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A range of data sources identify that the Western Victorian region has high levels of alcohol and other drug use, particularly relating to short term consumption of alcohol linked to social isolation. Western Victoria Primary Health Network will increase the awareness and knowledge amongst GPs about best practice for the management of alcohol and other drugs in primary care.
Linking with the health and wellbeing plans from the Local Government Agencies and the State Government and evidence based guidelines for general practice; Western Victoria Primary Health Network will support GPs to manage alcohol and other drugs in the primary care setting. Guidelines include RACGP Prescribing Drugs of dependence in general practice, Part A and Part B.
Direct strategies:
Increase knowledge and skills for GPs and practice nurses in managing patients with issues with alcohol and other drugs through Continuing Professional Development and education programs
Development of specific HealthPathways for the treatment and referral of patients with alcohol and other drug issues
Promotion of pharmacotherapy programs currently available throughout the region.
Harm minimisation
Harm minimisation aims to address drug issues by reducing the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs on individuals and society. It focuses on the prevention of harm, rather than on the prevention of drug use itself, and the focus is on people who continue to use drugs. It does not condone drug use but rather acknowledges that some people in societies will use alcohol and other drugs and therefore incorporates policies which aim to prevent or reduce drug related harms.
Harms associated with using substances other than the way prescribed include: – people may engage in illegal activity in order to acquire substances; people may administer substances in an unsafe manner i.e. used syringes; the effects of intoxication can directly affect a person’s health; behaviour whilst intoxicated can lead to a risk of physical injury or trauma; there is a risk of harm during withdrawal; people may take undue risk in order to conceal their substance misuse behaviour.
The harm minimisation approach is based on the following:
Drug use, both licit and illicit, is an inevitable part of society.
Drug use occurs across a continuum, ranging from occasional use to dependent use.
A range of harms are associated to different types and patterns of drug use.
A range of approaches can be used to respond to these harms.
Harm minimisation can be broken down into three strategy areas:
Supply reduction aims to disrupt production and distribution of illicit drugs. Examples include legislation and law enforcement.
Demand reduction means reducing the demand for and the uptake of harmful drug use. Examples include community development projects and media campaigns i.e. “every cigarette is doing you damage” national tobacco campaign
Harm reduction include strategies that aim to reduce the harm from drugs for both individuals and communities. Examples include needle syringe services, pharmacotherapy (methadone & buprenorphine) maintenance, brief interventions and peer education.
Most people think that the reason why people become addicted to drugs is solely because of the drugs themselves. This, however, is far from the truth, as shown repeatedly by scientific studies on drug addiction. This brilliant short animated video will explain why drugs don’t actually cause addiction.
Australian Story on Monday 30 March 2015 was about a family who has been tragically affected by the heroin overdose of their husband and father, Peter Jackson. Formerly a Rugby League star, Peter turned to heroin due to school sexual abuse that he suffered as a teenager. Watch the episode.
Over the counter combination analgesics, containing codeine can inadvertly cause death as this recent media article in the Brisbane Times outlines in a case of paracetamol poisoning.
Western Victoria Primary Health Network's Pharmacotherapy programs fall under “harm reduction”. The harm reduction approach acknowledges that it can be more effective for individuals and communities to reduce the harms associated with drug use than to support attempts to eliminate drug use altogether.
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Robert DeProspero, 80, Innovative Secret Service Agent, Dies
BY: Richard Sandomir
Robert DeProspero, who after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 became the Secret Service agent in charge of Reagan’s protection and added measures to shore up the president’s safety, died on Monday in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 80. His son, Robert, said the cause was amyloidosis, a rare disease in which an abnormal protein is deposited in tissues and organs.
Mr. DeProspero was driven by his obligation to shield the president from harm. “There’s no question that if you made a wrong move or did not do what you were supposed to do, it would ruin your life, your family’s life, and would ruin anyone who was associated with you,” he told The Associated Press in 1985.
SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/
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Next Encyclopaedia & Reference
Next Reference Works
Next Bibliographies, Catalogues
Bibliographies, Catalogues 9780754651680-01-000 9780754651680-01-000 9780754651680
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-descriptive-catalogue-of-the-musical-manuscript-collection-of-the-na/diane-h-touliatosmiles/hardback/9780754651680-01-000.html
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Musical Manuscript Collection of the National Library of Greece Byzantine Chant and Other Music Repertory Recovered
By Diane H. Touliatos-Miles (Author)
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-descriptive-catalogue-of-the-musical-manuscript-collection-of-the-na/diane-h-touliatosmiles/hardback/9780754651680-01-000.html £125.00
The National Library of Greece (Ethnike Bibliothike tes Ellados) is one of the richest depositories of Byzantine musical manuscripts and is surpassed by its holdings in Greece only by the multitude of manuscripts found in the monasteries of Mount Athos. In spite of being such a rich archive, the National Library has never published a catalogue of its musical manuscripts - not all of which are Byzantine or Greek. It is the purpose of this catalogue to recover or, in some instances, to present for the first time the repertory of the musical sources of the library. This project has been twelve years in the making for Professor Diane Touliatos, involving the discovery and detailed cataloguing of all 241 Western, Ancient Greek, and Byzantine music manuscripts. Not all of these are from Athens or modern Greece, but also encompass Turkey, the Balkans, Italy, Cyprus, and parts of Western Europe. This variety underlines the importance of the catalogue for identifying composers, music and performance practice of different locales. The catalogue includes a detailed listing of the contents as written in the original language as well as the titles of compositions (and/or incipits) with composers, modal signatures, other attributions and information on performance practice. Each manuscript entry includes a commentary in English indicating important highlights and its significance. There is a substantive English checklist that summarizes the contents of each manuscript for non-Greek readers. A bibliography follows containing pertinent citations where the manuscript has been used in references. There is also a glossary that defines terms for the non-specialist. Examples of some of the manuscripts will be photographically displayed. The catalogue will enlighten musicologists and Byzantinists of the rich and varied holdings of some of the most important musical manuscripts in existence, and stimulate more interest and investigation of these sources. As such, it will fill a major gap in the bibliography of Byzantine chant and other musical studies.
Diane H. Touliatos-Miles is Professor in the Department of Music, University of Missouri - St. Louis, USA.
Contributor: Diane H. Touliatos-Miles
Imprint: Ashgate Publishing Limited
Packaged Weight: 1560
Biography: Diane H. Touliatos-Miles is Professor in the Department of Music, University of Missouri - St. Louis, USA.
Diane H. Touliatos-Miles
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-descriptive-catalogue-of-the-musical-manuscript-collection-of-the-na/diane-h-touliatosmiles/hardback/9780754651680.html £125.00
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Next Education Books
Next Teaching & School Resources
Next Education Implementation
Next Organisation & Management of Education
Organisation & Management of Education 9780415838184-01-000 9780415838184-01-000 9780415838184
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/engaging-leaders-the-challenge-of-inspiring-collective-commitment-in-u/paul-gentle/dawn-forman/paperback/9780415838184-01-000.html
Engaging Leaders The challenge of inspiring collective commitment in universities
By Paul Gentle (Author), Dawn Forman (Author)
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/engaging-leaders-the-challenge-of-inspiring-collective-commitment-in-u/paul-gentle/dawn-forman/paperback/9780415838184-01-000.html £31.49 rrp £34.99 Save £3.50 (10%)
Addressing the question of how leadership can work most successfully in universities, Engaging Leaders strengthens the sense of shared professional knowledge and capability amongst leaders in higher education. Presenting a narrative of change which not only spells out why universities need to work differently, this book also takes the reader through clear practical steps which any practising leader can take in order to build a collaborative professional culture which supports and challenges all members of an academic community. Using a selection of case studies from UK and international universities, the book explores why working collectively remains a fundamental challenge for many higher education institutions and looks at the benefits of creating a collective commitment throughout universities. It covers: action learning and professional learning communities emotionally-intelligent organisational cultures feedback as an intrinsic tool building partnerships and collaborations Higher Education and public value cultures of innovation and sustainable practices. Engaging Leaders is for those who see themselves as leaders in higher education, whether or not this is recognised in their job title. It provides stimulating perspectives on what they might do to become more engaged and engaging, and includes examples of inspiring practice which is already making a difference in universities, colleges and new private providers. It will be of value to established managers as well as those new in post, and also for those participating in postgraduate programmes. 11 Line drawings, black and white; 17 Tables, black and white; 11 Illustrations, black and white
Paul Gentle is Director of Programmes at the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, UK. He is also Programme Director for the Top Management Programme.Dawn Forman is an adjunct professor at Curtin University and Auckland University of Technology and visiting professor at Chichester and Derby University, UK. She has published five books, 10 chapters and over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Contributor: Paul Gentle
Biography: Paul Gentle is Director of Programmes at the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, UK. He is also Programme Director for the Top Management Programme.Dawn Forman is an adjunct professor at Curtin University and Auckland University of Technology and visiting professor at Chichester and Derby University, UK. She has published five books, 10 chapters and over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Paul Gentle
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/engaging-leaders-the-challenge-of-inspiring-collective-commitment-in-u/paul-gentle/dawn-forman/paperback/9780415838184.html £31.49 rrp £34.99 Save £3.50 (10%)
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Next Linguistics
Next Grammar, Syntax & Morphology
Grammar, Syntax & Morphology 9780415831369-01-000 9780415831369-01-000 9780415831369
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/norwegian-a-comprehensive-grammar/philip-holmes/hansolav-enger/paperback/9780415831369-01-000.html
Norwegian: A Comprehensive Grammar
By Philip Holmes (Author), Hans-Olav Enger (Author)
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/norwegian-a-comprehensive-grammar/philip-holmes/hansolav-enger/paperback/9780415831369-01-000.html £51.29 rrp £56.99 Save £5.70 (10%)
Norwegian: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to modern Norwegian (the Bokmal standard). The Grammar is an essential source for the serious student of Norwegian, and for students of comparative linguistics. It is ideal for use in colleges, universities and adult classes of all types. The volume is organised to promote a thorough understanding of Norwegian grammar. It presents the complexities of Norwegian in a concise and readable form. Explanations are full, clear and free of jargon. Throughout, the emphasis is on Norwegian as used by present-day native speakers. An extensive index, numbered paragraphs, cross-references and summary charts provide readers with easy access to the information they require. 1 Line drawings, black and white
Philip Holmes is Reader Emeritus in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Hull, UK, and co-author of four grammars of Swedish and Danish for Routledge, as well as Colloquial Swedish (2016).Hans-Olav Enger is Professor of Scandinavian Linguistics at Institutt for lingvistiske og nordiske studier at Oslo University, Norway. He has edited Norsk Lingvistisk Tidsskrift, is currently editor of Maal og Minne and is the author of many articles and book chapters on the Norwegian language, as well as co-author of Innforing i norsk grammatikk - Morfologi og syntaks.
Contributor: Philip Holmes
Series: Routledge Comprehensive Grammars
Biography: Philip Holmes is Reader Emeritus in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Hull, UK, and co-author of four grammars of Swedish and Danish for Routledge, as well as Colloquial Swedish (2016).Hans-Olav Enger is Professor of Scandinavian Linguistics at Institutt for lingvistiske og nordiske studier at Oslo University, Norway. He has edited Norsk Lingvistisk Tidsskrift, is currently editor of Maal og Minne and is the author of many articles and book chapters on the Norwegian language, as well as co-author of Innforing i norsk grammatikk - Morfologi og syntaks.
Philip Holmes
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/norwegian-a-comprehensive-grammar/philip-holmes/hansolav-enger/paperback/9780415831369.html £51.29 rrp £56.99 Save £5.70 (10%)
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Next Business, Finance & Law
Next Business Management
Next Sales & Marketing
Next Public Relations
Public Relations 9780415873819-01-000 9780415873819-01-000 9780415873819
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/political-public-relations-principles-and-applications/jesper-stromback/spiro-kiousis/paperback/9780415873819-01-000.html
Political Public Relations Principles and Applications
By Jesper Stromback (Contributor), Spiro Kiousis (Contributor)
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/political-public-relations-principles-and-applications/jesper-stromback/spiro-kiousis/paperback/9780415873819-01-000.html £40.49 rrp £44.99 Save £4.50 (10%)
Political Public Relations maps and defines this emerging field, bringing together scholars from various disciplines-political communication, public relations and political science-to explore the area in detail. The volume connects differing schools of thought, bringing together theoretical and empirical investigations, and defines a field that is becoming increasingly important and prominent. It offers an international orientation, as the field of political public relations must be studied in the context of various political and communication systems to be fully understood. As a singular contribution to scholarship in public relations and political communication, this work fills a significant gap in the existing literature, and is certain to influence future theory and research. 9 Tables, black and white
Jesper Stroemback is Lubbe Nordstroem Professor and Chair in Journalism and Professor in Media and Communication at Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden. He has published a number of scholarly articles on political communication and political news journalism, in addition to more than ten books in Swedish on the same subjects. Spiro Kiousis, Ph.D., APR is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Public Relations in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. His current research interests include political communication, political public relations, and new media. Dr Kiousis has published his work in leading journals, including Communication Research, Journal of Communication, and the Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics.
Contributor: Jesper Stromback
Series: Routledge Communication Series
Biography: Jesper Stroemback is Lubbe Nordstroem Professor and Chair in Journalism and Professor in Media and Communication at Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden. He has published a number of scholarly articles on political communication and political news journalism, in addition to more than ten books in Swedish on the same subjects. Spiro Kiousis, Ph.D., APR is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Public Relations in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. His current research interests include political communication, political public relations, and new media. Dr Kiousis has published his work in leading journals, including Communication Research, Journal of Communication, and the Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics.
Jesper Stromback
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/political-public-relations-principles-and-applications/jesper-stromback/spiro-kiousis/paperback/9780415873819.html £40.49 rrp £44.99 Save £4.50 (10%)
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Home Accounting Rankings
Best Accounting Firms to Work For
Prestige isn't everything. These are the firms accountants find the most amenable to a satisfying work experience.
In addition to ranking other firms in terms of prestige, survey respondents were asked to rate their own firms in a variety of categories. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest, respondents evaluated their firms in various "quality of life" areas. A firm's score in each category is simply the average of those rankings.
Firms with fewer than 10 responses for any given question were excluded from that ranking category.
Ranking History 2020 2019 2018 2017
Vacation Policies
Client Interaction
CSR Initiatives
Formal Training
Informal Training
Internal Mobility
Promotion Policies
Relationships with Supervisors
2020 Best Accounting Firms for Vacation Policies
SCORE 9.028
2019 Rank 2
Frank Rimerman + Co. LLP
Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP specializes in providing accounting services to clients considered to be leaders in their industries. This includes many pioneers in Silicon Valley, and according to Frank Rimerman, the firm embodies these pioneers’...
Overview Survey Says Why Work Here Employee Reviews
PKF O'Connor Davies
PKF O'Connor Davies is a full-service CPA and advisory firm that provides audit, tax, and management advisory services to domestic and international clients. The firm has a long history, with roots dating to 1891. Today, the firm has more than...
Overview Survey Says Employee Reviews
2019 Rank 14
Founded in1969, Armanino is one of the 25 largest accounting firms in the U.S. by revenue. It’s also the largest accounting and business consulting firm headquartered in California. In 2018, the firm booked revenues of $268 million, an 8 percent...
Now in its 95th year of operation, Midwest-based Plante Moran is the 16th largest accounting firm in the U.S., as measured by revenues. It is headquartered in Southfield, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, and has been on a major growth streak in...
Friedman LLP
Headquartered in Manhattan with locations throughout New Jersey, Long Island, Philadelphia, and Beijing, Friedman LLP has been providing accounting, tax, and business services to public and private companies since 1924. In 2017, Friedman...
Elliott Davis
Elliott Davis is one of the 40 largest accounting firms in the U.S., as measured by annual revenues, according to Accounting Today . With offices in South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia, Elliott Davis employs approximately 700...
Brown Smith Wallace LLP
Brown Smith Wallace is a Midwest accounting firm that focuses on serving companies in the St. Louis area, where it is based, but also serves companies nationally and internationally. The firm has over 330 employees and annual revenues of $50...
Grant Thornton LLP
Grant Thornton LLP (Grant Thornton) is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s largest organizations of independent audit, tax, and advisory firms. Grant Thornton, which has revenues in excess of $1.86...
PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) LLP
New York-headquartered professional services firm PwC LLP is the U.S. member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, whose network of firms operate in 158 countries, employ more than 250,000 people, and serve 86 percent of Fortune...
Marks Paneth LLP
Marks Paneth is headquartered in New York City, with additional offices throughout the East Coast. It is one of the 35 largest CPA firms in the U.S. by revenue, and one of the eight largest in the Mid-Atlantic region. In 2018, the firm’s...
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Venice & art cities
Venice / Surroundings
In context
10 Useful tips
Mirano is the park of Venice, with such a flourishing and intriguing nature that a visit becomes almost compulsory. Mirano has always been an attractive place thanks to this gift.
Mestre and surrounding
Mirano in fact arises from the most opulent green of all the countryside of the Veneto, so splendid that the Venetian nobility of the 16th-17th centuries chose it as their preferred place of refuge to build their sumptuous residences - thus giving birth to the so-called 'villa culture'.
These villas, amounting to 36 in total, are real jewels of architecture and represent today the greatest local attraction to visitors seeking art combined with the soothing rhythms of nature.
Combined with its own intrinsic beauty, its proximity to Venice and an almost equal distance from the destinations of Padua and Treviso, allows for the possibility to alternate the kind of visit. For this reason, Mirano is a perfect place of departure for many excursions.
The name of the city refers to its role of military observation post in the time of the Roman Empire, and in fact it displays a magnificent example of a Roman road system: the centuriazione, which was the division of the land by roads crossing at right angles. The march of history saw the city of Mirano live through alternating fortunes, subjected to various rules, though it experienced its greatest splendour under the Venetian Empire.
Amongst the sources of pride for Mirano, a highly prestigious artistic centre, is surely the 16th-17th century Villa Erizzo surrounded by the Belvedere Gardens, so-called owing to the neo-Gothic tower which arises from the adoption in the 19th century of the English style vegetation: the combination of natural and artificial elements which conjure up a fairy-tale atmosphere.
Thanks also to the altarpiece of Tiepolo’s 'Miracle of Saint Anthony Re-attaching the Foot' conserved inside the 17th century Duomo of San Michele, the city of Mirano takes its rightful place on an itinerary for connoisseurs of art.
Taxis & Transfers in Venice and Veneto
St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace Skip-the-line Tours
Duration: approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes
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Choose Company:
Glass production
History of glass
Custom glass bottles
Lightweight glass
Service plus+
Press Release, 03.04.2018
Vetropack publishes 2017 Sustainability Report
Bülach, 3 April 2018 – Sustainability is a top priority for Vetropack Group, which is why, for the fourth time now, it has published a report designed to inform its business partners, customers and the general public about its economic, environmental and social activities. The 2017 Sustainability Report is in line with the GRI G4 Reporting Guidelines – option “core”.
Vetropack Group is one of the leading manufacturers of glass packaging for the food and beverage industry in Europe. It operates sites in Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Italy.
Quality and service standards secure economic success
The Group has been focusing on sustainable financial management for many years. The same high quality and flexible approach to customer requests at all companies in the Group is a key element of this strategy. A willingness to invest in technologies for improving our quality and efficiency is fundamental here. The European market environment developed favourably on the whole in 2017: demand grew and production volume went up. This is mainly accounted for by the enormous popularity of European wines and beers outside the continent itself, which stimulated exports and caused the demand for glass packaging to rise.
Contribution to the environment
Environmental protection is more than just an empty phrase, which is why Vetropack takes action such as calculating the carbon footprint of its customers’ glass packaging. We apply the “cradle-to-cradle” approach, which takes account of the entire life cycle. Production technology, weight, cullet percentage, transport distances and transport methods are significant factors influencing the carbon footprint. By partially switching over to rail transport, for example, we have managed to reduce the number of lorry trips required in Switzerland by around 5,500. In doing so, we have succeeded in saving an estimated 2,900 tons of carbon dioxide.
In its efforts to reduce the eco-footprint of its products and services, Vetropack Group is sending out a clear message: investments are being made in product development, logistics, measures to raise the percentage of cullet in its melted material and the energy consumption of the melting furnaces.
In 2017, the percentage of recycled glass used in producing green glass was 67 per cent, while amber and flint glass containers consisted of 48 per cent and 43 per cent used glass respectively. In some glassworks, used glass makes up as much as 83 per cent of the raw material. The average figure was 53 per cent. Overall, 2,482 GWh of energy was consumed in 2017. Thermal energy for the furnaces accounted for more than 60 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions generated during production.
New paths in training and education
The Group-wide training centre in Pöchlarn was officially opened in 2017. Vetropack employees at all facilities can receive training in all production steps at the hot end here. The investment in the training centre will pave the way for Vetropack to train specialists itself in the long term. Satisfied staff and satisfied customers Integrity, reliability and transparency are key pillars when it comes to working with others at Vetropack – not only towards fellow staff but also in relation to customers, suppliers, neighbours and the local community.
An employee survey was carried out at our plants in Kremsmünster, Pöchlarn (both in Austria), Bülach and St-Prex at the end of 2016. The survey focused on the perceived attractiveness of our workplace culture.
Vetropack also conducted a customer survey in Croatia, Switzerland and Austria in 2017. The extensive positive feedback received from this demonstrates a consistently high level of customer satisfaction. It also provided an opportunity to identify new customer requirements, such as the need to expand smaller production series. This constructive criticism is a crucial driver for the ongoing development of Vetropack Group.
The 2017 Sustainability Report is available online: https://www.vetropack.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-report/
Press release_030418 ( 21 KB )
PrJSC Vetropack Gostomel
2 Rekunova Sq.
UA-08290 Gostomel
Phone +380 44 392 41 00
Fax +380 4597 31 135
Glass Companies
Vetropack Group
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Home Resources Articles (Archives) Trump Signs the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
Trump Signs the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
(Winter 2018) In late October President Trump approved a set of about 70 measures called the SUPPORT Act (Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act). This Legislation package includes verbiage that will
permit nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists and clinical nurse specialists to write buprenorphine prescriptions for individuals addicted to opioids
allocate money to formulate new, non-addictive pain medications
ease inpatient treatment access for Medicaid and Medicare recipients requiring addiction therapies
advocate for a greater number of first responders to carry and administer the opioid-overdose reversal drug naloxone
create harsher punishments for pharmaceutical makers and distributors connected to the over-prescription of opioids
develop new programs to promote best practices for pain management among physicians and other health care professionals
One of the laws, the STOP Act (Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention), will work to curtail the flood of hazardous fentanyl entering the United States. It requires the U.S. Postal Service to electronically gather data on goods sent into the country to help weed out fentanyl and other illegal items. The goal of the STOP Act is to allow customs agents to identify suspect pieces of mail for inspection. Critics point out that the new legislation might become harder to impose due to the United States backing out of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a 150-year-old multi-national shipping agreement.
Some say the UPU is critical to collecting data necessary for filtering out illicit drug shipments. However, the Trump White House asserts that the UPU puts American manufacturers at a disadvantage, resulting in higher shipping rates than for nations such as Singapore and China. Individuals backing the STOP Act are pushing for a negotiation that would promote data sharing as well as lowered international freight charges.
Overall, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act is touted by legislators as a major step toward better access to drug addiction treatment and a boon for other efforts to reverse the opioid crisis. However, the group of measures has its critics. Although the bills look good at face value, detractors say they barely scratch the surface of what truly must be done to confront the opioid epidemic. In simple terms, it’s about funding. Although the laws work to provide an easier path to treatment, throw up roadblocks for dangerous — and illegal — manmade opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil from entering the country, and expand research efforts on addiction and alternatives to opioids, they do little to monetarily back these efforts.
It’s surmised that the current lack of funding shows a difference of opinion between Republicans and Democrats on whether the federal government should invest the large amount of money needed to adequately address the problem. Setting that aside, Congress tried to find common ground on other matters related to the opioid epidemic.
Appropriations within the new legislation pale in comparison to those allocated by the U.S. for prior crises of this magnitude, such as the AIDS/HIV epidemic. The SUPPORT Act does renew the Cures Act, which gives $500 million annually toward fighting the opioid epidemic and changes laws to allow states additional leeway in how the money is used. But experts say that tens of billions of dollars should be funneled into efforts to rapidly turn the opioid crisis around.
And it truly is a crisis. Over 72,000 Americans perished due to a drug overdose in 2017 alone. Of those, approximately 67% were opioid-related deaths. This is the largest amount of U.S. citizens who ever succumbed to a fatal overdose within a one-year period. It exceeds the total number of Americans who lost their lives to auto accidents, HIV/AIDS, or guns in a 365-day period in the United States. If the course is not changed, over the next 10 years, hundreds of thousands more may perish solely from opioid overdoses.
Unfortunately, the United States is ill-prepared for the demand for substance abuse treatment. Only 10% of individuals with any addiction problem — and just 20% of opioid abusers — attempt to find a specialist to treat their disorder. Of the addiction treatments currently in existence, less than 50% have medication-assisted therapy available (the scientifically favored approach at this time). To sum it up, there are enough barriers to treatment that most individuals requiring it don’t get it, and when treatment is accessible, it doesn’t offer the industry’s best therapies.
To improve both access and quality of addiction treatment, federal lawmakers must allocate a great deal more funding for a sustained period. Additionally, experts say that truly successful legislation will overhaul America’s management of addiction, as was similarly done by hospitals and physicians when they changed protocols to respond to the Zika and Ebola outbreaks.
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Sons of fallen Savannah police officer mourning the loss of their father
May 16, 2019 at 6:01 PM EDT - Updated May 16 at 11:15 PM
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Family, friends, and the Savannah community are paying their respects today to a fallen officer.
Sgt. Kelvin Ansari was killed after responding to a robbery over the weekend.
There was a consistency at Campbell and Sons Funeral Home, Thursday night; consistent uniforms walking in and out and a consistent somber theme among all who were there.
Members of the Savannah Police Department and Savannah Fire were in attendance as well as city staff and neighbors. Alderman Van Johnson says there are more ways to show your support to these departments.
“Certainly an encouraging word to a police officer or an encouraging word to a firefighter or first responder, just saying thank you. I don’t think people really recognize how dangerous this work is until something like this happens," Alderman Johnson said.
“He showed us what it is to be a man," one of Ansari’s sons said.
“He’s always been a respected individual,” said Isaiah Ansari another of his sons. “He’s beyond the badge. He’s beyond the Army. He’s overall a great person.”
“He always taught me, ‘if you are going to do something, give it your all, don’t do it halfway,” said Danval Gray. “If you’re into it, you’re into it. Finish what you started. So, I’m going to take that moving forward.”
Kelvin Jr., Isaiah, and Danval are living across the country from each other, in New York, North Carolina, and here in Savannah. They say the past few days have blurred together, but the support from a Savannah community they do not know has been overwhelming.
“It didn’t really occur to me on everything until the news broke that he was killed and all of the support came pouring in.”
“It’s been amazing to see how the people pull together, especially in a day and time where people are so separate on so many issues, but on this right here, just to help our family get through this time of grieving is just a beautiful thing.”
Ansari’s son, Isaiah, stood out. His dad’s camouflage jacket was wrapped around him the way his dad once wore it - both in love and inspiration.
“I looked at my dad like superman, so I always kept something when I got older and moved out," he said. “I always kept something of my dad’s because I always wanted to be just like my dad."
As the brothers face the next few days and a lifetime without their father, they are holding onto the immeasurable support.
Ten-year-old Zechariah from Florida sent the family a flag after dedicating his one-mile run to Sgt. Ansari in a viral Facebook video.
“The son of a hero. As sad as it is, you still find joy that people are helping you along in the process, and people actually legitimately loved the man that raised you.”
Through his blended family, Ansari had six children.
If you would like to donate or send support to the Ansari family, you can do so by clicking here.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Baptist Temple.
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'Extreme value' supermarket chain Grocery Outlet to go public
Posted: 12:50 PM, May 14, 2019
The US economy is strong, yet discount retailers are booming. That's why "extreme value" supermarket chain Grocery Outlet believes its the perfect time to hit the public market.
The 73-year-old discount supermarket has grown to more than 300 stores in the United States, most of them on the West Coast. It hopes to raise $100 million through an IPO, the company said in a filing Monday.
Unlike many of the companies that went public this year, Grocery Outlet is profitable. It has posted 15 straight years of sales growth at stores open at least a year and reached $2.3 billion in revenue a year ago. And it doesn't even sell online.
Grocery Outlet's success is yet another sign of the strength in the discount sectors of the grocery and retail industries.
"Consumers' search for value is the new normal in retail," Grocery Outlet said in its filing. "The success of off-price retailers represents a secular consumer shift."
Despite a stronger economy in recent years, Americans across age groups and income levels are looking for bargains. Eighty-nine percent of all US consumers — and 90% of shoppers who make more than $100,000 a year — say they shop at discount retailers, according to a survey last year by the industry trade group National Retail Federation.
Other retailers have also recently capitalized on shoppers' hunt for deals.
Dollar General, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, TJX, Ross, Burlington and Five Below opened up thousands of stores last year, while German discount grocery chains Aldi and Lidl are on a major growth spurt in the United States. Aldi plans to become the nation's third-largest grocer by store count, behind Walmart and Kroger.
Grocery Outlet's business model is a lot like TJMaxx, Ross and Ollie's Bargain Outlet .
Like those rapidly growing discount retailers, Grocery Outlet buys brand name products directly from suppliers for cheap. It sells groceries, produce, refrigerated and frozen foods, alcohol, meat and seafood and health and beauty care items at its small, 15,000 square-foot stores for around 40% less than conventional grocers.
The company relies on an "opportunistic buying" strategy to acquire products from its 1,500 suppliers, many of whom are the country's top consumer products' companies.
When a grocery, convenience or drug store cancels an order from manufacturers, a manufacturer produces too much of an item, or a supplier changes product packaging, Grocery Outlet's buyers step in to scoop up the extra inventory.
Grocery Outlet stores stock a limited supply of items, but the chain changes up products on shelves frequently to create a TJMaxx-like "fun, treasure hunt shopping experience." The company believes that constantly changing its merchandise creates a "'buy now' sense of urgency" and compels customers to return to stores.
Grocery Outlet is going public to help fund its growth plans.
The company plans to open more than 30 stores in 2019. In the long run, it says it can open 400 more stores in its existing states — California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Pennsylvania — and another 1,600 stores in neighboring states.
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Wyoming News Briefs - Man wields bat at VA hospital
School district employees receive deferments in conspiracy allegations
TORRINGTON (WNE) — Goshen County School District employees Loreen Fritzler and Robert Flock both received deferred adjudications to charges of conspiracy to commit interference with a police officer after an incident in December.
Fritzler and Flock allegedly conspired to cover up a car accident involving former GCSD No. 1 Superintendent Jean Chrostoski. Charges against Chrostoski, as well as three other GCSD employees, were dismissed.
A deferred adjudication is a way for defendants to avoid a guilty verdict by successfully completing a term of probation. According to state statue 7-13- 301, for some offenses “with the consent of the defendant and the state and without entering a judgment of guilt or conviction, defer further proceedings and place the person on probation for a term not to exceed five (5) years upon terms and conditions set by the court.”
Flock will serve one year of probation, but Frtizler’s exact terms weren’t available when requested by the Telegram. The deferment was confirmed by a court official.
The deferments will allow the defendants to avoid having a guilty verdict issued against them. Chrostoski retired from her superintendent post on Feb. 1. She announced her retirement with a letter to the GCSD Board of Trustees in January. All of the other defendants in the case are still employed by the district.
Jackson police officer rescues man from burning house
JACKSON (WNE) — A police officer rushed inside a burning house early Thursday morning, woke a sleeping man and escorted him to safety.
Two witnesses saw flames coming from the East Deloney home at 3:30 a.m. and called 911. Jackson police Sgt. Garrett Kellams arrived and pounded on the door, but no one answered.
“Receiving no immediate response, he entered the home and woke the single occupant, immediately evacuating him through the smoke and out of the burning structure,” town of Jackson public information officer Carl Pelletier said in a press release.
The smoke detectors in the house were not working, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Battalion Chief Mike Moyer said.
The front porch and living room areas of the house were full of smoke and flames when firefighters arrived. The sleeping man’s bedroom was at the other end of the house, with the front door located between his room and the fire.
About 25% of the rental house sustained heavy fire damage, and the main floor has smoke damage, Moyer said. Fire Marshal Kathy Clay is investigating the cause of the fire. No one was injured in the blaze, but Moyer said the incident is a good reminder for Teton County residents to check their smoke detectors and make an exit plan with their family or roommates.
Former staff member attacks employees at Cheyenne VA hospital
CHEYENNE (WNE) — A former employee welding a baseball bat walked into the Cheyenne VA Medical Center and attacked two staff members Thursday, VA officials say.
According to Sam House, the VA's public affairs officer, the attack took place around noon at the hospital's community center.
The two staff members suffered minor injuries and were treated at the VA and released, House said.
Cheyenne VA Police arrested the former employee within minutes of the assault and transferred the man to the sheriff's department after treatment at the VA's emergency room.
VA officials did not immediately identify the former employee. And although he was turned over to Laramie County Sheriff's deputies for processing at the county jail, spokeswoman Capt. Linda Gesell said she couldn't confirm his identity as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
High school locked down because of shooting threat
LYMAN (WNE) — Lyman High School was on lock down earlier this week, as a report of a shooting threat was circulated through the area.
Officers were called, and the Lyman High School had a lockout Tuesday morning to prohibit any entry or exit from the school. Lyman Police Chief Kathy Adams, on site Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m., stressed the shooting threat was not aimed at the school, but it was in the community. She also said the school and law enforcement instituted the lockout, because, “it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
In addition, Adams confirmed both the one making the threat and the one being threatened were both local residents.
Near the front entrance and in the parking lot east of the school, there didn’t seem to be signs of a crisis. But near the corner and going to the eastern sidewalk leading to the main entrance, the view changed. Four law enforcement vehicles were at the sidewalk, with officers standing in the area.
In a press release Wednesday afternoon, Adams said, “The Lyman Police Department received a report from Lyman High School, of a threat to a juvenile male. There was information that the suspect would possibly be at school.”
Officers from the Lyman Police Department, the Mountain View Police Department, the Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Uinta County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lyman High School. Principals of the Bridger Valley schools made the decision to go into a “soft lockdown.”
Adams said in the release for the April 9 incident, “Due to a collaborated effort of all departments, the suspect was located and taken into custody without incident. Schools were informed and resumed normal activity.”
Pinedale submits water quality plan to EPA
PINEDALE (WNE) — Pinedale is on target and on schedule to meet compliance with Environmental Protection Agency criteria to do a study of Fremont Lake and its drinking water supply.
Brian Gray, with Jorgenson and Associates, reported during the April 8 council meeting that consultants completed the plan April 3, well ahead of the 60-day deadline of April 29, and sent it to the EPA for approval.
The ongoing study and responses from the EPA have become a permanent agenda item for the town’s council as part of the study’s promise to the EPA that there is full public disclosure about the town’s drinking water.
The study is an attempt by the town of Pinedale to avoid a $16-million water filtration system. Pinedale is one of the few municipalities in the nation that gets pure drinking water from an open lake. The water is treated with chlorine and an ultraviolet system to ensure it is safe to drink. Because water in the lake, tested two times a week, has always met EPA standards, there has never been a requirement to filter the water before it is treated.
However, that all changed in August 2018 when test samples exceeded the EPA standards for fecal coliform.
The plan establishes a work group and slates May through July for preliminary research, including gathering past tests.
Fieldwork is planned for August, September and October – the months in 2018 when there were high readings for contamination. A final study will be submitted to the EPA by February 2020.
Implementation of any recommendations coming from the study would begin in March 2020.
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Europeans have been eating cheese for at least 7,000 years
Last updated on September 6th, 2018 at 8:07 pm by Mihai Andrei
Researchers propose that cheese and other dairy products helped early humans expand across Europe — and now they have the evidence to back this up.
Examples of pottery types from the Dalmatian Neolithic. Image credits: McClure et al., 2018.
We don’t give it too much credit nowadays, but cheese — this simple, nigh ubiquitous food — was vital to our ancestors. Cheese predates written history, being so old and common that we don’t really know where it originated. There’s a good chance that cheese goes back to 10,000 years ago, when sheep were first domesticated, but the first evidence of cheese-making in the archaeological record dates back to 7,500 years ago, in what is now Poland. But in the Mediterranean area, a place with such a rich culture, evidence dated back to ‘only’ the beginning of the Bronze Age, some 5,000 years ago.
In a new study, Sarah McClure of the Pennsylvania State University and colleagues analyzed stable carbon isotopes of fatty acids preserved on pots found on Neolithic sites in modern Croatia.
The sites belong to two ancient villages, Pokrovnik and Danilo Bitinj, which were occupied between 6000 and 4800 BCE on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in the Mediterranean. Both sites preserve several types of pottery across that age range and archaeologists were hoping to find relevant residue on the pottery. The analysis found evidence of milk, along with meat and fish, throughout this entire period. Particularly, the cheese residues start from around 5200 BCE, suggesting that that’s when cheese production started. It seems that the residents of these villages were using specific pottery types for the production of different foods, with cheese residue being most common on rhyta (a type of drinking container) and sieves.
The archaeological site of Pokrovnik during excavation with the modern village, Dalmatia, Croatia. Image credits: Andrew M.T. Moore.
The advantage of cheese is that it’s durable, easily storable, and relatively low-lactose — fermentation of milk into yogurt and cheese significantly decreases lactose content. While children would have been lactose-tolerant until after weaning, genetic data from previous studies suggests that early farming populations were largely lactose intolerant, which means that they would find cheese much easier to digest than milk, for instance.
Archaeological data from Croatia (particularly the area around northern Dalmatia) indicates that farmers were fully committed to plant and animal husbandry as a subsistence system. The authors thus suggest that cheese production and associated ceramic technology were key factors allowing the development of these early settlements.
“We suggest that milk and cheese production among Europe’s early farmers reduced infant mortality and helped stimulate demographic shifts that propelled farming communities to expand to northern latitudes.”
It’s also remarkable that sizable villages, like the ones in which the new surveys were carried out, were already in place some 8000 years ago.
The study has been published in PLoS.
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Reporter - City
Alexandra believes every story has a life of its own with a heartbeat and body and legs. She’ll probe for a pulse and check out its shape from every which way, until she feels it and sees it. So be patient with her. She can be exasperating.
Journalism is about the heart and mind of things, to this reporter. Her mother was a poet and artist; her grandmother’s family included one relative who printed the first edition of Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon and another who published a newspaper in New York during the bitter news wars of the 19th century.
She came at journalism sideways, after a marriage to a First Nations man whose family are strong aboriginal rights advocates. They insisted she go to university and since she was great at reading and pitiful at math and science, she earned an honours degree in English literature and a bachelor of education at the same time. Then she went to Carleton, got a journalism degree under her belt and landed a job at small daily in Ontario.
Alexandra was so excited about coming to the Winnipeg Free Press, she insisted the editor write her a letter confirming the job offer. Then she packed up her car and her in-laws packed up her furniture. She drove to Winnipeg with her bull mastiff and two cats in 1987.
She figured she’d move back east after five years, but the city’s warm heart and its strong aboriginal presence captured her heart and soul.
She was one of the country’s longest serving medical reporters, putting in nearly 17 years on the beat and topping it off with Manitoba’s baby death inquest. In 1990, Alexandra was nominated for the prestigious Michener Award and won an honourable mention from the Manitoba Human Rights Commission for her medical reporting.
She loves the pace of daily news, can’t stand not knowing what’s going on and tries her best to keep up with everything. Impossible job. She’s a firm advocate of aboriginal news and one of the paper’s best-informed journalists on aboriginal issues.
She has a keen love of the land and a deep appreciation for the indigenous roots sunk deep into the soil here. She grows medicinal plants, loves reading, campfires and animals and feeds wild rabbits, squirrels and birds every winter in her backyard.
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Capture the Throne in Zoxso: The New Ancient Game
Author: Jonathan H. LiuJonathan H. Liu
Zoxso game in progress. Photo: Jonathan Liu
Overview: I first came across Zoxso at PAX this year, where game designer David Weinstock was running demos. He calls it "The New Ancient Game" because it has some elements of chess in it and has the feel of a classic abstract strategy game. With a simple set of rules, Zoxso plays very quickly but still allows for some interesting strategy and thinking.
Ages: 10 and up (though anybody who can play chess could learn this)
Playing Time: 15 minutes
Retail: $24.99 for the regular set, $34.99 for the deluxe set
Rating: Excellent: elegant and intense.
Who Will Like It? People who like the idea of chess but aren't thrilled about learning 600 years' worth of openings and gambits and plays — Zoxso allows for some similar strategies but boils it down significantly.
There isn't really a specific theme, although the gold stone in the center of the board is called the "throne" and you try to get your "Xing" onto it. The names of the pieces come from Chinese and the game has sort of an Asian flavor to it, but it's abstract strategy so there's not really a story or plot. (Nor does it need one.)
The game includes the game board and 20 pieces (10 per player). There are 10 light pieces and 10 dark pieces, though apparently the dark pieces come in different colors. My set has green and white pieces, but the one I played at PAX had red and white. (The backgrounds of the pieces are either a light tan or a dark brown.)
Each of the pieces is double-sided, with a "Silver" side and a "Colored" side. There are 5 Dao (the square-ish symbol/sword), 4 Ma (a three-pronged symbol/horses), and 1 Xing (the 8-pointed figure/dragon heads).
The pieces are nice, sturdy plastic, about the size and heft of medium-weight poker chips.
The board is 20" square, and folds into sixths, which allows the whole game to fit into a fairly compact box. The graphics on everything are pretty nice and give the board an illusion of depth.
All in all, they're high quality components and the pieces are pleasant to handle.
I haven't seen the deluxe version myself, but it comes with metal-and-plastic pieces, a vinyl playing mat, and a faux-leather zippered case for everything.
The rules are available as a PDF here (with lots of illustrations), but here's a quick overview.
The object of the game is to either get your Xing onto the throne, or capture your opponent's Xing.
The board consists of different types of spaces: the pearls (the small blue-green dots) and the stones (the brown octagons). Pieces can be on either the pearls or the stones, and behave differently depending on where they are. The center stone is gold-colored and is called the Throne — only the Xing can land on this stone, although other pieces may pass through it. Finally, there is a wall that connects the second ring of stones, forming a square; pieces on the pearls cannot cross through this wall.
The first phase of the game is placing the pieces onto the board. Players take turns placing pieces, silver-side up, onto the pearls outside the wall. No pieces can be moved or captured during this phase, and placement continues until all 20 pieces are on the board.
The second phase is the race to the throne and all the action begins.
Pieces on the pearls (silver-side up) move one space at a time orthogonally. If you move onto an opponent's piece, you capture it and it is removed from the board. You can also perform a "chain move": if your piece is adjacent to one or more of your own pieces on pearls, you can move to any pearl adjacent to any of the pieces in this contiguous group.
Pieces on the stones are colored-side up, and this is where the three different pieces actually come into play. The Dao moves and captures like a rook: any number of spaces in a straight orthogonal line, until it is blocked by one of your own pieces or captures an opponent's piece. The Ma moves like a knight: a 2-by-3 L-shaped move in any direction, jumping over any pieces in its path. The Xing moves a single space orthogonally.
But how do you get onto the stones? Here's the tricky bit: you can flip pieces from the pearls onto the stones and vice versa. Any piece can be flipped from its location to one of the four spaces touching it. Also, a piece can be flipped and moved on the same turn, but only in that order. You cannot capture by flipping, but you can flip onto an empty space and then capture. A piece can only be flipped once per turn. Pieces on the stones can cross over the wall.
I've played many games of Zoxso against a few different opponents, and I've really enjoyed it. The flip-and-move mechanic opens up a host of options for any piece that is on a pearl: Think about the eight locations that a knight can normally cover in chess (if it's not too close to the edge). A Ma on a pearl near the center can cover 28 stones, because it can flip onto any of four stones. (There are some overlaps in coverage, which is why it's not 32.) Likewise, a Dao sitting on a pearl can cover two vertical rows and two horizontal rows, rather than one each. All of that means that flipping up onto the stones tends to make you an easy target for your opponent — but since it's the only way to get over the wall, you have to do it eventually.
Also, because of the way the pieces move, there's likely to be a lot of carnage early on, particularly if your initial placements are near each other. There's a lot of swapping of pieces as you try to find the best way to get your Xing onto the throne. Once somebody manages to clear enough of a path to get their Xing up over the wall, though, it's usually too late to stop them, and it's a pretty quick endgame after that.
The placement phase of the game is interesting, and I haven't figured out the best way to do it yet. I've tried putting all my pieces close together, mixing it up and throwing them all over the board, and even putting them right next to my opponent's pieces (ensuring a lot of capturing right away). I haven't figured out yet which placement is optimal, except that it certainly helps to have your Xing as close to the center as possible, because it takes that many more steps if you're hanging out in the corner of the baord.
You really have to shift your thinking a bit from playing chess, though: the flipping up and down between pearls and stones makes it almost a three-dimensional game, like a game that takes place on two planes of reality. If you get too stuck thinking about attacking and defending only in one of those planes, you'll be caught off guard.
One complaint a friend of mine had was that once a player goes onto the offense and starts moving their Xing toward the throne, the opponent is stuck in defense mode and it's over. While I did find that the game is almost always decided when a player gets the Xing over the wall, I think there's still plenty of strategy left in the prelude to that moment — in the placement of the pieces, and the maneuvering to clear a path. It's better than games in which, after you get to the endgame and it's clear who the winner will be, you still have half an hour or an hour to play before the game actually ends. With Zoxso, it's a speedy denouement.
I love the fact that I can teach the game and play it several times in under an hour. Whenever I've played it, it's always been a few games, never just one. The rules are simple enough that even younger children could learn how the pieces move (it's simpler than chess, perhaps), but because it's a newer game and doesn't have all this accumulated history, there aren't a pile of standardized starting moves and placements, which makes it fresh and exciting.
If you like abstract strategy games and you often play two-player games, check out Zoxso for a fast-paced, elegantly-designed game.
Wired: Simple ruleset belies complex strategy; gorgeous board and high quality components.
Tired: Some might argue the endgame is over too quickly.
Disclosure: GeekDad received a review copy of this game.
#Board Games
#Reviews
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Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT+1
PARIS STUDIO HARCOURT
Portrait of Brigitte Bardot. YellowKorner and the Réunion des Musées Nationaux are delighted to publish a photograph by Studio Harcourt Paris. Due to its historic nature, this photograph is not numbered or offered as a limited edition. Digital copy, YellowKorner publication 1 st July 2010. © RMN / Médiathèque de l'architecture et du Patrimoine.
Delivery in our galleries
Delivery for Christmas!
The photographs are carefully packaged in order to ensure their optimal protection during transport.
From руб3,000.00 руб1,500.00
From руб12,500.00 руб7,900.00
Created in 1934 by an exceptional woman, Cosette Harcourt, the Lacroix brothers and Robert Ricci, Studio Harcourt Paris rapidly becomes the place to be seen for celebrities. Writers, painters, singers, actors such as Salvador Dali, Edith Piaf, Marlène Dietrich as well as Brigitte Bardot, all come to pose at the famous Studio. The Harcourt signature draws its inspiration in the glamorous roots of black and white cinema which makes it a timeless mark and gives it its unique style that has become a legend. A true visual memory from nowadays to the past, Studio Harcourt is the reference for artistic portraits and welcomes celebrities such as Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Carole Bouquet, John Malkovich, Monica Bellucci, Princess Rania of Jordania, Dita Von Teese, Zinedine Zidane as well as anonymous people who wish to enter the Harcourt legend.
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Park official on hawk-watch: 'It can be breathtaking'
From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 6, the York County Parks will host the first of four October hawk-watch events at Rocky Ridge County Park.
Park official on hawk-watch: 'It can be breathtaking' From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 6, the York County Parks will host the first of four October hawk-watch events at Rocky Ridge County Park. Check out this story on yorkdispatch.com: https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2018/10/04/park-official-hawk-watch-can-breathtaking/1522042002/
Lindsey O'Laughlin, York Dispatch Published 2:45 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2018 | Updated 3:29 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2018
A hawk impaled by an arrow was released into the wild after receiving medical treatment.
A hawk that spent a month with an arrow through its body was released Wednesday, April 13, 2016, just days after being treated. Look for migrating hawks during the Broad-winged Hawk Watch at Rocky Ridge County Park Sept. 23. Photo by Bil Bowden(Photo: Bil Bowden, The York Dispatch)Buy Photo
This weekend at York County parks, birds and trees will be the stars of the show.
Andrew Wolfgang, a park naturalist with the county, said as many as 14 types of hawks can be seen flying through the area on a given day.
"If you're there at the right time, it can be breathtaking," he said. "It can be amazing just to see birds like that coming past you in such large numbers."
Wolfgang said some birds of prey are so large, they can be seen from 2 to 3 miles away with binoculars. Hawk-watching does take patience, he added, and observers are not likely to see much if they're only passing through the event for 20 minutes.
He described the hobby as a sort of "Where's Waldo" in the sky. The hawks can be difficult to spot, but the enthusiasts' patience is rewarded as soon as the birds come into view.
The hawk-watch events will repeat from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 13, 20, and 27 at Rocky Ridge County Park. Admission is free, and no registration is required. Attendees should park in the Oak Timbers parking lot and walk to the North Overlook.
More: PHOTOS: Woods Wander Program at Rocky Ridge Park
More: PHOTOS: Children's Bird Count
Fall Birds: An alternative bird-watching event is the Fall Birds Nature Walk, which will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m on Sunday, Oct. 7, at Richard M. Nixon County Park.
Wolfgang said Fall Birds is a more active event than the hawk watch. Participants will walk into the woods, with Wolfgang as a guide, for up-close observation of migratory birds making foraging pit-stops in York County. The walk is suitable for ages 10 and up.
The Fall Birds Nature Walk also is free, with no registration required. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather for both events and to bring field guides and binoculars if they have them.
A red-tailed hawk on the mend from being shot by an arrow was released April 13, 2016, at Rocky Ridge County Park. Photo by Bil Bowden (Photo: Bil Bowden, The York Dispatch)
A small number of loaner binoculars will be available.
Plant trees: Also this weekend, county residents will have two opportunities to plant trees.
From 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Richard M. Nixon County Park, volunteers can help plant trees in the forest.
The trees are being planted to add nectar and pollen plants for butterflies and other native pollinators, the park said in a news release.
There is no fee, and registration is only requested for groups with more than seven people. Attendees are asked to bring work gloves and to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants and sneakers or hiking shoes.
Participants can drop in for a few minutes or stay for the entire event.
For more information about any of the events, visit yorkcountyparks.org.
Read or Share this story: https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2018/10/04/park-official-hawk-watch-can-breathtaking/1522042002/
Police: W. Manchester Twp. man shared child porn
Integra facility in Springettsbury slated to close, will cost region about 115 jobs
Man saved cat from Red Lion fire, community mobilizes to help those displaced
Police: Associates of wanted York City man busted after search
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George Harrison memorabilia going under the hammer
PIC: Gardiner Houlgate/PA Wire
A car number plate once belonging to George Harrison that was first sold in return for free haircuts could fetch thousands of pounds when it is sold at auction.
The number plate KMT 499C was removed from an Aston Martin DB5 once owned by the late Beatle.
It is part of a collection of rare Harrison memorabilia being sold by Wiltshire-based auctioneers Gardiner Houlgate at its June specialist guitar and music sale.
Also included are a series of letters written by the guitarist, his sister and his sister-in-law.
The number plate is believed to have been taken off the car by a mechanic at Arnold G. Wilson Limited's Regent Street dealership in Leeds in the early 1970s.
It was one of two plates being replaced with new style reflective plates while the car was being serviced.
The rear number plate remained at the dealership for several years until a member of staff sold it to a local barber, who collected car memorabilia, in return for free haircuts for life.
The number plate was subsequently sold to the collector.
The front number plate is known to have hung on the wall of an famous Leeds pub, the Cherry Tree, for many years.
The pub has since been demolished.
Harrison's 1964 Aston Martin DB5 itself was sold at auction in 2011 for £350,000 to an anonymous Beatles fan from Houston, Texas.
Also included in the collection is a letter from Harrison to a fan written on the very day that the Beatles' fourth single She Loves You was released in 1963.
Drafted on headed notepaper from the Palace Hotel, Bournemouth, where the Beatles were staying, the letter reveals that Harrison sings the wrong words on the single's B-side I'll Get You.
Over three pages, Harrison also explains that the group were annoyed at being pelted with Jelly Babies sweets while performing live and that drummer Ringo Starr was too scared to sing on stage, even though Harrison and Paul McCartney offered to play the drums for him.
In addition to books and programmes, the collection also includes letters to Beatles fans written by Harrison's sister, Louise Harrison, and his sister-in-law, Irene Harrison.
The George Harrison memorabilia is being sold by a private collector from Salisbury in order to raise funds for retirement.
Auctioneer Luke Hobbs said: "This is a treasure trove of George Harrison memorabilia including correspondence, programmes and personal belongings.
"I've not seen anything like it before. We're expecting strong international interest, particularly from America.
"It's very hard to estimate what the number plate will fetch as it's never been offered for sale before. As the car it came from sold for £350,000, the plate itself easily make four figures.
"The letter written from Bournemouth in 1963 is an intimate snapshot of the young Beatle, right on the brink of major fame.
"It could go as high as £10,000 to £20,000."
In September last year, Gardiner Houlgate sold Harrison's Maton Master Sound MS-500 guitar for £347,000.
The auction will take place at the auction house in Corsham, Wiltshire on June 12 and 13.
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Leeds Council housing sales are on the increase
An aerial view of houses.
Published: 12:10 Monday 27 August 2018
COUNCIL house sales are gathering pace in Leeds, recovering from the drop caused by the financial crisis of 2008.
Figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show that Leeds City Council sold 516 council homes under the national Right to Buy scheme from April 2016 to March 2017.
Fewer than 100 council homes were sold by Leeds under the scheme during each of the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years.
The figures mean that nine out of every 1,000 homes owned by the council in Leeds were sold in 2016-17.
The ratio is above the national average, with eight out of every 1,000 council homes being purchased by the tenant across England in 2016-17.
Tower Hamlets was the local authority with the highest proportion of sales – 22 for every 1,000 properties in its housing stock.
Leeds council leader Coun Judith Blake, speaking earlier this month about a Government green paper on social housing in her capacity as a Local Government Association spokesperson, said: “There is a desperate need to reverse the decline in council housing over the past few decades.
“The loss of social housing means that we are spending more and more on housing benefit to supplement expensive rents instead of investing in genuinely affordable homes.
“Councils are proud of their housing and their tenants and continually work to improve how they empower their tenants to achieve a positive and responsive relationship.
“However, they need the freedoms and powers to invest in new and existing housing that communities want for themselves and their children.”
Right to Buy was introduced in 1980 by the then Conservative government to help council house tenants buy their rented homes at a discount.
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Jeff Bezos Leads The World’s Wealthiest Despite Market Meltdown
The Hurun Global rich list of the world’s billionaires’ fortunes plummeted $1 trillion due to market meltdowns in 2018. Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos managed to maintain its place as the world’s wealthiest.
Bezos managed to rake in a staggering $147 billion in 2018. Still the only centi-billionaire in the list despite market fluctuations the previous year.
There are 2,470 billionaires in the world, a number which dropped 224 names from last year. Their total overall wealth summed around $9.6 trillion, $950 billion short from the previous year thanks to stock market fluctuations.
Meanwhile, Amazon announced its $15/hour minimum wage to all employees in October 2018. This move was also the time the market went down, and just like everyone else in the US, Bezos suffered intermittent losses and gains.
Bezos lost around $2.6 billion (7.5% of his net worth) when the market closed on October 26. By the end of 2018, Bezos’ worst monetary loss amounted to $46 billion. On his worst day, he could pay the annual median income for 762,397 US household based on the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Federal Reserve System stated that the market meltdown was caused by “A variety of factors—including Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) communications, weaker-than-expected data, trade policy uncertainties, the partial federal government shutdown, and concerns about the outlook for corporate earnings—were cited by market participants as contributing to a deterioration in risk sentiment early in the period.”
Bill Gates, who followed Bezos earned $96 billion followed by Warren Buffet at $88 billion despite their enthusiasm for philanthropy.
On the other hand, according to a list by wealth compiler, Hurun Report or China’s version of Forbes, more than 212 Chinese tycoons lost their dollar billionaire status.
The market meltdowns took the most significant toll on Asia. Specifically in Japan where the Tokyo Stock Exchange lost 43% of its value in market capitalization. Even Shanghai’s exchange lost nearly a quarter of its value, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index plunged almost 16%.
The US, earlier in 2018, placed stricter regulations on trade and tariffs with China leading to further losses with its neighboring countries.
The weak perception of other countries’ economic state was also an issue as stated by the FOMC, “December FOMC communications were reportedly perceived by market participants as not fully appreciating the implications of tighter financial conditions and softening global data over recent months for the U.S. economic outlook.”
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Clinical Pathology Laboratories blamed AMCA for not providing them enough information back in June.
Al Restar
Photo: Thirteen Of Clubs Follow | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
A month after the medical collection portal owned by the American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA) fell victim to a data breach that has affected more than 20 million of their users from different blood testing laboratories and medical institutions around the country, a new AMCA partner lab came forward and said that their clients were also affected by the data breach.
According to Clinical Pathology Laboratories (CPL), 2.2 million clients may have had their names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, dates of service, balance information, and treatment provider information stolen from the previously reported data breach involving AMCA.
Last month, data were stolen from users of the AMCA payment portal that was used to pay for laboratory fees by more than 20 million victims. These data include their names, phone numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other bank details.
The list of impacted testing laboratories includes Quest Diagnostics (11.9 million patients), LabCorp (7.7 million patients), BioReference Laboratories (Opko Health subsidiary, 422,600 patients), Carecentrix (500,000 patients), and Sunrise Laboratories (undisclosed number of patients).
This time, Clinical Pathology Laboratories (CPL) says that an additional 2.2 million victims of the data breach come from their client list, and another 34,500 patients had their credit card or banking information compromised.
The company blamed the late announcement from CPL to AMCA for not providing them with enough information regarding the breach when it was first disclosed in June.
“At the time of AMCA’s initial notification, AMCA did not provide CPL with enough information for CPL to identify potentially affected patients or confirm the nature of patient information potentially involved in the incident, and CPL’s investigation is on-going,” said the company in a statement.
As of today, it is still unclear whether AMCA nor its partner companies have reached out to their clients to personally notify them about the data breach. Back in June, AMCA first disclosed that only 200,000 clients had their data compromised. However, reports from its partners have confirmed that the victim tally reaches 20 million.
AMCA and partners were slapped with lawsuits
AMCA, Quest, and LabCorp in June were slapped with at least 19 lawsuits concerning the data leak. More than 19 class-suite actions have been filed against the three companies for their involvement in the breach and their inability to fulfill the promise of protecting their clients’ sensitive information.
According to one of the lawyers in one of the lawsuits hurdled against the involved companies, healthcare providers are one of the most susceptible entities, but they have lackluster data protection systems.
“Healthcare companies are especially susceptible to data breaches not only because they aggregate a tremendous amount of important and sensitive data, but also because they tend to be less focused on cybersecurity protection than other industries,” said John Yanchunis of Morgan and Morgan, one of the firms who filed lawsuits against Quest Diagnostics.
Yanchunis said that these companies “know [that] they are at an increased risk and yet have not taken the proper steps to protect their patients’ data.”
AMCA filed for bankruptcy
Amid the data breach that centers the American Medical Collection Agency, the company has filed for bankruptcy and laid off more than 70% of its workforce, as cost in mitigating the impacts of the leak has to lead the company to lose a massive amount of money.
According to the company, the data breach “resulted in enormous expenses that were beyond the ability of the Debtor to bear.”
“Almost immediately upon learning of the breach, LabCorp unqualifiedly and indefinitely terminated its relationship with the Debtor,” the filing reads.
“Soon after, Quest Diagnostics, Conduent, Inc., and CareCentrix, Inc. which together with LabCorp were the Debtor’s four largest clients, stopped sending new work to the Debtor, and all terminated or substantially curtailed their business relationships with the Debtor.”
Cybersecurity experts have estimated that the company most likely to spend at least $400,000 for cyber forensics alone. Add to that the cost of IT support, severe restrictions that were put in place to protect AMCA’s network from further intrusion, looming court cases, and the loss of valuable business partners; it is most likely that the company was driven to the abyss of bankruptcy by the data breach.
Of course, to cut cost, AMCA has also laid off employees and only retained those who are significant in the legal battles it faces, including the lawsuits and its request for bankruptcy. AMCA’s current employee count is down from 113 to 25, which practically cut of 78% of its human resources. Fuchs has asked the court to consider a motion which will ensure the firm’s remaining staff will be paid during the process.
Treasury Chief Says Crypto Is A “National Security Risk”
Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin | 7/25/17 (Official White House Photo by Ricky Harris)
A new jab was thrown against Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies from the US government after statements from the U.S. Treasury Secretary branded the industry as a “national security threat.”
Facebook’s announcement of Libra has brought crypto and blockchain technology in the center stage, as governments around the world have heightened their scrutiny on the alternative financial system that the industry is offering.
Government executives and high ranking officials have raised concerns on the volatility of the technology, and how it is being used by malicious actors to facilitate illegal transactions such as money laundering and illegal drugs.
Now, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin chimed in the conversation and echoed earlier apprehensions versus Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. The Secretary warns that Bitcoin, as well as, Facebook’s plans for Libra, pose a “national security issue” for the United States.
“This is indeed a national security issue,” Mnuchin told reporters at a press conference yesterday. “Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin have been exploited to support billions of dollars of illicit activity like cyber crime, tax evasion, extortion, ransomware, illicit drugs, and human trafficking,” adding that Facebook’s Libra “could be misused by money launderers and terrorist financiers.”
Mnuchin echoed other politicians stance on Facebook’s Libra venture and said that he was “not comfortable” by the idea of it.
Trump vs. Crypto
In a series of tweets on last week, the POTUS said that he is not a “fan” of cryptocurrencies, asserted that America has only one currency, criticized bitcoin, as well as told Facebook that they need a banking charter if they want to launch their newly announced crypto-based money called Libra.
Trump said cryptocurrencies are not money, and “Unregulated Crypto Assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity.”
“If Facebook and other companies want to become a bank, they must seek a new Banking Charter and become subject to all Banking Regulations,” said the president.
Related: Trump Vs. Crypto: Dollar Is The Only Currency Of The USA
According to the President, the dollar is the only currency in America, and Libra, among other cryptocurrencies, are not “real money.”
“We have only one real currency in the USA, and it is stronger than ever, both dependable and reliable. It is by far the most dominant currency anywhere in the World, and it will always stay that way. It is called the United States Dollar!” Trump said in a tweet.
Trump’s anti-crypto stand was agreed upon by Mnuchin saying that “the president does have concerns as it relates to bitcoin and cryptocurrencies—those are legitimate concerns that we have been working on for a long period of time.”
Democrats vs. Crypto
Joining Trump’s army against cryptocurrencies and Facebook’s Libra plans are Democrats from the Senate who recently circulated a draft proposal that bans big tech companies from issuing digital money.
The bill, which was bluntly named as “Keep Big Tech Out Of Finance Act,” circulates among Democrats majority that leads the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, proves that the US government is not joking about its position against Libra and other similar ventures in the future.
Read More: Democrats Move To Ban Big Techs From Issuing Digital Money
According to the proposed bill, no tech company should be allowed to issue any form of financial services. “A large platform utility may not establish, maintain, or operate a digital asset that is intended to be widely used as a medium of exchange, unit of account, store of value, or any other similar function, as defined by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,” reads a copy of the bill obtained by Z6Mag.
Furthermore, while the bill does not specify any company, it clearly refers to Facebook, and it’s planned blockchain-based currency, Libra. The “large platform utility” is defined as a technology company with “[an] annual global revenue of $25,000,000,000 or more” and one that is “predominately engaged in the business of offering to the public an online marketplace, an exchange, or a platform for connecting third parties.” This definition seems to be crafted to include Facebook rather than exclude other companies.
It is also worth noting that the proposed legislation also prohibits “large platform utilities” from affiliation with “persons who are a financial institution.” This further includes Facebook’s proactive workaround against possible future laws that may prohibit them from owning Libra.
Nonetheless, the bill is still in its earliest phase yet, and many could happen to move forward. For it to become a law, it still has to withstand the possible opposition by Republicans in both the House and the Senate.
Senator To Facebook’s Libra: ‘Can People Trust You?’
Photo: BTC Keychain | Flickr | CC BY 2.0
When it comes to Facebook’s Libra, the US government has made one thing clear: they don’t trust the tech giant and its plan to release an alternative financial system based on the highly debated blockchain technology.
In a Senate hearing today, a Facebook executive was grilled by lawmakers in the Senate Banking Committee over the plan to issue its digital currency and its possible effect on the global banking and financial ecosystem.
Facebook announced a month ago that it would roll out a new form of digital money, called Libra, which the tech superpower claims to be a stable coin. Unlike its predecessor, Bitcoin, the Silicon Valley giant claims that Libra is a cryptocurrency backed by real-world money and government certificates, and is also supported by a group of corporations such as Mastercard, Paypal, and VISA.
Libra is set to be available for circulation early next year, but a few weeks following Facebook’s announcement, staunch government opposition has proved difficult for Libra to push through with its most ambitious plan.
“Facebook has said ‘just trust us’” Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, said at the hearing. “And every time Americans trust you, they seem to get burned.”
Many governments around the world have echoed concerns on how Facebook will handle such an ambitious feat. Many claims that because of the company’s reputation in data security, it is hard to trust Facebook in handling people’s money.
“Trust is primordial”
“Do you really think people should trust Facebook with their hard-earned money?” Senator Brown asked Facebook’s exec, David Marcus.
As a response, Marcus said that the company would do its best to protect people’s money, as well as, prevent fraud and other illegal activities that malicious actors may carry out using Facebook’s Libra.
One of the significant critiques against Facebook’s digital money comes from the fact that cryptocurrencies are not well regulated and criminal element can leverage the technology and use Libra for money laundering and other forms of illegal payments.
“We’ve made mistakes in the past,” Mr. Marcus said. “We have been working, and are working hard to get better.”
“Trust is primordial,” he added.
Keep Big Tech Out Of Finance Act
The Senate hearing comes a day after a copy of a draft proposal in the Senate penned by Democrat senators surfaced that practically bans major tech companies from issuing digital currencies.
Read: [Breaking] Democrats Move To Ban Big Techs From Issuing Digital Money
A new draft proposal for the bill, bluntly named as “Keep Big Tech Out Of Finance Act,” that circulates among Democrats majority that leads the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, proves that the US government is serious about its position against Libra and other similar ventures in the future.
Global fiscal and legislative resistance vs. Libra
European officials have also expressed concern regarding Libra, citing that the system, if widely adopted, could shake the global economy and rival national banks. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire sent a letter to officials from the G7 and International Monetary Fund calling for a group to examine Libra’s impact on the global financial system. Le Maire said that Libra must not become a “sovereign currency,” while a German politician noted Facebook’s potential to become a “shadow bank” to the global financial system.
Aside from European officials, Japanese lawmakers are also investigating the possible impact of Facebook’s Libra in global banking and financial systems ahead of the G-7 Meeting of the country’s finance ministry to be held in France this week.
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The Sloppy Dance
Vincent Silk
“I really care a lot
although I look like I do not”
— Lou Reed, ‘Nobody But You’, Songs For DrellaI put this lyric here because, well as usual it is to do with my mum. When I was 11 or 12 she was like here listen, this is the song I want you to play at my funeral, and she played this song. And then I had it in my head, and my brain makes these leaps sometimes that I always felt like was just distraction or my inability to concentrate, but I have been lately trying to incorporate these things into my practice, to accept my brain the way it is. And as soon as I allowed my brain to do its thing and stopped trying to pummel it into a different shape, I found I was more open to making different connections and seeing ways they actually were relevant! Oh and also. I guess just doing so much work with men and thinking yeah about how as men in Australian but also wider white supremacist heteropatriarchy, like when do we learn how to show care? And the inability to show care ruins lives.
How to begin? What does it feel like to allow a full spectrum of emotions, including the petty, the ugly, and ones that make us feel shame?
It is notoriously difficult to get men involved in anti-violence work. The anti-violence networks that I have knowledge of, and the ones I am a part of, are populated mostly by women. Maybe this is because it’s not glamorous to be training in anti-violence, or perhaps because not all men are ready to have a mirror held up to their attitudes and behaviours. I know anecdotally that at anti-logging protests, for example, rates of sexual assault are extremely high, but it is difficult to get men to participate in workshops about consent. The guys who don’t want to come to the consent workshops say that it’s because someone has to do what they came for; to go and sit in the tree. My friend tells me how she stands in front of these guys, folds her arms, and says “Ok, you go to the workshop. I’ll go sit in the tree.”
The Second Woman
There is a mild, sleepy debate in the green room of The Second Woman at around 8 am. The crew have all been trying to work out why it is that many male participants, performing the role of Marty opposite performance artist Nat Randall’s Virginia, become angry at the moment in the script when Nat drops to the floor, after she and whoever is playing Marty do a “sloppy dance”, also outlined in the script. Someone suggests that it might be because they are annoyed that she has fallen down, she’s incapable. Anastasia — one half of Nat’s hair and make-up team — and I snagged a copy of the script just after midnight, when we were bit fresher, and we read through it again at this point to see if “get angry” is a written direction. It’s not. We suggest that the anger could also be a tension that arises as a result of following the direction “Marty lets Virginia drop to the floor”.
Maybe the anger that comes through, palpably, is this: in this scene empirical, patriarchal masculinity comes not only into contact, but direct friction, with a vulnerable woman. When and how do we learn to show care? Marty can’t fix Virginia with the set directions or scripted reassurances — “you’re smart, you’re pretty you’re young”, so what other options are there for Marty? Maybe the anger that seethes from the guys who, following directions, sit in the armchair while Nat slowly picks herself up off the floor, comes from the perceived impotence of the character of Marty. Virginia wouldn’t be caught, so Marty drops her.
The Second Woman: within ACMI’s Studio 1 a cube of a room is built. The wall facing the audience and the two facing either side of the room are made of translucent fine pink powernetPowernet is a knitted nylon fabric with a two-way stretch, often used for lingerie and compression garments., and the back wall has a door. Against this wall is an armchair and a sideboard holding a big old fashioned stereo. In the front corner of the set is a drinks trolley carrying a tray of clean glasses and three bottles of whiskeyThe “whiskey” is actually a mixture of black tea and apple juice.. In the centre of the room is a small table with a chair on each side. This is the setting in which Nat Randall performed the same scene 100 times over 24 consecutive hours at Next Wave Festival 2016, each time with a different man performing across from her. The scene they performed was based on one from the film Opening Night by John Cassavetes.
The performance began at 1 pm on Friday and the theatre was still packed at 3 am. The small hours of that morning were populated mostly by participants or friends of participants, and crew members, but there were a few keen people turning up, grinning, at 4 am, ready to sit in the front row and watch forever.
The Second Woman, photo Zan Wimberley
Then at 6 am, the man-participant population shifted from the night people to the wholesome earlybirds. The theatre started to steadily fill up again with audience members. It’s hard to describe what draws a crowd to an endurance performance like this. Partly I think the crowd is drawn to The Second Woman by bloodlust. Shivers run through the room when a new man walks towards the door of the set. I think the deep pull of the random, the idea that anything could happen, people find thrilling. My friend who left at 2 am turned up again at 4 am. She’d been to the club but decided to come back. “I couldn’t stay away.” Sophie — the other half of Nat’s hair and makeup team — wakes up at 7 am from her short nap. “What did I miss?” she leaps off the mattress on the floor where she’s been resting and darts around wide-eyed. When my shift finishes at 8.30 am and I can go home, I don’t, and nobody asks me if I want to.
Here is basically what happens in the scene that’s repeated 100 times: Nat stands, facing one of the pink powernet walls. Then, a man enters the room carrying two noodle boxes in a brown paper bag. He’s brought dinner, for which she expresses gratitude. He fixes her a drink, which she throws back in one gulp and and the two of them sit at the table, with the food between them, and have a very tense conversation, which displays how their relationship is fraught with misunderstanding. The gist is that they don’t seem to get each other. Virginia throws out all these invitations for Marty to be compassionate, or connect with her. They bounce off him like he’s a brick wall.
There is a moment in the script that is make or break — Virginia prompts Marty to say that he loves her, but he doesn’t take the hint. Virginia stands up, walks to the stereo, and turns on the music, but not before throwing her food at him. He comes up behind her and holds her around the waist, but she doesn’t stay still. Maybe it’s the whiskey, maybe it’s the mess of the relationship, but Virginia flops around, sags against Marty, grabs his face in her hands, and eventually falls to the floor. After a moment, where she collects herself, she turns off the music, takes a $50 note from her purse and hands it to Marty, and says “Marty, I think you should leave”. Marty leaves, but turns at the door and delivers his final line — either “I love you” or “I never loved you”. The participant chooses.
After watching the scene so many times, with so many different performers, I get the feeling it could be humiliating to play Marty. When you are in the little cube of a room, with the gauzy pink walls and the stage lighting, you can’t see anything outside. But you know they are there, two camera operators filming live, their footage projected onto a screen directly beside, and the same size as the set; you know your extreme close-up is being watched by an audience packed onto ACMI’s benches and spilling into the aisles, who are seeing every reaction as it plays across your massive face, live. And the audience laughs. It’s not that Nat is necessarily playing it for laughs, but there’s something that happens in a group, when watching something awkward or vulnerable, where people start laughing. First a nervous titter, or sometimes an uncontrollable burst, but I notice it again and again when something awkward happens. In the script there are several moments when the direction is for Marty is to kiss Virginia. Almost every time somebody tries to kiss her, Nat pulls away, an unimpressed look on her face. This always gets a laugh. And it is funny, I think it’s funny to see this character trying to fix everything up, his attempts to band-aid with a reassuring list of her good qualities, and to see it not work. Failure is funny, particularly the failure of masculine heterosexuality to achieve what it so confidently sets out to do. When the participants play Marty through this vector, it exposes how rare it is for the performance of “heterosexual male” to be laughed at.
The power of the humour is that for all the vulnerability, tragedy and wretchedness of the character that Nat plays, she’s the subject of the piece. It’s her the audience has watched toss herself down and pick herself up off the floor over and over, it’s her we laugh with as she throws food at her constantly-morphing Marty, it’s her we follow as she hobbles around the stage, cleaning up the noodles she’s most recently tossed and pouring herself another drink. Maybe the bloodlust you can sense in the room isn’t over watching this woman get more and more raw and exhausted in each performance, but watching her expose man after man to this covert examination of masculinity.
Then I realise my mistake and blurt out, “the food is good” and she says “mine’s frozen” and dumps the contents of her noodle box on the table between us.
At about 4.30 am the stage manager comes over and asks me if I want to do the scene, a couple of scheduled men haven’t turned up. I say sure, and have a read over the script, though I don’t really need to. At this stage I’ve watched the scene about forty-five times, and know it almost by heart. It’s a few hours before I get asked to go in, after they’ve filled as many holes as they can with other participants. By the time I’m walking towards the door, I’m nervous. Two scenes before mine, there was a guy who demonstrated what I would describe as distinct boundary respect issues. The way he was touching Nat was aggressive and didn’t indicate that he was concerned with whether or not he was hurting her. He didn’t respond to her body language cues – such as her pulling away from him or moving his hands off her body – that communicated that she was uncomfortable. Obviously, it was uncomfortable to watch the interaction, as he tried to kiss Nat on the lips and she pushed him off. There were six of us in the audience, and whereas five minutes before we’d all been slumped around, watching with comfortable interest, when this guy entered the scene and it became clear from his vibe, the way he touched and spoke, that he had no regard for Nat’s comfort, we were all tensely perched on the edge of our seats. It’s clear that Nat has done risk assessment and that this is work that involves risk. The random element of the 100 men isn’t standardised, and I know she has thought about this. In the waiver that participants are required to sign before entering the scene there is a clause stating that if a participant engages in any behaviour that is disrespectful or aggressive towards Nat, they will be asked to leave and will not receive their $50 honorarium. After I watch this guy, his performance sticks with me. I think we are all shaken, in different ways. Alice, the stage manager, waves at me from the door. At first I think she’s waving me over because I’m, not quite professionally, doing my job of tallying the audience members from the audience and not from the door, like I was earlier, but no, she wants to tell me that I’m next. “Are you ready?” I’m very unready. The same could be said of the majority of men participating in The Second Woman, who don’t seem at all prepared for what it feels like to play out this scene, intimacy as spectacle.
When I enter the room and Nat asks me, like she asks everyone, what I’m thinking about, I say: “your eyelashes look fantastic”. I’m self-conscious, so I say it so quietly that only she can hear. I’ve watched so many others do the scene now, and the Man-Wrangler“Man-Wrangler” was the name given to the role of briefing the participants, overseeing their signing of the waiver, and managing on-time arrival of each participant to the stage. was right, you can’t see anything beyond the room once you’re in there. I’m not afraid of masculinity or femininity in myself, but I feel the pressure that maybe the other participants have felt too, that the script is set in a certain way, I am playing a certain character, and this character is a dickhead. I think about everything I know about interpersonal relationships. Nothing really prepares me for how I act in the moment. The relationship has a tipping point, and in the script is supposed to go like this:
Marty: Ok. You’re capable. You’re capable, and you’re funny, and you’re pretty, and you’re young, and you’re outstanding, and you’re great, and…
Virginia: And… and I love you.
Marty: And you love me.
The catch is that Virginia is not actually telling Marty that she loves him, she’s suggesting that this is what he should say; that he loves her. The lack of comprehension of this hint to Marty often results in a frustrated gasp from the audience. This interaction is also the moment in the script that, if performed as scripted, causes Nat to crack the shits, and tip her food over Marty. But when I’m in there I fuck up the lines, I’m nervous, it’s 6 am, or for whatever reason, when Nat says “and I love you” and I say “and I love you… er… you love me”. Oops. Then I realise my mistake and blurt out, “the food is good” and she says “mine’s frozen” and dumps the contents of her noodle box on the table between us. There is what feels to me like a tense pause. I poke Nat’s food on the table with my chopstick, and she’s not exaggerating, it’s a lump of ice with noodles and carrot sticking out of it in little tendrils. I say something like, “oh that’s terrible”, and sweep the frozen lump off the table into the noodle box, feeling fairly ridiculous. I figure that we’ve gone off script now. Nat moves to the stereo and plays the song that is the cue for the dance. By the end of the 24-hours I will still be straining my ears to work out if the lyrics are “love to taste your love” or “love to test your love.” I am a lot shorter than Nat, so when I stand behind her and hold her around the waist, like the script says to do, I’m standing sort of to the side of her, resting my head between her shoulder blades. We’re friends, we’ve known each other for years, although we’re not close, and maybe this has something to do with why she doesn’t mash my face around like she does to some of the other Martys, and when she falls I get the impression she’s falling slowly, going easy on me, and I have time to set my stance to catch her more effectively. Or maybe she’s just tired. Because of our height difference, when she falls I’m well-positioned to fall with her, and we sort of put ourselves on the ground together. After the period of silence that follows the fall, she stands up, takes the $50 note from her purse and hands it to me, saying “Marty, I think you should leave.” I say “love you” and give her a quick hug, then leave out the door. I think because I watched the work for so many hours I felt less pressure to do a perfect performance, or like everyone would remember whatever I did, than I would have if I had just come to participate, and gone in without watching others first. Because I saw so many different participants, I knew the reality of doing Marty: that we all blended together, accessories to Nat.
Obviously, there is not only one way to play Marty. Late morning on Saturday, in front of a packed theatre, a guy who looks a bit like the singer from mid-2000s Australian hard rock band Wolfmother riffs on the script. When Nat says “Well, you don’t think I’m capable, and that’s what I want to be, I just want to be capable”, this dude moves his chair close to hers, holds her hand. He does a condescending little smile. His presence is comedic and, I’m actually relieved to note, completely benign. The laughter isn’t uncomfortable. He’s one of the last, towards the end of the 24 hours.
“You are capable,” he says, “I mean, look at this place!” and gestures around the set. The live recording shows a closeup of Nat’s face smiling, the smile she does when she thinks something is genuinely funny. Gesturing to the room is a great point. The room itself is an effort, and as a set it’s beautiful: the front and side walls of sheer pink, lights illuminating the space in a kind of dreamy haze. When it’s time for the sloppy dance, this guy doesn’t put his arms around Nat, but takes her arms and awkwardly dances with her in a sort of bizarre Year Six disco style with both his arms stuck out straight like fins either side of, but not touching, her torso.
In the five minute break between scenes when Nat resets the room, the studio is deafening around us with the sound of dozens of conversations. I am squished into a gap between a seat and pole. Holly leans down to talk to me, and we discuss the Wolfmother dude’s approach. See, you can play all the lines true to the character of emotionally incompetent male-ness without being an asshole. You can play the lack of comprehension without the stoicism, you can play the inability to engage with Virginia’s needs without the arrogance. The guys who play out the character of Marty with rage and indifference are bringing something personal too, we decide, but also they are enacting a normalised idea of how to “do” masculinity. The way that is rigid, “practical”, and can’t hold up in the face of feminine-coded instability, or as Marty is scripted to put it, uncomprehendingly, “You’re hysterical.”
Nowhere in the marketing copy for The Second Woman is the exploration of gender mentioned, or specifically masculinity, although this element is integral to the work. This, I think, is the particular genius of The Second Woman; it is an experiment where the controlled elements are the woman, the set, the specific characters of Virginia and Marty, and the pre-written, pre-consumed text of John Cassavetes’ Opening Night. The work exposes something completely different in every single participant, no matter how they play the scene.
After the show is finished, I tell someone about the incident with the boundary-pushing guy, and they say “yeah, but Nat can handle it, she’s tough.” Nat is tough. She’s also kind, funny, interesting, and compassionate. And an amazing performer. The way she handled the interaction left no ambiguity about who was in control, as she pointed to the chair where she wanted him to sit, and said something in his ear that the rest of us couldn’t hear. Later she told me that she had delivered the same line as she said to everyone else, “I think you should leave”, only she didn’t hand this guy the fifty. I respect how she handled the situation, how she kept her response in line with the work, but my respect isn’t contingent on her doing so. I would respect any response from her, whether she “handled” the situation or not. This situation made me think about how perceived “toughness” is often used against people who have been hurt to minimise violence that they have experienced, no matter how positive the intention of calling them “tough”. When I talk with teenagers about violence I ask them, what are different ways of responding to violence? This is one of the hardest things to talk about, because there are few clear answers. The ways that we respond to violence are informed by our life experiences and, often, fear of further violence.
Later, I’m thinking about the boundary-pusher guy again and about what might be the opposite of him, guys who didn’t want to accept the $50 note Nat handed to them. I loved how easily the action of being handed money in exchange for a moment of intimacy disturbed them. The power of money in patriarchy is pitched unceremoniously out in the open. I’m speculating again, but it’s almost like the act of not taking the money is a last ditch attempt at redeeming the character, or reluctance to concede control. Or maybe I’m placing too much emphasis on this, maybe it’s just to do with performing socialised politeness; we pretend to refuse an offer of money at first, and only take it when pressured to do so. The same way participants who play Marty with masculine authority seem like they’re not used to being laughed at for their performance of masculinity, these participants seem deeply challenged by accepting payment for their intimacy and touch.
It pumped through me, watching as the guy Nat asked to leave left, looking confused. The secret fear that hits when I remember that people perform ideological perfection in public, but hurt each other in privateThe concept of ‘ideological purity’ was introduced to me by philosopher b. binaohan, to describe the ways that value in communities based on shared ideology is often contingent on meeting criteria set up by people in these communities who hold the most power.. The secret fear that rides me when I remember that, often, people who cause harm get away with it, because they are at the centre of networks that other people rely on. The secret fear that people can’t change. That there can be only prisons. That people will only stop themselves from using violence out of fear of punishment, rather than a desire to not hurt others.
Eileen Myles says, when writing about the work of Nicole Eisenman in The Importance of Being Iceland: “No one really wants to talk about what’s done to women, in our families, in our homes, at our jobs, in the art world, in the bedroom and everywhere else.”
In anti-violence activism, or work that aims to prevent violence from a place of community response rather than carceral measures, there has to be an underlying politic, if not a personal belief, that people can change. And I believe it. It’s a hard thing to believe, change is brutal, it requires work from inside that a person is not always ready for, it requires real honesty from friends and peers, and too often requires labour from people who already carry unequal weight and pressure to fix things. It can feel so overwhelming, so much bigger than individuals. And it is bigger than individuals. How can we honour our labour, the hearts that love the people who cause harm, the hearts that break? What we do is work. How can we engage with the structural causes of violence, without shafting survivors and subtly demanding that they shift their needs to fit with the political framework? We can only work from where we are, but it’s good to struggle against what binds you.
Vincent Silk is a writer. His work has appeared in un magazine, Seizure, MIX NYC, and Alien She. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
#nextwave16
Talking Singularities with an Astrophysicist Sister
Rachel Perks & Emily Suvada
Sticky Alchemy
Jana Hawkins-Andersen
collective fruits
George Watson
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Home >> Making Your Media Matter >> Documents >> Social Issue Documentary: The Evolution of Public Engagement
Social Issue Documentary: The Evolution of Public Engagement
Report by:
Barbara Abrash,
Teacher, Curator and Independent Producer
I. A Documentary Spawns a Social Movement
II. A different kind of war story
III. Human rights media: translating across cultures and platforms
Already practiced in partnering for impact—with activist organizations, nonprofit groups, and public broadcasters—social issue documentarians are now moving to a new level of civic engagement. Reaching "beyond the choir" and across borders of opinion, they are developing digital tools to attract, engage and mobilize increasingly diverse publics.
Documentary films are serving as the core for innovative spaces and practices that mark a new kind of public media – accessible, participatory and inclusive. As the case studies below demonstrate, digital technologies do not replace, but are closely entwined with, longstanding on-the-ground activities of stakeholders and citizens working for social change.
Projects like these forge new tools, pipelines, and circuits of circulation in a multiplatform media environment. They help to create sustainable network infrastructures for participatory public media that extend from local communities to transnational circuits and from grassroots communities to policy makers. This work is made possible by a dynamic but fragile support web of broadcasters, funders, nonprofit groups, service organizations, and citizens—all contributors to an emergent "public media 2.0," which aims to enable publics to recognize and understand the problems they share, to know each other, and to act.
What is the sustainability of this work? How can we measure its effectiveness and impact? Those are important questions waiting to be addressed.
This report presents case studies of three social issue documentary projects that demonstrate how strategic outreach campaigns are enabling publics to form around social and political issues of shared concern. They use digital technologies for production, distribution, archiving, and social networking; to promote civic engagement, and to provide tools for grassroots, national, and international networks. They are, in short, laboratories for the public media of the future.
• "Not in Our Town" (NIOT) is a documentary about positive community responses to hate violence that triggered a movement. The evolution of this project demonstrates how a documentary about the experience of one small city inspired cities and towns across the U.S. to adapt the NIOT model to local circumstances, and led to a loosely-structured alliance slated to become a sustainable virtual community.
• "Lioness" brings to light the experiences of U.S. military women engaged in ground combat in Iraq, with a goal of opening military-civilian dialog about the shifting role of women in post-Cold War conflicts and the need for new policies and services. In alliance with veterans’ groups and other advocates for increased support for returning women combat veterans, the filmmakers are reframing issues of gender equity in the military, providing important tools for policymakers and service providers, and contributing to public policy debates.
• "State of Fear" traces the quest for restorative justice in Peru through the work of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Relating the process by which the rule of law is being restored in a country whose government destroyed human rights in the name of a "war on terrorism," this film has resonated in countries around the world. A multipronged outreach campaign and creative adaptations of accessible digital technologies have extended the reach and uses of the film in contexts that range from remote villages to international NGOs. The quality and effectiveness of the project has inspired an international justice media initiative.
The success of these award-winning films reflects:
• a keen awareness of potential audiences and how to reach them;
• well-developed strategic outreach plans based on alliances with stakeholders;
• the provision of resources for citizens, educators and activists, and
• the creative and appropriate uses of digital technologies.
"Not in Our Town"
The Working Group, Patrice O’Neill, Executive Director
http://www.theworkinggroup.org
NIOT was born with the web. Our next frontier is Web 3.0, with a groundbreaking online civic engagement site—Patrice O’Neill
Not in Our Town demonstrates one arc of opportunity for a socially-engaged documentary film. The project began with a PBS broadcast, inspired hundreds of locally-based initiatives, and is currently building a social networking site to sustain a virtual community.
Originally broadcast in 1995 as a 30-minute PBS special, Not in Our Town I told how the people of Billings, Montana— grassroots activists, elected officials, schools, unions, newspapers, and churches—came together in response to racist assaults on Native American, African American, and Jewish residents to create an initiative that continues as part of the civic life of that city.
The 1995 broadcast, which was accompanied by an outreach campaign in partnership with progressive news site AlterNet and the Benton Foundation and participation by labor and constituency organizations, had an enthusiastic reception. It was followed in 1996 with a PBS broadcast of Not in Our Town 2, which featured six communities responding creatively to hate violence. In Columbus, Ohio, state office workers responded to an annual KKK cross-burning in front of the state capitol by declaring "Silence is Acceptance" and organizing a Not in Our Agency campaign. When the KKK came to Kokomo Indiana and claimed the right to stage a public rally, citizens recognized their First Amendment right to do so, but drew a larger crowd with a counter-event in the city park. A group in Bloomington, Illinois, travelled to the South to help rebuild African American churches destroyed by arson.
Over the next ten years, communities across the country, faced with racial, ethnic and gender-based hate violence, were inspired to adapt the NIOT model of positive citizen action to their local situations. Barbara Holiday, a viewer in Vermont, is one of many when she says, "NIOT addresses problems that are root issues in Vermont. The PBS broadcast legitimizes people who are willing to open their minds, and it has a message of hope."
