaving to see the location they wanted to get married, when he started to feel sicker than before. He had thought it couldn't harm him if he took some more, but apparently it had. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Daisy smiled and kissed James. He had taken care of what Jason had asked and Jason had just called him to tell everything was alright. Danny was fine, even though he had to stay over night, and James had just told Daisy.
''I think it's great he is fine – I was a little scared even though I don't know him that well. But after you told me what Jason told you about Sam – how she was so scared – I couldn't help it,'' she said, and he nodded. He had felt the same way. He didn't know Danny that well either, but he knew how much Sam loved the boy.
''I know what you mean – now why don't we go to bed, I'm sure you're tired,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I am – this baby takes up all of my energy. You know I can't wait to go to Hawaii,'' she said, and he nodded with a smile.
''Me either – I really want to see what the place looks like. I rented a cottage by the way – after I told that woman about Jason and Sam being later,'' he said, and she nodded.
''It's better than a hotel – we will be there for some time,'' she replied, and they walked to the bedroom and changed clothes, ''I love you, James,'' she said softly, as they climbed in bed and she nestled in his arms.
''I love you too, babe,'' he replied, and they sank in a deep sleep.
After Jason and Sam had woken up they took a shower and got dressed. They roamed around town looking for a nice restaurant, and found a small one not far away from the cottage. It was small, and it was Hawaiian, and they enjoyed the view of the beach as they sat down outside. After they ordered they sat there looking at the waves.
''I know that – if I ever marry again – I want to marry here, in Hawaii,'' Sam said softly, and Jason smiled.
''I just told you I wanted a beach wedding, so why don't we get married here?'' he said, and even though it was a joke, he could see her smile fade and the expression on her face was shock, ''Sam – I was just kidding,'' he said, not wanting to ruin the evening, when she shook her head and looked at him.
''You know I was thinking about us – we are going to get a daughter, and I want to give her your name – maybe it was – is – a good idea to get married for her,'' she said, and he widened his eyes.
''No, Sam I mean, I was just kidding you, and I don't want to marry you just because of the baby,'' he said, and she nodded, ''I want to marry you because I love you, and because you love me, but not only because of the baby,'' he added, ''I don't want to push you, or make you do something you don't want to do,'' he said to her, and she shook her head.
''I wouldn't be something I didn't want to do – I love you, and I want to marry you one day, but maybe it's best if we get married for her, just to give her your name. Do you think it will change anything?'' she suddenly asked, and he nodded.
''I know it will change everything. We will be together forever, babe,'' he said with a smile, even though he was serious, ''it's a big step, even if it's for our daughter. I don't want to rush anything because we think it's best for her – even though it would be best for her and I want to do anything to keep her happy and safe,'' he said, ''I don't want to rush you into this. You're not ready for this,'' he said, and she looked at him, eyes wide with surprise.
''What makes you think I'm not ready?'' she asked him, and he smiled at her and took her hand.
''Your face just fell when I teased you about it,'' he said, and she looked at him for some time and then nodded, ''see, I was just teasing you about it, because you started dreaming a little – I love you, Sam, and I want to marry you, but not when you are not ready,'' he told her, and she smiled at him.
''I love you too, Jason,'' she said, and he smiled at her and just then their food arrived. They ate in silence, and then she heard the radio play a song she liked and she grabbed Jason's hand, ''come on, let's dance,'' she said, and he shook his head, ''come on!''
''No way, I don't dance,'' he said, but he got up anyway. She dragged him to an empty space and he took her in his arms even though he didn't want to dance. The song was slow and sweet, and he relaxed as she leaned against him, her head against his chest. Even though he didn't like dancing, he loved having her in his arms, and he didn't mind dancing if it meant having her close, ''I give in, baby. I love having you in my arms, and if it means dancing, I don't mind,'' he whispered in her ears. She didn't say anything, but he could feel her arms tighten around his neck. He laid his chin on her head, and they kept swaying a moment after the song stopped. She looked up and smiled at him, and then took a step back.
''Thank you,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I know you don't like to dance, and I know I'm giving you a hard time about marrying…'' her voice faded when he raised his hand, and she looked at him, waiting for him to say something.
''I love having you in my arms – and about the marriage, it's no big deal. I mean, marrying is, but you don't have to apologize for not being ready to marry me yet,'' he said, and she nodded.
''Let's just go home,'' she said, and he smiled and nodded. He walked to the table and threw some bills on it, and waved at the waiter. The man looked up and smiled; he waved back and when Jason walked away he walked to the table to get the money. Sam looked back and saw the wide eyes of the man, and then smiled at Jason. They made their way to the car and he drove them back to the cottage.
Sam waited for Jason to come back and when he did, she walked towards him and kissed him. She didn't know what happened, but after he had told her to go in so he could park the car, she wanted him. She had been having the feeling all night, and after all the stress of the day with the flying to this place and Danny being sick, she just needed release. When she heard him moan, she knew he wanted her too and she pressed herself against him as her hands went to his back. She could feel his hands all over her body and everywhere they had been it tingled. They stumbled to the bedroom, and all the while they undressed one another.
Once in the bedroom they were in their underwear, and she broke the kiss and looked up at him with a smile.
''I need you, Jason,'' she told him, and he widened his eyes and moaned at the sound of her hoarse voice. He pressed her against the bed and she fell down, and then he carefully climbed on top of her and pressed his erection against her thigh. She moaned when she felt him, and she started caressing his back, every once in a while using her nails to tease him.
''If you want it to last,'' he moaned when she used her nails on his back again, ''stop doing that,'' he said, and she laughed softly. He shuddered every time she did that, and then he turned her around so she didn't have a chance to do it again, and she was sitting on top of him, straddling him.
''You want me to have the control,'' she whispered in his ear, when she leaned forward and he smiled at her and pressed his lips on hers again. He moved his hands to her back and unclasped her bra, and she let it slide off her arms.
''You're getting so big – I can't get enough of you,'' he said, and she smiled. When he told her something like that, she didn't mind. She loved the tone of his voice when he told her that, and she wanted him to tell it to her every time. She didn't say anything but removed her panties and his boxers, and then moved down her body and looked up when she was on the same level as his throbbing erection. He shook his head when he saw what she was going to so, and she laughed softly and blew some air out of her mouth, causing his penis to twitch. He moaned as she moved closer and kissed the tip, then she moved her mouth over him and started sucking.
''You like this?'' she asked, removing her mouth for a moment and replacing it by her hands, and he nodded and threw his head back when her mouth was back, accompanied by her hand.
''God, Sam stop – I can't – I want to be inside of you when I come,'' he stuttered, and she smiled when he pulled her up and turned her around, ''look at me,'' he said, and when she did he thrust into her hard and fast. She closed her eyes again and he told her again to look at him. She opened her eyes and he could see the passion, and when he started moving she arched her back and met him thrust to thrust. His hand went down to where they were joined and started rubbing her there, and she moved her head from one side to another.
''Oh god, Jason,'' she moaned, and he smiled as he moved and then he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth opened and their tongues met in a battle for control – which he won, and he felt his orgasm coming.
''Come with me, babe,'' he said, and she did. He kept on moving as he emptied inside her, and then he collapsed – on the way turning around so she was next to him, her head on his chest as they catched their breath.
James woke up and made sure he didn't wake Daisy when he got out of bed. He stepped in his sweats and walked towards the balcony, where he stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air. He didn't know what woke him, but he had a bad feeling about going to Hawaii – like something would happen when they got there. He didn't know what it was, but he had the feeling it was something bad.
He turned around and made his way to the kitchen in the dark, and opened the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water and drank until the bottle was empty. He hated the feeling – he had gotten it often before when something was going to happen to someone he loved.
He heard something behind him and he turned around to see a sleepy Daisy behind him. He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her.
''What is it?'' she asked, and he shrugged. He didn't want to get her stressed, but he didn't know how to tell her nothing was wrong when she could feel there was.
''I don't know – I have this feeling, Dais, and I don't know what it is,'' he told her, and she nodded. She knew his feelings – something was going to happen.
''We will get through it, and we will make sure nothing is going to happen to us, Jason and Sam or Danny and Tam,'' she said, and he nodded. He was sure it was up to them, because he knew he had to make sure everyone was going to be alright.
''Do you think it has something to do with Bill?'' he asked her, and she nodded. She knew all about Bill Monroe, and she knew what had happened between Sam and Bill before.
''I think so, because he disappeared after being released – but I think everything is going to be alright,'' she said, and he nodded.
Sam woke up when Jason stepped out of bed and sighed. She was exhausted after the night they had – after the first round of lovemaking they went for the second and third round before taking a shower and falling asleep. She knew Jason didn't want to wake her up, and she smiled.
''Morning,'' she said softly, and he froze, relaxed and turned around with a smile, ''you thought you could sneak out and leave me here, didn't you?'' she asked teasingly, and he smiled and nodded.
''Yes – I thought I could get away without having to wake you before I made breakfast,'' he said, and she smiled again, ''so why don't you close those beautiful eyes again and I'll be back in a moment,'' he said, and she did what he asked, but she didn't fall asleep anymore. She listened as she heard him walk around in the kitchen making breakfast, and thought about Danny. She knew he was going to be ok, and she knew he wanted to get out of that hospital by now. He didn't like hospitals – just as much as she didn't like them. She jumped out of bed and started to the bathroom to take a shower. She wanted to get ready to go to Danny, and she knew Jason would be in the kitchen for some time – she had enough time to take a shower and get dressed.
After her shower she dried herself and applied body crème on her body. She got dressed and as she sat down on the bed to dry her hair, Jason walked in the room with a tray filled with food. She looked at him with a smile and he shook his head.
''I thought I told you to stay in bed and close your eyes again,'' he said, and she laughed softly and nodded, ''ah, you want to go to Danny, isn't it?'' he said, and she nodded again, looking down. She knew he did all he could to make her happy, and she was happy, but she just wanted to go to Danny, ''well babe, I can't zap us over to Danny, but what do you think about I zap Daisy and James here?'' he asked, and she widened her eyes and smiled.
''Are they coming over already?'' she asked him, and when he nodded she said, ''I thought they wouldn't come for a couple of days.''
''Daisy asked Dr. Lee if she had a free spot and she had, so they went to the doctor today and they will be here in a couple of hours. But I want you to eat before going to see Danny, and then when we come back here Daisy and James should be here,'' he said, and she nodded.
''Jason,'' she said when he set down the tray next to her and walked to the bathroom. He turned around and looked at her, ''Thank you – for everything,'' she said softly, and he nodded and walked back to her to kiss her. Then he walked back to the bathroom.
''I'm going to take a shower – next time we eat breakfast together,'' he told her, and she nodded and started eating. He had made some scrambled eggs and toast, fresh orange juice and tea. She smiled when she ate – he was really taking care of her, and she wasn't used to that. She was used to taking care of Danny, who was now living in Hawaii, and she was in Port Charles.
Not much later Jason came out of the bathroom completely dressed and ready to go. She was just finishing up breakfast, and he smiled at her as she put the last bite in her mouth. Then he took the tray and walked to the kitchen, Sam following him.
''So, are we ready to go to Danny, or what?'' she asked, anxious to go to her brother, and he nodded as he washed the plate and glasses. She grabbed a towel and dried them while he put them away.
''Now we are,'' he said, and she smiled and hugged him. She just needed to feel him, and she smiled when he pressed her against him. then she let go and started towards the door, and she looked back when she didn't hear him follow her.
''Aren't you coming?'' she asked, confused as to why he would stand there, ''you said we were ready, Jase!'' she said, really wanting to go to the hospital for once.
''I'm coming,'' he said, and then he grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter and followed her to the car. She was still confused about what had happened in there, but she didn't say anything. Jason started the car and they drove to the hospital.
James smiled at Daisy when they walked out of the airport in Hawaii. They had taken an earlier flight when Daisy had moved up her appointment with Dr. Lee, and he was excited to be in Hawaii and see Sam and the rest again. He looked at Daisy who was almost sleep walking and smiled again. Last night they hadn't had much sleep, because they had been talking about the situation with Bill for a long time, and then she decided to see if they could go to Hawaii sooner.
''You want to go to see Danny – or let me sleep and go to the cottage first?'' she asked, and he laughed softly and nodded.
''I want to let you sleep and go to the cottage first – Danny will be out of the hospital today,'' he replied, and she nodded and sighed of relief, ''I called Jason when you were in the bathroom back in Port Charles, and he told me. He also told me he hadn't heard of Bill being there so I hope we were wrong about this,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I hope so too, but I know you still feel like there is something wrong, because now we are here, I can feel it too – I just don't understand that Jason or Sam doesn't,'' she said, frowning when she thought of it.
''I don't either, but it doesn't matter because we agreed – Jason and me – that we will eat together tonight and we can talk about it then,'' he said, and she nodded. She had missed Sam and Jason even though it had only been a day, but they used to see each other every day. The four of them were close, and when they didn't see each other they would call. It was nice to have friends in Jason and Sam – and daisy wasn't about to mess it up.
''I don't want to lose any of them – Sam, Jason, Danny or Tam – or you,'' she said, and he nodded and pulled her in his embrace.
''I know, babe, and you won't,'' he replied, and they grabbed their bags and started towards the car they had rented. He drove them to the cottage.
Jason and Sam made their way to Danny's hospital room with a balloon. Jason had laughed when Sam wanted to buy it, but she had just bought it anyway. She wanted to give Danny something and she liked getting these balloons when she was in the hospital, so she wanted to give him something she would like. Even though she had taken care of him for a long time, she didn't know what he would like to get when he was in the hospital, because he didn't have to go to the hospital.
When they walked in the room, she saw Danny was looking at the ceiling, but he looked at the door when he heard something – it must have been the balloon – and he smiled when he saw them. When he saw the balloon his smile widened, and Sam glared at Jason.
''See, he likes it,'' she whispered, and Jason laughed and walked towards Danny, shook his hand and smiled at him.
''Hey, glad you're ok man,'' he said, and Danny nodded, then looked at Sam and the balloon and smiled.
''You let her buy me a balloon – nice,'' he said, and Sam smiled again and walked towards Danny and hugged him, letting go of the balloon – causing it to fly up and bump against the ceiling. Danny laughed and Sam looked up, tried to get the cord, and realized she was too small, ''it's ok, now I don't have to position my head in the strangest positions to see it,'' Danny joked, and then Jason stepped in and took the cord. He handed it to Danny, who took it and smiled at Sam, ''thanks, I love it – it's sweet that bear,'' he added, and she laughed softly.
''I didn't know what to get you – and I love getting balloons when I'm in the hospital so – let's just say I'd like to give back what I'd like to get,'' she said and he smiled again.
''Well, thanks again – I'm getting out of here soon and I will put it in my room at home,'' he said, and then he became serious, ''Tam and I decided to move in together,'' he told them, and he looked at Sam to see her reaction. Sam smiled, she knew Danny wanted to see her reaction to it – and he was looking at her to freak out and tell him no, but she wouldn't.
''That's great – she didn't tell us last night,'' she said, and Danny shook his head.
''I wanted to tell you so you wouldn't take it out on Tam if you were mad,'' he said, and Sam widened her eyes and looked at Jason, who was hiding his smile.
''Well – nice of you to think like that of me,'' she said softly, and Danny widened his eyes and shook his head, and he opened his mouth to say something but Sam was first, ''I'm not mad – I love that you and Tam are getting married, and it was just a matter of time before you two saw you couldn't stay at the home,'' she said, and she gave him a kiss on his cheek.
''We are still moving close to the home and Tam made sure I get help when I need it and she can't give me all,'' he said, and Sam nodded. Tam had been smart to handle that part, because sometimes Danny needed too much, and even Sam had been having trouble giving him all.
''I'm glad for you – you're getting married and moving in with Tam – so what's next, kids?'' Jason asked, joking Danny to see what Sam would say, but when she didn't say anything he looked at her and saw her smiling. She knew he was trying to get her to get mad or get her irritated, and she didn't buy it.
''Jason, I need to go to the – wow,'' Sam said, as she grabbed her belly and widened her eyes, ''Jason, come here,'' she said, and Jason walked over to her quickly and when she grabbed his hand he felt the baby kick. He widened his eyes and smiled at her, ''did you feel that?'' when he nodded she pulled his hands off of her and walked over to Danny, grabbed his hand and let him feel the baby kick. When she saw the look on Danny's face when the baby kicked she smiled.
''Does it hurt?'' Danny asked, and she shook her head. It was the most beautiful feeling to feel her baby kick and move inside of her, and she had felt it before – but this time was the strongest up 'till now. She smiled at Jason, walked back to him and leaned against him, her back against his chest. She had forgotten she had to go to the bathroom when the baby started kicking, and Jason looked down at her.
''You had to go…'' he said, his voice fading as she quickly made her way out of the room and he smiled. He looked at Danny, who was smiling and shaking his head, ''how does Tam feel about moving in and getting married – I mean she must want it because she said yes – but I mean now with you in the hospital?'' Jason asked, and he knew he was rambling when Danny's smile grew.
''Well – she wants to get married still – and I'm happy for that, but she is kind of hovering over me. She came by this morning really early and she went to deal with the location for the wedding after an hour of asking me how I was doing,'' Danny told Jason, who smiled and nodded, ''but I really love her and I feel so good about this,'' Danny added, and then he changed subject, ''when are you and Sam getting married?''
''Not anytime soon – your sister isn't ready yet, and I don't want to pressure her into doing something she doesn't want to do,'' Jason replied, and Danny smiled and nodded. There was a silence and Sam walked in. She looked from Danny to Jason, and frowned. She shrugged and opened her mouth to say something.
''I ran into the doctor on my way back – he is on the way here after his round,'' she said with a smile, and Danny laughed.
''Finally – I thought he would never come,'' he said, and Jason laughed softly, and then pulled Sam into his arms.
''Sam – we need to get back and go shopping for food,'' he said, and she looked at him in surprise.
''Why?'' she asked, ''are you going to cook for me?'' she asked, and he nodded.
''For you and Daisy and James – they have something they wanted to discuss so I told them to come over tonight and we could eat together,'' he replied, and Danny smiled.
''Well, go do that – I will see you tomorrow Sam, because Tam and I have something to ask you two,'' he said, as he looked between Jason and Sam. Jason nodded and waved at Danny, and Sam walked over to give him a kiss and a hug and they made their way to the car.
''What did they want to discuss?'' Sam asked when they were in the car, and Jason shrugged.
''I don't know – James didn't want to tell over the phone, and that's when I told them to come over for dinner. I hope you don't mind,'' he said softly, and she shook her head.
''I don't mind – I love that you go along with them so well, because I wouldn't want to lose you because you didn't like my friends,'' she replied, and he smiled. He drove them over to the store and they bought some food, and then he drove them home.
''We will have the best time here, I just know it, Sam – the four of us are already close, and I like it. Now all we have to do is make sure nothing happens,'' he said, and she frowned. He didn't see it, because he was thinking about the feeling he had – he had the feeling something was going to happen. He didn't know where it came from, but he was trying to relax when he was on edge, because he didn't want to freak Sam out with his feelings. He thought back on when he got out of bed – he had seen something outside, but he wasn't sure what it was, because when he had looked again it was gone. He looked at Sam and smiled, and stopped thinking about what he had seen. They were going to make some memories here, and he would make sure Sam and everyone around here would be ok.
Jason started making dinner while Sam went to the bedroom to take a nap after coming back to the cottage. Jason had told her it could be late – and she knew already, because they all were night owls when they were together. When Jason was in the kitchen making things ready for the spaghetti carbonara, he looked at the time and saw it was already the end of the afternoon, and he smiled when Sam stumbled out of the bedroom with her eyes still small from sleep.
''Hey, sleepy head,'' he said softly, and she looked up at him with a smile, ''I don't know what time the two of them will come, but I was thinking of just starting dinner already,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I'm going to take a shower,'' she told him, and he nodded when she walked away. He smiled and turned back to start the spaghetti, and the carbonara sauce. After some time he heard the front door open hand he smiled. James and Daisy were here – they had kept open the front door just in case they didn't hear them.
''Sam – Jason!'' he heard Daisy call out, and he smiled again when he heard Sam come out of the bedroom.
''Dais! God – I've missed you both,'' Sam said when she saw Daisy and James, and hugged them both. Then she walked to the kitchen with James and Daisy following her. Jason turned and hugged Daisy and shook hands with James before turning back. Dinner was almost ready.
''This idiot just walked in without knocking,'' Daisy said, and James laughed and Sam shook her head.
''We left the door open because we knew you would be here soon,'' she said, and Daisy sighed of relief, ''we didn't know when you would be here and I was in the shower, while Jason is cooking so that's why,'' she added. Then she looked at Jason, who was now putting the food on plates and setting them on the kitchen table. James and Daisy sat down and Sam helped Jason pour wine for the three of them and grabbed a bottle of water for herself.
''Let's eat,'' Jason said when he sat down, and they started eating, ''so, how was the flight?'' Jason asked after swallowing a bite.
''It was calm – fast, too,'' Daisy said, and James smiled.
''She fell asleep when she sat down – no trouble on the way here,'' he told Jason, and Jason nodded.
''Danny is doing ok,'' Sam told Daisy, and Daisy nodded, ''he took too much cold medicine because he didn't feel well – and then when they were on the beach he realized that maybe he took a little too much,'' she said with a smile, and James laughed softly.
''Danny didn't think it would harm if he took a little more – that's just him. How is Tam doing?'' James asked, and Sam shrugged.
''She was shaken up – she didn't know he took the cold medicine and she was freaking out when she called us,'' she said looked at Jason, who nodded, ''but I think she is doing ok, she just didn't listen to the doctor when he told her nothing bad was up,'' she said.
''She only heard 'collapse' and 'cold', and she freaked when she thought something bad was wrong with him. Then Sam talked to the doctor and she figured there was nothing wrong,'' Jason added, and Sam nodded.
''Well, that's good to hear. Even though I didn't mind staying a little longer,'' James joked, and Jason smiled, ''how was your day here? Did you have fun without us?'' he asked Sam, who nodded with wide eyes.
''Yep – we went out to dinner last night and well – today we went to the hospital. I was up late,'' she said, blushing.
''Sam was exhausted after the flight and after we left the hospital she took a nap. We went out to a little local place – which was amazing – and then we got back and she collapsed on the bed,'' he said with a wink to Sam, ''she was tossing and turning all night and by the morning she was in a deep sleep,'' he added, and then James smiled.
''I woke up late, we went to the hospital and came back here and I took another nap,'' she said, and Daisy laughed.
''I did take a nap at the cottage – did you know James rented one just a moment walk from this?'' she said, and Jason nodded but Sam shook her head. She looked down at her plate – which was empty – and put her fork down. Daisy did the same and Sam got up when she saw the men had their plates empty too, and she started clearing the table with Daisy's help. Jason made coffee for them and James got up and walked outside. Jason followed him and they stood there in silence for a moment.
''Jason – I don't know if I can tell Sam – I don't want her to get stressed now, but I have to tell you something,'' James suddenly said, and Jason nodded and looked at him, ''you know I came here early because I wanted to tell you something, and Daisy knows this,'' he said, and Jason nodded again.
''Tell me, and then when I think it's going to freak Sam out we will find a way to keep her calm,'' he said, and James nodded and took a deep breath.
''I have this feeling – and now we're here I feel even more strongly – that something is going to happen. I don't know what or to whom, but I don't feel so good about it,'' he said, and Jason nodded.
''I feel something too – I don't know what it is, but after landing the other day I started feeling something too,'' he said, and James nodded, ''what do you want to do about it?''
''I put some guard of you on everyone here – Tam and Danny included – and I told them to look out for something. I think it has something to do with Bill, Jason,'' he said, and then Daisy walked out.
''Guys, come on in, because we want to talk,'' she said, and Jason nodded. He knew Sam wanted to talk about what James wanted to discuss, and he wished he hadn't told her.
''I told Sam you wanted to discuss something with us, so maybe we better tell her because she will be pissed if we don't. We just have to keep some things from her,'' Jason said, and James nodded. They walked in and sat down in the living room, where Daisy and Sam were sitting. Sam had a bottle of water while Daisy and James and Jason had coffee, and Sam looked at James.
''You wanted to discuss something, right?'' she said, and he nodded.
''I have to tell you – we are prepared for something to happen – I had the feeling about it before coming here, and Jason was kind enough to let me borrow some of his guards,'' he said, and he saw her eyes widen and she nodded, ''we don't know what will happen but everyone here – including Danny and Tamara – are safe with the men,'' he said, and she nodded and looked at Jason.
''You knew?'' she asked him, and he nodded, ''when? Why didn't you tell me?''
''I just heard it from James – and I had that feeling too. We just don't know what it is, and we want to be sure of you women being safe – and Tam and Danny,'' he replied, and she nodded. They stopped talking, and Sam sighed when she saw Jason and James look at each other.
''I'm going to go outside for a walk,'' she said softly, and Jason looked at her, while Daisy got up with Sam and followed her. Sam sighed and breathed in the fresh air when she got outside, and then noticed Daisy had followed her. They walked – arms hooked – around the beach for a while.
''I know something else is up. I just know they kept something from me, and I don't like it, Dais,'' Sam said after a while, and Daisy nodded.
''If I tell you, will you promise me you won't go stressing out about it? Because they didn't tell you because they are afraid you will freak out,'' she said, and Sam nodded, ''ok, you know that bad feeling is because Jason and James think Bill is up to something,'' she said, and Sam widened her eyes, ''he disappeared after he got released, and they think he is here, in Hawaii, planning something,'' she added.
''Ok, so why not tell me – this is about me, right?'' she said, and Daisy nodded, ''do you think it really is only because I would freak out? And so what, if I do,'' she said, getting angrier by the second. She didn't like Jason or James keeping something from her, and she would tell Jason just what she thought about him keeping something from her.
''Because you are pregnant, Sam. They don't want anything to happen to you or the baby because of Bill,'' she replied and Sam nodded. She could understand they didn't want to freak her out, but she could have handled it if they had told her. She handled it just fine when Daisy told her.
''I just don't like Jason keeping something from me – you know I love him, but I just still am a little insecure about us,'' she said softly, and Daisy nodded and sighed.
''He didn't do this because he wanted it – he loves you, and he doesn't want to lose you or the baby, and it won't happen I know, but I can understand why he didn't want you stressed,'' Daisy said, and Sam nodded again.
''Thank you, Dais – this really helped. Come on, let's get back,'' she said, and Daisy nodded. When they were almost at the cottage Daisy stopped and stared in the dark, and Sam wanted to ask her what she saw when Daisy grabbed her hand and hurried inside.
''James – I think I saw something outside, and I know for sure it wasn't a guard,'' she said, and James rushed outside while Jason stayed with the women.
''Sam, come here – are you ok?'' he asked, and Sam nodded but didn't go to him. He frowned and suddenly realized she must know about their suspicions. He sighed and grabbed a bottle of water for both the women and handed it to them.
''Jason, there was no one there anymore,'' James said when he came in, and Jason nodded, ''Daisy, you and I are going home now, because we need to let Jason and Sam talk about this,'' he said, and Daisy nodded and walked towards him after hugging Sam.
''Thanks, Dais, again – see you tomorrow,'' she said, and then Daisy and James left and Sam walked towards the bedroom. She was changing into something to sleep in when Jason walked in and undressed.
''Sam, did Daisy tell you?'' he asked, and she nodded.
''You kept this from me because you love me?'' she asked softly, and he nodded.
''I did, because I don't want you to lose the baby – and I don't want to lose you, do you understand?'' he asked, and she nodded. She stepped in the bed as did Jason, and he pulled her in his arms. She nestled into his side and laid her head on his chest. He was glad she didn't push him away at this point.
''I understand – but I can handle you telling me things like this. I lived with danger all my life, and I know you are worried about us, but you have to understand my insecurity when it comes to us, still,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I do, Sam – I really do, and I didn't keep this from you because I…'' he said, but his voice faded when he thought about it. He had tried to keep it from her because he didn't want to lose her, ''I kept it from you because I love you,'' he said.
''I love you too, but I will never keep anything from you anymore. I want you to promise you won't do this again,'' she said, and he nodded, ''I just want you to tell me when there is something wrong, and I want you to be honest with me, and not keep parts of it for yourself because you think it's best for me. I love you, and I love it about you, but I just want to know when you know something that could affect me, ok?''
''I promise I won't do it again, babe. I love you so much,'' he said, and she smiled and kissed his chest. She closed her eyes and sighed.
''I love you,'' she whispered, just before falling asleep. Jason sighed of relief when she fell asleep. He was grateful that she wasn't mad at him, and he could understand where she was coming from. She had been alone for most of her life, and she just wanted him to be honest and tell her when there was something about her past, like with Bill. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Jason stood outside looking out at the sea the next morning with his cup of coffee. He thought about last night, when Daisy had seen something but James couldn't find anything, and he sighed. He knew now Bill was here. He could feel it in his bones and he couldn't relax even if he tried. He wondered what would have happened if Sam had been outside alone, and he was glad Daisy had gone with her. He took a deep breath ad the thought of losing Sam made him breathless and he felt like the air had been punched out of him. He had woken up early that morning because Sam had been tossing and turning all night, and he couldn't sleep. He had gone out to watch the sun set and he had been calm until he tried to imagine his life without Sam. That is when he started to feel light headed and tears stood in his eyes. He took a sip of his already cold coffee and moaned. He walked back inside and poured the coffee out of his cup before pouring new in it, when he heard Sam.
''That doesn't make any sense – why would you throw away your coffee, just to pour new?'' she asked him, and he turned around and smiled at her, ''good morning,'' she added, and he laughed softly.
''Good morning, sunshine. I think it's going to be a great day – how did you sleep?'' he asked, even though he knew she didn't sleep well.
''It was ok – but I know you know,'' she said raising an eyebrow, and he nodded and walked towards her. He set down his cup on the kitchen table and pulled her in his arms, and she leaned in and relaxed against him, ''why are you so tense, baby?'' she asked him, and he shrugged.
''I'm worried about you,'' he said softly, and she nodded. She took him with her to the couch and pushed him down before sitting down herself.
''I'll never leave the cottage without you, or a guard, ok?'' she said, trying to reassure him, and he nodded, ''good, now you go take a shower because I already did and I know Danny and Tam will be here any minute,'' she told him, and he nodded with a smile and got up.
Daisy woke up with a jolt and noticed James wasn't next to her. She sighed and got out of bed, and when she walked outside she saw him standing in the sea. He was staring ahead, and she knew he was thinking about last night. Sam had taken the news pretty well, and she knew Jason and Sam had talked about it after they left. She knew Sam had been angry, but she also knew Jason probably managed to talk her down and tell her what she wanted to know. Suddenly James turned around and looked at her from the distance, as if he could feel her, and he started walking towards her. When he stopped in front of her he didn't say anything, he just wrapped his arms around her and took a deep breath. She leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his waist as they stood there.
''I was just thinking about what happened last night – I didn't see anything but I know there was someone there,'' James said, and Daisy nodded against his chest.
''I know – I'm glad Sam didn't go out alone,'' she replied, and he nodded and sighed. He was too, and he was grateful Daisy was there with Sam when she had seen something. He was afraid something might happen when Sam was alone, even if the guards were there. He looked at Daisy as he took a step back.
''Thank you for going with Sam, baby,'' he said, and she smiled at him, ''I love you so much, you know that?''
''I know, and I love you too, so much,'' she said, and she kissed him.
Sam smiled when she opened the door to reveal Tam and Danny. She hugged them and let them in, and then called for Jason, who was in the bedroom getting ready.
''I'm coming,'' he called back, and she heard Danny chuckle. She looked at him and smiled again, loving to see how happy he was. She looked at Tam and saw the twinkling in her eyes and sighed.
''You two are so much in love – it's sweet,'' she said, and Tam laughed and Danny kissed Sam.
''I know right?'' he said, and she nodded. She led Tam and Danny to the living room and told them to sit down while she got some drinks. She grabbed a couple of bottles of water and walked back just as Jason walked out of the bedroom.
''Well – I think it's best if we just ask right away,'' Tam said, looking at Danny who was nodding with a huge grin on his face. Tam turned to look at Sam, ''since I've known you, you have been good to me and I love you for that. I wanted to ask you – and it would be an honor if you agreed – if you want to be my Maid of Honor,'' Tam said, and Sam widened her eyes and breathed in deeply. Trying hard not to cry she nodded, and got up to hug Tam.
''I'm honored you asked me – and yes, I'd love to be your Maid of Honor,'' she said, and then she wiped away the tears she wasn't able to hold in. Then she walked back to Jason and hugged him, smiling as she turned around and Danny got up.
''Ever since you and Sam got together for real you have been really good to her – and by extension to me. I began seeing you as a brother and I hope you will do me the honor of being my Best Man – but without the planning of the bachelor party and speech,'' Danny said, and Jason widened his eyes. Sam looked up to him with a big smile on her face and he nodded.
''I would be honored, Danny. Thank you,'' he said, and he shook hands with Danny.
Daisy stepped out of the bathroom and smiled when she saw James standing outside again. He stood staring over the ocean and she didn't want to bother him, so she walked inside and went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. She drank until it was empty, and looked at it in surprise. She didn't know she was thirsty until she began drinking.
James stared out over the ocean and smiled. He didn't want Daisy to know – he wanted to ask her to marry him. He had wanted that long before she was pregnant. He had known Daisy a long time before getting together with her, and he didn't want to wait any longer. He loved her, and she loved him, and they were starting a family. He wanted her to have his name, and he wanted to show her how much he loved her.
He stood in the sand with bare foot, and he suddenly realized he could ask Sam and Jason to help him plan something for soon. He wanted to ask her while they were in Hawaii, because he knew she loved it here. He nodded to himself and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He sent Jason a text message asking him of he could help him with something tomorrow, and then put his phone back when Daisy walked out.
''Hey, I was thinking about dinner – we need to buy something to cook for tonight,'' Daisy said, and he nodded.
''We can go out if you want, because I honestly don't really feel like grocery shopping at the moment,'' he said, and she frowned.
''Well, I can go on my own,'' she said, but he shook his head and raised an eyebrow, ''ok, so we go out,'' she said with a smile, and he nodded. He pulled her in his arms and held her tight. She sighed. She could feel a change in him, but because he didn't tell her she didn't ask. She didn't want to push him.
''I love you,'' he said suddenly, and she lifted her head and smiled at him.
''I love you too, babe – why don't we go ask Jason where that little place was he and Sam ate?'' she said, and James nodded.
After Tamara and Danny had left Sam and Jason sat down outside looking out on the ocean, and Jason felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out and saw he had a message from James, asking him to help him with something. He frowned, and started dialing his number when Sam pulled the phone out of his hand.
''It can't be important,'' she said softly, and he looked at her to see her smiling. She was relaxed and he loved seeing her like this, and he looked at the phone.
''Let me just put it back,'' he said, and she gave him the phone, but after turning it off. He laughed softly and put his phone back in his pocket, and then he pulled Sam up and on his lap. She nestled in his arms and sighed.
''You know – I want to stay here forever,'' she whispered, and he nodded. He liked it here also, and he wanted to stay here longer. He knew it wasn't possible with his line of work, but he knew he would take her back here. He looked at Sam when he heard something – something like footsteps, and he gently pushed her off of him and walked towards where he heard the sound to find James and Daisy standing in front of him.
''You know you can't sneak up like that,'' he said to James, who nodded and shrugged. He looked at Sam, who stood with her back to them, and he saw Daisy walking towards her and she gave her a hug.
''She was wondering if you could tell us where that place was you and Sam ate earlier,'' James said to Jason, who nodded and walked around the cottage with James following. He told him where to go and pointed in the direction, and the men walked back to the girls.
''Wow – Sam, you know that is great!'' Daisy said when they walked towards them, ''James, Jason and Sam are going to be Best Man and Maid of Honor!'' Sam smiled and Jason laughed softly as James looked between the two of them.
''Well, that's great,'' he said, and Jason nodded.
''You know what the best part is – I don't have to plan anything for them – and neither does Sam, because they didn't want a bachelor/bachelorette party, they just wanted to spend time with the six of us,'' he said, and James laughed while Daisy shook her head with a smile.
''That's nice, Jase. Well, did James ask you about the restaurant? Because I'm really hungry!'' she said. Jason nodded and James and Daisy got up and waved before walking off. Sam frowned and laughed softly as Jason sat down and pulled her on his lap again.
''Alone at last,'' he said, and she nodded and smiled. Then she suddenly thought of something.
''I'm going to walk a round – you want to go?'' she asked, and he shook his head.
''Take that guard with you,'' he said, and she rolled her eyes, ''I'll stay here and watch you,'' he added, and she nodded and walked away. She needed some room and she needed to stretch her legs, because she had been sitting inside and outside all day. She wanted to think, and she loved walking around on the beach. She walked to one side, where she stopped and looked at the cliff in front of her. She was at the bottom, and she recognized it, but she had never seen it before. She shrugged and walked back, the guard still following her. She made her way back to Jason, who had fallen asleep in the chair outside.
''Jason,'' she said softly, and he opened his eyes and smiled. He got up and took her hand, and they walked to the bedroom and changed into something to sleep in. then they climbed in bed and he fell asleep right away, and she watched him for a while before falling asleep herself.
A week later Sam stood outside with her cup of tea. It had been a busy week – with dress fittings for both Jason and her, and then they found out the designer making the dress wouldn't make them for a pregnant woman. She had decided to just go and shop for something fancy but comfortable instead, and she had found the perfect dress. It was green with a print on it, and it was a simple maternity dress she could use for normal wearing too – but she would just use it for this wedding. It was nice and neat, and she loved it.
Jason was in a tuxedo and was gorgeous – even though he didn't think himself. He didn't like it when Sam said it, so she kept saying it. She loved to tease him, and he told her he expected her to help him out of it at the end of the day.
She was nervous – today was the day her brother was getting married. She would miss him, but she also knew he would come over, and she would visit him all the time. She hadn't been at the location of the wedding yet, but she didn't mind because she knew it would be an amazing one. She was anxious to see it, and she couldn't wait to go there.
Jason and her had been helping Tamara and Danny with everything they needed this week, and last night – the night before the wedding – Danny had been sleeping with them after spending a fun night with them. He was inside still, rummaging around with Jason.
''Sammy,'' she heard Danny's voice suddenly, and she turned around to see him standing inside looking out, ''I'm kind of nervous,'' he said, and he looked at her with wide eyes. She smiled at him.
''I don't think that's weird – who isn't nervous before marrying?'' she said, and he nodded and took a step out. He was wearing his sweats and slippers, and he smiled when he saw how nice the weather was.
''It's a good day to get married, don't you think?'' he said to Sam, who nodded and smiled while she stared ahead and looked at the sea.
''Danny, Sam – we need to go,'' Jason said from inside, and Danny jumped and Sam ushered him inside. She washed her cup and set it on the kitchen counter and looked at Jason. Jason had decided to get ready and she smiled at him.
''You know you look amazing in that – I can't believe you don't wear this more often,'' she told him, and he shook his head with a sigh and pulled her in his arms.
''You know why – I told you I'm more the casual kind of guy,'' he said, and then pressed a kiss on her lips and let her go. She smiled, and looked at him from head to toe. Jason did the same, because she had been having the same idea and had dressed for later already, ''you know you can buy another one of those dresses and just let this for today – I really like it and I love the way it looks on you,'' Jason whispered in her ear, and Danny cleared his throat. Jason lifted his head and smiled at him, and they made their way to the car. Sam locked the front door and stepped in the back of the car, while Jason and Danny sat in the front. Jason drove them to the beach, where they had placed some tents where they could get dressed, and Danny was jumping in his seat of nerves. Jason tried to calm him down, but it didn't work, and he sighed and looked in the rear-view mirror to Sam, who was smiling.
Sam walked to the tent where Tamara would be, and was surprised to see Daisy was already there. She smiled and hugged her friend, and walked inside to hug Tam.
''It's going to be a small wedding – I invited my sister but I don't think she will be coming. My sister and her husband are the only family I have but we don't have any contact,'' she told Sam when she walked in, and Sam frowned wondering why she didn't tell Sam sooner. It didn't really matter, though.
''So it would be just the six of us?'' she asked, and when Tam nodded and Daisy walked in, they started getting Tam ready. They laughed and had fun, and then suddenly Tam stopped.
''I'm really nervous,'' she said softly, and Daisy smiled and nodded.
''That's normal – didn't Danny say that, Sam?'' she asked Sam, who nodded, ''see? It's really normal – it's not like you don't want it anymore, is it?''
''No, no! I really want to marry him – I love him so much – but I'm just so nervous,'' Tam said, and she took a deep breath, ''let's get ready,'' she said, and Sam and Daisy nodded and smiled.
Jason smiled when Danny turned around and he looked at James. Danny had started to get excited and wasn't nervous anymore. He was talking a lot, and when James had walked in he had been making him crazy with all his talk.
''Well, I think it is good,'' James said, and Danny widened his eyes. He didn't notice the smile on James' face, and he started rambling.
''Good? It's not amazing? That's not that good! I need something else-'' he was cut off by Jason's hand on his mouth, and he glared at Jason.
''He was joking – teasing you. You look amazing and I know for sure Tam is going to be out of breath at the sight of you,'' he said, and Danny smiled and nodded. He glared at James, who was laughing softly, and then he looked back at Jason.
''He's an ass – and he says he is getting married,'' Danny said, and Jason widened his eyes and looked at James, who was now glaring at Danny.
''I wanted to ask you for advice last night – but Daisy said she would go with me if I went to see you,'' he said, and Jason smiled, ''you know I love her and I want to marry her, and I was wondering if you know a place or something,'' James rambled, and Jason smiled.
''Yeah – why don't you ask her here? Hey Danny, you can do something to let Daisy know and then James can ask her while taking a walk on the beach or something,'' Jason said, and he didn't know if James liked it because he didn't show any emotion, but he turned and smiled. It was going to be a good day.
Sam had told Tam and Daisy she wanted to step out for a second before the wedding, and she wanted to be alone. She didn't take the guard because there were enough people on the beach at this moment, and she just walked a couple of rounds on the beach. She saw the cliff in her dreams in front of her. She frowned – she wondered how it could be the cliff from her dreams, because she had never been here before. She turned around and walked away from the cliff, afraid to stay longer, and she walked to the tent where Danny was. She wanted to see him before he would marry, and when she walked in the tent it was silent but she heard some sounds.
''Danny,'' she called out, and then she felt an arm around her waist. She tensed, not knowing what to do without hurting anyone.
''Whoa,'' she heard Jason behind her when she tried to elbow him, and she released the breath she had been holding and screamed.
''Jason! Don't you ever do that again!'' she said, and he nodded when he saw the scared look on her face. He pulled her against him and whispered comforting words in her ear.
''I didn't mean to scare you,'' he said softly, and she nodded. She took another deep breath and smiled as she turned around in his arms, ''Danny is already at the altar. It's going to begin soon and I was looking for you when I saw you walk in here,'' he told her, and she nodded, ''are you ok?''
''Yes – I'm fine, Jason – just don't ever scare me like that again,'' she said, and he nodded and looked down, ''it's ok, babe,'' she added and he looked up with a smile.
''Come on, let's get there,'' he said, and she nodded. She walked to the tent where Tam was and saw Daisy sitting next to Tam, and they got up when Sam walked in. She didn't have to say anything, but they went on to the altar where Danny was standing. Sam could see him looking at Tam with the biggest eyes, and she smiled when she looked at Jason. She walked towards Danny and heard Daisy following her, and when she was at the altar she stepped aside and turned, and saw how Daisy was walking – with one of the caretakers of Danny's home – towards the altar. They had asked the man to help them because she didn't have any family, and they didn't want to bother Jason or James to do it. The man had been honored because he had come to love both Danny and Tam as his own, even in the short while they had been there.
Sam looked at Tam and saw her smile, and knew the nerves were gone. Gus – the man who gave Tam away – gave her hand to Danny, whose smile grew even wider if possible when Gus kissed Tam on the cheek. Danny and Tam looked at each other for a moment before they turned around, and faced the priest.
''We are gathered together on this beautiful afternoon to share with Tamara and Danny as they exchange vows of their everlasting love,'' the priest said, and then he turned to the guests, ''does any of you have any objections to this couple being married – speak now, or forever hold your piece,'' he said, and there was a silence which he took as no objections. The priest went on and married Danny and Tam.
The wedding was over in no time for Danny and he smiled and looked at his wife. Just a couple of hours ago they had been together – but now there were really married. Tam looked at him and smiled when she saw him staring at her, and she took his hand in hers and squeezed. He looked back at Sam and Jason, who were dancing, and Daisy and James who were sitting next to him and Tam. Tam and him had already danced the first dance, and after that Jason and Sam started dancing – that was an hour ago. He loved seeing Sam happy, and she was happy now. Jason made her happy, and he knew she would be getting married to him just as he got married to the love of his life. He looked at Tam and saw her looking at Sam and Jason with a smile.
''I'm sorry your sister didn't come,'' he said softly to Tam, who smiled at him and shook her head. She didn't mind her sister didn't show up – she hadn't really expected her to come.
''It's ok. I didn't think she would come, and I had enough friends around me. I loved that the wedding is small,'' she said, and he nodded. He was glad – he had wanted to invite more people, but he didn't know more and she didn't have any family. Except for some of the people of the home and James, Jason, Daisy and Sam, nobody was there, and he liked it.
''Well – I say we have all the people around us we need. They are our family and I love all of them,'' Danny said, and she nodded and smiled. Then Jason and Sam came to sit. Sam was out of breath and Jason was all smiles. Sam looked at Danny and Tam and smiled.
''Well – husband and wife, how does it feel?'' she asked, and Tam smiled and looked at Danny.
''It feels great,'' she said, and Danny nodded. James said something to Daisy, and the two of them got up and walked away without saying anything. Jason smiled when he saw them leave, and so did Danny, but Sam and Tam frowned.
''Where did they go?'' Sam asked, and Jason shrugged.
''We will hear it when they get back,'' he replied, and she smiled at him and nodded. Danny looked at the two of them and wondered how long it was going to take for Sam to get ready – to want to get married for the right reasons. Jason was her soul mate, just like Tam was his, and he wanted them to be together forever. When he looked at Sam and Jason together he knew Jason could hold her down when she was angry or sad, and he knew Jason would help her get through the bad. But he also knew Jason and Sam were happy together and they were going to have some beautiful memories before the baby would come. And after the baby was there they were going to have to raise her together, and he knew their child would grow to be a great kid.
''So do you guys know how long you will be staying here?'' Danny asked, and Jason shrugged.
''I don't know – I have to admit I love it here, so I don't mind staying here for some time – but we have to be back in time for Sam because at some point she can't fly anymore,'' he said, and then he turned to smile at Sam. Danny smiled and they talked some more.
Daisy and James walked, hand in hand, on the beach when he suddenly stopped and stepped in front of her with his face serious.
''You know before all this happened – before you told me you were pregnant – I've been thinking,'' he told her, and she widened her eyes. She wondered where he was going with this, ''about us, and then you told me you were pregnant and I didn't think anymore – I just went,'' he said, and she looked down. Was he trying to back out of this all? ''Then when Danny and Tam called that they were getting married and the whole Bill situation here, I didn't think any further than the day we were living in,'' he said, and she nodded, but she didn't look at him.
''If you want to – want to break up, its fine, James, I know you said you loved me because of the baby,'' she said softly, and she heard him chuckle and her head shot up and she glared at him.
''I don't want to break up, babe. I love you, and not just because of the baby,'' he said, and then he got to his knees and looked up to her, her hand in his, ''I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you – Daisy, will you do me the honor of becoming your husband – will you marry me?'' he asked, and tears sprung in her eyes.
''You want – want to marry me?'' she asked, ''I mean – this isn't just about the baby?'' she asked, her hand moving to her stomach, and he shook his head.
''This is all about you, Dais. I love you, and I want you to be my wife – I want to spend all of my life with you, and I want you to have my name,'' he said, and she nodded. Then she nodded again.
''Yes. Yes, James, yes, I want to be your wife, I want to marry you!'' she said, and then she pulled him up to kiss him.
Jason watched as Sam was talking to her brother and smiled. She was happy and he knew she would miss her brother a lot. He wished he could do something to keep them together, but he also knew Sonny would need him back soon. He had gotten a call – but he didn't pick up the phone – because he didn't want to ruin the vacation. He wanted to have fun without Sonny interrupting everything, so he eventually – when Sonny didn't stop calling – turned off his phone. He didn't want to think about work, and when he looked up he saw Daisy and James walk towards them. He smiled when he saw the grin on James' face, and he saw the happiness in Daisy's. From the looks of it, James had asked Daisy to marry him and she accepted, and he was glad for the two of them.
''Danny, look at them,'' he heard Sam say, and then she was next to him, ''you guys care to share?''
''Well – yea, sure but I don't want to ruin Danny and Tam's wedding,'' James said, looking at Daisy, and Daisy shrugged.
''You won't, James – we would love to hear this,'' Tam said, and Danny smiled and nodded. Jason laughed softly and James glared at him.
''Well – I asked Daisy to marry me,'' he told them, and Sam started jumping up and down, ''and she agreed,'' James said, and Sam ran to daisy and hugged her, and Jason shook hands with James. Then Tam and Danny did the same and they sat down again.
''That is amazing! Another wedding we can attend!'' Sam said, and Jason laughed, as Daisy and Sam started walking away. He didn't worry because there were enough people on the beach at this moment so he relaxed and looked at James.
''Well, I think you are one lucky dude, James. I bet you, Danny, he blew up the speech,'' Jason said to Danny, and James laughed.
''Yea – at first she thought I was going to break up with her, and then I had to fix it,'' he said, and Jason laughed as Danny chuckled, ''she said 'if you want to break up…' but then I fixed it, by telling her I loved her and wanted to be with her the rest of my life. You should've seen her face when I dropped to my knee – and it still hurts,'' he said, rubbing his knee, and Jason chuckled.
''Well, I'm glad you and Daisy are getting married – I love all of you and wish you all the best, and seeing you and Daisy together shows you are the best for each other,'' Jason said, and Danny nodded with a smile.
''Congrats,'' Danny said, and he raised his glass, as did Jason and James.
Sam and Daisy walked to the cliff and back, without saying a word at first. Sam was smiling and Daisy was defiantly glowing.
''You know I love you and James, and I'm so happy for you!'' Sam said suddenly, and Daisy smiled and nodded. Then she sat down on the blanket that she had put there before. Sam smiled and sat down next to her, watching out over the sea.
''I thought he was going to leave me,'' Daisy said, and Sam widened her eyes, ''I mean, he started talking about 'I've been thinking about us', and I thought he was going to say he didn't love me enough to stay with me,'' she added softly, and Sam nodded.
''Well, from what I've seen he wouldn't even think about it – I don't know, but I never believe he would want to leave you – especially now you're pregnant,'' Sam said, and Daisy nodded.
''That's what was the first thing I thought about when he proposed,'' she admitted, and Sam laughed softly.
''But that is not why he asked you to marry him, and I know he told you that because you wouldn't have said yes if he didn't,'' she said, and Daisy nodded, ''I can understand it's weird when someone asks you to marry him – hell, I freak out every time I think about Jason asking me, because I have that same feeling,'' Sam said.
''But when Jason asks you it will be out of love, and not because of the baby,'' Daisy said surprised, and Sam shrugged.
''I don't know – we talked about it and I told him if he wanted to get married for the baby, I would marry him if it's best for her,'' she said, and she rubbed her belly when the baby kicked. Then she took Daisy's hand and let her feel.
''Wow – she is really strong,'' Daisy said with a smile, and Sam nodded, ''but back to Jason – he is really in love, I could see it when you two were dancing and I can see it even when you're not there,'' she said, and Sam nodded, ''and when he asks you to marry him it's not about the baby – well yeah, a little I guess,'' she added when Sam smiled.
''I know and I love him, really,'' she said, ''but I scammed men into marrying me and when I did I knew it wouldn't last. With Jason, it would be forever,'' she said, ''and that scares me,'' she added.
''I know it does. What do you think I feel when I think about forever? I love James, but it still freaks me out a little,'' she said with a smile. Then she got up and helped Sam get up too, ''I'm going to go back,'' she said, and she looked at the table where the men were sitting.
''If you don't mind, I want to just walk another round before coming, so you go ahead and I will be there soon,'' she said, and Daisy nodded and took the blanket and walked away. Sam watched Daisy before walking towards the cliff again. She looked up and frowned. It really did look like the cliff from her dreams, but she didn't believe in dreams coming true, so she wasn't the least bit scared something was going to happen. But then again, she had been dreaming about this place before she even knew it existed, and she wondered how that could have happened.
''It was all just a dream,'' she said to herself, and nodded. Then she turned around and started walking back, when an arm slipped around her waist and she tensed, ''Jason, didn't I tell you not to do that?'' she asked, and she heard a chuckle. This wasn't Jason.
''Yeah, you told Jason not to sneak up on you, but you never told me,'' Bill said, and he turned her around, ''didn't you miss me?''
''Bill,'' she whispered.
''Yeah, Bill,'' he said, and she shuddered. This could not be happening, ''I see you missed me just as much as I missed you,'' he said, and she shook her head.
''I…'' she could hardly talk, there was a lump in her throat and she felt like her lungs had closed off, she couldn't breath.
''You know that sister of Tamara wanted to come and I told her to take me – she didn't, so I just took the invitation and went here,'' he said, ''after all, she couldn't stop me anymore,'' he said, and Sam widened her eyes when he pushed her back to the cliff and pressed her against it, trapping her with his body.
''Bill – just let me go, and I-'' he cut her off by backhanding her and she closed her eyes, trying to close off the pain and fear. She had to stay calm right now, because she didn't want to make him mad, and she didn't want to lose the baby because of him.
''You are a slut, you know that,'' he said, ''I found out about all the men you conned, and that you are conning Jason even now – with this girl coming I know he wants to marry you. Its one of the best you had,'' he said, and she shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know how to get out of here without getting hurt. She didn't say anything; she opened her eyes and looked at him. She could see the craziness in his eyes and closed hers again, not wanting to see it, ''Jason is clueless and I love it. I remember me being clueless about what you were doing. You remember, don't you?'' he asked, and she didn't move an inch. She didn't want him to think she was listening to him; she didn't want him to know how scared she was.
''Just let me go, please, Bill,'' she whispered, and he chuckled. He moved, and she opened her eyes wide when she felt his erection. This turned him on, and he made the mistake when moving, because he had given her an opening. She brought her knee up and hit him in the groin, and he doubled over and backed out, but he didn't let her go. She struggled to get out of his grip, but he wouldn't let her and he stood straight, then he pushed her back against the cliff with force – causing her head to slam against it and she felt her body give out under her, and she sank down. Black spots covered her sight and she didn't see his foot coming.
Daisy walked back to the men and when she stood in front of James, he pulled her on his lap and kissed her.
''Where is Sam?'' Jason asked, and she smiled at him before answering.
''She decided to take another walk to the cliff and then come back,'' she replied, and Jason nodded.
''Daisy, baby, I don't have a good feeling about that,'' James said, and he frowned when he saw the look on Jason's face, ''you want to go look for her?'' he asked, and Jason nodded.
''James, Jason, what is the matter with you? There are a lot of people on this beach, and I'm sure by now she is returning here,'' Daisy said, and she frowned, ''I don't understand why this reaction to me giving Sam some time to breath,'' she added, and Jason sighed.
''I know – but you have to understand that after everything with Bill – I just want to know she's safe, and I don't know because the guards are all still here, Dais. She is all alone out there,'' he told her, and she nodded.
''Ok – ok, we'll look for her,'' she said, and they got up. Jason walked over to Danny.
''Danny, we're going to look for Sam, because she's alone and I don't want her to be with Bill walking around,'' he told Danny, who nodded and got up to go with them. Tam got up too and the five of them walked toward the cliff.
Sam didn't see the shoe coming at her because of the black spots, but she felt it. He kicked her in the side, and she rolled over and laid there in the fetal position, protecting her baby as much as possible. But then Bill sank down next to her and turned her, grinning when she moaned in pain. Her side was aching, as was her head from the blow before, and when he rolled her on her back she hit her head again.
''I heard pregnant women have some kind of hormone that makes them horny in the second trimester,'' he told her, and she widened her eyes when she realized what he meant.
''No, no please, don't,'' she begged him, but he positioned himself on top if her and smiled at her before kissing her hard. She struggled against him, and he bit her lip to make her stop. Her hands moved around in the sand to find something hard, and suddenly she found it. A rock, big – but small enough for her to lift it, and she gripped it while Bill moved his hands to her breasts. Even in her state of being a little dazed because of the hit against her head, she lifted her hand and slammed it against the side of his head. He moaned, and she slammed it again, causing him to fall off of her, and she scrambled to get up when she heard him get up too. She whimpered when he grabbed her arm, but then she heard a shot and he let go, falling to the ground. His eyes were open, but they were blank, and she knew he was dead.
''Sam,'' she heard Jason call out, and she sank down on the ground when she saw him. She was grateful for him arriving just in time, and she tried to smile but she couldn't. She started to shake, and she couldn't do anything to stop it.
''Take care of him, and do not mess up in cleaning up,'' she heard James say, and she felt Jason relax just a little.
''Jason,'' she whispered, and he sank down next to her, pulling her in his arms, ''Jason, the baby – he kicked me – oh god,'' she started to ramble, and Jason lifted her in his arms and took her to the car, where he told James to sit in the back while he drove to the hospital. Daisy, Danny and Tam followed them in James' car.
''Sam, stay awake for me, ok?'' James said when he saw her drift off. He didn't know what happened, but he could see blood in her hair and he suspected a concussion. He didn't want her to fall asleep, ''talk to me,'' he said when she closed her eyes again.
''About what – James, I'm scared,'' she said, and she rubbed her stomach, ''he kicked me real hard before I could even think of protecting her – god I'm such a bad mother already,'' she whispered, and she started to sob uncontrollably.
''No, no way you're going to do that to yourself. You are great – you didn't have any time to react, come on babe,'' Jason said, and James wrapped his arms tighter around her to calm her down. When she heard his heartbeat she did calm down a little, but not enough for his liking.
''Damn it, Sam. You're not a bad mother, stop doing this to yourself,'' he said, and she tensed.
''James, I let him kick me, I let him throw me against that cliff – hell, if I had listened to my head, I wouldn't even have been there at the time, or at all,'' she said, and he frowned. He didn't know what she was talking about, but the way Jason tensed, he could see he knew.
''What do you mean?'' he asked, and she wiped away her tears.
''I dreamed about this – it was almost exactly as in my dream,'' she said, ''I saw the cliff earlier today and I remembered the dream but I didn't think any of it. And then Bill came and I thought it was Jason so I said he shouldn't do that – you know, sneaking up on me – and then he started talking. I was careless,'' she said, and then Jason pulled over and jumped out of the car. He took Sam in his arms before James could even stand up, and he walked into the hospital. James followed and called for help. Two nurses walked over, one with a gurney and Jason laid Sam on it, and then a doctor came and took Sam away.
''You will have to wait here, sir,'' he said, and Jason nodded but was frustrated he had to wait. He wanted to stay with her; he didn't want to leave her alone like this. James touched his shoulder and he looked at Sam's best friend – who had become one of his close friends too, and sighed.
''Jason, she will be ok,'' he said, ''and the baby will be ok too,'' he added, and Jason nodded, but didn't really believe James until he saw for himself she was ok. Danny, Tam and Daisy walked in and Daisy was at James' side in no time, while Danny stood next to Jason looking ahead of him.
''Jason, I know you are scared,'' Daisy said, and Jason nodded, ''but you have to believe she will be ok – they both will be. That little girl of yours is strong,'' she told him, and he nodded again, finally getting to believe Sam and the baby were going to be ok.
Sam looked at the doctor with a weak smile and thanked him. He had just told her she had a concussion, and that the baby was fine, and she was grateful.
''So, I will now send in your husband, because he was badgering the nurse a couple of minutes ago,'' he said with a smile, and she nodded and smiled. She had a headache and her side was still killing her, but she knew everything was fine with the baby and that was all that mattered. She closed her eyes for a moment, waiting for Jason – and probably everyone else – to come in and get the good news. The door of her room opened and she opened her eyes to see Jason and James standing next to her already. Danny, Tam and Daisy were standing outside, and she waved them over.
''How are you feeling?'' Jason asked, and she smiled at him and grabbed his hand.
''I'm great – the only thing is the concussion, but other than that I'm fine,'' she told them, and he sighed of relief, and opened his mouth to ask something else, but she stopped him, ''the baby is fine too,'' she told him, and he closed his eyes for a second before looking at her and leaning in to kiss her forehead, ''I think I can even go home soon, because the doctor didn't say anything about staying overnight,'' she added, and Jason smiled.
''We'll see about that – I'll go and ask him about it now,'' he said, and he walked away. Sam shook her head and then moaned –it still hurt. Daisy came to stand next to her and kissed her on the cheek.
''I'm sorry, Sam,'' she said softly, and Sam frowned at her, ''for leaving you alone,'' Daisy added, and Sam shook her head and wiped away the tear on Daisy's cheek.
''No, no, Daisy – I asked you to let me walk around first before coming home, you can't blame yourself,'' Sam said, but she saw Daisy didn't believe her, ''what do you need? You want me to say I forgive you – because even though there is nothing to forgive you for, if you need to hear it – I forgive you,'' she said, and Daisy nodded.
''It's ok, Daisy, she really doesn't blame you,'' James added, and Daisy nodded again.
''And you, James, maybe you better go home and clean up – ok?'' Sam said, and James nodded. He grabbed Daisy's hand and they walked away, and Sam smiled. Two down, two to go, ''and you two – you need to go too. You better leave for that honeymoon,'' she said with raised eyebrows, and Danny smiled.
''We'll go when we hear if you can go,'' he said, and just then the doctor walked in.
''He is pretty consistent if he wants something. He came to ask me when you could leave. I told him you could go if you wanted to – I don't really like it but there is nothing wrong, so you are free to go. I just want you to take is easy and Mr. Morgan has to wake you up every two to three hours when you are sleeping,'' he told them, ''but other than that there is nothing that will keep you here,'' he added, and Sam nodded and smiled. She swung her legs off of the bed and got up. Jason rushed to her side and helped her, and they left with the four of them.
''Now go on your honeymoon,'' Jason said, ''I'll handle this,'' he said with a wink to Sam. When they were at the car they climbed in and took Danny and Tamara home, they waved goodbye and told them to have fun. Then they went home.
Jason woke up when his head fell to his chest, and he jumped and opened his eyes to see Sam staring at him. He didn't mean to fall asleep, but he had been awake throughout the night to make sure Sam was ok. He had woken her up every other two and a half hours, and on the doctors orders he had talked to her to make sure it was all good.
''Hey, come over here,'' she said, and he shook his head, ''come on, Jason – I'll go out if that's what you want,'' she said when she saw him shaking his head.
''You need to take this rest, Sam,'' he said, and she sighed. he could see she was not in the mood for this, but he didn't want to go in the bed, because he knew once he would lie down he would fall asleep.
''Come here, Jason, now. I don't need this right now, and I need you to listen to me – get in the bed,'' she said softly, but he could hear the annoyance in her voice and he nodded. He got up and slid in the bed, and she moved closed. She looked at him with a smile and he could see she was in pain. Her side must hurt, and he wanted to take the pain away.
''Are you ok?'' he asked her, and she nodded, and before she could say anything he had drifted off. She looked at him and smiled, even though her side hurt like hell and her head throbbing. She hadn't been in the mood for stubborn Jason, and she was glad he listened to her. She tried to get some sleep herself, because she was still really tired. Jason had woken her up every two and a half hours because of the concussion, and even though she didn't like it, she was glad she had Jason on her side to do that for her. She now wished she had stayed over night in the hospital, because when she looked at Jason sleeping, she saw the circles of the night under his eyes. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Two hours later Sam was still awake, and Jason was still sleeping. Sam decided to get out, and she did. She walked to the bathroom and took a quick shower, because she had taken a shower last night when they got home. Jason had urged her to do that, and she didn't complain when he helped her get in and clean herself up. She got out and dried herself off, and looked in the mirror at her side. The bruise was bigger than she had thought, and there were yellow lines around it. She frowned, and she put on a boy shorts and a tank top she had bought at one of the maternity shops. With her five and a half months she was definitely showing, and she loved it. She loved seeing her belly and she loved seeing and feeling all the changes in her body.
She walked to the kitchen to make some tea, and when her tea was ready she walked outside and sat down in the swing chair. She put the cup of tea in the side table and she pulled her legs under her and crossed them, the only way she could sit comfortable. She stared out at the sea, and smiled. She loved it here, and she wished they could stay here forever. The weather was nice, and with James and Daisy here it was like she was home. She loved Port Charles, but this place had her heart. When she would go back to Port Charles she would count the hours until she could go back.
''Hey,'' she suddenly heard, and she jumped, making the swing chair move and she stood up. Daisy and James walked up and she laid a hand on her chest, trying to calm down, ''sorry, didn't mean to scare you,'' James said, and she nodded with a smile. He came over and hugged her, ''how are you doing?'' he asked her, and after Daisy had hugged her she answered.
''I'm doing ok. Still have a headache, but other than that I'm fine,'' she told them, and they sat down on the comfortable chairs on the porch.
''Where is Jason?'' Daisy asked, ''is he still asleep?''
''He just went to bed a couple of hours ago – he had to wake me up every two to three hours and he didn't get any himself, so I ordered him to go to bed – and I got out,'' she said, and Daisy smiled.
''Well – did you hear anything from Danny yet?'' she asked, and when Sam shook her head she said, ''maybe Jason did. After Jason called last night he told us Danny had promised to tell you when he arrived.''
''He called you?'' Sam asked surprised, and Daisy nodded, ''hey, do you guys want something to drink? Maybe some breakfast while we're at it?'' she asked, and James nodded.
''I'll make some breakfast because I don't really trust you in the kitchen,'' he said, and she laughed softly, ''and you need to take it easy,'' he added.
''I am – taking it easy. I'm just not used to feeling this restless,'' she said, and he nodded. They all got up to go to the kitchen, and they started making breakfast – softly and careful not to wake Jason – for all of them.
Jason woke up when he heard laughing outside, and he groaned. He didn't know how long he had been sleeping, but he had left Sam alone for a long time he was sure. Now Daisy and James were here – he could hear it when they had started laughing – and he sighed. He got out of bed and looked at his watch, and saw he had slept for eight hours at best. He walked to the bathroom and took a quick shower, and then he walked back to the bedroom and got dressed. He started towards the kitchen and took a bottle of water before walking outside to join the three of them.
''Jason – are you ok?'' Sam asked, and he got up and hugged him tight. He smiled and nodded, and he sat down on the remaining chair.
''I'm well rested – thanks for letting me get that,'' he said, and she nodded with a smile.
''Daisy and James came here after I got out of bed – and they offered to stay here until you woke up. Maybe they want to stay here for dinner?'' she asked, and the two of them nodded with a smile.
''We made breakfast this morning with Sam. She is really a disaster in the kitchen,'' Daisy said and James laughed softly, while Jason just nodded.
''I know – I'll never let her cook for me. She can order Chinese, though, as the best,'' he told Daisy. Then he looked at Sam, ''but I do love you,'' he said, and she nodded with a smile.
''I love you too, babe,'' she said, and he smiled.
Sam looked at Jason and knew what to do. She had been thinking about it all afternoon, talking with Daisy and James about them getting married. She knew he thought she wasn't ready yet, and she knew he was a man with old-fashioned thoughts. She wanted to surprise him by asking him to marry her. While she had been thinking about it, she realized she wanted to marry him. After what happened with Bill, she knew he wasn't like that and their marriage wouldn't be like her marriages before.
She loved him, and they were having a daughter together – that was something she had thought about before, but she didn't want to marry him only for the baby, and she knew he was honest when he had told her the same thing. When he had been asleep, she had asked James to help her, and Daisy wanted to help too. She loved the two of them for it, and they had indeed helped her a lot with thinking of ways to ask Jason.
''Sam?'' she heard someone call her, and she looked up to see it was Jason. She frowned, ''you were so far away – where were you?''
''I'm sorry, I was thinking about something – I didn't mean to zone out like that,'' she said, ''what was it you said?'' she asked, and he smiled and shook his head.
''Nobody said anything – but we were looking at you while you were staring ahead and James and Daisy just went to get some dinner because we didn't want to cook,'' he told her, and she nodded and noticed James and Daisy were gone.
''I'm sorry, Jason. After what happened last night I kind of am inside my head a lot,'' she told him, and he nodded, ''it's not that I see it over and over – because I don't, actually – but I began to see something really clear and I want to sort it out,'' she said.
''You want to share?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''When I have it all sorted out I'll share, but at the moment it doesn't even make sense to me,'' she told him, and he nodded. Then he got up and gently pulled her in his arms, holding her head against his chest.
''I love you – so much Sam, and I am glad you're ok,'' he whispered, and she nodded against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat and calmed down – she didn't even know she was tense until Jason held her in his arms.
''I love you too, Jason. I don't – I realized I don't want to live without you anymore,'' she said softly, and he nodded and smiled. Sam decided that now was a good time to ask him, but she didn't know how. So she took a step back and looked at him, ''I don't want to – I can't live without you anymore. I don't even want to think about it, because it makes me sick to my stomach and my heart clenches. I love you so much, and I know I have been keeping you at arms length about some things, and I want to make it right,'' she said, and he nodded, but frowned.
''I don't understand what you're saying, babe,'' he told her, and she nodded and looked down.
''When we talked about marrying, I freaked out every time, and I didn't want it,'' she said, and he nodded, ''and then when I told you I would marry you for our daughter I still felt like it wasn't right,'' she added, ''but when Bill had me pinned to the cliff – or even on the ground – I realized something,'' she said, and he nodded. She took a deep breath, ''I love you so much, and I want to ask you something,'' she said.
''You can ask me anything Sam, I will do everything you ask of me,'' he told her, and she nodded and smiled with tears in her eyes.
''Will you marry me?'' she asked him, and he widened his eyes, surprise and shock evident on his face.
''You – what…'' Jason didn't know what to say, and Sam saw it on his face and miss read it.
''I mean, if you don't want to you can just – just forget I even said it – you don't even have to answer if you…'' her voice faded when she felt the lump in her throat grow and tears streamed over her face, but he started to smile.
''No – no, I don't want to forget it. I want to marry you, I'm just kind of speechless,'' he said, and he made a wide gesture with his hands, ''that you asked me instead of the other way around – and I thought you didn't want to marry because of – well because of everything that happened and all,'' he rambled, and she nodded and wiped away the tears.
''I didn't – at first, but I realized you wouldn't treat me like Bill did, or this marriage wouldn't be without feelings – I think because I know I love you and you love me, I thought it would be nothing like the times I've been married before,'' she said, and he nodded.
''It won't just because of the reasons you just said. And to answer the question – yes, I want to marry you,'' he said, and she smiled, and when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her she knew she had done the right thing. He broke the kiss and held her tight.
''I know you're this old-fashioned kind of guy who wants to marry a girl when he gets her pregnant – or he wants to ask her instead of the other way around,'' she said, and she could hear him chuckle, ''but I didn't think you would ask me because you might still think I wasn't ready to do just that,'' she told him, and he nodded, ''so I decided I'd take the step to ask you, because I know and knew you were ready,'' she added, and he smiled.
''I really didn't think you would be ready, and that's the only reason I didn't ask. I was thinking of it all night and when Danny called-''
''Danny called?'' she asked him, interrupting him, and he nodded.
''I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but he called to tell they were ok and that they had arrived. He asked how you were doing and I told them you were ok,'' he said, and she nodded and smiled.
''Thank you. You've been so good to him,'' she said, and he nodded. Then he let go of her and walked away. She stood there, surprised and shocked but when he returned with a little black box, she smiled.
''I almost forgot – I had this with me because I planned to ask you right away when you were ready, and I wanted to give you this now,'' he said, and he opened the box to show the engagement ring he had bought a couple of weeks ago. When they had talked everything out and when they became closer, he had thought she was ready to get married, but then she told him she wasn't – not only in words but in actions, and he decided to hold on to the ring until she was.
''Wow, Jason, it is beautiful,'' she whispered, and he nodded and slipped it on her finger. She stared at it and smiled up to him.
''I bought it when I had to go run an errand for Sonny – I found this jewelry and it had the most amazing rings and other things. I was looking through the window – like window-shopping – and I saw this one and I knew I had to have it for you,'' he told her, and she smiled again. Then she took a step forward and he held her in his arms. They just stood there for a long time, until James and Daisy returned with the food.
''Hey there love birds – dinner is ready so you better untangle yourselves and help us get the table ready,'' James said when he walked in, and Jason laughed softly when Sam started towards the kitchen.
''You want to eat outside or inside?'' she asked, and when Daisy came in and helped her she smiled.
''I think it's nice to eat out,'' she said, as she helped Sam get the plates and everything they needed. After a pause she turned to Sam, ''did you ask him?'' she asked her, and then Sam nodded. She lifted her hand and showed her the ring, and Daisy's smile was so bright. ''That's great – how did he react to you asking him instead of the other way around?'' Daisy asked, and Sam smiled.
''Well, he was kind of speechless, then I began to doubt it – maybe he didn't want to marry me – but he said yes, and we talked about it,'' she said, ''maybe it was only for the baby and all – but we both agree that the love we have for each other is the biggest factor here, even though we do this also to give her his name,'' she said, rubbing her stomach.
''Yeah – but you know that even when she's here, you will still be love,'' Daisy said, and the both of them took the plates and everything they needed out, where Jason and James were talking and laughing.
''So, I hear congrats are in order Sammy,'' James said, and she smiled and nodded. She set down the plates and James pulled her in his arms, hugging her tight, ''congratulations, babe. I'm happy for you,'' he said, and she smiled. They all sat down as Jason pulled out the dinner, and they began to eat.
''You know, I was thinking this morning – this place has my heart,'' Sam said, and Jason looked up with a frown.
''I thought I had your heart?'' he asked her, and she laughed and nodded. He smiled and winked at her, and Daisy and James laughed softly.
''You know what I mean – I love Port Charles, it is the first place I settled in a long time – but in here I feel the calm and I love it even more,'' she said, and Jason nodded.
''I know – I feel the same, you know – the weather and the calm in here – maybe we can just go here more often,'' he said smiling. Sam nodded, and then Daisy laughed.
''We want to do the same – get here every so often. Maybe we can go with the four of us,'' she said, and James laughed too.
''Why not,'' Sam said, and they stopped talking. There was a comfortable silence for the rest of the dinner.
Sam leaned back against Jason and smiled. Daisy and James had left an hour ago, and she was exhausted from spending the day with them. They were the best friends, but when they said they would spend the day, it was all day long.
''You're tired – why don't you go sleep?'' Jason said, and she nodded. She didn't get up, ''Sam, come on,'' he said, and she nodded again, and then slowly got up.
''I don't want to,'' she said with a smile, ''only if you go with me,'' she added, and he nodded and got up. He took a hold of her hand and gently pulled her with him to the bedroom, and when they were there, he let go of her hand, but she didn't want to let him go, so she pulled him to her and kissed him. He reacted with passion, but after a while he broke the kiss and smiled at her.
''I really can't believe I'm saying this – but not tonight,'' he said, and she smiled.
''I can't believe it too – but you're right. I'm too exhausted to do anything at this moment,'' she replied when she closed her eyes. She couldn't even keep them open, and she undressed and put on his shirt. She climbed in bed and smiled when he climbed in behind her and pulled her to him. She closed her eyes again and fell asleep, as did Jason.
James stood outside when Daisy walked up behind him and hugged him from behind. He smiled, and turned to hold her.
''I think Sam is really happy with Jason – and I love her taking control and asking him to marry her,'' Daisy said, and James nodded and smiled.
''I know – but that's Sam. When she wants something, she takes it. She also knew he wouldn't ask her because they had talked about it before and she wasn't ready,'' he said, ''but after everything that happened with Bill, she realized what she needed and wanted to do,'' he added.
''I think she realized sooner. When they were dancing on the wedding like that – they danced for an hour, James – I think she realized how much she loved him. Something changed in her after they stopped – she did see it sooner,'' she said, and he nodded after thinking about it.
''I think you're right. There was something different about her, and I think she already knew she was ready,'' he said, ''but I think after what happened with Bill she decided to take the step,'' he said, ''because I don't think she would have ever done this if Bill didn't happen,'' he added.
''I agree,'' she said, and she yawned, ''I'm going to bed – are you coming?''
''I'll be there in a minute, babe – I'm waiting for you to warm the bed,'' he said with a smile, and she laughed softly and walked away. James sighed – he loved her so much it hurt sometimes.
He stared out in the dark and smiled. He enjoyed it here, and he wanted to come here more often. He had seen the look on Sam's face that morning and when she told them this place had her heart, and he felt the same. He wanted to stay here, even though he knew it couldn't happen. He also knew Daisy felt the same way, because he would look at her and she was daydreaming – then she would tell him she loved this place. All four of them had sold their hearts to Hawaii.
He laughed softly and walked back inside, undressed and stepped in bed with the sleeping Daisy. She mumbled something and moved closer, and he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. He knew they had to leave soon, but he also knew they were coming back here no matter what.
The week flew by, and Sam had to go back for a follow up in the hospital today. The bruise on her side was starting to fade, and she felt really good. After they knew if she could fly they would go home, because Sonny had called Jason saying that he needed him. Jason had told him he would be there when they knew if Sam could fly, and Sonny had reluctantly agreed. He also told Jason he would send the jet for them when they were ready.
''Sam, come on, you have to stop lingering and start getting dressed,'' Jason said when Sam came out of the shower. She didn't want to go to the hospital because that meant they had to leave after. James and Daisy decided to go with them when they could go home, and Sam wanted to stay here.
''I know, don't start pushing me,'' she said softly, and she walked to the bedroom and started getting dressed. She didn't like the idea of leaving, but she knew Sonny needed Jason and she also knew Jason would push her because he didn't want to leave her alone. Even though the threat of Bill being gone he was still overprotective of her. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, ''Jason, you know I love you, but I can't stand you pushing me,'' she told him, and he nodded.
''I know, and I know you don't like it, but you have to understand I have to go back – I don't want to either – but I have to,'' he said, and she nodded. She took a deep breath, ''are you ready?'' he asked her, and she nodded. They walked to the car and he drove them over to the hospital, and when they arrived inside they could come in right away.
''So, how are you feeling?'' the doctor asked, and Sam shrugged.
''I feel fine – don't have a headache anymore,'' she said, and he nodded and started examining her. After he was done, he looked at them.
''Well, I say you can go home – everything looks ok,'' he said, ''but I want you to go to your OB/GYN when you are home, for a follow up. She knows you best and I know she wants to know what happened here,'' he told her, and she nodded. The exam had lasted about 30 minutes, and when they stepped out of his office, Jason called Sonny to send over the jet.
''Sam, Sonny will send over the jet and we have to go tell Daisy and James,'' he said, ''so I'll go to them first,'' he added, and she nodded.
''I'm going to miss this place – I don't mean the hospital – but I love is so much here,'' she said, and she felt tears form in her eyes. He frowned at her and pulled her in his arms as they walked to the car.
''I know – and we will come back here. I mean, you have to visit Danny, and maybe we can even stay here for a while with the baby,'' he said, and she nodded and smiled watery. They stepped in the car and Jason drove them over to Daisy and James' cottage, where they stepped out and walked over to the door. Sam knocked on it and it opened almost right away, showing a really sleepy James.
''Hey – we are almost ready, but I kind of fell asleep while packing,'' he said, and he rubbed his eyes. Sam laughed and Jason rolled his eyes, and James stepped aside to let them in.
''Sam! You can fly?'' Daisy asked, and then she hugged Sam.
''No – I can't fly, but we can go home,'' she said, and Daisy frowned and then smiled.
''Smart-ass – we're ready when James is, because we started packing and he just fell asleep,'' she said to Jason, ''he still has to pack some things since I've packed everything else,'' she added.
''Ok, good – we are almost set too, but I still have to throw in my clothes,'' Jason said, and Sam laughed.
''You still have to get started,'' she said, and he nodded, ''well, doesn't matter because I have to get started too,'' she said, and then she turned, ''let's go then, Jason, because you already called Sonny,'' she urged him, and he nodded and they walked away. They drove to their cottage and started packing.
Late that night they were waiting for the jet to arrive with Daisy and James, and Sam had fallen asleep in Jason's arms. Daisy was quiet and even James didn't say much, and they were all tired. Then Jason's phone rang.
''Morgan,'' he answered the phone with, and he listened to the captain of the jet tell him they had landed and would wait for them to arrive, ''ok, we'll be there in 30 minutes,'' he said to the man and disconnected the line, ''jet is here, Sam,'' he said softly, and she slowly woke up, ''I'll go get the stuff in the car,'' he said, and he got up and took the bags to the car. Then he helped Sam up and they walked to the car, Daisy and James following them.
He drove to the hangar, and they boarded the jet. They had to wait for a little while longer for the jet to air because they still had to gas up, and Sam had fallen asleep right after they boarded again, as did Daisy.
''These girls are like cats,'' James said, ''they can sleep all day,'' he added, and Jason laughed softly.
''Well, they do have an excuse – we got them pregnant,'' Jason replied, and James nodded, ''it's kind of weird thinking about it. And to think at this point that once we couldn't stand each other,'' Jason suddenly said.
''Yeah, I know – I've been thinking about that too. And now we both have the woman we love and we're going to get married – we're kind of close now, the four of us, and I really like it,'' James said, then he smiled, ''we can marry with the four of us together,'' he joked, and Jason shook his head.
''No way, man – no way,'' he said, and then he smiled, ''that way I can't ask you to be the best man,'' he said, and James widened his eyes.
''Wouldn't you rather ask Sonny to do that?'' he asked, and Jason shrugged.
''I don't think so – and besides, Sonny wouldn't do it any way,'' he told James, and James nodded.
''Well, I'd love to be your best man, thanks for asking,'' he said, and Jason nodded. He yawned, and then he closed his eyes.
''I'm going to get some sleep,'' he said softly, and he heard James chuckle before his lights went out.
Sam woke up, head throbbing and she moaned. She had been sleeping so much her head ached. She was still tired, but she couldn't sleep anymore and saw Jason, James and Daisy in deep sleep. She couldn't get up, because Jason had his arm wrapped around her, and he wouldn't let her go – or he would wake up. She sighed and settled in his arms, relaxing and stared ahead of her until everyone woke up. She looked around and smiled – she hadn't even seen the inside of the jet before falling asleep. She shifted and noticed the pressure on her bladder increase, and now she had to get up and go to the bathroom. She slowly and carefully took Jason's arm and lifted it off of her, and then she got up and walked to the bathroom. She knew he would wake up soon, and she hated waking him up, but she couldn't do it any different. After doing what she had to do and washing her hands she walked back and smiled when she saw Jason awake. Daisy and James were still sleeping, but she had known Jason would wake up because of her.
''Sorry I woke you up,'' she whispered as she sat down next to him, and he shrugged and yawned. He pulled her in his arms and took a deep breath.
''I needed to wake up because we're almost home,'' he said, and she nodded, ''did you sleep ok?'' he asked her after a moment of silence, and she nodded again.
''Yeah, maybe a little too long but I slept ok – what about you?'' she asked, and he shrugged.
''I think you slept for both of us – I didn't sleep that long but I can catch up when I get back from Sonny,'' he replied, and she nodded.
''Do you have to go right away?'' she asked and he nodded, ''ok, well you know I will have to call Dr. Lee and I will go there when I can, and when she has an opening,'' she said, and he nodded.
''If I can't make it-'' he started, but she interrupted him.
''It's ok, it's a routine checkup after what happened,'' she said, and he could feel her shudder.
''You want to – talk?'' he asked, and she shrugged.
''What is there to say? I thought it was you, and when he started to talk I froze. I didn't know what to do and he caught me off guard – I tried to let him let me go, but he wouldn't and he started hitting me, pushed me against the cliff and I don't know – I lost all strength and then he was on top of me, kissing me,'' she said, suddenly seeing flashes of what had happened. Jason tensed and she took his hand in hers and kissed it, ''then I found that little rock and slammed it to the side of his head twice, I got away but he grabbed me again, and then James shot him,'' she finished, and he nodded.
''Daisy didn't think something would happen,'' he said, and she nodded.
''I didn't think so either. But when I heard his voice I knew what was going on – I dreamt about this, only the ending was different,'' she told him, and he nodded.
''You never told me the ending of the dream,'' he said, and she frowned. She knew that, she didn't want him to know, but maybe now she could tell him.
''I know – I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to know. The ending is, I never got away from what happened in the dream,'' she told him, ''and you know what I told you about it and what happened with Bill in Hawaii, so you know how it ends,'' she added, and he nodded and closed his eyes. She sighed, ''everything is fine now, Jason. Bill is gone and we have our baby to focus on,'' she said.
''I know, babe. I love you so much, and I cant help it when I think about what would have happened – I can't stand the thought of losing you,'' he told her, and she nodded.
''I love you too,'' she said, and he nodded. She looked at him and knew everything was alright. She knew they would get through everything together.
Soon the plane landed and Jason drove James and Daisy home, before dropping Sam at home and going to see what Sonny wanted. Sam was glad to be home, and she started unpacking.
Set a date for the wedding. Sam sat on the kitchen table looking at Jason who was cooking dinner when he suddenly turned around.
''We still have to set a date,'' he told her, and she nodded. They had gotten home last week and they hadn't even talked about it yet. She wanted to get married before the baby was born, and she knew he wanted the same.
''I know – I didn't think of one yet but I really want to get married before she is born,'' she replied, and she rubbed her belly. He smiled and nodded, having the same thoughts on it as Sam had.
''I know, me too – I didn't want to say anything because I know sometimes women don't want to get married when pregnant,'' he replied, and she nodded.
''I don't think it's going to be a problem – and we are also getting married for her, let's not deny it,'' she said, and he shook his head, ''what do you think about three weeks from now?''
''That could work,'' he said nodding, ''do you think you will have enough time to get the dress and for us to figure out a location?''
''I think so – I mean I don't know – but we can't get married where we want to now,'' she told him, and he nodded, smiling at her.
''We can get married where we want to if we wait – is that what you want?'' he asked her, and she shrugged.
''I want to get married in Hawaii – but I know you want to give our daughter your name, and I want that too, so maybe we can talk about marrying in Hawaii later,'' she said and laughed softly.
''That's a great idea – we get married in church here and we'll see what we do when we go to Hawaii – kind of like renew our vows or something,'' he said, and she nodded, ''we have enough time to plan everything in three weeks, I guess it's going to be a small wedding, with just family and friends, right?''
''Yeah, just a small wedding – we invite your family and friends and James and Daisy, Danny and Tam, I think that's small,'' she said, and he nodded, ''ok, three weeks from today. We start planning,'' she said, and then hugged him. He continued cooking.
Sam sighed and then smiled. She had been in the store fitting wedding dresses all day, and she was tired. It had been a week ago since they had started planning and set a date for the wedding, and she had been looking for a store where she liked the dresses ever since. With Carly and Daisy she had found the perfect store – where she had to look for the perfect dress.
''I think this is it,'' she said, suddenly, and Carly looked up and nodded. The dress was simple, strapless and crème colored.
''Yes – this is it, Sam, it fits you so well,'' Carly said, and Sam nodded, ''though I think you have to make sure you still fit in it in two weeks,'' she said, softer, and Sam playfully hit her on the arm.
''Yeah, I know, Carly – you don't have to point it out,'' she said, and then she rubbed her belly. She was six months pregnant now, and she loved every minute of it. In less than three months she would hold her daughter – she had heard the first time the baby would always come earlier.
She had found a dress she liked, and she smiled when Daisy came back and nodded her agreement. Then she told the owner of the store she had found the dress, and asked her to make it fit for her.
''You will have to come back in the week of the wedding, and I will make it fit you – you will grow a little more now, right?''
''I think a lot more,'' she said with a smile, and the owner nodded.
''It will be the perfect dress for you, miss,'' he said, and she smiled and nodded. They walked out of the store with smiled on their faces.
Jason sat across from Sonny and smiled when Sonny stayed silent. He had just gotten back from buying his tuxedo for his wedding, and he had gotten a call from Sonny to come over.
''Sonny, you called me, remember?'' he said, and Sonny nodded and smiled weakly, ''well, what is it?''
''I know I have been cruel to Sam – and about her – and I want to make right. When you told me you were getting married I was happy, but I felt guilty for what I asked you to do about her,'' he told Jason, who just nodded, because he was right, ''and I thought she was still conning you – but that was before you told me she asked you to marry you, and when I saw the look on your face I knew you love her – and I also know she loves you,'' he continued, ''I'm sorry and I want to do something for the two of you,'' he finished.
''Thank you, but we have it under control, Sonny,'' he said with a frown, and Sonny nodded.
''I know you have it – I know. I mean I know you spoke you want to get married in Hawaii – I can make every arrangement for when you are ready to do that,'' Sonny said, and then he sighed, ''I just want to do something for you,'' he added softly.
''Ok, ok, Sonny – you can do what you want, just do it, I don't care. I love Sam and I'm getting married with her no matter what – you can arrange for the wedding in Hawaii when the baby is born, I just want to help with that,'' he said, and Sonny looked up and nodded with a smile, ''we'll talk about it some other time, she is not giving birth for another three months,'' he added.
''Thank you – now, I want to ask you if you want to come over for dinner this week with Sam,'' Sonny said, and Jason nodded and got up.
''I will talk to her about it, Sonny,'' he said, and then he left.
Jason came home late, after working all day and getting his tuxedo. He was exhausted, and when he opened the door and smelled the scent of Italian take out he smiled.
''Sam, I'm home,'' he called out for her, and he chuckled when he heard himself. It sounded really domesticated, and when he heard her call out from the kitchen he walked towards her voice. He saw her standing in front of the fridge and saw the bags on the table.
''It just got delivered – it's like I felt you would be home soon,'' she said with a smile, and he walked over to her and hugged her. Then he kissed her and they sat down at the table. She had made it already; plates, knives and forks were lying on the table. She started putting the food on the plates and then she looked at him again, ''dinner is ready,'' she joked, and he laughed.
''Well, thank you babe,'' he said, and they started eating, ''did you find a dress?''
''Yes – I found one I really like and that looks good on me – Daisy said,'' she told him, ''did you find a tux?''
''Yep, and I didn't even have to look for it – it just came to me. I was on my way to the coffee shop when I saw it, and they are making one just for me,'' he told her, and she smiled.
''You're lucky – I spent the whole day looking for the perfect dress,'' she told him, and he smiled.
''Sonny called - he wanted to apologize for what he said about you – and he wants to pay the wedding and arrange everything for when we marry in Hawaii,'' he told her suddenly, and she frowned.
''He wants to apologize? I know what he said, but you didn't even listen and I didn't even think about it,'' she said, and he nodded, ''so he wants to do this because he feels guilty?''
''I told him he could – if he let me help. I don't want any secrets between us, and that's why I told you. He also asked us for dinner this week with him and Carly,'' he told her, and she nodded with a sigh.
''We'll go and have dinner with them. I still don't understand him wanting to pay for the wedding,'' she said with a frown, and she got up when she had eaten all her food. Jason did the same and together they did the dishes, and she threw away the left over's. She knew they wouldn't eat it anyway.
Daisy sighed as she sat down. After the day she had with Sam and then going out with James she was exhausted and wanted to go to bed, but James wasn't back from parking the car and she had told him she would wait. It was crowded and they didn't have a parking garage under the building, so he had to look for a space. Suddenly the door opened and James walked in with a smile on his face when he saw her.
''Hey – I suddenly saw the perfect spot. I've decided I want to stay in Port Charles,'' he said and he laughed, ''I mean if you want to too,'' he added, and she nodded with a smile.
''I'd love that – but I want to move then,'' she said looking around. She loved this apartment but she knew they didn't have enough space if they wanted more kids, and she knew they would get more kids.
''Sure, sure, I was looking for something before we came here, so I can find something here,'' he said, and she nodded and got up, ''come on, babe, let's get to bed,'' he said, and she took his hand and they walked to the bedroom.
''Sam asked to be her maid of honor,'' she told James while changing into something to sleep in, and James smiled and nodded.
''I thought she would – Jason asked me to be his best man when we flew back from Hawaii,'' he told her, and she laughed softly. They stepped in the bed and moved close to each other until she was in his arms.
''Night, babe – I love you,'' James said, and she smiled.
''I love you too, James. Night,'' she said, and then fell asleep.
