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__label__wiki	0.793459	0.793459	256 F. 3d 1365 - Landmark Land Company Inc v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 256 F3d 1365 Landmark Land Company Inc v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 256 F.3d 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2001) LANDMARK LAND COMPANY, INC., PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, UNITED STATES, DEFENDANT-CROSS APPELLANT. Nos. 00-5065,-5073,-5074 United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Appealed from: United States Court of Federal Claims Paul M. Fish, Modrall, Sperling, Roehl Harris & Sisk, P.A., of Albuquerque, New Mexico, argued for plaintiff-appellant. With him on the brief was R.E. Thompson. John v. Thomas, Associate General Counsel, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Receivership Goodwill, of Washington, DC, argued for plaintiff-appellant. With him on the brief were Richard S. Gill, John M. Dorsey, III, Dorothy A. Doherty, of Washington, DC; and Norman Friedman, Richard S. Falkow, and Richard H. Kamp, of Dallas, Texas. David M. Cohen, Director, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, Department of Justice, of Washington, DC, argued for defendant-cross appellant. With him on the brief were Jeanne E. Davidson, Deputy Director; Arlene P. Groner, Glenn Chernigoff, Gary Dernelle, Richard B. Evans, Tom Forgue, Elizabeth Frank, Craig Gottlieb, Joanne Johnson, Delisa Sanchez, Tarek Sawi, and Tonya J. Williams, Trial Attorneys. Jerry Stouck, Spriggs & Hollingsworth, of Washington, DC, for amicus curiae Plaintiffs' Coordinating Committee. Before Michel, Circuit Judge, Archer, Senior Circuit Judge, and Schall, Circuit Judge. Michel, Circuit Judge. Judge Robert H. Hodges, Jr. This is a Winstar-related case. Landmark Land Company ("Landmark") appeals from the judgment of the Court of Federal Claims, which awarded $21.5 million to Landmark for the government's breach of a 1982 contract and $17.7 million to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") for the government's breach of a 1986 contract. The court granted summary judgment on the issue of liability, holding the government liable as to both Landmark's and the FDIC's claims. The court then conducted a bench trial to establish the amount of damages. Landmark argues that its award was inadequate because it failed to fully compensate Landmark for its performance under the contract. The FDIC has also appealed with respect to its award, for essentially the same reason. The government has cross-appealed, arguing that the trial court erred in making any award to Landmark. The government also argues that the FDIC's claims must be dismissed, as they do not satisfy the case-or-controversy requirement because the FDIC and the government are not adverse as to these claims. We heard oral argument by the three parties on May 8, 2001. Because the trial court properly awarded restitution to Landmark for the entire amount of its net loss that was either required or foreseeable under the contract, we affirm the judgment as to Landmark in all respects. Because the claims raised by the FDIC fail to satisfy the case-or-controversy requirement of Article III of the Constitution, we reverse the trial court's summary judgment of liability as to the FDIC's claims, and remand for the dismissal of the FDIC from the case. The Winstar-related cases involve claims against the government relating to the savings and loan, or "thrift," crisis of the early 1980s. The events that contributed to this crisis, and the government's breach of its contracts with numerous thrifts through the 1989 enactment of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act ("FIRREA"), Pub. L. No. 101-73, 103 Stat. 183, have been thoroughly discussed in the decisions in the original Winstar cases. See, e.g., United States v. Winstar Corp., 518 U.S. 839, 843-58 (1996). We find it unnecessary to expand that treatment here. Instead, we will limit our discussion to the specific circumstances relevant to this appeal. There are more than 120 Winstar-related cases currently pending before the Court of Federal Claims. In the interest of efficiency, that court selected five of these Winstar-related cases, including the instant case, for the adjudication of issues common to many of the other cases. We have reviewed the court's decisions in two of the other test cases, Glendale Federal Bank, FSB v. United States, 239 F.3d 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2001), and California Federal Bank, FSB v. United States, 245 F.3d 1342 (Fed. Cir. 2001). This decision is issuing concurrently with our decision in another of the test cases, Glass et. al v. United States, No. 00-5137 (Fed. Cir. 2001). Landmark was a real estate development company with no prior involvement in the savings and loan industry. In 1982, Landmark entered into a contract with the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation ("FSLIC") to acquire two failing thrifts: Dixie Federal Savings and Loan Association ("Dixie") and Heritage Federal Savings and Loan Association ("Heritage"). This contract is referred to as the Assistance Agreement, and according to its terms, Heritage was merged into Dixie upon Landmark's acquisition of the thrifts. During the 1980s, the FSLIC encouraged private investors such as Landmark to purchase struggling thrifts so that it would not be necessary to liquidate the thrifts using FSLIC funds to reimburse depositors. The primary inducement that the FSLIC offered potential purchasers was a partial forebearance from regulatory capital requirements. The FSLIC accomplished this by allowing the purchaser to treat the thrift's asset shortfall itself as a fictional asset, so that the thrift's assets and liabilities were placed in equipoise at the time of acquisition--at least on paper. For instance, if a thrift had $80 in assets and $100 in liabilities, the FSLIC would allow the thrift's purchaser to allocate the $20 shortfall in real assets to a fictional asset called "supervisory goodwill." The FSLIC would then allow the thrift to include this supervisory goodwill among the assets used to meet regulatory capital maintenance requirements. Because the regulatory goodwill was amortized over a long period, typically forty years as in this case, the thrift's purchaser would have to contribute much less in actual capital to the thrift. This made the thrift far more attractive to potential purchasers, at no cost to the FSLIC. The Assistance Agreement required Landmark to make an initial contribution to Dixie of "not less than $20,000,000." Landmark did this by contributing real estate and cash valued at $21.5 million. In exchange, the FSLIC agreed to allow Dixie to treat its shortfall in actual assets as supervisory goodwill, which could be applied to Dixie's regulatory capital maintenance requirements. In order to maintain Dixie's financial strength as the value of the goodwill was reduced through amortization, the Assistance Agreement also required Landmark to make additional capital contributions to Dixie as necessary to maintain Dixie's net worth at no less than 3% of its liabilities. After acquiring Dixie in 1982, Landmark conveyed the balance of its assets to Dixie in 1983. It did so in order to obtain more advantageous tax treatment of the profits that were expected to be made upon the later sale of those assets. In 1986, the government and Dixie entered into an agreement under which Dixie acquired another thrift, St. Bernard Federal Savings and Loan Association ("St. Bernard"). To accomplish this acquisition, Dixie transferred substantially all of its real estate assets to St. Bernard in 1986 in exchange for stock in St. Bernard. Dixie then merged with St. Bernard in 1989. The merged thrift went bankrupt and was seized by federal regulators and placed into receivership in 1991, with the Resolution Trust Corporation ("RTC") acting as receiver.1 Congress enacted FIRREA in August 1989. FIRREA required thrifts to maintain "tangible capital" in an amount not less than 1.5% of the thrift's total assets. 12 U.S.C. §§ 1464(t)(9)(C) (1994). Tangible capital was defined to exclude supervisory goodwill. Id.; see also Winstar, 518 U.S. at 856-57 (discussing the changes instituted through FIRREA). FIRREA also required thrifts to maintain "core capital" in an amount not less than 3% of the thift's total assets. FIRREA defined "core capital" to include a limited amount of "qualifying supervisory goodwill." 12 U.S.C. §§ 1464(t)(1), (2), & (3)(A) (1994). However, even this limited use of supervisory goodwill was subject to an accelerated phase-out schedule under FIRREA. Ultimately, the Supreme Court held that the government breached its contracts with several financial institutions, and their investors, by enacting FIRREA. Winstar, 518 U.S. at 843. Landmark brought the instant action against the government seeking compensation for the assets that it contributed to Dixie in 1982 and 1983, and "use value" as compensation for Landmark's loss caused by its inability to use those assets after contributing them to Dixie. The Court of Federal Claims granted the FDIC's motion to intervene, as Dixie's successor in interest, with claims to recover Dixie's 1986 contribution to St. Bernard, and the unamortized portion of Dixie's goodwill that had been created by the 1982 Assistance Agreement and subsequently eliminated by FIRREA. See Plaintiffs in All Winstar-Related Cases At the Court v. United States, 44 Fed. Cl. 3, 8 (May 20, 1999). The court granted Landmark's and the FDIC's motions for summary judgment against the government on the issues of liability for breach of the 1982 Assistance Agreement and the 1986 contract under which Dixie acquired St. Bernard. See Landmark Land Co., Inc. v. United States, 44 Fed. Cl. 16, 18 (June 17, 1999). The court then conducted a bench trial to determine damages. The court awarded Landmark $21.5 million for its 1982 contribution under the Assistance Agreement, but denied recovery for lost "use value," concluding that Landmark had failed to adequately prove it. The court also denied recovery for the 1983 capital contribution, concluding that it was not required under the contract and that its loss was not foreseeable by the government. The court awarded the FDIC $17.7 million restitution for the breach of the 1986 contract, but denied its claim for the value of Dixie's lost goodwill on the ground that the FDIC had failed to prove its value. I. Landmark's Claims A. The Remedy of Restitution "When the United States enters into contract relations, its rights and duties therein are governed generally by the law applicable to contracts between private individuals." Winstar, 518 U.S. at 895 (internal citation omitted). "[W]hen one party to a contract repudiates that contract, the other party 'is entitled to restitution for any benefit that he has conferred on' the repudiating party 'by way of part performance or reliance.'" Mobil Oil Exploration & Prod. Southeast, Inc. v. United States, 530 U.S. 604, 608 (2000) (citing Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 373 (1979)). Restitution is available to a private party to remedy a contract breach or repudiation by the government. Id. at 623-24. "The idea behind restitution is to restore--that is, to restore the non-breaching party to the position he would have been in had there never been a contract to breach." Glendale, 239 F.3d at 1380. Thus, restitution restores to the non-breaching party the net loss that he suffered as a result of his performance under the contract. With respect to the Assistance Agreement, that would be accomplished by awarding Landmark the value of its "property conveyed [under the contract] less the reasonable value of any counter-performance received" by Landmark from the government. John D. Calamari & Joseph M. Perillo, The Law of Contracts §§ 15-4, at 651 (3d ed. 1987). 