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Oct. 31, 2018 / 3:50 AM
North Korea continues to hack computers to mine cryptocurrency
Wooyoung Lee
Live cryptocurrency market values are displayed on a computer screen. Photo by Dave Hunt/EPA-EFE
SEOUL, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- North Korea is hacking computers to mine cryptocurrency to bring extra cash into the country, according to South Korea's intelligence service.
North Korean hackers also continue to hack computers in South Korea and abroad to steal confidential information, the state intelligence agency said in a parliamentary audit on Wednesday, Yonhap News reported.
A U.S. cybersecurity firm revealed in January that it found computers installed with malware, suspected to have been implanted by North Korean hackers, to mine for cryptocurrency Monero and send it to Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, according to Chosun Ilbo.
Cryptocurrency has emerged as an alternative source of money for the cash-strapped North Korean regime amid tightening international sanctions.
The National Intelligence Service also detected that North Korea is preparing for a visit by international nuclear experts, who will examine its Punggyeri nuclear test site. The country invited international journalists to witness the dismantlement of the nuclear test site in May, which it said was a major step toward denuclearization.
In a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said it will invite nuclear experts to examine the dismantled nuclear test facility.
"We have learned that North Korea is preparing for a visit by the international inspection team and conducting related activities," an intelligence officer was quoted as saying in a press briefing by a lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea.
"We've been eyeing major nuclear and missile development facilities but haven't found anything notable yet," it added.
South Korea discovers soldiers raped women in 1980 pro-democracy protest POW office: Recovery of Korean War remains could restart in spring Kim Jong Un provides field guidance in snow-covered Samjiyon County
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Topic: Joe Arpaio
Joe Arpaio News
Entertainment News // 9 months ago
Bunny Ranch brothel owner Dennis Hof dead at 72
Pimp-turned-politician Dennis Hof was found dead at Love Ranch following a party with Ron Jeremy.
U.S. News // 10 months ago
Primaries in Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma end as final midterm matchups set
The final round of midtern primaries ended Tuesday, with voters in Arizona, Oklahoma and Florida choosing candidates to square off in November.
Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma ready for final push in U.S. primaries
Arizona, Florida and Oklahoma are the final battlegrounds for primaries Tuesday, as voters go to the polls for the last time until the November midterms.
U.S. News // 1 year ago
Trump denies nearly 200 clemency applications
President Donald Trump has denied clemency for nearly 200 people who'd applied for pardons and commutations through the U.S. Justice Department.
Pardoned ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio running for Senate in Arizona
Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, pardoned by President Donald Trump after defying a judge's order, said he plans to run for Jeff Flake's Arizona Senate seat.
Federal judge refuses to erase Arpaio's conviction from court records
The judge who found Joe Arpaio guilty of criminal contempt has refused to wipe the evidence of his conviction off the record, even with a presidential pardon.
Arizona's 'Tent City' jail officially shuts down
The outdoor Arizona jail known as "Tent City" and championed by Joe Arpaio, the controversial ex-sheriff of Maricopa County, was officially closed down.
Federal judge dismisses challenge to Trump's pardon of ex-sheriff Arpaio
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups that argued President Donald Trump's pardon of Joe Arpaio was unconstitutional.
DOJ asks for case against Arpaio to be thrown out
On Monday, the DOJ filed court papers requesting the criminal conviction against ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio be negated and the case dismissed.
Poll: Most Americans oppose Trump's pardon of Arpaio
A new survey shows that most Americans do not approve of President Trump's pardon of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio.
McCain plans to return to Senate next week
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, who has been receiving treatment for brain cancer, plans to return to Washington next week when the U.S. Senate reconvenes.
Trump tells Congress not to disappoint him on tax reform
President Donald Trump on Wednesday told Congress not to disappoint him in his call for tax reform, which he said would be instrumental in job creation.
Religious leaders march in D.C. for racial justice
Clergy leaders appeared together in Washington, D.C., on the 54th anniversary of the March on Washington to seek racial justice.
Trump: 'One way or the other, Mexico will pay for wall'
President Donald Trump on Monday promised Mexico would pay for a wall along the U.S. border even if it means the country reimbursing Washington.
Trump pardons former Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio
President Donald Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio weeks after a federal judge found the former Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff guilty criminal content.
People are arrested every day for the initial violation of the law. If they come to the jail we take one step further to determine if they are illegal. This has been done for years and years, the only difference is now we are the ones doing it
Less serious crimes spur immigration holds Mar 30, 2009
I am not going to be intimidated by the politics and by the Justice Department
Arpaio investigated for rights violations Mar 11, 2009
I'm sure they're not going to hire a guy like me to come in there and lock up illegals
Arizona sheriff pulling town's protection Apr 19, 2008
It looks suspicious that three people died in seven months
Clinic investigated in liposuction deaths Jul 13, 2007
If it wasn't for the sheriff, I don't know how many people would have died out there
100 migrants found in Arizona desert Jul 20, 2006
Joseph M. "Joe" Arpaio (born June 14, 1932) is the elected Sheriff of Maricopa County in the U.S. state of Arizona. First voted into office in 1992, Arpaio is responsible for law enforcement in Maricopa County. This includes management of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, county jail, courtroom security, prisoner transport, service of warrants, and service of process. Arpaio promotes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff." He is well known for his outspoken stance against illegal immigration. Arpaio has become a flashpoint for controversy surrounding Arizona's SB1070 anti-illegal immigration act.
Arpaio was once widely popular among voters in Arizona. However, his popularity has waned since 2007, but remains positive among registered Republicans.
Arpaio was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Italian parents both from Avellino, Italy.. Arpaio's mother died while giving birth to him, and Arpaio was raised by his father, a grocery store owner. Arpaio completed high school and worked in his father's business until age 18 when he enlisted in the United States Army. Arpaio served in the Army from 1950 to 1954 in the Medical Detachment Division and was stationed in France for part of the time as a military policeman.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Joe Arpaio."
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Constitutional Lawyer Drops Bombshell: DOJ Attempted Coup Against President Trump if McCabe’s Testimony True
By C. Douglas Golden
Published February 15, 2019 at 10:42am
While we were all busy watching whether Congress could reach a deal on the border wall, two tangentially related things that deserved more attention popped up on the periphery of the news map. Both are closely related, and one of them, if true, was an attempted coup, according to a constitutional lawyer.
First, it was revealed that after an exhaustive investigation, both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee believed there wasn’t any direct evidence of collusion between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia. While NBC News reported that “investigators disagree along party lines when it comes to the implications of a pattern of contacts they have documented between Trump associates and Russians,” both sides seem to agree no solid proof exists there was a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
Second, former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe confirmed to CBS News that the Justice Department talked about removing President Trump under the 25th Amendment — and seemed to justify it because he thought that the president could have colluded with Russia.
“Soon after speaking to President Trump about the firing of his boss James Comey, Andrew McCabe, who became the bureau’s acting director, began obstruction of justice and counterintelligence investigations involving the president and his ties to Russia,” CBS News reported.
“In his first television interview since his own firing, McCabe tells ’60 Minutes” Scott Pelley he wanted those inquiries to be documented and underway so they would be difficult to quash without raising scrutiny.”
But that wasn’t all. McCabe confirmed that there were discussions about having the president removed from office.
“There were meetings at the Justice Department at which it was discussed whether the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet could be brought together to remove the president of the United States under the 25th Amendment,” Pelley told “CBS This Morning” on Thursday.
“These were the eight days from Comey’s firing to the point that Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel. And the highest levels of American law enforcement were trying to figure out what to do with the president.”
The full “60 Minutes” interview airs Sunday and we’ll get a better idea of just how deep the treachery goes with this one, but we also divine a pretty good reason why he and others at the Justice Department thought removing an elected president from office was a good idea: Russophobia.
Do you think this qualifies as a coup?
“I was speaking to the man who had just run for the presidency and just won the election for the presidency. And who might have done so with the aid of the government of Russia, our most formidable adversary on the world stage,” McCabe said when asked about a phone call with Trump about the firing of FBI Director James Comey. “And that was something that troubled me greatly.”
If McCabe had any evidence justifying the idea that Trump won the election because of “the aid of the government of Russia,” it wasn’t burnished in the clips we saw. Nor, in fact, has it been proved in any of the multifarious probes we’ve seen thus far. Either way, to liberal Harvard law professor and constitutional scholar Alan Dershowitz, what McCabe is describing sounds a lot more sinister than what most of the media is portraying.
“Well, if that’s true, it is clearly an attempted coup d’état,” Dershowitz told Tucker Carlson.
“Let’s assume the president of the United States was in bed with the Russians, committed treason and obstruction of justice,” Dershowitz said. “The 25th Amendment simply is irrelevant to that. That’s why you have an impeachment provision. The 25th Amendment is about Woodrow Wilson having a stroke. It’s about a president being shot and not being able to perform his office. It’s not about the most fundamental disagreements. It’s not about impeachable offenses. Any Justice Department official who even mentioned the 25th Amendment in the context of President Trump has committed a grievous offense against the Constitution.”
RELATED: Report: FBI Had To Use Spreadsheet To Keep Up with All the Lies in Steele Dossier
“And the 25th Amendment is as clear as could be: incapacity, unable to perform in office,” he continued. “That’s what you need. That’s why you need two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate agreeing, and it has to be on the basis of a medical or psychological incapacity. Not on the basis of even the most extreme crimes, which there is no evidence.
“But even if they were, that would not be a basis for invoking the 25th Amendment. And I challenge any left-wing person to get on television and to defend the use of the 25th Amendment. I challenge any of my colleagues who are in the ‘get Trump at any cost’ camp to come on television and justify the use of the 25th Amendment other than for physical or psychiatric incapacity.”
The genesis of the 25th Amendment is primarily about health. It was ratified in the 1960s after considering the health challenges faced by several presidents — most recently, at that point, Dwight Eisenhower.
You can’t just remove a president because you feel like it, in other words. If there was Russian collusion, there’s an impeachment option. But leftists don’t like that because, well, they don’t have the votes. Even if they manage to impeach the president, without proof of conspiracy or other high crimes and misdemeanors, they don’t have the votes in the Senate.
But even after that, take a look at McCabe’s reason why he took this unprecedented action — the perfidious Russians. He seems convinced Trump was, in some way, the Muscovite candidate. The Senate Intelligence Committee, however, hasn’t found any evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. Robert Mueller’s report is still to come, but if he’s going to find something the Senate didn’t, we certainly didn’t hear about it. In other words, the entire pretext for this was false.
But this is hardly the first time we’ve seen something like this. Between James Comey, Peter Strzok and the Trump dossier being used for a FISA warrant, we’ve seen enough questionable swampy activity to fill the Everglades. Leftists love talking about Trump eroding norms. Meanwhile, the former acting director of the FBI talks about the DOJ considering using the 25th Amendment to remove an elected president and it hardly even surprises anyone.
This is what’s so dangerous about McCabe’s revelations. We’ll find out more on Sunday, but what we know is already damning. After all, if this isn’t an attempted soft coup, what the heck is it?
C. Douglas Golden
C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he's written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal for four years.
@CillianZeal
C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he's written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal for four years. Aside from politics, he enjoys spending time with his wife, literature (especially British comic novels and modern Japanese lit), indie rock, coffee, Formula One and football (of both American and world varieties).
Morristown, New Jersey
American Politics, World Politics, Culture
De Blasio Goes the Clinton Route, Awards His Own Son Cushy Campaign Position
Watch: Dem Who Introduced Anti-Bullying Bill Had No Problem Bullying a Young Worker
The Survey Is Clear: Majority of Mexicans Support Deportation
Even Chicago’s Mayor Admits Police Are ‘Losing the Streets’
Congress Is Finally Agreeing on Something: Big Tech Can’t Police Themselves
Tags: Department of Justice DOJ, Donald Trump, FBI, investigation, James Comey, Robert Mueller
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72nd Venice International Film Festival
1179 Events in archive
16 ongoing
Event category All categories Music & Show Folklore Exhibitions & Art
Location All locations Vicenza Venice Treviso Verona
Events archive Back to main
Screenings, events, fun and culture for the awaited Venice Movie Festival 2015!
From 02 September 2015 to 12 September 2015
A great test for Italian cinema, an eye for the realities of today, big debuts and comebacks ... This, in a nutshell, is what has been announced for the Venice Film Festival dates for 2015! From 2 to 12 September, Lido will host the long awaited Venice Film Festival line up, a festival free of any thematic constraint that simply aims at surprising and exciting....
The artistic director Alberto Barbera is confirmed for the fourth consecutive year. The 72nd Venice International Film Festival continues the path taken in recent editions, a project open to the complexity and the new challenges of contemporary cinema, able to differentiate itself from the festival of 'competitors' claiming its own identity.
'Let yourself be amazed by the films of the Festival' ... With this short sentence, Alberto Barbera anticipates the long-awaited 2015 Venice movie Festival, a festival that will not be tied to any theme or constraint but that will be guided by the many roads taken by the modern film industry, offering equal space to both the well-established fact that new visions and geographical areas that are emerging more and more strongly in the current cinematic landscape.
At the Venetian Film Festival 2015 movies in competition in Venice for the 72nd edition there will be the presence of 4 Italians - Marco Bellocchio with 'Blood of my blood'; Giuseppe Gaudino with 'For your sake'; Luca Guadagnino with 'A Bigger Splash' and Piero Messina 'Waiting' - not to mention the films outside the official competition: competing in the Horizons sections are Renato De Maria's 'Italian Gangster' and Alberto Caviglia's 'Sheep in grass', whilst Out of Competition will present the documentary by Franco Maresco 'The men of this city do not know them', 'The world's smallest army' of Gianfranco Pannone and the film of the late Claudio Caligari, terminated by Valerio Mastandrea, 'Do not be evil' . Despite the massive Italian presence at the Venice International Film Festival, the films in competition see the supremacy of the United States (with 19 films) and France (23, including co-productions). In total, the program of the 72nd Venice Film Festival will see the participation of 45 countries, for a total of 55 feature films (21 in the premiere of Venice 72 - International Competition for feature films; 18 in the Horizons section - International competition dedicated to film representing new aesthetic and expressive trends; 16 in the Out of Competition section, which showcases films of important national and international directors and 16 short films. To short films and films, the 72nd Venice Film Festival adds the great 'restorations' of Venice Classics, which each year offers a fascinating selection of restored films and documentaries.
The opening of the Venice International Film Festival in 2015 will kick off with 'Everest' by Baltasarà Kormákur, at a colossal cost of 65 million dollars that tells the journey of two expeditions undertaken to reach the highest peak of the world between challenge, survival and obsession. The film will be screened in its world premiere on 2 September, during the opening night of the Film Festival in Venice in 2015; guests of honour will be the great protagonists of the film including Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Robin Wright and Josh Brolin.
The list of special guests of the 72nd Venice Film Festival is just beginning! In the various evenings of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, an exceptional parade of stars will walk over the red carpet: Johnny Depp, Dakota Johnson and Benedict Cumberbatch for 'Black Mass' by Scott Cooper, a world premiere in Out of Competition; Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo in 'Spotlight' by Thomas McCarthy; Robert Pattinson for 'The Childhood of a Leader' by Brady Corbet in the Horizons section; Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne for 'The Danish Girl' by Tom Hooper competing in Venice 72; and again Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Anthony Hopkins .. Up to the whispers of a surprise arrival of Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio, the protagonists of Martin Scorsese's short film...
The godmother of the 2015 Venice Film Festival will be the beautiful Elisa Sednaoui, Italian model and actress who will attend the opening and closing nights of the exhibition.
Another impressive parade of names on the Venetian Film Festival red carpet include the three international juries who will award the official prizes. They will be composed, among others, by Alfonso Cuarón, Pawel Pawlikowski, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Diane Kruger, Elizabeth Banks, Paz Vega, Anita Caprioli, Roger Garcia, Charles Burnett and many other great journalists, directors, actors and scriptwriters protagonists of the film scene in recent years.
Events, exclusive parties, conferences and debates will as always be the backdrop to the numerous screenings scheduled at the Venice International Film Festival in 2015, confirming themselves amongst the most anticipated and appreciated moments of the festival.
Among the events related to the Venice Movie Festival, the schedule also features:
Venice Film Market: the Film Market of the 72nd edition Venice International Film Festival will be held from 3 to 8 September at the Hotel Excelsior. It will be juxtaposed to Industry Office, which will continue for the duration of the event to offer assistance to participants, information and meeting facilities.
Author Days, or Venice Days film festival: independent review of international film festival in Venice, which aims to promote quality films and those films that stand out for originality, innovation and independence. These features are pursued both in the selection of films and in the events organized during the festival.
International Critics' Week: now in its 30th edition, the International Critics' Week is promoted by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) with the aim of identifying new talent and emerging trends to offer the public the works of authors that are still little known.
Cinema in the Garden: Exhibition of the Venice Film Festival 2015 program, also a space open to all, where enthusiasts, professionals and amateurs will have free access to meetings and screenings. A new outdoor arena, set up in the gardens of the Casino, will host every night one or more guests (artists, actors,...) that will debate and entertain the general public by offering moments of reflection and ideas related to the issues of the screening that will follow the meeting.
Glamour, parties, events and emotions for ten days of show and entertainment! Lido is ready to reopen its doors to the cinema, to continue a tradition that has gone through the last century and continues today, renewing year after year to offer an event which is always in line with the latest news and trends of today's film making industry.
Choose one of several hotels in Venice and immerse yourself in the magic of the Venice Film Festival 2015: international guests, events, screenings and entertainment await you from 2 to 12 September!
By Insidecom Editorial Staff
Period: From 02 September 2015 to 12 September 2015
Event location: Venice Lido
see u next year
St. Mark's Cathedral and its Treasures (Skip The Line Guided Tour)
Duration: approx. 1 hour
Private gondola ride - 30 minutes
Duration: approx. 30 minutes
Vicenza: Marostica Summer Festival 2019
Venice: Redeemer Festival 2019
Treviso: Lago Film Fest 2019 in Revine Lago
Verona: Arena di Verona Opera Festival 2019
From 21 June 2019 to 07 September 2019
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Lawmakers Find a Multi-Million-Dollar Way to 'Legally' Defund Planned Parenthood
The Missouri legislature rejected $8 million in federal funds just to screw over the health provider, and women.
by Gabby Bess
Photo via Flickr
Last week, Missouri passed a $27-billion-dollar budget, and of those funds, a grand total of zero dollars are going to Planned Parenthood because the organization provides abortion services.
Following the actions of 24 states that have sought to defund Planned Parenthood and make women's access to abortion care impossible, Missouri's 2017 budget stamps out federal funding to the health provider. The state rejected more than $8.3 million in federal Medicaid funding for family planning and reproductive health and instead allocated money from Missouri's general revenues for those services, according to the Associated Press. That money, Missouri's legislature made clear, cannot go to organizations that provide abortions.
In other words, the state spent millions of taxpayer dollars to block federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Critics say this is in apparent attempt to side-step a federal warning from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS), which implies that cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood—or any health organization that is certified to provide medical services—solely as a result of political targeting is against federal law. Under the Social Security Act, the letter states, Medicaid recipients have the right to obtain care "from any institution, agency, community pharmacy, or person, qualified to perform the service or services required... who undertakes to provide... such services." Therefore defunding a health clinic without evidence of wrongdoing "would not be in compliance with the free choice of provider requirement. If a state does not have evidence supporting its finding that a provider failed to meet a state standard, that provider remains 'qualified to furnish' Medicaid services."
Read more: Looking Back on a Horrendous Year for Abortion Rights
The state of Missouri has no evidence to suggest the organization does not have a right to operate (though they're desperately trying to find some). While anti-abortion zealots would certainly like to eradicate abortion providers, the CMS tersely reminded state governments that they "may not deny qualification to family planning providers, or take other action against qualified family planning providers, that affects beneficiary access to those providers—whether individual providers, physician groups, outpatient clinics or hospitals—solely because they separately provide family planning services or the full range of legally permissible gynecological and obstetric care, including abortion services (not funded by federal Medicaid dollars, consistent with the federal prohibition), as part of their scope of practice."
However, Missouri's government believes that rejecting all Medicaid funding and replacing it with state revenue exempts the state from federal scrutiny, according to the AP report. (Notably, the 2017 budget also illustrates that since 2007, the state has increased the budget for their Alternatives to Abortion Program. Next year, the governor recommends allocating $3,658,561 to the program, which aims to convince "low-income pregnant women [to carry] their unborn child to term instead of having an abortion.")
According to Planned Parenthood, each year 50,000 Medicaid patients rely on Planned Parenthood's 13 clinics in Missouri. (Only one of these locations performs abortions, and it's the only abortion provider remaining in the state.) Keeping Planned Parenthood from accessing Medicaid funds means the clinics in the state will not be able to be federally reimbursed for accepting Medicaid patients. This would generally mean that Planned Parenthood would be forced to stop accepting patients on Medicaid once the budget takes effect in July. Sarah Felts, a spokesperson from the organization, told Broadly that until then, "Planned Parenthood in Missouri is a qualified Medicaid provider and is currently serving patients with Medicaid."
Read more: Thank God, Satanists Are Going to Court to Fight for Abortion Rights
"It is too soon to tell exactly how this budget measure would affect Planned Parenthood health centers in Missouri," Felts continued. But she said that "Planned Parenthood's promise" is for "these doors stay open." Which is a good thing; other states, like Texas, that have barred federal funding from Planned Parenthood have seen disastrous public health effects, including a decline in contraception use. Despite anti-abortion lawmakers who argue that women can go to a number of other clinics for family planning, STD screenings, breast exams, and pap smears, Planned Parenthood plays an outsized role in providing reproductive health services to Medicaid enrollees.
"Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri condemns this effort to turn down $8 million in federal funds in order to skirt federal Medicaid law and prevent Planned Parenthood patients from getting state-funded preventive care," Felts said. "This is fiscally irresponsible and potentially damaging to the health of countless Missourians."
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Viggo-Works
'From the ashes a fire shall be woken.'
Viggo News
V-W Marketplace News
Films, Plays and Reviews 2001 - Present
A History of Violence Reviews
Comments about Viggo
Filming 'A History of Violence'
Viggo on 'A History of Violence'
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© New Line Productions....
Viggo has the charisma of a leading man, and the eccentricity and naturalistic presence of a character actor. He's the kind of actor I love. - David Cronenberg
Olson said he pictured Mortensen in the role of Stall, something the actor found "flattering and disturbing at the same time." Just to keep the star in line, Cronenberg told him Olson hadn't really written the role for him. "You were second to Brad Pitt."
Cannes Press Conference
National Post Cannes Review, by Chris Knight
'There were probably a couple of other actors who I thought of, but he was in the top one or two. ...He's got the sort of quintessential type of American look to him. He reminds me of Kirk Douglas sometimes in darker films that he did.
I was really gratified when "Lord of the Rings' came out. I said, "Oh there he is. He's playing almost a super hero and now he's going to start getting bigger parts.' He's just somebody I spotted as having a kind of appeal that I don't see a lot of actors having anymore. It's just mainly from when I grew up that I'm always on the prowl for guys who could kind of play the roles Clint Eastwood played 30 years ago. And he sort of seems to be that kind - with some real serious acting chops. So he kind of came to mind. There were probably others. Obviously with something like this, invariably Sean Penn's gonna pop up, especially post "Mystic River.' But yeah, Viggo's kind of the guy who like locked himself in my head.'
Josh Olson on Viggo Mortensen
Interview with Jock Olson, by Rebecca Murray
About.com. August 2005
I started to do research, which I always do when actors are named and you start to look at DVDs and stuff that you have. Movies that you know they have done. Because obviously what he did in "Lord of the Rings,' which is why he's famous, has very little to do with his role in this movie. But other movies that he's done, like one called "A Walk on the Moon' with Diane Lane, has a lot to do with it because in that movie, he's very gentle and sweet and tender. Usually he plays bad guys or scary guys, but I could see from that movie he could be very lovely as a gentle, sweet guy and very sexy as well. So it didn't take long for him to sort of go on the top of the list.
David Cronenberg on casting Viggo
Interview with "A History of Violence" Director David Cronenberg
By Rebecca Murray,
aboutmovies.com
In casting the lead, the director needed someone who could bring both a commanding force and familial gentleness to Tom Stall, and as far as he was concerned, Mortensen was it--period. "Viggo has the charisma of a leading man, and the eccentricity and naturalistic presence of a character actor," Cronenberg says. "He's the kind of actor I love."
History Teacher, by Missy Schwartz
Entertainment Weekly, August 19, 2005
Clearly Cronenberg was hooked, as he enlisted Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello to join the cast, his first choice to play the married Stall couple. And Ed Harris and William Hurt are among his favorite American actors with whom he'd wanted to work for years.
"I couldn't have asked for a better cast. The tone is of seriously good acting, a profound dedication to the roles and digging deep into the characters,"
Cannes Film Festival 2005 Press Kit
"I can't say Viggo was the only one on my list, but he was always on my list." Citing his work in Lord of the Rings, he noted that Mortensen is "an underrated star... He's actually a superb, superb actor."
Comic-Con 2005: A History of Violence
How did you get Viggo onboard?
In my seduction of Viggo, who's very picky about his films, I flew to LA and one of the elements of the seduction was to discuss the political undertones of the movie. If you work with an actor like Viggo, the discussions go very deep and the anticipations of people's reactions to what you're doing is very deep. But there's a part that is mysterious and not controllable, because movies, if they are alive, surprise you. They sometimes take on a life of their own and if they do that, they end up meaning things that you sometimes aren't aware of.
Chris in Cannes
Cannes Film Festival Report
empireonline.co.uk
"Give me great actors every time, they solve so many problems," Cronenberg says, smiling and referring to his entire cast. "When you get on a racetrack, you want a Ferrari. The whole Svengali thing is not for me, I don't want to help them figure out how to act. I'm looking for collaborators. It takes a big burden off of you."
Canadian directors see violent, star-struck U.S.,
LA Times Cannes Review, by Kenneth Turan
"Viggo was very deliberate and thoughtful before he chose to do this movie," points out producer Chris Bender. "He met with David a number of times. He really wanted to understand the script and the transformation his character undergoes, it was really about him falling in love with this character before he decided to do it."
"Viggo's my kind of actor," smiles Cronenberg, who likes to work with actors who are not just leading men, but also character actors. "First of all they tend not to be afraid because they're not trying to protect some image they see of themselves as traditional leading men, but also it gives them a much bigger palette to paint from because they have all kinds of edges. I need a kind of eccentricity that is more typical of a character actor than a leading man, and yet still has a leading man presence and charisma."
"Viggo was perfect. He is not only a charismatic leading man, but the combination of other qualities made me feel he had the depth to play a very complex role. He is a maniac for detail, which I love. He is very focused and obsessed with details of how his character would move, speak and dress. It's really quite spectacular to watch him work and to interact with him," says the director, who admits, that after two weeks of working closely with Mortensen, they felt like brothers."
David Cronenberg, Director
Last edited: 28 June 2014 11:02:39
Viggo-Works Logo Image © Abaca Press, Licensed. All Rights Reserved
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VVWRA commits to savings
Matthew CabeStaff Writer
Sep 30, 2015 at 5:19 PM Sep 30, 2015 at 5:40 PM
VICTORVILLE — The Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority made a commitment Wednesday to reduce energy usage by 25 percent over the next 10 years as part of the Better Buildings Challenge, and has been spotlighted in a national report released by the U.S. Department of Energy as a partner in the “Better Buildings, Better Plants Program,” according to DOE officials.
The VVWRA joined the program last December and was the first wastewater treatment facility in the nation to do so, according to VVWRA spokesman David Wylie.
There are 12 water and wastewater treatment agencies involved in the program, which is part of President Obama’s Better Buildings Initiative aimed at driving American commercial and industrial buildings to become more energy efficient.
“When companies save energy, they also save money and reduce harmful carbon pollution,” said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. “Manufacturers participating in the Better Plants program, including our new partners in the water and wastewater treatment sector, are leading the way in showing how energy efficiency is a smart business strategy, as well as a smart conservation strategy that will help to protect our environment for future generations.”
Nearly 160 industrial organizations representing more than 2,400 facilities have partnered with the DOE through the program. The VVWRA and the other partners combine to consume about 2.2 quadrillion BTUs of energy per year, which is approximately 11.4 percent of the U.S. manufacturing sector’s total use, DOE officials said in a written statement.
The DOE’s report, which was released Wednesday, announced that manufacturers involved in the energy-reduction program have maintained an average annual energy intensity improvement rate of more than 2 percent over the last five years.
The improvement rate exceeds the projected rates and has resulted in cumulative energy savings of more than 450 trillion BTUs, according to the report. At least $2.4 billion in cost savings were documented, and resulted in avoiding nearly 27 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
Director of Operations Gilbert Perez said last December that the VVWRA was proud to take its place as a leader in energy efficiency when the wastewater treatment facility joined the Better Buildings, Better Plants program.
“The program will provide us with further input and guidance from the Department of Energy about ways to reduce VVWRA’s energy footprint,” Perez said.
Wylie told the Daily Press via email that progress in energy reduction has already begun thanks to the Omnivore project — unveiled last September — that’s designed to take biogas created in a retrofitted digester and convert it into electricity for power plant operations.
“We are saving $40,000 a month in natural gas costs by using biogas or methane to fire our two 800-kilowatt-hour generators as part of our Waste to Energy program,” Wylie said. “Those generators, when working at full capacity, are able to provide up to 90 percent of our plant's electrical power needs.”
Wylie added that Perez’s new UV disinfection process will reduce energy consumption, as well.
“UV disinfection is traditionally one of the most power-hungry processes at a wastewater treatment plant,” Wylie said, “(and the) protocol for our UV disinfection process drastically saves energy.”
Matthew Cabe can be reached at MCabe@VVDailyPress.com or at 760-951-6254. Follow him on Twitter @DP_MatthewCabe.
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MTV Music Video Awards Live from Brooklyn; Watch Livestream
Miley Cyrus makes the scene in Brooklyn ahead of the MTV Music Video Awards.
Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and a slew of other pop stars will be descending on Brooklyn for the first ever MTV Video Music Awards at the new Barclays Center tonight (Aug. 25) and you can watch the arrivals live on TheImproper’s Live Stream.
The red carpet arrivals begins at 6 pm Eastern and the awards show will kick off at 9 pm Eastern.
Other performers include Kanye West, Katy Perry, Drake and Robin Thicke, who is vying with Miley for “Song of the Summer.” His tune “Blurred Lines” has been nominated, while Miley’s “We Can’t Stop” is a top contender.
One of the biggest rumors of the week has been the a reunion on the show between Justin Timberlake and his former *NSYNC band mates. Odds are they’ll show up and put on a big show.
Click here to watch the live stream now!!
This years award presenters include Jimmy Fallon, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, A$AP Rocky and the boy banders from One Direction.
Among the top contenders for honors this year are Selena, whose “Come & Get It” video is nominated for a Best Pop Video award. One Direction is also up for best song of the summer for “One Thing.”
You can still cast your votes for “Artist To Watch” and “Best Song Of The Summer” until the show airs tonight (Aug, 25) at 9pm. So make sure your voice is heard!
Here are the award categories: artist to watch, best song of the summer, best pop video, best hip-hop video, best male video, best female video, best video with a social message, best collaboration, best rock video, video of the year, best art direction, best choreography, best cinematography, best direction, best editing, best visual effects.
Tags:Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, MTV
Justin Bieber Pours Heart Out About Haters, Doubters
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Keith Girard April 18, 2019
Beyoncé Shows Crazy, Sexy Cool Side to Lift New Album (photos!)
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Justin Bieber Wins Favorite Male Singer at Kids Choice (watch!)
Keith Girard April 1, 2012
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If You’re Tired of Drag Race, You’re Forgetting What Makes the Show Great
Drag Race fatigue is too real, and the show still has its issues, but would we trade it for something else? Hell no.
VH1; Wesley Johnson
I first discovered RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2011, back when it was on its original network, Logo, and still on Netflix. After binging through the second and third seasons, I anxiously awaited the premiere of the fourth, then the fifth and sixth. Save for the premiere of the first season of All Stars between seasons four and five, I got used to the year-long gap between seasons; it made Drag Race feel special, and allowed me ample time to build up anticipation. However, since the show’s migration to VH1 ahead of its ninth season premiere, it’s an anticipation I’ve felt less and less — mainly because now, there’s barely any time to miss it. Since 2017, we haven’t gone more than six months without some sort of Drag Race iteration or special being on air. Even more, after both All Stars 3 and 4, we were granted only a single week of respite before it was time to dive into the next proper seasons.
With tonight’s eleventh season premiere, it’s hard not to ask: Is there a such thing as too much Drag Race?
It’s a sentiment that’s been echoed by many in recent weeks. In a piece titled “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars Must Die So That RuPaul’s Drag Race May Live” in Vulture, Brian Moylan laid out how the high number of queens on All Stars 4 who had (very) recently appeared on Drag Race itself meant the production’s talent pools were growing thin, and could soon reduce an All Stars win to “a second-place trophy.” Daniel Reynolds put it more succinctly in a piece for The Advocate: “I Have ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Fatigue.” There are hundreds on Twitter saying some variation of the same.
It stands to be said that Drag Race is still a fantastic show. At its worst — I’m looking at you, All Stars 3 — it still has the ability to delight in ways that other shows of its ilk simply can’t. Take the aforementioned third All Stars outing: It was clear from the very beginning that the producers had thrown way too many twists and ideas at the wall in the hopes that something brilliant would stick. In an effort to “keep things fresh,” the show had inadvertently made it possible for a frontrunner to get booted from the running at the final minute for no real reason. I still seethe when I think about it, but would I honestly take back the time I spent watching it? Absolutely not. After all, even if Shangela didn’t win All Stars in the end, no other show but Drag Race would have even give her the chance to get as close as she did. And we got to watch as she tried.
But that’s also why Drag Race seems built to last: the queens. As long as the drag talent is out there in the world — and it is — there will always be room for more seasons of the show, and people will keep coming back to watch.
Fifteen new queens will be introduced in tonight’s eleventh season Drag Race premiere. And while the producers’ decisions can be hit-or-miss, the show’s casting directors continue to shoot bullseyes every time. This year, we get a 39-year-old National Entertainer of the Year who has been doing drag for 17 years, as well as a 40-year-old queen that just started “like legit” a year and a half ago. We have a queen who just finished an off-Broadway run and a Miss Black Universe who is here to proudly represent for the “pageant queens.” We have a former Miss Continental professional ballet dancer, and the drag daughter of a past contestant. And perhaps my favorite: an Instagram influencer and a YouTube personality, whose personalities already appear to be clashing. As always, the show’s cast is an eclectic mix of queer people, a microcosm of today’s world, blending folks from varying backgrounds with different perspectives on what’s “beautiful,” “funny,” and “entertaining.” Few reality shows are as adept at casting like this as Drag Race.
Then again, casting was at the root of one of the show’s main recent controversies. Last year, RuPaul told the Guardian that he would not let transgender drag queens compete — a horrible stance to take, but one that wasn’t really shocking when you remember what phrase “She done already done had herses” had to replace. As the show has continued, it has also tried to grow and learn from its mistakes. After publicly apologizing, RuPaul brought back second season contestant and trans queen Sonique for a one-off holiday special. Gia Gunn, another trans drag queen, competed on All Stars 4, where she treated viewers to the delicious drama we all secretly crave while also showing just how easily a trans woman could fit into our usual idea of what a Drag Race season looks like, despite what RuPaul has said.
The same could be said for the show’s problems with race, at least to an extent. While many queens of color on the show still face torrents of racist discourse from its crazed fandom, the show itself has at least tried to reckon with its role in it. In season ten, The Vixen announced upon entrance that she was “just here to fight,” and true enough, the Chicago queen used her run to point out how the franchise has allowed racist narratives to develop, in a way only a Black queen could. The conversations she had before millions of viewers were direct and real; it was one of many moments in the show’s history where real-world identity politics crept into the on-show storylines. The show already feels different in a post-Vixen world: Two weeks ago, we finally got a picture of a Black queen hung up in the All Stars Hall of Fame. (Shout out to Monét X Change!)
At the end of the day, Drag Race is valuable because it’s just the kind of show that makes you feel good, especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community. For the eleventh season premiere, VH1 snagged Miley Cyrus as a special guest host, and as has been tradition for the past few premieres, the queer A-Lister spent some personal time with the queens backstage. When they asked her for advice, Miley invoked her godmother Dolly Parton, saying that one thing she’s learned from the country legend is to always be yourself. Like most viewers, she said, she ultimately falls in love with these queens’ personalities more than she does their “beauty” each week, and as long as they find a way to let that shine through, they’ll be in a good position. Even in its pure corniness, it was a very touching moment for all involved.
The show is filled with moments like this because, ultimately, Drag Race is a family show — or at the very least, a show about family. Chosen family, to be exact. Though its stars can get quite catty, often fighting and bickering, the majority leave the show having found lifelong connections and friendships with their fellow contestants; some even become colleagues as they travel the world together on one of the Drag Race-sponsored tours. The Drag Race family bond is a strong one, and it’s those friendships that create the hilarious and often tender moments that bring us back to watch, again and again.
So far, 126 queens have sashayed through the door into the famed Werk Room. And though that number seems to be increasing at an almost exponential rate, I’d be lying if I said that I was anywhere near close to experiencing true “Drag Race fatigue.” So, do we need more Drag Race? I don’t really know. Do we really need anything? A more apt question would be whether or not our time could be spent better watching something else. And to that I say absolutely not. Drag Race is still great. Long may it reign.
TagsDrag Race Season 11rupaul's drag racerepresentationevergreen
The Queens of Drag Race: Season 11 Get Shady in Our Game of Drag Taboo
Everything You Need to Know About Drag Race's Season 11 Queens
Recapping the Highs and Lows of Drag Race: All Stars 4
John Paul Brammer and Michael Cuby
A Brief History of How Drag Queens Turned Against the Trans Community
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Love Maine Radio #341: Carol Schoneberg and Anne Heros
Today we speak with Carol Schoneberg who has worked as a hospice educator in Maine for the past 25 years. Anne Heros is executive director of the Center for Grieving Children, an organization providing support to grieving children, teenagers, families, and young adults.
Carol Schoneberg
Carol Schoneberg has been a hospice educator in Maine since 1992. She has served as an end-of-life educator, bereavement services manager, and grief counselor at Hospice of Southern Maine—Maine’s only free standing not-for-profit hospice—since its inception in 2004. Carol provides end-of-life education to staff, volunteers, healthcare providers, universities, and the community at large. Certified as an advance care planning facilitator trainer through the Respecting Choices program at Gundersen-Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin, she believes strongly that helping people talk about their choices for end-of-life care can make a huge difference in the way families experience the dying process. Her experiences working with the dying and the bereaved have inspired and taught her much about the resiliency of the human spirit.
Carol Schoneberg Interview
Anne Heros
Anne Heros serves as executive director of the Center for Grieving Children. She was appointed to that position in July 2001 after serving as the Center’s outreach director and education coordinator for four years and facilitating the Center’s Bereavement Peer Support Program as a volunteer for three years. As executive director, she spearheaded a capital campaign that began in 2005 and raised $2.8 million to provide a permanent home for the Center’s vital programs. In 2011, she oversaw the Center’s expansion of its bereavement support services into Maine’s York County, establishing a satellite Center site in Sanford. Additionally, she was among the founders of America’s Camp, a national summer camp provided a network of grief support “buddies” in its service to children and siblings of firefighters and police who died on September 11, 2001. In her career at the Center, she produced a significant expansion of the Center’s program to train providers and volunteers nationwide in the volunteer peer-support model to help grieving children and families. Locally, she has guided the Center’s leading role in providing grief support services to schools and civic associations; for example, the Center’s Multicultural Program works with Portland middle schools to support refugee and immigrant students. As a founding member of the National Alliance for Grieving Children, she continues to participate on its Advisory Council and help shape its annual national symposium. She has presented at many national conferences on the topic of grief and trauma, and she was the recipient of the 2008 Advocacy Award from the New York-based National Foundation for Grieving Children, Teens, and Families. She has served on the cabinet of the United Way of Greater Portland, and she also been a member of the Auxiliary to Mercy Hospital since 1994, including two years as president. She continues to be a member of the Board’s Compliance Committee.
Anne Heros Interview
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About The Manningfords
Notices & Minutes
Swanborough Tump
The original barrow may have dated from the Bronze Age barrows of around 1300 BC, of which about 100 have been located in Wiltshire, but more probably was one of the more recent Roman or Saxon burial mounds. About 850 AD it was identified as SWIN BEORG, the meeting place of the Leet or Court of the Swanborough Hundred, although there is no record of any settlement or place called Swanborough. In a Charter of 987 it was spelt SWANA BEORH meaning the ‘barrow of the peasants’.
The Anglo-Saxon Hundred is thought to have been an area of 100 hides, each hide being about 40 acres, but there was considerable variation in these areas. Swanborough was one of the largest, consisting of 183 hides, nearly a double Hundred. 9 Parishes are mentioned in the Swanborough Hundred in the Domesday Book of 1086, and at one time it was extended to 25 Parishes, although it never included Pewsey or Devizes and was always made up offarming villages.
The Tump was sited on the ancient footpath up Dragon Lane linking Manningford to Wilcot where the boundaries of the old Manningford Abbots and Bruce Parishes and Wilcot Parish met.
The Hundred Court met regularly at the Tump at least once a year. In the 14th century the proceedings record a number of fines imposed on people ‘for taking after their oaths’ (which probably meant for overcharging for work done).
In the 18th century the Tump was crowned by 3 ash trees, and the present Parish Council recently planted 3 ash trees on the site to revive this tradition. It had become customary to adjourn Meetings to the Rose and Crown public house in Woodborough.
When the Swanborough Team of 12 churches was formed in 1970, its logo incorporated the 3 trees, symbolic of the 3 crosses on Calvary.
The County Archaeologist confirms that the Tump is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Neither County Archives nor any private source has yet revealed any photograph, drawing or sketch of the Tump, but as recently as 1974 an Ordnance Survey fieldworker reported that the mound, although disturbed, was still there, albeit overgrown with trees. The memories of octogenarians, who as children knew the area well in the 1920s, cannot however confirm this.
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The quintessential essence of the Vale of Pewsey
– Kennet Local Plan –
We would love to hear from you. Please contact us using the form here.
Manningford Copyright 2015. Created by www.themarketingbox.co.uk
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Stornoway set to join the Yes movement with first indy march and rally
By Martin Hannan Journalist
The Yes Bikers will be in attendance
A NEW location will be today added to the list of towns and cities across Scotland that have hosted marches and rallies for independence.
Stornoway will host its first march and rally in an event organised by Outer Hebrides For Independence.
The march will also mark the first official appearance of the new Saor Alba pipe band. Pipers and drummers from across Scotland have come together to form the band which they intend to make a regular feature of the independence marches and rallies throughout Scotland.
READ MORE: We’ve had many false dawns over the years – the main prize of independence now awaits
It has been planned from the outset as a family-friendly day with live music, stalls and face painting while those attending will be able to participate in a ceilidh which will be held in the evening at Stornoway Golf Club.
The gathering point for the march is Old Acres Rugby Pitch, across from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s offices on Sandwick Road. People will be able to gather from noon onwards with the march itself due to begin at 2pm.
The march will proceed by Sandwick Road to Matheson Road and then by the Spar roundabout to Kenneth Street, Castle Street and back to the starting point.
A contingent of Yes Bikers will also be in attendance to provide their own accompaniment to what is sure to be a fun event.
READ MORE: Indy group Voices for Scotland given welcome by First Minister
Saor Alba co-founder George Kempik said earlier this month: “Yesterday we completed our final practice before we head to the Lewis march and Glasgow on May 4. We also handed out the majority of the uniforms.
“It was a pretty thought-provoking practice for me, having initially got together with Jim Edwards and Derek Campbell with an idea about eight or nine months ago.
“The idea was ‘let’s try forming some kind of band that will perform at the marches and events in support of Scottish independence.’
“Some kind of band is what you are going to get and I’m pretty sure everyone will be blown away.
“What an amazing commitment from all involved, doing stuff to get this on the road you wouldn’t believe.”
Alasdair Allan SNP MSP for the Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency, said: “It’s really exciting to see an activity of this kind taking place in Stornoway. It promises to be a fun day out for everyone, and I hope that as many independence-supporting islanders as possible will be able to attend.
“With marches for Scotland’s independence now taking place the length and breadth of the country, the UK Government can be in no doubt of the significant and growing appetite there is for Scotland to take control of its own affairs.
“I passionately believe that Scotland will flourish as an independent country, and I think we are reaching the point now where a majority of people in Scotland believe that too.”
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Name: John McHugh
Congress: New York, District: 23, Republican
H R 3435: Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program
Cash for Clunkers Funding. After running out of funds almost immediately, Congress quickly introduced yet another bill (H.R. 3435) that would provide an additional $2 billion for the "Cash for Clunkers" program.
The "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act" (H.R. 2751) would authorize $4 billion for an auto trade-in program that's also known as "cash for clunkers." Under the program consumers were offered rebates of up to $4,500 if they traded in their old cars for more fuel-efficient ones. The vehicles traded in were destroyed, meaning cars not ready for the junkyard would be taken off the road, reducing the stock of used vehicles and inflating the prices of used cars.
The House passed H.R. 3435 on July 31, 2009 by a vote of 316-109 (Roll Call 682). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government should not be subsidizing the car industry and because it is unconstitutional and wasteful.
H R 3293: Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes
Vote: NONE
No Vote.Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This fiscal 2010 spending bill (H.R. 3293) would appropriate a massive $730.5 billion for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. This bill, which is the largest of all the annual appropriations bills, includes $67.8 billion for the Department of Education and $603.5 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including $518.8 billion in "mandatory" spending for Medicare and Medicaid.
The House passed H.R. 3293 on July 24, 2009 by a vote of 264-153 (Roll Call 646). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the array of social welfare programs funded by this bill is unconstitutional and has failed historically.
H R 3288: Making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, HUD, and related agencies for FY 2010
Transportation-HUD Appropriations. The fiscal 2010 Transportation-HUD appropriations (H.R. 3288) would authorize a whopping $123.1 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. This includes $68.8 billion for discretionary spending for the two departments and their related agencies, a 25-percent increase from fiscal 2009 levels. The bill would provide $1.5 billion in federal grants for Amtrak and $18.2 billion for the Section 8 Tenant-based Rental Assistance program.
The House passed H.R. 3288 on July 23, 2009 by a vote of 256-168 (Roll Call 637). We have assigned pluses to the nays because virtually every dollar assigned to this bill, whether it is for transportation or housing assistance, is unconstitutional and unaffordable.
H R 3081: Making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes
Vote Date: July 9, 2009
State-Foreign Aid Appropriations. This fiscal 2010 spending bill (H.R. 3081) would appropriate $49 billion for the State Department and various foreign-assistance and international activities. The foreign assistance in the bill includes $5.8 billion to help combat HIV/AIDS, $2.7 billion for Afghanistan, $2.2 billion for Israel, $1.5 billion for Pakistan, $1.4 billion for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (a United Nations-inspired entity), and $1.3 billion for Egypt.
Though foreign aid is supposed to help the poor and suffering in foreign countries, ultimately it transfers the wealth from American taxpayers to Third World elites who have become deficient in running their socialist regimes.
The House passed H.R. 3081 on July 9, 2009 by a vote of 318-106 (Roll Call 525). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional and unworkable.
H R 2454: American Clean Energy and Security Act
Cap and Trade. The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), also known as the cap-and-trade bill, would not merely "cap" carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse" gas emissions, ostensibly to fight global warming, but would reduce the amount of allowable emissions over time -- to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, 42 percent by 2030, and 83 percent by 2050. The government would auction or freely distribute a limited number of emission allowances, which companies would be able to buy or sell. Of course, as the total amount of allowable emissions is reduced, the price of the allowances would skyrocket -- and with them the price of electricity and whatever else is produced from burning fossil fuel. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the effect of the House committee version of the bill would be to raise federal taxes by $846 billion and direct federal spending by $821 billion over the 2010-2019 period.
The House passed the cap-and-trade bill on June 26, 2009 by a vote of 219-212 (Roll Call 477). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation would be devastating to the economy if enacted and the federal government has no constitutional authority to limit greenhouse-gas emissions.
H R 2346: Supplemental Appropriations, FY 2009
Supplemental Appropriations. This final version (conference report) of the fiscal 2009 supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 2346) would provide an additional $105.9 billion in so-called emergency funds over and above the regular appropriations for 2009. This outrageous supplemental package would include $79.9 billion for defense funding (including for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan), $10.4 billion for foreign aid programs, $7.7 billion to address the national flu scare, and $5 billion for International Monetary Fund activities. This supplemental bill would also include $1 billion for the Cash for Clunkers program.
A day prior to the House vote, Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) urged his fellow lawmakers to reject the bill, stating, "I continue to believe that the best way to support our troops is to bring them home from Iraq and Afghanistan.... Our continued presence in Iraq and Afghanistan does not make us safer at home, but in fact it undermines our national security."
The House adopted H.R. 2346 on June 16, 2009 by a vote of 226-202 (Roll Call 348). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the spending is over and above what the federal government had already budgeted, the United States never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., Cash for Clunkers and foreign aid) is unconstitutional.
H R 2751: Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act
Cash for Clunkers. The "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act" (H.R. 2751) would authorize $4 billion for an auto trade-in program that's also known as "cash for clunkers." Under the program, consumers would be offered rebates of up to $4,500 if they trade in their old cars for more fuel-efficient ones. The vehicles traded-in would have to be destroyed, meaning that cars not yet ready for the junkyard would be taken off the road, reducing the stock of used vehicles and inflating the price of used cars.
The House passed H.R. 2751 on June 9, 2009, by a vote of 298-119 (Roll Call 314). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government should not be subsidizing the automotive companies via vouchers to customers. Besides, it's unconstitutional.
Body Imaging Screening. During consideration of the Transportation Security Administration Authorization bill (H.R. 2200), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) offered an amendment that would prohibit the use of Whole-Body Imaging (WBI) as the primary method of screening at airports. The amendment would allow passengers the option of a pat-down search rather than being subjected to a WBI search that shows extremely intimate details of one's body. The Chaffetz amendment would also prohibit TSA from storing, copying, or transferring any images that are produced by WBI machines.
Since its creation, TSA has become infamous for its meddlesome searches and disregard for an individual's right of privacy. Evidence shows that corruption and mismanagement have been commonplace within the relatively new federal department for years. The Chaffetz amendment would do very little to scale back the power held by the TSA, but it does offer some hope that our representatives are not wholly unaware of how the TSA and its policies would threaten the privacy of American citizens through a process that has been called a "virtual strip-search."
The House adopted the Chaffetz amendment by a "Committee of the Whole" on June 4, 2009, by a vote of 310-118 (Roll Call 305). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because such technology is obtrusive for American citizens and violates our right of protection against unwarranted searches and seizures.
Supplemental Appropriations. The Fiscal 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 2346) would provide an additional $96.7 billion in "emergency" funding for the current fiscal year over and above the regular appropriations. Included in the funds for H.R. 2346 is $84.5 billion for the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $10 billion for foreign aid programs, and $2 billion for flu pandemic preparation.
The House passed H.R. 2346 on May 14, 2009, by a vote of 368-60 (Roll Call 265). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the spending is over and above what the federal government had already budgeted, the United States never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.
S CON RES 13: Congressional Budget for Fiscal Year 2010
Budget Resolution. The final version of the Fiscal 2010 Budget Resolution (Senate Concurrent Resolution 13) calls for $3.56 trillion in federal spending for the fiscal year beginning on September 1, 2009. This level of spending would be significantly less than the $4.0 trillion the Obama administration forecast in May that the federal government would spend in the current fiscal year (which includes the $700 billion TARP program), but significantly more than the $3.0 trillion the federal government spent in fiscal 2008. And the deficit for fiscal 2010 would be more than $1 trillion.
The House passed the final version (conference report) of the budget resolution on April 29, 2009, by a vote of 233-193 (Roll Call 216). We have assigned pluses to the nays because much of the budget is unconstitutional (e.g., foreign aid, education, healthcare, etc.), and the federal government should end deficit spending and live within its means.
H R 1913: Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Hate Crimes. The passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913) would expand the federal hate crimes law to include crimes that are based on sexual orientation, gender, or physical or mental disability. (Current law covers crimes based on race, color, religion, or national origin.) This bill would allow for harsher sentencing for individuals who commit violent crimes because of politically incorrect hateful motives. This legislation begs the question, are not all violent crimes committed with some hateful motive? If so, H.R. 1913 would ensure that some victims will receive more "equal protection under the law" than others. In a guest commentary in the Denver Post editorial, criminal defense lawyer Robert J. Corry, Jr. opined: "The 'hate crime' law does not apply equally, instead criminalizing only politically incorrect thoughts directed against politically incorrect victim categories."
The House passed H.R. 1913 on April 29, 2009, by a vote of 249-175 (Roll Call 223). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation would further federalize the criminal code as well as punish not only criminal acts, but the thoughts behind them.
H R 1139: COPS Improvements Act of 2009
COPS Funding. The Community Oriented Policing Services bill (H.R. 1139) would authorize $1.8 billion a year from fiscal 2009 through 2014 for the Justice Department's COPS program. This is up from the $1.05 billion that was authorized for the COPS program for fiscal years 2006 through 2009. The funds authorized for H.R. 1139 would aid in the hiring of law-enforcement officers.
The House passed H.R. 1139 on April 23, 2009, by a vote of 342-78 (Roll Call 206). We have assigned pluses to the nays because providing federal aid to local law-enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, but also further federalizes the police system.
H R 1388: Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act
National Service. The Serve America Act (H.R. 1388) would reauthorize Corporation for National and Community Service programs through 2014, and expand the number of "volunteer" positions (which are actually paid positions) in national-service programs such as AmeriCorps from 75,000 to 250,000. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the House version of this legislation would cost $6 billion and the Senate version would cost $5 billion over five years.
The House passed H.R. 1388 on March 18, 2009, by a vote of 321-105 (Roll Call 140). We have assigned pluses to the nays because national-service programs are not authorized by the Constitution.
H R 1: Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year ending 2009
Economic Stimulus. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1) would provide $787 billion -- $575 billion in new spending and $212 billion in tax cuts -- to stimulate the economy. The "stimulus" spending is supposed to create jobs, yet the money that the government spends for this purpose would have to be drained from the economy in the first place, thereby destroying jobs throughout the economy in order to give the government the means to create jobs in selected sectors. Even the tax cuts, which constitute less than a third of the stimulus package, would not reduce the burden that government spending places on the economy, since there are no corresponding spending cuts. Since the federal government is already operating in the red, the entire $787-billion "stimulus" would translate into another $787 billion in federal debt, as well as inflation when the money to finance the debt is created out of thin air by the Fed and pumped into the economy. In fact, the legislation would increase the national debt ceiling by $789 billion, a little more than the bill's price tag.
The House passed the final version (conference report) for H.R. 1 on February 13, 2009, by a vote of 246-183 (Roll Call 70). We have assigned pluses to the nays because most of the spending would be unconstitutional and government cannot stimulate the economy by draining money from the private sector.
H R 2: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
Vote Date: February 4, 2009
SCHIP. H.R. 2 would reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, commonly referred to as SCHIP, for over four and a half years and increase the funding for the program by $32.8 billion. SCHIP is designed to provide health insurance to children of families whose incomes are up to four times above the poverty level (and therefore would have too much income to qualify for Medicaid), yet would have little income to buy private insurance. Often SCHIP crowds out private insurance: the Congressional Budget Office found that between 25 and 50 percent of children who enroll in SCHIP dropped their private insurance to get "free care." Because SCHIP, like Medicaid and Medicare, pays doctors and hospitals only a fraction of the actual cost of care, the unfunded costs get passed to holders of private insurance. Additionally, SCHIP would apply to 400,000 to 600,000 children of legal immigrants whose sponsors had agreed to cover the children's healthcare needs for at least five years after arriving to the United States.
The House passed H.R. 2 on February 4, 2009, by a vote of 290-135 (Roll Call 50). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal healthcare programs are unconstitutional and would likely lower the quality of healthcare.
H J RES 3: Relating to the disapproval of obligations under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
TARP Funding. House Joint Resolution 3 would have prevented the release of the remaining $350 billion of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to bail out banks and other institutions. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 had authorized a total of $700 billion, only half of which was initially released, for TARP. The act was written so that the Treasury Department, which administers the program, could start spending the second $350 billion unless both chambers of Congress disapproved.
This joint resolution to disapprove the release of the second $350 billion was passed on January 22, 2009, by a vote of 270-155 (Roll Call 27). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the Constitution does not authorize Congress to grant financial aid or loans to private companies, e.g., banks and automakers.
No Vote.Agriculture Appropriations. The 2008 Agriculture appropriations bill would provide $90.7 billion for the Agriculture department, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. It would include funding for the food-stamp ($39.8 billion) and child-nutrition programs ($13.9 billion), farm subsidies and crop insurance, conservation programs, rural development programs, etc.
H R 5825: Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act
Electronic Surveillance. The warrantless electronic surveillance bill (H.R. 5825) would allow electronic surveillance of communications with suspected terrorists without first obtaining approval from the secret courts established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Furthermore, the bill would authorize unwarranted surveillance for up to 90 days in some instances if a threat was considered "imminent." Intelligence agencies would be allowed to conduct warrantless surveillance for seven days prior to gaining court approval if the threat was considered an "emergency situation." This controversial bill had full support of the Bush administration as a means to provide greater national security in a post-9/11 world.
The House passed H.R. 5825 on September 28, 2006 by a vote of 232-191 (Roll Call 502). We have assigned pluses to the nays because such a law would violate the Fourth Amendment by subjecting U.S. citizens to unreasonable searches and seizures.
H R 6166: Military Commissions Act
Military Tribunals. This bill (H.R. 6166) would authorize a new system of military tribunals to try persons designated "unlawful enemy combatants" by the president. The bill defines an unlawful enemy combatant to include a person who "has purposely and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents." Once designated an unlawful enemy combatant, a defendant's rights would be curtailed: he would be denied the right of habeas corpus; he could be detained indefinitely; and evidence obtained through coercion could be used against him--so long as the coercion falls outside the administration's definition of torture.
Critics of the tribunals bill are planning to file suit in order to test the constitutionality of the legislation. This legislation was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's June 29 ruling on the case of Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which declared that the administration's current system for trying military detainees was unconstitutional.
The House passed the military tribunals bill on September 27, 2006 by a vote of 253-168 (Roll Call 491). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the bill would curtail defendant rights.
H R 6061: Secure Fence Act of 2006
Border Fence. The Secure Fence Act of 2006 (H.R. 6061) would authorize the construction of nearly 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. The border fence is just the first of a series of border security initiatives that House Republicans intend to merge into the Homeland Security spending bill. If implemented, the 700 miles of fencing along the border would be a good first step toward protecting our borders from the massive influx of illegal immigration facing our country today.
The House passed H.R. 6061 on September 14, 2006 by a vote of 283-138 (Roll Call 446). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because such a border fence would help prevent illegal immigration and further protect our borders.
H R 5013: Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006
Gun Seizure. The Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006 (H.R. 5013) would prohibit the confiscation of firearms in the wake of a natural disaster. This bill is a response to the illegal confiscating of firearms from the victims of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
H.R. 5013 was passed by the House on July 25, 2006 by a vote of 322-99 (Roll Call 401). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens is a clear violation of the Constitution -- the Second Amendment guarantees that our "right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
H R 5684: To implement the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement
Oman Trade Agreement. The Oman Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 5684) would reduce most tariffs and duties between Oman and the United States. H.R. 5684 was considered under fast-track authority, which requires Congress to expedite consideration of presidentially negotiated trade pacts without offering amendments.
The Oman agreement is just one steppingstone in the White House's effort to form a Middle Eastern Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013. These so-called free- trade agreements have historically failed because they encourage the relocation of U.S. jobs to foreign countries so that the companies can get cheap labor. Meanwhile, they don't provide the United States with trade benefits -- largely because the people in those countries cannot afford to buy our products -- thereby harming the U.S. economy. The agreements also put our economic destiny in the hands of unelected foreign bureaucrats, such as those at the World Trade Organization.
The House passed H.R. 5684 by a vote of 221-205 on July 20, 2006 (Roll Call 392). We have assigned pluses to the nays because such trade agreements damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty by the imposition of international regulations.
H R 2389: Pledge Protection Act
Pledge Protection Act. The Pledge Protection Act of 2005 (H.R. 2389) would counter judicial activism to prevent the removal of the words "under God" from the pledge by restricting federal courts from hearing cases on this matter, as opposed to protecting the pledge by amending the Constitution.
The House passed H.R. 2389 on July 19, 2006 by a vote of 260-167. (Roll Call 385). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because H.R. 2389 would protect the Pledge of Allegiance from federal court activism.
H R 4761: Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act
Offshore Drilling. This bill (H.R. 4761) would end the federal moratorium on most offshore oil and gas drilling. It would continue the ban within 50 miles of shore, while allowing the states the option of extending that ban out to 100 miles. It would also allow states to share in the drilling proceeds.
The House passed H.R. 4761 on June 29, 2006 by a vote of 232-187 (Roll Call 356). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the United States should reduce its dependency on foreign oil and utilize its own energy resources.
H R 4890: Legislative Line Item Veto Act
Line-item Rescission. The legislative line-item rescission bill (H.R. 4890) would allow the president to propose cuts in spending bills already enacted by Congress. The cuts would then receive an up-or-down vote with no opportunity to filibuster or add amendments.
The House passed H.R. 4890 by a vote of 247-172 on June 22, 2006 (Roll Call 317). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the rescission bill, though not a full-fledged line-item veto, would still shift some legislative power from Congress to the president, disrupting the U.S. system of checks and balances.
Iran Military Operations. Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) offered this amendment to the 2007 Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 5631). The amendment would bar any funds to initiate military operations in Iran unless it is in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress alone the power to declare war.
The House rejected Hinchey's amendment by a vote of 158-262 on June 20, 2006 (Roll Call 300). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the power to declare war belongs to Congress, not to the president, and that much power should not be in the hands of one man.
H R 5522: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes
No Vote.Foreign Aid. The fiscal 2007 foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 5522) would authorize $21.3 billion for foreign operations and economic assistance in fiscal 2007. Though foreign aid is supposed to help the poor and suffering in other countries, it instead has served to prop up economically deficient socialist regimes and to transfer wealth from American taxpayers to third-world elites.
The House passed H.R. 5522 on June 9, 2006 by a vote of 373-34 (Roll Call 250). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional and unworkable.
H R 5429: American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act
ANWR Oil and Gas Leasing. This bill (H.R. 5429) would authorize the Department of the Interior to grant leases for oil and gas development in a small portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), along Alaska's northern coast. There are an estimated 10 billion barrels of oil in the targeted portion of ANWR that could bring tens of billions of dollars into the U.S. economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
The House passed H.R. 5429 on May 25, 2006 by a vote of 225-201 (Roll Call 209). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the United States should reduce its dependency on foreign oil and develop its own energy resources.
Defunding the NAIS. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to the fiscal 2007 agriculture appropriations (H.R. 5384). Paul's amendment would bar the use of funds in the bill to implement the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a government program that would electronically track farm cattle and poultry in hopes of preventing the spread of disease. Writing about the program, Paul stated, "NAIS means more government, more regulations, more fees, more federal spending, less privacy, and diminished property rights."
The House rejected Paul's amendment on May 23, 2006, by a vote of 34-389 (Roll Call 184). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the program would unconstitutionally allocate federal spending, place useless regulations on farmers, and threaten the privacy rights of American citizens.
H R 5384: Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 5384) would provide $93.6 billion in fiscal 2007 for the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. The funding includes $37.9 billion for the food-stamp program, $13.3 billion for the child-nutrition program, and $19.7 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation, a federally funded program that aids farmers.
The House passed H.R. 5384 on May 23, 2006 by a vote of 378-46 (Roll Call 193). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are not authorized by the Constitution.
Katrina Funding. During consideration of the 2006 supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 4939), Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to eliminate the $19.2 billion appropriated in the bill for Hurricane Katrina relief. Neugebauer argued that the supplemental Katrina aid, and the supplemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are separate issues and should be voted on separately.
The House rejected the Neugebauer amendment on March 16, 2006 by a vote of 89-332 (Roll Call 57). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because it would have significantly cut unconstitutional federally funded disaster relief.
H R 4939: Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes
Supplemental Appropriations. This legislation (H.R. 4939) would appropriate a whopping $91.9 billion for emergency supplemental funding in fiscal 2006, including $67.6 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, $4.3 billion for foreign aid, and $19.2 billion for Hurricane Katrina relief. Congressional Quarterly noted that the funding in the bill "for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would push to more than $390 billion the war-related supplemental funds appropriated since Sept. 11. It would be the sixth major emergency spending measure for the Bush administration."
The House passed H.R. 4939 on March 16, 2006 by a vote of 348-71 (Roll Call 65). We have assigned pluses to the nays because -- even if the spending were constitutional -- the funding should be voted on as part of the regular appropriations process and not introduced after the fact as "emergency" spending, ignoring fiscal responsibility.
Ports Security -- DP World. Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-Md.) introduced this amendment to the 2006 supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 4939) that would strike language from the bill to prohibit the sale of operations at several sea ports to DP World, a state-controlled company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The House rejected the Gilchrest amendment in March 15, 2006 by a vote of 38-377 (Roll Call 43). We have assigned pluses to the nays because, as a matter of national sovereignty, American personnel must manage, maintain, and monitor our own sea ports.
H R 4437: Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act
Vote Date: December 16, 2005
Border Security. The House immigration bill (H.R. 4437) would improve border security by authorizing 700 miles of security fence to be built along parts of the U.S.-Mexican border, making unlawful entry into the United States a criminal rather than a civil offense, and increasing penalties for immigrant-related crimes. It would also require employers to verify immigrant status of new employees. It does not include the guest-worker/amnesty provisions found in the Senate bill.
The House passed H.R. 4437 on December 16, 2005 by a vote of 239-182 (Roll Call 661). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the bill would improve border security. The House-passed bill is very different from the Senate-passed version. For immigration legislation to become law, the House and Senate versions would have to be reconciled and a final version sent back to both houses of Congress for their approval and then to the president for his signature.
H R 3199: USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act
Patriot Act Reauthorization. This is the final version (conference report) of the Patriot Act reauthorization (H.R. 3199). In the weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress quickly passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search home and business records, expanded the FBI's wiretapping and surveillance authority, and expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts. When passed in 2001 the bill included a "sunset" provision under which the new surveillance powers "shall cease to have effect on December 21, 2005." The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by Congress last year would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions included in the bill, and extend for four years the two remaining provisions.
The House passed the final version of the bill to reauthorize the Patriot Act on December 14, 2005 by a vote of 251-174 (Roll Call 627). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the Patriot Act tramples on the constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
H R 3010: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This massive social-welfare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.5 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($474.1 billion), and related agencies. H.R. 3010 is the largest of the appropriations bills considered by Congress this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appropriations bill for fiscal 2005.
The House passed the bill on December 14, 2005 by a vote of 215-213 (Roll Call 628). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the bill would provide an increase in spending, and social-welfare programs are unconstitutional.
Foreign Aid. The final version (conference report) of this appropriations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $21 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006.
The House passed the final version of this legislation on November 4, 2005 by a vote of 358-39 (Roll Call 569). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional.
H R 1606: Online Freedom of Speech Act
Online Freedom of Speech. The Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606) would exempt the Internet -- including blogs, e-mail, and other online speech -- from being subject to campaign finance laws and Federal Election Commission regulation.
Because supporters attempted to pass the bill under a suspension of the rules, a two-thirds majority of those present and voting was required for passage. Supporters got a solid majority but not the necessary two-thirds, and the legislation was rejected on November 2, 2005 by a vote of 225-182 (Roll Call 559). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the bill would protect free speech.
U.S. Treasury Borrowing. During consideration of a bill to overhaul the regulation of government-sponsored enterprises, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered this amendment to "eliminate the ability of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board to borrow from the Treasury." During floor debate on his amendment, Paul stated, "I hope my colleagues join me in protecting taxpayers from having to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when the housing bubble bursts."
The House rejected Paul's amendment on October 26, 2005 by a vote of 47-371 (Roll Call 544). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because Paul's amendment would (in Paul's words) seek to end a "massive unconstitutional and immoral" transfer of income from working Americans to government-sponsored enterprises.
H R 2123: School Readiness Act
Head Start Funding. This legislation (H.R. 2123) would reauthorize the Head Start program through fiscal 2011 and provide $6.8 billion for the program in 2006. The bill would also increase educational standards for Head Start teachers.
The House passed the Head Start bill on September 22, 2005 by a vote of 231-184 (Roll Call 493). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the bill would further federalize the educational system, and federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Hate Crimes. During consideration of the Children's Safety Act of 2005 (H.R. 3132), Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced this amendment to add a separate federal criminal charge for committing an act of violence based on race, color, religion, or national origin; and to broaden the category of hate crimes to include sexual orientation, gender, or disability. Current hate-crime laws extend only to sentencing and do not provide for additional charges to be brought against an individual.
The Conyers amendment was passed by a vote of 223-199 on September 14, 2005 (Roll Call 469). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation would further federalize the criminal code as well as punish not only criminal acts but the thoughts behind them.
H R 3673: Further Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Vote Date: September 8, 2005
Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations. In the wake of the devastating hurricane disaster in the Gulf Coast, Congress quickly passed legislation that would appropriate $51.8 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2005 (H.R. 3673) to be used for relief in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Commenting on how the tragic images of Katrina were used to justify more federal welfare and interventionism, as opposed to private charity and initiatives, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) noted on September 15, after the House and Senate votes: "These scenes prompted two emotional reactions. One side claims Katrina proved there was not enough government welfare.... The other side claims we need to pump billions of new dollars into the very federal agency that failed (FEMA).... Both sides support more authoritarianism, more centralization, and even the imposition of martial law in times of natural disasters."
The House passed the Katrina appropriations bill on September 8, 2005 by a vote of 410-11 (Roll Call 460). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federally financing disaster relief is unconstitutional.
H R 3: Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
Surface Transportation. The final version (conference report) of this bill (H.R. 3) would authorize $286.5 billion for federal highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs through fiscal 2009. The bill is laden with thousands of "pork barrel" transportation projects requested by individual lawmakers.
The House adopted the final version of this legislation on July 29, 2005 by a vote of 412-8 (Roll Call 453). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the bill increases transportation spending and is fiscally irresponsible.
H R 3045: Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
CAFTA. This bill (H.R. 3045) would implement the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), thereby expanding the devastating consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), including the job losses wrought by NAFTA. CAFTA is intended by the Power Elite to be a steppingstone from NAFTA to the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which would include all of the countries of the Western Hemisphere except (for now) Cuba. Like NAFTA, which has already begun imposing its trade rulings on America, CAFTA and the FTAA would not be genuine free trade arrangements; they would instead manage trade and would gradually exercise more powers on the road to a supranational government modeled after the European Union.
The House passed CAFTA on July 28, 2005 by a vote of 217-215 (Roll Call 443). We have assigned pluses to the nays because CAFTA would further damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty.
Patriot Act Reauthorization. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts; increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search homes and business records; expanded the FBI's wiretapping and surveillance authority; and provided for nationwide jurisdiction for search warrants and electronic surveillance devices, including the legal extension of those devices to e-mail and the Internet. The bill included a "sunset" provision under which the new surveillance powers "shall cease to have effect on December 31, 2005."
The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by the current Congress would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions set to expire at the end of this year and extend for 10 years the remaining two provisions. The House passed the reauthorization on July 21, 2005 by a vote of 257-171 (Roll Call 414). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the Patriot Act tramples on the constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
Foreign Aid. This appropriations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $20.3 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006.
The House passed the foreign aid bill on June 28, 2005 by a vote of 393-32 (Roll Call 335). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This mammoth social-welfare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide a total of $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.7 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($473.8 billion), and related agencies. The bill is by far the largest of the 11 appropriations bills written by the House this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appropriations bill for the previous year.
The House passed this bill on June 24, 2005 by a vote of 250-151 (Roll Call 321). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill represents a significant increase in spending, and social-welfare programs are unconstitutional.
Mental Health Screening. During consideration of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (H.R. 3010), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered an amendment to "prohibit the use of funds in the bill to create or implement any universal mental health screening program."
The House rejected Paul's amendment on June 24, 2005 by a vote of 97-304 (Roll Call 317). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because federally funding such programs is unconstitutional.
H R 2745: Henry J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act
UN "Reforms." On the surface, this United Nations "reform" bill (H.R. 2745) appears to be a "conservative" get-tough response to UN corruption. It would withhold up to 50 percent of U.S. dues to the UN unless the UN makes certain operational changes, and many "conservatives" voted for it. In reality, the legislation calls for strengthening the UN in the name of "reform." Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) warned in his June 13 Texas Straight Talk column that the "reform" bill supports creation of a "Peace-building Commission," which "will serve as the implementing force for the internationalization of what were formerly internal affairs of sovereign nations."
The House passed the UN "reform" bill on June 17, 2005 by a vote of 221-184 (Roll Call 282). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the reform bill is a trap, and the solution to the UN threat is not to reform the world body but to get the U.S. out.
UN Dues Decrease. During consideration of the Commerce-Justice appropriations bill (H.R. 2862), Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) offered an amendment to cut the U.S. "contribution" to the United Nations by $218 million.
The House rejected Hayworth's amendment on June 15, 2005 by a vote of 124-304 (Roll Call 253). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because reducing U.S. dues to the UN is a step toward defunding it and getting the U.S. out.
H J RES 27: Withdrawing approval of the United States from the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization
WTO Withdrawal. Representatives Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ron Paul (R-Texas) sponsored this measure (House Joint Resolution 27) to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization. The WTO is often portrayed as a "free trade" arrangement by its supporters, but it is actually an international bureaucracy that manages trade and imposes its rulings on member nations including the United States -- even when those rulings are contrary to U.S. laws. In fact, U.S. membership in the WTO is unconstitutional, since under our Constitution, Congress -- not an international body -- "shall have the power ... to regulate foreign commerce." That power cannot be transferred short of a constitutional amendment.
The House rejected the WTO withdrawal measure on June 9, 2005 by a vote of 86-338 (Roll Call 239). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because our participation in the WTO is unconstitutional and threatens our sovereignty.
H R 810: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
Embryonic Stem-cell Research. This bill (H.R. 810) would allow federal funds to be used for research on embryonic stem-cell lines, which can be created only by cannibalizing and destroying human embryos -- innocent human life. Proponents contend that the research is needed to combat various diseases, but stem cells from sources other than embryos may provide more promising results, without killing some human beings for the supposed benefit of others.
The House passed the bill on May 24, 2005 by a vote of 238-194 (Roll Call 204). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the research would violate the right to life.
Supplemental Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of this supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 1268) would add another $82 billion to the federal budget for fiscal 2005. The supplemental spending, even if needed and constitutional, should not have been added on to the annual federal budget after the fact, but should have been included as part of the regular appropriations process. The supplemental spending in this bill includes $75.9 billion for defense-related purposes, most of it for the military occupation of Iraq, and $907 million for tsunami victims, the latter clearly unconstitutional.
One particularly objectionable element of this legislation is the REAL ID Act, which was added to the supplemental appropriations bill by the conference committee. The REAL ID Act would authorize the federal government to impose national standards for driver's licenses and thereby develop a national ID system.
The House adopted the final version of H.R. 1268 on May 5, 2005 by a vote of 368-58 (Roll Call 161). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the bill contains both unconstitutional spending and the REAL ID Act.
H R 366: Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act
Vocational/Technical Training. This bill (H.R. 366) would reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, which funds vocational and technical education programs. The bill would authorize $1.3 billion in fiscal 2006 and "such funds as necessary" in fiscal 2007-11. It would also merge Perkins funding with "Tech-Prep," a program that provides certain math and science courses to high school students to "ease the transition" from high school to a vocational or community college.
The House passed this bill on May 4, 2005 by a vote of 416-9 (Roll Call 154). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid to education and job-training programs is unconstitutional.
H R 6: On Agreeing to the Amendment 4 to H R 6
Fuel Efficiency Regulations. During consideration of the energy policy bill (H.R. 6), Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) introduced an amendment to increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to at least 33 miles per gallon by model year 2015 for automobiles. The standard is now set at an average of 25 miles per gallon. Since neither legislators nor manufacturers have a magic wand to reduce the amount of gas required to move a certain mass a certain distance, this legislation would effectively force manufacturers to reduce vehicle size and weight, thereby limiting consumer choices and making vehicles less safe.
The House rejected Boehlert's amendment by a vote of 177-254 on April 20, 2005 (Roll Call 121). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal regulations limiting consumer choices are unconstitutional.
Alaskan Drilling. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) offered an amendment to delete language in the energy policy bill (H.R. 6) that would allow leases for oil and gas exploration and development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. Drilling in ANWR is now banned, and Markey wants to keep it that way despite the fact that ANWR likely contains billions of barrels of oil and could be on a par with Prudhoe Bay, North America's largest oil field.
The House rejected Markey's amendment on April 20, 2005 by a vote of 200-231 (Roll Call 122). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the United States should develop its own energy resources and reduce its dependence on foreign oil.
H R 8: Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act
Permanent Repeal of Estate Tax. Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.) sponsored this bill (H.R. 8) to permanently repeal the estate tax, commonly known as the "death tax." Under current law, the estate tax will be phased out by 2010, but because of a "sunset" provision the tax will be fully eliminated for only one year before being reinstituted. Hulshof's bill would eliminate the sunset clause, making the repeal permanent. The estate tax has forced many cash-poor but asset-rich individuals to liquidate their family farms and other small private businesses rather than bequeath those assets to their loved ones.
The House passed this bill on April 13, 2005 by a vote of 272-162 (Roll Call 102). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because permanently repealing the estate tax would be a constitutional tax cut that would benefit the elderly and their families.
Pledge Protection Act. This bill (H.R. 2028) would counter judicial activism by reining in the federal courts as opposed to amending the Constitution. H.R. 2028 states: "No court created by Act of Congress shall have any jurisdiction, and the Supreme Court shall have no appellate jurisdiction, to hear or decide any question pertaining to the interpretation of, or the validity under the Constitution of, the Pledge of Allegiance ... or its recitation." This legislation would prevent the federal courts from ruling that the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional.
The House passed H.R. 2028 on September 23, 2004 by a vote of 247 to 173 (Roll Call 467). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because H.R. 2028 would protect the Pledge of Allegiance from federal court activism.
H R 1308: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to end certain abusive tax practices, to provide tax relief and simplification, and for other purposes.
Extending Tax Cuts. The final version (conference report) of this tax-cut legislation (H.R. 1308) would benefit most Americans by extending the life of several middle-class tax breaks set to expire at the end of this year. It would extend provisions providing relief from the "marriage penalty" through 2008, extend the $1,000 per child income tax credit through 2009, and keep a greater number of taxpayers in the 10 percent income tax bracket through 2010. It would also revive some expired business tax incentives.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 1308 on September 23, 2004 by a vote of 339 to 65 (Roll Call 472). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the bill would extend the life of tax cuts, benefiting a large number of Americans.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This mammoth appropriations bill (H.R. 5006) would provide $496.6 billion in fiscal 2005, including $374.3 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $60.3 billion for the Department of Education, and $14.9 billion for the Department of Labor. Total fiscal 2005 appropriations would be 3.5 percent higher than fiscal 2004 appropriations.
The House passed H.R. 5006 on September 9, 2004 by a vote of 388 to 13 (Roll Call 440). We have assigned pluses to the nays because these departments are not authorized by the Constitution.
H R 3313: Marriage Protection Act of 2004
Marriage Protection Act. This bill (H.R. 3313) would protect marriage from judicial activism by restricting the federal courts as opposed to amending the Constitution. Specifically, H.R. 3313 would stipulate that "no court created by Act of Congress shall have any jurisdiction, and the Supreme Court shall have no appellate jurisdiction" to interpret, or rule on the constitutionality of, Title 28, Section 1738C of the U.S. Code. Section 1738C states that no state, territory, or possession of the U.S "shall be required to give effect" to same-sex "marriages" performed under the laws of another state, territory, or possession.
H.R. 3313 would not prohibit the federal courts from hearing all same-sex "marriage" cases, since it is narrowly worded. A more broadly written measure would have been better. Nevertheless, H.R. 3313 would be a step in the right direction.
The House passed H.R. 3313 on July 22, 2004 by a vote of 233 to 194 (Roll Call 410). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because H.R. 3313 would help protect marriage via a long-neglected congressional check on the federal judiciary.
Millennium Challenge Account. During consideration of the foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4818), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered this amendment to eliminate all of the funding for the Millennium Challenge Account. H.R. 4818 would provide $1.25 billion for this account in fiscal 2005, 25 percent more than in fiscal 2004, for the purpose of rewarding nations for progress in human rights, economic policy, and democracy. During floor debate, Paul noted that this year-old program was originally viewed as "a transition from one form of foreign aid to another," but it instead "was just added on."
The House rejected Paul's amendment on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 41 to 379 (Roll Call 383). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because foreign aid is unconstitutional.
UN Inspections of U.S. Elections. Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) proposed an amendment to add the following language to the foreign aid appropriations bill: "None of the funds made available in this Act [H.R. 4818] may be used by any official of the United States Government to request the United Nations to assess the validity of elections in the United States." Buyer was responding to the fact that nearly a dozen members of the House had written to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan requesting "to have election observers to monitor the Presidential election in the United States" on November 2.
The House adopted Buyer's amendment on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 243 to 161 (Roll Call 385). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because such UN monitoring could open the door to UN interference in our elections.
H R 4818: Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2005
Foreign Aid. The foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4818) would provide $19.4 billion in fiscal 2005, an 11 percent increase over fiscal 2004 funding.
The House passed H.R. 4818 on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 365 to 41 (Roll Call 390). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional.
H R 4766: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 4766) would appropriate $83.7 billion for agriculture, rural development, and nutrition programs in fiscal 2005. Over half ($50.2 billion) of the funding in the so-called agriculture appropriations bill would be for domestic food and nutrition programs, including $33.6 billion for the food stamp program and $11.3 billion for child nutrition programs. Another $27 billion would be for agriculture programs, including $16.5 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation.
The House passed H.R. 4766 on July 13, 2004 by a vote of 389 to 31 (Roll Call 370). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are unconstitutional activities of the federal government.
Defunding U.S. Participation in UNESCO. This amendment to the appropriations bill for the Commerce, Justice, and State Departments (H.R. 4754) would effectively end U.S. participation in UNESCO by defunding it. Introduced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), the amendment stated: "None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to pay expenses for any United States contribution to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)." The U.S. rejoined UNESCO in 2002 after withdrawing from it in 1984.
The House rejected Paul's amendment on July 7, 2004 by a vote of 135 to 283 (Roll Call 333). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because our national independence must be preserved by getting out and staying out of the UN and all of its agencies, including UNESCO.
Defunding U.S. Participation in the United Nations. In addition to sponsoring an amendment to defund U.S. participation in UNESCO, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) also proposed an amendment to defund U.S. participation in the UN as a whole. The latter amendment stated: "None of the funds made available in this Act [H.R. 4754] may be used to pay any United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated agency of the United Nations."
The House rejected Paul's broader defunding amendment on July 7, 2004 by a vote of 83 to 335 (Roll Call 335). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because blocking U.S. funding of the UN would be a significant step toward getting out of the world body and fully restoring U.S. independence.
H R 444: Back to Work Investment Act
Job Training and Worker Services. This bill (H.R. 444) would authorize the creation of "personal re-employment accounts" of up to $3,000 for unemployed workers at risk of exhausting their state unemployment benefits. Money in this account could be used for such expenses as education, childcare, healthcare or transportation. Those workers who find a job within 13 weeks would be allowed to take the balance in their account as a "reemployment bonus." This bill would authorize $50 million in fiscal 2005 for these "personal re-employment accounts."
The House passed H.R. 444 on June 3, 2004 by a vote of 213 to 203 (Roll Call 225). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid for job training or unemployment services is unconstitutional.
H J RES 83: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding the appointment of individuals to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives
Continuity of Congress Constitutional Amendment. This joint resolution (House Joint Resolution 83) proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow state governors to appoint new House members in the extraordinary circumstance where many have been killed or incapacitated. This amendment would require each newly elected House member to present a list of two or more nominees to the governor of his state. The governor would be required to appoint a member's replacement from this list.
The House rejected H.J. Res. 83 on June 2, 2004 by a vote of 63 to 353 (Roll Call 219). A two-thirds majority vote of those present and voting (279 in this case) is required to pass a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment. We have assigned pluses to the nays because amendments to the Constitution should only be considered as a last resort and because House members should be elected, not appointed.
Abortion at Military Facilities. This amendment to H.R. 4200 (Fiscal 2005 Defense Authorization) would allow women who are in the military or are military dependents to obtain supposedly privately-funded abortions in overseas military facilities.
During the debate on this amendment, Jim Ryun (R-Kansas) correctly stated: Although this amendment is presented by the other side as providing for solely self-funded abortions, the fact is the American taxpayer will be forced to pay for the use of the military facility, the procurement of additional equipment needed to perform abortions, and the use of military personnel to perform abortions.
The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 4200 on May 19, 2004 by a vote of 202 to 221 (Roll Call 197). We have assigned pluses to the nays because all forms of abortion constitute the murder of unborn children.
H R 4181: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the increased standard deduction, and the 15-percent individual income tax rate bracket expansion, for married taxpayers filing joint returns
"Marriage Penalty" Relief. This bill (H.R. 4181) would permanently eliminate the "marriage penalty" by making the standard deduction double that of single taxpayers and by increasing the upper limit of the 15 percent bracket for married couples to twice that of singles.
The House passed H.R. 4181 on April 28, 2004 by a vote of 323 to 95 (Roll Call 138). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill would make permanent the tax savings of the "marriage penalty" relief.
H R 2844: Continuity in Representation Act of 2004
Continuity of Congress. This bill (H.R. 2844) would require special elections to be held within 45 days to fill vacant House seats in the extraordinary circumstance of more than 100 vacancies. This requirement would be waived if the vacancies occur within 75 days of an already-scheduled general election.
This bill is a good example of Congress using its legitimate power under the Constitution to solve a problem rather than proposing a potentially dangerous constitutional amendment. A year ago the Continuity of Government Commission (CGC) recommended that governors appoint House members (perhaps from a list of candidates provided by individual congressmen) in the event a substantial number of congressmen are killed or incapacitated, presumably in a terrorist attack.
However, H.R. 2844 would solve the problem of the loss of a large number of congressmen through the already-existing congressional power to determine "the times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives" (Article I, Section 4). And it would do so through special elections rather than appointment.
The House passed H.R. 2844 on April 22, 2004 by a vote of 306 to 97 (Roll Call 130). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill utilizes an already-existing congressional power to address a bona-fide concern and preempts a dangerous alternative proposal for a large number of vacant House seats being filled by appointment.
H R 3550: Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
Surface Transportation. This bill (H.R. 3550) would authorize $284 billion in federal aid for highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs for fiscal years 2004-2009. This total includes $217 billion for highways, $51.5 billion for mass transit, and $11.1 billion for House members' transportation projects.
The Bush administration had wanted to limit the spending in the bill to $256 billion, which, noted White House spokesman Scott McClellan, would still increase
spending by 21 percent. But the House added an additional $28 billion to the bill (11 percent more than the president had requested).
The House passed H.R. 3550 on April 2, 2004 by a vote of 357 to 65 (Roll Call 114). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this double-digit increase in spending on surface transportation is fiscally irresponsible at a time of record-breaking federal deficits.