Almost two weeks later, two days before the wedding Sam got out of bed early, and made her way to the kitchen. Jason had been gone already, and he had told her he would be home soon. She walked to the kitchen and made tea, and grabbed a couple of crackers. She had trouble eating again in the mornings, but she blamed it on the nerves for the wedding. She had another appointment tomorrow before the wedding the day after, and today there would be a bachelorette party for her. Jason had his bachelor party too, and he had been telling everyone what he wanted and what he absolutely didn't want. She poured her tea in a cup and walked to the living room where she sat down and started rubbing her stomach. She slowly sipped her tea as she stared ahead, and thought of Jason. He had told her about the conversation with James in the jet, and she had laughed at the idea of getting married with the four of them. She knew Jason wouldn't want that and he had told her that, but she would have liked it. If he had told her sooner, she would have actually tried to convince him. Not that he wanted that, he would be strong in his disagreement and she knew it. She emptied her cup and set it down on the table before going back upstairs and taking a shower. She dried up after the shower and got dressed in a cocktail dress, loving the feeling of the soft fabric against her body. She went back downstairs and sighed when she was in the living room. She didn't know what to do at the moment, because she still had another two hours before she had to go to the store to try on her dress one last time – so they could make it fit for her when necessary. When there was a knock on the door she sighed in relief, glad she didn't have to spend those hours alone. She didn't know what it was – but ever since she moved in with Jason she didn't want to be alone, and when she opened the door and saw Carly standing there she smiled brightly.
''Wow, someone is happy to see me,'' Carly said with a smile of herself, and Sam nodded.
''Well yeah, I don't want to spend my time alone anymore,'' she said with a wink, and she hugged Carly, ''what brings you here?''
''You – I wanted to know if you wanted to come to the park with the boys, but now I think about it – I know you have an appointment today so I'll just stay here for the moment,'' she said, and Sam nodded and stepped aside to let Carly in. Carly walked over to the couch and sank down on it, and Sam smiled.
''Do you want something to drink?'' she asked, and Carly shook her head, ''ok,'' Sam said, and she sighed when she sank down.
''Wow – you know it really is nice to see you so happy, and so pregnant-'' Carly said, but Sam interrupted her.
''No – don't say it, I know I'm fat,'' Sam said, and Carly smiled and shook her head.
''I didn't want to say that. You look really good pregnant, and I just wanted to say that,'' Carly told her, and she nodded, ''you're nervous, aren't you?'' Carly suddenly asked, and Sam sighed and nodded.
''I am – and Jason doesn't seem to be, but I know he is too,'' she said, and Carly nodded, ''I didn't know I would be this nervous. I've been married a thousand times before,'' she said, and Carly frowned.
''You got married before?'' she asked, and Sam nodded and looked down.
''I scammed men into marrying me – I didn't know you didn't know,'' she said quickly, and Carly nodded.
''I didn't know but I don't care. You are marrying for real this time and you're my friend,'' she said, and Sam smiled at her.
''Thank you – I really thought you knew,'' she said, ''but you know, after the last scam I didn't want to do that anymore – but then I came here for Sonny, and Jason, and I didn't know I would fall in love with Jason,'' she said, ''and when I did I wanted… you know all this,'' she added, and Carly nodded.
''If you want to tell me; I know you had a rough life because I knew about what happened with Bill in Hawaii and a little of what happened before,'' she said, and Sam nodded.
''Well, I was married to him and he found out what I was doing. He beat me within an inch of my life but I thought I killed him,'' Sam explained, and Carly nodded. They talked some more, but the conversation shifted to lighter subjects.
Jason smiled when he looked at his watch. Time had gone by really fast today, and he couldn't wait for the wedding day. He was a little nervous, but he had been married before and he knew what was going to happen. The only thing he was nervous about was Sam – he didn't know what she would do if she would freak out, so he was really careful around her these days, making sure she was comfortable. He didn't want her to back out, but if she did, he would respect her decision. He loved her enough to let her go, but he wasn't going to let her walk away. He didn't even know why he was thinking like this, but he knew everything was going to be alright. He made his way to the car when his cell rang.
''Morgan,'' he said, and he listened – it was Sonny.
''Hey, Jase – where are you? You're supposed to be at the place right now,'' Sonny said, and Jason sighed. They had planned a party for him, and even though he didn't like it, Sam had talked him into going. He had told them – James and Sonny – that he didn't want any strippers, because he just didn't like it. He also didn't want the whole town invited, and he wanted something simple.
''I'm on my way home to change-'' Sonny interrupted him.
''You don't have to change, come over to Jakes man!'' Sonny said, and then he disconnected the line. Jason sighed and turned the car, driving over to Jakes, where his bachelor party was going to be.
A night with the girls; that's what they had planned. Sam smiled when she saw Daisy and Carly sitting on the couch in the penthouse, and they had invited some of their friends. Monica was there, and Sam smiled at the mother of her soon-to-be-husband. She was glad they didn't do anything stupid – she couldn't even think of something – because she knew Carly would rather have strippers and that kind of things.
''Sam, we decided we'd do something in the middle. A girls night and baby shower,'' Carly said, and Sam widened her eyes.
''And we give you presents for the wedding and the baby – you know, for when you get out of the hospital you still haven't bought anything for her,'' Daisy said, and Sam nodded. She wanted to shop for baby stuff with Jason, but they didn't have any time left for that, so they decided to do that after they had gotten married.
''So, let's start,'' Carly said, and all the women in the room started walking around grabbing their presents. Carly pulled Sam to the couch and pushed her down, and Sam widened her eyes. This was going to be a long night.
Jason sighed when his party was over. He was glad it was over but he also had a great time with James, Sonny, Stan and some other people he knew. He hadn't known what to expect but they had listened to him when he had told them he didn't want anything stupid happening, and they just drank a couple of beers at Jakes. Jason was still sober, and he brought everyone home. It was weird – his party, and he drove the people home. He smiled and was glad he had dropped everyone off, and now he didn't know if it was ok to come home. He looked at the time and saw it was past midnight, so he figured the girls would be gone by now. When he arrived at the penthouse and opened the door, he saw Sam sleeping on the couch. The place was a mess, and he sighed again. He started cleaning up when Sam woke up.
''Hey,'' she whispered, and he turned and walked towards her. He sat down next to her when she sat up, and he pulled her in his arms for a kiss.
''Hey – how was the party?'' he asked her, and she smiled.
''It was great,'' she told him, and then yawned, ''the girls decided to do a cross over; a bachelorette party and baby shower in one,'' she said, and he nodded and smiled. He had heard Carly and Daisy talk about it, and he had kept it from Sam because he didn't want to ruin the surprise, ''how about you?'' she asked him, and he shrugged.
''We went to Jakes for some beers and they asked me to drive them home – everyone was loaded,'' he said with a smile, and she laughed softly, ''kind of funny that I ended up being the driver – they didn't even plan that ahead,'' he said.
''I don't think they planned anything. They just asked some guys over and told you where to go,'' she said with a smile, and he nodded, ''just so you know – I'll clean up tomorrow, ok?''
''I know and I'll help you. What time is that appointment with Dr. Lee?'' he asked her, and she sighed.
''End of the afternoon – I told her I wanted that because – well I didn't anticipate this kind of mess,'' she said looking around, and he smiled, ''but I told her I wanted to have some time to do the cleaning here and all that kind of stuff – and I feel like it's the best when I come in late,'' she said, and he nodded.
''I know – well, you're coming?'' he asked, and he got up and when she nodded he took her hand and helped her up.
''I'm so tired,'' she said softly, and he nodded and took her upstairs, where they changed and slipped in the bed. He pulled her in his arms and took a deep breath, and then noticed she was already fast asleep. He smiled and closed his eyes. He fell asleep real soon after Sam did.
Sam woke up the day of the wedding with butterflies in her stomach, and she noticed Jason was gone. Then she realized he didn't sleep home last night – he had gone to the Metro Court to honor traditions, and she sighed. Even if it was for one night, she missed sleeping beside him, and waking up next to him. She sighed again and got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom to take a shower. She was nervous, and she couldn't wait to call Jason her husband. She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off, then put on her underwear and a bathrobe and walked downstairs. She was just on the bottom step when there was a knock on the door and Carly and Daisy walked in.
''Hey, are you just waking up?'' Carly asked, and when Sam shook her head she said, ''well good, because we have some things to do – and we have to go to the church about now.''
''Hey – I need something to drink first – I took a shower and went down here right away,'' Sam said, and Daisy nodded.
''Carly, we still have enough time to give her some time,'' she said, and Carly laughed at how she said it, ''I mean, she can take a sip of her tea – or a bottle of water and we take her then,'' Daisy added, and Sam nodded her thanks.
''I still have to get dressed,'' she said, and Carly sighed and nodded.
''Yeah, we know, that's why we came here. You need to do something with your hair, we have to put make up on and then we need to get you in your dress,'' Carly summed up, and Sam smiled.
''I mean now – I'm still in my robe, Carly,'' she told her, and Daisy smiled.
''Yeah – that's ok, we can take you to the church without anyone noticing, so come on,'' she said, ''go drink something – better yet, grab a bottle of water and take it with you,'' she added, and Sam sighed. She still had some time – she had about 6 hours before she had to be in the church, but she wanted to be ready. She wanted to be ready in time so she went with it. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, and then she walked back and slipped on her shoes.
''You're lucky I want to go,'' she mumbled, and Daisy laughed, but Carly just rolled her eyes and grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her out of the penthouse.
Jason woke up and looked around in confusion until he remembered going to the Metro Court. He had gone there so they would keep the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding. He stepped out of the bed and looked at the time – seeing he had four hours left. He frowned, he thought he had set his alarm, and he walked to the bathroom and took a shower. He had been to the hairdresser yesterday, and he had done everything he had to do before the wedding already, but he didn't like waking up so late. After his shower he dried himself off and got dressed. Then he walked to the room and grabbed his stuff – his tux and his phone. He called Sonny and James. Sonny told him he would be there soon, and then James told him the same, and that he would bring the rings. Jason had given them to him before because he didn't want to be the one holding them. He knew he wouldn't lose them, but he didn't want to take the chance to forget them or lose them because he was too nervous.
He stepped in his car and drove over to the church.
As Carly and Daisy hovered around her making sure her hair was ok and her make up was ok, Sam noticed the calm inside her. She wasn't nervous anymore, and she didn't understand why.
''You know, I'm not even nervous anymore,'' she told Carly and Daisy, and both women nodded.
''I remember when I married Sonny, I found that before the wedding started all the nerves were gone,'' Carly replied, ''and then after they came back in full force because I was afraid something would happen,'' she added with a smile.
''Something like what?'' Daisy asked, and Carly shrugged.
''I don't know what, but I just was afraid of it. Nothing did happen – we are still married,'' she said, and Sam nodded.
''Thanks – now I'll be nervous after,'' she joked, and Carly laughed. They had been here for almost three hours, and Sam had been really calm and relaxed.
''It's going to be ok. You and Jason love each other and that's all you need,'' she said, ''and yeah, you still have to work on it, but it's going to be so much fun with Jason and your baby girl,'' she added, and Sam smiled and nodded.
''We still have three hours and I don't want my hair to become a mess again, so I'll just sit here for the remainder – I mean, until I have to get in my dress,'' Sam said, and Daisy smiled, ''Daisy, did you and James choose a date yet?''
''No – we wanted to wait until you were married – James told me he proposed a double wedding,'' she said, and Carly burst out in laughing while Sam nodded.
''Jason told me – he didn't want it, even though he loves the two of you,'' she replied, and Daisy nodded, ''but then again, we are going to get married again in Hawaii after our daughter is born,'' she added.
''How did the appointment yesterday go?'' Carly suddenly asked, and Sam looked at her and smiled.
''It went alright – though she told me to take it real easy after the wedding,'' she said, ''it's no surprise, but my blood pressure was still a little high,'' she added when Carly frowned, and then Carly nodded.
''Ok, well I guess it's ok – I mean you already planned to take it easy,'' she said and then she winked, ''I'll even help you take it easy,'' she said, and Sam laughed. There fell a comfortable silence.
Sam stood in front of the mirror looking at herself half an hour before the wedding and smiled. The dress fit her perfectly, and she loved it.
''Sam, you look stunning,'' she heard Danny say and she turned around and ran to him to hug him. She didn't expect to see him before walking down the isle – he was giving her away – but she was glad.
''Danny! I've missed you so much, big brother,'' she said, and he smiled and nodded, ''are you ready to give me away?'' she asked and he nodded again.
''I missed you too, little sis – and yes, I'm ready to give you away,'' he told her, and he stood straight, towering over her. She smiled at him and gave him a kiss.
''thank you so much for coming in here before – I wanted to ask you how you and Tam were doing because we didn't have a chance to talk after I asked you to do this for me,'' she said, and he nodded with a smile. Sam noticed he was calmer, more relaxed.
''Tam and I are doing great,'' he said, and she smiled and hugged him again, ''you really look stunning Sam, and I think Jason is good for you,'' he said, and then he kissed her cheek, ''I'm going to go and see if everything is ready, then I'll come and get you,'' he said, and he left.
Danny walked over to the chapel and saw Jason was already standing at the altar. He walked towards him and shook his hand.
''Jason – good to see you,'' he said, and Jason nodded and smiled.
''Good to see you too – you look,'' he paused, ''relaxed. Marriage does you good,'' he added, and Danny smiled and nodded.
''I came to check if everything was ready for Sam,'' Danny said, and Jason nodded.
''Well, I guess it is,'' he said, and then he smiled again, ''I cannot wait to call her my wife,'' he said, and Danny nodded.
''I know, I had the same feeling – and you look great. I'll go get her,'' Danny said and with a wink he left. Jason stood, looking in the church and smiled. Everyone he loved was there, and everyone Sam loved was there. He stood waiting for Sam and noticed the calm inside him, and knew he was doing the right thing. He had never felt this good about something in his live, but with Sam he knew he was doing the right thing.
Suddenly the music set in and he saw her appear at the beginning of the midway. She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile back – she was stunning in her dress. He wouldn't have wanted it any different, and he could feel his heart swell up with love only for her. As she walked towards him she smiled, and he only had eyes for her. He mouthed 'I love you' to her when she stood next to him, and she did the same. Then they both turned to the priest and looked at him.
''We are gathered to unite the two of you in marriage, which is an institution ordained by the state and made honorable by the faithful keeping of good men and women throughout all ages, and is not to be entered into lightly or unadvisedly,'' he began, and Sam and Jason smiled to each other. The priest paused for a moment, ''do you, Jason Morgan, take Samantha McCall to be your wife, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?''
''Yes I do,'' Jason said a little choked up. He was emotional because this was the moment he always dreamed of. Marrying the woman he loved, and she was standing right beside him right now. Jason slid the ring on her finger and kissed her hand. The priest nodded and turned to Sam.
''Do you, Samantha McCall, take Jason Morgan to be your husband, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?'' he asked her, and she nodded.
''Yes, I do,'' she said, her voice clear. She didn't think she could talk but she did. Sam did the same – she slid the ring on Jason's finger and kissed it.
''Having thus pledged yourselves each to the other, I do now, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of New York, pronounce you husband and wife,'' the priest said, ''you may now kiss-'' then chaos broke out. The priest didn't even get to finish his sentence, because there was the sound of a shot, and Sam stumbled forward a little. Then she looked down, and held one hand on her belly and the other searched for the bullet wound. Jason saw it – it had penetrated her back, and when she looked up he looked at her face, and saw the fear. Not fear for her, but for their daughter. Suddenly everything went into slow motion and he saw her collapse to the ground.
When Jason saw Sam started to collapse on the floor he jumped forward and catched her before she could touch the ground. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had known – something was supposed to go wrong.
''Damn it,'' he heard somewhere in the church, and he suddenly felt everything move past him, time speeding back up. He looked down at Sam and saw her looking at him before passing out, and he jumped to action.
''Get some help!'' he yelled to no one in particular, and he heart James call 911, but he didn't have enough time. He knew he had to be fast, and he cursed as he lifted Sam in his arms, ''James, come help me,'' he told James, and he nodded and followed Jason. Jason took a huge risk bringing Sam to the hospital, but he didn't want anything to happen to her or their daughter, so he took the risk and he did what he had to do. He drove – careful but fast – and James made sure she was stable and kept pressure on the wound. They didn't know exactly where the bullet hit, and when they got in Patrick and Robin rushed over and started commanding and ordering nurses around.
''You have to stay here, Jason,'' Patrick said, ''there from what I see we have to remove the bullet and we have to do a C-section,'' he told them, and he walked away. Robin stayed behind to explain everything.
''Because the bullet was in the area of a lung we have to go in and see what kind of damage it has done – but not with your daughter still inside her. She needs to get out now,'' she told Jason, who shook his head.
''Do whatever you have to do to save them both – you swear to me, Robin, swear to me they are going to live – that you'll do everything in your power to save them!'' he yelled at her, and he knew it, but he didn't care.
''I swear, Jason,'' she said, and she left. She looked back one more time but Jason didn't see it, as he started pacing around, running his hands through his hair. Danny, Tam and Daisy arrived, and soon after his mother arrived and ran to him.
''Jason, I'm going to see if I can help – I will make sure both Sam and the baby will be ok,'' she told him, and then she rushed off.
''Damn it – I knew something was going to happen,'' Jason suddenly screamed, and James looked up at him. Jason felt like his heart was ripped out – she had just said yes, and they had just gotten to the part where they could kiss each other, and she was shot. He didn't understand why the man or woman had waited this long before shooting her, and he was pissed enough to go after him or her right now, ''I'll be right back – James, stay here,'' he said, and he walked outside, where he grabbed his phone and dialed Sonny's number. Sonny wasn't at the hospital and Jason knew he was going to look for the person who did this, but he wanted to make sure.
''Jason – that man was an amateur – I have him here and I'll handle him for you,'' Sonny said when he picked up the phone, and Jason sighed. He wanted Sonny to take care of it, but he also wanted to make the man pay himself, ''Jason, I need something to go on, come on,'' Sonny said when Jason didn't reply, and Jason made his decision. He didn't care who made the guy pay – as long as he paid. He sighed again.
''Do it, Sonny. Handle him – I don't have time for it, because I need to be there for Sam,'' he said, and he disconnected the line. He knew Sonny would make the man pay, and he knew he would be in pain for a long time before Sonny handled him, and it was enough for Jason. He just wanted Sam and their daughter to be ok, that was all that mattered.
When Jason walked back in he had started pacing, and James and Daisy didn't know what to do or say to make him calm down a little. Then Tam came up, grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her.
''Jason, I know you want to do something,'' she said, and he nodded. Then she saw the tears in his eyes and softened, ''come, I want you to come with me,'' she whispered, and Jason shook his head.
''I cant – Tam, please, I can't leave Sam and my daughter,'' he said broken, and she nodded.
''We're not leaving – just, please – come with me, and you'll see,'' she said, and then he nodded, and she turned around, ''Danny, stay here, come to the chapel when there is news,'' she said, and Danny nodded. Then she took Jason's hand, and took him to the chapel on the same floor.
''Why take me here?'' he asked, and she sighed.
''We're going to pray – for Sam and the baby girl inside her,'' she said, and he frowned. She didn't know why but he sank down to his knees and started to pray. She kneeled down next to him, and prayed for Sam, and for their baby girl. She prayed for them to be ok, and she could hear Jason mumble the same prayers.
Danny felt restless, he wanted to do something – he wanted to know how his little sister was doing. He didn't like feeling like this, and he had been doing so good lately. He looked at Daisy, who was walking around the waiting room and every so often wiped away a tear, and then he looked at James, who was surprisingly crying too.
''James,'' he said softly, and James looked at him and walked over. Then he hugged Danny, giving him the silent support he needed.
''It's going to be ok, Danny. Your sister and niece are going to be ok,'' he said, and Danny nodded, and then wiped away the tears he had finally let go. He knew Tam took Jason to the chapel to pray, and he started praying in his head, praying for them to be ok.
Daisy wiped her eyes and then wiped her hands at her jeans. James walked up to her and took her in his arms, bugging her tight. He didn't say anything to her, but she had heard what he had said to Danny, and he sounded convinced. She didn't know what to believe. She had seen the blood, and she had heard what the doctor had said. The male doctor had been blunt and told them what he had to do, and the female had told them it was going to be alright. She decided to believe something in the middle – Sam was going to be ok, but she was going to have a long way for recovery. James pulled her towards the couch in the waiting room and held her still.
''Daisy I need you to look at me,'' he said, and when she did he smiled weakly, ''we need to be there for each other – but mostly for Danny and Jason,'' he said.
''I know but it's just so hard – I don't want to lose her either,'' she said softly, and he nodded, ''and I know you don't want to lose her too,'' she added when she saw his face.
''No, I don't, but we need to stay strong for each other,'' he said again, and she nodded and again wiped away the tears. She took a couple of deep breaths and got up, walked to Danny who was still wiping away his tears, and took him in her arms.
''Danny, I love you, and you know I wouldn't say anything I didn't believe myself, right?'' she asked him, and when he nodded she said, ''Sam is going to make it – as is her baby girl, and we are going to have to be there for her – for them,'' she told him and he nodded again.
''I know, and I know I have to be strong, but I'm scared,'' he said softly, his voice barely above whisper, and she nodded and tightened her arms around him.
''I know, babe, we all are,'' she said softly, and he nodded again. She kept holding him until Monica Quartermaine walked in the room and looked around for Jason, ''Mrs. Quartermaine, Jason is in the chapel,'' she told Jason's mother, who nodded and smiled before walking away.
''Jason, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have some news and I want you to come with me so I don't have to tell it over and over,'' Monica said when she walked in the chapel, and Jason looked up and stood up after a moment.
''How is Sam?'' he asked when he saw his mother, and she shook her head.
''Listen to me, I don't want to tell it over and over, so come with me and I'll tell you when we are with the others,'' she said, and he nodded and followed her to the waiting room. He thought of all kind of scenarios, but he couldn't think of what would happen when he would lose both his wife and child. He didn't want to think about that, so he waited – tried not to think worst-case scenario – which was hard. When they walked in the waiting room Daisy, James and Danny stood waiting for them.
''Do you have any news, Dr. Quartermaine?'' Danny asked, and Monica nodded.
''As a matter of fact, I do – Jason, your daughter is a healthy little girl – although she has to be on a ventilator and has to stay in the incubator for some time, she will make it. The survival rate for early-born babies at this age of 27 weeks is up to 95 percent,'' she told them, and Jason sighed of relief, but it was short lived.
''What about Sam?'' he asked, and she shook her head.
''I don't know yet, Jason. I couldn't help with any of the procedures and I only got this from Dr. Lee when she took your daughter to neo natal,'' she replied, and he nodded.
''Can I – can I see my daughter?'' he asked, and Monica nodded with a smile.
''I'll take you there – I'm sorry guys, but at this point it's against policy when I take more than one up to neo,'' she told the others, and they all nodded in understanding. Then she turned and took a hold of Jason's hand, and led him to the neonatal floor.
Monica opened the door for Jason and led him inside after making him take precautions. He had to make sure he didn't take any bacteria's inside – the babies in here were really vulnerable for sickness and she didn't want anything to happen. She did the same and they walked in, where she led him to the incubator his daughter was in.
''O my god, she is so small,'' he whispered and she nodded, ''what happens now?''
''Well, she is going to have to stay here for a little while longer than normal – she is way to early and we have to make sure she is all good to go. She is going to get some tests over the weeks and normally we advice the mother to give milk – but in this situation it's not possible because Sam is going to need a lot of pain medication,'' she said, and he nodded and watched his daughter. She was small, but she had all fingers and toes, she was the most amazing thing – being – he had ever seen, ''Jason, I need you to spend as much time as you can with her. She needs to get to know you – when they tell you, you can, touch her, as much as possible,'' she said, and he nodded again. That wouldn't be a problem, ''I'm going to leave you alone with her – but don't do anything, ok – and I will come and tell you when I hear from Sam,'' she added, and he nodded.
''Thank you, Mo- mom,'' he whispered, and she smiled and nodded before leaving the room and leaving him alone. He pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at his daughter and he smiled. Then his smile faded and he started praying for the mother of his child – the love of his life – Sam. He didn't want to lose her, and he would do anything in his power to keep God from taking her.
Jason felt like he had been sitting with his daughter for hours, but when Monica walked in she told him it had only been an hour.
''I got news on Sam,'' she told him, and he nodded and got up, stretched and walked out of the room. When she followed him he turned around, ''she is out of surgery and in recovery – she is still out and they wanted me to get you so Patrick and Robin can tell you what they did,'' she told him, and he nodded and followed Monica to the room. In front of the room were standing Patrick and Robin, and they were talking to each other. When Jason stood still in front of them Patrick straightened up and Robin smiled at him.
''Sam is going to be ok with some time,'' she said, and Jason sighed of relief, ''we removed the bullet and found it had grazed the lung – we had to repair the damage and we did – she has some cracked ribs, though, and she will be in a lot of pain for a while,'' she told him, and he nodded. He knew why Patrick didn't say anything – his bed manners sucked.
''Well, can I go sit with her?'' he asked, and Patrick shook his head, but Robin nodded. Then she slapped Patrick on his arm and nodded again.
''Go in, I think it will help her to hear your voice,'' she said, and he nodded. He looked at Monica, nodded once and then opened the door to Sam's room. The beeping welcomed him and he sighed. He really didn't like to see her lying in the bed like this. He pulled up a chair, and sat down. He took her hand carefully, and lifted it to his face. He kissed it and then looked at her face. He didn't know what to say to her.
''Sam – I don't know if you can hear me,'' he said softly, ''but I want you to come back. You have to fight for us, because your daughter needs you, and I need you,'' he said, and then he almost choked on his tears, ''I don't want to lose you – not now, not ever – because we need you. I love you so much,'' he said through his tears, and then he laid his head on the bed next to her hand. He didn't know what else to say, he wanted her to wake up.
She heard the beeping first, and then the pain started to radiate through her body. Her head, her chest, and her abdomen – everything hurt. She wanted to get back to where she was, where she didn't feel the pain, but she knew she had to go back to Jason. Jason needed her to be ok – she just felt it. She became aware of her surroundings with her eyes closed. She could feel someone holding her hand – she assumed it was Jason – and she knew she was in the hospital. The only thing she didn't know was what happened, and she started to panic when she thought of her baby girl. She squeezed Jason's hand the same time she opened her eyes and looked down at him.
''Jason…'' she called him, and he looked up and widened his eyes when he saw she was awake. She knew he didn't even feel her squeeze his hand before, and he rose from his chair.
''I'm going to get the doctor – she asked me to get her when you woke up,'' he said excited, and he kissed her on her forehead before leaving for the doctor. She sighed and moaned when it hurt her chest, and she remembered being shot. She had been shot in church just after she and Jason got married. She didn't understand, but she would let Jason worry about that when the time came. The doctor walked in and instructed Jason to wait outside so she could examine Sam, and Jason walked out the room.
Jason walked back to the waiting area. He felt a little guilty because he hadn't come back here after leaving with Monica to go see his daughter. He walked in and Daisy, Danny and James all shot up and started asking him questions.
''How is Sam?''
''How is the baby, is she alright?''
''What happened – is Sam…''
''Whoa, whoa – calm down. Sam is ok, she just woke up and the doctor is with her. The baby is fine – small, she is on a ventilator and in an incubator – but she is going to be ok,'' he answered all their questions, and they all sighed in relief, ''now, where Tam?'' he asked, when he noticed she wasn't here.
''She went to get us something to drink – we all didn't want to leave but she wanted us to get something in our systems,'' Danny said, and Jason nodded.
''Well – I don't know what will happen now, but I'm going back. I have to be with Sam now,'' he said, calm and relaxed – even though he didn't feel that way. They all nodded and sat down again, and Jason walked back to the room just as the doctor walked out, ''how is she doing?'' he asked her, and she sighed.
''She asked about her baby – I don't specialize and I told her to ask you, and she panicked. She is asking for you, but she is going to be ok,'' she said, and then she walked away. Jason sighed and walked in Sam's room, and her head shot up and she widened her eyes.
''Where – what happened, Jason, where is our daughter?'' she asked him, and he held up his hand and sat down in the chair before taking her hand.
''Our daughter is ok, Sam. Dr. Lee had to do an emergency C-section because they couldn't operate on you with her inside, and she is in an incubator and on a ventilator, but she is going to be just fine – her survival rates for now are 95 percent, babe,'' he told her, and she sighed of relief and then closed her eyes in pain.
''What happened – I mean, I got shot right after we got married – what happened to the person who did this?'' she asked him, and he sighed.
''I told Sonny to deal with this and I haven't heard anything yet, but I will call him later. Right now, I want you to rest and heal,'' he said, and he kissed her.
''That doctor freaked me out – she didn't want to tell me anything about our daughter – we still have to name her by the way,'' she suddenly said, and he laughed softly and nodded.
''I had something in mind,'' he said, and when she looked at him waiting for him to tell her, he said, ''Lila Rose Morgan,'' he told her, and she nodded. A smile broke through.
''Lila Rose Morgan – I think it's perfect, and I love the fact you named her after the grandmother you lost,'' she whispered, and he nodded.
''No I want you to close your eyes, sleep, rest and heal for me and Lila, ok?'' he said, and she nodded and closed her eyes. She fell asleep real quickly, and he stayed for a little while longer before walking out of the room and back to the waiting area. He told James he would be back soon, and he walked outside. For starters, he wanted to take some fresh air, since he had been inside the hospital for hours, and then he would call Sonny. He walked outside and took a deep breath. Then he sat down on the bench in front of the hospital and took out his phone. He dialed Sonny's number and waited.
''Jase – I was waiting for your call. How are Sam and the baby doing?'' Sonny asked when he picked up, and Jason smiled.
''Sam and Lila are doing just fine, Sonny,'' he told his friend, and he heard Sonny tell Carly.
''Carly wanted to come over right away but I got her to wait until tomorrow,'' Sonny told Jason, who laughed softly, ''now I want to tell you the man has been handled, but I will tell you details when we see each other,'' Sonny said, and Jason nodded and sighed.
''Thank you Sonny, you don't know how much this means,'' Jason said, and he heard Sonny chuckle. He sighed, ''Sam will be having a lot of pain in the time here after, and I think she needs all her friends. I want you to come with Carly, Sonny, to support her,'' he told Sonny.
''I will come to support you both – I love the name, by the way,'' Sonny said, and Jason smiled.
''Thanks, I'm going back in,'' he said, and after saying goodbye he disconnected the line and walked back inside. He sank down on the couch in the waiting area and sighed. He then looked up and smiled, ''I feel so good – I want to tell you something,'' he said to Danny, Daisy, Tam and James, and they all nodded, ''we officially named our daughter Lila Rose Morgan,'' he said, and they all smiled.
''Now that we know everything is fine,'' James said as he got up, ''we have to go. Well be coming back tomorrow, and we will take Tam and Danny with us,'' he said, and Danny wanted to protest but when he saw the look on James' face he stopped and sighed. They all left and Jason got up and walked towards the neonatal floor, where he walked inside after putting on the things he needed to go in. there was no one there again, and he sat down next to his daughter.
''Hey there, Lila. When I left here some time ago I heard your mother is going to be ok, and I wanted to sit with her for a moment,'' he told her, ''and now I know she is going to be ok, and I know you are going to be ok, and I couldn't be any happier,'' he said, and then he didn't know what to say anymore, so he just sat there, watching his daughter sleep and smiling at her.
James smiled at Daisy who was covered in paint, and then looked at Danny who didn't have a spot on him. When they found out Sam was ok, he thought of something. Sam and Jason hadn't thought of the nursery, and he wanted to give them a surprise and make it just the way they liked it. To his surprise there was paint and wallpaper when they arrived, and they started making the nursery ready. He even found the crib, and they had all worked together to make the room ready. He smiled and looked around in the room, which was now ready. It had taken some time, but now it was all done and Sam and Jason could bring the baby home when she was released.
''I know we didn't have to do this right now,'' Daisy said, ''but I think this was a good idea – this way Jason doesn't have to do it alone and Sam doesn't have to think about it anymore,'' she said, and James nodded. He was glad she agreed, and he took her hand.
''Let's go home now,'' he said, then he turned to Tam and Danny, ''you're coming with us – you don't have to stay in the hotel,'' he said, and they nodded gratefully and they all left the penthouse.
Sam was restless – she wanted to see her baby. Jason walked in and she sighed in relief.
''Jason, please, please take me to our daughter,'' she begged him, and he sighed and smiled, then he gestured for Monica to come in with the wheelchair and Sam widened her eyes.
''You – you already,'' she said and then she looked at Monica, ''this isn't going to get you in trouble?''
''No, Sam – I asked Patrick and then Robin because Patrick wasn't sure, and Robin told me to take you. It might be good for the both of you, and she told me to make sure everything went well so I can't leave you alone but you can see the baby – Lila,'' she said, and then she smiled. Jason lifted Sam off of the bed and gently set her in the wheelchair, and Monica started pushing her to the neo floor. Jason helped Sam in the apron. She smiled up at him.
''You look so handsome in that,'' she joked, and he laughed and pushed her in. Monica stayed outside so she could keep an eye on Sam and still give them privacy. When Sam saw her daughter, the tears she had been holding came out. She was so tiny, and she wished she could have kept her inside of her a little longer so she wouldn't have to be like this. Jason noticed the tears and kneeled down next to her.
''She is going to be ok, Sam. You couldn't do anything to stop all this and I don't want you to blame yourself for any of this,'' he told her, and she nodded, but her gaze never left her daughter, ''you want to know what happened?'' he asked. Sonny had called him some time before he walked in Sam's room and just told him what happened, and he wanted Sam to know.
''I want to know, Jason,'' she whispered, and then she looked at him, ''at least I thought I did – but I really don't care. This here, is our daughter – Lila – and I don't want to think of anything else than her – and you, and us,'' she said, and he nodded. Then he smiled and kissed her, ''Jason, I love you so much, and I'm so glad she is going to be ok,'' Sam whispered, and he nodded.
''I love you too, Sam – with all of my heart,'' he said, and she wiped away the tears. ''Sam, you don't have to be afraid anymore,'' Jason whispered in her ear, and she nodded with a smile.
''I know, because all is going to be well,'' she said, and they turned and continued watching their daughter together in silence.
Two months later
Sam woke up next to Jason and smiled, then got out of bed and made sure she didn't wake him. He needed his sleep, because he had been in the hospital late last night. He had been working all day yesterday and went to the hospital to check on Lila, when Dr. Lee came to him to tell him the good news. He had come home excited and told her – only to find out she already knew. Today was the day they would bring their daughter home. Sam had been released after three weeks in the hospital, and when they had come home she was surprised and shocked to see the nursery done and ready for Lila, and Jason had told her he had found it like this. He figured James had been busy the night after they had found out Sam was going to be ok, and they had thanked him profusely.
''Hey, where do you think you're going?'' she heard Jason ask, and she turned around and smiled.
''I thought I'd make some breakfast,'' she replied, and he widened his eyes and shook his head, ''what? Don't you want breakfast?''
''Yeah, but I want to live,'' he said, and he jumped out of bed, ''besides, the sooner we get out of bed and get ready, the sooner we can bring Lila home,'' he replied, and she smiled and nodded.
''I'm so excited – and also a little scared,'' she told him, and he nodded. Lila was growing fine, and after she was taken off the ventilator after two weeks she had been looking around a lot more.
''I know, me too, but we have each other to lean on,'' he said, and she nodded. They walked downstairs and he started making breakfast as Sam started making coffee. She couldn't breast-feed Lila because of her medication, so she could drink coffee in the mornings.
''You know I don't even need that much coffee anymore,'' she suddenly said, and he nodded and smiled, ''I didn't think there would be a day that I only drank one cup a day,'' she added, and he laughed.
''I didn't think so either,'' he replied, and then he gave her a plate – he had finished making breakfast when they were talking, ''but it all worked out well,'' he added, and she laughed.
''I kind of am a little surprised Daisy and James eloped,'' she suddenly said, and he laughed softly and nodded, ''I thought they wanted a big wedding, but going to Vegas – I'd never thought they'd do that,'' she said softly, and he nodded.
''No, I didn't think they would do something like that either, but they did and I will give them the present we bought when they get back,'' he said, and she nodded. They had bought them something for the baby, but because they had eloped and went on the honeymoon straight after, they didn't have a chance to give it yet. Sam got up after finishing her breakfast and grabbed Jason's plate and cleaned them. She sat them on the kitchen counter to dry and went upstairs to get ready. Jason took the guest bathroom and they both took a shower and were ready in no time to get Lila from the hospital.
As they arrived at the hospital they saw Danny and Tam walk out of an office, and Sam gasped. That office was the office of Dr. Lee.
''Danny, Tam!'' Jason called them, and they turned around and smiled, and Sam knew right away what was going on.
''Tam – you're pregnant!'' she exclaimed, and when Tam nodded Sam walked towards her and hugged her tight, ''congratulations,'' she said, and then moved to give Danny a hug. Jason smiled and hugged Tam after giving Danny a hand, and Tam smiled.
''I was feeling sick for some time now but I didn't think any of it – but then I started thinking and noticed I was late,'' she said and she looked at Danny, ''we didn't want to take the chance so we went here right away instead of taking a home test – and we found out we are going to be parents,'' she said, and Sam nodded. Danny and Tam had stayed here after the wedding and when Sam came out of the hospital, Danny decided to stay a little longer so he could see his niece when she was home.
''Well, that's great, Tam – I'm happy for the both of you,'' Jason said, and then he took Sam's hand, ''but hey, nice seeing you – we got to go get Lila,'' he said with a wink, and Sam slapped him on his arm playfully.
''No – Sam it's cool – we wanted to go home anyway,'' Danny said, ''but we'll come over later today,'' he added, and Sam nodded and waved goodbye as they walked away. Sam looked over at Jason who was grinning.
''You're mean – they could have gone with us,'' she said, and he nodded.
''Yep – they could've but I didn't want to. I want to come home without anyone else but you and Lila,'' he said, and they made their way to the nursery. Lila had been moved last week because she was doing so well, and when they arrived there the nurse smiled at them.
''Well, see who's there,'' she said to Lila, who coed and the nurse walked over with her, and handed her to Sam, who smiled down at her little girl. She was calm in her arms, and Sam knew she was getting the hang of being a mother.
''Thank you,'' she said, ''I'm so glad we can take her home right now,'' she said to the nurse, who nodded and smiled.
''I can understand the feeling – only thing you have to do is sign these papers and you can go,'' she told Jason, who signed the papers without really looking at them and then the nurse walked away to grab the bag of clothes for Lila. When she returned Sam was cooing with the baby and Jason was looking at them with a smile, and the nurse handed him the bag and left.
''Sam, let's go home with our daughter,'' Jason said softly, and Sam looked up with a smile and nodded. He wrapped an arm around her as they walked out of the hospital with their baby girl, and helped her get Lila settled in the car.
''I'm going to sit in the back with her,'' Sam said, and Jason nodded. He hadn't expected anything else from her, and he dropped the bag in the passengers seat and drove home.
That night Jason and Sam stood above the crib watching Lila sleep. They both wanted to bring her to bed, and they did just that. Danny had come by and had been real sweet with her, and Jason and Sam both knew he would be a great father. After Danny and Tam had left, Jason had told Sam to take a nap, because she was still hurt and she still needed the rest, and she did. He had watched Lila and had told her about his trips, and she had watched him intensely, as if she could understand what he was talking about. Jason gently pulled Sam with him out of the room after some time of staring at their daughter, and he took her down stairs where he sat down on the couch and pulled her on his lap.
''You know it's wonderful – amazing – now that we have Lila home,'' he told her, and she nodded against his chest. She sighed and smiled, and then looked up at him.
''I know, I feel the same way, and I can't believe it yet,'' she said, ''even after spending all day with her, I cant really believe she is home yet,'' she added, and he nodded.
''But she is, and you are great with her – I don't understand you had doubts about that,'' he told her, and she shrugged.
''I've never had a baby – I like kids, I mean when they are older – but I've never taken care of a little human being, and I was afraid I would mess up,'' she told him softly, and he nodded.
''I understand – but that mother instinct of yours kicked in before she was even born,'' he told her, and she nodded, ''Sam, I just want you to know I love you so much,'' he suddenly said, and she widened her eyes and felt them sting.
''I love you too,'' she whispered, and he kissed her. He broke the kiss too soon.
''I want to tell you what sonny did to take care of the man,'' he said, ''and I want to tell you on who's orders he was working,'' he added, and Sam nodded. She knew this would come eventually and she watched him and waited for him to start.
''It's ok – tell me,'' she said when he waited for her consent to tell. Then he nodded.
''He didn't kill him – he told me he brought him to the cops and when he was in jail, someone did something to the guy – I believe stab him – and he died because of the blood loss,'' he said, and she nodded. She was glad Sonny nor Jason was going to get arrested because they killed a man, ''he didn't know Bill Monroe was dead, but he worked on his orders. He told Sonny that he wanted to kill you – bill had told him to kill you when you were married – but in church he freaked out and he moved at the time he pulled the trigger, and he hit the right side instead of the left,'' Jason said and he had a little smile, ''if he hadn't freaked out I would have lost you,'' he said seriously, and she nodded.
''But he did, and you didn't so don't think about it ok?'' she said, and he nodded.
''I know, and I am so happy for that – though I'm glad I didn't kill him, I'm also glad he is still dead,'' Jason replied, and she nodded. She was glad he was dead too, because she didn't want to live in fear – even though he had been working on Bill's orders. She yawned, and Jason rose, lifting her in his arms and walked upstairs.
''Let's sleep, babe – God knows we will be up all night,'' he said, and she nodded with a smile. They changed to sleeping wear and jumped in bed, and he pulled her in his arms, nestling her in his side.
''Tam and Danny – pregnant – now that was something I didn't see,'' Sam said softly, and Jason chuckled and nodded.
''Me either, but I think it's great,'' he replied, and she nodded, ''now, sleep. We can talk more in the morning,'' he told her, and she nodded and closed her eyes.
''I love you,'' she whispered, right before she fell asleep, and Jason smiled and kissed her head.
''I love you too,'' he told a sleeping Sam, and then he closed his eyes. Everything worked out with them. He loved her with all of his heart – which he didn't think would happen when he met her. When he had met her he was an ass, and he knew it. But then something changed and they fell in love, and eventually they got married and he couldn't think of a life without her. He didn't want to think about it, and he smiled when he thought about their beautiful baby girl in the other room. There had been some times where he was afraid she was not going to make it after Sam got shot, but she had, and she was a healthy little girl.
He felt his eyes close again and sank in a deep sleep with a smile on his face. This was the life he had always dreamed of, and he knew Sam felt the same way.
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Rebecca Sieff | Rosa Ginossar| Raya Jaglom | Michal Modai
Rebecca D. Sieff O.B.E. 1949-1966
Rebecca D. Sieff O.B.E. was the founder and Life President of World WIZO, Life President of the Federation of Women Zionists, Vice President of the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, and Vice President of the British Section of the World Jewish Congress.
She was born in Leeds, England in 1890 into a home dominated by Jewish tradition. Her father, Michael Marks, left Russia arriving in England as a poor immigrant. He set up a ‘Penny Bazaar’ in Leeds which later became the famous Marks and Spencer. Married to Hannah Cohen, they had five children, several of whom are distinguished figures.
After spending most of her youth in Manchester, and whilst studying Mathematics and Literature at Manchester University, Rebecca married Israel Sieff, who later became Lord Sieff of Brimpton. Both were joined into the Zionist ideology and formed a lasting friendship with Dr. Chaim Weizmann, who was teaching at Manchester University at the time.
After moving to London at the end of World War I, she founded the Federation of Women Zionists of Great Britain. Her husband was appointed Political Secretary to the First Zionist Commission to Palestine and he was joined by his wife, Rebecca, Dr. Vera Weizmann and Edith Eder on a fact finding mission. The three women spent six months investigating social and economic conditions and the poverty and squalor convinced Rebecca that an organization of women was needed to help eradicate this state of affairs.
She returned to England and with Dr. Vera Weizmann, Edith Eder, Romana Goodman and Henrietta Irwell founded the Women’s International Zionist Organization in July, 1920. Under her leadership, which lasted 43 years, the movement grew of embrace a quarter of a million Jewish women in fifty countries. WIZO was to become her greatest single achievement, although she, and her family also founded the Daniel Sieff Research Institute in the Weizman Institute, in 1934, in memory of her son who had tragically lost his life.
When the Nazis rose to power she established the Women’s Appeal Committee, uniting all Jewish women’s groups in an attempt to save Jews from central Europe. She personally enabled 1,000 youth to escape death by bringing them to England (they later settled in Palestine) and arranged for the transfer of five hundred Jewish families from Czechoslovakia to Palestine.
After the war she was amongst the first to visit the deportation camps in Europe and then spent Rosh Hashana of 1945 with Jewish survivors from Bergen Belson. She made an impassioned plea at the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine in 1946, asking them to permit the 32,000 Jewish children who had survived the Holocaust and were in deportation camps to be able to settle in the yishuv in Palestine.
She built her Tel Mond home in Israel in 1937, which became her permanent home after the establishment of the State of Israel. Her later years were spent traveling all over the world campaigning for WIZO. She served as the President of World WIZO from its founding in 1920 until 1963.
Among the many honours bestowed upon her during her lifetime were an Honorary Fellowship to the Weizmann Institute in 1935, An O.B.E. from the Queen of England in 1960 and just one week before her death her husband was made a peer and she became Lady Rebecca Sieff.
Rosa Ginossar 1966-1970
Rosa Ginossar was born in Gomel (Russia). Her father, Mordechai Ben Hillel Hacohen, was a writer and brought his family to Palestine in 1908.
Rosa Ginossar became the first secretary of WIZO in 1920, with the establishment of the organization. In 1922 she returned to Jerusalem and became to the Secretary of the Palestine WIZO Executive, where her duties covered everything from finding housing for new immigrants to securing land and supervising plans and contracts. During the British Mandate she represented WIZO on the Advisory Committee, devoted to safeguarding the welfare of women in Palestine, which was chaired by Lady Beatrice Samuel and included both Jewish and Arab members. She also served on the Immigrants’ Welfare Committee, under the chairmanship of Sir Wyndham Deeds.
Rosa Ginossar earned a unique place in history by becoming Palestine’s first woman lawyer. After being refused permission, three consecutive times, to sit for the Palestine Bar Examination, on the grounds that the privilege was reserved for qualified men only, she brought her case before the Chief Justice of Palestine and the Privy Council. After a long struggle she won her appeal. This struggle marked the first battle in her war to secure the right of women to serve alongside men in all sectors of life in Israel.
Prior to the beginning of the Second World War, Mrs. Ginossar obtained immigrant visa for hundreds of Jewish refugees from Germany and after the war she dedicated her efforts to settling immigrant children.
She served as treasurer of the World WIZO Executive for many years and was elected Chairperson in 1951. In 1963 she relinquished the position when Rebecca Sieff, at the World WIZO Plenary Session, who was suffering from illness at the time, asked to be appointed as Honorary President of World WIZO and for Rosa Ginossar to take the position as President of World WIZO.
Thus began her term of office. She was later unanimously elected at the 15th World WIZO Conference, held in 1966 and served until 1970, when she was elected to the position of Honorary Life President of World WIZO.
Her husband, Shlomo Ginossar, was Inspector of Education for the Mandatory Government from 1922 to 1925, and Israel’s first Ambassador to Italy from 1948 to 1951, as well as serving on the Executive of the Hebrew University.
Rosa Ginossar passed away in 1979.
Raya Jaglom 1970-1996
An outstanding Zionist leader, Raya Jaglom, has long been a standard bearer of the State of Israel and the Zionist movement throughout the world. She served as President of World WIZO for twenty-six years, and is currently the organization's Honorary President.
Throughout her years of service, Raya Jaglom has campaigned vigorously on behalf of Jewish communities in Israel and abroad, always cognizant of the needs of both the individual and of the community.
Raya Jaglom immigrated to Israel from Bessarabia in Romania in 1940, by means of a student certificate that she had received from the Hebrew University. She soon became involved with WIZO and during 1947-48, she served in the Haganah, fulfilling assignments in communications and transportation, and assisting in the landing of new immigrants on the beaches of Tel Aviv.
Following the War of Independence, she returned to her activities in WIZO where she served in several key positions. In 1970, she was elected World President, a role in which she made a significant impact in all areas of WIZO's activities.
Her primary endeavours were to establish programs for the community, in particular for its weaker members. Indeed, at her initiative, institutions were established throughout the country for young children, adolescents, women and the elderly. Similarly, her tireless efforts led to the establishment of branches of WIZO all over the world.
In 1964, at the invitation of the Soviet government, Raya Jaglom headed a delegation of women to the Soviet Union. During this visit she witnessed the plight of Jews living there and, as a result, she joined the struggle on their behalf. She was a founding member of the Council for Soviet Jewry, participated in all the World Conferences on Soviet Jewry held in Brussels, and campaigned for the cause of the World Jewish Congress. She served as chair of the Committee for Ida Nudel for eight years.
Among the many organizations that benefit from the generosity of Raya Jaglom and her husband Josef, are the Hebrew University (scholarship fund), the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's musicians' club, a synagogue in Tel Aviv and the Tel Aviv University (scholarship fund).
Raya Jaglom continues to generously contribute of her energy and experience to public causes. She serves as a deputy chair of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University, she is a member of the executive of the World Jewish Congress, a member of the executives of the World Zionist Organization and of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency. In addition, she is President of the Friends Association of Tel Aviv University and a member of the International Board of the Israel Museum and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.
In profound appreciation to Raya Jaglom, the Hebrew University has granted Mrs. Jaglom with the degree of Doctor Philosophiae Honoris Causa.
Michal Modai 1996-2004
Michal Modai, nee Solomon, a seventh generation “sabra”, was born in Jerusalem to one of Israel’s oldest families. Yoel Moshe Solomon, a relative, was one of the founders of Petach Tikva in the 19th century. She was married to the late Yitzhak Modai, who served as a member of the Knesset for 20 years and held several Ministerial posts, the last one being the Minister of Finance. Michal has a son and daughter and seven grandchildren.
Michal is a graduate of the Evelina de Rothschild School, Jerusalem and the David Yellin Teachers’ Training College, Jerusalem. After finishing her studies she worked as a qualified kindergarten teacher at an immigrant camp near Zichron Yaacov. This was her first encounter with the distress of the new immigrants, and she saw the need for veteran Israelis to give a helping hand to the newcomers.
In 1968 Michal joined WIZO Herzlia-Pituach and soon was elected Chairperson of the branch. She decided to recruit WIZO volunteers to work for the poorer neighborhoods of Herzlia-Pituach, especially Neve Israel, whose population suffered from many social problems.
In 1974 she was elected as Deputy Chairperson of WIZO Israel, and was elected Chairperson of WIZO Israel in 1979. She devoted special care to the WIZO branches along the country’s borders and in the Galilee outposts. The problems of domestic violence distressed her greatly and she established the first WIZO shelter for battered women in 1983.
Michal served as Deputy Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive between 1980 – 1984, and in January 1984 was elected Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive. She regarded the schools and youth villages as being extremely important, and after negotiations with the Ministries of Education and Finance, the Ministry of Education’s Settlement Division signed a contract ensuring that they would contribute 50% of the maintenance costs of the five WIZO Agricultural youth villages, saving WIZO millions of shekels annually. Michal also approached private donors, and foundations to raise contributions of millions of dollars which enabled WIZO to renovate dormitories and family units, and to build new dormitories and a new wing in the WIZO Hadassah Canada Youth Village “Hanna Maisel Shohat” in Nahalal.
In 1992, at the 20th World WIZO Conference, Michal Modai was elected Vice President of World WIZO and re-elected Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive.
In 1996, at the 21st World WIZO Conference, Michal was elected President of World WIZO. One of her main aims was to bring the 50 WIZO Federations world-wide closer to WIZO in Israel. In 1997 Michal was appointed a member of the executive of the World Zionist Organization and became a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency. In 1998 she was appointed co-chairman of the Assembly Planning Committee of the Jewish Agency, a position she still holds.
As President, Michal carried out many missions to WIZO Federations around the world during her 8 years as World WIZO President, speaking before members of Parliaments and Government dignitaries, WIZO members and colleagues.
She was awarded “Guardian of Jerusalem” (1997), the Prime Minister’s Shield of Voluntarism (1999), was appointed a member of the World Jewish Congress (2001) and was presented with “Yakir Tel Aviv” (Honoree of Tel Aviv) by the Mayor of Tel Aviv on the 56th Independence Day of the State of Israel (April 2004).
Michal became Chairperson of the Council of Womens Organizations in Israel (January 2004), comprised of 11 major Womens Organizations, and participates in the Israeli delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York. As Honorary Life President she attends all Meetings of Representative and Conferences, as well as the Executive meetings of World WIZO.
Michal passed away on 2 March 2012 at the age of 81
HELENA GLASER 2004-2012
HELENA GLASER, President World WIZO, joined WIZO Israel nearly 4 decades ago.. In 1975 she became Chairperson of Fundraising in WIZO Israel. In 1991 she was elected Chairperson of WIZO Israel. A strong believer in Gender Equality, and Women’s Rights - Helena initiated and advanced projects and activities for Single Parent families initiating the Department for Single Parent Families in WIZO; established Centres for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and for girls in Distress, and promoted legislation, while also focusing WIZO’s activities on the absorption of the massive Aliyot from Ethiopia and the former USSR.
In 1996 Helena was elected as Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive - in this capacity she initiated the construction, renovation and expansion of projects, developed the concept of family & community involved projects,; promoted integration & expanded youth leadership training and volunteerism at WIZO schools, youth villages, and youth clubs; developed unique services for children with special needs and initiated the Poverty is not only Food Fund and the Security Fund. Helena is also the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Neri Bloomfield WIZO Academy of Design and Education, Haifa.
In 2004 Helena was elected President of World WIZO. In this capacity Helena worked diligently to promote WIZO and its Federations on all levels; to put WIZO in its rightful place as an agent of social change; to strengthen WIZO's ties and status within municipal & governmental bodies; international organizations and the national Zionist institutions. Since 2004 Helena has served as an Executive of the World Zionist Organization and as a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency. In 2010 Helena became the first women to be elected – Chairperson of the Zionist General Council. Helena is also one of the Deputy Presidents of the World Jewish Congress. In 2012 Helena was elected as Honourary President of World WIZO.
Helena represented WIZO abroad and was a Member of the Governent Delegation to 38th UN Committee on the Status of Women in New York (1994); a Member of Israeli Government Delegation to the 4th World Conference of Women in Beijing (1995); at IAW conferences, and she headed the WIZO delegation at the Durban II Conference in 2009. Helena also served as- the Chairperson of the Voluntary and Non Profit Sector in Israel; and as Chairperson of The Israel Council on Social Welfare;
Helena is married with 2 children and 3 grandchildren
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You are at:Home»Features»Headlines»British cancer imaging centres get $59 million boost
British cancer imaging centres get $59 million boost
By ONA Editor October 24, 2013 No Comments
Source: Cancer Research UK
Cancer imaging is set to get a major boost from a £35 million ($59 million) nationwide initiative to develop cutting edge imaging technologies for basic and clinical cancer research.
Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are together committing £35 million for five years to four separate cancer imaging centres across the country, helping to cement the UK’s position as a world leader in cancer imaging research. The new initiative builds on the £50 million initial investment in October 2008.
This latest funding will bring together scientists, engineers and clinicians to develop new imaging techniques and applications which will help clinicians learn more about how tumours feed and grow, how cancer cells signal to one another, tumour blood supply, the environment surrounding tumours and molecular and genetic signatures.
The cancer imaging centres will serve as focal points of world-class research using a variety of techniques, such as optical microscopy, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), functional MRI, ultrasound, and PET (Positron Emission Tomography).
Dr Iain Foulkes, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of strategy and research funding, said: “Imaging is an invaluable tool in the fight against cancer. Being able to see what’s happening inside a patient is vitally important in understanding how treatments are working and the best ways to improve them.”
Professor David Delpy, chief executive of the EPSRC, said: “This large investment is great news and builds upon our previous successful collaboration with Cancer Research UK. These centres will bring together many of the UK’s leading scientists, engineers and clinicians interested in all aspects of imaging research, speeding up advances in new technologies and ensuring these are applied rapidly for the benefit of patients.”
The four imaging centres to receive funding are at: the University of Oxford, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, a joint imaging centre between King’s College London and University College London and a new collaboration between the University of Cambridge and University of Manchester…READ MORE
SLACOM 2019 AWARD for Cancer Research in Latin America
Starving leukaemia cells by targeting amino acids
Millions of patients to benefit from indexation of ultrasound and x-ray
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Smith-Warner in team practice after one year
Australia's return to the national team with the World Cup ban, Steve Smith and David Warner returned to the squad. After 13 months, former captain and vice-captain returned to the national team's practice.
Justin Langer's disciples started a training camp in Brisbane on Friday ahead of the upcoming World Cup. But due to illness, Smith-Warner did not join the practice session for two days. After returning from fits to fitness, two batsmen returned to the national team's training for the first time.
Smith left for the Premier League due to injury in January last year. After this, the two stars, who are fit to play in the IPL, They were very excited to return to the big stage. Warner has scored 692 runs in 8 matches at an average of 69.20 in IPL and 692 runs in 1 in IPL. Smith also did not do bad He scored 319 runs in three half-centuries for Rajasthan Royals. As a result, they got a chance at the national team's World Cup squad without any thought.
Smith-Warner returning to the squad at the start of the national team's camp got infected with the virus. For which it took two days to fit. Finally, after completing their wait, two teammates returned to the nets on Sunday. On the first day of the World Cup practice practice, two batsmen, like Adam Jamah, Nathan Lynn, Mitchell Starc, Shane Abbott,
Allrounder Glenn Maxwell, in the face of Australian practice, is in the news. The all-rounder is praising the two teammates. His belief that Warner-Smith keep their rhythm in the World Cup. Maxwell said, "If Warner saw Warner's stats in India (IPL), he (Warner) played very well for Hyderabad. He probably has scored more than 500 runs per season in the IPL. Which indicates the extraordinary continuity. Hopefully their form will continue in one-day cricket. Both of them are very meritorious in this format. Nobody is worried about returning to their team.
Note that Smith and Warner have been banned for one year by Cricket Australia for ball tampering in Cape Town Test against South Africa in 2018. The two former Olympic stars will take on the jersey in the country after the ban on the World Cup.
Two Caribbean openers made history
Sachin's heart bearded to the woman!
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New Grey’s Anatomy Season 15 Is Bringing On New, First Of Its Kind Male Character
Hey, “Grey’s Anatomy” fans. We’re back at you with another huge report in regards to what’s going down in the upcoming 15th season of your favorite medical drama. It turns out that the Grey’s Anatomy production team has been very busy at work, casting yet another new male to join the ensemble.
This new male will be the first of it’s kind though. First of all, he will be a surgeon. According to TVline.com, Grey’s Anatomy has never brought on a surgeon role. The other unique thing about this new male is that he’s gay.
TV line pointed out that there haven’t been many gay, male characters on the show in the past. We’ve obviously seen gay females with the the Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins characters and so on and so forth, but not many men.
This new male surgeon will go by the name of Dr. Nico Kim. He’s going to be played by actor Alex Landi. You guys can view photos of him on his official IMDB page by Clicking Here. It’s currently unclear how many episodes that Dr. Nico Kim will show up in. However, he is reported to be a recurring character. So, we can expect to see him from time to time.
It’s also been pointed out that Alex Landi is a mixture of Korean and Italian if any of you guys were wondering what his ethnic background is. It was immediately clear to us that he’s Asian, but the Italian mixture was very informative.
Alex Landi’s acting resume is not the most extensive, but he does have some acting experience. According to his IMDB page, he’s appeared in 262 Days (short), Bull tv show, Prillen Short Shorts tv show, Childlike tv show and Broken Land (production type is unknown).
We’re sure Alex will do a very good job if the Grey’s Anatomy production team decided to hire him. He’s definitely a newcomer to the acting game. His acting resume only dates back to 2016. So, we’ll see. Grey’s Anatomy is definitely his biggest acting gig. We wish him good luck. ABC refused to provide any further details about who Alex’s character Dr. Nico Kim will interact with or anything else. Again, we just know that he’ll be a recurring character for now. Hopefully, some other details will show up in the not-to-distant future.
How do you guys feel about Grey’s Anatomy bringing on a new, male, gay surgeon in season 15? Are you happy about it? Are you sad about it? Are do you just not care one way or the other? Let us know in the Facebook comments.
Alex Landi’s casting joins other big season 15 casting moves which include former Nashville star Chris Carmack’s hiring as the hospital’s new “ortho god.” His real name has yet to be reported. Before that, it was announced that Kim Raver’s Dr. Teddy Altman had been bumped up to a season 15 regular. The other big casting is that the show is bringing back Meredith Grey’s father Thatcher Grey played by actor Jeff Perry.
As previously reported, season 15 is being titled “The Season Of Love” by current showrunner Krista Vernoff. We’re going to see main character Meredith Grey get a new love interest. Alex and Jo are going to get a lot of honey moon time to kick off the season. We’ve heard reports that the big two hour premiere episode will feature a lot of funny moments as well as a lot of drama.
We’re looking for ABC to finally release their first episode press release this month if they haven’t already. When they do, we’ll certainly be letting you guys know what we’ve learned from it. So, be on the lookout for that.
Alright guys. That’s going to wrap it up for this latest Grey’s Anatomy season 15 report. As previously reported, the new season 15 premiere episode 1 is scheduled to debut on Thursday night, September 27, 2018 at approximately 7 pm central standard time on CBS. Once again, it’s a two hour premiere episode.
If you haven’t marked that important date down on your TV show calendars, you should definitely do it now as that day is getting closer and closer. Also, be sure to follow us on our Grey’s Anatomy Facebook page for more Grey’s Anatomy news by Clicking Here.
Posted in News, TV News & Spoilers Tags: Grey's Anatomy TV Show News
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CLAUDIA SILVA FERREIRA IS DEAD
BROUGHT TO YOU BY GLOBAL CAPITAL
This piece below from the Center of a Stateless Society offers up three problems and really no solutions.
You see you have these favelas on the hills surrounding Rio de Janeiro, these downtrodden neighborhoods of the poor, i.e. problem number one. The favelas are wracked by the violence which comes along with the drug trade and the antiquated drug laws, i.e. problem number two. The everyday police can't really deal with the "drug problem" so they are aided by the military police, i.e. problem number three. The other day the combination of these problems left Claudia Silva Ferreira, a local cleaning lady, dead.
The drugs didn't exactly kill her, not really. She didn't have anything to do with drugs. The favela and its residents sure didn't kill her. The military police they did kill her, they pulled the trigger. Actually they killed her several times...for her own good and the good of those like her...or that is what we are left to believe. Yes, they are the henchmen could be held responsible.
The system of Capital which has too many workers and not enough actual work, and thus creates a gazillion service type jobs which pay nothing to keep people busy and under control. That system with even those no paying jobs still can't keep enough people working (busy and under control), leaves many destitute and with time on their hands living in the slums of the world. That system which figures drugs (legal and illegal) might help by keeping some of those potential "subversives" slumbering and others of them working in the "illegal" trade (killing and maiming each other) which they tacitly accept in the halls of the State, but because they can't totally pretend all is well, sends in the men with the guns when the other men with the guns get too out of hand - that system, Empire, doesn't pull the trigger, a system has no fingers after all, but it is the ultimate murderer no less.
You know what? Often when you say the murder of one lone women can only be solved by the destruction of global capital by the multitude in revolution, it is over-speak. You know what, in this case, in many cases it really isn't. After all, as long as capital exists, the capitalistic drug trade will exist, the favelas will exist in misery, the military police and the everyday police will go right on killing innocent people, hell, people in general. The truth is there isn't any way around that which I can figure out. We can protest police brutality, we can call for drug law reform, we can hope for economic changes within the system which will help the poor. We can do all that...just as we have been doing that for a very long time to no real avail.
We can all finally say enough of this shit...and mean it.
Until we say that. Until we act on that. Until we rid the Earth of the shit, let's call Capital what it is...until then...it all goes on...
She was the Rule, Not an Exception
Erick Vasconcelos
Claudia Silva Ferreira’s crime, last March 16, was living in the wrong place and having the wrong skin color. She went out to buy bread and ham, a cup of coffee in hand. We can never know how lethal a cup of coffee might be if held by a black, poor woman living on the periphery of a Brazilian city. Police shot the cleaning lady twice, leaving her body stretched on the ground, chest pierced.
She was taken to a police car to be driven to the hospital. The back seat was full of guns, so they couldn’t put a wounded person there — they must have their priorities straight. So Claudia was put in the trunk, which opened along the way and let her fall to the ground, stuck to the bumper by a piece of clothing, dragged by the car for 1,200 feet. The policemen finally noticed she had fallen and tucked her back in place. She died.
The Military Police denied what residents of Morro da Congonha, Madureira, Rio de Janeiro’s suburbs, saw. According to them, Claudia was found already shot. In the same operation, the police killed a supposed drug dealer, wounded and arrested another one, seizing four pistols, radios and drugs. It was probably worth it, since drugs destroy families.
If not for the drugs, the Military Police wouldn’t have been forced to climb the favela hill, wouldn’t have encountered a menacing and violent 38-year-old black woman holding a cup of coffee, wouldn’t have been obligated to shoot twice in her direction, entailing the bothersome task of taking her to the car and then to the hospital. And drugs keep tearing families apart. Claudia, for instance, raised 8 children, 4 of her own, 4 nieces and nephews. Her family now is defaced because of drugs.
And how can we demand that the military aid a dying woman? They are the military for a reason. They are called “soldiers” (specifically, the policemen involved here were two sub-lieutenants and a sergeant) and sent to war. The idea of protecting people is entirely alien to a military organization and the Military Police proves it every time it invades a favela and sees the residents not as people but as potential collateral damage.
Of those involved, sub-lieutenant Adir Serrano Machado is the most efficient. He has been involved in 57 actions involving some kind of resistance, leaving 63 dead. Sub-lieutenant Rodney Miguel Archanjo has been somewhat more circumspect, having been part of only 5 of those occurrences, with 6 dead. Sergeant Alex Sandro da Silva Alves, on the other hand, debuted on the Sunday in which Claudia was shot, his first resisted operation.
Given all of this, it’s clear that a demilitarization would weaken the police too much, making it impossible for them to fight crime. If we want someone to go up the favelas to confiscate weed and cocaine, we’ve got to have soldiers.
But is that really what we want?
It sounds good in political ads to say that police presence in the favelas has increased and that the battle against drugs has been intensified. But what this means is that hundreds of Claudia Silva Ferreiras are going to keep dying. Because the only way to keep an illusion of safe and drug-free cities is to shoot innocent people in the favelas.
To keep thinking that police brutality is an exception will take us nowhere. Brazilian police violence is institutionalized and necessary for the government’s goals. It is not possible to control the drug trade, or maintain the legitimacy of the state’s mission to “fight crime,” without the use of lethal force. With current drug policy, there’s no possibility of ending police violence — without it, the state would never be able to affirm its power.
For now, the Military Police could at least publish a pamphlet listing suspicious activities that honest citizens should avoid, such as being black and walking with coffee.
Translations for this article:
Italian, Lei Era la Regola, non l’Eccezione.
THE UNFORTUNATELY NOT SO STRANGE CASE OF STACEY HY...
SCREW THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE/REST IN PEACE PAPA BEAR...
ON THE LEAGUE OF REVOLUTIONARY BLACK WORKERS
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Meet the Freshmen: Joni Ernst
Blake Humphrey
We continue our Meet the Freshmen profiles this week with Iowa’s next Republican Senator, Joni Ernst
Joni Ernst will go to the Senate in January as the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress, the first Republican female combat veteran to serve in the Senate, and possibly the only candidate in recent political history to ever advertise as a hog castrator. Either way, this Conservative, pro-Iowan will find herself fighting a new battle, this time in Washington, D.C.
Joni Ernst was always considered a long shot to replace longtime Democratic Senator Tom Harkin. Many pundits and experts predicted that the feeble, weak field for the Republican nomination would hand the contest over to Congressman Bruce Braley, Harkin’s apparent heir and pro-Obamacare fanatic. However, Joni Ernst took the challenge, and she did it with force.
After clearing the way for a primary victory, polls indicated that Ernst was running neck and neck with one of Washington’s most seasoned career politicians. However, the 2014 environment, and Braley’s lock-step voting record with Obama, proved to be enough to resoundingly throw Ernst into the driver’s seat. Leading up to the election, Ernst was blitzing the State, and on Election Night, it was Ernst’s name that popped up on national news as the winner of one of the country’s premier Senate contest.
Who is Joni Ernst?
She is a political unknown in Washington, but Iowa knows her as a mother, soldier and Conservative fighter who is unwavering in her morals and values – many of which are in line with those of many Iowans. Ernst was born in Red Oak, Iowa. She attended Iowa State University and Columbus State University before enlisting in the United States Army. She climbed to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and continues to serve in the Iowa Army National Guard. During the month of July, Ernst actually took a break from the campaign trail and participated in two weeks of National Guard duty. Ernst is married to retired command sergeant major Gail Ernst, and they have a daughter, Libby.
Ernst is smart, sharp and ready to take on Washington. If anyone knows how to fight the battle, it is Ernst. By adding Ernst to the Senate, common sense might quite possibly become a norm.
Writers Note: OUTSET Magazine conducted a Senate profile of the Hawkeye State’s Senate election in a prior article. This article is profiling the victor of that contest, Joni Ernst.
Meet the Freshmen
Born in Orlando, Florida, Blake and his family moved to Wheeling, West Virginia in 1997. Since then, Blake has become involved politically in the Mountain State. In 2010, he helped Erikka Storch win a seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates. From 2011 to 2013, Blake interned for Congressman David B. McKinley. In 2012, Blake managed two campaigns (Patty Levenson for Ohio County Commissioner and Bob Miller for Marshall County Commissioner). In May of 2014, Blake graduated from Wheeling Park High School. He served as Senior Class President, Student Council Vice President, and as the Student Representative to the West Virginia Board of Education and the Ohio County Board of Education. Blake currently resides in Morgantown, West Virginia where he is attending West Virginia University. Currently, Blake serves as a Member of the West Virginia University Student Government Association Board of Governors. As a Member of the Board, he is currently working on college and textbook affordability issues. Blake is majoring in Political Science and Economics. In his free time, Blake enjoys traveling, hiking, fine coffee and reading.
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Mitt Romney to Deliver ‘State of the 2016 Presidential Race’ Thursday
Former Massachusetts Governor and 2012 Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, announced Wednesday that he will address the current state of the 2016 presidential race Thursday.
Romney, who has consistently ruled out a third campaign and has yet to endorse any candidate, will deliver his remarks at 11:30 a.m. ET at the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics.
A source told CNN that the speech will not be an endorsement or a campaign announcement.
Romney, who has ramped up criticisms of Trump in the past few weeks, will reportedly use the address as an opportunity to encourage unity and civility within the 2016 race. He will also likely continue his attacks on Trump, the recent of which have centered around the front-runner’s tax returns.
A disqualifying & disgusting response by @realDonaldTrump to the KKK. His coddling of repugnant bigotry is not in the character of America.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) 29 February 2016
The address comes on the same day as the 11th GOP debate, hosted by Fox News in Detroit, which will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET.
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Related Bios Dan Kane Sandy McDougal Chris Smith Alan Gordon Patrick Baker TBA Matt Clark Roger Stinson
Gavin Kane
Title: Assistant Athletic Director / Head Women's Basketball Coach / Head Men's Golf Coach
Email: gavin.kane@maine.edu
Year: 3rd Season
The University of Maine at Presque Isle announced the hire of New England Basketball Hall of Famer and longtime basketball coach Gavin Kane as its new head women's basketball coach in August of 2017. Kane enters his 2nd season at UMPI and now that he has had a year to begin developing a consistent recruiting program, the Owls look to improve upon last years' record as they enter their 1st season in the North Atlantic Conference.
Kane is best known around the state of Maine for his unparalleled success as a high school coach, but also has NCAA Division I and Division III coaching experience with assistant coaching stints with the University of Maine - Orono women's basketball team (2009-2011) and the University of Maine at Farmington men's basketball team (1994-1996).
"I am very excited to have Gavin Kane joining our athletic department as we continue to strive to be one of the more competitive NCAA Division III schools in the state," said Athletic Director, Dan Kane. "Gavin brings with him a wealth of success and coaching experience that I think will help transform not only our women's basketball program, but will also serve as a great resource to other coaches in the department."
Kane's coaching resume includes 17 conference championships, 12 Western Maine Championships, seven state championships, and an overall head coaching record of 522-117.
Kane started his coaching career at Rangeley Regional High School where he took a program that had been 1-35 in the previous 2 seasons before his arrival and led the Rangeley boy's varsity team to a 110-68 overall record from 1985-1994, highlighted with capturing the 1989 Class D State of Maine Championship. Kane moved to the college ranks as an assistant coach for Maine Basketball Hall of Fame member Dick Meader at the University of Maine at Farmington for the next two seasons where Gavin was involved directly with scouting, recruiting, practice instruction, and player development.
While also spending time as an assistant at UMF, Kane took over the girl's varsity basketball program at neighboring Dirigo High School in Dixfield, ME. The next 13 seasons leading the Dirigo Cougars would prove to be one of the most dominant stretches in Maine High School basketball history as the Cougars would go on to amass a 263-17 overall record, including state championships in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005. Dirigo also broke a state record, winning 11 consecutive Western Maine Championships from 1995-2005.
From 2005-2007, Coach Kane would take on the task of coaching both the Dirigo girl's and boy's varsity teams, before moving over to coach the boy's team exclusively for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons. During his four seasons at the helm of the Dirigo boy's program Kane compiled a 74-10 record which included three consecutive Mountain Valley Conference championships (2007-2009), a Western Maine Championship in 2009, and a State Runner-up. Kane was instrumental in the development of center Tom Knight who went on to play for 4 years at D1 University of Notre Dame.
In 2009, Kane returned to the college ranks serving as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team at the University of Maine. During his time at Umaine Kane led recruiting efforts across the United States and Canada. Along with recruiting efforts, Kane spent time with opponent scouting and game preparation, player development, and held many administrative duties which included coordinating the Umaine Women's Basketball Youth Summer Camp. Kane successfully recruited Ashleigh Roberts to the Black Bears where Roberts would go on to be the 11th All-time Leading Scorer in UMaine Women's History.
After the 2010-2011 season, Kane returned to western Maine where he coached the Spruce Mountain varsity girls, leading them to a combined 55-4 record, including back to back Mountain Valley Conference Championships in 2013 and 2014 before moving to his alma mater Mt. Blue High School of Farmington, ME. Kane coached the lady Cougars for two seasons from 2014-2016 before stepping away from Coaching for a season to watch his daughter Caitlin play college basketball at Maine Maritime Academy.
At every stop along the way Kane's philosophy has stayed the same. "My philosophy has always been based on work ethic, trust, commitment and togetherness," Kane said. "With these team characteristics we will enjoy success sooner rather than later here at UMPI. I'm honored to have the opportunity to join the staff at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and I look forward to bringing my coaching experience to the women's basketball program at UMPI."
Related Bios Gavin Kane Roger Stinson
Title: Assistant Coach - Women's Basketball
Matt Clark is in his 2nd season as the top Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Clark has an extensive basketball coaching background covering a span of 30 years.
During his High School coaching career, Coach Clark led varsity girl’s teams at Rangeley High School to numerous playoff appearances in the Maine State Tournaments. Clark has also, been the boy’s Head Coach at Rangeley in which his squads qualified for the Tournaments as well. The Rangeley native joined Coach Gavin Kane in the mid-1990’s at Dirigo High School where he was part of a Cougar girl’s Program that had a State of Maine record run of 11 consecutive State Championship appearances. Dirigo had an overall record of 263-17 during that period. Clark teamed up with Kane for several years with the boy’s Program at Dirigo as well, where their teams went 74-10.
The duo moved on to Spruce Mountain High School where Clark was the top Assistant Coach and the Phoenix girls’ varsity teams went a combined 55 wins and 4 losses over three years.
Coach Clark resides in Rangeley, Maine and spends the Winter basketball season here in Presque Isle.
Related Bios Tyler McLaughlin Gavin Kane Matt Clark
Roger Stinson
Title: Head Baseball Coach / Assistant Women's Basketball Coach
Email: roger.stinson@maine.edu
Coach Stinson is in his second year with the Owls as the Head Baseball Coach. He is from Norridgewock, Maine. Married to Michele, and the father to two sons, William and Justyn.
Stinson is a graduate from Eastern Maine Technical College, class of 1991. Graduating with an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Welding Technology, while playing two years of college basketball. After graduation, Stinson began a 4-year State of Maine Millwright Journeyman Apprenticeship, leading to a 20-year career with Lincoln Pulp and Paper and Sappi Fine Paper.
Coach Stinson’s coaching career started after college, in the local Cal Ripken Baseball Programs and Norridgewock Recreational Basketball and Baseball League's. Continuing his coaching career through Travel and All-Star Baseball and Basketball teams, Stinson then began coaching at the High School and American Legion level.
Coach Stinson started with the Madison Jr High School athletics program as the Baseball and Basketball coach, which led him to become the Head Baseball Coach of Skowhegan Post 16 Jr Legion team. Coach Stinson led the team to a 4th place state tournament finish, after the Program had been absent from the tournament for 25 years.
Roger Stinson joined the UMPI Women's Basktball Coaching Staff in Jnuary of 2019. Coach Stinson brings another veteran mentor to the Owls Program having coached for many years at the Youth Level, Junior High School, AAU Ranks, and most recently as an Assistant Coach at Madison High School from 2012 through 2018.
"Coach Stinson has a great undrstanding of the game and will be a valuable asset to our Team moving forward," said Head Women's Basketball Coach Gavin Kane. "He has an excellent rapport with players and it will only help our Program to have another knowledgable Staff Member working with our Team. Along with his responsibilities in practices and games, Coach Stinson has a lot of experience with Film Breakdown and will also, be able to help me a great deal with our recruiting."
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Related Bios Janelle Humphrey Janelle Humphrey
Title: Head Coach- Women's Cross Country / Head Coach - Men's and Women's Track and Field / Associate Director of Wieden Hall
Email: christopher.smith@maine.edu
Year: 27th Season
Coach Chris Smith began coaching at the UMPI in 1987. He can now claim having had the helm of the men's program for more than half its existence and has coached the women for all but three years of his tenure. Numerous individual and team awards have been attained, the most memorable being the All-American status of Katherine Chabot, numerous national qualifying team championships, and both individual and team academic awards.
Coach Smith has had at least one athlete qualify for and race in each national championship meet since 1989. In 2011, the Owls sent 4 male runners to the USCAA Championships, run in Lake Placid, NY. Along the way he has been named Maine Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, District Coach of the Year on two occasions, Region 10 Coach of the Year, and Combined Regions 9 and 10 Coach of the Year. He has also served as chairperson for various conferences, was a member of the national ranking committee for three years, and has been co-director/director of The County Cross Country Running Camp at UMPI since 1995.
Coach Smith has two undergraduate degrees in physical education from UMPI and a Master's Degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education from the University of Maine. His coaching philosophy is one in which academics are the overall priority with attention to the individual athlete being the focus. His comprehensive training program requires the balancing of running, racing, nutrition, psychology, rest, and recovery with the goal being the improvement of individual running economy, a major emphasis in his graduate work.
Related Bios Chris Smith Chris Smith
Janelle Humphrey
Title: Assistant Coach - Men's and Women's Cross Country
Janelle Humphrey enters her second year as assistant coach for the UMPI Owl’s cross country running teams.
From 2005-2007, Humphrey competed for the Caribou High School cross country and track and field teams. While competing, she placed third in her first cross-country race at the Ellsworth Invitational. Her time of17:23 (2.75 miles), helped her team finish 1st overall. At the Fort Kent Invitational in 2005, Humphrey tied for 1st place, finishing alongside her teammate and a time of 17.02 (2.5 miles). Humphrey finished first in the 2005 Presque Isle Invitational 5k, with a time of 20:39. She set the course record for the Caribou High School Alumni/Community X-C Run, with a time of 17:30 (2.75 mile course). She competed in the 2005 Festival of Champions with a time of 20:40, earning a 19th place finish. Humphrey finished 11th in the 2005 Penobscot Valley Conference Championship meet, with a 5k time of 21:31.
During her career, Humphrey set personal best performances of 12:10.70 in 3200 meter run (Orono, Maine; Outdoor Track and Field; 2005), 19:49 in the 5k run (Caribou, Maine; S.W. Collins Road Race; 2005). Humphrey received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 2012.
As an alumna, she is completely dedicated to the success of the student-athletes and the cross-country teams. Humphrey states, "I am humbled to be part of this programs future and I'm excited to work with the talented student-athletes, helping them reach their full potential.”
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Film Review: 'Mother!'
By Alice Preat
Image credit: Flickr/Jenifer Lawrence Films
Darren Aronofsky's divisive new psychological thriller explained.
Director Darren Aronofsky, most famous for 'Black Swan' and 'Requiem for a Dream', has succeeded in making a film that is twice as mind-boggling as both combined, written in five days, no less. 'Mother!', starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer, has received polar reviews from both the critics and the public. The film's promotional materials remain vague as far as plot goes, with the official storyline being: "A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence." The trailer showcases the movie as a mere home-invasion style thriller. Aronofsky and Lawrence have had contrasting views on the promotional strategy of the film, with Aronofsky intent on keeping the content a mystery, while Lawrence has insisted that it would do it great justice to provide the audience with some idea of its complex symbolism beforehand.
Capture d’écran 2017-09-25 à 15.33.19.png
Image Credit: YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Having received no such information before going to see the film, I can attest to the difficulty of grasping the film's precise meaning during the screening. At face value, 'Mother!' comes across as a home-invasion horror flick, gradually building up to the utter chaos of the second act (including a couple of "what the hell is going on" moments), commenting mainly on gender roles within relationships and fame. After walking out of the theater, the film felt like an unnecessarily horrifying film that ultimately deemed quite confusing, but following a few days of self-reflection and research, it became rather difficult not to consider it a complex masterpiece. To create a better viewing experience, I share a similar opinion to Jennifer Lawrence; a few things do require an explanation.
Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!
Darren Aronofsky and Jennifer Lawrence have mentioned in multiple interviews while promoting 'Mother!' that the most significant allegories of the film are environmental and biblical. For the duration of the film, the audience does not become acquainted with names of the characters. According to IMDB and the film's end credits, Javier Bardem plays 'Him' (i.e., God), Jennifer Lawrence plays Mother Earth, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer play Adam and Eve, and the Gleeson brothers play Cain and Abel. And the plot itself is set in the Garden of Eden. In a recent New York Times interview, Lawrence explains, "The film takes place on the biblical sixth day, and follows that timeline. You have the creation of people, you have the creation of religion itself, people reading the same writing and arguing over its meaning, false idols." Through strong biblical references to the Book of Genesis, Darren Aronofsky comments on climate change and the horrors we put the environment and our planet through on a daily basis. Interestingly, these were the two intended allegories of the film according to the director; however, viewers have taken on various other interpretations of the film's intentions, like for instance gender roles, false idols, fame, and feminism.
36307052942_116c7999d6_o.jpg
Aronofsky has expressed that as long as the film produces a reaction, whether good or bad - he's ultimately done his job. The film, which came out following the blockbuster 'IT', hasn't performed so well in the box-office. It has divided critics and received polarizing reviews, with some praising it and hailing it as a masterpiece and others referring to it as a "pretentious mess". Some even reacted with shock and horror at the strong biblical references featured in the film. After watching the film and understanding its complex meaning, I would without hesitation encourage people to see it. Prepared or not, this movie is worth exploring, as it has the power to make your head spin, while at the same time challenge you to consider the current state of affairs and our general treatment of the world.
Watch the trailer for the movie here:
mother! movie (2017) - official trailer - paramount pictures
Video of mother! movie (2017) - official trailer - paramount pictures
Written by Alice Preat
Born and raised in Paris, but having lived in the U.K and New York, Alice is a bilingual French-American hybrid. She studies journalism, psychology and politics at AUP in the hope of becoming a multimedia journalist and attempt to understand the mystery of being a human.
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June Paris Preview
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Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti (Review)
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Checklist > Countries > United Kingdom > Logan's Run (UK) >
LOGAN'S RUN #2 (UK) (Feb 1976) Marvel Comics
LOGAN'S RUN #2 (UK)
Cover Price: 10p
Publisher: marvel.com
LOGAN'S RUN #2 (Feb 1976) Marvel Comics
Cover scan from www.milehighcomics.com
Countries > United Kingdom > Logan's Run (UK) >
LOGAN'S RUN #2 (Feb 1976)
LOGAN'S RUN #2 (UK) (Feb 1976)
News: Logan's Run (UK)
Andrew R. Burford:
"In 1976/7, Marvel Comics adapted the movie in comic-book form, but went beyond the end of the movie. In time-honoured fashion, the comic book series ended with a plotline which was never resolved owing to its cancellation. The Marvel Comics run lasted for seven issues."
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The Benefits Of Using Videos In Language Learning
Films can be used as a tool to entice the students in learning language. You can make use of movies or videos in coming up of enjoyable games and activities that could increase language learning for the students. If you find it difficult to make ideas on how to do such, this article will show you various ways of how to make creative tasks for language points and skills.
Modals of probability and possibility
You can simply practice this language point using videos. One way is to decrease the total information that the students have. For example, by switching off the sound, turning the picture off, covering a part of the screen, or selecting a vague scene or still. Your students could then contemplate on what is going on and why. This can be turned into a game by the students, where they could use the modal verbs to create bets. For example, if they state, “It must be some sort of a time machine”, that is betting ten dollars, whereas, if they say, “It could probably be a way of creating monsters”, that would mean that they only bet three dollars.
The same things can be done with guessing what an ad is adverting or guessing who stated which dialogue. You can also determine what the referencing expressions in dialogue refer to.
Reference expressions
Provide the students with dialogue from the movie with expressions like “one”, “that”, and “hers”. This way, the meaning is not clear from the information you have given them and your students would have to guess what the words referred to. They would have to watch, and check.
Give your students worksheets with sentences about things that are countable and not countable. For example, “There is some cake”, rather than, “There are some cakes”. Another example would be, “There are some chickens”, rather than “There is some chicken”. If your students believe that at any time the sentences on the sheet are true about that portion of the film, they would shout it out. Give them one point if it is correct, or lose one point if the thing on the screen is different. You could also give your students pairs of the same sentences and get them to compete to call out the correct one first.
There is/ there are
Your students can create as many “There is/There are” sentences as then can, with regard to what is on the screen when the video is paused.
This is similar as above. However, you can allow your students to talk about anything that occurred in the film up to that point. For example, might be with “There have been… so far”, but “There are… in this film” is also possible.
Your students could predict how many kisses, slaps, deaths, or such were there in the film, and then watch and check. This could tie in well with your discussions of on screen violence or other significant topics.
Provide the students reported speech versions of what some of the characters would say with some of them modified, so that the students would not quite match what is said. For example, “He said that he loved her”, for “I love you”. Your students would have to listen carefully to the dialogue and mark each one with “Same” or “Different”. They could also try to determine which ones do not match before watching the film.
You can use a video with minimal dialogue. Watch it with subtitles and no sound. Set half of the students looking away from the screen and listen while their partner explains the dialogue in reported speech and mark the lines that match on their worksheet, which can be provided as direct or indirect speech and could include sentences that do not quite match to make it more challenging.
Present to the students a plot summary with inconsistencies in it. Get your students to use reported speech to discuss the corrections at the end. For example, “The text stated that he was not the murderer, but he actually was.”
Do similar to reviews with views in, asking the students to disagree with as many things as they can, might be for points.
The students could roleplay a dialogue from the video prior to seeing it and watch to check for differences. Use reported speech to describe variations between the two dialogues.
The students could watch a video in which the person talking is lying. For example, it could feature someone on a court case. Have the students say what they believe was inaccurate using reported speech, then watch the scene where the truth comes out, and check. (e.g. “He said that he had never met her before, but I think they were lovers”)
Infinitive of purpose
The students can guess why characters do the actions you have listed. Then, watch and check the film.
The students can guess what the characters would do in order to attain the things you have listed, then watch and check.
The students can match the actions to the purposes on the worksheet, then watch and check.
Students can make as many sentences as they can with infinitives of purpose while watching the video.
Select a number of objects in the film that the students would not know the name of, for example, a tow bar and fingerless gloves. Provide them descriptions of these objects written with relative clauses, and add may be a few that are similar, but incorrect or are of things that do not appear in the film. An example would be, “It is a white fabric object, which grandmothers would place on the arms of sofas to prevent them from wearing out” for “doily”. When the students see the object on the screen, they can read out the description or could just shout out the number of the sentence. You could also do the same by providing the students definitions and names, ask them to call out the names.
Other language points
The students are handed out cards with names of one or more functions; for examples, on “Request” and “Complaint”. Have them see a part of the film without the sound. They will then call out when they believe that a character in the film is saying something with that particular function, guessing from the situation, body language, and such. Prior to having the students watch the film again with the sound on, let them try to guess the exact words what are used.
The students would hold up a card or call out the name of the function that they believe will be true of the succeeding piece of dialogue, and then continue watching and check.
Colour vocabulary
The students are divided into pairs. Half of the students would face the screen and the other half would look away. The students facing away are provided with a worksheet that is a scene five or 10 minutes into the movie, but with no colors. While the students facing the screen watch the film, they would describe all the colors to their partner, who would then color them in with crayons or coloring pencils. The students should only color in the scene that is exactly on the worksheet. Other things such as characters can be colored in as they go along. When the student thinks that they have completed the entire sheet, they can call out “Finished”. They would receive 10 points if all of the colors are correct, but would get one point deduction for each wrong color.
Students can guess the colors of objects in the movie and then watch and check
Students can predict what objects of each color will be in the movie and then watch and check
Students are presented with a poster of the movie with no writing on it. They should add words or sentences to “market” the film to people to see their poster.
Students can utilize as many adjectives as they can to describe the scene in film while on pause.
Students can predict the behavior of the characters from their photos and/or descriptions, then watch and check.
It is the same as above, but you ask the students to write down an action or piece of dialogue that shows each personality word.
The same as the previous, but with emotions.
The students guess what the characters will do or say from descriptions of their behaviors and a description of the episode, and then watch and check.
Place up a number on the board and play the movie until such is on the screen, and hit pause. The first student to state the right sentence with that number would receive a point. This could also be performed through writing or by choosing words from cut up pieces of paper to create a sentence.
Pause the movie and give one point for each correct sentence with a number greater than one.
Give the students descriptions of what people do in the film or dialogue from the movie. This could include phrasal verbs but has either preposition or the verb taken away. The student could then guess the missing words and then watch to check.
Provide students with sentences that describe what would happen in the movie or pieces of dialogue that include phrasal verbs, separated so that the verb and preposition are divided from each other. Ask the students to match the two halves, then watch and check.
Present a list of vocabulary, including words and expressions that are and are not in the film. The students would then have to call out or cross off any that they hear. This is a good way to practice skills in skimming and scanning.
The same above, but with sentences
Provide an inaccurate description of the film. Ask the students to correct it as they watch the movie.
Do the same, but with inaccurate descriptions of the characters.
Present the students with one or two reviews and ask them to find many things that they can to disagree with as they are watching the movie.
Give the students a number of reviews and ask them to find the one that they most agree with as they are watching the film.
Give the students a number of different videos with the more evident clues taken away. They would then compete to work out which review is for the video you are watching. This works best with various episodes of the same series or sequels.
Listening and pronunciation
Obtain a bootleg copy of a film or TV program with dodgy English subtitles. Ask the students to watch and listen when the subtitles do not match with the dialogue. The same could be possible with correct English subtitles when all of the words would not fit on the screen, but it is more frequent and entertaining with pirated versions. You could then set up your own version by writing the subtitles yourself. You can use modern software if you find it time consuming.
Provide students with a list of words that appear in the movie with their homophones, for example, hair and hare. The students must then listen out the words and work out from the situation, which of the two words is being said.
This is the same as above but with minimal pairs. For example, ask the students to listen out for “of/off” and working out which one it is from context and pronunciation.
Ask the students to predict which word a character is saying from the shape of their mouth with the sound turned off. Watch again with the sound on and check.
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Giah's Museum
Jingle Punks hires Roney Giah
E-musical business based in New York, Jingle Punks announced the signing of singer, songwriter and guitarist Brazilian Roney Giah. Directed by Jared Gutstadt and Daniel Demole, the Jingle Punks is a database specialist emprover music tracks for film, TV and web series. The company was identified by Business Week as one of the most promising new businesses in the United States.
Mumbai, October 22, 2009-The innovative musicality of Brazilian Giah Roney joins the portfolio of Jingle Punks, music e-business that acts as a database of independent music. Headquartered in New York, Jingle Punks, directed by Jared Gutstadt and Daniel Demole, was elected by the American magazine Business Week in 2009 as one of the most promising new businesses in the United States. With the partnership, the work of composer, singer and guitarist Brazilian will be available for composing film scores, TV and web series. Among the customers of Jingle Punks are networks NBC, CBS, Viacom, Comedy Central, Vh1, MTV, Bravo, TLC, Starz and History Channel and A & E. In addition to serving the entertainment industry, the company has contracts with advertising agencies and branding.