Storytelling is key to the effectiveness of NIOT films. Executive Director Patrice O’Neill says: "We explicitly want to empower people through storytelling. The narrative that drives our programs is how communities strengthen themselves in the face of hate and intolerance." For O’Neill, it isn’t the crime that is the hook, but how "ordinary citizens" come together to find positive solutions to shared problems. "It allows viewers to imagine their own potential," she says. The films are accompanied by toolkits with strategies for mounting press campaigns, involving city officials, and staging public events that promote dialogue and community solidarity. These tools engage publics by showcasing the actions and successes of engaged citizens.
As O’Neill points out, it’s not all smooth sailing. She says, "Lack of funding for film and media is not just a stumbling block for social action media makers, it is often a brick wall. But there are other obstacles we faced with Not In Our Town that we were able to overcome:"
Two challenges stand out: balancing the line between journalism and advocacy; and allowing communities to take ideas wherever they need to go, while holding on to their own values, standards, and priorities. O’Neill comments, "Journalistic standards and fair reporting are core values for us. Not In Our Town is fostered by journalists and storytellers working together with community leaders to encourage social action and civic engagement."
By 2002, the small but dedicated NIOT team was stretching its scarce resources to serve as an ad-hoc resource center for the dispersed but growing anti-hate violence movement. This spontaneous movement was producing remarkable examples of democracy at work, but it lacked infrastructure. The filmmakers faced a conundrum: How to capture the potential of the work and ensure the sustainability of this informal network? They decided to identify as many NIOT projects as possible and invite their leaders to come together to share stories and strategies and consider a sustainable future.
In 2006, more than 120 civic leaders—including young people and representatives of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Facing History and Ourselves, and People for the American Way—convened in Bloomington, Illinois. Participants in the National Gathering, which was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Carnegie Corporation; and State Farm Insurance, found common challenges and purposes and agreed on the need for a sustainable national support organization, anchored by a social networking website.
This vision is becoming a reality with NIOT.org, which was incubated at the 2007 Bay Area Video Coalition’s (BAVC) Producers’ Institute for New Media. Through BAVC, NIOT.org will be hosted on the fiber optic network of National Public Lightpath where NIOT’s new technology tools and high resolution videos will be made available to schools, universities and non-profit organizations as an active application and demonstration.
According to BAVC creative director, Wendy Levy:
NIOT will be a leading example of how long-form media [and] community engagement can evolve on a massive scale, both asynchronously and in real time. I would like to see all long-form stories broadcast, along with interactive games/maps/and networks for deeper engagement.
NIOT is extending its reach in real space, as well. Partner organization Facing History and Ourselves (FHO) has produced curriculum materials that are used in schools across the country. FHO has also chosen NIOT as one of three stories featured in Choosing to Participate, an interactive multimedia travelling exhibition that features stories about positive responses to hate crimes. The exhibition itself has become a site of experimentation: it will soon include an interactive map with locative media to gather and access stories from around the country.
NIOT is an example of how a social issue documentary film project can enjoy a long life. Chuck Tooley, Acting Mayor of Billings in 1995, notes that a younger generation is taking NIOT forward in a changing city. "Film is enduring," he says. "It tells a story that can be repeated and understood in new ways."
Finally, NIOT is a project that resonates internationally, in communities which see their own stories and possibilities for community strength in these films:
• Not in Our Town Ukraine was started by members of Project Kesher—a group of Jewish women who were alarmed by the rise of xenophobia in Russia and the former Soviet Socialist Republics—in partnership with the All-Ukrainian Interethnic Women’s Confederation.
• FHO presented NIOT at a 3-day teacher’s workshop in South Africa, following attacks on immigrants from Zimbabwe and other neighboring countries.
• In response to hate violence against immigrant workers, residents of a town in Northern Ireland screened Not in Our Town in a local church and found parallels with their own situation.
• Social issue documentary films with strategies for action can model effective citizen responses to behaviors that threaten civic life, and inspire creative adaptations.
• Empathetic stories that emphasize the creative potential of ordinary citizens provide access points for discussion and emulation.
• The advantage of ad-hoc networks is their flexibility and adaptability; the downside is the difficulty of knowledge building and sustainability.
• Maps and other locative media tools can help to knit together diverse but allied initiatives.
Circuits of circulation
• Community and professional screenings
• Multiple TV broadcasts
• Outreach through media and nonprofit partnerships
• Educational distribution with auxiliary materials
• Social media tools
• Maps and locative media
"Lioness"
Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers, 2008 (82 min)
http://lionessthefilm.com
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/lioness/
Photo by Lloyd Francis, Jr.
We want to put names and faces on the changing role that females are playing in the U.S. military today—Daria Sommers
Lioness demonstrates how a documentary film conceived as part of a strategic campaign, created public awareness about the shifting role of women in the military, sparked conversation across military-civilian divides, and contributed to an emerging movement for gender equity for women combat veterans.
The film follows five members of "Team Lioness," a group of female soldiers who were sent to Iraq as support troops in 2003 and became the first American service women to be sent into direct ground combat, in violation of Department of Defense policy. The women speak of what they experienced, first on the frontlines and then when they returned home as members of the first generation of American combat veterans.
Sent to Iraq as mechanics, cooks, and clerks, these women accompanied male units on raids and patrols, assigned to search for and pacify women and children, and gather intelligence. Given the uncertain boundaries of counterinsurgency battles, members of Team Lioness found themselves involved in close urban combat for which they had received no training. And because of their officially unacknowledged status, they found themselves denied the recognition received by their male counterparts. Co-director Meg McLagan says, "We wanted to create a space within the national cultural dialogue for these women’s voices to be heard."
The filmmakers’ interest in the subject was piqued when they began to see military women in news reports about the war in Iraq—women like Lynndie England, who was seen in lurid pictures of Abu Ghraib and Jessica Lynch, who spoke up when the government misrepresented the story of her treatment by Iraqi captors. They did not start with a particular point of view about women in combat, but set out to learn more.
The great challenge was to meet and talk with active duty servicewomen. The first step was to get permission from the U.S. Army Public Affairs Office in Los Angeles. Five months after writing a letter describing themselves and their intentions, they were granted permission to meet and interview the women at Ft. Riley, Kansas. This opened access to their subjects, which the filmmakers reinforced by making it clear that they wanted to understand the women’s’ experiences in Iraq, rather than using their stories to make an argument about whether or not women should be in combat. The task was to earn the trust of women soldiers whose life circumstances and concerns are quite unfamiliar to those outside the military. "We did this," says McLagan, "by listening."
The production of Lioness was accompanied by a strategic communications and outreach design which was supported by the Fledgling Fund and Chicken & Egg Pictures, major funders of the film.
The filmmakers aimed to reach the general public, military constituencies, and advocates for policy change; and they declared four goals:
• Frame the issue for the press to inform crucial debates;
• Leverage the film festival launch with events, panels, and publicity;
• Establish partnerships with veteran service organizations; and
• Support the emerging network of grassroots and national organizations advocating for services, support and recognition for active duty women and female veterans.
Lioness had its world premiere at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London in March 2008. The U.S. premiere took place at the Full Frame Film Festival in April, where it won the Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award, followed by screenings at the Tribeca Film Festival and New York Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. National broadcast on ITVS’ Independent Lens, on November 13, 2008, was propelled by a publicity campaign that garnered high-profile radio, television and press coverage.
ITVS has continued to play a significant role. In collaboration with Lioness outreach partners, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the American Legion Auxiliary, the ITVS Community Cinema series has sponsored 50 screenings attended by more than 2,000 people. Independent Lens also maintains a Lioness website with background information; excerpts from diaries and letters; and a lively "Talk Back" section. Viewers logged on to express their admiration for the women and concern for their well-being. They also questioned whether women should serve in combat, and some even asked, "what’s next?" A November 17, 2008 entry from "Donald" reads,
As touched as I was, I found myself w/the conundrum of 'what can I do?'. I truly wish they had offered an avenue to those of us who care and are willing to press on our Congressmen & Senators to make these changes in the law to protect all our military forces in war zones, or at least some ideas workable options that might resolve this shameful & dangerous oversight.
McLagan responds,
Given the newness of the phenomenon of women in combat, our first concern has been to use the film to simply to raise public awareness about what women are being asked to do in Iraq and to get people thinking about what their needs are going to be when they come back. Clear and meaningful channels of action that viewers can take are only now beginning to emerge as a new administration and new Congress comes into office, priorities shift, and the realities of life post-Iraq start to get addressed. This information will be added as we build out our website.
The film has travelled the international film festival circuit, and is part of the Human Rights Watch high school program. In partnership with the DAV, Center for Women Veterans, and American Legion Auxiliary—and the crucial cooperation of Public Affairs Officers on military bases—the film is touring to military bases, cities with large populations of women veterans, and universities. The community dialogues that follow screenings will be archived and made available as podcasts.
Lioness has been welcomed by an emerging network of advocates for women veterans working both for policy changes and improved services and support. A screening at the 2008 National Summit on Women Veterans Issues introduced the film to more than 400 women veteran program managers from across the country.
Professional health care providers to veterans working in programs designed for male soldiers are hungry for materials appropriate to women returning from combat. Meg McLagan says, "That’s when the film came to life. They saw how to use it!" Since then, Lioness has screened at state-wide women veterans conferences, town hall meetings, and veterans facilities across the country—events which frequently include Lionesses from the film who participate in post-screening discussions.
Policy making may be the area in which Lioness will have the greatest long- term impact. As Congress prepares for debates on the changing roles of women in the military, the filmmakers have organized policy-related screenings and connected with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. A group of Congresswomen are sponsoring a screening of the film as part of an upcoming one-day event co-sponsored by DAV and ITVS to highlight pending legislation that will entitle women to the same benefits received by male combat veterans. The filmmakers anticipate that the Lioness women might be called to testify at those hearings.
As first-phase initiatives evolve, the filmmakers are turning their attention to multiplatform distribution, social networking and educational modules—all of which will be informed by what the filmmakers have learned from their publics in these early phases.
• Documentary films embedded in well-developed strategic outreach campaigns can foster public conversation on complex issues across divides of opinion and experience.
• Targeted screenings to policymakers and affected publics can amplify impact.
• Partnerships give legitimacy and open access to diverse audiences. They can fortify emerging advocacy networks and help build frameworks for long term public conversation and action.
• International human rights festivals
• Community screenings
• TV broadcast
• DVD distribution
• Professional conferences and sites
• Media and nonprofit partnerships
• Policy-making venues
"State of Fear: The Truth About Terrorism"
Pamela Yates, Paco de Onis, Peter Kinoy, 2005 (90 minutes)
http://www.skylightpictures.com
The process of a nation’s dealing with the past is intimately bound up with the understanding of themselves carried in their culture, and film and television are bound up with that culture—Paul Van Zyl, Vice President, International Center for Transitional Justice.
State of Fear, which received the 2006 Overseas Press Club Award for "best reporting in any medium on Latin America," demonstrates how the creative deployment of digital technologies can produce a multiplatform, multilingual outreach campaign that engages international and local audiences, provides tools for human rights advocacy, and creates spaces and language for public discourse in diverse cultures. Its example has inspired a far-reaching international justice media initiative.
The film is a production of Skylight Pictures, seasoned producers of films on human rights issues who worked closely with the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). Based on the findings of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, State of Fear shows the process by which President Alberto Fujimori manipulated public fears of the Shining Path terrorist group to suspend civil liberties and establish state terrorism, and the quest on the part of Peruvians for restorative justice.
During the process of production and editing, Skylight Pictures solicited input from the community of human rights activists assembled by the ICTJ—a public already activated by a shared concern. This feedback shaped a strategic multiplatform, international outreach campaign, designed to reach general audiences and educational venues, and to support democracy and advocacy initiatives in Peru and internationally over a period of three years.
State of Fear—released in Spanish and English versions—premiered at the New York International Human Rights Watch Festival (co-sponsored by the ICTJ) in 2005, and travelled human rights festival circuits in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. It also had an extensive international broadcast when it launched a new National Geographic International Channel (NGIC) series, No Borders – for which the film was translated into 48 languages and broadcast to 157 countries and 198 million homes. It also aired on the History Channel en Español and the Sundance Channel, and has been widely broadcast in Peru and Chile, where it played a significant role in the movement to return Fujimori for trial.
The story resonates in many countries. Hundreds of DVDs were circulated by the Nepalese democracy movement, and the film has triggered discussion in Russia, Morocco, Turkey, the U.S., and other countries which see situations analogous to their own.
The filmmakers are early and eager adapters of technologies, from mini-DV cameras and Final Cut Pro to Twitter, SMS, YouTube, Google-mapping, Picasso, and advanced social networking sites. Experiments with digital delivery are underway via SSCTV.net, a nonprofit organization based in Seattle and funded by Microsoft and Hitachi, the mission of which is to deliver educational media online.
The Andean outreach initiative shows how many different kinds of available technologies have been adapted in the service of civic engagement. In August 2008, the filmmakers brought the Quechua language version of the film to Andean villages that had suffered human rights violations. With the support of a Sundance Documentary Fund Audience Engagement grant, public screenings took place in plazas and villages, encouraging local communities to take ownership of the film and their own history. In a politically tumultuous time, when government officials are denying complicity in past crimes and the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission has put forward a reparations plan for victims, these screenings have sparked lively discussion.
Using Flip video cameras provided by the filmmakers, Quechua Indians are uploading their own testimonies on Estado de Miedo (EDMQ), a Quechua-language website produced by Skylight that was launched as the Fujimori trial began. These commentaries will be archived and become part of a database of those eligible for reparations. The National Coordinator of Human Rights has distributed 200 DVDs and teaching guides through its 67 member organizations, and with the approval of the filmmakers, who have adopted a "copyleft" policy. Local human rights groups have burned over 300 DVDs at the request of local citizens who need only provide a blank disk.
State of Fear was a testing ground that demonstrated the ways in which a documentary film embedded in a strategic outreach campaign can reach and mobilize publics and serve human rights advocacy initiatives. It inspired the ICTJ to establish a production unit and international justice social networking site, incorporating innovations developed for the film and taking them forward. Skylight Pictures, in partnership with the ICTJ, recently completed The Reckoning, a film about the International Criminal Court premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.
• Accessible digital technologies adapted in targeted and culturally appropriate ways enhance the reach and uses of social issue documentary.
• Understand the networks of your partners, and tailor media to the needs of those networks.
• It is important to identify primary partners and their related circuits of circulation, in order to reach multiple publics and to enrich those circuits with effective tools.
• A strategically designed media project can serve as a laboratory for experimental applications of digital technologies.
• International film festivals
• Human rights organizations
• Community screenings in multiple countries
• Educational distribution
• DVDs (sold and distributed free)
• International television broadcasts
• Social media sites
• Teaching guides
• Locative media
Lioness, NIOT, and State of Fear are examples of how documentary films not only provide trusted information about thorny issues, they tell stories that frame and give human meaning to those issues and provide language for debate across boundaries of difference. These projects reveal how filmmakers are using innovative spaces and practices to build upon established resources, and incorporating a sustained focus on outreach, engagement and public inclusion into their primary focus on production and distribution.
Social issue documentarians are sustained by a fragile but effective support network of mission-driven distributors, service organizations, festivals, broadcasters, funders and nonprofit organizations dedicated to the public interest. These case studies identify some of the hubs in the circuits of production and circulation that characterize these independent film support networks. Digital technologies have the potential to both strengthen and transform the field—creating a participatory, networked environment for public dialogue and action that is helping to shape public media 2.0.
The Center for Media & Social Impact at American University, formerly the Center for Social Media, is an innovation lab and research center that studies, designs, and showcases media for social impact. The center is a project of the School of Communication, led by Jeffrey Rutenbeck, at American University in Washington, D.C.
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Study the Effect of New Egypt Wet Mapping Function on Space Geodetic Measurements
Sobhy Abd Elmonam Younes, Department of Public Works Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
Received: Jan. 28, 2018; Accepted: Mar. 7, 2018; Published: Mar. 27, 2018
Atmospheric water vapour degrades the accuracy of the results of space geodetic observations due to permanent electric dipole moments. It creates excess path lengths by retarding (slowing and bending) the propagation of the electromagnetic waves that are used in global positioning system (GPS) and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. It is known that the excess path lengths are less than 30~40 cm at the most, and are the primary obstacles of space geodesy because of the highly variable distribution of water vapour in the atmosphere. In this study, we compared modern five wet mapping functions by evaluating their effects on the tropospheric signal delay and position estimates in GPS data processing, and precise Egypt wet mapping function model is derived based on eight stations of radiosonde data well-distributed over and around Egypt (five stations used to estimate new model and other three as check points). To derive the new Egypt wet mapping function, the troposphere is divided into regular small layers. Ray tracing technique of actual signal path traveled in the troposphere is used to estimate tropospheric slant delay. Real GPS data of five stations (RTK-Network methods) were used for the assessment of new model against the available international models. These international models include Niell (NMF), Black & Eisner (B&EMF), Ifidas (IFMF), Hearing (HMF), and UNBabc MF. The data were processed using Bernese software version 5.0. The results indicate that the new Egypt wet MF model is the best model at Egypt region and has improved the wet tropospheric delay estimation up to 23.3 percent at five degree elevation angles.
Radiosonde Data, Troposphere Models, GPS Data, Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA), Wet Mapping Function
Sobhy Abd Elmonam Younes, Study the Effect of New Egypt Wet Mapping Function on Space Geodetic Measurements, American Journal of Remote Sensing. Vol. 6, No. 1, 2018, pp. 29-38. doi: 10.11648/j.ajrs.20180601.16
Zarzoura F., R. Ehigiator and B. Mazurov, (2013). “Accuracy Improvement of GNSS and Real Time Kinematic Using Egyptian Network as a Case Study”, Computer Engineering and Intelligent Systems, ISSN 2222-1719 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2863 (Online), Vol.4, No.12, 2013.
Sudhir Man Shrestha, (2003). “Investigations into the Estimation of Tropospheric Delay and Wet Refractivity Using GPS Measurements”, Department of Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, July, 2003.
Mendes V. B. and R. B. Langely., (1994), “A comprehensive Analysis of Mapping Functions Used in Modeling Tropospheric Propagation Delay in Space Geodetic Data”. Geodetic Research Laboratory, Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, University of New Brunswick.
Marini, J. W., 1972. “Correction of Satellite Tracking Data for an Arbitrary Tropospheric Profile”. Radio Science, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 223-231.
Chao, C. C., 1972. “A model for Tropospheric Calibration from Daily Surface and Radiosonde Balloon Measurements”. JPL Technical Memorandum 391-350, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Davis, J, L., Herring, T, A., Shapiro, I, I., Rogers, A, E, E., and Elgered, G., 1985. “Geodesy by Radio Interferometry: Effects of Atmospheric Modeling Errors on Estimates of Baseline Length”. Radio Science, Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 1593-1607, Nov.-Dec, 1985.
Ifadis, I. M., 1986. The Atmospheric Delay of Radio Waves: Modeling the Elevation Dependence on a Global Scale. School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden, Technical Report No. 38L, pp. 115.
Herring, T. A., 1992. Modeling Atmospheric Delays in the Analysis of Space Geodetic Data. Proceedings of the Symposium on Refraction of Trans-Atmospheric Signals in Geodesy, Eds. J. C. De Munck and T. A. Th. Spoelstra, Netherlands Geodetic Commission, Publications on Geodesy, No. 36, pp. 157-164.
Niell, A. E., 1996. “Global Mapping Functions for the Atmosphere Delay at Radio Wavelengths”. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 101, No. B2, pp. 3227-3246.
Guo J., and Richard B. L., (2003). “A New Tropospheric Propagation Delay Mapping Function for Elevation Angles Down to 2. Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Canada.
Black, H. D. and A. Eisner, 1984. “Correcting Satellite Doppler Data for Tropospheric Effects”. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 89, No. D2, pp. 2616-2626.
Langely, R, B., and Guo, J., 2003. A New Tropospheric Propagation Delay Mapping Function for Elevation Angles to 2°". Proceeding of ION GPS/GNSS 2003, 16th International Technical Meeting of the satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, Portland, OR, 9-12 sep., 2003, pp 386-396.
Abdelfatah, M. A., Mousa, A. E., Salama, I. M. and El-Fiky, G. S., 2009. “Assessment of tropospheric delay models in GPS baseline data analysis: a case study of a regional network at upper Egypt”. J. Civil Eng. Res. Mag. AL-Azhar Univ. 31 (4), 1143–1156.
Kleijer, F., (2004). “Troposphere Modeling and Filtering for Precise GPS Leveling”. Department of Mathematical Geodesy and Positioning, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.
Younes, S. A., 2016. “Modeling Investigation of Wet Tropospheric Delay Error and Precipitable Water Vapor Content in Egypt”. Egypt, J. Remote Sensing Space Sci. (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrs.2016.05.002.
Thayer, G. D., (1974), “An Improved Equation for the Radio Refractive Index of Air”, Radio Science, Vol. 9. No. 10, pp. 803-807.
Younes S. A., (2014), “Improved dry tropospheric propagation delay mapping function for GPS measurements in Egypt". Journal of Spatial Science, 2014 Vol. 59, No. 2, 181–190.
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Iran says Trump's United Nations speech was violation of nuclear deal
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Nathe named Minority Small Business Champion
in Awards/Recognition · Business
Adam Nathe
MINNEAPOLIS (March 20, 2013) — Adam Nathe, an attorney with the law firm Gray Plant Mooty, has been named the Minnesota Minority Small Business Champion of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Minority Small Business Champion award is presented annually in each state to individuals who assist small businesses through outstanding advocacy efforts on behalf of minority-owned small businesses. Jan Jordet, Director of Consulting & Financing Services at the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), nominated Adam Nathe for this award.
As a partner at Gray Plant Mooty, Adam concentrates his practice in commercial finance, agribusiness finance, and corporate law, advising business clients in a wide spectrum of commercial financing and corporate transactions. In his practice, he regularly represents small businesses as a trusted legal and business advisor.
In addition to a busy practice, Adam is committed to his community, regularly contributing more than 100 hours per year toward volunteer activities and pro bono legal services. He participates in organizations that work to promote diversity in the legal profession and in the Minnesota business community through organizations, including Twin Cities Diversity in Practice, the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association, and the Minnesota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
He also contributes numerous hours of pro bono legal services to individuals and organizations, through referrals from the Legal Aid Society, the Hennepin County Legal Access Point, and through client referrals from the Minnesota Economic Development Association (MEDA); and is presently working with claimants in Minnesota and Wisconsin through the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claim Program.
Adam is also an active member in a number of professional organizations including the MSBA Diversity Committee, the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Minnesota Agri-growth Counsel, the Commercial Finance Association, and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Adam draws inspiration from the business people he represents; and while he enjoys his role in coalescing deals for businesses large and small, he views law as a pathway for him to continue to be involved in the community and to give back, especially to others like him, who are first generation minority lawyers and entrepreneurs.
Adam will be honored at the Minnesota Small Business Week Awards program on May 6, 2013, at the Depot Minneapolis.
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Tolmie, James (1862–1939)
by M. French
James Tolmie (1862-1939), newspaper proprietor and politician, was born on 25 July 1862 on board the Rajasthan, en route from Liverpool to Brisbane, eldest son of Scottish parents Roderick Tolmie, farmer, and his wife Helen, née Macrae. Arriving on 4 November 1862, Roderick secured employment as an overseer on Wallan station, near Miles. About 1870 the family moved to Toowoomba, ostensibly to take advantage of better schooling opportunities.
Educated at Toowoomba South Boys' School until aged 13, James worked as a grocer's assistant before training as a pupil-teacher in his old school from 1877 to 1880. He served at Toowoomba South Boys' (twice), Fortitude Valley and Emu Creek schools, then became head teacher at Gowrie Creek near Toowoomba in 1884. After his wife's death in 1881, Roderick deserted their nine children, leaving James to support the family.
Regarded as an earnest and conscientious employee, with a reputation for efficiency and integrity, Tolmie 'threw himself body and soul into the execution of his duty', but was hampered by his own moderate scholastic achievements; in 1890 he barely scraped a pass in the examination for promotion to second division of the teaching service. Confronted with poor prospects of advancement, he resigned on 31 August 1894 to become editor and half-owner (with S. C. W. Robinson) of the conservative Toowoomba newspaper, the Darling Downs Gazette. When it merged in 1922 with its rival, the Toowoomba Chronicle, Tolmie remained as chief leader-writer, specializing in international affairs, until 1939.
In 1899 he had unsuccessfully contested the seat of Drayton and Toowoomba as a (Sir) James Dickson Ministerialist, but at the 1901 by-election—consequent upon W. H. Groom's transfer to Federal politics—he succeeded as an independent supporter of (Sir) Robert Philp. Tolmie subsequently became leader of the 'new Darling Downs Bunch' which defended the established agricultural interests of southern Queensland. Quarrelling with Philp over railway policy, he switched allegiance to (Sir) Arthur Morgan and then to William Kidston before disagreement over land taxation, trades disputes and the lack of cabinet consultation forced a return to Philp. In the 1907 election Tolmie was defeated by the Kidstonites. Having failed to regain his seat as a farmers' candidate in 1908, he succeeded next year as a Kidston-Philp coalitionist. In 1911 he was appointed secretary for agriculture and stock in the Liberal ministry of D. F. Denham, allegedly to appease the agricultural interest, and served as secretary for public lands from 1912 to June 1915 when he became leader of the Opposition. Shortly before the election in 1918 he resigned as leader due to illness and lost his seat. He never regained it, despite attempts in 1920 and 1923. He served one term (1924-27) as a Toowoomba City Council alderman.
Although a 'keen and clever electioneer', Tolmie had an agrarian base that was gradually undermined by Toowoomba's industrial development. He may also have contributed to his loss of support by his arrogance, his absences on crucial parliamentary votes and his lukewarm stand on conscription. As a minister, he had devised an expensive, 'utopian and impracticable' farm policy which envisaged 'ready made farms … fenced, house erected, and crops growing for new settlers'. As party leader, he readily delegated tasks to specialists, but was 'a poor performer' on the floor of the House, being a dogmatic and platitudinous speaker, inclined to bully rather than persuade. His great achievement was to give fervent backing to the formation of the University of Queensland along 'democratic' lines.
A genial, bulky man with a huge laugh and a larger appetite, he held no grudges and was personally popular. He was an active sportsman and represented Queensland in its last intercolonial Australian Rules football match in 1884. He also had an extensive reference library and was active in the local School of Arts. In 1903 he published an authoritative article, 'Drayton and Toowoomba: their early history', in the Queensland Geographical Journal. He also helped to establish the Darling Downs Building Society. Tolmie had served nine years with the Queensland Volunteer Defence Force before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in February 1916; he commanded troops in transports travelling to and from Egypt.
An active Presbyterian and Freemason, he died on 5 April 1939 and was buried in Toowoomba cemetery, leaving an estate sworn for probate at £4343. He had not married.
C. A. Bernays, Queensland Politics During Sixty (1859-1919) Years (Brisb, 1919?) and Queensland—Our Seventh Political Decade 1920-1930 (Syd, 1931)
D. J. Murphy, T. J. Ryan (Brisb, 1975)
N. Yeates, Stone on Stone (Coffs Harbour, NSW, 1979)
Courier Mail (Brisbane), 20 Mar 1907, 6 Apr 1939
Toowoomba Chronicle, 6 Apr, 2 Sept 1939
register of male teachers, 1860-1903 (Queensland State Archives).
M. French, 'Tolmie, James (1862–1939)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tolmie-james-8827/text15485, published first in hardcopy 1990, accessed online 19 July 2019.
local government councillor
Member of Lower House
newspaper editor
newspaper owner
opposition leader
school principal
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William Smith Jr. papers
1665-1912 [bulk 1750-1793] D
Overview Detailed description Printable (PDF) version Contact the division
Biographical/historical information
Scope and arrangement
The entirety of
this collection is digitized.
Smith, William, 1728-1793
MssCol 2796
4.18 linear feet (6 boxes, 10 volumes)
William Smith Jr. papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library
Digitization was made possible by a lead gift from The Polonsky Foundation.
Advance notice required. Request access to this collection.
The entirety of this collection has been digitized and is available online.
William Smith Jr. (1728-1793), an American Loyalist of New York and Quebec, was a prominent jurist, statesman, journalist and historian. The William Smith Jr. papers comprise the papers of William Smith Jr., 1683-1793; those of his son William Smith III (1769-1847), a Canadian government official, historian and militia officer, 1797-1848; and Smith family land and estate papers, 1665-1912. The bulk of the collection consists of William Smith Jr.'s papers pertaining to his activities as a lawyer, journalist and historian, and as a Councillor and Chief Justice in the British provinces of New York and Quebec (later Lower Canada). Papers include his correspondence and documents, writings for publication, and the diaries he kept from 1753 to 1783, known as his Historical Memoirs. Volumes documenting his law practice in New York are also present.
William Smith Jr. (1728-1793), an American Loyalist of New York and Quebec, was a prominent jurist, statesman, journalist, and historian.
Smith was a member of the royal Council of the Province of New York from 1767 to 1783, and was the Province’s last royal Chief Justice, from 1780 until his departure for England in December, 1783. He served as Chief Justice of the Province of Quebec (later Lower Canada) from 1786 until his death, in addition to holding other offices.
A prolific writer as well as a formidable lawyer, Smith contributed to the Whig periodicals the Independent Reflector (1752-1753) and the Occasional Reverberator (1753), which he co-founded with William Livingston and John Morin Scott. He also wrote the History of the Province of New-York, the first comprehensive history of the region, published in London in 1757. The diaries he kept throughout his adult life remain an important record of colonial and revolutionary-era politics in New York.
Smith was the eldest son of English emigrant William Smith (1697-1769), a wealthy New York City lawyer, and Mary Het of New Rochelle, New York. William Smith Sr. was appointed to the royal Council in 1753, resigning in favor of his son William in 1767, and was appointed a judge of the New York Supreme Court of Judicature in 1763.
After graduating from Yale College in 1745, William Smith Jr. trained for the law in his father’s office, working with John Morin Scott (1730-1784) and William Livingston (1723-1790), later Governor of the State of New Jersey. All three were Presbyterians, politically aligned with Whig principles. Smith further cemented his ties with the Livingston family by marrying William’s cousin Janet Livingston (1730-1819) in 1752.
Smith was admitted to practice before the New York Supreme Court of Judicature in 1750. He prepared two digests of the laws of New York, published in 1752 and 1762 in collaboration with William Livingston. With John Morin Scott, they were leaders in the professionalization of legal practice in New York.
New York politics in the mid-eighteenth century were shaped by the rivalry of two powerful families and their supporters: the Anglican De Lancey family, with strong ties to London and the British government, and the Livingston family, associated with dissenting Protestants of Whig principles. Both groups, however, defied easy categorization by their actions or alliances. William Smith, father and son, belonged to the Livingston group, known as the “Presbyterian Whigs.”
In the early 1750s, Smith, Livingston and Scott became known as the “New York Triumvirate,” distinguished for their use of the press to achieve political aims. Led by William Livingston, they produced weekly journals of essays called the Independent Reflector (1752-1753) and the Occasional Reverberator (1753), printed by James Parker of the New York Gazette, as well as pieces intended for the Gazette and New-York Mercury . The controversial essays commented on conditions in the Province, and argued for the separation of church and state. The Triumvirate led a movement to prevent the establishment of the College of New York (now Columbia University) as an Anglican institution, and were also founding members of the New York Society Library in 1754. William Smith Jr. continued to write for the press throughout his time in New York. Also during this period he wrote the History of the Province of New-York (1757).
William Smith Jr. was appointed to the royal Council in 1767. As a member of the upper house he was also a legislator. In 1767 and again in 1773, William Smith Jr. served as one of the Province’s commissioners to settle boundary disputes between New York and Massachusetts.
Smith’s status and deep knowledge of the law made him a useful advisor to a succession of royal governors, especially Sir Henry Moore (1765-1769), James Murray, Lord Dunmore (1770-1771), and William Tryon (1771-1780). He played a similar role with British commanders General Sir Henry Clinton (1776-1782), Governor and Major General James Robertson (1780-1783), and General Sir Guy Carleton (Clinton’s replacement), who arrived in New York in May 1782 to take command of British forces in North America. Chief Justice James De Lancey (1703-1760) and Cadwallader Colden (1688-1776), both Lieutenant Governors and New Yorkers, wielded power over many years in the absence of appointed royal governors.
The provincial Assembly was prorogued in May 1775; the Governor and Council remained in tenuous power. Smith and his family left for the safety of their country seat at Haverstraw in March 1776, and later that year, with Smith under parole, they moved to Livingston Manor at the invitation of Janet Smith’s sister, Margaret Livingston (1738-1809). During that time, Smith wrote a continuation of his 1757 History of the Province of New-York, and maintained his diaries. Smith was finally banished to British lines after refusing to take an oath of loyalty to New York State in July 1778.
Smith arrived in Manhattan with his family in August 1778, and resumed his position on the Council, advising the British military government. He met with Lord Carlisle, head of the Peace Commission sent from Britain earlier that year. Smith was involved in unsuccessful efforts to bring Vermont into royal allegiance, beginning in 1779, and he was an advisor to Benedict Arnold after Arnold defected to the British in September 1780. Smith was made Chief Justice in the spring of 1780. New York remained under martial law, although Smith tried to restore some forms of civil order. During his time in New York, Smith actively worked against the Revolution, collecting intelligence and offering strategies for defeat of the patriots. Nevertheless, through his position, correspondence, publications, and personal influence, Smith tried to effect reconciliation between Great Britain and the Colonies, believing such a thing was possible until the very eve of the Evacuation. He envisioned a British vice-regal commonwealth of self-governed North American colonies, and saw the separation from Great Britain as a failure of both sides.
William Smith Jr. left New York for England in December 1783 with Sir Guy Carleton (1724-1808), assured of the position of Chief Justice in Canada. His son William left on a separate ship; his wife Janet and daughter Harriet joined them later in Quebec. After political delays, Smith was appointed Chief Justice of the Province of Quebec in the summer of 1786, arriving there later that year with Carleton, now Lord Dorchester, Captain-in-Chief and Governor of the Canadian provinces.
Under the Constitutional Act of 1791, the province of Quebec was split into the provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. John Graves Simcoe and Alured Clarke were their respective Lieutenant-Governors, and Carleton was now Governor General. At that time, Smith became Chief Justice of Lower Canada at Quebec. He was also a member of the Executive Council, and Speaker of the Legislative Council, having previously served on the Council of Affairs for the Province of Quebec. He died December 6, 1793.
The William Smith Jr. papers comprise the papers of American loyalist William Smith Jr. (1728-1793), 1683-1793; papers of his son William Smith III (1769-1847), a Canadian government official, historian and militia officer, 1797-1848; and Smith family land and estate papers, 1665-1912.
The bulk of the collection consists of William Smith Jr.’s papers: his correspondence and documents, writings for publication, his diaries, and legal volumes, 1683-1793. These pertain to Smith’s activities as a lawyer, journalist and historian, and as a Councillor and Chief Justice in the British provinces of New York and Quebec (later Upper Canada). Notable writings include essays for the periodicals Independent Reflector and Occasional Reverberator, some written in collaboration with William Livingston and John Morin Scott; the draft Continuation of Smith’s published History of the Province of New-York ; and his Historical Memoirs, diaries kept from 1753 to 1783. The diaries form an important political record of colonial and revolutionary New York. Legal volumes comprise a commonplace book, a register of cases before the New York Supreme Court of Judicature, and an index rerum.
The papers of William Smith III, 1797-1848, contain personal and professional correspondence, a journal of a trip to England in 1803-1804, certificates of appointment, a checkbook, receipts, notes pertaining to Canadian history and government, and an incomplete edited proof copy of his History of Canada .
Smith family land and estate papers, 1665-1912, consist of family wills, property records, correspondence and other papers regarding the land holdings and finances of William Smith Jr. and his heirs.
The collection also contains miscellaneous documents concerning legal and land transactions in Lower Canada not directly related to the Smith family, 1788-1804, and a small amount of loose printed matter, 1767-1844.
The William Smith Jr. papers are arranged in three series:
I. William Smith Jr. papers
The William Smith Jr. papers comprise his correspondence and documents, 1683-1793; his writings, consisting of works chiefly intended for publication and his diaries ( Historical Memoirs ), 1749-1785; and three volumes pertaining to his legal practice in New York, 1740s-1760s.
II. William Smith III papers
The papers of William Smith III, 1797-1848, contain personal and professional correspondence, a journal of a trip to England in 1803-1804, certificates of appointment, a checkbook, receipts, notes pertaining to Canadian history and government, and an incomplete edited proof copy of his History of Canada . Smith’s correspondence contains personal letters from Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, and letters from British officials concerning his provincial offices and efforts to obtain a pension. Also present are a few letters to his wife Susan written by others, and papers relating to the estate of William Osgoode. Smith’s correspondence and accounts concerning the family’s property are found in Series III, Smith family land and estate papers.
III. Smith family land and estate papers
Smith family land and estate papers, dated 1665 to 1912, consist of family wills, property records, correspondence and other papers regarding the land holdings and finances of William Smith Jr. and his heirs. Papers include the wills of Smith and Livingston family members; land conveyances and powers of attorney, the bulk concerning the New York land holdings of William Smith Jr. and his heirs; accounts for Vermont lands; and correspondence between William Smith III and agents for New York lands, with accounts. Also included are deeds documenting the ownership of land acquired by relative Jonathan Sewell in Quebec, chiefly in French; and papers of John Hodgson and Percy A.S. Hickey concerning Smith family estate matters and genealogy.
The Library purchased the papers from Lathrop C. Harper in 1920, made possible by donations from Lewis Cass Ledyard and George Peabody Wetmore. Volumes were purchased from Francis Edwards, 1915, and Classic Book Shop (volume 10), 1938. Harper acquired the papers at the Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge sale of June 2, 1919 through his agent Stevens & Stiles. The papers were the property of P.A.S. Hickey, a Smith descendant.
Various purchases and gifts, 1915-1938
Compiled by Susan P. Waide, 2016
The auction house sold the papers in a topical arrangement by lot number. The Library initially retained that order, noting the lot and item numbers on documents. In 2016, the collection was reprocessed to facilitate access and digitization.
Burr, Aaron, 1716-1757 (creator)
Carlisle, Frederick Howard, 1748-1825 -- Earl of (creator)
Clinton, George, 1739-1812 (creator)
Colden, Cadwallader, 1688-1776 (creator)
Dorchester, Guy Carleton, Baron, 1724-1808 (creator)
Dunmore, John Murray, 1732-1809 -- Earl of (creator)
Edward Augustus, 1767-1820 -- Prince, Duke of Kent (creator)
Leisler, Jacob, -1691 (creator)
Livingston, William, 1723-1790 (creator)
Moore, Henry, 1713-1769 -- Sir (creator)
Robertson, James, 1717-1788 (creator)
Scott, John Morin, 1730-1784 (creator)
Smith, William, 1769-1847 (creator)
Tryon, William, 1729-1788 (creator)
Delancey family
Livingston family
Smith family
College of New Jersey (Princeton, N.J.)
King's College (New York, N.Y.)
New York (Colony). Supreme Court of Judicature
American loyalists
Constitutional history -- Canada
Indians of North America -- History -- 18th century
Journalism -- New York (State) -- New York
Real property -- Canada
Real property -- New York (State)
Real property -- Vermont
Canada -- History
Great Britain -- Colonies -- America -- Administration
Great Britain. Army -- Colonial forces -- America
New York (N.Y.) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
New York (N.Y.) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
New York (N.Y.) -- Politics and government -- To 1898
New York (State) -- Boundaries
New York (State) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
New York (State) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Statesmen
Manuscripts for publication
Minutes (administrative records)
Receipts (financial records)
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room, Third Floor, Room 328
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Moving Motion
Neil Ellis Orts April 30, 2014
DanceHouston
Wu Tsang with boychild at DiverseWorks
IMAGE ABOVE: Wu Tsang, Moved by the Motion (featuring boychild). Performance at DiverseWorks, April 12, 2014. Photo by Rachel Cook.
Wu Tsang, Moved by the Motion (featuring boychild). Performance at DiverseWorks, April 12, 2014. Photo by Rachel Cook.
Los Angeles filmmaker and performer Wu Tsang has started a year-long project, commissioned by DiverseWorks with the University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Moved by the Motion, which winds up it’s run at DiverseWorks on May 2, is the first presentation in this serial project. Future components will premiere in Houston into 2015. Tsang comes to Houston with a resume that includes the Museum of Modern Art (New York City) and the Tate (London), as well as many other international museums and film festivals.
Moved by the Motion has two components, a video installation at DW, and a one-night only performance, presented on April 12, also at DW as part of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center’s CounterCurrent14, their first performance art festival.
The two pieces, while exploring similar territory and created at the same time, were also quite different and could be taken in separately, each on its own. First, the performance.
We entered the DiverseWorks space to find it arranged in a U-formation—a performance space surrounded on three sides by an audience space little wider than a standard sidewalk. In the performance space, two full-length mirrors faced each other, the one at the bottom of the U-shape being a two-way mirror so audience at that end can see through the stage piece. In front of the other mirror was a microphone stand, raised high. The performers, Tsang and boychild, both move casually through the performance space, checking props, passing through the gathering audience. Moving around the space, I find there is no place to stand without light shining in my eyes.
When the performance began, Tsang stood at the mic, atop a prop that was obscured by long, flared pants, giving him the appearance of extraordinarily long legs, out of proportion to his relatively short, naked torso. He never leaves this position for the duration of the performance.
In contrast, boychild wears white pants with a shirt reminiscent of what racecar drivers might wear, with the provocative number “69” on it. Her shoes are hiking boots. As the performance progresses, she removes pieces of the costume until she is in a tight, brief-like garment.
Let’s get this one bit out of the way: Moved by the Motion has many of the cliches or conventions (depending upon your point of view) of performance art. There is body painting/smearing. There is semi-nudity. There is screaming and writhing.
More than that, however, there is in this piece a humanity and tenderness that slips up on the audience and pounces with little warning. Much of this comes from the presence evoked by Tsang, who acts as something of a concerned watcher or a guiding angel. It’s a dynamic that raises the piece above pedestrian angst. These performers are leading us through a journey.
The textual exchanges between the performers are poetic, enigmatic, and open to interpretation and application. Much of what is presented can be interpreted as being about Tsang’s journey toward his self-understanding and self-acceptance as a trans man. The text, however, brilliantly does not concretize that interpretation with words. We get oblique phrases such as, “It’s like tall grass, clothes off,” or “It’s like holding hands,” or “Waiting is worse than being hit.” There are playful moments, too, as when boychild says, “It’s like—what’s that painting?” Tsang replies, “The Scream?” “That’s it,” boychild says, giving us levity before agony.
There are more subtle moments of humor. There is a sequence when boychild, topless, spray paints her nipples black and adds a smile on her belly, creating a smiley face on her torso. She then spray paints a horseshoe mustache and Groucho Marx eyebrows on her actual face. She’s testing out these changes, mugging in the mirror, posing. I found it comical but as I looked around the room, I saw only one other person smiling, another cisgendered man. I wondered if I found it humorous out of cis privilege or because I have a dark sense of humor. Definitely, the humor had a dark edge, if it was intended humor at all.
Whether autobiographical or a fictional construction, the live performance piece of Moved by the Motion left open spaces for personal connection. Speaking personally, I found much in the text and actions that resonated with my experience as a gay man. Looking around the room of engaged faces, I feel safe saying other people found resonances for their own life. The journey was hard—this was no simple walk through a easy life—but the interplay between the questions and pain presented by boychild and the calming, zen-like voice of Tsang led us to a place that had some peace, if not complete resolution.
Late in the performance, there is a sequence that has Tsang saying, “That face you make,” and boychild replying with mugging into the mirror. “This face?”
At the end, we return to this exchange about faces, and we are left with this line: “That face you make, unmarked, unaware.” I left the performance pondering the image we all would find if we could catch ourselves so unguarded.
The video installation consists of a set up that echoes the performance. There are mirrors, facing the two screens where two videos are projected simultaneously. In this case, there is a large cushion in the middle for audience to sit on, boxed in by the two screens and two mirrors. Depending upon which direction you face, you may be seeing the projected images in reverse in a mirror, with your own image in front of it. If you wandered around behind the screens, you could see the image projected through the screen but also its reflection on the mirror facing it on the other side of the room, creating a double image. During the 20 minutes of video, there might be only one screen lit up, but most often there was action on both screens.
A third place to focus attention was on the wall of the room. The more narrative of the two screens had dialog projected on the wall, a sort of supertitles, but to the left of the screen. With so many places to look, it is an installation that requires multiple viewings to absorb all of it.
As noted above, one screen is a narrative, entitled A day in the life of bliss. It impressionistically follows a character, BLIS, played by boychild. In a slightly futuristic world, BLIS wakes up, dances in her apartment, dances with friends in a dance class, playfully and outrageoulsy dresses up with friends for a night out in dance clubs. The dialog projected on the wall is written in the style of phone texts, with abbreviations like ‘UR.” Later, in the club, there is some spoken dialog as well, when police raid the dance club and characters shout “Let us be!” as the police use tasers on them and tie their wrists together. Seemingly, BLIS puts an end to the raid simply by demanding, “Untie us!” The police obediently loosen everyone’s zip-ties.
On the second screen, intermittently, we see what appears to be documentation of a live performance, echoing the live performance described above. There is body paint, there is writhing and screaming, there is a jerky, nearly robotic movement vocabulary.
Taken together, the two pieces bear witness to the violence, physical and psychological, perpetuated against people who don’t conform to the dominant culture. The film highlights this most, with the added component of looking at where and how the “nonconforming” people gather and celebrate their lives—despite the threat of raids by the status quo.
Taken separately, the video installation is the more bleak, less hopeful of the two. While both gave us access to our shared humanity, the live performance led us more completely through the hurt of being an outsider, led us to a moment of transcendence with “the face you make” when you’re not trying to be other than you are. The ending of the film, with the line “This is bliss,” feels more ironic, less sincere, less transcendent.
The tension between the two, nonetheless, feels true. The layers of emotion between the two endings speak to the cyclical nature of transcendence, bliss, peace. We don’t live in those places for very long, particularly if we don’t conform to the dominant culture.
Perhaps the irony is that we ever find transcendence at all.
—NEIL ELLIS ORTS
Neil Ellis Orts, a native Texan, is a writer and performer. He holds an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College Chicago. His creative writing has recently appeared in Blue Rock Review, The Dying Goose, and the Saint Katherine Review. He occasionally produces his own performance work as Breath & Bone/Orts Performance.
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John Wozencraft
John M. “Jack” Wozencraft died peacefully on August 31st 2009 at his home in Redmond WA. He was born in Dallas TX on September 30th 1925. Jack was an accomplished scientist, a loving husband, and a dedicated father. He is survived by his wife Fran, their three children John, Colin, and Katie, and two grandchildren.
Jack graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1946 and served in the Army Signal Corps for fourteen years. He later pursued graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned his doctoral degree in electrical engineering before joining the faculty. In addition to teaching and research, he authored numerous articles, consulted for the MIT Lincoln Laboratories and the Defense Communications Agency, and was appointed to the President’s Science Advisory Council. He is most recognized for his work in sequential decoding, which enabled the development of modern strategies used by the Internet, cellular phones, and deep-space transmissions. His 1967 book co-authored with Irwin Jacobs, “Principles of Communication Engineering,” was regarded as the definitive text in communications theory for more than twenty years and remains widely used today.
In 1977 Jack joined the faculty at the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey CA to found an interdisciplinary program in Command, Control & Communications. He retired fully in 1987. He was awarded emeritus professorships at both MIT and NPS, and in 2006, he was honored with the Alexander Graham Bell Medal by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in recognition of his pioneering work.
Despite these many accomplishments, Jack invariably claimed that the high point of his life was marrying Frances Trask in 1963 during an eclipse of the sun. “We entered the church in the dark,” he wrote, “and came out into sparkling sunlight which has stayed with us ever since.” After his retirement, Jack and Fran moved to Sunriver OR and finally to Redmond WA, where they have enjoyed a warm, welcoming community and the opportunity to be closer to family and grandchildren.
If Jack had a singular passion beyond family and work, it was certainly sailing. He owned several sailboats over the years, and no doubt his thoughts would take him often to the deep blue ocean.
We know that Jack is now sailing steadily and peacefully on calm waters.
Contributions in memory of Jack may be made either to the Sunriver Christian Fellowship (PMB 18160 Cottonwood Rd, Sunriver, OR 97707) or the Redmond Presbyterian Church (10020 166th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052.)
12 Responses to “John Wozencraft”
Cathy Kelso says:
Colin:
Your father sounds like a wonderful man. Thinking about you and your family. Take care of yourself. We miss your humor and look forward to your return.
Tim Ford says:
Colin, thank you for sharing all of this about your Dad. I’m guessing this is only the surface of your respect and affection, but it is a fine and noble tribute. Know that my thoughts are with you and your family. May you all be sheltered in peace as you mourn.
Kristi Newport says:
Colin, Thank you for sharing a small insight into your father’s life. We are all thinking of you and your family. We look forward to you rejoining us when the time is right. Kristi
Seth Roberts says:
Colin, I’m so happy I got to learn a bit about your dad. I once took a course in abstract algebra that covered some coding theory. It’s amazing to learn of the integral role your dad played in the development of this incredibly important (and beautiful) field. It’s clear he was an extraordinary man, and he lived an extraordinary life. Our thoughts are with you and your family. Seth
Ellie Coyne says:
Dear Colin,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this very difficult time. Thank you for sharing some of your Dads’ story, wow, what a wonderful, extremely smart and humble individual. We miss you and look forward to your safe return. 🙂 Ellie
To all the Wozencrafts He truly was a wonderful Loveing and amazing Father and Husband I can also ssy that he was just as amazing and wonderful as an Uncle, I have such fond memeories of visiting all of you in Mass. And more recently spending a day with both Fran and jack in Sun River many years ago. They both seamed so happy and content.
He will definatly be missed
with Love Andrew
Marelu Greco says:
Fran, I’m so glad I got to have a small peek into the life of John. He sounds like an amazing man–one who had clear priorities and admirable values. My warmest regards for you and your family during this time of change.
Myra Lovvorn says:
Colin, I am holding you and your family during this experience and looking forward to working with you when you are ready. I feel as though I knew your Dad through you. Take Care!!
Laura Schneider says:
Dear Fran, John, Colin, Katie (and family): Please know that my thoughts and prayers go out to all of you during this time of grief and loss. Uncle Jack was a wonderful and caring man. He will be greatly missed by all. Much love, Laura.
nancy mcgrath green says:
Dear Fran, John, Colin, and Katie,
It was pure privilege knowing Jack and serving with him in the church. His penetrating mind probing the “why’s” of God’s attributes and actions in Biblical history was matched only by his high standard of integrity and utter devotion to his family. I feel so lucky to have been a small part of your family journey. I will be with you in spirit on October 10th.
Much love and appreciation to all of you, nance
Karen Willey Tartre says:
Dear Fran,
I extend my deepest sympathy and caring thoughts to your family and you as you honor Jack’s many accomplishments and treasured life. Sincerely, Karen
Gilles Faure says:
To John
I had been trying to contact you and touch base several times with no success so far, I could not trace you but I thought Internet or whatever social network tool would help.
I did help, unfortunately to learn that your father just passed away. I now feel sorry for you and your family. I remember him back in 82 in Carmel and Tahoe, as a nice and smart person, highly respected.
Give my best regards to your Mum, Colin and Cathie (do they remember?)
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Epic Members
ABOUT BDLN
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John Maffioli
Co-founder at BDLN
http://bdln.com
I'm on two missions in my life: 1. To transform the professional services industry from being one of the UK's most staid & stuffy into one of the most dynamic & forward-thinking through the Business Development Leaders' Network (bdln.com) 2. To eradicate the fear of failure in the UK's entrepreneurs through FEBE (febe.co.uk) My two big asks: 1. Read more about the professionals who truly rock on wwww.bdln.com 2. Connect with me if you're an entrepreneur with incredible potential. In detail: - I will achieve my first mission by celebrating market-leading professionals who are driving the industry forward on the Business Development Leaders' Network www.bdln.co.uk - an online magazine and network for professionals, by professionals. The BDLN invites experts to disseminate best practice from across the country and offer their secrets about what makes them stand out from the crowd. Take a look at the bdln.co.uk and hear from some of the superstars we've interviewed already. My second mission is to eradicate the fear of failure in the UK's entrepreneurs and facilitate the investment of £1bn into 100 high-potential entrepreneurs who have the ability to become global growth companies. America has an enterprise culture. Europe and the UK do not. In this country bureaucracy thrives and the pervading attitude says success isn’t really worth pursuing; failure is seen as worse than death. I have therefore created FEBE (For Entpreneurs, By Entrepreneurs) which is an elite network of entrepreneurs. FEBE's members are quite simply the best entrepreneurs in the UK. Over the past two years we have been actively seeking them out and building the network. In June 2015 we are officially launching to the UK and the World. FEBE is not sponsored and we do not charge subscriptions to our members. We do however expect a certain level of commitment from our members to support the network and each other.
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Great leaders have a clear and compelling vision that they embody in both word and action. They lead by...
Success in business and in sport is down to marginal gains and not witchcraft or wizardry...
So many people in life and in business are searching for ‘the answer’; the one thing that they need to do that will quickly and...
If disagreeing with Fifa is wrong, who wants to be right?
What is going on? How can observing a minute’s silence, wearing a poppy emblazoned black armband and sounding the last post at an...
FYI. We need to touch base and reach out. Basically, it’s time to jump off the cliché bandwagon and throw off the shackles of the...
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Austria / Events
STOP THE BOMB warns companies of dangers of doing business ahead of Austrian Economic Chamber’s Iran trip
Terror financing, human rights abuses and the Revolutionary Guards’ control of the economy among top risks
On occasion of the Austrian Economic Chamber’s (WKO) upcoming trip to Iran from 6th to 10th of May, STOP THE BOMB warns the involved companies of legal and financial risks. The campaign points at still existing and possible new sanctions as well as at the terrorist and antisemitic nature of the Iranian regime. Companies like OMV, KTM, Brucha GmbH, Ginzler GmbH, Voith Digital Solutions, Deltabloc, Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik, Compact Milling Systems, MTA Messtechnik, Schnabl Stecktechnik, Porr, Starlinger GmbH, Rosenbauer, Greiner-Holding, Keba AG, the automobile clusters of Upper Austria und Styria including Magna, AVL, TCM, Miba, Engel GmbH and others have recently expanded their Iran activities, according to the WKO or by their own account. Hueck Folien is even in a bid to produce new banknotes for the Iranian terror regime.
Due to Iran’s terrorist activities (e.g. the financing of Hizbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad), its involvement in money laundering, and because of the regime’s brutal human rights abuses, U.S. and EU sanctions are still in place even after the nuclear deal, affecting Austrian companies. While according to media reports last year U.S. authorities are investigating whether Bank Austria violated Iran sanctions, Raiffeisen and Oberbank still want to press ahead with their Iran business.
The U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives are currently working on new sanctions, like the "Terror-Free Skies Act" (addressing the support for terrorism by civil Iranian airlines like Iran Air, a codeshare partner of Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines) and the "IRGC Terrorist Sanctions Act of 2017", which would designate the IRGC in its entirety as a terrorist entity. The U.S. State Department announced that Iran continues to sponsor terrorism, and that the nuclear deal will undergo a review. In April the European Union announced the extension of existing Iran sanctions, including a ban on exports to Iran of "dual use" goods.
"By doing business with the Iranian regime companies support an Islamist dictatorship and an antisemitic regime that threatens to destroy Israel and whose 'Supreme Leader' denies the Holocaust. In Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories, the Iranian regime destabilizes the Middle East and is co-responsible for the refugee wave to Europe. Under the supposedly reformist President Hassan Rouhani more Iranians have been executed than under his predecessor Ahmadinejad," says STOP THE BOMB’s Research Director Stephan Grigat.
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Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows
listenerwants2know
"Details are coming up" or "Details are on the way"
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Dec 14, 2018 13:37:23 GMT -5 trekkielo and Jessica like this
Post by listenerwants2know on Dec 14, 2018 13:37:23 GMT -5
Dec 13, 2018 13:29:17 GMT -5 cursereversed said:
The last two 70's shows have both featured my favorite song in the countdown being #1---Papa Was A Rolling Stone and Top Of The World---and ironically enough I heard them within 12 hours of each other since I managed to miss all of the airings the weekend of 12/8-12/9. Haven't looked at the 12/17/77 chart yet (I don't like to look at them in advance) but suffice it to say that streak will end this week.
Is the love that I´ve found, ever since you´ve been around
Your love´s put me at the top of the world
Yes, I love this song, too, although I still have a bigger Carpenters favorite at the moment: "Sleigh ride"
"Music was my first love
and it will be my last
´cause in this world of troubles
my music pulls me through."
(from 1976: John Miles and The Alan Parsons Project with "Music")
trekkielo
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Dec 14, 2018 22:06:40 GMT -5 80sat40fan, seminolefan, and 2 more like this
Post by trekkielo on Dec 14, 2018 22:06:40 GMT -5
Evil Woman by Electric Light Orchestra
Over My Head by Fleetwood Mac
My Little Town by Simon & Garfunkel
Fox on the Run by Sweet
Saturday Night by Bay City Rollers
Sky High by Jigsaw
Rock and Roll All Nite by Kiss
Low Rider by War
Love Roller Coaster by Ohio Players
Love Machine by Miracles
You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate
Fly, Robin, Fly by Silver Convention
That's the Way (I Like It) by K.C. & the Sunshine Band
Theme from "Mahogany" by Diana Ross
Convoy by C.W. McCall
That's All by Genesis
The Curly Shuffle by Jump 'N the Saddle Band
Uptown Girl by Billy Joel
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues by Elton John
Say Say Say by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder
Pink Houses by John Cougar Mellencamp
Crumblin' Down by John Cougar Mellencamp
Say It Isn't So by Hall & Oates
Heart and Soul by Huey Lewis & the News
Owner of a Lonely Heart by Yes
Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
Cum On Feel the Noize by Quiet Riot
Twist of Fate by Olivia Newton-John
Rick Vendl II
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Dec 15, 2018 4:31:55 GMT -5 80sat40fan, seminolefan, and 2 more like this
Post by listenerwants2know on Dec 15, 2018 4:31:55 GMT -5
Christmas Eve 1983:
Barry Manilow – Read ´em and weep
Big Country – In a big country
Elton John – I guess that´s why they call it the blues
Irene Cara – Why me
Ray Parker junior – I still can´t get over loving you
Ray Parker junior´s „I still can´t get over loving you" is one of my favorits for this week. And the man from Detroit also gives us the clue for the days to come:
It´s time for Christmas ...
... and to say "Thank you" to my best friends:
"Best friends"-edition:
Billy Joel – Uptown girl
Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
Genesis – That´s all
Huey Lewis & The News – Heart and soul
Madonna – Holiday
Matthew Wilder – Break my stride
Olivia Newton John – Twist of fate
Peter Schilling – Major Tom
The Romantics – Talking in your sleep
Yes – Owner of a lonely heart
The most important birthday of this year: "Silent night" will be 200
The (!) Austrian extra: Joseph Mohr & Franz Xaver Gruber
It was on Christmas Eve 1818, when the then assistant priest Josef Mohr handed over a poem to Franz Xaver Gruber, representing the organist, at the newly built parish of St. Nicola in Oberndorf. He asked him to write a suitable melody for two solo voices with choir and guitar. On the same day Gruber presented his composition to the music expert Mohr. Since he liked the song, it was sung during the Christmas mass. Mohr sang tenor and took over the accompaniment with the guitar, Gruber sang bass. The song was applauded by the people of Oberndorf, at that time mainly Salzach boatmen and shipbuilders.
Franz Xaver Gruber saw the light of day on 11/25/1787 in Haus Unterweizburg 9 in the Innviertler community of Hochburg, Upper Austria. The first names “Conrad Xavier", which he later changed to „Franz Xaver", appear in the baptismal register. The birthplace, the Steinpointsölde, is no longer preserved. The house erected in its place bears a commemorative plaque.
Josephus Franciscus Mohr was born on 12/11/1792 in the city of Salzburg as the son of the knitter Anna Schoiberin and the deserted musketeer Franz Mohr (Moor). His ancestors came from Mariapfarr in Lungau (father) and Hallein (mother). Mohr´s godfather was the Salzburg executioner Joseph Wohlmuth, who was represented at the baptism by a Franziska Zachin. Since little Joseph was a single child, he was given the name of his father. His mother had a total of four illegitimate children. Mohr lived on the second floor of the house Steingasse 31 in Salzburg in 1794.
Joseph Mohr composed the lyrics as early as 1816, when he was auxiliary priest in Mariapfarr in Lungau.
The emergence of „Silent Night" comes at a very difficult time. The Napoleonic wars were over and Europe had experienced a new order at the Congress of Vienna. In the course of these events the spiritual principality of Salzburg, which had lost its independence, experienced its secularization. In 1816 a part of Salzburg came to Bavaria, but the larger part to Austria. The premiere site of „Silent Night", Oberndorf near Salzburg, was separated from its city centre in Laufen (today in Bavaria), as the Salzach became the state border. The river formed the basis for the prosperity in Laufen and Oberndorf through the transport of salt over centuries. Shipping, skippers, shipbuilders and thus the whole town were facing uncertain times. In this phase Joseph Mohr came to Oberndorf and stayed between 1817 and 1819.
His previous place of service Mariapfarr (1815-1817) suffered under the withdrawal of the Bavarian occupation troops. It´s precisely from these circumstances that the text of the fourth verse of „Silent Night" takes on special meaning. This expresses a great longing for peace.
The breakthrough of „Silent Night" in his native Salzburg was not achieved until 1866, when it was included in an „official" church songbook.
„Silent night" made its way via the Tyrolean Zillertal to the rest of Europe, America and the rest of the world. How and when exactly the song came to the Tiroler Zillertal has not been completely clarified until today. In Fügen in the Zillertal it´s traditional tradition that the Ur-Rainer singers sang „Silent Night" in the Fügen church as early as Christmas Eve 1819. In 1822 again the Ur-Rainer singers are said to have performed on the occasion of a visit of Emperor Franz I of Austria and Tsar Alexander I of Russia to the castle of Count Dönhoff (today „Bubenburg", Fügen in the Zillertal).
From the Zillertal the singing families Rainer (Fügen) and Strasser (Laimach) carried the song into the world. Already in the 1820s, both groups of singers undertook extensive journeys through Europe, especially to Germany and England. Whether they already had „Silent Night" in their repertoire at that time is not certain. However, the performance of „Silent Night" by the Strasser family for the year 1832 in Leipzig (East Germany) is documented.
After extensive travelling in Europe, the Rainer singers set off on a trip to America in 1839, which lasted until 1843. The performance of „Silent Night" has survived as part of this journey for Christmas Day 1839, presumably for the first time on American soil, in New York in front of the Alexander Hamilton Memorial in the cemetery of Trinitiy Church at the end of Wall Street.
Translations of the song into English are known from the middle of the 19th century. At the Vienna World Exhibition in 1873, „Silent Night" appears as „Choral of Salzburg" in a North American school building shown there. At the turn of the century „Silent Night" was sung on all continents, thanks to the spread of Catholic and Protestant missionaries. Today there are translations of the song into 300 different languages and dialects.
One of the most recent translations is by Azuka Tuburu. The musicologist, who lives in Salzburg, has played her part in making the Christmas carol shine in her home region as well. Tuburu has translated „Silent Night" into the language of the Igbo ethnic group, which is native to southern Nigeria.
At the „Stille-Nacht-Historienspiele“ ("Silent Night historical play") in Oberndorf Tuburu will sing the African version of the song.
„Every continent is represented with a verse.", says Josef Standl, author of the historical play. „The sixth verse is sung by all together. The joint singing of the song combines the worldwide spread of „Silent Night" with its origins as a peace song in difficult times of war.“
And only a few weeks ago, on 11/27/2018 at 5.30 p.m. local time, the three sisters Gerlinde, Elisabeth and Christiane Kröll from Mayrhofen in the Tyrolean Zillertal sounded exactly in the same place as 179 years ago before the Hamilton Memorial „Silent Night“. The first verse in the original version with two voices and guitar accompaniment, the second verse with three voices. Then the third verse was sung in five languages (English, French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese). From Hamilton Memorial there was a procession through Wall Street to Trinity Church, where there was a concert of Advent songs of the Trio and the Trinity Youth Choir. At the end the song „Silent Night" was sung again.
The Dutch violinist, orchestra leader, arranger and music producer Andre Rieu will again be giving concerts in Austria in 2019. The following recording of "Silent Night" is from 1998:
And finally, the original: The world-famous Vienna Boys´ Choir with „Stille Nacht“:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas, whereever you are.
from my musical category "daydreamer"
My motto: "Not always the often heard hits."
Last Edit: Dec 15, 2018 5:02:29 GMT -5 by listenerwants2know
keithr63
Post by keithr63 on Dec 16, 2018 9:38:24 GMT -5
Point Of Know Return
Serpentine Fire
Come Sail Away
Isn’t it Time
Baby Come Back
80sat40fan
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Dec 18, 2018 4:43:47 GMT -5 seminolefan, trekkielo, and 2 more like this
Post by 80sat40fan on Dec 18, 2018 4:43:47 GMT -5
My Top 27 songs from the 12/24/83 countdown (song titles only absolute faves in bold):
Top 10: Say Say Say, Say It Isn't So, Union Of The Snake, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, All Night Long, Uptown Girl, Love Is A Battlefield, Twist Of Fate, Undercover Of The Night
#11-20: I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, Talking In Your Sleep, Church Of The Poison Mind, Major Tom (Coming Home), Cum On Feel The Noize, Synchronicity II, Karma Chameleon, In A Big Country*
#21-30: Running With The Night, Crumblin' Down, What If I'd Been The One, That's All, Pink Houses, Ain't Nobody
#31-40: Stay With Me Tonight, Gold, Heart & Soul, In The Mood
* Big Country gets my 80s Shooda Dun Betr Pick this week. Wonderful percussion + those guitars sounding like bagpipes = a song that stuck out as very unique yet incredibly catchy in late '83:
My Top 26 songs from the 12/20/75 countdown (song titles only, absolute faves in bold):
Top 10: That's The Way (I Like It), Fly Robin Fly, Saturday Night, Love Rollercoaster, Do You Know Where You're Going To, Sky High*, I Write The Songs, Fox On The Run, Nights On Broadway
#11-20: I Love Music, My Little Town, Convoy, Island Girl, Time Of Your Life, The Way I Want To Touch You, Country Boy
#21-30: For the Love Of You, You Sexy Thing, Rock & Roll All Night, Sing A Song, Love To Love You Baby, Evil Woman
#31-40: Low Rider, Over My Head, Love Machine, Wake Up Everybody
* Jigsaw gets my 70s Why Doesn't This Top 10 Hit Get Any Recurrent Airplay Pick this week. Has anyone here seen the play "Disaster: The Musical"? Jigsaw's tune (along with "Saturday Night") are two of the great tunes featured in that production. Cool horns and percussion here:
Last Edit: Dec 18, 2018 5:00:54 GMT -5 by 80sat40fan
seminolefan
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Dec 18, 2018 11:02:59 GMT -5 80sat40fan, trekkielo, and 2 more like this
Post by seminolefan on Dec 18, 2018 11:02:59 GMT -5
My faves from 12/24/1983:
Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
Say It Isn't So - Hall & Oates
Union Of The Snake - Duran Duran
Owner Of a Lonely Heart - Yes
All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar
Twist Of Fate - Olivia Newton-John
Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John
Talking In You Sleep - The Romantics
Church Of The Poison Mind - Culture Club
Major Tom (Coming Home) - Peter Schilling
Cum On Feel The Noize - Quiet Riot
Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
In a Big Country - Big Country
Running With The Night - Lionel Richie
Time Will Reveal - DeBarge
That's All - Genesis
I Still Can't Get Over Loving You - Ray Parker Jr.
Pink Houses - John Cougar Mellencamp
Ain't Nobody - Rufus & Chaka Khan
Holiday - Madonna
Stay With Me Tonight - Jeffrey Osborne
Heart And Soul - Huey Lewis & The News
That's The Way (I Like It) - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Let's Do It Again - The Staple Singers
Fly, Robin, Fly - Silver Convention
Love Rollercoaster - The Ohio Players
Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) - Diana Ross
I Love Music - The O'Jays
I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You - Leon Haywood
Walk Away From Love - David Ruffin
For The Love Of You - The Isley Brothers
You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate
Rock & Roll All Night - KISS
Sing a Song - Earth, Wind & Fire
Love To Love You Baby - Donna Summer
Full Of Fire - Al Green
Low Rider - War
Love Machine - The Miracles
Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
retrodaddy
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Dec 23, 2018 11:18:12 GMT -5 via mobile 80sat40fan, seminolefan, and 1 more like this
Post by retrodaddy on Dec 23, 2018 11:18:12 GMT -5
Favorites from the Christmas Eve '83 show:
Running With The Night
Crumblin Down
Synchronicity II
Church Of The Poison Mind
Owner Of A Lonely Heart
Union Of The Snake
Pink Houses
Cum On Feel The Noise
Undercover Of The Night
HM: Gold, Talking In Your Sleep, Break My Stride, I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, That's All, Ain't Nobody
This time with lots of danceable songs:
1/3/87 (Top 100 of 1986):
Berlin - Take my breath away
Boston - Amanda
Heart - These dreams
Madonna - Live to tell
Bon Jovi - You give love a bad name
Eddie Money - Take me home tonight
Genesis - Invisible touch
James Brown - Living in America
Madonna - Papa don´t preach
Michael McDonald - Sweet freedom
Mike & The Mechanics - Silent running
Prince & The Revolution - Kiss
Sheila E. - A love bizarre
Simple Minds - Alive and kicking
Starship - Sara
The Bangles - Manic Monday
The Moody Blues - Your wildest dreams
Glass Tiger - Don´t forget me (when I´m gone)
Janet Jackson - When I think of you
OMD - If you leave
Pet Shop Boys - West end girls
Falco - Rock me Amadeus
Level 42 - Something about you
Mr. Mister - Broken wings
Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
Run-D.M.C. - Walk this way
Stevie Nicks - Talk to me
Survivor - Burning heart
Tina Turner - Typical male
Van Halen - Why can´t this be love
Belinda Carlisle - Mad about you
Billy Ocean - When the going gets tough, the tough get going
Dire Straits - Walk of life
Huey Lewis & The News - Stuck with you
Kenny Loggins - Danger zone
Madonna - True blue
Mike & The Mechanics - All I need is a miracle
Whitney Houston - How will I know
Miami Sound Machine - Bad boy
Anita Baker - Sweet love
Billy Ocean - There´ll be sad songs
Cyndi Lauper - True colors
Dionne & Friends - That´s what friends are for
Elton John - Nikita
Howard Jones - No one is to blame
Lionel Richie - Say you say me
Mr. Mister - Kyrie
Peter Cetera - Glory of love
Phil Collins - Take me home
The Human League - Human
Miami Sound Machine - Conga
Sade - The sweetest taboo
These days the word "countdown" is often used. The word "countdown" comes from a silent movie from 1929, which was produced by the Austrian Fritz Lang.
In his movie "Woman in the Moon" the rocket "Peace" starts with some people on board in the direction of the moon.
Shortly before the engines ignite, the text "Ten seconds to go!" is displayed, followed a little later by "Six seconds to go!" From three seconds before the start only the number is to be seen - and at the end of the countdown not "zero" or "ignition" comes, but in capital letters the word "NOW".
Fritz Lang´s ingenious idea was not to count up to a certain number. In his opinion, the audience would hardly have understood that. But counting down to zero, everyone knows what it´s all about.
The journey to the moon is amazingly realistic. The people on board feel the strong acceleration, the rocket ignites several stages and must reach just the right speed to escape the Earth´s gravitational pull. Fritz Lang emigrated to the USA during World War II. He died there in 1976 at the age of 85. His "Woman in the Moon" is movie history. But every "countdown" of a rocket launch reminds us of the great director to this day.
An Austrian extra: Johann Strauss (father and son)
Once again world-famous (and this week also danceable) from Austria.
The New Year´s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra ends every year with two (secret) Austrian hymns.
The waltz "An der schönen blauen Donau" (or "Danube Waltz" for short) was composed by Johann Strauss´s son (1825 - 1899) in the fall of 1866 and winter 1866/67 and premiered on 2/15/1867 with its own version by the "Wiener Männergesang-Verein".
And with the Radetzky March by Johann Strauss father (1804 - 1849), the New Year´s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic traditionally comes to an end. The audience also claps its hands traditionally in time with the conductor.
The premiere of the Radetzky March took place on 8/31/1848 at Wasserglacis in Vienna.
At football matches of the Austrian national football team, the Radetzky march is often played before the match begins. Many fans are waving an Austrian flag in time.
The tempo of the Radetzky March also corresponds to the recommended tempo of the heart pressure massage. Due to its high profile in Austria, it´s therefore used as a memory aid in first aid courses.
Finally, this post ends with the words that are sent all over the world every year at the New Year´s Concert immediately before the "Danube Waltz" starts: Happy New Year
Favorites from The Top 100 of 1986, Part One:
We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off
Object Of My Desire
Tonight She Comes
Your Love
R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A.
Two Of Hearts
Why Can't This Be Love
I'm Your Man
HM: Take Me Home Tonight, I'll Be Over You, Walk This Way, Small Town, Nasty, Living In America, Spies Like Us
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Jan 2, 2019 18:01:32 GMT -5 woolebull, seminolefan, and 4 more like this
Post by 80sat40fan on Jan 2, 2019 18:01:32 GMT -5
For this list, I am limiting myself to my Top 20 songs from the Hot 100 of 1986. In order heard from #100 - #1:
#95: "Tender Love" by Force MDs
#93: "Object Of My Desire" by Starpoint
#90: "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker
#78: "Life In A Northern Town" by The Dream Academy
#71: "Typical Male" by Tina Turner
#69: "Why Can't This Be Love" by Van Halen
#66: "ROCK In The USA" by John Mellencamp
#65: "Living In America" by James Brown
#59: "Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie Money
#56: "What You Need" by INXS
#55: "The Sweetest Taboo" by Sade
#42: "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins
#37: "Something About You" by Level 42
#30: "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi
#28: "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco
#23: "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel
#22: "Holding Back The Years" by Simply Red
#15: "West End Girls" by The Pet Shop Boys
#10: "Addicted To Love" by Robert Palmer
#5: "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Jan 4, 2019 1:22:48 GMT -5 80sat40fan, seminolefan, and 3 more like this
Post by trekkielo on Jan 4, 2019 1:22:48 GMT -5
#79 Saturday in the Park - Chicago
#78 School's Out - Alice Cooper
#77 Never Been to Spain - Three Dog Night
#75 Joy - Apollo 100
#74 A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done - Sonny & Cher
#70 Coconut - Nilsson
#69 Hurting Each Other - Carpenters
#66 Black & White - Three Dog Night
#63 Layla - Derek & the Dominos
#58 Mother and Child Reunion - Paul Simon
#57 The City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
#56 Bang a Gong (Get It On) - T. Rex
#49 Hold Your Head Up - Argent
#45 You Don't Mess Around with Jim - Jim Croce
#43 Rocket Man - Elton John
#42 Day After Day - Badfinger
#41 Starting All Over Again - Mel & Tim
#40 Burning Love - Elvis Presley
#39 Garden Party - Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band
#38 Back Stabbers - O'Jays
#37 Too Late to Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
#35 Go All the Way - Raspberries
#34 Precious & Few - Climax
#32 Popcorn - Hot Butter
#31 Everybody Plays the Fool - Main Ingredient
#30 Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond
#28 Long Cool Woman - Hollies
#26 Nights in White Satin - Moody Blues
#25 I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
#24 Outa-Space - Billy Preston
#23 Lion Sleeps Tonight - Robert John
#16 Scorpio - Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band
#15 Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton
#14 My Ding-a-Ling - Chuck Berry
#13 I'll Take You There - Staple Singers
#12 Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
#10 A Horse with No Name - America
#8 Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me - Mac Davis
#7 Lean on Me - Bill Withers
#5 The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation
#4 Without You - Nilsson
#3 American Pie - Don McLean
#2 Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
#1 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
#100 Deacon Blues - Steely Dan
#99 Hollywood Nights - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
#98 We're All Alone - Rita Coolidge
#96 Ebony Eyes - Bob Welch
#94 Turn to Stone - Electric Light Orchestra
#93 Don't Look Back - Boston
#92 Flash Light - Parliament-Funkadelic
#90 It's So Easy - Linda Ronstadt
#87 Life's Been Good - Joe Walsh
#86 Sweet Talkin' Woman - Electric Light Orchestra
#84 Fool (If You Think It's Over) - Chris Rea
#83 Whenever I Call You "Friend" - Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks
#82 Running on Empty - Jackson Browne
#81 Bluer Than Blue - Michael Johnson
#78 Sentimental Lady - Bob Welch
#73 Every Kinda People - Robert Palmer
#72 Because the Night - Patti Smith Group
#71 Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue - Crystal Gayle
#70 What's Your Name - Lynyrd Skynyrd
#67 Baby Hold On - Eddie Money
#66 Count on Me - Jefferson Starship
#65 Reminiscing - Little River Band
#63 You Needed Me - Anne Murray
#62 Peg - Steely Dan
#61 Blue Bayou - Linda Ronstadt
#56 Come Sail Away - Styx
#55 On Broadway - George Benson
#54 Disco Inferno - Trammps
#52 Still the Same - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
#51 Imaginary Lover - Atlanta Rhythm Section
#48 Slip Slidin' Away - Paul Simon
#47 Goodbye Girl - David Gates
#44 Love Will Find a Way - Pablo Cruise
#42 Use ta Be My Girl - O'Jays
#41 Short People - Randy Newman
#39 Dust in the Wind - Kansas
#36 Hot Blooded - Foreigner
#35 Hopelessly Devoted to You - Olivia Newton-John
#32 Take a Chance on Me - ABBA
#31 Jack and Jill - Raydio
#30 Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - Meat Loaf
#26 Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
#25 We Are the Champions - Queen
#24 It's a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler
#23 Love Is Like Oxygen - Sweet
#22 Hot Child in the City - Nick Gilder
#21 Feels So Good - Chuck Mangione
#19 If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
#18 With a Little Luck - Paul McCartney & Wings
#17 Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
#16 Miss You - The Rolling Stones
#13 You're the One That I Want - Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta
#12 I Go Crazy - Paul Davis
#11 Grease - Frankie Valli
#10 Three Times a Lady - Commodores
#7 Baby Come Back - Player
#5 Kiss You All Over - Exile
#4 Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
#3 You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
#99 I'll Be Over You - Toto
#92 Dreamtime - Daryl Hall
#92 Spies Like Us - Paul McCartney
#91 Your Wildest Dreams - The Moody Blues
#89 Walk This Way - Run-DMC
#88 Take Me Home - Phil Collins
#87 Nikita - Elton John
#84 Throwing It All Away - Genesis
#80 Sleeping Bag - ZZ Top
#79 Bad Boy - Miami Sound Machine
#78 Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy
#75 Sweet Freedom (Theme from "Running Scared") - Michael McDonald
#74 All I Need Is a Miracle - Mike + the Mechanics
#73 Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
#70 Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) - Mike + the Mechanics
#69 Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen
#66 R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock) - John Cougar Mellencamp
#65 Living in America - James Brown
#59 Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money with Ronnie Spector
#57 Talk to Me - Stevie Nicks
#56 What You Need - INXS
#54 Invisible Touch - Genesis
#52 Crush on You - The Jets
#50 Amanda - Boston
#49 Walk of Life - Dire Straits
#48 Manic Monday - The Bangles
#46 I Didn't Mean to Turn You On - Robert Palmer
#44 No One Is to Blame - Howard Jones
#42 Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
#41 True Colors - Cyndi Lauper
#39 Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Richie
#38 Venus - Bananarama
#37 Something About You - Level 42
#35 Live to Tell - Madonna
#34 Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) - Glass Tiger
#33 These Dreams - Heart
#31 When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going - Billy Ocean
#27 Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from "Top Gun") - Berlin
#24 Sara - Starship
#23 Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
#22 Holding Back the Years - Simply Red
#21 Stuck with You - Huey Lewis and the News
#18 Never - Heart
#13 Friends and Lovers - Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
#10 Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
Last Edit: Jan 6, 2019 11:13:00 GMT -5 by trekkielo
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Jan 5, 2019 14:54:40 GMT -5 seminolefan, trekkielo, and 2 more like this
Don't ask me how I post my Top 20 from the Top 100 of '86 without posting my Top 20 from the Top 80 of '72... so here goes, in order heard on the countdown:
#79: "Saturday In The Park" by Chicago
#63: "Layla" by Derek & The Dominoes
#60: "Freddie's Dead" by Curtis Mayfield
#58: "Mother & Child Reunion" by Paul Simon
#56: "Bang A Gong" by T. Rex
#55: "Where Is The Love" by Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
#52: "Everything I Own" by Bread
#50: "Jungle Fever" by Chakakhas
#48: "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens
#43: Rocket Man" by Elton John
#38: "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays
#37: "Too Late To Turn Back Now" by The Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
#35: "Go All The Way" by The Raspberries
#25: "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash
#24: "Outa Space" by Billy Preston
#21: "Betcha By Golly Wow" by The Stylistics
#20: "Heart Of Gold" by Neil Young
#11: "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
#10: "A Horse With No Name" by America
#1: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack
Last Edit: Jan 5, 2019 14:57:36 GMT -5 by 80sat40fan
Your favorite songs from this weekend's 70s/80s shows Jan 5, 2019 22:01:02 GMT -5 80sat40fan, seminolefan, and 2 more like this
Post by slf on Jan 5, 2019 22:01:02 GMT -5
Here are my favorites from the Top 80 of 1972:
76. Drowning In The Sea Of Love/Joe Simon
75. Joy/Apollo 100
71. Don't Say You Don't Remember/Beverly Bremers
69. Hurting Each Other/The Carpenters
68. The Way Of Love/Cher
64. Kiss An Angel Good Morning/Charlie Pride
63. Layla/Derek & The Dominos
62. The Happiest Girl In The Whole USA/Donna Fargo
60. Freddie's Dead/Curtis Mayfield
58. Mother And Child Reunion/Paul Simon
56. Bang A Gong (Get It On)/T. Rex
55. Where Is The Love/Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
53. In The Rain/The Dramatics
49. Hold Your Head Up/Argent
48. Morning Has Broken/Cat Stevens
46. Clean Up Woman/Betty Wright
42. Day After Day/Badfinger
38. Back Stabbers/The O'Jays
37. Too Late To Turn Back Now/Cornelius Bros. & Sister Rose
35. Go All The Way/The Raspberries
34. Precious And Few/Climax
33. Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All/The Fifth Dimension
32. Popcorn/Hot Butter
31. Everybody Plays The Fool/The Main Ingredient
21. Betcha By Golly Wow/The Stylistics
17. Oh, Girl/The Chi-Lites
16. Scorpio/Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band
12. Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)/Looking Glass
10. A Horse With No Name/America
5. The Candy Man/Sammy Davis Jr.
4. Without You/Nilsson
3. American Pie/Don McLean
2. Alone Again (Naturally)/Gilbert O' Sullivan
Honorable mention songs from 1972 (songs that I love from that year, but weren't in the countdown):
Baby Blue/Badfinger
Suavecito/Malo
Day By Day/Godspell
I'll Be Around/The Spinners
Diary/Bread
Guitar Man/Bread
I Saw The Light/Todd Rundgren
Thunder & Lightning/Chi Coltrane
Sweet Surrender/Bread
Ventura Highway/America
Ain't Understanding Mellow/Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager
It's Going To Take Some Time This Time/The Carpenters
American City Suite/Cashman & West
My Top 17 songs from 1/10/81 countdown (song titles only, 5 absolute faves in bold):
Top 10: The Tide Is High, Hungry Heart, Lady, More Than I Can Say
#11-20: De Do Do Do De Da Da Da, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, I Love A Rainy Night, Hey 19, Master Blaster, Another One Bites The Dust
#21-30: 9 To 5, Woman In Love, The Winner Takes It All
#31-40: Same Auld Lang Syne, Whip It, Keep On Loving You, Seven Bridges Road
I have already featured all of my absolute faves in previous posts... so that means double the 70s fun this week!
My Top 28 songs from the 1/10/76 countdown (song titles only, 15 absolute faves in bold):
Top 10: All of 'em! Convoy, I Write The Songs, Do You Know Where You're Going To, Lover Rollercoaster, Saturday Night, Fox On The Run, I Love Music, That's The Way (I Like It), Love To Love You Baby, Time Of Your Life
#11-20: Country Boy, Sing A Song, You Sexy Thing, Rock & Roll All Night, 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, Evil Woman, Love Machine*
#21-30: Over My Head, Love Hurts, Wake Up Everybody, For The Love Of You, Fly Robin Fly, Sky High
#31-40: Nights On Broadway, Hurricane, Theme From SWAT*, Golden Years, Slow Ride
* Rhythm Heritage gets my first Why Doesn't This Top 10 Hit Get Any Recurrent Airplay Pick this week. This is an instrumental gem! It features a way cool bass line in the first verse, and then for the second verse, the bari sax and trombone add to it... musical nirvana from 1:07 to 1:39 in this song for me! Here's the album version of "Theme from SWAT":
* The Miracles get my second Why Doesn't This Top 10 Song Get Any Recurrent Airplay Pick this week. I live in Detroit where The Miracles started their career, and the only song I hear from them anymore is "Tears Of A Clown". "Love Machine" is incredible. I am featuring a mostly instrumental version here (7:47 of beautiful disco!) as there is so much going on in this song musically, including some awesome strings... Ooh ooh oooooh, yeah!
Post by trekkielo on Jan 7, 2019 20:49:54 GMT -5
Evil Woman - Electric Light Orchestra
Over My Head - Fleetwood Mac
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
Squeeze Box - Who
Fox on the Run - Sweet
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
Slow Ride - Foghat
Sky High - Jigsaw
Love Hurts - Nazareth
Rock and Roll All Nite - Kiss
That's the Way (I Like It) - K.C. and the Sunshine Band
Love Machine - Miracles
Love Roller Coaster - Ohio Players
Theme from "S.W.A.T." - Rhythm Heritage
Paloma Blanca - George Baker Selection
"Mahogany" (Do You Know Where You're Going To?) - Diana Ross
Convoy - C.W. McCall
Golden Years - David Bowie
Suddenly - Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard
(Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da - The Police
Hey Nineteen - Steely Dan
Keep on Loving You - REO Speedwagon
Whip It - Devo
Celebration - Kool & the Gang
The Tide Is High - Blondie
Hit Me with Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt
More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer
Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen
Love on the Rocks - Neil Diamond
I Believe in You - Don Williams
Never Be the Same - Christopher Cross
Seven Bridges Road - The Eagles
Easy Lover - Philip Bailey with Phil Collins
No More Lonely Nights - Paul McCartney
The Heat Is On - Glenn Frey
Neutron Dance - Pointer Sisters
Out of Touch - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
You're the Inspiration - Chicago
The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
All I Need - Jack Wagner
The Old Man Down the Road - John Fogerty
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SHIN-YOKOHAMA
It takes only 15 minutes to Tokyo, 81 minutes to Nagoya and 132 minutes to Shin-Osaka by the bullet train. Shin-Yokohama is a good location to directly go to Nagoya and Osaka, as well as Tokyo and Yokohama. After the revision of the train timetables in March 2008, all “Nozomi” bullet trains will stop at Shin-Yokohama Station, boosting further still the convenience of Shin-Yokohama. The number of offices of foreign companies and IT-related companies around the station has been increasing and Shin-Yokohama is expected to flourish more and more.
-Hotel Associa Shin-Yokohama
Hotel Associa Shin-Yokohama opens in a building which will be completed in March 2008 above Shin-Yokohama Station of the JR bullet train line. The 203-room hotel specializes in high-end lodging. Guests can go directly by elevator to the lobby on the 10th floor from the 2nd floor of Shin-Yokohama Station and not feel any hassle or stress, such as having to catch a taxi, and so on. An atrium from the 10th to the top floor presents an open and welcoming atmosphere.
All of the rooms are spacious double rooms or twin rooms and they are good for relatively long stays. Rooms facing the south command breathtaking views of Minatomirai and the Bay Bridge through a large window. Rooms also feature “Serta” beds, renowned for their comfort and said to be the No. 1 bed in the U.S., as well as a large bathroom. Corridors are also spacious and create an up-scale mood. Although the hotel is located above the station, you might feel as if you were staying in a resort hotel.
All rooms are equipped with PCs with Japanese OS and ones with English OS can be rented. You can freely access the Internet without charge. A multi-function printer and copy machine is equipped on each floor and printing out from the PC of your room is thus available. Fees for copy-machine copies are charged to your IC room key. Buffet-style breakfast, coffee and soft drinks are served in the lounge on the 12th floor which is open only for hotel guests. Hotel guests can freely use the lounge at no charge and at any time.
Not only is access to the hotel from the bullet train excellent, but even if you come from Narita International Airport, if you come to JR Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station by Narita Express and change to the bullet trains, hotel access is also very easy and convenient. And a limousine bus is available from Haneda Airport.
Mr. Junichi Yamauchi, manager of the hotel, says: “Narita Express is convenient and punctual, so it is good, especially for JR pass holders. I recommend using a Narita Express train which stops at Shinagawa Station and then changing to the bullet train there. Changing trains is much easier at Shinagawa than at Tokyo Station where the platform of the Narita Express train is located on the fourth basement level.”
This Hotel Associa Shin-Yokohama is operated by Associa Hotels & Resorts, which is a hotel chain of the JR Tokai group and which operates a total of five hotels, including Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel (Aichi Prefecture) and Hotel Associa Shizuoka (Shizuoka Prefecture) in the Tokai region. If you accumulate a certain number of points of the “Associa Advantage” membership program, you will be awarded a stay at the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel.