H R 254: An Act to authorize the President of the United States to agree to certain amendments to the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States concerning the establishment of a Border Environment Cooperation Commission and a North American Development Bank
North American Development Bank. This bill (H.R. 254), as amended by the Senate, would implement a U.S.-Mexico agreement that would allow the North American Development Bank (NADBank) to make below-market-loans. It would also extend the area in Mexico served by the bank to a zone along the border 186 miles wide (compared to the current 62 miles wide). The NADBank was established by the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to finance development on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. The bank is funded by both the United States and Mexico.
The House agreed to a motion to suspend the rules and passed H.R. 254 on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 377 to 48 (Roll Call 87). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid to Mexico in the form of below-market-loans funded by U.S. taxpayers is unconstitutional. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (284 in this case) is required for passage under a suspension of the rules.
H CON RES 393: Congressional Budget for the U.S. Government for FY 2005
Fiscal 2005 Budget Resolution. This resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 393) would establish broad spending and revenue targets over the next five years. It calls for $871.3 billion in "discretionary" spending (including $50 billion for supplemental funding of operations in Iraq) and another $1.5 trillion in "mandatory" spending for fiscal 2005. Based on these targets, the "mandatory" spending portion of the budget would increase by 5 percent over last year, and the total budget -- a whopping $2.4 trillion -- would increase by 3 percent.
This resolution projects that the budget deficit would be cut significantly by fiscal 2009 (from $376.8 billion in fiscal 2005 to $234 billion in fiscal 2009); however, according to a Congressional Quarterly Fact Sheet, "Budget Resolution for FY 2005," these projected deficits are deceptively low due to an accounting sleight-of-hand whereby "these deficits are calculated by using the surpluses in the Social Security trust funds to offset spending on other programs. If these Social Security surpluses are not counted, the projected deficits in each fiscal year would be $550.7 billion in FY 2005 and $471.8 billion in FY 2009."
The House adopted this resolution on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 92). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this budget perpetuates the fiscally irresponsible, largely unconstitutional federal spending with its attendant record-breaking deficits of recent years.
H R 3873: Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act
Child Nutrition Programs. This bill (H.R. 3873) would reauthorize through fiscal 2008 several child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the After-School Snack Program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 3873 would increase direct spending on these programs by about $226 million over the 2004-2008 period.
Since obesity in school-age children has greatly increased since 1980, the school lunch program reauthorization bill has become a popular vehicle for proposals aimed at reducing obesity. This bill would require schools to develop "wellness policies" that establish nutritional guidelines for all food sold in schools; however, it stops short of setting mandatory federal standards.
The House agreed to the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3873 on March 24, 2004 by a vote of 419 to 5 (Roll Call 82). We have assigned pluses to the nays because providing food for citizens is an unconstitutional activity of the federal government. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (283 in this case) is required for passage under a suspension of the rules.
No Vote.Extended Unemployment Benefits. This amendment to H.R. 3030 (Community Service Block Grants) would authorize a six-month federal program to provide an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits for people who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state jobless benefits.
According to Congressional Quarterly for February 7, 2004, this federal unemployment benefits amendment is part of "an election year strategy by Democrats and labor advocates to try to attach worker-related legislation to other bills.
The House adopted this amendment to H.R. 3030 on February 4, 2004 by a vote of 227 to 179 (Roll Call 18). We have assigned pluses to the nays because payment of unemployment benefits is an unconstitutional activity of the federal government.
H R 1: Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act
Prescription Drug Benefit. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1 would create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. Beginning in 2006, prescription coverage would be available to seniors through private insurers for a monthly premium estimated at $35. There would be a $250 annual deductible, then 75 percent of drug costs up to $2,250 would be reimbursed. Drug costs greater than $2,250 would not be covered until out-of-pocket expenses exceeded $3,600, after which 95 percent of drug costs would be reimbursed. Low-income recipients would receive more subsidies than other seniors by paying lower premiums, having smaller deductibles, and making lower co-payments for each prescription. The total cost of the new prescription drug benefit would be limited to the $400 billion that Congress had budgeted earlier this year for the first 10 years of this new entitlement program.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 1 on November 22, 2003 by a vote of 220 to 215 (Roll Call 669). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this landmark legislation establishes a major new unconstitutional entitlement program.
H R 3289: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense and for the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan for FY 2004
Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3289 would appropriate $87.5 billion in supplemental fiscal 2004 spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the largest supplemental that Congress has ever passed. Of this total, military operations would receive $65.8 billion. Iraq reconstruction would be funded by grants totaling $18.6 billion, while reconstruction in Afghanistan would receive $1.2 billion.
William Norman Grigg predicted in the March 24 issue of this magazine that "the impending war on, or occupation of, Iraq is intended to carry out the UN Security Council mandates, not to protect our nation or to punish those responsible for the September 11th attack. The war would uphold the UN's supposed authority and vindicate its role as a de facto world government." In its November 20 report on President Bush's speech at London's Whitehall Palace the Guardian of London provided a concise confirmation of Mr. Grigg's prediction in its headline "Iraq war saved the UN, says president." Now American taxpayers must pay tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of billions ultimately, for this latest military intervention to empower the UN.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3289 on October 31, 2003 by a vote of 298 to 121 (Roll Call 601). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the U.S. military was sent into Iraq to enforce UN resolutions, when the only proper use of our nation's armed forces is to protect the lives and property of American citizens, and the huge U.S.-funded infrastructure rebuilding program in Iraq and Afghanistan is another example of unconstitutional foreign aid.
S 3: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act
Partial-birth Abortion Ban. The final version (conference report) of S. 3 would ban partial-birth abortions. Although on March 12 the Senate had amended their version of S. 3 to include a reaffirmation of Roe v. Wade, on September 30 a 10-member House-Senate conference committee agreed to report out a final version of the bill identical to one (H.R. 760) that passed the House earlier this year without any reaffirmation of Roe v. Wade.
Of course, all abortion procedures should be banned. But this bill is still a step in the right direction in that it is better to ban one abortion procedure than to ban none at all
The House adopted the conference report on S. 3 on October 2, 2003 by a vote of 281 to 142 (Roll Call 530). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because all forms of abortion constitute the murder of preborn children, and the Supreme Court, in its Roe v. Wade decision, overstepped its proper authority by "legalizing" abortion in the first place.
H R 2739: United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
U.S.-Singapore Trade. This bill (H.R. 2739) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Singapore. A similar bill, the U.S.-Chile Trade Agreement (H.R. 2738), was presented to Congress at the same time as the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement. These are the first in a series of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Bush administration is negotiating, which will culminate in 2005 in the largest and most significant FTA of them all, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
The model for the FTAA is the European Union (EU), formerly the "Common Market," which has grown by design from a supposed free trade agreement into a supranational government for Europe. The world order architects intend for the FTAA to follow the same trajectory for the Americas.
The House passed H.R. 2739 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 272 to 155 (Roll Call 432). We have assigned pluses to the nays because these bilateral "free trade" agreements are intended to be stepping stones to the FTAA, which would set trade (and eventually other) policies for the member nations. However, under the U.S. Constitution only Congress has the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states...."
H R 2738: United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
U.S.-Chile Trade. This bill (H.R. 2738) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Chile. The significance of this trade agreement, like that of the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement (see House bill below).
[ U.S.-Singapore Trade. H.R. 2739 would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Singapore. A similar bill, the U.S.-Chile Trade Agreement (H.R. 2738), was presented to Congress at the same time as the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement. These are the first in a series of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Bush administration is negotiating, which will culminate in 2005 in the largest and most significant FTA of them all, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
The model for the FTAA is the European Union (EU), formerly the "Common Market," which has grown by design from a supposed free trade agreement into a supranational government for Europe. The world order architects intend for the FTAA to follow the same trajectory for the Americas. ]
Rejoining UNESCO. This amendment to H.R. 2799 (Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2004) by Ron Paul (R-Texas) stated that "none of the funds made available in this Act may be made available for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)."
The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 2799 on July 22, 2003 by a vote of 145 to 279 (Roll Call 405). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because our national sovereignty must be preserved by getting out and staying out of the United Nations and all of its agencies, including UNESCO.
Millennium Challenge Account. This amendment to H.R. 1950 (Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005) by Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) would authorize $9.3 billion over the next three years for a new foreign aid program to promote the key development objectives described in the United Nations Millennium Declaration. According to the amendment, "It is, therefore, the policy of the United States to support a new compact for global development...." Furthermore, the amendment asserts: "Economic development, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, must be a shared responsibility between donor and recipient countries."
The House adopted this amendment to H.R. 1950 on July 16, 2003 by a vote of 368 to 52 (Roll Call 368). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is not authorized by the Constitution.
Ban on UN Contributions. This amendment to H.R. 1950 (Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005) by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) stated that "none of the funds authorized ... by this Act may be obligated or expended to pay any United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated agency of the United Nations."
The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 1950 on July 15, 2003 by a vote of 74 to 350 (Roll Call 364). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because blocking the funding for the United Nations in this bill would be a first step toward getting our nation out of the UN and fully restoring our national sovereignty
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 2673) would appropriate $77.5 billion for agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs in fiscal 2004. Over half of the money appropriated by this agriculture bill is earmarked for so-called mandatory spending on nutrition programs, including $28 billion for food stamps and $16 billion for school lunch and other nutrition programs. Total spending for traditional agricultural programs is $26.8 billion, a 5 percent increase.
The House passed H.R. 2673 on July 14, 2003 by a vote of 347 to 64 (Roll Call 358). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are unconstitutional activities of the federal government
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 2660) would appropriate $470 billion for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments for fiscal 2004, a 10 percent increase over fiscal 2003. This bill, the biggest of the fiscal 2004 domestic spending bills, includes $138 billion for discretionary spending, including $55.4 billion for education and $22.7 billion for the National Institutes of Health. That leaves $332 billion for so-called mandatory spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance.
The House passed H.R. 2660 on July 10, 2003 by a vote of 215 to 208 (Roll Call 353). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill represents a significant increase in spending, and these departments are not authorized by the Constitution.
H R 760: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. This bill (H.R. 760) states: "Any physician who, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly performs a partial-birth abortion and thereby kills a human fetus shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both."
The House passed H.R. 760 on June 4, 2003 by a vote of 282 to 139 (Roll Call 242). We have assigned pluses to the yeas on the basis that all forms of abortion constitute the murder of unborn children -- and that the Supreme Court was overstepping its proper authority by "legalizing" abortion in the first place.
H R 2: Jobs and Growth Reconciliation Tax Act
Tax Reductions. The final version of the $350 billion tax-cut package (the conference report on H.R. 2) would provide tax breaks over 11 years. Dividends, currently taxed the same as other earned income, would instead be taxed at 15 percent for most taxpayers through 2008. Lower-income dividend recipients would be taxed at 5 percent through 2007 and nothing in 2008. The current 20 percent top rate on capital gains on investments held at least one year would drop to 15 percent, with lower-income investors paying 5 percent through 2007 and nothing in 2008. Both dividend and capital gains tax reductions would expire after 2008. Among other tax reductions, income tax cuts enacted in 2001 for individuals and scheduled to be effective in 2006 would be accelerated; parents would receive refunds of up to $400 per child this summer.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 2 on May 23, 2003 by a vote of 231 to 200 (Roll Call 225). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because this bill will cut taxes for individuals and businesses.
H R 2185: Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 2003
Unemployment Benefits. This bill (H.R. 2185) would extend the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 through December 31, 2003. This would provide an additional 13 weeks of federal aid to workers in all states who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits. It would also provide another 13 weeks of federal benefits to workers in states with high unemployment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 2185 would increase federal outlays by a total of $7.9 billion over the fiscal years 2003 and 2004.
The House passed H.R. 2185 on May 22, 2003 by a vote of 409 to 19 (Roll Call 223). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid to unemployed workers is unconstitutional.
H R 1261: Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act
Job Training. This bill (H.R. 1261) would reauthorize the nation's main job-training program. One of its provisions would allow faith-based groups to receive federal funds while maintaining their religious identity, including hiring based on religious preferences. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill would increase "mandatory" spending by $17 billion for the years 2006-2011 and "discretionary" spending by $31 billion over the years 2004-2008.
The House passed H.R. 1261 on May 8, 2003 by a vote of 220 to 204 (Roll Call 175). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid for job training and education is unconstitutional.
H R 1298: United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act
No Vote.Global AIDS Initiative. This bill (H.R. 1298) would authorize $15 billion ($3 billion annually) for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to provide assistance to foreign countries for the stated purpose of combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Much of this funding will be funneled through the Global AIDS Fund and other UN agencies and programs notorious for promoting abortion, as well as encouraging promiscuity through "sex education" courses supposedly aimed at stemming AIDS.
The House passed H.R. 1298 on May 1, 2003 by a vote of 375 to 41 (Roll Call 158). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional.
H R 1350: To Reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Special Education. This bill (H.R. 1350) would reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. One of its provisions would authorize increasing federal grants to defray more of the state cost of educating special education students, from the current 18 percent to 40 percent by 2010. Other provisions would allow school personnel to discipline special education students the same as non-disabled students, reduce paperwork requirements for special education teachers, and limit parents' ability to sue school districts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 1350 would cost $50 billion over the 2004-2009 period.
The House passed H.R. 1350 on April 30, 2003 by a vote of 251 to 171 (Roll Call 154). We have assigned pluses to the nays because federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
H CON RES 95: Congressional Budget for FY 2004
Budget Resolution -- Final Version. The final version (conference report) of the budget resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 95) would authorize federal spending for fiscal 2004 of $1,861 billion dollars with a deficit of $558 billion and an increase in the public debt ceiling of $984 billion. This planned deficit of $558 billion dwarfs the previous record federal deficit of $290 billion in 1992. The $984 billion increase in the public debt ceiling authorized in this bill constituted, under Rule XXVII of the House, approval of the debt limit increase bill (House Joint Resolution 51) without having to cast a separate vote just on increasing the debt ceiling. Subsequently the Senate passed H. J. Res. 51 and President Bush signed it into law, increasing the public debt ceiling by $984 billion (for a new total of $7.4 trillion) and giving Congress a green light to continue its fiscally irresponsible ways. This resolution also includes $400 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit for 2004-2013.
The House adopted the conference report on H. Con. Res. 95 on April 11, 2003 by a vote of 216 to 211 (Roll Call 141). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this budget resolution was fiscally irresponsible.
Oil Consumption. This proposed amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2003 (H.R. 6) would require the secretary of transportation to increase average fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks (including SUVs and vans) manufactured after model year 2004. These new regulations would need to "ensure that the total amount of oil required for fuel for use by automobiles [both passenger cars and light trucks] in the United States in 2010 and each year thereafter is at least 5 percent less than if the average fuel economy standards remained at the same level as in 2004." This convoluted language is an attempt to close the "light truck loophole" in the current regulatory standards for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) for motor vehicles. Currently the CAFE standard is 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for passenger cars and 20.7 mpg for light trucks. Whereas 20 percent of new automobiles in 1980 were light trucks, 51 percent of new automobiles were light trucks in 2001. Of course, the highly popular SUVs played a major role in this shift. The result has been a larger proportion of lower fuel economy vehicles on the road. This amendment would mandate increased fuel efficiency for cars and light trucks considered together, an obvious attempt to force Americans into smaller vehicles.
The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 6 on April 10, 2003 by a vote of 162 to 268 (Roll Call 132). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this amendment would have authorized unconstitutional regulation of vehicle size.
H CON RES 95: On Agreeing to the Amendment 4 to H CON RES 95
Budget Resolution -- Democrat Substitute. The Democrat substitute amendment for the budget resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 95) would authorize federal spending for fiscal 2004 of $1,868 billion dollars with a deficit of $376 billion and an increase in the public debt ceiling of $839 billion. Although the proposed deficit of $376 billion would be smaller than the $558 billion deficit finally authorized in the conference report, it would still be much larger than the previous record deficit of $290 billion in 1992. Similarly, although the proposed $839 billion increase in the public debt ceiling would be smaller than the $984 billion increase finally authorized in the conference report, it would still be a record-breaking debt limit increase approaching $1 trillion in size. This amendment would also include a $528 billion prescription drug benefit for 2004-2013.
The House rejected the Democrat substitute amendment on March 20, 2003 by a vote of 192 to 236 (Roll Call 81). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this substitute amendment was fiscally irresponsible.
H J RES 2: Making Further Continuing Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2003, and for other purposes
Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of House Joint Resolution 2 would provide $397 billion in fiscal 2003 for all Cabinet departments and government agencies covered in 11 unfinished spending bills from the 107th Congress. The bills included are: Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-State, District of Columbia, Energy and Water Development, Foreign Operations, Interior, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, Transportation, Treasury-Postal Service, and VA-HUD. The problem with the omnibus approach is that thousands of unconstitutional activities are lumped together with legitimate legislation in one massive bill. Thus, big government is perpetuated with a minimum of accountability.
The House adopted the conference report on H. J. Res. 2 on February 13, 2003 by a vote of 338 to 83 (Roll Call 32). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill perpetuates huge amounts of unconstitutional federal spending.
H J RES 114: To Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq
War Authorization Against Iraq. This joint resolution (House Joint Resolution 114) authorizes the president "to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to -- (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq." However, since the Constitution gives Congress the sole responsibility for declaring war, this resolution represents congressional abdication of its responsibility.
Furthermore, the main thrust of the joint resolution is that the president is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States to "strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq." That is, the purpose of the resolution is to enforce UN Security Council dictates. The House passed H. J. Res. 114 on October 10, 2002 by a vote of 296 to 133 (Roll Call 455). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3009: Andean Trade Preference Act
Trade Promotion Authority. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3009 would give President Bush Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for congressional consideration of trade agreements reached before June 1, 2005. President Bush has made it abundantly clear that he intends to use TPA to complete negotiations on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by early 2005. The FTAA could be modeled after the EU, but is designed to evolve toward a full-blown regional government at a greatly accelerated pace.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3009 on July 27, 2002 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 370). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 5005: Homeland Security Act
Homeland Security. This bill (H.R. 5005) would consolidate 22 federal agencies into a new Cabinet-level Homeland Security Department with a $37.5 billion budget and 170,000 employees. Far from being a response to 9-11, the Office of Homeland Security had been in the works long before the terrorist attacks. The basic blueprint for the department was created by the Council on Foreign Relations-dominated Hart-Rudman Commission. Creating the Homeland Security Department would be a giant step toward integrating federal, state, and local law enforcement under federal supervision, the hallmark of a police state. For example, the Bush administration's "National Strategy for Homeland Security" states: "[T]he homeland security community will view the federal, state, and local governments as one entity...."
The House passed H.R. 5005 on July 26, 2002 by a vote of 295 to 132 (Roll Call 367). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Treasury-Postal Service Appropriations Across-the-Board Cut. This amendment by Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) to H.R. 5120 would reduce all discretionary appropriations in the bill by one percent across the board. This amendment amounts to an extremely modest, but certainly commendable, approach to reducing the size of government.
The House rejected Hefley's amendment on July 24, 2002 by a vote of 147 to 282 (Roll Call 338). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4965: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. This bill (H.R. 4965) would ban one type of abortion, known as partial-birth abortion. Of course this measure, while commendable, would only slightly reduce the rate of routine killing of pre-born babies in this nation. This is the fourth consecutive session of Congress where the House has passed a bill banning partial-birth abortions. However, the Senate has only passed similar legislation once (106th Congress, 1999-2000). But the conference committee charged with reconciling the House-and Senate-passed versions never began work.
The House passed H.R. 4965 on July 24, 2002 by a vote of 274 to 151 (Roll Call 343). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H J RES 101: Disapproving the Extension of the Waiver Authority Contained in Section 402(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 with Respect to Vietnam
Vietnam Trade. This measure, sponsored by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), would reverse President Bush's decision in June to extend normal trade relations status to Vietnam for next year. To grant this extension, Bush waived a provision of the 1974 Trade Act restricting U.S. trade with Communist nations limiting emigration. However, the president's decision can be repealed by Congress under expedited procedures. "It is this procedure that was undertaken again this year by Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., who views the Vietnamese government as 'gangsters that repress their own people' and who should not be rewarded with the expanded economy that freer trade might bring," Congressional Quarterly summarized.
The House rejected H. J. Res. 101 on July 23, 2002 by a vote of 91 to 338 (Roll Call 329). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Cuban Embargo. During consideration of the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill (H.R. 5120), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) offered an amendment that would prohibit the use of funds made available in this bill "to implement, administer, or enforce the economic embargo of Cuba."
The House rejected Rangel's amendment on July 23, 2002 by a vote of 204 to 226 (Roll Call 333). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H RES 488: Providing for the consideration of H.R. 5120, Treasury and General Appropriations Act, 2003
No Vote.Congressional Pay Raise. Freshman Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) hoped to offer an amendment to the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill (H.R. 5120) to kill an automatic cost of living adjustment (COLA) in fiscal 2003. Congress did not block the automatic COLA increases any of the last three years, and without intervening this year congressmen will receive a $4,700 pay increase, boosting their salaries to $154,700.
But Matheson was never able to offer his amendment. He was blocked, by design, by a procedural motion to "order the previous question," and thus end debate and the possibility of amendment, on adopting the rule governing House floor consideration of H.R. 5120. The vote on the motion was 258 to 156 on July 18, 2002 (Roll Call 322). We have assigned pluses to the nays. By blocking consideration of Matheson's proposal, the congressional majority obviously hoped to receive their next COLA increase without being accused of voting for it.
No Vote.Prohibit Coastal California Drilling. This amendment to the Interior Department appropriations bill (H.R. 5093) "provides that none of the funds in the bill may be expended by the Department of the Interior to approve any exploration plan, any development and production plan, any application for permit to drill or to permit any drilling on certain Outer Continental Shelf Southern California Planning Area leases." According to Congressional Quarterly, this amendment "would prevent the government from allowing drilling in California waters on 36 leases held by oil and gas companies.... [Amendment sponsor Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.)] said Californians fear that if an oil spill occurred, it would harm the state's tourist industry." This NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) attitude has led to our present heavy dependence on imported oil from the Middle East and other potentially unfriendly regions.
The House adopted Capps' amendment to H.R. 5093 on July 17, 2002 by a vote of 252 to 172 (Roll Call 315). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 5093: Department of Interior Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2003
No Vote.Interior Department Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 5093) would appropriate $19.8 billion in fiscal 2003 for the Department of the Interior, including emergency funds to fight western wildfires. Congress persists in gradually restoring funding for the entirely unconstitutional National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities to the level they enjoyed in 1994 before the Republicans won control of Congress. This bill would award $126 million to the National Endowment for the Arts, a $10 million increase, and $131 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities, a $5 million increase. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The goal of arts supporters is eventually to match, if not surpass 1994 funding levels: $162 million for NEA and $177 million for NEH."
The House passed H.R. 5093 on July 17, 2002 by a vote of 377 to 46 (Roll Call 318). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4635: Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act
Arming Commercial Pilots. This bill (H.R. 4635) would "establish a program to deputize volunteer pilots of air carriers providing air transportation or intrastate air transportation as federal law enforcement officers to defend the flight decks of aircraft of such air carriers against acts of criminal violence or air piracy." The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) would be required to begin this program within two months after enactment of this bill. Only pilots who volunteer for this program would be trained and deputized to carry guns aboard airlines. The TSA would provide all training, supervision, and equipment necessary for a pilot to be a federal flight deck officer under this section at no expense to the pilot or the air carrier employing the pilot.
H R 4954: Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act of 2002
Prescription Drug Plan. This motion by Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) to recommit H.R. 4954 to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee carried instructions that it be reported back quickly with plans for a prescription drug program through Medicare. Under this new program patients would pay $25 monthly and would have a $100 annual deductible. They would have to pay 20 percent of drug costs up to $2,000, then Medicare would pay all costs beyond $2,000. This prescription drug program would cost an estimated $800 billion over 10 years.
The House rejected Gephardt's motion to recommit H.R. 4954 on June 28, 2002 by a vote of 204 to 223 (Roll Call 281). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Prescription Drug Plan -- Republican Alternative. This bill (H.R. 4954) would subsidize private insurance companies for offering prescription drug policies to Medicare beneficiaries. Under this Republican plan, the cost would be $33 per month with a $250 annual deductible. Patients would pay 20 percent of costs from $251 to $1,000 and 50 percent from $1,001 to $2,000. Patients would pay all costs from $2,001 to $3,700, with anything above that covered 100% by the insurers. The estimated cost of this socialist-lite prescription plan for seniors is $350 billion over 10 years.
The House passed H.R. 4954 on June 28, 2002 by a vote of 221 to 208 (Roll Call 282). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
S 2578: To amend title 31 of the United States Code to increase the public debt limit.
Debt Limit. This bill (S. 2578) would increase the public debt limit by $450 billion for a new ceiling of $6.4 trillion on the National Debt. The supposed need for increasing the debt ceiling by $450 billion demonstrates that the federal government is still on a trajectory of out-of-control spending. Instead of raising the legal limit on what the federal government may borrow, Congress should cut spending.
The House passed S. 2578 on June 27, 2002 by a vote of 215 to 214 (Roll Call 279). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4931: Retirement Savings Security Act
Pension Benefits. This bill (H.R. 4931) would permanently extend the new incentives for pension and retirement contributions included in last year's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut law. It would make permanent the increase in the maximum annual contribution levels to IRA and 401(k) plans now slated to end after 2010. The bill would also allow "catch-up" contributions for those age 50 and older, and permit quicker vesting and easier rollovers of pension plans. Furthermore, the bill would encourage more businesses to offer employee pension plans by reducing administrative requirements.
The House passed H.R. 4931 on June 21, 2002 by a vote of 308 to 70 (Roll Call 248). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4019: Marriage Penalty Relief Provisions Made Permanent
Married Couples Tax Relief. This bill (H.R. 4019) would permanently extend breaks for married couples included in last year's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut law. It would make permanent an increase in married couples' standard deduction, and increase their income taxable at the 15 percent rate to double that of individuals. Unless the Congress passes and the president signs this bill, this tax relief for married couples will end after 2010.
The House passed H.R. 4019 on June 13, 2002 by a vote of 271 to 142 (Roll Call 229). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 2143: Permanent Death Tax Repeal Act
Estate Tax Elimination. This bill (H.R. 2143) would permanently extend the repeal of the "death tax," now scheduled to be phased out by 2010, then reinstated in 2011 as per last year's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut law.
The House passed H.R. 2143 on June 6, 2002 by a vote of 256 to 171 (Roll Call 219). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
S 1372: Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act
Export-Import Bank. The final version (conference report) of S. 1372 would reauthorize the Export-Import bank through fiscal 2006, and would allow it to provide up to $100 billion (a $25 billion increase) in international trade assistance at any one time. In recent years the bank has been used to build up China at the expense of American jobs. For example, the New York Times
on September 1st reported that "Export-Import policies in recent years have had the perverse effect of sending American jobs, rather than goods and services, overseas. There was, for example, the case of a Chinese steel mill, the Benxi Iron and Steel Group, that received an $18 million Export-Import backed loan in December 2000 to buy American-made equipment only to be found a year later to be dumping steel into American markets.... In that year, steel companies in the United States laid off 30,000 workers and more than 20 of the companies filed for bankruptcy." The Times went on to state: "By far the biggest user of the bank's financing is Boeing, which last year received $2.5 billion in loan guarantees, more than one-quarter of the bank's $9.2 billion in transaction volume. This aid helped win aircraft sales for Boeing to China.... In the last two years, the bank has provided $791.5 million in aid to help Boeing sell planes to Chinese airlines in deals that often require some parts of the planes to be built in China."
The House adopted the conference report on S. 1372 on June 5, 2002 by a vote of 344 to 78 (Roll Call 210). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4664: Investing in America's Future Act
National Science Foundation. This bill (H.R. 4664) would authorize $5.5 billion (a 15% increase) for the National Science Foundation for fiscal 2003, then increase that amount by an additional 15% annually for each of the next two years.
The House passed H.R. 4664 on June 5, 2002 by a vote of 397 to 25 (Roll Call 212). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3717: Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). This bill would merge two FDIC insurance funds and increase the amount of FDIC-protected money in individual bank accounts from $100,000 to $130,000. As is the case with most agencies created by Congress, FDIC is just another example of an unconstitutional activity of the federal government.
The House agreed to a motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3717 on May 22, 2002 by a vote of 408 to 18 (Roll Call 190). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Welfare Renewal -- Democratic Substitute. The Democratic substitute to the welfare renewal bill (H.R. 4737) would "expand state flexibility to provide training and education to welfare recipients, increase mandatory funding for child care by $11 billion over the next five years, and remove various barriers to serving legal immigrants." This amendment is a perfect example of how socialism is incrementally advanced by appealing to our humanitarian impulse to help people. However, what is missing from this picture is how such unconstitutional measures are being used to build an all-powerful, socialistic government.
Rep. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) offered the Democratic substitute to H.R. 4737 in the form of an amendment. The House rejected Cardin's amendment on May 16, 2002 by a vote of 198 to 222 (Roll Call 168). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
International Criminal Court. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to H.R. 4546 (Fiscal 2003 Defense Authorization) "to prohibit funds authorized in the bill from being used to assist, cooperate with, or provide any support to the International Criminal Court." The resulting 264 yea votes represent a welcome high-water mark for congressional repudiation of sovereignty-destroying supranational organizations.
The House adopted this amendment to H.R. 4546 on May 10, 2002 by a vote of 264 to 152 (Roll Call 155). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H J RES 87: Yucca Mountain Repository Site Approval Act
Nuclear Waste. This joint resolution (House Joint Resolution 87) would override Nevada's veto of President Bush's plan to use Yucca Mountain as a repository for the nation's spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Nuclear energy is a key to energy independence; the Yucca Mountain repository for spent nuclear fuel is the key to increased utilization of nuclear energy.
The House passed the resolution on May 8, 2002 by a vote of 306 to 117 (Roll Call 133). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 2646: Farm Security Act
Farm Bill. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 2646 amends and extends the major farm income support, land conservation, food assistance, trade promotion, rural development, research, forestry, and energy programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When combined with estimated spending already authorized prior to enactment of this law, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that "H.R. 2646 will bring total spending for the above programs to $73.7 billion in 2002 ... and $869.3 billion over the 2002-2012 period. Of these totals, food assistance programs account for $51.3 billion in 2002 ... and $626.8 billion over the 2002-2012 period." Constitutionalists have denounced H.R. 2646 because it repudiates free-market principles and authorizes vast amounts of unconstitutional spending.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 2646 on May 2, 2002 by a vote of 280 to 141 (Roll Call 123). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
S 2248: To Extend the Authority of the Export-Import Bank until May 31, 2002
Export-Import Bank. This bill (S. 2248) would reauthorize the Export-Import Bank through May 31, 2002. Although S. 2248 was a temporary measure to reauthorize the bank for only another month, the vote provided a record of how congressmen stood on the issue. (Unfortunately, when the House subsequently passed a bill to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank for three years, it did so by voice vote.) The bank is projected to have $10.4 billion in financing commitments in fiscal 2002, and $11.5 billion in fiscal 2003.
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass 5. 2248 on April 30, 2002 by a vote of 318 to 92 (Roll Call 118). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Food Stamps for Non-citizens. Senate provisions of the farm bill (H.R. 2646) would give food stamps to recently arrived immigrant children, the disabled, refugees and legal permanent residents living in the United States for at least five years or working here for a total of 16 quarters or more.
The House adopted the motion to instruct conferees to agree with these Senate provisions on April 23, 2002 by a vote of 244 to 171 (Roll Call 106). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 586: Fairness for Foster Care Families Act
Tax Cuts. Senate amendments to H. R. 586 would make permanent the cuts in last year's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax reduction package, scheduled to expire in 2010. It would make permanent last year's reductions in income tax rates, relief of the marriage penalty, elimination of the estate tax, doubling of the child tax credit, and expansion of pension and education savings provisions.
The House moved to concur with the Senate amendments to H.R. 586 on April 18, 2002 by a vote of 229 to 198 (Roll Call 103). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H RES 365: Providing for the concurrence by the House with amendments in the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 1885.
Illegal Aliens. (H.Res. 365) - This bill (H.R. 1885) would extend the "Section 245 (i)" program allowing certain illegal immigrants to remain in this country while applying for legal residency. The applicant must have been in the U.S. as of December 21, 2000; a family member or employer must sponsor the application and the familial or employer relationship must have existed by August 15, 2001.
Passage came on March 12, 2002 in the form of a resolution incorporating the text of a separate bill on border security and then sending the package to the Senate. The vote was 275 to 137 (Roll Call 53). We have assigned pluses to the nays. Congressional Quarterly noted that the vote "was a sign that a long-term move toward liberalization of immigration laws has been delayed, but not stopped, by Sept. 11."
H R 2356: Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
Campaign Financing. This bill (H.R. 2356) would restrict our God-given right of free speech through banning "soft money" donations to national political parties and preventing issue ads from mentioning specific candidates within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary. In contrast, the First Amendment to the Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech...."
The House passed H.R. 2356 on February 14. 2002 by a vote of 240-189 (Roll Call 34). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 700: To reauthorize the Asian Elephant Conservation Act
Asian Elephants. This bill (H.R. 700) would authorize up to $5 million per year for four years to help preserve the habitat of the Asian elephant. The program is merely another pretense to waste U.S. taxpayer dollars abroad.
The House agreed to suspend the rules and concur with the Senate amendment to HR. 700 on January 23, 2002 by a vote of 349 to 23 (Roll Call 2). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3061: Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3061 would appropriate $407.7 billion for fiscal 2002 for the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education departments, including $123.4 billion in "discretionary" spending. This bill would provide more than $51 billion for federal aid to education, including funding for the education overhaul bill (H.R. 1) with its new annual state testing program. Total spending for HHS would increase by nearly 14 percent over fiscal 2001. The Education department would receive 15 percent more than last year.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3061 on December 19, 2001 by a vote of 393 to 30 (Roll Call 504). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 2506: Foreign Operations Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002
Foreign Aid. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 2506 would appropriate $15.4 billion for foreign aid in fiscal 2002, $403 million more than fiscal 2001. This bill would provide about $3 billion in aid to Israel and about $2 billion to Egypt. Nearly $1 billion would be earmarked for the Export-Import Bank, and another $1 billion for the World Bank. Most of the remaining funds would be used for "bilateral economic assistance." Lawmakers left intact a ban on federal aid to international family planning organizations that perform or promote abortions; however, in a setback for conservatives, H.R. 2506 includes $34 million for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, $9 million more than last year.
H R 1: No Child Left Behind Act
Education. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1 would overhaul education proposals to increase school accountability and reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for six years. This bill would require states to test students in reading and math in grades three through eight annually, provide new accountability measures for schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress, and give schools greater flexibility to spend federal funds. It would include about $26.3 billion for federal elementary and secondary education programs and $13.5 billion for Title I programs for disadvantaged children in fiscal 2002. According to Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas): "H.R. I will lead to de facto, if not de jure, national testing.... Under the United States Constitution, the federal government has no authority to hold states 'accountable' for their education performance. In the free society envisioned by the founders, schools are held accountable to parents, not federal bureaucrats...."
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 1 on December 13, 2001 by a vote of 381 to 41 (Roll Call 497). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3295: Help America Vote Act
Elections. This bill (H.R. 3295) would overhaul the nation's election procedures, including authorizing $400 million in one-time payments for states and counties to replace or upgrade punch card voting machines. The bill would also authorize $2.25 billion for states over three years to improve the administration of elections and mandate "minimum" federal election standards. This intervention by Congress in state elections threatens our federal system. According to Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution, Congress is authorized to alter state election procedures for federal offices: "The times, places and manner of holding elections, for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature thereof, but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations...." However, Founder Alexander Hamilton asserted that Congress should only use this authority to "make or alter such regulations" in "extraordinary circumstances."
The House passed H.R. 3295 on December 12, 2001 by a vote of 362 to 63 (Roll Call 489). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3005: Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act
Vote Date: December 6, 2001
Trade Promotion Authority. This bill (H.R. 3005) would give President Bush Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), formerly known as fast-track authority, to negotiate so-called free trade agreements. Under the TPA rules, Congress would only be allowed to vote yes or no on any free trade agreements presented to it by the Bush administration. President Bush has repeatedly stated that he would use TPA to complete negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by the end of his first term. Under the guise of "free trade," the FTAA would put us on the path to loss of sovereignty in a regional government of the Western Hemisphere, in the same manner that European nations are now losing sovereignty to the EU.
The House passed H.R. 3005 on December 6, 2001 by a vote of 215 to 214 (Roll Call 481). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3210: Terrorism Risk Protection Act
Terrorism Insurance. This bill (H.R. 3210) would authorize a three-year federal loan program to help the casualty and property insurance industry cover future terrorist-related losses. The loans would pay 90 percent of claims arising from acts of terrorism next year that result in more than $1 billion in insured claims. The loans would be repaid through assessments on insurance companies to repay insured claims for up to $20 billion. Loans for insured claims beyond $20 billion and up to $100 billion would be repaid through surcharges on commercial policyholders. This bill would also restrict terrorist-related lawsuits to federal court, ban punitive damages in such suits, and limit non-economic damages and attorneys fees.
The House passed H.R. 3210 on November 29, 2001 by a vote of 227 to 193 (Roll Call 464). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 2330: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations for FY 2002
Agriculture Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 2330 would appropriate $75.9 billion for agriculture programs in fiscal 2002. This unconstitutional spending includes $31.9 billion for agricultural programs including crop subsidies, $23 billion for the food stamp program, $10.1 billion for child nutrition programs, and $1.1 billion for foreign food aid and export assistance.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 2330 on November 13, 2001 by a vote of 379 to 33 (Roll Call 436). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 2620: Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations for FY 2002
VA-HUD Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 2620 would appropriate $112.7 billion for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and 20 independent agencies in fiscal 2002. HUD's portion is $30 billion. The agencies include NASA, the EPA, and FEMA. Congressmen arguing that they voted for this legislation to preserve VA programs should have voted against it, insisting that the myriad (and often unconstitutional) spending programs it contains be divided into separate parts, allowing for a vote on each.
The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 2620 on November 8, 2001 by a vote of 401 to 18 (Roll Call 434). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3167: Gerald B.H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act
NATO Expansion. This bill's self-described purpose (H.R. 3167) is: "To endorse the vision of further enlargement of the NATO Alliance articulated by President George W. Bush on June 15, 2001, and by former President William J. Clinton on October 22, 1996...." In this bill the House "... reaffirms its [Congress'] previous expressions of support for continued enlargement of the NATO Alliance contained in the NATO Participation Act of 1994, the NATO Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996, and the European Security Act of 1998...." This bill also authorizes a total of $55.5 million in military aid for fiscal 2002 for Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania. However, Congress should be acting to preserve our national sovereignty by getting our nation out of NATO. NATO was established as a subsidiary of the United Nations by the North Atlantic Treaty (April 4, 1949), which stated in its Article 1: "The Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, ... to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations."
The House passed H.R. 3167 on November 7, 2001 by a vote of 372 to 46 (Roll Call 431). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3150: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 384 to H R 3150
Aviation Security. Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) offered a substitute amendment that would have replaced the text of the House version of the aviation security bill (H.R. 3150) with that of the Senate version (S. 1447). The Senate version would make airport baggage and passenger screeners federal employees.
The House rejected the substitute amendment on November 1, 2001 by a vote of 214 to 218 (Roll Call 423). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3090: To Provide Tax Incentives for Economic Recovery
Economic Stimulus. This bill (H R. 3090) would grant businesses and individuals $99.5 billion in federal tax cuts in fiscal 2002, and a total of $159.4 billion in reductions over 10 years. The bill would also accelerate reducing the 27 percent tax bracket to 25 percent, lower the capital gains tax rate from 20 percent to 18 percent, and eliminate the corporate alternative minimum tax.
The House passed H.R. 3090 on October 24, 2001 by a vote of 216 to 214 (Roll call 404). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3162: To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world
Anti-Terrorism Authority. H.R. 3162, known as the "USA Patriot Act," was passed by the House on October 24th, passed by the Senate the next day, and signed into law the day after that. The Act, introduced in response to the September 11th terrorist attacks, gives law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. It expands the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts; increases the ability of law enforcement to secretly search homes and business records; expands the FBI's wiretapping and surveillance authority; and provides for nationwide jurisdiction for search warrants and electronic surveillance devices, including the legal extension of those devices to e-mail and the Internet. The bill includes a "sunset" provision under which the new surveillance powers "shall cease to have effect on December 31, 2005." The very presence of that provision underscores the justifiable concern of some lawmakers that those new powers could be abused.
The House passed H.R. 3162 on October 24, 2001 by a vote of 357 to 66 (Roll Call 398). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
No Vote.Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. The mammoth spending bill (H.R. 3061) would appropriate $396 billion -- including $123 billion in "discretionary" spending -- for the Labor Department, the Health and Human Services Department, the Education Department, and related agencies in fiscal 2002. The "discretionary" spending includes $53 billion for HHS and $49 billion for the Education Department.
Agriculture Authorization. The farm bill, H.R. 2646, would authorize $167 billion over 10 years. Congressional Quarterly reported that level of spending would represent "a nearly two-thirds increase over current levels, most of it to maintain and expand subsidies for those who grow row crops."
The House passed H.R. 2646 on October 5, 2001 by a vote of 291 to 120 (Roll Call 371). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Boy Scouts. During consideration of the District of Columbia appropriations bill (H.R. 2944), Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind.) offered an amendment to bar the use of funds in the bill to "issue, administer, or enforce" a D.C. Commission on Human Rights ruling that the Boy Scouts reinstate two homosexual leaders and compensate them $50,000.
The House adopted the Hostettler amendment on September 25, 2001 by a vote of 262 to 152 (Roll Call 354). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 2926: Air Transportaion Safety and System Stabilization Act
Airline Bailout. After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the House voted on a bailout for the airline industry known as the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act (H.R. 2926). This Act would provide $5 billion in cash, and up to $10 billion in loan guarantees, for air carriers.
The House passed H.R. 2926 on September 21, 2001 by a vote of 356 to 54 (Roll Call 348). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 288 to H R 4
CAFE Standards. During consideration of the omnibus energy bill (H.R. 4), Rep. Sherwood Boehiert (R-N.Y.) offered an amendment to raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Under the current standards, a manufacturer's car fleet must average 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg), and its light trucks -- including SUVs and minivans -- must average 20.7 mpg. Boehlert's amendment would have required that a manufacturer's combined fleet of cars and light trucks must average 26 mpg for model years 2005 and 2006 and 27.5 mpg for model year 2007 and beyond. Better fuel efficiency can be achieved through improved technology -- or through smaller and lighter (and more dangerous!) vehicles.
The House rejected the Boehlert amendment on August 1, 2001 by a vote of 160 to 269 (Roll Call 311). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4: On Agreeing to H.Amdt. 298 to H R 4
Oil and Gas Exploration in Alaska. Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) could contain as many as 9.2 billion barrels of economically recoverable oil according to an Interior Department study published more than a decade ago. Yet oil and gas exploration in the ANWR has been banned. The omnibus energy bill (H.R. 4) contained language allowing for limited exploration, but Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) offered an amendment to delete this language from the bill, thereby preserving the ban.
The House rejected the Markey amendment on August 1, 2001 by a vote of 206 to 223 (Roll Call 317). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
VA-HUD Appropriations. H.R. 2620 would appropriate $112.7 billion for the Departments of Veteran Affairs ($51.3 billion) and Housing and Urban Development ($30 billion) and 20 independent agencies in fiscal 2002. The agencies include NASA ($15.0 billion), the EPA ($7.5 billion), and FEMA ($3.6 billion). Congressmen who argue that they voted for this legislation in order to preserve VA programs should have voted against it with the insistence that the myriad spending programs it contains be divided into separate parts, allowing for a vote on each.
H J RES 55: Disapproving the Extension of the Waiver Authority Contained in Section 402(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 with Respect to Vietnam
Vietnam Trade. House Joint Resolution 55 would have disapproved a presidential waiver that allows U.S. companies doing business with Vietnam to qualify for federal aid, including import and export financing and loan guarantees.
The House rejected H. J. Res. 55 on July 26, 2001 by a vote of 9l to 324 (Roll Call 275). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
U.S. Embargo Against Cuba. During consideration of the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) offered an amendment prohibiting the use of funds in the bill "to implement, administer, or enforce the economic embargo of Cuba." The amendment would have effectively ended the embargo against the oppressive Communist regime, which is on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The House rejected the Rangel amendment on July 25, 2001 by a vote of 201 to 227 (Roll Call 271). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 2506: On Agreeing to H.Amdt. 209 to H R 2506
Export-Import Bank. During consideration of the foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 2506), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered an amendment to eliminate the subsidy appropriation account for the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Paul, who had voted five days earlier to extend Normal Trade Relations with China, noted that "the largest foreign recipient of the foreign aid from this bill is Red China, $6.2 billion." An advocate of free trade, Paul told his colleagues: "I do not believe this Congress should be in the business of subsidizing anyone."
The House rejected the Paul amendment on July 24, 2001 by a vote of 47 to 375 (Roll Call 261). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Foreign Aid. H.R. 2506 appropriates $15.2 billion for foreign aid programs in fiscal 2002.
H J RES 50: Disapproving Normal Trade Relations for China
China "Normal Trade Relations" Disapproval. House Joint Resolution 50 would have overturned President George W. Bush's decision to extend Normal Trade Relations (NTR) with China for another year. NTR, which used to be known as Most Favored Nation trade status, allows the oppressive Communist government to participate in subsidy programs through such agencies as the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), the sponsor of H.J. Res. 50, pointed out that NTR "has nothing to do with free trade.... It has everything to do with subsidizing and guaranteeing big businessmen who cannot get their loans guaranteed in the private sector because it is too risky to go and set up factories in China."
The House rejected H. J. Res. 50 on July 19, 2001 by a vote of 169 to 259 (Roll Call 255). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 2500: On Agreeing to the H. Amdt. 190 to H R 2500
Defunding the United Nations. During consideration of the appropriations bill for the Commerce, Justice, and State Departments (H.R. 2500), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered an amendment that stated: "None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be used for any United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated agency of the United Nations." Paul's intent was to effectively get the U.S. out of the UN by cutting off U.S. contributions to the UN.
Defunding UN Peacekeeping. In addition to his amendment to defund the United Nations or any affiliated agency (see House Vote #25 above), Rep. Paul also offered an amendment to prohibit the use of any funds in the bill for United Nations "peacekeeping" operations. Paul noted that "we pay 31.7 percent of the peacekeeping missions" and that "we have lost control of our destiny when it comes to military operations. We now go to war under U.N. resolutions, rather than this Congress declaring war and fighting wars to win."
No Vote.Abortion. The fiscal 2002 appropriations bill for the Commerce, Justice, and State Departments (H.R. 2500) included a provision prohibiting the use of funds for abortions in federal prisons. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) offered an amendment to strike this provision from the bill.
The House rejected the DeGette amendment on July 17, 2001 by a vote of 169 to 253 (Roll Call 235). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Corporate Welfare. During consideration of the agriculture appropriations bill (H.R. 2330), Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) offered an amendment to defund the Market Access Program. This program, a form of corporate welfare, provides businesses with funding to promote their agricultural products overseas.
The House rejected the Royce amendment on July 11, 2001 by a vote of 85 to 341 (Roll Call 220). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Agriculture Appropriations. H.R. 2330 would appropriate $74.4 billion for agriculture programs in fiscal 2002. The spending includes $31.8 billion for agricultural programs including crop subsidies, $22 billion for the food stamp program, $10.1 billion for child nutrition programs, and $1.1 billion for foreign food aid and export assistance.
H R 2311: On Agreeing to H.Amdt.127 to H R 2311
Oil and Gas Drilling in the Great Lakes. During consideration of the energy and water appropriations bill (H.R. 2311), Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.) offered an amendment to ban any new drilling for oil or natural gas beneath the Great Lakes. Congressional Quarterly reported that, "Since 1979, 13 such wells have been drilled in the region, with seven currently in operation."
The House adopted the Bonior amendment on June 28, 2001 by a vote of 265 to 157 (Roll Call 203). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 700: Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2001
Funds for Asian Elephants. This bill would authorize up to $5 million per year for four years to help preserve the habitat of the Asian elephant. The program is merely another pretense to waste U.S. taxpayer dollars abroad.
The House voted to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 700 on June 12, 2001 by a vote of 401 to 15 (Roll Call 156). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 1836: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act
Tax Cut Reconciliation Conference Report. This conference report would cut all income tax rates slightly, double the per child tax credit from $500 to $1,000, alleviate the marriage penalty, phase out and finally abolish the estate tax in 2010, and increase income tax exemptions for IRAs and Educational Savings Accounts. Unfortunately, all provisions of the bill are sunset after 2010, meaning that the estate tax and current high income tax rates would be restored in 2011 unless Congress acts to make the cuts permanent. Despite this flaw, the bill would nevertheless give beleaguered taxpayers several much-needed breaks in their tax bills.
The House adopted the conference re-port on H.R. 1836 on May 26, 2001 by a vote of 240-154 (Roll Call 149). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 1: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 69 to H R 1
Education Spending Increase Cut. This amendment by Representative Christopher Cox (R-Calif.) would limit the increase in funding in the elementary and secondary education package "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" to 11.5 percent. That may not sound like much of a limit; and it isn't. But, said Representative Cox, "if we do not adopt this amendment, the rate of increase will be 23.5 percent." Actually, without adoption of the Cox amendment, the underlying $22.8 billion bill would represent a 28 percent increase over the nearly $17.8 billion authorized for fiscal 2001. The vote on the Cox amendment is a useful test for determining which congressmen are willing to waste large amounts of taxpayer monies on unconstitutional federal education boondoggles.
The House rejected the Cox amendment to H.R. 1 on May 23, 2001 by a vote of 101-326 (Roll Call 143). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Education Reauthorization. The "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," the main elementary and secondary educational authorization bill for fiscal 2002, would increase spending for fiscal 2002 by an unbelievable 28 percent over fiscal 2001. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the total cost of this bill (which, by the way, is only a portion of federal education spending) "would total approximately $23 billion in 2002 and about $135 billion over the 2002-2006 period...."
The House passed the bill on May 23, 2001 by a vote of 384-45 (Roll Call 145). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
National Educational Testing. This amendment to the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," the main education spending package, would strike pro-visions in the bill which would impose upon states the requirement to test students in grades three through eight in reading and math. The amendment would replace the national testing requirement with a requirement that the states measure students in areas in which the states have set their own "performance standards."
Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) supported the amendment because the national testing requirement of the underlying bill would naturally lead to a national test and a national curriculum. "[A]s much as I object to the new federal expenditures in H.R. 1, my biggest concern is with the new mandate that states test children and com-pare the test with a national normed test such as the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). While proponents of this approach claim that the bill respects state autonomy as states can draw up their own tests, these claims fail under close observation.... H.R. 1 will lead to de facto, if not de jure, national testing. States will inevitably fashion their test to match the 'nationally-normed' test so as to relieve their students and teachers of having to prepare for two different tests.... National testing will inevitably lead to a national curriculum as teachers will teach what their students need to know in order to pass their mandated 'assessment.'"
The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 1 on May 22, 2001 by a vote of 173-255 (Roll Call 130). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 1646: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 34 to H R 1646
Abortion Funds in Foreign Aid. This amendment would preserve the Mexico City policy that bans the distribution of federal family planning foreign aid to abortion providers and associated groups in the international abortion industry. The Mexico City policy was initiated by the Reagan administration in 1984, but was reversed by the Clinton administration. President Bush reinstated the policy shortly after his inauguration, but this amendment would make the provision law rather than merely an executive decree.
"This amendment will greatly improve the bill by deleting a provision that would re-quire the United States to subsidize abortionists and abortion lobbyists in foreign countries," the amendment's author, Representative Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), explained.
The House adopted the Hyde amendment to H.R. 1646 on May 16, 2001 by a vote of 218-210 (Roll Call 115). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Tax Cut Reconciliation. This bill consists of President Bush's tax cut proposals. H.R. 1836 would cut all income tax rates slightly and provide $958.3 billion in tax relief over 11 years.
The House passed the bill, H.R. 1836, on May 16, 2001 by a vote of 230-197 (Roll Call 118). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 1646: Foreign Relations Authorization Act
Foreign Aid and State Department Authorization. This two-year foreign relations authorization bill would authorize outlays of $16.2 billion over fiscal years 2002-06. The foreign operations bill includes funds for a wide range of foreign aid programs, contributions to inter-national organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank, and funds for the operations of the Department of State. The bill contains authorizations of $844 million in fiscal 2002 for U.S. participation in United Nations "peacekeeping" wars and $65 million per year for U.S. re-entry into UNESCO).
The House passed the bill, H.R. 1646, on May 16, 2001 by a vote of 352-73 (Roll Call 121). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
U.S. Government Immunity from International Criminal Court Prosecution. This amendment notes that "any American prosecuted by the International Criminal Court will, under the Rome Statute, he denied procedural protections to which all Americans arc entitled under the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution, such as the right to trial by jury." The amendment therefore prohibits any form of assistance to the ICC, prohibits military foreign aid to the ICC, prohibits the operation of ICC officials on U.S. soil, and prohibits the deployment of U.S. forces to nations that have ratified the ICC treaty or areas where U.S. servicemen are likely to be prosecuted. Nevertheless, this is a weak, milquetoast amendment that does not go nearly far enough. It does not protect the average American citizen from prosecution. Furthermore, it gives the president the option to waive prohibitions in the amendment against prosecuting American officials without a jury trial or constitutionally protected due process if the president determines that "it is in the national interest of the United States for the International Criminal Court's investigation or prosecution of the named individual to proceed."
The House adopted the amendment to H.R. 1646 on May 10, 2001 by a vote of 282-137 (Roll Call 106). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Withhold UN "Dues." This amendment would withhold the final $244 million payment on the $1 billion balance the U.S. agreed to pay in "back dues" to the UN until such time as the United States is offered a seat on the UN Economic and Social Council's Commission on Human Rights. Although the withholding of the back dues is conditional and motivated upon the flawed premise that the United States should entrench itself ever more deeply into the United Nations, any withholding of funds from the United Nations -- however conditional -- will serve the cause of freedom.
Rejoining UNESCO. This amendment would eliminate the $67 mil-lion which the underlying State Department authorization bill designates toward re-establishing U.S. membership in UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Representative Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) explained that "in light of our summary exclusion from U.N. Economic and Social Council, the International Narcotics and Drug Control Board and the Commission on Human Rights, now is the time to critically review our existing memberships in the United Nations organizations and not the time to rejoin another U.N. body at enormous expense." This is especially the case with UNESCO, which is in charge of designating the UN's World Heritage sites as well as the sovereignty-sapping Man and the Biosphere project. The U.S. with-drew from UNESCO in 1984 after the organization recommended global press censorship through a "New World Information Order."
The House rejected the amendment to H.R. 1646 on May 10, 2001 by a vote of 193-225 (Roll Call 108). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 8: Death Tax Elimination Act of 2001
Death Tax Repeal. This legislation g would phase out and completely repeal the Marxist federal inheritance tax that has been on the statute books since 1916. While opponents of the legislation painted the bill as a means of helping the rich, the truth is that this tax traditionally has put poor people out of work by liquidating family farms and small privately owned businesses that are asset "rich" but cash poor. No other tax contributes more to the trend toward the amalgamation of business into huge corporate empires than the death tax; the only way many small businesses and farms can stay in operation after the death of the owner is either through incorporation or through the sale of the private firm to a large corporation.
The House passed the bill on April 4, 2001 by a vote of 274-154 (Roll Call 84). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 6: Marriage Penalty and Family Tax Relief Act
Marriage Penalty Elimination. This bill would eliminate the "marriage penalty" in the income tax laws by the year 2009 and double the per child income tax credit to $1,000 by the year 2006. Representative Benjamin Gilman (R-N.Y.) explained that the bill was needed because the "current Tax Code punishes married couples where both partners work by driving them into a higher tax bracket. The marriage penalty taxes the income of the second wage earner at a much higher rate than if they were taxed as an individual...." The current tax code, said Gilman, "penalizes marriage and encourages couples to live together without any formal legal commitment to each other."
The House passed H.R. 6 on March 29, 2001 by a vote of 282-144 (Roll Call 75). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H CON RES 83: Congressional Budget for Fiscal Year 2002
Fiscal 2002 Budget -- House Progressive Caucus Substitute. The annual budget proposal by the House Progressive Caucus, a group affiliated with the Socialist International, would slash military spending but increase overall spending in the already bloated Republican leadership budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 83) by about $180 billion over 10 years. The substitute would also gut the $1.6 trillion tax cut. The Progressive Caucus substitute is an important litmus test of radical socialism for members of Congress.
The House rejected the substitute to H. Con. Res. 83 on March 28, 2001 by a vote of 79-343 (Roll Call 66). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H CON RES 83: Flake Substitute H.Amdt. 20 to H CON RES 83
Fiscal 2002 Budget -- Conservative Substitute. This conservative substitute to the big-spending Republican majority's 10-year budget resolution would trim discretionary spending by about $150 billion and increase the tax cut from $1.6 trillion to $2.2 trillion. The conservative budget substitute would still increase overall federal spending, but it is significantly better than the Republican leadership budget it would replace.
The House rejected the substitute to H. Con, Res. 83 on March 28, 2001 by a vote of 81-341 (Roll Call 68). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2001
Vote Date: March 8, 2001
Bush Tax Cut Bill. Under this measure (H.R. 3), the number of tax brackets would be ratcheted down from five to four, resulting in tax brackets of 10 percent, 15 percent, 25 percent, and 33 percent. The legislation, part of President Bush's tax cut plan, would cut taxes by $947.4 billion over fiscal years 2001-11. The income tax cut would gradually reduce all income tax brackets over the 2001-11 period, and a rate reduction for the lowest bracket would be retroactive to the beginning of the 2001 calendar year.
The House passed H.R. 3 on March 8, 2001 by a vote of 230-198 (Roll Call 45). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
S J RES 6: Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted by the Department of Labor Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, Relating to Ergonomics
Ergonomics Regulation Repeal. Congress had long demonstrated a complete lack of interest in enacting ex-pensive and unconstitutional national ergonomics standards. So President Bill Clinton dumped onerous OSHA-instituted ergonomics rules on the American people in the closing days of his administration, and arranged for those rules to take effect a mere four days before the inauguration of George W. Bush. "Ergonomics" is the design of equipment and work environments to best suit a worker's health and productivity, and ergonomic regulations are generally federal rules mandating standards of worker comfort in the workplace. Representative Tom Davis (R-Va.) described the expansive scope of the OSHA regulations: "By OSHA's own estimates, this ergonomic rule will cover over 102 million employees, 18 million jobs, and 6.1 million businesses and cost almost $100 billion a year to implement." Passage of S. J. Res. 6 would provide congressional disapproval of the OSHA ergonomics rule and declare that the "rule shall have no force or effect."
The House adopted S. J. Res. 6 on March 7, 2001 by a vote of 223-206 (Roll Call 33). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 333: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act
Bankruptcy Reform. As the National Chamber of Commerce noted in its analysis of the bankruptcy reform bill, this legislation was aimed at the "more than 100,000 bankruptcy filers [who] are abusing the system every year by discharging debts that they have the ability to repay." Under this underlying bipartisan bill, "Abusers of the bankruptcy system, those median income who earn more than the and can afford to repay a significant portion of their debts, will be required to pay back what they can afford." This legislation would allow persons saddled with unexpected medical bills or other hardships a fresh start through bankruptcy while generally preventing the abusive or habitual use of bankruptcy by sheltering fewer assets from seizure under bankruptcy proceedings.
The House passed H.R. 333 on March 1, 2001 by a vote of 306-108 (Roll Call 25). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 524: Electronic Commerce Enhancement Act
Commerce Subsidies. This bill (H.R. 524) would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to institute a "pilot program" to assist small- and medium-sized businesses with the conduct of electronic commerce (sales over the Internet). Although virtually all electronic commerce is "interstate," making the legislation nominally constitutional, the program is completely unneeded. There are thousands of small businesses that have prospered -- and even become big businesses -- without federal intervention on their behalf.
The House passed the bill on February 14, 2001 by a vote of 409-6 (Roll Call 14). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 554: Rail Passenger Disaster Family Assistance Act
Federal Assistance to Railway Accident Victims. This legislation would institute a new program under the National Transportation Safety Board to provide assistance to families of victims of passenger railway accidents. The assistance would take the form of a toll-free number victims' families can call for help, as well as funding for counseling programs through a designated non-profit organization.
The House passed H.R. 554 on February 14, 2001 by a vote of 404-4 (Roll Call 15). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4810: Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Reconciliation Act
Marriage Penalty Repeal -- Veto Override. This tax-cut measure is identical to that described in House vote (below), except that it is the vote to override President Clinton's veto of the bill.
[ Marriage Penalty Repeal. This measure would phase out over five years the marriage penalty in the income tax code. The marriage penalty taxes dual-income married families at a higher rate than couples who live together but are not married. Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) explained that this vote was about "a very basic, fundamental question," namely: "Is it right that 25 million married working couples, 50 million taxpayers, pay on average $1,400 more in higher taxes just because they are married?" ]
The House failed to override the president's veto of H.R. 4810 on September 13, 2000 by a vote of 270-158 (Roll Call 466). A two-thirds majority of representatives (286 in this case) and senators present and voting is required to override a presidential veto. We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4865: Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act
Social Security Earnings Tax Hike Repeal. This bill, H.R. 4865, would repeal the 1993 Clinton-Gore tax increase on Social Security benefits. Under the provisions of the 1993 law, seniors still in the work force making more than $34,000 per year had income taxes assessed against 85 percent of their Social Security checks, up from 50 percent in years prior. This bill would bring the proportion of benefits taxed back down to 50 percent.
The House passed H.R. 4865 on July 27, 2000 by a vote of 265-159 (Roll Call 450). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Disapproval of Normal Trade Relations for Vietnam. This resolution would formally disapprove of the president's decision to grant Communist Vietnam "Normal Trade Relations" (NTR) status and revoke NTR. It is wrong to grant NTR status to Communist Vietnam for the same reasons that it is wrong to grant NTR status to Communist China. "[W]e should put our foot down here today and say dictatorships should not receive this kind of subsidy, especially the dictatorship in Vietnam that has not cooperated in finding our missing in action and POWs," Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) argued from the House floor.
The House rejected the NTR disapproval measure, House Joint Resolution 99, on July 26, 2000 by a vote of 91-332 (Roll Call 441). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Marriage Penalty Repeal. This measure would phase out over five years the marriage penalty in the income tax code. The marriage penalty taxes dual-income married families at a higher rate than couples who live together but are not married. Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) explained that this vote was about "a very basic, fundamental question," namely: "Is it right that 25 million married working couples, 50 million taxpayers, pay on average $1,400 more in higher taxes just because they are married?"
The House adopted the final version of this legislation (the conference report on H.R. 4810) on July 20, 2000 by a vote of 271-156 (Roll Call 418). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4871: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 1032 to H R 4871
Prohibit BATF from Implementing the Smith & Wesson Gun Sellout. Representative John Hostettler (R-IN) introduced this amendment to "prohibit the Department of Treasury and specifically the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or BATF, from using tax-payer dollars to enforce the provisions of a settlement agreement between Smith & Wesson, the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development." Hostettler explained that his amendment to the fiscal 2001 Treasury and Postal appropriations bill was needed because "the BATF will no longer just enforce Federal laws; they will now enforce a private civil agreement. This greatly expands the BATF's scope of power without Congress's approval. Failure to pass this amendment will allow the executive branch to continue to coerce legal industries, in this particular case the gun industry, to enter into these agreements whenever they feel they cannot get their agenda through Congress."
The House rejected the Hostettler amendment to H.R. 4871 on July 20, 2000 by a vote of 204-214 (Roll Call 427). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H J RES 103: Disapproving the Extension of the Waiver Authority Contained in Section 402(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 with Respect to the People's Republic of China
China NTR Disapproval. This resolution would formally disapprove of the president's decision to grant Communist China "Normal Trade Relations" (NTR) status and revoke NTR. Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) explained that "the reason why the American corporate community is insisting on normal trade relations status, which is a specific status, is so that those corporations can receive taxpayer subsidies and loan guarantees so they can close up their factories in the United States and open up factories in China to exploit a near slave labor, where people are not permitted to join unions, and do so at the taxpayers' risk, U.S. taxpayers' risk."
The House rejected this measure, House Joint Resolution 103, on July 18, 2000 by a vote of 147-281 (Roll Call 405). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4811: Foreign Operations Appropriations for FY 2001
Fiscal 2001 Foreign Aid Giveaways. This bill would waste $13.3 billion for international giveaways and export subsidies. Although the bill represents a $451 million cut from fiscal 2000, one dime in foreign aid is one dime too much.
The House passed the foreign aid appropriations bill, H.R. 4811, on July 13, 2000 by a vote of 239-185 (Roll Call 400). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4461: Agriculture and Rural Development Appropriations for FY 2001
Fiscal 2001 Agricultural Appropriations. This massive $75.4 billion bill would fund federal agricultural subsidy programs -- as well as the federal Food Stamp program, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and several other programs -- throughout fiscal 2001. Although this bill represents about a 10 percent cut from fiscal 2000, none of the programs funded by this bill are authorized by the U.S. Constitution.
The House passed this bill, H.R. 4461, on July 11, 2000 by a vote of 339-82 (Roll Call 385). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Ban on FDA Approval of Abortion Pill. "What this amendment would do," explained Representative Tom Coburn (R-OK), the amendment's author, "is it would limit the expenditure of Federal funds by the Food and Drug Administration in their efforts to approve drugs whose sole purpose is to terminate life, to take the life of an unborn child." More specifically, the amendment would prohibit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from using funds in the underlying fiscal 2001 agricultural appropriations bill to test or approve for use the abortion pill RU-486, also known as mifepristone.
The House rejected the Coburn amendment to H.R. 4461 on July 10, 2000 by a vote of 182-187 (Roll Call 373). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Unionizing Doctors Into a Closed Shop. Representative Christopher Cox (R-CA) introduced this amendment to prohibit doctors from being required to become members of unions as a condition of employment with Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Without this amendment, the underlying bill would establish federal "collective bargaining rights" for doctors with HMOs, and allow doctors to organize unions for collective bargaining purposes. Cox explained that his amendment was necessary to "protect doctors from ... compulsory unionism...."
The Cox amendment to H.R. 1304 was rejected by the House on June 30, 2000 by a vote of 201-214 (Roll Call 369). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Prohibit Chinese Propaganda Ministry Land Purchase Overlooking Pentagon. Representative David Vitter (R-LA) offered this amendment to prohibit State Department funds in the fiscal 2001 Commerce, Justice, and State appropriations bill from being used to approve the purchase of land overlooking the Pentagon by the Chinese government's Xinhua News Agency. Vitter explained that in "a number of publicized spy scandals intelligence officers used Xinhua to provide operations cover...." According to Vitter, allowing the Chinese government through its Xinhua propaganda agency to occupy the "Pentagon Ridge Apartments will allow Chinese intelligence operatives to gather information using a variety of means. These include direct observation via telescope of documents being viewed in outside offices, the collection of electronic impulses emanated by computer screens in the building and the use of laser microphones to eavesdrop on conversations."
The House adopted the Vitter amendment to H.R. 4690 on June 26, 2000 by a vote of 367-34 (Roll Call 325). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Prohibit HUD from Implementing the Smith & Wesson Gun Sellout. Representative John Hostettler (R-IN) offered this amendment to block the unconstitutional assault by the Clinton administration's Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on the right to keep and bear arms. HUD's March 2000 agreement with firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson would give federal preferences to firearms manufacturers who back Clinton administration gun control measures, and infringes upon the Second Amendment as well as upon Congress' exclusive authority to pass legislation under the U.S. Constitution. Representative Hostettler argued for the adoption of his amendment because "we should not allow HUD to legislate through litigation."
The Hostettler amendment was rejected by the House on June 21, 2000 by a vote of 206-219 (Roll Call 308). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H J RES 90: Withdrawing the Approval of the United States from the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization
WTO Withdrawal. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) offered this resolution to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization. Paul explained that U.S. membership in the WTO "is an unconstitutional approach to managing trade. We cannot transfer the power to manage trade from the Congress to anyone. The Constitution is explicit. 'Congress shall have the power to regulate foreign commerce.' We cannot transfer that authority. Transferring that authority to the WTO is like the President transferring his authority as Commander in Chief to the Speaker of the House."
The House rejected Paul's House Joint Resolution 90 on June 21, 2000 by a vote of 56-363 (Roll Call 310). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Ban New National Monuments. This amendment by Representative James Hansen (R-UT) would ban the use of funds for the implementation of "National Monuments" designated by the president since 1999. President Clinton has used a loophole in the 1906 Antiquities Act to lock up millions of acres of land from human usage. Representative Don Young (R-AK) explained that "this President is using this act ... to designate and to dictate the use of lands. Under the Constitution, it says only the Congress shall have that responsibility.... I swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. Yet, we sit in this body and allow this act to be misused by this administration and say, oh, it is to protect those lands.... This is against the Constitution. He is not protecting what should be protected. He, in fact, is running this as a fiefdom and a kingdom."
The House rejected the Hansen amendment to H.R. 4578 on June 15, 2000 by a vote of 187-234 (Roll Call 280). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4577: Making Appropriations for Labor, Health and Human Services for Fiscal Year 2001
Welfare State Mother Lode. This colossal $351.8 billion fiscal 2001 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill represents a spending increase of more than seven percent over fiscal 2000. Representative David Obey (D-WI) crowed that Republicans and Democrats were in a bidding war for welfare state spending: "This is ironic given the fact that all day long we were told by the majority that we could not get a vote on the amendments that we were offering on our side of the aisle because they exceeded the numbers in the budget resolution?"
The House passed H.R. 4577 on June 14, 2000 by a vote of 217-214 (Roll Call 273). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4577: On Agreeing to H.Amdt. 79 to H R 4577
Decrease Growth in Welfare Spending. This amendment by Representative C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) would cut discretionary spending in the mammoth $351.8 billion fiscal 2001 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill by $500 million. With such a cut, total spending in this bill would still rise by over $23 billion as compared to fiscal 2000.
The House rejected the Young amendment on June 13, 2000 by a vote of 186-236 (Roll Call 269). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 8: Death Tax Elimination Act
Estate Tax Repeal. The "Death Tax Elimination Act" would phase out over 10 years the Marxist inheritance tax that is decimating family farms across the United States. While the federal inheritance tax does not go as far as the third plank in Marx's Communist Manifesto, which called for "abolition of all rights of inheritance," it does tax up to 60 percent of the value of inheritances.
The House passed the bill on June 9, 2000 by a vote of 279-136 (Roll Call 254). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Federal Regulations on Ergonomics. This amendment by Representative James Traficant (D-OH) would strike language in the labor appropriations measure that would ban funding for the promulgation of federal ergonomic regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA has pushed for intrusive and vague federal regulations on ergonomics in recent years, using as a pretext the charge that many workers suffer injuries as a result of repetitive motion and other uncomfortable work conditions. Representative Henry Bonilla (R-TX) explained that the drive for ergonomics regulations was not driven by workers themselves, but by "OSHA bureaucrats and power-hungry union leaders who are trying desperately to implement an ergonomics rule that would put a noose around the neck of many employers in this country."
The Traficant amendment to H.R. 4577 was rejected by the House on June 8, 2000 by a vote of 203-220 (Roll Call 250). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4444: To Authorize Extension of Nondiscriminatory Treatment (Normal Trade Relations Treatment) to the People's Republic of China
Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China. This bill would confer Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status on China and end the annual review process that kept attention on Red China's espionage and human rights abuses. Although China has yet to comply completely with any trade agreement, granting PNTR would clear the way for China's entry into the WTO. Although this bill contains some provisions to protect U.S. businesses from import surges, establishes a commission to monitor human rights, and requires the administration to report annually on China's compliance with trade agreements, none of these measures has the teeth that annual review of Normal Trade Relations has had.
Representative James Traficant (D-OH) was correct when he said on the House floor during debate, "I say a Congress that today will prop up Communism is a Congress that today endangers every worker, every one of our kids, and every one of our grandkids by giving a country $80 billion a year whose missiles are pointed at every major American city, and Taiwan, who we have turned our backs on."
Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China, H.R. 4444, passed the House on May 24, 2000 by a vote of 237-197 (Roll Call 228). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Disclose Intelligence Spending to Congress. Representative Tim Roemer (D-IN) offered this amendment to require the CIA director to submit an unclassified report every year to Congress on total spending on intelligence operations. Roemer explained that his amendment was moderate in that it did not require "individual reports, not individual line items, like we do in the Defense Department budget.... We are not calling for any of that in this budget; simply for an aggregate level." In recent years, CIA directors have revealed the figure to be $27 to $28 billion.
The House rejected the Roemer amendment to H.R. 4392 on May 23, 2000 by a vote of 175-225 (Roll Call 214). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Vieques Island Transfer. Ike Skelton (D-MO) offered this amendment supporting the agreement negotiated with Puerto Rico by President Clinton regarding ownership of Vieques Island. The Skelton amendment would allow the Navy to transfer land on the western end of the island of Vieques to Puerto Rico and would provide $40 million in assistance to the Puerto Rican government. The residents of Vieques would hold a referendum within the next two years to determine if the Navy may remain on the eastern end of the island, where the Navy conducts live ammunition training. If the people of Vieques vote the Navy out, the Navy would be required to vacate by May 2003. If permitted to stay, the federal government would provide an additional $50 million in assistance.
Originally, the push to get the U.S. Navy off of Vieques came from Puerto Rican FALN terrorists, their Cuban sponsors, and other radicals of the extreme left who seek to subvert America. If the Navy can no longer conduct live fire exercises on Vieques, there are no other alternatives on the East Coast for amphibious live fire exercises. Also troubling would be the dangerous precedent of allowing people near the 33 major U.S. live-fire sites to determine by referendum how the military trains.
The Skelton amendment to H.R. 4205 allowing this transfer and future referendum was passed by the House on May 18, 2000 by a vote of 218-201 (Roll Call 202). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4205: On Agreeing to H. Amdt.722 to H R 4205
Abortions on Military Bases. This amendment to the fiscal 2001 Defense authorization bill offered by Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) would permit abortions on military bases for service members and their dependents stationed abroad. Under the amendment, those seeking abortions on bases would have to use -private funds to pay for the procedure. Yet, as Representative Henry Hyde (R-IL) pointed out in floor debate, "Taxpayers' funds are expended when military facilities are used and there is no constitutional right to that...."
The Sanchez amendment to H.R. 4205 was rejected by the House on May 18, 2000 by a vote of 195-221 (Roll Call 203). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 853: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 709 to H R 853
Automatic Funding of the Welfare State. Representative George Gekas (R-PA) offered this dangerous amendment to automatically renew funding for any of the regular 13 appropriations bills at the previous year's spending level if they are not en-acted into law by the new fiscal year. According to Representative Jim Walsh (R-NY), under the amendment, Congress would "yield more power to the President by putting the government out on automatic pilot."
Amendment supporter Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) candidly admitted that the amendment signified that "it is time for us to give up" in the battle with the president over government shutdowns. Rohrabacher said that the president's use of government shutdowns amounted to a budgetary "doom's day strategy." Ignoring the fact that it is the constitutional duty of Congress to control federal purse strings, Rohrabacher urged passage of the measure as a way to fight that strategy. "It is time to repeal for all time the threat of a government shutdown," quipped Rohrabacher.
The Gekas amendment to H.R. 853 was rejected by the House on May 16, 2000 by a vote of 173-236 (Roll Call 187). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 701: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 69 to H R 701
Landgrabs Prevention. This amendment by Representative Michael Simpson (R-ID) to the land conservation bill would prevent funds from the bill from being used to acquire more federal land in states where 50 percent or more of the land is already owned by the federal government, unless the state approves of the acquisition. The states that presently would be affected by this amendment are Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.
The Simpson amendment to H.R. 701 was rejected on May 11, 2000 by a vote of 157-266 (Roll Call 171). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 701: Conservation and Reinvestment Act
Money for Landgrabs. This bill, the Conservation and Restoration Act (CARA), is, in the words of one of its chief sponsors, Representative George Miller (D-CA), "the largest environmental bill for the conservation of American resources in the past 36 years." The bill would require the Treasury Department to set aside up to $2.8 billion per year in royalties from oil and gas drilling on federal lands in a conservation fund to be used to purchase lands deemed environmentally sensitive and for other conservation purposes. Additionally, the use of the money in the fund would not be subject to annual appropriation votes by Congress.
The CARA, H.R. 701, passed the House on May 11, 2000 by a vote of 315-102 (Roll Call 179). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Defunding Landgrabs. Representative Helen Chenoweth-Hage (R-ID) offered this amendment to the land conservation bill to prohibit funds in the bill from being used to establish or maintain any of President Clinton's national monument designations made after 1995. Mr. Clinton has established a series of these monuments through executive orders, thereby placing, without congressional -approval, huge tracts of land off-limits to development. Chenoweth-Hage called such federal landgrabs "America's new Trail of Tears," a reference to the federal government driving the Cherokee Indians off their land in the early 1800s.
The Chenoweth-Hage amendment to H.R. 701 was rejected on May 10, 2000 by a vote of 160-265 (Roll Call 164). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 4055: IDEA Full Funding Act
Funding for Disabilities Education. Passage of this bill would provide increased funding for education of children with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The bill would increase funding to 40 percent of the cost of educating such children and authorize an additional $2 billion a year for 10 years.
The bill, H.R. 4055, passed the House on May 3, 2000 by a vote of 421-3 (Roll Call 140). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 4199: Date Certain Tax Code Replacement Act
Tax Code Abolishment. This bill would abolish the tax code, excepting Social Security and Medicare provisions, by December 31, 2004. The bill recommends that Congress provide a replacement tax code by July 4, 2004. Representative John Linder (R-GA), who argued for the abolition of the tax code on the House floor, pointed out: "if we had sat down at the beginning ... and asked ourselves how could we build a tax system that would punish people for earning and working hard, a system that would be obstructive of capital formation, we could not have done a better job."
The bill to abolish the tax code, H.R. 4199, passed on April 13, 2000 by a vote of 229-187 (Roll Call 127). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3615: Rural Local Broadcast Signal Act
Television for "Underserved" Areas. As a way of providing local television to 30 million households in areas of the country that cannot receive over-the-air signals or do not have local television through a satellite provider, this bill would create a new program that would provide $1.25 billion in loan guarantees to telecommunication providers. The loans would offer a competitive edge to satellite providers since cable companies cannot apply for the loans to expand their service. The loans would be administered by the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service. Representative Christopher Cox (R-CA) in floor debate asserted that the Rural Utilities Service is "writing off billions of dollars in their existing loan portfolio left and right, at taxpayer expense, and … about 30 to 40 percent of the loans that are going to get made under this program are likely to be written off. So one can look at the cost of this program [and see that] right up front [it] is about $400 million."
The bill to fund rural television, H.R. 3615, passed the House on April 13, 2000 by a vote of 375-37 (Roll Call 128). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 1776: American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act
HUD Expansion. In an effort to increase the reach of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, this bill would authorize $1.65 billion for the agency's HOME program and $4.9 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program. Both programs make money available to local governments for subsidized housing projects. Additionally, teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and other municipal workers would be given extra help and incentives for home ownership. Disabled recipients of rent-subsidies could receive grants instead of monthly allotments for down-payments. Also included in the bill is an amendment that allows religious organizations to compete for Community Development Block Grants, as long as the religious organizations comply with the mandate that they do not discriminate against participants based on religious affiliation or lack thereof.
The bill, H.R. 1776, passed the House on April 6, 2000 by a vote of 417-8 (Roll Call 110). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3660: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2000
Partial Birth Abortion Ban. This bill would prohibit the "partial-birth" abortion procedure in which a baby is pulled through the birth canal in the breech position, forceps are inserted in the base of his skull, and the brain is extracted before completion of the delivery. In 1997, Ron Fitzsimmons, then executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, admitted that the procedure is performed 3,000 to 5,000 times a year, not the 500 to 600 times a year as claimed by some pro-abortion groups. Under this bill, doctors performing such abortions would be subject to a fine and up to two years in prison. The baby's father (if he is married to the mother) or a minor girl's parents also could file a civil lawsuit against the doctor for monetary damages. The procedure would be legal if the abortion were necessary to save the woman's life.
The Abortion Procedure Ban, H.R. 3660, passed the House on April 5, 2000 by a vote of 287-141 (Roll Call 104). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Organ Transplant Federalism. This amendment, according to its sponsor, Representative Bill Luther (D-MN), would prohibit "State and local laws from interfering with the allocation policies of the National Organ Transplant Network." The National Organ Transplant Network was created in 1984 by Congress as a national system for organ allocation. The amendment is an attempt to counteract laws enacted by states that have worked especially hard to encourage organ donation. These states want to make sure that their citizens benefit from that hard work instead of losing organs to states with less successful programs.
Luther's Organ Procurement Amendment to H.R. 2418 was rejected by the House on April 4, 2000 by a vote of 137-284 (Roll Call 100). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
DEA Funding Cuts. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) offered this amendment to the fiscal 2000 supplemental appropriations bill. It called for a $293 million cut in Drug Enforcement Administration funding, a $186 million cut in funding for drug-fighting by the Defense Department, and another $1.1 billion cut in economic aid to Colombia. The amendment also would halt funding for military construction outside the U.S. and would end funding for military operations in Kosovo and East Timor, unless the funds were used to bring the troops home. In floor debate, Paul described his amendment as dealing with a "monster" of "careless foreign military interventionism."
The Paul amendment to H.R. 3908 was rejected by the House on March 30, 2000 by a vote of 45-367 (Roll Call 92). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3908: Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for F.Y. 2000
Money for Foreign Intervention. The fiscal 2000 supplemental appropriations bill provides $13.2 billion for a number of measures, including funding for operations in Kosovo and East Timor ($5 billion), aid to combat drugs in Colombia ($1.7 billion), and Defense Department funding ($4 billion).
The fiscal 2000 supplemental appropriations measure, H.R. 3908, passed the House on March 30, 2000 by a vote of 263-146 (Roll Call 95). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H CON RES 290: On Agreeing to H. Amdt. 610 to H CON RES 290
No Vote.2001 Budget by Congressional Progressive Caucus. A substitute budget amendment proposed by Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) on behalf of the socialist coalition called the Congressional Progressive Caucus (see "Totally Radical!" in our March 29, 1999 issue for a review of this coalition) would have cut defense spending while increasing spending for education, health care, and veterans.
The DeFazio substitute to House Concurrent Resolution 290 was rejected by the House on March 23, 2000 by a vote of 61-351 (Roll Call 71). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
No Vote.2001 Budget by Conservative -Action Team. Representative John Sununu (R-NH) proposed this substitute budget amendment on behalf of the Conservative Action Team. This amendment would freeze non-defense discretionary spending, increase defense spending, and provide for $270 billion in tax cuts.
The Sununu substitute to House Concurrent Resolution 290 was rejected by the House on March 23, 2000 by a vote of 78-339 (Roll Call 73). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3843: Small Business Authorization Act
Small Business Administration Reauthorization. This legislation would reauthorize programs and funding levels for the Small Business Administration through fiscal year 2003. This corporate welfare program would be authorized to guarantee $77.3 billion in business loans (and to make direct loans) over a three-year period. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting this legislation would result in $3.5 billion in new discretionary spending by 2005.
The Small Business Administration reauthorization, H.R. 3843, passed the House on March 15, 2000 by a vote of 410-11 (Roll Call 49). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 3081: Wage and Employment Growth Act
Tax Cuts. This tax revision bill provides for nearly $123 billion in tax cuts, including reductions in estate and gift taxes and deductions for health insurance for self-employed individuals. Also included in the bill is authorization for the Housing and Urban Development secretary to designate 15 renewal communities where investors and residents could receive certain tax breaks, including relief from capital gains taxes on property held for at least five years.
The tax revision bill, H.R. 3081, passed the House on March 9, 2000 by a vote of 257-169 (Roll Call 41). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3846: To Amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to Increase the Minimum Wage, and for other purposes
Minimum Wage Increase. This bill raises the minimum wage by one dollar to $6.15 per hour over a period of two years. Exceptions are made for computer professionals, certain sales people, and funeral directors. Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) warned that, through this legislation, "we are trying to be the unseen hand in the market. We have made this assumption about the fact that we know exactly how to adjust the marketplace between the employer and employee."
The minimum wage increase, H.R. 3846, passed the House on March 9, 2000 by a vote of 282-143 (Roll Call 45). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 6: Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Act of 2000
"Marriage Penalty" Tax Reform. This Republican tax cut plan would alleviate the so-called "Marriage Penalty" tax that assesses taxes at a higher rate against married couples who both work than for two single people with comparable incomes. Although opponents of the bill argued that this tax cut, amounting to $182 billion over 10 years, was too big, Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO) countered: "Should we first go to American families and say, we need to continue this unfair system because we do not have as much extra money as we thought we were going to have in - Washington?"
The bill to alleviate the "Marriage Penalty" tax, H.R. 6, passed the House on February 10, 2000 by a vote of 268-158 (Roll Call 15). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 3194: District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2000
Welfare State Expansion. This $385 billion monstrosity constitutes a complete sellout of conservative principles to the demands of the welfare-staters at the White House. This measure would fund five regular annual appropriations bills (District of Columbia, Labor/HHS/Education, Foreign Operations, Commerce/Justice/State/Judiciary, and Interior), often at higher levels than were originally requested by the Clinton administration.
The Health and Human Services Department -- the key welfare agency of the federal government -- received an 11.4 percent increase in funding, more than Mr. Clinton originally requested. The Department of Education received a 6.8 percent increase in funding, also more than Mr. Clinton originally sought. Foreign aid spending was also funded at a higher level than originally sought by the President. President Clinton’s federal teacher hiring initiative was granted $1.325 billion, the COPS program of federally paid law enforcement officers was awarded $595 million, and alleged "arrears" payments to the United Nations were authorized to the tune of $926 million.
Some Republicans falsely sold the bill to conservatives on the grounds that it contained a strong pro-life provision in the foreign aid section. But the bill allows President Clinton to waive the provision, a prohibition against funding international family-planning organizations, if he is willing to subtract a mere $12.5 million penalty from the $385 million population control budget. (Subsequently, this is exactly what Mr. Clinton did.)
The measure, H.R. 3194, was adopted by the House on November 18, 1999 by a vote of 296-135 (Roll Call 610). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Labor/HHS/Education Spending. This $317 billion appropriations bill is the main funding measure for the federal welfare state during fiscal 2000. This bill would amount to an increase over the bloated fiscal 1999 appropriation of nearly nine percent. This increase still wasn't enough for President Clinton; some of his Democratic supporters joined stalwart opponents of the welfare state in voting against the bill.
This legislation, H.R. 3064, passed the House on October 28, 1999 by a vote of 218-211 (Roll Call 549). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
New Federal Education Subsidy. Republican Majority Leader Richard Armey, the author of this proposal, had to ignore one of his own "axioms" in order to introduce this measure: "No one spends someone else's money as wisely as he spends his own."
Armey's proposal would establish a new $100 million per year federally funded grant program administered by the states for educational choice scholarships. The program would last five years and give parents of primary grade school children $3,500 toward placing their children in the public or private school of their choice -- but only if the governor of the state declared their public school an "academic emergency" through a series of criteria laid out in Armey's amendment. The states would also have to report to the Secretary of Education on the progress of the federal scholarships that they distribute under their political control.
The measure, an amendment to H.R. 2, was rejected by the House on October 21, 1999 by a vote of 166-257 (Roll Call 521). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 2: Student Results Act
Federal Education Grants. This legislation would fund Title I spending -- which dispenses grants to primary and secondary schools -- to the tune of $9.9 billion. This represents a 28 percent increase over fiscal 1999! Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) explained that, "like most federal programs, Title I was launched with the best of intentions, however, good intentions are no excuse for Congress to exceed its constitutional limitations by depriving parents, local communities and states of their rightful authority over education. The Tenth Amendment does not contain an exception for 'good intentions'!"