1. Restitution for Landmark's 1982 contribution under the contract According to the express terms of the Assistance Agreement, Landmark was required to make an initial contribution "in the amount of not less than $20,000,000 to the Resulting Association [Dixie] as of the Acquisition Date." To satisfy this requirement, Landmark made an initial contribution of real estate and cash. Landmark presented evidence at trial, which the court found persuasive, indicating that the value of this initial contribution was $21,458,571.2 The trial court awarded Landmark restitution, and alternatively reliance damages, for the full value of its initial contribution. a. The measure of restitution There are two alternative measures of relief in restitution. The first is the value of the benefits received by the defendant due to the plaintiff's performance. The second is the cost of the plaintiff's performance, which includes both the value of the benefits provided to the defendant and the plaintiff's other costs incurred as a result of its performance under the contract. See Acme Process Equip. Co. v. United States, 347 F.2d 509, 530 (Ct. Cl. 1965), rev'd on other grounds, 385 U.S. 138 (1966) ("As the best means of restoring the status quo ante, cost of performance is often used."). The government argues on its cross-appeal that the trial court's calculation of the award was improper because it was based upon the value of the benefits that the government received from Landmark's performance under the contract. The government argues that, under Acme, an award against the government can only be based upon the "cost of performance" standard. We find nothing in Acme to support the government's position, and even assuming, arguendo, that this court's predecessor had so held in Acme, that holding was overruled by Mobil Oil. There, the Court held that the plaintiffs were entitled, under restitution, to repayment of the benefits they conferred upon the government in performance of the contract. Mobil Oil, 530 U.S. at 2438 ("[T]he Government must give the companies their money back."). In any event, the government's argument is irrelevant with respect to Landmark's initial contribution because the amount of the award would be identical under either standard. b. Restitution beyond the minimum required contribution The government also argues that any award to Landmark should have been limited to $20 million, as that was the minimum initial contribution that would constitute performance under the contract. The trial court rejected this argument, holding that the terms of the contract are unambiguous in that no ceiling was placed on the initial contribution, but rather it was specified to be "not less than" $20 million, and that if the parties had intended for performance to be limited to $20 million they would not have included the phrase "not less than." Landmark, 46 Fed. Cl. at 266-67. The proper interpretation of a contract is a question of law, which we review de novo. Exxon Mobil Corp. v. United States, 244 F.3d 1341, 1353 (Fed. Cir. 2001). We agree with the court's interpretation of the Assistance Agreement on this point. The Agreement required Landmark to make an initial contribution. Landmark's initial contribution complied with the Agreement's requirement that its value be "not less than $20,000,000." Further, there is nothing in the Agreement to indicate any intent of the parties for that portion of the initial contribution beyond $20 million to be deemed anything other than an undivided part of the initial contribution. Because the Agreement's provisions are "clear and unambiguous, they must be given their plain and ordinary meaning." Alaska Lumber & Pulp Co., Inc. v. Madigan, 2 F.3d 389, 392 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Thus, the entirety of Landmark's $21.5 million initial contribution constitutes performance under the Agreement, and the trial court properly refused to limit the award to $20 million. c. Offsetting benefits to Landmark Because the purpose of restitution is to restore the plaintiff to its status quo ante, the award to the plaintiff must be reduced by the value of any benefits that it received from the defendant under the contract, so that only the actual, or net, loss is compensated. See Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 384, cmt. a ("A party who seeks restitution of a benefit that he has conferred on the other party is expected to return what he has received from the other party."). The government argues that the trial court erred in refusing to offset Landmark's award by the $26.3 million in dividends that Landmark received from Dixie prior to the government's 1989 breach of the Agreement. The trial court denied offset based upon its factual finding that the government "did not establish that any benefits that plaintiffs obtained in the form of dividends from Dixie Savings and Loan can be attributed to the government." Landmark, Order at 1 (April 5, 2000). We afford the trial court's findings of fact "considerable deference," disturbing them only if they are shown to have been "clearly erroneous." Hendler v. United States, 175 F.3d 1374, 1378 (Fed. Cir. 1999). "A finding is 'clearly erroneous' when although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed." United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395 (1948). The government has not shown this finding to be clearly erroneous. The government's actions were simply not relevant to the dividends, which were generated as a result of Landmark's performance under the contract in managing Dixie. Thus, because the government was not responsible for the dividends paid by Dixie to Landmark, offset would not be proper. d. Use value Landmark appeals the trial court's denial of award for the "use value" of the initial contribution from the time of contribution until the government's payment of the judgment. The remedy of restitution may include compensation for lost use value where necessary to restore the plaintiff to its status quo ante by providing compensation "for the use of the subject matter for the period during which [it] was deprived." Restatement of Restitution §§ 157(1), cmt. a. The trial court denied Landmark's claim for use value because it found Landmark's evidence unconvincing. Specifically, the trial court stated that: Landmark did not prove that it lost a specific amount of money from not having the use of the property that it contributed to Dixie in 1982. To award damages under Landmark's use value theories, we would be required to engage in a series of speculative assumptions that are not permitted in these circumstances. We could not establish at trial how Landmark would have profited from use of the parcels of real estate that it contributed to Dixie in 1982. Expert testimony that Landmark offered for this purpose was not convincing, and we were left with the need to engage in improper speculation. For this reason, we must deny Landmark recovery for use value. Landmark, 46 Fed. Cl. at 270. Landmark argues on appeal that, because a plaintiff is not required to prove the exact amount of its loss in order to be entitled to compensation, the trial court improperly denied recovery for use value on the ground that Landmark "did not prove that it lost a specific amount of money." While it is well settled that recovery cannot be denied on the ground that a non-breaching plaintiff failed to prove the amount of its loss with utter precision, the trial court did not deny recovery solely, if at all, on this basis. As quoted above, the trial court found that Landmark's evidence did not even establish how it would have profited from use of the initial contribution. On appeal, Landmark has failed to point to any evidence to indicate that the court's finding was clearly erroneous. Instead, Landmark argues that the trial court improperly applied the standard of proof for an award of lost profits. However, Landmark has provided no indication of how the use value would have been anything other than the profits that the initial contribution would have generated outside the contract--which the trial court found that Landmark had failed to prove. Thus, Landmark has failed to show that the denial of an award for use value was improper. We hold, therefore, that the trial court's award was sufficient restitution. Thus, we need not consider the trial court's alternative award of the same amount as reliance damages. 