Hotel Associa Shin-Yokohama
2-100-45 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
http://www.associa.com/syh/
-Cubic Plaza Shin-Yokohama
Commercial facility “Cubic Plaza Shin-Yokohama” opens in the same building of the hotel, which directly connects to Shin-Yokohama Station, on March 26th. It houses some 80 shops from the first floor to the tenth floor, such as electronics retail store “BicCamera,” book store “Sanseido” and food specialty store “Takashimaya Foodmaison.” There are 15 restaurants of many kinds on the ninth and tenth floors, from Italian to Chinese to Shabu-shabu, and from a Japanese pub to tofu, sushi, yakiniku, soba, and curry restaurants, to name several.
http://www.cubicplaza.com/
-Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum
This “sacred place” for ramen noodle lovers is located five minutes’ walk from Shin-Yokohama Station. Once you enter the museum, you will feel as if you were transported through time to the mid-20th century from the 21st. A town which reproduces one of the year 1958 creates a nostalgic atmosphere. There are eight ramen shops from all over Japan: Ide Shoten from Wakayama Prefecture with soy sauce soup based on pork-bone broth, Shinasobaya with soy sauce and salt soups, Keyaki from Sapporo, Hokkaido, with miso soup, Ryushanhai from Yamagata Prefecture with soy sauce soups topped with hot miso paste, Hachiya from Asahikawa, Hokkaido, with soy sauce, miso and salt soups, Harukiya from Ogikubo, Tokyo, with soy sauce and salt soups, Fukuchan-ramen from Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, with pork-bone soup and Komurasaki from Kumamoto Prefecture also with pork-bone soup. You have to wait in line at popular shops, but it is not so uncomfortable even though it might be raining, as you can wait inside the building. A nostalgic cafe, a small candy store, an old game store and a fortuneteller’s corner are also in the building. Why not take a souvenir picture with candy shop sellers wearing their distinctive dress?
Ramen history and famous local ramen of Japan are displayed at the show space on the first floor. Part of the space is now being renovated and will reopen in mid-May. After the renovation, explanations in English will be provided as well as in Japanese. Original ramen and original goods of the Raumen Museum are available, which are good for souvenirs or gifts.
Eating delicious ramen in the sunset retro which can no longer be seen in present Japan must be fun. Mr. Ryosuke Sato, who is in charge of public relations, says: “More and more people come to the museum from overseas. Please enjoy the great taste of ramen, which is one of the most popular foods in Japan.”
-Shin Yokohama Raumen Museum
2-14-21 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
http://www.raumen.co.jp/home/
-Walking around Shin-Yokohama
Yokohama Arena, which is a multi-purpose event hall opened in 1989, is located on the north side of Shin-Yokoaham Station in the same area as the Hotel Associa Shin-Yokohama and Shin Yokohama Raumen Museum, surrounded by neat offices and other hotels. The 17,000-capacity hall holds concerts, sports events and various other events and visiting there depending on the event schedule is recommended.
On June 30th, 2002, the championship of the 2002 FIFA World Cup took place at Nissan Stadium (known as International Stadium Yokohama at the time). The kick-off was at 8 pm, with 69,029 spectators in attendance. Brazil won its fifth victory, which is the most in the world in this event. At this stadium, a total of four games, including the final game and the Japan-Russia game in which Japan first won in the world cup were held. You may feel the emotion of the athletes who played in the world’s top sporting event if you join the “World Cup stadium tour” of the stadium, with signatures of the victorious Brazilian players in the locker room, and so on. If you go up the steps to the pitch, you will be overwhelmed by the lush turf and the 72,000-capacity spectator stands. Photo panels, valuable balls with players signatures and uniforms are also on display.?
There is an athletic ground and a facility for exercise in Shin-Yokohama Park in which the stadium is located. Picturesque views of cherry blossoms can be enjoyed along the river nearby in spring and taking a walk is fun. Also you can easily go to Yokohama, Minatomirai and Motomachi in just 20 minutes on JR Yokohama line or Yokohama municipal subway. Why don’t you visit the Chinatown in Motomachi?
Yokohama Arena
3-10 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
http://www.yokohama-arena.co.jp/english/
3300 Kozukue-cho, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
http://www.nissan-stadium.jp/english/index.html
http://att-japan.net/en/archives/4708SHIN-YOKOHAMA
YOKOHAMA BAY
MOTOMACHI
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Samuel West, Reason & Revelation
Probably one of the most contentious assertions of Dr. Gregg Frazer' PhD thesis on "theistic rationalism" as the prevailing political theology of the American Founding is the tenet of "theistic rationalism" that holds while some of the Bible is divinely inspired and while reason and revelation by in large agree, all apparent contradictions between the two must be resolved in favor of "reason." Hence, "reason trumps revelation." Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in their private letters say this in no uncertain terms. I think we could probably add Ben Franklin to the list. He promoted "rational Christianity," doubted the Trinity, admired the "unitarian dissenters" in England like Joseph Priestley (considered unitarians "honest" and "rational") and in one letter stated certain things in the Bible are IMPOSSIBLE to have been given by divine inspiration. Likewise the Rev. Joseph Priestley, a key influence on the American Founders, held the "plenary inspiration of the Bible" to be one of the "corruptions of Christianity."
But there was something more subtle going on as well. American unitarian patriotic preachers like Revs. Jonathan Mayhew, Charles Chauncy, and Samuel West, while they purported to hold both reason and revelation in high regard, didn't go around explicitly claiming "reason trumps revelation" (as far as I have read). However, I think one could argue this is what they DID in their hermeneutic approach to the Bible. In their political sermons, they would first assert things like the law of nature as determined by reason is God given and consequently immutable. When posed with theological issues, in particular submission to tyrants, they would look first NOT to the Bible, but rather to nature/reason for the answer. Once nature/reason determined the TRUTH on the matter, they "found" confirmation in the Bible, even if they had to adopt an odd hermeneutic in order to make "reason and revelation" agree. Thus, they may not have said: "The Bible is partially inspired and fallible; reason trumps revelation." But I think one could argued they PROCEEDED as though this were the case.
With that, let's examine one of Rev. Samuel West's sermons on revolution. West, along with fellow unitarians Mayhew, Cooper, Chauncy and others, promoted the revolutionary cause and they were key in securing its success.
From West's Election Day Sermon. First, West makes it clear that discoveries of reason are at least as viable as scripture:
Now, whatever right reason requires as necessary to be done is as much the will and law of God as though it were enjoined us by an immediate revelation from heaven, or commanded in the sacred Scriptures.
Next West asserts scripture or "right revelation" cannot contract "reason" or the "natural law."
A revelation, pretending to be from God, that contradicts any part of natural law, ought immediately to be rejected as an imposture; for the Deity cannot make a law contrary to the law of nature without acting contrary to himself,–a thing in the strictest sense impossible, for that which implies contradiction is not an object of the divine power.
He then imports wholly a-biblical Lockean “state of nature” teachings -- discoveries "found" in "nature" -- as decisive on the matter:
That we may understand the nature and design of civil government, and discover the foundation of the magistrate’s authority to command, and the duty of subjects to obey, it is necessary to derive civil government from its original, in order to which we must consider what “state all men are naturally in, and that is (as Mr. Locke observes) a state of perfect freedom to order all their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any man.” It is a state wherein all are equal,–no one having a right to control another, or oppose him in what he does, unless it be in his own defence, or in the defence of those that, being injured, stand in need of his assistance.
Had men persevered in a state of moral rectitude, every one would have been disposed to follow the law of nature, and pursue the general good. In such a state, the wisest and most experienced would undoubtedly be chosen to guide and direct those of less wisdom and experience than themselves,–there being nothing else that could afford the least show or appearance of any one’s having the superiority or precedency over another; for the dictates of conscience and the precepts of natural law being uniformly and regularly obeyed, men would only need to be informed what things were most fit and prudent to be done in those cases where their inexperience or want of acquaintance left their minds in doubt what was the wisest and most regular method for them to pursue. In such cases it would be necessary for them to advise with those who were wiser and more experienced than themselves. But these advisers could claim no authority to compel or to use any forcible measures to oblige any one to comply with their direction or advice. There could be no occasion for the exertion of such a power; for every man, being under the government of right reason, would immediately feel himself constrained to comply with everything that appeared reasonable or fit to be done, or that would any way tend to promote the general good. This would have been the happy state of mankind had they closely adhered to the law of nature, and persevered in their primitive state.
Thus we see that a state of nature, though it be a state of perfect freedom, yet is very far from a state of licentiousness….
After establishing the state of nature/man’s reason as the decisive standard to which any truth must conform, West concludes:
The doctrine of nonresistance and unlimited passive obedience to the worst of tyrants could never have found credit among mankind had the voice of reason been hearkened to for a guide, because such a doctrine would immediately have been discerned to be contrary to natural law.
After answering the question using reason and Lockean theories, Samuel West then looks to the scriptures for support, already having his mind made up as to what the final outcome must be. The proof texts are Romans 13 and Titus iii which seem to instruct believers to submit to and obey the civil magistrate even if tyrants:
This account of the nature and design of civil government, which is so clearly suggested to us by the plain principles of common sense and reason, is abundantly confirmed by the sacred Scriptures….in Rom. xiii., the first six verses: “Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation; for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For, for this cause pay you tribute also; for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.” A very little attention, I apprehend, will be sufficient to show that this text is so far from favoring arbitrary government, that, on the contrary, it strongly holds forth the principles of true liberty. Subjection to the higher powers is enjoined by the apostle because there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God; consequently, to resist the power is to resist the ordinance of God: and he repeatedly declares that the ruler is the minister of God. Now, before we can say whether this text makes for or against the doctrine of unlimited passive obedience, we must find out in what sense the apostle affirms that magistracy is the ordinance of God, and what he intends when he calls the ruler the minister of God.
We see West using “context,” and his a-biblical presumptions to explain away these proof texts. He ends up concluding “that the apostle Paul, instead of being a friend to tyranny and arbitrary government, turns out to be a strong advocate for the just rights of mankind….” Or in other words, Paul really meant we do have a right to revolt against the magistrate, the seemingly opposite of what he said. Do keep in mind that the ruler to whom Paul told believers to obey was not some “godly” ruler, but the pagan psychopath Nero. West addresses that point:
I know it is said that the magistrates were, at the time when the apostle wrote, heathens, and that Nero, that monster of tyranny, was then Emperor of Rome; that therefore the apostle, by enjoining submission to the powers that then were, does require unlimited obedience to be yielded to the worst of tyrants. Now, not to insist upon what has been often observed, viz., that this epistle was written most probably about the beginning of Nero’s reign, at which time he was a very humane and merciful prince, did everything that was generous and benevolent to the public, and showed every act of mercy and tenderness to particulars, and therefore might at that time justly deserve the character of the minister of God for good to the people,– I say, waiving this, we will suppose that this epistle was written after that Nero was become a monster of tyranny and wickedness; it will by no means follow from thence that the apostle meant to enjoin unlimited subjection to such an authority, or that he intended to affirm that such a cruel, despotic authority was the ordinance of God. The plain, obvious sense of his words, as we have already seen, forbids such a construction to be put upon them, for they plainly imply a strong abhorrence and disapprobation of such a character, and clearly prove that Nero, so far forth as he was a tyrant, could not be the minister of God, nor have a right to claim submission from the people; so that this ought, perhaps, rather to be viewed as a severe satire upon Nero, than as enjoining any submission to him.
The first point — the epistle was written during the beginning of Nero’s reign when he was “nicer,” not towards the end when he was a tyrant — strikes me as invoking hair splitting context to reach a desired result.
The second point — if Paul said this when Nero was indeed acting tyrannical, he must not have meant it! — shows West’s willingness disregard scripture which disagrees with reason.
But in any event, the question that I ask is what is Rev. West actually DOING in his interpretation of scripture. Is he substituting his "own" judgment derived from "reason" for what's actually written in scripture. Or is his "reasoned" interpretation of scripture consistent with the idea that the whole of the Bible is inspired (I suppose with parts that the Holy Spirit meant not to be taken seriously, but as satire, where the text of the Bible could mean the opposite of what it apparently on the surface teaches).
Where the Action is At
I just noticed this lively Christian Nation debate thread at my friend Ed Brayton's blog. One person there I think has already been banned from the site. But, he is trying to do better today and not engage in what Ed Brayton has termed "ignorant ravings." He has his hands full there.
George Washington v. Fundamentalists
On the Swedenborgs. From a modern fundamentalist website:
Swedenborgianism is also known as The New Church, the Church of New Jerusalem.
Founder: Emanuel Swedenborg, born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1688. Died in 1772. Of course, members of this group deny that Emanuel Swedenborg is the author of the religion, but will admit that it draws it primary theology from his writings.
Headquarters: No single headquarters. The North American headquarters is located in Newtonville, MA.
Membership: 25,000 to 50,000 world wide.
Doctrines: Denies the Vicarious Atonement, the Trinity, and deity of the Holy Spirit. It holds to Christ as divine. All religions lead to God, though all are not equally enlightened. One of its goals is to bring the world together under a new religious understanding. It teaches a need for Christianity to undergo a rebirth — according to Swedenborgian interpretations. The Bible is the inspired word of God with two levels: the historical and the deeper spiritual one. Regarding the Trinity, a Swedenborg pastor said, "The Christian trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are aspects of God just as soul, body, and activities are aspects of each one of us."
There is no personal devil. Instead, the devil is the personification of human evil. Hell is corrupted human society. The Scriptures are best interpreted through the writings of Swedenborg. Angels go through cycles of purity of character where they are sometimes closer and at other it times further from God. Swedenborg stated that the Acts and Epistles were not inspired as are the four Gospels and the Book of Revelation. There is no physical resurrection. After death, a person becomes an angel or an evil spirit. Angels are not supernatural creations of God. Position in the afterlife is based on "the kind of life we have chosen while here on earth."
At a person’s death, his mind falls asleep for three days in a place called the world of the spirits. Afterwards, he awakens and encounters spirits who’ve died before hand who help him adjust to the afterlife.
Origins: Emanuel Swedenborg was born on January 29, 1688 (died 1772) in Stockholm. His father was a Lutheran minister. Emanuel was very bright and had an inquisitive mind. He was particularly interested in science and religion. In the former, he was recognized as an expert in geology and he also studied astronomy, cosmology, and physics. In 1744 he was stricken with a severe delirium which seems to have affected his mind for the rest of his life since many trance states were attributed to him as his life progressed.
In 1745 he had a vision where loathsome creatures seemed to crawl on the walls of his room. Then a man appeared who claimed to be God. This apparition said that Emanuel was to be the one who would communicate the teachings of the unseen realm to the people of the world. He would be the means by which God would further reveal Himself to the world.
Publications: Arcana Coelestia: The Earths in the Universe. The 35 volumes of writings by Swedenborg.
Comments: This is a dangerous mystical non-Christian religion. Its denial of the Trinity and the Holy Spirit, the vicarious atonement, and rejection of Acts and the Pauline epistles clearly set it outside of Christian orthodoxy.
From George Washington:
To the members of the New Church at Baltimore.
It has ever been my pride to mind the approbation of my fellow citizens by a faithful and honest discharge of the duties annexed to those Stations to which they have pledged to place me; and the dearest rewards of my Services have been those testimonies of esteem and confidence with which they have honored me. But to the manifest interpretation of an over-ruling Providence, and to the patriotic exertions of United America, are to be ascribed those events which have given us a respectable rank among the nations of the earth. --
We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition and that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. In this enlightened Age & in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets, will not forfeit his protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the right of attaining & holding the highest offices that are known in the United States.
Your Prayers for my present and future felicity were received with gratitude; and I sincerely wish, Gentlemen, that you may in your social and individual capacities, taste those blessings which a gracious God bestows upon the Righteous.
G. Washington
And yes, the Swedenborgs of GW's day, after Swedenborg himself who, like the Mormons, claimed additional revelation, believed, more or less, what the fundamentalist website reproduced.
This is what Wiki said of ES:
At the age of fifty-six he entered into a spiritual phase in which he experienced dreams and visions. This culminated in a spiritual awakening, where he claimed he was appointed by the Lord to write a heavenly doctrine to reform Christianity. He claimed that the Lord had opened his eyes, so that from then on he could freely visit heaven and hell, and talk with angels, demons, and other spirits. For the remaining 28 years of his life, he wrote and published 18 theological works, of which the best known was Heaven and Hell (1758),[4] and several unpublished theological works.
How this might help an "originalist" interpretation of the religion clauses: Whether Washington was personally saying he had no problems with the theology or just being "diplomatic," one thing is clear: He tells the Swedenborgs they are covered under the US Constitution's "religion clauses."
There is debate as to what exactly was protected under the original federal Constitution. The term "religion" is used generically in Art. VI and the First Amendment. Some Christian Nationalists suggest it meant "Christian sects only." I disagree for a number of reasons. However, the issues in this case are, 1) what is "Christianity"? 2) is Swedenborgianism "Christianity"? And then 3) proceed with your conclusions under the irrefutable premise that whatever Swedenborgianism is, George Washington held it to be equally protected with all of the other "sects" under the US Constitution's laws.
Why John Locke Likely was a Unitarian
Professor John Marshall of Johns Hopkins University explains why John Locke likely was a unitarian. As an authoritative expert on the matter, Marshall is about as top notch as it gets.
John Locke on Romans 13
Paul the Apostle's Epistle to the Romans, Chapter XIII:
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."
This passage was and is the most troublesome political passage in the New Testament, and was responsible for literally millions of words exchanged on the question of political liberty. Men like John Calvin took it as an absolute prohibition against anything resembling revolution or revolt against even the meanest of rulers.
John Locke's treatment of Romans 13 is pretty straightforward: Christians are not exempt from obeying lawful authority just by virtue of being Christian. They have to obey the same laws as everybody else.
On what is "lawful authority," Locke says Paul the apostle "is wholly silent, and says nothing of it," because for Paul or Jesus "to meddle with that, would have been to decide of civil rights, contrary to the design and business of the Gospel"---which of course was the business of salvation, of preparing for the next world, not this one.
Locke notes that it was Paul's intention and prudence, that such "sauciness, sedition or treason" was, in those times of Roman "insolent and vicious" rule, a "scandal to be cautiously kept off the Christian doctrine!" [The exclamation point is Locke's.]
Founding era preacher William Ellery Channing made a similar argument about why the New Testament didn't explicitly ban slavery: "a religion, preaching freedom to the slave, would have shaken the social fabric to its foundation, and would have armed against itself the whole power of the state."
Jesus didn't preach violent revolution, that his church would be arming itself against the whole power of the state. Indeed, we recall that many were disappointed he wasn't that kind of Messiah.
Therefore, sayeth Locke, the "lawful authority" question must be decided by worldly standards, to be "determined by the laws and constitution of their country."
And so, if a legal argument to separate from Britain's constitutional monarchy could be made---and indeed the 27 grievances in the Declaration of Independence like "taxation without representation" was such an attempt---then there was no theological impediment per Romans 13 to such a separation.
Further, Locke asserts "the doctrine of Christianity was the doctrine of liberty," using for his example that Christians were "freed" from observing the "Mosaical" law.
In other words, Locke is dispensing with any supernatural argument that unlawful rulers should be obeyed because it's God's will because Romans 13 says so. According to John Locke, it doesn't.
From Locke's A paraphrase and notes on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Galatians, First and Second Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians, p. 367
[ HT to Ben Abbott for the above citation and link.]
Posted by Tom Van Dyke at 10:00 PM 104 comments: Links to this post
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Abbott on Locke, Reason & Revelation
Longtime American Creation reader Ben Abbott sent me this post on John Locke, Reason & Revelation. Ben is a smart guy and close reader of our blog. He's learned a lot from us and we in turn can learn from him:
Regarding John Locke's opinion of reason and revelation, chapter XVIII of Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding is titled "OF FAITH AND REASON, AND THEIR DISTINCT PROVINCES".
The first first few paragraphs for this chapter are quoted below.
OF FAITH AND REASON, AND THEIR DISTINCT PROVINCES.
1. Necessary to know their boundaries. -- It has been above shown, First, That we are of necessity ignorant, and want knowledge of all sorts, where we want ideas. Secondly, That we are ignorant and want rational knowledge, where we want proofs. Thirdly, That we want general knowledge and certainty, as far as we want clear and determined specific ideas. Fourthly, That we want probability to direct our assent in matters where we have neither knowledge of our own nor testimony of other men to bottom our reason upon.
From these things thus premised, I think we may come to lay down the measures and boundaries between faith and reason; the want thereof may possibly have been the cause, if not of great disorders, yet, at least of great disputes, and perhaps mistakes, in the world: for until it be resolved how far we are to be guided by reason, and how far by faith we shall in vain dispute, and endeavor to convince one another in matters of religion.
Faith and reason what, as contradistinguished. -- I find every sect, as far as reason will help them, make use of it gladly; and where it fails them, they cry out, it is matter of faith, and above reason. And I do not see how they can argue with any one, or ever convince a gainsayer, who makes use of the same plea, without setting down strict boundaries between faith and reason, which ought to be the first point established in all questions. where faith has any thing to do.
Reason therefore, here, as contradistinguished to faith, I take to be the discovery of the certainty or probability of such propositions or truths, which the mind arrives at by deduction made from such ideas which it has got by the use of its natural faculties, viz. by sensation or reflection.
Faith, on the other side, is the assent to any proposition, not thus made out by the deductions of reason, but upon the credit of the proposer, as coming from God in some extraordinary way of communication. This way of discovering truths to men we call revelation. [...]
Locke expresses the opinion that the devout are eager to apply reason ... except when reason fails them. At which point Locke observed they may assert that their claim is a matter of faith and above reason.
But, what is the proper province of reason? What of revelation? By what means are the provinces for reason and revelation deterined? Finally, by what means is the claim of revelation judged? These questions are addressed by this essay by Locke.
In the 2nd paragraph of section 2, with prepositions and non-essential parts removed by me, Locke says;
"Reason [...] as contradistinguished to faith, I take [...] to be the discovery of [...] truths, [...]."
Here, Locke mentions faith, but not revelation. However, in the 3rd paragraph Locke defines the word "faith" to be synonymous with revelation. Although with better prose, essentially Locke says;
"Faith [...] we call revelation."
If the essay were to end here the short of it would be; Reason is superior to revelation in the discovery of truths. However, Locke's argument isn't so simple.
This chapter of Locke's essay contains the sections enumerated below.
Necessary to know their boundaries.
Faith and reason, what, as contradistinguised.
No new simple idea can be conveyed by traditional revelation.
Traditional revelation may make us know propositions knowable also by reason, but not with the same certainty that reason doth.
Revelation cannot be admitted against the clear evidence of reason.
Traditional revelation much less.
Things above reason.
Or not contrary to reason, if revealed, are matter of faith.
Revelation, in matters where reason cannot judge, or but probably, ought to be hearkened to.
In matters where reason can afford certain knowledge, that is be herkended to.
If the boundaries be not set between faith and reason, no enthusiam, or extravagancy in religion, can be contradicted.
A review of the entire chapter, indicates that Locke does place limits upon the province of reason. For example, in section 7 Locke writes;
"7. Things above reason. -- But Thirdly, there being many things wherein we have very imperfect notions, or none at all; and other things, of whose past, present, or future existence, by the natural use of our faculties, we can have no knowledge at all: these as being beyond the discovery of our natural faculties, and above reason, are when revealed the proper matter of faith. Thus, that part of the angels rebelled against God, and thereby lost their first happy state; and that the dead shall rise, and live again: these, and the like, being beyond the discovery of reason are purely matters of faith; with which reason has directly, nothing to do."
Here Locke makes the point that reason has nothing to do (pro or con) regarding notions that are beyond the discovery of our natural faculties.
Then in section 8, Locke clarifies the point in section 7 by asserting that reason is the means to judge what qualifies as a revelation.
"But yet it still belongs to reason to judge of the truth of its being a revelation, and of the signification of the words wherein it is delivered."
In section 9, Locke discusses the practical limits to reason's province.
"Whatever proposition is revealed of whose truth our mind by its natural faculties and notions, cannot judge that is purely matter of faith, and above reason."
And then in section 10, Locke again clarifies that reason is the means to judge what qualifies as revelation.
"Whatever God hath revealed, is certainly true; no doubt can be made of it. This is the proper object of faith: but whether it be a divine revelation or not, reason must judge; which can never permit the mind to reject a greater evidence to embrace what is less evident."
In the final section of the chapter, section 11, Locke warns against not respecting the distinct provinces of reason and revelation, and warns of how religion may suffer in the absence of reason.
"If the provinces of faith and reason are not kept distinct by these boundaries, there will, in matters of religion, be no room for reason at all; and those extravagant opinions and ceremonies, that are to be found in the several religions of the world, will not deserve to be blamed. For, to this crying up of faith, in opposition to reason, we may I think in a good measure ascribe those absurdities that fill almost all the religions which possess and divide mankind. For men having been principled with an opinion that they must not consult reason in the things of religion, however apparently contradictory to common sense and the very principles of all their knowledge, lave let loose their fancies and natural superstition; and have been, by them, led into so strange opinions and extravagant practices in religion, that a considerate man cannot but stand amazed at their follies and judge them so far from being acceptable to the great and wise God, that he cannot avoid thinking them ridiculous and offensive to a sober, good man."
Thus Locke argues that reason is preferred when it is reasonable to apply it, and that revelation is to be judged reasonable before accepting it. In this, I do not find that Locke is saying "reason trumps revelation", but that within its provice, reason is the preferred means of discovery, and that the guardianship of faith is part of the province of reason.
Fea on the Barton & Marshall Controversy
John Fea has an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle on the David Barton, Peter Marshall Texas Public Education history controversy. A taste:
Both Marshall and Barton suggest removing Anne Hutchinson from the curriculum. Marshall describes her as a woman who “didn't accomplish anything except getting herself exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for making trouble.”
The conservative reviewers are not happy that Texas students are learning about Cesar Chavez, a Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist. Marshall's report states that Chavez “is hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation.”
Of course, a strong argument could be made for the inclusion of both Hutchinson and Chavez. It could even be advanced from the perspective of the Christian faith that Marshall and Barton hold dear.
Hutchinson, for example, boldly stood before John Winthrop and defended liberty of conscience in matters of religion. Chavez's labor activism was informed by his Catholicism.
But there is a bigger issue at stake here. It goes beyond the debate over who is “in” and who is “out.” It is the place of history in a school curriculum.
The study of history develops civic awareness and provides us with heroes from the past that we can look up to. This is the kind of history that Barton and Marshall want to promote. This kind of search for a useful past makes sense. Our natural inclination is to find something familiar in history — something that affirms our own convictions in the present.
Historians know, however, that not all of the past is familiar or useful. Not all of the past serves our present-day agendas.
Yet we must study it.
Moncure D. Conway on Washington's Religion
As you can see the dispute over the Founding Fathers' religion has been going on for some time. Even though the letter was written to the New York Times in 1897, the points are still apt. Moncure Conway was a freethinker who did some notable scholarship on George Washington's religion, in particular his lack of Christian orthodoxy.
Even though Conway terms Washington a "Deist," the evidence he then cites, while it does point away from Washington's orthodox Christianity, also somewhat belies the notion that GW was a strict Deist. For instance, Deists don't tend to think any of the Bible is a "benign light," yet unitarians and "Christian rationalists" do believe parts of scripture are benign and enlighted, and it's only those parts in which they tended to believe. Conway also terms Washington a Socinian. Socinians are not Deists, but Unitarians who believe Jesus was not God but 100% man on some kind of divinely inspired moral mission. The 1783 Circular to the States to which Conway refers was not written in Washington's hand but was signed by him. It refers to Jesus as "the Divine Author of our blessed Religion," and if unitarian, seems more Arian, which believes Jesus a divine but created and subordinate being, than Socinian, which views Jesus as only human. This and in one other public address to Delaware Indians, neither written in Washington's hand, but both signed by him, are the only two places Washington discusses the name or person of Jesus at all! This makes it a little tough for those of us who want to with certainty place Washington in a religious box. James Madison and a number other of Washington's contemporaries noted, other than believing in an active personal God Washington seemed not to have formed definite opinions on Christian or other theologies. So it's entirely possible that whereas Jefferson and others actively disbelieved in doctrines like the Trinity, Washington was agnostic on those matters. In any event, let me reproduce the passage where GW appeals to revelation for authority, one of the few places he does so. It is done in an enlightenment rationalistic context:
The foundation of our Empire was not laid in the gloomy age of Ignorance and Superstition, but at an Epocha when the rights of mankind were better understood and more clearly defined, than at any former period, the researches of the human mind, after social happiness, have been carried to a great extent, the Treasures of knowledge, acquired by the labours of Philosophers, Sages and Legislatures, through a long succession of years, are laid open for our use, and their collected wisdom may be happily applied in the Establishment of our forms of Government; the free cultivation of Letters, the unbounded extension of Commerce, the progressive refinement of Manners, the growing liberality of sentiment, and above all, the pure and benign light of Revelation, have had a meliorating influence on mankind and increased the blessings of Society. At this auspicious period, the United States came into existence as a Nation, and if their Citizens should not be completely free and happy, the fault will be intirely their own.
Mayhew, Locke, and Political Theology of The Founding Era Pulpits
This post will resume my quest to respond to some of the arguments of Dr. Gregg Frazer regarding Romans 13. Nonetheless, in an attempt to more align my thoughts with the unique character and format of this blog I have modified my quest that was stated in my last post to attempting to explain why many Clergy at the time of the Revolution:
1) Did not believe that the Declaration of Independence was rebellion against God.
2) Believed that the Bible seemed to uphold the duty of the Christian to submit to theinstitution of government but also allowed(and perhaps demanded)resistance to tyranny in certain circumstances. 3) Validated the THEOLOGICAL and philosophical ideas on government of Shaftesberry and Locke in their pulpits; whether they mentioned them by name or not or agreed with their views on salvation or not.
The sermon that has been the center of this dialogue is the most famous of this period: "Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to Government Powers." It was preached by a man named Jonathan Mayhew and his core theme was that "rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God." For this to be true then the more absolute interpretations of Romans 13 and the extreme doctrines that came with them had to be proven wrong. In short, Mayhew was out to disprove the interpretations of the Bible that lead to the doctrine of the "Divine Right of Kings."
The following is the crux of his argument against a more absolute interpretation that seeks to argue that people must submit to tyrants no matter what they do:
"For what can be more absurd than an argument thus framed? “Rulers are, by their office, bound to consult the public welfare and the good of society: therefore you are bound to pay them tribute, to honor, and to submit to them, even when they destroy the public welfare, and are a common pest to society, by acting in direct contradiction to the nature and end of their office.”
Mayhew is pointing out the inherent contradiction of what Paul would have to be saying if the more absolutist interpretations are to be believed. To interpret this the way loyalists of that day and Frazer do, one would have to believe that Paul was saying not only did we have to submit to people who were obviously violating clear biblical mandates about the duties and obligations of civil rulers but that we had to pay honor to men who were killing people for their own pleasure! Thus, unless one believes that honor is due a tyrant then the first verse of Romans 13 can not mean what they say it does. Either submission does not mean what they say it does or what we are to submit to means something different than what they say it does. In other words, if Frazer and the loyalists are wrong then Paul would seem to be talking about the institution of government in general and not tyrants.
Another sermon of the era, preached by a man named Abraham Keteltas, seems to shed more light on the thoughts of the time on this matter. It was called "God Arising and Pleading His People's Cause." It more or less was stating that God was with the people of the Revolution and was pleading their cause because it was his cause. One would probably ask, If God ordains all authority and the leaders are his anointed then how could the fight of the common people to secure their rights from a King be God's cause?
I think Keteltas sheds great light on this with this excerpt:
"God commanded the Israelites, saying, ye shall not oppress one another. Leviticus 25, 14–17. When the ten tribes had revolted from Rehoboam, because of oppression, and when Rehoboam and Judah went out to fight against them to bring them back to subjection, God sent his prophet to Rehoboam and Judah, saying, ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren! 1 Kings 12, 24. God declared to Abraham, I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee. See also 1. Chron. 16, 22, compared with Psalm 105, 15, where Jehovah is represented, saying, touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm: i.e. God’s anointed people, and not kings, because it is said in the preceeding verse, he suffered no man to do them wrong, yea,he reproved kings for their sake.
If this is to be believed, then God's anointed people can be kings and common folk alike. This would seem to indicate that what God ordained to be submitted to was something different than a tyrant King and possibly just the institution of government itself intimated before.
This brings me to a question that gives us insight into the reasoning behind the Frazer/Loyalist argument:
"If Romans 13 does not mandate subjection to wicked, ungodly, tyrannical rulers -- what sense did it make to the addressees of the letter? What sense did it make to those for whom the letter was written and to whom it was sent -- Christians living under Nero?"
Since this is not a new debate and to bring this discussion into line with the history of this debate lets allow for the fact that Frazer is not just questioning my theologicaland philosophical line of reasoning when it comes to government. He is questioning a line of reasoning that goes back to Locke, Shaftsberry, and possibly some of thescholastics. I put theological in bold face because it seems that most want to read Locke's Second Treatise and ignore his First Treatise. The first is filled with biblical arguments against the Divine Right of Kings and the second is his philosophical views that are grounded in his theology. Thus, if true, this line of reasoning that Frazer questions is based on a theological argument not a non-theological enlightenment one. In other words, Frazer and company will have to answer the question and stop changing the subject by calling everyone who disagrees with them "Theistic Rationalists."
Thus, I will attempt to answer this question as one who is a modern heir to the theological line of reasoning that Locke and others applied to civil government. With that said, a simple look at the History answers Frazer's question. According to several sources I read, Paul wrote Romans in either 54 AD or 56 AD. Since Nero took office in 54 AD it would seem like this question/argument would destroy the whole "Paul wasreferring to good government/institution of government line of reasoning" thatMayhew and company used. As I mulled this over yesterday I assumed that Frazer knew his history so I began to doubt Mayhew's whole line of reasoning.
However, after many hours of reciting story after story in the Bible that would seem to contradict the loyalist/Frazer absolute interpretation, I decided to check the history this morning. As it turns out, this is either a foolish question by Frazer or there is something about the History of this I do not know. If it is the former then this is really a non-question because Nero did not start his persecution until around 64 AD or at least 8 years after Romans was written. Simply, one of Frazer's strongest arguments turns out to be paper thin. Nero's persecution seems to have no bearing at all on what Paul wrote which leaves the door open for the argument that says that Paul was talking about submission to the institution of government in general not to unconditionally to tyrants.
Another argument that Frazer uses against the Lockean style of theological reasoning about civil government is that while there are examples in the Bible of men disobeying authority they should never cross the line into resistance or rebellion. When asked what the difference is because they both seem to be NON-SUBMISSION and a violation of Paul's admonition in Romans 13:1, Frazer responds that submission and obedience are two different things. He states that one can disobey an authority and still submit himself to that authority. He adds that we should only disobey if that authority asks us to do something that God commands us not to do.
The following question was posed as a challenge to me:
"You have not responded to my EVIDENCE for the difference between "subjection" and "obedience." I gave you the Greek meanings of the terms and showed you how they are consciously separated in Titus 3:1. You just keep saying they're the same thing -- do you have any EVIDENCE to support your view?
Titus 3:1 states:
"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good.
I have two thoughts on this. The first is that if submission is absolute in Romans 13 then obedience is absolute according to Titus 3:1. In other words, Paul is telling Titus to tell the people to submit to AND obey the authorities. He adds obedience in this passage to the submission in Romans 13. So this verse actually destroys Frazer'sargument that submission is absolute and obedience is conditional. If Romans 13 is absolute then Titus 3:1 has to be as well. Inversely, this would mean that if obedience is conditional then submission must be as well which contradicts Frazer. If I am right there is no way Romans 13 says what he says it means. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Accordingly, we need to look for another explanation.
This brings me to my second thought on this verse. Paul seems to hint at the type of governments he is talking about when he tells the people to be ready to do "good" in their obedience and submission. This seems to go right along with the stream of theological reasoning as handed down by Shaftsberry and Locke that Paul is talking about the institution of government in general should be submitted to and obeyed. How could they possibly be ready to do "good" by carrying out the commands of a lunatic like Hitler? There has to be more than meets the eye to this right?
Well it seems that there is. In fact, I found a copy of Locke paraphrasing Romans on line last night. I think he can answer for himself as Frazer's line of reasoning continues:
"How can the proper interpretation of a passage of Scripture change based on how it is applied or misapplied? Did God not have a particular message? Did He not know what He was saying -- it depends on how people use it? How could the people to whom the message was originally given know what God wants them to do, since they cannot see into the future to see how men misuse the passage?"
Locke:
"And St. Paul had taught them, in his epistle, that all Christians were free from Mosaic Law. Hence corrupt and mistaken men, especially Jewish converts, impatient as we have observed of any heathen dominion might be ready to infer that Christians were exempt from subjection to the laws of heathen governments. This he obviates by telling them that all other governments derived the power they had from God as well as that of the Jews, though they had not the whole frame of their government immediately from him as the Jews had."
I think his thoughts are self explantory but I think it would be helpful to expound on a couple things. First, is that this kind of interpretation would be consistent with the rest of Romans and epistles in general in that they are often written in response to letters from the people with specific questions and usually to deal with some sort of false teaching that was going on. When Locke uses the phrase "impatient as we have observed of any heathen dominion" refering to the Jewish converts, it would seem that he was referencing other parts of the letter. Accordingly, since most of the letter was written to stress that the Jews were no better than the Gentiles(a common theme in Paul's letter) this would seem to jive. Secondly, from other things I have read, it seems that the people he was writing to were mainly Jewish converts.
In response to Frazer, it would seem that the message that God seems to want to convey according to the theology of Locke, Mayhew, Keteltas, is clear and consistent. It is also specific and relevant to the people of that time as Frazer demands it be. They see that God wants all men to submit to and obey the institution of government itself even if one is a Jew and the government of Gentile. It would seem that they all thought this was as simple as Paul validating Gentile government. It might be possible that he was essentially stating that "all governments, not just Jewish ones, are ordained by God." Also, I think that the fact that Romans 13 was misapplied in the "Divine Right of Kings" is important in that often that is the smoking gun that the the theological interpretation behind the philosophical stance is as flawed as the stance itself. This would seem to be whether Frazer thinks this is relevant or not.
I would also state that some of the doctrines least friendly to liberty were constructed on the shaky foundation of theological interpretations that seek to apply a specific exhortation to a specific people at a specific time and make it universal.(Modern Day Domionists) The best example I can give is Paul telling people it is better not to get married in one letter and in a later letter telling windows to get married if they are going to be busy bodies. Either he changed his mind or there are missing pieces we do not understand because he was addressing a specific audience and more than likely specific questions we are not privy to. I think some of his exhortations to women fall into this trap as well when used to make universal dogma. This can be avoided if we look beyond the surface of what the text seems to indicate to the whole counsel of scripture. We have to realize that there is often information left out of the text of the letters because it would be redundant to the people who are receiving the letter. Thus, a possible reason that "including Non-Jewish" was omitted to give context.
Well enough said. I hope I have done a credible job representing the theological and philosophical ideas on government that were passed on from Shaftsberry to Locke and that made it into numerous pulpits in colonial America during the time of the founding. I know that this dialogue kind of turned into what Tom would call a "intramural battle" of competing doctrines at times. However, I do not want people to lose sight of the three most important points that these posts have tried to make:
1. Many of the Christian philosophical ideas on civil government from the Founding Era are grounded in a stream of theology that is taken from the text of the Bible.
2. That this stream of theology and philosophy on civil government preceded the enlightenment.
3. That to state that these preachers' ideas were shaped more by Enlightenment Philosophy than Christian Theology is wrong.
I part with a quote in response to the charge of number three above from David Barton that I do believe is TRUE:
"While such charges certainly reflect the personal views of these critics, they definitely do not accurately reflect the extended theological debates that occurred at the time of the American Revolution. In fact, contrary to Dr. Cornett's claim that the Founding Fathers turned to Enlightenment rhetoric for validation of the American Revolution, the topic of civil disobedience and resistance to governing authorities had been a subject of serious theological inquiries for centuries before the Enlightenment. This was especially true during the Reformation, when the subject was directly addressed by theologians such as Frenchman John Calvin, German Martin Luther, Swiss Reformation leader Huldreich Zwingli, and numerous others."
Maybe Barton is right about some things. Oh and least someone try to use the old "they are all Theistic Rationalist" lines of thinking, Ketelas was an orthodox as they come judging by the first half of his sermon that was quoted above. From a lot of the reading I have done about Locke I think he was orthodox and liberal. The trouble most have in reading him is that he separated doctrine regarding salvation(Where at first glance he seems Orthodox)from doctrines on civil affairs.(Where he is obviously Liberal) I think we would be wise to do the same and avoid the pitfall of labeling everyone a "Theistic Rationalist" that disagrees with the loyalist/Frazer line of reasoning.
The Problem with Out of Context Quotations
Here is a newish article by Wallbuilders entitled: The Founding Fathers on Jesus, Christianity and the Bible. The first person David Barton turns to for evidence is John Adams, the second President of the United States. The quotations Barton reproduces follow:
The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.1
The Holy Ghost carries on the whole Christian system in this earth. Not a baptism, not a marriage, not a sacrament can be administered but by the Holy Ghost. . . . There is no authority, civil or religious – there can be no legitimate government but what is administered by this Holy Ghost. There can be no salvation without it. All without it is rebellion and perdition, or in more orthodox words damnation.2
Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company: I mean hell.3
The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity.4
Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. . . . What a Eutopia – what a Paradise would this region be!5
I have examined all religions, and the result is that the Bible is the best book in the world.6
Okay, taken at face value, many an evangelical, the Bible is the infallible Word of God, type would think "John Adams was one of us." What Barton doesn't tell us is for his entire adult life Adams identified as a Unitarian. Adams rejected original sin, the Trinity, Incarnation, Atonement and eternal damnation sometimes bitterly and mockingly so. And towards the end of his life Adams got even more heterodox, elevating man's reason so far over revelation that he noted if God Himself revealed the doctrine of the Trinity to him with Moses on Mt. Sinai, he still wouldn't believe it because man's reason proves 1+1+1 = 3 not 1. And asserting exotic world religions like Hinduism and Zeus worship teach "Christian principles."
That's why you have to examine the WHOLE of what a Founder believed, not cherry picked selected quotes, taken out of context which mislead. This kind of clarification is utterly absent from Barton's presentation of the evidence.
James Freeman and King's Chapel
A little history written in 1873 by Henry Wilder Foote on how the first Episcopal Church in New England became the first Unitarian Church in America:
Soon after this time, Mr. Freeman began to feel, scruples concerning those parts of the service which expressed or implied a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity. As he said, long after, "There was a certain concealment practiced before about the Trinity. Fisher (of Salem) has a singular way of satisfying his conscience. He was asked how he could read the Athanasian creed when he did not believe it. He replied, 'I read it, as if I did not believe it.' These are poor shifts. Mr. Pyle being directed by his Bishop to read it did so, saying, 'I am directed to read this, which is said to have been the creed of St. Athanasius, but God forbid that it should be yours or mine.' Another man had set it to a hunting tune and sang it. These, I think, would hardly satisfy the conscience of a truth-loving man." Nothing could have been more remote from his own character.
To the growing clearness in Mr. Freeman's opinions on this doctrine, various circumstances probably contributed. First, it was in the very air of the times and the place, as is shown by the way that similar opinions spread in Boston a little later. And then, the favorite authors whose writings he was reading, — particularly Dr. Priestley, of whom he was a life-long admirer, — were strongly anti-trinitarian. His friendly relations also with the Rev. William Hazlitt, an English Unitarian minister, who visited Boston in the autumn of 1784, doubtless had a considerable influence on his mind.
Mr. Freeman, says Dr. Greenwood, "became more and more convinced that the doctrine of the Trinity was unscriptural and untrue, and more and more uneasy in reading passages of solemn devotion in which it was assumed as a Christian truth. It was a season of great mental trial. . . . He communicated his difficulties to those of his friends with whom he was most intimate. He would come into their houses, and say, 'I must leave you. Much as I love you, I must leave you. I cannot conscientiously perform the service of the church any longer as it now stands.' But this little remnant of Episcopalians loved him, as well as he them, and did not wish to let him go. At length it was suggested to him, 'Why not state your difficulties, and the grounds of them, publicly to your whole people, that they may be able to judge of the case, and determine whether it is such as to require a separation between you and them, or not?' The suggestion was adopted. He preached a series of sermons in which he plainly stated his dissatisfaction with the trinitarian portion of the Liturgy, went fully into an examination of the trinitarian doctrine, and gave his reasons for rejecting it. He has himself assured me that when he delivered those sermons, he was under a strong impression that thy would be the last he should ever pronounce from this pulpit. . . . But he was heard patiently, attentively, kindly. The greater part of his hearers responded to his sentiments, and resolved to alter their Liturgy and retain their pastor.
. . . "Thus did Mr. Freeman, by following the dictates of his reason and conscience, become the first preacher in this country of what he held to be a purified Christian faith; and thus, through the means of his mental integrity and powers of exposition, did the First Episcopal Church in New England become the First Unitarian Church in the New World.["]
This went down circa 1786.
I reproduced this passage in part because I want to stress the dynamic that it should be utterly understandable that Founding era men who disbelieved in the Trinity could worship in Trinitarian Churches, having nowhere else to go or otherwise being wedded to the churches in an "institutional" sense. Indeed there were unitarian ministers in Trinitarian churches, some of whom "reformed" them into Unitarian churches.
Hopefully that above passage will shed light on what it felt like to be a dissenter in a Trinitarian Church who had to put up with hearing and in some cases begrudgingly reciting orthodox doctrines in which one didn't believe.
John Locke, Liberal "Christian"
I've closely read much of John Locke's religious writings. He no doubt, wrote in such a way to purposefully frustrate a close reader trying to figure out his intent. Many of his writings were anonymous. And he spent much of his life running from the law, leaving England for the Continent. He on the surface claimed to be a Christian, that Jesus was the Messiah and the Bible was divine revelation. He also excessively used "reason." And appeared to set reason v. revelation against one another in such a way that his thesis contradicts itself. As a commenter at American Creation put it:
Lockean theological rationalism itself deconstructs itself. Locke claimed "Revelation must be tried at the Court of reason," or something didn't he?? That raises the problem of historical authenticity, miracles and status of other faiths--not to say the problem of justifying the existence of a God a posteriori.
That pleasant Lockean empiricism gives way to Humean concerns, and Hume pretty much reduces ju-xtian scripture and theology to a strange historical footnote via a few paragraphs in the Enquiry. Believe if you will, but never mistake your religious belief for rationality itself (or as supported by evidence).
The followers of Leo Strauss have noted this and other contradictions in Locke's writings and conclude he was a Hobbes imbibed secret atheist trying to deconstruct revealed Trinitarian Christianity.
You can read Locke's Essay on Human Understanding, Chapter 14 where he discusses reason v. revelation here:
14. Revelation must be judged of by reason. He, therefore, that will not give himself up to all the extravagances of delusion and error must bring this guide of his light within to the trial. God when he makes the prophet does not unmake the man. He leaves all his faculties in the natural state, to enable him to judge of his inspirations, whether they be of divine original or no. When he illuminates the mind with supernatural light, he does not extinguish that which is natural. If he would have us assent to the truth of any proposition, he either evidences that truth by the usual methods of natural reason, or else makes it known to be a truth which he would have us assent to by his authority, and convinces us that it is from him, by some marks which reason cannot be mistaken in. Reason must be our last judge and guide in everything. I do not mean that we must consult reason, and examine whether a proposition revealed from God can be made out by natural principles, and if it cannot, that then we may reject it: but consult it we must, and by it examine whether it be a revelation from God or no: and if reason finds it to be revealed from God, reason then declares for it as much as for any other truth, and makes it one of her dictates. Every conceit that thoroughly warms our fancies must pass for an inspiration, if there be nothing but the strength of our persuasions, whereby to judge of our persuasions: if reason must not examine their truth by something extrinsical to the persuasions themselves, inspirations and delusions, truth and falsehood, will have the same measure, and will not be possible to be distinguished.
Locke also almost CERTAINLY was not a Trinitarian, but either a Socinian or Arian. When Locke posited his lowest common denominator -- the "essentials" of Christianity -- he simply said Jesus was the Messiah: No Trinity, no atonement, no orthodox doctrines. In other words his LCD included Arians, Socinians and Trinitarians -- they all believe Jesus was Messiah. He was accused of secretly peddling Socinianism. And his response was NOT "I am a Trinitarian," but rather a Bill Clinton-like "in my whole Essay, I think there is not to be found any thing like an objection against the Trinity...."
Remember during this time it was illegal to explicitly deny the Trinity in England and heretics potentially faced execution for doing so.
Let's leave aside the question of whether Locke were a secret atheist, which no doubt has huge implications for his teachings. What if Locke were simply a unitarian Christian who had a rationalistic method of supplementing the Bible with Truths whose essences are discovered in nature from reason?
Would that make him "not a Christian"? I think the answer is it depends on whose definition of Christianity use. While visiting a lecture at Princeton I discussed this issue with Princeton Professor Paul Sigmund and Jeff Morrison who was a fellow at Princeton's James Madison Program, but now teaches at Regent University. Prof. Sigmund, from what I understand, is a Christian and a political liberal. And he advocates religious based/Christian based arguments on behalf of liberal causes. He is a man of the "religious left" as it were. Jeff Morrison is a conservative evangelical. Morrison lectured on his new book about George Washington's political philosophy. And he noted that though Protestant Christianity clearly influenced Washington and that Washington was a lifelong Anglican/Episcopalian, the evidence that Washington was a "Christian" was ambiguous. Morrison noted this was because he believed one had to believe in the Trinity in order to be a "Christian" and the evidence for GW's Trinitarianism is ambiguous.
When I asked Prof. Sigmund's this question he noted his definition of "a Christian" was one who believed Jesus was a Savior or Messiah, something divinely special about him (even if it was just his mission not his person). That would mean Arians, Socinians AND Trinitarians [and in today's world Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses] are all "Christians." And indeed all of the early Presidents from Washington to Monroe, including Jefferson probably were "Christians." Sigmund calls Locke, in no uncertain terms, a "Christian" yet he also believes (following Johns Hopkins Professor John Marshall) that Locke was an Arian.
The irony here is that America's Founding could be said to have a "Christian" political theology if one takes a more theological liberal, ecumenical, approach to "Christianity." "Civil Christianity" would incorporate not just Trinitarianism, but the unitarian heresies, folks who deny infallibility of the Bible, but who still believe certain "essential" parts to be divinely inspired, perhaps folks like the Mormons who add additional revelation. "Civil Christianity" might EVEN term religions like Judaism, Islam and ANYTHING ELSE "Christian" if the citizen behaves in a Jesus like way. Ghandi, for instance, may be a "Christian" accordingly.
However to the largely evangelical promoters of the "Christian Nation" thesis -- folks who view the Trinity as CENTRAL to "Christianity" -- the "Christian Nation" thesis fails. It is such a wonder that they are the ones who promote the idea of a "Christian Nation" so vociferously.
The Unconfirmed Quotations Hit the Billboards
How embarrassing for the Christian Nationalists. When confronted with the fact that they just shelled out lots of $$ to erect a board of a fake quote, one of them responds:
Others carry the same message but with fictional attribution, as with one billboard citing George Washington for the quote, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."
"I don't believe there's a document in Washington's handwriting that has those words in that specific form," Kemple said. "However, if you look at Washington's quotes, including his farewell address, about the place of religion in the political sphere, there's no question he could have said those exact words."
Refining the definition of deism used when discussing the Founding
I have finished up reading David Holmes's excellent book Faiths of the Founding Fathers. I appreciated his balance and attention to detail throughout, but I thought that one area of his analysis could have been more precise. He characterizes the major Founders as falling into three basic patterns: orthodox Christians, Christian deists, and non-Christian deists. While this might appear at first blushe to be a good way to categorize the religious views of the major Founders, at the end of the day I don't think it is helpful. While the founding era did contain its deists, the folks that Holmes describes are, for the most part, not really what moderns think of as deists when it comes to questions of theology.
Rather, the vast majority of the Founders were theists. The vast bulk of them believed, for example, in a God who is active in human affairs, who is to be worshipped and prayed to, who will judge each and every person after death, etc. Even the least religious of the major Founders -- Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson -- affirmed such a deity. This isn't a "watchmaker god" or some uninterrested deity a la the Roman philosopher Lucretius.
While there is no question that many of the Founders, and most of the major Founders, eschewed orthodox trinitarianism, their conception of God remained essentially theistic rather than deistic. To continue to refer to them as deists risks confusion in the minds of modern folks -- many of whom do not realize that the unitarian theology of many of the Founders was far more conservative than the term "deism" would indicate.
Posted by Mark D. at 6:39 PM 13 comments: Links to this post
Journeys to Space: Ben Franklin to Neil Armstrong
Benjamin Franklin was a man ahead of his time. On the fiftieth anniversary of the moon walk, he might have asked, “What took you so long?”
In a letter to Jane Mecom dated 1786, he mentions an Italian Poet who gives an account of a voyage to the moon, “telling us that all things lost on Earth are treasured there.” Franklin quips that, if so, the Moon must hold a great storehouse of Good Advice.
The Italian author Franklin’s referencing is probably Cyrano de Bergerac, a freethinking philosopher who penned The Other World: The Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon in 1657. In this story, the traveler’s first attempt at space travel involves tying various glass globes filled with dew to his torso; when morning comes and the dew rises, he begins to ascend toward the sun, but then begins to break the globes when his ascent becomes too fast and plummets back to terra firma. Eventually successful in reaching his destination, he discovers a world where the inhabitants live in cities built on wheels, equipped with giant sails and mechanical bellows to self-propel across the landscape. The rest of the account is equally fanciful.
Franklin records quite a different encounter with moon men in a fragment posted to the American Philosophical Society in 1768, where he details the experiences of one William Henry who lived as a captive among the Seneca Indians. On hearing that Europeans believe there is but a single God, the native chieftain objects: “You say there is but one great good Manitta. You know of no more. If there were but one, how unhappy must he be, without friends, without companions, and without that equality in conversation, by which pleasure is mutually given and received! I tell you there are more than a hundred of them; they live in the sun and in the moon; they love one another as brethren; they visit and converse with each other; and they sometimes visit, though they do not often converse with us.” As an avowed polytheist, Franklin was probably not shocked by the idea.
The idea of space travel—and of encountering the inhabitants of other spheres--has stretched the imagination throughout time. From Ben Franklin to Neil Armstrong, Americans will continue to explore the universe, in dream and reality.
Mayhew, Locke, and Political Theology of The Found...
Refining the definition of deism used when discuss...
John Calvin and the American Founding
Does America Have a Creedal Soul?
A Christian Nation? Well, kinda, mebbe, sortof
CN and WWJD in a different context
Conquering Tyrants: A Work of the Devil?
Were the Anglican Whigs Hypocrites
Barton, Marshall and Historical Revision in Texas ...
The Right to Do Wrong
Frazer, Romans 13, and the Divine Right of Kings
The Spirit of the Pilgrims
The "Unconfirmed Quotations" Persist
A priceless phrase is coined
Who gets to be a Founder?
The Mormon "Christian Nation"
AU on David Barton
New Barton Video
Benjamin Rush to Richard Price on Theological Univ...
An Immigrant Praises America's Founders
A poem for Independence Day
Jonathan Rowe on the Radio
Hear Me Interviewed Again
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Mount Vernon: GW's "Spurious Quotations"
From Mount Vernon here. The most notorious as it relates to America's founding political theology: "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible."
Happy Thanksgiving from President Washington
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Posted by Brian Tubbs at 12:09 PM No comments: Links to this post
Religious Freedom Must Extend to the Marketplace or it's Not Religious Freedom
Diversity makes Religious Freedom Essential
The new front in the Culture Wars isn't over prayer in schools or the definition of marriage. While those and other hot-button issues continue to consume media and social attention (and will for years to come), the most serious battles, according to a recent article in the progressive American Prospect, are now being waged in the arena of religious freedom. I believe the editors of The American Prospect are correct. Religious freedom is now the most important political fight being waged in the public square. And religious freedom is a subject on which our Founders had a lot to say.
For most of American history, those who generally embraced a Judeo-Christian moral framework enjoyed decisive majority status. This doesn't mean they all shared the exact same faith or were in agreement on every issue. Far from it. But it does mean that, for most of American history, there was a general sense of familiarity with and mutual respect for the religious underpinnings of our nation's politics and culture. Within that context, Christianity enjoyed somewhat of a seat of honor at the proverbial table. This isn't to suggest that most Americans were Bible-believing evangelicals, but most Americans did profess some measure of affiliation with a Christian church, denomination, or belief system - or at least a genuine (even if somewhat nominal) respect for Christianity.
All this began to change in the 20th century, particularly after the social upheaval of the 1960s and 70s. I'm aware of the cultural changes in the Roaring Twenties, but those changes were somewhat arrested by the Great Depression, World War II, and the renewed push in the 1950s for religious conservatism as evidenced, among other indicators, by the insertion of "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance. The bottom line is that the United States stood firmly on a Judeo-Christian foundation heading into the 1960s. Since then, things have changed considerably. While I would never argue that the United States was "Christian" in any official or legal sense, there was a time when it generally favored Christianity. No more. We now live, for all intents and purposes, in a post-Christian America.
Much has been written in this blog over the specific nature of the personal and political views of the Founders when it comes to religion. We will probably never fully agree on questions concerning the true nature of the faith of men like Washington, Adams, Madison, Hamilton, and so forth, but the historical record is quite clear that all of our Founding Fathers believed in religious freedom. To the extent they differed on religious freedom, it was over what degree the government (at the state level) should favor religion and/or to what extent atheists or those without a religious belief should participate in public life. The consensus that emerged from the founding era is perhaps best represented by the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which provided for the institutional separation of Church and State and affirmed an individual's freedom of conscience.
Recognizing that the United States was never officially Christian and the culture is rapidly transforming into a post-Christian reality, many Christians today have largely abandoned any desire to impose their religious beliefs on others through public policy, but they are nevertheless hoping (even demanding) that their freedom of conscience be respected by this new post-Christian society. I believe they are right to insist on this. In fact, I will count myself among them by saying we are right to demand this.
In a famous 2006 speech on the role of religion in public life, then-Senator Barack Obama declared: "[S]ecularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square." What President Obama said then (as a senator) is just as true for the marketplace as it is for the public square. People of faith should not be expected "to leave their religion at the door before entering" the marketplace or their place of work.
Should they be expected to perform the duties to which they agreed under the terms of their employment? Of course. But the difference between employment and slavery is that the employer owns the worker's labor (within mutually agreed-upon paramaters) not the worker himself or herself. Yet I see things happening today that challenge that social contract between employer and employee - and threaten to undermine the very idea of religious freedom in our society. There are many examples which I could cite. So this article isn't too long, I will confine myself to three:
Federal Insurance Mandates on Corporations - Forcing employers, such as Hobby Lobby, to provide insurance coverage that includes "morning after" or "week after" contraception which the owners consider to be abortion and therefore deeply repugnant to their religious beliefs concerning the sanctity of life
"Civil Rights" Laws on Small or Home-Based Businesses - While no business should be allowed to discriminate against someone solely on the basis of that person's race, gender, color, or sexual orientation, a distinction MUST be made between an event and a person. If a photographer hired by a school to do senior portraits refuses to photograph a gay senior, that's blatant discrimination against a person and should be disallowed. But if a wedding photographer refuses to take pictures of a same-sex wedding, that's "discriminating" against an event. There is a difference, and given the First Amendment's clear affirmation of a person's right to freely exercise his or her religion, such a difference should be respected in our society. We are seeing the erosion of religious freedom in America when it comes to people of faith who own businesses.
Going After Employees or Contractors for Off-Duty Religious Expression - When Cisco and Bank of America terminated leadership consultant Frank Turek's contract with their respective organizations, it wasn't because of his performance on the job, but rather because Turek wrote a book (on his own time) against same-sex marriage. Turek is a Christian author. Cisco and Bank of America would've been justified to issue respective statements distancing themselves from Turek's religious beliefs AND would've been right to fire him had he been proselytizing Cisco or Bank of America employees to his religious views on marriage when he was supposed to be teaching them principles of teamwork, leadership, etc., but that's not what happened. He was fired for things he said and wrote outside of his duties with Cisco and Bank of America. If it's wrong for Cisco or Bank of America to discriminate against employees and contractors for their race, gender, or sexual orientation, it should also be wrong to discriminate against them for their religion. If you disagree with that statement, then it only serves to show how much trouble our nation is in when it comes to the freedom of religion and conscience.
If the American people want to leave behind their Judeo-Christian origins and become an even more secular society, that is their right. We can argue over what the consequences of that will be or whether the Founders would approve. I'll leave that for another article. For this blog post, I'm simply saying this: If the American people wish to become more secular, that's their right. But if we want to stay true to what it means to be the United States of America, we must do so with a high degree of sensitivity and respect for those men and women of faith who wish to practice their faith.
The Founders never believed that a person's faith should only be exercised in the home or in their place of worship. They believed in the free exercise of religion - one that reached into the public square and the marketplace. The day we, as a society, reject this idea and relegate religion solely to the home and place of worship is the day we reject the most important freedom we have - the freedom of belief and conscience. When we do that, our nation will no longer resemble anything the Founders gave us.
Posted by Brian Tubbs at 2:20 PM 28 comments: Links to this post
Throckmorton: "What’s behind David Barton’s war on Christian colleges?"
Read about it here. A taste:
Since evidence actually contradicts Barton’s accusations, why would he make them? Perhaps connecting the dots a bit, Barton also recently accused his Christian academic critics of being recruited by unnamed “secular guys” to critique his book The Jefferson Lies. Well that explains that. The reason Christian professors are coming out against his approach to history is because they have gone to the dark side, being recruited by shadowy “secular guys.”
In fact, in the past couple of years, dozens of unrecruited Christian professors have raised public objections to many of Barton’s claims, historical and otherwise. For instance, Barton told Crossroads Church in Oklahoma City that there has been a “694 percent increase in violent crime since we took the Bible out of schools” in 1963. However, Barton failed to tell his audience that the post-1960s rise in crime peaked in the early 1990s. The crime rate has dropped dramatically since then. The murder rate now, for example, is about what it was before that Supreme Court case.
Posted by Jonathan Rowe at 11:13 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Marcotte: "5 Christian right delusions about history"
By Amanda Marcotte here. A taste:
Barton has convinced the right to believe in their fervent wish that the Founders were religious and even theocratic with quote-mining and outright lying. He likes to whip out this John Adams quote: “There is no authority, civil or religious — there can be no legitimate government — but what is administered by this Holy Ghost.” Problem? Adams was summarizing the opinion of his opponents; that wasn’t Adams’ view at all.
The "Other Guy" Assassinated 50 Years Ago Today
***I realize that this post doesn't have anything to do with America's founding, but in light of today's anniversary I think we can make an exception. Cross-posted at my personal blog***
In the early afternoon hours of November 22, 1963, the Dallas Police Department received word that President John F. Kennedy had been shot. Details were sketchy, but early reports stated that the alleged gunman was a slender white male, in his mid-thirties, about 5'10' and 175 lbs (Oswald was 24 years old, 5'9'' and 150 lbs).
Responding to the call that afternoon was Officer J.D. Tippet, an 11-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. Tippet was also a U.S. Army veteran, a husband and a father of three children (at the time ages 14, 10 and 5).
According to official police reports, along with reports issued by the Warren Commission, Tippet responded to a radio call to help set up a perimeter around the central Oak Cliff area, just outside where President Kennedy had been shot. While in route to the area, Officer Tippet pulled alongside a pedestrian who resembled the vague description of the gunman that had been provided just minutes prior. According to witness reports, Officer Tippet opened the door of his patrol car and exchanged words with the man. Just seconds later, witnesses stated that the man suddenly drew a handgun and fired three shots at close range, all of which struck Officer Tippet in the chest. The gunman then approached Officer Tippet, who had fallen from the first three shots, and fired a final round into his head. Officer Tippet was dead before help arrived.
Shortly thereafter, responding Dallas police officers took a young man named Lee Harvey Oswald into custody. It was reported that Mr. Oswald was "acting suspiciously" when approaching units arrived in the area. After finding his gun and obtaining positive witness identification that he was indeed the shooter, Dallas Police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald for the murder of Officer J.D. Tippet.
It wasn't until later that police officers and Secret Service personnel were able to piece together the facts and conclude that Oswald was indeed the man who had assassinated President Kennedy. Had it not been for the quick response and thinking of Officer J.D. Tippet, who stopped Oswald just 20 minutes after having shot Kennedy, Oswald might have had the serious chance of fleeing from Dallas before being caught.
Kudos to a forgotten hero who gave his life but in the process caught one of the most notorious villains in American history.
Officer J.D. Tippet
Tour of Service: 11 years, 4 months
End of Watch: November 22, 1963
Posted by Unknown at 9:56 PM 1 comment: Links to this post
Throckmorton: "David Barton’s Biblical Constitution: What If The Constitution Really Quoted The Bible?"
If the Constitution included such language, immigrants would have rights they don’t have now and there would no need for immigration reform. Rather, the Constitution invests Congress with the powers to make laws and establish policies (which could do what this verse suggests if the political process leads to that end).
If the Constitution quoted Deuteronomy 17:15, the nation would need to discern somehow who God had chosen to be king. Also, in Deut. 17:20, the Bible notes that the chosen king’s descendants will rule a long time if the king follows God’s instructions. Clearly, our Constitution does not reflect those Bible verses. Furthermore, one does not need the Bible to see the reasonableness of requiring citizenship as a condition of political leadership.
John Fea & Daniel Dreisbach
John tells us about it here. A taste:
On Friday night, following McKenzie's talk, the teachers were treated to a lecture by Daniel Dreisbach of American University. He discussed the ways the Founding Fathers used the Bible in their revolutionary-era discourse. Dreisbach made a compelling case that the Bible was very important to the founding generation as one of the sources (along with Whig political thought, Enlightenment thought, the classics, etc...) that influenced their political ideas. They quoted it, referenced it, and even appealed to its language without directly referencing it. Dreisbach did not dwell on whether or not the Founders used the Bible correctly (at one point he said that their constant appeal to the Book of Deuteronomy was "tortured"), but that was not his assignment.
America’s Moderate Liberalism: Rediscovering Montesquieu, Recovering Balance
By Paul O. Carrese here. A taste:
... But Montesquieu also argued that we are social beings, and naturally open to religious belief. We are shaped by culture and history, but philosophers and statesmen can push back. Thus he condemned slavery, harsh penal laws, religious persecution, and other forms of despotism. Montesquieu is neither a historicist liberal nor a Frenchified Lockean liberal. He embodies the moderate Enlightenment, and moderate liberalism.
Shain on Zuckert on Locke
Found here. A taste:
In Part Two, a section of three essays, we are introduced, although far more subtly, to another plank in the Straussian system of belief—that is, that anyone as clever as Locke could not possibly have been a believer in a different system of belief, one including a belief in God. The cornerstone to this contention rests on Zuckert’s insistence that Locke’s “‘official theory of revelation’ has many difficulties,” in particular, that “in order to verify any alleged revelation as a real revelation, reason must have rational knowledge of the existence of a revealing God…. But it is Locke’s view that reason is not in possession of such rational knowledge of the existence of a revealing God…. Since Locke lacks rational knowledge of a revealing God, he knows of no authentic revelation, including of course the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures.”
Forster: David Barton’s Traveling Medicine Show
By Greg Forster here. A taste:
Uh-huh. Given Barton’s history of outrageous fabrication, I wouldn’t bet the ranch on that “actual number.” In fact, it’s noteworthy that in National Review’s coverage of the story, the quotations most effusively praising Barton come from anonymous sources; the quotes from named sources mostly complain about the incumbent and lament that we need a real conservative. I can’t help but wonder why those sources felt the need to stay anonymous. If it turned out that the massive grassroots groundswell for David Barton consisted mostly of the same old David Barton Traveling Medicine Show hyping itself, my world would not exactly be turned upside-down.
Rodda: The Lies Used by Jay Sekulow to Defend an Oath Against Lying: An Open Letter to the Superintendent of the Air Force Academy
Writing at Huffpo here. A taste:
Optionally adding the words "so help me God" is, of course, anyone's right. These words, however, should not be a part of the official oath, where they inevitably lead to situations in which cadets are forced or coerced to say them. Therefore, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has demanded that the words be removed. This, of course, has cause a media firestorm, and even proposed legislation to prevent the oath from being changed.
The defenders of "so help me God" are claiming that things like this were the intent of the founders and have deep historical roots, and, as expected are using quite a few lies about American history to support this claim -- ironically lying to defend an oath in which cadets swear not to ... um ... lie.
Those Bloody Papists?: Why, Even the Term "Roman" Catholic Was an English Insult
Bloody Papists!
An interesting tidbit I ran across the other day—”Roman” Catholic was a term spread by the English in the 1600s as a pejorative. The church’s name is the Catholic Church, “catholic” of course meaning “universal.” The English “Protestants” wanted to claim the word “catholic” for themselves, though as we know it didn’t really stick.
The "Four Marks of the Church" that appear in the revision of the Nicene Creed of 381 CE are that the Church is
Well, after Henry VIII takes over the Catholic Church in 1536, it's hardly "one" or "catholic" anymore--unless Henry's is true and the "Roman" one is the fake. In fact, the Anglican Church's "Thirty-Nine Articles" makes exactly that claim, calling its doctrine "catholic" over 200 times while distinguishing itself from the "Romish" church 27 times.
Which is where all of Protestantism went in its theological claims---"Rome" and its "Papism" is the fake, and Protestantism is the "true religion"---a phrase used countless times by the American founding generation to refer to themselves as opposed to Catholicism. So whenever you read the term "true religion" in the Founders' documents, now you know what they mean.
Although it may previously have appeared elsewhere sporadically, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia*, "Roman" Catholic came into its now common use in the English-speaking world as a result of the Anglican schism, of circa 1600s British politics.
Who knew? I bet not even 1 Catholic in 100, let alone everybody else these days. Stupid bloody papists. They don't even know when they're being insulted!
*"A study of these and other early examples in their context shows plainly enough that the qualification "Romish Catholic" or "Roman Catholic" was introduced by Protestant divines who highly resented the Roman claim to anymonopoly of the term Catholic. In Germany, Luther had omitted the word Catholic from the Creed, but this was not the case in England. Even men of such Calvinistic leanings as Philpot (he was burned under Mary in 1555), and John Foxe the martyrologist, not to speak of churchmen like Newel and Fulke, insisted on the right of the Reformers to call themselves Catholics and professed to regard their own as the only true Catholic Church. Thus Philpot represents himself as answering his Catholic examiner: "I am, master doctor, of the unfeigned Catholic Church and will live and die therein, and if you can prove your Church to be the True Catholic Church, I will be one of the same" (Philpot, "Works", Parker Soc., p. 132).
It would be easy to quote many similar passages. The term "Romish Catholic" or "Roman Catholic" undoubtedly originated with the Protestant divines who shared this feeling and who were unwilling to concede the name Catholic to their opponents without qualification. Indeed the writer Crowley, just mentioned, does not hesitate throughout a long tract to use the term "Protestant Catholics" the name which he applies to his antagonists. Thus he says "We Protestant Catholiques are not departed from the true Catholique religion" (p. 33) and he refers more than once to "Our Protestant Catholique Church." (p. 74)
On the other hand the evidence seems to show that the Catholics of the reign of Elizabeth and James I were by no
means willing to admit any other designation for themselves than the unqualified name Catholic."
Posted by Tom Van Dyke at 10:27 PM 15 comments: Links to this post
Labels: "Roman" Catholic, Van Dyke's posts
Religious Freedom Must Extend to the Marketplace o...
Throckmorton: "What’s behind David Barton’s war on...
Marcotte: "5 Christian right delusions about histo...
Throckmorton: "David Barton’s Biblical Constitutio...
America’s Moderate Liberalism: Rediscovering Monte...
Rodda: The Lies Used by Jay Sekulow to Defend an O...
Those Bloody Papists?: Why, Even the Term "Roman" ...
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Another Response to David, Part 5: Paul's Knowledge of Jesus
Since Paul is the earliest writer in the New Testament, a running constant throughout a rational examination of Christian origins is the question: What did Paul know of Jesus? Specifically, what did Paul know of the earthly Jesus, the Jesus before crucifixion. The gospels did not exist yet when Paul was missionizing his churches and writing his letters. The gospels were written well after this time, and a comparison of what Paul writes in his letters with what we read in the gospel narratives raises some fascinating questions. Scholars for over two centuries now have noted the profoundly different views of Jesus which, on the one hand, the early epistles, including but not limited to Paul’s, and on the other the gospels give us. Wells summarizes the problem as follows:
If we now ask what can be learned from Paul of Jesus’s pre-crucifixion life, the answer is: nothing except that he was descended from David (Rom. 1:3) and born of a woman under the Jewish law (Gal. 4:4). Paul never mentions Mary or Joseph (nor does any other NT epistle writer) and says nothing to suggest that the birth was from a virgin mother. For him, Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power” by dint of his resurrection (Rom. 1:4), not by a supernatural birth, nor by manifestations of power such as miracle-working or exorcisms during his lifetime. He never even suggests that Jesus had been active in Jerusalem and Galilee. Tom Wright, Dean of Lichfield, says again and again in his 1997 book that Paul preached “Jesus of Nazareth”, whereas in fact Paul never mentions Nazareth and says nothing to link Jesus with the place. Within the NT, the title ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ is used only in Acts... The position is no better in respect to Paul’s knowledge of Jesus’s teaching. He never suggests that Jesus taught in parables, even though these are quite central to the synoptic teaching. He also never suggests that Jesus was involved in doctrinal conflicts with Pharisees. At no point in his letters where he is expounding the central content of his gospel does he cite or clearly allude to any saying of Jesus. No question was more central to Paul than whether it was necessary for Christians to keep the Jewish law, yet the controversies on the matter recorded in his letters, and even in Acts, show no knowledge of the various teachings on the law that are ascribed to Jesus in the gospels. In these, the parts of the law most prominent are the regulations about Sabbath and about food; and if Jesus’s attitudes on these matters had been as lax as some gospel passages suggest, this would surely have surfaced in other documents where these issues are to the fore. According to Mk. 7:19, for instance, he declared all foods clean. Paul can have known nothing of this, for he records a furious quarrel with Peter as to whether it was permissible for Christian Jews and Christian gentiles to eat together (Gal. 2:11-16), and it took a thrice-repeated post-resurrection revelation even to half convince Peter to permissiveness on the matter (Acts 10:9-17). Again, at Gal. 4:10 Paul reproves Christian opponents on the ground that they observe special “days”, and this must include Sabbath observance. But he does not support his case with any suggestion that Jesus had transgressed the Sabbath, had allowed his disciples to do the same, and had justified such action publicly in debate – all of which is alleged in the gospels. As to the all-important matter as to whether Christians need to be circumcised, Paul obviously knew nothing in Jesus’s teaching or behaviour to which he could appeal, and has to resort to a quite desperate argument in order to controvert the clear doctrine of Genesis 17:10 (“every male among you shall be circumcised”). How arbitrary Paul’s argument is has been well brought out by E.P. Sanders’s summary of it ([Paul], pp. 55ff). (The Jesus Myth, pp. 58-59)
As we note these and other similar points of remarkable difference between the portrait of Jesus in the gospels and Paul’s treatment of Jesus in his writings, the tell-tale signs of legend-building begin to emerge and make themselves noticeably apparent. But Christian literalists, anxious to protect their religious confession from the threat that such analysis poses for Christianity, busy themselves with the task of damage-control, hoping to discredit the message-bearers if they can’t discredit the message itself.
In the present case, commenter David has listed what he apparently thinks are good indications in Paul’s letters that Paul had knowledge of the Jesus we read about in the gospel narratives. I will review these and see whether they really do point to the Jesus of the gospel narratives, or if they are in fact primitive rudiments which later narrative-constructors adapted in their growing yarn of Jesus’ pre-crucifixion life.
As for whether or not the gospel writers used Paul as a source, this is unclear. However, as I have shown, many of the teachings which Paul gives as his own or as inspired by his interpretation of ‘the scriptures’ are put into Jesus' mouth in the gospels. This suggests that later writers were using sources that were influenced by Paul, even if they did not mention or credit Paul.
David responded:
I haven’t been shown any examples of this,
You have. Go back and check our exchanges. One of the Wells quotes that I gave lists several examples. There are plenty more, but the Wells quote is sufficient to show this.
David wrote:
but I have heard about lots of things Paul doesn’t mention.
Indeed. Does Paul mention Bethlehem? Nazareth? The virgin birth? Son of a carpenter? Escape from the slaughter of the innocents? A baptism by John the Baptist? Miracle-working? Magic cures? A ministry in various towns throughout Judea and in Jerusalem? Conflict with the chief priests? Teaching in parables? The feeding of five thousand? The raising of Jairus’ daughter? The raising of Lazarus? A trial before Pilate? A crucifixion outside Jerusalem? An empty tomb? Pentecost? Etc. Etc. Not only is Paul silent on these things, but all the early epistles are! These elements simply weren’t part of the legend yet. As the story was retold, they began to be added into the mix, until the resulting product is what we have in the gospels (and many non-canonical writings) today.
What about some things he does tell us about Jesus?
Yes, let’s look at them.
Jesus was born in human fashion, as a Jew, and had a ministry to the Jews. (Galations 4:4)
Yes, Paul does say that Jesus was born. But where was he born? When was he born? Who were his parents? Paul gives us no indication of these things. Paul mentions that he had a mother, but nowhere suggests that he was born a virgin. This legendary element came later as some communities sought to assimilate motifs from rival religions into their own version of Christianity.
Jesus was referred to as "Son of God". (1 Cor. 1:9)
On this, Wells notes significantly:
Paul characteristically applies to [Jesus] titles such as Lord and Son of God – titles which already existed within Judaism and also in pagan religions (see [H. Braun, ‘Der Sinn der NT Christology’, Zeitschrift fur Theologie und Kirche, 54, pp 350-1) – although Jewish monotheistic influences prevents the earliest Christian writers from calling him God. (Did Jesus exist?, p. 18)
If this is true – that the title “Son of God” was already in use “within Judaism and also in pagan religions” – this is another motif which Christianity borrowed from predecessor religions and applied to Jesus. As such, it has theological, but not historical meaning: it does nothing to specify a historical setting to Paul’s Jesus.
Jesus was a direct descendent of King David. (Romans 1:3)
David was highly venerated by the Jews, as the legends about him in the OT indicate. Also, since Paul was drawing on OT themes as the palate for his portrait of Jesus, linking him to David would hardly be surprising. Again Wells poignantly nails it:
There are many centuries between David and Paul, and Paul gives no indication in which of them Jesus’ earthly life fell. (Did Jesus exist?, p. 18)
The reference to Jesus as coming from the seed of David opens the possible timeline for Paul’s Jesus significantly.
Jesus prayed to God using the term ‘abba’. (Galations 4:6)
When does Paul have his Jesus do this, and where? How does Paul know? Is Paul making a historical reference, or is he making a theological point? The context of the Galatians passage suggests the latter rather than the former. This interpretation is only buttressed by its appearance in Mark, the earliest gospel:
Jesus in Gethsemane (Mk. 14:36) address God with the Aramaic word ‘abba’ (father). Mark supplies no witnesses who could have heard what was said, and also finds it necessary to put into Jesus’ mouth the Greek translation of the word (making him say: ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee’). Nevertheless, Jeremias insists that the logion is genuine since in Jewish traditions God is never address simply as ‘abba’ without some additional qualifying phrase, such as is preserved in Matthew’s ‘our father who art in heaven’ ([‘Kennzeichen der ipsisima vox Jesu’, in Synoptische Studien, Festschrift fur A. Wikenhauser], p 89). To this the adequate reply has been made ([Haenchen, Der Weg Jesu], p 493) that Paul’s references to an early Christian practice of ‘Abba, Father’ (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6) show that ‘abba’ followed by its Greek translation was a formula current in Hellenistic Christian circles, and that Mark has simply put it into Jesus’ mouth. And a leading Jewish scholar (Vermes, [Jesus the Jew], pp 210-11) has given evidence that ‘abba’ was used in the prayer language of the Judaism of the day in precisely the manner in which Jeremias and other Christian scholars have declared to be ‘unthinkable’. (Did Jesus exist?, p. 75)
So again, we have an early theological reference which was imported into the Christian tradition and later treated as a historical datum.
Jesus expressly forbid divorce. (1 Cor. 7:10)
Does Paul say when, or where, or indicate the circumstances of this delivery? How would Paul know this? That’s right, Paul appeals to revelation as the means by which he learned his gospel. Later writers could easily take such references and put them into a portrait of an earthly Jesus purported by some to be historical. How hard would it be to do this?
Jesus taught that ‘preachers’ should be paid for their preaching. (1 Cor. 9:14)
Another feature that Paul got from the OT. He even quotes Deut. 25:4 in I Cor. 9:9. Paul is not giving evidence of familiarity with an earthly Jesus here; he gives no indication of a historical setting on earth where Jesus would have given such instruction, and attributes the teaching to “the Lord,” for Paul, the risen Jesus, not the earthly Jesus. The later writers (i.e., of the gospels) take this reference, which has ecclesiastical significance for Paul, and give it the impression of historical significance by putting the teaching into Jesus’ mouth (cf. Mt. 10:10; Lk. 10:7).
Jesus taught about the end-time. (1 Thess. 4:15)
Let's look at what I Thess. 4:15 states:
For this we say unto you by word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Again, Paul is here appealing to “the Lord” (as opposed to Jesus), which signifies for him the risen savior. Nor Paul does indicate a historical context for the teaching he ascribes to “the Lord.” By referring to “we” here (instead of “they” or some other third person reference), Paul indicates (as he does in other passages) his belief that Jesus’ return was coming soon, probably even within his own expected lifetime. No such luck. But this did not prevent later writers from adapting the gloom and doom eschatology and putting it into Jesus’ mouth.
Paul refers to Peter by the name Cephas (rock), which was the name Jesus gave to him. (1 Cor. 3:22)
Paul tells us that he had a very involved conflict with Peter, but he never tells us that Jesus gave Peter this name. This is not even hinted at in anything Paul says about Peter. In fact, Paul nowhere indicates that Peter was a traveling companion of Jesus on earth before the crucifixion. Later writers were probably perplexed by the use of two names for Peter, and explained it by having the Jesus of their narratives give the name Cephas to Peter in an exchange which is nowhere given in Paul.
Jesus had a brother named James. (Galations 1:19)
We've already beaten this horse to death. Paul never gives a brother to Jesus - that is, a biological sibling to the earthly, pre-crucifixion Jesus. Paul is clear in reference James as "the brother of the Lord," which title signifies the post-resurrection Jesus. James, it was seen, was referred to as one of the "pillars" of the church by Paul. It is most probable then that Paul is referring to James with a fraternity title, similar to the one he uses for an unspecified number of persons in I Cor. 9:5, where he states: "Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?" Here Paul is obviously referencing the upper echelon of the Christianity of his day. It would be hard to suppose that Paul is referring to a group of biological siblings of Jesus here. Instead, he's speaking of an inner circle group, who were obviously held in high regard. The assumption that Paul is referring to a biological relationship is generated by reading the gospel details into Paul's letters, when in fact Paul's letters in no way confirm this reading.
Jesus initiated the Lord's supper and referred to the bread and the cup. (1 Cor. 11:23-25)
As I asked before, when does Paul say this happened? Where? Under what circumstances? Who attended this event? Paul doesn't give any details. Later writers came along and supplied them. Paul gave the primitive rudiments, indicating no time, place or historical setting. In fact, I don't even find any indication that Paul is associating "the Lord's supper" with the Passover. It would be temptingly easy for later writers to take what Paul writes here and redress it in a narrative situation that seemed historical, but is essentially just a piece of fiction.
Jesus was betrayed on the night of the Lord's Supper. (1 Cor. 11:23-25)
As above.
Jesus' death was related to the Passover Celebration. (1 Cor. 5:7)
Look at what the passage does say:
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us
Is Paul saying that Jesus was crucified around the Passover holiday? I don't get that from this. This is Pauline symbolism, derived from his Jewish roots, and later writers took references like this and assembled them into their narrative. Again, it would be temptingly easy for them to do this.
The death of Jesus was at the hands of earthly rulers. (1 Cor. 2:8)
The passage says:
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
It is not clear what Paul means here by "princes of this world" (the ESV translates this phrase as "rules of this age" and the ASV has it as "rulers of this world"). Doherty has some interesting thoughts on this:
Where, then, was Jesus crucified and by whom? Like the myths of the savior gods, this deed took place in the mythical world, the upper spirit realm of Platonic philosophy, where spiritual processes were seen to be located. It was the work of demon spirits. Paul says, in I Corinthians 2:8, that those who “crucified the Lord of glory” were “the rulers of this age.” That phrase is not a reference to human authorities on earth, but to the demon spirits, who were regarded as controlling the world in the present age of history and who would be overthrown with the arrival of the new apocalyptic age... This was the interpretation of 2:8 by ancient commentators like Marcion and Origen. Modern critical scholars have largely followed suit: Brandon, Barrett, Hering, Fredriksen. Paul Ellingworth, Translator’s Handbook for I Corinthians, p. 46, says: “A majority of scholars think that supernatural powers are intended here.” The Ascension of Isaiah, a Jewish-Christian document in the Pseudepigrapha, foretells the Son descending through the layers of heaven, hiding his identity from the angels and demons until he reaches the lower celestial sphere, where he is “crucified by the god of the world,” meaning Satan (chapter 9). The crucifixion of Paul’s Christ was a spiritual event. (Challenging the Verdict, pp. 250-251)
So “princes of this world” or “rulers of this age” may in fact not mean human agents, but supernatural agents of evil who have seized control of the world.
In any case, Paul seems to be excusing Jesus' executioners for their ignorance, and granting them a moral caliber that just needed better information. I've known a lot of Christians who accuse all human beings of being guilty of crucifying Jesus (even though those who are alive today weren't around 2000 years ago in the first place).
Jesus underwent abuse and humiliation. (Romans 15:3)
These are themes that are common throughout the Psalms and Isaiah, both of which very highly influenced Paul’s views. Romans 15:3, the very passage you cite here, quotes Psalms 69:9, which is attributed by the OT to David! Moreover, when Paul refers to Jesus’ abuse and humiliation, he refers to them only vaguely, and gives no historical setting, indicating no specifics of the occasion. Later writers (i.e., of the gospels) take this motif and elaborate on it in their passion scenes, which are variously embellished in the different versions.
Jewish authorities were involved with Jesus' death. (1 Thess. 2:14-16)
Doherty points out for us that many scholars are of the view that I Thess. 2:15-16 is an interpolation into an otherwise (for the most part) authentically Pauline letter. He writes:
What then are we to make of the passage in 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16, about the Jews "who killed the Lord Jesus"? Well, many scholars (e.g., Mack, Koester, Pearson, Meeks, Perkins, Brandon: see the Bibliography at end) have tended to make short work of it, dismissing it as an interpolation by some later editor or copyist. (Who Crucified Jesus?)
Wells points out that RE Brown, in his The Death of the Messiah (p. 378-381), has summarized the reasons for this, and quotes Furnish (Jesus According to Paul, p. 70) as saying of this passage that “there are good reasons to think that it has come from a later hand” (in Wells’ The Jesus Legend, p. 24).
Jesus died by crucifixion. (2 Cor. 13:4 et al)
Yes, Paul does affirm that Jesus died by crucifixion. I don’t think anyone with any familiarity with Paul’s writing would venture so much as to call this facet of his Jesus into question. It is certainly not a point of contention for me. But what’s curious is that Paul does not allude to any of the accompanying details that we find in the gospel passion scenes. Paul nowhere gives any indications of the time or place of Jesus’ crucifixion; for all that Paul gives us, it could have happened 100 years (or more) before Paul was running about growing his churches. According to the gospels, Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem, but you would never learn this going by what Paul has to say. Yes, Paul tells us that Jesus was crucified, but leaves all the details open to a wide assortment of possible variables, and nothing in Paul necessitates the details we find in the gospel narratives, which were written well after Paul’s time.
The Suffering Servant motif was already central to the prophets and the Wisdom literature, both of which figure largely in Paul's worldview. As we saw, Paul's Jesus hailed from a lineage of a royal Jewish household, the house of David. Any connection between Paul's view of Jesus and actual historical events was probably vastly different than one familiar only with the gospels might suppose. Wells gives some pertinent clues in the following passage:
My view is that Paul knew next to nothing of the earthly life of Jesus, and did not have in mind any definite historical moment for his crucifixion. As we saw, holy Jews had been crucified alive in the first and second centuries BC, but traditions about these events, and about the persecuted Teacher of Righteousness, could well have reached Paul without reference to times and places, and he need not have regarded their occurrences as anything like as remote in time as they in fact were. Whenever it was that Jesus had lived obscurely and died, he had, for Paul, returned promptly after death to heaven; and the evidence for this exaltation, and indeed for his whole religious significance, was his recent appearances to Paul and to contemporaries of Paul which signaled that the final events which would end the world were imminent... Thus even if the death and resurrection were put at some indefinite time past, it remains quite intelligible that Christianity did not originate before the opening decades of the first century AD. Nor need any supposed relevance to Jesus of the Wisdom literature have been appreciated earlier. (Can We Trust the New Testament?, p. 34)
Jesus was physically buried. (1 Cor. 15:4)
Does Paul specify that Jesus’ dead body was put into a tomb? No, he nowhere does this. Does Paul indicate when Jesus was buried? No, he does not. Does he indicate where Jesus was buried? No, he does not. Does he indicate the circumstances under which he was buried? No, he does not, he only indicates that Jesus died by crucifixion, but indicates nothing of the details of this occasion. Later writers took what is for Paul more of a theological dogma and cast it into a historical context, inventing all kinds of details (e.g., the earthquake, the rising of the saints, the tear in the veil, Joseph of Arimathaea, the packing of the body in spices, the guards at the tomb, the visitation of the women to the tomb, the angels at the tomb, etc.). All these are elements of great story-telling, for sure, but they’re only stories, legends by any other name.
The conclusion here is unavoidable: none of the features and motifs which have been discussed here put Paul's Jesus in any specific time, location or situation. Each can be explained without appeal to the gospel narratives, and each could have easily been assimilated by later writers in concocting a narrative of Jesus' life. In fact, what David has isolated for us is some of the raw material that was central to the creation of Christian story-making, the stuff of legends which grew in scale and impressiveness as the yarn was reworked and refashioned to suit new theological needs and new social challenges.