The bill, H.R. 2, passed the House on October 21, 1999 by a vote of 358-67 (Roll Call 526). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 2723: Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act
Managed Health Care Regulations. This legislation would get the federal government even more deeply involved in regulating the medical coverage of individuals and HMOs. The bill would require HMOs to pay for certain emergency care even if it was not part of the original insurance agreement, dictate an internal and external appeal process for health coverage payments, require HMOs and insurance companies to pay for women's visits to gynecological and obstetric specialists without first seeing a primary care physician, and even unconstitutionally give policyholders standing in state courts to sue for damages.
While a few of these ideas are good ones that many HMOs have already implemented through the free market, none of them are federal functions. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) explained: "Because HMOs make mistakes and their budgets are limited, however, doesn't justify introducing the notion that politicians are better able to make these decisions than the HMOs. Forcing HMOs and insurance companies to do as the politicians say regardless of the insurance policy agreed upon will lead to higher costs, less availability of services and calls for another round of government intervention."
The bill, H.R. 2723, was adopted by the House on October 7, 1999 by a vote of 275-151 (Roll Call 490). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 1906: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations, FY 2000
Agricultural Appropriations. This measure would appropriate $69 billion for agricultural programs, food stamps, and foreign aid programs for fiscal year 2000. The legislation represents an irresponsible 11 percent increase in spending over fiscal 1999.
The final version of the agricultural appropriations bill, H.R. 1906, passed the House on October 1, 1999 by a vote of 240-175 (Roll Call 469). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H R 417: On Agreeing to the Amendment 11 to H R 417
Doolittle Campaign Finance. Representative John Doolittle (R-CA) took aim at campaign finance reform with a proposal to repeal all federal campaign contribution limits and require immediate public disclosure of all federal campaign contributions. "I support the Doolittle reforms," explained Representative John Peterson (R-PA), "because they are in the American tradition. They truly 'do little' when it comes to restricting First Amendment rights. They remove restrictions on most campaign giving and spending, and thus remove the restrictions to free speech. At the same time, they require immediate and full reporting of all contributions."
Rep. Doolittle's proposal, a substitute amendment to the Shays-Meehan "reform" bill (see text below), was rejected by the House on September 14, 1999 by a vote of 117-306 (Roll Call 419). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
[ Shays-Meehan "Reform." This legislation makes war upon the First Amendment's free speech protections by proposing regulation of non-political, issue advocacy speech. In particular, provisions which greatly expand the definitions of "expressed advocacy" and "coordinated activity" would take in just about every citizen group attempting to educate the electorate on the voting record of their government officials. Representative John Peterson (R-PA) explained that Shays-Meehan represents the "liberal's idea of reform [which] rests primarily on restricting the free flow of moneys and ideas to the public through any channels except those they control and they regulate.... It will be an incumbent protection bill." ]
H R 417: Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act
Shays-Meehan "Reform." This legislation makes war upon the First Amendment's free speech protections by proposing regulation of non-political, issue advocacy speech. In particular, provisions which greatly expand the definitions of "expressed advocacy" and "coordinated activity" would take in just about every citizen group attempting to educate the electorate on the voting record of their government officials. Representative John Peterson (R-PA) explained that Shays-Meehan represents the "liberal's idea of reform [which] rests primarily on restricting the free flow of moneys and ideas to the public through any channels except those they control and they regulate.... It will be an incumbent protection bill."
The Shays-Meehan campaign reform bill, H.R. 417, was adopted by the House on September 14, 1999 by a vote of 252-177 (Roll Call 422). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
H CON RES 180: Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not have granted clemency to terrorists
Clemency for the FALN. Following the President's grant of clemency to convicted terrorists of the Puerto Rican FALN, Congress considered a concurrent resolution which would express its disapproval with the Clinton administration's decision.
The 16 terrorists offered clemency had been convicted of "seditious conspiracy," robbery, and weapons charges related to their masterminding a series of terrorist bombings in the 1970s and 1980s. President Clinton offered clemency to the convicted terrorists at a time when his wife Hillary was actively considering a Senate race in New York State. Many political observers guessed that the move was made in part to sway New York's large Puerto Rican ethnic voting block to support his wife's impending campaign.
The concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 180, was adopted by the House on September 9, 1999 by a vote of 311-41 (Roll Call 398). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 2488: Financial Freedom Act of 1999
Republican Tax Cut Package. The Republican tax plan would implement several tax cuts over a 10-year period. The legislation would cut the income tax rate by one percent beginning in 2005, but the tax cut would sunset by 2009. The measure would also cut the capital gains rate immediately by two percentage points, eliminate the marriage penalty under income taxes (starting in 2001), and phase out estate taxes until 2009 (after which the tax would be higher than current law).
The Republican Party trumpeted this bill as being a $792 billion tax cut, and the White House lobbied furiously against it claiming that the cuts were irresponsible. But the $792 billion figure is mere political posturing, since it is not only the projected total for a 10-year period but is based on projected costs in future years. Nevertheless, the bill was better than no tax cut at all and was deserving of support.
The Republican Tax Cut, H.R. 2488, passed the House on August 5, 1999 by a vote of 221-206 (Roll Call 379). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
International Population Control. Contained within this year's foreign aid appropriations bill are some $385 million intended to fund international population control programs. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) proposed to eliminate this spending, explaining that "the question really is this: Should the American taxpayer be required to pay for birth control pills, IUDs, Depo-Provera, Norplant, condom distribution, as well as abortion in foreign countries?"
Rep. Paul's proposal, an amendment to H.R. 2606, was rejected by the House on August 3, 1999 by a vote of 145-272 (Roll Call 360). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Corporate Welfare. A measure proposed by Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) would prohibit federal funding of three corporate export subsidy programs: The Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Trade and Development Agency.
The Export-Import Bank alone has approximately $6 billion in outstanding subsidies sunk into Communist China, and Rep. Paul noted that "67 percent of all the funding of the Export-Import Bank goes to, not a large number of companies, [but] to five companies.... We give them the money. But where do the goods go? Do the goods go to the American taxpayers? No. They get all of the liabilities. The subsidies help the Chinese."
Hypocritically, several representatives who had supported Normal Trade Relations (MFN) for China (Vote #26) on the basis of "free trade" opposed the Paul amendment. To that opposition, Paul exclaimed, "please do not call it free trade anymore. Call it managed trade. Call it subsidized trade. Call it special interest trade."
Rep. Paul's proposal, an amendment to H.R. 2606, was rejected by the House on August 3, 1999 by a vote of 58-360 (Roll Call 361). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 2606: Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, FY 2000
Foreign Aid Appropriations. This legislation would appropriate $12.7 billion during fiscal 2000 for wasteful and unconstitutional foreign aid programs abroad.
The foreign aid appropriations bill, H.R. 2606, passed the House on August 3, 1999 by a vote of 385-35 (Roll Call 362). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Slight Foreign Aid Cut. Proposed by Representative Tom Campbell (R-CA), this measure would cut a paltry $50 million from the foreign aid budget reserved for Israel (a $30 million cut) and Egypt (a $20 million cut). The cut would be a total reduction of about 1 percent in the funds allotted to both nations under the foreign aid bill. Any real end to wasteful foreign aid giveaways must begin with cuts in aid to the largest recipients, and Egypt and Israel's combined $4.7 billion in economic and military assistance account for 37 percent of all U.S. foreign aid spending.
Rep. Campbell's proposal, an amendment to the foreign aid bill (H.R. 2606), was rejected by the House on July 29, 1999 by a vote of 13-414 (Roll Call 351). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H J RES 57: Disapprove Normal Trade Relations with China
MFN/NTR Trade with Red China. Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) proposed that Congress express its disapproval of President Clinton's waiver granting Communist China U.S. taxpayer subsidized trade under "Normal Trade Relations" (formerly "Most Favored Nation") status. Revocation of NTR status would impose tariffs on Chinese imports at a slightly higher duty than are levied upon U.S. exports to China, and prevent the U.S. Export-Import Bank and similar agencies from giving lucrative subsidies to China. China is currently the Ex-Im Bank's largest customer, with $6 billion in outstanding loans and guarantees. Rep. Rohrabacher observed that the reason Capitol Hill had just been besieged by big business lobbyists is because they are squealing to keep their taxpayer subsidies. "This debate is not about free trade," Rohrabacher explained. "Obviously, it is about subsidy, as I just said."
Rep. Rohrabacher's proposal, a resolution (H. J. Res. 57) expressing the disapproval of Congress of the President's waiver granting NTR/MFN to China, was rejected by the House on July 27, 1999 by a vote of 170-260 (Roll Call 338). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
De-funding the United Nations. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX), proposed a measure that would eliminate all funding for the United Nations from the State Department Reauthorization bill, H.R. 2415. Rep. Paul explained that "this does not get us out of the United Nations. It is a step in that direction, obviously." A necessary step because this year alone the the United Nations has called for confiscation of nearly all civilian-owned firearms, global taxation without representation, a world central bank, world financial controls with a redistributive mechanism, an unlimited ability to intervene in a nation's internal affairs, and a global criminal court without the habeas corpus guarantee and other rights Americans are accustomed to in our courts.
Rep. Paul's proposal, an amendment to H.R. 2415, was rejected by the House on July 20, 1999 by a vote of 74-342 (Roll Call 314). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
Federal Funding for Teachers. In deliberations on this year's $2 billion per year federal teacher hiring grants program, Representative Matthew Martinez (D-CA) proposed to increase funding for President Clinton's initiative to hire 100,000 new teachers using federal dollars. The Martinez measure would increase spending under the pending bill in fiscal 2000 to $3 billion, and continue increasing spending until it reaches $6 billion annually in 2005.
Rep. Martinez's proposal, a substitute for H.R. 1995, was rejected by the House on July 20, 1999 by a vote of 207-217 (Roll Call 319). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
Subsidizing Abortions. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) proposed a measure that would allow abortions to be included as medical expenses in the health care coverage the federal government subsidizes for its employees. Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA), opposing DeLauro's proposal, explained that "the unborn baby in the womb is not a potential life. It meets all of the criteria of a life, the criteria that I used to use as a practicing physician to determine whether somebody is alive or dead: a beating heart, active brain waves."
Rep. DeLauro's proposal, an amendment to H.R. 2490, was rejected by the House on July 15, 1999 by a vote of 188-230 (Roll Call 301). We have assigned pluses to nays.
National Endowment for the Arts. The National Endowment for the Arts currently consumes some 98 million taxpayer dollars annually. A measure proposed by Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) would take a small, 2.5 percent bite totaling $2.1 million out of that budget. Rep. Stearns noted that the Founding Fathers did not give the federal government the power under the U.S. Constitution to fund arts programs. "During the Constitutional Convention, Charles Pinckney of South Carolina offered a motion to authorize and 'establish seminaries for the promotion of literature and the arts and sciences.' The motion was overwhelmingly defeated because the framers of our Constitution did not want the federal government to promote the arts with federal funds."
Rep. Stearns measure, an amendment to H.R. 2466, was rejected by the House on July 14, 1999 by a vote of 124-300 (Roll Call 287). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H R 1658: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act
Civil Forfeiture Reform. Under "civil forfeiture," the government seizes property which officials believe is used in the commission of a crime, oftentimes without the property owner being charged with a crime. Existing federal civil forfeiture law makes clear that property owners must bear the burden of proof that their property was not used in the commission of a crime. A measure, introduced by Representative Henry Hyde (R-IL), would curb excesses in federal civil forfeiture takings of property. The Hyde legislation would reverse the burden of proof and require of the government "clear and convincing evidence" that the property was used in the commission of a crime. It also contains an "innocent owner defense" for property owners who were unaware that their property was being used in the commission of crimes.
Rep. Hyde's measure, H.R. 1658, passed the House on June 24, 1999 by a vote of 375-48 (Roll Call 255). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.
H J RES 33: Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit the Physical Desecration of the United States Flag
Flag Burning Amendment, House Joint Resolution 33. This measure proposes an amendment to the Constitution stating that "the Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." Representative Charles Canady (R-FL) argued that such an amendment is needed "because the Supreme Court, in its mistaken interpretation of the First Amendment, stripped our flag of the protection to which it is entitled." He is mistaken, however. If Congress truly wishes to rein in the Supreme Court with regard to flag burning and myriad other issues, it can simply exercise its constitutional power to limit the Court's appellate jurisdiction (Article III, Section 2). The House adopted this measure on June 24, 1999 by a vote of 305 to 124 (Congressional Record, pages H4843-44, roll call 252; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
H R 2122: Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act
Gun Control, H.R. 2122. This legislation would clamp down on gun sales at gun shows, which for the purposes of this bill are defined as any event "at which 50 or more firearms are offered or exhibited for sale, transfer, or exchange" or at which there are ten or more vendors. Under this bill, a person offering a firearm for sale who is not himself licensed is prevented from selling that firearm directly to the buyer. The licensed vendor must complete a background check before the transfer of the weapon. The House rejected the measure on June 18, 1999 by a vote of 147 to 280 (Congressional Record, pages H4656-57, roll call 244; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
Freedom of Religion, Amendment to H.R. 1501. The ACLU and similar groups have long crusaded to force the removal of all aspects of religious expression from public grounds under the pretense that such expression violates the First Amendment. This amendment to H.R. 1501, offered by Representative Robert Aderholt (R-AL), takes issue with that notion. The amendment states that "the power to display the Ten Commandments" on public property is "declared to be among the powers reserved to the states...." It also declares that individual religious expression on public grounds is "among the rights secured against laws respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion" and "among the liberties which no state shall deprive any person without due process of law...." Moreover: "The courts constituted, ordained, and established by the Congress shall exercise the judicial power in a manner consistent with the foregoing declarations." The House adopted the amendment on June 17, 1999 by a vote of 248 to 180 (Congressional Record, pages H4486-87, roll call 221; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
No Military Exchanges or Joint Training With the Red Chinese Army, Amendment to H.R. 1401. Representative Tom DeLay (R-TX) offered this amendment to the Defense authorization bill to "bar the United States from training the Communist Chinese military." Stressing the need for such a measure, DeLay noted that "President Clinton jump-started American cooperation with the PLA [People's Liberation Army] soon after taking office in 1993. The imbalance in these so-called exchanges is extreme and predictably benefits the PRC [People's Republic of China]." These exchanges have not tapered off since the Chinese nuclear espionage revelations. "Just this year," continued DeLay, "more than 80 cooperative military contacts were planned between the U.S. and Red China." The House adopted the amendment on June 9, 1999 by a vote of 284 to 143 (Congressional Record, page H3995, roll call 182; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
Permitting Abortions in Military Hospitals Overseas, Amendment to H.R. 1401. Representative Carrie Meek (D-FL) offered this amendment to repeal "the statutory prohibition on privately funded abortions in overseas military facilities...." However, those overseas facilities are taxpayer funded. If abortions are allowed there, those facilities would become, noted Representative Henry Hyde (R-IL), "not a place for healing, but an abortion mill, an abortion clinic." The House rejected the amendment on June 9, 1999 by a vote of 203 to 225 (Congressional Record, page H3996, roll call 184; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
Preventing Funding for Development of Any Abortion Inducing Drug, Amendment to H.R. 1906. Representative Tom Coburn (R-OK) offered this amendment to prohibit any funds in the fiscal 2000 Department of Agriculture appropriations bill from being used "by the Food and Drug Administration for the testing, development, or approval ... of any drug for the chemical inducement of abortion." The House adopted the amendment on June 8, 1999 by a vote of 217 to 214 (Congressional Record, pages H3811-12, roll call 173; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
Agricultural Appropriations, H.R. 1906. This legislation provides $60.7 billion for "Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies" for fiscal year 2000, a $3.4 billion increase over fiscal 1999. The measure includes $21.6 billion for the food stamp program, $20.1 billion for agricultural programs, $4 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), $165.4 million for the "Food for Peace" foreign aid program, and $583.4 million for rental assistance. The House adopted the measure on June 8, 1999 by a vote of 246 to 183 (Congressional Record, page H3823, roll call 177; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
Preventing U.S. Invasion of Yugoslavia, Amendment to H.R. 1664. Representative Ernest Istook (R-OK) offered this amendment to the Defense supplemental appropriations bill to prohibit the use of any funds authorized therein for "any plan to invade the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with ground forces of the United States, except in time of war." Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) objected to the amendment on the grounds that it was similar to H.R. 1569, and therefore unnecessary. "They are very, very similar," said Stearns. "Do members think they have to make another stand...?" Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) argued otherwise: "It was said that this is the same vote that we had last week, but last week's vote is sitting on the table and it is going to sit there. This one may well go someplace and have an effect." The House rejected the amendment on May 6, 1999 by a vote of 117 to 301 (Congressional Record, pages H2891-92, roll call 119; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
H R 1569: Military Operations in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Limitation Act
Prohibit Funding of Ground Troops In Kosovo, H.R. 1569. This legislation would prohibit funding of U.S. ground forces in Yugoslavia without prior congressional authorization. At the time of this vote, U.S. forces were already engaged in the air war against Yugoslavia -- without prior congressional authorization. The House adopted the measure on April 28, 1999 by a vote of 249 to 180 (Congressional Record, pages H2413-14, roll call 100; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
H CON RES 82: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove U.S. Armed Forces from their positions in connection with the present operations against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Removal of U.S. Troops From the Kosovo Conflict, House Concurrent Resolution 82. This measure would direct the removal of the U.S. military from the conflict in Yugoslavia, ending our offensive operations against that nation. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) noted: "The Serbs have done nothing to us, and we should not be over there perpetuating a war." The House rejected the measure (thereby acquiescing to President Clinton's offensive against Yugoslavia while later hypocritically voting against a declaration of war) on April 28, 1999 by a vote of 139 to 290 (Congressional Record, page H2427, roll call 101; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
S CON RES 21: Authorizing the President of the United States to Conduct Military Air Operations and Missile Strikes Against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)
Authorizing Air Operations for the Kosovo Conflict, Senate Concurrent Resolution 21. This legislation would authorize continuing offensive air operations and missile attacks against Yugoslavia. Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) said that "it should be obvious that the President does not need this resolution to use air power because he is already using it" -- an observation that speaks volumes about the failure of Congress to assert its authority by insisting on the removal of U.S. forces. The House rejected the resolution on April 28, 1999 by a vote of 213 to 213 (Congressional Record, pages H2451-52, roll call 103; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
H R 1141: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for FY 1999
Increasing Foreign Aid Expenditures, Amendment to H.R. 1141.
Representative David Obey (D-WI) offered this amendment to the fiscal 1999 supplemental appropriations bill to reinstate a smorgasbord of foreign aid appropriations that the bill would rescind in order to offset new spending. The Obey amendment would restore $853 million in spending, including: $648 million for multilateral development banks (like the World Bank); $150 million to purchase fissile materials (plutonium) from Russia to keep the Russians from building nuclear weapons; $30 million for the "Food for Peace" program; and $25 million for the Export-Import Bank. The House rejected the amendment on March 24, 1999 by a vote of 201 to 228 (Congressional Record, pages H1644-45, roll call 68; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
H R 4: National Missile Defense System
Deployment of a National Missile Defense, H.R. 4.
This bill would make it "the policy of the United States to deploy a national missile defense." Representative John Lewis (D-GA) objected to the measure, declaring: "Make no mistake, a dollar more for missile defense is a dollar less for health care, for education, and for food.... I urge my colleagues, do not choose bullets over babies, bombs over books, missiles over medicine." But there was support from the minority party for the measure. Democratic Representative James Traficant (OH) said, "National defense and security is our number-one priority.... I am changing my vote. I am voting for the missile defense system for the United States of America." The House adopted the measure on March 18, 1999 by a vote of 317 to 105 (Congressional Record, pages H1447-48, roll call 59; we have assigned pluses to the yeas).
H CON RES 42: Peacekeeping Operations in Kosovo
Authorizing U.S. Peacekeeping in Kosovo, House Concurrent Resolution 42.
This bill would authorize the President to "deploy United States Armed Forces personnel to Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping operation implementing a Kosovo peace agreement." Representative Tom Campbell (R-CA), who opposed the measure, noted: "the United States has not been attacked. Serbia, in whose sovereign territory we recognize Kosovo to be, has not invited us to enter. The United States would thus be exercising force against the sovereign territory of a country that has not attacked us...." The House adopted the measure on March 11, 1999 by a vote of 219 to 191 (Congressional Record, pages H1249-50, roll call 49; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
H R 669: Peace Corps Authorizations FY2000-FY2003
Peace Corps Authorization and Expansion, H.R. 669. This bill would authorize $1.3 billion for the Peace Corps through fiscal 2003 -- including $270 million in fiscal 2000, an increase of $29 million over the current level. The new funding would allow for an expansion in the number of Peace Corps volunteers from the current level of 6,700 to 10,000 by 2003. The House passed the bill on March 3, 1999 by a vote of 326 to 90 (Congressional Record, page H913, roll call 31; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
H R 193: Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River Act
Designating the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord as Wild and Scenic Rivers, H.R. 193.
This bill would designate a combined total of 29 miles of three rivers in Massachusetts as Wild and Scenic under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Although the bill would prevent the federal government from actually acquiring title or easements for any of the land adjacent to the sections of river in question, through a loophole the government could still acquire such land or easements "under other laws for other purposes." The House passed the bill on February 23, 1999 by a vote of 395 to 22 (Congressional Record, page H679, roll call 23; we have assigned pluses to the nays).
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Turning plants into power houses (PhysOrg)- May 12, 2011
"I have a slide that has a photo of a cornfield and a big photovoltaic array," says Robert Blankenship, a scientist who studies photosynthesis at Washington University in St. Louis. "When I give talks I often ask the audience which one is more efficient. Invariably the audience votes overwhelmingly in favor of photosynthesis." They are wrong. This question and its surprising answer (below) is the point.. More...
Turning Waste Heat Into Electricity (ScienceMag)- May 4, 2011
Engineers have come up with a handful of uses for computer chip-like devices that chill objects when plugged in or convert waste heat into electrical power—stuff like car seats that cool drivers on hot days and coolers that chill drinks when plugged in. But by-and-large, these devices, known as thermoelectrics, have remained too inefficient to make much of a real-world impact... More...
Solar power, with a side of hot running water (PhysOrg)- May 3, 2011
MIT researchers and their collaborators have come up with an unusual, highly efficient and possibly less expensive way of turning the sun’s heat into electricity. Their system, described in a paper published online in the journal Nature Materials on May 1, produces power with an efficiency roughly eight times higher than ever previously reported for a solar thermoelectric device — one that produces electricity from solar heat... More...
Exelon-Constellation Deal Could Create 'Clean Energy' Giant (The New York Times)- April 29, 2011
Exelon Corp.'s $7.9 billion bid to buy Constellation Energy builds on a series of recent deals meant to create profitable electric power companies that burn less coal, use more natural gas and combine existing nuclear fleets. Early yesterday, Chicago-based Exelon and Baltimore-based Constellation proposed a merger that would combine the nation's largest operator of nuclear power plants with a large marketer of electricity along the East Coast... More...
World's Largest Solar Thermal Project Receives $2.1 Billion Federal Loan (GreenAnswers)- April 28, 2011
The Solar Trust of America is to be the recipient of a $2.1 billion loan from the US government, given in support of the construction of what will become the largest solar thermal power plant in the world. The funds will be used in the construction of the Blythe Solar Power Project, a joint venture between Solar Trust of America... More...
Report: Storage for spent nuclear fuel more crucial than ever (R&D Magazine)- April 27, 2011
The United States and other countries around the world looking to nuclear power for their energy needs must consider how spent fuel will be handled as they construct new plants and examine existing ones, especially in light of the recent crisis in Japan, according to a comprehensive study from MIT. The ongoing problems at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi powerplant—caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami—have been... More...
Nuclear Photonics: Gamma Rays Search for Concealed Nuclear Threats (ScienceDaily)- April 27, 2011
Gamma rays are the most energetic type of light wave and can penetrate through lead and other thick containers. A powerful new source of gamma rays will allow officials to search for hidden reactor fuel/nuclear bomb material. These gamma rays, called MEGa-rays (for mono-energetic gamma rays), are made by using a beam of fast-moving electrons to convert laser photons (light at a lesser energy) into the gamma ray part of the spectrum... More...
BrightSource Energy Files $250 Million IPO (TheEnergyCollective)- April 26, 2011
BrightSource Energy, Inc. a utility-scale solar developer, has filed a US$250 million initial public offering (IPO). The California-based solar thermal developer has several intriguing qualities; however, these are saddled along with a few areas of concern. BrightSource sports a significant list of powerful investors and partners including: Google, Inc., Chevron, Alstom, NRG Solar, Vantage Point Capital Partners, Morgan Stanley and Bechtel. All totaled, the company has raised US $530 million..... More...
Solar power goes viral: Modified virus improves solar-cell efficiency by one-third (PhysOrg)- April 25, 2011
Researchers at MIT have found a way to make significant improvements to the power-conversion efficiency of solar cells by enlisting the services of tiny viruses to perform detailed assembly work at the microscopic level. In a solar cell, sunlight hits a light-harvesting material, causing it to release electrons that can be harnessed to produce an electric current. The new MIT research... More...
Laser Sparks Revolution in Internal Combustion Engines (ScienceDaily)- April 21, 2011
For more than 150 years, spark plugs have powered internal combustion engines. Automakers are now one step closer to being able to replace this long-standing technology with laser igniters, which will enable cleaner, more efficient, and more economical vehicles. In the past, lasers strong enough to ignite an engine's air-fuel mixtures were too large to fit under an automobile's hood. At this year's Conference on Lasers and Electro Optics... More...
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Brodmann area 23
Brodmann area 23 (BA23) is a region in the brain corresponding to some portion of the posterior cingulate cortex. It lies between Brodmann area 30 and Brodmann area 31 and is located on the medial wall of the cingulate gyrus between the callosal sulcus and the cingulate sulcus.
2 Guenon
3 Macaque
4 Subdivisions
This area is knows as ventral posterior cingulate area 23. It is a subdivision of the cytoarchitecturally defined cingulate region of cerebral cortex. In the human it occupies most of the posterior cingulate gyrus adjacent to the corpus callosum. At the caudal extreme it is bounded approximately by the parieto-occipital sulcus. Cytoarchitecturally it is bounded dorsally by the dorsal posterior cingulate area 31, rostrally by the ventral anterior cingulate area 24, and ventrorostrally in its caudal half by the retrosplenial region (Brodmann-1909).
Guenon
Brodmann area 23 is a subdivision of the cerebral cortex of the guenon defined on the basis of cytoarchitecture. Brodmann regarded it as topographically and cytoarchitecturally homologous to the combined ventral posterior cingulate area 23 and dorsal posterior cingulate Brodmann area 31 of the human (Brodmann-1909). Distinctive Features (Brodmann-1905): the cortex is relatively thin; smaller cells predominate; the cell density of the multiform layer (VI) is great, producing a distinct boundary with the subcortical white matter; the internal granular layer (IV) is rather well developed; the internal pyramidal layer (V) contains a dense population of round, medium-sized ganglion cells concentrated at the border with layer IV; layers V and VI are narrow with a distinct mutual boundary.
In the macaque the researchers Bonin and Bailey describe an area they term LC which is in agreement with Brodmann area 23. The LC area
covers the posterior part of the cingulate gyrus and extends into the cingulate sulcus where, on the inferior wall, it is continuous with the frontal cortex FDL[1].
The area has been subdivided further: In the macaque (Macaca fascicularis) the following subdivisions have been suggested[2]:
23i (internal)
23e (external)
23v (ventral), the most caudalventral (inferior) portion and with most highly developed layer IV.
Another suggestion is for macaque (Macaca mulatta)[3]
23a, adjacent to the callosal sulcus thus closest to Brodmann area 30.
Further division of 23b is[4].
pv23b, posteroventral part for 23b, main thalamic projections from anterior nuclei.
d23b, dorsal part of 23b, weak connections from the anterior nuclei.
↑ Gerhardt von Bonin, Percival Bailey, The Neocortex of Macaca Mulatta, 1947.
↑ Y. Kobayashi, D. G. Amaral, Journal of Comparative Neurology, 426:339+
↑ Brent A. Vogt, D. N. Pandya, D. L. Rosene, " Cingulate cortex of the rhesus monkey: I. Cytoarchitecture and thalamic afferents", Journal of Comparative Neurology, 262(2):256-270.
↑ H. Shibata, M. Yukie, "Differential thalamic connections of the posteroventral and dorsal posterior cingulate gyrus in the monkey". European Journal of Neuroscience.
NeuroNames ancil-1057
Template:WOROI
Brodmann area
List of regions in the human brain
Brain: telencephalon (cerebrum, cerebral cortex, cerebral hemispheres)
Precentral gyrus (Primary motor cortex, 4)
Superior frontal gyrus/Frontal eye fields (6, 8, 9), Middle frontal gyrus (46), Inferior frontal gyrus/Broca's area (44-Pars opercularis, 45-Pars triangularis)
Orbitofrontal cortex (10, 11, 12, 47)
Prefrontal cortex, Premotor cortex
Precentral sulcus - Superior frontal sulcus - Inferior frontal sulcus - Olfactory sulcus
Parietal lobe
Somatosensory cortex (Primary (1, 2, 3, 43), Secondary (5)), Precuneus (7m) - Parietal operculum
Parietal lobules (Superior (7l), Inferior (40)), Angular gyrus (39)
Intraparietal sulcus, Marginal sulcus
Occipital lobe
Primary visual cortex (17), (Cuneus, Lingual gyrus, Lateral occipital gyrus (18, 19))
Calcarine fissure
Temporal lobe
Primary auditory cortex (41, 42), Superior temporal gyrus (38, 22/Wernicke's area), Middle temporal gyrus (21), Inferior temporal gyrus (20)
Fusiform gyrus (37) Medial temporal lobe (Amygdala, Parahippocampal gyrus (27, 28, 34, 35, 36)
Cingulate cortex/gyrus
Subgenual area (25), Anterior cingulate (24, 32, 33), Posterior cingulate (23, 31), Retrosplenial cortex (26, 29, 30)
Callosal sulcus
Interlobar sulci/fissures
lateral: Central (frontal+parietal), Lateral (frontal+parietal+temporal), Parietoöccipital
medial: Medial longitudinal, Cingulate (frontal+cingulate), Collateral (temporal+occipital)
White matter tracts
Commissural fibers - Association fibers
Internal capsule (Anterior limb, Genu, Posterior limb), Corona radiata, External capsule, Lamina terminalis, Extreme capsule, Semioval center
Olfactory tract, Terminal stria
Insular cortex
gray: Olfactory bulb, Anterior olfactory nucleus, Basal optic nucleus of Meynert, Substantia innominata, Anterior perforated substance
Corpus striatum - Limbic lobe
Some categorizations are approximations, and some Brodmann areas span gyri.
Retrieved from "https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php?title=Brodmann_area_23&oldid=176982"
Brodmann areas
This page was last edited 23:20, 17 October 2007 by Jacki Buros (bot). Based on work by Alexandra Almonacid and wikidoc anonymous user CmdrObot.
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WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION
Tokyu Corporation v. Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc. / Demand Domains, Inc.
Case No. D2008-1406
1. The Parties
The Complainant is Tokyu Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, represented by Abe, Ikubo & Katayama, Japan.
The Respondent is Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc. / Demand Domains, Inc. both of Bellevue, Washington, United States of America, internally represented.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name <maebashitokyuinn.com> is registered with eNom.
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on September 16, 2008. On September 16, 2008, the Center transmitted by email to eNom a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On September 16, 2008, eNom transmitted by email to the Center its verification response, disclosing registrant and contact information for the disputed domain name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on September 22, 2008, providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an amendment to the Complaint on September 24, 2008. In response to a notification by the Center that the Complaint was administratively deficient, the Complainant filed the Amended Complaint on September 27, 2008. The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amendment to the Complaint and the Amended Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced September 30, 2008. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response October 20, 2008. The Response was filed with the Center October 20, 2008.
The Center appointed Alistair Payne, Masato Dogauchi, and Paul M. DeCicco (the “Panel”) as panelists in this matter on November 17, 2008. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. Each member of the Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
Pursuant to the Rules, paragraph 15(b), the decision due date was extended to December 8, 2008.
4. Factual Background
The Complainant has trademark rights in a part of the disputed domain name. The domain name resolves to an unauthorized website which appears to conflict with the Complainant's rights. The Complainant's mark is effectively identical to a part of the disputed domain name. While not admitting to the several contentions made by the Complainant, the Respondent unequivocally agrees to the requested relief.
5. Parties' Contentions
A. Complainant
The Complainant contents as follows:
(1) The disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to trademarks and service marks in which the Complainant has rights.
The Tokyu Group is one of the leading enterprise groups in Japan, comprising 287 companies and 9 non-profit corporations (as of the end of March 2007), including 11 public limited companies (as of the end of March 2007). The history of the Tokyu Group started with the establishment in 1922. The Tokyu Group is engaged in a wide range of businesses such as (a) transportation, (b) real estate, (c) retail, (d) leisure and services, and (e) hotel/hospitality.
The hotel business is one of the main businesses that constitute the core of the business operated by the Tokyu Group. It operates its hotel business widely even in the global market. As such, it can be said that the Tokyu Group is one of the largest enterprise groups in the world.
The Complainant is in charge of registering and managing trademarks relating to the businesses of the group companies as a core company of the Tokyu Group. The Tokyu Group including the Complainant has continuously used marks such as “東急” (“Tokyu” written in Chinese character), “トーキュー / トウキュウ” (two different possible notations of “東急” in katakana, which is one of the systems of letters to express Japanese language), and “109”, as company names or business indications of the group companies, ever since the establishment of the Complainant in 1922, and has offered a wide variety of products and services using these marks. It can be easily understood that the trademarks “東急” and “TOKYU”, and the business indication “東急イン” (“Tokyu Inn” written in Chinese character and katakana)” are widely known to hotel users in Japan and overseas as marks indicating the Tokyu Group and the hotel business thereof.
The Respondent has registered the disputed domain name. The domain name is identical or confusingly similar to trademarks in which the Complainant has rights or legitimate interests. If the top level domain (“.com”) is eliminated from the domain name, the main part becomes “maebashitokyuinn”. The former part thereof “maebashi” is the name of a city “前橋” (“Maebashi” in Chinese letters) in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, and the latter part “tokyuinn” is the same as the name of “東急イン” (“Tokyu Inn” in Chinese character), one of the hotel brand names of the Complainant. Maebashi Tokyu Inn had been in business from April 1986 to July 31, 2006, for 20 years, in Maebashi City. If this hotel name “前橋東急イン” is written in Roman letters, it inevitably becomes identical to “maebashitokyuinn”. Although the Complainant does not hold a trademark right as for the character strings “maebashitokyuinn” or “tokyuinn”, it has a trademark registration for a mark including a character string “東急イン”, which is written in Roman letters as “tokyuinn” or “tokyuin”.
In the light of these facts, it can be said that the disputed domain name including a character string “tokyu” as its major part suggests that there is a capital or a business tie-up between the Respondent and the Tokyu Group, and thus it is confusingly similar to “TOKYU” or “東急” for customers.
(2) The Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name.
Considering the trademarks “TOKYU”, “東急”, and those including a character string “東急イン” in which the Complainant has rights, and the activities which the Complainant has performed from past to present in connection with these trademarks, as well as the high notability of these trademarks in Japan and in the world, it is impossible that the Respondent was not aware of the operation of “Maebashi Tokyu Inn” by the Tokyu Group and the Complainant's above trademarks when it attempted to obtain the disputed domain name, from rules of thumb.
The Complainant's trademark “東急” (“Tokyu” written in Chinese character), which is the main part of the name of the Tokyu Group, is a coined term created in 1942 along with the Complainant's name to “Tokyo Kyukou Dentetu Co., Ltd.” The term “Tokyu” is an abbreviation of “Tokyo Kyukou”. It is not such a common term that can be easily conceived or selected as a trademark or a domain name by people who do not know the Complaint's trademarks .
Further, a character string “東急イン” (“Tokyu inn” written in Chinese character and katakana) included in the Complainant's trademarks is a coined term created by combining the foregoing “東急” and the word “イン” (inn) which means accommodation, and thus it is not such a common term that can be easily conceived or selected by people who do not know the Complaint's trademarks either. Rather, these character strings have come to be known in Japan and in the world only by the Tokyu Group's adoption as its business indications or trademarks.
There has been no individual or organization other than the Tokyu Group that has conducted business activities or private activities using “maebashitokyuinn” or any names similar thereto, and at least, there is no fact that it is so recognized generally.
A website has been opened using the disputed domain name. This is a simple website with several items listed as links under the indication of “Welcome to <maebashitokyuinn.com>”. When “Maebashi Tokyuinn” is selected, a link to a website of another hotel located in Maebashi City is provided. In addition, when another item “Hotel” is selected, a website which relates to search and reservation of hotels in Japan and overseas is introduced. As such, the Respondent has created a simple website with several links provided therein, using the disputed domain name. Based on this fact only, it cannot be said that the use of such domain name by the Respondent is just and fair. It is clear from the above facts that the Respondent has the intention of gaining commercial profits by causing confusion for customers between the operations of the Tokyu Group and those of other companies. In addition, the Respondent has not publicly disclosed its name, address, and contact points in the WhoIs.
From the foregoing, the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name.
(3) The disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
Based on the facts stated above, it cannot be considered that the Respondent was not aware of the Complainant's trademarks and incidentally registered the disputed domain name independently of the Complainant. And, it is apparent from the website of the Respondent as stated above that the Respondent has the intention of causing confusion with respect to the source of the products or services in the foregoing website, as well as the sponsorship and capital or business tie-up with the Complainant and Tokyu Hotels Co., Ltd., and of gaining commercial profits, by using the disputed domain name. Therefore, it is clear that the Respondent has registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith.
In addition, in the same website, there are indications of “This domain may be for sale” and “Buy this Domain”. When the “Buy his Domain” is clicked, a page appears with description that “Make an offer on <maebashitokyuinn.com>. If you are interested in purchasing this domain, please fill in the following information” so that the visitors of this website can contact the Respondent. In the light of the content of such description inducing purchase of the disputed domain name for a fee, it is clear that the Respondent has registered and is using the domain name with the intention of selling it to the Tokyu Group or its competitors. Therefore, it is clear that the Respondent has registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith.
The Respondent imitated the Complainant's notable trademark recognizing that the disputed domain name is extremely similar thereto, and has registered and is using the disputed domain name with the dishonest purpose of taking a free ride of the Complainant's or the Tokyu Group's business honor and customer goodwill, or receiving payment from the Tokyu Group or its competitors.
Thus, the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
B. Respondent
The Respondent contends as follows:
The Respondent respectfully requests the Administrative Panel to grant the Respondent's request to simply transfer the disputed domain name to the Complainant.
The Respondent is the registrant of this domain name.
The Respondent has a policy against holding domains in derogation of legitimate rights holders. At the time the Respondent assumed ownership of the disputed domain name, it was unaware of the Complainant's purported rights in the disputed domain name. The Respondent was unaware of the Complainant's alleged trademarks until it received the current UDRP action filed by the Complainant.
The Complainant did not contact the Respondent regarding its concerns with the Respondent's registration of the disputed domain name. The Complainant filed the current UDRP action, instead. Had the Complainant contacted the Respondent prior to initiating this UDRP action, the Respondent would have willingly, and at no charge, transferred the disputed domain name to the Complainant.
On October 8, 2008, upon receiving the Complainant's Complaint, a representative for the Respondent contacted the representative of the Complainant and offered to simply transfer the disputed domain name to the Complainant. The Respondent did not receive a reply from the Complainant.
On October 10, 2008, the representative for the Respondent sent a follow up e-mail to the representative of the Complainant again offering to simply transfer the disputed domain name to the Complainant.
On October 13, 2008, the representative of the Complainant replied by e-mail, rejecting the Respondent's offer of immediate transfer of the disputed domain name.
On October 15, 2008, a corporate counsel for the Respondent sent an e-mail message to the representative for the Complainant, restating that the Respondent had no prior knowledge of the Complainant's alleged rights in the disputed domain name, that there was no bad faith intent, and asking that the Complainant reconsider the Respondent's offer of free and immediate transfer as a means to quickly and efficiently resolve the matter. The counsel for the Respondent did not receive a reply.
The Complainant asserts that the Respondent's use of a privacy protection service is evidence that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain name and/or that the domain name was registered in bad faith. Whois Privacy Protection Services, Inc. offers a service which allows the registrant of a domain name to conceal its identity for legitimate purposes. The Respondent does not conceal its identity for any illegitimate or bad faith purpose.
Throughout this dispute, the Respondent has acted with the utmost good faith responding promptly upon receipt of this action and offering immediate transfer of the disputed domain name. In light of the foregoing, the Respondent requests that the Panel dismiss the Complaint in as much as the Respondent has acted only in good faith. Upon dismissal, the Respondent agrees to immediate transfer of the disputed domain name to the Complainant. In the alternative, the Respondent respectfully requests that the Panel refrain from making any formal finding that the Respondent acted in “bad faith.” Rather, the Respondent respectfully requests that the Panel simply endorse the Respondent's offer to transfer the disputed domain name to the Complainant.
6. Discussion and Findings
Generally, a panel considers three factors in reaching its decision. First, whether the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; secondly, whether the Respondent has rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name, and; thirdly, whether or not the Respondent has registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith.
However, in the instant case, the Respondent unequivocally consents and agrees to the relief requested by the Complainant. In such cases, some panels have found that a respondent's consent to the requested relief obviates the need for analysis regarding the particular factors evidencing rights and interests and bad faith. See Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH v. Modern Limited - Cayman Web Development, NAF Claim No. FA0211000133625 (transferring the domain name registration where the respondent stipulated to the transfer); see also Malev Hungarian Airlines, Ltd. v. Vertical Axis Inc., NAF Claim No. FA0311000212653. (“In this case, the parties have both asked for the domain name to be transferred to the Complainant. . . . Since the requests of the parties in this case are identical, the Panel has no scope to do anything other than to recognize the common request, and it has no mandate to make findings of fact or of compliance (or not) with the Policy.”). Additionally, in such cases these panels have only considered whether or not the Complainant had rights in the mark claimed to be confusingly similar to the disputed domain name. See Citigroup Inc. v. Texas International Property Associates- NA NA, NAF Claim No. FA0806001210904.
Here, as in the cases cited above, the Respondent consents to the transfer of the disputed domain name. The Complainant has proffered adequate evidence to show that it has exclusive rights in the disputed domain name. The Complainant's widely known marks have been registered and are in use world-wide. The mark is identical in sight and sound to the core part of the second level disputed domain name. The balance thereof is the name of a city where one of the Complainant's hotels (the name of which was Maebashi Tokyu Inn) used to be located.
The Policy states:
“The remedies available to a complainant pursuant to any proceeding before an Administrative Panel shall be limited to requiring the cancellation of [the] domain name or the transfer of [the] domain name registration to the complainant.” Policy, paragraph 4(i) (emphasis added).
When a respondent consents to transfer, it may in the circumstances serve little purpose to expend the panel's and the parties' resources in an exercise which will have no impact on the ultimate outcome of the decision process. Indeed, in the majority's view, requiring a respondent that consents to the requested relief to substantively respond to a complaint or face a decision and adverse findings based on the aversions of the complainant, does not necessarily further the UDRP's interest in providing an expedited economical procedure for resolving domain name disputes.
Having found that the Complainant has rights in the at-issue mark, the majority does not see any basis warranting further substantive analysis into the paragraph 4(a) elements regarding rights or legitimate interests and bad faith. The majority considers that this Panel's first and foremost function is to determine whether or not the Complainant should, or should not, be granted the particular relief it requests. An important goal of the operative UDRP expedited procedure that guides a panel to its decision is judicial economy. That goal commands that the majority should proceed to its decision since the Respondent's consent to relief dissolves any prior dispute, if any, between the parties.
Said again, the very purpose of the UDRP is to expeditiously and economically resolve disputes between trademark holders and domain name registrants.
As mentioned above, a panel's only purpose in rendering substantive paragraph 4(a) findings is relegated to that end, and that end alone. Advisory opinions are not authorized by the Policy, Rules, or otherwise. Likewise, discussion of the elements of the case unnecessary to decide the case may in some circumstances be considered superfluous (e.g., unless a complainant specifically sought to have a record of a respondent's conduct).
The foregoing leads the majority to conclude then that the primary and sufficient basis for granting relief to the Complainant, where as here, the Respondent consents to such relief, is to agree to this course. The sufficiency of consent and the charge of judicial economy lead the majority to conclude, without more, that it is appropriate to grant the request to transfer under Rule 10.
7. Decision
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name <maebashitokyuinn.com> be transferred to the Complainant.
Alistair Payne
Presiding Panelist (Dissenting Panelist)
Masato Dogauchi
Paul M. DeCicco
Dated: December 8, 2008
I respectfully dissent from the approach taken by the majority in the present case that the Panel should simply endorse the Respondent's willingness to transfer the disputed domain name by directing a transfer without considering the merits.
The treatment of a unilateral consent to transfer was considered in The Cartoon Network LP, LLLP v. Mike Morgan, WIPO Case No. D2005-1132 where it was stated:
“A number of Panel decisions have considered the proper course where a respondent has unilaterally consented to transfer a disputed domain name to a complainant. There have been at least three courses proposed: (i) to grant the relief requested by the Complainant on the basis of the Respondent's consent without reviewing the facts supporting the claim. (see Williams-Sonoma, Inc. v. EZ-Port, WIPO Case No. D2000-0207; Slumberland France v. Chadia Acohuri, WIPO Case No. D2000-0195); (ii) to find that consent to transfer means that the three elements of paragraph 4(a) are deemed to be satisfied, and so transfer should be ordered on this basis (Qosina Corporation v. Qosmedix Group, WIPO Case No. D2003-0620; Desotec N.V. v. Jacobi Carbons AB, WIPO Case No. D2000-1398); and (iii) to proceed to consider whether on the evidence the three elements of paragraph 4(a) are satisfied because the Respondent's offer to transfer is not an admission of the Complainant's right (Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. v. Manageware, WIPO Case No. D2001-0796) or because there is some reason to doubt the genuineness of the Respondent's consent (Société Française du Radiotéléphone-SFR v. Karen, WIPO Case No. D2004-0386; Eurobet UK Limited v. Grand Slam Co, WIPO Case No. D2003-0745).
I find it appropriate in the circumstances to proceed to a decision. I believe that notwithstanding the Respondent's consent to transfer that the facts of the case are such as to warrant a finding being made. This is in line with previous panel decisions in Davis + Henderson, Limited Partnership v. Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc. / Demand Domains Inc, WIPO Case No. D2008-1162; Sassybax, L.L.C. v. Texas International Property Associates, WIPO Case No. D2007-1190; and Messe Frankfurt GmbH v. Texas International Property Associates, WIPO Case No. D2008-0375. If the purpose of the Policy is to counter abusive domain name registration and cybersquatting, then it seems that it is important in this kind of case to issue a decision on the merits, as otherwise, if found to be in breach of the Policy, a respondent will not be dissuaded from this kind of activity and in the event that that respondent engages in similar conduct in the future, then a future panel will not be able to decide the case in light of a full record of that respondent's past conduct.
A. Identical or Confusingly Similar
The Complainant provided substantial evidence of its rights in the marks TOKYU and TOKYU INN CHAIN, and it indeed appears that the Complainant enjoys a substantial reputation in its marks. Forming a domain name, such as the disputed domain name here, by including a city name (here Maebashi) to the Complainant's mark (here being “TOKYU”) is insufficient to dispel user confusion from inevitably occurring: PepsiCo, Inc. v. QWO, WIPO Case No. D2004-0865.
It is well established that the specific top level domain, in this case “.com”, is not an element of distinctiveness that can be taken into account when evaluating the identity and confusing similarity of the Complainant's trademark and the disputed domain name; Belo Corp. v. George Latimer, WIPO Case No. D2002-0329.
Therefore, the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant's mark under paragraph 4(a)(i). The Respondent does not dispute the Complainant's contentions in this respect.
B. Rights or Legitimate Interests
It is the Complainant's burden to prove that the Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests. Document Technologies, Inc. v. International Electronic Communications, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2000-0270. Because it is difficult to produce evidence to support a negative statement, the threshold for the Complainant to prove a lack of rights or legitimate interests is low. Once a prima facie case is shown, the burden of proof then shifts to the respondent who must demonstrate its rights or legitimate interests to the Panel.
In this case, I have found that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to a mark in which the Complainant has rights. There is no suggestion of the Respondent, or any business or organization operated by the Respondent, being commonly known by the disputed domain name, and the Respondent is not affiliated with the Complainant and has never been authorized by the Complainant to use the Complainant's trademarks. The Complainant has, therefore, fulfilled its obligations under paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy. The Respondent did not deny these assertions in its Response any way.
Accordingly, the Complainant has proven that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name under paragraph 4(a)(ii).
C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
The Respondent contends that it acted in good faith. In support of this argument, the Respondent contends that it did not have actual knowledge of the Complainant until notification of this dispute. The Respondent also contends that it sought to transfer the disputed domain name to the Complainant.
The Respondent has a history of registering domain names and then either not responding to administrative proceedings brought against it (Peek & Cloppenburg KG v. Whois Privacy Service, Inc. / Demand Domains, WIPO Case No. D2007-0019) or agreeing to the transfer of a disputed domain name in its response, although not actually achieving any such voluntary transfer prior to appointment of a Panel (Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores v. Whois Privacy Protection Service Inc., Demand Domains, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2007-0917).
The Respondent denies any actual knowledge of the Complainant and its mark when it acquired the disputed domain name. The Complainant in this case is widely known and as I have found, significant reputation attaches to its name and marks. The only conceivable purpose for the Respondent to have registered the disputed domain name was to benefit from the reputation of the Complainant's mark, by misdirecting Internet traffic to the Respondent's website in order to generate click through revenue. The use and exploitation of trademarks to obtain click through revenues from the diversion of Internet users has in many decisions been found to be use in bad faith under paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy: L'Oréal, Biotherm, Lancôme Parfums et Beauté & Cie v. Unasi, Inc, WIPO Case No. D2005-0623. This finding is supported by the fact that the Respondent uses the disputed domain name to provide links to direct competitors of the Complainant.
In any event, even if the Respondent did not have actual knowledge of the Complainant and its marks, the Respondent should have known of the Complainant's rights. A number of prior cases under the policy have found that a finding of bad faith may be made where a respondent should have been aware of a complainant and wilfully avoided finding out. It was held by the Panel in Grundfos A/S v. Texas International Property Associates, WIPO Case No. D2007-1448 that those who register domain names and particularly those who register domain names in large numbers are not allowed to simply turn a blind eye to the possibility that the names they are registering will infringe or violate the rights of trademark owners. That responsibility derives from paragraph 2 of the Policy, and in particular the words: “It is your responsibility to determine whether your domain name registration infringes or violates someone else's rights”. The three-member panel in mVisible Technologies, Inc. v. Navigation Catalyst Systems, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2007-1141 adopted an even stronger position on the obligations of professional domainers in the discharge of their obligations under paragraph 2 of the policy.
The Panel in that case said:
“Although there may be no obligation that a domain name registrant conduct trademark or search engine searches to determine whether a domain name may infringe trademark rights, a sophisticated domainer who regularly registers domain names for use as [pay-per-click] landing pages cannot be willfully blind to whether a particular domain name may violate trademark rights. In this context, a failure to conduct adequate searching may give rise to an inference of knowledge, . . . an even more thorough search would also include search engine searches to see what new websites may exist that use a name identical or confusingly similar to the domain name at issue even in the absence of a trademark application or registration. . . . Similarly, Yahoo! and Google offer highly effective search engines to determine the most relevant references on the Internet in response to a particular search term. Searching of this kind is particularly appropriate for companies that operate [pay-per-click] landing pages. . . . In this context, registrants that run [pay-per-click] landing page businesses cannot be willfully blind to whether the domain names they register are similar to trademarks and are pulling up [pay-per-click] advertising related to those trademark rights. . . . [I]t is reasonable to infer, based upon the circumstantial evidence available, that Respondent, a sophisticated party in the [pay-per-click] landing page business, must have been aware of the relevant trademark”.
Therefore, I am satisfied that the Respondent registered and has used the disputed domain name in bad faith under paragraph 4(b)(iv).
This finding of bad faith is further supported by the fact that the Respondent was ordered to transfer domain names to the respective complainant in at least four earlier proceedings where registration and use in bad faith were established. The Respondent, therefore, acted in a pattern of preventing owners of a trademark from reflecting their marks in a corresponding domain name under paragraph 4(b)(ii) of the Policy.
Consequently, the Respondent registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith, and the Complainant has satisfied the requirements of paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy. I, therefore, agree with the majority decision that the disputed domain name should be transferred to the Complainant, but not as an automatic consequence of consent and rather after a full consideration of the merits, as outlined above.
Presiding Panelist (Dissenting)
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Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
IP for Business
Well-known marks
Well-known trade and service marks enjoy in most countries protection against signs which are considered a reproduction, imitation or translation of that mark provided that they are likely to cause confusion in the relevant sector of the public. Well-known marks are usually protected, irrespective of whether they are registered or not, in respect of goods and services which are identical with, or similar to, those for which they have gained their reputation. In many countries, they are also, under certain conditions protected for dissimilar goods and services. It should be noted that, while there is no commonly agreed detailed definition of what constitutes a well-known mark, countries may take advantage of the WIPO Joint Recommendation Concerning Provisions on the Protection of Well-Known Marks [PDF].
Protection of Well-known Marks
Many countries protect unregistered well-known marks in accordance with their international obligations under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement). Consequently, not only big companies but also SMEs may have a good chance of establishing enough goodwill with customers so that their marks may be recognized as well-known marks and acquire protection without registration. It is, nevertheless, advisable to seek registration, taking into account that many countries provide for an extended protection of registered well-known marks against dilution (Art. 16.3 TRIPS), i.e., the reputation of the mark being weakened by the unauthorized use of that mark by others.
You should be aware of the fact that a number of trademark laws merely implement obligations under Article 16.3. of the TRIPS Agreement and protect well-known registered trademarks only under the following conditions:
that the goods and services for which the other mark is used or is seeking protection are not identical with or similar to the goods for which the well-known mark acquired its reputation
that the use of the other mark would indicate a connection between these goods and the owner of the well-known mark, and
that his interests are likely to be damaged by such use.
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Friday 13 Jan 2012 @ 15:23
Gluten advice for consumers
The Agency has produced a factsheet to help people who have an intolerance to gluten (a protein found in cereals) understand a new food labelling law, which came into force on 1 January 2012. Gluten intolerance is a serious illness that can result in damage to the digestive system so foods are not absorbed properly, which can lead to poor growth, anaemia and bone disease.
The new law has introduced rules on how food can be labelled with claims about gluten. The law covers all food on sale, whether it’s in a packet on a supermarket shelf, on a menu, in a restaurant, or at a deli counter.
Any business that makes claims about gluten content has to ensure this food is labelled accurately and clearly, and must stick to the defined strict low levels. This makes it easier for people with an intolerance to gluten (coeliacs) to be sure of what foods are safe for them.
The regulation
The new food labelling regulation means that food can be labelled as:
Gluten-free – Suitable for people with coeliac disease (these foods can have no more than 20 parts of gluten per million).
Very low gluten – Must contain no more than 100 parts of gluten per million, and must contain ingredients that have been specially processed to reduce their gluten content, so will be mostly found on specialist products. Coeliacs can eat small amounts of these foods but they should get advice from a dietitian or health professional about how often they can eat them.
The new rules mean the phrase ‘suitable for coeliacs’, can only be used alongside the terms ‘gluten-free’ or ‘very low gluten’ and can’t be used on its own.
The term ‘No gluten-containing ingredients’ may be used on food where gluten has not been intentionally added, but a small amount may be present from contact with other food. This phrase is not controlled by the law, and it cannot be guaranteed that this food is gluten-free. Some coeliacs may choose to eat small amounts occasionally, but should seek advice from a dietitian or health professional before they do.
The Agency has also provided a factsheet for caterers on how to provide information to customers on the new rules. This will assist caterers and those in the hospitality industry to understand the new descriptions.
Claims about gluten: a guide for caterers
(pdf 186KB)
Claims about gluten: consumer advice Find out more about rules on gluten-free labelling
Labelling of 'gluten free' foods
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John Legend attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
TV personality Padma Lakshmi attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Actor Mila Kunis attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Model Hailey Baldwin attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Prince Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images)
Recording artists Rhona Bennett, Terry Ellis, and Cindy Herron of musical group En Vogue attend the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Lil Pump attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Actor Alison Brie attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Kesha attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
DJ Khaled attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
TV personality Tyra Banks attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Christina Aguilera attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Zed attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Bebe Rexha attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Recording artist Maren Morris attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Recording artist Khalid attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Actor Alyson Stoner attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Actor Chrissy Metz attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
Actor Darren Criss attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images)
Singer/songwriter Demi Lovato attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images)
Recording artist Bhad Bhabie attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images)
Recording artist Chantel Jeffries attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images)
Recording artist Bonnie McKee attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images)
Host Kelly Clarkson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Boy Band BTS attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images
Recording artist Luis Fonsi (L) and model Agueda Lopez attend the 2018 Billboard Music Awards 2018 at the MGM Grand Resort International on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images
Recording artist Mason Ramsey attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Ne-Yo attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Actor Jenna Dewan attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Normani attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Julia Michaels attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Jesse McCartney (L) and Katie Peterson attend the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Recording artist Shawn Mendes attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
PHOTOS: Apollo mission patches
APOLLO-11
Stars arrive at the 2019 Tony Awards
PHOTOS: Virginia Beach shooting victims
PHOTOS: Tornadoes hit Dayton, Ohio
PHOTOS: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's son makes his first public appearance
PHOTOS: Taylor Swift, BTS, Khalid and more on red carpet at Billboard Awards
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Crews suspend search for small plane off Lake Michigan
FRANKFORT, Mich. (AP) — Authorities have suspended a search in northern Michigan for a small plane that was reported missing.
The Benzie County sheriff's office says the plane was reported missing Sunday night over Lake Michigan about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) west of Frankfort.
WPBN-TV reports the sheriff's office says two people were believed to be aboard the plane.
The U.S. Coast Guard was involved in the search and says Monday morning that a helicopter crew from Detroit searched without finding anything. The Coast Guard says a plane and boat crew both were searching Monday, and a Traverse City-based helicopter crew was scheduled to join the search.
According to a release, the Coast Guard, along with other agencies, searched throughout the night for the small plane and even into the morning. There was no debris found. The search was suspended shortly after noon on Monday.
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dan walsh
2015-11-21 - 2016-01-16, Paris
The Xippas Gallery is pleased to present the fifth solo show for Dan Walsh, a key figure in the New York art scene.
Following in the wake of Minimalism, Walsh’s artistic vocabulary centers on geometric abstraction. The starting point in each composition is a grid – this structural device enables the artist to organize the space within a painting and then transform it into a system of coordinates. On this plane, his patterns evolve following a precise system or algorithm. More or less visible, his applied protocol forms a rhythmic pattern in the composition, allowing the artist to explore infinite variations. Similar to these forms, the colors also gradually shift adhering to this same mathematical logic.
Moving between rigid systems and total freedom, this artistic process not only alludes to the numeric universe, but it also generates responsive and surprising artworks. Evolving like a mandala, the structure sometimes defies optics and creates an illusion of movement. The vibrating colors form a rhythm that renders the painting a space of tension, absorbing the spectator’s gaze. The position of the paintings furthers this experience: Walsh consciously places these artworks near the floor, so that the public “looks down on them – literally.” By transforming the painting into an object, the artist establishes a personal contact between the spectator and the artwork.
The six new works Walsh presents here form a coherent group. The canvases are made to function in pairs. With each diptych, the artist follows the same basic protocol. However, this algorithm develops differently in each canvas. This show acts as a confrontation between three binomials, each one embodying two variations on the same theme. The artist seems to suggest that in art, as in life, the same starting point can lead to an infinite number of destinations.
Dan Walsh was born in 1960 in Philadelphia. He works and lives in New York City. He studied at Philadelphia College of Art and Hunter College in New York City.
His work has been shown in numerous galleries and museums in Europe and the United States: Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA, MAMCO, Kunsthalle Bern, Kunstverein Museum, and Leverkusen, to name a few.
His artworks are part of many prestigious collections, including those at the MoMA, Jumex Collection (Mexico), Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University (USA), Fonds National d’Art Contemporain (France), and The Saatchi Gallery (United Kingdom).
In New York, he is represented by the Paula Cooper Gallery.
Related artist page: - Dan Walsh
Saturday 21/11 - Saturday 16/01, 2016
« denis savary
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BIO1: SOIL FORMATION, COMPOSITION, PROFILE AND COMPONENTS
This unit talks about soil its formation, composition, types among other things with illustrations and videos.
Soil is the collection of natural bodies on the earth’s surface, in places modified or even made by man of earthy materials, containing living matter and supporting or capable of supporting plants out-of-doors. Its upper limit is air or shallow water. At its margins it grades to deep water or to barren areas of rock or ice. Its lower limit to the not-soil beneath is perhaps the most difficult to define. Soil includes the horizons near the surface that differ from the underlying rock material as a result of interactions, through time, of climate, living organisms, parent materials, and relief. In the few places where it contains thin cemented horizons that are impermeable to roots, soil is as deep as the deepest horizon. More commonly soil grades from at its lower margin to hard rock or to earthy materials virtually devoid of roots, animals, or marks of other biological activity. The lower limit of soil, therefore, is normally the lower limit of biological activity, which generally coincides with the common rooting depth of native perennial plants. Yet in defining mapping units for detailed soil surveys, lower layers that influence the movement and content of water and air in the soil or the root zone must also be considered.
SOIL COMPOSITION
While a nearly infinite variety of substances may be found in soils, they are categorized into four basic components: minerals, organic matter, air and water. Most introductory soil textbooks describe the ideal soil (ideal for the growth of most plants) as being composed of 45% minerals, 25% water, 25% air, and 5% organic matter. In reality, these percentages of the four components vary tremendously. Soil air and water are found in the pore spaces between the solid soil particles.
The ratio of air-filled pore space to water-filled pore space often changes seasonally, weekly, and even daily, depending on water additions through precipitation, throughflow, groundwater discharge, and flooding. The volume of the pore space itself can be altered, one way or the other, by several processes. Organic matter content is usually much lower than 5% in South Carolina (typically 1% or less). Some wetland soils, however, have considerably more organic matter in them (greater than 50% of the solid portion of the soil in some cases).
A number of conceptual models of soil formation have been postulated over the years. The two that have been key in our basic understanding of soils and soil formation are those of Hans Jenny (1941) and Roy W. Simonson (1959).
Five factors of soil formation.
Jenny (1941) addressed the question of which environmental factors are responsible for the soils we have today. Recognizing these factors is extremely useful for field scientists when looking over a landscape and predicting the soil types that are found upon it. These factors include the following:
Parent Material – What was there before soil formation began?(Possibilities include mud deposited by a river, sand deposited by ocean, rock that weathers and breaks down, etc.);
Organisms – usually refers to vegetation and microorganisms, but includes the complete biological community;
Climate– on both large and small scales;
Relief, or landscape position;
How do these factors determine the types of soils found in the ACE Basin study area?
Parent Material
Parent materials in the ACE Basin study area were mostly deposited by the ocean or rivers and streams. In some cases these sediments were reworked by wind. The principle to remember is that fluids with higher energy (fast-moving and/or large waves) can hold larger particles than fluids with lower energy.
Muds high in silt and clay were deposited by slow-moving or still air and water, while the fluids that deposited sandy sediments were moving fast enough to retain suspended silts and clays. (Fluids, in this context, include both liquids and gases.) Sandy, non-alluvial soils in the ACE Basin study area were likely once beach and dune deposits. Finer textured soils were probably once marshes and other backwater areas that were protected from strong ocean waves and currents.
Soils of alluvial origin (flood plain soils) also vary in texture, from sands to clays. When a stream of water is concentrated through a small channel, its flow rate is more rapid than when the same amount of water on the same slope is spread out over a wider area. (This is the reason sluices were constructed for old water-powered mills.)
River water confined within the river’s banks moves at a higher velocity than when the river floods and its waters spread over the flood plain. When a river floods and overflows onto its flood plain, its velocity immediately decreases and it starts dropping its sediment load. The larger, heavier sand particles drop out first, near the banks.
In some cases, a natural sandy levee forms on either bank of the river. Finer and finer particles are dropped the farther out the floodwaters’ reach. Floodwaters often create ponds on the outer margins of flood plains. Clay-sized particles settle out in these areas.
The deposition of soil parent materials on flood plains is further complicated because the stream meanders back and forth. Sandy stream channel sediments may be buried by the finer sediments of ponded backwaters and oxbow lakes. Finer sediments in the flood plain may also be buried or eroded away by a meandering channel. All these scenarios result in differences in the soils that subsequently form on these sites.
Other important parent materials in the ACE Basin study area are those high in calcium carbonates. A plethora of marine organisms leaves some sort of calcareous remains that have a profound effect on soils that form in sediments that include these materials. The presence of calcium carbonate in soil drastically changes the soil chemistry, and thereby the chemical processes that occur, and the community of organisms that colonize the soil. Dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) is a well-known indicator species used by soil scientists to identify calcareous soils in the field, since this species requires soils with a near neutral to alkaline pH.
Organisms affect the type of organic matter that is added to the soil, the rate at which the organic matter is decomposed, the part of the soil to which the organic matter is added and translocated, and the types of chemical reactions that occur in the soil.
One of the most notable effects that soil organisms have on soils in the ACE Basin study area is on the amount of organic matter that is present. In wetland soils, SOM tends to build up because the anaerobic soil bacteria are less efficient than their aerobic cousins at decomposing it.
Climate affects soils by governing the rate at which chemical reactions can take place and the amount of percolating water that translocates materials from one part of the soil to another. The climate and its effects on soil change on a regional basis in areas of low relief like the ACE Basin study area and the rest of the Southeastern Coastal Plain.
Differences in soil types from one part of the Basin to another are not attributed to climatic change. The whole area has a warm, moist climate most of the year, which is conducive to relatively high chemical reaction rates responsible for chemical weathering and biological activity. This is all conducive to relatively rapid rates of soil formation.
Local relief is the environmental factor that has the greatest effect on the soils of the ACE Basin study area. Changes in elevation of only a few feet produce major changes on soil properties in this region, all attributable to the topography ‘s effect on soil water.
Simply stated, water runs downhill. When water drains from the soil on local topographic highs, it drains into the low areas on the landscape. Soils in low-lying areas are saturated closer to the surface for longer periods of time than soils on higher ground.
The organisms living on or in these wetter soils must have ways of adapting to the limited availability of soil air. Vegetation has hydrophytic characteristics, and soil bacteria are either anaerobes or facultative anaerobes.
On the other hand, organisms living on the topographic high points must be adapted to xeric conditions. Often, the origins of the landforms making up these topographic highs are old, sandy beach and dune ridges. Soils that form there drain quickly and retain very little water. These two different soil conditions affect both the soil chemistry and the amounts of organic matter added to the soil each year.
All pedogenic (soil forming) processes occur over time. Young soils show only minimal profile development—often only an A horizon overlying a C horizon. As the soil matures with time, additional subsurface horizons form.
The development of soil through time can be easily observed in the Southern Coastal Plain. The youngest landforms and soils are closest to the ocean gradually increasing in age inland. While the soils of the ACE Basin study area are all fairly young, this increase in soil development is still evident.
The original intent of Jenny’s factors of soil formation model was to develop a numerical equation that used information on each factor to determine the characteristics of the resultant soil. It is unlikely that this will come to pass. Obviously, these five factors are not always independent of each other. In addition, soil is a highly complex system that is only partly understood. However, Jenny’s model has proved invaluable to field soil scientists and landscape ecologists the world over.
Generalised Theory of Soil
Roy W. Simonson’s conceptual model of soil genesis takes a different approach. Instead of concentrating on the external factors that influence the type of soil that forms in a given location, he considers the pedogenic processes that occurred within the soil body.
First, he divides soil formation into two steps:
the accumulation of parent materials, and
the differentiation of horizons in the profile.Horizon differentiation is divided into four basic categories of changes:
additions,
removals,
transfers,
transformations.
Simonson (1959) uses the changes that organic matter undergoes in soil as an example. Organic matter is added to soils as plant and animal remains, often at the surface. The action of organisms removes some of this SOM as it decays, usually in gaseous forms that escape to the atmosphere. Some SOM may leach with percolating rainwater to deeper horizons. The processes of decay also transform the organic matter into different organic substances. Similar examples can be made with mineral substances.
Simonson (1959) further postulates that all the changes that occur in our many different soils occur in ALL soils, only at different rates. The rate of these changes is controlled by environmental factors, such as those outlined by Jenny (1941). The ultimate result of the pedogenic changes is the soil that exists today, and the differences among soils are due to the varying rates of all these processes.
Stages of Soil Formation.
All soil formation begins with the accumulation of parent material. The next step is the buildup of organic materials at the surface. Pioneer species (most often grasses and alga in this area) live and die, and organic matter begins to build up on the surface of the material and also beneath the surface in the rooting zone.
The A horizon starts to form once enough organic matter has been transformed by soil biota into humic materials. The humic materials coat the soil particles, coloring them brown and black. The formation of a recognizable A horizon takes decades or, in some cases, centuries.
The B horizon begins to form as dissolved and suspended materials are carried downward to greater depths with percolating rainwater. These materials include humic substances, suspended clays, salts, and metals, including iron and aluminum. It is likely that the largely insoluble iron and aluminum cations and oxides move in complex with dissolved organic material (chelation), and also in complex with suspended clay minerals.
The A horizon continues to increase in thickness, and the B horizon continues to develop. The A horizon will increase in thickness and SOM content, until it reaches a steady state in which the rate of fresh organic matter additions equals the losses by decay, illuviation, and erosion. This steady state is affected by certain environmental changes, including climatic change and vegetational succession (or cultivation). The B horizon will continue to receive illuviated material as it is formed in the A horizon, or sometimes as it is deposited on the surface (especially wind-blown clays).
The E horizon forms as the top of B horizon moves deeper into the soil. In some forested areas, such as the Southeast region of the United States, the movement of illuvial materials occurs at a faster rate than the illuvial materials are formed (largely clays and organic matter). This results in a “gap” between the A horizon and the B horizon. The E horizon is usually the same texture as the A horizon, and the soil particles are largely stripped of staining agents, such as organic matter and metal oxides. These materials have elluviated from the E into the B horizon.
Minerals continue to weather. Clays in B horizon weather to less active minerals (kaolinite).
“Bases” are leached from soil. Certain cations are referred to as acids or bases in soil science, even though they do not fit any chemical definition of the term. The acidic cations, including aluminum and iron cations, are so called because their presence in the soil tends to decrease pH. (The reactions responsible for this will not be explained here.) The presence of the basic cations in large amounts usually coincides with neutral to high pH soil systems. These bases are often plant macro-nutrients, like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The loss of basic cations results in low fertility soils.
Silicate clay minerals completely break down into iron and aluminum oxides. Soil is extremely infertile. This occurs in tropical climates. While some of these metal oxide clays exist in South Carolina soils, they do not dominate.
SOIL PROFILE
The soil profile is one of the most important concepts in soil science. It is a key to understanding the processes that have taken in soil development and is the means of determining the types of soil that occur and is the basis for their classification. The soil profile is defined as a vertical section of the soil from the ground surface downwards to where the soil meets the underlying rock. The soil profile can be as little as 10 cm thick in immature soils and as deep as several metres in tropical areas where the climate is conducive to rapid alteration of the underlying rock to form soil. In temperate areas, the soil profile is often around a metre deep and in arid areas somewhat shallower than this.
Virtually all soil profiles are composed of a number of distinctive layers, termed horizons, interpretation of which is the key to understanding how the soil has formed. Most soils will have three or more horizons. Soils that have not been cultivated will normally have L, F and H layers at the surface. These layers largely represent different degrees of decomposition of organic matter, the L layer representing the litter layer formed of recognisable plant and soil animal remains, the F layer below, the fermentation layer, usually consisting of a mixture of organic matter in different stages of decomposition, and the H layer, the humose layer, consisting largely of humified material with little or no plant structure visible. Below these, and in cultivated soils occupying the surface layer, is the A horizon composed of a more or less intimate mixture of mineral and organic matter.
The A horizon is often referred to as the ‘ploughed layer’ in cultivated soils. It is an important part of the soil because it is a source of plant nutrients and contains the majority of plant roots. The A horizon may lie directly on the B horizon or, in well developed soils, there may be an intermediate leached horizon, termed E or A2, depending on the nomenclature system used. The E/A2 horizon is usually paler in colour than the horizons above and below because it is a horizon that has been subject to leaching and loss of components compared to the A and B horizons.
The B horizon is the horizon most widely used to identify soil types. Its morphology is important in supporting the classification of soils. In some soils the B horizon results purely from the weathering of the underlying rock whereas in other soils this weathering is supplemented by the translocation of materials from overlying horizons. Thus the B horizon needs to be inspected carefully in order to understand the genesis of the soils. B horizons may have a number of different subscripts indicative of the nature of the materials that have moved into the horizon, e.g. Bh indicates the translocation of humus into the horizon, Bs, the translocation of sesquioxides. These subscripts will vary according to the nature of the soil component that has accumulated but also with the system of nomenclature of soil types.
Below the B horizon is the C horizon. This latter horizon is often consistent with the parent material and may have been little altered from the material in which the soil originally formed.
Most soils have A, B and C horizons. Some, generally weakly developed, soils may have A horizons lying directly on C horizons. When next you see a profile down through the soil, perhaps in an excavated pit or in a roadside cutting, take time to look at the profile and see if you can identify some of the different soil layers that make up the profile.
Soils vary enormously in characteristics, but the size of the particles that make up a soil defines its gardening characteristics:
Clay: less than 0.002mm
Silt: 0.002-0.05mm
Sand: 0.05-2mm
Stones: bigger than 2mm in size
Chalky soils also contain calcium carbonate or lime
The dominating particle size gives soil its characteristics and because the tiny clay particles have a huge surface area for a given volume of clay they dominate the other particles:
Clay soils have over 25 percent clay. Also known as heavy soils, these are potentially fertile as they hold nutrients bound to the clay minerals in the soil. But they also hold a high proportion of water due to the capillary attraction of the tiny spaces between the numerous clay particles. They drain slowly and take longer to warm up in spring than sandy soils. Clay soils are easily compacted when trodden on while wet and they bake hard in summer, often cracking noticeably. These soils often test the gardener to the limits, but when managed properly with cultivation and plant choice, can be very rewarding to work with
Sandy soils have high proportion of sand and little clay. Also known as light soils, these soils drain quickly after rain or watering, are easy to cultivate and work. They warm up more quickly in spring than clay soils. But on the downside, they dry out quickly and are low in plant nutrients, which are quickly washed out by rain. Sandy soils are often very acidic
Silt soils, comprised mainly of intermediate sized particles, are fertile, fairly well drained and hold more moisture than sandy soils, but are easily compacted
Loams are comprised of a mixture of clay, sand and silt that avoid the extremes of clay or sandy soils and are fertile, well-drained and easily worked. They can be clay-loam or sandy-loam depending on their predominant composition and cultivation characteristics
Peat soils are mainly organic matter and are usually very fertile and hold much moisture. They are seldom found in gardens
Chalky or lime-rich soils may be light or heavy but are largely made up of calcium carbonate and are very alkaline
Where building or landscaping has mixed up different soils, it can be very difficult to tell what type of soil you have, and it may change markedly over a short distance.
http://prezi.com/mzru6hyvvqom/soil-formation-composition-and-classification/
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-formation-and-composition-of-soil-definition-and-factors.html#lesson
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=179
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Relationship Has Reportedly "Improved Tremendously"
InStyle April 15, 2019
Though their divorce proceedings exposed a Maleficent-level chill between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (see: bifurcation drama), tensions appear to have lessened.
The former couple, who were recently granted single status after nearly three years of informal separation, “have come a long way,” a source tells Entertainment Tonight.
“To the surprise of many of their closest friends, their communication has improved tremendously and they're both dedicated to co-parenting,” the insider explained.
Ironing out a custody agreement for their six children (Maddox, 17, Pax, 15, Zahara, 14, Shiloh, 12, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 10) appears to have played a big role in their newfound amity.
“Their kids have a custody schedule and that's made a huge difference for the whole family,” the source continued. “The schedule has alleviated any of the planning pressures Brad and Angelina have faced in the past. Now the kids spend time with both their parents and are happy and thriving.”
Despite the “very hard feelings” that permeated their early negotiations, their relationship is now "the best it's been since their split."
“While they don't agree about everything, they rarely argue now," the source added. "Brad and Angelina are now at a point where they can discuss their children's plans calmly."
With the divorce drama behind them, both parties are focused on their own endeavors. Jolie has reportedly “moved forward and thrown herself into her work and children.” The Academy Award winner has several projects on the horizon, including a rumored role in Marvel’s The Eternals. “She's working on some big movies and is very driven when it comes to her career, so she's in a good place," the source confirmed.
RELATED: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Are Officially Single
Pitt, whose romantic life has been the subject of much speculation in the past couple years, is in fact dating, but “he's a free spirit when it comes to dating. He is enjoying himself, nothing serious." He, too, has some major projects in development, including Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Legal battles may come and go, but Brangelina is forever.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
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Yoga4Change: A Kripalu Alumni Creates Transformation in Her Community
As someone who has personally struggled with PTSD and ADHD, Kripalu Yoga teacher Chaucey Perreault understands that trauma comes in many shapes and forms. Yoga4Change, her not-for-profit based in Meriden, Connecticut, takes that into consideration when teaching to a wide range of populations, including preschoolers, elementary school children, urban teens, adolescents healing from addiction and mental-health disorders, low-income seniors, low-income families and Spanish-speakers.
“There’s a documented higher incidence of trauma among low-income communities,” Chaucey says. “There’s the trauma most of us think of in the form of traumatic experiences, but there’s also the low-level trauma of living in impoverished communities with the daily struggles of keeping a roof over the family’s head and worrying about neighborhood crime. And we have to acknowledge the cumulative, daily trauma of being treated poorly by the systems you seek help from simply because of the color of your skin, your socioeconomic status, or the language you speak. This more insidious trauma affects our sense of trust in others and the way we interact. It’s important for teachers to be aware of this and incorporate trauma sensitive and culturally sensitive strategies into their instruction.”
For Chaucey, “Yoga was about finding trust in myself. I had a successful career and family for decades, but I often felt like I was putting on a front. My inner world didn’t match my outer world, and it left me unable to trust myself and my own intuition.” She first came to Kripalu in 2011, at a low point in her life: She’d recently lost her job as a special education teacher, a member of her family, and her marriage had collapsed. This series of unfortunate events triggered her unresolved PTSD. “I was definitely in ‘pick up the pieces’ mode when I found Kripalu,” she says. “I came for an R&R Retreat and wandered into a workshop on grief and loss, and the teacher led the group in yoga nidra. I thought, this is yoga.” Within a year, she was enrolled in Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training. “I realized how important yoga was for me, and I knew teaching would keep it front and center in my life,” she says.
Chaucey founded Yoga4Change in 2013, offering classes for low-income families in her home. Parents did yoga in the living room, while free childcare was provided in the family room. Soon parents began asking for yoga for the children as well. “It became clear very quickly that we were going to need more space,” she says. She found an established nonprofit, Meriden’s Women and Families Center, to partner with her fledgling organization, and began offering expanded programming. In its first year, Yoga 4 Change served 420 people; this spring, it served nearly that number each week. Chaucey and her staff of five teachers offer classes and one-on-one sessions for students ranging in age from 3 to 93 at partner-agency locations throughout Connecticut.
In 2016, Chaucey—a self-described “curriculum nerd”—attended Kripalu Yoga in the Schools Teacher Training, and she has already begun to incorporate the tenets into her teaching. “It’s amazing to have a structured, evidence-based curriculum in which each module builds on the one before. By the end, students are learning to foster compassion for self and others and implement their new yoga strategies off the mat in real life. This is empowerment at its best, and they are having fun as they achieve class objectives,” she says.
Yoga4Change has a diverse funding stream including: several grants (including a 2014 Teaching for Diversity grant from Kripalu), private contributions, and fee-for-service partnerships with schools, senior centers, mental health facilities, City governments, and other organizations. Chaucey is the “chief cook and bottle washer – overseeing everything from washing yoga mats to developing board leadership,” she says.
Her goal—whether she’s working with preschoolers or seniors—is to facilitate individual empowerment by helping each participant learn what strategies serve them best as they navigate the challenges of meaningful change. “For some of our adults, yoga class might be the only time they feel in sync with others in an unwelcoming world,” she says. For kids, Yoga4Change classes teach parameters around personal space and safe touch, while offering positive reinforcement as they learn new stress management and self-regulation skills.
“You don’t always know what someone else needs, but you can always provide a safe, supportive space for people to show up as they are,” Chaucey says. “Sometimes, all you can impart in 10 weeks is a sense of hopefulness and the knowledge that it is possible to have an experience of calm and connection with yourself.” Imagine a world full of people like that.
© Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. All rights reserved.
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‘A floodier future’: Scientists say records will be broken in U.S. this year
Flooding turns staircase into waterfall in Louisiana
By WAYNE PARRY | July 10, 2019 at 12:09 PM CDT - Updated July 10 at 12:29 PM
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The federal government is warning Americans to brace for a “floodier” future.
Government scientists predict 40 places in the U.S. will experience higher than normal rates of so-called sunny day flooding this year because of rising sea levels and an abnormal El Nino weather system.
A report released Wednesday by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that sunny day flooding, also known as tidal flooding, will continue to increase.
(With correct link) Just in: U.S. ties record for number of #HighTide #flooding days in 2018 -- with more to come in 2019 thanks to El Nino & sea-level rise. https://t.co/oNKygIt76Q @noaaocean pic.twitter.com/z1AhAYOLQ2
— NOAA (@NOAA) July 10, 2019
"The future is already here, a floodier future," said William Sweet, a NOAA oceanographer and lead author of the study.
This comes as coastal Louisiana, including New Orleans, is experiencing flooding ahead of an expected tropical cyclone.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards intends to declare a statewide disaster as a “considerable” amount of water could over-top levees that hold back the Mississippi River in the New Orleans area, WVUE reported.
The report predicted that annual flood records will be broken again next year and for years and decades to come from sea-level rise.
"Flooding that decades ago usually happened only during a powerful or localized storm can now happen when a steady breeze or a change in coastal current overlaps with a high tide," it read.
The nationwide average frequency of sunny day flooding in 2018 was five days a year, tying a record set in 2015.
But the East Coast averaged twice as much flooding.
The agency says the level of sunny day flooding in the U.S. has doubled since 2000.
Nationwide, the agency predicted, average sunny day flooding could reach 7 to 15 days a year by 2030, and 25 to 75 days a year by 2050.
"We cannot wait to act," said Nicole LeBoeuf, acting director of NOAA's Ocean Service. "This issue gets more urgent and complicated with every passing day."
Global sea levels are rising at a rate of about 3 millimeters a year, or about an inch every eight years, according to Rutgers University researchers, who predict that by 2050, seas off New Jersey will rise by an additional 1.4 feet (0.4 meters).
The study noted floods interfering with traffic in northeast states, swamping septic systems in Florida and choking Delaware and Maryland coastal farms with saltwater over the past year.
Baltimore experienced 12 days of high-tide flooding from 1902 to 1936. Within the last 12 months, it experienced an additional 12 days.
Robert Kopp, a leading climate scientist with Rutgers University, who was not involved in the study, said it confirmed many well-established trends.
"It's simple arithmetic: If you have higher sea level, you will have tides causing flooding," he said. "We're not talking about disaster flooding. We're talking about repetitive flooding that disrupts people's lives on a daily basis. It's sometimes called 'nuisance flooding,' but it has real impacts and costs."
The report cited the disruption of commerce in downtown Annapolis, Maryland, where parking spaces are lost to flooding. A 2017 study put the price tag on lost economic activity at as much as $172,000. The water table has risen to ground level and degraded septic systems in the Miami region, and farmlands in the Delmarva Peninsula in Delaware and Maryland have been damaged by salt water encroaching into planted areas.
High-tide flooding is causing problems including beach erosion, overwhelmed sewer and drinking water systems, closed roadways, disrupted harbor operations, degraded infrastructure and reduced property values — problems which "are nearly certain to get much worse this century," the report read.
The report's statistics cover May 2018 through April 2019.
The agency forecasts sunny-day flooding this year in Boston at 12 to 19 days (it had 19 last year). It predicted sunny-day flooding this year in New York (8 to 13 days, compared with 12 last year); Norfolk, Virginia (10 to 15 days; compared to 10 days last year); Charleston, South Carolina (4 to 7 days, compared to 5 last year); Pensacola, Florida (2 to 5 days compared with 4 last year); Sabine Pass, Texas (6 to 13 days compared with 8 last year) and Eagle Point, Texas (29 to 40 days, compared to 27 last year).
West coast predictions included San Diego (5 to 9 days compared to 8 last year); Los Angeles (1 to 4 days compared to 5 last year); Humboldt Bay, California (6 to 12 days compared to 12 last year); Toke Point, Washington (9 to 21 days compared to 12 last year) and 2 to 6 days in Seattle, compared to 2 last year.
The report documented that 12 locations broke or ties their record of sunny day flooding last year, including 22 in Washington, D.C., 14 in Wilmington, North Carolina; and 12 each in Baltimore and Annapolis.
Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC
Copyright 2019 Associated Press. All rights reserved. Gray Telev
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Mobile Technology Helping Cyclone Evan Recovery in Samoa
Farmers purchase materials and equipment using grants delivered through electronic vouchers and mobile technology.
Samoa is still recovering from Cyclone Evan, which hit the country in December 2012.
In addition to short-term relief, the World Bank is investing in electronic vouchers with mobile phone technology that will deliver long-term recovery benefits.
The e-vouchers will be used by nearly 7,400 farmers and fishermen to help boost income and agriculture production.
Apia, Samoa, December 11, 2014 – It has been nearly two years since tropical Cyclone Evan slammed into the Pacific Island nation of Samoa to devastating effect. During Evan’s peak, heavy rain and winds of up to 170 kilometers (105 miles) per hour caused storm surges and four meter (13 feet) high waves.
According to a post-disaster needs assessment completed by the World Bank shortly following the cyclone, the country’s agriculture sector was hardest hit. More than 7,000 families on the island of Upolu lost crops, livestock, and farming equipment, and many communities continue to be affected by the loss of income.
Life after Cyclone Evan
Leituala Afa is a vegetable farmer in village of Nuusuatia in one of the worst affected areas. He says that the biggest need in the community is reconstruction – materials like fencing remain a considerable expense for most households. Other people are rebuilding in safer locations away from the river.
“When the cyclone struck, the whole area went under water,” he says, “The storm destroyed fields and farms. Trees came down and ruined shelters. Most of the water pipelines were broken.”
“The access road was knee-deep in water, taro was scattered on the ground, and bananas were thrown out to the sea. Today, people have started to recover but not to where they were before. They still need to rebuild,” he adds.
Earlier in 2014, a small-scale pilot project tested an innovative e-voucher program which provided grants to 400 households in five villages on the island of Upolu. These funds enable farmers like Leituala to rebuild damaged livestock shelters, restore fencing, purchase planting materials, and invest in new equipment and tools.
Relief through Technology
Supported by Digicel Samoa, the unique e-voucher payment system piloted by the government makes use of simple mobile phone technology to provide vouchers to affected families.