2. Restitution for Landmark's 1983 contribution to Dixie In addition to the initial contribution, the Assistance Agreement also required that Landmark make, for a period of five years from the acquisition date, additional contributions to Dixie of cash or real estate as necessary to maintain Dixie's net worth at an amount not less than 3% of total liabilities. This duty was specified in section 3(f) of the Agreement, which states: LANDMARK further agrees that, as a continuing condition to the obligations of the [FSLIC] to perform any executory duty under this Agreement, (1) LANDMARK, for a five-year period following the Acquisition Date, will contribute such additional capital to . . . [DIXIE] at such times and in such amounts as is needed to maintain . . . [DIXIE'S] net worth . . . at an amount not less than three percent (3%) of . . . [DIXIE'S] total liabilities. Thus, section 3(f) obligated Landmark to make additional contributions only if necessary to maintain Dixie's net worth at not less than 3% of total liabilities. So long as Dixie's net worth was not less than 3% of its total liabilities, Landmark was under no obligation to make additional contributions. In 1983, Landmark contributed essentially all of its assets to Dixie. The trial court found that Landmark made the 1983 contribution for business reasons unrelated to any duty of performance under the Assistance Agreement. Landmark, 46 Fed. Cl. at 269. This finding is well supported by the evidence before the trial court, including a 1983 letter from Landmark's President, Gerald Barton, to Landmark's Board of Directors. In the letter, Barton advocated the contribution of essentially all of Landmark's assets to Dixie because it would significantly increase the net profit on the later sale of the assets. Barton stated that Landmark's assets included a great deal of "understated value, i.e., unrealized profit," and thus--after Landmark contributed the assets to Dixie--"[i]f these assets were sold in Dixie, 40 percent less tax would be paid on that profit." While Barton also indicated that the contribution would improve the financial stability of Dixie by increasing its net worth, he stated that the contribution would increase Dixie's net worth ratio to "above 11 percent," almost four times that required under section 3(f) of the Assistance Agreement. It is undisputed that the Assistance Agreement did not require Landmark to make the additional contribution in 1983. Landmark, however, argues on appeal that since it had the right to make additional contributions under the contract, such an additional contribution qualifies as performance under the contract, entitling Landmark to restitution. The law is well settled, however, that in order to be compensable as restitution, the plaintiff's contribution must have been made in performance of its contractual obligations. Tangfeldt Wood Prods., Inc. v. United States, 733 F.2d 1574, 1577 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (where the plaintiff "performed the work for its own purposes and convenience . . . restitution is not owing"). Landmark argues that a voluntary contribution made in effectuating the spirit of the contract, i.e., managing Dixie responsibly, should be compensated. In each of the cases relied upon by Landmark in support of this argument, however, the plaintiff had discharged another party's unperformed contractual obligations in order to protect its own interests. See First Nat'l City Bank v. United States, 212 Ct. Cl. 357, 369 (1977) ("One who pays another's debt to protect his own rights and interests is not ordinarily considered a volunteer."); N. Star Alaska Housing Corp. v. United States, 30 Fed. Cl. 259, 272 (1993) (allowing restitution where plaintiff discharged defendant's obligation which was "expressly set forth in the contract"). Critically then, in both cases, restitution was awarded to compensate the plaintiff for performance of a contractual obligation. In the instant appeal, conversely, Landmark's 1983 contribution did not constitute performance of a contractual obligation. Thus, the decisions cited by Landmark are not applicable. Landmark alternatively argues that the 1983 contribution constitutes performanceunder the contract because Dixie's net worth would have slipped below 3% of its liabilities sometime in 1985 had the contribution not been made in 1983. Thus, Landmark argues that it is entitled to restitution for the 1983 contribution because it inevitably would have been required under the contract. Whether this is true or not, Landmark has provided no authority for the proposition that a party's action, which did not constitute performance of a contractual obligation at the time of the act, can later be transformed into the performance of a contractual obligation when the condition precedent to that party's contractual duty occurs after the act. A volunteer cannot later be deemed to have acted pursuant to a duty that did not exist at the time of the act. By definition, if a contractual duty is subject to a condition precedent, that condition must be satisfied before the duty arises. Landmark also argues that the 1983 contribution should be deemed required performance under section 17 of the Assistance Agreement, entitled "continuing cooperation."3 Landmark argues that because it was subject to this best efforts clause, its 1983 contribution cannot be deemed "voluntary." The trial court rejected this argument, based upon its determination that "this section establishes nothing more than a general obligation on the part of the parties to cooperate with one another." Landmark, 46 Fed. Cl. at 269. Landmark relies upon Lebanon Chemical Corp. v. United States, 5 Cl. Ct. 812 (1984), for support. Lebanon is clearly distinguishable, however. In a settlement agreement with the government, Lebanon agreed to retrieve its recently-banned pesticides from its customers and transport them to disposal sites which the government agreed to designate by a specified date. Id. at 816. Because the government failed to designate the disposal sites by the specified date, the plaintiff incurred expenses for temporarily storing the pesticides until the government performed. Although the settlement agreement did not address storage costs, the court allowed recovery because the costs were incurred as a direct result of Lebanon's performance in satisfaction of its duty under the contract to put forth its best efforts to achieve the stated result of transporting the pesticides to the government within the allotted time. Id. at 817. Thus, the court allowed recovery in Lebanon on the basis of the best efforts clause where the contract was otherwise silent as to whether the plaintiff's actions were required under the contract. Here, however, the Assistance Agreement is not silent on that point. Section 3(f) expressly provides the sole condition under which Landmark was required to make additional contributions, and it is undisputed that this condition did not obtain in 1983. It is well established that when interpreting a contract, a specific provision will dominate a general provision. See, e.g., Hills Materials Co. v. Rice, 982 F.2d 514, 517 (Fed. Cir. 1992) ("Where specific and general terms in a contract are in conflict, those which relate to a particular matter control over the more general language."). Thus, because the express language of section 3(f) provides that Landmark was not under a duty to make the 1983 contribution, the general duty to cooperate contained in section 17 cannot be interpreted to create such a duty. Finally, Landmark argues that the 1983 contribution constitutes performance under the Assistance Agreement because it was made in response to the concerns of federal regulators about conflicts of interest between Dixie and Landmark's other subsidiaries. Landmark's President, Gerald Barton, testified before the trial court that federal regulators had informed Dixie that a conflict of interest would exist so long as Landmark was pursuing property development activity both within, and independently from, Dixie. The alleged concern was that Landmark would retain the most attractive real estate investments for itself, while funneling less attractive investments to Dixie. The trial court found that Landmark had not made the 1983 contribution because of the regulators' concerns about conflicts of interest. Even if Landmark could show that this finding of fact was clearly erroneous, however, the error would have been harmless. Landmark provided no evidence that it was obligated to contribute its real estate assets to Dixie. There was no evidence that the regulators directed Landmark as to how the conflicts of interest should be eliminated. Landmark was always free to eliminate any concerns about conflicts of interest by simply selling its real estate assets to a third party.4 Since the 1983 contribution was not required under the contract, it does not constitute performance of a contractual obligation, and therefore the trial court correctly denied restitution. 3. Restitution for Dixie's 1986 contribution to St. Bernard The trial court awarded the FDIC, as Dixie's successor in interest, $17.7 million in restitution for the contribution Dixie made to St. Bernard in 1986. On appeal, Landmark argues that this restitution award should have been made to it, not to the FDIC, because the assets contributed by Dixie to St. Bernard were previously owned by Landmark. Landmark did not seek restitution at trial in connection with the 1986 transaction between Dixie, the government, and St. Bernard. Thus, this issue does not appear to be properly before us on appeal. See, e.g., Braun, Inc. v. Dynamics Corp. of Am., 975 F.2d 815, 821 (Fed. Cir. 1992) ("In view of Waring's unexplained failure to raise the issue before the district court, we see no reason to depart from the general rule that issues may not be raised for the first time on appeal."). In any event, Landmark's argument is not persuasive. During Dixie's existence, it and Landmark were always separate corporations. Landmark contributed assets to Dixie in 1982 in exchange for stock in Dixie. At that point Landmark no longer owned the assets, Dixie did. In 1986, Dixie contributed the assets to St. Bernard. Thus, the only party with a possible claim against the government is Dixie, not Landmark. To allow Landmark recovery would be to disregard the separate corporate existence of Landmark and Dixie. Landmark has provided no reason, let alone any basis in precedent, for this court to reverse the trial court for having failed to do so, especially since Landmark did not request such relief at trial.5 B. The Remedy of Reliance Damages Landmark also appeals the trial court's denial of compensation for the 1983 contribution under a theory of reliance damages. The purpose of reliance damages is to compensate the plaintiff "for loss caused by reliance on the contract." Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 344(b). In order to be recoverable as reliance damages, however, plaintiff's loss must have been foreseeable to the party in breach at the time of contract formation. See Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 351(1) ("Damages are not recoverable for loss that the party in breach did not have reason to foresee as a probable result of the breach when the contract was made."). "Loss may be foreseeable as a probable result of a breach because it follows from the breach (a) in the ordinary course of events, or (b) as a result of special circumstances, beyond the ordinary course of events, that the party in breach had reason to know." Restatement (Second) of Contracts §§ 351(2). In order to be entitled to reliance damages, a plaintiff must prove that both the magnitude and type of damages were foreseeable. See 5 Arthur Corbin, Corbin on Contracts, §§ 1012 at 88 (1964) ("[In order to have been foreseeable] the injury that occurs must be one of such a kind and amount as a prudent man would have realized to be a probable result of his breach."); see also Restatement (Second) of Contracts, §§ 351, cmt. a ("The mere circumstance that some loss was foreseeable, or even that some loss of the same general kind was foreseeable, will not suffice if the loss that actually occurred was not foreseeable."). The trial court found that the 1983 contribution was not foreseeable. The 1983 contribution was comprised of $3.3 million worth of real estate, and 100% of the stock of Unique Golf Concepts, Inc., a subsidiary of Landmark with substantial real estate assets and a value of approximately $31.5 million. The trial court did not distinguish between the real estate and stock components of the 1983 contribution in finding that the entire contribution was not reasonably foreseeable. Further, in its principal brief on appeal, Landmark states that "[t]here is no valid theoretical distinction between the $3 million [real estate] contribution or the 1983 [stock] contribution." Thus, we will review the trial court's finding that the 1983 contribution as a whole was not foreseeable, without considering whether the real estate or stock components of that contribution, considered separately, would have been foreseeable. In finding that the 1983 contribution was not foreseeable, the trial court stated: The government was aware that Landmark was in the property development business, but it had no reason to foresee that Landmark would contribute essentially all of its assets to Dixie. It could not foresee at the time of contracting that a breach of the Assistance Agreement would cause Landmark to lose its entire business. Landmark, 46 Fed. Cl. at 270. Foreseeability is a question of fact. Climatic Rainwear Co., Inc. v. United States, 115 Ct. Cl. 520, 533 (1950). Landmark argues that its contribution was foreseeable because section 17 of the Assistance Agreement provides that "[i]t is the purpose of this Agreement to provide a means by which . . . [Dixie] may be provided with property development and loan opportunities." Further, Landmark points to a letter sent prior to contract formation from Landmark's counsel to the government's representative. In this letter, Landmark stated that: As we discussed, it is probable that, from time to time, Landmark will contribute additional real estate to [Dixie], whether it needs additional net worth or not. In this regard, we understand that there would be no limit to the amount of real estate that could be contributed to [Dixie] for capital purposes. While the letter indicates that the government was on notice that Landmark intended to possibly contribute real estate to Dixie beyond that required under the contract, it fails to provide any indication of the certainty or magnitude of any additional contribution. In the letter, Landmark did assert its understanding that "there would be no limit to the amount of real estate that could be contributed," but this provides no insight into the actual magnitude of the additional contribution Landmark might make. The issue of foreseeability is admittedly close in this case. However, we are not left with the "definite and firm conviction" that the magnitude of the 1983 contribution was foreseeable at the time of contract formation. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. at 395. Thus, Landmark has failed to show that the trial court's finding that the 1983 contribution was not foreseeable was clearly erroneous. Thus, we will not disturb the trial court's denial of reliance damages. II. Standing of the FDIC The FDIC, as successor in interest to the defunct Dixie, intervened in this case in order to assert Dixie's claims in the amounts of $641.9 million for its 1986 contributions to St. Bernard, and $32.3 million for the unamortized portion of Dixie's goodwill that had been created by the 1982 Assistance Agreement and then eliminated by FIRREA. The court awarded the FDIC $17.7 million in restitution for the breach of the 1986 contract because it found that to be the value of the benefit that Dixie had provided to the government. The court denied the FDIC's goodwill claim, finding that the FDIC had failed to prove the value of the lost goodwill.6 Even if the FDIC were to have won a judgment for the entire amount it was seeking, however, none of the money paid by the government in satisfaction of such a judgment would leave the government. That is because the government holds a claim against Dixie for an even greater amount paid by the RTC to Dixie's depositors upon Dixie's liquidation. Nor would adjudication of the FDIC's claims affect Dixie's other creditors. For these reasons, the FDIC's claims do not give rise to an actual case or controversy because the FDIC and the government are not truly adverse as to the FDIC's claims. Therefore, the FDIC lacks standing, and its claims must be dismissed. "Article III, §§ 2 of the Constitution confines federal courts to the decision of 'Cases' or 'Controversies.'" Arizonans for Official English v. Ariz., 520 U.S. 43, 64 (1997) (vacating judgment and remanding for dismissal of plaintiffs' claims because the case-or-controversy requirement had not been satisfied). "Standing to sue or defend is an aspect of the case-or-controversy requirement." Id. In order for a plaintiff's claim to satisfy the case-or-controversy requirement, resolution of that claim must affect "the legal relations of parties having adverse legal interests." Aetna Life Ins. v. Haworth, 300 U.S. 239, 240 (1937). The case-or-controversy requirement has not been satisfied because the FDIC is not adverse to the United States as to these particular claims. Standing must exist at all stages of judicial proceedings, and we must determine the FDIC's standing anew on appeal. See Lewis v. Cont'l Bank Corp., 494 U.S. 472, 477-78 (1990) (court must dismiss a suit as soon as the case/controversy is extinguished, even if a justiciable dispute existed when the complaint was first filed). Here, at no time were the FDIC and the United States truly adverse parties. Because the case-or-controversy requirement is a component of subject matter jurisdiction, it cannot be waived by the parties. See, e.g., Sosna v. Iowa, 419 U.S. 393, 398 (1975) ("While the parties may be permitted to waive non-jurisdictional defects, they may not by stipulation invoke the judicial power of the United States in litigation which does not present an actual 'case or controversy.'"). Thus, the failure of the government to assert the FDIC's lack of standing before the trial court is immaterial. Further, it is understandable that the trial court did not address this issue because there is no indication that the government raised it prior to its cross-appeal to this court. It also does not appear that the trial court was made aware of the circumstances by which the government's payment of a judgment to the FDIC would never leave the government, as discussed below. The trial court issued a consolidated decision and order granting the FDIC's motion to intervene in 36 Winstar-related cases, including the instant case. The court granted intervention because the FDIC, as the failed thrifts' successor in interest, had the authority to bring suit on behalf of the thrifts, and was obligated by statute to pay out the proceeds of any judgment to the thrifts' creditors, which included private-party creditors. See Plaintiffs in All Winstar-Related Cases at the Court v. United States, 44 Fed. Cl. 3, 5-6, 8 (1999) ("[S]tatutory provisions establish that the FDIC, as receiver . . . holds legal title to the assets (including claims) formerly owned by the failed thrifts and that any recovery . . . must be distributed [to the failed thrifts creditors] pursuant to the statutory order of priorities." (emphasis added)). The court's consolidated decision discusses the standing of the FDIC to bring claims against the government in general terms. The Court of Federal Claims has never addressed the standing of the FDIC to bring the specific claims at issue in this case. It is undisputed that no private creditors could benefit even if the FDIC were to fully recover on its claims in this case. That is because, under the statutory scheme of priority for thrift creditors, the FDIC is obligated to completely satisfy the claim of the government, specifically that of the FSLIC Resolution Fund ("FRF"), against Dixie before distributing any proceeds to Dixie's other creditors. See 12 U.S.C. §§ 1821(d)(11) (1994). It is undisputed that Dixie owes the FRF over $1.5 billion for the advances that the FRF made to Dixie's depositors upon its liquidation. The claims asserted by the FDIC in this case total only $674.2 million. Thus, even if the FDIC were to fully recover, all proceeds from the judgment would be paid out of the FRF, and then distributed by the FDIC right back into the FRF. Critical to the issue of standing, then, is the fact that adjudication of the FDIC's claim cannot affect any party other than the government. The FDIC argues that the case-or-controversy requirement is satisfied because it maintains two distinct funds within the FRF, and that a judgment would be paid out of one fund and into the other. Upon Congress' abolishment of the FSLIC, it created the FRF to receive and manage the assets of the former FSLIC. 