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CIMI at Toyon Bay Summer Camp
Allen Jones
Catalina Sea Camp Maintenance Director
"This is the best job I have ever had. It allows me to "give back" with regards to sharing my knowledge with my team members. It is also a privilege to work for a company that directly impacts the lives of children in such a positive way. Being a part of this mission is very rewarding."
With decades of experience in the construction trades, Allen Jones began working for Guided Discoveries in 2009. Drawn by the challenge of operating and maintaining a 90-acre facility, he jokes that it helps that the facility is on a beach on Santa Catalina Island. Allen's past experience includes directing projects for Habitat for Humanity.
Raised in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Allen grew up enjoying ocean sports. Although he does not work on or in the water, he said it is close enough to afford a "wonderful backdrop in which to work."
Contact Allen at allen@cimi.org or 310.510.1622
Dave Work
Catalina Island Marine Institute Director
"If our program cycled through new clientele all the time, I'm not sure it would be as gratifying. But there are many group leaders that have been coming as long as I've worked there. Seeing them year after year, and having started with many of them when we started our Cherry Cove program, reinforces that what we do is substantive and makes a difference. We all do it for the kids, but when teachers say it is a big part of their life, you know you're on a good wicket."
Dave joined Guided Discoveries as an Instructor in 1989 at Cherry Cove. He enjoyed teaching biology on a remote island and being part of the unique CIMI community. He soon advanced to Assistant Program Director at then to Program Director at Cherry Cove. During the 1990's Dave also worked the summer at Catalina Sea Camp as the Program Director. Dave became the Program Director for Toyon Bay and in 1999 was asked to become the CIMI Director.
As the director of the Catalina Island Marine Institute, Dave oversees the operation for CIMI at Toyon Bay, Fox Landing and Cherry Cove. He directly supervises the department directors and the financial operations of the program. Dave also works closely with the GDI Project Director on all facility improvements and renovations. During the summer, Dave teaches scuba diving at Catalina Sea Camp along with his other management duties. Dave is a very thoughtful individual who has great insight into the overall CIMI and Guided Discoveries operations.
Dave spent his early childhood in Sacramento and spent his high school years in Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Science with honors from the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, and with a Bachelors of Science in biology and wildlife management from the University of Wisconsin.While with Guided Discoveries he also earned his scuba certification and became a NAUI Scuba Diving Instructor. Dave is also a USCG Licensed Captain. He lives at Toyon Bay with his wife Katie, who he met at CIMI.
Dave is an avid nature lover. He spent much of his youth hiking and fishing in the out of doors. While in Africa he went on safari and worked as a guide in a game park after finishing the university. He has explored Catalina on land and by water. Scuba diving and boating are among his favorite past times on the island.
Contact Dave at dave@cimi.org or 310.510.1622
Glen "Sweep" Schubert
Sail Director
"The Toyon Bay Yacht Club not only offers the most fun sailing experience imaginable but also an opportunity for our campers to experience learning a new skill that seems simple but is very complex. Sailing forces kids to be aware of their surroundings. Everything around them is important and they must figure out where they fit into it all; wind, waves, island and ocean. I am honored to be able to help facilitate and guide our young yachties along this journey"
Glen began working at Toyon Bay for Guided Discoveries during the summer of 2010 as part of the sail staff and has not looked back. He has since spent each summer since then and three seasons on CIMI's tall ship Tole Mour as a marine science instructor.
Growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, Glen was not exposed to the ocean but his love for being on the water and sailing began at an early age when his parents would tie him onto their Hobie 16 at 2 years of age. Sailing Lake Michigan on his parent's 23 foot O'Day cemented his love for sailing and he would continue to pursue this career by racing on the collegiate level and starting a career on tall ships.
In 2010 he earned his Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Over the next year he worked in Camden, Maine aboard the windjammer Angelique and then spent a winter teaching skiing in Park City, Utah. The decision to transition into teaching sailing was not a hard one and he was excited to take the position at the Toyon Bay Yacht club in the summer of 2010.
He can now be found working full time at Toyon Bay, as a science instructor during the school year and the sail director during the summers. After getting dive certified his first summer, Glen now enjoys all aspects of the ocean whether he diving or spearfishing in the ocean or sailing on top. Having the best job in the world, it is hard to decide what might come next but he plans to become a teacher one day somewhere.
Jane Bailey
Catalina Sea Camp Food Service Director
"I love the challenge of the different job details between school and summer groups. It keeps it exciting – there's never a dull moment when feeding 300 people. I love how Ross and Kristi started up this company and how they have built it up, accomplishing their dream. It's what's great about this company and all the love they put into it. It shows."
Jane's tenure with Guided Discoveries began in 2008, when she was hired to help with the kitchen's salad bar, but it was her decades of experience cooking for hundreds of hungry people each day that set her up to easily transition into the role of Director of Food Service at Toyon Bay, a position she has held since 2010.
Jane's on-the-job experience in food service began in the 1980s, when she managed all aspects of running a fast-food restaurant, from bookkeeping to budget planning, and hiring, training and ordering food for the establishment.
From there, she worked overnight at the bakery in a grocery store, making breads, rolls, pies and doughnuts from scratch, as well as managing the bakery and the bread section for the entire store.
Jane then worked for a school district in Missouri, helping manage a cafeteria at one of the largest schools in the district and serving breakfast and lunch to more than 1,000 kids each day. She also operated a kitchen at a church camp during this time.
At Toyon Bay, she oversees eight employees and ensures that about 300 rumbling tummies are fed three times a day each day. She orders all of the food, writes menus for campers and staff, and bakes cookies and breads from scratch.
Jane also keeps in touch with parents about food allergies and special diets their children may require.
She is certified in health and sanitation, and is certified as a Servsafe Food Handler.
Contact Jane at jane@cimi.org or 310.510.1622
Jeff Chace
Catalina Sea Camp Science & Adventure Director
"Guided Discoveries is an amazing company with a worthwhile mission. We work hard to provide kids with an opportunity to explore nature and spark their curiosity. … I love to hear our students talk about how this great experience has made an impact. I love to hear kids talk about schools of leopard sharks, squishy algae and vibrant stars. I am not sure that you could find all of these elements in any other job!"
It wasn't exactly schools, but more like schools of fish that got Jeff Chace interested in marine science. Jeff grew up in a Boston suburb and spent summers on Cape Cod, spending his hours investigating tide pools, fishing, swimming and sailing. When his parents bought him his first fish tank, Jeff was, well, hooked.
As Cherry Cove Marine Science Instructor, Jeff is in charge of a staff of 28 and the educational areas that provide the outdoor education program to students. He hires, coaches, leads, develops curriculum and implements programming ideas while taking charge of students' safety and medical needs. He also captains boats and leads the island scholar program.
His experience with Guided Discoveries has been in roles including Assistant Program Director and Aquarist at Cherry Cove; Toyon Bay Aquarist, Dive Staff, Boat Captain, Science and Adventure Director and Program Director; and Fox Landing founding Program Director.
Since the early 1990s, Jeff has worked or volunteered in marine science education at places including the New England Aquarium, Cape Outdoor Discovery, Newfound Harbor Marine Institute, Stephen Birch Aquarium, San Diego Floating Classroom and Seacamp San Diego.
Jeff has a bachelor's in Zoology with a minor in Marine Biology from the University of New Hampshire. He is certified in CPR, pediatric first at and holds a 50-ton captain's license.
Contact Jeff at jeff@cimi.org or 310.510.1622
Matthew Hess
Catalina Sea Camp Dive Director
"I am proud to work for Guided Discoveries. Our motivated and innovative team has created top-notch programs that enrich the lives of thousands of children every month. Our Dive Department enhances the tradition of excellence, challenging students academically and physically to produce the finest young divers in the industry."
Matt began working for Guided Discoveries in 2009 on Toyon Bay's marine science instructional staff. Since then he has assumed the roles of Assistant Program Director during the school-year and Dive Director during the summer. His primary responsibilities include maintaining the high standards of our programs and ensuring the safety of participants.
Although he hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Matt felt the draw of the ocean at an early age. He spent his summers in high school surfing the Outer Banks of North Carolina and his winters dreaming about it.
In 2007 he earned a Bachelors of Science with academic honors from the University of the South with majors in psychology and ecology. In his free time, he could be found outside running, rock climbing, biking, snowshoeing, or trying out his new hobby: scuba diving. After college, his strong academic background and love of the outdoors motivated him to seek a career in experiential education. He happily accepted a position at CIMI, knowing that it has a reputation as the best outdoor education facility in the country.
He continued his scuba education across the globe, learning to rescue dive in Toyon Bay, becoming a divemaster in Honduras and doing his first technical decompression dive in Indonesia. He aspires to become an instructor trainer and eventually a technical diving instructor. Although he enjoys diving across the globe, his favorite dive spots are right here on Catalina Island.
Paul "Buttercup" Kupferman
Catalina Sea Camp Summer Operations Director
"Catalina Sea Camp … provided me the confidence that I could take home with me and apply to my daily academic and social life. I am proud to say that my job is to give youths the same experience that I benefited from many years ago."
Paul has been involved with Guided Discoveries since 1986, first as a camper, then Counselor, Head Counselor, Summer Camp Director and his recent post as Summer Operations Director.
He spent his formative years in Costa Mesa, California. He moved to landlocked St. Louis, Missouri, when he was 13, but his parents allowed him to fly out each summer and return to his beloved island paradise of Catalina Sea Camp.
Paul holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a board member for the Western Association of Independent Camps. He is also actively involved in the American Camp Association. Paul has received the Paul Somers Golden Acorn Award honoring his contributions to the field of organized camping.
Contact Paul at paul@catalinaseacamp.org or 909.625.6194 (winter) or 310.510.1622 (summer)
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Why you can’t utter a word against Israel in the US
Opinion Op-Eds
Any criticism of the Jewish nation’s policies could seriously jeopardise careers
Published: December 05, 2018 16:50 Fawaz Turki, Special to Gulf News
Marc Lamont Hill Image Credit: Supplied
Yes, it is true, we live in dangerous times. At least those in the United States, a nation where free speech, even of the venomous variety, spouted off, say, by racist groups such as the Aryan Nation and the Klan, is protected by the First Amendment — but not when it comes to Israel. In the US these days, criticise Israel and you lose your job. As simple as that. This is a fact of life worthy of Ripley’s Believe It or Not, you say, but it’s a fact nevertheless, creepy though it may be.
Last week, CNN fired its liberal pundit Marc Lamont Hill, professor of Media Studies and Urban Education at Temple University in Philadelphia, after he delivered a speech at the United Nations where he expressed his frank views about the Palestine conflict.
Hill, who happens to be African-American, delivered the speech as part of the UN’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In it, he accused Israel of unchecked discrimination, but his remarks caused a furore because of his use of one sentence, the last in the address, where he called for a “free Palestine from the river to the sea”.
Beyond CNN, Patrick O’Connor, chairman of the university’s board, came out with guns blazing, telling reporters that Hill’s remark “blackened our name ... we wanted to fire him right away”. Leonard Barrack, a Temple trustee, said that Hill “called for the destruction of Israel in coded words”, and Morton A. Klein, President of the Zionist Organisation of America, in a lunatic resort to hyperbole, said the professor’s observations amounted to an endorsement of “violent genocide against Jews”, and called for the professor’s immediate dismissal. Though the termination of Hill’s contract with CNN was easy, his career as an academic is not in immediate jeopardy, since he has tenure, making it difficult to dismiss him. But clearly the man’s career as a television personality, author and researcher have been compromised.
Those are the facts of life in the US today — creepy. You don’t criticise Israel and hope to get away with it in America.
There has never been anything like it in the whole history of that country’s political culture.
Consider the case of the late Alexander Cockburn. Cockburn, a sharp-witted journalist who wrote hard-nosed columns in the Village Voice, the hip New York City Newsweekly, and who was a long-running critic of Israel, was dismissed by his editors in 1984 after it was reported that he had accepted a $10,000 (Dh36,780) grant from the Arab-American University Graduates Association. That was all that Israel’s supporters, who had been gunning for him for a while, need — a putative smoking gun. The Voice determined at the time that the grant represented a “conflict of interest” and Cockburn was fired.
Then, in their most notorious display of prowess, these same supporters went after the late Helen Thomas, the Lebanese-American doyenne of the White House press corps, who had covered the administrations of several US presidents — from John F. Kennedy to the second year of Barack Obama’s tenure in office, and was the first female director of the National Press Club in Washington. Yet, even Thomas’s stature in the media world was no defence against the pathology of these demented pressure groups.
When, on the White House lawn, in May 2010, an activist rabbi, one David Mesenoff, questioned Thomas on whether she “had anything to say to Israelis”, she responded with a few blunt observations, including this one: “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.” When this caused a brouhaha and she was accused of anti-Semitism, she shot back that she herself was a Semite, being of Arab descent. In a later interview on CNN, Thomas defended her comments, adding: “We have [in the US] organised lobbyists in favour of Israel. You can’t open your mouth. I can call the president of the US anything in the book, but you say one thing about Israel and you’re off limits.”
It didn’t take long for the gates to open. Thomas’s agency, Nine Speakers, that had syndicated her column, dropped her. A scheduled delivery of a commencement speech was cancelled. The White House Correspondents Association, over which she had once presided, issued a statement calling her remarks “indefensible”. Even the then president Obama put in his five cents worth, calling those remarks “offensive” and “out of line”.
In October that year, during a radio interview with Scott Spears on WMRN, Thomas, reflecting on her ordeal, simply said: “I hit the third rail. You can’t criticise Israel in this country and survive”.
You can’t. Believe it or not.
Fawaz Turki is a journalist, lecturer and author based in Washington. He is the author of The Disinherited: Journal of a Palestinian Exile.
More From Op-Eds
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Trump’s racist rant un-American
Visa rule changes: A good day’s work in the UAE
New visa regime a shot in the arm for UAE
Blaming Saudi Arabia won’t help Sri Lanka
The mystery of the missing tanker
UAE private sector gets more support
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Tag Archives: credibility
Administrative law, Migration
Unreasonableness and being a ‘reformed homosexual man’ or ‘genuinely bisexual’
A particularly egregious example of unreasonableness is Abboud v Minister [2018] FCA 185 in which the Tribunal made arbitrary assumptions as to how a gay person ought to behave. The Tribunal has now on several occasions rejected persecution claims on the basis of sexuality through means of suggesting the applicant is involved in a gay ‘conspiracy theory’. Patently, such approach is unreasonable, irrational or demonstrative of failing to engage with the material before it. The entire Abboud decision is worth reading in order to expose the audacity of the Tribunal’s reasoning, but see especially [23]-[26].
credibilityillogicalityunreasonableness
Administrative law, Evidence, Migration
Credibility and allegedly ‘inconsistent’ evidence
Frequently a decision-maker will leap to a conclusion that an applicant has been ‘inconsistent’ in his or her account. Frequently also, a decision-maker will bandy this label of ‘inconsistency’ incorrectly.
Often, in truth something may not be ‘inconsistent’. For example, the omission of making a particular claim at interview 1 does not mean it is an ‘inconsistency’ if raised in interview 2: see AVQ15 v Minister [2018] FCAFC 133 at [27].
Also, just because there is an ‘inconsistency’ (assuming that word is used correctly), it does not follow that a credibility issue emerges. For example, a minor inconsistency cannot be transformed into a reason to disregard the whole of an applicant’s claims: see AVQ15 v Minister [2018] FCAFC 133 at [28]; Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZRKT [2013] FCA 317; 212 FCR 99 at [78].
Further, special attention needs to be given to the circumstances in which an applicant is giving evidence, before leaping to a conclusion of ‘inconsistency’ (or for that matter, adverse credit). Thus, if an applicant warns that he or she is only giving a ‘summary’ which is ‘not an exhaustive statement’ and will be giving more detail at a later stage, a failure to appreciate that qualification may create a jurisdictional error: see AVQ15 v Minister [2018] FCAFC 133 at [28], [30], [33], [41].
credibilityinconsistency
Evidence, Migration
Findings of fact apparently based on credibility cannot shield what is otherwise incontrovertible
A tribunal of fact cannot insulate its fact-finding by asserting that it is all based on credibility. This obvious proposition was explained in Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118:
[28] Over more than a century, this Court, and courts like it, have given instruction on how to resolve the dichotomy between the foregoing appellate obligations and appellate restraint. From time to time, by reference to considerations particular to each case, different emphasis appears in such reasons. However, the mere fact that a trial judge necessarily reached a conclusion favouring the witnesses of one party over those of another does not, and cannot, prevent the performance by a court of appeal of the functions imposed on it by statute. In particular cases incontrovertible facts or uncontested testimony will demonstrate that the trial judge’s conclusions are erroneous, even when they appear to be, or are stated to be, based on credibility findings.
[29] That this is so is demonstrated in several recent decisions of this Court. In some, quite rare, cases, although the facts fall short of being “incontrovertible”, an appellate conclusion may be reached that the decision at trial is “glaringly improbable” or “contrary to compelling inferences” in the case. In such circumstances, the appellate court is not relieved of its statutory functions by the fact that the trial judge has, expressly or implicitly, reached a conclusion influenced by an opinion concerning the credibility of witnesses. In such a case, making all due allowances for the advantages available to the trial judge, the appellate court must “not shrink from giving effect to” its own conclusion. Finality in litigation is highly desirable. Litigation beyond a trial is costly and usually upsetting. But in every appeal by way of rehearing, a judgment of the appellate court is required both on the facts and the law. It is not forbidden (nor in the face of the statutory requirement could it be) by ritual incantation about witness credibility, nor by judicial reference to the desirability of finality in litigation or reminders of the general advantages of the trial over the appellate process.
(footnotes omitted)
appealcredibility
Credibility and omissions of claims from entry interview
In MZZJO v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCAFC 80, North, Bromberg and Mortimer JJ observed at [56]:
some caution should be exercised by decision-makers in relation to omissions by applicants of matters at entry interview. They are conducted shortly after a person has arrived in Australia; in the case of the appellant, after a long journey on the ocean in cramped and difficult conditions. On the evidence, a significant part of the entry interview content concerns questions designed to elicit information about so-called “people smuggling”. They are the first substantive and formal engagement with Australian officials by people who come, as the appellant does, from regimes where authority figures may be viewed with some fear and mistrust. A person is asked to articulate personal matters of family and individual history not only to a strange official, but also to an interpreter who is a stranger, without the assistance and support of a lawyer or migration agent. It is unlikely many interviewees appreciate the use to which the information they give might be put, notwithstanding the script which is read to them. The interviewees are being asked to digest a lot of information quickly and in circumstances they may perceive as hostile.
credibilityentry interview
Attacking findings of adverse credibility
The Minister’s common retort that making findings as to credibility is a task of the tribunal ‘par excellence’ is often abused. That tautology does not mean that credibility findings cannot be challenged in judicial review. Criticism of the abuse of ‘par excellence’ was made in CQG15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCAFC 146 at [36]-[38]:
Before considering the arguments in detail, there is one topic which this appeal usefully highlights. That credibility is a matter par excellence for the Tribunal is an expression often used. It stems from Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Durairajasingham [2000] HCA 1; 74 ALJR 405 per McHugh J. At [67]-[68] his Honour, sitting in the High Court’s original jurisdiction as a single judge, said (footnotes omitted):
67 In addition, the prosecutor alleges that the Tribunal breached s 430(1) by failing to set out reasons for its finding that the prosecutor’s claim that members of PLOTE tried to recruit him were “utterly implausible”. However, this was essentially a finding as to whether the prosecutor should be believed in his claim – a finding on credibility which is the function of the primary decision maker par excellence. If the primary decision maker has stated that he or she does not believe a particular witness, no detailed reasons need to be given as to why that particular witness was not believed. The Tribunal must give the reasons for its decision, not the sub-set of reasons why it accepted or rejected individual pieces of evidence. In any event, the reason for the disbelief is apparent in this case from the use of the word “implausible”. The disbelief arose from the Tribunal’s view that it was inherently unlikely that the events had occurred as alleged.
68 But there is a more fundamental reason why the argument based on s 430 fails to support a claim for prerogative relief. Even if, contrary to my view, there was a breach of s 430(1) by the Tribunal, it would not amount to a jurisdictional error. In Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Eshetu, Gummow J referred to the requirement that, before granting a protection visa, the Minister and, on review, the Tribunal be “satisfied” that the prosecutor was a refugee. That requirement arose from ss 36 and 65 of the Act. His Honour said:
“A determination that the decision-maker is not ‘satisfied’ that an applicant answers a statutory criterion which must be met before the decision-maker is empowered or obliged to confer a statutory privilege or immunity goes to the jurisdiction of the decision-maker and is reviewable under s 75(v) of the Constitution.”
The prosecutor argued at the hearing that s 430(1)(c) “feeds into the ascertainment of the Minister’s satisfaction” and that it is “an integral part of ascertaining the jurisdictional fact”.
(emphasis added)
It is important to note that McHugh J’s observations and his Honour’s use of the phrase “par excellence” were made in the specific context of a claim that the Tribunal had not complied with its statutory obligation under s 430 of the Migration Act to give reasons for its decision. Nothing said by McHugh J suggests that the Tribunal’s adverse findings on credibility are not amenable to judicial review on jurisdictional error grounds. There is a risk that a mechanical use of the phrase “par excellence” as a formula fails sufficiently to appreciate this important reality. The fact that credibility is a matter for the Tribunal to determine as a question of fact does not mean that challenges to credibility are not open. This appeal illustrates three of a number of potential bases of challenge to credibility findings on well‑established legal precedent. In the present appeal, the foundation for the challenge is on the basis of no logical or probative basis for the finding in relation to ground 1, illogicality and/or irrationality in relation to ground 2, and, in relation to ground 3, a lack of natural justice.
There are several other potential bases upon which credit findings can be challenged. Recitation of the expression that credibility is a matter par excellence should not be understood as precluding challenges to credibility or, indeed, other findings of fact on any basis. While there is no suggestion in this case that this is what has occurred, the frequency of adoption of the expression should not obscure the availability of challenges on recognised grounds, such as:
(a) failure to afford procedural fairness;
(b) reaching a finding without any logical or probative basis;
(c) unreasonableness; and/or
(d) jurisdictional error as discussed by Flick J in SZVAP.
credibilityjurisdictional error
Zealous findings of untruthfulness
In NRM Corporation Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2016] FCAFC 98, the Full Court endorsed the (long-standing) proposition that one should be cautious in making active findings of witness untruthfulness.
[147] It should nevertheless be accepted at the outset that a finding that a witness has been “untruthful” attracts a necessary exercise of judicial caution: cf. Smith v New South Wales Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 256 at 268. Justices Brennan, Dawson, Toohey and Gaudron there observed:
It is particularly important in disciplinary cases, where the honesty and candour of legal practitioners assume special significance, that the distinction between the rejection of a person’s evidence and a positive finding that he or she deliberately lied be observed. The mere rejection of evidence can neither justify a consequence over and above that which properly attaches to the matter charged, nor deprive the person of the benefit of personal considerations which might otherwise be taken into account. The matter was put succinctly, although in a different context, by Cussen J in R v Richmond ([1920] VLR 9 at 12):
It would certainly act as a deterrent even to an innocent man giving evidence, especially where there is a strong case against him, if he knew that if the jury does not accept his evidence he may receive a sentence heavier than otherwise would be imposed.
A finding that a person deliberately lied when giving evidence is, in effect, a finding of perjury and, thus, it ought not to be made on “the single oath of another man, without any confirmatory evidence.
[150] Where there has been “significant delay” [in providing reasons], it has been said that “it is incumbent upon a trial judge to inform the parties of the reasons why the evidence of a particular witness has been rejected”: Expectation Pty Ltd v PRD Realty Pty Ltd [2004] FCAFC 189 at [72] per Carr, Emmett and Gyles JJ.
In Re Zheng and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (2011) 121 ALD 372, Deputy President Forgie of the AAT referred to the obvious proposition that a witness being untruthful in one aspect of his or her evidence does not mean that the entirety of the witness’s evidence is untruthful. Similarly, there is an important distinction between evidence not being credible, and the witness not being credible. There was extensive discussion of this at [64]-[76].
These are important reminders of how decision-makers must not rush to condemn witnesses and applicants as outright liars, as is far too often the case. Whether misconceived, over-zealous findings of adverse credibility might lead to jurisdictional error is yet to be fully-explored, but questions of reasonableness appear to be relevant. In BTF15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCA 647, Katzmann J criticised a finding that witnesses fabricated evidence as ‘unreasonable’. At [56], her Honour said:
I am troubled by the Tribunal’s conclusion that the statements of the two witnesses were fabricated. It is one thing to find that evidence should not be given any weight. It is quite another to conclude that evidence is a fabrication. The High Court has said in a different context that “as a matter of logic and common sense, something more than mere rejection of a person’s evidence is necessary before there can be a positive finding that he or she deliberately lied in the giving of that evidence”: Smith v New South Wales Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 256 at 268 (Brennan, Dawson, Toohey and Gaudron JJ). The Tribunal was entitled to find that the evidence of the two witnesses could not overcome the inconsistencies in the appellant’s account. It was unnecessary and inappropriate, however, for the Tribunal to go further and find that their evidence was a fabrication: Smith at 271–2 (Deane J). In the circumstances, that finding was unreasonable. It should not have been made.
About 11 years earlier, the Federal Court observed in Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairsv Maltsin [2005] FCAFC 118 at [54] that the damning of witnesses other than the applicant might be a jurisdictional error, in at least two distinct ways:
… It was, however, unfair in the circumstances to condemn as dishonest a group of individuals, some of whom had and some of whom had not prepared statements for the Tribunal, in circumstances where they had no chance at all to answer such an accusation, especially as the basis for the finding of dishonesty was not self-evident.
Mahon v Air New Zealand may also provide some support for the proposition that, where the rules of procedural fairness apply, they control the hearing before the relevant administrative body generally and, at least in some circumstances, may enure for the benefit of persons other than an applicant: see, however, the discussion in Re Hurd and Hewitt [1994] 120 DLR (4th) 105, reversing Hurd v Hewitt (1991) 13 Admin LR (2d) 223. Although each of these authorities is distinguishable from the present case, each indicates that it is at least arguable that a denial of procedural fairness to a person other than an applicant before the Tribunal may in some circumstances impinge on the validity of the ultimate decision. Alternatively, this may be a case in which the Tribunal’s “web of deceit” finding so lacked any reasonable foundation that, to adopt the language of Allsop J in NADH of 2001 v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCAFC 328 (“NADH of 2001“) at [136]:
“To assert conclusions of this kind in this way may be seen as not to engage in a reasoning process, but to assert conclusions by a process that is no more than an intuitive, arbitrary or capricious response to the task.”
In view of the errors already identified, however, it is unnecessary to determine whether a failure to act fairly as regards the respondents’ family and friends could amount to a jurisdictional error that would vitiate the decision, or an error of the kind described by Allsop J in NADH of 2001.
In Bax v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2003] FCAFC 55 the Full Federal Court observed at [16]:
The circumstances here were such as to make applicable what, in Mahon v Air New Zealand Ltd [1984] 1 AC 808, Lord Diplock identified as one of the rules of natural justice. His Lordship said at 821:
“The second rule requires that any person represented at the inquiry who will be adversely affected by the decision to make the finding should not be left in the dark as to the risk of the finding being made and thus deprived of any opportunity to adduce additional material of probative value which, had it been placed before the decision-maker, might have deterred him from making the finding even though it cannot be predicted that it would inevitably have had that result. (Original emphasis.)”
See also Re Refugee Tribunal; Ex parte Aala (2000) 204 CLR 82, at 116 [par 78], (Gaudron and Gummow JJ) and 121 [par 101] (McHugh J). In Aala (supra), at par [101] McHugh J said:
“One of the fundamental rules of the fair hearing doctrine is that a decision-maker should not make an adverse finding relevant to a person’s rights, interests or legitimate expectations unless the decision-maker has warned that person of the risk of that finding being made or unless the risk necessarily inheres in the issues to be decided.
The Full Federal Court in CQG15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCAFC 146 concluded:
It may be accepted that cases such as SZNPG and Smith do make the point that, unless it is strictly necessary, it is preferable not to reach a conclusion that an applicant is a “liar”. But while this is indeed sound practice, the remarks do not suggest that the Tribunal will have fallen into jurisdictional error if it does reach such a finding. There was ample foundation in this instance for the Tribunal to reach the conclusion that the appellant was not a witness of truth.
However, that observation does not preclude that sometime a finding that a person has ‘lied’ might be unreasonable, and for that reason, a jurisdictional error.
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Latest info on artists, songwriters, producers, and record labels
Hamada Mania Music Blog
Tag Archives: Lindy Robbins
Jason Derulo’s “Theory of Love” leaks online
A new song by Jason Derulo has leaked online.
“Theory of Love” was written by Lindy Robbins (Nina Nesbitt, Toni Braxton), Talay Riley (Prince Royce, Nick Jonas) and Daniel “Robopop” Omelio (Charli XCX, Lana Del Rey).
It is yet to be known whether the track is slotted for inclusion on the American singer/songwriter’s upcoming fifth studio collection, which will arrive later this year via Beluga Heights / Warner Bros. Records.
The still-untitled project reportedly features alliances with Digital Farm Animals, Freddy Wexler, Matt Zara, BullySongs, Jim Lavigne, Ryan Tedder, Sermstyle, Happy Perez, Jeff Gitty, Nova Wav, and Banx & Ranx.
Derulo’s last studio collection, 2015’s “Everything is Four,” peaked to number four on the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart and spawned singles “Want to Want Me,” “Cheyenne,” “Try Me” and “Ugly.”
Watch the music video for “Goodbye” below.
Tags: Andrew "BullySongs" Bullimore, Andrew Bullimore, Banx & Ranx, Beluga Heights, Blu June, Brittany Chi Coney, Brittany Coney, BullySongs, Daniel “Robopop” Omelio, Daniel Omelio, Denisia Andrews, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Digital Farm Animals, Freddy Wexler, Happy Perez, Jamie "Sermstyle" Sanderson, Jamie Sanderson, Jason Derulo, Jeff Gitty, Jeffrey "Jeff Gitty" Gitelman, Jeffrey Gitelman, Jim Lavigne, Lindy Robbins, Matt Zara, Nathan “Happy” Perez, Nathan Perez, Nicholas "Digital Farm Animals" Gale, Nicholas Gale, NOVA WAV, Robopop, Ryan Tedder, Sermstyle, Talay Riley, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Brothers Records, Warner Music Group, WMG, Yannick Rastogi, Zacharie Raymond
Categories Leaks
Dua Lipa enlists Billy Walsh for new collaboration
Dua Lipa has enlisted Billy Walsh for a new collaboration.
The Canadian songwriter, fashion stylist, and designer is known for co-writing Alicia Keys’ “In Common,” The Weeknd’s “Die for You,” Camila Cabello’s “Real Friends,” Post Malone’s “I Fall Apart,” Emeli Sande’s “Starlight,” Khalid’s “Stay,” Tinashe’s “Party Favors,” and Majid Jordan’s “Something About You.”
Meanwhile, Dua Lipa’s upcoming sophomore album – featuring further songwriting contributions from Lindy Robbins, Tayla Parx, Kamille, Sasha Sloan, Emily Warren, Caroline Ailin, Kennedi, Ilsey Juber, Sarah Hudson, and Tove Lo – is expected to arrive later this year via Warner Bros. Records.
On the production front, the “New Rules” singer has reportedly worked with Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, Pharrell Williams, Joel Little, Grades, King Henry, Boi-1da, Frank Dukes, Nineteen85, MNEK, Jason Evigan, Fred Ball, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Max Martin.
Stream the audio clip for “Swan Song” below.
Tags: Adam "Frank Dukes" Feeney, Adam Feeney, Billy Walsh, Boi-1da, Camille "Kamille" Purcell, Camille Purcell, Caroline Ailin, Daniel "Grades" Traynor, Daniel Traynor, Dua Lipa, Emily Warren, Frank Dukes, Fred Ball, Grades, Ilsey Juber, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Jason Evigan, Joel Little, Kamille, Kennedi Lykken, King Henry, Lindy Robbins, Martin Sandberg, Matthew “Boi-1da” Samuels, Matthew Samuels, Max Martin, MNEK, Nineteen85, Paul "Nineteen85" Jefferies, Paul Jefferies, Pharrell Williams, Sarah Hudson, Sasha Sloan, Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, Stephen Kozmeniuk, Tayla Parx, Taylor "Tayla Parx" Parks, Taylor Parks, Tove Lo, Uzoechi "MNEK" Emenike, Uzoechi Emenike, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Brothers Records, Warner Music Group, WMG
Categories Collaborations
Dua Lipa teams with Joel Little for new collaboration
Dua Lipa has teamed up with Joel Little for a new collaboration.
The New Zealand record producer and songwriter is responsible for Lorde’s “Royals,” Imagine Dragons’ “Whatever it Takes,” Shawn Mendes’s “Youth,” Ruth B’s “If This is Love,” Daya’s “Safe,” Kesha’s “This is Me,” Bebe Rexha’s “The Way I Are (Dance with Somebody),” and Khaled’s “Young, Dumb & Broke.”
Besides renewing his worldwide publishing deal with Sony/ATV; Little has also contributed to the next projects by Normani, OneRepublic, Ina Wroldsen, and Ella Eyre.
Meanwhile, Dua Lipa’s next single “Swan Song” – taken from the original motion picture soundtrack “Alitta: Battle Angel” – will arrive on January 25 via all digital streaming outlets. The track was co-written by Justin Tranter and Kennedi Lykken, with collective production duties handled by Junkie XL alongside Mattias Larsson and Robin Fredriksson (aka Mattman & Robin).
For her upcoming sophomore album, Dua Lipa has reportedly worked with Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, Emily Warren, Jason Evigan, Lindy Robbins, King Henry, Sarah Hudson, Grades, Tove Lo, MNEK, Tayla Parx, Savan Kotecha, Caroline Ailin, Dayyon Alexander, Kamille, Andrew Wyatt, Ilsey Juber, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Sasha Sloan, and Max Martin.
Watch the music video for “Electricity” below.
Tags: Alexandra “Sasha Sloan” Yatchenko, Alexandra Yatchenko, Andrew Wyatt, Camille "Kamille" Purcell, Camille Purcell, Caroline Ailin, Daniel "Grades" Traynor, Daniel Traynor, Dayyon Alexander, Dua Lipa, Emily Warren, Grades, Ilsey Juber, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Jason Evigan, Joel Little, Junkie XL, Justin Tranter, Kamille, Kennedi Lykken, King Henry, Lindy Robbins, Mattias Larsson, Mattman & Robin, MNEK, Robin Fredriksson, Sarah Hudson, Sasha Sloan, Savan Kotecha, Sony/ATV, Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, Tayla Parx, Taylor "Tayla Parx" Parks, Taylor Parks, Tove Lo, Uzoechi "MNEK" Emenike, Uzoechi Emenike, Warner Brothers Records, Warner Music Group, Warners Bros. Records, WMG
Dua Lipa enlists Tayla Parx for new collaboration
Dua Lipa has enlisted fellow recording artist Tayla Parx for a new collaboration.
Parx recently co-wrote “Thank U, Next” for Ariana Grande alongside Victoria Monet, Tommy Brown, Charles Anderson, and Micheal Foster. The track peaked to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.
Parx’s current promotional single “Slow Dancing,” taken from her upcoming project “We Need to Talk,” is now available via iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Google Play, Tidal and all other digital streaming platforms.
Meanwhile, Dua Lipa is expected to release her sophomore album next year via Warner Music Group / Warner Brothers Records.
The still-untitled project reportedly yields additional contributions from Jason Evigan, Kamille, Savan Kotecha, Caroline Ailin, Ilya, Tove Lo, Sasha Sloan, Andrew Wyatt, Ilsey Juber, Koz, Lindy Robbins, MNEK, Sarah Hudson, Grades, Emily Warren, Dayyon Alexander, Sarah Aarons, and Clarence Coffee Jr.
Watch the music video for “Slow Dancing” below.
Tags: Alexandra “Sasha Sloan” Yatchenko, Alexandra Yatchenko, Andrew Wyatt, Camille "Kamille" Purcell, Camille Purcell, Caroline Ailin, Clarence Coffee Jr., Daniel "Grades" Traynor, Daniel Traynor, Dayyon Alexander, Dua Lipa, Emily Warren, Grades, Ilsey Juber, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Jason Evigan, Kamille, Lindy Robbins, MNEK, Sarah Aarons, Sarah Hudson, Sasha Sloan, Savan Kotecha, Stephen Kozmeniuk, Tayla Parx, Taylor "Tayla Parx" Parks, Taylor Parks, Tove Lo, Uzoechi "MNEK" Emenike, Uzoechi Emenike, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Brothers Records, Warner Music Group, WMG
Kyla delivers new promotional single “Eyes”
British singer/songwriter Kyla Reid, professionally known as Kyla, has delivered her new promotional single online.
“Eyes” is now available via iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Google Play, Tidal and all other digital streaming platforms.
The track was co-written by Jeremiah “SickPen” Bethea, who previously worked with Claudette Ortiz (“Automatic”), K. Michelle (“Talk to God”), Mario (“Let Me Help You”), LeToya Luckett (“Disconnected”) and Toni Braxton (“Missin”).
Production duties on “Eyes” were handled by Mel & Mus, who are also responsible for Nicki Minaj’s “Barbie Dreams,” Chris Brown’s “Don’t Think They Know,” Tamar Braxton’s “Angels & Demons,” Rihanna’s “Raining Men,” Keyshia Cole’s “Get it Right,” and Justin Bieber’s “Runaway Love.”
As mentioned in earlier posts, Kyla’s upcoming project – featuring the Andrea Martin-penned/Ill Blu-produced single “You Ain’t Mine” – is scheduled to arrive via Universal Music Group / Virgin EMI Records.
The still-untitled collection reportedly boasts further contributions from Rude Kid, Kelly Kiara, Moon Willis, Jenna Andrews, Needlz, Hannah Yadi, Invisible Men, Alicia Renae, Sacha Skarbek, Lindy Robbins, and Banx & Ranx.
Stream the audio clip for “Eyes” below.
Tags: Alicia Renae, Andrea Martin, Banx & Ranx, George Astasio, Hannah Yadi, Henry "Moon Willis" Durham, Henry Durham, Ill Blu, Invisible Men, Jason Pebworth, Jenna Andrews, Jeremiah “Sickpen” Bethea, Jeremiah Bethea, Jonathan Shave, Kelly Kiara, Khari "Needlz" Cain, Khari Cain, Kyla Reid, Kyla Smith, Levi Lennox, Lindy Robbins, Mel & Mus, Melvin Hough, Moon Willis, Needlz, Rivelino Wouter, Rude Kid, Sacha Skarbek, Sickpen, UMG, Universal Music Group, Virgin EMI Records, Yannick Rastogi, Zacharie Raymond
Categories Singles
Dua Lipa teases new collaboration with Tove Lo
Dua Lipa has teased a new collaboration with Tove Lo.
“Spent two days writing in the studio with this incredibly funny extremely talented human being @ToveLo,” the British singer/songwriter posted to Instagram on Tuesday (November 06, 2018).
Born Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson, the Swedish artist previously co-penned songs for Ellie Goulding (“Love Me Like You Do”), Nick Jonas (“Close”), Lea Michele (“Thousand Needles”), Adam Lambert (“Rumors”), Hilary Duff (“Sparks”), Lorde (“Homemade Dynamite”) and Zara Larsson (“Skippin’ a Beat”).
Lo’s latest studio collection “Blue Lips” – featuring productions from Jack & Coke, Ali Payami, Lukas “Lulou” Loules, Alex Hope, and The Struts – is now available via iTunes and all other digital streaming outlets.
The still-untitled project reportedly yields additional contributions from Jason Evigan, Kamille, Savan Kotecha, Caroline Ailin, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Sasha Sloan, Andrew Wyatt, Ilsey Juber, Stephen Kozmeniuk, Lindy Robbins, MNEK, Sarah Hudson, Grades, Emily Warren, Flume, and Sarah Aarons.
Stream the audio clip for “Blow That Smoke” below.
Tags: Alexandra “Sasha Sloan” Yatchenko, Alexandra Yatchenko, Andrew Wyatt, Camille "Kamille" Purcell, Camille Purcell, Caroline Ailin, Daniel "Grades" Traynor, Daniel Traynor, Dua Lipa, Emily Warren, Flume, Grades, Ilsey Juber, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Jason Evigan, Kamille, Lindy Robbins, MNEK, Sarah Aarons, Sarah Hudson, Sasha Sloan, Savan Kotecha, Stephen Kozmeniuk, Tove Lo, Uzoechi "MNEK" Emenike, Uzoechi Emenike, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Brothers Records, Warner Music Group, WMG
Dua Lipa hits the studio with Kamille for new collaboration
Dua Lipa has teamed up with Kamille for a new collaboration.
Kamille’s recent credits include Clean Bandit’s “Solo,” Louisa Johnson’s “Yes,” Jess Glynne’s “I’ll Be There,” Mist’s “Wish Me Well,” James Arthur’s “You Deserve Better,” and Don Diablo’s “Give Me Love.”
Her current single “Emotional” – which was co-written and produced by Peter “Merf” Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn and Thomas “Froe” Barnes of TMS – is now available via iTunes and all other digital streaming outlets.
Meanwhile, Dua Lipa is currently working on her upcoming sophomore studio collection under Warner Music Group / Warner Brothers Records.
The still-untitled project reportedly yields alliances with Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Lindy Robbins, King Henry, Emily Warren, Sarah Hudson, Justin Tranter, Caroline Ailin, Sasha Sloan, Ilsey Juber, Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, MNEK, Sarah Aarons, and Grades.
Fans of Kamille’s works should also look out for the next releases by Little Mix, Ellie Goulding, Lianne La Havas, Nick Jonas, Olly Murs, Marina Diamandis, Louis Tomlinson, Mali-Koa, John Newman, Mullally, and Rihanna.
Stream the audio clip for “Kiss and Makeup” below.
Tags: Camille "Kamille" Purcell, Camille Purcell, Caroline Ailin, Daniel "Grades" Traynor, Daniel Traynor, Dua Lipa, Emily Warren, Grades, Ilsey Juber, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Justin Tranter, Kamille, King Henry, Lindy Robbins, Martin “Max Martin” Sandberg, Martin Sandberg, Max Martin, MNEK, Sarah Aarons, Sarah Hudson, Sasha Sloan, Savan Kotecha, Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, Stephen Kozmeniuk, Uzoechi "MNEK" Emenike, Uzoechi Emenike, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Brothers Records, Warner Music Group, WMG
Usher reunites with JHart for new collaboration
Sinead Harnett teams up with Gallant for new single “Pulling Away”
Lauren Jauregui drafts Ollie Green for new collaboration
Tayla Parx teases new collaboration with Little Mix
Justin Timberlake enlists Sarah Aarons for new collaboration
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Main Site → About Apple → Apple Miscellanea → iPhone Miscellaneous: Original, iPhone 3, iPhone 4
iPhone Miscellaneous: Original, iPhone 3, iPhone 4
The first Apple iPhone was released in June 2007. Since then, many improvements have been made to each new model, from faster processors, higher-resolution cameras, and 3G cellular network capabilities, to A-GPS location and the 3D Touch feature. You’ll find many curious facts, unknown details and more on this page.
1 iPhone Miscellaneous: Original, iPhone 3, iPhone 4
1.1 Original iPhone
1.2 iPhone 3G
1.3 iPhone 3GS
1.4 iPhone 4
(including all versions)
Original iPhone
Curved Glass Display: The original iPhone almost had a curved glass design, as Apple experimented with various designs. The developers abandoned the idea because the process of cutting the glass was seen as too cost prohibitive.
iPhone Trademark: Initially, Cisco Systems owned the iPhone trademark, but Apple unveiled its iPhone 1st generation in January 2007 under this name. The Cisco iPhone was a VOIP phone designed to call through Skype without having to use a computer. Both companies reached a settlement, and have now happily kept their rights to the name. Cisco thus claimed the branded name, a dispute followed, and was settled by a joint declaration promising that both companies would collaborate together on products in the future. As of now, we are unaware of any collaborations.
Plastic Display: The iPhone display was going to be made of plastic. It seems that Steve Jobs noticed that his keys were scratching the display of the prototype he used, which is why he changed his mind and opted for glass.
Apple’s Patents: To produce the first iPhone, Apple acquired more than 200 patents relating to the technology, which allowed them to produce such a small phone.
Top Secret: When Scott Forstall was given the assignment to design the iPhone’s prototype, he had free rein to assemble a team of his choosing, but he had to hire people only from Apple. Forstall proceeded to handpick the best engineers from Apple, but he couldn’t tell them what the project was about. He only outlined that hard work was ahead and that all team members had to give up nights and work weekends for quite some time.
Jesus Phone: When the first iPhone was announced, the media dubbed it the “Jesus phone” due to the near-religious fervor among Apple fans who worshiped this device.
Steve Jobs and Starbucks. Steve Jobs made a prank call to a nearby Starbucks during the presentation of the first iPhone, in 2007. He ordered 4,000 lattes. He cancelled the order immediately, but he scared the poor barista who took the call.
Samsung and Apple: Samsung and Apple are partners, and the processors that power the Apple’s iPhone are made by Samsung, despite a string of lawsuits between the two companies. The bulk of the A-x processors that powered the original iPhone came from Samsung. In recent years, however, Apple has tried to lessen its reliance on Samsung.
iPhone’s Concept in 1983: The first ever iPhone was proposed by Apple’s computer developer, Hartmut Esslinger, who designed a landline phone with both iPhone and iPad features with a stylus-controlled interface. The project never saw the light of day, but the general idea was used by Apple twenty years later.
Listening to Music: There’s a lot you can do with the iPhone when it comes to listening to digital music. Today, it has become a part of our life. We use the iPhone to show off our pictures, watch videos, and listen to music. But what audio file types or formats does the iPhone support for listening to digital music? In fact, the iPhone can play quite a lot of different audio formats. If you think that the iPhone only supports the standard AAC format and can only be used with the iTunes Store, you are wrong. Yes, they are both products Apple sells, but your phone supports other formats as well.
iPhone and Airplane Mode: For some of us, it may be tempting to leave our iPhone at home when we go on vacation, or leave it in the hotel room while exploring unknown lands. But for most people, the iPhone is such an amazing little computer that it can be really useful on vacation for taking and sharing photos and video, and for research. However, back home after a vacation, you may be literally shocked to learn that your 5-year-old daughter mistakenly racked up $3,000 worth of data charges on your phone (or even more for that matter). Indeed, many vacationers switch their iPhone 5 to Airplane Mode before the trip, as advised by Apple store representatives, but let their children play with the phone. Yes, this is a huge mistake. In fact, any child knows how to turn off Airplane Mode, and watch YouTube videos at your expense.
Slogan: The slogan for the iPhone 3G when it first came out was: “Twice the speed, half the price.”
iOS 4 issues: After iOS 4 was released on June 21, 2010, it was installed on the iPhone 3G. The Wall Street Journal stated in its Digits column (on July 28, 2010) that the iPhone 3G smartphone equipped with iOS 4 responded very slowly. According to the article, the phone also became excessively hot after a very short time and had diminished battery life.
OS 3.0: The iPhone 3G was the first cell phone to allow Bluetooth stereo support, landscape support, and the copy and paste feature. These improvements were possible with the iPhone OS 3.0 software update in June 2009.
iOS 4.0: Released in June 2010, the iOS 4.0 software update allowed users to have access to a unified mailbox feature, home screen folders, playlist creation, and more. However, the iPhone 3G did not support other features of iOS 4.0, such as multitasking, Bluetooth keyboard support, or the Game Center App.
Buttons: The iPhone 3G introduced metallic buttons instead of the plastic used for the original iPhone. Besides, the device was redesigned providing tapered edges and thus facilitating a better grip.
Colors for the Outer Casing: The 16 GB version of the iPhone 3G introduced the first official color options for the outer casing. They were black and white.
Battery Drain: When the iPhone 3G was launched, its battery was under fire. Many users and experts referred to its insufficient battery life, which was less than claimed by Apple. The J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction survey gave the “battery aspects” of the iPhone 3G its lowest rating, 2 stars out of 5. The issue remained even after firmware updates.
Headphone Jack: The iPhone 3G features a flush-mounted 3.5 mm headphone jack, while the original iPhone was equipped with the recessed headphone jack. This innovation could therefore be used with headphones other than those provided by Apple.
Geotagging: The iPhone 3G’s operating system supported the geotagging of photographs for the first timee.
Origin of the name: This iPhone is named “3GS”, where the “S” stood for Speed. Phil Schillek, the senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple Inc. at the time, mentioned it in the launch keynote.
LG and 3GS: The LCD on the iPhone 3GS was designed by Apple and fabricated by LG Electronics, which also markets its own cell phones.
System-on-a-chip: The Apple iPhone 3GS was the first iPhone with a system-on-a-chip. This smartphone is powered by the APL0298C05 chip. This chip was designed and manufactured for Apple by Samsung.
Compass: The iPhone 3GS was the first cell phone to feature a Compass app, showing a compass that points in the direction of the magnetic field of the Earth.
Voice Control: The iPhone 3GS was the first cell phone to feature Voice Control, allowing users to control the phone by voice. To activate Voice Control, users had to hold the Home button while in the home screen for a few seconds.
VoiceOver: The 3GS was also the first phone to introduce the VoiceOver feature, which dictates system menus, text, music info, and other details (VoiceOver was introduced for the first time on Apple products on the iPod shuffle 3rd generation.
Color Inversion and Text Zoom: This phone was also the first cell phone to feature Color Inversion, which reverses the color scheme from black on white to white on black. Another feature that was introduced with the iPhone 3GS is Text Zoom, which allows users to zoom into a text on the screen.
Discoloration Issue: After the release of the iPhone 3GS, many users reported discoloration of the device. Experts discovered that these issues were a result of iPhone covers rubbing against the back of the device.
Heat Issue: To prevent the heating issue with the iPhone 3GS, Apple warned users against exposing their iPhones 3GS to a direct sunlight for extended periods of time, as well as against leaving the phone in a car on a hot day, and refraining from heavy usage while in a hot/sunny environment, Apple warned users against exposing their iPhones 3GS to direct sunlight for extended periods of time, as well as against leaving the phone in a car on a hot day and refraining from heavy usage while in a hot/sunny environment.
iPhone Photos: The iPhone 4 shoots in a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. The iPhone supports tap to focus and can use FaceTime video messaging (like the fourth generation iPod Touch, and Snow Leopard, Lion, and Mountain Lion Macs).
Sell your old iPhone online for the best price. We buy used iPhone, free instant shipping, free fully insured shipping, fast and secure payment: Sell your iPhone online now!
Categories: Apple Miscellanea
iPhone 3G – Full Phone Information, Tech Specs «» iPhone 4 – Full Phone Information, Tech Specs
Apple Time Machine
How to Watch DVDs on a MacBook
Online Security – Threats and Protection
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Belfras
Current monarchies
House of Dimitrios
Incomplete articles
Difference between revisions of "Monarchy of Belfras"
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Revision as of 12:48, 14 July 2019
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Sovereign Prince of
The Belfrasian Principality
Coat of arms of the Sovereign Prince
since 19 April 1980
His Majesty Majesty
Heir apparent
Philippos of Belfras
Palace of Augustus, Palatine Hill, Castellum ab Alba
2 Role in government
2.1 Executive Powers
2.2 Legislative Powers
2.3 Judicial powers
2.4 Military and foreign policy
3 Titles, Styles and Honors
4 Succession laws
5 Residences
Role in government
Since it's establishment, the Sovereign Prince acts as Head of State and the nominal head of government. The structure of the principality's involvement in governance is heavily based upon it's predecessor, the Latin Empire, in that a constitution has many powers held within the nation's highest level, the senate. The Sovereign Prince mimics the Emperor in being the Head of the Senate, allowing the incumbent sovereign oversight into the legislative side of government while also being the chief executive and commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces.
Executive Powers
The Sovereign Prince serves as the nation's chief executive and has the same powers and responsibilities as a president of a republican presidential system. The office of the Sovereign Prince consists of the monarch's immediate staff, political and economic advisors, the Royal Council, and a press office. This support structure along with the office of the sovereign itself is rounded up into an executive branch called the 'Sovereign Office', also known as the 'Office of the Sovereign', with representatives of the branch being called 'Officers of the Sovereign'.
The monarch holds the power to create executive orders that hold a higher level of authority than that of the senate or the office of the Consul. Maintaining a close level of likeness with it's predecessor, the office of the sovereign has the ability to enact a royal decree to make changes to the senate, the cabinet, or to the consulship itself and may appoint or dismiss members to his or her royal council without oversight.
The executive powers of the Sovereign Prince has been utilised a few times in the title's lifetime, most famously during the Social War when Sovereign Prince Georgio signed an executive order in support of Diana Augusta and declared war against the socialist rebels. This executive order was enacted against the will of the senate, which was deadlocked in the question of support in light of the horrifying losses sustained by the military during the Belfro-Mutulese war of 1911.
Legislative Powers
The office of the Sovereign also maintains significant power in legislation of government and as such the monarch in his or her power of office has a powerful voice in the formation of legislation, may veto bills, convene or adjourn the Senate, or introduce legislation without approval. Any legislation passed through the senate must gain the royal assent of the Sovereign Prince before being put into law, allowing the sovereign prince the power to withhold the assent if needed, denying the legislation any power.
Judicial powers
While in the constitution the Sovereign Prince may appoint judges from an approved list presented by the senate, any appointment must be verified through a rigorous process before the judge may begin to sit in office. Through the legislative powers the Sovereign Prince may however alter laws or create clauses that may pervert a judicial process, although such instances have not come to pass. It remains the Sovereign's power to grand pardons, reprieves, or to issue arrest warrants within the confines of the law.
Military and foreign policy
With the sovereign holding power as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and holding the highest executive power in the country, they hold the power to formulate foreign policy, issue foreign declarations or missives and direct the armed forces, and although traditionally such rights are first approved by senate, the senate itself has no power to prevent the monarch from exercising these rights.
Operation of the armed forces is conducted through the Ministry of Defence, with the Military Council - formed of the highest ranked officers in the military's branches - having operational powers within the ministry. The military council, while traditionally chosen by the minister of defence and a special sub-committee of the senate, may have members selected to the seats by the sovereign and has a chair for the sovereign to attend meetings if required.
Titles, Styles and Honors
In most instances addressing the sovereign should be done to avoid confusion, as the children of the sovereign area also called princes. As such addressing the ruling monarch should be done as either "Sovereign Prince," or a simplified "Sovereign" may suffice in certain situations. The full title of the Sovereign Prince is:
The blessed and Sovereign Prince of Belfras, Grand Duke of Patrinos, Count of Mallais, Rosewards, Altmayer and Malova. Protector of the Belfrasian peoples and realms.
Succession laws
Retrieved from "https://iiwiki.us/mediawiki/index.php?title=Monarchy_of_Belfras&oldid=88552"
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Double your Donation
Essex Alumni & Friends matchfunded £250
10:31, MCR
Help us getting this show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!
By Fabiana Sforza
This project received pledges on Tue 04 Jun 2019
"10:31,MCR": road to Edinburgh!
We are raising £2500 for our theatre company, millennials and other terrible things, to bring this Essex Homegrown show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival - the biggest theatre Festival in the UK!We have secured a performing space at theSpace on the Mile - the Mile is the location with the highest footfall during the month of August, and whilst the popularity of the location will help us with potential ticket sales and publicity, it also means that the costs for the production will be higher. This is why we need your help to bring this new piece of theatre to new audiences! In today's socio-political climate, plays like "10:31, MCR" are essential to encourage discussion around topics that are often deemed too sensitive to be talked about, as well as to challenge pre-existing thought-patterns that wrongly sponsor division and hatred. We need to be doing more to bring people together, and by donating to this project, you will be supporting the start of a cultural and artistic revolution that will inspire positive change! Interested? Keep on reading...
okay, but Who are you?
We are millennials and other terrible things, a theatre company based in Colchester that tackles subjects and topics that are sometimes deemed too "terrible" to talk about. These are our company members:
Fabiana Sforza, founder and artistic director of the company, is an all-round theatre worker, maker and lover. She graduated from Essex with a BA in Drama and Literature in 2017, and is currently finishing my Masters by Dissertation in Theatre Studies at UoE - which is where "10:31, MCR" was born!
Esther Malkinson, production manager for the millennials and Loughborough University alumna, is a freelance stage manager. She has managed three sold-out productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival already, and has worked with different professional theatre companies.
Chloe Atkinson, development co-ordinator for the millennials, is an Essex alumna and playwright. She graduated in 2017 with a BA in Drama and Literature and has since then been freelancing as a drama practitioner. Her play "Flat 2B" has been performed both at the Lakeside Theatre and at the Mercury Theatre.
Megan Sharman is a drama graduate from the University of Essex, actress and theatre maker who is currently training at Identity Drama School in London. She has acted in multiple theatre works, including 'Frozen' by Bryony Lavery, 'Closer' by Patrick Marber, 'Antigone' by Sophocles and 'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Most recently she filmed a crime reconstruction programme for Channel 5 and performed in a local to Essex scratch night with new work.
Ciaran Forde is an actor and theatre maker, originally from East London but currently studying MA Theatre Practice at the University of Essex. Ciaran has previously worked with the Almeida Theatre, Hoxton Hall, and has performed and directed homegrown productions at the Lakeside Theatre. He is currently a freelance practitioner, working with the Mercury Theatre.
Rio Montana Topley studied BA Drama at the University of Essex and is moving on to an MA in Theatre Practice. In 2018 she co-directed "Journey to Oz", the Lakeside Theatre pantomime, and has previously starred in "The Revenger's Tragedy", performed at the Lakeside Theatre.
why "10:31, MCR"?
“10:31, MCR” is the product of a year-long practice-as-research in the field of Applied Drama and Theatre and Education. This play is centred around the Manchester terror attack of May 2017, and its socio-political repercussions on the young people of today. The play shines a light on the extreme remediations of the attack, which have caused the rise of Islamophobia and racism in the country. After the success of the first two previews at the Lakeside Theatre in June 2018, I secured a performing space for a one-week-run at theSpace on the Mile, from the 12th to the 17th August. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival would be an incredible platform to perform “10:31, MCR” in, as well as being an amazing space to bring the Essex legacy to."10:31, MCR" is also one of the first plays to ever be written about the Manchester attack - by donating to this project you will help funding what could potentially be a starting platform for other runs on the play in different parts of the country! The need for plays like these is high at the moment, and this is your chance to get involved in something special and make a change!
interesting. but where will the money you raise go?
I'm glad you asked. If, with your help, we reach our minimum target, we will be able to finish paying for the rent of our venue. If we reach our maximum funding, your donations will cover all the costs and we will be able to re-invest the proceeds of the Edinburgh run into more runs of the plays in different parts of the country! Here is a breakdown of our budget:
Remaining rent of theSpace on the Mile for the run: £500 (including VAT)
Remaining accommodation balance: £600
Travel for the company: £350
Public Liability Insurance: £89
Promotional and Marketing Materials: £500
Costumes, Props and hire of technical equipment needed: £500
sounds good - but will i get anything if i donate to the project?
Of course! We have some rewards for generous donations - check them out in the rewards section!
cool! are there any pictures from rehearsals/previous runs of the play?
Yes! Have a look at some cool production shot from our preview nights:
where can i keep up with the progress of your project?
You can find the play's Twitter @1031MCR - https://twitter.com/1031MCR We are also on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/1031MCR and on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/1031mcr/ We are posting regular updates, rehearsals pictures and video diaries - so you know that your donation is really making a difference!
okay, what else can i do to help?
If you can, donate and share this campaign with everybody you know. If you can't donate right now, make sure to keep the conversation about this project alive in all possible ways: talk to friends and family about this, share the campaign on social media, write about this project on your blog, and everything you can think of that will keep the dialogue going. With your help, we can really get this theatre piece to Edinburgh - let's shout about it!
If you donate £10, you will receive a shout out on the play's official Twitter page to thank you for your kindness and support!
If you donate £20, you will receive a shout out on the play's official Twitter page, and an invitation to a rehearsal sessions of your choice in the month of July - when the play will really be in its final rehearsal stages!
If you donate £30, you will receive a shout out on the play's official Twitter page and you will be invited for a "cast coffee", where you will be able to ask them and the creative team any questions you might have about the performance or the rehearsal process.
If you donate £50, you will receive a shout out on the play's official Twitter page, an invitation to a rehearsal sessions in the month of July, AND a "millennials and other terrible things" (our theatre company's name) tote bag or mug.
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If you donate £100, you will receive a thank you video from the cast themselves, as well as one merchandise item of your choice (a "millennials and other terrible things" mug or tote bag) and a video recording of the performance in Edinburgh.
If you donate £200, you will receive two free tickets to a night of your choosing of the Edinburgh run of 10:31, MCR. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by the cast and creatives and will be given a merchandise item of your choice (a "millennials and other terrible things" mug or tote bag). You will also be welcome to join the cast and creatives for coffee after the performance is over (on us, of course!), and ask them any questions you might have in mind!
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DiceTV Update: Jobs at YouTube (Video)
by Dice News March 22, 2011 2 min read
Career AdviceJob NewsVideo
YouTube is undertaking the biggest hiring spree in its history, with plans to increase staff by more than 30 percent in 2011. That’s 200 new jobs. The company’s primarily seeking software engineers to design, implement and test new products. They need to know how to create high-volume production apps, prototype quickly, and write server-side code. It’s also looking for user experience designers and researchers, and Web developers experienced in Linux, Unix, Flash and standards like HTML, CSS, XML and Javascript.
The best IT jobs in New England right now are in the industrial, medical, and education sectors. Though most of the region’s IT workers saw an uptick in opportunities, those in these industries enjoyed the most growth. The Federal Reserve says tech firms’ revenue rose from 3 to 25 percent in the most recent quarter, with most in the double digits. The most increased demand was for software and IT services in those same industrial, medical and education sectors. That’s led to plans to increase headcounts. Dice lists over 1,700 development jobs in and around Boston alone, ranging from Access to XML. I found nearly 200 tech jobs in manufacturing, 250 in medical, and 400 in education.
IT growth is most dramatic in developing countries where talent is at a premium and the challenges are exciting. In 2006, there were an estimated 23 million IT professionals in the world. Slightly less than a third lived in the United States. More recent estimates say that the share of IT pros in developing countries has increased by 100 percent – doubling from five years ago. As companies based in the developing world mature, they’ll turn to IT as a key ingredient of their evolution. Of course, you can’t gloss over the practical realities of an international career. It may work when you’re young and unattached, but if you own a home or have a family, you’ll have to make tough decisions before you simply pack up and fly off.
— Mark Feffer
Some New England IT Sectors Coming Back
Update from E3: Microsoft and Sony Kick Off (Video)
DiceTV Update: Machine-to-Machine Communications is Good News for Jobs
Innovation Means Business Results, CIOs Say
Nashville Sings the Tune of Technology Jobs
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American Journal Of Hematology. 89(9):896–903, SEP 2014
DOI: 10.1002/ajh.23776
Inhibition of calcineurin combined with dasatinib has direct and indirect anti-leukemia effects against BCR-ABL1+ leukemia
Lori Gardner;Jelena Klawitter;Mark Gregory;Vadym Zaberezhnyy;Dmitry Baturin;Daniel Pollyea;Naoko Takebe;Uwe Christians;Lia Gore;James DeGregori;Christopher Porter;
1 Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado,2 Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado,3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado,4 Investigational Drug Branch, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland,5 Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado,6 Department of Immunology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado,
Treatment of BCR-ABL1+ leukemia has been revolutionized with the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. However, patients with BCR-ABL1+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia and subsets of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia are at high risk of relapse despite kinase inhibition therapy, necessitating novel treatment strategies. We previously reported synthetic lethality in BCR-ABL1+ leukemia cells by blocking both calcineurin/NFAT signaling and BCR-ABL1, independent of drug efflux inhibition by cyclosporine. Here, using RNA-interference we confirm that calcineurin inhibition sensitizes BCR-ABL1+ cells to tyrosine kinase inhibition in vitro. However, when we performed pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of dasatinib and cyclosporine in mice, we found that co-administration of cyclosporine increases peak concentrations and the area under the curve of dasatinib, which contributes to the enhanced disease control. We also report the clinical experience of two subjects in whom we observed more hematopoietic toxicity than expected while enrolled in a Phase Ib trial designed to assess the safety and tolerability of adding cyclosporine to dasatinib in humans. Thus, the anti-leukemia benefit of co-administration of cyclosporine and dasatinib is mechanistically pleiotropic, but may not be tolerable, at least as administered in this trial. These data highlight some of the challenges associated with combining targeted agents to treat leukemia. Am. J. Hematol. 89:896–903, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Architects envision a sustainable future for a Finnish island at risk of rising sea levels
under Climate Change, Design, Resilient Design
In response to concerns that Luonnonmaa, an island on the Finnish West archipelago coast, could succumb to the destructive effects of climate change, Helsinki-based architectural firm Emmi Keskisarja & Janne Teräsvirta & Company Architects has unveiled a sustainable vision for the island in the year 2070. Named “Emerald Envisioning for Luonnonmaa 2070,” the futuristic vision calls for a utopian scheme where people and nature live in harmony within a sustainable community tapping into renewable energy sources, eco tourism and reforestation.
Luonnonmaa makes up the majority of the land area for the city of Naantali; however, the island itself is sparsely populated. Traditionally used for farming, the island is renowned for its clean and idyllic Nordic landscapes.
“The way of life on Luonnonmaa is challenged by climate catastrophe and biodiversity loss, just as it is in more population-concentrated locations on the planet,” the architects said. “The island is seemingly empty — or full of immaculate space — but a closer inspection reveals that most of the island area is defined by human activity and its ripple effects. A growing population on the island will need to provide more opportunity for nature, while they develop their way of life, means of transportation, work, as well as food and energy production.”
The architects worked together with the City of Naantali’s public, politicians and planners as well as with a multidisciplinary group of local specialists and the Institute of Future Studies at the University of Turku to produce a creative solution to these challenges. The Emerald Envisioning for Luonnonmaa 2070 addresses such questions as “Can the future be both sustainable and desirable?” and “Could we build more to accommodate human needs, while (counter-intuitively) producing more opportunities for nature around us?”
Related: Finland plans to complete its coal ban one year early
The scheme also considers the future of farming for the island. Because the traditional farming industry is in decline, the proposal suggests more carbon-neutral methods of food production such as seaweed hubs and communal gardening. Meanwhile, the reduction of farmland will allow for the expansion and unification of forest areas to support the island’s unique biodiversity. To future-proof against sea level rise, housing will be built on pylons to mitigate flood concerns while social activity and communal development will be planned around waterways. A network of small-scale glamping units would also be installed to boost the island’s economy.
+ EETJ
Images via EETJ
Emerald Envisioning for Luonnonmaa 2070
Emmi Keskisarja & Janne Teräsvirta & Company Architects has unveiled plans to protect the Luonnonmaa from rising sea levels.
The project envisions a kind of utopia for the island in 2070.
The idea involves renewable energy, eco tourism and reforestation.
The team worked with citizens, politicians, planners, specialists and the Institute of Future Studies at the University of Turku to come up with the project.
The Emerald Envisioning includes glamping to boost the local economy through tourism.
"A growing population on the island will need to provide more opportunity for nature, while they develop their way of life, means of transportation, work, as well as food and energy production," the architects said.
The proposal includes carbon-neutral ways to produce food.
The project came about after the team realized that the island was impacted heavily by human activity.
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DRAFT.COM
3 Reasons You Should Hire an Athlete Today
Home » 3 Reasons You Should Hire an Athlete Today
By Jordan Fliegel
In Blog, Coaching, Entrepreneurship, Resources
2015-08-052015-09-10https://jordanfliegel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/logo2.pngJordan Fliegelhttps://jordanfliegel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/logo2.png200px200px
The lessons learned through athletics can make the difference between a workplace contributor and a superstar
If you could only ask one question to a person interviewing for a job at your company, what would it be? Would you ask about their strengths or weaknesses? Their relevant experience? Their biggest success or biggest failure? Where they went to college?
I’d argue that one question you should really ask is, “Which sport did you play?”
All other things being equal, an athlete is the best hire you can make. A candidate with a playing background in sports is equipped with valuable skills that can’t be quantified or listed on a resume. The hours of dedication. The heartache of loss. The commitment required to excel. These lessons, learned the hard way in athletics, are exactly what make the difference between a workplace contributor and a superstar.
Here are three reasons why athletes make the best hires:
1. They have grit.
“Grit” is becoming an increasingly popular term in the classroom. After years of participation trophies that left kids feeling entitled and lazy, teachers and parents today are calling for grittiness – that strength of character that determines whether someone perseveres or quits in the face of a challenge.
Nothing builds grit like the pursuit of athletic excellence. In today’s culture, we spend a lot of time celebrating the winners, the all-stars and the gold medalists. But games and races where the score is kept make up only a tiny percentage of an athlete’s experience. A 50-meter swimmer works 20 hours a week for a race that last less than 25 seconds, in which victory may be measured in the length of a fingernail or the blink of an eye. Working, especially for a startup, is about putting in the hours toward a goal-a quarterly sales number, a KPI, or a new product. True momentous victories in the office are rare. As a manager, you want people who aren’t working for the “win,” but for the pure love of the effort.