Posted by Bahnsen Burner at 6:00 AM 7 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Christian Legends
Another Response to David, Part 4: Paul, Q and Groping Traditions
I'm not talking linguistic philosophy either. You had mentioned ‘the building blocks of thought’, and those are concepts, not words. This is basic epistemology, not linguistic philosophy. You can't have language without concepts. The ability to form concepts comes first, but language helps us retain and organize the concepts we've formed.”
This is a silly quibble, but just so you don’t think I’m being dishonest in what I stated: ‘Words are the unit of thought in most of our thinking and writing; they are the bricks of our conceptual formulation.’ (Ramm, Protestant Biblical Interpretation, 3 ed., page 128)
I didn’t think you were being dishonest, David. I just think you’re wrong. I think Ramm is wrong as well, but I’ve come to expect such espousals from Christians. Christianity has no theory of concepts, so it comes as no surprise to find Christians confused on this matter. In fact, it is no “silly quibble.” The absence of the objective theory of concepts is one of chief problems with any mystical worldview. As I mentioned, words are symbols – specifically, auditory/visual symbols – which represent concepts. I quote Rand:
A word is merely a visual-auditory symbol used to represent a concept; a word has no meaning other than that of the concept it symbolizes, and the meaning of a concept consists of its units. It is not words, but concepts that man defines—by specifying their referents. (Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, p. 52)
Though he most likely does not realize it, Ramm is propounding a falsehood.
Regarding the word study fallacy you keep insisting is proper exegesis: Straight out of a hermeneutics textbook, under the heading of “word-count fallacy”: “We make this mistake when we insist that a word must have the same meaning every time it occurs. For example, if we are confident that a word carries a certain meaning in seven of its eight occurrences in Scripture, we might be tempted to conclude that it must have the same meaning in its eighth occurrence. Yet as Darrel Bock maintains, ‘word meanings are determined by context, not word counts’.” (Bock, “New Testament Word Analysis pg. 111, A Hands on Approach To Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, Duvall pg 130)
If this is the definition of the word study fallacy, then I have not committed it. For one, I have considered the context of the passage in question in determining the meaning of “brother of the Lord,” for as I (and many others) have pointed out, Paul says “brother of the Lord, not “brother of Jesus.” I buttressed my interpretation by citing a source which explicitly defines “Lord” as a title, when you called it a name. Furthermore, I nowhere maintained that, because other instances of the word “brother” in Paul’s letters denotes a spiritual rather than biological relationship, it must therefore mean a spiritual as opposed to a biological relationship in the passage in question. This is clear from my statement that it most likely rather than necessarily means a spiritual relationship in the passage in question.
You deem my inquiries about James as trifling, but even Wells himself says that his theory stands or falls on this. Indeed the reason I have pressed this point is because your original statement about a recent resurrection in Paul demand such evidence be discussed.
Let's keep in view what I had actually stated. I wrote:
Now David, I did pose some questions on how revelation is supposed to work, but I do not see that you’ve addressed them. Instead, you seem to prefer trifling over a passing reference to James as "the brother of the Lord," which seems to be a very small matter in comparison to the claim to have received a revelation from a deity.
Keep in mind that I am more of a philosopher than a historian (the former is more a passion where the latter is more a side hobby). A major branch of philosophy is epistemology - how do we discover and validate our knowledge, and how do we establish our knowledge claims? - and is probably the most important area of philosophical inquiry. Paul claims to have received his gospel directly from the risen Christ by means of revelation (Gal. 1:11-12). It seems that anyone can claim anything and say he knows it by means of revelation. How do I know that Paul really received a revelation from some divine source? How could I verify this? Apparently I'm supposed to just take his word for it, for nothing objective is offered to secure such a claim. And questioning such a claim is a big no no in Christianity: it is tantamount to questioning whether or not the divinely approved "Word" is true or not, and we're not supposed to do that. As Bahnsen says, the bible is supposed to be unquestionable. So rather than addressing such questions, it appears that we're not supposed to ask them. But I'm not afraid to ask, so I ask. But believers don't seem to be able to give much of an answer to this kind of question, even though it seems far more important to me than, say, what Paul meant by his passing reference to "James the brother of the Lord." Besides, as far as I'm concerned, this point has been settled: it's a church title, not intended to denote a sibling relationship. So it is for these reasons that I stated what I said above. I am aware that, insofar as Wells' case for legend is concerned, this is an important issue. But in the larger scheme of things, it's a minor quodlibet at best. In regard to Wells' views, it's a hurdle he clears with ease.
David quoted G.A. Wells:
If Paul means blood brother of a historical Jesus, then it would suffice to establish--against my view--that Jesus had really lived in the first half of the first century. Furthermore, I must admit that this interpretation of Paul's words does seem the immediate and obvious one. Here, then, is a case where what seems to be the plain sense of a text . . . would weigh very heavily indeed against my view of Christian origins. (HEJ, 167)
Regarding "the twelve," David quoted more of Wells:
If these words were really written by Paul, then it looks as though he was aware that Jesus chose twelve disciples; and if Paul in this respect corroborates what the gospels say, then it would be reasonable to infer that he also knows the principle facts of Jesus' life . . . . (DJE, 124)
David then commented:
In order to get himself out of the quagmire he’s created ;) , Wells must argue that the Corinthian passage is an interpolation (DJE, pg 124) even though every single shred of manuscript evidence includes the full passage. That means there is zero textual warrant for his claim. This constitutes special pleading. You said you were ok with the creed being authentic though right?
Comparing manuscripts is not the only way to know that something has been interpolated. Especially if there's a substantial interval between the time when the original is believed to have been penned and the date of our earliest extant copies. In the case of Paul's letters (including I Corinthians), the earliest copy we have Papyrus 46, which Griffin dates to AD 175-225, at the earliest AD 150, or at least if not more than 100 years after Paul originally wrote the letter. This interval provides more than ample opportunity for tampering with the text. Also, certain indicators within the text itself can give this away. For instance, in I Cor. 15 we find reference to "the twelve," which Paul never mentions elsewhere in his several letters.
In addition, Wells must reject both references to Jesus in Josephus to hold up his theory. Written around 93-94 AD, Josephus’ writings clearly link Jesus to his disciples and connect his crucifixion to Pilate. Now I grant that many register concern about the authenticity Antiquities 18:3, but who else is rejecting all references to Jesus? Wells of course.
Wells is not a lone ranger in rejecting the two passages in Josephus as interpolations. Not at all. I’m sure if you do a little digging, you’ll find others do to. Wells gives his reasons in The Jesus Myth, pp. 200-221.
Princeton Seminary's James Charlesworth: "We can now be as certain as historical research will presently allow that Josephus did refer to Jesus." (Jesus Within Judaism,pg. 96)
I would expect soundbites such as this from someone like Charlesworth. But notice how it uses a string of words to say nothing very definite. If historical research will not presently allow that Josephus really did refer to Jesus, then how certain can we be? And whose research? Of course, Charlesworth’s own. As a professor at a seminary, I’m sure he fills his title well.
In addition, Wells must also twist the reference in Josephus about James to be consistent. According to the passage "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" met his death after the death of the procurator Porcius Festus, yet before Lucceius Albinus took office (Antiquities 20.9)…which is also where we derive the traditional date of 62 AD for his death.
This statement comes from the so-called ‘shorter passage’ in Josephus. As I pointed out in my previous blog, Wells provides reasons for supposing this passage to be a Christian interpolation (cf. The Jesus Myth, pp. 217-221). There Wells interacts with defenses of the passage’s authenticity provided by R.T. France and R.N. Tyler and shows why they are weak. So if this passage is a Christian interpolation, as Wells holds, then – contrary to what you say – Wells has no need to “twist” this reference in order to remain consistent with his broader thesis.
At any rate Wells has since changed his mind about the existence of Jesus, so now his earlier critiques of Paul need to be re-assessed and I seriously doubt they will maintain consistency.
Yes, Wells is now inclined to suppose that a real human being (not an incarnation of a divine being, mind you) was behind many of the stories and sayings which informed the primitive basis of the Christ cult. But if true, this is still totally damning to Christianity. Indeed, even if one does not accept Wells' overall conclusion, he still makes massive blows to the literalist interpretation of the New Testament, sufficiently so that I don't think it can recover. But confessionally invested believers will keep trying, I'm sure.
David stated:
Apparently Q has persuaded him that Jesus may have been a real person.
Wells credits J.D.G. Dunn for helping with this in Can We Trust the New Testament? (cf. p. 50).
David then quoted Van Voorst:
'A final argument against the nonexistence hypothesis comes from Wells himself. In his most recent book, The Jesus Myth (1999), Wells has moved away from this hypothesis. He now accepts that there is some historical basis for the existence of Jesus, derived from the lost early "gospel" "Q" (the hypothetical source used by Matthew and Luke). Wells believes that it is early and reliable enough to show that Jesus probably did exist, although this Jesus was not the Christ that the later canonical Gospels portray. It remains to be seen what impact Wells's about-face will have on debate over the nonexistence hypothesis in popular circles.', Van Voorst, Robert E, 'NonExistence Hypothesis', in Houlden, James Leslie (editor), 'Jesus in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia', page 660 (Santa Barbara: 2003)
This tells me a lot. Van Voorst refers to Wells’ modification of his theory as an ‘about-face’ – suggesting a 180-degree turn in his views. This is misleading. Wells’ allowance of some shadowy figure behind some of the earlier traditions which ultimately wound up in New Testament narratives about Jesus does not constitute a wholesale revision of his views of the data. The conclusion that the gospel accounts are legends is constant throughout all this. In fact, one could argue that Wells’ modified view actually strengthens his critique of Christian origins, for it better accounts for the several streams of traditions which we observe in the gospel narratives. Wells writes:
The essential point, as I see it, is that the Q material, whether or not it suffices as evidence of Jesus’s historicity, refers to a personage who is not to be identified with the dying and rising Christ of the early epistles. (Can We Trust the New Testament, p. 50)
Keep in mind the following point that Wells makes of Q:
Q does not mention Jesus’s death, and does no more than hint that the hostility extended to him may have been what led to it; he is represented as the last in a long line of Jewish prophets sent out by Wisdom whose messages met with apathy, rejection, even persecution. Q certainly does not regard his death as redemptive and does not explicitly mention his resurrection. It never calls him ‘Christ’ (Messiah) and has no allusion to eucharist, nor indeed to any social or cultic practices which would separate its group from mainstream Judaism. In all these respects the Jesus of Q differs from the Jesus of Paul, who was “delivered up for our trespasses”, “put forward” by God “as an expiation by his blood”, and “raised for our justification” (Rom. 3:25; 4:25) (The Jesus Myth, p. 103)
So Q represents a non-Pauline tradition which does not involve a dying and rising savior, but which has been grafted into the narrative of Jesus’ life in Matthew and Luke.
Elsewhere Wells notes:
[R.E.] Brown is surely right to say that “in all probability the first-century composition of the Gospels was not simple”, and that our chances of determining it “are so slim that it is better to adopt a simpler overall approach that solves most of the difficulties and leaves some minor difficulties unsolved.” On this basis, he accepts Marcan priority, but with the modification that Matthew and Luke were influenced to some extent also by oral tradition. He also defends the majority view that neither Matthew nor Luke knew the work of the other ([The Death of the Messiah], pp. 42-45). There are some 230 verses common (verbatim or nearly so) to the two that are not found in Mark; they place this shared non-Marcan material in entirely different contexts, and this is one reason why it is unlikely that the one took it from the other and so knew the other. Luke’s dependence on Matthew is urged by some scholars, but there are strong reasons against it (such as his failure to reproduce any of the material special to Matthew in his passion narrative). If, then, the common non-Marcan 230 verses were not taken from the one by the other, they must derive from a common non-Marcan Greek source not now extant and known as Q (German Quelle = source). They consist mainly of sayings of Jesus, and so Q is known alternatively as the ‘sayings source’. In sum, the majority view is that Matthew and Luke each independently used two sources, Mark and Q (each supplementing them with a certain amount of material that is not shared). (The Jesus Legend, p. 97)
So Wells has come to see that the sayings source derives from an actually existing personage, whose name is not known (that name could have been Jesus, or the sayings could easily been posthumously credited to the Jesus of the new Christ cult), but “who is not to be identified with the dying and rising Christ of the early epistles.” So if you want the person behind the history here, look to Q.
In a lecture given in 2003, he admits that Paul probably did believe that Jesus was an actual Jewish man who was crucified. (http://www.bede.org.uk/gawells.htm)
Since you apparently did not see it before, I’ll quote Wells again on this point:
My view is that Paul knew next to nothing of the earthly life of Jesus, and did not have in mind any definite historical moment for his crucifixion. As we saw, holy Jews had been crucified alive in the first and second centuries BC, but traditions about these events, and about the persecuted Teacher of Righteousness, could well have reached Paul without reference to times and places, and he need not have regarded their occurrences as anything like as remote in time as they in fact were. Whenever it was that Jesus had lived obscurely and died, he had, for Paul, returned promptly after death to heaven; and the evidence for this exaltation, and indeed for his whole religious significance, was his recent appearances to Paul and to contemporaries of Paul which signaled that the final events which would end the world were imminent. Thus even if the death and resurrection were put at some indefinite time past, it remains quite intelligible that Christianity did not originate before the opening decades of the first century AD. Nor need any supposed relevance to Jesus of the Wisdom literature have been appreciated earlier. (Can We Trust the New Testament?, p. 34)
David asked:
How do you square this with your statement given your relied on Wells for nearly all citations made during our interection?
As I explained in a discussion I had regarding similar issues:
Where Doherty may be regarded as a "mythicist," I can be regarded as a "legendist" - I think it's clearly the case that the stories we read in the gospels and the book of Acts are the product of legendary developments, regardless of whether or not Mark came first, regardless of whether or not there was ultimately a human being named Jesus which initially inspired sacred stories messianic heroism.
The citations I've made from Wells' earlier books did not consist of arguments seeking to conclude that Jesus never existed. Rather, they help show how the story of Jesus grew as a legend.
Another Response to David, Part 3: The Usual Pagan Suspects
David attributed the following two quotes to G.A. Wells:
Before 90 AD, Jesus remained an undated, mysterious figure about whom virtually nothing was known or reported (Did Jesus Exist? pgs. 47, 65; HEJ, 217-220).
I did not find this quote on p. 47 of Wells’ Did Jesus exist? (I saw a full-page chart instead), nevertheless it reads like something he would write and describes his position. It may be that you have a different edition from mine? Or, you’re paraphrasing Wells?
You quoted Wells again:
Jesus is not linked with a recognizable historical situation in any document (Christian, Jewish or pagan) that can be proved to have originated before about AD 100" (Did Jesus Exist?, pg. 215)
Yes, Wells writes this, and does so at the point where you cite him. You then registered your thoughts in response to these quotes:
Now those are some big statements, and you would immediately wonder what he does about all the external attestation (Josephus, Tacitus, and later Papias, Thallus, Lucian, Pliny, etc…) Easy, he rejects them.
Wells’ assessments of these sources are completely tenable. He does not simply “reject” them, as if he didn’t have any interaction with opposing arguments. Wells’ treatment of Tacitus, for instance, is worth quoting at length since he has been accused of rushing to judgment before:
The one pagan reference to which appeal is still commonly made is the statement of Tacitus that Christians ‘derived their name and origin from Christ, who, in the reign of Tiberiius, had suffered death by the sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate’. Tacitus wrote this about AD 120, and by then Christians had themselves come to believe that Jesus had died in this way. I tried to show ([The Historical Evidence For Jesus], p 17) that there are good reasons for supposing that Tacitus was simply repeating what was then the Christian view, and that he is therefore not an independent witness. I did not (as I have been accused of doing) assume that Tacitus was repeating what contemporary Christians believed. I gave reasons for thinking this to be probable, which is quite a different thing. Trilling, even though an orthodox apologist, goes so far as to state that ‘what Tacitus actually says could have reached him from any educated contemporary’ and is ‘no more than what could be learned anywhere in Rome’ ([Fragen zur Geschichtlichkeit Jesu], pp 58-9). But in thus conceding the main point at issue Trilling has obscured the fact that Tacitus obviously considered it necessary to explain to his educated readers what manner of persons Christians are. He evidently did not expect the educated public of his own day to know, even though, in the same context, he implies that as early as Nero’s reign (fifty years earlier) the common people of Rome knew and hated them. This is valuable evidence that Chrisitanity had made little headway among the educated Romans of Tacitus’ day. How came it, then, that he himself knew something of them? As governor of Asia about AD 112 he may well have had the same kind of trouble with them that Pliny experienced as governor of Bithynia at the very time... The cities of Asia included some of the earliest Christian congregations (Rev. 1:4) and may well have been the foci for active disturbance between pagan and Christian: for some of these cites were ‘centres of a strong national Roman feeling... The emperor-cult was especially vigorous in that region, and the older deities also had not lost their hold on the enthusiastic devotion of the populace’ (Merrill, [Essays in Early Christian History], p 97). Merrill adds wryly that ‘it is altogether likely that Tacitus returned to Rome from his province with no favourable opinion indeed of Christianity, but with some knowledge of it that he might not have acquired without his period of official service in the particular province, and that his fellow-citizens of his own class at Rome would hardly be expected to possess’.(Did Jesus exist?, pp. 13-14)
While Wells puts Tacitus’ writing of his Annals at “about AD 120,” other sources put it to AD 115-117, while several which I have looked at put Tacitus’ death at AD 117. Nevertheless, all sources seem to agree that Tacitus was writing after AD 110, which is sufficiently later than the time when the Christian story of Jesus as we have it in the gospels would have gelled in the minds of adherents. Needless to say, this is after AD 90, and here Wells is not simply dismissing Tacitus as a source of independent testimony, but is in fact giving reasons why Tacitus need not be taken seriously as an independent source confirming the gospel depiction of Jesus.
In regard to Josephus, Wells devotes an entire section of his The Jesus Myth (pp. 200-221) to dealing with both the Testimonium as well as with the so-called ‘shorter passage’, both of which hard-line literalists insist that we accept as authentically Josephan testimonies verifying the existence of the Jesus of the gospels. Wells cannot be accused of merely “rejecting” Josephus as an independent source confirming the portrait of Jesus found in the gospels,
With regard to Josephus, Wells devotes an entire section of his The Jesus Myth (pp. 200-221) to his defense of the position that the two passages in Josephus’ The Antiquities of the Jews are Christian interpolations. Wells is not alone in this view; he cites numerous authorities on the matter who are inclined towards this same conclusion. That Wells is not simply parroting what others have written is clear with the fact that he also interacts with several sources which argue for their authenticity. It should be no surprise that I am persuaded that Wells (along with numerous other scholars) is right.
Wells addresses the issue of Thallus in his book The Jesus Legend (pp. 43-46), where he points to disagreements among scholars on when Thallus supposedly wrote, something that is quite difficult to determine since his writings do not survive (what we know of him comes to us from Sextus Julius Africanus, who wrote in the third century and quotes Thallus briefly).
Also, see Richard Carrier’s Thallus: An Analysis, which is a good overview of the matter.
In regard to Pliny, again Wells does not simply dismiss him as if he did not exist, but gives good reasons why his testimony does nothing to vouchsafe Christianity’s claims for the historicity of the gospel Jesus. Wells writes of Pliny:
It is clear from what he says that his only knowledge of these people [i.e., Christians in his province Bythinia-Pontus] was what he had extracted from them under interrogation, namely that their convictions amounted to “a perverse and extravagant superstition”, involving (among other things) reciting “a form of words to Christ as a god”. Whether this ‘Christ’ they worshipped had been on earth as a man will have been of no interest either to him or to [Emperor] Trajan. What worried them was that Christians were holding meetings which, because of Christian unwillingness to make due obeisance to the emperor, might have been seditious; they were not concerned about whether there was any historical basis to Christian doctrinal niceties. (The Jesus Legend, p. 41)
On p. 43 of the same book Wells quotes J.J. Walsh (“On Christian Atheism,” Vigiliae Christianae, 45 (1991, pp. 264-65) who points out that “Pliny evidently knew next to nothing not only about the sect but about his own government’s policy towards the sect,” since the purpose of his writing about the troublesome Christians in his province to Trajan was to ask for guidance on how he should deal with them.
What degree of specialization does he possess relevant to the subject area? None.
If by 'degree' you mean a certificate of completion from some college course, I don't know. Wells is a professor of German, and many have used this fact to dismiss him as unqualified to speak on these matters. In other words, because the source (Wells himself) is not decorated by some accredited institution in the very field of Christian origins, nothing he argues can be taken seriously. Never mind his arguments, the data he collects to support his conclusions, his observations based on a familiarity with the subject matter which goes back for decades (his first book on Christianity being published in 1971)
Wells’ expert command of German, however, does afford him access to a wealth of literature in the field of New Testament studies, because so much literature in the last 200 years in this field is native to this language. Freke and Gandy make the following pertinent point:
Eager to distance themselves from Rome, German Protestant scholars began to search the gospels for the real Jesus. Even up to the present day the majority of such scholars have themselves been Christians, since a theological career at a German university is closed to those who have not been baptized. Yet despite this, rather than giving Christianity a firm historical foundation, as they hoped, Protestant scholars’ three centuries of intense scholarship have undermined the literal figure of Jesus completely. (The Jesus Mysteries, p. 146)
Of course, we can dismiss Wells because he’s not a professor of New Testament Greek if you like.
Now given I don’t think you have to be a New Testament historian or textual critic to be critical, but when you’re going to swim upstream and insist on largely abandoned styles of form criticism you’re making a tall order.
Maybe it's time that someone makes this "tall order"? Then again, asking me to believe that a universe-creating, reality-ruling deity incarnated itself in the form of a human being born of a virgin in first century Palestine, was crucified, entombed and resurrected, and later ascended back to heaven, is not a tall order? Meanwhile, referring to Wells' case as "a tall order" simply because he does not have, say, a Ph.D in New Testament Studies, ignores his heavy reliance on scholars who do. Besides, would it really make any difference if Wells did have a Ph.D in New Testament Studies? Would this suddenly bestow his arguments with a gleam that would capture your attention and make you say, "Hey, this guy's onto something!"? My suspicion is that, even if Wells had 10 doctorates in fields ranging from ancient history, New Testament studies, theology, patristic literature, etc., believers would still find ways to dismiss his verdicts, in spite of the artificial requirement to possess such certifications.
I say artificial here because such a requirement is never an issue when it comes to believing the literalist Christian view of the New Testament. If an individual affirms that everything in the New Testament is historically true, why doesn't he need all these degrees in order to make such an assessment? It is, after all, an assessment, no? For Christians, you can be a high school drop-out ditch-digger who couldn’t the word ‘truth’ if asked to, and still "know" that the New Testament is authentic history, but you have to have degrees up the wazoo in order to challenge such affirmations. This may not reflect your view personally, David, but special pleading of this kind is not uncommon from Christians. It seems that apologists, out of desperation, will reach for anything in order to dismiss challenges to their faith. After all, it is a matter of faith, is it not?
Wells more recently questions the seriousness of the Jesus quests :
The theological world is now in the midst of what is known as "The Third Quest for the Historical Jesus". J. P. Meier allows that "all too often the first and second quests were theological projects masquerading as historical projects" (art. cit., p. 463). We shall see whether their successor fares any better.” (G. A. Wells Replies to Criticisms of his Books on Jesus, 2000)
I would like to interact with Wells personally someday, but I think he’s a bit old for such affairs and admittedly gets on the Internet infrequently.
I would love to be able to engage an ongoing discussion with Dr. Wells myself. But alas, I don’t know how I would even try to do this. The most I’ve been able to accomplish are brief exchanges with David Kelley (an Objectivist philosopher) and Peter Thomas (narrator of ‘Forensic Files’). I’m a big fan of both. To add G.A. Wells to this mix... well, that’d be like having sat down with the Holy Trinity for me.
J.P. Holding did have some interaction with him: Tektonics
Your link did not work, but regardless, I tend not to go to Tektonics unless I'm looking for a source of low entertainment. Turkel is in constant sneer mode and clearly resents anyone who does not share his views. I have come to expect from him only the most expedient of apologetic tactics.
Similarly with the events described in the gospels themselves: how can we know which year, according to the event sequences given in the gospels, when Jesus was crucified?
In response to this, David quoted Luke 3:1:
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene
He David wrote:
Tiberius became emperor in August, AD 14 which places John’s ministry at October, AD 27. Given the 3 Passover feasts described in John, this would place the crucifixion at AD 30. External sources corroborate that Pilate was Roman governor of Judea, Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Galilee, and Caiaphas was Jewish high priest. Specifically one of these sources would have no reason to acknowledge or accredit Christianity: the Jewish Mishnah and Talmuds. Five of Christ’s disciples are named therein (see Klausner, The Jesus of Nazareth, pg. 18) Ok, nice but big deal right? Well, if multiple methods of computation bring us to the same date this strengthens the conclusion (and also cast doubt on collaborative effort among the authors). As you know source criticism plays a large role in this, which is why the question of Q-source and Markan priority are important.
Luke 3:1 is about probably the closest (and only) reference in the gospels themselves which can be used to date any of the events they speak of. But even this is not as exacting and definite as David would have it. In his essay Jesus Variants, Peter Kirby points out the following:
From the data provided by Josephus, we estimate that Pilate was prefect of Judea from 26 to 36 CE. The canonical Gospels do tell us that the crucifixion of Jesus was under Pilate and that its day was in some relation to the Passover, which after much puzzling over calendrical systems has produced the dates of 30 and 33 as the most popular years for scholars to place the death of Jesus. (Meier's A Marginal Jew, vol. 1, is a good source for this scholarship, with a favored year of 30 CE.) But none of the canonical Gospels give us data that would allow us to fix the date at 33 CE precisely. The closest thing to an absolute reference for dating in the Gospels is in reference to the start of John the Baptist's ministry in "the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" (Luke 3:1) which may be 27 or 28 or 29 CE depending on the method of calculation of the regnal years. Even if there were no data that contradicted a date of the death of Jesus as being 33 CE, there is no ancient source that says this in the first place, so it shouldn't be on the list.
So while the date in mind here “may be 27 or 28 or 29 CE depending on the method of calculation of the regnal years,” Luke 3:1 does narrow the timeframe significantly. However, it hardly puts to rest any question on the possibility of legendary development. In the authentically Pauline letters, there is no reference to a crucifixion under Pilate (I Timothy, which offers the New Testament’s sole reference to Pilate outside of the gospels and Acts, is pseudonymous). Wells’ view is that Pilate came to be linked with Jesus’ crucifixion as a natural consequence of two distinct streams of tradition – the view of Jesus in Paul’s letters and the Galilean preacher of Q – being fused into one as we find in the latter part of the first century.
First recall the points Wells makes about the Jesus we read about in Paul’s letters:
My view is that Paul knew next to nothing of the earthly life of Jesus, and did not have in mind any definite historical moment for his crucifixion. As we saw, holy Jews had been crucified alive in the first and second centuries BC, but traditions about these events, and about the persecuted Teacher of Righteousness, could well have reached Paul without reference to times and places, and he need not have regarded their occurrences as anything like as remote in time as they in fact were. Whenever it was that Jesus had lived obscurely and died, he had, for Paul, returned promptly after death to heaven; and the evidence for this exaltation, and indeed for his whole religious significance, was his recent appearances to Paul and to contemporaries of Paul which signaled that the final events which would end the world were imminent,,, Thus even if the death and resurrection were put at some indefinite time past, it remains quite intelligible that Christianity did not originate before the opening decades of the first century AD. Nor need any supposed relevance to Jesus of the Wisdom literature have been appreciated earlier. (Can We Trust the New Testament?, p. 34)
The earliest known tradition of Jesus has him crucified at some unspecified time in the past, treated by Paul as if it were not at all recent, without any indication of the circumstances or place of his crucifixion. The earthly life of Paul’s Jesus is as hazy as a wispy vapor. But as interest in Jesus grew, it would be natural for enthusiasts to wonder about Jesus’ earthly life.
Movement towards dating the earthly life of the Pauline Jesus in a relatively recent past is intelligible even without the influence on later Christians of Q: For Paul’s Jesus came to Earth “when the time had fully come” (Gal. 4:4), and this soon developed in Pauline-type communities into the more specific statement that he had lived “at the end of the times” (Hebrews 9:26; 1 Peter 1:20). Even if this originally meant no more than that his first coming had inaugurated the final epoch (however long) of history (the epoch that would culminate in his return as judge), it would in time be taken to mean that he had lived in the recent past. And to post-Pauline and post-Q Christians of the late first century, familiar as they were with crucifixion as a Roman punishment, his death by crucifixion – already attested by Paul, but not given any historical context in his nor in other early epistles – would have suggested death at Roman hands, and hence during the Roman occupation of Judea from A.D. 6. From such a premises, coupled with the Q datum of Jesus as a contemporary of John the Baptist, Pilate would naturally come to mind as his murderer, for he was particularly detested by the Jews, and is indeed the only one of the prefects who governed Judea between A.D. 6 and 41 to be discussed in any detail by the two principal Jewish writers of the first century, Philo and Josephus. (The Jesus Myth, p. 104)
If you place yourself in the Corinthian church of the day, before the gospels were written and circulated, going by the content of Paul’s letters you would probably wonder who this Jesus was. Yes, there would be the post-resurrection appearances that were pointed to as vouchsafing salvation and eternal life. But there would also probably be this lingering sense of wonder about who Jesus was during his earthly life. What was known of this at the time? Paul’s letters indicate that Jesus was crucified, but they do not indicate a time or place or specify the circumstances of this event. Also, Paul treats the earthly Jesus as “emptied” of his supernatural powers and status, living in humility and obscurity. The door was thus opened to the imagination, if to nothing else, and as oral traditions were developed and various views were amalgamated (a fact to which Paul’s own letters testify), it’s hard to see how any traditions which would have eventually prevailed could not involve at least some groping and invention. The Wisdom literature and Old Testament prophets and poetry supplied many of the details which would later be incorporated into the portraits of Jesus. But at this point, we’re not dealing with historical accounts, but theological concoction.
Nevertheless, if multiple independent attestations can be sufficiently demonstrated, then the historicity of an event is very probable even to the most skeptical historians (Ehrman, Borg, etc…).
Even if we did have this in the case of the gospels, this would not seal the case for the historicity of the resurrection. Besides, what we have in the case of the gospels is a clear line of dependence, embellishment and development. Matthew and Luke were obviously using Mark's narrative as a model for their own (so they are not "independent sources"), and John's gospel is built on traditions which show at least some familiarity with the basic outline of that model (preaching ministry followed by passion narrative and post-resurrection appearances). Indeed, it is where the authors embellished their own versions of the narrative that variations in the story are most pronounced.
David points to Papias as “external attestation” of Mark, which he dates to 110 AD (some sources, such as this one, dates Papias’ writings to AD 130 or even later):
Mark indeed, since he was the interpreter of Peter, wrote accurately, but not in order, the things either said or done by the Lord as much as he remembered. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed Him, but afterwards, as I have said, [heard and followed] Peter, who fitted his discourses to the needs [of his hearers] but not as if making a narrative of the Lord's sayings'; consequently, Mark, writing down some things just as he remembered, erred in nothing; for he was careful of one thing - not to omit anything of the things he heard or to falsify anything in them.
Christian apologist Richard Bauckham, acknowledges that the prevailing view among scholars is that Papias’ statements here are “historically worthless” as evidence for the Christian view. Bauckham writes:
What Papias says here about the Gospel of mark is the earliest explicit occurrence of the claim that Peter's teaching lies behind this Gospel. It was therefore subjected to close scrutiny and discussion during the first hundred years or more of modern Gospels scholarship. Some scholars up to the present time have continued to treat it very seriously as important evidence about the origins of the Gospel of Mark, but during the twentieth century it came to be widely regarded as historically worthless. Although the attribution of the Gospel to a certain Mark may be accurate, there is no reason, according to this widespread view, to suppose that this was the John Mark of the New Testament (Acts and Epistles), since this Latin name (Marcus) was in very common use, in Greek (Markos) as well as Latin. We know from Eusebius that Papias cited 1 Peter (Hist. Eccl. 3.39.17), almost certainly as evidence of the close association of Peter with the Mark known from the New Testament. (Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, p. 203)
In spite of this widespread conclusion among the scholarly community, Bauckham proceeds to argue for the validity of Papias as a reliable witness. In his essay Was Papias a Reliable Witness? Paul Tobin interacts with Bauckham’s case and concludes that, “Contrary to Bauckham, the consensus position is firmly in place: Papias’ witness is ‘historically worthless’.”
As I have pointed out to Robert, if the early Christian community was pumping out lies left and right to build their case for Christ, why not put Peter at the pen on this document instead of Mark who was not an eyewitness? Especially at the time Papias was writing, when the apostolic pedestal found its high point.
It needs to be borne in mind that, certainly by the time of Papias (which is after the gospel narratives had in one form or another become part of Christianity), believers like Papias thought they were passing on tradition. I would not look to Papias as an inventor, but more of a popularizer. As for how the author of the gospel we call Mark came to be a person named Mark associated with Peter, Wells explains this as follows:
The ascription of titles, in so far as its basis can be inferred at all, seems to have been a haphazard business. Beare writes in this connection of ‘second-century guesses’ ([The Earliest Records of Jesus], p 13). Mk., for instance, acquired its title probably because ‘my son Mark’ is mentioned as a close associate of ‘Peter the apostle’ who poses as the author of I Peter (1:1 and 5:13). This epistle of the late first or early second century, influenced as it is by Pauline theology, introduces ‘Mark’ as a personage familiar from the Pauline letters (Coloss. 4:10) in order to create the authentic Pauline atmosphere. Nonetheless, it was probably this mention of Mark in a work ascribed to Peter that originated the tradition (preserved by Papias, AD 140) that Mk. was written by one Mark who took down the spoken recollections of Peter ([Haenchen, Der Weg Jesu], p 8). This traditions was not finally discredited until the rise of form-criticism. At the beginning of this century orthodox commentators on Mk. still insisted that the gospel is a unitary composition, owing its unity to the author’s dependence on the eye-witness Peter for all its information. The change in critical standpoint is at once obvious from comparison with Taylor’s – also orthodox – commentary (first published in 1952), where stress is laid upon the great diversity of the traditions which Mark collected after they had already been used in the teaching and preaching of the Church. (Did Jesus exist?, p. 77)
Bauckham (a Christian apologist) confirms Wells’ hypothesis when he writes:
Papias, it is suggested, wishing to give apostolic authority to a Gospel ascribed to an unknown author called Mark, used 1 Pet 5:13 to identify this Mark with Peter's close associate, thus creating the connection he asserts between the Gospel and Peter. (Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, p. 204)
So if Papias was simply preserving what had come to him as a tradition, there is no need to paint him as a brazen inventor of would-be history. As for I Peter, I’ve already raised pertinent questions on the authorship of this letter in my blog Did the Author of I Peter See the Risen Jesus of the Gospels?.
Surely more to come.
Posted by Bahnsen Burner at 6:00 AM 10 comments: Links to this post
Another Response to David, Part 2: The Witness of Paul
In this blog I continue my interaction with David’s 16 August comments to my blog In Response to David on I Corinthians 15:3-8.
On several counts, you project your modern understanding back into ancient context:
quoting me:
They obviously do not have a physical person in mind when they make these kinds of declarations, so why suppose the early Christians were speaking about a physical Jesus when they claimed to have "witnessed" him?" If the word “witness” enjoys a very loose meaning for many of today’s Christians (and it very often does), why suppose it didn’t enjoy similar flexibility among the early Christians?
David continued:
A word’s current usage cannot be transferred anachronistically “backwords” (get it?).
Looking at it again, I actually think it’s the other way around: Christians today have adopted the bible’s own looseness of meaning of the word ‘witness’ into their conversation today (just as they have in the case of other words, like love, peace, rest, etc.). This actually makes even more sense, for what are they taking as their model for usage of the word ‘witness’ if not what the bible itself says? So I’m committing no fallacy here. Christians of all ages seem to think of themselves as “witnesses of the spirit.” Unger’s elucidates this as “the direct testimony of the Holy Spirit to true believers as to their acceptance with God and their adoption into the divine household” (The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 1370). Unger’s goes on to say that “the two classic passages upon which this doctrine is especially based are Rom. 8:16; Gal. 4:6,” and claims that “the witness of the Spirit is to be regarded as a sequence to or reward of saving faith” (Ibid.). If it is legitimate for believers to consider themselves “witnesses of the spirit” in this or some roughly similar sense, why would it be illegitimate for them to consider themselves witnesses of Jesus when they experience an appearance of Jesus before them, as in the case of the waking fantasies which many Christians I have known personally claimed to have experienced?
When Peter gives his sermon in Acts ch. 2, and says (v. 32) “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses,” what do you think he means? No gospel account puts anyone with Jesus in the tomb when his dead body was supposedly brought back to life.
In Acts 4:32-34 we find the following passage:
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold
The word ‘witness’ here seems so out of place on my (21st century) understanding of the concept for which it stands. But I’ll try to be flexible. For the early Christians, the use of ‘witness’ here was not illegitimate. For them, the dramatic change in the people’s response provided “witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” What is perhaps anachronistic is my assessment of such usage as loose, for this is not how I would use the word. But clearly Christians of the 1st century using the word ‘witness’ to include in its scope of reference spiritual objects (which is all I had in mind in my statement above) is not at all anachronistic.
The error is counted doubly when you attempt the feat with two different languages. (Carson, Exegetical Fallacies pg 33)
Perhaps your complaint is better directed to the translators of our modern English bibles, for they are using the word ‘witness’ in a variety of ways (I count 93 instances of the word ‘witness’ in my King James Version, and the meaning seems to flex through a multitude of senses) and while definitions are rarely if ever explicit in the bible, the New Testament’s usage of ‘witness’ does not at all seem incompatible with my point above, which you have sought to challenge in this way. If Paul had a waking fantasy of Jesus, like today’s Christians have, why wouldn’t he think of himself as a witness to Jesus? Even the book of Acts does not have the physical post-resurrection Jesus of the gospels paying a visit to Paul as they have him do before his immediate apostles before his ascension. And Paul in no way distinguishes between the experience of Jesus that he claims others have had, and his own. Would you not consider Paul a witness? That would seem quite strange, but I know that apologetic defenses can lead believers into very strange (and undesirable) positions.
If I had seen a man who was actually resurrected from the grave, whom I thought was "the Son of God," I would waste no time in writing down exactly what I had seen, where I had seen it and when I had seen it. If I knew of others who had the same experience, I would not hesitate to get their testimony down in writing, or at least to have them endorse such statements of witness. But that's me.
Do you live in the oral culture of first century Palestine? If you did chances are you’d be illiterate, and if you could read and write could you afford it? How could you assure the transmission of your document?
Yes, my point above does assume literate capacity, and no, we both know that neither of us lives in first century Palestine. My point here is one of character: I would not be sloth in broadcasting my witness, especially if I were personally charged by a great commission. I certainly would not wait 20, 30 or more years before getting my experience documented, during which time my memory of it could easily atrophy or distort my recollection of the event. As for whether or not I could “afford it,” well, again, I’m not there, so this question seems deliberately unanswerable. Similarly with your question about assuring the transmission of my document. How did the author of the gospel according to Matthew assure the transmission of his document? Or did he? Other individuals spread throughout the intervening centuries seem to be creditable for this task, not the author himself.
Now your objection is sensible on the basis of my worldview, for the concerns you raise would impact the situation. But how could it be sensible on the basis of the Christian worldview, where naturalistic constraints like the one you raise should ultimately be of no concern? Would a supernatural deity appear only before the illiterate? Christians are always trying to tell us that it’s a fallacy to assume everyone “back then” was illiterate, uneducated, unscientific, superstitious, etc. (and I don’t, by the way). But we can’t have it both ways here. If Jesus appeared only to the illiterate, I’d say that was a bad choice on his part. Also, if he did appear to only illiterate persons, why should this matter? Jesus is supernatural, and could easily empower an illiterate person with supreme fluency in a multitude of languages if he wanted to. In fact, the writer’s sudden ability to write could itself be evidence of Jesus’ supernaturalism, something the gospel writers were so eager to insert into their stories.
See how supernaturalism takes the apologetic backseat here? No, I do not live in the oral culture of first century Palestine, and you know it. I know this too. And the chances that had I lived in those days I’d most likely be illiterate is ultimately irrelevant. Would this stop a supernatural deity? Why think it would? Your response here assumes naturalistic constraints. Why would these apply if Christianity’s supernaturalism is true? Having to acquire literacy in order to write is understandable on my worldview, which recognizes the primacy of existence and therefore does not presume to fake the nature of the human mind. But Christianity denies the primacy of existence. What guided Matthew’s hand in penning his gospel, if not a divine hand, according to Christianity? What force assured the transmission of his gospel through the ages and into our hands, if not a divine force, according to Christianity?
It seems more and more that the authors of the New Testament texts were just as bound to the reality I know as I am. Their stories suggest otherwise, but the textual development speaks louder than this.
Even granting your position for the sake of internal critique, how many average people in our modern society have ever written a historical account of some life changing event they experienced?
I don’t have the statistics on this, nor would I see this as at all relevant. My point above was a testament to my own character, not to some ad populum law of averages. This should be clear from the leading statement: “If I had seen a man who was actually resurrected from the grave…” Then again, I’ve observed many people writing about things that have happened in their own lives. For many years I kept a diary, and often I would record things that happened, especially those that had a profound impact on my life. But then again, that’s me. I’ve known some others who claimed to have done this themselves, but diaries tend to be private (until they’re posthumously published, in some cases).
How about the Virginia Tech mass homicide? This was a major event to witness. Who decides – and why – whether or not it’s a major event? I was going to school at James Madison University at the time (2 hours down the road), and saw no written accounts circulating amongst my close friends who were only several feet away from the killer that day. Indeed not even blogging about their experiences?”
I wasn’t there, but I blogged about it shortly after it happened on two occasions. See my blog Virginia Tech and also Christian Reaction to Virginia Tech.
There were also news reports about the event for days and weeks afterwards, many of them including interviews with firsthand witnesses.
I am close friends with a man whose son was a student at Columbine when Klebold and Harris went on their rampage. My friend (also named David) wrote to me several times about his son’s experience shortly after the incident. I don’t know if his son ever wrote about it (I wouldn’t expect a 13-year-old to write much about anything), but that’s irrelevant.
But the incident at Virginia Tech is hardly analogous to a religious experience like a resurrected man-god walking and talking with you and commanding you to go tell the world. It seems that Peter and co. took their sweet time in fulfilling this commandment.
No, but they told me plenty about it. Even if they did write some of it down, would it still be around in a couple of millennia? Maybe so with today’s standards, but I don’t think that even close to a reasonable expectation for 30 AD.
What if their actions were guided by an irresistible supernatural force? I mean, let’s compare apples to apples here, shall we? Did any of your close friends report that they feel moved by a supernatural force to tell the world about this event, and yet fail to do so? The gospels are supposed to be divinely inspired, are they not? That is what I was always taught. Given this, I don’t know why Christians would care whether or not they were written by eyewitnesses. Eyewitnesses could be relying on so-called “autonomous thinking” in determining what they witnessed, or they could have difficulty distinguishing between “the wisdom of God” and “the wisdom of the world,” which Paul rejects, relying on their own judgment of what they observed instead of “letting go and letting God.” An eyewitness account might take one’s own interpretation of what one perceives as authoritative in understanding it. But if man’s mental faculties are contaminated by “the curse of sin” as so many Christians claim, then it seems that one would want something stronger than this. Indeed, for the Christian, what could be more reliable than divine inspiration? What could be authoritative than a testimony like, “I wasn’t there, but here’s what God told me to record”? When we get to Paul, what exactly do we have? He bases what he tells us in his letters on the claim that he received a revelation from God. The appeal to eyewitness accounts seems to be an unwitting reversion to a form of naturalism, for it does not rely on appeals to supernatural transmission of knowledge. Instead, it relies on the senses and one’s own cognitive faculties, but if “God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4), why should we take testimony of this sort seriously?
Geisler (same book) points out it may very well be the case that Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and James were among the 500 as well as nine who are elsewhere named Apostles (Geisler/Turek, pg 248); if he’s right then there are written accounts.
Well, since Paul never names any of the 500 people he mentions in passing in I Cor. 15, we could say anyone living at the time was among them. In fact, on Christianity’s supernaturalism, we could go well beyond this, and say that some or all of the 500 people had been dead for decades or centuries prior, and rose out of their graves a la Mt. 27:52-53, and gathered to see the post-resurrection Jesus. Or, maybe these were people from later centuries transported back in time to see the post-resurrected Jesus. Or, maybe they came from other planets. Since we’re asked to conclude that Christianity’s supernaturalism is “the best explanation” of the data, on what basis could we discount these alternatives?
Paul nowhere suggests that Jesus had taught these things during his life on earth. But that’s what we find when we get to the gospels: Jesus marching a squad of disciples through the ancient countryside between various towns in Palestine performing miracles, healing the blind, the lame and the infirm, giving moral instruction and teaching in the form of parables. We never learn any of this from Paul.
It’s as if you are surprised by the fact that Paul was writing letters on the road and not historical narrative.
No, that is not what surprises me. Paul may have been writing on the road (and writing on the road 2000 years ago would not be like writing on the road today – I know, I’ve done a lot of travel, both domestic and overseas, and today we move very quickly by comparison), but this did not prevent him from quoting OT sources and giving moral teachings of his own. Had he known that Jesus had taught the same things, I find it surprising that he did not appeal to Jesus’ authority. And if Paul were guided by a supernatural force (e.g., “the Holy Spirit”), and/or his hand was divinely inspired to write what he wrote, why should writing on the road be any kind of impediment? Then later we have stories which put Jesus into a historical setting where he does give the teachings that Paul gives as his own. If the gospels are true, I would find this quite surprising, perplexing even. But since it is the kind of thing we’d expect to see if the later narratives were literary developments rather than histories, it’s not at all surprising. What’s surprising at this point is how eager believers are to “soldier on” in spite of all the problems their position faces and cannot surmount.
Was Paul’s purpose in writing those letters to give exhaustive account of Jesus’ earthly ministry? No.
Paul need not have given an “exhaustive account of Jesus’ earthly ministry” in order to document knowledge of one. Indeed, we do not even learn from Paul that Jesus ever had an earthly ministry. Informative mentionings of it here and there would be quite adequate to establish his knowledge of it. And since he is said to have conferred with people who traveled with Jesus on that ministry, I would expect that he would have known about it.
Would these references have made his arguments more compelling? Perhaps to you, but where has it been argued that the original intended audience shares your worldview?
Why would they need to share my worldview in order for references to Jesus’ earthly ministry to be compelling? My worldview does not accept claims on the basis of supernatural authority in the first place, so your question here seems quite misdirected. Preachers today who are addressing people who share their own worldview are constantly drawing on the narratives of Jesus’ earthly life in order to buttress their points and make them more compelling. That Paul does not is quite curious. My evaluation here is not laden with anachronistic fallacy, either, since the earthly life that the gospel narratives give to Jesus is supposed to have taken place prior to Paul’s ministry, and Paul determined to “preach Christ crucified” (I Cor. 1:23) and “not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2). And even with these declarations, Paul never indicates the time, the place or the situation of Jesus’ crucifixion.
David write:
So why blame Paul for not fulfilling your requirements when they are incompatible with Paul’s authorial intent?
Is it really “incompatible with Paul’s authorial intent” to cite Jesus for teachings which, according to the gospels, he gave? Is it really “incompatible with Paul’s authorial intent” to mention things like Jesus being born of a virgin, being baptized by John the Baptist, gathering a band of twelve disciples and journeying with them to places like Galilee, Capernaum, Jerusalem, performing miracles, curing diseases, teaching in parables, quarreling with the chief priests, etc.? Come now, David, in your zeal to exonerate Paul’s conspicuous silences, you’ve not only confirmed that Paul was silent on the points in question, you’ve also wandered into the preposterous in order to defend them.
1 Corinthians 9:10 ‘To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband’. Now why does Paul put this moral teaching in Jesus’ mouth, and then immediately afterwards clarify something that he is saying instead of Jesus? Indeed this teaching was nothing new (Gen 2:24; Mal 2:16).
As you point out, Paul most likely got this teaching from the OT and since the OT was held with veneration, it is a teaching that is attributable to “the Lord”. On many occasions Paul recasts OT teachings as if they were part of the rollout of a new covenant.
Still more to come!
Another Response to David, Part 1: The Charge of Strawman
On 16 August David, who has been interacting with my views on early Christianity, submitted a lengthy and thoughtful comment. As I dove into considering the points he raised against me in his comment, my counter-response itself began to grow in length and substance. So I have decided to roll out my response to David in stages on my blog, since many of the points which have subsequently come up are worthy of discussion in their own right.
To begin, I want to quote GA Wells who summarizes some relevant points which should be borne in mind throughout the following exchange:
As the substance of the gospels is so much better known than that of the epistles, it is difficult for the reader of the latter to peruse them without – consciously or otherwise – interpreting them from his knowledge of the former. One must constantly remind oneself that, as the gospels did not exist when Paul wrote, one has no right to assume, prior to investigation, that the traditions which came to be embodied in them were known to him, even when appearances suggest this, as in a few cases they do. The most striking example is Paul’s reference to “the brethren of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 9:5) and to “James the brother of the Lord” (Galatians 1:19), whom he here designates as one of the leaders of the Jerusalem church. We immediately think of those persons designated brothers of Jesus in the gospels, without pausing to ask whether Paul had in mind members of a fraternity, of a small group of Messianists not related to Jesus, but zealous in the service of the risen one. (The Jesus Legend, pp. 26-27)
In the present case, David expressed some confusion on my take on the legend theory. He wrote:
Dawson, in my first response to your blog article, I missed that you were trying to posit that Jesus' existence was legendary. I'm accustomed to people arguing that the resurrection was legendary and not the entire events in the Gospels. Perhaps I will back up a moment since I have gotten a hold of the book you were originally referring to, as well as some of Wells' work.
To clarify my view of Jesus, let me quote myself from a discussion which I had with another Christian on early non-Christian testimony, where I wrote:
Whether or not the gospel of Mark holds priority over the other synoptics is ultimately of little value to my overall view. Where Doherty may be regarded as a "mythicist," I can be regarded as a "legendist" - I think it's clearly the case that the stories we read in the gospels and the book of Acts are the product of legendary developments, regardless of whether or not Mark came first, regardless of whether or not there was ultimately a human being named Jesus which initially inspired sacred stories messianic heroism.
So what I consider legendary are the portraits we have of Jesus in the gospels and the stories of Peter, James and Paul in the book of Acts. This view is not a baseline starting point or root assumption, but the conclusion of an enormous some of consideration. As I state above, whether or not a man named Jesus was crucified at some time in the distant past is really neither here nor there, given this conclusion, of which I am convinced. The earliest Christians did believe that a crucified savior was resurrected, but what this means in terms of specifics is hazy given the way it is treated in the earliest epistolary strata of the New Testament. For instance, the gospels portray Jesus as being resurrected in a physical body, but Paul nowhere specifies that the appearances of Jesus which he mentions were of a physical body. The empty tomb and a physical resurrection seem to be later traditions of which Paul shows no familiarity. Granted that these are highly controversial remarks to Christians, it is important, again, to note that these are conclusions of much consideration of the matter, and I would hope that David and others can appreciate this fact.
David’s first point of business in his lengthy comment was to declare that certain statements that I have made on my blog in response to a passage from Norman Geisler and Frank Turek’s book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, strike him “as quite heavy and unsupported.” Essentially, he believes I have misconstrued their argument. From here forward I will address my comments to David, who wrote:
In your original blog article, you attempted to cast G/T's argument in opposition to your rendition of Wells' legend theory.
I reviewed what I wrote in my initial blog, and I don't see where I put as specific a cast on the section I quoted from Geisler and Turek’s book as you say here. Geisler and Turek are the ones who are saying that Paul's "testimony could describe a legend, because it goes right back to the time and place of the event itself." I'm simply pointing out that this begs the question against the view that Jesus' resurrection is legendary. It begs the question because it assumes the truth of the gospel accounts of the passion (for how else does one figure a date for the resurrection), but that's precisely what's in question vis. the legend theory. Below you mention that there are many different legend theories, which is fine, but which legend theory holds that the resurrection actually happened? For my point here to obtain, the legend theory in question does not need to be Wells’ own, or even my own “rendition” of Well’s theory. For one could, against Wells' earlier views (but in line with his mature view), hold that there was really a man, very possibly named Jesus, who was crucified, but still hold that the resurrection story itself is a legend.
I assumed that G/T was indeed arguing against the legend theory, because normally folks don't simply toss a position at an author and criticize them for not dealing with it when the author didn't aim to in the first place.
Geisler and Turek do not attempt a full-fledged refutation of the legend theory. Rather, they offer a very commonplace dismissals of it in the form of passing blows, in the present case claiming that the earliest testimony of the resurrection is essentially too early for a legend to have developed. This simply assumes that the resurrection actually happened, which – when it comes to considering the legend theory – is precisely what’s in question. I have quoted Geisler and Turek, so there should be no question that they said what I’ve quoted them saying.
I also assumed when you accused professional philosophers of question begging and lying, that perhaps I shouldn't judge until I could have a look at the source.
I certainly have no objection to consulting a source when it's been critiqued to confirm whether or not the critique in question distorts it. For the record, however, I do not consider either Geisler or Turek to be "professional philosophers." They're apologists for a religious view, which in my view is anti-philosophical. But I still have no objection to you checking the source for yourself. That's why I give the book's name and page numbers. It's a way of saying "See for yourself." Wouldn't it have been nice if Paul had done the same when he claims that Jesus appeared to some 500 or so people?
But if the Jesus story were a legend in the first place - the very premise which our authors are trying to defeat, then appealing to what might have happened or could have happened to Jesus' body simply begs the question, for it assumes precisely what they are called to prove: namely that the story we have of Jesus in the New Testament is not legend. If the story about Jesus is merely a legend, then there was no body to crucify and seal in a tomb or parade through the streets of Jerusalem.... Geisler and Turek's book is admittedly aimed more at a popular audience, but it's fair game so far as I see it, and it's typical in regard to how blatantly many Christians beg the question when it comes to how they argue against the legend theory.
Simply put, I think you've built a straw man and forced it to beg the question. Does G/T present Habermas' resurrection argument to conclude that the legend theory is false? No.
As I read it, Geisler and Turek's purpose in citing Habermas appears to be, at the very least, in the interest of establishing the position that I Cor. 15:3-8 contains a quotation from a creed which predates Paul, thus making what we read in Paul earlier than even Paul’s own letter. This fits the overall purpose of the chapter in which the offending passage appears, which they title “Do We Have Early Testimony About Jesus?”
Let’s look specifically at what they write when they invoke Habermas:
"as Gary Habermas points out, most scholars (even liberals) believe that this testimony was part of an early creed that dates right back to the Resurrection itself - eighteen months to eight years after, but some say even earlier." (I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, p. 242)
Now it is unclear where Habermas leaves off and Geisler and Turek pick back up. It's clear from what Geisler and Turek give that Habermas has affirmed that "most scholars... believe that this testimony was part of an early creed." But does Habermas also think that "most scholars believe... that [this creed] dates right back to the Resurrection itself"? They do not quote Habermas (according to the book’s index, p. 242 is the first reference to Habermas), but the way they have it does imply that Habermas believes this to be the case. At any rate, Geisler and Turek cite Habermas in order to substantiate the view that the alleged creed contained in I Cor. 15 is so early that it "dates right back to the Resurrection itself," and it is from this that Geisler and Turek go on to assert that "There's no possible way that such testimony could describe a legend, because it goes right back to the time and place of the event itself," which is the statement to which I raised my objection, which you find controversial. In essence, they cite Habermas as an authority in order to support their dismissal of the view that Jesus' resurrection is legendary. I have not mischaracterized Geisler and Turek (or Habermas), nor have I forced their statement into a fallacy which it clearly commits on its own.
Besides the fact that there are all sorts of "legend theories" and Wells is the most extreme, you are missing out on what is actually being argued.
I don't think I've missed what Geisler and Turek were trying to argue. It's pretty clear what they were trying to establish. As for Wells' legend theory, he has modified it in recent years, and I don't think it was ever as radical as Doherty's view.
Generally when New Testament scholars speak of "embellishments" or "legend development" they are not necessarily asserting that the narratives are not without any historical seed at all;
Depending on what "historical seed" is considered to me, this may very well be the case. But I don't think it's relevant in establishing the charge that I have misconstrued Geisler and Turek's points. Wells' more mature line of thinking on the matter, for instance, does concede that there probably was a man, maybe even named Jesus, who died by crucifixion, thus satisfying this common expectation you mention of a "historical seed" element here, and that over time various legends developed about this man who was purportedly resurrected and "seen" in visions or waking fantasies, much like what many of today's Christians have experienced. Wells indicates his updated position in Can We Trust the New Testament? as follows:
The weakness of my earlier position was pressed upon me by J.D.G. Dunn, who objected that we really cannot plausibly assume that such a complex of traditions as we have in the gospels and their sources could have developed within such a short time from the early epistles without a historical basis (Dunn [The Evidence for Jesus], p. 29). My present standpoint is: this complex is not all post-Pauline (Q, or at any rate parts of it, may well be as early as ca. A.D. 50); and – if I am right, against Doherty and Price – it is not all mythical. The essential point, as I see it, is that the Q material, whether or not it suffices as evidence of Jesus’s historicity, refers to a personage who is not to be identified with the dying and rising Christ of the early epistles. (p. 50)
specifically, G/K are not defending against the supposition that Paul took some pagan mythology to wash down his hallucinations, and then regurgitated some no-less-than maniacal letters with which later writers found much accord and fabricated more complex Jesus tales.
Perhaps they aren't. Incidentally, if this comment is intended to reflect Wells' case, I'd recommend a closer study of it.
Indeed, if G/K is arguing for the historicity of the resurrection and not the historicity of the whole "Jesus story", this is a sound argument.
What exactly is the "sound argument" you refer to here?
On that note I contend that if the legend theory you suppose is true, then Paul is completely insane
I'm reminded of Festus in Acts 26 who calls Paul "mad" to his face. Regardless, it is hard to perform a psychological evaluation on someone who's been dead for over 1900 years. But judging by the content of his letters, supposedly he actually believed what he preaches in them, I would say he was at the very least hyper-delusional. His worldview was so steeped in the primacy of consciousness that such delusion is unavoidable if it is taken seriously. For that matter, I think Christians today are deluded, at least when it comes to their religious views. Fortunately for them, most believers are well rehearsed at compartmentalizing their beliefs, but there are some who do make the attempt to integrate their religious views with their life in the world. It's not a very pretty sight.
(after all his statements are incoherent without the Gospels being read back into them or assuming his audience had any idea of what he meant),
I wouldn't argue this at all. With regard to the resurrection, for instance, Paul's letters could make sense if the resurrection he had in mind were believed to have taken place two centuries prior to his own time just as well as (if not even better than) if it were believed to have taken place when the gospel narratives situate it. Paul's letters could make sense if his Jesus was not supposed to have been born of a virgin, raised by a carpenter, baptized by John the Baptist, betrayed by Judas Iscariot, tried by Jesus, crucified outside Jerusalem, entombed under the auspices of Joseph of Arimathaea, visited by a group of women, etc. The intelligibility of Paul's letters in no way necessitate any of these gospel elements. From what we learn from Paul's letters, Jesus' parents could have been named Bob and Cindy, they could have been shopkeepers selling textiles, living in Macedonia ca. 200 BCE. The twelve could have been an institution of enthusiasts, like die hard rockstar groupies, whose members are replaced after passing on, keeping the fire of their devotion alive for generations, as is common in religious cults. They need not have been named Matthew, Peter, John, etc. From what Paul gives us, they could have had names like Habeeb, Carl, Suki, or Bill. Paul nowhere specifies that "the twelve" were men; it could have been a coed group from all that he gives us. From Paul's letters, we never learn how old Jesus was when he was crucified. He could have lived to 70 years of age for all that he gives us. Paul never speaks of an empty tomb; he just says Jesus "was buried." Thus for Paul, his Jesus could have been buried in the ground, under a pile of rocks, in a mass grave, etc. Nothing in Paul's letters necessitate a sealed tomb, as he never mentions it. In fact, while I realize that the Greek word 'thapto' in I Cor. 15:4 means 'bury' or 'inter', and that interment can mean depositing the deceased in either a grave or a tomb, virtually all the English translations I've seen use the word 'bury' instead of 'inter' in I Cor. 15:4. And typically, when someone says a dead person has been "buried," I tend to think of a grave, not a tomb per se.
and the Gospel writers are some of the most outrageous fraudsters fiction has ever seen.
You're free to worry about such rankings, but fiction is fiction any way you slice it.
Now back to this corny book (actually I agree with your analysis there). G/T is specifically arguing for the historicity of the resurrection, which, as you've pointed out, rests on other premises (the historicity of specific statements made in the Gospels) to support it. It is perfectly valid argumentation to have a series of linked premises (with sub-arguments) that support a larger conclusion.
Premises offered in support of a conclusion would be a minimum requirement for validity. I don't think anyone is disputing this. But the way these authors attempt to counteract the charge that Paul’s testimony might be a product of legend is to claim that it is essentially too early to be such, and the only way they can argue this is by taking the portraits of Jesus which we find in the gospel narratives for granted, which – unlike Paul – puts Jesus’ life, crucifixion and resurrection in a historical context, indeed one which does not at all fit well with Paul’s overall conception of Jesus. In other words, if Paul is thought to be relating a legend, it won’t do to challenge this thought by pointing to later writings (namely the gospel narratives) which would surely be legends if that thought were true.
One need not reject or accept the entire New Testament as legend; indeed many critical scholars reject the miracle stories and resurrection as legendary yet find no good reason to reject the descriptions of political events, geography, etc.
Indeed, I acknowledge the actual existence of places like Jerusalem, Galilee, the Dead Sea, Damascus, Tyre, Ephesus, and Rome, all of which are mentioned in the New Testament. So do Wells, Doherty and other legend theorists. Similarly, I acknowledge the actual existence of the state of Kansas, which is where Dorothy lives according to The Wizard of Oz. However, because this story mentions an actually existing place, does not at all suggest to me that the story itself is true. Fiction can easily use actual places and genuinely historical events as backdrops for its characters and plot development.
Regardless, you are misrepresenting G/T and introducing a false dichotomy.
So now I'm guilty of a second fallacy. Well, let’s see.
Craig Blomberg discusses this dichotomy: "It certainly seems fair to say its no more appropriate to take the hardest and most fantastic part of a piece of literature and write all the rest of it off as a result, than it is to take the most sober, corroborated piece of literature and use that as a reason for believing everything else in the document." (Difficult Questions about the New Testament, mp3 online).
I think you may have read quite a bit more into my position than is warranted. As I mentioned above, I do not doubt the historicity of many of the geographical places mentioned in the New Testament. So I'm not throwing the baby out with the bathwater as it were. However, I would point out that I don't subscribe to the historicity of, say, Jerusalem or the Dead Sea because it's a setting backdrop in the New Testament. Besides, if it is acknowledged that portions of the gospel portraits of Jesus qualify as a “fantastic part of a piece of literature,” as Blomberg seems to be doing in the excised portion of his speech (I have not listed to it, so you can clarify this), then that seems to be quite a concession on his part. I see no problem with accepting as factual elements such as the existence of Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin, the prefecture of Pilate, the existence of donkeys, pigs, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, etc., while viewing the stories of Jesus’ virgin birth, escape from the slaughter of the innocents, miracle performances, magical healings, parables, resurrection, etc., as legendary.
There's a persistent and annoying perhapsical nature to all this, and puts a great burden on the memories of those whom Paul personally missionized, persons who may or may not have been the recipients of Paul's letters, which - like I Corinthians - was addressed to the church as a whole, not to a specific individual.
You complain that there is a "perhapsical" nature to this whole idea that Paul's letters were not written in a contextual vacuum.
I don't think - nor did I say - that Paul's letters were "written in a contextual vacuum." Recall that the statement you quote from me above was made in the context of the following point regarding Paul’s unexplained mentioning of “the twelve” and “the apostles” in I Cor. 15:3-8:
I would suspect that at least some of Paul’s readers would have wondered whom he meant by “the twelve” and who were “the apostles” he mentions. Apologists typically respond to these kinds of questions by alleging that Paul’s audiences would have known whom he had in mind with such expressions, because this would have been included in his on-site missionary work when he visited the churches he later addressed in letters.
The standard refrain that Paul’s intended audience would have just known what he was talking about, does not help us very much, because it does not supply the details which Paul fails to give, nor does it confirm that the individuals who made up “the twelve” were the disciples mentioned in the gospels. Indeed, by indicating that we are not Paul’s intended audience, believers suggest that what Paul is saying in his letters was not directed to us. But Christians performatively behave otherwise, expecting everyone to take what Paul says as if it applies to us today.
The point is that this kind of apology still does not establish who were members of the groups which Paul mentions. It is unknown what Paul taught the Corinthians when he was watering the church there. When he visited the church, did he name the members of “the twelve” and “the apostles”? How could we know? Does a passing mention of these groups indicate that he did? That seems rather tenuous, but tenuous inferences are pretty much all we have to go on given the scantiness of the details here, so it could go either way. But if it is not possible to establish that Paul did identify the members of either group when he was actually at the church in Corinth, how is it any more possible to know who those members were, especially since Paul himself never mentions “the twelve” again in any of his letters, or provides a list of who were “the apostles”?
Besides, regarding the members of “the twelve,” even going by the gospels, is no cut-and-dry affair. Wells describes the quagmire as follows:
The twelve disciples are often regarded as guarantors of Jesus’ historicity, although we are told nothing of most of them except their names, on which the documents do not even agree completely. In Mk. and Mt. the list of names is also very clumsily worked into the text. All this makes it obvious that the number is an older tradition than the persons; that the idea of the twelve derives not from twelve actual disciples, but from some other source – quite possibly from the expectation that Jesus, as Messiah, would command twelve men as leaders and judges of the new Israel. Thus the epistle of Barnabas (written some time between AD 70 and 145) says (ch. 8) that ‘those whom Jesus empowered to preach the gospel were twelve in number, to represent the tribes of Israel, which were twelve’. The fourth gospel (unlike the synoptics) does not even list the names. From 6:60 we learn that the disciples are ‘many’, and a few verses later Jesus is suddenly made to address ‘the twelve’. There has been no previous hint of choosing the number. Clearly, then, John knew of a tradition that there had been twelve disciples, but was unable or unwilling to elucidate it and is therefore not a valuable witness to its historical accuracy. In the synoptics, Peter, James and John are Jesus’ most intimate disciples, but in the fourth gospel Peter plays but a minor role, and James and John are not mentioned at all. (Jn. 21 – generally admitted to be an appendix added to the solum conclusion of the gospel recorded at the end of ch. 20 – does indeed mention ‘the sons of Zebedee’, but even here they are not named as James and John.) ON the other hand, the fourth gospel makes disciples of personages who are not mentioned in the synoptics (Nathanael, Nicodemus). All this is clear evidence that the traditions on which the fourth evangelist drew were aside from the synoptic stream. (Did Jesus exist?, p. 122)
So even when we get to the gospel narratives, where specifics are finally given to inform what is meant by “the twelve,” there is not only disagreement and confusion among the gospels, but also signs that the number itself had a theological significance in and of itself apart from any individuals thought to make up its membership.
Now my point above, to which you (David) were responding, has to do with how cavalierly apologists have routinely discounted the conspicuous silences we have in Paul on such matters. The view that what Paul mentions in passing in his letters would have made sense to his readers because they would have already known what he was talking about, which insofar as it goes may have been the case, tends to be used to secure a harmonization with the later gospel accounts that is not supported by what we actually find in Paul’s and other early letters. The common defense that Paul would not have needed to “repeat” what his intended audiences would have already possessed as common knowledge is asserted in order to explain these silences. It is into this unrecorded gap that apologists have inserted all the details of the gospel narratives which are absent in Paul’s letters. Geisler and Turek, for instance, intimate that when Paul mentions “the twelve” in I Cor. 15, that we have the names of those people, even though Paul never identifies who they may be. Where do they get these names? From the gospels, of course. Can we name them? Sure, if we insert what the gospels at this point. One of those twelve, of course, would be Judas the traitor, but we’ve already seen how this poses problems. And which list of disciples do we go with? The one in the synoptics? Or a list that John does not give, but would apparently need to include Nathanael and Nicodemus? The truth of the matter is that we don’t have the details of what Paul taught on his missionary journeys, other than what is indicated in his letters. Paul does not tell us that “the twelve” are people who traveled with Jesus on his missionary journeys throughout the Judean countryside during his earthly life. Indeed, nothing in Paul suggests this.
Wells points out how apologetic responses to the silences in Paul’s and other early NT letters often involve an appeal to silence of their own:
I remain critical of many of Dunn’s arguments against me. He acknowledges what he calls a well-known “relative silence of Paul regarding the historical Jesus.” But in this context of his criticism of me, he fails to note that it is not Paul alone who is thus silent, but all the earliest extant Christian writers; and he tries to account for Paul’s silence by the familiar hypotheses that Paul “had little need or occasion to refer back to Jesus’ earthly ministry,” and could in any case take for granted that his addressees already knew all about it. To show that these explanations will not do was an important part of my task in The Jesus Myth, where I also had to counter (pp. 245ff.) the standard argument (often regarded as decisive, even by those who deprecate arguments from silence!) that, since ancient opponents of Christianity did not deny that Jesus existed, his crucifixion under Pilate can be taken as historical. What outsiders in the first century thought of Christianity we do not know, there being “no evidence at all for any views they may have held” of it (Downing, [Making Sense in (and of) the First Christian Century], p. 142). Downing gives evidence that the first outsiders whose reactions are preserved for us in any detail regarded Christians as “followers of a Cynic philosophical lifestyle” (p. 145). It has been repeatedly noted that, by this time, men who were both teachers (Cynic or other) and miracle workers were familiar figures. Consequently, there was no reason why the historicity of anyone alleged to have been such a teacher should have been questioned. (Can We Trust the New Testament?, pp. 50-51)
Elsewhere Wells shows how the silence which Dunn cites on the part of opponents of Christianity can be easily explained:
Practically all commentators retain belief in Jesus’s crucifixion under Pilate and hence accept the historical framework given to his life in the gospels... Much is made of the fact that his existence – and by this is meant his ministry and his subsequent crucifixion in the opening decades of the first century – was not impugned even in antiquity. “No ancient opponent of early Christianity ever denied that Jesus existed. This is the Achiles’s heel of attempts by a few modern scholars such as G.A. Wells to deny that Jesus existed.” Thus writes Graham Stanton in a dismissive footnote. [“Jesus of Nazareth: A Magician and a False Prophet Who Deceived God’s People?”, in Green and Turner, Jesus of Nazareth: Lord and Christ, p. 165n.] If such denials were made at all in the earliest days of Christianity, one would expect them from Jews rather than from pagans, as Jews encountered Christians and their ideas from Christianity’s inception. It is clear from 2 Cor. 11:24 (“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one”) that both Paul and the Jews who punished him regarded the Christian movement as falling within Judaism. And some Jews may well have found the Jesus portrayed by early missionaries – the Jesus figured in the early epistles – not credible as a historical personage: for this Jesus, in his human aspect, is a shadowy figure, not said in these documents to have taught or worked miracles, nor to have lived and died recently in specified circumstances. But what non-Christian Jews of the mid-first century thought of him, if anything, is not extant. Rabbinic traditions make their first extant appearance only a good century later, and moreover have been censored in the course of their transmission – “by Christians out of hostility... and by Jews as a means of self-protection” (Wilson [Related Strangers: Jews and Christians 70-170], p. 170). Pagans, for their part, will have had little by way of open conflict with earliest Christianity, and surely not enough exposure to it for their writers to take note of it before the gospels had become available. Subsequent opponents, Jewish and pagan alike, will have gathered from these gospels that Jesus was a teacher and wonder-worker of a kind perfectly familiar in both the Jewish and pagan world. As he could thus be assigned to a familiar category, there was no reason to query his historicity. References to him as a teacher and ‘magician’ are prominent in the rabbinic notices (Details in Wilson... pp. 186ff). (Wells, The Jesus Myth, pp. 245-246)
Yet haven't answered my question: is it really more probable that Paul was writing nonsense?
As opposed to what? Paul was a religious missionary. In his mind, it was not nonsense. But to a sober, rational individual, it is certainly nonsense. Similarly with Marshall Applewhite: is it really more probable that he was preaching nonsense rather than, say, truth, when he claimed that a spaceship was hiding in the tail of a comet preparing to pick up the souls of him and his suicidal clan? In his mind and in those of his followers, this fantasy was certainly not nonsense. They demonstrated their faith in Applewhite's premises by poisoning themselves in 1997. Many Christians have intimated that the apostle's alleged willingness to die is evidence of the truth of their beliefs. If willingness to die is demonstrative of the truth of one's beliefs, then Marshall Applewhite and his suicidal cult were demonstrating the truth of their claims. After all, who would die for the sake of nonsense or untruth? Certainly not someone who considered the beliefs he was willing to die for to be true and not nonsensical. Then again, the notion of dying for something has always struck me as odd. How is truth served if one dies for it? If it were true, it would have already been true, and one’s death does not make a truth truer than it already was.
David:
I think the legend theory per Wells has much more perhapsing to account for then any theory of New Testament origins.
Perhaps, but maybe not. Wells has modified his position (which demonstrates that he is not simply pushing a theory as some kind of publicity stunt), but throughout he is very careful to document support for his points and does so by deferring to the scholarly literature on the topic. In the introduction to his The Jesus Legend, Wells draws express attention to this feature of his writing:
Readers will see that in this book as in previous ones I owe a great deal to the painstaking work of the scholarly and critical theologians, and have not ignored that of their more traditionally-minded and conservative colleagues. I have thought it mostly unnecessary to indicate the clerical or academic status of any of them, but readers will be aware that books issued by SCM (Student Christian Movement), SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge), and other well-known theological publishing houses were not written by partisan atheists. Indeed, nearly all my references are to scholars with theological commitments. Even the most skeptical of them manage somehow to soldier on. Adrian Hastings, whom I have already quoted, sees around him "almost infinite unanswered and seemingly unanswerable questions," but nevertheless abides by "that singular cornerstone of Christian belief: the mysterious universality and finality of meaning of Jesus the Christ" ([The Theology of a Protestant Catholic, 1990], pp. 2-3). Alan Sell, well aware of all the problems, seeks "a truly contemporary theology." It
will be fired by the Gospel, grounded in the Scriptures, nourished by the Catholic faith of the ages, fertilized by Reformation emphases, tempered by Enlightenment critiques, and applicable today.
This from his 1992 inaugural lecture to a Chair of Divinity in the University of Wales. One can envisage the thunderous applause. (p. xxxi)
In any case, given the scantiness of the record we have in the New Testament, some "perhapsing" is always going to be unavoidable as we seek to understand its origins. But this does not give one license to prefer the fantasy of supernaturalism. I've found nothing in Wells that stretches beyond a rational evaluation of the data. Even the hypothesis that hallucinations had some momentous impact on the origins of Christianity does not figure centrally in his case, a topic which seems to preoccupy many apologists.
Rest assured, there’s much more to come.
Another Response to David, Part 5: Paul's Knowledg...
Another Response to David, Part 4: Paul, Q and Gro...
Another Response to David, Part 3: The Usual Pagan...
Another Response to David, Part 2: The Witness of ...
Another Response to David, Part 1: The Charge of S...
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The Art of Backpedalling
Government Minister Rick Boils has been forced to apologise for suggesting that using unemployed people as ballast for the new HS2 project was 'inhuman'. HS2, or High Speed 2, is the name given to a new high speed rail connection between London and somewhere grim and rainy in the north. With a planned completion date of the second Wednesday in June, 2032, the scheme is a major undertaking and it had been suggested that using unemployed people as ballast on the trackbed would be one way of keeping down the costs.
Reaction to the idea has been mixed, ranging from cautious expressions of interest and enquiries about pension packages, to wholehearted enthusiasm for the opportunity of involvement in such an exciting and progressive enhancement to the country's transport infrastructure.
Unions, on the other hand, have slammed the scheme, claiming that being ground up into small lumps and strewn along a hundred miles of railway line is both an appalling waste of skilled workers and a contravention of the Working Time Directive.
Mr Boils initially appeared to support this view and was reported to have denounced the idea, although it appears that he has now changed his mind. "Using unemployed workers is an essential part of our reforms to end the something for nothing culture," the spineless time-server said in his most recent statement, which he was at pains to stress was not made as a result of being told to keep his fat mouth shut and stay on message by party bosses. "I am a strong supporter of the scheme in both in principle and practice. Those who can work should work. And those who can lie down in the middle of a railway track and let trains run over them should stop being so selfish and be grateful that've finally found a vocation that gets them out into the open air."
Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Vandalism.
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Quality donkeys at bargain prices
Ramrod Adventure Holidays: Skydiving holidays with a difference
Fish Olympics
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Getaway driver seeks robbery.
Knitting in Colour
Introduction of the first colour knitting patterns.
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The advent of reality TV can lead you to believe that lifestyle changes can only come from intense, professionally led residential programs, surrounded by television cameras and wacky team challenges. Happily, new research shows that modest (and reasonable) lifestyle changes can be accomplished without a starring role on a reality series. And the health impact can be wonderful.
Without some sort of outside help, making lifestyle changes is difficult. People diagnosed as pre-diabetic are particularly good subjects for improved diet and exercise habits, all in an effort to avoid developing full-blown type II diabetes. A small research study at the Stanford School of Medicine and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute examined the various approaches to accomplishing these changes and their relative success rates.
A key measure of someone’s success in making lifestyle changes to avoid type II diabetes is a change in their body mass index, or BMI. Although the BMI has its flaws, it can serve well as a measure of relative change in someone’s diet and exercise. In this study, participants had an average BMI of 32 at the start of the program. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.
The participants in the research study were divided into three groups. The control group received “normal” care, which in modern medicine does not equate to much lifestyle support at all. It is rarely good to be selected into the control group if you decide to participate in a research study. Be forewarned!
The second group received group counseling sessions led by a lifestyle coach. The third group received a series of instructional videos on DVD. In both cases, the focus was on eating healthier foods and exercising more. Participants learned techniques and strategies for making lifestyle changes that endured, rather than reverting to old habits at the end of the program.
At the end of the 15 month study, the participants had their BMI measured again. The control group had an average BMI decrease of 0.9 over the research interval. The group receiving group instruction from a lifestyle coach had a BMI decrease of 2.2 while the BMI decrease was 1.6 for the DVD group. This equated to an average weight loss of nearly 14 pounds for the coached group, 10 pounds for the video group and 5 pounds for the unsupported group.
What does this mean for us? What if we don’t have access to a lifestyle coach or a series of instructional DVDs from a medical school? The researchers believe that any external support for lifestyle change can be positive. If you are really ready to change your health, get a buddy and support and encourage each other! This research shows that together you can accomplish so much more than on your own. Get to it!
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Use Amazon Prime for free 2 day shipping on many items, access to free books through the lending library, free music, and free movies and TV shows! You can sign up for a FREE 30 day trial to see if its a good fit for you before buying a paid subscription. Plus Amazon Prime members get early access to some of the Lightning deals throughout the year!
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Provide your child with a fun and safe playing experience with this Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet. Vivid display Powerful quad-core processor More than 400,000 apps available Kid-proof case gives parents peace of mind and kids freedom to play Long battery life Easy-to-use parental controls allow parents to personalize screen time limits, set educational goals, filter age-appropriate content, and also manage web browsing and content usage Supports up to four child profiles One year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited to give your kids access to kid-friendly content What's Included Fire tablet USB 2.0 cable 5W power adapter 8.7H x 5.5W x 0.1D Weight: 0.9 lbs. Rechargeable lithium ion battery Battery life: up to 8 hrs. Display size: 7-in. Display resolution: 1024x600 Operating system: FireOS... Less
When you get your first device that charges via USB-C, it can bea bit annoying that suddenly, all your micro USB and Lightning cables are of no use for that device. Rather than relying solely on the one that came with it, it's good to have a few handy. Right now, Anker is discounting two USB-C Powerline+ charging cables that are braided and capabe of charging at high speeds. The first set connect with traditional USB outlets (that's USB A 3.0), and the others have USB-C on both ends and are great for connecting your USB-C devices, such as charging your iPhone X from your MacBook Pro.
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Amazon has attracted widespread criticism for poor working conditions by both current employees, who refer to themselves as Amazonians,[178] and former employees,[179][180] as well as the media and politicians. In 2011, it was publicized that at the Breinigsville, Pennsylvania warehouse, workers had to carry out work in 100 °F (38 °C) heat, resulting in employees becoming extremely uncomfortable and suffering from dehydration and collapse. Loading-bay doors were not opened to allow in fresh air, due to the company's concerns over theft.[181] Amazon's initial response was to pay for an ambulance to sit outside on call to cart away overheated employees.[181] The company eventually installed air conditioning at the warehouse.[182]
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RIGHTS GROUPS ASSESS OBAMA’S FIRST 100 DAYS
While human rights and open-government groups are generally pleased with President Barack Obama’s rhetoric during his first 100 days, some are skeptical that he will deliver on his promises.
Typical is Amnesty International. The group says, “President Obama has made a promising start in improving the United States' human rights record in his first 100 days in office, but he must now deliver on his promises.”
The London-based rights group praised Obama for declaring that he will close the Guantanamo Bay prison, but it said after an "auspicious start" in making a swift announcement, more than 240 detainees are no closer to freedom.
"The bottom line is that... unlawful detentions at Guantanamo Bay continue, and for the vast majority of the detainees, the change in administration has so far meant no change in their situation," Amnesty said.
The group also expressed concerns about suspects held at Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, which it said remained "shrouded in secrecy." Obama had inherited a "unique opportunity" to dismantle the Bush administration's apparatus for the war on terror which had produced "brutal practices and broken lives," Amnesty said.
"The closure of Guantanamo must mark the end of the policies and practices it embodies, not merely shift those violations elsewhere, whether to Bagram... or anywhere else," Amnesty said.
The Center for Constitutional Rights – which has mobilized a small army of pro-bono lawyers to defend Guantanamo detainees – praised Omaba’s rhetoric but cautioned that “in many areas of critical importance – like human rights, torture, rendition, secrecy and surveillance – his words have been loftier than his actions.”
Vince Warren, CCR executive director, says, “On Obama's very first day in office, his administration ordered a 120-day suspension of the military commissions for Guantanamo detainees. The commissions were widely assailed for allowing evidence obtained through coercion and torture, secret evidence and hearsay evidence, all in violation of the U.S. Constitution. But Obama did not abolish the military commissions; he only hit the ‘pause’ button.”
Warren faulted Obama for not moving more quickly to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
He said, “The new president's most dramatic moment came on day three when he issued executive orders to close Guantanamo's prison camp within one year. But Guantanamo isn't yet closed. The hundreds of men held there still haven't won their freedom, nor will they necessarily have their day in fair court. Another year for men who have been held in abusive and inhuman conditions for seven years already is simply too long.”
Warren said that “secrecy was the hallmark of the Bush administration. It classified more documents than any administration in history, restricted Freedom of Information Act requests and tried to protect government officials and military contractors from being held liable for illegal actions, such as torture and wrongful death.”
“It invoked the state secrets privilege to avoid scrutiny in court and
responsibility for government action more times than any other administration,” he said, but added:.
“Obama has come down on both sides of this issue, ordering far more transparency through cooperation with Freedom of Information Act requests, while at the same time invoking state secrets in a case charging an aviation corporation with complicity in rendering a detainee to torture.”
Warren was also critical of Obama on the issue of electronic surveillance. He said, “The U.S. government used to need a warrant before it could spy on its own people. In 2002, President George W. Bush issued a secret executive order illegally authorizing the National Security Agency to wiretap Americans without a warrant. When the program was exposed, the administration secured immunity from Congress for the telecommunications companies that participated in the program. Obama still has not repudiated the executive orders supporting warrantless wiretapping and the legal opinions used to support them.”
Warren said that release of the “torture memos” prepared by lawyers in the Bush Justice Department was “welcome,” but he noted that “Obama has indicated he will not prosecute former officials who broke the law and committed crimes, saying he would rather look forward than back. For there to be no consequences for creating a torture program not only calls our system of justice into question, but it also could allow the nightmare to happen all over again.”
He said, “After the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush quickly squandered the world's enormous goodwill toward the United States. The goodwill Obama has inspired can evaporate if the rest of the world begins to see his administration continuing too many of Bush's policies.”
At the same time, a leading open-government advocacy organization, OMB Watch, said, “The president and his team have made significant progress in both the right-to-know and regulatory areas.”
But it added that “there is still much work to be done as we move deeper into Obama's term in office.”
“Overall, the Obama administration has set a strong tone on transparency, but a true assessment cannot occur until the development of agency-wide policies are put in place and fully implemented,” the group said.
“During his first full day in office, Obama successfully communicated the importance of transparency to agencies and the public by issuing memorandums on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and on transparency and open government.
The FOIA memo gave instructions and guidance to the attorney general on issuing new policies on the implementation of FOIA. The transparency memo directed agencies to harness new technologies to make information available to the public and for top officials to draft a blueprint Open Government Directive. These immediate actions were followed by steps to bring greater transparency to the regulatory process and to how scientific actions in government are handled,” the group said.
But it was critical of the new president on the issues of “signing statements” and use of the “state secrets privilege” to keep cases out of court on national security grounds.
It said, “Many groups considered Obama's signing statement on the 2009 omnibus appropriations bill to be an affront to whistleblower protections. These groups have interpreted Obama's signing statement as impeding the ability of government employees to communicate with Congress. Further, in repeated court cases, Obama administration officials have insisted on maintaining the Bush administration's broad interpretation of executive branch power on the issue of state secrets. There has been no public discussion of reviewing these policies for possible revision.”
OMB Watch noted that “Despite a fierce internal debate, the Obama administration has released four Bush-era ‘torture memos’ from the Department of Justice.
But, it added, “It remains to be seen if the administration will adopt a systematic approach to releasing other important documents that have been withheld from the public.”
The group noted that, in his first 100 days in office, President Obama “has made transparency a high priority and has started significant efforts in what will be a long process of getting government to be more open.”
But, it added, “Concerns and complaints have been raised by right-to-know advocates about various activities of the administration, including the usability of the White House website, transparency of legislation before the president signs it, and more. Additionally, it is difficult to accomplish much substantive change in just 100 days; much of the real test for this administration's commitment to transparency lies ahead. However, when measured against the yardstick of the five recommendations described above, it is impossible to view the administration's accomplishments as anything other than a success.”
Overall, the group concluded, Obama “has set a positive tone for the administration with his calls for increased transparency and renewed scientific integrity throughout government, his appointments of well qualified people to serve in regulatory agencies, his reversal of harmful regulatory practices and rushed deregulatory actions, and his initiation of an open process to reform the executive order that governs the rulemaking process. For these actions, the president deserves high marks.”
Posted by Unknown at Wednesday, April 29, 2009 No comments:
RELIGIOUS GROUPS URGE COMMISSION, PROSECUTOR
A coalition of 19 human rights, faith-based, and justice organizations is calling on President Barack Obama to investigate torture they charge was sanctioned by the administration of former President George W. Bush.
The group, led by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), is proposing both a special prosecutor and an “independent, non-partisan commission to examine and report publicly on torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees in the period since September 11, 2001.”
The campaign’s call for accountability comes just days after the release of the Senate Armed Services Committee report on interrogation and torture and the Justice Department legal memos sanctioning torture and inhumane treatment.
Rev. Richard Killmer, executive director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, told us, “NRCAT supports both the establishment of an independent, non-partisan Commission of Inquiry to investigate the use of torture and a Department of Justice investigation for criminal culpability of those who authorized or carried out acts of torture. Each process is important and can be pursued independently.”
He added, “A Commission will help us understand how the illegal interrogation policies came into effect and how they were implemented so that we can ensure that safeguards are in place to prevent future administrations from following the same path. A criminal investigation will send the clear message that government officials cannot violate laws against torture without facing serious criminal sanctions. If we hope to end the practice of torture by agents of the United States once and for all, we must pursue both avenues.”
The coalition proposes a commission, “comparable in stature to the 9/11 Commission,” to “look into the facts and circumstances of such abuses, report on lessons learned and recommend measures that would prevent any future abuses.”
The group’s online petition says that a commission is “necessary to reaffirm America’s commitment to the Constitution, international treaty obligations and human rights. The report issued by the commission will strengthen U.S. national security and help to re-establish America’s standing in the world.”
Organizations endorsing the effort include Amnesty International USA, the Constitution Project, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, the Open Society Institute, and Physicians for Human Rights.
NRCAT and its partner organizations say they have “worked together to end U.S.-sponsored torture. During 2008, the religious community advocated for a Presidential Executive Order ending torture. It happened. On January 22, President Obama issued an Executive Order halting torture.”
The coalition says the task now is “to make sure that U.S.-sponsored torture never happens again. To accomplish this goal, our nation needs to put safeguards in place to prevent its recurrence. We will better understand what safeguards are needed if we have a comprehensive understanding of what happened – who was tortured, why they were tortured, and who ordered the torture. As a nation we need the answers to those questions.”
In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder the coalition also urges the
appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate criminal acts relating to the confinement and interrogation of detainees since Sept. 11, 2001.
The letter notes that excerpts of a recently released report from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) concluded that detainees “had been subjected to torture – a crime under both domestic and international law.”
It says, “The ICRC report, which describes conduct of shocking brutality, shows that a limited investigation is simply insufficient in this case. Government officials, from the lowest CIA officer, to the highest levels of the Executive Branch may be criminally culpable for the use of torture. Because such an investigation will include a review of the conduct of very top officials of the previous administration, and because the appearance of absolute impartiality in determining whether and whom to prosecute is critical to the public's support and understanding of such prosecutions and the laws at issue, we believe it is both wise and necessary for you to refer this investigation to a Special Counsel.”
NRCAT twice asked former Attorney General Michael Mukasey to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate both the destruction of the CIA videotapes that documented the use of “harsh” interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists and whether such techniques violated U.S. and international law.