12 U.S.C. §§ 1821a. When the RTC was abolished in 1995, its assets and liabilities were also transferred to the FRF. 12 U.S.C. §§1441a(m). Although not required to do so, the FDIC, as manager of the FRF, has maintained the two sets of assets and liabilities in two distinct funds, FRF-FSLIC and FRF-RTC. 61 Fed. Reg. 45,970, 45,971-73 (Aug. 30, 1996). Thus, because the FDIC is asserting Dixie's claim against the government--an asset of the FRF-RTC--any recovery will be paid into the FRF-RTC fund. Because the FSLIC was the governmental party to the alleged contract under which the FDIC has brought suit, the damages claim is an FSLIC liability, and any recovery will be paid out of the FRF-FSLIC fund. 12 U.S.C. §§1821a(d). Thus, the net effect is that the government would satisfy any judgment by simply transferring funds from FRF-FSLIC into FRF-RTC. The existence of two distinct funds within the FRF could be relevant if depletion of one of the funds would either prevent third-party creditors from recovering on claims against the FRF, or increase the total amount of the government's liability. The FDIC, however, has not shown this to be the case. The Treasury is responsible for funding the FRF. The Secretary of the Treasury is required to disburse funds to the FRF as necessary to satisfy its liabilities. 12 U.S.C. §§ 1821a(c). If a surplus is generated within the FRF, then the Treasury would be the beneficiary. 12 U.S.C. §§ 1821a(f). Thus, even if the FRF-FSLIC fund were drained of all assets due to payment of damages for claims brought by the FDIC in the numerous Winstar-related cases, the government remains obligated to fully fund the FRF. Because the FRF will always be funded, recovery by the FDIC cannot prevent, or even affect, recovery by third-party creditors with claims against the FRF. Likewise, since Treasury would benefit from a surplus within the FRF-RTC, the FDIC has failed to show how transferring funds from FRF-FSLIC to FRF-RTC will have any net effect upon the government or any third-party. We hold, therefore, that upon the facts presented in this case, the FDIC has not established that its claims satisfy the justiciability requirements of Article III, §§ 2, because it has not shown that it and the government are adverse as to these claims. It must be clearly stated that we are not holding that all claims by the FDIC against the government will fail to satisfy the case-or-controversy requirement. Rather, we hold that, in this case, where the FDIC has not asserted claims for recovery in excess of what the failed thrift owes to the government, the case-or-controversy requirement is not satisfied. The fact that the FDIC's claims do not present an actual case or controversy does not, however, necessarily lead to the conclusion that we must dismiss the FDIC's claims. The FDIC intervened in this case. Whether an intervening party must satisfy the case-or-controversy requirement independently of the claims brought by the other plaintiffs is an open question. See Diamond v. Charles, 476 U.S. 54, 68-69 (1986) ("We need not decide today whether a party seeking to intervene before a District Court must satisfy not only the requirements of [Federal] Rule [of Civil Procedure] 24(a)(2), but also the requirements of Art. III."). We conclude, however, that because the FDIC's claims are unrelated to those brought by Landmark, it would be improper to permit the FDIC to proceed given the lack of a justiciable controversy with respect to its claims. The FDIC's claims raised upon intervention are unrelated to those brought by the original plaintiff, Landmark. Landmark's claims are distinct from those brought by the FDIC, and have been adjudicated without regard to them. Fully resolving Landmark's claims will not affect the resolution of the FDIC's claims. Because the actual controversy presented in this case--Landmark's claims--may be fully adjudicated without regard to the FDIC's claims, adjudication of the FDIC's claims would not be in accordance with the case-or-controversy requirement. Thus, the summary judgment of liability as to the FDIC's claims must be reversed, the damages judgment vacated as to the FDIC, and the case remanded for the trial court to dismiss the FDIC from the case. We affirm the trial court's award of restitution to Landmark for its initial contribution under the Assistance Agreement. We reverse the grant of summary judgment holding the government liable to the FDIC, and vacate the damages judgment as to the FDIC, because its claims do not satisfy the case-or-controversy requirement. We remand for the trial court to dismiss the FDIC from the case. AFFIRMED-IN-PART, REVERSED-IN-PART, VACATED-IN-PART, and REMANDED. Each party to bear its own costs. As receiver, the RTC sold Dixie's litigation claims to RTC operating in its corporate capacity. In 1995, all of RTC's assets and liabilities were transferred by operation of law to the FSLIC Resolution Fund to be managed by the FDIC. Thus, the FDIC appears in this litigation as the successor to the rights of Dixie. On appeal, the government has argued that the trial court's award was improper because Landmark failed to prove the value of its initial contribution with specificity. We do not understand this argument, as Landmark's evidence indicated the value with precision, to the single dollar. The relevant language of section 17 states: It is the purpose of this Agreement to provide a means by which the failure of . . . [DIXIE] may be prevented . . . and . . . [DIXIE] may be provided with property development and loan portfolio opportunities. . . . The parties, therefore, agree that they shall in good faith, and with their best efforts, cooperate with one another to carry out the purposes of this Agreement as described herein. Landmark has also appealed from the trial court's refusal, upon Landmark's motion submitted after the court's decision, to re- open the record and allow the submission of a federal regulator's affidavit. The affidavit states only that the government had indeed informed Landmark of its concerns about conflicts of interest. Critically, the affidavit contains no indication that the government required Landmark to eliminate any conflict by making the 1983 contribution. Further, the affidavit provides no indication that Landmark was unable to eliminate any concerns over conflicts by selling its real estate assets to a third party. Thus, even if the trial court's decision had been an abuse of discretion, it would have been harmless. Landmark also argues that it is entitled to restitution for the 1986 contribution by Dixie to St. Bernard under the restitutionary principle of "tracing," by which compensation is made to one whose property has been wrongfully conveyed to another. See Restatement of Restitution, Ch. 13 at 816 (1937) (tracing principles are normally applied "[w]here property in which one person has a beneficial interest, whether legal or equitable, is wrongfully conveyed by another to a third person, and the wrongdoer receives from the third person other property in exchange therefor"). Here, tracing principles are inapplicable both because Landmark no longer had any beneficial interest in the property when it was conveyed to St. Bernard by Dixie, and because it cannot be claimed that Dixie's conveyance was improper. Unlike FDIC, Landmark did not seek compensation for the full value of the goodwill that Dixie lost due to the government's breach. On appeal, however, Landmark points to the trial court's award of restitution to FDIC for the full value of St. Bernard's lost goodwill as proof that it is entitled to restitution for the full value of the goodwill that Dixie lost due to FIRREA. As Landmark did not make such a claim at trial, and has failed to provide any explanation for its failure to do so, we will not consider it on appeal. Braun, 975 F.2d at 821. We do note, however, that after the trial court's decision in this case, we vacated an award of restitution for the full amount of the supervisory goodwill lost due to FIRREA in Glendale, 239 F.3d at 1381. We vacated the award in Glendale because the plaintiff had put forth no evidence to establish the actual value of the lost goodwill, instead arguing that goodwill was equivalent to cash. Id. While we did not doubt that supervisory goodwill had some value, we held that where the plaintiff has not adduced evidence of that value, there is no basis for an award. Id. Thus, we vacated the award and remanded the case for the court to determine the value of the goodwill.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line844
__label__wiki	0.938654	0.938654	Blogh The REP's 2010-11 Season by Bill O'Driscoll There's a notable Pittsburgh theme to the newly announced season for Point Park's professional theater company. Two Pittsburgh-set plays get their world premieres, not to mention the local premiere of a work by bad-boy Irish dramatist Martin McDonagh. The season opens Sept. 9 with The Umbrella Man. Edward J. Delaney's play, set in Pittsburgh in the late 1980s, concerns a man obsessed with JFK conspiracy theories. The director is Robert A. Miller (last seen at the REP directing his father's Death of a Salesman). The Umbrella Man script is based on an eponymous screenplay Delaney co-wrote, which in turn is based on a short story of the same title Delaney published in The Atlantic, in 1996. Delaney, who lives in Massachusetts, is assistant editor of The Nieman Journalism Lab, at Harvard's Nieman Foundation for Journalism; the film version of The Umbrella Man, directed by Michael Grasso, is set to be shot in Pittsburgh later this year. Also brand-new to the stage is Mercy and the Firefly. It's yet another from the keyboard of Pittsburgh-based playwright Amy Hartman -- in fact, it'll be her second world premiere here this year, after Unseam'd Shakespeare stages Mad Honey in June. Mercy is about a high school student brought to Homestead after witnessing the murder of a classmate in East L.A. It'll close the REP's season next April; Melissa Martin, who directed Glengarry Glen Ross for barebones last fall, is slated to direct. The McDonagh is The Lonesome West, part of his Connemara trilogy also including The Beauty Queen of Leenane. The 1997 play, running next February, will be eagerly anticipated by those who appreciated the playwright's violent but darkly comic vision in works like The Pillowman and The Lieutenant of Inishmore (both done by Pittsburgh Irish & Classical a few years back). Kim Martin will direct. And this October, the REP stages La Ronde. Arthur Schnitzler's classic is a study of sex and class set in 1890s Vienna, structured as a series of 10 scenes, each featuring a pair of lovers. It's directed, notably, by Robin Walsh: She's best known as a top-flight Pittsburgh-based actress, but in fact it'll be her second directing gig of 2010 ... after Hartman's Mad Honey. Program Notes Program Notes Speaking of Program Notes Yinz can see Pittsburgh-born comedian