2. They can prioritize.
Any athlete, whether they used to play high school football or currently squeeze in marathon training runs after work, is a master of prioritization. As a leader, it’s counterproductive to micromanage your teams, so hiring employees who can self-direct, manage and prioritize their work is essential. Athletes are goal-oriented by nature, which means they’re constantly assessing where they stand in relationship to their objective and fine-tuning the tactics they need to get there. Like a soccer midfielder reading the defense to decide whether to shoot or pass, the best workers constantly reprioritize to focus on the goals that matter most to their team.
3. They know what “team” means.
Almost every company pays lip service to the idea that they’re a “terrific team,” but dig deeper and you’ll find most companies barely operate with the teamwork of a pee-wee basketball team-let alone the champion Golden State Warriors.
If you want a business with a collaborative ethos, adding athletes to the mix is essential. Great teamwork is about subsuming individual egos and agendas under the goals of the group. But athletes understand that teamwork is about more than just sharing the workload, supporting your teammates or jumping in to lead when needed. Great teamwork requires people who understand group dynamics and know how to adjust their behavior and role to fit the organization’s needs. Athletes spend years on teams where their role is constantly changing and being re-evaluated. Sometimes your team needs you to be a defender, sometimes it needs you to ride the bench, and sometimes it needs you to rise to the occasion and be the star. The best work environments are full of people who can sense when it’s time to step up and lead and when it’s time to cede the spotlight. Hire an athlete and they’ll have this perspective down cold.
So the next time you sit down to interview a potential new hire for your company, ask which sport they played. It may be the best question you can ask.
Coaching, Entrepreneurship, startups
Jordan Fliegel
4 Startup Rules All Founders Need to Live By
4 Lessons My Business Partner Stephen Curry Taught Me About Leadership
6 Unconventional Habits Of Extremely Successful People
If you're like most of my readers, you're committed to winning at work and succeeding at life. But the truth is, you struggle with finding enough time to do it all. That's exactly why I wrote my new ebook, Reaching Another Level: How Private Coaching Transforms the Lives of Professional Athletes, Weekend Warriors, and the Kids Next Door.
There's only one way to get it—by subscribing to my free email newsletter.
BostInno: July 31st, 2015: The Big One: Boston has a new generation of angel investors; here they are
Fortune: july 30th, 2015. Stephen Curry has big faith in this private coaching startup
Buzzfeed. July 9th, 2015. Steph Curry is Developing a Social Media App“
Entrepreneur. June 23rd, 2015. 8 Entrepreneurial Stars Share Their Secret Sauce to Success
PR Newswire. May 12th, 2015. EY Announces Finalists for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 in the New England Region
Inc. April 22nd, 2015. Remember these names: the 2015 30 under 30 list is here
Inc. April 22nd, 2015. The Entrepreneur who provided coaches for 100,000 athletes
USA Today. April 15th, 2015. Private Coaching is becoming a big business
Forbes. March 18th, 2015. Web Site CoachUp Connects Coaches To Athletes In 30 Sports
Reuters. March 15th, 2015. Basketball All-Star Stephen Curry joins CoachUp’s Leadership Team
VentureBeat. March 30th, 2015. NBA star Steph Curry joins CoachUp for private 1-on-1 coaching
3 Lessons in Motivation From the Greatest Sports Coaches
What Playing and Coaching Basketball Taught Me About Delivering Criticism
Why Time Off Isn’t Slacking Off: 8 Tips to Take Advantage of Vacation
5 Things Playing Pro Basketball Taught Me About Running a Startup
Never Fear Your Inbox Again With These 3 Email Hacks
3 Leadership Lessons From Tom Brady’s Exile
I'm a sports/tech entrepreneur and early-stage investor. I'm co-CEO of DRAFT (https://draft.com), the Founder of CoachUp.com, the nation's leading sports coaching company, lead investor and Chairman of Athletes of Valor, an innovative platform that helps veterans transition from service to career, and co-founder and Managing Director of a small, seed-stage fund with nearly 50 startup investments to date. I'm passionate about giving back and sharing what I've learned along the way: I'm an advisor to several startups, and the author of two books -- "Coaching Up!" (Wiley, 2016) & "Reaching Another Level" (CoachUp, 2014). I tend to write on topics related to entrepreneurship, investing, and leadership.. Learn more
Learn More About My Books
Beat the Buzzer: Time Management Lessons from the Court to the Cubicle
The Pros And Cons Of Accelerators For Startups
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3 Lessons in Motivation From the Greatest Sports CoachesBlog, Coaching, Leadership, Resources
What Playing and Coaching Basketball Taught Me About Delivering CriticismBlog, Coaching, Leadership, Resources
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THE VAGABONDS #6 debuting this weekend at MoCCA Fest
Comics, Plug
My homage to Captain America Comics #1 (with apologies to Jack Kirby and Joe Simon)
I’ll be tabling at MoCCAFest this weekend (table I 270 A) with the latest issue of THE VAGABONDS. 24 thrilling pages of COMICS JOURNALISM and other great features!
A lot has changed in this country—and the world—since the last issue of The Vagabonds, so it’s only fitting that this issue features a Donald Trump story. My explainer on the former British spy Christopher Steel’s “dossier,” originally published by Columbia Journalism Review in the fall of 2017, remains surprisingly relevant, as the special counsel seems to be using the memos as a “road map” for his investigation into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. This issue’s longest story—originally published by The Nib in the fall of 2016—looks into the influx of costumed characters into New York’s Times Square. In the piece I explore the phenomenon — who are these unlicensed Elmos, Spider-Men, and Minnie Mice, and why are they there? This issue also features a fun story I did for Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge. Do you often find yourself losing or breaking your old phone just when a new model reaches stores? Well, you’re not alone… The story shows how researchers — using the game of Jenga and a precious coffee mug—were able to get test subjects to replicate this risky, self-destructive behavior. THE VAGABONDS #6 closes out with a couple of shorter pieces, including a collaboration with my mother, the artist Martha Rosler.
I look forward to seeing you at MoCCA Fest this weekend and handing you an autographed copy of THE VAGABONDS #6. (And of course I’ll have copies of previous issues of The Vagabonds, as well as A.D., The Influencing Machine, Terms of Service, Flashed, and much more!)
MoCCA Fest 2018—April 7-8, 2018
11:00AM – 7:00PM on Saturday; 11:00AM – 6:00PM on Sunday
Metropolitan West
West 46th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, NYC
April 5, 2018 joshcomix Tagged journalism, politics, the vagabonds, Trump 4 Comments
Fake News? My comics piece for COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW on the Trump-Russia Dossier
Comics, Work
Remember the Donald Trump-Russia “dossier”? Released by BuzzFeed in January (shortly before Trump was sworn in as U.S. President), the 17 short memos (compiled over seven months) featured some pretty wild claims—sex parties, etc. But the main takeaway was that Trump and his cronies were in the pockets of the Russians.
Amidst the furor over the memos’ contents was an equally strong uproar in the journalistic community. Was it ethical of BuzzFeed to publish the so-called dossier, which was unverified and contained some specific errors? The backstory, of course, is that during the previous months, the memos—and their author, former British spy Christopher Steele—had passed like a hot potato through every major news organization before BuzzFeed finally pulled the trigger. So was the outrage honest, or really just a case of sour grapes at being scooped? A new piece I just did for Columbia Journalism Review—“The Trump-Russia memos”—tracks that long strange journey.
The events described in the five-page comics story are based on reporting and research, including interviews I did with journalists who sought to verify the memos and wrote about them—or chose not to…
As far as the actual contents of the memos, none of the more outlandish claims have been verified—although the FBI and Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller apparently are using the memos as a “road map” for their ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign and Russia…
So check out the piece and see what you think. (Thanks to Vanessa Gezari for commissioning the piece and shepherding me through the whole process.)
October 12, 2017 October 12, 2017 joshcomix Tagged journalism, politics, Russia, Trump Leave a comment
The Pendulum Swings
I drew this back in 2015 for a French comics magazine. The concept was to illustrate some of the “weirdest” news stories of the year—you know, like the idea that Donald Trump was running for U.S. president..
One of the things I’ll never forget about the 2008 election was watching the returns on TV and also tracking it on my Facebook feed. Facebook was a relatively new phenomenon at that point, and the folks who were on it seemed to so epitomize the energy that the Obama team was bringing to the White House. I’ll also never forget that, late that night on November 4, a lone trumpeter paraded down Eastern Parkway (in front of my apartment building), tooting triumphantly on his horn for blocks and blocks and blocks.
On January 20, 2009, I wanted to experience the moment of the inauguration of our first African-American president with other folks in my community, so I headed over to Cafe Shane. I sat at their coffee bar, watching the ceremony on TV with a diverse crowd of celebrants. I remember toasting the moment, with my cup of tea, with the 40-ish black guy, and his cup of coffee, sitting next to me. (I also remember Chief Justice Roberts fumbling the words as he led Obama through the oath. Do you remember that?)
Back then, after eight years of George Bush, it all felt like a fresh start, like our country had taken a giant stride forward. Now, eight years later, our country seems to be making another “fresh start.” But it’s not something I can bear to witness with a crowd of folks. I’ll watch the inauguration here at home on my TV, but it’s hard for me to see this fresh start as anything but a giant stride backward.
January 20, 2017 January 16, 2019 joshcomix Tagged politics, race 2 Comments
2015 Wacky U.S. News Wrap-up in Spirou’s GROOM
Illustration, Work
The folks at the venerable Franco-Belgian comics magazine Le Journal de Spirou approached me about contributing to their new publication, GROOM. Like Spirou, Groom is an all-ages publication, but in this case focusing specifically on current events. The inaugural issue of Groom contains stories about terrorism (including Charlie Hebdo), European politics, sports, and various dispatches from far-flung countries like China, Australia, Latin America, Russia, the Middle East, and the good ol’ U.S.A. (I remain continually amazed and impressed at the topics French-language comics touch on, especially in so-called all-ages publications.)
Groom editor Damien Perez asked me to focus on four or five news stories coming out of the U.S. last year that would be particularly shocking for a Francophone audience. So many to choose from! The stories that made the cut were the decision by the State of Utah to bring back executions by firing squad; Deflategate; the Rachel Dolezal/NAACP debacle; the Ahmed Mohammed clock incident; and last but definitely not least, the Donald Trump presidency campaign!
It was funny: when I was pitching the stories to editor Perez, the one he had the most trouble believing was the details of Trump’s vitriol-fueled campaign. As he said, “In the media we often see him as a ‘larger than life man,’ but not dangerous.” To which I responded that Marion Maréchal-Le Pen seems unobjectionable on the surface—it’s her ideas which are dangerous. Touché!
Anyway, this is silly, fun stuff. I hope you enjoy the illos. (For more information on Groom—in English—check out this website, which has also gone to the trouble of translating the Groom editorial page.)
January 26, 2016 January 26, 2016 joshcomix Tagged france, news, politics Leave a comment
A Syrian refugee odyssey in comics, photos, and prose
Just out this week in Foreign Policy magazine is “The Road to Germany: $2400,” which depicts the odyssey of 11 Syrians from the doorstep of their unrecognizable homeland to a life in exile. The bulk of the piece is 11 pages of comics by yours truly, adapted from the reporting/writing of journalist Alia Malek. And as in The Photographer (by Emmanuel Guibert, paired with Didier Lefèvre’s photographs), “The Road to Germany” incorporates photos by Peter van Agtmael, who accompanied Alia on her immersive reporting journey. (Back in September, Alia and Peter shadowed the subjects of the story all the way from the Greek island of Kos to Frankfurt, Germany, meeting up with them at many points along the way.) In other words, this is a very unusual piece to be running in a mainstream news magazine!
In crafting the comics component, my job was to take Alia’s amazing, heartfelt reporting and create a narrative to fill in the visual gaps between Peter’s incredible photographs. I was handicapped, though. Unlike Alia and Peter, I hadn’t actually accompanied our protagonists—Muhanid & Ihsan; Mohammed & Sawsan, and their children Sedra, Ali, & Brahim; and Naela, Maysam, Suhair, & Yusef—on this odyssey, so I immersed myself as best I could. Sadly, in recent months, this type of journey has become all too common, so there were a lot of visual resources out there. And with the help of Alia’s notes and Peter’s archival shots, I dove into the minutiae of life vests, the UNHCR outpost in Gevgelija, and German border police uniforms.
I was also struck by the chart that Syrians and other refugees use as the main guide through their route. Even though everyone has smart phones and the resources of the Internet at hand, they still hold on to this crude schematic, which is more like a game board than a map:
I wanted to integrate elements from the chart into the story, not only to remind readers of its importance to the refugees, but also as a bridging device for changing scenes and pushing the narrative forward.
For the comic’s opening scene on the overloaded raft, I was struck by Alia’s description:
Women and children . . . lined up, nearly supine, in the raft’s base. . . . Where any space remained on the bottom, another layer of women and children wedged in. Everyone’s bags were thrown in a heap on top of them while the men were pressed in along the edges.
FP Executive Editor Mindy Bricker and I quickly decided this image would be the “splash” panel of the comic, and I intuitively felt that the best way to capture it would be from directly overhead. This is from the pencils:
The comic starts with five pages of my hand-drawn art; the last six pages incorporate Peter’s photos into selected panels. Combined with actual quotes from Alia’s reporting, it’s pretty cool to see this marriage of documentary forms. And after a solid month of work back in December, it’s very gratifying to see this story in print.
I would say I’m speaking for Alia & Peter as well when I say I hope this piece succeeds in humanizing a refugee crisis which is all too often thought of in impersonal numbers—or sensationalized hysteria—and gives readers a feeling of “being there” on this harrowing journey. As the opener states, “Showing what happens when strangers are thrown together by adversity—how desperate alliances formed and dissolved—[‘The Road to Germany: $2400’] is a diary of an exodus from a war zone to a hopeful, if uncertain future in the West.”
For now, the piece is only available in print, in the Jan./Feb. issue of Foreign Policy. If it becomes viewable online I’ll be sure to post a link. (UPDATE: Here’s the link)
January 15, 2016 January 29, 2016 joshcomix Tagged collaboration, middle east, politics, process Leave a comment
Comics, Tribute
Whenever I debated the pros and cons of being a cartoonist, I never considered that it was inherently a dangerous job. (Unless you’re Joe Sacco, running around in war zones.) But I had to re-evaluate that after the events of January 7, and the massacre of five cartoonists (and seven others) at the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
The last week has been a crazy one, trying to process the events, the manhunt for the killers, the related events at the Paris kosher grocery, the outpouring of pain and outrage, Je suis Charlie, Je suis Ahmed, the backlash, and so on and so on.
The day of the shooting, as things were still unfolding, I was asked to come in to the studios of NowThis News and deliver a “rant” on the events. I didn’t know any of the cartoonists killed. I’d never read Charlie Hebdo (though I knew of its reputation, and its previous run-ins with “angry readers.”) But as a fellow cartoonist, I figured I had some kind of perspective on what had happened. I wish I had been more articulate, more forceful, but I think you can see I was still in a state of shock. Anyway, here’s the video.
I’ll be heading to France myself in less than two weeks, to attend my second Angoulême International Comics Festival (and to also do some signings in Paris). I imagine it will be quite a scene there, what with the various tributes to be held, the changed security situation, and so much more I can’t even imagine. I’ll be sure to take plenty of notes.
Finally, most importantly. Matt Bors, cartoon editor of Medium‘s “The Nib” (publisher of some of my work) has put together an amazing special section on the Charlie Hebdo killings. He commissioned work from seven cartoonists with specific ties to the world of satire, Islam, French culture—even one of the original cartoonists from the 2005 Danish cartoon controversy. The result, “Laugh, Cry, Be Offended,” is an incredible collection of heartfelt, thoughtful words and pictures that addresses so many of the issues brought up in the wake of the killings: free speech, racism, Islamophobia… every single piece demands your undivided attention:
“I Still Can’t Believe It,” by James Van Otto—a French cartoonist discusses his relationship to Cabu, one of the assassinated cartoonists.
“If We Back Down On This, What’s Next?“, by Ann Telnaes—the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post reminds us what free speech actually means.
“I’m a Muslim Who Fights for Free Speech,” by Albaih—a Sudanese political cartoonist criticizes Charlie Hebdo for what he saw as racist, anti-Islam cartoons, at the same time as he laments the attacks. And he reminds the world—as someone who has never fully enjoyed free speech—not to take it for granted.
“I Drew a Muhammad Cartoon. It Didn’t Go Well,” by Annette Carlsen—one of the infamous Danish cartoonists thoughtfully dissects the events of 2005, which in some ways led to last week’s shootings.
“Satire Is Dead. And Cartoonists Killed It,” by J.J. McCullough—a self-proclaimed conservative Canadian cartoonist breaks down Charlie Hebdo‘s satire for ignorant American audiences—and hilariously skewers both American political correctness and Charlie “solidarity” cartoons.
“It’s Not About Islam,” by Safdar Ahmed—an Australian artist and academic sheds a despairing light on the events; his complex argument includes the cheery thought, “Islamophobes share with Muslim extremists the apocalyptic fantasy of a global war between Islam and the West, making such cartoons a force for mobilization.”
“They Killed My Idols,” by Emmanuel “Manu” Letouzé—a French cartoonist (and United Nations economist) pays tribute to murdered cartoonists Tignous, Cabu, and Charb. Must-reading.
Two days before the horrific events of Jan. 7, “The Nib” published my own story, “Crossing the Line,” about the unprovoked harassment of American Muslims at the U.S.-Canadian border. It’s really important to remember that we can’t allow events like 9/11, like January 7, to compromise our American values—freedom of religion is part of the same amendment that protects freedom of speech. The same goes for the presumption of innocence. Only by holding fast to these fundamental values can we ensure that the terrrorists don’t “win,” and that Safdar Ahmed’s apocalyptic prophecy will not come to pass.
January 16, 2015 joshcomix Tagged 9/11, politics, religion Leave a comment
Sari Wilson & I have a new piece in the comics anthology The Big Feminist BUT
Plug, Work
Back in December I encouraged you to support the KickStarter campaign for the new comics anthology The Big Feminist BUT (I love that title!), and now, a few scant months later, it exists in printed form, ready for your purchase!
This beautiful 200-page softcover—whose full title is The Big Feminist BUT: Comics about Women, Men and the IFs, ANDs & BUTs of Feminism-–is edited by Joan Reilly and Shannon O’Leary, and features contributors like Hope Larson, Jeffrey Brown, Vanessa Davis, Emily Flake, Shaenon Garrity, Gabrielle Bell, Justin Hall, Ron Rege, Lauren Weinstein, Liz Baillie, Abby Denson, Jesse Reklaw, Kat Roberts, and Dylan Williams. It also includes a brand-new collaboration of mine and Sari’s (she wrote it and I drew it) loosely based on her experiences as a fact-checker for Playboy Magazine.
The book asks:
“What do we really mean when we start a sentence with the disclaimers, ‘I’m not a feminist, BUT…’ or ‘I am 100% a feminist, BUT…’ What do our great big ‘BUTs’ say about where things stand between the sexes in the 21st Century? We asked some of the most talented ladies (and gentlemen) working in comics and animation today, along with some of the smartest writers we know, to ‘but’ into the heated discussion about the much more level but still contradictory playing field both sexes are struggling to find their footing on today. Fans of Bitch Magazine, Jezebel, Love and Rockets, Wonder Woman, Girls and Mad Men will all find something to enjoy here, as will anyone who likes to read thoughtful, compelling, top-notch comics!”
I couldn’t say it any better—order your copy now.
Here’s a sample page from Sari & my piece (the original art of which was purchased by a KickStarter funder):
May 29, 2013 May 29, 2013 joshcomix Tagged collaboration, feminism, politics, sari Leave a comment
Lila Quintero Weaver’s DARKROOM
Last fall I was sent a manuscript copy of Darkroom: A Memoir in Black & White, a graphic novel memoir by newcomer Lila Quintero Weaver. In 1961, when Lila was five, she and her family emigrated from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Marion, Alabama, in the heart of Alabama’s Black Belt. As educated, middle-class Latino immigrants in a region that was defined by segregation, the Quinteros occupied a privileged vantage from which to view the racially charged culture they inhabited. Weaver and her family were first-hand witnesses to key moments in the civil rights movement. But Darkroom is her personal story as well: chronicling what it was like being a Latina girl in the Jim Crow South, struggling to understand both a foreign country and the horrors of our nation’s race relations. Weaver, who was neither black nor white, observed very early on the inequalities in the American culture, with its blonde and blue-eyed feminine ideal. Throughout her life, Lila has struggled to find her place in this society and fought against the discrimination around her.
Darkroom is an impressive debut work. A memoir in the vein of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and Howard Cruse’s Stuck Rubber Baby, Weaver’s mesmerizing tale is matched by her accomplished drawing and design skills. Darkroom is the story of a childhood, of a Latino immigrant family, of the struggle for justice in the Deep South. Weaver’s appealing pencil renderings perfectly capture the book’s themes of being caught in the middle, witness to (and participant in) one of the most turbulent periods in American history.
Darkroom is out now from the University of Alabama Press. Here’s a link to buying a copy.
March 6, 2012 joshcomix Tagged politics Leave a comment
New comics story, “Bahrain: Lines in Ink, Lines in the Sand”
Travel, Work
Debuting today on the Cartoon Movement website is a new piece of mine, “Bahrain: Lines in Ink, Lines in the Sand.” The story follows Mohammed and Sara, two young Bahraini editorial cartoonists who found themselves on opposite sides of Bahrain’s short-lived Pearl Revolution.
I met Mohammed and Sara at workshops I led while visiting the tiny Persian Gulf country on a U.S. State Department trip. Shortly after I became friends with both of them on Facebook, Bahrain underwent a great deal of turmoil in protests inspired by the Arab Spring — and also by the country’s simmering sectarian tensions.As the New York Times wrote the other day, Bahrain is “… a country that was once one of the region’s most cosmopolitan is now one of its most divided.”
In the story I document Mohammed and Sara’s impressions of the events, through their words and experiences — as well as their own cartoons, which were published as things unfolded.
As I mentioned, I visited Bahrain last year as part of a trip that also took me to Egypt, Algeria, and Israel/Palestine. I later realized that the way I was “handled” by the State Dept. folks in Bahrain was very different than in the other countries I went to. Essentially, I feel, things were whitewashed a bit, and I was not given a full sense of Bahraini society, particularly the ethnic tensions between Sunnis and Shiites. You can read my original blog posts about the trip, my first reactions to the Pearl Revolution, and my realization that I had been “duped” here. Also, Michael Cavna of the Washington Post‘s “Comic Riffs” blog wrote a very nice profile of me and the piece here.
Since I finished the piece, the Bassiouni committee, which I mention near the end of the story, has published its report. You can read the original report here [a pdf], or two very thorough New York Times articles about its reception here and here.
In the end, I find the whole story quite heartbreaking — particularly because of the way the demonstrators were so brutally suppressed. It’s also really sad to see the lack of perspective on both sides. There’s a quote from one of the Bassiouni committee investigators that I think sums it all up quite tragically: “‘There is no neutral account ‘ said Mohamed Helal, the commission’s legal officer…. ‘The community is almost living in parallel universes.’ In investigating one episode, Mr. Helal said he found on the same day, at the same moment, ‘there was not one moment of overlap. How can you reconstruct the truth when there’s no overlap?’ he asked.”
Once again, here’s a link to the story, “Bahrain: Lines in Ink, Lines in the Sand”: http://www.cartoonmovement.com/comic/24
December 2, 2011 December 5, 2011 joshcomix Tagged bahrain, government, middle east, politics, war Leave a comment
Pull Up Those PIIGS!
Comics, Illustration
My mother, Martha Rosler, and I have just collaborated on a public art piece in central Berlin. It’s on the topic of the ongoing European debt crisis, and it’ll be on display on the building (at Auguststraße 10, 10117 Berlin, Germany) until the end of November. (I wasn’t aware of this beforehand, but “PIIGS” is an acronym used by international bond analysts, academics, and the economic press to refer to the economies of Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain in regard to the ongoing sovereign debt crisis.)
My mom came up with the concept and text, and I did the illustration. The project was commissioned by DAAD (in English, the German Academic Exchange Service). My mother is in Berlin for a year on a residency sponsored by DAAD. This is the second large public art collaboration I’ve done with her, the first being part of the MAK Center’s “How Many Billboards?” project from last year.
The piece is quite massive, approximately 35′ x 42.’ Here’s a photo:
This is how the building normally looks (without the palm trees), sorry about the weird cropping:
And here’s a link to a larger version of the original illo, complete with the groovy yellow-green background which they had to cut out for print-compatibility reasons…
October 3, 2011 January 18, 2013 joshcomix Tagged collaboration, martha rosler, money, politics 18 Comments
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Kanye West (@KanyeWest) Signs Deal With Adidas Y-3
Posted on November 23, 2013 by jourdainracing
Kanye West has reportedly signed to Adidas, leaving Nike to pursue a full line of clothing with Adidas’ Y-3 line called “YEEZI.”
“You see me in interviews how I want to do clothes… I want to let you know I signed my deal a week and a half ago,”
West stated during his performance. He continues on for four minutes speaking on being locked out of higher fashion outlets, and being exploited and limited during his time with Nike. West, who spent time at the 2014 Mercedes Benz NYNW show, spent time with Y-3 lead designer Yohji Yamamoto, with many speculating the relationship continued past the Spring show.
The partnership will be welcomed by adidas, who will undoubtedly enjoy a surge of popularity and sales from working with the rapper mogul.
T.I. (@TIP) & Grand Hustle Sign To Columbia Records
T.I. has finally found a new home. It was announced today that the ATL rapper has officially inked a deal with Columbia Records. T.I. will also be bringing along his Grand Hustle label, and currently working on his next album, which will be executive produced by Pharrell. He is also working with Timbaland and DJ Toomp. Here is what T.I. had to say about the new deal:
“I’m honored to be partners with such a successful, passionate and creative conglomerate like Columbia Records, who respects and supports the vision of their artist and partners. Nothing but love, respect & appreciation for Doug Morris, Rob Stringer and the entire staff. Also, a special thank you to my big bruh, Sk8board P, for always believing in me and also executive producing my upcoming project.”
Yo Gotti (@YoGottiKOM) On Arsenio Hall Show
Yo Gotti took his promo run to The Arsenio Hall Show and to give a performance of Cold Blood and King Shit. Yo Gotti new album I Am is in stores now.
Pusha T (@PUSHA_T ) & Pharrell (@Pharrell) Live On Jimmy Kimmel
Pusha T and Pharrell made their way to Jimmy Kimmel show to give a performance of their collaboration S.N.I.T.C.H.. He then went on to do King Push. Both these track is featured on Pusha T’s album titled My Name Is My Name, which is in stores now.
Stussy for Timberland 2013 Holiday 6 Boot
Stussy the streetwear label’s Holiday 2013 collaboration with Timberland. Utilizing Timberland’s iconic 6″ boot style. Trio of colorways to be available today at Stussy chapters and the brand’s online store at 12 p.m. PST.
DC Now Owns A Stadium Strip Club
Troubles continue for former TruOrleans owner James “Tru” Redding. The D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue announced today that it has seized Redding’s strip joint/steakhouse Stadium Clubin order to pay the more than $100,000 in sales and use taxes he owes for his now-closed H Street NE restaurant.
The tax office shut down TruOrleans in September, but the restaurant was plagued by a litany of other financial and legal troubles: The landlord was fighting for eviction, neighbors were protesting the liquor license renewal, and multiple vendors had filed lawsuits for unpaid bills.
Redding has had his own personal financial and legal woes, too. Redding’s company James T. Redding, Inc., for which he was the sole shareholder, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland in July. The bankruptcy filings revealed his company owed more than 100 creditors between $1 million and $10 million. Redding also faces fraud charges in Nevada after allegedly writing bad checks at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Redding didn’t immediately return a call to his cell phone. Y&H wrote in depth about Redding and TruOrleans’ problems in September. Former Y&H columnist Tim Carman also wrote a fantastic review of Stadium Club in 2010. It’s well worth a read.
Stadium Club investor Keith Forney says the club was in the process of being sold to a group of out-of-town investors, although the deal hadn’t been finalized before the District seized the club.
“They weren’t a D.C. bunch,” Forney says of the new investors. “Maybe they didn’t understand the need for speed or whatever.”
Forney, last in the news giving thousands of dollars in gifts to Councilmember Marion Barry in the strip club’s parking lot, declined to name the new investor group or clarify whether he’s still involved in it.
Forney will say, though, that Redding would not have been a member of the new ownership group. “Hopefully it’ll be a more positive thing now that Mr. Redding has moved on to something else,” he says.
Landlord Darryl Pounds says TruOrleans’ eviction proceedings continue. At a hearing yesterday, Redding’s lawyer asked for a continuance, Pounds says, and a new hearing date is scheduled for Dec. 11. “They just keep kicking the ball down the street,” Pounds says.
Beyoncé (@Beyoncé) – God Made You Beautiful
Beyoncé has decided to release a brand new track called God Made You Beautiful. Also on November 25, Beyoncé will release her documentary tittled Life Is But a Dream on DVD. The two-disc set includes a live concert film.
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Thousands attend final Sunday Scramble of the season at Bicester Heritage
In Museums
Larry Edsall
Amy Shore Photography courtesy of Bicester Heritage
Bicester Heritage wrapped up its Sunday Scramble schedule for 2018 with a record-setting turnout of more than 5,000 people
RETURN TO POST
In other museum news, Donington F1 museum closing and it’s motorcycle month in Kansas City
More than 5,500 people turned out this past weekend for the final Sunday Scramble of 2018 at Bicester Heritage, the former Royal Air Force base turned into a classic car and aircraft center/museum in England.
Vehicles displayed at the event ranged from a pre-war Rolls-Royce Phantom I that was driven to the show to the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
A special display was staged by the Dick Lovett Cylinder Club, which took over Hanger 113, where the movie Darkest Hour was filmed, and showcased more than 100 modern classics and supercars. The Mercedes AMG Formula One racing team provided the 2015 Austin Spec F1 car driven by Lewis Hamilton to seven victories, six poles and 11 podium finishes.
Vintage bicycles also were featured and various powered and glider aircraft provided a show above the car show.
The Sunday Scramble schedule for 2019 launches on January 6.
Media reports in the UK say Donington’s F1 car museum will close in early November | Tripadvisor.UK photo
Donington’s F1 museum to close
British media are quoting Kevin Wheatcroft, son of the founder of the Formula One car museum at Donington, saying the Donington Collection museum will close on November 5 after 45 years in operation. The museum reportedly has the world’s largest collection of grand prix racing cars.
The museum opened in 1973 to house the collection of the late Frederick “Tom” Wheatcroft, who bought his first grand prix car, a 13-year-old Ferrari, in 1964. Wheatcroft bought the famed British racing circuit in 1971.
The fate of the vehicles in the collection has not been revealed.
It’s Motorcycle Month at Kansas City museum
October is Motorcycle Month at the Kansas City Auto Museum in Olathe, Kansas, where more than two dozen motorcycles are on display, ranging from an 1897 De Dion Bouton motorized tricycle to a 2004 Harley-Davidson V-Rod Bagger. Also featured are a 1912 Excelsior and 1913 Sears, as well as a 1912 Indian board-track racer.
In addition to the motorcycles, the museum is participating in Project Warmth during October and offers free admission to visitors donating a coat, hat, gloves or blanket for those in need.
Special events this weekend
The Beaulieu museum in England continues its annual Autumn Lecture Series on October 12 with Steve Waddingham, historian at Aston Martin Lagonda, talking about “Aston Martin: A History.”
The Seal Cove Auto Museum in Maine hosts a Cars & Coffee featuring “early Fords” on October 13 from 9 a.m. until noon and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. joins with the Wendell Gilly Museum for a class on carving hood ornaments in the style of Rene Lalique’s Faucon (falcon).
It’s “Hoods Up” weekend at the Newport Car Museum in Rhode Island, with engines exposed on many of the museum’s cars.
The Simeone Foundation Auto Museum in Philadelphia celebrates Enzo Ferrari on October 13, Italian Heritage Day, with a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza, 1925 Alfa Romeo RL Super Sport, 1954 Ferrari 375 MM and 1958 Ferrari 250 TR taking part in Demo Day at 11 a.m. Then, at 2 p.m., the museum offers an in-depth conversation and book signing at 2 p.m. on October 13 with Luca Dal Monte, author of Enzo Ferrari: Power, Politics and the Making of an Automotive Empire.
It’s “Cars, Barns and Blues!” on October 13 at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, with a big cruise-in and live Chicago blues music from Big Dog Mercer. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (note: the museum buildings close at 5 p.m., so if you want to see what’s inside, arrive earlier).
The Kansas City Auto Museum is participating in the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival vintage races Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Garnett, Kansas.
Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, California, hosts a book signing October 13 featuring True Tales from Burbank, by Wesley Clark and Michael McDaniel.
The Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California, celebrates its 30th anniversary with a gala scheduled for October 14. In addition to dinner and silent and live auctions, the evening will feature music by Franc d’Ambrosio of Phantom of the Opera fame.
The Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana, will host Matt Anderson, curator of transportation at The Henry Ford museum, at 1:30 p.m. on October 17 for his presentation on “Ford’s Icons: The Model T and the Mustang.”
The Great Fall Auction will be held October 21 at the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine.
The Simeone Foundation Auto Museum in Philadelphia offers the world premiere of Maserati: A Hundred Years Against All Odds, the first comprehensive film about the marque and its history, to be shown at 7 p.m. on October 23. The event includes a conversation and discussion featuring producer Philip Selkirk and director Luca Dal Monte, a former Maserati director of marketing and public relations.
The Simeone Foundation Auto Museum in Philadelphia plans “An Evening with Hurley Haywood” featuring the sports car racer on October 26.
From October 27 to November 4, the British Motor Museum invites children to serve as junior detectives to find the “Missing Plans” and to learn how to do secret car designs in invisible ink. The adventures begin daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. or 2 p.m.
Trunk-or-Treat events are scheduled for October 20 at LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington, for October 25 at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, and for October 28 at America On Wheels in Allentown, Pennsylvania (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.). The Gilmore’s event runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and takes place inside the museum as well as outside, where vintage truck rides will be offered.
The Newport Car Museum in Rhode Island hosts a German Car Day show October 27 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The British Motor Museum hosts the “Large Model Aircraft Show” on October 28 with more than 100 large static radio-controlled aircraft on display.
On October 31, the Simeone Foundation Auto Museum in Philadelphia presents its 11th Spirit of Competition award to Roger Penske on an evening that will feature Amelia Island concours founder Bill Warner as master of ceremonies.
The LeMay Collections at Marymount in Tacoma, Washington, hosts a Sock Hop on November 3 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, California, features Matt Stone and Ed “Isky” Iskenderian from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on November 3, signing of their book, Hot Rod Empire, the story of Bob Petersen and Hot Rod magazine.
The 11th annual “Vets’n Vettes” event runs November 8-10 at the National Corvette Museum and its NCM Motorsports Park. The program includes laps around the track, road tours and participation in the Bowling Green (Kentucky) Veterans Day Parade. Registration closes October 23.
The AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, hosts a Corvette Racing Weekend on November 9-10 with driving events, a dinner featuring racers Doug Fehan and Tommy Milner and Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter, and other activities.
“Tuners@ACM” is the title of a new exhibit opening November 10 at LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. The exhibit opens with an “art-in-motion” event from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on November 10.
The annual library sale at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, is scheduled from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on November 23 and from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on November 24.
America On Wheels’ 11th annual Moonlight Memories gala in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is scheduled for December 1 from 6 until 10 p.m.
Does your local car museum have special events or exhibitions planned? Let us know. Email larrye@classiccars.com.
California dreamin’: Gooding lands silver spider for Pebble Beach docket
Jerry Seinfeld, cars and comedians are back for season 11
Museums examine ‘Life Is a Highway’ and our automotive future
Race cars headline Australian online auction
Newport was an important model for Chrysler
Competition Ferraris celebrated at Concours d’Elegance of America
Concours & Events
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Email: Info@classiccars.com
Sell a Classic Vehicle
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Blogger: "Girl-On-Girl" Sexual Harassment Is "Hot"
Anna North
Filed to: Unlawful conductFiled to: Unlawful conduct
Unlawful conduct
Sexual harassment by women
Law firm sexual harassment
A female law firm employee is suing the firm because her boss (also female) told her she was "dirty hot" and had "great dick-sucking lips." And Above the Law finds this form of sexual harassment totally hot.
The details of the case are pretty salacious. Plaintiff Jennifer Braude alleges that her boss, Meredith Sossman, told her that she liked having foursomes and getting slapped during sex. Sossman also said she had kissed her female best friend, who looked like Braude, and that she wanted them to have a threesome. She told Braude she had a "huge" chest, "great dick-sucking lips" and was "dirty hot," meaning "you exude sex ... like you know you're dirty in bed just by looking at you." According to the suit, the firm — Maron Marvel Bradley & Anderson — noted Sossman's behavior, determined she was a "cancer," and fired her. Braude is suing because the firm didn't react quickly to her complaint, first telling her to deal with the situation herself; because after she complained her boss was hostile to her and she did not receive a bonus; and because when she asked for a leave of absence to deal with the stress of the harassment, she was told she would need to reapply for her job. Basically, Braude feels that even though Sossman was eventually fired, she herself was penalized for rocking the boat.
Braude's experience with Sossman turns a lot of conventional wisdom about sexual harassment on its head. For one, it shows that women can be just as creepy as men, and just as capable of creating a threatening work environment. It's also a break from the stereotypical harassment situation of female victim going up against an old boys' network. Here, the perpetrator was also female, and instead of closing ranks around her, the firm gave her the axe — but not before making Braude feel unwelcome too. If Braude's allegations are accurate, then it's clear that those who report sexual harassment can face discrimination even when the harasser is unpopular.
It would be interesting to know what percentage of sexual harassment claims are filed against women, and whether these claims are more likely to be taken seriously than those against men. One study suggests they're actually taken less seriously, at least by men — male college students were less likely to perceive the situation as harassment if the harasser was female. But it's just as difficult to find information about sexual harassment by women as it is to find out about female sexual abusers — almost all the data seems to be about women as victims, not perpetrators.
Sexual Abuse By Women: The Crime No One Wants To Investigate
Though awareness of childhood sexual abuse has come a long way in the past few decades, one area…
This may be because people see sexual harassment by women as a joke or, alternately, as a turn-on. Elie Mystal at Above the Law (admittedly not known for its restraint) has an especially classy take on the Braude case. Of Sossman's "dick-sucking lips" comment, he says, "I did not know that women noticed things like that." But, he adds, "I do know that women notice things like" dirty-hotness. He also writes, "this firm sounds 'dirty hot' to me," and asks, "do you think employees suffering from Post-Lesbianic Harassment Syndrome should be entitled to some extra time off from work?" Maybe — but I also think harassment victims deserve not to have their stress belittled with silly names. And I think we're never going to find out anything about sexual harassment by women if we keep calling it "hot."
Girl-On-Girl Sexual Harassment At Delaware Law Firm [Above the Law]
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Record Plant, New York Studio Recording 1) Room Full Of Mirrors 2) Crash Landing 3) Bleeding Heart These recordings represent Billy Cox’s first studio session with Jimi. For their explorations of “Room Full Of Mirrors”, “Crash Landing” and “Bleeding Heart”, Hendrix and Cox were joined by drummer Rocky Isaac and percussionist Al Marks. Take thirty-one of “Room Full Of Mirrors” from this session is featured as part of the box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience. At the time of the box set’s release, it was not known that Issac and Marks had been the musicians backing Jimi on that evening. More than three decades later, Al Marks, now a successful music executive for MCA Records, fills in the details about meeting Jimi and how the session came together EH: How did you first meet Jimi? AM: I met Jimi at the Monterey Pop Festival. I was in a band in New York called the Down Five. My guitar player wanted to go to Monterey. I said, ‘For what? I don’t want to go to Mexico.’ He said, ‘No, Monterey, California for the Pop Festival’. I agreed, so we got into a VW bus and drove across the country. He knew someone who was working at the festival and we got a crew pass. We spent a lot of time wandering around the backstage and all of the artists back there were really cool. You could walk up to people like Brian Jones, Mickey Dolenz, and Mama Cass and just talk to them. We watched Jimi’s performance and were just blown away. I didn’t even want to pick up my guitar again after watching him play. He blew me away. Sometime after his set, we went backstage and saw him having a conversation with Mitch Mitchell. When he finished, I walked over and said, ‘I also play guitar, but as of today I am putting it down.’ He laughed in that cool way he had and said, ‘Don’t put it down. Just practice.’ We spoke for about fifteen minutes, talking about guitars and amplifiers. I asked him about Stratocasters and why he played them upside down. He showed me his hands and they were twice my size. I told him that I played Gibson’s and he wanted to know which models I liked. I preferred the 335 which he had never played. He spoke of a Gibson Firebird which I had never heard of. He mentioned that one of the Kinks also played that guitar. He was very friendly and easy to talk with. He was just really cool. EH: How did you get involved with the Cherry People? AM: I moved from New York down to Washington in January 1969. I hooked up with this band known as the Cherry People. I was living in the basement of the guitar player’s house. Chris Grimes and I were good friends and I was working as their manager. Punky Meadows, later of Angel, was the lead guitarist. Rocky Isaac was their drummer and Jan Zechowski, later of the Nighthawks played bass. Doug Grimes was the lead singer. The band told me that everybody would be going up to New York in April. They were going to try and get out of their record deal with Heritage Records to whom they had signed in 1968. The group had a hit with the song “And Suddenly”, but they were not a bubble gum band and that’s what the album was. Jerry Ross owned Heritage Records and when they recorded the Cherry People album, they had used a lot of session players. The band didn’t have a lot of input into how it was made. The guys really resented that. We had a meeting scheduled with Jerry Ross, but he didn’t show. We left a note with his secretary asking to be released from the label. She laughed at us, but agreed to give it to Jerry. After that, we went out for pizza and heard that there was going to be a jam for guitar players at Steve Paul’s Scene Club that night. We didn’t have a hotel because we had originally thought we were just going to turn around and drive back home after the meeting with Jerry Ross. We decided instead to go check what was happening there. We got there at 9:00 and there were all kinds of people around like Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer. All of a sudden Jimi Hendrix walked in with two people. He sat down in the corner and no one was bothering him. Everybody at my table was going, ‘Wow! That’s Jimi Hendrix!’ I was excited. I told the guys that I had met Jimi at Monterey Pop and wanted to see if he had remembered our conversation backstage. The guys didn’t believe me and I sat there for a few minutes trying to get up the nerve to go talk to him. I got up the courage and introduced myself. I didn’t want to bother him, but I asked if he remembered meeting at Monterey. He did not, but told me it was cool to sit and talk with him. He asked what I was doing in New York and I told him that our band was trying to get out of its contract with the record company. He laughed and said, ‘Yeah, record companies…’ Then he said, ‘So you got a band here? Do you have a drummer?’ I said ‘Yes. He is sitting right over there.’ He then asked if we were doing anything at 3 or 4 o’clock that morning. I said no and asked him why. He was going to cut some things in the studio and wondered whether our drummer would like to sit in. I immediately said he would. Jimi then said, ‘Well, you didn’t ask him.’ I didn’t have to ask him. He’s gonna do it. He wanted to know if the guy was any good and I told him that Rocky was a great drummer. We’ll do it, I told him. He introduced me to Billy Cox who was sitting with him. Billy mentioned that he was a bass player. I asked about Noel Redding, but Jimi told me that Noel would not be sitting in. He described Billy as his buddy and said that the session would be with him. We agreed to meet later at the Record Plant. I walked to my table and told the band, ‘You are not going to believe this but Jimi Hendrix just asked Rocky to sit in’. Everybody at the table told me I was full of shit. I asked the guys to trust me and waved over to Jimi’s table. Jimi waved back and gave us the peace sign. Chris, Rocky, and I made plans to go while the other guys went back to this hostel we were staying at. At the Record Plant we told the receptionist that we were here to do a session with Jimi Hendrix. He asked who we were and I told him the Cherry People. We were not listed on the sheet. I told him about meeting Jimi at the Scene Club and he said, ‘Oh, you are the guys he called over about’. We were alone in the studio for about forty-five minutes before Gary Kellgren showed up with an assistant engineer and a tall, beautiful black woman [Devon Wilson] whom we were told was Jimi’s girlfriend. Gary reassured us that while Jimi was always late, he had phoned about the session and was on his way over. Twenty minutes later, Jimi and Billy Cox walked in with a friend who was a photographer [Willis Hogans Jr.]. Jimi was really cool and wanted to know if we were OK. Rocky saw him and said, ‘You’re Jimi Hendrix’. Jimi laughed and said ‘Man, I know who I am. Don’t you think I know who I am?’ We all just about fell on the floor laughing. Rocky admitted to him that he was really nervous. Jimi laughed and said, ‘Just relax. It will all be cool.’ Jimi was playing through an old Acoustic amplifier and not a Marshall. One big cabinet with a small head. Billy was playing through an Ampeg rig and a set of drums had been set up for Rocky. Jimi then started to move his amp and I told that I would do that for him. He said that if I really wanted to move something for him, his car was out front and if he didn’t move it across the street it was going to be towed. I asked for the keys and told him I would do it. He owned a silver Corvette and by the time I was outside I thought, ‘Shit, I don’t know how to drive a stick shift. I am going to ruin Jimi’s Corvette’. I opened the door and it was automatic. I thought, my God everything is working for me tonight! I got in the car and there were all of these tapes on the passenger seat. His car had a cassette player built in to the dashboard and I had never seen anything like that before. Sitting on the seat were these tapes which were marked, ‘Me, Steve Winwood’ and ‘Me, Buddy Miles’. I parked the car, came back in and he told me that he wanted a percussion section. Jimi asked me to play maracas—which I had never played before in my life—and Chris Grimes to play tambourine. We recorded “Room Full Of Mirrors” and it took forever because Rocky couldn’t keep the beat on drums. Midway through the session, Jimi turned to him and said something to the effect of, ‘Man, do you know how to play drums? What’s going on?’ I had been banging one of the maracas against my leg for three and a half hours and my leg was black and blue. I told Rocky quietly that he better get things right because I couldn’t walk! I had a knot on my leg that seemed four inches big. I was afraid that we were going to screw up the chance of a lifetime. At one point in the session, the photographer [Willis Hogans Jr.] got underfoot of Jimi. He had been laying on the ground taking pictures of Jimi and he got in the way. Jimi kicked the camera out of his hands, saying to get out of the way [Ed. These may be the few color shots Hogans took of Jimi from that angle]. We thought he was joking at first but he was actually really pissed. His kick broke the camera and the photographer started crying. Jimi gave him money to get it fixed but that was the end of photos that night. By eight that morning, Jimi said that we were going to give it one last try and if we didn’t get it we would have to come back the next morning. Jimi then just started wailing on the guitar and singing live on top of it. Rocky finally delivered what he believed was a good take and Gary Kellgren yelled ‘Yeah’ over the talkback microphone when we had finished. Jimi let us know that we were done for the night. Before we left, he told us that he had a couple more tracks that he wanted to cut on Thursday at the same time. We thought he meant after midnight Wednesday evening. As he was walking out, he gave each of us $100.00 cash and said to Rocky, ‘Man, I would practice a bit if I was you.’ Billy laughed and shook his head and they walked out together. Gary Kellgren then came over and asked us our names and if we were in the Musicians Union. We were, but Gary told us not to declare the work because Jimi had paid us more than union scale for the session. Union scale at that time for a session was $35.00. We were strutting. Jimi Hendrix had paid us $100.00 to play with him. We told the guys back at the hostel about the session and they didn’t believe us until we showed them the $100.00 bill Jimi had given each of us. We then drove back to Washington and made a plan to bring Mike Burke and Richard Harrington, a critic for the Washington Post who also wrote for a paper called the Unicorn Times to prove that we actually were going to record again with Jimi Hendrix.
Bleeding Heart Crash Landing Interviews new york Record Plant Room Full Of Mirrors Studio Recording
April 24, 1969 Record Plant, New York Studio Recording 1) Crash Landing 2) Bleeding Heart 3) Hey Gypsy Boy On this evening, Jimi and Billy Cox were again joined by percussionist Al Marks and drummer Rocky Isaac from the Washington D.C. based group The Cherry People. Al Marks details the events of that memorable evening. EH: What happened at the April 24, 1969 session? AM: We drove back Wednesday [April 23, 1969] and went to the Record Plant. We spoke to the receptionist and told him we were here to record with Jimi. He remembered us from the other night but informed us Jimi had not booked a session for that night. All of a sudden our jaws dropped. Mike Burke and [Washington Post critic] Richard Harrington looked at us and were complaining that we had driven all this way for nothing. Mike Burke agreed to stay, but Harrington left to take a train back to D.C. We had no place to stay so we asked if we could hang out at the studio. They let us in and we crashed on the floor of the studio. In the morning, we were awoken by Vinnie Bell and Tony Mottola from the Tonight Show band. Vinnie was the guy who invented the electric sitar. [Ed. Marks may have also solved another puzzling Hendrix historical question. On April 6, 1969 Jimi was recorded playing a Coral electric sitar at the Record Plant. It now seems apparent that he was given the instrument by Bell]. They were arriving to do session work for a movie soundtrack. These guys were in suits and we were a bunch of scraggly hippies in buckskin jackets. Before we left that morning, Jimi called the studio to set up the session for that night. The studio told him we were there and he asked us to return that night at 9. Somehow we then lost Rocky. We couldn’t locate him, so we ended up spending the day walking around the city. He showed up back at the studio around 7 p.m. looking refreshed. He asked us where we had been because Jimi had reserved a hotel room for us. We were stunned. Rocky had left a note for us but the guy at the Record Plant had forgotten to tell us. We all ran over to the hotel room Jimi had reserved for us and took quick showers. When we returned to the studio, Jimi and Rocky were going over the new songs he wanted to play. The first number we did was “Bleeding Heart”. We did about fifteen or sixteen takes and it seemed to work out fairly well. It was the same line-up as the previous session. Jimi then wanted to try another song so Chris and I took the opportunity to switch instruments. My leg was so damn sore that I couldn’t keep doing it anymore so I took over tambourine and Chris picked up the maracas. [Ed. Jimi made several attempts at “Hey Gypsy Boy”, an uptempo new original song whose lyrics bore close similarity to what would later develop as “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)”]. Jimi then started to play “Crash Landing”. There were no vocals at first. He was focusing on the track itself. This went really well and after ten or fifteen takes he asked everybody to leave the studio. I asked him if we were being thrown out and he explained that he would not allow anybody to be in the studio while he recorded vocals on a track. In the control room, Gary Kellgren told us that it was just an idiosyncrasy that Jimi had. Gary went out and constructed a booth around him. Jimi had a sheet with lyrics and he stood behind there and sang beautifully. We were bug eyed in the control room. Then, all of sudden, Punky Meadows, who had been sleeping in the back of the studio, woke up and started walking across the room. Jimi saw him and literally flipped out. He threw down the papers in his hand and yelled, ‘What the fuck are you doing in the studio when I am doing vocals?’ In the control room, Gary Kellgren put his hands to his head. Apparently, that was the worst thing anyone could do on a Hendrix session. He yelled to us, ‘Get him out of there!’ We hustled Punky out to the bathroom and Jimi regained his composure and started doing vocals again. When he finished, he walked in to the control room and said, ‘Man, no one walks through that studio when I am doing vocals. Didn’t Gary tell you that?’ We explained that Punky had been asleep and we didn’t know where he was. Jimi laughed. ‘Punky? What kind of name is Punky?’ Punky came out from hiding and they met. All Jimi kept asking him was what kind of name was Punky? It was funny. At the end of the session, he thanked us and hoped that we would run into each other. We drove back to D.C. after that. EH: Did you ever imagine that any of the music to which you contributed would be released? AM: Years later I bought the Crash Landing album thinking it was us on the track but they had erased everything. I have been looking for some validation of this session for thirty years. Every time I would see “Room Full Of Mirrors” on a Jimi Hendrix album I would look to see if my name was on it. Then this year I got an advance of the new box set. I heard “Room Full Of Mirrors” and lo and behold it was it us. This is the song I played on! When I saw the credits, I was disappointed that no one seemed to know who the hell I was! It was great to talk to you about it. I am so grateful to know that this track is on the box set. I love Jimi and its an honor to be a part of something like this. I’ve been on a high since!
Al Marks billy cox Interviews new york Record Plant Rocky Isaac Studio Recording
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Thursday, Jul 6 2006
New York Times Profiles Melinda Gates, Her Role in Gates Foundation’s Financing of Microbicides
The New York Times on Thursday profiled Melinda Gates, including her role in financing microbicide research through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. According to the Times , Gates has played an "instrumental role in the foundation's evolution from a modest organization less than a decade ago ... into the giant of the foundation world." Helene Gayle, who left the Gates Foundation earlier this year to become president of CARE, an international relief agency, said of the couple, "They see this as a partnership, and she's clearly a strong and equal partner." According to outside experts, Gates' influence is most notable in the foundation's support of microbicides (Lohr/Strom, New York Times , 7/6). Microbicides include a range of products -- such as gels, films and sponges -- that could help prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections ( Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report , 6/27). Gates in May wrote a commentary in Newsweek highlighting the importance of microbicdes in Africa, and the Gates Foundation has given $60 million to International Partnership for Microbicides, a not-for-profit research organization, that works to develop the products. "My sense is that Melinda has intuitively understood women's vulnerability to HIV and had the sense that women didn't have the tools they needed to protect themselves," Pam Norick, chief of external relations for IPM, said ( New York Times , 7/6).
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Max Martin trails behind The Beatles with most #1 songs
It should come to no surprise that Max Martin is the most prolific pop songwriter of today having penned hits for Britney Spears, Katy Perry, & Taylor Swift. Some claim that he is behind the whole modern pop sound.
He’s since topped the charts with 18 signature songs performed by N’Sync, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. Max Martin has the third most No. 1 singles, trailing behind Paul McCartney, with 32, and John Lennon, with 26.
Would you put Max Martin, the man behind Britney Spears “Hit Me Baby One More Time” in the same league as John Lennon & McCartney?
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Sound City Review: Dave Grohl’s Stellar Trip Down Memory Lane
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl is a drummer, guitarist, singer, and now, a filmmaker – is there anything the guy can’t do? Apparently not, if his documentary about one of the music landscape’s most iconic fountains of creativity, one of the best-received films out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, is any indication.
A love letter to Grohl’s old stomping ground, the titular California-based recording studio which gave birth to Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind, Sound City is an intimate examination of both the ridiculous number of artists it allowed to flourish – Metallica, Neil Young, Trent Reznor, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Fleetwood Mac, Barry Manilow and countless others – and also the less-famous but equally important faces behind the studio glass; the studio managers, technicians and producers who were instrumental in getting so many popular works made. Leaving no stone unturned, Grohl manages to comprehensively convey how Sound City helped to not only form careers, but in some cases, friendships, relationships, and lives.
But what makes the studio – which even its rock star patrons will admit is a dilapidated shell of a building – such fertile ground for breeding iconic, unforgettable music? Grohl lovingly details through engrossing anecdotes the various quirks and attributes which made the location a one-of-a-kind place to make music; the spectacular recording console, the miraculously brilliant acoustics, the bands who formed as a result (Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac after a fortuitous meeting there), and the charm of the place that turned even its ardent cynics around.
Grohl ties all this exceptionally well into a depiction of the gritty creative process of constructing a song from the ground up, providing nuanced technical insights that nevertheless won’t end up losing the less musically astute viewers.
Throughout its lifetime, Sound City was a steadfast relic, even as digital recording gained traction in the 1980s, with analogue tape recording largely being traded up for electronic drum machines and the one-click studio set-ups of today. As one can expect, Grohl lines up a litany of purists who remain averse to the change, and seem intimidated or offended by the prospect of anyone being able to create music on a laptop – those who have seen Christopher Kenneally’s excellent film documentary Side By Side will find themselves struck by a sense of deja vu indeed. Still, Grohl is sensible enough to give digital its due, noting Trent Reznor as one of its most able and inspiring propponents, while also remaking unfortunate culture of auto-tuned, production line digital music that it has invited.
The implications for Sound City, inevitably, were that it couldn’t compete with the digital studio system – despite a brief resurgence with Nirvana in the early 90s, and bands such as Rage Against the Machine, The Pixies and Queens of the Stone Age recording at the studio as a result – but the film is far from a dirge, rather a celebration of the studio’s influence and how it is able to in a sense live on spiritually if not in its original form.
Given how much Grohl figures in the film himself – a necessity given the personal nature of the project – it’s impressive how genuine and vanity-free he appears here; there’s not even a whiff of self-involvement in the project, which seems somewhat in line with the artist’s stature as the so-called “nicest guy in rock”. Proving serious chops as a filmmaker, he has crafted an authoritative, beautifully assembled, personal, even romantic account of one of rock music’s most important waypoints, a film which aficionados absolutely should not miss.
Sound City is on limited theatrical release in the US, and is available to purchase digitally on the official website.
The post Sound City Review: Dave Grohl’s Stellar Trip Down Memory Lane appeared first on WhatCulture!.
Tags: dave grohl, film, film reviews, Gossip, sound city
Categories Film Reviews
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Building a Mathematical Menorah
By: Danielle Sapiens
from Yavneh Day School
Real-World Learning
Engineering, Math, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Social Studies
Blended Learning, Constructivist, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, Hevruta Learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Elementary school, Middle school, High school
The Menorah is one of the most prominent symbols of Hanukkah. Students collaborated to design and build a Menorah based on Mathematical principles. Students then incorporated the “Keshet of Kavod” (Rainbow of Respect) into the design, emphasizing Jewish values. The built Menorah was then used in the Maccabia games and was showcased at the JCC.
Last Hanukkah I was teaching a unit of Geometry that deals with parallel and perpendicular lines, length unit conversion, balance and symmetry, proportion. We wanted to have a hands-on project for increasing the students’ understanding of the mathematical concepts by applying them to a real-life application. As they were learning in their Jewish studies about Hanukkah, the Maccabim and the Menorah, we have decided to collaboratively create a Menorah applying the geometrical principles we learned in class. The students completely designed the Menorah, including the shape and size, materials and form of construction. The students then built the Menorah painting each one of the 9 sockets in a different color, like a rainbow. This incorporated yet another aspect into the Menorah which is “Keshet of Kavod” (Rainbow of respect). The “Keshet of Kavod” incorporates Jewish values and is a theme in our school.
Each year we explore seven overarching values that promote respect and compassion in our school. The seven values are in sync with the rhythm of the school year and the cycle of the Jewish calendar. When put together, the values build our Keshet of Kavod/Rainbow of Respect. The rainbow is a perfect symbol for many reasons. In Jewish tradition, the rainbow is a symbol of God’s brit (covenant) with all of humanity after the flood in the book of Genesis. It is a symbol of keeping a promise to behave in an ethical way. Though each of the seven values is rooted in specific Jewish teachings, they are also broad enough to be applicable to many areas of school life both within the classroom and on the playground.
The Menorah was used in the school Maccabia games, where in each station the winners collected oil for the Menorah and at the end of the games, the Menorah was lit in celebration of Hanukkah. The Menorah was then placed at the entrance to the JCC for the duration of Hanukkah.
After building the Menorah, the students reflected on the build and gathered all the Mathematical facts and skills they used.
building-a-mathematical-menorah-building-the-menorah-project.pdf
Entrant Bio(s)
Danielle was born and raised in Israel. She received her Bachelor's degree in Mathematic Education from the Levinski College in Tel-Aviv. She received her Masters in Cognitive Sciences, Summa Cum Laude from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has over 15 years of teaching experience, teaching math for grades K-12. She constantly strives to improve methods for teaching math. She started working at Yavneh Day School in 2014 and serves as the School Math Coordinator since 2015.
Build, Geometry, Hanukkah, Kohelet Prize 2017-18, math, Menorah, project,
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Home SPORT NEWS Nigerian fighter, Israel Adesanya wins the Interim UFC Middleweight Championship by unanimous...
Nigerian fighter, Israel Adesanya wins the Interim UFC Middleweight Championship by unanimous decision over Kelvin Gastelum
Nigerian-born fighter Israel Adesanya knocked out his American opponent Kelvin Gastelum twice in the main event of the UFC 236 and claimed the UFC interim middleweight title on Sunday morning.
The Nigerian was announced the winner via unanimous decision in an epic five-round fight that would go down as a classic. Adesanya (17-0) repeatedly dropped a bloody Gastelum late in a savage Round 5 en route to a unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 48-46) following a see-saw battle that left the State Farm Arena crowd in hysterics on its feet.
It was a thrilling fight at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta that had everyone on the edge of their seats as both fighters left each other bloodied and battered. But it was Adesanya who was announced as the winner via unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 48-46) to win an interim championship belt.
The fight was intense from the first round but it was Gastelum who started the fiercer as he put Adesanya in defense mode. Adesanya got Gastelum with a counter right punch that knocked down the American. Adesanya’s intensity increased from that moment and he punched with much more consistency. Gastelum, however, wasn’t ready to give up yet and he returned fired up in round three although he couldn’t land a punch on Adesanya. In the fourth round, he continued with his intensity and knocked out Adesanya in the final minutes of that round.
In round five, Gastelum attacked Adesanya more, looking for that takedown but the Nigerian countered smartly and with much agility. In the final minutes of round five, it was Adesanya who attacked Gastelum with enthusiasm and he eventually dropped the American fighter with an elbow and he followed up with a ground-and-punch. Gastelum wasn’t out but at the end of the fifth round, Adesanya was declared the winner to remain undefeated in his professional career.
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Interview • Top Interview • Ukrainian macroeconomics
Burak Pehlivan: “Ukraine has vanquished 81 countries in the Doing Business rating. It is an immensely resulting. No other country could repeat such a success”
Burak Pehlivan, Chairman of the Board of the International Ukrainian Turkish Business Association, told how Turkey’s experience in economic advancement may be useful to Ukraine.
A Turkish businessman, who thoroughly and deeply analyzes the facts and events, as well as meticulously considers any item and does not make decisions on unverified information. This is the way, which Burak Pehlivan, who lives and works in Ukraine for more than 9 years, applies to his job and he is confident that our country has the potential to make Ukraine prosperous during the shortest time.
In a conversation with LDaily, Burak told about the similarities between Ukraine and Turkey, especially in regard to the historical context, and how Ukraine can attract the flow of investments.
LDaily: Burak, please tell us, what is the interest of Turkey in Ukrainian business ?
B.Pehlivan: If I answer your question briefly my curiosity is caused by the similarity of our countries. 20 years ago in Turkey there were the same problems that Ukraine is experiencing now: both political and geographic. We were not able to attract foreign investment in the same way as you are doing now, and Turkish goods in Europe were also considered uncompetitive. But 20 years ago (in 1995) Turkey signed an EU Customs Union Agreement with the EU, after which our country began to actively implement economic reforms for several years. And when Europe saw that Turkey was on the path to reform, the first 80% of the investment came from European investors. By now the external trade between the EU and Turkey is 48%. In addition, today our country exports 5 times more goods than 20 years ago, namely electronics, cars, and auto parts
By the way, we have so well developed automobile industry in our country, that today Turkey produces 1.5 million cars, and many European car manufacturers have opened their plants in our country. Yes, we do not produce rockets, but the production of consumer goods is very well developed.
LDaily: What is the market for Turkish goods?
B.Pehlivan: Turkey does not have oil and natural gas, which means that we need to produce something and sell it somewhere, in the domestic market or abroad. The domestic market is relatively small, so we go outside, because it always offers new opportunities. Now our goods are supplied not only to the EU, but also to countries of Africa, Asia, Russia, Ukraine, and we still continue looking for new and new markets. Of course, for high competitiveness, the quality of manufactured goods should be at a high level. And our goods meet these requirements. But I want to emphasize that the impetus to out growth has been done more than 20 years ago, as I have already said, it was the Agreement on the Customs Union of Turkey with the EU. And that fact gave great opportunities for the development of the Turkish economy.
LDaily: Burak, tell us, please, what, in your opinion, taking into account all the facts mentioned above, Ukraine needs first of all?
B.Pehlivan: It`s a good question. There are many conversations on this subject, and the opinions of those who understand how the economy and business work are distinctive. The first half of them assures that at the moment Ukraine is not able to attract foreign investment due to a conflict with Russia, political and economic instability, because of great corruption, poorly organized social system. The second part insists that in the presence of all these problems, investors are still looking into Ukraine, because there is a convenient geographical location and a very good economic potential. And again, I want to give an example of Turkey: why, for example, after the signing of the Customs Union Union agreement with the EU, we could not attract investments for the first 5 years, and then it will be clear what Ukraine lacks.
Increasing of investment attractiveness is a long process aimed at informing the investor about the country’s opportunities. In addition, you can not hide the problem with the image. Yes, there is corruption in Ukraine, and investors know about it. But the fact is that corruption exists in Poland, Italy, and in other countries, and in Africa, too, but many large international companies go to Africa and successfully conduct their business there. Does this mean that there is a better level of government control than here? Of course not. The danger is exaggerated and result depends on both people and government.
For example, I am sure that time is coming when Ukraine becomes a developed and prosperous country, but speed of this process depends only on the Ukrainian people and government. Let’s look at the Turkish experience again. Does it mean that Ukraine should also wait for 5, 10 or 15 years? It is clear that not. Knowing the experience of other countries and having a desire to reform and develop, Ukraine can achieve high rates in its development much faster. Such a plan requires:
to continue reforms
to form a positive image of Ukraine in mass media,
to publish examples of successful business cases,
to attract foreigners as tourists, i.e. to use tourism as soft power.
LDaily: Is international image so important?
B.Pehlivan: Yes, it is. And do you know why? Because if a country has a bad image, tourists will not go there because of negative information: they constantly hear that there is a war in Ukraine and a threat to their lives. Turkey also has problems, but it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. And all because we work on our global image, we show our sights, tell about the advantages of cooperation with Turkey and opportunities for other countries.
In my opinion, Ukraine should sign an agreement with Turkey on the Free Trade Zone. Right now, Turkish investors are ready to invest abroad and Ukraine can become a very good hub for a Turkish manufacturer.
I can explain why: Ukraine has an agreement on the Free Trade Area with the EU and Canada, and your country is bordered by four European countries, which gives new logistical opportunities to all parties. And one more reason to sign such an agreement is when Europe sees that Turkey is actively investing in Ukraine, it can become a catalyst for the arrival of European investors here.
LDaily: How does the Ukrainian government respond to the proposal to sign the Free Trade Area Agreement?
B.Pehlivan: You know, such negotiations started in 2007. 11 years has passed. It`s too long. Each party wants to have the result, but it does not succeed yet. Now we are still conducting these negotiations, and I hope that in 2018, we will sign this agreement. Moreover, the sooner the document is signed, the faster and more actively Turkish investors go to Ukraine.
LDaily: What is the most perspective sphere of business for Turkish investors in Ukraine?
B.Pehlivan: Ukraine is very strong in heavy industry. But, like in many countries of the former Soviet Union, light industry is not developed in Ukraine. And when we talk about light industry, it does not mean just textiles, it means all production besides the heavy industry.
I mean production of cars, auto spare parts, etc. For the Turkish investors this segment is very interesting. But Turkey will start investing in the light industry in Ukraine only after the Free Trade Area Agreement is signed.
Besides, Turkish investors are interested in alternative energy, because Ukraine has one of the best items (financially attractive) in Europe. And I know that some Turkish investors have already started investing and will continue.
The third direction – agriculture. But in order to attract more investment from Turkey in this area, I think that a land reform is needed. But this reform must be safe for the country and not to give any opportunity for monopolization.
Moreover, Turkey is very focused on IT and real estate spheres, although this segment of the market also needs some regulation.
LDaily: What is missed in Ukraine in this field?
B.Pehlivan: I think that there is not enough communication with the people. For example, the Turkish authorities are very active in informing and educating ordinary people, explaining many times that they will be given some or other reforms. And when people begin to understand this, reforming any industry becomes much easier, and especially when people are convinced that the government is not deceiving and reforms really produce a great result, then, of course, the country will change.
LDaily: It means that communicating with people is one of the most important components, does not it?
B.Pehlivan: It is true. Communication is one of the key factors. Next, public-private partnership is very important. In Ukraine, one of the biggest problems is the lack of money. The banking system practically does not work, loans are not given, because for realization of large infrastructure projects a reliable private line is needed. Therefore, for Ukraine, as well as for Turkey, public-private partnership plays a very important role. For example, in Turkey over the past 15 years more than 200 projects have been implemented precisely thanks to a working public-private partnership, which is $ 150 billion. And all this is only through private funding. This case can be a great example for Ukraine.
The next point is –
to allow privatization. Thus, foreign investors will have the opportunity to manage more efficiently and more productively: new jobs will appear in enterprises and companies will start to generate profit and pay taxes. The main objective of privatization is to upgrade enterprises for private funds and restart them so that they start to make profit.
LDaily: Burak, please tell us about the purpose of creating the Association you are managing.
B.Pehlivan: TUID – International Ukrainian Turkish Business Association was founded in 2004, when our Prime Minister, who now is the President, has visited Ukraine for the first time. He noticed that there was no Association of Turkish Businessmen in Ukraine, and advised to create it. Thus, Turkish businessmen founded TUID.
I want to say that, unlike Turkish business in other countries, Turkish companies in Ukraine work successfully not only in textiles, food and construction, but also in all other areas of the Ukrainian economy.
The second feature of our Association – our members are representatives of small business, as well as medium and large, for example, Turkish Airlines, Colin’s, LC Waikiki, Life Cell.
The third feature – our Association represents not only Turkish capital. Many Turkish top professional executives work in international companies such as Reckitt Benckiser, Panasonic, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and many international companies are run by Turks. And these people and companies also are our members, which, in its turn, gives us great opportunities.