According Giah Roney, the partnership with Jingle Punks has joined the other projects that the artist develops outside. "New technologies have allowed me to invest in international career without abandoning projects in Brazil. The Jingle Punks is a further step in this direction, "says the musician.
2014 - Roney Giah
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Blog Posts 16th February 2019
A Week in Royal History: fashion, lost secrets and a right royal romance
Death of Lee Radziwill, the princess who came to the new Camelot
The hunt is on for the powerbase of a Tudor legend
Picture credit: By Thomas Sully, Public Domain, Wiki Commons
Royalty is never far from the news and Britain’s rich regal history can offer up tales to thrill on even the wettest Wednesday in February. The past seven days have seen a slew of stories all about the past so here’s a round up of the week just gone in royal history.
The Princess Royal came face to face with part of her own history when she visited York. Anne stopped off at the National Railway Museum where she was given a tour of its royal train carriages including one used by the Queen in the early part of her reign and which the princess herself has travelled in. The star of this railway show, though, was a carriage used by Queen Victoria built 150 years ago. Anne unveiled a plaque celebrating the recent restoration work on the carriage which was used by her great, great, great grandmother to travel to Balmoral.
Today we welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to celebrate the conservation of Queen Victoria's carriage.
We are immensely proud of the work our conservation team have done and grateful to those who helped fund it. pic.twitter.com/PxbKHgySm1
— National Railway Museum (@railwaymuseum) February 15, 2019
Maybe it’s the warm weather softening up the earth, but the desire to dig for the past has been prevalent in the past seven days. A project is underway in Northamptonshire to find the remains of a palace belonging to Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII and one of the most important power players of the Middle Ages. Geophysical surveys are taking place at Collyweston for the ruins of her home in the village. Experts hope to find enough evidence to start digging later this year.
And Margaret’s grandson is also keeping archaeologists busy this week. Henry VIII ordered a blockhouse to be built in Hull in the 1540s as part of the area’s defences and now work is under way to find out more about it. A dig begins this month to uncover the foundations of the blockhouse, one of Henry’s final military manoeuvres as his reign wound to an end.
His daughter and eventual successor, Elizabeth I, also featured in the news this week. Her coronation gloves will be part of a new exhibition at Bath’s Fashion Museum which was announced this week. They will star alongside gloves worn by the Queen when she was crowned in 1953. Also on show will be a pair of gloves used by the Duke of Edinburgh for carriage driving. The display starts on March 2nd 2019 although the coronation gloves don’t go on show untill July.
There were more awards this week for British film The Favourite, telling the story of rivalries at the court of Queen Anne. Olivia Colman who plays the last Stuart monarch was named Best Actress at the BAFTAs while Rachel Weisz took home Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough in the film. Overall, the movie won seven awards at the ceremony in London which was attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
This is true love. Happy #ValentinesDay. #TheSpanishPrincess pic.twitter.com/Ru3sClnyFD
— The Spanish Princess (@SpanishPrincess) February 14, 2019
The story of another queen is about to be brought to life on the small screen and the trailers for The Spanish Princess are now winging their way around social media. The Starz series is about the early life of Catherine of Aragon and the simmering relationship she had with the man who would become Henry VIII while they were still both teenagers. This spotlight on the royal romance between Catherine and Henry starts this spring. Meaning there will be plenty more royal history to hit the news in the weeks and months to come.
Related ItemsElizabeth IQueen Annequeen victoriaThe FavouriteWeek in Royal History
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One if by land...
Three if by air?
When I arrived at Harvard in January, I was convinced that the Bush Doctrine was a dead letter. Iraq has been a disaster for US foreign policy in so many ways and it is hard to imagine that even the Bush administration wants to replicate the experience any time soon.
The war is economically costly, a large portion of the army is bogged down, domestic political forces would preclude a repeat, etc.
However, after talking with a fair number of security experts these past months, I'm beginning to rethink my views.
Namely, a significant number of security analysts think that the US might well employ a relatively simple airstrike against Iran's nuclear facilities sometime in the next year.
That's not to say that these experts think this is a good idea -- or that it would be effective. However, the US continues to demonize Iran, even when it seems like European allies have cut a decent deal -- and Iran is now being considered for admission to the WTO. Perhaps even more important than the administration's motives, it could well be that Iran's nuclear facilities would be relatively easy to target. This would almost certainly be the case for its known nuclear facilities.
If the US does attack Iran, there are many possible nasty responses. Just to name two, Iran could make life even more difficult for US troops in Iraq, or it could sponsor acts of terror against Americans.
Cynics note that, at minimum, we can expect the Bush administration to trumpet this issue for the next year -- building up to a Security Council debate.
And, of course, the 2006 midterm elections.
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Saturday, May 28, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Bolton on Global Demcracy
My book with Nayef Samhat (advertized on the sidebar) argues that the increasing participation of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in world politics promotes global democracy. Empirically, we examine NGO and global civil society efforts within the World Bank, WTO, Global Environment Facility, etc.
Not everyone agrees with our position.
For example, consider this from John R. Bolton, then Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. It is his "Statement to the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects," July 9, 2001:
We do not support the promotion of international advocacy activity by international or non-governmental organizations, particularly when those political or policy views advocated are not consistent with the views of all member states. What individual governments do in this regard is for them to decide, but we do not regard the international governmental support of particular political viewpoints to be consistent with democratic principles.
Truly amazing guy, eh?
After clearing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee without a positive recommendation, the vote on Bolton's nomination as UN Ambassador in the full Senate is upcoming soon. Senator Voinovich of Ohio continues to oppose the nomination, and wrote a letter to his colleagues making that point.
Time is short.
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Thursday, May 26, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: John Bolton
National security and defense debates never seem to die -- but they sometimes become more colorful.
More than twenty years ago, I wrote my undergraduate thesis on "Managing the Perils of Nuclear Proliferation." I'd like to say it was ahead of its time, but Lewis Dunn had just published Controlling the Bomb (Yale, 1982). My library research was thorough, but ultimately derivative. Hell, in 1980-81, Dartmouth's top debate team (actually, they were ranked as the best team in the country) advocated that the US pass along PALs and other technological protections to potential new proliferants. The biggest risks could be mitigated by making the new proliferant forces invulnerable to rival first strike and safe from unauthorized use and theft. By the end of that year, my sophomore season, my colleague and I occasionally argued that case too.**
A few years later, spurred by Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" address, I set about studying the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Because there wasn't too much new to say about missile defenses -- after all, "anti-ballistic missiles" (ABM) were thoroughly debated in the 1960s by defense intellectuals -- I decided to focus on the recurrence of the debate itself, and the arguments employed by the various advocates. Hence, my dissertation concerned "Communication Strategy and 'Strategic' Weapons: Case Studies of ABM Decisions." I also explored some of the Reagan administration's threat inflation concerning SDI.
Last week, the New York Times (I read the same story in the International Herald Tribune), reported that the Air Force is now recommending variants of missile defense that focus directly on the proliferation problem. This is not a new idea either. Robert McNamara's 1967 ABM proposal was designed to mitigate threats from China's new atomic threat.
The air force believes "we must establish and maintain space superiority," General Lance Lord, who leads the U.S. Air Force Space Command, told Congress recently. "Simply put, it's the American way of fighting."
...A new air force strategy, called Global Strike, calls for a military space plane carrying precision-guided weapons armed with a half-ton of munitions. Lord told Congress last month that Global Strike would be "an incredible capability" to destroy command centers or missile bases "anywhere in the world."
Pentagon documents say the weapon could strike from halfway around the world in 45 minutes. "This is the type of prompt Global Strike I have identified as a top priority for our space and missile force," Lord said.
Opponents have rallied quickly. Just as foes of Reagan's plans used the phrase "Star Wars" to frame opposition to SDI, current skeptics have again borrowed from the imagination of George Lucas. This time, the weaponry of Lord Darth Vader comes more directly to mind:
Another space program, nicknamed Rods From God, aims to hurl cylinders of tungsten, titanium or uranium from the edge of space to destroy targets on the ground, striking at speeds of about 7,200 miles an hour, or 11,500 kilometers an hour, with the force of a small nuclear weapon...No nation will "accept the U.S. developing something they see as the death star," Teresa Hitchens of the Center for Defense Information, a policy-analysis group in Washington, said at a meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations. "I don't think the United States would find it very comforting if China were to develop a death star, a 24/7 on-orbit weapon that could strike at targets on the ground anywhere in 90 minutes."
Academically, I may have to return to this colorful new debate. After all, as other bloggers have noted, the neoconservative right openly admires Vader's empire. And Bush has selected a General named Lord to oversee a program dubbed Rods from God? Incredible.
** My ultimate career choices were strongly influenced by that 1980-1981 debate season. In response to teams that wanted to ratify the SALT accords, I developed an argument called "The Russian Revolution" that claimed the Soviet Union and its empire was going to collapse under the weight of the arms race. Most of the key pieces of evidence came somewhat dubiously from a Taiwanese magazine and more reasonably from the book, Will the Soviet Union Survive Until 1984? Remember, Poland was cracking at the seams that year.
By the end of the 1981 season, my colleague and I were arguing that the 1980 death of Marshall Tito meant that civil war in Yugoslavia was inevitable. The US needed to act then to prevent that violence. This was all based on secondary research in scholarly journals and books. Retired NATO General John Hackett had published The Third World War, which also considered the implosion of Yugoslavia.
Kids, do you understand why I think debate was so valuable?
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Wednesday, May 25, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: missile defense, Robert McNamara
I'm going to be fairly busy this next week, preparing to move back to Louisville now that the sabbatical is all but over.
Through the week, I'll try to post some notes I made while in France.
For example, here's something odd that caught my eye: It seemed like every Renault we saw in Paris and Normandy had a rear window sticker with the letters "elf" prominently displayed. The sticker references a European petroleum company:
It's image thus makes a perfectly natural sticker on a car. It's like an American car with an STP bumper sticker.
In the US, of course, ELF is the Earth Liberation Front. The FBI considers ELF to be an environmental terrorist organization -- the largest and most active domestic terror organization!
So...imagine a bunch of cars with rear window stickers promoting a prominent green terrorist group.
That's the image that kept coming to my mind. Quite a contrast with those yellow ribbons on SUVs, eh?
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Tuesday, May 24, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
I'm back, but haven't had much media exposure since May 12.
This is my first day on the internet since that date.
In France, I tried to read the International Herald Tribune as often as possible, but it wasn't always available in small towns in Normandy. And of course, there's no Sunday edition. Note to Marc Lynch: the May 19 edition had an advertising insert called Jordan "modern and vibrant liberal state."
We were able to pick up BBC radio, but I didn't listen that often. BBC did keep me posted on the latest concerns of the White House. Compare these statements by the Bush's Press Secretary.
First, May 17
MR. McCLELLAN: Look, this report caused serious damage to the image of the United States abroad. And Newsweek has said that they got it wrong. I think Newsweek recognizes the responsibility they have. We appreciate the step that they took by retracting the story. Now we would encourage them to move forward and do all that they can to help repair the damage that has been done by this report. And that's all I'm saying.
Next, May 18
Q Scott, the President of Uzbekistan has now admitted that his government killed upwards of 170 of its citizens, some anti-government protestors, some escaped prisoners, apparently. Opposition groups say the figure could have been far, far higher. What's the President's view of this situation?
MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, we spoke about it just the other day. The State Department addressed this very matter and expressed our concerns about it. Obviously, we have continued to urge restraint by all and for all to work for calm in Uzbekistan. We were deeply disturbed by the reports that authorities had fired on demonstrators last Friday, and we expressed our condemnation about the indiscriminate use of force against unarmed civilians. And we certainly deeply regret any loss of life.
Which act made the White House angrier, I wonder?
Since all the TV was in French, and I don't speak the language, that medium wasn't much use to me. However, I did watch the nightly ads by various French political parties weighing in on the forthcoming referendum vote on the European constitution. With Spain's acceptance last week, nine nations have now joined. France is up in the air, but I know how I'd vote. After all, the Greens urged "Oui" and Le Pen "Non."
Finally, just to obtain a bit more baseball news, I twice purchased a USA Today (available only in larger cities, like Paris and Rouen). It really wasn't worth 2 Euro (about $2.55; same as the IHT).
Oh, I did watch the second half of the finals of the UEFA cup. The Lisbon team held a 1-0 lead at the half, but Moscow scored at about 56:45 on a nice bounce kick. About 10 minutes later, the Russian team scored again (by Zhirkov) on a nice breakaway play. Then, nearly 10 minutes later, the Portugese team missed a point-blank shot and Russia immediately pushed the silver ball up the field and scored the final goal: 3-1. I kept the volume down as commentary wasn't necessary to enjoy the match.
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Monday, May 23, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Managing Terror (not terrorism)
Paul Parker, guest blogging for Rodger.
Two weeks Timothy Noah posted the provocatively titled “Conservativism as Pathology: Are Bush supporters literally insane?" on Slate. The starting point is puzzle in Thomas Frank’s “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” – how to explain the working class support of the Republicans, given the two parties’ economic policies.
An obvious response to Frank is “not much:” The New Deal Coalition was centered around economics, but it was torn asunder largely due to social issues surrounding race, prayer, and abortion. Add in guns and gays, and 25 years later we are talking about “values voters” to explain the 2004 election. A liberal may think it false consciousness for (some) people to vote (certain) (intolerant) values over economics. But that objection sets up liberals for the very charge that Republicans use so successfully: liberals are out of touch with the concerns of the common person.
After raising a serious, if flawed, question, Noah unfortunately, demonstrates the lack of deep thinking and serious attention we associate with the "chatterbox" giving his column its name. After briefly considering two psychological approaches that have implications for this topic, he concludes, “The further you get into this line of thinking, I’m afraid, the more ridiculous it starts to sound.”
That might especially be true as you approach 800 words. Call it a day, your column is knocked out. But let's go a little deeper.
The two views that Chatterbox considered are Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition (pdf), and Terror Management Theory. The first he subtly dismisses, first by noting one coauthor has done work on birthorder, and then more directly through a silly armchair analysis of George Bush 41 and 43’s ‘famous 1972 mano-a-mano confrontation’ – despite noting that “the authors don’t cite this incident.” For good reason: social scientists are interested in patterns and probabilities, rather than explaining every action in every individual’s life.
His treatment of terror management theory is even worse. Once again, Noah starts out accurately, but soon deteriorates into dismissivness:
"terror management theory," ... as best I can make out, posits that an inordinate fear of death "engenders a defense of one's cultural worldview" and therefore a resistance to outsiders and new ideas. Conservatives are also said to "score lower on measures of extraversion" and "general sensation seeking," which I think is a polite way of saying that they don't get enough sex.
I like reading about sex, and so I am disappointed that I have never run across any discussion of sex in all my readings of, and about, terror management theory. It could be I am thick, and these researchers are coy, but it could also be that Noah has no real idea of what he is talking about.
Could one form of sensation- seeking be driving too fast? A USA Today cover story a couple weeks ago indicated soldiers home from Iraq – where their mortality salience would be heightened – are getting into car crashes at rates higher than one would expect. This fits squarely with terror management theory. Not so sexy, though.
More generally, Noah and others might want to read the book In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror. The authors nicely review many of the scores of cross-national experimental studies in which persons for whom mortality is made salient demonstrate attitudes and behavior that support terror management theory. This theory has been subjected to numerous imaginative and potentially disconfirming studies. In the laboratory, it holds up. And yes, this is the theory that underpinned the study much discussed last year that when reminded of death (the mortality salience condition) people increased their support for George Bush over John Kerry.
Is this evidence of pathology, as framed by Noah’s question? Not according to the authors of In the Wake of 9/11: its an adaptive response to a terrifying reality. And one of the ways we deal with that terror is to reinforce our cultural norms; an obvious way to do that is to punish transgressors. And this makes all the more puzzling Noah’s dismissive attitude toward the Political Conservatism study mentioned above:
The authors ... do say that intolerance of ambiguity may "provide a psychological context" for Dubya's declaration, at an international conference of world leaders, "I know what I believe and I believe what I believe is right."
And terror management theory would suggest that such certainty is comforting. How was it that the Bush campaign branded Kerry? This article on the American Psychological Association website will tell you more about TMT, and about a study derived from this theory, regarding the 2004 election.
Posted by pauleparker at Monday, May 23, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Paul Parker, guesting for Rodger
Piggybacking on Avery's Thursday post regarding Bike to Work Week, I highly recommend Elizabeth Kohlbert's recent three part New Yorker series. They are online, The Climate of Man I and The Climate of Man II, and The Climate of Man III.
Reading them, I was reminded of the state of tobacco-is-bad-for-you research a generation ago. As we all know, the industry funded its own studies and attempted to discredit studies linking their product to health woes. Sowing doubt allowed "reasonable people" to avoid having to think, or act, on the problem. I remember trying out the "mixed evidence" argument once, on a fellow graduate student named Rodger. While I never saw Rodger debate, I hear he was accomplished (scroll to 1983); his response to me was simple and devastating: "Nobody believes that except the tobacco companies."
Just as the tide turned quickly on tobacco (in my mind, it snowballed shortly after Presidential Candidate Dole's statement in 1996 that he was not even sure that people can be addicted to tobacco), we might turn quickly on global climate change. Indeed, Kohlbert relates one scientist's analogy to other times of great social change, such as the New Deal in response to the Depression: within a few years, the social and political order changed radically. Might we once again muster political will to radically remake society? (the third installment most directly talks of scientific and political challenges)
In this regard, progress is not linear, but occurs when we reach a tipping point, not unlike a boat that rocks back and forth and back until the present equilibrium is broken and the boat tips over. Unfortunately, Kohlert reports this last analogy as being used by another scientist in thinking about how sudden and dramatic global climate change might be. From the first installment:
... the climate record shows that it would be a mistake to assume that change, when it comes, will come slowly. Perovich offered a comparison that he had heard from a glaciologist friend. The friend likened the climate system to a rowboat: “You can tip and then you’ll just go back. You can tip it and just go back. And then you tip it and you get to the other stable state, which is upside down.”.
Of course, we do not know how fast the climate will change, and for whom the changes will matter the most, at least in the short run (although the Dutch, some of whom inhabit land below sea level, are on it now). But despite the many viewpoints represented in the series, and the many unanswered questions, what struck me was the scientific consensus that the boat is really rocking.
Posted by pauleparker at Friday, May 20, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Bike to Work Week
Avery in for Rodger again.
It's Bike-to-work Week.
The average Louisvillian spent 42 hours stuck in traffic in 2003, which means that even as Americans are the most overworked people in the industrialized world, we add a week per year to that miserable work life just sitting in traffic. Meanwhile, Congress has just passed a gargantuan and retrograde highway bill, and the media can't be bothered to say anything about it except that it's larger than the president wanted. James Inhofe, the Senior Oklahoma senator most infamous for arguing on the Senate floor that global warming is a hoax, is the chair of the relevant committee and a strong supporter of the bill.
Meanwhile, Louisville's Member of Congress, Anne Northup, wants to build more, and wider, highways, as well as two unaffordable bridges over the Ohio River, so as to extend the number of lost hours from 40 to 50 or beyond.
Yes, the fact is, when it comes to roads, the "Field of Dreams" rule applies: "If you build it, they will come." More roads = more time stuck in traffic.
The automobile is what Ivan Illich called a radical monopoly. As a social institution, as a tool, the automobile is a disaster. It has worsened the problems it was designed to solve, and disabled us from finding alternative solutions to those problems.
Bike-to-work week is a small, individual way to rehabilitate oneself, to limit the radical monopoly's power over one's life, and to stop wasting time and money stuck in traffic. Ultimately, the problem is obviously structural and goes way beyond individual choice. But if we want to preserve human life in anything like the form we now know it, we'll have to declare independence from mega-industry and help to cause some healthy micro-macro-micro feedback loops. So in the spirit of bike to work week, here are some resources.
1. Find your local bicycle club. Here's the Louisville Bicycle Club.
2. Find out what your city is doing to encourage non-fossil-fuel based transit, and get on their backs to do more. Here's Louisville's rather pathetic first attempt.
3. Help build a "Locally Integrated Food Economy" to cut down on the number of miles your food has to travel to get to your plate, and reverse the corporatization/consolidation of agriculture.
4. The Earth has 1.7 biologically productive hectares per person. That's your ecological benchmark. Find out how you're doing relative to the benchmark, and do something about it. Remember that it's not just survival, but eco-justice, at stake.
5. Not convinced? What if I told you that there's probably a 40% chance that we are going to experience civilization-altering, catastrophic climate change, and even possibly what's known as "runaway" climate change. How high does that probability have to be before precautions are in order?
Which brings me back to Anne Northup, the 3rd District Member of Congress. How far in the sand is her head? She doesn't even have an entry for environmental problems on her issues page. One would think she represented the cleanest city in the country. But alas, she represents the dirtiest city in the Southeast. Check out the American Lung Association's "State of the Air 2005" report.
N.B. full disclosure: I don't bike to work, I walk to work. Same principle.
Posted by Avery at Thursday, May 19, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Anne Northup
Notes on Iraq, and on America
Update: some fixes due to earlier errors & lost content
1. Salvadoran Option?
Last January the media briefly sputtered to life with reports about a Salvadoran Option in Iraq. The idea, as gingerly reported by the toadyish Newsweek, was as follows:
Then, faced with a losing war against Salvadoran rebels, the U.S. government funded or supported "nationalist" forces that allegedly included so-called death squads directed to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers.
Now we are confronted with the horrific death toll that has officially reached over 500 since the new Iraqi government was announced on May 6. Scores of these have been exhumed bodies that, all along, we’ve been told were Iraqi national guard and security forces, and suspected sympathizers, massacred by insurgents.
But why are we not connecting these two specific dots? There have been stories about factions within the Iraqi security forces, and according to NPR (Note: audio file), the wife of a survivor the other day said that her husband had been taken away by security forces. Obviously, insurgents might be dressing up as members of security forces; but maybe this is the Salvadoran option? Do we have any reason to have confidence in either the media's competence to pursue this story, or the intentions of either the Iraqi government or the US occupation? (Yes, that's a rhetorical question.) Remember, according to the Newsweek article, “many U.S. conservatives consider the policy to have been a success—despite the deaths of innocent civilians and the subsequent Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal." John Negroponte, who was ambassador to Honduras at the time, was the ambassador to Iraq until he was named the national intelligence director. (Another argument for the International Criminal Court.)
2. Unquestionably Worse Off?
Last week the UN Development Program released an Iraqi living conditions survey.
According to the official press release, the survey found:
grave deterioration in living standards in the country over the past 25 years, with Iraq now suffering from some of the region’s highest rates of joblessness and child malnutrition and continuing severe deficiencies in sewage systems, electric power supplies and other essential public services.
Unemployment among young men with secondary or higher education stands at 37 percent
• Even though most Iraqis are now connected to water, electricity or sewage networks, supplies remain unstable and unreliable
• Almost a quarter of children between the ages of six months and five years suffer from malnutrition
• More young people today are illiterate than in previous generations
• Just 83 percent of boys and 79 percent of girls of school age are enrolled in primary school.
The survey compares today to 1980, the eve of the horrific Iran-Iraq war (in which the US and Canada, among others, sold arms to both sides). But I don’t think the data permit inferences about any specific trajectory between then and now; that is, one would not expect to find a straight downward line from 1980 to 2005 in terms of employment, nutrition, etc. So the survey does not answer whether Iraqis are worse off now than on March 15 of 2003, the day before Bush sent in the bombers. What it does show, however, is that the period since May 1, 2003—the day that Bush-leaguers declared victory—has failed utterly to deliver the benefits that the self-proclaimed humanitarians who supported this war now hold up as their justification.
In general, Americans do not really know what it would be like to live under a dictator. This is both good and bad. It’s good for obvious reasons. It’s bad, first of all, because we have no reference point against which to compare the carnage, terror, military occupation, lack of basic services, sectarian violence, and general uncertainty of life in Iraq today. So when rightwing blowhards proclaim (and centrist hem-and-hawers “admit”) that Iraq, or the world, is unquestionably better off today than under Saddam, Americans in general simply lack any way to know if this is true. How do you compare living under dictatorship to living under a reign of terror and foreign military occupation? Hard to say. Somehow, objective criteria seem not to be quite up to the job.
The second reason that our lack of any sense of what it would be like to live under dictatorship is bad is that we also have no way to understand the degree to which our own public and political lives have deteriorated in the direction of dictatorship. At some point, when the secret search-warrants and library record-searches and no-fly lists and torture chambers and shadow detentions and court-packing and lack of habeas corpus and militarization of daily life and elections without paper trails get bad enough, we can no longer confidently say that this is a free country, because we have no basis for confidence that we would know if it weren't.
Posted by Avery at Wednesday, May 18, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Neutering the Press
Paul Parker, guest blogging while Rodger is in France on his FreedomTrip
Newsweek has taken a lot of heat the past few days, since first backing away from, and now retracting, a 10 sentence story published last week, in which an anonymous source claimed to have seen a specific report confirming that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Koran.
Reporters err. And those errors can have bad consequences. That should be familiar to anyone who followed Judith Miler's reporting that relied on "Curveball": one of the nation's most highly regarded newspapers got played, and her stories about WMD led many people to not question the administration in its buildup to the Iraq War. The Times' own mea culpa was damning, if gentle; the NYRB's ran an excellent piece by Michael Massing, Now they Tell Us (subscription).
And Dan Rather's desire to be first cost him with the National Guard story.
According to Newsweek, their errors were not due to a lack of caution: the story of the desecration of the Koran (which had been reported by others, unsourced), was run by a couple of Pentagon folks, who did not object. And the administration did not object, either, until more than a week later.
A year after the first public revelations of abuses at Abu Graib, the news in Afghanistan and Iraq has not been good for the administration. If the press is discredited, the administration can ignore the results of its [ illegal war / horrible miscalculation / lack of planning ] and push forward in remaking America's tax and social welfare system.
And the press seems complicit in their willingness to not be take too seriously: consider the ABC Note discussion, last week (with hat tip to David Sirota) of how Americans and the American press wish to ignore Iraq:
"Brides gotta run, planes gotta stray, and cable news networks gotta find a way to fill a lot of programming hours as cheaply as possible...We say with all the genuine apolitical and non-partisan human concern that we can muster that the death and carnage in Iraq is truly staggering. And/but we are sort of resigned to the Notion that it simply isn't going to break through to American news organizations, or, for the most part, Americans...What is hands down the biggest story every day in the world will get almost no coverage."
So Newsweek attempts to publish a vetted story, and professionally, quickly retracts the story when it is called into question. The White House wants more (?).
Does the White House care about good journalism? Innocents in Middle Eastern and Asian Countries? Or a cowed press that it can intimidate? Influenced by Ken Auletta's reporting about "Fortress Bush" in the New Yorker a year ago, my money is on "C."
And on the claims that riots in Afghanistan were caused by Newsweeks' reporting, consider the posts by Kevin Drum and Kevin Drum; short answer: student protests over the reports were hijacked by organized groups seeking to make trouble.
Posted by pauleparker at Tuesday, May 17, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
On the AUT boycott
Avery guest blogging for Rodger
Recently, the British Association of University Teachers (AUT) voted to boycott two Israeli institutions, namely, Haifa University and Bar Ilan University. The statement from the AUT executive is here
A number of people whose judgment I respect have joined a petition opposing the boycott. The petition formally endorses the AAUP's condemnation of the boycott, asking other scholarly organizations to join in that condemnation. Chris Bertram at Crooked Timber has posted informative briefs against the boycott, although J. David Velleman's at Left2Right seems to me to blur important distinctions.
All this by way of introduction for some thoughts on this boycott.
First, the boycott is targeted specifically at two universities, not at Israeli universities generally. It targets them for their associations with colleges on Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Velleman, for one, mistakenly blurs this distinction. Nonetheless, it does bear mention that a college in the West Bank could have either of three relevant characters: it could be a Jewish or Israeli college in a Jewish settlement; it could be a Palestinian college such as Bir Zeit; or it could be one of the colleges set up by religious/missionary organizations such as the LDS church, which has a branch of BYU in East Jerusalem. The first question, then, is why association only with the first kind of college is problematic. It could be because the very settlement in which the college exists is illegal even by Israeli law, in which case the AUT would be in the rather odd position of boycotting colleges for failing to uphold Israeli law. But if the very settlement is legal by Israeli law and illegal only in the sense and to the extent that all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal (and this is subject to much debate that I leave aside right now), then we may ask why the AUT has singled out only Israeli/Jewish colleges rather than also include institutions such as BYU-Jerusalem Center. The question is not whether Israeli institutions rather than, say, American or Chinese ones should be boycotted (more on that below); it's why associating only with one kind of West Bank college should be considered intolerable behavior.
A second question is how the AUT understands its decision. Here the executive statement is pretty revealing. The first paragraph refers specifically to two universities to be boycotted; the second paragraph tables a proposal to boycott a third university (my mother's alma mater, Hebrew University of Jerusalem); the third paragraph reads as follows:
Council delegates also agreed to circulate to all local associations a statement from Palestinian organisations calling for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions.
Now the question is, why would this third paragraph be relevant? The point is not that it would be wrong to boycott all Israeli universities (more below), but that it is striking to see the two distinct issues juxtaposed without any appearance that the AUT realizes that they are different issues. This gives cause to worry that the boycott as passed is a form of synecdoche, and hence, that the reason for the particular boycott was just a convenient thing to grab onto.
Let's distinguish 3 questions: 1. Are boycotts ever permissible; 2. Is it ever okay to boycott academics/intellectuals; and 3. Is this boycott in particular permissible.
1. It seems obvious to me that boycotts are permissible. I, for one, engage in them all the time. I participated in the boycott of Taco Bell when the Coalition of Immokalee Workers called for it; I participated in the boycott of the conference hotel at the 2005 Pacific APA.
2. But what about when boycotts target academics or intellectuals? A number of commentators have suggested that this is the real problem with the AUT boycott: the AAUP's statement in particular singles out the academic freedom issue.
This seems to me to be a red herring. A boycott or other activity may impede academic freedom, but that is not sufficient for wrongness. Boycotts of Apartheid South Africa, for instance, extended to artists and academics, and this seems to me to have been the right decision. First, academics are typically among the privileged in their society; it would be perverse and perhaps elitist to exempt the privileged from boycott, simply on grounds that what they produce is knowledge rather than widgets. Second, in the case of apartheid, any action that normalizes the state--including easy congress with members of its state-funded institutions of higher learning--is intolerable. To boycott Apartheid South Africa was to say that the ruling cadre there was not so much a government as a gang of thugs. So for these two reasons I think boycotts that extend to cover academics are not necessarily wrong. Third, academics are sometimes in a protected position to dissent from the intolerable behavior being boycotted. Putting pressure on them to do so is not obviously wrong.
Of course, this last point has been singled out by the AAUP, Velleman, and others because the AUT has apparently placed a political litmus test on exemption from the boycott. But this seems wrong to me. Consider the CIW boycott of Taco Bell. Imagine a single franchisee had declared support for the CIW and decided to get all his tomato products from local independent farms or from unionized farms. Would it be wrong to exempt this franchisee from the boycott? Surely not. If anything, the action of such a franchisee puts him at greater risk than an academic who merely opposes Israeli policy. The better exemption test would have been for academics who circulate petitions opposing association with the specific West Bank college in question. But Velleman and the AAUP are not criticizing the AUT's exemption on grounds that political opposition is insufficient!
For me, the kicker on this issue seems to be this: as with the third paragraph of the AUT statement mentioned above, Israeli policy generally is simply not the relevant issue. The boycott is not explicitly about that at all; it's about association with a particular college in the West Bank. Why would opposition to the Occupation be an exempting condition for that? An academic could oppose the Occupation and still engage in the putatively intolerable behavior, and thus be exempted from boycott by the AUT. So my objection to the exemption criterion is not that it's a political litmus test, but that first such a litmus test sets the bar too low, and second, such a litmus test is irrelevant to what the boycott is about. Here is a further reason to worry that the boycott is not really about what it claims to be about.
3. We've seen that boycotts in general are at least sometimes permissible, and that boycotts targeting academics are not always wrong. So let's consider this boycott in particular.
We need a further distinction: a) whether one should endorse the boycott as such, and b) whether the AUT somehow acted wrongfully in enacting the boycott. The questions differ in that one could disagree with or refuse to participate in the boycott but understand why it was imposed, and see the reasons for doing so.
On the narrowest reading, one could answer 3a by endorsing this boycott. One could agree that the Judea & Samaria College should be boycotted, and that other universities (Israeli or otherwise), insofar as and because they associate themselves with that College, should be sanctioned or boycotted. And on this narrowest reading, I think, the answer to 3b is clearly no: even if you support the Occupation and indeed are the president of Judea & Samaria College, you could still recognize that there's nothing wrongful about enacting the boycott. That is, you could recognize such a boycott as a reasonable response to a moral judgment with which you disagree.
In other words, there is an Ideal Boycott that, I think, it would be reasonable to endorse and unreasonable to condemn, even if you disagreed.
But the AUT boycott is not the Ideal Boycott. Broadening the reading a bit, one would still wonder what made that particular West Bank college intolerable, in contrast with, say, BYU Jerusalem Center. Further, one might wonder about the blurred lines between opposition to the Occupation in general, and opposition to this particular college, that seem to creep into the boycott statement as well as the exemption policy. And from this broader perspective, I think the answer to 3a is mixed: you might endorse the boycott with some reservations, because after all there does seem to be something worse about Judea and Samaria College than about BYU-Jerusalem Center, and you might regard the former as a particular affront to the peace process, etc. But even if you endorse the boycott from this perspective, I think the answer to 3b is that the AUT has indeed done something wrongful, and that is, not the boycott itself, but the reasoning. The AUT has needlessly conflated issues in a way that would foreseeably alienate a lot of people (including many AUT members) and make it difficult for sympathetic people to want to endorse the boycott. So in other words, it would be not unreasonable for members of the AUT to both participate in the boycott and condemn the AUT for botching it altogether.
Now let's take the broadest perspective. It might be thought that singling out Israel is a particular instance of badness, and that one should more quickly be condemning other universities that engage in intolerable activities, such as, say, MIT, which does a lot of military research, or Berkeley, which runs nuclear weapons labs. Or maybe more to the point, why not Arizona State University, which is on land stolen from Mexico. Or any Chinese university that has any programs in Tibet.
The answer to this is complex. It is not wrong to be selective in boycotts or punishment. If persons A, B, C, and D all commit act X, and I boycott only A, I have not obviously done something wrong. In the first place I might not have any relevant leverage over the others. Or I may not be able to get enough people to join the boycott against any but A. Or A may be a particularly big fish. For instance, the CIW boycotted Taco Bell because Taco Bell was the biggest single purchaser of Immokalee tomoatoes, and Yum!, the parent company, is the biggest fast-food conglomerate. So being selective is not itself a problem. The problem is, on what grounds is the selection accomplished. And here, I'm less confident. I suspect the reason for not boycotting MIT, Berkeley, and ASU is that they're US universities, and the US is very powerful.
There's a general problem here from the philosophy of punishment. Last I heard, only some 2% of murderers get sentenced to death in the US. Whether this is wrong depends on why the other 98% are exempt. If the reason for the exemption is that they have mitigating circumstances and the 2% have aggravating circumstances, then the selectivity is not wrong in itself. But what if the exemption is based on the fact that the other murderers have Mafia connections, and the DA wants to avoid starting a war with the mob. Then we have mob rule. And I fear (back to the AUT case now) that the reason that American universities are exempt from boycott is that the AUT wants to avoid antagonizing their powerful and rich American colleagues. In which case we have academic mob rule.
Now back to the questions. Again, depending on one's reasons, it would be conceivable, at this point, to (3a) endorse the boycott with the qualifications and hemming and hawing that are appropriate in light of the fact that (3b) the AUT has acted in a way that seems to me to be wrongful. In particular, I suspect that both the real reason for the boycott and the real reason for singling out those particular universities are unmentioned and unmentionable because disgraceful. This is particularly true in the case of academics, not because academics should never be subject to boycott, but because one of the worse things an academic can do qua academic is to justify decisions on the basis of false or deceitful reasons.
So to conclude:
I. It would be wrong to endorse the boycott without comment or qualification.
II. It would not necessarily be wrong to endorse the boycott, subject to qualifications, hemming, and hawing; this seems to depend on one's own politics and the extent to which one thinks the boycott is likely to put pressure on the Sharon government to prevent expanding or entrenching settlements, etc. My guess is, not much. But to each her own.
III. It would, conversely, not necessarily be wrong to oppose the boycott, but at the same time I think a number of the reasons given by Bertram, Velleman, and the AAUP seem to need unpacking or rethinking.
IV. Whether or not you endorse the boycott, it seems to me that the AUT has made an awful mess of it. Worst of all is the consistent blurring of lines between the specific institutions and the general policies/country as the object of rebuke; this seems to me to constitute a misrepresentation of the reasons for the boycott that may be either careless or deceitful. Either way, it smells.
Posted by Avery at Saturday, May 14, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Freedom trip
I'm off to France for the next 11 days and likely won't be blogging or reading while away. Avery and Paul may be guest blogging. Enjoy their work!
I'll be back May 23.
Crisis Failure
Today, the Belfer Center hosted Ambassador Morton Abramowitz, a former career foreign service officer. Need his bio? Abramowitz
retired in 1997 as President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and from the State Department in 1991. Ambassador Abramowitz also served recently as Acting President of the International Crisis Group - a multinational, non-governmental organization headquartered in Brussels and Washington, focusing on crisis prevention. Prior to joining the Carnegie Endowment in August 1991, he was Ambassador to Turkey. He has also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, United States Ambassador to the Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction Negotiations in Vienna, Ambassador to Thailand...
The Ambassador spoke off-the-record about the prospects for addressing non-strategic state failure. He actually said that his remarks could be on-the-record, but made one series of comments that he felt should stay in the room.
Abramowitz was one of the founding members of the International Crisis Group, a non-governmental organization financed by George Soros in the hopes of rallying international support to prevent and resolve violent conflict. Former Australian Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans, is President and CEO. Evans won the 1995 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, which I direct.
Today, Abramowitz was quite pessimistic about the ability of advocacy groups like ICG to convince states to intervene in humanitarian emergencies. This echoes what he wrote about Darfur with Samantha Power in the Washington Post last September:
Why has the world, with all its outpourings and Security Council deliberations, failed to tackle the Darfur problem? The main answer is straightforward enough: Major and minor powers alike are committed only to stopping killing that harms their national interests. Why take political, financial and potential military risks when there is no strategic or domestic cost to remaining on the sidelines?
...Darfur shows that dedicated advocacy can move democracies to denounce atrocities and provide generous humanitarian help. What the earnest advocacy rarely does is propel the powerful to stop the killing. For that to happen, righteous clamor must reach a high enough pitch that politicians in democratic states are persuaded to do a difficult thing: take domestic political risks in pursuit of polices that do not serve their immediate interests, that can be financially costly and that provide no clear-cut exit strategies.
He essentially repeated these lessons: "the delivery of humanitarian aid lets us off the hook." Worse,
"the existence of the U.N. Security Council hides the crux of the problem: Countries do not want to do what is necessary to prevent large-scale loss of life in messy, complex Africa. Crises such as Darfur require urgent action, and states are well aware that the Security Council cannot act urgently. It is not by accident that they throw the problem into the labyrinth of U.N. deliberations, which allows them to play the role of good international citizens, while the Security Council with its built-in vetoes from Russia and China and its built-in opposition from rotating members such as Pakistan and Algeria, prevents any serious action against sovereign nations."
Amb. Abramowitz was quite pessimistic, actually.
I don't know how his colleagues feel about this take, but the group does seem to have some job openings.
Labels: Africa
Sunday's Boston Globe included an interesting story in the Boston Works section, by Diane E. Lewis: "Skilled workforce key to Hub's expansion."
Lewis based her story largely on the work of economist Edward L. Glaeser, director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at the Kennedy School of Government. His April 2005 report, "Smart Growth: Education, Skilled Workers, and the Future of Cold-Weather Cities" found that climate was the largest factor determining the growth of a city's population. This is from the newspaper article:
"Cold weather areas such as Boston face steep obstacles to growth," says Glaeser. "Cities with average January temperatures under 30 degrees Fahrenheit grew in population only one-third as quickly from 1960 to 1990 as did cities with average January temperatures above 50 degrees."
The second biggest factor is education of the population, though Glaeser notes that the link might not be causal -- smarter people might chose to live in faster growing urban areas.
These factors explaining growth are important. Glaeser finds that the booming cities with well-educated populations have the fastest economic growth rates. Indeed, his research dovetails nicely with the work of the scholar Richard Florida, who found that an urban area's creativity is key to its prospects for productive growth. Lewis quotes Florida in her story:
"The nation's geographic center of gravity has shifted away from traditional industrial regions toward new axes of creativity and innovation," he writes. "The creative class is strongly oriented to large cities and regions that offer a variety of economic opportunities, a stimulating environment and amenities for every possible lifestyle."
While the Globe was most interested in Boston's rank (and it is a cold weather city), I'm interested in all the data.
So, what cities have the smartest population base? For urban areas with populations over 250,000, these are the top ten, ranked by percent of residents with at least bachelor's degrees:
1. 51.6% Seattle
2. 49.5% Raleigh, NC
3. 48.6% San Francisco
4. 44.2% Washington, DC
5. 42.5% Minneapolis
6. 42.2% Boston
7. 40.8% Denver
8. 40.2% Austin, TX
9. 39.7% St. Paul, MN
10 39.5% Lexington, KY
The data originate from the US Census Bureau.
The biggest surprise on the list, at least for me, was Lexington, KY. My home city, Louisville, was not among those listed. Obviously, Louisvillians should be jealous of Lexingtonians on this scale.
The differences among the top and bottom cities are certainly striking. Glaeser lists #15 as a tie between Portland, OR and San Diego: 36.8%. The list then skips to the bottom 16 (of 67): #52 is a tie between Anaheim, CA and Corpus Christi, TX: 21.5%. The other cities coming in at around 20% or lower include St. Louis, Memphis, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Miami, Cleveland, and Newark (only 11.4%).
Readers, plan your next move accordingly.
No, I'll ask the questions
Seymour "Sy" Hersh was interviewed in the April 2005 Progressive by David Barsamian. Did you see it?
Hersh is one of the best investigative reporters in the media, but this response to the interviewer's question reminded me a great deal of the parodies Darrell Hammond of "Saturday Night Live" does of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld:
Q: You don't have a very high opinion of Condoleezza Rice. What's the basis of your criticism?
...At a meeting in her office in the late summer of 2002, months before the war in Iraq, prisoner abuse at Guantánamo is discussed. Rice brings in Rumsfeld for a meeting, and they all agree they have to do something. Nothing gets done.
Do they see themselves as involved in it? No, they don't. Could they have done something? Of course. Did everybody understand we were going to be as tough as we could be with Al Qaeda and people we thought were Al Qaeda? Of course. Did people know that this was a stupid way to operate when you are trying to extract information from people who are willing to fly airplanes into buildings? If they are willing to die, can we torture them into giving information? No, nobody thinks about that. Is there a better way to get information, get their trust, establish rapport, try to change their views? Nobody wants to think about that. It's just, let's beat them up. And that attitude was widespread throughout the Administration.
Do they see themselves as being personally involved? Oh my God, no. What happened is just horrible to them and they can't believe it. They want an investigation. But of course they had millions of opportunities to stop it. It's the standard stuff, the way you go through life in Washington. People in power are always removed from the consequences.
Here's an example of Hammond as Rumsfeld asking and answering the questions.
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Sunday, May 08, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Who needs Batman?
NY Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly was at the Belfer Center today, talking at lunch (off-the-record) about the city's counter-terrorism efforts.
Kelly testified to the 9/11 Commission, and I'm not sure he told us much that he hasn't said publicly.
As he sees it, NYC is the #1 likely terrorist target in the US and it is his job to prevent that from happening. Clearly, he takes the threat and his responsibility very seriously.
Beginning in January 2002, we created a new Bureau of Counter Terrorism and we expanded our Intelligence Division. We dedicated over 1,000 police officers to counter-terrorism duties....
[Deputy Policy] Commissioner [for Counterterrorism Michael] Sheehan also oversees the Counter Terrorism Division and Regional Training Center, which were established as sub-units of the Counter Terrorism Bureau. Among the core responsibilities of these divisions are to train and equip all 36,000 uniformed members of the department for their counter terrorism duties...
We have assigned 250 officers full-time to the Counter Terrorism Bureau. Over 130 of them have been posted to the Joint Terrorism Task Force with the FBI, including one detective assigned to the FBI National JTTF in Washington D.C. That compares to just 17 officers assigned to the JTTF on September 11th of 2001. We have also posted a New York City detective to Washington to serve as our liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. NYPD detectives assigned to the JTTF have taken part in important, terrorist-related investigations in Jordan, Germany, Kuwait, and Bali...
We have posted New York City detectives to Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France; Tel Aviv, London, Toronto, Montreal and Singapore. We have also sent our detectives to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to Afghanistan to interrogate terrorist suspects there.
In addition to these transgovernmental efforts, the city has stepped up its foreign language testing and training, as well.
According to Kelly's testimony, these counter-terror efforts cost NYC $200 million annually. The city wants a greater share of the Homeland Security budget and hopes to get it (too much goes to smaller localities that are unlikely targets).
Incidentally, these stepped up counter-terrorism efforts and the increased spending has occurred in a context when the Department has lost thousands of police officers. During that time, however, crime rates and especially homicide rates are down dramatically. Manhattan has fewer murders now that at any time since the turn of the century -- and I mean 100 years ago! The city as a whole is at its lowest levels of murder in 40 years. NYC declares itself the country's safest city, and by some measures it is.
In the fictional Gotham City, Policy Commissioner Gordon contacts Batman when his force needs help to mitigate crime. It looks like Commissioner Kelly is doing just fine without a superhero.
Posted by Rodger A. Payne at Friday, May 06, 2005 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: homeland security
Another Bolton update.
Next week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is supposed to vote on John Bolton's nomination to serve as the Ambassador to the UN.
However, critical documents requested by Democratic Senators still have not been provided by the Bush administration. Members, for example, want to see documents about alleged threats from Cuba and Sudan so they can determine if Bolton was overstating the threat. Conceivably, Bolton could be held to account on this question.
This probably explains why the administration hasn't coughed up the info. To date, none of the hawks pushing the Iraq war have been held accountable for their behavior and none of the expert groups studying Iraq intelligence has looked at whether the administration overstated the data about the alleged threats.
Incidentally, if anyone in authority is reading, why not also ask for the documents about Syria? Bolton was a busy boy.
Also at issue are internal National Security Agency documents that Bolton apparently requested when State Department underlings opposed him on policy issues. Ordinarily, names are stripped from these kinds of internal documents, which basically reflect one US agency spying on the people in another. Bolton apparently requested the names so he could identify -- and then allegedly pressure -- foes inside State.
The Senate wants these documents so they can find out just how much of a menace Bolton was in his years at the State Department, 2001-2005. Senator Joseph Biden (D-Del.) wrote a letter about the problem to Condi Rice and threatened more delays on Bolton if she doesn't act. From the AP:
"My Democratic colleagues and I would consider the failure to produce the requested documents in a timely manner a lack of cooperation," according to the letter, which was made available to The Associated Press.
I stand by my earlier call -- Bolton is not going to be approved.
Labels: Cuba, John Bolton
Who is John Doe #2?
April 19 was the tenth anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City (OKC). On that date, California Representative Dana Rohrabacher announced that he is thinking about holding hearings on unanswered questions surround the bombing -- including questions about the so-called "third terrorist," unindicted co-conspirator "John Doe #2."
as chairman of the investigative arm of the Committee on International Relations, I was asked by several people whom I respect to direct my attention to the Oklahoma City bombing and to a possible foreign connection. That this mass murder of Americans was accomplished by two disgruntled veterans acting alone seems to be the conclusion reached by those in authority. However, there are some unsettling loose ends and unanswered questions that deserve to be considered before joining those affirming the official explanation.
Rohrabacher's office received a tip in March, reportedly from a mobster in prison, that additional weapons remained hidden at Terry Nichols's home in Herington, Kansas. The FBI found previously unknown explosives, so Rohrabacher and others have been claiming that we should all have a "degree of skepticism" about the official story about Oklahoma City.
Rohrabacher, a very conservative Republican, seems intent on investigating whether a so-called "third terrorist" had Middle Eastern connections. Indeed, after years of saying that Timothy McVeigh and Nichols had links to a former Iraqi soldier, or even to Saddam Hussein, some on the right are now saying that the Oklahoma City bombing was backed by Iran.
What was in Orwell said so memorably about war? Oh, this:
Every war when it comes, or before it comes, is represented not as a war but as an act of self-defense against a homicidal maniac.
In this case, however, the alleged Iran/Iraq/Middle East link to OKC might not fly.
Today, the AP is reporting that a letter written by Terry Nichols from prison acknowledges that a third man helped with the bombing. The man named by Nichols is Roger Moore (who may also be known as Robert Miller). From the letter Nichols wrote to a member of an OKC victim family member:
"That case of nitromethane came directly from Roger Moore's Royal, Arkansas, home, and his prints should be found on that box and/or tubes, and Karen Anderson's prints may be there as well," Nichols wrote.
"The Fed Gov't knows of Roger Moore's corrupt activities and they are protecting him and covering up his involvement with McVeigh at the OKC bombing!" Nichols wrote.
Moore was a gun dealer, apparently robbed by Nichols before the OKC bombing. McVeigh, Nichols and Michael Fortier sold the stolen guns to earn cash to finance the operation.
At trial, Nichols disputed Moore's account of that robbery, alleging that Moore was commiting insurance fraud. Many of the stolen weapons were previously found at Nichols's home.
Some years ago, credible news agencies reported that Robert Millar, the leader of the white separatist Elohim City "compound" in Muldrow, Oklahoma, was secretly a government informant! This is kind of interesting because McVeigh supposedly visited the compound on occasion and may have been there at the same time as several bank robbers associated with the supremacists (the so-called "Aryan Republican Army"). When the robbers were arrested, they apparently had in their possession Roger Moore's fake driver's licence in the name of Robert Miller, as well as some blasting caps similar to the type used by McVeigh in OKC.
If you surf the internet, the identities of Roger Moore/Robert Miller/Robert Millar seem to fuse, even though Moore/Miller resides in Arkansas and Millar was in that camp in Oklahoma. Plus, I've found a picture of the elderly Millar on the web, and he died in 2001. While I have not been able to find a photo of gun seller Roger Moore on the internet (fans of mediocre James Bond films know why), I did find a court drawing by a trial artist. Moore was 62 in 1997, Millar was 72 then; they are not the same person.
They were both too old to be the man sketched as "John Doe #2."
In any case, the bank robbers appear to link either Moore/Miller or Nichols/McVeigh to Millar and Elohim City, but that angle is apparently still under investigation by authorities. It may be that Moore's fake ID was stolen in the gun robbery and McVeigh passed it along to the bank robbers while at Elohim City.
What should be made of the latest news involving Nichols? While the right wants to use this twist in the OKC case to focus potential blame on the Middle East, it still appears as if the real links are to the world of right wing anti-government, white supremacist, and pro-gun types (terrorists?), ticked off by the sieges of Waco and Ruby Ridge.
Labels: investigation
Steroids update: baseball 2005
The baseball season is a month old and steroids are still dominating the news.
Commissioner Bud Selig has called for a much stricter penalty for those found using performance enhancing drugs. He wants the first offense to cost the user a 50 games suspension and the second offense to be 100 games lost. The third offense would be banishment from the game: "three strikes, you're out."
The union says the current plan is working (the latest suspended player is Twins pitcher Juan Rincon) and no stronger penalty is needed. Since the issue is deterrence, I'm not sure when we'll know whether players are now clean.
Meanwhile, former pitcher and pitching coach Tom House says that baseball players were using steroids and human growth hormone as far back as the 1960s. House's revelation is interesting because many in the media have denigrated the current crop of sluggers compared to the generation that matured when they were younger. Note: House is the guy who caught Hank Aaron's 715th HR ball on April 8, 1974. He was drafted in 1967 and was in the majors by 1971.
Willie Mays played his last season in 1973; Aaron played through 1976; and Frank Robinson through 1976. The career home run list is dominated by guys who played all or part of their careers since 1970. For every 1990s slugger (Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro), one can name a 1970s counterpart (those named, plus Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson and Mike Schmidt).
Notice, I've just identified every player in the top 11 career HR list, save Babe Ruth. Number 12 is Mickey Mantle.
House told the SF Chronicle's Ron Kroichick that 6 or 7 pitchers per major league team were on these drugs during his 1970s career:
"I'd like to say we were smart, but we didn't know what was going on. We were at the tail end of a generation that wasn't afraid to ingest anything. As research showed up, guys stopped."
House was listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, and he ballooned to 215 or 220 while on steroids.
House claims that the drugs did not add zip to his fastball, but reliever Juan Rincon significantly increased his strikeouts per inning pitched last season.
Want more evidence that this is not a new probelm? Lyle Alzado, the football player who admitted using steroids, started his professional football career after being picked in the 1971 draft. Note this fact: Alzado says he started using steroids at Yankton College, a tiny NAIA school in South Dakota.
Imagine how widespread steroids would have had to have been in sports to reach a tiny NAIA program in South Dakota in the late 1960s.
Behind the iron curtain, the infamous East German women's swim team used steroids to achieve dramatic victories at the 1972 and 1976 Olympic games. Thousands of athletes were drugged, including young teenage girls!
This is a new issue causing the HR burst of the past decade? Hmmmm.
What do the data show? ESPN has been tracking HRs per game. In 2005, teams are hitting 0.955, down from 1.123 last year (which was up from 1.043 and 1.071 in 2002-03). That means teams are hitting only 85% as many this year as they did last year, but note:
1. Cold weather hurts offense and this has been a wet and cold spring in many major league cities. We'll have to monitor these numbers through the summer. I think ESPN is comparing this year's April data to full season data for other seasons.
2. Single season fluctuation of this magnitude isn't that unusual. Go back and compare 1987 leaguewide HR numbers to the three years prior and after. It's a major outlier as the league hit over 700 more HRs in 1987 than in 1986, and then dropped by almost 1300 in 1988!
I'll be following this story as the summer progresses.
Labels: Barry Bonds, baseball, steroids
Realists for Social Change
Today, in separate events, I saw presentations by two members of the Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy. Each gave an academic talk summarizing highlights of their new books.
At lunch, Harvard's Stephen M. Walt talked about the unpopularity of American foreign policy around the world and recommended limiting America's global military footprint in order to reduce costs and to avoid negative feedback. Walt suggesting that the US should pay a lot more attention to questions of legitimacy, pursue a grand strategy of offshore balancing, and better marshall tools of "soft power" (including an improved public diplomacy program). His new book, Taming American Power: The Global Response to U.S. Primacy (W.W. Norton), is forthcoming this fall.
At the end of the day, Boston University's Andrew J. Bacevich talked about the undesirable rise of militarism in American society. Bacevich traced the roots of militarism to the post-Vietnam effort by security elites to resurrect faith in American military power and technology. From Tom Clancy to Top Gun, Americans started to embrace militarism and now it is endemic in American society. He recommends that Congress again be required to declare war, that military spending be dramatically reduced and that the US find a way to achieve a more socially representative armed force. Bacevich's book, The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War was published by Oxford University Press in April 2005.
Both Walt and Bacevich called for the renunciation of the Bush administration's doctrine of preventive war.
Interestingly, realists Walt and Bacevich, who should be concerned primarily with relative differences in material power among nation-states, are primarily worried about adverse social developments: loss of legitimacy and the rise of militarism.
Their solutions, however, mostly entailed material changes (with more modest social commitments).
I'm not 100% sure that the problems they describe can be resolved via their main material remedies.
Blair and the Iraq Leaks
British Prime Minister Tony Blair faces re-election this week: 05/05/05.
Iraq has become a major issue in the campaign and new leaked documents are causing the incumbent some political problems. Earlier this week, for instance, the Prime Minister's website posted a previously secret Memo (warning, pdf) from the UK Attorney General to Blair revealing the legal justification for the war. The AG was somewhat skeptical about the war's legality, but clearly did not say that the it would be illegal. He fudged.
Today, the Times of London printed a leaked document that purportedly demonstrates Blair's intent to go to war against Iraq long before March 2003. Minutes from a 23 July 2002 meeting were considered "extremely sensitive" and "no further copies should be made." Of course, now anyone can read it on the web. Here's a troubling paragraph based on an unnamed "C" present at the meeting (CNN reports that this is Sir Richard Dearlove):
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
What the hell does this sentence mean: "intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy"?
Jack Straw apparently knew what-was-what (and promoted an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein even though the US was apparently opposed and/or skeptical about that approach):
The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran.
Blair is getting heat because he apparently talked about the need for "regime change" despite his public focus on the weapons of mass destruction.
Nonetheless, polls reveal that Blair's Labour party is likely to win the election and he'll be PM for another term. Apparently, the advantage in Parliament will be reduced somewhat.
Labels: Tony Blair
Paul Parker, guesting for Rodger Piggybacking on ...
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April - June 2018 Genetics, environment, and asthma associated with celiac disease in the extended...
Revista de Gastroenterología de México
The Revista de Gastroenterología de México (Mexican Journal of Gastroenterology) is the official publication of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología (Mexican Association of Gastroenterology). Its pages are open to the members of the Association, as well as to all members of the medical community interested in using this forum to publish their articles in accordance with the journal editorial policies. The principal aim of the journal is to publish original work in the broad field of Gastroenterology, as well as to provide information on the specialty and related areas that is up-to-date and relevant. The scientific works include the areas of Clinical, Endoscopic, Surgical, and Pediatric Gastroenterology, along with related disciplines. The journal accepts original articles, scientific letters, review articles, clinical guidelines, consensuses, editorials, letters to the Editors, brief communications, and clinical images in Gastroenterology in Spanish and English for their publication.
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Vol. 83. Issue 2.
Pages 79-85 (April - June 2018)
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Introduction and aim
Dna extraction and genotyping
Antibody analysis
Ethical disclosures
Protection of human and animal subjects
Confidentiality of data
Right to privacy and informed consent
DOI: 10.1016/j.rgmxen.2018.03.003
Genetics, environment, and asthma associated with celiac disease in the extended family of an affected child
Genética, ambiente y asma asociados a enfermedad celiaca en la familia extendida de un niño afectado
R. Sigala-Robles, S.V. Aguayo-Patrón, A.M. Calderón de la Barca
amc@ciad.mx
Corresponding author. Coordinación de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A. C., C. P. 83304 Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Tel.: +52+662 2892400, ext. 288; fax: +52+662 2800094.
Coordinación de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
This item has received
Under a Creative Commons license
Table 1. Haplotypes and antibody titers of the extended family relatives (R) of the index case (IC).
Table 2. Nutritional status of the extended family relatives of the index case.
Table 3. Intestinal symptoms of the extended family relatives of the index case.
Table 4. Extra-intestinal signs and symptoms of the extended family relatives of the index case.
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy associated with gluten ingestion. In extended families of celiac patients that live in close proximity of one another, shared genetic and environmental factors can predispose them to CD.
The aim of this study was to provide evidence about the genetic and environmental factors involved in the development of CD in the extended family of a pediatric patient.
The medical history, environmental conditions, and participant weight, height, and peripheral blood samples were evaluated. The HLA-DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes were genotyped through qPCR testing and the IgA anti-gliadin and anti-transglutaminase antibodies were quantified using the ELISA test.
Twelve close-living maternal relatives of the index case participated in the study. Eight of them presented with the HLA-DQ2 haplotype, inherited from the grandfather, and 7/12 and 9/12 were positive for IgA anti-gliadin and IgA anti-transglutaminase antibodies, respectively. The main intestinal symptoms stated by the participants were abdominal bloating, excess flatulence, constipation, and gastroesophageal reflux. The most frequent extra-intestinal symptoms were fatigue, stress, and anxiety. In addition, 6/13 participants had bronchial asthma.
The extended family living in close proximity of one another shared a genetic predisposition, environmental conditions, and asthma, which could have predisposed them to celiac disease.
HLA-DQ2/DQ8
La enfermedad celiaca (EC) es una enteropatía autoinmune asociada a la ingestión de gluten. En las familias extendidas de pacientes celiacos en estrecha convivencia, los factores genéticos y ambientales compartidos pueden predisponer a EC.
Proporcionar evidencia sobre factores genéticos y ambientales implicados en el desarrollo de la EC en una familia extendida de un paciente pediátrico.
Se evaluaron historial clínico, condiciones ambientales, peso y talla de los participantes y se les tomó una muestra de sangre periférica. Se genotipificaron los haplotipos HLA-DQ2/DQ8 mediante qPCR y se cuantificaron por ELISA los anticuerpos IgA antigliadinas y antitransglutaminasa.
Participaron 12 familiares maternos del caso índice, que tenían estrecha convivencia vecinal. Ocho presentaron HLA-DQ2 heredado del abuelo, 7/12 y 9/12 fueron positivos para los anticuerpos IgA antigliadinas e IgA antitransglutaminasa, respectivamente. Los principales síntomas intestinales referidos por los participantes fueron distensión abdominal, exceso de gases, estreñimiento y reflujo gastroesofágico. Los síntomas extraintestinales más frecuentes fueron fatiga, estrés y ansiedad. Además, 6/13 participantes tuvieron asma bronquial.
La familia extendida convive estrechamente, comparte la predisposición genética, condiciones ambientales y el asma, que podrían haberlos predispuesto a la EC.
Enfermedad celiaca
Familia extendida
Factores ambientales
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed persons. Its estimated prevalence in Mexico is 1:168,1 similar to that found in Native American (1:167)2 and Caucasian (1:100-1:200)3 populations. CD symptoms can be intestinal, such as diarrhea and malabsorption syndrome that cause weight loss and growth failure, or they can be extra-intestinal, such as headache, anemia, dermatitis herpetiformis, and osteoporosis.4 The variability in the clinical manifestations makes diagnosis difficult.
Thirty to 50% of CD is explained by the genetic risk from the HLA-DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes,5 as well as by environmental factors. Relatives of persons with CD are at greater risk for developing the disease, due to genetics and their common history. The risk for presenting with CD increases by 5.6-10% in first-degree relatives and by 2.3-5% in second-degree relatives.6,7 Thus, some authors have proposed the implementation of CD detection strategies in that high-risk group, in an effort to reduce related morbidity and mortality.8,9
The traditional lifestyle of many Mexican families is to live in the same physical area, and so not only do they share genetics, but they also share environmental conditions that can increase the risk for CD. In this context, the aim of the present study was to provide evidence about the genetic and environmental factors, as well as diseases and treatments, involved in the development of CD in the extended family of a boy with said disease.
Materials and methodsParticipants
The study was conducted in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Twelve first and second-degree relatives of a boy with CD (index case) were included. The boy, currently 10 years old, was diagnosed with CD at the age of 2, after presenting with acute symptoms and undergoing biopsy and antibody testing. Our study protocol was approved by the institutional Bioethics Committee (CE/016/2014), and written statements of informed consent were obtained from all the participants. The parents signed the statements corresponding to the participants under 18 years of age.
All participants were interviewed to obtain their medical history. In the case of children, the mothers provided the information. The weight and height of the participants were measured, and their body mass index was calculated. The nutritional status of the adults was classified according to the cutoff points of the World Health Organization,10 and the body mass index-for-age Z-score was calculated for the nutritional status of the children.11
A venous blood sample was collected from each participant. A fraction was used to analyze the risk haplotypes and the rest was centrifuged to obtain serum and analyze antibodies.
Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples of dried blood drops, following the protocol described by Aguayo-Patrón et al.12 Primers previously designed for the DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201 (DQ2) alleles and the DQA1*0301 and DQB1*0302/3 (DQ8) alleles were used for the risk haplotype analysis.13 Duplex real-time PCR reactions were carried out and the alleles were identified through dissociation curve analysis.12
The IgA anti-gliadin (IgA-Gd) and anti-transglutaminase (IgA-TG) antibodies were evaluated in the serum samples through the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, following a previously described technique.14Antibody indices were calculated using the absorbance values obtained, with respect to the mean absorbance of the healthy population. Values above 1.0 were considered positive.
Thirteen subjects, including the index case, participated in the study: the maternal grandparents, the mother, the sister, 4 aunts, one uncle, and 3 cousins. Eight of the participants were females, with a median age of 36 years (fig. 1). The 13 relatives lived in close proximity in a traditional Mexican extended family environment, in houses adjoining, or close to, that of the grandparents. They shared the environment and customs related to upbringing, alimentation, life-style, and treatment of illnesses.
Family tree of the index case (IC) and relatives (R), presence of bronchial asthma, and participants with diagnostic criteria for CD.
(0.19MB).
The maternal grandparents moved from a rural zone to the city of Hermosillo in Sonora, Mexico. The second generation (mother and aunts and uncle of the index case) spent their childhood in the rural zone in a farm environment. They all stated they had been breastfed, but also received cow's milk or goat's milk. In addition, 2 participants had complicated births, due to the lack of adequate health services in the rural zone. The father of the index case was tested for specific antibodies and haplotypes, when his son was diagnosed with CD. The results were negative, not associated with the disease, and therefore he was not included in the present study.
The third generation (index case, sister, and cousins) were born in a partially urbanized section of the city of Hermosillo. Not all the houses had a sewage system or concrete floors, and cats, dogs, chickens, and horses were kept in the homes and patios. At the time of the study, there was improved access to health services and medications, but self-medication practices were common. The parents shared medications with their children to treat similar illnesses, rarely completing the adequate doses and/or cycles. All the members of the youngest generation were delivered by cesarean section, and none of them were exclusively breastfed during their first 6 months.
Even though the CD diagnosis of the index case had been known for 8 years, the majority of the family members were not aware of their risk for developing the disease. Most of the adults attributed their symptoms to age and/or menopause. A relevant datum resulting from the medical histories was that six of the participants had been medically diagnosed with bronchial asthma (fig. 1).
In the genetic risk analysis, 9 of the 13 participants presented with the HLA-DQ2 haplotype or some of its alleles (DQA1*0501). Two cases had a combination with the DQB1*0302 allele of the HLA-DQ8 haplotype. In two other cases, there were no alleles predisposing to CD (Table 1). The antibody analysis resulted in positive titers for IgA-Gd in 7 participants and positive titers for IgA-TG in 9 participants. In both tests, the index case had titers below 1.0, which was due to 8 years of a gluten-free diet as treatment for CD (Table 1).
Haplotypes and antibody titers of the extended family relatives (R) of the index case (IC).
Age/Sex
Antibodies*
Haplotype
IgA-Gd
IgA-TG
R1 65 M DQ2, DQA1*0301 0.72 2.40
R2 61 F DQA1*0501 1.31 1.67
R3 43 F DQ2 1.58 1.54
R5 13 F None 0.87 0.90
IC 10 M DQ2 0.38 0.31
R6 39 F DQ2, DQB1*0302/3 1.19 1.62
R7 24 M None 0.78 0.90
R9 7 M DQ2, DQB1*0302/3 0.24 0.19
R10 37 F DQ2 1.52 1.42
R11 36 F DQA1*0301 1.34 2.07
R12 34 M DQA1*0301 0.84 1.07
F: female; IgA-Gd: IgA against gliadins; IgA-TG: IgA against transglutaminase; M: male.
Antibody indices (≥1 is positive).
In relation to body mass index, the participants had some grade of overweight or obesity, except for the index case, relative (R) 9, and R12 (Table 2). The intestinal symptoms associated with CD were more recurrent than the extra-intestinal ones, in the relatives studied. Table 3 shows that the most frequent symptom was abdominal bloating (11/13 participants), followed by food intolerance (9/13 participants), and excess flatulence (8/13 participants). Participants R3 and R10 reported having bloating and abdominal pain after eating foods containing corn.
Nutritional status of the extended family relatives of the index case.
BMIa
Classificationa
R1 31.53 Obesity I
R2 28.38 Overweight
R5 26.13* Overweight
IC 14.08* Adequate
R6 37.26 Obesity II
R9 16.25* Adequate
R10 41.32 Obesity III
R11 28.17 Overweight
R12 22.83 Adequate
BMI: body mass index; IC: index case; R: relative.
Classification according to the World Health Organization body mass index criteria for adults10 and the body mass index/age Z score for children.11
Intestinal symptoms of the extended family relatives of the index case.
n/No.
Abdominal bloating 11/13 IC, R1, R2, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11
Food intolerance 9/13 IC, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10
Excess flatulence 8/13 IC, R1, R2, R5, R7, R9, R10, R11
Constipation 6/13 IC, R2, R6, R7, R9, R10
Gastroesophageal reflux 6/13 IC, R2, R5, R6, R7, R9
Abdominal pain 5/13 IC, R2, R7, R9, R10
Diarrhea 4/13 IC, R7, R9, R10
Nausea 4/13 IC, R2, R7, R9
Vomiting 2/13 R9, R10
IC: index case; R: relative.
With respect to extra-intestinal symptoms, a greater number of participants presented with fatigue (10/13 participants), stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and muscle cramps (8/13 participants). Other clinical signs, such as urticaria, aphthous mouth ulcers, damaged tooth enamel, dermatitis, and weight loss were reported less frequently (3 a 4/13 participants) (Table 4).
Extra-intestinal signs and symptoms of the extended family relatives of the index case.
Fatigue 10/13 R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8. R9, R10
Stress and anxiety 8/13 IC, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R9, R10
Sleep disturbances 8/13 IC, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9, 10
Muscle cramps 8/13 R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, R9, R11
Weakness 7/13 R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R9
Headache 7/13 R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R9, R10
Depression 5/13 R2, R3, R4, R5, R10
Urticaria 4/13 R2, R5, R6, R7
Aphthous mouth ulcers 3/13 IC, R2, R9
Damaged tooth enamel 3/13 R5, R8, R9
Anorexia 3/13 IC, R7, R9
Dermatitis 3/13 IC, R5, R9
Weight loss 3/13 R1, R4, R11
As is still a custom in some places of Mexico, the extended family in our study lives in houses adjoining, or close to, that of the grandparents. Thus, not only do they share genetics, but they also share the environment, child-raising customs, and lifestyle. Feeding practices during infancy and microbial infections and their treatment can influence the composition of the microbiota, affect the intestinal barrier, and possibly trigger CD.15 This can have repercussions in both childhood and adulthood,16 signifying that the members of the family under study shared the environmental risk for CD.
Most of the study participants had the HLA-DQ2 haplotype, inherited from the grandfather (Table 1), whereas in a Mexican population, the most common haplotype in cases of CD was found to be HLA-DQ8. The haplotype of greatest risk was HLA-DQ8, alone (1:9), or combined with the DQB1*0201 allele of the HLA-DQ2 haplotype (1:6), whereas the HLA-DQ2 haplotype had a risk of 1:27.17 In contrast, 88% of the CD cases in a European population presented with the HLA-DQ2 haplotype or its variants,18 with a mean risk of 1:10.5 The phenotype of our study participants was mestizo, but that of the grandfather was Caucasian.
Seventy-five percent of the study relatives had positive titers for IgA antibodies against tissue transglutaminase (9/13 participants), which was much higher than the 47% with positive serology reported by Rodrigo et al.19 in a family case. If the fact that 0.6% of the Mexican population presents with positive serology for CD1 is considered, then high risk for CD of relatives of celiac patients can be inferred. Likewise, a combined prevalence of 7.5% in first-degree relatives and 2.3% of second-degree relatives has been described.7
Regarding anthropometric indicators, in general, the relatives had short stature, as did the index case. The height of two of the adult males was below the regional mean (162.7cm and 165cm vs 166.5cm),20 and the mean height of the females was far below the regional mean (131.04cm vs 155.7cm).21 It has been reported that short children with CD do not reach their maximum height as adults,22 and this is inversely related to the time of diagnosis.23 In other words, even though the participants in our study were apparently asymptomatic, they possibly presented with a less acute form of CD since childhood that could have affected their development. Even though the index case was diagnosed with classic CD at the age of 2, he was not given adequate dietary follow-up until he was 6 years old.
In relation to symptoms, most of the participants stated the most frequent were gastrointestinal, such as abdominal bloating, food intolerance, excess flatulence, and constipation, coinciding with that found in Mexican adults with CD.24 Extra-intestinal symptoms were less frequent and the most reported included fatigue, headache, dermatitis, and anorexia.
Duodenal biopsies were not taken to confirm the diagnosis of CD in the relatives, because even though it is the criterion standard, it is an invasive and costly procedure. Therefore, serologic analysis was contemplated as a viable option, given its high sensitivity and specificity (98-100%).4 Catassi and Fasano25 proposed that CD diagnosis can be considered, if the patient has at least four of the five following criteria: typical signs and symptoms of CD, positive serology, risk genetics, intestinal villous atrophy (determined through biopsy), and response to a gluten-free diet. Thus, the majority (8/12) of the relatives of the index case (with previous CD diagnosis) presented with the clinical and serologic indicators that corresponded to the first three criteria mentioned. Only their response to a gluten-free diet would be lacking to consider them celiac patients.
An interesting datum in the present study was that 6/13 relatives, including the index case, had been diagnosed with bronchial asthma, possibly associated with the shared genetic and environmental conditions. Although the relation between CD and asthma has not been widely studied, there is evidence of their association. According to Tang et al.,26 intraepithelial lymphocytes from biopsies of celiac patients express more cytosolic phospholipase A2 than their healthy counterparts. In addition, the NKG2D receptor expressed in lymphocytes can activate the intracellular cytosolic pathway of the p-cPLA2s, in the presence or not of IL-15, and mediating the release of arachidonic acid. That acid is a substrate of the 5-lipoxygenases and C4 leukotriene synthase that leads to the production of cysteinyl leukotrienes, responsible for enterocyte destruction. Said leukotriene overproduction induces mucosal inflammation and causes the majority of inflammatory conditions that have previously been associated with allergies and asthma.27 Thus, presenting with asthma could be a risk factor for triggering CD.
Some of the study participants (index case, R3, R5) had been treated with montelukast for bronchial asthma, but they suspended it due to medical recommendation and currently continue treatment with loratadine or chlorpheniramine. Montelukast is a drug that inhibits cysteinyl leukotrienes for the treatment of asthma symptoms. Its activity has been confirmed in vitro in intraepithelial lymphocytes, suppressing NKG2D cytotoxicity and inhibiting cysteinyl leukotriene production.26 Even though this drug has not been approved for CD treatment, it is capable of blocking the T CD8+ cells that are responsible for causing intestinal damage. Therefore, its efficiency and safety for the treatment of CD is being evaluated in a phase II clinical trial.28
Some epidemiologic studies have also examined the relation between asthma and CD. In a cohort of Italian children, an increased risk for CD development was found in those subjects that had a previous asthma diagnosis (IRR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.09-1.71). Antibiotic use, which has been related to both diseases, was not a confounding factor in the association.29 To the contrary, in a Danish population cohort, it was concluded that there was no increased risk for presenting with asthma, if the parents had CD.30 Thus, asthma can be considered a predisposing factor to CD, but not vice versa. However, more studies are required to sustain the relation between CD and the inflammatory mechanisms triggered by asthma.
The study family naturally shared genetics and a hereditary background that predisposed to CD. Moreover, they lived in close proximity of each other, sharing environmental factors that could increase the risk for developing CD. The HLA-DQ2 haplotype and customs in upbringing, alimentation, and the treatment of illnesses could be determining factors in an increased risk for CD that the study family had. Another factor involved in the development of CD in several of the participants was asthma, which could trigger CD through inflammatory mechanisms. This has not yet been widely studied.
It is our conclusion that the majority of the relatives of the boy with celiac disease presented with CD indicators through the influence of the following factors: risk genetics, living in close proximity, sharing environmental conditions and cultural patterns, and the fact that some of the family members presented with asthma.
Ethical disclosuresProtection of human and animal subjects
The authors declare that no experiments were performed on humans or animals for this study.
The authors declare that no patient data appear in this article.
Sigala-Robles R. and Aguayo-Patrón S.V. received support from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT), grants: 394851 and 377998, respectively.
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
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Please cite this article as: Sigala-Robles R, Aguayo-Patrón SV, Calderón de la Barca AM. Genética, ambiente y asma asociados a enfermedad celiaca en la familia extendida de un niño afectado. Revista de Gastroenterología de México. 2018;83:79–85.
See related content at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rgmxen.2018.05.003, Remes-Troche JM. Doctor, why am I a celiac if I'm Mexican? Breaking another paradigm of celiac disease in Mexico. Rev de Gastroenterol Méx. 2018;83:77–78.
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T.J. Miller VIP Ticket
About T.J. Miller VIP Ticket
*VIP includes an autographed Polaroid with T.J., a hearty conversation and a fortune told, option to buy a compact audio disc of T.J. Miller’s hip hop/pop/folk music- it’s an EP, 41 tracks! Also available are autographed Deadpool & Ready Player One hats, and 3 limited edition Emoji Movie shirts for an exorbitant amount of cash!*
T.J. MILLER is one of the most sought after comedians in the world, certainly the northern part of the western hemisphere. He has been diligently working to make people laugh for over fifteen years, and is driven by the altruistic mission statement that life is fundamentally tragic and the best thing he can do is provide an ephemeral escapism from that tragedy which permeates everyday life by doing comedy.
He has been performing his absurdist observational standup act worldwide for over 15 years, and has never gone to the bathroom in his pantaloons on stage. His hour-long comedy specials T.J. MILLER: NO REAL REASON (Comedy Central) and T.J. MILLER: METICULOUSLY RIDICULOUS (HBO) are available to stream now wherever streaming content is streamed.
For no reason he produced two music albums, THE EXTENDED PLAY E.P., a hip-hop/pop/folk music E.P. with 41 tracks, and the ILLEGAL ART REMIXTAPE- available now on iTunes and wherever fake music is sold.
Miller’s voice stars as Gene in the EMOJI MOVIE and Fred in Disney’s Academy Award-winning animated feature, BIG HERO 6. Miller also talks like an old drag queen after a hard night of chain smoking, and thus has voiced many characters including the character Tuffnut in the Oscar-nominated animated films HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2. He played Auggie in the first R-rated stop motion animated film HELL AND BACK with Nick Swardson and Prancer in ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS. In television, he voices Robbie from GRAVITY FALLS, Tuffnut in How To Train Your Dragon’s DRAGONS: RIDERS OF BERK, Brad in HIGH SCHOOL USA!, Randy in F IS FOR FAMILY and a volcano in FAMILY GUY. Don’t forget about GORBURGER, a show so strange you’ll just have to google it to understand.
You may recognize his non-animated face and body from his roles in FOX’s big screen comic book adaptation of DEADPOOL, the highest grossing R-rated film of all time, 2014’s surprise indie hit TRANSFORMERS 4, Pete Holmes’ HBO comedy series CRASHING, Mike Judge’s HBO comedy series SILICON VALLEY, for which he received the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy, or even THE GOODWIN GAMES which was canceled after 7 episodes (he was also on CARPOOLERS with Jerry O’Connel and that lasted 13 episodes). When CHELSEA LATELY was a show, t.j. was on that show quite a bit. A ‘regular’ some might call him.
Miller has been in over 25 major studio films- more than Fabio (and he was in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming) including CLOVERFIELD, SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE, SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, ROCK OF AGES, OUR IDIOT BROTHER, YOGI BEAR 3D (Ranger Jones, his greatest role to date), UNSTOPPABLE, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, SEARCH PARTY, THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD, and finally his good friend Jay Baruchel’s GOON: LAST OF THE ENFORCERS.
Most recently, T.J. can be seen in OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, opposite Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, READY PLAYER ONE directed by Steven Spielberg, & DEADPOOL 2. He resides in New York City, NY, where he struggles to find meaning in an uncertain world.
He is first and foremost, and always will be, a comedian. His Standup is “Smooth Like Fire, Hip Like Lincoln.”
Next year T.J. can be seen in the upcoming film UNDERWATER opposite Kristin Stewart, a Twentieth Century Fox disaster thriller that is the perfect full circle return to his roots in Cloverfield. He will work until his death to make you happy. He loves you. Come and enjoy him perform.
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Prime Minister Marape Says PNG’s relations with the Philippines is growing stronger
GovernmentMedia Release 10th June 2019
The Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says Papua New Guinea’s relations with the Philippines is friendly and strong.
He was speaking at an occasion to mark the Philippines 121st independence anniversary on Sunday night in Port Moresby.
Prime Minister Marape said Philippines was one of the first countries to formalize diplomatic relations with PNG before it gained independence in 1975.
“We value our diplomatic and bilateral relationship with the government and people of the Philippines.
“Tonight I am happy to be here to grace you on your occasion to mark the 121st anniversary of independence.
“We value every foreign relationships we have and especially those who are closer to home.
“We have very good relationship with Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands Vanuatu, other the other Pacific Island nations, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, China, Japan and of course Philippines,’’ said Prime Minister Marape.
He said PNG is in a region that is rich in cultural and ethnic biodiversity, marine and natural resource which promote and harness trade and commerce.
“So Papua New Guinea is so privileged for its divine placing. We are placed in the midst of all these important nations around us.
“And we appreciate our strategic placing and we intend to as we go into the future we want to make our country and relationship with all other countries a safe and secure hub for business and socialization’’.
“That is something that we intend to harness. As a government that has assumed office not so long ago we don’t intend to chase out every guest in our country.
“We intend to make all our friends visit and stay very hospitable and enjoyable in our country,’’ he said.
Prime Minister Marape also told the diplomatic community who were present on the occasion, that the change of government was by like-minded leaders with a vision to change and strengthen PNG’s relations with its business and development partners.
“What you saw last week was a very polite revelation of a mindset change’’. “That is a new evolution and breed of young leaders coming into play.
“Our intention is very clear. If PNG is rich, healthy and happy than all its citizens and friends of PNG residing in our country will be happy, wealthy and safe.
“It is and will be a win-win situation for everyone. We need to make our country grow strong and when it is economically strengthened every partner in our country will feel the impact of a stronger and prosperous PNG”.
“So we are here to give you the assurance that your safety is our utmost priority and is given the attention it deserves.
“If in 10 to 15 years’ time you do not feel safe in Port Moresby, I would assess myself as having failed my country big time.
“So we are walking towards that path and we encourage every one of you to offer a hand.
“For those of you who are doing business we encourage you to continue doing business, and we will be investor friendly.
“But we also expect you to be friendly to the demands of our society and making sure you are compliant to all laws in the country,’’ said Prime Minister Marape.
He also urged the investors not to pay special incentives to public servants, ministers or any way working in the government system.
“We want to get rid of bribery and every other system that is an impediment to the development and service delivery in our country.
“You follow the laws, do your business and pay your fair share of tax to the country and we all are happy with it. “We don’t expect any special favor from any one.
“I am happy that the government of Philippines is talking about helping PNG to grow rice.
“We welcome that and are looking forward to the rice planting trials being conducted with our government,’’ he said.
Prime Minister Marape said he was happy to see the progress of a trial rice production in partnership with the governments of PNG and the Philippines and the Pacific Adventist University at 14 mile outside Port Moresby.
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Paul vows to press on
Watch Ron Paul on American Morning Wednesday.
(CNN) - Despite single digit showings in the Wisconsin and Washington State primaries Tuesday night, Ron Paul told CNN Wednesday he has no plans to drop his presidential bid.
"I will stay in as long as my supporters want me to," the Texas congressman said on American Morning Wednesday. "I was very reluctant to enter the race, didn't think it would last more than a month or two, but to my amazement, we literally got hundreds of thousands of supporters and millions of dollars, and they are still very enthusiastic. And I say as long as the number of volunteers continues to grow, and the money comes in, and there are primaries out there, and they want me to be involved, I am going to stay involved."
Paul, who won 5 percent of the vote in Wisconsin and 7 percent in Washington State, also said he believes his unlikely candidacy has attracted like-minded individuals who want to run for Congress.
"One of my problems now is that I am being overwhelmed with individuals who want to [run] and I have the responsibility of sorting it out because we are capable of raising funds," he said. "So it is a responsibly that will be a significant one for me to make sure I help the candidates that are true believes and not just the ones who want to be in Congress."
Paul announced earlier this month he was scaling back his presidential run to focus on his Texas district and the reelection race he faces there. He also categorically ruled out a third party bid in the future.
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Filed under: Ron Paul
Creampuff
It can never be wrong to fight for an idea that's linked to Freedom, Peace, and Prosperity. This election is going to be remembered as the one that tried to save America from total destruction from within. Ron Paul is the catalyst for this movement and revolution. He will stay in until the Convention in September. Whether he wins or loses the revolution will continue through his supporters and it will grow. If he does not get the nomination I will write him in or not vote at all. To me ALL the other candidates are alike, too liberal for me. Democrats will win in the end, the fix is in already. The Republicans have no real candidate outside of Ron Paul, most of his supporters will write him in if need be. That's a pretty loud statement. You can look forward to a continuation of Bush and Clinton policies, but maybe a little different way of delivering them. Prepare to lose more of your precious Freedoms and Constitutional rights. What God has given us man cannot take away.
TheSlush
It's about the message!
The people saying Ron Paul should "give up an quit" are missing the point. It was never about winning. It's about holding onto the microphone for as long as possible! This is not driven by one man's ego, it's about spreading the message of limited government. Paul himself repeatedly has said his own campaign is not really even ABOUT himself! (How many other candidates would say that?)
Animosity toward Paul is in some ways encouraging because it proves he has struck a nerve. Those insisting "there is no revolution" have the tone of someone trying to convince themselves.
I would have thought a little "also-ran" candidate would be easier to ignore. Hmm...
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USA Appoint New World Cup Coach
The USA Polocrosse Association have appointed Trish Jones as their open squad coach in the run up to the 2015 Polocrosse World Cup. Trish Jones hails from Western Australia, where she has played in the Ladies’ open state representative side for the last 13 Nationals, which spans an impressive 26 years. This is the same Read more…
USA Name Their Team for South Africa Quadrangular
The USA have named their team for the Quadrangular tournament taking place in South Africa next July. The USA have named a fairly young team, selecting a number of the players who played in the Under 21 contest against the UK next year. In contrast they have only two members of the team who finished Read more…
Zambia Whitewash the USA 3-0 at Lusaka
Zambia showed their continued improvement as a polocrosse nation as they defeated the USA 3-0 in the test match series at Lusaka, Zambia. They won the test matches 29-5, 29-11 and 28-11. Phil Chalcraft took best male player for Zambia while Lauren Watson took best female. Ryan Murphy was best male player for the USA Read more…
USA Name Their World Cup Team
The USA have named their 8 person World Cup team for 2011 and on the men’s side it looks fairly similar to that which finished 7th in 2007. The only change is Seth Alcott coming into replace Ryan Trueblood, as Robbie Shuttles, Ryan Murphy and Ryan Strider all keep their places. Only 1 lady player Read more…
Filed under 2010, World Cup
New Zealand and USA Announce World Cup Squads
Both New Zealand and the USA have named their squads for the 2011 Polocrosse World Cup, due to be held in July in the United Kingdom. That means of the 8 countries competing so far 3 of the countries have declared their squads, from which their final teams of 8 players will be picked. Australia Read more…
Filed under 2010, International, World Cup
American Polocrosse Fans React Angrily to Criticism of their Sport
American Polocrosse fans have reacted angrily to an article run by the Riverfront Times News Blog that called polocrosse a “ridiculous sport of the idle rich”. A number of polocrosse players and fans have posted comments in response to the article which was run by the website after they received news that the American Polocrosse Read more…
South African’s Under 23’s Defeat American Under 23’s
South Africa’s Under 23’s team took on their American counterparts in a series of four test matches, firstly at Estcourt and then at Snowy River near Joburg in South Africa. The South Africans emerged victorious with a 4-0 series defeat but the American team were by no means disgraced as they fought hard in each Read more…
Outgoing American President states concern over lack of membership participation
In the latest edition of “Off the Racquet”, the American Polocrosse Association’s newsletter, the outgoing president Nick Cheesman said that “the lack of interest and participation in the serving the APA is concerning”. He says there are plenty of ideas coming forwards as to how the association can better serve its members but now is Read more…
Filed under 2009, International, Sports Development
American National Championships 2008
The 2008 American Polocrosse National Championships took place in the mountains of Loveland, Colorado and the weekend proved successful for USA team captain Robbie Shuttles as his Lone Star A grade team took the title, beating Promised Land into second place and Robbie himself picked up best number 1 in the A grade. The B Read more…
UK Get Ready for USA Challenge
The UK development squad fly out to America at the end of this week to face the USA in a series of two test matches. The USA requested that the UK send a squad in order to help them with the development of their team in the run up to the next World Cup. They Read more…
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Rebuilding bridges
Restoring Bishop Bell's place in history
Coburg Conferences
Chichester 2019
Revised resolutions
October 2018 proceedings
February 2018 proceedings
The Bridge on the River Chaos (full text)
Letters to an Archbishop
Anne Dawson
Alan Gadd
Vasantha Gnanadoss
Yvonne Graham
Ruth Hildebrandt Grayson
Christopher Hoare
David Jasper
David Jasper & Ann Loades
Bishop Bell chronology (external link)
Voices & responses
From Wuppertal 1934 to Chichester 2019
08 Peter Billingham: the Drama of Faith
Bishop Bell and the nuclear threat
Synod Question 93
12 Conclusions
09 Marilyn Billingham: Bishop Bell and Gustav Holst
07 Bishop Gavin Ashenden
06 Geoffrey Boys: ‘Mistaken identity?’
Letter from Peter Mullen for February 4
Resign, Bishop Warner! Resign Archbishop Welby!
On Thursday 24th January, after an epic of prevarification and sheer evasiveness, the Church of England published the findings of its enquiry into the case of Bishop George Bell who was Bishop of Chichester during the Second World War. The chairman of the Bell Group, made up of the family, friends and supporters of the bishop, has written to ask for my prayers and for my views on how the Group should proceed. Gladly, but first, for those many people who will be unfamiliar with the details of this scandal, I will set out the facts…
Bishop George Bell (1883-1958), Bishop of Chichester, has been judged and condemned without any case brought for his defence. An elderly woman came forward in 1995 and claimed that Bishop Bell had sexually abused her fifty years earlier. The authorities took no action. The woman complained again in 2013, by which time Bishop Bell had been dead for fifty-five years. The police concluded that there was sufficient evidence to justify their questioning Bishop Bell, had he been still alive. Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester, discussed the matter with Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and in 2015 the Church of England offered a formal apology to Bishop Bell’s accuser, paid her an undisclosed sum in compensation – later revealed to have been £31,000 – and allowed her to remain anonymous. The Church authorities ordered that memorials to Bishop Bell be removed and institutions – such as the Bishop Bell School, Eastbourne – should change their names. So this highly-regarded wartime bishop was effectually condemned to the status of a non-person.
Unsurprisingly, there was outrage. On 13th November 2015, Judge Alan Pardoe QC described the way the allegations against Bishop Bell had been handled as “slipshod and muddled.” Judge Pardoe’s criticisms were followed by further censure from a group of historians and theologians led by Jeremy Morris, Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
The Bishop of Chichester replied with insouciance and a volley of jargon to these criticisms: “The Church is seeking to move on from a culture in which manipulation of power meant that victims were too afraid to make allegations, or allegations were easily dismissed. We must provide safeguards of truth and justice for all, victim and accused alike.”
But there were no “safeguards of truth and justice” for Bishop Bell who was condemned without a hearing.
The outrage did not subside and a committee of senior church people, distinguished lawyers and members of both the Lords and the Commons calling itself The George Bell Group was formed. On 20th March 2016, this group published a review in which they challenged the Church’s evidence against Bishop Bell and attacked it for failing to find or interview a key witness or examine Bell’s own extensive personal archive.
On 30th June 2016, the case formed a large part of a debate in the House of Lords on historical child sex abuse.
On 28th June 2016, the Church of England announced that it would hold an independent review of the procedure used. On 22nd November 2016 it announced that Lord Carlile QC would chair this review.
Meanwhile, the George Bell Group declared: “In view of the evidence that we have gathered and examined, we have concluded that the allegation made against Bishop Bell cannot be upheld in terms of actual evidence or historical probability.”
Lord Carlile’s report was eventually handed to the Church authorities and they kicked it into the long grass.
So much for Bishop Martin Warner’s vaunted “…safeguards of truth and justice for all, victim and accused alike.” All along, the only interests being safeguarded here were those of the Bishop of Chichester and the Archbishop of Canterbury. We know very well why these authorities leapt so precipitately to condemn Bishop Bell out of hand: it was because they had previously had to admit to the existence of so many perpetrators of sexual abuse among the senior clergy – especially in the Diocese of Chichester. Warner and Welby, to salvage what remained of their reputations, wanted desperately to appear to be doing something.