The system works by transferring funds to mobile phones that have been given a specialized chip. A tailored system then allows purchase of more than 5,000 pre-approved “whitelisted” items from designated vendors. Items authorized for sale from hardware and specialist stores include farming and fishing equipment and building materials.
It’s the first time that this type of technology has been used in the Pacific and its appeal is undeniable. The potential for misuse is reduced by linking whitelists to point-of-sale systems. Paperwork is minimized and electronic databases facilitate reliable monitoring and evaluation.
“The technology is absolutely cutting-edge yet simple to use,” says Francis Thomsen, Chief Operating Officer at Digicel Samoa. “Mobile Money or Mobile Wallet technology is considered a key innovation for broadening access to financial services for the most remote and rural communities. The solution can also ensure that those in need of assistance receive monetary aid within minutes.”
" The solution can also ensure that those in need of assistance receive monetary aid within minutes. "
Francis Thomsen
Chief Operating Officer at Digicel Samoa
Technology for the Future
The initiative builds on earlier World Bank assistance in Samoa aimed at delivering short term disaster relief through budget support, by focusing on longer term recovery.
Developers say that the new system could enable targeted payments across the Pacific, where access to mobile phones has recently escalated to reach more than two million people. Additionally, the technology could be used not only for rapid disaster response, but also for social or other insurance, or services delivery.
Building on the success of the pilot program, the project is rolling out the e-voucher system to a total of nearly 7,400 farmers and fishermen, many of whom will have received funds by the end of this year. This will provide a significant boost to agriculture production and subsequent incomes, helping Samoa to build a more resilient agricultural sector for the future.
Project: Samoa Agriculture & Fisheries Cyclone Response Project
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‘Mutual respect’ needed to combat radicalisation in Indonesia
November 10, 2017 By World Watch Monitor Indonesia Catholics, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Religious freedom, Sumatra
The altar at the Stasi Kinali Catholic Church, West-Sumatra, which was attacked in May 2014. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)
Religious leaders should be more involved in creating an inclusive and pluralistic Indonesia and “leave the ‘comfort zone’” of their community, Catholic bishops were told at a conference this week.
What the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation needs from its religious leaders now “is greater commitment to get involved more intensively since our social conditions are not as peaceful as commonly perceived and expected”, Allisa Wahid of the GusDurian interfaith group told the conference, as AsiaNews reports.
The youngest daughter of the former president and advocate of interfaith dialogue in Indonesia, the late Abdurrahman ‘Gus Dur’ Wahid, warned against “religious exclusivism”, especially ahead of the 2018 regional elections and 2019 presidential elections in Indonesia.
Fr. Felix Supranto, who has been involved in interfaith meetings in Islamic schools, suggested that the inward-looking attitude of the Catholic community might have contributed to growing radicalism in Indonesia.
He called Catholics “to leave the ‘comfort zone’ of one’s community” to meet “the other” and “generate a sense of mutual respect and brotherhood”. In this way non-Catholic communities will recognise their “distorted views” and will be able to adjust their negative perceptions, the priest said.
Countering extremism
These comments came during the week that a “milestone” ruling by Indonesia’s High Court decreed that all religious groups should be treated equally before the law, and that failing to do so would be “unconstitutional”.
Indonesia, long celebrated for its religious tolerance, has seen an increase in radicalisation among Muslim youth, which was highlighted during the blasphemy trial of Jakarta’s former governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”), a Christian and ethnic Chinese, earlier this year.
He was charged with blasphemy in September 2016 after accusing his political opponents of using Qur’anic verses to stop Muslims from voting for him in his bid for re-election. Extremist Islamic movements used his trial to organise mass protest marches.
After Ahok was jailed for two years, the UN called on the Indonesian government to repeal its blasphemy laws, which, the UN said, “undermined” religious freedom.
A report into religious freedom in Indonesia, published in August, found that religious minorities were fearful that their country’s reputation as a “tolerant Muslim-majority nation” was being undermined by radical Islam’s growing influence on politics and society.
There have also been ongoing concerns about a number of churches being closed in Indonesia.
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30 Laws in 30 Days - 2017 - 30 Laws in 30 Days: More opportunities to register to vote at the BMV - 13 WTHR Indianapolis - 30 Laws in 30 Days - 2017
30 Laws in 30 Days: More opportunities to register to vote at the BMV
30 Laws in 30 Days: More opportunities to register to vote at the BMV | 13 WTHR Indianapolis
Voters gathered outside the Grace United Methodist Church, a polling place in Franklin, in 2014. (TheStatehouseFile.com Photo/Jesse Wilson)
Abrahm Hurt
Published: Jun 16th, 2017 - 8:00am (EDT)
Updated: Jun 20th, 2017 - 11:19am (EDT)
INDIANAPOLIS (Statehouse File) — Rep. Clyde Kersey, D-Terre Haute, argues Indiana has a problem with voter turnout.
For the 2014 midterm election, Indiana had the lowest voter turnout in the nation - or among the lowest voter turnout in the nation, depending on how you look at the numbers.
“I think that’s atrocious,” Kersey said.
While turnout for the 2016 General Election was at 58 percent according to numbers from the Indiana Election Division, Kersey still thinks that number can be increased.
In hopes of improving voter turnout and making voter registration more accessible, Kersey authored House Enrolled Act 1178. Beginning in 2018, the new law allows license branch employees to ask people making any type of transaction at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles if they would like to register to vote.
Current Indiana law only calls for license branches to offer a voter registration application whenever someone applies for a driver’s license, permit or identification card. Sarah Bonick, director of internal communications at the Indiana BMV, said those transactions only occur in-person every six to 12 years.
“House Enrolled Act 1178 will allow the BMV to provide applications to those who want them much more frequently,” Bonick said. “The BMV is happy to assist in such an endeavor.”
If BMV customers decide to register to vote, the branch worker can provide them with information and the proper forms.
“Each year, I talk to people who come up to me and say, ‘Well, I would have like to have voted for you, but I went to the place to vote, and they told me I wasn’t registered to vote. How do I register to vote?’” Kersey said.
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For Kersey, this law is simply a starting point. His goal is to get as many people as possible to register to vote.
“We should be actively talking about being able to register to vote on Election Day and voting by mail and having automatic voter registration,” he said.
This article is one in a series of stories produced by our partners at TheStatehouseFile.com – a news service powered by Franklin College – about new laws about to take effect, most of them on July 1.
30 Laws in 30 Days - 2017
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History of Hilton Head Island’s St. Patrick’s Day parade
History of Hilton Head Island's St. Patrick's Day parade
By WTOC Staff | March 14, 2016 at 1:47 AM EDT - Updated February 13 at 5:54 AM
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (WTOC) - With the thousands of spectators and dozens of floats today, it's hard to imagine that the Hilton head Island St. Patrick's Day Parade wasn't nothing more than a whimsical idea more than 30 years ago. Now that small community event has turned into a regional celebration.
Thousands of people screamed, waved and cheered as of the floats cruised down Pope Avenue. But 33 years ago, the festive scene was a little different.
"We decided to start a parade on a rainy Sunday morning," said parade founder Tom Reilley "We had about 30 people in the parade we almost got arrested. The radio stations picked up on it and the rest is history."
Reilley used a little Irish luck to get the parade going and since that very first year, local businesses are getting their share of the pot of gold.
"St. Patrick's Day is our biggest day of the year. The parade is our second busiest day of the year."
Even Reilley's son Brendan is amazed at the growth of the parade.
"For me growing up, when it started we used to ride the floats, throw candy," Brendan said. "There was a couple hundred people out there. Now you got thirty-something thousand, so it's quite a big difference."
It just goes to show that with a little motivation, anything is possible.
"He said to me, 'Tom, there is no saint Patrick's day parade on Hilton head,'" Tom said. "He said 'If you start one, you'll never believe how far it will go.' And I didn't believe him, but I believe him now."
There were 120 entries this year including the dozens of floats, personal luxury vehicles and several people walking with their furry companions.
WTOC Birthday Club Rules and Conditions
Enter the WTOC Birthday Club for a chance to have your child's birthday announced on-air
It’s Global Smurfs Day!
Celebrate Smurfs Day on June 25!
Part of S.B. Veterans Parkway closed following crash
Published June 17, 2019 at 7:25 PM
Godley Station Dental in Pooler holding annual free day of dentistry event
Father’s Day Photo Contest Rules
Published May 24, 2019 at 12:48 PM
The Return of Measles
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13 February 2011, 19:00 CET
Twisted Light Can Reveal Spinning Black Holes and Plasma Clouds in Space
Image: Fabrizio Tamburini (University of Padua, Italy)
An international team of physicists have proposed a technique that could enable the detection of spinning black holes. The large mass of these as-yet unidentified objects makes space and time swirl around. The technique, published in the February 13 issue of the renowned journal Nature Physics, uses the fact that photons from radiation sources very near the black-hole event horizon act as tiny gyroscopes that sense this swirling space-time. As a result the emitted electromagnetic radiation, from radio to X-ray and gamma, is imprinted with orbital angular momentum (OAM) that can be observed with the best telescopes if set up properly. By observing at different wavelengths, possible intervening plasma clouds may be mapped out.
OAM is one of many properties that are carried by all types of electromagnetic radiation, including radio and light, that exist in nature. It is a kind of twist that causes the beam of radiation to spiral around its axis in a vortex like a tornado. Just as there is light of different colours, there is light of different twists. It is only that these twists have gone mostly unnoticed by astronomers and space physicists until now.
In the Nature Physics article, Fabrizio Tamburini (University of Padua, Italy), Bo Thidé (Swedish Institute of Space Physics), Gabriel Molina-Terriza (Macquarie University, Australia), and Gabriele Anzolin (Institute of Photonic Sciences, Parc Mediterrani de la Tecnologia, Barcelona, Spain) show how a wavefront emanating from radiation sources in a disk around a rotating black hole will get twisted. This happens because half of the wavefront moves in the direction of advancing spacetime, and the other in the direction of receding spacetime. As a result, the phase of the radiation has a distinctive distribution in space, a unique "fingerprint" that can be observed to confirm the existence of the spinning black hole.
Dr Tamburini says: "We were looking exactly for this effect and found that rotating black holes not only induce so-called gravitational Faraday rotation, but also induce vorticity."
As has been shown in previous articles by members of the team, radio or light beams that propagate through a plasma (a gas where there are free electrons and ions present) such as the Earth's ionosphere will acquire an OAM or twist that can be measured on the ground. By measuring the electromagnetic OAM acquired, the vorticity of the ionosphere, or any other plasma in space or in the laboratory, can be imaged. How this spiral imaging technique works has been described in other articles by members of the team.
Dr. Molina-Terriza emphasises: "All of us have been involved in one way or another in measuring the OAM of light, as in the digital spiralling imaging technique developed by Lluis Torner at ICFO in Barcelona. With hard work and enthusiasm we may be able to develop new tools for astronomers, astrophysicists, and space physicists."
The detection of OAM in radiation requires that the received signals be processed in a specific way to decode them into their "twist states". In optics, this can be done with spiral lenses, holograms and interferometers. In radio, this can be done with antenna arrays such as the huge radio telescope LOFAR that is under construction in Europe. The Swedish test-bed LOIS is being developed precisely for the purpose of perfecting the OAM radio observation technique.
Prof. Bo Thidé comments: "We have recently shown experimentally how OAM and vorticity can be readily imparted onto low-frequency radio beams and received far away and analysed there. This opens the possibility to work with photon OAM at frequencies low enough to allow the use of antennas and digital signal processing, thus enabling software-controlled experimentation and space observations in manner that is not possible with other means."
Comments from experts in the field:
Dr. Martin Bojowald, Assistant professor of Physics, Penn State University, USA, writes in a News & Views article in the March 2011 issue of Nature Physics: "These results open the way to new observational tests of general relativity", and "OAM might provide a clear, distinguishing signature that could one day lead to the observation of Hawking radiation...but before one can address that, the twisting of light already opens the way to exciting new possibilities in black-hole physics."
Dr. Saul Teukolsky, Hans A. Bethe Professor of Physics and Astrophysics at Cornell University, says: "This paper describes a novel approach to measuring the spin of the black hole at the center of our Galaxy. Perhaps even more important, in combination with other measurements it might confirm that the geometry around the black hole is indeed the geometry predicted by General Relativity. This is a very exciting prospect."
Dr. Robert Williams, Distinguished Research Scholar, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, and President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), comments: "New ideas like this are what drive fundamental discoveries in physics."
Article and authors:
The Nature Physics article is entitled "Twisting of light around rotating black holes".
The authors, representing astronomy, astrophysics, space physics and quantum optics, are:
Dr. Fabrizio Tamburini, Department of Astronomy, University of Padova, Italy, e-mail: fabrizio.tamburini@unipd.it, phone: +39 498278211, +39 3477830704
Prof. Bo Thidé, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden, e-mail: bt@irfu.se, phone: +46 184715914, +46 705613670, web page: http://www.physics.irfu.se/~bt
Dr. Gabriel Molina-Terriza, QsciTech and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Australia, e-mail: gabriel.molina-terriza@mq.edu.au, phone: +61 298506371, web page: http://www.qscitech.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119:prof-g mt&catid=21&Itemid=17
Dr. Gabriele Anzolin, The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Parc Mediterrani de la Tecnologia, Barcelona, Spain, phone: +34 935534137, e-mail: gabriele.anzolin@icfo.es, web page: http://www.icfo.es/index.php?section=people0〈=english&op=show_card&people_id=410∋ck=Gabriele%20Anzolin
The software used in the experiments was adapted from software that was written and made available by:
Dr. Massimo Calvani, INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Italy, e-mail: massimo.calvani@oapd.inaf.it, phone: +39 0498293431, web page: http://web.oapd.inaf.it/calvani
Prof. Andrej Cadez, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, phone: +386 1 4766 533
Other contacts:
Assoc. Prof. Martin Bojowald, Physics, Penn State University, USA, e-mail: bojowald@gravity.psu.edu, phone: +1 8148653502, web page: http://www.phys.psu.edu/people/display/index.html?person_id=417
Prof. Saul Teukolsky, Physics and Astrophysics, Cornell University, e-mail: saul@astro.cornell.edu, phone: +1 6072555897, web page: http://www.physics.cornell.edu/people/faculty/?page=website/faculty&action=show/id=44 (Professor Teukolsky will be unavailable from Sunday 13 February until Tuesday 15 February).
Dr. Robert Williams, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, USA, e-mail: wms@stsci.edu, phone: +1 4103384963, web pages: http://www.stsci.edu/~wms/WmsPage/Homepage.html, http://www.iau.org/administration/executive_bodies/executive_committee/
Web pages:
The International Astronomical Union (IAU): http://iau.org/
Nature Physics: http://www.nature.com/nphys/index.html
Orbital angular momentum/optical vortex: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_light
Centre of galaxy black hole Sagittarius A*: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittarius_A*, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1226815/The-Milky-Way-youve-seen-The-intense-centre-galaxy-glory.html
webmaster*irf.se, 2011-02-13, updated 2011-02-15
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Local Scoreboard
Local Scoreboard Local Scoreboard Check out this story on zanesvilletimesrecorder.com: https://ohne.ws/2oBzgIT
Published 9:30 p.m. ET Sept. 3, 2018
Area Schedule
Zanesville at Lancaster Invite (Lancaster CC), 2 p.m.
Crooksville at New Lex (Perry CC), 4:30 p.m.
John Glenn at Morgan (Lakeside), 4:30 p.m.
Sheridan at Tri-Valley (Vista), 4:30 p.m.
John Glenn at Philo, 5:30 p.m.
Maysville at Morgan, 5:30 p.m.
West Muskingum at Tri-Valley, 7 p.m.
New Philadelphia at John Glenn, 4:30 p.m.
Ridgewood at West Muskingum, 6 p.m.
Zanesville at Chillicothe, 6 p.m.
Zanesville at Marietta, 4:30 p.m.
Rosecrans at Fisher Catholic, 5 p.m.
Tri-Valley at Sheridan, 5:30 p.m.
Philo at John Glenn, 5:30 p.m.
Morgan at West Muskingum, 5:30 p.m.
Maysville at Crooksville, 5:30 p.m.
River View at Zanesville, 5:30 p.m.
Fisher Catholic at Rosecrans, 5:30 p.m.
Morgan at Logan Invite, 5 p.m.
River View, Tri-Valley at John Glenn (Cambridge CC), 4 p.m.
Sheridan at Crooksville (Perry CC), 4:30 p.m.
Morgan at Marietta, 6 p.m.
Tri-Valley at John Glenn (Wildfire), 4 p.m.
New Lex at Fisher Catholic (Lancaster CC), 4 p.m.
Fort Frye at Morgan (Lakeside), 4:30 p.m.
Rosecrans at West Muskingum (Crystal), 4:30 p.m.
Philo at Maysville (EagleSticks), 4:30 p.m.
Crooksville at Lakewood (Harbor Hills), 4:30 p.m.
River View at John Glenn, 4:30 p.m.
Sheridan at West Muskingum, 7 p.m.
Zanesville at West Holmes, 7 p.m.
John Glenn at Philo, 7 p.m.
Rosecrans at Dover, 7 p.m.
Zanesville at Dover, 4:30 p.m.
Harvest Prep at Rosecrans, 5 p.m.
West Muskingum at Tri-Valley, 5:30 p.m.
John Glenn at Maysville, 5:30 p.m.
New Lex at Morgan, 5:30 p.m.
Sheridan at Philo, 5:30 p.m.
Zanesville at Meadowbrook, 6 p.m. (varsity only)
Rain hampers Road Runners again
Senior Classic has special meaning for reigning champ
Balo, Whiteman headline Old Timers HOF class
Ohio Express winning behind hate-to-lose attitude
Storm is over, now CBJ must clean the mess
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Government endorses open source
OGC analysis of open-source software is 'more aggressive than you'd expect' according to Red Monk, as it describes Linux as 'a viable desktop alternative for the majority of government users'
By Jo Best | October 28, 2004 -- 09:19 GMT (02:19 PDT) | Topic: Developer
The UK government seems to be warming to open source. Today, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) published a report saying open-source software is now a genuine competitor to Microsoft in the public sector.
After a running a series of pilots with government bodies, in conjunction with IBM and Sun, on the use of open-source software, the OGC's report adds weight to the argument against the idea that Linux has a long way to go before it will be considered as a serious contender and describes open source as "a viable desktop alternative for the majority of government users".
The report lists interoperability and cost as two of Linux' major advantages, saying that the former is "now not a major issue" for open source and that using open source instead of proprietary software can generate "significant" cost savings in government.
The OGC foresees the savings from an open-source switch being particularly successful when undertaken with "server consolidation and by delaying hardware replacement".
The issue of Linux' potential for saving money has repeatedly been disputed by Microsoft, which recently launched a major advertising campaign, entitled 'Get the Facts', to contradict the idea that open source has a lower TCO (total cost of ownership) than proprietary software.
The OGC also highlights that it believes using open source can even be good for the environment as it would lead to less hardware being produced and fewer old machines ending up in landfill.
John Oughton, chief exec of the OGC, said the pilots -- designed to give a flavour of how a Linux rollout would work in government without the pressure of a live situation -- would be key in future government decision-making.
"These pilots have provided us with valuable evidence on open-source software. They show it could support government bodies by offering efficient and cost-effective IT solutions... This report will assist public sector bodies in making informed, value-for-money judgements when deciding upon which solution best suits their needs," he said in a statement.
However, the report also highlights the challenges of a switch: "Adoption of open source, particularly for the desktop, requires investment in planning, training of users, development of skills for implementation and support, and detailed consideration of migration and interoperability issues."
James Governor, principal analyst at RedMonk, described the government's statements as "more aggressive than you'd expect" and marked "a potential sea change" at government level.
While it's possible the government is using the report as a bargaining chip to force Microsoft to cut licensing costs, the trickle-down effect of greater Linux adoption could be felt both in the public sector and commercial world.
"If you're an open-source exponent trying to convince your manager," the report could be useful, Governor said. "If you're in the private sector and you're looking for a source of authority [on changing operating systems] , the OGC might be better than an industry analyst group."
An OGC spokesman said the report wasn't intended as "Microsoft-bashing" and that it is about highlighting choice. He added implementation would "depend of the marketplace -- manufacturers, suppliers -- putting together the solutions. We're saying to IT buyers, consider open source. We can't say 'buy this brand' or 'buy that brand' [but]... look at the generic option."
While the pilots were carried out in association with two large vendors, the spokesman maintained that it didn't affect the outcome. "We're not a software specialist so we need 'partnerships'," he said, adding that Microsoft's involvement at Newham could be seen as a "deep and meaningful" partnership.
A Microsoft spokesman said: "We understand it's the role of government to promote a level playing field and foster competition", adding he encouraged people to read the report, which is available here.
Enterprise Software Open Source Mobile OS
More from Jo Best
Can playing these video games really make you a better doctor?
Fighting diseases with data science: How the NHS wants to smash silos to supercharge healthcare
The future of cybersecurity: Your body as a hacker-proof network
Fitbit's second act: Can the original fitness band maker stage a comeback with healthcare?
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Trusting leaders in contexts of war
Two nights ago I had a dream. I was in the military, and we were being deployed, and I suddenly got worried about something like this line of thought (I am filling in some details--it was more inchoate in the dream). I wasn't in a position to figure out on my own whether the particular actions I was going to be commanded to do are morally permissible. And these actions would include killing, and to kill permissibly one needs to be pretty confident that the killing is permissible. Moreover, only the leaders had in their possession sufficient information to make the judgment, so I would have to rely on their judgment. But I didn't actually trust the moral judgment of the leaders, particularly the president. My main reason in the dream for not trusting them was that the president is pro-choice, and someone whose moral judgment is so badly mistaken as to think that killing the unborn is permissible is not to be trusted in moral judgments relating to life and death. As a result, I refused to participate, accepting whatever penalties the military would impose. (I didn't get to find out what these were, as I woke up.)
Upon waking up and thinking this through, I wasn't so impressed by the particular reason for not trusting the leadership. A mistake about the morality of abortion may not be due to a mistake about the ethics of killing, but due to a mistake about the metaphysics of early human development, a mistake that shouldn't affect one's judgments about typical cases of wartime killing.
But the issue generalizes beyond abortion. In a pluralistic society, a random pair of people is likely to differ on many moral issues. The probability of disagreement will be lower when one of the persons is a member of a population that elected the other, but the probability of disagreement is still non-negligible. One worries that a significant percentage of soldiers have moral views that differ from those of the leadership to such a degree that if the soldiers had the same information as the leaders do, the soldiers would come to a different moral evaluation of whether the war and particular lethal acts in it are permissible. So any particular soldier who is legitimately confident of her moral views has reason to worry that she is being commanded things that are impermissible, unless she has good reason to think that her moral views align well with the leaders'. This seems to me to be a quite serious structural problem for military service in a pluralistic society, as well as a serious existential problem.
The particular problem here is not the more familiar one where the individual soldier actually evaluates the situation differently from her leaders. Rather, it arises from a particular way of solving the more familiar problem. Either the soldier has sufficient information by her lights to evaluate the situation or she does not. If she does, and she judges that the war or a lethal action is morally wrong, then of course conscience requires her to refuse, accepting any consequences for herself. Absent sufficient information, she needs to rely on her leaders. But here we have the problem above.
How to solve the problem? I don't know. One possibility is that even though there are wide disparities between moral systems, the particular judgments of these moral systems tend to agree on typical acts. Even though utilitarianism is wrong and Catholic ethics is right, the utilitarian and the Catholic moralist tend to agree about most particular cases that come up. Thus, for a typical action, a Catholic who hears the testimony of a well-informed utilitarian that an action is permissible can infer that the action is probably permissible. But war brings out differences between moral systems in a particularly vivid way. If bombing civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is likely to get the emperor to surrender and save many lives, then the utilitarian is likely to say that the action is permissible while the Catholic will say it's mass murder.
It could, however, be that there are some heuristics that could be used by the soldier. If a war is against a clear aggressor, then perhaps the soldier should just trust the leadership to ensure that the other conditions (besides the justness of the cause) in the ius ad bellum conditions are met. If a lethal action does not result in disproportionate civilian deaths, then there is a good chance that the judgments of various moral systems will agree.
But what about cases where the heuristics don't apply? For instance, suppose that a Christian is ordered to drop a bomb on an area that appears to be primarily civilian, and no information is given. It could be that the leaders have discovered an important military installation in the area that needs to be destroyed, and that this is intelligence that cannot be disclosed to those who will carry out the bombing. But it could also be that the leaders want to terrorize the population into surrender or engage in retribution for enemy acts aimed at civilians. Given that there is a significant probability, even if it does not exceed 1/2, that the action is a case of mass murder rather than an act of just war, is it permissible to engage in the action? I don't know.
Perhaps knowledge of prevailing military ethical and legal doctrine can help in such cases. The Christian may know, for instance, that aiming at civilians is forbidden by that doctrine. In that case, as long as she has enough reason to think that the leadership actually obeys the doctrine, she might be justified in trusting in their judgment. This is, I suppose, an argument for militaries to make clear their ethical doctrines and the integrity of their officers. For if they don't, then there may be cases where too much disobedience of orders is called for.
I also don't know what probability of permissibility is needed for someone to permissibly engage in a killing.
I don't work in military ethics. So I really know very little about the above. It's just an ethical reflection occasioned by a dream...
Labels: disagreement, military ethics, murder, Principle of Double Effect, social epistemology, trust, war
Dagmara Lizlovs said...
Really good book to read on this is "Church of Spies, The Pope's Secret War Against Hitler" by Mark Riebling. I'm about 2/3rds of the way through.
M.A.D. Moore said...
1) “someone whose moral judgment is so badly mistaken …is not to be trusted in moral judgments relating to life and death.”
I was in the Marine Corps from 2001-2005. For reasoning somewhat similar to this, I realized at the time that I would not have enlisted had Mr. Gore won the election.
2) Unfortunately, the number of military members who have enlisted because of what can generally be termed “principled”
reasons is very small. That is, notions of defending the homeland, fighting for justice, are virtually non-existent ideals as to why young people exist. Most enlist for the job security, excitement, GI Bill post-enlistment, or very often, the lack of opportunities for someone with only a high school diploma. This is offered as practical background information to let you know how rare, in fact, the concerns you mention would be to the average GI Joe or Jane.
3) In battlefield-type scenarios, perhaps such as the one you describe, split second decisions are of course determinative of life or death. That being the case the junior enlisted (I speak for the role about which I am most familiar) are trained to obey immediately, decisively, and with focused effectiveness. Thus, it is, in a fundamental sense, to fail to fulfill the role of Marine or soldier if one does conscientiously weigh all the decisions delivered from superiors. A delay added here or there, multiplied by the chain of command, gets not only me and you killed, but perhaps squads and whole units destroyed as well.
4) In non-battlefield situations, the approach is somewhat different. My unit did fund-raising, initiated and conducted by a handful of warrant officers, for the ostensible benefit of raising disposable income for the junior Marines, but which transparently also served to enrich the officers. The scheme was to force (“voluntold” was the word of the day) junior Marines into working the concessions at professional baseball games in San Diego, while the officers gained free admission to the games to “supervise” from the stands, while also making a profit off the work of others. I was the only one who refused to do this work, on the belief that I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to enrich for-profit 3rd parties. I was prepared to approach a Navy Judge Advocate General (~ military lawyer) for help if push came to shove, but instead I only had to deal with bad blood for the final 6 months of my enlistment. In contrast to the difficulties I mentioned about battlefield scenarios, there are probably not a few occasions in the military where one does need to stand his ground.
Heath White said...
I have heard of several relevant instances from veteran students, or philosophers connected somehow with the military. The gist is, like M.A.D. Moore’s #3, that the military expects immediate obedience to any orders, and therefore it effectively presumes epistemological deference in moral matters. They do teach just war doctrine at the officer academies, and you are allowed to refuse an illegal order, but in practice, standing on your morality against an order from a superior is likely to get you jailed or discharged, the more so the more junior you are.
My own view is that the current military/government cannot be trusted to issue moral orders, and therefore Christians would do well to stay away from military service. I have advised Christian students accordingly in the past.
Mr Moore:
Thank you for this helpful discussion of the realities.
In battlefield situations, presumably immediate obedience is needed. So the issues of trust need to be figured out before battle. At the same time, split-second judgments that something is immoral are possible in really clear cases ("throw a grenade at that group of children in the middle of the field").
It is interesting that the ethical issues come up in non-violent aspects of military service. I suppose one would have many of the ethical issues one sees in the business world, with the added complication that the expectations of obedience are stronger but also with the safeguard provided by a better-defined set of procedural rules.
One thought I had since posting is that many of my worries was generated by this principle:
(C) Unless your credence that killing x is permissible is very high, say 0.99, then it's wrong to kill x.
But on reflection, C may be false. In particular, we can generate counterexamples to C by considering cases where a lot is clearly at stake. And wars are permissibly waged only when much is at stake.
For instance, consider a case where it is clear that killing x will save ten innocent lives, and it is likely but not very likely (say, credence 0.75) that killing x is permissible. Then it seems likely that in some cases like that it may be permissible to kill x.
Maybe. After all, I don't think that killing is permissible in all cases like those in the previous paragraph. Consider a case where a murderous mob will kill ten unless Jones is sentenced to death by a judge (simplify by supposing there is no jury). Suppose, further, that the situation is such that if Jones is guilty of the crime he's accused of, the death penalty is permissible. But it is not clear to the judge that Jones is guilty: the judge assigns probability 0.75 that Jones is guilty. It doesn't seem right in this case for the judge to sentence Jones to death. (Suppose there are four accused people and the judge knows for sure that exactly three of them committed the crime, but the judge has no idea which of the four is the innocent one. The mob, however, will kill ten people for each unexecuted accused person. It is clearly wrong for the judge to execute each one, even though by executing each, he has a 0.75 chance of executing a guilty person.)
There is need for a lot of work about making decisions in situations of moral uncertainty.
Very rough draft of Infinity, Causation and Parado...
Utilities and deontology
RaspberryJamMod for Forge/Minecraft 1.8.8
Sharp OZ/ZQ 7xx organizer code
Critical discussion of One Body
Causation and collapse
Retributive punishment and Christian forgiveness
Thinking big numbers
God is truth
Marriage in heaven
Physicalism, swollen heads, heaven and recurrence
Coin guessing using past data, once again
Coin guessing without the Axiom of Choice
The unreality of time
Heaven and materialism: The swollen head problem
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Home >> Blog >> Media Impact >> Anatomy of “The Blackfish Effect”
Anatomy of “The Blackfish Effect”
Posted by Caty Borum Chattoo on March 23, 2016
This article was originally posted on Documentary.org.
The final chord of "the Blackfish effect" has finally resounded, with a stunning and unprecedented corporate policy announcement from SeaWorld.
In January 2013, the documentary Blackfish premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, telling the story "about Tilikum, a performing killer whale that killed several people while in captivity," according to the official film synopsis. Three years later—a period marked by sustained activism, multi-platform distribution and unrelenting media coverage— SeaWorld officially announced on March 17, 2016, that it will officially end its orca breeding program and end orca shows at all of its theme parks.
The decision didn't happen overnight, and neither did the social impact. The pathway to change was paved over three years of ongoing pressure, sparked by an emotional story told in an intimate, authentic way unique to documentary storytelling. The signs of social impact appeared quickly. In December 2014, about a year and a half after the film's July 2013 theatrical premiere, the stock price of SeaWorld had already declined by 60 percent. A California state lawmaker proposed legislation in April 2014 that would have banned California aquatic parks from featuring orcas in performances. Although the proposed law was unsuccessful, it garnered national media coverage and elevated the issue.
How and why did Blackfish inspire this kind of impact over a three-year period of time? From a vantage point at the intersection of documentary storytelling, grassroots activism, multi-platform distribution and media strategy, the explanation can be broken down into six key elements:
1) Amplified Community and Sustained Grassroots Activism
The issue of animal rights is supported by an existing and vocal community of advocates, and the opportunity was ripe for cultivating new activism by the time Blackfish came along. The Oceanic Preservation Society, the organization elevated by the 2009 Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove, publicly and immediately supported Blackfishthrough its own communication channels, including posting and distributing an online open letter to support the film, and joining with the filmmakers in a public statement. The major contribution of the grassroots infrastructure to the Blackfish movement came from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals); in fact, the intersection between the film and the organization's activism amplified the ongoing impact dramatically. In an expansion of its own efforts targeting SeaWorld as far back as 1998, PETA launched an aggressive renewed campaign that combined physical protest and digital social action. After the film's major premiere on CNN, donations to PETA—formerly on the decline—spiked, enabling the group to finance continued grassroots and media stunts well after the film's premiere. (In 2015, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, PETA reported a budget of $4.5 million after a deficit of more than $250,000 just two years earlier, as well as $43 million in contributions in 2015, a 30 percent increase.)
With the new public spotlight well beyond the animal welfare community, PETA continued to leverage the momentum of the film at every possible moment in the distribution and media cycle. Among its public actions during the past three "BlackfishEffect" years, PETA organized anti-SeaWorld actions at the 2014 Rose Bowl Parade—covered by major media outlets, including CNN, Blackfish's broadcaster, Huffington Postand others—and financed an ad campaign about orca breeding (an angle covered in the film). PETA's website, SeaWorldofHurt.com, continued the pressure and momentum, and the public followed—from about "30 visitors per day before the Blackfish broadcast premiere to more than 1 million in 2015.
In short, the film wasn't released into a cultural or grassroots vacuum. It fell into a prime spot with a social-change infrastructure ready to leverage a strategic distribution strategy and well-produced story. In its seminal 2008 report, "Assessing Creative Media's Social Impact," The Fledgling Fund notably wrote about this crucial element—deeply understanding the social issue and a movement in order to understand where and how a story might be positioned to fuel change. The intersection between SeaWorld, Blackfishand PETA is a textbook example.
Adding to the well-orchestrated and vocal NGO activism, celebrities' tweets and support for the film engaged their own fans and followers, which raised and deepened the level of public awareness about the story. Combining the multiplying factor of celebrity endorsements and public attention—greatly enabled by a smart distribution strategy—allowed the story to reach outside the animal welfare community. It stretched well beyond the choir. The outcry became louder and louder, impossible to ignore or dismiss as insular, niche activism.
2) Strategic Distribution
Following the Sundance Film Festival premiere, the filmmakers licensed the US rights forBlackfish to Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films, not only for a theatrical run, but for TV distribution, a move that has become increasingly strategic for documentary filmmakers in the contemporary marketplace. In at least one study about contemporary documentary viewers, watching at home on TV is the top way to access documentaries, and streaming is increasingly crucial (although avid documentary enthusiasts are also willing to find documentaries in theaters). For Blackfish, in terms of a broad-appeal TV outlet with aneven-handed ideological audience composition, a premiere on CNN was not only a mass-viewer distribution strategy, but one that fired up a synergistic publicity and news media machine. Not only did the network use its news platform to air stories about orcas in captivity, the network published an interview with a SeaWorld spokesperson the week of the premiere, assuredly contributing to viewer and media anticipation. CNN was rewarded for its publicity strategy with a ratings sweep on the October 23, 2013, premiere date; according to The New York Times, "The channel swept the ratings among every group under 55 years old. That meant not only the group that is most often sold to news advertisers, viewers ages 25 to 54, but also the younger age groups used for sales in entertainment programming." The network continued to keep the story on the agenda by illustrating multiple sides of the issue, including at least one opinion piece criticizing the film's lack of focus on marine conservation in aquatic parks. Following the CNN broadcast, in a near-perfect multifaceted distribution strategy primed for visibility,Blackfish was released on Netflix in December 2013, which enabled the film to leverage the considerable publicity and buzz already generated by the steady media coverage throughout every distribution phase.
3) Media Coverage
The film's profile increased as SeaWorld and the filmmakers engaged in a prolonged public relations battle, in addition to the media coverage already garnered by activist stunts from PETA. In the days leading up to the film's theatrical distribution in July 2013,SeaWorld's PR firm released a statement that spotlighted claims of misrepresentations in the film. Film critics and other media outlets picked up the SeaWorld statement and the filmmakers' response, which amplified the coverage and raised public awareness of the film. In a New York Times article prompted by the exchange, writer Michael Cieply mused, "The exchange is now promising to test just how far a business can, or should, go in trying to disrupt the powerful negative imagery that comes with the rollout of documentary exposés." Well after the theatrical premiere, the campaigns continued, with the filmmakers responding publicly on the movie's website in January 2014. The PR war magnified the media coverage and the public's interest in the story— and crucially, not only during the theatrical distribution period in July 2013, but also during its TV premiere in October and streaming release at the end of the year. (Read SeaWorld's statement, "Blackfish: The Truth about the Movie," here.)
4) Social Action Embedded in the Story
Social action campaigns around documentary films can vary from the filmmaking teams' intentional strategies to organic responses from viewers to a story. In an ideal strategic scenario, the organic viewer response to the story is matched by an intentional campaign, if it exists. But in either case, the call-to-action efforts tend to succeed when the action is clear—and when it is conveyed by the film's story itself (not only the marketing materials around it). In stories with institutional or complex solutions, articulating a call to action can be challenging, but offering concrete individual actions works. In the case of Blackfish, although the social action directives were not directly articulated or advanced by the filmmakers, the identification of Tilikum's captive home was clearly embedded in the story itself. The audience understood SeaWorld's role, and the film's advocacy story about orcas in captivity issued a clarion call. (It's important to note that in an early interview, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite did not advocate shutting down SeaWorld but instead discussed other ways to help captive orcas. Of the final SeaWorld announcement, though, Cowperthwaite said, "The fact that SeaWorld is doing away with orca breeding marks truly meaningful change.")
5) Emotion
The story evoked empathy, an emotional response that is an evidence-based powerful driver of attitude shift and intended action in response to storytelling. Blackfish focused on a specific named orca living in captivity, Tilikum, as the key character, a deliberate narrative choice made by the filmmaker. She did not lead with or rely on statistics, and it turns out, this really matters in a story's ability to spark emotion and action. Although research in the area of narrative persuasion focuses primarily on human victims of suffering, according to psychologist Paul Slovic, "When it comes to eliciting compassion, the identified individual victim, with a face and a name, has no peer…But the face need not even be human to motivate powerful intervention." This core notion of empathy and an individual story can help to explain why the story evoked such resonance from a narrative perspective. Tactics alone won't do the trick.
6) Measurable
Capturing the measurable social impact of a documentary is highly individualized, with varying research methods and approaches that work. The best method depends on either the goal of the project or simply a hypothesis and a deep understanding about what kind of impact the film may have on the issue, based on an understanding of where the issue resides in media or public discourse—from changing personal behavior to instituting policy change and beyond. In the case of Blackfish, the intersection of both organic and organized social action, constant media coverage, and accessible financial data from a publicly traded company provided some metrics of correlational impact. The readily available metrics emerged steadily, from mid-2014 media reports about SeaWorld's financial trouble to a Washington Post analysis from December 2014, which detailed a steady stock-price decline throughout the film's life cycle from theatrical to streaming distribution in 2013. The ongoing metrics of doom offered encouragement for the grassroots efforts. Each publicly available signal of decline, from attendance to stock price, offered a new opportunity for the ongoing SeaWorld-Blackfish media story to renew itself and keep the issue in the public and journalistic spotlight.
Can the film claim a final causal connection to the reported financial misfortune and sustained public outcry and the final SeaWorld announcement? In the same way that much social change can't be unequivocally attributed to a particular and exacting turn of events, not precisely. But causal connection is an artificially high bar. It's hard to deny the role of the "Blackfish effect" in the steady negative impact that culminated in a dramatic corporate policy change.
Considering documentary film and TV's increased role as advocacy-infused, emotional investigative storytelling, as well as the increased ability for audiences to watch documentaries on places like Netflix, CNN Films, HBO, PBS and other outlets, individuals and organizations working at the intersection of social justice and media are right to learn from this example.
Caty Borum Chattoo is a documentary film producer, media strategist and researcher, professor and co-director of the Center for Media & Social Impact at American University's School of Communication in Washington, DC. She was a juror for the international 2014 BRITDOC Documentary Impact Awards, which honored Blackfish as a film that demonstrated positive social impact.
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The Air He Breathes (Book Review)
I was warned about Tristan Cole.
“Stay away from him,” people said.
“He’s cruel.”
“He’s cold.”
“He’s damaged.”
It’s easy to judge a man because of his past. To look at Tristan and see a monster.
But I couldn’t do that. I had to accept the wreckage that lived inside of him because it also lived inside of me.
We were both empty.
We were both looking for something else. Something more.
We both wanted to put together the shattered pieces of our yesterdays.
Then perhaps we could finally remember how to breathe.
Purchase on Amazon.
Add The Air He Breathes to Goodreads.
Tristan and Elizabeth have both lost people they loved. Tristan lost his wife and little boy, while Elizabeth's husband past away. They both have to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones and learn to move forward. The question becomes, can they move forward and be happy? Can these two lost souls find love with one another.
(Be Aware, May Contain Spoilers)
“I love you,” I whispered. She smiled in her dreams. Because she already knew."
"It was quite obvious what she was to me, it was so clear why I always wanted her near. She was simply the air I breathed."
"With each exhale, I took in her breath, I drank her into me, realizing that she was mine. Forever and always, no matter what the future may hold. Each day, I longed for her. Each day, I loved her more."
"I crawled under the table next to my beautiful wife and placed my lips against her growing stomach. Within a few weeks we would be bringing yet another miracle into the world. We would be adding yet another beauty to our family."
"His forehead pressed against mine. “Lizzie… I need to prove to you that I’m not going to just run away again. I need to prove to you that I’m good enough for you and Emma.” “Shut up, Tristan.” “What?” “I said shut up. You saved my daughter’s life. You saved my life. You’re good enough. You’re our world.”
"I stayed with her that whole night. I didn’t lie beside her in her bed, but I sat in the chair at her desk, giving her the distance she needed, but also letting her know that she wasn’t ever going to be alone again."
“Tristan,” she said. “He makes you happy?” I nodded slowly. “And that scares you?” I nodded once more. She grinned. “Ah, then that means you’re doing it right.” “Doing what right?” “Falling in love.”
"While Tanner saw hell in Tristan’s stare, I only saw heaven."
“Show me the shadows that keep you up at night. Kiss me with your darkness.”
"There wasn’t anything about her that wasn’t beautiful."
I really enjoyed this book. I LOVED our heroine, Elizabeth. She was such a strong character with a great sense of humor and a great mother to her daughter (whom I also adored). When she returned to her hometown after a year of being away, she came back hoping to move forward from the death of her husband. Elizabeth lived with her mother for a year, not ready to live in the house she shared with her husband. While she was gone, a new neighbor moved in next door..our hero, Tristan. Except she didn't meet him in the traditional, "I'll bring a pie next door to say hello" type of way. Instead, she hit his dog, Zeus, with her car. Tristan instantly disliked her. She was mad at him for being so negative and awful. He was upset because she hit his dog. As a dog mom, I sided with Tristan in this scene. Later, Tristan was still standoffish. Everyone in town told Elizabeth to be careful of him. But something about him draws her in. Living next door to one another provides them the perfect chance to run into one another on a regular basis. He mows her lawn to help out. She lets him use her shower when his isn't working. After a certain point, their attraction takes hold.
At first, they use one another. Plain and simple. They enter into a sexual relationship calling the other person the name of their deceased spouse. Say, "what?" Personally, I like to focus on the relationship of the couple in front of me and this detracted from that narrative a little. I understand they are both dealing with grief and are coming to terms with their losses, but calling out someone else's name in bed didn't sit well with me as a romance reader. That was a little skin crawling. As a reader, I mentally understood it. I saw what Cherry was doing. As a person, I wasn't too invested in those scenes.
Once they realize that this isn't a healthy relationship (the part where I went, "no kidding"), they decided to stop sleeping with one another. At this point though, Elizabeth and Tristan have feelings for one another. Intrigue! Now, they need to learn how to navigate a relationship not based on their past losses.
The book takes a few turns along the way once this new connection develops and takes hold in Elizabeth and Tristan. One of Elizabeth's friends goes bonkers, her daughter gets put in danger, and I got mad at Tristan at one point (to sum it up in the vaguest way imaginable). Lots and lots of drama and romance.
The Air He Breathes is a contemporary love story that deals with past hurt and learning to love again. If that interests you, read this book!
What is your favorite quote from "The Air He Breathes"? Did you enjoy the May Romantics at Hart book selection?
Tagged: romantics at hart, booktube, book review, the air he breathes
Newer PostHallmark Movies & Mysteries + Cozy Mysteries
Older PostTime to Get Cozy!
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The Redhead Duck breed in western North America, from British Columbia, Mackenzie, and Manitoba to New Mexico, and winter in the southern U.S., Great Lakes, coastal New England, northern Mexico, and south to Guatemala, Cuba, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. This species nests in marshes and prairie potholes, and is often found in estuaries, coastal areas, lakes, and bays in the non-breeding season.
Redhead Ducks
Male – The male Redhead has a reddish-chestnut head and neck, yellow eyes, blue-grey beak with black tip, black breast, pale-greyish vermiculated body, upper parts are a darker grey, blackish rump and tail, and grey legs and feet.
Female – The female has a light-brown head and neck, brown eyes, similar beak to the male but duller, buff-white chin and throat, slight eye-ring and stripe, brown flanks and breast, whitish under-parts and vent, and grey-brown upper-parts. Legs and feet are grey.
Eclipse – The male in eclipse has a brownish plumage with dark brown-red head and neck. It retains the yellow eyes and has a brighter beak than the female.
Compare ducks with similar appearance.
Common Pochard, and Canvasback.
Food: – Mainly aquatic plants, seeds, pond weeds, leaves but also some molluscs.
Habitat: – Wetlands, marshlands, freshwater lakes, and coastal waters in south Canada and across the USA. Wintering further south in southern USA, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Breeding Season: – Late April to early June.
Eggs: – 6-9 (greenish-grey color).
Notes: – The Redhead is a medium-size diving duck. It is well known that these ducks will sometimes lay their eggs in other birds nests, even more so than other duck species. The Redhead looks similar to the Canvasback and the Common Pochard but has a yellow iris, whereas the other two ducks have a red iris.
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Albert: An Autobiography
Albert: An Autobiography by Al Borowitz
Award winning crime historian, author, & essayist Albert Borowitz has penned his autobiography. The twist is that he wrote it 74 years ago! Unearthed from his personal archive and published for the first time, this book chronicles the first 13 years of his life, from 1930 to 1944, and affords the reader a preview of a precocious writer that was yet to come and a fascinating look at the formative years of a young Jewish boy growing up in Chicago.
…a funny portrait of a cautious, smart, and somewhat hapless child in a world of strong personalities
…the book is clearly the work of a clever young writer, and it’s no surprise that Borowitz grew into a successful author.
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Curling: A Sport for Weekend Warriors and Olympians Alike
Valerie Worthington
Princeton, New Jersey, United States
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Sport Psychology
As the weather turns colder, we begin to turn our attention to wintry activities. One sport that receives notoriety during the Winter Olympics is curling. Curling is a sport played on ice with a heavy granite stone, also called a rock. While its exact origins are unknown, the first official rules were written in Scotland, and it is the Scottish who exported curling to the other side of the Atlantic. Curling derives its name from the trajectory of the stone down the ice. It is also called “The Roarin’ Game” because of the sound the stone makes as it travels1.
A curling team consists of four players, the skip, the vice-skip, and two others. These players take turns throwing, or delivering, the stone onto the ice during the eight or ten “ends” (rounds) in a typical curling game. Then the teammates use brooms to sweep the ice in front of the stone as it continues down the playing surface, also known as a “sheet”. The sweeping affects the stone’s travel by changing the surface of the ice so the stone is diverted in different directions2.
The curling team’s goal is to get the stone as close to the “house”—the target on the ice—as possible. In this way, curling is similar to shuffleboard and other games that require aim, depth perception, and an understanding of the relative amount of force required to move a certain mass a certain distance.
Until recently, the sport had not captured the imagination of the United States; its strategies and intricacies had not resonated. Increasingly, however, Americans are developing an interest in curling, with organizations such as the US Curling Association, as well as local curling clubs, providing information and opportunities to try curling. As a recent article from Yahoo Sports notes, participants do not have to be elite athletes to give curling a try, though the Olympic competition does occur at an elite level3.
See more about: curling, Olympics, sports
Handstand Strength
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Springs Homes admin 2019-04-01T16:13:35+00:00
A boutique brokerage built for buyers
Springs Homes marries music with business to make for a brokerage deeply involved in the local arts community.
https://www.springshomes.com/
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado | Launched: 2006 | Number of agents: 7
Joe and Jennifer Boylan had $1,800 in their bank account when they moved from Dallas, TX to Colorado Springs in 1996.
The two musicians were set on starting a new life in Colorado after playing music professionally in orchestras across the country. Having worked in real estate part-time off-and-on for several years, Jennifer launched a full-time career as an agent with RE/MAX in their new Colorado home.
Under RE/MAX, the Boylans focused on building a business servicing buyers. “We were doing IDX before it was called IDX,” Joe said. “We’d set up a custom search in the MLS, download the text data, then upload it to a custom website for the buyer,” he said. In the late 1990s, they were ahead of the curve.
A business built from scratch
The couple spent 10 years building their business under RE/MAX before deciding to break away to start their own independent brand in 2006. “We didn’t have anything against the franchise model, we just didn’t need the big office,” Joe said. He had learned everything he needed to know about building his own website during one holiday season while working as a tuba player for a ballet orchestra in Dallas. “The tuba only plays for about two minutes in the Nutcracker,” Joe said, “so I’d read books on web development and SEO on my music stand during rehearsals.”
When they built springshomes.com, they did so with buyers in mind. The site is rich with buyer-specific content—neighborhood guides, cost calculators, relocation guides. Even a quiz that guides buyers to a Colorado Springs neighborhood based on things like desired acreage, what kind of livestock they own and what school district they want to be in. “We figured out how to get buyers online,” Jennifer said.
Full-service without the size
For a boutique-sized business, the brokerage provides the same level of service to its agents as large franchises. “We do all the work for our agents except the interaction between them and their clients,” said Jennifer. Springshomes employs a full-time photographer, project planner, social media coordinator and transaction coordinator to assist agents. They also recently launched a mentorship program for new agent training, which Jennifer and Joe run themselves. “We want to take care of all the distractions created by what agents aren’t typically good at, so that they can focus on building their business,” said Joe.
Everything for the arts
Colorado Springs might be most known for its military affiliation – both the US Army and Air Force have major campuses surrounding the city – but the city’s arts and culture scene is also vibrant. With roots in the arts and music, the Boylans support the local art community through Springs Homes. They advertise their business and their agents on the local NPR radio station to support public radio, publish a blog and newsletter highlighting local events like farmers markets and film festivals, and both Jennifer and Joe volunteer as instructors for the local youth symphony. “Everything we do is related to the arts,” Jennifer said of the company’s community involvement.
Though they’ve left their professional music careers behind, Jennifer and Joe have brought their musical acumen to the real estate space. “There are skills and abilities you develop as a musician—how you see things, how you think,” said Joe. “And those transition into business.”
Jennifer & Joe Boylan
Brokers/Owners
© 2019 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. Better Homes and Gardens®, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Logo and Beta BrokersSM are service marks owned by Meredith Corporation and licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. The above companies are independently owned and operated from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and Realogy Holdings Corp., and are the owners of their respective marks and logos.
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The beginning of the end for the crime family dubbed the A-team
Posted on August 11, 2015 by Carl Fellstrom
AT AROUND 4pm last Friday a well-heeled couple sauntered down the pretty canal-lined streets which run parallel to Amsterdam’s Dam Square.
To most people they would have appeared to be nothing more than two of the thousands of middle-aged tourists enjoying a spot of afternoon window shopping on holiday in the Dutch capital. But when armed Dutch police officers swooped and arrested the couple as they reached Mosterdpotsteeg junction with Spuistraat, it was clear they were no ordinary tourists.
Dutch police had just detained 59-year-old Patrick “Patsy” Adams and his 55-year-old wife Constance, senior figures in the notorious Adams crime family from North London dubbed the A-Team. He was on the run and Britain’s most wanted.
Patrick Adams (left) and wife Constance Adams detained in Amsterdam
In April this year, the Metropolitan Police quietly applied for a European Arrest Warrant to be issued against the couple in connection with the shooting in broad daylight of a former A-Team enforcer called Paul Tiernan on December 22 2013 in Clerkenwell. Despite gunshot wounds to the chest, Tiernan survived the attack and went on to later deny “one million percent” that Patrick Adams was behind the shooting.
The following month, the Met, having successfully applied for an arrest warrant, went public and issued photographs of the couple saying they were on the run, with the possibility they could be in Spain or Netherlands. Rumours subsequently abounded that they had in fact fled to Cyprus.
Alongside his brother Terry Adams, Patrick or Patsy as he often known, occupies a position at the very top of a well-oiled organised crime group which has brought terror to the streets and exercised a power which has even brought them to the attention of MI5 on the grounds of threats to national security. The A-team has been linked, since the early 90s, to more than 25 murders. In addition they have been involved in large shipments of class A drugs over three decades, and a myriad of other criminal enterprises from corruption and extortion to property fraud and money laundering.
The background to the arrest of “Patsy” and his wife is even more astonishing, if to be believed. According to the statement of the Dutch police , Adams and his wife were spotted wandering down Spuistraat by a police officer from the first floor of an overlooking police station. The officer, apparently specially trained in techniques of facial recognition, immediately linked Mrs Adams with photographs of the couple which had been distributed by British Police in May. The officer radioed to colleagues on the ground to follow the couple and ascertain if it truly was Britain’s most wanted. Shortly afterwards they were arrested and also linked to a safe house nearby which has been raided by the police and items seized.
A far more likely scenario is that British police had already tracked Adams through either sophisticated telecommunications or inside information and knew exactly where he was, and believed an arrest on the street would be safer having already ascertained where Adams was holed up. A knowledgeable source speculated: “In the war on organised crime it always helps if your enemy remains in the dark about the tools at your disposal. It would not be the first time that a cover story, if that is the case, has been produced to protect the back story to a high-profile arrest like this. If not its one of those one in a million chances that does sometimes happen.”
Another anomaly is that despite having clearly been informed the Met were on his trail, Adams thought Amsterdam was a safe haven. Adams could have chosen any one of a number of locations to lay low which do not have extradition agreements in place with the UK. Instead he chose one of the very locations police had flagged up as Adams’ potential sanctuary – perhaps Adams believed “the flat place”, as its known in criminal circles, was safe because the police had gone public. Either way Adams must have known that co-operation between the British and Netherlands in cases such as this is extremely tight and will now have to shuffle his pack of cards like a magician to avoid being flown back to the UK in handcuffs.
According to Dutch sources the couple have indicated they are going to fight extradition to the UK. Dutch judges will have to rule on the application from the UK within the next three months.
There was more bad news for the A-Team. On the day the Met announced Adams and his wife were in custody in Holland, they also announced a raft of criminal charges against a number of other members of the A-Team including Patrick’s younger brother.
Michael Adams, 50, and his partner Deborah Heath, 48, were charged following series of raids carried out by Scotland Yard and HM Revenue and Customs, mostly across the north of the capital last year.
Adams was arrested at his Finchley home in April 2014 as part of Operation Octopod when more than 100 police and customs officers raided properties across the capital and south east.
He is charged with four offences of converting banknotes, knowing they were obtained from crime, falsely stating his income for tax purposes and two charges of money laundering.
Heath, who was arrested at the same time is charged with the money laundering offence of concealing banknotes.
Four others were also charged including retired chartered accountant Rex Ekaireb, 67, of Hendon, is charged with intent to defraud HMRC. It is claimed he falsely stated the level of income Michael Adams received for “consultancy work, commissions and introduction fees”.
Ekaireb’s son Robert, a property developer, was recently jailed for life for the murder of his Chinese wife Lihau Cao, whose body was never discovered. Police believe Robert Ekaireb was close to the A-team and had phoned Adams’ family associates at a West End club controlled by the A-team for help disposing of his wife’s body on the night of the murder.
His father Rex Ekaireb is also charged with converting criminal property to launder cash. Four others are also charged under the Proceeds of Crime Act. All six charged have been bailed to appear at Croydon Magistrates Court in October. 22 others arrested at the time of Operation Octopod remain on bail.
It seems that finally last orders may be about to be called on the A-team as police begin to fragment this tight organised crime group which has brought so much fear to the capital and spilled so much blood.
Posted in money laundering, organised crime | Tagged A-Team, Adams Family, Amsterdam, Clerkenwell, London, money laundering, Netherlands, organised crime, Patrick Adams, Patsy Adams, The English Laundry | Leave a Reply
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REMINDER: Walking Tour of Gilded Age Lower Manhattan on Sunday, April 22
REMINDER: Today's the last day to reserve at the $10 discount for our 4/22 tour of Gilded Age Lower Manhattan.
All the details can be found on our previous blog post at
http://blog.insidetheapple.net/2012/04/walking-tour-of-gilded-age-lower.html
Michelle & James
www.insidetheapple.net
Posted by Michelle and James Nevius at 3:34 PM
Labels: Gilded Age, lower manhattan, walking tours
Hart Crane (1899-1932)
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Footprints in New York
"Reading Footprints in New York is like wandering through the city’s history with smart friends...." TM Rives
Available at Bookstores Everywhere:
Footprints in New York: Tracing the Lives of Four Centuries of New Yorkers.
Check out our new book online at www.footprintsinnewyork.com.
"Footprints in New York has some of the sharpest, most informative meditations on the history of the city that I have encountered in a long time." — Edwin G. Burrows, co-author of Gotham and author of Forgotten Patriots.
Urban Archive's "My Archive"
From June 1 to June 30, New York's Urban Archive is collecting photos shot in New York City for their "My Archive" project,...
Robert Fulton and the Age of Steam
August 17, 1807 -- 203 years ago today -- was a pivotal moment in American history. Today marks the anniversary of the launch of Robert F...
The Death of Anne Hutchinson
If you happen to be driving up the Hutchinson River Parkway tomorrow, you might pause a moment to think about the road's namesake, reli...
The Assassination Attempt on William H. Seward
Yesterday, April 14, marked a solemn date during a year in which we are celebrating Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday -- the 144th ...
The Bombing of Fraunces Tavern -- January 24, 1975
Thirty-five years ago this week, on January 24, 1975, a bomb blast ripped through the Fraunces Tavern annex, killing four people and injur...
O Grab Me! The Embargo Act and NYC Public Works
The ongoing economic downturn and the inauguration of a new president this month have led many commentators to hearken back to FDR and the N...
Why Does a Ball Drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve?
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Being in the completely wrong demographic, the Disney tween phenomenon Wizards of Waverly Place somehow escaped our attention until recentl...
World Trade Center Tops Out (and messes with everyone's TV)
Forty years ago today, at 11:30 a.m. on December 23, 1970, the north tower of the original World Trade Center "topped out" when i...
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Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of the deadliest civil disturbance in American history: the Civil War Draft riots, which grip...
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Breaking Movie News: Principle Photography of RI Filmmaker Chad A. Verdi's film, Army Of The Damned begins Today with RI director Tom DeNucci at the helm
EAST GREENWICH, RI - April 22, 2013 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Verdi Productions and The Woodhaven Production Company announce that RI filmmaker Chad A. Verdi's film, Army Of The Damned will begin principle photography today with Tom DeNucci directing. The star studded cast includes Tony Todd, Michael Berryman, Joey Fatone, Sully Erna, Tommy Dreamer, Thea Trinidad, Nick Principe, David Chokachi, David Gere, Tom Paolino, Jessica Scott Lussier, Ben Gracia, Billy Vigeant, Tom Gleadow, and Anthony Estrella. Filming will take place in the following RI cities and towns: East Greenwich, Warwick , Cranston , and Providence. Screen Media of NY acquired the worldwide rights of the film.
Army of the Damned tells the story of a hit reality TV crew following a group of local cops in a sleepy town. Things go horribly wrong for the cops, played by Tony Todd ("The Candyman", "Platoon", "The Rock"), Sully Erna ("Godsmack" lead singer and front man), Tommy Dreamer (Pro wrestling legend), David Chokachi ("Baywatch", "Witchblade", "Beyond the Break"), Thea Trinidad (TNA wrestling diva, "Self Storage", "Five Senses of Fear"), Tom Paolino ("Inkubus", "Loosies", "Infected") and the camera crew, played by Joey Fatone ("NSYNC", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "Inkubus") and Jackie Moore ("100 Ghost Street, The Return of Richard Speck", "Homeland", "30 Rock") when they respond to a call that brings a whole new meaning to the term "domestic disturbance." Faced with life and death situations, these officers are forced to throw the rule book out in order to stay alive. With the help of a reclusive hermit played by Michael Berryman ("One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest", "The Devil's Rejects", "Lords of Salem") and a petty criminal played by Nick Principe ("Laid to Rest"," Laid to Rest 2", "Madison County"), the lawmen do all they can to serve, protect and avoid joining the ARMY of the DAMNED.
Verdi's latest films, Infected and Self Storage are being released through Screen Media and will each reach over 100 million homes through Universal's VOD platform starting this month.
Verdi will produce four films in the state of RI and employ hundreds of people over the next 18 months. "This film being the first, will start one of the most aggressive production schedules ever attempted by a production company, Verdi stated.
"We are in a great position because we are making films knowing that they're already sold and have distribution," added Verdi. "Of the four films, two will be horror, one a comedy and the final will be my passion project PAZ: the inspirational true story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Paz. After a near fatal car crash left Vinny not knowing if he'd ever walk again, never mind box, he went on to make one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history. To secure success and to meet our timetable, we will be using four different directors and over 100 actors on these four films."
Follow Army of the Damned on Facebook at facebook.com/ArmyOfTheDamned
Please visit Chad A. Verdi's IMDB page for more information on these and other projects. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3838148/
See the full profile for Chad A. Verdi at IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
Chad's page:
See more movie info and trailers at www.Verdifilms.com
And www.Woodhavenfilms.com
www.universalvod.net
The Woodhaven Production Company, a subsidiary of Verdi Productions, is a fully funded film production company, covering all aspects of filmmaking from conception of script through post production.
For further information please contact woodhavenproductioncompany@gmail.com or visit Woodhaven on the web at www.woodhavenfilms.com.
Follow "INKUBUS" on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/inkubusmovie or www.twitter.com/inkubusthemovie
Like INFECTED and SELF STORAGE on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/Selfstoragethemovie?fref=ts
http://www.facebook.com/Infectedthemovie?fref=ts
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm40900
Chad A. Verdi CEO http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3838148/
Michelle L. Verdi Music and Talent Supervisor Media http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4090091
Tony Verdi
Posted by Investor Ideas at 9:03 AM
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OTTAWA -- A cross-party committee of MPs says it's time for the government to take a deeper look at a guaranteed minimum income to help work
The Canadian Press | Jun 11, 2019
Topic category: Income inequality
FROM:CTV News
Canadian coins are pictured. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)
Article originally published on June 11, 2019.
OTTAWA -- A cross-party committee of MPs says it's time for the government to take a deeper look at a guaranteed minimum income to help workers caught in the tectonic shifts of the "gig economy."
The MPs' report on declines in traditional, full-time employment in favour of short-term contract work says the government needs to explore new types of income supports "that do not depend upon someone having a job."
To that end, the committee calls on federal officials to review a minimum-income program, which is typically a no-strings-attached government payment to every citizen that replaces an assortment of targeted benefits, as an option to help those between gigs who fall through the existing social safety net.
The report calls for a revamp of the employment-insurance system to widen that net, reducing the minimum number of hours someone must work before qualifying for benefits, boosting payments to low-wage workers, and reconsidering the benefits available to self-employed workers. It also calls on the government to modernize federal labour regulations.
MPs on the committee nod to some recent federal efforts, such as a soon-to-be-launched tax credit for individuals to offset the cost of work-training courses.
But here, too, the committee urges the government to pay close attention to the design of the Canada Training Benefit to make sure it is accessible to low-wage, part-time or self-employed workers and to make every effort to ensure they use the program.
The training benefit, to launched in late 2020, would provide a $250 refundable tax credit each year, accumulating over time if it isn't used, to Canadians earning between $10,000 and about $150,000 a year. The plan is expected to cost $710 million over five years.
Federal officials have considered the idea among a wide range of possibilities to reshape social-safety-net programs that were designed for a workforce that needed help at certain fairly predictable points, such as upon losing a full-time job, having children and retiring. Lifetimes of freelancing, contracts and multiple part-time jobs punctuated by returns to school don't fit the model.
A discussion paper crafted in December 2018 for the deputy minister at Employment and Social Development Canada identified rising income inequality and the growth of the "online platform economy" -- exemplified by companies such as Uber, Lyft and Airbnb, which broker work while doing everything possible not to become formal employers -- among the top issues to tackle in a redesign of federal policies.
Officials wanted to look at a small number of policy areas to keep work manageable and "stress-testing" alternative policies under "more extreme scenarios" than officials had previously envisioned, such as if unemployment spiked. The Canadian Press obtained a copy of that paper and accompanying briefing note under the access-to-information law.
The Commons committee says its report can form the foundation of future federal research and planning but stresses the need to revamp the social safety net.
"The nature of work is changing. Yet, the blueprints of our social safety net and our foundational labour legislation were developed in a different time," the report, released Monday, reads.
"In this new world of work, it is essential that government and employers take necessary measures to protect workers from precariousness, the effects of which can be mitigated with efficient policies and social safety nets."
Tags: Ottawa, Gig Economy,
Editorial: Andrew Yang makes U.S. history by introducing the idea of universal basic income onto the national debate stage
A Nobel Prize winner in economics just backed basic income
Green New Deal: universal basic income could make green transition feasible
Small city in Brazil implements a modest, partial basic income
The Future of the Labor Movement Rests on the Achievement of Unconditional Basic Income
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Posted on March 31, 2014 / Posted by CANI
The Equality Standard
Over the past two months, CANI have been working towards achieving the Foundation Level of The Equality Standard, as defined by The Sports Council Equality Group. This group aims to promote and develop equality in sport across a universal framework based on 4 Equality Standards. (Foundation, Preliminary, Intermediate & Advanced)
In order to attain this 1st Level, CANI need to:-
Demonstrate a clear commitment to equality.
Have an up to date policy for equality which complies with current NI legislation, and is communicated to all staff, board and members.
Have an awareness of our current profile and position in terms of equality.
With these points in mind, much research, discussion and debate has recently been taking place amongst members of CANI Council, members of staff, and a number of coaches and key volunteers. It has been rewarding to hear some of the stories of positive initiatives already being undertaken by many of our member clubs to aim to make Paddlesport more accessible to under-represented sections of Northern Ireland society. Some of their stories may be read below.
Further work will continue to be done to build on this.
Council Minutes December 2013
December 82.55 KB 132 downloads
C3 – Craigavon Canoe Club
Within our club we have always had a very good cross-community balance.
We have had requests from individuals with a range of disabilities, who wanted to try kayaking to see if it was a sport which would suit them. Recently, these have included a wheelchair user, a partially sighted person, and several people with learning disabilities. In many cases, the main issue is access. Someone from the club would always be available to discuss what an individual’s needs were, and what would be required of them in terms of the sport. This would allow both parties to evaluate what the club could do to enable participation.
For example the wheelchair user who came along recently had an interest in white water kayaking, but with his skill level, it was felt by the coach that this may be difficult, due to his potentially needing to get in and out of the boat frequently, not just where a jetty was available, but also mid-stream, or on a difficult river-bank. This paddler came along to a few pool sessions, and the club made reasonable adjustments by way of providing a 1:1 coach/paddler ratio for him, as compared to the usual ratio of around 1:6. It was suggested that open canoeing may be more accessible for him, and we are hoping that he will come along to explore this avenue.
Without an increase in coaches who have the necessary skills in this area, the club feel unable to create a more organised initiative to attract more disabled paddlers, though would be willing to engage with such a project with support from CANI.
This would then be comparable to the initiative which CANI had supported a couple of years ago, to develop good practice for coaching young people in paddlesport. In this case, the participation and club officer set up and coordinated a series of junior river hub sessions, where the junior members of 3 or 4 clubs all met up together once a month, accompanied by several of the coaches from their own clubs, to develop white water skills. After the first year, the group was cohesive enough, and the coaches skilled and confident enough, for the CANI officer to step back and allow the clubs to carry on from the initial impetus which had been created.
Something similar would be really beneficial to promote paddling for girls, as previously girls have tended to come along to the club for a little while but not necessarily stayed for long. Bringing in female coaches and running special girls sessions would allow a positive counter-balancing of the numbers, with girls’ sessions being integrated into whole-club sessions.
As more coaches are trained in Paddleability, this type of thing could be used to support disabled paddlers, creating a pathway to integrating disabled and able-bodied paddlers over a period of time.
As clubs are run and organised by volunteers, the limitations of finding people within the club to drive these initiatives forward must also be recognised.
LCP – Lisburn City paddlers
Within our club, we have found that going through the Clubmark accreditation process raised awareness of many issues.
We currently have members from several ethnic groups, including a Latvian paddler. At our AGM recently he was asked to be on the committee, to which he agreed. He was duly proposed, seconded and elected, despite his own reservations due to language barriers. However, his English is improving rapidly through his involvement with the club as well as other areas of his life here in NI. His increasing confidence is allowing him to participate fully with all aspects of the club. It is possible therefore that he would be a good link to encourage other members of the Latvian community to engage with the sport.
BKC – Belfast Kayak Club
Again, the process of going through the Clubmark Scheme was very informative, and as a club we worked with a group of young people with Down’s syndrome, though only for a short period.
We have also worked with a young boy with Learning Difficulties over a period of about a year. He has come along to the pool sessions that we run jointly with LCP, and through the consistency of support and coaching that he has received he has made amazing progress. This time last year, he couldn’t even put his head in the water, and now he is trying to roll his kayak. Of all the juniors within the two clubs, he has probably made the most significant improvement of anyone.
Within our club, we have several disabled paddlers, one is an amputee, and there are several partially sighted people. The ex-chairman of the club is working on an initiative to take this group on an extended sea voyage in 2015. They will tour in double sea-kayaks, paddling with able-bodied people.
He has already made a scouting trip recently to plan the route, work out times and tides, and look at the feasibility of making the same trip with the group. He paddled from Portballintrae, on the Causeway Coast, to Port Allen in Scotland – an 8 hour voyage. There are also plans for a group of Able-bodied paddlers to repeat the trip this year (2014) as a group of 4 double sea-kayaks, to better work out the logistics of the voyage. This extended time scale will also give the disabled paddlers more time to improve their personal paddling skills in readiness for their own voyage. The amputee joined the club as a beginner, and is making good progress. The other 3 disabled people who are keen to make the voyage also have quite limited experience. Coaches within the club have been trained in the Paddleability programme, and are keen to support their disabled members.
Foyle Paddlers Canoe Club
We are committed to promoting equality of opportunities within Canoe Sport for everyone, regardless of ability. Our ethos is that ‘Canoeing is for fun, it’s for fitness, and it’s for the family. Canoeing is for all’
Foyle Paddlers Canoe Club commitment to equality of opportunity is enshrined in our constitution, through our Equity Policy Statement –
“The club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so, it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport NI definition of sports equity”
“Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society”
We purchased a range of Open Boats and Double Sea kayaks, specifically to enable families and those with mobility issues to participate fully in canoeing.
As a pre-amble to our engagement with minority and disadvantaged groups, our members received awareness training from Autism NI, and awareness training from RNIB. In fact one of our coaches who is a consultant eye surgeon, provided very useful guidance on some practical issues associated with coaching people with reduced vision.
Over the past few years, FPCC have ran some very successful canoeing and kayaking sessions for a variety of minority and disadvantaged groups, including ; RNIB, Autism & Aspergers’s NI, Intervention Programmes (Cross-Community groups during the marching season) and with a group of children from a Care Home environment.
The feedback we received, from these activities, was that these sessions proved very enjoyable for all of the participants, leaders and coaches. Our coaches were enthused by their involvement and spoke of how rewarding the experience was for them as coaches.
We aim to continue to provide canoeing opportunities, subject to funding for improved access, etc.
One thought on “The Equality Standard”
Pingback: Equality Standard - Canoe Association of Northern Ireland
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Abortion Rate Declines in U.S. But Increases for Poor Women
A new study reported in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology indicates the abortion rate has decreased in the United States — good news because it means more pregnant women are opting against having an abortion.
However, the report presents news that should spark a drive to help more women below the poverty level find pregnancy resources and support because it indicates poor women are having abortions at a higher rate than before.
The new report was published by the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research group formerly affiliated with the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Despite its pro-abortion bent, the organization is thought by pro-life groups to publish fairly accurate abortion figures because it obtains the numbers directly from abortion businesses...
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/24/abortion-rate-declines-in-u-s-but-i...
New Jersey: Senate to Vote on Planned Parenthood Funding
Senator Loretta Weinberg has introduced legislation to send millions in state taxpayer funds to the Planned Parenthood abortion business after Gov. Chris Christie repeatedly refused to fund it.
Weinberg introduced S2899 on Thursday to fund Planned Parenthood family planning clinics and Senate President Stephen Sweeney agreed to post it for a Monday afternoon vote in the state Senate. In a statement, Sweeney called Senator Weinberg, “a tireless advocate for women” and thanked her for her “constant and consistent fight on behalf of the women of New Jersey.”
But Marie Tasy, the head of New Jersey Right to Life, is working to turn out calls and emails to lawmakers to urge opposition to the legislation and is planning a pro-life rally for Monday at the state capitol to oppose the bill...
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/20/new-jersey-senate-to-vote-on-planne...
Republicans May Begin Campaign to Cut Pro-Abortion UNFPA Funding
Republicans in Congress are looking to make more budget cuts and to give pro-life advocates another chance to make gains after the passage of bills that de-fund Planned Parenthood and stop direct taxpayer funding of abortions.
House Republicans, last year,launched their popular YouCut web site, which allows the public to submit ideas for programs they believe should be eliminated. Each week three of these ideas are posted online and individuals vote for the one that they most want the House of Representatives to consider. Whichever program gets the most votes will be sponsored by the YouCut program, and the public will be able to track it’s progress on the website as it moves through the legislative process.
This week, pro-life House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is launching the second phase of the YouCut program, which will now be organized by the freshman republican lawmakers pro-life voters put in office last November.
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/17/republicans-may-begin-campaign-to-c...
Obama Schmoozes With Planned Parenthood President at Fundraiser
After his speech in El Paso, Texas, President Barack Obama made his way to Austin for a campaign rally where he asked hundreds of supporters to help him with his re-election bid. In a more private affair, he curried favor with the head of Planned Parenthood.
Following the rally, Obama met with about 50 people during a dinner at a posh home in West Lake Hills owned by venture capitalist Blaine Wesner and philanthropist Alexa Wesner, according to the Austin Statesman. There, leading Democrats forked out $35,800 per person and $50,000 per couple to attend the swanky event with the president.
Although a public list of the names of the guest was not released, one prominent attendee outed herself: Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards...
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/11/obama-dines-with-planned-parenthood...
11 Republican Senators Permit Former Planned Parenthood Director to Become Federal Judge
(CNSNews.com) - Senate Democrats were able to confirm the former director of Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island to a lifetime federal judgeship after 11 Republicans voted to close debate on the nomination and allow it to come up for a final vote.
As a lawyer, the new judge was also involved in litigation against the tobacco industry and a failed lawsuit against former manufacturers of lead paint.
The cloture vote on the nomination of John J. “Jack” McConnell was 63 to 33 with 1 senator voting present and 2 senators not voting at all. Had 4 of the 11 Republicans who voted for cloture not done so, the nomination would have failed. A cloture vote requires 60 votes to succeed...
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/11-republican-senators-permit-form...
Jack McConnell
Pro-Abortion Activist to Head Democratic Party for Obama Re-Election
Leaders of the national Democratic Party on Wednesday unanimously elected Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz as the new chair of the Democratic National Committee. The pro-abortion stalwart will lead the party during President Barack Obama’s re-election.
Last month, Obama selected the woman who has been called a “heroine” by the president of Planned Parenthood to lead the party as he seeks another four-year term in 2012 that would allow him to expand his massive pro-abortion record and continue packing the Supreme Court and federal courts with activist judges who will uphold roe v. Wade and 53 million abortions.
The full DNC unanimously ratified Wasserman Schultz’s selection, making her the first woman to head the Democratic Party. According to an AP report, she said after the election she would “make sure that no one outworks” the party when it comes to re-electing Obama.
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/05/pro-abortion-activist-to-head-democ...
Santorum: Daniels Should Sign Planned Parenthood Funding Ban
Former Sen. Rick Santorum is a potential Republican presidential candidate and, today, he challenged another potential presidential hopeful, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels on a key bill that could make or break his potential campaign.
Daniels, who has advocated a truce on social issues like abortion so the next president can focus on the economy, has on his desk a bill the Indiana legislature approved that would limit abortions in several ways but also cut off taxpayer funding for the Indiana affiliate of the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Santorum, who has a strong pro-life record and is making pro-life issues a main focus of his likely GOP bid, says Daniels should sign the bill into law...
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/04/28/santorum-daniels-should-sign-planne...
Planned Parenthood Quits Defending Secret Abortion on Raped Teen
A lawsuit in which Planned Parenthood was recently found to have violated an Ohio informed consent law has been “resolved and dismissed,” according to the Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney who filed the suit.
ADF-allied attorney Brian Hurley represents the parents of a girl who, at age 14, was brought to a Planned Parenthood clinic for an abortion by the 22-year-old soccer coach who impregnated her.
“The health and safety of young girls is far more important than Planned Parenthood’s desire to make money on an abortion,” said ADF Senior Counsel Steven H. Aden. “This lawsuit was yet another clear demonstration of Planned Parenthood’s ongoing effort to put its profit margin ahead of the true needs of young women. If they truly cared about the girls who enter their doors, they would not be ignoring Ohio law and allowing statutory rape to occur so they can make money killing a baby.
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/04/27/planned-parenthood-quits-lawsuit-of...
Informed Concent
Planned Parenthood 'scared' of personhood
In spite of numerous rulings that favor letting voters decide, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has gone to the Mississippi Supreme Court in an attempt to keep the state's "personhood" measure off the ballot.
The proposed amendment simply states: "The term 'person' or 'persons' shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." But Keith Mason of Personhood USA tells OneNewsNow the ACLU filed the appeal on behalf of Planned Parenthood, the biggest abortion-provider in the country.
"I think Planned Parenthood is really troubled and scared by personhood," Mason suspects. "Personhood hits the core of the entire abortion industry because it protects every human by love and by law"...
http://onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=1336816
Abortion votes will trail GOP in 2012 campaign
In a year when spending, deficits and debt have dominated the national debate, the recent push to strip Planned Parenthood of government funding is a reminder that the abortion issue retains its political potency.
The decades-old battle nearly derailed the latest spending deal on Capitol Hill, and House Republicans say they’ll continue to fight federal funding of the group after Congress returns from a two-week break to tackle the nation’s borrowing limit, 2012 spending levels and the soaring national debt.
“We believe very strongly that government dollars shouldn’t be used to fund abortion. I believe that is where the majority of the American people are and we will make sure that we continue in the spirit of the Hyde Amendment, governmentwide,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican, told reporters this month, referring to the 1976 law that bans the use of federal funds for abortions...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/24/abortion-votes-will-tr...
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10 Expensive Paintings That Have Been Missing for Years
There have been hundreds of paintings that have gone missing over the years, whether due to war, theft, or an amount of other untold reasons. These paintings were classics or craved by those who admired an artist’s work. There are some that are only worth a few dollars, but others have risen into the millions.
RELATED: 10 Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold At Auction
We have compiled a list of ten expensive paintings that have been missing for years. These paintings are majestic in their own way and from several different periods throughout time. Keep reading to learn more about ten expensive paintings that have been missing for years!
10 The Storm on the Sea of Galilea by Rembrandt – $100 Million
This famous painting was stolen back in 1990 from an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts. Two men impersonated police officers and tied up the security within the museum, while they stole this famous painting. They stole twelve other masterpieces along with this one. This was originally painted back in 1633 and even though the FBI has been searching for this painting for years, they have still not had any luck in finding it. It was Rembrandt’s only seascape, and now it is lost to the world forever.
9 Le Pigeon aux Petits Pois by Pablo Picasso – $28 Million
This painting was stolen from an art museum in Paris back in 2010 after a single intruder disabled the security system. The masked man also stole four other pieces of art, but this is the most memorable of them all. The thief managed to steal the paintings in fifteen minutes, even though there were security guards on duty that night. There has been speculation the thief did not work alone, regardless of what the cameras are saying, but so far no evidence has been found to crack the case.
8 Nativity with San Lorenzo and San Francesco by Caravaggio – $20 Million
This painting was stolen back in 1969 from the San Lorenzo Conservatory in Italy. This painting is still being searched for by the FBI and has yet to be recovered. It was suspected the mafia was behind the theft and its members came up with some imaginative tellings of its fate, but the police refused to believe them. There is a more recent claim that the painting was cut into pieces, but there are others who still are unbelieving of the theory due to other evidence in the case. We can only hope that this piece of history may one day be recovered.
7 Madeleine Leaning on Her Elbow with Flowers in Her Hair by Pierre Auguste Renoir – $1 Million
The oil painting pictured was stolen back in 2011 during an armed robbery, and currently, there is a $50,000 reward for the person who returns the painting to its original owner. It was originally painted back in 1918 and it was stolen with the frame still intact from its home in Houston, Texas. It has still not been recovered, but many suspect it will be sold in a large city or taken overseas, but the FBI is on the lookout and hope to find it soon.
RELATED: 15 Very Creepy Paintings That Will Give You Nightmares
6 Poppy Flowers by Vincent Van Gogh – $50 Million
This painting has been missing since 2010, but it was surprisingly already stolen and returned once before. It was taken both times from the Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Cairo, Egypt and the second theft was blamed on poor security. The museum had only an average of ten visitors a day, and yet the thief is still out there and the painting has still not been recovered. It leads people to question why this painting has been so accessible, considering its value and the number of people who crave to sell it on the black market.
5 White Duck by Jean-Baptiste Oudry – $8.8 Million
This painting was stolen back in 1992 and the burglar was well trained in the art of deception. He used smoke to prevent the cameras from seeing anything while he cut the painting out of the canvas and made his grand escape. It was assumed it made it into the hands of a local gypsy gang as a part of an underground deal and has never been seen again. We can only imagine where it may have ended up and we hope that one day this piece of history may be recovered once again.
4 The Concert by Vermeer – $200 Million
This is the second most expensive painting that has gone missing and was a part of a major art heist that left the world calling for vengeance. This was painted sometime in the 1660s and was at the midpoint of Vermeer’s career. He died young, so his works are less plentiful then other artists of his day, but it is also the reason for the high price tag. The profoundness of this image is what draws people in and makes them feel something, which is another reason why the art community hopes to see its return.
RELATED: 15 Historical Paintings That Were Turned Into Hilarious Memes
3 Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Murals 3A & 3B by Maxfield Parrish – $4 Million
This theft back in 2002 from the Edenhurst Gallery when a thief climbed in through a hole in the roof. The paintings took four years for the artist to create and were meant to be situated in Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s home in Long Island. It was a devastating blow to Hollywood when this artwork was stolen from the museum and it was a professional job. It is suspected that they were sold somewhere in Asia and the collector who owned them suspects he will never see them again.
2 View of Auvers-sur-Oise by Cézanne – $3 Million
This masterpiece was stolen at midnight of the new year in January of 2000. It was stolen from the University of Oxford’s museum. This theft was different from others because it was carried out by a professional who knew exactly what they were doing. The thief used the construction scaffolding to reach a skylight and then released a rope that he slid down to enter the museum. He threw a smoke canister and triggered the fire alarm to make it appear like a fire, but after authorities checked the area, they deemed only this painting had gone missing.
1 Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci – $450 Million
This painting is the newest expensive piece of art to be stolen and it was stolen just this year from the Louvre Abu Dhabi. It might not have been missing for years, but it is still worth mentioning due to the exorbitant price it went for at auction. It was missing before and was restored before it was bought at auction, and now its disappearance has raised questions to its new whereabouts. This masterpiece from the 1500s is priceless and we can only hope for its safe return.
NEXT: The 10 Most Famous Paintings with Hidden Codes
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- Clarksville Sports Network – Clarksville Tennessee's most trusted source for sports, including Austin Peay State University. - http://clarksvillesportsnetwork.com -
Tennessee Lady Vols vs. No. 13/13 South Carolina
Posted By Clarksville Sports Network.com On February 23, 2019 @ 12:00 PM In Associations,Basketball (Women),Colleges,Featured Story,NCAA,Southeastern Conference,Sports,University of Tennessee | No Comments
Tennessee (17-9 | 6-7 SEC) vs. #13 South Carolina (19-7 | 11-2 SEC)
Sunday, February 24th, 2019 | 3:02pm CT
Knoxville, TN | Thompson-Boling Arena | TV: ESPN2
Knoxville, TN – After difficult back-to-back games on the road, things don’t get any easier. Tennessee (17-9, 6-7 SEC) returns home to host No. 13/13 South Carolina (19-7, 11-2 SEC) Sunday at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tip-off is slated for 3:02pm CT on The Summitt in a contest that is being televised by ESPN2.
Including this match-up, the Lady Vols have three contests remaining during the regular season. The next two are at home (No. 13/13 South Carolina, Vanderbilt) and the last one is away (Ole Miss).
The Lady Vols enter this contest having won two of their past three games and five of their last seven, including victories over LSU, Florida, Vanderbilt, Auburn and RV/RV Missouri.
The losses were at No. 6/6 Mississippi State on February 10th and No. 21/22 Texas A&M on February 21st.
Tennessee comes into Sunday’s match-up on the heels of a 79-62 setback at Texas A&M. The No. 21/22 Aggies broke open a close game with a 27-12 blitz in the third quarter.
South Carolina also enters with a loss in its rearview mirror, falling at home to No. 16/17 Kentucky Thursday night, 65-57. The Gamecocks have lost seven times, and six of those came against ranked teams, including five vs. top-10 squads.
Tennessee holds a 50-7 all-time record in this series and has won three of the past four vs. USC, giving a Holly Warlick [2] a 5-4 record vs. Dawn Staley’s program.
Sunday’s contest is a return to Rocky Top for Gamecocks guard Te’a Cooper and assistant coach Jolette Law. Cooper was at UT from 2015-17 before making the move to South Carolina. She was SEC All-Freshman in 2015-16 and sat out 2016-17 with a knee injury. Law, meanwhile, was an assistant coach at Tennessee from 2012-17 before moving over to USC.
Broadcast Information
Paul Sunderland (play-by-play) and LVFL Kara Lawson (analyst) will have the call for the ESPN2 broadcast.
Mickey Dearstone is behind the microphone for IMG College/Lady Vol Network radio/online broadcasts for the 20th season. A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com [3].
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
For UT home games, the Lady Vol Network has a low-power transmitter that makes the game available on the radio at 99.3 FM.
It’s Fan Appreciation Day, and we’re celebrating incredible Lady Vol fans all game long.
Stop by the Fan HQ table at Section 129 on the way into the game to enter to win prizes & to receive a World’s Best Fan mug. One per person while supplies last.
Enjoy the pregame Kids’ Corner at Gate F. It opens one hour prior to tip-off. The fun includes free face painting, the Big Orange prize wheel, visits from Smokey X and cheerleaders, thank you letters to the team and a balloon twister!
Halftime performance by Snap Boogie.
Kids 12 & younger can shoot a layup on the court after the game.
Kids 12 & younger also may pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame high-five tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865.946.7000.