Fourth, among all Turkish business associations abroad, TUID has the largest network of branches. The head office is located in Kiev, but the branches work in Odessa, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, Vinnitsa, Lviv, and another representative office is in Istanbul.
By the way, in February 2018 in Turkey, TUID was recognized as the most successful association of Turkish businessmen abroad. And we got the prize (smiles). And in 2012 in Romania, we have become the most successful Association in Eastern and Central Europe.
LDaily: What is the most important task of TUID?
B.Pehlivan: Our main task is to raise the image of Turkey in Ukraine and the image of Ukraine in Turkey. We do our best for this in all spheres – culture, economics, art. For example, we implemented a project with one Ukrainian company to measure the image of Turkey in Ukraine. We investigated the activities of the Turkish airlines, construction companies, Turkish transport companies; examined whether Ukrainian people watch Turkish TV series, if so, what results are etc. In other words, we photographed the overall image of Turkey in Ukraine. This is a grand project that has shown us a lot. Now we will do it every year.
LDaily: Burak, you have been working in Ukraine for 9 years. What, in your opinion, has changed over the years?
B.Pehlivan: You know, over the past 4 years Ukraine has implemented many reforms, even more than during the past 23 years of its Independence. In 2010, Ukraine ranked 153th in the Doing Business World Bank list. Now – 76. Ukraine has surpassed 81 countries in this ranking. It is extremely well. Nobody could repeat such a success. As a citizen of Turkey as well as a Turkish entrepreneur and a Turkish businessman who works in Ukraine, I see and feel the difference. Now you need to outrun 75 countries (smiles).
LDaily: We have a long way to go…
B.Pehlivan: When foreign investors choose where to invest, they estimate all countries, and not only those that have a positive development trend, although this is very important. Therefore, despite the fact that Ukraine is undertaking such enormous structural reforms, it could not attract investment. You need to work more and faster.
LDaily: What would you like to wish to our country and Ukrainians in particular?
B.Pehlivan: In my opinion, you have everything. But one must understand that Ukraine must be raised not by foreigners, but by its citizens. I think that Ukraine will be very successful in the near future, will export much more goods, at least you have everything for these aims. You just have to be a bit more organized and quicker.
Please read: To be successful in Ukraine, you need to forget everything you’ve ever known before entering its market
Pavlo Hrygorash: “The law regulating the tourism industry is obsolete and requires urgent change”
To be successful in Ukraine, you need to forget everything you’ve ever known before entering its market
Our main value is safety
Changes in the economy are impossible without direct foreign investments. To attract them Ukraine needs strong propaganda abroad
SGS is business based on reputation
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42 Countries will «Dare to Dream» in Tel Aviv for Eurovision Song Contest 2019
Photo by EBU / Eurovision 2019
There will be 42 participating broadcasters vying to win the coveted Eurovision Song Contest trophy in Tel Aviv next year it was announced today.
The 64th Contest is organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and KAN, and will take place at Tel Aviv’s Expo Centre in May 2019.
Following her win in May at the world’s most illustrious music event, Netta Barzilai’s victory with «Toy» has brought the Contest to Israel for a third time and the first to be hosted in Tel Aviv.
A total of 42 countries will now «Dare to Dream» as they head to Israel’s self-defined non-stop city in May next year, with the Semi-Finals taking place at Tel Aviv’s Expo Centre on the 14 and 16 of May, and the Grand Final on 18 May.
The slogan for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, «Dare to Dream» was revealed last week by Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest. The aspirational tag line symbolises inclusion, diversity and unity, which represents the core values of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Each year the slogan is chosen by the Host Broadcaster and is an important part of the event forming the creative theme of the contest’s visual identity, stage design, opening acts, interval acts, postcard production and many other creative elements of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said «Last year Netta dared to dream and won the contest in Lisbon, bringing it to Israel for 2019. We are thrilled that 42 countries will be represented in Tel Aviv and hope the participating broadcasters are inspired to have the same dream. The team at KAN is busy preparing to welcome the participants – and the World! – to Tel Aviv and will be putting on a show to remember».
Eldad Koblenz, the CEO of the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC), KAN added, «We already know that dreams come true when we saw Netta Barzilai win the Eurovision Song Contest in May and bring the trophy back to Israel for a third time. Netta allowed us to dare to dream and now, as these dreams are being realised, we can’t wait to host the 42 delegations who will aspire to do the same. All of us at KAN are looking forward to welcoming everyone to an exciting and memorable Eurovision Song Contest that will be watched by millions of viewers in Israel and across the globe».
The Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Finals will be held in Tel Aviv on 14 and 16 May followed by the Grand Final on 18 May. News on when tickets to the semi-finals and final of the Eurovision Song Contest go on sale will be announced in due course; check Eurovision.tv, @Eurovision on Twitter and @EurovisionSongContest on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
64th Eurovision Song Contest 2019 – Tel Aviv
The following countries (and EBU Member broadcasters) will participate in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv:
Albania (RTSH)
Armenia (AMPTV)
Australia (SBS)*
Austria (ORF)
Azerbaijan (ICTIMAI TV)
Belarus (BTRC)
Belgium (RTBF)
Croatia (HRT)
Cyprus (CYBC)
Czech Republic (CT)
Denmark (DR)
Estonia (ERR)
Finland (YLE)
France (FT)
FYR Macedonia (MKRTV)
Germany (ARD/NDR)
Georgia (GPB)
Greece (ERT)
Hungary (MTVA)
Iceland (RUV)
Ireland (RTE)
Israel (IPBC/KAN)
Italy (RAI)
Latvia (LTV)
Lithuania (LRT)
Malta (PBS)
Moldova (TRM)
Montenegro (RTCG)
The Netherlands (AVROTROS)
Norway (NRK)
Poland (TVP)
Portugal (RTP)
Romania (TVR)
Russia (RTR)
San Marino (RTV)
Serbia (RTS)
Slovenia (RTVSLO)
Spain (TVE)
Sweden (SVT)
Switzerland (SRG/SSR)
Ukraine (UA:PBC)
United Kingdom (BBC)
*EBU Associate
Breaking Spice news…
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Terrence A. Duffy/Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Terrence A. Duffy has been the Executive Chairman of Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) since 2002. Previously, he served as Vice Chairman of the Board of CME Holdings Inc. from its formation in August of 2001.
In 2002, Duffy was appointed by President Bush to serve on a National Saver Summit on Retirement Savings. The following year, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB). He serves on several boards including FXMarketSpace Limited, a joint operation of CME and Reuters, and World Business Chicago. His involvement extends to groups such as the Economic Club of Chicago and the President’s Circle of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He is also involved in the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and Saint Xavier University. In 2007, he received a Doctor of Humane Letters from DePaul University.
A native of Chicago, Duffy attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He calls his third-generation Irish heritage a source of “great pride,” and traces his father’s family to Westport, County Mayo. He lives in Lemont, Illinois with his wife and twin sons.
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Abba Eban: the June 1967 map represented Israel’s “Auschwitz” borders
When Abba Eban, appeared at the United Nations following the Six Day war, Israel’s foreign minister, he described the fragility of Israel’s 1949-1967 map as Israel’s “Auschwitz” lines.
Abba Eban, who died on November 17, 2002, will forever be remembered as Israel’s most articulate foreign minister
The following statement by Abba Eban was cited in the Jerusalem Post of August 18, 1995 by Jerusalem Post columnist Moshe Kohn:
“We have openly said that the map will never again be the same as on June 4, 1967. For us, this is a matter of security and of principles. The June map is for us equivalent to insecurity and danger. I do not exaggerate when I say that it has for us something of a memory of Auschwitz. We shudder when we think of what would have awaited us in the circumstances of June, 1967, if we had been defeated; with Syrians on the mountain and we in the valley, with the Jordanian army in sight of the sea, with the Egyptians who hold our throat in their hands in Gaza. This is a situation which will never be repeated in history.”
– Abba Eban, Israeli Statesman, in Der Spiegel, November 5, 1969
(with thanks to Dr. Aaron Lerner and to Clarence Wagner for locating this item)
On July 26, 1978, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, whose parents and older brother were murdered by the Nazis, commented on Israeli Televsion about Abba Eban ‘s use of the term “Auschwitz lines”, when he described the June 4, 1967 map, saying that “you have never heard such an extreme term from me… because there will be no Auschwitz here”.
Yet Abba Eban had a way of presenting Israel’s case in the context of the traumas of Jewish history.
Previous articleDoes US Concept of PA “reform” allow for the Murder of Dissidents?
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For everything there is a season
Panorama: New revelations on UK Labour antisemitism (July 10, 2019)
News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 3 – 9, 2019)
Michael Kuttner / jwire - July 12, 2019
There are certain times in our lives when momentous events are destined to occur. The verse from Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) says it most eloquently: For everything there...
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Live Like a King: See George Strait Through the Years
Taste of Country Staff
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
George Strait isn't known as the "King of Country" for no reason. The influential, iconic and legendary hitmaker has had such an impressive career, and even at 66 years old, he's still going strong.
ENTER TO WIN A TRIP TO SEE GEORGE STRAIT IN LAS VEGAS!
Strait was born on May 18, 1952, in a town called Poteet, Texas. His Texas influence has been visible throughout his storied career, which began in 1981 with the release of "Unwound." The following year the singer released the Straight from the Heart album, which included his first No. 1 hit, "Fool Hearted Memory."
Strait has had a total of 60 No. 1 hits in career — an unbelievable feat that only he could accomplish. King George is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, he's received CMA and ACM Awards for Entertainer of the Year numerous times and he's sold more than 100 million records. The singer shocked the world in 2012 when he announced he was retiring from the road, but thankfully, he plans to continue recording great country music. Strait finished the Cowboy Rides Away tour in 2014 with huge attendance numbers.
Check out the photo gallery above to reminisce over Strait's incredible career.
You Think You Know George Strait?
Next: 20 Best George Strait Songs
Filed Under: george strait
Categories: Country Music Pictures
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Posts Tagged ‘US Civil War’
Could Lincoln have avoided civil war?
Could the US civil war have been avoided? Perhaps Lincoln was not entirely without blame. Perhaps there was an alternative to war to get rid of slavery.
The US and Haiti were the only two countries which ended slavery by violent means.
This is an extract from Sanderson Beck’s essay written in 2008.
” ……. President Buchanan took the weak position that he had no authority to decide any of these questions, and he declined to make any preparations to fight over them. In fact by his negligence some weapons of the United States were moved to the South by their sympathizers in his Democratic administration.
Lincoln took the strong position, which some would call tyrannical, that states have no right to secede from the Union. He believed it was his obligation as President to enforce the laws that would keep the states in the Union even against their will as expressed by democratic conventions and state legislatures. His policy is ironic and even hypocritical because this position conflicts with Lincoln’s own doctrine of the right of revolution that he expressed in Congress on January 12, 1848 during the Mexican War when he said,
Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power,
have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government
and form a new one that suits them better.
This is a most valuable—a most sacred right— a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world.
Nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to exercise it. Any portion of such people that can, may revolutionize and make their own so much of the territory as they inhabit. More than this, a majority of any portion of such people may revolutionize, putting down a minority, intermingled with or near about them, who may oppose their movement. Such minority was precisely the case of the Tories of our own revolution.
In his inaugural address President Lincoln warned against a civil war while promising that he would not invade the South. ……..
…….. Two days after he announced the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus throughout the nation. Careful research by scholars, such as Mark E. Neely, Jr., indicates that during the Civil War the Federal Government imprisoned more than 14,000 civilians for opposing the Government or its war in some way. Lincoln authorized military officers to shut down newspapers if they were disrupting recruiting or the war effort. The Provost Marshal General’s Bureau was organized in 1863, and by the end of the war two years later they had arrested and returned to the Union Army 76,526 deserters. During the draft 161,286 citizens failed to report to the Union Army, but how many of them were arrested is unknown.
Lincoln also had imperial ambitions for the United States, and he used Government subsidies to finance the transcontinental railroad to the west coast. In 1862 a crop failure caused starvation among the Santee Sioux because the Federal Government refused to pay them the $1,410,000 owed them from the sale of 24 million acres in 1851. When the Sioux revolted, General John Pope tried to exterminate them. Hundreds of Indians were held as prisoners of war and were given military trials that sentenced 303 to death. President Lincoln commuted most of these sentences, but thirty-nine were put to death in the largest mass execution in the history of the United States. After Lincoln’s death under mostly Republican administrations the experienced military would be used to attack any Indians who were in the way of the railroads and the western expansion of the United States. Lincoln was ambitious on behalf of the United States and did not want to see the empire divided. He developed the power of the imperial presidency as commander-in-chief by arrogating to himself extra-constitutional “war powers. ………
…… In the 19th century most nations in the world abolished slavery by peaceful means. The British freed all the slaves in their empire in six years, completing the process in 1840. Most Latin American nations emancipated all their slaves between 1813 and 1854, and the gradual liberation of slaves in Brazil was completed in 1888. The only other violent emancipation of slaves was the slave uprising in Haiti in 1794.”
http://www.san.beck.org/LincolnCivilWar.html
Tags:Abraham Lincoln, US Civil War
Posted in History, US | 1 Comment »
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"What Your 401(k) Costs...Sort of", Andrea Coombes, The Wall Street Journal
You may have heard that employers finally will be required to give employees detailed information about 401(k) plan fees. You could be disappointed when you see the results.
The new annual disclosure form, which the U.S. Labor Department said employers must provide to workers by Aug. 30, may run more than 15 pages long. But it won't provide a simple figure for your annual cost and some employers may bury the plan's administration costs in with investment expenses. ...
...Other costs will remain hidden, too. For instance, expense ratios don't include trading costs generated when the fund manager buys and sells stocks. These costs can vary widely. Still, they are reflected in a fund's net performance—and funds' past performance is detailed on the disclosure form.
The new disclosures can help workers seeking to improve their plan. "Challenge the benefits department," says David Kudla, chief investment strategist at Mainstay Capital Management, a Grand Blanc, Mich., advisory firm.
Workers might ask, he says, "Why is our average expense ratio this high? What are the revenue-sharing arrangements that I don't know about?"
Employees aren't alone in gaining more information. By July 1, 401(k) service providers must give employers clearer disclosures about who gets paid what relative to the plan. ...
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Introducing Arabella Sheen.
May 9, 2019 May 5, 2019 / lizziechantree / 9 Comments
Today I am happy to introduce you to such a lovely lady and talented author, Arabella Sheen. I met Arabella through the Romantic Novelists’ Association and it has been a pleasure to learn more about her work. Today she will be sharing the news about her latest sweet Regency release…Westbury.
Chit-Chat from Arabella Sheen…
Lizzie has asked me to tell her readers a little bit about me…so here goes.
Before, in a previous life, I left school with a few GCSE’s and trained as a nurse. Having qualified as a General Nurse, I then specialized in theatre nursing and moved to Holland in the Netherlands, where, for nearly twenty years, I lived, worked and breathed hospitals. I loved it. The work, the people, the place…everything. It was a brilliant life experience and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The challenge of solving health problems whilst helping sick people at the same time was amazing. Although hard work, nursing is a rewarding job and one that I would recommend to anyone. Sadly, due to personal health reasons and the need for family support, I returned to England and my career track changed completely.
By day, I’m now employed as a chef in a busy international hotel and by night, I’m pounding the keys on the laptop, working on my latest work-in-progress.
Writing has always held a fascination for me. I have drawers, shelves, cupboards, and bookcases, all filled and covered with books. Anywhere and everywhere a book can be stored, you’ll find one. And it was simply a step from the longing to read romance novels, that the urge to write books evolved. The creation of stories has always captivated me.
I was fortunate enough to have been born and raised in Clifton, Bristol, England, (where I now live), and grew up surrounded by beautiful classical Georgian architecture. The romance of the Regency era has always held me spellbound and my imagination runs riot whenever I think about what could have happened behind some of the doors and in some of the buildings I walk by on a daily basis.
But, it was while travelling to a RNA Chapter meeting which was being held with fellow authors in Lacock, a historical village in the heart of Wiltshire, England, (where Cranford, Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abby, not to mention Harry Potter, were filmed), that the urge to write Westbury evolved.
BOOK BLURB: Westbury
Can Miss Georgina Morton surrender her independence and accept the Duke’s love?
Miss Georgina Morton, at the age of four-and-twenty, with a modest annual income of four hundred pounds, believes she has no need of a husband and can manage quite nicely without one. Yet within a matter of weeks, she’s betrothed to Giles Glentworth, the Sixth Duke of Westbury, and bound for Regency London.
Set in rural Wiltshire and elegant, fast-paced London…a runaway ward, a shooting at mid-night, and a visit to fashionable Almack’s, are only a few of the adventures Georgina enjoys while falling for the Corinthian charms of the Duke.
The Marquis was a fine figure of a man. Handsome enough, with a crop of thick, raven-black hair swept back from his brow in the style known as a Brutus. His features, although not rugged, were strong and compelling. And his penetrating eyes, by startling contrast, were of a cool steely grey that was mesmerising. But his good looksand manly attractiveness did not sway her from the fact that his gentleman-likebehaviour wasn’t up to scratch or that he was shouting, giving her a dressing down in public.
Flustered and on the point of apologising for her hasty action, Georgina remained silent. When she heard his angry words and the tone of voice in which he spoke, she pointedly ignored his outburst and concentrated solely on straightening her lopsided bonnet. But when his horses moved, restlessly shaking their manes for attention, her bonnet, which had by now fallen from her head and dangled by its ribbons down her back, was completely forgotten.
Drawing near to where the high-perch phaetonstood, and with total disregard for her safety, she’d gone to the front of the carriage, taken the horses’ bridles in her gloved hands, and tried to calm them. Stroking their forelocks, she’d spoken soothing words before fixing a steely glare of disdain upon their owner.
Never before had she been more thankful for all the hours she’d spent in her bedchamber as a young girl, standing in front of the mirror, practising and perfecting the art of delivering the harshest of stares imaginable. Any lesser man than the Marquis would have baulked at herglower, but her unflinching look seemed not to affect him.
Westbury – Ballrooms, Cotillions and Almack’s
Amazon Universal:http://bit.ly/2TAndcI
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2DbG1Ie
Barnes & Noble – Nook:http://bit.ly/2RHldOb
Kobo:http://bit.ly/2GaHUJe
Website:http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/sweet-regency.html
and other reputable ebook retailers.
Arabella keeps in touch with her readers on:
Website:http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen
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The Tin Music and Arts
The Venue Front
The Office Team
The Coal Vaults
Music and Arts Charity
The Tin's iconic venue, the Coal Vaults in Coventry's Canal Basin, provides a welcoming, safe space for people to enjoy performing and watching innovative music and other artistic performances. The adjoining Community Space is used by the Tin and a wide range of people and organisations to deliver training events, stage exhibitions and generally bring people together. The Tin's rehearsal spaces are part of the UK Music's national Rehearsal Spaces Project.
The Tin is recognized locally as a special place that nurtures local emerging talent across music genres but also in the arts generally, including the associated sound-engineering, event management, promotion, and other technical skills. These skills are vital to enable venues like the Tin to put on events and for artists to be able to develop sustainable careers. However, they are in short supply locally and nationally and there is an acute gender-gap in the sector that the Tin seeks to address
We believe that music is good for everyone's health and wellbeing and that a thriving cultural life is essential for the area's sustainable future. The vision that shapes our charity is active engagement in music, and in the wider arts too, by as many people as possible from across Coventry and Warwickshire. We strive at the Tin to build a strong community of artists and promoters together with anyone and everyone who enjoys artistic performances and events.
Replaces a broken microphone stand.
Pays for one member of staff to deliver music tuition for young people.
Contributes towards replacing our ageing PA system.
Address: Unit 1-4, Coventry Canal Basin, St. Nicholas Street, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 4LY
Registered charity no.: 1152636
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The King And I Tickets
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About The King and I
Due to phenomenal demand, the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King And I has extended its engagement for a final three weeks to Saturday 29th September at London's iconic Palladium. This is the very last opportunity West End audiences will have to see the Broadway stars reprise their original roles on the London stage.
Five extra matinees on Thursdays (30 August, 6, 13, 20 and 27 September) have been added to the London Palladium performance schedule. This follows continued unprecedented demand for tickets, with early performances already sold out
Making their West End debuts are the original Broadway stars; reprising her Tony Award-winning performance and ‘Broadway musical’s undisputed Queen’ (The Sunday Times), Kelli O’Hara (Anna), Tony and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (The King),and reprising her Tony Award-winning performance, Ruthie Ann Miles (Lady Thiang). Joining the cast are major Japanese film and television star Takao Osawa as the Kralahome, trusted adviser to The King of Siam, and West End star of Aladdin, Dean John-Wilson and Na-Young Jeon as the young lovers, Lun Tha and Tuptim.
Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.
With a superior score of treasured songs including; Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You, and Shall We Dance, and featuring a company of over 50 world-class performers, The King and I is a testament to the lavish heritage of gloriously romantic musical theatre.
The greatest musical from the golden age of musicals. A once in a life time opportunity – book now for performances to 29th September.
Please note: the producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist. This schedule is subject to change and may be affected by contracts, holiday, illness or events beyond the producers’ control.
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Where is the theatre?
8 Argyll Street London W1F 7TF
Nearest Bus stop: (Regent Street) 3, 6, 12, 13, 23, 88, 94, 139, 453, C2; (Oxford Street) 7, 8, 10, 25, 55, 73, 98, 390
Parking: Soho (4mins)
Nearest Night Bus: (Regent Street) 6, 12, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453, C2, N3, N13, N15, N18, N109, N136; (Oxford Street) 7, 10, 25, 390, N7, N8, N55, N73, N98, N207
Nearest Tube: Central, Bakerloo, Victoria
(2mins) Exit 8 from the tube goes out onto Argyll Street (opposite the large Topshop). The theatre is 100 metres down the road.
Nearest Station: Euston
Available facilities
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Adaptive Radiations in the Context of Macroevolutionary Theory: A Paleontological Perspective
Bruce S. Lieberman
Synthesis Paper
Adaptive radiations are often invoked anytime clades show significant bursts of diversification, but it is important to not simply assume that any radiating clade constitutes an adaptive radiation. In addition, several highly relevant macroevolutionary concepts including the Turnover Pulse Hypothesis, the Effect Hypothesis, exaptation, and species selection, have not been considered in the adaptive radiations literature. Here, these concepts are integrated into the theory of evolutionary radiations in general, and adaptive radiations in particular, and different types of evolutionary radiations are identified, including geographic radiations. Special emphasis is placed on considering the role that abiotic as opposed to biotic factors may play in motivating diversification during evolutionary radiations. Further, recent paleontological data suggesting that rather than organismal adaptation it may be principally abiotic factors, such as climate change and a taxon’s presence in a geographically complex region, that cause clades to diversify will be described. The fossil record, the source of the initial hallmark examples of adaptive radiation, now appears to show little concrete support for this phenomenon.
Adaptive radiation Macroevolution Geographic radiation Species selection Exaptation Speciation
Thanks to Maria Pia Miglietta, Francesco Santini, and Anuschka Faucci for inviting me to participate in this special issue of the journal. Thanks to Francine Abe and Ed Wiley for discussions on the subject of adaptive radiations, and to Rob Moyle, Katherine Willmore, and two anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier version of this paper. This research was supported by NSF-DEB-0716162.
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1.Department of Geology and Biodiversity InstituteUniversity of KansasLawrenceUSA
Lieberman, B.S. Evol Biol (2012) 39: 181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-012-9165-8
Received 27 November 2011
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Op-ed: Mollie Tibbetts and ‘American Gothic’
Posted on Sep 5, 2018 by Letters
The American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa. — photo courtesy of Avery Gregurich
By Avery Gregurich, Des Moines
The American Gothic House is being renovated.
Here in late August, it’s cordoned off by orange plastic fencing and CAUTION tape. The front porch roof is being braced by diagonal wooden beams. It’s week nine or 10 of renovations, (the museum worker says she can’t remember which,) and she apologizes for the view. Two men in cut-off shirts are looking at the house next to me and taking pictures with their phones. We look at each other and look at the house, seemingly with the same thought in our minds: A mediocre prairie wind might blow this whole thing over.
Despite this, RVs and other big traveling vehicles from all over the country continue to pull in and out of the small parking lot behind us. They are coming to see the house and particularly the window that Grant Wood immortalized nearly 90 years ago. I hope they aren’t disappointed. Maybe they’ve also come to try to become a part of it. You too can create your own “American Gothic” here in Eldon, Iowa. There are props to use (denim overalls, pinafore dresses, glasses, a pitchfork), and the museum workers will gladly do you the favor of taking the picture. Donations are of course appreciated.
First plotted out in 1881, the house itself has led a Gothic American life of its own, regardless of the artistic and cultural fame it has come to enjoy. The first owners forfeited the house due to unpaid taxes. The next owner used the house as a candy and novelty store which failed. When the house was being donated to the state of Iowa as a historical landmark in the late ’80s, the family who were living inside it, struggling farmers caught up in the Farm Crisis, were essentially thrown out.
Inside the “Media Room” of the museum which stands next to the house, a DVD of a 1983 public television documentary about Wood plays on a loop. It’s called Grant Wood’s America. The DVD relates that Wood promised his subjects — his sister and his dentist — that they wouldn’t be recognized in his painting.
“I imagined American Gothic people with their faces stretched out long to go with this American Gothic house,” Wood said. A state full of incensed Iowa farmers and their wives thought that Wood was making fun of them.
An informational sign outside the house has visitors see this in “American Gothic”: “The painting is said to represent a farmer and his daughter. Their placement and expressions show a father defending his daughter, and the daughter’s reluctant submission.”
It’s an hour’s winding drive largely along Highway 21 from Eldon to outside Guernsey, Iowa. In a cornfield nearby, the body of Mollie Tibbetts was found. She’d been missing for over a month.
I drove by that cornfield past Guernsey the last week of July, along with thousands of others. It was during RAGBRAI, the annual bicycle ride across the state of Iowa that has become as much a part of the identity of the state as “American Gothic.” The bicycle route went just seven miles north of the field where Mollie Tibbetts was found, and the vehicle traffic detour went right by it.
Along the drive that day, I encountered a white FBI van, scanning a drainage ditch along the side of the road. She had been missing for just over a week at that point, and her face was on posters in every gas station, on T-shirts of countless bicycle riders and plastered all over the overnight towns where the bicycle ride stopped.
The search that day came up empty, as it would for the next month, until the man charged with her murder, Cristhian Bahena Rivera, led investigators to her body.
All of us were looking for the same thing, and it couldn’t have been any closer.
We still didn’t find her. Now, the narrative of Mollie Tibbetts’ disappearance and murder has become political confetti, as Rivera is suspected of being in the United States illegally. The White House quickly tweeted after the charges had been announced, saying that “The Tibbetts family has been permanently separated. They are not alone.” Donald Trump, Jr. also took up the story, along with state politicians who pointed to the accused man’s citizenship status.
Republican Governor Kim Reynolds issued a statement saying, “As Iowans, we are heartbroken, and we are angry. We are angry that a broken immigration system allowed a predator like this to live in our community, and we will do all we can bring justice to Mollie’s killer.” U.S. House Representative Steve King posted a ForAmerica list of recent murders, saying that, “Every victim below would be alive today if we enforced our immigration laws. Leftists sacrificed thousands, including their own, on the altar of Political Correctness.”
For their part, the Tibbetts family is vehemently rejecting the use of Mollie’s murder as a political talking point. Rob Tibbetts, Mollie’s father, said in his daughter’s eulogy that “the Hispanic community are Iowans. They have the same values as Iowans.” He also urged us all, to “turn the page.” In an op-ed for The Des Moines Register, Tibbetts furthered his plea to keep his daughter’s death out of the mouths of politicians, writing, “Do not appropriate Mollie’s soul in advancing views she believed were profoundly racist. The act grievously extends the crime that stole Mollie from our family.”
“American Gothic” is one of the most parodied artworks ever created, partly because of the ease at which it can be parodied. It’s almost saccharine self-seriousness and depiction of rural life has allowed for a myriad of interpretations that run the gamut from cartoon characters to religious figures. The only guiding principle of the parody is that the namesake Gothic window be present.
Here in Iowa, and I suppose beyond, we have spent nearly a century trying to figure out what the painted pair is thinking as they stand guard in front of their home. Now, I’d rather know what it is they are seeing on this side of the canvas that makes the father grip his pitchfork so, and what news is on the radio behind the curtain blocking that Gothic window that makes his daughter turn her face that way.
Like our American culture, the American Gothic House is being renovated and we are all struggling to find out what that means. Here in Eldon, they are trying to keep the house as true to the way it was when Wood stumbled upon it almost a century ago. It is to allow us to see the house as he saw it, but I have to wonder if this isn’t a kind of exercise in self-destructive nostalgia that tries to preserve a far-removed image of ourselves in lieu of building a new one.
It is our new American reality that when we look through the window and actually see inside, we find more divide and distance in tragedy than commonality. Nowhere does that divide seem to beat stronger than here in the heart of the country. We have already painted the murder of Mollie Tibbetts in shades of red or blue in Iowa. It is because just as we see ourselves in the familiar image of the farmer and his daughter, we look for ourselves in Mollie Tibbetts and her family.
The Tibbetts tragedy defies the dominant painting of the characters out here in Trump country. It has all of the ingredients for a Trump tweet storm and conservative radio host diatribe: an accused murder by an undocumented immigrant against a young white woman in the rural center of a red state. But this time, the characters themselves are fighting back, attempting to speak for themselves and disallow a false, fear-mongering narrative to be constructed around their tragedy.
Still, the parodies will continue and their pleas for privacy and a political silence will surely go unheeded. If someday you take the trip to Eldon, you should take the time to fill the roles of the two figures standing in front of the American Gothic House. You will have all the tools necessary to look the parts, and by then the construction will have been completed and the CAUTION tape will have been removed.
You should do this if only for the indisputable fact that Rob Tibbetts will never have the chance to take that picture with his own daughter. I hopw that fact is cause enough for us to loosen the grip on our political pitchforks and stand closer together, focusing our attention on mending and expanding our American heritage, and not our Gothic one.
Otherwise, a mediocre prairie wind might just blow this whole damn house over.
Category: Letters, Opinion
Tags: Grant Wood, Letters, letters to the editor, Mollie Tibbetts, Op-Ed
Posted in Letters, OpinionTagged Grant Wood, Letters, letters to the editor, Mollie Tibbetts, Op-Ed
Letter to the editor: No excuses, Iowa City. Show up to vote.Dear Kiki: Do I need to tell the guy I’m seeing that he was my first time?
Iowa says:
[comment removed]
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Adele Tells Spotify: I’ll Find “Someone Like You”
By Aarthi Rayapura • March 5, 2012
by Chris Holt, Marketing
Adele Adkins brought home an armful of Grammy Awards for her smash hit album “21.” Yet, despite millions of sales, the album “21” is notably absent from streaming music service Spotify’s content catalog. According to FastCompany.com, Adele was surprisingly fine with having the content on the site, but wanted it be only available to premium (paid) members. But since Spotify wanted to keep its music libraries for free and premium members the same, the company actually declined to have the hit album on their service. “Spotify would have had to change its whole strategy to accommodate her,” explains FastCompany’s Austin Carr.
The story of Adele’s “21” isn’t completely new; for decades, artists have been trying to control the way their content is consumed. But as the power of record companies has waned and third party services have increased, artists, record companies, services, and consumers often have different priorities and approaches to content consumption. The rise and fall of Napster, the prolonged absence of Beatles music on iTunes, and Radiohead’s decision to release an album online with payment optional—all of these moments indicate an evolving societal view of copyright law, artist rights, and monetization of media. Smack dab in the middle of this tug-of-war is subscription services like Spotify.
For music services, the better the library is and the most convenient the access, the more customers will feel comfortable subscribing. And the more subscribers you have, the more likely it is that at least some of them will become paying customers. But as record companies and artists see profits disappear as their content is streamed for free, they in turn put pressure on music services. This pressure can be in the form of withholding artist content (as is the case with Adele), charging more for the use of the content, or even launching competing services themselves. That seems to be the intention of HTC and Beat Audio’s joint venture: to provide competition to Spotify and perhaps provide more protection to artists’ and record companies’ content.
Personally, I want to see more competition between music subscription models, because while I use Spotify, it can still be improved. Spotify blinking means that artists still have a real impact on how their content is being consumed, and that’s a good thing. But it’s also worrisome if record companies and artists simply walk away from the table and deny music service listeners their content. The possibility of no more “freemium” music services isn’t something consumers look forward to, and seeing incomplete libraries scattered across several music platforms is also not something consumers want.
The way I see it, you can’t put the music streaming subscription genie back in the bottle, and so the music industry and the artists’ collective gnashing of teeth is an element of growing pains. It seems that the best way to combat situations like the one that transpired with Adele’s “21” is to offer not just off two pricing models (freemium and premium), but many. Subscription business models should be all about the consumer and their unique needs. So the lesson here is that Spotify wasn’t flexible enough to offer multiple solutions: perhaps something along the lines of different subscriptions for how frequently you listen, what genre you listen to, how important it is to listen to new music, and of course how frequently you get advertisements. Spotify, and other music services, haven’t really tapped into targeted advertisements either, the way companies like Facebook and Google have. Subscription services aren’t going away, but it’s up to the players involved to create a flexible, scalable solution that is going to satisfy customers and artists alike.
Spotify blinked and is likely going to be challenged soon. If they can adapt, they’ll continue to thrive, but if they don’t, then another competitor will be able to deliver the experience that the consumer wants–and where the consumer goes, so will the artists.
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If Constitutional Court doesn't allow dual citizenship, Lithuania'll need referendum
2017-10-17LETA/TBT Staff
VILNIUS – If the Constitutional Court does not pave way for dual citizenship for Lithuanians who have left for other countries of the European Union (EU) and NATO, politicians will have the duty of holding a referendum on amendments to the country's main law, says Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.
"The ruling by the Constitutional Court will possibly give more clarity to the politicians on what they should do next," Skvernelis in an interview to the national radio LRT on Tuesday morning, a few hours before the opening of the court's hearing.
"After the final verdict and explanation by the Constitutional Court that (amending the Constitution is) the only way, the main task for all politicians in support of the idea of dual citizenship will be to hold a referendum and to persuade the nation to participate and make the decision," said the prime minister.
After an address by more than 100 parliamentarians, the Constitutional Court is on Tuesday morning starting hearing a case to establish whether dual citizenship is possible by law for Lithuanian citizens who left the country after the 1990 declaration of independence to EU and NATO countries.
According to the Organic Law, nobody can be a citizen of Lithuania and another country at the same time, except for individual cases stipulated by law.
The Constitutional Court has said that the provision meant dual citizenship could not be a common phenomenon, therefore, a law dual citizenship for people who emigrated during the post-independence years would run counter to the Constitution.
Nevertheless, the MPs think that the growing emigration numbers and increasingly frequent mixed marriages after Lithuania's EU entry set a premise for revision of the Constitutional doctrine.
The MPs behind the amendment suggest drawing a group of list of countries worldwide, so that Lithuanian citizens who left to the countries would be allowed to hold two passports in a practice that would be treated as an exception allowed by the Constitutional Court. They note that dual citizenship is already allowed for over 20,000 persons.
The address to the court came amid concerns that the Lithuanians living in the United Kingdom would choose British passports after Brexit, thus giving up their Lithuanian citizenship.
A poll conducted by RAIT pollster for BNS in April suggests that 60 percent of the population agree to dual citizenship for the new generation of emigrants.
Some politicians and exiles fear that the referendum may lack votes for amending the Constitution, thus destroying the dual citizenship initiative once and for all. According to the law, the dual citizenship provision can only be changed by way of referendum, with support of at least half of eligible voters, a requirement applying to the first chapter of the Constitution.
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All-New Invaders (2014-2015) #8
All-New Invaders (2014-2015)
Reeling from last issue's stunning revelation, THE ALL-NEW INVADERS discover a devastating new threat! What is the secret behind the abduction of THOMAS RAYMOND, the TORCH'S old sidekick TORO?
All-New Invaders
Vol. 2: Original Sin
The KREE EMPIRE intends to conquer the universe using a weapon that will grant them an army of NORSE GODS.
Invaders Now! (2010-2011)
The greatest super heroes of World War II blaze into action-this time in the modern world! For the first time in decades, the original Invaders are alive and active at the same time! But what mysterious force has drawn them all together...and how does it relate to the darkest moment in Invaders history, an event so horrifying it threatens all life on Earth today? Featuring: Captain America! The Su
Collects Marvel Universe (1998) #1-7. It's 1945, and World War II is almost over - but Hydra founder Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is already planning the next one with insider information from the future! It's up to the Invaders to re-write Strucker's history books and drive down his Dragon of Death! Then, more than ten years later, Doctor Druid forms the Monster Hunters to face another pivotal
Avengers/Invaders (2008-2009)
Collects Avengers/Invaders #1-12. The Civil War is over, and the Avengers are divided. Captain America's death has been a blow to both sides. Now, the Star-Spangled Sentinel is back - and it could destroy the time stream! In AVENGERS/INVADERS, Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Stephen Sadowski (Dynamite Entertainment's Project: Superpowers) - along with artists Patrick Berkenkotter and Jackson Herbert
Invaders (1975-1979)
America's greatest heroes of World War II led by Captain American himself! The Invaders, including Sub-Mariner, Bucky and the Human Torch, take the fight to the front lines in this action-packed first issue!
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I Am An Avenger (2010-2011)
What is it that makes one an Avenger? That’s what this series starring characters from all across the Avengers’ history will attempt to answer! Featuring tales of Iron Man, Captain America, the Thing, Iron Fist, Justice, Firestar, Squirrel Girl, Nova, the Young Avengers and more!
Avengers: We Are The Avengers
Origins of Marvel Comics
Discover the origins of Marvel's greatest heroes!
S.H.I.E.L.D. Origins
Collects Battle Scars #6, Secret Avengers (2013) #1, Avenging Spider-Man #20-21 and material from Strange Tales (1951) #135. MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. are coming to the ABC Network this fall! Get in on the espionage action with this collection of modern classics! Thrill to the formative appearances of Agent Phil Coulson and Nick Fury Jr., and learn how Fury followed in his famous father'
Collects Avengers: The Origin #1-5. The true story of the Avengers is revealed right here! See untold details of the historic first meeting of Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp! You only THINK you know the full story.
Spider-Woman: Origin
The intriguing secret history of Jessica Drew and her journey from child experiment to Hydra agent, to S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, to super hero, to private eye, to Avenger!
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BOPRC outline benefit to North Island supply chain
1:30pm Sunday 09 Jun, 2019
The Port of Tauranga. Supplied photo.
The substantial benefits that the Port of Tauranga’s current operating and governance arrangements bring to the local, regional, and national economy were outlined at a meeting in Tauranga on Thursday.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council highlighted the significant growth expected in the region due to new developments in aquaculture, horticulture and other industries to The Upper North Island Supply Chain Working Party, which is currently conducting a review of ports.
Thursday’s meeting was convened to discuss the Port of Tauranga - PoT, which is 54 per cent owned by Bay of Plenty Regional Council through its subsidiary Quayside Holdings Limited, as part of the government’s Upper North Island logistics and freight review.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Deputy Chair Jane Nees says the outcomes of any review must ensure the continuation of the successful business model operated by PoT – New Zealand’s best-performing port. It is essential that the significant growth in the Bay of Plenty region, and the critical importance of connections to and across the upper North Island, are maintained.
“Port of Tauranga is a key connection between the upper North Island and international markets, with 43 percent of the country’s exports coming through the PoT,” says Jane.
The working party was given a breakdown of the annual benefit received by all ratepayers across the region from the PoT dividend, and the benefits that continue to be received from the $200m worth of regional projects and assets funded by the Regional Council, made possible through ownership of the PoT.
Councillor Nees says the majority of this has been spent on “providing core infrastructure, and grants to third parties to fund regionally-important infrastructure, such as $20m towards the Opotiki Harbour Transformation - pending government funding, $15m of funding for the Tauranga Tertiary Campus, a $5m contribution towards the Tauranga Marine Precinct and $2.5m for the Scion Innovation Hub”.
“We acknowledge that this review has a strong focus on the future of the Port of Auckland,” says Jane. “This is an important consideration, however any review that focusses on the future of that particular port must not overlook the fact that the strong ongoing performance of the PoT is due to the way its operating model and ownership structures are set up.”
Bay of Plenty Regional Council area
NZ biosecurity awards entries open
Tree blocking road in Rotoiti Forest
Woman hospitalised after Tauranga crash
Campbell looks for more speed at Whangarei
Man‘s arm broken in ’violent‘ BOP robbery
Artist wins Fieldays No.8 Wire Art Award
Jupiter in close reach on Monday
WWII legend returns to Thames in bronze
Heavy holiday traffic expected on Monday
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Miami Vice Character
Valerie Gordon ("Rites of Passage"
"The Prodigal Son"
"Too Much, Too Late")
May 26, 1949, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Pamela Suzette "Pam" Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress. She appeared in the show Miami Vice as Valerie Gordon, a NYPD Detective and on-again, off-again love of Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs in the episodes "Rites of Passage", "The Prodigal Son", and "Too Much, Too Late".
Early Life/Career Edit
Grier was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, daughter of a nurse and an Air Force Sergeant. After moving around the world, Grier's family finally settled in Denver, Colorado, where Pam appeared in several plays while in high school. In 1967, Grier moved to Los Angeles and worked for American International Pictures (AIP) as a receptionist. In 1970 she made her film debut in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, then was cast in a series of "women-in-jail" movies such as The Big Doll House, Women In Cages and The Big Bird Cage, then went into the early 1970s "blaxplotation" movies, such as Cool Breeze (with Margaret Avery), Coffy, Friday Foster (with Eartha Kitt), and her most famous role as Foxy Brown (with Antonio Fargas). She became known as the first African-American woman to be the lead in an action movie with that role. She would try to shake the "blaxplotation" tag with appearances on television, the first one being in Roots: The Next Generation (with Georg Stanford Brown), The Love Boat, Night Court (episode with Alix Elias), The Cosby Show, Crime Story (with Dennis Farina), Knots Landing (with Larry Riley), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (with Richard Belzer) and many others, including her latest roles on The L Word, Smallville, the TV movie Cleveland Abduction (with Joe Morton), and in a 2018 episode of This is Us. She continues to appear in movies as well, including a return to her "Foxy Brown" type persona in Jackie Brown, appearing with Ving Rhames in the 2012 movie Mafia, and her most recent movie appearance, in 2017's Being Rose.
Personal life Edit
Grier has never married, though she has been romantically linked to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Richard Pryor, and Freddie Prinze in the 1970s. Grier's cousin is former Los Angeles Rams football player Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier. In a touch of irony, Grier's birthday is identical to her Vice love interest, Philip Michael Thomas.
Retrieved from "https://miamivice.fandom.com/wiki/Pam_Grier?oldid=39624"
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The History of the JW McCoy & Brush-McCoy Potteries
J. W. McCoy Pottery in 1899[/caption]
In 1848, J.W. McCoy was born and raised in Putnam, which is now part of Zanesville, Ohio. He was married in 1870, and the next year he and Sarah (Sade) Elizabeth Brown his wife, moved to Uniontown in Newton Township, Muskingum County. There J.W. operated a dry good store.
In 1871, the McCoy’s moved to the community of Roseville, Ohio. There he entered into about a five-¬year partnership with his father-in-law, James E. Brown in a general merchandise business, which was called “Brown & McCoy”.
Then in 1876, J.W. opened a General Merchandise store on his own. In 1886, he entered into a partnership and established the “Williams and McCoy Pottery Co.”. After about four years of operation a new partner was taken in and the pottery was renamed the “Kildow, Williams and McCoy Pottery Co.”. According to, “The Business Review of Muskingum County”, “This plant was one of the most extensive in the valley and produced all kinds of common stoneware and a variety of culinary utensils.”
Then in 1890, after about two more years of operation, the KW&M pottery was renamed again, and was called the Midland Pottery Co. By 1892, J.W. was not only involved in pottery manufacturing, and retail pottery sales, but he had become a pottery jobber, selling bulk wares to wholesale dealers.
After about two years of operation, the KW&M pottery was renamed again, and was then called the “Midland Pottery Co.”. By 1892, J.W. was not only involved in pottery manufacturing, and retail pottery sales, but he had become a pottery jobber, selling bulk wares to wholesale dealers.
In 1898, following about six years of operation under the name the Midland Pottery Co., the pottery was sold to the “Roseville Pottery Co.”. This ended the partnerships J.W. had in the pottery business. Since very few pieces from these early potteries that J.W. was affiliated with have been found, it is most likely that most of them were unmarked.
As discussed in, “The History of the W. Nelson McCoy’s Blue Bird Pottery”, (seen elsewhere on this Web site), Wilber F., the cousin of J.W., was a partner in the “Zanesville Hardware Company”. The date that Wilber’s part-ownership in the store was established remains uncertain, but it was probably between 1870 and 1875.
In 1899, J.W. along with several investors, formed a pottery solely under his name, the J.W. McCoy Pottery Co. He must have devoted much of his time to his new pottery, for in 1901, he turned the management of his general store over to his son Arthur.
For several years, the “J.W. McCoy Pottery Co.” concentrated on the production of the simpler, utilitarian stoneware pieces. However, around late 1902 the pottery branched out and began to include the production of art pottery. The art pottery production consisted of elaborately designed, decorative items such as jardinières and pedestals, various other flower containers, umbrella stands, and sand jars. The production of these attractively glazed pieces proved to be a very successful undertaking.
In 1909, George Brush joined the “J.W. McCoy Pottery Co.”. Prior to that time he had established a pottery under his own name. However, the pottery only operated about one year before a fire destroyed the entire plant. The “Brush Pottery” was not rebuilt, but he retained the remaining assets of the Brush Pottery. Later in the year after his pottery burned, George Brush became the Manager of the “Globe Stoneware Company”, and the “Crooksville Clay Products Company”.
After joining the “J.W. McCoy Pottery”, within two years George Brush had become the General Manager of the pottery. In October of that year, the directors of the McCoy pottery decided to expand the pottery by the purchase of the “Globe Stoneware Co.” (1901-1911).
During August of 1911, George Brush, acting on behalf of the Brush Pottery interests, purchased the old “J.B. Owens Pottery”, Plant Number One in Zanesville (1883-1909), along with the equipment and molds. Late in 1911, the officers of the “J.W. McCoy Pottery”, at the suggestion of George Brush, agreed to combine the assets of the company with those of the “Brush Pottery”. Consequently, George Brush obtained the controlling interest in the “J.W. McCoy pottery”, and the name of the pottery was changed to the “Brush – McCoy Pottery”.
In 1912, the “Brush-McCoy Pottery” purchased the equipment and molds from the “A. Radford Pottery”, which was located in Clarksville, West Virginia.
In 1918, the McCoy family sold their interest in the Brush – McCoy Pottery; however, it was not until late 1925 that the directors of the pottery dropped the McCoy name. The new name of the pottery was the Brush Pottery Co., and it operated under that name until it closed in 1982.
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Licensure Information
Mental Health in Maryland
Maryland Medical Record Laws
Disaster Psychiatry
Confidentiality and Privilege in Maryland
Healthcare Integration & Innovation
Drug Costs
Diversity and Cultural Humility
Parity Toolkits
Laws Related to Maryland Psychiatrists’ Role in Reducing Risk
Special Emphasis on the New “Extreme Risk Protective Order”
by Erik Roskes, M.D.
I have been asked to clarify the new statute permitting the authorization of an Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO), allowing a court to order law enforcement to temporarily seize firearms from an individual determined to present a risk. There has been much confusion about the ERPO process, in part related to the patchwork nature of the statutory schemes related to mental health risk management. This article summarizes the various statutory mechanisms that allow clinicians to take actions to mitigate risk posed by patients, including the new ERPO law. I hope that you find this useful as a framework for addressing risk questions in your practice. Please note that I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. If you have specific questions about how to proceed legally, you should address them to your attorney, or to your facility’s or program’s attorney.
Emergency Evaluations
The oldest statutes targeting risk, relate to emergency evaluations and civil commitment and are outlined in Title 10 of the Health-General Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Section 10-622 indicates that a petition for emergency evaluation, commonly termed an “EP” or emergency petition, must include “a description of the behavior and statements of the emergency evaluee or any other information that led the petitioner to believe that the emergency evaluee has a mental disorder and that the individual presents a danger to the life or safety of the individual and others.” Note that this definition does not require a showing of “imminent” danger and that the EP form allows the petitioner to document any knowledge of the evaluee’s access to firearms. This question was added over 20 years ago after a tragic incident in which an individual who had been petitioned killed a police officer while the EP was being served. Firearms may be seized by police during the service of an EP, but patients released from the ED may immediately request return of their weapons, unless other mechanisms are in place to prevent it. This is one of the loopholes that an ERPO might close if timely filed and executed.
If you have to EP a patient, you should provide as much detail as you can, including any information regarding weapons. My practice is to complete the form and also to provide a detailed, typed note explaining why I am EPing the patient. The ER staff who receive the patient will find this information useful as they evaluate the patient. A fillable EP form may be downloaded from the state courts website.
Involuntary Admissions (aka “Civil commitment”)
Involuntary admission of a patient is described in Title 10, §§10-616 and 10-617 of the Health-General Article. Colloquially known as “civil commitment”, it is actually a two-step process. Two physicians—or a physician and a psychologist or nurse practitioner—must certify that, among other things, the “individual presents a danger to the life or safety of the individual or others.” As with an EP, no “imminence” is required. Additionally, the individual must be “unable or unwilling to be admitted voluntarily,” and there must be “no less restrictive form of intervention that is consistent with the welfare and safety of the individual.” A person in the hospital on the two certificates has not yet been civilly committed.
Pursuant to §10-632, the individual confined under the two physician certificates has a right to an administrative hearing within 10 days of initial confinement, which begins upon admission to the inpatient unit. At that hearing, the administrative law judge (ALJ) must find by clear and convincing evidence that the “individual presents a danger to the life or safety of the individual or others,” along with the other findings certified by the two physicians. Only when the individual has been found by the ALJ to meet these criteria has civil commitment occurred.
While §§10-624 and 10-625 limit the time a person may be held in an emergency facility on an EP to 30 hours, the most recent revisions to §10-632 affirmatively states that being held in the emergency facility beyond 30 hours is not alone grounds for release by the ALJ. This is important for hospital presenters and inpatient psychiatrists to know.
Duty to protect
In general, physicians’ obligations are to their patients, and only in unusual circumstances do we have any obligation to anyone else. However, there are times when we do owe a duty to a third party. For example, we are required to report suspected child abuse. Maryland law also provides guidance for situations in which a patient expresses a wish or intent to harm another person. Many clinicians incorrectly call this a “duty to warn,” but warning the victim alone is neither required nor would it be sufficient in Maryland. This obligation is often mis-named “Tarasoff” after the California case that first established a clinician’s duty to a third-party in such cases.
In §5-609 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings article of the Annotated Code, our obligation is actually framed in the negative: we cannot be held liable for the action of a patient unless “the patient indicated… by speech, conduct, or writing [his/her] intention to inflict imminent physical injury upon a specified victim or group of victims.” Once we become aware of this risk, which, unlike the risks considered for an EP or civil commitment, must be “imminent,” we have three options: We can
“Seek civil commitment;
“Formulate a diagnostic impression and establish and undertake a documented treatment plan calculated to eliminate the possibility that the patient will carry out the threat; or
“Inform the appropriate law enforcement agency and, if feasible, the specified victim or victims of:
“The nature of the threat;
“The identity of the patient making the threat; and
“The identity of the specified victim or victims.”
This statute also explicitly protects us from liability regarding violating the patient’s confidentiality if we act in good faith, regardless of the course of action we choose to take. Notably, option “a,” civil commitment, both (1) addresses the illness and its consequent risk and (2) protects the patient’s confidentiality.
Gun restriction law
There are a number of classes of people who are indefinitely and categorically restricted from possessing firearms for mental health or other reasons. As prescribed in the Public Safety article of the Annotated Code, §5-133 and subsequent sections, these include people who:
a) Have been involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital;
b) Have been voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital for more than 30 consecutive days;
c) Have been found incompetent to stand trial:
d) Have been found not criminally responsible;
e) Have been placed under a guardianship order for mental incapacity; or
f) “Suffer from a mental disorder…and have a history of violent behavior” against self or others.
Items a-e are objective and categorical—the predicate event either happened or it did not. Also, there is no attribution of risk specific to firearms: the predicate event alone is enough to cause the person to be reported to the registry, regardless of any specific risk attendant to his or her access to firearms. Once the person is identified as a person subject to firearms restriction, a number of steps must occur for someone to lose the right to possess firearms. These steps differ, based on the reason for restriction.
When a person is involuntarily (civilly) committed, Health-General §10-632(i) allows the ALJ in a second finding based only on dangerousness to others to “order the individual….to (1) surrender to law enforcement authorities any firearms in the individual’s possession; and (2) refrain from possessing a firearm unless…granted relief from firearms disqualification….” The statute, as written, does not permit the ALJ to order surrender of firearms based solely on dangerousness to self, leaving another loophole that an ERPO might close for people about whom the only concern is suicide. Such individuals are reported to the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), which manages a database concerning them. MDH in turn reports to both the State Police (who enforce the Public Safety Article) and to the FBI (who enforce federal restrictions, which differ slightly from state restrictions). Hospitals are mandated to directly report all patients who have been voluntarily admitted beyond 30 days, and they similarly report to MDH, which then reports to the same law enforcement agencies.
When people are found incompetent or not criminally responsible under Title 3 of the Criminal Procedure Article of the Annotated Code, the court rendering the finding is to report the finding to the Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository, which in turn reports to the State Police and the FBI. In contrast, a court appointing a guardian under the Estates and Trusts Article of the Annotated code is not mandated by statute to report, and it is not clear to me how, or if, these reports are made. Note that the restriction applies to an individual placed under a guardian of property as well as to a guardian of person.
Finally, criterion “f” strikes me as inherently subjective. I am aware of individuals whose clinicians have reported their concerns directly to the State Police, prior to the implementation of the ERPO statute described below. It is worth noting that there need not be any connection between the mental illness and the history of violence, and there is no temporal limit. Thus, a 40-year-old person with, say, panic disorder who was in a bar fight as a college student could be subject to this restrictive criterion. In my view, this vagueness renders this part of the statute unenforceable.
Individuals subject to any of the above restrictions can petition for relief, formally requesting that their rights to possess firearms be returned. This is managed by the MDH Office of Court Ordered Evaluation and Placement (formerly, the Office of Forensic Services). If you are aware of an individual who has had his or her rights restricted who wishes to petition for relief, the process and forms may be found here.
Extreme Risk Protective Order
Last year, the General Assembly passed a law allowing for the temporary removal of firearms from people posing a risk to others, making Maryland the 13th state to enact a version of what has come to be known as a “red flag” law. This is the Extreme Risk Protective Order, or ERPO. The Court system has posted both a brochure and a set of FAQ’s on their website. Any number of interested parties can file a petition for an ERPO, including the spouse or cohabitant of the individual, any relative by blood, marriage or adoption, a co-parent, a current dating or intimate partner, a current or former guardian, a law enforcement officer or a medical professional who has examined the individual. Medical professionals include physicians, psychologists, social workers, LCPCs, nurse practitioners, or LMFTs. Maryland is the first state to include clinicians among the possible petitioners, so legislators and policy researchers will be counting on feedback from us as the ERPO becomes a more common practice.
Here is where a fillable form is available online. It does not require the petitioner to cite the cause of the risk. The petition must include information regarding the person’s “behavior that leads me to believe he/she presents an immediate and present danger of causing personal injury to himself/herself, to me, or to others by possessing a firearm.” There are several optional forms that may be appended to the petition, including one allowing the petitioner to include information about the individual’s mental health history. The forms must be filed at the District Court with the clerk (during business hours) or a District Court Commissioner (after hours). The petitioner is required to appear at a hearing. Under the statute, The commissioner or judge reviewing the petition must consider whether an EP is appropriate and, if so, to take appropriate action.
The statutes outlining the ERPO process are found in the Public Safety Article of the Annotated Code, §§5-601 through 5-610. The statute explicitly provides liability protection for providers who file an ERPO in good faith, regardless of outcome, but it does not provide similar protection for providers who elect not to file an ERPO in favor of another course of action. Providers elect not to file an ERPO should document their reasoning in detail, noting that they have elected another course of action to mitigate the risk of harm (such as seeking civil commitment or an EP). One attorney I spoke with surmised that following the path laid out in the “Duty to Protect” section above should afford the provider the protection of the good-faith provision therein. Maryland Appellate law provides similar protection to providers who elect not to involuntarily commit a patient after making a decision that commitment criteria have not been met, expressly to eliminate any incentive that providers might curtail patients’ liberty interests merely to avoid liability.[1] This should give us some comfort if we choose not to file an ERPO based on our reasoned decision that the patient does not meet criteria for the intervention, because there are other courses of action that we believe can mitigate the risk of harm. Nonetheless, the MPS Legislative Committee may want to consider whether there is a role for statutory revision to explicitly shield potential petitioners who, in good faith, choose other courses of action.
According to Dr. Paul Nestadt at Hopkins, 114 petitions were filed in just the first month following implementation of the statute on October 1, 2018. Notably, only one petition was identified as being filed by a clinician. It is my understanding that the Gun Center at the JHU Bloomberg School has begun investigating the use of the ERPO. According to Paul, preliminary information indicates that Maryland has both a higher petition rate and a higher denial rate than other states. Unfortunately, one individual was killed by police attempting to serve an ERPO. on an individual who refused to comply.[2] Just like all well-intended laws (or, for that matter, treatment interventions), this one may have adverse and unintended consequences.
Dr. Corneliu Sanda, Chair of Psychiatry at Medstar Franklin Square, expressed concern about the changing behavior and reduced responsiveness of law enforcement in October. He noted that in the past, police often would remove firearms from a patient’s home when serving an EP, which, as noted above, is at least temporarily permitted under the EP law. However, after the ERPO law took effect, the police in the neighborhoods served by Franklin Square began “refusing to remove guns from the homes of individuals subject to EPs, even when the family requested that they do so,” instead directing the family or the hospital clinicians to initiate a separate ERPO process. He also expressed the concern that clinicians might have reservations about or might avoid filing petitions in large part because of the requirement to file them directly with the court and to testify at as many as three subsequent hearings.
Notwithstanding these potential pragmatic problems and adverse consequences, early research into statutes similar to Maryland’s ERPO law indicate that this procedure can effectively prevent a portion of firearm-related deaths. In the US, guns are the most common method of suicide, and suicides represent almost two thirds of all gun deaths.[3] The very presence of a gun in the home more than triples the risk of suicide and doubles the risk of homicide,[4] due largely to the high lethality of firearms as a method.[5] The oldest red flag law in the US, Connecticut’s 1999 Risk-Based Gun Removal Law was estimated by policy researchers to have saved 1 life for every 10.6 guns seized.[6] Along similar lines, researchers in Indiana used a synthetic control model to estimate that Indiana’s red flag law reduced firearm suicides by 7.5% over 10 years, without an increase in suicides by other means.[7] We can hope that even with unintended consequences, this law will save lives by reducing immediate access to lethal means of suicide for people at “extreme risk.”
There are many ways to reduce the risks presented by firearms owned or possessed by people with mental illness. Numerous statutes are involved, and, sometimes, inadequate language defining how they are to be fully implemented leads to confusion. There are many moving parts, gaps, and contingencies, leading me to conclude that the process will never be properly implemented without a complete overhaul of the numerous statutes, without funding and direction for implementation of all of the reporting requirements, and without serious reconsideration of the Constitutional principles embodied by the Second Amendment. I am not as hopeful as some of my colleagues are that this statute will dramatically impact the gun violence epidemic in which we currently find ourselves. That said, I hope this summary is helpful to readers.
Acknowledgements: This article benefitted various discussions with MPS members and from specific feedback and input from a number of people, including Drs. Anne Hanson, Paul Nestadt, and Corneliu Sanda, and from Kathleen Ellis in the Office of the Attorney General.
[1] See Bell v Chance, 460 Md. 28, 56-57, 188 A,3d 930, 946 (2018), also see Williams v Peninsula Regional Medical Center, 440 Md. 573, 587, 103 A.3d 658, 666 (2014).
[2] See https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maryland-officers-serving-red-flag-gun-removal-order-fatally-shoot-armed-man/
[3] See the CDC WISQARS Injury Surveillance database at https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html.
[4] Anglemyer, A., Horvath, T., & Rutherford, G. The Accessibility of Firearms and Risk for Suicide and Homicide Victimization Among Household Members: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annals of internal medicine, 160(2):101-110 (2014), available at http://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/1814426/accessibility-firearms-risk-suicide-homicide-victimization-among-household-members-systematic.
[5] Vyrostek SB, Annest JL, Ryan GW. Surveillance for fatal and nonfatal injuries–United States, 2001. MMWR. 53(SS07):1-57 (2004), available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5307a1.htm.
[6] Swanson, J. W., Norko, M., Lin, H-J., Alanis-Hirsch, K., Frisman, L., Baranoski, M., Easter, M., Robertson, A. G., Swartz, M., Bonnie, R. J., Implementation and Effectiveness of Connecticut’s Risk-Based Gun Removal Law: Does It Prevent Suicides? Law and Contemporary Problems, 80, 179-208 (August 2016), available at https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4830&context=lcp.
[7] Kivisto, A. J., & Phalen, P. L. (2018). Effects of Risk-Based Firearm Seizure Laws in Connecticut and Indiana on Suicide Rates, 1981–2015. Psychiatric services, 69(8):855-862 (2018), available at https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ps.201700250.
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Terry backs Chelsea boss despite ‘training ground bust-up’
metrowebukmetroTuesday 26 Feb 2008 9:15 am
John Terry has backed boss Avram Grant’s selection policy despite reports of a training ground bust-up between the captain and coach Henk ten Cate.
Today’s Sun reports that the pair went head-to-head at the Chelsea training ground just 24 hours before Sunday’s Carling Cup final defeat to Spurs.
Sources suggest Terry had not yet been told whether or not he would be playing and the pair traded insults before being pulled apart.
‘The session was supposed to put the finishing touches to the final plans for Wembley â but it just descended into a massive row,’ one witness told the Sun. ‘All the players have become exasperated by the shambolic nature of some of the recent training sessions. ‘And there was a lot of unrest among the squad because no one knew what the team was going to be for Wembley. ‘Everyone was trying to guess what was going on and in the end the frustration became too much. But the intensity of the row took everyone by surprise. ‘John and Ten Cate were right in each other’s faces and when it became clear that neither was going to back down, other players jumped between them to pull them apart. ‘To make matters worse, Mr Abramovich was visiting the training ground and saw the whole thing.’
But Terry insists their preparations for the final were not hampered by the speculation surrounding their places in the team.
He said: ‘The manager keeps it all very close to his chest. None of us knew until Sunday, and that is how it has been in every game.
‘So there was no change or excuse. That is the way it has got to be. It keeps everyone on their toes – and as a group of players, we have to deal with it.
‘I am gutted, and the lads are gutted inside. I just can’t believe how we’ve played. They started a lot brighter than us, but at 1-0 up we looked in control. But then things were spoiled.’
Avram GrantChelsea FCJohn TerryTen Cate
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has a new plan for 'fantastic player' Jorginho
Christian Pulisic explains how his skills will replace Eden Hazard in the Chelsea side
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Home » Newsmakers » Richard, Stokes honored
Richard, Stokes honored
Posted by: MBJ Staff in Newsmakers February 22, 2013
Marneshia V. Richard and Charles E. Stokes Jr., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District employees, have been selected to be honored in the category of Modern-Day Technology Leader by the Council of Engineering Deans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Lockheed Martin Corporation and U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine.
Richard is a structural engineer in the Engineering and Construction Division and is responsible for performing structural engineering design work for conventional type structures. A native of Ashland, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Mississippi State University. She is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and is an engineer-in-training for her pre-certification as a registered professional engineer in the State of Mississippi. She is the daughter of Kervin and Martha Richard of Ashland.
Stokes is a civil engineer in the Engineering and Construction Division and is responsible for performing design work for a variety of bank stabilization projects on rivers and streams. He is also responsible for channel improvement structures providing flood control and navigation along the Mississippi River within the boundaries of the Vicksburg District. A native of Utica, Stokes earned his B.S. in civil engineering from Jackson State University. He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He is the son of Charles and Rachel Stokes Sr. of Utica.
Charles Stokes Marneshia Richard U. S. Army Corps of Engineers 2013-02-22
MBJ Staff
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How Boeing got on Trump's good side
by Jon Ostrower @jonostrower February 17, 2017: 12:04 PM ET
Trump: Air Force One looks great at 30
The CEO of Boeing has the ear of President Trump.
Once a target of Trump's Twitter ire, the company has risen to significant influence inside the Trump White House.
"We've got a voice at the table," chief executive Dennis Muilenburg told media and company analysts last month.
On Friday, Trump will be the first sitting president to visit Boeing (BA)'s fast-expanding campus in North Charleston, South Carolina, where he will attend the unveiling of Boeing's new 787-10 Dreamliner.
It will be the third meeting between Trump and Muilenburg since the president's election. They had previously met at Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower before the inauguration. They have spoken on the phone about a half dozen times, according to people familiar with the calls.
"We've had the privilege of having a very open dialogue with him on business issues," Muilenburg said on the earnings call. He said Boeing is "very supportive" of Trump's plans on manufacturing, trade, regulation and taxes. The company is "very confident that those are headed in the right direction and being done with the right tone and tenor."
Related: Boeing workers in South Carolina overwhelmingly reject union
In the less than four weeks since taking office, Trump has moved closer to Boeing's interests on several key issues.
The president has declared his support for the U.S. Export-Import Bank and reaffirmed a "one China" policy. His press secretary has signaled the administration will likely support U.S. expansion plans by Norwegian Air Shuttle -- despite the objections of U.S. airlines and their unions. Norwegian Air is a big buyer of Boeing planes.
There are still major issues on Trump's agenda without resolution that affect Boeing, including tax reform and whether or not to review a treaty that allows airlines in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates unfettered access to the U.S.
Boeing CEOs often work closely with presidents. Muilenburg's predecessor chaired President Obama's Export Council -- but Muilenburg's access to Trump has been extraordinary for a corporate leader.
During his January 17 visit to Trump Tower, Muilenburg was allowed to listen in to part of a call between Trump and Lt. General Christopher Bogdan. Bogdan is responsible for the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The F-35 is made by Lockheed Martin (LMT) and is a competitor of Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Related: Boeing pitches China facility as Trump-friendly
At the time of the call, Trump was threatening to buy Boeing Super Hornets as leverage against Lockheed in pricing negotiations for 90 F-35s. Bloomberg News first reported details of the call.
Bogdan, testifying to Congress on Thursday, downplayed the significance of the call. "There were no decisions made during those conversations, and it was my belief that President-elect Trump at the time was attempting to gain more information about the F-35's capabilities, relative to the Super Hornet," Bogdan said.
Boeing's contacts aren't limited to the Oval Office. Boeing staffers have had numerous meetings with Defense Department and White House contacts at all levels in recent weeks, according to one of the familiar people.
From their first meeting on December 21 in Mar-a-Lago, Muilenburg has been effusive in his praise of Trump's agenda. Muilenburg told reporters: "It was a terrific conversation. Got a lot of respect for him. He's a good man. And he's doing the right thing."
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Related: Trump & Boeing - It's about China
Boeing, like many companies, woke up on November 9 to an unexpected political landscape. The company had been preparing for a Clinton presidency. Timothy Keating, its long-time senior VP of government operations, served under President Bill Clinton. There was even internal discussion at Boeing that Keating might join a new Clinton administration, according to several Boeing staffers.
Early on, some of Trump's policy pronouncements unnerved Boeing. Trump took a congratulatory phone call from Taiwan's president and risked disrupting business relations with China -- Boeing's biggest single jetliner customer.
Boeing was then blindsided on December 6 when Trump tweeted, "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!"
Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016
Trump scolded Boeing on the new presidential transport. "I think it's ridiculous," Trump said. "I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money."
Within hours, Muilenburg was on the phone with Trump for the first time, congratulating the president on his election win, committing to control the jet's cost and extending an invitation to Trump to visit its factories, according to one person familiar with the call.
CNNMoney (Seattle) First published February 17, 2017: 12:04 PM ET
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Grace Castonguay MOR June 12, 2019 Features
Sandra Osterloh: Oyster River’s Local Nomad
“I have learned in my life to never say never….It’s not always about getting paid. It’s just about what you do with that in your life…”
As Sandra Osterloh stands behind her counseling office desk, the high school registrar’s heart yearns for travel. The self-proclaimed wanderer has buzzed around the counseling department for the past six years, scheduling students, managing data and demographics, and keeping things running smoothly. This July however, Osterloh and her husband will be traveling to Yangon, Myanmar to fulfill a two year contract at the International School of Myanmar. Osterloh will be serving in an administrative position while her husband will be teaching science. While moving halfway across the world might seem like a daunting and somewhat terrifying task, Osterloh is no stranger to travel, culture or different languages.
Osterloh’s nomadic personality began at a young age. At three years old, the Oregon native’s family moved to Tunis, Tunisia where she attended a French kindergarten and later the American Cooperative School of Tunis. It was here that Osterloh learned French, Arabic, and English. By the time she moved back to America at age eight, the elementary schooler had a lot to learn about how to live in the U.S.
“A big part of who she is comes from her background: growing up on ranches in Oregon and living in Tunis, Tunisia for five years both played a part,” says Osterloh’s husband, Doug. After living in Tunis, Osterloh lived in Oregon through high school, and then attended college in Oregon where she met her husband. Five years after marriage, the couple gave birth to a son and daughter while living in Eastern Oregon as Doug attended law school.