Billy Gardell live at the Benedum Center on Nov. 17 Call for performance artists who publicly identify as queer Iconic poetry work to be celebrated on Saturday at White Whale Bookstore Latest in Blogh Photos: Circus Arts at the Friday Night Market How much do you know about the Fourth of July? Meet Rhythm, the 25-year-old furry from Carnegie	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line845
__label__wiki	0.502166	0.502166	MaineBoats Blog Study: the Gulf of Maine is changing color, becoming less productive Friday, April 22nd 2016 A team of scientists that has been sampling the waters of the Gulf of Maine regularly for the last 18 years as part of a NASA-funded study reported in a recent paper on an overall reduction in productivity in the Gulf of Maine. Dr. William "Barney" Balch at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Dr. Thomas Huntington and Dr. George Aiken, found that the amount of dissolved organic carbon from rivers emptying into the Gulf of Maine has increased over the last 80 years, a trend they predict will continue through 2100 if annual precipitation continues to increase. The adjacent Gulf of St. Lawrence also was found to supply a significant amount of organic material into the Gulf of Maine via the Scotia Shelf Current. Collectively, these conditions appear to be contributing to the decline in the Gulf's primary productivity, as reported in the American Geophysical Union's journal, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Volume 30, Issue 2, February 2016, pages 268-292. Balch explained the significance of this finding: "As increasing amounts of dissolved organic matter leaches from the soil into rivers after rains, these materials ultimately flow directly into the Gulf of Maine or indirectly from the Gulf of St. Lawrence via the Scotian Shelf Current. This organic matter is rich in colored humic materials that impart a brown color to the rivers in Maine—think of a dark "tea" steeped from dead leaves and soil. This input actually changes the color of the seawater and appears to be reducing the light available to phytoplankton for photosynthesis and growth, causing a decline in overall productivity." Ocean color serves as a useful proxy for understanding some of the changes in fundamental processes that are happening in the sea as the climate changes. Normally the ocean is blue with little light absorption. When there is a lot of chlorophyll-containing phytoplankton (microscopic plants) in the water, the water has a greenish color, just like plants do on land. However, the dissolved organic matter delivered to the Gulf of Maine by rivers, has a yellowish-brown "tea" color which gives the normally blue ocean a yellow tint. This organic matter also absorbs light necessary for photosynthetic organisms, and can thereby influence the ecology of the Gulf of Maine, said Balch. The researchers' data suggests that increases in precipitation and runoff during the last 80 years have resulted in more of this organic, dark-colored "tea" being delivered to the Gulf of Maine, which could be affecting how marine plants are able to photosynthesize and grow. Because ocean color is one of the best indicators of what is happening in ocean waters, Balch and his team compared their color measurements of the Gulf of Maine with 1912-1913 color data recorded by Henry Bryant Bigelow, considered the founder of modern oceanography and for whom Bigelow Laboratory was named. In 1912, Henry Bigelow had the foresight to make manual ocean color measurements as he plied the Gulf of Maine aboard his schooner, Grampus. Bigelow used a simple technique published in 1890 by François-Alphonse Forel, a Swiss lake scientist. Balch's team compared Bigelow's original color data with current water color measurements to document color change over a century time scale. The conclusion is that the Gulf has yellowed over the last century, particularly in coastal Maine waters. Climate and hydrologic models predict increasing precipitation and runoff in the Gulf of Maine watershed in the 21st century. Based on these projections, Balch, Huntington, and Aiken predict that river discharge of soil-derived dissolved organic carbon into the Gulf of Maine could increase close to 30% over the next 80 years, potentially contributing to a continued decline in the productivity of this coastal marine food web. Today scientists use NASA's Earth-observing satellites and sophisticated shipboard optical measurements to document ocean color. The Bigelow Laboratory-USGS research team also showed a direct link for the first time between satellite-derived measurements of dissolved organic carbon across the Gulf of Maine with dissolved organic carbon discharged in rivers as estimated by the USGS, which go far to validate the satellite-derived measurements as an important predictive tool. With this solid foundation of data and collaboration, the research team expects to continue to mine the data to advance understanding of ongoing changes in the Gulf of Maine. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, an independent not-for-profit research institution on the coast of Maine, conducts research ranging from microbial oceanography to large-scale ocean processes that affect the global environment. Caption: The unmanned submersible named Grampus is used by the team at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences to collect data in the Gulf of Maine. State recalls mussels, closes area to harvesting Value of Maine's lobster landings drops by $100 million Hodgdon plans for 200th birthday party Whaler time at MBHH Show The Net Result: Our Evolving Fisheries Historical fishing photos available online New director for maritime museum Boston Whaler rendezvous	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line847
__label__cc	0.74771	0.25229	IN THE SPOOKLIGHT: THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964) This is a reprint of a column that originally ran in the October 2007 issue of The HWA Newsletter, on the Vincent Price movie THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964). It’s reprinted in the current October 2015 issue of the HWA Newsletter as well as here. And don’t forget: if you like this column, you can read 115 more in my IN THE SPOOKLIGHT collection, available both as an EBook (www.neconebooks.com) and in a print-on-demand edition (https://www.createspace.com/4293038.). IN THE SPOOKLIGHT I prefer horror to be an emotional experience, which is why, sometimes Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations don’t work for me. THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964), starring Vincent Price, Corman’s eighth and final Poe adaptation, is a perfect example. Technically, the film is flawless. It’s arguably Corman’s best job at the helm. The film looks phenomenal, there’s great use of locations, and the camera work is extremely stylish. For these reasons alone watching THE TOMB OF LIGEIA can be as rewarding and mouthwatering as reading a good novel. Your intelligence won’t be let down. It also has a decent screenplay by Robert Towne, which lives up to its source material. However, THE TOMB OF LIGEIA has never been one of my favorites because as it plays out, it’s as cold as a corpse with about as much life (unless of course you’re talking vampire and zombies, which get around rather well, but there ain’t no vampires or zombies here!). Perhaps this is on purpose, and perhaps it’s just another sign of Corman’s genius. Could be. But for me, the fact remains that as I watch THE TOMB OF LIGEIA, and as I recognize while watching that “hmm, this movie is extremely well made,” I also realize I’m not emotionally invested in the characters or the situations. THE TOMB OF LIGEIA tells the story of Verden Fell (Vincent Price) who’s— what else?— brooding over the death of his wife, Ligeia. When a new woman, the Lady Rowena (Elizabeth Shepherd, in a dual role, as she also appears as Ligeia) expresses interest in Verden, the ghost of Ligeia takes offense, setting off the usual, standard ghostly shenanigans. We learn that Verden isn’t mourning his deceased wife— he’s afraid of her, afraid that she’s not really dead. Turns out Ligeia was a bold, energetic woman who had asserted she would never die, and she definitely got inside Verden’s head. It’s this part of the film that works best for me. Is Ligeia really a ghost? Or is it Verden? So mind-washed by his deceased wife that he himself is causing the mayhem? On this level, the film works well. And the performances by the two leads are terrific. Price stands out as Verden. His look, with the dark brown hair and dark glasses, to shield his ultra-sensitive eyes from the light, is unique to this movie. Price moves through this role effortlessly, as if he could do it in his sleep. Elizabeth Shepherd is just as good as The Lady Rowena. Her portrayal of Rowena as a strong woman who is not intimidated by evil spirits is refreshing. But THE TOMB OF LIGEIA fails to connect on an emotional level. Price’s Verden isn’t that likeable, and while Shepherd’s Lady Rowena is, she’s not a central enough character to carry the movie on her own. I don’t really care about these characters, and as a result, I don’t care all that much about what happens to them, which makes for a lackluster movie viewing experience. THE TOMB OF LIGEIA is a mixed bag, which for Halloween, is OK. In a trick or treat bag, chances are you’ll get candy you’re not crazy about along with your favorites, but still, it’s candy, and you’re not going to throw it away. Likewise, THE TOMB OF LIGEIA is a stylish, almost beautiful horror movie that is pleasing to the eye and to the intellect, but not so attractive to the heart. For those of us who tell tales, the heart can be the difference maker. Still, it’s Corman, it’s Price, it’s Poe, it’s candy. It’s Halloween. Eat up. (October 2007) 1960s horror movies ghost story movies horror fiction horror movies Horror Writers Association In The Spooklight columns Michael Arruda movie reviews NECON EBooks Roger Corman Uncategorized Vincent Price movies 1960s horror moviesEdgar Allan PoeHorror moviesIn the SpooklightRoger Corman moviesTHE TOMB OF LIGEIAVincent PriceVincent Price movies ← Like Its Undead Characters, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994) Has Aged Well BLACK MASS (2015) Tells Lurid Tale of “Whitey” Bulger →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line852
__label__wiki	0.728896	0.728896	10 Bizarre Secrets Behind America’s National Treasures Justin Greene July 22, 2018 0 Growing up in the United States, you learn about all the big, quintessentially “American” sites and structures from a very early age. You’re told that they are important and given a vague explanation of why. Then you set about the task of never really thinking about them again. That’s a shame because they can be quite fascinating—usually for reasons that they were never meant to be. Behind the stately columns and torches lies an entire world of weirdness hidden away from the public eye. 10 The Washington Mini Monument Photo credit: atlasobscura.com The Washington Monument, the giant white obelisk in Washington, DC, was built in honor of the first US president, George Washington. You probably knew that. What you may not have known is that the monument has a forgotten baby brother. Buried beneath an unassuming manhole right beside the famous landmark is a 3.7-meter-tall (12 ft) replica. Placed there in the 1880s, around the same time that the Washington Monument was finished, this shrunken clone served as a “Geodetic Control Point” for the National Geodetic Survey (NGS).