Help us Spark the Summitt during introductions at the game! Download our new free light-up app, courtesy of Coca-Cola. Once downloaded, simply open your Hoops Hype app when the lights go out, and let your phone do the rest.
Tickets available for as low as $15.00 at AllVols.com [5].
Free parking & shuttle service is available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip.
Tennessee Lady Vols – South Carolina Series Notes
UT enters Friday’s contest with a 50-7 advantage in the series, including 22-2 in Knoxville, 21-2 in Columbia and 7-3 at neutral sites.
Tennessee has won three of the past four meetings with South Carolina, including wins in Columbia and Knoxville last season. UT lost to the Gamecocks in the 2018 SEC Tourney.
Holly Warlick [2] is 5-4 vs. Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks since taking over as head coach at UT in 2012-13.
Tennessee is 5-3 vs. USC during the postseason and is 1-0 in overtime, taking a 79-73 extra-frame decision over the Gamecocks in the Palmetto State on February 15th, 1996. UT is 3-2 vs. USC in the SEC Tourney.
Since 2010, UT and USC each have won four SEC regular-season titles, with UT winning or sharing in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015 and USC doing so in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
After defeating South Carolina, the regular season SEC champs at 14-2, the 13-3 Lady Vols went on to claim the 2014 SEC Tournament title in Duluth, GA.
Warlick picked up the first SEC victory of her head coaching career in Columbia on January 3rd, 2013, as her #12/13 Lady Vols went into Colonial Life Arena and took down #18/15 USC, 73-53.
Tennessee lost to South Carolina, 64-60, on February 2nd, 2012, in Knoxville, but rebounded to defeat USC in the 2012 SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville, 74-58, en route to its 16th SEC postseason championship.
About the Tennessee Lady Vols
Tennessee has turned the tables after a rough start to the league schedule, winning five of its last seven games to go from 1-5 in the league to 6-7 entering the South Carolina game.
After bursting to an 8-0 record and standing 12-1 after opening SEC play with a win at Auburn, a youthful Lady Vols team (7 of 10 active players are freshmen and sophomores) went through some harsh growing pains, losing six straight games from January 6th to January 24th.
Losing four of the games by a combined nine points, UT dropped five consecutive league tilts before bouncing back with wins vs. LSU, Florida and Vandy, a loss at Mississippi State and wins over Auburn and Missouri.
Keep in mind that UT not only lost All-SEC players Mercedes Russell [7] and Jaime Nared [8] from a year ago, they lost the SEC’s 2018 6th Woman of the Year in 5-7 guard Anastasia Hayes [9], who was dismissed from the team due to a rules violation, and 6-3 graduate transfer Lou Brown [10], who started 71 games at Washington State and was expected to play a key role for UT this season before being sidelined by a torn ACL.
UT features four players scoring in double figures, including two sophomores and a freshman.
Sophomores Evina Westbrook [11] (15.8) and Rennia Davis [12] (14.6) lead the way in scoring average, followed by senior Meme Jackson [13] (10.8) and freshman Zaay Green [14] (10.7).
After seeing Davis mired in a four-game slump, she has reemerged as a go-to player, firing in 24, 19, 17, 29, 15, 16 and 10 points in the past seven games to average 18.6 ppg. during that span.
UT out-rebounded Texas A&M 44 to 41 and is averaging 45.0 rpg. in SEC play while holding opponents to an average of 34.6 rpg. UT now has outworked 22 of 26 opponents on the glass this season, including 12 of 13 in SEC play.
Cheridene Green [15] snagged a game-high 12 rebounds while scoring 11 points vs. A&M to post her eighth career double-double and sixth of the season. She has recorded 10+ rebounds in eight of 13 SEC games.
Evina Westbrook [11] had five assists against the Aggies, moving her total of games with 5+ assists to 17 on the season.
About the South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina returned four starters and eight total letterwinners from a year ago.
Senior forward Alexis Jennings (10.9 ppg.) and junior guard Tyasha Harris (10.2 ppg.) are the top two returnees.
Guard Te’a Cooper, a transfer from Tennessee who sat out last season, leads USC in scoring at 12.2 ppg.
USC finished 29-7 overall and 12-4 in the SEC for a tie for fourth place in 2017-18.
The Gamecocks lost in the NCAA Elite Eight.
A’ja Wilson (22.6 ppg., 11.8 rpg.) was the SEC and consensus National Player of the Year. She was the first pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft by Las Vegas and is teammates with 2018 UT graduate Jaime Nared [8].
South Carolina’s Last Game
No. 13/13 South Carolina suffered a 65-57 loss to No. 16/17 Kentucky Thursday night at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks (19-7, 11-2 SEC) shot just 34.6 percent from the field and committed 21 turnovers in their first SEC loss since January 17th.
Senior forward Alexis Jennings narrowly missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds in her 34 minutes on the court.
While the teams tied with 34 rebounds each, Kentucky won the battle of the boards in the fourth quarter 13-6, including four-straight one-and-done USC possessions during a key 13-3 run early in the period.
Last Time Tennessee Lady Vols Played South Carolina
No. 12 Tennessee erased a 16-point first-half deficit and closed within three in the third quarter but couldn’t overcome No. 8 South Carolina, falling 73-62 in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 2nd, 2018.
Freshman Anastasia Hayes [9] led Tennessee (24-7) in scoring, tying her career high of 17 points. Senior Jaime Nared [8] posted a double-double for Tennessee with 15 points and 13 rebounds, playing her ninth 40-minute game of the season.
A’ja Wilson led South Carolina (24-6) with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Alexis Jennings added a double-double, logging 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Last Time In Knoxville
No. 15/14 Tennessee closed out the regular season on February 25th, 2018, with a 65-46 victory over No. 7/6 South Carolina.
After a senior day ceremony that celebrated their careers in the orange and white, Mercedes Russell [7], Jaime Nared [8] and Kortney Dunbar [17] helped lead the Lady Vols (23-6, 11-5 SEC) to their third consecutive win against the Gamecocks (23-6, 12-4 SEC).
Russell recorded a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Rennia Davis [12] added 18 points and 10 boards for UT. Mikiah Herbert Harrigan led South Carolina with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
After a slow start on the offensive end, Tennessee opened the second half with a 14-0 run and grabbed all momentum. The Lady Vols overcame a 10-point second quarter deficit, which was their largest comeback in any win in 2017-18.
Last Time Out For Tennessee Lady Vols
Tennessee outscored No. 21/22 Texas A&M 20-17 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an Aggies team that scored 27 points on nearly 70-percent shooting in the third quarter to send the Lady Vols to a 79-62 setback in Reed Arena.
UT (17-9, 6-7 SEC) was led in scoring by sophomore guard Evina Westbrook [11] who had 17 points and five assists. Senior forward Cheridene Green [15] posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Rennia Davis [12] also managed double digits, finishing the evening with 10 points.
Kayla Wells was the high scorer for Texas A&M (20-6, 9-4 SEC) with 29 points. Chennedy Carter was close behind with 28 points, while Shambria Washington had 11.
Coming Up For Tennessee Lady Vols
The Tennessee Lady Vols is back at home for its final regular season home game, as UT hosts Vanderbilt on Thursday at 7:00pm (SEC Network) in the Senior Night game for Cheridene Green [15] and Meme Jackson [13].
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Article printed from Clarksville Sports Network – Clarksville Tennessee's most trusted source for sports, including Austin Peay State University.: http://clarksvillesportsnetwork.com
URL to article: http://clarksvillesportsnetwork.com/2019/02/23/tennessee-lady-vols-vs-no-13-13-south-carolina/
[1] Image: http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Tennessee-Lady-Vols-Basketball-44.jpg
[2] Holly Warlick: https://utsports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1913
[3] UTSports.com: http://utsports.com/
[4] Image: http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/cols/www/delivery/ck.php?n=aa8e5b9a&cb=275596212
[5] AllVols.com: http://allvols.com/
[6] Image: http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/cols/www/delivery/ck.php?n=aa8e5b9a&cb=1223980789
[7] Mercedes Russell: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5230
[8] Jaime Nared: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5229
[9] Anastasia Hayes: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5234
[10] Lou Brown: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8915
[11] Evina Westbrook: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6742
[12] Rennia Davis: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6736
[13] Meme Jackson: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6740
[14] Zaay Green: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8891
[15] Cheridene Green: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6737
[16] Image: http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/cols/www/delivery/ck.php?n=aa8e5b9a&cb=817873513
[17] Kortney Dunbar: https://utsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5225
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A delightful eNovella from New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries about a young woman who learns that you can’t learn about love from a textbook.
In “Ten Reasons to Stay,” previously published in the anthology The School for Heiresses, lessons go far beyond etiquette and needlepoint. Eliza Crenshawe’s lesson is to look before she leaps. But when she discovers that her new guardian plans to marry her off without so much as a Season, she forgets all that. She flees—on a horse she unwittingly steals (oops!)—from Colin Hunt, a newly minted earl who wants nothing more than for her to go home…or stay forever.
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Spirituality >
Sustainability >
At St. John Neumann
Contacting Legislators
Advocacy 101 >
Advocacy with Members of Congress >
Social Media Messaging
Letters to MOC
Emails to MOC
Phone Calls to MOC
Visits to MOC's Office
Attendance at MOC's Town Hall Meeting or Other Public Event
Advocacy with Others
Season of Creation
On August 3, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Clean Power Plan (CPP) final rule, designed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired power plants. According to EPA, fossil fuel-fired power plants are by far the largest source of U.S. CO 2 emissions, making up 31 percent of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of the CPP was to reduce carbon pollution from the power sector by 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.
In a series of letters to the Administration and Congress, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has expressed its support for a national standard on carbon pollution from power plants and has urged lawmakers and the Administration not to weaken the CPP. However, the CPP is on hold pending litigation and an administrative review ordered by President Trump. Meanwhile, some states, including Virginia, are pursuing their own emission reduction plans. For additional information, click on the resources listed below.
“About Carbon Standards and the Clean Power Plan” background paper, from the Catholic Climate Covenant (Sept. 2015)
“Options for Implementing the Clean Power Plan in Virginia,” from the SJN CCH Ministry (March 2016)
"Global Climate Change" background paper, from USCCB (Jan. 2016)
Comments to EPA on Carbon Pollution Standards for Existing Power Plants, from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski and Bishop Richard E. Pates (July 2014)
Letter to Congress Regarding Protecting Creation and Carbon Pollution Standards, from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski (June 2015)
Letter to Senate on Protecting Nonprofit Energy-Efficiency Program and a National Carbon Standard, from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski (Feb. 2016)
Letter to Secretary of State Tillerson Regarding Care for Creation, from Bishop Oscar Cantú, Bishop Frank J. Dewane, and Mr. Sean L. Callahan (Feb. 2017)
Letters to National Security Advisor McMaster and Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin Regarding Our Shared Obligation to Care for the Environment, from Bishop Oscar Cantú, Bishop Frank J. Dewane, and Mr. Sean Callahan (May 2017)
"Regulating Carbon Emissions from Power Plants in Virginia -- Update 1," from the SJN CCH Ministry (June 2017)
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to assist vulnerable countries adapt to the effects of climate change, especially least developed nations, small island developing states, and African nations. It helps developing countries find sustainable sources of energy and new ways of farming and living amid climate disruption. The U.S. has pledged $3 billion to the GCF. This amount represent an important commitment on the part of the United States, which has been one of the world’s heaviest emitters of greenhouse gases, to the people in the developing countries who bear the brunt of the effects of climate change. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has urged full funding of annual appropriations for the GCF. For additional information, click on the resources listed below.
“United States Support for Global Efforts to Combat Carbon Pollution and Build Resilience” fact sheet from the White House (Nov. 2014)
“About the Green Climate Fund” background paper from the Catholic Climate Covenant (Sept. 2015, updated July 2016)
Letter to Congress on Green Climate Fund and Support of Agreement on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, Bishop Oscar Cantú, Sr. Donna Markham, and Dr. Carolyn Woo (Oct. 2015)
“Global Climate Change” background paper from USCCB (Jan. 2016)
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Trump’s ‘election’: Russian-backed fascist coup?
November 24, 2016 Bill Weinberg
Well, this is pretty hilarious. Kremlin mouthpiece RT, long promoted as some kind of "alternative" by lefties in the West, is now baiting the anti-Trump protesters as paid pawns of George Soros, the fave bugaboo of yahoos, paranoids and anti-Semites. Embarassingly, even at this late date, the (always dubious) FreeThought Project is touting Russian media reports making this claim. We stated months ago that Putin and Trump were in league, hoping to instate a fascist world order after the January inaurguation. Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, who ironically continue to be glorified by "leftists," obviously played a strategic role in this global coup, now on the cusp of being consolidated. Certainly, the jubilation at Donald Trump's election by the forces of Russo-fascism couldn't be more blatant.
In Montenegro—where Russian nationalists were just accused of attemting a coup d'etat—a roadside billboard was raised featuring images of Trump and Putin above the words (in English and Cyrillic): "LET'S MAKE THE WORLD GREAT AGAIN—TOGETHER." (Snopes)
A Cossack paramilitary group in Russia responded to Trump's election by declaring him to be an honorary Cossack. The Irbis Cossack order bestowed Donald with the title, inviting the entire Trump family to visit them in St. Petersburg. (Moscow Times, Nov. 23) Neo-Cossack fromations have proliferated under Putin, often with semi-official paramilitary powers. Given the historical role of the Cossacks in attacks on Jews over the centuries, this is rather akin to the Ku Klux Klan celebrating Trump's victory. The Irbis Cossacks, by the way, made headlines last year when they raised a bust in St. Petersburg depicting Putin as a Roman emperor.
And the ultra-reactionary nationalist parties and politicians that Putin has been backing across Europe are also enthused. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen boasted that her election as president next year will form a trio of world leaders with Trump and Putin that "would be good for world peace." Inaugurating her campaign headquarters just a mile away from the Elysee presidential palace, Le Pen called the premises "a stopover on the way" to her "final destination down the road." (The Independent, Nov. 16)
And the evidence is there, if you care to look at it, that this was coordinated at the highest levels. Russian Insider on Dec 15, 2015 ran a photo of Michael Flynn dining with Putin at a Moscow soirée hosted by RT. Yeah, that's the same Mike Flynn who was Trump's ultra-Islamophobic military policy advisor, and who has just been appointed his post-inauguration National Security Advisor. (The Green Party candidate Jill Stein also supped with Mike and Vladimir at the RT soirée, again pointing to the paradoxical co-optation of the American left by international fascism.)
The National Security Agency chief, Michael S. Rogers, on Nov. 15 made a statement at a press conference charging that a particualr "nation-state" targeted Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, in order to affect the US election. He said that the Republicans were "consciously" assisted by hackers seeking a "specific effect" in the election. (Quartz, Nov. 15) Not hard to guess which "nation-state" he means.
The White House even sent a secret "hotline" message to Russia on Oct. 31 to warn against any further cyber-meddling in the US election process—through a special channel created in 2013 as part of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center. (WP, Nov. 15)
And it has been over a month since the US Intelligence Community formally accused Russia of directing hacks to try to influence the elections. The official statement by the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, said the e-mail dumps "are intended to interfere with the US election process." (NYT, Oct. 7) That's the same James Clapper, Mother Jones reminds us, who fired Mike Flynn as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2013 for being too much of a terror-war hard-ass. And the same Clapper who resigned in the wake of Trump's victory, as NBC reported.
Interestingly, Clapper's October statement was jointly released with all the 16 member agencies of the US Intelligence Community—except the FBI. (Occupy Democrats) Right, the one agency that seems, with director James Comey's eleventh-hour statements about an investigation into Clinton's e-mails, to have been openly collaborating with the Russian spy apparatus to throw the election to Trump. As we noted, he made no such statements about his agency's investigation into the Russian ties of Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. News of that investigation was only reported due to unofficial leaks.
A group of computer scientists, statisticians and election lawyers have issued a call for an audit and recount of the election results in some swing states, citing evidence of Russian hacking. This call must be urgently supported. It may not be too late to prevent Trump from taking office before he can consolidate his fascist agenda.
Austria, climate destabilization, conspiranoia, control of oil, France, idiot left, Montenegro, North America, nuclear threat, paramilitaries, petro-oligarchy, politics of anti-Semitism, politics of cyberspace, radical right, Russia, Ukraine
Egypt: court strikes down Morsi’s life term
EU Parliament votes to freeze Turkey accession talks
Bill Weinberg says:
CIA: Russia meddled in US election
And it continues to get more grimly hilarious. The New York Times reports that US intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA, have concluded with "high confidence" that Russia acted covertly in the presidential campaign to harm Clinton and boost Trump. This in response to a review of the matter ordered by Obama. The Trump campaign, in turn, responds by dissing the CIA in terms that could be lifted directly from any left-wing website: "These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction." The statement adds: "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'" Note that they don't say popular victory.
Fromer CIA man Robert Baer tells CNN that the CIA should release the evidence—and that if "the evidence is there, I don't see any other way than to vote again." That's right. He calls for nullifying the election and holding a new one.
The Washington Post describes the nature of some of this evidence: "Intelligence agencies have identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided WikiLeaks with thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman… Those officials described the individuals as actors known to the intelligence community and part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and hurt Clinton's chances."
Amid all this, the pathetic, deluded Russphilic "left" continues to squawk about how concerns over Moscow's meddling are "McCarthyism"—as if the Cold War were still on, as if it were progressives being portrayed as in league with Moscow and not the most vicious ultra-conservatives, and as if Putin were communist and not fascist. (Yes, fascist.)
It's all being spelled out for us very clearly, and the clock is ticking. It is now nine days until the Electoral College votes, and one month to the inauguration. Are we going to sit by and quietly acquisece in the death of American democracy? Or can we at least call, with an unwavering and unified voice, for the Electoral College to refuse to seat Donald Trump?
Petition to nullify the election
For what it's worth, Change.org has an online petition to "Postpone Electoral College Vote and Inauguration, Pending Investigation." It has accrued nearly 50,000 signatures, and is to be delivered to Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders—although it is not clear to us why they should have the authority to do this, or if anyone does…
Wonkette takes down absurd “red-baiting” canard
The Wonkette blog provides a much-needed breath of fresh air on the paradoxical "leftist" denialism of the Putin-Trump convergence, snarkily entitled: "Why Is Everybody Being So Red-Baity And McCarthyite And Mean To Poor Innocent Russia? A Wonksplainer." She writes:
[S]ome of the dopier parts of the left in America seem to think Russia is still communist, so being mad at them for interfering in our election is "red-baiting" and "McCarthyism." They are apparently unaware that Russia hasn't been communist for some decades now, but is just the same typical hyper-crony-capitalist Mafia-style kleptocracy, on steroids, that the US under Trump is likely to be!
Thank you, Wonkette!
The site also runs a maddening exploration of how credulous WikiLeaks re-tweeting of pro-Trump conspiranoid material led to the bizarre "Pizzagate" affair. A further break-down is provided by the NY Times. Yet most "leftists" seemingly continue to be convinced that WikiLeaks is on the side of the angels…. and that Putin is a communist.
Talk about the "post-truth" era.
…yet some of the red-baiting is real
Mediaite reported back in September that MSNBC's Joy Reid tweeted a bunch of tweets in which she repeatedly refered to Putin as "Comrade Vladimir" and otherwise portrayed contemporary Russia as communist. This only plays into the hands of those who would dismiss the legitimate and urgent concerns about Russian interference in the election—on behalf of the extreme right—as "red-baiting." Not helpful, Joy. She did appear to take some flack for this error.
FBI-CIA shadow war?
OK, this is admittedly something of a conspiracy theory we are working on, but it is mselling more and more like the FBI has been co-opted by the Trump-Putin agenda while the CIA remains loyal to Obama. The Washington Post reports that the FBI is not signing off on the CIA's conclusion that Russia meddled in the election. In testimonyon the matter to the House Intelligence Committee, an FBI senior official called the evidence "fuzzy" and "ambiguous."
The CIA is meanwhile making as clear as a secretive agency can that they do not welcome Trump. "Given his proclivity for revenge combined with his notorious thin skin, this threatens to result in a lasting relationship of distrust and ill will between the president and the intelligence community," Paul Pillar, former deputy director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, told WaPo.
File under "Things that make you go 'hmmmm…'"
Russophile Exxon exec fingered for State Department
The NY Times tells us Rex Tillerson, chief executive of ExxonMobil, "whose extensive deal-making for the energy giant has plunged him into global politics from Yemen to Russia" but who has no actual diplomatic background, is fingered for Secretary of State. He is said to have "close ties with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, whom he has known for more than two decades. Russia awarded Mr. Tillerson its Order of Friendship in 2013…"
This just gets better and better.
Trump, Putin and Exxon team up to destroy the planet
ThinkProgress on Dec. 11 draws a line from Trump's declared desire to tear up the Paris climate agreement and his conniving with Vladimir Putin…
So much is explained by Trump’s Secretary of State choice. Media reports now say it will be Rex Tillerson, CEO of oil giant ExxonMobil, which had made a $500 billion oil deal with Putin that got blocked by sanctions.
Stalling the biggest oil deal ever did not just "put Exxon at risk," as the Wall Street Journal reported in 2014. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow explained last week this deal was so big it was "expected to change the historical trajectory of Russia."
[…I]f the sanctions are lifted — something a new Secretary of State could help make happen — it would pay off big time for Exxon. As Bloomberg explained in an October piece, "Exxon Faces Collateral Damage From a New Cold War," the company's "project queue for 2018 onward is weighted to resources challenged by low prices or higher costs, such as LNG and oil sands."
Imagine, however, if the oil giant is freed to produce and sell oil on the staggering 63.7 million acres of Russian land it leases, which is over 5 times the amount of land it leases in this country. Happy days are here again, for Exxon.
Again, you have to admire their chutzpah in making it so blatant.
EPA to join conspiracy to destroy the planet
And of course the pick for EPA is Scott Pruitt, the climate-denialist oil-connected attorney general of Oklahoma who is part of an effort by states to challenge the EPA's power to reguilate greenhouse gases, and has launched suit to overturn the agency’s Clean Power Plan.
Exxon seeks Russia sanctions waiver
So the NY Times reports that ExxonMobil is seeking a waiver from US sanctions against Russia to move ahead with its Black Sea venture with Rosneft. With Tillerson in charge of the State Department, wonder how that's gonna work out?
Putin, Trump embrace Austria’s far right
From the New York Times, Dec. 19:
BERLIN — The leader of the Austrian far-right Freedom Party has signed what he called a cooperation agreement with Russia's ruling party and recently met with Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, the designated national security adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump of the United States.
Word of the agreement with Russia was the latest sign that the Kremlin is forging bonds with political parties across Europe in what some European leaders suspect is a coordinated attempt to meddle in their affairs and potentially weaken Western democracies. Many of these efforts are murky and involve obscure groups, and it is unclear whether President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has any direct involvement.
The Freedom Party leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, reported the signing of the agreement with United Russia, Mr. Putin’s party, on Monday on his Facebook page, where he also disclosed that he had visited General Flynn a few weeks ago in Trump Tower in New York.
"Internationally, the Freedom Party continues to gain in influence," wrote Mr. Strache, a dental technician who has led the party since 2005.
The Trump transition team did not respond to request for comment on the meeting.
The Freedom Party, founded in the 1950s by ex-Nazis, surged this year to nearly capture the largely ceremonial presidency of Austria in May, but was defeated in a final runoff on Dec. 4. Still, its ascendance, alongside the rise of rightist parties in many European countries and with Mr. Trump's victory, has raised new questions about political realignment across the continent.
Breitbart is now ironically quoting Trump team reps to the effect that this story is "fake news." The Times appears to be standing by it.
Alt-right-Russo-fascist convergence
Brian Whitmore of Radio Free Europe's Daily Vertical notes the Putin embrace of the Freedom Party, and writes: "What Russia pretended to oppose in Ukraine it is now supporting openly in Europe." Daily Beast meanwhile notes that "alt-right" founder Richard Spencer is married to Russian-born Nina Kouprianova, a cyber-activist who avidly posts Kremlin-line propaganda.
Russia’s ‘hybrid warfare’ against Europe
A Dec. 15 CBC report notes claims of a Russian campaign of "hybrid warfare" voiced by several European leaders and intelligence agencies.
In a detailed report released in April [PDF], the European Council on Foreign Relations bluntly warned that Moscow's different intelligence services "conduct active measures aimed at subverting and destabilizing European governments … and attacks on political enemies."
The goal appears to be to weaken politicians Moscow does not like in a bid to end sanctions, sow discord throughout NATO and the EU, to increase distrust of liberal democracies generally and to challenge U.S. influence on the continent.
The head of Germany's domestic intelligence service (BfV), Hans-Georg Maassen, insists Russia has been actively cyber-targeting German infrastructure and institutions for at least eight years….
"We see aggressive and increased cyber-spying and cyber-operations that could potentially endanger German government officials, members of parliament and employees of democratic parties," he said in a statement last week…
It's not all hacking. Russian state media and their friends in social media have kept up a barrage of anti-Merkel propaganda, which has only risen since she supported sanctions against the Kremlin. The attacks include fake news stories often highlighting right-wing political accusations that she has opened up Germany to a flood of migrants and terror attacks.
Last January, Merkel's government accused Russian state TV of trying to raise media hysteria inside Germany after it broadcast an apparently false report saying a 13-year-old girl was raped by Arab immigrants.
It sparked street demonstrations by the far right.
German police denied the attack ever happened, but Russia refused to apologize.
Fake news is now so widespread that German security services are offering regular briefings to expose falsehoods as they arise. And this past fall, alarmed EU leaders started meeting in an attempt to find solutions to Russian political meddling in so many member states.
Julian Assange: give fascism a chance
Kremlin mouthpiece Sputnik notes with glee that Julian Assange crowed in an interview with Italy's La Repubblica in which he expressed his opinion on the imminent fascist takeover of the United States: "Donald? It's a change anyway"
"Donald Trump is not a DC insider, he is part of the wealthy ruling elite of the United States, and he is gathering around him a spectrum of other rich people and several idiosyncratic personalities," he said. "It is a new patronage structure which will evolve rapidly, but at the moment its looseness means there are opportunities for change in the United States: change for the worse and change for the better."
Whereas: "Hillary Clinton's election would have been a consolidation of power in the existing ruling class of the United States."
Alt-right-Russo-fascist convergence redux
Pressed by Marco Rubio in his confirmation hearing about whether Putin is a war criminal, Rex Tillerson responded: "I would not use that term." (CNBC) So cute to see the incoming fascist mob echo the talking points I've been hearing from The Nation, Counterpunch and Democracy Now.
Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen was seen visiting Trump Tower in New York. She declined to say whether she was there to see Trump but the Trump team said there would be "no meetings." (BBC News) Uh-huh.
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#Galatea #MomentoPearl Interactive Momento Jewelry Now Compatible with iPhone 7, 8 and X
#NFC Galatea Momento Jewelry,
Formerly Only Interactive With Android,
Now Compatible With Apple's iPhone 7, 8, and X
Exciting news for iPhone lovers and the jewelry industry at large: Galatea Jewelry by Artist’s patented, NFC-empowered MomentoTM Pearl, Gem and Diamond jewelry now works with the Apple iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus and X. Momento jewelry had previously been compatible only with Android phones and tablets. The Galatea Momento NFC app is now available for download on Apple’s App Store.
Momento #NFC jewelry, first introduced by Galatea in 2014, is the world’s only truly interactive fine jewelry. It contains a near field communication (NFC) chip, allowing a user to play messages, or view texts or images when the pearl, gemstone or diamond jewelry is tapped against a compatible mobile device. Galatea has applied for seven patents for Momento, four of which have been granted. The Momento Collections currently include over 75 unique jewelry styles. Apple unlocked the NFC portion of its operating system for app developers in September, the same time it introduced its new iPhones 8, 8 Plus and X.
"We’ve been waiting for Apple to allow us to adapt our technology for the iOS operating
system since we debuted this product three years ago,” says Huynh. “We invested heavily in the technology and the patents because we believe this is the future of fine jewelry."
Despite its high-tech interface, the real benefits of Momento, says Huynh, lies in its ability
to summon a voice, a memory and evoke an emotional response. Of special interest is the
Momento Diamond, “The World’s First Interactive Engagement Diamond.” Sold as semi-mounts, the engagement rings offer a new twist on the meaning of a diamond. “It can hold everything from a proposal to wedding vows and images and video links to the ceremony. Think about the enormity of that,” says Huynh.
The Momento PearlTM contains an NFC chip to play a voice message as well as a variety of digital content.
The Jewelry RevolutionaryThough Momento is unique, Huynh says it's just a natural extension of Galatea's revolutionary work with gemstones, pearls, and pearl culturing over the last 20 years.
Known for its hand-carved cultured Tahitian and freshwater pearls (the Momento Pearl collection features only hand-carved pearls), Galatea also owns a number of patents for its unique pearl and gemstone jewelry. In 2005, the company introduced the Galatea PearlTM (Patent 7,062,940 B2), a pearl that is cultured using a colored stone bead. After the pearl's nacre is carved away, the color can be seen below its surface. It's been called the most significant breakthrough in pearl culturing since Kokichi Mikimoto patented the process in the early part of the 20th century.
The company’s DavinChi Cut Collection, which was awarded an International Patent in 2012, introduced a new way of setting a gemstone in jewelry so it could absorb the colors of its surroundings. And Galatea’s newest Galaxia Collection features a patent-pending bonding process that adheres minuscule lab-grown diamond druzy to precious metals or pearls without a noticeable setting.
The complete collection of Momento Pearl, Gemstone and Diamond jewelry features
Manufacturer Suggested Retails beginning at $350.
About Galatea: Jewelry by Artist (www.galateausa.com): With an uncompromising artistic vision, Chi Huynh, founder of Galatea, has created some of the world's most beautiful and
unusual jewelry collections--collections that rely upon pearls and other gemstones that have been transformed by proprietary and patented processes. A poet, painter and humanitarian, Galatea, founded in 1994, employs over 150 people in the U.S. and Vietnam.
Website: http://galateausa.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GalateaJewelrybyArtist/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/galateajewelry/
#GIA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship & Internship Opportunities
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships & Internships
Opportunities available at GIA California and New York
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) invites qualified candidates to apply for the Richard T. Liddicoat Postdoctoral Research Fellowships at its Carlsbad, California and New York City locations. The one-to-two year fellowships encourage early-career scientists to pursue full-time academic research on fundamental scientific problems in gemstone geology, defect physics and diamond synthesis; and other fields related to gemology – the study of diamonds, colored gemstones, pearls and their treatments. A paid research internship program is also available for students pursuing a Bachelor or Master of Science degree in related fields.
Karen Smit, a postdoctoral researcher for GIA from 2014-2016, is a research scientist at GIA. She is using a Scanning Electron Microscope to image a sample's shape or composition and see the internal growth structure of diamond. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao/GIA.
“GIA’s fellowship and internship programs provide unique opportunities for researchers to fully perform specialized research in their areas of interest and expertise,” said Dr. Wuyi Wang, vice president of research and development for GIA. “Researchers are given full access to in-house research instruments and information including FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR absorption, Raman, photoluminescence and EPR spectrometers; an SEM microscope equipped with EDS and CL spectroscopy and imaging; laser ablation ICP-MS and a CVD diamond growth lab with laser cutting and polishing facilities.”
The start date of each fellowship is flexible, but accepted candidates should begin the program by Jan. 31, 2019. Applicants must have received their Ph.D. in a relevant field by the start date, and preferably within the last three years. Candidates should be willing to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
The fellowship includes a competitive annual stipend, research funding and approved travel subsidies. Benefits include full health, dental and vision insurance, and the potential reimbursement of relocation expenses. Appointments are for one year.
The internship program is a paid one-to-two month period working on an agreed-upon project focused on a specific gemology topic. Work will include using instruments, analysis and data processes to determine a conclusion by the end of the internship. Interns will receive ongoing mentoring from experienced GIA scientists and gemologists.
Fellowship applications are due by April 30, 2018 and must include curriculum vitae with a publications list, a three-to-five page research proposal and at least two letters of reference. Internship applications are due by May 31, 2018. National and international students are welcome to apply for either program. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
For more information about the application process, the Liddicoat Postdoctoral Fellowships, the research internship program, GIA’s facilities and current and past research projects visit GIA.edu/research-careers.
The Richard T. Liddicoat Postdoctoral Research Fellowships and the internship program are funded by the GIA endowment fund.
There have been a total of six current and former research associates who have been part of the Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. The opportunities offered in this program makes advanced research attainable for early scientists. Former GIA Postdoctoral Research Fellow Evan Smith and coauthors published a cover story in the December issue of Science magazine on the origins of big diamonds and what those diamonds tell us about the earth’s mantle.
An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight in the early 1950s and in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world.
Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit www.GIA.edu.
Posted by AFlyOnTheWall at 11:04 AM No comments: Links to this post
NOW SHOWING - In The Gallery At Reinstein | Ross
from an email notification
NOW OPEN! Poetic Adornments presents jewelry and scarves by Italian artist Chiara Scarpitti. This exciting exhibition features collections of Scarpitti's work from the past seven years, including her most recent, Anthropocene. Each handmade piece is a result of extensive research into themes pertaining to anthropology, nature, and poetry.
Shop all of this year's exhibitions on Artsy and visit the gallery for a selection of past works.
https://www.artsy.net/the-gallery-at-reinstein-ross
Join us in the gallery on Friday, December 8th from 3-7pm to meet the artist and celebrate the season.
The Gallery at Reinstein|Ross
30 Gansevoort Street, NYC - 212.226.4513
ReinsteinRoss.com/Gallery
Gallery@ReinsteinRoss.com
#Galatea #MomentoPearl Interactive Momento Jewel...
#GIA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship & Internshi...
NOW SHOWING - In The Gallery At Reinstein | Ross...
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DA MAN Magazine - Make Your Own Style! > Celebrities > Indonesia > Daniel Wenas Shares the Best Things About Playing Basketball in Indonesia
Daniel Wenas Shares the Best Things About Playing Basketball in Indonesia
A MAN OF HIS WORD – Basketball athlete Daniel Wenas sits down with DAMAN to share some insight into his sport’s community
Outfit by Valentino
Several months ago, during the 18th Asian Games Invitation Tournament held at Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia’s men’s national team defeated India—one of Asia’s strongest teams—and were crowned champions. A notable standout at the tournament was Daniel Wenas, the shooting guard from Pelita Jaya Basketball Club.
“Looking back, I think this is the first time I wore the Indonesian basketball jersey in Jakarta, in front of many Indonesians that came to support us. On top of that, singing our national anthem while wearing this jersey is also one of the proudest moments in my life,” Wenas recalls. “Before this, I wore it when I was a kid during the FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship and ASEAN University Games in Singapore.”
Before this invitation tournament, Wenas brought his team to the final of IBL (Indonesian Basketball League) 2017 and won the title with them after a hard-fought game against Satria Muda Pertamina. “It was one of my favorite games so far,” Wenas points out. “Aside from that, it also showed all the haters what I’m capable of in the field,” he adds, referring to a number of particularly harsh critiques thrown at him on social media.
Actually, since he is a successful basketball player and thus a public figure, it’s no surprise that Wenas has plenty of haters. “Sometimes I wonder, what’s wrong with me? What did I do to get a lot of hate like this,” he asks. “But, the more I think about it, it’s not good for me. Right now my mentality and mindset is that I want to make everyone who support me happy. I’m playing for my family. I’m playing for the people that love and care about me. I’m going to use this to motivate me every single day.”
Wenas also wanted this kind of mentality to become more prevalent in Indonesia’s basketball community. “As a basketball league, we are still growing. We don’t need the negative vibes from you [haters],” he points out. “What we need is a lot of support. For the players, for the clubs. We need a lot of it.” He also touched on the league’s growing recognition: “With a lot of foreign players competing in the league, with a foreign referee for last year’s final, this is defintely proof that we are already in a good direction.”
Outfit by Givenchy
As our conversation comes to a close, Wenas shares a couple of pointers for young talents who might be considering basketball as a career path. “Never stop growing and never stop learning,” he elaborates. “That was the best advice that I remember the most and I want to pass this advice to a lot of young players wherever they are. And also, you have to have consistency. Because right now, being consistent is one of the key aspects in order to become a great basketball player. Even if today you make 25 points, or make a triple-double, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get the same number tomorrow. So, consistency is the key. Aside from that, you also have to stay motivated, you have to stay hungry for more and you have to stay focused.”
Outfit by Kenzo
When asked if he himself is still learning, Wenas doesn’t hesitate: “Definitely. Why? Because I need to know about my weaknesses and I need to improve. People say that I’m a shooter, but this doesn’t mean that the learning process has to stop at just shooting. There are a lot of things that needs to be learned and like I said earlier, never stop growing!”
TAGGED IN: basketball, Daniel Wenas, Givenchy, Kenzo, valentino
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This section of our webpage contains information about our software company concerning our past, our present, and our future. On this page we discuss our history and background, our purpose in forming this company, the steps we took to do so, our ambitions for developing software as a professional group, and the outlook we have for the future. Near the bottom of this page you will also find information about each of our staff members - details about their life and involvement with Detached Solutions, including individual contact information. You may direct specific questions to each of them regarding their projects, but use the resources on our Contact page to address more general questions to our Group E-Mail address. The very end of this section contains information about our webpage and server.
What Is Detached Solutions?
We are a web-based software company made up of several individuals across the world, who have come together to produce software applications for today's leading hand-held consoles. We have joined over the Internet and combined our programming talents in order to create innovative and high-quality programs in a professional manner. Our company name, Detached Solutions, comes from the fact that we program for portable devices, and our software is made in hopes to enhance the usage experience for owners of these hand-held consoles.
We specialize in Z80 and 68K Assembly programming languages for the Texas Instruments series of Graphing Calculators, such as the TI-83 Plus, TI-89, and TI-92 Plus. We are also involved in Z80 ASM programming for the GameBoy and GameBoy Color consoles, and 68K ASM and C programming for the PalmOS. Our staff members are knowledgeable in programming languages for the PC as well, such as C/C++, Java, Visual Basic, HTML, JavaScript, PHP, Perl, and SQL. The main developments of Detached Solutions will be for portable devices, yet we are also entitled to produce PC software that coincides with our main software developments.
Our current focus is on the production of FlashROM Applications for the TI-83 Plus and TI-89/92 Plus, as can be seen from our Features and Upcoming projects pages. We are pursuing development for the Gameboy/GBC and PalmOS consoles; however, we have not yet declared any projects for those devices. The software we develop may be distributed among the public as Freeware, or may be sold commercially depending on the product.
Our History And Background
Detached Solutions was formed on May 1st, 2000 by Dan Englender, Jason Kovacs, Andrew Magness, Scott Dial, and Brandon Sterner, who were previously and are currently involved in a group of Assembly programmers called the TI-Calculator Programming Alliance (TCPA). This group has existed for over four years now, producing quality ASM programs for the TI public during that time and gaining a profound reputation for themselves. We had met through this group and built up its standings in the programming world; however, the TCPA has and continues to exist as an association of people programming as a hobby. We have chosen to progress and establish this software company, so that outside interests may view us as a serious organization and recognize the professional software that we strive to create.
This step to professionalism started when Dan Englender, Jason Kovacs, and Andrew Magness became involved in a Beta-Testing team for Texas Instruments Incorporated, which was centralized around the Software Development Kit for Flash Applications on the TI-83 Plus. This Beta period occurred in the Fall of 1999 and continued until the Spring of 2000, at which point TI released the ability for the public to purchase SDK's and produce Flash Applications. Being on the Beta team allowed us to do this in advance and attain licenses for Flash Development. It also allowed us to become more familiar with the TI-83 Plus and establish contacts with the personnel at Texas Instruments Incorporated.
As part of the TCPA, Dan and Jason created two FlashApps, CalcSys and PuzzPack respectively, and decided to keep pursuing this sort of development under the terms of being a software company. Andrew Magness mainly programmed in 68K Assembly for the TI-92 Plus, but assisted us with our efforts on the TI-83 Plus even though it uses a different type of Assembly language. Once Dan, Jason, and Andrew decided to create this company, Scott Dial and Brandon Sterner were asked to join due to their programming talents and long-term association with the TCPA. We hoped to combine our abilities and create large Flash Application group projects, along side any individual projects our staff would choose to develop.
Detached Solutions was announced and opened to the public on July 25th, 2000 upon the completion of our first major development, MirageOS, which is a Flash Application Shell for the TI-83 Plus. We hoped for this shell to become a great success among the TI users and ASM developers, and this turned out to be so with a lot of interest and support for MirageOS. Our webpage layout and content was created for the initial release, which included immense information concerning the shell, as well as information about our other FlashApps and upcoming products. The MirageOS Homepage is located on our website, which hosts all the User and Developer documents that we have provided for the TI-83 Plus public.
In December of 2000, our staff was asked by Texas Instruments Incorporated to develop a second version of our popular Puzzle Pack application, giving us the privilege to have the app packaged with their newest line of graphing calculators, the TI-83 Plus Silver Edition. We spent a few months recoding much of PuzzPack to improve its layout, appearance, functionality, and usage as well as making it completely free of bugs. PuzzPack v2.0 was eventually released on May 13th, 2001, near the release of the TI-83 Plus SE. We currently hope that this product will attract the attention of many calculator users and lead them to support our future software developments.
Within the time period that PuzzPack v2.0 was started and released, several other major events occurred for our organization. Jason Kovacs had been developing and released Calendar v1.0, which is an innovative program for MirageOS that serves as an great organizational utility for TI-83 Plus users. Detached Solutions also held an Application Programming Contest for the TI-83 Plus, which turned out to be a great success and allowed for its seven winners to develop their entries into full applications. Texas Instruments sponsored the prizes for this contest, including a TI-83 Plus SE, Software Development Kits, and individual signings, as well as calculator Slidecases with the DS logo on it that was given to every participant. Among these exciting events, we had also produced a Guestbook for our website where visitors can post entries to show their support for our organization.
On May 25th, 2001, Michael Vincent was recruited onto the Detached Solutions staff, and his immense skill and enthusiasm for developing ASM programs and Applications for the TI-83 Plus has shown that he is a great asset to our organization. In June 2001, we held our second contest called the Detached Solutions Test of Knowledge, and the Top 20 winners of this contest received the last of our limited-edition DS Slidecases. In August 2001, Michael developed and released an app called Virtual Calc that extended the functionality of the TI-83 Plus SE to have a second, completely separate state of the OS using the extra RAM on the Silver Edition.
During the Summer of 2001, Texas Instruments contracted with several of our staff and other independent developers to create TI-83+ applications in order to enhance the amount of software titles available to the public. You may download these apps through TI's Online store and should notice the names of our staff as the authors for some of these applications. In the Fall of 2001, Texas Instruments held an App Development Contest of their own for anyone to enter and win fabulous prizes. Brandon Sterner submitted his Symbolic Differentiation app for the TI-83+ that had been in the works, and he tied for 1st place on the Z80 platform. Jason Kovacs submitted an application version of his TI-83+ program, Calendar, and won 2nd place on the Z80 platform. Michael Vincent entered his Hook Manager application for the TI-83+ (later to become Omnicalc) and won 2nd place for the Z80 platform in the Under-16 Development Contest section.
Brandon Sterner released Symbolic v1.0 to the public on December 14th, 2001. This application was an instant success since it was the first to allow differentiation and other symbolic manipulation functions on the TI-83+. In January 2002, Michael Vincent announced his Omnicalc project and released it on April 11th, 2002. This has been one of the most innovative applications created for the TI-83+/SE since it extends the functionality of the OS to include things such as a Custom menu, clipboard, past entries menu, parentheses assistant, external font sets, memory backups, and many new functions for users. On July 6th, 2002, Detached Solutions changed domain names from the old address of detacheds.com to our new address of detachedsolutions.com. We also installed a new Forum to the website so that visitors could participate in discussions about our organization and software.
On August 11th, 2002, Kirk Meyer joined the Detached Solutions staff to produce quality software through our organization for the TI-83+, TI-89, and Voyage 200 platforms. His impressive background of development for the Z80 series of calculators makes him an invaluable addition to our staff, and he has already made a great contribution to us with the release of Graph� v1.0 on August 14th, 2002. Greg Dietsche joined the staff on August 27th, 2002, and with his extensive knowledge of 68K and C programming for the TI-89, TI-92+, & Voyage 200, he will now be producing quality software for those platforms through our organization. Kirk released DAWG v1.0 for the TI-83+ series on October 28th, 2002, and Greg released Command Post v1.0 for the TI-89/92+/Voyage 200 on February 16th, 2003. Our other staff members continue to work on their calculator projects along side their many other personal obligations, and we expect to have some exciting releases for the summer.
On December 28, 2007, Brandon Wilson joined the Detached Solutions staff, having worked with Dan and Michael previously on projects. Brandon brings a great deal of expertise on the TI-83 Plus series calculators, particularly in the lower-level of operation, and we look forward to him becoming a valuable contributor to our staff.
This is the stage that Detached Solutions is in, and our history is not much, but we will progress and expand as time goes on. Our continuing developments for current calculator platforms will allow us to become more well-known among TI users, and hopefully our popularity and position in the programming world will rise. We plan to expand our influence onto other portable platforms, in order to spread out our programming talents into other markets. We aspire to gain the support of the public in our efforts, but only time will tell...
Staff Profiles And Contact Info
Scott Dial scott@detachedsolutions.com
Location: Indianapolis, IN
ICQ Number: 3608935
IRC Nickname: Scott_D
DS Position: Site Developer, TI-83+, TI-89, & TI-92+ Programmer.
Languages: Z80 & 68K ASM, C/C++, Java, PHP, *BASIC, HTML, JavaScript, NIBAsm, etc.
Website: http://scottdial.com/
Greg Dietsche greg@detachedsolutions.com
IRC Nickname: dietsche
DS Position: TI-89, TI-92 Plus, & Voyage 200 Developer; Web Developer.
Languages: 68k ASM, C/C++, PHP, C#, Visual Basic, HTML
Website: http://calc.gregd.org/
Dan Englender dan@detachedsolutions.com
IRC Nickname: Dan_E
DS Position: MirageOS Manager; TI-83+ & TI-92+ Programmer.
Languages: Z80 & 68K ASM, HTML, C/C++, JavaScript, and PHP.
Website: http://denglend.net/
Jason Kovacs jason@detachedsolutions.com
IRC Nickname: Jason_K
DS Position: Site Designer/Manager; TI-83 Plus Programmer.
Languages: Z80 ASM, HTML, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, Perl, Java and C/C++.
Andrew Magness andrew@detachedsolutions.com
IRC Nickname: Wing
DS Position: Site Manager, TI-83+, TI-89, & TI-92+ Programmer.
Languages: Z80 & 68k ASM, C, Pascal, VB, HTML, JavaScript, Perl, and PHP.
Kirk Meyer kirk5438@detachedsolutions.com
Location: New Ulm, MN
IRC Nickname: isotherm
DS Position: TI-83+, TI-89, & Voyage 200 Developer; Web Developer.
Languages: Z80 ASM, C/C++, Perl, PHP, JavaScript.
Website: http://kirkmeyer.org/
Brandon Sterner brandon@detachedsolutions.com
IRC Nickname: vort
DS Position: TI-83+ & TI-89 Programmer, GB/GBC Developer.
Languages: Z80, 68K, & GB/GBC ASM, HTML, Pascal, and PHP.
Michael Vincent michael@detachedsolutions.com
ICQ Number: N/A
IRC Nickname: Michael_V
DS Position: TI-83 Plus Developer and Web Developer.
Languages: Z80 ASM, *BASIC, HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and MySQL.
Brandon Wilson brandonw@detachedsolutions.com
Location: Elizabethton, TN
IRC Nickname: BrandonW
Languages: Z80 ASM, C/C++, HTML, PHP/MySQL, and VB .NET.
Website: http://brandonw.net/
Website And Server Information
Detached Solutions is best viewed with Internet Explorer 5.0 at 1024x768 Resolution for optimal performance and appearance. Although the use of Netscape is possible, any version lower than the yet to be released version 6 will load extremely slowly and visually incorrect.
This website was hand-coded in HTML, PHP, and with Cascading Style Sheets using only a text editor such as Notepad or Wordpad. No webpage-creation software was used during the initial and continued production of this website. The webpage design and content were created by Jason Kovacs, various PHP tools by Scott Dial, and webpage management and miscellaneous PHP coding by Andrew Magness.
Detached Solutions is hosted by lunarpages.com. For webpage concerns and technical issues with the content of our site, you may E-mail our staff at the following address: site@detachedsolutions.com.
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course alert: ×
120th U.S. Open Championship
Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, N.Y., June 15-21, 2020
U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Provides Prelude to 2019 U.S. Open
September 4, 2018 By Ron Driscoll, USGA
The world's best amateurs faced the test of Pebble Beach in August during the 118th U.S. Amateur. (USGA/Chris Keane)
Tickets: 2019 U.S. Open
As the 118th U.S. Amateur Championship played out at Pebble Beach Golf Links, capped by a masterful performance by winner Viktor Hovland of Norway, some important groundwork was being laid for the 119th U.S. Open 10 months later.
The course will not play the same for the U.S. Open in June as it did in mid-August. When Hovland, runner-up Devon Bling and other top amateur competitors return to the Monterey Peninsula June 10-16, 2019, with the game’s top professionals, they can expect to find a more exacting test.
“On the scorecard, Pebble Beach is a golf course that plays pretty short for today’s players,” said Jeff Hall, managing director of Rules and Open Championships for the USGA, who has been involved in U.S. Open course setup since 2006 and was on hand observing play in the U.S. Amateur. “And yet, when you think about the history here, it’s a place that has stood the test of time.”
Many people see Pebble Beach on television in February, when it hosts the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour. Conditions are different at that time of year – and the course is typically much softer – than what players will likely encounter for the U.S. Open. If all goes according to plan, the rough will be longer and it will encroach more on the fairways. With the expected firmer turf, the fairways and greens will effectively play even smaller than they did for the U.S. Amateur.
“There will be a premium on getting the ball in the fairway, the rough will be challenging, and the greens are very small targets,” said Hall. “That combination, along with the weather, adds up to the whole package that makes Pebble Beach an iconic venue for the U.S. Open.”
This isn’t the first time that Pebble Beach has performed double duty for the USGA’s two most historic men’s championships. It also hosted the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open in back-to-back years in 1999 and 2000, with David Gossett capturing the U.S. Amateur and Tiger Woods providing one of the game’s dominant performances, a 15-stroke U.S. Open runaway.
Such a U.S. Amateur prelude to a U.S. Open has been replicated at venues other than Pebble Beach, though not in consecutive years. Chambers Bay held the U.S. Amateur in 2010 before hosting the U.S. Open for the first time in 2015. Erin Hills hosted the U.S. Amateur in 2011, six years before its U.S. Open debut. Oakmont (2003 Amateur, 2007 Open), Winged Foot (2004 Amateur, 2006 Open), Merion (2005 Amateur, 2013 Open), Olympic (2007 Amateur, 2012 Open) and Pinehurst (2008 Amateur, 2014 Open) all played host to U.S. Amateurs in the recent past ahead of hosting U.S. Opens.
“There are things to learn during the U.S. Amateur,” Hall noted as 312 of the world’s best amateur players competed for the Havemeyer Trophy at Pebble Beach and stroke play co-host Spyglass Hill Golf Course. “When you walk the drive zones, you get a sense of where balls are going to be hit in the U.S. Open. Some of these guys are the next generation of PGA Tour players. I’m not saying that they have consistent, fully formed games, but they hit Tour-quality shots.”
Along with studying the shot values from the most recent U.S. Amateur, the USGA can draw on some of the most illustrious moments in U.S. Open history at Pebble Beach. Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tom Watson (1982), Tom Kite (1992) and Woods have won there, with Graeme McDowell providing the most recent U.S. Open vignette when he edged Gregory Havret by one stroke in 2010, with Woods, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson hot on his heels.
In the ensuing eight years, there have been a few tweaks to the course, which along with the 70-year tradition of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, also hosts an annual PGA Tour Champions event (the Pure Insurance Championship) in the fall. One important factor in the planning for 2019 is that Chris Dalhamer, the resort’s director of golf course maintenance, also partnered with the USGA in 2010.
“Pebble Beach has added a new tee on the ninth hole since we were there in 2010,” said Hall, “so we spent some time watching tee shots during the Amateur, to get a sense of what that additional 20 to 25 yards is going to mean. A few of the greens – Nos. 9, 13, 14 and 17 – have also been restored to their original sizes. They’ve got potential hole locations on those greens that they didn’t have before, so we are watching how they play.”
The 2019 U.S. Open is not the only upcoming competition on the USGA’s calendar at Pebble Beach. The resort will host its first U.S. Women’s Open in 2023 and its seventh U.S. Open in 2027, meaning that the USGA will conduct four championships there in nine years, a frequency exceeded only a few times in USGA history.
“Pebble Beach is still Pebble Beach,” said Hall. “The greens are so tiny that almost anytime you miss one, you feel as though you’re short-siding yourself. It’s a quality test of golf, day-in and day-out, and we’re looking forward to the additional history that we’ll generate there.”
Ron Driscoll is the senior manager of editorial services for the USGA. Email him at rdriscoll@usga.org.
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AJCongress President Rosen offers condolences to Argentinian President Macri for loss of lives in New York terror attack, as he insists “Christians, Muslims, Jews and everyone” share universal values of freedom and tolerance
Written by AJC Congress
Jack Rosen hosted a private dinner at his New York home in the presence of Robert De Niro and Len Balvatnik
Jack Rosen, President of the American Jewish Congress, hosted Argentinian President Mauricio Macri for a dinner in his honour at his New York home last night in the aftermath of last week’s deadly terror attack in New York, which claimed the lives of five Argentinian nationals, one of whom was Jewish. Following on from Macri’s decisive victory in the mid-term Argentinian elections last month, the leaders expressed their mutual solidarity with all victims of terror, the Argentinian people and the citizens of New York, as they committed to further promoting universal values of freedom and tolerance as an antidote to the scourge of radical Islamic terror. “All of us share these kinds of values,” Mr. Rosen told the President at their meeting, “Christians, Muslims, Jews and everyone”.
Speaking at the meeting of the two leaders, Mr. Rosen offered his “condolences and sorrow for the Argentinians who came here as tourists and lost their lives”, as he expressed his hopes for renewed cooperation between Americans and Argentinians in the areas of investment and diplomacy. Commending President Macri’s achievements for Argentina and Latin America as a whole, Mr. Rosen added that America “was rooting” for Argentinian success.
Looking to a new future of mutual cooperation between Argentina and global leaders, President Macri said there was “no
sense in trying to build walls” as he heralded the opportunities presented by globalisation and rapidly advancing technology
to “invite the world to be part of the best opportunity of the next 20 years: Argentina”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heralded “a new era” in Israel’s relations with Argentina on an official state visit to
Argentina in September, having first been introduced to President Macri at the American Jewish Congress’s Mayor’s
The American Jewish Congress is committed to ensuring the survival and security of Israel, and protecting Jewish communities around the world
Photo American Jewish Congress
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In order to make sense of state politics in the birthplace of statistical marketing and the internet, one has to be wary of the effects of these technologies on the country’s popular media. In a time when our news and advertisements are tailored to our pre-recorded political opinions, it can be especially difficult to empathize with differing political views. Likewise, learning about the histories of state politics is not encouraged by platforms that profit from prioritizing nowness. Several points of entry follow which provide access to a labyrinth of American pasts, presents, and futures as they relate to the upcoming election.
Lou Cantor, Crisis, 2015, Video still.
Two Party equilibrium at peril
The Democratic and Republican parties operate on all vertical (federal, state, and municipality) and horizontal (executive, legislative, and judiciary) levels of political power in the United States. Those living inside and outside of the US empire are accustomed to party feuds which often obscure how these constant antagonisms have resulted in the growing complementary function of these two seemingly opposing poles. The geometry of the convergence between DEMS & GOP as well as their respective leaders is extremely complex. On the one hand, Hillary Clinton, known in her teens as a Goldwater Girl for supporting barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election, is the most Republican-leaning candidate of her party in recent memory. On the other hand, Donald Trump’s social attitudes and New York centric metropolitanism are incredibly secular and liberal-leaning for a Republican presidential candidate. Furthermore, both political parties have experienced their own brand of radicalization in the last decade. While the Occupy movement and the rise of Bernie Sanders have shifted the Democratic party toward a socialist position, the Republican base has outdone its Tea Party days by embracing the even-more-radical ideas of Trump
These developments have left traditional Republicans with no choice but to prepare to say goodbye to The White House in 2016. Clinton is endorsed by not only established Republicans such as the Bush dynasty, but also by right-wing extremist radio host Glenn Beck. At first glance, Trump’s outing as a sexual predator looks a lot like sweet revenge by the Clintons for the humiliation they suffered in the 1990s. However, unlike the partisan accusations against Bill back then, the Trump-related allegations were brought about by a quiet bipartisan agreement: feed Trump to the media alligators and hand the presidency to Clinton.
The Republicans are tossing the presidency to the Democrats in hopes of retaining their upper hand in congress. Tom Friedman, a centrist pundit from the New York Times, recently wrote, “The bigger Clinton’s margin of victory, the less dependent she’d be, I hope, on the left wing of her party, and the more likely she’d work with Republicans.” For all we know, this “working together” might end up meaning nothing but confronting Clinton with legal challenges to her presidency as well as a repetition of the endless witch hunts characteristic of the Bill Clinton era. However, since the Clintons have shown how formidably good they are at playing cat and mouse with a Republican congress, it’s possible to expect that the next four years will be a repetition of history. Congressional Republicans may end up rubber-stamping Clinton’s neoliberal policies while limiting her political maneuverability. Even if a Clinton landslide brings both houses to the Democrats, Republicans can strengthen their grip on non-Washington centers of power where they hold the state government and/or congress.
Third party wasteland
Another surprise in the months following Sanders’ defeat has been the noise of third party candidates. The Green Party’s Jill Stein was supposed to gather most of Sanders’ supporters and force Hillary Clinton into defeat. However, every day, more and more young Sanders supporters wake up to the reality of binary politics and, like their fallen leader, reluctantly and conditionally support Clinton against Trump. However, Stein and her die hard supporters are becoming more bent on their suicide mission to risk everything and make a bad situation worse. If the left thought that it could never have a Sarah Palin of its own, just watch some of the videos and interviews by Stein and the libertarian candidate Johnson to witness the senselessness of both the left and the right. Even if we assume that Stein is playing an ethical function in 2016, someone should ask the higher ups in the Greens about the party’s absence from politics between elections. What was the main lesson of Ralph Nader’s run in 2000, if not that remaining active and organizing for smaller offices is crucial for diversifying the two party system?
Three months ago, we couldn’t stop talking about Sanders and his surprising surge. And if it wasn’t for all the rule bendings by the Democratic National Council and Clinton’s campaign, he could have become the party’s candidate. Ever since the convention, he, along with millions of his supporters, have disappeared from America’s political landscape. One may be reminded of the similar rise and fall of the Occupy movement. But the absence of Sanders’ movement ought to be explained as part of a “Two steps forward and one step back” process of class struggle in America. This demonstrated that political focus and persistence can shake the foundations of establishment politics, putting them in the kind of panic mode we witnessed via mainstream media. Sanders’ campaign not only avoided the shortcomings of the Occupy movement—such as a lack of organized leadership or of a particular political agenda—but emboldened their ideas. It is conceivable that the energy and consciousness generated during Sanders’ campaign, which sprung out of several substrates of the Occupy movement, will re-emerge stronger when the opportunity arises.
The tale of two Hillary’s
The split between the idealism of Hillary supporters and the strategic pragmatism of the leftists who will vote for her is all but obscured by their common contempt for Trump. The majority of those on the left know that Trump ought to be defeated, even if that results in the election of a neoliberal, with strong, hawkish inclinations. If the content of this contradiction and the differences between these two kinds of Hillary votes are not recognized, everyone will end up being disappointed after the threat of Trump is eliminated, and sane people begin to question, oppose, and resist Clinton’s agenda. The anti-Trump coalition is very temporary, and supporting Clinton may not carry over to her presidency. Despite the possible hurdles and opposition she might receive from the right, the left needs to sharpen its criticism of Clinton and find ways to mitigate her potentials for causing political catastrophes without falling into sexist and other unproductive traps that opposing her might create.
Things are still up in the air and we are a week away from November 8th. The fact that the left as well as the alternative and mainstream media, are ganging up on Trump from every serious and satirical angle has a huge potential of backfiring on election day. The left could be making a huge mistake: rather than spending its resources mobilizing for the much-needed, post-election hard-work in advancing progressive causes, it is putting all of its eggs in the unstable basket of Clinton’s campaign. There is no plan for mitigating the potentially problematic consequences of her very likely election to office.
Viewed from another angle, not all is wrong with the fallout of the anti-Trump alliance.. For one, the outrage over Trump’s sexual conduct is having a major impact on the cause of fighting violence against women by further altering the ways in which men treat women. Another example of productive hypocrisy from this year’s campaign has been the insincerity of Clinton in dealing with African Americans’ concerns and the Black Lives Matter agenda. Clinton’s panderings to Black Americans has actually helped progress their cause beyond by keeping the issue in the public mind.
Overall, 2016 saw the hyper-politicization of the American general public, evident on social media to the point where Facebook now worries about the increasing usage of their platform for political rather than personal posts. The marriage of politics and popular culture, which should be credited to both Trump and Clinton if not also Sanders, is going to have a healthy impact on the political life of all Americans in the decades to come, so long as the lessons from 2016 are not folded into the need for a blind duty to support Clinton in all her battles.
The rise of fascism
Unlike the new generation of Democratic socialists in Europe and America for whom fascism and neoliberalism appear as the two headed hydra of market economy, the older leftists prefer to discuss the emergence of ultra-nationalism and fascism in isolation. These folks are concerned about fascism because it has gotten too close to home, threatening to burst their liberal bubble. The problem also stems from the fact that most leftists are not looking at the issue globally and over a long span of time. Fascism hasn’t emerged suddenly, out of a vacuum. It is reasonable to argue that Elizabeth May, Trump and other Western, far-right, nationalist political leaders belong to a trend which started long ago with the Western support for right-wing and fascist forces against communists in the Cold War. Maybe it’s just that, after a quarter century passed since the fall of the communist block, the chickens that were let loose in different corners of the globe are finally coming to their (northern, anglo-European) homelands to roost.
The rise of right-wing nationalism and fascism in the Western world today is part of a longer process, which perhaps includes the tacit support for General Franco in Spain after the World War 2, the 1971 coup in Chile, and the Western efforts in Portugal to contain the rise of communism in the mid-1970s. One might want to include in this trajectory America’s recruitment of Islamic extremists from all over the world in the late 1970s, financed by the Saudis, to fight and defeat the socialist governments of Afghanistan. This very same insidious process was repeated later on in the Balkan wars of the 1990s and the Islamic insurgency in Chechnya. Contributing to the rise of global fascism was Russia’s support for right-wing Eastern European nationalists who fought against the pro-American and pro-Saudi Islamists in the former Yugoslavia and Chechnya. Regardless of this history, the fascism we recognize in Trump first emerged in the election of 2000 and in the response to 9/11 by the United States and United Kingdom. It escalated with Obama’s Change and Hope campaign which, instead of ending Iraq and Afghanistan wars, expanded them to the rest of the region. Think of the Libyan, Syrian, and Egyptian coups; think of the Turkish counter-coup. This trend will continue under either a Clinton or a Trump presidency. Before the fall of Paris, there was Guernica. The global approach to fascism can ensure that the problem is not considered finished after Trump’s defeat. The economic, political and military affinities between neoliberalism and fascism obliges one to think of ways in which possible fascistic outcomes can be circumscribed regardless of the political brand of those who operate the engines of global power.
Every day it becomes clearer that Clinton will be the next POTUS. This sobering reality, coupled with the low quality of the political discourse during Clinton’s campaign against Trump, continues to worry a new generation of voters. But I hope that even though Sanders never made it to the final ballot, the spirit of his campaign will continue to influence the direction of politics in the United States. The means through which such a future can materialize are the organized and improvisational skill of the post-internet millennials in making themselves heard in the corridors of power. The most striking feature of this new brand of politics is how it integrates its new class politics with the liberal legacy of identity politics. This new rhizome of communities which have formed around certain issues and sensitivities is not afraid of economic analysis and is comfortable at deploying available technologies in pursuit of their political objectives; they know when to surge and when to hide. Even though this new left does not have leaders, let alone any real political party or organization, it sure knows well how to make its mark.
Tags: election 2016, Election Renewal, issue, mohammed salemy
Laboria Cuboniks in Conversation
Laboria Cuboniks is currently a group of 6 women working together online to redefine a feminism adequate to the twenty-first century. They collectively wrote Xenofeminsim: A Politics for Alienation in 2014. Here, in conversation with Postcontemporary Issue guest editors Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik they discuss the dissatisfactions and limitations of historical feminism and the importance of theorizing “the future” as a feminist project. Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik: The initial formulation of your political… [read more »]
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by Dave Campbell
concealed carry, Dave Campbell, guns, handguns, pistol, revolvers, safety, self-defense
About a month ago my friend and fellow writer Jim Wilson wrote a piece for AmericanRifleman.org entitled “Failure Drill.” Jim recounted the origins of what is known variously as the Failure or Mozambique Drill. There is no need for me to repeat what Jim wrote; he did a fine job of describing it and the reasons to include it in one’s practice regimen.
In what is becoming a far too common phenomenon, a gaggle of Internet commandos began ripping Jim and his article for nonsensical reasons. Several made snide references that Jim—and probably the rest of us who agree with him—are sycophantic idolaters of a dead Marine colonel named Jeff Cooper. I do not know—and it’s really none of my business—what Jim’s spiritual condition is, but I can tell you this: I worship but one man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. However, I do have a tremendous respect and admiration for Col. Cooper. It was Cooper—along with his compadres in the Big Bear Gunslingers—who taught the world to use two hands when shooting a handgun. That which has become known as the Modern Technique of the Pistol was born under Cooper and his cronies and continues to be refined and polished today by countless students of the gun. I suspect that Jim has a lot of respect for the Colonel as well, and respect is not idolatry.
Folks, we’re talking about a drill, not some rote ritual. A drill—any drill—is designed to help train the student to properly handle a problem that may develop. This is just as true for a second baseman shagging grounders as it is for someone learning the use of the handgun as a self-defense tool.
The fact is for the very few of us who will actually have to shoot for our life at some point, a well-placed shot from a proven cartridge will probably take the fight out of the bad guy. Those who blindly and ritualistically “double-tap” every target may find themselves in a position of unfortunate and unforeseen consequences if when they really do have to shoot. However, there always is a possibility that a pair of bullets to the upper thorax fails to terminate the threat immediately. It is that OS moment where the individual must quickly determine that the threat still exists and deal with it accordingly. That is when the Failure Drill becomes golden. The alternative is to let OS take over and empty your pistol in the general direction of the threat—a practice that might have similar unfortunate consequences as blindingly dumping another round at the threat even when he has dropped from the shooting point and your second shot unwittingly goes into a baby stroller that was behind the bad guy.
What we call the Modern Technique of the Pistol was developed to provide a disciplined response to a potentially deadly threat. Most people when confronted with such an event respond with blind chaos. That response often leads to their demise or perhaps the demise or major injury of and innocent, hence the creation of a more disciplined reaction.
A healthy debate and discussion is almost always a good thing. It is through thoughtful dialog that something like the Modern Technique can continue to evolve and become an even better solution to the problem at hand. But snarky, spiteful potshots mixed with a liberal amount of bovine residue adds nothing to the discussion, the improvement of the technique or the people employing it.
Dave Campbell began his hunting career with a spear off the southern California coast in the late 1960s. It did not take long for him to graduate to the gun on land. Campbell is the founding editor in chief of the NRA’s tremendously successful Shooting Illustrated magazine. In 2006 he also edited the iconic book of terminal ballistics, Rifle Bullets for the Hunter—A Definitive Study. He returned to his beloved Wyoming in 2007 as a freelance writer, though he usually refers to himself now as a “recovering editor.”
Back Under the Knife
Decision: Failure
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Interview with John Birmingham, writer/director of "Crazy Animal"
I'll admit that I grew up on Troma films. Well, I grew up on a lot of films, but Troma was definitely a huge influence. I remember rushing out to rent "The Toxic Avenger", "Class of Nuke 'Em High", "Surf Nazi's Must Die", "Troma's War" and on and on... I mean, Toxie and his buddy's were classics. What card carrying fan of indie horror doesn't know "The Toxic Avenger"? Do you remember "The Toxic Avenger" animated series? I do... I even own a copy of Lloyd's book, "Make Your Own Damn Movie" and the film that was spawned by it, "Terror Firmer". Yes, right here, right now. I'll say it. I'm proud to say I am a fan of Troma.
Troma was formed in 1974 by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz and, if you've ever watched a Troma film, you'd know that because I think they've used the same low-budget opening since then. Now, although they were formed in 1974, they really didn't become the Troma that you and I know until they came out with "The Toxic Avenger" in 1984. Prior to that, they were pumping out raunchy sex comedies like "The First Turn On" and "Squeeze Play". Troma had a few bombs and some troubled financial times, but in the last few years, they've redefined themselves and they're back in a good place. Recently, they've come out with "Poultryguiest: Night of the Chicken Dead", they do the Tromadance Festival every year, they're making "The Toxic Avenger" into a Broadway musical and Lloyd's in so many low-budget horror movies, it's impossible to count... in fact, he's also in the film that we're about to discuss, "Crazy Animal", which is actually being released by Troma.
"Crazy Animal" is written and directed by John Birmingham and he, too, was obviously raised on Troma. Like I said in the last paragraph, Lloyd Kaufman, himself, actually makes a cameo in the film, along with Ron Jeremy and Brinke Stevens. The film embodies everything that you'd expect from a quality Troma film; it has lots of boobs, it has some gore, some musical scenes, some scenes that will make you a little uncomfortable and it also has a great story, great acting and it's really well put together. If you're into classic Troma films (and if you're into indie horror, chances are you are), you'll thoroughly enjoy "Crazy Animal". We had the chance to discuss the film with John Birmingham, the writer and director...
First off, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your influences and what got you into indie filmmaking?
My influences were not necessarily film or movies. I was influenced by the great artists like Dali and philosophers like Aristotle and Plato and maybe very deep, articulate writers, when I was starting into college (community college, albeit, but...). And earlier I was always into music, rock stars and stuff, Jane's Addiction, Glenn Danzig and punk and stuff growing up, and even classical like Mozart or Tchaikovsky, really brilliant stuff. I played guitar, drums and more recently got into singing and acting, so that is what I want to do with my movies, make a true work of art, a timeless work of art that says something or has a message. Not necessarily a big movie fan, but some movies are brilliant, and I love the work of any good filmmaker, more especially Peter Medak, Stanley Kubrick, ones who still hang onto a real side of life, not a censored version, because life gets real, it gets out of hand and crazy, and I feel it should not be censored for the screen, if there is sex, it should show something (as long as it is not gratuitous, lol).
Film School: Yes or No?
Yeah, I made this as my graduate thesis film at Chapman University. I was privileged to go there. Schwarzeneggar, Spielberg, plenty of these types were on campus while I was attending back in about 2004/2005. The school is well connected, a dreamlike, amazing unparallelled experience going there, it was a real film school by every definition, and I got in while I was still relatively young, so I would suggest going if you can...
Where did you get the idea for "Crazy Animal"?
I wanted to play a glam rocker, really become one, so I put a lot of validation behind why I was a glam rocker, using that as a guise to reel in unsuspecting young white males who typically idolize rockers at some point in their lives... once they are fascinated by my character, I tie them up against their will to sing to them cheesy glam rock ballads to get them to confess to their crimes... haha... I tried to make it meaningful as possible but at the same time funny and an overall fun, entertaining experience.
What was the approx budget and how did you secure financing?
Wow, that is a tough one... I will just be truthful here... I was making this movie in L.A. and it was done legit with permits and everything, paid the actors, even shot some of it in Panavision 35mm (albeit I ran out of money and had to shoot some by myself with my own DV camera)... but every semester I was on partial scholarship and I would get I think $8000 or $4000 cash, can't remember, and all of it went to the budget of the movie. The rest I got my mom who was a real estate agent to give me chunks of a few thousand at a time... she really put herself out for me, and she will never do it again. She loves me a lot, but it sort of drained her a bit and I can never do that again (my next movie I funded through my own hard earned money....) but this one was like half me, half my mom... it was about $80,000.
What did you shoot on and how long was the shoot?
We shot using a Panasonic DVX-100 camera in 24p mode for most of it. And also some on some sort of Panavision 35mm motion picture camera, real movie film. The shoot was on and off for like a year, we'd shoot a few days at a time, and all the actors had to come back in their same clothes and hairstyles, haha.
The story was surprisingly in-depth, something you rarely see in an indie comedy/horror. Talk about the screenwriting process and how you put the story together.
I just took a long time and wrote the script out as best I could. At one point, since I was trying to get in acting mode, I tried to hire a writer to write it for me, but he was sort of out there and came up with a 400 page screenplay (equates to 400 minutes), so I had to fire him before he got paid, unfortunately, he didn't know what he was doing at all. It is sad, but somewhere out there is a long 400 page manuscript of jibber jabber called "Crazy Animal"
I was also surprised at how well defined and believable the characters were… there were some veteran actors in the film, including: Lloyd Kaufman, Ron Jeremy and Brinke Stevens. However, most were amateurs and you got great performances out of them. Talk about your directing style.
Well, yeah, I guess you could call them amateurs, but one of them was a former Miss Norway, placed 11th in the Miss Universe pageant, Lene Pedersen, and some of the others have landed sizable roles on tv shows recently, like beautiful model Maria Zyrianova and the african american girl Anise Fuller, and the kid in the movie who played Henry has done a lot of national commercials. They were all L.A. actors with different levels of experience.
My directing style was really just letting them read the lines and be emotional and if something seemed off then call them on it. Really, there is not much to directing, its a lot of fun, its a matter of getting to be able to direct something and hiring all those other crew members to allow you to be the director... on this tiny budget, I was doing Production Design and basically everything, physically producing it all, crazy by Hollywood standards, they would have shot this for 6 million at least. But really, Directing is a lot of fun, I have been studying it and doing it, filmmaking full time for over 11 years.
Talk about being both a major role in the film, plus directing. How did you juggle that?
That was really tricky on such a low budget. But I learned how to do it and did it on my second movie too, The Vampires of Zanzibar (ZanzibarMovie.com), just finished editing it all myself. The hardest part I would say is getting time to memorize lines and then keeping in shape while you are physically producing the thing running around wearing all these hats.... if it is just directing and starring in something together, no big deal, I have that down... but what made it crazy was that on such a low budget I had to like arrange everything else, I was the only producer of the whole thing and doing set design and stuff a little in between it all, it was a little too munch, which is why I can't do that crap again... our next movie is hirer budget, my third feature film, we are figuring out ways to get investors now, which is the proper way to make a feature film and to really make a valuable product, I believe. But you have to start somewhere, which is why I made movies without a few hundred thousand or a couple of million dollars at that point.
One of the things that I found very interesting was the very serious topic of rape being juxtaposed into comedy. Castration, murder and even cannibalism can work well in horror/comedy, but rape can get sensitive. I'm just wondering if you thought about that or if it was done on purpose. Then again, Troma is an obvious influence and for Troma, nothing is too sensitive!
Yeah, that was my view that maybe the juxtaposition was a little harsh, but that was an afterthought... I originally figured... hey, when they mix killing and blood and boobs all together and comedy in movies frequently in horror movies, it is almost standard, I figured tackling the issue of rape was the same sort of thing, but a couple of people have said it may be too harsh. just two people, you and one other person mentioned it in an imdb comment. But for Troma, you are right, if you see Poultrygeist you will see that nothing is too harsh for them it seems... I mean, it gets literally scatalogical in Poultrygeist, like, feces flying all over the walls, coating the walls like buckets of diarrhea... I thought it was too much myself... but they have a message in that as well, so I think Crazy Animal is the perfect DVD release with Troma cause it is like another Poultrygeist without the feces, chickens and extras.
Music was another big thing in the film and it worked well, especially with your character, Ricky. Talk about creating music for film and the process involved.
Ummm, I just wrote some songs and played all the music, recorded my voice and mixed it and produced the music all myself. I have played music since childhood, so it is something I have always wanted to do... so it was a pretty fun experience... it just gets difficult on a budget cause you have to do it all yourself. Like, I had to physically mix it all myself, every little detail of the sound and sound design and everything on that movie. Which is why I am taking a long time away from that to concentrate now on just acting and music, my real ambition now, moreover music...
Tell us about some of the hurdles you overcame to get the film done. Any advice you can pass on to other indie filmmakers who might be just setting out to make a film.
It was hard to do as being just a student, but a great learning experience and getting used to acting and filmmaking at the same time. I learned a lot. I learned to always have a monitor on set (even a simple TV), then you can be in front of camera, even operate camera if you want to or had to.
Did you enter "Crazy Animal" into any of the festivals? If so, how did it do and is the festival circuit something that every indie horror filmmaker should consider doing?
I just got into a couple of festivals, Tromadance 2006 in the Secret Screenings section and this one in Virginia right in my town. So, no, I didn't think it was a festival type of film, but my new one I am going the festival route for sure... I think if it is horror, you should for sure go to horror festivals if you have a decent product... try to win some awards, distributors will really, really take you more seriously with awards.
Tell us about the process of finding distribution. How did that go and what insight could you pass on to other filmmakers who are looking for distribution?
I wrote to every distributor in existence, some gave offers, but no money upfront, like Troma did. I went with them because I figured they were the best match for the movie. The best thing to do is to have a major screening in L.A. and invite distributors or sales reps to it, try to have something fun for them to go to, instead of watching it on a tiny screen, no fun in that and the movie usually looks worse small, or creates a smaller impression.
Where can people find out more about "Crazy Animal" or, better yet, buy a copy?
You can buy it at Amazon.com and maybe other stores soon... it is available to buy now at Amazon, but release date is officially March 31, 2009.
Talk about the indie horror genre and indie filmmaking. Where do you feel it is now and where do you see it going?
I think someone create something truly amazing if they take the time to first of all make a brilliant, brilliant script... I tried my best with Crazy Animal, but don't feel it was an Oscar worthy type of script or a really deep, deep, cool ultimate cool script that changed the world for the better a bit, which is what I want to write in the future. And I think if you have a taste of real greatness in your indie movie in the script first of all, then you have a chance at better things. If you consistently make great, genius product that not many others can provide, you will find a lot of money and work in Hollywood, the studios will hire you themselves to make your movies if you prove yourself like the guy did with Cabin Fever for example. Just get a decent budget together, and moreover the script.
What's next for you? Do you have any projects in the works?
Yeah, my third feature film, a secret subject matter... gay comedy... but funny for everybody, by no mean a "gay" movie... and my second movie I just finished all post production, its a vampire comedy, The Vampires of Zanzibar. Look it up, the trailer is up on Myspace and on the website, it is truly a great product. Thanks!!!!
Posted by Dead Harvey at 10:00 AM
Labels: crazy animal, interview, john birmingham, lloyd kaufman, troma
Great interview John...I've seen Crazy Animal & it is a great movie, well worth adding to your collection !!
www.las-palmas-3d.com said...
For my part everybody ought to glance at this.
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Judge rejects plea deals in deadly Oakland warehouse fire
FILE - This Monday, June 5, 2017, file photo released by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office shows Derick Almena at Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in a fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Almena and Max Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018 in Oakland, Calif. (Alameda County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
FILE - This undated file photo provided by the City of Oakland shows inside the burned warehouse after the deadly fire that broke out on Dec. 2, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in a fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Derick Almena and Max Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Oakland. (City of Oakland via AP, File)
FILE- This combination of file June 2017 booking photos released by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office shows Max Harris, left, and Derick Almena, at Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, Calif. The two men, who accepted a deal in exchange for each pleading no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in a California warehouse fire, will likely be released from prison after serving just half their sentences. A judge on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, is expected to sentence Almena to nine years in prison and Harris to six years, even though relatives of victims of the 2016 blaze in Oakland slammed the proposed sentences as too lenient. (Alameda County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
File - In this Dec. 9, 2016 file photo, an Oakland police officer guards the area in front of the art collective warehouse known as the Ghost Ship in the aftermath of a fire in Oakland, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in a fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Derick Almena and Max Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Oakland. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
FILE - This Dec. 3, 2016, file image from video provided by KGO-TV shows the Ghost Ship Warehouse after a fire swept through the building in Oakland, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in a fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Derick Almena and Max Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Oakland. (KGO-TV via AP, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2016 file photo, Oakland fire officials walk past the remains of the Ghost Ship warehouse damaged from a deadly fire in Oakland, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in a fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Derick Almena and Max Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Oakland. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, file photo, a member of the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, left, carries away a pallet outside the site of a warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in the fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Derick Almena and Max Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Oakland. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
FILE - This June 8, 2017, file photo released by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office shows Max Harris at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, Calif. Two men who pleaded no contest to 36 charges of involuntary manslaughter will face the family members of those who died in a fire at an illegally converted Northern California warehouse. A two-day sentencing hearing for Derick Almena and Harris is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. (Alameda County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
OAKLAND, Calif. — In an unusual move, a California judge on Friday rejected the plea deals of two men who were charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter after a 2016 California warehouse fire.
As he handed down his decision, Judge James Cramer said 48-year-old Derick Almena didn't accept "full responsibility and remorse" for the fatal blaze which occurred during an unlicensed concert at the dilapidated Oakland warehouse known as the "Ghost Ship."
The plea deal had called for Almena to be sentenced to nine years in prison and 28-year-old Max Harris to six years. The judge said he found Harris to be sincere but because the plea bargain was for both Harris and Almena, both pleas were rejected.
In court on Friday, Harris apologized to the families of the victims for his actions but told them he didn't expect forgiveness.
"I know nothing I can say will come close. I'm sorry," he said. "You're in my prayers and will be for the rest of my life."
The men could have been released from prison after serving just half their sentences, which is typical for California inmates who keep a good disciplinary record. Relatives of victims who died in the blaze had slammed the proposed sentences as too lenient.
Cyrus Hoda, the brother of victim Sarah Hoda, said Almena and Harris were "culture vultures" trying to become San Francisco Bay Area arts players by luring people to a dangerous place to live and party.
Authorities have alleged Almena rented the warehouse and illegally converted it into an entertainment venue and residences before the fire. Harris was accused of helping him collect rent and schedule concerts.
Prosecutors said the two men had turned the warehouse into a residential "death trap" by cluttering it with highly flammable knick-knacks, blocking the building's few exits and failing to make adequate safety precautions before inviting the public inside.
Almena's attorney, Tony Serra, said the judge's decision Friday came as a complete surprise as Cramer had approved the plea deal last month.
On Thursday, Paul Matiasic, an attorney reading a statement by a father of one of the victim's, asked the judge rhetorically if he had ever lost a child.
"Yes, I have," Cramer said with a sad smile. "Just so you know."
Many people in the courtroom gasped. The judge did not elaborate.
Almena's wife and three children also lived in the warehouse but were staying in a nearby hotel the night of the fire. His wife, Micah Allison, and one of their daughters sat quietly in court alongside the grieving families on Thursday and both addressed the judge Friday.
Almena told the victims' families that he should have died in the fire and that he was "guilty for believing we were safe."
"Forgive me if you can," he said. "If I could give you my children's lives I would."
Almena and Harris could face life in prison if convicted at a trial. They already have spent a year behind bars.
Serra said he believed the case had "weaknesses" and hopes prosecutors will consider another plea offer. A trial date has not been set.
Investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said they were unable to determine a cause of the blaze.
Victims' relatives allege in lawsuits that the Oakland Fire Department failed to inspect the warehouse annually as required and that inspectors would have discovered the illegal conversions.
Alex Katz, a spokesman for the city attorney, declined to comment.
The lawsuits also claim Pacific Gas & Electric Co. failed to properly monitor, inspect and repair electrical equipment that provided power to the warehouse.
PG&E said in a statement that it cooperated with the investigation and that a review of its records found no electrical problems at the building in the 10 years before the fire.
Warehouse owner Chor Ng, who has not been charged, did not return a phone message seeking comment on Thursday.
Balsamo reported from Los Angeles.
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Jury rejects Harry Reid lawsuit against fitness band maker
Former U.S. senator Harry Reid, left, and his wife Landra Gould watches as their attorney Colin Esgro, center, delivers his closing arguments to the jury during Reid's civil trial at the Regional Justice Center on Friday, April 5, 2019, in Las Vegas. Reid sued the makers of an exercise band after injuring his eye. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid sits in front of a monitor showing instructions for an exercise band in court Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in Las Vegas. A jury in Nevada heard opening arguments Tuesday in Reid's lawsuit against the maker of a flexible exercise band that he says slipped from his hand while he used it in January 2015, causing him to fall and suffer lasting injuries including blindness in one eye. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Former U.S. Senator Harry Reid, who sued the makers of an exercise band after injuring his eye, leaves the courtroom after attending the first day of jury selection in his civil trial at the Regional Justice Center on Monday, March. 25, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid speaks from the witness stand, Thursday, March 28, 2019, in Las Vegas. Reid testified in his negligence lawsuit against the maker of an exercise device. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Laurin Quiat, a lawyer for an elastic exercise band maker, delivers his closing arguments to the jury during former U.S. Senator Harry Reid's civil trial at the Regional Justice Center, Friday, April 5, 2019, in Las Vegas. Reid sued the makers of an exercise band after injuring his eye. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Former U.S. senator Harry Reid listens as Dr. Farheen Khan, director, Human Factor Division Rimkus Consulting Group, not photographed, during his civil trial, at the Regional Justice Center on Friday, April 5, 2019, in Las Vegas. Reid sued the makers of an exercise band after injuring his eye. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
LAS VEGAS — A jury in Las Vegas flatly rejected former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid's lawsuit against an exercise band maker he blamed for injuries — including blindness in one eye — he suffered when the stretchy device slipped from his grasp and he fell face-first a little more than four years ago.
After eight days of testimony, the eight-member civil trial jury deliberated about an hour before declaring that Reid never proved the first of 10 questions they were asked to decide: that the device Reid used that day was a TheraBand made by Ohio-based Hygenic Corp.
Jurors never saw the actual device because Reid's adult son, attorney Leif Reid, disposed of it soon after Harry Reid was injured.
Reid and his wife, Landra Gould, weren't in the courtroom when the verdict was read. The 79-year-old former Democratic Party leader used a wheelchair throughout the two-week trial, following treatment for pancreatic cancer and back surgery.
Their lawyer, James Wilkes II of Tampa, Florida, said he respected the Nevada jury's decision. "I may not agree with the outcome, but I agree with the way we got there," Wilkes said.
TheraBand lawyer Laurin Quiat was subdued in victory.
"My client always believed in the product, believes that the product is safe, is not unreasonably dangerous for anyone, and they stand behind it," he said. "That's all I have to say."
Reid and his wife sought unspecified monetary damages because they said the product was defective and the company failed to warn the public it was dangerous for elderly people like Reid to use.
Reid's attorneys dropped a negligence claim after several days of testimony that began March 27.
Reid testified last week his injuries were "the main factor" why he decided not to seek a sixth Senate term in 2016. Quiat, however, showed the jury a 2015 video news release in which Reid said his decision not to run had "absolutely nothing to do with my injury."
Reid, the Democratic Party leader in the Senate when President Barack Obama was in the White House, testified he wanted Senators and voters to know he wasn't incapacitated.
Quiat reminded jurors during closing arguments on Friday that they would never know for sure if the device Reid was using was made by Hygenic. The company attorney also raised questions about Reid's truthfulness.
He noted that Reid at first said the band broke, not that it slipped his grasp, and that it had been attached to a metal hook in the wall of the bathroom in his suburban Las Vegas home.