Sandra Osterloh & her husband, Doug.
The yearning to wander returned soon after. Osterloh recalls, “when [Doug] was getting ready to graduate from law school, we decided we wanted to have an adventure. He ended up getting a job in Hawaii in Honolulu and we lived in Hawaii for five years.” While living in Hawaii, the Osterloh family slowly grew as they fostered children, and eventually adopted two daughters: one they had previously fostered and one through a private adoption. “We were once the couple that was never going to have children. Things change,” Osterloh laughed off.
Travel has never been about tourism for the Osterlohs, and they’re not the people that just sit by the pool. “We try always to experience the local flavor of any place that we visit. We try to experience as much as we can and connect with the most amount of people… When we went to the Dominican, there was a rock wall on each side of the resort and it’s an all inclusive resort. And the first thing they told us was to not go on the other side of the wall. So that was the first thing we did,” says Osterloh.
Living became too pricey to raise a family in Honolulu, as it was expected that the children attend private school when they got older, so the family returned to the continental U.S. to live in Washington for eight years, then back to Oregon. In 2006, they finally to moved to New England. For one year, Doug took a government job in Boston until he decided it was time for a career change in the field of education.
For the past 13 years the Osterlohs have resided in Kingston, NH. Doug settled into a science teacher position at Bradford Christian Academy and Osterloh fell in love with her job at Oyster River as the high school registrar. Both are advanced EMTs and share pride and joy in helping others. “We both are madly in love with our jobs… ” she shared.
And then, Osterloh’s life changed. “Last summer, my brother unexpectedly died at the age of 66 and that changed my life big time. It really had an impact on me about just how fragile life is.” From working on the ambulance, Osterloh and her husband have witnessed life and death, so they are no stranger to trauma, but regardless of this, losing her brother was difficult. “We see some really sad things. It’s easier to be clinical about what we see on the ambulance than it is to have your eldest brother die.”
Osterloh and her granddaughter.
This event sparked serious conversation between Sandra and Doug. The kids were grown up, all living in their own corners of the world. The couple had always shared a plan in which Doug would teach internationally and Sandra would follow him as a ‘trailing spouse.’ “I looked at my husband and said, ‘what are we doing? Why aren’t we doing this now? Why would we wait three more years? We’re at a place in our life where we can make this decision.’” After thoroughly discussing the possibility, they decided to cast the net wide and if it worked out, they would go.
After preparing the mountain of paperwork for each of the agencies, interviews started coming in from Ecuador, Senegal, Bangladesh, and India. “The International School of Myanmar interview was spectacular… The principal that interviewed my husband hired him within two days and made him an offer.” Osterloh was especially excited because the school documents that they do hire ‘trailing partners,’ the spouses of hired teachers, whenever possible. “I will work with the principal and the counseling office, and I will be handling all of the school testing, and then also maintaining their Facebook and website. I will probably be working and assisting the registrar with records,” she explains.
Over the years and from each of the places, Osterloh has learned a lot about life and culture as a whole. “Under the color of people’s skin, and under the accents, and under the other language, you can still communicate, regardless of knowing the language. I’ve just learned that all cultures seek to be accepted. I think that’s what mankind wants…” Osterloh has tried to instill this ideology in her children by showing them as much of the world as possible though travel. It is clear that it is a big part of who she is. Doug noted that his favorite part of Osterloh is, “her confidence, and her willingness to try something new… like moving halfway around the world to live and work in a totally new culture.”
“The biggest thing I’ve learned in the last three months is that material possessions are overrated. Too much stuff, too much junk, and too much money spent on things,” says Osterloh. They will be storing everything they own in a 10 foot by 15 foot storage unit for the next two years. When the Osterlohs leave for their twenty-four hour flight, they do not have the option of shipping things over and will be traveling with only suitcases, prioritizing the essentials like medications, and bug spray for a whole year. They will restock when they visit the U.S. in one year between the two year contract.
She is excited and thrilled for the opportunity but is also aware there will be a transition period. “I know there will be a learning curve. Having lived in Hawaii, it’s a much slower pace of life, and that can be a challenge for a very driven person like myself. I like to start tasks and complete them. In Hawaii, there were times where that was hard for me to have the Shaka Brah kind of mentality.” For reference, Shaka Brah is a hand gesture widely known throughout Hawaii used to convey the Aloha spirit and easy going mentality.
Even though the school is taught in English, the couple will be learning the Burmese language as it is spoken between classes and at lunch. Osterloh believes that background in languages should provide her a helpful base for this task.
The couple hope to become involved in not just the school, but the community. “We’re looking forward to having just one focus, but we also would like to meet the local people that work in their fire department. I’m sure it’s very, very much different than what we’re used to, regarding resources.” The Osterlohs have developed a shared passion in helping others, which they carry out through their EMT work. They are hoping to explore the possibility of facilitating equipment no longer in use from the New Hampshire fire departments to be shipped to be reuse in their new home. “We would really like to learn about emergency services that are not available in Myanmar, and to see if we might be of assistance. There is equipment in the local departments that’s no longer in use and perhaps it can be utilized in another country.”
Osterloh and her grandchildren in Japan.
Of course, Osterloh will miss her home in New England. “I will miss our fire departments. I will miss my job. I will miss the counselors, and my boss. I love this job so much. The connection with the students and graduation. I will miss graduation and just seeing all the work of the four years.”
Besides her joy for travel and organization, Osterloh has a passion for baking. Osterloh is famous for her cinnamon rolls throughout the counseling department. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say, ‘Oh my gosh! No more cinnamon rolls!’” says ORHS counselor, Kim Sekera, whose family has developed a relationship with the registrar extraordinaire over the years. Sekera shared that every year during letter of recommendation writing season, Osterloh will bake with Sekera’s children to give their mother the time she needs to write. Osterloh will not have an oven in Myanmar, but she already has a plan. “I’m not hoping – I know, somewhere, I will connect with someone who has an oven that I can either pay them to let me use, or they would be happy to accept an exchange of baked goods for letting me use their oven.
The rehiring process to fill Osterloh’s position has just begun, but, “she has set the bar really high. We will have to scale our expectations back,” says Kim Cassamas, counselor and colleague of Osterloh at ORHS. Her coworkers describe her as very hardworking, data oriented, friendly, and caring. Director of Counseling, Heather Machanoff, notes, “she is really good at making students feel welcome. She is always willing to help students and not minimize anything that was going on with them.”
When Osterloh leaves home soil once again on July 18th, she will be fulfilling her purpose, living the most meaningful life she can, and satisfying her hunger for exploration. “Sadly, my brother doesn’t get any more [experiences]. And I don’t want to be the person that doesn’t get anymore. I want, regardless of how many more years I live, to have more meaning than just hoping I live.”
Written by Grace Castonguay
Photos courtesy of Sandra Osterloh
From Player to Coach: A Bobcat’s Way Home
ORHS Writing Center
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The Trump administration and the crisis of American capitalism
President Donald Trump will deliver an address to both houses of Congress tonight, broadcast live throughout the United States. According to talking points released by the White House yesterday, the speech will “lay out an optimistic vision for the country” and “invite all Americans of all backgrounds to come together in the service of a stronger, brighter future for our nation.”
The very fact that Trump will be delivering the address is proof that the “state of the union” is neither optimistic nor bright. Trump and his administration of political thugs are testament to the horrifying decay of political culture in the United States. The agenda that the administration is rapidly implementing holds out for the working class of the entire world a future of unending war, dictatorship and social devastation.
The first five weeks of the Trump administration have given ample demonstration of this fact. Trump is packing his administration with CEOs, billionaires, ex-generals and individuals dedicated to what his chief strategist Stephen Bannon referred to last week as the “deconstruction of the administrative state.” In a policy directive released yesterday, the Trump administration calls for a massive 10 percent increase in spending on the military, to be paid for through cuts in everything else: public education, mass transportation, housing, job training, the arts, pollution controls, and health and safety regulations.
The “administrative state” is to be replaced with the “garrison state,” with all the resources of American society subordinated to the preparations of the ruling class for world war.
Among the first actions of the new government is a brutal crackdown on immigrant workers. Thousands are being rounded up and deported, and the Trump administration is setting up the framework for mass internment camps. The government is encouraging the most backward and reactionary elements, expressed in the wave of bomb threats against Jewish community centers and the racially-motivated shooting of two Indian men in Kansas last week.
In all its actions, the new government is implementing a definite political strategy. One should not hesitate to use the word “fascism.” The denunciation by Bannon of the “corporate globalist media,” Trump’s demand for “total allegiance to the United States of America” and his call for a “new national pride” founded on the “blood of patriots”—this is language inspired by Mussolini and Hitler. The Trump-Bannon government is using the immense power of the presidency to develop a fascistic movement, which will increasingly take on extra-parliamentary forms.
Throughout his campaign and in the first weeks of his administration, Trump has pitched his rhetoric to the discontent and frustration of broader sections of the population. With lying and empty rhetoric about the “forgotten man” and pledges to “Make America Great Again,” he is seeking to direct social anger against the “enemy” abroad and establish the base for an authoritarian and militarist agenda.
Trump does not have mass support. Indeed, his presidency is the most unpopular in the history of the United States. Polls make clear that his attack on immigrants and other reactionary measures are broadly opposed. In the first weeks of his administration, Trump has confronted protests involving millions of people in the United States and internationally.
However, in the absence of any progressive political outlet for this anger, it is the extreme right that is benefiting. This is true not only in the United States, but also in Europe, where far right and fascistic political movements are also on the rise.
The administration’s greatest asset is the spineless and reactionary character of his critics within the political establishment. The Democrats are doing everything they can to divert and disorient popular opposition. Along with their allies in the media, they are promoting a vile, neo-McCarthyite campaign focused on denunciations of the Trump administration for being too soft on Russia. Their strategy is two-pronged. They want to pressure Trump to adopt positions that conform to the demands of dominant sections of the military-intelligence apparatus, while at the same time diverting the anger of millions of workers and youth away from any challenge to the capitalist system.
Responsibility for the rise of Trump lies squarely with the Democratic Party and what is generally presented as “left” politics in the United States. The Democratic Party, no less than the Trump administration itself, is a political instrument of Wall Street and the intelligence agencies. The policies of the Obama administration for the eight years that followed the economic crash of 2008 were dedicated to rescuing and enriching Wall Street. Far from being held accountable for the swindling and criminality that produced the crisis, the financial aristocracy is richer than ever. The Obama administration continued and expanded the wars of the Bush administration, while escalating the attacks on democratic rights and increasing the power of the intelligence agencies.
During the 2016 election campaign, Hillary Clinton ran as the candidate of Wall Street and the status quo, refusing to even acknowledge mass social discontent. While the leftward movement of broad sections of workers and youth was expressed in support for the campaign of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and his call for a “political revolution” against the “billionaire class,” Sanders’ task was to channel this anger behind Clinton, an action that helped assure Trump’s victory. Sanders is now reprising this role in his new position as part of the leadership of the Democratic Party in the Senate.
The obsessive fixation of the Democratic Party and the political organizations that surround it on various forms of racial, ethnic and gender identity politics plays into Trump’s hands. The Democrats and their apologists are opposed to any movement against Trump that is associated with policies of social reform and economic redistribution, beyond a more agreeable distribution of wealth within the top 10 percent. As such, they are incapable of advancing a viable basis for opposing the reactionary chauvinism of the fascistic right.
In the final analysis, the rise of Donald Trump is the expression of the protracted and now terminal crisis of American capitalism. He is not an intruder in an otherwise healthy society. However bitter the dispute within the ruling class, they are all united on the conviction that American imperialism must control the world and the attack on the working class must be intensified. Under Trump, the ruling class is embarking on a new stage in this catastrophic project.
Essential political conclusions must be drawn. It is impossible to separate the fight against the Trump administration from the fight against the social and economic order that has produced it: capitalism. The social force that must be mobilized against Trump is the working class. It is in the working class that real and enduring opposition to the new administration will develop.
The Socialist Equality Party is fighting to arm the working class with a political program that offers a real solution to the great problems that it confronts. The working class can only secure its basic rights—to a secure and good-paying job, health care, housing, education, retirement—by means of a frontal assault on the wealth of the corporate and financial elite. It must reclaim the massive fortunes accumulated by the super-rich through fraud and speculation. The stranglehold of the financial aristocracy must be broken through the transformation of the gigantic banks and corporations into publicly-owned utilities, democratically controlled to meet social need, not private profit.
The social interests of the working class must be connected to the fight against imperialist war, which threatens the entire globe with catastrophe. The SEP fights to counter the reactionary and fascistic nationalism promoted by Trump and similar political tendencies internationally through the unification of workers of every nationality, race and gender on the basis of their common class interests.
The basic and urgent task is the building of a revolutionary leadership, the SEP and our worldwide organization, the International Committee of the Fourth International. The Trump administration represents a clear and present danger. It must be fought through the systematic, persistent and urgent organization of the working class in the fight for socialism.
For more information on how to join the Socialist Equality Party, click here.
Joseph Kishore
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VIGH Student Portal
Global Health at Vanderbilt
Pre-Departure Modules
Travel Health Resources
Country-Specific Resources
VIGH Funding Resources
External Funding Resources
Site Placement Opportunities
Global Health Modules
Post-grad Opportunities
Want tips on how to fund your global health experience?
Check out this guide by the Global Health Education Consortium.
Searchable Databases
The Vanderbilt Global Education Office (GEO) maintains a list of select scholarships offered by GEO, other units at Vanderbilt, and external agencies.
The Vanderbilt University Office of Honors Scholarships maintains a list of external funding opportunities and research fellowships for graduate students. Examples include the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship and the Boren Fellowship.
The Fogarty International Center administers a directory of international grants and fellowships in biomedical and behavioral research for predoctoral and graduate researchers in the field of global health.
SPIN Vanderbilt University is a platform to search funding opportunities, primarily related to research development but there are often associated funding grants for educational programs. We recommend reading these instructions for creating an account to save your searches and receive funding alerts.
Vanderbilt Career Center has a compilation of scholarships and fellowships on their website. Please note that these scholarships and fellowships require Vanderbilt University’s endorsement or nomination. You can also log into DoreWays and make an honors scholarship coaching appointment at the Career Center.
The Institute for International Education (IEE) maintains an extensive database of scholarships, fellowships, and grants for all levels of post-secondary study, across the full range of academic areas for study in the United States.
University of Arizona has a comprehensive list of global health funding opportunities.
The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill has a searchable database of funding databases (a database of databases).
Michigan State University has a guide to various sources of graduate scholarships, fellowships, and loans.
Affordable Colleges Online presents a variety of scholarships for graduate students, describes the federal aid options, and provides tips to help students get more financial aid.
Selected Scholarships and Fellowships
A selection of external funding scholarships are listed below. Students are not limited to these options and are encouraged to research additional avenues for funding their experience abroad.
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Benjamin H. Kean Traveling Fellowship Award
Applicant must be a full-time
student in a North American accredited school of
medicine at the time of the application and at the
time of the elective. Applicant must propose an
elective conducting research or clinical training in tropical medicine or global health with at least one month at a site endemic for tropical diseases. Recipients are expected to submit a maximum 3-page report outlining their fellowship experience.
Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities to study in Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Boren Scholars and Fellows represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. Undergraduate students can receive up to $20,000 for an academic year’s study abroad and graduate students up to $30,000 for language study and international research. In exchange for funding, recipients commit to working in the federal government for a minimum of one year.
CDC-Hubert Global Health Fellowship This fellowship provides third- and fourth-year medical and veterinary students with public health experience in a developing country. The main focus of the fellowship is a 6- to 12-week field assignment where fellows are mentored by experienced CDC staff and learn through hands-on experience while working on a public health project.
Gary Stewart Scholarship for Research in Public Health
This award goes to an outstanding public health graduate student who proposes a significant research project that addresses a pressing current issue in the field of public health, especially as it may pertain to reproductive health, and related public welfare issues.
Global Action Fellows invest in a new generation of leaders with the foresight and skills to respond to emerging global challenges. Students with knowledge related to food, health, and prosperity as well as a strong interest in the interconnections among local and global issues are invited to apply. Attendance is limited and selective for this program.
Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) Program is funded by the National Science Foundation and provides an international travel allowance to engage in research collaborations with investigators in partner countries located outside the United States.
The Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship
The Katie Evans Memorial Scholarship supports outstanding work in international public health by providing a one-time scholarship of up to $3,000 towards a fieldwork project proposed by a qualified graduate student.
NSEP David L. Boren Graduate Fellowship
Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 to U.S. graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. Boren Fellowships support study and research in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. For a complete list of countries, click here.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW)
Eligible National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellows must have completed at least one year of their graduate program at the time of application. The competition is open to MS – and PhD-seeking Fellows. GROW Fellows will receive an international travel allowance of $5,000 to cover travel and research costs associated with the international research collaboration.
Sara’s Wish Scholarship Fund
Sara’s Wish Foundation scholarships are awarded to extraordinary young women committed to making the world a better place by fully participating in it. With financial contributions from the Sara’s Wish program, young women have defrayed the costs associated with traveling to all areas of the globe.
Graduate scholarships for international study are available in any field and require a one-year commitment. The scholarships cover travel expenses and provide a stipend for room and board. All applications are made and processed through the local Rotary Club.
©2019 Vanderbilt University ·
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Where does ODHNER rank in the most common names in the U.S.?
ODHNER is identified by the U.S. Bureau of the Census as a surname with more than 100 occurrences in the United States for the year-2000 U.S. Census. In "Demographic Aspects of Surnames from Census 2000", the Census Bureau tabulated the surnames of all people who had obtained Social Security Numbers by the year 2000.
ODHNER ranks # 114852 in terms of the most common surnames in America for 2000.
ODHNER had 141 occurrences in the 2000 Census, according the U.S. government records.
Out of a sample of 100,000 people in the United States, ODHNER would occur an average of 0.05 times.
For the last name of ODHNER the Census Bureau reports the following race / ethnic origin breakdown:
98.58 percent, or 139 total occurrences, were "Non-Hispanic White Only"
0 percent, or None reported total occurrences, were "Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native"
0 percent, or None reported total occurrences, were "Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races"
0 percent, or None reported total occurrences, were "Hispanic Origin"
Search the web for more on the name ODHNER :
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Tag Archives: Jewish History
Jewish History, prague, Travel
Prague Part 3: Jewish History in Prague
Prague Part 1: The Worst Train Ride Ever
Prague Part 2: Prague…My Favorite European City
Unlike many European cities that were bombed to a pulp during World War II, Prague is nearly intact. It’s a walking, living history book. We booked a three hour tour with Aharon Hribek, who came highly recommended by a friend. We had a lot to cover, and three hours was not enough. So consider that your warning…this will be a very long post.
The first stop was the Altneushcul, or the Old New Synagogue. M and I had already visited the synagogue for Saturday services, but today we got an expert’s guidance.
The synagogue was built in stages. The oldest part, the main sanctuary, dates back to 1270. As the synagogue expanded, adding an upper level and a women’s section, a plaque was added to commemorate each new section.
The inside is relatively small, and not at all ostentatious like some of the other synagogues we saw later, but hauntingly beautiful in its own way.
A artist friend of M’s designed many of the ritual coverings in the main sanctuary, like the navy covering on the bimah and the maroon covering on the Torah ark.
This seat bears the name the Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the revered rabbi known as the Maharal, who served as a rabbi in Prague during the 16th century. Our guide informed us that this may be the place where the Maharal sat, but the wood is not old enough to be the original seat.
A replica of the the Jews’ historic flag hangs from the ceiling. In 1357, Charles IV allowed the Jews of Prague to have their own city flag.
Next, we visited the Pinkas Synagogue, a gothic synagogue built in 1535. In 1955, it was turned into a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia. The first floor contains the names of each victim, and the second floor contains a heart-rending exhibit of drawings made by Jewish children kept in the Terezin ghetto and concentration camp.
After Pinkas, we walked through the old Jewish cemetery, while out guide pointed out some of the more famous and interesting gravestones. Many of the stones are faded and crooked, victims of nature and time. Cemeteries are supposed to be depressing places, but I took some odd comfort in the preservation of history. Each stone, each name is a story that lives on as thousands of people come from all over the world to hear their tales.
The most famous gravestone in the yard – it belongs to the Maharal
The oldest identifiable gravestone in the cemetery belongs to Avigdor Kara who died in 1439. UPDATE: A kind reader has informed me that the gravestone in the cemetery is a replica. The original can be found in the Maisel Synagogue entrance hall.
Hendl Basevi was the wife of a wealthy businessman and mayor of the Jewish Town.
By the time we finished at the Jewish cemetery, we were running short on time. We made two quick visits to the Klausen Synagogue and the Chevra Kadisha – the small building next to the cemetery where Jews would prepare their dead for burial. Then, M and I checked out the Maisel Synagogue, the elaborate Spanish Synagogue, and the modern Jewish cemetery on our own.
Built in 1694 in early Baroque style, the Klausen Synagogue is the largest in Prague.
The Maisel Synagogue was originally built in 1592 by Mordecai Maisel, the mayor of Prague’s Jewish town. It was burnt down in 1689 and rebuilt several times. Today, it hosts an exhibit on historical Jewish life in Bohemia.
The Spanish Synagogue is a sight to behold. Built in 1868 for the Reform congregation (notice the organ on the second floor which would never appear in an Orthodox synagogue), it was called the Spanish Synagogue because its design was influence by Moorish architecture.
The modern Jewish cemetery is not a typical stop on the tourist route in Prague. Most tourists stick to the historical sites in the center of Old Town. Founded in 1890, the modern cemetery is in use today and a 20 minute subway ride from the center of town. M connected with a friend of a friend who publishes a Jewish newsletter on site and offered to show us around.
Yes, that is the Franz Kafka.
These plaques memorialize several of the musical and visual artists who were held in the Terezin concentration camp and perished in the Holocaust. Terezin was used by the Nazis as a propaganda tool to convince the Red Cross that their camps were humane and a cultural nirvana. They exploited the Jewish artists to churn out Nazi propaganda, but many of them secretly depicted the cruel reality of the camps through their art.
Tagged altneuschul, czech republic, Jewish History, prague, synagogue
berlin, Jewish History, Travel
Berlin Part 4: Never Forget
Berlin Part 1: Getting There
Berlin Part 2: Berlin Is… Complicated
Berlin Part 3: Where To See The Berlin Wall
It’s impossible to go to Berlin and not contend with the gruesome history of the Third Reich. Berlin makes a valiant effort of telling that story and memorializing its victims. There are many important sites to see to make sure we “never forget” the horrors of the Holocaust. Some are major tourists sites; others are less well known and barely noticeable. We didn’t get to all of them, but managed to spend time seeing a couple of important ones.
On our first day in Berlin, we visited the Topography of Terror on the site of the former Gestapo. You can walk along a piece of the Berlin Wall and the remains of the Gestapo’s external basement wall.
Once inside, the first floor hosts a detailed history of Hitler’s Third Reich, told primarily through photographs and text. Many of the photos are chilling.
Another important site is the Jewish Museum of Berlin that tells the story of Jewish history in Germany throughout the centuries.
Not far from Brandenburg Gate, you’ll find the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a sobering construction designed by architect Peter Eisenman.
Finally, we took the S-Bahn to the Grunewald subway stop to tour a little-visited memorial called Gleis 17 (Track 17). From 1941 through 1942, trains deporting Berlin Jews to Nazi concentration camps left from Track 17. Today, the abandoned track is adorned with simple plaques that commemorate the date and the number of Jews deported. It is an oddly beautiful and infuriating memorial.
These sites were not enjoyable in the typical sense of the word. How can the constant reminder of the murder of six million Jews be “enjoyable”? Most of the time, I felt the anger rising in my blood and my thoughts. So many people who never got a chance, so many stories that will never be told, so many generations obliterated. It is supposed to be infuriating.
Tagged berlin, Germany, holocaust, Jewish History, memorial
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Browns trade TE Telfer to Chiefs for DE Nicolas
Tom Withers
PMN Football
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns traded tight end Randall Telfer to the Kansas City Chiefs for defensive end Dadi Nicolas.
A sixth-round pick in 2015, Telfer is the sixth veteran dealt by new Browns general manager John Dorsey, who continues to remould a team that has just one victory over the past two seasons.
Telfer started 19 games for Cleveland and was used primarily as a blocker. He caught five passes for 40 yards. After he was selected in 2015, Telfer sat out his rookie season while recovering from a foot injury.
Nicolas has history with Dorsey, who was Kansas City’s GM from 2013-16. He selected the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Nicolas in the 2016 sixth round.
The 25-year-old Nicolas appeared in 11 games as a rookie, but injured his knee in the regular-season finale and sat out 2017.
Since joining the Browns in December, Dorsey has traded quarterbacks DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler, cornerback Jason McCourty and defensive tackle Danny Shelton.
The Browns also claimed linebacker Jermaine Grace off waivers from Indianapolis on Wednesday. The 6-1, 225-pounder signed with Atlanta last year as an undrafted free agent.
He appeared in five games on special teams with the Falcons and six with the Colts.
For more AP NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP–NFL
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Trade & commodity policy
Report on the Expert meeting “Food Security – Towards Policies that Matter”, 6 September 2012, Brussels
At the occasion of the kick-off meeting of FOODSECURE, an expert meeting was organized to introduce the project to the beneficiaries within the institutions of the European Union. Staff from six units in the European Commission participated in the meeting, which counted over twenty policy experts from DG AGRI, DG DEVCO - EuropeAid, DG TRADE, DG ENERGY, DG CLIMA and DG Research & Innovation. In addition, over forty researchers from the FOODSECURE team took part in lively discussions.
The Impact of European Union Preferential Policies in the Rice Industry: A Dynamic Panel Gravity Approach
The erosion of preferences due to multilateral tariff reductions is a long-standing concern for many developing countries. This paper focuses on the erosion of the preferences granted by the EU in the rice industry. Since 2004 there has been a sharp decrease in border protection for the EU rice industry. Because the EU grants trade preferences to a considerable number of rice exporting developing countries, the reform implied preference erosion as well. By addressing the impact of preference erosion on developing countries rice exports to the EU, this paper contributes two original insights to the literature: first, by proposing a new empirical approach to compute the preference margin when tariff rate quotas are in force which is based on the assumption of the existence of fixed costs and economies of scale in international trade; second, by estimating the trade elasticities of preferences by means of a dynamic panel gravity equation to deal with the issues of endogeneity of preferences and persistency in bilateral trade flows. The results show that the way preference margins are calculated matters significantly when assessing the existence and extent of their erosion and the values of trade elasticities. Finally, the estimations highlight the fact that the impact of preferences is still very strong for some of the countries concerned.
Public stockholding may have contributed to food price stability but in return for large economic and fiscal costs. Higher welfare could be achieved by alternative policies, either cash-based policies or subsidies to private storage.
Stock policies and grain reserves are widely used across the developing world to improve food security and stabilize food prices. In India, public stocks play a central role in a complex and costly system of policy measures aiming at stabilizing market prices, subsidizing producers and poor consumers, as well as supporting domestic food production. While some of these goals were successfully achieved, some ended up in failure. There are many lessons to be learned from the Indian experience. There are also many other policy options to consider, including private storage subsidy, free trade or regional cooperation on storage. The optimal choice of strategy depends not only on the own characteristics of the country but also on the characteristics and willingness to cooperate of the neighbouring countries.
Price volatility – information and regulation to avoid extreme events
Key message: Most empirical evidence suggests that price spikes and excessive volatility (see Martins-Filho et al. 2016 for a definition) are two different phenomena with distinct implications for consumers and producers. The major problem we faced in 1970’s was high prices, but from 2007 onwards it was excessive levels of volatility that had significant effects on food producers and consumers. Short summary: There are many factors that create price volatility, like highly concentrated export markets for the main staple commodities rice, maize, wheat, and soybean; low levels of stocks; increasing biofuel production; the medium- and long-term effects of climate change; and higher levels of trading in commodity futures markets. Moreover, excessive volatility can also be exacerbated by any policy changes - such as trade bans, customs taxes, or other restrictions on exports - in any of the top exporting or importing countries (Torero, 2016). To reduce the negative impacts of volatility that range from reduced allocative efficiency, impacts on welfare of the poor to conflicts and unrest, policies have in general two different channels: (i) they can reduce volatility and the occurrence of price spikes, acting on the fundamental causes of price variability (affecting blue boxes and the relationships between them exclusively) and (ii) they can reduce the impact of price changes on the actors which is related to the arrows between blue and orange boxes. The merits, feasibility, and likely effectiveness of many aspects of these proposals are much debated.
Reforming EU trade policies towards more coherence with food security objectives requires careful design as EU trade preferences do matter
Agricultural trade is a key determinant in global food security (Figure 1), but international cooperation is necessary for trade to help coping with supply shocks, to spread variations in crop yield and to dampen price volatility on global commodity markets. If regional and bilateral negotiations expand at the expense of a multilateral agreement, there is a risk of fragmentation of the trading system. Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) of the EU, i.e. trade arrangements of the EU that favour specific countries or regions, do matter in the sense that members may gain, but at the expense of non-member countries (trade diversion effect). Estimates of the impact of EU-Mediterranean preferences suggest that tariff preferences do not have a positive impact on trade until they reach a very high level. Harmonization of standards on a regional basis may lock countries into some PTAs and reinforces hub-and-spoke trade structures. Other papers explored the impact of trade policies of other countries on food security. Trade policy distortions are, overall, significantly correlated with the various dimensions of food security. For example, implicit taxation of agriculture through overvalued exchange rates is associated with undernourishment. The impact, however, is not consistent with the usual claims by free trade supporters that any policy would do more harm than good. Countries supporting the primary sector tend to be better off in most dimensions of food security (food availability, access, and utilisation), while taxation of the primary sector tends to reduce variability of food security. Governments are advised to analyse in-depth the appropriate policy mix and the trade-offs involved.
Prevent that excessive food price volatility continues to cause substantial nutrition risk
Key message: An array of actions - ranging from better information to more active use of financial instruments to influence agricultural commodity markets - is required to mitigate the risks associated with excessive food price volatility. Short summary: High and volatile food prices are two different phenomena with distinct implications for consumers and producers (Fig. 1). The major problem we phased in 1970’s was high prices but in 2007 onwards it was excessive levels of volatility. Among the key factors playing a role in creating price volatility are increasing biofuel production, the medium- and long-term effects of climate change, and higher levels of trading in commodity futures markets. Export restrictions in important food-producing countries also contributed to price increases and market jitters in 2010 and 2011. The major proposed actions can be grouped by the objectives they try to achieve: (1) better information and more research, (2) easier trade in agricultural commodities, (3) larger food reserves and better-managed grain stocks, (4) more active use of financial instruments to influence agricultural commodity markets, and (5) stricter regulation of these markets. Scholars and policymakers are debating the merits, feasibility, and likely effectiveness of many aspects of these proposals.
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Aberdeen ,
Aberdeen City Council to phase out all single use plastics
Members of Aberdeen City Council today (Monday 10 September) agreed to commit to going further than the Final Straw campaign, by phasing out the use of all single use plastics in Council-owned properties.
The Council fully backs the Final Straw campaign and has instructed all Council services and Arm’s Length External Organisations (ALEOs) to cease using plastic straws wherever this is practicably possible, recognising the needs of people with disabilities who require a fully flexible drinking straw to consume liquids.
The committee noted the progress made by services to reduce straws and other single use plastics to date and instructed the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to continue working with Scotland Excel, and the supply chain to source products, which either require no drinking straw or with bio-degradable drinking straws where they are necessary.
Before the meeting began elected members had the opportunity to speak to pupils from Airyhall School and Hanover Street School, who had come along to the Town House, to explain why they believed the City Council should fully support the Final Straw campaign.
Elected members were also told that the Council’s school catering service had received several communications from pupils who raised their concerns about the use of single use plastics because of the harm these are having on marine life.
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Jenny Laing said: “It is clear that single use plastics have a detrimental impact on the environment, and greater awareness of the issue means we are all looking at ways to reduce their usage. Citizens, of all ages, but particularly our young people, expect the Council to commit to reduce, if not stop entirely the use of these types of plastics.
“I hope that the commitment shown by Aberdeen City Council to phase out the use of all single use plastics in Council-owned properties, where practicable, is seen an example to other organisations to follow suit.”
Following the Council’s decision, the pupils from Airyhall School and Hanover Street School were pleased that plastic straws will no longer be used by the council as it will help the environment and all the animals.
In late 2017, the BBC screened the Blue Planet 2, which focused on the ecological damage which is being caused to the planet from plastics, which were finding their way into watercourses and ultimately polluting our beaches, seas and oceans highlighting the impact that this issue is having on our marine life.
The Council responded to calls as part of a national campaign and the report before Council today was requested by elected members in March 2018, which instructed the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to conduct an audit of all Council Services, ALEOs in so far as the Council’s contractual and governance relationships with its ALEOs will allow it to do so, to ascertain the extend of the use of single use plastic.
The Commercial and Procurement Service was also instructed to work with Scotland Excel and the supply chain to source products which either require no drinking straw or with bio-degradable drinking straws where they are necessary.
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Giving the gift of cultural immersion
By Dee Ann Rexroat | November 4, 2014
Professor Emeritus of German Charles Connell knows what studying abroad can do for a student.
Charles Connell, professor emeritus of German
Being immersed in another culture and language gives students perspectives and teaches them skills that they can’t learn in a classroom in the United States. Connell knows firsthand how transformative it can be—he spent four semesters as a student in Germany; 1956-57 in Munich, and 1963-64 in Berlin. He said those experiences were what set him on the path toward a career teaching German.
During his 44 years of teaching at Cornell (1968-2012), Connell was also involved in choosing students to receive financial aid to study off campus. That experience showed him that there wasn’t enough money to go around, and that more scholarships for off-campus study were needed.
So after retiring he decided to do something about that, and he has given a gift to start The Connell Family International Off-Campus Study Endowment Fund. He gave more than $100,000 to create the endowment—about 10 percent of the money he earned during his Cornell career, he said.
“It seemed like an important thing to do,” he said. “More money will help more students study internationally.”
Cornell’s language department has always promoted study abroad, and the German section encouraged its students to experience language as a way of life. In the 1950s through 1980s, this often happened through the programs of the School for International Study, based in Brattleboro, Vermont, which sent students to live with a German family for a semester. Later, students were able to spend time in Germany through enrollment in short language courses from the Goethe Institute, the Federal Republic’s cultural institute. It helps that the institute uses a calendar similar to One Course At A Time, Connell said, so students were able to spend four or eight weeks in Germany, immersed in the language, then return to Cornell and pick up where they’d left off.
The name of the fund hints at the Connell family’s deep connections to Cornell. In addition to his decades-long teaching career, Connell and his late wife, Felicitas Klein Connell, sent two daughters to Cornell—Deirdre Connell ’87 and Allegra Connell Frank ’88. Both Connell and his second wife, Barbara Christiansen, are honorary alumni of Cornell. Barbara’s late husband, Paul Christiansen, was a biology professor at Cornell from 1967 to 1995, her son and daughter-in-law, Dana Christiansen ’79 and Elizabeth Hicken Christiansen ’79, are both alumni, and her grandson, John Christiansen, is a member of the Class of 2015.
Tags: cornell report fall 2014
Establishing a summer research institute
Research project brings ancient site to life with 3D imaging
Named professorships for Lucas and Knoop
Diverse careers all lead to awards
Grant provides nuclear spectrometer
First-Year Seminars provide intro to the liberal arts
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zMormon Newsroom
Church Preserves Precious Records of African Nation
SALT LAKE CITY —
Years of civil war and a deadly outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever virus, Ebola, left Sierra Leone devastated and its infrastructure broken. A year after the declared end of the deadly scourge, dysfunction spills over into virtually every aspect of life in this poverty-stricken West African country, including the record preservation of a population.
Sierra Leone Records Preservation
Sierra Leone Records Preservaiton
Sierra Leone Record Preservation
SierraLeoneFamHistory6.jpg
At the Office of the Deputy Chief Registrar of Birth and Deaths in Freetown, Sierra Leone, paper records dating back to the early 1800s are disintegrating at an alarming rate due to poor storage conditions, heat, humidity and frequent handling.
“Sometimes we have only one or two days with lights … per week,” says deputy chief registrar of birth and death records, Richard Konie. “So that is very difficult for us.”
The deputy chief says he and his staff often pool money just to keep the lights on those few days a week, in dank, stiflingly hot rooms where all work is done with pen and paper — the same rooms where all the country’s records have been stored for decades on open makeshift shelves that sag under the volume of weight.
“When I saw these records for the first time, it was devastating,” recalls Thierry Mutombo, project manager in charge of record access for FamilySearch International of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “I had my heart broken because of the conditions of how these records are kept and the way that the people are working here, giving the best of themselves to preserve what they can for people and families of Sierra Leone.”
Despite valiant efforts by dedicated caretakers, rampant deterioration of the tattered records threatened to obliterate the very history of the nation. Mutombo says that all changed with a plea to President Thomas S. Monson from the government of Sierra Leone on behalf of its president, Ernest Bai Koroma, asking for help preserving the at-risk records.
The Church approved a project that photographs images of the dilapidated birth and death records, which are then digitized and eventually made available online. The operation is underway in a room on the same floor as the Office of the Registrar of Birth and Deaths.
Principal registrar Alhaj Nallo says his staff was in a “frantic effort” to preserve copies of records by hand until FamilySearch began the process of digitizing records. “We are grateful to FamilySearch for coming to our aid, for coming to the aid of the people of this nation, … to the aid of the children of this nation.”
Preserving Records Across Sierra Leone
Freetown is not the only community where records are being preserved through digitization. The Sierra Leone government granted FamilySearch access to records located in towns and remote villages across the country. Charles Fornah is from one of those remote villages deep in the bush called Mokolbondo.
The quaint community of elephant grass-thatched huts includes generations of just a few families. “All this while we’ve been keeping records through word-of-mouth, father to son and down,” he says. “But most times, critical records go missing when people die.” Fornah says he looks forward to the preservation of his family’s records. “Not only are [these records] going to be on paper or word-of-mouth, but electronic anywhere in the country or the world with the click of the button of a mouse.”
Thierry Mutombo of FamilySearch is also working with interfaith leaders in Sierra Leone such as Father Alphonso Carew, chancellor of archives of the Archdiocese of Freetown. The Catholic Church has opened its vaults containing baptismal, confirmation and marriage records to be part of the preservation project.
“We cannot talk about archives, dozens of archives or historic archives, … if records are not kept,” says Father Carew. “Any kind of record at all is crucially important because it becomes a database for future generations.”
A "Remarkable Undertaking"
When the project is completed some 4 million records will be digitally preserved for generations to come. Church-sponsored FamilySearch is engaged in similar digitizing projects in countries all over Africa.
“To have a project where we are trying to make sure we capture and retain the records that do exist is a remarkable undertaking and necessary,” says Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, whose assignments include ministering to the African people. “All over the earth we make available our records, and they strengthen communities because they have that sense of place, that sense of person — a place of history.”
Watch World Report
This story is one of many stories featured in World Report October 2017. Watch World Report this conference weekend for additional stories on the Church’s global efforts to bring humanitarian aid and disaster relief to people suffering in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the earthquakes in Mexico. See also the new additions of missionary training centers and the progress of temples announced and under construction.
World Report broadcast schedule:
View World Report general conference weekend on KSL-TV (NBC affiliate, Salt Lake City), BYUTV, BYUTV International and the Church satellite system. Viewing times are Saturday, September 30, and Sunday, October 1. Additional airtimes are available Saturday, October 7, and Sunday, October 8.
KSL-TV: 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. MDT
BYUTV: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. MDT
Church Satellite: 12:10 p.m.–1:55 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.–5:15 p.m. MDT (broadcast in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean)
BYUTV: 6:30 a.m.–7:30 a.m. MDT
BYUTV International: 6:00 a.m.–7:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon–1:00 p.m. MDT (broadcast in Spanish and Portuguese)
Church Satellite: 8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. & 12:10 p.m. – 12:55 p.m. (MDT, broadcast in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean)
Saturday, October 7
Church Satellite: 11:00 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. (MDT - International time zone considerations. Broadcast in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean)
Church Satellite: 2:00 a.m. – 2:45 a.m. (MDT - International time zone considerations. Broadcast in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean)
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Return to Mormon Newsroom 2017 Year in Review
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Search News Releases
Urinary tract and other infections may trigger different kinds of stroke
Categories: Stroke News
Stroke Journal Report
Study Highlights:
Several infections have been identified as possible stroke triggers, with urinary tract infections showing the strongest link with ischemic stroke.
Healthcare providers need to be aware that stroke can be triggered by infections, researchers noted.
Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT / 5 a.m. ET Thursday, June 27, 2019
DALLAS, June 27, 2019 — Several infections have been identified as possible stroke triggers, with urinary tract infections showing the strongest link with ischemic stroke, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke.
Previous research examined infections as triggers of stroke, but were limited to the correlation of acute infections with ischemic stroke, a type of stroke caused by blocked blood vessels in the brain. This study considered a wider range of infections, and examined connections with two other types of stroke: intracerebral hemorrhage, which is caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, and a type of stroke that results from bleeds in the inner lining of the brain, called subarachnoid hemorrhage.
“Healthcare providers need to be aware that stroke can be triggered by infections,” said Mandip Dhamoon, M.D., Dr.P.H., senior study author and associate professor of neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “Probing into the previous weeks or months of a patient’s life before the stroke can sometimes help to illuminate the possible causes of stroke if there was an infection during that time.”
The researchers used the New York State Inpatient Databases and Emergency Department Databases from 2006 to 2013, which record all inpatient and emergency department visits to community hospitals in New York state. Electronic health record codes were used to identify hospitalizations and emergency department visits for the three types of stroke and for infections; including skin, urinary tract, septicemia, abdominal and respiratory. Records for hospitalizations for infections were considered for 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days prior to the stroke occurrence.
For ischemic stroke, the researchers found that every infection type was linked with an increased likelihood of this type of stroke. The strongest link was seen with urinary tract infection, which showed more than three times the increased risk of ischemic stroke within 30 days of infection. For all infection types, the magnitude of stroke risk decreased as the time period before ischemic stroke occurred increased.
For intracerebral hemorrhage, the connections with occurrence was strongest for urinary tract infections, septicemia (blood infection) and respiratory infections. Respiratory infection was the only infection related to the occurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage.
“Our study shows that we need to do more to understand why and how infections are associated with the occurrence of different kinds of stroke, and that will help us to determine what we can do to prevent these types of strokes,” Dhamoon said. “These findings suggest that there could be implications for vaccination, antibiotic regimens or intensive antithrombotic treatments not only to prevent the infections but to prevent stroke in those who are deemed high-risk.”
Co-authors are Solly Sebastian, B.S. and Laura K. Stein, M.D. The authors report no disclosures or funding sources.
Available multimedia is on right column of release link - https://newsroom.heart.org/news/urinary-tract-and-other-infections-may-trigger-different-kinds-of-stroke?preview=80118a43e1f2c4fe2fe5b2304bfbe87b
After June 27, view the manuscript online.
Types of Stroke
Opioid epidemic fueling a rise in infection-related stroke
Flu, flu-like illnesses linked to increased risk of stroke, neck artery tears
Infection during delivery linked to greater risk of stroke after delivery
Stroke of unknown cause
Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews
Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations and health insurance providers are available at https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/aha-financial-information.
About the American Stroke Association
The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit StrokeAssociation.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173
Karen Astle: 214-706-1392; karen.astle@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and strokeassociation.org
Mandip Dhamoon M.D. Dr.P.H.
Associate Professor of Neurology
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
copyright Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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THE R&A PARTNERS WITH QUINTEVENTS TO DELIVER UNIQUE VIP HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCES AT THE 147TH OPEN
29th January 2018, St Andrews, Scotland: A new and unparalleled experience at golf’s first championship, The Open, is now available to golf fans around the world through a partnership with QuintEvents, the industry leader in major-event travel, hospitality and experiential ticket packages.
Launched ahead of The 147th Open at Carnoustie in July, The Open Experiences offers spectators unprecedented access to The Open and exclusive playing privileges at some of the most famous golfing destinations in Scotland, the home of golf.
The Open Experiences and www.TheOpenExperiences.com nwill be promoted jointly by The R&A and QuintEvents International, which counts Formula 1, The Kentucky Derby, College Football Playoff, The Super Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame and The Players Championship among its partners.
Malcolm Booth, Sales & Marketing Director at The R&A, said, “We are excited to offer a new opportunity for fans from all over the world to get closer to golf’s oldest championship and experience The Open from a unique perspective.
“QuintEvents International’s industry expertise will ensure those lucky enough to take part in The Open Experiences at Carnoustie enjoy truly world class service and an unparalleled view of The 147th Open.”
Keith Bruce, President of QuintEvents International and former CEO of The Super Bowl 50 Host Committee in San Francisco, added, “We’ve been able to bring people closer to the sports they love by creating insider access to some of the world’s most prominent events.
“The Open Experiences is great example, where we will create opportunities for golf fans to see and experience The Open with unprecedented access and outstanding hospitality. The Open is at the pinnacle of sport and we look forward to establishing a brand new program that reflects the heritage and world renowned quality of this truly authentic celebration of golf.”
The Open Experiences will feature exclusive golfing opportunities, world class hotel accommodation, immersive tours, behind the scenes access, spectating viewpoints, and VIP hospitality including bespoke events attended by Champion Golfers. Two-time Champion Golfer of the Year, Padraig Harrington, whose 2007 victory came the last time The Open was played at Carnoustie, will be the special guest Saturday night at the exclusive Open Experiences Party.
Packages are available at www.TheOpenExperiences.com
and present individuals and businesses with unique and special experiential opportunities at The Open. The Open Experiences packages guarantee authenticity and includes behind the scenes access and facilities unavailable through any other source.
The “Ultimate Open Experience” package features access to the famed Hogan Balcony in the Carnoustie Golf Hotel overlooking the 18th hole, rounds of golf at St Andrews Links and Carnoustie, and a weekend of VIP hospitality, experiences and access watching The 147th Open at Carnoustie from the Hogan Suite. That package also includes attendance at The Open Experiences Party and a visit to the Headquarters of The R&A in St Andrews during The Open.
“The Tradition” package provides access to a private suite on the 18th tee at Carnoustie and includes a photo opportunity with The Claret Jug, the iconic trophy, presented to the Champion Golfer of the Year at The Open each year, as well as access to The Open Experiences Party and other exclusive experiences and tours. Ends.
QuintEvents International
QuintEvents International was established in 2017 to manage QuintEvents’ Formula 1 partnership, which encompasses 20 events in major cities around the world. QuintEvents is the 12-year-old, industry-leading travel/experience company servicing an array of 17 partnerships and almost 100 sports and entertainment events.
Categories Travel Tags Open Championship, QuintEvents Leave a comment
NEW FINAL QUALIFYING VENUES ANNOUNCED FOR THE 147TH OPEN IN 2018
24 February 2016, St Andrews, Scotland:
Four of the UK’s finest golf courses will become Final Qualifying venues for The 147TH Open in 2018.
Qualifying for golf’s oldest and most international Major Championship will take place at Notts (Hollinwell) in Nottinghamshire, Prince’s Golf Club in Kent, The Renaissance Club in East Lothian, and St Annes Old Links in Lancashire from 2018 until 2021.
The new venues cover the north-west, central and southern regions of England and Scotland to make the qualifying events as accessible as possible for players. They will replace the current venues – Woburn, Royal Cinque Ports, Gailes Links and Hillside – where this year there will be twelve places in total available from these venues with a starting field of 288 players
At Final Qualifying in 2015, among those who secured their places in The 144TH Open at St Andrews were two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen, Irishman Paul Dunne, who went on to lead the Championship after the third round and played in the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, and his fellow Walker Cup player American Jordan Niebrugge, who went on to finish tied sixth and win the Silver Medal as the leading amateur.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said, “Final Qualifying is a hugely important part of The Open and provides a gripping spectacle as leading Tour players compete with club professionals and elite amateurs for places in the Championship. The success that Jordan and Paul enjoyed last year shows just what is possible for those who qualify and gives players a huge incentive to follow in their footsteps.
“We very much appreciate the support we have received at the current Final Qualifying venues and look forward to moving on to four outstanding new venues in 2018.”
Notts Hollinwell has hosted professional Tour events, including the Dunlop Masters, and was the venue for the Brabazon Trophy in 2015. Matthew Fitzpatrick won the Boys Amateur Championship there in 2012.
Gene Sarazen became the Champion Golfer of the Year at Prince’s, when it hosted The Open in 1932. The course has also been joint host of The Amateur Championship on two occasions, the Curtis Cup in 1956 and the 2006 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. It will also host the St Andrews Trophy (20 and 21 July) and the Jacques Leglise Trophy (26 and 27 August) this year.
The Renaissance Club opened in 2004 and, along with neighbouring Muirfield, will host the Boys Amateur Championship this year.
St Annes Old Links was a qualifying venue for The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012 and has held a number of elite amateur events including the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship last year.
Categories Courses Tags Open Championship, Qualifying Courses Leave a comment
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From Broken Bottles, Worn Tires, New Hopes Rise
Bruce S Trachtenberg
December 5, 2010; Source: Union-Tribune | Many nonprofits show great skill in stretching scarce resources to help them accomplish their missions. But for the Long Way Home, the supply of resources to sustain their activities is never in short supply. That’s because the San Diego-based nonprofit teaches people in poor communities how to build things using trash.
For instance, discarded glass bottles are being repurposed for making windows and worn tires are being turned into walls for a vocational school going up in San Juan Comalapa, home to 30,000 in a Mayan area in rural Guatemala. Like the formerly tossed off materials it is being built from, the school itself will have more value than just as a training center. On one hand, it is educating residents in the art of sustainable construction and providing them skills that will hopefully cut unemployment and homelessness. On the other, the project is showing them how to effectively manage waste. “I wanted to do something with a dual purpose: creating jobs while saving the environment,” said Long Way Home founder Matt Paneitz.
You can add yet another benefit from the construction project. It gives people lots of physical exercise. The process of using tires to build walls requires volunteers to lay them horizontally, pack them with dirt and pound them with sledgehammers. The flattened tires are then stacked like brickwork, covered with mud, plastered with stucco, and painted. Though inexpensive, walls made from tires and dirt can take weeks. “No amount of time at the gym prepares you for this type of work,” said Danny Paz, who manages Long Way Home out of San Diego and who also spends several months a year living and working in Guatemala.
When the school opens next year, it will serve about 300 vocational students. In addition to the satisfaction derived from his work, Paneitz’s unique methods for lending a helping hand to poor people recently won him a $10,000 prize in the World Challenge, a global competition sponsored by the BBC and Newsweek to recognize projects or small businesses around the world that show enterprise and innovation at a grassroots level.—Bruce Trachtenberg
It Pays Well To Pay Tribute to 9/11 Victims
By Bruce S Trachtenberg
Local Charities Aim To Score From Super Bowl Fundraisers
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Combrig 1/700 Armored Cruiser HMS Cumberland, 1904, resin kit #70245PE
HMS Cumberland was a Monmouth-class armoured cruiser of the British Royal Navy. She was built by London & Glasgow Co. and launched on 16 December 1902. She served in the First World War with most of her sisters, seeing service in the Cameroons. From 3 September 1907 to her final paying off on 13 April 1920 she had served as training ship to the cadets at the Britannia Royal Naval College.
The decision was taken in 1920 that Cumberland should be replaced as sea-going training ship by the obsolescent battleship HMS Temeraire, and her preparation for sale was announced on 12 November 1920. She was sold for scrap on 9 May 1921 to T.W. Wards. Cumberland arrived at Briton Ferry on 28 March 1923 to be broken up.
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Club Profiles: Ultimate Frisbee
How to get involved in Ultimate Frisbee at the University of York
Club Profiles: Kendo
How to get involved in Kendo at the University of York
Club Profiles: Swimming & Water Polo
How to get involved with Swimming at the University of York
Club Profiles: Women's Rugby
How to get involved in Women's Rugby at the University of York
Club Profiles: Cricket
How to get involved with Cricket at the University of York
Club Profiles: Badminton
How to get involved with Badminton at the University of York
Club Profiles: Caving and Pothole
How to get involved with caving at the University of York
Club Profiles: Softball
How to get involved with Softball at the University of York
Club Profiles: Lacrosse
How to get involved with Lacrosse at the University of York
Club Profiles: Women's Football
How to get involved with Women's Football at the University of York
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Over the past 12 months it has become clear that the cybersecurity landscape is changing rapidly for small businesses. 2017 saw a string of high-profile attacks including WannaCry and NotPetya which has made improved security essential for not only the protection of sensitive data, but also to protect against the negative impact that downtime can have on the finances and reputation of the company involved.
The rise in attacks has demonstrated that while essential, having strong cybersecurity is not enough. With almost 90% of cyberattacks linked to human error or behavior and one in five small businesses becoming the victim of cybercrime each year, ensuring the security of data now requires a robust policy of training, personal responsibility and dealing with trends of the mobile workforce alongside traditional security measures.
How do data breaches happen?
A data breach occurs when an unauthorized person (such as a hacker or cyber criminal) accesses files and databases containing sensitive and/ or personal information. This breach can occur remotely, through bypassing the network’s security, or it can even occur physically by access to a computer and infiltrating the network this way. Once accessed, this vital data can be extracted, stolen and even leaked.
While this list is not exhaustive, it does reflect some of the most common ways that SMBs may suffer a data breach and investigates how to protect against them.
The most high-profile threats to data security for small business are malware attacks. The breadth and speed with which attacks such as WannaCry and NotPetya swept across the world highlight that this is not just an issue for governments and corporations, but businesses of all sizes. Small businesses may feel they are ‘too small’ to be a target, but this complacency could result in an attack that the SMB struggles to recover from.
It is estimated that the worldwide damage cost of ransomware attacks could reach $11.5 billion annually by 2019 as attacks continue to evolve into new forms of threat.
To defend against attacks, it is vital that strong endpoint protection is not only in place, but regularly updated to ensure that newer threats are identified as early as possible.
This is the broad term for online confidence scams: bad actors leverage human emotions and behaviors against the victim to secure access to contacts, passwords and other sensitive information and personal data. Phishing emails – those that appear to be from trusted sources such as a bank and are sent by the perpetrator en masse - are the most well-known of these types of attack.
While phishing emails are often easy to spot, more targeted attacks known as spear phishing can be much harder to identify. This is because the cybercriminal will research the target and tailor the attack accordingly. It can be as simple as an HR email that appears to be from the victim’s real HR manager or a tech support call, but it may be enough to gain access to a company’s network and place malicious files.
As this method is so targeted, it often bypasses traditional spam filters, making the email recipient the only barrier between the attacker and the company’s network. Spear phishing attacks are increasingly common, with a 50% rise in Q4 2017.
With 74% of cyberthreats accessing systems through links and malicious attachments, the key to preventing this kind of risk is in training. If employees can identify suspicious communications and alert their manager to anything they might be unsure of, the chances of becoming the victim of an attack could be significantly reduced.
2. Device loss/theft
Flexible workers, that is, people who work from home, are expected to account for 42.5% of the global workforce by 2022. While this trend can offer increased productivity and reduced costs for cash-strapped small businesses, it also introduces or increases the risk of data breach. Staff accessing business data on mobile devices makes the risk of a lost or stolen device increase dramatically.
While a break-in at an employee’s home could happen, the most common case of misplacing devices is not likely to be malicious. An employee who commutes to work, or who works flexibly between locations, may have left their laptop on a train or misplaced their mobile device. However, with only 5% of missing laptops being recovered, it is critical that access to sensitive business documents and data has multi-layered security (password, PIN, secure encryption, etc.). This means that if a device is stolen, it is unlikely that the perpetrator would gain access to sensitive data.
There is still a risk of devices being lost, stolen or misplaced even if they are provided by the company. However, these devices are more likely to have company security software installed and therefore be more secure than personal devices. Implementing a robust bring your own device (BYOD) policy will help to bridge this gap and reduce the risk associated with personal devices.
An effective BYOD policy should be detailed and clear so that everybody knows what is expected of them with regards to accessing and storing sensitive data and setting up security measures such as two-factor authentication and strong passwords. The policy could also include permission to remotely track, lock or wipe devices using a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system, in the event that they are lost or stolen.
3. Weak network security
Weak passwords
A network is only as strong as its weakest point of entry. It is therefore essential to build a culture where login details are not shared and access to shared documents and sensitive data is monitored to ensure it is only available to those who require it.
With just 30% of UK organizations requiring staff to use multi-factor authentication, the combination of an increasingly mobile workforce and weak passwords should be a major concern to SMBs. 80% of breaches are thought to use stolen or simple passwords and so it is vital to ensure that staff not only use secure passwords, but change them on a regular basis. This policy needs to be universally implemented so that personal devices are as secure as those in the office.
Learn more: Create a strong password in three easy steps.
Out of date software
One of the reasons that WannaCry was able to have such a dramatic impact was because so many machines were running outdated versions of Windows, such as Windows XP, that were no longer supported by Microsoft. By not keeping software updated and installing the latest patches, these devices became vulnerable to the attack.
It is a basic task but, as with the passwords, installing updates, patches and fixes are vital to security. If it is not a part of your best practices and universally implemented across every device in your small business, it is a potential way for a bad actor to infiltrate your network.
4. The Insider Threat
The risk of a data breach is not always external. While most time and money are focussed on protecting data from outside attacks, the insider threat cannot be ignored by companies of any size. Crowd Research Partners' Insider Threat Report (2018) revealed that 90% of companies are at risk of insider threats and more than half were attacked in 2017.
An insider could be any current or former staff member - the term refers to anyone with authorized access to systems or data who then exploit that access. For example: an employee about to leave the business who accesses and records contacts from a database to take to their new employer. These actions could be careless (or ignorant) or malicious, but either way, by misusing that access, they cause the theft or destruction of data.
A third of organizations feel they have no capability to defend against an insider attack, although there is plenty you can do to reduce the risk. Make sure all staff are aware of their responsibilities by improving oversight and implementing data and cyber protection policies. This is especially important for SMBs where individuals may be involved with a number of different responsibilities across departments and require wide access.
In most non-malicious cases, training and the construction of a culture of responsibility will help to reduce the risks of carelessness and ensure that the basics of security are universally maintained company-wide. For malicious attacks, it is important to regularly monitor access privileges so that permissions are only given to those who need them and are changed when no longer necessary. It’s also worth including a non-disclosure agreement in staff and freelance contracts.
Is your business at risk?
Of the risks detailed above, there are likely to be some that you haven’t considered or fully prepared for. While it is vital to implement a modern and fully updated antivirus solution, the evolution of the threat means that software should only be one part of a holistic security program. By producing best practices and providing training, SMBs can build a culture of awareness and proactivity around preventing the risks of a data breach throughout their employee base.
Discover AVG’s range of antivirus solutions for small business here.
August 10, 2018 by AVG Business
AVG Business
AVG.COM
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Residential | PALM
Life Management | CALM
Street University
Indigenous | GITS
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Addicted?
BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW: How to gain control over drugs
November 03, 2014 The Noffs Team Comments
My colleague expressed consternation recently when he forwarded me a link to an article1 claiming that tobacco giant Phillip Morris had released a new brand of marijuana cigarettes.
As it turns out this article was a satirical piece that rung a little too true, given the fact that US states Washington and Colorado have recently regulated the sale of cannabis.2
By the way, there is no difference between the term 'cannabis' and 'marijuana' except that health professionals refer to it as 'cannabis' which is its botanical name whereas 'marijuana' is Mexican Spanish slang and also the more common street name for cannabis - they are signifying the same drug.
The hoax email from colleague did provide me with some useful food for thought: my colleague was upset that Big Bad Tobacco was going to be adding still more cash to its coffers; profiting from the use of cannabis.
My reaction to the hoax/hypothetical was decidedly different.
NEW COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
After Washington and Colorado recently regulated cannabis for recreational use, different companies have started looking for ways to capitalise on the drug. The emphasis at this time is, perhaps predictably, on cannabis dispensaries and growers, but according to Examiner, new business opportunities are arising in other areas as well.
The company Surna, for example, was created specifically to target the cannabis industry. CEO Tom Bollich (cofounder of Zynga, the online gaming company that created Farmville) set up the company in Colorado, joining forces with veteran gardening company Hydro Innovations, to produce water-chilled cooling systems for cannabis.
On top of this, companies already tied to the industry like mCig, Medical Marijuana Inc. and GrowLife, are expected to see a “surge in business”3 since the regulation in Washington and Colorado.
SO WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH REGULATION?
Although both Washington and Colorado have in a sense 'legalised' cannabis – first for medical use and now more recently for recreational use – they have taken different approaches to the regulation of it.
There are, however, some similarities: recreational users must be twenty-one years of age or older to purchase, possess or use cannabis in both states. Like alcohol and tobacco, it is illegal for retailers to sell cannabis to minors, and cannabis can only be purchased at licensed retailers. Both states also prohibit the public use of cannabis.
Washington is more restrictive than Colorado in its regulations: personal growing is strictly prohibited and licenses to sell cannabis are hard to come by.
Despite voting to regulate cannabis in 2012 the first licensed stores only opened this August (whereas Colorado saw stores opening in January).
There is a cap on the number of licenses available (just over 300 stores are allowed) and advertising is restricted.
The marijuana sold is “regulated, tested for impurities, heavily taxed and in short supply” 4
The short supply is due to commercial growers only having limited crops available when stores officially opened, as heavy restrictions are in place:
“Washington's Liquor Control Board began working right away to develop rules governing just about every aspect of the industry, from what fertilizers can be used to how extracts are produced. Fewer than 100 growers have been approved, and only about a dozen were ready to harvest in time for the market's launch.” 5
Washington’s experiences and regulations differ greatly from Colorado, where information on legalisation is more readily available.
[This information is taken from North Denver News]
Colorado residents can possess up to one ounce of cannabis at a time, whereas state visitors can only purchase ¼ ounce of cannabis. It is also illegal for marijuana to be taken out of the state; so visitors may not purchase cannabis and leave with it. Denver International Airport also bans the possession, use or transfer of cannabis.
The use of cannabis in public spaces is strictly prohibited. It can only be used on private property and, in some cases, certain establishments (hotels, motels etc) provided they expressly allow the use of cannabis on their property.
Cannabis is also prohibited in vehicles: it cannot be consumed nor can packaging be opened while in a vehicle. It is illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana just as it is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol. Specifically, it is illegal to drive with more than five nanograms of cannabis in your system.
People under the age of twenty-one are not allowed in stores selling cannabis, as per rules passed by the Department of Revenue.
In accordance with a Colorado government report, both retail and medicinal cannabis must be packaged in a specific “child resistant” way in order to minimise risk:
“[Packaging must be] designed or constructed to be significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open and not difficult for normal adults to use properly … Opaque so that the product cannot be seen from outside the packaging; Closable for any product intended for more than a single use or containing multiple servings, and labeled properly” 6
Under Colorado Amendment 64, citizens can grow up to six plants (three of them mature) in a private, locked space, and legally own all produce grown provided it stays on the premises. One ounce of cannabis is also permitted while traveling (provided it is not consumed/opened), and buyers are able to give up to one ounce as a gift to others aged twenty-one or older.
Medicinal cannabis has been legal in Colorado since 2000. Under Amendment 20 patients with written consent can possess up to two ounces of medicinal cannabis. Other laws and regulations are consistent with those for recreational cannabis growing and use.
WHERE DOES ALL THE TAX GO?
In Colorado, the state passed Proposition AA. This adds 10% on top of cannabis sales as well as the standard 2.9% sales tax. Plus 15% was added to the wholesale figure. The big question that is currently being asked is where is the money going to go. Colorado seems to have accrued around an extra $30 million in tax since they began regulating cannabis. Politicians have said that the first $40 million will go into schools and back into regulating cannabis. To me it would seem foolish not to put this money back into drug treatment and health promotion campaigns akin to our tobacco ads. This way the polluter pays.
BUT WHY WOULD WE REGULATE A SUBSTANCE SIMPLY TO TREAT IT THE SAME WAY AS WE TREAT THE SMOKING OF TOBACCO?
To me it's about control. When I witnessed, for the short space in time that it happened, the regulation of the use of synthetic drugs in New Zealand, there was a moment of great control by the government and law enforcement. For that moment, when they had the distributers, retailers and marketers signed up to the new code, they had a tremendous amount of information and control. The government had dealers who had previously been part of a black market now part of a transparent market. The government could test the chemicals being produced and could discover how many people were purchasing the drugs. That sort of information is almost impossible to come by when you have a black market. In a black market we have no control and the control is held by powerful syndicates. And to come back to tobacco and how we regulate that - everything we've done with tobacco has seen a decrease in the use of it. And is there a black market for cigarettes? No - even with the burden of taxes, it's far too costly to sell illegal tobacco. And so you see with more control, it's easier to tighten the screws on drugs that are licit. It's pity we're not tightening the screws on alcohol companies. It does beg the question.
WHAT IF REGULATING A SUBSTANCE INCREASES MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES?
It's important to remember that by regulating a substance, it doesn't reduce either the dependancy of some users and it certainly doesn't reduce the burden of mental health issues. But on the other hand it's unwise to jump to the conclusion that it would increase mental health issues. In fact, if we look at how NSW has dealt with heroin over the past 15 years, we have in many ways regulated its use through needle syringe, medically supervised injection and methadone programs.
But it would also be possible, considering an uptake of cannabis use, of a possibility of mental health issues associated with it. That possibility cannot be denied. But getting to people sooner because there is less stigma around a drug's use - in the same way as we've been able to get to people using heroin sooner, is also beneficial. That is why the Colorado experiment is so vital to track. Again, it's about getting to people who are suffering from mental health issues sooner and a black market slows us down tremendously for various reasons including stigma and fear of being caught.
WHO MAKES MONEY FROM THE DRUG TRADE IN AUSTRALIA?
Where do the profits from our illegal drug trade end up? The short answer is: in the hands of the criminals who sell them.
Organised crime in Australia costs us around $10 billion a year, and a primary contributor to that figure is the illegal drug trade:
“Illicit drugs are responsible for at least half of Australian criminal activity, thanks to our country's massive domestic demand for drugs. When you add to this illicit drug trade the money-laundering and fraud that go with it, the combined figure makes up at least 75 percent of all organised crime.” 7
The most prominent drugs organised crime bosses are deriving their massive profits from are ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, ice, amphetamines – and of course, cannabis.
THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS
I hope my kids grow up and never use any drugs but that hope alone has never worked for most kids.
If my kids do use drugs, I hope the harms associated with their drug use is minimised and that they aren't harmed by an unjust criminal system.
And if they do come to some harm, I would like to be able to hold someone responsible.
It would be nice to think I could sue the supplier or manufacturer of a particular brand of ecstasy, ice or cannabis for poisoning a young person.
It's not impossible - in 2005 a family was compensated $8 million by KFC after the court found that a young girl from Sydney was poisoned and left handicapped by a chicken wrap.
When I looked at that photoshopped mockup of the fake Marlboro M brand marijuana cigarette packet, my reaction was not one of consternation, but rather optimism.
Although i find no joy in the idea of all drugs being sold like this, I do look forward to the day when all drugs can be held accountable: regulated like cigarettes where we have the ability to tighten the screws, ban irresponsible advertising and know what chemicals they are manufactured with.
When you compare it to the alternative, how much control do you feel you have currently?
Matt Noffs
1. Phillip Morris Introduces Marlboro Marijuana Cigarettes by Akoy Ciraulo
2. Gone to Pot by Snopes
3. Three Companies Capitalizing on Cannabis Right Now by Alan Brochstein
4 and 5. Washington Legal Marijuana Sales Begin Today by GENE JOHNSON
6. Retail Marijuana Code from Colorado Government website: http://www.colorado.gov/
7. ILLICIT DRUGS: Australia's $10 billion industry - organised crime by David Perrin
© Ted Noffs Foundation
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Zaher Named College Soccer News Freshman All-American
CORVALLIS, Ore. - -
Oregon State's late Joe Zaher, of Las Vegas, Nev., was named to the College Soccer News Freshman All-America first team, it was announced Monday.
Zaher, who suffered fatal injuries in a car accident on Dec. 1, was earlier named the Pacific-10 Conference's Freshman of the Year and was a second-team selection. He also earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America third-team all-region honors.
As an attacking midfielder, Zaher ranked third in the Pac-10 in regular season points (25), tied for second in goals (10), tied for seventh in assists (five), and led the conference in game-winning goals (four).
Zaher's 25 points were the most ever scored by an OSU freshman, and were tied for fourth on the school's all-time season points list.
Zaher Named Soccer America Freshman All-American
Birnbaum and Wiet named College Soccer News preseason all-americans
Cal Ranked Preseason No. 8, Wiedeman Named Preseason All-American by College Soccer News
More Pac-12 Men's Soccer
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Category: Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Holds Commercial Contracts Can Waive Right to Seek Declaratory Judgment to Interpret the Terms of the Agreement and Yellowstone Relief
Contracts are often ambiguous. They are usually long, with many terms, and you never know how they will apply in circumstances that the parties never contemplated. That’s why the power to go to court to ask for an interpretation of the agreement and how it applies to the unique facts that the parties face has been so important in New York, the self-proclaimed commercial center of the world.