Thus the name of the safely-dead Bishop George Bell was tarnished because the Church’s highest authorities sought to cover their own backs.
Let us be in no doubt as to the seriousness of the Church’s misconduct so eloquently criticised in Lord Carlile’s report. He said that Bell had been “hung out to dry,” he added that the Church’s procedures were “deficient, inappropriate and impermissible”; “obvious lines of enquiry were not followed” and there was “a rush to judgement.”
In the light of this scandalously incompetent behaviour, the least that might have been expected from the Archbishop of Canterbury was a profuse apology to Bishop Bell’s descendants, family, friends and numerous supporters for the distress his decisions have caused them. Was there such and apology? There was not. Instead Justin Welby persisted in his mood of arrogant vindictiveness, saying, “A significant cloud is left over George Bell’s name. No human being is entirely good or bad. Bishop Bell was in many ways a hero. He is also accused of great wickedness. Good acts do not diminish evil ones…”
This is outrageous. True, Bishop Bell was “accused of great wickedness” – but he was not found guilty of any wrongdoing. And there is no “significant cloud” over his name. There is, however, certainly a very dark cloud over Welby’s name after his lamentable performance in this matter.
Lord Carlile didn’t mince his words: “The Church operated a kangaroo court.” He added that the church authorities have “besmirched.” Bishop Bell’s name. Sussex police have repeated their judgement that there is “no evidence” against him.
Welby has described the church’s enquiry as “Very, very painful.” For him yes, as indeed it ought to have been owing to his disgraceful and dishonourable conduct of this issue from the start. So to answer the question put to me this morning by the Bell Group, “How should we proceed?” There is only one answer and it is clear: the Bell Group should call for Warner and Welby to resign – as indeed they ought to have done once Lord Carlile’s report had been published.
Posted on January 26, 2019 Author adminCategories Chichester, voices
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Freedom of the Press 2016: Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey Decline
TOPICS:freedom of expressionmedia freedompress freedom
According to key findings of the Freedom House Freedom of the Press 2016 report, press freedom declined to its lowest level in 12 years in 2015, as political, criminal, and terrorist forces sought to co-opt or silence the media in their broader struggle for power.
Only 13 percent of the world’s population enjoys a free press—that is, where coverage of political news is robust, the safety of journalists is guaranteed, state intrusion in media affairs is minimal, and the press is not subject to onerous legal or economic pressures.
41 percent of the world’s population has a Partly Free press, and 46 percent live in Not Free media environments.
Over the past 10 years, Europe as a whole has suffered the largest drop in press freedom of any region in the Freedom of the Press report. This has been driven in part by the weakening European economies and shrinking advertising revenues, which have led to layoffs, closure of outlets, and further concentration of media ownership. Other contributing factors include new laws restricting media activity, and increases in violence against and intimidation of journalists in retaliation for their reporting.
In the Freedom of the Press 2016 report, each country and territory receives a numerical score from
0 (the most free) to 100 (the least free), which serves as the basis for a status designation of Free, Partly Free, or Not Free.
Western Balkans and Turkey
Attacks against journalists by various perpetrators in the Western Balkans contributed to an overall decline in media freedom there. In Serbia (score 45; Partly Free), multiple journalists suffered physical assaults, contributing to heightened self-censorship across the media sector. Attacks and death threats in Macedonia (score 62; Not Free) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (score 50; partly free) also raised concerns, with numerous violations committed against reporters who were investigating government corruption. Serious questions remain about whether these countries’ governments are genuine in their stated commitments to European norms for media freedom and independence, reads the Freedom House report.
Among the countries that suffered the biggest declines in 2015 were Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey, along with Bangladesh, Burundi, France, Yemen, Egypt and Zimbabwe.
Macedonia (score 62; Not Free) declined due to revelations indicating large-scale and illegal government wiretapping of journalists, corrupt ties between officials and media owners, and an increase in threats and attacks on media workers. According to the report findings, Macedonia is the only country with Not Free status in South East Europe.
Read detailed report on Macedonia
Serbia (score 45; Partly Free) declined due to the Vučić government’s hostile rhetoric toward investigative journalists, reported censorship of journalists and media outlets, and a decrease in the availability of critical, independent reporting.
Turkey (score 71; Not Free) declined due to the imprisonment of media personnel on fabricated charges related to national security, throttling of Internet service after major news events, severe restrictions on foreign journalists, including imprisonment and deportation, recurrent violence against media personnel and production facilities, and abrupt changes in media regulations.
In Turkey, the government took advantage of real and perceived security threats to intensify its crackdown on the media. Authorities continued to use terrorism-related laws to arrest critical journalists, censor online outlets, and deport foreign correspondents—usually in connection with the Kurdish insurgency, the conflict in Syria, or the Gülen movement.
Authorities loyal to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seized critical private media groups and turned them over to politically friendly trustees—a new tactic in the government’s ongoing assault on press freedom. In October 2015, state officials took over Koza İpek Holding, the owner of critical outlets including the television channels Kanaltürk and Bugün and the newspapers Bugün and Millet. In March 2016, the private media group Feza Journalism, owner of Zaman, Turkey’s largest newspaper, was also seized. Both actions were based on the companies’ association with exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen, a former Erdoğan ally who has been branded a terrorist.
Read detailed report on Turkey
The following countries were not covered by special reports, and we therefore outline the main indicators of their performance:
Albania: score 51, Partly Free
Croatia (EU member): score 42, Partly Free
Kosovo*: score 49, Partly Free
Montenegro: score 41, Partly Free
Other SEENPM countries
Among the other countries in which SEENPM members are based, the best performer is Slovenia (EU member), ranked as Free with the score of 23. Slovenia is the only country whose press was ranked as Free in the South East Europe.
Romania (EU member), with the score 38 is Partly Free, and so is Bulgaria (EU member) with the score 40.
The massive influx of migrants to Europe indirectly resulted in a variety of limitations on journalistic freedom. The most obvious example was in Hungary, an EU member, (score 40; Partly Free), where police attacked at least seven foreign journalists who were attempting to report on violent clashes between riot officers and migrants arriving at the country’s southern border. However, the authorities took other steps to limit journalists’ access to sites related to migrants and refugees, and the public media supported the government’s hostile stance toward them. Slanted coverage of the refugee crisis during 2015 demonstrated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s well-established influence over state media.
Moldova (score 56; Partly Free) was one of the geopolitically significant neighbors of Russia where Moscow expanded efforts to influence news agenda and manipulate information.
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ABOUT RUSSIA / GEOGRAPHY AND NATURE / PEARLS OF RUSSIA / VITOSLAVITSY MUSEUM
The Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture
Long ago, in the 12th century, the small village of Vitoslavlitsy was situated here, on the way between Novgorod and the Yuriev monastery. Many other small monasteries like the Panteleimonov, the Annunciation monastery, the Arkazhsky etc., were located close by. Neither the village, nor the majority of the monasteries have survived (the only exception is the Annunciation monastery), but the historical landscape remained intact - all those meadows, lakes, and streams which proved to be so attractive that in 1960 this place was chosen for the creation of an open-air museum.
Old dilapidated constructions were brought here from all over the region. After the restoration work was completed the place became one of the city's most famous sites, a favorite of both the locals and the city's visitors. A city bus stops right at the museum's gates. One can see the outlines of roofs and domes of numerous churches and belfries, suggesting a life totally different from the habitual modern one. And the visitor's guess is justified once he/she sets foot on the village's main street where Russian izby (log huts) stand in perfect order facing each other, their low roofs covering both dwellings and storage areas.
A smiling hostess, dressed in a costume characteristic of the Novgorod village style of the last century, will meet you at the threshold and invite you in. She will show you around the back yard and the vegetable garden, the hayloft and cattle stalls, pointing out and explaining the meaning of items that might be unknown to you. Inside the izba, among dozens of artifacts, collected during expeditions, including furniture, utensils, expressive "trifles" like wrought-iron stands for torches, painted cabinets, spinning wheels and village "red"-icons you can have a little rest, look around, wondering at the simplicity of life in the old days and speculating how such a tiny space could accommodate a huge family, take a peek at the polati (a space on the large Russian stove) where children usually slept, try on the original lapti (shoes made of Birch-bark), or pose in front of a camera next to the hospitable mistress of the house. In a gallery next to the hut you will be offered a selection of souvenirs made of Birch-bark or wood and shown how to work with these materials.
The two-story house of the first quarter of the 19th century, built for countess A. Orlova-Chesmenskaya, houses a stationary exhibition entitled "Folk Art of the Novgorod Region."
Twice a year, at the time of Sviatki (Christmas) and Troitsa (Whitsun), folk holidays are organized in Vitoslavlitsy. In winter people slide down snow slopes in sleds or on foot, sing songs and play traditional Russian games.
In summer folklore groups from all over the region gather in Vitoslavlitsy. Each small lawn becomes a place for round dancing, and songs follow one another. At the play grounds both the children and their parents try to learn stilt-walking and "huge-steps," play national games, gather in teams to pull the rope.
Visitors interested in souvenirs are welcome at the nearby fair. All the traditional handicrafts, including the Birch-bark articles, wood carving and painting, hand-made woven items, clay penny-whistles, etc., are presented here.
The Vitoslavlitsy museum is not only a place for strolls, rest and fun-making. This is also an architectural and natural museum, which contains different types of surviving wooden churches: the hip-roofed (eight edges over four edges) Church of the Assumption brought here from Kuritsk (1595), the Church of the Virgin's Nativity from the Peredki village (1531), the multiple-tiered church of Nikola from the Vysoki Ostrov (1767) and the Church of St. Nicholas from the Tukhol village (1688).
All in all a territory of just 30 ha accommodates 22 monuments. According to the city's general plan their number will increase to 70. They will give the visitor a good idea about traditions of the old life in different districts of Novgorod, varying from one another by natural conditions, economic activities, building traditions and some elements of spiritual culture.
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Tag: Marilyn Monroe
Posted on May 18, 2014 September 2, 2018
Is this who murdered Marilyn?
Romeo Samuel Greenschpoon, aka Ralph Romeo Greenson is Marilyn Monroe’s real killer, says an explosive new book, but the book also claims he did it on Bobby Kennedy’s orders.
The first thing about this book that makes me suspicious is the title includes the words “Cased Closed.” That meme was first employed by notorious disinfo artist Gerald Posner and didn’t get him any traction.
Here’s the crucial backstory: not only was Marilyn allegedly having an affair with Bobby Kennedy (something that supposedly started after Bobby was dispatched by JFK to tell Marilyn to stop calling him), but Marilyn was also having an affair with her analyst, the jet-setting and very well-connected “Romeo” Greenson.
According to this book, Marilyn had been keeping a little red diary, something that could compromise a number of Hollywood celebrities, Sicilian men-of-honor, and politicians. For some, having an affair with Marilyn revealed might have been an upgrade to their reputations, but for others, like Greenson and the Kennedy’s, it spelled potential professional disgrace. Supposedly, Marilyn was threatening to call a press conference and release the little red book, something that just doesn’t ring true for me, as calling press conferences was never really her style, or dishing on her past love affairs.
As the greatest goddess of her time, I’d imagine Marilyn held some sway on the astral plane, so the taking of her life is a significant crime against the forces of the universe, and in such cases karmic blow-back is virtually guaranteed.
The real question is: upon whom do we fix the blame? According to these authors, both of whom have written previous books on Marilyn, two LA policemen gave Marilyn what was supposed to be a fatal enema, but the next day she still clung to life, so Romeo was dispatched to administer the coup de grace.
JFK would be dead within a year, and Bobby not long after. If true, it’s got to be one of the greatest tragedies ever told.
Posted on April 24, 2013 September 25, 2018
Was Sinatra a Sometime Stoner?
Handsome Johnny.
Paul Anka’s new tell-all book My Way finally arrived. I was hoping this memoir might shed some light on the Sicilian men-of-honor society since Anka was the youngest member of Sinatra’s Las Vegas ratpack who ruled Vegas throughout the sixties and seventies. The book does not disappoint. In fact, the foreword includes a few paragraphs on Johnny Roselli, who was running Las Vegas for the Chicago family when Anka arrived there as a teenager. Anka says “Handsome Johnny” was working for Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky, but far as I know, he started out doing hits for the Chicago outfit and may have even been the trigger man for the St. Valentine’s day massacre which permanently rearranged the power structure in Chicago.
I have a strange connection to Roselli as he frequently came to my hometown to visit one of his favorite mistresses, the owner of the local newspaper, where I worked on the weekends while in high school, hanging up the UPI and AP tapes that were used to automatically set type. Initially, Roselli was moved out to Hollywood, but after Bugsy Siegal invented Las Vegas, he soon shifted his base of operations there. Anka says Casino is probably the closest movie to the truth about Vegas, but even in that movie the violence is exaggerated for theatrical effect. Roselli and his friends were actually the best-dressed, most well-mannered people in Vegas, and any problems that arose for them were usually dealt with very quietly and behind the scenes.
In fact, the rat pack may have picked up some of its style from Roselli and his pals because they always dressed to the nines. It was Roselli who got Marilyn Monroe her first movie deal, by the way, which is why she owed the Chicago family big time, and why she had affairs with Sam Giancana, Roselli’s boss.
There are many revelations in this book, but one of the biggest is Sinatra actually liked smoking pot on occasion? Anka doesn’t make a big deal out of it, just mentions it in passing one time, but obviously many if not most of the professional musicians in the 30’s and 40’s were vipers at one point. We always heard Sinatra didn’t care for illegal drugs, but, in fact, that may not have been true when it came to marijuana. The rat pack spent a lot of time in the steam rooms, sweating out the booze they were drinking, but marijuana would also have provided some much needed hangover relief.
Of course, Sammy Davis was the weirdest member of that group. At the invitation of the creepy Lt. Col. Michael Aquino, Sammy received an honorary membership in Anton LaVey’s Church of Satan. Sammy was a freak at heart and loved having threesomes with a dude and a lady while imbibing enormous amounts of cocaine and watching porn. Sammy supposedly had the biggest porn collection in Hollywood. Sinatra tried to pull Sammy out of that scene when it was obvious Sammy was losing it.
According to Anka, the scene in Casino when they are bundling up the skim in the backroom is not entirely correct. All the cash was put into official wooden boxes and reported except the hundred dollar bills. The hundreds were divided between the families who’d invested in Vegas, and suitcases of hundred dollar bills were constantly being shipped back east.
I’m sure Anka knows more than he is revealing, but even so, the book is filled with revelations and I hope this gets turned into a movie soon. Anka comes across as a very smart dude who was there at the beginning of rock and roll. In fact, he was working with Buddy Holly when Holly died and Anka correctly identifies Holly as the most important influence on the British invasion, the man who almost single-handedly created the singer/songwriter/guitar player role model that swept through the culture a few years later. Chuck Berry was very influential too, but Chuck was an older dude, already in his 30s when the rock tidal wave crashed on the beach. In a way, Holly’s death and Berry’s incarceration opened the doors for the British invasion to walk though as they left such a tremendous void.
Anka and Bobby Darin were the two most talented dudes in their class, the last to come from the Brill Building, and it’s obvious Anka thinks Darin lost all dignity by joining the counterculture late in life. I disagree in that songs Darin wrote during this period were among his best and make great counterculture anthems today, especially Simple Song of Freedom. So I don’t think Darin lost his dignity, quite the contrary, I think he had a spiritual awakening, but like Ricky Nelson found out at Madison Square Garden, sometimes your audience thinks they’re in charge of your paradigm and they don’t want you to change, or at least they don’t follow you down that road.
I didn’t realize Anka was Lebanese, probably because his family is Christian, but he was Adnan Khashoggi’s favorite performer and there’s a lot of praise for that gun runner and Octopus bagman and very little on his criminal behaviors, but then the same goes for the Sicilian men-of-honor. Anka also goes into detail on the famous fight between Steve Wynn and Donald Trump.
But some of his most interesting revelations occur when Howard Hughes arrives in Vegas with the intent of buying up the state. Hughes did buy several casinos before he was mysteriously disappeared, but the men-of-honor? They were left in place. Hughes needed people to run his casinos, and they were simply the best people for that particular job.
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Gestalt Therapy Case Studies Blog
Clinical examples of Gestalt theory, applied in practice. ...with Steve Vinay Gunther
Case #160 - Missing father
Julie said her issue was deep pain.
She felt a bit nervous with me, so I invited her to ask me a question (rather than me putting the spotlight on her).
She asked me 'how do you deal with deep pain'. I share with her some ways I recently dealt with my deep pain.
Next she shared that she had a fear of abandonment, but she learned to take care of herself in that place, and not depend on anyone else.
I asked her experiences of being abandoned. She said she didn't have anything directly like that, but that her father had worked in another city, and was only able to come home for 1 month a year. So she missed him very much during her childhood.
In middle school she went with her brother to live with him. But her experience of going to school was that of being the outsider, coming to the city from the country, from the south to the north. She felt excluded.
I pointed out that the feeling she described is akin to a kind of abandonment, being left alone.
During this middle school time, she was staying with her father, but he had to work very hard, take care of her and her brother, and didn't have a lot of time or energy leftover for them. She felt lonely there, and wanted more affection from him. She learned to rely on herself.
I acknowledged her feelings, and shared my own experiences of being an outsider. Her eyes filled with tears. She talked about a feeling in her belly which held her back.
So I suggested an experiment - we would sit back to back, and she would lean against me.
She sobbed during this; she was able to lean against me, and finally she settle somewhat.
Then she asked to be held like a baby.
So I agreed for her to put her head in my lap, and I held her. She sobbed again. During the time she asked asked me, as her 'father', if I loved her. I spoke for her father - 'yes'. She asked me if I mattered to her. She asked me several things, wanting to confirm this. I explained 'as her father', that I had to go away to work, but missed her, and thought about her. I guessed that this was likely close to the truth.
The experience was extremely powerful for her. I told her to just let herself rest. She could take in the nourishment she had craved for so long.
In this place, where the experiment has such a powerful context, the experience is very real, and thus significantly healing. The result is a deeply embodied experience of the yearned-for connection, reassurance, and soothing of a pain she carried her whole life.
Sometimes, as therapist, we can give voice to others in a person's life, who they could never really know. Some may question speaking 'for' the father's reality; and its true, its an educated guess. However, being a father myself, I could place myself in the father's shoes, and perhaps understand something about him. In this way, including myself in the therapy, I can contribute. Whats important is that I am not doing this for my own benefit, out of my own unfinished business, but that this is focused on the clients need.
The same thing with agreeing to hold her. I am not in the business of evaluating the 'correctness' of the client's wishes. It seems within the bounds of therapy, appropriate to the case and the situation. If I can be part of a healing process, that is consistent with the client's ground, that feels right to me. I do not see the value of questioning the client's need - I find it better to take it at face value, experiment, and see what happens. If it fits, then good. If not, then we can explore what that is about. Part of the ethos here involves respecting the client as the best expert on themselves, an inherent part of the phenomenological stance.
Case #159 - Getting unstuck
Linda raised her issues with her mother, who had come to stay with her recently. She said she didn't like being around her mother, who she found 'sticky'. Her mother would ask her for advice, then reject everything she said, and then later ask for advice again. Her mother would take a kind of child role and tone of voice with Linda, who couldn't stand this.
I sat for a while with this. It seemed a clear situation, and a difficult one. There were 'answers' - this was a case of a double bind, and there are various ways to deal with this in therapy. Its also clearly a case where the parent-child roles were being reversed, and the child needs to 'give back' the burdens the parent is putting on them.
But I didn't simply want to follow a theory here, give a glib answer, or provide a clever intervention.
I felt my own sense of 'stickiness' in the situation, and did not want to simply pull myself out of it with my knowledge, or my enthusiasm for helping Linda.
So I sat, for some time, letting the 'creative void' be there, waiting to see what emerged. After several minutes I remembered the 'Gestalt prayer' which Fritz Perls had been so fond of, even to the point he would get people to repeat it before a group session.
This goes:
You are you, and I am I
I am not in the world to live up to your expectations
and you are not in this world to live up to mine.
If by chance we find each other, its beautiful.
If not, it can't be helped.
This is very much a statement of differentiation. It has fallen somewhat into disrepute in the Gestalt world now, as it is seen as too extreme an emphasis on the individual, without enough acknowledgement of interconnectedness. So I was a little reluctant to mention it.
However, what is important is the needs of the client, not the controversy of the Gestalt world. And in this circumstance, it seemed relevant.
So I introduced it to Linda.
As I spoke it, I asked what she felt. She said she felt stronger.
So I invited her to say it, repeating it after me.
She reported feeling more settled.
So I asked her to say it again.
She said that she felt good, but something was stuck in her throat - a hardness.
We explored this - it was related to a cultural introject to 'always be soft' in the way one expresses things.
The Gestalt mode of dealing with such 'shoulds' is the exercise I then gave to her: to make two sentences:
'I want to be soft'
'I don't want to be soft'
This brings in the element of choice.
She said she didn't want to have to always be soft.
So then we went back to the 'prayer', and I invited her to say it in a 'harder' way, imagining she was saying it to her mother.
She was able to do so, and felt stronger.
Linda wanted more.
I felt to stop there.
She wanted me to go through, explain to her what this meant, and how she could apply it.
I declined.
Sometimes such support is relevant.
But in this case, I simply said to her - the core issue is differentiation, and this gives you a sense of the spirit of it. But I am not going to spell it out further for you. I could feel myself otherwise moving into the 'sticky' position, giving her move 'advice' as she found herself doing with her mother.
Linda was not really satisfied, but I drew my limit.
This was important, as my own act of differentiation in the connection.
Differentiation is not something that can be put into a formula; its a shift in a way of being, a movement into a sense of oneself, without needing to be defined by others, yet not moving to isolation, but staying in contact.
Its an essential ingredient in maturing, and in family relationships of all types.
It can't really be 'taught', but only pointed to, and practiced. In this case, my own practice - in a non reactive way - could provide an example for her, and a felt experience, that would help her further in differentiating from her mother.
In that sense, its important not to be 'too' helpful to the client. We are here to assist them, but if we lean forwards too far in being helpful, thats not ultimately in their best interests.
Case #158 - All about needs
Dana had got very triggered by something that occurred in the group, had gone into her shame, and then said she felt like vomiting. So I encouraged her, and she vomited a little.
This is a positive step, to let out what has been swallowed. In Gestalt we are interested in what people 'introject', or swallow, in terms of beliefs and values from others. It is necessary to help them 'chew' these over, to be able to digest them, and find whats relevant for them. That leads to authenticity.
I asked her about her mother, and food. This is because when something has been swallowed, that is unhealthy, its also good to trace just how the person is in relation to food; and the source of this relationship is generally how their mother was with them around their needs (oral issues).
Dana said her mother was not in touch with her own needs, and that Dana also found it difficult being in touch with her needs.
She reported that she liked to eat rich food, but could only really stomach light food most of the time.
This indicated something about her need for nourishment, and her capacity to take it in. It provided an important pointer for the therapy process - and I needed to be careful about how much I 'fed her', even though her needs may be significant.
She talked about her orientation to other people's needs, and how her mother was also like this.
In such circumstances, there is an imbalance, and the 'sensitivity' to others needs is 'as if', because if we are not equally tuned into our own needs, we cannot really be there for others. In fact, what we do for others is an overcompensation, and in that sense, not really as generous as it seems.
This was a very big topic, requiring a lot of ongoing therapy.
To make a start, I asked her, 'so what do you need from me, right now?'
I knew this would be a difficult question for her, but I wanted to raise it to see what would come up. Its important to take large topics, and bring them into the 'here and now, I and thou', to make them workable, and to give me a direct experience of the issue we are talking about.
She reported being confused - I expected this.
I was patient though... directed her to her feelings, and waited.
In this type of situation, such a person needs a lot of support to recognise and ask for what they need.
She finally said she wanted my attention. That was good.
She said she wanted my steady attention, but that she would be allowed to come and go unrestricted. That was a very good step, and provided me with much important information, as this represents a fundamental need that children have - for the secure presence of the caregiver... with permission to come close to get reassurance, and then go off exploring, and then come back when they need.
Dana said she wanted to crawl. I asked if she would like me to do that with her. She did. This is because she was at a very young stage, and often young children want an adult there with them, joining and reflecting them, and playing with them.
So we crawled around for a while.
She was very happy. I pointed out that this was a fundamental need - for mirroring - to be recognised in one's feelings, and needs, and to be met in that place.
Then she asked me about my need. I was cautious, as in a way, this represented her pattern. But I wanted to go with it, as an experiment, and find a way to do something different with her around other's needs.
So I told her that I had a need for touch, physical affection.
She said that she didn't have that need so much.
This was excellent - I immediately said, 'yes, my need is different to yours, and thats ok'. This was excellent because it provided a chance to highlight differentiation - the capacity to be oneself, and yet stay connected in relationship.
I suggested that this kind of differentiation was also a fundamental need.
Mirroring requires me as caregiver to put my needs aside to be with the other.
Differentiation involves me recognising differences, and making that ok.
This set the tone for ongoing therapy, and provided a framework for her development in coming to terms with the topic of needs.
Finally, I said, 'I know you would like to keep going Dana, and I am going to stop now'
People in this situation often don't know when they are 'full', and require a clear, firm and non-reactive boundary to be set. This helps flag to them that some needs have been met, and they need to sit and digest, rather than keep going for more. This is also a kind of mirroring - acknowledging their fullness, so they can recognise it themselves.
Case #157 - Pretending
Miranda's concern was about her tone of voice, which she felt was 'pretend'. She explained how she engaged at a level of social nicety, but that she felt a lack of authenticity in that place.
This got me interested in her field - the context for such a way of being.
She explained that her mother had been very controlling of her, but not her father. Her mother would instruct her exactly how to wash the dishes for instance, in great detail, correcting the slightest deviance from her protocol. Her mother had these kinds of specific expectations of her in every realm.
Now Miranda lived her life with as little structure as possible - at home, things were all over the place for instance. I pointed out that in fact she was not free of her mother, but was still in relationship to her - in reaction.
I pointed out that on the one hand her mother was controlling, and on the other, that could also be seen as support - clear instructions in how to behave. This clearly made it especially difficult for Miranda to go beyond her social persona, as it had been deeply embedded in there by her mothers careful and detailed instructions.
So, to bring this all into the 'here and now, I and thou', I invited Miranda into a Gestalt experiment with me. I suggested that she find some detail to criticise in me, and tell me about it. This is a relatively safe situation, because I am setting it up, inviting it, and reassured her that I have lots of steadiness and ground to hear her.
She told me 'you are too unstructured as a teacher'.
I acknowledged the truth of this - I like to work in a very unstructured way.
Embedded in this statement was a very rich ground for therapy - her reaction against structure, yet her desire for structure also implied by the criticism. But I simply noted that to myself, for another time.
What I did remark on was that as she was telling me, she was smiling, and was speaking in a soft tone of voice.
I acknowledged the embarrassment of confronting authority with a criticism. Its important not to push too hard in an experiment, to stretch too much beyond a client's familiarity. And when they do participate in an experiment to extend, its important to understand that there may be some shame associated with that.
I pointed out that here we were up against her mother's conditioning regarding being polite to one's elders.
So I invited her to 'put her mother on the pillow' and talk with her.
Miranda said 'I won't be controlled by you'. But again, with a smile, and soft tone.
I picked this up, and remarked on it, especially as she had started the session with concerns about the pretence in her tone of voice. In Gestalt, we take the themes or 'figures' we are working with, and look for how they are manifesting in the present experience.
I offered her support to have a 'bitchier' tone of voice. It was hard for her. She closed her mouth in what I call a 'zip'. I pointed this out to her. She said she actually felt angry when talking to her mother. So I invited her to show that in her voice.
She was able to do so a little, and say her piece without a smile.
This was a small step - she had not got to the point of raising her voice. But it was important to move at a pace which Miranda could integrate, rather than going for a dramatic movement.
There was much rich ground for therapy here, but such work needs to be done over a period of time. Gestalt privileges integration; otherwise, great insights, or great releases of energy, do not embed in the person's being.
Part of the value of therapy is in the new experiences and learning. Part is in the development of the ground of relationship, which comes through the client 'being known' by the therapist. So in cases such as this, I get to know and understand the client in important ways. This knowing then builds essential ground for subsequent sessions. Gestalt is very focused on providing a therapy that is not 'off the shelf', but one which is individualised and very much tailored to who the client is.
© Lifeworks 2012
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Serafina - Angel wings: https://youtu.be/iY_FeviFRGQ (45m)
Barb Wire Tattoo: https://youtu.be/WlA9Xfgv6NM (37m)
A natural empath; vibrating with joy: https://youtu.be/tZCHRUrjJ7Y (39m)
Dealing with a metal spider: https://youtu.be/3Z9905IhYBA (51m)
Interactive group: https://youtu.be/G0DVb81X2tY (1h 57m)
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Author: webportal
About 24 million people speak Dutch as their mother tongue. It belongs to the group of Germanic languages, and it is the third most commonly used Germanic language, after English and German.
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL offers Dutch courses at five levels.
Hungarian is spoken by 13 million native speakers, among which 9.8 million live in Hungary.
Hungarian is also one of the official languages in Vojvodina.
The popularity of this language has grown since 2011 when the Republic of Hungary passed a law by which everyone who proves their Hungarian origin has the right to apply for Hungarian citizenship. This is seen as an opportunity to obtain a EU passport by Serbian citizens whose ancestors used to live in the territory of Vojvodina until 1921.
Besides having Hungarian origin, it is necessary to prove the knowledge of Hungarian language at the interview in the embassy.
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL offers courses to help you prepare for this interview and thus achieve your goal of getting an EU citizen status.
In Japanese three letter systems are used: hiragana, katagana and kanji. All three can be used in the same sentence.
It is important for foreigners to know how formal they need to be when addressing other people. This and other characteristics of Japanese culture are learned about at our courses which are available at two levels.
There are two main variants of the Portuguese language: dominant, Brazilian Portuguese, which is used by around 80% of all Portuguese speakers, and the European Portuguese, the official language in Portugal, some African countries and East Timor.
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL offers four levels of Portuguese courses.
Students of Czech at ST NICOLAS SCHOOL will not only learn about the language, but also about the culture and history of the Czech Republic.
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL offers Czech courses at four levels (A1-B2), each lasting for four months.
Students who enrol in the Serbian language course at ST NICOLAS SCHOOL will have the opportunity not only to learn the language but also to get acquainted with the culture and lifestyle of people in Serbia.
Serbian courses can be attended in small groups or individually throughout the year.
Our summer school of Serbian has been included among other summer schools in Europe and you can read more about it at www.summerschoolsineurope.eu
During the Middle Ages, Arabic was the language of culture and science, which led to the presence of many Arabic words in European languages (philosophy, astronomy, astrology, mathematics, algebra, medicine and other sciences).
Arabic courses at ST NICOLAS SCHOOL are divided into four levels: A1, A2, B1 and B2, each lasting for four months.
Besides learning the language, our students also get acquainted with the richness of Arabic culture, tradition, music and literature.
Russian courses at ST NICOLAS SCHOOL can be attended at six levels.
Besides General Courses, our school offers Business Russian Courses aimed at our students who have business relations with Russians.
Having in mind similarities between Russian and Serbian language, we often use comparative methods of language learning.
Along with the regular curriculum, depending on the interests of the students, we discuss topics related to Russian culture, politics, economy and sports.
Chinese is the oldest written language in the world with the long history of about 6.000 years.
Chinese is written in the form of characters which represent both sound and meaning. There are over 20.000 characters and in order to read a newspaper, one needs to know between 3.000 and 4.000.
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL offers Chinese courses at five levels, from beginner to advanced.
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL enables you to learn contemporary Greek language, using the most efficient methods of acquiring a foreign language. The courses are available at ll levels.
Our teacher will give you insight into the Greek language, as well as the culture, music, cuisine…
Serbian for
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Block 44 011 31 78 133
Near “Carine” 011 26 05 569
ST NICOLAS SCHOOL - a foreign language centre, was founded in 1999 with the intention to provide easy and efficient foreign language learning to a wide range of students.
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East/Warner
Cultural Life
Events of the Day
Melville’s Mighty Theme: A Visit to Herman Melville’s Home in Lansingburg, NY.
dkramer3@naz.edu
February 27, 2019, 5 months ago
At Corinthian Hall, on February 18th, 1858, Herman Melville delivered a lecture — “Statues in Rome — to the Atheneum And Mechanics’ Association of Rochester for which he was paid fifty dollars. In 1846, Melville was also in Rochester to visit his friend, Richard Tobias Green, a native Rochestarian. During a voyage to the South Seas in 1841–2, Melville and Greene jumped ship in the Marquessas Islands; their voyage became the subject of Typee. In 1840, Melville traveled through Rochester by canal boat on his way Illinois to visit his uncle.
Rochester Daily Democrat (Rochester, New York) – November 20, 1851. The advertising notice naturally offered a praiseworthy account of the commercially unsuccessful Moby-Dick. In January 1852, the Daily Democrat printed another favorable notice: “MOBY-DICK, or THE WHALE”—Is another attractive book, by Herman Melville, the popular author of “Omoo,” Typee,” and other well known works relating to Sea-Life. It is replete with wild adventures and thrilling scenes. Mr. Melville is a master, and a light, in that path of Romance in which he has chose to walk. His descriptions are graphic and complete, and are thoroughly imbued with that grace and charm which is a peculiarity of his genius. The work is dedicated to Nathaniel Hawthorne. (melvilliana.blogspot.com)
As part of George Cassidy Payne’s ongoing literary tour of New York — including Mark Twain in Elmira, Rod Sterling in Binghamton, Michael Herr in Delhi, John Burroughs in Roxbury and Kurt Vonnegut in Schenectady and Troy. Today, George takes us to Lansingburg, site of Herman Melville’s home.
— George Cassidy Payne
The career of Herman Melville fascinates me. His first two books were popularly read but did not make very much money. Published four years later in 1851, his magnum opus was Moby-Dick, a book that many consider to be “the great American novel.” However, when Melville wrote Moby-Dick he was struggling to make ends meat as an author. What should have been his big break turned out to be a complete disaster commercially. Even worse, the book was widely criticized by his peers, and for all intents and purposes it spelled the end of his notoriety as a professional writer.
Sadly, he would be forced to take a job as a U.S. Customs Inspector in New York City-a post that he held for 20 years. Although he wrote several more novels and worked on an epic poem for years, he eventually faded away from public view.
Thirty years after his death, a Melville revival took place. For the first time all of his works were being reread and reappraised. A writer who died in obscurity was suddenly being seen as an innovator of the fictional autobiographical genre and a master storyteller of romantic adventure.
Rochester Daily Democrat – May 12, 1847. As discussed by George, early reviews of Typee and Omoo focused on the manners and customs of the Polynesians.(melvilliana.blogspot.com).
It was during this revival that his saga of a sea captain battling a giant whale became a great metaphor for the conflict between nature and humans. It was also during this period when his first two books-namely Typee and Omoo, were read not just as interesting descriptions of island life in Polynesia, but as precursors to the most extraordinary novel of the 19th century. Indeed, these early works are more than just travel literature. They reveal an author with a unique gift for blending fiction, natural history, and anthropology. Melville exploited all of these elements to heroic effect in his masterpiece.
What I didn’t know is that Herman Melville lived for a time in the city of Troy, NY. It was here that he penned some of his earliest writings; these books may not have matched the quality of work which was to come, but they provided him a creative outlet for his many sea adventures, and they put his name out there in the literary world. What is more, they gave him the encouragement and motivation he needed to write Moby-Dick.
To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. — Herman Melville
“A New York State historic marker commemorates the nine years that Herman Melville lived there and wrote his first two novels, Typee and Omoo. Melville was a graduate of The Lansingburgh Academy and taught in the area. The furnishings at the headquarters reflect the various architectural changes the building has undergone during its two centuries of existence. The society’s collections includes maps, photographs, diaries, business records, town and village records, and the Burleigh panoramic views.”
Faith, like a jackal, feeds among the tombs, and even from these dead doubts she gathers her most vital hope. Herman Melville
In 1973 the society established “Melville Park” directly across First Avenue from the Melville House. The park is located on the site of the early 19th century shipyard of Richard Hanford.
Saturday, August 3, 2019 – Herman Melville Bicentennial Celebration – Details are still being worked out, but it will involve something very different for LHS, Stephen Collins portraying Herman Melville in the one-man play “Sailing Towards My Father.” It will be presented in the Gardner Earl Chapel in Oakwood Cemetery – a rare opportunity to see a play performed there. The amount requested will not be prohibitive – we hope you’ll attend, after all! There will also be refreshments, and a sale of reasonably-priced used Melville books.https://lansingburghhistoricalsociety.org/
The Melville House and Museum is located at 114th Street and 1st Avenue. Built in 1786 by Stephan Gorham, the first postmaster of Rensselaer County.
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. Herman Melville
A view of the Hudson from the front porch of Melville’s home. Is there some principal of nature which states that we never know the quality of what we have until it is gone? Herman Melville
The Hudson River behind Melville’s house. A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard. Herman Melville
View of Melville’s high school from the Oakwood Cemetery viewshed. Lansingburg High School also graduated U.S. President Chester Arthur.
Hermann Melville in Rochester, 1840, 1846 and 1858
Troy’s Oakwood Cemetery: Burial Place of Uncle Sam
Herman Melville in Rochester, 1840, 1846 and 1858
Che of The Town: Interviews (1-107)
EducationHistory
Nazareth College’s President Daan Braveman on defining moments and his own March on Washington, August 1963
Rachel’s Rebel Roots
Getting To Know Mayor Lovely Warren; A Trailblazing Leader Within Our City
The Presidential Visits Series in its entirety: James Monroe to Donald Trump
Talker of the Town
“The love ($) you get is equal to the love ($) you give” — adapted from John Lennon
Talker invited to the University of Rochester to talk about Talker
“Mr. Crane’s Vivid Story:” New and Improved
Talker of the Town is a continuation of conversations begun in three Democratic Chronicle blogs: Make City Schools Better, Unite Rochester and the Editorial Board. Since February 2013, urban education has been the primary focus. Now, the flowering of topics is limited only by our imaginations.
Talker of the Town might better be Talkers of the Town. The blog won’t thrive without your leads, text, pictures, ideas, facebook shares, tweets, comments and criticisms.
Detention Centers are Part of America’s Dark History July 12, 2019
Eugene Kramer: August 14th, 1929 to June 30th, 2019 July 5, 2019
The False Narrative of Unmanned Drones and Trump’s Responsibility to Lead June 24, 2019
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Global Issues, US Politics
The human cost equation
July 15 2006|Comments (0)
In Tuesday’s most deadly attack, two pedestrians wearing vests made of explosives blew themselves up near a restaurant outside the walls of the Green Zone, within a few hundred yards of three busy entrances, Iraqi and American officials said. Soon after the initial blasts, a hidden bomb was detonated nearby, adding to the carnage, the American military said. Some Iraqi authorities said the third explosion was caused by a car bomb.
At least 15 Iraqi civilians and an Iraqi police officer were killed in the explosions, and 4 people were wounded….
In a predominantly Sunni area of Dawra, a district in southern Baghdad, gunmen ambushed a bus carrying Shiite mourners from the holy city of Najaf, where they had buried a relative, government officials and family members said. The gunmen pulled 10 people from the bus and executed them, the Interior Ministry official said.
An hour earlier, in Taji, north of Baghdad, gunmen ambushed another bus, killing one person and wounding five, the official said.
Two mortar grenades hit a Shiite mosque in Dawra, killing 9 and wounding 11 civilians, the Interior Ministry official said.
In other violence, a family of five–a father, mother, grown daughter and two teenage sons–were found beheaded in a predominantly Sunni sector of Dawra, according to an official at Yarmouk Hospital, the main medical facility in western Baghdad.
The police and hospital officials also reported that four car bombs around Baghdad killed at least 7 people and wounded at least 18.
Gunmen raided a company’s offices in the upper-middle-class Mansour neighborhood, killing three employees and wounding three, officials said.
According to the official at Yarmouk Hospital, five bodies were discovered early Tuesday in Jihad, the neighborhood where dozens of people were reportedly executed by marauding gunmen on Sunday. It was unclear when the victims had been killed.
In Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s hometown, a time bomb exploded in the clinic of Ameera al-Rubaie, the wife of the governor of Salahuddin Province, according to Agence France-Presse, which quoted the local police. Dr. Rubaie, a gynecologist, was killed and four of her patients were wounded, the police said, according to the wire service.
In Baquba, north of Baghdad, the mayor of the Um Al Nawa district was assassinated by gunmen, the ministry official said. In the Shiite holy city of Karbala, a drive-by shooting killed two workers in the central market, according to the Interior Ministry official.
An engineer and his bodyguard were assassinated on their way to work in Kirkuk on Tuesday morning, according to Col. Adel Zain Alabdin of the Iraqi police. A car bomb in Mosul l killed two people and wounded four, the police said. [emphasis added]
The above is a NYT report on one day of violence in Iraq – Tuesday of this week – as noted by Michael Crowley at the Plank. Some days have been better, some much worse. This Times of London report, as AS right states, is equally as grueling. My comment is not so much about these incidents per se, but rather the sum human cost of the war. In many respects, I can sympathise with the humanitarian rationales for the war. Particularly those expressed on this site. I am a strong supporter of humanitarian interventions, under strict conditions and with the types of coalitions, and skill sets, that I believe are essential to the post-conflict nation building process.
On balance, at the time, however, I was against the war based largely on an equation of the human costs. Or more accurately, the combination of the risk of an incredibly difficult post-invasion period, combined with a lack of planning, capability, desire, and coalition to effectively deal with this nation building project. UN support, for me, was not a matter of ‘what the world thinks’, but rather a combination of getting access to the necessary skill sets (imperfect but evolved over numerous post-cold war missions), and local/regional legitimacy, that is essential in post-conflict environments. The humanitarian equation, for me, did not add up.
Of course others had different equations. There has been much talk lately about the 1% doctrine, for example – this is not really a humanitarian argument though. One of Blair’s many calculations was that he could convince the US to accept the greater UN involvement that he knew was needed, immediately after the fall of Baghdad. This of course, for numerous reasons, proved incorrect.
If one’s goals are humanitarian, then this human cost equation is of primary relevance.
My question then is this. For the war’s supporters, is the human cost of the war academic? Do the causalities, or the many days like this past Tuesday, alter the overarching rationale for the war? Or, do the intentions of the war, and the eventual end state (if positive), trump any number of deaths, or any amount of brutality, in the interim? This question is at the center of much of the debate on humanitarian intervention more generally, and I think can, and should, be asked of Iraq.
On a similar note, O’Hanlon, an advocate of humanitarian intervention for which I have great sympathy, last week had a good op-ed on the humanitarian side of the reconstruction effort – how it has faltered and where it might go. Incomplete, yes, but some decent ideas.
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US Supreme Court Center > Volume 248 > FARSON, SON & CO. V. BIRD, 248 U. S. 268 (1919) > Full Text
FARSON, SON & CO. V. BIRD, 248 U. S. 268 (1919)
Farson, Son & Co. v. Bird, 248 U.S. 268 (1919)
Farson, Son & Co. v. Bird
Submitted November 15, 1918
Decided January 7, 1919
ERROR TO THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA
Petitioners sought by mandamus to compel a county treasurer to devote the proceed of a special tax toward satisfaction of their county warrants, claiming that their contract rights in the fund were impaired by the action of the county board of revenue in levying the tax for another object, in violation of the constitution. The state court decided the treasurer had no discretion under the state law but to follow the levy, and that petitioner's remedy, if any, was against the board or the county. Held that this Court had no jurisdiction to review the judgment, because it was based on considerations of state law sufficient to sustain it without reference to the federal questions.
Writ of error to review 197 Ala. 384 dismissed.
MR. CHIEF JUSTICE WHITE delivered the opinion of the Court.
But a single question is required to be decided. We state the case only to the extent essential to make this clear and to elucidate the issue to be considered.
In 1905 and 1907, the County of Shelby contracted to build and furnish a courthouse. It was stipulated that the price for the work should be evidenced by interest-bearing warrants, maturing during a series of years. By the Constitution and laws of Alabama, the power of taxation
of the county for general purposes was limited, but, in addition, the constitution and laws authorized counties to levy annually a special tax of one-fourth of one percent to be applied to the erection or repair of county buildings, the construction of roads, bridges, etc. The warrants under the contract were in terms secured by an agreement of the county to levy this one-fourth of one percent tax annually and apply it to the payment of the warrants. The state law contained a provision authorizing the registry of county warrants and making such registration operate as a lien on the proceeds of the taxes dedicated to the payment of the warrants. The courthouse was completed, furnished, and accepted, and the warrants were issued in conformity with the contract and according to law.
In 1916, Farson, Son & Co., alleging themselves to be holders of warrants issued under the contract as above stated, filed their suit for mandamus against the county treasurer. The petition alleged the contract for the courthouse and averred that the board of revenue of the county, the governing body which had succeeded to the county commissioners previously in authority, while continuing the levy of the one-fourth of one percent tax, had in impairment of the obligation of the courthouse contract, dedicated the proceeds of that tax, as collected, to roads or bridges, thus depriving the warrant holders under the courthouse contract of the means of payment to which they were entitled. It was alleged that, in consequence of such action, the county treasurer had refused to pay any of the proceeds of the one-fourth of one percent tax to the courthouse warrant holders, and had, in further violation of his duty, credited the same to other funds and paid them out accordingly. It was moreover charged that the treasurer had in his hands, despite such wrongful payments to others, the sum of about $7,000, derived from the one-fourth of one percent tax collected in 1915, which it was
his duty to apply as far as necessary to the discharge of a sum of $1,565, with interest, due on the courthouse warrants, and which he had refused to pay although demand had been made on him to do so. The petition expressly counted upon the protection of the contract rights which it asserted not only by the constitution of the state, but also by the contract clause of the Constitution of the United States, alleging impairment thereof by action of the board of revenue, legislative in character, and the prayer was that the county treasurer be mandamused to pay out of the one-fourth of one percent tax for 1915 in his hands the sum of $1,565, with interest. A demurrer to the petition, as stating no cause for relief, was sustained, and the case is before us upon the ground of the deprivation of federal right which arose from the action of the court below in affirming the trial court.
The court below conceded that, under the state law, mandamus was appropriate if the county treasurer had capacity to stand in judgment. It moreover conceded that, if the contract had been entered into as alleged, the attempt to violate it by dedicating the proceeds of the one-fourth of one percent tax to any purpose other than to the payment of courthouse warrants was, insofar as such proceeds were necessary to pay said warrants, void as an impairment of the obligation of a contract forbidden both by the state constitution and that of the United States. But from these premises it nevertheless decided that there was no right to the mandamus against the county treasurer. It rested its conclusion on provisions of the state constitution and laws, which it held defined the duty of that officer and absolutely deprived him of all power to apply or pay money coming into his hands by taxation levied for a particular purpose to another and different purpose. It decided, therefore, that if, under the theory that the board of revenue had wrongly directed the appropriation of the one-fourth of one percent tax, action
against that body, and not merely against the county treasurer, was appropriate and necessary under the state law. The court said:
"If the facts alleged in this petition are true, they [the courthouse warrantholders] ought to have relief, and the county to be required to carry out its contract, or to answer in damages for the breach thereof, if the contract was valid and binding, but the relief must be had by different proceedings and against different officers, or the county itself, and not against the county treasurer. Mandamus may be petitioners' remedy, but, under the facts alleged it must be against different officers than the county treasurer."
197 Ala. 384.
Thus, resting its decision exclusively upon the question of procedure and the power of the particular officer against whom the mandamus was asked as limited and defined by the state law, we see no basis for the contention that the action of the state court gave effect to the impairment of the obligation of a contract in violation of the contract clause of the Constitution. On the contrary, we are of opinion that, when correctly tested, it becomes apparent that the action of the court below involved only a ruling upon a question of remedy resting upon considerations of state law broad enough to sustain the conclusion reached without any reference to the federal questions which were raised and relied upon.
And any possible doubt on this subject, we are of opinion, is removed by the subsequent action of the court below in the case of Board of Revenue of Shelby County v. Farson, Son & Co., 197 Ala. 375, cited in the brief of the plaintiff in error. In that case, which was an action against the board of revenue of Shelby County to compel the levy of the one-fourth of one percent tax, as provided in the courthouse contract, for the purpose of paying not only certain warrants which were past due in 1916, but to provide for the warrants falling due in 1917, the court
awarded the mandamus sought. In doing so, it not only held that the courthouse contract was valid and that the agreement to levy the tax as therein stipulated was lawful, but, moreover, that the subsequent action of the board of revenue in diverting the fund to the detriment of the courthouse warrant holders was an impairment of the obligations of the contract, and was void because of repugnancy to the constitution of the state and to the contract clause of the Constitution of the United States.
It is true, indeed, that in that case the court referred to its ruling in this case with approval, but the relief which was denied in the one and afforded in the other leaves no support upon which to rest the contention that contract rights secured by the Constitution were impaired by the ruling which was made in this case.
As our conclusion is that the federal question relied upon as the basis for the writ of error had no foundation, it follows that our decree must be, and it is,
Writ of error dismissed for want of jurisdiction.
Powered by Justia US Supreme Court Center: FARSON, SON & CO. V. BIRD, 248 U. S. 268 (1919)
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Dave Syverson
Illinois State Senator
District Map and General Information
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Veterans Day “Wall of Honor”
Syverson: Progress being made in budget talks, but slowly
SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers in the Illinois Senate are getting closer to a deal to end the budget impasse, according to State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), but he adds that there are a number of key issues that need to be addressed before finalizing any budget.
“We are trying to deal with significant systemic problems that have been building for decades, issues that accelerated under the runaway spending of Governors Blagojevich and Quinn. There are no easy solutions, and more importantly, there are no painless solutions,” said Senator Syverson.
Syverson noted that a final solution needs to accomplish three things: work towards balancing the budget, improve the job climate, and stop the out migration of people from Illinois.
“The first step in reaching a balanced budget is you must stop new spending until you can pay for the current spending. In the last 60 days, Democrats in the Senate have proposed $1.8 billion in new spending. Over $300 million of new spending was passed out of the Senate this week alone. Tough adult decisions have to be made, which include making cuts in spending and reforming programs. After those two difficult steps, we can look at raising revenue temporarily to close the gap until our economy grows strong enough. Cuts and reforms must take place first. The public will not buy another Pat Quinn ‘temporary increase to pay bills’ lie. Improving our jobs climate and growing high-paying jobs must be our continued focus. That is the only way we can grow our way out of our economic problems,” said Syverson.
Workers compensation reform has been much of the focus in terms of improving the jobs climate, by making Illinois more attractive to businesses. Employers often cite the state’s extremely high workers compensation costs, which are the highest in the Midwest and the 7th highest in the nation, as one the biggest obstacles to job creation and expansion. In addition, estimates place the cost of workers compensation for state and local governments at nearly $1 billion per year.
“Right now our state has made it far too difficult to add jobs, and if we aren’t adding jobs, our economy can’t grow,” said Senator Syverson. “We need reasonable reforms and guidelines to keep workers comp rates in check or we won’t be able to grow the good-paying jobs that we so desperately need.”
Illinois has been one of the nation’s biggest losers in terms of population growth. In just 2016, the state lost a total of 114,000 people. They are not all heading south for warmer weather, either. A recent study noted that Illinois lost 329,000 people, on net, to its surrounding states over the last decade. Syverson said he believes that in addition to improving job growth, the governor's proposed property tax freeze would have a huge impact on helping families here in Illinois.
Syverson added that he looks forward to continuing negotiations on a budget package that addresses these areas but notes that Democrats will need to be willing to work with Republicans for anything significant to move forward.
“These things all go hand-in-hand. A balanced budget reduces the need for sky-high taxes, more jobs will create more revenue, and reducing costs for residents will keep them here, earning and spending money,” said Senator Syverson. “Years of Democrat control proved that we can’t tax our way out of this. We have to grow our economy. We have to do this right and we need willing negotiating partners to make this happen.”
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Curator Kris Douglas on American Stills exhibition in Emerging Artist Series at the Rochester Art Center
To perceive and subsequently reveal an inherent beauty in what may be characterized as “commonplace” requires the observer (i.e. the photographer) to consider specifically the act of seeing what is “there” or simply what “is.” Images that suggest recognition and acceptance of the banal differ from those, perhaps more pervasive images, that confer emotion and meaning with loaded subject matter or blatant content. These latter images may allow for an accelerated or undemanding “read” of the image, and as a result, may be more immediately accessible to the viewer. Considering the ubiquitous use of photographic images employed across a multitude of contexts (e.g., commercial, corporate, academic, artistic), less ease may be experienced by the individual when viewing what could be described as ambiguous or indirect images. When confronted with an image that does not at once suggest a narrative or an emotional state, for instance, one may be tempted to label the image as empty or lacking meaning. However, these same images may provide the rare opportunity for individual interpretation and interaction with the work, or for unadulterated acceptance of the image on its own terms. In discussing intrinsic value contained in what may be described as the “real” or the “actual”, noted photographer and author Stephan Shore states, “Chinese poetry rarely trespasses beyond the bounds of actuality. Whereas Western poets will take actualities as points of departure for exaggeration or fantasy, or else as shadows of contrast against dreams or unreality, the great Chinese poets accept the world exactly as they find it in all its terms, and with profound simplicity find therein sufficient solace. Even in phraseology they seldom talk about one thing in terms of another, but are able enough and sure enough as artists to make the ultimately exact terms become the beautiful terms.”
It is in this way that Tema Stauffer makes known the subject of her photographs without prejudice, and allows the viewer to observe situations, objects, or environments in a new context, and to reveal the subtleties present in these ostensibly ordinary images. In a series of photographs taken at what appears to be a vacant water park, the viewer is afforded the opportunity to consider the artist’s motives. One might take into consideration narrative possibilities, emotional content, and socio-cultural commentary. Ultimately, the images act to invite our attention to a scene that we may have encountered but ignored, uninterested in considering it further. In making this selection, Stauffer begins to elevate the perceived “usual” into something unexpected, imbuing objects with an importance that heretofore went unnoticed. The scale of many of her works also acts to emphasize the significance of the image, imparting status via size. Allowing for recognition of details, this format (at times) permits the viewer to associate with the subject matter more closely, effectively challenging previous photographic conventions and commenting on the discrepancies between the real and the represented. To attempt to fully understand these images or determine absolutes concerning the artist’s intentions or the viewer’s responsibility can, at times, become problematic or wholly undesired. Referring again to the possibilities of interpretation, the artist can purposely and repeatedly (working in series) provide multiple means of conceptual or theoretical entry into the work, directing but not entirely dictating the analysis. In responding to an enquiry regarding the meaning of his work, Carl Philip Heuschrecke states, “By writing you an answer, Sir, I will undoubtedly deny you the pleasure of opening your Own eyes … I will provide you with figures and with parallels, but I leave it to you to figure their relevance.”
The work contained in this exhibition, American Stills, features large-scale photographic C-Prints (a specific method of color photographic printing) representing Stauffer’s most current projects. As an example, Front Yard (2003) depicts a winter residential scene, seemingly not long after a new-fallen snow. It is dark, but a definite light source appearing to originate from the street distributes light to the ground, resulting in a reflective glow. Due to the character of this illumination, the image, although printed in color, takes on a distinctly monochromatic appearance. One could argue the conventional idealistic representation of a similar scene would consist of a frontal or more direct view of the house and it’s surroundings, with a camera position or perspective originating at the street, looking in on, not out from a specific location. Presenting nearly a reversal of this view, Stauffer captures an unexpectedly idyllic scene, despite that a driveway inhabits the majority of the foreground. Also noteworthy is a political sign posted in the front yard, its lettering reversed as merely the back is visible. Although the subject matter is subdued, it’s placement and inclusion in the photograph becomes exceedingly important. By presenting this scene in such a manner, Stauffer skillfully and subtly illustrates the significance of perspective or point of view, allowing the viewer to consider the role of observer versus observed.
Kris Douglas is the Chief Curator of the Rochester Art Center in Rochester, Minnesota.
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Thailand Study Tours
Sacred Sites and Healing Arts
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The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.
It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar (Burma), to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest. The capital and largest city of Thailand is Bangkok. It is also the country’s center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities.
Thailand is the world’s 50th largest country in terms of total area (slightly smaller than Yemen and slightly larger than Spain), with a surface area of approximately 513,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi), and the 21st most-populous country, with approximately 64 million people. About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay; the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. There are an estimated 2.2 million legal and illegal migrants in Thailand. Thailand has also attracted a small number of expatriates from developed countries in the West. The country’s official language is Thai.
Thailand is one of the most devoutly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism which is practiced by more than 94.7% of all Thais. Muslims make up 4.6% of the population and 0.7% belong to other religions. Culture and traditions in Thailand are significantly influenced by India, as are Burma, Laos and Cambodia.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the tenth king of the House of Chakri, as the ruling monarch. The king is officially titled as the Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, an Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Supreme Supporter of all faiths.
Thailand experienced rapid economic growth and today is a newly-industrialized country with an emphasis on exports and a flourishing tourism industry, thanks to various world-famous tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Bangkok, and Phuket.
NAIC 5401 Saving Grace Ln. Brooksville, FL 34602
Want to learn more about Learning SomaVeda® Thai Yoga? Visit us at ThaiYogaCenter.Com
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TTB Webmaster
Bulletin Board – July 18, 2019
Bulletin Board – June 5, 2018
The senior center is for the enjoyment of all seniors 55 and older. New and exciting activities include bridge, pinochle, bingo, exercise program, line dancing, wood-carving, Wii games, watercolor class, movies and health classes. Meals-on-Wheels available for homebound. Lunch served weekdays. For age 60 and above, suggested donation is $3. For those under age 60, cost is $5. Transportation available to the store or doctor visits for residents in the Tooele and Grantsville areas. For transportation information call 435-843-4102. For more information about the Tooele Center, call 435-843-4110.
Donate to library
Please remember the “Friends of the Tooele City Library” when doing your spring cleaning and donate your used books to the bookstore in the library. Money from book sales is used to support programs within the library. The library is located at 128 W. Vine St. For more information, call 435-882-2182 or go online to tooelecity.org. Thank you for your support.
Books for the Whole Family
Donated children’s books and paperbacks are for sale for 25 cents, and hard-covers are being sold for $1 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Fridays, 5-8 p.m. on Mondays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Tooele City Library. All proceeds go back to the library for projects and programs.
Bingo is back
St. Marguerite Catholic Church has started its bingo games again on Fridays starting at 6:45 p.m. Come and have a good time. Food is available. Call 435-882-3860 with questions.
Share the past
Share the past, submit a history, obituary, or a picture of a deceased relative. The Family History Center in Grantsville is assembling a record of Grantsville residents. Your submission may be made by emailing to spitzyjk@msn.com or by coming into the center at 115 E. Cherry St., or by mail to PO Box 744, Grantsville, Utah 84074. Come in and receive help from our trained consultants. For more information, call 435-884-5018 or 435-224-5010.
The senior center is for the enjoyment of all seniors age 55 and older. For information, call 435-884-3446. Activities include Bunco, exercise programs, bingo, ceramics, pinochle, movies and wood- carving, etc. Meals-on-Wheels is available for the homebound. Lunch served weekdays. For age 60 and above, suggested donation is $3. For those under age 60, cost is $5. Transportation is available to the store or doctor visits for residents in the Tooele and Grantsville areas. For transportation information, call 435-843-4102.
Daughters of Utah Pioneers
The DUP is seeking any family histories, photographs, books, stories or vintage artifacts (before 1900) to display at the DUP Grantsville Museum, located at 378 W. Clark St. (in the basement of the J. Reuben Clark Farmhouse across from the Grantsville Cemetery). For more information, call Ellen Yates at 435-884-0253 or Coralie Lougey at 435-884-3832. Visit www.grantsvilledupmuseum.com or www.exploretooele.com.
Story and Craft Hour
Join us every Monday at 10 a.m. at the Tooele Family Center-PIRC as we enjoy the adventures of books and make fun crafts. For more information, call 435-833-1934 ext. 1410. We are located at West Elementary School, 451 W. 300 South, Tooele. Please enter through the south side doors.
Free Preschool Hour
Every Tuesday at 10 a.m., the Tooele Family Center-PIRC has a fun activity hour of learning, singing and creating. The class is for all children up to 5 years old. Please come and enjoy the fun. For more information, call (435) 833-1934 ext. 1410. We are located at West Elementary School, 451 W. 300 South, Tooele. Please enter through the south side doors.
St. Marguerite Catholic School
Students of all faiths are welcome from preschool through 8th grade at Tooele County’s only faith-based school. Featuring all-day Kindergarten, all-day preschool, junior high grades 6-8, small class sizes, and an enhanced STEM curriculum. Give us a call at 435-882-0081 or visit www.stmargschool.org.
Home Run Dads
Home Run Dads is a free, 5-session course starting May 17 that teaches relationship, parenting and job readiness skills around a baseball theme. The course is suitable for fathers, or father figures within two-parent, single-parent or co-parent family structures. The course will be held 6-8 p.m. on May 17, 24, 31 and June 7 and 14 in the Tooele Family Center at West Elementary, 451 W. 300 South, Tooele. Dinner will be provided at each session. Attendance at first session is required for food and incentive eligibility. Must be 18 or older to attend and no daycare will be provided. Register at HealthyRelationshipsUtah.org or email mike.sitton@usu.edu or call 385-216-1547.
Family Finance Challenge
Join the Family Finance Challenge sponsored by USU Extension. Make a family finance goal, attend fun activities, join the Facebook group and report how you are doing meeting goals during this 12- week program. Earn enough points and receive a $50 Wal-Mart or grocery store gift card. To register, go to extension.usu.edu/tooele and click on Tooele County Saves Challenge box. Fill out survey to begin. Questions? Contact Darlene at darlene.christensen@usu.edu or text/call 435-840-4404.
Online courses in Network+ and Security+ IT are designed for the IT professional who seeks to upgrade his or her skills and knowledge of networking and security. Courses prepare students for the CompTIA Network+ and Security+ exams. Call Tooele Technical College at 435-248-1800 for more information or to enroll.
Get enrolled
Start the New Year off right and enroll in training at Tooele Technical College. Sharpen your current skills or train for a new career. Most programs have open enrollment and you can enroll anytime of the year. Get a commercial driver’s license in as little as 4 weeks and get on-the-road to a lucrative career. Tooele Tech also offers CPR classes to its students and the public on the second Monday of every month. Become CPR certified at Tooele Tech. For more information, call 435-248-1800 or visit tooeletech.edu.
Train to work
Tooele Technical College’s new Software Development program and Nail Technician program have immediate openings. Train to work in the computer software industry or own your own business as a licensed nail technician. Visit tooeletech.edu for more information.
Get your high school diploma this year at the Tooele Community Learning Center. All classes required for a high school diploma, adult basic education, GED preparation and English as a second language are available. Register now to graduate — just $50 per semester. Located at 211 Tooele Blvd. Call 435-833-8750. Adult education classes are for students 18 and over.
ESOL conversational classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Tooele Community Learning Center. ESOL students may also come anytime the center is open for individualized study. Registration is $50 per semester. Located at 211 Tooele Blvd. Call 435-833-8750 for more information.
Do you have a child under age 3? Are you currently pregnant? VANTAGE Early Head Start is a free program for eligible families that offers quality early education for infants and toddlers in the home; parent education; comprehensive health services to women before, during and after pregnancy; nutrition education and family support services. Call 435-841-1380 or 801-268-0056 ext. 211 to apply or for free additional information.
Free developmental evaluation
DDI VANTAGE Early Intervention offers a variety of services to families with infants and toddlers from birth to age 3. Individualized services are available to enhance development in communication, motor development, cognition, social/emotional development, self-help skills and health concerns. Contact us for a free developmental evaluation at 435-833-0725.
Tooele Children’s Justice Center
Tooele Children’s Justice Center is in need of DVD-Rs, soda, bottled water and snacks. We appreciate all donations. For inquiries or drop-off, call 435-843-3440. 25 S. 100 East, Tooele.
United Methodist Dinner
Tooele United Methodist Church offers a free dinner every Wednesday. Coffee and social hour starts at 4 p.m. and dinner is served from 5-6 p.m. All are welcome.
Tooele Valley Resource Center
The Tooele Valley Resource Center, now sharing a building with the Tooele County Food Bank at 38 N. Main Street, Tooele, is currently in need of donations. Please consider donating items such as deodorant, Chapstick, lotion, diapers, formula, toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, combs and brushes. Cash is also welcomed. Those who receive services include individuals or families in crisis, the homeless and families at risk of becoming homeless. For more information, call 435-566-5938 or fax 435-843-0244.
First Baptist Food Pantry
The First Baptist Church in Tooele is offering an emergency food pantry to meet the needs of our community. Hours are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. First Baptist Church is located at 580 S. Main Street. For information, call 435-882-2048.
Tooele County Food Bank, Grantsville Emergency Food Pantry, and the Tooele County Food Bank are in need of canned meats, soups, pasta and any non-perishable foods. We are accepting donations for Pathways Women’s and Children’s Shelter (victims of domestic abuse). They are in need of socks, underwear, blankets for twin beds, hygiene products (hairspray, hair gel, body wash, nail polish and remover) toys. Anything will be appreciated. Underwear and socks must be new. Other items can be gently used. Please help us help our community. Drop boxes are located in the Intermountain Staffing Office, 7 S. Main Street #203 in Tooele.
Baby blankets needed
Baby blankets are needed for the nursery at Mountain West Medical Center. Blankets should be new and in good condition. Homemade blankets are also accepted if new. Donations can be turned in to the volunteer desk at Mountain West Medical Center, 2055 N. Main Street in Tooele. Call Diane at 435-843-3691 with any questions.
Community Closet
Clean out your closets. The Community Closet is accepting donations for gently used clothing. Donations are accepted at your neighborhood school. Contact Christy Johnson at 435-830-4706 with any questions.
Meals at the Lodge
Friday and Saturday night dinners will be served from 5-9 p.m. Friday night dinners change weekly or you can order from the menu. All meals are for a reasonable price. No orders taken after 8:45 p.m. Daily lunch specials are available at the lodge from 11 a.m. For members and their guests only.
The Bent Fender Band will perform from 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, June 16.
Breakfast will be served every Sunday meeting at 10:30 a.m. Please attend the men’s meeting at 9:30 a.m. and the women’s meeting at 12:30 p.m., and enjoy a great breakfast.
WOTM and LOOM meetings will be held on June 10 and June 24.
The second Tri-lodge Golf Tournament will be held at Oquirrh Hills Golf Course on Sunday, July 22 with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. The Eagles will host the event and all proceeds will go to the Diabetes Prevention fund. Call the Eagles at 435-882-0286 to sign up.
Father’s Day breakfast
A Father’s Day breakfast will be served on Sunday, June 17 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. All fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers will eat for free. Ladies and kids will pay a nominal fee. For members and their guests only.
Friday dinners have been postponed until further notice.
Sunday breakfast
Breakfast will be served every Sunday this month. You can have the special for $5 or order from the menu, which is $7.50 for adults and $3.50 for children up to 11 years old. The breakfast includes a glass of juice, milk or cup of coffee with refills. Bad beer is available. Come bring the family and have a good breakfast at a nominal price. Public is invited.
Lodge meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. House committee meetings are held every third Tuesday of the month. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Friday Night Dinners have returned and are from 6-9 p.m. If there is something new or different you would like to see, stop by the social quarters, fill out a survey and let us know your opinion.
Hungry? Need a snack? Available in the social quarters, during business hours: Nachos $2.50, hot dogs $2, burgers $3.75 ($4 with cheese), chicken sandwich $3.75 ($4 with cheese) and personal pizzas $3.
Tooele County Historical Society’s books are available to purchase at meetings. The History of Tooele County Volume II is $35, The Mining, Smelting, and Railroading in Tooele is $25, and we also have eight note cards depicting four different pioneer buildings for $4. These make great gifts for family and friends. Please call Alice Dale at 435-882-1612 if you would like to purchase these books.
Seeking Historical Items
The Tooele County Historical Society would like members of the community who have any family or personal histories, photographs, books, brochures, DVDs, VHS tapes or newspaper articles that you would like to donate to our organization to please call us. We are also looking for books, newspaper articles, photos, brochures or any history that pertains to the Tooele County area. If you would like to donate them to our organization, or if you would let us make a copy for the Tooele County Historical Society, please call 435-882-1612.
Groups and Events
20th Annual Garden Tour
On Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9, 15 fantastic garden spaces across Tooele Valley will be part of the annual garden tour. Get inspired and get your dose of green. Friday hours are from 4-9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tour books are $10 per adult, children 12 and under at free. Buy your books online, or the day of the tour at Speirs Farm, the Fawson Preserve or Tooele Valley Nursery. See annualgardentour.info or call 435-830-1447.
5K Freedom Run
Registration is now open for the Tooele Kiwanis Club’s 5K Freedom Run scheduled for July 4. Register early at tooelekiwanis.com
Tooele High School classes 1977 and 1978, come and celebrate our 40th reunion on Aug. 18, 2018, at 6 p.m. at the Eagles Nest at Tooele Army Depot. Cost is $40 per person if paid by July 1. After that date the cost is $50 per person. If you don’t want dinner and just want to socialize, the cost is $20 per person. Social hour is at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and dancing at 8:30 p.m. Please remit payment to THS Reunion Class of 1977 and send to: Cecelia Russell (Bankhead), 316 Upland Dr., Tooele, Utah 84074 or to Sam Woodruff, PO Box 711, Tooele, Utah 84074. Please feel free to email Cecelia at Cjafra@digis.net or Jeanie at jdeavila60@hotmail.com if you haven’t already heard from us. We are trying to compile an updated class list with current information.
Connie Bonjour is the Stansbury Art and Literary Society artist for June. Bonjour was born and bred in a small town on the Mississippi River. While growing up in the rolling hills of northwestern Illinois, she and her brother would often go walking and bird watching in the woodlands. She and her husband moved to Utah in 1976, where she has learned to appreciate the beauty of the mountains and desert. Bonjour enjoys both watercolor painting and digital photography. Birds are one of her favorite watercolor subjects. She has become very adept at capturing with an artistic eye the flora and fauna of Tooele Valley. Her artwork will be displayed on the Wall Gallery at the Tooele County Chamber of Commerce building, 154 S. Main St., Tooele, for the month of June. The public is invited to view these works during the chamber’s regular business hours.
Tooele Gem and Mineral Society
The Tooele Gem and Mineral Society club meets the third Tuesday of the month (except June, July and Aug), 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Pioneer Museum downstairs conference room located at 47 E. Vine St. Tooele. Come learn about rocks, minerals and ways to craft them and enjoy field trips for rock collecting. Membership is $15 per year. For more information, send questions to tooelegemandmineralsociety@gmail.com.
Local author seeks photos
A local author and historian is seeking original photographs of Saltair, Black Rock, Garfield Beach and/or Lake Point, as well as any similar turn-of-the-century attractions and resorts for an upcoming book project. Those who wish to contribute information or photographs of these parks should contact Emma Penrod at elpenrod@gmail.com. Contributions will be printed with credit in a yet-to-be released pictorial history book. There is no such thing as too many photographs as the author needs a minimum of 160 photographs, and any help is greatly appreciated.
Tooele Valley Free Masons
Tooele Valley Free Masons meet the second Friday of each month for dinner and socializing. If you are interested or have questions, please join us at the Lodge, located at the corner of Settlement Canyon Road and state Route 36, or call at 435-277-0087.
Tooele Valley Family History Center
Research your ancestors free with trained FamilySearch volunteers at the Tooele Valley Family History Center, 751 N. 520 East, Tooele. Phone 435-882-1396. Hours of operation: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday evenings 7-9 p.m. Wednesday evenings by appointment only. Special classes offered regularly. Call the center for more information.
Tooele Family Al-Anon
Al-Anon meetings are held Wednesdays at 11 a.m. in the Tooele Pioneer Museum’s basement at the back of the building. For questions or more information, please call Allene at 435-830-0465 or Elizabeth at 435-884-0825 or 435-241-9200.
Tooele Al-Anon Choices 4U
This group meets Sundays at 5 p.m. at the Mountain Faith Lutheran Church, 560 S. Main St., Tooele. For more information, contact Gesele at 435-224-4015 or Jo-Ann at 435-849-4180.
Meetings are held daily at noon and 8 p.m. at the Oasis Alano Club, 1120 W. Utah Ave. For more information, contact Lance at 435-496-3691 or Wendy at 801-694-2624.
Alzheimer’s Caregiver Group
Join us the 3rd Monday of each month from 2-3 p.m. at Mountain West Medical Center in Tooele. The Tooele County Health Department’s Aging Services program is the sponsor for these Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Groups. The groups are designed to provide emotional, educational and social support for caregivers. Questions call 435-277-2440.
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a free, 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food addiction. Meetings are held every Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Pioneer Museum, 47 E. Vine Street in Tooele. Enter at the north back entrance. For more information, call Millicent at 435-882-7094 or Carolyn at 435-882-0805 or visit www.foodaddicts.org. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Tooele County Aging
Tooele County Aging is looking for volunteers to help us meet the needs of seniors in the community. Many seniors require assistance and need rides to doctors or other health professionals. Rides help seniors live more independent lives. Call 435-843-4114 for more information. The Grantsville and Tooele Senior Centers also are in need of volunteers. For more information about volunteering at the Grantsville Center, call Dan at 435-843-4753. For volunteering at the Tooele Center, call Debbie at 435-843-4103.
Life’s Worth Living Foundation
Suicide support group meetings are held every fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. at Mountain West Medical Center, 2055 N. Main Street in Tooele, in the classroom by the cafeteria. If you struggle with suicidal thoughts or have lost a loved one to suicide, please plan on attending. Please go on Facebook and like our page to keep current with our latest news and events. Contact us on that page. Visit lifesworthlivingfoundation.com or call 435-248-LIVE.
Disabled American Veterans Chapter 20
The “Jordan M. Byrd” Tooele County Chapter for the Disabled American Veterans holds monthly general membership meetings at the Pioneer Museum, 47 E. Vine Street in Tooele, every third Thursday of the month at 8 p.m. Those who wish to attend the leadership meeting at 7 p.m. are welcome to listen to the appointed members’ meeting. All Tooele County veterans are invited to attend. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will hold its monthly executive and general meetings on the third Thursday of every month at the Pioneer Museum (rear entrance). The executive meeting will be at 7 p.m. and the general meeting will be at 8 p.m. The DAV is looking for volunteer drivers — no DAV membership is required. Will need a VA physical. No monthly meetings are held in December. Call commander James Yale at 435-849-0521 or senior vice commander Dustee Thomas at 435-830-8487.
Health Department and Aging Services hours
The Tooele County Health Department and Aging Services’ new hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. Check out our calendar on our main page for holiday hours and closures. For more information, call 435-277-2301.
A diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease can be overwhelming for the newly diagnosed. Tooele has a support group for persons with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers. You can learn how others are coping with PD and how to live well. We meet the third Friday of each month from 1-2 p.m. at Tooele Technology College, 88 S. Tooele Blvd., Tooele. For information, call Hal at 435-840-3683.
Tooele Naranon “Circle of Hope to Recovery”
Tooele Naranon meets Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at 134 W. 1180 North, Ste. 4 in Tooele (Bonneville Mental Health). Open to all those affected by someone else’s addiction. As a 12-step program, we offer help by sharing our experience, strength and hope. For more information, please contact Terri at 435-313-4851.
Military Items Wanted
When you no longer want your military items, do not take them to Deseret Industries or a thrift store. Bring them — hats, helmets, dress uniforms, boots, shoes, pants, jackets, backpacks, belts, canteens, pouches, old photos, etc. — to 775 S. Coleman Street. They will be displayed with honor and respect. Call Matthew or Tina at 435-882-8688.
Children’s Choir Auditions
Rising Voices Children’s Choir is an auditioned children’s choir for children 7-14 years of age. The talented Katelynd Blake, owner and director of Blake Music Studios, directs the choir. Blake has a degree in vocal performance and has taught at the collegiate level. If your child loves to sing and you are looking for an exceptional musical experience for them, this is it. For more information and to register for an audition, please visit blakemusicstudios.com or call 435-277-0755.
Rocky Mountain Hospice
Want to have more meaning in your life. Do you want to do something that is satisfying and of great service to your community? Then become a Rocky Mountain Hospice volunteer. No experience required. All training, background check and TB tests provided by Rocky Mountain. The only requirement is your desire to help someone in need. Please contact Diane Redman at Rocky Mountain Hospice at 801-397-4904.
The Next Chapter is a free social support and educational program to help widows and widowers adjust to the loss of their spouse through monthly activities. You are invited to join others who are on the same page as you, to begin a new chapter in your life story. Call Sarah with Tooele County Aging Services at 435-277-2456 for more details.
Sons of Utah Pioneers
Anyone interested in the history of Tooele City, Tooele County or Utah pioneers, we need you. Please come and join us for a potluck social dinner at the LDS church, 192 W. 200 South, Tooele. For more information, please contact Joe Brandon, 435-830-9783 or 435-830-9784. The local Sons of Utah Pioneers meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
Grandparent Networking Group
Come meet and network with others who are raising their grandchildren. For address or other information, call Trisha 435-849-2536 or email at tesschelble@yahoo.com.
TC Squares Dance Club
The TC Squares Dance Club has begun dancing again on Mondays at the Clarke Johnson Jr. High Cafetorium, 2152 N. 400 West, Tooele, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Please bring finger food to share. For more information, contact Woody at 435-850-2441, Roberta at 801-349-5992 or visit the club’s website at tcsquares.com.
Tooele County Homemakers
The new season of Tooele County Homemakers is from September to May. For December and January, the group will meet on the second Tuesday of both months from 10 a.m. -1:30 p.m. at the USU Extension Office auditorium or inside the Tooele County Health Department, 151 N. Main, Tooele. The meetings include a luncheon and often include speakers. For more information, call Thiel at 435-224-4807.
Tooele County Quilters
It’s a new year and the Tooele County Quilters are ready to go. If you’re interested, come join us for our first meeting of 2018 at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 16 in the Tooele County Health Dept. auditorium. Dues are $20 per year to be paid at the first meeting. All meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month. For more information, call 435-843-7649.
Bulletin Board – July 9, 2019
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PARSHAS CHUKAS 5779
PARSHAS KORACH 5779
“THE KING’S ROAD”
The following is based on the lecture I delivered in Kehillat New Hempstead (KNH), Shabbos Kodesh parshas Chukas 5778, June 23, 2018.
I had the great fortune to serve as rabbi of KNH from 2007-2018. This lecture was the final that I gave in the capacity of being the shul’s Rabbi:
During one of Abbot and Costello’s classic comedy routines, Lou Costello was the defendant in court. At one point, when Costello made a rude comment, the judge angrily replied, “You can’t speak to me that way, young man. I’ve been sitting on this bench for twenty-five years”. Costello snapped back, “Twenty-five years on the same bench? So you’re just naturally lazy, aren’t you!”
I’ve been standing at this pulpit each Shabbos and Yom Tov for the last eleven years. During that time, I’ve shared many wonderful occasions with you. I’ve conveyed Torah thoughts on the parsha and yomim tovim, and have spoken during occasions spanning the lifecycle. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking on happy occasions, and I’ve had to give eulogies, which were of the most difficult experiences of my life. And now, after eleven wonderful years, this is the final lecture I will deliver from this wonderful pulpit in the capacity of Rabbi.
As you all know, I consider myself a student of Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman. For many wonderful summers, Rabbi Finkelman joined us in Camp Dora Golding. During those summers, I had the privilege to hear many inspiring lectures from him, to learn from his sterling example, and gained tremendously from many personal conversations with him.
A few years ago, Rabbi Finkelman did not return to Camp Dora Golding. I missed (and miss) being able to glean from his direct influence and from his insights and unique perspectives.
A friend related that he too had had such an experience when a rebbe he was close to for years had moved on. He told me that his rebbe had shared with him that when Hashem separates a person from a rebbe or guide, it is indicative of the fact that Hashem wants the person to internalize all he gained from that Rebbe, and to continue to grow without the personal connection he had until now.
During the past decade, on some level, every member of this kehilla has been a rebbe to me.
The greatest mashgiach for a parent, is his children, because he feels he must maintain certain spiritual standards in the presence of his impressionable children. In the same vein, the greatest mashgiach for a rebbe is his students, and the greatest mashgiach for a Rabbi are his congregants.
A fellow Rabbi in this neighborhood would often bless me that I should have nachas from my ba’al habatim (congregants). His beracha was definitely fulfilled on many levels.
In addition, a rebbe/rabbi is blessed with added siyata dishmaya (heavenly assistance) to live up the high demands of his position. In my years as Rabbi, I have personally gained tremendously in my personal Torah learning from all of you. Firstly, I have learned a great deal from the penetrating questions and wonderful insights that people have shared with me over the years. But in addition, on many occasions, when preparing a lecture, I have found myself realizing a new idea or perspective that I had never thought of before. On numerous occasions I had that experience while doing the arduous trek up Brick Church Road towards shul on Shabbos morning.
Aside from the friendships and great relationships that our family has forged during the last decade, as I move on from the shul, I will miss all the added components I just mentioned as well.
On the Final Gemara exam that I gave my ninth-grade students last week, I wrote the following concluding thought at the end: “You have arrived at the end. But every end is another beginning, if we view it in that light.”
When sharing a final thought, it cannot be merely an insight on the parsha, but it must be a perspective about life and Torah living generally. It must be an idea that can inspire us as we forge ahead on the road of life:
In parshas Chukas, the nation was nearing the end of their long and difficult forty-year-trek through the desert. They were not far from the Promised Land, and were camped next to settled kingdoms and nations. Moshe extended a request to the King of Edom to allow the fatigued nation to pass through his land. The King of Edom summarily rejected the request, even mobilizing his army to ensure that the Jewish nation didn’t traverse his borders.
The vernacular Moshe used when making his request of the King of Edom contains a poignant perspective for how a Jew is to live his life: “Please allow us to cross through your land, we will not pass through the fields or the vineyards, and we will not drink from the waters of the wells; on the road of the King we will go, we will not veer to the right or to the left, until we cross through your boundary.”[1]
Essentially, what Moshe asked the King of Edom is what our soul requests of our body in this world. In this world, out soul and body are engaged in an epic struggle for supremacy, and the body has home-court advantage.
Our soul descends into this world with a sense of mission. It desires to garner merits and fulfill its task so that it can successfully return home, and merit its eternal reward. But to do so, it has to traverse the rugged terrain of this world, where there are temptations lurking on all sides. Our soul seeks to not divert its focus by wandering into the dangerous pastures of iniquitous fields and vineyards, or by drinking from the wells of polluted waters. Rather it pledges to remain on the road of the king, the pathway of regality, ethics, and dignity.
Our soul begins its journey with a sense of purpose and commitment, but the road is long and serpentine. At every juncture we need to remind ourselves of our mission and not allow ourselves to be lured off course.
Last week, I had to leave camp to come to the city. When I was an hour out of camp, well down Route 80, I had the terrible realization that I had forgotten my wallet in camp. [In camp, I hardly ever carry my wallet.] It was an uncomfortable feeling to know that I had no money, credit card, or identification on me.
Although, thankfully, I made it back to camp without incident, it was a stark reminder that whenever we travel and leave our familiar surroundings, we are more prone to ‘forgetting our identity’ and acting in ways we never would when we are at home.
When Moshe wanted to dispatch twelve individuals to scout out Eretz Yisrael, he chose twelve righteous leaders. Moshe felt confident that they would execute their mission properly and infuse the nation with excitement and confidence to conquer the Land. The problem is that Rashi says that when the spies left they already had evil intentions to malign the Land. If Moshe hand-picked these individuals because of their virtues, how could they have had malicious intentions even before they arrived?
Rav Yisrael Belsky zt”l explained[2] that Moshe indeed appointed great men for this mission. As long as they remained within the spiritually secure confines of the camp, they were holy and elite. The problem was that as soon as they left the camp and began their journey, they began to entertain malevolent ideas.
The summer is particularly a time when people leave their communities to vacation and travel. When one is outside his community, it is a particularly challenging time when he is spiritually vulnerable and can easily compromise his standards if he isn’t careful. One must be wary of those challenges and plan accordingly.
When Yaakov Avinu left home to escape the wrath of his brother Eisav, the pasuk says “Yaakov left Be’er Sheva and went towards Charan.”[3] Rashi asks why the Torah says that Yaakov left Be’er Sheva if it already related that fact at the end of the previous parsha? Rashi explains that it’s to teach us that when a righteous person departs from a place, his splendor, beauty, and shine leave with him.
Rabbi Gedalia Schorr zt”l explained that when man landed on the moon, he essentially carried earth with him. The atmosphere on the moon cannot sustain human life. Therefore, each astronaut had to be completely ensconced in a spacesuit that provided him with oxygen. Although they were on the moon, in a certain sense they were still surrounded by earth.
When Yaakov Avinu left Yeshiva to travel toward the spiritual desert of Charan, he knew that he would be spiritually vulnerable. Therefore, he made sure to take his own splendor, shine, and beauty, with him. He did so by fortifying himself as best as he could and mentally preparing himself for the challenges he knew he would encounter. Yaakov was physically leaving yeshiva, but spiritually he never left.
Our challenge in life is to always remain upon the road of the king. That becomes an especially difficult challenge when we are traversing the surrounding vineyards and wells. In those situations, one must be especially wary to make sure he is spiritually prepared for the vicissitudes he is sure to face.
“Yaakov left Be’er Sheva”
“On the road of the King we will go”
[1] Devorim 20:17
[2] Quoted in “Halachically Speaking” Volume 7
[3] Bereishis 28:10
Posted by stamtorah at 9:27 AM 0 comments
“EACH HIS ROLE”
This week, on Wednesday morning, our family received the painful and bitter news that our Bubby, my mother’s mother, Rebbitzin Fruma Kohn, passed away.
Generally, our memories and thoughts turn to the recent past. But for a moment we can turn the clock back to the years before Bubby moved to an assisted living facility in Monsey, before she became a widow from my Zaydei over thirty years ago, to when she and Zaydei arrived in America in the late 1940s.
During her teen years, Bubby and most of her family endured the painful rigors of Siberia. Terrible as it was, it saved them from an even worse fate at the hands of the Nazis.[1] She met Zaydei, a fugitive orphan, after being released from Siberia, and they married.
After much travail, they arrived in America. Sometime after they moved to Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Zaydei was offered the position of Rabbi at Anshei Slonim, a prestigious and large shul on the Lower East Side. It was a tremendous opportunity and Zaydei accepted it.[2]
Bubby, however, wasn’t too excited about being a Rebbitzin. In fact, she was quite upset about it. She had never wanted to be a Rebbitzin and had little interest in assuming those responsibilities. Yet, she became a Rebbitzin. For decades she hosted scorers of people at her Shabbos table in their apartment. She never knew how many guests Zaydei would bring home, and some of the regular guests weren’t mentally stable. Bubby did tremendous chesed, much that we probably didn’t even know about. She served so many people from that diminutive kitchen in her apartment.
For many decades she remained at Zaydei’s side and supported his efforts.
After his passing she still figuratively remained at his side from afar, refusing to consider remarrying.
And now, she is once again at his side, atop Har Tamir[3] in Yerushalayim.
When Korach and his group challenged the authority of Moshe, demanding greater authority, Moshe was stunned. He replied to them, “Rav lachem b’nei Levi – It is too much for you, children of Levi.”[4] Moshe countered that Korach was granted privileged status, and he should be satisfied with that, and not seek more.
In parshas Vaeschanan, Moshe Rabbeinu recounted how he pleaded with Hashem to be allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel with Klal Yisroel. After uttering 515 prayers, Hashem replied to Moshe, “Rav lach - It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to me further about this matter!”[5]
The gemara[6] states that because Moshe Rabbeinu used the vernacular “rav lachem” when rebuking Korach, correspondingly, Hashem told him “rav lach”.
It seems like Moshe is being called to task for using such terminology with Korach. Wasn’t Moshe’s point to them correct? What did he say that was wrong?
Rabbi Shimon Schwab[7] explains that throughout the forty years they were in the desert, the nation traveled based on the Clouds of Glory that remained affixed in front of their camp. At any time, the Clouds could suddenly lift, whereupon the trumpets would be sounded, and the nation immediately prepared for travel. The men would rush to their tents to pack up their belongings, disassemble their tents, and ready themselves and their children to proceed.
The only exception was the Leviim. Instead of the Levite men rushing to their own tents when they heard the trumpets, they would rush to the Mishkan. They would hastily but cautiously disassemble the structure of the Mishkan, cover the vessels, and ready everything for travel. Their wives had to take care of their own tents and families without their husbands. It was a tremendous sacrifice for the Levite men and the women.
When they finally arrived at their destination, while their wives set up their own tents, the men reassembled the Mishkan. They erected the heavy boards and inserted them in the sockets, etc. It was an arduous task and had to be performed with precision. After performing all the difficult labor, when the Mishkan was finally set up, the Levites had to immediately step aside. The Levites could not be in the “Camp of the Divine Presence” which rested as soon as the Mishkan was set up. After the Levites toiled to set up the Mishkan, the Kohanim took over, offering Korbanos, and doing the required Avodah. It was understandable that the Levites would feel short-changed. Why should they do all the hard work and then have to step aside for the Kohanim?
Moshe Rabbeinu turned to Korach and the Levites and declared, “rav lachem - it’s too much for you.” He was encouraging them to recognize the incredible merit they have to have been disassembling and assembling the Mishkan. They should feel privileged to have been chosen to perform whatever task had been ordained for them.
In life, it’s not what one actually does that matters. Whenever one fulfills the role that Hashem has set for him, that is his greatest blessing and gift.
At the end of the forty years in the desert, Moshe Rabbeinu begged Hashem to allow him to enter Eretz Yisroel. He reasoned to that he had endured so much as leader of the nation. After leading them out of Egypt, and bringing the Torah down at Sinai, and dealing with all the frustrations and mishaps of the nation for forty years, Moshe felt that he deserved to have the opportunity to bask in the spiritual bliss of the Land.
To that Hashem replied, “rav lach”. He was essentially telling Moshe, “Remember when you told the Levites that they should focus on the merit they have to perform the role assigned to them. You told them that they shouldn’t feel they are lacking, even though others were granted more prestigious positions. Moshe, you need to remember that message as well. You have accomplished incredible things as the selfless leader of Klal Yisroel. Don’t feel that you are being deprived. You have fulfilled your role with such devotion and dedication, and that is your portion. But it is not your destiny to enter the Land.”
It is a very poignant and beautiful thought, but one that isn’t easy to live by. Hashem has a plan and a mission for each of us, and it doesn’t always coincide with the plan and path we chart for ourselves.
Moshe’s message to Korach was that it is incumbent upon every person to fulfill his divinely ordained task to the best of his ability. When a person has aspirations, and life takes him in a different direction, it is difficult to forfeit those hopes. But that is his duty.
When Korach first presented his audacious challenge, Moshe did not reply to his individual points. He did not escalate the confrontation by allowing it to become personal. Rather he “fell upon his face”, a symbol of complete submission before Hashem. His response symbolized that G-d would be the arbiter of justice, and decide positions of authority and holiness. Moshe would not give any campaign speeches, nor seek any votes. In fact, he had never wanted the position, and had tried to exonerate himself from its responsibilities when G-d originally informed him of his mission.
Moshe had assumed his position because that is what G-d demanded of him. If Korach wanted to challenge that position, he would have to prove that that is G-d’s Will.
The conflict would be resolved by the offering of ketores (incense). Unlike offerings which were brought to atone and rectify mishaps, ketores was brought solely to honor G-d. The true leaders were those who were completely altruistic, and assumed the leadership of the nation solely to bring honor to Hashem. It wasn’t about self-aggrandizement or self-promotion, but about assuming the role G-d had set for them. Only the true leader’s ketores would be accepted.
Fulfilling the role we have been assigned, is often a tremendous sacrifice, and is a scent of divine pleasure, as it were.
As Bubby ascends to the celestial portion she has achieved through her years of chesed and life, may we, her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, learn from her example, and follow in her noble footsteps.
“It is too much for you!”
“Each took his fire pan... and placed incense upon it...”
[1] Her one sister who escaped deportation to Siberia, was killed by the Nazis, along with her husband and baby.
[2] I am in possession of the original letters of congratulations written by Rabbi Aharon Kotler zt”l and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l to the heads of the shul upon accepting Zaydei as Rabbi.
[3] adjacent to Har Menuchos
[5] Devorim 3:26
[6] Sotah 13b
[7] Ma’ayan Bais Hashoeivah
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Lies: What the homophobic Nazi posters in Australia reveal about the trans "debate"
The Nazi homophobic posters appearing around Melbourne, as part
of the Australian referendum campaign on equal marriage are very revealing in a number of ways. One the most revealing is as an illustration of how the trans rights “debate” has proceeded in recent years.