“While an investigation was initiated into the destruction of the tapes, the investigator, John Durham, was not given the independent status of Special Counsel. Further, Attorney Durham’s investigation was limited to the destruction of the tapes; he apparently does not have the authority to investigate the lawfulness of the interrogation conduct depicted on said tapes,” the group said.
“A full, independent and public investigation into possible violations of U.S. law by high-ranking government officials in the use of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ is necessary.”
“The American people need to know how detainees have been treated in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantánamo and elsewhere around the world. And they need to know that every measure has been taken to ensure that no violations of U.S. law with respect to torture and ‘cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment’ will be permitted in the future. An independent investigation is a necessary part of achieving this goal,” the group said.
Court Rebukes Bush, Obama Administrations
In what may become a landmark decision, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday that the “state secrets privilege” – routinely used by the government to block lawsuits against its officials – can only be used to contest specific evidence, but not to dismiss an entire suit.
The ruling, which was hailed by human rights advocates, came in connection with a lawsuit against a company known as Jeppesen DataPlan for its role in the government’s “extraordinary rendition” program during the administration of former President George W. Bush.
The suit charges that Jeppesen knowingly participated in the rendition program by providing critical flight planning and logistical support services to aircraft and crews used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to forcibly “disappear” the five men to U.S.-run prisons or foreign intelligence agencies overseas where they were interrogated under torture. Jeppesen is a subsidiary of aerospace giant Boeing. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
During the Bush administration, the government intervened when the case first came before a lower court in 2007, successfully asserting the "state secrets" privilege to have the case thrown out in February 2008. On appeal, the administration of President Barack Obama followed the same road as its predecessor. Yesterday, the appeals court reversed that decision.
But lawyers for the men who brought the case also sounded a note of caution. "This historic decision marks the beginning, not the end, of this litigation," said Ben Wizner, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project, who argued the case for the plaintiffs.
"Our clients, who are among the hundreds of victims of torture under the Bush administration, have waited for years just to get a foot in the courthouse door. Now, at long last, they will have their day in court. Today's ruling demolishes once and for all the legal fiction, advanced by the Bush administration and continued by the Obama administration, that facts known throughout the world could be deemed 'secrets' in a court of law."
In its ruling, the court wrote that "the Executive's national security prerogatives are not the only weighty constitutional values at stake,” adding that security depends on the "freedom from arbitrary and unlawful restraint and the personal liberty that is secured by adhering to the separation of powers."
The three-judge appeals court panel ruled unanimously that the government could take steps to protect national secrets as the case proceeded. The suit should be dismissed only if secret information is essential for the plaintiffs to prove their case.
"According to the government's theory, the judiciary should effectively cordon off all secret government actions from judicial scrutiny, immunizing the CIA and its partners from the demands and limits of the law," Judge Michael Hawkins said.
Allowing the government to shield its conduct from court review simply because classified information is involved "would ... perversely encourage the president to classify politically embarrassing information simply to place it beyond the reach of judicial process," Hawkins said.
The court did not address the plaintiffs' claims that they were kidnapped and tortured, but said judges have an important role to play in reviewing allegations of secret government conduct that violates individual liberties.
"As the founders of this nation knew well, arbitrary imprisonment and torture under any circumstances is a 'gross and notorious ... act of despotism,' " Hawkins said, citing language from a 2004 Supreme Court decision.
"The extraordinary rendition program is well known throughout the world," said Steven Watt, a staff attorney with the ACLU Human Rights Program. "The only place it hasn't been discussed is where it most cries out for examination – in a U.S. court of law. Allowing this case to go forward is an important step toward reaffirming our commitment to domestic and international human rights law and restoring an America we can be proud of. Victims of extraordinary rendition deserve their day in court."
He told us that he had spoken with one of the plaintiffs, Bisher Al-Rawi, who was released from Guantánamo last year without ever having been charged with a crime. Al-Rawi, now back in the U.K., told Watt, “It’s like winning the lottery.”
Yesterday’s Appeals Court ruling means that the government can assert the “state secrets” privilege for any specific piece of evidence, but not to end a case before it begins.
That means that the privilege is primarily an evidentiary privilege, a definition civil libertarians have long sought. The State Secrets Protection Act, now pending in Congress, would turn that definition into law.
The case was brought on behalf of five men who were allegedly kidnapped by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in 2001 and 2002.
Al-Rawi, an Iraqi citizen and long-term British permanent resident, was kidnapped and later secretly flown by the CIA to Kabul, Afghanistan. He was imprisoned, interrogated and tortured at two separate CIA facilities in Afghanistan, before being transferred to the U.S. detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. He was imprisoned there for more than four years until his release on March 30, 2007. He returned to his home in London where he currently resides freely. No charges were ever brought against him.
Ethiopian citizen Binyam Mohamed was stripped, blindfolded, shackled, dressed in a tracksuit, strapped to the seat of a plane and flown to Morocco where he was secretly detained for 18 months and interrogated and tortured by Moroccan intelligence services. Then he was once again blindfolded, stripped, and shackled by CIA agents and flown to a secret U.S. detention facility in Afghanistan, where he was again tortured and eventually transferred to another facility and then to the U.S. Naval Station at Guantánamo. He was released without charge in February and is currently suing the British Government for being complicit with the CIA in his rendition.
Abou Elkassim Britel, an Italian citizen, was handcuffed, blindfolded, stripped, dressed in a diaper, chained, and flown by the CIA from Pakistan to Morocco where he was tortured by Moroccan intelligence agents.
In December 2001, Egyptian citizen Ahmed Agiza was chained, shackled, and drugged by the CIA and flown from Sweden to Egypt where he was severely abused and tortured and where he still remains imprisoned.
In October 2003, Mohamed Farag Ahmad Bashmilah was taken into custody by the Jordanian General Intelligence Department and tortured and interrogated. In October 2003, he was turned over to CIA agents who beat, kicked, diapered, hooded and handcuffed him before secretly transporting him to the U.S. Air Force base at Bagram, Afghanistan. He was freed in March 2006, having never faced any charges related to terrorism.
Clive Stafford Smith, director of the U.K. legal charity Reprieve, which represents Binyam Mohamed in his British suit, told us, “This is a tremendous step forward in the battle to stop corporations making money off the rendition, torture and suffering of the prisoners we represent.”
He said, “Binyam Mohamed, and perhaps many others, are one step closer to making the CEOs of these companies stop and think before they commit criminal acts for profit."
The Obama Administration now has three options. It can do nothing, which will mean the case will finally go before a U.S. court. It can ask the entire Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear the case. Or it can appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
If the case goes to trial, the government can still argue that disclosing anything about Jeppesen's relationship with the United States government would jeopardize national security secrets. But now it can no longer simply “assert” that privilege; it will have to convince a judge by arguing the point in court.
In recent years, the government has asserted the “state secrets” claim with increasing regularity in an attempt to throw out lawsuits and justify withholding information from the public about the rendition program and also about illegal wiretapping, torture and other breaches of U.S. and international law.
Assertion of the privilege has denied access to U.S. courts in a number of high profile cases, most notably the cases of Khalid Al-Masri, an innocent German who was tortured by the CIA in Afghanistan, and whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, a linguist for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who charged that national security was being breached at the agency.
Happy Anniversary, Abu Ghraib!
This Tuesday, April 28, will mark five years since Americans got their first look at the sickening photographs from Abu Ghraib on “60 Minutes.”
And a month after that, on May 28, the Department of Justice, acting under a court order, will release several thousand never-before-seen-in-public photographs of U.S. prisoner abuse from Afghanistan and from elsewhere in Iraq.
The recent “torture memos” -- which will inform our reaction to these new photos in a way not possible at the time of the Abu Ghraib scandal -- were also released as the result of what President Obama called an unwinnable lawsuit – by the same plaintiff, the American Civil Liberties Union, and under the same law, the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.
We don’t yet know what we’ll see in these new images. Some members of Congress, who viewed them in a classified setting, have said they are far worse than the Abu Ghraib images.
So on May 28 we will get to see these new photos. We will again be outraged. There will be cries for investigations. Politicians will make statements. Doubtless, they will hold hearings.
But the question is “what comes next?”
To help answer that question, it might be instructive to remember what happened after Abu Ghraib.
In what has to be one of the most iconic – and absurd – statements made since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Army Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros told the press back in 2005 that humane treatment of detainees "is and always has been the Department of Defense standard."
Ballesteros was commenting on the so-called “Church Report,” one of more than a dozen major reviews, assessments or investigations related to the detention and treatment of war-on-terror detainees.
And Ballesteros added: "None of them found that there was a governmental policy directing, encouraging or condoning abuse."
And that has pretty much been the history of all these investigations of abuse.
They are full of sentences like, “Clearly abuses occurred at the prison at Abu Ghraib. There is no single, simple explanation for why this abuse at Abu Ghraib happened. The primary causes are misconduct (ranging from inhumane to sadistic) by a small group of morally corrupt soldiers and civilians, a lack of discipline on the part of the leaders and soldiers… and a failure or lack of leadership….”
Or try this one: “The abuses at Abu Ghraib primarily fall into two categories: a) intentional violent or sexual abuse and, b) abusive actions taken based on misinterpretations or confusion regarding law or policy.”
Or this: “Senior level officers did not commit the abuse at Abu Ghraib (but) they did bear responsibility for lack of oversight of the facility, failing to respond in a timely manner to the reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross and for issuing policy memos that failed to provide clear, consistent guidance for execution at the tactical level.”
Or this “No policy, directive or doctrine directly or indirectly caused violent or sexual abuse. In these cases, soldiers knew they were violating the approved techniques and procedures.”
Or this, from the investigation led by former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger:
“The events of October through December 2003 on the night shift of Tier 1 at Abu Ghraib prison were acts of brutality and purposeless sadism. We now know these abuses occurred at the hands of both military police and military intelligence personnel. The pictured abuses, unacceptable even in wartime, were not part of authorized interrogations nor were they even directed at intelligence targets. They represent deviant behavior and a failure of military leadership and discipline. Department of Defense reform efforts are underway and the Panel commends these efforts.”
In not a single one of these reports was the name of any high-ranking Pentagon official ever uttered.
President Bush described the perpetrators in the Abu Ghraib photos as “a few American troops who dishonored our country and disregarded our values.” He meant grunts like Lynddie England and Charles Graner – the folks who got blamed for carrying out what we now know was U.S. policy
Why could the reports of these mostly honorable officers and public servants have all gotten it so wrong?
For starters, the scope of each of these investigative assignments was determined by the Pentagon. Thus, the officer heading up the first investigation was ordered to find out what happened within the 800th Military Police (MP) Brigade in our military prisons in Iraq– and only in Iraq.
That’s how Major General Antonio Taguba came to conclude:
“I find that the 800th MP Brigade was not adequately trained for a mission that included operating a prison or penal institution at Abu Ghraib Prison Complex… I also concur that units of the800th MP Brigade did not receive corrections-specific training during their mobilization period. MP units did not receive pinpoint assignments prior to mobilization and during the post mobilization training, and thus could not train for specific missions. The training that was accomplished at the mobilization sites were developed and implemented at the company level with little or no direction or supervision at the Battalion and Brigade levels, and consisted primarily of common tasks and law enforcement training.”
But even given this limitation, Gen.Taguba concluded that the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib went far beyond the actions of a few sadistic military police officers -- the administration's chosen culprits. His report said 27 military intelligence soldiers and civilian contractors committed criminal offenses, and that military officials hid prisoners from the Red Cross.
And it’s worth noting that for his candor, Gen. Taguba was forced into retirement by civilian Pentagon officials because he had been ''overzealous.'' ''They always shoot the messenger,'' Taguba said.
Then, there’s the limitation that investigators can only probe down from their rank, not up the chain of command to their superiors. A Brigadier General (one star) cannot investigate a Lieutenant General (two stars); a Lieutenant General cannot investigate a Major General (three stars). And a Major General cannot investigate a General (four stars).
It was precisely for that reason that Maj. Gen. George R. Fay, one of the Abu Ghraib investigators, told his superiors that he could not complete his inquiry without interviewing more senior-ranking officers, including Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, the ground commander in Iraq.
Then there’s the pride factor.Most of the folks who carried out these investigations were career officers. They were proud of the military. One can see that pride in the conclusion of the 2004 report conducted by General Fay:
“Leaders and Soldiers throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom were confronted with a complex and dangerous operational environment. Although a clear breakdown in discipline and leadership, the events at Abu Ghraib should not blind us from the noble conduct of the vast majority of our Soldiers. We are a values based profession in which the clear majority of our Soldiers and leaders take great pride. A clear vote of confidence should be extended by the senior leadership to the leaders and soldiers who continue to perform extraordinarily in supporting our Nation’s wartime mission. Many of our soldiers have paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms and liberties that America and our Army represent throughout the world.”
So we saw the photos and learned nothing.
But the principal reason we learned nothing is that the Bush Administration wanted us to learn nothing. And a largely compliant media forgot to ask the right questions soon enough.
Remember that it was an ordinary soldier who was troubled enough by what he saw at Abu Ghraib to photograph it and put it on a CD that he turned over to his superiors. And remember that it was the military itself that announced, in 2003, that an investigation by the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Command was underway into alleged prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.
But also remember that, back then, Donald Rumsfeld was a rock star, the darling of the press. Most of the journalists who attended his briefings were acting like stenographers.
What they didn’t know was that, by the time we got to see the Abu Ghraib photos in 2003, Jay Bybee and John Yoo had already used their contorted legal logic to write their so-called “torture memos” justifying “enhanced interrogation” techniques. By the time the Abu Ghraib photos surfaced on television, the Bush policy was already in place and being implemented. It would be five years before most of the American public began to get a glimmer of what that policy was.
Which brings me back to the new photos we’re going to see this Tuesday.
According to ACLU attorney Amrit Singh, "These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib."
She says, "Their disclosure is critical for helping the public understand the scope and scale of prisoner abuse as well as for holding senior officials accountable for authorizing or permitting such abuse."
She is spot on. There is only one purpose in releasing these new photos -- to hold senior officials accountable for the policies that produced the behavior that produced the photos.
So who would these officials be? Well, for openers, such names as Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tenet and Rice spring to mind. They – not the lawyers who wrote the memos -- were “The Iraq Group” – the engines that powered the policies.
It is a near-certainty that we will never see any of these people in jail or even on trial. But what we have a right to know is who did what to whom and why.
Left to his own inclination and temperament, President Obama is not going to make that happen – unless we force him to make it happen. Unless the public pressure for an independent commission of inquiry becomes strong enough to shape the White House’s perception of political reality.
That should be the next item on our “to do” list.
Yes, we can!
Posted by Unknown at Sunday, April 26, 2009 No comments:
The “Disappeared”
At least three dozen detainees who were held in the CIA's secret prisons overseas appear to be missing – and efforts by human rights organizations to track their whereabouts have been unsuccessful.
The story of these “ghost prisoners” was comprehensively documented last week by Pro Publica, an online investigative journalism group.
In September 2007, Michael V. Hayden, then director of the CIA, said, "fewer than 100 people had been detained at CIA's facilities." One memo released last week confirmed that the CIA had custody of at least 94 people as of May 2005 and "employed enhanced techniques to varying degrees in the interrogations of 28 of these."
Former President George W. Bush publicly acknowledged the CIA program in September 2006, and transferred 14 prisoners from the secret jails to
Guantanamo. Many other prisoners, who had "little or no additional intelligence value," Bush said, "have been returned to their home countries for prosecution or detention by their governments."
But Bush did not reveal their identities or whereabouts -- information that would have allowed the International Committee for the Red Cross to find them -- or the terms under which the prisoners were handed over to foreign jailers.
The U.S. government has never released information describing the threat any of them posed. Some of the prisoners have since been released by third countries holding them, but it is still unclear what has happened to dozens of others, and no foreign governments have acknowledged holding them.
Gitanjali Gutierrez, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), which represents Majid Khan, a former ghost detainee at Guantánamo, told us, “The Obama administration must change course from its ‘forward-looking’ path because it leaves too many critical questions unanswered, including those about the fate of ghost prisoners held by the United States. The United States is strong enough to examine the CIA and other agencies' activities, to punish individuals who violated our laws, and to ensure that our nation does not slip to the dark side again.”
Pro Publica reported that former officials in the Bush administration said that the CIA spent weeks during the summer of 2006 -- shortly before Bush acknowledged the CIA prisons and suspended the program -- transferring prisoners to Pakistani, Egyptian and Jordanian custody.
The organization said the population inside the program had been shrinking since the existence of the prisons was detailed in a Washington Post article in November 2005. Renewed diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Libya in May 2006 made it possible for the CIA to turn over Libyan prisoners to Moammar Gadhafi's control.
Joanne Mariner, director of the Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program at Human Rights Watch, said, “If these men are now rotting in some Egyptian dungeon, the administration can't pretend that it's closed the door on the CIA program."
"Making the Justice Department memos on the CIA's secret prison program public was an important first step, but the Obama administration needs to reveal the fate and whereabouts of every person who was held in CIA custody," she said.
The Red Cross has had access to and documented the experiences of only the 14 so-called “high value detainees” who were publicly moved out of the CIA program and into the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
In June 2007, human rights groups released the names of three dozen people whose fates remained unknown.
"Until the U.S. government clarifies the fate and whereabouts of these
individuals, these people are still disappeared, and disappearance is one of the most grave international human rights violations," said Margaret Satterthwaite, a law professor at New York University. "We clearly don't know the story of everyone who has been through the program. We need to find out where they are and what happened."
In a related development, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has asked the Obama administration to make public records pertaining to the detention and treatment of prisoners held at the Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.
The ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records pertaining to the number of people currently detained at Bagram and their names, citizenship, place of capture and length of detention. The ACLU is also seeking records pertaining to the process afforded those prisoners to challenge their detention and designation as "enemy combatants."
"The U.S. government's detention of hundreds of prisoners at Bagram has been shrouded in complete secrecy. Bagram houses far more prisoners than Guantánamo, in reportedly worse conditions and with an even less meaningful process for challenging their detention, yet very little information about the Bagram facility or the prisoners held there has been made public," said Melissa Goodman, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project.
She told us, "Without transparency, we can't be sure that we're doing the right thing – or even holding the right people – at Bagram."
Recent news reports suggest that the U.S. government is detaining more than 600 individuals at Bagram, including not only Afghan citizens captured in Afghanistan but also an unknown number of foreign nationals captured thousands of miles from Afghanistan and brought to Bagram.
Some of these prisoners have been detained for as long as six years without access to counsel, and only recently have been permitted any contact with their families. At least two Bagram prisoners have died while in U.S. custody, and Army investigators concluded that the deaths were homicides.
"When prisoners are in American custody and under American control, no matter the location, our values and commitment to the rule of law are at stake," said Jonathan Hafetz, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project. "Now that President Obama has taken the positive step of ordering Guantánamo shut down, it is critical that we don't permit ‘other Gitmos' to continue elsewhere."
The ACLU's request is addressed to the Departments of Defense, Justice and State, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
A federal judge recently ruled that three prisoners being held by the U.S. at Bagram can challenge their detention in U.S. courts, in habeas corpus suits brought by a group of human rights legal advocates.
The prisoners, who were captured outside of Afghanistan and are not Afghan citizens, have been held there for more than six years without charge or access to counsel. The Obama administration is appealing the ruling.
Posted by Unknown at Friday, April 24, 2009 No comments:
The Third Branch: Alive and Well!
As the debate heats up over what to do about recent disclosures of widespread abuse of war-on-terror prisoners, the “third branch” of the U.S. government – the Judiciary -- continues to assert its independence from the other two branches – the Executive and the Legislative.
In one recent decision, a federal court has refused the Obama Administration’s efforts to delay a hearing for a Guantanamo prisoner. In a second, another federal court has ordered the release of a "substantial number" of photos depicting abuse of prisoners by U.S. personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the Guantanamo case, a federal judge has denied the Justice Department's motion to dismiss or delay a challenge to the unlawful detention of Mohammed Jawad, a Guantánamo prisoner who has been held in U.S. custody since he was a teenager.
In February, the government filed a motion continuing Bush administration efforts to deny Jawad his right to challenge his detention in federal court until after the Guantánamo military commission case against him is complete, even though President Obama has ordered a halt to all military commission proceedings.
"Today's ruling is vindication of the right to challenge indefinite detention," said Jonathan Hafetz, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Security project and counsel in Jawad's habeas case.
Hafetz told us, “Mohammed Jawad's case embodies the complete injustice and failure of Guantanamo. Mr. Jawad has been unlawfully detained for more than six years based on evidence that a military commission judge ruled was the product of torture. Yet, the government persists in imprisoning Mr. Jawad. We intend to vigorously contest that detention in federal court in light of the district judge's recent ruling that his case must proceed promptly.”
He added that the court order “emphasizes the importance of independent judicial review for prisoners who have been held for years with no legal recourse. A prompt habeas hearing is especially necessary because Mr. Jawad's mental and physical well-being continue to be jeopardized by the harsh conditions in which he is being held at Guantánamo. This order upholds Mr. Jawad's right to have his day in court."
The Supreme Court ruled last year that Guantanamo detainees have the right to challenge their imprisonment in U.S. civilian courts. The decision was one of several major rebukes by the High Court to the Bush Administration.
In the order, U.S. District Court Judge Ellen S. Huvelle of the District of Columbia said that earlier cases asserting the right of prisoners to challenge their detention require "prompt adjudication of Guantánamo detainees' habeas cases."
Jawad has been in U.S. custody since he was captured when he was possibly as young as 14, and is one of two Guantánamo prisoners the U.S. is prosecuting for war crimes allegedly committed when they were children.
Jawad's former military commission prosecutor, Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, submitted a 14-page statement in support of the ACLU's habeas corpus challenge stating that the flaws in the commission system make it impossible "to harbor the remotest hope that justice is an achievable goal." Lt. Col. Vandeveld's statement describes torture Jawad suffered in U.S. custody.
In the second court decision, the Defense Department has been ordered to release a "substantial number" of photos depicting abuse of prisoners by U.S. personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The photos' release is in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the ACLU in 2004 and will include images from prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan at locations other than Abu Ghraib, the ACLU said. The photos will be made available by May 28.
"These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib," according to Amrit Singh, a staff attorney with the ACLU.
"Their disclosure is critical for helping the public understand the scope and scale of prisoner abuse as well as for holding senior officials accountable for
authorizing or permitting such abuse," she said.
Since the ACLU's FOIA request in 2003, the Bush administration had refused to disclose these images, the ACLU said. The administration claimed that disclosure of such evidence would generate outrage and would violate U.S. obligations toward detainees under the Geneva Conventions, the ACLU said.
But, in September of 2008, a U.S. Appeals Court ruled that disclosure of the photos was required, thus rejecting the Bush administration's position. The court ruled that there was significant public interest in disclosure of the photographs. The Bush administration's appeal to the full appeals court was denied on March 11 of this year.
"The disclosure of these photographs serves as a further reminder that abuse of prisoners in U.S.-administered detention centers was systemic," said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU National Security Project. "Some of the abuse occurred because senior civilian and military officials created a culture of impunity in which abuse was tolerated, and some of the abuse was expressly authorized. It's imperative that senior officials who condoned or authorized abuse now be held accountable for their actions."
Conservative critics are forever seeking ways to attack “activist judges” (read Liberal). But these two decisions are neither conservative nor liberal. They are the result of what judges are supposed to do: follow the law.
It’s refreshing to know that they’re still in business.
Posted by Unknown at Friday, April 24, 2009 1 comment:
Interrogations Used to “Sell” Iraq War
Pentagon interrogators continuously ramped up their abusive techniques against prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and in Iraq and Afghanistan in a vain attempt to establish a link between the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and the al-Queda attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.
This is among the principal conclusions of a long-awaited report released yesterday by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.
The report also concluded that health professionals played a key role in helping the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) to introduce waterboarding and other illegal interrogation techniques months before these practices were “justified” by Justice Department lawyers and approved by their superiors in the administration of former President George W. Bush.
The report says that the DOD was using harsh interrogation techniques long before they were “justified” by Justice Department lawyers and approved by their Bush Administration superiors.
The report quotes a former senior U.S. intelligence official and a former Army psychiatrist as saying that the Bush administration put “relentless pressure” on interrogators to use harsh methods on detainees in part to find evidence an Al Queda-Saddam link.
This kind of information would have provided a foundation for one of former President George W. Bush's main arguments for invading Iraq in 2003, the report says. No evidence has ever been found of operational ties between Osama bin Laden's terrorist network and Saddam's regime.
The report says that senior Bush Administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, CIA Director George Tenet, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and Attorney General John Ashcroft, were all aware of the development and use of the abusive interrogation techniques.
Despite warnings from military personnel that the use of these techniques on Guantanamo detainees could backfire, 15 specific techniques were sanctioned by Rumsfeld on December 2, 2002, the report said.
What followed was "an erosion in standards dictating that detainees be treated humanely", it said.
The report said, “That these techniques had been endorsed became known by U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, setting the stage for the abuses that took place at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere.”
The report also notes that the use of brutal interrogation techniques started in early 2002, up to eight months before Justice Department lawyers approved the use of waterboarding and nine other harsh methods, Senate investigators found.
Michigan Democratic Senator Carl Levin, the committee chairman, said, "The report represents a condemnation of both the Bush administration's interrogation policies and of senior administration officials who attempted to shift the blame for abuse -- such as that seen at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan -- to low-ranking soldiers,"
Claims that detainee abuses could be chalked up to the unauthorized acts of a "few bad apples", were simply false, he said. “A few bad apples” is how Rumsfeld described the low-level soldiers shown in photos around the world abusing detainees at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. Several of these military personnel were convicted and sentenced to prison terms, but a series of Pentagon investigations found no evidence that prisoner abuse was a policy that came from the Pentagon’s civilian leadership.
“The paper trail on abuse leads to top civilian leaders, and our report connects the dots.” He said it shows a paper trail going from Rumsfeld’s authorization of abusive interrogation techniques “to Guantánamo to Afghanistan and to Iraq.”
Human rights advocates hailed the Levin report. Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the Washington Legislative Office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said, “Once again, we are presented with clear-cut evidence that the Bush administration’s highest ranking officials were not only complicit in the use of torture, but were actively engaged in its implementation. It is now time to act on this evidence.”
The report also documents how a secretive military training program called Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) became the foundation of the interrogations by both the Pentagon and the CIA.
SERE was developed many years ago as a way to give American military personnel some sense of the treatment they might face if they were captured by China, the Soviet Union or other Cold War adversaries.
The committee’s report notes that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also drew on the SERE program for harsh methods it used in secret overseas jails for Qaeda suspects. The CIA has said it used waterboarding, a method of near-drowning used in the SERE program, on three captured terrorism suspects in 2002 and 2003.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney and others who advocated the use of sleep deprivation, isolation, stress positions, and waterboarding, insist they were legal. Yesterday Cheney asked the Justice Department to declassify and release documents he says will show that these techniques produced valuable intelligence.
Media accounts also report that a secretive government contractor played a key role in developing the Bush administration’s interrogation methods. The company, Mitchell Jessen & Associates, is named after the two military psychologists who founded it, James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen. Beginning in 2002, they trained interrogators in brutal techniques, including waterboarding, sleep deprivation and pain.
The psychologists, based near Spokane in the state of Washington, reportedly “reverse-engineered” the tactics taught in SERE training for use on prisoners held by the U.S.
The declassified torture memos released last week reportedly relied heavily on their advice. In one memo, Justice Department attorney Jay Bybee wrote, “Based on your research into the use of these methods at the SERE school and consultation with others with expertise in the field of psychology and interrogation, you do not anticipate that any prolonged harm would result from the use of the waterboard.”
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), a not for profit advocacy group, is calling for the psychologists who justified, designed, and implemented torture for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Department of Defense (DoD), to” lose their professional licenses and to face criminal prosecution.”
“Long before Justice Department lawyers were tasked to justify torture, U.S. psychologists were busy actually perpetrating it,” said Steven Reisner, PhD, Advisor on Psychological Ethics at PHR. “These individuals must not only face prosecution for breaking the law, they must lose their licenses for shaming their profession’s ethics.”
He told IPS, “The conclusion that these interrogation techniques cause no lasting harm is the equivalent of psychological malpractice.” He said the proponents of these techniques “cherry-picked the research to reach a foregone conclusion. How can you compare U.S. soldiers who volunteered for SERE training, and could have stopped their interrogations at any time, with the effects on a prisoner who has been ‘disappeared’, is in fear for his life, and believes he will never see his family again?”
He added that the CIA’s own research into the effects of SERE training showed that it produced “extreme and lasting effects to the point of psychosis.”
In October 2008, the American Psychological Association approved a landmark measure banning members from taking part in interrogations of prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Afghanistan and all of the secret CIA black sites. The American Medical Association has passed a similar measure.
The Armed Services Committee report was released amid growing calls for an independent inquiry into abusive interrogation techniques and the people responsible for them. Proposals range from a “truth commission” to the appointment of an independent prosecutor by the Obama Justice Department.
President Obama has consistently said he is more inclined to look forward rather than backward. Earlier this week, he visited CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, and told agency employees there would be no prosecutions of operatives who carried out the abusive interrogation techniques because they believed they were acting in accordance with legal rulings from the Justice Department.
But a day later, he said he would not oppose either an independent commission investigation or appointment of a special prosecutor. He left these decisions to Congress and to the Attorney General, Eric Holder.
Homecoming for Muslim-Americans: Ethnic Profiling
A Muslim legal advocacy group today painted “a very disturbing picture of a systematic and widespread practice of federal agents targeting Americans – particularly Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim – for deeply intrusive, personal questions and searches about their politics, faith, finances, charitable giving and associations with lawful organizations, all without any evidence or even suspicion of wrongdoing.”
In a new report, Muslim Advocates – a sister not-for-profit of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers (NAML) – charges that law-abiding Muslim, Arab and South Asian Americans returning home after overseas travel are experiencing “widespread, systematic and profound privacy intrusions by federal agents at the nation’s borders and airports.”
The report, entitled “Unreasonable Intrusions: Investigating the Politics, Faith & Finances of Americans Returning Home,” says U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agents have questioned individuals about their political beliefs, religious practices, and charities they support. Agents have also sought to review and copy business cards, credit cards, and data on laptops, digital cameras and cell phones.
“These interrogations and searches are taking place without evidence or even suspicion that the travelers have engaged in wrongdoing,” Muslim Advocates says.
“Far from serving legitimate aims, such profiling undermines security,
wasting scarce government resources and generating mountains of false leads, as well as eroding trust between law enforcement authorities and the public,” the report claims.
Other civil libertarians have also expressed concern about this issue. Typical is Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights. He told IPS, "The question we need to ask is when will profiling because of race and ethnicity stop? Since 9/11 the harassment of Muslims and Muslim-Americans has been open and notorious."
He added, "Under the FBI guidelines issued in the waning days of the Bush administration, using racial and ethnic criteria as a basis for FBI investigation is permitted. One immediate action Obama must take -- get rid of those guidelines. This administration needs to issue regulations absolutely prohibiting such discrimination and harassment. Enough is enough!"
The Muslim Advocates report contains dozens of case histories of individuals who have been harassed by federal agents when returning home from overseas travel. These experiences have taken place at land crossings and international airports – from San Francisco to New York, Detroit to Houston. The victims are Americans, including the “young, old, male, female, a firefighter, military veterans, students, lawyers, doctors, senior executives with major high tech companies, and academic researchers at Ivy League institutions.”
“This assertion of power not only infringes fundamental constitutional rights and protections but undermines our nation's security,” the report charges.
Muslim Advocates proposes a series of policy revisions to “restore constitutional protections eroded by the status quo border security apparatus and allow ample authority for the government to conduct legitimate activities to protect our nation’s security.” These include suggestions for the executive branch and Congress.
The organization recommends that President Barack Obama should direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to review and reform CBP policies and practices that target Muslim, Arab and South Asian Americans for their First Amendment protected activities, beliefs and associations; and law enforcement and intelligence activities that impose disparate impacts on Muslim, Arab and South Asian American communities.
This agency review and related policies and data should be reported to relevant congressional committees and analyzed by the Inspector General of
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in reports made publicly available to the extent feasible.
It also recommends that the president support the creation of a new position of Assistant Secretary for Civil Liberties and Civil Rights at DHS. The DHS’s current Officer for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties is a presidentially appointed position without Senate confirmation.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, the report says, should prohibit the use of race, ethnicity, national origin or religion in deciding upon the scope and
substance of investigatory or other law enforcement activity, except when there is trustworthy information, relevant to the locality and timeframe, that links a person of a particular race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion to an identified criminal incident or scheme, and where reasonable suspicion, based on factors unrelated to race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion,
is present.
DHS should also prohibit CBP from using travel patterns as a pretext for profiling according to race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, political beliefs, religious practices, associations with and contributions to lawful charitable organizations in interrogations.
The report’s recommendations to Congress include enacting legislation
to limit arbitrary scrutiny by CBP and ban on the use of race, ethnicity, national origin or religion in deciding upon the scope and substance of investigatory or other law enforcement activity.
At the Department of Justice, (DOJ) the Attorney General should include religion among the bases upon which profiling is prohibited and clarify that race, ethnicity, national origin or religion should not be considered in
deciding upon the scope and substance of investigatory or other law enforcement activity,
In a related development, more Islamic and civil liberties organizations have signed on to a statement by the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections saying it is considering suspending outreach relations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over recent incidents in which American mosques and Muslim groups have been targeted. The taskforce (AMT) is a coalition of major national Islamic organizations.
The new signatories include the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations, which represents more than 50 Washington, D.C.-area mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim organizations.
The FBI recently acknowledged that it had placed an informant inside a mosque to gather information about possible terror-related activities.
"Constructive relations with any law enforcement agency must be based on mutual respect and trust," said CCMO Chair Asma Hanif. "We hope that the FBI addresses these crucial issues so that trust can be restored and relations maintained."
To date, 34 organizations and many community activists and scholars have
endorsed AMT's statement.
Meanwhile, a powerful Republican lawmaker, Rep. Peter King of New York, responded to a Department of Homeland Security report about domestic right-wing extremism by saying that DHS "has never put out a report talking about look out for mosques. Look out for Islamic terrorists in our country. Look out for the fact that very few Muslims come forward to cooperate with the police."
"The fact is, the Muslim community does not cooperate with law enforcement," said King, the ranking Republican on the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.
Posted by Unknown at Tuesday, April 21, 2009 No comments:
RIGHTS ADVOCATES HAIL SPANISH DECISION
Human rights advocates who were critical of President Barack Obama’s decision not to prosecute Central Intelligence Agency operatives who tortured war-on-terror prisoners are hailing a Spanish judge’s order to pursue a criminal investigation into the actions of six Bush administration lawyers for providing legal cover for torture – despite a recommendation from his prosecutors that the case not go forward.
Late last week, Spain's attorney general, Candido Conde-Pumpido, recommended that the judge, Baltasar Garzón, should dismiss the complaint, brought by human rights lawyers. A day later, the judge resisted pressure with a decision to proceed with the case.
The crusading investigative judge is the same official who ordered the arrest of the former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1998.
The attorney general encouraged the judge to let sleeping Bush Administration officials lie. According to a report by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), Conde-Pumpido said that Garzón’s proposed criminal investigation into the actions of former Bush officials for possible violations of international law has “no merit.”
The court is considering criminal action against six former Bush administration officials for reported torture at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, The Americans named in the accusation include former U.S. attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales; former Justice Department lawyer John C. Yoo; former undersecretary of defense Douglas J. Feith; former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, David Addington; former Justice Department official Jay S. Bybee; and Pentagon lawyer William Haynes.
It alleges the men gave legal cover to torture by claiming that the U.S. president could ignore the Geneva Conventions. The case was brought by human rights lawyers.
Under Spanish law, once the judge receives the prosecutor's recommendation, he can either drop the case or open a full-blown probe that could lead to an indictment. It is the investigative judge, not the prosecutors, who files criminal charges.
Spanish law gives its courts jurisdiction beyond national borders in cases of torture or war crimes, based on a doctrine known as universal justice, though the government has recently said it hopes to limit the scope of the legal process.
One of the Spanish human rights lawyers who brought the case, Gonzalo Boye, told Associated Press that the claim of Spanish jurisdiction was bolstered by the fact that five Guantanamo Bay inmates were either citizens or residents of Spain.
But this case, if it ultimately goes forward, will have implications far beyond Spain, because arrest warrants issued in Spain will be binding on all twenty-seven European Union member states.
Most of the men under investigation have not commented, but Feith has strongly rejected the charges and the claim that Spain has jurisdiction, saying the case was "a national insult with harmful implications."
Spain's government, which has been trying to improve its relationships with Washington, has insisted their courts are independent and that the executive branch has no sway over its decisions.
Spain, like many other countries in Europe, has a special interest in these
cases since five of its citizens and residents were tortured or abused at
Guantanamo.
Human rights advocates have been unanimously supportive of Spain’s efforts to move the case forward.
The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), which represents many of the men detained by the U.S. government at Guantánamo, praised Spanish judge Garzon’s decision to pursue a criminal investigation into the actions of six Bush administration lawyers.
Michael Ratner, CCR’s president, said, “The importance of this investigation can not be understated. Contrary to statements by some, the Spanish investigations are not ‘symbolic.’ He noted that if and when arrest warrants are issued, all countries in the European Union will be obligated to enforce them. The world is getting smaller for the torture conspirators.”
CCR, along with the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
(ECCHR) and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), has tried three times, twice in Germany and once in France, to bring criminal cases in Europe against former Bush officials. The German case is still pending.
Marjorie Cohn, President of the National Lawyers Guild, told us, “The only reason Spain is considering the prosecution of Americans for torture is because the United States is refusing to do so. Eric Holder must follow U.S. law and initiate criminal investigations of Bush officials who committed torture and other war crimes. Political considerations should not control our obligation under the Torture Convention to prosecute or extradite war criminals."
A similar view was expressed by Ben Wizner, attorney in the National Security Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He told us, “The idea of Spain investigating America’s treatment of detainees is an embarrassment to us. Once we were the world’s leading champions, not only of human rights, but of accountability. We shouldn’t be depending on other countries to clean up our mess.”
“If the Obama Administration did what the law required – appoint a special prosecutor – we would see fewer of our allies feeling they have to do our work,” he added.
Amnesty International called on the U.S. administration to initiate criminal investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for carrying out acts of torture, including waterboarding, in its "war on terror".
"President Obama's statements in the last days have been very disappointing. In saying that no one will be held to account for committing acts of torture, the U.S. administration is in effect condoning torture," said Daniel Gorevan, of Amnesty International's Counter Terror with Justice campaign.
"It's saying that U.S. personnel can commit acts of torture and the authorities will not take any action against them,” he said.
The UK-based legal charity, Reprieve, which represents a recently freed Guantanamo Bay prisoner, Binyam Mohamed, said it welcomed last week’s release of documents detailing how CIA lawyers sanctioned the systematic use of torture and calls for a serious response to the crimes committed.
“These memos expose the facilitating role played by lawyers, doctors and psychologists in the CIA torture program,” said Reprieve investigator Clara Gutteridge.
“The Bush Administration has professionalized torture and it will take more than the release of a few memos to put this right,” she added.
“Grave crimes have been committed in the ‘War on Terror’ and we must above all ensure that they never happen again. For this, nothing less than complete transparency is required,” she said.
Mohamed, a British resident now back in the U.K., claims he was rendered to CIA “black sites” – secret prisons now banned by President Obama – before being flown to Guantanamo Bay for years of incarceration. The U.S. authorities dropped all charges against him, but before they did so they pressured him to plead guilty to an unspecified crime and to promise never to talk to the media and never to sue the U.S. He refused.
He is currently attempting to bring lawsuits in the U.K., with the help of Reprieve, and in the U.S., with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In the U.S. case, the government has moved to have the case dismissed under the “state secrets” privilege, saying that disclosure of any of the evidence in court would compromise national security.
Posted by Unknown at Saturday, April 18, 2009 No comments:
LAWYERS’ GROUP TARGETS HAYNES
Lawyers who reject President Barack Obama’s decision not to seek prosecution of officials who may have participated in the torture of terror-suspect prisoners are seeking justice through another avenue: Sanctions against government lawyers who created the “enhanced interrogation” policies of former President George W. Bush.
Their first target is former Defense Department General Counsel William J. Haynes II. The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) has filed a complaint against Haynes, asking the State Bar of California to investigate him and revoke his status as Registered In-House Counsel. Haynes is now an attorney with Chevron Corp. in San Ramon, California.
The Los Angeles Times reports that a similar complaint is being prepared in Pennsylvania against former Justice Department lawyer John C. Yoo, the University of California Berkeley law professor, for his role in drafting the legal guidelines that approved enhanced interrogation techniques including waterboarding during his service in the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) during the Bush Administration.
Marjorie Cohn, President of the NLG, told us, “The lawyers who provided the high Bush officials with 'legal' cover were participants in formulating the policy of torture and cruel treatment. They should be the targets of criminal investigations and should also be disbarred for their ethical violations.”
She also noted that the complaint filed with the Pennsylvania state bar against John Yoo “has been put on hold pending the release of the report of the DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which is apparently highly critical of Yoo, Jay Bybee and Stephen Bradbury, authors of the torture memos."
Haynes served as the DOD General Counsel from May 24, 2001 until his abrupt resignation on February 25, 2008. He resigned days after an article accusing him of rigging trials of enemy prisoners at Guantánamo Bay appeared in “The Nation” magazine. Haynes was the DOD’s chief legal officer and legal adviser to then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Several memoranda to and from Haynes were released as part of the Obama Justice Department disclosures of March 2009.
Haynes was also one of the six Bush-era officials named in the ongoing investigation of torture and other unlawful acts currently being considered by the Spanish judiciary.
The NLG complaint charges that, while General Counsel at the DOD, Haynes breached his duty as a lawyer and advocated for harsh tactics amounting to torture in violation of U.S. and international law. His “improper advocacy directly lead to detainee abuses at the Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib facilities,” the NLG complaint charges.
It says Haynes "breached his duty as a lawyer" in providing legal cover for U.S. soldiers and federal agents to use dogs, nudity, stress positions and other humiliating tactics to break down terror suspects.
The complaint says Haynes “is directly linked to the torture of at least one detainee,” Mohamed Mani Ahmad al-Kahtani, an alleged member of al-Qaeda, who allegedly intended to come to the U.S. to take part in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 as a “muscle hijacker” but was refused entry due to suspicions that he was attempting to immigrate. Since January 2002, al-Kahtani has been detained at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
According to Susan J. Crawford, convening authority for military commissions at Guantanamo, Al-Kahtani’s treatment during this time was torture. She stated, “We tortured Kathani. His treatment met the legal definition of torture.” Because of his torture, Crawford dismissed the charges against him.
The NLG charges that Haynes is also directly linked to the prosecution of low-level service members for using techniques he approved.
Haynes’s conduct “demonstrates moral turpitude,” the NLG charged. The group alleges that he failed to show “respect for and obedience to the law, and respect for the rights of others” as required by the rules of the California bar.
He “intentionally or recklessly” failed to act competently, failed to adequately supervise the work of subordinate attorneys, and forwarded “shoddy legal memoranda regarding the definition of torture” to Rumsfeld.
“Haynes further acted incompetently by advising Secretary Rumsfeld to approve interrogation techniques that were in violation of U.S. and international law, and without even mentioning strong objections by the military,” the complaint says.
Under a legal memorandum written by Haynes and approved by Rumsfeld, one detainee was “bothered by the presence and touch of a female,” “females viewing his naked body,” and being refused the right to pray.
Haynes “recommended approval of aggressive interrogation techniques that the military stated may violate the law. He forced subordinate attorneys to rely on memoranda prepared by the Office of Legal Counsel that have since been rescinded in an unprecedented manner. His advice was so contrary to the law that Secretary Rumsfeld was forced to rescind the approval based on the Haynes Memo,” the NLG complaint says.
It continues, “There is absolutely no evidence that Mr. Haynes attempted to present an impartial, unbiased review of the law. All of the evidence shows that Mr. Haynes improperly advised the allowance of illegal and inhumane interrogation techniques.”
Haynes “failed to support or uphold the U.S. Constitution, and the laws of the United States, or to maintain the respect due to the courts of justice and judicial officers. His actions involved moral turpitude, dishonesty and corruption.”
He “abused and disrespected the law for political purposes. This is wrong.”
Haynes was nominated to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals by President George W. Bush on September 29, 2003. He was approved by a straight party-line vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee on November 19, 2003, but his involvement with the creation of a memorandum entuitled “Legal Arguments for Avoiding the Jurisdiction of the Geneva Conventions” triggered a filibuster that prevented his nomination from receiving a full Senate vote.
The “bar association strategy” has been effective a number of times in the recent past. In 2001, former President Bill Clinton resigned from the Supreme Court bar rather than face near-certain disbarment for perjury related to Lewinsky scandal. And the Arkansas bar moved to disbar Clinton, but offered a deal that saw him suspended for five years for making false statements in the Jennifer Flowers proceeding.
Former Vice President Spiro Agnew, having pleaded no contest -- which subjects a person to the same penalties as a guilty plea -- to charges of bribery and tax evasion, was disbarred from practicing law in Maryland, the state of which he had previously been governor.
And former President Richard Nixon was disbarred from practicing law in New York in 1976 for obstruction of justice related to the Watergate scandal.
The NLG complaint also draws on decisions reached in the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals following World War Two. The complaint notes that one lawyer was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity because he “materially contributed toward the prostitution of the Ministry of Justice and the courts and their subordination to the arbitrary will of Hitler, the Party minions, and the police. He participated in the corruption and perversion of the judicial system.”
The NLG says, “As shown in the Nuremberg trials, powerful leaders can and do engage in illegal acts and inhumane treatment of others. These leaders rely on lawyers and the legal system to give the appearance of legitimacy to an illegal agenda. Sadly, there always seem to be lawyers willing to do the bidding of powerful rulers.”
C.S.I. MOVES TO BLACK SITES
Lawyers for a Guantanamo detainee who claims he was held and tortured in one of the “black site” secret prisons run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is demanding that the CIA preserve cells and interrogation paraphernalia there as evidence of mistreatment.
In a letter to CIA Director Leon Panetta, military and civilian counsel to Abd Al-Rahim Hussain Mohammed al-Nashiri sent a letter to CIA Director Leon Panetta requesting that the CIA “black site” buildings, interrogation cells, prisoner cells, shackles, waterboards and other equipment be preserved for inspection and documentation.
Disclosure of the letter came on the heels of yesterday’s release of four more top-secret “legal memoranda” prepared by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel during the administration of former President George W. Bush. The memos approved “enhanced” interrogation techniques they claimed were not torture – a claim rejected by both the Obama Administration officials and human rights advocates. Nine other OLC memos were previously released by the Obama Administration.
OLC is the DOJ office that provides authoritative legal advice to the President and all Executive Branch agencies. It drafts legal opinions of the Attorney General and also provides its own written opinions and oral advice in response to requests from the Executive Branch.
Al-Nashiri, who is now detained at Guantánamo, was held in the secret CIA prison facilities from 2002 to 2006. While President Barack Obama has ordered the closure of CIA black sites, al-Nashiri’s attorneys are concerned that the CIA intends to destroy the sites, including the buildings and the equipment used to interrogate and torture al-Nashiri and other detainees. They say that would amount to destroying evidence of his mistreatment.
Panetta told CIA personnel on April 9, 2009, that the CIA would be “decommissioning” the CIA secret facilities. The letter asks Panetta to “preserve all the secret sites.”
The CIA has admitted that al-Nashiri was subjected to waterboarding while in CIA custody. Videotapes depicting his abusive interrogations have already been destroyed by the agency and are the subject of ongoing litigation by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Through its John Adams Project with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the ACLU worked with under-resourced military lawyers to provide legal counsel for several of the Guantánamo detainees including al-Nashiri during the military commissions process.
The lawyers’ letter put Panetta “on notice that we will be seeking discovery and inspection of this highly relevant evidence in whatever court Mr. Al-Nashiri finds himself.”
The lawyers added, “We have already lost the video tapes which would have allowed a jury to see what happened to Mr. Al-Nashiri in those secret prisons. We cannot lose the remaining tangible evidence of the actual prisons themselves and the instruments of torture within them.”
They note that Panetta’s predecessor, General Michael V. Hayden, has admitted that Mr. Al-Nashiri was subjected to waterboarding, “which is a form of torture, while in the custody of the CIA.”
According to the recently released report from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), ‘waterboarding was only one of the many forms of torture inflicted on Mr. Al-Nashiri while in the custody of the CIA,” the lawyers’ letter said.
They claim that, according to the ICRC report, “While in CIA custody, Mr. Al-Nashiri was also forced to stand with his wrists shackled to a bar in the ceiling for prolonged periods of time -- extending to several days— and was threatened with sodomy and with the rape and arrest of his family members.”
Throughout that time, the letter says, Al-Nashiri “was not able to communicate with his family, a lawyer or anyone. Effectively the CIA “disappeared” him for four years while it tortured him at will and beyond the eyes of the world.”
The CIA and other government agencies also admitted to the purposeful destruction of at least ninety-two video tapes of interrogations and observations of prisoners in its black sites, specifically including the destruction of video tapes of water boarding and other observations of Mr. Al-Nashiri, the letter says.
It concludes, “Had Mr. Al-Nashiri known that the CIA possessed these video tapes and intended to destroy them, he would have demanded their preservation. However, neither he, his lawyers nor the courts learned of the CIA’s plan until after the tapes had been destroyed and now they are forever gone.”
“Although we welcome your decision to cease the secret detention and mistreatment of prisoners of the United States Government, we are concerned that the CIA intends to actually destroy the sites -- including the buildings and the equipment used to interrogate and torture Mr. Al-Nashiri—before Mr. Al-Nashiri has had the opportunity to fully investigate his conditions of confinement. We write to avoid the destruction of more evidence—namely the actual secret facilities themselves.” The lawyers wrote.
Al-Nashiri was charged in the Military Commission with offenses that carried the death penalty. His lawyers note that, “Although those charges have now been dismissed, we fully expect the government to prosecute Mr. Al-Nashiri and again charge him with offenses that could carry the death penalty. In fact the government is now actively working to determine in what forum he will be prosecuted.”
Evidence held by the CIA “is exculpatory evidence” and Al-Nashiri “will be entitled to it.”
The letter concludes: “The CIA’s secret prison facilities and the inquisition-like treatment meted out to its prisoners were a tragic, immoral and illegal period in our history that we all hope has come to an end. But its effects are enduring, especially on someone like Mr. Al-Nashiri who, according to the ICRC report, lived through the horror chambers of at least three different secret prisons.”
Following yesterday’s release of the four OLC memos, it is likely that the government’s treatment of detainees will attract increased public scrutiny – despite President Obama’s pledge to close Guantanamo Bay and CIA black site prisons.
Continuing concern about U.S. credibility in war-on-terror detentions and prosecutions has been voiced by many American legal scholars. As David Cole, one of America’s preeminent constitutional authorities, told us, “For better or worse, the U.S. is a world leader on matters of human rights. When the U.S. violates human rights in the fight against terrorism, it sends a message to autocrats and dictators worldwide that they, too, can deny human rights in the name of counterterrorism.”
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS REACT TO TORTURE MEMOS
Human rights advocates were quick to praise President Barack Obama for yesterday’s release of the infamous “torture memos” used by the Bush-era Justice Department to justify cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of war-on-terror prisoners – but widely split on the president’s decision not to prosecute the Central Intelligence Agency operatives who used these techniques.
Amnesty International’s Tim Hancock said, 'With this statement, the U.S. Department of Justice appears to have offered a 'get-out-of-jail-free card' to people involved in torture. Torture is never acceptable and those who conduct it should not escape justice.”
He added, “Torture is banned under international and U.S. domestic laws, but those laws are only meaningful if they are enforced. 'It's welcome that the remaining memos have been published. There will only be accountability where there is transparency, and President Obama rightly wants to draw a line under the human rights abuses of the 'War on Terror'. 'But this is the wrong way to go about it. Brushing torture and rendition under the carpet will not provide closure -- the facts should be brought out into the open through an independent commission of inquiry. Those who have broken the law -- no matter what rank they hold -- should be prosecuted under the law.'
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – which brought the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit that triggered release of the memoranda – was more hopeful.
The ACLU’s Alex Abdo, an attorney in the group’s National Security Program, told us, "We're nowhere near the end of this road. President Obama has said he will not prosecute CIA operatives who administered torture because they acted in good faith based on what they were told were legal opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel, approved by President Bush.”
But, he noted, “Obama has left the door open to prosecuting those who crafted and approved these memos. And he has said no one is above the law. We remain hopeful that he will appoint a special prosecutor."
"There is still a lot of work to do,” he added. “For example, the CIA must release the report of its Inspector General into interrogation and detention."
Physicians for Human Rights said, “The tactics used by psychologists and supervised by medical personnel, including physicians, clearly constituted torture and a grave breach of medical ethics. The health professionals involved in the CIA program broke the law and shame the bedrock ethical traditions of medicine and psychology. All psychologists and physicians found to be involved in the torture of detainees must lose their license and never be allowed to practice again.”
The group said, “Strained legal rationalizations for torture techniques should provide no cover for health professionals who helped design and implement them. The White House and Congress must work together to ensure public accountability for these crimes and violations of medical ethics.”
A similar sentiment was voiced by Michael Ratner, president of the Center on Constitutional Rights, which has mobilized a small army of volunteer lawyers to provide defense counsel for Guantanamo Bay detainees. While acknowledging that “It is good that President Obama ordered the release of four more of the torture memos,” Ratner was unrelenting in his condemnation of Obama’s decision not to prosecute those responsible.
He said, “President Obama goes out of his way to praise those who engaged in these unlawful practices and assures them they will not be prosecuted. In making this decision he is acting as jury, judge and prosecutor. It is not his decision to make. Whether or not to prosecute lawbreakers is not a political decision. Laws were broken and crimes were committed. If we are truly a nation of laws as he is fond of saying, a prosecutor needs to be appointed and the decisions regarding the guilt of those involved in the torture program should be decided in a court of law.”
Many constitutional law scholars were also critical of President Obama’s decision not to prosecute CIA operatives. David Cole, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said, “The four legal memos released by the Obama administration on Thursday confirm in excruciating detail that the Bush administration employed twisted and macabre legal reasoning to authorize the unspeakable – the torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of human beings. The memos’ matter-of-fact clinical descriptions belie the harsh tactics to which they gave a green light. They set the C.I.A. loose to slam suspects’ heads into walls up to 30 times in a row, to deprive suspects of sleep for more than a week straight, to confine them to small dark boxes for hours at a time, to slap them repeatedly in the face and abdomen, and to suffocate them with water to induce the perception that they are drowning.”
But, he added, “Mr. Obama’s refusal to hold accountable those responsible for the wrongs so evident from the memos is unacceptable. A child would recognize these tactics as cruel and inhumane.”
High-ranking former members of the U.S. military also weighed in. Speaking on behalf of the legal advocacy organization Human Rights First, three retired admirals and generals said, “We believe the Obama Administration made the right decision in releasing the Office of Legal Counsel memos on interrogation. Airing the facts about past mistakes is essential to ensuring that the right policies are in place to prevent future abuses while making our country stronger.”
The memos, written in flat, emotionless legal language, were produced by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). They provided the legal framework for the CIA's use of waterboarding and other “enhanced interrogation” techniques used during the administration of former President George W. Bush.
The four memos were turned over to a federal judge yesterday, according to a deadline set by the court. Three of the memos were written by Steven Bradbury, then a lawyer in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), in 2005. The fourth memo was written by then-OLC head Jay S. Bybee in August 2002. He is now a federal judge, appointed by former President George W. Bush.
In addition to waterboarding, the 2002 Bybee memo authorized slapping, pushing, confinement in a small, dark space, painful stress positions, and sleep deprivation for up to 11 days. It also approved a request to lock one of the ‘high-value’ prisoners, Abu Zubaydah, in a confinement box with an insect.
The memo says: "You have informed us that he appears to have a fear of insects. In particular, you would like to tell Abu Zubaydah that you intend to place a stinging insect into the box with him."
The Bybee memo authorized 10 special interrogation techniques for use against Zubaydah, including waterboarding. Under this interrogation technique, the suspect is placed on a board or table with his feet above his head, a cloth is draped over the nose and mouth, and water is poured over his face. The technique, widely considered a form of torture by human-rights experts, triggers an intense, uncontrollable sensation of drowning.
In the memo, Bybee acknowledged that waterboarding came close to violating the U.S. torture statute because it constitutes "a threat of imminent death." But he added that it would not amount to torture unless the experience resulted in "prolonged mental harm" lasting months or years.
Informed observers say the controversy over interrogations is far from over -- there are a number of additional shoes left to drop. For example, the Obama Administration must decide whether to release the tightly held reports by the CIA inspector general on torture and rendition. Disclosure of the reports will add fuel to the debate over whether Bush administration officials should be investigated for their role in the implementing the torture regime.
And, later today, the DOJ will turn over to a federal judge a number of never-before-seen images of prisoner mistreatment at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison – or tell the judge why it refuses to do so. Release of the images – sought in another Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the ACLU -- is likely to add considerable fuel to the interrogation controversy.
DOJ Releases Torture Memos; Will Not Prosecute Torturers
The Justice Department today released four secret memos used by the Bush administration to justify torture.
The memos, produced by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), provided the legal framework for the CIA's use of waterboarding and other illegal interrogation methods that violate domestic and international law.
The disclosures were made before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, in U.S. District Court in New York in a postponed response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
According to a deadline set by the court, the government was ordered to turn over by today memos authored by Jay Bybee and Steven Bradbury, then top lawyers in the DOJ Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), that supplied the framework for the Bush administration interrogation program – or else explain why they continue to withhold them from the public. To the surprise of many observers, the DOJ chose to comply with the judge’s order.
The ACLU has called for the Justice Department to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate torture under the Bush administration.
Three of the memos released today were written by Steven Bradbury, then a lawyer in the OLC, in 2005. The fourth memo was written by then-OLC head Jay S. Bybee in August 2002. He is now a federal judge, appointed by former President George W. Bush.
"Memos written by the Office of Legal Counsel, including the memos released today, provided the foundation for the Bush administration's torture program," said Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU National Security Project.”
Jaffer said, "Through these memos, Justice Department lawyers authorized interrogators to use the most barbaric interrogation methods, including methods that the U.S. once prosecuted as war crimes. The memos are based on legal reasoning that is spurious on its face, and in the end these aren't legal memos at all – they are simply political documents that were meant to provide window dressing for war crimes. While the memos should never have been written, we welcome their release today. Transparency is a first step towards accountability."
Since 2003, the ACLU has filed several lawsuits to enforce FOIA requests seeking government documents relating to torture, rendition, detention and surveillance. These lawsuits have resulted in the release of thousands of records.
President Obama said today that the government would guarantee immunity to CIA officials who were involved in illegal “enhanced interrogation techniques.” That echoes a statement made by CIA Director Leon Panetta during his confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate.
The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) – one of the advocacy groups whose lawyers have been among the most active in mobilizing defense attorneys for Guantanamo Bay detainees – was quick to respond.
The group said, “It is one of the deepest disappointments of this administration that it appears unwilling to uphold the law where crimes have been committed by former officials.”
“Whether or not CIA operatives who conducted waterboarding are guaranteed immunity, it is the high level officials who conceived, justified and ordered the torture program who bear the most responsibility for breaking domestic and international law, and it is they who must be prosecuted,” CCR said in a statement.
“In the president’s statement today, the most troubling contradiction is the contrast of the words, ‘This is a time for reflection, not retribution,’ followed shortly by, ‘The United States is a nation of laws.’ Government officials broke very serious laws: for there to be no consequences not only calls our system of justice into question, it leaves the gate open for this to happen again.”
The decision to release the long-secret memos posed a major test for President Barack Obama, who promised during his first week in office said he would establish a new transparency in government. To make good on that pledge, the administration previously released nine secret Justice Department memos dealing with counterterrorism and interrogation policy.
The decision was seen by some as the result of an Obama balancing act: living up to his promise of transparency while protecting CIA personnel, cooperative relationships with the intelligence services of other countries, and the national security interests of the U.S.
The administration’s decision may have marked a new phase of what has been described as a pitched battle between the Department of Justice and the Central Intelligence Agency.
It has been reported that Attorney General Eric Holder, head of the DOJ, was in favor of full disclosure, but that senior career CIA officials under the agency’s new director, Leon Panetta, argued that disclosure would compromise national security and damage morale at the spy agency.
At the same time, Panetta said that CIA operatives who performed waterboarding and other illegal interrogation techniques would not be prosecuted because they believed they were acting under the legal authority of the President of the United States, based on memoranda prepared by the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel.
The inter-agency controversy reportedly began in the waning days of the administration of President George W. Bush, when then-CIA Director Michael Hayden reportedly became incensed over the possible disclosure of the memos.
Some observers have speculated that some of these senior CIA officials were themselves deeply involved in the management of the interrogation programs and that they are trying to shield themselves from possible prosecution.
CIA Deputy Director Steven Kappes is one of the officials often mentioned as needing protection.
Hayden brought Kappes back to the number two position at the CIA in 2006, two years after the legendary clandestine operative resigned following a confrontation with Patrick Murray, chief of staff to then-Director Porter J. Goss. Kappes’s top deputy, Michael Sulick, also resigned, as did others who were unhappy with the new Goss team.
These resignations reportedly triggered an exodus of seasoned case officers.
Kappes's top priority when he rejoined the agency was to help rebuild the CIA’s human intelligence capabilities.
When President Barack Obama appointed Panetta to head the CIA, Kappes remained as the agency’s second in command. Press reports have asserted that Kappes was personally involved in the CIA’s harsh interrogation programs, and also that he fears that disclosure of the secret memoranda will fuel another exodus of experienced CIA operatives.
The CIA still faces at least one other difficult decision – whether to release the tightly held reports by the CIA inspector general on torture and rendition. Disclosure of the reports will add fuel to the debate over whether Bush administration officials should be investigated for their role in the implementing the torture regime.
Posted by Unknown at Thursday, April 16, 2009 No comments:
DOJ Releases Torture Memos; Will Not Prosecute Tor...
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From Charlottesville, Virginia. Lives in El Cerrito, California.
Has degrees in anthropology and music from University of Virginia and a Ph.D in Ethno-musicology from UC Berkeley.
1980-1986, played banjo with Cloud Valley (a Virginia band).
1993-1997, played banjo with the Dry Branch Fire Squad.
1994-5, served as the curator of the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro.
1995, released solo album Native and Fine (Rounder Records).
1996, was elected to the IBMA Board of Directors.
1997, left the Dry Branch Fire Squad to perform solo and to work on his Ph.D.
1997, began performing a one-man show called “The Banjo in America: A Musical and Cultural History.”
2001, started his own record label (Native and Fine Records). Released Bill Evans Plays Banjo album.
In addition to his solo performances, he is a member of two bands: The Bluegrass Intentions and Due West.
2008, formed a duo with fiddler Megan Lynch and recorded a CD with her titled Let’s Do Something (Native and Fine).
2012, released In Good Company album with a variety of guest musicians (Native and Fine).
2013, recorded an album with fiddler Fletcher Bright Fine Times At Fletcher’s House: Fiddle and Banjo Music from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee (Native and Fine).
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MS. Found in a Bottle
I like to believe that Poe and I have similar styles of thought. The enigmas of life, the uncharted, and unknown universe assiduously keep me in profound thought. It isn't just the unknown that keeps my mind occupied, but the more than probable abhorrent situations that they may potentially bring to life. When concerning the ocean, giant rogue waves, the abyss, and whirlpools keep me in suspense. Poe seems to have thought that way about whirlpools, also know as maelstroms.
The story focuses on a man that enjoys getting away from the monotony of life by sailing on large ships. He is very experienced in sailing as his duties seem perfunctory. But he is suddenly forced out of his normal routine when the ship encounters a hurricane while he slept. He is awakened suddenly to find that the entire crew had been cast overboard, save a single elderly Swedish man. The ship takes its own course south, further and further where no ship had gone before. Eventually, the ship encounters an enormous whirlpool where he rides the current down to this inevitable doom.
I would rate the story a 3.6 out of 5. I enjoyed the vivid description of the whirlpool and the story left me in deep thought.
© 2018 Bryan Jones - All rights reserved.
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Reform and Revolution in Weak States: Understanding the Tocqueville Paradox
3 June 2019 at 6 p.m.
by Scott Gehlbach, based on work with Evgeny Finkel
Throughout history, reform has provoked rebellion—not just by the losers from reform, but also among its intended beneficiaries. We present a theory of this phenomenon that emphasizes that, especially in weak states, reform often must be implemented by local actors with a stake in the status quo. In this setting, the promise of reform represents an implicit contract against which subsequent implementation is measured: when implementation falls short of this promise, citizens are aggrieved and more likely to rebel. We explore this argument with an extended analysis of Russia’s emancipation of the serfs in 1861—a fundamental reform of Russian state and society that paradoxically encouraged unrest among the peasants who were its prime beneficiaries. In addition, we examine the generalizability of our theory with brief narrative analyses of reform and rebellion in four important cases: the Tanzimat reforms of the nineteenth-century Ottoman Empire, land reform in ancient Rome, the abolition of feudalism during the French Revolution, and land reform in contemporary Latin America.
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Posts tagged with 'What Are Cannabinoids Receptors'
When considering medical marijuana, one important keyword that should be known is Cannabinoid. Cannabinoids or THC and CBD, are chemicals that are secreted by the cannabis flowers. These cannabinoids offer relief to a variety of symptoms such as nausea, pain, anxiety and inflammation. Cannabinoids work their magic by imitating some compounds that are already in […]
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British Blooms and Books Giveaway
Hello, Gentle Reader, and welcome to the first annual British Blooms and Books giveaway! This week, we’d like to celebrate the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show with you. After enjoying this post, please visit each of the other five authors’ websites (links provided below) and, after a bit of reading fun, follow one simple instruction given in each post, and then leave a comment on each to be entered to win a fabulous, British Blooms and Books prize. (US entries only, please, due to shipping the petit fours.) Thank you for stopping by!
Visiting English Gardens
Hi Friend, Carrie here….
The Garden at Highclere Castle ~ Downton Abbey
I’ve been blessed to take two research trips to England in recent years, and visiting gardens there has been one of the highlights of those trips for me! In September 2012 my husband and I visited Highclere Castle and spent time in the gardens before we toured the house. We walked through the walled flower garden, the all white garden, and the secret garden. What a fun experience to see where Downton Abbey was filmed and imagine the characters there with me. In The Governess of Highland Hall several scenes take place in the gardens and greenhouse, so I had those memories of Highclere to help me visualize my characters as I wrote those scenes.
Cathy Gohlke and Carrie Turansky visit Tyntesfield ~ Highland Hall.
In 2014 I returned to England with my author friend Cathy Gohlke and we visited Scotland, The Lake District, and Tyntesfield, the estate I had in mind as I wrote the Highland Hall novels. Touring the house and gardens there was very inspiring! In The Daughter of Highland Hall the heroine, Kate Ramsey, and her aunt visit the Royal Horticultural Society Exhibition in London, which was held on the grounds of the Chelsea Hospital. It was so successful that the Chelsea Flower Show has been held there since 1913. I enjoyed reading about the history of the flower show and adding some of that information to The Daughter of Highland Hall, including the Royal Family’s appearance at the event.
The third book in the series, A Refuge at Highland Hall, takes place during World War One. Penny Ramsey brings orphans to Highland to escape the bombing in London. Taking the children outdoors to spend time in the gardens and parkland was one of the ways Penny kept the children busy. Those memories of my visits to Highclere and Tyntesfield helped me bring those garden scenes to life in my books.
Carrie and Cathy at Inverarary Castle, Scotland
I hope you enjoyed this virtual garden tour! To enter the grand prize drawing: Please sign up for my newsletter (the sign up box at the top on the right of this page) and comment below. If you are already a subscriber just mention that in your comment.
One grand prize winner who comments on each of the six authors’ websites and agrees to the boldfaced condition posted at the end of each post will win a signed copy of the six books plus delivery of six English hat petit fours to enjoy while you read! Winner’s name will be drawn via random.org after May 28th.
Tea Hat Petit Fours. (Photo from Divine Delights)
Finished? Well done! Please visit these five other fabulous authors of English historical novels to see what flowers mean to them and their heroines.
Sandra Byrd’s Page: http://www.sandrabyrd.com/british-blooms-and-books-giveaway/
Melanie Dickerson’s Page: http://melaniewrites.blogspot.com/2016/05/british-blooms-and-books-6-book-giveaway.html
Kristi Ann Hunter’s Page: http://www.kristiannhunter.com/#!british-blooms-and-books/dtpk9
Julie Klassen’s Page: http://inspiredbylifeandfiction.com/british-blooms-and-books-giveaway/
Roseanna White’s Page: http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com/2016/05/british-blooms-and-books-contest.html
This entry was posted in Downton Abbey, Giveaways, My Books, Research and tagged England, Gardens, Highclere Castle, Highland Hall, Tyntesfield by Carrie Turansky. Bookmark the permalink.
170 thoughts on “British Blooms and Books Giveaway”
Haley on May 24, 2016 at 8:55 am said:
I just subscribed! And I can’t wait to read your new books!!
Carrie Turansky on May 24, 2016 at 9:33 am said:
Yay, Haley, you are the first person to visit and sign up! Thanks! I hope you enjoy the British Blooms and Books blog tour and giveaway!
Melanie Backus on May 24, 2016 at 8:59 am said:
Thank you for your beautiful post and grand giveaway. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Hi Melanie, Glad you stopped by today!
Julie on May 24, 2016 at 9:07 am said:
Signed up for your newsletter! I’ve never read any of your books, but I believe I found a new author that I’ll love reading. Can’t wait!!
Hi Julie, I hope you will enjoy reading my books!
Becky Smith on May 24, 2016 at 9:09 am said:
Your book covers are sooo beautiful! All of the research that you do to make your books more genuine is amazing! Loved this blog and all of your beautiful pictures!!!!
Hi Becky, I enjoy the research. That’s how I find the stories. I’m researching a new book now, and it’s going to include some history about the beginning of aviation in Britain in the early 1900s. Those were very daring flights!
Anne Rightler on May 24, 2016 at 9:14 am said:
Loved your blog pictures. Signed up for your newsletter. Thank you so much for sharing/hosting the giveaway. Here’s hoping!
Stacey Cochran on May 24, 2016 at 9:27 am said:
Signed up for your newsletter! I have never read any of your books, but the covers have drawn me in. I think you may have a new reader!
Hi Stacey, I am very happy with my covers! Thanks for the compliments!
I’ve been blessed to give some input for the models, clothing, and hats. That’s been fun. Happy Reading!
Dianna Auton on May 24, 2016 at 9:27 am said:
I signed up. I love your books.
Thank you, Dianna!
Samantha T on May 24, 2016 at 9:35 am said:
I subscribed! Thanks for the giveaway!
Carrie Turansky on May 24, 2016 at 10:47 am said:
You are most welcome, Samantha! Thanks for stopping by!
Lucy Reynolds on May 24, 2016 at 9:46 am said:
Hi, Carrie. I already receive your newsletter and as you know I love your books. Have a blessed and happy day.
Hi Lucy, thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy visiting all six posts. I love these authors’ books!
Katherine Good on May 24, 2016 at 9:48 am said:
I haven’t read any of your books, but they’re going onto my reading list now! Signed up for your newsletter.
Hi Katherine, thanks for adding my books to your reading list! I hope you enjoy your time at Highland Hall!
Rachael K on May 24, 2016 at 10:22 am said:
Already a subscriber! Your pictures are beautiful; I love the lavender lining the walkway (or that’s what I’m assuming it is).
Hi Rachael, you’re right. That is lavender lining the wall at Highclere gardens. Lovely and it smelled so nice!
Kristine Klein on May 24, 2016 at 10:53 am said:
Beautiful photos, Carrie! Fun to see some of the inspiration for your books.
Kathryn on May 24, 2016 at 11:01 am said:
So thrilled by this giveaway! Wonderful novels!
Joyce Reavis on May 24, 2016 at 11:06 am said:
I’m already a subscriber, but would love to win any of these books. English romance books always have been my favorite. Thanks.
Crystal Rovnyak on May 24, 2016 at 11:11 am said:
I just subscribed. I love the style of your books. I cannot wait to read them. They are on my to read list! I am so excited about this giveaway!
Jennifer Torres on May 24, 2016 at 11:12 am said:
Your books are always so enjoyable to read! I just signed up for your newsletter, Are you in the process of writing another book?
Carrie Turansky on May 24, 2016 at 1:35 pm said:
Hi Jennifer, I just turned in my next book to my editor. The title is Shine Like the Dawn, and it releases February 2017. I’m researching the next story after that now. : )
Melissa on May 24, 2016 at 11:16 am said:
I really enjoy your books. And I love that you’re reading Anne of Green Gables right now-even though it’s not British, it is my all time favorite books.
Christina on May 24, 2016 at 11:33 am said:
Hi Carrie
I signed up for your newsletter and look forward to reading it. I have your books in my TBR pile and can’t wait to read them.
Cindi on May 24, 2016 at 11:36 am said:
My twins recently came back from serving missions in England and this has sparked a real interest in anything and everything English! Some of the friends they met over there came over to the states to visit and made us some Yorkshire pudding. YUM
Debbie Clatterbuck on May 24, 2016 at 11:39 am said:
What a fabulous giveaway. I love the blog post too. I have all of the books listed on my TBR list except A Noble Masquerade. I have already read that one and love, love, loved it. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck everyone. Oh by the way I think I’m signed up for your newsletter. when I entered my email address and pressed Sign Up it took me to a picture of one of your books.
Hi Debbie, I checked and your email address was added to my newsletter list, so it went through just fine. Thanks!
Dawnelle Anderson on May 24, 2016 at 11:43 am said:
I love to garden and I am excited to read your books
Terri Harr on May 24, 2016 at 11:48 am said:
Signed up! Can’t wait to read your latest book.
Deborah O'Carroll on May 24, 2016 at 12:13 pm said:
I’m subscribed. 🙂 Lovely giveaway, thanks for the chance! I love flowers… roses are my favorite. ^_^
Deborah O’Carroll
Rachael Merritt on May 24, 2016 at 12:13 pm said:
Already signed up for emails. I have all three books in this series. I read somewhere that a rich person from England visited the colonies a very long time ago. He wanted to know what colonists had against flower gardens. It us interesting that though many, many, Americans came from England…English gardens are far prettier than the ones here.
Valerie S. on May 24, 2016 at 12:22 pm said:
This giveaway is a wonderful “virtual reality” tour of the English countryside – thank you! I’ve never seen an all-white flower garden, but I’m sure they are beautiful. The Edwardian Brides trilogy is on my TBR list!
Cathy Moore on May 24, 2016 at 12:34 pm said:
I so enjoy your books and thanks for the giveaway.
Joan Arning on May 24, 2016 at 12:38 pm said:
I’m a subscriber! All of these books look wonderful! I loved The Painter’s Daughter!
Loraine N. on May 24, 2016 at 12:44 pm said:
Oh, I’m so jealous that you got to visit Highclere Castle. What wonderful pics you have here.
I’m a subscriber to your newsletter. Thanks for the giveaway!
Amy Putney on May 24, 2016 at 12:49 pm said:
I’m already subscribed!
Annie Wilkinson on May 24, 2016 at 12:51 pm said:
These books look amazing!
Cheryl Baranski on May 24, 2016 at 1:01 pm said:
I am a subscriber. Such wonderful authors! Keep up the wonderful writing Carrie!
Heidi Robbins on May 24, 2016 at 1:08 pm said:
What a gorgeous location! I bet it was so inspiring. I signed up for your newsletter (if I already wasn’t subscribed) Thank you!
Bekah M. on May 24, 2016 at 1:28 pm said:
I just subscribed! Thanks for the chance to win! Love all these pictures…I hope to travel there someday too!
Elizabeth Litton on May 24, 2016 at 1:33 pm said:
I just signed up! Fiction set in England are some of my favorite stories!
Julie Jobe on May 24, 2016 at 1:39 pm said:
Wow! What beautiful pictures! I would love to visit those places one day! I’ve signed up for your newsletter, just waiting on the confirmation email. Thanks for the giveaway!
Connie Scruggs on May 24, 2016 at 2:01 pm said:
I am already a newsletter subsciber
J'nell Ciesielski on May 24, 2016 at 2:06 pm said:
Already signed up. Those pastries look amazing!
Barb on May 24, 2016 at 2:33 pm said:
I signed up for the newsletter. How fun to be able to tour so many beautiful homes and gardens!
Hannah-rose on May 24, 2016 at 2:34 pm said:
The cover is stunning!
Joan Kurth on May 24, 2016 at 2:59 pm said:
What a beautiful post! I signed up. I have read several of your books and they “take me away!”
Tina Turpin on May 24, 2016 at 3:13 pm said:
Hi Carrie! Of course, I am already a subscriber and fan. 😉 This is such a fun contest. I love petitfours and the hat design is absolutely adorable. Looking forward to your books to come! Big reader hugs to you.
Donna Brookmyer on May 24, 2016 at 3:17 pm said:
I’m already a subscriber to your newsletter. What beautiful pictures! Thanks for this giveaway.
Tristan on May 24, 2016 at 3:19 pm said:
What a lovely ‘job requirement’ – doing research trips! I appreciate the authenticity it brings to a story. Thank you for writing.
Nancy Luebke on May 24, 2016 at 3:27 pm said:
I just signed up. I loved the pictures showing the flowers. Thinking of the white garden, which was probably amazing, made me think of an old bush type plant that we found on our little farm. It is called the old fashioned Bridal wreath. I’ve been fasinated with it ever since we first found it.
emilee douglas on May 24, 2016 at 3:33 pm said:
I’m looking forward to this one. I love Christian fiction!
Jordann on May 24, 2016 at 3:38 pm said:
Just signed up for your newsletter! I enjoyed reading The Governess of Highland Hall and am looking forward to reading the others in the series!! What a great giveaway!
Breeze Henke on May 24, 2016 at 3:59 pm said:
Can’t wait to read your books! This contest has introduced a new author & I love that 🙂 Signing up for newsletter as well ☺️
Nicole Wilson on May 24, 2016 at 4:14 pm said:
Subscribed! Anxious to read your books.:)
Ruth Jessen on May 24, 2016 at 4:30 pm said:
I love books set in real locations! Can’t wait to read!!
Mary B. on May 24, 2016 at 4:50 pm said:
Just Subscribed. Thank you for chance to win.
Dana Michael on May 24, 2016 at 4:50 pm said:
I would love to go to England. Sounds amazing! I just subscribed to your newsletter!! Thanks so much!!
Beth on May 24, 2016 at 4:51 pm said:
Signed up! Thank you for the chance to win! It’s been so fun reading these posts!
Karen Swortzrl on May 24, 2016 at 4:58 pm said:
Love your books and newsletter.
Victoria Rodabough on May 24, 2016 at 5:01 pm said:
Thanks for doing a giveaway! I love Melanie’s books so I hope I have the opportunity to read yours as well!
Amanda Teague on May 24, 2016 at 5:04 pm said:
Hello! I’m a subscriber already and have read your novel The Governess of Highland Hall. I can’t wait to read your other novels. I love that you have been to these places, the photos are gorgeous!
Kirsten Rinehart on May 24, 2016 at 5:06 pm said:
I just subscribed to your mailing list. Thank you for the giveaway.
Susan Roeper on May 24, 2016 at 5:29 pm said:
I already subscribe to your newsletters. I love your Highland Hall books and am ready to read Refuge at Highland Hall. Thanks for the chance to win.
Nina Rowan on May 24, 2016 at 5:33 pm said:
I have enjoyed this blog tour and would love to read all these books.
Debora Wilder on May 24, 2016 at 6:02 pm said:
I subscribed to your newsletter. I loved reading about your visits to England and the gardens that you saw. They sound like wonderful trips.
Winnie Thomas on May 24, 2016 at 6:19 pm said:
I love your pictures. They remind me of my visit to England and Scotland a few years ago. Your covers and book descriptions are so enticing! Thanks for the fun giveaway. Keeping my fingers crossed.
michele on May 24, 2016 at 6:33 pm said:
Subscribed! Your trip pictures were lovely!
Clarissa Griswold on May 24, 2016 at 6:40 pm said:
I subscribed. I am glad this drawing is going on to find more books to read.
Phyllis Horn on May 24, 2016 at 6:48 pm said:
Carrie, enjoyed your lovely comments. Your book covers are so beautiful and the book titles sound so interesting, my daughter and I visited Grasmere in the Lake District a few years ago, it is just so quaint. Love English gardens, and love how you mentioned them in your book and even including the Royal family. Look forward to reading these in the garden ?
Hi Phyllis, that’s fun to hear you visit Grasmere in the Lake District! Did you try their famous gingerbread? I visited Grasmere in 2014. So lovely! My favorite area in England!
Sonnetta Jones on May 24, 2016 at 7:01 pm said:
England is on my list of things to do. I grew up in a former British Colony so I am influenced by some of their trsdtions. I still celebrate Boxing Day although I have to wirk. I love my tea. I am actually going to a Hat and Tea Party next month.
Lisa Garrity on May 24, 2016 at 7:16 pm said:
I’m already a subscriber but also enjoy England and gardens. I would love to travel to England someday but it’s fun to follow along with your travels too!
Michaela on May 24, 2016 at 7:48 pm said:
I just subscribed! Thanks for holding this amazing giveaway!! 🙂
Susan Heim on May 24, 2016 at 7:52 pm said:
I signed up for your newsletter! Your books sound wonderful, and I really enjoyed reading about your trips to England. I haven’t been there since I was 17, so I would love to return there again.
Trisha on May 24, 2016 at 8:49 pm said:
I’ve signed up for your news letter. I enjoyed reading Governess and looking forward to reading the next two in the series.
Patricia Finnegan on May 24, 2016 at 9:05 pm said:
I am already a subscriber.
Pam K. on May 24, 2016 at 9:11 pm said:
I loved the photo of the lavender. My daughter gave me a lavender plant as part of my Mother’s Day gift; I’m hoping it will grow well here.
I signed up for your newsletter. I haven’t yet read your books but this series is on my “want to read” list.
Linda Horin on May 24, 2016 at 9:19 pm said:
I signed up for your email, even though I think I might have already been signed up, lol. Thanks for this contest. I hope to visit the site of Downton Abbey filming some day also!
Patty on May 24, 2016 at 9:33 pm said:
I enjoyed each stop of this giveaway, thanks for sharing.
Kori Gammon on May 24, 2016 at 9:35 pm said:
Now I’m even more excited for my trip to England.
Betty Strohecker on May 24, 2016 at 9:39 pm said:
I just subscribed. I already own The Governess of Highland Hall. Thanks for such an amazing giveaway!
The garden pictures are beautiful!
Dianne Casey on May 24, 2016 at 9:43 pm said:
Love the article and what a great contest. Looking forward to reading all of the books.
MarshaJ on May 24, 2016 at 9:50 pm said:
I’m so excited for the opportunity to win these awesome books! I’ve always loved fiction set in Britain, and it’s so refreshing to have Christian authors in this genre. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
Claudia Thompson on May 24, 2016 at 10:09 pm said:
I am already a subscriber. Thanks for having giveaway.
Kim Potter on May 24, 2016 at 10:12 pm said:
Sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance to win!
Andrea Byers on May 24, 2016 at 10:18 pm said:
Love these castles and the garden pics you posted. I am fascinated by castles, which we don’t have here in that states that I know of. Signed up for the newsletter.
Mallori on May 24, 2016 at 10:36 pm said:
I have yet to read any of your books, but they are definitely on my TBR list. I look forward to getting my hands on them! I subscribed to your newsletter.
Brenda Murphree on May 24, 2016 at 10:48 pm said:
I love the tea hats and of course the books would be wonderful to win! I’m definitely going to read some or all of these books some day! Thanks for the opportunity to win a book!
I also subscribed to the newsletter.
Emily on May 24, 2016 at 11:28 pm said:
I enjoyed the pictures and am so jealous of all your travels! 🙂 I have subscribed and am loving this giveaway.
Trixi on May 24, 2016 at 11:38 pm said:
How fun to see an English garden personally on a research trip! They look beautiful from the pictures but they must have been stunning in person 🙂 Thanks for sharing them!
I’m already a subscriber to your newsletter! Its been fun participating in the British Blooms and Books giveaway 🙂
Linda Hutchins on May 25, 2016 at 12:04 am said:
I just subscribed to your newsletter and am looking forward to reading your books. Thanks for the garden tour pictures!
Vicky D on May 25, 2016 at 1:03 am said:
I signed up for your newsletter. Great giveaway!
Megan Potter on May 25, 2016 at 1:35 am said:
I signed up for the newsletter. Thanks for this giveaway!
Rachel Koppleberger on May 25, 2016 at 7:41 am said:
I’m a newsletter subscriber. Thank you for the chance to win.
Rachel K.
Time4us2havetea (at) yahoo (dot) ccom
Steph J on May 25, 2016 at 8:37 am said:
Rebecca Tellez on May 25, 2016 at 12:22 pm said:
Just signed up again for your newsletter and your blog posts. Carrie, reading this just brings your books more alive to me. Now I know that all the places I found so inviting in the trilogy are real places of memory to you, it just adds something to the reading. Thank you for the chance to win and thanks for following God’s call on your life. We are all richer.
Elizabeth Dennison on May 25, 2016 at 1:03 pm said:
Signed up!!! Loved your Highland hall Series!!
Susan C. on May 25, 2016 at 2:33 pm said:
What a fun giveaway! I have really enjoyed reading all of the author posts. I already subscribe to your newsletter.
Tess on May 25, 2016 at 4:46 pm said:
Awesome books! I am super excited about the giveaway!
Amy Tyner on May 25, 2016 at 7:25 pm said:
I just subscribed and look forward to reading your books.
Beth Erin on May 25, 2016 at 7:44 pm said:
I am subscribed and excited to read your books!
Kassidy Keeley on May 25, 2016 at 8:12 pm said:
I signed up! ?
Karen on May 25, 2016 at 11:30 pm said:
That’s so wonderful that you got to travel to do research! I do believe that if I was ever an author (haha, not likely), I would enjoy the research trips the most. I do love to travel, although it’s all domestic travel due to budget constraints. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures with us! I’m a very visual person, so I enjoy having something to picture while reading!
Abbie on May 25, 2016 at 11:35 pm said:
just signed up for your newsletter. I enjoy gardens, flowers… and books 😉
Alison Nichols on May 26, 2016 at 12:12 am said:
Just signed up!
I absolutely love Refuge at Highland Hall! I haven’t read any of your other books, but that one was amazing! I highly recommend it!
Hi Alison, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed A Refuge at Highland Hall! You might enjoy reading Julia’s story in The Governess of Highland Hall and Kate’s story in The Daughter of Highland Hall. Happy Reading!
carylkane on May 26, 2016 at 9:42 am said:
Hello Carrie! I am so excited that you are participating in this lovely tour. Thank you for the giveaway. I already subscribe to your newsletter. 🙂
Beth Gillihan on May 26, 2016 at 11:01 am said:
I am already a subscriber. This series is on my wish list. Have a great day!
Bree M. NarnianWarHorse on May 26, 2016 at 5:33 pm said:
Just got to sign up for your newsletter! And thanks for being a part of this fantastic giveaway – I love being introduced to authors I’ve not read yet. 🙂
Lynn Blosser on May 26, 2016 at 8:53 pm said:
Signed up for your newsletter. I really enjoyed the pictures and hearing about how the gardens inspired you. I’m looking forward to your next book.
Hi Lynn, thanks for stopping by. My next book is coming out Feb. 2017: Shine Like the Dawn. It’s set in England in the early 1900s. It has a bit of a mystery as well as family drama, romance, and inspiration. It releases Feb. 2017. Happy Reading!
Rebecca F. on May 26, 2016 at 9:21 pm said:
This is so much fun! Love the giveaway. Just signed up for your newsletter.
Alicia Clingman on May 26, 2016 at 11:14 pm said:
I just tried to subscribe and I’m not sure if it worked! But I hope it did!! I would love to win! But I’ll check out your books anyways! 🙂
Hi Alicia your subscription went through. Thanks!
Laura Waltz on May 27, 2016 at 7:51 am said:
I love your books and have read this series. Would love to win and re-read the one you included in the giveaway. I am excited to read your next book you write and see how gardens play a part in it. 🙂 Subscribed as well.
Hi Laura, that’s fun to hear you’ve enjoyed the Highland Hall novels! I’ve turned in my next book to my editor. It’s called Shine Like the Dawn and it’s also set in England in the early 1900s. It has a bit of a mystery as well as family drama, romance, and inspiration. It releases Feb. 2017. Happy Reading!
Janine Mendenhall on May 27, 2016 at 9:52 am said:
What a beautiful website. I had to sign up.
Thank Janine! I’ve enjoyed working with Jones House Creative to build my website. They’ve taught me how to update the pages and keep things working. I’m grateful.
Judy Jordan on May 27, 2016 at 1:28 pm said:
Those petit fours are too cute to eat. But I love petit fours, so I’d probably eat them anyway.
Shaun Renee Paulsen on May 27, 2016 at 1:40 pm said:
I have never read one of your books. The Daughter of Highland Hall sounds like a good book to add to my personal library.
Kara meggers on May 27, 2016 at 2:41 pm said:
I never did like reading till growing up…but finally in my 20s I took a chance on Beverly Lewis, and fell in love with reading….I even got to meet her, and then it was a challenge finding another author to also fall in love with, and that’s when I discovered Julie klassen…and now I’m addicted to her!! I sure am glad I’ve discovered the love if reading!!! and am now anxious to find new authors to fall in love with
Adrienne Everitt on May 27, 2016 at 3:00 pm said:
I subscribed. Your books look great!
Polly Schneider on May 27, 2016 at 4:49 pm said:
I haven’t had the opportunity to read any of your books, but they look so interesting. I love historical fiction. I am already a subscriber to your newsletter.
Anna Biewer on May 27, 2016 at 5:55 pm said:
I’ve just subscribed to your newsletter! 🙂
Linda Finn on May 27, 2016 at 8:09 pm said:
Already subscribed , you know I wouldn’t miss this !!