Not anymore, says the majority of the Court of Appeals in 159 MP Corp. v Redridge Bedford, LLC (No. 26). The right to freedom of contract trumps all. And sophisticated parties with counsel are allowed to agree to waive the right to seek a declaratory judgment to interpret the terms of a commercial contract if they do so in the agreement. Public policy can’t invalidate the express terms of the waiver, and a suit seeking to interpret the agreement and a stay of the period in which to cure any default while the court decides the issues—better known as a Yellowstone injunction—must be dismissed.
In 159 MP Corp., commercial tenants executed two 20-year commercial leases to occupy a building in Brooklyn and run a grocery store. The leases were typical boilerplate commercial agreements, but had been revised by handwritten additions and deletions, including this paragraph in the lease rider:
After the building owner sent notices of default to the tenants, the tenants commenced a declaratory judgment action seeking a declaration that they hadn’t defaulted under the leases and a Yellowstone injunction to prohibit the owner from terminating the leases or bringing removal proceedings while the court decided the issues. The owner, however, moved to enforce the waiver clause, arguing that the action should be dismissed.
Supreme Court, Kings County denied the Yellowstone injunction and dismissed the complaint, holding that the clear terms of the waiver clause prohibited the declaratory judgment action. The Court held that the waiver didn’t prevent an action for damages or prohibit the tenants from raising any interpretation arguments in defense of a removal proceeding, but just precluded this action for declaratory relief.
The Appellate Division, Second Department affirmed, with one Justice dissenting, on this issue of first impression in New York. Like Supreme Court, the Appellate Division agreed that the waiver should be enforced according to its terms, and noted that the tenants were not left without available relief. The lone dissenting Justice, however, argued that the waiver clause is void as against public policy because “the declaratory judgment action, together with the Yellowstone injunction, serve a valuable public policy role in relations between commercial landlords and tenants, providing a mechanism for a commercial tenant to protect its valuable property interest in the lease while challenging the landlord’s assessment of its rights” (159 MP Corp. v Redbridge Bedford, LLC, 160 AD3d 176, 204 [1st Dept 2018] [Connolly, J., dissenting]).
On appeal, the Court of Appeals majority too held that the waiver clause should be enforced according to its plain terms. In doing so, the majority rejected the tenants’ argument that the waiver clause violates New York public policy. The public policy, the majority emphasized, actually cuts the other way in favor of the freedom of contract: “In keeping with New York’s status as the preeminent commercial center in the United States, if not the world, our courts have long deemed the enforcement of commercial contracts according to the terms adopted by the parties to be a pillar of the common law” (Opn, at 6). Thus, the majority held, “because freedom of contract is itself a strong public policy interest in New York, we may void an agreement only after ‘balancing’ the public interests favoring invalidation of a term chosen by the parties against those served by enforcement of the clause and concluding that the interests favoring invalidation are stronger” (id. at 8). According to the majority, that balancing in most cases, including this one, weighs in favor of the freedom of contract.
The availability of a Yellowstone injunction, the majority noted, is premised on having a valid action. Without one, the request for a stay is academic. But, the majority emphasized, a Yellowstone injunction isn’t necessary because a commercial tenant can’t be evicted from a property without first being able to defend its rights in a removal proceeding, where it will have the chance to argue about how the agreement should be interpreted and that it didn’t breach the lease. Thus, the majority reasoned, “there is no strong societal interest in the ability of commercial entities to seek such a remedy that would justify voiding an unambiguous declaratory judgment waiver negotiated at arm’s length, merely because this incidentally precluded access to Yellowstone relief” (Opn, at 16).
Judge Rowan Wilson, in dissent, would have voided the waiver clause on public policy grounds. As Judge Wilson put it,
Judge Wilson forecasts that the majority’s prioritization of the freedom of contract over access to the courts for interpretation of commercial agreements will incentivize building owners to “include a waiver of declaratory and Yellowstone relief in their leases as a matter of course. Those clauses will enable them to terminate the leases based on a tenant’s technical or dubious violation whenever rent values in the neighborhood have increased sufficiently to entice landlords to shirk their contractual obligations” (Dissenting Opn, at 2-3). Those dire consequences of the majority’s departure from the longstanding New York rule, he argues, are not worth the cost.
The Court of Appeals’ opinion can be found here.
No Office, No Problem: Court of Appeals Holds that Violation of Judiciary Law § 470’s “Physical Office” Requirement Does Not Render Action a Nullity, But Could Subject Attorney to Discipline
In a unanimous decision authored by Judge Michael Garcia, the Court of Appeals today resolved an important issue of first impression implicating multi-state practice in New York—“whether an action, such as filing a complaint, taken by a lawyer duly admitted to the bar of this State but without the required New York office is a nullity.”
In Arrowhead Capital Finance, Ltd. v Cheyne Specialty Finance Fund L.P., the Court held that the failure of a nonresident attorney to comply with the physical office requirement in Judiciary Law § 470 at the time an action is commenced does not render the action a nullity. The opinion resolved a split between the First Department, which has held that any action taken by a nonresident attorney who fails to maintain a physical office in New York as required under Judiciary Law § 470 is a nullity, and the Second and Third Departments, which have permitted nonresident attorneys to cure a Judiciary Law § 470 violation by obtaining an attorney with a New York office or by application for admission pro hac vice by appropriate counsel.
The Court noted that the rule adopted by the Second and Third Departments stems from its prior decision in Dunn v Eickhoff (35 NY2d 698, 699 [1974]) where it held that “[t]he disbarment of a lawyer creates no ‘nullities,’ the person involved simply loses all license to practice law.” The Court held that “given [its] holding in Dunn, it would be incongruous to conclude that, unlike the acts of a disbarred attorney, actions taken by an attorney admitted to the New York bar who has not satisfied Judiciary Law § 470’s office requirement are a nullity.” Thus, the Court adopted the Second and Third Department rule and concluded that “the party can cure the section 470 violation with the appearance of compliant counsel or an application for admission pro hac vice by appropriate counsel.”
The Court, however, clarified that a Judiciary Law § 470 violation is not without consequences. The attorney who violates section 470 by practicing in the State without a physical office could face discipline. The court held that “[w]here further relief is warranted, the trial court has discretion to consider any resulting prejudice and fashion an appropriate remedy and the individual attorney may face disciplinary action for failure to comply with the statute.” “This approach,” the court concluded, “ensures that violations are appropriately addressed without disproportionately punishing an unwitting client for an attorney’s failure to comply with section 470.”
Important Practice Tip
Beyond clarifying the effect of a nonresident attorney’s violation of the physical office requirement in Judiciary Law § 470, the Court’s decision in Arrowhead includes a notable practice point that should not be overlooked.
In its motion for leave to appeal, Arrowhead limited its appeal “to the extent that the Appellate Division failed to reverse and remand the Order and Judgment of Supreme Court dismissing [its] Complaint as a ‘nullity’” for the Judiciary Law § 470 violation. The Judiciary Law § 470 dismissal, however, only related to the breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims that survived Defendant’s first motion to dismiss. By limiting its appeal to the distinct Judiciary Law § 470 issue, and not appealing the dismissal of its other claims, Arrowhead precluded the Court from reviewing the propriety of Defendant’s first motion to dismiss (see Quain v Buzzetta Constr. Corp, 69 NY2d 376, 380 [1987]). Thus, the Court granted defendant’s motion to strike the portion of Arrowhead’s brief addressed to defendant’s first motion to dismiss.
It is unclear whether Arrowhead’s decision to limit the appeal was strategic. Certainly, crystalizing an issue of first impression doesn’t hurt a party’s chances of having its motion for leave to appeal granted. But, by limiting the appeal, you give up other issues that could have otherwise been raised. Attorneys should be wary of the Court’s rule in Quain and only limit their appeals if they are willing to relinquish their rights to challenge other issues in the case.
And one more thing. The Court would do well to explain the practical impacts of its decisions to the parties and the bar in general in as plain of terms as possible. Here, the Court’s decretal paragraph reads:
To aid the parties and trial court, adding a clarifying clause to the decretal saying expressly that only the claims dismissed for the Judiciary Law § 470 violation remain to be litigated on remand would go a long way. Although this may appear straightforward in this case, many times the Court’s decisions on jurisdiction and reviewability leave parties scratching their heads about what to do next to fix the issues. The Court should try to help address those issues in its decisions to the best it can.
Court of Appeals Holds Hearsay Statements from Sexual Assault Victim May be Considered to Support College Disciplinary Decision
When a sexual assault occurs on a SUNY campus, the victim shouldn’t have to suffer through the assault twice. The victim has the right to decide not to participate in any disciplinary hearings held by the SUNY disciplinary board, and to instead submit a written or other hearsay statement telling his or her side of the story. And that’s exactly what happened in Matter of Haug v State Univ. of N.Y. at Potsdam (No. 102). The sexual assault victim didn’t want to participate in the SUNY disciplinary hearing against the offender, but instead submitted a written statement. The victim’s statement was consistent with what she had told the SUNY investigator and a SUNY administrator, and following the hearing, SUNY expelled the offender.
In a surprising reversal, however , the Third Department annulled SUNY’s expulsion determination as unsupported by substantial evidence in the record. The SUNY Student Code required affirmative consent to sex, which it was undisputed that the student never received, but the Third Department majority nevertheless said that the victim’s hearsay account of the incident was insufficient to meet the substantial evidence standard. Hearsay evidence couldn’t be considered in the substantial evidence determination, the Court held. Instead, the Court held, the complainant’s act of removing her shirt when the student offered sex was enough to show consent in this situation. The Court, therefore, vacated the student’s expulsion.
In a cogent dissent at the Appellate Division, two Justices took the majority to task for, among other things, substituting the Court’s own judgment of the facts for the SUNY disciplinary board that heard the testimony at the disciplinary proceeding. The dissent emphasizes that the complainant’s story that she “froze” upon the student’s advances was consistent when she told it both to the SUNY investigator and to an administrator. It did not have any of the hallmarks of unreliability that have lead to the general rule that hearsay evidence, on its own, isn’t enough to constitute substantial evidence. Moreover, the only reason why the complainant’s account was technically hearsay, the dissent pointed out, was because she didn’t want to participate in disciplinary proceedings. Her decision to invoke that right doesn’t undermine the credibility of her account of the assault.
SUNY appealed, and the Court of Appeals understandably reversed. In a short memorandum opinion, joined by 6 of the 7 Judges, the Court held that the victim’s hearsay statement could be considered when deciding whether substantial evidence, a very low standard, existed in the administrative record to support SUNY’s expulsion decision.
The Court, adopting the Appellate Division dissent’s view, also took the Appellate Division majority to task for substituting its view of the facts for the SUNY disciplinary board’s findings. “[I]t was the province of the hearing board to resolve any conflicts in the evidence and make credibility determinations,” the Court held. And thus, it was not for the Appellate Division to reweigh that evidence on appeal.
By holding that a sexual assault victim’s hearsay statements may be considered both at the administrative level and in a subsequent challenge to a disciplinary decision, the Court of Appeals has preserved the victim’s right to choose whether or not to participate in the disciplinary proceedings. That’s undoubtedly, to me at least, the right result. If the victim is unwilling or unable to relive the assault in the context of a subsequent disciplinary proceeding, he or she shouldn’t have to. Holding otherwise would have forced the victim into a sort of Hobson’s choice: relive the sexual assault in live testimony at the hearing and be cross-examined, or don’t participate at all. The Court of Appeals’ holding in Haug, therefore, will continue to allow victims of sexual assault to decide whether or not to participate in a disciplinary hearing, free from considerations of how that decision will impact the disciplinary process.
The Court of Appeals’ opinion is here.
When a thief, or these days a hacker, steals your credit card and uses it, most people call that identity theft. The New York criminal statutes, however, haven’t been so clear about whether the use another’s personal identifying information, such as their name, bank account, or credit card number, is enough to show that the criminal has assumed the person’s identity. The Appellate Division, First Department has said that merely using another’s personal information, without more conduct actually assuming the person’s identity, isn’t enough for an identity theft conviction. The Fourth Department, on the other hand, disagreed and said that it was.
The Court of Appeals, resolving this conflict, held in People v Roberts (No. 42) and People v Rush (No. 43) that the statutory language of the identity theft statute is clear: use of another’s personal identifying information alone is sufficient for a conviction. The statute, Penal Law §§ 190.79 and 190.80, is pretty clear. It provides that a person is guilty of identity theft:
“when [such person] knowingly and with intent to defraud assumes the identity of another person by presenting [themselves] as that other person, or by acting as that other person or by using personal identifying information of that other person, and thereby . . . commits or attempts to commit [a felony]” (Penal Law §§ 190.79 [3]; 190.80 [3]).
Using the personal identifying information of another person is enough for a conviction. As Judge Rivera writing for the majority put it:
To establish identity theft in the first or second degree, the People must establish as the mens reathat the defendant knowingly and actually intended to defraud by the actus reusof assuming the identity of another. The statute expressly limits the manner by which a defendant assumes the identity of another to three types of conduct: by presenting oneself as that other person, acting as that other person, or using that other person’s personal identifying information.3Contrary to defendants’ argument, the requirement that a defendant assumes the identity of another is not a separate element of the crime. Rather, it simply summarizes and introduces the three categories of conduct through which an identity may be assumed. In other words, the “assumes the identity of another” language is the operational text that sets forth the actus reusof identity theft, while the three types of acts listed are the legislatively-recognized methods by which a defendant satisfies that element (Opn, at 12).
But what’s really the most important part of this opinion is not what’s in the majority, but what’s in Judge Wilson’s separate opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. On page 6 of Judge Wilson’s writing, he does something that has never before been seen in a Court of Appeals opinion. He uses the citation signal “cleaned up”:
What’s (cleaned up), you ask? Created by Jack Metzler (@SCOTUSPlaces on Twitter), it’s a now relatively established way for attorneys to indicate in their writing that they’ve altered the form of a quote without changing its substance, and without the overly cumbersome parenthetical that you used to have to include, like (citations, quotations marks, and alteration omitted). It can also be used to eliminate unnecessary string cites to citing or quoting authority in the case you’re citing or quoting. Jack’s piece explaining the need for and use of (cleaned up) can be found here.
With Judge Wilson’s use of “cleaned up,” the Court of Appeals joins a long list of other Courts across the country, including the Fifth Circuit and others, adopting this new approach to clarifying legal writing. Now, it’s time for New York to formally adopt it in the Tan Book to make this exciting event a staple in appellate work and opinions across the entire state.
Sharply Divided Court of Appeals Rejects Per Se Rule that a Gap in Treatment Longer than 2 1/2-Year Statute of Limitations Should Bar Application of Continuous Treatment Doctrine
Imagine you hurt your shoulder and it’s just not getting better. You go to the doctor after trying rehab and he says it’s time for surgery. You schedule the date, head in to the hospital, and the doctor fixes your shoulder, or at least he says he did. He tells you to follow up with him over the next year to watch how you recover from the surgery, and you do. He continues to treat you and then, at the end of the year, he says to follow up “as needed.” After 19 months go by, your shoulder starts to hurt again. You go back to the doctor, and he does a second surgery. You see him twice more over the next 20 months when your shoulder hurts.
More than 2 1/2 years pass, and your shoulder still hasn’t gotten better. Although you’re not very happy with the doctor, you don’t have much choice but to go back to him again. But he isn’t doing shoulder surgeries anymore, so he refers you to his partner. Another surgery is needed.
You’ve had it with these guys. It’s been seven years with chronic shoulder pain. Nothing that the doctor has recommended has helped. Not the rehab, the surgeries, or post-op exercises. Fed up, you leave the doctor’s practice and find a new doctor. And a few years later you sue the doctor for malpractice.
That’s what happened to the plaintiff in Lohnas v Luzi (No. 7). It was a bad situation, and brought to the Court of Appeals the issue whether the doctor continuously treated the plaintiff when there was a break in the visits for a longer time than the 2 1/2-year statute of limitations. If it was continuous treatment, Lohnas’ suit could proceed. If not, she sued too late and the case would have to be dismissed.
In a sharply divided 4-3 decision, the Court of Appeals held that questions of fact exist precluding summary judgment on whether the continuous treatment doctrine tolled the statute of limitations for Lohnas’ claim for medical malpractice against Dr. Luzi. The continuous treatment doctrine, the Court noted, ensures that a patient need not break off a relationship with a doctor and sue for malpractice immediately, but can continue to receive treatment for the original condition and then sue up to 2 1/2 years after the doctor’s care has finished. The treatment must indeed be continuous, however, and must be related to the same condition for which the doctor committed the malpractice.
The majority rejected a per se rule that would have held the continuous treatment doctrine inapplicable as a matter of law where there is a gap in treatment for more than the 2 1/2-year statute of limitations. All doctor-patient relationships are not created equal, the Court reasoned, and whether the continuous treatment toll applies depends on the unique facts of each case. Here, there was enough evidence that Lohnas and Dr. Luzi intended a continuous course of treatment for Lohnas’ shoulder injury to send the case to trial. Dr. Luzi was the only doctor she saw for the injury, and she went back to him repeatedly because she still felt pain. The 30-month gap in visits and direction to return on an as-needed basis didn’t make out a defense as a matter of law, the majority held, so the jury should be allowed to decide.
Judge Wilson, writing for the dissent, took the majority to task for confusing a chronic condition with continuous treatment. Comparing this case to the Court’s decision in Massie v Crawford (78 NY2d 516 [1991]), where the Court held that the continuous treatment doctrine couldn’t be invoked for routine regular doctor appointments, Judge Wilson explained that Lohnas’ routine follow ups for the chronic shoulder condition and the gap in treatment of more than 2 1/2 years meant the continuous treatment doctrine couldn’t apply. Indeed, he noted, Dr. Luzi tried different treatments. The alleged malpractice was improperly installing the humeral head in her shoulder during the first surgery that then wore down her rotator cuff. The second surgery was to fix the rotator cuff issue. And then Lohnas only came back after she was pushed into a wall and hurt her shoulder again.
None of these facts, Judge Wilson explained, implicated the policy concerns underlying the continuous treatment doctrine. Lohnas could have easily left the practice, as she later did, and filed suit. She wasn’t getting any treatment at all between the second surgery and the consult for the third, a period of more than 2 1/2 years.
Public policy animated our creation of the continuous treatment doctrine: a doctor engaged in continuous treatment of a patient should not have her efforts chilled by the filing of a lawsuit, nor should the patient undergoing such treatment be required to suffer the burden of suing the physician while still in her care. Where, as here, the treatment is not continuous, no such policy concerns warrant an exception to the limitations period. Indeed, when continuous treatment is absent, public policy, as embodied in the legislature’s selection of a limitations period, cuts the other way: a plaintiff whose surgery and follow- up appointments have been completed, who has been discharged from the hospital, returns to normal life activities, and still suffers “terrible” pain, is on notice that something may be wrong, and is required to take steps to determine whether she has a claim – including by consulting a different doctor if necessary – and file it within the prescribed period (Dissenting Opn, at 5-6).
The majority’s rule, Judge Wilson reasoned, allows what should be prohibited: manipulation of the statute of limitations by returning to a doctor regularly for routine check ups on a chronic condition.
With the 4-3 split Court, only one thing is really clear. No one really knows what is continuous treatment and what isn’t.
Court of Appeals: Indenture Trustee Can Bring Third Party Actions to Recover for Fraudulent Redemption of Assets Rendering Debtor Insolvent
Financial fraud is complex. The schemes cooked up by fraudsters are intricate, and the financial maneuvers used are often difficult to follow. The fraud alleged in Cortlandt Street Recovery Corp. v Bonderman (No. 14) is no different.
Breaking it down to the extent I can, a number of private equity investors were interested in acquiring a profitable and debt-free telecom company in Greece, and set up a group of shell companies in Luxembourg to make the buy. The group, called Hellas Group, borrowed heavily (about €1.6 billion) to buy the Greek company, and had very little equity to repay the loans. In another round of borrowing in 2006, Hellas Finance (a subsidiary of Hellas Group) borrowed €200 million in exchange for payment-in-kind notes, which were governed by the indenture that is the focus of this case.
What’s an indenture? An indenture is a legal agreement that vests title of securities, like the payment-in-kind notes here, in a single trustee who is given certain specified powers to act on behalf of all of the noteholders. It’s usually tough to get all noteholders who may have different interests to act collectively, so the appointment of the indenture trustee to act on their collective behalf helps to solve that problem. Generally included in the bundle of rights given to the indenture trustee, which are limited to what’s in the agreement, is the right to bring suit to recover the principal, interest, costs, and fees in the event that the investment tanks and the debtor defaults.
In Cortlandt Street Recovery Corp., at the same time that Hellas Finance issued the payment-in-kind notes, Hellas the parent redeemed €973.7 million in convertible preferred equity certificates, and paid the cash to the private equity investors. For a more in depth look at the Hellas investments, read this Economist piece. When the global financial crisis hit, Hellas Finance defaulted on the payment-in-kind notes, as did another Hellas subsidiary that had guaranteed the notes.
The indenture trustee, on behalf of all of the noteholders, brought an action to recover the €200 million and interest from Hellas, a number of the Hellas subsidiaries, and the private equity investors, alleging that the convertible preferred equity certificate redemptions were fraudulently intended to render Hellas Finance, the primary debtor, insolvent. Even though the private equity investors weren’t parties to the payment-in-kind notes, the indenture trustee alleged claims against them for breach of contract, fraudulent conveyances, unlawful corporate distribution, and unjust enrichment, and sought to pierce the corporate veil on an alter ego theory.
The private equity investors moved to dismiss, and Supreme Court granted the motion. The Court held that the indenture that specified the indenture trustee’s powers and rights did not allow it to sue for recovery for the alleged fraud. The Court also dismissed the alter ego claims.
The Appellate Division, First Department modified the order on appeal, and reinstated the indenture trustee’s claims against the private equity investors. The Court held, the indenture governing recovery for default under the payment-in-kind notes “confers standing on the trustee to pursue . . . the fraudulent conveyance and other . . . claims, which seek recovery solely of the amounts due under the notes, for the benefit of all noteholders on a pro rata basis, as a remedy for an alleged injury suffered ratably by all noteholders by reason of their status as note holders” (Cortlandt St. Recovery Corp. v Hellas Telecommunications, S.à.r.l., 142 AD3d 833, 833-834 [1st Dept 2016]). The Appellate Division also reinstated the alter ego theory claims, and then granted leave to the Court of Appeals.
Because the right of the indenture trustee to bring suit is defined by the indenture agreement, the Court of Appeals began its analysis with normal principles of contract law. A contract means what its unambiguous words say. The contract’s language has to be read in context of the obligations. And a court can’t read any language of an agreement to be meaningless. In this case, the indenture agreement provided:
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.
That’s pretty clear, the Court held. “[A]ny available remedy” means any remedy at law or in equity. “The plain meaning of section 6.03, then, is to authorize a trustee to pursue any lawful means of enforcing the noteholders’ rights, against any individual or entity, based on any viable theory of recovery in order to secure repayment upon the event of a default on the debt to noteholders” (Opn, at 10).
In the context of this case, that means that the indenture trustee isn’t just limited to asserting claims against Hellas Finance, as the debtor, or the Hellas subsidiary, as the guarantor. It can go after the private equity investors too, as long as the recovery it is seeking is for the principal, interest, and related costs of the payment-in-kind notes on behalf of all of the noteholders.
The Court, in dicta, also noted that its plain meaning interpretation of the indenture was consistent with the interpretation of the virtually identical language of the Revised Model Simplified Indenture, and the related commentary by the American Bar Association. The model indenture, the Court noted, appears to have been the form for the indenture in this case, and so the parties surely would have expected the two to have been given the same construction.
The Court was careful to caution, however, that this interpretation of the indenture only holds for post-agreement fraud, like the one alleged here. For fraudulent inducement claims based on pre-indenture misrepresentations, the interpretation is different. In that kind of case, the “any available remedy” language does not give the indenture trustee any right to bring claims for violations of the federal or state securities laws, primarily because the individual noteholders likely will be in different positions, which could create conflicts for the trustee, and can bring their own claims.
Like the Appellate Division, the Court of Appeals too agreed that the indenture trustee had validly stated alter ego theories against the private equity investors. Whether the trustee can make out that case, however, is a different question for a different day.
The case will now proceed back in the trial court, with the indenture trustee trying to show that this all was just a massive fraud to line the private equity investors’ pockets, and the investors arguing that these were legitimate recapitalization efforts that just didn’t end up working out. I’ll leave it to the financial investment experts to guess how that’s going to come out.
Plurality of Court of Appeals Holds Party Barred from Asserting a Federal Compulsory Counterclaim in a Subsequent State Court Suit
A case about movie investments is the latest that has closely divided the Court of Appeals. Actually, the issue before the Court had absolutely nothing to do with the movie or the lost investment. Instead, it’s the kind of issue that sparks interest in the community of appellate lawyers who look at how the courts work—whether res judicata principles bar assertion of a federal compulsory counterclaim in a later state court action when it wasn’t brought in an earlier federal suit on similar facts. Fascinating, I know.
In Paramount Pictures Corporation v Allianz Risk Transfer AG (No. 16), Allianz invested in a Paramount film, but agreed to waive any claims against Paramount and not to sue if the investment went south. The investment tanked, and Allianz sued Paramount in federal court anyway, notwithstanding the waiver of claims and bar to lawsuits. Paramount defended the litigation based on the waiver provision, but never raised the covenant not to sue as an affirmative defense or pleaded Allianz’s breach of it as a counterclaim in the federal suit.
After the federal court predictably dismissed the case because of the waiver provision, Paramount brought this breach of contract suit in state court based Allianz’s breach of the covenant not to sue. Allianz moved to dismiss, arguing that res judicata barred Paramount’s breach of contract claim because it was a mandatory counterclaim that was never asserted in the federal suit and was barred by Rule 13(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Rule 13(a) requires any party to a suit to assert any mandatory counterclaims that it has in that litigation or else they will later be barred from doing so. That rule has never before applied to New York litigation. Instead, New York is a permissive counterclaim jurisdiction, where a defendant to a New York litigation has no obligation to assert any counterclaims, but can wait to assert its own claims in a separate later action.
Recognizing that New York hasn’t subscribed to Rule 13(a)’s mandatory counterclaim rule, Supreme Court denied the motion to dismiss, citing New York’s permissive counterclaims rule under CPLR 3011. To adopt the federal rule, the Court held, would conflict with New York’s rule.
The Appellate Division, First Department, however, reversed and dismissed the suit. The Court held that Rule 13(a) should be applied in state court litigation, and Paramount’s breach of contract claim was thus barred by res judicata for failure to assert it as a mandatory counterclaim in the federal suit.
A plurality of the Court of Appeals affirmed, in a closely split decision. Three judges joined the plurality opinion (Judges Garcia, Stein, and Fahey), two concurred in the judgment only but for different reasons (Judge Rivera and Chief Judge DiFiore), and one dissented (Judge Wilson). What really split the Court was whether it should even be deciding whether to apply federal res judicata precedent to decide whether Paramount’s breach of contract claim should be barred in state litigation.
Judge Garcia, writing for the plurality, began with the principle that the US Supreme Court has the last word on the preclusive effect of federal judgments. And because federal judgments flow from federal courts exercising different types of jurisdiction—generally either federal question or diversity—the federal rules of preclusion are different for each. For a federal judgment based on federal question jurisdiction alone, the Supreme Court has held, federal res judicata principles apply. For diversity jurisdiction cases, state preclusion rules apply.
But what about so-called mixed jurisdiction cases, where both federal question claims and diversity claims are determined in a case? As Judge Garcia pointed out, “[t]he Supreme Court has not squarely addressed the applicable federally prescribed rule of decision – the uniform federal rules or state preclusion law – in a case where, as here, the judgment in the parties’ federal action encompassed both federal- and state-law claims” (Plurality Opn, at 6). Whether the Court of Appeals should answer that open question of federal law on its own split the Court.
Judge Garcia and the plurality decided it should, and held that federal law applied because applying state law to a mixed jurisdiction case would be contrary to “federal interests” (Plurality Opn, at 7). Judge Garcia explained,
That made a state law res judicata analysis unnecessary to decide whether Paramount’s claim should be barred in the state litigation, the plurality held.
Under federal claim preclusion principles, which look at whether the two claims arise from the same transaction or series of transactions, whether the same evidence is needed for both, whether the facts needed for the second claim were also presented in the first, the plurality held that Paramount’s claim was barred. The investors’ claims in the federal suit and Paramount’s counterclaim were too related not the be tried together. Paramount’s failure to assert the counterclaim in that prior action, thus, barred it from bringing a later state court action to enforce the covenant not to sue.
Judge Rivera and the Chief Judge disagreed with the plurality’s decision to reach the unsettled question of the preclusive effect of the federal judgment in a mixed jurisdiction case. In fact, they argued, the question need not have been answered at all because Paramount’s claims were barred regardless of which res judicata principles applied. As the plurality agreed, Paramount’s claim for breach of the covenant not to sue arose out of the same series of transactions as Allianz’s claims in the federal action, and thus were barred because Paramount did not assert its claim when it had the chance to do so. Judge Rivera criticized the plurality for going too far in what essentially amounted to a mistaken advisory opinion.
Judge Wilson, dissenting, disagreed with both and argued that the Supreme Court, had it addressed the issue of the preclusive effect of a federal judgment in a mixed jurisdiction case, would have parsed the claims based on their jurisdictional predicate. Paramount’s breach of contract counterclaim is a state law claim over which the federal district court had diversity jurisdiction, he argued. So the Supreme Court’s precedent would require application of state res judicata principles, and state law would not bar Paramount’s claim here.
Judge Wilson also argued that the plurality had fundamentally confused FRCP Rule 13(a) with federal res judicata principles as if the two were synonymous. They are not, Judge Wilson noted.
Further, Judge Wilson contended, Rule 13(a)’s compulsory counterclaim rule is a policy choice to protect the federal courts from repeated litigations over the same subject. But that policy doesn’t come into play when the counterclaim is later asserted in state court. It is the state courts, not the federal ones, that would be burdened. And New York’s permissive counterclaim rule is a different policy choice. Indeed, as a Judge Wilson put it, “[i]t would be quite strange, though, for the federal court to ‘extend’ the preclusive effect of its judgment to a subsequent claim, arising from the same transaction or occurrence, brought by a defendant seeking to litigate a state law claim and have his or her own day in state court, where the state has made the choice to allow a defendant that option. Unless a judgment on the separately-filed claim would nullify or undermine the federal judgment, federal courts have neither a res judicata interest nor an efficiency interest in that outcome” (Dissenting Opn, at 14).
I tend to agree with Judge Wilson that the plurality’s approach, effectively applying Rule 13(a) in New York based on federal res judicata principles, ignores the unique jurisdictional based on which state law claims can be heard in federal courts, and then what procedural rules apply to those claims. Although I won’t go so far as to guess how the Supreme Court would answer this unsettled question, I think Judge Wilson’s detailed approach makes sense. State law claims litigated in federal court don’t become any less state law claims merely because they are pleaded together with federal question claims. So, state law procedural rules and res judicata principles should apply when a later state court suit is brought to prosecute a cause of action that could have been asserted in the prior federal action. In that case, New York’s policy choice to allow counterclaims to be litigated separately should rule the day, not federal procedural policies. Nevertheless, the plurality’s approach is now the law of New York. Parties beware.
Court of Appeals: Private Facebook Posts are Discoverable Under Normal Discovery Rules
Like privacy wonks have always said, everything you do online will live on forever. In metadata, back up tapes, and the cloud. The same is true for what you say on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform. And although privacy settings can protect your content from the general public, limiting it to sharing with specifically designated family and friends, those same protections don’t hold in litigation.
That’s what the Court of Appeals held recently in Forman v Henkin (No. 1), which I previewed here. In Forman, Kelly Forman sued Mark Henkin for injuries she suffered when she fell off one of his horses while riding in a state park on Long Island. Forman alleged that the leather strap attaching a stirrup to the saddle broke and caused her to fall. She claims that she suffered a traumatic brain injury that caused “cognitive deficits, memory loss, inability to concentrate, difficulty in communicating, and social isolation.” Although she was an active Facebook user at the time, about a year after her fall, she deactivated her account. Nonetheless, in discovery, Henkin sought an order compelling her to give him unrestricted access to her Facebook account, including posts from the non-public portion of her account.
Supreme Court granted the motion, in part, and ordered that Forman produce some private posts from her Facebook account, “including all photographs of herself that she privately posted after the accident, except those involving nudity or romantic encounters, and also the timing and length, but not the content, of her private Facebook messages.”
The Appellate Division, First Department, modified the order, however, on a 3-2 vote. The majority vacated the portion of the order requiring production of the private Facebook posts, except for any photos that she intended to use at trial. The majority cautioned that mere speculation that some of the private posts might be relevant is an insufficient basis to require production. The dissenters, however, argued that the majority put too high a burden on discovery of private social media documents. Case law over the last few years has tended toward allowing discovery, they said, and Supreme Court’s order was a proper balance under CPLR 3101(a).
The unanimous Court of Appeals agreed with the Appellate Division dissenters. After spending a bit of time explaining Facebook’s privacy settings, and acknowledging that sharing things on Facebook is still fairly new (in the grand scheme of history), the Court held that “there is nothing so novel about Facebook materials that precludes application of New York’s long-standing disclosure rules to resolve this dispute” (Opn, at 7). New York’s normally broad discovery rules apply. No new or heightened standards for discovery are required, the Court held.
The Court rejected a former First Department rule for private social media discovery, which required the party seeking the information to establish a factual basis for delving into the private posts by showing that information on the public portion of a social media account tended to contradict or conflict with the plaintiff’s alleged injuries or claims. That rule, the Court held, “effectively permits disclosure only in limited circumstances, allowing the account holder to unilaterally obstruct disclosure merely by manipulating ‘privacy’ settings or curating the materials on the public portion of the account” (Opn, at 8). That would be contrary to New York’s policy for allowing broad disclosure in litigation.
Discovery of private social media information isn’t unlimited, however, the Court held. Requests still have to be narrowly tailored and reasonably calculated to reveal relevant information. Fishing expeditions still aren’t allowed.
we agree with other courts that have rejected the notion that commencement of a personal injury action renders a party’s entire Facebook account automatically discoverable. Directing disclosure of a party’s entire Facebook account is comparable to ordering discovery of every photograph or communication that party shared with any person on any topic prior to or since the incident giving rise to litigation – such an order would be likely to yield far more nonrelevant than relevant information. Even under our broad disclosure paradigm, litigants are protected from unnecessarily onerous application of the discovery statutes (Opn, at 9-10 [cleaned up]).
Providing useful guidance to the trial courts supervising discovery, the Court took the opportunity to explain what the inquiry should be when discovery disputes arise.
In the event that judicial intervention becomes necessary, courts should first consider the nature of the event giving rise to the litigation and the injuries claimed, as well as any other information specific to the case, to assess whether relevant material is likely to be found on the Facebook account. Second, balancing the potential utility of the information sought against any specific “privacy” or other concerns raised by the account holder, the court should issue an order tailored to the particular controversy that identifies the types of materials that must be disclosed while avoiding disclosure of nonrelevant materials. In a personal injury case such as this it is appropriate to consider the nature of the underlying incident and the injuries claimed and to craft a rule for discovering information specific to each. Temporal limitations may also be appropriate – for example, the court should consider whether photographs or messages posted years before an accident are likely to be germane to the litigation. Moreover, to the extent the account may contain sensitive or embarrassing materials of marginal relevance, the account holder can seek protection from the court (see CPLR 3103[a]) (Opn, at 10).
Litigants and the courts now have a defined rule to apply—and to me what seems to be a sensible approach—when disputes come up about whether private social media posts should be discoverable. I’m sure further litigation will clarify how the rule applies in different and unique circumstances, but a little bit of predictability here should go a long way.
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The Five Priorities of Nitin Nohria | Page 4 of 4
Profiles of B-School Deans
The Five Priorities of Nitin Nohria
by: John A. Byrne on June 30, 2011 | 3 Comments 12,465 Views
The fourth priority is inclusion. While the demographic mix of Harvard Business School typically has reflected larger societal trends, we have always wanted to be welcoming of the best talent (students, faculty, and staff) that is passionate about the mission of the School. Once people come here, we want them to feel as though they can do their best work, and once they leave, we want them to feel inspired to do better yet.
This is not unique to HBS; rather, it is what great universities do, and I know it to be true, because it was this promise that caused me to leave my country more than two decades ago for graduate education in the United States.
SOME WISH HBS WOULD DO MORE TO ENABLE THEM TO FLOURISH
We must ensure that our aspiration fully matches reality. Today, there are members of our community who wish the School would do more to enable them to flourish, including some women and international students and faculty. At an individual level, of course, no one at HBS feels that such an environment is or should be acceptable. And indeed, a true sense of community is something that most people at HBS prize; we recognize that we depend on one another for our success and well-being. Our challenge, therefore, is to work collectively to make positive changes, and to create a culture that lives up to its ideals. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths and we must learn to thrive on it, whatever its form—whether demography, intellectual style, or some other dimension. Everyone needs to find a home here.
Since we need to start somewhere, I have launched an initiative that will focus initially on the challenges facing women at the School. The first phase will engage an external project team that has been asked to carry out both quantitative and qualitative research. While this analysis will take some time, as well developing recommended action items, we also are exploring steps we might take sooner. It already is clear that the conversations, and the changes that result, will have a meaningful impact on our community.
The fifth priority is integration. Here, it is interesting to note that when Harvard Business School was founded, and when the time came to create a campus for its expanding activities, the then-presidents and deans mutually agreed on the importance of the School establishing its own distinctive identity. The space that was created, both literally and figuratively, to enable that identity to develop has become part of our culture, and for many years it has served us well.
DANGER COMES FROM A PERCEPTION OF ISOLATION
The danger arises when “room to grow” perpetuates the perception of isolation. Interestingly, HBS is far more engaged with the rest of Harvard University than most might imagine. We have a number of joint faculty appointments, primarily with the Kennedy and Law Schools, as well as dozens of less formal faculty engagements at the Medical School, Educational School, and Faculty of Arts and Sciences, among others. Hundreds of MBA students cross-register at Harvard, and many more hundreds from other parts of Harvard cross-register at HBS. We have joint masters programs with the Kennedy School, the Law School, the Medical School, and the School of Dental Medicine. The joint PhD programs we offer necessitate that we work closely with the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. And the joint courses we offer—for example, Consumer Finance and Commercializing Science—are remarkable exercises in collaboration at the edges of two (or more) disciplines and some of the most fertile areas of experimentation, as well as highly popular with our students.
Looking ahead, Harvard Business School needs to find more opportunities for integration. This will mean breaking down logistical barriers, including things like continuing scheduling misalignments. More fundamentally, it will mean fostering a culture that is capable of more powerful connections. Collaborations like the Harvard Center Shanghai are one way of doing this, as is the proposal for the Harvard Innovation Lab. HBS can be a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship across the University. Even within HBS we know there is more shared work we should encourage among the faculty, and thus we have launched new integrative research initiatives. Ultimately, as I learned a long time ago, the most effective organizations are simultaneously differentiated and integrated. To the extent that we at HBS can preserve our unique differentiated identity while building better integrative bridges with the rest of Harvard, we can better realize this great University’s potential of being more than the sum of our individual parts.
DON’T MISS: THE REINVENTION OF HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL or HBS DEAN ON THE FOUR CURRICULUMS OF A GREAT MBA PROGRAM
Tagged: Business Schools, Dean Nitin Nohria, Harvard Business School, HBS key priorities, priorities of Nitin Nohria
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Two Visits to a Fast-Changing Lebanon
By Mary Madigan 2008-09-24T11:05:23
I first visited Lebanon in December 2006, when Hezbollah and other opposition forces were occupying the center of Beirut, staging large rallies in an effort to force the pro-independence March 14 majority bloc to give Hezbollah more power. I'd never visited the Middle East before, but when the opportunity to fly to Beirut to photograph Hezbollah's December 10 rally was offered, I took it, partly because I'd been blogging about politics and the Middle East for years. Here was an opportunity to learn more about different political groups in the area. Also, I was intensely curious about a city that was portrayed as being similar to Paris and/or a terror-ridden Islamist war zone.
In December 2006, Beirut-as-warzone was the most prominent image in the media. Reading reports like this one in the BBC which says, "Led by Hezbollah and its pro-Syrian allies, the rally is possibly the largest demonstration Beirut has seen," one would get the impression that all of Lebanon supported Hezbollah. Being there, I knew that the December 10 rally was not the largest demonstration Beirut had ever seen. The Cedar Revolution (March 14) rally for Lebanese independence from Syria was much larger.
On my first visit, I saw that Beirut was more Paris than war zone. Just a few weeks before Christmas, I walked down the sun-speckled streets of the Gemmayze district, past a florist shop decorated with poinsettias and plastic Santas, to a French cafe which offered fine pastries and cafe au lait. Sunni West Beirut was overflowing with crepe stands and hooka bars. Although the neighborhoods appeared to be divided along sectarian lines, Sunnis and Shia went to Gemmayze bars and Christians lived in West Beirut. While much of Lebanon suffers from an unhealthy addiction to politics, this is counteracted by a healthy addiction to living their lives to the fullest.
Beirut and most of Lebanon wasn't -- and still isn't -- an Islamist stronghold. The majority of Lebanese avoid confronting Hezbollah because most would do anything to avoid another civil war. But even Hezbollah knows that no one would tolerate the installation of Sharia laws in Lebanon. Lebanon relies on tourism, a large part of which consists of Gulf Arabs who come to Lebanon to spend great amounts of money to escape their homemade Islamist misery.
Hezbollah's effort to take over Lebanon is often portrayed as a religious quest, but at the rally, in the tent city and in the crowd, I saw few signs of religious devotion. I saw a lot of evidence that Hezbollah's "civil disobedience" was politically opportunistic extortion. With their ability to gain allies, with their weapons and their support from Syria and Iran, Hezbollah and friends were demanding that the rest of Lebanon give in to their demands or risk civil war, basically saying, "Nice country you've got; wouldn't want anything to happen to it."
https://pjmedia.com/blog/two-visits-to-a-fast-changing-lebanon/
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If the Sh*thole Epithet Fits, Wear It
By Sarah Hoyt 2018-01-16T23:20:38
Let’s forget for a moment whether Trump ever called any countries at all sh*tholes. It seems as though the only report we have of this is Dick Durbin’s and Dick Durbin is known to be a fabulist.
However, let’s for a moment contemplate the reactions of the world to this word that might or might not have been said.
Let’s, in particular, contemplate the reactions of the countries that thought themselves insulted.
Take Haiti for instance. Anderson Cooper took offense on behalf of Haiti.
Do you know what strength it takes to survive on rainwater buried under concrete?" Cooper asked. "The people of Haiti have been through more ... they fought back against more injustice than our president ever has."
Cooper acknowledged that Haiti, like all countries, contained a mix of people but characterized Haitians as widely having a distinct dignity.
"It's a dignity many in this White House could learn from," Cooper said. "It's a dignity that the president, with all his money and power, could learn from as well.
Sure, Mr. Cooper. But you know what? Whenever there is any big disaster, there are always people who survive on rainwater buried in concrete or the equivalent. I would expect you to remember the people who dug and dug in the rubble of the World Trade Center, long after it became obvious that there would be no survivors, hoping to get maybe a sliver of something that could allow a family to identify a loved one.
Sure, every country has the good and the bad, and some countries, like Haiti, require more fortitude to survive than just about anywhere else.
Since Haitians freed themselves from slavery and stopped growing the one commercial crop the island was capable of — sugar — they’ve been a basket case living off international charity. (Not that I blame them, since growing and harvesting sugar at the time was a miserable endeavor.) The island has been deforested, and the poverty is appalling.
But, Mr. Cooper, the fact that the people of Haiti have survived enormous adversity doesn’t make the place where they live not a sh*thole. On the contrary. It makes it a sh*thole that takes an enormous amount of strength and endurance to survive, but it is still a sh*thole.
And that’s why their people try to come here by the droves. But the fact that it’s a sh*thole or that its people are suffering doesn’t obligate us to take immigrants from Haiti. Because we are not a sort of charity shelter that takes in the deserving. We’re a country that takes in people who might become productive citizens. In those terms, Haitians should be judged as everyone else: “What do you bring to America, and what can you do for America?”
Or take former President Vicente Fox of Mexico, who took it upon himself to be profane in return for Trump’s supposed profanity: "Donald Trump, your mouth is the foulest shithole in the world. With what authority do you proclaim who's welcome in America and who's not?" Fox asked.
Dear Mr. Fox: He proclaims it with the authority of the president of the United States, who was elected in large measure because people wanted to put an end to the installment-plan invasion of their country by people that your country sends our way, wave after wave, after wave.
And why does your country do that, Mr. Fox?
It could be because you are incapable of sustaining rule of law or a functional economy or even to control the drug warlords who carry their ravages across the border into our country.
That part of your refusal to control any of this consists of your country’s ruling class callous attempt to both use our country as an outlet for their undesirables and as a way to increase/give your country a non-ludicrous GDP is in fact despicable.
Mexico needs a flood of immigrants – legal and illegal – to come to the United States and send back remittances to keep food on the table and the lights burning. According to this site:
An estimated 20% of Mexican residents regularly receive some financial support from workers abroad. Such remittances are the mainstay of the economies of many Mexican communities, such as many rural areas in Durango, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Jalisco and Michoacán. Studies suggest that the funds sent as remittances are mostly spent on housing, food, clothing and durable consumer goods. A growing portion is being invested in education and small businesses. The corollary is that only a small percentage goes towards savings.
In 2008, remittances flowing back to Mexico exceeded $25 billion.The value of remittances fell slightly in 2009, according to World Bank figures, but are forecast to increase again this year. Only India and China, both with far higher populations than Mexico, have larger sums of remittances entering their economies.
Mr. Fox, a country that needs to send its citizens abroad to send back the needed income to 20 percent of its population, a country that can’t even minimally enforce the law within its borders and that encourages law breaking toward its neighbor to the North, is, let’s face it, objectively a sh*thole.
Were it not a sh*thole, we would not have a problem with illegal immigration, and you wouldn’t have to so vehemently defend an honor you don’t have.
Yes, I understand Mexico is a proud country. Do tell me what it has to be proud of! Is it the fact that you have to send your citizens like beggars abroad? Is it your inability to enforce the law? Is it your governance, which is the laughing stock of the world?
You don’t like to be called a sh*thole? Very well. Stop being one. Give less consideration to your “image” in the world and more to how your country functions. Stop the corruptocracy. Enforce honesty and the rule of law. Reform your schools. Stop the rampaging of the drug lords.
Stop expecting the U.S. to take your troublemakers with or without visas and to send you back the product of their labor. The U.S. is not obligated to take whoever wishes to come here. The floods of immigrants willing to work for nothing distort our labor market and corrupt our rule of law.
Instead of calling President Trump names, consider the names your country deserves. When the flood of immigrants is equal across the border, perhaps you’ll be allowed to cast stones, but right now? Right now you depend on us. And you don’t get to influence our decision on who comes into our house or not. Because it is not your decision.
And then there was South Africa. Dear Lord. There was South Africa.
I realize that since the fall of apartheid it has become fashionable for the American left to speak of how great South Africa is. Meanwhile, those of us who have friends and acquaintances there have been hearing of a vast diaspora, not just of white people (though also of white people) but of anyone skilled or with a hope for a technical profession in a country in which there is the rule of law and some kind of economy.
South Africa, of course, pronounced itself in the following terms:
DIRCO noted South Africa's contributions to the United States and said international reactions "clearly serve as a united affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora." The statement also noted that Monday was Martin Luther King Day in the United States.
Yes, it was Martin Luther King Day. You know, he who said that he wished people to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their characters.
Meanwhile, most of that South African diaspora consists of white people. And before someone says that these must be the racists upset at the overturning of apartheid, let me reassure you that at least three such immigrants I know fought to end apartheid.It is just that the government of South Africa, currently, is not color blind, and that there is very little future for white South Africans.
And the truth is that no one even implied that the people of South Africa, whatever their color, are sh*tholes. Only that the nation itself is a sh*thole.
The government of South Africa then engaged in tu quoque pointing out that there is racism and homelessness in America. I haven’t seen that segment (apparently on CNN) but it was reported to me and to a good friend of mine, Dave Freer, who is an immigrant in Australia, from South Africa. His reaction to this commentary was the following:
My friend Sarah Hoyt pointed me to a self-righteous fury spewing from the South African ANC (the political party which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid) about the idea of South Africa being a shit-hole and how bad America was. I was born there, and eventually migrated to Australia, of which I am now a proud citizen, and which I love, and try my best to pay back for its enormous generosity in taking us in. Now, South Africa is a beautiful country, with some fine people… but the ANC have presided over it now having one of the highest murder and rape stats of any country in the world not at war. Corruption is endemic, and racial hatred – both white on black and black on white – if anything is worse than at the end of apartheid. Public Health is in a sad state, and education isn’t much to write home to mother about, principally because ‘writing’ might be challenge, and mother (adult education is a neglected disgrace) still can’t read. There are squatter camps, squalor, mud huts without toilets in the bush. Electrical grids are failing, potable water is a major problem. There are good patches of course. There are things which have improved. But it’s only not a shit-hole when compared to places like Zimbabwe. Any criticism from it is like a serial child rapist and murderer complaining about you saying ‘shut up’ to your kid.
Then there is the icing on the cake: a bunch of people from those alleged sh*tholes bragging of their accomplishments in America.
Note that they are no longer in their countries of origin. If those are so wonderful, we invite them to go back.
The U.S. is not a charity, forced to take anyone who wants to come here because their need is great. We are a great country, and thriving like none other in the history of this sorry world, but even we can’t give shelter and opportunity to everyone who wants to come here to escape the mess their countries have become.
We get to pick and choose, and while we have traditionally given refuge to those in dire need, economic hardship is not, by itself, dire need. Nor are we, for that matter, forced to give refuge if we think you’ll bring the mess back in your country of origin with you.
Do you want to come to the U.S.? Great. Splendid. Come because you want to be an American, not because you want to defend tooth and nail the sh*thole you left behind. We are not your mommy. We are not your daddy. We want you to leave your parents' basement and make your own way to American freedom and prosperity. If you can’t do that, go back to the sh*thole.
Fit in or f*ck off.
We don’t care what sh*thole you came from, we just care that you want to be an American.
And if you’re not here, don’t want to come here, and don’t want to be an American but are offended because your country was called names, don’t waste spit defending your pride. Prove us wrong by making your country one that people don’t want to leave in droves. And shut up about it.
https://pjmedia.com/trending/epithet-fits-wear/
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Quiz: Can You Match These Mountains to the Correct Location?
Can You Match These Mountains to the Correct Location?
By: Bambi Turner
Image: Rene Frederick/DigitalVision/Getty Images
You've heard of Mt. Everest, K2 and Denali, but could you point out these peaks on a map? For as much as they loom large in history and geography, surprisingly few people can match some of the world's largest mountains to their location. Think you're one of them? Prove it with this quiz!
The world's mightiest mountains rise nearly 30,000 feet above sea level. Formed when shifting tectonic plates beneath the Earth's crust smash together or when volcanoes spew hot magma, these rocky peaks have proven irresistible to humans, who find themselves fascinated by their beauty, size and off-limits summits. Such is the human fascination with mountains that hundreds of thousands attempt to conquer these peaks each year, investing big money in guides, equipment and training, all to reach a higher point than any previous climber.
Sadly, even with modern technology in the form of the most advanced gear, supplemental oxygen and helicopter flights to base camps, hundreds die on these attempted summits, and a surprising number of their bodies are left behind on the mountain, too heavy to remove, where they serve as a warning to future climbers that the road ahead should not be underestimated.
Whether you're a climber, a nature lover or simply a geography buff, do you know where some of the most famous mountains are located? Find out with this quiz!
Mont Blanc is the tallest peak in the Alps, but do you know which two countries it's sandwiched between?
Russia and Ukraine
Italy and France
Germany and Spain
Portugal and Spain
At 15,777 ft, Mont Blanc soars high above the border between Italy and France. The first people to reach the summit did so way back in 1786, and today more than 20,000 people complete this challenge each year. A 7-mile tunnel runs under the mountain, making it easy to bypass the mighty mountain.
Where can you find Denali, which was once known as Mt. McKinley?
C. Fredrickson Photography / Moment / Getty Images
At 20,310 ft, Alaska's Denali is the tallest mountain in North America. It was named in honor of President William McKinley from 1917 to 2015 until it was renamed Denali in honor of the local Koyukon people.
Where should you head to if you want to climb Mt. Everest, the world's tallest mountain?
Mount Everest towers 29,029 feet above the Nepal-China border. A famous expedition by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine in 1924 ended in mystery, and it wasn't until 1953 that climbers reach the summit of Everest for the first time.
Which island nation is home to Mount Fuji, a soaring volcano that hasn't erupted since the 1700s?
At 12,389 feet, Mount Fuji is Japan's tallest mountain. Though legend has it that local monks climbed to the top of Fuji as early as the 7th century, the first verified ascent was by a British diplomat in 1868.
Mount Logan is North America's second highest peak. Do you know where it's located?
WikiCommons by Isteffen
Mount Logan is located in the Yukon Territory of Canada, close to the Alaska border. The second highest peak in North America, it was first conquered in 1957 when a team of climbers reached the summit. The mountain towers 19,551 feet above sea level.
Do you know where you can find the mighty K2, the world's tallest mountain after Everest?
Nicknamed Savage Mountain because it is so tough to climb - around 1 in 4 who attempt the summit die on the way up - K2 is located on the China-Pakistan border. The first ascent of K2 was in 1954, and only a few hundred more have achieved that feat since then.
Mount Elbrus is the highest peak in Europe. Do you know what country it's located in?
Mount Elbrus is located in southern Russia, near the Georgia border. At 18,510 ft, it's the tallest peak in Europe and one of the Seven Summits. A team of climbers first reached the summit of this long-dormant volcano back in 1829.
Where can you visit Lhotse, the fourth highest of all the world's peaks?
Punnawit Suwuttananun/Moment/Getty Images
Lhotse, which means "South Peak" in Tibetan, soars 27,940 ft over the Tibet-Nepal border. Located just a few miles from Mt. Everest, it was first conquered by a team of Swiss climbers in 1956.
Want to climb Mount Whitney? Head for this U.S. state, which is also home to Death Valley.
David Toussaint/Moment/Getty Images
Mount Whitney is California's tallest peak, and also the tallest in the contiguous U.S. First conquered in 1873, it towers 14,505 ft over the Sierra Nevada Range.
Where can you go to take in the nearly perfect pyramid shape of the Matterhorn?
The tallest peak in the Alps at 14,692 ft, the Matterhorn is easily recognizable thanks to its perfect pyramid-like symmetry. Located between Switzerland and Italy, it a popular but dangerous climbing spot. More than 500 have died in the attempt, including four from the first team to reach the summit back in 1865.
Which nation is home to the 4,413 ft peak known as Ben Nevis?
Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands is the highest mountain in Great Britain. This is a fairly easy trip, and more than 100,000 people climb the mountain each year to take in the ruins of an observatory at the top and of course, the spectacular views.
Where can you visit Mount Kinabalu, a peak almost any fit person can ascend with little difficulty?
Located within the Crocker Range in Malaysian-run Borneo, Mount Kinabalu rises 13,435 ft into the sky. Despite its majestic height, it's a fairly easy climb and requires no professional equipment - just a guide to show you the way.
Which nation is home to Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes on Earth?
Mount Etna soars 10,912 ft above the Sicilian region of Italy. The highest peak in Italy outside of the Alps, it's known for plenty of activity, including an ashy eruption in 2018 that closed the local airports.
Pico de Orizaba is a mountain volcano that's been dormant for over a century. Do you know where this third-highest North American peak is located?
Pico de Orizaba rises 18,491 ft above Puebla and Veracruz in Mexico. The highest peak in Mexico and the third highest in North America, it was first climbed by a pair of U.S. soldiers, who reached the peak in 1842.
Mount Hood is located in the Cascades Range. Do you know which U.S. state proudly claims this peak?
Mount Hood towers 11,249 feet over northern Oregon. Situated just 50 miles east of Portland, it was first ascended in 1857 and is the highest point in the state.
Which country is home to Chimborazo, the highest peak located within sight of the equator?
Located within the Cordillera Occidental Range of the Andes, the 20,549 ft Chimborazo is the highest peak in Ecuador. While it's technically a volcano, it hasn't erupted since the 16th century.
Which country counts Mount Damavand as its highest peak?
Alireza Firouzi/Moment Open/Getty Images
Iran's tallest mountain at 18,403 ft, Mount Damavand is located just 40 miles from Tehran near the Caspian Sea. The mountain plays a major role in Persian mythology and is the highest volcano in Asia.
Which European country is home to the 9,573 ft Mount Olympus?
In Greek mythology, the Gods lived high up on Mount Olympus. The mountain contains 52 peaks, of which Mytikas is the highest, and climbers first reached the top in 1913.
On which continent can you find Ras Dashen, a peak in the Simien Mountains?
Marc Guitard/Moment/Getty Images
First ascended in 1841 by French soldiers, Ras Dashen is the highest mountain in Ethiopia. It's known for its rugged and steep terrain, and is Africa's 10th highest mountain.
Where in the Southern hemisphere is Aconcagua, one of the infamous Seven Summits?
The tallest mountain in the southern hemisphere, Aconcagua rises 22,837 feet above sea level in the Andes of Argentina. Despite its height, it's one of the easiest of the Seven Summits to climb and doesn't usually require supplemental oxygen.
Do you know which New England state draws visitors looking to ascend Mount Washington?
ScottOrr / E+ / Getty Images
One of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi, Mount Washington is located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Appalachian Trail crosses its summit, which is 6,288 ft above sea level.
Where can you find the 16,050 ft Mount Vinson, one of the Seven Summits?
Schafer & Hill/Moment Mobile/Getty Images
Mount Vinson is the tallest peak on Antarctica, and climbers first reached the summit in the 1960s. Located just over 700 miles from the South Pole, Mount Vinson is named for Georgia Congressman Carl Vinson, who also has a class of Navy aircraft carriers named in his honor.
Where can you visit a dormant volcano named Mauna Kea, most of which is hidden below the ocean?
The highest peak in Hawaii, Mauna Kea rises 13,803 ft above sea level. If you could strip away all that water and measure from its base, it becomes the highest mountain on Earth at 33,000 ft tall.
Which continent is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the Seven Summits?
Mount Kilimanjaro is a 19,341 ft tall dormant volcano found in Tanzania. The tallest peak in Africa, it was the site of a 2014 cricket match, which was played on a rocky crater 18,800 feet above the ground.
Plenty of people have failed to reach the summit of Mount Robson. Do you know where this dangerous peak is located?
Artie Photography (Artie Ng)/Moment/Getty Images
Measuring 12,972 ft above sea level, Mount Robson is located in the Rainbow Range of the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. Though a climber first reached the summit in 1913, only around 10 percent of climbers who attempt to match this feat today are successful.
Do you know where to find Mount Cook, which the local Maori people call Aoraki?
Mount Cook soars 12,218 over New Zealand and is the nation's highest peak. A team of local climbers was the first to reach the summit in 1894.
Which U.S. state is home to the 14,115 ft tall Pike's Peak?
Ronda Kimbrow Photography/Moment/Getty Images
Pike's Peak throws its mighty shadow over the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado. You can drive to the top if you like, or if you want to do things the hard way, you can sign up for the Pike's Peak Marathon and run to the summit.
Which continent is home to the twin summits of the mighty Mt. Stanley?
Michele D'Amico supersky77/Moment/Getty Images
Mt. Stanley is located in Congo and Uganda in Africa's Rwenzori Range. Climbers first reached the summit - actually a pair of twin summits - in 1906.
One of the Seven Summits, Mount Kosciuszko is part of the Snowy Mountains. What country is it located in?
Mount Kosciuszko is 7,310 ft and is the tallest peak in Australia. If you're determined to make your way up a mountain, this just might be the one; you can drive almost to the summit, then it's an easy stroll to the top.
Which island nation is home to the 16,024 ft Puncak Jaya?
WikiCommons by Alfindra Primaldhi
Puncak Jaya is the tallest mountain in Oceania or Australasia. Situated on the island of Indonesia, it's one of the most technical of the Seven Summits, so only experienced climbers should attempt to reach the top.
Which U.S. state is home to the 14,179 ft Mt. Shasta, a volcano that's still active at times?
At more than 14,000 ft, Mount Shasta is the second highest peak in California. While still considered an active volcano, it only erupts every 700 years or so, and the last eruption took place two centuries in the past.
Mt. Makalu is famous for its nearly perfect pyramid shape. Do you know where this peak can be found?
At 27,838 ft above sea level, Mt. Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world. It was first conquered by a pair of French climbers in 1955 and is famous for its shape, which resembles a four-sided pyramid. The peak is located in the Himalayas between Nepal and Tibet.
Mount Mitchell is the highest peak in the Appalachians. Do you know which state it's located in?
Named for explorer Elisha Mitchell who fell to his death near the peak in 1857, Mount Mitchell is located in Yancy County, North Carolina. It rises 6,684 feet above sea level and is less than 20 miles from the town of Asheville.
So named because of its mile-long summit, do you know where to find Broad Peak?
Zahid Ali Khan, Karachi-Pakistan/Moment Open/Getty Images
The 12th highest mountain in the world at 26,414 ft, Broad Peak sits on the Pakistan/China border. Part of the Karakoram Range, it's best known for its very long summit, which stretches nearly a mile long.
Glacier Peak is called Dakobed by local tribes. Do you know were this mountain is located?
Justinreznick/E+/Getty Images
Visible from both Seattle and Vancouver on clear days, Glacier Peak in Washington State towers 10,525 ft above sea level. The first ascent of this icy peak was completed in 1898.
Kangchenjunga is the third highest peak on the planet. Where should you look on the map if you want to take a peek?
romana chapman/Moment/Getty Images
Kangchenjunga sits on the border between India and Nepal. Part of the Himalayas, it was considered the highest mountain on Earth until the 1850s.
Mt. Baker is a volcano that last erupted in 1880. Can you name the state where it's located?
Lijuan Guo Photography/Moment/Getty Images
Mt. Baker is part of the North Cascade Range in Washington state. Though considered an active volcano, the 10,781 ft peak hasn't erupted since 1880.
Where can you find Gasherbrum I, also known as K5 or Hidden Peak?
By Haider Ali/Moment Open/Getty Images
The 11th highest peak on the planet, Gasherbrum I straddles the China/Pakistan border. Its name means "Beautiful Mountain" in the local dialect," and the summit is located 26,510 ft above sea level.
Which U.S. city is located close to Mount Rainier?
Rene Frederick/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Mount Rainier soars 14,411 above Seattle in the Cascade Range. An active volcano, the local Native American tribes called it Tacoma or Tahoma.
Mount Ossa is the highest peak in Tasmania. Which country is it located in?
Posnov/Moment/Getty Images
Mount Ossa rises 5,305 ft above sea level. It's the tallest mountain in the Tasmania region of Australia, and can be climbed in just a few hours if the weather is agreeable.
Can You Pick the Correct Seven-Letter Word That Matches Each Definition?
Can You Pick the Grammatically Correct Sentence?
Pretend You're a Kid Again and We'll Guess What Job You Have
Can You Identify All of These Calligraphy Letters?
Do You Know Which States These Sites Are Located In?
Can You Place These Landmarks in the Correct U.S. States?
How Well Do You Know Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses?
Can You Match the Great American Novel to Its Author?
Can You Pass an 8th Grade Spelling Test From 1912?
Can You Pass British Geography?
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HotDocs Presents
Italy Love it or Leave It
“Tuscan fields, bel canto arias, slow food and movie stars are some of the images synonymous with one of the world’s most adored cultures. Yet many of filmmakers Luca Regazzi and Gustav Hofer’s disenchanted friends have recently emigrated from Italy.
The Fruit Hunters
Robin Smith, head programmer of the Bloor HotDocs Cinema will introduce this screening.
“Although praised as an influential cultural work, Paul Simon’s award-winning album Graceland faced a maelstrom of political criticism when it was released in 1986. By travelling to South Africa to collaborate with African artists and write and record the album, Simon defied anti-Apartheid activists and was accused of violating the UN boycott.
The Last White Knight
“Filmmaker Paul Saltzman, who gave us the inspiring 2009 doc Prom Night in Mississippi continues his look at race in the South with this latest film that sees him returning to the town where he was assaulted for being a civil rights worker in 1965.
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Palestinians and Israelis at a..
The Israeli-Palestinian Confli..
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict at a Crossroads
By Hillel Schenker and Ziad AbuZayyad
PIJ Vol. 24 No. 1 2019 - Palestinians and Israelis at a Dangerous Crossroads
Hillel Schenker
Hillel Schenker is co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal. He was as an editor of New Outlook, the Israeli peace monthly and has written for The Guardian, The Nation, Los Angeles Times, L.A. Weekly, Tikkun, Israel Horizons, In These Times, and the Israeli press. Schenker is a co-founder of the Peace Now movement, served for many years as spokesperson for the Israeli branch of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and is an International Advisory Board member of the Global Majority center for non-violent conflict resolution.
Ever since November 1947, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, known as “the Partition Plan” — calling for the establishment of “Independent Arab and Jewish states” along with a special international status (corpus separatum) for Jerusalem and an economic union in what had been Palestine under the British Mandate — the two-state paradigm has been the accepted international formula for resolving the conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Jews in Palestine.
Although there had been a minority among the Jews — the associates of Prof. Martin Buber in the Ichud and Brith Shalom movements and the Hashomer Hatzair movement — which had advocated a bi-national state, that version of a one-state solution was rejected by a clear majority of the Jews, who preferred an independent Jewish state in part of Palestine.
At the time, the Zionists who represented the Jewish national movement accepted the Partition Plan, while the Arabs and Palestinian nationalists rejected it, except for the Arab Communists. For the Palestinians, who owned about 93% of the land and made up two-thirds of the population in 1947, were given less than 50% of the land under the plan; they were unable to accept sharing what they believed to be their country with immigrants coming from outside.
The 1948 War did not put an end to the belligerency between the two peoples. On the contrary, it embedded the conflict in the hearts and minds of many Israelis and Palestinians, both of whom believe that Palestine or the Land of Israel is their historic homeland and reject the narrative of the other.
The uniqueness of this conflict is that it is a conflict between two peoples who claim to have national rights over the same land.
In the early ’70s, the Palestinians started a process of adapting themselves to the reality on the ground and, at the 1988 Palestinian National Council meeting in Algiers, they adopted the idea of sharing the land — two states for two peoples — by recognizing the Partition Plan of UNGA Resolution 181 and UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which were passed after the June 1967 War.
While this positive development was taking place within the Palestinian national movement, an opposite negative development was taking place within Israeli society. Ever since the right first assumed power in Israel in 1977 with the election of Likud leader Menachem Begin as prime minister, it has opposed a two-state solution and partition, while grudgingly supporting the idea of “Palestinian autonomy” for the residents but not for their land. The post-1967 settlement project in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, begun under Labor-led governments, accelerated under subsequent Likud led governments with the clear goal of preventing the implementation of a viable two-state solution. In fact, the notion of two states was not revived until U.S. President George W. Bush presented his “Vision for Peace” in June 2002. While Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared support for a two-state solution in his 2009 Bar Ilan speech under pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama, he did nothing to promote it and has since reversed his position, talking about “a state-minus” and forging ahead with settlement activity. He also conveniently absented himself from the July 2017 vote at which his own Likud party rejected the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.
On the eve of the 2019 election, emboldened by U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights (a move that violates international law and has been totally rejected by the rest of the international community) and his earlier recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Netanyahu declared his support for annexation of parts of the West Bank and vowed that not a single settlement would be uprooted. Annexation of all or part of the West Bank without guaranteeing the Palestinians equal rights would not only put an end to the two-state solution, it would constitute Israel’s creation of an apartheid-like regime in the area and a total deviation from the aspiration for democracy, equality and peace articulated in Israel’s 1948 Declaration of Independence.
Although there are still two important unknowns down the road — the nature and impact of the Trump administration’s “Deal of the Century” and Netanyahu’s fate in the face of the corruption charges against him — it is clear that the Israelis and Palestinians have arrived at a very dangerous crossroads. The options for the future are limited: either an ongoing bloody conflict with no end in sight; living together and sharing the land in one state for all its citizens; or dividing the land into two sovereign independent states based upon the borders of June 4, 1967.
This issue is devoted to exploring whether and how the two-state solution can be saved and whether there are viable alternatives. Many distinguished Palestinians and Israeli experts and scholars, together with involved internationals, contributed their views to this double issue. Many of the articles were written prior to the Israeli election, and only time will tell how its outcome will factor into the prospects for achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, we believe this issue will serve as a very important reference for anyone interested in knowing more about the conflict, its future prospects and the search for a solution.
We hope it will provide a much-needed resource for all who care about the fate of the Israelis and the Palestinians.
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Home > Breaking News > CAPT AMARINDER LED PUNJAB CABINET RATIFIES SHAHPUR KANDI DAM PROJECT AGREEMENT
CAPT AMARINDER LED PUNJAB CABINET RATIFIES SHAHPUR KANDI DAM PROJECT AGREEMENT
Punjab Update Bureau - Posted on September 20, 2018 September 20, 2018
Chandigarh, September 20: The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday ratified the agreement signed on September 8 between the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, as well as Commissioner Indus GoI, for immediate resumption of work on the Shahpur Kandi Dam Project.
The ratification came at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, said an official spokesperson.
The project, aimed to be completed in three years, would generate 206 MW of additional Hydro Power, leading to irrigation and power benefits worth Rs.852.73 crore annually.
With the completion of the project, the Ranjit Sagar Dam would operate its optimum capacity. It would also help in regulating releases at Shahpurkandi Dam, thus helping improve irrigation facilities to the command area under Uppar Bari Doab Canal (UBDC). J&K would get its share of water from Shahpurkandi dam project through gravity.