The Nazi posters have made some claims about gay include some
outrageous claims that can only be described as outright lies, such as “92% of children raised by gay parents are abused”. These claims have been deliberately built on a “scientific” study that has been torn apart andthoroughly discredited. They are lies.
Nevertheless Australian Prime Minister Maclolm Turnbull has said that these posters are “part of democratic debate”. Yet in the same way that people have argued about false information spread by transphobes against us, Turnbull made it about something other than what it was;
“People will often say in any democratic debate, they’ll often say things that are hurtful and unfair and sometimes cruel, that is part of a debate.”
Note here that his argument is framing these posters and “hurtful” “unfair” and “cruel”. He is not acknowledging the main criticism of them; namely that they contain lies. This mirrors exactly the experience of trans people in the so-called trans “debate”. Commentators from Julian Barnes in the Telegraph to Nick Cohen in the Guardian have reworded as “offence” trans people’s opposition to transphobes publishing lies and assertions that cause actual harm to trans people, including trans children. Transphobes from Germaine Greer to Milo Yiannopoulos have been defended in this way. The Australian example demonstrates that these supporters of "free speech" are actually attempting to put words into our mouths; the objection to transphobic material being published is not primarily that it is offensive but that it contains lies, and lies that can be verified as lies.
However the trans “debate” continued recently with a dishonest article in the Morning Star by a teacher, who, worryingly, is also in a senior position in the NUT. Amongst the oft-repeated claims she makes are that granting the same rights to trans people as to everyone else (ie. the right to self-identify) would “have huge implications for all of us”. This unsubstantiated assertion is followed up with a similar one; “Neither is it helpful to say that these proposed changes only affect the trans community because it fundamentally isn’t true.” She also says, “The relaxing of any legal definition of what it is to be a man or a woman could render sex discrimination law meaningless”, and perhaps the worst lie of all;
“To deny any group or individual in that group the right to be part of a discussion about their identity is insulting and will result in a failure of the great liberation we are all seeking.”
Given that extending trans rights will not affect anyone other than trans people, this assertion can only be regarded as deliberately misleading. The current trend amongst transphobic bigots is to frame the debate on trans rights as changing women’s identities, as if trans women being able to identify as women fundamentally undermines the identities of cis women, a ridiculous claim that is easily exposed by asking the simple question of it, “How?”
Like the claim that trans kids are automatically on some kind
TERFkip
of "conveyor belt" to surgical transition, the NUT Vice president's assertion is a pure fabrication, yet it is one that gets plenty of airing to the extent that I’m sure that the TERFs would be using the slogan “We want our gender back!” if UKIP had not got there first.
So if there is no threat to women's identities from trans people's human rights, why do transphobes want to muscle in on the campaign for trans people's rights. The answer can only be to prevent trans people from having equal rights, not to protect women, but because these people hate us. They want to do this, not because trans people having equal human rights to cisgender people threatens any cisgender people, because that argument is so obviously false but to keep trans women, in particular, in their place as "Women; 2nd class".
One of the problems for trans people is that the way the media is currently constituted makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a group of people who are the object of this dishonesty to have a response printed which directly exposes the falsehoods and deception these kind of articles spread. Because most people have little knowledge of trans issues, that makes it easy for transphobes to take advantage of editors' reluctance to publish any right-to-reply. This has been used to distribute transphobic material unopposed.
The example of Nazi homophobic lies in Australia is obvious to most people; indeed large numbers of people will see through these kind of lies. This is not the case for trans issues. What the Australian example reveals to those not affected by this morass of transphobic hate is the nature of this trans “debate”. It is a “debate” which, like those mendacious Australian posters, is made up with one side’s material being comprised of almost entirely lies or unsubstantiated claims, and the other side attempting to expose this dishonesty with basic facts. Yet when we complain about these lies we are told we are merely “offended” rather than deliberately misrepresented.
So next time we hear of someone complaining about lack of “debate”, or that “women’s” voices – ie transphobes - (inferring that trans women are not women) should be “heard” in this debate, what follows is almost certain to be even more lies, misinformation and unsubstantiated claims. That, unfortunately, is the nature of this debate. One side would not be able to take part at all if dishonesty, unsubstantiated claims and outright lies were excluded.
Posted by Natacha at 13:29 No comments:
Hate Speech and the Left
Recently a lot of internet text has gone into arguing against those who still support the right to “free speech” of the Nazis/"alt-right" in the US. Those who do are misguided and completely misunderstand, and sometimes deliberately misrepresent, what “free speech” means. This is nothing new; the Anti-Nazi League in the 1980s argued the same thing when marching against fascists in places like Lewisham and East London. The argument then was that hate-speech and free speech are different because hate speech is inherently dehumanising and threatens the freedom of speech of those it targets.
This is all absolutely right and we should not have to argue this again in the face of Nazi violence in the US. We have to be clear that there is a difference between hate speech and free speech, and clarity is important here. The Nazis marching in Charlottesville were not exercising any “right” to free speech, they were attacking, intimidating and attempting to silence black people, Muslims, LGBT people, Jews, and indeed anyone who disagrees with their hate-fuelled ideology.
What bothers me is how some of those important voices pointing out the difference between “free speech” and hate speech seem to be attempting to situate the blame for the idea at the door of so-called “centrists” while absolving the left of responsibility. Yes, of course there are people who are politically in the centre ground, including those in the Labour Party and the Lib Dems, whose ideas regarding free speech are dangerously confused. There are also plenty in these groups who are not not confused and who support those arguing against hate speech, these poeple even exist in the Tory Party.
Likewise there are plenty on the left who are clear about the myth of free speech and how it is used to legitimate hate speech. However there are many who are not, or who are prepared to use the argument about free speech as a proxy for hate speech in other areas. The letter in support of Kiri Tunks’ hate speech against trans people is ample evidence of this.
For those of you not up to speed on this Tunks wrote an article in the Morning Star attaking trans people and saying that we should not have the same rights as everyone else because we are threatening "real" women's identities. She dug up the usual tired old arguments about trans women undermining the category “women”, stealing women’s identities etc... Indeed this might be characterised
as the “We Want Our Gender Back!” argument. Not surprisingly Tunks came in for a fair amount of criticism for this, and rightly so, no-one should have the right to attack and attempt to harm or silence another group without a response. My response was that someone holding the discriminatory views she does should not be allowed to work with children.
A number of people on the political left cosigned the article, including Ruth Serwotka of the NUT, Moz Greenshields, Mary Davis and Alex Gordon of the RMT. The letter these people signed, in essence invoked the free speech argument as a cover for hate speech, in particular the following sentence was indicative;
“As Kiri pointed out in her article, 'to deny any group or individual in that group the right to be part of a discussion about their identity is insulting and will result in a failure of the great liberation we are all seeking.'”
Tunks is not trans so how she should be part of a discussion about “her” identity is not clear. Her identity as a cis woman is neither under threat nor is it part of any discussion. The idea that trans women are a threat to cis women is pure, straightforward transphobic hate speech, as it tacitly heavily implies that trans women are "men". The argument Tunks and other TERFs are using to muscle their way in to the debate on trans rights is in fact remarkably similar to that used by some “feminists” in the 1970s and 80s to argue against lesbians' rights. The reason they want to be included in this debate is because they want to undermine trans people’s rights and harm trans people.
Let us be clear about this; full human rights for trans people is not merely opposed by those on the fanatical right of the Tory Party, Ukip and the Trump-emboldened American right, it is also opposed by many on the left, including the far left. The arguments they use in support of the kind of hate speech advanced by TERFs with the aim of harming and oppressing trans people are the same as those advanced by those arguing that Nazis in Charlottesville, or anywhere else for that matter, have a “right” to free speech.
Weaponizing the argument about who misrecognizes or misrepresents hate speech as free speech as part of petty politics weakens its power, constitutes appropriation in its worst sense and absolves those on the left who misuse the hate speech/free speech argument. Hate speech matters, hate speech is harmful, and just as Michael Rosen noted, fascism doesn't always come at us wearing jackboots and black shirts, to begin with it tries to look and sound "reasonable". Hate speech, in all its forms, should be opposed wherever it exists, and those who argue that hate speech is the same as free speech should be challenged whoever they are.
No Contest: David Sharples vs Tara Hudson.
Musclebound David Sharples, pictured right, smiling, attacked someone, as did Tara Hudson, like Tara Hudson he caused actual bodily harm, like Tara Hudson he was convicted of assault, like Tara Hudson he had previous, like Tara Hudson he had an alcohol problem. Unlike Tara Hudson he also had a drug abuse problem. Unlike Tara Hudson he also attempted to strangle his victim, apparently his hands were round her neck after she came round after his punch had knocked her out. Unlike Tara Hudson he also used hateful transphobic language, calling her a "freak".
Unlike Tara Hudson he did not go to a men's prison.
So it looks as though you are more likely to go to prison if you are trans, for a much lesser crime, than if you are a cisgender, heterosexual man. I'm sure no-one is very surprised about that, especially BAME people. Or maybe it is because David Sharples' victim is trans, maybe she doesn't count as a "real" victim, because she is a trans woman, and therefore, as Jenni Murray, Germaine Greer and a host of other trans-hating TERFs tell us, not a "real" woman? Maybe trans people are not "really" human? Or maybe we are less human? Maybe calling a trans person a "freak" is not a hate-crime?
Maybe because the victim of Sharples' crime is trans and the fact that Tara Hudson is a trans woman, and her victim was a white male, made the difference...?
The fact remains that Sharples' attack on Tamzin Yates was much more vicious than Hudson's attack on the barman who don't serve her. Sharples' attack was also aggravated by transphobic hatred, as far as I know Hudson's attack was not aggravated by androphobia. Sharples didn't just punch once, (Tara was jailed for one single headbutt) he punched his victim multiple times, constantly screamed abuse at her, and in addition to putting his hands round her neck he grabbed her by the hair and literally threw her out of the flat by it. Remember Sharples is a 6 feet tall bodybuilder, while Tara Hudson had been taking feminizing hormones for six years.
One of the reaons why the judge gave Sharples a suspended sentence was that he had, in the intervening time, "turned his life around", something that Tara Hudson had presumably not done. But let's pause here for a moment. How much easier is it for a cisgender heterosexual man to turn his life around than a trans woman? There is no equivalence here. Everything is easier for him, he moved away, started a new relationship, got a new job. That is far easier for him to do than for a trans woman.
Once again the cishet male is in a more advantageous position compared with the trans woman; structural, cultural privilege makes it easier for him to provide the judge with evidence that he has changed, the social exclusion of trans women, on multiple different levels makes that sort of thing so much harder for us.
The moral: Trans people are more likely to be assaulted, and less likely to have their attackers punished with a custodial sentence. Conversely trans people are more likely to be jailed for lesser crimes, and much less able to be able to demonstrate "turning their lives around" in between times.
No wonder transphobic hate crime, and other crime against trans people is so massively underreported.
It is lose-lose for trans women, win-win for cis men.
Opinion: “A Danger to Children.”
I still bear the emotional scars, I have woken up screaming more than once; there but for the grace of God go I. As a former primary school teacher (and NUT rep) helping out at Trans Media Watch I volunteered to help Lucy Meadows, the transgender primary school teacher who was outed and monstered by the Daily Mail in December 2012. The vile headline then reading “He’s not in the Wrong Body, He’s in the Wrong Job.” A typical Daily Mail hatchet-job. Lucy died from suicide three months later. The Coroner at her inquest was scathing about the role of the press in her death.
Because of this media monstering Lucy was unable to go and visit her young child for several weeks around Christmas, as she feared that she would lead the wolf-pack of paparazzi to where her partner lived. She needed to leave her house in Accrington, Lancashire, by the rear entrance every day well before dawn in order to get to school before the paparazzi swarmed round the school gates. She then had to leave late to avoid the same vultures that hung around afterwards trying (and failing fortunately) to extract nasty quotes from parents. I helped her get these vile representatives of the press off her back with the help of others at Trans Media Watch and wrote most of her submission to the Press Complaints Commission, because, understandably she was too stressed and exhausted to do it herself. We will never know whether the complaint was successful because the PCC did not inform her of its decision because by the time it had due to do so so she was dead. The Daily Mail did however, take down the article from its website a week before she died.
So why is this important now? Well the Vice President of the largest teachers union, the NUT has just published a transphobic article in the Morning Star. An article which employs all the usual misleading arguments and dishonest assertions based on zero facts that we have come to expect from transphobes. I won’t bore you with the details but her arguments are the usual fare; trans people are harming/redefining/threatening/whatever… women by being given the same rights as everyone else, QED trans people should stop existing or just live as second class citizens; “Women (2nd class)”. Her arguments will doubtless be pulled apart by someone else, doing so is not difficult, although it is essential.
However the important issue is that she is Vice President of the NUT. The NUT is a union that represents teachers, and today that includes trans teachers also. Trans teachers are in an especially vulnerable position, as Lucy Meadows’ tragic death has shown, and the NUT, like any other union, needs to be able to support its members against transphobia. Not only that but there are many transgender children now in schools in the UK, and like the numbers of trans teachers, this is growing all the time. It is essential that every teacher feels able to challenge discrimination and transphobia against trans children even when it comes from senior management, other school staff, governors, children or other children’s parents, and I have seen it come from all these sources, including from headteachers. Teachers, whether trans or cis, need to know that their union is 100% behind them when supporting their colleagues, themselves or trans children. As of today they cannot have this level of confidence in the NUT.
The transphobic hate, blandly and deceptively expressed by Kiri Tunks is becoming embedded in the discourse of the extreme far right, Tunks joins the likely new leader of UKIP, Donald Trump, Katie Hopkins, Milo Yiannopoupos and some of the fanatical far-right of the Tory party in expressing vile and bigoted anti-trans opinions. Such a person has no place in a trade union some of whose members are trans and all of whose members are likely, at some point in their careers, to come into contact with a trans child.
Earlier this year a 12-year-old trans girl was shot in a school in Manchester, three years ago an American teenager killed herself because she was not getting the adequate local support as a trans woman, a couple of years before that I was helping the parents of a young trans child the headteacher of whose school was bullying her (yes bullying, I am choosing my vocabulary very deliberately here). I have a friend whose trans child is currently being bullied, abused and discriminated against in a primary school in the south of England. A primary school headteacher recently spoke at a transphobes conference in London and I have it on good authority that there are many, many more instances of transphobia going on in schools that I do not have all the details about. How on Earth are teachers going to support trans people, whether children, staff or parents, who are abused, discriminated against or bullied by schools if the Vice President of their union is expressing these vile attitudes? By allowing this the NUT is making another Lucy Meadows of Leelah Alcorn much more likely. This is not an issue of “free speech” or “offence” as transphobic hatred is often dressed up, it is potentially one of life and death.
A few years ago I met an inspirational teacher; Kevin Jennings. He set up the first Gay-Straight Alliance in an American high school; a student society that has been replicated thousands of times across the US. He had been a teacher and had then worked for a campaign group trying to prevent bullying of LGBT children in America’s schools, at the time he was Barack Obama’s advisor on LGBT bullying in schools. One thing he told me, which stayed with me, that was crucial to his campaigning was that if any teacher was not fully accepting of any child, and fully committed to doing the best for all children, regardless of who they are, then they should not be in the teaching profession, “They are a danger to children.” He said. Period. This is why Kiri Tunks should be removed from the NUT. If she is allowed to stay the NUT also becomes a danger to children.
Update; the TERFs have had the petition to have her disciplined about this taken down. So much for their precious 'free speech'.
Advice for parents of trans kids from Iran
I found this on an Iranian website made by trans people for trans people there. It is advising parents of trans children what to do. It was translated from the Persian by Google Translate so I have tidied it up a bit, as in my experience automated translation programmes struggle with things like pronouns at the best of times, but hopefully it has not lost its meaning. I just wanted to share it, because I found it so touching and passionate about how parents need to protect their children, especially if they are trans. There are many things we can learn from these people in Iran, in particular how the most important thing parents can do for their trans child is to give them unconditional love.
"If you are a parent of a transsexual child, you should know that it is harder to explain to your relatives and acquaintances than accepting and accompanying your child. Grandparents, aunts, aunts, uncles, uncles, neighbours ... All are high on the list that you may have to explain to about your child and tell them why your child has changed so much. The difficulty of doing this is when it comes to explaining to older people than yourself and the elderly, those who can no longer challenge their past gender stereotypes.
You are supposed to be a defender for your child, but the difficulty is that you are going to protect them against your friends and relatives, and this will put you in a quandary. The important thing is how to balance yourself to protect your child and friends and relatives.
So stay tuned....
Literature class!
Not all people are familiar with the subject of transsexuals and many do not know about it, so you should not expect them to use the correct words and phrases right from the start. It may sound like words and phrases in the beginning are offensive or have a negative effect, but you should not be quick to go at them with a stick. Try to explain to them yourself why these words are wrong, or where the negative value is, but do not try to tire them with complicated terms and words. Simplify and summarize with them and do not enter into complicated and confusing details
Persistence.
If you are going to attend a family picnic, a big party, a wedding or any other community that has a large number of relatives, be sure all the people who need to know about your child, so that they do not knowingly insult your child. It's better to explain one by one to the people before the start of the party so that your child feels safe and has a good party. Explain to individuals your child’s name and pronoun. Teach them to not be surprised at the dress and appearance of your child and respect their identity.
Always in every family there may be someone who does not want to accept your child's identity. Despite all the patience, there are still some who do not want to accept this. Not accepting a topic from one of the relatives is not a big problem; it matters that the person is taking actions against your child and trying to disrespect them or insult them.
It's best to cut off relationship with that person.
Try to limit traveling with this person. As long as you can interrupt their whole relationship with you, this will give your child and other relatives a message that your child is the most important thing and for their sake, you can interrupt the relationship with your relative but support your child. You can replace your disadvantaged friend or family, but do not forget that your child will no longer be replaced and your child will not be able to find another alternative to his or her parents. If your relationship with that friend or relative is very important to you, try to change their mind or ask for a knowledgeable and reliable parent or a parent for help.
You are about to talk about the same child they used to be, just accept and explain your new identity. So you do not need to explain to your child's relatives and describe all of their situations and behaviours. Suffice it to say that your child's behaviour and situation are a private matter between you and your child, and the whole city is not supposed to be notified. Explain sex and gender differences, tell them gender identity, and talk about gender disorder. Explain the religious issues and explain the legal path.
How your child walked, how would you laugh, how to do surgery, and ... that not everyone trans child has to have surgery. Keep your child's privacy.
Happy joy
Your child needs family support more than surgery, hormones, friends, and so on. Do not forget, their success depends on your support.
You can change your place of residence, you can find new friends, but your child cannot find new parents. If your child feels calm and happy, then you should be proud of yourself because it's because of your support.
You cannot change their identity by rejecting, punishing or reprimanding your child. You can not go to the war of spirit and identity, that would just take them away from you and into a community that does not welcome a single person and which would easily send them to the wolves to kill them.
This is not a transitory step, and you should not worry about your parent's support for this situation. You gave birth to them, so you are responsible for them.
Do not try to change them with pills, shock therapy, wrong counselling to forget their identity. By doing this, you will only harm their mental health and body, and slowly move them away from you, and they have to go to the stranger to fill the vacancy of the family, who do not get mice at the mercy of God.
So know that the first and most important and best protector of your child is you.” OK
Your Host;
Teheran, Iran
Lies: What the homophobic Nazi posters in Australi...
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Khuc Van Phu
Military Academy of Logistics, Hanoi
Le Xuan Doan
Academy of Military Science and Technology, Hanoi
Email: xuandoan1085@gmail.com
Home > Vol 41, No 2 (2019) > Phu
Nonlinear dynamic buckling of full-filled fluid sandwich FGM circular cylinder shells
Khuc Van Phu, Le Xuan Doan
This paper is concerned with the nonlinear dynamic buckling of sandwich functionally graded circular cylinder shells filled with fluid. Governing equations are derived using the classical shell theory and the geometrical nonlinearity in von Karman–Donnell sense is taken into account. Solutions of the problem are established by using Galerkin's method and Runge–Kutta method. Effects of thermal environment, geometric parameters, volume fraction index $ k $ and fluid on dynamic critical loads of shells are investigated.
dynamic buckling; dynamic critical loads; FGM-sandwich; full-filled fluid; circular cylinder shell
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Y. W. Kim. Free vibration analysis of FGM cylindrical shell partially resting on Pasternak elastic foundation with an oblique edge. Composites Part B: Engineering, 70, (2015), pp. 263–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2014.11.024.
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D. H. Bich, D. V. Dung, and V. H. Nam. Nonlinear dynamical analysis of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded cylindrical panels. Composite Structures, 94, (8), (2012), pp. 2465–2473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2012.03.012.
D. H. Bich, D. V. Dung, V. H. Nam, and N. T. Phuong. Nonlinear static and dynamic buckling analysis of imperfect eccentrically stiffened functionally graded circular cylindrical thin shells under axial compression. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 74, (2013), pp. 190–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2013.06.002.
B. Mirzavand, M. R. Eslami, and J. N. Reddy. Dynamic thermal postbuckling analysis of shear deformable piezoelectric-FGM cylindrical shells. Journal of Thermal Stresses, 36, (3), (2013), pp. 189–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/01495739.2013.768443.
N. D. Duc and P. T. Thang. Nonlinear response of imperfect eccentrically stiffened ceramic–metal–ceramic FGM thin circular cylindrical shells surrounded on elastic foundations and subjected to axial compression. Composite Structures, 110, (2014), pp. 200–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2013.11.015.
N. D. Duc, P. T. Thang, N. T. Dao, and H. V. Tac. Nonlinear buckling of higher deformable S-FGM thick circular cylindrical shells with metal–ceramic–metal layers surrounded on elastic foundations in thermal environment. Composite Structures, 121, (2015), pp. 134–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2014.11.009.
D. H. Bich, N. X. Nguyen, and H. V. Tung. Postbuckling of functionally graded cylindrical shells based on improved Donnell equations. Vietnam Journal of Mechanics, 35, (1), (2013), pp. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.15625/0866-7136/35/1/2894.
V. H. Nam, N. T. Phuong, D. H. Bich, and D. V. Dung. Nonlinear static and dynamic buckling of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded cylindrical shells under axial compression surrounded by an elastic foundation. Vietnam Journal of Mechanics, 36, (1), (2014), pp. 27–47. https://doi.org/10.15625/0866-7136/36/1/3470.
G. G. Sheng and X. Wang. Thermomechanical vibration analysis of a functionally graded shell with flowing fluid. European Journal of Mechanics-A/Solids, 27, (6), (2008), pp. 1075–1087. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechsol.2008.02.003.
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Z. Iqbal, M. N. Naeem, N. Sultana, S. H. Arshad, and A. G. Shah. Vibration characteristics of FGM circular cylindrical shells filled with fluid using wave propagation approach. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 30, (11), (2009), pp. 1393–1404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-009-1105-x.
A. G. Shah, T. Mahmood, M. N. Naeem, and S. H. Arshad. Vibrational study of fluid-filled functionally graded cylindrical shells resting on elastic foundations. ISRN Mechanical Engineering, 2011, (2011), pp. 1–13. https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/892460.
F. M. A. da Silva, R. O. P. Montes, P. B. Goncalves, and Z. J. G. N. Del Prado. Nonlinear vibrations of fluid-filled functionally graded cylindrical shell considering a time-dependent lateral load and static preload. Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 230, (1), (2016), pp. 102–119. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954406215587729.
H. L. Dai, W. F. Luo, T. Dai, and W. F. Luo. Exact solution of thermoelectroelastic behavior of a fluid-filled FGPM cylindrical thin-shell. Composite Structures, 162, (2017), pp. 411–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2016.12.002.
P. V. Khuc, B. H. Dao, and D. X. Le. Analysis of nonlinear thermal dynamic responses of sandwich functionally graded cylindrical shells containing fluid. Journal of Sandwich Structures & Materials, (2017), pp. 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1099636217737235.
D. O. Brush and B. O. Almroth. Buckling of bars, plates, and shells. McGraw-Hill, New York, (1975).
A. S. Volmir. The nonlinear dynamics of plates and shells. Science edition, Moscow, (1975).
B. Budiansky and R. S. Roth. Axisymmetric dynamic buckling of clamped shallow spherical shells. NASA Technical Note, 510, (1962), pp. 597–606.
H. Huang and Q. Han. Nonlinear dynamic buckling of functionally graded cylindrical shells subjected to time-dependent axial load. Composite Structures, 92, (2), (2010), pp. 593–598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2009.09.011.
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Corey Glass
PUBLIC STATEMENT
AI Index: AMR 51/057/2008 (Public)
USA: James Corey Glass has right not to serve in Iraq
Amnesty International believes James Corey Glass to have a genuine conscientious objection to serving as a combatant in the US forces in Iraq, and would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience if imprisoned on his return to the USA. He is facing deportation from Canada on 12 June.
James Glass joined the army in 2002, enlisting in the National Guard where he was assigned to non-combatant duties in the USA. His unit was later ordered to deploy to Iraq, where he served five months of active service in 2005.
According to his statement, he had concerns about the legality of the war before his deployment to Iraq. While serving there, he developed further serious objections to the war, including what he saw as the abusive treatment of civilians by the US military and failure within the system to address such abuses. He stated that, whilst in Iraq, he reported his concerns to his superiors and asked to be relieved of duty. His request was denied but he was granted a two-week leave. He refused to return to his unit and went absent without leave (AWOL) in February 2006.
Since being in Canada, James Glass has become a member of the "War Resisters Campaign" and has spoken out publicly about his objection to the Iraq war.
US law recognizes the right to conscientious objection only on grounds of opposition to war in any form. James Glass was therefore unable to seek a claim for discharge from the army on grounds of his objection to the Iraq War. Other similar cases where US soldiers have sought to register their conscientious objection and apply for non-combatant status have been turned down.
If returned to the USA he faces a possible court-martial, where he could be imprisoned for between one and five years.
Some US military personnel who have refused to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan due to their conscientious objection to US policy and practice in the "war on terror" have been imprisoned solely for their beliefs. Amnesty International has considered some to be prisoners of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally.
Some of these conscientious objectors have been court-martialled and sentenced despite pending applications for conscientious objector status, others were imprisoned after their applications were turned down on the basis that they were objecting to particular wars rather than to war in general.
Amnesty International has declared a number of conscientious objectors in the USA to be prisoners of conscience. They included Camilo Mejia, who was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for his objections to the war in Iraq, and Abdullah Webster, who refused to participate in the same war due to his religious beliefs. Another, Kevin Benderman, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment after he refused to re-deploy to Iraq because of the scenes of devastation he witnessed there. Agustín Aguayo was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment for his refusal to participate in the war in Iraq. All four have since been released.
Amnesty International is of the view that the right to refuse to perform military service for reasons of conscience is inherent in the notion of freedom of thought, conscience and religion as recognised in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Amnesty International considers a conscientious objector to be any person who, for reasons of conscience or profound conviction, refuses either to perform any form of service in the armed forces or applies for non-combatant status. This can include refusal to participate in a war because one disagrees with its aims or the manner in which it was being waged, even if one does not oppose taking part in all wars.
Wherever such a person is detained or imprisoned solely for these believe, Amnesty International considers that person to be a prisoner of conscience. AI also considers conscientious objectors to be prisoners of conscience if they are imprisoned as a consequence of leaving the armed forces without authorization for reasons of conscience, if because of those reasons; they have taken reasonable steps to secure release from military obligations.
END/
International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK
www.amnesty.org
The above, noted by Brita, is "USA: James Corey Glass has right not to serve in Iraq" and it's about Corey Glass (we'll call him Corey Glass here, not James, Corey is what he chooses to go by). May 21st, US war resisters and Iraq War veteran Glass was informed that he had until June 12th to leave Canada or he would be deported. Tuesday's motion in the House of Commons was the voice of the legislature (and also the voice of the Canadian people). It is non-binding. Stephen Harper, the nation's prime minister, can choose to ignore it. If he does so, he is ignoring the will of the people and the legislature.
Canada stepped up to the plate this week. What are members of the US Congress doing? In 1969, then Representative Ed Koch was visiting Canada to meet with war resisters. By 1974, he had proposed four bills in Congress regarding amnesty. He was only one person but, due to having been mayor of NYC, he is someone whose name is still known. Where are today's members of Congress advocating support for war resisters?
The 2002 authorization was not a vote for war. But Congress has not stopped the illegal war. What are they doing to protect those who are standing up?
And for those who have forgotten, George McGovern, in his 1972 presidential run, spoke about war resisters, spoke about amnesty. What's the 'anti-war' Obama doing? Oh, yeah, not a damn thing.
AP reports 5 dead from Baghdad car bombings. That's probably not a 'presidential' 'issue' either.
Clyde notes Dianne Mathiowetz
Jaimeson Champion
's "Canada Parlaiment supports U.S. war resisters" (Workers World):
The Canadian Parliament voted favorably June 3 on a motion to halt the deportations of U.S. conscientious objectors who are seeking a safe haven in Canada rather than fight in the illegal occupation of Iraq. The vote in the House of Commons was 137-110, with all the opposition parties--the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party, the Bloc Quebecois and the Green Party-- voting for the motion, and the ruling Conservative Party voting against.
The motion is nonbinding and could be overruled by the Conservative ruling party. Nevertheless, it is an important escalation of the campaign against the deportation of GI resisters.
The motion to halt the deportations is a strong step against a series of recent reactionary rulings issued by the Canadian Supreme Court. The court's refusals to hear the appeals for refugee status filed by numerous GI resisters have paved the way for the possible deportation of dozens, if not hundreds, of conscientious objectors.
The vote in the Canadian Parliament comes on the heels of a deportation order given to GI resister Corey Glass. Glass, an Indiana resident, signed up for the National Guard in 2002. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and served five months as a military intelligence sergeant before going AWOL to protest what he deemed an "illegal and immoral" war. Glass moved to Toronto, Canada, in August 2006.
In a recent interview, Glass said of his decision to join the National Guard: "I signed up to defend people and do humanitarian work filling sandbags if there was a hurricane. I should have been in New Orleans, not Iraq." (Toronto Star, May 22).
On May 21, Glass was ordered to leave Canada by June 12 and return to the U.S., where he will likely face imprisonment. In the wake of the Glass ruling, and the run- up to the Canadian Parliament vote, GI resisters and their supporters in Canada and the U.S. have been intensifying the grass-roots struggle in support of more progressive policies towards GI resisters seeking asylum in Canada.
Court martial at Ft. Gordon, Ga.
You can add another name to the growing list of U.S. military personnel who are taking a stand against participating in the U.S. occupation army.
Pfc. Ryan Jackson, now age 25, joined the Army in May 2005, hoping that time in the military would offer a path to a college education and a future career.
He went to South Korea as part of the 35th Signal Brigade. There he began to question what purpose the U.S. military and foreign policy really served.
By the fall of 2007, Jackson determined that he would not participate in war and attempted to gain an administrative discharge. He went AWOL in December 2007, contacted Courage to Resist and other GI support groups, secured the services of a civilian lawyer, James M. Branum, and turned himself in at Ft. Sill, Okla., on April 4, 2008.
On the eve of Jackson's court-martial, a dozen or so supporters from Augusta and Atlanta, including members of the International Action Center, demonstrated outside the gates of Ft. Gordon. Another young soldier stopped by the vigil to express his solidarity and intent to start a chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War at the base.
The following morning, May 29, several anti-war activists attended Jackson's court-martial. He pled guilty to the charges but made an eloquent statement declaring his actions a form of "civil disobedience." He was sentenced to 100 days in confinement, reduction of rank to E-1, forfeiture of pay and given a bad conduct discharge.
Since he is being credited with time served, Jackson will be out in 29 days. He plans on speaking at the Veterans for Peace conference and going on a Courage to Resist tour later this summer.
A recent, nearly month long, anti-war march through upstate New York, initiated by the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), and attended by many GI resisters, was a marked success in helping to build support for GI resistance. The march through working-class towns of upstate New York--many of which are sparsely populated but have numerous community members in the armed services--was a crucial step in building broad-based solidarity with the brave men and women who have taken a principled stand against the unjust wars of U.S. imperialism.
GI resisters are courageously leading the struggle against unjust imperialist war. The movement in support of their brave actions must continually strive to match their sacrifice. For more information, see couragetoresist.org.
Articles copyright 1995-2008 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
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Since yesterday morning, the following community websites have updated:
dianne mathiowetz
Yes, Bully Boy lied
President Bush and his top advisers knowingly overstated the threat Iraq posed to the United States in the lead-up to the war, according to a report released Thursday by the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The report, which ends a long congressional inquiry into prewar intelligence failures, pitted the statements of Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other Cabinet officials against information provided by intelligence agencies.
"Before taking the country to war, this administration owed it to the American people to give them a 100 percent accurate picture of the threat we faced," said committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. "Sadly, the Bush administration led the nation into war under false pretenses."
The report amounts to the most direct rebuke to date of the Bush administration's use of intelligence to build support for the Iraq war. But the document, which catalogs hundreds of statements by administration officials, stops short of calling for any further inquiry or punishment.
The above is from Matt Canham's "Senate panel: Bush purposely inflated Iraq threat in prelude to war" (Salt Lake Tribune) and is noted by a visitor who writes that this site is worse than Democracy Now because Amy Goodman covered this in a headline "at least" but "you never said a word about it."
That story broke on Thursday. It was covered on Thursday. From Thursday's "Iraq snapshot:"
Meanwhile in the White House today, spokesperson Dana Perino faced some semi-tough questioning and se danced away from every one of them with statements such as "I would say that the issue of pre-war intelligence on Iraq has been thoroughly reviewed over the years by the Congress, as well as by the independent WMD Commission." What was Perino avoiding? The latest report on Iraq from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The chair, Senator Jay Rockefeller, stated today, "Before taking the country to war, this Administration owed it to the American people to give them a 100 percent accurate picture of the threat we faced. Unfortunately, our Committee has concluded that the Administration made significant claims that were not supported by intelligence. In making the case for war, the Administration repeatedly presented intelligence as fact when in reality it was unsubstantiated, contradicted, or even non-existent. As a result, the American people were led to believe the threat from Iraq was much greater than actuall existed."
Key points from the report summarized by Rockefeller include:
* Statements and implications by the President and Secretary of State suggesting that Iraq and al-Qa'ida had a partnership, or that Iraq had provided al-Qa'ida with weapons training, were not substantiated by the intelligence.
* Statements by the President and the Vice President indicating that Saddam Hussein was prepared to give weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups for attacks against the United States were contradicted by available intelligence information.
* Statements by President Bush and Vice President Cheney regarding the postwar situation in Iraq, in terms of the political, security, and economic, did not reflect the concerns and uncertainties expressed in the intelligence products.
* Statements by the President and Vice President prior to the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate regarding Iraq's chemical weapons production capability and activities did not reflect the intelligence community's uncertainties as to whether such production was ongoing.
* The Secretary of Defense's statement that the Iraqi government operated underground WMD facilities that were not vulnerable to conventional airstrikes because they were underground and deeply buried was not substantiated by available intelligence information.
* The Intelligence Community did not confirm that Muhammad Atta met an Iraqi intelligence officer in Prague in 2001 as the Vice President repeatedly claimed.
In a press conference today (here for audio or video), Rockefeller declared, "It has often been said that truth is the first casualty of war and today the Senate Intelligence Committee reports in detail that this was the case in the Bush administration's march to war in Iraq. You don't get to tell the truth just some of the time when going to war. The American people expect their government to tell the truth all the time, that being 100% of the time. Let's be clear as far too many of our own country men and their families know this is a very deadly serious matter Making the case for war is categorically different than any other approach to public policy. There is nothing more serious in public life than the decision to go to war. There is a fundamental difference between relying on incorrect intelligence and deliberatly painting a picture to the American people that you know is not fully supported by intelligence. The bottom line is this, we owed it to the troops and the American people to tell the truth about how we got there. These reports are about holding our government accountable and making sure that these mistakes never happen again." PDF format warning, the first report is on public statements (and runs 171 pages), also PDF, the second report focuses on the Counterrorism Evaluation Group and Office of Special Plans within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (and is 56 pages).
It was covered at length. We didn't cover the press coverage of it which was disappointing. The second report is really an indictment of Dick Cheney for anyone paying attention and, check your Real Media press outlets, no one was. I honestly expected (honestly and wrongly) that Panhandle Media would pick up on it Friday because it's cheap to cover that. A 'public' radio program just has to trot out the too-familiar faces who say the same things that they've said for the last five years. They all get to ego-stroke. There's not a member of this community that doesn't know Bully Boy lied to start an illegal war. Due to problems with Yahoo (the blank/white background being added to every e-mailed entry such as the snapshots), extra K is used (size is increased). 52K is pushing it when e-mailing something to the site. The white/blank screen means 52K is reached with far fewer words. On Thursday, I went back and forth on how much to include about the report but decided to include a healthy chunk of the snapshot on it because it was breaking and covering it Thursday meant we could cover other things on Friday -- like war resisters (the topic 'independent' outlets works so hard to ignore) and, you know, the illegal war that drags on.
I thought Panhandle Media would cover the report and use it as their excuse to claim, "Yes, we do cover the war!" (They rarely say "illegal," just "the war.") The fifth year mark was passed in March and where's the coverage of the very real, very ongoing illegal war?
Look in vain at most 'trusted' outlets. In addition, Iraq's fallen off the radar of Real Media. We noted this week that three US service members shot dead in Iraq on the same day, in the same incident, wasn't enough to get the front page of the New York Times. There's little to no interest in Iraq in All Things Media Big and Small.
The same visitor accusing this site of never noting the report (it was noted in the Thursday snapshot) apparently reads selectively because he also wants to know why LaVena Johnson wasn't covered in Friday's snapshot. (She's mentioned in Thursday's snapshot, which the visitor points to but apparently missed all the section of the Rockefeller report.)
I do what the community wants, not what drive-bys want. We linked to the website for Johnson and members checked it out. While not disliking Johnson (whose story we've covered many times before), they don't want that site linked to. That site has a link list that includes a number of sites that used sexism non-stop in the primary season. Maybe they can 'atone' by fighting for the truth about Johnson (most likely, they'll never follow the issue) but if all those sites are on board then (a) we're not needed and (b) we don't want to be part of a sexist community. (All the links are not the problem, four are. They are vile and disgusting sites and we don't promote them here and will not promote them by linking to things that link to them.) LaVena Johnson we've covered before but if the four pathetic sites are on board with the issue than we'll assume they'll cover it and find a better way to utilize our time and one that doesn't require our hopping in bed with misogynists.
We'll cover it in terms of VFP (and a friend with VFP asked for the link we gave on Thursday). But members went to the page on Johnson, that site (not linked to in this entry), and complained loudly in e-mails. I agree with them. I don't break bread with misognists. And I don't do anything to promote their work or 'traffic.' So they're on their own and the page's decision to get in bed with those people -- who ignore the Iraq War, to be clear -- means it's not an interest of the community's. Something may develop that means the issue gets included in a snapshot or two but we won't be linking to that site. Most likely, when the issue is noted it will be due to VFP or MSM.
That's life. There are many aspects of the ongoing, illegal war to cover. We'll find something else. We did our part early on. Now that others are noticing it, let them run with it. If past history is any indication, they won't run with it. They don't care about the illegal war today. They don't write about it. They don't call out the War Hawks. Every now and then, they work up a little energy to play, "Blame the Republicans!" That game got a little old several years ago. It was exposed as fraudlent when the Dems took control of both houses of Congress in the Nov. 2006 elections.
It's as pathetic and fake as the efforts to insist John McCain is just like the Bully Boy. John McCain, whether you like him or not (I don't like him, I do know Cindy McCain and have no ill will towards her), is not the same as the Bully Boy, does not hold the same beliefs as the Bully Boy. We have and will continue to call McCain out. We will not push a known lie just because MoveOn and the other liars feel it's okay to resort to any smear to destroy a Republican. There are plenty of reasons not to vote for John McCain (and though my ballot is my own business, I've long shared here that I would never vote for McCain). There are many things he's said, voted on and done that can destroy his candidacy.
MoveOn, et al's strategy not only depends upon lying it's a bust. It won't work. They're failures and didn't we see that with their 2004 efforts?
Bad enough that they lie, but they're not even smart enough to think up a workable lie. They cater to the fringes and are out of step with the average American who is not even closely following the election right now. The lie that McCain and Bully Boy are the same will not bring over swing voters to the Democrats. It will, instead, be used as proof that the Democrats lie. It wasn't real smart of MoveOn, et al, to attempt a strategy that would go against popular opinion and harm the Democratic Party but, then, those outlets aren't real smart to begin with.
To the average swing voter, McCain is a stand up guy. Now that can be discredited but doing so requires real work and not just repeating a lie that McCain's the same as the current White House occupant.
Someone in the Democratic Party should have strongly advised MoveOn that this effort was not needed or wanted but you see the Cult of Obama repeating the same thing. It's a losing strategy because to swing voters it is a lie. If you're caught lying, you lose credibility.
Anything the MoveOn faction now attempts to utilize will be built upon the original lie and will not go over well for obvious reasons, swing voters will remember the lie. And that's going to hurt them. It's going to hurt the campaign they're trying to build up as well.
At some point, these factions working with the Democratic Party need to be discplined because they're already setting up the stage for a losing campaign in November. You peel off support for McCain by exposing his record, not by repeating a lie over and over loudly.
Doing the latter just makes you a liar and, come November, a loser as well.
McCain and the current occupant of the White House have a long history and it includes opposition to one another (most infamously in the 2000 smears against McCain). You cannot paint them as being the same in the minds of swing voters. And when you chant "McSame," you come off like a petulant child and not as an informed adult.
But the 'left' appears to be heavy on petulant, loud mouth children today (all too old to qualify as children) so it appears likely that McCain will have a real shot at the White House in November.
You destroy McCain via his record, not by absurd charges that, if you missed it, Arianna already went off the reservation on, insisting McCain told her he didn't vote for the Bully Boy.
Whether he did or didn't, Arianna used all her limited authority to say McCain did not. And they still want to pimp the lie that the two men are the same?
I know McCain's record and statements and that's why I won't vote for him. He is not the same as Bully Boy, but he's not a candidate I can support (now or ever). I'm not going to invent lies to keep him from office. That's really pathetic and the sort of thing that Democrats used to decry when they still had any level of standards. They threw those away for the 2008 election and now they're so desperate that they think they can lie their way into a White House victory.
Swing voters will no doubt be the next to be smeared. They're out of touch, or maybe they're racists or any number of smears Panhandle Media has used to target Democrats that don't like Obama's policies, his voting record (his sleight voting record) or his actions.
It's going to be a long election as the 'left' demonstrates just how childish they are over and over, week after week. When "Pelosi Democrat" is used (to imply extreme leftist) by a Republican in a race against a Democrat, the Democrats decry that. But they have no trouble resorting to the same smears against McCain. That's a set-up for failure as well as an abandonment of any ethical standards.
They've already floated attacks on McCain to paint him as "crazy" based on his P.O.W. experience and that's shameful. Thing is, when the Bully Boy campaign did similar tactics in 2000, the 'left' called that out as shameful. Today, they engage in the same tactics.
I was against the illegal war in Vietnam in real time. I am not one of the 'left' today that practices revisionary tactics (as a number do). I am as against it today as I was then. And I find it offensive that McCain's P.O.W. experience is being targeted by the 'left' (meaning psuedo left). No American should have ever been sent to Vietnam. McCain was and he supports that illegal war. I don't but I don't turn around and chuckle over his P.O.W. experience. I don't find it something to smear him with. I'm very sad that there were any P.O.W.s on any side because that war was illegal and should never have happened. I'll cry for the dead and the wounded and the prisoners of that illegal war on all sides. I think the 'left' has demonstrated that the first thing they sacrificed for the 2008 election was their own humanity -- if they ever had it to begin with.
Throughout the nineties, there was a split on the left. The 'left' thought the answer was an echo chamber like the right-wing had. The real left believed that getting the truth out made the difference. Campaign 2008 has demonstrated what faction won out (the psuedo left). It's going to be really embarrassing in the coming months and though we've tried to be welcoming of all on the left, on this I have no problem drawing lines. This site will not knowingly repeat lies just because it might mean a 'victory.' At what cost? I'm not willing to sell whatever's left of my own humanity. I can be a real ass (and admit that upfront) and I can be wrong more often than right (ditto) but I do not knowingly repeat lies here.
I loathe the slaughter in Vietnam to this day. But I will not take part in trashing McCain for being a prisoner of war or implying that being held captive means he may have been brainwashed or he may be crazy. That is appalling. It's nothing but the gutter politics of the right-wing. If you missed it, a number of those right-wingers have migrated over to the left in the last ten years. There's a reason they've been warmly embraced and it goes to an admiration of gutter politics. (To be clear, I am not speaking of David Brock. Brock wrote at length about his own awakening and Media Matters tries to stay focused on the issues.)
A lot of the smears may be coming out of fear. When you've rallied behind a candidate with no record to speak of and one who has electoral college challenges, you may be left with nothing but smear techniques. That's why the false charges at ABC for the April debate were so hilarious. It'll only become more hilarious as The Cult of Obama insists every question to Obama is unfair, is smearing him by association, et al while they do the exact thing to McCain.
Again, I'm not voting for McCain. This isn't a McCain site. But we won't be repeating the latest echo chamber lie about McCain just because all the howlers monkies supposedly on the left are doing it at their websites, in their magazines and on their radio programs. We do have standards here. When you give up your standards, you have nothing, even in so-called victory.
Elaine's "Norman Solomon cries oink-oink" went up last night. She missed one thing. I read the essay she's commenting on and agree with her comments; however, she missed a section. She said, "I read as much of his crap I could." Understandable. But along with the sexist oink-oink, Solomon's engaging in exactly the tactics we're talking about here. It's embarrassing and Norman knows better.
We hope to address it at Third tomorrow.
matt canham
Friday, June 6, 2008. Chaos and violence continue, Barack isn't 'pledging' to do anything on Iraq, the VA computer systems lack all security, Nader qualifies for Arizona ballot, and more.
Starting with war resistance. Teviah Moro (The Orillia Packet & Times) reports that the Quakers in Orillia will demonstrate tomorrow in an attempt to register their support for war resisters in Canada. Ottawa, Nelson, B.C., Victoria, B.C., Port Dover, Sarnia and Strathory will also hold demonstrations. Moro notes: "Organizers of the Orillia rally, to be held outside the Opera House from 12:30 to 1:30 p. m., aim to explain the underlying issues of the pending deportations and will have petitions on hand."
The rallies will be taking place to underscore the recent action in Canada's Parliament. Tuesday Canada's House of Commons passed a motion granting war resisters safe harbor. The motion is non-binding but it is hoped that the country's prime minister, Stephen Harper, will honor it. It is especially important with regards to US war resister Corey Glass. May 21st, US war resisters and Iraq War veteran Glass was informed that he had until June 12th to leave Canada or he would be deported. That is six days from now. Will the non-binding motion prevent the conservative Harper from ordering Glass' deportation? Rick Salutin (Toronto Globe & Mail) doesn't seem optimistic noting that from an AIDS conference (global conference) to any other issue, Harper loves to say no to the people: "Lately, it's been no to a safe-injection site in Vancouver; provincial climate plans; Ontario's budget; an inquiry into the Bernier case; letting U.S. war resisters stay. For a government, the Conservatives are uniquely, bizarrely litigious, the sign of a mentality that loves to fight."
With more on that, this is from Michael Werbowski (OhmyNews International) reports that the vote on the motion "comes just in time for US army recruit Corey Glass, 25, a war resister who came to Canada in 2006 and was recently told to leave Canada by June 12 or face removal to the United States, welcomed the vote. Upon hearing the news of the motion passed by the lower house, Glass expressed his appreciation for the parliamentarians, "I'm thankful that the MPs voted to let me and the other war resisters stay in Canada. I'm also thankful to all the Canadians who urged their MPs to support us."
Meanwhile, It was two years ago today, as Austin Jenkins (OPB News) notes, that Ehren Watada became the first officer to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq in June 2006. In August 2006, he faced and Article 32 hearing. In February, he faced a kanagroo court-martial. Judge Toilet (aka John Head) declared a mistrial over defense objection as Watada was about to take the stand (after which the defense would have rested and the military jury would have reached a decision). Judge Toilet forgot a lot that day. He announced that a new court-martial would take place in March but that was really beyond his call (and why no court-martial took place then). He also forgot about the US Constitution, popularly known as "the law of the land," and it's provision against double-jeopardy. In November of last year, as Judge Toilet repeatedly tried to force another court-martial, US District Judge Benjamin Settle ruled that no action could take place until the double-jeopardy was resolved. Watada has been in limbo since. William Cole (Honolulu Advertiser) speaks to Ehren's father, Bob Watada who has "suggested to his son's attorneys that they somehow force a conclusion to the issue" and whom Cole quotes stating, "The attorneys are talking to the Army. They aren't telling me what they are saying, but they are talking to them." Austin Jenkins (OPB News) quotes one of Watada's two civilian attorneys, Ken Kagan, declaring, "It's conceivable that the appeals process in the 9th Circuit could consume anywhere from 18 months to three years. So that is a limbo that is very hard for Lt. Watada to imagine but he's prepared to do what he needs to do."
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Megan Bean, Chris Bean, Matthis Chiroux, Richard Droste, Michael Barnes, Matt Mishler, Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Justiniano Rodrigues, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Jose Vasquez, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Logan Laituri, Jason Marek, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
Shhhh. Listen? It's the sound of hundreds of computers in Panhandle Media booting up over their sobs as they force determination to yet again sell their political crush as someone who will end the illegal war. Media anointed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is not 'anti-war' and is not seriously opposed to the illegal war. But if you didn't have Tommy Hayden, Laura Flanders and the gang lying for him non-stop, people wouldn't think otherwise, now would they? (Those two named because they have both -- in February -- talked about how Barack's feet need to be held to the fire and yet they've never done so. Someday I suppose, as the Mighty Bosstones once sang.)
The Press Trust of India reports that Barack told CNN he would "not tule out the possibility that conditions on the ground could alter his policy of immediately beginning a troop withdrawal and that Barack insisted of his 'pledge' to end the illegal war, "Well, you know, I'd never say there's 'nothing' or 'never' or 'no way' in which I'd change my mind."
Confronted with his statements on withdrawal policy, Obama replied, "Well, you know, I'd never say there's 'nothing' or 'never' or 'no way' in which I'd change my mind". He spoke of "broader perspective"s and offered praise for Gen David Petraeus. It's shocking only if you've trusted the liars of Panhandle Media. Barack has changed his position on the Iraq War repeatedly. While running for the US Senate, he told Elaine and I at a big money, private fundraiser that he didn't favor withdrawal. His attitude was that the US was in Iraq now and had to win. (Neither Elaine nor I contributed to his run. We both immediately walked out of the fundraiser.) At that point he was a myth of the radical left, an "anti-war" candidate. The press picked up on that and he became the "anti-war" Senator which required ignoring not only his public statements (his many public statements) but his continued voting for the illegal war once he got into the US Senate. Throughout the campaign, he has signaled (and sometimes stated) to the mainstream press that his stance is far from it's portrayed. "Hopelessly Devoted To Barack" Tom Hayden made a real ass out of himself doing a quickie write up of an NYT article co-written by Michael Gordon. The reality of what was what was in the transcript of the interview which the paper posted online. In February, after his advertsiments where he robotically declared that his mother died of cancer, the campaign went into overtime with an advertisement that played like the Pepsi Generation (truly, it was the late 60s and early seventies Pepsi generation commercials). To a bad 'rock' guitar, the commercial opened and featured quick shots of Barack barking out sentences while groupies swooned. "We want . . ." he barked over and over, a laundry list of demands. The Iraq War was on it. But Barack wasn't running to be "we," he was running to become the nominee of the Democratic Party and then the president. There were no "I will end the Iraq War." All he did was offer what "we" wanted. It got the psychos in Panhandle Media excited. Of course, were he serious about ending the illegal war, his campaign would have stolen not the Pepsi commercials of that period, but the Coke commericals: I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony . . .
There was no "pledge" or "promise" made to end the illegal war, despite the groupies like Tom Hayden going bug-eyed crazy in their efforts to pretend otherwise (a fleeting sentence delivered in Houston, TX, as ginned up by Hayden into a new plan for Iraq). Then came the crash and burn of his advisor (a counter-insurgency supporter and War Hawk) Samantha Power. The pathetics in Panhandle Media made themselves laughable -- and include John Nichols, Davey D and BuzzFlash at the top of that list. Poor Samantha "fired" (Power resigned) for calling Hillary Clinton a "monster." Poor sweet Sammy. No, she resigned because of the damage she did with the press in England. The "monster" insult was the trivia the MSM pumped out. On that same trip, she insulted Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the UK and presumed ally of the next US administration regardless of who becomes president, and she gave an interview (that Panhandle Media refused to cover) to the BBC where she explained that Barack would be not be held accountable, if elected president, to any 'pledges' about Iraq he's making on the campaign trail. She explained, as an advisor to Barack and a campaign insider, that any plans about what to do in Iraq would be decided only after he entered the White House. Had that interview gotten the attention it should have, Barack would have faced tough questions. That didn't happen. It wasn't of interest to the corporate media (which still wants the illegal war) to give it much traction and the rejects of Panhandle Media are in love with Barack because of his 'connections' (his using of) Saul, Bernardine and Bill. They deluded themselves into believing he was a Socialist when he is just a user who will use anyone regardless of political ideology in his efforts to climb to the top.
The Queen of the Beggars, Amy Goodman, wanted credit for a few minutes (two?) she aired of her speaking with Barack. In it, he basically repeated what Samantha Power had said. Goody never pursued that in panel discussions (all panel discussions accepted the lie that he was against the illegal war and would immediately end it). Goody never connected it with the Samantha Power BBC interview (though Barack was making the same points Power had months prior) and she never wrote one of her bad columns, where she recycles some segment of her show, on the topic. It was lie, lie, lie, denial, denial. They worked overtime not to include Eli Lake (New York Sun) report in the narrative. Lake reported that the "day-to-day coordinator" of Barack's campaign had just written a paper which argued for 60,000 to 80,000 US troops to remain in Iraq "as of late 2010, a plan at odds with the public pledge of the Illinois senator to withdraw combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of taking office."
Among the very few who have tried to maintain perspective and stick to reality about War Hawk Barack are Phyllis Bennis, John Pilger, Doug Henwood and Juan Gonzalez. It's a very small list. By contrast, most have offered 'reasons' of support for Barack like the insane Dave Lindorff who believes Barack should be supported because Barak is "a black candiate who has risked jail by doing drugs."
The violence continues every day in Iraq and Barack, not even having the nomination, already signals it's a-okay with him. In some of today's reported violence . . .
Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports a home bombing in Sulaiman Beck, a Jalwla roadside bombing that wounded one person. Reuters notes a woman blew herself in at a Ramadi police station claiming the life of 1 police officer and injuring four more and, dropping back to Thursday, that 4 people were killed in Sadr City from a US air strike.
Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 4 suspects shot dead in Al Anbar Province, 1 police officer shot twice in Al Anbar Province and wounded and 1 civilian shot in Kirkuk. Reuters notes 3 police officers were shot dead in Dour.
Kidnappings?
Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 1 person kidnapped in Kirkuk.
Yesterday CNN's Jamie McIntyre broke the latest Department of Defense news on CNN Newsroom:
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Asked to resign, which is code for firing, is the top civilian in charge of the Air Force, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and the top military general in charge of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mike Moseley. The two top leaders of the Air Force are being replaced because Secretary Gates has received a highly critical report of how the Air Force has reacted to an embarrassing incident last year which a B-52 bomber flew across country with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles that nobody knew were live nuclear weapons until the plane landed in Barksdale , Louisiana .There were supposed to be big changes made from that. But a recent inspection of the base was less than satisfactory, and Secretary Gates just got a report on his desk from an independent investigator, a Navy admiral who has been in charge of reviewing what the Air Force has done to take care of this. It's not just this issue though. There have been a number of leadership issues in the Air Force including questions about a conflict of interest around a high-profile public relations contract that was left from the Air Force. And all of that together led Secretary Gates to decide that he was going to take decisive action.It's not unlike what he did when he heard about the shortcomings at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital . In that case, he fired the Army secretary and head of the hospital there, as well -- Brianna.
There have been a number of issues with the Veterans Administration Dept as well but no heads are rolling. At the start of the week, Mary Mosquera (FCW) reported, "Sensitive data on about 1,000 patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other military hospitals might have been compromised, Walter Reed spokesman Chuck Dasey said. The names of the patients, who are enrolled in the Military Health System, their Social Security numbers and birth dates were among the personally identifiable information in a computer file that was shared without authorization, officials said June 2." AP broke this news about the May 2006 breach at Walter Reed. The key point of the reports is how the Office of Management and Budget issued orders, in 2006, for increased securit on the part of the VA. But they broke it with the government explaining this week about the 2006 computer breach. We (Ava and C.I.) revealed earlier this week that there's a VA breach that took place after the breach the government is now admitting to. This breach has nothing to do with Walter Reed. The basics are that an over-forty-years-old male (who name rhymes with "Los Lobos" and who is a veteran) used a civilian computer to access veterans records. The government is not only aware of the breach, they investigated it. They didn't do a very good job. The government does not know what the person viewed or changed. They know that, from the basement of a non-federal government building, he used a PC to enter the VA's computer database without permission or authorization. Present when he did this was a woman (also a civilian and one who has never served in the military) whom the government never questioned. What the government did do was call together the suspect's superiors at his place of employment -- a four story building whose fourth floor is not used for anything (the basement counted as a floor makes for five floors) -- on the second floor in what passed for an investigation. Those civlians 'assisting' in the investigation of the breach that happened at their place of business were known as "administration." (E.g., they spoke with "administration.") The investigation could not figure out whether the supsect was telling the truth about why he entered the VA system without permission and, certainly, to know about that they should have spoken with the woman present when the breach occurred. The suspect offered two versions of his story and that may be what confused the investigators (though it was very simple for us to track down the particulars). They do know, due to the suspect admitting to it, that the records of someone who served during Vietnam (and only during Vietnam) were accessed. (Hint to reporters, that leads to your human interest angle). The suspect briefly told government investigators a story regarding that Vietnam era veteran that the investigators did not buy; however, it was easily checked out had they bothered to speak to the Vietnam veteran (which they never did). There is fear that the suspect altered the Vietnam veteran's record (we are told by civilian sources that no alteration of that record took place). Why does the government think that? It goes to the human interest angle. In terms of hard news, the angle is the "how." The "how" of it goes to a huge flaw that was supposed to have been addressed and was never addressed. It goes to lack of oversight at the VA.
We're not here to spoonfeed news outlets, get off your lazy asses and don't expect two media critics to do all your work. (It's as if today's Woodward & Bernsteins expect you not only to spill the beans, but also type up their reports and then wipe their asses.) The federal goverment made a big deal this week about honesty and 'fessed up to problems in May of 2006. The 2007 breach is more serious not because of the suspect or what he may or may not have done but how he got into the system without authorization. The breach should never happened and were basic guidelines followed (guidelines that any civilian computer system would follow), it never would have happened. The big story is the "how" of the breach, not the "who." And it goes to the OMB's orders not being followed. The first three digits of the civilian location where the breach took place are "312." The street has "East" in it. And the street's name was also the name of a long running TV show but in singular not plural. We're done spoonfeeding the press except to advise NYT that Ralph should have had this story.
This is our third (here's the second) and last spoonfeeding. After the "how," the "who" still isn't the next big story. The big story then is how the federal government attempted to bury the breach. That wasn't just by still not telling the public about it. It also included a rush to wrap up the investigation before it was complete (the orders for the wrap up came from high up). That's why the woman who witnessed the breach was never interviewed. It was that woman's computer that was used to breach the VA system. There's no reason not to interview her. All this time later, she's still not been interviewed by the government. When the investigation was ongoing, a family emergy meant she was "unaccessible" (to her place of employment but nothing prevented the investigators from seeking her out away from her place of her work) and the rush to wrap up the investigation and keep the entire matter on the down low meant she was never interviewed. The big story is the "how" and goes to the lack of security. The next angle is the rush to keep the story as quiet as possible which includes rushing through an investigation. The suspect himself is really not a huge part of the hard news story. (And the suspect, for the record, is the only person we have not spoken to.) (There are feature articles to be found throughout.)
In other news, the UN Rights of the Child Committee is calling out the US government for (a) the imprisonment of juvelines in Iraq, Afghanstan and Guantamo and for (b) military recruitment of under-18-year-olds in the US.
Turning to US political news, Team Nader reports that US presidential candidate Ralph Nader needed nearly 22,000 signatures to get on the ballot in Arizona and that over 65,000 were collected. Ralph Nader and his running mate Matt Gonzalez should now be on the ballot in Arizona -- barring any dirty tricks on the part of the DNC. Despite Nader's strong polling when his name included in the polling, there is an effort on the part of the MSM and Panhandle Media to ignore his campaign. Today, Team Nader points to another example of how the independent candidate is shut out of the discussions and argues the case for Nader-Gonzalez as the only agents of change:
"How do you get people to vote against their own self interest? That's the trick.
One way is to make people believe in a dream. That's what all of the mainstream politicians are doing - feeding that dream. Obama is feeding a dream - a dream of change and renewal. He's feeding a dream that the conditions that surround us - Iraq, the economy, the racial divide, the class divide in this country - that they are magically going to go away by voting for this centrist Democrat. That is nonsense, of course. Obama is not proposing any structural changes. McCain is feeding us the dream, the fantasy of power and control. That somehow the military might of the U.S. will prevail across the globe. These are fantasies that are being fed by the politicians. They are not so much lies, as delusions. But we will have brought it on ourselves by supporting these politicians.
By ignoring any candidate or any ideas that might conflict with those dreams. The Obama moment is a feel good moment. It makes us feel good. But the programs Obama is proposing - up and down and all around - are the same centrist Democratic positions.
The same people are going to be running the show. All of the corporations are rapidly switching their contributions to the Democrats."
These are the words of the American novelist Russell Banks.
We heard Banks the other day interviewed by Chris Lydon on Radio Open Source. (Listen to the interview here.) What wasn't mentioned was Nader/Gonzalez. So, let us say it loud and clear. Nader/Gonzalez. Shift the power from the few to the many. Free our government of corporate domination. Restore the sovereignty of an engaged people. Don't fall for the trick. Help us put Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot. We're on our way to give the American people a choice in November. But we need your help. And we need it now.
You can give up to $4,600. But please, give whatever you can. Shift the power.
Feed the living, breathing people-powered alternative. Support Nader/Gonzalez.
teviah moro
ehren watada
rick salutin
michael werbowski
jamie mcintyre
john walcott
Corey Glass, Ehren Watada
Teviah Moro (The Orillia Packet & Times) reports that the Quakers in Orillia will demonstrate tomorrow in an attempt to register their support for war resisters in Canada. Ottawa, Nelson, B.C., Victoria, B.C., Port Dover, Sarnia and Strathory will also hold demonstrations. Moro notes: "Organizers of the Orillia rally, to be held outside the Opera House from 12:30 to 1:30 p. m., aim to explain the underlying issues of the pending deportations and will have petitions on hand."
What's going on? Tuesday Canada's House of Commons passed a motion granting war resisters safe harbor. The motion is non-binding but it is hoped that the country's prime minister, Stephen Harper, will honor it. It is especially important with regards to US war resister Corey Glass. May 21st, US war resisters and Iraq War veteran Glass was informed that he had until June 12th to leave Canada or he would be deported. That is six days from now. Will the non-binding motion prevent the conservative Harper from ordering Glass' deportation? Rick Salutin (Toronto Globe & Mail) doesn't seem optimistic noting that from an AIDS conference (global conference) to any other issue, Harper loves to say no to the people: "Lately, it's been no to a safe-injection site in Vancouver; provincial climate plans; Ontario's budget; an inquiry into the Bernier case; letting U.S. war resisters stay. For a government, the Conservatives are uniquely, bizarrely litigious, the sign of a mentality that loves to fight."
With more on that, this is from Michael Werbowski's "Canadian MPs Vote to Save US 'Deserters'" (OhmyNews International):
The parliamentary move, which was first proposed in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in December 2007, effectively gives those solders wishing to stay in Canada as "contentious objectors" the right to remain in Canada and thus avoid eventual prosecution or court martial in the US, were desertion is considered a capital crime punishable by death.
The three-party unified vote urges the government to "immediately implement a program to allow conscientious objectors and their immediate family members... to apply for permanent resident status and remain in Canada; ... the government should immediately cease any removal or deportation actions... against such individuals."
The vote comes just in time for US army recruit Corey Glass, 25, a war resister who came to Canada in 2006 and was recently told to leave Canada by June 12 or face removal to the United States, welcomed the vote. Upon hearing the news of the motion passed by the lower house, Glass expressed his appreciation for the parliamentarians, "I'm thankful that the MPs voted to let me and the other war resisters stay in Canada. I'm also thankful to all the Canadians who urged their MPs to support us."
If the Conservatives despite this vote proceeded with the deportations of "resisters" such a Private Corey it would likely publicly be seen as another example of the authoritarian style of government adopted by Stephen Harper and also perhaps be interpreted as a clear sign that the current prime minster continues to kowtow to Washington's wishes with total disregard for the will of parliament in the process.
Oh, no, bad news for the Harper government. Some not familiar with Canada's system, may think that or think it means some minor conflict with the press or something. Harper's government can be toppled at any moment. In December, Ava, Kat and I were in Canada about this motion and speaking with Liberal and NDP MPs. Back then, one of the things (and this is in a December snapshot*) that would delay the war resisters motion was the fact that members of both parties were exploring taking down the Harper government. Did they have the votes for it?
By February, it was decided they didn't. As important as the war resisters motion is, it's equally true that it, more than anything else so far, draws a line in the sand. All parties banded against the conservatives to vote for the motion Tuesday. If Harper elects to ignore the motion (a motion immensely popular with the Canadian people), he's ignoring the will of the people and making it all the easier for the Parliament to dissolve his government.
[*That was noted in a December snapshot, the possible recall of the Harper government. After the snapshot went up, I was told by several MPs that it wasn't supposed to be public. We never mentioned again. I wouldn't have put it in back in December if I had realized people were speaking off the cuff. I was taking notes -- pen to paper -- during the conversations. I was repeating the comments back to make sure I was understanding what was being said. No one objected at that time and several knew about The Common Ills -- the ones complaining after the fact, certainly knew. As a result of the complaints, we did not mention it here again. I believe Mike wrote about it on his blog in January. If it wasn't him, it was Kat who wrote of that day in reference to "four went over, three came back" -- meaning the Canadian border. The difference is that was months ago and it applies to what can happen now and an MP I spoke with on the phone this morning stated he was fine with it being mentioned now.]
Turning to war resistance in the US (and due to the delays in this morning's entries, don't be surprised if most of this later appears in the snapshot word for word), Ehren Watada became the first officer to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq in June 2006. In August 2006, he faced and Article 32 hearing. In February, he faced a kanagroo court-martial. Judge Toilet (aka John Head) declared a mistrial over defense objection as Watada was about to take the stand (after which the defense would have rested and the military jury would have reached a decision). Judge Toilet forgot a lot that day. He announced that a new court-martial would take place in March but that was really beyond his call (and why no court-martial took place then). He also forgot about the US Constitution, popularly known as "the law of the land," and it's provision against double-jeopardy. In November of last year, as Judge Toilet repeatedly tried to force another court-martial, US District Judge Benjamin Settle ruled that no action could take place until the double-jeopardy was resolved. Watada has been in limbo since.
Austin Jenkins (OPB News) notes that today is the second anniversary of Watada going public and that:
Today the legal wrangling continues. Watada’s attorney -- Ken Kagan -- expects the case will eventually make its way to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ken Kagan: "It's conceivable that the appeals process in the 9th Circuit could consume anywhere from 18 months to three years. So that is a limbo that is very hard for Lt. Watada to imagine but he’s prepared to do what he needs to do."
Watada's service contract ended in December 2006. The limbo has included his continuing to report to duty each day at Fort Lewis. Contrary to some idiots' claim, Watada is not a "deserter." He never failed to report to base, he never went AWOL. He refused an order and did so because the Iraq War is an illegal one. As he has stated, his oath is to the Constitution. The implication being (I'm saying, not Watada), he swore to uphold the Constitution, he did not swear to violate it because some whack job was in the Oval Office and wanted to lie a country into war.
Last week, William Cole offered "Next legal steps for Ehren Watada remain a mystery" (Honolulu Advertiser):
His father, Bob Watada, says the Army doesn't seem to want to, and his son remains in legal limbo.
The 1996 Kalani High graduate is still at Fort Lewis, Wash., pushing papers after he refused to go on his Stryker brigade's deployment to Iraq in June 2006.
Ehren Watada, 30, denounced the war as illegal and unjust, and said if he went, it would make him a party to war crimes.
The Honolulu man, who said he would have served in Afghanistan, was the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the Iraq war.
The federal government's got problems
Defense Department counterintelligence investigators suspected that Iranian exiles who provided dubious intelligence on Iraq and Iran to a small group of Pentagon officials might have "been used as agents of a foreign intelligence service ... to reach into and influence the highest levels of the U.S. government," a Senate Intelligence Committee report said Thursday.
A top aide to then-secretary of defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, however, shut down the 2003 investigation into the Pentagon officials' activities after only a month, and the Defense Department's top brass never followed up on the investigators' recommendation for a more thorough investigation, the Senate report said.
The revelation raises questions about whether Iran may have used a small cabal of officials in the Pentagon and in Vice President Dick Cheney's office to feed bogus intelligence on Iraq and Iran to senior policymakers in the Bush administration who were eager to oust the Iraqi dictator.
The above is from John Walcott's "Did Iranian agents dupe Pentagon officials?" (McClatchy Newspapers). It's not a 'fun' time to be in charge of the Pentagon. Consider what CNN's Jamie McIntyre broke on CNN Newsroom yesterday:
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: We've got breaking news to tell you about that's coming to us from the Pentagon, and specifically from the Department of the Air Force. We have just learned that the top Air Force leadership is out, fired.Let's head straight to the Pentagon and our senior correspondent there Jamie McIntyre. What's going on, Jamie?
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, this is an example of Defense Secretary Robert Gates no-excuses management style. As you said, heads are rolling over the issue of the handling of nuclear weapons and other leadership issues in the Air Force.Asked to resign, which is code for firing, is the top civilian in charge of the Air Force, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and the top military general in charge of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mike Moseley. The two top leaders of the Air Force are being replaced because Secretary Gates has received a highly critical report of how the Air Force has reacted to an embarrassing incident last year which a B-52 bomber flew across country with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles that nobody knew were live nuclear weapons until the plane landed in Barksdale , Louisiana .There were supposed to be big changes made from that. But a recent inspection of the base was less than satisfactory, and Secretary Gates just got a report on his desk from an independent investigator, a Navy admiral who has been in charge of reviewing what the Air Force has done to take care of this.It's not just this issue though. There have been a number of leadership issues in the Air Force including questions about a conflict of interest around a high-profile public relations contract that was left from the Air Force. And all of that together led Secretary Gates to decide that he was going to take decisive action.It's not unlike what he did when he heard about the shortcomings at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital . In that case, he fired the Army secretary and head of the hospital there, as well -- Brianna.
Staying with government scandals but dropping back to the joint-entry Ava and I did Wednesday where we noted the VA computer systems being breached. It'll be in the snapshot in some form today and Jim will either by himself or with others not including us, write about it at Third on Sunday. A 'news' producer accuses (in an e-mail to the public site, I'm not friends with Fox "News") Ava and I of 'teasing' it out and having nothing.
We had no plans to mention and didn't go looking for it. Mike was present when we were speaking to ___ and, as he noted last night, we were talking about the 2006 computer 'problems' which AP had just broken after the government had released the information on that. In the course of that conversation a comment was made and we (Ava and I) nodded and then, a few seconds later (because we knew the AP coverage of the 2006 incident), we realized this wasn't the 2006 story he was talking about. ____ clammed up and we worked the phones. As we stated on Wednesday, the VA computer system was breached in the second half of 2007. This is not "heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another you've been messing around" (REO Speedwagon) or, as the Fox "News" person accuses, us "pulling a Larry Johnson." We know the name of the suspect (and we believe "suspect" doesn't have to be used). We have not spoken to him. We have spoken to one person over the investigation. We know that what civilian computer was utilized for the breach, we know what building it was in and what floor it's on. We know that the investigation led to the building holding a second floor meeting/investigation and we know that from two civilians present during various parts of the questioning. We know who the government did and did not investigate. We know a civilian was present during the breach and the government never interviewed her -- yes, it is a her. We know the address of the building where the breach took place, we know the room number in the building where the breach took place. We know two versions the suspect gave during the investigation for the breach. We have spoken with people involved in the government and we have spoken with civilians at the site where the breach took place.
We included it in the joint-entry Wednesday because we were working the phones while writing that and were just appalled because either the investigation's findings were a white wash or, just working the phones, we were able to find out more than the government did. (That may be because the woman present during the breach never spoke to the government.) We have not spoken to the veteran who got into the VA system and he may be the only person on civilian or government sides that we haven't spoken to.
We were doing our joint-entry on Hillary and reading yet another round of guess work passed off as journalism, rolling our eyes and insulting that guess work while we wrote. We were talking (to each other) about how much time is being wasted with gas baggery and how it's being passed off as news and then decided that point needed to be made. That there is actual news out there and where are the news outlets?
Not covering it.
Not even aware of it.
We used the story to make a point.
It will be mentioned in the snapshot today (the first time it will make into a snapshot) and Jim will write or lead the writing of something for Third (that we won't participate in) this weekend. Our big concern was always with Jim who loves this sort of thing while we take the attitude of we-don't-break-news. We will not comment on what Jim writes. We will answer some specific questions for Jim. We know Mike will be more forthcoming about the conversation between ___ and ourselves that he observed. If the incident becomes news before this site goes dark, it's very likely Ava and I will provide commentary on what the MSM is missing as they report it. The government's official version is not reality. Again, we found out more than the official investigation (summarized for us on the phone by someone participating in the investigation) found. In the end the suspect is of far less interest than what happened and how. There are breaking news stories to be found in that story as well as human interest ones. On the latter, there's a human interest angle that the media will most likely miss because it's not in the official investigation and when we found out about that (from civilians) and called ____ (who was surprised we had run down as much as we could) we were told that those investigating did not believe the suspect about that portion of the story. That portion was actually true. It does seem outlandish but if the breach becomes news and it's left out of the MSM, that will be surprising because it's the easiest thing to prove (all it requires is for people to use their own eyes and is as basic as whether the sky is blue or red).
Our point in including it on Wednesday was that we were sick of the MSM typing up gas baggery and printing it on the front page. Cheap, easy, phoned in crap passed off as news and as news worthy of the front page. We offered one example of a story we knew about that was actual news and was not being reported. I'll add one more thing to that, the New York Times regularly files from the location (not NYC) of the city the breach originated in. (The city where the civilian computer was used to breach the VA's computer system.) A breach takes place, a government investigation ensues (in a city not know for a lot of big news happening -- my opinion and not trying to be insulting), how do reporters there not know about it?
So we'll mention it in the snapshot, Jim will write (or lead the writing of) something on it at Third and, except as media critics, Ava and I are done with it other than deciding whether or not to pass it on to friends in Congress. It is a story, it is news and it goes to how unsecure the VA computer system is.
Part of the reason for the delay in this morning's entries is Jim saw the Fox "News" e-mail and has badgered me to write something here. My attitude was to laugh (Fox "News" offering insults and I'm supposed to be offended?). So blame Jim for the delays in anything going up here. (Seriously, not joking.) I have no interest in originating 'breaking news.' You can consider the snapshot later to do as by Ava and myself since she'll be pulled in for this part of it. Whatever Jim writes will involve a great deal of speculation. We're not outing our sources and Mike only knows one of them. I doubt that source will provide Jim with information but he may be willing to listen to what Jim thinks he's gathered and say "yes" or "no." Whether Jim nails it or is off the wall, I won't be commenting on what Jim writes Sunday. Ava and I spoke with primary sources in the government and out. We spoke with people involved the investigation and over the investigation, we spoke with people at the building where the breach took place. We spoke with civilians present during parts of the investigation. We spoke with people that the government never spoke with even though those people could offer key pieces to the puzzle.
I told Jim the big issue he needs to focus on is not the who but the how because that is the most damning part of the story. Whether he does that or not (he's gone through our cells trying to figure out which numbers on outgoing calls are people who provided us with information), is up to him. But it's the same thing I'd toss to Fox "News" or anyone at an actual news outlet. Don't get bogged down in the person/suspect (who did, by Ava and my research, breach the VA system), focus on how. That takes the story far beyond one person and one breach. (And the 'official version' uses conjecture when it comes to the suspect -- we were able to find out exactly why the person breached the system and have no need to use conjecture because we spoke to the woman present during the breach. Someone, again, that the government never saw fit to interview. We are taking her word for why the breach occurred and we're going by the gut on that, yes. But we're also going by other aspects of the story and the fact that we find her completely believable.) The "who" is part of the story but the big story is the "how." The "who" really doesn't matter in the big picture but the "how" goes to the weaknesses in the VA system and "how" it will continue to happen. We think higher ups at the VA should be paraded before Congress to explain how the "how" happened.
Now when Ava and I write whatever it is will be writing shortly, Jim will probably hit the roof, I've already written more here than we've given Jim verbally. Chances are that will be the case in the snapshot as well. That's not my problem, I didn't want to cover this. As a result, Jim may end up with nothing but a summary but that his fault because he insisted that this be covered here.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: We've got breaking news to tell you about that's coming to us from the Pentagon, and specifically from the Department of the Air Force. We have just learned that the top Air Force leadership is out, fired.
Let's head straight to the Pentagon and our senior correspondent there Jamie McIntyre. What's going on, Jamie?
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, this is an example of Defense Secretary Robert Gates no-excuses management style. As you said, heads are rolling over the issue of the handling of nuclear weapons and other leadership issues in the Air Force.
Asked to resign, which is code for firing, is the top civilian in charge of the Air Force, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and the top military general in charge of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mike Moseley. The two top leaders of the Air Force are being replaced because Secretary Gates has received a highly critical report of how the Air Force has reacted to an embarrassing incident last year which a B-52 bomber flew across country with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles that nobody knew were live nuclear weapons until the plane landed in Barksdale , Louisiana .
There were supposed to be big changes made from that. But a recent inspection of the base was less than satisfactory, and Secretary Gates just got a report on his desk from an independent investigator, a Navy admiral who has been in charge of reviewing what the Air Force has done to take care of this.
It's not just this issue though. There have been a number of leadership issues in the Air Force including questions about a conflict of interest around a high-profile public relations contract that was left from the Air Force. And all of that together led Secretary Gates to decide that he was going to take decisive action.
It's not unlike what he did when he heard about the shortcomings at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital . In that case, he fired the Army secretary and head of the hospital there, as well -- Brianna.
CNN's Jamie McIntyre broke the above story on CNN Newsroom today. It should have made the snapshot today but it will make the snapshot tomorrow.
Why didn't it make it today? This is a talking post, if you haven't already figured that out.
If you look at the snapshot, you'll see some white background. That wasn't added by the person I dictated the snapshot to. It's some new Yahoo feature.
We'll come back to it. I was dictating 'live' -- meaning not to tape. Some friends tape my dictation and then type it up. This was live. When I'm doing it live, it's saved repeatedly because otherwise the whole thing can end up lost. The first indication of a problem came when my friend couldn't save. It turned out it was saved but Yahoo's features had changed. It offers an auto save now (option? if it's an option, how do you turn it off?). In the past, when doing that live, the person would end up with 12 or more drafts. Now each time you save, it's the same draft. So he was saving but seeing only the one in the draft and thinking the more recent was lost.
On my end, the big concern was when he told me we had reached 56K. 52K is risking that the snapshot will not hit the site when it's mailed. Ideally, we stop at 49K. Otherwise, I have to make time to copy and paste in because the e-mail never hits. (I copied and pasted Tuesday when it wouldn't hit. Which is why you had it here, and then when two e-mail versions finally hit, here and here.) So when my friend stopped to save and said we were at 56K and there were still things to be noted, that abosultely had to be noted, it was figure out what to pull. I didn't think it felt like 56K at that point but I'm not typing it, I'm just dictating.
It wasn't. It's shorter than a 49K for example. Click here and look at the bottom of the snapshot after the links. The archives are still running down the side. April 10th was 52K. It was 56K when the dictation was finished and then 4K was cut out to make sure it would hit the site when e-mailed. You'll notice the archives running down the left side end long before the snapshot does.
So why was it taking up so much K? This blank page (white page) feature that's showing up behind today's snapshot. That's apparently taking up K. Will it still hit if we take that into account and go over 56K? I don't know. But that's why there was no room for the CNN story or Leila Fadel's report today or two other things.
"The type is so much smaller" is a big complaint in the e-mails. I agree with you. But that's the new Yahoo. That's not anything that was done by my friend when he typed it up. I have no idea what to do other than try utilizing another e-mail. We did Yahoo because it's easy to add links. Most of the time, I go in and put the links in. Then a friend logs into the account and I dictate around the links. But usually there's at least one thing breaking since I did the links and if a link has to be added, it can be added easiest in Yahoo.
So that should answer the questions in the e-mails today regarding the snapshot. As for tomorrow (and the immediate future), I don't know what to do. We may switch to another e-mail system for dictating. We may try using Yahoo and copying it into another e-mail system. Most likely, the same process will be used tomorrow just because I won't have time to play around and see what can or cannot be done.
Moving on to the ungrateful. Tuesday's snapshot went up three times and older members (I'm not calling them ungrateful) e-mailed to point that out and how I generally delete it when that happens so there's only one. We display 5 entries on the main site, for anything else you have to go into the archives. (Otherwise, the main page takes too long to load for those with older computers and/or dial up. We dropped down to 5 entries per page in 2005 for that reason.) Tuesday's snapshot stayed with three postings for three reasons. 1) I didn't know until Wednesday morning that had happened. 2) When I did know it didn't bother me because the snapshot covered Tuesday's historic vote in Canada's House of Commons. 3) It knocked something else off the main page after Wednesday's two morning entries went up.
The third is the ungrateful. I was e-mailed and asked to highlight something from a stranger. It's not a friend. And I did highlight it. In full, no edits even though someone needs to explain to ___ how you write a press release. (Press releases are supposed to be short.) In that press release (job application form, if you're searching your brain for what highlight I'm referring to), there were links to other things including the person's presidentail race page.
Two members posted comments on that page: Martha and Deidre. Martha pointed out that all candidates (except a Crowley in one of the Carolinas whose name wasn't on many if any Democratic primary ballots across the country) had links with one exception: Hillary Clinton.
The reply comment was "I'm busy! I'm an activist! It's not my problem!" No, it is your problem. When you've created a page -- and done so some time ago -- it is your problem. When you're promoting it as a resource and you're providing people with the ability to click on all known and semi-known candidates and you're not providing them with that option for Hillary, it is your problem.
When you're known as a Hillary Hater, it is your problem. That page has been up for months (I've never visited it but we've promoted it here before and I believe at Third as well). There was more than enough time to fix it so you could click on Hillary the same way you could John McCain, Cynthia McKinney, John Edwards, et al. You chose not to fix it (and had been alerted by a member over a month ago to the need to make it clickable). Martha called you out on it publicly and you tried to play like you never noticed.
You noticed and, in fact, you intended from the start not to provide a link because you don't like Hillary, because you voted for her as your senator (why, I have no idea, she's not a Green and you are) and you're just so pissed at her and so mad at her and blah, blah, blah. It doesn't matter. You promoted that as a resource for all presidential candidates. And yet for Hillary, you short changed her. Martha was right to call you out on it.
So she took a nasty attitude with Martha (who laughed about it when I checked to make sure Martha was okay with the nonsense). Then other members saw her nasty attitude with Martha and the thing got copied and pasted and e-mailed around. That's when I started hearing about it. That may be when the decision was made not to allow it (Wednesday morning) to display on the main page after the two morning entries were up (those two plus the snapshot posted three times were the five). But everyone was ticked off and Deidra went and posted. Like many Greens in the community, she's about had it with Green Party 'leaders' (and the woman we're referring to is married into that party structure though she may claim to be 'just a Green'). Deidre wrote something about the attacks on women (and may have tied that into the woman's rush from Cynthia McKinney -- whom she'd led a draft Cynthia campaign for in the fall of last year -- as it looked like Ralph Nader might run on the Green Party ticket). She noted that this was a pattern and typed something like "If I'm wrong, please provide me with the link where you call out the sexism in this campaign season." Instead of providing a link (there are none, that woman has engaged in hateful, sexist commentary throughout the campaign season), the woman took an attitude with Deidra.
There's no reason a Green has to praise Hillary. That's a given, it's two different political parties. But the Greens didn't play, "Bad Democrats." They praised Barack (as that woman did over and over, gushing in the worst Ruth Conniff fashion -- think about her love for Joe Klein) and attacked Hillary. Over and over. Which led to Jess calling a phone conference with several community members who were Greens and led to his e-mailing all the rest. Jess is a Green and he found that outrageous. He found the psudeo Green I-Need-Attention Benjamin's actions appalling. Greens were trying to influence a Democratic primary by lying (and it is lying or ignorance, take your pick) about Barack and demonizing Hillary. That doesn't play.
Because the party structure has refused to call out sexism in this campaign season or to curb their members' behaviors, we may soon pull the link to the national party. We will not promote their national candidate whomever it is. Greens in this community will be voting for Ralph Nader. Like Nader, they've seen a really ugly side of the national party and they're not taking part in that.
Early on, while really working her Hillary hatred, the woman (White) felt the need to e-mail Ty. Now Ty's the only one other than me who really replies to her. Ava did twice and lived to regret it. But Ty and I have replied to her frequently. Ty was outraged by what she wanted highlighted and I explained that in an e-mail to her because Ty was too upset to write her. He found what she wanted highlighted to be condescending and racist. She wanted to disagree with Ty about what African-Americans suffer in this society. The White woman wanted to disagree with African-American Ty about what it was like to be Black.
And she didn't understand his outrage and offense?
She wanted to play what Cedric's dubbed White Momma (after the Bette Davis TV film). And it grates on the nerves of every African-American in the community when they see that nonsense.
I love Betty's father and listen to his complaints which are always valid. Had White Momma sent her crap to this site (that offended Ty), it wouldn't have been highlighted. Betty's father was the first to be outraged by the way the MSM was portraying Jeremiah Wright as 'normal' and as 'typical' of Black churches. He's a deacon in his church and he found it offensive that, across the country, people who had never been inside a Black church were being told it was normal to repeat crackpot theories (the US government created the AIDS virus to wipe out African-Americans) and to thrust your hips and imitate the sexual act. Betty found it offensive (as did he, but she pointed it out first) that a preacher/pastor would curse from the puplit with a variety of words (stronger than damn) and that would be presented as normal. She has three children and, as she's noted, if any pastor tried that stunt while she was in church, she and her children would immediately exit. Her children are not (will not, two are very young) allowed to curse like that and she would not belong to a church where they were exposed to that and taught it was church behavior.
So along comes White Momma with her justifications and excuses and praise for what Wright did in church. White Momma who is not religious herself.
Betty's father takes this very seriously because he's lived long enough to know that when White people get 'creative' with the facts, it will blow up at some point and, when it does, it won't be White people who get blamed. It will be, "Oh, that's another Tawana Brawley! Oh, you can't trust 'them'." A lot of 'helpful' White people do a lot of damage and it's the African-American community that gets stuck with the blame after it's all over. He can provide one example after another of that. It is not 'helpful.'
So that's White Momma I. Let's move on to White Momma II. Marcia writes about her, Sharon Smith, tonight.
Sharon Smith first became an irritant to this community when she chose to attack Naomi Klein in a 2005 article. Then my position was we have tremendous respect for Naomi but people can disagree. My take on the latest stunt is very different. It's exactly what Betty's father warns about. (And Three Cool Old Guys take on Sharon Smith in tomorrow's gina & krista round-robin. I haven't read the column but Gina passed that on, so check your inboxes tomorrow morning.)
Sharon Smith, who is perfectly happy to call out Naomi Klein, showed up today to shovel some Hillary Hatred. It was time to sing Barack's praises. Sharon Smith is a Socialist. I have no idea where she sees Socialism in Barack or in his campaign. But in some knee-jerk manner, he must be elevated and Hillary must be ripped into shreds. (I'd love to see Bob Somerby take on Smith's nonsense but he generally ignores Panhandle Media.)
White Momma II wants to break down what's what, toss out the 411. It's a pity she wasn't as concerned with facts.
At one point she's smearing Hillary by saying Hillary provided the photos of Barack in the native garb of a country he visited. Proof, Sharon? She has none. She wrongly says that Insight magazine said Hillary did it. Matt Drudge said Hillary did it. Socialists are now taking the word of bottom feeder Drudge?
She praises the crazy Bob Herbert who's disgraced himself so much this campaign season that his work is a lot like the alarmist (although then he was calling innocent African-Americans crooks) junk that he produced at the New York Daily News. Herbert is a columnist for the New York Times today. I thought Socialists called out the New York Times? I guess they use them when it's helpful to them. I'm reminded of the exchange about a prostitute in The Two Jakes.
Sharon Smith tells you that Hillary supporters from Michigan and Florida were protesting in DC last weekend. The people bussed in were Florida and Michigan voters. Some were Hillary supporters, some were not. The AP had to correct their own false claim earlier this week but, hey, no one asks Smith to be factual. If truth mattered, her little rant never would have been posted.
That same weekend, she tells you, Hillary's brother said he wasn't sure he could vote for Barack if he was the nominee. Another example, in Sharon Smith's demented mind, of racism or a racist plot. In February, on national TV, Michelle Obama was asked if she would vote for Hillary if Hillary were the nominee. Sharon Smith apparently missed that and Michelle Obama's response. Missed it or, more likely, chooses to pretend she missed it.
With one column, Sharon Smith has made herself total and complete trash. You do that by putting your name to something that you either know is repeatedly false (not once, not twice, but over and over) or by being so stupid that you repeat lies without even knowing. In a functioning Real Media, Sharon Smith would now be locked out. She would have no comeback (we don't have a functioning Real Media -- but that is what the standard's supposed to be).
That may be hard for Panhandle Media to grasp. For those who've forgotten, they worked overtime to defend Jayson Blair who was fired from the New York Times for lying, for making up stories and details the paper ran, for telling the paper he was reporting from Jessica Lynch's hometown when, in fact, he was still in NYC.
That Panhandle Media defended. And they're so all knowing that they wanted to insist that his lies didn't hurt anyone (his lies hurt journalism) but Judith Miller's lies got people killed.
Did Judith Miller lie? Her reports don't hold up, no question. But where is the proof that she lied? In Iraq, she 'commandeered' US soldiers to search for WMD. The public record indicates she believed what she was told. Her mistakes were in being so gullible, so quick to report just one side and so eager to shut out dissent. It got her fired in the end because her name was mud. Call her a bad reporter and I won't question you. Call her a liar and you better have some proof when, at the same time, you're defending an admitted liar.
That's what Jayson Blair is. He made up reports. He plagiarized the work of other reporters (also a no-no). He lied to his employers and falsified where he filed from. Just one of those things is enough to get you kicked to the curb (and should be). Instead you got LOSERS like Amy Goodman saying poor Jayson Blair.
Obviously, Goodman knows nothing about journalism. If she did, she'd know that everything Blair did was a breach of the public trust and he got caught so he got fired.
Judith Miller? Too close to her sources, too close the government, too little interested in dissenting voices. She set herself up for her own fall. All of that goes against what journalism is supposed to stand for. Some speculate she got addicted to the trip of being the first with the story. I have no idea. But there's nothing in the public record that indicates she intentionally lied about WMD. Her actions in Iraq indicate she believed every half-baked claim she repeated as fact in her 'reporting.'
But Judith Miller wasn't the only one to do that. She became the scapegoat for all the press failures and let's not kid that it wasn't because she was a woman. List the ones practicing bad 'reporting' in the lead up to the illegal war and it's predominately a list of males (because, in part, women under-represented in today's press corps). Some critics of the press coverage list two papers and only one of them is the New York Times. Judith Miller didn't work at the other one. Why have none of the male reporters for that major daily become as infamous as Miller did? Miller's gone and still their work is not explored.
Miller's gone and her writing buddy Michael Gordon remains at the New York Times. Gordo was never called out like Miller. Gordo could have, in fact, slinked away unscathed like most males who practiced the same sort of 'reporting' that Miller did. But Gordo wanted war with Iran and he utilized the same 'reporting' to get that. Only after that went on forever did some begin to call him out. All this time later (and he's been selling war on Iran for approximately two years ago as well as filing War Porn from Iraq), he's still not as well known as Miller -- who left the paper approximately two years ago. Why is that?