Some of my most favorite Authors !!!
Linda Finn
Faithful Acres Books
Jessica Weber on May 27, 2016 at 9:27 pm said:
Love your books! Already subscribed, would love to win!
Judy Hoffman on May 27, 2016 at 10:10 pm said:
I just signed up!
Kathleen on May 27, 2016 at 10:20 pm said:
All of the books look great!
Carolsue on May 28, 2016 at 3:06 am said:
I love historical novels! I subscribed!
Bonnijean Marley on May 28, 2016 at 11:10 am said:
I already subscribe. I look forward to reading this book
Bree Herron on May 28, 2016 at 11:14 am said:
I subscribed ! breannaherron (at) gmail dot com thank you for bringing some wonderful flowers to my Wyoming barren spring! Happy reading!!
Kate on May 28, 2016 at 11:52 am said:
I’ve just subscribed to your newsletter! Thanks for doing the giveaway! Very excited!
Juanita Decuir on May 28, 2016 at 11:53 am said:
Signed up! Love the photographs.
Melissa M. on May 28, 2016 at 12:05 pm said:
I signed up! I enjoyed the Governess of Highland Hall.
Abigail Cozariuc on May 28, 2016 at 12:14 pm said:
All subscribed! Can’t wait to visit the other sites as well!
Amanda Leonard on May 28, 2016 at 12:21 pm said:
I signed up and excited for a chance to read some of the books on my wish list
ARC on May 28, 2016 at 12:23 pm said:
Love the pictures! Signed up for the newsletter!
Brianna on May 28, 2016 at 12:23 pm said:
I have subscribed for your newsletter. I actually have not yet read any of your books. They look very interesting though!
Liza on May 28, 2016 at 12:33 pm said:
Just subscribed! Your books (and travels) look so interesting! I’d love to visit a castle, particularly the castle Dunans in Scotland.
Megan Wilson on May 28, 2016 at 12:41 pm said:
I subscribed. 😀 Thanks for the awesome giveaway. The hat petit fours are SO cute and I bet they taste good! Highland Hall looks amazing. I bet Scotland was wonderful! All these books sound wonderful. Thanks again!
Rosalie on May 28, 2016 at 12:49 pm said:
I am already subscribed to your emails. I love your book series, the Highland Halls. It brings the world of Edwardian England to me and opens up my eyes to see and understand the times and customs of during that period. Thank you for sharing your gift and love of writing I love reading updates on your process and background research when writing a book.
Diana on May 28, 2016 at 1:01 pm said:
Oh my goodness! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love your books! Thanks so much for the giveaway! I just subscribed.
Liz Riggs on May 28, 2016 at 3:04 pm said:
Great post and giveaway! Your books sound great, can’t wait to read them!
Tabitha on May 28, 2016 at 3:15 pm said:
Just signed up!!! So excited for this giveaway, and a chance to read your book!!!?
Nicole Wetherington on May 28, 2016 at 5:44 pm said:
Rosie Ricci on May 28, 2016 at 7:23 pm said:
I subscribed! Can’t wait to read these wonderful stories!
Emma on May 28, 2016 at 7:26 pm said:
I just subscribed!
Sherri P.S. on May 28, 2016 at 8:09 pm said:
What an inspiring blog. It has made me want to be there and visit all those places that you went. Wow!
Subscribed! Thanks for the giveaway! I haven’t read your books, but it’s always fun to discover a new to me author.?
Cynthia St. Germain on May 28, 2016 at 8:57 pm said:
I signed up for your giveaway. I love your books. Thank you for your wonderful stories.
bn100 on May 28, 2016 at 9:39 pm said:
already subscribe
Carol Alscheff on May 28, 2016 at 10:04 pm said:
I signed up for your newsletter. The gardens look beautiful. I would love to win the books.v
Tami on May 28, 2016 at 10:42 pm said:
Thank you for all the visuals touring though these books and English country side.
Cyndi on May 28, 2016 at 11:09 pm said:
Would love to make this trip someday! Until then, I’ll live vicariously through your books! Thanks for the giveaway! I’m already subscribed. ?
Leslie on May 29, 2016 at 12:17 am said:
I just subscribed. I can’t wait to get your newsletter.
It only 10:18 pm where I live.
Jennifer on May 29, 2016 at 1:03 am said:
I subscribed. Thanx for the giveaway!
Amber Ludwig on May 29, 2016 at 1:50 am said:
Subscribed! I’ve yet to read any of your books, but anything with flowers, castles romance and a bit of adventure intrigue me! =)
Sheila Moore on May 29, 2016 at 7:21 pm said:
I have signed up for the newsletter and can’t wait to read your books. I love flower gardens, tea and all things about castles too. Thank you for your giveaway
Hannah on May 30, 2016 at 10:29 pm said:
Just subscribed! 🙂
Kathy Davis on May 30, 2016 at 11:00 pm said:
I just subscribed to your newsletter. I’m excited to have a new author to follow, and a new book idea.
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I just signed up for your newsletter. Your books sound great!
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Off-Site Post: ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’
Most are familiar with at least some of the scenes associated with leftist forms of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS):
People across the country gathered Wednesday night to scream into the sky to mark the anniversary of Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election.
Thousands were expected to attend events planned in New York City, Philadelphia, Dallas and other major cities. The idea was self-explanatory, as people came to public gathering places, looked to the sky and let out a yell.
Source: Brett Samuels, http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/359531-protesters-scream-at-the-sky-to-mark-anniversary-of-trumps-election
Teddy bears, Play-Doh and coloring books are staples of nursery schools, but now they are showing up on college campuses to help distraught students cope with the election of a president they don’t like.
Around the nation, students are turning to the tools of toddlers as a bizarre form of therapy in the wake of Donald Trump's election last week. Colleges and universities are encouraging students to cry, cuddle with puppies and sip hot chocolate to soothe their fragile psyches, an approach some critics say would be funny if it weren't so alarming.
“This is an extreme reaction from millennials who are being forced to come to terms with the fact that we have a president that they don’t like –this is what losing feels like,” Kristin Tate, the 24-year-old author of "Government Gone Wild," told FoxNews.com. “We are grooming our students to be sensitive crybabies when we need to be showing students how to deal with world situations and how to be adults –there are no ‘safe spaces’ in the real world.”
Source: Brooke Singman, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/17/coddling-campus-crybabies-students-take-up-toddler-therapy-after-trump-win.html
But there is also a rightist form of TDS, which overly exalts Pres Trump for his actions. For example:
Fox News host Judge Jeanine Pirro, citing the decision by President Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and establish the U.S. Embassy there, is comparing the president to the biblical King Cyrus.
Cyrus, a Persian king, founded the Achaemenid Empire, conquered Babylon and made history by allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of him as an “anointed one.”
Pirro, on her weekend show, said, “Donald Trump recognized history, he like King Cyrus before him, fulfilled the biblical prophecy of the God worshiped by Jews, Christians and, yes, Muslims, that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state and that the Jewish people finally deserve a righteous, free and sovereign Israel.”
A celebration marking the opening of the embassy in Jerusalem was held Monday.
Newsweek reported Pirro was in Jerusalem for the events.
“The Fox News host praised Trump for the move, claiming it proves he is more trustworthy than past presidents, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. All three presidents had signed waivers to delay the embassy move,” the report said.
“Trump has assured the world that his word is worth more than any former U.S. president,” Pirro said. “His word is more than any treaty and stronger than any U.N. resolution.”
Trump’s accomplishments have prompted an online Thank Trump Card Campaign giving Americans a way to thank the president for his record of achievement during his first year in office.
WND Founder Joseph Farah raised the idea of Trump’s likeness to King Cyrus last year.
It was when Michael Freund, an American-Israeli political activist, pleaded with Trump to follow in the footsteps of Cyrus the Great by fulfilling his campaign promise to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also has likened Trump to Cyrus.
Source: http://www.wnd.com/2018/05/fox-news-star-compares-trump-to-famous-bible-hero/?cat_orig=us
Why do so many people act irrationally when it comes to Donald Trump? It would seem that this is because the project of the artificial American nation, a project begun in earnest with the brutal conquest of the pre-Modern South and the even more pre-Modern Native American West in the 1860s and the years following by the Yankee North, is beginning to collapse. Donald Trump’s presidency is the death rattle in the lungs of Americanism, and the peoples of the States are naturally reacting to this very strongly, though most of them seem unaware of what is behind these strong passions of theirs.
The rest is at https://usareally.com/614-trump-derangement-syndrome
Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!
Anathema to the Union!
Off-Site Post: ‘Long Live the King!’
‘Imperfection’
‘Perfection’
Patriarchs of Folk Nations: Gen Forrest of Tennes...
America’s Exceptional Acedia
The Yankees Are Leading the Way
Who Is Enculturating Whom?
The Cancer of Civil War Fabrication, Now and Then
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Career Assessment, Planning & Placement
Curriculum Departments
Curriculum/Instruction Home
English and Language Arts
Social-Emotional Learning
Social Science and History
Alternative Learning Centers
Gifted Program (QUEST)
Instructional Coaches
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“To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness.”
— John Dewey
Charlottesville City Schools, in collaboration with local businesses, community service agencies, Piedmont Virginia Community College, and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC), has developed a comprehensive career development program designed to prepare students to transition from school to post-secondary education and employment.
Acknowledging that career development is everyone’s responsibility (administrators, teachers, counselors, support staff, students, parents and the community), the Career Planning and Placement (CPP) office supports a comprehensive career development program infused into the K-12 curriculum by helping students gain: knowledge of self in relation to careers; an awareness and understanding of various careers; an understanding and appreciation of the need for marketable skills and experience through work-based learning opportunities.
Career Exploration in Elementary & Middle School
Students in grades K-6 are introduced to career awareness and exploration by teachers, counselors and business representatives. This can include career days, field trips, learning stations, and more.
At Walker, all students are exposed to college and career options through the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) elementary program. Each year, Walker hosts a College/Career Night where students and their families can have direct contact with representatives from a wide range of careers in our area. Fifth- and sixth-graders also participate in core curriculum lessons with school counselors that expose them to a variety of career paths.
At Buford Middle School, students use various aspects of the VA Wizard and VA Career View websites to identify their skills, interests and values relating to careers. Buford also hosts a career fair for their seventh-graders and takes all eighth-graders to a college located within 75 miles.
Career Related Opportunities for High School Students
School counselors assist students in developing an Academic and Career Plan to achieve post-secondary educational and career goals. CPP staff collaborate with CCC staff (College & Career Corner) to assist students in the identification and exploration of career interests, aptitudes, skills, learning styles, work values and other work behaviors.
All tenth-grade students participate in a career development workshop in their English 10 classes during the fall semester that includes a career assessment and discussion of the career planning process. CHS participates in a regional career day sponsored by PVCC, Piedmont Futures and a consortium of local schools during the spring semester. Area businesses provide presentations on numerous career areas. Students select two career areas to further explore during this event.
High school students have numerous career-related and skill-building elective courses to choose from, ranging from culinary arts to engineering. Also, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) offers ten programs and two academies to help students become career-ready.
Students can gain real-world experience through a class called Work-based Learning: Marketing Co-op or a senior internship (see Program of Studies). Also, student clubs offer opportunities to expand one’s knowledge and experience in particular fields.
Students are encouraged to explore different career options as presented in the CCS Program of Studies and at CATEC. They are encouraged to select a career pathway matching one of 16 career families identified by the Virginia Department of Education Office of Career and Technical Education Services.
Transition Services for Students with Disabilities
Students with Disabilities (SWD) are encouraged to participate in career planning activities and programs provided to all students. In addition, formal transition planning outlined in the student’s IEP is coordinated and implemented with the assistance of the Vocational Planner and the resources of CPP.
Learn more about Transition Planning at Charlottesville City Schools
To learn more about the counseling program or to limit your child’s participation, please see your school counselor.
Patrick Farrell
Intervention and Support Coordinator
1400 Melbourne Road (Central Office Annex at CHS)
FarrelP1@charlottesvilleschools.org
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Titans travel to Houston to Face Reigning Division Champs
September 30, 2017 |
Tennessee Titans (2-1) at Houston Texans (1-2)
Sunday, October 1st, 2017 | Noon CDT
Houston, TX | NRG Stadium | TV: CBS
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Titans (2-1) travel this week to face the reigning AFC South Champion Houston Texans (1-2). Kickoff at NRG Stadium (capacity 71,795) is scheduled for noon CDT on Sunday, October 1st, 2017.
The game will be televised regionally on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5. Play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan and analyst Rich Gannon will call the action.
Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs for a 75-yard touchdown during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)
The Titans Radio Network, including Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone, will carry the game across the Mid-South with the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, analyst Dave McGinnis, gameday host Rhett Bryan and sideline reporter Jonathan Hutton.
Additionally, Westwood One Sports will broadcast the Titans-Texans game to a national radio audience. Play-by-play announcer John Sadak and analyst Mike Mayock will have the call.
Tennessee Titans Look For Third Consecutive Win
The Titans used 115 rushing yards by DeMarco Murray and two touchdown passes by Marcus Mariota to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 33-27 last week. They scored 24 points in the second half, including 21 points in the third quarter.
Murray, who was listed as questionable with a hamstring injury entering the contest, picked up 75 of his rushing yards on a touchdown run in the third quarter. The play equaled his second-longest career run, behind only a 91-yarder as a member of the Dallas Cowboys against the St. Louis Rams on October 23rd, 2011. He finished the Seattle game with 14 carries for 115 yards, recording his 27th career 100-yard rushing game (including playoffs) and his sixth with the Titans.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Nissan Stadium. (Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports)
Mariota, who was playing in his 30th career game, completed 20 passes for 225 yards on 32 attempts. He threw touchdown passes of 55 yards to wide receiver Rishard Matthews and 24 yards to tight end Jonnu Smith. It was his 11th career performance with a passer rating of at least 100 and his 17th career game with at least two touchdown passes.
Three weeks into the NFL season (through Sunday, September 24th), the Titans offfense ranks among the league leaders in several categories. The unit is fifth in total offense (386.7 yards per game), second in rushing offense (156.3 yards per game), sixth in scoring (28.7 points per game) and tied for first in sacks allowed (two).
About The Houston Texans
The Texans traveled to New England last week and fell to the Patriots by a final score of 36-33. They had the lead in the final minute of the back-and-forth affair before Patriots quarterback Tom Brady completed the game-winning touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks.
Rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson has started each of the last two games for the Texans.
The former Clemson Tiger, who the Texans traded up to select with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, has completed 49 of 80 passes for 528 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He had 301 passing yards and 41 rushing yards against the Patriots.
Defensive end J.J. Watt returned to the Houston lineup at the beginning of the 2017 season after spending all but three games of last season on injured reserve. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has 76 sacks since entering the NFL in 2011, ranking second behind only Von Miller (76.5).
The Titans and Texans had identical 9-7 records in 2016, but the Texans took the AFC South crown by virtue of their 5-1 record within the division. The Titans were 2-4 in division matchups. In the playoffs, the Texans defeated the Oakland Raiders in the wild-card round before falling to the eventual Super Bowl winning New England Patriots in the divisional round.
It was the second consecutive division title for Houston under head coach Bill O’Brien, who was named to his current post in 2014. In 2016, O’Brien became the 14th NFL coach since 1978 to begin his head coaching career with three consecutive winning seasons.
Featured Story, Football, NFL, Professional Teams, Sports, Sports Leagues, Tennessee Titans
104.5 FM The Zone, AFC South, Bill O'Brien, Brandin Cooks, CBS, Clemson, Dallas Cowboys, Dave McGinnis, DeMarco Murray, Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans, Houston TX, J.J. Watt, John Sadak, Jonathan Hutton, Jonnu Smith, Kevin Harlan, Marcus Mariota, Mike Keith, Mike Mayock, Nashville TN, National Football League, New England Patriots, NFL, NFL Draft, NRG Stadium, Rhett Bryan, Rich Gannon, Rishard Matthews, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl, Tennessee Titans, Titans, Titans Radio Network, Tom Brady, Westwood One Sports, WTVF NewsChannel 5
Tennessee Titans face reigning Division Champs in Houston
Tennessee Titans travel to face Division Rival Houston Texans
Titans travel to face Division Rival Jaguars
Tennessee Titans Conclude Season at Home against the Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans Travel to New England to face Patriots
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You are here: Home / Blog / Bulletins / Certainty and Uncertainty in Climate Change and Forest Response Part 2:...
Certainty and Uncertainty in Climate Change and Forest Response Part 2: The Forest Response
July 29, 2015 /in Bulletins /by Admin
By Jennifer Hushaw & Si Balch
(Click to download a pdf of this complete article or a one-page synopsis)
Even if we could perfectly predict the details of future climate change, there would still be uncertainty about how ecological systems will respond. Most of the information we have about how forests respond to long-term climatic changes is related to the northward migration of species following the last deglaciation, but this is not necessarily a good proxy for the change we are experiencing today because the current rate of warming is much faster and the landscape is not the barren frontier it was after the glacial retreat – now the movement of species is complicated by other factors, including inter-species competition.
A great deal of work has been done to model how habitat suitability is likely to change in the future for individual tree species and, despite the inherent uncertainty in these models, the results provide some sense for how the species mix may change in various regions – a topic that will be explored in a future bulletin.
The following list includes some key topics in forest response to climate change and describes the aspects that are well-understood, as well as the major areas of uncertainty in each arena:
Response of Insects & Disease
The interaction of changing climate with both native and invasive insects and diseases is likely to be one of the most immediate and drastic climate-related impacts. While these pests are better understood than many of the following topics, there is still considerable uncertainty about life-cycles and population dynamics in new conditions – some pests may benefit from these changing conditions, while others may be held in check.
Warmer Temperatures
Increasing average temperatures and a longer growing season will provide an opportunity for increased forest productivity, especially in northern latitudes. Although, regions with increasing seasonal water stress may see fewer productivity gains than wetter areas.
CO2 Fertilization
Higher ambient CO2 levels can increase plant growth rates. The magnitude of additional carbon storage and whether the growth response will be offset by losses in productivity due to heat stress or other climate-related factors remains uncertain. There is likely to be little if any increase on poor sites where other nutrients are limiting.
CO2 & Water-use Efficiency
Higher ambient CO2 levels can also increase plant water-use efficiency (the ratio of water loss to carbon gain). This effect varies from one species to the next because there is variability in how plants regulate water loss during dry conditions, so the net gains (globally) are still uncertain.
The latest genetics research has revealed that some of an organisms genes can be turned “on” or “off” by external environmental factors and those changes can sometimes be inherited by offspring (a.k.a. transgenerational epigenetics). This is how plants with the same genome can flower at different times in response to different local temperatures. It is also the mechanism whereby environmental stressors experienced by the parent plant affect the next generation.
This has important implications for the adaptability and potential plasticity of different tree species in a novel climate. It suggests that some species may be more resilient to change than we might expect based on their current response to stress, since new environmental conditions can stimulate changes in gene expression that create a different response. For example, some research has shown that a parent plant exposed to repeated drought conditions can produce seedlings that express more drought tolerance. The role of epigenetics in shaping plant population response to climate change is very uncertain and is just beginning to be researched.
Fundamental, Realized, and Tolerance Niche
Each species has a fundamental niche – the full range of conditions and resources under which it can persist indefinitely – but species don’t live there, they live within a smaller realized niche – the places where competition doesn’t preclude them. Some researchers have also introduced the idea of a tolerance niche – this is a marginal zone beyond the fundamental niche in which species can survive, even if they can’t maintain self-sustaining populations (Figure 1, below). However, many of our assumptions about future changes in climate suitability are based only on a species’ current range (its realized niche) rather than the complete range of conditions (its fundamental or tolerance niches), lending uncertainty to habitat shift projections. Considering these broader niches suggests that species may be capable of persisting under a wider set of climate conditions than where they currently grow.
Limits to Knowledge about Plant Physiology
How an individual tree species responds to climate change is likely to be linked to its underlying physiological characteristics, such isohydric vs. anisohydric behavior (plant strategies for stomatal regulation), seedling vs. mature tree response to environmental stressors, heat tolerance, etc., but we only have detailed knowledge about these characteristics in a limited number of model species used in research and some of the more valuable timber species.
These unknowns all contribute to the ‘cascade of uncertainty’ that accumulates as researchers take the outputs of future emissions scenarios, use those in simulations of global climate change, downscale those outputs in a particular region, and then use those projections in forest models. At each step in this chain, there may be:
Statistical uncertainty
Sampling error, inaccuracy, etc.
Scenario uncertainty
Plausible changes, which are based on assumptions
Uncertainty due to ignorance
Known unknowns (uncertainty due to recognized ignorance)
Unknown unknowns (uncertainty due total ignorance)
Coping with Uncertainty
Forestry has always required the consideration of future conditions – whether that is anticipating future market demand, timber prices, insect threats, or new invasive species of concern. In the past, however, we could assume that, aside from a few wet or dry years, the average climate conditions would be the same throughout the life of an individual tree from seedling establishment to harvest. We now understand that that assumption may not hold, particularly in regions with a long rotation age. The exact degree and rate of climate change in any given location is uncertain and this may change our ability to achieve desired stand conditions in the future, by hindering our ability to choose the species best-suited for a particular site, for example.
Forest management decisions are influenced by our assumptions about how well we can predict future conditions and our ability to “design” forests well-suited for those conditions. In the context of a changing climate, these assumptions are more relevant than ever, as managers try to determine the most appropriate strategy for developing “resilient” forests that will continue to provide desired products and services. On one end of the spectrum, we have completely deterministic strategies that aim to develop “forests of the future” (where the species mix and stand structure are well-adapted to future conditions) and, at the other end, we have purely indeterministic approaches that aim for more diverse forests (in terms of species mix, structure, age-class, etc) based on the idea that they have more natural capacity to buffer change (Figure 2, below). While the deterministic approach has proven to be successful in the 10- to 15-year planning horizon that is often of most concern for foresters, an indeterministic approach often has the advantage if reality doesn’t meet expectations (in this case, climate predictions). All forest management decisions fall somewhere along this continuum between two valid strategies that are not mutually exclusive, and forest managers will likely use some of each approach.
While these strategies can be employed at any scale, stands are likely best managed from a deterministic basis (the shorter the rotation the more appropriate the deterministic approach), while forests (made up of multiple stands and biologically diverse micro sites) are likely best managed on an indeterministic basis. The latter approach is aimed at developing a maximum flexible forest that has the ability to adapt to any change in the ecological or economic environments, by identifying the most important ecosystem features for allowing high resilience and self-regulating capacity, such as: diverse structural elements, increased species diversity and natural regeneration, secured vitality and fitness of highest possible number of species (including genetic families across all organisms). Ultimately, the ability and desire to implement one or the other of these strategies will depend on management objectives, risk tolerance, and planning horizon.
Linder, M., J.B. Fitzgerald, N.E. Zimmerman, C. Reyer, S. Delzon, E. van der Maaten, M. Schelhaas, P. Lasch, J. Eggers, M. van der Maaten-Theunissen, F. Suckow, A. Psomas, B. Poulter, M. Hanewinkel. 2014. Climate change and European forests: What do we know, what are the uncertainties, and what are the implications for forest management? Journal of Environmental Management. 146:69-83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.07.030
Littell, J.S., D. McKenzie, B.K. Kerns, S. Cushman, C.G. Shaw. 2011. Managing uncertainty in climate-driven ecological models to inform adaptation to climate change. Ecosphere 2(9):102. DOI 10.1890/ES11-00114.1
Sax, D.F., R. Early, J. Bellemare. 2013. Niche syndromes, species extinction risks, and management under climate change. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 28(9):517-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2013.05.010
Wagner, S., S. Nocentini., F. Huth, M. Hoogstra-Klein. 2014. Forest management approaches for coping with the uncertainty of climate change: trade-offs in service provisioning and adaptability. Ecology and Society 19(1):32. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-06213-190132
Yousefpour, R., J.B. Jacobsen, B.J. Thorsen, H. Meilby, M. Manewinkel, K. Oehler. 2012. A review of decision-making approaches to handle uncertainty and risk in adaptive forest management under climate change. Annals of Forest Science 69: 1-15. DOI 10.1007/s13595-011-0153-4
Certainty and Uncertainty in Climate Change and Forest Response Part 1: The... New Forest Monitoring Information
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The Rocket That’s Running Out Of Fuel
By Xander Fong '18 June 14, 2015 November 29, 2015
This article was co-published by Seeking Alpha on Jun. 15, 2015.
Last year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the most prestigious international financial institution in the world, ranked China as the largest economic superpower in the world (IMF, 2014). With a 2014 GDP estimate of $17.6 trillion dollars ($300 billion higher than the United States), China has witnessed recent economic growth that has placed it in the center of global economic conversation (IMF, 2014). Companies and businesses around the world have suddenly redirected their energy to cracking Chinese markets, opening up branches and boutiques all around China’s modernized cities. In the 1950’s, American consumerism transformed the global economy. Now, it appears it is China’s turn. Reaching $3.3 trillion dollars, China’s private consumption currently makes about eight percent of the world’s total (Economist, 2014). Walk the streets of Hong Kong at 10 A.M on a Saturday and you’ll see lines of Chinese shoppers eagerly waiting outside luxury boutiques to splurge on goods. Luxury car sales in China have risen 450 percent in the last year and Chinese consumption of expensive Swiss watches now equals more than the United States, U.K and Japan combined (Raconteur, 2015).
Income by age in the United States and China (O’Brien, 2014).
The unique dynamic of Chinese consumerism has made the Chinese market even more enticing to foreign companies. Not only do the youngest age bracket of the Chinese population make the most money, but they are also the most willing to spend it. Many Chinese migrant workers are engaging in a growing trend called “buying up,” in which they use some of their savings to buy similar luxury goods that the upper class buys. Research by the IDEO, a consultancy, found that many young migrant workers earning less than $830 a month would spend a entire month’s wage on an Apple IPhone (Economist, 2014). This phenomenon has triggered huge growth in companies catering to the lower class’s demand for luxury goods. Alibaba, a Chinese company centered in providing “budget smartphones” to China’s mobile users, is now the fourth largest tech company in the world with a net worth of $215 billion dollars (WSJ, 2014). The future of consumerism and the global economy, it would seem, rests in cracking the market of the new Chinese generation.
Yet, many economists are overlooking a growing trend in the Chinese population that could stalwart private consumption and diminish China’s future influence in the global economy. Despite their recent explosion of wealth, the new Chinese generation is saving more than ever. In the last 15 years, China’s average rate of urban household savings has risen 11 percent (Business spectator). At a current 51.5 percent of net income, China’s saving rate is ranked second in the world, only under oil-rich Qatar (World Bank, 2015). To put that in perspective, the average Chinese citizen saves more than three times as much as the average American. This growing savings rate is, without a doubt, a result of a feeling of instability trigged by the recent political and economic events in China. In an effort to defuse this feeling, the Chinese government has tried to enhance education, healthcare, and other public sectors etc., in hopes of loosening the wallets of Chinese consumers. Yet, savings as a percentage of GDP has continued to rise as spending’s percentage continues to fall. The inescapable reality is that this trend in savings will only get worse. The wind steering the direction of this course has nothing to do with any of these mentioned public sectors, but rather, one of China’s defining initiatives: the one child policy.
Chinese consumer spending and savings as shares of GDP (Ritholtz, 2009).
In the next few decades, China will undergo the world’s largest demographic shits. To begin, China’s population growth has already begun to slow. From 2001-10, China’s population inched up at just 0.57 percent annually—only about half the level of the previous decade, and only one-fifth of the level in 1970, when controlling population growth first became a priority (Wang, 2012). The driving force of China’s slowing population growth rate is its low fertility rate, which has languished well below the replacement level of 2.1 births per 100 citizens for two decades. China’s fertility rate is only 1.4 births per 100 citizens, one of the lowest in the world and well below the developed country’s average of 1.7 (Wang, 2012). In the past few decades, China has repeatedly failed to reach population targets put in place to control growth. For the 10th Five-Year Plan, the National Population and Family Planning Commission set a population growth target of 62.6 million, but China recorded an actual population gain of just 40.1 million. For the 11th Five Year Plan, the population gain of 34.2 million was far below the 52.4 million target (Wang, 2012). This sustained low population growth will cause the number of young workers to decline tremendously.
By 2020, the number of people aged 20-24 is expected to fall 20 percent in China (Wang, 2012). Not only that, but the labor participation rate in this age group will also fall due to rising participation in higher education. Annual higher-education enrollments tripled from 2.2 million to 6.6 million in 2001-10, while the number of college students (mostly aged 18 to 21) rose from 5.6 million to 22.3 million (Wang, 2012). In short, China’s labor force, the foundation of its profound economic growth, is disappearing. At the same time, China will see a surge in the rise of older aged citizens. By 2030, China is expected to see its percentage of people over 60 in total population double (Economist, 2011). China’s ratio of workers to retirees will change dramatically, dropping from roughly 5:1 to just 2:1 (Wang, 2012). This huge shift in demographic will have far reaching effects beyond just labor supply. For example, tax burdens for each working-age person will have to increase more than 150 percent (Wang, 2012).
Estimated net changes in Chinese labor force (The Economist).
Most members of the new Chinese generation are actually saving in response to this problem. The population is getting older, and the one-child policy places huge economic strain on the new generation. Commonly referred to as the “4-2-1,” the members of the new generation will have to save enough money to singlehandedly look after themselves, their two parents, and their four grandparents (China Outlook, 2014). The most common, and expensive, purchase of the new generation will not be designer handbags and luxury cares, but rather, healthcare to help aid their family. The effect of this profound economic pressure is visible all around China. A decade ago, impoverished migrants gathered outside factories in cities like Dongguan, desperately searching for work. Now, Dongguan’s streets are full of banners and notices advertising jobs as workers protest in demand for higher wages (Economist, 2014). As diminishing labor supply and increase in labor activism continue to pressure employers, wage rates in China are actually beginning to increase. Yet, this increase in wages represents only half of the new generation’s woes.
Factory workers protest for higher wages outside the Yue Yuen Shoe factory in Dongguan (The Guardian).
The price of healthcare in China has remained inaccessibly high. At the same time, China’s poor living conditions, high rates of pollution, and general crowdedness have caused it to have one of the world’s highest rates of chronic diseases among high-income countries (Strong, 2005). Specifically, China has seen a rise in the rate of cancer as a result of intensive air pollution, now estimated at an index 20 times higher than the maximum safety limit (Nelson, 2014; ABC, 2013). In a recent statistical analysis by Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, China now contributes to 25 percent of cancer deaths globally (Strong, 2005). As a result, China’s expenditure on health care has increased by more than 600 percent since 2000 (BBC, 2014). The Chinese government, to little avail, has attempted to lower the cost of public health care through pledging more funds. In 2009, Beijing allotted $173 billion dollars to help alleviate the cost of public healthcare (Time, 2014).
Yet, to most of the general population, health care prices still remain too high and most health insurances may only reimburse up to 40 percent of the cost for treatment (Time, 2014). While Chinese health care spending has jumped up two percent of total GDP, China’s health care expenditure by GDP has yet to surpass many developing countries like Afghanistan (Time, 2014). As much of the population continues to wait for health care prices to fall, there are those who have simply run out of time. Zheng Yanliang, a local of the town of Dongzang, for example, took to performing his surgical amputation himself, sawing off his own limb with a hacksaw (Time, 2014). A testament to the inaccessible prices of health care, Yanliang’s story also speaks to why so many Chinese citizens have begun to fear the uptake of sickness and have consequently raised their rate of savings. In a time of increasingly inaccessible healthcare, illness entails death for many of those who cannot afford to treat it.
Chinese citizens in Beijing wearing facemasks to prevent sickness and the inhalation of smog (ABC).
In the next few decades, China could lose all of its key advantages that make it “the world’s next superpower.” If the population growth rate continues decrease, China’s cheap labor supply will disappear. Manufacturing companies, one of the greatest contributors to GDP in China, will find themselves scrambling to find workers and forced to raise wages even higher. Those who do work will be forced to save more to not only purchase healthcare, but also to pay off the incredibly high tax burdens. As a result, private consumption will drop, and the consumption of healthcare will increase even more dramatically then it already has. Foreign companies that invested their assets in exploiting Chinese markets will begin to find themselves stuck in slowly crumbling private market and China will find itself in the economic chokehold of a dwindling population that is become ever more frugal.
Yet, the solution to all of these problems couldn’t be clearer. A modification of the one-child policy, more affordable and accessible public healthcare, and an initiative to reduce tax burdens on future workers sprung by the huge increase in retirees would alleviate the effects of this demographic shift. But, it is the execution and implementation of these changes that will pose the greatest challenge to the Chinese government. If the health care crisis in China isn’t effectively solved, then the future of Chinese consumerism lies in the sector of global healthcare. Therefore, the future course of Chinese consumerism, and the many economies reliant on it, rests not in the hands of the new Chinese generation, but rather, the Chinese government.
Chinaconsumerismglobal economylabor forcenew markets
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Xander is an '18 majoring in economics modified with geography. He graduated from the Trinity School in New York City. He is part of the Dartmouth lightweight rowing team, and likes to fish in his free time.
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Why United Methodists are watching the results of a denominational court meeting
LGBTQ advocates react to the Traditional Plan being adopted at the UMC General Conference on Feb. 26, 2019, in St. Louis. RNS photo by Kit Doyle
CHICAGO (RNS) — After a contentious special session of the United Methodist Church General Conference in late February in St. Louis, a closed meeting of the global denomination’s Judicial Council seems anticlimactic.
The special session was called after the last quadrennial General Conference meeting in 2016 to consider several plans to move the United Methodist Church forward despite deep, decades-long divisions over the inclusion of its LGBTQ members.
During the session, delegates to the General Conference approved the “Traditional Plan,” which strengthens enforcement of the denomination’s ban on the ordination and marriage of its LGBTQ members.
RELATED: The ’Splainer: What happened at the United Methodist General Conference?
That decision was met with singing, chanting and demonstrations from LGBTQ United Methodists and their allies — and a church court challenge.
The denomination’s top court, known as the Judicial Council, will review some of the decisions made during the special session at its spring meeting, which runs Tuesday (April 23) to Friday in Evanston, Ill. But what might the court decide, and what would that mean for the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States?
Let us explain:
The United Methodist Judicial Council meets for an oral hearing on May 22, 2018, in Evanston, Ill. The denomination’s top court is meeting this week in Evanston. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS
What is the Judicial Council?
The Judicial Council is the top court of the United Methodist Church — like the denomination’s Supreme Court.
It acts on appeals from lower denominational courts or requests for decisions to determine the constitutionality of acts by the General Conference or smaller regional conferences, according to the denomination’s website. It also can rule whether acts by other denominational bodies conform to its rulebook, the Book of Discipline.
RELATED: What to do about ordination? A gay divinity school student ponders her future
The court has nine members representing both clergy and lay members of the denomination, all five of the denomination’s U.S. jurisdictions and three of the Central Conferences outside the U.S.
What is the court deciding this week?
As the special session of the General Conference drew to a close earlier this year, the Rev. Timothy Bruster made a motion requesting a “declaratory decision” by the Judicial Council on the “constitutionality, meaning, application and effect” of the Traditional Plan. Bruster is a delegate from the Central Texas Conference and the first clergy alternate for Judicial Council, though he has recused himself from the spring meeting, according to the United Methodist News Service.
His motion passed 405-395 and is on the docket for the court’s spring meeting this week in the Chicago suburbs.
Also on this week’s docket: The denomination’s Council of Bishops has requested a similar declaratory decision on an “exit plan” that was passed at the special session allowing local churches to leave the denomination with their property.
The council’s decisions will be announced sometime after the meeting ends Friday.
What is the Traditional Plan?
In short, the Traditional Plan strengthens enforcement of language in the denomination’s rulebook regarding the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ members.
The Book of Discipline currently states that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching” and that “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” cannot be ordained as ministers, appointed to serve or be married in the church.
The Traditional Plan, which originally included 17 petitions, defines a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” as a person who is “living in a same-sex marriage, domestic partnership or civil union or is a person who publicly states she or he is a practicing homosexual.” The plan also bars bishops from consecrating, ordaining or commissioning “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” even if they have been elected or approved by the appropriate church body.
And it strengthens current complaint procedures and penalties in the Book of Discipline, including a minimum penalty for a clergy member who performs a same-sex wedding: a one-year suspension without pay for the first offense and a loss of credentials for the second.
A copy of the Book of Discipline rests on a table during an oral hearing on May 22, 2018, in Evanston, Ill. Photo by Kathleen Barry/UMNS
That seems like a done deal.
Not just yet. Before the meeting in St. Louis, the Judicial Council found seven of the 17 petitions that made up the Traditional Plan unconstitutional. It also found portions of two other petitions unconstitutional.
After some amendments were made to those petitions during the special session, the court again found all or parts of a number of petitions unconstitutional. Delegates still were unable to amend all the petitions before the plan ultimately passed.
Now the Judicial Council is being asked to rule on the plan’s constitutionality one last time.
RELATED: ‘In this to the end’: LGBT United Methodists express hurt, hope after vote
John Lomperis — a delegate and director of UM Action, a program of the conservative Institute on Religion and Democracy — has said he expects council members to “affirm what they have already said is constitutional and to invalidate what they have already said is unconstitutional.”
A key provision of the Traditional Plan that would have required bishops to sign a statement certifying that they would “uphold United Methodist standards on marriage and sexuality in their entirety” was jettisoned before the vote.
Another petition found unconstitutional would have allowed the Board of Ministry to investigate whether or not a candidate for ordination is “a practicing homosexual,” including a review of a candidate’s social media posts. Others would have allowed the Council of Bishops to recommend a bishop for an involuntary leave of absence or retirement and create a committee to hear those requests in order to establish a “process by which the Council of Bishops may hold one another accountable.”
Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey announces the results of the Traditional Plan votes late on Feb. 26, 2019. RNS photo by Kit Doyle
What will happen if the Judicial Council decides those petitions still are unconstitutional?
Any parts of the Traditional Plan the court finds unconstitutional won’t be added to the Book of Discipline, General Conference Secretary Gary Graves told UMNS at the conclusion of the special session.
But in his brief to the Judicial Council, Bruster argued the Traditional Plan should be treated as one plan and ruled on as a whole, according to UMNS.
That’s not without precedent, he argued: In 2012, the council ruled that Plan UMC — a proposal to restructure the denomination – was unconstitutional.
“We have reviewed the plan to determine whether any part, portion or all of Plan UMC can be saved and conclude that it cannot,” the Judicial Council said in that decision.
At least six of the nine Judicial Council members must agree on a decision, according to UMNS.
Yeah, but is the United Methodist Church going to schism?
Many United Methodists have been waiting to see what the Judicial Council will decide this week.
But some opponents of the Traditional Plan already have indicated they don’t plan to follow the new rules, and United Methodists on all sides say they are open to the possibility of launching a new Methodist movement.
RELATED: US Methodists plot ways to resist new LGBT rules
A group of 30 clergy, bishops and activists led by the Rev. Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest church in the denomination, gathered earlier this month in Georgia to begin strategizing what the future might look like for those who feel they cannot remain in a denomination that denies the full inclusion of its LGBTQ members.
And though the Traditional Plan they supported was approved at the special session in St. Louis, leaders of the conservative Wesleyan Covenant Association released a statement after the special session saying, “The debate cannot continue forever.”
TagsGeneral Conference Judicial Council LGBT LGBTQ special session Traditional Plan UMCGC United Methodist Church United Methodist Church General Conference
DIY Faith • News
Civil rights advocates drop lawsuit against Oklahoma’s ‘Muslim-free’ gun range
Kanye West at Coachella was a substitute Easter for sinner-saints
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Film Fest Friday the 13th: Women of Horror, Paranoia and ACEFEST
It's Friday the 13th and the new "Friday the 13th" comes out today. It's a big day. What sucks is, I'm heading out of town for the weekend and won't have time to check it out until Monday the 16th or Tuesday the 17th. Both dates don't have the same ring... Anyhow, I think it's going to do alright, box office-wise - it'll lead the weekend, for sure. I also think that it'll be controversial for fans of the series. There's a lot of questions, like... I was just discussing how, as far as we can tell, it's sort of like an amalgamation of the first three, right? How's it going to work? I mean, part 1 - it was the Mom. Part 2 - He wore a bag on his head. Part 3 - He got the mask. So, if this is the beginning, plus he's wearing a mask and it's not his Mom doing the killing... what are they going to throw out of the story and what are they going to try to explain? Too much speculation, gotta go see it and I'm filled with nervous anticipation... I mean I was raised on Jason and Freddy.
Anyhow, here's some stuff going on in the festival world...
Alright, it's lady's night tonight... at the Horror Society Film Festival. Nope, no free drinks or piles of horny dudes. They just want your films. They're looking to showcase your work, whether you're a director, producer, writer or lead actor. It's a program they're doing called "Women of Horror" and it'll take place in Chicago at the Portage Theater. Basically, the Horror Society has different themes and, as they're saying on their event page, it's Lady's Night. Here's a link to the submission form and here's a link the event page on Myspace.
The Paranoia Horror and Sci-Fi Convention & Film Festival is closing their submissions this week... if not today, by the end of the weekend. Soon, anyhow. We did an interview with the festival director, Shane Russeck, not too long ago, and he gave a lot of insight into what's going on and why you should head down there. Feel free to re-read that interview by clicking on this link, it's a good read. It should be a good time and I'm thinking of heading down to it, myself.
The last thing that I'll bring to your attention is ACEFEST. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much more than that because all their website says right now is "Please bare with us as we give our website a fresh new look for the 2009 season". It also says that they'll begin taking submissions on Feb 17, 2009, so check back soon, I'm sure they'll have something new up. As far as what they're about, it looks like they're about focusing solely on American-made works and providing an exclusive forum for domestic film and video. ACE stands for American Cinematic Experience, if you're interested.
So, there you go. Have a great weekend and we'll see you next week...
Labels: acefest, film fest updates, Friday the 13th, Paranoia Horror Film Festival, women of horror
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GYAN ANJAN
Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib
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Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon
FOUNDER DIRECTOR
balwantdhillon@yahoo.com
Dr.Balwant Singh Dhillon (b. Feb.5, 1950) currently Adjunct Professor, has been the Founder Director (2011-Feb.2015), Centre for Studies on Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Professor and Head, Department of Guru Nanak Studies; Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Religious Studies. He has also served on the Senate and Syndicate of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He did his Master in History from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur (1974); and in Religious Studies from Punjabi University, Patiala (1976) and was awarded Ph. D. by Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar in1985 for his thesis on The Sikh Gurus and the Mughal State.Dr. Dhillon specializes in the study and analysis of documents/manuscripts in Rajasthani, Hindi, Gurmukhi and Persian. He is a keen scholar of Sikh Studies, especially history, religion and literature. So far he has published/edited a dozen of books and contributed more than hundred papers published in research journals, books and encyclopedias. Among his earlier works Parmukh Sikh te Sikh Panth presents an exhaustive account of the expansion of Sikh Panth during the early 17th century and Early Sikh Scriptural Tradition: Myth and Reality responds to the issues that have cropped up from the textual studies of the Sikh scripture. He has also produced critical text of Sri Gur Panth Parkash (by Rattan Singh Bhangu), the only Sikh source on eighteenth century Sikh history. His latest work on the Eighteenth Century Persian Historiography on Banda Singh Bahadur brings into light a number of contemporary and eye witness accounts which have remained ignored by the scholars. He has been the Editor of two research journals- Journal of Sikh Studies, and Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib both published by Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He has organized a number of National and International seminars/conferences at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. His participation in seminars/conferences at National and International level has been very consistent and fruitful. His contribution to the field of Sikh Studies, especially the study of Sikh scripture, history and religion, the Sikh institutions and their role in the formation of Sikh identity, analysis of contemporary sources of the Sikh tradition and several other debatable issues in Sikh history and religion is commendable. Presently, some important research projects are in progress under his supervision. Besides he is working on two projects--Rajasthani Sources of the Sikh History and Persian Sources on the Sikh Gurus.
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Only a few slaves remained in Connecticut by the time the state passed its full emancipation law in 1848. Apparently, several of these individuals were determined too aged to care for themselves and, therefore, continued with their former owners. It is believed that Nancy Toney, a former slave of the Chaffee/Loomis family of Windsor, was the last survivor of this group in Connecticut. When she died in 1857, she was buried in Palisado Cemetery. The grave is at the rear of the cemetery, located on the left side of the road in an area with few markers. Also buried in the cemetery is Civil War veteran Virgil Simmons, who was enlisted in the Connecticut 29th Colored Regiment C.V. Infantry. His gravesite is located next to that of Nancy Toney. The cemetery is included in the Palisado Avenue National Register Historic District.
Palisado Avenue Historic District, National Register of Historic Places, http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/87000799.pdf
Hours of Operation: Sunrise- Sunset
Parking Information: On Site
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Healing Food Facts
Natural Facts Newsletters
Pre-Meal Consumption of Whey Protein Promotes Satiety and Improves Blood Sugar Control
Whey protein ingestion has been shown to reduce feelings of hunger and promote satiety making it a valuable aid in weight loss programs. Whey protein during weight loss has also been shown to preserve lean body mass.
One of the best strategies for utilizing whey protein is taking it before or between meals. Studies have shown that consumption of whey protein in small amounts prior to a meal, improves after-meal blood sugar control. A new study by researchers from the University of Toronto has better defined the mechanism underlying this beneficial effect.
Background Data:
Whey protein has been shown to prevent after-meal elevations in blood sugar more effectively than a similar amount of other protein sources. This effect is due in part to whey protein increasing insulin secretion by the pancreas. However, whey protein also contains bioactive peptides that increase the release of gut hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that play a role in gastric emptying, appetite control, and blood sugar regulation.
Other benefits of whey protein:
Whey protein has the highest biological value of any protein.
Whey protein is a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are metabolized directly into muscle tissue and are the first ones used during periods of exercise.
Whey protein is an excellent source of the essential amino acid, leucine. Research has shown that individuals who exercise benefit from diets high in leucine and have more lean muscle tissue and less body fat compared to individuals whose diet contains lower levels of leucine. Whey protein isolate has approximately 50% more leucine than soy protein isolate.
Whey protein is a soluble, easy to digest protein and is efficiently absorbed into the body.
New Data:
To more fully identify the mechanism of action of whey protein on reducing after-meal glucose levels, healthy young men received on separate occasions whey protein (10 and 20 g), glucose (10 and 20 g) or water (control). Acetaminophen (1.5 g) was added to each pre-meal intake preloads to measure gastric emptying.
Plasma concentrations of acetaminophen, glucose, and β-cell and gastrointestinal hormones were measured before pre-meals (baseline) and at intervals before (0-30 min) and after (50-230 min) a preset pizza meal (12 kcal/kg). Whey protein slowed pre-meal gastric emptying rate compared to the control and 10 g glucose and induced lower pre-meal insulin and C-peptide than the glucose pre-meals. Glucose, but not whey protein, increased pre-meal blood sugar levels. Compared with glucose, whey protein resulted in higher post-meal levels of GLP-1 and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) and lower insulin concentrations, without altering insulin secretion and extraction rates.
In conclusion, whey protein resulted in lower mean plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide, but higher GLP-1 and PYY concentrations than the glucose pre-meals. These effects indicate that whey protein lowers after-meal blood sugar levels by both insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms.
While whey protein is effective on its own, even better results occur when it is combined with the revolutionary dietary fiber matrix PGX. Like whey protein, PGX has been shown to produce a significant increase in GLP-1. Studies with a synthetic, injectable form of GLP-1 produces significant weight loss in humans as it makes most people feel full, leading to reduced food intake. PGX appears to produce the same effect naturally. PGX not only leads to pulses of GLP-1 release into the bloodstream, as it passes throughout the entire digestive tract it has also been shown to increase the number of the cells that produce GLP-1 – the L cells – within the intestinal tract. This mechanism explains the prolonged effect of PGX on feelings of satiety.
Akhavan T, Luhovyy BL, Panahi S, et al. Mechanism of action of pre-meal consumption of whey protein on glycemic control in young adults. J Nutr Biochem. 2014 Jan;25(1):36-43.
Dr. Michael Murray
On the Dr Oz show
On the show I discussed the failure of conventional medicine to address the underlying issues in many health conditions offering little more than drugs as biochemical “band aids.”
July is National Blueberry Month
On May 8, 1999 the United States Department of Agriculture proclaimed July as National Blueberry Month. It is fitting that July is the month of celebration given the importance of blueberries in American history and the fact that the United States produces over 90% of all of the blueberries in the world.
Blueberries are among the most important foods for good health. The diverse and wondrous health benefits of blueberries are primarily due to their high content of specialized pigments known as anthocyanins. These special flavonoids are responsible for the deep blue or purple color of blueberries.
Currently, the most popular medical use of blueberries is their use in improving vision and protecting against age-related macular degeneration. Additional research also points out that blueberries may be protective against the development of cataracts and glaucoma, and quite therapeutic in the treatment of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and peptic ulcers.
Another very practical application of the antioxidant activity of blueberries is in the protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age related cognitive decline. In animal studies researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, when older rats were given the human equivalent of 1 cup of blueberries a day they demonstrated significant improvements in both learning capacity and motor skills, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats. When the rats’ brains were examined, the brain cells of the rats given blueberries were found to communicate more effectively than those of the other older rats that were not given blueberries.
While blueberries are an excellent food, a blueberry concentrate with all the anthocyanin-power of fresh picked blueberries is a convenient way to gain all of the health benefits. Two 500 mg capsules of a 36:1 blueberry concentrate is equivalent to ¼ cup of fresh blueberries. For general health, take two capsules daily.
For more information, please see the completely revised and updated 3rd edition of The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.
Mind Your Ps and Qs
PQQ may be the perfect answer to preventing or reversing age-related mental decline.
kiwiPQQ (short for pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a vitamin-like compound found in plant foods that shows a wide range of benefits for brain function and energy production. Learn more about PQQ with the following Q&A.
What Exactly Does PQQ Do?
PQQ is an extremely potent antioxidant that is able to carry out the role of an antioxidant in the body more than 20,000 times—which is a rare thing. For example, other antioxidants, such as vitamin C, are only able to accomplish this “cycling” process about four times.
Are There Any Food Sources of PQQ?
PQQ has been found in all plant foods analyzed to date. Particularly PPQ-rich foods include parsley, green peppers, kiwi, papaya, and tofu. These foods contain 2–3 mcg of PQQ per 100 grams. Green tea provides about the same amount per 4-oz. serving. While these amounts appear to be sufficient in helping our cells carry out their basic functions, research indicates that boosting PQQ through supplementation can produce some amazing effects.
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Volume 10 - Issue 1 - June 1963
The Hausdorff measure of the intersection of sets of positive Lebesgue measure
P. Erdös, S. J. Taylor
Erdös, Kestelman and Rogers [1[ showed that, if A1, A2,… is any sequence of Lebesgue measurable subsets of the unit interval [0, 1] each of Lebesgue measure at least η > 0, then there is a subsequence {Ani} (i = 1, 2,…) such that the intersection contains a perfect subset (and is therefore of power ). They asked for what Hausdorff measure functions φ(t) is it possible to choose the subsequence to make the intersection set ∩Ani of positive φ-measure. In the present note we show that the strongest possible result in this direction is true. This is given by the following theorem.
A problematic identity
H. Davenport
The following problem was proposed by Professor N. J. Fine: to prove that there do not exist rational functions F1, F2, F3 of x1, x2, x3, x4, with real coefficients, such that
identically. In the present note I give a proof.†
A slow motion of viscous liquid caused by the rotation of a solid sphere
W. R. Dean, M. E. O'Neill
A steady motion of incompressible viscous liquid caused by the slow rotation of a rigid sphere of radius a is considered. The medium is bounded by an infinite rigid plane and the axis of rotation is parallel to, and at a distance d from, this plane. To complete the analysis the solution by successive approximation of an infinite set of linear equations is required. Satisfactory solutions have been found numerically for four values of d/a, of which 1·13 is the smallest; we gratefully acknowledge valuable help from Miss S. M. Burrough in this part of the work.
Plane elastostatic boundary value problems (I). Stresses in an elliptic plate
V. T. Buchwald
Based on the method of analytic continuation of Buchwald and Davies [1[, [2], the first boundary value problem of an elliptic plate is solved. The results are in agreement with the more complicated solution of Muskhelishvili [3]. The solution of the second boundary value problem is also obtained.
Plane elastostatic boundary value problems (II). The role of inversion
It is shown that in a certain sense, inversion transforms biharmonic functions into biharmonic functions. The first boundary value problem of elastostatics is also largely unchanged by this transformation, and known solutions can be used to obtain new results for inverse regions. As an example, the problem of a stress free dumb-bell shaped hole in an infinite plate is solved.
Plane elastostatic boundary value problems (III). Stresses in a parabolic mound
The first and second boundary value problems of plane elastostatics are solved for the interior of a parabola. A conformal transformation is used to map the interior of the parabola onto an infinite strip. An analytic continuation technique reduces the boundary value problem to the solution of a form of differential-difference equation. This is solved by a Fourier integral method. The resulting integrals are evaluated by residues to give eigenfunction expansions for the complex potentials.
The Hilbert function of the tensor product of two multigraded modules
D. G. Northcott
The theorem proved in this paper is basic for a general intersection theory applicable to multigraded polynomial rings. When the polynomial ring is graded by the non-negative integers the facts, in one form or another, are well known, but on passing to more general gradings fresh complications appear. These are not wholly trivial and, as the author was unable to find an account of these matters in the literature, it may be of interest if one is given here.
On a selection problem for a sequence of finite sets
Roy O. Davies
Denote by |E| the cardinal of a set E. The purpose of the present paper is to prove the following result, constituting the solution of an unpublished problem of Erdös, Hajnal and Milner.
Approximation of convex surfaces by algebraic surfaces
P. C. Hammer
Minkowski [1] first proved that the surface of a convex body in E3 can be approximated by a level surface of a convex analytic function. His proof is strikingly simple. His proof is also presented for En by Bonnesen-Fenchel [2, pp. 10–12[. We here prove that the same kind of result is achieved using level surfaces of convex non-negative polynomials. We give two types of approximation, one based on finite sums as Minkowski did, and the other using integration. Since these approximations may be used for other applications we also extend them and give special formulae when the surface is centrally symmetric.
A note on the axisymmetric Stokes flow of viscous fluid past a spherical cap
W. D. Collins
Recent papers [1, 2, 3[ have considered dual series equations in Legendre and associated Legendre functions and have given applications of these series to various potential and diffraction problems. This note gives a further application to the problem of the axisymmetric Stokes flow of a viscous fluid past a spherical cap. The stream-function of the flow is found by solving two pairs of dual series equations in associated Legendre functions, these equations being of a form considered previously [1, henceforth referred to as DSE]. As an example a uniform flow past the cap is considered and the drag of the cap calculated. This flow has previously been investigated by Payne and Pell [4], who by a suitable limiting process derive the stream-function for the flow past the cap from the stream-function for the flow past a lens-shaped body. Their method, however, involves the use of peripolar coordinates, besides much complicated algebra, and results are given only for a cap whose semi-angle is π/2. Further, their value for the drag of this cap is incorrect.
On the embedding of complete graphs in orientable surfaces
D. E. Cohen, F. Harary, Y. Kodama
Our purpose is to develop a new and simple procedure for embedding graphs into orientable surfaces. This will involve the identification of the oriented edges of two oriented polygons, subject to certain rules.
Multiple packing of spherical caps
N. M. Blachman, L. Few
Let be a set of points on a sphere, centre O, radius R, in (n+1)– dimensional space. Suppose a spherical cap of angular radius α≤½π is centred at each point of . Let k be a positive integer and suppose that no point of the sphere is an inner point of more than k caps. We say that provides a k–fold packing for caps of radius α.
MTK volume 10 issue 1 Front matter
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2010, pp. f1-f2
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Representative Payee
Umbrella Pooled Trust
Guardianship FAQs
Special Needs Trust FAQs
Power of Attorney FAQs
Representative Payee FAQs
Umbrella Pooled Trust FAQs
What is a Guardian?
Guardianship is a legal process, utilized when a person can no longer make or communicate safe or sound decisions about his/her person and/or property or has become susceptible to fraud or undue influence. A Guardian is a 1) person, 2) institution, or 3) agency appointed by a court to manage the affairs of another individual when that person is unable to manage his or her personal needs or property because of a mental disability. Guardianship is a commitment to be responsible for and protect the interests of an incapacitated individual. In many instances the intervention of the Guardian will remove a person from a situation where they are being neglected, abused, or exploited by others.
How does the Corporation of Guardianship serve as Guardian?
The Corporation of Guardianship serves as Guardian for the most vulnerable members of the NC community – those who are incapacitated and with no family or friends who can adequately meet their needs. The organization serves people who have developmental and intellectual disabilities, those with dementia, people who have suffered severe brain trauma, and adults who are incapacitated by mental illness. Beyond fulfilling the legal requirements of these services, we strive to deliver the greatest quality of life, autonomy, and freedom possible to clients under the law using a person-centered approach, based on the philosophy that choices made on another person’s behalf are to be enabling rather than restricting for the client. While traditional guardianship is system-driven, person-centered philosophy is a person-directed process that maintains focus on the positives of a person’s life, discovering gifts, skills and capacities of the individual, and staying mindful of the person’s priorities of life. As Guardian, we can help find a balance in people’s lives between what is important to them and what is important for them. The Corporation of Guardianship adheres to and follows the guidelines of the National Guardianship Association.
What are the different types of Guardianships?
The Corporation of Guardianship serves in the following capacities:
Guardianship of the Estate – Gives the Guardian the authority to make all financial decisions for the individual.
Guardianship of the Person – Gives the Guardian the authority to make day-to-day decisions of a personal nature, except financial decisions, on behalf of the individual. Such decisions would include making arrangements for food, clothing, living arrangements, medical care, recreation, and education.
Guardianship of Person and Estate (General Guardian) – Gives the Guardian the authority to make nearly all decisions for the individual, and combines the authority of guardianship of person and guardianship of estate.
I am the Guardian of my disabled adult child. Can the Corporation of Guardianship serve as his or her Guardian when I’m no longer able?
Parents can recommend the Corporation of Guardianship to serve as Successor Guardian for their adult son or daughter. It is important to speak to a professional attorney about how to formally make this recommendation in estate-planning documents.
What is the guardianship process?
A Guardian must be appointed by the court. In order for someone to have a Guardian appointed to them, that person must be declared legally incompetent by the court and, therefore, found in need of a Guardian. The person in question needs to be carefully examined by a medical, geriatric, or psychiatric specialist who can testify to the person’s incapacity. Someone must petition the local clerk of court to have the person adjudicated (declared) incompetent. Anyone who knows the person may petition, be it a family member, neighbor, mental health professional, Department of Social Services employee, etc.
Do I need legal assistance in order to petition for guardianship?
Officially, no –– an attorney is not required in order to file a guardianship petition. However, entering court without an attorney is not for the faint of heart. Incompetency hearings can be difficult and adversarial. Seeking a qualified attorney’s assistance is recommended. The Corporation of Guardianship does not have any attorneys on staff and cannot assist you in petitioning the court, although we are happy to discuss your situation and the possibility of serving as Guardian if the court approves one.
Are there alternatives to guardianship?
Because the appointment of a Guardian is an intrusive measure that takes away a person’s ability to make decisions about his or her life, other options which place fewer restrictions on the person with a disability should be considered first. These options include powers-of-attorney, trusts, representative payees, limited guardianships, and case management.
Does the Corporation of Guardianship charge a fee to serve as Guardian?
Yes, the Corporation of Guardianship is a fee-for-service nonprofit organization. Click here for our FEE SCHEDULE. By charging a small, below-market fee for the services provided for those who are able to pay, CoG is able to serve more clients with limited resources. Our goal is to serve as many people as possible who are in need of our services, including those who are unable to pay a fee-for-service. To discuss your financial circumstances, please CONTACT US
Where can I learn more about guardianship?
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
The National Guardianship Association
The North Carolina Guardianship Association
The North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services
REQUEST INFORMATION >
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Crack Babies
Crack Facts
Crack Myths
Myth #1: Children whose mothers smoked crack during gestation are neurologically damaged. They don't develop emotionally or intellectually.
Fact: The assertions claiming that children who have been exposed to crack cocaine before birth are permanently damaged are unsubstantiated. Numerous studies have shown that there is very little conclusive evidence to support the "crack baby" myth. The pervasive nature of this myth makes it extremely difficult for babies who have been exposed to crack to receive adequate medical attention. As a result, there has been a recent push in the medical community to combat the "crack baby" myth.
Myth #2: Crack is purer than powder cocaine, and is more potent.
Fact: There is no pharmacological difference between crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Crack cocaine is simply powder cocaine which has been converted into a solid "rock" form that may be smoked. The effects of smoking crack cocaine may be more intense, but this is a result of the mode of ingestion rather than the drug's purity. Regardless, it is difficult to rationalize the extreme sentencing disparity between crack and cocaine.
Hatsukami, D. and Fischman, M. Crack cocaine and cocaine hydrochloride: are the differences myths or reality?. Journal of the American Medical Association (November 1996).
Myth #3: To use crack once can lead to instant addiction.
Fact: While crack cocaine is addictive, it is extremely unlikely that one would become addicted after one use. 2004 statistics from the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 7,840,000 (3.3%) of Americans have smoked crack cocaine during their lifetime. However, only 467,000 (.2%) of Americans reported smoking crack cocaine in the last 30 days. If crack was instantaneously addictive, the number of recent users would be much larger.
SAMHSA. Results from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables.
Myth #4: Crack is much more addictive than powder cocaine.
Fact: There is very little evidence to support the claims that crack is more addictive than cocaine. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse in 2004 of Americans age 12 and older, 5.9% of individuals who had ever tried cocaine went on to be "current users" (reported use within the past 30 days). The same statistic for crack use was also 5.9%. These numbers show no statistical difference in the tendency towards the future use of cocaine and crack.
Reinerman, C. and Levine H., Crack in America. University of California Press (September 1997).
2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings.
Myth #5: Crack use is much more dangerous than powder and kills its users more often.
Fact: The misuse of any drug (legal or illegal) may be detrimental to the health of an individual. However, it is erroneous to claim that the use of crack cocaine alone is a major cause of death. In fact, in 2000 the percentage of deaths attributed to ALL illegal drugs was .7%. In comparison, 435,000 deaths (18.1%) were caused by tobacco in the same year. Claims that crack use is a leading cause of death are, for the most part, unsubstantiated.
Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000. American Medical Association (2004).
Myth #6: Crack is used almost exclusively by Blacks and is a special plague of the Black community.
Fact: While often characterized as a drug of the Black community, 60% of individuals who have used crack in the last month are White. White crack users also account for 66% of individuals who have ever used crack in their lifetime. Simply stated, the majority of crack users are White.
Despite this reality, 80% of people arrested for crack offenses in 2002 were Black. Consequently, a disproportionate number of Black crack offenders face the harsh mandatory minimums associated with crack convictions.
Bureau of Justice Statistics. Compendium of Federal Justice Statistics, 2003. Table 1.4.
Myth #7: Crack use leads to violence much more than the use of other drugs.
Fact: The claims that crack induces violence are grossly exaggerated. Research has shown that crack use does not necessarily result in violent behavior. Most of the violence related to crack is a result of the drug's status as an illegal substance. Violence is rarely a result of the pharmacological effects of the drug, and is most often attributed to the violent nature of the illegal drug market.
8730 Georgia Avenue, Suite 400
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3649
Eric E. Sterling, J.D., President, CJPF
This website is supported by the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, a non-profit educational organization, that helps educate the nation about the problems of the criminal justice system.
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The Business of Civil War: Military Mobilization and the State, 1861-1865
Wilson, Mark R.
Ransom, Roger
Published by EH.NET (October 2007)
Mark R. Wilson, The Business of Civil War: Military Mobilization and the State, 1861-1865. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006. xii + 306 pp. $45 (cloth), ISBN: 0-8018-8348-2.
Reviewed for EH.NET by Roger Ransom, Department of History, University of California – Riverside.
Virtually every account of American economic development identifies the decade of the Civil War as some sort of turning point in the path towards industrialization. Yet, as Mark Wilson observes, by “using chronology frames that begin in the 1870s many studies have ensured that the war years figure only as a part of a shadowy background.” In this well-written and well-documented monograph, Wilson sets out to demonstrate that ignoring the changes brought about by wartime mobilization causes the conventional wisdom to greatly understate the impact of the war on the “Gilded Age.”
Wilson begins by presenting figures to document the enormous demands for men and materiel resulting from the wartime mobilization. His table should satisfy those who demand quantitative proof rather than eloquent descriptions of economic change. His estimates show that expenditures for the army, the navy ? and everything else the government spent money on ? rose dramatically from 1845 to 1861 (see Table 2.1, p. 38). During the war years of 1861 to 1865, Federal spending on the Army and Navy totaled $3 billion ? more than seven times the cumulative total of dollars spent by the military between the outbreak of the Mexican War and Bull Run! Even allowing for inflation (roughly a doubling of prices) during the war, this is a binge of spending throughout the economy on an unprecedented scale.
However, Wilson is less interested in the macro picture of military spending. We all knew the Civil War cost a lot. Wilson’s goal is to provide a detailed narrative showing how it was spent. To put all this in perspective, we must remember that in 1860 the United States Army had just over 16,000 men; most of whom were stationed in the trans-Mississippi West. By the end of the war, the North had mobilized over two million men. Simply clothing soldiers was a gargantuan task. Every Union soldier was allowed “one or two caps and one hat, two coats or jackets, three flannel shirts, three pairs of trousers and three pairs of drawers, four pairs of stockings, and four pairs of shoes” (p. 91). The Union Army spent twice as much money clothing soldiers as it did supplying them with weapons and ammunition. It also spent millions of dollars on draft animals, foodstuffs, and the logistics of transporting men and supplies across the country.
The task of meeting these demands fell upon the army quartermasters who worked out of sixteen major depots scattered in a broad arc from Boston to San Francisco at the beginning of the war. These depots formed the basis of the system of procurement and supply throughout the war. As the war expanded, operation of these depots evolved into a complex set of government and privately operated organizations that included both the production of goods in government-operated factories, as well as the purchase of goods and services through contracts supervised by military personnel. At its peak, this huge operation of supplying the war machine accounted for more than ninety percent of all government expenditures. The quartermasters were thus at the head of a vast operation that involved, in addition to their own employees, state officials who equipped many of the army units organized in the first year of the war; contractors seeking to sell directly to the army; middlemen acting as agents between the army and various large and small providers; and representatives of labor groups ? such as seamstresses and ironworkers ? concerned about the exploitation of individuals working for government suppliers or in government factories. To further complicate the picture, all of this was carried out under the watchful eye of congressmen anxious to see that their constituents were treated “fairly” in the distribution of contracts. Wilson provides a well-documented narrative of how the military procurement process dealt with these contending groups and how it eventually met the challenge of supplying an army that could win the war.
The underlying argument of Wilson’s book is that the story does not end with Lee’s surrender. The bureaucracy and methods of conducting the “business of war” developed in the four years of war were put to good use by the “captains of industry” who built the industrial organizations that emerged in the decades following the war. “More than is commonly acknowledged,” he argues, “economic and political developments in the decades before World War I can be described as a process of militarization” (p. 209). This point is well taken. Indeed, if anything, Wilson probably understates the impact of the changes he examines by focusing on questions of supply in the war decade. He credits the experience of setting up a military bureaucracy with playing a role in the establishment of the civil service. An even more direct example of how wartime bureaucracy spilled over into the postwar economy, which he does not mention, would be the creation of a pension system after the war.
What I like most about this book is the manner in which Wilson manages to bring home the enormity of the task that confronted those supplying the armies. It’s easy enough to simply cite the numbers showing that spending increased during the war. The story behind how the decisions were made to actually spend those dollars turns out to be a fascinating tale of tug of wars between large and small producers; between public and private provision of goods; and, of course, the struggle between capitalists, farmers, and laborers as to who should gain the fruits from the increased wartime spending. I confess that at times Wilson went a bit too far delving into the details; at one point I felt I had been personally introduced to every quartermaster in the Army in 1861. But such detail is a small price to pay for the wealth of information packed into this monograph. Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay the author is to say that after I finished reading his book I felt compelled to re-write the lectures in my Civil War course that I devote to mobilization.
Roger Ransom is the author of The Confederate States of America: What Might Have Been (W.W. Norton, 2005).
Military and War
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The Exchange Artist: A Tale of High-Flying Speculation and America?s First Banking Collapse
Kamensky, Jane
Hilt, Eric
Published by EH.NET (September 2010)
Jane Kamensky, The Exchange Artist: A Tale of High-Flying Speculation and America’s First Banking Collapse. New York: Penguin, 2009. xv + 442 pp. $17 (paperback), ISBN: 978-0-14-311490-1
Reviewed for EH.Net by Eric Hilt, Department of Economics, Wellesley College.
The first banks in the United States were founded by elite merchants, and often enjoyed a quasi-official role in public finance. Located in major cities, these institutions were large, conservatively managed, and generally quite successful. But as the American economy developed, its banking system quickly expanded and large numbers of new banks were created. The proliferation of banks was accompanied by innovations in banking practice, and some of these new institutions departed from the traditional approach of the establishment banks in ways that made them quite fragile. Others crossed the line into fraud.
Jane Kamensky’s The Exchange Artist tells the story of Andrew Dexter, the man behind the first bank failure in the United States. This was the Farmer’s Exchange Bank in remote Gloucester, Rhode Island, which Dexter acquired in 1808, and which failed in spectacular fashion in 1809. Dexter was an early pioneer of aggressive and unscrupulous approaches to bank management, and developed techniques that would later contribute to innumerable bank failures over the nineteenth century. Relying on an enormous amount of archival research, Kamensky’s book carefully documents Dexter’s banking career, and the business venture his banks were used to finance, the Exchange Coffee House in Boston. It is a fascinating story.
In Dexter’s era, banks issued paper liabilities called bank notes that were used as money, but were not legal tender — businesses were not obligated to honor them at face value. Instead, they were valuable because they represented a promise by the issuing bank to redeem them in specie at par on demand. Bank notes were accepted as payment at a discount that reflected the cost of returning the note to its issuing bank, and the perceived value of the bank’s promise to redeem the note. Most of America’s early banks were relatively conservative in their note issuance, and maintained a healthy level of specie reserves relative to their circulation. The threat of note dealers buying up large amounts of discounted notes and redeeming them also kept note issuance in check.
Andrew Dexter’s great contribution to the history of American banking was that he and his allies pioneered techniques to evade this threat of note redemption. His innovation was to gain control (or at least substantial influence) at several banks located in far-flung places, and use each to circulate notes from his other banks. Dexter first gained control of a bank in Boston, and then additional institutions in the Berkshires, in Maine, in rural Rhode Island, and even in Detroit, in the Michigan Territory, all around 1806-08. Bank customers in Boston received notes from Detroit, those in the Berkshires received notes from Rhode Island, and so on. The difficulty and expense of travel among these distant locations made note redemption less likely, as did the fact that his “wildcat” banking strategy was mostly unknown to Americans at the time. He was thus able to inflate his circulation well beyond what would have otherwise been sustainable. The note issuance was used mainly to finance loans to Dexter himself, which in turn were used to build the Exchange Coffee House.
Completed in 1809, this lavishly appointed structure was seven stories high, far taller than any other in the United States, and cost a tremendous sum to build. Inspired by similar institutions in other cities, but conceived as something much grander, the Exchange Coffee House was a combination reading room, stock exchange floor, coffee house, hotel, restaurant and general emporium of commerce. Institutions like it had succeeded elsewhere, but Dexter’s Exchange was built on a scale that was totally out of proportion to the needs of Boston’s merchants, and moreover Boston’s stock traders preferred to remain at their outdoor location. The building was never a success, and was later destroyed in a fire that could not be effectively fought: the building was so tall fire engines could not pump water high enough to reach the flames.
The high costs and mounting debts from the Exchange Coffee House forced Dexter to borrow heavily from his banks, particularly from the one bank where he exerted total control, the Farmer’s Exchange Bank in Gloucester, RI. Before long he was borrowing $20,000 per day from that institution, arranging to have its notes shipped by courier to Boston. Eventually, coalitions of merchants who had become aware of the bank’s practices organized to force the institution to close by presenting large amounts of its notes for redemption, and also persuaded the Rhode Island legislature to investigate its books. When the bank finally closed its doors, Dexter owed the bank more than a half million dollars, and fled with his family to Canada.
Kamensky, who teaches in the History Department at Brandeis University, writes in lively prose that is enriched with fascinating historical details. She has researched every element of her tale exhaustively, enabling her to tell not only Dexter’s life story, but also the life story of the Exchange Coffee House, from the work of the carpenters and masons who built it, to the fire companies that unsuccessfully attempted to save it. Using computer-generated imagery of architectural interiors, the book enables the reader quite literally to see into the halls of the building as it appeared in 1809. It is an impressive work of history.
My only criticism of this otherwise fine book concerns its analysis of money and banking. Kamensky’s narrative encompasses some of the most important developments in the history of banking in New England, but her interpretations of some of these developments falter. The reader is told, for example, that the emergence of note brokers “made paper’s value shakier” (p. 53), presumably because they would buy the notes of out-of-town banks at a significant discount. But note brokers almost certainly made bank notes more reliable, both because they created a liquid market in which prices could be quickly obtained, and because they helped monitor and discipline issuing banks. Likewise Kamensky’s discussions of the intended function of the “Exchange Office,” a Boston bank that could have helped discipline country banks, and of the efforts of
Boston’s establishment banks to redeem the notes of country banks, offer the perspectives of contemporary opponents without critically evaluating them. As a work of history, this book is quite successful, but as a work of financial history, it is less so.
Dexter eventually returned to the United States and moved to the Alabama Territory, where he founded the town that became Montgomery. The last part of Kamensky’s narrative follows Dexter to the South, and details his business ventures there, all ultimately unsuccessful. Over his lifetime, Dexter was able to seize the opportunities that became available during lending booms, but he was only able to achieve modest, short-lived successes, which were all followed by failure. The great reversals of fortune in his life offer fascinating insights into the business world of nineteenth-century America.
Eric Hilt is Associate Professor of Economics at Wellesley College, and Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Email: ehilt@wellesley.edu.
Copyright (c) 2010 by EH.Net. All rights reserved. This work may be copied for non-profit educational uses if proper credit is given to the author and the list. For other permission, please contact the EH.Net Administrator (administrator@eh.net). Published by EH.Net (September 2010). All EH.Net reviews are archived at http://www.eh.net/BookReview.
Financial Markets, Financial Institutions, and Monetary History
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Earthrise News
DIC Announces Major Expansion of Production Capacity for Linablue ® – The #1 Natural Blue Food Coloring on Earth
This move will solidify DIC’s position as the global leader in the production and supply of Spirulina-derived blue food coloring via its expanded state-of-the-art integrated production facility.
DIC Coproration announced today that it will expand the production capacity of its California-base subsidiary Earthrise Nutritionals, LLC for Linablue, a natural blue coloring derived from edible algae Spirulina. Investment in this project, estimated at approximately US$13 million, follows the investment of around US$10 million in November 2013 for its first expansion. The planned increase in production capacity is undisclosed. New facilities are scheduled to commence operation in 2018.
Consumer concern for food safety and security is rising. The increase in more educated health conscious consumers have influenced major food product manufacturers in the Americas and Europe to announce their plans to make the switch from using artificial to natural food coloring. In light of these trends, DIC expects that the global market for natural blue food coloring will grow by 50% annually from 2016 through 2020.
In 2013, phycocyanin, the blue food coloring extracted from Spirulina, became the first natural blue food coloring to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Since then, demand for phycocyanin has increase drastically, particularly in the Americas and Europe, which have seen a rapid shift in consumer demand toward natural food coloring. Concurrently, sales of the DIC Group’s commercial phycocyanin product Linablue – long a global market leader – have risen sharply, particularly for use in frozen sweets and confections. In addition to Linablue being used as a vivid blue colorant, phycocyanin can be combined with natural yellow and red pigments to create food coloring that impart more vibrant greens and purples. Accordingly, demand for these applications are also expanding.
Earthrire’s integrated production capabilities for Spirulina, encompassing everything from the cultivation of high-grade Spirulina to refining and manufacturing of finished products, ensure the safety and quality of its products and provide peace of mind to its customers. The company’s food safety management system has earned certification from major global accreditation organizations, including Food Safety Systems Certification (FSSC) 22000 in 2016. The DIC Group’s Spirulina production facility on Hainan Island, in the People’s Republic of China, is also working to obtain FSSC 22000 certification.
The DIC Group currently has over 90% of the global market share for Spirulina-derived natural blue food coloring. With the expansion of Earthrise’s production capacity, the DIC group is moving to ensure worldwide supremacy, positioning it to capitalize on sharp market expansion to quadruple its 2015 sales of Linablue by 2020.
A pioneer in Spirulina research, the DIC group is currently exploring ways to extract the other pigments that remain in the Spirulina biomass after the blue pigment has been removed, as well as its use as a plant derived protein in food and animal feed. Having identified Spirulina as a next-generation business to be cultivated under its new medium-term management plan, DIC108, which began in 2016 the Group will also promote R&D aimed at swiftly commercializing products based on these themes.
*Rich in more than 50 vitamins and minerals, including calcium and iron, Spirulina is a nutrient-rich blue-green algae that grows naturally in lakes in Africa and Central and south America. DIC was the first company to succeed in cultivating Spirulina.
FSSC is a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) bench-marked scheme that incorporated the requirement of ISO22000, the International Organization for Standardization’s standard for food safety management system, and the ISO/TS 220002-1 (or ISO/TS-22002-4) prerequisite program on food safety.
Earthrise Nutritionals LLC
A wholly owned subsidiary of DIC, Earthrise Nutritionals, headquartered in Irvine, California, is a Spirulina production and sales company with an annual yield of approximately 500 tons. The company’s outdoor algae cultivation facility, which covers a total area of 180,000 square meters, is the world’s largest. Earthrise is the only company in the continental United States to succeed in the mass cultivation of algae outdoors.
Outline of Project
Address: 113 E. Hoober Rd., Calipatria, California 92233, U.S.A.
Investment: Approx. US$13 million
Increase in production capacity: Undisclosed
Scheduled date of completion: 2018
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Posts Tagged ‘Lucky Millender & His Orchestra’
Hucklebucking
So, I thought, what do I have in the digital stacks that was recorded on December 15?
And the RealPlayer brought me a few tracks: Lena Horne’s “Stormy Weather” from 1941, the King Cole Trio’s version of “Sweet Lorraine” from 1943, Deanna Durbin’s “Always” from 1944, Dion’s “Ruby Baby” from 1962 and three copies of “The Huckle-Buck” by Paul Williams & His Hucklebuckers, recorded in 1948.
And I stopped right there, because the tag on one of those three copies said the track was recorded in New York, while the tag on another said Detroit. The third had no location listed. And between the three copies of the same track, I had four catalog numbers, all on the Savoy label. But before we go any further, let’s listen to “The Huckle-Buck” as Williams and his band recorded it in December of 1948:
The record was a major hit in 1949, topping the Billboard Best Seller chart for twelve weeks and the magazine’s Juke Box chart for fourteen weeks. You’ll note that the catalog number in the video is Savoy 683, and that’s the number that Joel Whitburn has listed in Top 40 R&B and Hip-Hop Hits, so we’ll go with that. But according to the data at The Online Discographical Project, Savoy did in fact issue the record with three other catalog numbers as well.
But where was it recorded? Where did I find Detroit and New York mentioned? Well, I found New York listed as the recording site on the two-LP set The Roots Of Rock ’N Roll, a 1977 release on the Savoy label. And Detroit was listed as the site in the very detailed notes supplied with The Big Horn, a four-CD set from England of 106 tracks featuring saxophone, released in 2003 by Proper Records.
And I’m uncertain. Part of me says that the New York location make sense, because Savoy should know where one of its biggest hits was recorded. And part of me tends to think that Detroit is correct, because the notes in the booklet accompanying The Big Horn are so very detailed and could contain information found during the intervening years. I’d like to know, but I’m not going to let the discrepancy get in the way of the music. Because there’s a lot of stuff about “The Huckle-Buck” that I found interesting.
First, Paul Williams pretty much stole the song. The website Second Hand Songs notes that the tune was first called “D’ Natural Blues.” It was written by Andy Gibson and it was first performed by Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra in September of 1948. The website then notes:
Paul Williams heard Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra perform “D’ Natural Blues” and decided to perform this song too. He called it “The Huckle-Buck.” The reactions turned out to be very positive and he decided to record it (December 15th, 1948). Lucky Millinder recorded it a few weeks later (beginning of January 1949) . . .
Here’s Millinder’s “D’ Natural Blues.”
Soon enough, lyricist (and occasional composer) Roy Alfred wrote some words for the tune, and Roy Milton & His Solid Senders recorded a vocal version in January 1949 that went to No. 5 on the R&B chart. And the covers kept on coming: Big Sis Andrews & Her Huckle-Busters, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton (No. 12, R&B), Homer & Jethro with June Carter (as the B-side of a 1949 record titled “The Wedding of Hillbilly Lily Marlene”), Benny Goodman, Pearl Bailey and on through the 1950s until we get to the 1960s and the only version of the tune that’s been a hit in the Billboard Hot 100: Chubby Checker’s cover went to No. 14 (and No. 15 on the R&B chart) in the autumn of 1960, just months after “The Twist” went to No. 1 for the first time:
The list of covers at Second Hand Songs – instrumentals and vocals alike – is pretty lengthy, and includes a lame 1961 vocal version by Annette Funicello, an instrumental version by a 1988 edition of Canned Heat*, and a wicked version by Otis Redding, recorded in September 1967 and released post-humously on The Dock of the Bay in 1968. And that’s where we’ll close today’s proceedings. Hucklebuck, ya’ll!
*That 1988 edition of the band has two original members, according to Wikipedia: Fito de la Parra and Larry Taylor. That’s pretty thin gruel from this side of the table. My sense is that once Al Wilson and Bob Hite were gone (1970 and 1981, respectively), so was Canned Heat.
Tags: Chubby Checker, Lucky Millender & His Orchestra, Otis Redding, Paul Williams & His Hucklebuckers
Posted in 1948, 1949, 1960, 1967, Covers, Mysteries, Saxophone, Video | 1 Comment »
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by Jeff Fannell in Sports Issues, What's Up With That? 0 comments tags: Athlete Activism, Sports, Whats up with that?
What’s Up With That?: The Return of the Activist Athlete
My favorite athlete of all time is Muhammad Ali. Has been for almost 40 years. When I was about 13-years-old, I read “The Greatest: My Own Story,” by Ali and Richard Durham. I was already a fan of Ali’s, having seen him box and entertain, both inside and outside the ring. However, reading about him – his upbringing, his Olympic achievements, his refusal to be drafted into the U.S. military, his opposition to the Vietnam War, and his resulting conviction on draft evasion charges (which led to the loss of both his heavyweight title and nearly four years of his career at its peak) – led me to realize that athletes can have tremendous influence away from the ring or field of play, and that resonated with me. Still does. It also drew me to other courageous and influential athletes – Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul Jabbar) John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. Athletes who took a stand and made a difference became the standard by which other athletes were measured in my book. But the activist athlete of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s soon became a thing of the past, seemingly never […]
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Science and Noah’s Flood
In the previous articles of the Y-chromosome that survived the Flood, Part I and Part II, we have seen what the Bible and World cultures have said respectively regarding the universality of Noah’s flood. In section III we will see what science has to say about the possibility of Noah’s flood being a world wide event. Should we look at the formation of the Y-chromosome haplogroups from “A” to “T” from the beginning of Creation? Or did all Y-Haplogroups from “A” to “T” formed from Noah after a universal flood? About 5,000 years ago… After the deluge something changed in our dimension, that we can not measure time accurately, rending true the Einstein theory that time is relative, agreeing with Moses and Peter that one day is like a thousand years
Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day
So before the flood we can not say accurately how much time has passed by…
Did Noah’s flood destroy all the descendants of Adam except eight people in Noah’s Arch?
Mount Ararat isTurkey’s highest peak at 16,854 feet tall, and the Bible states that it was covered with water at least 15 cubit=22.5 feet above the top, is it possible that the rest of Europe, Asia, Africa and America were not also flooded?
Genesis 7:19-20 –19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.
Genesis 8:4 -Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.
Mounts Ararat: 16,854 Feet high/5280 feet= 3.19 miles high
198 million sq miles is the surface area of earth.
Then how much water do we need to cover the whole earth + Mount Ararat?
The total volume of water on Earth is about 1.4 billion cubic kilometers www.space.com, USGS.gov
Earth Radio = ——– From center to inside of loop.
Mount Ararat Radio = ————-From Center to outside of loop.
Volume of a sphere = 4/3 π r3 where r=radius
Radius of Earth = 6,378.15 Kilometers
Height of Mt. Ararat = 5.14 Kilometers (16,854 ft)
The volume of water needed to cover Earth to the height of Mt. Ararat is approximately the difference in volume of a sphere needed to encompass Mt. Ararat and the volume of a sphere the size of the Earth.
Volume of a sphere encompassing the Earth at sea level
= 4/3 (3.14)(6,378.15 KM)3 = 1,086,825,918,019 KM3
Volume of a sphere encompassing Mt. Ararat
= 4/3 (3.14) (6,378.15 + 5.14 KM)3 = 1,088,935,385,790 KM3
The Difference = 2,109,467,767.43 KM3
Notice that this is less than 1.5 TIMES the amount of water presently on Earth.
What about Mount Everest at 29,029 feet high, which is the highest peak on earth and according to Genesis, all the mountains peaks were covered.
Well, sea shell fossils found on Mt. Everest prove that it was once covered by water.
Is there any evidence in science that there was/is water in the Deep of the earth, to substantiate that the fountains of the earth broke and this contributed to the waters of The Universal Flood at the time of Noah?
Genesis 7:11 NKJV In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened
I. Deep waters – 1992
“The Hidden Shore” by Raymond Jeanloz, The Sciences January/February 1993; “Water in the Earth’s Upper Mantle” by Alan Bruce Thompson, Nature, vol 358, 23 July 1992
“DEEP inside the Earth, the pressure is excruciating. Squeezed into strange shapes and forms, the rocks are so hot that they crawl like super-thick treacle. It is an inferno worthy of Dante, but it also contains something surprising. What’s the last thing you would expect to find in this hellish environment? Water. Vast amounts of the stuff. In fact, more than 400 kilometers inside the Earth there may be enough water to replace the surface oceans more than ten times.
But this water is not a series of immense seas. Rather, it is scattered in droplets, some as small as a single molecule, with most trapped inside crystal lattices of rare minerals that only form under intense pressures.”
“How much there is down there is still fiercely debated. But these inner “oceans” could help to explain long-standing puzzles about Earth’s formation, the causes of deep earthquakes hundreds of kilometers inside the Earth, and why massive volcanic outbursts suddenly flood hundreds of thousands of square kilometers with lava. They may even give a glimpse of what the future holds for the Earth’s climate and if we might ever be drowned from below.”
II. Deep waters – 2003
Science 6 June 2003:
Vol. 300 no. 5625 pp. 1556-1558
“Seismic Evidence for Water Deep in Earth’s Upper Mantle.”
“Water in the deep upper mantle can influence the properties of seismic discontinuities in the mantle transition zone. Observations of converted seismic waves provide evidence of a 20- to 35-kilometer-thick discontinuity near a depth of 410 kilometers, most likely explained by as much as 700 parts per million of water by weight.”
III. DEEP waters – 2007
3-D model shows big body of water in Earth’s mantle. http://www.physorg.com/news90171847.html
“A seismologist at Washington University in St. Louis has made the first 3-D model of seismic wave damping — diminishing — deep in the Earth’s mantle and has revealed the existence of an underground water reservoir at least the volume of the Arctic Ocean. It is the first evidence for water existing in the Earth’s deep mantle. February 8, 2007”
So, the fallen angels tried to corrupt the seed of Adam and Eve, so the Messiah could not come. The Lord sends the flood and only one type of human Y-chromosome is left on earth, that one of Noah and his three sons.
After examining the evidence presented in the Bible, world Cultures and Science, we conclude that Noah’s Y- Chromosome is the sole human Y-Chromosome survivor.
Was Noah’s Y-Chromosome Haplogroup C? or E? or J?
All other Haplogroup types of Y-chromosomes on earth today had to come from Noah!
Geneticists tells us that present Y-chromosome haplogroup of men from A to T came from Africa and that the genetic markers mutation is so slow that we find the first one 60,000 years ago.
Rather, humanity in 2011 seem to have come from the Middle East not Africa, and the genetic markers mutation rate occurs much more frequently to have the Y chromosome haplogroups A to T formed only in the last 5,000 years, from the Y-chromosome of Noah and his three sons.
The seven other Y-haplogroups that we find today among the House of Judah may represent the hidden Ephraimites that e-migrated to Judah during the Kingdom of Hezekiah, assimilated into the house of Judah and forgot through the centuries the tribes that they came from, they forgot that they were Ephraimites…
European Jews
Region/Haplogroup I R1a R1b G J2 J1 E T L Q Others
Ashkenazi Jews 4 10 9 9.5 19 19 20.5 2 0.5 5 1.5
Sephardic Jews 1 5 13 15 25 22 9 6 0 2 2
http://www.eupedia.com/europe/european_y-dna_haplogroups.shtml
The seven other Y-haplogroups that we find today among the House of Judah may represent the hidden Ephraimites that immigrated to Judah during the Kingdom of Hezekiah, assimilated into the house of Judah and forgot through the centuries the tribes that they came from, they forgot that they were Ephraimites… 2Chronicles 30:11-19
We need to reshuffle the Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups and see the new classification under the lens of the Word of YHVH, the Bible, World Cultures and Science. So to be able to find the second witness as we try to identify the twelve tribes of Israel.
Psalm 90:17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Brachot Ahavta Yeshua (Blessings in the love of Yeshua)
ברחות אהבת ישוא
Alex C. Perdomo MD and Georgina Chan Perdomo MD
www.eztyoseph.org
6 Responses to The Y Chromosome that Survived the Flood, part III 8/23/11
reelgame says:
I enjoyed this subject tremendously based on the general cultural and religious belief that the flood was a regional event and not what the bible described very clear that it was a universal event leaving Noah and his 3 sons as the stem Y-chromosome that will initiate once again the process of identifying the tribes. Please continue the GOOD work. We need more brothers and sisters commenting.