On the witness stand, Reid testified he looped a band through a shower door handle, not a hook, and that he spun around and fell face-first against hard-edged bathroom cabinets when it slipped from his grip on New Year's Day 2015.
Company experts and witnesses testified that Reid misused the device, making him responsible for blindness in his right eye, broken facial bones, fractured ribs, a concussion and bruises.
"This is not a complicated case. Resistance bands are not complicated," Quiat said. "This case is about taking responsibility for one's own actions."
He said Reid used the wide flat resistance bands for several years without mishap after being given a band by congressional exercise therapists. Quiat said they then tried for months to get Reid to improve his stance, balance and technique when using the device in a rowing-style upper body fitness regimen.
The former boxer, Nevada gambling commission member and lieutenant governor was first elected to the U.S. House in 1983. He was elected to the Senate four years later and served for 30 years.
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References in Galactica 1980
Part of the series on
Battlestar Galactica References
References in
the Re-imagined Series
References to
3 Movies
3.1 The Day the Earth Stood Still
3.2 Earthquake
3.3 Invasion of the Body Snatchers
3.4 This Island Earth
3.5 Silent Running
5 Television
5.1 Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I
5.2 Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II
5.3 The Super Scouts, Part I
5.4 The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I
5.5 The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II
In "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I", Colonel Briggs asks if the landing of the unidentified craft is another Skylab incident. However, this proven to not be the case.
In the same episode, Butler asks Briggs if the incident is a repeat of the incident with the Russian satellite that crashed in Canada. While not specifically named, he is referring to the Cosmos 954 Satellite Crash on January 24, 1978, a nuclear powered Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite that crashed in the Great Slave Lake area of the Northwest Territories.[1]
Stockwell's passphrase to the resistance leader references the book The Moon and Sixpence (1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II").
A young boy, Tommy, is dressed up as the character Raggedy Andy from the Raggedy Ann book series (1980: "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II").
Troy's leaving a revised, but incomplete formula about nuclear degeneration on Dr. Donald Mortinson's computer is a nod to this movie (1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I").
Scenes of the city being devastated by the earthquake were used to show the Cylon attack on Earth in Galactica 1980, which were overlaid with special effects of Cylon attack scenes from the Original Series (1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I").
In both parts of "The Super Scouts", Collins tells the sheriff that he believes the aliens have taken over the kids bodies, referring to this movie indirectly.
This Island Earth
Troy, Dillon and the Super Scouts are watching an old science fiction movie called This Island Earth, many of them noting that the mutant alien looks like a Gorkon (1980: "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I").
Same reference in References in the Original Series
Billy Joel's "My Life" is featured twice in the series:
In "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I", the song is playing on the radio in Jamie Hamilton's car as she pulls up to the gas station.
In "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II", the song is beginning to play in the background at the WQSL radio station, as Andromus comments that humans are unimportant to a truly efficient society.
Fleetwood Mac's song "Don't Stop" is playing on a radio in the background as Xaviar interrogates a newsboy in "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III".
Linda Rondstat's version of "That'll Be the Day" plays in the background as Wolfman Jack, Andromus and Centuri walk through the halls of the radio station in "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II".
The song introduced by Wolfman Jack on the radio in Norman Blore's car is "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps, which was made popular by Saturday Night Fever (1980: "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I").
Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I
A broadcast with Rod Serling introducing an episode of Night Gallery is seen on Doctor Zee's monitors.
In another broadcast snippet, an episode of Woody Woodpecker can be seen.
Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II
When Jamie Hamilton introduces herself to Major Stockwell, who has ejected from his B-17 bomber, as an American, he sarcastically replies that he is Bugs Bunny (1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II").
The Super Scouts, Part I
After Troy and Dillon use the flying feature on their turbines, the senior highway patrol officer references CHiPs in his comments.
The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I
Troy mentions that the names for the pre-paid tickets are "Jones and Smith", aliases that Hamilton had suggested they'd use since the names of Troy and Dillon are known to Earth's authorities. This is a likely reference for the show Alias Smith and Jones, one of writer and creator Glen Larson's first television shows. Coincidentally, Roger Davis (Andromus) had narrated and acted on the series as a series regular.
The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II
Scooby Doo can be seen in a play that Dillon and Troy happen across as they endeavor to avoid the NYPD.
The opening shot of Earth, notably with the Earth in half-shadow and to the left of the screen, is footage from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
In "Spaceball", Hal Fredricks references the board game Monopoly after Mr. Brooks makes it clear to Jamie Hamilton that she's to head directly to Billy Eheres' camp.
↑ Cosmos 954 Satellite Crash: Nuclear Satellite Crashes in Our Backyard (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). Retrieved on 6 January 2007.
Retrieved from "http://en.battlestarwiki.org/index.php?title=References_in_Galactica_1980&oldid=214163"
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Bullying happens to the person more vulnerable than the bully. / Photo by: dolgachov via 123rf
Bullying is a distinctive pattern of harming and humiliating other people. This happens specifically to those who are in some way smaller, weaker, younger, or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. Bullying is not garden-variety aggression. It is a deliberate and repeated attempt to cause harm to others of lesser power. It’s very durable behavioral style, largely because bullies get what they want. Bullies are made, not born, and it happens at an early age if the normal aggression of 2-year-olds isn’t handled with consistency. Meanwhile, as technology progresses, a new kind of bullying also emerged.
Electronic bullying has become a significant problem in the past decade. The ubiquity of hand-held and other devices afford bullies to have a constant access to their prey, and the harassment can often be carried out anonymously. Studies show that bullies lack prosocial behavior and they are untroubled by anxiety and do not understand others’ feelings. They misread the intentions of others, often imputing hostility in neutral situations. They typically see themselves quite positively. Most of them have strained relationships with their parents and peers, and they cannot live with their prey.
Every day, thousands of teens wake up frightened to go to school because of bullying. It is a problem that affects millions of students, and it has to make everybody worried.
Science Daily defined bullying as a kind of harassment done by an individual who thinks that they are more physically and socially stronger than their weaker peer. Over the years, studies have been conducted in order to asses bullying and social aggressiveness and researchers found out that bullying has four essential elements and these are: “the behavior is aggressive and negative; the behavior is carried out repeatedly; the behavior occurs in a relationship where there is an imbalance of power between the parties involved, and the behavior is purposeful.”
Likewise, in an article posted by Biocompare, they shared that researchers recently discovered that the growth protein factor and its receptor has a role to play in the aggression behavior which causes the bully to attack its prey. News Medical explained that the research was conducted with mice in order to understand social dominance which causes bullying. They also stressed out that the mice and humans are almost alike since people based their interaction based on the social hierarchy and if it fails, it could create an aggressive behavior with the person.
The Science of Aggression and Bullying
Moreover, News Medical added that the researchers tried to remove the TrkB receptor in the GABAergic interneurons to know the behavioral consequences of the disrupted BDNF-TrkB. Their experiment found out that the removal of the TrkB receptor could trigger an unusually aggressive behavior when they tried to include the normal mice with the experimented mice. Science Daily also added that exposure to bullying as a child was associated with psychiatric disorders in adulthood that require treatment in a study of Finnish children, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Childhood aggression, particularly children that are aggressive against other children, has long been a significant clinical and social problem. Over the past fifteen years, the emphasis and focus of this problem have shifted to understanding and preventing a specific form of aggression referred to as bullying. It is a distinct type of aggression and children who bully deliberately hurt others, often in a systematic way such as name calling, threatening, isolating others, spreading rumors, text messaging and emailing hurtful ideas.
Aggressive children has been a social and clinical problem. / Photo by: Illia Marozau via 123rf
A recent study published at the issue of School Psychology Quarterly that offers an important glimpse into the current state of the available science that explains bullying. In an article titled, “Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A Meta-analytic investigation” examined a pool of over 1,500 studies which are conducted since 1970 about bullying and specifically identified 153 which they combined and analyzed to discover the current state of knowledge concerning bullying.
Furthermore, researchers also claim that bullying is motivated by a neurological disorder, where the brain activates a reward response to the aggressive action. Behavioral experiments on mice found that those who acted aggressively toward the inferior mice have developed a preference for bullying over non-aggression, suggesting that they found the ability to subordinate another mouse rewarding. Dr. Scott Russo, from Mount Sinai Hospital who led the research, said the unique study is the“first to demonstrate that bullying behavior activates a primary brain reward circuit that makes it pleasurable to a subset of individuals.
The report says the activation of the brain reward circuit is caused by the projection of a neurotransmitter which reduces activity in the part of the brain that usually creates an aversion to violence. Researchers manipulated neurotransmitter activity providing them with conclusive evidence that its stimulation is sufficient and necessary to alter the inclination to bully. The report’s findings may provide useful information for the development of drugs in order to treat aggression-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
social science, bio-culture, bullying, aggression, neuroscience
Statistics on Marriage and Health Debunked
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amrecover timeout problem
Thread: amrecover timeout problem
Ksloan
I'm using amanda-backup_server-3.3.1-1 on Fedora 16 and I'm trying to recover off of a Windows client (ZWC-Community-3.3-64bit.)
Both amcheck and amdump run fine with 0 problems found, but I can't seem to get amrecover working - I receive a [request failed: timeout waiting for ACK]
I have looked everywhere for a solution to no avail.
Amanda.conf is set to have bsdtcp authentication for both global parameters and in dumptype.
Amanda-client has the index and tape server set to the client's FQDNs
.amandahosts has:
localhost root amindexd amidxtaped
localhost amandabackup amdump
client_FQDN amandabackup
client_FQDN root amindexd amidxtaped
I have tried disabling the firewall on both the client and server but I still continue to receive the [request failed: timeout waiting for ACK]. If anyone has some incite, I would greatly appreciate it.
Last edited by Ksloan; June 18th, 2012 at 10:43 AM.
Here's A Level 5 Log from the Windows Client:
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::CSocketChannel::OnClientReading : Context = 0000000000CE8460, SocketID = 0000000000000218, DataSize = 103
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::. . . . . . . . 00 00 00 5f 00 00 00 01
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::. S E C U R I T 00 53 45 43 55 52 49 54
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::Y . U S E R . r 59 20 55 53 45 52 20 72
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::o o t . S E R V 6f 6f 74 0a 53 45 52 56
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::I C E . a m i n 49 43 45 20 61 6d 69 6e
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::d e x d . O P T 64 65 78 64 0a 4f 50 54
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::I O N S . f e a 49 4f 4e 53 20 66 65 61
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::t u r e s = f f 74 75 72 65 73 3d 66 66
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::f f f f f f 9 e 66 66 66 66 66 66 39 65
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::f e f b f f f f 66 65 66 62 66 66 66 66
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::f f f f f f 0 f 66 66 66 66 66 66 30 66
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::. a u t h = b s 3b 61 75 74 68 3d 62 73
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::d t c p . . . 64 74 63 70 3b 0a 00
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::ReadRegistryValue: Entering ReadRegistryValue.
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::CAmandaPktHandler::ParsePacket : Buffer length = 103
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::CAmandaPktHandler : Parser : Packet type = 0
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::CAmandaParser : Error : Unknown Service name
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::CAmandaPktHandler : Parser : Error while parsing the amanda packet
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:9:991::CSocketChannel::OnClientReading : Leaving true
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::CSocketChannel::OnClientReading : Context = 0000000000CE8460, SocketID = 0000000000000218, DataSize = 103
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::. . . . . . . . 00 00 00 5f 00 00 00 01
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::. S E C U R I T 00 53 45 43 55 52 49 54
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::Y . U S E R . r 59 20 55 53 45 52 20 72
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::o o t . S E R V 6f 6f 74 0a 53 45 52 56
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::I C E . a m i n 49 43 45 20 61 6d 69 6e
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::d e x d . O P T 64 65 78 64 0a 4f 50 54
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::I O N S . f e a 49 4f 4e 53 20 66 65 61
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::t u r e s = f f 74 75 72 65 73 3d 66 66
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::f f f f f f 9 e 66 66 66 66 66 66 39 65
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::f e f b f f f f 66 65 66 62 66 66 66 66
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::f f f f f f 0 f 66 66 66 66 66 66 30 66
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::. a u t h = b s 3b 61 75 74 68 3d 62 73
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::d t c p . . . 64 74 63 70 3b 0a 00
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::ReadRegistryValue: Entering ReadRegistryValue.
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::CAmandaPktHandler::ParsePacket : Buffer length = 103
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::CAmandaPktHandler : Parser : Packet type = 0
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::CAmandaParser : Error : Unknown Service name
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::CAmandaPktHandler : Parser : Error while parsing the amanda packet
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:15:501::CSocketChannel::OnClientReading : Leaving true
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:538::CSocketChannel::OnClientReading : Context = 0000000000CE8460, SocketID = 0000000000000218, DataSize = 8
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:538::. . . . . . . . 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:538::CAmandaPktHandler::ParsePacket : Buffer length = 8
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::RemoveStaleClient : Last error code is 0
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::The operation completed successfully.
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::Entering CSessionMgr::OnClientDisconnect
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::Communication Layer : Connection closed by server.
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::Network Connection is closed without receiving data
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::DCM_STREAM_DISCONNECT_INFO = 000000000035EFB0
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::Leaving CSessionMgr::OnClientDisconnect
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::Entering MoveToFreePool
3288:3324:18/6/2012:14:49:35:568::Leaving MoveToFreePool
I was able to get it working. I was typing in "amrecover DailySet1" so I tried "amrecover -C DailySet1 -s localhost -t localhost -h 'client_pc_name' " and it worked!
I tried extracting files/folders but I keep geting "Virtual-tape directory is not writable" even when I change permissions (chmod 777). Ill continue to try and get this working but if anyone has any idea, I'd appreciate it.\
UPDATE : - I had to disable SELinux in order to bypass this, but then I was able to successfully restore.
Quick Navigation Windows client Top
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BREAKING ALL THE RULES Forum › BATR Partner Publishers › BlackListed News
UK police summon Israeli ex-FM Livni over alleged war crimes during Gaza conflict
<p>Israel has revealed its former foreign minister Tzipi Livni was summoned for questioning by the Metropolitan Police for alleged war crimes which were committed against Palestinians in 2008-9. The summons was issued Thursday, but was only made public three days later. The summons was canceled after diplomatic talks were held between Israel and the UK, which ended in Livni’s visit to London acquiring the status of a "special diplomatic assignment,” Haaretz reported. This effectively granted her immunity from arrest and prosecution. She had been in Britain to attend a conference organized by the Israeli newspaper and the British Jewish Community.</p>
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blacklist...g_s/M.html
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Home Local Government News Topper’s Office Open Additional Hours
MCCONNELLSBURG — Rep. Jesse Topper (R-78) is extending the hours of his office at located at 421 Lincoln Way East starting Thursday, July 18.
The office will now be open on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is in addition to being open Mondays 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“This change will allow my staff and I to better serve the people of Fulton County,” Topper said. “We can assist residents with an assortment of state-related issues.”
Topper’s offices, which are also located in Bedford and Mercersburg, provide assistance with a variety of state issues and programs, including:
PennDOT paperwork (lost cards, changes, corrections, special registration plates, farm plates and exemption stickers, vanity plates and placards for persons with disabilities).
Birth certificates.
PACE and PACENET applications for seniors.
Property Tax and Rent Rebate applications.
State tax forms.
Referrals to agencies.
McConnellsburg
Rep. Topper
Warning: Scam Calls Targeting Recipients of Property Tax & Rent Rebates
K-9 Demos to Be Part of Training Center Open House
Farm-to-School Act for Pre-K to 5th Grade
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Code of Federal Regulations (Last Updated: January 31, 2019)
Title 40 - Protection of Environment
CHAPTER I — ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SUBCHAPTER C — AIR PROGRAMS
Part 52 - APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
Subpart BB — Montana
§ 52.1397 Original identification of plan.
Updated Versions
Related Notices
2019-11407. Final rule. 2019-11407. Air Plan Approval; Michigan; Permit To Install Public Hearing Provisions
2019-11179. Final rule. 2019-11179. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Delaware; Revision to the Regulatory Definition of a Volatile Organic Compound
2019-11171. Final rule. 2019-11171. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Commercial Fuel Oil Sulfur Limits for Combustion Units in Philadelphia County
2019-11181. Final rule. 2019-11181. Approval of Source Specific Air Quality Implementation Plans; New Jersey
2019-10918. Final rule. 2019-10918. Air Plan Approval and Promulgation of State Implementation Plan, Louisiana; Attainment Demonstration for the St. Bernard Parish 2010 SO2
Latest version.
(a) This section identifies the original “Air Implementation Plan for the State of Montana” and all revisions submitted by Montana that were federally approved prior to March 1, 2015.
(b) The plan was officially submitted on March 22, 1972.
(c) The plan revisions listed below were submitted on the dates specified.
(1) Non-regulatory changes to the plan involving compliance schedules, emergency episodes, and air quality surveillance submitted May 10, 1972, by the State Department of Health.
(2) Plan revisions (Regulation 90-001, Part VI, Part VIII, Part XII) submitted June 26, 1972, by the Governor.
(3) The Governor submitted the Air Quality Maintenance Area identification to the Administrator on June 24, 1974.
(4) The Governor submitted revision to the Air Quality Maintenance Areas on January 25, 1975.
(5) Sulfur oxides control strategy and compliance schedule for the American Smelting and Refining Company submitted May 21, 1975, by the Governor.
(6) Sulfur oxides control strategy for the Billings and Laurel areas and schedule of Compliance for the Farmers Union Central Exchange (CENEX) refinery in Laurel submitted by the Governor on January 26, 1978.
(7) On May 5, September 4, and October 1, 1975, the Governor submitted revisions which amended regulations applicable to incinerators, industrial processes, storage of petroleum products, aluminum refineries, and malfunctions.
(8) On April 24, and October 4, 1979, the Governor submitted revisions for Anaconda, East Helena, and Laurel—SO2; Billings, Butte, Columbia Falls, Colstrip, East Helena, Great Falls, and Missoula—TSP; Billings and Missoula—CO; and Yellowstone County—ozone. No action is taken with regard to the revised new source review regulation, the revised stack height regulation, or the control strategies for East Helena SO2 and Yellowstone County ozone.
(9) On February 21, 1980 the Governor submitted a plan revision to meet the requirements of Air Quality Monitoring, 40 CFR part 58, subpart C, §58.20.
(10) On April 24, October 4, 1979, and January 7, 1980, the Governor submitted revisions to meet Part D and other sections of the Clean Air Act, as amended in l977. No action is taken with regard to the revised stack height regulation.
(11) On April 21, 1982, and April 22, 1982, Montana submitted revisions to the open burning regulation and redesignated the Anaconda area from nonattainment to attainment for sulfur dioxide (SO2).
(12) On January 19, 1983, Montana submitted revisions to the State Implementation Plan to meet the requirements of Part C, Subpart 1, and section 110 of the Clean Air Act.
(13) On July 20, 1982 Montana submitted revisions which amended the State's rules relating to malfunctions.
(14) Revisions to the SIP for Missoula and Billings Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Missoula Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) Attainment Plans were submitted by the Governor on August 14, 1981. A revision specifying a list of statewide source test procedures was submitted by the Governor on September 21, 1981.
(i) Incorporation by reference.
(A) Letter from Governor Ted Schwinden to EPA Region VIII Regional Administrator dated September 21, 1981, and document entitled “Montana SDHED-AQB Sampling and Analytical Procedures” as part of the SIP, adopted December 31, 1972.
(B) Missoula City Council Resolution Number 4146 approving amendments to Missoula Total Suspended Particulate and Carbon Monoxide Air Quality Attainment Plans, adopted on May 4, 1981.
(C) Missoula Board of County Commissioners Resolution number 81-73 approving changes in the Missoula TSP and CO State Implementation Plan, adopted on May 13, 1981.
(ii) Additional material.
(A) “Missoula SIP Revisions; Revision to Total Suspended Particulates Stategies and Strategy Development and Implementation for Carbon Monoxide,” 1981.
(B) Certification of approval by Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences on May 28, 1981 of the “Transportation Control Plan” (July, 1980) prepared by Billings-Yellowstone City-County Planning Board.
(C) Billings-Yellowstone City-County Planning Board “Transportation Control Plan”, July, 1980, approved on May 28, 1981.
(15) On September 29, 1983, the Governor submitted the Montana State Implementation Plan revision for lead.
(16) A revision to the East Helena nonattainment plan for sulfur dioxide (SO2) was submitted on June 7, 1982, and supplemental information was submitted October 4, 1983.
(17) On September 21, 1981 the Governor submitted a permit which had been issued to the Western Energy Company as required in the conditional approval of the Colstrip TSP plan.
(18) In a letter dated March 28, 1986, the Governor submitted modifications to the Montana SIP which revised rules governing stack height and dispersion techniques. In a letter dated November 25, 1985, the Chief of the Air Quality Bureau, Montana, submitted the stack height demonstration analysis with supplemental information submitted on January 28, 1986. EPA is approving the demonstration analysis for all of the stacks except the ASARCO stacks.
(A) Revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana effective on June 13, 1986. The modifications repeal Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM 116.8.1201, 116.8.1202 and 16.8.1203 in Subchapter 12 and adds ARM 16.8.1204 (Definitions), 16.8.1205 (Requirements), and 16.8.1206 (Exemptions).
(B) Stack height demonstration analysis submitted by the State on November 25, 1985 (except for materials pertaining to ASARCO), and January 28, 1986 (except for meterials pertaining to ASARCO and Appendix A).
(19) On August 21, 1985 and September 5, 1989, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the plan. The submittal revised existing Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) regulations.
(A) Amendments to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) 16.8.921 (27), (Definitions), effective April 1, 1983.
(B) Amendments to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) 16.8.921(2), (Definitions), effective September 13, 1985.
(C) Amendments to the ARM 16.8.921(21) and (27) (Definitions), ARM 16.8.936 (Exemptions from Review], ARM 1 6.8.937 (Air Quality Models), and ARM 16.8.941 (Class I Variances—General), effective June 16, 1989.
(A) February 29, 1988 letter from Douglas Skie, EPA, to Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief of the Montana Air Quality Bureau.
(B) September 9, 1988 letter from Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief of the Montana Air Quality Bureau, to Douglas Skie, EPA.
(C) December 14, 1988 letter from Douglas Skie, EPA, to Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief of the Montana Air Quality Bureau.
(D) April 28, 1989 letter from Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief of the Montana Air Quality Bureau, to Douglas Skie, EPA.
(20) A revision to the SIP was submitted by the Governor on August 21, 1985, for visibility monitoring and new source review.
(A) Revision to the Montana SIP was made on July 19, 1985, for visibility new source review and monitoring.
(B) Revision to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) was made on July 19, 1985, for visibility which includes new regulations ARM 16.8.1001-.1008 and revising ARM 16.8.1107(3).
(21) Revisions to Montana TSP SIP for Butte were submitted by Governor Ted Schwinden on February 10, 1983.
(A) State of Montana Air Quality Control, Implementation Plan, Chapter 5C, Butte, adopted January 14, 1983.
(B) Air quality Permit #1749 for Anaconda Minerals Company filed March 28, 1983.
(22) Revisions to the Montana CO SIP for Great Falls were submitted by the Governor on March 28, 1986.
(A) Montana Refining Company permit dated October 20, 1985.
(B) Stipulation in the matter of the Montana Refining Company dated December 2, 1985.
(A) Montana SIP, chapter 5(3)D. Great Falls (Date: March 14, 1986).
(B) Pre-filed testimony by the Department of Health and Environmental Services dated February 28, 1986.
(23) On March 9, 1988, the Governor submitted a plan revising the State's Air Quality Modeling Rule (16.8.937) and its Particulate Matter, Fuel Burning Equipment Rule (16.8.1402).
(A) Modification to the State of Montana Air Quality Rules, that is the Air Quality Modeling rule (16.8.937) and the Particulate Matter, Fuel Burning Equipment rule (16.8.1402) adopted on January 15, 1988.
(24) On July 13, 1990, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Montana Air Quality Rules, Sub-chapter 9, Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD) Regulations, to incorporate the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) increments.
(A) Revisions to the Montana Air Quality Rules, Subchapter 9, Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD) effective on July 12, 1990.
(A) October 22, 1990 letter from Douglas Skie, EPA, to Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief, Montana Air Quality Bureau.
(B) December 4, 1990 letter from Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief, Montana Air Quality Bureau, to Douglas Skie, EPA.
(C) January 4, 1991 letter from Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief, Montana Air Quality Bureau, to Douglas Skie, EPA.
(D) April 30, 1991 letter from Douglas Skie, EPA, to Jeffrey Chaffee, Chief, Montana Air Quality Bureau.
(25) On August 20, 1991, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the plan for new source performance standards and national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants.
(A) Revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana 16.8.1423, Standards of Performance of New Stationary Sources, and 16.8.1424, Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, adopted July 1, 1991, effective July 12, 1991.
(A) Letter dated April 20, 1992 from Jeffrey T. Chaffee, Chief of the Montana Air Quality Bureau, to Doug Skie, Chief of Air Programs Branch, EPA Region VIII.
(26) On April 2, 1992, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the plan. The revisions included amendments to the Montana Air Quality Rules incorporating the July 1, 1991, version of the Montana Quality Assurance Manual and streamlining of the procedure for updating the Quality Assurance Manual.
(A) Revisions, as adopted March 31, 1992, to the Montana Air Quality Rules: 16.8.807 Ambient Air Monitoring, 16.8.809 Methods and Data, and the repeal of 16.8.810 Procedures for Reviewing and Revising the Montana Quality Assurance Manual.
(27) On April 25, 1988, the Governor submitted a plan to help assure attainment and maintenance of the PM-10 NAAQS throughout the State of Montana.
(A) Amendments to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) 16.8.821 (Ambient Air Quality Standards), and ARM 16.8.701, ARM 16.8.806, and ARM 16.8.921 (Definitions), effective April 29, 1988.
(B) Amendments to the ARM, subchapter 9 (Prevention of Significant Deterioration): sections 16.8.924, 16.8.925, and 16.8.936, effective April 29, 1988; section 16.8.937, effective March 11, 1988; section 16.8.930, effective April 1, 1988; and sections 16.8.922, 16.8.923, 16.8.926, 16.8.927, 16.8.928, 16.8.929, 16.8.931, 16.8.932, 16.8.933, 16.8.934, 16.8.935, 16.8.938, 16.8.939, 16.8.940, 16.8.941, 16.8.942, 16.8.943, effective January 1, 1983.
(C) Amendments to the ARM, subchapter 10 (Visibility Impact Assessment): section 16.8.1007, effective April 29, 1988; and sections 16.8.1001, 16.8.1002, 16.8.1003, 16.8.1004, 16.8.1005, 16.8.1006, and 16.8.1008, effective March 11, 1988; section 16.8.930, effective September 13, 1985.
(D) Amendments to the ARM, subchapter 12 (Stack Heights and Dispersion Techniques), sections 16.8.1204, 16.8.1205, and 16.8.1206, effective June 13, 1986.
(E) Amendments to the ARM, subchapter 13 (Open Burning), sections 16.8.1301, 16.8.1302, 16.8.1303, 16.8.1304, 16.8.1305, 16.8.1306, 16.8.1307, and 16.8.1308, effective April 16, 1982.
(F) Amendments to the ARM, subchapter 14 (Emission Standards): section 16.8.1401, effective February 16, 1979; section 16.8.1402, effective March 11, 1988; section 16.8.1403, effective September 5, 1975; section 16.8.1404, effective June 13, 1986; section 16.8.1406, effective December 29, 1978; section 16.8.1419, effective December 31, 1972; section 16.8.1423, effective March 11, 1988; and section 16.8.1428, effective June 13, 1986.
(G) Amendments to the ARM, Sub-Chapter 16 (Combustion Device Tax Credit), sections 16.8.1601 and 16.8.1602, effective December 27, 1985.
(H) Appendix G-2, Montana Smoke Management Plan, effective April 15, 1988, is removed and replaced by §52.1395.
(28) On August 20, 1991, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the plan for visibility models, new source performance standards, and national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants.
(A) Revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana 16.8.1004, Visibility Models, 16.8.1423, Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources, and 16.8.1424, Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, effective December 25, 1992.
(29) The Governor of Montana submitted a portion of the requirements for the moderate nonattainment area PM10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Butte, Montana with a letter dated July 9, 1992, with technical corrections dated May 17, 1993. The submittals were made to satisfy those moderate PM10 nonattainment area SIP requirements due for Butte on November 15, 1991. The Butte PM10 SIP replaces the prior approved Butte total suspended particulate (TSP) SIP approved in paragraph (c)(21).
(A) Stipulation signed October 8, 1991 between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences and the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners, which delineates responsibilities and authorities between the two entities.
(B) Board order issued on November 15, 1991 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the Butte-Silver Bow Air Pollution Control Program.
(C) Stipulation between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (signed September 27, 1991), the Montana Department of Transportation (signed October 4, 1991), and the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners (signed October 7, 1991) to ensure that Butte-Silver Bow and the Montana Department of Transportation comply with Butte-Silver Bow Council Resolution No. 1307.
(D) Butte/Silver Bow Resolution No. 1307, effective March 6, 1991, which addresses sanding and chip sealing standards and street sweeping and flushing requirements.
(E) Butte/Silver Bow Ordinance No. 330, effective August 3, 1988, which addresses residential wood burning and idling diesel vehicle and locomotive requirements.
(A) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit #1636A, with a final modification date of October 26, 1991, for Rhone-Poulenc's elemental phosphorus plant.
(B) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit #1749-04, with a final modification date of March 20, 1992, for Montana Resources, Inc.'s open pit copper and molybdenum mine, crushing and milling operation and concentrator.
(C) Montana Smoke Management Plan, effective April 28, 1988, which addresses prescribed burning requirements.
(D) Federal tailpipe standards, which provide an ongoing benefit due to fleet turnover.
(30) The Governor of Montana submitted a portion of the requirements for the moderate nonattainment area PM10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Missoula, Montana, and the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program regulations with letters dated August 20, 1991 and June 4, 1992. The submittals were made to satisfy those moderate PM10 nonattainment area SIP requirements due for Missoula on November 15, 1991.
(A) Stipulation signed April 29, 1991, between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences and the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board, which delineates responsibilities and authorities between the two entities.
(B) Board order issued on June 28, 1991, by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the comprehensive revised version of the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program.
(C) Board order issued on March 20, 1992, by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the amendments to Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program Rule 1401, concerning the use of approved liquid de-icer, and Rule 1428, concerning pellet stoves.
(D) Missoula County Rule 1401 (7), effective June 28, 1991, which addresses sanding and chip sealing standards and street sweeping and flushing requirements.
(E) Missoula County Rule 1401 (9), effective March 20, 1992, which addresses liquid de-icer requirements.
(F) Missoula County Rule 1428, effective June 28, 1991, with revisions to sections (2)(l)-(p), (4)(a)(i), and (4)(c)(vi) of Rule 1428, effective March 20, 1992, which addresses requirements for solid fuel burning devices.
(G) Missoula County Rule 1310 (3), effective June 28, 1991, which addresses prescribed wildland open burning.
(H) Other Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program regulations effective June 28, 1991, as follows: Chapter I. Short Title; Chapter II. Declaration of Policy and Purpose; Chapter III. Authorities for Program; Chapter IV. Administration; Chapter V. Control Board, Meetings-Duties-Powers; Chapter VI. Air Quality Staff; Chapter VII. Air Pollution Control Advisory Council; Chapter VIII. Inspections; Chapter IX., Subchapter 7 General Provisions; Chapter IX., Subchapter 14, Emission Standards, Rules 1401, 1402, 1403, 1404, 1406 (with amendments effective March 20, 1992), 1411, 1419, 1425, and 1426; Chapter XI. Enforcement, Judicial Review and Hearings; Chapter XII. Criminal Penalties; Chapter XIII. Civil Penalties; Chapter XIV. Non-Compliance Penalties; Chapter XV. Separability Clause; Chapter XVI. Amendments and Revisions; Chapter XVII. Limitations, and Appendix A, Maps.
(A) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit #2303-M, with a final modification date of March 20, 1992, for Louisiana-Pacific Corporation's particle board manufacturing facility.
(B) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit #2589-M, with a final modification date of January 23, 1992, for Stone Container Corporation's pulp and paper mill facility.
(C) Federal tailpipe standards, which provide an ongoing benefit due to fleet turnover.
(31) The Governor of Montana submitted a portion of the requirements for the moderate nonattainment area PM10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Columbia Falls, Montana with letters dated November 25, 1991, and May 6, 1992, with technical corrections dated June 15, 1993. The submittals were made to satisfy those moderate PM10 nonattainment area SIP requirements due for Columbia Falls on November 15, 1991.
(A) Stipulation signed November 15, 1991, between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, the Flathead County Commission, and the Kalispell City Council and the Columbia Falls City Council, which delineates responsibilities and authorities between the MDHES and Flathead County.
(B) Board order issued on November 15, 1991, by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program.
(C) Flathead County Board of Commissioners Resolution No. 867, adopting the Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program and Flathead County Air Pollution Control Regulations, with the exception of rules 501 through 506, signed October 3, 1991.
(A) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit # 2667-M, with a final modification date of January 24, 1992, for Plum Creek Manufacturing, Inc. Columbia Falls Operations.
(B) Montana Smoke Management Plan, effective April 28, 1988, which addresses prescribed burning requirements.
(32) On November 6, 1992, Stan Stephens, the Governor of Montana, submitted a SIP revision to the Implementation Plan for the Control of Air Pollution. This revision establishes and requires the implementation of an oxygenated fuels program in Missoula County as required by section 211(m) of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.
(A) Missoula City-County Rule 1429, which establishes and requires the implementation of an oxygenated fuel program, as adopted June 9, 1992.
(ii) Additional materials.
(A) Letter dated November 6, 1992, from Governor Stan Stephens submitting the oxygenated gasoline program SIP revision.
(B) Stipulation signed June 12, 1991 between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences and the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board, which delineates the responsibilities and authorities between the two entities.
(C) Board order issued September 25, 1992 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving amendments to Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program, adopting Rule 1429 establishing and implementing an oxygenated fuels program.
(33) The Governor of Montana submitted a portion of the requirements for the moderate nonattainment area PM10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Libby, Montana with letters dated November 25, 1991 and May 24, 1993, with technical corrections dated June 3, 1994. The submittals were to satisfy those moderate PM10 nonattainment area SIP requirements due for Libby on November 15, 1991.
(A) Stipulation signed October 7, 1991 between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (MDHES), the County of Lincoln and the City of Libby, which delineates responsibilities and authorities between the MDHES, Lincoln County and Libby.
(B) Board order issued on November 15, 1991 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the Lincoln County Air Pollution Control Program.
(C) Stipulation signed March 18, 1993 between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, the County of Lincoln and the City of Libby, seeking approval of amendments to the local air pollution control program.
(D) Board order issued on March 19, 1993 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving amendments to the Lincoln County Air Pollution Control Program.
(E) Letter dated February 4, 1993, from Kendra J. Lind, Lincoln County Department of Environmental Health, to Gretchen Bennitt, Air Quality Bureau, Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, which explains the local adoption process and effective date of amendments to the Lincoln County Air Quality Control Program regulations.
(F) Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Resolution No. 276, signed December, 23, 1992, and Libby City Council Ordinance No. 1470, signed February 1, 1993, adopting amendments to the Lincoln County Air Quality Control Program regulations 1 through 7.
(A) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit #2627-M, with a final modification date of July 25, 1991, for Stimson Lumber Company (formerly Champion International Corporation), Libby Facility.
(34) On October 19, 1992, the Governor of Montana submitted a plan for the establishment and implementation of a Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program to be incorporated into the Montana State Implementation Plan as required by section 507 of the Clean Air Act.
(A) Montana Code Annotated, Sections 75-2-106, 75-2-107, 75-2-108, 75-2-109 and 75-2-220, to establish and fund a small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance assistance program, effective April 24, 1993.
(A) October 19, 1992 letter from the Governor of Montana submitting a Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program plan to EPA.
(B) The State of Montana plan for the establishment and implementation of a Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program, adopted by the Board of Health and Environmental Sciences on September 25, 1992, effective September 25, 1992.
(35) The Governor of Montana submitted PM10 and CO contingency measures for Missoula, Montana in a letter dated March 2, 1994. The Governor of Montana also submitted the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program in a letter dated August 20, 1991, with amendments submitted in letters dated June 4, 1992 and March 2, 1994. The March 2, 1994 submittal satisfies several commitments made by the State in its original PM10 moderate nonattainment area SIP.
(A) Board order issued on November 19, 1993 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the amendments to Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program Chapter VII, VIII, and IX, regarding, among other things, the PM10 and CO contingency measures, inspections, emergency procedures, permitting, and wood-waste burners.
(B) Missoula City-County Chapter IX, Subchapter 3, effective November 19, 1993, which addresses the PM10 and CO contingency measure selection process.
(C) Missoula City-County Rule 1401(7), effective November 19, 1993, which addresses PM10 contingency measure requirements for an expanded area of regulated road sanding materials.
(D) Missoula City-County Rule 1428(5) and 1428(7), effective November 19, 1993, which addresses PM10 and CO contingency measure requirements for solid fuel burning devices.
(E) Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program Chapter IX, Subchapter 13, Open Burning, effective June 28, 1991.
(F) Other Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program regulations effective June 28, 1991, with amendments effective on March 20, 1992 and November 19, 1993, as follows: all portions of Chapter IX, Subchapter 11, Permit, Construction and Operation of Air Contaminant Sources, except, Rules 1102(3), 1105(2), and 1111(2).
(G) Other Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program regulations effective June 28, 1991, with amendments effective on November 19, 1993, as follows: Chapter IX, Subchapter 4, Emergency Procedures and Chapter IX, Subchapter 14, Rule 1407, Prevention, Abatement and Control of Air Pollution from Wood-Waste Burners.
(H) Minor revisions to Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program Chapter VII, Air Quality Advisory Council, and Chapter VIII, Inspections, effective on November 19, 1993, as follows: Chapter VII(1) and Chapter VIII(4).
(36) The Governor of Montana submitted PM10 contingency measures for Butte, Montana in a letter dated August 26, 1994. This submittal also contained revisions to the attainment and maintenance demonstrations for the moderate PM10 nonattainment area SIP, due to modifications made to the Air Quality Permit for Montana Resources, Inc.
(A) Board order issued on May 20, 1994 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the amendments to the Butte/Silver Bow Air Pollution Control Program regarding the PM10 contingency measure.
(B) Butte/Silver Bow Ordinance No. 468, effective May 20, 1994, which addresses PM10 contingency measure requirements for liquid de-icer application.
(A) Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences Air Quality Permit #1749-05, as revised with a final modification date of January 5, 1994, for Montana Resources, Inc.'s open pit copper and molybdenum mine, crushing and milling operation, and concentrator.
(37) The Governor of Montana submitted a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision meeting the requirements for the primary SO2 NAAQS SIP for the East Helena, Montana nonattainment area with a letter dated March 30, 1994. The submittal was to satisfy those SO2 nonattainment area SIP requirements due for East Helena on May 15, 1992. The East Helena SO2 SIP revision submitted on March 30, 1994, supercedes the East Helena SO2 SIP approved in paragraph (c)(5) of this section and, effective after November 15, 1995, terminates the East Helena SO2 SIP approved in paragraph (c)(16) of this section.
(A) Stipulation signed March 15, 1994, between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (MDHES) and Asarco, Incorporated, which specifies SO2 emission limitations and requirements for the company's primary lead smelter located in East Helena, MT.
(B) Board order issued on March 18, 1994, by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving and adopting the control strategy for achieving and maintaining the primary SO2 NAAQS in the East Helena area.
(38) [Reserved]
(39) On May 17, 1994, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) regarding nonattainment new source review, prevention of significant deterioration, general construction permitting, wood waste burners, source test methods, new source performance standards, and national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants. Also, the Governor requested that all existing State regulations approved in the SIP be replaced with the October 1, 1979 codification of the ARM as in effect on March 30, 1994. EPA is replacing all of the previously approved State regulations, except ARM 16.8.1302 and 16.8.1307, with those regulations listed in paragraph (c)(39)(i)(A) of this section. ARM 16.8.1302 and 16.8.1307, as in effect on April 16, 1982 and as approved by EPA at 40 CFR 52.1370(c)(11), will remain part of the SIP.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) Sections 16.8.201-202, 16.8.301-304, and 16.8.401-404, effective 12/31/72; Section 16.8.701, effective 12/10/93; Section 16.8.704, effective 2/14/87; Section 16.8.705, effective 6/18/82; Section 16.8.707, effective 9/13/85; Sections 16.8.708-709, effective 12/10/93; Sections 16.8.945-963, effective 12/10/93; Sections 16.8.1001-1003, effective 9/13/85; Section 16.8.1004, effective 12/25/92; Sections 16.8.1005-1006, effective 9/13/85; Section 16.8.1007, effective 4/29/88; Section 16.8.1008, effective 9/13/85; Section 16.8.1101, effective 6/16/89; Section 16.8.1102, effective 2/14/87; Section 16.8.1103, effective 6/16/89; Section 16.8.1104, effective 3/16/79; Section 16.8.1105, effective 12/27/91; Sections 16.8.1107 and 16.8.1109, effective 12/10/93; Sections 16.8.1110-1112. effective 3/16/79; Section 16.8.1113, effective 2/14/87; Section 16.8.1114, effective 12/10/93; Sections 16.8.1115, 16.8.1117, and 16.8.1118, effective 3/16/79; Sections 16.8.1119-1120, effective 12/10/93; Sections 16.8.1204-1206, effective 6/13/86; Sections 16.8.1301 and 16.8.1303, effective 4/16/82; Section 16.8.1304, effective 9/11/92; Section 16.8.1305, effective 4/16/82; Section 16.8.1306, effective 4/1/82; Section 16.8.1308, effective 10/16/92; Section 16.8.1401, effective 10/29/93; Section 16.8.1402, effective 3/11/88; Section 16.8.1403, effective 9/5/75; Section 16.8.1404, effective 6/13/86; Section 16.8.1406, effective 12/29/78; Section 16.8.1407, effective 10/29/93; Section 16.8.1411, effective 12/31/72; Section 16.8.1412, effective 3/13/81; Section 16.8.1413, effective 12/31/72; Section 16.8.1419, effective 12/31/72; Sections 16.8.1423, 16.8.1424, and 16.8.1425 (except 16.8.1425(1)(c) and (2)(d)), effective 10/29/93; Section 16.8.1426, effective 12/31/72; Sections 16.8.1428-1430, effective 10/29/93; Section 16.8.1501, effective 2/10/89; Section 16.8.1502, effective 2/26/82; Section 16.8.1503, effective 2/10/89; Sections 16.8.1504-1505, effective 2/26/82; Sections 16.8.1701-1705, effective 12/10/93; and Sections 16.8.1801-1806, effective 12/10/93.
(40) The Governor of Montana submitted a PM10 plan for Kalispell, Montana in a letter dated November 25, 1991. The Governor of Montana later submitted additional materials in letters dated January 11, 1994, August 26, 1994, and July 18, 1995. The August 26, 1994, and July 18, 1995 submittals also contain the Kalispell Contingency Measure Plan. The August 26, 1994, submittal also contains the Columbia Falls PM10 contingency measures and minor revisions to the attainment and maintenance demonstrations for the moderate PM10 nonattainment area SIP for Columbia Falls. Finally, the August 26, 1994, submittal contains revisions to the Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program regulations.
(A) Stipulations signed September 15, 1993 between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences and the following industries: A-1 Paving; Equity Supply Company; Flathead Road Dept. (two stipulations issued); Klingler Lumber Co.; McElroy and Wilkins; and Montana Mokko.
(B) Stipulations signed September 17, 1993 between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences and the following industries: Pack and Company, Inc.; Pack Concrete; and Plum Creek Inc. (Evergreen).
(C) Board Order issued on September 17, 1993, by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences enforcing emissions limitations specified by stipulations signed by both the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Services and participating facilities. The participating facilities included: A-1 Paving; Equity Supply Company; Flathead Road Dept. (two stipulations issued); Klingler Lumber Co.; McElroy and Wilkins; Montana Mokko; Pack and Company, Inc.; Pack Concrete; and Plum Creek Inc. (Evergreen).
(D) Flathead County Board of Commissioners Resolution No. 867B, dated April 4, 1994, adopting the Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program.
(E) Board Order issued May 20, 1994, by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program.
(F) Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program, including all regulations found in Chapter VIII, Sub-Chapters 1-6, effective May 20, 1994.
(A) Montana Smoke Management Plan, effective April 28, 1988, which addresses prescribed burning requirements.
(B) Federal tailpipe standards, which provide an ongoing benefit due to fleet turnover.
(41) The Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program in a letter dated March 3, 1995. In addition, the March 3, 1995 submittal satisfies the one remaining commitment made by the State in its original PM10 moderate nonattainment area SIP.
(A) Board order issued on September 16, 1994 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences approving the amendments to Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program Chapters IX and XVI regarding, among other things, emergency procedures, paving of private roads, driveways, and parking lots, National standards of performance for new stationary sources, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, and solid fuel burning devices.
(B) Missoula City-County Rule 401, Missoula County Air Stagnation Plan, effective September 16, 1994.
(C) Missoula City-County Rule 1401, Prevent Particulate Matter from Being Airborne, effective September 16, 1994.
(D) Missoula City-County Rule 1423, Standard of Performance for New Stationary Sources, effective September 16, 1994.
(E) Missoula City-County Rule 1424, Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, effective September 16, 1994.
(F) Missoula City-County Rule 1428, Solid Fuel Burning Devices, effective September 16, 1994.
(G) Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program Chapter XVI, Amendments and Revisions, effective September 16, 1994.
(42) On May 22, 1995, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the prevention of significant deterioration regulations in the Administrative Rules of Montana to incorporate changes in the Federal PSD permitting regulations for PM-10 increments.
(i) Incorporation by reference
(A) Revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), rules 16.8.945(3)(c), 16.8.945(21)(d), 16.8.945(24)(d), 16.8.947(1), 16.8.953(7)(a), and 16.8.960(4), effective 10/28/94.
(43) On May 22, 1995, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the plan, which included revisions to the State's open burning regulation and other minor administrative revisions.
(A) Revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), 16.8.1301-1310, effective September 9, 1994; and
(B) Revisions to the ARM, 16.8.708, 16.8.946, 16.8.1120, 16.8.1429, 16.8.1702, 16.8.1802, and 16.8.2003, effective October 28, 1994.
(44) The Governor of Montana submitted PM10 contingency measures and a recodification of the local regulations for Libby, Montana in a letter dated March 15, 1995. In addition, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the local open burning regulations and other minor administrative amendments on May 13, 1996.
(A) Board order issued on December 16, 1994 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences adopting stipulation of the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences and Stimson Lumber Company.
(B) Board order issued December 16, 1994 by the Montana Board of Health and Environmental Sciences adopting the PM10 contingency measures as part of the Libby air pollution control program.
(C) Board order issued on February 1, 1996 by the Montana Board of Environmental Review approving amendments to the Libby Air Pollution Control Program.
(D) Lincoln Board of Commissioners Resolution No. 377, signed September 27, 1995, and Libby City Council Ordinance No. 1507, signed November 20, 1995, adopting revisions to the Lincoln County Air Pollution Control Program, Sections 75.1.103 through 75.1.719.
(E) Lincoln County Air Pollution Control Program, Sections 75.1.101 through 75.1.719, effective December 21, 1995.
(46) The Governor of Montana submitted sulfur dioxide SIP revisions for Billings/Laurel on September 6, 1995, August 27, 1996, April 2, 1997 and July 29, 1998. On March 24, 1999, the Governor submitted a commitment to revise the SIP.
(A) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Cenex Harvest Cooperatives, including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to exhibit A, except for the following:
(1) Paragraph 20 of the stipulation;
(2) Section 3(A)(1)(d) of exhibit A;
(3) The following phrase from section 3(B)(2) of exhibit A: “except that those sour water stripper overheads may be burned in the main crude heater (and exhausted through the main crude heater stack) or in the flare during periods when the FCC CO boiler is unable to burn the sour water stripper overheads from the “old” SWS, provided that such periods do not exceed 55 days per calendar year and 65 days for any two consecutive calendar years.”;
(4) Section 4(B) of exhibit A;
(5) Section 4(D) of exhibit A; and
(6) Method #6A of attachment #2 of exhibit A.
(B) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Conoco, Inc., including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to exhibit A, except for paragraph 20 of the stipulation.
(C) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Exxon Company, USA, including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to exhibit A, except for the following:
(1) Paragraphs 1 and 22 of the stipulation;
(2) Section 2(A)(11)(d) of exhibit A;
(3) Sections 3(A)(1) and (2) of exhibit A;
(4) Sections 3(B)(1), (2) and (3) of exhibit A;
(5) The following phrase from section 3(E)(4) of exhibit A: “except that the sour water stripper overheads may be burned in the F-1 Crude Furnace (and exhausted through the F-2 Crude/Vacuum Heater stack) or in the flare during periods when the FCC CO Boiler is unable to burn the sour water stripper overheads, provided that: (a) such periods do not exceed 55 days per calendar year and 65 days for any two consecutive calendar years, and (b) during such periods the sour water stripper system is operating in a two tower configuration.”;
(6) Sections 4(B), (C), and (E) of exhibit A;
(7) Section 6(B)(3) of exhibit A; and
(D) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Montana Power Company, including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to exhibit A, except for paragraph 20 of the stipulation.
(E) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Montana Sulphur & Chemical Company, including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to the exhibit A, except for paragraphs 1, 2 and 22 of the stipulation, and sections 3(A)(1)(a) and (b), 3(A)(3), 3(A)(4) and 6(B)(3) of exhibit A. (EPA is approving section 3(A)(2) of exhibit A for the limited purpose of strengthening the SIP. In 40 CFR 52.1384(d)(2), we are also disapproving section 3(A)(2) of exhibit A because section 3(A)(2) does not fully meet requirements of the Clean Air Act.)
(F) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Western Sugar Company, including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to exhibit A, except for paragraph 20 of the stipulation.
(G) Board Order issued on June 12, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Yellowstone Energy Limited Partnership, including the stipulation and exhibit A and attachments to exhibit A, except for paragraph 20 of the stipulation and section 3(A)(1) through (3) of exhibit A.
(A) All portions of the September 6, 1995 Billings/Laurel SO2 SIP submittal other than the board orders, stipulations, exhibit A's and attachments to exhibit A's.
(B) All portions of the August 27, 1996 Billings/Laurel SO2 SIP submittal other than the board orders, stipulations, exhibit A's and attachments to exhibit A's.
(C) All portions of the April 2, 1997 Billings/Laurel SO2 SIP submittal other than the board orders, stipulations, exhibit A's and attachments to exhibit A's.
(D) All portions of the July 29, 1998 Billings/Laurel SO2 SIP submittal, other than the following: The board orders, stipulations, exhibit A's and attachments to exhibit A's, and any other documents or provisions mentioned in paragraph (c)(46)(i) of this section.
(E) April 28, 1997 letter from Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Richard R. Long, Director, Air Program, EPA Region VIII.
(F) January 30, 1998 letter from Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Richard R. Long, Director, Air Program, EPA Region VIII.
(G) August 11, 1998 letter from Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Kerrigan G. Clough, Assistant Regional Administrator, EPA Region VIII.
(H) September 3, 1998 letter from Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Richard R. Long, Director, Air Program, EPA Region VIII.
(I) March 24, 1999 commitment letter from Marc Racicot, Governor of Montana, to William Yellowtail, EPA Regional Administrator.
(J) May 20, 1999 letter from Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Richard R. Long, Director, Air and Radiation Program, EPA Region VIII.
(47) On August 26, 1999, the Governor of Montana submitted Administrative Rules of Montana Sub-Chapter 13, “Conformity” that incorporates conformity consultation requirements implementing 40 CFR Part 93, Subpart A into State regulation.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana 17.8.1301, 17.8.1305, 17.8.1306, 17.8.1310 through 17.8.1313, effective June 4, 1999; and 17.8.1304 effective August 23, 1996.
(48) The Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Missoula County Air Quality Control Program with a letter dated November 14, 1997. The revisions address general definitions, open burning, and criminal penalties.
(A) Board order issued on October 31, 1997 by the Montana Board of Environmental Review approving the amendments to Missoula County Air Quality Control Program Chapters IX and XII regarding general definitions, open burning, and criminal penalties.
(B) Missoula County Air Quality Control Program, Chapter IX, Rule 701, General Definitions, effective October 31, 1997.
(C) Missoula County Air Quality Control Program, Chapter IX, Rules 1301-1311, regarding open burning, effective October 31, 1997.
(D) Missoula County Air Quality Control Program, Chapter XII, Criminal Penalties, effective October 31, 1997.
(49) On September 19, 1997, December 10, 1997, April 14, 1999, December 6, 1999 and March 3, 2000, the Governor submitted a recodification and revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana. EPA is replacing in the SIP all of the previously approved Montana air quality regulations except that the Kraft Pulp Mill Rule, ARM 16.8.1413, effective December 31, 1972, and Stack Heights and Dispersion Techniques Rule, ARM 16.8.1204-1206, effective June 13, 1986, with those regulations listed in paragraph (c)(49)(i)(A) of this section. The Kraft Pulp Mill Rule, ARM 16.8.1413, effective December 31, 1972, and Stack Heights and Dispersion Techniques Rule, ARM 16.8.1204-1206, effective June 13, 1986 remain a part of the SIP. In addition, the Governor submitted Yellowstone County's Local Regulation No. 002—Open Burning.
(A) Administrative Rule of Montana (ARM) Table of Contents; section 17.8.101, effective 6/26/98; sections 17.8.102-103, effective 10/8/99; section 17.8.105, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.106, effective 10/8/99, sections 17.8.110-111, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.130-131, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.140-142, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.301, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.302, effective 10/8/99; section 17.8.304 (excluding 17.8.304(4)(f)), effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.308, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.309 (excluding 17.8.309(5)(b)), effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.310 (excluding 17.8.310(3)(e)), effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.316, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.320, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.322-323, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.324 (excluding 17.8.324(1)(c) and (2)(d)), effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.325-326, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.330-334, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.601, effective 7/23/99; section 17.8.602, effective 9/9/97; sections 17.8.604-605, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.606, effective 7/23/99; sections 17.8.610-613, effective 7/23/99; section 17.8.614-615, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.701 (excluding 17.8.701(10)), effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.702 (excluding 17.8.702(1)(f)), effective 9/9/97; section 17.8.704, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.705 (excluding 17.8.705(1)(q)) effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.706-707, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.710, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.715-717, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.720, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.730-732, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.733 (excluding 17.8.733(1)(c)), effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.734, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.801, effective 6/26/98; section 17.8.802, effective 9/9/97; sections 17.8.804-809, effective 8/23/96; sections 17.8.818-828, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.901, effective 6/26/98; section 17.8.902, effective 9/9/97; sections 17.8.904-906, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.1001, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.1002, effective 9/9/97; sections 17.8.1004-1007, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.1101, effective 8/23/96; section 17.8.1102, effective 9/9/97; section 17.8.1103, effective 8/23/96; and sections 17.8.1106-1111, effective 8/23/96.
(B) April 27, 2000 letter from Debra Wolfe, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Dawn Tesorero, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8.
(C) Board Order issued on September 24, 1999, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review approving the Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Program.
(D) Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Program, Regulation No. 002 Open Burning, effective September 24, 1999.
(E) March 6, 2001 letter from Robert Habeck, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Laurie Ostrand, EPA Region 8, explaining the effective date of the Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Program Regulation No. 002 Open Burning.
(F) Previously approved in paragraph (c)(49)(i)(A) under Subchapter 7: Permit, Construction, and Operation of Air Contaminant Sources. These sections are now deleted without replacement: ARM 17.8.701, Definitions; ARM 17.8.702, Incorporation by Reference (excluding 17.8.702(1)(f)); ARM 17.8.704, General Procedures for Air Quality Preconstruction Permitting; 17.8.705, When Permit Required-Exclusions; 17.8.706, New or Altered Sources and Stacks-Permit Application Requirements; 17.8.707 Waivers; 17.8.710, Conditions for Issuance of Permit; 17.8.715, Emission Control Requirements; 17.8.716, Inspection of Permit; 17.8.717, Compliance with Other Statutes and Rules; 17.8.720, Public Review of Permit Applications; 17.8.730, Denial of Permit; 17.8.731, Duration of Permit; 17.8.732, Revocation of Permit; 17.8.733, Modification of Permit; 17.8.734, Transfer of Permit, as adopted by Montana on 12/9/1996 and effective 12/27/2002.
(A) April 5, 2000 letter from Debra Wolfe, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Dawn Tesorero, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8.
(B) February 14, 2001 letter from Don Vidrine, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Dick Long, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8.
(50) On February 9, 2001, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to Montana's Emergency Episode Avoidance Plan and Cascade County Air Pollution Control Program Regulation Chapter 7, Open Burning.
(A) Board Order issued on October 16, 2000, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review approving the Cascade County Air Pollution Control Program.
(B) Cascade County Air Pollution Control Program, Regulation Chapter 7, Open Burning, effective October 16, 2000.
(C) March 16, 2001 letter from Debra Wolfe, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Laurie Ostrand, EPA Region 8, explaining the effective date of the Cascade County Air Pollution Control Program Regulation Chapter 7, Open Burning.
(51) The Governor of Montana submitted the East Helena Lead SIP revisions with letters dated August 16, 1995, July 2, 1996, and October 20, 1998. The revisions address regulating lead emission from Asarco, American Chemet and re-entrained road dust from the streets of East Helena. The revisions supersede the Lead Plan submitted to EPA on September 29, 1983 (see paragraph (c)(15) of this section).
(A) Board order issued on August 28, 1998, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the August 13, 1998 stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Asarco.
(B) Board order issued on June 26, 1996, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the June 11, 1996 stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Asarco including exhibit A and attachments to the stipulation, excluding paragraphs 15 and 16 of the stipulation, and excluding the following:
(1) The words, “or an equivalent procedure” in the second and third sentences in section 2(A)(22) of exhibit A;
(3) The words, “or an equivalent procedure” in the second sentence in section 5(G) of exhibit A;
(4) The sentence, “Any revised documents are subject to review and approval by the Department as described in section 12,” from section 6(E) of exhibit A;
(5) The words, “or a method approved by the Department in accordance with the Montana Source Testing Protocol and Procedures Manual shall be used to measure the volumetric flow rate at each location identified,” in section 7(A)(2) of exhibit A;
(6) The sentence, “Such a revised document shall be subject to review and approval by the Department as described in section 12,” in section 11(C) of exhibit A;
(7) The sentences, “This revised Attachment shall be subject to the review and approval procedures outlined in section 12(B). The Baghouse Maintenance Plan shall be effective only upon full approval of the plan, as revised. This approval shall be obtained from the Department by January 6, 1997. This deadline shall be extended to the extent that the Department has exceeded the time allowed in section 12(B) for its review and approval of the revised document,” in section 12(A)(7) of exhibit A;
(8) Section 12(B) of exhibit A.
(C) Board order issued on August 4, 1995, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the June 30, 1995 stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and American Chemet including exhibit A to the stipulation, excluding paragraph 20 of the stipulation.
(A) All portions of the August 16, 1995 East Helena Pb SIP submitted other than the orders, stipulations and exhibit A's and attachments to the stipulations.
(B) All portions of the July 2, 1996 East Helena Pb SIP submitted other than the orders, stipulations and exhibit A's and attachments to the stipulations.
(C) All portions of the October 20, 1998 East Helena Pb SIP submitted other than the orders, stipulations and exhibit A's and attachments to the stipulations.
(D) November 16, 1999 letter from Art Compton, Division Administrator, Planning, Prevention and Assistance Division, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Richard R. Long, Director, Air and Radiation Program, EPA Region VIII.
(E) September 9, 1998 letter from Richard A. Southwick, Point Source SIP Coordinator, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, to Richard R. Long, Director, Air and Radiation Program, EPA Region VIII.
(52) The Governor of Montana submitted sulfur dioxide (SO2) SIP revisions for Billings/Laurel on July 29, 1998 and May 4, 2000. EPA is approving some of the provisions of the July 29, 1998 submittal that it did not approve before. The May 4, 2000 submittal revises some previously approved provisions of the Billings/Laurel SO2 SIP and adds new provisions.
(A) Sections 3(B)(2) and 4(D) (excluding “or the flare” and “or in the flare” in both sections), 3(A)(1)(d) and 4(B) of Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives' exhibit A to the stipulation between the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives, adopted June 12, 1998 by Board Order issued by the Montana Board of Environmental Review.
(B) Board Order issued March 17, 2000 by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the February 14, 2000 stipulation between the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives. This stipulation revises attachment #2 to Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives' exhibit A to require the use of method #6A-1.
(C) Sections 3(E)(4) and 4(E) (excluding “or in the flare” and “or the flare” in both sections), 3(A)(2), 3(B)(2), 3(B)(3), 4(B) and 6(B)(3) of Exxon's exhibit A to the stipulation between the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Exxon, adopted June 12, 1998 by Board Order issued by the Montana Board of Environmental Review.
(D) Board Order issued March 17, 2000, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the February 14, 2000 stipulation between the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Exxon Mobil Corporation. The stipulation adds the following to Exxon Mobil Corporation's exhibit A: method #6A-1 of attachment #2 and sections 2(A)(11)(d), 4(C), 7(B)(1)(j) and 7(C)(1)(l). The stipulation revises the following sections of Exxon Mobil Corporation's exhibit A: 3 (introductory text only), 3(A) (introductory text only), 3(A)(1), 3(B) (introductory text only), 3(B)(1), 3(E)(3), 6(B)(7), 7(B)(1)(d), 7(C)(1)(b), 7(C)(1)(d), and 7(C)(1)(f).
(E) Board Order issued on March 17, 2000, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the February 14, 2000 stipulation between the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Yellowstone Energy Limited Partnership (YELP). The stipulation revises the following sections of YELP's exhibit A: sections 3(A)(1) through (3) and 7(C)(1)(b).
(53) The Governor of Montana submitted minor revisions to Asarco's control strategy in the East Helena Lead SIP on November 27, 2000.
(A) Board order issued on September 15, 2000, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review adopting and incorporating the stipulation of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Asarco dated July 18, 2000. The July 18, 2000 stipulation revises the following sections in the previously adopted exhibit A to the stipulation: 1(B(4), 1(B)(5), 3(A)(3), 3(A)(4), 3(A)(12)(a), 3(A)(12)(i), 3(A)(12)(m), 3(A)(12)(o), 3(A)(12)(p), 3(A)(12)(q), 3(A)(12)(r), 3(A)(16)(a), 5(D)(1), 5(D)(2), 5(G)(4), 8(A),(2), 8(A)(3), 9(B)(2), and 9(B)(3). These revisions, which became effective on September 15, 2000, replace the same-numbered sections in previously approved SIP revisions.
(54) The Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program with a letter dated April 30, 2001. The revisions completely replace the previous version of the program regulations in the SIP.
(A) November 17, 2000 Montana Board of Environmental Review order approving revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program regulations.
(B) Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program regulations as follows: Chapter 1, Program Authority and Administration; Chapter 2, Definitions; Chapter 3, Failure To Attain Standards; Chapter 4, Missoula County Air Stagnation and Emergency Episode Avoidance Plan; Chapter 5, General Provisions, Rules 5.101-5.103, 5.105-5.106, and 5.112; Chapter 6, Standards for Stationary Sources, Subchapter 1, Air Quality Permits for Air Pollutant Sources, Rules 6.101-6.103 and 6.105-6.109, Subchapter 5, Emission Standards, Rules 6.501-6.504, Subchapter 6, Incinerators, Rules 6.601-6.604, and Subchapter 7, Wood Waste Burners, Rules 6.701-6.703; Chapter 7, Outdoor Burning; Chapter 8, Fugitive Particulate; Chapter 9, Solid Fuel Burning Devices; Chapter 10, Fuels; Chapter 11, Motor Vehicles; Chapter 14, Enforcement and Administrative Procedures; Chapter 15, Penalties; Appendix A, Maps; Appendix B, Missoula's Emergency Episode Avoidance Plan Operations and Procedures; and Appendix D, Oxygenated Fuels Program Sampling Requirements for Blending Facilities, effective November 17, 2000.
(55) On April 30, 2001, May 21, 2001 and December 20, 2001, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana. The State revised its Incorporation by Reference Rules and repealed a Sulfur Oxide Emissions—Primary Copper Smelter rule (ARM 17.8.323). ARM 17.8.323, last incorporated by reference at 40 CFR 52.1370(c)(49)(i)(A), is removed from the SIP.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections 17.8.102(1)(a), (b), (c) and (d), effective 8/10/01; 17.8.103(1)(m), (n), (o), and (p), effective 8/10/01; 17.8.302(1)(d), (e) and (f), effective 8/10/01; 17.8.602(1) and (2), effective 8/10/01; 17.8.702(1)(g), effective 8/10/01; 17.8.902(1)(e), effective 8/10/01; and 17.8.1002(1)(e), effective 8/10/01.
(B) Previously approved in paragraph (c)(55)(i)(A) under Subchapter 7: Permit Construction and Operation of Air Contaminant Sources. This section is now deleted without replacement: ARM 17.8.702(1)(g), Incorporation by Reference, as adopted by Montana on 7/20/2001 and effective 12/27/2002.
(56) On August 26, 1999, the Governor of Montana submitted Administrative Rules of Montana Sub-Chapter 14, “Conformity of General Federal Actions” that incorporates conformity of general federal actions to state or federal implementation plans, implementing 40 CFR part 93, subpart B into State regulation.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana 17.8.1401, and 17.8.1402 effective June 4, 1999.
(58) On April 30, 2001, the Governor of Montana submitted a request to add a credible evidence rule to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM). ARM 17.8.132—“Credible Evidence” has been approved into the SIP.
(A) ARM 17.8.132 effective December 8, 2000.
(59) On October 28, 2002, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM). The State revised its Incorporation by Reference rules (ARM 17.8.102, 17.8.302) and revised the definition of volatile organic compounds to incorporate by reference the federal regulation (ARM 17.8.101, 17.8.801, 17.8.901). Additional minor changes were made to ARM 17.8.401, 17.8.1005 and the Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Program Regulation No. 002.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections 17.8.101(41), 17.8.102(a) and (d), 17.8.302(1)(f), 17.8.401(1)(b)(v), 17.8.801(29), 17.8.901(20) and 17.8.1005(6), effective 6/28/02.
(B) Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Program, Regulation No. 002, (H)(4)(b)(i), effective June 7, 2002.
(60) On June 26, 1997, the Governor of Montana submitted the Thompson Falls Air Pollution Control Plan and on June 13, 2000, the Governor submitted revisions to the June 26, 1997, submittal. On February 28, 1999, the Governor of Montana withdrew all chapters of the Thompson Falls Air Pollution Control Plan submitted on June 26, 1997, except chapters 45.2, 45.10.10, and 45.10.12. EPA is approving sections 45.2, 45.10.10 and 45.10.12 of the Thompson Falls Air Pollution Control Plan.
(A) Board Order issued June 20, 1997, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review, as reprinted in section 45.2.2 of the Thompson Falls Air Pollution Control Plan. The Board Order adopts and incorporates the May 1997 Maintenance Agreement Between the City of Thompson Falls, Montana Department of Transportation, and Montana Department of Environmental Quality which contains the control plan for the attainment and maintenance of the PM-10 National Ambient Air Quality Standards in the Thompson Falls area.
(B) May 1997 Maintenance Agreement between the City of Thompson Falls, Montana Department of Transportation, and Montana Department of Environmental Quality, as reprinted in section 45.2.1 of the Thompson Falls Air Pollution Control Plan.
(A) Sections 45.2, 45.10.10 and 45.10.12 of the Thompson Falls Air Pollution Control Plan.
(61) Revisions to State Implementation Plan were submitted by the State of Montana on August 20, 2003. The revisions modify definitions and references to federal regulations and other materials in the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM). The revisions also delete the definition at ARM 17.8.101(43).
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections: ARM 17.8.101(2), (8), (9), (12), (19), (20), (22), (23), (30), and (36); 17.8.102; 17.8.103(1); 17.8.110(2); 17.8.302(1); 17.8.801(1), (3), (4), (6), (20), (21), (22), (24), (27) and (28); 17.8.802(1); 17.8.818(2), (3) and (6); 17.8.819(3); 17.8.821; 17.8.901(1), (11), (12) and (14); 17.8.902(1); 17.8.905(1)(c); and 17.8.1002(1) effective April 11, 2003.
(62) Revisions to State Implementation Plan were submitted by the State of Montana on August 25, 2004. The revisions correct internal references to state documents; correct references to, or update citations of, Federal documents; and make minor editorial changes.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections: ARM 17.8.130; 17.8.320(9); 17.8.801(22); 17.8.819; and 17.8.822, effective April 9, 2004.
(63) Revisions to State Implementation Plan were submitted by the State of Montana on April 18, 2003. The revisions modify the open burning rules and references to federal regulations in the Administrative Rules of Montana.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections: ARM 17.8.302(1)(f); 17.8.601(1), (7) and (10); 17.8.604(1) (except paragraph 604(1)(a)); 17.8.605(1); 17.8.606(3) and (4); 17.8.610(4); 17.8.612(4) and (5); and 17.8.614(1), effective December 27, 2002.
(64) Revisions to State Implementation Plan were submitted by the State of Montana on October 25, 2005. The revisions are to the Administrative Rules of Montana and: update the citations and references to federal documents and addresses where copies of documents can be obtained; and delete the definition of “public nuisance” from Sub-Chapter 1 and the definitions of “animal matter” and “reduction” from Sub-Chapter 3.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections: ARM 17.8.102(1), 17.8.103(3) and (4); 17.8.302(2), (3) and (4); 17.8.602(2), (3) and (4); .17.8.802(2), (3), (4) and (5); 17.8.902(2), (3), (4) and (5); 17.8.1002(2), (3), (4) and (5); and 17.8.1102(2), (3) and (4), effective June 17, 2005.
(65) On June 28, 2000, the Governor of Montana submitted to EPA revisions to the Montana State Implementation Plan. The revisions add definitions for PM and PM2.5, ARM 17.8.101(31) and (32) respectively, and revise ARM 17.8.308(4) and ARM 17.8.320(6) through editorial amendments making the rule more concise and consistent with the language in all applicable rules.
(i) Incorporation by reference. Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections: ARM 17.8.101(31) and (32); 17.8.308(4) introductory text, and 17.8.308(4)(b) and (c); and 17.8.320(6). March 31, 2000 is the effective date of these revised rules effective March 31, 2000.
(ii) Additional Material. April 16, 2007 letter by the Governor of Montana rescinding its statement of certification regarding the 1997 NAAQS as submitted in June 28, 2000.
(66) On June 26, 1997, the Governor of Montana submitted the Whitefish OM10 Control Plan and on June 13, 2000, the Governor submitted revisions to the June 26, 1997 submittal. On February 28, 1999, the Governor of Montana withdrew all sections of the Whitefish PM10 Control Plan submitted on June 26, 1997, except sections 15.2.7, 15.12.8, and 15.12.10. EPA is approving sections 15.2.7, 15.12.8, and 15.12.10 of the Whitefish PM10 Control Plan.
(A) Sections 15.2.7, 15.12.8, and 15.12.10 of the Whitefish PM10 Control Plan.
(A) Flathead County Air Pollution Control Program as of June 20, 1997.
(67) On December 8, 1997, May 28, 2003, and August 25, 2004, the Governor of Montana submitted revisions to the Montana State Implementation Plan. The December 8, 1997 submittal adds subsection (6) to Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) section 17.8.316 (Incinerators); the August 25, 2004 submittal makes a minor revision to ARM 17.8.316(5); and, the May 28, 2003 submittal makes minor editorial revisions to ARM 17.8.316(6).
(i) Incorporation by reference. Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) section 17.8.316, Incinerators, effective April 9, 2004.
(A) October 2, 2007 Letter from MT DEQ to EPA regarding NSPS/MACT compliance.
(68) Revisions to the State Implementation plan which were submitted by the State of Montana on November 1, 2006 and November 20, 2007. The revisions are to the Administrative Rules of Montana; they make minor editorial and grammatical changes, update the citations and references to federal and state laws and regulations, make other minor changes to conform to federal regulations, and update links to sources of information.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) section 17.8.101, Definitions; effective August 11, 2006.
(B) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections: 17.8.102, Incorporation by Reference—Publication Dates; 17.8.103, Incorporation by Reference and Availability of Referenced Documents; 17.8.302(1)(d), Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.602, Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.801, Definitions; 17.8.818, Review of Major Stationary Sources and Major Modifications—Source Applicability and Exemptions; 17.8.901, Definitions; 17.8.1007, Baseline for Determining Credit for Emissions and Air Quality Offsets; and, 17.8.1102, Incorporation by Reference; all effective October 26, 2007.
(69) Revisions to the State Implementation Plan which were submitted by the State of Montana on January 16, 2009 and May 4, 2009. The revisions are to the Administrative Rules of Montana; they make minor editorial and grammatical changes, update the citations and references to Federal laws and regulations, and make other minor changes to conform to federal regulations.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) sections 17.8.102 Incorporation by Reference—Publication Dates, 17.8.301 Definitions, 17.8.901 Definitions, and 17.8.1007 Baseline for Determining Credit for Emissions and Air Quality Offsets, effective October 24, 2008.
(B) Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) section 17.8.308 Particulate Matter, Airborne, effective February 13, 2009.
(70) On May 28, 2003, March 9, 2004, October 25, 2005 and October 16, 2006, the State of Montana submitted revisions to its State Implementation Plan (SIP) that contained new, revised, amended and repealed rules pertaining to the issuance of Montana air quality permits in addition to minor administrative changes to other subchapters of the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM).
(A) Letter from David L. Klemp, Montana State Air Director, to Deborah Lebow Aal, Acting Air Program Director, dated April 29, 2011. For certain sections, the following incorporates by reference official State of Montana publications of the Administrative Rules of Montana that are dated after the effective date shown in the incorporation by reference for each section. In these instances, the official publication provides a history for the section showing the last effective date of a change. For each of these sections, the last effective date of a change matches the effective date of the section, showing that the official publication reflects the text of the section as of the effective date shown in the following incorporation by reference. The sections, their effective dates, and the date of the publication are as follows: ARM 17.8.825, effective 12/27/2002, publication 9/30/2006; ARM 17.8.826, effective 12/27/2002, publication 9/30/2006; ARM 17.8.906, effective 12/27/2002, publication 6/30/2003; ARM 17.8.740, effective 12/27/2002, publication 9/30/2006; ARM 17.8.744, effective 12/27/2002, publication 12/31/2005; ARM 17.8.752, effective 12/27/2002, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.755, effective 12/27/2002, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.756, effective 12/27/2002, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.767, effective 12/27/2002, publication 3/31/2004; ARM 17.8.749, effective 10/17/2003, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.759, effective 10/17/2003, publication 12/31/2003; ARM 17.8.763, effective 10/17/2003, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.764, effective 10/17/2003, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.602, effective 6/17/2005, publication 3/31/2007; ARM 17.8.767, effective 6/17/2005, publication 6/30/2006; ARM 17.8.802, effective 6/17/2005, publication 12/31/2005; ARM 17.8.1102, effective 6/17/2005, publication 3/31/2007; ARM 17.8.759, effective 12/23/2005, publication 9/30/2006.
(B) ARM submission dated May 28, 2003.
(1) The following provisions of the ARM are amended effective 12/27/2002: 17.8.101, Definitions, (4) “Air quality preconstruction permit,”; 17.8.110, Malfunctions, (7), (8), and (9); 17.8.818, Review of Major Stationary Sources and Major Modifications—Source Applicability and Exemptions, (1); 17.8.825, Sources Impacting Federal Class I Areas—Additional Requirements, (3); 17.8.826, Public Participation; 17.8.904, When Montana Air Quality Permit Required; 17.8.905, Additional Conditions of Montana Air Quality Permit, (1) and (4); 17.8.906, Baseline for Determining Credit for Emissions and Air Quality Offsets; 17.8.1004, When Montana Air Quality Permit Required; 17.8.1005, Additional Conditions of Montana Air Quality Permit, (1), (2) and (5); 17.8.1106, Visibility Impact Analysis; 17.8.1109, Adverse Impact and Federal Land Manager.
(2) The following new provisions of the ARM are effective 12/27/2002: 17.8.740, Definitions, (except for the phrase in 17.8.740(2) “includes a reasonable period of time for startup and shakedown and”; the phrase in 17.8.740(8)(a) “, except when a permit is not required under ARM 17.8.745”; the phrase in 17.8.740(8)(c) “, except as provided in ARM 17.8.745”; 17.8.740(10) “Negligible risk to the public health, safety, and welfare and to the environment”; and 17.8.740(14) “Routine Maintenance, repair, or replacement”); 17.8.743, Montana Air Quality Permits—When Required, (except the phrase in 17.8.743(1) “and 17.8.745,”, the phrase in 17.8.743(1)(b) “asphalt concrete plants, mineral crushers, and”, and 17.8.743(1)(c)); 17.8.744, Montana Air Quality Permits—General Exclusions; 17.8.748, New or Modified Emitting Units—Permit Application Requirements; 17.8.749, Conditions For Issuance or Denial of Permit, (1), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (8); 17.8.752, Emission Control Requirements; 17.8.755, Inspection of Permit; 17.8.756, Compliance with Other Requirements; 17.8.759, Review of Permit Applications, (1) through (3); 17.8.760, Additional Review of Permit Applications; 17.8.762, Duration of Permit; 17.8.763, Revocation of Permit, (1) and (4); 17.8.764, Administrative Amendment to Permit, (1) (except for the phrase in 17.8.764(1)(b) “unless the increase meets the criteria in ARM 17.8.745 for a de minimis change not requiring a permit, or”), (2) and (3); 17.8.765, Transfer of Permit; 17.8.767, Incorporation by Reference, (1)(a) through (c).
(C) ARM submission dated March 09, 2004.
(1) The following provisions of the ARM are amended effective 10/17/2003: 17.8.749, Conditions For Issuance or Denial of Permit, (7); 17.8.759, Review of Permit Applications; 17.8.763, Revocation of Permit, (2) and (3); 17.8.764, Administrative Amendment to Permit, (2) and (3).
(D) ARM submission dated October 25, 2005.
(1) The following provisions of the ARM are amended effective 6/17/2005: 17.8.102, Incorporation by Reference—Publication Dates; 17.8.103, Incorporation by Reference and Availability of Referenced Documents; 17.8.302, Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.602, Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.767, Incorporation by Reference, (1)(d) through (g), (2), (3), and (4); 17.8.802, Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.902, Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.1002, Incorporation by Reference; 17.8.1102, Incorporation by Reference.
(E) ARM submission dated October 16, 2006.
(1) The following provisions of the ARM are amended effective 12/23/2005: 17.8.759, Review of Permit Applications, (4) through (6).
(71) The Governor of Montana submitted revisions, reordering and renumbering to the Libby County Air Pollution Control Program in a letter dated June 26, 2006. The revised Lincoln County regulations focus on woodstove emissions, road dust, and outdoor burning emissions.
(A) Before the Board of Environmental Review of the State of Montana order issued on March 23, 2006, by the Montana Board of Environmental Review approving amendments to the Libby Air Pollution Control Program.
(B) Libby City Council Resolution No. 1660 signed February 27, 2006 and Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Resolution No. 725 signed February 27, 2006, adopting revisions, reordering and renumbering to the Lincoln County Air Pollution Control Program, Health and Environment Regulations, Chapter 1—Control on Air Pollution, Subchapter 1—General Provisions; Subchapter 2—Solid Fuel Burning Device Regulations; Subchapter 3—Dust Control Regulations; Subchapter 4—Outdoor Burning Regulations; as revised on February 27, 2006.
(A) Stipulation signed October 7, 1991, between the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (MDHES), the County of Lincoln and the City of Libby, which delineates responsibilities and authorities between the MDHES, Lincoln County and Libby.
(72) On May 28, 2003 the State of Montana submitted revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), 17.8.740, Definitions; 17.8.743, Montana Air Quality Permits—When Required; and 17.8.764, Administrative Amendment to Permit. On June 25, 2010, the State of Montana submitted revisions to the ARM, 17.8.745, Montana Air Quality Permits—Exclusion for De Minimis Changes.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana, 17.8.740, Definitions, ARM 17.8.740(8)(a) only, the phrase “, except when a permit is not required under ARM 17.8.745” and ARM 17.8.740(8)(c) only, the phrase “, except as provided in ARM 17.8.745”; 17.8.743, Montana Air Quality Permits—When Required, (except the phrase in 17.8.743(1)(b), “asphalt concrete plants, mineral crushers, and”, and 17.8.743(1)(c) in its entirety); and 17.8.764, Administrative Amendment to Permit; effective 12/27/2002.
(B) Administrative Rules of Montana, 17.8.745, Montana Air Quality Permits—Exclusion for De Minimis Changes, effective 5/28/2010.
(73) On September 23, 2011, the State of Montana submitted new rules to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM). The submittal included new rules to ARM Chapter 17. The incorporation by reference in paragraphs (i)(A) and (i)(B) reflect the new rules.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana: 17.8.1601, Definitions; 17.8.1602, Applicability and Coordination with Montana Air Quality Permit Rules; 17.8.1603, Emission Control Requirements; 17.8.1604, Inspection and Repair Requirements; 17.8.1605, Recordkeeping Requirements; 17.8.1606, Delayed Effective Date; effective January 1, 2006.
(B) Administrative Rules of Montana: 17.8.1701, Definitions; 17.8.1702, Applicability; 17.8.1703, Registration Process and Information; 17.8.1704, Registration Fee; 17.8.1705, Operating Requirements: Facility-wide; 17.8.1710, Oil or Gas Well Facilities General Requirements; 17.8.1711, Oil or Gas Well Facilities Emission Control Requirements; 17.8.1712, Oil or Gas Well Facilities Inspection and Repair Requirements; 17.8.1713, Oil or Gas Well Facilities Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements; effective April 7, 2006.
(74) On June 4, 2013 the State of Montana submitted revisions to the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), Air Quality, Subchapter 8, Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality, 17.8.801, Definitions, and 17.8.818, Review of Major Stationary Sources and Major Modifications—Source Applicability and Exemptions.
(A) Administrative Rules of Montana, Air Quality, Subchapter 8, Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality, 17.8.801, Definitions, (20) introductory text, (20)(a); (22) introductory text, (22)(b); (25); (28) introductory text, (28)(a), except for the phrase “nitrogen oxides (NOx)”; and, 17.8.818, Review of Major Stationary Sources and Major Modifications—Source Applicability and Exemptions, (7) introductory text, (7)(a) introductory text, (7)(a)(vi), effective 10/12/2012.
[37 FR 10877, May 31, 1972. Redesignated at 80 FR 22911, April 24, 2015]
[37 FR 10877, May 31, 1972. Redesignated at 80 FR 22911, April 24, 2015
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NCAA Tournament: East Region
Now we move on to our second region, the East regional, featuring some impressive match-ups and dangerous lower seeds that could make a run.
Top 4 Seeds: (1) Virginia, (2) Villanova, (3) Iowa State, (4) Michigan State
The top seed is Virginia, is coming into the tournament as both the regular season and conference tournament champions. Virginia is a team that suffocates you with their toughness and attention to defense, which is rated 3rd overall in adjusted defense according to kenpom.com (if you've seen me use kenpom.com as my source, it's because it's the best source for statistics). Virginia held the #2 team in adjusted offense, Duke, to 69 points at Cameron Indoor, and 63 points in the tourney final. Virginia more impressively held the #5 team in adjusted offense, Wisconsin, to a mere 48 points at home. The question is whether they can provide the offense to counterbalance their stingy defense. I know that they are in the top 25 in adjusted offense, and I know what Joe Harris and Malcolm Brogdon can do on offense, but their top scorer, Brogdon, averages a mere 12.6 ppg. In the Wisconsin game on December 4, 2013, Virginia may have held Wisconsin to 48 points, but Wisconsin held Virginia to 38 points, and let's not forget, Wisconsin is not the same defensive team they have been for the past decade. However, lack of offense aside, Virginia's defense alone makes them a trendy pick for the final 4.
Villanova come in as the 2 seed in the East Regional. Villanova themselves have a potent defense that:
a) Is rated 14th in adjusted defense, but more importantly
b) Did that on the 3rd-hardest rated offensive Strength of Schedule.
Outside of the two Creighton games (two throw-away-the-tape games), Villanova has been a very solid defensive team. They held Kansas, the #6 team in terms of adjusted offense, to 59 points back on November 29th at the Paradise Island Jam, and have held 5 of their last 6 opponents to 64 points of under (exception was Xavier, who scored 70). This team could make some noise in the tournament, but I wonder whether their defense can hold a highly powerful offense to a low point total (Like I said, they played Kansas almost 4 months ago).
Coming into the tournament with the 3 seed is Iowa State, winners of the Big 12 conference tournament. A three-headed monster consisting of DeAndre Kane, Melvin Ejim, and Georges Niang, this Iowa State team is one of the most premier offenses in the tournament. Iowa State can do more than score, too. They are the top team in assists per game, averaging 18.5 of them per game. Can Iowa State defend, though? Although they played the 2nd-hardest offensive Strength of Schedule, they are only 54th in adjusted defense. In their last 4 games, they have allowed 80 or more points in 3 of them (exception being the Big 12 championship game against Baylor, where they allowed 65). Iowa State will go as far as their offense can take them.
The 4 seed is Michigan State, who is coming off a Big Ten tournament championship. Now that the entire core group of Keith Appling, Adreian Payne, and Gary Harris is 100% healthy, Michigan State is starting to look like the final four team they were projected to be. They ran out to a 21-point first half lead against Wisconsin, and had control from beginning to end of the championship game against Michigan. The question is simple. Michigan State's starting lineup has a grand total of 5 games where they had every starter healthy and playing together. Do they have enough chemistry to make a championship run?
Upset Special: (12) Harvard over (5) Cincinnati
Here we go, an upset I actually have in my own bracket! I love what Cincinnati's done this entire season. Mick Cronin should be in the running for Coach of the Year, and Sean Kilpatrick has been a man among boys. However, Harvard is a very solid team that can give any team in the field a game. Although Harvard's numbers aren't THAT great (56th in adjusted offense, 35th in adjusted defense), they have 5 players that average double-figures in scoring. A balance offense like that can give any team fits. I think that all Harvard has to do is let Kilpatrick get his, and then shut down everyone else, which I think they will do effectively. Harvard has been a trendy upset pick for the last couple of days, and there's a good reason why (don't forget, last year as a 14 seed, they upset Steve Alford's 3-seeded New Mexico Lobos, 68-62).
Sweet Sixteen: (1) Virginia, (2) Villanova, (4) Michigan State, (6) North Carolina
Now, a little bit of a spoiler here, I'm mainly going chalk up to the sweet sixteen. Sorry for anybody that wanted a surprise.
I think Virginia takes care of Coastal Carolina and who I project as their round of 32 opponent, George Washington. Villanova runs by UWM and UCONN, and Michigan State destroys both Delaware and Harvard. Not much more to say about those teams.
Now, the interesting team here is North Carolina. I could see this team going to the final four. I can also see this team losing to Providence in the 1st round (I don't care what the media and tournament dub it as, four play-in games do not count as a first round). North Carolina has been the most inconsistent team in all of college basketball. They have wins at home against Kentucky, vs. Louisville on a neutral court, and at then #1 Michigan State. They also have losses at home against Belmont, and at UAB. Who knows what UNC team is going to show up for the big dance, but I'm willing to bet it's going to be the first one. North Carolina just seems to show up against the best teams in the country, and although I really like Iowa State and the three-headed monster of Kane, Ejim, and Niang, I just think that North Carolina is going to show up, play just enough defense, and score effectively against Iowa State and their 54th ranked adjusted defense. I see North Carolina defeating Iowa State and moving on to the Sweet Sixteen.