[1] Officially named “Bench Mark A,” it was basically used as an exceptionally accurate starting point when making maps and planning railroad routes. However, due to its proximity to the monument, the NGS employees decided to dress it up a bit rather than use the standard plain metal rods. Unfortunately, the miniature monument has sunk into DC’s marshy soil over the years. So it was given a proper burial. It was entombed in a brick chimney and sealed off from the world. It continues to sink about 0.5 millimeters (0.02 in) each year. 9 The Capitol’s Flag Factory Aside from being your typical stately government building, the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, offers a special service: For a small fee, you can own an American flag that has been flown over the Capitol. So, if you wish to own a flag that is slightly more America-y than your neighbor’s, you’re welcome. But before you reach for your wallet, there’s just one thing. The flag you receive will indeed have been flown over the Capitol, but only on one of three tiny, hidden flagpoles for 30 seconds. Since its inception in 1937, the Capitol Flag Program (CFP) has supplied patriotic citizens with genuine “Capitol-flown” flags. However, when demand eventually outgrew supply, the CFP had to get creative. Rather than continue to sell the prominently displayed flags above the Capitol’s entrances, they just installed a bizarre “flag factory” on the roof. Three unremarkable flagpoles, complete with a small service elevator and crew of workers, are used to fly as many flags for the state-mandated 30 seconds as possible each day. Security cameras have even been installed to prevent workers from flying the flags for a disgustingly disrespectful 29 seconds.[2] 8 The Golden Gate Bridge-Boat-Tunnel Thing Photo credit: citylab.com While it isn’t a really a national monument, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is still a world-famous symbol of American ingenuity. However, this bright orange engineering marvel came dangerously close to not existing. San Francisco almost built a tunnel instead. Stranger still, they almost built a tunnel designed by a man who had presumably no idea what a tunnel actually was. When shopping around for ideas about how to span San Francisco Bay in the early 1930s, city officials were delivered an unusual proposal by local inventor Cleve F. Shaffer. His eccentric concept called for two bridges to be built—one from each shore—which would each connect to its own ship floating stationary in the bay. A tunnel would run between the ships, which would be raised and lowered to allow sea traffic in and out of the city.[3] Aside from the fever-dream design, the problems introduced by the plan were many. The narrow spiral ramps within the bridge-ships would create nightmarish traffic jams. In addition, the fact that most of the bridge was freely floating was a recipe for maritime disaster. Tempted by the relatively low price tag, the city of San Francisco came bafflingly close to accepting this design before settling on their now world-famous suspension bridge. 7 The Supreme Basketball Court The “Highest Court of the Land” is a title that has long been held by the US Supreme Court. It is well-deserved, albeit in a metaphorical sense. A more literal example would be the secret basketball court which sits just above the courtroom. Once used as a storage area for journals and other legal documents, the fifth floor of the Washington, DC, Supreme Court building was converted into an all-purpose workout area for off-duty employees in the 1940s. At some point, the focus shifted to basketball and a slightly smaller-than-regulation basketball court was constructed. In recent years, justices such as Byron White and William H. Rehnquist have shot hoops there to blow off steam. Sandra Day O’Connor used it to host women-only yoga classes. A weight-lifting area even caters to justices looking to strengthen their cores.[4] Unfortunately, this court is off-limits to the public. As it sits just above the courtroom on the fourth floor, there are strict rules in place. Signs warn visitors not to play when court is in session because squeaky sneakers can really blow your concentration when deciding the legal fate of millions. 6 The Disturbing Vision Behind the National Parks Photo credit: newyorker.com Many people are aware that Theodore Roosevelt founded the US Forest Service and more or less created the concept of a “national park.” However, most people don’t know that he had help—from some of the most distressingly racist people on the planet. They saw national parks as an opportunity to prove the importance of racial purification. These men were Madison Grant, Gifford Pinchot, and a handful of other aristocratic supporters of eugenics, the belief that some creatures—including humans—are genetically superior to others. They were fond of warning of the impending “race suicide” that America would face if it didn’t replenish its stock of white people and even suggested that certain people should be legally forbidden to reproduce.[5] However, they were also very vocal about the importance of wildlife conservation. When Roosevelt approached them for help in establishing the national parks, they saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Essentially, their idea was to use the parks as a metaphor for human society—the noble bear and elk (white people) deprived of land and resources by weaker but more numerous species (nonwhites). Luckily, the message was lost in translation and now we just like looking at all the pretty trees. 5 Crazy Horse’s Ironic Insult Photo credit: manataka.org In 1948, sculptor Korczazk Ziolkowski began work on possibly the most ambitious statue in the world. Using the very mountains of South Dakota’s Black Hills, he planned to honor Native American folk hero Crazy Horse with a massive memorial, the largest on the planet. Unfortunately, he didn’t bother to consult any actual Native Americans before starting work. Aside from the fact that Ziolkowski began unknowingly blowing apart a sacred mountain with no permission whatsoever, the statue itself has proven problematic as well. The plan calls for Crazy Horse, mounted on horseback, to be pointing dramatically across the land. This is a reference to a folktale in which a white man asks, “Where are your lands now?” The legendary warrior replies, “My lands are where my dead lie buried.” It makes for a moving image. But there’s one small problem: It is unbelievably rude to point in Native American culture.[6] Needless to say, Native American spokesmen have been condemning the statue for decades, comparing it to a Mount Rushmore that features the presidents picking their noses. Luckily, the statue is not yet finished. Here’s hoping that someone takes over soon who is willing to actually speak to the people being honored. 4 The National Mall’s Dodged Bullet The National Mall in Washington, DC, is absolutely packed with monuments to great Americans and moments in American history. The Washington Monument, the Smithsonian, and the Lincoln Memorial all call this long, grassy stretch home. However, in the early 1920s, it came dangerously close to adopting a new monument, seemingly praising one of the darkest moments in the nation’s history. Having only been abolished half a century prior, slavery was still an extremely tender topic during the early years of the 20th century. This is exactly why the “Mammy Monument” was so baffling. Proposed by North Carolina Congressman Charles Stedman in 1923, this statue featured a large slave woman holding a white infant. It was to be a memorial to slaves who “desired no change in their condition of life.”[7] Understandably, in an era in which many white Americans were still struggling to decide if freeing the slaves had been the right move, a monument to slaves that looked upon slavery “as the happy golden hours of their lives” might have been problematic. Nevertheless, the Senate approved the proposal, nearly constructing the statue ironically close to the Lincoln Memorial. However, overwhelming backlash ultimately caused the project to be canceled. 3 Lincoln’s Cave Drawings Photo credit: ijr.com Speaking of the Lincoln Memorial, it isn’t immune to Hidden Historical Weirdness Syndrome (HHWS), either. Like other HHWS sufferers, Lincoln’s famous shrine hides its secrets well. Only a select few ever get to see it, but there is a man-made cavern full of modern cave paintings hiding just beneath Abe’s massive throne. During the monument’s construction in the naturally swampy Washington, DC, terrain, workers had to dig down 12 meters (40 ft) to hit anything solid enough to build on. Then they poured several concrete pillars to support the weight of the memorial. This inadvertently created a huge artificial cave system beneath the structure. In the years following its 1922 completion, it even began growing stalactites. But the truly bizarre bits are the cave drawings—charcoal graffiti left by bored workmen over 100 years ago. Perfectly preserved in their sealed tomb, intricate illustrations of dogs, horses, flapper girls, and men smoking pipes stare from the giant columns supporting Honest Abe. Plastic sheets have been placed to protect a few of these drawings, but most are still exactly as they were left a century ago. Tentative plans are in place to open this otherworldly time capsule to the public in the near future.