Blessings in Yeshua’s name.
Thank you for your input! We all benefit from knowing what the rest of the remnant is thinking. We will answer all e-mails in time.
If anyone wants to leave their thoughts, then you need to click in logging, then click on “Register”, then they will send you your personal password to your e-mail so you can leave a reply…Hope to hear from many of you,
Shalom, Georgina
paulvc says:
Quote from article: “The Lord sends the flood and only one type of human Y-chromosome is left on earth, that one of Noah and his three sons.”
My question is: Has any Y-chromosome ever been found from people that we know lived before the flood? Y-chromosome that is found in people that lived before the flood but no longer present in living humans? I mean, if these haplogroups really go back 60,000 years, wouldn’t all, except for one, cease to exist after the flood? I can see how there would be four examples of mtDNA present in Noah’s wife and three daughters -in-law. But for Y it should have been reduced to one type. Is this correct or am I not understanding how this works?
All humans today will have genes of people that lived before the flood, since Noach’s genes came from those people and we come from Noach. But Y-haplogroups, those designated letters from A to T that we see today if they formed before the flood they all disappeared with the flood. Then All Y-haplogroups that we find today, were formed after the flood, from Noach, since everyone else on earth died during the Universal Diluvium.
The Cohen modality is found in J1. Therefore all J haplotypes must be Levitical. The next highest haplotype is E1b1b1, which it would be logical to assume is the Judah haplotype.
This haplotype is very prominent in North Africa and features with the Berbers. The Berbers claim to be Jews incidentally.
The G2 haplotype is very densely found in the Pushtan tribe. The Pushtan tribe claims Benjamite ancestry. Curiously the Alpine mummy, Otzi the Iceman, was a G2 haplotype; he was also a left-hander.
R1a and R1b seem to be the House of Israel. Why it is only 2 haplotypes and not 10, seems curious, but I guess this just reflects Ephraim and Mannessah.
So, what other issues do the haplotypes throw up? Well, I guess Q1 is either the Edomite haplotype. (Edom merged into Judah around 120BC). For instance, Q1 was widespread through the Americas prior to the European colonization. Curious then that they were ‘red’ Indians. (Edom meaning ‘red’)
Shalom Marcus!
Thanks for your commentaries…Genetic Genealogy is still in its birth stages and growing, changing every day. I agree that the genetic mutation rate of the SNPs have not been clarified yet and it is one of the reasons why the science world assumes that only one type of Y-haplogroup could be descendants of Ya’acov. I do not agree with that theory and understand a lot more work needs to be done in the field to continue to shed light into the descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel…For one, we should be posting soon about the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun among Etz Yoseph members, with a commentary on the article published in Nature Communications, on December 17, 2013: “Phylogenic applications of whole Y-Chromosome Sequences and the Near Eastern Origin of Ashkenazi Levites.”
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Latest NewsPress Review Author: europeanpost - 17 March 2018
Pakistan: New court orders people to declare their religion on all official documents undermining religious minorities rights
Rights activists in Pakistan expressed concern over a court ruling that would require people to declare their religion on all official documents, saying it could lead to the persecution of minorities.
The Islamabad High Court ruling on Friday also requires that citizens take a religious oath upon joining the civil service, armed forces or judiciary. Zohra Yusuf, a board member at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, called the ruling “very dangerous.” She said her group would issue a statement in the coming days.
“Citizens applying for jobs in state institutions must take an oath which ensures compliance with the definition of Muslim and non-Muslim provided in the Constitution,” Judge Siddiqui said the short order.
The European Union has already expressed its concern over the respect of religious minorities in Pakistan. Jan Figel, the special envoy of EU for the promotion of religious freedom around the world, in his recent visit to Pakistan communicated to the Pakistani government that the future continuity of Pakistan as trade partner of the European Union will be directly linked to the positive outcome of Asia Bibi’s blasphemy case, a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy since 2010.
Tags:document, European Union, Ján Figel, Pakistan, religion
Netherlands euthanized 252 mentally ill people in 2017
43% of French people against surrogacy
Columnists 5 June 2019
PARIS — Whether by design or coincidence, the European Union’s nascent involvement in defence coincides…
Freedom of religion or belief is a litmus test of civil and political rights
by Jan Figel, Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief outside the EU Recent…
Latest News 5 February 2019
The first ever papal visit to the Arab Gulf marks a “historical breakthrough” according to…
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Founded in 2011 in Paris, Furst Agency is a Label & Artist services company now based in London. Our team will manage and execute all marketing aspects of your upcoming releases.
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2018: Furst Agency signs with Cinq Music/ Rhythm Nation Records in Los Angeles. The agency ran the digital marketing and PR campaigns in Europe (France/ UK) for Janet Jackson‘s “Made For Now”(feat. Daddy Yankee), including a worldwide partnership with Deezer.
2019: The agency is in charge of the project management in Europe for British Pakistani singer/songwriter Shaima (BBC Music Introducing artist) and Nigerian superstars Seyi Shay and Runtown. Furst Agency is also representing Dutch singer/ songwriter/ producer Cimo Fränkel.
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You are here: Home / *Articles of the Bound* / John Kerry’s ‘Nonbinding’ Agreeability with Iran Demonstrates our Conspiracy-Incompetence Maxim
John Kerry’s ‘Nonbinding’ Agreeability with Iran Demonstrates our Conspiracy-Incompetence Maxim
March 12, 2015, 12:19 pm by Arlen Williams 1 Comment
Never ascribe to only conspiracy, that which may also be incompetence,
and vice versa.
Or, said another way…
Never presume that conspiracy and incompetence are mutually exclusive,
without due evidence.
DougRoss@Journal
BECAUSE, CRUSADES: Kerry, State Department Agree That any Iran Deal Would Be “Non-Binding”
By The Tower
Over the past two days, both U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki have admitted that the current nuclear deal being negotiated with Iran is “non-binding.”
Speaking at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today, Kerry said that the deal is not “legally binding.”
“We’ve been clear from the beginning we’re not negotiating a legally binding plan. We’re negotiating a plan that will have a capacity for enforcement,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“We don’t even have diplomatic relations with Iran right now.”
Kerry made his remarks in the context of addressing what he called the “misconceptions” contained in the open letter released earlier this week that was signed by 47 Senators.
In an exchange with reporters at yesterday’s daily State Department press conference, Psaki was asked how the deal could be non-binding if the United States does not trust Iran. The video is embedded below the transcript.
QUESTION: The problem is is that you’ve stressed over and over again this is not about trusting, right? This is about verifying. But then you’re saying that these are political commitments but not necessarily binding. It would seem to me that if this wasn’t about trust, you would want them to be binding, not political commitments, which are your word. That’s what a political —
MS. PSAKI: Well, Brad, we’re talking about specifically how pieces —
QUESTION: Political commitment just means “I will do this.”
MS. PSAKI: It is not that. We’re talking about how specifically pieces would be agreed to between the parties. In terms of the implementation of it, I’m sure we will talk about that at the time we would have an agreement.
QUESTION: Since I don’t understand then what a political – as I understand a political commitment, it means a person or a political entity saying, “I will do this; I commit to doing this.” How is that not anything other than giving your word?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, Brad, if we get to the point where we have a framework, where we have an agreement, I’m sure we will have a discussion about how things will be implemented.
QUESTION: I’m just asking for the concept of political commitment. What does that mean, beyond giving your word?
MS. PSAKI: I just gave you additional examples of how that has been implemented and how it has worked in the past.
QUESTION: The Iranians have talked about this, whatever it is, that if anything happens, that it being – the idea that the UN Security Council would at least endorse it if not enshrine it in some kind of a resolution. Is that something that you think would be useful?
MS. PSAKI: I’m just not going to get ahead of how this would be implemented at this point in time.
QUESTION: So —
MS. PSAKI: Obviously, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done between now and then.
Last week, Armin Rosen of Business Insider reported that the non-binding nature of the deal was “one of the more curious yet least commented-upon aspects” of the nuclear negotiations with Iran.
In October, the New York Times reported that the Obama administration was pursuing a nuclear deal with Iran that would avoid the Senate altogether. That means that the deal would technically be an “executive agreement” in which the president reaches an understanding with a foreign government that doesn’t require any changes in US law — rather than a treaty, which requires a 2/3 majority in the Senate and could supersede certain laws.
The trouble is that Congress has passed numerous sanctions bills relating to Iran. And while Obama has the right to grant sanctions waivers under certain circumstances, he doesn’t have the power to just take them off the books by decree.
“An executive agreement never overrides inconsistent legislation and is incapable of overriding any of the sanctions legislation,” says David Rivkin, a constitutional litigator with Baker Hostetler, LLP who served in the White House Counsel’s Office in the Reagan and George H. W. Bush Administrations. “A treaty that has been submitted for Senate’s advise and consent and if it’s self-executing could do that.”
There is strong bipartisan support for Congressional oversight of any nuclear deal reached with Iran, both within Congress and among voters. The non-binding aspect to the deal is a way to bypass that oversight.
[Photo: Senate Foreign Relations Committee ]
Read more at TheTower.org
One more note from the Gulag: Remember, we’re talking about this guy.
Well… and this one.
Meanwhile, back in reality…
Iran Declares Pre-emptive Victory in Nuke Talks
H/T for this Free Beacon story: Denise Simon, @spongedocks
Filed Under: *Articles of the Bound*, *In the Searchlights* Tagged With: Iran, Islam Islamism jihad jihadism, John Kerry, nuclear warfare, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
John Kerry’s ‘Nonbinding’ Agreeability with Iran Demonstrates our Conspiracy-Incompetence Maxim | NoisyRoom.net says:
March 12, 2015, 4:56 pm at 4:56 pm
[…] Gulag Bound […]
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Home » The Mirror News » BOOK OF LIFE
Added 24 Apr 2019 | Added by: The Mirror | Last updated 24 Apr 2019 by Linda Giddy ⋅ Post a comment
• End game: South Gippsland Shire Council Community Strengthening Officer Sophie Dixon and Community Strengthening Manager Ned Dennis were
part of a Council team looking at dying.
FOSTER Library has been chosen as the site for an “end of life” hub.
“What we’d like to do is establish a hub, where all that information will be available. We want to locate it, hopefully, in a place where all members of the community can get access to it. In Foster that will probably be in the new extended hours library. You can come for a book and find out about death at the same time,” South Gippsland Shire Council Community Strengthening Officer Sophie Dixon.
The Passionate Communities End of Life project – a collaboration between South Gippsland Shire Council, the Municipal Association of Victoria and La Trobe University (Palliative Care Unit) – is designed to improve community understanding of healthier approaches to death, dying and bereavement.
The project has been funded by the Department of Health and Human Services for three years (2017-2019).
Addressing SGSC councillors last week, Ms Dixon said the project “explores the way local government builds the capacity of communities to further accept that dying is part of life”.
“Why Foster? While the project encompasses all people, it will initially focus on older people. The population of Foster and surrounds has a higher proportion of people over 60 – 36.4 per cent – than South Gippsland as a whole – which has 27.8 per cent,” she said.
Ms Dixon said the percentage of aged people in the area was predicted to increase in the next 20 years, “with 43 per cent expected to be over 60 and 20.8 per cent expected to be between 70 and 84”.
“That is quite a large population all residing in the Foster, Toora, Welshpool and Port Welshpool area,” she said.
“Death is a really difficult subject and something people really don’t want to talk about. As an officer it’s also quite difficult. When people do become comfortable in talking to you about death and dying, that can become quite hard to sit and listen to.
“The project launch was around the same time as the assisted dying discussion was being held. That put people off. There’s a vast difference between those who want and those who don’t want it.”
Ms Dixon said regional areas had less access to palliative care, which means “agencies operating in our local areas are stretched”.
“It means workers are operating outside normal work times. Death doesn’t happen from nine to five. Information is what people want. Eighty per cent of people want to die at home, but only about 10 per cent get to,” she said.
“There’s a lack of information on dying and support, on legality, on burial – everything you can think of surrounding it. It’s either inaccessible information or particularly hard to understand – written from a medical point of view, which puts people off.
“When Community Strengthening was asked to deliver the project, my response was, ‘I really don’t want to.’ My second response was, ‘Why would local government get involved with this?’” she said.
Despite these early misgivings, Ms Dixon believes Council is “uniquely placed” to deliver the project.
Citing the Grattan Report ‘Dying Well’, Ms Dixon said there were “problems with our approach to dying”.
She said dying placed “enormous pressure on agencies, hospitals, aged care facilities and the medical professions”.
“The medicalisa-tion of death has given back negatively on a person’s ability to direct their own end of life. The role of rural communities has been reduced in helping people through the end of life process – because people are often hospitalised or institutionalised far from their support networks,” she said. • End game: South Gippsland Shire Council Community Strengthening Officer Sophie Dixon and Community Strengthening Manager Ned Dennis were part of a Council team looking at dying.
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by Paul Hazelden
The Liberal Democrats Tax Commission published Policy Paper 75 in July 2006, "Fairer, Simpler, Greener" and invited comment. Here are my responses.
Start at the End
The executive summary describes the proposals 'for a new Parliament'. If you want a simple system, you have to start at the end point and work back. Once you are clear about where you want to go, you can engage in a sensible discussion of how best to get there.
For example, it assumes the existence of tax banding with just a few rates. This method was needed when you had to publish paper tables to enable people to look up what they have to pay. These days we have computers, and there is no reason why we should not have 20 or 50 bands, or a sliding scale, or even a sigmoid curve. A flat rate for the lower levels makes sense as many of the people with several jobs are below the national average.
Some Suggestions
Okay, here are some suggestions. Some of these are already in the paper, hidden in the detail.
Abolish National Insurance. The Employee's contribution should become part of the Income Tax, and the Employer's contribution become a new Employer's Tax, if it is decided to keep that element. But why tax employment? I thought we want to encourage it. Charge companies for their profits, not for the employment they provide.
Simplify the definition of a salary. At present, I have a notional salary. I pay Income Tax and National Insurance on parts of it, and a Pension contribution on all of it. My employer pays National Insurance on some of it and a Pension contribution on all of it. My salary is neither what I get, nor what my employer pays.
I suggest we redefine my salary as what my employer pays for me. This removes the whole employer/employee contribution distinction: I am paid a certain salary, some of it goes to me, some to the state, and some to my pension fund.
There should be no 'claw-back' on any allowances or benefits. Much of the present complexity comes from the state giving with one and and taking back with the other. If you get a benefit from the state, you are not taxed on it, and it does not reduce what you receive from any other benefit.
Of course, the tax-free amount should be no lower than the national minimum wage.
One Government Department should deal with individuals. Instead of one group of officials giving away money in benefits and another taking money in tax, with the two inevitably out of step much of the time, why not have one department responsible for both aspects? They have the responsibility of getting the calculations right, and the power to fix it when anything goes wrong.
If you want to be really radical, how about the Government giving every citizen the minimum wage as a basic benefit, and reducing everyone's salary by that amount? This removes the complication of a tax-free amount. And if the bulk of the population only pays a flat rate of tax, this means the employer needs to know nothing about most of their employees' tax affairs - they simply calculate the tax on the salary at the standard rate. It makes no difference whether the person is part time, or has several jobs.
Don't use the employer to do the Government's job. Forget about Tax Credits and individual tax codes: if the Government wants to give someone money, then do it directly - don't complicate the tax system to achieve these aims. Use Income Tax to tax income, and only income.
I like the idea of a Local Income Tax to replace the Council Tax. However, I have not yet heard enough detail to convince me it would work. You know whether a building lies within the boundaries of a local authority; telling whether a person lives in the boundaries and should pay tax to the local authority is much more complicated. It opens up the system to all kinds of abuse. What of those who have several homes? Or who live near their work midweek and with their families at the weekends? Inevitably, people will claim to live in the places where you pay the least Local Income Tax, which will lower the tax rates in those places still further and raise them in the places where they are highest.
A substantial tax on all land and all buildings would have several advantages: people who own derelict properties would have a real incentive to develop them or sell to someone who would, it will no longer be possible to hide the ownership of land, and the rich will pay more than the poor.
Stamp Duty should be treated like Income Tax, with a tax-free amount, and then an increasing percentage on the value over that amount.
Airline fuel should be charged a higher rate of tax because of the environmental effects of air travel. Scrap the flat rate charge on air travel, and get the money from taxing the fuel instead.
The UK should work with the international community to raise taxes on fossil fuels globally, thus making renewable energy much more cost-effective and encouraging people to be more fuel-efficient.
http://hazelden.org.uk/gr01/art_gr027_tax_policy.htm was last updated 28 August 2006
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Accessibility - The degree to which the numbers of people have access to a location, facility, program, open space, and cycle and walk networks.
Active frontage - Building frontage which contains uses that promote activity on the street.
Active living - A way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines.
Active public open space – See Public Open Space design feature
Active transport - Is walking, cycling or using public transport. Active transport is an alternative to car travel and can provide benefits, such as increasing daily physical activity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Ancillary benefits can also include an increase in the sense of community and improved mental health. Terms often used interchangeably to refer to walking for transport.
Activity centres otherwise referred to as (town) Centres - are community focal points. See Destinations. They include activities such as commercial, retail, higher density housing, entertainment, tourism, civic/community, higher education, and medical services. Activity centres vary in size and diversity and are designed to be well-serviced by public transport.
Activity generators - Features and land uses that attract people, activity and surveillance opportunities, such as picnic areas, cafes, recreation facilities and public seating areas.
Body Mass Index - An individual’s weight in kilograms divided by their height in metres squared. The measurement is used to identify nutritional status, weight and risk of disease.
Brownfield - Refers to land that has previously been developed but is abandoned or underused, usually considered as a potential site for redevelopment. It may or may not be environmentally contaminated but invariably will require remediation work to be undertaken to bring it back into use.
Built environment - Means The structures and places in which we live, work and play, including land uses, transportation systems and design features.
Cardiovascular disease - Refers to diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. The most common and serious cardiovascular diseases in Australia are coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure. They disproportionately affect males, the elderly, Indigenous Australians, and people living in remote or socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
Co-location - The placement of several destinations or land uses in a single location or area.
Community infrastructure - is defined as: “the structures and facilities that help communities and neighbourhoods to function effectively, including sporting and recreational facilities, community centres, child care and after school centres and libraries and cultural facilities”.
Community purpose site - is a land parcel (normally less than 2000m2) set aside for local community uses such as community centres, meeting halls, libraries and kindergarten which may form part of the public open space contribution for a neighbourhood.
Conducive environments - Physical characteristics that support and enable physical activity e.g. environments conducive to walking or cycling etc.
Connectivity - The degree to which networks such as streets, railways, walking and cycling routes, services and infrastructure, interconnect. A highly connected place will have many public spaces or routes linked to it.
Crime Prevention Through Design (CPTED) - Is a multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behaviour through environmental and urban design decisions. CPTED strategies rely upon the ability to influence offender decisions that precede criminal acts and deter criminal acts. Crime prevention through environmental design recognises that it has to be part of a holistic approach to crime prevention including community, social and environmental strategies.
Design guidelines - A set of planning provisions intended to guide development toward a desired level of quality through the design of the physical environment.
Development contributions - are monetary contributions made by a developer/subdivider for items of infrastructure that are required to support the orderly development of an area. This includes the standard requirements for infrastructure contributions as outlined in Appendix 1 of WAPC State Planning Policy 3.6 (SPP 3.6) Development Contributions for Infrastructure. In addition, local government can seek contributions for the capital costs of community infrastructure, which is defined as: ’the structures and facilities which help communities and neighbourhoods to function effectively, including:
sporting and recreational facilities;
community centres;
child care and after school centres;
libraries and cultural facilities; and
such other services and facilities for which development contributions may reasonably be requested having regard to the objectives, scope and provisions
Dwelling - A building or portion of a building being used, adapted, or designed or intended to be used for the purpose of human habitation on a permanent basis
Farmers’ markets - Farmers’ markets are regular markets that involve farmers selling fresh produce in key community locations, directly to customers. Farmers’ markets can operate in community facilities such as school grounds or public ovals.
Food freight - Food transport includes food distribution, with key influencers including transport systems, regulation and taxation.
Food hubs - Food hubs are facilities that purchase, store, distribute and market locally produced food.
Food retail outlets - Food retail outlets include supermarkets and smaller stores such as delicatessens. ‘Healthy’ retail outlets vary in their definition, however, a WA study defined healthy food outlets as “supermarkets, general stores, fruit and vegetable stores, and butchers, as these premises provide significant options for the purchase of healthy food”
Green infrastructure - A network of green spaces, street trees and other urban vegetation including wetlands, rain gardens, green walls and roofs - a combination of public spaces and private spaces (e.g. golf courses and residential gardens).
Greenfield Development - Development on land that has not been previously developed for urban development.
Grouped dwelling - A dwelling that is one of a group of two or more dwellings on the same lot such that no dwelling is placed wholly or partly vertically above another, except where special conditions of landscape or topography dictate otherwise, and includes a dwelling on a survey strata with common property.
Health - Is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Healthy communities - Are communities where people come together to make their community better for everyone through collaboration, community ownership, inclusive approaches and long-term, positive commitment. A healthy community will; provide affordable, appropriate, accessible housing, adjust the physical environment for inclusiveness and accessibility, ensure access to key health and supportive services, ensure accessible, affordable, reliable and safe transport, provide work, volunteer and education opportunities, and encourage participation in civic, cultural, social and recreational activities.
Healthy Food - ‘Healthy foods’ are those contained within the five food groups promoted by the Australian Dietary Guidelines. These include grain (cereal) foods; vegetables of various types and colours, as well as legumes and beans; fruit; lean meats, poultry and fish, nuts and tofu; and reduced fat dairy foods including milk, yoghurt, cheese and their alternatives.
Incidental activity - Unstructured activity, such as walking for transport, housework, and the performance of activities of daily living.
Land use - Land that has been zoned for specific purposes, these include residential, retail, commercial, civic, open space, or mixed-use within a town planning scheme.
Legibility - where the design of the urban form, including the local street and public open space networks provides a sense of direction and connection, giving clear signals regarding the spatial layout and geography of an area.
Local structure plan - A local structure plan is a statutory document prepared by local government, a landowner, landowner representative and approved under the provisions of a local planning scheme. Local structure plans coordinate the provision and planning for land use development, infrastructure and facilities on the neighbourhood scale (generally two suburbs or less, three neighbourhoods or less, one primary school catchment) and provide a statutory planning framework to facilitate future subdivision and development.
Local vernacular - A building style using local materials and traditional methods of construction and ornament, especially as distinguished from academic or historical architectural styles not from the region
Master plan -
A document that sets out how a particular area can (as opposed to will) develop and redevelop into the future
A high level plan intended to set out objectives and strategies to manage development and change over time
A process that defines what is important about a place and how its character and quality can be conserved, improved and enhanced • It isn’t a detailed design
Mixed-use - The existence of a variety of different land uses (or destinations) within a project area, precinct, locality or site.
Mixed-use development - Buildings that contain commercial and other non-residential uses in conjunction with residential dwellings in a multiple dwelling configuration.
Moderate-intensity exercise - Exercise that increases heart rate and breathing rate.
Nature Spaces - Provide a setting where people can enjoy nearby nature and protect local biodiversity and natural area values. Nature spaces provide opportunity for low-impact recreational activities, such as walking, cycling, picnicking, playing, watching or exploring natural features. Nature spaces may include bushland, coastal areas, wetlands and riparian habitats, and geological and natural features. Sites are managed to enable recreational access while protecting local ecological and biodiversity values.
Neighbourhood - is typically defined by a 5 minute walk (or 400metres) from a centrally located local centre to its perimeter. The centre will have a community focus (a destination) with a comparable mix of uses, including retail which provide for daily needs, located at intersection of relatively busy local streets and served by public transport, characterised by a range of residential densities and variety of housing types that increased toward the neighbourhood centre.
Neighbourhood aesthetics - Neighbourhood aesthetics relates to the general appeal and presentation of the neighbourhood and whether it provides a pleasant pedestrian-orientated environment. Design features that contribute towards the physical qualities and aesthetics of the street environment and that are relevant to walking include: the surface type and condition of footpaths; curb heights; the provision of street furniture, lighting and trees; vegetation; building setbacks; as well as the attractiveness of the area, and its maintenance.
Neighbourhood open space (NOS) - See Public Open Space design feature
Neighbourhood permeability - relates to using street block lengths of not more than 240m, and predominately around 15-180 m in length. Street blocks should generally be shorter closer to the town and neighbourhoods centres. The choice of movement should be maximised, with streets and footpaths designed to assist in safe movements.
Non-communicable diseases - A non-infectious chronic health condition, usually developing over a significant period of time, that can cause death, dysfunction or impaired quality of life.
Passive building design - See Buildings design feature
Passive public open space – See Public Open Space design feature
Ped – sheds, sometimes referred to as ‘walkable catchments’ - are maps showing the actual area in a 5 minute walking distance from any centre, or 10 minutes from any major transport stop such as a railway station. The centre could be a neighbourhood or town centre. The walkable catchment is simply a technique for comparative evaluation of how easy it is to move through an urban area, in order to get to and from these centres or facilities. These maps are the best estimates of walkability, and as such are an indication of energy efficiency.
Physical education - The teaching of skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities, maintain fitness and make decisions about engaging in physical activity as part of a healthy active lifestyle.
Place manager - coordinates activity and acts as a point of responsibility and accountability for the outcomes in the centre and/or destination. A place manager’s role includes both place coordination and entrepreneurship. These roles include broad based activities from defining outcomes for a place, brokerage and facilitation with a big picture focus, budget control and allocation, management of services delivered to a place to holistic planning for a place. They are expected to work with multidisciplinary teams within the responsible authority/organisation as well as other agencies and industry to ensure a coordinated holistic approach to urban development, management and implementation.
Public open space hierarchy - Is a notional framework for the provision of public open space parkland which is dependent upon the scale, function and location which varies in size, ratio of active versus passive components and potential number of dwelling within its service catchment. Refer to Public Open Space design feature.
Public realm - Areas of common public use, in local authority or State Crown ownership, such as parks, playgrounds and streets.
Quality of life - Ability to enjoy normal life activities.
Recreation - An activity of leisure for free time often done for enjoyment and can be considered healthy, fun and social.
Recreation spaces - Provides a setting for informal play and physical activity, relaxation and social interaction. Recreation spaces include gardens and open parklands, community gardens, corridor links, amenity spaces, community use facilities, civic commons or squares.
Risk factor - Something can increase a person’s chances of developing a disease.
Sedentary behaviour - Time spent doing physically inactive tasks that do not require a lot of energy. Sedentary behaviour refers to any waking activity characterised by energy expenditure ≤ 1.5 metabolic equivalents and a sitting or reclining posture. In general, this means that any time a person is sitting or lying down, they are engaging in sedentary behaviour. Common sedentary behaviours include screen use, driving and reading.
Sense of community - A feeling that members have of belonging and being important to each other and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met by the commitment to be together”.
Serviced apartment - A residential dwelling that forms part of a complex where common maintenance or other serviced are provided.
Single bedroom dwelling - A dwelling that contains a living room and no more than one other habitable room that is capable of use as a bedroom.
Single house - A dwelling standing wholly on its own green title or survey title lot, together with any easement over adjoining land for support of a wall or for access or services and excludes dwellings on titles with areas held in common property.
Site responsive - A design for a building that takes the location, natural landscape and climate into consideration when designing the optimal design
Social capital - The social networks and interactions that inspire trust and reciprocity among citizens.
Social cohesion (also referred to as sense of belonging) - Refers to the degree to which people in a community feel connected and committed to and part of a community.
Social inclusion - Refers to a society where all people are given the opportunity to participate fully in political, cultural, civic and economic life because they feel valued, their differences are respected, and their basic needs are met so they can live in dignity.
Strength / resistance training - Any physical activity or exercise that uses the force of a muscle against some form of resistance to build muscle strength, endurance, and size.
Structure plan - means a plan for the coordination of future subdivision, development and zoning of an area of land and maybe prepared if: the area is: all or part of a zone identified in this Scheme as an area suitable for urban or industrial development; and identified in this Scheme as an area requiring a structure plan to be prepared before any future subdivision or development is undertaken; or a State planning policy requires a structure plan to be prepared for the area; or when the responsible authority considers that a structure plan for the area is required for the purposes of orderly and proper planning.
Surveillance - The ability to see and hear activities
Transit Orientated Development - The creation of compact, walkable communities centred around high quality public transport.
Urban agriculture - Urban agriculture has been defined as “the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around (peri-urban) a village, town, or city”
Urban design - A design based approach to shaping urban environments and optimising the performance and efficiency of neighbourhoods, towns and cities, paying particular attention to the way urban spaces work, interface between public and private realms and natural environment, cultural values, integrated movement systems and built form.
Urban orchards - Urban orchards involve the growing and sharing of food by a local community within an urban municipality.
Verge side gardens - Verge gardens include food production on nature strips and are often maintained by local residents.
Vigorous intensity - Exercise that substantially increases heart rate and breathing, and is likely to cause sweating.
Visibility - The ability of users of a space to see and be seen, ensuring surveillance by the maximum number of people.
Walkability - Is the measure of the overall walking conditions in an area. A place is walkable when it has characteristics that invite people to walk. See Ped-shed and walkability in Destinations design feature
Walkability index - See Ped-shed and walkable catchment in Destinations design feature
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The Rise and Future of Shock Rock
Posted by :cGt2099 On : October 9, 2014
Tags:AC/DC, Ace Frehley, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Anal Cunt, Arcturus, Arthur Brown, Avatar, Behemoth, Bill Clinton, Black Sabbath, Black Veil Brides, Blackie Lawless, Blue Cheer, Bob Ezrin, Butcher Babies, Cannibal Corpse, Cheap Trick, Combichrist, Cradle of Filth, Darkthrone, Dave Lombardo, Dave Mustaine, Deep Purple, Devin Townsend, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Gene Simmons, Genitorturers, GG Allin, Ghost, Grand Guignol, GWAR, Headkase, Impaler, Iron Maiden, Iron Reagan, Justin Bieber, King Diamond, KISS, Led Zeppelin, Lemmy Kilmister, Lizzy Borden, Lordi, Malcolm McLaren, Marilyn Manson, MayheM, Mentors, Mercyful Fate, Metal Evolution, Mick Mars, Miley Cyrus, Misfits, Motley Crue, Motorhead, Mr. Bungle, Murderdolls, Napalm Death, Nekrogoblikon, Nikki Sixx, Nine Inch Nails, Oderus Ungerus, Ozzy Osbourne, P.T. Barnum, Papa Emeritus II, Paul Bostaph, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, Pussy Riot, Quiet Riot, Rammstein, Ratt, Rob Zombie, Robin Thicke, Sam Dunn, Sarah Palin, Schoolyard Heroes, Screaming Lord Sutch, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Seraphim Shock, Seth Putnam, Sex Pistols, Slayer, Slipknot, Steel Panther, Steppenwolf, The Beatles, The Clash, The Cramps, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, TISM, Tommy Lee, Trent Reznor, Twisted Sister, Type O Negative, U.D.O., Van Halen, Venom, Vince Neil, Vladimir Putin, W.A.S.P., Wednesday 13, Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics, White Zombie, Wicked Lester, Zombie Girl
In 1969, fans were hungry for something different. The cultural movements had become dominated by musical heroes. It was time for a rock villain. Beginning with Alice Cooper, then KISS, & their descendants in the “Motleypocalypse Generation”, the rise of Shock Rock in Metal would have a huge impact, into the future & beyond.
AC/DC: ‘Rock Or Bust’ Artwork, Track Listing Unveiled
DAVE MUSTAINE On His Mother-In-Law’s Disappearance: ‘My Wife Is Very, Very Upset’
DEVIN TOWNSEND: Lyric Video For ‘Deathray’ Song From ‘Z2’ Double Album
IRON REAGAN’s New Album – The Tyranny Of Will
NAPALM DEATH Looking To ‘Achieve Varying Types Of Sonic Assault’ On Upcoming Album
PAUL BOSTAPH Is Tired Of Hearing LOMBARDO’s Version Of What Happened With SLAYER
STEEL PANTHER: ‘Pussywhipped’ Video Released
Report: Suspected Terrorist Volunteer Was Bangladeshi Death Metal Singer
U.D.O. To Release ‘Decadent’ In January
LEMMY: MOTÖRHEAD Will ‘Probably’ Begin Work On New Album In January
“I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins from the album I Put a Spell on You
“Under My Wheels” by Alice Cooper from the album Killer
“God of Thunder” by KISS from the album Destroyer
“Deuce” by KISS from the album KISS Alive!
“Shout at the Devil” by Mötley Crüe from the album Shout at the Devil
“Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)” by W.A.S.P. from the album W.A.S.P.
“Year Zero” by Ghost from the album Infestissumam
“Horror Business” by Misfits from the album Collection
“Raining Blood” by Slayer from the album Reign in Blood
“Slaves Shall Serve” by Behemoth from the album Abyssus Abyssum Invocat
“Kabangin’ All Night” by Genitorturers from the album Blackheart Revolution
“Outlaw Scumfuc” by GG Allin from the album GG Allin & Antiseen: Murder Junkies
“Quote / Unquote” by Mr. Bungle from the album Mr. Bungle
“Welcome to my Nightmare” by Alice Cooper from Welcome to my Nightmare
“The Ballad of Dwight Fry” by Alice Cooper from the album Love it to Death
“Blood Bath” by Impaler from the album Rise of the Mutants
The Origins of Shock Rock
Tags:AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Arthur Brown, Black Sabbath, Bruce Dickinson, Cannibal Corpse, Carcass, Elvis Presley, Geezer Butler, Gene Simmons, GWAR, Iron Maiden, Jason Newsted, Judas Priest, Kingdom Come, KISS, Malcolm Young, Marilyn Manson, Mastodon, Metallica, Misfits, Mongrel, Mudvayne, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Stanley, Rage against the Machine, Rammstein, Richie Blackmore, Rob Halford, Screaming Lord Sutch, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Slipknot, Steven Coronel, The Beatles, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, TISM, Tom Morello, Tony Iommi, Twisted Sister, Vulvatron, W.A.S.P., Wicked Lester
One Metal subgenre stands separately from the others because of how vastly unusual it is – and also because it existed BEFORE metal did. Beginning with this edition of Heavy Metal Historian, we take a two-part look at Shock Rock – the classification of a genre based on the appearance of the artists, or theatrical performance, or their ability to offend…
BLACK SABBATH To Begin Work On New Studio Album Next Year
CARCASS To Release ‘Surgical Remission / Surplus Steel’ EP
Ex-METALLICA Bassist JASON NEWSTED Is No Longer On Any Social Networking Site
Family Of AC/DC’s MALCOLM YOUNG Confirms He Is Suffering From Dementia
First Interview with GWAR’s New Female Scumdog VULVATRON
Former Wicked Lester Guitarist Faces Child Pornography Charge
MASTODON’s BRANN DAILOR Defends ‘The Motherload’ Video Against Accusations Of Sexism
MONGREL releases new video for “Snakes” from Evolution EP
TOM MORELLO Slams Seattle Restaurant After Being Denied Service
Virginia Police: Significant Break In Case Of Murdered METALLICA Fan
“Go To Hell” by Alice Cooper from the album Alice Cooper Goes To Hell
“Psycho Circus” by KISS from the album Psycho Circus
“(He’ll Never Be an) Ol’ Man River” by TISM – can be heard at YouTube
“Fire” by Arthur Brown from the album The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
“Frenzy” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins from The Crazy World of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Posted by :cGt2099 On : September 20, 2014
Tags:Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Arthur Brown, Benediction, Blothar, Buckcherry, Buckethead, Church Of Misery, Dave Lombardo, Freddie Mercury, GWAR, Iced Earth, Iron Maiden, Johan Hegg, Judas Priest, KISS, Lordi, Macabre, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Motorhead, Oderus Ungerus, Ozzy Osbourne, Queen, Screaming Lord Sutch, Slayer, Slipknot, Slymestra Hymen, Spinal Tap, Stryper, Testament, The White Stripes, Thin Lizzy, U2, Venom, Vulvatron, Weston Coppola Cage, Whitechapel
Recently, claims were made that DNA analysis had identified the famous serial killer Jack the Ripper. While there are many who have raised valid criticisms about the analysis and conclusion, what is undoubtable is the influence of The Ripper on popular culture and entertainment, particularly with regard to Metal…
ACE FREHLEY Announces Lineup Of His Touring Band
DAVE LOMBARDO: SLAYER’s Manager Will Probably Use Other Musicians To Continue Band After Current Members Are Gone
FRANK BELLO: ANTHRAX Is Working On ‘Heavy, Riff-Oriented’ And ‘Thrashier’ New Album
FREDDIE MERCURY’s Duet With MICHAEL JACKSON Featured On ‘Queen Forever’ Album
GWAR To Introduce Two New Members On ‘Gwar Eternal Tour’ This Fall
METALLICA To Release 27 Live Albums On CD
NICOLAS CAGE’s Son WESTON COPPOLA CAGE Releases New Heavy Metal Single ‘Tell Me Why (Matriarch Of Misery)’
SHARON OSBOURNE Slams U2 Over ‘Free’ Album
SLIPKNOT Unveils New Masks In ‘The Devil In I’ Video
Video Premiere: AMON AMARTH’s ‘Deceiver Of The Gods’
“The Ripper” by Judas Priest from the album Sad Wings of Destiny
“Saucy Jack” by Spinal Tap from the film This is Spinal Tap
“The Somatic Defilement” by Whitechapel from the album Somatic Defilement
“Down on Whores” by Benediction from the album The Dreams You Dread
“Coming to Chicago” by Macabre from the album Dahmer
“Jack The Ripper” by Screaming Lord Sutch from the album The Best of Screaming Lord Sutch
“Jack The Ripper” by Macabre from the album Murder Metal
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Euro, Ireland and Usurious Debts
Monstrous
Whilst power is being transferred slowly out of the national terrain
into the hands of the unelected EU-IMF vultures, with only a quisling
role assigned to the governments of Greece and Ireland (and soon
Portugal and Spain), it is becoming clear that the project for a
European Union with a single currency but 16 different governments is
unravelling right before our eyes. No serious commentator believes it
will survive in its present form.
The stage will arrive in the not too distant future, if it isn't
actually here already, that the blood required by the vultures of the
EU-IMF will no longer be able to be given. Bankruptcy and default of
all foreign debts will occur. What does the Weekly Worker assume is
going to happen next? That the euro will continue and that the nations
of Europe will not fight against their erasure - as announced by
Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, in a speech to
the EU, when he stated that the nation-states are dead?
Where national sovereignty is threatened, economic decisions are
passed to the control of unelected bureaucrats - historically Ireland
voted 'no' in the Lisbon treaty referendum, but then had to vote 'yes'
in a rerun. A rebellion starting on national terrain will be the next
stage of political developments - the City of London has allegedly
made loans to the tune of £150 billion and a default on these debts
will mean it takes a hit. This will be a progressive outcome, shifting
the balance away from the bloodsucking banksters back to the people.
In attacking the future nationalist response of the Irish people, the
Weekly Worker appears to want these monstrous, usurious debts to be
VN Gelis
VN Gelis decries the statement by European Council president Herman Van Rompuy that the “nation-states are dead” (Letters, December 2). As a Marxist, I could only rejoice if such a statement were actually true!
Surely, a basic requirement of internationalism is a view that the nation-state is historically dead, and the progressive solutions we need and fight for can only be achieved over its grave, and on the basis of the development of much wider associations. Previous crises in the European Union have provided the fuel to drive towards much greater integration within it, and it is almost certain that, however much nationalists like VN Gelis dislike the idea, such will be the case this time too.
S/he says that no serious commentator believes that the euro can survive in its current state. That is quite clearly false. Although it’s possible that the euro may cease to exist in its present form, and I have explored the possibility of that myself, the reality is that it most likely will continue to exist in its present form, and there are plenty of serious commentators who hold that view. The reality is that the euro is a political project. At the end of the day, the political forces behind that project will do whatever is needed to ensure it continues. In a recent TV interview, Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapaterro was only the latest leader to spell out what that means: constructing a fiscal union to go along with the monetary union. Already, it has been agreed that next year the EU will issue its own bonds to raise capital in the markets, and that is just another step down the road of constructing a federal European state.
As Marxists, we should welcome such a development, whilst fighting to try to ensure that the basis upon which this new state is constructed is as favourable to workers as we can possibly achieve. But, as a nationalist, VN Gelis cannot think in terms of such an international struggle by workers, because her/his mind is imprisoned within national borders, and as such s/he ends up advocating the preservation of the existing reactionary capitalist states as though that were in some way preferable.
S/he says: “Where national sovereignty is threatened, economic decisions are passed to the control of unelected bureaucrats.” But, within the confines of a global capitalist system, the question of national political sovereignty is irrelevant in such matters, especially for tiny economies such as Ireland. The reality is that both Greece and Ireland were already threatened by decisions made by people who were unelected, other than by their shareholders - not people in the International Monetary Fund or in the EU, but by the managers of the huge global bond funds, who refused to buy Irish debt other than at increasingly exorbitant interest rates!
Moreover, while s/he is right to point out that the officials at the European Central Bank and in the EU commission are unelected (although of, course, the finance ministers who ultimately brokered this deal are elected), s/he fails to recognise that the state officials within any capitalist state, including those who run the national central banks, are likewise unelected. Why does s/he think that an unelected Irish bureaucrat determining Irish economic policy is any better than an unelected EU bureaucrat?
The answer here is not to present national capitals or national state bureaucracies as somehow preferable, but to fight for a consistent democracy within the EU itself. In fact, even a consistently bourgeois democratic EU would be better able to withstand the pressure from specific sections of capital than would an Irish workers’ state. If we really want to talk about exercising democratic control over economic decision-making, then it is inconceivable that this could be achieved on any basis less than something of the size of the current EU. That is one reason we should welcome its development.
Arthur Bough
Aris Velouchiotis Last Great Speech=KKE's Guerilla...
Greece: A Tsunami of Strikes amidst continued Dis...
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Get CityMaps2Go
Junior Track
Europe, United Kingdom, London
The Herne Hill Velodrome is a velodrome or track cycling venue in south London. It is one of the oldest cycling tracks in the world, having been built in 1891. It hosted the track cycling events in the 1948 Summer Olympics and was briefly the home of Crystal Palace F.C. in World War I. Between 1987, when the track at Paddington Recreation Ground was demolished, and 2011, when the London Velopark for the 2012 Summer Olympics opened, Herne Hill was the only track in London.
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Home » Ghana Web » Fri 12th Jul, 2019 » J.B Trial: Court recalls Psychiatric Consultant to be cross-examined
J.B Trial: Court recalls Psychiatric Consultant to be cross-examined
Fri 12th Jul, 2019 00:32
An Accra High Court hearing the trial of the alleged murder of Mr J.B Danquah-Adu has ordered the recall of Dr Sammy Ohene, the Consultant Psychiatric at Accra Psychiatric Hospital, who presented the medical report on Daniel Asiedu.
The recall is to enable the court to swear the doctor as a witness before he submits the medical report of the examination conducted on Daniel. this would allow him to be cross-examined on the psychiatric report of the alleged murderer of Mr Danquah-Adu, ex-Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa-North.
The new development was necessitated by the Defence Counsel, who was not in court at the last adjourned date who said, he would want to cross-examine the Consultant who prepared the report.
Mr Augustine Obour, the Counsel for Daniel, told the court that per the Evidence Act and the Courts Act the witness needed to be sworn-in and if there were any questions, the parties could ask him before he takes leave of the court.
The Court presided over by Justice George Buadi said upon hearing from the Defence Counsel, it was necessary for the officer to be recalled to be sworn under Oath before the submission of the medical report.
“Let the Court Registrar serve the authorities of the hospital with a hearing notice for the Officer to be present in Court at the next adjourned date to go through this procedure,” he said.
At the last adjourned date, the Consultant in the medical report declared the accused person fit to stand trial.
The report conducted by officials of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital shows that the accused person is mentally well to stand trial.
Dr Sammy Ohene, who presented the report to the Court, had indicated that the accused person was mentally fit.
The report indicated that four psychiatric examinations were conducted on Daniel and all these examinations did not show any sign of mental disorder.
The Court presided over by Justice George Buadi, then ordered for the trial to commence with the taking of the plea of the accused person.
Daniel a.k.a Sexy Dondon pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and murder, while a second accused Vincent Bosso, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.
The court was yet to empanel a jury for the trial.
Mr Augustine Obour, the Counsel for Daniel, argued that he believed his client was not mentally sound to stand trial, hence the order from the court dated April 14, 2019, for the conduct of the medical examination on the accused person.
The case was adjourned to July 22. Read Full Story
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GRATIAM HABEO, THANK YOU, DOMO ARIGATO, GRACIAS, DANKE, TAKK, DÊKUJI, TAK, MERCI, TACK, DANK U, GRAZIE, GRAZAS, GRACIES, KHAWP KHUN, OBRIGADO, KIITOS, DANKIE, TASHAKKUR, EFCHARISTO, SIKOMO, ISTUTI ...
For stopping by and reading our EUCALYPTOLOGICS sometime during 2007 to the following organisations:
AgroBioTech Park Ltd (BUL); Alpharma Inc (USA); Australian National University (AUS); Azabu University (JAP);
Banco Espanyol de Credito (SPA); Bankinter (SPA); Basf IT Services Gmbh (GER); Bauunternehmen Ing. Otto Ettinger (AT); Bayer Ag (GER); Beckman Coulter Inc (USA); Bergen University (NOR); Birmingham City Council (UK); Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (USA); Bundesamt fuer Naturschutz (GER); Bundesanstalt fuer Zuechtungsforschung an Kulturpflanzen (GER); Bundesministerium fuer Verkehr Innovation und Technologie (GER);
California Polytechnic State University (USA); Centro de Innovación y Servicios Tecnológicos de la Madera de Galicia (SPA); Charles Darwin University (AUS); City of El Paso (USA); City of Orlando (USA); City of Seattle (USA); City of Westminster (CAN); City of Westminster Council (UK); Comision Nacional del Agua (MEX); Commission Europeenne (BEL); Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (USA); County of Riverside (USA); Cranfield Institute of Technology (UK); Czech Technical University (CZE);
Danish Network for Research and Education (DEN); de Groene Prins (NL); Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland (UK); Department of Veterans Affairs (USA); Derby City Council (UK); Deutsche Flugsicherung Gmbh (GER); Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer (GER); Deutsche Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt (GER); Deutscher Wetterdienst (GER); Dickinson College (USA); Drei Banken Gmbh (GER); Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (UK); Duke Power Company (USA);
East Carolina University (USA); Ecole Polytechnique (FRA); Edinburgh University (UK); Ence Group (SPA); Ergon Energy (AUS); Essex Corporation (USA);
Fondation RESTENA (LUX); Fairfax County (USA); Forschungszentrum Juelich Gmbh (GER); Forsyth County (USA);
General Mills (USA); Generalitat Valenciana (SPA); Georgetown University (USA); Goteborgs Universitet (SWE);
Heighley Gate Garden Centre (UK); Hewlett-Packard Company (USA); Hitachi Ltd. (JAP); Hogeschool Enschede (NL); Horsham District Council (UK); Horticulture and Food Research Institute Ltd (NZ); Houston Associates (USA);
IBM (USA); ING North America Insurance Corporation (USA); Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (FRA); Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (FRA); Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria de Argentina, Concordia (ARG); Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria del Uruguay (UR); Instituto Tecnico Agrario Statual Carlo Gallina (IT); Intel Corporation (USA); Islamic Azad University of Lahijan (IR);
Junta de Castilla y Leon (SPA); Junta de Extremadura (SPA);
Kings School (UK); KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (NL); Kockums-ThyessenKrupp (SWE); Kungälv Energi Ab (SWE);
Lakehead University (CAN); Landratsamt Dachau (GER); Leicestershire County Council (UK); Loma Linda University (USA); London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK); Louisiana State University (USA); Luxembourg Government (LUX);
Mahidol University (THA); Mairie de Toulon (FRA); Ministere de L’Agriculture (FRA); Mckinsey & Company Inc. (USA); Mead Corporation (USA); Medical University of South Carolina (USA); Medway Council (UK); Meteo-France (FRA); Michigan State Government (USA); Microsoft Corporation (USA); Mississippi Department of Information Technology (USA);
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (USA); National Park Service (USA); National Weather Service (USA); Navtrak Inc (USA); New Jersey Department of Transportation (USA); Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NOR); North Carolina State University (USA); Northern Ireland Civil Service (UK); New South Wales Department of Water Resources (AUS); Northrop Grumman Corporation (USA);
Office National des Forets (FRA); Oglethorpe Power Corporation (USA); Oregon Health & Science University (USA); Oxford University (USA);
Pacific Academy (CAN); Padre Dam Municipal Water District (USA); Papelera Nacional SA (PER); Patella Manufacturing Inc (CAN); Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (USA); Petrominerales Colombia Ltd (USA); Porter & Korvick P.a. (USA); Primabio (UK);
Radford City (USA); Raiffeisen Zentralbank (AT); Red de Supercomputacion de Galicia (SPA); Renault (FRA); Robert Bosch LLC - Bosch Corporation (USA); Rodbaston College (UK); Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK); Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney (AUS); Rushmoor Borough Council (UK);
Scottish Enviroment Protection Agency (UK); Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (ARG); Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB (CH); Sharp Electronics Europe Gmbh (GER); Siemens Ag (GER); Smithsonian Institution (USA); Sniace (SPA); Southern California Gas Company (USA); Sri Lanka Education And Research Network (SRI); St Petersburg Times (USA); Stadt Dortmund (GER); Stadt Muenster (GER); Staffordshire County Council (UK); State of Alaska (USA); State of Arkansas (USA); State of Georgia (USA); State of Ohio (USA); Sunlife Assurance Company of Canada (CAN); Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SWE);
Technical University Zvolen (SVK); Technische Universitaet Dresden (GER); Technological Educational Institute of Kavala (GRE); The Boeing Company (USA); The McCrone Group (USA); The Municipality of Oslo (NOR); The National Land Survey of Sweden (SWE); The Pentagon (USA); The Sommerville Group (USA); The University of Melbourne (AUS); The Weather Channel (USA);
United Technologies Corporation (USA); U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (USA); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USA); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USA); Universidad Austral de Chile (CHI); Universidad Autonoma Chapingo (MEX); Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (MEX); Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa (MEX); Universidad Cardenal Herrera (SPA); Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (SPA); Universidad de A Coruña (SPA); Universidad de Castilla La Mancha (SPA); Universidad de Chile (CHI); Universidad de Concepcion (CHI); Universidad de Extremadura (SPA); Universidad de Leon (SPA); Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (SPA); Universidad de Vigo (SPA); Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires (ARG); Universidad Nacional del Sur (ARG); Universidade de Sao Paulo (BRA); Universitaet des Saarlandes Saarbruecken (GER); Universitaet fuer Bodenkultur, Vienna (AT); Universitaet Kiel (GER); Universitaet Osnabrueck (GER); Universitaet Stuttgart (GER); Universitat de Barcelona (SPA); Universite de Fribourg (CH); Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (MLY); University College London (UK); University of Aberdeen (UK); University of Berne (CH); University of California (USA); University of California Santa Cruz (USA); University of Delaware (USA); University of Helsinki (FIN); University of Kwazulu-Natal (RSA); University of Malawi, Zomba (MW); University of Massachusetts (USA); University of Nevada Reno (USA); University of Northern British Columbia (CAN); University of San Francisco (USA); University of Tasmania (AUS); University of Texas (USA); University of Toronto (CAN); University of Wales, Aberystwyth (UK); University of West Florida (USA); University of Wolverhampton (UK); University of Zurich (CH); Union College (USA); Uppsala Universitet (SWE);
Virginia Commonwealth University (USA);
Warwick District Council (USA); Washington County Oregon (USA); West Moreton Anglican College (AUS); Wells Fargo Bank (USA);
Xunta de Galicia (SPA);
York University (UK);
Zahnradfabrik Passau GMBH (GER)...
And last, but not least, thanks also to all those many other individual readers worldwide who have shared the eucalyptic spirit. You know who you are.
EUCALYPTOLOGICS: 2008 Readership (ongoing)
Net Increase in Readership for GIT Forestry Consulting's EUCALYPTOLOGICS during early 2008. Majority of our readers are located in Europe & North America. (Statistics courtesy of Google Analytics)
Quality matters, but what about quantity?
Alexa Ranking for EUCALYPTOLOGICS, February 2008
We are very pleased with the significant increase in our high profile readership. All in all, EUCALYPTOLOGICS is a highly specialised information resource targeted to a niche audience even if we try to deliver a mix of technical and non technical information to make it less harsh. We rather quality than quantity. But... According to Alexa, the Web Information Company, EUCALYPTOLOGICS has experienced a +650% traffic increase in the last 3 months and is steadily climbing its traffic rank. According to NetCraft estimates, there are currently some 160 million websites in the World Wide Web, of which roughly 70 million are active websites. Crossing both data sets, it can be roughly estimated that GIT Forestry Consulting's Eucalyptus Blog EUCALYPTOLOGICS is currently in the top 5% of the World Wide Web. Three months ago we were in the top 15%. It is a nice progress! (and even more considering we had never started a weblog before!) These results are very pleasing, but must be taken humbly. We are a very small grain of sand compared to the giant rolling stones of the Internet beach. And a niche information resource. Our aim must always be quality.
Posted online by Gus-GITForestry around Sunday, December 23, 2007
Key words / Tags :: acknowledgements, EUCALYPTOLOGICS, Galicia, GIT Forestry Consulting, Spain, Statistics
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D.C. Court of Appeals Rules that Cell-Site Simulators Constitute a Search
By Phillip Takhar – Edited by Melanie Fontes
Fourth Amendment Privacy
Prince Jones v. United States, No. 15-CF-322 (D.C. Sept. 21, 2017).
On September 21, 2017, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals reversed the judgment of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, finding that the appellant had been victim to an unlawful search that violated the Fourth Amendment.
The Court of Appeals held that using a cell-site simulator, or “stingray,” to track a suspect via her phone constitutes an invasion of “a reasonable expectation of privacy and [is] thus a search” within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment. The government argued that there can be no reasonable expectation of location privacy while carrying a cell phone. A cell phone “must continuously broadcast a signal,” and the government, so it claimed, can track this signal. The Court responded that the Fourth Amendment expectation of privacy test is not based on how likely it is that the government could access information in a given scenario. Rather, this test depends on a normative understanding “consistent with the nation’s traditions and values” that the government should access that information.
This case stems from a police investigation in which officers used a cell-site simulator to locate Jones for alleged sexual assault. A cell-site simulator is a portable device that mimics a cell phone tower and causes nearby cell phones to break connections with their networks. The cell phones then connect to the simulator and identify themselves by phone number and other codes. Using this technology, the officers were able to locate the suspect. The Court explained that activity by the government is a search under the Fourth Amendment if it invades an actual and reasonable expectation of privacy. It reasoned that the simulator is a tool that “actively induces the phone to divulge its identifying information” for which the only countermeasure seems to be turning off one’s phone. Given that most people feel obliged to carry a cell phone, the Court decided that use of a cell-site simulator is a search and requires a warrant to preserve an appropriate level of privacy.
Judge Thompson dissented based on the specific facts of the case. According to Judge Thompson, a suspect who is driving on a public road and in possession of a stolen cell phone does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to her location. She explains that factors such as tracking apps (like Find my iPhone), cell-site location information, and the efforts by the police to find the stolen phone make it unreasonable for a suspect traveling in public to have an expectation that her location will be private. Judge Thompson would have upheld the conviction of the suspect. However, she notes that in cases where a suspect has a reasonable expectation to privacy, police officers do need to obtain a warrant before employing a cell-site simulator.
Cyrus Farivar on Ars Technica provides a brief overview of the case and discusses similar litigation that has occurred recently around the country. Dave Maas and Adam Schwartz, writing for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, praise the decision and point out that while there has been an effort by police to keep the use of cell-site simulator technology out of the public eye, this decision will make it more difficult for them to do so.
Phillip Takhar is a 2L student at Harvard Law School.
Flash Digest – News in Brief... Flash Digest – News in Brief... Flash Digest – News in Brief... Flash Digest – News In Brief...
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Entries in Life as We Know It (1)
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 12:01AM
How do you defend the indefensible? I know, thinking from the movie critic part of my brain, that Life as We Know It is a bad movie and other critics will scoff at its trite, ridiculous, formulaic story, but there’s something about it that drew me in. I’m aware of its faults—it’s a sloppy movie from top to bottom (including one very noticeable blurry shot that is downright inexcusable for a major motion picture)—but I liked it. Although I never want to see it again, it’s a major step up from the onslaught of other 2010 romantic comedy dreck.
The story begins in 2007 and Holly (Katherine Heigl) is about to head out on a blind date with Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel). Both are friends with Alison (Christina Hendricks) and Peter Novak (Hayes MacArthur) and were set up to meet each other. However, from the moment their eyes meet, they hate each other. In fact, they don’t even get to the restaurant before calling it a night. Holly then angrily tells Alison that the only way she can make it up to her is if she promises she’ll never have to see Eric again. So naturally, they cross paths again. As the montage during the opening credits shows, they run into each other many, many more times at events thrown by the Novaks, but after tragedy strikes and the Novaks pass away, Holly and Eric are forced to bond because they are left with their one year old child, together named the guardians of little Sophie (Brooke Clagett) despite not being a couple.
Life as We Know It is manipulative and the filmmakers know it. It takes an easy emotional target (killing off two beloved friends) and then ups the ante by tossing in a now orphaned child. That’s one contribution to its inevitable critical hatred. Another is the predictable story where it’s obvious that by the end (spoilers!) the two leads will fall for each other and live happily ever after, raising the kid as if it was their own.
To toss another cliché into the fire, before that final resolution, there’s even an airport chase scene where one character rushes through the terminals to stop the other from leaving. Because of these factors, I understand why people will hate it, but the movie going experience is just as much about emotion as it is the technical aspects and only the coldest of souls (and the not so easily fooled film critics) won’t have their heartstrings pulled. I pitied Holly and Eric as their lives were turned upside down, having not only lost their best friends, but also dumped with the important responsibility of raising their child, a task neither of them were prepared for.
It’s an unlikely real life scenario, but not unheard of and the two leads do a fantastic job of showing the hurt and pain they’re going through with the uncertainty and reluctance of raising a kid. Heigl, who has appeared in nothing but trash since Knocked Up (like 27 Dresses, Killers and The Ugly Truth, all equally awful), redeems herself here, even if only slightly. An early emotional breakdown shows that she isn’t all looks. She actually has some talent somewhere behind that pretty face and Duhamel, a wonderfully charming and handsome man if there ever was one, perfectly complements her.
You may see where the story is heading from the start, but it feels believable and that’s what matters. It’s even pretty funny, with some sly references to Slumdog Millionaire and Speed, and it features a supporting cast full of faces you’ll recognize, but won't be able to put a name to.
I don’t want to come off as a defender of this film because, from its messy direction to its been-there-done-that script, it’s pretty bad. But sometimes emotions trump those technical aspects. While not overwhelming, there was something in Life as We Know It that got the best of me.
Life as We Know It receives 3/5
Josh Hylton | 1 Comment | Share Article Permalink
tagged Christina Hendricks, Comedy, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Heigl, Life as We Know It, Romantic Comedy, movie review
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Entries in Thriller (24)
Thursday, December 5, 2013 at 03:01PM
It should be said right off the bat that “Out of the Furnace” is not a great movie. In fact, it’s relatively typical of your normal revenge thriller, though it clearly aspires to be more. It stumbles in many areas, but what makes it so appealing is its terrific ensemble cast. Everyone in the film gives applaud worthy performances, elevating the tale to something better than it has any right to be. While it may not reach many “best of” lists, it would be a shame to see it not receive some acting nominations from awards groups nationwide. Although by-the-numbers in many ways, “Out of the Furnace” is still a gripping watch because of them.
Russell Baze (Christian Bale) is a small town mill worker who wants nothing more than to live a normal life. He’s one of those quiet heroes screenplays are so fond of, someone who gets things done, helps others and fixes mistakes without dealing with any real confrontation. Despite his non-confrontational attitude and desire to live a normal live, his days are complex. His brother, Rodney (Casey Affleck) who is likely suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after his stint in Iraq, is a gambler and can’t find the money to pay his bookie, John (Willem Dafoe). This means Russell has to bail him out with the little bit of money he has earned, lest something bad happen to him. His girlfriend, Lena (Zoe Saldana), wants nothing more than to have a child, though his hesitance shows he may not be ready for one. And on top of that, his father is gravely ill.
This is enough to give the film its dramatic and emotional edge, but “Out of the Furnace” takes things a few steps further. Russell eventually ends up killing a mother and child when he accidentally slams into their car, which incarcerates him. By the time he gets out, his dad is dead and his girlfriend has left him. It should also be noted that all of this happens in the front end of the movie. These things pile on so high that it would be tragic if it wasn’t so comical. Things get even more complicated later on, if you can believe it, when the psychotic crime boss Harlan (Woody Harrelson) enters the picture and threatens violence against Russell’s brother.
Cramming so much into one picture proves to be the film’s biggest downfall. It’s like the screenwriters didn’t have total faith in their material, so they just threw more and more on top of it until they reached a point where they thought it would practically force viewers to sympathize. It’s a tactic that doesn’t work and it comes off as a tad insulting. Its interesting messages also find themselves skewed by this oversaturation and by some late movie muddle that takes otherwise grounded characters and jumps them to extremes with some questionable actions.
Essentially, “Out of the Furnace” is about how we handle desperation. In the film, Russell handles his situation with poise, showing his kindness whenever he can, even if that kindness means something as seemingly minor as sparing the life of a deer he has resting at the end of his sights, while Rodney is self-destructive, opting to fight in an underground ring, but refusing to throw the fight as instructed due to his own vanity. The juxtaposition is striking at first, but as the film goes on and characters abandon these ideals, it loses its focus. One could argue that what happens is still an exploration of how we handle desperation when we reach our tipping point, but it makes the message no less flimsy. What it explores in its opening moments are negated by its closing.
Even without its hypocrisy in its final moments, the climax is too silly to be taken seriously, ending with your typical Hollywood stylization with an event that would never be allowed to happen in real life given the circumstances. To say more would be to give it away, but what it all boils down to is that “Out of the Furnace” doesn’t quite seem to know what it wants to be. Yet it all goes back to the performances. Every one of these actors, including the ones I’ve neglected to mention, give uniformly excellent performances, doing their absolute best with material that is decidedly subpar. For those less interested in acting and more interested in story, “Out of the Furnace” won’t be too enticing, but if you enjoy seeing some of today’s most talented performers at the top of their game, this is one you won’t want to miss.
Out of the Furnace receives 3.5/5
Josh Hylton | Post a Comment | 15 References | Share Article Permalink
tagged Casey Affleck, Christian Bale, Revenge Film, Thriller, Willem Dafoe, Zoe Saldana, movie review, out of the furnace, woody harrelson
Friday, March 15, 2013 at 12:01AM
The worst type of movie is the type that starts out so strong and has so much potential only to fall apart by the end, completely squandering it. “The Call” is one of those movies and contains one of the most monumental meltdowns I’ve ever seen a film take. One moment, it’s an edge-of-your-seat nail biter and the next, it’s a laughable thriller that takes enough absurd plot turns to completely derail it.
The film stars Halle Berry as Jordan Turner, a 911 operator who has had her fair share of difficult calls. She’s usually at the top of her game, but one night she makes a grave mistake. She receives a call from a young teenage girl reporting an intruder in her house and she advises her to do all the correct things, effectively tricking that intruder into thinking she has fled. However, the call disconnects and she immediately redials. When the phone stops ringing, due to the girl’s answering of it, the intruder realizes she’s still there and finds her. Shortly after, they find the poor girl dead.
It’s a terrific beginning to the film and humanizes Jordan in an unexpected way. When her decision causes that young girl to die, she immediately breaks down and blames herself. She is haunted by what she has done and by the voice on the other end of the phone that tells her “it’s already done” when she pleads him to stop. It’s an effective opening because her job calls for her to be emotionally distant, never minding the fact that she is often the only thing standing between life and death for her callers. Despite her experience on the floor, she finds the event difficult to cope with, as anybody would, creating layers in her personality that a lesser movie would have kept hidden.
Six months later, Jordan has stepped off the operator floor and is training others, still unable to muster up the courage to answer the phone. However, when a newer operator finds herself lost in a similar situation, she takes the reins. This time, the girl is named Casey Welson, played by Abigail Breslin, and she has woken up in the trunk of a car. Here is where the movie works best because it finds its focus. With Casey in that trunk and Jordan at the call center, each talking to the other, you’re able to connect with them and fear for their plight. Their personalities are built up, broken down and the relationship they make with each other is meaningful because Casey knows full well that Jordan could be the last person she ever speaks to. One incredible moment comes when Casey, swelling with tears, gives Jordan a message to pass onto her mother, just in case she doesn’t make it.
Even better is that the characters do everything you would expect them to. Casey is asked to look for an emergency release lever, kick out the taillights and wave her arm around and even look around the trunk for objects that may help her. When she finds a paint can, she wisely opens it up and pours it out that now broken taillight in an attempt to provide a trail for police to follow. The only issue with these moments are the idiot civilians that try to help after seeing her in the trunk, but instead do everything they can to make the situation worse. Although necessary to keep the story moving, the decisions made by Jordan and Casey are so wise that it makes these moments somewhat frustrating.
But then it all goes downhill. Once Casey and her abductor make it to his hideout and the cops lose the trail, Jordan pulls that old action/thriller cliché and “takes matters into her own hands.” Without giving anything away, she becomes a better crime scene investigator than the actual crime scene investigators (at a place where, frankly, cops should have been posted anyway) and makes the boneheaded decision to follow the trail and attempt to rescue Casey herself rather than call the cops. Although meant to empower the character, help her overcome her fears and attain redemption, these plot turns take the film from something frightening and unique to silly and typical of your standard thriller.
This last act is so bad, it threatens to destroy everything that came before it, but to deny those early sequences their due would be foolish. “The Call” is half of a great movie and is enhanced by above average performances from a terrific ensemble cast. The villain, played by Michael Eklund, is truly wretched and only the most jaded of viewers won’t send their hearts out to Casey and Jordan. Because of this, “The Call” remains recommendable, but what could have been an enthusiastic recommendation instead becomes a passionless “meh.”
The Call receives 2.5/5
Josh Hylton | Post a Comment | 2 References | Share Article Permalink
tagged Thriller, abigail breslin, halle berry, michael eklund, movie review, the call
Friday, December 7, 2012 at 12:02AM
With December finally here and the awards season right around the corner, one can’t help but wonder what the motivation was to release Deadfall right in the thick of it. It certainly doesn’t deserve a place among the more coveted films to be released this month, instead feeling more like a standard throwaway thriller that should have been released in January or February, when studios dump whatever garbage they have sitting around into theaters just to get it out of their hands. To be fair, Deadfall isn’t terrible. It’s just terribly boring. With movies like Skyfall behind us and The Hobbit in front, there’s no real reason to see this. Just wait the extra week until it inevitably vanishes from our collective memories.
Addison (Eric Bana) and Liza (Olivia Wilde) aren’t your typical siblings. They’re actually thieves who have just escaped from a casino heist gone wrong and are on their way to the Canadian border. However, when their driver crashes their car in an attempt to avoid a passing animal, they find themselves forced to make the trek on foot in a blizzard, splitting up and vowing to meet later. Eventually, Liza runs into Jay (Charlie Hunnam), a Silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics who has just been released from prison and is on his way to his parents (played by Sissy Spacek and Kris Kristofferson) for Thanksgiving dinner. Liza and Jay start an innocent fling with each other, playing a game where they pretend to be together and go by different aliases, which puts a kink in Addison’s plan to reunite with his sister and cross the border, which Jay’s parents live very close to.
And, as expected, this leads to a final showdown at Jay’s household that plays out more like a whimper than a bang. Although it wouldn’t be right to spoil what happens, Deadfall is such a conventional thriller that all but those who are completely unfamiliar with the genre will be able to predict its sequence of events well before they actually happen. It plods along rather typically and banally; it’s not until that final sequence that the film manages to build up any excitement at all. When everyone converges on that house where Bana has taken the parents hostage and the game between Jay and Liza has blossomed into a full-fledged romance, everybody unaware of Liza’s true relationship to Addison, intrigue is built, but by then, it’s too little too late and it ends too abruptly, never allowing us to savor the feeling of watching certain characters get their comeuppance.
With such a boring, trite story, the least Deadfall could do was give us the pleasure of watching someone get what’s coming to them, but it instead favors wrapping up inconsequential side stories that were mostly uninteresting and laughable to begin with. The most egregious offender of this comes in the form of Hanna (Kate Mara), a police officer in this small, quiet town who has daddy issues revolving around sexism, blame and a lack of trust. Unfortunately for her, her dad is the Sheriff and she answers to him. It's a terrible an underdeveloped B-story and every exchange they have is forced to the point where I’m pretty sure the actors involved developed hemorrhoids. (When asked why she can’t go out and help in their investigation, he responds with a question about what she would do if something important came up. “What if you have to change your tampon?” he asks.)
Perhaps the only thing more bored than I was while watching Deadfall were the actors actually in it, most of whom seemed to be coasting by for a paycheck while they waited for their next big break, particularly Eric Bana, who has always been an underwhelming actor, even in critically lauded films like Munich. They all seem to put forth only the slightest bit of effort, as if they knew that pretty much nobody was going to watch their movie. If they somehow had that premonition, they’re likely to be right. Deadfall just doesn’t deserve our time. Put it out in the middle of February, when moviegoers have been numbed by at least a month of likely-to-be-bad films and perhaps it looks more appetizing, but now? We have plenty of better options.
Deadfall receives 2/5
tagged Olivia Wilde, Thriller, charlie hunnam, deadfall, eric bana, kate mara, kris kristofferson, movie review, munich, sissy spacek, skyfall, the hobbit
Friday, October 19, 2012 at 12:00AM
Tyler Perry has a niche audience that flocks to anything he has his name attached to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though it limits his appeal. His involvement in this week’s new release, Alex Cross, extends only to his onscreen persona—he didn’t write or direct this as he does his other work—so it makes me wonder if Perry is looking to branch out and try something different, something that doesn’t involve dressing up in a dress and wig. If that’s the case, he better look elsewhere. This movie is a train wreck, a disaster that I imagine even die hard Perry fans will hate. From the opening scene where a fleeing bad guy shoots what may be the slowest bullet ever shot to its banal and unbelievable (meaning stretching the limits of credibility) ending, Alex Cross does a grand total of zero things right.
Perry plays the titular character, Dr. Alex Cross, a Detroit detective who has an affinity for calling people “maggot” and who is tasked with tracking down a murderer nicknamed Picasso, played by Matthew Fox, who is running amok in his city. Along with his partner, Tommy, played by Edward Burns, Cross sets out stop him, unaware of the tragedies about to befall him.
I would say Alex Cross is your standard action/thriller, but the word “standard” implies some level of competence. It implies that the film is adequate, if unremarkable, and though it may not push the boundaries on what the genre can do, it serves its purpose well. That isn’t the case here. From lackadaisical direction to some of the most poorly edited sequences in a movie this year, like when Picasso seemingly transports from the top of a high rise building to the sewers without breaking the onscreen timeline, the film is a complete and utter mess. It’s so bad, I felt embarrassed for simply watching it; I can only imagine how the filmmakers must feel.
Director Rob Cohen, the man behind such classics as xXx and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, directs Alex Cross like someone looking to mature, but not knowing how. It’s a darker, sadder film than his previous efforts, or at least it tries to be, but he fails to make his actors bring it to life. It has long been said that a movie is only as good as its villain. If that’s true, Alex Cross is one of the worst movies to grace the screen in many a moon. Picasso is as boring as villains come and Fox, despite having already proven himself as a talented actor in his past works, plays him so over-the-top as to be unintentionally laughable. For the majority of the movie, he does little more than bug his eyes out and move with a twitch. Fox seems to forget that villains are supposed to be menacing, not comical.
It must also be said that the pairing of Perry and Burns is the worst buddy cop pairing since Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in Kevin Smith’s 2010 disaster Cop Out (which Alex Cross is actually funnier than, though it’s not supposed to be). Perry and Burns strike up no chemistry and don’t feel like longtime partners. Their scenes are so bad, particularly when they’re trying to strike up witty repartee (“I’d rather take advice from a ham sandwich,” Perry says at one point), that you can still feel the awkwardness between the two actors, as if these scenes were the first ones shot and they hadn’t yet gotten comfortable with each other. To be fair, it’s not just their scenes. When the movie is littered with lines like “I didn’t get you pregnant by talking,” any attempts at legitimacy fly out the window.
Alex Cross is one of those master sleuths we see so often these days. You know the ones, the ones who can solve a crime in a matter of minutes with simple observation and who are so hard to believe or take seriously. If the whiz kids at NCIS can solve their crimes in 45 minutes, Alex Cross can do it in 20, which, coincidentally, is the maximum amount of time you’ll want to spend with him (if that). Of course, you’ll have figured out the mystery long before the characters onscreen—the film’s visual clues and expository dialogue are anything but subtle—so that inconsequential and uninteresting narrative twist at the end (that perfectly complements the inconsequential and uninteresting movie it resides in) doesn’t shock as much as I’m sure was intended. If you mistakenly decide to subject yourself to Alex Cross, it’s guaranteed to be a difficult movie to sit through; the desire to get up and leave will be a constant inner struggle. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about it and it fails on every level.
Alex Cross receives 0/5
tagged Action, Cop Out, For Colored Girls, Thriller, Tyler Perry, alex cross, edward burns, matthew fox, movie review, rob cohen, the mummy: tomb of the dragon emperor, xxx
Ben Affleck has made one of the biggest turnarounds in movie history, going from a laughable actor thanks to poor roles in movies like Pearl Harbor to a bona fide A-list director thanks to efforts like The Town and Gone Baby Gone. However, both of those movies were largely ignored by the Academy, which was a crime in the latter’s case. Thanks to an expanded Best Picture roster and its “based on a true story” description, his latest, Argo, is very likely to get a nod come awards season, but the irony is that it’s his least deserving. It’s definitely a good movie, technically well-made and emotionally gripping, yet it feels so standard. It feels like they took a real life event, glossed it up with dramatics that almost certainly don’t parallel what actually happened and dropped it in theaters. Like the rest of this year’s movie line-up, this promising attempt at cinematic glory ends up a disappointment.
The movie begins in November of 1979. Unrest is taking over Iran and the people are flooding the streets in protest. Their overwhelming numbers eventually lead to an inevitability: they take over the US Embassy in Iran and hold everyone hostage, everyone except for a smart group of Americans who flee out the back. They end up taking refuge in the Canadian ambassador’s estate while things outside boil over, but what they hoped would be days turn to weeks and the weeks to months. Eventually, the US hears of the Americans who escaped and sets up an exfiltration. They employ CIA expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) to get them out, so he comes up with a plan. He, with the help of make-up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and Hollywood hotshot Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), decides to create a fake movie under the guise of a Canadian film production company looking to shoot in Iran. Once he arrives, he gives the Americans their fake identities and begins the process of moving them out of the country. It’s a long shot, but it’s the best option they have.
Argo has a lot going for it—a terrific cast, sharp writing and a gripping true story narrative set against the backdrop of the Iran hostage crisis, one of the most tumultuous and nerve-wracking times in US history—and all of those strengths combine to make something worth watching. Still, its familiarity shines through. Its process of events is overdramatized like any typical Hollywood screenplay and, though still exciting, the ending is a foregone conclusion for anyone who is keen on history. Somehow, the film still manages to build excitement and tension despite those issues, which is a testament to the talent behind it, but what it lacks is verve and the raw emotion that was so present in Affleck’s two previous directorial efforts. The characters, despite their troubled situation, lack passion and never really hit one extreme or the other like they did in The Town or Gone Baby Gone. Although understandable, given that they had to keep their composure to fool the Iranians and escape the country, it strips the film of emotional weight.
The only actor who gets to flex his muscles is Bryan Cranston as Jack O’Donnell, the CIA boss with control over the operation, but the focus isn’t on him, so his contribution is comparatively negligible. However, it’s still better to not try to hit those emotional highs than to reach for them and fail. Argo doesn’t seem so interested in making you care, perhaps because we all know the ending, and instead focuses on delivering visceral thrills and plentiful laughs (strangely enough, it often plays more like a comedy than a drama). Although it largely succeeds, the end result is a fairly conventional thriller hiding under the guise of a meaningful political one.
If anything, the film’s standout aspect is the visuals, which blends archival footage with Hollywood magic. The transition between the two is so close to perfect that it’s hardly noticeable and it gives the film some convincing visual authenticity. Aware of this, the film flashes up side-by-side photos of events and people both in real life and in the movie during the credits. The comparisons are stunning. The care that went into recreating this turbulent period in history and capturing it on camera is clearly evident; it’s the rest of the movie that needed work. It’s still a good movie and it continues Ben Affleck’s impressive filmmaking streak, but it’s too funny when it should be unsettling, too over-the-top when it should be dramatic and too routine to stand out.
Argo receives 3.5/5
tagged Ben Affleck, Drama, Political Thriller, The Town, Thriller, alan arkin, argo, bryan cranston, gone baby gone, john goodman, movie review
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New Music Review: Jenny & Tyler a duo that delivers
By design on October 15, 2015 Comments Off on New Music Review: Jenny & Tyler a duo that delivers
Jenny & Tyler photo courtesy of press kit
Earlier last week while my car was in the shop for routine maintenance I had the opportunity to catch up on some new music. One duo that struck a cord with me “Jenny and Tyler.” The music brings an immediate indie vibe. The tempo, the hook, and the beat, are all very hypnotic. I began listening to the album and what would normally appear to be a never ending wait for my vehicle appeared to be the quickest hour in the shop ever. Great music often makes the time go by much quicker.
So what drew my attention the most? The lyrics. The structure of the written word in music is often one element that people overlook. However, it is the bridge that carries our emotions and allows us to connect with the music. While listening to the duo, I became fascinated with just how deep and how may topics they address on this album. Topics ranging from childbirth to death, sunsets on an airplane to holding hands on a first date, this album truly creates a visual theater of the mind. Every song on this album is strong. The duo does more than play music. They take the listener on a personal journey and give a deep true look into what makes the duo such a strong couple when they are not on stage. They do not hide behind their music. Instead, they use their music for the whole world to see just how real the relationship is between the duo. The outcome is that the relationship between the listener and the artist quickly emerges after listening to just the first song. -Dan Andrews
Here is the press release with more information about this amazing duo.
NEW YORK, NY (October 15, 2015) – Indie folk-pop husband and wife duo Jenny & Tyler will release Of This I’m Sure tomorrow, October 16, 2015 through upstart record label Residence Music. The twelve-song set was produced by Gabe Scott (with the exception of one track), who has played on various albums by such artists as The Civil Wars, Ingrid Michaelson and Matt Kearney. Vast, lush and soaring at times, their easy voices blend in harmonies that suggest a deep hope and a deep ache intertwined. Popmatters says the duo has “…a similar vocal chemistry to Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová but also a real knack for the dynamic bombast of Coldplay…”
Of This I’m Sure is representative of Jenny & Tyler’s diverse set of musical influences which are deeply rooted in the lyrically emotive stylings of such artists as Glen Hansard, Foy Vance and Laura Marling, to name a few, who have all provided sonic inspiration for the duo. The album’s first single, “Song For You,” produced by Gabe Scott and Joe Causey, is a haunting entreaty of unrequited love that begins in sparse simplicity and steadily builds to a vast crescendo of emotion.
On Of This I’m Sure, Jenny & Tyler’s vocal pairings take center stage. The songwriting chemistry that exists between them is evident as it goes back to their college days in Delaware when they first met on a bus and started backing each other up as solo performers.
Jenny & Tyler now reside in Nashville and have been touring with their two young daughters throughout the country; remaining U.S. tour dates are listed below. They also just announced that they will be playing a special show in New York at Rockwood Music Hall on November 3, 2015.
10/21 – Buies Creek, NC @ Campbell University
10/23 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Music Warehouse Secret Show Location TBA
10/25 – Greenville, SC @ Moe Joe’s
10/30 – Washington, DC @ Ebenezers Coffeehouse
11/3 – New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
11/4 – Wilmington, DE @ World Cafe Life
11/5 – Steubenville, OH @ The Harmonium Project
11/7 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Jacob’s Well
11/11 – San Antonio, TX @ Sam’s Burger Joint
11/12 – Waco, TX @ Common Grounds
11/13 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
11/14 – Austin, TX @ The Parish
New Music Review: Jenny & Tyler a duo that delivers added by design on October 15, 2015
Quick music review!
That was country music
Southern Gospel Music at its Best
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The Petigru Review, Vol. 1
Winter Canons
Midwest Literary Magazine
Noneuclidean Cafe
Poor Mojo’s Almanac(k)
Filed under: — kevin @ 7:06 pm
“They Might Be Giants”Michael, Matthew, and Kevin Coyle
Giant’s Causeway, Ireland (June 2010)
A native of Rosedale, Queens, Kevin Coyle earned a BA in Journalism from New York University and a JD from the Fordham University School of Law. After weathering five Vermont winters, Kevin and his sons, Matthew and Michael, moved south of the Mason-Dixon Line. They live near Greenville, South Carolina while Kevin “telecommutes” to his law firm in Vermont. Kevin married Heather in March 2011.
Kevin has been writing since the third grade, when he made his debut with a science-fiction short story entitled “The People from the Purple Planet.” He taped together the six individual sheets of looseleaf paper to make a poster and drew spaceships in crayon over the lackluster prose. This bit of showmanship caught his teacher’s attention and was reflected in his grade.
Kevin was named the “Featured Writer” for the Spring 2006 edition of Ampersand, and received the “Distinction Award” for fiction published in the December 2010 issue of Midwest Literary Magazine. His stories have also appeared in the Winter Canons anthology as well as the following periodicals: Metamorphoses, NOVA Science Fiction Magazine, Noneuclidean Cafe, The Writers Post Journal, Buffalo Carp, RAGAD, Bewildering Stories, the premiere issue of The Literary Bone, Johnny America, Poor Mojo’s Almanac(k), the first two issues of moonShine review, Catfish Stew, and the fiction supplement to the Washington Square News. Three times he has received Honorable Mention (the top 10-15% of all entries per quarter) in L. Ron Hubbard’s “Writers of the Future” Contest. He is hard at work on a novel.
Kevin has been a member of the South Carolina Writers Workshop since 2002. In 2007, he launced The Petigru Review, SCWW’s new-and-improved literary journal. He served as editor for three years.
“Via Abbey”Kevin, Heather, Michael, and Matthew Coyle
Pompeii, Italy (June 2011)
“Machu Man,” by the Village PicchuAlex, Michael, Matthew, Heather, and Kevin Coyle
Machu Picchu, Peru (June 2013)
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BCN map
By time of year
Festival characters and elements
Human constructions
Festival imagery
What are the Festival Activities Centres?
Three Kings Parade
Activity dates
On the eve of Three Kings Day (Epiphany)
Feast Day: 6 January
On the evening of 5 January, Barcelona organises a big welcome for the Kings of the Orient, who set off on a big parade through the city's streets, followed by a long procession of royal pages, floats and groups of artists, dancers, postmen and others formed by members of any Barcelona associations and organisations that wish to take part.
Since the 1960s the Three Kings have arrived by sea and been welcomed at the quayside by the Mayor, who gives them the key to the city, just for one night, so they can open the doors to all the houses in Barcelona.
In fact, boys and girls across the country really look forward to the parades that every town holds on this evening, and they hope Their Majesties won't forget to pass by their house and leave the presents they have asked for.
The Three Kings festival is celebrated on 6 January, the date it is believed that Wise Men from the East, astrologers, reached Bethlehem to worship the infant Jesus and offer him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. That explains why presents are still the main element in the celebration today.
It wasn't until the end of the 7th century that number of kings became three – Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar – with each one from a particular place: Europe, Asia and Africa, the three known continents. Some medieval interpretations also depicted them in the three stages of Man: wisdom, maturity and youth.
We can trace the first representations of the Three Kings in Barcelona to the Corpus Christi processions of the 14th century, in a reference to the epiphany. The first cavalcades date from the end of the 18th century, after which they took place intermittently until the start of the 20th century.
During the first third of the last century, the cavalcade was organised for charity and had its ups and downs until it was interrupted by the Civil War (1936-39). On the initiative of the City Council, it was started up again in 1942 and has been held ever since. Gradually it has taken the shape it has today, with certain characteristics and characters that make it unique.
Pep Herrero
When the Kings arrive in Barcelona, the Mayor gives them bread and salt as a symbol of hospitality. He also gives them the key to the city, which is one of the greatest honours a guest can receive. What's more, this is a magic key that gives the Kings access to all the homes in the city for one night, so they can let themselves in and leave the presents they have brought.
About festivities
The royal welcome. The Three Kings of the Orient arrive in Barcelona by sea, in recent years on board the schooner Santa Eulàlia. The Mayor is waiting for them when they dock at the Moll de la Fusta, to give them the key to the city.
The cavalcade. The parade of floats led by the Kings sets off at about 6 pm from Ciutadella Park and covers five kilometres of broad city-centre streets, where lots of boys and girls have been anxiously waiting to see it close up and not miss anything.
Gregori is a unique imaginary Barcelona character who accompanies the Three Kings and never misses a cavalcade. Along with the other royal page Estel, he is the Kings' most powerful assistant, with very big eyes and a finely tuned ear, so he can see and hear everything children do throughout the year and know if they have been good or not. The two pages tell the Kings about their behaviour, so they know whether to bring the presents the children have asked for or coal, if they have been naughty.
Protocol festiu de la ciutat de Barcelona. Barcelona City Council. Institute of Culture.
Incidents and complaints
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Flight Girls: Remembering World War 2's Women Airforce Service Pilots
tags: military history, womens history, World War 2, aviation history
by Noelle Salazar
Noelle Salazar was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest where she's been a Navy recruit, a medical assistant, an NFL cheerleader, and always a storyteller. When she's not writing, she can be found dodging raindrops and daydreaming of her next book. Noelle lives in Bothell, Washington, with her husband and two children. THE FLIGHT GIRLS is her first novel. For more information, please visit www.noellesalazar.com and follow @noelle_salazar on Twitter.
What is a hero? It’s a question I’ve pondered off and on for the past seven years, ever since I came across a stack of books at my aunt’s house and read a piece of WWII history I hadn’t previously known.
The Women Airforce Service Pilots program (WASP), was the brainchild of famed aviatrixes Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Harkness Love and—with the assistance of General Henry “Hap” Arnold, the commanding general of the Army Air Forces—they built a program teaching female pilots to fly every type of airplane the military owned, so long as they met the age and height requirements, had 500 flying hours under their belt each, and a pilot’s license in hand. They were taught to fly “the Army way” and flew warplanes that had been damaged in battle, planes right off the production line, simulated strafing missions, and towed gunnery targets for live ammunition training. The women who flew were bound by spirit and duty, bravery and skill… and bonded by their love of country and a job they knew they could do well. Some say they could handle those planes better than many of the men.
If they washed out, they had to pay their own way home. If they were injured or killed, it was up to their friends and family to get them the care, or the casket, they needed.
Once training was finished, they were sent to one of the many military bases across the country where they ferried planes from base to base, transported military personnel and cargo, or continued testing new planes. There wasn’t always a designated space for them to bunk, so sometimes they slept in the nurse’s quarters. Other times they had to get a hotel room. No plane to fly back to the base you just landed at? No problem! Wait around for a day or more, or get yourself a ticket on a commercial flight – on your own dime of course. They weren’t allowed to pack much in the way of clothing—warplanes don’t always have a lot of room for luggage—so they tucked spare bits of clothing in the cockpits’ nooks and crannies. There were undergarments in logbooks, a pair of heels beside their seat. Sometimes they got stuck in a city for days, washing and re-washing the few items of clothing they’d brought until they could get back to their home base.
They did this without complaint or expectation. They did this so the men could go to war.
I was stunned by anecdotes of bravery, death and outright misogyny. And I was baffled the subjects of these stories had tried to be heard, but still, seventy-seven years later, for the most part were unknown to the greater public.
On a humid and windy May morning I arrived at what is now the Texas State Technical College. Seven-plus decades ago though, in place of the brick buildings, stood long wooden structures that housed the pilots that trained here. There were offices and a chow hall, classrooms, and hangars. Boots marched on this dirt. Planes buzzed overhead at all hours of the day and night in the wide-open blue sky. This had been Avenger Field. And in 1942 - 1944, 1,074 women served their country with bravery and a whole lot of moxie.
What brought me there was the annual WASP Homecoming Reunion. I had heard there would be five members attending. Only two were able to make the trip. Kay Hildebrand and Dorothy Lucas were greeted with a salute and escorted from their cars by service women and men, who then rolled them in their respective wheelchairs between two walls bearing their comrades’ names and helped them onto the low brick wall that encircled a wishing well- the same one they’d jumped in when they’d graduated the program so many years before, and where they sat now, smiling at their admiring crowd.
The faces smiling back were both young and old. Some women wore outfits of an era gone by, their hair in Gibson Rolls, their lips painted red. There was one dressed as Rosie the Riveter and a young girl named Jenna sporting a pilot’s costume, goggles perched upon her little head. There were family members and fans, and there were the women who came after. Women who may never have had the chance to wear an Air Force uniform if not for the two women by the fountain.
Those two women – representing the 1,074 who served. They did not fight in Pearl Harbor. They didn’t storm the beach of Normandy. They didn’t serve in the Pacific or stand on the front lines of any battle. They never stared down the barrel of a rifle, waiting to plunge a bullet into a Nazi soldier racing to try and land his shot first.
But they did serve their country. They served at home, on American soil. They served without military status or benefits. Without expectation or praise.
These are the women history forgot.
Let me rephrase.
These are the women erased from history.
Do they not deserve recognition purely because they weren’t allowed to step foot on a front line? Or drop a bomb from thousands of feet in the air? Or sit in the ball turret of a B-17 discharging a machine gun?