Want to pretend it's not about Bash the Bitch? Michael Gordon wrote a really bad article this year. We didn't link to it. We called it out. But Amy Goodman included it as 'news' and did so in her headlines. She didn't credit Gordo -- had she, her audience might have hissed -- instead she said "The New York Times reports . . ."
I'm confused. Is Gordo to be trusted now?
I have a hard time believing that, were Miller still at the paper, Goodman would be using Judith's questionable scoops as headline material. But Gordo gets a pass.
We have always said, "If Judith Miller got the US into Iraq, a lot of people kept us over there." "If" because Judith Miller reported for a newspaper. If you saw her on your TV and no one questioned her, that goes to the programs that booked her. (That includes Oprah's failing daytime show.) But there were no WMDs. And that should have been obvious to most Americans shortly after the illegal war started and certainly after the fall of Baghdad. The illegal war has dragged on for five years and counting. So when do the ones who filed their feel-good, rah-rah-rah stories get called out? That's what's kept the US in Iraq. But those men (they are largely men) don't get called out. John Burns and Dexter Filkins, to name but two, are not household names the way Judith Miller is. And those two are more responsible for the garbage after the illegal war starts than any others. Throughout his years reporting in Iraq, Dexy would come back stateside and as much as a year prior to completing his time reporting from Iraq, Dexy would tell audiences he was booked to speak to that the war was lost. But he never filed those stories for the paper, did he? Was it the paper refusing to let him report the truth? If that's the case, you'd think he be disciplined by the paper for those many public speeches. That never happened. What appears to have happened is Dexy grasped how unpopular the illegal war was and tailored his speaking remarks to fit his audiences.
But that didn't prevent the 'left' from praising him. CounterSpin, via the Washington Post, has confirmation that when the US military wanted to plant a story in the press, they always knew they could count on Dexy. They never explored that. It was more important to 'explore' what crackpot Bill O'Lielly said.
So let's all stop pretending that the mighty and all powerful Judith Miller is responsible for everything. And let's try to grasp that what Jayson Blair did -- intentionally lying to the public -- is not something that can be justified no matter how hard Amy Goodman tries to. Journalists are not supposed to betray the public trust. They do, but they aren't supposed to. When they're caught doing that, they get fired. That's how the system is supposed to work. Allowing known liars to continue to work in the Real Media destroys the public trust in the profession. Jayson Blair was fired for good reasons.
Judith Miller 'reported' badly. There's no indication that she intentionally lied, just that she was happy to play stenographer and never met an extreme claim that she wouldn't peddle as fact because she fell for it. And she fell with prodding. That goes to the paper itself. Judith Miller did not decide what ran on the front page. She did not decide assignments. The paper went along with and promoted her 'reports.' With Abu Ghraib we hear (rightly) that those at the top aren't being punished. The problems with Miller's 'reporting' go above her. Reporters, even good ones, can get too caught up in a story. That's what editors and publishers are for. They are supposed to question. They are supposed to use judgement. Where were they? Waiving through Miller's 'reporting.'
None of the above is a defense of Miller. It is noting she was one of many reporters at many outlets doing her part to sell an illegal war. Who else was fired? It is noting that at the New York Times, she was not the last say. She was a reporter. A star reporter, no question. But that's not supposed to prevent editors and publishers from questioning and using their own judgement.
The same lack of judgement the New York Times continues to demonstrate by keeping Michael Gordon on the payroll and front paging his 'reports.'
We all know that the same paper can sit on stories. Bully Boy's wire was sat on, the illegal warrantless spying was sat on. They have no problem telling some reporters 'no.' They could have done the same with Miller. They didn't.
No one's telling Sharon Smith "no" either. She wrote an article that wouldn't get printed in the MSM even though it is a greatest hits of many the MSM smears against Hillary. It wouldn't pass the fact check of even a lazy editor. But because it attacks someone that the outlets hate, it gets waived through. It's the same as Stephen Zunes and Jar-Jar Blinks writing that Hillary only visited Iraq once (Feb. 2005!) when, in fact, Hillary visited Iraq in 2003 in a well publicized and documented trip. When the objective is to spew hate at a target the outlets hate, there's no need to be concerned about facts.
Sharon Smith likes to say she's a feminist. But Sharon Smith has written no article decrying the sexism in this campaign cycle. Sharon Smith like to pretend she's a feminist but happily repeats lies about another woman. Sharon Smith likes to say she's a feminist but there's no indication in any of her recent writing that she is one.
The reality is that Sharon Smith is a feminist. But no one could tell it by reading her recent output. When I started saying that Panhandle Media was toxic and viral that's exactly what I meant. I wasn't saying, "It's garbage!" It is that. And I've called it that. But when I say toxic or say that it has poisoned the well, I'm talking about this sort of thing.
When people can abandon willingly all the standards they supposedly value because it's more important to trash Hillary than to be journalists or feminists, they've been infected with the toxic nature of Panhandle Media. It's past time for some mea culpas on their part because this campaign season will be studied for years to come and it will not be favorable to Panhandle Media. Women are always the targets. Sharon Smith was happy to make Hillary her target but, guess what, it cuts both ways. The ones who will be called out for their toxic natures the loudest will most likely be women. A David Corn (who has gone completely batty) will be let off with a pass while people will point to women. Sharon Smith decided to go into whack-job mode and it is her and women like her that future analysis of this campaign cycle will target.
If Sharon Smith doubts that, she can ask Judith Miller. Or she can look at the scorn and abuse heaped on Katie Couric. That started from the first announcement, months prior to Couric's first broadcast. In April, Panhandle Media finally noticed Charlie Gibson. That would be "I moved from Good Morning America to World News Tonight." Ava and I called Gibson out repeatedly. We pointed out that to install him, you had to get rid of not one but two anchors -- one injured in Iraq, the other pregnant. But while Couric was Today! and made so many so nervous, no concern was expressed over Charlie moving from a daytime entertainment program (that he went to by choice) and taking over the nightly news. Katie Couric does the same thing and gets piled on and we're supposed to pretend that Panhandle Media has any standards?
Women are always singled out for attack. There's a non-actress who's been doing TV. Ava and I caught it at the urging of friends with the show who want us to re-evaluate the show. We passed because that woman has been the source of enough scorn. She can't act. We passed on explaining that and how bad she was on the program.
When a woman's the object of a pile on (and it's usually woman that are), the feminist thing is to find something else to cover. If you can't do that, it should either be because this is your 'beat' or because the woman has broken laws. (Laws, not mores.)
There's another woman who is an actress. I like her, she's a sweet young woman trying to find her way and making a lot of mistakes. And don't we hear about it over and over? But how many times is the former lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots going to get busted for drugs before we get the hand wringing that we do over any number of young women? A man does it, or does it and bites a police officer (to mention another), and it's no big deal. A woman does and it's non-stop, international 'news.' Let's stop pretending the real 'crime' wasn't gender.
This week, Today put Danny Bonaduce on as an 'expert' to talk about Tatum O'Neal whom he has never met. But he was there weighing in. And you had to wonder, how long is this 'rehab' going to last for Danny? (Disclosure, I've known Tatum for many years.) Tatum's the object of ridicule and scorn but how many chances has Danny had and how many times was he given a pass? Men in the same or worse circumstances are "Bad Boys" -- regardless of age. Women are, by contrast, public disgraces and called out repeatedly.
Now you can take either approach but if you have any standards, you'd apply your 'judgment' to men and women equally. To return to Scott, formerly of STP (whom I loathe), think about all the women or just think about Courtney Love. What do we hear with Courtney? She's a mother! Well, guess what, Scott's a father. But the tut-tut police don't make a point to grand stand on that 'issue' when it comes to Scott, do they?
A woman who wrote for Rolling Stone (wrote some fine and outstanding pieces) died this decade. The New York Times ran an insulting and moralizing obit. Her behavior was not of Gonzo proportions. But she was called out. We apparently love our "Bad Boys" but our "Bad Girls" can go straight to hell and, if we fear they may not, we're more than eager to help them along the way.
You saw the same thing in the drug deaths of the early seventies. The men were "artists." Janis? She was "pathetic." She was a "transgressor." The men were following the muse, drawn to the muse, living wild and exciting lives. But it was 'poor Janis.' The sexism is nothing new. That it continues at this late date is just sad. And Sharon Smith rushing to take part in a public stoning of Hillary Clinton and doing so with what can't even be called 'half-truths' is really pathetic. Repeating, when a pile-on takes place, real feminists need to ask what they think they're adding or contributing by joining in. If they take a second to stop and look around, they'll notice the loudest yellers are men. They'll notice that the men are screaming vile and sexist things. That alone should make them recoil. But Panhandle Media is toxic and, a few years from now, a number of women will have to claim they are in 'recovery' to justify their actions this year.
In March of last year, Kat reviewed Show Up. That's Holly Near's latest CD. It's an amazing CD and my favorite track is the second one, where Holly sings "The war against women rages on, Beware of the fairytale" ("Somebody's Jail"). That is a war too and one of the oldest but no one's supposed to notice. Certainly most women (and men) in Panhandle Media elected to ignore it. Because, hey, it's just women and how important are we?
The treatment of women says a great deal about a society. And one that regularly attacks women is one that readily (and eagerly) goes to war outside its own borders.
Last Thursday, ICCC's number of US troops killed in Iraq since the start of the illegal war was 4083. Tonight? 4092. Just Foreign Policy lists 1,221,154 up from 1,217,892 as the number of Iraqis killed since the start of the Iraq War.
Spare us the predictions and just try reporting
Princess Tiny Meat's Big Day (Ava & C.I.)
History made but really not reported
Safe harbor vote takes place today
Australia says bye-bye Iraq
Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Queen Nancy Pe...
The Littlest Nixon is not Eisenhower's granddaught...
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Arizona Hard Rock Band Doll Skin Closing Out Their “Equal Rights, Equal Lefts” Tour With Two Dates In California
Phoenix, Arizona Hard Rock Band Doll Skin are closing out their “Equal Rights, Equal Lefts” tour with Otep in California. The final shows will be on 08/28 in Kingsburg, CA at Bullfrogs, and 08/29 in Santa Ana, CA at Observatory.…
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Unveils the Spirit of IRON MASTER
All Aboard the New Maze INTREPID for a Disturbing Journey into the Legend of the Iron Master The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor has a new cantankerous resident spirit, Iron Master. His torrid legend is brought to life through Intrepid. The new maze…
Ringo Starr and His Longest Running All Starr Band’s New Fall Tour Dates
Ringo Starr and his current and longest running group of All Starrs – featuring Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie, Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette – continue to add tour dates with the latest leg starting in North America…
Foo Fighters’ Guitarist Chris Shiflett and Sugarcult’s Marko DeSantis Curate Lucky Strike Live’s Soundcheck Live Take 22- Tonight
Between Foo Fighters and Sugarcult album cycles, Shiflett and DeSantis play in side project Los Sabados Tardes at this week’s Soundcheck Live SOUNDCHECK LIVE is a weekly live music night that brings together the industry’s top musicians alongside emerging talent…
The Women Who Score: Soundtracks Live on August 19
The music of women film, TV and video game composers takes center stage. Grand Performances and The Alliance for Women Film Composers, in association with The Film Music Society and White Bear PR present The Women Who Score: Soundtracks Live…
Twisty The Clown Wants You !! At Universal Studios “Halloween Horror Nights”
FX’s “American Horror Story” comes to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort. This all-new house will feature Season 1: Murder House, Season 4: Freak Show and Season 5: Hotel. One of the most horrifying and wickedly gruesome shows in…
HollyShorts Film Festival Screening: Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time — Ep. 29 — The Goblin Forest” Trailer
It is the year 2095, and the world’s most dangerous secret agent and his team are in pursuit of a time-traveling scientist that has led them to a forest deep in the bowels of the villain’s fortress where a time…
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Some of Our Favorite Indie Films 2016
After witnessing a murder, a punk rock band is forced into a vicious fight for survival against a group of maniacal skinheads.
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.
An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.
Embrace of the Serpent
The story of the relationship between Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and last survivor of his people, and two scientists who work together over the course of 40 years to search the Amazon for a sacred healing plant.
Movies We're Looking Forward To
A hopeless man stranded in the wilderness befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.
Release Date June 24,2016
Chronicles the life of a dog as it travels around the country, spreading comfort and joy.
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A Divergence From Underlying Fundamentals
Readers suggested a topic on housing shortage. “I know Ben just made a statement yesterday that there is no housing shortage anywhere. Here is my simple question: If there were a housing shortage in a particular market (physical homes vs. people who want to live there), how would that condition manifest itself in the data? In other words, what data should we be looking for in order to see if there IS a housing shortage in a market?”
“From what I understand of markets, what you should see are ALL of the following conditions:
1. High prices;
2. Low vacancy rates (including vacant homes held by financial institutions, and vacant homes that are in the middle of foreclosure);
3. Problems with overcrowding; and
4. A high ratio of population to housing units (related to #3).
If you do NOT have ALL of these, then whatever perceived ’shortage’ is due to circumstances that can easily change.”
A reply, “I think the more specific question could be, ‘Is there an organic housing shortage, versus an engineered housing shortage?’ What does an organic (market-driven) housing shortage look like? What does an engineered (government, large financial entity-driven) housing shortage look like? Enron was able to make it seem like there was an electricity shortage in California. Goldman and JP Morgan are doing that sort of thing with certain metals.”
One said, “There is no shortage of housing nationwide, assuming we were in a ‘free market,’ and people could take their jobs with them. But in a country where jobs are being concentrated, governments at all levels are pulling out all the stops to artificially keep housing prices high (and to keep out the riff-raff), there are going to be areas with manufactured ’shortages.’”
“NYC apartments……$3 million? Compared to not untypical prices in typical BFE (in this case, Eastern Colorado): Strasburg……1996 1500sf modular home, on 20 acres, with 2 car attached garage and 30 x 50′ metal barn/shop. = $275K. Byers…….1919 built, remodeled in 1960 1600 sf house (IOW, a fixer)
with 40 acres and outbuildings = reduced to $215K. ”
“I don’t know about you, but if we go full-on Zombie Apocalypse, I’ll take my chances in Eastern Colorado. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but 3 mill for an apartment is defacto evidence that somebody is insane. Of course, $3 million is cheap, if you are a Goldman Sachs blood sucking squid, stealing $150 million a year from Grandpa’s pension funds.”
One had this, “There is an alleged shortage here in Pinellas County, FL. I drove through a neighborhood today that had several abandoned properties. One had kudzu growing through and about the entire pool cage, roof, and front.”
And finally, “The only satisfying answer you will get is the one you have already made up. As the largest housing mania in history unwinds, none of the changes will make any sense to you. I met a couple in their 60s on the Canadian waterways. They had given up their retirement home to move to Kingston, so as to ‘help’ their two sons. The boys are rising RE speculators and are buying up houses to rent and flip by the hundreds. Everyone wants to live in Kingston. There is a housing shortage in Kingston. Prices are high in Kingston.”
“Down along the shore a few miles is Toronto, from which a shock wave is emanating. Kingston just can’t feel it yet. More properties for sale along the Rideau waterfront than I have ever seen. Numerous whole islands for sale, which hasn’t been seen in my lifetime.”
From MyWealth. “AMP Capital’s chief economist Shane Oliver says that although he has been concerned about Australian housing for a decade, it is not in a bubble. ‘It is expensive by global standards with house prices still running above long term trends,’ Oliver says. ‘Rental yields have gone up but they’re still pretty low and price to income ratios are quite high so on my analysis it is still overvalued and it is vulnerable, but I don’t think it’s in a bubble.’”
“Oliver argues that when you look at bubbles historically, they are characterised by a divergence from underlying fundamentals and a momentum of their own, with price gains feeding on price gains. While we may have been in this position a decade ago around 2003-04, Oliver says that this pressure has now largely eased and that ‘in the absence of a trigger for a collapse it’s hard to see a sharp fall.’”
“That trigger which would drive the devaluation of property could be one of two things, according to Savanth Sebastian, economist at CommSec. The first could be a surge in interest rates which, Sebastian says, is unlikely given the Reserve Bank of Australia has been cutting interest rates and believes inflation is well contained. The second trigger would be an increase in unemployment. ‘Massive job losses would mean people rethinking paying off their property,’ Sebastian explains. ‘And yes – the mining services sector is pulling back but there’s a significant amount of other hiring that’s taking place in finance, education and health. It’s very hard to see unemployment go past 6% and I think that seems to suggest property will remain relatively resilient.’”
“The other factor that Oliver says would suggest we are not in the midst of a housing bubble is the lack of new construction that usually accompanies a bubble’s rising prices. ‘There was a bit of that a decade ago, but now vacancy rates tend to be quite low. Most estimates I’ve seen suggest we’ve been underbuilding to the tune of about 30,000 houses per year,’ Oliver said. ‘I know that a lot of people look at that and point to houses up and down the coast which are vacant, but they are holiday homes which people aren’t going to put in the market.’”
The Santa Cruz Sentinel in California. “Something statistically unusual in real estate popped up for the first time this year: Three homes in Santa Cruz sold for $1.5 million or more in a single day. This real estate trifecta is a relatively new phenomenon, according to a spreadsheet of million-dollar sales created by Gary Gangnes of Real Options Realty. It happened three times in 2000, the year of the dot-com boom, once in 2011 with the dot-com bust, but not at all in 2002, after the economy was shaken by the Sept. 11 terrorist attack the year before.”
“In 2004, sales for more than $1 million took off, and trifectas became more frequent. In 2005, there were six. In 2006, there were two trifectas and March 30 marked the first and only time the county recorded four sales for $1.5 million or more. Since the housing market collapsed, the trifecta has become a once-a-year phenomenon at best. Agents Steve and Dianne Pereira, who specialize in beachfront homes, reported ‘the upper end is still slow.’”
“Tom Brezsny of Monterey Bay Properties, whose average sale for five boom years was $1 million, is mystified that demand for homes priced above $2 million has disappeared. ‘It has been a long dry spell,’ Brezsny said. ‘We haven’t had one sale above the $2.5 million mark for seven months.’ As an agent with a sale for $3.75 million last year, he clearly is dismayed. Notice how the asking price for two of the homes in the trifecta was more than $2.5 million and the owners accepted less.”
“Brezsny said nine sales this year have been for more than $2 million, the highest being $2.55 million. Only three are pending at that price point, including an 87-acre ranch on Two Bar Road in Boulder Creek. With 53 homes listed above $2 million, Brezsny wonders, ‘How long it is going to take to sell those 53?’”
The Oakland Press in Michigan. “Holly resident Monzella Foster shared with us some photos from her childhood growing up in Pontiac. The first photo she shared with The Oakland Press shows a horse-drawn milk wagon driven by her father, Lee A. Stallard, circa 1934-1935. Foster and her brother, Billy Lee, sit atop Dobbin, the wagon’s steed. This picture was taken on E. Beverly Street off Baldwin in Pontiac.”
“Foster gives a little more information about the house she grew up in on Beverly Street: ‘My folks built a home on Beverly in 1929 — it was ordered from Sears-Roebuck and came into Pontiac on a flat bed rail car on Oakland Avenue,’ she said. ‘I just sold the home this past December. I found all the paperwork on it.’”
“Foster discovered that her family had paid $3,300 (equivalent to about $44,954 in 2013 when adjusted for inflation) for the home, and it had three bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen and a full bath, plastered walls and oak flooring. Foster said her mother used to keep records on everything; she found out that her parents built two fully furnished, one-bedroom apartments in the basement of their home. They rented it for $1.50 in 1932 — a little more than $100 per month today when adjusted for inflation.”
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Home >> News >> Europe >> 8 April: International Roma Day
8 April: International Roma Day
8 April is International Roma Day, a day on which we celebrate the Romani culture across the world and raise awareness of the issues and problems that the Roma communities face. Europe’s largest ethnic minority - an estimated 10 million Roma live in Europe and six million within the EU - is often subject to discrimination and social exclusion.
Equinet work on Roma
An Equinet survey of its members in 2009 found that across the European Union, a high level of unequal treatment and exclusion of Roma and Traveller people exists. Roma and Travellers are deeply marginalised from social and economic life, which in many Member States is increased through stereotyping in the media and a negative culture within the police force. Particularly problematic areas in terms of discrimination are housing, accommodation, education and social services in the public sector and access to insurance, shops and a wide range of recreational and leisure services in the private sector.
At the same time the majority of equality bodies have found that underreporting of discrimination is widespread, with reasons for this phenomenon including low levels of awareness of rights within the Roma and Traveller communities, time limits on the presentation of cases and issues of trust between the communities and the authorities.
Following the survey, an ad hoc initiative on Roma and Travellers was established with the aim of providing support to specialised equality bodies maximizing the impact of their work on the situation of Roma people. The initiative involved the exchange of information and networking between specialised equality bodies working on Roma issues, identifying the nature and extent of this work. A further output was the publication “Making equality legislation work for Roma and Travellers”.
The work of equality bodies on discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity
In 2016, the Working Group on Equality Law discussed the work of equality bodies on discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity and multiple discrimination where race and ethnicity intersect with other grounds such as gender, religion or belief. The discussions covered discrimination in all fields of life. The Working Group produced a paper on some of the key legal issues and challenges, available tools and good practices in fighting discrimination on the ground of race and ethnic origin, including a focus on work done to combat discrimination against Roma people, entitled Fighting discrimination on the ground of Race and Ethnic Origin. 17 out of 19 equality bodies indicated that Roma tend to find themselves in particularly vulnerable situations compared to other racial and ethnic minorities.
This paper fed into a 1 ½ day capacity-building seminar for staff members of equality bodies on discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity, organised together with the Hungarian Commissioner for Fundamental Rights in Budapest on 9-10 November 2016. Among other topics the seminar had sessions focusing specifically on legal work and on work done to combat discrimination against Roma people.
Thematic Platform for Cooperation: Operational Platform on Roma Equality (OPRE)
The establishment of the cooperation platforms is the result of the joint conference of the Council of Europe (CoE), the European Network of Equality Bodies (Equinet), the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), which took place in October 2013 in Vienna. The conference set the scene for closer cooperation among national bodies and between national and international bodies. It was agreed to establish platforms for collaboration on pressing topics such as asylum and migration, Roma integration, combating hate crime, and advancing social and economic rights and socio-economic equality.
The Operational Platform on Roma Equality (OPRE) focuses in particular on:
Addressing and combating Anti-Gypsyism and multiple discrimination against Roma
Raising awareness about HR/Equality Institutions and their reporting mechanisms, and facilitating access to justice for Roma
Improving National Roma Integration Policies and their Implementation (especially in the fields of education and housing)
In 2016, Equinet and the OPRE Platform released a joint statement, calling on national governments to stop forced evictions of Roma and travellers. The statement highlighted the long-term negative implications of eviction that can result in physical and psychological problems, including emotional trauma and lasting social isolation, which particularly affects elderly people, women, children, and people with disabilities.
On 13 November 2017, the 10th anniversary of the landmark judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on the segregation of Roma children in education, equality and human rights Equinet and other international institutions released a joint call to action for a redoubling of efforts to bring children together in the spirit of Europe’s commitment to dignity, equality and human rights.
Furthermore, since January 2016, Equinet is a member of the Council of Europe’s Adhoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues (CAHROM). Further information available here.
Roma Week 2018
Anti-Gypsyism is still the root-cause of the exclusion and marginalisation of Roma in Europe. The first step towards a new generation of more efficient policies and programmes that will make a real change in the situation of the Roma in Europe is to recognise anti-Gypsyism as a specific form of racism in its various forms and to fight it at all levels of our societies.
This year, on the occasion of the International Roma Day, under the patronage of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, Council of Europe and City of Brussels, the European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network will co-organize the third EU Roma Week in Brussels from 8th to 12th April 2018.
The EU Roma Week consists of a series of events which will provide recommendations on combating anti-Gypsyism and continued structural discrimination of Roma communities as a forefront of the efforts for the social and economic inclusion of Roma.
Among the specific objective of the EU Roma week are:
To support the recognition of anti-Gypsyism - the week will be an opportunity for experts and activists on the issue to advocate European and national policymakers to strengthen the recognition of anti-Gypsyism as well as develop strategic and coherent responses
To advocate for specific thematic areas - specific events will be held on different thematic areas including on the Roma Framework and its renewal post 2020
To support networking and knowledge exchange - facilitate exchange and capacity building between and amongst experts from civil society and policymakers and officials in the European and national Institutions, including Roma, with the aim of building capacity of activists and inspiring similar activities in Member States.
Via the Council of Europe website.
#EURomaWeek2018 may be used to follow updates on social media.
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There are 7 posts filed in Arab Spring (this is page 1 of 2).
U.S. Sanctions On Iran Could Escalate Into Nuclear Warfare: Fear of Dollar Losing Dominance Fuels U.S. Sabre-Rattling
By Asad Ismi As I write this article (in mid-January), Iran and the United States appear headed towards a war that could escalate into World War III, perhaps even with an exchange of nuclear weapons. The U.S. has accused Iran of developing such weapons and gives this as a reason for imposing economic sanctions on […]
February 1, 2012 | Comment
The U.S. Ramps Up its Counterrevolution in the Middle East: Western Powers Want to Maintain Control of Oil-Rich Region
By Asad Ismi While withdrawing 39,000 troops from Iraq, the U.S. recently made clear that it was increasing its forces in the Persian Gulf. A New York Times article — U.S. Planning Troop Buildup in Gulf After Exit from Iraq – reported that “The Obama administration plans to bolster the American military presence in the […]
in Arab Spring, Articles, Asia, Bahrain, Canada, Capitalism, CIA, Egypt, Europe, France, Gulf Cooperation Council, Human Rights, Imperialism, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, NATO, Neocolonialism, Neoliberalism, North America, Oil and Gas, Oman, Pentagon, Plunder, Poverty and Inequality, Qatar, Repression, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Socialism, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, U.S. State Terrorism, United Arab Emirates, United States, War, Workers | December 1, 2011 | Comment
Syrian Dictatorship Uses Brute Force on Peaceful Protesters: Western Intervention Has Made Syrian Conflict Worse
By Asad Ismi Encouraged by the success of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, many thousands of Syrians have been demonstrating against the dictatorial regime of Bashar al-Assad since mid-March. The protestors are calling for Assad to step down and allow democratic elections. Their demonstrations, however, have been met by brute force by the regime’s […]
in Arab Spring, Articles, Asia, Bashar al-Assad, Brazil, Britain, China, CIA, Corporations, Corruption, Egypt, Europe, European Union, France, Human Rights, Imperialism, India, International Monetary Fund, Iran, Islam, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, NATO, Neocolonialism, Neoliberalism, North America, Pentagon, Poverty and Inequality, Privatization, Repression, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Shia, Socialism, South Africa, Sunni, Syria, Tunisia, Unemployment, United Nations, United States, War, Wealth Redistribution, Workers, World Bank | October 1, 2011 | Comment
Saudi Arabia Helps Crush the Democratic Uprising in Bahrain: Long-time U.S. Reliance on Saudi oil and Servility at Risk
By Asad Ismi In a display of astounding hypocrisy in mid-August, the Saudi Arabian government denounced the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad as “a killing machine” and recalled its ambassador from Damascus. Saudi Arabia claimed to be outraged by the slaughter of an estimated 2,000 civilian protesters by President Assad’s army aimed at crushing a […]
in Afghanistan, Arab Spring, Articles, Asia, Bahrain, Britain, Capitalism, Corruption, Egypt, Europe, Gulf Cooperation Council, Human Rights, Imperialism, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Middle East, Neocolonialism, North America, Oil and Gas, Oman, Pakistan, Patriarchy, Qatar, Repression, Saudi Arabia, Shia, Sunni, Syria, Tunisia, Unemployment, United Arab Emirates, United States, War, Women, Workers, Yemen | September 1, 2011 | Comment
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Submission to the Australian Government Competition Policy Review Panel
AMMA has lodged a submission to the Australian Government Competition Policy Review, responding to the most pertinent issues affecting the resource sector from a workplace relations perspective.
Additionally, AMMA has urged consideration on a range of additional workplace issues, at least in principle, which will also be raised in the forthcoming Productivity Commission inquiry into the Fair Work Act 2009.
Click here to read AMMA’s submission to the Australian Government Competition Policy Review.
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Santa Monica hotel in violation of California Coastal Act.
Shore Hotel Receives Record Fine
SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, May 8, the state Coastal Commission levied a 15.6-million-dollar penalty against the owner of the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica. The owners of the Shore Hotel, Sunshine Enterprises, were in violation of the California Coastal Act by building without the proper permits. The $15.6 million is the largest fine in Coastal Commission history.
The commission held a meeting in Oxnard where they approved the penalty against Sunshine Enterprises who owns the Shore Hotel establishment located by the Santa Monica Pier.
Sunshine Enterprises had approval to replace two lower-cost motels on their site with a more affordable property, but never got the permit issued and it expired. Sunshine Enterprises demolished the motels in 2011 and built the Shore Hotel without the proper permits. According to documents, the Shore Hotel offered rooms with a bed and breakfast starting at $300 and rooms with an ocean view at $800.
The Coastal Commission recommended that Sunshine Enterprises pay $9.5 million in mitigation fees attached to the approval of a new permit. The company has agreed to pay the fees as well.
The fees are targeted to make up for the loss of lower-cost lodging in the Santa Monica area by aiding in the development of affordable properties in the coastal area which would include motels, and campsites.
The California Coastal Act includes specific policies that address issues such as shoreline public access and recreation, development design, public works, water quality, landform alteration, and marine habitat protection.
The California Coastal Commission was established in 1972 by a voter initiative and was later made permanent by legislature through the California Coastal Act of 1976. The Coastal Commission plans and regulates the usage of land and water in California’s coastal zone. The commission is made up of 12 voting members who are appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate Rules Committee. Six members of the voting commission are elected locally and the other six are appointed by the public.
Canyon News reached out to the California Coastal Commission for comment, but did not hear back before print.
Shore Hotel
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The European Court of Human Rights //// The full text of the application in English
Submitted under Article 34 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Rules 45 and 47 of the Rules of Court
THE APPLICANTS
1. Nom de famille.. TURSUN (ID. NO:38512191640)
Surname First name (s)
2. Prenom (s) MEHMET
Sexe: masculin/feminin MALE
Sex: male/female
3. Nationalite
4. Profession CONTRACTOR
5. Date et lieu de naissance 01.03.1958 / LİCE/DİYARBAKIR/TURKEY
6. Domicile 1870 Sok.Baran Tursun Apt.No.42/Karşıyaka /İZMİR/TÜRKİYE
7. Tel. No: 533 440 45 79 Faks No: 232 382 02 44
9. Nom et prenom du/de la representant(e)*
Name of representative* NEZAHAT PAŞA BAYRAKTAR
10.Profession du / de la represant (e) LAWYER
Occupation of represantative
13. THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY
14.TURKEY
14-1 THE FACTS
Baran Tursun, was 20 year old university student and the facts in relation to this case occurred on the 25th of November 2007 while he was driving to home. On that day The police team no: 82329 was on duty at the Sultan Çiftliği Cross Road.
The facts of the case were based on the act of the police officer, Oral Emre Atar, a member of the mentioned police team, (with his gun in a way of standing, his arms parallel to the ground and linear shot) shot and killed Baran Tursun who was driving to home(Annex 99: The reasoned judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 20.05.2009(2007/456E, 2009/226K, p43)
14.2- The applicants are living in Izmir. Baran Tursun was the only son of Mehmet and Berrin Tursun and brother of Berfin and Şelale Tursun.( Annex 123: The register of birth and family records for the applicant)
14.3- On 24.11.2007, Baran Tursun, had been together with his friends Atilla Doğan and Emre Özçelik and they had meal at 19:00 and then went out to Alsancak at 23:30 by the car(license plate: 35AL9207) which was to belong to the company that Baran Tursun was one of the partners.
At 3:00am, Baran and his two friends had been driving to home on Sakarya Road that links Bornova to Karşıyaka which are the two districts of Izmir.
The road that Baran was driving on, was fully bright because of the high street illumination tools. So the road had a very clear and wide visibility range.
The Police Team(No:82330) under the authority of Bornova Police Department was on duty on Sakarya Road, which Baran was driving on. Baran, was passing by the police vehicle without any problem and going on to drive home.
The Police team, after the event, declared that they blinked the headlights of the police vehicle 185 meters away from Baran’s car, because of having suspicion for Baran’s car. (Annex 59: The gendarme expert crimine scene investigation report, p01)
The blink made by the police that has not any meaning or any place in the traffic regulations and which was made from a very long distance as 185 meters away from the victim’s car and this situation was reflected in police radio records and court minutes as a kind of STOP ORDER.(Annex 15: Police Radio Records)
14.4- On the other hand, Baran’ two friends stated in the first hearing before the judge that they were driving to Karşıyaka without having any problems and in a very ordinary way, when they turned left in the Smryna Circle, they did not see any police vehicles at the road, only two police vehicles driving in a very normal behind Baran’s car without any light or voice caution, there was no pontoons or any other things on the road and nobody warned them to stop in anyway.
When Baran Tursun and his two friends were close to Sultan Çiftliği Cross, they saw a police vehicle and two police standing beside the vehicle. Baran’s two friends stated before the judge in the first hearing that while they were driving on their way, Emre heard a gun ghot and turn back of the car and said “They are firing!” after Emre heard the gun shot, and then Emre realized that blood was spread on him and got frightened and checked himself whether he was shot or not, and then said Baran to stop while holding his arm and Baran’s head was falling down to the Emre’s shoulders.
The car was out of control after Baran was shot by a firearm behind his head, and the car was passing over the centre strip and driving on the opposite direction of the road and the it was stopped by the effect of hitting something near the road. Emre and Atilla was ordered to lie down and handcuffed and got to the police vehicle and detained by the police.
The friends told the police that Baran was shot by gun and they wanted to see Baran to check his conditions but they had already been in the police vehicle and the police did not let them leave the police vehicle.( Annex 34: The statements of Emre Özçelik in the first hearing, p26)
14.5- The police went near to Baran’s car and checked the car. They saw some bidding and contract files in relation to the Ministry of National Defence. The police stated that they were following Baran’s car. The policemen Mehmet Çay and Haldun Baylan arranged and signed a report indicating that there was a traffic accident with property damage. (Annex: 1; The traffic accident minute arranged by the police officers to show that a traffic accident was happened)
Baran Tursun had cardiac-arrest two times and he had been subjected to Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while he was taken away to hospital by the ambulance called by the police. The police followed the ambulance to Ege University Hospital and informed the hospital and the paramedics that Baran Tursun was a victim of traffic accident; the police did not give any information to doctors or paramedics that Baran Tursun was shot by a firearm.
14.6- The Emergency Service doctor Özgür Çevrim and the police who was on duty at the Police Station of the Hospital M. İhsan Özer arranged and signed a traffic accident(for the accidents involve injured people) report for Baran Tursun.(Annex 2: Hospital Delivery Report, the police officer arranged this report to hide the fact that Baran Tursun was shot)
When Baran Tursun was consulted under the brain tomography, it was realised that there was a fire arm bullet in his head. The doctor who made this consultation informed the police officers about this finding. On the other hand, even at this stage, even though the fire-arm bullet finding, the Public Prosecutor was not informed about the situation and the police was hiding the shooting act of the polices.( Annex 39: The Treatment documents of Ege University, Faculty of Medicine)
14.7- Oral Emre Atar was the police officer who shot Baran Tursun at the Sultan Çiftliği Cross. Oral Emre Atar aimed and shot directly Baran Tursun behind the car, the bullet entered behind Baran’s head and stuck in front of the bone. Because the driver Baran’s injury from his head, the car lost the control and hit the trees centre strip and utility pole 50 meter away from the shot point.
14.8- The event was tried to be shown as a traffic accident by the police and the police tried to hide the evidences of shooting.
The back glass of Baran’s car was broken by the police to hide the bullet hole. The broken glass pieces were in the back side of the car, namely in the boot and this finding verified that the glass was broken after the shooting. Also, the witnesses in the car, Emre and Atilla, in their statements told that they saw a hole in the back window of the car when they looked behind the car.
The police officers, called 112(the emergency service) and requested an ambulance for a traffic accident. The police officers told the paramedics of the ambulance that there was a traffic accident and the officers hide the reality that Baran Tursun was shot by a firearm.
Baran Tursun whose injury had a high and aggravated nature was removed to the hospital by the ambulance. While the ambulance on the road to hospital, Baran had cardiac arrest, after the paramedics’ medical attention, he returned to life again. When Baran arrived the emergency room, he had been moved to the brain tomography and the doctors fixed a firearm bullet in his cranium.
After the doctors fixed the firearm bullet in Baran’s cranium, they informed the hospital police and then the procedures were transacted under the term of injury by a firearm.
14.9- The public prosecutor on duty was not informed by the police about the fact and the evidences were altered, covered up and destroyed.
Despite the fact time is 03:17am, the firearms and cartridges used by the police officers were preserved at 09:30. The two police officers arranged a minute that the firearms and cartridges were preserved. (Annex 7; Firearm Preservation Minute. The police officer’s gun was preserved 6 hours later from the crime time)
The police officers Ali Kahvecioğlu, Yusuf Kuçuk, Bilal Ayhan, A.Turgut Turan and Engin Kınlı cited in the minute which was arranged at 07:10 that the fact that it was a traffic accident.
After the police officers covered up and destroyed the evidences and the doctor informed the hospital police at Ege University that there was a bullet in Baran’s cranium, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit was announced. In the report of Crime Scene Investigation Unit, it was ascertained that there were blood and cranial tissues on the upper part of driver’s seat.
Because, it is very definite that Baran was shot by a firearm, it is impossible to evaluate this fact as a traffic accident. The police officers who tried to show the fact as a traffic accident are the officers who were attempted to save the suspect police officers from penalty.
The police officers did not inform the 112 Emergency Service, paramedics that Baran Tursun was probably or was shot by a firearm.
The police officers also told Turkish Electricity Company(TEDAŞ) that the utility pole was fall down on account of a traffic accident. For these reasons, the case was evaluated in the minutes of TEDAŞ and Medical Institutions as a traffic accident.( Annex 99: The reasoned judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 20.05.2009(2007/456E, 2009/226K, the statement of witness Erdal Ceylan, p23)
14.10- The bid documents which were in the baggage of the car were put Baran’s hands by the police officers and the media took the photos of Baran. Thus, the act was attempted to be shown as a traffic accident occurring from a driver’s negligence. As can be seen in the news in Tv and papers, by the virtue of photos of Baran sitting in the driver’s seat holding the bid documents at the time of the event, the police officers tried to draw a picture that was marking a traffic accident originating from a careless driver who read his documents while driving.(Annex 4: Baran’s photo)
14.11- It was appeared that Baran was injured by a firearm bullet, not by a traffic accident after brain tomography at the hospital. According to the radio records of the police and the other documents, Baran was shot at about 03:17am. The public prosecutor was informed by the police at 06:46. (Annex 31: the public prosecutor’s permission document, while the prosecutor should be informed immediately, in the instant case he was informed 3.5 hours later)
14.12- Before and after informing the public prosecutor, the police officers transacted many inquiry processes to cover up or destroy the evidences or to produce new evidences. In the crime scene there were two polices who used firearms and these two police officers collected their shells remaining from the shots lonely and without waiting for the Crime Scene Investigation Units.(Annex 6: Shell Collecting Minute, The police officer who fired had not the authority to collect the shells)
It was emerged from the shell collection minute that police officers had the shells of the bullets till 07:15 with themselves. There was no record in the case file indicating at what time that the police officers submitted the shells to the unit which was appointed to make the investigation.
14.13- Anyway, the firearms and the cartridges belonging to these two police officers, were delivered at 09:30 am and thus the police officers had the authority on their firearms which were the evidences of a crime investigation for more than 6 hours. (Annex 7: Firearm Delivery Minute, the firearms were delivered 6 hours later)
14.14- Although the crime was committed at about 03:00am, the alcohol examination in relation to the suspect police officers was made at 13:29pm for more than 10 hours after the incident. It is no doubt that the alcohol examination report for the suspect police officers is very valuable evidence. 10 hour-late alcohol examination report, in the meaning of legal conception, is to prevent the reflection of the reality into the reports if the suspect police officers had been drunk on duty.(Annex 8: Breath Test Report, while the breath test should be done immediately after the event, in the instant case, it was done 10 hours later)
14.15- To take the hand swabs for the police officers who used fire arms or probably used fire arms was too late. The beginning time for hand swabs was 06:00 and the process was finished at 08:40. Because of this delay to take the hand swabs, it was not possible to have the hand swabs of Oral Emre ATAR who was responsible for the fire caused Baran’s death. (Annex 9: The Hand Swab Report. The hand swab report surprisingly showed that the police officer who alleged that he fired, did not fire and the other police officer who alleged that he did not fire, fired)
Taking into consideration that the results of shooting were partly existed in the car, it is clear that the car’s position and the evidences in the car have a great effect to enlighten the facts of this case. Despite having the information that the case was based on a shot not on a accident, the car was searched unlawfully by the unauthorized polices.
Though the investigation had to be done by the Police Branch of Homicide, all procedures like search in relation to the car, had been done by Bayraklı Police Station. The police officers who were on duty at Bayraklı Police Station and who were also the witnesses of this case, searched the car in a unlawful and inadequate way and seizure some materials in the car. The car was taken from the crime scene by a towing vehicle belong to Özfındık Company, a special entrepreneur.
14.16- The suspect police officers were interrogated by the police officers who were the friends of the suspects. The evidences were not collected by an impartial and independent institution.
Although the Public Prosecutor ordered to have all the police officers been ready for interrogation at the courtyard, only five of them, namely team 82329 and 8233 were interrogated at the courtyard by the public prosecutor, the others were examined at the Homicide Branch and Bayraklı Police Station by the police. The Public Prosecutor did not go to the crime scene and hold any investigation at the crime scene. The Police Officers carried thorough the investigation but not the public prosecutor did. .(Annex 79; The Statement of Mehmet Süslü, The Public Prosecutor on duty at the crime day)
The Crime Scene Investigation Unit examined the Baran’s car after the car was taken back from the towing vehicle and got back to Bayraklı Police Station at 4:55am. However, the evidences were concealed and even by virtue of arranging new evidences, the facts of the case was tried to hide during the examination of CSI. (Annex 22, the statement of witness Şehymus Er, the reasoned judgment, p22)
14.17- The police placed a bullet case piece on the seat which Emre Özçelik was sitting at the time of the event, thus they tried to use produced evidences on behalf of the accused polices who alleged that the bullet had been ricocheted,
At the time of the event, Cem Özçelik was sitting on the right front seat of the car. A bullet case piece had been put on the right front seat when Crime Scene Investatigaiton Unit was in the course of duty(It was showed in the 3rd clause and 2nd photo of the report as an evidence number 5 written by Assistant Professor A. Beyhan Özdemir). (Annex 75, The Report of Assistant Professor A. Beyhan Özdemir in relation the bullet case in question)
In the first video pictures recorded by the Crime Scene Investigation Unit when the car was on the towing vehicle before leaving the crime scene, this bullet case piece was not on the car, on the other hand after the towing vehicle got to Bayraklı Police Station back and after the car was put down on the ground and the evidences in the car was labelled with numbers by the Crime Scene Units, a photograph was taken that was showing this bullet case piece was on the seat. And also the video recording was stopped during the time that the evidences were labelled with numbers. This bullet case piece was safeguarded by the police. In the latter stages of the investigation and prosecution, this bullet case piece was used as a defence evidence for trying to prove the bullet ricochet on the basis that the suspect police officer did not fire directly against Baran Tursun; the bullet, after ricochet or after hitting on a harsh surface and changing its direction, went inside the car, therefore the suspect police officer alleged that this bullet case piece was the evidence that case was separated from the bullet before the bullet hit Baran’s head.
In the pictures and video records taken by the media after the event in a very short while, there were not any bullet or any kind of bullet case pieces on the right front seat. And also, in the search minutes or other writing materials arranged by the police, did not contain any expression or statement about any bullet or any kind of bullet case piece on the right front seat.
The police officers who were at the crime scene and who had information about the incident, was invited to the Police Station for the statement of the facts. All the statements of the police officers were exactly the same with each other. Only the police officers changed the names and other personal information under the page and they all signed the same statements.
After the public prosecutor was informed about the incident in relation to Baran Tursun, the judicial inquiry was opened; the police officers who were on duty at the crime scene and who were members of different 7 police teams, arranged incident minutes individually and thus they provided fictional and factitious information for the case file. These minutes provided by the police officers who were the suspects and the witnesses of the case at the same time, were accepted as legal evidences by the court.
14.18- The Public Prosecutor on duty, Mehmet Süslü, was informed about the incident that Baran Tursun had been dead because of shot. At the stage of inquiry, the public prosecutor, Mehmet Süslü, stated before the court as a witness that he had not been informed without delay about that Baran Tursun had been wounded by a firearm.(Annex 79; The Statement of Mehmet Süslü, The Public Prosecutor on duty at the crime day)
The evidences were not safeguarded, labelled with numbers and collected in a lawful and an appropriate manner. The polices who had a role in this incident, informed the police station that there was a traffic accident. Shells and the evidences in relation to the incident were collected without any minutes or any other written materials in relation to the collection of evidences, by the police officers who were the parties of this crime and who were the colleagues of the suspect police officers
The evidences were collected without mentioning the places from where they were collected and without any kind of documenting. The police officers did not specify where the evidences were and in which position the evidences had been found. Baran Tursun’s car was pulled by a towing vehicle from a special company which had been called by the police. Similarly, the crime scene was sandblasted and thus the evidences were lost. The police officers did not write a minute indicating that they used a firearm. (Annex 22, the statement of witness Şehymus Er, the reasoned judgment, p22)
14.19- Not only the police officers who were at the crime scene at the time of the crime but also the police officers who involved in the investigation later, acted to hide the acts of the suspect police officer and make arrangements to this effect.
Some objects, tools, documents or other stuff in the back of the car that Baran had been driving, were in mess after the police search and even some bags in the car were taken out of and taken back into the car by the police. The police officers had put the bid documents underarm of Baran intending to dissimulate the event as a traffic accident and then a photo was taken. (Annex 10: The photo of Baran at the time of the crime)
14.20- The camera records were altered by the police officers fraudulently.
The police officers recorded the crime scene with a camera, afterwards the attorney of the applicants requested the video tapes but the director of the police team rejected the request and did not give the tapes.
The Police Branch of Homicide took over the inquiry file. The police officers of the Homicide Branch did not try to determine the other cameras in the area, only they took the video records of petrol station(OPET) which was near the crime scene. Two police officers were charged by the Homicide Branch to take video records of the petrol station. These officers watched the video records at the petrol station and they wrote a minute in relation to the preservation of the copy records by the police. On the other hand, there were many cuts on the copy video record. The copy was not taken as a whole and continuously. No measures were taken to protect the original video records of the petrol station.
It can be realised that the minutes in relation to the preservation of video records by the two police officers and copy video records were totally unlike. It can be seen in the copy video record that Baran Tursun was not driving on the road that the petrol station was there. On the other hand, in the minute, it was written by two police officers that Baran Tursun’s car was travelling at high speed, the car was passing in front of the petrol station at a very high speed with the police teams following Baran’s car. In the copy video record, there was a car but that car was not Baran’s car and there were no police vehicles following that car. Also it can be understood that the video records had been altered to make the records compatible with the information in the minute and some parts of the video records were cut out from the original copy. The evidences in relation the camera records were submitted to the Public Prosecutor after the records were made as a supporting evidence for the suspect police officer statements and arguments.
The suspect police officers and the probable witness police officers were always in the same rooms and the probable witness police officers were not separated from the suspects in any stage of preliminary investigation. There were no measures taken to safeguard the evidences against covering up and to protect the witnesses from any pressure or impact. (Annex 91; the 9th hearing minute, the statement of Alper Bağıran, p3)
14.21- The witness statements were under pressure and oriented.
The witnesses who were in Baran’s car, Atilla Doğan and Emre Özçelik were handcuffed and detained at the crime scene at the time of the crime. Attorney Alper Bağıran went to Security Directorship to meet the witnesses Atilla Doğan and Emre Özçelik, the police officers did not let him to see Atilla Doğan and Emre Özçelik on the basis of an order given by the public prosecutor on duty, Mehmet Süslü. The witnesses were oppressed. The witnesses were questioned as a statue of witness. The suspect police officers were questioned as the statue of complainant and suspect.
The police officers, Engin Kınlı, Yusuf Arslan, Ahmet Turgut Turan, Bilal Ayhan,Sivat Arslan, İlker Dursun, Cankut Dinçer, Ali Kahvecioğlu, Yusuf Kuçuk, Yaşar Dursun Atalay, Bülent Ertuğay, Salih Tokucu, Tayfun Kazıcı,Haldun Baylan and Mehmet Çay, who had been at the crime scene were questioned by the police officers of Homicide Department of Izmir Security Directorate. During questioning, no measures were taken to prevent interaction or interference of the witness police officers with each other. They were not kept in separate places. The Director of Izmir Security, Bülent Girgin, had the statements of the witness police officers written and signed. (Annex:14, Alper Bağıran/Hearing Minute Number 1)
14.22- The police report was written in a false and misleading manner, by the institution at which the suspect police officers employed.
The police report arranged by the Izmir Security Directoriate on 25.11.2007, the crime was identified “DISOBEY STOP WARNING MADE BY THE POLİCE and ACCIDENTAL INJUIRY”. Baran Tursun was described as suspect-complainant in the police report. And also the suspect police officers Oral Emre Atar and Veysel Aydın were described as complainant-suspect in the same report. The police report was written in the manner of defending the suspect police officer Oral Emre Atar.( Annex 30: the police report of Izmir Security Department, p1)
In the preliminary investigation, it was requested that all police radio records before, after and at the time of the crime should be put into writing material because the existing police radio records were insufficient to illuminate the incident. This request was reiterated in the petition dated on 19.12.2007 and also was requested to include the video records of the petrol station into the case file.
14.23- First of all, the police have not the authority to use firearms against a person who disobeys a stop warning made by the police; moreover, the police had the opportunity to fix the vehicle license and the address of the owner of the vehicle in a few minutes and to initiate the legal procedure in the instant case. The police did not take any measures to have Baran’s car stopped.
On the direction that Baran was driving, approximately 100 meter far away from Baran, at Egemek crossing, Police Team No: 82340 was waiting. This crossing was called by the police as Egemek Crossing according to the records of police radio which were submitted to the case file. In the police radio records, Police Team announced to the other police teams that they had closed the road. (Annex 15: Police Radio Records, the written forms)
The police officer, Oral Emre Atar, who shot Baran, in both his oral and written arguments, stated that he followed up the event by virtue of the police radio. The accused police officer Oral Emre Atar who stated that he was listening to and speaking with the police radio, was aware of that Police Team No 82340 had closed the crossing on the Baran’s driving direction.
If the accused police officer, Oral Emre Atar, who was on duty at Police Team No: 82329 at the crime time, had not fired his gun directly and in a manner of taking aim at the victim, the Police Team No: 82340 that was 100 meter away from the Police Team No: 82329 would have the Baran’s car stopped.
It was understood from both the written document showing the places that the police officers on duty and the radio records of 155(Turkish Police Phone Code) that Police Team No:82340 was waiting at the Egemek Crossing. Oral Emre Atar, the accused police officer, listened to the police radio and knew that there was a police team who was 100 meter far from him. The case of using a firearm by the accused police officer was deprived of validity as to the following cross was closed by the other police team. According to this fact, despite the police has no authority to use firearm under this circumstance, Baran Tursun was shot from his head and killed by a very skilled in shooting police officer for only the reason that Baran Tursun did not stop.
14.24- All reports were written and arranged by the police officers.
All expert opinions were arranged and written by the Police Criminal Laboratory. In expert report dated on 28.11.2007 with file no: 2007/14758, it was confirmed that there was bullet traces in hand swabs of police officers, Veysel Aydın and Ali Kahvecioğlu. On the other hand, in the same report it was stated that there were no bullet tarces in hand swabs of Oral Emre Atar and other police officers. Not being found bullet traces in hand swabs of Oral Emre Atar who killed Baran tursun with his gun, undoubtfully proves that the evidences in relation to this case, were destroyed.( Annex 9: The Hand Swab Report)
14.25- The Trial Process in relation to Baran Tursun’s death
Oral Emre Atar, the accused police officer, was questioned by Karşıyaka(a district of Izmir) Public Prosecutor on 25.11.2007 with the investigation file number 2007/27601. In his statements, he declared;
“… while the car was hitting the pontoons, the firearm spontaneously fired when we threw ourselves through the ground. And the car was passing through; first hit the trees and then the utility poles, the car stopped…”
The accused police officer used a firearm which had a 9mm calibre. This kind of gun needs a very strong pressure on the trigger to fire. Technically, it is impossible for this kind of gun to fire spontaneously. In this statement, the police officer defended himself on the basis of ricochet and accidental shot.
The accused police officer Oral Emre Atar was sent to the court on duty with the request of arrest by the Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor. His statement was taken by Karşıyaka Criminal Court of First Instance with the inquiry number 2007/506. He stated the similar allegations before the judge. The Attorney of Izmir Security Directorate, alleged that the bullet ricocheted and then shot Baran.
Karşıyaka 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance decided to arrest the accused police officer on the basis of wounding in the manner of putting his life into danger with probable intent and by the virtue of a firearm... according to the doctor report which specified that there was a bullet in Baran Tursun’s head and according to the scope of minute written by the police officers at 07:15 am, which stated that the police officer fired consciously after the suspect’s(Baran Tursun) car was driving thorough…”
14.26- The Statements of the accused police officer about the firearm spontaneously not purposely.
Both the accused police officer and his attorney stated that the gun was fired spontaneously, indeliberately and accidentally without any intention in oral and written submissions after that the doctors fixed a bullet in Baran Tursun’s head by virtue of brain tomography.
The police officer Oral Emre Atar who shot Baran stated in his first statements before the judge that he and the other police officer fired a warning shot upward, the vehicle did not stop and drove towards them despite the warning shot, when the vehicle was passing very close to them fastly, he threw himself to the ground as such his left hand was closer to the ground, at that time the gun was fired and this was the third fire.(Annex 18 : The 2nd Court of First instance, the questioning minute)
The accused police officer, Oral Emre Atar, stated that upon that the judge asked the question again; “As I said before, I threw myself to the ground because of the vehicle was coming towards us, the gun was fired out of my control and without my will, the direction of the gun could be to the vehicle when it was fired.” This statement was written in the minute of judge. (Annex 18: The 2nd Court of First Instance, the questioning minute)
14.27- As can be seen in the minutes, the accused police officer tried to prove that he did not fire directly and deliberately to Baran Tursun by stating that the gun was fired out of his control and will and the direction of the gun could be to the vehicle, despite his not factual and unconvincing allegations in the first questioning of which he fired a warning shot.
The Attorney of the accused police officer, Mr. Mummmer Yurdakul reiterated the accused’s allegations in the written submissions.
Mr. Muammer Yurdakul, in the written submissions which was submitted to the Public Prosecutor, stated: “…because the suspect client fired a warning shot before he fell down to the ground and the gun was semi-automatic, the bullet automatically went into the barrel of the gun. The gun was fired spontaneously whilst the gun which was ready to fire, was directed to the ground.” (Annex 19: The submissions of the Attorney of the accused dated 25.11.2007 with the entry no: 2007/27601)
Mr. Muammer Yurdakul, in his other written submission, stated “Taking into account that his gun was semi-automatic and the suspect police officer Oral Emre Atar fired a warning shot with his gun under his patronage before he fall down, the gun was fired again spontaneously that it was directed to the ground and to the tyres of the vehicle and ready to fire. (Annex 52: The submissions of the Attorney of the accused dated 10.01.2008, page3)
The mentioned Attorney’s submissions had a complementary nature for each other. The accused police officer, Oral Emre Atar, tried to convince the court during the all proceeding stages that he had not the deliberate or intention or will to kill Baran Tursun, he did not fire directly to Baran Tursun and the gun was fired accidentally and spontaneously and so Baran could be dead by this accidental bullet.
On the other hand, the two witnesses who were in the car of Baran stated that they did not hear any police siren and the police did not warn them to stop. They also stated before the judge in the first hearing that the police vehicle drove behind them till the Sultan Çiftliği Cross, and the police officer who got off the police vehicle fired towards Baran’s car directly. (Annex 34: The statement of Emre Özçelik in the first hearing, p 26)
14.28- The medical reports stated expressly that Baran Tursun was dead by a bullet hit which followed a linear, direct, straight way.
According to the report of Izmir Forensic Group Presidency dated on 04.12.2007 and with number 2007/4022/1563; “(…draws attention to indentation in the brain parenchyma. Cases in the style of the right cerebral convection …… ….. findings are noteworthy. Again Pnömsefalus observed. All left maxillary ……. multi-level lift-off, except for losses draws. Common findings in patients reporting a history of trauma, brain …., right ….. 7 mm at the thickest place. and reaching all sections throughout the ………subarachnoid haemorrhage followed ……. and localization results described above. Localization described above on the right frontal bone defect and bone structures of the high-density appearance on the bullet. …….. and brain parenchyma and foreign body in the bone thought to belong to high-density formations…) Baran Tursun was died by the reason of subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhagic, demolition of brain tissues and cranial bone broken that resulted from a firearm bullet hitting Baran Tursun’s head. Even though, the entry point of the bullet lost partially its nature due to the medical treatment and healing reactions of the skin, it was ascertained that the shot was fired from a long distance according to the skin findings…”
According to the Radiology report arranged by Assistant Professor Doctor Ömer Kitiş, an academic of Aegean(Ege) University Faculty of Medicine, Radiology Department(26.11.2007, Protocol No: 2002079506): “It is noteworthy that there are formations in relation to the foreign bodies with high density on the trace of the firearm bullet and there are fractures in right frontal and in the location of parietal… In the fact, it is noteworthy that high density formations… 7 mm… by the reason of a foreign substances…”
This report shows that the bullet and bullet case pieces were broken into the pieces and these pieces were diffused on its linear way to the tissues of the brain after entering into the cranium and hitting the bones.
14.29. The Civil Inspectors of Ministry of Internal Affairs made a query against Oral Emre Atar and Veysel Aydın who used a firearm in the instant case. Oral Emre Atar told the inspectors: “… I fired my gun once for a warning shot upward, meanwhile the suspect car was passing close to me, I knew that I fired my gun again to the ground and then my gun was fired once again when I threw myself to the ground which was near our police vehicle. At that time, I heard that our chief officer of the team fired a warning shot, but I did not see in which direction and how many times he was fire…”
The Ministry of Interior decided not to need to impose a discipline punishment for Veysel Aydın and The Ministry decided to impose a removal from office for more than 24 months punishment according to the additional 6 clause of Security Discipline Regulation on 11.12.2007 and with the registry no 35-2/4832. (Annex 42: Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Inspector Discipline Report)
14.30- The Court examined and accepted the indictment of the Public Prosecutor without granting the right of objection for the complainants.
Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor held an inquiry about the two police officers who used firearms in this event on 25.11.2007, submitted the indictment in relation to this case to the 1st Assize Court of Karşıyaka on 28.12.2007 with the file no 2007/10211. The Court decided to reject the indictment on 28.12.2007 on the basis that only Oral Emre Atar’s act was taken into consideration in the indictment and it was not stated how accused Veysel Aydın was participated in the acts of other accused and it was not fixed a article of Turkish Penal Code in relation the acts of Veysel Aydın in the indictment. Upon this decision, the Public Prosecutor decided not to open any criminal case for Veysel Aydın on account of homicide on 28.12.2007 with the file no 2007/30167. In the indictment submitted on the same day, It was accepted that Oral Emre Atar killed the victim with the probable intend and deliberate by the Public Prosecutor.
In the Public Prosecutor’s indictment, it was stated that “The suspect, Oral Emre Atar, did not have the necessity to use a firearm in the instant case as to the article 16 of Law of Duties and Powers of Police, no 2559(amended with the law no 5681) or he was not in a position of defending himself or another in the meaning of lawful defence.
The suspect fired two warning shots upward and then fired a shot behind the victim and killed him… The suspect was aware of that he could harm the victim when he fired the third shot behind the car of the victim, however, he did not intend to the consequences of the event, namely he did not want to kill the victim.
Article 21 of Turkish Penal Code defines the probable intend(deliberate) as follows: “a person who commits an act, despite foreseeing the realization of the consequences of the crime elements as defined in the law, is as regarded a as a probable intend(deliberate).
The Suspect foresaw that a person could be wounded or be killed when he fired a shot behind the car. So he was of aware of that his act was unlawful and these facts should be regarded as homicide with probable intend (deliberate) on account of that he fired the third shot without taking into consideration of the results.”
The public prosecutor submitted the indictment to the court claiming to have the suspect sentenced according to the articles 81/1, 21/2 29/1 53,63 of Turkish Penal Code. (Annex 47: The Indictment of the Public Prosecutor, 2007/539)
14.31- 1st Assize Court of Karşıyaka accepted the indictment of the public prosecutor on 28.12.2007 without written notification to the lawyers of the victim and without giving the right of objection. The Court decided to the continuance of the arrest in relation to the suspect police officer, Oral Emre Atar and hold the hearing on 14.01.2008 to determine the evidences.
14.32- The investigation for the crimes; Forgery in official documents, not reporting the crime, demolition, covering up or altering of the evidences.
The applicant Mehmet Tursun made many attempts to provide that the suspect police officer would be sentenced by the court. He filed a complaint to Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor on account of demolition and covered up of the evidences, many process which protected the suspect police officer from a punisment, delay of the processes which lead to prevent an effective investigation in relation the homicide file of Baran Tursun.
The lawyers of the applicant filed a petition to Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor requesting to make a query about 36 police officers. The Public Prosecutor pursued an inquiry and this inquiry was not independent and impartial. The public prosecutor took the statements of the police officers.
The Public Prosecutor took the statement of the applicant Mehmet Tursun. In the petition the applicant Mehmet Tursun filed, he stated that he asked for the punishment of the police officers who demolished the evidences by virtue of putting a bullet case pieces in the car and took the photo despite there were no bullet case piece in the first photos taken by the pres.
The applicant wrote 3000 letters and sent them to the institutions and people that he told the necessary situations in the case. The letter sent by Mehmet Tursun to the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was sent to Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor with a letter which requested from the Public Prosecutor to take necessary actions for the case. The letter first fwas put in the investigation file. Then the letter of the Prime Minister sent to the substitute Public Prosecutor Mehmet Emin Kavas for impartial and independent trial. After this stage, the investigation was begun to expand.
The Court decided to collect the 8 photos taken by the press and the photos taken by the Crime Scene investigation units and submit all the photos for an expert report to Assistant Professor Mr. Ahmet Beyhan Özdemir on 07.05.2008.
In the 3rd article of this expert report in relation to examine the photos, it was stated that a yellow object was discovered on the right front seat which had been labelled with evidence number 5 by the CSI units in the examination of photo number 2. This yellow object did not exist in the other photos.( .Annex 75, The Report of Assistant Professor A. Beyhan Özdemir in relation the bullet case in question)
14.33- The CSI Units, took 50-60 photos of the crime scene while the investigation. In fact, it was understood from the photos taken by the police that the evidences were demolished, destroyed, diminished and covered up. Although, in the photo(no: DSCNO 0019) taken by the police at 05:43am, there was not bullet or bullet case pieces on the right seat, on the other hand, in the photo taken by the police at 06:34am, there were a bullet and bullet case pieces on the right seat.(Annex 21, The Photos taken by the Crime Scene Investigation)
14.34- The expert report, written by Gendarme Sergeant Major Mr. Bülent Uçal, stated that any signs in relation to bullet entry or exit were not fixed, also any ricochet was not fixed on the bonnet of the car or on the windows of the car, there were not any bullet entry or exit point on the upper part or middle part of the seat.(Annex 22, The expert report in relation to whether or not bullet ricochet in the case)
14.35- After the prosecutor questioning, Public Prosecutor decided that there was no need for the criminal prosecution for 28 police officers including Oral Emre Atar who killed Baran Tursun on 28.05.2008.(no:2008/1863 S, 2008/1758K). The lawyers of the complainants objected to the Izmir Assize Court upon this decision. The Court decided to reject the objection. After all domestic proceedings, the applicants applied ECHR in relation the mentioned decision.
14.36- The reason for not taking any action for Oral Emre Atar under this heading was based on the regulation in Turkish Penal Code which regulates that any person who commits the act and who destroys the evidences could not be under prosecution for the evidences. This regulation shall not be compatible with the law, and also it provides an unlawful protection and makes him unreliable from his acts for person who destroys the evidences.
14.37- The Public prosecutor, wrote an indictment against the police officers, Veysel Aydın, Salih Tokucu,Aytekin Altunışık, Tayfun Kazıcı, Bahadır Aksoy, Hasan Taşan, Murat Masat, Kenan Duman, Hacı İsa Onur and Aycan Basdur, on account of forgery in official documents, not reporting the crime despite being judicial police, destroying, demolishing and altering the crime evidences.(Date: 04.06.2008, No: 2008/4646 E 2008/256)
14.38- The Indictment
“…For these reasons mentioned below, the mentioned suspects committed the alleged crime:
..Even the suspect, Veysel Aydın, did not know Baran Tursun was wounded, even though he had the ability and chance to know that Baran Tursun was wounded by the fire of Oral Emre Atar, because they fired with their guns to stop Baran Tursun, after that, the driver, Baran Tursun, lost the control of the car and crashed the utility poles and trees on the street refuge 100 meter away from the shot point, he and other suspects collected empty shells in the crime scene despite the officers who were charged to collect and protect the evidences were at the crime scene according to the article 165 of Criminal Procedure Code, (Annex 82: The Indictment)
Even though they all knew that firearms were used at the time of the event, they did not inform the public prosecutor and other officers till at 4:00am when the public prosecutor and other officers were informed that the victim was wounded by a firearm, they also destroyed the evidences…
It was observed that the suspects who were the officers of Crime Scene ınvestagation Unit, Hasan TAŞAN, H.İsa ONUR, Murat MASAT, Bahadır AKSOY,Kenan DUMAN, Aycan BAŞDUR, examined the car which was on the towing vehicle(353DAD29 license) in front of Bayraklı Police Station at 04:25am, after the case was announced to them, although the suspect police officers did not indicate any bullet case on the right seat of the car by virtue of the photo taken before the labelling of the evidences in the CD(no:2007/3165, photo no: DSCN0019)(as stated in the report of Assistant Professor A. Beyhan Özdemir, Photo No 1), there was a bullet case labelled with no 5 on the right seat of the car in the photos(DSCN0033 and DSCN0034) in the CD that the suspects submitted. From the examination the news records of CNNTürk, Show Tv, Kanal D(the tv channels) at the time Baran was still in the car, it was observed that, according to the report of A. Beyhan Özdemir, there was not a bullet case in the car.(Annex 75, The Report of Assistant Professor A. Beyhan Özdemir in relation the case bullet in question)
The expert, Şaban Demikıran, stated in his report that there was no bullet entry or exit or any ricochet point in or on the car licence 35 AL 9207… The evidences submitted during the proceedings should be compatible with the facts, otherwise the criminal justice and the real fact is hindered by virtue of altering, destroying of evidences…”
14.39- The indictment of the Public Prosecutor was submitted to Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court. The Court did not notify the indictment to the lawyers and give the right of objection. The Court accepted the indictment on 13.06.2008 and with number 2008/122 and 2008/44.
The first hearing was held on 25.07.2008. The public prosecutor of the court asked from the court to send the case file to the Izmir Assize Court on duty on the basis of lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. The lawyers of the applicant submitted the court the request for intervention to the case and the judgment of ANIK and Others v. Turkey(ECHR, The Application No: 63738/00)
The lawyers of the applicants requested from the court consolidate the actions(2008/44 and 2007/456) on the ground that there was a connection with this case file and the case file in relation to homicide of Baran Tursun. The court accepted the request for intervention and decided to send the case to Izmir Assize Court on duty by the reason of lack of jurisdiction because of forming a new district in the Izmir Metropolitan Territory.
The lawyers of the applicant with a petition requested from the court to set aside judgement in relation to the consolidation of two actions and consolidate the two actions, and also requested to cancel the decision in relation to lack of jurisdiction. The lawyers asked from the court to send the files Karşıyaka 2nd Assize Court to examine in case the court did not accept the requests. The court did not consider the requests and sent the demur to Karşıyaka 2nd Assize Court. Karşıyaka 2nd Assize court rejected the requests.
14.40- This case which had been decided the lack of jurisdiction by the court, was began to be tried before Izmir 6th Assize Court with the file no 2008/290E. The first hearing was held on 27.10.2008.
The requests of lawyers from the court for cross examination of Veysel Aydın, the accused police officer, were rejected by the president judge on account that many other hearings would be held on that day. Upon the lawyer’s persistent requests, the court allowed the lawyers to ask questions to the accused police officer. Meantime, the member judge, (he talked to the president judge and the accused and so the accused police officer hear what he said) said; “The accused will the right to remain silent, so there will be no problem”. The accused police officer, upon the member judge’s interference, answered the first question saying “I do not want to answer this question”. After the lawyer’s second question, the member judge, Mehmet Özcan interfered the questioning by saying “the accused is enjoying the right to remain silent”. Despite the objections of lawyers of the applicants, these objections were not written in the hearing minute. While the 6th accused police officer, Murat Masat was defending himself, the member judge, Mehmet Özcan, suddenly shout, stood up, knocked the bench and said “I would have not expected from you! What are you doing? On one side, the audiences, on the other side the things(staring at the lawyers of the complainant), I will quit from this case!” and then he wore off his judge robe and left the hearing room. The audiences were asked to leave the room.
The president judge convinced the judge the member judge to return the hearing room. The member judge, Mehmet Özcan, had his withdrawal reasoning from the case written according to the article 30 of Criminal Procedure Code. The president judge did not allow the audiences to come in the hearing room despite there was no decision for a closed hearing to the public. Only, a few lawyers could enter the hearing room.
The lawyers of the applicants asked from the court to enter the attitudes and expressions of the member judge into the minutes; however the president judge did not accept the request.
When the lawyers’ submissions about the withdrawal of the member judge were written in the minutes of the hearing, the member judge, Mehmet Özcan, stood up again and said “…I don’t have to listen to them, I withdrew…I will not sign this part of the minute” and left the hearing room again. When the judges were back to the hearing room, the lawyers objected the hearing minutes on the basis that any of the stages of withdrawn or any expressions of the member judge was not written in the hearing minute. The hearing was delayed to 24.12.2008 to appoint a new member judge because of withdrawal.
14.41- The lawyers also requested from the court at that hearing to order the civil polices to go out of the hearing room on the basis that there were many at that hearing and also some of the polices could be before the hearing.
The public prosecutor requested from the court to consolidate the case with the homicide of Baran Tursun case tried by Karşıyaka Assize Court. The court decided to join these two cases on 24.12.2008 and sent the case file to Karşıya Assize Court.
If the lawyers’ or complainants2 requests to consolidate two actions under the homicide case were taken account by the court, the trial period would have not lengthen 1 more year, the police officers would not have been listened as witnesses at the homicide case. The court did not take into account the opinions or requests lawyers of applicants or the complainants at any stage of the trial and caused a 1 year delay. The court also by not giving a consolidation of cases decision, let the police officers as witnesses in the homicide case, so the police officers who should had been the suspects of homicide case became the witnesses of the case.
14.42- The process of the homicide case of Baran TURSUN
The lawyer of the accused police officer requested from the court to put a ban order for broadcast or embargo for the news in relation to the case. This request was rejected by the court on 08.01.2008.
The lawyers of the applicant requested from the court to guard and protect the original video records in the petrol station(OPET) by appointing a rogatory judge and gendarme units on the basis that there were cuts and changes on the records by police officers who copied the video record and wished to save the accused police officer.
The first hearing of Karşıyaya 1st Assize Court(File NO:2007/456E) was held on 14.01.2008 and firstly the accused police officer was listened by the court. After the court asked the complainant Mehmet Tursun about his claims. The other claimants, Baran Tursun’s mother and his sisters, Berin Tursun, Şelale and Berfin Tursun were not asked about their claims and in later hours of the hearing, Berin and Şelale Tursun were removed from the hearing room. The witnesses were listened in absentia of them.
14.43- The Accused Police Officer, Oral Emre Atar, in his statements, told;
“…Veysel had a torch, with this torch he signalled the vehicle to stop, the car was coming towards us without reducing speed, the car was driving towards the pontoons which we put on the road, at that time Veysel fired three times upward, I fired two times upward, the car was driving towards us, the car crashed the pontoons, I threw myself to the ground and I fired once again to the tires of the car when it was passing near us…”
The police officer quitted the defence that the gun was spontaneously and accidentally fired and stated that he fired to the car purposely.
14.44- The witness, Atilla Doğan, in his submissions stated that,
“We were talking on the road which links Bayraklı to Bornova, Baran told me that a car blinked the headlights behind us on a dark road, the car was very far away from us but Baran said that the car blinked the headlights, when the car behind us speed up and when I turned back to look at the car behind, I realised that it was a police vehicle, and then we saw another police vehicle which was ready to drive to the main road from a crossroad, then we turned to the right to the direction of the crossroad where the other police vehicle was there and we went on our way and we came to Smyrna Cross and turned right again, drove on our way at the same speed, we passed the circle at a higher speed and saw that there were two police vehicles behind us following us, when we passed the circle, I saw that a police vehicle stopped. While we were driving at the same speed, and when we passed a police vehicle, I heard a gun shot, and Emre, looking back to the car, said that they were firing, I supposed that everything was going on normal because the car was driving on the road. Emre said Baran to stop, but Emre hold Baran’s arm, at that moment I saw that Baran’s head fell over Emre’s shoulder. Then I saw that we hit a utility pole, when I was out of the car, I was thinking about Baran, the police officers ordered to lie down by drawing their guns towards us, I lay down and they handcuffed me, when they took met o the police vehicle, I wished to move to Baran because I knew that he was shot. I did not able to see Baran’s situation because the back window was black, them I was taken to the Bayraklı Police Station by the police vehicle…”
Upon the question, he said that he did not hear the siren of police vehicles and there was no warning made from the voice tubes of the police vehicle. He said“…At the place we had the traffic accident, I saw a police vehicle lighting its upper lights… I didn’t see any pontoons on the road, I didn’t see who fired and any police officer stood up, I remembered that I heard a firearm sound.
Upon the question of the public prosecutor, he answered; “When I was handcuffed and taken to the police vehicle by the police officers, I said loudly to the police officers near to me that Baran was shot, for this reason he lost the control of the car and we had the accident.” (Annex 53: The first hearing minute of Karşıyaka 1st assize Court, Statement of Atilla Doğan, p24)
14.45. Witness Emre Ökçelik, he stated before the court as follows: “…When we were near to Bayraklı, Baran said that a car was blinking its headlights behind us, because the road was very dark. We turned back and looked back and there was a very long distance from us to the car, the car was going on to blink the headlights. Upon this, Baran was driving more speedily and we were going on. The distance from the car behind us was becoming more than before. Then we came to the cross and turned right, we saw the police team on the other side of the road driving. We went on our way speedy. We came to a turn and then turned right. We drove to the main road at the same speed, and we approached the cross. I realized at that moment that a police vehicle on the right was coming. The road was open, on the road there was no barrier and bar on the road. When police vehicle approached us, I realized that the doors of police vehicle were opened. I heard a bullet voice a few seconds later we were driving near the police vehicle…Meanwhile I heard the voice of window crash. When I turned back, I saw a hole on the window. At that time we were still driving and there was a bloodstain on my pants, firstly I wonder about myself and I checked myself. I understood that I had no problem. The car was still going and so I did not wonder about Baran, I said him “Let’s stop” holding his arm. But Baran did not give any reaction to me, and then fell over me. I heard only one shot voice. Then we had passed to the street refuge and went to the other side of the road when the car lost its control, at that time we were under the seats, we opened the door and Atilla and I alighted from the car, the polices handcuffed us and immediately took to the police station. The upper lights of the first car following us were off. On the main road, the upper lights of the police vehicles driving on the road were on, but we did not hear any voice from voice tubes of the police vehicles, we heard one fire voice. We didn’t see who fired. There were no pontoons or any other things on the road. There were not any kinds of these.
When we turned right, we didn’t realize the police vehicle first. But later, the police vehicle was driving on its way and we turned right on the opposite direction. When we turned right, the police vehicle and our car drove side by side, on the opposite directions” (Annex 53: The first hearing minute of Karşıyaka 1st assize Court, the statement of Emre Ökçelik, p26)
The witness police officers made false statements to save their friends. The public prosecutor interfered the questioning of the witnesses by the lawyers of the complainants, when the lawyers were asking the questions to the witness police officers on the basis of direct, linear and deliberately fire to determine the facts of the case as to the right regulated under the article 201 of Criminal Procedure Code, the Public Prosecutor prevented to arise the facts by virtue of orienting the witness statements and obstructing the lawyers ‘questions.
There were many police officers who were not on duty on the benches of the hearing room at the hearing dated on 14.01.2008. One of them was the Police Chief of Bornova Security Department, Mr. Bülent Girgin, who dressed civil suit. Despite they had no official duties, he monitored the whole case and they tried to orient the witness statements.
The lawyer of the complainants, Mr. Alper Bağıran heard that Bülent Girgin was saying “we are adjusting the facts, you will learn the statements that we wrote, sign the minutes and state such as this…” when the lawyer went to Homicide Branch of Izmir Security Directorate at 15:13pm at the crime day. (Annex 91: The hearing minutes of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 06.03.2009, 08.05.2009(2007/456E, Alper Bağıran’s statement, p3)
14.46- Even though, to record the hearings by cameras and other technical tools at the court rooms is regulated under the law and these technical equipments were set up in the hearing rooms, the court, persistently, did not record the hearings, despite many requests. In the hearings, the interferences of the public prosecutor and the member judges were not included in the minutes and were not written in the minutes during the hearing. Some interferences, but not exactly the same, were written in the minutes upon the serious objections of lawyers. The interference of president judge to the witnesses and to the accused police officer were not included in the minutes by no manner of means.
14.47- Mehmet Tursun made an objection and left the court room by the reason that that firstly the judge corrected the conflicts in the statements of witness police officers in the minutes as proper to the accused police officer’s statements by virtue of being showed a layout to the witness police officers and being stated that the other police officers made different statements by the judge, secondly the judge interfered the situation that some witness police officers informed the other witness police officers out of the court room despite many notices about this issue and thirdly, being not included Mehmet Tursun’s objections in the minutes by the judge. However, this situation was entered the records as “The Polices made statements according to the direction set up before. The police officers on duty at the court room informed the police officers outside the court room.”
The Court, continued to the hearing in the absence of the applicant. The applicant made a press statement outside the court room. By reason of this statement, the applicant was under the criminal investigation on the basis of prompting the judicial duty, coercion, defamation, publicly humiliation of Turkish Republic, judicial bodies, military forces or security department and filed a case against him before Karşıyaka Criminal court of First Instance with the file number 2008/187E.
The applicants and Human Rights Defenders were under many criminal charges(ex: Karşıyaka 5th Criminal Court of First Instance, File No: 2008/160) by the attemps of Izmir Security Directors and so the applicants were tried to be under pressure by virtue of punishment threat.
The Police Officers, Veysel Aydın, Aytekin Altunışık, Engin Kınalı,Bilal Ayhan, Ahmet Turgut Turan, Salih Tokucu,Tayfun Kazıcı, Ali Kahvecioğlu, Yusuf Küçük, Mehmet Çay, Haldun Baylan, İlker Dursun, Sivat Arslan, Cankut Dinçer, Bülent Ertugay and Yaşar Dursun Atalay were appeared as witnesses before the court.( Annex 53: The first hearing minute of Karşıyaka 1st assize Court)
In this stage, although there was a case filed against these police officers on the basis of ; Forgery in official documents, not reporting the crime, demolition, covering up or altering of the evidences, the police officers were appeared as witnesses in the homicide case.
The police officers, Veysel AYDIN, Salih TOKUCU, Aytekin ALTUNIŞIK, Tayfun KAZICI, Bahadır AKSOY, Hasan TAŞAN, Murat MASAT, Kenan DUMAN, Hacı İsa ONUR, Aycan BASDUR, who were heard as witnesses in the first hearing before Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court, were exercised as accused in the Indictment of Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor, no 2008/256 Annex 82: The Indictment of Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor on 14.06.2008, 2008/1863, 2008/256, this indictment indicates that the witness police officers later were tried as accused)
All civil witnesses stated that they did not hear any stop warning by the police before and after firing time, there were not pontoons or any other tools on the road and the police did not take any measure to stop the car.
The Public Prosecutor, requested from the court to release the accused police officer in the first hearing. The intervener lawyers, namely the lawyers of the claimants requested from the court to keep the accused under arrest on the basis that the accused police officer had the probability to prompt the witnesses and make pressure on the witnesses, destroy the evidences and also he had committed the homicide. The Court decided to release the accused perfectly.
The lawyers of the claimants objected the release decision on the basis that the accused police officer had the probability to destroy the evidences. Karşıyaka 2nd Assize Court who examined the request, rejected the request.
14.48- The statements of the other polices altered on behalf of Oral Emre Atar.
The police officer, Aytekin Altunışık, in his statements, stated that;
a- Before the inspector of Ministry of Internal Affairs;
“…however, I did not see they fell to the ground. I didn’t see how they fired, because I looked into the running car. I did not see which of my friends fired to the car..”
b- Before the public prosecutor;
“I saw Veysel and Oral fired to stop the car. But, despite I saw that the person hit the pontoons, and then drove through Veysel and Oral who were away from the pontoons and they lie down on the ground and escaped from the car hitting…”
c- Before Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court in file 2007/456E.:
“…Oral Emre Atar fired to the tyres of the car…”
d- Before Izmir 6th Assize Court in the file 2008/290E.:
“…Orla Emre Atar fired once more behind the car after the car passed away…”
14.49- The police officer, Veysel Aydın, in his statements, stated that;
“…I heard that the team officer, Oral Emre Atar, fired a warning shot with me. But I did not see in which position and to which direction he fired and I did not count how many times fired..”
“My friend Emre, fired to the air with his gun a few times…when the car was driven speedy, I saw that Emre fired the tyres of the car with his gun…”
“…I saw that when Oral Emre was on the ground, he fired once again to the whells of the running car”
14.50- Salih Dokucu, in his statements, stated that;
“… I didn’t see how Oral Emre Atar fired, I did not see also who fired the suspect car passing speedly…”
“…I saw that they fired to the air to stop jeep…Meanwhile, I saw it was hitting to the poles and trees and stop…”
“Veysel and Emre fired to the air with their pistols…I saw that Emre Atar, in a position of fell to the ground, fired with the pistol in his right hand to the tires of the car behind the car…”
14.51- Tayfun Kazıcı, in his statements, stated that;
“…I didn’t see who fire and how… I did not see also who fired the suspect car passing speedly…”
b- He stated the same before the public prosecutor.
c- Before Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court in file 2007/456E, during the investigation at the crime scene by the court;
“…The polices fired to the air because the car did stop and went on driving. Oral fired when the car passed in the middle of the polices…”
The mentioned statements are the only a part of the fraudulent misrepresentations of the police officers to save the police friend from homicide charge or by reason of the pressure of Director of Security Department on the police officers. If all statements are compared for all stages of investigation and trial such as above, it will be seen that other police officers made false statements.
The applicant, in every stage, claimed to Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor about the police officers, AYTEKİN ALTUNIŞIK , VEYSEL AYDIN, SALİH TOKUCU and TAYFUN KAZICI on the basis of subornation. The public prosecutor opened an investigation file with the file no: 2009/2116E. The court only considered the statements of the police officers whose statements had conflicts in the many stages of trial. The court accepted the facts as the police officers stated, and judged on the basis of these statements. These statements(statements before the court trial about false statement) were accepted as evidences of the reasoned judgment.
14.52- The second was held on 11.02.2008 before Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court with the file no 2007/456E. The court decided to exempt the accused from the hearings. After this stage, the accused did not attend the hearings and the applicants could have not asked further questions to the accused.
The court decided to make an investigation at the crime scene on 19.02.2011. The Court also decided to send the case file to Istanbul Forensic Institution to determine the facts and arrange a report about the questions mentioned below:
a- Whether or not allegedly the bullet with bullet case pieces on the seat was compatible with the bullet found in Baran’s brain,
b- Whether or not the bullet was hit the victim by the reason of ricochet from a harm surface, touch or any friction,
c- Whether or not the cranium bones were deformed as such in the instant facts, in case the bullet entered the car from the back window without ricochet,
d- Whether or not the gun which the bullet fired had the effective traces for identification.
Istanbul Forensic Institution Specialized Physics Chamber, in the report dated on 06.03.2008 and with no: 12695/521, stated that;
a- The bullet with bullet case pieces could be belong to the parabellum bullet kind,
b- The type of the gun which the bullet was fired with a bullet case pieces could not be identified,
c- It could not be fixed whether the bullet case pieces belong to the bullet from which kind of gun it was fired.
The other questions were not responded.
The court asked for a report with the letter dated on 14.05.2008 from Istanbul Forensic Institution. The court also requested from Istanbul Forensic Institution 1st Specialized Board, while arranging the report, to take into account of the documents and the indictment in relation the case file(Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court, 2008/44) which was about acts, the forgery in official documents, not reporting the crime, destroying, covering up or altering of the evidences, allegedly committed by the police officers.
14.53- The investigation was made at the crime scene by the court.
In the investigation at the crime scene by the court, the applicant Mehmet Tursun and his lawyers and the attorneys of the accused and the witnesses in Baran Tursun’s car, Atilla Doğan and Emre Ökçelik, the police officers, Oral Emre Atar, Engin Kınlı, Turgut Turan, Bilal Ayhan, Ali Kahvecioğlu, Yusuf Küçük, Salih Tokucu, Tayfun Kazıcı, Veysel Aydın and Aytekin Altunışık participated.
The police officer, Tayfun Kazıcı, stated that Oral Emre Atar fired behind the car, after the car passed away.
Salih Tokucu stated that Oral Emre Atar, fired behind the car by straighten his hand, when fell down after the car was passing away.
Veysel Aydın stated that the accused fired to the direction of the car with his right hand while his left hand was on the ground.
Aytekin Altunışık stated that the accused fired once more on his foot by turning his body to the direction of the car.
During investigation at the crime scene, the expert Gendarme Sergant Major Bilal Uçar arranged a report. According to the statements of the witnesses, Atilla Doğan and Emre Ökçelik, the distance between the point which the witnesses saw police vehicles and the point that Baran Tursun was shot, namely the distance between Sultan Çiftliği Cross and Smyrna Circle, was 900 meters. They also stated that the police did not give any sound or sign warning to stop them along this distance except the upper lights that were lighting continuously. The witnesses stated that Oral Emre Atar fired at the time that he was getting off from the police vehicle and whilst there were no tools like pontoons which prevent the car to go on. The court determined the facts of the crime scene on the basis of statements of accused police officers without taking into consideration of the statements of these witnesses.
At the crime scene investigation made by the court, the distance between Oral Emre Atar that he alleged that he had been at the crime day and Baran’s car in transit was measure 17.5 meters.
All the findings of the court during the investigation at the crime scene, were prepared according to the statements of the accused police officers. The court made these findings the base of the judgment.
Atilla Doğan and Emre Ökçelik stated that they saw no police teams at the cross, they saw one police team on the direction to Bornova and they were not asked to stop anyway.
The lawyer of the applicant, submitted his objections in relation to the investigation at the crime scene on the basis that despite the accused stated that he fired to the car, the judge did not write this in the minute of investigation.
14.54- 3rd hearing was held on 09.05.2008. On 09.08.2008, judge Murat Aydın was appointed as rogatory judge and he went to the petrol station(OPET) to examine the video records with the appointed expert. The director of the station stated that the records were erased due to longtime from the crime day.
The lawyers of the applicant requested from the court to arrest the accused on the basis that there was a very strong suspicion on the accused for that he committed the crimes of destroying the evidences and homicide and he was protected by the authorities under the article of 281/1 of Turkish Penal Code despite the crime of destroying evidences was well-established for the accused.
14.55- The fourth hearing was held on 30.06.2008. The case file(file no: 2008/244) about 10 police officers was provided at the fourth hearing and this case file was examined. The lawyers of the applicant requested from the court to consolidate this case with the homicide case of Baran Tursun. The lawyers asked from the court to arrest the accused on the basis that he destroyed the evidences and the witnesses were under fear because the accused police officer was free. The public prosecutor requested to dismiss the request of the lawyers by reason of lack of any facts necessary to consolidate two actions. The court denied the arrest and consolidation requests of lawyers. The lawyers of the applicant raised their objections in relation to denial decision on 03.07.2008. The court denied this objection on 04.07.2008:
The fifth hearing was held on 10.09.2008, the sixth on 24.11.2008 and the seventh on 19.01.2008.
14.56- The lawyers of the applicant who had the opinion that the case was monitored and the witnesses were oriented by the police officers, wrote a letter to the Karşıyaka Security Directorate to take information about the polices who were at all the hearings whether they were charged to monitor the hearings by the Directorate or not. The Karşıyaka Security Directorate responded that no police officers were on duty to monitor the case. The lawyers asked the court to identify the police officers at the audience bench. The court identified that 6 police officers in plain-clothes, 3 police officers with official clothes and a police chief were at the hearing room, the names of the police officers in plain-clothes were recorded in the minutes.( Annex 63: The hearing minutes of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 30.06.2008, 10.09.2008, 24.11.2008, 19.01.2009.p1)
14.57- The case file(no:2008/144E) sent to the Izmir 6th Assize Court by reason of lack of jurisdiction, was began to hear with case file 2008/290E and Izmir 6th Assize Court decided to
combine the case with the case file 2007/456E. The public prosecutor who had been against the consolidation of actions, did not raise any objection to this decision.
The drivers of the towing vehicle, Şeyhmus Er and Ahmet Yıldırım, were appeared before the court as witnesses. They stated that the police announced a traffic accident and police ordered to take the car, when they arrived at the crime scene, they took the car into the tow, while tey were going to the their company, they were called from the Bayraklı Police Station and then they took the car to the garden of Police Station, the polices examined the car in the garden without taking the from the towing vehicle and then took the car to the company. They also stated that after taking the car, the crime scene was sandblasted, he did not see any pontoons or broken pieces of pontoons at the crime scene and there was a ancillary road at the accident area and there was no bar for the traffic flow.
14.58- The 8th hearing was held on 06.03.2009. At this hearing, The court took the statements of 10 police officers because of the consolidation of two actions. Erdal Ceylan and Serdal Çelik who repaired the utility pole, and the medic Erol Erefe were heard as witnesses. The lawyers requested from the court to take a report from Ankara Gendarme Criminal Chamber in relation to the shot positions. The request was rejected by the court.
The applicants asked Professor Ufuk Katkıcı(academician of Adnan Menderes Medical Faculty) to prepare a scientific comment. The report(dated on 03.04.2009) prepared by the Professor was submitted to the court. In this report, Professor Ufuk Katıkçı, summarily stated that the bullet lost a very minimum impetus and had a very less deformation when breaking the glass of the car, the main deformation occurred in the bullet at the time of hitting to the frontal region when entering into the cranium, the case of the could be possibly separated from the bullet not only at the time of hitting the glass the car but also at the time of entering into the cranium, it was not possible to say that the bullet was a tired bullet on account of the bullet had not the possibility to enter the back of the cranium with a 1.5 diameter defect because the bullet would had lost its speed in case of ricochet with the ground so it lost its dynamic and the movement plan, so it was impossible to say that the bullet in the brain was a tired (ricochet or hit somewhere and lost its speed and effect) bullet. Taking into account the victim’s seat, the entry point to the head, the straight and linear way of the bullet and the factors, it is observed… that the fire was linear and direct not ricochet of a bullet to the air or the ground…” Annex 92: The expert report prepared by Professor Ufuk Katkıcı on 03.04.2009)
14.59- The 9th hearing was held on 08.05.2009. The medics Hasan Gökçe and Rıza Melih Arslan and Lawyer Alper Bağıran were heard as witnesses. Lawyer Alper Bağıran stated that he went to consult with the witnesses Atilla and Emre who were under custody at the Security Directorate on the date of crime but he was not allowed to meet them, when he was at the Security Directorate, he heard that a blue eyed blonde man was saying to the police officers “Friends, don’t worry, you give your statements as we said, we teached them what they will say, nothing will be occurred from this event.” He identified Bülent Girgin, Bornova Chief of the Police Teams, at the hearing. Annex 91: The hearing minutes of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 06.03.2009, 08.05.2009(2007/456E, the statement of Aler Bağıran, p3)
Doctor Sabit Solak and the personel of Fire Brigade(AKS 110) were heard at the hearing. Professor Ufuk Katkıcı was also heard at the hearing. He stated before the court that the deformation of the bullet occurred at the time of hitting to the frontal region when entering into the cranium, it was impossible to say that the bullet was lost its speed, it was also impossible to hit the person in the car in case the person fired warning shots to the air. He also stated that it was impossible to say that a bullet could follow a very straight way in the cranium with a defect 1.5 cm diameter on the cranium in case a person fired, in a position of throwing himself on the ground, to the tires of the car and after fire, the bullet ricocheted from the ground then entering into the back glass of the car as a result hit the cranium as mentioned. He stated that the bullet could only enter the cranium as described if the fire made parallel to the ground. Annex 91: The hearing minutes of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 06.03.2009, 08.05.2009(2007/456E, the statements of Ufuk Katkıcı)
The lawyers requested from the court to hear the witnesses Assitant Proffesor Ömer Kitiş, Assistant Professor Türker Acar, Assistant Profesor İsmail Cezmi Yavuz, Doctor Fatih Şen and Doctor Mehmet Ali Çakmak, but the court rejected the request. The public prosecutor submitted the written opinion to the court yet the evidences were not collected.