Notably, an agreement was signed on January 20, 1979 between the Chief Ministers of Punjab and J&K regarding Thein Dam project. The new project consists of Thein Dam, which has been renamed as Ranjit Sagar Dam, and was commissioned in 2000.
Work on the main dam and head regulators had commenced in March 2013. The construction was going on in full swing when suddenly, on August 30, 2016, the J&K authorities intervened and stopped the work in J&K territory, citing the enactment of Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004, even though the Punjab Government had categorically stated that PTAA 2004 was not applicable to riparian states like J&K and Himachal Pradesh.
With the intervention of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Prime Minister’s Office, an agreement was signed between irrigation secretaries of both the states on March 3, 2017, subject to approval by the respective Government. It was unanimously agreed that the work on the Shahpur Kandi Dam project would resume as soon as the respective state governments formally approved the decision.
View ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ 29 ਪੁਲੀਸ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਬਦਲੀ 18 Jul 2019
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Global news and insights for leaders
Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly
Nigerian women have seen it all.
The fallout from a church rape scandal shows the harsh reality of being a woman in Nigeria
By Saratu Abiola July 3, 2019
On Sunday, June 30, Nigerian women organized a protest against sexual violence in the church following recent allegations by the wife of a popular singer that the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) general overseer pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo raped her when she was 17 years old.
The flamboyant pastor trailed by murmurs of sexual impropriety and abuses of power in his conduct with his members for years, most famously in the 2013 scandal where a female member of his church revealed an affair with him.
COZA is known for its youthful congregation, so this fresh allegation dropped like an anvil, weighing heavily on social media conversation and demanding attention of leaders in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The added factor of the accuser Busola Dakolo being married to the well-known singer Timi Dakolo, added even more weight to her allegations. A day after the protests, the Fatoyinbo was forced to step down.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxoDvpBsc5/
Nigerian women have had a lot to protest lately. In May, there were significant protests after mass arrests of women in clubs and bars at night for alleged prostitution in Abuja, the federal capital city. It’s worth noting none of the men who were apparently being solicited shared the same fate. Soon after their release some of the women shared grim stories of rape and extortion at the hands of the police. The police promised an investigation but not before the assistant superintendent of Police in an interview justified the mass arrests because women “are not supposed to be hanging around outside clubs.”
In the national elections held between March and April, only 3% of candidates—31 out of 938—for National Assembly in the two major parties APC and PDP were women, and only six won, leading to the lowest tally in the country’s democratic history. Women who ran unsuccessfully for office shared harrowing experiences of intimidation and violence at the hand of their party officials forcing them to step down and give up their political ambitions.
Beyond these recent happenings, Nigeria’s statistics on women’s well-being don’t make for pleasant reading. Up to19% of Nigerian girls have already started childbearing by the age of 15. By the age of 19, the number rises to 37%. Nigeria’s adolescent fertility rate in Nigeria is 120 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 years. In its last jobs report of 2018, the National Bureau of Statistics showed that 26.6% of women – compared to 20.3% of men – able and willing to work are unemployed, which marks a 5.4% year-on-year increase from what it was in 2017.
Class, ethnicity and religion add nuance to the experience of being a woman and dictate the level of privilege and freedom women may have in her society. Although not everyone faces all the challenges in the same way, young middle and upper-middle class Nigerians on social media with higher than average levels of educational attainment and economic opportunity are raising questions about whether traditional roles and expectations are still fit for purpose.
For this reason, issues concerning women’s roles in society and in marriages generates plenty of engagement, and often highlights the gulf between older and younger women’s perspectives and expectations.
Additionally, the global #MeToo movement and other stories of sexual violence and discrimination elsewhere resonate powerfully in Nigeria, creating opportunity for both allyship and opposition, virtue signaling and mutual accountability.
These recent protests by Nigerian women are very much in line with recent happenings where social media is being used as a tool for organic mobilization offline. Recent examples of this include #ArewaMeToo which triggered difficult conversations on women’s rights in northern Nigeria, the #EndSARS advocacy against police brutality on young people; and #NotTooYoungToRun, which culminated in the National Assembly passing a law reducing the age at which one can run for some political offices.
Social media is not always a good predictor of a people’s pulse on various topics in Nigeria, but it does provide a platform for people who hold iconoclastic political views to find themselves, share ideas, and act.
Ingrained culture
The federal capital city’s government has carried out arrests of women like these before, and will likely wait until things have died down before trying them again. COZA showed its strength by paying influencers to speak positively of the pastor. It’s also widely believed the church arranged for the Nigerian Army and DSS officials who intimidated the protesters.
Sunday’s protests, though, also remind us of the ingrained culture and social attitudes that Nigerian women face when they rise up to complain. The women who protested at the COZA rape allegations and at the mass arrests of women in Abuja have faced insults and intimidation. Some Nigerian newspapers who wrote about the mass arrests tagged women who shared their experiences during the civil society press conference as “prostitutes” even though these women never disclosed their occupation.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in its statement decried rape but stopped just short of criticizing the pastor. None of the few women in the National Assembly or wives of governors have yet made a statement on either of these recent protests.
And yet, a relatively small number of people used social media to mobilize against an institution as large and powerful as a popular Pentecostal church and caused it to respond to its demands. Social media is influential but far from indicative of the larger country, and maybe it does not have to be to be the only force for dramatic change.
Perhaps dramatic change in Nigerian society overnight is not the point. Whatever progress has been made, it is clear Nigerian society will not change overnight.
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Allan’s Amblings
Gerry Chidiac
Bob Zimmer
Spruce Kings
Brink, Archibald to receive UNBC honourary degrees
by admin|Published March 28, 2019
Brink Forest Products CEO John Brink
John Brink, a forestry industry pioneer and philanthropist from Prince George, and Dr. Jo-ann Archibald, an Indigenous educator, researcher and scholar from the Stó:lō and St’at’imc First Nations, are slated to receive honorary Doctor of Laws degrees during the 2019 convocation at the University of Northern British Columbia’s Prince George campus on May 31.
“It’s an amazing honour, I’m obviously humbled by the recognition,” said Brink. “To be considered at all is already quite an honour.”
Brink is the Chief Executive Officer of Brink Forest Products, the largest secondary wood manufacturing company in Canada and 13th largest forest company in B.C. He established the business in 1975 after immigrating to Prince George from Holland a decade earlier with a dream to build his own sawmill.
To be given an honourary degree by UNBC is kind of like coming full circle, given that Brink was among many in the city who lobbied the then-Social Credit government, endlessly, for a free-standing university in British Columbia.
At the the time, he was president of the Prince George North Constituency Association and lobbying MLAs, such as Bruce Strachan, was part of an ongoing effort to get, what would eventually become UNBC, approved.
Brink started his business in 1975 with a lumber re-manufacturing and finger-jointing plant; both of which he built from scratch.
Finger-jointing had never been done in Canada prior to this, allowing Brink to establish himself as an industry pioneer. His original vision continues to guide the company today and the business plan of 1975 accounts for the aggressive growth strategy that he has currently embarked on over the past 44 years.
As an industry leader, Brink is the longest-serving director of the Council of Forest Industries, which represents the B.C. forest industry. Brink is the founding chair of the Wood Works initiative, helping promote the use of wood structures across British Columbia and North America. In addition, he is the founding president of the B.C. Council of Value-Added Wood Processors, which had eight associations across B.C. and boasted 800 members. He has been involved in all five of Canada’s softwood lumber agreements with the U.S., representing the secondary re-manufacturing industry. He is the longest sitting member of the Council of Forest Industries board.
“Arriving in Canada in 1965 at the age of 24, I had a dream of building a sawmill,” he said. “I had one suitcase, the clothing on my back and $25.47 in my pocket. Most importantly, I had a dream I would never give up on. With a positive attitude, relentless passion and undying work ethic, I pushed hard towards my dream and succeeded. Today, nearly 55 years later, I see these exact same characteristics driving UNBC’s vision of becoming Canada’s leading destination university.
“I’m proud of everything UNBC has accomplished since its inception, helping strengthen our community, region, province and nation. UNBC’s unparalleled achievements over the years symbolizes my own motto of “never giving up” and fighting against all odds.”
In 2002, thanks to a partnership between Brink and the College of New Caledonia to train tradespeople in northern B.C., the John A. Brink Trades and Technology Centre officially opened at CNC. The building houses the college’s automotive shop, electrical and woodworking programs, and it facilitated an expansion of the millwright, machinist and welding programs.
In addition to a successful business acumen, Brink is also a philanthropist, supporting hundreds of charities and non-profit organizations in Prince George and around the world. He is also well-known for advocating animal welfare, supporting the SPCA and the Prince George Humane Society.
The honourary degree is particularly rewarding for Brink, given that his career path didn’t take the academic route.
“I skipped a few steps,” he said, with a laugh.
He trained as a furniture maker, adding he loves to work with his hands.
Brink will receive his honorary degree at the College of Science and Management ceremony on May 31 at 2:30 p.m.
Dr. Jo-ann Archibald
Dr. Archibald, Q’um Q’um Xiiem is a Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia. At UBC, she was the former Director of the First Nations House of Learning, Associate Dean for Indigenous Education, and the Director of UBC’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP).
“I feel very honoured and humbled about receiving this honorary degree from the University of Northern British Columbia,” says Dr. Archibald. “First, I would like to thank those who nominated me for this prestigious award. Over the years, I have worked with various UNBC colleagues on Indigenous education matters. I was always impressed with the university commitment to Indigenous peoples and their communities. At the same time, I admired and valued the expertise, scholarship, and work of the faculty, staff, and students. This honorary degree makes me feel like a very proud extended family member of UNBC.”
Over a 45-year educational career, Dr. Archibald has been a school teacher, curriculum developer, researcher, university leader and professor. Her scholarship relates to Indigenous knowledge systems, storywork/oral tradition, transformative education at all levels, Indigenous educational history, teacher and graduate education, and Indigenous methodologies.
Dr. Archibald received a Bachelor of Education degree from UBC, a Master of Education degree and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Simon Fraser University.
She has authored numerous publications related to Indigenous education. Dr. Archibald’s book Indigenous Storywork: Educating the Heart, Mind, Body, and Spirit published in 2008 by UBC Press continues to be used by students, academics and teachers. It focuses on the role of Indigenous stories and storytelling for holistic learning, teaching and research.
In 2018, Q’um Q’um Xiiem was appointed to the Officer of the Order of Canada for her lifelong contributions to advancing Indigenous education in Kindergarten to Grade 12 and post-secondary education through policy, programs, curricula, and research.
Dr. Archibald will receive her honorary degree at the College of Arts, Social and Health Sciences ceremony on May 31 at 9:30 a.m.
In addition to the ceremonies in Prince George, UNBC is scheduled to hold Regional Celebrations in Gitwinksihlkw on June 3, Terrace on June 4, Quesnel on June 6 and Fort St. John on June 7.
LUMBER (WSPF-2X4) – $392 -2.5%
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PLYWOOD – $500 +2.0%
Canadian Dollar – $.76531 (USD)
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Presenting the 2016 PAS Photo Contest Results This photo contest was held as a fun event to increase the awareness of the presence of PAS and to encourage appreciation of the environment, wildlife, nature, conservation, ecosystem, and sustainability. The contest provided an opportunity to use photographic skills to capture experiences and impressions of nature and present them in an artistic interpretation that can be appreciated by all! Hopefully, it also served to inform the public of the possibilities available for becoming actively involved in preserving the wonders of nature. This year the contest was open to all amateur photographers with no regional limitations. The three categories included Birds, Other Wildlife, and Other Nature. A maximum of five entries were allowed to be submitted per participant. Photos were judged on technical merit, composition, creativity, and visual impact. Awards and prizes of $60 and $40 were presented to the first and second place winners, respectively, in each of the three categories. Summary of the 2016 Photo Contest A total of 20 participants submitted 82 entries from a variety of locations including Yellowstone, Potlatch, Lewiston, Clarkston, Viola, Moscow, Troy, Pullman, California, Indiana, Florida, Texas, Oregon, Illinois, Montana, Kenya, and Tanzania. The entries included 55 Bird, 12 Other Wildlife, and 15 Other Nature photos. Winning photos were selected by our panel of three judges. Awards will be announced and presented at the October 19 program meeting.
1st Place-Birds-Charles Wheeler-E Kingbird
2nd Place-Birds-N. LaDuke-California Quail
1st Place-Nature-Jane Finan-Textures
Second Place Other Nature: Jane Finan "Sunrise Paddle"
First Place Other Wildlife: Charles Wheeler "Mink" Best of Show
Second Place Other Wildlife: Faith Price "Fantastic Mr. Fox"
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Home > Energy Investing > Energy Stocks > An LED Lighting Investment Opportunity
An LED Lighting Investment Opportunity
Three years ago, LED lighting finally got cheap enough to adopt. At least by my standards.
I swapped out every lightbulb in all the buildings on our Pennsylvania farm. It cost me just over $2,000 to do it.
Sounds like a lot, I know. But it was worth it.
My family and I are enjoying average annual savings of $840 on our electric bill. We still can’t believe how much we save every month.
The demand for LED lighting is rapidly increasing. So much so that I’d say the LED tipping point has arrived.
Let There Be (LED) Light
High-volume manufacturing is underway (some of it is even here in the U.S.). And prices are dropping through the floor.
On average, commercial LED lighting retrofits save owners 60% or more versus conventional lighting.
There are still some skeptics out there. Some believe investing in LEDs is a limited profit opportunity, at best.
The thinking behind this is that given how long LEDs can last (up to 25,000 hours), the replacement business is virtually nonexistent. At least for 10 years or so.
But here’s the key: The conversion opportunity for older incandescent, fluorescent and other low-efficiency lighting is still $500 billion.
Plus, there are other benefits to LED lighting, especially in commercial and industrial applications. LEDs are, on average, six times brighter than older forms of lighting.
Last year, Washington, D.C., decided to spend $50 million to convert all of its Metro subway stations to LED lighting.
So far, 15 stations have made the switch, with the remaining ones not far behind. This lighting change also correlates with the lowest Metro crime rate in 19 years.
Additionally, highway authorities are embracing LEDs in a big way by upgrading freeway lighting.
Prior to switching to LEDs, Detroit saw only 70% of its highway lighting working. Now 99% of it works.
Lighting the Way
As an investor, you have several choices when it comes to profiting from the LED lighting wave. But one company stands above the rest.
I’m talking about Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI). It has one of the largest portfolios of lighting brands in the world.
Sales have grown from $2.4 billion in 2014 to $3.7 billion last year. It has 19 manufacturing locations and 13,000 employees.
Ninety-seven percent of its business comes from North American customers. Eighty-five percent of its business is nonresidential, and 50% is new construction.
With more than 2 million SKUs, Acuity has a lighting solution for just about any application.
In addition to individual bulbs, Acuity sells integrated lighting solutions and entire building energy systems. Future platform services include software analytics focused on energy efficiency.
Acuity Brands is quietly disrupting the lighting sector. And I believe it will reward shareholders in the process.
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Live+3 Weekly Ratings: ‘Code Black’ CBS Finale Tops All Scripted Telecasts in Viewer Gains
by Douglas Pucci July 28, 2018, 9:00 am Comments are off
What follows are the Live + Three Day rating results for the broadcast network programs for the week of July 16, 2018 [weekly ranking in respective data category noted in brackets]:
America’s Got Talent (NBC, Tue. 7/17/18)
• Adults 18-49: +0.58 [#1] / +28% [#24] (Live+SD: 2.08; Live+3: 2.67)
• Viewers: +2.257M [#2] / +19.92% [#25] (Live+SD: 11.333M; Live+3: 13.590M)
The Bachelorette (ABC, Mon. 7/16/18)
• Viewers: +1.173M [#6] / +18.55% [#29] (Live+SD: 6.322M; Live+3: 7.495M)
Big Brother-Sunday (CBS, Sun. 7/22/18)
Big Brother-Wednesday (CBS, Wed. 7/18/18)
Big Brother-Thursday (CBS, Thu. 7/19/18)
World of Dance (NBC, Tue. 7/17/18)
Code Black (CBS, Wed. 7/18/18)
• Adults 18-49: +0.36 [#7] / +50% [#5] (Live+SD: 0.72; Live+3: 1.08)
• Viewers: +2.378M [#1] / +44.27% [#5] (Live+SD: 5.372M; Live+3: 7.750M)
MasterChef (FOX, Wed. 7/18/18)
• Viewers: +1.085M [#10] / +30.07% [#9] (Live+SD: 3.608M; Live+3: 4.693M)
Shades of Blue (NBC, Sun. 7/22/18)
Elementary (CBS, Mon. 7/16/18)
• Adults 18-49: +0.30 [#10] / +79% [#3] (Live+SD: 0.38; Live+3: 0.68)
24 Hours To Hell & Back (FOX, Wed. 7/18/18)
• Adults 18-49: +0.28 [#11] / +27% [#25] (Live+SD: 1.02; Live+3: 1.30)
• Viewers: +0.787M [#13] / +24.21% [#16] (Live+SD: 3.251M; Live+3: 4.038M)
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX, Mon. 7/16/18)
The 100 (CW, Tue. 7/17/18)
The Originals (CW, Wed. 7/18/18)
Quantico (ABC, Fri. 7/20/18)
Dateline NBC-Monday (NBC, Mon. 7/16/18)
Trial & Error 9:00 (P) (NBC, Thu. 7/19/18)
Celebrity Family Feud (ABC, Sun. 7/22/18)
• Viewers: +0.562M [#19] / +9.24% [#41] (Live+SD: 6.081M; Live+3: 6.643M)
American Ninja Warrior (NBC, Mon. 7/16/18)
TKO: Total Knock Out (CBS, Wed. 7/18/18)
Take Two (ABC, Thu. 7/19/18)
The Four (FOX, Thu. 7/19/18)
Ghosted (FOX, Sun. 7/22/18)
The Proposal (ABC, Mon. 7/16/18)
The Last Defense (ABC, Tue. 7/17/18)
20/20-Friday (ABC, Fri. 7/20/18)
Reverie (NBC, Wed. 7/18/18)
Match Game (ABC, Thu. 7/19/18)
Salvation (CBS, Mon. 7/16/18)
What Would You Do? (ABC, Fri. 7/20/18)
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (CW, Mon. 7/16/18)
Me, Myself & I 8:00 (S) (CBS, Sat. 7/21/18)
Living Biblically (S) (CBS, Sat. 7/21/18)
To Tell The Truth (ABC, Sun. 7/22/18)
• Adults 18-49: +0.07 [#33] / +9% [#44] (Live+SD: 0.77; Live+3: 0.85)
The $100,000 Pyramid (ABC, Sun. 7/22/18)
The Outpost (CW, Tue. 7/17/18)
ESPY Awards (S) (ABC, Wed. 7/18/18)
Dateline Mystery (NBC, Sat. 7/21/18)
Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, Mon. 7/16/18)
The Gong Show (ABC, Thu. 7/19/18)
Whistleblower (CBS, Fri. 7/20/18)
Fox MLB All-Star Game (S) (FOX, Tue. 7/17/18)
One Strange Rock (FOX, Sun. 7/22/18)
Girl Got Game (S) (CW, Wed. 7/18/18)
• Adults 18-49: +0.00 [#82] / 0% [#88] (Live+SD: 0.13; Live+3: 0.13)
Masters of Illusion (CW, Fri. 7/20/18)
Fox Saturday Baseball (C) (FOX, Sat. 7/21/18)
Select programs on cable in Live+3 Day
American Chopper (DISC, Mon., 7/16/18 10:00 PM)
• Live+Same Day: 1.151 million viewers / 0.473 million adults 18-49 (0.37 adults 18-49 rating)
• Live+3 Day: 1.443 million viewers (+0.292M; +25.37%) / 0.621 million adults 18-49 (0.48 adults 18-49 rating) (+0.148M; +0.11 rating; +31.29%)
American Woman (PAR, Thu., 7/19/18 10:01 PM)
• Live+3 Day: 0.764 million viewers (+0.417M; +120.17%) / 0.317 million adults 18-49 (0.25 adults 18-49 rating) (+0.167M; +0.13 rating; +111.33%)
Animal Kingdom (TNT, Tue., 7/17/18 9:00 PM)
Basketball Wives (VH1, Mon., 7/16/18 9:00 PM)
Below Deck Mediterranean (BRAVO, Tue., 7/17/18 9:00 PM)
Bobcat Misfits & Monsters (TRU, Wed., 7/18/18 10:00 PM)
Claws (TNT, Sun., 7/22/18 9:00 PM)
Colony (USA, Wed., 7/18/18 10:01 PM)
Detroiters (CMDY, Thu., 7/19/18 10:30 PM)
Dietland (AMC, Mon., 7/16/18 9:00 PM)
Double Dare (NICK, Mon., 7/16/18 8:00 PM)
Double Dare (NICK, Tue., 7/17/18 8:00 PM)
Double Dare (NICK, Wed., 7/18/18 8:00 PM)
Double Dare (NICK, Thu., 7/19/18 8:00 PM)
• Live+3 Day: 1.194 million viewers (+0.117M; +10.86%) / 0.331 million adults 18-49 (0.26 adults 18-49 rating) (+0.029M; +0.02 rating; +9.60%)
Dragon Ball Super (ADSM, Sat., 7/21/18 10:30 PM)
Drunk History (CMDY, Tue., 7/17/18 10:00 PM)
• Live+3 Day: 0.769 million viewers (+0.350M; +83.53%) / 0.525 million adults 18-49 (0.41 adults 18-49 rating) (+0.263M; +0.20 rating; +100.38%)
Floribama Shore (MTV, Mon., 7/16/18 10:01 PM)
Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce (BRAVO, Thu., 7/19/18 10:00 PM)
Hit The Floor (BET, Tue., 7/17/18 10:00 PM)
Impact Wrestling (POP, Thu., 7/19/18 8:00 PM)
• Live+3 Day: 0.298 million viewers (+0.023M; +8.36%) / 0.089 million adults 18-49 (0.07 adults 18-49 rating) (+0.014M; +0.01 rating; +18.67%)
Killjoys [P] (SYFY, Fri., 7/20/18 10:00 PM)
Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta (VH1, Mon., 7/16/18 8:00 PM)
Love Is (OWN, Tue., 7/17/18 10:00 PM)
Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger (Freeform, Thu., 7/19/18 8:00 PM)
Nashville (CMT, Thu., 7/19/18 9:00 PM)
Our Cartoon President (SHO, Sun., 7/22/18 10:30 PM)
Outcast [P] (MAX, Fri., 7/20/18 10:00 PM)
Pose [F] (FX, Sun., 7/22/18 9:00 PM)
Power (Starz, Sun., 7/22/18 8:01 PM)
Preacher (AMC, Sun., 7/22/18 10:00 PM)
Queen of the South (USA, Thu., 7/19/18 9:00 PM)
Queen Sugar (OWN, Wed., 7/18/18 10:00 PM)
Real Housewives of NYC (BRAVO, Wed., 7/18/18 9:00 PM)
Real Housewives of Orange County (BRAVO, Mon., 7/16/18 9:00 PM)
Real Housewives of Potomac (BRAVO, Sun., 7/22/18 8:00 PM)
Sharp Objects (HBO, Sun., 7/22/18 9:03 PM)
Shooter (USA, Thu., 7/19/18 10:01 PM)
Six (HIST, Wed., 7/18/18 10:00 PM)
Snowfall [P] (FX, Thu., 7/19/18 10:00 PM)
Southern Charm (BRAVO, Thu., 7/19/18 9:00 PM)
Street Outlaws (DISC, Mon., 7/16/18 9:00 PM)
Succession (HBO, Sun., 7/22/18 10:02 PM)
Suits [P] (USA, Wed., 7/18/18 9:00 PM)
Teachers (TVL, Tue., 7/17/18 10:36 PM)
Teen Mom II (MTV, Mon., 7/16/18 9:00 PM)
The Affair (SHO, Sun., 7/22/18 9:03 PM)
The Bold Type (Freeform, Tue., 7/17/18 8:00 PM)
The Challenge: Final Reckoning (MTV, Tue., 7/17/18 9:00 PM)
The Haves and the Have Nots (OWN, Tue., 7/17/18 9:00 PM)
The Paynes [P] (OWN, Fri., 7/20/18 9:00 PM)
Who Is America? (SHO, Sun., 7/22/18 10:00 PM)
WWE Raw (USA, Mon., 7/16/18 8:00 PM)
WWE Raw (USA, Mon., 7/16/18 10:00 PM)
WWE Smackdown (USA, Tue., 7/17/18 8:00 PM)
Wynonna Earp [P] (SYFY, Fri., 7/20/18 8:59 PM)
X Company [F] (Ovation, Mon., 7/16/18 10:00 PM)
Yellowstone (PAR, Wed., 7/18/18 10:00 PM)
Young & Hungry (Freeform, Wed., 7/18/18 8:00 PM)
Younger (TVL, Tue., 7/17/18 10:00 PM)
Source: Live+Same Day and Live+Three Day data, Nielsen Media Research
Tagged with: Code Black
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Summer 2018 Live+3 Season Ratings: ‘Code Black’ Leads All Broadcast Network Telecasts in Raw Viewer Gains
by Douglas Pucci October 1, 2018 Comments are off
Summer 2018 Live+Same Day Ratings: ‘America’s Got Talent’ Tops in Viewers for Fifth Consecutive Year, Twelfth of Last 13 Summers
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Sigma Delta Pi
Speaking Spanish is the key to unlocking the cultures, traditions, and experiences of 20 different countries throughout the world. From the medieval knights and Don Quixote through the modern novels by prize-winning authors and the world of film, the Spanish faculty at the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures guides students of Spanish into the unexpected territories of Europe and Latin America, territories that are as rich geographically as they are culturally.
Students who major and minor in Spanish graduate with top-notch communication skills. Our students speak Spanish and they speak culture, which are valuable professional skills today. The exponential growth of the Spanish-speaking population in the United States, the constant presence of Latin America at the top of America's political and business agenda, and the continued lure of Spain as a gateway to Europe and parts of Africa makes speaking Spanish and the ability to interpret the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries two of the most profitable and enjoyable skills that one can acquire.
With our faculty's wide-ranging expertise, graduate students have opportunities to specialize in many areas of Latin American and Iberian cultures. We offer a broad range of study from medieval through contemporary, with opportunities to concentrate in a variety of different areas that reflect the areas of expertise of our faculty, including migrations and communities; popular literacy and cultural memory; early modern and modern cultural production; the intersections of literature, art, and the sciences; modernities and postmodernities; visual cultures and performance; and linguistics and language learning.
major & minor requirements
Spanish major & minor course requirements, honors options, and more
Undergraduate Degree Details
Studying Spanish
Worlds of Culture
A Spanish major or minor is a path to an adventurous world of culture and knowledge. Spanish is spoken by nearly 500 million people in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and offers a diverse tradition of literature, culture, and cinema that constitutes the core of our program. Studying Spanish at Washington University includes interdisciplinary research and cross-cultural conversations, where the work of our renowned faculty translates into exciting conversations and classroom opportunities. Our students to explore topics as diverse as the adventures of Don Quixote and Mexican romantic comedies, from the words inscribed in XIXth century independence armies to the virtual words of science-fictional worlds. Students graduate having developed not only strong language skills, but also significant cultural and affective ties to the Hispanic world.
An Education for the Real World
Spanish is one of the most important skills in today’s job market. The exponential growth of the Spanish-speaking population in the United States (1 in 6 people in the 2010 census and expected to grow to 1 in 4 by 2025) has turned Spanish into an essential component of professional life. Medical schools, social work programs, and other programs aimed at helping people look for Spanish speakers to be able to reach our growing Hispanic population. Law firms and accounting services look to the increased patronage of Latino customers in issues such as immigration and taxation. Policy schools recruit Spanish speakers not only to address the growing needs of the US Hispanic population, but also to engage the many countries of origin of the immigrants. Our Spanish major offers students not only the possibility to acquire the language at a very advanced level, but also the tools for achieving the cultural fluency required by employers and graduate programs today.
From Proficiency to Culture
The Spanish language program at Washington University is based on one of the most cutting-edge learning systems in the country and students are able to learn the language in a pace 30 to 40 percent faster than in peer institutions. Our Spanish language program, from the basic sequence to the advanced linguistics courses, is an unparalleled opportunity for students to learn the language regardless of their previous experience. But our expertise does not end there. We believe in teaching Spanish in a culturally meaningful way, where the acquisition of the language is seamlessly integrated with the development of a deep understanding of the cultures of Latin America and Spain, both in the classroom and through our study-abroad programs.
What can you do with a Spanish major? Explore what our alums are doing now, and Career Center resources available to help you.
Graduate Programs in Hispanic Studies
Our faculty members pursue cutting-edge research and enjoy high visibility in the field. We are known, too, for our award-winning journal, the Revista de Estudios Hispánicos, published here at Washington University.
Our program offers a thorough and well-rounded education as well as meticulous professional preparation. Our students benefit from generous financial support (six years, with the first and last years on fellowship), plus opportunities for additional summer funding. Annual travel stipends allow our students to attend conferences and deliver papers.
Our faculty members are committed mentors who work closely with students as they develop their own research agendas and hone their teaching skills. In addition to their coursework in Hispanic Studies, graduate students may earn one of a number of graduate certificates, all of which complement their study in Hispanic Studies and help them on the job market.
Our students mark their success in a number of ways: through prestigious fellowships that allow them to pursue their research elsewhere, publishing and conference participation, becoming distinguished teachers, and through job placement. While most of our PhDs in Hispanic secure tenure-track faculty positions, others have been awarded highly selective postdoctoral fellowships or taken a range of university-related appointments.
Explore our Graduate Program
We encourage all students studying a foreign language to study abroad during their academic careers. Washington University offers multiple opportunities to study abroad and experience new cultures, including programs from our department in Madrid and Santiago, Chile.
Study Abroad Details
Sigma Delta Pi is the only honor society devoted exclusively to students of Spanish in four-year colleges and universities. It offers a growing scholarship program exclusively for its active members, with annual undergraduate awards for summer study in Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The chapter will also nominate one student per year for the Gabriela Mistral Award, a signal honor for an especially outstanding student.
Sigma Delta Pi Details
We are here to support your journey. Explore all of the department's resources for undergraduates.
become part of WashU
Overseas Programs
embark on your international journey
Placement Exams
for French, Italian, and Spanish
search more resources
Romance Languages & Literatures Resources
College of Arts & Sciences Resources
Sherman Eoff Prize for Excellence in the Undergraduate Program in Spanish
This prize is awarded to outstanding undergraduate students in Spanish in honor of Sherman Eoff. Sherman Eoff was a professor of Spanish at Washington University for his entire career, until he retired in 1968. He was interested in philosophy, literature, and comparative literature, and he was known for his clear style of writing.
Eva Sichel Memorial Essay Prize in Spanish Literature
This prize is to be awarded once a year to graduate students in Spanish and was established by former graduate student in Spanish--and now professor at Ohio State--Rebecca Haidt, in honor of her great-aunt, Eva Sichel.
Ms. Sichel was born in Russia and emigrated to the United States in the early 1900’s and died at age 96. Professor Haidt was very close to her great-aunt and felt this prize would be a wonderful way to honor her memory.
Helen Fe Jones Award
This prize, for outstanding instruction of Spanish, was created in memory of Helen Fe Jones, the mother-in-law of professor Elion Dezon Jones. For years Helen Fe Jones volunteered with community organizations who worked with Latino families, and she also attended many different Spanish language and cultures courses.
Zelson Award
This award was established in honor of Louis G. Zelson, a long-time professor of Spanish at the former Harris Teachers' College (now Harris-Stowe State University). Mrs. Ida Zelson, Louis Zelson's wife, established the gift in 1960, following the death of her husband. Her wish was to award an annual prize to a student of Spanish in their junior year who exhibits excellence in the Spanish curriculum.
Markovitz Travel Prize
The Markovitz Travel Prize was set up by the family of Rose Markovitz as a tribute to her memory and to her love of travel. This award is recognition of the students’ achievements in French/Spanish courses and is a tribute to the interest and intellectual curiosity the winners have demonstrated in French/Spanish culture.
Contact Us for Additional Award Details
Community Outreach Opportunities
Latino Youth Tutoring/Mentoring Programs
The Niños/Cambrios/Puertos programs for Students of Spanish with Intermediate level (Sp 201 or Sp 301) or Advanced/Intermediate level (Sp 307 or higher) offer an opportunity for students who would like to serve the young Latino community in St. Louis while practicing their Spanish skills. All of the Latino Youth Tutoring/Mentoring Programs work with the ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program of the St. Louis Public Schools system. The Latino students that we serve are from South St. Louis, where you find the biggest concentration of the Hispanic population in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.
Niños/Cambios/Puertos Program Details
Casa de Salud
The mission of Casa de Salud is to facilitate and deliver high quality clinical and mental health services for uninsured and underinsured patients, focusing on new immigrants and refugees who encounter barriers to accessing other sources of care. Students interested in volunteering at Casa de Salud will require a high level of advanced Spanish, and/or completion of one of the Medical Spanish classes. For more details contact Virginia Braxs.
Reach out to us for additional questions or assistance.
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Edward C. Meyer, Jr.
Ed has spent over five decades in group insurance, specifically with collegiate alumni associations since 1970. The first 13 years were with Prudential, and in his last assignment he directed Prudential’s national association marketing operation.
Ed received a B.A. from Muhlenberg College and attended the University of Michigan Law School. He continues to be heavily involved in alumni activities at his own alma mater, having served on the governing board of his alumni association.
Barbara G. Meyer
Vice President and Treasurer
Barbara has been a key player at Meyer and Associates since its founding and is familiar with all aspects of our operations. She has been instrumental in the long-range development of our company, and oversees Administration and Customer Service. Barbara personally handles all life insurance claims. She is also the company Treasurer.
Barbara received a B.A. from Radcliffe College. As a recent recipient of the Harvard Alumni Association Award recognizing decades of service, Barbara has chaired several reunions and committees, been an alumni interviewer since 1977, and is a current member of the Harvard College Fund committee.
Ann Meyer Abdi
In addition to having overall P& L responsibility for the business, Ann oversees both Administration and Sales and Marketing at Meyer and Associates, including strategic planning and key partnerships and prospects.
With experience in management consulting, insurance, marketing, and technology, Ann has worked with Fortune 500 companies and VC-backed start-ups on operations reengineering, customer service and retention, employee benefits, brand management, and new-product development. Ann has been at Meyer and Associates since 2003.
Ann holds a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and has been active in her alumni associations as an admissions interviewer and a communications committee member.
Angie Mann, FLMI
Director, Administration
Angie leads the Customer Service team, providing education, information and support to prospective and existing insurance customers. She also oversees compliance and administration.
Angie brings over three decades of insurance experience in a variety of roles, including many years with Prudential where she held numerous positions, including those in information systems, human resources, underwriting, corporate services, and business continuation planning, among others. Angie holds a Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) professional designation.
Angie received her BS from Duke University. She has been with Meyer and Associates since 2003.
Marc Lanzkowsky
Director, TPA Administration
Marc initially worked as an attorney, and then segued from claims litigation to claims management early in his career. He worked for major national insurance companies, where he designed and built claims management systems, migrated to paperless claims processing, re-engineered workflows, established metrics, oversaw compliance, and managed large departments. Marc’s current responsibilities include IT management for M&A and IT coordination with insurance carriers, reporting and analysis, and process engineering. Marc has his BA from NYU and JD from Pace University. He joined M&A in 2016.
Barbara Clossey
Manager, Client Relations
Barb coordinates all P&C solicitations including timing, approvals, logos, signatures, and editing. She also interfaces with insurance company partners to ensure the program is properly executed.
In addition to having an extensive background in various lines of insurance, the industry in which she has worked for over three decades. Barb also has extensive experience in recruiting international students to attend United States colleges and universities. Barb has a BA from the College of Saint Elizabeth and has been with Meyer and Associates since 2004.
Cheryl Opell
Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing
In addition to her client-management role, Cheryl participates in new-product development, marketing strategy, and campaign design. She works with insurance companies and other partners on strategic marketing, communication plans, and marketing compliance.
Cheryl has a BA from Lafayette College and an MBA from Georgetown University, and has two decades of experience in marketing, accounting, and finance. She has been with Meyer and Associates since 2003.
Monica Perkowski
Business Development and Client Relations
Monica has responsibility for business development and client relations for alumni insurance programs.
Monica’s most recent position was in global marketing, where she focused on several industries, including insurance. In prior roles, she has handled communications (including advertising and direct mail), client relations, and sales, among other things.
An alumna of The College of New Jersey, Monica also has her MBA from NYU/Stern. She joined Meyer and Associates in 2017.
Jen Twersky
Jen manages our direct mail and email solicitations, digital strategy, and handles reporting and analysis.
Prior to joining our team in 2017, Jen worked in account management. She has spent her career in agencies in the direct-mail world, where her responsibilities included forecasting, budgeting, reporting, list management, and, more recently, developing strategies and integrating direct mail with digital marketing.
Jen has a BA in Economics from Rutgers University.
Neil Westgate
Manager, Customer Service
Neil joined M&A in 2018 bringing with him over 20 years of experience in the life insurance industry. He has an extensive background in providing outstanding customer service to both external and internal customers. He has wide-ranging knowledge and experience in many facets of the life insurance industry, including, but not limited to, new business, underwriting, compliance, suitability review and post issue processing. He received his BA in English Literature from Wagner College.
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/ Modified nov 17, 2017 12:24 p.m.
Southside Presbyterian, Birthplace of Sanctuary Movement, Honors Former Pastor
50th anniversary of John Fife's ordination will be celebrated with a fundraiser to fix "worn out" facilities.
by Nick O'Gara TWEET SHARE
Retired Rev. John Fife, Nov. 16, 2017.
Kurt Ijams for AZPM
Tucson’s Southside Presbyterian Church is famous as the birthplace of the Sanctuary Movement in the 80s. This weekend, it’s honoring its former pastor, Rev. John Fife.
An event on Saturday is part of a larger campaign started in April to raise $1.9 million to repair and upgrade facilities at the church, which Fife says are "worn out" from around 100 years of ministry on Tucson's south side.
"This place desperately needs the facilities for the ministry we do to this community and to the poor.”
Fife is now retired, but he is known as one of the founders of the Sanctuary Movement, which provided support and assistance to Central American refugees, allowing undocumented immigrants to live in the church to avoid deportation. Participation in the Sanctuary Movement earned him and others felony convictions.
In the 1980s, the group extended support for undocumented immigrants from countries like El Salvador and Guatemala the U.S. government did not consider refugees, though members of the movement said they were fleeing violence and death squads in their home countries, Fife told Arizona Public Media in 2012.
Southside Presbyterian Church
Fifty years after his ordination, Fife says the country is still grappling with a difficult history, which he says, in many ways, is repeating. Some things about Southside’s border ministry haven’t changed, including protecting refugees, especially children.
“Here we are again. ... Our responsibility as people of faith, here on a border, is to learn from that history and to protect the victims as much as we can.”
The church is raising money for projects including a new kitchen and more classroom space. The event is Saturday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. at Southside Presbyterian, 317 W. 23rd Street, and features a book signing, an auction and music.
MORE: Immigration, News, Religion, Tucson
Sanctuary city initiative organizer on the movement's goals 'Sanctuary' Play Revisits Tucson History Deportation of Man With Son Fighting Cancer Gets Postponed
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Hillary Clinton reaffirms U.S. commitment to continue stirring conflicts in Africa and the Middle East
By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | JANUARY 24, 2013
As major conflicts in the Middle East wane down, the United States prepares itself to ramp up wars and conflict in other regions of the world. In fact, history shows that U.S. interventionism has been a potpourri of attempts to destabilize governments by activating proxy terrorist groups that do the dirty work on behalf of Washington.
If Hillary Clinton’s words were to mirror what is coming in the next few months and years, the world will see a continuation of the current foreign policy, which in addition to military attacks, is also composed by financial and economic warfare.
In her latest relevant appearance as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton warned Congress on Wednesday that the United States will have to fight Al Qaeda in North Africa and the instability and insecurity caused by revolutions in several Arab countries, which the U.S. itself helped instigate. In her opinion, the U.S. government will be forced to become directly involved in preventing the spread of terrorism in the region. Clinton forgot to say that most if not all acts of terrorism are either carried out by U.S. special forces and members of the intelligence community or executed by terrorist groups armed and financed by the United States government.
“The terrorist attacks in Benghazi on September 11, 2012, which killed four brave Americans, are part of a broader strategic challenge for the United States and our allies in North Africa,” Clinton told the Foreign Affairs Committee Senate investigating those events. No one in the Committee questioned Clinton about the role of U.S. special forces or other groups in the conflict and neither did any congressman asked about why U.S. forces were ordered to stand down, even though they were close enough to intervene during the attack on the U.S. office in Benghazi.
Clinton has taken personal responsibility for any errors that may have been made to prevent the death of Americans in Libya, but said it is not a single event, attributable to the lack of security measures at the consulate in Benghazi, but a broader offensive to which the U.S. is obliged to respond with urgency. “Which means,” she said, “to intensify our efforts to combat terrorism and to find ways to support the emerging democracy in North Africa and elsewhere.”
“We face,” she recalled, “a menacing environment rapidly changing, and we must work to increase the pressure on al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other terrorist groups in the region. We’ve decimated al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but its members have dispersed to other countries,” she added. As it has been reported by the media, U.S. sponsored al Qaeda-affiliated groups arrived in Libya and Syria as part of an international contingent of terrorists who worked with government opposition groups to bring down Gaddafi and who are now working to dethrone Bashar al-Assad.
The Secretary of State has referred particularly to Mali, “where instability,” she said, “has created a large sanctuary for terrorists, seeking to extend their influence and prepare new attacks like the one we saw last week in Algeria.”
Clinton did not refer to the current French military operation in that country, but said that “it is important that the U.S. maintain its leadership in the Middle East, North Africa and the rest of the world. We have come far in the past four years and we can not leave now,” she said, reaffirming the American commitment to occupy some of the most volatile regions in the world, where, according to the BBC, France and other allies have returned to reconquer what once was part of their colonies.
U.S. has begun helping France by providing air transport of French troops and military equipment.
Clinton said that American diplomacy is in full operation in the area — that means military infiltration — which suggests that other stronger measures will be taken in the coming months. “When the U.S. is absent,” she said, “there are consequences: extremism takes root, and our security interests at home are threatened.”
The Secretary of State has admitted that revolutionary movements occurred in the last two years in the Arab world “have complicated power dynamics and have destroyed the security forces in the region”, which provides the ground for the spread of terrorism. She stated that “many of the weapons used by terrorists in Argelia and Mali come from Libya”, where the current authorities are powerless to control all armed groups that emerged during the revolt against Muammar Gaddafi. In reality, powerful weapons were provided by the U.S. to those same terrorist groups to carry out attacks on innocent civilians in Libya.
Only John McCain and Rand Paul showed a bit more dissatisfaction about Clinton’s excuses. Congressman Paul told Clinton that given her lack of leadership he would have dismissed her from her position at the State Department. However, Paul and the other members of the Foreign Affairs Committee failed miserably to ask real questions about what really happened in Benghazi.
Democrat John Kerry will be Clinton’s substitute at the State Department once he is confirmed in Congress.
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Filed under Africa, English, North America, Politics, World Tagged with Al Qaeda, Benghazi, clinton, france reconquering Mali, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Libya, middle east, rand paul, stand down order in Benghazi, united states, US destabilizes governments, US economic warfare, US proxy terrorist groups, US sponsored al-qaeda groups, weapons were provided by the U.S.
Terrorists in Argelia same as the ones who opperated in Benghazi
Some Egyptians who participated in the mass kidnapping of a gas plant in Algeria last week also participated in the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four diplomats, as reported Tuesday by the New York Times, whose sources are allegedly Algerian officials.
Based on this information, the Egyptians who were part of the jihadist command died in the assault carried out by the Algerian army that killed 67 people after four days of siege. No clutch, three of the terrorists were captured alive and one of them was the one who provided this information, the report said.
This relationship reinforces the notion that jihadist groups that have become strong in the Sahara cooperate across borders, an issue that Western defense officials have warned about. For example, the alleged organizer of the assault on the gas plant, Mokhtar Belmojtar, is believed to be based in Mali. Belmojtar has also been identified by other sources as a CIA agent.
In the video below, Belmojtar appears taking credit for the terror attack perpetrated against the gas plant in Algeria.
According to Infowars.com, Belmokhtar was recruited and trained by the CIA in Afghanistan. The man was recruited from North Africa and worked for the American intelligence agency as well as the Pakistani ISI. The Mujahideen organization would later splinter into al-Qaeda and the Taliban. After the war in Afghanistan, Belmokhtar went back to Algeria in the 1990s and immediately a group known as the Salafists for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned of these cross-border ties between terrorist groups which by all accounts occurred shortly after the assault on Benghazi, reports the New York Daily, but Clinton gave no concrete evidence of these relationships. Clinton said the Islamist uprising in northern Mali, now fighting against the French and African troops, had provided a “safe area” for terrorists to “extend its influence.” Mrs. Clinton did not denounce the allegiance concocted by the CIA with all these terrorist groups, though.
From Kurt Nimmo’s article at Inforwars.com:
“Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb from the outset in 2007 had established a close relationship to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, whose leaders had also been trained and recruited in Afghanistan by the CIA,” writes Michel Chossudovsky. “The LIFG is supported covertly by the CIA and Britain’s MI6.”
The GSPC was purportedly founded by Hassan Hattab, a former Groupe Islamique Armé (GIA) commander. Mohammed Samraoui, the Algerian army’s deputy chief counterintelligence specialist, claims GSPC was established by the Algerian army in an attempt to weaken and destroy the moderate Islamic Salvation Front, an Islamist political party poised to take power in Algeria’s elections. GSPC members were recruited by Algerian intelligence upon returning from the jihad in Afghanistan.
Infowars.com also cites a document from MI6, as proof that British intelligence were more than aware about plans to assassinate former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was deposed and murdered with the help of Western forces that infiltrated Libya last year.
The official source cited in the reports did not say why they have given credibility to the statement issued by the terrorist, nor if this information was obtained under torture. The information does match the kind of relationships that the United States government maintain with terrorist groups all over the Middle East and Northern Africa, which serve as proxy trouble makers operating under Western sponsorship.
Filed under Africa, English, World Tagged with Algeria, Benghazi terrorists in Argelia, CIA, GIA, GSPC, Hassan Hattab, intelligence, Libya, MI6, Mokhtar Belmojtar, Syria, terrorist groups
The Devil came to the U.S. as a man of Peace
By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | DECEMBER 20, 2012
While the United States rightfully mourns the death of 20 innocent children who were murdered last week in Newtown, Connecticut, few people realize that as awful as those murders were, the man who has been given the Peace Prize for his supposed work to bring about peace on this planet, is also the same man who knowingly ordered and continues to order the assassination of innocent men, women and children in the Middle East, but for whom he drops no tear.
The death of innocent people in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria due to attacks conducted by American troops, NATO armed forces, rebel and terrorist groups supported by the United States is hypocritically understood as collateral damage as supposed to be observed and rejected as the murder to human beings of the same kind than those of us who live in the western hemisphere.
Leaving race, politics, ideology and religion aside, the murder of innocent men, women and children must always be identified as murder; not only when it is convenient to call it so. Only an immoral society can justify the murder of some people and condemn the death of others because of their skin color or the geographical area where they live.
Unfortunately, ours is an immoral society, so war and the casualties that war produces are labeled by western leaders as “humanitarian aid” while condemning it as murder when they happen in the United States, France, the United Kingdom or Canada.
The devil has arrived, and it has done so while disguising himself as a man of peace. He has even been awarded a Peace Prize for ordering and conducting the murder of thousands of people in the Middle East, while calling such murders peace actions. This man, who from a comfortable air-conditioned room in the White House, cowardly directs his armed forces to use drones to kill people who pose no threat to him, his country or his people names himself and is named by his supporters in the media and on the streets as the reincarnation of Martin Luther King and Mahatma Ghandi. Others who are even more ignorant call him our Savior.
After the watching the following video you will discover, if you haven’t done so yet, that the savior is nothing more than soulless murderer, who deserves no prize other than being identified as the most deceitful sack of garbage that has even occupied the White House. Why him? Haven’t previous presidents committed similar crimes as well? Yes, but they were confessed war mongers. The most disgusting aspect about Barack Hussein Obama is that, both in public and in private, he uses a double standard to carry out his murderous agenda while dragging a bunch of imbeciles who have been captivated by the tenderness of his voice, his fake tears and the color of his skin.
Barack Obama is not a disgusting creature because he is black, or because he has Arab roots, or because he is from Chicago or for any other reason anyone can think of or associated him with. He is a disgusting creature because he is a wolf in sheep’s wool and he uses such disguise to confuse, swindle and murder. I dare you to watch the following video from beginning to end so you can realize the kind of creature that this man is and how he is not out there to help or comfort anyone, but to carry out an agenda of murder and conquest.
Viewer discretion is advised.
For every child that was murdered at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, for every person that was killed during the Colorado mass shooting, for every victim of the Oregon shooting, there are hundreds of people who are murdered by the president of the United States, Barack H. Obama. How about we start mourning their deaths as well? Perhaps that mourning will bring back some sensitivity to all of us, so that we can recognize murder when we see it.
Thanks to Infowars.com for putting together irrefutable evidence that instead of being praised for murdering people, Barack H. Obama should be tried for the murder of innocent people who have died by his sword as well as for treason for wanting to use the death of innocent children in the United States to end the constitutional right of the people to keep and bear arms while he kills men, women and children across the world.
Filed under Africa, Asia, English, Latin America, North America, Politics, Special Reports, World Tagged with Barack Obama, Iraq, Libya, middle east, murder of afghans, murder of innocent children, murder of Pakistani people, nato, Newtown Connecticut, nobel peace prize, Syria, united states
Emails show that Obama Lied about Benghazi Attack
The White House learned almost immediately after the attack began and covered it up.
By MARK HOSENBALL | REUTERS | OCTOBER 24, 2012
Officials at the White House and State Department were advised two hours after attackers assaulted the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit for the attack, official emails show.
The emails, obtained by Reuters from government sources not connected with U.S. spy agencies or the State Department and who requested anonymity, specifically mention that the Libyan group called Ansar al-Sharia had asserted responsibility for the attacks.
The brief emails also show how U.S. diplomats described the attack, even as it was still under way, to Washington.
U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the Benghazi assault, which President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials ultimately acknowledged was a “terrorist” attack carried out by militants with suspected links to al Qaeda affiliates or sympathizers.
Administration spokesmen, including White House spokesman Jay Carney, citing an unclassified assessment prepared by the CIA, maintained for days that the attacks likely were a spontaneous protest against an anti-Muslim film.
While officials did mention the possible involvement of “extremists,” they did not lay blame on any specific militant groups or possible links to al Qaeda or its affiliates until intelligence officials publicly alleged that on September 28.
There were indications that extremists with possible al Qaeda connections were involved, but also evidence that the attacks could have erupted spontaneously, they said, adding that government experts wanted to be cautious about pointing fingers prematurely.
U.S. intelligence officials have emphasized since shortly after the attack that early intelligence reporting about the attack was mixed.
Spokesmen for the White House and State Department had no immediate response to requests for comments on the emails.
MISSIVES FROM LIBYA
The records obtained by Reuters consist of three emails dispatched by the State Department’s Operations Center to multiple government offices, including addresses at the White House, Pentagon, intelligence community and FBI, on the afternoon of September 11.
The first email, timed at 4:05 p.m. Washington time – or 10:05 p.m. Benghazi time, 20-30 minutes after the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission allegedly began – carried the subject line “U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi Under Attack” and the notation “SBU”, meaning “Sensitive But Unclassified.”
The text said the State Department’s regional security office had reported that the diplomatic mission in Benghazi was “under attack. Embassy in Tripoli reports approximately 20 armed people fired shots; explosions have been heard as well.”
The message continued: “Ambassador Stevens, who is currently in Benghazi, and four … personnel are in the compound safe haven. The 17th of February militia is providing security support.”
A second email, headed “Update 1: U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi” and timed 4:54 p.m. Washington time, said that the Embassy in Tripoli had reported that “the firing at the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi had stopped and the compound had been cleared.” It said a “response team” was at the site attempting to locate missing personnel.
A third email, also marked SBU and sent at 6:07 p.m. Washington time, carried the subject line: “Update 2: Ansar al-Sharia Claims Responsibility for Benghazi Attack.”
The message reported: “Embassy Tripoli reports the group claimed responsibility on Facebook and Twitter and has called for an attack on Embassy Tripoli.”
While some information identifying recipients of this message was redacted from copies of the messages obtained by Reuters, a government source said that one of the addresses to which the message was sent was the White House Situation Room, the president’s secure command post.
Other addressees included intelligence and military units as well as one used by the FBI command center, the source said.
It was not known what other messages were received by agencies in Washington from Libya that day about who might have been behind the attacks.
Intelligence experts caution that initial reports from the scene of any attack or disaster are often inaccurate.
By the morning of September 12, the day after the Benghazi attack, Reuters reported that there were indications that members of both Ansar al-Sharia, a militia based in the Benghazi area, and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the North African affiliate of al Qaeda’s faltering central command, may have been involved in organizing the attacks.
One U.S. intelligence official said that during the first classified briefing about Benghazi given to members of Congress, officials “carefully laid out the full range of sparsely available information, relying on the best analysis available at the time.”
The official added, however, that the initial analysis of the attack that was presented to legislators was mixed.
“Briefers said extremists were involved in attacks that appeared spontaneous, there may have been a variety of motivating factors, and possible links to groups such as (al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Ansar al-Sharia) were being looked at closely,” the official said.
Filed under Africa, English, North America Tagged with Ansar al-Sharia, Benghazi attack, CIA, Jay Carney, Libya, Obama deception, Obama lies, white house
Mitt Romney will continue Obama’s Plan to destroy the Middle East and North Africa
By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | OCTOBER 10, 2012
The Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, Mitt Romney said Tuesday that if he wins the election next November, the United States will continue to arm the opposition in Syria to fight against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. This statement may be surprising for many who see Romney as an alternative to Obama’s failed ‘hope and change’ hoax. But the truth is that neither candidate seems to deviate significantly from the travesty administration of George W. Bush, who democrats blame for everything that Obama inherited; or from Bill Clinton who built carried out the same policies that Bush Sr., Bush Jr. and Obama support.
The thought that a Romney presidency will further help set up the Middle East and North Africa ablaze is not so strange. Mitt Romney himself has said it clearly in his speech at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. He assured the audience that if elected on November 6, he will work with U.S. allies to “identify and organize the Syrian opposition members” who share their values “and to ensure they get the weapons they need to defeat tanks, helicopters and planes from the Assad government”. This statement is revealing indeed. Mr. Romney has confessed that his administration shares the same values of the Syrian opposition groups.
The Syrian fighters are admittedly, US and NATO supported members of Al-Qaeda and its affiliate terrorist groups, so in a sense, Romney has admitted to supporting the use of terrorism to bring about change in Syria. As The Real Agenda has reported before, the terrorist militias that attack innocent people in Syria are the same groups that operate from across right across the border on Turkish territory. These are also the same groups that launched a false-flag attack against Turkey — the weapons used belonged to NATO — to blame Syria for it, so Turkey would have an excuse to fire its weapons against Syria. The government of Turkey has officially approved legislation to attack Syria and it has been doing so for the past 7 days. The move has been praised by NATO, the UN the United States government and of course Mr. Romney himself.
During his speech in Virginia, the former governor of Massachusetts criticized the “passive policy” of President Barack Obama in the Middle East conflict, and the absence of a strong reaction to the attack on an American consulate in Libya last month that killed U.S. ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other U.S. officials. So for Romney the killing of hundreds of people by US allies and guerrilla groups that operate clandestinely in Libya and Syria, and which are funded with American taxpayer dollars is way too passive. As it has now been revealed, the attack on the American consulate was at the very least overlooked by the Obama administration after receiving multiple requests and warnings that the attack was coming.
According to Romney, Obama has failed both Israel and the Palestinians, as “what should be a negotiation process has become a series of heated disputes in the United Nations,” said Romney. “In this old conflict, as in every challenge we face in the Middle East, only a new president will bring the opportunity to start over. There is a yearning for American leadership,” said the candidate, who gave no details of his plan for the region.
Romney said that the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, which incidentally happened on September 11, was probably the work of “the same forces” who bombed the US in 2001. “You can not blame this attack on a video that insulted Islam even though the government has tried to convince us of it for so long,” he added.
Regarding the Iranian threat, the Republican to occupy the White House said it would take in “new sanctions and tighten” existing ones to bring Iran to its knees. “I will restore the permanent presence of aircraft carrier task forces in both the eastern Mediterranean and in the Gulf region, and work with Israel to increase military assistance and coordination,” he added. In other words, Romney intends not only to sustain the current murderous campaign being carried out by Barack Obama, but also to increase the level of aggression against non aligned nations.
Obama is credited — wrongfully many argue — with the death of the leader of the terrorist network Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, the end of the war in Iraq, a limited military intervention that ended the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya with intensified air attacks with drones against suspected terrorists, and the gradual reduction of troops in Afghanistan.
As a political candidate, Romney has adopted the concept of many conservatives in the United States according to which political systems of Europe, especially the French, are socialists and contrary to the “free market” American style. This is true, just as it is true what Romney said about self-entitled, government-dependent people who can never get enough welfare and who knowingly choose to support the bribery system sponsored by the central government.
But the similarities between Obama and Romney do not stop at speeches given to brainwashed supporters. Both the US president and the Republican candidate believe that government can and should Bailouts, ‘too big to fail’ entities, provide free money to banks and corporations in the form of stimulus packages, use quantitative easing and deficit spending as development policies, send troops to protect others borders and sending taxpayer money to foreign dictators, intervene in the affairs of other nations, restrict gun ownership, surveil and oppress citizens with tools such as the Patriot Act and warrantless wiretaps and so on.
Both presidential candidates also support the indefinite detention of American citizens without charge, trial or legal counsel. They both support the assassinations of American citizens or anyone else without due process and socialized healthcare, among others.
Choosing the least dangerous option this time around is just not a viable way to go this time for the American people, because Romney and Obama as equally dangerous.
Filed under Africa, English, North America, World Tagged with Assad, Benghazi, clinton, government, Libya, middle east, nato, north africa, Obama, Romney, Syria, UN
Nadar en Piscinas tratadas con Cloro puede conducir al Cáncer
Mossad in South America
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Warner Brothers Is Spending Millions On Lighthearted Reshoots For ‘Suicide Squad’
Posted March 31st, 2016 by Jax Motes
One thing everyone can agree on is that ‘Batman V Superman’ is not a fun movie. For the fans of this film, that was part of the appeal as it deviated from some of the lighter Marvel fare. For those that didn’t enjoy it, the film was a bleak, arduous chore to sit through. Keep in mind, there’s an even longer, darker cut of the film coming on Blu-Ray in a few months. The fans should be thrilled!
But Warner Brothers is worried. Even though ‘Batman V Superman’ broke records with its release numbers, the toxic word-of-mouth could hurt this extremely expensive film, which needs to make serious bank to be certified a true hit. (Keep in mind, ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’‘s $459 million domestic haul is viewed as a failure and the stakes were even higher for ‘Batman V Superman’.)
Early reports were that Warner Brothers’ next DC movie ‘Suicide Squad’ was going to explore the darker side of the DCU. DARKER than ‘Batman V Superman’?! That appeared to be the plan. The first trailer for the movie was certainly atmospheric. And it closed with a disturbing extended scene of Jared Leto’s Joker in action. And much of the buzz around ‘Suicide Squad’ has centered on just how dark and disturbed Leto’s performance was.
But then came the most recent trailer, set to Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which seemed to go in the exact opposite direction, focusing on the quirkier aspects of the film. Suddenly, the comparisons to ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ began surfacing.
It looks like Warner Brothers isn’t bothered by the comparisons and after some recoiled at the darkness of ‘Batman V Superman’ they want to show that their super hero movies can actually be fun too! It’s being reported that WB is spending “tens of millions of dollars” on reshoots for ‘Suicide Squad’ in hopes of delivering a more enjoyable movie experience.
Honestly, it’s rare that last minute reshoots are a great idea, especially if they are to make a film dramatically different from what the director (in this case, David Ayer) originally intended. The result could be uneven and disjointed. (See last year’s ‘Fantastic Four’ with its tacked on ending that sank an already seriously flawed film.)
But who knows? We’ll have to wait and see how ‘Suicide Squad’ turns out when it arrives in theaters at the end of the summer.
Do you want a lighter or darker ‘Suicide Squad’?
‘Suicide Squad’ directed by David Ayer and starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Viola Davis, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Adam Beach, Jay Hernandez, and Karen Fukahara with Ben Affleck hits theaters on August 5, 2016.
After ‘Batman V Superman’, Jason wanted to form the Homicide Squad. Follow him on Twitter.
Jax Motes
Jax's earliest memory is of watching 'Batman,' followed shortly by a memory of playing Batman & Robin with a friend, which entailed running outside in just their underwear and towels as capes. When adults told them they couldn't run around outside in their underwear, both boys promptly whipped theirs off and ran around in just capes.
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Home Technology News
Researchers Study Butterfly Flight Dynamics to Create Small Airborne Robots
TOPICS:Aerial Micro VehiclesButterfliesInsect Flight DynamicsJohns Hopkins UniversityMAVMechanical EngineeringRobotics
By Johns Hopkins University February 2, 2012
Engineers at Johns Hopkins are studying butterflies using high-speed video cameras to gain a better understand of their flight dynamics. With funding from U.S. defense agencies, the researchers hope to use this knowledge to create micro aerial vehicles that will mimic the butterflies airborne maneuvers and carry out reconnaissance, search-and-rescue and environmental monitoring missions.
To improve the next generation of insect-size flying machines, Johns Hopkins engineers have been aiming high-speed video cameras at some of the prettiest bugs on the planet. By figuring out how butterflies flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility, the researchers hope to help small airborne robots mimic these maneuvers.
U.S. defense agencies, which have funded this research, are supporting the development of bug-size flyers to carry out reconnaissance, search-and-rescue and environmental monitoring missions without risking human lives. These devices are commonly called micro aerial vehicles or MAVs.
“For military missions in particular, these MAVs must be able to fly successfully through complex urban environments, where there can be tight spaces and turbulent gusts of wind,” said Tiras Lin, a Whiting School of Engineering undergraduate who has been conducting the high-speed video research. “These flying robots will need to be able to turn quickly. But one area in which MAVs are lacking is maneuverability.”
To address that shortcoming, Lin has been studying butterflies. “Flying insects are capable of performing a dazzling variety of flight maneuvers,” he said. “In designing MAVs, we can learn a lot from flying insects.”
The butterfly research will aid the development of flying bug-size robots. Pictured is an insect-inspired flapping-wing micro air vehicle under development at Harvard. Photo provided by Robert J. Wood, associate professor, and Pratheev Sreetharan, Harvard Microrobotics Lab, Harvard University.
Lin’s research has been supervised by Rajat Mittal, a professor of mechanical engineering. “This research is important because it attempts to not only address issues related to bio-inspired design of MAVs, but it also explores fundamental questions in biology related to the limits and capabilities of flying insects,” Mittal said.
To conduct this study, Lin has been using high-speed video to look at how changes in mass distribution associated with the wing flapping and body deformation of a flying insect help it engage in rapid aerial twists and turns. Lin, a junior mechanical engineering major from San Rafael, Calif., recently presented some of his findings at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics. The student also won second-prize for his presentation of this research at a regional meeting of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
“Ice skaters who want to spin faster bring their arms in close to their bodies and extend their arms out when they want to slow down,” Lin said. “These positions change the spatial distribution of a skater’s mass and modify their moment of inertia; this in turn affects the rotation of the skater’s body. An insect may be able to do the same thing with its body and wings.”
Butterflies move too quickly for someone to see these wing tactics clearly with the naked eye, so Lin, working with graduate student Lingxiao Zheng, used high-speed, high-resolution videogrammetry to mathematically document the trajectory and body conformation of painted lady butterflies. They accomplished this with three video cameras capable of recording 3,000 one-megapixel images per second. (By comparison, a standard video camera shoots 24, 30 or 60 frames per second.)
The Johns Hopkins researchers anchored their cameras in fixed positions and focused them on a small region within a dry transparent aquarium tank. For each analysis, several butterflies were released inside the tank. When a butterfly veered into the focal area, Lin switched on the cameras for about two seconds, collecting approximately 6,000 three-dimensional views of the insect’s flight maneuvers. From these frames, the student typically homed in on roughly one-fifth of a second of flight, captured in 600 frames. “Butterflies flap their wings about 25 times per second,” Lin said. “That’s why we had to take so many pictures.”
The arrangement of the three cameras allowed the researchers to capture three-dimensional data and analyze the movement of the insects’ wings and bodies in minute detail. That led to a key discovery.
Earlier published research pointed out that an insect’s delicate wings possess very little mass compared to the bug’s body. As a result, those scholars concluded that changes in spatial distribution of mass associated with wing-flapping did not need to be considered in analyzing an insect’s flight maneuverability and stability. “We found out that this commonly accepted assumption was not valid, at least for insects such as butterflies,” Lin said. “We learned that changes in moment of inertia, which is a property associated with mass distribution, plays an important role in insect flight, just as arm and leg motion does for ice skaters and divers.”
He said this discovery should be considered by MAV designers and may be useful to biologists who study insect flight dynamics.
Lin’s newest project involves even smaller bugs. With support from a Johns Hopkins Provost’s Undergraduate Research Award, he has begun aiming his video cameras at fruit flies, hoping to solve the mystery of how these insects manage to land upside down on perches.
The insect flight dynamics research was funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation.
Images: Johns Hopkins University
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Crater Lake and Wizard Island, What's Left of Mount Mazama
It’s Always Sunny In Central Oregon
While the Oregon Coast was brilliant, there were the drawbacks of rain, cold, and cost of living. After leaving Newport Marina, we made a sharp right turn and started traveling east. For the foreseeable future, we’ll be traveling east until we hit the Atlantic Coast. The task for now though was to explore Central Oregon. We drove through heavily forested river valleys until we hit the high desert around the town of Sisters, where we’d spend the next four nights. Sisters is a tiny town of fewer than 3000 people, just 30 miles Northwest of Bend. Sisters is surrounded by snowy volcanic peaks and Ponderosa Pine forests. Black Butte, of Deschutes’ Brewery ‘Black Butte Porter’ fame, is located just outside of town. After more than a month of rain and cold, central Oregon was a welcome change. The weather was, for the most part, hot and dry. Camping off Forest Road 100 in Sisters Oregon We rolled in…
And so we continued North. Just over the border from California was our first stop on the Oregon coast, the city of Brookings. Brookings was built around a harbor at the mouth of the Chetco River. Like other cities on the Oregon Coast, the big industries are lumber, fishing, and tourism. We ended up staying at Alfred A. Loeb State Park, just a few miles up the Chetco. The difference between Oregon State Parks and California State Parks is huge. Oregon State Parks are well kept, clean, and efficiently run. California, not so much. The campground sits right on the banks of the Chetco and the scenery was pretty great. Brookings Oregon Harbor Most people think that the Oregon Coast is cloudy, cold, and rainy. Those people would be correct. Whenever we decided to go on a day trip we had to bring our rain jackets and rain boots. The town of Brookings was pretty nice, although we…
California's Wild and Scenic Lost Coast
Camping / Hiking / RV Travel
The Wood was Red and the Sea was Angry, California’s North Coast
With the Central Valley and Wine Country in our rearview mirrors, we made our way towards the coast. We made the conscious decision to skip the California coast from the Mexico border to San Francisco. Like a lot of our decisions, it came down to money. Coastal camping in the more populated areas of California was just not in the budget. We would finally reach the coast (or close to it) for the first time at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Nice (But Pricey) Camping Spot in Humboldt Redwoods State Park After several nights of free camping at Harvest Hosts, we were shocked back into reality by the California State Parks System. We stayed in the Burlington Campground, the largest in the park. Basic dry camping site: $35. Reservation fee: $8. "Extra" vehicle fee (more on that later): $8. Showers: $.25 per minute. Why the "extra" vehicle fee you may ask. Well, in California if you don't actually tow…
Vineyards and Oak Trees at Jessie's Grove Winery
Stuck in Lodi Again, RVing in California’s ‘Other’ Wine Country
When you hear 'Wine Country', the first thing that probably comes to mind is Napa, or possibly Sonoma, the two most popular winemaking regions in California. When we were planning this leg of our trip we were hit with the reality that we really couldn't afford camping at $60 or $70 per night most campgrounds in those areas charge. Luckily, California offers a cheaper, more casual, less uptight alternative to the crowds of Napa in areas like Lodi, Merced, and Lake County. Yeah I know I was hard on the Central Valley in my previous posts, but there is one good reason to visit. Wine. And what better way to tour California's 'other' wine country than to actually stay at the winery itself? You can't do that in Napa! Using our Harvest Hosts member benefits, we were able to stay at four different California wineries for free. Yes, that's right FREE! While the camping was free, the nightly…
Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View
Joshua Tree... check. Death Valley... check. Next on the list of California's Gold was the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Specifically the Alabama Hills, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Yosemite. Our first stop would be Lone Pine California, the gateway to the Alabama Hills, and Mount Whitney. Diaz Lake Campground Looking Towards the High Sierras. The drive from Death Valley to Lone Pine was a little dicey. First, we had to climb out of the valley. There were frequent roadside water spigots for the expressed purpose of refilling overheated radiators (nice blast from the past). There were also signs warning against the use of air conditioning in order to prevent engine overheating. I figured I'd better obey if for no other reason than to prevent an 'I told you so' moment later. It was a hot, white-knuckled, climb out of Death Valley followed by a cooler but even more white-knuckled decent into the Owens Valley. Our Leprechaun…
Not what I expected from Death Valley
Death Valley, Unexpected.