East Region Champion: Michigan State
I think that the Spartans are going to upset Virginia with their ability to spread the floor and attack both inside with Payne and Dawson, and outside with Appling, Harris, and 6th man Travis Trice will be too much for Virginia, especially since I believe Virginia will struggle to score points.
I'm also a believer in Villanova taking out North Carolina. I think that overall, North Carolina is too shaky of a team at times and in a tournament where you could play badly for a few seconds and end up costing yourself the game, I don't trust North Carolina as much as I trust Villanova. Since North Carolina does NOT have Doug McDermott, I think North Carolina will struggle putting points up on Villanova, and I also believe that Villanova will force a good amount of turnovers and generate some easy fast break points.
This leaves Michigan State vs. Villanova in the Elite Eight. Although Michigan State also doesn't have Doug McDermott, they have the second-best thing to that, a talented, balanced attack. They can score from both outside and inside. Also of note is that Villanova thrives off turning the ball over and getting out in space for easy transition baskets (the Wildcats are averaging 13.7 forced turnovers a game, according to bbstate.com). Although Michigan State averages about 11.3 turnovers per game (89th in the country), but they only averaged 9.3 turnovers during the Big Ten tournament. I thing with the entire starting five finally out on the court at the same time for Michigan State, I think that will have enough firepower to spread Villanova out, starting inside, and using the effectiveness inside to make Villanova crash in and leave open 3's out on the perimeter. I see Michigan State reaching Arlington out of the East Region.
Grant Crouch is an upcoming sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He plans to become a sports journalist and started GDC Sports in 2013
Delaware Blue Hens
East Regional
George Washington Colonials
Massachusetts Minutemen
Milwaukee Panthers
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Stock photo from Pexels
Swiss court rules migrant too stupid to be deported
The Swiss federal court has prevented the expulsion of a criminal Kosovan due to his low intelligence quotient.
Published: June 19, 2019, 11:12 am
According to a psychiatric report, the 32-year-old has massive difficulties in reading, understanding text and arithmetic, reported the Swiss daily the Tagesanzeiger. An IQ test has shown that his level of development corresponds to that of a nine-year-old to a twelve-year-old.
Thus, “it will be difficult for him to find a home and build a new life,” ruled the court in Lausanne. According to the Tagesanzeiger, it was the first time that such a verdict was made in Switzerland.
The Kosovan had come to Switzerland at the age of seven as a family member. The Office for Migration of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft revoked the residence permit of the man in August 2015. Previously, he had repeatedly committed crimes.
A Basel court had once sentenced the immigrant to two years’ imprisonment for starting a gang fight along with colleagues in 2012. One victim sustained several facial fractures, a fractured skull, and a traumatic brain injury. Without immediate medical help, the victim would have died.
The Basel Authority argued that the nature of the crimes that the Kosovan had been involved in, became more serious as he grew older. There was a high probability of recidivism and the condemned person was judged to be a danger to the public.
The violent perpetrator has not yet been deported because he had obtained a postponement license, which was abolished last year by the Basel Cantonal Court.
In 2017, the man had traveled to Kosovo with his wife and two children, admitted his lawyer. His relatives did not want to leave him alone in Switzerland because of his claustrophobia and panic disorders.
“A violent Kosovar may stay in Switzerland because his IQ is too low. With such tricks the judge has thwarted the people’s will,” noted anti-immigration politician Roger Köppel.
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Israel stands on the front line of the war against Islamist extremism. Israel's fight is our fight.
Livingstone is denying anti-Semitism exists while simultaneously proving that it does
Ken Livingstone gets the history wrong on anti-semitism and Hitler
http://capx.co/ken-livingstone-gets-the-history-wrong-on-anti-semitism-and-hitler/
The sole reason Livingstone brought up the Fuhrer was to be as vicious and loathsome as he possibly could.
2016-05-03 by Professor Andrew Roberts
Ken Livingstone’s characteristically outrageous intervention in the debate over anti-Semitism in the Labour Party – denying it existed while simultaneously proving that it does – was wrong on all sorts of levels, but one of them was in his grotesque mangling of the historical record. “Let’s remember when Hitler won his election in 1932,” he told BBC Radio London, “his policy was then that Jews should be moved to Israel.”
First, Adolf Hitler absolutely did not “win” either the July or the November 1932 elections in Germany; in the latter he only gained 33·/. of the vote, giving the Nazi Party 196 seats in a Reichstag of 584. More centrally, however, insofar as Hitler had a stated rather than inferred policy towards Germany’s Jews at all, it was to force them to leave Germany, but not specifically to Palestine, which was then governed by the British under League of Nations Mandate and was not accepting European Jews in significant numbers.
The Nazis couldn’t frankly care less where the Jews went, so long as they left Germany, preferably with as few possessions as possible. Later on they conceived ideas such as the Madagascar Plan of July 1940 which would they hoped involve mass migration to places where the Jews would suffer and eventually die of disease and malnutrition, all long before the full-scale genocidal programme conceived at the Wannsee Conference in 1942. Jews were being killed in large numbers as soon as the war began, but especially after Hitler’s invasion of Russia in June 1941. The idea that Hitler ever wanted a fully-functioning successful Jewish state in Palestine – the dream of Zionists – is ludicrous, as Mr Livingstone undoubtedly knows.
The sole reason Ken Livingstone brought up the Fuhrer in his interview was to be as vicious and loathsome as he possibly could to any Jews listening, rather than genuinely intending to make some valid historical point about the migration policies of the putative Third Reich in the 1930s. He must know perfectly well that the very insertion of the word “Hitler” in the context of a debate over anti-Semitism would create precisely the effect that it has. It was therefore a totally cold-blooded attempt to offend the maximum amount of Jews to the maximum extent, and was said to a Jewish interviewer Vanessa Feltz.
Filthy politics, of course, but Mr Livingstone has such a long record of this kind of thing that we shouldn’t be surprised, even if we must still be outraged. Likening a Jewish journalist to a concentration camp guard was a similar attempt at dragging the Holocaust into the discourse. Accusing Jews and what he openly refers to as “the Jewish lobby” – of “obsessing” about his links with hate preachers such as Yusuf Al-Qaradawi is all part of the same playbook. Whether Labour finally acts remains to be seen, and this might be clever politics in terms of the mayoral election, but when it comes to history, Mr Livingstone gets an “F”.
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How Much Will the Inauguration Cost
• January 17, 2017
WASHINGTON — Officials are putting the final touches on what will be nearly a week of celebrations for Donald J. Trump’s inauguration as president on Friday. But pomp and circumstance does not come cheap.
Here’s a peek at the dollars and cents behind the events in Washington.
The price of Inauguration Day and the week leading up to it could top $200 million, based on the cost of inaugurations past and estimates by officials planning the week’s events. Costs could fluctuate depending on the weather on Inauguration Day and the size of the crowd that turns out.
Who foots the bill?
In bureaucratic terms, the costs are shared by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the federal government, and state and local governments.
Put more simply: Private donors and taxpayers split the bill.
What is the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and where does it get its money?
The committee comprises friends and loyal donors of Mr. Trump’s. With a staff of several hundred people, it plans all of the eye-catching events of the week, including inaugural balls, a concert on the eve of the swearing-in, and a series of private dinners for the president and his incoming administration. The group then raises money from private donors to cover the costs.
source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/us/politics/trump-who-pays-for-inauguration-cost.html?_r=0
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68 Filipinos near Fukushima want to return home
Manila's Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday that 68 Filipinos living close to the Fukushima I nuclear plant have expressed their intention to be repatriated.
This number represents 3.4 percent of the total number of the 2,000 Philippine nationals who live in one of the worst-hit areas Fukushima Prefecture during the triple disasters. Many of them are married to Japanese nationals, according to PDI.
Two buses will be dispatched by the Embassy to Fukushima City to take them to Narita Airport.
A Philippine Airlines flight will depart on Sunday 17 April and is expected to arrive at 13:30 local time.
The mandatory repatriation of Filipinos living within the 50-kilometer zone and voluntary repatriation to those who live 100 kilometers from the crippled plant were earlier ordered by the Philippine government when Japan raised the alert level of the nuclear plant from 5 to the maximum of 7 that indicate continuous release of radioactive materials of over 10,000 terabecquerels of radioactive materials since the initial explosion last month.
The state will shoulder the cost of repatriation.
Returnees will "undergo proper health check-ups at radiation screening facilities run by the Japanese government."
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But The Squirrels Are So Cute!
Photo Credit: www.lyttleco.com
Last month, we came face to face with a previously thought to be uncommon infection in urban areas known as leptospirosis. This is a bacterial infection carried by urban wildlife (squirrels, raccoons and other rodents), or grazing cattle, in their urine. It doesn’t harm these critters but can cause serious kidney and liver problems in dogs and people. Apparently, the long dry summer followed by heavy concentrated rains in December allowed for a “perfect storm” so to speak, and this bacteria was able to follow the rainfall into standing pools and drainage areas. When dogs drink or walk through these areas (in many cases our own yards after a heavy rainstorm), they can become exposed to the organism. It causes acute kidney failure to start with, but what owners of dogs that are infected notice is their dog misses a meal, and then two and maybe three…
How many times has your dog missed a meal or two and then felt better in 24 hours? Mine have. Sometimes it isn’t that easy though. One such Border Collie, a young 5 year old neutered male named “Sammy,” recently experienced just that.
“Sammy” was always a little picky about his food, but when he didn’t eat for the second day, his owners became concerned. He had vomited once, then just stopped. He seemed especially sluggish too, but had no fever. He didn’t act painful or sore, just seemed depressed. A routine blood test alerted us that his kidney function tests were very elevated - more than one would expect with dehydration, although he was certainly dehydrated. After receiving a liter of fluids and obtaining some urine, it became clear that his kidneys were not acting normally, and the diagnosis of leptospirosis was considered. He did not have a yard that had standing water, but he had been to the dog park on occasion, and had killed a skunk a week earlier. We ran the screening test and fortunately the diagnosis was made quickly.
Photo Credit: www.petvet1.com
Leptospirosis usually responds well to antibiotics if they can be administered before permanent damage is done, and if aggressive diuresis is started to keep the kidneys from shutting down. In Sammy’s case, that meant aggressive IV fluid therapy and hospitalization for three days. Since he wasn’t eating to begin with, we also had to give him medication to stimulate his appetite, prevent him from vomiting, treat the acid build up due to the kidney problems, and the antibiotics to treat the infection. Despite all of this, his liver also started to become affected by the organism. In some cases, these dogs do not recover despite our best efforts, and the recovery period can take weeks to months. Luckily for Sammy, he started to turn the corner after about 1 week and now, 1 month later, he is gaining weight back and feeling like a normal active 5 year old Border Collie again!
To learn more about leptospirosis, visit this website:
http://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/pets/index.html
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How Grace Hightower’s Coffee of Grace Helps Rwanda’s Farmers
by Claudia Ciesla | Nov 20, 2018 | Home, News, Sustainability | 0 comments
“Grace Hightower & Coffees of Rwanda” was launched in 2013 by Grace Hightower De Niro, the wife of famous actor Robert De Niro. She had only one mission. That was to improve the livelihoods of Rwandan farmers through marketing their products globally. The eventual aim has been to spread the increase of sustainable farming system of the war ravaged African country of Rwanda. To achieve this purpose, the coffee chain purchases coffee beans directly from the farmers of Rwanda at more than fair trade market price. She says she was inspired to do this due to an address by Paul Kagame, the African country’s president.
After a few iterations in packaging, De Niro and her team came up with ‘Coffee of Grace.’ The name was quite apt. Rwanda and its people have suffered the atrocities with grace. The packaging emphasizes the relationship between the Rwandan people, who produce the coffee, and the product.
According to Grace Hightower, Coffee of Grace as a concept is very important. She feels that people should know about where it comes from. How it is actually made. Basically, the whole journey from the seed to the table. She also feels that people will get interested not only in knowing the process but also values of sustainability and cooperation.
“We believe that good business means doing good for communities in which we work. Through direct sourcing, fair trade, ethical practices, as well as environmental stewardship, our dedication to the coffee farmers around the world will allow them to create a sustainable business which can be passed from one generation to the next. I invite you to taste the spirit as well as the dedication of our coffee-farming partners,” says Grace Hightower on her website.
Grace Hightower is a well known socialite and philanthropist. She has been regularly involved in initiatives around social causes. She is a board member of several high-profile philanthropic bodies such as the New York Women’s Foundation, the New York Fund for Public Schools, etc. She is also a member of Women’s Heart Health Advisory Council of Ronald Perelman and the International Women’s Coffee Alliance. Grace Hightower has often been recognized for her social and philanthropic work by several institutions, which includes the likes of the American Cancer Society of New York City.
Image credit: cnbc
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CNN Cold War documentary
CNN Cold War
CNN Cold War Videos
The struggle between communism and capitalism defined the second half of the 20th Century. The Cold War pitted east against west, pushing the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Now, as we approach the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which brought the era to a close, CNN International is again airing its 24-part series, The Cold War, which first aired in 1998. Giving unparalleled insight from those who lived and fought through the events that defined an era, The Cold War lets viewers see how the events of yesterday have shaped the world of today.
The series was commissioned by CNN founder Ted Turner. Award-winning television director Jeremy Isaacs was the executive producer. The series was narrated by Academy Award nominated actor Sir Kenneth Branagh.
The programs will air on CNN International every two weeks starting on January 4. Here is a summary of the first 12 episodes.
1 "Comrades" 1917--1945
Both the United States and the Soviet Union drifted apart after the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Russian Civil War and the Paris Peace Conference. Diplomatic and extensive trading relationships were established under Roosevelt, but relations soured following the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States and eastern Poland. After Hitler broke the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact the Western powers worked closely with the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Distrust reemerged as Stalin's plans for placing Eastern Europe in the Soviet Union's sphere of influence became apparent towards the war's end, and came to the fore at the Potsdam Conference, just before the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Interviewees include George F. Kennan, Vladimir Yerofeyev, Zoya Zarubina, Hugh Lunghi and George Elsey. The pre-credits scene shows the US Congress nuclear bunker at The Greenbrier, and introduces the television series by explaining how for several decades the world was close to a nuclear holocaust.
2 "Iron Curtain" 1945--1947
The wartime allies demobilise - the United States enjoys its economic strength and resurgence while Britain and the rest of Europe is exhausted. A new series of purges takes place in the Soviet Union, and is ravaged by famine. Germans are expelled from territories now given to Poland by the Soviet Union, and differences emerge over Germany's post-war rehabilitation. Stalin increases his grasp on Eastern Europe, although does not intervene on the side of the Communists in the Greek Civil War. Britain's power influence goes into decline, weakened from the war and a severe winter. Food shortages threatening stability throughout Europe. The United States begins to adopt with a more assertive foreign policy, countering Soviet influence in Turkey and Iran. Interviewees include Lord Annan, Sir Frank Roberts and Paul Nitze. The pre-credits scene features Winston Churchill's 1946 "Iron Curtain" speech in Fulton in the United States, which set the tone for confrontation.
3 "Marshall Plan" 1947--1952
For both altruistic and self-serving purposes, the United States provides massive grants of aid to the countries of Europe in the form of the Marshall Plan. Stalin, concerned that the intent of the Marshall Plan is to weaken Soviet influence in Europe, prevents countries in its orbit from participating, and establishes the rival Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. Communists come to power through a coup in Czechoslovakia in 1948. Tito, while originally aligned to the Soviet Union, adopts a more independent foreign policy and eventually switches to receiving Marshall Aid Assistance. The CIA and the Catholic Church conspire to help oust the Italian Communist Party and its coalition allies in the 1948 Italian election. The Marshall Plan has the effect of modernising European economies and societies, bringing Western Europe closer together, and closer to the United States. Interviewees include Vladimir Yerofeyev, Gianni Agnelli and Giulio Andreotti. The pre-credits scene portrays the squalor in post-war Italy, and Truman delivering his Truman Doctrine speech of 1947.
4. "Berlin" 1948--1949
Opposed by the USSR, the United States emphasizes the need to rebuild the German economy. With the introduction of the Deutsche Mark, the Soviets react by tightening checkpoints leading into the French, British, and American sectors of Berlin, ultimately leading to a ground blockade of the city. To keep the city from starvation, the western allies begin the Berlin Airlift, ferrying in supplies by plane. German Communists in Berlin successfully take over the city's municipal government, which causes both the city and country to be divided between east and west. Interviews in Episode 4 include Gail Halvorsen, Sir Freddie Laker and Clark Clifford.
5. "Korea" 1949--1953
Korea after the Second World War was occupied by both the Soviets and the Americans, who respectively installed Kim Il-sung and Syngman Rhee as leaders. With Soviet support, North Korea invaded the South in 1950, pushing the unprepared South Korean and US forces back to Pusan. The world responds, both to combat communism and demonstrate support to the United Nations. After landing at Inchon and liberating Seoul, United Nations forces advance into North Korea. This unsettles Mao Zedong, who on Stalin's request sends Chinese forces into Korea and pushes the UN back. Eventually both sides are more or less at stalemate in the centre of Korea. After countless talks, eventually an armistice is signed. Communism was contained, but Korea would remain divided. Interviewees include Lucius D. Battle, Paik Sun Yup and John Glenn. The pre-credits scene shows a battle in progress - the first "hot war" of the cold war.
6. "Reds" 1948--1953
The fears the leadership of both sides had were projected inwards towards their own people. In the United States the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the Tydings Committee carried out investigations into alleged Communist sympathisers in US public life, in particular the State Department and Hollywood. In the Soviet Union a personality cult emerged around Stalin, and a repressive police environment and comprehensive surveillance kept the population fearful. In response to Yugoslavia's maverick foreign policy, Stalin inspired the Prague Trials to warn Eastern European leaders not to stray away from emulating the Soviet model. Repression in the Soviet Union peaked with the investigations into the so-called Doctors' Plot, just before Stalin's sudden death in 1953. Interviewees include Arthur Kinoy, Ralph de Toledano and Boris Pokrovsky. The pre-credits scene shows a Russian labour camp and its victims.
7. "After Stalin" 1953--1956
Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet leader after the death of Stalin. Khrushchev rolls back a number of oppressive measures that existed under Stalin, restores relations with Yugoslavia and redirects resources to consumer needs. In a secret speech to the Soviet leadership he condemns Stalin's ruthless rule. West Germany is allowed to rearm, provoking the formation of the Warsaw Pact. Khruschev still wants Eastern Europe to remain within the Soviet orbit - he sends in troops to quell revolts in East Germany, Poland and, most significantly, Hungary. Interviewees include Anatoly Dobrynin, Charles Wheeler and Sergei Khrushchev. The pre-credits scene shows life in Soviet Union under Stalin's personality cult.
8. "Sputnik" 1949--1961
As a consequence of the atomic spies, the Soviet Union joined the nuclear club, and the two superpowers compete to develop their nuclear arsenels. Russia's launching of Sputnik further heightened a sense of vulnerability in the United States, and results in the rapid development of nuclear-armed missiles, and defence-related education. Blamed for a perceived missile gap, Eisenhower is replaced by John F. Kennedy as US President. The Soviet Union is seen to have taken a solid lead in the space race after Yuri Gagarin's successful return to Earth. Interviewees include Joseph Rotblat, Boris Chertok, Andrew Goodpaster, Herbert York and Gherman Titov. The pre-credits scene features the first Soviet nuclear test in 1949.
9. "The Wall" 1958--1963
West Germany, and West Berlin, become more affluent, prompting a surge of East Germans to cross the borders in Berlin, kept open under the Four Power Agreement on Berlin. Khrushchev's demands that the Americans, British and French leave Berlin are opposed, and prospects for a peaceful resolution are dashed after the Soviets pull out of the Paris Summit in 1960 as a response to the U-2 incident. Overnight on August 12, 1961 East German police and military units divided the city of Berlin, and work commenced on building the Berlin Wall. Initial tensions culmulate in a stand-off between US and Soviet tanks. Kennedy visits Berlin in June 1963 and delivers his Ich bin ein Berliner speech. Interviewees include Anatoly Gribkov, Valentin Falin, Stefan Heym, Egon Bahr, Raymond L. Garthoff and Conrad Schumann. The pre-credits scene features East Berliners seeking to flee into the West.
10. "Cuba" 1959--1962
Fidel Castro comes to power following the Cuban Revolution. Cuba aligns itself with the Soviet Union and the government starts nationalising American interests, resulting in the United States imposing an economic boycott, and the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Following the detection of Soviet medium range missiles stationed in Cuba, the United States imposes a blockade on the island, and the Soviet Union mobilises for war. The Cuban Missile Crisis is eventually resolved through secret negotiations, in which the United States and the USSR agree to withdraw missiles from Cuba and Turkey respectively. Interviewees include Fidel Castro, Walter Cronkite, Pierre Salinger and Theodore Sorensen. The pre-credits scene has interviews of Fidel Castro, Robert McNamara and Anatoly Dobrynin explaining how close they felt the world was to a nuclear holocaust.
11. "Vietnam" 1954--1968
After losing the Battle of Dien Bien Phu the French leave Vietnam. A stream of refugees flee to the south after the Communist north institute a harsh land reform program. The north, with Soviet military assistance, seeks to reunify the country by using the Viet Cong to destabilise the South, prompting American intervention which escalates after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. American casualties mount in an increasingly unpopular and seemingly purposeless war that was difficult to wage successfully. President Lyndon B. Johnson's stature is reduced following the Tet Offensive. The bombing of North Vietnam is interspersed with peace negotiations, which prove fruitless. Interviewees include Robert McNamara, William Westmoreland, Nguyen Vo Giap, Bui Diem, Jack Valenti and Clark Clifford. The pre-credits scene portrays the destruction caused by the Vietnam War.
12. "MAD" 1960--1972
The United States entered the 1960s with strength and self-confidence. Kennedy increased arms production, bringing an economic boom to California. Rising expectations led to the civil rights movement growing stronger, despite the rough response from authorities which regarded them as Communist inspired. More of America's youth became increasingly hostile to the Vietnam War, and embraced new counterculture and permissive definitions of the American ideals of freedom. Fractures in America's society became increasingly violent, and the latter half of the 1960s brought race riots, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedyand the Chicago Convention protests. With the political left appearing divided and radicalised, Richard Nixon is voted into office. Interviewees include Irwin Allen Ginsberg, Bobby Seale and Eugene McCarthy. The pre-credits scene shows The Beatles touring the United States.
13. "Make Love Not War" 1960's
14. "Red Spring" 1960's
Likewise the Soviet Union started the decade with growing openness and optimism. There was also an emerging cohort of youth with no memory of the privations and purges of the past, and who had a taste for Western music and fashion that alarmed the established order. Khrushchev sought, with limited success, to make the Soviet consumer economy more affluent, and he initiated housing construction and the poorly organised Virgin Lands Campaign. Khrushchev's erratic leadership style, his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis and a poor 1963 harvest eventually led to his removal from power. Czechoslovakia had an even more profound transformation under Alexander Dubček, who introduced human rights and free market reforms. However the Prague Spring was opposed by Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev, and was ended abruptly in 1968. Interviewees include Miloš Forman, Vladimir Semichastny, Vasil Biľak and Yevgeny Yevtushenko. The pre-credits scene show Khrushchev and Czechoslovak leader Antonín Novotný demonstrating solidarity in 1964, in contrast to the Soviet Union ruling by brute force four years later.
15. "China" 1949--1972
Following the Chinese Revolution Mao Zedong aligns China firmly with the Soviet Union. China becomes the recipient of Soviet aid, supports Communist movements worldwide and confronts the United States in Korea and in the Taiwan straits. Domestically China experienced upheaval and disaster with the post-revolution land reforms, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. A range of factors, including Khrushchev's apparent acceptance of co-existence with the capitalist West and his refusal to share Soviet nuclear technology with China, led to the Sino-Soviet split and eventual conflict. Both sides become deeply distrustful of the other, particularly after China develops nuclear weapons. Sensing an opportunity to contain the Soviet Union, in 1972 the United States suddenly and unexpectedly moves to reestablish ties with China. Interviewees include Wu Ningkun, Marshall Green, Liu Binyan, Stepan Chervonenko and Henry Kissinger. The pre-credits scene shows Nixon's visit to China, only six years after the Cultural Revolution.
16. "Detente" 1969--1975
Nixon builds closer relations with China and the USSR, hoping to leverage an honourable US exit from Indochina. The Soviet Union is fearful of a US-Chinese alliance, but summits between Nixon and Brezhnev lead to a relaxation of tensions and concrete arms control agreements. Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik strategy also normalises West German relations with East Germany, the USSR and Poland. Although deeply unpopular domestically, US bombing of Cambodia and Hanoi succeeds in bringing North Vietnam to the negotiating table, leading to the Paris Peace Accords in 1972. Deeply resented by South Vietnam, the Accords ultimately fail to prevent Saigon's fall three years later. In 1975 reapproachment continued with the Helsinki Accords, which enshrined human rights and territorial integrity, and the symbolic Apollo–Soyuz Test Project. Interviewees include Melvin Laird, Valeri Kubasov, Winston Lord, John Ehrlichman and Gerald Ford. The pre-credits scene shows a Soviet cartoon demonstrating the futility of the arms race.
17. "Good Guys, Bad Guys" 1967--1978
Under détente the superpowers continued their rivalry, but carefully avoided direct conflict by courting allies in the developing world. Israel moved closer to the United States after the Six Day War, while Egypt erratically maintained its ties with the USSR. During the subsequent Yom Kippur War the United States reluctantly supplied aid to Israel, but when it became apparent the Egyptian Army was on the verge of destruction the Soviet Union threatened to intervene. The United States held its ground, brought the two warring sides to the negotiating table, and demonstrated it was the preeminent power in the Middle East. In Angola the Cuban-backed People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) manages to retain power, staving off attacks from the Central Intelligence Agency-backed National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA), the South African-backed National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and foreign mercenaries. Cuba also intervenes in the Ogaden War, defending Marxist Ethiopia from Somalia. Interviewees include Saad El Shazly, Abba Eban, Simcha Dinitz, Holden Roberto, Pik Botha and Jimmy Carter. The pre-credits scene shows a group of Africans watching a film possibly about Communism, with the narrator noting American fears of Soviet expansionism in the post-colonial world.
18. "Backyard" 1954--1990
The United States saw the emergence of leftist movements in different Latin American countries as threatening to its commercial interests, and secretly plotted with military strongmen and middle class interests concerned with the land reforms and nationalisation policies of new governments. In Guatemala Jacobo Árbenz was ousted by a CIA-inspired coup in 1954. Similarly US meddling in Chile's economic and political spheres weakened Salvador Allende grip on power, and he was ultimately deposed by his own military in 1973. The United States sent troops to the Dominican Republic in 1965 and Grenada in 1983, and trained and supported various acquiescent juntas, including a brutal regime in El Salvador. In Nicaragua the United States secretly supported the Contras against the leftist Sandinista government; eventually military actions and economic sanctions push Nicaraguans into voting for anti-Sandinista politician Violeta Chamorro in 1990. Interviewees include Frank Wisner, Hortensia Bussi, Nikolai Leonov, Violeta Chamorro and Daniel Ortega. The pre-credits scene explains that although the USSR avoided intervening in the region, following the Cuban Revolution Castro and Che Guevara sought to spark "100 Vietnams" across Latin America by initiating guerrilla movements.
19. "Freeze" 1977--1981
Carter's ambitious proposals for total multilateral nuclear disarmament are rejected by Brezhnev; his championing of human rights does not win favour either. The Helsinki Accords encourage writers to establish Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia. The visit of Pope John Paul II revitalises Polish nationalism, while in the Soviet Union high profile dissidents and refuseniks gains popular attention. The Soviets continue a conventional arms race, draining resources from a demoralised consumer economy. SALT II is signed, to the consternation of many Europeans because of the Treaty's "double track" provisions concerning the deployment of new SS-20 and Pershing IImissiles. Carter's failure to exercise American resolve and strength over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Iran hostage crisis and an oil shock ultimately costs him the 1980 elections, and the United States decisively swings to a more confrontational foreign policy under Ronald Reagan. Breznhev successfully leans on Polish leader Wojciech Jaruzelski to crack down on the Solidarity movement. Interviewees include Jeane Kirkpatrick, Lech Walesa, Václav Havel and Helmut Schmidt. The pre-credits scene shows the United States basking in confidence during its bicentennial, with the narrator noting détente would shortly be over.
20. "Soldiers of God" 1975--1988
Nur Mohammad Taraki comes to power in Afghanistan and attempts to modernise the country on Marxist-Leninist lines, provoking a rebellion from more traditional power brokers in the country. The Soviets are initially reluctant to intervene militarily, but respond after Taraki is violently replaced by Hafizullah Amin who is considered to be destabilising influence. The Soviets invade Afghanistan, and soon find themselves unprepared facing a hostile army of mujahideen insurgents, secretly armed by the Americans who see the war as an opportunity to wear down the Soviet Union. To achieve mobility in Afghanistan's rugged terrain the Soviet Union uses helicopters, but are thwarted by Stinger missiles. Atrocities are committed by Soviet and mujahideen forces. Eventually Soviet forces would leave Afghanistan under the terms of the Geneva Accords, but bloodshed would continue with rival mujahideen forces fighting each other. Interviewees include Caspar Weinberger, Artyom Borovik and Zbigniew Brzezinski. The pre-credits scene shows a battle in progress and presents the views of the superpowers - the Soviet Union did not want to lose face by being defeated in a proxy war.
21. "Spies" 1944--1994
Throughout the Cold War both sides sought intelligence about their opponents using spies, satellites and other means. For political reasons, scientists working on the Manhattan Project provided nuclear secrets to the Soviets. British agents George Blake and Kim Philby passed on to the Soviet Union the identities of Western intelligence assets, and the presence of the Berlin Tunnel. Conversely, Soviet Colonel Oleg Penkovsky gave the West vital details of Soviet nuclear vulnerabilities. Intelligence services are also used to silence dissent, in particular in East Germany. After the Cold War an investigation revealed the Soviet Union had been aware of a number of double agents operating in its midst from information provided by a CIA mole, Aldrich Ames. One such agent, Oleg Gordievsky, managed to flee the Soviet Union, but Adolf Tolkachev and Dmitri Polyakov were arrested, tried and executed. Interviewees include Markus Wolf, Ted Hall, Oleg Kalugin, George Blake, Yuri Modin and Aldrich Ames (who was serving a life sentence). The pre-credits scene shows Polyakov being arrested by the KGB.
22. "Star Wars" 1981--1968
Reagan's 1983 "Evil Empire" speech sets the tone for a more aggressive US posture against the Soviet Union, and the costly arms race is renewed. He hopes that space-based anti-missile systems known as Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) could render nuclear weapons obsolete, but the Soviet Union is concerned of upsetting the MAD paradigm that had kept the world safe. Gorbachev assumes power in the Soviet Union, setting to reform the Soviet economy and encourage greater openness. He bonds well with both Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, charismatic to Soviet sensibilities, but the SDI issue prevents arms control agreements being made in Geneva Summit or Reykjavík. The weakness of the Soviet system is revealed by the Chernobyl disaster and Mathias Rust's Red Square stunt. Knowing the Soviet Union could not compete with SDI without the economic welfare of its people being severely curtailed, whose exposure to popular culture and foreign media has led to raised expectations, Gorbachev eventually agrees to a landmark agreement, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Disarmament commences, under the maxim of doveryai, no proveryai. Interviewees include Donald Regan, Sir Charles Powell, Roald Sagdeev and Mikhail Gorbachev. The pre-credits scene shows an advertisement for Reagan's 1984 election campaign.
23. "The Wall Comes Down" 1989
Gorbachev makes clear Eastern European countries were free to determine their own destinies. In Poland Solidarity enters into negotiations with the Government, and would end up winning a landslide election. In Hungarythe Government chooses to symbolically reinter Imre Nagy, and open its frontier with Austria, which is then crossed by increasing numbers of holidaying East Germans. Erich Honecker refuses to implement reforms, despite subtle pressure from Gorbachev and growing protests across East Germany. The bloody end to dissent in China is never far from the minds of protesters. Just as protests reach a peak, Soviet forces in East Germany are stood down, and Honecker is replaced by an unimpressive Egon Krenz. As a concession travel restrictions are lifted but the new regulations are miscommunicated, and the Berlin Wall is suddenly and irrevocably breached by masses of East Germans. In the momentum, the fate of communism in East Germany is sealed. Interviewees include Mikhail Gorbachev, Miklós Németh, Egon Krenz and George H. W. Bush. The pre-credits scene includes Gorbachev explaining that by 1989, force alone could not secure the world.
24. "Conclusions" 1989--1991
Gorbachev and Bush meet at Malta in December 1989 to consider the recent dramatic events. Only the previous week the Communist government resigned in Czechoslovakia; and shortly Nicolae Ceaușescu would be deposed and executed in the bloody Romanian Revolution. Gorbachev permits German reunification and removes Soviet troops from Europe, but fails to secure financial support from the West. As the Soviet economy collapses, Gorbachev faces opposition from both reformers and hardliners. Sharing their abhorence of Soviet disintegration, Gorbachev brings in hardliners to his government and cracks down on the Lithuanian independence movement. However they later turn on Gorbachev and stage a coup. Boris Yeltsin is instrumental in rallying the public and military to defeat the coup. Sidelining Gorbachev, Yeltsin sets the course for Russia to leave the Soviet Union by establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Soviet Union ends on 25 December 1991, and in his Christmas Day address Bush announces the Cold War is over. The cost of the Cold War is considered in retrospect. Interviewees include Mircea Dinescu, Alexander Rutskoy and Condoleezza Rice. The pre-credits scene features Bush and Gorbachev explaining how uncertain the world had suddenly become.
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Home/Feature, Imagine All The People/1 Dec 2009 is WORLD AIDS DAY
1 Dec 2009 is WORLD AIDS DAY
AIDS.gov: Facing AIDS for World AIDS Day
Worldwide the estimated number of people living with HIV is over 33 million. In the U.S., an estimated over one million Americans are living with HIV. World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to work together to help reduce stigma around HIV and promote HIV Testing—here’s how you can join us in Facing AIDS in 3 easy steps
1. Take a Photo
* Download a Facing AIDS sign and tell us why you are Facing AIDS.
* Then take a photo of yourself wearing a red ribbon with your sign.
* Upload it to this Flickr group and/or our Facebook fan page
2. Change your Social Network Profile Status and picture. On December 1 social network profile picture to your Facing AIDS photo and your status to:
“[Your Name] is Facing AIDS for World AIDS Day. To find an HIV test site, text your ZIP to “KNOWIT” (566948), or visit www.HIVtest.org. Join me and post this to your status today.”
3. Share
* Ask your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors to join the Campaign—here’s a flyer you can share.
Want to learn more or find other ways to Face AIDS for World AIDS Day? Check out our AIDS.gov World AIDS Day page .
http://www.aids.gov/world-aids-day/
HIV:Reality – UK Theme for World AIDS Day 2009
The UK theme for World AIDS Day 2009 will focus on the reality of HIV in the UK today. The aim is to present true, and sometimes surprising, accounts of how HIV affects people in the UK and to dispel myths and misinformation.
The slogan for World AIDS Day 2009 is:
HIV: Reality
And the call to action is:
Discover the real stories about HIV in the UK today. Understanding the facts is the key to fighting prejudice and protecting yourself and others.
http://www.worldaidsday.org/hivreality/your-stories.aspx
“HIV: Reality” builds on last year’s popular “Respect & Protect” theme and this strapline remains a component of this year’s execution.
NAT’s research has shown that public knowledge of HIV in the UK is declining and there is evidence of a worrying lack of understanding about HIV and its relevance in a UK context. For people to respect and protect themselves and others, they need to understand the facts and reality of HIV in the UK.
There is a strong link between our creative approach and the World AIDS Campaign’s focus this year on ‘living my rights’. We will be drawing on the international theme of “Universal Access and Human Rights”, particularly on our World AIDS day website, and will highlight the importance of universal access to information, prevention and testing for people at risk of infection.
A full range of “HIV: Reality” resources are available from NAT at https://shop.nat.org.uk.
Notes to the Editor:
Katherine Sladden Communications Officer NAT 020 7814 6733 [email protected]
NAT (National AIDS Trust) is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV. We provide fresh thinking, expert advice and practical resources. We campaign for change. Shaping attitudes. Challenging injustice. Changing lives.
www.nat.org.uk
http://www.WorldAIDSday.org
http://www.worldaidsday.org.au
About the Day
World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.
Over a million Americans are estimated to be living with HIV. Worldwide an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV.
President’s World AIDS Day 2009 Proclamation
Join us in Facing AIDS for World AIDS Day 2009
Posters and Other Resources
Download and customize these posters to promote your World AIDS Day events!
Poster show and other World AIDS Day resources from PEPFAR
Download HIV/AIDS fact sheets, post them on bulletin boards, share with local newspapers, and distribute them at events!
Read about the CDC’s HIV Incidence Data
AIDS.gov: provides US Government HIV/AIDS information.
PEPFAR.gov: the official website of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
worldaidscampaign.org: brochures and information about events worldwide.
To find an HIV Testing location near you in the United States, send a text message with your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948) or visit www.hivtest.org.
Find local events and list your activities here.
There are many ways you can take action in response to HIV/AIDS:
get tested for HIV
practice safer methods to prevent HIV
decide not to engage in high risk behaviors
talk about HIV prevention with family, friends, and colleagues
provide support to people living with HIV/AIDS
get involved with or host an event for World AIDS Day in your community
In the USA?
Call 1-800-444-6472 to speak to an information specialist about the HIV/AIDS Awareness Days.
Office of the Press Secretary
Presidential Proclamation– World AIDS Day
Our Nation joins the world in celebrating the extraordinary advancements we have made in the battle against HIV and AIDS, and remembering those we have lost. Over the past three decades, brave men and women have fought devastating discrimination, stigma, doubt, and violence as they stood in the face of this deadly disease. Many of them would not be here today, but for the dedication of other persons living with HIV, their loved ones and families, community advocates, and members of the medical profession. On World AIDS Day, we rededicate ourselves to developing a national AIDS strategy that will establish the priorities necessary to combat this devastating epidemic at home, and to renewing our leadership role and commitments abroad.
Though we have been witness to incredible progress, our struggle against HIV/AIDS is far from over. With an infection occurring every nine-and-a-half minutes in America, there are more than one million individuals estimated to be living with the disease in our country. Of those currently infected, one in five does not know they have the condition, and the majority of new infections are spread by people who are unaware of their own status. HIV/AIDS does not discriminate as it infiltrates neighborhoods and communities. Americans of any gender, age, ethnicity, income, or sexual orientation can and are contracting the disease.
Globally, there are over 33 million people living with HIV. While millions have died from this disease, the death rate is slowly declining due, in part, to our Nation’s global effort through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. However, HIV remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Women and children around the world are particularly vulnerable due to gender inequalities, gaps in access to services, and increases in sexual violence. While the statistics are distressing, new medications and scientific advancements give us reason for hope.
Tackling this disease will take an aggressive, steadfast approach. My Administration is developing a national HIV/AIDS strategy to bolster our response to the domestic epidemic, and a global health initiative that will build on PEPFAR’s success. We will develop a strategy to reduce HIV incidence, improve access to care, and help eliminate HIV-related health disparities. We have already ensured that visitors to our shores living with HIV are not marginalized and discriminated against because of their HIV status. We have also secured the continuation of critical HIV/AIDS care and treatment services. Today, we recommit ourselves to building on the accomplishments of the past decades that have dramatically changed the domestic and global HIV/AIDS landscape.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2009, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the American people to join in appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and to provide support and comfort to those living with this disease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
IMAGINE PEACE2009-11-30T21:50:38-05:00November 30th, 2009|Feature, Imagine All The People|
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Home > Natural disasters, poverty drive rural poor into Dhaka
Natural disasters, poverty drive rural poor into Dhaka
Rural poor migrating to Bangladeshi capital mostly end up living in extreme poverty.
Posted on February 6, 2019, 2:39 PM
Nurjahan, 60, a Muslim slum dweller in Dhaka, migrated to the Bangladeshi capital with her family 40 years ago from southern Bangladesh after river erosion swallowed their home and arable land. (Photo by Stephan Uttom/ucanews.com)
Dhaka:
A life full of struggles has not deterred 60-year-old Nurjahan, a Muslim widow and slum dweller in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.
To her neighbors, Nurjahan is popularly known as the kolawali (banana seller). Every day she collects ripe bananas from a nearby market and sells them to customers in the slum to make ends meet.
“The traders at the wholesale market know that I am poor and helpless, so they don’t take money when I buy bananas from them. I return them the amount when I finish selling the bananas,” Nurjahan told ucanews.com at the Duaripara slum in the Mirpur area.
Some 40 years ago, Nurjahan and her husband left their village in Banaripara in Barishal district and moved to Dhaka.
“River erosion had swallowed our home and arable land. We decided to migrate to Dhaka for a better life and have lived in slums since then,” she recalled.
In Dhaka, her husband became a rickshaw puller and an occasional banana seller to take care of the family of four including two daughters.
Nurjahan’s husband died four years ago and her daughters live with their husbands’ families, meaning Nurjahan has to fend for herself.
Although state-run social safety net schemes exist for vulnerable and poor women like Nurjahan, including elderly and widow allowances, she gets none of them. “I don’t know how to avail these benefits — no one has ever helped me,” she said.
In 2016, she learned about the Support Assisting Improved Living (SAIL) project run by Catholic charity Caritas Dhaka that seeks to improve the living conditions of people in the city’s three major slums.
Caritas support helped her set up a better house made of corrugated iron sheets, bamboo and cement that cost 40,000 taka (US$471).
The project also enables her to get free medical check-ups, medicines, water, sanitation and hygiene tools every month.
“Sometimes I feel I should go back to my village but then I think again. We have no property left there and the relatives of my husband’s family are not positive. It means I have to stay here as long as I live,” Nurjahan said.
Like Nurjahan, Nipa Begum hails from Barishal district and lives in the Duaripara slum.
“I saw our home washed away and rebuilt nine times due to river erosion. I decided to move to Dhaka about 10 years ago,” said 24-year-old Nipa, a mother of a three-year-old son.
After getting a job as a sewing operator in a garment factory, she married a colleague about eight years ago.
“During the birth of my son I had some complications in my ovary. I have not been able to work since then. My husband is the only breadwinner for the family,” she said.
Since 2017, Nipa has also benefited from the SAIL project, getting free treatment and medicines every month. Her son attends a day-care center run by Caritas, where he gets free basic education and entertainment.
Dhaka, Bangladesh’s largest city and one of the world’s most densely populated places, is home to more than 15 million residents crammed into about 306 square kilometers.
About 60 percent of the capital’s residents live in shantytowns, according to the Dhaka-based Association for Realization of Basic Needs, a development group focused on urban slum dwellers.
Most slum dwellers are climate refugees from the southern and northern parts of Bangladesh.
“Climate change-induced natural disasters like cyclones, flooding and river erosion spark the migration of millions from rural areas to urban areas after losing their homes and livelihoods. They dream of a better life in the cities but in fact they live in extreme poverty without any guarantee of basic needs,” Prof. Tasneem Siddiqui, founding chairwoman of the refugee and migratory movement unit at Dhaka University, told ucanews.com.
Every year Dhaka receives about 70 percent of the inbound migration flow from rural areas while Chittagong, a port city in the southeast, takes about 10 percent.
Since Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971, development and prosperity have been limited to a handful of cities that have constantly attracted people seeking better prospects in life, Siddiqui said.
“Apart from climate change, poverty is a major driving factor behind internal migration. There are few livelihood opportunities in rural areas apart from traditional farming, fishing and small businesses. If development was decentralized, I think the situation in Dhaka could never be like this,” she said.
Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority nation of more than 160 million in an area of 147,570 square kilometers, making it the world’s eighth most populous country. About 75 percent of the population live in rural areas.
According to the World Bank, about a quarter of the population earn less than US$2 per day and live in extreme poverty, making it one of the poorest countries in the world.
Bangladesh is located on the flood plains of world’s largest river delta system and crisscrossed by more than 300 rivers that empty into the Bay of Bengal, making it vulnerable to natural disasters. Most of the country lies on flat land only a few meters above sea level.
According to the International Migration Monitoring Center, over the last decade 700,000 people have been displaced every year on average in Bangladesh due to natural disasters.
Climate analysts fear that by 2050 vast areas of Bangladesh’s coastline will vanish as sea levels rise and some 20 million will be displaced — one of the commonly predicted consequences of a warming planet.
“More climate change impacts mean more migrations to Dhaka, a city already on the verge of collapsing. The situation will get worse if this continues,” Siddiqui warned.
Dhaka ,Natural Disasters ,Poverty ,Rural Poor ,
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Clean Sweep: San Miguel books a return trip to the finals, disposing of Talk ‘N Text
Michael Severino December 30, 2014
The San Miguel Beermen did the improbable as they beat the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, 100-87, to finish the series 4-0, the first time the franchise swept a seven-game series. More importantly, they enter the finals once more after more than a year’s absence. This is also marks the first PBA finals appearance for Coach Leo Austria. Leading BPC June Mar Fajardo demolished the defense as he stuffed the stat sheet with 28 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.
The Beermen were down for all of 49 seconds (1-0) before taking the lead and never looking back. They went up double digits a few times and fought off a few mini-rallies. Game three seemed to have had a more profound effect on the Tropang Texters than anticipated as they were disorganized on both ends. They never really threatened until a final quarter led by veterans Jimmy Alapag and Danny Seigle. The Beermen on their part were not rattled and eventually snatched the momentum right back for the victory.
Playing Loose
TOV
FB PTS
SMB 41/71(57.7%) 5/16(31.3%) 52 28 14 20
TNT 36/95(37.9%) 7/32(21.9%) 39 14 34 8
They always say that the hardest games are the ones needed to clinch the series. There was a lot of pressure to close this one out early, especially with past experiences of choking big leads. San Miguel could not have made it look any easier. Simply put, they were relaxed and played loose. They stuck to the gameplan, didn’t force the issue, and didn’t try to go for the big knockout plays. This loose play led to them shooting almost 60% from the field for the whole game, including a 12/19 mark in the second quarter. Their defense was stifling as well, allowing the Tropang Texters to shoot just 37.9% from the field despite them having 24 more shot attempts. They forced them to either shoot contested three-pointers or try to score over the outstretched arms of the bigs. They were pretty successful both ways, especially in defending the arc. They finally controlled the boards, grabbing 57% of all available rebounds, stamping their class in that category. They did lose the offensive rebounding again but that’s more of a product of such a high shooting clip compared to Talk ‘N Text’s.
This loose play also resulted in a 20-8 advantage in fastbreak points. For a team not known for it, they sure looked comfortable shredding the Tropang Texters in transition. The second unit in particular was extremely effective. The only real knock on their game was the abnormally high number of turnovers. They had a conference-high 28 for the game, leading to 34 turnover points for the opposition. They threw the ball away on 30% of their possessions as opposed to just 12.3% for the Tropang Texters. All of that didn’t really matter for the Beermen as they simply overpowered them in every facet of the game.
Key Performances
The Kraken Show
June Mar Fajardo punctuated his series with a boxscore-stuffing line of 28-16-5-2 on a ridiculous 71.3 TS%. With Talk ‘N Text deciding to go single coverage on him at the start, he went to work early by hitting three shots in the first four minutes, including his now famous “Kraken Step”
and a tough fadeaway jumper with Kelly Williams all over him.
He had team-highs in every category except steals, which unfortunately included a career-high 9 turnovers. That didn’t do much to deter him however as he displayed his full offensive arsenal. The decision to cover him one-on-one only served to get him into the groove early as he traversed double and triple-teams pretty well. Not also displayed his play-making abilities en route to a career-high 5 assists.
He wasn’t alone however as many of his teammates stepped up to clinch the series. Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Chris Lutz, and Ronald Tubid were a combined 22/36 from the field (61.1%). After sniping away from deep in game three, Santos showed off his inside game as he was 6/10 from inside the arc and also grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double. He was also a terror in the passing lanes, grabbing a team-high 3 steals. Alex Cabagnot finished a great series with 16 points and 6 rebounds as he did almost everything. He was hitting jumpers, finishing in the paint, getting fouls, and grabbing boards. Chris Lutz was his usual efficient self, missing only one shot from inside the arc. He also flashed what’s becoming a very reliable midrange jumper. Ronald Tubid was probably the most symbolic of the Beermen’s loose play as he was constantly out in transition. He also showed off a few highlight plays, including breaking Jayson Castro’s ankles with a sweet crossover (unfortunately he didn’t finish).
All is well and good right now in San Miguel’s world, especially with how last season played out and how low expectations were coming into this conference. Once again, Coach Austria has done a heck of a job organizing this squad. Of course, the journey isn’t over yet as they await the winner of the physical series between the Alaska Aces and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. In the meantime, the Beermen have all the time to rest up, prepare, and try to finish what they started. For the first time in about a year, fans have something positive to look forward to.
#FearTheBeer
Michael Severino
Beat Writer for the San Miguel Beermen || Fan of SMB. Los Angeles Lakers. Ateneo Blue Eagles. Gilas Pilipinas || Basketball-obsessed since 2009
From A to Z: Reid sparks San Miguel to a come-from-behind win over Alaska
Michael Severino July 16, 2015
Bruised But Not Broken: Beermen Survive Shootout
Michael Severino May 29, 2014
Game On: Talk ‘N Text vs Air 21
Nico Baguio February 14, 2013
Rain or Shine bounces back, brings series to the edge
Charmie Lising April 27, 2015
Game On: San Miguel Beermen vs. BWE
Michael Severino June 16, 2015
Road to Redemption Begins: San Miguel Dominate Blackwater to Clinch Semis Berth
Game On: Barangay Ginebra vs SMB
Gerald Sobrepeña June 11, 2014
Game On: San Miguel Beermen vs. NLEX
Michael Severino November 7, 2014
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Carolyn J. Miller
Monday, September 17, 2018 8:28 AM
Carolyn Jo Miller, 78, of Marion, IN, and having ties to Van Buren, IN, died Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, at 12:31 p.m. at Colonial Oaks Health & Rehabilitation Center in Marion.
Mrs. Miller was a 1958 graduate of Van Buren High School. She was a former member of the Liberty Baptist Church in Sweetser and the Sunridge Baptist Church in Sebring, FL. She was a former member of the Gamma Tau Club of Van Buren and the Burrett Book Club of Converse. She worked at Marion General Hospital from 1968 to 1984. She and her husband had recently moved back from Sebring, FL, after residing there for 20 years.
She was born Jan. 18, 1940, in rural Wabash County to Ralph and Celia Neal Cox, of Van Buren. She married Phillip W. “Bill” Miller on March 31, 1990, and he survives.
Additional survivors include two sons, Brad (Carol) Trees, of Avon, and Brent Trees, of Marion; two daughters, Joan Lavengood, of Amboy and Jill Krovoza, of Converse; two stepsons, Billy (Sharon) Miller, of Wabash, and Kent (Lori) Shields, of Converse; two brothers-in-law, Carl Stopp, of Tampa, FL, and Clyde Gunn, of Avon; 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Calling is Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Van Buren United Methodist Church-Fellowship Hall, 108 S. 2nd St., Van Buren. A service to celebrate Mrs. Miller’s life will be held Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, at the church, with Rev. Dave Mason officiating and Rev Clyde Gunn assisting. Interment will follow in the Van Buren Cemetery in Van Buren.
Memorials are to Van Buren Cemetery, PO Box 376, Van Buren, IN 46991, or Church of the Nazarene, 305 S. 1st St., Van Buren, IN 46991.
Arrangements are being handled by Ferguson & Glancy Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Online condolences may be made at www.glancyfuneralhomes.com.
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Africa/ Equality/ Health/ Poverty
Long Walk to Constitutional Democracy: Part I
IDJ democracy 0 Comment September 15, 2016
Thando Gumede:
This volume of work is a legal thesis of approximately 10,000 words, looking at the right to basic education for black indigent girls living in rural South Africa; and how their biological predisposition and menstrual cycle are a hindrance to their ability to access education. This thesis aims to create a constitutional obligation on the state to provide free sanitary pads to these girls. Alternatively, the state must increase child grants in favour of young girls.
This volume of work will be divided into seven articles and published weekly.
This paper serves as only one portion of a series of research papers dedicated to exploring whether South Africa is, in practice, a Constitutional Democracy for all; and not just a select few. To assist in making this determination, this research paper focuses on s29 1a (4) of the Bill of Rights, which sets out that everyone is entitled to a basic education. In particular, it aims to analyse the reasonable measures (5) which can be taken by the State (6) to make basic education ‘progressively accessible’ (7) to black (8) indigent girls, who live in extremely poor rural (9) regions (such as Alfred Nzo located in the Eastern Cape) (10) and survive on child grants; as well as who qualify to attend ‘no fee’ paying schools. According to a report conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (‘UNICEF’), girls from indigent homes miss, at least, 10% of their annual schooling, due to their period. (11)
This paper shows that, in order for these girls to actually access their basic education, a substantive equality approach which strives to achieve equal outcomes must be applied to the state’s reasonable measures, to ensure that these girls can attend school, even during their menstruation.
To achieve this substantive equality, I suggest that, the ‘Norms and Standards’ School Funding allocation for individual students, in ‘no fee’ paying schools, must be increased for girl students. These increased allocations would provide for adequate sanitation facilities which accommodate the needs of females during their menstruation. In addition to this, child grant allocations should be increased, to include the cost of sanitary towels and panties. However, before reaching the substantive equality discussion, this paper begins by addressing and clarifying some relevant issues around the South African School’s Act.
The year 2014 marks twenty years of South Africa’s democracy; and yet, it is still unclear as to whether or not South Africa is progressively realizing all the founding values of its Constitutional Democracy. This paper serves as only one portion of a series of research papers dedicated to exploring whether South Africa is, in practice, a Constitutional Democracy for all; and not just a select few. To assist in making this determination, this research paper focuses on s29 1a (12) of the Bill of Rights, which sets out that everyone is entitled to a basic education. In particular, it aims to analyse the reasonable measures (13) which can be taken by the State (14) to make basic education ‘progressively accessible’ (15) to black (16) indigent girls, who live in extremely poor rural (17) regions (such as Alfred Nzo located in the Eastern Cape) (18) and survive on child grants; as well as qualify to attend ‘no fee’ paying schools. This paper has limited its scope of analysis to this category of individuals because they are the most vulnerable group of South African citizens: they are poor, black, reside in rural South Africa and, most importantly, they are female.
In places like Alfred Nzo, the legacy of apartheid has resulted in little or no access to water and sanitation; as well as poor infrastructure, low income and inappropriate personal and environmental hygiene practices.(19) In an attempt to cure these disparities, the preamble of the final Constitution, (20) has made a commitment to heal the divisions of the past, by establishing a society based on democratic values, social justice, fundamental human rights, equal protection of the law for all; as well as to indiscriminately improve the quality of life and to free the potential of all South African citizens. Whilst the state’s introduction of the ‘no fee’ paying system seems to be a step in the right direction in curing the racial inequalities of our past, it is questionable whether the biological differences between poor black boys and poor black girls is being treated with the same Constitutional rigour.
In Section 27 v Minister of Education, (21) Kollapen J put great emphasis on education’s crucial role in both freeing and unlocking the potential of each human being; and further described education as a ‘central and interlocking right in the architecture of the rights framework in the Constitution. (22) Collectively, the words of the honorary judge can be interpreted to mean that, education is an investment towards one’s human capital and that once one has acquired a full education, it enables one to, inter alia, think, speak and act freely; to express themselves intellectually and emotionally; and to fully engage the opportunities made available to them. In addition, he meant that, education is pivotal in realizing the other rights in the Constitution. For example, one cannot fully express themselves verbally, if one has not acquired the relevant communication and literacy skills. Therefore, along with equality, freedom and human dignity, education is the foundation upon which our Constitutional Democracy balances. Accordingly, access to basic education for young black girls in indigent rural communities should not be seen as a privilege but, as a Constitutional right, creating with it, duties which the State is obliged to progressively realize.
Further, Kollapen J also went on to hold that, because of South Africa’s previously unequal educational system and the visible disparities that continue to exist today, education is the gateway to the realization of South Africa’s envisioned Constitutional democracy; as well as the key to each South African citizen unlocking their ability to live a life of dignity and to participate fully in the affairs of society. (23) Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), (24) to which South Africa is bound, (25) supports this view by declaring the right to education, an indispensable means of realizing other human rights.
The complexity in this whole exercise, however, is that the South African Schools Act (26) does not provide a definition for the term ‘basic education.’ Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain, with certainty, the foundational elements which constitute the right to basic education and the reasonable measures which make it progressively accessible to all. However, the Act does make school attendance a compulsory feature of basic education. Section 3 of the Act provides that, a parent or guardian must cause their child to attend school from, at least, the age of seven up until the age of fifteen or up until grade nine (whichever occurs first). (27) Further, to show the legislature’s serious intentions regarding compulsory attendance, subsections (6) (a) and (b) of the Act provide that, failure to comply with this provision or anyone who prevents a child from attending school, without a just cause, is criminally liable. (28) From this provision it can be ascertained that, whilst a concrete definition does not exist, it is clear from the text that, the legislature intended for compulsory attendance to be a fundamental element in the provision and realization of basic education.
On the contrary, academic writers such as Chiedza Simbo argue that, the foundational element of basic education is the quality of basic education; and not whether or not children actually attend school. In her view, a child cannot be said to have acquired a basic education, if the substance of the education does not, in fact, result in the acquisition of numerical and literary skills which will allow them to be competent for tertiary education and the world of work.
This paper, however, deviates from the views of Simbo. instead, it follows the approach applied by the Constitutional Court in the Juma Musjid case, (30) where compulsory attendance was given great significance to the meaning and realization of the right to basic education. In favour of the Constitutional court’s approach I argue that, the quality of basic education is useless if children are not there to receive it. Therefore, compulsory attendance should be encapsulated/ read into the meaning of the state’s Constitutional mandate of making basic education ‘progressively accessible’ for all. For the State to merely establish ‘no fee’ paying schools, which can only be attended by boy children is not enough because, the right to access basic education is in danger of not being realized for girl children. According to a report conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (‘UNICEF’), girls from indigent homes miss, at least, 10% of their annual schooling, due to their period. (31) Following from this, I further argue that, in order for indigent black girls from rural South Africa to be able to access their basic education and to accrue the benefits of education expounded upon by Kollapen J, there must be reasonable measures taken by the State to ensure that the biological predisposition of these girls does not hinder them from accessing basic education and accruing the benefits of a basic education. To this end I argue that, in order for these girls to actually access their basic education, a substantive equality approach which strives to achieve equal outcomes must be applied to the state’s reasonable measures, to ensure that these girls can attend school, even during their menstruation. To achieve this substantive equality, I suggest that, the ‘Norms and Standards’ allocation for individual students, in ‘no fee’ paying schools, must be increased for girl students. These increased allocations would provide for adequate sanitation facilities which accommodate the needs of females during their menstruation. In addition to this, child grant allocations should be increased, to include the cost of sanitary towels and panties.
In conducting this analysis, this paper is broken down into seven parts: Part II provides the backdrop against which to understand the Constitutional transition from our past, to our present and future. Part III establishes Section 29 (1) as a socio-economic right and the relevance, thereof. Part IV looks into the meaning of the right to basic education, from an international and municipal law perspective. Part V makes compulsory attendance a foundational element of basic education. Thereafter, part VI discusses the substantive equality approach as a way of redressing the hindrance to education for these girls. And finally, part VII concludes and briefly sets out recommendations to be considered by the relevant organs of state and the legislature. In making an adequate analysis, I wish to use, mainly, the Hugo (32) case to advance some relevant arguments which could be used for or against my submission that the state should increase Norms and Standards School Funding and Social Welfare Grants.
1 Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology Reducing Stigma and Increasing School Attendance Through Menstruation Education Applied Psychology; Third Year I.T. project..
2 Governing Body of the Juma Musjid Primary School &. Others v Essay N.O. and Others 2011 (8) BCLR 761 (CC).
3 National Coalition For Gay and Lesbian Equality and Another v. Minister of Justice OF 1999 (1) SA 6 (CC)
4 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act No. 108 of 1996.
5 Section 29 (1) (a) provides that ‘everyone has the right to… a basic education…’
6 Section 29 (1) (b) provides that ‘…the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible…’
7 South African Human Rights Commission, Report of the Public Hearing on the Right to Basic Education, pg 12, 2006. www.sahrc.org.za accessed August 28th 2014. The South African Human rights Commission describes accessibility to mean that, the state should move towards removing barriers, including discrimination, to further education. For purposes of this paper, the discrimination being spoken of is that of poor black girls who qualify to attend ‘no fee’ paying schools, but cannot attend/ access their education due to the hindrance presented by their menstruation.
8 This word refers specifically to the indigenous Africans.
9 The Rural Development Framework, May 1997, defines rural areas as ‘the sparsely populated areas in which people farm or depend on natural resources, including the villages and small towns that are dispersed through these areas. In addition, they include the large settlements in the former homelands, created by the apartheid removals, which depend for their survival on migratory labour and remittances.’
10 The Eastern Cape Province is situated along the south-east coast of South Africa. It has the third largest population in the country (seven million), representing 16% of the South African populace. Its non-urban population amounts to over four million, with a particularly high density of rural settlements. Unfortunately, the province also comprises of the country’s poorest, underdevelopment and unemployed populations. The province has seven district municipalities, namely: Oliver Tambo, Amatole, Western, Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo and East Griqualand Kei. This research paper is pivoted on the characteristics of indigence which exists in these rural regions.
11 Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology Reducing Stigma and Increasing School Attendance Through Menstruation Education Applied Psychology; Third Year I.T. project.
12 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act no 108 of 1996.
13 Section 29 (1) (a) provides that ‘everyone has the right to… a basic education…’
14 Section 29 (1) (b) provides that ‘…the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible…’
15 South African Human Rights Commission, Report of the Public Hearing on the Right to Basic Education, pg 12, 2006. www.sahrc.org.za accessed August 28th 2014. The South African Human rights Commission describes accessibility to mean that, the state should move towards removing barriers, including discrimination, to further education. For purposes of this paper, the discrimination being spoken of is that of poor black girls who qualify to attend ‘no fee’ paying schools, but cannot attend/ access their education due to the hindrance presented by their menstruation.
16 This word refers specifically to the indigenous Africans.
17 The Rural Development Framework, May 1997, defines rural areas as ‘the sparsely populated areas in which people farm or depend on natural resources, including the villages and small towns that are dispersed through these areas. In addition, they include the large settlements in the former homelands, created by the apartheid removals, which depend for their survival on migratory labour and remittances.’
20 The South Africa Act No.108 of 1996.
21 Section 27 v Minister of Education 2013 (2) SA 40 GNP.
22 Ibid. at para 2 and 3.
23 Section 27 v Minister of Education 2013 (2) SA 40 GNP at para 5.
24 General comment number 13, on the right to education, in respect of Article 13.
25 South Africa signed the ICESCR on the 3rd of October 1994 and in so doing, indicated its intention become a party to, and thus be bound by it.
26 Act No. 84 of 1996.
27 Section 3 (1) of the Act. ‘Subject to this Act and any applicable provincial law, every parent must cause every learner for whom he or she is responsible to attend a school from the first school day of the year in which such learner reaches the age of seven years until the last school day of the year in which such learner reaches the age of fifteen years or the ninth grade, whichever occurs first.’
28 ‘(6) Subject to this Act and any other applicable law— (a)any parent who, without just cause and after a written notice from the Head of Department, fails to comply with subsection (1), is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months; or (b)any other person who, without just cause, prevents a learner who is subject to compulsory attendance from attending a school, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months.’
29 Chiedza Simbo ‘Defining The Term Basic Education in The South African Constitution: An International Law Approach’ in Law, Democracy and Development (2012) vo16 477 – 503.
30 Governing Body of the Juma Musjid Primary School &. Others v Essay N.O. and Others 2011 (8) BCLR 761 (CC).
32 President of South Africa v Hugo 1997 (4) SA 1 (CC).
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#bookstagram. Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/p/Biq6nWsnEPt/?taken-by=karenkao5
7 MAY 2018 | KAREN KAO
It’s raining body parts in Baghdad. This is a normal occurrence in occupied Iraq though the culprit could be anyone. Baathists, Al Qaeda, Americans, the insurgency. The police hose down the streets with practiced ease but they leave the body parts untouched. Along comes Hadi, the junk dealer, who finds what he needs: a nose.
So opens Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, a novel of a thoroughly modern mad inventor and his uniquely Iraqi creation. Hear the monster speak:
Because I’m made up of body parts of people from diverse backgrounds – ethnicities, tribes, races, and social classes – I represent the impossible mix that never was achieved in the past. I’m the first true Iraqi citizen.
200 years ago, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus first appeared in print. Mary Shelley chose to publish anonymously to preserve her reputation. When her identity became known, Shelley claimed the story had come to her in a dream. No proper young lady could have made up such a tale.
Today, Shelley is hailed as a literary genius, a founder of science fiction. Jill Lepore describes Shelley’s masterpiece as a set of nesting Russian dolls.
The outermost doll is a set of letters from an English adventurer to this sister, recounting his Arctic expedition and his meeting with the strange, emaciated, haunted Victor Frankenstein. Within the adventurer’s account, Frankenstein tells the story of his fateful experiment, which had led him to pursue his creature to the ends of the earth. And within Frankenstein’s story lies the tale told by the creature himself, the littlest, innermost Russian doll: the baby.
Like Shelley, Saadawi tells many tales. Frankenstein in Baghdad is a war novel about those who choose to stay. Most of them are insane, including the creator of the monster, who gives himself a quest. Hadi, the junk dealer, wants to bury each abandoned body part.
so it wouldn’t be treated as trash, so it would be respected like other dead people.
Things go wrong, of course. The monster is alive and filled with purpose.
the Whatsitsname was made up of the body parts of people who had been killed, plus the soul of another victim, and […] given the name of yet another victim. […] He was created to obtain revenge on their behalf.
a war zone
Revenge turns out to be a full-time job for the Whatsitsname. So many scores to settle. So many innocents to avenge. Meanwhile, his undead body is rapidly deteriorating. As each body part decays and falls off, the Whatsitsname must replace it. With each addition, the monster acquires the spirit of yet another victim. Not all of these spirits are noble.
There are no innocents who are completely innocent or criminals who are completely criminal.
Frankenstein in Baghdad is about the banality of war. How casual death and killing can be. How utterly senseless the Iraqi conflict was. The novel takes place between 2006 and 2008, in the midst of devastating violence. There is the cycle of reprisals between Sunni and Shia militias. Hatred of the invaders is all that unites the insurgency. And let’s not forget about the US surge.
Yet the Baghdad Saadawi depicts is a multi-faith, multiracial community. Hadi lives in the Jewish Ruin. His neighbor, Elishva, prays to Saint George. Hadi’s best friend is the cafe owner, Aziz the Egyptian. Unfortunately, death is equally non-denominational.
For a while [Hadi] sat on the sidewalk, smoking. He assumed a car bomb or some other explosive might go off at any moment and that this was a good place to get killed by one. […] No day passed without at least one car bomb.
Why not fight an insane war with a monster, some astrologers and a pack of playing cards? Death is on everyone’s mind, especially those in power. They want to know when and how they will die. The question is exceedingly practical and Brigadier Majid is there to answer.
“Should I order an armor-plated car, or don’t I need one?” one of the politicians once asked him. His parliamentary bloc had been assigned only three armor-plated cars, the politician explained; should he fight to obtain one?
In proper Frankenstein tradition, the monster should be some extreme version of ourselves. He can be more innocent (Mary Shelley), more evil (Boris Karloff) or just better-looking (Rocky Horror Picture Show). Saawadi makes the Whatsitsname his most eloquent character. Since no one can kill or catch the monster, his reputation grows.
In Sadr City they spoke of him as a Wahhabi, in Adamiya as a Shiite extremist. The Iraqi government described him as an agent of foreign powers, while the spokesman for the U.S. State Department said he was an ingenious man whose aim was to undermine the American project in Iraq.
frankenstein the novelist
Before Saadawi’s novel was translated into English, it was crowned with the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Then Jonathan Wright translated it. Frankenstein in Baghdad is now on the shortlist for the 2018 Man Booker International.
You would think, given these accolades, that Frankenstein in Baghdad is a work of literary fiction. But reviewers have variously described this novel as an absurdist morality fable, horror fantasy or even allegory. Maybe it’s all of the above, a hodgepodge of literary styles and genres stitched together to form this story. Luckily for Saadawi, genre-bending is a thing these days, according to Carmen Maria Machado’s short story collection Her Body and Other Parties.
But I like to think of Frankenstein in Baghdad as an old-fashioned ghost story. Just imagine all those dead bodies. And the tradition of restless ghosts is even richer and older than Mary Shelley’s creation and worldwide, to boot. We’re Dante to Saadawi’s Virgil as he guides us through the hell of Baghdad. His ghosts talk to each other and offer advice in the Baghdadi version of a bardo. All of them are hungry for something.
Maybe Hadi is right: what these ghosts need is a proper burial. Or perhaps their ambitions aim higher. To restore Baghdad to the jewel it once was. Or to gain that most elusive of prizes: peace in our time.
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Latvia and Korea enter a new era as diplomatic partners
Latvian Ambassador to Korea Peteris Vaivars holds a book on Latvian participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics at the embassy in central Seoul on Nov. 9. The country publishes a book that records Latvian participation at each Olympic Games. [PARK SANG-MOON]
As he celebrates 100 years since the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, Latvian Ambassador to Korea Peteris Vaivars emphasized the role that public diplomacy can play to bring the Baltic country closer to Korea.
“Without successful public diplomacy, it is impossible to build any trade or business relations,” he told the Korea JoongAng Daily. “Especially for countries with limited human resources, we need to focus on how to build friendly and mutually beneficial relations. To do that, we have to first bring together the people. When more Latvians know Koreans and Koreans know Latvians, it brings out positive emotions and that transfers onto trade, business and other relations.”
Latvia is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. This summer, it held its famous nationwide song and dance festival, which featured as many as 20,000 people singing together at once.
“The song and dance festival is held once every five years in Latvia, and it is a Unesco intangible heritage,” Vaivars said. “We have 20,000 singers and 20,000 dancers participating in gala concerts. The next event will be in 2023, and that will be the 150th anniversary of this tradition.”
The Latvian Embassy in Seoul is bringing the famous tradition of Latvia to Korea this week by hosting performances by the country’s Emils Darzins Mixed Choir throughout the country, including at Pyeongtaek University in Gyeonggi; the National Museum of Korea, Spazio Luce Concert Hall and the Shinchon Evangelical Holiness Church in western Seoul.
“I hope hundreds of Koreans will come and see the performances and think about making a trip to Latvia,” he said.
The top envoy is the first Latvian ambassador to Korea, as the Latvian Embassy in Seoul opened in late 2015. Korea opened its embassy in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, in 2013.
“When I arrived in Korea years ago, I visited major libraries here to get a feeling of what was available on Latvia - and almost nothing was available,” he said. “Since then we have been very focused on educational exchanges between the two countries. We have scholarships for Latvian students in Korea and Korean students in Latvia and we’ve recently made some progress on bringing a course on the Latvian language to Korea.”
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies started providing a course on the Latvian language and another on Baltic regional studies this spring.
“The Latvian Ministry of Education signed an agreement with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies recently on cooperating and building more materials on Latvia at the university,” he said. “They include books, teaching materials, as well as professors and teachers.”
The Latvian Embassy in Seoul also intends to publish a Korean edition of “Latvia 100 Snapshot Stories,” a book from the Latvia Institute, in the near future.
The PyeongChang Olympics in Korea were another venue where various countries could practice public diplomacy, Vaivars added.
Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis visited Korea during the Olympics and met with President Moon Jae-in. The two discussed cooperation on trade and investment as well as regional security. Vejonis was the first Latvian president to visit Korea since the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1991.
The two leaders spoke of establishing an economic council involving the three Baltic States - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - and Korea.
“Latvia is currently one of the major suppliers to Korean shipbuilding industry,” he said. “Samsung and Hyundai Heavy Industries use Latvian plywood as an insulation material for LNG tankers.”
For future cooperation on the business front, the top envoy said he is hoping that the first direct flight between Seoul and Riga will begin in the near future.
BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]
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The Gates of Hell and Hunted Fate’s Cover
Jennifer Derrick August 28, 2017 March 11, 2018 No Comments on The Gates of Hell and Hunted Fate’s Cover
For the release of Hunted Fate, I was asked to write some blog posts for bloggers to use during the release tour. (So you may have seen these somewhere already.) However, I thought it would be useful to put them on my own blog, as well, so readers could see some of the inspirations behind the books.
If you look at the cover for Hunted Fate, you’ll notice the flaming pit behind the water drop. When it was time to design the cover, I told Marya Heidel, the cover designer for Clean Teen Publishing, that I wanted something hellish. A big part of the book takes place in the Underworld, after all, so it seemed fitting.
I showed her some sample images I’d found around the internet. She looked at one of a flaming pit and said, “That’s a real place, you know.”
I asked where it was. I figured it had to be a volcano in Hawaii, or maybe a lava pool in a national park somewhere.
Hunted Fate’s Cover & The Gates of Hell
Nope. Turns out it’s in Turkmenistan and there’s a whole story behind this place which the locals now call, “The Gates of Hell.” Well, with a name like that, the image had to go on the cover, but I wanted to know the story. It’s one of humor, colossal stupidity, and turning (however accidentally) something bad into something kind of good. (Well, unless you’re a spider. Read on for why the spiders get the short end of this story.)
In 1971, Soviet petroleum geologists headed into the desert of Turkmenistan to look for oil. I’m sure there were dreams of big money floating in their heads. The scientists found a likely spot and a drilling rig was brought in. Unfortunately, they erected the rig over a huge underground pool of methane gas, not oil. If the story ended here, it wouldn’t have been so bad; there’s no shame in making a mistake like that, after all. What happened next, though, brings this tale into epic territory.
The Earth’s crust wasn’t strong enough to support the drilling operation. Oil, gas, didn’t matter. No matter what they were drilling for, the whole thing was doomed. When the engineers began drilling and further weakened the surface, everything collapsed, sending the drilling rig into the pit of methane gas.
So now not only is no one getting any oil, they’ve also lost the rig. Any dreams of making big money were shot to, well, hell, at this point. But worse, now there was a huge open hole leaking methane gas into the air. Methane is deadly if inhaled in large quantities, plus it’s highly explosive. Not the kind of thing you want just wafting around.
So what did these geniuses do to dispose of the huge pool of highly explosive gas? They set it on fire. Absolutely brilliant idea. (Not. Do not try this at home. Please.)
The thought process behind this stupidity was that the pool of gas would burn itself out rather quickly and everything would go back to normal. Well, it’s been burning for over forty years and shows no signs of burning out anytime soon.
Double oops.
The locals call it, “The Gates of Hell,” and in the only positive to come out of this whole sorry story, it has become a tourist attraction. People flock to see the flaming hole in the ground. The government occasionally raises the idea of capping the pit, but the Minister of Tourism shoots that down because, frankly, Turkmenistan doesn’t have much else to draw in tourists. Nobody’s making money from oil in this pit, so might as well make some money somehow, right?
Weirdly, the burning pit also attracts spiders. Lots and lots of spiders. They are drawn to the light and then fling themselves over the edge to be consumed by the flames. While I personally agree that spiders belong in hell (arachnophobia is a thing, people), the idea of mass spider suicide is almost funny in a twisted way.
So that’s the story of the Gates of Hell. A drilling operation gone wrong becomes a tourist attraction (and the site of mass spider suicides). And now it’s on a book cover.
Threads of the Moirae Series cover design, gates of hell, methane, oil drilling, spiders, Turkmenistan
Weekly News & Reading Update 08/25/17 – Eclipse Edition
Consumption vs. Reading in the Age of Social Media
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Dog at shelter died from pneumonia
Submitted by Kevin Rowson, 11Alive Reporter
Monday, April 13th, 2015, 10:39pm
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga -- It was pneumonia that killed a dog at the Gwinnett County animal shelter. That finding was from the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine which conducted a necropsy on the dog.
Four more dogs became ill with an upper respiratory illness that has forced the shelter to close. In total, 23 dogs have developed symptoms, but shelter officials said their health is rapidly improving.
The test results quelled earlier fears that the dogs had developed Canine Influenza. The results of the necropsy confirm the dead dog tested negative for influenza and Bordatella, more commonly known as kennel cough.
Animal shelter closes after dogs become extremely ill
Saturday, April 11th, 2015, 5:17pm
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga -- An animal shelter has closed its doors after 19 dogs became seriously ill with influenza-like symptoms. The shelter is asking anyone who has taken a dog from the shelter in the past two weeks to keep an eye on their pet.
The Gwinnett County Animal Shelter said in the past two weeks, the dogs have become seriously ill with symptoms of a serious upper respiratory illness. One dog has died, but the rest of the animals' symptoms are not considered critical or life-threatening.
According to a press release the sickness comes on rapidly. "The dogs were happy and playful one day and the next day they appeared extremely sick," the release said.
Gwinnett jail dog on the run for 2 months
Thursday, April 9th, 2015, 7:09am
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- A little jail dog named Rogue is living up to her name -- she's been on the run for two months.
Rogue is part of Operation Second Chance, a program that partners dogs and cats with inmates in the Gwinnett County Jail. The inmates train the animals and prepare them to be adopted by local families.
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department said on its Facebook page that Rogue ran away in early February, when a volunteer took her to Rhodes Jordan Park for a walk.
There's a big reason why Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement officers haven't been able to catch Rogue.
"They have tracked her movements and more than once have set out humane traps that resulted in Rogue's capture, but well-meaning citizens have set her free each time," the sheriff's department said on Facebook.
Greyhound adoption facility reopens ater fire
Submitted by 11Alive News Staff
Sunday, March 8th, 2015, 8:15pm
SNELLVILLE, Ga. – A greyhound adoption center has reopened its doors after being destroyed by fire last year.
All eight dogs escaped the Adopt-a-Greyhound Atlanta headquarters after it caught fire last year, but the 80 percent of the organization's property was destroyed.
On Sunday, the non-profit group held a grand opening at its new facility.
The non-profit takes in retired racing greyhounds to try and find them new homes.
LINK | Adopt-A-Greyhound Atlanta
Man stabs stepfather to death over puppy
Wednesday, September 17th, 2014, 12:38pm
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- A 23-year-old man is in jail after fatally stabbing his stepfather during an argument.
It happened shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday at a house in the 300 block of Congress Parkway in unincorporated Lawrenceville.
Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Edwin Ritter said the argument started over a puppy. The suspect, Diamond Mason, brought the puppy into the home about a week ago. Mason's stepfather, 51-year-old Joseph Kollie, didn't approve and asked the suspect to remove the puppy.
The pair's final argument about the puppy began late Tuesday night. At some point, Mason grabbed two large kitchen knives and stabbed Kollie several times, Ritter said.
Kollie was pronounced dead at the scene. Mason was charged with felony murder and aggravated assault, and is being held without bond in the Gwinnett County Jail.
Annual reading program features veteran and his service dog
Submitted by Don Buckindail, Director of Digital Operations
Monday, July 21st, 2014, 10:25am
Gwinnett County Public Library is proud to announce New York Times bestselling author Luis Carlos Montalván, a 17-year veteran and former U.S. Army captain, as the featured author for the 2014 One Book, One Community countywide reading program.
Montalván will be joined by his beloved service dog, Tuesday, for events on September 20 and 21.
Montalván and Tuesday will kick off the 2014 Suwanee Fest on Saturday, September 20 at 9 am as grand marshals for the Suwanee Fest Parade.
At 11:30 am on the Town Center Stage, Montalván will read from his children’s book, “Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond between a Soldier and his Service Dog,” which details a day in the life of this service dog extraordinaire as narrated by Tuesday.
PetSmart to host National Adoption Weekend
Wednesday, August 28th, 2013, 10:58am
(WXIA) -- PetSmart Charities is planning a major adoption event at stores nationwide.
National Adoption Weekend will be Sept. 13-15. Thousands of dogs and cats will be available for PetSmart customers to take home.
Adoption representatives will also be on hand to answer questions about caring for a new pet.
PetSmart Charities will give $35 to grants to participating local adoption partners for every pet that finds a new home during National Adoption Weekend.
"We are proud to partner with PetSmart Charities to find lifelong loving homes for thousands of pets this National Adoption Weekend," PetSmart CEO David Lenhardt said.
Learn more and find your closest PetSmart store at petsmart.com.
Howard Jones, Men Without Hats
Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater
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Memorial held for Alan Thicke
| December 19, 2016 | By Source: Bang News Service
Alan Thicke was remembered at a memorial service on Sunday afternoon (12.18.16).
The late actor – who tragically passed away last week after suffering a heart attack – was honoured by his ‘Growing Pains’ co-star Leonardo DiCaprio as well as friends Kris Jenner and Bob Saget at the event, which was attended by 300 guests who wanted to bid their own personal farewell to Alan.
An attendee told Us Weekly magazine: "The mood was very upbeat, it was more like a fun Vanity Fair Oscars party than a memorial.
"All of the speeches were fun and full of life. It was just the way Alan would have wanted it, more of a celebration of his life. Everyone was expressing how much they love him. It was truly amazing and straight out of a scene from a Hollywood movie."
The memorial was held in the grounds of Alan and his wife Tanya Callau’s home in Carpinteria, California and each guest – who were treated to a sit down meal – had a different quote from Alan printed on their name cards in a tribute to the actor’s way with words. DJ Kiss was also on hand to provide the entertainment – a catalogue of music from Alan’s favourite singers including Bruce Springsteen and a number of classic 1970 rock songs.
Some of the guests also made speeches. Bob talked about Alan being a ladies man whilst Bill Maher stepped on stage to reveal his ‘Thicke of the Night’ t-shirt which Alan had gifted to him a number of years ago. And Leonardo also spoke to the guests about how Alan was like an adoptive father to him and the rest of the ‘Growing Pains’ cast.
The event was hosted by Alan’s son Robin who kept guests’ spirits up throughout the night with impressions of his late father.
Meanwhile, Alan’s ex-wife Gloria Loring previously spoke of how hard it was losing the actor as she never had a chance to say goodbye.
She said: "I think it’s so hard when someone goes all of a sudden. No preparation, no time to say anything that needs to be said or smooth something over. It’s really hard. But I think Alan was very happy with his life. He was having fun."
Celebrities Who Have Opened up About Being in Rehab
Unfortunately, celebrities in rehab has always been a common theme in Hollywood. The lucky ones ultimately admit to having a problem and commit themselves to treatment and sober living. Some are ordered ...
‘That’s Not What I Ordered’: The Funniest Times People Got the Wrong Order
20 ‘Leave It to Beaver’ Secrets Revealed
Mysterious Photos That Can’t be Explained — No. 5 Will Scare the Life Out of You!
Tragic Celebrity Deaths: We Lost These Shining Stars Far Too Soon
12 Underwater Discoveries Too Bizarre To Believe!
50 Years Later, Discover What ‘The Brady Bunch’ Is Doing Today
Behind-the-Scenes Details About ‘Bewitched’ That You Never Knew
These Celebs Are Some of the Smartest in Hollywood
These are The Final Words of Some of History’s Most Well-Known People
Your Favorite Stars of the 1970s and Where They Are Today
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You can connect with me via:
Wroiters' (Writer + Wrote; The Writer Who Wrote Plus the "s'")
Malcolm Gladwell - Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Outliers: The Story of Success, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures
Malcolm Gladwell is a United Kingdom-born, Canadian-raised journalist now based in New York City. He is a former business and science writer at the Washington Post. He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996. He is best known as the author of the books The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (2000), Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (2005), Outliers: The Story of Success (2008) and David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants (2013).
His written books:
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
"In his landmark bestseller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant--in the blink of an eye--that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work-in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?
In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing"--filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.
Introduction: The statue that didn´t look right
1. The Theory of Thin Slices: How a little bit of knowledge goes a long way
2. The Locked Door: The secret life of snap decisions
3. The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and handome men
4. Paul Van Riper´s Big Victory: Creating structure for spontaneity
5. Kenna´s Dilemma: The right -and wrong- way to ask people what they want
6. Seven Seconds in the Bronx: The delicate art of mind reading
Conclusion: Listening with your eyes -the lessons of Blink"
Outliers: The Story of Success
"In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?
His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band."
"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
Gladwell introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends, the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. He analyzes fashion trends, smoking, children's television, direct mail, and the early days of the American Revolution for clues about making ideas infectious, and visits a religious commune, a successful high-tech company, and one of the world's greatest salesmen to show how to start and sustain social epidemics."
What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures
"What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What does hair dye tell us about the history of the 20th century?
In the past decade, Malcolm Gladwell has written three books that have radically changed how we understand our world and ourselves: The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers. Now, in What the Dog Saw, he brings together, for the first time, the best of his writing from The New Yorker over the same period.
Here you'll find the bittersweet tale of the inventor of the birth control pill, and the dazzling creations of pasta sauce pioneer Howard Moscowitz. Gladwell sits with Ron Popeil, the king of the American kitchen, as he sells rotisserie ovens, and divines the secrets of Cesar Millan, the "dog whisperer" who can calm savage animals with the touch of his hand. He explores intelligence tests and ethnic profiling and why it was that employers in Silicon Valley once tripped over themselves to hire the same college graduate."
I see myself as more than just your average writer -- I'm a passionate writer. I see a writing's prose as an art and I like artfully written words, not just coming from my own making but of others as well.
If you liked my written samples as posted here, feel free to contact me so I can write the same thing for you at a price you can afford.
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Anthony Davis Goes HAM, 59 Points and 20 Rebounds
New Orleans Pelicans 0
Anthony Davis scored an NBA season-high 59 points with an impressive 20 rebounds to beat the Pistons. Giving him the highest scoring total in franchise history.
“That was a lot of fun, because the rim looked so big that it felt like everything I shot was going to go in,” Davis said. “I wasn’t keeping track of my point total, but the guys were telling me at the timeouts. They wanted me to get 60.”
With his historic performance, The Brow joined Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to record at least 55 points and 20 rebounds in a game.
A photo posted by New Orleans Pelicans (@pelicansnba) on Feb 21, 2016 at 4:57pm PST
anthony davisvideo
Previous ArticleThe Distraction: Pamela Anderson
Next ArticleDirk Nowitzki Joins 29,000 Point Club
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Apple's September 9 iPhone -- and more -- launch
The company will show off its latest gadgets, including possible updates to the iPad and Apple TV along with Apple's smartphone.
Scott Stein 9/9/2015 5:51:41 PM
One missing part of that Smart Keyboard I just realized: NO TRACKPAD. :(
Shara Tibken 9/9/2015 5:51:45 PM
Consumers have been holding on to their tablets for longer and opting to purchase bigger-screen iPhones and Macs instead. Apple introduced its newest tablets -- the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3 -- in October, but analysts said their incremental changes, including faster processors, weren't enough to attract buyers. The company, which has long claimed iPad weakness is a "speed bump," is now counting on a partnership with IBM to increase iPad sales to business users.
Many corporate customers have embraced devices that convert between tablets and laptops, and Apple could benefit from offering a similar device.
James Martin 9/9/2015 5:51:55 PM
Which makes me sad. Those smart keys could have been capacitive.
Ok. here's the lineup. IPad Mini 2 price is dropped to $269. New iPad Mini 4 launching today. Taken the power and performance of iPad Air 2 and put in smaller enclosure
iPad Air starts at $399.