14.60- In the Public Prosecutor’s opinion, it was stated that “…although the accused police officer, Oral Emre Atar, fired warning shot to stop the car which was under the administration of Baran Tursun by virtue of using his authority arising from the order of the law mentioned under Law of Duties and Powers of Police, no 2559. The car was not stopped and going on to run, the accused police officer fired once again to the tires of the car without taking into account the distance and the accused fired and caused the death of Baran Tursun… the act of the other polices which putting a bullet case on the right seat and taken a photo of this bullet case does not change the reason and the manner of death of Baran Tursun… the other suspect police officer should be acquitted…” So the public prosecutor requested from the court to acquit the other police officers who were under charges of destroying evidences and so forth.( Annex 94: The opinion submitted by Public Prosecutor Sedat Bacaksız on 08.05.2008)
The court decided to hold a hearing 12 days later without giving adequate time for the submissions of the applicants’ lawyers.
14.61- The court judged the brief decision after the submissions of the parties. The lawyers of the applicant, stated the accused police officer should be sentenced under the article 81/1 of the Turkish Penal Code which regulates the deliberately homicide and the other accused police officers should be punished according to the charges mentioned in the indictment.
The Court judged as follows; Veysel Aydın, Salih Tokucu, Aytekin Alyunışık and Tayfun Kazıcı were acquitted of the charges forgery in official documents, not reporting the crime, destroying, covering up or altering of the evidences on the basis that they did not commit the mentioned crimes. Bahadır Aksoy, Hasan Taşan,Murat Masat, Kenan Duman, Hacı İsa Onur and Aycan Basdur were acquitted of the charges forgery in official documents, not reporting the crime, destroying, covering up or altering of the evidences.
These police officers who were acquitted by the court, had been listened by the court as witnesses at the same time.(Annex 99: The reasoned judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 20.05.2009(2007/456E, 2009/226K)
In relation to, the accused police officer, Oral Emre Atar who killed Baran Tursun, The Court stated that “…It was accepted that he committed the killing act without intention and deliberate on the basis that he committed a more serious crime than he intended to; according to the article 85/1 of the Turkish Penal Code with referring to article 16/7-8 of Law on Duties and Powers of the Police (No: 2559) and the articles 24/1, 27/1 of Turkish Penal Code, the court decided to sentence the accused 2 years and 1 month imprisonment.
The Court decided not to apply the articles 53/5-6 of Turkish Penal Code on account of the the articles 53/1-2-3 could be applied to the facts of this case.”
Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code regulates the deprivation of rights permanently or temporarily. The court did not deprive the accused police officer ,who caused death of a young men, from his profession or he was not excluded from his gun temporarily yet. This police officer, except the 48 days arrest, took his gun which he shot Baran Tursun in hands and kept being a police officer. The court judgment did not restrict him to keep this profession.
The lawyers of the applicant submitted the appeal petition against the court’s brief judgment and they requested from the Supreme Court to hold a hearing for the appeal proceedings.
14.62- The reasoned judgment of the Court;
The reasoned judgment of the court was notified to the lawyers of applicant on 16.06.2009. The requests or submissions of the lawyers of the applicant were not included in the reasoned judgment. The witness statements in favor, police radio records and other evidences which could prove that the conditions were not proper to use a firearm, were not included in the reasoned judgment. In the reasoned judgment, some evidences were taken into account and so the court tried to prove that the conditions were proper for the power to use a firearm. The counter-evidences were not taken into consideration.
The remaining parts of the statements and other documents which were written in the judgement were mislead. The statements of the police officers who were the tried as accused before Izmir 6th Assize Court(file no: 2008/290E) and the minutes and documents which these police officers arranged as a result of their acts which lead to the crime in the instant case, were based for the reasoned judgment. The impartial civil person witnesses were not taken into account.
The statements of witnesses, Emre Ökçelik and Atilla Doğan, who knew the details of the facts, were not taken into account. Although the court accepted that the use of firearm was the last way and although the court was observed that another police team was waiting at Egemek Cross, 100 meter away from the crime scene, the court accepted that the conditions formed to use firearm.
The police Team No: 82340, announced that the team kept Egemeak Croos which Baran was driving to. This announcement was being heard by the police officers who fired, the stated they heard the announcement in the different stages of the proceedings.
The domestic court did not take into the consideration in the reasoned judgment, the fact that unless the police officers fired Baran, the police team 82340 who kept the road that Baran was driving through, could had caught.( Annex 15: Police Radio Records)
14.63- The Court did not take into consideration the facts that the licence plate of Baran Tursun’s car was readable, the car was registered to Izmir Security Department, the owner of the car, the business and home address was able to be learnt in few minutes, consequently, under these circumstances, no necessity to fire was formed.( Annex 11: The Traffic registration of 35AL9207(Baran’s car)
14.64- The court did not consider the situation of Baran Tursun and his two friends at the crime time.
The court did not consider the facts in favour of the applicants, although, according to the scope of whole case file and the statements of all witnesses, it was conclusively established that Baran and his friends, Emre and Atilla, were not under any criminal charge, there was no arrest warrant or detain decision about them, Baran did not commit any kind of act of resistance against the police officers, except the “the escape act which was not established on any evidence and which was not defined as a crime or offense in any law”.
14.65- The court did not consider the statements of Emre and Atilla that “We told the police officers who detained us that a firearm used in the event and Baran was shot by the result of this firearm”
14.66- In the reasoned judgment, it was stated that “It was concluded that Oral Emre Atar fired once, in the position of stand and his hand was parallel to the ground, to the running car behind the car to stop and it was accepted that the bullet did not ricochet from anywhere, the argument that the gun was fired spontaneously or accidentally by the result of that the accused fell down or while he was falling down and the argument that the accused was fired to the ground was not taken into account, by the court, on the facts that the bullet should be fired under the conditions that Oral Emre Atar fired warning shots twice before firing to the car which passed near them, after the car was passed between Veysel and Oral and when the car 17.5 meters away driven(according to the statements of the accused police officers during investigation at the crime scene by the court), and then the fired bullet from that distance could break the back window of the car and enter the victim’s right back side of the brain with deformation and stop in front of the head of the victim.
It was observed and recognized to his submissions that the accused Oral Emre Atar fired because of his foresight that the running car was not stopped by any way and he had no intention to kill.
The act of the accused was not considered as a deliberate killing or killing with proable intention on the basis that the accused used the power of using firearm that was regulated under the article 16/7-8 of Law on Duties and Powers of Police(no:2559) under the conditions of “flagrante delicto”(catching in the act) condition formed because the act of endangering the traffic safety was committed by the victim by the referral of article 179(endanger the traffic safety)… The accused, Oral Emre Atar, fulfilled the requirements of the law under the scope of article 24/1 of Turkish Penal Code; for this reason, the act of him, firing behind a running car to stop, is compatible with the law, but during the act of the accused which started lawfully, the accused police officer fired in position of stand and his hands were parallel to the ground, without taking into account that the speed of the car, the running car was moving and the event was happening at night, he did not foresee that if he fired as described, he shot the people in the car not the wheels of the car, he did not fire carefully on these basis…it is concluded that the accused Oral Emre Atar commited the crime with actionable negligence...” Annex 99: The reasoned judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 20.05.2009(2007/456E, 2009/226K, p3)
The court judged unanimously. The court judgment was the same with the opinion of the public prosecutor. Although, the article 179 of Turkish Penal Code in regulation to that the accused committed the crime by fulfilling the requirements of law without deliberation and intention was not argued in any stages of the case, the court and the public prosecutor remembered this issue suddenly and the court judged according to this article.
14.67- The reasoned judgment was appealed on 03.07.2009. The Chief Public Prosecutor Of the Supreme Court rejected the request to hold a hearing during the appeal proceedings with the notification on 28.01.2010 with no 2009/259022. The lawyers of the applicant raised their objections for the denial of the judgment.( Annex 100: The appeal petition of applicants’ lawyers on 03.07.2009)
The appeal proceedings were held on 15.03.2011 with judgement no: 2011/1547K, all requests of lawyers of the applicant were rejected and decided to approve the domestic court judgement by 1st Criminal Chamber of Supreme Court. The judgment was not notified to the lawyers or the applicants. The applicant learnt the judgment on 28.09.2011.( Annex 103: The approval judgement of Supreme Court 1st Criminal Chamber on 15.03.2011(2009/9863E, 2001/1547K)
III- STATEMENT OF ALLEGED VIOLATION(S) OF THE CONVENTION AND/ OR PROTOCOLS AND OF RELEVANT ARGUMENTS
15.1- All submissions in relation to the instant case are violated the rights of applicants under the articles 1, 2, 3, 6, 14 and 17 of the Convention. These articles were violated many times in the instant case.
15.2- The Obligation to Respect Human Rights under article 1 of the Convention and The Right to Life under article 2 were violated.
The article 2 of the Convention read as follows:
1. Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.
2. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this Article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:
(a) in defence of any person from unlawful violence;
(b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person
(c) in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection.
The Police Officer shot Baran Tursun with a firearm. He shot by aiming to Baran Tursun in a position of straight, linear shot. The article 2 of the Convention was violated.
The homicide of Baran Tursun could not be considered under the exceptions stated in the second paragraph of article 2 of the Convention.
The United Nations’ Documents
United Nations, Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, were adopted on 07.09.1990.
Article 9 of Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials(United Nations) read as follows; “Law enforcement officials shall not use firearms against persons except in self-defence or defence of others against the imminent threat of death or serious injury, to prevent the perpetration of a particularly serious crime involving grave threat to life, to arrest a person presenting such a danger and resisting their authority, or to prevent his or her escape, and only when less extreme means are insufficient to achieve these objectives. In any event, intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.”
Article 9 of United Nations Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions(Recommended by Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/65 of 24 May 1989) read as follows:
“There shall be thorough, prompt and impartial investigation of all suspected cases of extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions, including cases where complaints by relatives or other reliable reports suggest unnatural death in the above circumstances. Governments shall maintain investigative offices and procedures to undertake such inquiries. The purpose of the investigation shall be to determine the cause, manner and time of death, the person responsible, and any pattern or practice which may have brought about that death. It shall include an adequate autopsy, collection and analysis of all physical and documentary evidence and statements from witnesses. The investigation shall distinguish between natural death, accidental death, suicide and homicide.”
15.3- The protection of the right to life should be most important point for the police officers who are armed and who are appointed by the State to protect the safety of citizens. To protect the right to life, necessarily, the best measures should be taken and thought. It is very necessary to teach not to use of firearms if there is no absolute necessity, to give the necessary training to form this, to make very detailed controls, to disarm the police officers who commit crimes by their arms, to make the police officers conscious of that they will be prosecuted and punished in case of violation of the mentioned principles. The judicial system, unfourtnately, do not take the necessary prosecution and so the acts which form the violation of the right to life are not punished and this leads to encourage these kinds of acts.
The State has not provided the necessary training about not using the firearms if there is not situation which is strictly unavoidable in order to protect life. The State violates the right to life as such. The articles 1, 2 and 13 are violated.
15.4- The European Court of Human Rights stated in the judgment of McCann and Others, as follows;
“The Court's approach to the interpretation of Article 2 (art. 2) must be guided by the fact that the object and purpose of the Convention as an instrument for the protection of individual human beings requires that its provisions be interpreted and applied so as to make its safeguards practical and effective (see, inter alia, the Soering v. the United Kingdom judgment of 7 July 1989, Series A no. 161, p. 34, para. 87, and the Loizidou v. Turkey (Preliminary Objections) judgment of 23 March 1995, Series A no. 310, p. 27, para. 72).
It must also be borne in mind that, as a provision (art. 2) which not only safeguards the right to life but sets out the circumstances when the deprivation of life may be justified, Article 2 (art. 2) ranks as one of the most fundamental provisions in the Convention - indeed one which, in peacetime, admits of no derogation under Article 15 (art. 15). Together with Article 3 (art. 15+3) of the Convention, it also enshrines one of the basic values of the democratic societies making up the Council of Europe (see the above-mentioned Soering judgment, p. 34, para. 88). As such, its provisions must be strictly construed.
The Court considers that the exceptions delineated in paragraph 2 (art. 2-2) indicate that this provision (art. 2-2) extends to, but is not concerned exclusively with, intentional killing. As the Commission has pointed out, the text of Article 2 (art. 2), read as a whole, demonstrates that paragraph 2 (art. 2-2) does not primarily define instances where it is permitted intentionally to kill an individual, but describes the situations where it is permitted to "use force" which may result, as an unintended outcome, in the deprivation of life. The use of force, however, must be no more than "absolutely necessary" for the achievement of one of the purposes set out in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) (art. 2-2-a, art. 2-2-b, art. 2-2-c) (see application no. 10044/82, Stewart v. the United Kingdom, 10 July 1984, Decisions and Reports 39, pp. 169-71).
In this respect the use of the term "absolutely necessary" in Article 2 para. 2 (art. 2-2) indicates that a stricter and more compelling test of necessity must be employed from that normally applicable when determining whether State action is "necessary in a democratic society" under paragraph 2 of Articles 8 to 11 (art. 8-2, art. 9-2, art. 10-2, art. 11-2) of the Convention. In particular, the force used must be strictly proportionate to the achievement of the aims set out in sub-paragraphs 2 (a), (b) and (c) of Article 2 (art. 2-2-a-b-c).
In keeping with the importance of this provision (art. 2) in a democratic society, the Court must, in making its assessment, subject deprivations of life to the most careful scrutiny, particularly where deliberate lethal force is used, taking into consideration not only the actions of the agents of the State who actually administer the force but also all the surrounding circumstances including such matters as the planning and control of the actions under examination.”
In the light of this judgment, in the case of homicide of Baran tursun by a police officer, the articles 2 and 13 were violated by virtue of not having an effective investigation taking into consideration of both the act of the accused police officer in the instant case and the attitudes of police department to the citizens and also the control and planning of the acts in similar situations.
15.5- The act of the police officer, Oral Emre Atar,(in relation to the homicide of Baran Tursun by the police officer with a firearm) violated the articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention.
While Baran Tursun was driving to home, the police officer fired promptly after the car passed the police vehicle without any stop warning, without setting up any bars on the road to stop the car and without taking any measures to stop the car. At the time Baran Tursun drove passing thorough the Sultan çiftliği Cross, although the police officers did not set up any bars on the road and they were not the alongside of the road, the police officers fired him behind the car after the car passed the police vehicle. Not stopping the car was the only act of Baran Tursun. The police officer fired without any power under these conditions. There was no act that Baran Tursun endangered the traffic. Not only Baran Tursun hit nowhere but also he had no suspicious behaviour to be stopped.
Izmir is peace city with a very few cases. The cases which were marked to justify the act of police officer could not be linked with this case, also these cases were not in the agenda of Izmir. The alleged cases could not be the reason of using a firearm against Baran Tursun who had no arms and was defenceless.
On the other hand, it was realized from the radio records and the duty records of the police officers that a police vehicle which was at Egemek Cross100 meter away from the place that Baran was shot, set up bars on the road to stop Baran’s car.
The car which had 35AL9207 license plate, was registered in the name of Tursan Company. In the police radio records, the license plate was announced by the police officers. In case of not stopping the car, it was very easy to find the driver from the digital records in a few seconds. So, in the instant case, the power for “stoppage” and “using firearm” in the meaning of the conditions mentioned in the articles 4/A and 16 of Law on Police Duties and Powers, was not occurred.
the police officer and other witness police officers in the stages of proceedings alleged that he did not fire directly to the car, he fired a warning shot to the air but, the bullet ricocheted.
Taking into consideration of the piece of bullet sample taking from the victim, the bullet case which was put in he car afterwards, the measurements and determination of the places during the investigation at the crime scene by the domestic court, the reports arranged by Assistant Professor Nadir Arıcan(academician at Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Forensic), Professor Ufuk Katkıçı (Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Medicine) and the radiology report arranged by Assistant Professor Ömer Kitiş(Ege University, Faculty of Medicine) and the statements of witnesses Emre Ökçelik and Atila Doğan, it is clear that the accused police officer did not fire the wheels of the car, he fired directly to the victim by aiming his head, because it was impossible for the bullet to ricochet from the ground and separate from its case, to enter the bone in the back of the cranium after breaking the back window and cause a broken bone such as a dome in the frontal of the cranium.
It is surely ascertained that the fire was aiming to the victim on the basis of the report arranged by the experts (Criminal Investigation Unit) of Izmir Gendarme Command on 13.03.2008 stating that there was no ricochet sign.
The domestic court concluded that Oral Emre Atar fired once, in the position of stand and his hand was parallel to the ground, to the running car behind the car to stop and it was accepted that the bullet did not ricochet from anywhere, the argument that the gun was fired spontaneously or accidentally by the result of that the accused fell down or while he was falling down.
The domestic court also accepted that the accused police officer fired in apposition of standing and his hand was parallel to the ground and the domestic court did not take into consideration the accused police officer’s continuously changing statements like “accidental shot”, “deformation on the bullet resulting from the ricochet of the bullet to the ground”.
The articles 1, 2 and 3 was violated because of a firearm being used by the accused police officer and the cause of the death of Baran Tursun after 5 days in the reanimation room.
15.6- In the domestic law, the existence of the regulations in relation to the using of firearms in force violates the articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.
In the domestic law, article 16 of Law on Police Duties and Powers states that
The police may use firearms in the event of:
a. In the scope of self defence,
c. In cases of resistance by persons whose arrest is necessary or by groups whose dispersal is necessary or of their threatening to attack or carrying out an attack, the police may use violence to subdue these actions.
The Police should, under the scope of (c) clause of seventh paragraph, before using a firearm, warn the person to stop as the person is able to hear. In case the person goes on to escape, the police could fire a warning shot. Despite the warning shot, if the person is still running away and if the person cannot be arrested in no way, the police shall fire to arrest the person or fire properly to arrest the person.
This regulation is not compatible with the rights of the Convention and the regulation, itself, has a nature that violates the core of right to life. The domestic law does not necessitate the term “In any event, intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life”. The power to use firearms is widely recognized by the domestic law. The police has the power to use firearms in the circumstances of detention or in delicto or arrest warrant in with the self defence and the acts for protection of life in the domestic law. The mentioned law was amended in 2007 and the police has a wider range in power of using firearm. In the amendment, there was no differentiation according to the offences. Namely, the police could use firearm in case of detention or arrest or arrest warrant for even the very simple offences. For example, the police could use firearm in case of noise made by someone, because the police could arrest him for a fine punishment. The very wide using firearm power of police leads to commit the crimes in relation to the violation of right to life as a usual act. The regulation under Law on Duties and Powers of Police forms the violation of the Convention on a lawful base.
By the virtue of case law of courts, the range of using firearm power is tried to be clarified. According to the some case law of the Supreme Court, not to obey the stop warning does not give the right to use firearm. Article 2 was violated on the basis that the legal regulation permits wider power in using firearm than the Convention.
15.7- The police officer shot Baran Tursun with his firearm whereas the conditions regulated under the scope of law did not exist. The act of the police officer violated articles 1, 2/2 and 3.
The condition in the Law on Duties and Powers of Police which permits using firearm in case of a resistance which could not be stopped by using force or physical force, did not exist in this case. In the instant case, neither the victim nor the other people, in the car resisted against the police and the police did not use any kind of force against them. The police did not warn the victim to stop. If the warning was made, not obeying the warning would no be regarded as a resistance or defiance. In many case law of Supreme Court, not obeying the stop warning of the traffic police does not constitute the elements of negative resistance against the officer on duty.
In the instant case, the firearm was used although the conditions in relation to arrest warrant, in delicto and to provide arrest properly, did not exist.
In the domestic law, the power of using firearm aims to provide the arrest under the conditions of arrest, bringing by force, in delicto ot arrest warrant.
For this reason, in the instant case, the police had no power of using firearm. The rule in the article which regulates using firearm for only to provide arrest in a proper and proportionate way, does not aim anything else. Because, the main duty of the State and the security forces who represent the State, is to protect the life safety of people.
Reasonably, using firearm as threading the life safety of people or as violating the right to life, could no be regarded as a lawful firearm using.
According to the police radio records, in 20 seconds, closing the there lane road by parking two police vehicles as permitting only one car entry, placing the pontoons 100-200 meters away from the police vehicles and driving back and waiting for the car can not be accomplished in 20 seconds. And also the car passed the bar and 100-150 meters away from the bar, had an accident by hitting trees and utility pole.
In the investigation at the crime scene done by the domestic court, upon the order of the court to show the positions of the police vehicles, it was clarified that the allegation that the road was not closed and police vehicles were not parked as permitting only one car entry, was not a reliable statement.
According to the police radio records, it was announced that the police team 82340 had been waiting and had already closed the road at Egemak Cross. Both the police chief and the officer who directed the police radio announces did not order to use firearms.
By reason of these explanations, the conditions of using firearm against Baran Tursun by the police officer did not exist. Although it was possible to prevent any kind of damage by less force in the instant case, the firearm was used. There was a serious disproportion between the damage occurred when the lethal force would be used or the reasonable foreseeable damage which would be the result of the undesirable act and the damage which would be wanted to prevent. In this case, using firearm was not reasonable.
In the judgment of Nachova and Other v. Bulgaria(26.07.2005; 43577/98 ve 43579/98), ECHR fixed the criteria as for the requirements for using firearms compatible with the former case law. The Court stated as follows:
“The applicants alleged that their relatives had been killed in violation of Article 2 of the Convention, as a result of deficient law and practice which permitted the use of lethal force without absolute necessity. They also complained that the authorities had failed to conduct an effective investigation into the deaths, in violation of Article 2 and Article 13. The applicants further alleged that prejudice and hostile attitudes towards people of Roma origin had played a decisive role in the events leading up to the shootings and the failure to carry out a meaningful investigation. They relied on Article 14 in conjunction with Article 2.
The Court noted as a matter of grave concern that the regulations on the use of firearms by the military police effectively permitted lethal force to be used when arresting a member of the armed forces for even the most minor offence. Not only were the regulations not published, they contained no clear safeguards to prevent the arbitrary deprivation of life.
Such a legal framework was fundamentally deficient and fell well short of the level of protection “by law” of the right to life that was required by the Convention in present-day democratic societies in Europe. The Court thus found that there had been a general failure by Bulgaria to comply with its obligation under Article 2 of the Convention to secure the right to life by putting in place an appropriate legal and administrative framework on the use of force and firearms by military police.
As regards the planning and control of the operation, the Grand Chamber endorsed the Chamber’s finding that the authorities had failed to comply with their obligation to minimise the risk of loss of life since the arresting officers had been instructed to use all available means to arrest Mr Angelov and Mr Petkov, despite the fact that they were unarmed and posed no danger to life or limb. On this subject, the Grand Chamber said that the absence of a clear legal and regulatory framework had permitted a team of heavily armed officers to be dispatched to arrest the two men without any prior discussion of the threat, if any, they posed or clear warnings on the need to minimise any risk to life. In short, the manner in which the operation had been planned and controlled betrayed a deplorable disregard for the pre-eminence of the right to life.
As to the actions of the arresting officers, the Court considered that in the circumstances of the case any resort to potentially lethal force was prohibited by Article 2 of the Convention, regardless of any risk that Mr Angelov and Mr Petkov might escape. In addition, the conduct of Major G., the officer who shot the victims, called for serious criticism in that he had used grossly excessive force. Other means could have been used to arrest the men. Although he also carried a handgun, Major G. had chosen to use his automatic rifle and switched it to automatic mode making it impossible to take aim with any reasonable degree of precision. Lastly, there was no plausible explanation for the fact that Mr Petkov had been wounded in the chest, and the possibility that he had turned to surrender at the last minute but had nevertheless been shot could not be excluded.
The Court found in conclusion that Bulgaria had failed to comply with its obligations under Article 2 of the Convention in that the relevant legal framework on the use of force was fundamentally flawed and Mr Angelov and Mr Petkov had been killed in circumstances in which any use of firearms to effect their arrest was incompatible with Article 2 of the Convention. Furthermore, grossly excessive force had been used. There had therefore been a violation of Article 2 of the Convention as regards the deaths of Mr Angelov and Mr Petkov.”
The reasoning of this judgement could be applied in all cases related with the violations of right to life. As stated in the judgment, “Accordingly, and with reference to Article 2 § 2 (b) of the Convention, the legitimate aim of effecting a lawful arrest can only justify putting human life at risk in circumstances of absolute necessity. The Court considers that in principle there can be no such necessity where it is known that the person to be arrested poses no threat to life or limb and is not suspected of having committed a violent offence, even if a failure to use lethal force may result in the opportunity to arrest the fugitive being lost”
As also in the mentioned judgement “However, any use of force must be “no more than absolutely necessary”, that is to say it must be strictly proportionate in the circumstances. In view of the fundamental nature of the right to life, the circumstances in which deprivation of life may be justified must be strictly construed.” If there is a conflict between escaping of a person and his life, the right to life should be protected in any case.
There was no public interest protected by killing Baran Tursun.
The provision in article 16/7 of Law on Duties and Powers of Police, referred the proportionality criteria by saying that using firearm in the degree of only to provide arrest. The accused police officer in the instant case should had not been benefited from any kind of protection because he was over the limits by virtue of killing deliberately or at least proable intention.
European Court of Human Rights, such as in the judgment of Nachova, stated the similar judgment in the case of Oğur v. Turkey(20.05.1999-21594/93), underlying the terms of “proportionality” and “absolute necessary”
The Court stated in the judgement as follows:
“The Court, further, reiterates that the exceptions delineated in paragraph 2 of Article 2 of the Convention indicate that this provision extends to, but is not concerned exclusively with, intentional killing. The text of Article 2, read as a whole, demonstrates that paragraph 2 does not primarily define instances where it is permitted intentionally to kill an individual, but describes the situations where it is permitted to “use force” which may result, as an unintended outcome, in the deprivation of life. The use of force, however, must be no more than “absolutely necessary” for the achievement of one of the purposes set out in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) or (c).
In this respect the use of the term “absolutely necessary” in Article 2 § 2 indicates that a stricter and more compelling test of necessity must be employed than that normally applicable when determining whether State action is “necessary in a democratic society” under paragraph 2 of Articles 8 to 11 of the Convention. In particular, the force used must be strictly proportionate to the achievement of the aims set out in sub-paragraphs 2 (a), (b) and (c) of Article 2.
In keeping with the importance of this provision in a democratic society, the Court must, in making its assessment, subject deprivations of life to the most careful scrutiny, particularly where deliberate lethal force is used, taking into consideration not only the actions of the agents of the State who actually administer the force but also all the surrounding circumstances including such matters as the planning and control of the actions under examination (see the McCann and Others v. the United Kingdom judgment of 27 September 1995, Series A no. 324, p. 46, §§ 148-50).
The Court must therefore now consider whether in the instant case the force used against the victim by the security forces could be said to be absolutely necessary and therefore strictly proportionate to the achievement of one of the aims set out in paragraph 2 of Article 2, the only relevant ones of which, in the circumstances of the case, are the “defence of any person from unlawful violence” and “effect[ing] a lawful arrest”.
In this connection, it should be remembered that, according to the Government, the objective of the members of the security forces had been to apprehend the victim, who was thought to be a terrorist. On that occasion they had had to face a “major armed response”, to which they had replied with warning shots, one of which had hit Musa Oğur, who had allegedly been running away. That accident was explained, in particular, by the poor visibility at the scene of the events, due to fog and the lie of the land, which was sloping.
…In sum, all the deficiencies so far noted in the planning and execution of the operation in issue suffice for it to be concluded that the use of force against Musa Oğur was neither proportionate nor, accordingly, absolutely necessary in defence of any person from unlawful violence or to arrest the victim. There has therefore been a violation of Article 2 on that account.”
In the light of these judgements, it was disproportionate to use firearm for the reason that Baran Tursun did not stop. The circumstances mentioned in article 2/2 of the Convention are not in question for this case, so article 2/1 of the Convention was violated. And the act of the police officer also caused the fact that Baran Tursun wounded seriously and stayed at the reanimation service of the hospital for 5 days till his death, so articles 1 and 3 of the Convention were violated.
15.8- The State under obligation of taking any kind measures to protect the right to life, did not fulfill this requirement and caused the violation of articles 1, 2 and 13 of the Convention.
The training regime and the formation style of security units cause the acts of the police officers violating the right to life. The deaths arising from the violence of the police results from the fact that the State does not fulfil the obligation on protecting the life safety.
Firstly, the police violence in Turkey is a systematic state policy. Baran Tursun case is not disjunctive. The State gives a very wide range of power to the security forces in both legal regulations and implementation.
The state aims and the protection of security departments is the main point for the security forces which are formed to provide security in and out and this policy is more important than to provide the life safety. Today, the security forces become a very threat for the life safety of citizens. In Turkey, there are many violations in relation to right to life by the security forces. According to the data of 2009, the number of children who were killed by the security forces is 372 for last 20 years. This number only includes the cases from the press. We could not predict the number cases which were out of the papers.
According to the BARANSAV(a foundation by Mehmet Tursun, the applicant, after Baran Tursun’s death) information, 90 people lost his life by the result of police violence from the date Baran Tursun was shot(25.11.2007) till today. If the Turkish Media is examined, it will be seen that people is subjected to police violence or shot by a police gun every day. Mehmet Şirin Çiftçi in Diyarbakir and another person in Van are shot and killed by security forces while we are writing the application to ECHR.
According to research results of Baransav Foundation in relation to police violence which is becoming wide spread, after the amendments in Law on Duties and Powers of Police in 2007, the institutionalized state violence shows itself in all areas of Turkey.
By the reason of lack of adequate investigation and impartial and independent trial for the crimes of torture, wound or homicide committed by the police officers on duty and therefore impunity for police officers, committing these kinds of crimes are encouraged.
The judicial process protects the police who uses firearm and violates the right to life. It is a common fact that the police officers are interfering the proceedings by virtue of destroying, altering or producing the evidences in cases similar to Baran Tursun case. In many cases, the polices are not before the judge for destroying the evidences. But in Baran’s case, by the reason of family members effort and the support of media, polices were tried but acquitted.
The training regime and the formation style of security units cause the acts of the police officers violating the right to life. The power to use firearms is widely recognized by the domestic law. There is no mechanism to monitor, examine and limit the use of firearm in Turkey so the police crime is increasing.
15.9- After Baran’s death, for fighting against the police violence, International Baran Tursun Foundation (BARANSAV) was founded. According to foundation data, the people whose right to life were violated as follows:
1-Baran Tursun, Doğan Teyboğa, 3-Metin Lokumcu, 4-Enver Turan,5-Kazım Şeker, 6-İbrahim Çoban, 7-Tuba Korkmaz, 7-Volkan Polat, 8-Çiğdem Şahin, 9-Çağdaş Gemik, 10-Özge Keyikçi, 11-Sabire Yaman, 12-Erol Postacı, 13-Hüseyin Turgut, 14-Mustafa Uslu, 15-Cemal Yalın, 16-Gökhan Ergün, 17-Fatih Cem İnci, 18-İbrahim Özkaymak, 19-Feyzullah Ete, 20-Alaettin Karadağ, 21-Turan Özdemir, 22-Mehmet Uytum, 23-Enver Turan, 24-Emrah Gezer, 25-Diren Basan, 26-Enes Ata, 27- Emrah Dervişoğlu, 28-Fevzi Abik, 29-Ahmet Sargın, 30-Narin Bögür, 31-Şerzan Kurt, 32-Halil Bulut, 33-Murat Kasap, 34- Aytekin Arnavutoğlu, 35-Yahya Menekşe, 36-İbrahim Halil Çoban, 37-Aydın Erdem, 38-Soner Cankal, 39-Tuncay Cüzdan, 40- Furkan Akşil, 41-Hecer Uslu, 42-İbrahim Sevindik, 43-Abulsamet Erip, 44-Emre Günay, 45-Muhsin Kasapoli, 46-Ali Demir, 47- Fevzi Abik, 48-Yaşar Karaoğlan, 49- Ahmet Özhan, 50- Cengiz Koç, 51- Orhan Caner, 52-Gürsel Varol, 53-Orhan Oflas, 54- Erdal Koloğlu, 55-Visuale Süleymanova, 56-Ercan Ceylan, 57-Selçuk Yıldır, 58-Zeki Erik, 59-Murat Kurtaran, 60-Mehmet Balıkçı, 61-İbrahim Tınaz, 62-Uğur Çetin, 63-Kevser Yılmaz, 64-Aziz Yargı, 65- Ercan Ceylan, 66- Fahrettin Şedal, 67-Mehmet Deniz, 68-Mehmet Şirin Çiftçi, 69-Serkan Çedik.
15.10- The people who were killed at the police stations:
70-Mustafa Kökçe, 71-Özcan Kurtuluş,72-Ahmet Laçin, 73-Ahmet Akbaş, 74-Serkan Çedik, 75-Osman Aslı, 76-Abdurrahman Sözen, 77-Resul İlçin, 78-Ahmet Cömert, 79-Murat Konuş, 80-Fuat Bayoğlu, 81-Metin Yüksel, 82-Gökhan Belgüzar, 83-Festus Okey, 84-Erhan Turan, 85-Abbas İnan, 86-Hakkı Cangı, 87-Dariusz Witek, 88-Orhan Oflaz,89-Selçuk Yıldır, 90-Mustafa Kökçe
All these people were killed by the security forces for last 3 and half years. This number only includes the cases from the media in Turkey, so, taking into account that there are many cases not known by the media, this number should be accepted as the minimum.
15.11- According to the report of Turkey Human Rights Foundation in relation the amendments in law of 2559(Law on Duties and Powers of Police), there is an increase of number of people killed or wounded.
From the date, the amendments in relation to the Law on Duties and Power of Police, the numbers of death and killing cases in which the offender was a police is 90. (Annex 116: The list of the people killed by the security forces since 25.11.2007, Annex 117: The list of children killed by the security forces)
15.12- The majority of people who were killed by the police are Kurdish patriots or people who have leftist thoughts. The officers of Security Directorate are mostly chosen from the people who have a sympathy to National Movement Party(MHP). So these officers believe in restricting the freedoms and rights rather than democracy and rights and freedoms.
The Security Department does not recognize the right of an individual when face a security problem. The society has a common view that “the one who goes to police station is now dead.”
15.13- According to the ECHR case law, it was stated that “However, any use of force must be “no more than absolutely necessary”, that is to say it must be strictly proportionate in the circumstances. In view of the fundamental nature of the right to life, the circumstances in which deprivation of life may be justified must be strictly construed.”
In Turkey, the security forces could easily use disproportionate force even against the demonstrations or press statements. For example, Şerzan Kurt was killed by a police shot in Muğla University after a tension between the groups who counter thoughts.
15.14- The investigation process was not impartial and effective. So article 13 of the Convention was violated.
In the judgment of Batı v. Turkey, the court stated that
“Where an individual has an arguable claim that he has been tortured while in the hands of agents of the State, the notion of an “effective remedy” entails, in addition to the payment of compensation where appropriate and without prejudice to any other remedy available in domestic law, a thorough and effective investigation. The kind of investigation that will achieve those purposes may vary according to the circumstances. However, whatever the method of investigation, the authorities must act as soon as an official complaint has been lodged. Even when strictly speaking no complaint has been made, an investigation must be started if there are sufficiently clear indications that torture or ill-treatment has been used (see, among other authorities, Özbey v. Turkey (dec.), no. 31883/96, 8 March 2001; see also the Istanbul Protocol, paragraph 100 above). The authorities must take into account the particularly vulnerable situation of victims of torture and the fact that people who have been subjected to serious ill-treatment will often be less ready or willing to make a complaint (see Aksoy, cited above, pp. 2286-87, §§ 97-98).
The investigation must be “effective” in practice as well as in law, and not be unjustifiably hindered by the acts or omissions of the authorities of the respondent State (see Aksoy, cited above, p. 2286, § 95, and Aydin, cited above, pp. 1895-96, § 103). It should be capable of leading to the identification and punishment of those responsible (see Aksoy, cited above, p. 2287, § 98). Otherwise, the general legal prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment would, despite its fundamental importance, be ineffective in practice and it would be possible in some cases for agents of the State to abuse the rights of those within their control with virtual impunity (see Labita v. Italy [GC], no. 26772/95, § 131, ECHR 2000-IV).
Admittedly, this is a qualified, not an absolute, obligation. The Court takes note of the fact that allegations of torture in police custody are extremely difficult for the victim to substantiate if he or she has been isolated from the outside world, without access to doctors, lawyers, family or friends who could provide support and assemble the necessary evidence (see Aksoy, cited above, p. 2286, § 97). The authorities must take whatever reasonable steps they can to secure the evidence concerning the incident, including, inter alia, a detailed statement concerning the allegations from the alleged victim, eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence and, where appropriate, additional medical certificates apt to provide a full and accurate record of the injuries and an objective analysis of the medical findings, in particular as regards the cause of the injuries. Any deficiency in the investigation which undermines its ability to establish the cause of injury or the person responsible will risk falling foul of this standard.
For an investigation into torture or ill-treatment by agents of the State to be regarded as effective, the general rule is that the persons responsible for the inquiries and those conducting the investigation should be independent of anyone implicated in the events (see, mutatis mutandis, Güleç v. Turkey, judgment of 27 July 1998, Reports 1998-IV, p. 1733, §§ 81-82, and Oğur v. Turkey [GC], no. 21594/93, §§ 91-92, ECHR 1999-III). This means not only that there should be no hierarchical or institutional connection but also that the investigators should be independent in practice (see, mutatis mutandis, Ergi v. Turkey, judgment of 28 July 1998, Reports 1998-IV, pp. 1778-79, §§ 83-84, and Hugh Jordan v. the United Kingdom, no. 24746/94, § 120, 4 May 2001).
It is beyond doubt that a requirement of promptness and reasonable expedition is implicit in this context. A prompt response by the authorities in investigating allegations of ill-treatment may generally be regarded as essential in maintaining public confidence in their adherence to the rule of law and in preventing any appearance of collusion in or tolerance of unlawful acts (see, among other authorities, Indelicato v. Italy, no. 31143/96, § 37, 18 October 2001, and Özgür Kılıç v. Turkey (dec.), no. 42591/98, 24 September 2002). While there may be obstacles or difficulties which prevent progress in an investigation in a particular situation, it may generally be regarded as essential for the authorities to launch an investigation promptly in order to maintain public confidence in their adherence to the rule of law and prevent any appearance of collusion in or tolerance of unlawful acts (see, mutatis mutandis, Paul and Audrey Edwards v. the United Kingdom, no. 46477/99, § 72, ECHR 2002-II).
For the same reasons, there must be a sufficient element of public scrutiny of the investigation or its results to secure accountability in practice as well as in theory. The degree of public scrutiny required may well vary from case to case. In all cases, however, the complainant must be afforded effective access to the investigatory procedure (see Aksoy, cited above, p. 2287, § 98, and Büyükdağ, cited above, § 67).”
Taking into consideration that the cases in relation to homicide of Baran Tursun and destroying of the evidences in the light of ECHR case law, it is obvious that articles 6 and 13 were violated.
The investigation was enforced by the police officers of Security Department who were the colleagues and friends of the accused police officer. Whereas Turkey regulates the judicial police by law, there is no implementation judicial police as separate units. The polices investigate the facts of cases in relation torture or homicide by themselves.
To take the hand swabs for the police officers who used fire arms or probably used fire arms was too late. The beginning time for hand swabs was 06:00 and the process was finished at 08:40. Because of this delay to take the hand swabs, it was not possible to have the hand swabs of Oral Emre ATAR who was responsible for the fire caused Baran’s death.
The police officers who were at the crime scene and who had information about the incident, was invited to the Police Station for the statement of the facts. All the statements of the police officers were exactly the same with each other. Only the police officers changed the names and other personal information under the page and they all signed the same statements. The statements were directed by Bülent Girgin.
Two police officers were charged by the Homicide Branch to take video records of the petrol station. These officers watched the video records at the petrol station and they wrote a minute in relation to the preservation of the copy records by the police. On the other hand, there were many cuts on the copy video record. The copy was not taken as a whole and continuously. No measures were taken to protect the original video records of the petrol station. The records were abolished.
The president of court did not allow the people who would follow the hearings to be in the hearing room because the room was small. On the other hand, the police officers who were on duty were in the hearing room. The representative of Turkey Human Rights Foundation did not attend the hearings. The trial process was closed to the public.
In the judgement of Güleç v. Turkey judgment;
“The procedural protection for the right to life inherent in Article 2 of the Convention means that agents of the State must be accountable for their use of lethal force; their actions must be subjected to some form of independent and public scrutiny capable of determining whether the force used was or was not justified in a particular set of circumstances”
As stated in this judgement and the other judgments and as stated in the facts of the instant case, articles 6 and 13 of the Convention were violated by virtue of lack of impartial and independent investigation and trial process.
15.16- During the proceedings, the applicants were not involved fully. The indictment of Public Prosecutor was not notified to them and was not given the right to objection for the indictment of the public prosecutor.
The State did nothing for the damages of the applicants. Even the payments in relation to the reports were paid by the applicants. By these reasons, articles 6 and 13 of the Convention were violated.
15.17- The judicial investigation duty was enforced by the security forces, this fact leads to the violation of articles 6 and 13 of the Convention by virtue of the legislation and the implementation itself.
The investigation of a crime is enforced by Gendarme at the places where there is not police stations. The police act as a judicial police when encounter a judicial event. No separate judicial police is formed in Turkey. On the other hand, judicial police is regulated in the legislation like Criminal Procedure Code, The Regulation on Police Judicial Duties.
In the instant case, the investigation was not followed by the judicial police which should be independent from other police units, the investigation was enforced by the police officers who were both suspects and witnesses of the crime. So the police officers were not punished. This is a violation arising from the law.
The legislation which provides against an impartial and independent investigation, also violates the articles 6 and 13 of the Convention.
15.18- The judgment of the domestic court in relation to murder of Baran Tursun, violated articles 1, 2, 6 and 13 of the Convention.
15.19- The domestic court’s admission in relation that the conditions of using firearm was formed, violated articles 1, 2, 6, 13 of the Convention.
Despite the fact that the conditions for using a firearm strictly is defined under the terms “absolute necessity”, “no possibility to prevent the crime”, the domestic court judged that using firearm in the instant case justified on account of that the victim also committed the crime of endangering the traffic safety and this crime lead to the definition “in fault” or “in delicto”.
The event occurred at 03:15am. At the crime scene, there were only storerooms, offices or factories; the crime scene is a lone place, so no danger occurred for the others for drinking alcohol. The police officer Bilal Ayhan, before the domestic court, stated that there were no other vehicles on the road at the crime day, except the suspect car. So there was danger for the traffic safety.
Atilla Doğan and Emre Ökçelik stated that they saw no police teams at the cross, they saw one police team on the direction to Bornova and they were not asked to stop anyway. They also stated that the police did not give any sound or sign warning to stop them along the road, only the police officers at the crossing and they also stated that they heard a gunshot.
According to the police radio records, in the time of 02:07 minute of the record, 82330 police team announcement was made. At 03:04 minute of the records, 82329 police team announced that they were by Egemak Cross.
The operator of the centre radio, announced at 04:33 minute of the records as follows: “From Manas Boulevard to Sultan Çiftliği direction, the teams! Be sensitive!” and the 82329 police team responded “I am there, sir.”
The operator of the centre radio ordered to make a barrier on the road, the 82329 police team said: “Ok, correct”. This dialogue is at the 04:50 minute of the records.
The announce “…had accident.”
On the records of the Opet gas station security camera the images has been tampered with and defaced by two police officers. With keeping record of the contradictory images, where the resolution of the images were made, it is written that the vehicle used by Baran TURSUN quickly passed here and police teams followed him in the back. They kept a record confirming the statements of the policemen. However, it is understood from the images that the vehicle used by Baran TURSUN never passed the gas station. The request for the original record of the applicants has not been answered and the camera records have been destroyed.
Emre ÖKÇELİK and Atila DOĞAN claimed in their statements of witness, that when they arrived to the junction of incident happened, there was no intersection of the road with a barricade, likewise no warning was called out either, no pontoon was placed on the road, there were only newly arrived policemen in their vehicle at the junction, a short period of time after passing this place, they heard a gunshot.
Even though among the evidence collected, in which there was no broken pontoon found, that no barricade was set up as seen on the images and photographs of the incident, that in no statement it was declared and no evidence was found that a warning was called out that weapons are to be used on failure to comply with stop warning; still a weapon was used in accordance with the law that the court constitutes, is a breach of contract acceptance.
Due to the investigation process findings and radio listings it is seen that the incident could not be happened as in the expression from the accused or police officers in charge. The first announcement of team number 82330 is heard at minute 02:07 of the radio voice recording. The first announcement of team number 82329 is at minute 03:04 of the recording and on evaluation of the speeches it informs that they are close to the “Egemak Junction”. On the announcement of the police station at minute 04:33 saying “Teams be sensitive on the direction Manas Boulevard to Sultan Çiftliği”, team number 82329 gave a response at minute 04:36 with “I’m there at the moment, sir”.
The response of this team to the order from the police station to cut the road was “true, all right” and took places at minute 04:50 of the record. After that, the speech time of “ …he made an accident” was at minute 05:10. The accused and especially the officers of team 82329 testified on different stages that they received the order to cut the road after the vehicle already turned off from the Smyrna Square into the Manas Boulevard, thereupon they set up the barricade and placed the pontoons, they even assessed the situation with team number 82333 and started to wait on the road. However, as it is understood from the records there was only 20 sec. between the instructions and the time of accident of the vehicle. It is not possible for the accused and Veysel AYDIN to do the action as they described above within a time strip of 15-20 seconds. Nevertheless due to the investigation with measurements made by the gendarmerie expert, the distance between the Smyrna Square and Sultan Çiftliği is only 900 meters. With taking into consideration of the expressions that Baran TURSUN’s vehicle had an excessive speed and the considering that he moved ahead with a minimum of 100 km/h, it would take him only 34 seconds to complete the mentioned road. Because of this it is not possible to set up a barricade within this time strip as the accused and some witnesses told, it is more likely and more appropriate to accept, due to the laws of physics and available evidences, that as indicated by the witnesses Atilla DOĞAN and Emre ÖZÇELİK, the officers, which just arrived to the junction and being busy stepping out of their vehicle, fired after Baran TURSUN, right after he passed them. With the definite facts due to the radio recordings and investigations, an authority does not occur for the police officer to use his weapon.
Even though the victim Baran TURSUN was not a wanted person, that he did not generate any danger whilst driving the vehicle, According to the Convention conditions of the use of firearms as a condition of absolute necessity for the protection of the right to life is not present, the courts acceptance that the conditions to use firearms is given, violates articles 1, 2, 6 and 13 of the Convention.
15-20- With the courts acceptance, that the offence is committed in negligence, it violates articles 1, 2, 6.13 and 14 of the Convention.
The court has decided, in relation to the murder of victim Baran Tursun, that the accused used the right given by law, that in this context the nature of the offence is legally appropriate but because on action using his authority beyond all bonds, it is consent that negligence on charges of the character of murder and that he inadvertently exceeded the limit, it is evaluated that he may be responsible according to the TPC articles 85/1, 24/1 and 27/1 and therefore sentenced to conviction for 2 years, 1 month. Where there is authority to use weapons, it is important what purpose the perpetrator moves to use weapons and what intention he has at the time of the event. The intention will be determined by the formation of the event. The accused police officer; at his statement at prosecutors office; because of ”the victims escape”, at his statement at the interrogation judgment office; because “the victim did not stopped” “he thought that he might have been involved in a major situation” at his statement at prosecutors office and interrogation judgment office he declared; when disposing himself on the ground the weapon in his hand “had an accidental ignition” and that resulted to fire. On his statements on court he declared; “…that after the vehicle, he fired one more time to the vehicles tire while it drove by…”.
The expert witness reports that it is proven, that the accused aimed and fired while he was standing behind the vehicle and parallel to the ground and the court acknowledged that the accused fired in this position. The Police officer is using weapons professionally. In this aspect he has been trained very seriously. He is in a position to know that he could hit the driver or the person next to him when he fires from after the vehicle. After accepting the position of the accused in this way the court handled the offense assess the negligence and intended to protect the accused police officer.
According to established case law of the higher court, to determine the presence of purpose in the event of the accused, before, during and after the event behavior should be taken into account, weapons used in the incident, the perpetrator and the victims position, the weapons suitability, the shooting position and manner, whether the region where the weapon was fired is vital or not, should be evaluated.
The accused fired from behind of the victims’ vehicle, parallel to the ground and considering the target. That the accused did not act to stop the vehicle is understood from his firing position. It is not possible to stop the vehicle with shooting anywhere to it (for example: bumper, mirror, headlight, etc..). Medical evidence shows that there were not fired at the vehicle's tire. For this reason, the accused O. Emre ATAR, did not act to stop the vehicle or to catch the driver, he act with the intent to kill. At least according to the measure during the investigation process, it is unlikely to not see, where the height from the back of the Jeep up to 1,54 m from the head section of the driver's seat is and on firing parallel to the ground, that as a result the driver or others will die. The accused is a police officer, he is trained in case of weapon use and he has more knowledge and experience then the mainstream society of the consequences to fire a weapon. The accused was aware of that someone could be wounded or killed while he was firing after the vehicle, in this regard he also knows that his movement is against the law, therefore it is evaluated that he committed the offense of homicide with intention, on charging with negligence homicide in regard to protect the police and the policing profession to continue, instead of establishing a conviction on charges of “possible homicide with intention” articles 1, 6, 13 and 14 of the Convention have been violated.
15.-21- That with the conviction the accused has not been taken off his duty and that he has been given the right to continue his duty as a police officer who carries a weapon is a violation against articles 13 and 14 of the Convention;
The court has decided that it is not necessary to apply Article 53 of the TPC. Article 53 has been designed to withdraw the use of certain rights “permanent or temporary”. The court has not made the decision to even temporarily ban the accused who was cause of the death of a young person of carrying a weapon and discharge him of his profession as a police officer. Besides the short period of detention of this police officer he took the gun with whom he shot Baran Tursun and went on carrying out his profession as a police officer. Also not with a court decision there has been a restriction to continue his profession and carry or use a weapon.
To ban the police officer who has killed a man with a weapon given to him by the state of carrying a weapon and discharge him of his profession is a necessity for the right to live. Article 53 of the TPC has been designed for the withdrawal of certain rights through a conviction by law. Even in the simplest offences this law article is being applied. For example, if a person who has been through a traffic accident has caused injury to a person the driving license will be confiscated.
However, regarding the police officer who killed Baran Tursun the court’s decision to not apply Article 53 of the TPC implements that because he is a police officer a separate treatment is exposed and that he has been exempted from certain fines. For this reason Article 13 and 14 of the Convention has been violated.
15.22- That the offences of not informing the police officer to his public worker, of destroying, hiding or changing offence evidences and of designing false documents have been acquitted is a violation of Article 6 and 13 of the Convention.
An officer who is aware of judicial cases should inform the Public Prosecutor immediately and the prosecutor should personally and promptly carry out an effectively investigation. The prosecutor should conduct the investigation with officers of law enforcement.
According to national legislation; necessary measures should be taken so that measures at the scene are taken to prevent evidence to be destroyed, changed or lost, so that the accused is maintained, so that witnesses are moved away from the scene before taking their statements, so that the witnesses are not able to talk to the accused or to each other. At the scene; sufficient recourses to commit an offence and that belong to the accused (like weapons with or without firearms, bullets, shells…), traces on site left by the offence accused and the victim and people involved, should be determined, labeled and notified. During this process it should be organized to make sure that evidence is not to be lost, destroyed or changed from their places.
It should be notified immediately to the prosecutor that a weapon has been used on the scene and that a person has been shot. However, it has been notified three and a half hours later. Before the crime scene investigation team has been informed the shells have been collected, the scene has been sandblasted for the evidence to be lost, and a car spotter vehicle has been towed. The prosecutor has been informed three and a half hours after the event. The police officers have collected the shells themselves, a vehicle has been towed, the scene has not been stripped, evidence has been lost by sandblasting the scene.
The places of the shells should have been determined through numbering and photographing by the crime scene investigation team. However, before this has been done the shells were collected by witnesses at the scene. Even though in the record with the title “scene and taking in maintenance” dated on 25.11.2007 and showing the time of 07:15 o`clock that is signed by the accused, it is written that the shells were “delivered and maintained by the homicide department”, there is no register found that they have been handed over to an officer of the homicide department. The accused have first hidden the shells, it is clear that when they were needed for the determination of the use of a weapon by the doctor they were forced to let them be recovered again.
That the vehicle, as the most important evidence at the scene, is removed from the scene makes it impossible to determine the position how the vehicle was. Nevertheless it prevented to inspect the vehicle from the inside and outside in a healthy way. The incident happened in the night at 03:17, on a multi lane road where other vehicles could have use the other lanes, and the vehicle is removed to for the destruction of evidence. It has given rise to the loss of Car and Crime Scene Evidence and circumstantial evidence and prevented the execution of a fair investigation.
Within the time of removing the vehicle from the scene, until the tow truck to be loaded, procedural mistake made in many ways with resulting to the loss of trace evidence. The police officers did not carry out their duties in case of removing the spectator crowds, controlling going in and out of the scene, preventing distortion and change of evidence. The suspect O. Emre Atar who shot Baran Tursun was not taken into custody, it was not prevented that witnesses leaving the scene without giving statement, it was not prevented that the accused speak with the witnesses and the witnesses with each other.
During this process, they did not carry out their duties as giving attention to the scene and investigating the scene and in case of that evidence disappears, get damaged, and altered places. No guards were assigned to protect the scene until the outcome of investigation or review pending.
Immediately after the event members of the media took photos. On camera images it is seen that members of the media and citizens came into contact to the vehicle as they were almost in the vehicle.
Again, someone scrambling inside the vehicle and an officially dressed police officer was standing next to the vehicle with a white bag in his stand is taken into record. Even though the scene was crowded, no identification of witnesses could be made. It is obvious and clear that evidences were concealed, been modified and destroyed by friends of the accused.
The suspects reported an accident of the victim staged a traffic accident report, after the incident, to cover up the committed offense of murder. The suspects hid from the judicial authorities’ and health employees that the victim is injured or may be injured by a gunshot. With collecting empty shells from the scene, towing the vehicle from the scene or not hindering the towing, at 04:00 hrs a bullet is detected by the doctor in the head of the victim, they became to suspects, after the event passed over to the public prosecutor’s office, they made the report of event at 07:15, and signed trying to create a file with false content to influence the judicial investigation, in which they are in fact suspects. The court, takes the elements of the evidence resulting from criminal suspects, counts these evidences in their favor and includes it to the provision on the basis of this evidence and decides for acquittal.
By placing the bullet, from whom it is not clear from where and how it has been provided, the picture has been taken while the car was on the tower and an image is not available, on a piece of a bullet case at the right seat of the car it has been proved with number (5) and they have attempted to mislead the judicial authorities by designing an official document regarding this.
The mentioned piece of bullet case en bullet taken from the victim have been investigated in the consultative authority report with number BLS-2007/8277 dated on 11.12.2007 by the laboratory of the Criminal Police in Izmir and their consideration in the report for both of them is “that they believe it is not possible for them to be in this state by hitting the vehicles window or the body (head), only by hitting something hard it can become in this state”.
With the piece of bullet case that was provided later and the presentation of untrue information regarding the nature of the piece of bullet case in the court file they wanted to deceive the judicial authorities regarding the character of the offence. By the persistent pursuit of the clients that the evidence has been fabricated, the character as evidence of the piece of bullet case has been eliminated.
That the decision of acquittal has been given even though it has been scientific proven that the piece of bullet case with the bullet have been placed in the car afterwards shows that the trial has not been impartial.
Whereas the in the report dated on 08.05.2008 prepared by Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine Specialist Dr. Nadir ARICAN he explains scientifically that the bullet from the head of Baran TURSUN and the piece of bullet case can not belong to the same bullet. In the report;
“If you evaluate the morphological characteristics of the piece of bullet case, it is observed that the edge part is completely flattened and in the centre with an area of 1.5 mm diameter there is a colour and level difference. Given this morphological change, it has to be evaluated if the bullet, as is alleged before it reached its goal, has bounced off as is stated in the statements. A flat area of 7x8x7 mm at the front of the piece of bullet case, and an object that went through while it was aimed at 80 – 85 degrees is subjected (picture 4 a, 4 b).
It is thought that this morphological appearance, rather that bouncing the piece of bullet case that was examined is the result of crashing a hard surface with a perpendicular aim yet before leaving the nucleus”.
According to the report prepared by Professor Dr. Ufuk Katkıcı; it should be specified that it is not bounced but fired with a clear shot and that because the court has accepted this it is confirmed that the bullet has been placed on the piece of bullet case afterwards. That the statements by the police officers involved at the scene, where they say that they did not know that Baran Tursun was shot with a weapon but that they thought it was a traffic accident while on the picture of the shot victim Baran Tursun that was reflected in the media the brain tissue was soaked in the vehicles chair, where everyone can see the brain tissue and flowed blood on the back of the head, were accepted and that the accused have been given the decision of acquitted is in violation with the Convention.
That even though the statements given at every stage were to be rescued from offence and the acquit decisions by court were based on the statements of accused shows that they can continue without a fine for the committed offences and that the trial was not done impartial. With the reason that the investigation was not done efficient and impartial Articles 6 and 13 have been violated.
15.23-The court verdict; because it was based on the police officers as the accused and the statements of the police officers as the witnesses it is in violation with Article 6 and 13:
The court verdict; of the police officer who killed Baran Tursun, who is on trial for the filed offences of not informing the public worker of the offence, destroying, hiding and changing evidence and designing false documents, is based on the statements taken of Veysel Aydın, Salih Tokucu, Aytekin Alyunışık, Tayfun Kazıcı, Bahadır Aksoy, Hasan Taşan,Murat Masat, Kenan Duman, Hacı İsa Onur and Aycan Basdur as accused and witnesses and the reports and documents that were prepared by these persons during the preparation stages.
All the evaluations done during the exploration were prepared accordingly the statements of the 11 accused police officers and other police officers. The court has taken these evaluations as main judgment. The court has accepted these statements of the accused and witnessed police officers to be true. The scene statements, police officers witness statements, reports that were prepared by the police officers that were subjected during the trial and that held contrary to the truth have been taken as main judgment. The statements of neutral and civil witnesses Atilla Doğan and Emre Ökçelik were not taken as main judgment. It has been determined by the court that the scene was incorrect, but the firing position of the accused has been accepted as the truth even though the expert report testifies the opposite of the accused defense. Unlawful obtained evidence has been taken as main judgment. By acceptance of the accused police officers statements by court, the judgment is built on these statements. By accepting the expressions of the police officers from the beginning of the event until the end as true by all means, the happenings on the scenes have been taken as true according these statements.
However, if we list only the statements regarding the period of shooting under each other it is seen that the statements of every suspect during all stages are different and deny the previous statements. Where in one statement it has not been seen who fired in the next statement it is seen who fired and in what position he was standing. All the statements contain of this much contradiction in the details. For these statements to be taken as main judgment while all the police officers in the file who gave their statement are being investigated for the offence of “False Testifying” is a serious error of law. That the judgment has been done based on the statements that are unlawful and which differ in each stage shows that the trial has not been done efficient and impartial.
Even though it is shown that the evaluations done at the scene during the exploration and radio listings are not as expressed by the scene accused or the police officers on duty at the scene the court have build their judgment based on the expressions of the accused and the police officers on duty. From what is understood out of the radio listings the time between the instructions and the accident of the vehicle obtains only 20 seconds. It is not possible for the accused and Veysel Aydın to have done the procedures they claim to have done within 15-20 seconds. Though the way of arriving new on the junction while the officers on duty were departing their vehicles and a team shot Baran Tursun from the back as soon as he passed them as specified by the neutral witnesses Atilla Doǧan and Emre Özҫelik should have been accepted by the court, the situation as stated by the police officers was the base is in violation of the right to a fair trial. Because the radio listings and the facts and figures at the scene during the exploration were given and the expressions of the accused and other police officers should not have been regarded it is shown that by basing the crime done by the police officers on the police officers statements and records the judgment has not been done by an efficient and impartial investigation and trial. Because the trial has not been efficient and impartial Article 6 and 13 of the Convention is in violation.
15.24-During the prosecution Article 6 and 13 of the Convention has been violated many times:
*The applicants have not provided enough participation during the trial. During the investigation the instructions that were conveyed were not answered. The instructions to obtain the original camera recordings were not fulfilled and have lead to the destruction of them.
* The request to record the hearing by technical means during the prosecution has been denied. When the hearings have not been recorded by cameras record minutes of the hearing have been held by the president of the court through the clerk. The president of the court has or has not passed on to the record what he wanted. Therefore the records of the hearing do not reflect the stages of the trial accurate.
* Most of the requests that have been conveyed to the court have been denied without the necessary evaluation. During the hearing the witness’s police officers have been guided by the president of the court to object to the applicants and have left the hearing. The applicants, mother Berin Tursun and sister’s Şelale and Berfin Tursun of Baran Tursun have not been heard in any way, their complaints and requests have not been taken under notice. During the investigation and prosecution stages the participation of applicants has not been ensured.
* As much as the Institute of Forensic Medicine is to be counted as an institute that prepares expert reports this institute has not carried out this mission.
Finally accordingly the decision of the court themselves the file went to the specialized agency of the Forensic Medicine but the file has not been seriously investigated en the file has been sent back without answering any of the questions. Even though the judges know that in practice the Forensic Medicine Institute does not prepare expert reports that can shed a light on the event it has been decided to receive expert reports from this institution. However, only the teachers at the universities can supply an effective and scientific report.
The court has not requested expert reports to be prepared by the universities, as they have been reason to prolong the trial by requesting reports from the Institute of Forensic Medicine who is not functioning as a scientific institution, the trial had to base on reports that are not scientific and open. This procedure is in violations with Article 6 and 13 of the Convention.
* With the filed lawsuit with number 2008/244 E for the crimes of official document fraud, person with task of law enforcement has not announced crime, destroying the evidence of a crime, hiding or changing it at the 1st Criminal Court Karşıyaka, was found a contact between the first hearing where the trial of the police who killed Tursun Baran found place and by law must be seen together with file number 2008/244 and 2007/456 E which is in the same court, but merging files requests have been rejected. But after one year, it has decided to combine the two cases. Because of the attitude of the judge and the prosecutor the trial took longer. Because the proceedings took long, and not fair, efficient and impartial, articles 6 and 13 of the Convention have been violated.
* Because Judge Mehmet Özcan from the file with number 2008/290 E from the 6th High Criminal Court Izmir directed the witnesses, prevent giving answers to questions and left the hearing, Keeping the minutes of the hearing in an untrue way, and not giving the opportunity to the applicant and his representatives the possibility of asking questions directly to the suspects, articles 6 and 13 of the Convention have been violated.
* The superior of the Public Security Office Bornova Mehmet Girgin and the other officials have set up all witness statements to recover the accused. Evidence have been blackened and changed. Izmir Police Department kept the case from the beginning until the end under observation and let all hearings followed by civil police officers which were not officially on duty. Against applicants and human rights defenders cases were filed because of their speeches. The Police Department is a very serious power in Turkey and has influence on the decisions of the judiciary. Also in our case the police department had an effect on judges and has been influential on the decision given. The court did not behaved independent to the police department. The court’s decision aim was to set security official free who committed the crime of violation of right to life, distorting and changing evidences to leave them committed the crime unpunished. Articles 13 of the Convention have been violated.
15.25- While not to torture and kill are in the scope of negative responsibilities of the states, to prevent violations of these rights, legal and administrative arrangements, to compensate those who were violated by their rights, judicial and administrative capacity to ensure punishment of those responsible for rights violations, are defined as positive in the area of responsibilities of the states. Settled in the jurisprudence of the court to punish the perpetrators; importance and severity of penalties commensurate with the violation of the right to life, and that is that they have gathered to create a deterrent effect. As much as this, ensuring the implementation of the penalty to be applied should be guaranteed by the states.
If the court what crimes have occurred in the state of red-handed "not stopping" person is killed and this describes as “appropriate to the law” and the limits of their own inherent authority to use weapons that ignore the large ratings, are not obviously compliant with the jurisprudence of the European court of human rights. In fact, the authority granted the use of firearms in this broad area, community safety, wellbeing and peace of mind in terms of the imminent danger, is a lot more serious and even closer to danger then Baran Tursun, who was killed because he could not stop his vehicle or any other citizen in the same situation. Because the state does not fulfill the negative and positive responsibility, articles 2 and 13 of the Convention have been violated.
15.26.-The prosecutors’ not neutral attitude violates article 13 of the Convention.
To the role of the prosecutors in the Convention; about the role of the Prosecutor's Office in 3. Criminal Justice System the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, according to the founding document of the Conference of European Prosecutors Recommendation 19 (Rec 2000), prosecutors, where required by criminal violation of a law enforcement, considers their individual rights, and taking into account the effect required for the criminal justice system, are the public authorities to implement law on behalf of society and public interest. Described as in this manner. Prosecutors at all times and under all circumstances, have to:
a. For the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on article 6 of the European Convention and in the European Court of Human Rights case law clearly recognized, support the principle of the right to a fair trial,
b. Carry out their duties fairly, impartially, objectively and independently within the framework of law,
h. Follow up the case steadfast but fairly and not beyond the evidence,
i. To see whether evidence was legally obtained, analyze the evidence presented,
j. To reject the use of evidence have been obtained by unlawful means and rightly believed that this kind of method that implements the people against any other person, the suspect or a person other serious violations of human rights,
n. To help the court for a fair decision, regarded as among the principles of professional conduct for prosecutors.
However, in preparation concerning our file it reflects the fact that the untrue documents prepared by the police are not questioned, evidences were not collected, because law enforcement officials did not notify him about the criminal offense, and against this blackening of the evidences no action was taken. Only the procedures of the police were adequate to him. In a case of murder committed by the police, he did not gather the evidence himself, but did also not give order to a neutral and independent institution to gather the evidence. He did not go to the scene in any way. Because the incident was not promptly informed to him, he did no action at all. He did not separate the evidence collected unlawfully and presented them to the court file as evidence. The indictment he prepared on the basis of police testimony. No evidence is collected in favour of the applicants during prosecution. Documents prepared by the police were adequate to him. During the trial he constantly objected and directed the accused, against the applicants’ representatives to their rights to ask direct questions in order to clarify the incident.
Before evidence collected and witnesses are still not heard, the prosecutor prepared his written legal opinion and we believe that an acquittal from the legal opinion is submitted to the file. The prosecutor did not evaluate the evidences objectively and considered unlawful evidences in his opinion to rescue the police.
Because the delegation of the court and the prosecutor are in separate places and that they should not talk on the decision of the court, the opinion of the prosecutor which is not discussed during the trial and prepared in an unbelievable way, was submitted to the court as a written opinion as same as the decision. The prosecutor is in the courtroom next to the court’s member and has the same height as them and he is using same exit as the judges. In the breaks, where everyone went out, the prosecutor stays with the judges. He participates in their negotiations. The lawyers’ desk is far away and diagonal from the prosecutor and the judges. From the audience section no distinction can be made between the prosecutor and the judge. For the parties and the audience the prosecutor is perceived as a member of the delegation.
The prosecutor’s office in his written opinion, the vehicle where the crime evidences were found, deterioration of the evidence, without measures taken to eliminate the risk of loss or change it was searched by the police officers, that the vehicle was handed over to the tow, that the weapons were taken to late from the police officers to make an investigation, that the police officers involved or who witnessed the incident, spontaneously in the nature of the judicial process minutes prepared and redirect the investigative authorities, was recognized as actions with no affect on the "Stages of the investigation".
However, because of the weapons were taken to late, the said shells collected from the scene, were actually collected from the scene or where there used with the weapon elsewhere and obtained to the scene, could not be established. Even though the two friends of Baran Tursun stated that only one shot was fired, the court adopted that there was a warning shot in the air. The delay in confiscating the guns from the police officers involved affected the welfare of the investigation and trial. The empty shells presented as evidence of the warning shots in the air, strengthened the defences of the accused police.
Due to the late hand print taking, it was not possible to determine from whom and how the piece of bullet case was put into the vehicle. The vehicle positioning and distance from the firing could not be inspected because it was handed over to the tow without making images or photographs, the opportunity of scientific evaluation of whether the event happened was tried to eliminate.
With the minutes of the incident the judicial authorities are to be taught to believe the existence of a particular scenario studied and looking at the decision and at the end of the trial it has been successful in this regard. For the resolution of images obtained from petrol station, the minutes of the police, can be compared with the CD delivered to the prosecutor and the reason that the content can be inspected was made a reason to not open a public case. However, in the investigation phase of these images where not inspected by the prosecutor, but after opening the homicide case the situation have revealed through the lawyers of the applicant, it has been forgotten that it was already accepted by the prosecutor as evidence. Moreover, it is known that an important part of the images where cut off while transferring the images to a CD and even though a comparing with the original recording is not possible anymore, no complaint was received that the evidence was amended.
The document left in the hand of the victim, was left unpunished with the reason that it could not be find out from whom to what aim it was done so. Even though, it is the prosecutors’ duty collecting the evidences, who is conducting the investigation.
Regarding the blackening and hiding the evidence after the incident, it is understood that police officers from different departments having acted together and organized, records of telephone calls and radio where not submitted, where they where and what time have not been identified, only suspects statements were taken into considerations.
The trial prosecutor; at the hearing from 08.05.2009 “that the piece of bullet case on the front seat was found or not, will not change the fact the death cause and the material fact of the death of Baran Tursun” purged of the defendants' acquittal on the grounds of requested decision. Even if this opinion of the prosecutor shows how much he is looking from the police officers side. However, the putting of the piece of bullet case into vehicle later on, shows how the police officers blackened the evidence and arranged false documents, misconduct in office, influencing the court etc. committed crimes proofs, it also shows that the police officer killed Baran Tursun, acted intentionally and violated the right to life.
The investigative authority and the trial prosecutor could not effectively execute their duties of investigation and are in breach of Convention in the face of the right to life guaranteed under Turkey's Constitution and international agreements.
In the face of acts of killing and torture committed by law enforcement in Turkey the state protection and security organizations ignoring the fact that the action was reflex and in this way it is known that the accused police officers are protected. The amendment of the PVSK also facilitated the use of police power and weapons. For this reason, in particular the crime of murder with a weapon shows a rapid increase because of the legal regulations, in parallel to the judicial authorities of not doing effective investigations, blackening the evidences, and obstacle to achieving fair and judicial authorities to protect public officials who have engaged in an attitude. After the killing of Baran Tursun the happening of the chain of violations, is only one of these examples.
After his son was killed by the police, there has not been an effective investigation, that this situation is supporting the violation of the right to life, that this is strengthen the law enforcement as the actions of killing and that this is not an attitude that prevents deterrent penalties to police officers who are using weapons, is the evaluation of the applicant. At the same time it violates the investigation, which cannot make quickly. The transactions and this kind of attitudes of the prosecutors are violating article 6 and 13 of the Convention.
15.27.- Whether the prosecutor's office issued an indictment and presented to the court to accept and the indictment being communicated to the applicant, the applicant is not entitled to object. With the Criminal Procedure Act No. 5271, articles 170-175 which came into force in 2005, the preparation and adoption of the indictment was established. Due to the law the accused or his representative are not entitled to object. In general the objections made against the decision adopted to the courts based on the criminal procedure article 175/1 are rejected, because this right is not recognized by law and is based on the grounds that is have been accepted. With the acceptance of the indictment, which means that the case is opened, the statements of the applicants have not been taken due to the law and that is a violation of article 6 and 13 of the Convention.
15.28.- Article 14 of the Convention is violated
Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights is saying; “The benefit from the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention, Gender, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, a national minority, property, birth or other status is provided without any discrimination. " and prohibits discrimination. Turkey provides a privilege in many ways to the police. If a person in a different profession would commit homicide, the penalty will be much higher, due to the perpetrator is a police officer 2 years 1 month imprisonment are given only. And because Article 53 of the TPC will not be carried out the police can continue his profession, and can use a gun again. Because the accused is a police officer, the applicants were discriminated against in favour of the accused. Because of this article 14 of the Convention have been violated.
15.29.- The review of appeal has violated article 6, 13 and the 2. Article of the additional protocol number 7 of the Convention;
In our appeal application we requested that the investigation should be done with a trial and we had requested the court reviewing the file due to the European Convention of Human Rights convictions and requested the abrogation of the court decision. Our request for a hearing was rejected. That a hearing cannot be held means that we cannot describe the event to the judges and explain why we did not accept the local courts decision. The principle of publicity of the trial and the right to defence has been violated. The Supreme Court where appeals can be files is not impartial and effective. All our explanations on the decision of the court and allegations of violations are valid for the investigations of the Supreme Court. In this file the Jurisprudence of the European Convention of Human Rights are pretended not seen and ruled out European Convention of Human Rights and made an unlawful decision. The Supreme Court did not note any error. They did not examine the file.
The appeals body did sent the local court's decision which did not comply with the law, as approved back, without examining. Because of the crime of violation of the right to life is committed by a police officer, and that this case should be dropped for the public, the Supreme Court review has not been made actively, and made sure that this file dropped down from the agenda and approved it. During the appellate review, there has been no public inspection. The appellate review took long. The appeal did not result in a reasonable period of time.
This situation shows that the right of a two graded trial is not effective. Because the appeal investigation is impartial and ineffective this is in violation with Article 6 and 13 of the Convention and with Article 2 of the additional protocol with number 7 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
15.30.- accordingly the file of the court to subject to appeal, the trial has been bounded to a decision before it started. The appeal has not been investigated effectively and impartial. Al the decisions that have been given regarding the investigation have been given without a reason. Both the decision that there is no place for prosecution and the decision that our objection against this decision is denied have no reason included. The inspection of decisions without reason should be eliminated. It hinders the way to appeal. With the reason that you can only object against natural court decisions, not appeal and not appeal the decision of denial of the object; shows that the right of a two graded trial has not been acknowledged. Article 6, 13 of the Convention and 2 of the protocol with number 7 has been violated.
15.31-Article 17 of the Convention has been violated;
Article 17 of the Convention has been designed to forbid the abuse of rights. Article is as;
“None of the provisions of this Convention, can destruct the rights and freedoms given to a state, a public or a person through this Convention or attempt to direct towards activities that cause limitations in a larger scope than is foreseen or interpreted in a manner that provides the right to be present in an action.
The state of the Republic of Turkey has abused its given rights against its citizens. By signing the European Convention on Human Rights it exceeded the limit of the rights to life that is guaranteed with obligations. The right to life is the most important given right. The only way to limit this right is when you are in the position that you have to protect the right to life. In our case the only reason that Baran Tursun his right to life has been violated is because he did not apply the stop warning. This violation has not been realized only because of the own fault of one police officer. This is caused because the state finds the activities surrounding its own concept of security and the states interest to be of higher importance that the right of citizens to life. The violation of the right to life in Turkey should be perceived as a violation that seriously needs to be focused on.
By creating the state security agencies and during their education the necessity of the protection of the right to life is not being brought aware and educated enough. At the same time the failure to control and because the violation of the right to life is not being trialed in an impartial, effective and quick way the violation of life has become usual.
In addition, because the police authority to carry a weapon is too wide for Article 16 of the Police Duties and Powers Law to control, the essence of the right to life that is protected under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights should be limited till destruction.
The national legislation authorizing the use of weapons under Article 2 of the convention where the right to life is protected is reason to be destructed and can direct towards activities that cause limitations in a larger scope than is foreseen.
Because violations of the right of life by security forces are not trialed efficiently and impartial a road has been opened for the essence of Article 2 of the Convention under where the right on life is protected can direct towards activities that cause limitations in a larger scope than is foreseen and for the essence to be destructed. Here for Article 17 of the ECHR has been violated.
IV- STATEMENT RELATIVE TO ARTICLE 35 / 1 OF THE CONVENTION
Final decision (date, court or authority and nature of decision)
The Approval Judgment of Supreme Court, 1st Criminal Chamber, (15.03.2011, 2009/9863E, 2011/1547) The applicants informed about the approval judgment on 28.09.2011
1.- The Judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court (20.05.2009, 2007/456E, 2009/226K)
2.- The Decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court in relation lack of jurisdiction (28.07.2008, 2008/244E, 2008/405K)
3.- The Other Term Decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court (04.08.2008, 2008/1147)
4.- The judgment of Izmir 6th Assize Court (24.12.2998, 2008/290E, 2008/409K)
5.- The Admission of Indictment Decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court (28.12.2007, 2007/271 Administrative Examination Decision)
6.- The Admission of Indictment Decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court (2008/122 Administrative Examination Decision)
Is there or was there any other appeal or other remedy available to you which you have not used?. If so, explain why you have not used it.
STATEMENT OF THE OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION AND PROVISIONAL CLAIMS FOR JUST SATISFACTION
For these reasons mentioned above,
We would like to request from the Court to decide and judge,
a) the violation of articles 1, 2, 3, ,6, 13, 14 and 17 and article 2 of 7th protocol and article 1 of 12th protocol of the Convention,
b) just satisfaction for tangible and intangible damages of the applicants,
c)hold a hearing before the Court in relation to this application,
d) all expenses and lawyer fees.
STATEMENT CONCERNING OTHER INTERNATIONAL PROCEEDINGS
Have you submitted the above complaints to any other procedure of international investigation or settlement? If so, give full details
Annex: 1; The traffic accident minute arranged by the police officers to show that a traffic accident was happened
Annex 2: Hospital Delivery Report, the police officer arranged this report to hide the fact that Baran Tursun was shot
Annex 3: Bullet Shells Delivery Minute
Annex 4: Baran’s photo
Annex 5: the public prosecutor’s permission document, while the prosecutor should be informed immediately, in the instant case he was informed 3.5 hours later
.Annex 6: Shell Collecting Minute, The police officer who fired had not the authority to collect the shells
Annex 7; Firearm Preservation Minute. The police officer’s gun was preserved 6 hours later from the crime time
.Annex 8: Breath Test Report, while the breath test should be done immediately after the event, in the instant case, it was done 10 hours later
Annex 9: The Hand Swab Report. The hand swab report surprisingly showed that the police officer who alleged that he fired, did not fire and the other police officer who alleged that he did not fire, fired
Annex 10: The photo of Baran at the time of the crime
Annex 11: The Traffic registration of 35AL9207(Baran’s car)
Annex 12: The minutes of the event dated 25.11.2007
Annex 13: The police officers’ statements in relation to the event dated on 25.11.2007
Annex:14, Alper Bağıran/Hearing Minute of 1st Hearing
Annex 15: Police Radio Records,
Annex 16: Police Radio Records, the written forms according to the time
Annex 17: The statements of the accused Oral Emre Atar and Veysel Aydın before the public prosecutor on 25.11.2007
Annex 18 : The 2nd Court of First instance, the questioning minute and the decision of arrest
Annex 19: The petition submitted to the investigation file(2007/27601) by the lawyer of the accused on 25.11.2007
Annex 20: The expert reports
Annex 21, The Photos taken by the Crime Scene Investigation
Annex 22, The expert report in relation to whether or not bullet ricochet in the case
Annex 23: The minute of towing vehicle on 25.11..2007
Annex 24: The document showing the duty places of police officers
Annex 25: The report of Crime Scene Examination and its attachments.
Annex 26: The sketch map of the crime scene
Annex 27: The minute for the preservation of firearm dated on 25.11.2007 at 09:30am
Annex 28: The photos of the car that was driven by Baran Tursun at the crime day
Annex 29: The report of Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, on 25.11.2007
Annex 30: the police report of Izmir Security Department on 25.11.2007
Annex 31: The public prosecutor’s on duty(Mehmet Süslü) oral order into written document which indicates the date 25.11.2007 and the time 06:46am
Annex 32: The minute of police officers on account that they watched and got the copy of video record at the petrol station(OPET)
Annex 33: The expert reports of Izmir Police Criminal Laboratory
Annex 34: The statements of Atilla Doğan and Emre Özçelik in the investigation proceedings
Annex 35: The statement of Oral Emre Atar in the prosecution file Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor(25.11.2007, 2007/27601)
Annex 36: The statement of Veysel Aydın before the public prosecutor
Annex 37: The arrest decision of Karşıyaka 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance
Annex 38: The radiology reports of Ege University, Faculty of Medicine dated on 26.11.2007)
Annex 39: The Treatment documents of Ege University, Faculty of Medicine
Annex 40: The death examination report on 30.11.2007
Annex 41: The autopsy report of Forensic Institution on 04.12.2007
Annex 42: Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Inspector Discipline Report on 11.12.2007(35-2/4832)
Annex 43: The request of the applicant’s lawyer in relation to collect evidences
Annex 44: The indictment of Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor(2007/27601, 20077/10211)
Annex 45: The decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court in relation of the refusal of the indiecment(28.12.2007)
Annex 46: The decision of Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor in relation to not necessary for proceedings(discontinuance of proceedings)
Annex 47: The Indictment of the Public Prosecutor, 2007/539, 28.12.2007
Annex 48: Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court, approval minute(2007/456)
Annex 49: The forced-appearing decision in relation to Mehmet Tursun
Annex 50:The request of the lawyer of the accused in relation ban on publication and media and the refusal decision of the court
Annex 51: The decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court, 28.12.2007, 2007/271
Annex 52: The submissions of the Attorney of the accused dated 10.01.2008, page3
Annex 53: The hearing minute of Karşıyaka 1st assize Court and the decision of releas of the accussed
Annex 54; The petitions of the applicants’ lawyers on 14.01.2008
Annex 55: The decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court 06.02.2008, 200/456E
Annex 56: The examination of video record at the petrol station(OPE) by the rogatory judge of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 17.01.2008
Annex 57: The hearing minute of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 11.02.2008
Annex 58: The minute in relation to the investigation at the crime scene by Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court and the objection petition against the minute
Annex 59: The expert report of Major Sergant Gendarme Bülent Uçal on 27.02.2008
Annex 62: The expert report of Assistant Ptofessor Nadir Arıcan on 08.05.2008, 190/2008
Annex 63: The hearing minutes of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 30.06.2008, 10.09.2008, 24.11.2008, 19.01.2009.
Annex 64: The petitions of the applicants’ lawyers on 30.06..2008, 03.07.2008 abd 21.08.2008
Annex 65: The decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 04.07.2008
Annex 66: The report of Forensic Institution, Pyhsics Chamber, Ballistic Branch on 06.03.2008
Annex 68: The decision of Forensic Institution Specialized Chamber Presidency on 12.02.2009, no:103
Annex 69: The letter sent by Mehmet Tursun which was also sent to the Prime Minister
Annex 70: The complain petition in relation 36 police officers
Annex 71: The statements of Mehmet Tursun and suspect police officers before the Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor in relation to the investigation file no 2008/1863.
Annex 72: The delivery document of Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor to Mehmet Emin Kavas(the deputy of Chief Public Prosecutor) on 17.03.2008
Annex 73: The complain petition of Mehmet Tursun on 17.03.2008
Annex 74: The statement of MEhmet Tursun before the public prosecutor on 17.03.2008
.Annex 75, The Report of Assistant Professor A. Beyhan Özdemir in relation the bullet case in question
Annex 76: The statement of Public prosecutor Mehmet Süslü without date.
Annex 77: The witness and suspect statements in the investigation file of KArşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor(2008/1863)
Annex 78: The decision in relation to discontinuance of proceedings of the Karlıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor on 28.05.2008(2008/1758- 2008/1863)
Annex 79: The objection petition to the İzmir Assize Court on Duty on 15.07.2008
Annex 80: The refusal decision of Izmir 9th Assize Court on 29.09.2009(2009/827)
Annex 81: The application to ECHR
Annex 82: The Indictment of Karşıyaka Public Prosecutor on 14.06.2008, 2008/1863, 2008/256
Annex 83: The delivery minute of KArşıyaka 1st Assize Court(2008/244E)
Annex 84: The hearing minute and reasoned judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 25.07.2008(2008/244E, 2008405K)
Annex 85: The objection petition of the applicants’ lawyers on 01.08.2008
Annex 86: The refusal decision of Karşıyaka 2nd Assize Court on 04.08.2008
Annex 87: The delivery minute of Izmir 6th Assize court 2008/290
Annex 89: The hearing minutes of Izmir 6th Assize Court on 27.10.2008 and 24.12.2008(2008/290)
Annex 90: The consolidation of the actions decision of Izmir 6th Assize Court on 24.12.2008
Annex 91: The hearing minutes of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 06.03.2009, 08.05.2009(2007/456E)
Annex 92: The expert report prepared by Professor Ufuk Katkıcı on 03.04.2009
Annex 93: The petition of the applicants’ lawyers in relation to expansion of the proceedings on 07.05.2009
Annex 94: The opinion submitted by Public Prosecutor Sedat Bacaksız on 08.05.2008
Annex 95: The petition of the applicants’ lawyers in relation to homicide of Baran Tursun on 18.05.2009
Annex 96: The petition of the applicants’ lawyers in relation to the acts of destroying(blacken) evidences, altering, hiding of the crime evidences, not informing the crime to the judicial authorities for the ones who have the judicial police duties on 18.05.2009
Annex 97: The hearing minute and the brief judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 20.05.2009(2007/456E)
Annex 98: The brief appeal petition of applicants’ lawyers on 22.05.2009
Annex 99: The reasoned judgment of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 20.05.2009(2007/456E, 2009/226K)
Annex 100: The appeal petition of applicants’ lawyers on 03.07.2009
Annex 101: The opinion of Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court(2009/259022)
Annex 102: The objection petition against the opinion dated on 30.07.2010
Annex 103: The approval judgement of Supreme Court 1st Criminal Chamber on 15.03.2011(2009/9863E, 2001/1547K)
Annex 104: The report of Izmir Governor, Board of Human Rights on 28.08.2008 and The Prime Ministry respond on 01.09.2008
Annex 105: The minute dated on 27.10.2008
Annex 106: The monitoring report of Turkey Foundation of Human Rights on 27.10.2008
Annex 107: The indictment in relation the applicants by Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor (2008/2082)
Annex 108: The file case of Izmir 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance
Annex 109: The indictment submitted to Karşıyaka 5th Criminal Court of First Instance and the conviction judgement on 17.05.2010(2008/160Ei 2010/339K)
Annex 110: The statements of police officers, Aytekin Altunışık, Veysel Aydın, Salih Tokucu and Tayfun Kazıcı in all stages of the proceedings
Annex 111: The complain petition submitted to the Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor on.05.2009
Annex 112: The complain petition submitted to the investigation file(2009/2116) Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor on 10.02.2009
Annex 113: The dismissal of proceedings decision of Karşıyaka Chief Public Prosecutor on 08.04.2009(2009/2116, 2009/3592K)
Annex 114: The objection petition on 04.05.2009
Annex 115: The refusal decision of Karşıyaka 1st Assize Court on 05.06ç2009(2009/496, other)
Annex 116: The list of the people killed by the security forces since 25.11.2007
Annex 117: The list of children killed by the security forces
Annex 118: The circulars of General Security Directorate of Ministry of Internal Affairs, no: 2005/69 and 2005/11
Annex 119: The Law on Duties and Powers of Police(No:2559)
Annex 120: The respond of Karşıyaka Security Directorate on 03.12.2008
Annex:121: The news in the media in relation to crime scene and the proceedings
Annex 122: The news at TV chanells(this will be submitted later)
Annex 123: The register of birth and family records for the applicant
Annex 124: Copies of IDs
Annex 125: The authority documents
DECLARATION AND SIGNATURE
I hereby declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information I have given in the present Application form is correct.
Place İZMİR /TURKEY
Signature of representative or applicant(s)
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Trudeau’s ‘novel’ idea to fight ISIS
From the CBC, emphasis added.
“We made a clear commitment in the campaign to stop the bombing mission by Canadian jets and replace it with a role for Canada that is still a serious military role, but leaned more towards training of local troops to be able to bring the fight directly to ISIL,” he said, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). “That’s the commitment we made very clearly throughout the campaign and we have a mandate to do that.”
Did he forget this news story from two-months ago?
A $500m effort to train Syrian forces against the Islamic State has resulted in only a handful of fighters actively battling the jihadi army, the top military commander overseeing the war has testified.
“We’re talking four or five,” General Lloyd Austin, commander of US Central Command, told a dissatisfied Senate armed services committee on Wednesday.
The training initiative is Barack Obama’s linchpin for retaking Syrian territory from Isis. The Pentagon anticipated in late 2014 that it would have trained 5,000 anti-Isis Syrian rebels by now.
US, with its global outreach and military infrastructure, was unable to do this and Canada is going to do down the same path? Good luck with that.
A bad move by ISIS The beheading of two Japanese hostages by ISIS causes the following things to happen: 1)...
Widespread sympathy for ISIS worldview Hmm. So the problem is? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/20/most-syrian-rebels-sympathise-with-isis-says-thinktank...
Essential Reading Two items today for your attention. First, an article on the Islamic state in the...
Things about to get lot worse in Middle East Prior to today, the biggest bank robbery was in Beirut: Beirut, Lebanon: The world’s biggest...
November 16, 2015 Arran Gold
chaos111_99
Well Hairy Fairy said he wanted the change Canada’s name on the world stage. Just don’t think it will be what he envisaged.
November 16, 2015 at 7:29 PM Reply
With all due respect to our military, just what does the PM think they can teach the Kurds apart from bringing them up-to-date on new weapons? Which weapons we won’t be supplying them anyway.
Don Morris
Anyone who believes infidels can train Muslim soldiers to kill other Muslim soldiers is dreaming in technicolor. For how many years did the Yanks train those magnificent Iraqi soldiers, y’know,the guys who fled from ISIS even though they had far better weapons and superior numbers?
In the end, they have that religion to bring them together, we offer nothing but a vague description of this thing called “democracy”,and the chance at a better life if they work hard at it. “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” isn’t a very good recruiting tool when dealing with tribesmen.
Imams promise heaven and virgins in the after life, no sweat required.
Trudeau is making a huge assumption that there are people waiting and wanting to fight but not knowing how to. Perhaps they have the same motivation as his father’s war effort and are riding around on motorcycles wearing German war helmets expecting others to do the fighting for them.
December 20, 2015 at 11:51 AM Reply
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Home | News Archive | The Official Re-Opening of Housman Hall
Bromsgrove School’s Sixth Form Boarding House was officially re-opened, after twelve months of refurbishment, in the presence of Janice Boswell, Bromsgrove District Councillor and Robin Shaw, Vice-Chairman of the Housman Society last weekend.
The Worcester Road School was delighted to welcome back over 70 former pupils, current and former staff and friends of the School to the re-opening lunch at Housman Hall. The Headmaster, Peter Clague welcomed guests to the newly refurbished House and Head Girl, Emily Collie, who won the Housman Society Cup in 2013, read the Housman Verse. After lunch, current pupils showed guests around the House including the newly built bedroom wings and landscaped grounds.
Named after Poet and former Bromsgrove School pupil A. E. Housman, who lived in the house during the 1860s, Housman Hall is now home to over 100 Sixth Form boarders from the UK and around the world.
World Renowned Public Speaker Honours Bromsgrove School’s...
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You are here: Home / Book Review / Book Review: Beating About the Bushes
Book Review: Beating About the Bushes
Filed under Book Review
Beating About the Bushes: Minor League Baseball in the 60s by Tim Sommer
BUSH LEAGUE A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization
So starts this very enjoyable recounting of Tim Sommer’s 8 years in the Baltimore Orioles organization dur ing the 60s. Sommer spent these years, as a pitching prospect, bouncing between the A / AA / AAA levels of minor league baseball and had a decent, if unspectacular minor league record (72-61 win-loss record, 3.23 ERA, 1.245 WHIP). That he never made it to the major leagues is understandable. During Sommer’s sojour in the bushes, the Orioles made it to three World Series and were consistently stocked with superior pitching.