Back home in Colorado, there's a town called Greeley. Whether deserved or not Greeley is known as sort of a dump. The constant smell of cattle feces from the neighboring feedlot doesn't help. A while ago, Greeley came up with the somewhat odd marketing slogan "Greeley Unexpected". It implies: "We know you think we're a dump, but hey give us a chance, we've got award-winning tap water!". Much like Greeley, Death Valley has a dubious reputation. I remember watching TV as a kid and seeing the standard Death Valley tropes. Wile E Coyote crawls on the ground dying of thirst. Guy hallucinates about the imaginary oasis on the horizon. But hey, if Greeley deserves a second look, why not Death Valley? After leaving Joshua Tree, we made our way to the hottest place on earth, the lowest place in North America, and somewhere I never expected to visit, Death Valley National Park. Following a brief overnight stop in…
Desert Scenery around Joshua Tree California
RV Travel
We left Arizona behind just as our first month of full-time RVing also came to an end. I've gotta say it felt longer than a month. Overall we did pretty well. We were only slightly over budget and had no major breakdowns or mechanical issues. We're getting used to limited showers, and having to conserve electricity and water. I'm not yet to the point where I miss working. Not even a little. I knew Snoopy's brother Spike lived in Needles, CA, didn't know he lived inside Subway though. Up next we start our tour of California, beginning with the areas around Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. Jackie's mom came out to visit for a week and rented a house in the city of Joshua Tree. On the way to Joshua Tree, we made a quick overnight stop at Amboy Crater. Amboy Crater is an extinct volcano just off Route 66 in the middle of the Mohave…
Wildflowers at our Dome Rock Camp Site in Quartzsite Arizona.
We left the Phoenix metroplex ready to ditch the traffic and overcrowding, at least for a little while. Our next destination was the boondocking mecca of Quartzsite Arizona, and it certainly was a change of pace. Apparently, Quartzsite camping areas can get extremely busy in the winter due to snowbird RVers taking advantage of the plethora of free BLM camping in the area. We were there for the same reason, with a plan to spend a few free nights living off our recently filled/emptied water tanks, and then move on to Lake Havasu to quench our thirst for some water in the desert. We had researched camping areas on campendium (our favorite online resource to find camp sites), and found Dome Rock Mountain 14 day BLM camping area. Although we weren't sure what to expect, it turned out to be the perfect spot. There were some campers there, but not too many and there were plenty of spaces…
Coachmen Leprechaun 21QB Boodocking in Quartzite Arizona
Gear Review – Coachmen Leprechaun 21QB, Does it Work for Full-Timing?
It’s our first RV gear review, and what better piece of gear to review than the RV itself. When we first started toying with the idea of taking some time away from work to travel the country in an RV we had no idea what kind of RV we actually wanted. In fact, we knew nothing about RVs other than Jackie’s childhood experiences camping in a pull-behind trailer. This option was off the table pretty much from the start due to Jackie’s fear that our marriage would end over backing into campsites. I thought a trailer might be an ok idea due to the lower cost compared to other RV types. When I researched further, I came to the conclusion that we’d also have to buy a truck to pull anything but a tiny trailer. Trucks are expensive, and as much as I’d love a new truck it just wasn’t in the budget. Over the next year we…
Pleasant View Harbor as viewed from Pleasant View RV Resort. A surprisingly cheap option for Phoenix area camping.
How to RV Camp in Phoenix (With Kids) On The Cheap
We knew lodging was going to be a challenge for the Phoenix/Scottsdale portion of our trip. It was mid-March so we had to contend with snowbirds, spring breakers, and MLB spring training attendees (yes that's a real thing, I can't imagine anything more boring). State park campgrounds around the metro area were all completely booked. In addition, many if not most of the RV parks are either 55+ or don't allow kids. Even if we could find a spot in an RV park it would have been cost prohibitive. Our experiment with casino camping in Tucson was such a success we decided to continue the streak in Phoenix. After all, casino camping is free (usually), and we're on a fixed income dammit! We scoped out a few promising leads and decided to try the Desert Diamond Casino in Glendale. We weren't sure what to expect, or if camping was even allowed, but we arrived to find a nice…
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A low-cost solution for documenting distribution and abundance of endangered marine fauna and impacts from fisheries
Pilcher, Nicolas, Adulyanukosol, Kanjana, Das, Himansu, Davis, Patricia, Hines, Ellen, Kwan, Donna, Marsh, Helene, Ponnampalam, Louisa, and Reynolds, John (2017) A low-cost solution for documenting distribution and abundance of endangered marine fauna and impacts from fisheries. PLoS One, 12 (12).
View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0...
Fisheries bycatch is a widespread and serious issue that leads to declines of many important and threatened marine species. However, documenting the distribution, abundance, population trends and threats to sparse populations of marine species is often beyond the capacity of developing countries because such work is complex, time consuming and often extremely expensive. We have developed a flexible tool to document spatial distribution and population trends for dugongs and other marine species in the form of an interview questionnaire supported by a structured data upload sheet and a comprehensive project manual. Recognising the effort invested in getting interviewers to remote locations, the questionnaire is comprehensive, but low cost. The questionnaire has already been deployed in 18 countries across the Indo-Pacific region. Project teams spent an average of USD 5,000 per country and obtained large data sets on dugong distribution, trends, catch and bycatch, and threat overlaps. Findings indicated that >50% of respondents had never seen dugongs and that 20% had seen a single dugong in their lifetimes despite living and fishing in areas of known or suspected dugong habitat, suggesting that dugongs occurred in low numbers. Only 3% of respondents had seen mother and calf pairs, indicative of low reproductive output. Dugong hunting was still common in several countries. Gillnets and hook and line were the most common fishing gears, with the greatest mortality caused by gillnets. The questionnaire has also been used to study manatees in the Caribbean, coastal cetaceans along the eastern Gulf of Thailand and western Peninsular Malaysia, and river dolphins in Peru. This questionnaire is a powerful tool for studying distribution and relative abundance for marine species and fishery pressures, and determining potential conservation hotspot areas. We provide the questionnaire and supporting documents for open-access use by the scientific and conservation communities.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
UNEP-CMS
UNPE-CMS SSFA/CMSAD/2009/002, UNPE-CMS SSFA/CMSAD/2009/004, UNPE-CMS SSFA/CMSAD/2001/006, UNPE-CMS SSFA/CMSAD/2011/005, UNPE-CMS SSFA/CMSAD/2011/006, UNPE-CMS SSFA/CMSAD/2011/008
05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity @ 35%
06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0608 Zoology > 060801 Animal Behaviour @ 30%
97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970105 Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences @ 50%
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Stephen King - Wolves of the Calla
As Stephen King's Dark Tower series progresses, the books seem to take on more of a set piece nature. Rather than feeling like part of an ongoing quest, they appear more like a series of episodes, rather like a soap opera. This is disappointing, because one of the attractive things about the Dark Tower series was the feeling that discovering the true nature of Roland's quest was part of the quest itself. This book, Wolves of the Calla and the previous one Wizard and Glass feel more like self contained adventures that King has squeezed into the wider story-arc.
Nonetheless the book itself works well, as King's writing is tight and enjoyable. In Wolves he is explicitly paying homage to a host of Westerns, fitting in with the wider themes of the series itself. Here, Roland and his ka'tet are protecting a small township, which similarly to that in the Magnificant Seven, is underthreat from a repeated raids by outsiders who steal their children. The children are returned some time later, genetically altered, but having lost their minds. The tragedy is repeated over decades and this time, several of the villagers decide to make a stand.
The best parts of the novel are those that deal with the inter-personal dynamics of the villagers. Those that want to fight, those that see fighting as doomed and those that see any resistance as bringing further tragedy on the village. Indeed one of the most satisfying themes centres on the villager that betrays his friends. The way that King deals with the conclusion to this minor sub-plot is pure storytelling genius. On the other hand King tries to shoe in too much in places and it all gets a little self-referential towards the end. This is epitomised by a very strange Harry Potter reference.
While not the best of the Dark Tower series, Wolves is a must read for those following Roland's exploits. With only two of the novels left I hope that the novels return to the excellence of the earlier books.
King - Under the Dome
King - The Gunslinger
King - The Drawing of the Three
King - Wizard and Glass
King - The Wastelands
King - Song of Susannah
Francis Pryor - Farmers in Prehistoric Britain
Much of what is known about early, or ancient farming is the subject of informed conjecture. Because anthropologists have been able to study contemporary communities, the lives of pre-agricultural hunter-gatherer societies is fairly well understood, at least in generalities. But because agricultural communities have, over time, developed or adopted improved techniques and technologies, we don't necessarily understand much about how the earliest farmers lived and worked the land. Indeed as Francis Pryor points out farming may have been through various historical stages, it is also very much dependent on the landscape and area in which it is practised. Farming on the British Isles, off the coast of Western Europe in 3500 BCE was very different to farming life in the fertile crescent when wheat was first domesticated.
Farmers in Prehistoric Britain is a short, but important work that tries to understand a small part of ancient farming history. Pryor concentrates on the areas of his expertise, in particular the Flag Fen site near Peterbourgh which Pryor has been the principle excavator and publicist for over the years. Perhaps uniquely for archaeologists, Pryor is also a practising farmer. Since his early work at Flag Fen he has refined his understanding of ancient agriculture, because he has learnt how to breed sheep and cattle. His life in a farming community has produced insights into the way that agriculture could have been.
This doesn't always follow. For instance, being an astronomer in the 21st century does not necessarily give an insight into the life of Galileo contemplating the heavens under a regime that was noted for disliking heresy. Farming is different in many ways, as despite technological advances, insights into the behaviour of (say) sheep when confronted by a sheepdog for the first time, are likely to be similar to those for ancient shepherds. In a couple of cases here, Pryor describes how he only recognised certain features of Bronze Age farms as a result of his own use of drove-ways to separate sheep as part of the annual cycle of the farm.
Much of what Pryor argues about the practise and life of ancient farmers is linked with his wider themes, that appear in most of his other books, of ancient ritual landscapes. These he argues mean that ancient people considered themselves part of a much wider use of land and Pryor extends this analogy to some of the buildings and sites he discusses – a separation existed between (say) locations devoted to life and burial, but they were intimately linked.
The nascent nature of agricultural remains is a significant problem for those studying ancient agriculture. Pryor spends sometime explaining why hedges don't leave traces for instance, and so much of this book is devoted to some detailed discussion of the practice of archaeology in this context. I found some of this a little complicated, but readers who work in the field will no doubt find it useful and illuminating.
I want to finish this review by quoting a couple of the conclusions of the book, because they are quite amazing. Firstly, Pryor argues that livestock farming was the “dominant form of farming in Britain between, say, 4500 and 600 BC”. This is important because most people when discussing agriculture probably imagine fields of wheat. Pryor is at pains to point out that this was unlikely, despite “intensive” farming, the production of foods (at least in the British Isles until the Iron Age) such as wheat was likely to have been done on small plots. Cattle and sheep rearing was the large scale agriculture of this era of British farming. For instance, he argues that the agricultural visible parts of Flag Fen supported a population of 2000-3000 sheep. This is large scale farming, that needed (and could support) a big human population, as well as a wider infrastructure to use and distribute the wool, hides and meat.
The “millennium or so of intensive livestock farming in large parts of lowland Britain” described by Pryor lead to a “Bronze Age bonanza”. Overtime, population increases and the gradual improvement of farm techniques meant that eventually, the “population of animals suddenly passed a critical threshold and it became necessary to parcel-up the landscape more formally”. This began a very different era of farming and society for Bronze Age people. Over the millennia described here, the countryside of England was transformed. From a wooded landscape to a artificial one, hunter-gatherer, neolithic and Bronze Age men and women fundamentally altered and started to create the world we live in today. Pryor's book is a good introduction to these changes and the mechanics of how ancient farmers albeit in a small part of the world, may well have practiced their daily lives.
Note that this book is out of print, but can be found in various second hand sources. Parts of it are explored in more detail in several of Pryor's other works. I'd particularly recommend Britain BC and Seahenge for this and other material.
Reynolds - Ancient Farming
Pryor - Britain BC
Pryor - Seahenge
Pryor - Making of the British Landscape
Pryor - Britain in the Middle Ages
Pryor - Flag Fen
Labels: agriculture, ancient history
Nick Davies - Flat Earth News
In 2001 I was in Genoa, Italy for anti-capitalist protests against the G8. These were marked by extremely violent attacks by the Italian police on protesters. In one of these, a young anarchist activist called Carlo Giuliani was shot dead by an Italian policeman. As a result of this,, the next day saw Genoa swamped by enormous protests. I was one of the press contacts for a British anti-capitalist group in Genoa and I did a number of interviews with the British press. During the course of the day, as it looked that there might be further clashes between police and protesters, I was asked to do regular interviews for a 24 hour news channel. The problem was, I was told by a journalist on the phone from London, that the news organisation had no journalists in Italy. They had been cut to save money.
Similar stories about the changes to the international, but particularly the British media, are a running theme through Nick Davies' book. He charts the decline of journalism and locates the problems not with individual journalists, most of whom he points out are hard-working, underpaid and over-worked. Rather, Nick Davies argues that the systemic changes to the media since the Second World War, and specifically since the 1980s are the root causes. These lie with what Davies describes as a “grocer” mentality, the notion that the sole purpose of the media is to make the maximum possible profits. In order to do this, media workers are increasingly pressured to produce the maximum number of stories, in the shortest possible time with decreasing numbers of staff and resources.
This would be bad enough and Davies demonstrates particularly by looking at local British newspapers, the way that staff are unable to do more than regurgitate press-releases and rehash stories from other media sources. Often this is done by staff without proper training, payment or experienced colleagues. However the problem is exacerbated Davies argues, by new industries that systematically distort stories and shape the news agenda.
“The old model, where news editors and reporters selected stories and angles, is in a state of collapse. We have seen how the structure of corporate news has converted journalists from active news-gatherers to passive processors of material – only 12% of which could be shown to be free of the mark of wire agencies and PR consultants.”
These arguments are backed up by some impressive studies, where Davies' researchers systematically analysed newspapers stories and matched them up with press-releases and other coverage. A truly depressing picture of the state of British media is painted. The limitations are further shown, by a shocking figure that Davies highlights, the amount of news reported by Google News. Google News it should be remembered, is not a news agency, it aggregates, or reports the sources of other news outlets – from the BBC and The Guardian, to Socialist Worker. In one day in 2006, Google News offered “access” to some 14,000 stories, “yet on this day they were actually accounts of the same 24 news events”.
While large sections of this book are devoted to exposing the practises of PR agencies and so on, large sections are devoted to a couple of major news events. One of these, the build up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was, as part of the “War on Terror” and the events of September 11th 2001, probably one of the biggest news stories of the last twenty years. It was also an enormously manipulated story. Everyone from governments to intelligence agencies was involved in creating a story that justified and encouraged the attack on Iraq. In Britain, Tony Blair's government played a particularly shady role in first supporting the US government but then attempting to manipulate public opinion though a series of lies, half-truths and cover-ups.
They were aided in this, by a number of over-friendly senior figures in the news industry. Davies studies in particular the career during this period of Kamal Ahmed, the political editor of The Observer a newspaper with a previous reputation as left-wing, which had in the past been happy to critique government policy and challenge the status-quo. Instead, despite the reservations (and anti-war position) of many of the journalists, the paper took a pro-war position. This meant that stories against the war, or in one case a serious work of investigative journalism that showed through interviews with senior US intelligence officers that the “Weapons of Mass Destruction” did not exist, were spiked. Links between senior news figures and Downing Street meant that such criticism was hidden at the first hurdle.
Davies shows how changes at newspapers such as reduced numbers of staff and resources mean that journalists are less able or less willing to check facts and stories. In an era of 24 hour news reporting this reduces the ability of the news rooms to find information, simply regurgitating existing stories, or stories that appear to come from reliable sources (such as the Press Association). But it also encourages the journalists themselves to fit a particular political agenda. In this sense news stories are less about explaining a particular situation and more about pushing a “line”. This can mean that work from journalists is distorted or re-written to reflect a certain existing viewpoint. As Davies comments about the Sunday Telegraph (in particular its Insight Team):
“When the Insight Team were tasked to look at immigration and asylum, they found that it was true as right-wingers had alleged, that the asylum process was in chaos; but they also found impressive evidence that immigration was good for the country. They were allowed to only write the first part of the story.”
Nick Davies argues convincingly that a key problem is what he calls Flat Earth News. These are the stories that “everyone” knows to be true – immigration is bad, policemen are mostly good, the Iraq War was about ending the terrorist threat and so on. Pressure to conform to these existing ideas limits media investigation and critique.
The structural changes to the media that Nick Davies highlights are part of wider social transformations. The beginnings of the break up of the media, reductions in staffing levels and the switch to stories that would maximise sales of newspapers coincide with the era of neo-liberalism. Many of the stories told in this book have their roots in Margaret Thatchers first government, with its attacks on the power of the unions and the beginnings of the destruction of the welfare state. The same forces were at work in the media industry and the friendship of individuals like Rupert Murdoch with governments since then have accelerated this. This is not a process that is limited to the low-end mass market tabloids either, as Davies comments while discussing the activities of newspapers like The News of the World whose journalists routinely broke the law in pursuit of a story;
“Ever so often, one of these stunts would break out into the public domain. The tabloids would deny everything and the post papers would look straight down their noses and write slightly smug, slightly amused pieces about those wild and whacky red-top chaps and their dodgy ways, as if this sort of activity was something entirely alien to them. The truth is, that by the mid-1990s the posh papers were bang at it too – because they were suffering from exactly the same commercial pressures which had corrupted their tabloid colleagues.”
Nick Davies finishes this book on a less than optimistic note. He clearly believes that the era of proper journalism and genuine media is at an end. In part he hopes (with some justification) that the internet can undermine this, but he clearly thinks that the forces of the market have finally destroyed the golden age of the journalist. While the picture painted of the media in Flat Earth News is very depressing, I think that part of the solution lies in ordinary people taking control of their own lives. This might seem far-fetched, but in Greece in the midst of the struggles against austerity, some journalists have taken over their newspaper and written what might be called proper news. On a smaller scale part of an answer must surly lie in the rebuilding of workers organisations at the newspapers, in order to give journalists an opportunity through collective action to stand up to the bullies and editorial lines forced upon them.
Despite this minor disagreement I heartedly encourage people to read this book. Its expose of the realities of the modern media will be eye-opening to everyone, even those who are already deeply cynical about the press. For those of us who have campaigned over the last few decades against war and racism, many of the stories from the news-rooms inside will explain why what we rarely made the headlines. And, for all those who despise the Daily Mail Nick Davies explains the real reasons for its relentless right-wing, scapegoating politics and the lies in its stories (as well as some accounts of its shocking internal racism). Ultimately, the problem with the media lies in a political and economic system that is filled with fear of ordinary people, that needs to divide and rule and which is driven by a hunt for profits at the expense of all else. Nick Davies' book is an extraordinarily fascinating insight into a small, but very very influential part of that world.
Molyneux - Will the Revolution be Televised? A Marxist Analysis of the Media
Labels: culture, politics
Aubrey Burl - Stonehenge
Aubrey Burl is one of the world's experts on stone circles, and that he has a encyclopedic knowledge of the sites, locations, history and documents of these ancient monuments is clear throughout this book. While aimed at the layman, or the person interested in Britain's most recognisable monument, the book is teeming with detail that will allow the reader to develop their interests further, and probably forms a useful starting point for the professional wanting to get to grips with the subject. This should make for a very interesting book, but unfortunately it turns out that Stonehenge is actually rather difficult to read and in places could put the less enthused reader off. But lets start with some of the history covered by Burl's work.
Stone circles are a very important part of ancient history. Our ancestors built rather a lot of these circles, around 1300 Burl says. They stretch from the enormous Stonehenge to smaller circles the length and breadth of the British Isles. These cannot be separated, either in time, or in design from sites in Northern France and Burl draws out the links, arguing convincingly that there was a clear interchange of ideas and experiences amongst the peoples of the time. As an aside, I was also particularly interested read about the miniature "rectangles and triangles" that pop up in the south-west of England, on a rather different scale to the massive central stones of Salisbury plain; Burl tells us that triangles of stones on Exmoor (he names at least four sites) have "midget stones camouflaged like winter-white stoats peeping from long grass".
One of the central themes of Burl's book is the longevity of Stonehenge. By this I mean not just that it has stood (and gradually fallen into disrepair) for thousands of years, but that the history of the site is many hundreds of years old. Burl shows how the site became first sacred in Mesolithic times, with four wooden pillars (sited where today's visitor's car park is) this, over many generations seems to have attracted generations of builders who erected a variety of cursuses, barrows, banked ditches and stone circles of various types. Burl is overly contemptuous of visitors who only gaze at the enormous stones and ignore the smaller markings that record the location of these far older, and perhaps more significant bits of Stonehenges' history. On my last visit to Stonehenge I was impressed though to find that the visitors guides did point out many of these features, and I fear the author is a little more churlish than he should be.
Burl examines many of the "theories" and "myths" of Stonehenge. He looks at the arguments about whether it was an observatory to predict eclipses (and debunks them well in my opinion) he argues that the circle (and others around the country) would have lined up stones with important events, like the midsummer sun, but were based on careful measurement, rather than an attempt to predict the future. He also argues, again very convincingly, that the Sarsen stones must have arrived at Salisbury plain by glacial action, rather than the long distance work that would have been required to get the stones there from the mountains of Wales. Here he is at his most polemic, arguing that it would have been illogical to take the stones such great distances without first reducing them to appropriate sizes. Whether we can see into the ancient person's mind as accurately as this, and knowing that religious activity is often not rational, I am less convinced by this aspect of Burl's argument as by him pointing out precisely how difficult and dangerous the journey would be.
But there are problems with this book. It feels disjointed and a little repetitive in places. While Burl has used described the story of Stonehenge in chronological order (though he does begin with attempts to understand it from early on) the story skips back and forth a little, and I found it difficult to understand at times which bits of the site were being described. Burl's writing is a strange mix of scientific argument and literary quotations. At times he includes long lists of archaeological writings. For example, on page 284, Burl writes; "Many Stonehenge students favoured a standing Altar stone - Charleton (1663), pp32, 52, and much later Hawkins (1966), p56; Atkinson (1979), p57; Richards (1991), p61...." he continues to list a further nine page references. This is just academic posturing and while no-doubt interesting to the expert, will only put off the casual reader. It would have been better put in a foot note (perhaps Burl needs a different editor) and given that on the same page, there is a further list of those who supported a "supine" Altar student, it doesn't leave me really wanting to recommend a book that has many interesting parts to it.
Finally, a note on language. Burl favours a flowery prose but at times it is inaccessible; "the feasting had been prolonged and epicurean". Why not say "they feasted extensively on their best food"? No wonder people think that historical experts can be lofty, or live in ivory towers unable to talk to the masses.
If you are a serious student of archaeology and stone circles, Aubrey Burl's book is probably a must read. If you want a introduction to the subject that doesn't talk down to the reader and makes it easier to understand the monument in its landscape I would start with Francis Pryor's book Britain BC.
Hill - Stonehenge (Wonders of the World series)
Burrow - Shadowland
Labels: ancient history
Mick Farren - Vickers
Also known as Cor*pse this Mick Farren science fiction novel is fairly standard fare. There is little new unfortunately, which is disappointing because Farren can be an extremely talented writer (I think his novel Phiad the Gambler is superb for instance). The titular character, Vickers is a hired murderer. Through some confused mechanism he is allowed to assassinate for money on behalf of enormously powerful multinationals. Early on in the text we read that he also enjoys prostitutes and watching sex videos.
I mention this for two reasons. The first is that there is a large proportion of science fiction publishing which thinks that people will only read such novels if all the heroes have large guns and have lots of sex. The sex doesn't even need to be described, merely alluded too. The fact that Vickers spends much of the novel in an enormous underground bunker, with a ratio of 5 to one in favour of the female sex (all of whom have been selected for their attractiveness) doesn't help this.
The second reason is that rather oddly, this novel is one of those were the author failed to predict much in the way of future technologies. The novels set in the not too distant future (first published in 1986) but failed to predict the digital era - sex videos for Christ's sake, even in the 1980s people imagined holograms.
Anyway this book is crap. Don't read it. I only include it here for the sake of the completeness of the record.
Related Reviews (other crap SF)
Wilson - Darwinia
Stross - Saturn's Children
Bob Dent - Hungary 1930 and the forgotten history of a mass protest
The history of working class struggles are rarely recorded and frequently are written out of mainstream history altogether. It rarely suits the needs of the ruling class to record in detail the trials of working people fighting to improve their conditions and win rights.
Bob Dent's new book is an attempt to rectify one of these omissions. Unusually, he concentrates on the events of a single day in Hungarian history, a mass protest that took place on 1st September 1930. The demonstration itself is the core of the book and Dent has raided the archives of contemporary newspapers, police reports and memoires to build up a picture of what happened. However the author has also put the demonstration into the wider context of Hungarian history and most interestingly he then demonstrates the way that the events themselves become the tools of Hungarian rulers over the next decades.
By 1930 Hungary, like most of the world, was in the grip of economic crisis. Rising unemployment and falling wages were the norm. The demonstration on 1st September was not the only event to protest this. Dent documents a number of large strikes and smaller protests. Indeed, Dent describes the period from January to September 1930 as "eight hot months". But the Hungarian government was ruthlessly opposed to giving working class organisations more opportunities to protest, and they certainly weren't giving to generous aid for the unemployed and poor.
The demonstration that is the centrepiece of this book was called by the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The SDP was a significant organisation with a number of daily newspapers and several MPs, though it was thoroughly reformist and while prepared to urge action by workers this was mostly to strengthen its own hand in parliament. In February 1930 for instance the organisations newspaper Népszava urged "Rise up comrades for the struggle! Long live social democracy", but as Dent points out "all that was being proposed was that in the next few days SDP members of parliament would make a concerted effort to raise questions in parliament concerning the unemployment situation".
Nonetheless, the SDP did call the demonstration on 1st September. Under the slogan "Work and Bread" everyone was amazed at a turnout that may have been 100,000 people. The authorities were concerned about the potential for trouble and tried to ban the march which meant that the SDP urged supporters to walk on the pavements so as to avoid provoking the police.
The Hungarian police were not afraid to use extreme violence against workers and the unemployed. The 1st September was no exception and it seems likely that senior officers were waiting for the right opportunity. Veteran protesters reading this will not be surprised that the accounts in the mainstream press of the protest that Dent has unearthed, differ widely from the experience of those taking part and of the left newspapers. Népszava described the protest as "The great battle between bread and the police sword" but argued that the trouble was caused by "a few Bolsheviks" provoking the police. This seems unlikely as according to Dent membership of the Hungarian Communist Party despite the revolutionary period in the immediate aftermath of World War I, had fallen to a small rump. Repression and disillusionment with the Soviet Union meant that only a few hundred people were members. The CP were in no position to influence the demonstration as the police, the SDP and later official Communist historians were to claim.
The repression was brutal. Swords and revolvers wounded many and one young man, János Darnyik, was killed by a bullet. Dent examines the little we know about Darnyik, showing again how his death and his family were exploited by later Communist governments to bolster their own positions and re-write history.
The concluding chapter puts the demonstration into the context of Hungary's history since 1930. In particular it discusses the re-writing of history that took place. Later Communist governments were keen to link their organisation to the demonstration, at various times claiming Darnyik as one of their own members and arguing that without Communist Party members the protests would never have taken on the militancy that they did. Because Dent puts events in the context of the times; it is clear that the size of the demonstration and any workers militancy arose, not from the small CP, but rather from the reality of poverty, hunger and unemployment. While the SDP wanted to use the protest to strengthen their hand in parliament, from their point of view there was always the risk that things would get out of hand.
Sadly it doesn't seem that the protest led to a further strengthening of workers' confidence to fight the economic conditions. Dent shows how the CP too failed to grow, despite excellent objective circumstances, due to their sectarian politics that claimed that the social democrats were as bad as fascists. This is very similar to problems experienced in the 1930s by the American CP (see my review of Fightback here). Sadly within a few years far-right and fascist organisations grew in Hungary and eventually a deal was reached with Hitler that drew the country into war. It is notable though that workers did fight, even into the 1940s when Hungary was still neutral but no movement developed strong enough to stop Hungary entering the war.
Bob Dent's short book is a good introduction to a forgotten period of working class history. It is also a good primer for the history of a country that few people in Britain will know. I hope that it is read widely, particularly in Hungary where the far-right continue to make gains today to remind people of the brave history of the workers' movement.
Fryer - Hungarian Tragedy
Labels: modern history, socialist
John Newsinger - Fighting Back: The American Working Class in the 1930s
"By the end of the week all the Funsten plants were closed and the strike had spread to the Liberty Nut Company and the Central Pecan Company. In the course of the strike over 100 women were arrested and there were some violent clashes on the picket lines. Carrie Smith, one of the strike leaders and a deeply religious woman, addressed a strike meeting holding a Bible in one hand and a brick in the other. She believed both were necessary to win."
The story of the American working class in the 1930s is an extraordinary tale of mass resistance in the face of violence, racism, cowardly leadership and governments prepared to overlook the murder of trade unionists, socialists and activists in the interest of protecting capitalism. John Newsinger's new book is a detailed and inspiring account of the period that should be read extensively by trade unionists across the world. In its exploration of working class struggles, the need for rank and file action, the power of the "sit in" or "workplace occupation" and his discussion of the role of trade union "leaders" and bureaucracies, there is a wealth of material here to help us today, in our struggles against austerity.
Newsinger begins with the "catastrophe" that was the Great Depression. The Depression destroyed living standards across America, forced millions into unemployment, short term and poverty wages. Many companies went to the wall, profits dropped dramatically. In Europe this lead to war and fascism, as Newsinger points out, the greatest workers movement in history, that of the German working class was defeated with Hitler's rise to power in 1933. The odds were against US workers. The 1920s had been a period of defeat, the ruling class had carefully exploited anti-red propaganda and companies spent fortunes on powerful, private armies. Murder, beatings and lynchings were not uncommon for those trying to unionise workplaces. Even those who were simply members of a union, or talked of its importance could find themselves exposed by company spies, and on the dole within minutes.
The workers' position was further weakened by the ineffectual leadership of American trade unionism. In particular, the American Federation of Labour (AFL) we more concerned with sweetheart deals and keeping a leadership mired in corruption than fighting the workers corner. Their fear of militants, socialists and communists meant that they often sided with the bosses rather than their members.
In the early 1930s, a series of major victories changed the picture. In one inspiring chapter Newsinger tells the stories of the Toledo, Minneapolis and San Francisco, whose workers fought and defeated anti-union companies. Through meticulous organisation, innovated strike methods and solidarity that meant everyone, from wives and children of strikers were involved, they broke the log-jam that was the anti-union shop in massive workplaces. This wasn't easy. In 1934, in Minneapolis, the Governor, a supposed New Deal democrat deployed 4000 National Guards. But the leadership and rank and file of the strike turned this Teamster's dispute with the management of coal yards and other workplaces into a class conflict that placed the future of the workers in the city at the heart of the dispute. Workers responded magnificently.
"The Cooks and Waiters Union sent experts in mass cooking and serving to help organise things and train the volunteer help. Working in two 12-hour shifts over 100 volunteers served 4000 to 5000 people daily".
But what won the dispute and union recognition was more than such sympathy solidarity. Pickets were militant and organised. Phone networks and roving pickets located scab lorries and, where necessary, physically confronted them to stop the strike breaking. In a time when employers would routinely use members of the KKK or provide machine-guns to company goons, no one should be shy of defending such violence. Though notably, the strikers avoided violence when they could. Nonetheless, much of the strikes of the 1930s involved weaponry on a scale that those of us who've been active in the union movement in Europe for the last decade can only imagine. Newsinger's book contains many lists of names of martyrs and victims of the repression. Those names are remembered in forgotten pamphlets and books, rarely are they officially acknowledged by the US mainstream.
Today, many official histories of this period of US history talk of President Roosevelt as being a liberal champion of the oppressed. Newsinger shows how Roosevelt was actually a clear class fighter, a man who sided with the bosses and hated the unions. His attempts to protect capitalism by making small reforms helped open the door to workers fighting for change, but he was a friend of big-business and despite his "liberalism" and apparent dislike of oppression he continued to describe them as "niggers" in private, and refused to support laws banning lynching.
Racism was and is a central feature of US society. Many of the disputes described by Newsinger brought together black and white workers in struggle for the first time. This wasn't always easy, given the levels of popular racism, but often the experience of struggle overcame the differences. As one worker said about a particularly brutal attack on a demonstration "I'd seen them beat black women, but this was the first time in my life I'd seen them beat white women with sticks." The description that opens this review is from a strike that started amongst 800 black women workers who were then joined by several hundred white women.
Towards the mid 1930s, Roosevelt knew that he had to tack left to maintain the Presidency, incurred wrath of big-business and the right, but till his last days he hoped he would be remembered as "The Last Champion of Capitalism". He firmly believed that the New Deal, by blunting militancy had helped avert revolution and saved American capitalism.
At the heart of Newsingers' book is the story of the 1937 "sit in" strikes. These were lead by a new union movement, the CIO which was lead by John Lewis. Lewis was no socialist, but understood that if the US union movement was to avoid all out destruction it had to give a head to the rank and file. He spoke left wing, employed Communists and Socialists as organisers and give the go ahead to rank and file mass militancy. It had enormous successes, "In 1933 the United Mineworkers had only seven members in West Virginia; a year later they had 100,000". CIO activists were at the heart of the sit downs in car plants in Detroit that destroyed the automobile company's anti-union positions. These were pitched battles, one involved catapults and burning oil being deployed against machine guns and tear gas.
The success of the sit-down lead to near insurrections movements in some cities. Workers in Woolworths, hotels as well as industrial plants found that mass action could win pay rises and recognition. The CIO was happy to lead this, but when the "alternative was escalating class war" they backed down. In several cases, even the CIO was more fearful of losing control than allowing workers to win through.
One of the points that Newsinger makes is that rank and file action wins, but leadership matters too. Many of the most important leaders in the 1930s were radicals, socialists, communists, trotskyists and anarchists. Without these, individuals who had some sort of understanding of capitalism, the role of Roosevelt and the union bureaucracy and were able to win arguments with their fellow workers, many of the victories would have been defeats.
I don't have time to go into the role of the Communist Party here. But Newsinger's book is an excellent introduction to an organisation of militants that were some of the most principled fighters in US working class history, but were part of a flawed organisation that was tied hard to the line of Stalin. The shifts and turns of the Soviet Union in the 1930s undermined the confidence and ability to organise of some of the best militants. But this is not to negate the role of many individual CPers, who from their defence of black people against racism, to their opposition to lynchings were not afraid to be seen standing by the underdog. Sadly, the CP towards the end of the 1930s was determined, make even closer friends with the union leadership, rather than the rank and file. This even lead to them repudiating wild cat strikes and attacking militants.
Newsinger packs and enormous quantity into this book. The defeats and victories of ordinary workers in the 1930s, as well as the roles (positive and negative) of militants and revolutionaries remain enormously important. Despite seeming to be from a forgotten era, there isn't a trade unionist or socialist anywhere in the world that won't gain something from this important book. I urge you to buy it, read it and pass it round your work mates. It'll help build the confident, organised movement that we need.
Newsinger - The Blood Never Dried
Newsinger - The Dredd Phenomena: Comics and Contemporary Society
Gitta Sereny - Into That Darkness: From Mercy Killing to Mass Murder
Gitta Sereny's book on the life of Albert Speer is one of the best biographies I've read. Meticulously detailed, researched and challenging to subject and reader it deserves to be read by everyone interested in the Second World War and the causes of the Holocaust.
Into That Darkness is an earlier work of hers. Her subject in this case, Franz Stangl, was the commander at the Treblinka Death Camp, were up to 900,000 Jews and an undetermined number of Gypsies were murdered. Unlike the case of Speer though, Stangl is not as fascinating character, while clearly a deeply troubled individual, he was not the gleeful and unrepentant killer like Eichmann. Nor was he a senior figure in the regime, close to other leading Nazis, with personal acquaintances like Hitler.
As a result, this study of Stangl is an attempt to grapple with a question that has been the subject for intense debate amongst historians of the Holocaust. How did seemingly "ordinary men", become the perpetrators of such appalling acts of violence. In Stangl's case it seems that rather than him being a particularly virulent anti-semite before the rise of Hitler, or even an enthusiastic sympathiser of the Nazi Party (he did retrospectively join the organisation and give up his faith) when the Nazis invaded his Austrian homeland, he was a fairly ordinary police officer who rose to the top of his organisation precisely because he was able to administer and organise the Death Camps, while ignoring events around him.
At the same time, the book is also the story of those who went to the gas chambers in Treblinka, and those who fought back, in particular the mass uprising that eventually forced the camp to close.
The parts of the book where Sereny explains and documents the industrial slaughter that took place at the two camps organised by Stangl (he was at Sobibor before he was redeployed to Treblinka) can only be described as horrible. But equally appalling are those were she discusses the slaughter with Stangl, who is dispassionately removed from the murder. On his arrival at Treblinka he is more concerned and appalled by the disorganisation, rather than the realisation that mass murder is taking place.
Survivors from Treblinka differ in their accounts of his involvement in murder. Most seem to think that he limited himself to organisation matters, rarely talking to those arriving in the transports. At least one eyewitness claimed that Stangl (who always met each new train, immaculately dressed in a white riding suite) carried a whip, like many of the most brutal of guards.
Stangl's inability to feel remorse is notable throughout Sereny's interview, which took place. Here for instance is his own, dispassionate account of a camp worker (Blau) who approached him trying to save a relative.
"There was one day when [Blau] knocked at the door of my office... and asked permission to speak to me. He looked very worried. I said, 'Of course Blau, come on in. What's worrying you?' He said it was his eighty-year-old father; he'd arrived on that morning's transport. Was there anything I could do. I said, 'Really, Blau, you must understand it's impossible. A man of eighty...' He said quickly that he understood of course. But could he ask me for permission to take his father to the Lazarett rather than the gas chambers. And could he take his father first to the kitchen and give him a meal. I said, 'You go and do what you think best, Blau. Officially I don't know anything, but unofficially you can tell the Kapo I said it was all right.' In the afternoon, when I came back to my office, he was waiting for me. He had tears in his eyes. He stood to attention and said, '... I want to thank you. I gave my father a meal. And I've just taken him to the Lazarett - it's all over. Thank you very much.' I said, 'Well Blau, there's no need to thank me, but of course if you want to thank me, you may.'"
Blau, it should be noted was an informer, one of a number of Jewish inmates at Treblinka who co-operated with the system. No doubt this was his special reward. Others at Treblinka worked for the Nazis, but not as collaborators, as workers who helped, on pain of death, keep the machine running. Theirs was a daily struggle for life, and it was them, who after months of threats, torture, violence and death organised the revolt that helped bring Treblinka's to a close. Their uprising is one of the other stories in this book, in fact the story of those who lived, worked and died at Treblinka is the real story. Sereny's insightful examination of Stangl paints his banality as part of a wide machine of slaughter. But he was only a cog (though a very important one) in that machine.
Sereny's book then is much more than a biography of a commander of a Death Camp. It is also an examination of the whole structure of the Nazi death camps and an insight into what happened there. Her interviews with survivors, eyewitnesses (such as the Polish resistance member who worked on the railways and counted every train into Treblinka and noted the numbers inside - coming to a higher total of 1,200,000 - a third more than the official figure) and Stangl's colleagues, illuminate the Holocaust. But centrepiece are the stories of the survivors. These people suffered appalling, yet still managed to keep the flame of resistance alive. The tale of their successful revolt and the enormous sacrifices made by them to allow others to escape, makes this book well worth reading.
In an attempt to frame events at Treblinka and Stangls own actions, Sereny examines several aspects of German and Austrian life before and during the war. Some of this, such as the stories of those who sheltered Jews and others in their homes, nunneries or monasteries are well know. Others, such as the role of the church are discussed here in detail because of the importance of those bodies to people like the Stangl. Sereny is particularly critical, though always objective in her examination of the evidence, of the role of senior figures in the Catholic Church. She argues convincingly that the failure of the Pope to explicitly condemn the murder and violence taking place, was rooted in antisemitism, but also the Pope's hostility to Soviet Russia. For the Pope, better a Nazi Germany that committed mass murder than a Soviet Europe. Sereny is careful to point out that many lower figures in the Church did not fail this test, sheltering and protecting Jews for the whole war at considerable risk to themselves.
Sereny also makes it clear the extent to which the Holocaust was known. For Frau Stangl, rumours of life in places like Treblinka made her question what her husband was doing. But governments in the US and Britain as well as elsewhere in Europe had ample evidence as early as mid-1942 about the slaughter. Sereny argues convincingly that the decisions they took increased the numbers of victims through failure to offer refuge, or support aid efforts by other countries.
At the end of the war, despite being aware of who he was, Stangl was able to easily escape from his open prison. It is perhaps a reflection of his lack of engagement with his own crimes that he lived openly under his own name in Brazil even registering with the Austrian authorities. His own wife left their home country to see him, declaring her purpose of travel as to meet her "escaped" husband.
Eventually Nazi hunters like Simon Wisenthal forced the Allies to bring Stangl to justice. He was sentenced to life, but died immediately after Sereny's interviews. The failure of the Allies to deal with Stangl properly is in itself a tragic crime. Few individuals come out of this book well and Sereny has done us an amazing service by bringing all this evidence and analysis together.
I want to finish with the words of Richard Glazar of one of the survivors that Sereny interviewed. The revolt that he helped organise at Treblinka is one of the few bright moments in this horrific tale. It shows that even in the darkest times, people sometimes are able to fight back against brutality, repression and racism. Sereny's book is a monument to them, and educates us all on the importance of the struggle to prevent fascism rising again.
"No one at all could have got out of Treblinka if it hadn't been for the real heroes: those who, having lost their wives and children, elected to fight it out so as to give the others a chance. Galewski - the 'camp elder'; Kapo Kurland who had worked in one of the most tragic places in this tragic place, an extraordinary man and the senior member of the revolutionary committee, to whom we prisoners swore an oath on the eve of the uprising.
Sidowicz and Simcha from the carpentry shop; Stnda Lichtbalu one of our Cazech group... who worked in the garage and blew it up with the petrol tanks - the biggest, most important fire of the uprising, he died in it. And of course, Chelo Bloch who survived 4 hellish months to lead the revolt in the upper camp and died in it.
And finally Rudi Masarek; tall blond Rudi who of all the men in Treblinka would have had the best change of getting away; he looked more German than the most 'Aryan' of the SS... He had his mother in Czechoslovakia and could have gone back... to a life of ease and plenty. He came to Treblinka deliberately, because he loved someone else more than himself. He died, deliberately, for us."
Sereny - Albert Speer: His Battle with the Truth
Kershaw - The End
Black - IBM and the Holocaust
Labels: Germany, modern history, WW2
Steve Jones - Darwin's Island: The Galapagos in the Garden of England
Charles Darwin's most famous book, indeed the only one that most people would be able to name, is The Origin of the Species. It is justifiably famous, a brilliant work that stunned and shook up the scientific world when it was first published. But Darwin was far more than a one book man, and many of his other books seem obscure, but when they were published they were also sensations. Darwin wrote extensively, but today is most remembered (aside from Origin) for his five year voyage. When he returned home from that trip, which took him aboard the Beagle to the Galapagos islands and South America, he never again left England. Yet for the remainder of his life his output was prodigious and varied.
Steve Jones' book is an examination of the rest of Darwin's work. Writing on everything from Barnacles, to sex, from pollination mechanisms in plants to the humble earthwork, Darwin's books broke new scientific territory with every publication. Darwin's method was far from the random, directionless work that this varied output might seem, in fact, his life can be seen as a scientific trajectory, his early work on barnacles for instance putting in place ideas and seeds that would bear fruit in later studies.
Darwin was also a careful and innovative experimenter. In his attempts to understand the importance of the earthworm in producing the fertile soil that agriculture depends upon, his experiments involved everything from the measurement of the rate at which waste materials were buried, the speed of subsidence of ancient monuments and, perhaps unbelievably, the playing of instruments at worms. Darwin and his son noted that earthworms appear to demonstrate a level of intelligence, pulling leaves into their burrows using the thinnest ends, rather than the wider parts. Jones calls this the "first real experiment on invertebrate psychology" and notes that the importance of Darwin's work on soil has laid the foundation for the science that must now deal with the worsening condition of planetary earth, degraded and depleted by centuries of agriculture.
Jones' looks at each of Darwin's works in turn, and this makes for a varied book. Darwin never seemed to go for short titles, his work on worms is called The Formation of Vegetable Mould, though the Action of Worms, with Observations of their Habits. Jones' own writing is good enough to make such a title seem an attractive prospect for the ordinary reader.
This is not a biography, though it contains much biographical information. Rather it is an exploration of Darwin's science. One of the interesting things that comes through, is the way that Victorian science was very much a multi-disciplinary subject. Earthworms were important for agriculture. Barnacles impacted on ships and their ability to conduct trade. Darwin's studies of the impact of marriage between cousin's had enormous social implications (Parliament refused to include questions about this type of marriage in their population census, despite Darwin's hopes, because Queen Victoria had married her cousin, and it was considered that it might insult her Royalness).
Jones' brings Darwin's books and science up to date. Surprisingly, Darwin's work is often considered a standard text today, but obviously science has moved on. Most importantly, genetic science and the understanding of DNA have allowed scientists to build dramatically on Darwin's early studies. This makes for a rounded book, that looks backward as well as forward. It is also full of fascinating anecdotes and information (who knew that all the apples we eat today are the descendants of just two trees in Kazakhstan?).
Science today seems a very narrow collection of disciplines. Scientists spend their lives studying a narrow portion of even their own subjects. Steve Jones' book reminds us that true science should be about understanding the inter-relation of subjects and ideas. Darwin's genius was to lay the foundations of many areas of study. His work continues to inspire today, and Jones' book is an excellent introduction to some of the more obscure and forgotten parts of that work.
Simons - Darwin Slept Here
Desmond & Moore - Darwin's Sacred Cause
Darwin - The Voyage of the Beagle
Labels: science
Ann Abrams - Mobius
Had I been asked a month ago whether a book dominated (ha) by sadomasochistic sex scenes, whose convoluted plot involves ritual murder, the lofty realms of academic philosophy and a smattering of anthropology, London in-jokes and Neanderthals could be a runaway success I would have laugh out loud.
Given the runaway success of Fifty Shades of Grey though, I would no longer be sure of my instant dismissal. In fact, I would argue that whoever could leap aboard that particular bandwagon would be in with a good chance of making their fortune.
It is just possible, just, that Ann Abrams might make it. Given that Fifty Shades was in itself a sexed up piece of Twilight fan-fiction, I am sure that there will be a plethora of authors and publishers eager to follow E. L. James success. No doubt they'll all have similar inoffensive covers, shades of blue and grey fooling no-one on the bus.
Mobius however deserves better than being seen as some publishers wet-dream of a quick trip to the fortunes of Harry Potter. Certainly Abrams herself is more than J K Rowling, not least with her in-jokes and ruminations on the ideas of Hegel, Marx and half a dozen philosophers. You get the impression that Abrams has actually read these, rather than flicking through a cartoon-guide to Rousseau. There's also humour. Dark humour, but bits that'll make you smile.
Abrams clearly lives in London. Or at least she knows it well enough to understand the frustrations of most Londoners towards the influx of middle-class attic dwelling hipsters that is spreading outwards from Shoreditch and trying to setup abode in Dalston. Abrams' turns our annoyance at their superficiality into satisfaction with the occasional (well frequent) act of violence. The satisfaction is swiftly followed by horror of course, but knowing that those we dislike meet a grisly end is possibly were some of the success of this novel may lie.
That's not to say that Mobius is without problems. The writing is good, but it needs to be tighter (you can't twist something into a mobius strip for instance). The plot twists and turns and their are almost too many characters. At one point the writer muses, jokingly that in real life people you meet can have frustratingly similar names. In a post-modern "breaking of the fourth wall" the author gives some of her characters similar names. But the reason authors don't emulate real life is it makes book hard to follow and I felt drowned occasionally in personalities.
Our heroine, Katherine, has fallen in with a bad lot. Well bad in the sense that they are the sort of people who make vast amounts of money in the city of London, or selling real-estate in Dalston to the types who make money in the city of London. Her lover strains to prove himself to her through a ritual display of nice wines, good meals, expensive cars and sound systems. All lovingly if contemptuously described by the author. Katherine rejects these trinkets. She's made of sterner stuff, though her affection for her partner means that his disappearance encourages her to go on a search that takes her from London, to Italy and back.
The disappearance appears to be caused by the same shady group who organised a rather exotic sex-party. Katherine meets Nick at the orgy, and together they witness an unusual, and unpleasant scene that makes them question what's happening, in part because they both suffer from memory loss.
I'm not going to dwell on the plot. Frankly if you've found your interest pricked so far, you'll probably get this for your kindle anyway. What I want to finish on is the sex. Or is it porn? There is a lot of sex in this book. Quite a lot of it graphically described. Rarely have I read a novel that mentions the perineum more than once. There are quite a lot of orgasms and bodily fluids, ejaculation and scratching. That some of this crosses over into violence will not surprise those who've read some of the less well written books out there, particularly in an era when everyone seems to think vampires are essential to literature. Many readers will find this distasteful, and I wonder if others will be tempted to dismiss it as irony. Certainly it brought to mind a couple of stories I'd read by Poppy Z Brite. On the other hand, Abrams has some of the style of Iain Banks and with a good editor will no-doubt improve.
I'm not a prude, nor am I particularly squeamish. But the sexualised violence here, countered with an occasional critique of the society that produces it, felt too disjointed from the main thrust of the novel. In some ways, this is a classic coming of age novel. In others it is a horror story. On the one hand you could dismiss this as a bit of dodgy porn, but on the other hand Ann Abrams has written a first novel that is genuinely unusual.
Given the right marketing, and a good editor, Ann Abrams may break out of the grey. Certainly if she’s pushed forward as the thinking person’s alternative to Fifty Shades of Grey she may make it. What the readers will actually think when they read it is an entirely different question.
Charles Stross - Glasshouse
I haven't read any of Charles Stross' novels for a few years now. I felt really let down by the last one I read, Saturn's Children, and you can read my very criticial review of that here.
However, I do feel that Stross' earlier novels are very good. So much so that I actually did an interview with him for Socialist Review many moons ago. Somehow, I'd not read Glasshouse, a slightly earlier novel, and I picked it up yesterday hoping it was more like the older ones and less like Saturn's Children.
Glasshouse is set far in the future. A universe networked by gates that allow instantaneous travel and the duplication of matter, including people. It is a universe that's been ravaged by enormous conflicts. As information became increasingly important to civilisation, wars became more than one lot of humans trying to kill other humans. So part and parcel of future war is censorship, viruses and data deletion.
All this is a background to explain why our hero, Roger, finds himself in a bar without many memories. Clearly he's been involved in the war, but for some reason he's had his memories wiped. Roger is encouraged, as part of his therapy to enter a new experimental habitat. Here inhabitants will live as though they were in small town America, crica the late 20th century. This means a transformation of customs, ideas and technology. It means learning to wear ridiculous high-heeled shoes (as Roger becomes Reeve in this experimental world) and it means learning that peer pressure can be an enormously powerful force.
Naturally, Stross doesn't simply leave us here. Though part of the fun in the novel is seeing how people from the far future might react to a world were women and men aren't equal. A past were monogamy is a deeply engrained part of society when their own society has the opposite. Interestingly, this attitude towards adultery leads to one of the more shocking episodes in the novel, when the scientists realise that they've got it very very wrong.
Such contrasts between old and new are a staple of time-travel stories, and great fun. Stross turns the level up by introducing a sinister backdrop to this apparently innocent scientific experiement.
Certainly this is one of Stross' better books. There's enough technological wizardry to get the geeks excited and enough playing around with sexuality to excite those who like this sort of thing in their SF. Mostly I enjoyed the tongue in cheek critique of 20th century capitalism, and the way that a cleverly constructed set of "goals" and "aims" could, through psychological manipulation and peer pressure lead to a social system that controls itself, while mimicing the modern world. The fact that this is all set in a giant glasshouse prison is a wonderful joke at the expense of us all. I wonder if we can get out?
Stross - The Atrocity Archives
Stross - Iron Sunrise
Stross - Singularity Sky
Bob Dent - Hungary 1930 and the forgotten history ...
John Newsinger - Fighting Back: The American Worki...
Gitta Sereny - Into That Darkness: From Mercy Kill...
Steve Jones - Darwin's Island: The Galapagos in th...
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Revolution #146, October 26,2008
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The Plague of Violence Among the People—and the Real Solution
Right now, in Black and Latino neighborhoods all over this country, children are being robbed of their childhoods, afraid to go to the corner store or outside to play or to ride the bus to school. Some studies have shown that the number one fear among school children is getting shot. 36 Chicago Public School children have been killed since last September as a result of violence among the people. These shootings come on top of (and are largely used as a justification for) widespread terrorization and brutality on the part of the police, including a recent murderous rampage by the Chicago police who shot 12 people in 4 weeks this summer, 6 fatal and at least 6 shot in the back.
How did we get into this hellish situation where parents watch young children shot down in crossfire, kids grow up haunted by nightmares of gunfire, sure they won’t make it past 18? This is a horror for the people—with a feeling of desperation that comes from knowing it’s your neighbors, cousins and friends doing this to each other. And it gives rise to a deep despair that this is an endless spiral with no way out.
People from different perspectives are seeking out answers and solutions to this, from research projects to marches to intervention groups. In a New York Times article last May, “Blocking the Transmission of Violence” (5/4/2008), Alex Kotlowitz makes one such argument, likening violence to an epidemic disease plaguing many communities.1 Kotlowitz clearly has great concern for the lives and conditions of the people locked to the bottom of society. But despite his best intentions, his argument concentrates a dangerous logic that reverses cause and effect.
While it is beyond the scope of this article to speak to everything Kotlowitz raises, we want to speak here to his central argument—that stopping the violence among the people is the necessary first step to changing the larger economic and social conditions among the oppressed masses. An underlying assumption in the article is that this can be done without changing the fundamental economic and political relations of society which, as we will go on to show, is the brutal source of this whole situation. This same line of thinking is echoed by many people who hate the ways in which they’re forced to live but feel the answer to this is for us to “clean up our own backyard” before there can be any positive change for the communities.
In discussing the position of epidemiologist Gary Slutkin (who, as the founder of the Chicago-based CeaseFire organization, is largely the focus of Kotlowitz’ article), Kotlowitz uses an analogy between stopping violence and curing an infectious disease which has a big source in a community’s water supply:
“Slutkin says that it makes sense to purify the water supply if—and only if—you acknowledge and treat the epidemic at hand. In other words, antipoverty measures will work only if you treat violence. It would seem intuitive that violence is a result of economic deprivation, but the relationship between the two is not static. People who have little expectation for the future live recklessly. On the other side of the coin, a community in which arguments are settled by gunshots is unlikely to experience economic growth and opportunity.”
Kotlowitz himself begins to explore some of the limitations of this argument on one level, but does not go further to examine what is “poisoning the water supply” in the first place. In talking about people who are trying to get out of the logic of gang retribution, he writes, “Leaving town is not an option for most. And for those who have walked away from a shooting…if there are no jobs, or lousy schools, or decrepit housing, what’s to keep them from drifting back into their former lives? It’s like cholera: you may cure everyone, you may contain the epidemic, but if you don’t clean up the water supply, people will soon get sick again.”
Kotlowitz does not pose the basic, and necessary question: why are the schools concentrated in the Black and Latino neighborhoods disproportionately “lousy,” why is the housing “decrepit,” or at this point, nonexistent? And to step even further back, why are Black people concentrated in urban slums in the first place? How did this develop, and what gave rise to a situation where there are now several generations of youth who have been criminalized—killed by the police, killed by each other or warehoused in prisons in the tens and tens of thousands? The violence people commit against each other is the symptom of a larger problem—but if you don’t diagnose the problem correctly and if you don’t know what caused it, then the treatment you attempt to come up with will actually make it worse.
What Is “Poisoning the Water Supply”?
The oppression of Black people, and other minorities, has been a feature of the development of capitalism in U.S. society from its founding—on the bones of slavery and genocide against Native peoples. After the Civil War and the short period of Reconstruction, instead of being integrated into the larger American society, a wave of terror was unleashed against Black people—they were in the main confined to the plantations in a new form of slavery, and African-American people were formed into an oppressed nation in the south within the larger, dominant Euro-American U.S. In the early 1900s, heavy industry began to greatly expand. In the North, especially with the gearing up for World War 2, the defense industry was booming, creating a demand for labor, while in the South, the mechanization of cotton production (and tobacco before it) made sharecropping less profitable. There was a push and a pull from the South that sent millions of Black people migrating to the North—the push of poverty, Jim Crow racism and KKK terror and the pull of work and hopes for a better life. But while the forms of oppression were different in the North, the fact of the oppression remained. Black workers who were brought into the workforce, on the basis of their oppression as a people, were put into the dirtiest and most dangerous, lowest paying jobs, they were the “last hired” and “first fired.” Black people were refused the housing subsidies that white people received to buy suburban homes and even when they had the money were prevented, either by unspoken agreements or straight-up mob violence, from buying homes in “white” neighborhoods. Instead they were shunted—by government policy—into poorly built high rise housing projects in the inner cities. Black people of all classes and strata faced segregation and discrimination everywhere they turned, and Black workers were super-exploited to give the capitalists extra profits.
The effects of all this—along with the situation internationally, where there were uprisings against imperialism and colonial domination and where socialist countries like China posed the prospect of a revolutionary resolution to oppression, and the U.S. was also locked in contention with other powers for a bigger share of the plunder of the formerly colonial world—gave rise here to the earth-shaking revolutionary movement of the 1960s. With this upsurge and especially with the powerful urban rebellions in over 100 U.S. cities, some barriers Black people faced did fall. Black people were brought into some better jobs, affirmative action enabled thousands of Black students to enter college and professional careers, social programs like welfare and early education programs were provided.
Many people, especially among the younger generation, began to see themselves differently in relation to the world. Through struggle, people were trying to figure out how to forge new ways of relating. There was broad unity among many that they weren’t going to fight and die for the oppressors, but to bring a whole new future for people all around the world into being. In fact, one of the most inspiring accomplishments of groups like the Black Panther Party and Young Lords Party (a revolutionary group based mainly among Puerto Ricans) was the way they got many former gang-bangers out of that life and into making revolution and serving the people, and the ways in which many prisoners (like George Jackson) went over from “criminal-minded” to “revolutionary-minded.”
But all of this ran up against limitations. Even the most advanced forces for revolution didn’t have a deep enough understanding of what a different future would or should be all about or how a revolution could be fought and won in this country against such a powerful enemy. There was not a leadership with a developed strategy of how to unite the many streams of resistance and radical sentiments politically, culturally, and ideologically into a powerful force behind that revolution. Or with an understanding of how to not just withstand, but advance through the brutal repression that came down with a vengeance from the state—over 20 members of the Black Panther Party (including leaders like Fred Hampton and George Jackson) were assassinated, hundreds of revolutionaries were jailed, the National Guard was called out against the righteous rebellions, students were shot down in the street and the movements broadly were surveilled and harassed. In addition, there were major changes and challenges going on in the revolutionary movement internationally and the global high tide of the ’60s was ebbing, which also had a powerful effect. It was in the face of the real limitations in understanding how to meet all these challenges, and of the brutal repression by the ruling class, that the majority of the movement of that time turned away from revolution.
By the early ’80s, most of what had been the movement of the ’60s had either been crushed, was directionless or co-opted. At the same time, there were tremendous changes going on in the world politically and economically. The revolutionary leadership of China had been overturned in a coup after Mao Tsetung died, and this demoralized and disoriented many who had seen in revolutionary China a source of hope and support. Meanwhile, many jobs were relocated to the suburbs or shipped overseas where people could be exploited even more brutally. The inner cities became economic wastelands. This was a result of both policy (including the conscious decision in many cases to locate jobs away from the now more rebellious and defiant Black workforce) and more fundamentally, the drive of the restless, never-ceasing compulsion on capital to constantly expand or die—to seek out higher rates of profit or go under to competition.
The concessions that had been wrenched through the struggle of the ’60s were being reversed—the end of affirmative action, integration to all intents and purposes dead and welfare was soon to be entirely gutted. Today, more than one generation faces conditions where many have never had a job and there is no prospect (through no action of their own) that they ever will. The government flooded the ghettos with drugs which became the main economic life in these neighborhoods, a certain foundation which “set the terms” for all other economic and social activity. At the same time, the so-called “war on drugs” was unleashed, which was nothing but a war on the people—with arrests and imprisonments skyrocketing. 330,000 were in prison in 1970 compared to 2.3 million in prison today. Today, nearly half of the people in prison in America are Black. In fact, the incarceration rate for Black people is the highest in the world.
Understanding all this, it becomes clear that these conditions were not caused by violence among the people. Nor is the violence among the people a “virus”—it is a reaction to conditions of relentless oppression where there seems to be no real hope of change. It is the system, with its dog-eat-dog mentality, that creates and perpetuates these conditions. This whole capitalist-imperialist setup is propelled by an endless drive for profit and more profit, with systematic super-exploitation and the oppression of Black and other oppressed peoples as a key dynamic element. Those two things—the capitalist system at the foundation of this country, and the white supremacy which runs all through this society and has been inextricably interlinked with it since Day One—are what caused the problem, not some make-believe “virus.”
And, these conditions don’t just “exist” in the air. They are brutally enforced by a whole state apparatus of cops, courts, and prisons. Some people out there tell us the cops are “just another gang.” No they’re not! Some individual cops may be in gangs, but as an institution, they are the hired enforcers of a whole system of exploitation and oppression.
Step back once again, what comes through is the utter criminality of this system, which keeps people in the inner city penned in and locked down, left to rot and kill each other off, and then to be killed and imprisoned when they walk into this trap.
Kotlowitz’ and Slutkin’s argument will not make anything better. And even worse, whatever the intent, it justifies and strengthens the hand of an oppressive state with its brutal, murdering police and prisons.
Two Questions for Alex Kotlowitz
We have two questions we’d like to ask Kotlowitz: First, if every young Black man in a gang in East St. Louis, or Chicago, or Harlem, or Oakland quit their gang affiliation, renounced violence and crime, and showed up at a community college to enroll in a digital design program or a computer networking certification program, what would happen? The simple fact is that there would not be work for the vast majority of them. In fact, a recent study showed that the rate and numbers of Black people in information technology declined relative to eight years ago—not because people were unqualified, but because, according to Gina Billings, president of the National Black Data Processing Association, globalization has led to outsourcing to third world countries, and Black professionals once again found themselves caught in the “last hired, first fired” trap.
So even if you were to suddenly qualify every gang member for a good job, they would only be hired if employing them would be profitable for capital. And those jobs are not out there—not because society doesn’t need them, but because they are not profitable. And precisely because the ruling class of capitalists knows this, they do NOT offer training programs, etc. in any serious way because they do not want to raise people’s expectations and risk social rebellion when those expectations are not satisfied.
And, second, conversely, what would happen if, after a revolution, with a new socialist economy that was based on transforming conditions to overcome the age-old oppressive divisions of society and meeting the needs of the people, while rendering support to revolution worldwide, society DID offer every young Black person a chance at education and a job with meaning that they could live on? In a revolutionary society, there would be no unemployment because employment would not be based on whether it was profitable for capital; people would immediately be given work, to deal with the many pressing problems facing society. In that totally new society, the violence that people lash out with against each other would rapidly diminish as a whole new ethos and view of one another took root.
Changing Conditions and Changing People…Correctly Understood
Only if we correctly understand the source of the conditions that people find themselves in, which Slutkin and Kotlowitz leave out, can we understand that the relationship between people’s conditions, ideas, and actions aren’t “static,” as Kotlowitz states, and even more fundamentally, that things do not have to be this way! It is in the process of confronting the real problem and radically changing conditions that people can transform qualitatively and in a liberating way.
Under this system, people are forced to live based on “what’s in it for me” and they are thrust into competition with others. This is the logic and dynamics of capitalism overall, and gets sharp when people are fighting over crumbs in a situation where every crumb counts. People are forced to hustle to survive, and while there are important examples of the ways in which people come together to help each other, how things are set up with people set against each other works to undermine even that.2
Just like in the larger society, there’s a whole culture and outlook bound up with this—“I got to get mine, I got to get what I can get within this.” And this logic has a pull and coherence.
A youth from Chicago's south side, who's been agonizing about the violence all around him, has been arguing that it's not just the economic necessity that leads youth to get into the gangs—this is also a deeply felt aspiration.
Yes, many do aspire to not just be part of, but to be on top of this game, and those aspirations are shaped by and confined within the larger material conditions that people are presented with.
The gangs and “the life” is just that—a whole way of life, with economics and morality which infuses whole neighborhoods with a “code of the streets” ethos and outlook. This divides sharply into two because on the one hand, this is a reflection writ small of the larger relations and dog-eat-dog dynamics and morality in society. But it has an “outlaw fuck the world” element—where people desire to be and are seemingly up against the system as a whole.
Within these dynamics, mirroring the dominant capitalist ethos of society, you’re prey or a predator—someone takes down one of yours, you have to take down one of theirs. In this gangster logic, if you don’t, you haven’t stood up for your people and you come out looking weak. The “code of the streets” comes with a “kill or be killed” mentality and a vicious cycle of seemingly never-ending shootings against others in the same conditions as you.
There’s also the attraction that you can “be somebody” in a way you can’t in any other part of American society. Besides making it in the NBA or in hip-hop (which is about as likely as winning the lottery), how else can you make your mark on the world? One youth on Chicago’s west side described “the life” as just another form of “chasing the American dream.” They see someone with a nice car and they want it because that’s how they can say something about who they are and “what they’re worth.” Again, reflecting a society where people’s value is measured by the commodities they do or don’t own.
All this is enforced and maintained a million times in a million ways by the broader culture and the workings of the system. In There Are No Children Here, Kotlowitz describes a young kid who gets arrested for nothing except for the fact that he’s Black, he goes on to talk about his experience with lawyers and unjust courts and the impact this has on him—“fuck it, they treat me like a criminal, I may as well get something from it too.” In the culture, this has been promoted in movies like Superfly in the ’70s and then Scarface in the ’80s which has an ongoing impact today. Along with this, the promotion of gangsta rap with the message that one should aspire to “get rich or die trying.”
This whole way of life and the outlook that comes with it is a trap. Even where people do “make it to the top,” this is still only the top of a game that’s been given to them by this system, which is at the expense of, and dripping with the blood of others who this system has cast off.
Kotlowitz is correct in saying “[p]eople who have little expectation for the future live recklessly.” Now once again, let’s ask, what kind of system, what kind of society is it which provides little or no expectation for the future to generations of youth?
What’s It Really Going to Take to Stop the Violence?
There is a way out of all this today—sweeping this system aside once and for all, through revolution and bringing into being a radically different system—socialism on the road to a communist world.
With state power in the hands of the people, society can be reorganized based on meeting the needs and unleashing the creativity and potential of millions of people that is destroyed by the kind of system we live under today. In this new society, the state—rather than being a force for exploitation, oppression, and repression—will back people up in working to solve all kinds of problems, not only for themselves but for all of humanity and as a part of the world revolution. As opposed to the society in which we live, which provides nothing but a hellish future or no future for the youth, in a socialist society, the youth will be a dynamic force for shaping the future. What they think and how they struggle will be valued, learned from, further unleashed…and led, with the aim of continuing to revolutionize all of society and bring a communist world, free of all exploitation and oppression, into being.
This is what is worth living and dying for. But it can only be based on FIGHTING the power, and not “working with it” to somehow keep a lid on things. There is an urgent need right now to bring forward a revolutionary movement which breaks out of the killing confines of the way things are, challenging the terms in the neighborhoods and society more broadly, and with it, leading the masses to forge a revolutionary movement and culture that can actually begin to change the tide.
The enormous potential for this must be wrenched from the horrors of today. The fact that these youth are largely alienated from this system and the whole “American way of life” and the very real sense that there is no future for them—is both part of why we need a revolution to sweep all of this away once and for all, and a critical part of where the basis for that revolution lies. All of these factors that especially young people are responding to—the fact that these youth really have nothing to lose, under this system—are the very same driving forces that could compel them in a whole other direction if that anger, alienation, and rebelliousness were channeled at the source of the problem and tempered and transformed with revolutionary science and a morality of liberation. Such a revolution can only take place when conditions radically change—when all of society is in a profound crisis and a revolutionary people emerge on to the scene, in the millions and tens of millions—but there is urgent work to carry out now, to hasten while awaiting such a situation, working now to bring forward a revolutionary people through waging political battle and carrying out ideological work, and transforming the current unfavorable political polarization in society through struggle.
This means that a minority has to be the first to step forward today. Even a relative handful with substance and revolutionary backbone can have an electrifying effect — not only in a neighborhood but in society overall. And it is in this process—of fighting to change the larger circumstances while learning about the underlying dynamics that gives rise to those circumstances, that people transform themselves.