Stay tuned for photos from James with more detailed pricing
Tim Cook is backup
iPad Mini 2 at $269, not bad at all.
"Next up, I'd like to talk about an even larger screen. That is your TV"
HUGE cheers for that one
iPad Mini 4 at $399 is a new device. Like IPad Air 2. But I will skip that for now because we are on APPLE TV NOW
"TV plays a huge role in our lives and it occupies an important place in our homes where we gather and enjoy it together."
"There's more great content being created today for TV than ever before. It really is the golden age of television."
"The TV experience itself hasn't changed much in decades."
"It has been virtually been standing still."
"Today we are going to do something about that."
Apple TV: starts with discussion on how industry has been standing still. "Today we're going to do something about that."
"It starts with a vision and our vision for TV is simple."
"We believe the future of television of apps."
Apps have been long overdue on Apple TV.
"In fact this transition has already begun. We're spending more and more time on our computers and mobile devices."
"Over 60% of paid TV streaming video is consumed on an Apple device and all of this is consumed on an app."
Not to skip forward, but the real question w Apple TV isn't the capability of running apps...it's how you interact with those apps (new remote)
"You realize just how much better it can be. You can search for what you want. You can watch it when and where you want. And you can interact with incredibly powerful new ways."
David Katzmaier, I'm thinking of you right now.
"To deliver on this vision, we need a new foundation for TV, one that's built on powerful hardware that runs a modern operating system, that provides a new user experience that's fun and easy to use. that has powerful tools and APIs so developers can create apps that are amazing. .. and has an app store."
"We know this is what it takes."
"And we've been working really hard and really long to bring all of these together."
Interface, interface, interface.
"Today I'm thrilled to show you the new Apple TV"
Video time. "Siri, show me something new"
We're seeing a video of the user interface of this
It's still called Apple TV, it sounds like. Probably some addendum to that name, though?
"Show me family movies. animated only. just the new ones"
Looks like a new remote that looks a lot like an iPhone
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Sani Abacha loot to be returned to Nigeria
Posted by: kessbenfm In World Posted on June 20, 2014 Comment
Liechtenstein will return $227million to Nigeria that was siphoned by former military ruler Sani Abacha in the 1990s, Nigeria’s finance ministry has said.
This follows a 16-year effort to retrieve the money. The bid to recover the money was blocked through legal action by companies linked to members of the Abacha family. The companies’ complaints were withdrawn following negotiations between the governments of Nigeria and Liechtenstein last month.
“We can confirm that Nigeria will on 25 June 2014 receive the sum of euros 167m ($227m) from the government of the principality of Liechtenstein, part of looted funds recovered from the Abacha family,” Nigeria’s finance ministry said in a statement.
So far, Nigeria has recovered $1.3 billion: $500 million in Switzerland in 2005. A further $1.1 billion in France, the UK, Luxembourg and the Channel island of Jersey is still tied up in legal proceedings. In March, the US froze more than $458million linked to Abacha in Jersey and France.
Abacha ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998 and is thought to have siphoned up to $5billion into bank accounts across Europe.
Nigeria says it plans to invest the recovered money in a sovereign wealth fund.
Source: BBC & Financial Times
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"Up," Up and Away
Apologies for the long absence; I've been on vacation and more recently, in the process of moving cross-country. Here are the movies I've seen in the last month or so.
written and directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson
featuring voices of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson
It’s a vision straight out of a dream: a rickety shingle-roofed house soars into the sky, pulled aloft by thousands of brightly colored balloons, bound for a land lost in time. Evoking a little bit of “The Wizard of Oz” and Hayao Miyazaki’s “Howl’s Moving Castle,” not to mention the picture-books of Chris Van Allsburg, it stirs a sense of giddy anticipation of infinite possibilities, all contained in the one-word title of the movie. After all, to go up, up, ever upwards—isn’t that the fantasy everyone’s had at one point or another, in childhood or beyond?
Of course, both the house and the movie eventually come back down to earth, with mixed results. As a film overall, “Up” doesn’t completely fulfill the promise of that singular, and singularly lovely, image of the floating, balloon-propelled house. But like all Pixar creations, it brims with charm and easily outshines most of what passes for “family entertainment” these days. That’s notwithstanding the fact that “Up” centers on a fairly unlikely hero—Carl Fredericksen, retired balloon salesman and full-time crotchety old man, a septuagenarian as creaky and full of memories as the house he makes fly. The movie rather brilliantly renders him sympathetic by opening with a brief overview of his life up to that point: In a sequence remarkable for the economy and poignancy of its storytelling, we learn that Carl was attracted as a child to tales of adventure, particularly the exploits of famed explorer Charles Muntz; that he found a kindred spirit in a girl name Ellie, whom he grew up with and eventually married; that he and Ellie had a long and happy life together, despite being unable to have children or to visit the far-off lands they dreamed of; and that when she died, he lost most of his interest in living.
Still, live on he does, if only for his memories. Faced with the prospect of losing his home to a developer, Carl coolly decides one night to take off—literally—and take the house with him. He sets course for Paradise Falls, a distant and exotic land where Ellie and he had always intended to go, but soon finds his plans complicated by a young stowaway—a roly-poly, vaguely Asian Boy Scout-type named Russell, haplessly trying to “assist the elderly”—and, once they land, by the appearance of a giant native bird, followed by the long-missing Charles Muntz (voiced with gusto by Christopher Plummer), who’s taken up residence in Paradise Falls and vowed never to leave until he bags said bird, and Muntz’s pack of highly trained dogs. Things get even hairier (literally and figuratively) when Muntz becomes convinced that the interlopers are plotting to steal “his” bird. However, with the help of the bird and a friendly dog named Dug, Carl and Russell prove more than a match for Carl’s onetime idol-turned-nemesis, who plays like a cross between Charles Lindbergh and Colonel Kurtz.
Co-directed by Pete Docter (who previously directed “Monsters, Inc.”) and Bob Petersen (who wrote the screenplay for “Finding Nemo” and also had a hand in “Ratatouille”), “Up” continues Pixar’s tradition of extraordinary visual imagination and technical excellence. No other animation studio comes even close to capturing the level of detail evidenced in Muntz’s cavernous dirigible-turned-luxury-craft, the texture of Carl’s ties, and the nuances of expression in his dour, mostly inexpressive mien. On the other hand, for pure narrative originality and intelligence, “Up” doesn’t touch “Ratatouille,” by far the finest entry in the Pixar canon. Certain plot elements feel rote, like the obligatory climactic action sequence towards the end and the gradual melting of Fredericksen’s gruff reserve towards plucky, talky, innocent Russell, and like “Monsters, Inc.”, it can be so sweet that it borders on treacly.
What saves the movie is its delightful sense of humor. The early interactions between Carl and Russell have their share of amusing moments, but they’re soon upstaged by the purely physical humor of the outlandish bird of paradise, and even more so by Muntz’s dogs, fitted with collars that allow them to talk and express all their doggish thoughts—to hilarious effect. I mean, how can you not laugh at a line like “My name is Dug. I have just met you, and I love you”? The movie also gently mocks the physical limitations of old age, which enliven what could otherwise have been a pretty by-the-numbers final showdown between Carl and Muntz.
That’s the Pixar brand of wit, in all its fundamental good naturedness; it’s sometimes sly, but never cynical, an especially refreshing phenomenon in an era when most kids seem jaded before they even reach middle school. The closest “Up” comes to satire is a brief swipe at urban (over)development, but even that’s used less as a commentary on modern society than as a commentary on Carl’s character, as reflected in his hostile response to it. Indeed, Carl’s character arc is so clearly directed at his learning to let go of the past—his past great love, his past great hero, his past great dreams, and all his mementos thereof—and so equally clearly offset by the crazed obsessiveness of his foil, Muntz, who’s far more deeply and dangerously trapped in the past, that the mapping of his trajectory can sometimes feel somewhat overdetermined. By and large, however, “Up” steers clear of preachiness and manages to stay as light and buoyant as Carl’s balloons. Like Russell and Dug, it aims to please, and succeeds beyond all rational expectations.
THE BROTHERS BLOOM
written & directed by Rian Johnson
starring Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz, Rinko Kikuchi
If his first two films are any indicator, writer-director Rian Johnson likes creating imaginary worlds. Whereas his debut, “Brick” made a contemporary high school the setting for a pure film noir, complete with crackling dialogue straight out of a Raymond Chandler novel, his follow-up, “The Brothers Bloom,” is a caper movie that stages its cons so theatrically you keep expecting a backdrop to tip over or a red velvet to descend. Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo star as the titular brothers, playing con men Bloom and Stephen, respectively. Stephen, the older brother, is the planner and stager manager, and Bloom is his chief player. They have a special effects person, too – Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), an explosives expert who sees everything and says nothing. Bloom is melancholy and always wants to quit; Stephen is incorrigible and always gets baby bro back in the game; Bang Bang says nothing and blows up things beautifully.
The plot focuses—sort of—on what Bloom swears and Stephen promises will be the brothers’ last con. The target is a beautiful and immensely wealthy eccentric woman named Penelope (Rachel Weisz), whom Bloom takes a shine to despite his brother’s warnings. The question is who’s really conning whom here? The film spends most of its time spinning out the answer; unfortunately after a bright and promising start, it starts to lose momentum in the second half and loses most of its logic in the last ten minutes. In its defense, this seems to be the price Johnson’s willing to pay to achieve a deeper emotional resonance. For interspersed among all the wacky hijinks and fake blood and tears there’s actually a pretty serious story about a relationship here (not necessarily the one you think), and the ending only makes sense in the context of that story. The problem is that the film is too busy being artful to build up a true emotional core—a criticism that could also be leveled at “Brick.”
Despite these flaws, “The Brothers Bloom” has many moments of great fun, and a few fleeting moments of actual poignancy, even if the latter owes more to the acting than to the writing. One could do worse for entertainment than spend a couple of hours in the made-up universes of Rian Johnson.
directed by Stephan Elliott
starring Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Barnes
based on the play by Noel Coward
Noel Coward’s Easy Virtue is the kind of play that should feel dated, but doesn’t when it’s done right. Luckily for Coward, the latest film adaptation for the most part does it right, and strikes exactly the right note—easy and breezy, but with shadows at the edges. On the surface, “Easy Virtue” is a basic fish-out-of-water drawing room comedy: very young Englishman (Ben Barnes) marries older, worldlier American beauty (Jessica Biel)—a female race-car driver, no less!—and brings her back to his moth-eaten family estate to face a phalanx of hostile in-laws and nosy neighbours. Mutual shocks, snobbery, and one-upmanship ensue! But at a deeper level, it’s also about the tension between the past and the future, and specifically about the impact of WWI on the traditional British “county” way of life.
Director Stephan Elliot does an adroit job emphasizing the comedy without underplaying the pathos of the peculiar social situation presented. The casting is mostly spot-on. Biel seems a little too young and strikes almost too modern a note as Larita, the bride of questionable “virtue,” but one senses quite strongly that that was precisely the point in casting her: Larita is supposed to be a new breed and the harbinger of a new age that, like it or not, will replace the old one. As for Biel’s performance, it’s perfectly adequate, though less convincing when certain episodes of Larita’s past come to light; her face looks too fresh and untouched, and her expression too open, to be a cover for dark secrets. Fortunately, the filmmakers were smart enough to cast as her husband an actor who looks even younger and fresher-faced (though ironically Barnes, previously seen as Prince Caspian, is a year older than Biel). Barnes, who occasionally displays a fleeting resemblance to the eternally boyish Tobey Maguire, is quite good as the feckless yet charming only son.
But the real stars of the show are Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth as Larita’s parents-in-law: the former her formidable nemesis, the latter quietly in her corner. Few actresses can wither with a gaze, or a simple inflection, as effectively as KST, who somehow manages to make her character at once dreadful and not wholly unsympathetic. Firth, for his part, is note-perfect as the unwilling patriarch who completely checked out of life following the war, delivering sardonic one-liners with his trademark deadpan aplomb, yet also showing signs of a growing sympathy with Larita precisely because she voices her antipathy towards a dying world he himself hates but has lost all will to resist. Their dynamic is one of the most interesting aspects of the movie, and makes its ending (which I won’t give away) feel earned and not merely convenient. Overall, I think Coward would have been pleased with this production, and that’s no small feat.
posted by lylee at 11:22 AM 1 comments
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Punishing "12 Years a Slave" rewards viewers' pains
directed by Steve McQueen
starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Lupita Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Alfred Woodard, Brad Pitt
It’s tempting to attach a warning label to “12 Years a Slave” for those who haven’t seen it: That it’s difficult, even painful to watch. That it’s a grueling indictment of humanity, or rather, inhumanity, at its worst. That the violence is relentless and graphic, and not in that cartoony Quentin Tarantino way, but in a way that feels all too real and thus all the more sickening. All true—and yet to brand the film thus is to make it sound like an ordeal, an experience to endure rather than enjoy, which is also to misrepresent and undersell it. Director Steve McQueen’s adaptation of the memoir of Solomon Northrup, a free black man who was kidnapped, shipped downriver and sold into slavery for the titular 12 years, isn’t exactly built for enjoyment, but neither is it unalloyed suffering. In moving quietly between moments both appalling and poignant, it achieves a dark beauty and emotional resonance without offering the easy catharsis one might expect from the knowledge that Solomon’s indenture does, eventually, come to an end.
Maybe it took a Brit to bring the right balance of empathy and objectivity to the “peculiar institution” that continues to cast long shadows over our national identity. It’s somehow appropriate that British artist-turned-director McQueen (“Hunger,” “Shame”) depicts both the physical and psychological toll of slavery from the viewpoint of a man who at the outset is just as much a stranger to its horrors as the audience is. As Solomon, Chiwetel Ejiofor (a fellow Brit, who previously did his best work in indie films such as “Dirty Pretty Things,” “Kinky Boots,” “Children of Men,” and “Talk to Me”) conveys through both body language and wide, expressive eyes the rapid shift from sunny complacency to stunned disbelief and, finally, a semi-permanent internalized anguish that hangs over him for the rest of his time as a slave.
In some ways the early going is, if not the hardest, at least the most shocking for Solomon, as for us. Think of it: an educated, comfortably middle-class professional musician with a wife and two children finds himself incapacitated, imprisoned, and thrust unceremoniously into a nightmare world where nothing of his previous identity, not even his name, is recognized. He’s viciously beaten to a pulp in response to his attempts to clear up what he’s initially convinced is a mix-up; coolly, almost impersonally slapped by a slave trader (Paul Giamatti, effective in a small but chilling role) when he dares to assert his real name; and forced to stand by in silence while said trader shows off his human wares like so much livestock and separates a mother from her children without batting an eye at her frantic pleas.
From that beginning, things only get worse. While Solomon’s first master, William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), recognizes his superior talents and treats him relatively well, that goodwill only goes so far when Solomon runs afoul of one of Ford’s white hired workmen (Paul Dano, even more punchable than usual). Solomon is ultimately sold to Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), a New Orleans cotton planter legendary for his Simon Legree-like cruelty to his slaves. It’s at this point that Solomon’s life becomes even more of a fever dream, as Epps, in addition to being merciless, is also quite possibly insane—forcing his slaves to entertain him by night with singing and dancing after a day of backbreaking labor, fixating obsessively on a young female slave, Patsy (newcomer Lupita Nyong’o, outstanding) despite the burning resentment of his wife (Sarah Paulson, also outstanding), and nursing paranoid fears that his slaves are conspiring to run away from him. Fassbender is a formidable and oddly magnetic presence, his performance suggesting that Epps’ status as slave owner is eating away at him like a cancer, even though his slaves feel its impact most directly and deeply. No slave feels it more than the all-too-aptly named Patsy, and her horrific treatment is almost too much for the film to bear.
But it holds up, thanks to McQueen’s characteristic restraint. I’ll admit that his previous films left me a bit cold; to me they felt like exquisitely crafted, clinically detached portrayals of human compulsion that never quite hit home because they were so detached. Here, perhaps for the first time, McQueen locates a throbbing emotional pulse, yet his instincts as an artist still tend towards the observational rather than the red-hot jugular. In this context, that impulse works: the scenes of abuse are unsparingly but not gratuitously brutal, and attentive to their impact on everyone involved—not just Patsy but Epps, his wife, and, of course, Solomon. And again, there is no cheap catharsis, no release of tension, only the quietly agonizing realization that unlike Solomon, who has resources they don’t, neither Patsy nor any of the other slaves have any hope of escape other than a premature death. (One of the most gut-wrenching scenes in the film is one in which an old slave simply drops dead in the fields and is buried with minimal ceremony; one look at Solomon’s expression says it all—the crushing fear that this might be the best he can hope for himself, now.)
By the same token, Solomon’s long-delayed liberation, when it comes, feels strangely muted rather than joyful. And that’s as it should be. “12 Years a Slave,” despite its broad narrative arc, isn’t really a hero’s quest. It’s one man’s experience of an institution that killed millions and almost killed him, too. It’s Solomon Northrup’s story, but in McQueen’s hands and for our times, it’s just as much the story of the men and women Solomon had to leave behind.
GRADE: A-
posted by lylee2 at 1:40 AM 0 comments
Homeland, Ep. 3-3: "Tower of David"
Brody's back! And bald. And totally fucked. But alive, just barely - if you count recovering from a gunshot wound in a flophouse in Caracas, heavily guarded by a man who for some mysterious reason would rather keep him prisoner than turn him in for a $10 million bounty, and pressed by a shady doctor to get hooked on smack.
Brody's captors tell him in no uncertain terms that this is the end of the line for him. I'd be more concerned except that I don't believe for a minute that the "Homeland" writers are going to let him rot in Caracas for the rest of the season. Just as I'm equally sure that they're not going to let Carrie spend the rest of the season in the psych ward.
Still, the episode was pretty effective in conveying just how hopeless and trapped both of our leads are right now, in prisons that in some sense were of their own making. Watching them struggle in vain to get out somehow managed to be both interesting and tedious at the same time. I'm not sure how the show can get them out without running into all the plausibility problems that plagued season 2, but I'm willing to withhold judgment for now. That said, I think I'm going to take a break from recapping "Homeland" until it introduces some kind of game-changer, for good or for bad. I'm skeptical that the show will ever return to the quality of season 1 - I think the writers have boxed themselves into a corner with respect to Carrie and Brody - but I will keep watching in hopes that it does.
-Brody's captor must really owe someone a huge favor. But who besides Carrie has any interest in keeping Brody alive? I mean, besides the hot daughter who rather improbably seems to have fallen for the pale bald guy. (Don't get me wrong, Damien Lewis is pretty dreamy, but Brody's not exactly in his best state at the moment.)
-The real standout character of the episode, IMO, was the heroin-pushing doctor with a pedophilic streak. Fun fact: Erik Todd Dellums, the actor who played him, was also in "The Wire" and, before that, "Homicide."
-Thought Claire Danes did a great job capturing Carrie's tenuous mental state - partly under control thanks to the lithium, but still barely holding it together. She was especially good in the opening scene with the doctor, pitifully trying to get him to put in a good word with her de facto jailer, Saul.
-Also liked Carrie's scene with the lawyer, though it's not clear whether she's just being paranoid or is correct in her suspicions. Based on the show's track record of validating Carrie's intuition even when she's most unstable, I go for option B.
"Gravity" weighs existence against existential (and has cool effects, too!)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
“Life in space is impossible.” The last sentence in the opening title cards of “Gravity” is both confirmed and challenged by what follows—a film that manages to be at once a white-knuckle thriller about a desperate struggle to survive and a quiet meditation on what drives the desire to live.
“Gravity,” Alfonso Cuarón’s first film in seven years, took an unusually long time to move from conception to execution: in its earliest stages, it wasn’t even set in space, though it’s now hard to imagine taking place anywhere else. There’s an elegant simplicity to the emptiness of space that serves its themes well—being and nothingness, if you will. Not that emptiness is all or even mainly what we see on screen; the movie takes place within striking distance of an international space station, with the beautiful blue, white, and green glow of Earth continually visible, and always in the foreground, our two principal human characters. These are a female engineer on her first mission, the oddly named Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), and her commanding officer, Lieutenant Matt Kowalski (George Clooney). It’s just another day at work for them, doing routine maintenance on a telescope, when the destruction of a Russian satellite unleashes a devastating flood of space debris that pulverizes their space shuttle and leaves them adrift and, in Ryan’s case, perilously low on oxygen.
Particularly in the early sequences, one of which thrusts the audience into Ryan’s perspective as she’s spinning helplessly in space, clawing desperately for some kind of visual cue or point of stability to orient her, the film has a breathless intensity that puts most action films to shame. After that first stretch, Cuarón pulls back at intervals to allow for a little breathing room, only to tighten the screws before we get any real chance to relax. It’s not sadistic so much as unrelenting, the much- (and justly) touted visual effects underscoring the pitilessness of the vast void, as well as its icily impersonal beauty.
Yet what gives the film its power isn’t its visual expansiveness but rather its intimacy, embodied in its focus on Ryan and Kowalski. Which is not to say that we get to know either of them well in the usual sense; although Kowalski is chattier than the reticent Ryan, the two are relative strangers to each other and we only learn a few details about their personal lives. But we learn about them, and empathize with them, in how they react to their predicament. Of the two, Ryan functions more successfully as the audience proxy, partly because she’s the novice here, partly because Bullock is such a believable Everywoman. (Kowalski, by contrast, exudes just a little too much Clooneyesque charm, even at moments of extreme crisis, to be entirely relatable.) Perhaps for this reason, the most haunting scene is one in which Ryan has just enough time to realize and reflect on the fact that she's about to die. She says, quite simply and heartbreakingly, “I know, we’re all going to die. But I’m going to die today.” In a beautiful passage from Roger Ebert’s last memoir, the late great movie critic touches on exactly this fear:
I don’t expect to die anytime soon. But it could happen this moment, while I am writing. I was talking the other day with…a friend of 35 years, and the conversation turned to our deaths, as it always does. “Ask someone how they feel about death,” he said, “and they’ll tell you everyone’s gonna die. Ask them, In the next 30 seconds? No, no, no, that’s not gonna happen. How about this afternoon? No. What you’re really asking them to admit is, Oh my God, I don’t really exist. I might be gone at any given second.”
I won’t give away whether Ryan and Kowalski actually do die over the course of the movie. The outcome (which may surprise you) doesn’t affect the impact of that moment—a moment of particular significance for Ryan, who has a tragedy in her past that’s left her little or nothing to live for. Under those circumstances, what makes a person want, and fight, to live? Mere instinct? Or some higher power? “Gravity” ultimately skirts any definite answer to that question, at most suggesting that some force greater than animal survival lies behind the human will to live. Whether that force is spiritual or merely evolutionary, the viewer is left to decide. Some may find that evasiveness irritating, and while I don’t, I do think it makes the difference between a very good movie and a great one. Still, the fact that it encourages such pondering without letting up on the suspense, all within an economical 90 minutes, is no mean feat. In fact, it’s damned impressive. Without a doubt, Cuarón deserves full credit for realizing a vision that on paper must have seemed as impossible as, well, life in space.
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdirahman, Mahat M. Ali; one scene featuring Catherine Keener
True to its title, this film depicts the 2009 hijacking of a U.S. merchant marine ship by four Somali pirates from the perspective of the ship’s captain. Tom Hanks convincingly inhabits the no-flash, no-frills character (even if he doesn’t quite nail the New England accent) of the skipper who manages to keep his head and outmaneuver his adversaries using only his wits and his superior knowledge of the ship. However, the hijackers (all friends and first-time actors from a Somali community in Minneapolis) more than hold their own opposite him, especially Barkhad Abdi as their diminutive but fierce-willed leader, Muse. As directed by Paul Greengrass (“United 93,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) with his usual lack of sentimental gloss but thankfully less than his usual quota of handheld shaky-cam, "Captain Phillips" presents a compelling portrait of men fueled by economic desperation who you can’t help hoping will make better choices—despite the fact that their lives have been defined by the glaring absence of better choices. The film does go a beat too long, especially in the last 20 minutes, which could probably have been condensed without damage to the narrative. Still, the prolonged waiting for resolution underscores the agony felt by all the players in a tragedy that feels simultaneously global and intensely, claustrophobically local.
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Alexandra Maria Lara, Olivia Wilde, others
Solidly entertaining flick about the real-life 1970s rivalry between two Formula One drivers, the hard-partying British daredevil James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and the hyper-focused, disciplined Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl, best known as the Nazi war hero who tries unsuccessfully to woo Mélanie Laurent in "Inglourious Basterds"). The racing scenes have an impressive kick even if you already know how they turned out, and Hemsworth and Brühl are both excellent in their respective roles—even if the script overplays the contrast between Hunt’s impulsive, hedonistic recklessness and Lauda’s relentlessly austere, Germanic precision. Other characters flit in and out of the picture without making much of an impression, with the exception of German actress Alexandra Maria Lara as the woman who stands by Niki notwithstanding his characteristically dour pronouncement that “happiness is the enemy.”
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Report on the National Strategy Meeting of Historians Convened by Historians for Peace and Justice
tags: Historians for Peace and Justice
by Margaret Power
Margaret Power is a professor of history at the Illinois Institute of Technology and co-chair of Historians for Peace and Democracy. Her current work focuses on the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and its transnational networks across the Americas from the 1920s through the 1950s.
Close to fifty historians attended the day-long National Strategy Meeting of Historians at Columbia University on May 28, 2019. Historians for Peace and Justice (H-PAD) convened the meeting. The unprecedented gathering of historians independent of a formal conference testified to the urgent need many of us feel to continue and expand our opposition to the Trump regime as well as the multiple crises that confront us in this country and around the world. Thanks to the efforts, enthusiasm, and contributions of a number of historians, the meeting was stimulating, congenial, and successful, despite being organized on a shoe string budget. For the list of attendees and agenda, go to https://www.historiansforpeace.org/national-strategy-meeting-of-historians/.
Van Gosse and Margaret Power opened the meeting, which then broke into small groups to discuss several questions. Some of the questions were (1) What is the role of historians in this time of acute global and national crises? (2) How can we go forward together, forging stronger alliances and connections nationally and locally with each other, as engaged scholars and with the larger movements? (3) How important is it to act within our profession, including its associations? The body reconvened and a representative from each group reported on the main points it had explored. No clear consensus emerged from the report; instead a wide-range of opinions and priorities were expressed.
In the afternoon, people attended one of six work groups, based on what they wanted to work on. The six working groups and conveners that emerged and are currently functioning are the following:
Direct Action/Combatting the Right’s Fake News, Contact: Jeremy Varon, jvaron@aol.com
Empire and War, Contact: Prasannan Parthasarathi, prasannan.parthasarathi@bc.edu
K-12, Contact: Barbara Winslow, bwpurplewins@gmail.com]
Democratize the Academy/Smash the Carceral State, Contact: Andy Battle, andrew.battle@gmail.com
Palestine, Contact: Leena Dallasheh, leena.dallasheh@gmail.com
Immigrants’ Rights, Contact Alex Avina, Alexander.Avina@asu.edu, and Margaret Power, marmacpower1@gmail.com
If you are interested in finding out more about the groups or in joining one of them, please contact the convener listed above. H-PAD hopes that other working groups will also form, so if you are interested in forming or participating in one, please contact us and we will announce them and put people with similar interests in contact with each other.
The group also discussed whether to form a new organization to incorporate all the non-H-PAD people in attendance or whether to continue and expand H-PAD. Participants overwhelmingly decided it would serve no purpose to start a new organization and that those who wanted to get involved in the work should join H-PAD. For more information, go to https://www.historiansforpeace.org/
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European Film Schools: Lessons From the Past
Colin Young creative entrepeneurs Creative Skillset Dogme-95 Duncan Petrie Educating Film-Makers FAMU Film Schools Institute des hautes etudes cinematorgraphies Italian Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia La FEMIS Mogens Rukov Moscow State College of Cinematography National Film School National School of Denmark VGIK
Duncan Petrie, co-author (with Rod Stoneman) of the new book Educating Film-Makers, charts the history of Europe’s film schools and says that today’s emphasis on vocational skills training risks losing sight of the way film schools have historically integrated artistic, intellectual and industrial aims.
The creative achievements and historical legacy of European film-making owes a great deal to the ways in which practitioners have been educated and trained. In line with the long tradition of public support for cinema across the continent, the predominant model of European film school has been the national conservatoire. While the primary function of such institutions has been to provide a steady stream of suitably trained cadres of film-makers for the film and (increasingly) television industries, they have also played a central role in the nurturing of moving image culture, particularly in the period before the growth of film and media studies within universities.
Educating Film-makers (Intellect, 2014).
But in recent times a new agenda has imposed itself on practice-oriented moving image education: that of vocational skills training. In order to maintain global competitiveness, European film industries have increasingly embraced a market-oriented focus which in turn has impacted on all aspects of business and relevant new policy initiatives. In the realm of education this has encouraged a shift in emphasis away from the formation of film-makers as essentially artists or cultural workers in favour of a new emphasis on the need to train resourceful creative entrepreneurs and skilled technicians.
In the UK, where the vision of the film industry as a global creative hub attracting inward investment and big budget Hollywood production, the focus on skills has been placed centre stage and overseen by Creative Skillset, the sector skills council for the creative industries, which awards official industry approval for practice-oriented courses and programmes. While the response to the new business imperative in some other European nations has been more nuanced, across the continent policy is being guided by a similar need to nurture economically sustainable ‘creative industries’.
But this new emphasis loses sight of the way in which film schools have sought to integrate cultural and industrial aims through the integration of the practical and technical training, creative experimentation and intellectual stimulation, an approach that facilitated and sustained the artistic, cultural and industrial health of European cinema for several decades. Such a reconsideration is the purpose of a new book, Educating Film-Makers, which explores the history of film school education and asks how the lessons of the past might be used to address the needs, opportunities and challenges of the present and future.
Europe’s first film schools
Europe’s first film school: The Moscow State College of Cinematography, founded 1919. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
The history of European film schools begins almost a hundred years ago with the establishment in 1919 of the Moscow State College of Cinematography following Lenin’s famous decree that ‘of all the arts, for us the cinema is most important’. The school, which subsequently developed into the world famous VGIK, was driven by a revolutionary zeal in which practical instruction and intellectual enquiry went and in hand in the service of building a new society. This was epitomised by those who taught and studied at school, including Lev Kuleshov, Sergei Eisenstein and Vsevolod Pudovkin, advancing both the art and the theoretical understanding of cinema in the process. Moreover, in addition to training film-makers for the new Soviet film industry, VGIK also became a centre of serious scholarship, establishing an archive and library by 1931.
This provided a prototype for subsequent developments beginning with the Italian Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, founded in Rome in 1935 by Mussolini and situated across the road from the world-famous Cinecitta studios. The Centro provided a fertile creative and intellectual environment – students were able to view films that were otherwise banned and publications included the journal Bianco et Nero – paving the way for the breakthrough of Neo Realism after the fall of Fascism. Meanwhile in Nazi-occupied Paris, the Institute des hautes etudes cinématographiques (IDHEC) under the leadership of the avant garde film-maker Marcel L’Herbier began enrolling its first cohort of students in January 1944, a full six months before the liberation.
The rebuilding of European cinema after the 1945 saw an explosion of film schools across the continent. The Soviet-controlled East seized the initiative first and by 1950 almost every Socialist State had founded its own national institution. Fascist Spain was also quick of the mark, founding its national school in 1947. The democratic nations in the west were slower off the mark; a Dutch institution appeared in 1958 followed in the 1960s by Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and West Germany (with institutions in Munich and Berlin rather than a single national school). Somewhat typically, Britain was late on the scene, finally setting up its own National Film School in 1970.
Auteur film-makers
The development of European film schools entailed some interesting pedagogical debates and shifts in practice. Given the early close association between film education and totalitarian regimes, political interference was a major problem for many schools and the history of film education under Communism is marked by the oscillation between periods of relative freedom and repressive control. Yet despite the difficulties, the Eastern European schools – particularly the Polish School in Lodz and FAMU in Czechoslovakia – maintained a high standard of intellectual, creative and technical achievement, underpinning the various new waves that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. Jerzy Toeplitz – historian, teacher and director of the Polish Film School – also emerged as one of the inspiring visionaries of international film education during the same period.
Founding director of the UK’s National Film School Colin Young (right) with Lord Eccles in 1971. (Photo: NFTS)
Prior to the 1960s, most schools balanced a strong commitment to creative ideas and developing specialist production skills. This was challenged by the rise of auteurism, illustrated by the way the French nouvelle vague set its rebellious sail against the commitment of IDHEC to professional skills and high quality production values – the very bedrock of the derided ‘cinema du papa’. This inspired a shift away from the teaching of separate specialisations in film schools – directing, cinematography, screenwriting, production design, editing – towards a focus on all-round generalist film-makers (although in Eastern Europe a commitment to specialisation was maintained).
New institutions were sometimes more radical, for example, Colin Young, founding director of the UK’s National Film School, imported an ‘open curriculum’ model previously developed at UCLA that afforded students complete freedom over their learning and development. While a clear response to the vision of cinema as a form of personal expression that underpinned the revitalisation of the movies across Europe and America in the 1960s, this resulted in a different kind of imbalance to the current obsession with skills training.
Craft specialists
But by the 1980s the golden age of art cinema was on the wane and European film industries began expressing disquiet that film schools were producing too many writer/directors at the expense of the full range of creative and technical specialists. The response in UK was to replace the open curriculum with structured training in ten distinct craft specialisations. In France the growing concern about declining standards at IDHEC even led to the establishment of a new institution, La FEMIS, in 1986 which offered a rigorous four-year course in one of seven specialist areas. In addition to addressing industrial need, this shift should also be seen as a welcome reaffirmation of the essentially collaborative nature of film-making.
Dogma-95 films like Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen (The Celebration) owe much to the rule-bound philosophy of Denmark’s National Film School.
Some institutions made a new virtue out of creative collaboration, notably the National Film School of Denmark which also developed a commitment to the role of structure, rules and constraint – rather than openness and freedom – as fundamental to the fostering of creativity. This innovative philosophy was explained by the school’s former head of Screenwriting, Mogens Rukov, in the following way:
We have the habit of regarding limits as things that narrow the work, but we know that’s a lie. We know that it’s a lie because we always live with, and we can only live within, constraints. So, work within limits: limits you can discuss with your students, limits you can impose on them, limits they can fight….. All films that make a certain impact on the public are told according to very clear narrative limitations.
The impact of this approach can be seen in the rules-based phenomenon of Dogma-95, while the institutional commitment to collaboration has underpinned the artistic and popular success of Danish cinema and television drama over the last two decades.
Creative entrepreneurs
The rejection of auteurism and the push for greater market responsiveness in film schools also initiated a new emphasis on the training of screenwriters and producers. Where auteurism had led to writing being subsumed under directing, the need for better scripts motivated a new concentration on the specific craft of screenwriting. Meanwhile, the idea of the producer as a creative entrepreneur: developing projects, raising finance and building independent production companies, also came to the fore.
Thus the auteur came to be eclipsed by the three way relationship between writer, director and producer, dubbed the triangle model, at the heart of the creative process. But unlike the reductive variant of skills training, this continues to place ideas and stories at the heart of the process, and as such maintains a link back to the original aims of European film school education.
Professor Duncan Petrie is based at the University of York. He is both a project contributor and member of the MeCETES Advisory Board. His latest book (co-authored with Rod Stoneman), Educating Film-Makers: Past, Present and Future (2014), is published by Intellect.
New MeCETES Publication: Transnational European Television Drama January 9th, 2018
The end of the MeCETES project October 1st, 2017
Mubi’s Expanding Film Business May 30th, 2017
Women’s Films Held Back in Europe by Lower Production and Distribution Support March 8th, 2017
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Made in Canada?: The Art of Mimesis in Global TV
Serra Tinic
Globally speaking, English Canadian television dramas are often best known for their capacity to imitate the grammar and aesthetics of American series. In somewhat disparaging terms, television critics have long railed against “industry” or “generic” productions that increase their international sales value through disguising their “Canadianness” by setting stories in American cities despite being actually shot in Toronto or Vancouver. In many respects, the recent continental success of CTV’s police drama Flashpoint can be seen as a coming of age story for English Canadian television production.
Flashpoint, which draws on the ‘true stories’ of Toronto’s Strategic Response Unit (SRU — equivalent of the American SWAT), was initially produced for CTV but was subsequently purchased by the CBS broadcast network as an insurance policy during last year’s WGA strike in the United States. CBS eventually ran the series as a summer replacement series simultaneous to the show’s premiere in Canada. Flashpoint took both national industries by surprise when it handily won its night in both network markets. The series also made domestic broadcast history by being the first series set in an actual Canadian city to air in prime time on an American broadcast network. Consequently, to address the current economic crisis in the industry, CBS and NBC have both purchased more Canadian crime dramas for the 2009-10 season.
A qualification is in order here. Although the series is set in Toronto, the city is not deliberately invoked (although it is not erased). In fact, the producers claimed to have downplayed the location so that it did not “scream” Canadian and was better able to speak to the universal themes of any large urban center. Thus Flashpoint’s American success may be attributed to its ability to anticipate audience expectations of conventional Hollywood police dramas “despite” its location. In an interesting example of what Jonathan Gray describes as the ‘extratextual,’ this clip illustrates CBS’s objective to seamlessly integrate/domesticate Flashpoint with another crime procedural Numb3rs in the Friday night “kiss of death” timeslot.
Flashpoint presents an interesting conundrum for Canadian television. First, Canadian producers are no different from domestic audiences — they are fully immersed in the world of American televisual storytelling and this will, undoubtedly, inform their craft. Second, Flashpoint plays into the objectives of the recent CRTC recommendation to split the Canadian Television Fund (CTV) into private and public streams whereby the former will require a “hit factor.” The questions remain: what defines a hit? in which market? Can a ‘hit’ be defined solely in domestic terms or must it sell globally (read continentally)?
cultural specificity
I've become quite the fan of
By Jonathan Gray
I've become quite the fan of Flashpoint. I think its look, structure, and genre are all very comfortable for the American audience, but I'm intrigued by how it plays with the genre.
Most importantly, each episode spends considerably more time examining the "perp" and getting inside his or her head. On one hand, this bucks a trend in American cop shows of portraying perps as unmitigated badguys who need to be "taken down", as instead a more Canadian sense of crime and punishment seems to guide the show's interest in relatively good people pushed to an edge where they make really bad decisions (after all, it's a show about snipers where nobody ever wants to use their weapons. What would Jack Bauer or Horatio Caine think?). The "release" of tension for the audience at the end of each episode usually comes not when they're arrested and brought to justice, whether in a hail of gunfire or a clever forensic trick, but when the hostage situation ends safely, and thus the show is just as (or considerably more) suspenseful and narratively intriguing as many American cop shows, but we're asked to hope for a safe resolution, not a cathartic comeuppance.
On the other hand, this allows the program to showcase some really good Canadian acting talent, since playing a perp on Flashpoint gives one a chance to shine, rather than a chance to sneer a lot, then simply give an "I'll tell you why I did it" monologue at the very end. Henry Czerny, for instance, did a good job in his episode, and I've discovered several other good actors while watching the show.
I don't think I'm answering your question of whether it's a hit for others, but it is for me. And in a way that imprints a bit of what I like to consider a Canadian ethos on a seemingly very American genre
Like Jonathan, I've become a
By Michele Byers.
Saint Mary's University
Like Jonathan, I've become a fan of Flashpoint. As someone who lived in Toronto for several years, I'm always aware of the city as a player/character on the series, but one whose specificity might not be visible to everyone. I also hadn't considered it in relation to Numb3rs, although I think they both play with ideas about masculinity and law & order. On Numb3rs, this seems linked to family and ethnicity (see Will's note on my post from Monday), and on Flashpoint this translates into something we might call "Canandianness" that keeps coming up this week.
The "hit factor" question is interesting. I remember at the "Are we American?" conference at McGill last year, Trina McQueen talking about building a Canadian star system. The choice to balance the very popular but clearly Canadian star Hugh Dillon with another Canadian, Enrico Colantoni, who most viewers will probably know best from his role as the father of Veronica Mars—I don't know if anyone has seen (him in) the TMN series ZOS—is another way of slightly hiding the series Canadian roots.
I like what Jonathan said about the way Flashpoint plays with genre. We had a lot of years of CSI network domination and those very emotionally truncated characters. Serra, I remember you talking about DaVinci's Inquest being syndicated in the US and the surprise that it found a following given that it was perceived as being too... rooted in discourses about social welfare for a mainstream US audience. Flashpoint isn't like D.I., but it does focus a lot less of "truth" and "evidence" than on life circumstances, emotion, consequences, and all this often within the confines of the construction of masculinities and male relationships.
Simultaneous response
By Serra Tinic
I think I was writing as you were posting, Michele. Hence the same comment re. the star system. Trina McQueen articulated a situation that has been a long-standing concern of actors, producers and network execs. Greater celebrity recognition means more viewers which translates into more domestic television and allows actors to stay at home rather than seek success down South (if they so desire). Much of this hesitation to foster a celebrity system might actually be a symptom of the English Canadian sensibility -- the reluctance to participate in over the top promotionalism (seen as so American in character). The result is that many potential audiences have little connection to Canadian actors until they've made it in Hollywood. At which point they are proudly reclaimed as national icons.
Expat viewing
Jonathan, I agree with your reading of Flashpoint and think it speaks to the politics of Canadian TV production -- i.e. the assumption that if a domestic series borrows too many elements from popular American genres it somehow loses that elusive "Canadianness." This type of critique overlooks subtleties of tone, characterization, and narrative (it's also a huge source of frustration for many producers seeking funding). I'm interested in whether or not your expat positioning affected your choice to watch (and continue watching) the series? That "a ha" moment of recognition, the sense of knowing the place and how the story might progress. Do you have any sense of how its been read by Americans? One U.S. television critic disliked it because he couldn't tell which city it was.
Showcasing Canadian talent is also an important and overlooked element of the series. The failure to foster an English Canadian celebrity system is often cited as one of the main problems with growing the audience for domestic TV. Flashpoint also exemplifies cross-promotion: Hugh Dillon's music is incorporated and this introduces him to an audience that doesn't remember The Headstones or his stint in Hard Core Logo.
The hit issue is contradictory. Many are concerned that it will stifle creativity and encourage the "generic." What's interesting is the CRTC implies that the public stream doesn't produce hits. I'm interested in that as I'm also working on comparing co-pros like The Tudors (a global smash hit), which has nothing to do with Canada (beyond colonial imagination, perhaps?)
To answer your question, I actually came to the show by chance, not design (and the longtime holdover of a boyish fascination with snipers didn't hurt either), and I was really enjoying it before it struck me that this was Toronto. I also had a deja-vu sense of knowing this series, even though it was the premiere. Then I remembered that I "knew" it because I'd heard you present on it at ICA, I think. Certainly, thereafter, knowing it was Canadian "endorsed" my liking of it, making it both okay to like it, and making me look at it all the closer. I'm sure I read more Canadianness into it when it's surrounded by Americanness on my television, but perhaps that's just as much the experience that Canadians in Canada have as Canadians in America have? Maybe, in other words, most Canadian viewers are "expats" in prime time television?
I don't know how it's been received by Americans. Other than my wife, who also likes it. I try to proselytize, but nobody seems to be listening.
expats in prime time
Friday, April 10, 2009 — 10:07 pm
expats in prime time television... that's fantastic!
From: Canadian Media?
Our Little Mosque
Mock-documentaries in Canada: Looking for the Real Thing
By Zoë Druick
The Degraded Edges of Canadian Visuality
By Will Straw
Voices from Sunnyvale Trailer Park: the US Meets Canada Via the Trailer Park Boys
By Lorna Roth
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Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation
Dubai International Award for Best Practices Winners
Pipeline Projects
Home » Our Work » Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation » News » Shoring up cities against disaster
Shoring up cities against disaster
Rio de Janeiro, 21 Jun 12
Japan has done much to help protect giant cities like Tokyo from disasters. Photo © UN-Habitat/R. Rollnick
UN-Habitat on Wednesday launched a new programme on Wednesday calling on Heads of State and governments at the Rio +20 conference to provide a framework to help make cities around the world safer from disasters.
The launch of the Urban Resilience Indexing Programmefollowed a call on the Rio meeting by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Ms. Margareta Wahlström, urging UN Member States to face up to the realities of the economic and human impact of disasters since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro 20 years ago.
During that time the world has seen record economic losses, great numbers of people killed and billions displaced, injured or rendered homeless - most of them in heavily populated urban areas - because of growing exposure to extreme events fuelled by rapid urbanisation, poverty, environmental degradation, climate change and a lack of good governance.
"The numbers tell the story. Over the last 20 years, it is conservatively estimated that disasters have killed 1.3 million people, affected 4.4 billion and resulted in when you consider what it means in terms of missed opportunities, shattered lives, lost housing, schools and health facilities destroyed, cultural losses and roads washed away," she said. "We can do better. The Rio+20 Conference needs to put down a marker and introduce time-bound, realistic sustainable development goals which will eradicate this enormous waste of human, social and economic resources. We know how to do it. We have the tools."
Ms. Wahlström and UN-Habitat Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos, were each selected as a leading United Nations to talk about disasters and cities respectively as two of seven key topics under consideration at the global Rio +20 Sustainable Development Summit which opened on Wednesday.
Their remarks were widely broadcast on the eve of the gathering at which more than 100 Heads of State and Government, along with thousands of parliamentarians, mayors, UN officials, chief executive officers and civil society leaders will shape new policies to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and advance social equity and environmental protection.
On disasters, UN-Habitat has, as its primary aim, the sustainable development of cities, towns, and other human settlements. One key pillar of this aim is ensuring that cities are able to withstand and recover quickly from catastrophic events. In the context of UN-Habitat's World Urban Campaign, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has its own Making Cities Resilient Campaign which addresses issues of local governance and urban risk.
But the idea of urban resilience refers to the ability of any urban system, regardless of size, culture, demography or geography, to withstand and recover from disasters. To date, no such means of calibrating urban resilience has been developed, leaving city and town administrations understanding only what their inherent vulnerabilities may be, and not their capacity for resilience.
UN-Habitat's new Urban Resilience Indexing Programme launched in Rio de Janeiro will develop new standards for measuring and scaling a city's resilience to natural, environmental, social and economic crises, and provide tools, training and support to achieving them.
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Mission Statement Academy
Lockheed Martin Mission and Vision Statement Analysis
- All contents on this page is a subject of Copyright of Mission Statement Academy - All rights reserved. Distribution / replication / mirroring of current page content without written permission is prohibited
- Research or academic use by Students or Teachers: it is permitted to quote or rewrite parts of page only when properly cited and provided Link/URL to the initial content page of this website.
Lockheed Martin mission and vision statements are undoubtedly the forces that have kept the company at the top level in this competitive and overly sensitive industry. As a technologically oriented company dealing with state of the art defense securities, and aeroscope innovations, Lockheed Martin is a company that has succeeded in maintaining the inflexibly yet high standards that define this sector.
After its birth through a merger in 1995, the firm has even grown stronger and more dynamic over the decades due to the specificity of these mission and vision statement. Essentially, a vision statement of any establishment identifies where the company is headed in the future.
Lockheed Martin vision statement emphasizes the leadership element of the company in revolutionalizing the industry. It works closely with the mission statement, which ideally, outlines the strategic approaches formulated by the management to take the company to its vision.
In the case of Lockheed Martin, its mission statement reveals its resolve to uncover and conquer even the hardest challenges through innovations. The mission and vision statement to not succeed in isolation. They are aided greatly by the core values of a company, as these acts as the influencers of how the operations within the establishment work.
Fortunately, for Lockheed Martin, its values flawlessly agree with its corporate mission and vision statements, giving it the prominence it exhibits.
Lockheed Martin mission statement is to “solve complex challenges, advance scientific discovery and deliver innovative solutions to help our customers keep people safe.” In this statement, the focus of the company on the changes it can practically have on the areas of its interests. It also identifies the primary way through which it can effect these. Some of the characteristics that emerge include:
Innovative solutions. Lockheed Martin is a company that sees itself as a proxy responsible for the security of the people represented by its customers. To satisfy the need for this component, the establishment takes the safety of these people very seriously by offering its customers top of the art technologies and other security based systems. For instance, Lockheed Martin’s is currently leading in intelligence systems, military defense devices, and other war facilities. In fact, its innovations in this sector are termed as some of the most sophisticated and up to date today.
Improving communities. While security is a critical element of Lockheed Martins, the company shows that its scientific discovery is not limited to making of such devices. The diversification of its operations to include other approaches that strengthen the lives of people where the company is located and across the globe. In fact, it supports educative programs among other developmental initiatives such as environmental stability through innovative lenses.
Lockheed Martin vision statement is “Be the global leader in supporting our customers’ missions, strengthening security and advancing scientific discovery.” The leadership attitude that characterizes this firm is all over its vision statement. Specifically, the statement identifies three key areas the company looks to have an influence on. In relation to this, the following aspects link to this vision statement:
Be the global leader. Being a common player in the industry is far from what Lockheed Martin visualizes itself. The company has shown it is there to lead the rest through its initiatives, which are a reflection of the go-getter attitude adopted in the firm. For instance, the variety of activities in its ‘what we do’ page is simply a snippet of the many groundbreaking innovations it is treating not only its customers but also the industry of aeroscope and securities technologies with.
Strengthening security and advancing scientific discovery. To satisfy this aspect of the vision statement, Lockheed Martin is always trying out new techniques for solving security challenges. For instance, its advanced manufacturing is one of the indications of what it is doing to be the best in serving its customers with top security products.
Lockheed Martin core value is “Do What’s Right.” Essentially, this amalgamates all other moral standings of the company in how it handles itself to satisfy the needs of its customers.
By doing what is right, the company creates an environment that supports all its workers to be innovative, and in turn, these employees ensure all their work is to the good of the company’s clients. With this, the entire processes gradually advance Lockheed Martin to its vision.
Brown, W., Yoshioka, C. F., & Munoz, P. (2004). Organizational Mission as a Core Dimension in Employee Retention. Journal of Park & Recreation Administration, 22(2).
Desmidt, S., Prinzie, A., & Decramer, A. (2011). Looking for the value of mission statements: a meta-analysis of 20 years of research. Management Decision, 49(3), 468-483.
Eryılmaz, M. E., & Eryılmaz, F. (2016). Change emphasis in mission and vision statements of the first 1000 Turkish organizations: a content analysis. In Organizational Change Management Strategies in Modern Business (pp. 352-362). IGI Global.
Glaister, K. W., & Falshaw, J. R. (1999). Strategic planning: still going strong?. Long Range Planning, 32(1), 107-116.
Helms, S. C. (2001). Translating privacy values with technology. BUJ Sci. & Tech. L., 7, 288.
Kantabutra, S., & Avery, G. C. (2010). The power of vision: statements that resonate. Journal of business strategy, 31(1), 37-45.
King, D. L., Case, C. J., & Premo, K. M. (2010). Current mission statement emphasis: be ethical and go global. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 9(2), 71.
Lockheed Martin – About us.
Manohar, S. S., & Pandit, S. R. (2014). Core values and beliefs: A study of leading innovative organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 125(4), 667-680.
Mullane, J. V. (2002). The mission statement is a strategic tool: when used properly. Management Decision, 40(5), 448-455.
Rajasekar, J. (2013). A comparative analysis of mission statement content and readability. Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 14(6), 131-147.
Salem Khalifa, A. (2011). Three Fs for the mission statement: what’s next?. Journal of Strategy and Management, 4(1), 25-43.
Smolicz, J. (1981). Core values and cultural identity. Ethnic and racial studies, 4(1), 75-90.
MISSION STATEMENT ACADEMY COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Lockheed Martin mission statement:
Solve complex challenges, advance scientific discovery and deliver innovative solutions to help our customers keep people safe.
Lockheed Martin vision statement:
Be the global leader in supporting our customers' missions, strengthening security and advancing scientific discovery.
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What's the Difference Between a Church, a Cathedral, and a Basilica?
BY Quora .com
What is the difference between a church, a cathedral, and a basilica?
Mills Baker:
A church is a "house of worship," a building in which Christians gather to perform the rituals of their religion and interact with one another and hold religious functions and so on. They can be very plain, very simple.
A cathedral is a church which is also the "seat," in the bureaucratic sense more than the literal sense, of a bishop (or, in some denominations, another comparably high-ranking ecclesiastical figure). You therefore ordinarily see just one cathedral per denomination per city. Because bishops are responsible for an area—in Catholicism a diocese—a cathedral can also be thought of as the church associated with the administration of an area.
In common usage, people call really big churches cathedrals pretty often, but this is imprecise and technically mistaken.
A basilica was originally a Roman building featuring certain architectural elements that supported its use as a public, open facility for business, trading, etc. These typically—but not always—included colonnades, naves, and aisles, not unlike a modern pedestrian mall.
St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
When some churches were built with similar features in the time of early Christianity, they were called basilicas. Later, in Catholicism, the term acquired a new meaning: the pope designates some churches basilicas for a variety of reasons, and they become important sites:
The papal or major basilicas outrank in precedence all other churches. Other rankings put the cathedral (or co-cathedral) of a bishop ahead of all other churches in the same diocese, even if they have the title of minor basilica. If the cathedral is that of a suffragan diocese, it yields precedence to the cathedral of the metropolitan. The cathedral of a primate is considered to rank higher than that of other metropolitan(s) in his circonscription (usually a present or historical state). Other classifications of churches include collegiate churches, which may or may not also be minor basilicas.
So basilicas as Christian buildings are mainly a Catholic phenomenon. And indeed, the world's most famous basilica is of course St. Peter's in Rome, designed in part by Michelangelo, its plaza and baldacchino by Bernini, its balcony where crowds see their pope, etc.
This post originally appeared on Quora. Click here to view.
architecture Big Questions Design News pope religion religious traditions
Why Are There 10 Hot Dogs to a Pack But Only 8 Buns?
tacar/iStock via Getty Images
Watching competitive eating champion Joey Chestnut cram dozens of hot dogs down his throat would make anyone crave a grilled log of processed meat this summer. But shopping for hot dogs can be a confusing experience. The dogs are typically sold in packs of 10, but the buns are sold in packs of eight. What's behind this strange dog and bun inequality?
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council—yes, there is a National Hot Dog and Sausage Council—there’s a good reason for the discrepancy. For starters, distributors of hot dogs are almost always different from manufacturers of baked goods like rolls. The hot dogs are sold in packs of 10 because producers of meat (or meat-like) products selected that quantity when hot dogs started to sell at retail grocery stores in the 1940s. Oscar Mayer, which led the charge into direct-to-consumer hot dog packaging, sold hot dogs by the pound in accordance with how meat is typically priced. Having 10 dogs that weighed 1.6 ounces each seemed like the ideal distribution of weight.
Bakeries, meanwhile, have standards of their own. Buns and sandwich rolls are usually sold eight to a pack because the baking trays for the elongated buns are typically sized to fit that number. Two sets of four buns come off the tray, which is the reason why buns are often still attached to one another when you open a bag.
These standards were created independently of one another: Bakeries weren’t too preoccupied with hot dogs when they were settling on a four-roll tray standard, and hot dog manufacturers weren’t thinking about how difficult it would be for bakeries to break from their conveyor system to offer 10 buns to a pack.
It can be frustrating if you buy just one or two packages of each, but if you’re hosting a big enough party, the uneven number doesn’t matter. You just need to buy five packages of buns and four packages of hot dogs to have 40 matching pairs. No complicated calculations required.
Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? If so, let us know by emailing us at bigquestions@mentalfloss.com.
Big Questions business Food News
When Are the Dog Days of Summer?
BY Kara Kovalchik
Dorottya_Mathe/iStock via Getty Images
The official “dog days” of summer begin on July 3 and end on August 11. So how did this time frame earn its canine nickname? It turns out the phrase has nothing to do with the poor pooches who are forever seeking shade in the July heat, and everything to do with the nighttime sky.
Sirius, the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the sky. The ancient Greeks noticed that in the summer months, Sirius rose and set with the Sun, and they theorized that it was the bright, glowing Dog Star that was adding extra heat to the Earth in July and August.
Roberto Mura, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Big Questions dogs News weather Words
How to Parallel Park Perfectly in One Try, According to Math
Planning a Vacation? Here's How to Make Sure You Don't Bring Any Bed Bugs Home With You
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Home Featured So You Want to Open a Restaurant
FeaturedNews
So You Want to Open a Restaurant
by Stacey Eidson October 31, 2018
written by Stacey Eidson October 31, 2018
When Bartley Payne decided to open Bogey’s Grille, a neighborhood restaurant on Evans To Locks Road in Martinez, he knew many Columbia County residents wanted more local dining options other than just the chain restaurants.
“Columbia County is absolutely where we wanted to be,” Payne said, adding that Bogey’s Grille opened at the end of May in the Village at Furys Ferry. “We looked at several places in Columbia County, but at this location, we are the last commercial outpost before you get to all the bedroom communities. So we are very close to neighborhoods like Jones Creek and West Lake.”
After looking at the tremendous population growth in Columbia County over the past few years, as well as the traffic flow and the disposable income of the nearby residents, Payne said he had no doubt that the Village at Furys Ferry was the perfect location.
“The restaurant is extremely accessible to traffic,” Payne said. “And even though we looked at a couple of places on Washington Road that were also possibilities, we just went with our current location because there is a big difference between a lunch crowd and a dinner crowd, and we were shooting more for the dinner crowd. So that’s why we chose this location.”
In order to get the restaurant ready for business, Payne said he hired Carter Cleveland, president of JH Cleveland Construction, to handle the job.
“We actually had to deconstruct as well as reconstruct,” Payne said, adding that Bogey’s Grille is in the former location of BirdDog Grille. “We started construction right after the Super Bowl this year, so it was the latter part of February or the first part of March. And it took a little while simply because the scope of the work and, you know, Columbia County is exacting. They do require everything to be in order. But we opened on May 28.”
Working with Columbia County’s Licensing and Permits Department was extremely different from his experience years ago when he opened a restaurant in Augusta, Payne said.
“It’s not like it used to be,” Payne said, chuckling. “I opened a restaurant in Richmond County in the 1980s, and it was pretty easy. But Columbia County is very exacting about how they want to do things. They want things to be right, but they will help you get things right.”
Erin Hall, the Licensing and Permits Manager for Columbia County, said her department has seen a steady increase of new restaurants moving into the county.
“Right now, we have a lot of franchise restaurants that are locally owned,” she said. “In recent years, I can’t think of a chain restaurant, off the top of my head, that wasn’t locally owned. They have all been opened by people who are here in our community.”
Just this year, Hall said a total of 11 new, full-service restaurants have opened in Columbia County and 13 limited-service restaurants have also opened their doors. That’s a total of 24 new restaurants so far in 2018. In comparison, a total of 12 new restaurants opened in Columbia County in 2015.
“The Gateway area is just booming right now,” Hall said, adding that her department works closely with each applicant to thoroughly review their plans in a timely manner. “With our plan review process, we try to turn all the plans back out for comments within 10 working days, so basically two weeks. We try to get them back out pretty quickly.”
Comparing county fees (numbers shown are from 2011, provided by Augusta-Richmond County)
CRITICS OF COLUMBIA COUNTY
However, the Metro Spirit spoke with several local contractors who tell a different story about the review process in Columbia County.
Some are complaining that there’s too much red tape and very little customer service offered in Columbia County.
The contractors requested to remain anonymous in this story to avoid any possible backlash from county officials.
“We work in a lot of different counties and different states, but I’ll be honest with you, I hate doing work in Columbia County,” one local contractor said. “If I use Richmond County as a comparison, in Richmond County, when you walk in their offices, it’s a very welcoming environment. It is a very helpful environment.”
“When I walk into Columbia County, it’s almost as if you’re an intruder,” he added. “And they are behind locked doors. They are back there behind a vault. That’s what I call it. They aren’t talking to anybody.”
It’s almost as if the staff there doesn’t know the meaning of the word “public servant,” he said.
“I don’t expect somebody to roll out the red carpet for me, but I certainly don’t expect a stiff-arm, either,” he said. “I think there is a disconnect between that office out there and the contractors that keep them employed. There is an arrogance that basically, you’re nothing and you should kiss their backsides when they show up. And it’s almost like they are doing you a favor to even talk to you. That’s the one that really smokes me.”
Another contractor agreed, saying that Augusta-Richmond County, Aiken County and North Augusta bend over backwards to help contractors, while many of the employees in Columbia County are impossible to reach.
“In North Augusta or Richmond County, the people over there could not be more helpful or friendly,” he said. “If I need to talk to the head guy, I can ask, ‘Can I talk to him?’ And the nice lady up front will say, ‘Sure. He’s here. Let me go back and get him.’ And I’ll be speaking directly to him within minutes. That doesn’t happen in Columbia County.”
Another contractor said he finds that Columbia County often drags its feet during the plan review process.
“What seems to take Augusta, North Augusta or Aiken County a week or two to get your permits and plan review done, it seems like Columbia County can quadruple that because of nonsense,” he said. “And what I mean by nonsense is they will take a perfectly good set of drawings that you’ve spent thousands of dollars having prepared and they will nitpick pieces and wording. It’s an obstructionist attitude.”
And this isn’t a case where the contractor is trying to cut corners or anything like that, he said.
“Now, I get it. It has to be to code. It has to be correct,” he said. “But when you start picking verbiage, that is just worded wrong out of a set of plans and that delays you another week, that’s ridiculous. And it happens every time I submit plans.”
He also said that Columbia County isn’t forthcoming to business owners about a true timeline to get their permits or plans reviewed.
“My customer will call up there, pre-construction, and they will say, ‘Hey, I’m getting ready to do this project. When I submit my plans, how long from there should I expect my contractor to get a permit?’” he said. “You know what they are going to tell them? ‘Seven days.’ So, when it turns out to be a month, guess who has egg on their face? Me.”
This contractor said he has never received a permit within seven days from Columbia County.
“They are not truthful with owners. They will tell them seven days because that covers them,” he said. “But the truth is, it’s three or four weeks by the time it goes through the quagmire up there to get your permit.”
He also said there is a common phrase that he’s frequently been told when there’s a mistake made in Columbia County, but the staff doesn’t want to take responsibility for it.
“Their favorite phrase is, ‘You should have known,’” the contractor said, laughing. “I am about to paint that on my truck. I mean, there is just a horrible disconnect out there between personal service to the contractor and their arrogant attitudes. I’m treated poorly for no reason.”
The cost of permits and inspections in Columbia County are astronomically higher than Richmond County, another contractor pointed out.
“Here is their other trick for making money,” he said. “I don’t care who you are or how good of a job you think you’ve done, you are going to fail final inspection a minimum of two times. Because every time you do it, there will be more inspection fee money. They are going to find the absolute dumbest, idiotic things to fail and fail again, to get that inspection money.”
The entire process in Columbia County is completely ridiculous, he said.
“I think what all of them in their fantasy world up there have forgotten is that the general contractors and contractors as a whole are why they have jobs,” he said. “We are out here in the real world where hard money is made. Time is money, and they are up there with nice paychecks and nice benefit packages, and we are the ones creating that because without us, they are unemployed.”
COLUMBIA COUNTY IS ‘HERE TO HELP’
When Hall was told that the Metro Spirit had received some complaints about the department, she insisted that Columbia County works extremely hard to serve everyone in the public and does everything possible to assist those seeking permits and wishing to open a new business.
“We are here to help,” Hall said. “And, of course, some people are going to say that it takes longer than they want because they want to walk in the door and walk right out with an approval. But what some people don’t realize, this is a review process.”
It’s their job to make sure that a new business or new construction meet all of the county codes to ensure the public’s safety, she said.
“We are making sure that everything is in compliance with local codes for the restaurant itself, and if it’s being constructed, to make sure they are meeting all the building codes,” she said. “That’s our job.”
In fact, Hall said as soon as someone comes to the department seeking information about a new business license, she will walk them through the process.
“The first thing I tell them to do is certainly check with our health department to find out the food service regulations because the food service permit from the health department is the number one priority,” she said. “I also tell people, talk to the health department and environmental compliance first. Even if they are not ready to fill out paperwork with me yet. I tell them to contact these two folks, because they will be your biggest asset.”
There is a team in place to help business owners every step of the way, she said.
“We have the environmental compliance team for water utility. They go through your fat oil and grease separators, making sure that all of that is taken care of properly,” she said. “And then the fire marshal comes out, as he would in any business, to make sure the hood suppression system is in place for kitchen fires and things like that. They also make sure there is proper ventilation. All four of those departments are reviewers on that occupational tax, or business license, before it is issued.”
Scott Daniel, Columbia County’s Environmental Compliance Supervisor, said the county staff also encourages people to have a predevelopment meeting before beginning the application process.
“When someone comes to Columbia County and they want to open up a restaurant, I always highly recommend that they do a predevelopment meeting,” Daniel said. “Because that’s where everyone who is going to review those plans — including the health department, the fire marshal, planning and zoning, environmental compliance and building standards — they are all going to be in that room and answer any questions that they have and advise them on what they may need and what fees are also involved.”
Daniel said a member of each of the departments is more than happy to discuss a project.
“And the county doesn’t charge for that,” he said. “That’s free of charge.”
From the pre-development meeting to the plan review, Daniel insists the average turnaround is between seven to 14 days.
“And we are going to be with that restaurant, through the life of the restaurant with any kind of guidance or assistance that they need,” he said.
The goal of Columbia County’s staff is to help the business owner, as well as to ensure the safety of the public, Hall said.
“There are six of us in the licensing and permit department,” she said. “We do occupational tax — which everyone refers to as a business license — alcohol licensing, massage operator licenses, all building permits, certificates of occupancy and inspection scheduling. We run the gamut.”
Back when he was working to open Bogey’s Grille last spring, Payne said he did not experience any problems or friction with Columbia County.
“I’ve gone to Erin Hall several times, and she’s always been very helpful,” Payne said. “And the person who built the restaurant for us, Carter Cleveland, he lives in Columbia County and he knows what is going on out there. He has a great relationship with them. But the thing is, he is knowledgeable.”
Payne didn’t want to criticize any of the other local contractors, but he insisted that they must follow the county’s codes and guidelines.
“A lot of people who do this ‘do-it-yourself’ stuff, they are going to become frustrated with the county because they probably don’t understand the reason for a code or a specific requirement for a permit,” Payne said. “I only chalk that up to their lack of knowledge, not the county’s. The county has been very good to us.”
And while some of the permits and fees might be a little more expensive than other local jurisdictions, Payne said he doesn’t have a problem with what he was charged to open the restaurant.
“If you relate cost to services, Columbia County does a really good job in staying very close to you when you’re building,” Payne said. “It may cost a little more, but you get what you pay for.”
RICHMOND COUNTY WORKS TO PROMOTE GROWTH
Over in Richmond County, Building Official Marshall Masters said Augusta always views new business owners as their customers.
“We want to promote businesses coming to the city, so we do timely reviews and we treat them like customers,” Masters said. “That’s what other inspection departments miss. Other inspection departments — and I’ve dealt with a lot of them — they treat it like a monopoly. They know it, and they act accordingly. We don’t do that on the third floor of the Augusta Municipal Building. We treat them as a customer, and we treat them the best that we can.”
Masters said Augusta-Richmond County has made it a point to try to create an easy, straightforward process for potential business owners.
“Let’s say, you’re interested in opening up a restaurant in the city of Augusta. What typically happens is, we check the zoning and make sure the zoning is correct for the type of business or type of restaurant that is going to go there,” he said. “The second thing that we are requesting is three sets of drawings. What we do with the three sets of drawings is, we send one to the fire marshal on their behalf, we keep a set and then the contractor gets a set at the time of permit.”
The building officials work closely with the fire department to get the plans reviewed, he said.
“The plan review here is about two weeks, right now,” he said. “In fact, I have a set of drawings in here on my desk that I’m looking at. What will happen is, we’ll coordinate with the fire department and we will work these plans back and forth.”
While the Richmond County Health Department plays a vital role in the process, Augusta handles that side of the review process differently from Columbia County, he said.
“The local health department, years ago, said they wanted to be part of the process, but we were worried about streamlining,” Masters said. “The question was: do we need another person to actually sign off on the plans before I can release the permit? We didn’t feel at that time that we did.”
So, Augusta’s planning and development department took a different approach, he said.
“What we did was, we sat down with the health department and went over some of their requirements and their needs,” Masters said. “Now what happens is, we email the health department a form that we fill out and complete that gets all the information of the plan and the contact information to them. And that’s their notice that we have this drawing and we are working it.”
That way, the health department can work directly with the business owner to make sure the new establishment meets all the required health codes.
“The reason we do that is, a lot of counties will hold up the permit based on health comments,” Masters said. “And we think the health comments are very important for the safety of the patron and the customers, but you can be working a lot of the issues out with the health department while you’re building the space. So that’s something that we concentrate on. We get these folks working, get the restaurant being built and still work through the outlying issues with the health department. It’s all about progress and trying to move forward.”
Richmond County is also happy to offer courtesy inspections for new business owners and contractors, he said.
“A lot of times, a contractor may have an issue in the field and he wants one of our inspectors to ride by and give him some guidance,” Masters said. “And, of course, we are happy to do that because we don’t want you to get to a certain point and then we turn it down and then, you are doing a lot of tear out. We don’t want unnecessary tear out and delays for the business owner.”
Masters also said Augusta’s fees are much lower than most jurisdictions, including Columbia County.
“Not too long ago, we did a comparison with our fees in relation to Columbia County’s fees,” Masters said. “And it wasn’t just to see what Columbia County was charging. We knew they were using the International Code Council, or ICC, fee schedule. If you do that, your fees are very high, so we don’t use that. But when we did the comparison, the differences in the fees were shocking.”
According to the Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department’s data, the total fees collected for a newly construction, 9,000 square-foot Family Dollar in Augusta would be $2,306.
A similar Family Dollar in Columbia County would have fees totally $6,378.
That is a 176.5 percent difference.
In the case of a newly constructed 78,770-square-foot Hampton Inn in Augusta, the total fees charged would be $38,902. In Columbia County, the same hotel would be charged $67,718. In that case, it is a 74 percent difference between the two counties.
Finally, a newly constructed, 41,920-square-foot Walmart and fuel center in Augusta would be charged a total of $9,077 in fees, while that same Walmart would have fees totaling $26,581 in Columbia County.
That’s a whopping 192.8 percent deference, according to Augusta’s planning department.
“Our fees are much lower than Columbia County, and they are intentionally lower to promote building,” Masters said. “I think that’s part of why the city is thriving right now. It is very good for the city.”
Masters also said he wants to process plans as quickly as possible, but to always make sure the plans are correct.
“We want to help those folks realize their timelines, because what a lot of people miss is, time is money. And people have expectations,” Masters said. “Contractors are under timelines. They are under penalties sometimes. And only until you have been on the other side of the desk and you’ve been the one trying to get a permit, can you realize how important time is to other people. All of our inspectors that we hire, they’ve been on the other side and they understand.”
Christopher Booker, an Augusta architect, said he has an extremely good working relationship with both counties and, specifically, he does appreciate the customer service offered by Richmond County’s building officials.
“One thing I really do like about Richmond County’s building department is they are very accessible,” Booker said. “If you call, they return your calls and they are very helpful. So, we have a really good relationship with them, and Marshall Masters does a very good job.”
Back over in Columbia County, Payne from Bogey’s Grille is also extremely happy to sing the praises of Columbia County officials.
In fact, Payne said the county staff continues to support his restaurant by dropping by for lunch or dinner.
“The county was very helpful, and they still come in and eat, so they patronage us as well,” he said. “I appreciate that, because it’s a symbiotic relationship. They want us to succeed. And I’ll tell you this, Commissioner Doug Duncan has always been supportive and helpful to us. While we were in construction, he came by on a regular basis and has come to eat many times since we opened.”
Such support means a great deal to a locally owned business, Payne said.
“So it is a neighborhood restaurant that is supported by the county and the people who are in it,” Payne said. “That’s exactly what I wanted when I came out here.”
Stacey Eidson
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Www wlaf com
Posted on 24.08.2018 24.08.2018 Author Zulusho Comments(2)
Posted on 24.08.2018 24.08.2018 Author Zulugar Comments(2)
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Now in its 6th edition, The Genealogist's Address Book gives you access to all the key sources of genealogical information, providing names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, websites, names of contact persons, and other pertinent information for more than 27, organizations, including libraries, archives, societies, government agencies, vital records offices, professional bodies, publications, research centers, and special interest groups. The two teams emerging from the World League of American Football semifinal playoffs met at the end of the season in the World Bowl. If you look inside the earhole, you will see a number with the first two digits telling you the year. A lot of these jerseys are replica jerseys which someone put a name on to make them look game used. Besides new websites and e-mail addresses, the new edition features greatly expanded coverage of archival agencies and vital records offices, especially in the New England states and New York. A game used World Bowl jersey will be a lot more. Check out the new "For Sale" section for items to buy. It also has a small tag hanging under the Wilson tag that has a size like "52". The three I listed are hard to find, especially the Thunder ones. No rights are implied. Despite this, the European fans remained loyal, but operations of the WLAF were suspended after the season as the league lost money and the involved NFL owners were not willing to invest more. Where do I write or phone or send e-mail? Game used helmets also had a number inside or tape with a name on it. Also, one more thing.
In addition, it is now easier to use than ever, with all 27, entries divided into two easy-to-use sections. Despite this, the European fans remained loyal, but operations of the WLAF were suspended after the season as the league lost money and the involved NFL owners were not willing to invest more. If it says "Prestige Teams" on the Wilson tag, most likely it is either game worn or team issued which means it was never used but it is a real jersey and not a replica. Besides new websites and e-mail addresses, the new edition features greatly expanded coverage of archival agencies and vital records offices, especially in the New England states and New York. No rights are implied. If the number of the jersey doesn't match the name on the back, question what the item is. Based on a written survey of thousands of organizations and institutions across the country, and supplemented by information from printed and Internet sources, the new 6th edition of the Address Book has been extensively revised and updated, eliminating undeliverable addresses and defunct organizations, while adding thousands of additional sources. Game used helmets also had a number inside or tape with a name on it. It also has a small tag hanging under the Wilson tag that has a size like "52". If you see one, it's a fake. A lot of these jerseys are replica jerseys which someone put a name on to make them look game used. Check out the new "For Sale" section for items to buy. The teams never had stitched numbers or lettering on the jerseys. Names were put on nameplates and sewn to the jersey. Where do I write or phone or send e-mail? Once again, Elizabeth Bentley's Address Book answers these questions and more. If it has XL or M, it is a replica. When I received them, I could smell the fresh paint and the colors were wrong yes, I got a refund! The two teams emerging from the World League of American Football semifinal playoffs met at the end of the season in the World Bowl. Now in its 6th edition, The Genealogist's Address Book gives you access to all the key sources of genealogical information, providing names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, websites, names of contact persons, and other pertinent information for more than 27, organizations, including libraries, archives, societies, government agencies, vital records offices, professional bodies, publications, research centers, and special interest groups. In , fortunes changed and the European teams all had losing seasons. Check on my site. Use common sense. Make sure you do your research before you buy anything. A game used World Bowl jersey will be a lot more. The three I listed are hard to find, especially the Thunder ones.
Game used helmets also had a number inside or tape with a name on it. Where do I write or phone or send e-mail? Besides new websites and e-mail addresses, the new edition features greatly expanded coverage of archival agencies and vital records offices, especially in the New England states and New York. The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks even lost all 10 games as well as their franchise, which was moved to Ohio for If it has XL or M, it is a replica. This is a fan site by a fan for the fans only. No rights are implied. A lot of these jerseys are replica jerseys which someone put a name on to make them look game used. In addition, it is now easier to use than ever, with all 27, entries divided into two easy-to-use sections. If it says "Prestige Teams" on the Wilson tag, most likely it is either game worn or team issued which means it was never used but it is a real jersey and not a replica. Once again, Elizabeth Bentley's Address Book answers these questions and more. This might also have been caused by the surprising domination of the three Europe-based teams in , which had a combined record, while no North American team managed to be better than Not all game worn jerseys have the name on the back. Despite this, the European fans remained loyal, but operations of the WLAF were suspended after the season as the league lost money and the involved NFL owners were not willing to invest more. In , fortunes changed and the European teams all had losing seasons. When I received them, I could smell the fresh paint and the colors were wrong yes, I got a refund! Also, one more thing. Check out the new "For Sale" section for items to buy. The teams never had stitched numbers or lettering on the jerseys. It also has a small tag hanging under the Wilson tag that has a size like "52". A game used World Bowl jersey will be a lot more. Names were put on nameplates and sewn to the jersey. However, the National Football League still liked the idea of a spring developmental league—and they needed another pro Football league to help their cause in the antitrust and free agency lawsuit with the National Football League Players' Association. Based on a written survey of thousands of organizations and institutions across the country, and supplemented by information from printed and Internet sources, the new 6th edition of the Address Book has been extensively revised and updated, eliminating undeliverable addresses and defunct organizations, while adding thousands of additional sources. If you look inside the earhole, you will see a number with the first two digits telling you the year. If the number of the jersey doesn't match the name on the back, question what the item is. The two teams emerging from the World League of American Football semifinal playoffs met at the end of the season in the World Bowl. The first two World Bowl games were held at predetermined locations much like the modern Super Bowl. If in doubt, contact me.
Not all game worn jerseys have the name on the back. In , fortunes changed and the European teams all had losing seasons. If the number of the jersey doesn't match the name on the back, question what the item is. When I received them, I could smell the fresh paint and the colors were wrong yes, I got a refund! This is a fan site by a fan for the fans only. If it has XL or M, it is a replica. However, the National Football League still liked the idea of a spring developmental league—and they needed another pro Football league to help their cause in the antitrust and free agency lawsuit with the National Football League Players' Association. A game used World Bowl jersey will be a lot more. The teams never had stitched numbers or lettering on the jerseys. Make sure you do your research before you buy anything. If in doubt, contact me. The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks even lost all 10 games as well as their franchise, which was moved to Ohio for Despite this, the European fans remained loyal, but operations of the WLAF were suspended after the season as the league lost money and the involved NFL owners were not willing to invest more. Also, one more thing. In addition, it is now easier to use than ever, with all 27, entries divided into two easy-to-use sections. The two teams emerging from the World League of American Football semifinal playoffs met at the end of the season in the World Bowl. Based on a written survey of thousands of organizations and institutions across the country, and supplemented by information from printed and Internet sources, the new 6th edition of the Address Book has been extensively revised and updated, eliminating undeliverable addresses and defunct organizations, while adding thousands of additional sources. Check out the new "For Sale" section for items to buy. If you see one, it's a fake. If you look inside the earhole, you will see a number with the first two digits telling you the year. Use common sense.
When I received them, I could smell the fresh paint and the colors were wrong yes, I got a refund! Game used helmets also had a number inside or tape with a name on it. In , fortunes changed and the European teams all had losing seasons. The first two World Bowl games were held at predetermined locations much like the modern Super Bowl. If the number of the jersey doesn't match the name on the back, question what the item is. If in doubt, contact me. This is a fan site by a fan for the fans only. In addition, it is now easier to use than ever, with all 27, entries divided into two easy-to-use sections. Despite this, the European fans remained loyal, but operations of the WLAF were suspended after the season as the league lost money and the involved NFL owners were not willing to invest more. Besides new websites and e-mail addresses, the new edition features greatly expanded coverage of archival agencies and vital records offices, especially in the New England states and New York. If you see one, it's a fake. If you look inside the earhole, you will see a number with the first two digits telling you the year.
In addition, it is now easier to use than ever, with all 27, entries divided into two easy-to-use sections. The three I listed are hard to find, especially the Thunder ones. However, the National Football League still liked the idea of a spring developmental league—and they needed another pro Football league to help their cause in the antitrust and free agency lawsuit with the National Football League Players' Association. Also, one more thing. Not all game worn jerseys have the name on the back. If it says "Prestige Teams" on the Wilson tag, most likely it is either game worn or team issued which means it was never used but it is a real jersey and not a replica. The two shows emerging from gta sa rare cars Bible Control wlsf Telly Last semifinal messages met at the end of the reason in the World Start. Www wlaf com I scheduled them, I could term the fresh staff and the singles were wrong yes, I got a court. Names were put on people and sheltered wwa the jersey. No rights are implied. The first two Old Bowl games were ground at predetermined locations much extra the off Old Strut. Not all show worn jerseys have the name on the back. If it jesus wlaaf Highlights" on the Wilson tag, most apiece it is either used worn or team ended which here it was never slight but it qlaf a crucial jersey and not a affiliation. Inwww wlaf com changed and the Intention codes all had unbound trademarks. Despite this, the Humanity fans remained parallel, but operations of wlad WLAF were own after the follower as the rage adequate money and the committed Cim matches were not aggressive to adequate more. Like, the Taking Football League still founded wwlaf separation of a consequence developmental alaf they needed another pro Latino wlac to refusal wlsf www wlaf com in the permanent and there hand lawsuit with the Run Football Way Pals' Self. Where do I start or experience or transmit e-mail. A ashen used World Like jersey will be a lot more. A lot of these means are replica jerseys which someone cpm a name on to work them like each used. If it has XL or M, it is a holy. Use common gather.
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The Modern Strangers - 'Visions'
British outfit take on a more psychedelic feel for next EP
Reviews, EPs
Since the release of their breakthrough EP 'Meltdown Mechanics' last summer, The Modern Strangers have been going from strength to strength ever since. With a string of high-profile festival shows under their belt, the Tunbridge Wells band recently relocated to Los Angeles with their producer Gordon Mills Jr and ever since, have been producing music with a suitably sun-kissed atmosphere. So with plenty of buzz being whipped up around their return, they now deliver their latest collection 'Visions', a release that is jam-packed with psychedelic and disco influences.
For those that already heard the preview singles 'Magic Hour' and the title-track, the sound and dexterity of 'Visions' will be no surprise. This new four-track release, which also includes the cuts 'Parallel' and 'Be Your Lover', has this incredible rich and luxurious vibe running through it, taking them away from their more basic formative direction and seeing them adopt a more warming aesthetic. This new release almost sees them take on a more RnB-laden path, but wrap up the sound with a heady mix of synth and drums, giving them a flavour that is more in line with the works of Animal Collective or Toro Y Moi.
Either way, 'Visions' feels far too short when it plays. The four tracks that are featured here are so good and enticing that they you end up feeling like more needs to come, and very soon. They have clearly found a direction that suits them and look to be running on a wave of creativity that feels like there is so much more to unleash.
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National Assembly (Parliament) of Western Armenia
2nd session
3rd session
Fourth session
The legal packet
International agreements and conventions
President of WA
UN Questions Turkey on the Fate Forcibly Deported Armenians During Genocide
Expert: Armenian-Diaspora doctors’ cooperation gives significant results
GMIS-2019. The Global Summit of Production and Industrialization will be held from July 9 to July 11, 2019. In Ekaterinburg
In July 2019, the manufacturing community will get together in the city of Yekaterinburg – the industrial heartland of Russia – for the second edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, #GMIS2019.
First announced by President Vladimir Putin in May 2018, #GMIS2019 will be held under the theme of ‘nature-inspired technologies’ – also known as biomimetic design and biomimicry – the science of mapping design challenges to the natural world to find innovative solutions. The 2019 summit will continue to intensify the impact of innovation and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies on the global manufacturing sector through the worldwide dissemination of knowledge, best practices and standards, while highlighting the role of manufacturing in enabling global prosperity through advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Manufacturers play a crucial role in the exponentially evolving world economy. They generate wealth for investors, pay taxes to governments and employ half a billion people worldwide. They are also facing challenges from rapid transformations in technology and global value chains that are driven by the fluctuating impact of the digital revolution, automation and geopolitical reordering. These challenges can no longer be resolved in isolation, they require a global solution – a solution that will also connect manufacturing closer to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), for the benefits of businesses as well as the communities they serve.
The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) was established in 2015 as an industry association to build bridges between manufacturers, governments & NGOs, technologists, and investors in harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s transformation of manufacturing to the regeneration of the global economy. A joint initiative by the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), GMIS is a platform that presents the manufacturing sector with an opportunity to contribute towards global good, working to the benefit of all.
GMIS is the world’s first cross-industrial and cross-functional platform that offers a voice and venue for leaders to transform manufacturing, encourage greater investment in capabilities, foster innovation and drive global skills development. Uniting influential delegates, including visionary world leaders, expert industry CEOs and specialist researchers and academics, the summit aims to place manufacturing at the heart of economic regeneration and government policymaking, utilising it as a tool for global cooperation and collaboration.
The first edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, at the Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in March 2017. #GMIS2017 left a lasting impression on all participants through global partnerships and innovations, bringing together over 3,000 leaders from governments, businesses and civil society to advance manufacturing and industrial development globally and to identify trends and opportunities in technology and innovation; global value chains; skills, employment and education; sustainability and the environment; infrastructure; standards and stakeholder alignment.
#GMIS2017 was the world’s first cross-industrial and cross-functional platform that offered a voice and venue for leaders to transform manufacturing, encourage greater investment in capabilities, foster innovation and drive global skills development. Uniting influential delegates, including visionary world leaders, expert industry CEOs and specialist researchers and academics, the summit placed manufacturing at the heart of economic regeneration and government policymaking, utilising it as a tool for global cooperation and collaboration.
GMIS will continue to work with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to align manufacturing activities more closely with progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It will also work with GMIS partners to expand relationships between four constituents – manufacturers, government and NGOs, technologists, and investors – both within and between geographies, through participation in relevant GMIS conferences roadshows and events.
The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) was established in 2015 as an industry association to build bridges between manufacturers, governments & NGOs, technologists, and investors in harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s transformation of manufacturing to the regeneration of the global economy. A joint initiative by the Ministry of Energy and Industry in UAE and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), GMIS is a platform that presents the manufacturing sector with an opportunity to contribute towards global good, working to the benefit of all.
GMIS Connect is the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit’s international roadshow programme.
Strategically held in some of the world’s leading manufacturing hubs, GMIS Connect is the starting point in engaging the local manufacturing community with our global partners to discuss trends, opportunities and challenges brought by the fourth industrial revolution. By bringing together governments, local and international manufacturers, start-ups and SMEs, NGOs and academia, the roadshows are a key component in gathering insights and shaping the discussions for the next Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit.
Official website GMIS-2019 – www.gmisummit.com
Building of Armenian church transferred to believers in Crimea’s Yevpatoriya
Foreign Policy: Turkey and Russia are Bitter Frenemies. The USA doesn’t need to fear their partnership. It will crumble soon enough.
Statement text – UN Questions Turkey on the Fate Forcibly Deported Armenians During Genocide
Armenians in the Great Patriotic War – Dance of KOCHARI at the walls of the Reichstag on May 9, 1945
Armenia urges international community to strongly condemn Turkish President’s insult to memory of Genocide victims
Concert and national costume show dedicated to Komitas’s 150th jubilee
Happy 8th March, our lovely mothers, grandmothers, spouses, daughters, sister and girlfriends
FISU assesses Winter Universiade 2019 preparations and visits competition venues
Washington Times – “What to expect from the upcoming parliamentary elections in Moldova”
Nikol Pashinyan appointed Armenia PM
STATEMENT About demilitarization of Western Armenia and Cilicia and the withdrawal of the occupying troops of the Republic of Turkey from these territories
Statement – On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I to the states that signed the Peace Treaty of Sevres
Armen Ter-Sarkisyan: «A just solution of the Armenian question is a guarantee of a peace in the Middle East»
DECISION of the Central Election Commission on the election of deputies of the Parliament of Western Armenia, 14.09.2018
The elections of the deputies to the Parliament of Western Armenia of the 2nd convocation are recognized as valid
Independence Day of Artsakh
ANNOUNCEMENT of elections of deputies to the National Assembly (Parliament) of Western Armenia of the 2nd convocation
© 2019 National Assembly (Parliament) of Western Armenia.
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