When I first started reading Sommer’s book, I half expected another Ball Four type of tell-all expose. I was wrong. Gratefully, Bushes is told with an “aw shucks” humility that makes for good story telling. Sommer’s motivation for writing the book came from his own family who, after hearing him tell his stories, convinced him to put them into book form.
The result is a roller coaster story of improbable events. Blessed with a 90 mile per hour fastball, Sommer earns a minor league contract with virtually no support from his family, no High School team, and only one year of college at Ohio University. During his time in the bushes, Sommer:
Experiences the segregation of the South,
Participates in baseball’s early free agent negotiations,
Takes part of mock beaning of Reggie Jackson,
Is hypnotized into believing he was a strip tease artist,
As a freshman for Ohio U, beats Ohio State University,
Throws a 13-inning, 15 strikeout game for AAA Rochester and then is sent to AA the next day.
Sommer’s story isn’t all glossed-over nostalgia or boys-will-b-boys shenanigans. He also sheds light on some of the grittier aspects of minor league life; the use of “greenies”, betting on games, and cavorting with baseball groupies. Sommer always takes responsibility for his actions and doesn’t rationalize his behavior or blame his teammates.
In retrospect, Bushes could be bitter screed about Sommer’s lack of progress through the O’s minor league farm system. Sommer was demoted from one minor league level to a lower one when his drunken manager, hiding a dark secret, spied him in a bar. Likewise, players during the 60s were, for all intents and purposes, indentured servants. Sommer wasn’t free to negotiate with other pitching-needy clubs. None of the potential bitterness bleeds through into the book. Instead, Sommer tells an upbeat story and saves some of his warmest praise for his managers — Frank Wren at Ohio University and Cal Ripken Sr. manager for several of his minor league teams.
The book is transitionally choppy in spots and could have used a little stronger editing. However, it is still a recommended read. It is clear that Sommer is proud to have been associated with the fraternity of professional baseball players. This book is a testament to that pride. His family was right. These stories had to be told.
BoB Ratings: Triple (an enjoyable read from a nostalgic era)
( Amazon: 5.00 – 6 reviews / Goodreads 4.00 – 1 review)
Ratings Explanation
Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Cal Ripken Sr., Frank Wren, Tim Sommer
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bradwarthen.com
All The News That Gives You Fits
Marketplace of ideas
Obama should seize historic opportunity, say “No, thanks” to Nobel
Barack Obama has a tremendous opportunity now to recapture lost political capital, unify this country behind his leadership and increase (if that’s possible, in light of today’s development) his international prestige — all of which would be an enormous boost to the things he’s trying to achieve:
He should say, “Thanks, but no thanks” to the Nobel Peace prize.
If he does that, everyone will think more of him. That is to say, everyone who is susceptible to being influenced. The Rush Limbaughs and Glenn Becks who make a good living from criticizing him will still do so, but no one but the nuttiest fringe types would still be listening. Everyone with a scintilla of fairmindedness would be impressed if he declined this honor.
If he doesn’t do it, this award will simply be another occasion for the Right to hoot and holler and deride, and the Left to dig in its heels and defend Their Guy, and the crazy polarizing spin cycle will spin on, while health care and everything else gets lost amid the shouting.
I got a foretaste of this this morning. I was about to get out of my truck to go in and have breakfast when I heard the news that had stunned the White House and everyone else: Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In the next few moments, I quickly filed the following three tweets:
Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize? The White House is stunned, and so am I. Isn’t it a tad premature or something?
What did Obama win the Nobel FOR? Good intentions? I mean, seriously, the man just GOT here…
Hey, I LIKE Obama; I have hopes he’ll EARN a Nobel one day soon. But he hasn’t had the chance to do so yet…
Then, when I walked in to get my breakfast, I ran into Steve Benjamin and Samuel Tenenbaum, and asked them if they’d heard the news. They had. I expected them to share my shock. I mean, I saw one report (which I haven’t been able to confirm yet) that Obama was only sworn into office TWO WEEKS before the nominations for the Nobel had to be in. The president himself knows better than to claim he’d earned it. Here’s what he said this morning:
Mr. Obama said he doesn’t view the award “as a recognition of my own accomplishments,” but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the U.S. and the world. Mr. Obama said, “I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize.”
But Steve and Samuel — especially Samuel — felt like they had to defend the president’s receiving the prize. And here’s why: While I had just heard the news and was naturally flabbergasted, with no other stimuli acting on me, Samuel gets up at 4:30 every morning, and has usually had several full cycles of spin by the time I leave my house. He had already heard right-wingers attacking the award on the airwaves, so he was in defensive mode.
This is what the whole Left vs. Right thing gets us: We can’t even agree when something wild and crazy happens. And the president of the United States getting the Nobel Peace Prize for what he MIGHT do, for what he INTENDS to do, for his POTENTIAL, is wild and crazy.
Face it, folks: The Nobel committee gave him this prize for Not Being George W. Bush. This is a measure of how much they hated that guy. I didn’t like him much either, but come on… (While I haven’t talked to my friend Robert Ariail today, I can picture the cartoon already: Obama clutching the prize to his cheek saying, “They LIKE me! The really, really LIKE me!…”
Here’s where the opportunity comes in. The president was on the right track with the humble talk, but he should go a big step further: He should decline the prize, insisting that he hasn’t earned it yet.
This would transform perception of Barack Obama both domestically and internationally. If he simply takes the award, no matter how eloquent his words, he’ll be seen as an ordinary guy who can’t resist being honored, whether he deserves it or not. The Right will go ape over it and keep on going ape over it, and the Left will ferociously defend him, making all sorts of improbable claims to support his receiving it, and those of us in the middle will see the Right as having the stronger point at the same time that we’re put off by their meanspiritedness, and nothing will be accomplished.
But turning it down, saying, “Not yet; wait until I’ve earned it” would catapult Obama to such a state of greatness that he would overarch all ordinary partisan argument. No one could say he was wrong, and most people would be blown away by such selflessness. It would give him tremendous amounts of juice to get REAL health care reform instead of some watered-down nothing, which is probably what we’re going to get.
Internationally… well, if they love the guy now, they’d be ecstatic over him if he turned it down. I mean it. Think about it: What do they love about this guy? His perceived nobility and humility. They hated Bush for what they perceived as his arrogance, and they love Obama for what they perceive as his humility before the rest of the world. If he just took the prize, the world would just shake his hand and that would be that. But if he turned it down, suddenly Iran would be negotiating with a guy with more respect than anyone in the whole wide world has had in a long time. And maybe we’d get somewhere — with Iran, with Russia, with China, in Afghanistan, in Palestine, take your pick.
As I said, I like Obama, and I want him to succeed. But I know he hasn’t earned this honor yet. And I’m firmly convinced that turning it down would afford him the greatest opportunity to succeed with his agenda that he’ll ever have.
Obama: Ready To Tap Oil Reserve If Needed — which it ISN’T, not by a long shot
Graham hits the wrong note
McCain, Graham support Obama on Gitmo
That infuriating John McCain, or, How do you pitch to a hero?
Obama’s folks catch Hillary with her foot in it
Out with the UnParty, in with ENERGY!
Wow, even John Kerry is more hawkish than POTUS
Did Obama undermine the dignity of the office on Buzzfeed?
Graham, McCain blame Obama for not stopping ISIL earlier
Putin, Obama, and American exceptionalism
This entry was posted in Barack Obama, Character, Health, Leadership, Marketplace of ideas, Parties, The Nation, The World, This just in..., War and Peace on October 9, 2009 by Brad Warthen.
← Trying to explain Joe Wilson to France Hey, guys: Just insult the president, and RAKE in the dough →
50 thoughts on “Obama should seize historic opportunity, say “No, thanks” to Nobel”
Lee Muller October 9, 2009 at 11:38 am
Obama is an ordinary guy, totally unqualified to the two offices he has held.
Like Harry Truman, he was selected by local power brokers because he was a nobody with no record.
No patriotic American who understands the agenda of Barack Obama and the radicals who have molded him, guided his political career, and now fill the White House as his advisors and czars, can hope he succeeds. They created this economic recession and are making it worse. They want America to lose prestige in the world, and retreat from fighting terrorism.
Karen McLeod October 9, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I suspect that refusing it, would possibly appear as a rebuff to those who are genuinely delighted to see a move toward diplomacy on the part of the US. The previous administrations ‘my way or the highway’ approach cost us a lot on the world stage. We’ve been seen for too long not as a leader, but as a bully. I think his statement today was an appropriate response to this honor.
Lee Muller October 9, 2009 at 4:06 pm
You don’t think President Bush engaged in diplomacy to get those 38 other nations to join in the war in Iraq? They must have really seen a clear and present danger.
How do you think Hussein Obama should diplomatically ask for the prosecution of the French, English, Germans and Russians who help Saddam Hussein evade the UN oil sanctions?
kbfenner October 9, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Brad–Sometimes I think you’ve drunk the sweet-tea–the SC equivalent of the Koolaid everyone talks about.
Only down here are you considered a moderate. In the rest of the civilized world, you are far to the right. Bush was considered somewhere between bully and buffoon by most folk outside the South and a few “flyover” states. Ask your French friend. Obama looks like Jesus Christ and Mohandas Gandhi rolled into one to the rest of the world incomparison.
Yes, The State reflected its readers. Sweet tea, indeed.
BillC October 9, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I overheard a co-worker’s cousin’s neighbor say that Obama is now going to be honored with the Medal of Honor (he’s going to award this to himself in the Oval Office at a date to be named later) for thoughts of his heroism in both Iraq and Afghanistan; a Daytime Emmy for excellent teleprompter reading; and is being considered for the Heisman Award… he never played but thinks if he would have he would have been an All American. If “vision” is the reason for the Nobel Peace Prize, every motivational speaker needs to get in line for next year’s award.
This prize was not for accomplishments, because Obama has none. This is an enticement, to influence Obama to yield more of American influence to the European Union. The Nobel committee said so.
Obama was nominated for the Nobel Prize before he even took office. All he has done since then is make an Apology Tour for American superiority.
It doesn’t bother me. The prize became a bad joke when Jimmy Carter got it for giving us all that peace in the Middle East.
This is more evidence of how the One World Government crowd sees Obama as one of them.
Brad Warthen October 9, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Kathryn, as an Obama supporter, you don’t think this is extremely awkward?
I mean, I don’t know about you, but I’d kind of like Obama to be able to deliver on health care, and defeating the Taliban, and stopping Iran from getting nukes, and a whole lot of other stuff.
And all this does is provide fodder for his opposition to deride him. It gives us something else for the shouting heads on 24/7 TV “news” to natter about.
We really need for our president to be successful at the things he’s trying to do, and this just turns up the yelling and the outrage several more notches.
Obama is not trying to improve health care for most Americans. He is trying to take control of them by controlling their access to treatment, and diverting all that insurance and medical money into the hands of bureaucrats.
Obama is not trying to defeat the Taliban, much less Al Qaeada. Democrats started the war in Iraq, then wanted Bush to lose it, then claimed the real war was in Afghanistan. They had no intention of fighting terrorists.
Obama is laughed at by Iran. Because he is a weakling, Israel will be forced to make a pre-emptive strike, messing up all the progress Bush made with the rest of the Muslim countries.
Also, Kathryn — let’s say W. was evil incarnate. Let’s say the whole world was absolutely right to hate him.
Do ya think it’s a good idea to give his successor the Nobel Peace Prize just for showing up? Which, let’s face it, that’s all the poor guy’s had time to do, God bless him. He’s still trying to get his hands around all this stuff. He hasn’t accomplished anything like, say, what Jimmy Carter did at Camp David. He’s just figuring stuff out. He might do wonders before he’s done, but let’s give him a chance to…
Yeah, with 48 years of no accomplishments, and suddenly you’re president because of you look like the prototypical black politician made for shallow, guilt-ridden white liberals, blacks will vote for any black, and rich Arabs finance you… now you have to learn it all on the job.
Life ain’t fair.
Burl Burlingame October 9, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I had the exact same first impression as Brad — this was awarded because Barry O is no George W. Apparently, to the rest of the world, this seems to be a step in the right direction.
The award probably should go to the Americans who voted Obama into office.
(Now, someone will chime in about how those voters weren’t “real” Americans.)
The question you are trying to finesse your way out of is, “When did Obama stop being a radical socialist?”
Tell us when and where Obama rejected 40+ years of Marxism.
Document it.
Maybe all the Marxist rhetoric in his book, “Dreams of My Father”, is due to the fact that Bill Ayers actually wrote it.
Maude Lebowski October 9, 2009 at 8:35 pm
He didn’t ask for it, expect it or lobby for it – yet he has to deal with the backlash of the Nobel committee agenda. The right would’ve rained just as much shit on him if he had declined it.
I have to say, given the snarky environment this has become, I’m a bit afraid to write, but here goes. The prize was for inspiration. He also actually wrote two books, one of which clearly espouses the goals of the Prize. I believe the citation said it.
I know that I and many many others felt that partisanship was lessening, unlike with H. Clinton’s or Edwards’ campaigns, that Obama sought and continues to seek to build bridges, to mediate instead of “decide.” Many of us on the left would like to see more of our goals put into place, now that we control both houses and the White House, but Obama is trying to build a consensus.
Personally, I am torn between my desire for progress on policy fronts and my desire for “group hug.” This is why I am genuinely dismayed by the venomous divisiveness peddled by the extreme and not so extreme right. I do believe it is nastier and more heavily armed than that put forth against Bush. We did not like Bush. We certainly found him embarrassing as a speaker, and rude as a diplomat–invade first and ask for support later. Obama is not these things. He will not be these things.
This is prize-worthy. He gave a lot of us, in America and in Europe–I hear on NPR about elsewhere as well–hope for a better world than the one Bush left him.
And no, I did not want Bush to fail. I did not want this country to fall apart. I was fearful, however, that it would. Disastrous tax cuts for the rich and middle class combined with military spending–guns AND butter–ran up a far greater deficit than any stimulus plan, and health care reform is predicted to save money.
SNL’s skit said in jest, I believe, that Obama’s great achievement was getting a white cop and a black professor to sit down and have a beer together. Sounds pretty peace-making to me.
Aung San Suu Kyi has not brought peace or freedom to Burma/Myanmar either. Is she less worthy of the Peace Prize? Is she more worthy just because she has been under house arrest?
I believe McCain might well have deserved a Peace Prize, too, had he chosen a different running mate. He has shown admirable peacemaking skills throughout, even calling to task many of the extremists. Lindsey Graham comes to mind as a much better candidate than Palin! He, too, has been far more of a peacemaker of late.
Libb October 9, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I’ll bet Lee also thinks the Stephen Colbert show is not satire.
Randy E October 10, 2009 at 12:19 am
Brad, the “he’s not W” analysis is far too simplistic because it overlooks the specific steps he’s taken to establish a new approach to engaging the world as the super power with all its influence. His speech in Egypt was historic. W offended the Muslim World and Obama attempts to embrace it. The willingness to push for a world without nukes is a profound effort to bring to life a concept normally relegated to the bumper stickers of tree hugging college kids. His courage to pull back from the missle defense system in Poland may be the most telling effort to change course.
From Alfred Nobel’s will regarding the criteria for a recipient of the Peace Price: “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”. These are very global foci that he is uniquely positioned to address. The intent of Nobel was clearly a movement so using Obama as a proxy makes sense.
Brad, your concern and suggested reaction in response regarding the venemous reaction of the right actually helps reduce the issue to politics as usual. By acknowledging and taking to heart his role as proxy for peace, Obama is again showing mastery of an issue.
One final note, the GOP talking heads are self-satirical by taking sides with Hamas and Osama on this issue. We were un-American by questioning the need for the Iraq War but it’s acceptable to cheer against the US winning the right to host the olympics and for jeering our predident winning this award.
Burl Burlingame October 10, 2009 at 5:19 am
Good to remember that this award isn’t generated within the U.S. It’s made from the outside looking in.
bud October 10, 2009 at 6:45 am
While it may not be enough to be the anti-Bush it is certainly a good start toward earning a Nobel Peace prize. Let’s face it, Bush did more harm to the peace process than any other human being in many a year. With all his lying us into war, taunting of brown-skinned people and general arrogance practically anyone would look like Gandhi by comparison.
But on his own Obama has shown that he can reach out to mend the broken fences created by his war-mongering predecessor. His biggest accomplishment in the Senate was to help secure nuclear weapons in the former USSR. Even before he was sworn in as president he captivated the world with his fresh new approach to solving the problems of the world. The world is a much better place now that Obama has taken charge of the White House.
Frankly, given Brad’s continued support of the various war-mongering fools running for president it’s hard to give his opinion one scintilla’s worth of respect. The 2004 presidential endorsement he cited in an earlier post illustrates just how much of a true war-monger he is. That was easily the worst piece of journalistic crap I’ve ever seen, yet he still defends it. Given the disaster of the Bush years with his lying and responsibility for mass dying it’s refreshing to see a true statesman running the show.
Is that enough to qualify him for the Nobel Peace prize? Given the complete turnaround in the prospects for peace around the world I would have to say yes. Congratulations Mr. President, you’ve earned it.
BillC October 10, 2009 at 7:01 am
The spin doctors are active this morning. You could probably be convinced that Barry Obama deserves the Heisman Trophy too.
Lee Muller October 10, 2009 at 10:39 am
Scholars have found over 700 exact phrases, sentences and entire narratives in “Dreams of My Father” which also appear in the writings of the terrorist and mentor of Barack OBama, Bill Ayers.
After Obama’s weakness allows Iran to develop a nuclear missile, will the Obama worshippers admit that world peace is more at risk than before Obama?
President Bush built a coalition of 38 nations supplying soldiers and weapons to defeat the Al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan in 2002 and then Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda in Iraq next.
So to what nations is Obama “reaching out”?
Libya, Iran, Syria, radicals in the Arab Emirates, Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestine…
The UN voted overwhelmingly for sanctions on Iraq, which were violated. Congress voted 98% to authorize war on Iraq in 1998, when BILL CLINTON was president.
kbfenner October 10, 2009 at 11:06 am
I suppose I have a tendency to be more lenient toward nuclear arms and energy as the daughter of a lifelong Savannah River Laboratory employee. One might expect Brad, as a military offspring, to have similar biases, magnified by having lived in pro-military country for so long. He has said that The State reflected its readership, which is conservative and pro-military, so true that.
This sounds very condescending, and is, and further illustrates how far this blog has degenerated into ad hominem arguments.
Folks, can we try harder to argue on the merits, regardless of who is saying something? Out of the mouths of babes….
Calling someone a liberal, a socialist, a warmongerer, a Nazi, etc. does not advance the discussion one whit. It does not discredit the truth of what he or she may be saying.
Can we all try harder, please?
How about when Obama called himself a Marxist, or when he blames whites and Jews for his personal lack of success, and the failures of so many other non-whites?
Are we educated people supposed to pretend we don’t hear Obama using the exact same rhetoric as a fascist dictator, or when his advisors tout the same failed socialist programs of modern Europe, FDR, Mussolini, and Hitler?
If you can’t stand to intellectually examine the train wreck caused by Democrats and the lousy ideas behind their failures, just stand aside, because you are no better than the illiterate winos bussed to the polls by ACORN.
kbfenner October 10, 2009 at 2:51 pm
There’s no point debating with someone with whom one cannot even agree on basic facts.
“From each according to his means, to each according his needs” always sounded a lot like the story of the loaves and fishes to me. Marxism is not some inherent evil like Nazism or fascism. It is also a vastly different political philosophy.
Obama is not by any stretch of any reasonable person’s mind a Nazi or a fascist. In most universes, he is not a socialist, either.
Maude Lebowski October 10, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Thanks for contributing some sense to this thread, kb.
The government did not “confiscate” anything. The companies begged for financial assistance and received it.Any prudent investor expects some control, no?
There has been no additional confiscation of medical providers, beyond Medicare, the VA system, etc. that everyone who participates in seems to not want to give up.
You are simply wrong about being card-carrying communists.
You are also simply wrong about some Democratic Socialist Alliance.
I cannot disprove a negative, but there is no credible evidence outside extreme right wing circles for any of your assertions.
There are also no black helicopters; we did land on the moon and there are no alligators living in the sewers.Oh, and the earth is round.
Good night and good luck!
Lee Muller October 10, 2009 at 4:26 pm
You should have gotten your education on Obama BEFORE the election.
Burl Burlingame October 10, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Even if one were a democratic socialist, why would that make them non-Americans?
(Note to self: Stop using logic.)
The core principle of Americanism is a government as small as it can possibly be. Government’s only purpose is to promote individual liberty.
The core principle of socialism is government (the dictators) controlling every aspect of life, with no individuality.
Socialism is based on theft and slavery, motivated by greed, laziness and envy.
I was taught those character flaws and crimes were un-American.
All America’s external enemies are socialist nations. They hate us. They hate our innovation, productivity and freedom. They hate the American ideal of small government. Internal collaborators with our enemies are traitors.
Note to Burl:
re-read note to self.
“The core principle of Americanism is a government as small as it can possibly be. Government’s only purpose is to promote individual liberty.” –this is an opinion, not a fact. You simply equate your beliefs with Americanism and thus define away all who disagree with you.
America’s external enemies, by and large, are dictatorships and oligarchies.Those who are countries, at least.
Many would disagree with this assertion. Many. Worldwide, and in this country. Socialism is also not at all necessarily authoritarian. Far from it. It is usually communitarian.
Those of us who worked in the capitalist system might say that many employers are “controlling every aspect of life, with no individuality.” Given how tied health care has become to employment, this is akin to slavery.
Note to self, re-read Burl’s note to self.
and dictatorships and oligarchies can have very small governments…. just large secret police and military.
Libb October 10, 2009 at 6:01 pm
“Socialism is based on theft and slavery…”
The country America was created by the theft of land inhabited by the native people and practiced one of the most barbaric forms of slavery known to modern history.
Looks like this country has been socialist since it’s beginning.
Randy E October 10, 2009 at 6:38 pm
KB, Libb, and Burl, it is an act of futility to debate with Lee.
This is the same person who claims 75% of African-American families are single parent families because of drugs and alcohol. He also claimed that most Hispanics you know are illegals. He also claimed that failing students are the result of immoral parents.
FYI, he also claims to be a economist, an engineer, a volunteer fire captain, an expert marksman who trains police, a volunteer in a school, and he was interviewed by WIS.
He reminds me of Larry the Liar, a guy I knew who once claimed that he used to be 6′ tall but is now 5-10 because he had cartilage removed from his knees.
Randy E–
You have so often impressed me with your perspicacity and sagacity.
Of course no one will convince “Lee.”
I wonder, though, about the lurkers, who may either give up on the blog in disgust that it has become Limbaugh Lite, or worse, start to believe “Lee”‘s assertions.
Brad challenged me to defend Obama’s Nobel. I did so openly and honestly, but with trepidation. Fortunately I was not eviscerated by subsequent posters. Nonetheless, I got sucked into the Muller Vortex. My bad.
Let’s raise the bar! Discuss issues and ideas. No personal attacks. No assertions of facts not generally agreed to by anyone else (“On what planet do you spend most of your time?”). Ignore those who do not abide by these reasonable principles.
KB, I believe you once mentioned something about U of Chi Law? In a documentary about President Obama, Nobel Laureate (Lee, how does that sound! it was mentioned that it is a mostly conserative school. Many of the progressive students would flock to Obama’s classes because he was a voice from the desert. Your thoughts?
What makes you so willing to believe such unsubstantiated stories about your Glorious Leader?
Obama never wrote anything on the law, but from his few comments on it, he is not very knowledgeable about the Constitution, or simply chooses to ignore it.
I correct myself.
Barack Obama did write ONE legal article in his entire life, a short and not very scholarly article arguing that the state may have an interest more compelling than allowing any fetus to reach full term and live birth.
It begins on page 823 of Volume 103 of the Harvard Law Review, is available in libraries and subscription-only legal databases, like Lexis.
The U of C Law School has been noted, since at least the 70s, when Richard Posner taught there, for an “economics” approach to the law. This is essentially a free market analysis–discrimination doesn’t need to be outlawed b/c the unfair discriminator will be disadvantaged by not hiring better qualified applicants, etc. It extended to torts–“lowest cost avoider,” and so on. So, yes, where there is a political bent in the Law School, it has tended toward the right/Libertarian/free market. I can see where Obama must have been a breath of fresh air. He articulates much of what I was frustrated in trying to articulate when I was a law student at Emory, which emulated U of C. I had only 2 courses in economics, and was an English and History major, so I was ill-equipped to argue with my class mate who had a PhD in economics and a strong bent towards free market utility. He was a veritable “Will to Power” type on many fronts. I have always been drawn to protecting the weak and disadvantaged, as you might imagine.
My friends and colleagues whom I admired who are U of C Law alums are
not all leftys, but are all strong reasoners, good legal minds. My husband and his classmates who are also U of C alums are in the Computer Science and Math departments, and vary from classic left wing academic to a sort of TS Eliot kind of conservatism. Not quite sure how to describe it–traditionalism?
My BFF in Chicago, an alum, whose father is also a U of C Law alum, was more or less a Republican,as was her dad, and they both are ardent fans of Obama and his politics and books, etc. She would have been Law ’83 and he would have been mid 50s, I’m guessing. He’s a gazillionaire businessman now. Go figure.
Yes, a voice in the wilderness indeed!
Maude Lebowski October 10, 2009 at 10:08 pm
“you don’t get to define a ‘fact’ by whether you and your ilk ‘agree to it’. Reality is reality.”
Be the change you wish to see in the world. (Whitey Righty translation: practice what you preach.)
Lee Muller October 10, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I practice Gandhi’s maxim by posting facts here, which you cannot abide.
Obama didn’t win the Nobel Prize.
It was given to him, as a gesture, a hope that he might finally do something, in the spirit of Affirmative Action.
Again, “Lee” is having you all on. He’s a blog troll deliberately trying to make conservatives appear crazy (note how much he claims to represent “a lot of Americans.”)
No one could possibly be this monomaniacal and agenda-driven and humorless and just plain nasty. He monitors this site 24 hours a day. He’s more of a presence here than Brad is! It’s all about the shouting.
bud October 11, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Charles Kraugthamer’s article this morning speaks volumes about the failure of journalism to assess the merits of American foreign policy. He continues to say that the surge in Iraq was an unqualified success. Fact is the surge has not resulted in the full-scale withdrawal from Iraq that is crucial to both our financial well being and our prospects for a peaceful middle east. Hundreds continue to die from insurgent bombings each month. Billions are still spent on maintaining a huge military presence in Iraq. Oil production is little more than before the war. Yet Kraugthamer and others speak of the success of the surge as though it was an accepted fact.
The same sort of reporting occurred in regard to Afghanistan in 2002. That was considered a huge success also. So here we are 7 years later continuing with that quagmire.
Folks don’t get fooled by the conservative bullies in the media. The Iraq surge was nothing but an expensive diversion. Iraq continues to be an unstable place with little improvement in oil production or basic living standards for it’s people. Violence is down but by no means is that messy place a normal State. If only the media would cover the story in it’s entirety would the public understand just what a failure the whole Iraq misadventure is. Any reasonable cost/benefit analysis would quickly reveal what a huge mistake that was. Sadly it is not important for the media to fully expose the Bush lies. And folks continue to die.
Sort of like the old ditty about a tree falling in the forest. If people in Iraq die and nobody says so, does that mean they’re still alive? Charles Kraughamer must think so.
bud, I am afraid you are right about Iraq – especially it being a distraction. Afghanistan is such a third world country that it would take an incredible amount of time to turn it around. In late August a UK general spoke of a 40 year presence there.
kb, you evaluated Toreno well. He and BillC are angry men venting on this blog.
Bart October 11, 2009 at 10:06 pm
If the Nobel committee were to go by the actual definition and apparent intent as described by Nobel in his will, Obama is indeed qualified and meets the criteria by which those receiving the peace award should be judged. From Alfred Nobel’s one page will:
“and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” This is from the original will, not the revisionist verson on Wikipedia.
The problem is that the committee, by its own admission, deviated from the criteria and injected their own. That is, a still lingering hatred of George W. Bush and a clear repudiation of America for the past eight years. Some of the same reasons they used to award the prize to Carter and Gore, knowing it was a “kick in the shin” of America for electing Bush. I still wonder who the committee was trying to embarass or “poke in the eye” when the award was given to Yassar Arafat.
If you consider the award of the peace prize to so many questionable recipients in the past several years, what was at one time a distinct honor has become nothing but a slightly more sophisticated version of the annual Publisher’s Clearinghouse awards. “Congratulations [insert name here], you have been named as a winner……”
Bart October 12, 2009 at 8:04 am
Another compliment from Toreno. My day is complete.
‘I cannot accept this award … but’
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Oct. 11, 2009, 7:31PM
The Nobel committee did President Barack Obama no favors by prematurely awarding him its peace prize. As he himself acknowledged, he has not done anything yet on the scale that would normally merit such an award — and it dismays me that the most important prize in the world has been devalued in this way.
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Gates against Cryptocurrencies
Bill Gates, the famed philanthropist and founder of Microsoft is evidently not appeased by the rise of cryptocurrencies. The cryptocurrency craze has caught the fancy of many in the world of business and technology but Gates is fairly adamant about it being a danger to the public. He is concerned that cryptocurrencies are revolutionizing financial crime, terrorism and drug deals. “Right now cryptocurrencies are used for buying fentanyl and other drugs so it is a rare technology that has caused deaths in a fairly direct way” said Gates referring to the usage of cryptocurrencies to finance illegal activities.
“The main feature of cryptocurrencies is their anonymity. I don’t think this is a good thing,” says Gates. The possibility of remaining anonymous is one of the biggest features of using cryptocurrencies that attracts people to try it out but Gates vehemently disagrees with this very aspect. The anonymity makes it hard for organizations and governments to regulate the illegal activities that are a bane to the society. While cash is also untraceable, cryptocurrencies can be used remotely.
Gates is keen on advising investors against putting their money into cryptocurrencies. “I think the speculative wave around ICOs and cryptocurrencies is super risky”. Last year bitcoin started trading at $2,000 and reached $19,000 by the end of the year. Since then it’s being traded at around $9,300 now. The trade has been under pressure this year with various governments trying to regulate the market. Gates was gifted a bitcoin several years ago by a friend but he didn’t hang on to it for long, he sold it soon. Gates is very bearish when it comes to cryptocurrencies. "As an asset class, you're not producing anything and so you shouldn't expect it to go up. It's kind of a pure 'greater fool theory' type of investment" Gates said. Cryptocurrency is merely digital code; on a whole is not a by-product of any particular item per say, so Gates doesn’t see the logic behind the expectations of the value of cryptocurrencies to go up.
Gates although a thorough skeptic on the usage of cryptocurrencies, is enthusiastic about blockchain, which is the basis on which bitcoin runs. Gates appreciates its ability to keep out the third-party intermediaries, such as banks while keeping a secure and permanent record of transactions between the two participating parties. His billionaire friend Warren Buffet has also warned the investors against buying into cryptocurrencies.
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Analog Sunset
By BlogMaster | Published August 20, 2010
CIS is Charlotte's Source For Technology Questions and Answers
How concerned should integrators and consumers be about restrictions on component video outputs affecting Blu-ray players?
The impending so-called “analog sunset” has been touted as the next big thing affecting the custom electronics industry.
Whether or not that’s hyperbole, it’s certain that there are things integrators need to know about restrictions being imposed by the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) licensing agreement — especially in regards to Blu-ray playback.
If savvy clients haven’t already begun asking questions about whether or not they should throw out their component cables, they soon will. Integrators need to know what to tell them and how to react.
Right now integrators can allow clients to view content off Blu-ray discs using an analog component video output on a Blu-ray player. But according to the AACS licensing agreement, after Dec. 31, 2010, no new designs may be introduced with hot HD component outputs; existing designs can be manufactured and sold through Dec. 31, 2011. No Blu-ray players with hot HD component outputs may be manufactured or sold after that date, but they can still output SD resolutions through 2013.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t use Blu-ray players made before Dec. 31, 2010, for viewing content off Blu-ray discs using an analog component video output. Meanwhile, in-stock models made before Dec. 31, 2010, with component inputs capable of HD output can continue to be sold through 2013.
“I recently heard a competitor state that they were going to purchase as many older [Blu-ray] players as they could afford to put off dealing with the changes for as long as possible,” says CEDIA chairman Ken Erdmann, owner of Springville, Utah-based Erdmann Electric. “That will not solve the problem and is rather shortsighted.”
Indeed, after January 1, 2011, Blu-ray disc makers can include an “Image Constraint Token” (ICT) that disables HD over component video down-converting the HD capable input to SD while that particular disc is in the drive. Existing discs in a customer’s collection without the ICT, however, will continue to provide HD component output with no change. The token is only disc-based, so discs with no ICT will operate the same as always (allowing 1080i component out).
Erdmann speculates that Blu-ray titles released years earlier could even “include ICT for those titles manufactured after the 2011 implementation date. A client could be very unhappy if they were used to watching a favorite title for years that when they replaced the worn or damaged disc with a newer version of that title it no longer looked as good or possibly would not play at all.”
Is Analog Fading to Black?
“Analog Sunset” is a term that is actually used in the AACS license agreement:
2.2.2.1 ANALOG SUNSET – 2010. With the exception of Existing Models, any Licensed Player manufactured after December 31, 2010, shall limit analog video outputs for Decrypted AACS Content to SD Interlace Modes only. Existing Models may be manufactured and sold by Adopter up until December 31, 2011.
2.2.2.2 ANALOG SUNSET – 2013. No Licensed Player that passes Decrypted AACS Content to analog video outputs may be manufactured or sold by Adopter after December 31, 2013.
Source: The AACS Final Adopter Agreement, available at http://www.aacsla.com.
At the very least, this legal language will leverage installers with some frustration, according to Fred Harding, who does sales and technical support for distributor Capitol Sales.
“It will cause stress for folks who are installing Blu-ray players over the next year who aren’t prepared. Worst case will be down the road, when manufacturers of other HDMI-equipped products stop putting analog outputs on their devices based on economic decisions. In that case, it will be the absence of connections rather than a mandate that hurts. I’d start planning if it were me.”
However, points out Trent Davis, Audio Authority’s product manager, manufacturers alone can’t always decide when to stop putting technology on their devices. He cites, for example, that many components still are required by the FCC to have FireWire ports even though the technology isn’t commonly used anymore.
Still, the AACS provisions will affect integrators that “have used the component video safety net” because they’ll “be forced to come to terms with the HDMI output,” says Erdmann.
“The loss of 1080i video brought about by the implementation of the ICT will be unsatisfactory to our clients. Even worse, integrators unwilling or unable to deliver the best quality video by using the HDMI output might find their clients looking elsewhere to satisfy their desires for the best quality video and audio in their systems. As time goes by and more of the provisions [are] allowed and implemented under the AACS licensing agreement, the unprepared integrator will face even greater challenges.”
Is the Issue Over-Hyped?
Audio Authority, makers of HMDI and component video distribution systems, switchers and adapters, matrix switches, recently issued a whitepaper, “Component Video’s Future: Demystified,” because there is a lot of misinformation out there, says Davis.
He’s not saying it’s much ado about nothing, but he says the facts are becoming blurred amid all the speculation.
The bottom line, according to Audio Authority, is that component video isn’t going away — but its role will be changed, even mitigated. “Some content sources will be experiencing some changes in the way they are required to control component video output, while others are under no threat from pending restrictions,” writes the company.
Extron Electronics, a manufacturer of A/V components including matrix switchers and cables, also issued a whitepaper on the topic, “Analog Sunset Demystified.” The company’s stance is that even with the impending restrictions, “use of legacy components already installed or the design of systems using products that both have analog and digital outputs will be around for quite some time,” says Joe da Silva, director of product marketing.
“A/V integrators have the choice to design systems using a ‘hybrid’ approach or transition all signals to a digital format. The hybrid design for digital and analog distribution can be much more cost effective than an all-digital approach. A/V integrators who incorporate high-definition protected content and playback of Blu-ray disc format into their designs will certainly be influenced by the restrictions associated by AACS provisions.”
What about Content?
The ICT has actually been around for a while, Audio Authority points out, but it’s not known to have been used on a mass-released Blu-ray disc. Let’s take a look at AACS’ specific ICT and Digital Only Token (DOT) language:
SEC. 3, 1.3.2 Content Participants/Providers shall not, prior to December 31, 2010, direct Licensed Content Producers to embed the Image Constraint Token in Licensed Content Products offered for sale or other distribution in a country in which there was a government or quasi-government regulation or equivalent prohibiting the use of an Image Constraint Token, or equivalent, for scrambled or encrypted content as of November 30, 2005.
SEC. 3, 1.4 If Content Participant/Provider has directed that the Image Constraint Token and/or Digital Only Token be set with respect to a particular LCP (Licensed Content Product) Unit, then the fact that such Image Constraint Token and/or Digital Only Token (as applicable) is set shall be disclosed by the Content Participant/Provider to the consumer either (i) on such LCP Unit’s product packaging; or (ii) only in the case of a consumer product, by other reasonable means that allows the consumer to be aware at the point of initial purchase that the Image Constraint Token and/or Digital Only Token (as applicable) is set with respect to such LCP Unit.
1.2.1 Content Participant/Provider may assert the Digital Only Token only with respect to (a) Non-Consumer Products and/or (b) LCP Units Released in a given country within the first six (6) weeks after the first Theatrical Release of substantially similar Digital Entertainment Content in such country, provided that in the event of the circumstances set forth in this part (b), within six (6) months after such first Theatrical Release, Content Participant/Provider shall Release in such country LCP Units containing a version of such Licensed Content Product that does not assert the Digital Only Token.
Audio Authority points out that the DOT only applies to non-consumer content and for licensed content released on Blu-ray disc within six weeks of the theatrical release “with the caveat that non-DOT versions of the content must be released within six months.”
The effects on Blu-ray, however, while significant, aren’t the entire story. Speculation abounds that the AACS licensing agreement affects cable and satellite boxes, media streaming devices, gaming consoles, media centers and computers.
It’s not true, though, says Davis, unless those devices include Blu-ray players. “A DirecTV box, for example, is not an AACS licensed device and is not affected at all by the provisions of the AACS Analog Sunset. It is, however, affected by the FCC’s SOC [Selectable Output Control May 2010] ruling, but the FCC is the authoritative body in that case, not the AACS licensees.”
So, with some help from Audio Authority’s whitepaper and other authorities, let’s take a look at effects on different content sources.
Cable, Satellite Boxes
These content sources shouldn’t be affected much by the AACS licensing agreement, according to Audio Authority. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) oversees these components and federal law disallows content providers from turning off component video outputs.
The one exception to this rule, Davis says, is the aforementioned SOC ruling. It “allows deactivation of set-top box analog outputs for very specific content: first-run movies that are still in theaters.”
Meanwhile, the FCC also tells cable and satellite companies not to allow commands to turn off component outputs from being including in their content delivery signals, preventing content providers from restricting output on their own.
So component video should remain applicable to cable and satellite boxes. However, that could change, Harding says. “I think in the future the cable and satellite boxes will drop the jacks based on manufacturing savings. I’m suggesting worrying.”
Erdmann takes a similar stance. “It is my opinion that there is nothing stopping content owners from imposing similar requirements on any provider wishing to provide 1080p video,” he says.
“ICT is inserted in the data stream that allows the decoding of the video and which resolution is allowed where. Any non-HDCP-protected output on any cable or satellite box could have ICT implemented on it. It wasn’t too long ago that we started losing RF outputs on high-definition cable boxes.”
Erdmann has the same skepticism regarding the DOT provision. “I know that DOT is reserved for new business models, but who is to say that cable and satellite high-definition programming would not fall under these new business models? DOT could be used to set day-and-date release information or to limit high-definition content in places where DOT was not in use.”
Davis disagrees that there is nothing stopping content owners from imposing restrictions. “Since the FCC regulates analog outputs of set-top boxes, there’s no reason to believe these sorts of changes will be allowed, and they’ll certainly not go unchallenged. It’s not a decision that’s exclusively in the hands of manufacturers. For example, the FCC made a ruling in 2004 that required FireWire ports be included on future set top boxes, despite the objections of content creators and cable companies.
“The ICT and DOT simply do not and cannot affect cable and satellite TV,” Davis adds. “The entire AACS license applies only to products that use AACS encryption. To imply that cable and satellite companies, whose products are not AACS licensed, are beholden to the industry agreement signed by a bunch of other companies is incorrect.
“Selectable Output Control’ is the appropriate term for cable and satellite set top boxes, and that feature is regulated strictly by the FCC. Only one exception has been made — the SOC can be used on first-run movies that are still in theaters,” Davis continues. “Aside from that, content providers have denied the ability to shut off analog HD outputs for years, and the FCC has given no indication they will relent.”
Media Streaming
Vudu, Apple TV, Roku and other media streaming devices aren’t affected, according to Audio Authority.
Component video should remain applicable to media streaming devices, but again, Harding suggests that this could change.
Erdmann adds that, “As long as you are happy with low-resolution video from those devices it probably won’t have an impact. The fact is we hook these devices up to large flat-panel displays and projectors with HDMI, we purchase HD versions of some titles from iTunes. It is unlikely that our clients who are using these services for content will be happy with anything less than the highest resolutions possible.”
Davis, however, says it’s not an either-or issue. “HD video is available from both HDMI and component outputs on these devices and there are no laws, licensing agreements or other regulations in place that will restrict them at this time.”
Gaming, Media Servers and Computers
Although gaming consoles aren’t affected, in theory, by the AACS licensing agreement, some gaming devices play Blu-ray discs, Audio Authority points out.
Sony’s PlayStation 3, for instance, must abide by the terms of the AACS licensing agreement as it pertains to playing Blu-ray content. However, other functions — including video streaming and gaming – shouldn’t be affected.
Media servers and computers, meanwhile, don’t use a lot of analog outputs anyway, but the AACS licensing agreement won’t seem to require shut-off of VGA and component video outputs.
“Our clients will not be satisfied with anything less than the best performance possible,” says Erdmann, referring to gaming consoles, media servers and computers. “They will have Blu-ray video to compare the video these devices output to. It will not be acceptable to them. Most of these systems have Blu-ray in them already, so integrators must be able to deal with the challenges that come with HDMI.”
http://www.cepro.com/article/analog_sunset_ce_pros_weigh_in/
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Clearcutting Oregon: The tragic truth
Clearcutting in Oregon
Clearcuts Cause Climate Change
Federal Public Land
Clearcut Reform
Act & Share
our backyard forests on the chopping block
When it comes to the management of public forest lands in our state, most Oregonians think of the U.S. Forest Service. But the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for more than two million acres of public land in Western Oregon. These forests, located in the backyards of millions of western Oregonians, shelter important salmon streams, provide critical habitat for threatened wildlife, offer incredible recreation opportunities, and provide the scenic backdrop and drinking water for thousands of rural Oregonians.
Due to the unique history of these "O&C lands", counties with O&C lands received funding based on the amount of timber harvested there. This led to a perverse incentive to log more old-growth forests to pay for basic county services like schools, law enforcement and libraries.
After decades of over logging and the destruction of important wildlife habitat, unsustainable clearcutting came to an end and the Northwest Forest Plan was put in place. To bridge the gap in funding that counties were used to getting from logging, Congress passed the "Secure Rural Schools" Act in 2000 (more information on this history here).
Today, Western Oregon counties are facing a looming financial crisis due to the end of federal Secure Rural Schools legislation and the support it provided. Proposals in Congress to dramatically increase logging, including clearcutting, of public lands to fund county services are severely flawed, and would put clean water, salmon, and Oregon's tourism and recreation economy at risk.
It is vital a more reliable, long-term source of funding be found to provide for vital government services, without jeopardizing the clean water, fish and wildlife, and recreation found on these public lands.
More news & info
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The "Little" Medieval Warm Period in the Bahamas
Saenger, C., Cohen, A.L., Oppo, D.W., Halley, R.B. and Carilli, J.E. 2009. Surface-temperature trends and variability in the low-latitude North Atlantic since 1552. Nature Geoscience 2: 492-495.
Near the tail-end of the Medieval Warm Period, there was a brief spike in temperature at various sites around the world that appears to rival the temperatures of the latter part of the Current Warm Period. We here describe the findings of the most recent evidence for this mini-warm period, which comes to us from the Bahamas.
What was done
The authors developed what they describe as "an absolutely dated and annually resolved record of sea surface temperature [SST] from the Bahamas [25.84°N, 78.62°W], based on a 440-year time series [1552-1991] of coral [Siderastrea siderea] growth rates," which they found to possess "an inverse correlation with instrumental SST," which was verified by "applying it to an S. siderea colony from Belize (17.50°N, 87.76°W)."
What was learned
Saenger et al. report that "the reconstruction indicates that temperatures were as warm as today from about 1552 [where their record begins, somewhere in the midst of the mini-warm period] to 1570, then cooled by about 1°C from 1650 to 1730 before warming until the present [italics added]," which for their record was 1991. In comparing 1991 warmth with that of the true present (2009), however, we find that the HadCRUT3 and Global Historical Climatology Network databases depict about a 0.3°C increase in temperature between 1991 and today; but the graph of Saenger et al.'s data shows their temperature history ending about 0.3°C short of its peak mini-warm period value. Hence, their conclusion that "SSTs were as warm as present from 1552 to 1570" indeed appears to be correct.
The fact that way back in the mid-1500's, when the atmosphere's CO2 concentration was 100 ppm less than it is today, temperatures in the Bahamas - as well as many other parts of the planet (see Little Medieval Warm Period in our Subject Index) - were about the same as (or even greater than) they are today, certainly suggests that there is nothing unusual, unnatural or unprecedented about today's temperatures, and that there is thus no need (as well as no valid reason) to blame current CO2 concentrations for our current (and actually welcome) warmth.
Reviewed 16 December 2009
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Major League Soccer Channel Comes To Pluto TV
TOPICS:MLSPluto TV
Posted By: William B. West May 13, 2019
Major League Soccer and Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television streaming service in America, announced the launch of the league’s channel on Pluto TV (Channel 203).
MLS becomes the first pro sports league to feature a dedicated channel as part of Pluto TV’s offering of 100+ live, linear, curated channels and thousands of movies on demand from nearly 150 major studios, networks, publishers and digital-first outfits.
The league’s agreement with Pluto TV will see the new channel feature premium soccer content, classic matches, highlights and more.
“Major League Soccer’s agreement with Pluto TV offers fans a new way to experience the game and interact with our high-quality content,” said MLS Senior VP of Media, Chris Schlosser. “Major League Soccer is always evaluating new opportunities to provide our young, diverse and tech savvy fan base increased access to our matches, athletes and clubs. We are thrilled to offer a new free, content destination for our fans.”
In addition to classic matches including MLS Cup 2018 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s debut, original features on the channel will include The Movement, which recently debuted its fourth season exploring the intersection of soccer and culture, as well as The Birth of a Rivalry, MLS’s flagship series about the passion of new rivalries.
Other regular MLS series that can now be found on Pluto TV include Matchday Central, Extratime driven by Continental, MLS Review, and highlight packs featuring the best goals and plays from each week.
“Establishing our first league offering with a renowned and respected organization like MLS is the perfect match,” said Amy Kuessner, Senior VP of Content Partnerships for Pluto TV. “Expanding Pluto TV’s sports offerings has long been a goal of the platform, and we’re proud to kick that off with the most popular game in the world.”
Viewers and fans can access Pluto TV on gaming consoles such as PS4, as well as Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku, Android TV, Chromecast, on Smart TVs by Vizio, Hisense, and Sony. It is also available on-the-go via apps for iOS, Android and Amazon, as well as at-the-fingertips on PC or Mac, or on the web at www.Pluto.TV.
You can access the channel directly at this link: http://pluto.tv/tv/mls
Be the first to comment on "Major League Soccer Channel Comes To Pluto TV"
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Destinations • Europe • Italy • Rome • Palazzo Farnese
Palazzo Farnese is a popular attraction in Rome and one of the most impressive early examples of sixteenth-century architecture. Indeed, the Roman Palace was commissioned from the top and designed by some of the greatest practitioners of the age. Now, when you visit Palazzo Farnese in Rome, you will have to walk through what is now the French Embassy, but at one time, the magnificent palace had been the residence of a would-be pope and contained pieces of art by some of the most important artists of the day. Still, when you take Palazzo Farnese tours, you will be able to see breathtaking, frescoed walls, and the intricacies of the building itself.
Palazzo Farnese tours generally need to be booked months in advance. With the embassy security and the function of the building as a French governmental outpost, Palazzo Farnese tours are not as common or available as many of the other attractions in the city. This definitely should not keep you from at least visiting the Roman Palace, even if you decide not to set up an actual tour.
The Palazzo Farnese was an absolute architectural wonder for the early 16th century. It was commissioned by Alessandro Farnese and designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, who happened to have been an assistant to Bramante in the design of the Cathedral of St. Peter’s. Alessandro Farnese had been appointed a Cardinal in 1493 at the youthful age of 25 thanks to a fortunate association. His sister was Pope Alexander VI’s mistress. It is not surprising then that Cardinal Alessandro Farnese was well positioned to take his post as Pope Paul III in 1534. Around this time, Michelangelo was called in to complete the unfinished third floor and generally expand the luxurious palace. The additions that were to be made to the Palazzo Farnese were meant to reflect the change in status of not only the Papal leader but also of the Farnese family. Michelangelo added elaborate features including the ornate cornice that shadows the third floor of the building and made changes to increase the visual appeal of the courtyard that faced the public opening of the palace.
The sixteenth century also saw the addition to the two impressive fountains that face the public square of the Palazzo Farnese. The giant granite basins taken from the Baths of Caracala provided the basis for the formidable fountains. In a city where it is possible to do nothing but sightsee for a full week and still not take in even half the sites, it can be extremely difficult to choose exactly what to do and what to see. If you are interested in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Roman history, including its artists, designers, and architects, then you may want to consider paying a visit to this impressive Roman Palace. It is certainly one of the finest examples of sixteenth-century architecture in the city of Rome is perfectly preserved. It may not be necessary to take of the tour of the interior, as you can also drop by the square and explore the palace exterior while you're checking out the many other great things to do in Rome.
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Home Press Releases Measles: 4 Million Nigerian Children missed vaccination in 2017, highest globally
Measles: 4 Million Nigerian Children missed vaccination in 2017, highest globally
By Ndidichukwu Odoh
Number of Children Missed during measles vaccination in low and Middle in-come countries in 2017
Nearly 4 million Nigerian children missed out on the first dose of measles vaccination during their childhood, making Nigeria the highest among other top five poor performing countries in Middle and Low income countries like India (2.9 million), Pakistan and Indonesia (1.2 Million each and Ethiopia (1.1 million), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said.
The fund said in high income countries, while coverage with the first dose is 94 per cent, coverage for the second dose drops to 91 per cent, according to the latest data.
“The United States tops the list of high-income countries with the most children not receiving the first dose of the vaccine between 2010 and 2017,at more than 2.5 million. It is followed by France and the United Kingdom, with over 600,000 and 500,000 unvaccinated infants, respectively, during the same period”
UNIEF also says an estimated 169 million children missed out on the first dose of the measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017, or 21.1 million children a year on average,.
Widening pockets of unvaccinated children have created a pathway to the measles outbreak shitting several countries around the world today.
“The ground for the global measles outbreaks we are witnessing today was laid years ago,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “The measles virus will always find unvaccinated children. If we are serious about averting the spread of this dangerous but preventable disease, we need to vaccinate every child, in rich and poor countries alike.”
In the first three months of 2019, more than 110,000 measles cases were reported worldwide – up nearly 300 percent from the same period last year. An estimated 110,000 people, most of them children, died from measles in 2017, a 22 per cent increase from the year before.
Two doses of the measles vaccine are essential to protect children from the disease. However, due to lack of access, poor health systems, complacency, and in some cases fear or skepticism about vaccines, the global coverage of the first dose of the measles vaccine was reported at85 per cent in 2017, a figure that has remained relatively constant over the last decade despite population growth. Global coverage for the second dose is much lower, at 67 per cent. The World Health Organization recommends a threshold of 95 per cent immunization coverage to achieve so-called ‘herd immunity’.
Worldwide coverage levels of the second dose of the measles vaccines areeven morealarming. Of the top 20 countries with the largest number of unvaccinated children in 2017, 9have not introduced the second dose. Twenty-countries in sub-Saharan Africa have notintroduced the necessary seconddose in the national vaccination schedule, putting over 17millioninfants a year at higher risk of measles during their childhood.
UNICEF, with partners such as the Measles and Rubella Initiative and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is helping address this measles crisis by:
• Negotiating vaccine prices: the cost of the measles vaccine is now at an all-time low;
• Helping countries identify underserved areas and unreached children;
• Procuring vaccines and other immunization supplies;
• Supporting supplementary vaccination campaigns to address gaps in routine immunization coverage;
• Working with relevant countries to introduce the second dose of the measles vaccine in the national immunization schedule. Cameroon, Liberia and Nigeria are on track to do so in 2019.
• Introducing innovations like the use of solar power and mobile technologies to maintain vaccines at the right temperature.
“Measles is far too contagious,” said Fore. “It is critical not only to increase coverage but also to sustain vaccination rates at the right doses to create an umbrella of immunity for everyone.”
Africa Vaccination Week
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Women Deliver 2019: shortage of public data exposes the alarming impact of conflict on women and girls
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Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations
Cyprus at the UN
73rd Session of the UN General Assembly
72nd Session of the UN General Assembly
71st Session of the UN General Assembly
70th Session of the UN General Assembly
The Political Problem in Brief
UN Documents on Cyprus
Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Mr. Menelaos Menelaou – 3rd Committee – Protection of Human Rights
Item 68(b): Protection and Promotion of Human Rights – Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms
United Nations, 31 October 2016
Statement by Mr. Menelaos Menelaou, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cyprus
Thank you Madame Chairperson.
As this is the first time my delegation takes the floor, allow me to extend our congratulations to you and the members of the bureau. My delegation subscribes to the statement delivered by the European Union and would like to add some remarks in its national capacity.
Madam Chairperson,
Cyprus is fully committed to the inclusive protection of human rights and the establishment of unconditional accountability for all human rights abuses.
Protection and preservation of the cultural heritage as an imperative for the protection of cultural and human rights is an issue my government attaches great importance. On September 30th, 2016, the Human Rights Council in its 33rd session, adopted unanimously a resolution on cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage, presented to the Council by Cyprus on behalf of a cross regional core group.
Furthermore Cyprus is a strong advocate of strengthening the existing international legal framework including through a robust UNSC resolution applying universal limitations on the trade and transfer of artefacts originating from conflict zones with the obligation of proof of “bona-fide” trade resting upon the traders, auction houses and buyers and not the originating states.
On September 27, 2016, the International Criminal Court issued a Judgment, in Prosecutor v. Al Mahdi, in which the defendant was convicted of a war crime and sentenced to imprisonment on the basis of directing an attack on religious and historical buildings in Mali. This judgment is important because among others it shows that attacks on sites that are important to the religious life and practice of a community, regardless of whether they are historic, and regardless of when the attack took place, may be prosecuted as war crimes under the ICC jurisdiction.
Madame Chairperson,
Since 1974, the Cypriot people have collectively been denied the basic right to peaceful existence. Turkish occupation troops still remain in Cyprus. 200,000 Greek Cypriots are Internally Displaced, denied the right to return to their homes and deprived of the full enjoyment of their homes and property rights. The unlawful exploitation of the properties of the displaced, in combination with Turkey’s deliberate policy of colonizing the occupied areas with more than 160,000 mainland Turkish settlers constitute an effort to further change the demographic character of the island, in violation of International humanitarian law.
Enclaved persons, still experience daily violations of their fundamental freedoms and basic human rights. Textbooks are frequently subject to censorship and teachers experience arbitrary rejections of their appointments. Vandalisms of churches and cemeteries, intimidation of worshippers, limitation in the presence of priests and arbitrary rejections of requests to conduct religious services, create further obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion in Cyprus.
Missing persons and their families is a humanitarian issue of major concern. More than 2/3 of the remains of a total of 2001 missing persons are yet to be identified and returned to their families. Turkey must provide full unrestricted access to all areas, including fenced military areas and provide information concerning evidence of deliberate removal of remains of missing persons. It must also launch an effective investigation in order to establish the fate and conditions of disappearance of all Greek Cypriot missing persons. Time is of the essence before the advanced age of both relatives and witnesses, renders the remaining effort ineffective and futile.
Cyprus expresses concerns at recent developments in Turkey and whilst condemning the attempted coup and expresses its support to the legitimate institutions, Cyprus underlines the need to respect democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms in full compliance with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Full conformity with individual human rights standards for the people of Cyprus as a whole, regardless of their ethnic origin or religion, should be an integral element of any just, comprehensive, functional and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem. The people of Cyprus deserve no less than the full respect to their human rights and freedoms as enshrined in International Law.
Filed Under: 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, Cyprus at the UN, Policy Statements
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Sony Consoles News Forum
PS3 "a pain in the ass to work on"
Thread: PS3 "a pain in the ass to work on"
Sony's PlayStation 3 has been described as a "pain in the ass" to make games for - nearly five years after its launch.
Marvin Donald, game director at Darksiders II developer Vigil, told Eurogamer the studio is forced to do "wacky stuff" on Sony's console.
"It's a pain in the ass to work on," he said. "Five years later, getting used to it? That means it's a pain in the ass.
"I'm not an engineer, but I hear about it all the time. We have to do wacky stuff with the way we manage memory."
During the PS3's early life it was dogged by shoddy ports of multi-platform games.
At the time some developers complained about the complexity of the hardware, and suggested it would take time to wrap their heads around the systems under the hood.
In 2009 then Sony Computer Entertainment chairman Kaz Hirai claimed the PlayStation 3 was intentionally difficult to program for in order to ensure that the console met its promised ten year life cycle.
"It's hard to program for, and a lot of people see the negatives of it, but if you flip that around, it means the hardware has a lot more to offer," Hirai explained.
"We don't provide the 'easy to program for' console that [developers] want, because 'easy to program for' means that anybody will be able to take advantage of pretty much what the hardware can do, so then the question is what do you do for the rest of the nine-and-a-half years?"
Donald explained that the cause of Vigil's PS3 headache has to do with the memory management.
"Even as an artist, it's like, OK, my textures are too big, I'm in trouble because I checked in something that's making the 360 crash because it's a 2048 when it really should just be a 1024, or even smaller.
"But on the PlayStation 3, the assets go into different categories, and if one of those categories becomes too bloated it'll crash the system. It's a little bit more sensitive on the PS3 in that regard. There are some things you just can't do, or you have to do differently. Yeah, it's a pain."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ass-to-work-on
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Game CEO Sees "Gamification" of Work and Military
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PSP slim tv out .will it work with "normal" tv?
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Halter Horse Futurities Respond to AQHA Lip Chain Ruling
April 28, 2015 | Filed under: Breaking News,Featured | Posted by:
By: Brittany Bevis
Over the weekend, AQHA made breaking news with the official announcement about a series of rule changes, new penalties, and other animal welfare-related actions, some that will go into effective immediately, some to be implemented later this year, and some that will be applied in 2016. The announcement included details about stiffer fines and penalties regarding abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct, an amended rule about tail restriction, and concern about the potential abuse of the drug Clenbuterol in show horses.
At the top of the hot topic list is the new ruling that will ban the use of lip chains at AQHA events beginning in 2016.
AQHA President Dr. Glenn Blodgett gave the following statement. “While many of our halter exhibitors lobbied in favor of lip chains at the 2015 Convention, the Executive Committee members – based on input from the Animal Welfare Commission, the Show Committee and Show Council – believe that the use of lip chains in Halter classes is not the intended use for lip chains – especially in the hands of novice exhibitors. It’s simply not humane.”
At the AQHA Convention in April, within the Halter Subcommittee, a rule change was proposed with the following wording.
“To keep the current rules as is concerning lip chains and add to SHW355.4 Applying excessive pressure on or excessive jerking of an allowed lip chain is prohibited. Lip chains are to be humanely used. Intentional or negligent treatment which results in bleeding will result in automatic disqualification.”
The action taken by the Executive Committee was to deny that proposal and with “recommendations from the Animal Welfare Commission, Show Committee, and Show Council,” the final decision was made to eliminate the use of lip chains entirely beginning January 1, 2016.
Since the announcement was made public, there has been considerable debate with both sides weighing in on whether the use of a lip chain itself is inhumane or whether it’s the improper use of such that causes a problem. Recently, three major Halter Horse Futurity programs and the World Conformation Horse Association have released their own statements in response to how the ruling will affect their events in the future.
First, the East Coast Halter Futurity released the following statement via social media over the weekend.
“The Executive Board of the East Coast Halter Futurity has read and listened to our committed Halter exhibitors over the past 36 hours. While doing everything we can to produce a venue for the average exhibitor, making it possible to show their young stock while showcasing the best stallions in the US, we want to assure everyone of our policies post 2015. First and foremost is our concern for the welfare and safety of humans as exhibitors, judges, stewards and onlookers. But, not far behind is always the welfare and professional treatment of the horses brought to our event. Saying thus, lip chains will be allowed at any age, level or gender.”
“We vow to keep a vigilant eye open for any misuse of such and will not tolerate any abusive actions by handlers, owners or grooms. We will always strive to be a venue open to everyone, judged fairly and priced to enhance our industry not deter it, a working forum to encourage youth and also seniors, and a solid American weekend to preserve the partnership of man and horse.”
We had the opportunity to speak with a representative of the East Coast Halter Futurity, Glenn Gieschen, to gain more insight into this decision.
“We talked about it, and everyone in the committee was in agreement concerning the ruling,” Gieschen says. “We will continue to allow lip chains in every age division from weanlings on up to two-year-olds. At our horse show, the Futurity classes are held on the first day, and AQHA-approved classes are held on the second day. We will continue to allow lip chains in our Futurity classes. For this year, of course, lip chains will be allowed in those AQHA-approved classes. But next year, [2016] if we decide to go through AQHA for those approved classes, we would have to abide by their rules for the regular classes. However, we’re not even at that stage yet and won’t be until next year.”
Event Secretary for the The Breeders Halter Futurity, Karen Kennedy, clarified why it’s possible for these independently owned futurities to make their own decisions regarding competition rules.
“The Breeders Halter Futurity is owned by a group of eleven individuals,” Kennedy says. “Our Board of Directors, on behalf of our exhibitors, decides the rules as an independent entity.”
“The Breeders Halter Futurity has always allowed the use of a lip chain and will continue to do so in the future. The BHF will continue to allow the use of a lip chain in all ages and divisions. The safety and well being of our horses and exhibitors is of the utmost importance.”
Since the publication of this piece, a third Halter Futurity program, The Best In The West, has come forward with their own statement.
“The Executive Board of The Best In The West Halter Futurity has discussed at length the recent decision made by AQHA regarding the elimination of the use of lip chains in all Halter classes effective January 1, 2016,” says Futurity Coordinator, Don Falcon. “The safety of our exhibitors, judges, stewards, and spectators, while protecting the welfare of our horses, is a responsibility that we take very seriously. In our first year, we wanted to show support for AQHA by adopting their rule of not allowing lip chains on weanlings, but youth and amateurs could use the lip chain on yearlings and older horses. Open exhibitors could only use the lip chain on stallions.”
“However, we also feel that our Halter exhibitors are adept at the proper usage of this tool and are mindful of its intent and purpose. Last year, in our non pro class, I witnessed one instance where an elderly exhibitor’s safety was compromised because her weanling filly was simply overpowering her. She simply needed more control, not only for her safety, but other exhibitors in her class. These are the safety issues that concern us, and we feel we need to be proactive in our attempts to avoid these situations.”
Therefore, The Best In The West Futurity Executive Board has decided that non-pro exhibitors will be allowed to use lip chains in all classes. However, because they feel that open exhibitors are stronger and more experienced individuals, lip chains will not be allowed in open classes.
“We will closely monitor any abuse of this safety tool or any other mistreatment of these animals, not only in the show pen but anywhere on the show grounds. Any violation will be grounds for disqualification from participation. Fair competition and the safety of all owners, exhibitors, spectators, and the horses put in our care is of primary importance to our program.”
We reached out to the World Conformation Horse Association for an official statement and this was their response.
“WCHA’s Executive Committee and Directors are assessing AQHA’s recent decision on the use of lip chains with the intent to discuss and pursue the needs and thoughts of our membership. After further understanding the position of our membership, WCHA will determine and address, as appropriate, additional planning and communication needs. WCHA remains committed to protecting the welfare of the horse and utilizing safe practices for both the horse and WCHA membership. Official changes will not affect any of the WCHA events in 2015.”
Meanwhile, we’re certain that this debate will continue into the weeks and months ahead.
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British Drama "Blood Cells" Heads to DVD
Garden Thieves Pictures recently send us over information for their upcoming release of the British drama "Blood Cells". The film was nominated for Best British Film and Best Performance in a British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
No special features were announced.
"Blood Cells" hits retail on August 17th.
Garden Thieves Pictures has announced the August 17th DVD and VOD release of Luke Seomore and Joseph Bull's Blood Cells. Nominated for Best British Film and Best Performance in a British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Blood Cells follows one man's return from a self-imposed exile as he makes his way through the broken yet beautiful margins of Britain.
Adam has lived a rootless existence since his family's farm was destroyed by the Foot & Mouth epidemic of 2001. His life imploded and he abandoned his family after a devastating incident. He has spent the years since on the nomadic fringes of British society, cycling through transitory jobs and transitory relationships, adrift from his family and past.
When his younger brother Aiden reaches out to him to announce the birth of his first child-there is an ultimatum attached: come home now, or never come home again. Adam embarks on a journey home that is at once tortured and exhilarating, a panoramic tour through the broken and beautiful margins of Britain. As eruptions from his secret past begin to emerge, Adam struggles to break free from an exile that must now end before it swallows him for good.
Labels: Blood Cells, DVD News, Garden Thieves Pictures
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Hut of Slobozhanshchyna
Slobozhanshchyna – Hut of Slobozhanshchyna
Hut from Kolyadivka village (isolated farmstead Malymoniv or Holodiv) of Novoaidar area, Luhans’k region
The first records of Cossack settlements on the lands of Slobozhanshchyna date back to the beginning of the 16th century. Extensive occupation of these territories, which now are the part of Luhans’k region, has been conducted mostly by settlers from the Right-Bank and Left-Bank Ukraine during the times of Het’manshchyna (Ukrainian Cossack State existing from the second half of 17th to the second half of 18th centuries). Besides Ukrainians in these lands also settled Russians, Moldavians, Bulgarians, and representatives of other nationalities. They all brought to the region culture, customs, and traditions of their own. Even nowadays, next to Ukrainian villages exist Russian settlements where the language, traditions, and rites have been preserved.
The name of the village Kolyadivka comes from the name of sotnik Kolyada who settled in this region in 1730-1732. According to the written sources and the local legends, Kolyada was a robber. But it is known that as far back as in the 17th century here had existed a village which in 1708 was burned; the name of the village is unknown. It is also known that in the second half of the 18th century near Kolydivka on the right bank of the Yovsuh river Cossack Holod had settled, and later Cossack Malymon joined him. In accordance with local legends, they were farmers. They settled by the well which had existed there before witnessing an earlier settlement. The well has been preserved until nowadays.
Coming from different parts of Ukraine, people brought and preserved traditions of folk architecture, trades, handicrafts, customs, and rites. However, due to local geographical conditions and natural resources new traditions emerged here as well. In different areas of Luhans’k region, in addition to peculiar for Ukraine framework and pise buildings, people constructed dwellings of stone and other local materials.
The hut from Kolyadivka village represents folk architecture, everyday life, trades and customs of Slobozhanshchyna. The hut comprises both traditional for entire Ukraine planning and specific local peculiarities. The hut consists of four rooms: a living room (which was traditionally called hut), hatyna (kitchen), an anteroom, and a storeroom. Under the hut is a large cell of stone.
Traditionally in each hut in pokut’ (sacred corner) there were placed many icons decorated with embroidered or woven towels and dry flowers. In this hut the two icons of the 19th century are presented – “Intercession of the Holy Virgin” and “Trinity of the New Testament” produced in the monastery workshop of Starobil’s’k. The other icon depicting “the Three-handed Mother of God” has been painted by local artists. There is also a traditional folk picture painted on glass hanging on the wall nearby.
By the walls stand the benches. In the middle, closer to pokut’, is placed the table covered with tablecloth of two pieces hemstitched in the middle. There are two ceramic bowls on the table. Between the table and the bed stands a trunk decorated with specific painting of Slobozhanshchyna region. On the trunk lie various items of homespun linen. Among them are a traditional shirt decorated with plant ornament embroidered with cross-stitch, a tablecloth decorated with hemstitch work, towels, and homespun linen. Various kinds of homespun linen are also presented on the stove.
In the left corner by the stove stands a wooden bed with sackcloths, towels, traditional women’s and men’s shirts embroidered with cross-stitch, and a set of women’s outer clothing lying on it. Above the bed there is a cradle hanging on the ceiling.
On the wall by the bed hangs a carpet of the 19th century brought by settlers from Poltava region. The carpet is woolen; it is decorated with stylized plant ornament on black background.
On the hearth are presented decorative pottery of Poltava region, a pot of local production, and a metal iron. To the right of the entrance there are tools for spinning yarn of hemp, flax, and wool: a spinning wheel, a comb, spindles, a reel, etc.
There are two doors in the hut, one leading to the anteroom, another – to hatyna (the “kitchen”).
Traditionally there is an icon decorated with a towel in hatyna too. The towel is adorned with plant ornament. Certainly, the main part of hatyna was a stove. By the stove in the corner are placed rohachi (instruments for pots handling), pokers, and a wooden spade for bread. In this area there are a lot pots and other ceramic ware as well.
Near the stove by the window stands a table laid with a linen tablecloth. On the table there are various vessels and ladles plaited of rod for taking dumplings out of the pot. Opposite to the stove stands a painted trunk of local production. In the corner there is a large cupboard. There are pegs for cloths fixed on the wall near the entrance and a towel rail attached by the stove.
The second door in hatyna leads to the anteroom. In the anteroom various farm implements as well as wood-working, cooper’s, and blacksmith’s tools are presented.
Having briefly familiarized yourselves with interior of the hut from Luhans’k region, you can get an idea of diversity and versatility of culture in another part of Ukraine – Slobozhanshchyna.
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Missing New York man's car found unoccupied and on fire in Brandon
By Evan Axelbank, FOX 13 News
BRANDON, Fla. (FOX 13) - Hillsborough County deputies are hoping to locate a man whose car was found on fire at a Brandon apartment complex.
"[The fire] started from the inside of the car," said Joseannett Diaz-Sanchez, a spokesperson for HCSO. "When we got there, we checked the outside, there was not a license plate."
There is no apparent reason for the car's owner, Samuel Ortiz, to be in Tampa Bay.
Did Ortiz light the car on fire? Did someone else? If so, what does that mean for Ortiz?
"We don't know if he drove his car here," said Diaz-Sanchez. "If he is with someone, that is part of the investigation. We don't believe he is in danger at this very moment."
He lives 1,300 miles away, on Branch Street in Rochester, New York.
His family said that he was last seen at a pizza place in that city's entertainment district.
HCSO said the blue Chevrolet Equinox had a glove box that was purposely damaged. Beyond the arson, there were no signs of anyone being injured inside the car. There is also surveillance video that deputies are looking at.
"He has a little girl who is nine-years-old, who he takes care if," added Diaz-Sanchez. "He has no reason to pick up and leave to come to Florida."
Deputies said until they have evidence something bad has happened, they just need to hear from Ortiz, to know he's okay.
"We want people to call us," said Diaz-Sanchez. "If he is in danger in our area, we want him to call us. We are going to help you."
While he does not have any ties to the Tampa Bay area, he does have family in Orlando. They have not heard from him.
Swimming coach lauded for lifetime of helping young athletes
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René LALIQUE (1860-1945): Glass ashtray, 'Gao' model, 1930's, signed
René LALIQUE (1860-1945) : Moulded-pressed glass ashtray, 'Gao' model (1934), with frosted decor in relief. Signed underneath 'R.LALIQUE'.
Height : 4,8 cm - 1 7/8 in
Diameter : 10,8 cm - 4 1/4 in
'Gao' model created by Rene LALIQUE 27th of July 1934
Felix MARCILHAC : René LALIQUE, catalogue raisonné de l’œuvre de verre. Paris. Les Editions de l’amateur. 2004. Model reproduced on page 282 and reference number 330.
René LALIQUE (1860-1945):
French glass designer, jeweler, furniture designer, painter and sculptor, active in Paris. Aprrenticed to goldsmith Louis AUCOC, Paris 1878-1880, studied in London and in Ecole des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. In 1884, met Jules DESTAPE and bought in 1885 his successful jewelry workshop in Paris. Furnished a number of Parisian jewelers with designs, including CARTIER, BOUCHERON and AUCOC. In 1890-92, he studied enameling and experimented with new processes, creating a range of the soft colors characteristic of Art Nouveau. In 1902, he created a new process for molding glass; 1891-94, made much of the stage jewelry for Sarah BERNHARDT and an Egyptian-style tiara for Mme BARTHET. Started to assemble a spectacular jewelry series in 1896, showing it at the 1900 Paris exposition; his reputation grew when museums bought his work. 1895-1912, he assembled a great series of 145 pieces for Calouste GULBENKIAN. LALIQUE created a new style of jewelry influenced by Renaissance and Japanese art; in 1894, he began to incorporate figurative designs (flowers, animals, insects, female figures, landscapes) into his work. His interest in glass led him to include pieces of crystal, carved into figurative forms, in his jewelry, c.1905. His sculpture was executed in bronze, ivory, and silver. He began experimentations in glass with the large 1904 molded-glass panel for the front door of his house, some scent bottles, and sculpture.. In 1906-7, LALIQUE's career went into its second phase, when François COTY commisioned him to design scent bottles in pressed glass. LALIQUE followed with flacon designs for Marcel ROCHAS's 'Femme' and the famous double-dove motif for Nina RICCI's 'L'Air du Temps'. Anticipating the importance of glass in 20th-century architecture, he designed and furnished in 1913 over 200 window panels for the COTY building, Fifth Avenue, New York. He abndoned jewelry in favor of pressed glass; although he finished pieces with hand-polishing and cutting, he used semi-industrial techniques to blow-mold and stamp. LALIQUE's production 1920-30 was prolific; he designed some 350 vases and bowls in molded clear, colored, or opalescent glass, along with a range of tableware, car mascots, jewelry, lighting, and scent bottles. His work was on display throughout 1925 Paris 'Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes', including at his own Pavilion, and also 1934 Paris 'Salon de la Lumière' and 1937 Paris 'Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne'. He rediscovered the highly stable 'demi-crystal' and created one-off pieces by the cire-perdue process; exploited the use of glass in indirect interior lighting. In 1932, he produced a wide range of glass designs for the 1935 oceanliner 'Normandie'. His work was widely copied by others including Sabino, Hunebelle, and Etling in France, and glassmakers worldwide. From 1945, the business was supervised by his son Marc LALIQUE. The firm is a member of Comité COLBERT.
Learn more about René LALIQUE (1860-1945)
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Major California Water InfrastructurE
Freshwater Flows Program
What's at Stake
What's Being Done
SF Estuary Resolutions
Water News Updates
California`s Central Valley Basin includes two major watersheds--the Sacramento River on the north and the San Joaquin River on the south--plus the Tulare Lake Basin. The combined watersheds extend nearly 500 miles from northwest to southeast and range from about 60 to 100 miles wide. These two river systems join at the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and flow through Suisun Bay and Carquinez Straits, into San Francisco Bay, and out the Golden Gate to the Pacific Ocean.
Watersheds that drain through the Delta and San Francisco Bay.
California has more than 1,400 named dams and 1,300 reservoirs that help with flood management, water storage and water transport. Dams are owned, maintained and operated by federal, state and local agencies.
Two of the world’s largest water transport and storage systems are both located in California: the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. A short summary of these two important systems, with overview maps, follows here:
Central Valley Project (CVP)
Efforts at developing a comprehensive plan for the Central Valley date back to 1873, when the Army Engineers prepared a report on irrigation in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys and Tulare Basin. In 1919, a plan was submitted to the Governor of California for coordinated development of the water resources of the Central Valley. In 1931, the Division of Water Resources submitted to the legislature the State Water Plan, which included a comprehensive plan for using the water resources of the Central Valley. The state legislature passed the Mid-Pacific Region California Central Valley Project Act in 1933, which authorized the sale of revenue bonds to construct the project. However, during the Great Depression, bonds didn't sell. With the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935, the federal government assumed control of the project and its initial features were authorized for construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. When the Rivers and Harbors Act was reauthorized in 1937, Reclamation took over CVP construction and operation, and the project became subject to Reclamation law.
Work began in 1937 with the Contra Costa Canal, which began delivering water in 1940. The next facility built was Shasta Dam, the keystone of the project. Work on the dam began in 1938, and water storage started even before its completion in 1945. Congress subsequently passed 13 separate measures to authorize the development of other major project facilities over the next three decades. The final dam, New Melones, was completed in 1979. Today the Central Valley Project is operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Its 22 reservoirs have a combined storage of 11 million acre-feet, of which 7 million acre-feet, or about 20% of the state’s developed water, is delivered in an average year. In comparison, the SWP's 20 major reservoirs can hold
5.8 million acre-feet, with annual deliveries averaging up to 3 million acre-feet. CVP water irrigates more than 3 million acres of farmland and provides drinking water to nearly 2 million consumers. More than 250 contractors in 29 out of 58 counties have long-term CVP contracts.
Central Valley Project Map (source: USBR)
FAST FACTS ABOUT THE CVP:
Reaches some 400 miles, from the Cascade Mountains near Redding in the north to the Tehachapi Mountains near Bakersfield in the south.
Consists of 22 dams and reservoirs, 11 power plants, and 500 miles of major canals, as well as conduits, tunnels, and related facilities.
Manages some 9 million acre-feet of water.
Annually delivers about 7 million acre-feet of water for agricultural, urban, and wildlife use.
Provides about 5 million acre-feet for farms, enough to irrigate about 3 million acres or approximately one-third of the agricultural land in California.
Furnishes about 600,000 acre-feet for municipal and industrial use, enough to supply close to 1 million households with their water needs each year.
STATE WATER PROJECT (SWP)
In November 1960, California voters approved the issuance of bonds to construct the nation’s largest state-built water and power development and conveyance system, the State Water Project. Authorization of construction was passed by the California Legislature in 1959 through the Burns-Porter Act, and signed into law by Governor Pat Brown. The SWP diverts an average of 2.5 million acre-feet of water from the Feather River to the Central Valley, South Bay Area and Southern California.
The project nearly spans 600 miles from northern California to Southern California, delivering on average 2.4 million acre-feet of water through an interconnected system of 34 storage facilities, 20 pumping plants, four pumping-generating plants, 5 hydroelectric power plants, and about 700 miles of canals, tunnels and pipelines. Construction began after passage of the Burns-Porter Act, with Oroville Dam completed in 1967. The South Bay Aqueduct was the first State Water Project delivery system completed, with water being delivered to Alameda County in 1962; water reached Santa Clara County in 1965. Delta facilities were completed in 1968, but it wasn't until the Edmonston Pumping Plant was completed in 1971 that water finally reached Southern California. By 1973 initial facilities were completed. The Coastal Branch was completed in 1997.
To reach Southern California, the water must be pumped 2,000 feet over the Tehachapi Mountains, the highest water lift in the world. A key feature of the SWP is the 444-mile long California Aqueduct that can be viewed from Interstate 5. Today, about 30% of SWP water is used for irrigation, mostly in the San Joaquin Valley, and about 70% is used for residential, municipal and industrial use, mainly in Southern California but also in the Bay Area. SWP is the state’s fourth largest generator of electricity but is also the state’s largest user of electricity, primarily to lift water over the Tehachapi Mountains. SWP was constructed and is operated by the Department of Water Resources.
Central Valley Project (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Shannon1/Maps)
FAST FACTS ABOUT THE SWP:
SWP is the nation’s largest state-built, multi-purpose, user-financed water project.
Water Education Foundation
Maven's Notebook
United States Bureau of Reclamation
Friends of the San Francisco Estuary
friendsofsfestuary@gmail.com
© Friends of the San Francisco Estuary. All rights reserved.
Friends of the San Francisco Estuary is a 501(c)(3) organization
Tax ID#: 68-0265026
Web Designer: Mark Bentivegna
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World premiere of Pets, Vets & Debts to air on CBC-TV’s The Nature of Things, March 31, 2016
February 18, 2016 – Dream Street Pictures presents a new documentary investigating what lengths people will go for the health and welfare of their pets, Pets, Vets & Debts. The documentary premieres on CBC-TV’s The Nature of Things on Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET. (8:30 NT).
More than half of Canadian households own a pet. That includes almost six million dogs and eight million cats. In the US, dog and cat ownership has quadrupled since the mid-sixties – more homes have cats and dogs than have children.
The health and welfare of all these animals is a billion dollar industry. There is almost no limit to the treatment available to our furry friends - MRIs, heart stents and even stem cell transplants are now standard.
Pets, Vets & Debts takes the viewer inside the operating room to witness cutting edge technology being used to treat pets - including two world firsts. In Ottawa, Dr. Julius Liptak uses a prosthesis to replace the jawbone of a twelve-year-old cat. In New York, Drs. Allyson Berent and Chick Weisse use stem cells from a donor cat to stabilize a cat’s kidney failure.
The documentary also shadows Dr. Michael Ethier as he deals with a variety of very sick animals in the Critical Care Unit of the Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital. With a staff of almost one hundred and state of the art medical equipment on site, this is a real hospital offering the same treatment you’d expect at a human hospital. Not surprisingly, medical bills can quickly go from the hundreds into the thousands.
Pets, Vets & Debts reveals strong opinions on both sides of the debate over whether so much money should be spent on pets. Some people argue that it is wrong to spend so much on mere animals. But most pet owners – like those who refer to themselves as “pet parents” and their pets as “fur babies” – are ready to dig deep to help their sick animals.
People love their pets. And as Pets, Vets, & Debts discovers, many are ready to mortgage the farm to keep their companions happy and healthy.
Pets, Vets & Debts is written and directed by veteran documentarian, Liam O’Rinn, photographed by Wade Cornell, edited by Peter Giffen, and produced by Rick LeGuerrier and Timothy M. Hogan of Halifax-based Dream Street Pictures in association with CBC Television and with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, Film Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Film and Video Production Tax Credit. The documentary is distributed by Beyond Distribution.
About Dream Street Pictures
Based in Halifax, Dream Street Pictures is an Emmy winning full service independent film and television Production Company specializing in documentary, drama, and, arts programming. Previous documentaries include Wild & Dangerous: The World of Exotic Pets, Zoo Revolution, and Sext Up Kids for CBC’s Doc Zone, and The Grey Lane for Documentary channel. Dream Street has also produced television movies, like the Emmy-award winning The Phantoms, the Gemini Award-winning mini-series, Canada Russia ’72, and Sticks & Stones, which captured the prestigious Shaw Rocket Prize and was named Best Picture by the International Family Film Festival in Hollywood.
For more information on Dream Street Pictures, visit: DreamStreetPictures.com, like on Facebook: /DreamStreetPictures, follow on Twitter: /DreamStreetNS and Instagram:/DreamStreetPictures/
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight aboriginal languages.
For photos, interviews and more information, contact:
Publicity: Wendy Phillips (902) 492-0960 / wendy@pprl.ca
CBC Media Contact: Nicola Makoway (416)-205-7673 / nicola.makoway@cbc.ca
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CAR OF THE YEAR(S)
Is this really an important achievement? What is the true value of the award? As far as consumers are concerned it sometimes appears to be of little consequence. Are the cars that win, really that good? That much better than their competitors?
There’s a precedent in Australia, which for me puts all such awards in perspective. Australia’s most prestigious car magazine, WHEELS, declined to award Car of The Year on three occasions, because the Editor, staff and associate judges did not feel that there was a worthy recipient among the competitors.
I asked my good friend Peter Robinson, who was Editor of WHEELS for 16 years about those occasions:
“I withheld the COTY award on three occasions: 1972, 1979 and 1986. In those years the obvious winners (consecutively) were the XA Falcon, XD Falcon and Nissan Skyline.
“Put simply, the road test staff of the magazine, plus senior contributors deemed none of these cars were deserving of the honour.
“The XA was no more than a re-skin; the same applied to the beautiful XD which suffered from the late inclusion of a three-speed auto, when the six-cylinder engines were tuned for Borg-Warner's new (but late arriving) four-speed auto; and the retention of a leaf sprung rear suspension that severely impacted its dynamics; while the Skyline was guilty of poor packaging, and was an ageing design.”
Mind you, there were times the award felt a bit like, “We’re really appreciative of your effort, and although it’s not really a World Class car, we’re going to give you the award anyway.”
Which takes me back to 1973, when WHEELS anointed the infamous Leyland P76 as Car of The Year.
Mind you, the car wasn’t a dud, it just never had a future, being the last gasp from a dying company, British Leyland Australia.
The company was closed down in 1974, and the P76 disappeared like a puff of smoke.
However, in the recent WHEELS COTY judging it seems the Australian judges arrived at a decision, which is also shared by the magazine’s peers in a number of countries.
Surprisingly I think the most valid is the result in Japan, where its COTY judges joined with WHEELS to give their award to the Volvo XC60.
As I have already written in Driving & Life, I too agree with this decision. The Volvo XC60 is an outstanding car, and a worthy winner.
In the last few days, the European Car of The Year award, announced on the eve of the Geneva Salon, was given overwhelmingly to the Volvo XC40, with light years between it and its competitors. That’s pretty impressive.
Volvo Cars, rescued from obscurity by Geely of China, has grown, prospered and delivered an exciting range of new models. They are fabulous to drive in all conditions, adorned with impressive safety features, and clever technology and fully deserving of the praise the company is basking in.
They are also good looking with beautiful, sophisticated interior design, very practical, and generally, a delightful place to be in.
On this occasion I think the Car of The Year award(s) recognizes a fantastic effort to resuscitate a venerable brand, and restore it to World Class.
WANT SOME EXPENSIVE, ELECTRIFIED BULLSHIT?
GM'S EQUINOX - IMPACTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
LONG LIFE ROAD-BUILDING
HOLDEN CALAIS ZB
BEWARE OF SCREAMING TRAFFIC
NISSAN VERSA - VICES AND VALUE
MUSIC REALLY DOES MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
PEUGEOT 3008 - FOUR LUCKY NUMBERS FOR THE LION
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It's July 18, 2019, 04:51:08 PM
West Coast Connection Forum |
Elements |
The Vault (Moderators: DrShady, Invincible, Marco) |
CREDITS: Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)
Author Topic: CREDITS: Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) (Read 600 times)
Zuka
The Vault MVP
Muthafuckin' Don!
New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)
1. "Amerykahn Promise"
Produced by Ron Ayers
Co-produced by Edwin Birdsong & William Allen
2. "The Healer"
Produced by Madlib
Contains a sample of "Kono Samourai" as performed by Yamasuki
Guest vocals by Bilal
3. "Me"
Produced by Shafiq Husayn & Erykah Badu
4. "My People"
Embodies portions of "My People Hold On" as performed by Eddie Kendricks
5. "Soldier"
Produced by Kariem Riggins & Erykah Badu
Contains excerpts from the song "Theme" as performed by Solution
6. "The Cell"
7. "Twinkle"
Produced by Taz Arnold, Shafiq Husayn, Erykah Badu & Mike 'Chav' Chavarria
8. "Master Teacher"
Produced by Shafiq Husayn
Contains a sample of "Freddie's Dead" as performed by Curtis Mayfield
Vocals by Georgia Anne Muldrow (1st verse), Erykah Badu (2nd verse), Bilal Olivier, Ty & Kory
Lyrics freestyles by Georgia Anne Muldrow
9. "That Hump"
Produced by Erykah Badu, Om'mas Keith & Shafiq Husayn
10. "Telephone"
Produced by Erykah Badu, James Poyser & Ahmir Thompson
11. "Honey" (bonus track)
Produced by 9th Wonder
Contains excerpts from the song "I'm In Love" as performed by Nancy Wilson
DUBCC 2006 Theme Based upon Yabb SE Classic 2.0, by Akyhne
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Posted on October 10, 2018 October 18, 2018 by gycafoundation
Coy Ashford Short, 83, passed away on September 7, 2018 in Savannah, Georgia after an extended illness.
He was born on May 7, 1935 in Moultrie, Georgia. He graduated from Avondale High School in Avondale Estates, Georgia in 1954. He went on to attend West Georgia College and graduated from Emory University with a business degree. He married his high school sweetheart, and love of his life, Judith Compton in August 1956. He was drafted into the U. S. Army in early 1958 and was stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas and Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Upon fulfilling his active duty, he entered into the U. S. Army Reserves.
He moved to Savannah, Ga. in 1960 where he held various positions in sales and marketing. During his time in Savannah, he was a very active member of the Alee Shrine Temple Clown Unit, serving as their President on two separate occasions.
In 1978 he was hired by the Social Security Administration with duty stations in Albany, Vidalia, and Atlanta. He was promoted to SSA’s Regional Deputy Commissioner in Atlanta and finally retired in 2001.
He was a lifelong and tireless public servant who always served a cause greater than himself. He had a passion for public service and a passion to serve his fellow Georgians through community service. He provided extraordinary leadership and serviced our Troops and Veterans with his decades of service to the USO of Georgia, both as a Board Member and as a Constant Volunteer. He proudly served in several different civic clubs including Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Alee Shrine and the Royal Order of the Jesters. He loved, restored and collected war era ARMY Jeeps that he would show off during Veterans’ Parades by representing his AUSA Chapter. Coy was selected by Georgia Governor Zell Miller in 1995 to serve as the Executive Assistant of the Governor’s Military Affairs Coordinating Committee (GMACC) creating the first Intergovernmental Partnership between the White House and the Social Security Administration. He created the Annual Turkey Shoot at Townsend Bombing Range to create public awareness of the Bombing Range’s importance to our state and military training to ensure it would not be a victim of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC).
He was a role model for public service and previously served as the Head of the Community Events Committee for the Peach Bowl in Atlanta; he spent nine years on the Board for the Chattahoochee Technical College. Many will remember him as President of the B-29 Superfortress Assn. which located, restored and displayed the B-29 “Sweet Eloise”, at Dobbins AFB in Cobb County, in honor of his mother who went to work at the Bell Bomber Plant to help our country during WWII. He organized many “Boss-Lifts” as the Georgia State Chairman of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Coy was Secretary of the Old Guard of the Gate City Guard, one of the Nation’s oldest historic military service organizations.
He served on the Adjutant General of Georgia’s Youth ChalleNGe Selection Committee since its inception, until it was recently dissolved. The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program was created by Congress in 1993 sponsored by Senator Sam Nunn and Senator John McCain to address our nation’s high school dropout crisis and its impact on our nation’s national security. To date, 160,000 young men and women across our country have turned their lives around though this second chance program. In Georgia, we have three Youth Challenge Academies located at Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon and Milledgeville and have graduated over 16,000 Cadets representing all 159 counties in Georgia. This program was Coy’s heartfelt and lifelong passion. He served as Chairman of the Georgia National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Foundation for many years, and most recently became the Chairman Emeritus. The purpose of this Foundation is to advocate for and support the three National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academies in Georgia.
Coy has received numerous honors and distinctions from the various organizations he so tirelessly served. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend who leaves many fond memories to be cherished by all.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Eloise Short Strom, and his father Ernest Short.
Surviving are his beloved wife of 62 years, Judith Compton Short of Savannah, Ga; Son Gregory Short (Rhonda) of Savannah, Ga.; daughter Karen Martin (Tom) of St. Simons Island, Ga.; brother R. J. “Duke” Short (Dee) of Chesnee, S.C., brother-in-law James Compton (Ruth Ellen) of Columbus, Ga.; five grandchildren, Dustin Short, Tyler Short, Scott Martin, Jennifer Martin and Jessica Martin; three great grandchildren; a niece, and four nephews.
Please join us for a Celebration of Life service Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 11:00 am at Isles of Hope United Methodist Church, 412 Parkersburg Road, Savannah, Georgia followed by a reception at the Alee Shriners Temple, 100 Eisenberg Drive, Savannah, Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Memory of Coy Ashford Short to the Georgia National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Foundation, 875 Old Roswell Road, Suite D-500, Roswell, GA 30076 or online at www.gycafoundation.com.
Below are photos submitted from Friends and Family of our Beloved Coy.
← Schools Ease the ChalleNGe of Georgia’s At-Risk Youth
First Lady Sandra Deal receives ChalleNGe Champion Award →
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