They signed up with no chance at being promoted. No raise in their future. No contract stating they’d be taken care of. And they did it with pride… and barely a thank you in return.
The WASP program ended on December 20, 1944. The women, with some exceptions, were responsible (of course) for getting themselves home. If they wanted to have a career flying, they’d have to find it elsewhere. They were no longer invited to fly the military’s aircraft.
And that was it. The file on them was sealed and for thirty-five years there was not a peep about what these birds of war had done. How they had stood up to serve their country – and how their country disserved them.
In 1977, after much debate between the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense – the former against, the latter in favor of—the WASP were finally given veteran status and President Jimmy Carter signed it into law in November 23rd of that year. On March 10, 2010, President Barack Obama awarded the WASP with the Congressional Gold Medal.
And yet, why do so few know about these fearless flyers STILL? Why is their story not being added to curriculums across the country? Being taught in elementary schools, high schools, colleges? They are barely a blip on the History Channel’s website. I almost fell off the sofa when Josh Gates from Expedition Unknown went in search of Gertrude “Tommy” Tompkins, a WASP who went missing after taking off from an airfield decades ago. I shouldn’t be surprised to see these stories. It should be a given that ALL those who served have their stories told. There should be fieldtrips to the National WASP Museum. There should be mentions and parades and films!
I stood watching the two remaining WASPs sitting at that wishing well. When I’d first learned of their service, I was astonished and outraged I hadn’t known before. I hadn’t expected that, since that day eight years ago, I would fall in love with their stories. That I would write a book inspired by them. That I would become one of their biggest fans and greatest champions.
What is a hero? By definition a hero is a person admired for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
I think the WASP fit that bill. They are certainly my heroes.
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I can tell this story because the person involved is now deceased. The man in question told me the details himself, and seemed to think he was totally in the right, and deserved support. See what you think.
As ex-pats, our reputations can be severely damaged by the bad behaviour of one of our own nationality. If a Brit, Dutchman, or even an Algerian (for example) is involved in some theft or skullduggery, it can easily rub-off on all of his or her fellow nationals. All become tarred with the same brush.
The story is this. Hereabouts, when farmers fell trees for either heating or timber, they usually stack it by the side of the road, as near to its source as possible. It is accepted that up to a depth of a couple of metres, one can leave felled wood temporarily by the roadside until collected.
The elderly man involved in this tale found a pile of metre-long Oak logs neatly stacked on the edge of 'HIS LAND', and was furious that no-one had asked his 'permission'. He decided to treat the wood as a 'gift', and moved the entire pile to his barn.
It wasn't long before the woman whose wood it was, noticed that it was missing, and informed the police.
The police visited the man (an elderly Brit' retiree), and he admitted that he'd removed the wood 'to the safety and shelter of his barn'. He made some childish excuse about keeping it dry for the lady, but no-one believed him. In fact he was just another common tea-leaf; there are plenty about.
They 'cautioned' him, and he immediately returned the wood to its roadside location. He also visited the woman, whose wood it was, and as a half-hearted apology, offered her a bottle of Champagne; as if he thought that this would heal wounds! Of course it didn't.
As with any local dishonesty, it didn't take long for the story to spread around the area, and the stupid man later spent his time trying to summon support by telling people that he'd been in the right (he even tried it on me; the idiot).
All thieving is crime, and as an ex-pat he should have known that his own reputation as 'a light fingered Brit' could easily have been heaped upon others of his nationality ("They're all a bunch of crooks" etc). His reputation as a thief never left him, and he sold-up. He found no support whatsoever with fellow Brits, and no-one was sad to see him go.
What a prat. No breeding whatsoever.
It's a very strange story, made even stranger by his insistence that he was in the right!
Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe 18 December 2018 at 07:03
He tried to lie his way out of the situation and that, in some ways, is worse than the thievery. A person who cannot be trusted will always be alone. Good that he moved and started over again and hopefully learned a lesson. Unfortunately, he hurt the reputation of others.
In this case I don't think it did rub-off on others. People just saw him as the idiot he clearly was.
Sue 18 December 2018 at 08:18
He surely would have been well aware of the local customs. No excuse.
And he lived not far from you too! A total idiot.
Word spreads quickly in a small community and tales are stretched. It is almost impossible to outlive something like that. Silly man. Turned himself into an outcast.
Here you earn a nickname as well. It can go down to the next generation too. I wonder he tells the story to his drinking mates now
He's dead now. I wouldn't have told the story had he not been. He was a 'one-off'.
Amazing how the trolls defend criminal criminals and their exploits; I'm deleting them as soon as I see them.
Assuming he had lived in the area for a number of years and would know the customs, he is just a thief. I am not seeing any support for him and I can't really see why there would be.
I deleted them! My two regular trolls are just argumentative and illogical. They support crazy things in the hope that it will annoy me. I simply delete the sad gits.
Wood louse.
I wish I'd thought of that. A much better title than mine!
Oh dear, I'd better log off ;-)
I think that 9 times out of 10, the log pile would disappear in Britain too, so maybe he was just representing the nation.
This is an area that has always prided itself on its honesty. Crime of any sort was almost unheard of. So many things we take for granted rely on the honesty of all residents. He let the side down; I can't imagine what went through his mind; other than unwarranted anger of course.
She told me that if a comment appeared on my page, it would be someone else pretending to be her. Can you honestly imagine anyone wanting to be mistaken for Ursula? Good god; no thanks.
John Gray 18 December 2018 at 15:31
Ex pats ...locals, foreigners
Lots of weird people around cro
And a lot of them hide away in the French countryside.
Treaders 18 December 2018 at 20:47
My experience is that if you behave yourself, learn the language and attempt to fit in you are very well accepted here in France. However, I was married to a violent drunk (who happened to be American so both of us were expats). One time I took my son into town to watch the England/France rugby match on the big screen (again). When I came back my now ex had downed 16 beers (I counted) and was half way through a bottle of whiskey. Of course he kicked off and I had to call the police because I had kids in the house. As I had my England flag across my entrance door and as (seemingly) all police interventions are reported to the local press, my neighbour asked me if I had heard the story of two Brits getting into a physical fight because of the rugby. I had to explain to her that it was us, had nothing to do with the rugby but more to do with the barrel of booze my husband had drunk that night! Fame at last!
You didn't mention who won the match!!!
That doesn't sound ideal. An American committed a murder in a village very close to us. It was apparently an argument over something trivial, that got out of hand.
Ha, England started off winning but France eventually won the match. But we won the war - it was 2003!
Farmers round here (Dales) leave stuff on the side of the road to collect later and it stays there.
It does here too, NOW.
Stellamarina 24 December 2018 at 06:53
Actually....here in Hawaii, it would be presumed that it had been left out by the road side for people to help themselves. An example of needing to know the local ways.
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The Georgian Government's Goldilocks Problem
Since the Rose Revolution, one of the obstacles to further democratic development in Georgia has been the dominance of political life in that country by one political force, President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM). The UNM arose shortly after the Rose Revolution from a merger between the National Movement, led by Saakashvili, and the United Democrats, led by the late Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and then Chair of Parliament, and currently opposition politician, Nino Burjanadze. Since that time, the UNM has won every election in Georgia and controls every elected legislature and executive position in the country.
The UNM has generally drawn its power from several sources. First, they are a reasonably popular political party. Many Georgians have either been pleased about the reforms the Georgian government under the UNM’s stewardship have enacted, support the UNM on various issues or believe that the UNM is best able to move Georgia forward in a good direction. This is one of the reasons that the UNM has been the most popular party in Georgia in virtually every poll taken since the Rose Revolution.
This is, however, only one explanation of the UNM’s success in Georgia. Since coming to power the UNM has, according to most international watchdog organizations, limited media freedoms while civil society has been weakened, although this has begun to change in recent years. Moreover, while elections have not been characterized by widespread fraud and chaos on Election Day, the UNM has abused administrative resources and used threats and intimidation to limit the influence of some opposition parties. In this environment, the popularity and electoral victories of the UNM should be viewed somewhat differently-at least as much of as a residue of undemocratic elements of the system, than evidence of genuine and democratic support.
Another significant reason for the ongoing popularity and dominance of the UNM has been the Georgian opposition itself. Much of the opposition, not surprisingly that part which is usually highlighted by the government and government run media, is given to political histrionics, unreasonable demands, murky relationships with Moscow and often bafflingly poor political judgment. The more serious parts of the Georgian opposition, notably Irakli Alasania’s Free Democrats, have generally had limited access to resources and media. Much of the media remains heavily influenced by the Georgian government, while support for a serious and legitimate opposition party by wealthy individuals or businesses can create problems for those individuals and businesses in Georgia’s crony capitalist economy.
The Georgian government has very cleverly exploited this situation, frequently complaining to both foreign and domestic audiences that Georgia lacks a serious and powerful opposition. The government has, of course, complained about the opposition being too weak while simultaneously working to ensure that this remains the case. Thus, the Georgian government has been able to deflect criticisms of one party dominance by arguing the self-fulfilling prophecy that due to the UNM’s popularity nobody was able to pose a plausible challenge. This explanation has been useful and accurate for several years.
About three months ago, however, that suddenly changed, causing tremendous concern in Tbilisi. The Georgian government after years of arguing that the opposition was too weak and too poor, almost overnight had to argue that that opposition was now too strong, and more pertinently, too rich. The reason for this was the announcement by Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, in September, that he was going to become involved in politics and that he would work closely with, and help fund, the Free Democrats and the Republicans, two Georgian opposition parties who fall on the more rational, mature and moderate end of the Georgian opposition political spectrum. Almost overnight, the Georgian government had to contend with an opposition that can use resources and afford the same kind of expensive modern campaign and infrastructure that in recent Georgian elections has only been within the provenance of the UNM.
The Georgian government has responded to Ivanishvili’s entrance into politics not by welcoming a worthy opponent who could help funnel resources to ensure that different political views were heard, but by seeking to weaken Ivanishvili and limit his ability to influence politics. The ways the government has sought to do this include stripping Ivanishivili of his citizenship, and passing a new party finance law that would not only limit the billionaire’s ability to give money to political parties, but may also require the Free Democrats and Republicans to give back money they have already received.
Obviously, Ivanishvili tilts the scales in Georgia in a way that is more extreme than wealthy candidates like Michael Bloomberg or Mitt Romney in the U.S., but the Georgian government’s efforts to push him out of politics entirely demonstrates that the canard about the opposition being too weak was meant to explain away the government’s lack of interest in democracy rather than as a true lamentation of the relative state of Georgia’s political forces. It is not yet clear the extent to which the government will succeed in limiting Ivanishvili’s role, but it is reasonably clear that the Georgian government will likely continue to describe oppositions as too weak or too strong and, unlike Goldilocks, never find the one that is just right for them.
Written by Lincoln Mitchell On January 3, 2012 In Foreign Policy, Georgia Tagged Georgia, Rose Revolution, Mikheil Saakashvili, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Zurab Zhvania, Nino Burjanadze, United National Movement, Democracy, Irakli Alasania, Michael Bloomberg, Mitt Romney Source
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Famous Longobards
Paul the Deacon: Longobard monk, historian, poet and writer.
Born in Cividale del Friuli in 720 or 724, he came from a noble Longobard family and moved in his youth to Pavia, capital of the kingdom, where he studied at the court of King Ratchis and the school of the San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro monastery. He was tutor to Adelperga, one of Desiderius’ daughters, with whom he remained when she became the wife of Duke Arichis II of Benevento.
In 774 he witnessed the collapse of the Longobard kingdom, and was later active at the court of Charlemagne, where he won fame and prestige as a teacher of grammar. Paul spent the last years of his life in the monastery of Montecassino, where he died in 799.
He is renowned for the Historia Langobardorum, six books which narrate the myths and history of his people, from their Scandinavian origins to their arrival in Italy. The story finishes before the end of the reign of Desiderius, and took Paul the Deacon two years – from 787 to 789 – to write. This work, for which he drew on oral sources, is our principal source of information about this period.
The Longobards in Italy (AD 568 - 774)
Social organization and political role
The life of Longobards
Assessing the Longobards
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Laura Miller, Salon.com
December 02, 2013 / Robert Kolker
"The absence of the killer is the making of this book, a constraint that allows it to become extraordinary…humane and imaginative…[Kolker] shows the dented magnificence and universal sorrow within ordinary lives, and makes you realize how much more they are worth.”
“Lost Girls”: A serial killer’s victims, SALON.COM
December 02, 2013 / Robert Kolker/
"In Lost Girls, his first book, Mr. Kolker has grabbed hold of a ghost story, one he grounds in insistent detail.... describing bad childhoods without pressing down too grimly, without becoming maudlin or overly condemning of the situations people have found themselves in.... His book becomes a lashing critique of how society, and the police, let these young women down.... Reading this true-crime book, you’re reminded of the observation that easy reading is hard writing."
- Dwight Garner, THE NEW YORK TIMES
"...a terrific investigation....vivid and moving..." (Grade: A-)
- Tina Jordan, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“A gothic whodunit for the Internet age…. Compelling, nearly unputdownable…. [LOST GIRLS is] a horrific, cautionary tale that makes for a very different kind of beach read.... Kolker expertly chronicles the sad cycle of poor, uneducated white women faced with lots of kids and few resources.”
- Mimi Swartz, NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“Lost Girls” tells the story of the unsolved murders of five young women, all of whom worked as escorts in the New York area, and all of whose remains were discovered off the highway on one of Long Island’s barrier islands in 2010 and 2011. Kolker, an investigative reporter and contributing editor at New York who previously covered the case for that magazine, presents the myriad rumors and theories about the perpetrator, known as the Long Island Serial Killer, that emerged once the women’s bodies—and then even more bodies—were discovered. (On the book’s Web site, an interactive map shows the area of Long Island, in and around Gilgo Beach, where, since 2010, eleven sets of human remains have been discovered; several others have turned up in other parts of Long Island.) But detailing the still unresolved case is only one focus of the book. Through extensive interviews with the victims’ families and friends, Kolker creates compassionate portraits of the murdered young women, and uncovers the forces that drove them from their respective home towns into risky, but lucrative, careers as prostitutes in a digital age, when “the method is easier, seductively so, almost like an ATM—post an ad, and the phone rings seconds later—but also deceptive about its dangers.”
- "Books To Watch Out For," NEWYORKER.COM
"Kolker, a contributing editor at New York magazine who has written about the murders in those pages, draws us in with his captivating storyteller’s voice.... Book Two is where “Lost Girls” becomes hard to put down: an intrigue about Oak Beach that has echoes of Kitty Genovese, and of the Hatfields and McCoys. Who knew what, and who did what, the morning that Shannan Gilbert was desperate for their help? Did the local doctor kill her, as some of his neighbors insist? Why, exactly, did the doctor call Gilbert’s mother after the escort disappeared, then deny having done so? And how badly did law enforcement drop the ball on those five murders? Kolker can only try to answer those questions. But his convincing takeaway is both an indictment — of all of us, for our role as societal bystanders to prostitution — and a challenge."
- Laura Collins-Hughes, BOSTON GLOBE
"Readers expecting an SVU-style true-crime story will be disappointed by Lost Girls. But through detailed profiles of the victims themselves, New York magazine reporter Robert Kolker has written a more provocative book—a book that is as much about class and economic pressures as it is about sex work and murder."
- Mythili Rao, DAILY BEAST
"Robert Kolker, who writes for New York magazine, has carried out monumental research to give us true-crime reporting at its best.... [H]e rewards the diligent reader with an in-depth look not just at the five victims but also at how thousands of young women live today, and at the forces that drew these five to prostitution."
- Patrick Anderson, WASHINGTON POST
"By learning the intimate details of the women's lives, seeing them as humans rather than victims, we see our similarities. The "us" and "them" that the stigmatization of sex work in society creates begins to erode.
"Society has a way of devaluing sex workers of all kinds (whether strippers, escorts or porn actors). Most of us engage in it to some degree at some point in our lives, yet we moralize, we judge and we blame. Although prostitution is criminalized in most parts of the US, sex-for-money services are in-demand. (How else could one make a living this way?) Still, the choices of those who offer them are scrutinized and stigmatized. For a sex worker to report violence against her is to risk further violence. If Gilbert had been raped and beaten but survived, would the police have been any more help?
"There is something intensely wrong with a society in which human beings can disappear, only to be discovered years later as bones. There is something even more wrong when the bones' connection to prostitution is somehow used to justify their fates. The role, legality and implications of sex work is a complicated dialogue, but one that should be happening more often, more loudly and more inclusively – because whatever system is currently in place is clearly not functional.
"Kolker's book is a starting point for that dialogue because it is possibly the realest, fullest picture of what is happening with sex work in the US right now. Other than hoping that their killer is someday arrested, the most we can offer these women now is our time to read and understand their lives, our thoughts to consider our own role in the society that failed them, and how the next time might be different. "
- Jessica Mack, THE GUARDIAN
"A rare gem of a book that not only tells a riveting story but illuminates something about a slice of America and gets into a lot of very deep issues. It's really great on every front."
- SLATE's Double X Gabfest
"The details that Kolker has dug up paint a far more nuanced picture of each young woman than any screaming headline could."
- Susannnah Nesmith, MIAMI HERALD
BN Review
"...the most nuanced, complex portrayal of prostitution in America I've ever read from a mainstream journalist.... Indelible little details like that aren't just the mark of good reporting; they're the sign of a reporter who actually wants to describe these women as they were, not as ciphers in a story as old as Jack the Ripper, targets waiting to be hit."
- Michelle Dean, BARNES AND NOBLE REVIEW
Bookslut
"Kolker has turned what started as a story in New York magazine into a thorough inquiry into what sex work actually entails and why women get into it, taking no mercy at dissecting both the socioeconomic and cultural forces that can push people into the choice of sex work. Sex work is continually the subject of controversy, the main talking points that seem always forcibly split into two opposing voices: those who think it is always a choice, and those who think it is never a choice. In a contradictory playing field of good versus bad, right and wrong, woman that you marry and woman that you pay to fuck, Kolker works past the stigma and stereotype, and has paid attention to the very real, very complicated situation that has no easy answers. Furthermore, he pays attention with an unblemished empathy, in the way that one does when there is a very important story that needs to be passed on, not as a warning or talking point, but as a remembrance that sheds light on subjects that we don't want to discuss in good company."
- Coco Papy, BOOKSLUT
Biographile.com
"Readers looking for a storybook ending would be better off watching one of those television crime programs where the killer is caught, tried and sentenced in an hour, but true crime buffs who can appreciate a real mystery, enjoy complex crime stories and prefer human drama to gore and cheap thrills will love Lost Girls."
- "Life After Death in ‘Lost Girls’: On the Victims of the Long Island Serial Killer," Matt Staggs, BIOGRAPHILE
"Kolker’s handling of these cases — and his treatment of five women who turned up dead after disappearing between 2007 and 2010 — is anything but lurid. With writing that is spare, almost muted, Kolker details the women’s childhoods and choices, tracing their steps from such scattered towns as Groton, Conn.; Ellenville, N.Y.; and Wilmington, N.C., through a series of low-paying jobs (cleaning offices, delivering pizzas, running a cash register), to working as prostitutes in the Internet age, advertising on Craigslist and making $4,500 a week or more. Through Kolker’s sensitive telling, these five women become people in full, as likable and unlikable as most people you meet, but with more to overcome."
- Ken Armstrong, SEATTLE TIMES
Michelle McNamara
"I was reminded of the book Nickel and Dimed, and some of David Simon's work.... The book’s greatest achievement, I think, is the delicate balance it strikes between compassion and suspense. The book’s quality instantly elevates the true crime genre; more importantly, I think it’s an important work of social commentary."
- Michelle McNamara, TRUE CRIME DIARY
Amazon Best Books of the Month, July 2013
As you might expect from the story of a serial killer who preys on prostitutes, the young women in Robert Kolker’s enthralling Lost Girls were already, in many ways, lost. Prostitutes and runaways, their murders might have easily elicited a what-did-they-expect shrug. (Certainly that’s how the police at times seemed to handle the case). What sets Lost Girls apart is Kolker’s empathetic and detailed portrayals of the victims, based on hundreds of hours of interviews with their families and friends. This is an impressive and impassioned work of investigative journalism, and a chilling commentary on the entangled influences of economics, race, technology and politics on sex and murder in the Internet age. Kolker, a reporter for New York magazine, is that rare-breed journalist who latched onto a difficult story and refused to let go. In this haunting tale, he bravely and meticulously recreates the lives of once hopeful but sadly forgotten young women, while shining a light on the economic hardships that pushed them to make tough, risky choices. A colleague told me that after finishing Lost Girls she spent hours researching the victims and the case online. Her warning to me is my promise to you: Be prepared to obsess.
--Neal Thompson, AMAZON.COM
"This is THE BEST true crime book I've read in a loooong time."
- Patton Oswalt
(starred review)
(TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2013)
In stark contrast to the ugliness of the story, Kolker’s sad tale of five young women linked by the tragic circumstances of their disappearances is beautifully and provocatively written. The book opens with a prologue that casts an appropriately eerie pall on the proceedings: after arriving late one spring night at Long Island’s Oak Beach, Shannan Gilbert, an escort who was in the area to see a client, began banging on doors and screaming for help. Her pleas went unanswered, and then she disappeared. That was in 2010. Seven months later, the corpses of four women—also escorts—were found nearby. Kolker, a contributing editor at New York magazine, outlines each woman’s descent into a world “that many of their loved ones could not imagine,” and in doing so renders each as fully fleshed out individuals forced to make tough decisions to navigate a tough world. Just the right amount of detail will make all but the hardest-hearted empathetic. Add a baffling whodunit that remains, as the subtitle indicates, unsolved, and you have a captivating true crime narrative that’s sure to win new converts and please longtime fans of the genre.
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As her world shrunk, she immersed herself in World Wide culture. For entertainment, she listened to the motivational tapes, laughing and crying at the tales of hardship and triumph. She read the WWDB recommended books, memorizing snippets of Norman Vincent Peale and Psychocybernetics. She urged me, likewise, to move to the “next level”: to hook into Amvox voicemail (where I could listen to messages from my distant upline Greg Duncan courtside at Bulls-Magic games[15]); make plane and hotel reservations for the upcoming Family Reunion; and get on “standing order” to automatically receive six World Wide cassettes a month at six bucks a pop—which Josh claimed simply covered costs—presumably of meetings recorded onto very cheap tapes. (“I’d gladly pay more for them,” Josh insisted, “because they’re helping me to become financially liberated!”) Sherri told me, in hushed tones, that “Greg Duncan judges you more on the number of standing orders in your downline than on your PV!” I didn’t doubt it. The upper echelons of World-Wide and other groups rake in enormous profits from their speaking engagements and the sale of motivational materials. Dexter Yager, head of the Yager Group, is reputed to make more from his propaganda syndicate than from his actual Amway business.
Athletes who have promoted Quixtar or its products include Jamaican Olympic sprinter Asafa Powell, American pole vaulter Jennifer Stuczynski, American Olympic sprinter Sanya Richards, U.S. Olympian Shaun White, Cinematographer Wes Anderson,Chinese Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang;[25] Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho, heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield, and Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne. Tim Foley, a member of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, is a Quixtar Founders Crown Ambassador.[26]
While noting that the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing or liability, Amway acknowledged that it had made changes to its business operations as a result of the lawsuit. The settlement is subject to approval by the court, which was expected in early 2011.[10] The economic value of the settlement, including the changes Amway made to its business model, totals $100 million.[131]
“Across the United States, the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and thriving, from coast to coast,” said Dr. David B. Audretsch, professor and director of the Institute for Development Strategies at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs. “This year’s AGER confirms Americans continue to view entrepreneurship in a positive light and are open to the idea of starting their own business. Compared to the global average, attitudes towards entrepreneurship in America are sustaining momentum from previous years and are on track to experience continued growth.”
Why are these amshit people coming here if they are taught to succeed and if they are already gaining success with scamway? Why are these shitters coming here. U know why? Coz they are already depressed and dont want any new guys googling about amway to know that amway is shit. These "amshit joined guys" want to manipulate you new guys to think that amway is not a bad thing to do. These people want you to think positive about amway so the the billion dollar business gets fueled with new fools and make profits annually so that this business never stops. NO DOUBT AMWAY PRODUCTS ARE GREAT. but this product is just an upper layer on the underlying clever business cult.
Others Receiving Votes: Kentucky 98; Duke 55; South Florida 45; Colorado 41; South Carolina 40; Iowa 36; Washington State 35; Brigham Young 30; Missouri 21; NC State 19; Appalachian State 13; Syracuse 11; California 11; Utah 10; Cincinnati 10; Texas 9; North Texas 5; Troy 4; Minnesota 3; San Diego State 3; Florida 3; Arizona State 3; Houston 2; Tennessee 2; Arkansas State 2; Vanderbilt 2; Fresno State 1.
"We were warned never to use the name Amway on the phone; even while showing the business plan, the name would be one of the very last things mentioned. The explanation from our 'sponsors' was that people in the past have misused the name 'Amway,' and people should get a chance to know the 'new Amway' without being prejudiced from things they might have heard."
For dinner before a game, there are a number of options at the arena. One thing to keep in mind is that Loge ticket holders are also entitled to dinner at Jernigan's Restaurant on the Club Level and have the exclusive option to reserve a table from 5:30 - 6:30 pm as premium ticket holders. Regardless of when you're going, reservations are recommended.
This collective approach is how the family runs their home lives, too. The DeVoses’ myriad properties are managed through a single private company, RDV Corporation, which both manages the family’s investments and operates as a home office, paying the family’s employees, maintaining the DeVoses’ residences and assuring them as frictionless a life as possible. (The duties outlined by one recent property-manager job with RDV Corporation include “ensur[ing] doors are well-oiled to avoid squeaking” and that “broken toys [are] repaired or disposed of.”)
But The Dream’s real concern is far from the key-party-and-polyester image conjured by the airplane game. Marie and her producer had, like many people, noticed her Facebook feed filling up with friends from high school selling leggings, or makeup, or handbags, asking their friends to buy them and sign up as salesmen themselves. They’re all participating in multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, which anyone involved will tell you are not a pyramid scheme, because pyramid schemes are illegal.
Totaling 875,000 square feet, the Amway Center replaces the previously existing Amway Arena, updating the venue in favor of a sustainable and environmentally conscious design. The new building comes with updated technology, more amenities, and bigger seats. There's even a hypnotizing graphics wall along one side of the building that brings the arena's modern elements together in a magical display.
A class action lawsuit was filed in 2007 against Quixtar and some of its top-level distributors in California, alleging fraud, racketeering, and that the products business and the tools business are pyramid schemes.[36] A similar case filed in California in August 2007 by TEAM affiliated IBOs whose contracts had been terminated was dismissed.[37] On November 3, 2010, Amway announced that it had agreed to pay $56 million to settle the class action, $34 million in cash and $22 million in products, and while denying any wrongdoing or liability, acknowledged that it had made changes to its business operations as a result of the lawsuit. The settlement is subject to approval by the court, which is expected in early 2011.[38] The total economic value of the settlement, including the changes to the business model, is $100 million.[39]
Amway has been around for 50+ years which has resulted in deep market penetration in most of North America. During this time frame it acquired a negative reputation that lasted the better part of 2 decades. This resulted in the need to re-brand Amway as Quixtar (during the 90s). The baby boomer generation is very aware of this and many will be quick to discourage their younger family members from doing Amway. If you are thinking of joining Amway and think this may be inaccurate, simply ask someone in your family in their 50s, 60s, or 70s whether or not they think you will make money with Amway, and why. There are ways around this when approaching the cold market, but it typically involves meeting with the same individual a multitude of times, playing verbal jujitsu, and not exposing the Amway name until the fifth or sixth approach. I personally know an Amway distributor (and good friend) that makes ~50k per year so it is absolutely possible, but he works his butt off driving all over the state and he constantly deals with high attrition.
I am a network marketer who learned how to build his network marketing through the power of the internet. By implementing lead generations strategies, prospecting techniques, and closing sales training from top income earners in the industry, I have been able to create a living online by building a successful business from the comfort of my home. Please get a hold some of the free trainings available above that have helped me take my business to the top! Connect with Nathan on Google +
Amway offers a wide range of eco-friendly products under different brands. The most popular brands under the company are Nutrilite, Artistry, XS and Legacy of Clean. There are several hundred products that can be utilized to build a retail business. This includes personal care products, dietary supplements, water purifiers, jewelry, electronics and cosmetics.
The Sales & Marketing Plan is based on what Scott called “the revolutionary business strategy of duplication.” To illustrate the idea he pointed to an imperfect example: McDonald’s, which succeeded so phenomenally, Scott explained, thanks to duplication—not because it served particularly good food (people who “hadn’t spent a lot of time around millionaires” always amused Scott with their idea that successful businesses required quality products). Ray Kroc had figured out a better way to flip a burger, but instead of hiring employees to do it, he taught it to franchisees, people fired up with the zeal of business ownership. While they willingly slaved to make what they owned more valuable, Kroc made his money by “taking a penny for teaching others how to make a dollar.” His was truly a magical income, expanding whether he worked for it or not, growing whether he lived or died. Long after Kroc had “taken a dirt bath,” Scott joked, duplication still supported his widow to the tune of $200 million a year!
While the DeVoses campaigned on expanding educational choices for parents and students, their opponents reframed the issue. “When you really looked at it, the parents weren’t the ones with the choices; the parochial schools were the ones with the choices,” Matuzak remembers. “If all you do is transfer the money, you don't transfer any of the other requirements that are put on public schools. Public schools are required to take everyone who comes through the door. But private schools, parochial schools, get to pick and choose. … It’s not really the parents who have the choice, it’s the schools. And people ultimately understood that.”
Amway’s original product, Liquid Organic Cleaner (L.O.C.™), was one of the first concentrated, biodegradable and environmentally sensitive cleaning products on the market. Since then, with a similarly pioneering and purposeful spirit, Amway has gone from selling simply home products to become a global leader in health and beauty, too. For decades, the company has focused on environmentally sensitive and biodegradable products.
Let us not underestimate the power of ideas. Cross provides examples of distributors who let nothing stand in their way. Just listen to the story of the Upchurch family, who persisted in Amway, making any sacrifices necessary, even after Hurricane Fran destroyed their home. Or the Janzes, who were desperately poor new parents with another child on the way when they learned that Amway was bigger than making money; it was a way to overhaul your lifestyle and live your dreams. Or Dexter Yager, who didn’t let a stroke stop him from achieving success with Amway and continued to operate his business at the same level even as he was learning to walk and speak again.
As part of our service, we attempt to partner with all the companies that we review, and may get compensated when you click or call them from our site; however, regardless of any current, past, or future financial arrangements, companies listed on Best Company cannot buy their position, nor do we manipulate or inflate a company's ranking for financial gain. A company’s ranking is based on and calculated by an objective set of ranking criteria, as well as user reviews. For more information on how we rank companies, click here.
Methodology: Source Euromonitor International Limited. Claim verification based on Euromonitor research and methodology for Amway Corporation conducted from August to September 2012. Euromonitor studied nine leading direct selling companies in Colombia, as provided by Amway, and through interviews with company distributors and company employees Euromonitor tried to determine if any of the companies had implemented an internal Facebook page exclusive to distributors that provides tools for customization, retailing and content management. None of the nine leading direct selling companies had this capability at the time of the research. To the extent permissible, Euromonitor does not accept or assume responsibility to any third party in respect of this claim. Further information is available upon request.
To get the full Amway experience, I started buying my groceries through The Business. I found that, despite Amway’s growth, its “cutting-edge” distribution system preserved all the pitfalls of a small buying club run out of somebody’s apartment. My local supermarket, ironically, actually did start as a buying club run out of someone’s apartment in the 1930s; as it grew, however, it accreted all the efficiencies of the retail system. Now it’s open fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, with professional managers, stockers, and checkers; a visit there is quick and hassle-free. To make my “pick-up” at Josh and Jean’s apartment, on the other hand, required an hour-long el ride and arrangements with a friend to haul the stuff back home, all scheduled only during those brief windows of opportunity when Josh and Jean could be there to meet me.
A 1998 analysis of campaign contributions conducted by Businessweek found that Amway, along with the founding families and some top distributors, had donated at least $7 million to GOP causes in the preceding decade.[76] Political candidates who received campaign funding from Amway in 1998 included Representatives Bill Redmond (R–N.M.), Heather Wilson (R–N.M.), and Jon Christensen (R–Neb).[74]
Several sources have commented on the promotion of Christian conservative ideology within the Amway organization.[74][84][85][86] Mother Jones magazine described the Amway distributor force as "heavily influenced by the company's dual themes of Christian morality and free enterprise" and operating "like a private political army".[74] In The Cult of Free Enterprise, Stephen Butterfield, who spent time in the Yager group within Amway, wrote "[Amway] sells a marketing and motivational system, a cause, a way of life, in a fervid emotional atmosphere of rallies and political religious revivalism."[84] Philadelphia City Paper correspondent Maryam Henein stated that "The language used in motivational tools for Amway frequently echoes or directly quotes the Bible, with the unstated assumption of a shared Christian perspective."[85]
Studies of independent consumer watchdog agencies have shown that between 990 and 999 of 1000 participants in MLMs that use Amway-type pay plans in fact lose money.[115][116][citation needed] According to The Skeptic's Dictionary, "In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission requires Amway to label its products with the message that 54% of Amway recruits make nothing and the rest earn on average $65 a month."[117]
Prices for signing up as an Amway IBO depend on the Business Kit you select. IBO Literature Kit costs $62. It includes a detailed guide to help you start your business, training programs, brochures and information about the company's bonus programs. The cost of IBO Product Kit is $83.99. It includes everything found in the Welcome Kit, as well as full-size products ($150 worth) for you to try. If you are not satisfied with your business opportunity, you can ask for a 100% refund within 90 days of purchase. To do this, you will need to contact customer service by calling at 800-253-6500 or writing to customer.service@amway.com.
I notice only one person has indicated any sort of income ($500/week – WOW!!) – but without stating their expenses. My sister (in Australia) has been involved in this for decades and has made nothing, despite co-opting several others into the fold. I had to quickly learn to ask what she was inviting me to before I accepted any invitations and eventually had to tell her not to ask me to any more Amway things. Then she started on my fiance.
The centerpiece of any Rally is the life-story told by the guest of honor, emphasizing the depths of his pre-Amway rut and his resurrection through The Business. That evening’s featured guest, Executive Diamond Bill Hawkins, however, was too arrogant even to feign the requisite humility in his testimonial. He had been great all his life: a talented musician in one of Minneapolis’s best bands, a brilliant school teacher, a voracious reader, a charming companion with hundreds of loyal friends, and an unbelievably prodigious drinker of beer (about which he was now “ashamed”). When he saw The Plan and realized that he was much smarter than the guy showing it, he knew that his ship had finally come in: Here, at last, was something that would adequately reward his greatness[16].
On campus, Betsy became politically active, volunteering for the presidential campaign of hometown hero President Gerald Ford, who was facing off against movie star-cum-California Governor Ronald Reagan. She joined a pro-Ford group called “Friends of the First Family,” and along with her compatriots, took trips to Indiana and Ohio to participate in the Ford campaign’s “scatter blitzes.”
Rallies begin with a ritual called “crossing the stage,” in which distributors who have attained a new bonus level go up to receive their commemorative pin and shake hands with a Diamond. From the crowd of about five hundred, two couples “crossed” at the 1,000 PV level (the lowest warranting a pin) and received a standing ovation from the audience. From the stage, the host then called out all the levels from 1,500 PV to 7,500 PV. Nobody emerged from the audience—which, nonetheless, remained on its feet applauding. The host kept cajoling, “C’mon, there’s plenty of room up here,” as if it were shyness that was keeping people away. It was the archetypal Amway moment: a crowd giving a standing ovation to nobody.
The IBO Association International (IBOAI) was founded in 1959 as the American Way Association with the goal of "serving the common interests of Independent Business Owners throughout North America." Members are served by an 18-member Board of Directors who are supported by seven full-time staff.[18] The Association's board members are "elected by its voting members",[19] who must be "Qualified Platinums and above."[20]
Just like 97% of the direct sales and network marketing representatives, I earned now money with Amway. Did I make a sale or two? Yes I did, but I also paid for my product or monthly auto-ship to keep my business center and account active and eligble to earn commissions. So therefore I basically broke even and didn’t make an income with Amway Global. I too was blaming the company and was calling it an Amway Scam.
Recently purchased hair care products from amway.com/rotondo. Very satisfied with the quality. The nice thing about Amway is that they use their own nutritionists, chemical engineers, etc. The stuff you get "off the shelf" is largely produced overseas using packaging from many different companies. Who knows what really goes into those products? Made in the USA in Grand Rapids, Michigan!
People are so quick to jump to conclusions about things they have no understanding or experience of. I love seeing all the positive feedback tho. With anything good in this world there will always be ignorant people (like the person who wrote this article) who will try and bad mouth things. I’m not here to pick a fight, but do your own research before trusting a single article like this.
I shopped with Amway about 20 years ago when a neighbor in my apartment building became a sales rep for them. I really liked the cleaning products which were pure and did a great job of cleaning everything! I had a terrific rep who sold the various products that interested me. I was always very impressed by Amway. To my knowledge, Amway has always had an impeccable reputation and the highest quality products. I didn't find any reason to dislike the company back then and certainly have no reason to dislike it now!
Amway is unethical way of making money. Their representative lure you to this smartly designed plan. Amway’s representatives misguide and misinform like any other business or a product’s sale representatives. which is attractive to listen for the first time with the ‘Entrepreneur” motto. But it is another way of making money leaving you frustrated in the end. I advise every one not to join this unethical product promotion. I appreciate Jeremy’s article for giving information to people.
This Lady is terribly misinformed… As a Amway IBO we give you plenty of chance to say no and ways out of this. People will always bad mouth things that they don’t understand you know why because its easier tosay something negative than to take the time out of your day to find out what your really talking about and here is just some food for thought. I started this business a few years back and just listened and did what they asked me too. Because of it i was Able to bring my wife home. Successful people will away do what unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do.
[16]His tedious auto-encomium was enlivened only by occasional, chilling anecdotes of violence: His mother hit him as a child until, old and strong enough, he could credibly threaten to hit her back; his frat brothers, drunken and rambunctious, tried to shave his head one night, whereupon he barricaded himself in his room, audibly cocked a semiautomatic shotgun, and threatened to kill them; and his family needled him about Amway until, one Thanksgiving, he jumped up and shouted, “I don’t dump on what you do, and if you keep dumping on what I do, I’ll take you outside and knock your block off; and if you’re a woman, I don’t know what I’ll do!”
After years operating behind the scenes, Betsy DeVos is set to become the public face of education policy in America—an advocate of private Christian education helming the largest public-education agency in the country. Most education policymaking happens at the state and local level; the Education Department administers financial aid and collects and analyzes educational data, but doesn’t set state standards or school curricula. Even so, the position is a considerable bully pulpit, one with the ability to define the national discussion on education.
This one is just beyond the gate when we enter the neighborhood. It’s desert-colored with a terra-cotta paving stone roundabout drive and another gate that retracts when we enter the code. There are two palms planted on either side of the porch, two more on either side of the yard, and another in the grassy area encircled by the roundabout. A row of perfectly rectangular hedges lines the front of the house beneath the picture windows.
As its Sales & Marketing Plan demonstrated, there were two ways to make money in Amway. You could buy products cheap (at wholesale costs reportedly 30 percent below retail) and sell them dear; or, more lucratively, you could share The Business with others, and build your own empire of “downlines.” Since Amway awards bonuses to its distributors based on their wholesale volume, and since each distributor’s wholesale figures includes the sales made by his or her “downlines,” each convert to the Amway cause would enlarge his or her own incomes. To see how this worked, we were told to imagine recruiting six distributors, each of whom would bring in four more, who in turn would each net an additional two. Our downlines, according to this “6-4-2” formula, would then have seventy-eight members. If each of our underlings did $100 a month in sales, we’d be making an extra $2,000 a month in bonuses.[5]
In the years since the DeVoses debuted GLEP, we’ve witnessed the nationwide rise of single-issue PACs funded by a small number of extraordinarily wealthy donors, especially since the Citizens United ruling uncorked the dam of corporate money. “The [DeVos] family has been forward-thinking in their use of money to influence politics,” says Craig Mauger of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. “And what’s happening with them in Michigan seems to be an example of where we’re going as a country with the concentration of power in our politics.”
Clockwise, from upper left: Amway cofounders Jay Van Andel (left) and Richard DeVos (center) meet in the Oval Office with President Gerald Ford, who is holding a copy of Richard’s book, “Believe!”; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Richard DeVos during a 2009 event at the Scripps Research Institute; an aerial shot of Dick & Betsy DeVos’s primary residence in Ada, Michigan; Dick & Betsy enjoy their courtside seats at an Orlando Magic game—an NBA team owned by the DeVos family. | National Archives; AP; Getty Images
"Flipping day-to-day events inside Amway Center always requires skill, expertise and careful planning but hosting three very different events in barely 24 hours is no small feat," said Orlando Venues Chief Venues Officer Allen Johnson. "I'm proud of our operations team and our partners that work tirelessly to ensure the transitions between each event run smoothly and our diverse programming always remains on schedule." Show less
This website contains recommendations for products and services. This means, if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a commission. The majority of reviews does not contain affiliate links but some do. I also receive compensation for the banner ads on this website. I DO NOT receive any compensation for reviewing a product or service! I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
Structure MLM groups that last is extremely hard in North America (particularly U.S.A). This could appear a little bit severe, but I have actually not viewed Amway breakdown a solitary Diamond in the good-ole UNITED STATE in 2 years. The factor teams are hard to keep with each other, despite having the advertising of events, is due to the fact that building a company totally offline is not appealing to lots of people in this country. And as long as leaders may whine that the internet has destroyed this sector in some circles, it does not transform the fact that the marketplace is a company each one of its very own; it's not up to us to identify just what's ideal for the marketplace, it's our duty to discover how they want to be marketed to and after that comply with that wish. Structure entirely offline acquires tiring and also the vast majority of people just do not want to burn the rubber off the tires more. In addition there are a lot of companies that have actually embraced the internet, as well as considering that lots of people visit the internet for information it is simple for Amway reps to get inhibited and also check out other options when they find out a business could be built online.
My college bound son called and stated he went to a seminar to sponsor Amway which in turns was a marketing scam to recruit! They asked for $200 to hold to start and depending on the sales and teams that he got together to do the same along with commission he can earn $200 a month! My son is unemployed in college trying to get an education not be a flunky for selling products online! Stop lying about making $39,000 in a month home business! If it was legitimate why haven't everyone heard of this company or products! Leave young, impressionable people alone! And stop showing them the money and talk about staying in school and getting an education & degree! Instead of quick money!!
Amway's largest selling brand is the Nutrilite range of health supplements (marketed as Nutriway in some countries), and in 2008 Nutrilite sales exceeded $3 billion globally.[42] In 2001, five Nutrilite products were the first dietary supplements to be certified by NSF International.[43] In 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 in the nutrient and health food category, Nutrilite won "Platinum" and "Gold" awards in Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Asia overall in the Reader's Digest "Trusted Brands of Asia" survey.[44] In 2008 Nutrilite scientists, in partnership with Alticor subsidiary Interleukin Genetics won the 12th John M. Kinney Award for Nutrition and Metabolism for their research into the interaction between nutrition and genetics.[45]
Im a IBO from Amway and yes I was worried about the integerity of their business, not only from the past, but were their headed in the future. Amway has taken a bad wrap and yes they have paid their dues...they are still here and have nothing too hide. This is why I chose too run with Amway after all change is hard...but so is going after your DREAMS.
This one sits on a double executive lot. An artificial creek snakes around the yard. Flashes of yellow and orange spotted koi pass beneath our feet as we approach from the brick walkway. The house is split-level with two wings, a custom pool with cascading waterfall, billiard room, media room, workout room, steam room, six-car garage, state-of-the-art workshop, custom built-in bar, loft for quiet relaxation, hurricane shutters, large views of the golf course – and two bedrooms above the garage sequestered for the help.
I don’t know how the CEOs stumbling through E2020 felt about this, but from what I could gather, the prospects for people like me were distinctly mixed. On the one hand, as a customer I’d be awesomely empowered—whole industries would rise and fall according to the butterfly effect generated by tiny shifts in consumer taste. But as a worker I’d be downgraded to “enabled.” I would have to eschew “third party” union representation, sacrifice guaranteed benefits, dispense with government protections, and forgo lifelong employment; instead, I’d accumulate “human capital” to sell in an open labor market. Of course, “change” would repeatedly render that arduously amassed human capital obsolete in the space of a nanosecond, after which I was to uncomplainingly set about accumulating more. This was called “being adaptable.”
Do you want instant access to the #1 Attraction Marketing System in the world today for all network marketers/home business owners? If you want to start generating 10-20 + leads everyday, sign up more IBO’s, build a strong Amway Global team/organization, as you’ll learn how to become a 6 figure earner in the direct sales/network marketing industry… You need to Watch Video Below!
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The Gun-Toting Geologist Who Became First Lady
The wife of the president was just that—until a gun-toting geologist named Lou Hoover moved into the East Wing.
In the spring of 1929, the White House was busy preparing for a tea party. This wasn’t some run-of-the-mill White House tea party: It was a top secret shindig, with staffers and the Secret Service under strict orders not to speak of it.
All the fuss was because one of the 15 invitees on the guest list, Jessie DePriest, the wife of Illinois representative Oscar DePriest, was African-American. Not since Theodore Roosevelt had Booker T. Washington over for dinner three decades prior had a black person paid a social visit to the White House. But now, in the height of the Jim Crow era, Lou Hoover, wife of Herbert, was undeterred. She wanted DePriest to come, and her office had drafted and redrafted the guest list to include people who would accept her at the table.
Despite efforts to keep the party under wraps, the press found out, and, sure enough, a furor ensued. Newspapers lambasted the first lady for “defiling” the White House; the state legislatures of Texas, Georgia, and Florida passed resolutions rebuking her. Lou didn’t apologize. Although the reaction bothered her, she refused to acknowledge the controversy publicly. After all, this was nothing compared to the stress she had coolly handled while living in China, where she laughed off death threats during the Boxer Rebellion.
In many ways, Lou Hoover was the first truly modern first lady. She was one of the first first ladies to drive her own car (to the chagrin of the Secret Service), give radio addresses, and create a separate policy agenda for the East Wing. Usually, it’s Eleanor Roosevelt who comes to mind when people think of first ladies who made their own mark. But it was Lou who set an undeniable precedent for Eleanor herself, as well as future first ladies.
Lou was independent from the start. She enrolled at Stanford in 1894 and was the first female to graduate with a degree in geology, becoming one of only a handful of female geologists in the country. It was at Stanford that she met Herbert—at a dinner party where geology professor John Casper Branner (a mentor to both Herbert and Lou) and his wife had played matchmaker and seated the two together. They bonded immediately over a mutual interest—rocks.
An intensely private person, Lou waited until her graduation, three years after Bert’s, to tell anyone she planned to marry him. Even the Branners didn’t know how successful their matchmaking had been: “I thought they were just pals,” Mrs. Branner is quoted as saying in Nancy Beck Young’s Lou Henry Hoover: Activist First Lady. Bert’s proposal arrived via telegram: “Going to China via San Francisco. Will you go with me?” Three months later, he showed up in California. Within two weeks, they were married. Twenty-four hours after that, they were on the SS Coptic, headed to the Pacific.
It was nearly impossible for a woman, no matter how qualified, to land a geology job at the time. So while Bert worked as a consulting engineer to the Chinese government for a lucrative $20,000 salary, Lou busied herself learning Chinese. She did, however, sometimes follow Bert underground to inspect the mines, often to the shock of the miners.
By the summer of 1900, the Boxer Rebellion—a grassroots movement aimed at quashing foreign influences—had consumed the country. That June, the Empress Dowager Cixi declared war on all foreigners. But that didn’t bother Lou. She patrolled her garden with a .38 caliber pistol, rode her bike around town until a bullet blew out one of her tires, and calmly played solitaire as shells fell at her front door. As the danger grew, Bert tried to convince Lou to leave. She refused to go until he did too.
That August, the couple left China. A year later they landed in London, where Bert’s company was based, and after a couple of years they began raising two boys. Kids in tow, Lou accompanied Bert to Burma, Egypt, India, Russia, and Australia. Though neither of them had grown up rich, mining was lucrative, and the Hoovers were on their way to becoming millionaires by the end of their twenties. Wealth liberated Lou from housework, allowing her to take advantage of the freedoms available to women of her class: traveling, domestic help, and the luxury of time‚ which she spent collecting rock samples and sending them to Branner. It was during this period that Lou, who would eventually become fluent in five languages, published an award-winning Latin-to-English translation of a 1565 guide to mining and metallurgy.
After World War I began, Lou moved her sons to California and then returned to Europe to help Bert coordinate food and financial aid in neutral Belgium. (She was decorated by King Albert I for her work there.) When the U.S. entered the war, she moved to Washington, D.C. and started a couple of boardinghouses, including one for female employees of the Food Administration, which Bert was now heading. After the war, her husband’s political prospects blossomed—in 1920, his name was floated as a possible presidential candidate, and in 1921, he became Commerce Secretary. When he ran for president seven years later, he snagged 444 electoral votes.
Before moving into the White House, Lou knew she could reinvent the role of first lady. Instead of setting fashion trends like her predecessor, Grace Coolidge, Lou used her husband’s professional standing to do work for the causes she considered most important. She continued to teach women to respond to crises and disasters as she had during World War I and advocated for their right to participate in sporting events such as the Olympics.
Soon Lou was helping address another crisis. Just eight months after Hoover took office, the market crashed. People in need flooded the first lady with a stream of letters. Usually, they pleaded for money or clothes, though one old man simply asked that she send a plant to his wife. (Lou sent two: an ivy and a begonia.)
As the mailbox overflowed, Lou began to organize. She hired a staff to handle the letters and implemented a system. When the problem could be handled by a government agency, Lou’s office forwarded it. Cases dear to her heart were sent to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, while others were delivered to the offices of the Girl Scouts. (As national president from 1922 to 1925, she helped grow the small club into a thriving organization.) Her office coordinated with more than 40 federal, state, local, and private groups to provide relief. In situations where Lou knew none of the organizations could help, she would forward a letter to a personal friend of hers, asking for help on this one case—and then quietly send whatever money was needed too.
The quasi-governmental organization Lou created was unlike anything a first lady had done before. It acted as an informal clearinghouse, coordinating aid, independent of the president’s office. It helped, but not nearly enough—and neither did the Hoover administration’s policies. After one disastrous term in the White House, Lou and Bert left D.C.—and the Roosevelts moved in. Eleanor Roosevelt picked up where Lou left off. Her early relief efforts mirrored the system Lou had set up.
Before the Hoovers moved out, Eleanor came by the White House for a tour. Lou took her from room to room, pointing out which pieces of furniture would stay. In one of the oval-shaped parlors, Eleanor mentioned she liked the curtains. Lou offered to leave them behind. That’s the kind of woman she was—quietly generous.
America wasn’t as generous with the Hoovers: With the country still in dire financial straits, Americans rushed to disown anything having to do with them. The couple did little to argue their own defense. Lou remained characteristically tight-lipped about her work, even keeping secrets about her charities from her husband. When she died of a heart attack in 1944, Bert found, to his surprise, a stash of checks in her desk—hundreds of them. They were from cash-strapped people she had helped over the years, looking to repay her. Lou had refused to cash them.
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Memorable Manitobans: Henry Sheridan Atkinson (1901-1965)
Physician.
Born at Deloraine on 6 January 1901, son of Arthur Henry Atkinson and Rose Harvey, in 1928 he graduated with a medical degree from the University of Manitoba. He was Superintendent of the Manitoba School for Mentally Defective Persons at Portage la Prairie from its inception in 1933 to the time of his death. He was given a Manitoba Golden Boy Award in 1961. He died at Winnipeg on 18 October 1965 as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident north of Portage la Prairie.
Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Eleven Manitobans and radio-TV station to be honored,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 June 1961.
“Atkinson dies of injuries,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 October 1965, page 12.
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Five Things to Know for Your New Day – Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Sydney searches for answers. Pennsylvania police hunt for a gunman. And Camille Cosby defends her husband.
It's Tuesday and here are the 5 things to know for your New Day
1. AUSTRALIA HOSTAGE INVESTIGATION
Why?: Lots of questions remain in the aftermath of yesterday's hostage siege in Sydney. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, "It will take time to clarify exactly what happened." Dead is the gunman, Man Haron Monis, and two hostages. What did the gunman want? Why did he choose the Lindt Chocolate Café as his target? We may never know. Up to 17 people were held at one point before some escaped and police stormed in. Authorities describe Monis as a self-styled Muslim cleric, who was well-known to police and who had embraced a radical Sunni theology.
More on this story.
2. PENNSYLVANIA SHOOTINGS
Suspect search: An intense manhunt is underway in a Philadelphia suburb for a man suspected of killing his ex-wife and five former in-laws. Bradley William Stone of Pennsburg killed his ex-wife and her mother, grandmother and sister, as well as the sister's husband and 14-year-old daughter, authorities said. But Stone didn't harm his two daughters, who were living with his ex-wife. He took them to a neighbor's residence in Pennsburg, the last place he was seen. There have been several possible sightings of Stone, most recently in Doylestown, but so far authorities have little to go on. Stone was described as armed and dangerous.
3. SYRIA
Bad and getting worse: A top United Nations official said yesterday that there are no words left to describe the situation in Syria. Nearly 200,000 people have been killed in the 3-year Syrian conflict and one million injured, Valerie Amos, the U.N. chief for humanitarian affairs, told the U.N. Security Council. She said the combative parties there are fighting each other with no regard for the thousands of civilians and children caught in the middle. All parties involved in the conflict "continue to violate the most basic of laws with devastating consequences," Amos said, pointing a finger at the Syrian government, ISIS and other armed opposition groups.
4. NEW SURGEON GENERAL
Top doc: It took more than a year to accomplish, but the Senate has confirmed Vivek Murthy as the nation's new surgeon general. President Obama tapped the founder of the pro-Obamacare group Doctors for America for the post back in November 2013. America's gun lobby held up the nomination over a letter Murthy had signed calling for new gun control measures following the Newtown, Connecticut, school shootings two years ago. The nomination passed on a 51 to 43 vote. Murthy, 37, is America's youngest-ever top doctor, and he is also the first surgeon general of Indian-American descent.
5. CAMILLE COSBY SPEAKS OUT
Stands by her man: Bill Cosby's wife, Camille, is out in defense of her husband. As sexual assault allegations mount against him, she asked, "Who is the victim?" Over the last month, many women have come forward to accuse Cosby of past sexual assault, a crime the star has never been officially charged with. "He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man," Camille Cosby said in a statement. "A different man has been portrayed in the media over the last two months. It is the portrait of a man I do not know."
Those are your five biggies for the day. Here are a couple of others that are brewing and have the Internet buzzing.
–Optical illusions: Guaranteed to blow your mind.
- Fit to be (bow) tied: Justin Timberlake gets a cool gift from a young fan.
- Getting catty: Welcome to today's edition of Cats vs. Christmas Trees.
- Dancin' fool: We don't know whether to be impressed by or embarrassed for this Vancouver Canucks fan. You be the judge.
- To the rescue: A giant tortoise comes to the aid of his buddy.
There you go. All you need to know to get an early start to your morning.
Be sure to tune in to "New Day," from 6 to 9 a.m. ET, join us at NewDayCNN.com and go and have a GREAT NEW DAY!
Posted by CNN's Ed Payne; CNN's Dorrine Mendoza
Filed under: 5 Things To Know For Your New Day
Margaret Morgan
Are my comments being rejected for some reason?
Please resolve the problem involving my many days of comments still awaiting moderation.
You go Sal!!!!!!!! Justin Timberlake's ultimate fan!!!!!!!! Cats vs. Christmas trees- CREEPY!!!!!!!! To watch that giant tortoise come to the aid of his upside down friend was truly amazing!!!!!!!! I love, love, love the Vancouver Canucks fan!!!!!!!! That's what it's all about going to your favorite sporting event, cheering on your team and having good wholesome fun!!!!!!!! Keep on dancing with your bad self!!!!!!!! Enjoy life to the fullness!!!!!!!!
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World’s First P2P Currency Exchange Platform WeSwap Hits 500,000 Users, Launches £2.3m Fundraise
This morning, WeSwap, the award-winning peer-to-peer currency exchange platform, announces that in tandem with the launch of a £2.3 million funding round on leading investment platform Seedrs, it has hit 500,000 users. This raise will support the Series B investment round led by IW Capital, WeSwap's lead investor, who has invested an additional £3.7 million in the travel money start-up, including £1.7 million of equity in this round.
Today’s news follows the company hitting a staggering £250 million in global currency traded on the platform since its launch in 2015, making the company the first peer-to-peer travel money fintech in the UK to do so. With award wins including Best Travel Money Provider at the 2018 and 2019 British Bank Awards, the fintech front runner has firmly cemented its role as one of the UK’s leading case studies for scale-up growth, fortifying a loyal and ever-expanding user base whilst maintaining the edge on product innovation and user experience.
WeSwap continues to hit remarkable milestones since its launch – presently, the currency exchange platform has over 30 travel industry partnerships, as well as booking flow integrations with online travel partners and numerous innovative travel-money products including:
A WeSwap pre-paid travel card
Card payments and withdrawals in over 195 countries and territories
Rate tracker
Smart Swap (where a user can pre-select an exchange rate at which they would like to execute a currency exchange)
Next day Travel Cash delivery
Buyback service
This is WeSwap’s third raise on Seedrs, having previously attracted over £3.5m from 3,868 investors.
Jared Jesner, CEO and Founder of WeSwap commented: “We have an incredibly loyal and engaged user base, something we’re truly proud of and will continue to honour with a great service. We are delighted to open up this latest round of funding, supplementing a series of debt, equity and private investment routes that have aided us in achieving some great milestones that we’re really proud of. This latest round will allow us to launch a range of new WeSwap product innovations and expand into Asia.”
For more information, please visit: www.seedrs.com/weswap3
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ICC Confirms War Crimes Charges for Intentional Destruction of Cultural and Religious Buildings
In a recent decision by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I on March 24, 2016, the Court confirmed charges for war crimes for intentionally directing attacks against religious and cultural buildings under Art. 8(2)(e)(iv) in the case of the Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi. The defendant is alleged to have committed war crimes in Timbuktu, Mali, between around June 30, 2012 through around July 11, 2012. Already in a press release dated September 26, 2015, the ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda stated that that
Intentional attacks against historic monuments and buildings dedicated to religion are grave crimes. […] No longer should such reprehensible conduct go unpunished. […] Such attacks affect humanity as a whole. We must stand up to the destruction and defacing of our common heritage.
The ICC’s Rome Statute Article 8(2)(e)(iv) defines war crimes as
(e) Other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts not of an international character, within the established framework of international law, namely any of the following acts: (iv) Intentionally directing attacks against building dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives; […].
The Pre-Trial Chamber I found sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi committed the crimes with which he is charged and reasoned, in paragraphs 40-44 of its decision on confirmation of charges, that it is not disputed that the targeted buildings/structures were “dedicated to religion and constituted historic monuments because of their origins and significance, and that none of them constituted a military objective” and that these buildings were “specifically identified, chosen, and targeted by the perpetrators as objects of their attack, precisely in light and because of their religious and historical character.” The Court further reasoned that the article’s prohibition “attaches to the attack per se” regardless of whether the building/structure was or was not destroyed and concluded that the “attacks” within the meaning of the statute also include acts “which did not bring about a complete destruction” of the targeted building or structure.
This reasoning is a step in the right direction when a Court of international stature recognizes the importance of cultural, historical, religious, and national heritage as embodied in buildings and structures and articulates that even a partial destruction will not go unpunished. The Court appears to focus on the reasons that the objects were targeted for their religious and historical importance within the surrounding society, the fact that they did not constitute military objectives, and that their destruction (even partial) was considered very serious by the local populations rather than the level or the intended level of destruction. As such, it would reason that even vandalizing, defacing, or otherwise damaging a building or structure might fall within the statute according to the Court’s interpretation of Art. 8(2)(e)(iv).
Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, ICC-01/12-01/15, Situation in the Republic of Mali.
Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, ICC-01/12-01/15, Decision on the Confirmation of Charges Against Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi (Mar. 24, 2016).
Written by Lucie Olejnikova Posted in Int'l and Comparative Criminal Law Tagged with armed conflict, Article 8(2)(e)(iv), confirmation of charges, cultural heritage, destruction of buildings, destruction of historic monuments, grave crimes, historic monuments, military objective, non-international armed conflict, Pre-Trial Chamber, religious building, religious structure
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UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals
SCOTUS and the Prison Litigation Reform Act
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Racial solidarity for me, but not for thee
Racial solidarity for me, but not for thee2016-12-16 NATi
CNNDonald TrumpKanye WestPan-AfricanismPeniel Josephracial solidarityStokely CarmichaelWhite nationalism
A faithful reader sent me a link to an opinion piece on the CNN website by Peniel Joseph, who is the Barbara Jordan Chair in Political Values and Ethics and the Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is also a professor of history. Mr. Joseph is the author of several books, most recently Stokely: A Life.
As a side note, Stokely Carmichael was active in the Civil Rights and Black Power movements and advocated Pan-Africanism, which aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all people of African descent.
Pan-Africanism is based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress and aims to unify and uplift people of African descent. The ideology asserts that the fate of all African peoples and countries are intertwined. At its core, Pan-Africanism is a belief that African peoples, both on the continent and in the diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny.
While hardly anyone would disagree with these common sense beliefs, simply replacing “African” with “European” suddenly makes the whole proposition racist. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Carmichael wasn’t all that bad, though. In his memoirs, he proclaimed “I have never admired a white man, but the greatest of them, to my mind, was Hitler.”
The CNN article written by Mr. Joseph is a petty critique of Kanye West’s decision to meet Donald Trump this week. For the record, I have never listened to any of Kanye West’s music, and when I heard that he considers himself to be the greatest artistic genius of all time, I knew I wasn’t missing anything.
There are so many absurd and bogus claims in this article that it makes you wonder what kind of damage this guy is doing to the minds of the precious snowflakes who take his classes and think they are actually going to learn something.
Kanye West, do YOU care about black people?
By Peniel Joseph
Kanye West’s meeting with president-elect Donald Trump suggests that, symbolically at least, black people did not just lose the presidential election — we’ve lost our damn minds.
No matter that West’s actions stand in stark contrast to the feelings of hip-hop artists, black voters and civil rights advocates. His very presence at Trump Tower offers a dramatic symbol of the racial bait-and-switch that the president-elect has perfected as entertainment: a 21st -century minstrel-meets-reality-show, starring disgraced rap stars, aging sports icons and an assortment of other rogues.
In saying that Black people lost the presidential election, Mr. Joseph assumes that no Black Americans supported Trump, which is patently false. He prioritizes “feelings” over principles, characterizes West’s willingness to meet and talk with Trump as a “racial bait-and-switch” and condemns all Blacks who dare to give Trump a chance.
West is mercurial and his entertaining mixture of talent, ego and unpredictability has a long narrative in popular culture. His meeting with Trump represents a dénouement of sorts, the closing of a political circle begun over a decade ago in the aftermath of his comment that “George Bush does not care about black people” during a live fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina victims.
But Yeezy’s participation in the president-elect’s traveling reality show comes at great cost to the black community.
Mr. Joseph implies that West simply meeting with Trump has somehow caused irreparable damage to the Black community. Yet Blacks have fared worse under Obama than any other president in modern history. They have lost more wealth under Obama than under any president since the Great Depression and lost ground in every major economic category. How is Kanye West reaching out to Trump worse than all that?
When it comes to Trump, we are always better off following his political actions rather than spending time on photo-ops. His interaction with West, whom he called a “good friend,” has gone predictably viral. But it dangerously overshadows actions that carry political weight, such as his choice of Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Senator and notable enemy of racial justice, for Attorney General.
Trump’s cabinet — staffed with the most white males of any since 1989 — tells the true story about his views on race far more clearly than any photo-op with Kanye West ever could.
America is a country built by White men from Europe. When I was born, America was 90% White. In 1989, the population was about 80% White. Why then, should anyone be surprised that White men are proportionately represented, particularly when Jews (about 2% of the U.S. population) are disproportionately represented in government (a fact that makes you anti-Semitic just for pointing it out)? Clearly, Mr. Joseph is of the opinion that Blacks are a monolithic group with common concerns and goals—so why is it a bad thing for White people to view themselves in the same way?
Unfortunately, West is far from the only black celebrity engaged in ad-hoc negotiations in the pop culture arena with Trump.
Jim Brown, legendary NFL running back and civil rights activist, claimed to have fallen “in love” with the president-elect after a recent meeting in Trump Tower.
No one should question Brown’s sincerity and support for racial and economic justice for the African-American community. He has a long history of working to end gang violence in big cities like Los Angeles and to create jobs for black youth who are disproportionately unemployed.
But, certainly, we might now question his judgment.
The meeting between West and Trump, two titans of Twitter, raises the question: Have celebrities become the new black political leaders in the Age of Trump?
The answer is not really, but the president-elect would sure like to make it so. It is certainly much simpler to discuss pressing matters related to racial justice in America with Kanye West and Jim Brown rather than elected officials, community organizers, policy experts or ordinary African Americans.
Mr. Joseph praises Jim Brown’s efforts toward racial and economic justice in Black communities, then invalidates them by lumping him into the “aging sports icons and other rogues” category, dismissing his support for Trump as mere racial-bait-and-switch. Where were these elected officials, community organizers and policy experts for the past eight years in the Obama administration? Why didn’t they do something about the worsening conditions in Black communities under America’s first Black president?
Although you would never know this if you only watched mainstream media news coverage, those “ordinary African Americans” are responsible for the majority of violent crime in America. According to The Color of Crime (2016 Edition), Blacks are six times more likely than a non-Blacks to commit murder, and 12 times more likely to murder someone of another race than to be murdered by someone of another race. In 2013, of the approximately 660,000 crimes of interracial violence that involved Blacks and Whites, Blacks were the perpetrators 85 percent of the time. This meant a Black person was 27 times more likely to attack a white person than vice versa. Check out Colin Flaherty’s YouTube channel for all the news the mainstream media has been hiding from you.
Frederick Douglass, legendary black abolitionist and one of the 19th century’s most famous Americans, met three times with Abraham Lincoln, who cited Douglass’ intellectual excellence as bolstering his belief in the necessity for blacks to have voting rights.
Booker T. Washington, head of the historically black Tuskegee Institute, conferred with Theodore Roosevelt about race relations at the White House in a meeting that scandalized the white press.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. enjoyed intimate access to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, pushing at least three US presidents to find common cause with the national struggle for black dignity during the civil rights era.
All of these black leaders, despite ideological and political differences, sought to press the occupant of the White House to expand the scope and vision of American democracy.
The descent from these lofty, historical and political heights is staggering. Trump’s meetings with black celebrities do not evoke King’s summits with LBJ. Rather, they are more reminiscent of the embarrassing spectacle of singer Sammy Davis Jr. embracing President Richard Nixon.
Davis, a stalwart Democrat and civil rights advocate who had previously supported John F. Kennedy, upset many in the African-American community by hugging Nixon on stage at the Republican National Convention in 1972.
Like Brown, Davis was lulled by Nixon’s siren song of black empowerment and self-determination, a decision he later came to regret.
Sure, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King and Sammy Davis Jr. were A-list guests at the White House, but were any of them considered to be the greatest artistic genius of all time? And let’s be honest: in today’s America, where the Discovery Channel is considered intellectual and most people can only focus their mind to read 140 characters at a time, isn’t it possible that Kanye West actually is the modern day equivalent of those famous Black Americans?
Brown and West, who supposedly discussed “multicultural issues” with Trump, may have gambled that their personal celebrity could forge a bond with a president-elect whose love for glitz is unmatched.
This goes beyond the realm of wishful thinking. Their folly crosses the line into the darker world of pandering, racial accommodation, and identifying so strongly with white power as to be blinded by its destructive impact on the community they profess to defend and support.
They have both, unintentionally or not, pandered to perhaps the most dangerous racial demagogue of our time, one whose actions — the substance of which will be extraordinarily damaging to African Americans — speak more loudly than his words.
Trump’s personal friendships with famous black people will not mitigate the chaos, damage and misery that his political appointees, racially charged rhetoric and policy choices will inflict on the black community.
I am not sure how many other Black Americans have met with Trump and taken the time to actually talk to him besides Kanye West and Jim Brown, but it seems to me that, as people tend to fear what they don’t understand, it might be a good idea to at least make an attempt to achieve mutual understanding rather than giving up without ever trying. Based on the opinions expressed in this article, I doubt Mr. Joseph will be asked to visit Trump Tower any time soon. Do I detect a hint of jealousy? Probably not. Mr. Joseph would seem to prefer to denigrate and shun from afar, as opposed to meeting face to face and engaging in an open dialogue.
Donald Trump is many things, but he does not shy away from speaking his mind, and he certainly is no panderer. That would be Hillary Clinton, whose accent changes based on which demographic group she is addressing. And racial demagogue? President Obama has done more to encourage racial disharmony through propaganda than any president in my lifetime. At the end of the day, all Mr. Joseph is concerned about is how a Trump presidency will be “extraordinarily damaging to African Americans.” Never mind the concerns of White Americans, the majority of the population, nor the concerns of all the non-Whites who voted for Trump. The Black community, which is the most self-destructive of all racial communities in the United States, is the only one that matters.
A secretary of state whose oil company has wreaked environmental damage suffered most disproportionately by African Americans and people of color, check.
A chief political strategist whose ascent is fueled by white nationalism and the demonization of people of color, check.
What next? Stay tuned.
“My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” is the title of one of West’s best albums. It might also characterize the state of mind that convinces well-intentioned celebrities that political symbols can overwhelm policy substance and that the mind of an anti-black leader can be changed through gregarious small talk, well-timed photo ops and the shared intimacy of celebrity.
I would like to see some evidence of the environmental damage caused by ExxonMobil that disproportionately affects Black people in America. Including the 1989 Valdez oil spill in Alaska, ExxonMobil has had a total of six accidents in 27 years. That’s not a great record, but it could be worse. And, of those six accidents, only a naphtha leak in Baton Rouge, LA, resulted in reports of adverse health impacts including severe headaches and respiratory difficulties. Living near a naphtha refinery in Baton Rouge probably says more about your socioeconomic status than it does about your race.
Mr. Joseph questions the state of mind of any Black American attempting to find common ground with Trump, who he accuses of being an anti-Black leader, without providing any supporting evidence. He dismisses political symbols, small-talk, photo-ops and celebrity, yet isn’t this largely what the Obama presidency has consisted of? Have you seen the videos of Obama with his selfie stick? Or singing Marvin Gaye? Or reading tweets on late night talk shows? Not to mention the fact that the Nobel Peace Prize winner-in-chief has prolonged Bush’s wars and started new ones of his own, causing untold misery and death for millions of people of color.
These were things that Obama actually did. Eight years later, Black Americans are worse off than they were in 2008. Yet Mr. Joseph is already up in arms about what he presumes Trump might do. For a history professor, Mr. Joseph has a suspiciously selective memory.
Mr. Joseph conflates White nationalism with the demonization of people of color, as if the two go hand-in-hand. As Justin Garcia of the Pressure Project says, “just because I like me, doesn’t mean I hate you.”
In the article Water-Cooler White Nationalism, John Ingram sums up the basic position of White nationalists:
“Races are inherently different. These differences make any multiracial society an ungovernable mess. We’d all be better off living separately, or at least acknowledging racial differences and allowing for them in public policy. Open immigration, affirmative action, color-blindness, forced diversity, heavy government spending–all these policies are bound to fail, because equality can’t be legislated…Whites are a bona fide group with the right to associate among themselves in all aspects of life (including governance), to exclude others, and to determine their own destiny.”
A bona fide group with the right to associate among themselves in all aspects of life, to exclude others, and to determine their own destiny—doesn’t that sound like something Pan-Africanists like Stokely Carmichael would agree to, if it were referring to Black people?
And isn’t Mr. Joseph all about Blacks associating among themselves (to strengthen bonds of solidarity between all Black Americans), excluding others (anyone he perceives as a pandering racial demogogue) and determining their own destiny (matters related to racial justice in America)?
Mr. Joseph clearly believes in the imperative of racial solidarity for Blacks. But not for White people.
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Police chief, 2 nursing home employees killed; shooter dead
Two employees and the shooter were also killed, Throp said. "It is a hard day for all of us", Thorp said. He said he saw people "running" from the Pine Kirk Care Center . The gunman was later found dead. A police chief in a central OH town, on the job for just three weeks, was among four people fatally shot on Friday morning at a nursing and rehabilitation home, officials said.
Speeding Amtrak engineer charged in 2015 crash that killed 8
Kline, and Robert J. Mongeluzzi this evening, following the announcement by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, endorsed his filing of several criminal charges against Amtrak Engineer Brandon Bostian, whose reckless and grossly negligent conduct caused the May 12, 2015 fatal Amtrak Train No.
Federal Bureau of Investigation searches GOP consulting firm in Annapolis
The firm, Strategic Campaign Group, was founded in 2010 , and promises to connect candidates with "Republican voters and supporters". (It also did not immediately return VICE News' request for comment.) After the raid Thursday, Rogers denied any wrongdoing, but said the allegations in the lawsuit apparently led to the FBI investigation.
Pre-existing conditions and the health plan: Who's covered?
Baloney. Sick people could be charged premiums so high as to make insurance unaffordable. That is not success. It isn't over until the bill sits on the president's desk, so if your clients are unhappy with the proposed law, encourage them to call their senators.
Democrats see a winning issue in opposing GOP health bill
For the most part, we don't know how much the winners would get and how much the losers would forfeit because House leaders and the White House - after failing to pass the bill twice before - were too chicken to wait for the numbers from the Congressional Budget Office.
Trump delaying decision on Paris climate deal
White House press secretary Sean Spicer told the media, "I think it's simply a sign that the President wants to continue to meet with his team", CNN reports . While President Trump promised during his campaign that he would exit the agreement, certain members of his inner-circle have advocated staying. "At this stage when most of the political leaders are actively engaged, they are well aware of the issue", he said.
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Rust: A Friendly Introduction
Session Audio
Download audio of this session
Scheduled: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 from 10:00 – 11:45am in B302/303
Conventional wisdom says that writing high-performance code means working without the safety net of credible compile-time safety checks. Mozilla Research (a community of researchers, engineers, and volunteers) is trying to prove that conventional wisdom wrong by building Rust, a new systems programming language. Rust takes advantage of well-understood programming language technology to combine aggressive compile-time error checking with the high degree of direct control over the machine necessary to write efficient systems programs. By way of examples, I'll teach you how to use Rust to write fast and trustworthy code.
When writing systems-level applications like operating systems, device drivers, and Web browser engines, many things can go wrong. Null pointers, buffer overflows, and memory leaks all occur in C and C++-based applications in the wild, and can all cause serious security vulnerabilities. C and C++ compilers and tools are at best only partially able to detect these problems during development. While memory-safe languages such as Haskell and Scala solve these problems, historically, systems programmers have not found these languages acceptable for meeting their performance goals. Rust, a new open-source language being stewarded by Mozilla, aims to make memory safety bugs a thing of the past without sacrificing performance. Rust supports large-scale programming and its needs for reliability, efficient use of space and time, and concurrency.
In this tutorial talk, I will show you how to write fast code in Rust with the help of a compiler that detects many potential bugs at compile time. I will start by showing you how to write simple prototypes in a subset of Rust that uses garbage collection. Then, I will refine these examples to use Rust’s “borrowed pointers”. Using borrowed pointers eliminates the overhead of garbage collection because the compiler can determine these pointers’ lifetimes at compile time. I will show you how to manage memory in Rust in ways that are just as efficient as they would be in a C++ program but enjoy stronger compile-time correctness checking than C++ compilers provide. As I’ll explain, this style of coding requires more thought during development because you have to be explicit about the relationships between data structures in memory, but it pays off in the long term by eliminating dangling pointers and memory leaks, without incurring unwanted memory management overhead.
All the examples I’ll show will be based on real applications, potentially drawn from an audio decoder, an NES game emulator, and a prototype Web browser engine (Servo – https://github.com/mozilla/servo – under development at Mozilla). All examples will be adapted from open-source programs that are freely available on Github. I’ll assume that audience members are comfortable programming in at least one language and have at least a passing familiarity with either C or C++.
I have spoken at the Haskell Implementors' Workshop (2009) and at the Portland Functional Programming Study Group (pdxfunc), as well as at Portland State University when i was a student there. This will be my first time speaking outside Mozilla about Rust, so the talk will be entirely new.
Tim Chevalier
AlephCloud Systems
Website: http://catamorphism.org/
Blog: http://tim.dreamwidth.org/
Twitter: eassumption
Favorites: View Tim's favorites
I’ve been programming in Haskell for 14 years. After a 3-year sojourn at Mozilla working on the Rust team, I returned to functional programming as a software engineer at AlephCloud Systems. I studied computer science at Portland State University; the University of California, Berkeley; and Wellesley College. I’ve been contributing to open-source projects for ten years. When I’m not writing code, I like to write about social and political issues, ride my bicycle, and play with my cats.
* Rust: A Friendly Introduction
Title: Rust: A Friendly Introduction
Conventional wisdom says that writing high-performance code means working without the safety net of credible compile-time safety checks. Mozilla Research (a community of researchers, engineers, and volunteers) is trying to prove that conventional wisdom wrong by building Rust, a new systems programming language. Rust takes advantage of well-understood programming language technology to combine aggressive compile-time error checking with the high degree of direct control over the machine necessary to write efficient systems programs. By way of examples, I’ll teach you how to use Rust to write fast and trustworthy code.
Speakers: Tim Chevalier
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Pa. ranks 2nd worst in toxic dumping
By Don Hopey, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Pennsylvania's industries and sewage treatment plants dump more toxic chemicals into state waters than those in all but one other state, and the amount is increasing, according to a study released yesterday by a coalition of environmental groups.
PG Online graphic:
Top contributors of river pollution
The study found that more than 40 million pounds of toxic pollutants were released into Pennsylvania waterways in 1997, the latest year for which federal statistics are available. While most of the discharges were within limits set by state and federal permits, 18 percent of the state's largest industrial facilities violated the Clean Water Act.
The Armco Inc. steel facility in Butler, purchased last September by AK Steel, ranked first nationally for the amount of pollutant discharges. The steelmaker legally discharged more than 29 million pounds of nitrate compounds -- a waste produced when nitric acid is used to "pickle" or clean the surface of raw steel -- into Connoquenessing Creek.
As a result, only the Mississippi River received more toxic chemical releases thaN Connoquenessing Creek, and the Mississippi got its pollution from many more sources in 10 states, according to "Poisoning Our Water: How the Government Permits Pollution," released yesterday by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
"Despite the clear intention of the Clean Water Act to eliminate pollution of our waterways, 40 percent are still too polluted for safe fishing or swimming," said Joshua Yeagley, campaign coordinator for Pennsylvania PIRG. "And we're seeing an increase in discharges because the regulations are not strong enough and the government isn't enforcing them."
Armco increased its nitrate discharges from 15 million pounds in 1996 to more than 29 million pounds in 1997 because of production increases and changes in the types of steel produced.
Nitrate levels were so high in the creek last year that Zelienople, which draws its drinking water from the creek during times of drought, had to advise pregnant women and children not to drink tap water.
Although the facility's state permit contains no nitrate discharge limitation, April Hutchinson, a state Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman, said a new permit that will take effect in August limits the discharges and requires the company to reduce them.
"This is an issue we inherited and we will attempt to meet our commitments to reduce nitrate releases through alternative technology," said Alan McCoy, an AK spokesman. He outlined a three-part program that emphasizes reducing use of nitric acid, recovery of acid that isn't eliminated and treatment.
Nationally, 270 million pounds of toxic chemicals were discharged into rivers, lakes and streams in 1997 -- an increase of 20 percent over 1995 discharge totals. Louisiana, with its large number of oil refineries, had the most discharges, with 47 million pounds. Texas, also a big refinery state, was third with almost 28 million pounds.
As expected, the biggest pollution states cited in the report have concentrations of industry along abundant waterways, but several other industrial states in the Midwest and East had far less in discharges than Pennsylvania did.
Using the most recent data available from the federal Toxics Release Inventory and the Permit Compliance System databases, the study found nearly 30 percent of the 2,000 largest facilities nationwide were in violation of their federal or state discharge permits.
In addition to recommending tougher discharge limits and better enforcement, the study calls for mandatory minimum penalties for violators that include higher fines.
"We need clean water now, and we have to start by requiring polluters to obey the law," Yeagley said. "The fine amounts need to be high enough to prevent polluters from profiting. Industries often find it easier to pay the fines and then keep polluting."
After the Cuyahoga River caught fire in Cleveland in 1969, Congress passed the Clean Water Act of 1972, which set a goal of "zero discharge" by 1985. Nearly 30 years later, while the visible pollution from untreated sewage and many industries has been significantly reduced, more than 40 percent of the nation's waters are still not safe for fishing and swimming.
There have been more than 30,000 beach closings and advisories due to water pollution since 1988, and in 1998, 47 states -- Pennsylvania among them -- issued fish consumption advisories because of high contamination levels caused by dangerous chemicals in the water. Consumption advisories are in effect on the rivers around Pittsburgh for carp, catfish, walleye, sauger, bass and freshwater drum.
"Overall, the water quality may be better than it was," said Sue Seppi, executive director of the Group Against Smog and Pollution, "but the level of toxics is incredibly large. The public shouldn't have to accept closed beaches, fish advisories and bottled water as a matter of course."
In addition to AK Steel's Butler Works, other big pollutant discharges in Western Pennsylvania occurred at J&L Specialty Steel Inc. in Midland, Beaver County; and Allegheny Ludlum Corp. facilities in Leechburg, Armstrong County, and Brackenridge.
Bradley Campbell, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator, said the Clean Water Act has had some notable successes, but that progress to clean up the nation's waterways has "plateaued."
He said the Clinton administration's Clean Water Action program is aimed at moving waterway cleanup forward again by expanding the public's right to know about industrial pollution sources and stepping up enforcement. New federal regulations have increased the number of facilities that must report discharges and the number of chemicals they must file discharge reports on, while lowering the threshold amounts that must be reported.
"Expanding the public's right to know about what chemicals are being discharged by the facility up the street has had a dramatic effect," Campbell said. "Historically, those disclosures have resulted in emissions eventually being cut in half."
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One Young Lion’s Story
POSTED BY - Genevieve Reynolds Jun 10, 2015 -
The Australian Cannes Young Lions competition is about supporting, fostering and challenging young creative, media and marketing professionals with the aim of identifying the hottest young talent to represent Australia on the world stage. Getting into the mix of this was an opportunity I could not resist!
On first perusal of the round one “Diet Coke” brief, I was excited by the prospect of working on an iconic brand. However having never crafted a response in this way before, I experienced moments (and sometimes days) of intense trepidation towards entering.
Like many of my peers, I felt daunted by my current lack of experience and apprehensive about whether I could genuinely produce something good. Eventually, I was won over by the clichéd and overused phrase; “What’s the worst that could happen?”
The deadline for the judges to select Victorian finalists was 1st May. I prepared a presentation the night before, and was feeling nervous at the prospect of presenting my idea in front of a panel of senior industry professionals, in anticipation of a judgement that could go either way. I calmed myself by affirming the importance of backing your own idea; if you genuinely have faith in it, then the subsequent “sell”, is ultimately what will elicit success.
I was one of the lucky few to receive a call, and was told that I had one hour to arrive at the Newscorp building to present my idea. While I waited with a number of the other entrants, it became increasingly obvious that we were all feeling the same way. While I took no pleasure in other people’s nerves, it was comforting to know that I wasn’t the only one whose stomach was in knots!
Following the presentations, we endured two long weeks before finding out whether or not we would be selected to represent OMD in Sydney at the national finals. I received the call. I was not going to Sydney. It was disappointing, but I was pleased with the feedback I received. I was told that my idea was incredibly polarising – some people in the room loved it, while it didn’t resonate with others. Alas, the latter were more adamant than the former, and I didn’t make the top six.
My colleague Jeremy received the more desired result and learned that he would be going to Sydney to compete in the national finals. It was great to have someone from OMD representing us all.
Two weeks later, while Jeremy was preparing his hand-over notes for a week out of the office, the entire experience was just a fond memory for me. I was sitting at my desk when our Head of Strategy informed me that following a last minute withdrawal from another entrant, the judges had chosen me to represent OMD at the Sydney finals. My idea had stuck in their minds! It was a bizarre turn of events, but testament to the fact that a controversial or bold idea, while sometimes divisive, is memorable and well-regarded.
The finals in Sydney were brilliant. On Tuesday, we launched into a presentation work-shop, which helped us to hone our presentation skills; we learnt about how to engage an audience using granular detail during our storytelling, repetition of key terms and our body language. Jeremy and I were given the opportunity to pair together and jumped at the chance.
We received the brief on Wednesday. The client was the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and they wanted donations, and to achieve greater awareness nationally. It was stipulated that we must use Newscorp’s suite of media brands and products to form a campaignable idea.
The 36 hours that followed were intense. Jeremy and I had discussed our process prior to receiving the brief; we would discuss and define the challenge to begin with, then brainstorm audience and product insights. From this, we hoped that our strategy and idea would be born. We set ourselves a timeline and surprisingly, we almost stuck to it. By 5pm on Wednesday, after food breaks, coffee breaks, and inspiration breaks, we had wholeheartedly committed to our idea. We spent the rest of the afternoon and the evening forming our script and making sure that our insights, strategy and idea tied together seamlessly. We discussed our points for repetition and put together the structure for the PowerPoint presentation.
Come Thursday, we were relatively un-rested but fuelled by adrenaline. We practised our presentation and our “sell” from 8am. We presented to others and took their feedback on board throughout the morning. By 1:30pm, we returned to the Newscorp building to present to the judges.
We were the second last pair to present, and we were finally called into the theatre at 3pm. After presenting, we got just one question, and it was something we’d prepared for. We walked out feeling really happy with our efforts. Although we knew we’d taken a bit of a risk, having challenged the brief and reframed the task, we felt that it was received well by the judges.
On Friday, we attended the announcement ceremony at the MCA in Sydney. While we had our heart set on winning, we felt that each and all of our competitors were worthy of the honour. While a trip to Cannes to represent OMD would have been amazing, we weren’t shattered by the news. Jeremy and I were both extremely proud of what we delivered in such a short amount of time, and the way we presented our idea on the day.
I encourage everyone at OMD who qualifies to compete in the Cannes Young Lions to enter next year. I learned a great deal throughout the process, including how to craft a tight response as well as invaluable lessons about presenting which I can and will apply to my work on a daily basis. The experience allowed me to meet and work with people, both within and outside of OMD, who were able to impart knowledge to me that I otherwise would never have benefited from.
So I urge you, when the opportunity comes around next year, to ask yourself… “What’s the worst that could happen?”
AboutGenevieve Reynolds
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Islamic State on brink of defeat in Syria enclave
Thursday, 21 February 2019 10:01 GMT
A fighter from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) gives bread to children near the village of Baghouz, Deir Al Zor province, Syria February 20, 2019. REUTERS/Rodi Said TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Baghouz at the Iraqi border is the last scrap of territory left to IS in the Euphrates valley region that became its final populated stronghold in Iraq and Syria after a series of defeats in 2017
By Rodi Said
DEIR AL-ZOR, Syria, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Remaining civilians are expected to be evacuated from Islamic State's final enclave in eastern Syria on Thursday, U.S.-backed forces said, clearing the way for them to wipe out the last vestige of jihadist rule that once straddled Syria and Iraq.
Iraqi sources said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has besieged the last IS enclave near the Iraqi border, handed over more then 150 Iraqi and other foreign jihadists to Iraq on Thursday, under a deal involving a total of 502.
The village of Baghouz at the Iraqi border is the last scrap of territory left to Islamic State in the Euphrates valley region that became its final populated stronghold in Iraq and Syria after a series of defeats in 2017.
Taking it will nudge the eight-year-old Syrian war towards a new phase, with U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to withdraw troops leaving a security vacuum that other powers are seeking to fill.
Though the fall of Baghouz marks a milestone in the campaign against IS and the wider conflict in Syria, Islamic State is still seen as a major security threat.
The group has steadily turned to guerrilla warfare and still holds territory in a remote, sparsely populated area west of the Euphrates River - a part of Syria otherwise controlled by the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies.
The head of the SDF media office, Mustafa Bali, told Reuters the SDF would attack Baghouz once the civilian evacuation was complete - a process he expected to be finished on Thursday.
Bali did not say how much more time was needed to finish off the remaining Islamic State militants, or give a new estimate of how many fighters remained.
The SDF has previously estimated several hundred fighters - believed mostly to be foreign jihadists - are still inside.
The U.S.-led coalition said on Wednesday "the most hardened" jihadists remain in Baghouz.
More than 2,000 civilians left the enclave on Wednesday, the SDF said. It has said more than 20,000 civilians left Baghouz in the days leading up to the start of the SDF's final push to capture the enclave this month.
Balis said on Wednesday the SDF could not be certain if some Islamic State fighters had left Baghouz with the civilians.
SDF and coalition forces are recording the names and questioning everyone who has left in the civilian convoys.
Many of the people who left the enclave in civilian convoys have been Iraqis, some of whom said they had crossed from Iraq into Syria as Iraqi government forces made gains against Islamic State on the other side of the frontier.
Two Iraqi military sources told Reuters the handover of Islamic State fighters on Thursday was the first of several.
"The majority of the fighters are Iraqi," said a military colonel whose unit is stationed at the Syrian border. "But we have a few foreigners."
The mayor of Iraqi border town Al-Qaim, Ahmed al-Mahallawi, said some fighters' families were also transferred.
"Early this morning, 10 trucks loaded with Daesh fighters and their families were handed over by SDF forces to the Iraqi army," he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
"The majority of them are Iraqis and the convoy was under maximum security protection headed to the Jazeera and Badiya military headquarters." Both bases are located in Anbar province.
(Additional reporting by Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad, Raya Jalabi in Erbil, Tom Perry in Beirut; Writing by Tom Perry, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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