The leadership, vision, science and organization necessary exists right now in the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. This Party came forward through the struggles of the ’60s and it persevered in building a revolutionary movement and seeking answers to the vexing questions. Its leader, Bob Avakian, has led the way in “charting the uncharted course” of how to make a revolution in a country like this—and more, he’s further developed the scientific theory and liberating vision of communism, deeply summing up the experience of the past, learning from the great achievements of previous revolutions, deeply interrogating their shortcomings and mistakes, and in doing all of this, he’s taken communism to a whole new place. And Avakian is leading a Party that is serious about revolution, serious about protecting its leadership, and seriously taking responsibility to lead the masses to make revolution in the real world.
Whether revolution will once again be in the air in this society (and around the world) in the way it needs to be, depends on people taking it up. The time is urgent for people from all walks of life to step forward. To all those who dare to dream of a better world where all of these horrors have been left behind for all of humanity: get down with the revolution, become an emancipator of humanity.
Fight the Power, and Transform the People, For Revolution
1. Kotlowitz is well known for his important book, There Are No Children Here, where he exposed the brutal living conditions for youth in Henry Horner Homes, one of the many since demolished housing projects. He wrote with great compassion about what it was like for two young Black children to grow up in these conditions and the ways in which the whole system was set up for these kids to fail—from the schools to the courts. [back]
2. For an inspiring example of where people help each other in brutal conditions, the film Trouble the Water shows how rival gang youth in New Orleans joined together to save people during Katrina, at the risk of their own lives. [back]
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EDITORIAL: Congressman Seth Moulton should skip Miami during debates
Sixth District Congressman Seth Moulton is running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Just ask him. He’ll tell you.
Moulton, however, failed to qualify for the first round of Democratic presidential debates in Miami scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday night.
This means Moulton should fold his candidacy, at least for the Miami debate stage, but he won’t.
Moulton plans to flit about the debate scene like an uninvited wedding guest, hoping some of the national spotlight other candidates earned will fall, undeservedly, on him.
Twenty Democratic presidential candidates did qualify and won the right to voice their ideas and opinions and to see if they stand up to debate scrutiny, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Cambridge.
The national media should concentrate on these candidates and ignore the candidates who didn’t qualify for the Miami debates.
Candidates had two chances to qualify. They could have reached 1 percent in a trio of public opinion polls. Or they could have at least 65,000 unique donors, with at least 200 donors in a minimum of 20 states.
Unfortunately for Moulton, he couldn’t muster the support he needed on either count to be on any Miami debate stage.
Just as unfortunately, Moulton plans to use the Miami spotlight for his candidacy.
The Congressman has a full schedule on Wednesday, June 26, and on Thursday, June 27.
Appearances include a live interview with the Washington Post’s Robert Costa at 9 a.m. and a prime time appearance on FOX News at 6 p.m. on June 26 and appearances on MSNBC, SIRUS XM Radio, CNN and NBC news on June 27.
“It's where the national press will be,” said Matt Corridoni, Moulton’s press secretary, on Tuesday morning. “[Moulton] will be doing a bunch of earned media hits, reporter meetings, and other events with Florida Democrats and voters. He's still going to introduce himself and share his message with a national audience — don't need to be on stage to do that.”
Ah, yes, you do.
Or at least you should qualify for a debate stage appearance to do that and be taken seriously.
Unfortunately, the press — be it print, social, radio, TV, or web — will give Moulton what he needs: exposure.
This exposure will come at the expense of those candidates who did work to meet the debate criteria.
Instead of interviewing Biden, Sanders, Warren, Booker, Klobuchar or any of the other candidates who made the stage — certainly there’s enough of them — voters will see Moulton.
Moulton has distinguished himself in other areas. He holds three Harvard degrees. He served four tours in Iraq. He’s a decorated Marine for that service — a hero. Judging from his record, Moulton is both smart and brave. And this makes his groveling for attention in Miami embarrassingly tragic.
“I served four combat tours in Iraq, a war I spoke out against. I’m progressive, I’m practical, and I can beat Donald Trump," Moulton says in an ad.
That’s a fine message — one he should expound on, just not in Miami.
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How the 1st Medical Recruiting Battalion is Shaping the Future
By Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Cannon 1st Medical Recruiting Brigade, 1st Medical Recruiting Battalion
Col. Jay Johannigman, a U.S. Army Reserve general surgeon, poses for a portrait while wearing a pair of binocular loupes during a promotional photo shoot for Army Reserve marketing and recruiting in a field hospital at Fort Hunter Liggett, California, July 18, 2018.
Feb. 12, 2019 —
The U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) recruiting battalions are struggling to recruit medical doctors for the Medical Corps (MC) (one of six branches in AMEDD), the most undermanned corps in AMEDD and most needed in times of war—directly affecting Army readiness. Conversely, within AMEDD recruiting, there is a ray of hope. The 1st Medical Recruiting Battalion (MRBn) is currently challenging the status quo and using modern technology to provide the command with a competitive edge. This article provides an understanding of the complex healthcare recruiting environment, the exciting solution, and a look into the future of AMEDD recruiting.
The Future Success of AMEDD Recruiting
Understanding your market is key, both in business and in achieving recruiting numbers. According to United States Army Recruiting Command (2014), “Our strategic mission is to recruit and assess highly qualified individuals to meet near and long-term Army requirements” (p. 1). The importance and impact of this statement plays out critically as we move into the future, one that we must realize before we are left behind by other services. The legacy style of recruiting has shown signs of failure, and in order to adapt, AMEDD recruiting must attack the market in a manner that is cooperative and understanding of the future (p. 4). As technology advances, so does the culture. If we are uninformed and illiterate on both, then the reality of failing the mission will continue to be the harsh actuality. This will directly produce a negative effect on Army readiness. In order to understand the market and achieve mission success, we must spotlight the innovative virtual recruiting methods that are currently proving successful.
The direct effect AMEDD recruiting has on Army readiness is undeniable. While attending the Annual Training Conference for the 1st and 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalions, Command Sgt. Maj. Tabitha Gavia, United States Army Recruiting Command, said, “Failure to accomplish our mission holds a negative impact on Army readiness that directly impacts national security. What we do in AMEDD recruiting affects Army readiness more than you think” (2018).
Soldiers are counting on AMEDD recruiting to provide the required medical experts needed.
Within AMEDD recruiting lies an antiquated method of recruiting that is losing steam. The situation is the U.S. Army cannot match the pay and incentives that our civilian counterparts can offer. This reality cannot be ignored. Compensation is a high priority for students fresh out of medical school with a large amount of debt who expect adequate pay in return. One study has civilian compensation, on average, at more than $98,000 higher than the military’s (“Military vs Civilian Doctor Salary,” 2011).
What’s not being communicated properly to the potential candidates is that the military has modern loan repayment and scholarship programs that most medical students would find invaluable. According to The Association of American Medical Colleges, “The average medical student debt balance for graduating physicians in 2015 was $183,000, and is no doubt higher today” (Gitlen, 2017, para. 10).
Yet the shocking reality is that the bulk of the Army’s target audience has no idea that it offers programs that will pay for their entire medical education: Medical residencies through graduate medical education (GME). As medical schools continue to graduate more students, medical residencies are lacking. In recent years, the number of medical school graduates has increased by more than 23 percent, all the while the residency programs have simply not kept pace (Koeppen, 2016). Estimates from Medical Malpractice Lawyers claim there will be 50 percent more medical school graduates by the year 2020 than in the 1990s. With the lack of residencies and the increased population, the nation is experiencing a shortage in physicians and medical school graduates are being hung out to dry (“Main Cause of Physician Shortage,” 2013), presenting us with a massive target of opportunity.
Perhaps the greatest struggle for AMEDD recruiters is the system we are mandated to use for prospecting. Recruiters Zone (RZ) is an antiquated system, and our civilian competitors have systems that far exceed our own. We have lost the art and ability to contact the most desirable prospects in AMEDD recruiting due to the change in culture as applicants are more comfortable in the virtual space than physical space. If we cannot contact those we are missioned to recruit, then recruiting efforts will fail. Thankfully, the solution is here and the Virtual Recruiting Station (VRS) has taken the 1MRBn to new levels of efficacy.
Since May of 2018, the VRS has broken new ground in an environment that was once looked upon with uncertainty. Army leadership recognized the need for a change and the VRS is now being utilized to accomplish the mission in a manner that is certain to become the future of AMEDD recruiting.
While using RZ, the average contact attempt can take anywhere from thirty seconds to two minutes. At times this may take longer depending upon the systems the recruiter is given to work with and the amount of detail that is required within each individual record being updated. This means the average recruiter will make anywhere from 30 to 45 attempts an hour while working at full capacity with no issues. In an effort to go around this ineffective model of recruiting, the virtual team has challenged the status quo. Since its inception, the VRS has been using alternate methods (mail merge, social media, and public job boards) with amazing results. Virtual recruiters at the 1MRBn are able to send thousands of emails in a matter of seconds.
Realistically, the average prospecting day allows for four to five hours of dedicated prospecting, around three to four days a week. This means the average recruiter will only make 600 to 900 attempts in a given week. However, this is a best case scenario and does not take into account processing, training, administrative duties, and other distractors that can take away from prospecting efforts. The alternate methods of prospecting (mentioned above) are being employed successfully through the virtual team at the 1MRBn and have recently been used to send out upwards of 53,000 emails in only a few seconds.
What would normally take a team of four recruiters over 17 weeks, can now be accomplished by one recruiter almost instantaneously. The remaining work is managed by recruiters in the office answering phone calls and emails from responses received from applicants.
Recently, with one virtual recruiter, in the span of two months, 55 Health Professions Scholarship Program applicants (who are qualified and have agreed to process) have been passed down to recruiting stations throughout the area of operations. Not all will cross the finish line, however, the realization that one recruiter has the ability to prospect in such an effective and efficient manner should be recognized.
Med Corp Direct Markets
Direct doctors, those that have chosen to have a more direct relationship with their patients and not go through third party billing companies (Hoff, 2018), have always proven difficult to recruit and require a new method of prospecting. AMEDD recruiters have never hit their prescribed benchmarks, but with the use of the VRS and its mass communication capabilites, it’s possible to get closer than ever to reaching the proposed recruiting goals.
In the span of four months, the 1MRBn is achieving numbers for direct doctors once thought unobtainable. With one virtual recruiter using precisely targeted email campaigns, 17 MC direct doctors have agreed to process. It is easily recognizable the VRS is changing the face of modern recruiting and is paving the way for recruiting battalions to communicate with more applicants than ever.
Virtual recruiting is the wave of the future, and a tool that can positively affect Army readiness. As the Army begins to maximize its VRS capabilities, a job that at one time would take 50 Soldiers to accomplish, can now be done by a minimal staff. By using this modern capability, the Army can get closer than ever to achieving its recruiting goals.
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Image & Animation of "2018-017A" a.k.a. #Starman
On February 06, 2018 at 20:45 UT, SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon Heavy, a reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle, introduced as the most powerful rocket currently in operation.
The dummy payload for this test flight was a sports car owned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a midnight cherry, first generation Tesla Roadster. It was selected as "something fun and without irreplaceable sentimental value" to be launched into space on the maiden flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket. The purpose of including the Roadster on the maiden flight was to demonstrate that the Falcon Heavy can launch payloads as far as the orbit of Mars.
Sitting in the driver's seat of the Roadster is "Starman", a dummy astronaut clad in a SpaceX spacesuit. He has his right hand on the steering wheel and left elbow resting on the open window sill. Starman is named for the David Bowie song "Starman". The car's sound system was looping the symbolic Bowie songs "Space Oddity" and "Life on Mars?". A copy of Douglas Adams' 1979 novel "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is in the glovebox, along with a towel and a sign on the dashboard that reads "Don't Panic!" (two references to the book).
Credit: Spacex
On February 09.4, 2018 I performed follow-up of the #Starman #TeslaRoadster (officially designated 2018-017A) remotely from MPC code H06 (Mayhill, New Mexico; iTelescope network) through a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD. Click on the image below for a bigger version.
While below you can see a short animation showing the motion of Starman in about 20 minutes. Each frame is a 60-second exposure. North is up, East to the left.
In the hours after the successful Falcon Heavy launch, a live video feed of the Roadster and Starman from three cameras mounted inside and on booms attached to the outside of the vehicle was broadcast on YouTube. It was expected to last for about twelve hours until the on-board batteries were depleted; however, the livestream lasted for just over four hours. Full video stream of the car as it creates spectacular views of Earth from space is still available, see Youtube video below.
Etichette: 2018-017A, Falcon Heavy, SpaceX, Starman, Tesla Roadster
Rocketman.....
Casper said...
FAR OUT MAN ,, !
Comets & Asteroids - Summary Aug through Dec 2017
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Serpent's Den
Prove All Things; Hold Fast That Which is Good.
Marvel Recap
Star Wars Recap
Thrilling Adventure Stories
Thoughts on ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special’
Posted on July 8, 2018 by DBreitenbeck
Past Entries:
-Star Wars
I wasn’t sure whether I’d including the Holiday Special in my Star Wars rewatch, for the obvious reason that it’s not really part of the series proper. But, in the end, I decided that, since I had it (in the Rifftrax version), I might as well take another look in context of the rest of the series.
I’ve written about this one before, so there will be some repetition, but basically…yeah, it’s incredibly bad. Not just bad in terms of writing and execution, but bad in some really strange ways. Like, one of the first things that happens is that Chewie’s son, Lumpy, and father, Itchy stand around watching a hologram of a circus act for three minutes straight. Who would think that was good idea for any show, let alone a ‘Star Wars’ entry? Kind of a step down from the attack on Princess Leia’s ship.
Of course, that stems from the fact the special is structured as a standard variety show, only set within the ‘Star Wars’ universe. That itself is just such a strange idea; it’s as if, between Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, they did a special where Frodo and Sam ended up on a game show en-route to Mordor: why would anyone even think to do this, let alone take the time and spend the money to bring it to life?
Apparently, George Lucas meant this as a way to keep the brand in the public mind and continue to sell merchandise in between films, though it seems he wasn’t directly involved in either the writing or directing of this one, beyond the initial concept. The actual writers, I can only imagine (and at least one has confirmed), were all higher than satellites, to judge by the results. Among other things, we have about a quarter of an hour of Chewbacca’s family, done entirely in Wookie language. So, those growling noises Chewie makes? About half the special is done in that, without subtitles (this, apparently, was entirely Lucas’s idea). Then there’s the softcore porn film starring Diahann Carrol that Itchy gets from Art Carney. Believe me, I wish I could make up something as crazy as that.
Again, why is Chewbacca’s father watching a porno film? Who would even consider filming something like that? Not only in a ‘Star Wars’ entry, but in a ‘holiday special’? Also, that’s not an interpretation: the producers are on record saying that’s exactly what the scene is supposed to represent.
The plot (involving Chewbacca trying to get home to spend ‘Life Day’ with his family) is paper thin, and serves only to provide an extremely flimsy pretext for the skits. Though, even then the skits just sort of come out of nowhere, only occasionally with any justification whatsoever. Like, the Jefferson Starship musical number (no, not making that up) is Art Carney trying to distract an Imperial patrol…only, nothing comes of it; there’s no purpose to the distraction. It just eats up time.
Then there’s the cartoon short, showing a side-adventure of Luke, Han, and the droids, wherein they meet Boba Fett for the first time. This comes about simply from Lumpy watching a video player. Why is he doing that while there are Imperial troops sweeping his house? And why does he even have a cartoon of his father and his friends on an adventure in the first place? Why would such a thing even exist in this universe? You see, even as a framing device, the story is terrible.
As for the cartoon itself, it’s…pretty lame. The animation is terrible (Han in particular looks downright grotesque). The plot, involving a magical talisman that contains an Imperial bioweapon causing a form of sleeping sickness in humans, is at once too complicated and too silly to work even in a cartoon. Boba Fett doesn’t really do anything cool and his plan is foiled in a painfully lazy way, though admittedly it is kind of interesting to see him here before his official introduction in Empire Strikes Back.
Speaking of the main cast, they’re barely in the special at all. They just show up now and again for a couple minutes to remind us that ‘oh yeah, this is related to something we liked.’ Not only that, but they’re all kind of…strange. Mark Hamill is buried in very visible makeup meant to hide the effects of a recent car crash. Carrie Fisher, clearly at the height of her drug addiction, is visibly unsteady on her feet and stumbles over her lines. Harrison Ford, meanwhile, is clearly growing more and more bored as the show goes on, until he seems barely able to muster the energy to get his dialogue out. As for James Earl Jones as Darth Vader (who gets a special “and” credit in the opening), he has two scenes, one of which is in the cartoon and the other a dubbed scene from the first film.
Of course, saying the Holiday Special is bad is like saying the original Star Wars is good: it’s pretty much established fact at this point. So, is there anything positive to say about the special?
Actually, there is.
First of all, I really like the fact that the special actually shows the Empire from the point of view of the ordinary people of the galaxy. In the films, we see them doing terrible things, but mostly in the form of broad, specific outrages, mostly directed against the rebels themselves. Here, we get to see Imperial tyranny in the form of small, day-to-day injustices. For instance, there’s an early scene where Art Carney’s character (a trader) shows his wares to an Imperial officer, who, deciding he likes one of the items, simply declares, “I’ll take it” and walks off without paying. That’s a perfectly well-conceived (if not especially well-written) scenario, demonstrating just what the Empire means to ordinary people.
Likewise, a large part of the special is taken up by the Imperial Troops searching Chewie’s house for signs of rebel activity, threatening and abusing his family the whole time. The way Chewie’s family, with Art Carney’s help, have to tread carefully even as they’re tying to get the troops out before Chewbacca comes home is fairly well conceived and again captures that sense of powerlessness that comes from being under a tyrannical government in a way that’s not really seen in the films proper. There was some coherent thought put into this scenario.
Then there’s a late scene where the Empire imposes a curfew that forces the cantina on Tatooine to shut down. This creates a real headache for the owner (Bea Arthur), who finds herself forced to find a way to throw all her low-life customers out without offending them. But, again, there’s nothing she can do about it except to grumble resentfully and try her best.
On that subject, Arthur’s segment in the cantina is easily the best part of the special. Unlike just about everyone else (which includes some fantastically talented people, like Art Carney and Diahann Carrol), she actually puts in a legitimate performance, has some decent material to work with, and is honestly entertaining. There’s a particularly good line where, after being obliged to bribe her customers out with another round of drinks, she complains “I’m running a tab for the Empire.” She even elicits some honest emotions in the scene where she bids her staff goodnight before turning back into the now-empty bar. The whole segment feels refreshingly honest and human, not to mention it’s possibly the only piece of the whole special that actually seems like it fits in the ‘Star Wars’ universe. I can absolutely see Bea Arthur being the owner of the Cantina from original film, and that this is the sort of thing she deals with on a regular basis.
And I will say that the final shots, of Chewie and his family sitting quietly and enjoying ‘Life Day,’ are rather sweet. The preceding scene of Wookies marching through space in robes and Carrie Fisher singing, not so much.
So, yeah, in summary, this is an incredibly, mind-bogglingly stupid piece of work, the kind of thing where you really wish you could see the making of, just because you want to know what kind of thought process could have led to some of these scenes. I really hope someone, somewhere does a full-blown research project on this so that one day we can get a full documentary on just what they heck happened to bring this thing to life.
This entry was posted in Movies, Television, Thoughts and tagged Movies, Star Wars, Thoughts by DBreitenbeck. Bookmark the permalink.
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12 Things You Didn’t Know About Pokémon
by Matthew Loffhagen
Last Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the original release of the first Pokémon Gameboy game in Japan and the birth of a franchise, which has continued to be popular until the present day. Alongside video games, The Pokémon craze of the late ‘90s spawned a hugely popular cartoon television series which continues to this day, along with over a dozen feature-length movies, a collectible trading card game, and so many toys, comics and other merchandise that it’s impossible for any fan to live up to Pokémon’s motto and truly "catch ‘em all."
The television show introduced children worldwide to the idea of capturing, collecting and training pet monsters, and millions of viewers around the world have tuned in to watch the adventures of Ash Ketchum, Pikachu, and their friends. The show put a strong emphasis on the friendship and learning aspects of the Pokémon games, encouraging viewers to be the very best at Pokémon training.
With a series as expansive and popular as Pokémon, there are plenty of facts and interesting trivia that even the most die-hard fan probably won’t have heard before. Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Pokémon.
13 Ash and Gary are Named for The Creators of Pokémon and Mario
In the Pokémon cartoon, the hero Ash has a longstanding rivalry with another child from his hometown, Gary – over the course of the series, the two characters bump into each other periodically, trading insults and jibes as they collect gym badges and capture Pokémon. Ash always feels inferior to Gary, who’s often shown to be ahead of him in terms of Pokémon knowledge and skill.
The names Ash and Gary come from the names of the characters used in Japanese anime – for English-speaking audiences, Satoshi became Ash and Shigeru was dubbed as Gary, as these names match the sounds of their Japanese counterparts. Satoshi is named for Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the Pokémon games, while Shigeru’s name comes from Shigeru Miyamoto, one of the brightest stars at Nintendo, who was responsible for the creation of Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and many other popular video game franchises. What’s more, Miyamoto was responsible for convincing Nintendo executives to accept Satoshi Tajiri’s pitch for Pokémon, and worked closely with the team to ensure that the game was as well-built as possible.
In naming the rival character Gary, Satoshi Tajiri was paying tribute to his idol, mentor and friend, acknowledging that however far Pokémon may go, Miyamoto’s creations are still very far ahead.
12 uri Geller Once Sued Nintendo Over a Pokémon
Famous Israeli stage psychic Uri Geller, who is known particularly for his claim of having mental powers strong enough to bend spoons, once sued Nintendo over allegations that the Pokémon Kadabra is an unlicensed copy and parody of Geller himself. As evidence, Geller pointed to Kadabra’s use of a spoon as a psychic aid, and the fact that in the Pokémon anime, psychic type trainers are often shown trying to bend spoons with their mind. Furthermore, Geller argued that Kadabra had an anti-Semitic design, claiming that the Pokémon’s large nose and facial hair are common tropes for making fun of those of Jewish heritage.
It’s believed that as a direct result of the lawsuit, Nintendo have opted to avoid producing any more Pokémon trading cards which feature Kadabra – no cards have been printed featuring the Pokémon since 2003, and new Abra cards often come with the ability to skip the middle stage of their evolution to avoid Kadabra entirely.
This isn’t the only time Pokémon’s come under fire from the Jewish community – in 1999 the Anti-Defamation League criticized Nintendo’s use of the manji, a traditional Buddhist symbol, in one of their cards, mistaking the symbol for a Nazi swastika. In deference to the League’s requests, Nintendo ceased production of the card and ultimately changed the design before it returned to print, a move which was welcomed by the Jewish community, who then praised the company for their cultural sensitivity.
11 Clefairy Was the Original Pokémon Mascot
While Pikachu is undoubtedly the best-known Pokémon, it was originally intended for the pink, curly tailed Clefairy to take on the role of mascot for the series and appear as the main Pokémon character in the anime.
Clefairy was one of the first Pokémon designed, and is the main character in the original Pokémon manga adaptation. In the comic, Clefairy is capable of speech, and typically expresses a very crude sense of humor, unlike the ultimate direction of the anime series. The original pilot for the anime showed Ash receiving a Clefairy, but the character was ultimately changed to Pikachu. This was done because it was believed that Pikachu would better appeal to female viewers, considering Clefairy’s crass nature in the manga. Pikachu was also chosen because designers felt that yellow is a more recognizable color to spot from a distance, making the Pokémon mascot more recognizable.
The Pokémon manga starring Clefairy remains very popular, and has continued circulation in Japan to this day. In addition to this, a Pokémon syndicated newspaper comic strip ran briefly in American newspapers between 2000 and 2001 – while Ash and Pikachu are the protagonists of the strip, the comic also features a bashful Clefairy who attempts to overcome anxiety and insecurity in battle.
10 A Presidential Candidate Once Quoted Pokémon in a Speech
Pokémon’s effects on popular culture have been far-reaching, and references to the cartoon have sometimes turned up in very unexpected places. In 2011, Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain made a speech in which he quoted the words of "a poet" who wrote about overcoming seemingly impossible odds. The speech was well-received at the time, but Pokémon fans were quick to call foul when they recognized that Cain’s quote actually comes from the lyrics to the theme song for Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Cain ultimately suspended his campaign, amid allegations of sexual harassment and because of the strain that the campaign was placing on his family. In his suspension speech, he again took the opportunity to quote from the second Pokémon movie – this time, reciting more of the lyrics from the song and rightly attributing the words to their original source. This marks the first time that a Presidential candidate has uttered the word ‘Pokémon’ in an official speech, but as the Gameboy generation grows older and gets into politics, it may not be the last.
9 ‘Pikachu’ Literally Means ‘Crackling Squeak’
Pokémon names are known for often featuring wordplay that is descriptive of the monster’s nature – this can be seen with Pokémon such as Snorlax (a portmanteau of "snore" and "lax"), Bulbasaur (combining the words "bulb" and "dinosaur") and plenty of others.
One Pokémon name which might not be obvious to native English speakers is that of Pikachu – the character’s name is the same in Japan, and is made by combining two common onomatopoeic Japanese sounds. ‘Pikapika’ is used to describe the sound of sparking electricity, while ‘chuchu’ is used in place of a mouse’s squeak. Thus the name Pikachu references both the electric quality and rodent nature of the character – but only if you speak Japanese.
There are plenty of other clever foreign-language references in English Pokémon names, such as the names of the three legendary birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, whose names reference the first three numbers in Spanish – uno, dos, and tres.
8 Several Pokémon Episodes Have Been Withheld for Inappropriate Content
While the Pokémon anime is, for the most part, a heartwarming story of friendship and love, every now and then the animators have made decisions which have been considered culturally inappropriate in various parts of the world.
Two early episodes of the cartoon have never been shown in the West – an episode where a Clint Eastwood-inspired park ranger repeatedly threatens Ash and friends at gunpoint, and an episode where James from Team Rocket uses a fake body suit to give himself enormous breasts so that he can squeeze into a tiny bikini and enter a beauty contest. The episode which features an over-reliance on handguns has never been localized into English, while some snippets of footage from the episode entitled "Beauty and the Beach" later appeared as a flashback in the Western version of an episode about dreams.
The most infamous episode of all time has only ever aired the once in Japan, and was never regionalized into any other language. The episode in question featured the Pokémon Porygon, and culminated in Pikachu performing a particularly colorful thundershock. The quick flashes of light during this explosive conclusion to the episode was responsible for triggering seizures in many of the Japanese children watching the show, and many had to be hospitalized. As a result, the Pokémon anime went on hiatus in Japan for several months, and none of the Porygon evolutionary line have appeared in a major role in any episode of the anime since.
7 The World’s Rarest Pokémon Card is Worth Around $20,000
Anybody who grew up during the height of Pokémon’s fame will remember the schoolyard battles and politics that erupted around the trading of Pokémon cards during this era. Friendships were won and lost over cards, and some of the rarest gems changed hands for large amounts of money. While most common Pokémon cards are barely worth anything now that the craze has somewhat lost its early fire, there are still a few cards out there that have held their value. One such card is the "Illustrator Pikachu," which is currently the rarest Pokémon card in existence.
In November 1997, CoroCoro Comic ran a special contest asking fans to submit their own designs for Pokémon cards. Three winners and twenty runners-up were chosen, each one receiving the coveted "Illustrator Pikachu" card – a similar contest the following year gave more children the opportunity to get their hands on the same prize. As only thirty-nine copies of the card were ever distributed, they continue to hold an exceedingly high price – one sold for $20,000, while a collector in Illinois has been auctioning one copy with a Buy It Now price of $100,000 – since the auction has been repeating since 2013, it’s unlikely that anyone feels the card is worth quite this much.
6 An Academic Study has Accused Pokémon of Inciting Violence Among Children
Speaking of schoolyard scuffles over Pokémon cards, there is some academic evidence to support parental claims that Pokémon encourages violence. A study by Iowa State University in 2009 claims that violence levels shown in many television programs, including Pokémon, directly influences the behavior of children, leading to greater levels of violence and aggression.
While these results may seem damning, it’s important to note that relatively violence-free shows such as Scooby Doo were also named by the study as causing aggression levels to rise in children – suggesting that whatever social cues children are picking up from Pokémon, it’s not necessarily isolated to shows about monster fights.
5 Arcanine Was Originally Meant to be a Legendary Pokémon
The original Pokémon games went through a development process that took over five years to complete, and in that time plenty of elements shifted around a lot. One part of development that’s drawn much attention and fan speculation is Arcanine, described in official media as "The Legendary Pokémon."
In the games, there are four "Legendary" Pokémon which only appear once in a single place in the game – in the anime, these characters are typically saved for the Pokémon movies and make a grander appearance than most. It’s believed that, originally, the large fire dog Arcanine was intended to be one of these legendary characters, before the idea was scrapped and the Pokémon gained a common pre-evolution which appears as a police dog in many episodes of the cartoon.
Some evidence for Arcanine’s earlier intended role can be seen in some scenes of the Pokémon cartoon, included a scene where Ash is trying to learn about legendary monsters and sees a stone carving of the three legendary birds and Arcanine, suggesting that at some point, this Pokémon was going to be a much bigger deal.
4 There Used to be a Human Gene named ‘Pokémon’
Scientists are known for occasionally abusing their power over the names of important scientific discoveries. In one such case, the team which discovered an important gene in the human body decided to name it "Pokémon." The Pokémon Company was not too happy about this, though, as the gene in question is involved in the development of some forms of cancer, and the company felt that this provided negative publicity for the franchise. After threatening legal action, The Pokémon Company successfully lobbied to see the name changed.
Strangely, The Pokémon Company haven’t reacted as negatively to a protein which scientists have named "Pikachurin" – this is possibly because, unlike the gene, this protein isn’t related in any way to the development of a disease. Instead, Pikachurin is a protein involved in the sending of electrical signals from the eye to the human brain – as it’s connected with electricity, scientists chose to name it after their favorite electric-type Pokémon.
3 Pokémon: The First Movie Once Held a Box Office Record
American fans of Pokémon (and their reluctant parents) piled into movie theaters in November 1999 to get a chance to enjoy the first full length animated Pokémon feature. While the movie didn’t receive overwhelming positivity from critics, it certainly succeeded with its target audience, to the point that the movie broke the record for the highest-grossing US opening for an animated film not released during the summer.
This record success was short-lived, however – a mere two weeks later, Toy Story 2 was released, overtaking Pokémon: The First Movie's record by around $30 million. Subsequent Pokémon movies have never quite managed to capture audience attention in the same way that the first did. While there have been over a dozen Pokémon movies, only the first three saw a theatrical release in the West.
2 Pokémon: The First Movie is a Very Different Film in Japan
Speaking of The First Movie, it’s been argued that much of the criticism the movie’s received over the years isn’t due to the original film itself, but rather the English-language version, which took multiple liberties with the plot and character motivation.
The original Japanese version of the movie tells a nuanced and morally ambiguous story about the ethics of cloning and the sanctity of life. In the original story, Mewtwo befriends a cloned human child, and is unable to come to terms with her death when it proves that the cloning process is imperfect. His actions throughout the movie are motivated by a desire to prove that his life has worth and that he’s more than just a failed experiment. All of this character motivation, including twelve minutes of footage showing Mewtwo’s backstory, were cut from the American release of the movie in favor of a world domination plot that provides a clear villain so that audiences know who to root for.
What’s more, while the character of Mew appears benevolent in the American dub of the movie, arriving just in time to stop Mewtwo’s evil plans, in the Japanese release the character is less righteous, attacking Mewtwo out of a belief that cloned life is naturally inferior and deserves to die. Fearing that Western audiences would react negatively to such a complex movie, its localization team dumbed down a lot of the philosophical arguments in favor of a moral theme warning that fighting is bad.
The power of Pokémon is undeniable – from box office records to academic studies, from expensive collectibles to scientific terminology, the franchise starring Ash, Misty and Pikachu has touched many aspects of modern life. As Pokémon turns 20, it’s interesting to think about how far the franchise has traveled thus far, and where it’s going next.
Do you have a favorite piece of Pokémon trivia? What’s your favorite memory from the games or the cartoons? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Tags: pokemon
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Manchester City Council Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Central Library building
History of Central Library
Libraries History of Central Library
Before Central Library: Campfield
Before Central Library: King Street and Piccadilly
Designing and Building the Central Library
The Opening of Central Library
A Souvenir of Central Library
Inside Central Library
Central Library at War
For a number of reasons, including the outbreak of World War I, there was no further progress on a new building until 1926, when a competition was held for the design of an extension to the Town Hall, together with a new library, which was won by E. Vincent Harris (1876-1971), a well-respected municipal architect. Harris's work has been described by the noted architectural historian John Archer as revealing 'a creative and original modern spirit'. He worked very closely with Stanley Jast and Charles Nowell, the Chief Librarians, on the unusual design of the building, which was strongly influenced by visits to American libraries.
E. Vincent Harris, 1934 m73333
The Town Hall Extension and Central Library were designed to complement each other, although the style of the two buildings is very different. Harris was a great admirer of Roman architecture and Central Library is often compared to Emperor Hadrian's Pantheon in Rome . The building was constructed on a steel frame with reinforced concrete floors and is faced with Portland stone. The most striking features are the main entrance - a huge, two-storey portico with six columns - and the colonnade around the second and third floors.
"As the paper came off the press the Evening News ponies tore out into Cross Street delivering the newspapers (in high yellow dog-carts) to the railway stations and the wholesalers. Working horses were still quite common in the city. The Transport Department carried parcels in a horse-drawn van, which came into Van Dock every morning. At times the horse left a memento of its visit - which keen gardeners amongst the porters rapidly collected into a bucket." (Elizabeth Leach, former member of staff)
It is one of Vincent Harris's most confident, assured and bombastic essays in the Roman Imperial manner ... the ingenuity of Harris's design is seen in the way he has placed this grand space, with its Tuscan colonnade of Sienna scagliola, on top of the stacks as in the American Library of Congress and in defiance of the then fashion of creating book towers on top of reading rooms (Clare Hartwell, Manchester, 2001)
"It was discovered by an appalled staff that there were no workrooms on the floors adjacent to the service department, only the librarian of the reference library itself being lucky enough to have an office ... It was a poor thing to discover that the much vaunted new Central Library was deficient in so important a matter." The librarian's place is in his department", was the unsympathetic answer received, and like men who had been soldiers they bore their troubles with continued grumbles - and sorted out among the stacks a score of retreats vastly superior to offices, for they could be warned of an hostile approach." (Hilda McGill, former member of staff)
Harris's design created a feeling of light, space and openness in the library, using modern techniques such as the 'plenum system' of heating and ventilation, which left the floors and walls free of radiators and pipework. The fittings, metalwork and furniture were all of the highest quality. Hopton Wood stone from Derbyshire lines the internal walls, much of the joinery is oak or English walnut, while the metalwork is largely bronze.
Constructing the Central Library, 1931-1934
"The steelwork of the new library was etched in intricate tracery against the blue, a vast web in which men were entangled here and there like flies fatally meshed. Through a gap in the boarding she looked down into the great hole out of which the building was rising, and whistled jauntily. It was grand to look at. Men wheeling barrows, men running up ladders, men clambering about the web, walking like tight-rope experts across precarious gulfs; cranes grunting and lifting and moving their tall fingers in wide arcs upon the sky; shrill whistles of command, brisk rattle of hammer on steel and slither of chains upon pulleys all grand to look at in the blue-and-white morning." (Shabby Tiger, by Howard Spring, 1934)
"It became the boast of the reference library that they were removed to the new building without a break in service to the public. This was achieved because in 1934 authorities were able to indicate to the Labour Exchanges that they required a squad of able-bodied men to report for duty at eight am or eight pm as the case might be, and their wishes were immediately fulfilled.
The operation was undertaken at night so that the normal traffic of the city would have least disruption, and as it had been planned so it proved to be. In three weeks over a million books and manuscripts, files and periodicals had been carried almost entirely by hand from one place to the other: only in times of serious depression when manpower was plentiful could such an operation be successfully concluded. In the meantime the denuded reference library functioned as best it could, and service was of such a calibre that a book that had already been transported might be brought back to Piccadilly at a reader's behest." (Hilda McGill, former member of staff)
"When it was being built the public were very intrigued about its final appearance - they were used to rectangular buildings and the shape of the girders used seemed to make little sense. It was called various names, e.g. the Corporation Wedding Cake (it seemed to sparkle white surrounded by black buildings) and the St. Peter's Square Gasometer, but the citizens were very proud of it. I remember families coming in first to "gawp"... Under the portico became a favourite trysting place. In all, the shape of the building was its best advertisement and it was never necessary to put a notice 'Public Library' on the outside."(Leslie Smyth, former member of staff)
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Home › WatchMojo Books & Magazines › 50 Most Influential Sci-Fi Shows on TV
50 Most Influential Sci-Fi Shows on TV
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It used to be assumed you were a geek, uncool, or weird for enjoying science fiction. The term was synonymous with rubber Vulcan ears, sonic screwdrivers, and cheesy spaceships. While that’s part of it (and a part people have come to know, love, and celebrate at pop culture conventions around the world), it’s only a part of it. Sci-fi has grown to include a slew of sub-genres like dystopia, cyberpunk, superhuman stories (yeah, all those Marvel movies you like are technically sci-fi), space operas, alternate histories, post-apocalyptic, and kaiju just to name a few.
Although the genre is closely linked to horror and fantasy, often sharing elements with both of them, it’s important to understand that there’s a difference between the three. According to Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone, “Science fiction is the improbable made possible, and fantasy is the impossible made probable.”
This formerly nerdy territory is not only massively popular, it’s actually in style. Networks like AMC, HBO, and streaming services like Netflix have made a name for themselves by developing titles that helped popularize it among mainstream audiences. The fact that it’s one of the most inclusive and progressive genres out there doesn’t hurt either.
But what’s the marker of great science fiction? Is it the piece’s believability, where science fiction serves as a precursor to science fact? Is it getting audiences to suspend their disbelief and trust that the impossible isn’t so farfetched? Or maybe it’s some masterful blend of the two.
So pull on your favourite red shirt (uh, actually, make that a blue one), grab your TARDIS mug, and travel through time (metaphorically, of course) as WatchMojo explores the 50 most influential sci-fi shows on television.
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Tag: soul
Multifaceted Mvula experiences a swift rise
Boston Globe, May 16, 2013 Laura Mvula is only just catching up to what she’s done. Twelve months ago the 26-year-old singer was basically unknown, except in a few corners of the Birmingham, England, music world: the gospel a cappella group with whom she first performed, the conservatory where she studied composition, and, if you […]
Book review: “I Would Die 4 U,” by Touré
Boston Globe, March 21, 2013 “A woman who was in a relationship with Prince years ago told me that when he gave women baths he took total control.” This nugget exemplifies what’s engaging about “I Would Die 4 U,” Touré’s study of the protean pop star’s meaning and appeal. It’s gossipy and a little prurient; […]
Book review: “98% Funky Stuff” by Maceo Parker
Boston Globe, February 28, 2013 By his own account, 1974 was a good year for Maceo Parker. The saxophonist was riding high in his third stint with James Brown as a star soloist and the band’s MC, and also as leader of his own side projects, a hard-won privilege in Brown’s regime. He was earning […]
A singer at the busy crossroads of soul and jazz
Boston Globe, January 24, 2013 The singer José James grew up in Minneapolis and studied jazz in New York, but he’s made his career mostly out of the American mainstream eye: recording for overseas and indie labels, living a few years in London, working with recherché producers like Gilles Peterson and Flying Lotus. His recordings, […]
Nona Hendryx balances soul, conscience
Boston Globe, July 8, 2012 NEW YORK— Let’s say you formed your first band as a Trenton, N.J., teen in the ’50s. You helped invent funk in a trio, LaBelle, that found cult status in the ’70s. You pioneered sci-fi themes before George Clinton. Later, you forged ahead as a solo artist and in collaborations […]
For singer-songwriter Morley, it’s all about connections
Boston Globe, May 11, 2012 NEW YORK — There are lots of birds in the lyrics of Morley, the singer-songwriter who’s found an original place for herself at the intersection of the jazz, folk, funk, and world-music scenes here, and who flits between these worlds with the grace and ease of the winged creatures that […]
No masking his minimalist approach
Boston Globe, March 30, 2012 It’s never a bad idea to strip the clutter away. Valid from home upkeep to personal relations, the principle holds equally true in pop – particularly electronic music, where layers of effects and flurries of adornments threaten dissipating the signal into noise. This has been an issue of late, as […]
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Lynda Henglein
For thirty years, I had the blessing and the challenge of being a military wife. During one of our assignments to Europe, I developed a passion for, and began to collect, beautiful hand embroidered antique monogrammed linens. I collected everything from hand-made handkerchiefs to linen towels and European pillow shams. To me, each antique monogram was a miniature work of art that rivaled anything I had ever seen in gold or silver.
Fast forward to 2013. I took a course to learn about a special material containing recycled silver called precious metal clay. I now had the tool to achieve my dream of transferring the antique monograms onto sterling silver. A few of my silver pendants are embellished with reclaimed 24K gold, that was originally embedded in parts of military aircraft flown over Iraq and Afghanistan. As a military wife, I feel I am honoring those who served their country.
I love the fact that my art not only features diverse monograms such as the one of Christian IV of Denmark, a monarch crowned in 1588, and Queen Marie Thérèse of Austria, the wife of Louis XIV of France, but also Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, the mother of Czar Nicholas II. My jewelry is the work of two artists: the heraldic artist of history, and myself, the artist of today. Each piece displays initials that could belong to anyone’s distant relative from the old country. Alice is one of my most popular designs and yet, I have never sold one to an Alice.
While visiting the New York Public Library, The Library of Congress, The Victoria and Albert Art Library in London, and The National Library of Scotland, I not only photographed incredible original editions of antique monogram books from Russia, Europe, and America, I fell in love with them. From there, I started on a quest to acquire books, such as my 1874 edition of Henri Renoir’s book of two letter ciphers and Charles Demengeot’s book Dictionnaire Chiffre-Monogramme published in 1887, of which only 200 copies were printed. I have also acquired original editions of nineteenth century books of monograms and ciphers, published in England, France, Germany, and Austria. Research has taught me not only the historical significance of monograms, but also who the heraldic artist was, the country it originated in, and what year it was designed.
The hardest part of being an artist is knowing when your creation is complete. I have worked anywhere from 10-70 hours on a piece. That happens, I think, because when I work, time seems to stand still. The reward is that I have met the kindest, most thoughtful people at my trunk shows; some I now call friends. One of the things I am most proud of is being told that a selected piece would surely become a treasured family heirloom. Giving happiness is what propels me forward.
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American actor
Lee Van Cleef (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American actor.
Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr.
Somerville, New Jersey, U.S.
December 16, 1989 (aged 64)
Oxnard, California, U.S.
Born in Somerville, New Jersey, U.S.. His first roles were the villain Jack Colby in the western classic High Noon (1952) with Gary Cooper, and the sci fi movie The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) as Corp. Stone. Other classic western movies, he played a minor role in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), as Ed Bailey, and The Tin Star (1957), as Ed McGaffey.
Lee Van Cleef jumped to fame in the spaghetti westerns, directed by Sergio Leone, Per qualche dollaro in più (For a Few Dollars More) (1965) and Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) (1966), with Clint Eastwood in the title role.
He had great success in European cinema in Italy is the protagonist of Spaghetti Westerns: The Big Gundown (1966) - Da uomo a uomo (1966) - I giorni dell'ira (1967) - Al di là della legge (1968) - Sabata (1969) - È tornato Sabata... hai chiuso un'altra volta (1971) - Bad Man's River (1971) - Il grande duello (1972) - Dio, sei proprio un padreterno! (1973) - The Stranger and the Gunfighter (1974) - Take a Hard Ride (1975) - Diamante Lobo (1976).
In the United States, Van Cleef also starred in some western movies such as Barquero (1970), by Gordon Douglas, and The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972) by George McCowan
In the early 1980s he worked in the film The Octagon (1980), with Chuck Norris, Escape from New York (1981), directed by John Carpenter, and Armed Response (1986), with David Carradine.
In 1984, Van Cleef was the main protagonist of the NBC television series The Master, created by Michael Sloan, Lee plays an ex-military master martial arts expert ninja. Although it only lasted 13 episodes in the series keeps hundreds of thousands of fans around the world
He also guest starred in the TV series The Range Rider - The Adventures of Champion - The Gene Autry Show - The Lone Ranger - Brave Eagle - Trackdown - Wagon Train - Laramie - Rawhide - Branded - Laredo - Gunsmoke, always playing villain roles
Other websitesEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lee Van Cleef.
Lee Van Cleef on IMDb
Lee Van Cleef at AllMovie
"Lee Van Cleef". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
Van Cleef's only published English-language biography
TheBad.net: A Tribute to Lee Van Cleef
Lee Van Cleef page
Lee van Cleef Forum
Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lee_Van_Cleef&oldid=4437456"
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Ademola Yakubu
Ex-Minister expresses fears over ability of states to pay new minimum wage
Abuja – A former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh, has expressed fears that the new N30, 000 minimum wage, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18 would lead to chaos.
Minimum Wage: NLC, TUC laud Buhari over assent
Momoh, who is also a chieftain of the APC party made the statement this while addressing newsmen on Friday in Abuja as part of activities to mark his 80th birthday.
Acccording to him, while he is happy over the new wage, he holds the view that it will lead to a situation where many states will not be able to pay and this will lead to industrial unrest and strikes.
“Minimum wage is not a living wage. My prediction is that the N30, 000 minimum wage will cause chaos because many state governments that were paying N7, 500 before N18, 000 was introduced could not pay then.
“A lot of them are currently finding it difficult to pay N18, 000 now. They are already saying they can’t pay and this will lead to strikes. When that happens, the nation is in trouble.
“The N30, 000 minimum wage is not a living wage. What is the percentage of the workers in Nigeria that are entitled to the N30, 000 minimum wage? What is the percentage of the public servants compared to the percentage of the entire working population in Nigeria?”
Momoh, who is also a lawyer, also spoke on the pronouncement the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen.
He said that the argument of some lawyers that Onnoghen shouldn’t have been taken to CCT was not tenable, arguing that such lawyers didn’t know what they were talking about.
“ I don’t believe that it is a case of witch-hunt. I advised him (Onnoghen) to resign when the case started. That would have saved him from the embarrassment,”
Momoh said that the CCT and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, established by part one of the fifth schedule of the constitution had powers to deal with sitting presidents and governors.
“Part two deals with those who are subjected to its jurisdiction, which is the President, Vice-President, CJN, down to councillors. The CCT is a disciplinary body.
“Onnoghen is a public servant before he became the CJN. His case was directed to the Code of Conduct Bureau, which transferred it to CCT,” he said.
Also speaking on the permutation about the composition of the leadership position for the 9th National Assembly, Momoh said that the reliance of the APC on party supremacy to impose its candidates would not work.
He said that claims of party supremacy could only be effective in a parliamentary not presidential system of government because the political party with the majority would always form the government in the former.
Momoh recalled that since 1999, efforts by political parties to impose their candidates on the nation’s parliament had always been resisted by federal lawmakers.
He added that the National Assembly had its own personality that it always protected, in spite of political party differences, adding that party’s choice could only succeed if there was cooperation and not by imposition.
“In 1999, Evans Enwerem was not the choice of the senators. They wanted Chuba Okadigbo. So, Enwerem did not last when he emerged. Also in 2015, the party wanted Femi Gbajabiamila but Yakubu Dogara got it.
“Since 1999, there have always been problems between the legislators and the party’s candidates. The legislators come together to pursue common interests and party supremacy is obviously not one of them.
“In the parliamentary system, the party with the majority will dominate leadership positions in the parliament. The prime minister is also a member of the parliament.”
The former minister also stressed the need for restructuring of Nigeria as a way of ensuring good governance in the country, arguing that Nigeria was too top heavy in administering governance.
Momoh said that the country needed to decongest the political space, saying that the National Assembly made law in 93 areas comprising the exclusive and concurrence lists.
“In federations worldwide, we don’t need more than 18. The rest should go to regions. They know what to do with it.
“The senate will become the only law-making arm of the federation while the House of Representatives should go to the regions and be making laws for their people.
“When this happens, economic deregulation is automatic because everybody will contribute to run the centre.’’
Onnoghen retired, not resigned – Lawyer
Momoh advised media practitioners to acquire necessary knowledge from the constitution of the country for them to effectively perform their roles as watchdogs to government and to enlighten the citizens. (NAN)
#Minimum wage#News
He is extremely motivated, organized and disciplined. Nick has have over 6+ years experience with web content management, administrative duties, Excel, Microsoft software, Quick books, Customer Service, as well as email management, internet research and data entry. He is committed to producing top-notch, quality work, which is his driving force.
View all posts by Ademola Yakubu
Death sentence on 8 Nigerians by UAE is unfortunate – Dabiri-Erewa
UAE Sentences Eight Nigerians To Death Over At Least Four 'Highly Organised' Robberies In 2016
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Ornithology Review - Autumn 2011
The breeding season has now come to a close, a season that seems, generally to have been a positive one especially for the early breeding birds, thanks to the settled spell of weather in April. A new species was added to the Island’s breeding list, with Firecrests Regulus ignicapilla raising young in St Catherine’s Woods.
After an absence of ten years, a pair of Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus was found at a former breeding site. Although they are not believed to have bred successfully, arriving late into the season, the Ornithology Section is working closely with the Environment Department of the States of Jersey, and Durrell, to protect the site and the birds with a view to them breeding next year.
As well as the annual British Trust for Ornithology Breeding Birds Survey which has been running for over twenty years, members of the Ornithology Section have been involved, for the last four years, with data collection for the BTO’s Bird Atlas. The fieldwork for the survey has been completed this summer and, when published in 2012, should reflect the many changes in both breeding and wintering status of birds in Jersey, as well as the whole of the United Kingdom. In the fifteen to twenty years since the two previous Atlases were produced by the BTO, there have been many significant shifts in the populations which visit or reside in the Island.
Male cirl bunting. Photo Mick Dryden
New breeding species have included Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, Common Buzzard Buteo buteo, Firecrest and Water Rail Rallus aquaticus, plus the return of the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus. Inevitably, there have been minuses too, with the loss of Serin Serinus serinus, Cirl Bunting and Yellowhammer Emberiza citronella from our breeding list and others such as Stonechat Saxicola torquata, Skylark Alauda arvensis and Puffin Fratercula arctica, all in decline.
Nothing ever stands still in the avian world!
Michael Dryden – Chairman
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Manchester by the Sea’ tag.
January 3, 2017 in Culture, Reviews | Tags: Casey Affleck, Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea | Leave a comment
Kenneth Lonergan is not the most prolific of directors, but when he makes a film it tends to have an impact. So it was with his 2000 classic, You Can Count On Me (reviewed by me here) as well as his recent dramatic effort, Manchester By The Sea.
On one level, Manchester is a story about time. Time overlaps, fuses, and conjoins in interesting ways, due to the non-linear way that Lonergan chose to tell his story. Not only does time overlap, but dialog does as well (overlapping dialog apparently being a favorite technique of Lonergan’s). The weaving of non-linear time and very focused, human, simple and in-the-moment scenes, along with overlaying classical music onto the scenes and transitions (extending Lesley Barber’s original score), gives the film a feeling of both the natural chaos of life and, ironically, of refinement. It is the tension between the two – the sublime and the tragically simple and human – that becomes the almost Zen-like framework through which Lonergan tells his story. This particular film probably could have been edited a dozen different ways, even though the outcome could have been essentially the same. As Lonergan said in an interview, the only way he could perceive the story being told was ‘all at once’.
This was absolutely by design; Manchester likely evolved into a final film in the editing room in a very real way, with substantial shifts and changes occurring at that stage. Lonergan may have even shot the different aspects of the story without being 100 percent sure of how he would ultimately weave them together. He apparently went through several drafts in writing the script, throwing out many scenes, rewriting others, then starting the process again. The result can be at times confusing, but ultimately satisfying as Lonergan and team meld together various threads of a the tragic tale of handyman Lee Chandler (brilliantly played by Casey Affleck) as a pivotal error in his life caused him to lose literally everything, most importantly his two children. The film explores the consequences of that event.
While the story Mr. Lonergan tells is non-linear, the themes are timeless, as is the sea that surrounds the small fishing community where the events take place. The fundamental theme behind the story is one of redemption: how does one redeem oneself after a tragic mistake? Moreover, the film, it seems to me, focuses on the idea of how a person – a man – redeems himself in such a situation through what are essentially very simple actions.
Why would the story necessarily be different for a man than a woman? I will argue that this story is primarily about the responsibilities that men will often assume, mainly, fixing things in the way that the handyman Lee does. Moreover, the story evokes the necessity an ambiguity of accepting responsibility even where there is no clear ‘blame’ to be had. In the case of Lee, whose error was a simple and yet profound mistake, the question becomes one of context. The context of the mistake is that the character lives in a community that both created the framework of ‘stupid men doing stupid things’ to occur, and then makes it impossible for Lee to rejoin the community and accept their forgiveness – perhaps because there was a collective guilt associated with the deaths of Lee’s children because the tragedy took place as a direct result of a ‘boy’s night of fun’ that took place at Lee’s house, in the basement, where the children slept. His daughter’s deaths were, therefore, a communal responsibility.
That said, there is no real indication that, for the most part, the punishment for Lee’s error came from anywhere else than inside his own head. His wife Randi (played poignantly by Michelle Williams) did ultimately leave him, remarry and have another child. While Lee had a similar opportunity for another relationship, he didn’t take it. His choice was not to forgive himself and not really to move on, at least not until the end, where he allows another human being into his life – his nephew who experiences his own personal tragedy.
Within the context of a fairly tolerant society (Lee was not accused of manslaughter) Lee slowly finds redemption through the de facto adoption of his brother’s son Patrick (played effectively by Lucas Hedges) after Patrick’s father’s death (Lee’s brother Joe, played stoically by Kyle Chandler) – even though here Lee is also unable to take on full responsibility for that task and does so in a very cautious, meandering way.
In a world defined by competence, Lee’s error was one of fundamental lapse in his generally competent self as evident in a stupid error. So it could be said of mankind in general, for the problems of the world are very much the problems created by men and their activities – with the efforts at ‘fixing’ things creating more problems than the problems themselves. That men have, for the most part, shaped the modern world, Manchester By The Sea suggests that perhaps is their special place to accept responsibility for making it right. The film also suggests this may be no easy task.
An alternative to a male-dominated world is never really explored, but we are left with a gaping hole in the film, the ‘need’ for someone to step in and take control when nobody really wants to. As with You Can Count On Me, there is an palpable absence in the film that can be, on a simplistic level, defined as God. Or perhaps it is, in this city of fisherman, the Jesus who never shows up, referring to the biblical Jesus who chose to recruit his disciples from among fisherman. On another level, this absence can be defined as the loss of love, or the ability to love one’s self, and to treat one’s self and others with respect.
The self-hatred evident with Lee would, in another era, be fodder for the redemptive role of religion. In this film, the cross is taken on by the individual, who must in a sense take on the role of the Christ in order to find redemption; there is, apparently, no other way for a modern man do so, or so it would seem. The film lacks any sense of a communal or individual spirituality, outside of an off-the-cuff (and humorous) allusion to Catholicism and the non-consequential appearance of a lone character randomly on the street (played in a cameo by Lonergan himself) who appears briefly (similar to Lonergan’s role as the priest in You Can Count On Me) to chide Lee about his lack of parenting skills. As with You Can Count On Me, such advice becomes almost comic relief.
Thus suffering, in Lonergan’s tale, is so deep and pervasive that the superficial balm of religion and/or of God can do little to provide comfort. Lee’s mistake, taken as a metaphor for the modern human, puts the only hope for salvation clearly in the hands of mankind itself, and perhaps even more specifically with men themselves, loath as they are nowadays to accept that there may be a sort of universal male attitude problem and inability to mature, particularly in the US, the country that has spread its influence quite effectively in the world, and where the fruits of that influence are a mixed bag, to say the least.
As for the story of Manchester By The Sea, the most moving moment is where Randi forgives Lee. It is in Randi’s forgiveness that the film ultimately speaks to reconciliation and the kind of catharsis that makes for great drama, although again Lee is unable to accept Randi’s forgiveness as he can apparently not forgive himself.
At the end of the day, perhaps Manchester By The Sea seems to strike a chord with audiences because it portrays the perceived impossibility of our current world situation, where human beings have created their own hell through their own numerous errors in judgment, and have to somehow either fix it or sink with their own doomed ship. With the (male defined) world order clearly at risk, and the rise of scapegoating populism, it seems that the forgiveness displayed by Lee’s wife Randi is the only real hope for humanity.
Is this the ‘prescription’ given by Lonergan and Manchester By The Sea? Probably not, as I’m sure Mr. Lonergan would deny the film is in any way prescriptive in nature or perhaps not even recognize some of the comments that I’ve made about his film as being part of his intended result. But still, this is my takeaway and my advice from viewing Manchester By The Sea. For without forgiveness and love – and quietly accepting individual responsibility for our behavior without complaint or expectation of reward – without these qualities, there is only a never ending cycle of hatred and blame.
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Scarlett Johansson’ tag.
‘Lucy’ and the Light Body
July 28, 2014 in Reviews | Tags: Buddhist Light Body, Human Potential, Lucy, Meditation, New Age Movement, Quantum Physics, Scarlett Johansson | 1 comment
Lucy, the latest action sci-fi thriller from director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), takes on some fertile new thematic territory even as it builds on past films and ideas taken from neuroscience, the New Age movement, theoretical physics, and Eastern mysticism. I felt compelled to write about Lucy because of my unique background and familiarity with some of the ideas Besson is likely influenced by. I’m pretty sure most other reviewers will not be making quite the same connections that I will set forth here, so you might find what’s laid out below an interesting (if unusual and eclectic) read.
In a statement about Lucy, Besson mentions that the film is primarily influenced by his own film The Professional, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Inception, and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. That statement can be found here and seems intended to help market the film. What I’d like to do here is open up the discussion about Lucy to some additional areas the filmmaker (to my knowledge) hasn’t mentioned. Bear in mind we may never know the full extent of what influenced Besson.
First, I think the film’s exploration of the question “what if we used 100% of our brain’s capability?” should be understood in the context of the human potential movement, which itself is an amorphous, multi-faceted phenomena. From the standpoint of mainstream, Cineplex-targeted film making, this subject rarely gets the air time seen with Lucy. More on that in a bit.
I read one discouraged reviewer, who felt the film might get an opening weekend bump from the fact it stars Scarlett Johansson, was easily marketable from an action-film standpoint, and was directed by a filmmaker of some renown. However, lousy word of mouth, this same reviewer argued, would soon sink the ship. We’ll have to see if he’s right. I have a little more faith in people and in the potential for Lucy to reach a very wide audience; but then I tend to be an optimist. Notably, The Fifth Element was no favorite of the critics, but went on to cult film status and endless repeats on cable.
One reason I’m an optimist is that Lucy seems similar in ambition to What the Bleep Do We Know – the docu-fiction created by William Arntz – a film that showed that there is a pent-up audience for this kind of material. What The Bleep went on to influence (or be corrected by, depending on your perspective) the TV Series Through the Wormhole Hole with Morgan Freeman, and of course Morgan Freeman ends up playing the college professor Samuel Norman in Lucy, expounding human potential ideas in much the same way that the various scientists did in What the Bleep.
The idea that ‘everything comes from nothing’ (Lucy’s ultimate enlightenment) is a concept that might seem unique to Lucy but in fact traces its roots to quantum physics. My introduction to this idea came through a ground-breaking book titled The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra, a work that became well-known during the 1970’s and was one of the first books (that I know of) to link mysticism and physics. That book inspired my film Clouds.
Moreover, the Buddhist philosophy of ‘emptiness’ and the mystical idea of the ‘light body’ are also in line with Lucy’s final enlightenment experience. You can read more about the Buddhist light (or ‘rainbow’) body experience here — the phenomena is also described at length in David Wilcock’s book The Source Field Investigations.
Now the human potential movement can be roughly divided into at least two main camps: the humanists (or one might say spiritual humanists, which I describe in another blog here) and the trans-humanists. Both believe human beings must evolve in order for the planet to survive. The former offers a human-based and/or spiritual resolution to human evolution, the latter a scientific and technological answer.
Besson is certainly laying out the argument in this film that evolution is indeed required for survival: the question will become whose kind of evolution this is. The film, to me, sides mostly with the trans-humanists and thus the corporate and scientific answer to the problem of human evolution. The main reason that corporations in general support a trans-humanist agenda is that it can be commodified, sold, patented and owned. In a nutshell, it is profitable.
The trans-humanists will argue that human evolution must at this point require scientific enhancement and an ‘upgrade’, technologically driven, of the human genome. This ‘upgrade’ (or variations thereof) would again be corporate owned and patented. To many Christians, trans-humanism, secular humanism or any other stripe of humanism is a bad thing because you shouldn’t put mankind before God.
I take somewhat of a wider, more tolerant, view of the humanism(s) and their outlook(s). Traditional humanists (again, some of whom would be more aptly called spiritual humanists) have a rich tradition of self-help and self-improvement, ranging from the practical to the esoteric. Some of this practical advice springs from the Christian culture itself. We have as examples Dale Carnegie’s classic best-selling book How To Win Friends And Influence People, and the more recent The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. While Johansson’s Lucy obviously never read either of those books, please bear with me.
There is also a long tradition of Indian and Eastern mysticism which uses its own form of ‘upgrade technology’ in the form of esoteric meditation techniques. I’ll use as an example the Kriya Yoga techniques of Paramahansa Yogananda, as passed down through a lineage of teachers coming out of India and (if you believe) traces its roots back thousands of years. The explicitly stated goal of Kriya Yoga is to accelerate human evolution.
Interestingly, one of Steve Jobs’ favorite books was Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi. If ever there was a proponent of human evolution, it was Jobs.
Similarly, the Tamil Siddha tradition seeks to evolve human consciousness through the practice of certain mantras that, according to the practitioners, create the ‘siddha powers’ that are evident (in some ways) in the character of Lucy. Super human powers are also, of course, very much on display in film via the super hero genre, so that is no great news. Also, themes of scientifically induced enhanced brain capacity have been explored in other films such as Limitless.
What is news is that there may indeed eventually be an actual technological link to enhance human capability that will make the synthetic cocktail ingested accidentally by Lucy a very real (albeit expensive) option for some people — likely the rich who would rather evolve while sun-bathing on a yacht than while sitting in some cave meditating. Genetic screening and therapies are already a reality; rest assured the upgrade cocktail that expands IQ, memory, longevity, virility, etc. is not far behind. (An interesting article regarding genetic modification and extended lifespans can be found here.)
However, as explored in Lucy, another impact of such a cocktail could be an incredibly expanded awareness, tantamount to the mystical goals of omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence as laid out by the Tamil Siddhas. Admittedly, one can easily dismiss the whole notion of this brand of human potential as a myth, whether generated by science or yogic methods.
Proponents of yogic mysticism, however, apparently have great faith in their practices, are notably democratic and would like the entirety of humanity to evolve, not just the wealthy who can afford an expensive genetic cocktail and have zero faith in any kind of spirituality. A spirituality that might inspire, among other supposedly bad ideas, wide-spread compassion (generally propagated by mystics) that could discourage our world leader’s penchant for starting a war every five minutes and/or negatively impact one’s stock portfolio.
Yeah, give me Lucy, sexy Lucy, guns a blazing, butt swiveling, making those bad Asians impotent in front of our very eyes – now there’s some marketing potential for you.
That said, Besson slips in some very subtle story telling prowess to assure me with Lucy that he hasn’t bailed out on the love and goodness he was propagating with The Fifth Element. While Lucy comes to a much more clinical enlightenment than did Leeloo (played by Milla Jovovich) in The Fifth Element, she does, over the course of the story, stop resorting to violence. Lucy immobilizes her adversaries toward the end – she does not kill them. Ultimately she transcends the enemy. Besson, albeit in a fairly subtle way, reminds us that ultimately evolution = compassion.
At the end of the film, per Professor Norman’s wise suggestion, Lucy decides to pass on whatever knowledge she gained. It was apparently this wisdom she lacked, even with all of her new-found powers. In short, even God (or the Goddess) may need a teacher.
I am reminded of another story that shows us how compassion should go hand in hand with scientifically enhanced human evolution: a 1963 Outer Limits episode titled The Sixth Finger starring David McCallum. A YouTube link to the final few minutes of that poignant episode is here or you can find the entire episode on Hulu here.
This is how the narrator sums up the scientist’s attempt to accelerate human intelligence in The Sixth Finger — words that could just as well be applied to Lucy:
“An experiment too soon, too swift, and yet, may we not still hope to discover a method by which within one generation the whole human race could be rendered intelligent, beyond hatred or revenge or the desire for power? Is that not after all the ultimate goal of evolution?”
As for Lucy, after initially losing her sense of empathy, her shift back toward compassion is a little less spelled out. So it may be up to me, the humble reviewer, to let you in on it. Even though Luc Besson may believe greed jeopardizes the human race, he has not jumped ship on the altruists! Lucy does eventually evolve toward non-violence. Amen.
Actually I’m sure many of you will get this point from the film itself, but in case not I feel compelled to remind you.
Still, it’s the males in the film – notably the Caucasians and the Asians (a hint at WW III?) – that in the end keep killing each other like rats on a sinking ship. This may be why the Dalai Lama says that the next step in human evolution is up to the women – notably women of the West.
He is probably right.
Finally, let’s not let the irony of Lucy escape us. Whether through science or yogic mysticism, humans will evolve, and probably in ways unforeseen by the unenlightened, gun for hire scientists and capitalists seeking profit. In other words, nature is not without her trickery. She will eventually get us where we need to be, by whatever means possible.
Don Thompson is a producer, playwright and essayist. He has edited/authored two anthologies of essays: Your Life Is A Movie and A World Without War, both available from Del Sol Press.
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Third-Party Logistics Providers Drive Industrial Leasing Activity in First Half of 2018
January 31, 2019 Ward Richmond 0 Comments 10 views
For the first time, 3PLs topped CBRE’s list of biggest warehouse leases in the first half 2018.
In the race for speedy delivery, more and more companies are turning to third-party logistics (3PLs) providers for distribution of products to customers. This trend appears evident in a recent CBRE report on the largest industrial leases signed in the first half of 2018. An analysis of leases for 100 largest industrial and logistics (I&L) spaces by square footage, which together totaled 67.8 million sq. ft., showed that 56 of the leases were signed by 3PLs and e-commerce users.
“This was the first time 3PLs were at the top of the list, a proof-in-point that people are outsourcing as much as possible,” says Adam Mullen, CBRE Americas leader of industrial and logistics. “The strength of leasing to 3PLs shows that companies are striving to create the most flexible and nimble distribution networks possible.”
Thirty of the leases were for spaces larger than 750,000 sq. ft, reflecting e-commerce and 3PLs companies’ preference for large, modern facilities.
Southern California’s Inland Empire led U.S. metro areas for the largest share of big leases in the first half of 2018, with 14 transactions comprising 11.6 million sq. ft., followed by Atlanta with 10 deals for 7 million sq. ft. Additionally, Chicago had 11 deals. with a total of 6.8 million sq. ft. leased, the Pennsylvania’s I-78/I-81 corridor reported 10 deals for 6.8 million sq. ft.; and Dallas-Fort Worth had eight new industrial leases with a total of 5.2 million sq. ft.
However, the disruption happening in consumer demand for quick delivery, some users are taking a wait-and-see approach to taking new blocks of space, Mullen notes. “They don’t want to invest in infrastructure or sign a long-term lease,” he says.
The issue of the supply chain has become significantly more important and complex with the rise of e-commerce, according to Ward Richmond, a Dallas-based executive vice president at real estate services firm Colliers International, who specializes in industrial brokerage services for 3PLs and e-commerce companies, agrees.
“An efficient supply chain can make or break a brand in 2018,” Richmond says. The “Amazon effect,” or increasing consumer demand for delivery speed, means shippers need more help than ever before to keep up with growing demand, and an increasing number of them are strategically partnering with 3PLs for delivery speed and efficiency.
As a result, 3PLs are investing heavily in infrastructure and technology to fill this gap and generate value within the supply chain, Richmond notes. Third-party logisitcs is becoming a mega industry led by global brands like UPS, FedEx, DB Schenker, DHL, Geodis and XPO.
The exception to this trend has been Amazon, which Richmond describes as an “e-commerce beast, with the face of a retailer and body of a logistics company.” Amazon is also strategically partnering with 3PLs—particularly for international shipments, in addition to handling logistics internally. But Richmond notes that once Amazon figures out how it’s done, the company will likely handle all logistics and distribution internally.
While e-commerce is driving the majority of new industrial leases, the report found a solid diversity of users among the top 100 big deals, with manufacturers signing 14 leases, mostly for facilities in Midwestern states and food and beverage users signing 11 leases.
Manufacturers are increasingly re-shoring operations or choosing to establish facilities near their U.S. customer base due to expectations for fast delivery, along with rising global costs for labor, transportation and warehouse space, Mullen says. There are also geopolitical concerns.
Meanwhile, the high number of leases for food and beverage distribution facilities reflects an upswing in the grocery industry’s e-commerce plays.
Earlier this year, for example, Kroger, one of the country’s largest grocers, partnered with U.K.-based online supermarket Ocado to enhance its e-commerce platform with online ordering, automated fulfillment and home delivery options, reported Progressive Grocer. A report the publication published in July noted that online grocery purchases now total 5.5 percent of all U.S. grocery sales.
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