[8] 2 The Roosevelt Geyser Photo credit: ghostsofdc.org Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial sits on a quiet island in the Potomac River in Washington, DC. In honor of the 26th president’s love of nature and conservation, it largely consists of a simple park. However, upon Roosevelt’s death in 1919, proposals for a memorial began pouring in, and the current design was nowhere near the most likely. At first, officials were drawn to a plan put forth by architect John Russell Pope. On the southern banks of DC’s tidal basin—home of the Jefferson Memorial—a fountain would be constructed in honor of Roosevelt’s spirit, which “sprang out of the deep sources of the nation’s history.” However, this would be no ordinary fountain. Larger than life, like Roosevelt himself, this fountain would blast water to a staggering 61 meters (200 ft), twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial.[9] Obviously, the man-made geyser idea never saw the light of day. Not only did many agree that it was too soon to build a memorial to the only one-year-deceased president, but the irony wasn’t lost on the public. After all, was such a monumental waste of water really the best way to honor the greatest conservationist in history? 1 Lady Liberty’s Makeover Photo credit: Smithsonian Magazine New York City’s Statue of Liberty is far and away the most powerful symbol of the United States. Instantly recognizable the world over, this (now) green behemoth has welcomed ships to NYC since 1886. But bizarrely, her iconic look was not her first one—she was originally a Muslim woman. Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, the statue’s designer, had first planned to build the colossal statue/lighthouse for the opening of Egypt’s Suez Canal. She was to be a fellah (“Arab peasant”) clad in a simple Middle Eastern robe. Entitled Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia, she would represent the Egyptians, her torch lighting the way for the rest of the world. However, after throwing obscene amounts of cash at the canal project itself, the Egyptian government passed on the costly—and entirely cosmetic—statue. But Bartholdi was determined to bring his vision to life. So when the French government approached him to design a monument for the US for its centennial celebration, he jumped at the chance. After swapping her Muslim robe for a more Roman number and changing her official name to Liberty Enlightening the World, Bartholdi presented the United States with his now world-famous creation.[10] Read more fascinating stories about national treasures on 10 Facts That Prove Mount Rushmore Was A Terrible Idea and 10 Amazing Lost Treasures No One Can Find. 10 Rude-Sounding British Places With Unbelievable Backstories 10 Weird Habits And Passions Of Powerful World Figures 10 Great Pranks Pulled Off By Famous People Top 10 Bizarre Insurance Claims	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line854
__label__wiki	0.928854	0.928854	How the U.S. Created the Afghan War — and Then Lost It April 29, 2014 Tom Engelhardt The Unreported Story of How the Haqqani Network Became America’s Greatest Enemy* by Anand Gopal It was a typical Kabul morning. Malik Ashgar Square was already bumper-to-bumper with Corolla taxis, green police jeeps, honking minivans, and angry motorcyclists. There were boys selling phone cards and men waving wads of cash for exchange, all weaving their way around the vehicles amid exhaust fumes. At the gate of the Lycée Esteqial, one of the country’s most prestigious schools, students were kicking around a soccer ball. At the Ministry of Education, a weathered old Soviet-style building opposite the school, a line of employees spilled out onto the street. I was crossing the square, heading for the ministry, when I saw the suicide attacker. He had Scandinavian features. Dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt, and carrying a large backpack, he began firing indiscriminately at the ministry. From my vantage point, about 50 meters away, I couldn’t quite see his expression, but he did not seem hurried or panicked. I took cover behind a parked taxi. It wasn’t long before the traffic police had fled and the square had emptied of vehicles. Twenty-eight people, mostly civilians, died in attacks at the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, and elsewhere across the city that day in 2009. Afterward, U.S. authorities implicated the Haqqani Network, a shadowy outfit operating from Pakistan that had pioneered the use of multiple suicide bombers in headline-grabbing urban assaults. Unlike other Taliban groups, the Haqqanis’ approach to mayhem was worldly and sophisticated: they recruited Arabs, Pakistanis, even Europeans, and they were influenced by the latest in radical Islamist thought. Their leader, the septuagenarian warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani, was something like Osama bin Laden and Al Capone rolled into one, as fiercely ideological as he was ruthlessly pragmatic. And so many years later, his followers are still fighting. Even with the U.S. withdrawing the bulk of its troops this year, up to 10,000 Special Operations forces, CIA paramilitaries, and their proxies will likely stay behind to battle the Haqqanis, the Taliban, and similar outfits in a war that seemingly has no end. With such entrenched enemies, the conflict today has an air of inevitability — but it could all have gone so differently. Though it’s now difficult to imagine, by mid-2002 there was no insurgency in Afghanistan: al-Qaeda had fled the country and the Taliban had ceased to exist as a military movement. Jalaluddin Haqqani and other top Taliban figures were reaching out to the other side in an attempt to cut a deal and lay down their arms. Tens of thousands of U.S. forces, however, had arrived on Afghan soil, post-9/11, with one objective: to wage a war on terror. As I report in my new book, No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes, the U.S. would prosecute that war even though there was no enemy to fight. To understand how America’s battle in Afghanistan went so wrong for so long, a (hidden) history lesson is in order. In those early years after 2001, driven by the idée fixe that the world was rigidly divided into terrorist and non-terrorist camps, Washington allied with Afghan warlords and strongmen. Their enemies became ours, and through faulty intelligence, their feuds became repackaged as “counterterrorism.” The story of Jalaluddin Haqqani, who turned from America’s potential ally into its greatest foe, is the paradigmatic case of how the war on terror created the very enemies it sought to eradicate. The Campaign to Take Out Haqqani: 2001 Jalaluddin Haqqani stands at about average height, with bushy eyebrows, an aquiline nose, a wide smile, and an expansive beard, which in its full glory swallows half his face. In his native land, the three southeastern Afghan provinces known collectively as Loya Paktia, he is something of a war hero, an anti-Soviet mujahedeen of storied bravery and near mythical endurance. (Once, after being shot, he refused painkillers because he was fasting.) During the waning years of the Cold War, he was beloved by the Americans — Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson called him “goodness personified” — and by Osama bin Laden, too. In the 1980s, the U.S. supplied him with funds and weapons in the battle against a Soviet-backed regime in Kabul and the Red Army, while radical Arab groups provided a steady stream of recruits to bolster his formidable Afghan force. American officials had this history in mind when the second Afghan War began in October 2001. Hoping to convince Haqqani (who had backed the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the post-Soviet years) to defect, they spared his territory in Loya Paktia the intense bombing campaign that they had loosed on much of the rest of the country. The Taliban, for their part, placed him in charge of their entire military force, both sides sensing that his could be the swing vote in the war. Haqqani met with top Taliban figures and Osama bin Laden, only to decamp for Pakistan, where he took part in a flurry of meetings with Pakistanis and U.S.-backed Afghans. His representatives also began meeting American officials in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, and the United Arab Emirates, and the Americans eventually offered him a deal: surrender to detention, cooperate with the new Afghan military authorities, and after a suitable period, he would be free to go. For Haqqani, one of Loya Paktia’s most respected and popular figures, the prospect of sitting behind bars was unfathomable. Arsala Rahmani, an associate of his, who would go on to serve as a senator in the Afghan government, told me, “He wanted to have an important position in Loya Paktia, but they offered to arrest him. He couldn’t believe it. Can you imagine such an insult?” Haqqani declined the American offer, but left the door open to future talks. The prevailing ethos in the U.S., though, was that you were either with us or against us. “I personally always believed that Haqqani was someone we could have worked with,” a former U.S. intelligence official told journalist Joby Warrick. “But at the time, no one was looking over the horizon, to where we might be in five years. For the policy folks, it was just ‘screw these little brown people.’” In early November, the U.S. began bombing Loya Paktia. Two nights later, warplanes attacked Haqqani’s home in the town of Gardez, near the Pakistani border. He was not present, but his brother-in-law and a family servant died in the blast. The next evening, U.S. planes struck a religious school in the village of Mata China, one of many Haqqani had built in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which provided room, board, and education to poor children. Malem Jan, a Haqqani family friend, showed up the next morning. “I had never seen anything like it,” he said. “There were so many bodies. The roof was flattened to the ground. I saw one child who was alive under there, but no one could get him out in time.” Thirty-four people, almost all children, lost their lives. Haqqani was in his primary residence in the nearby village of Zani Khel, a dusty cluster of mud houses that had once been an anti-Soviet stronghold. “We heard the blast, and then the sound of planes in the sky,” a cousin, who lived next door, told me. “We became very afraid.” Haqqani retreated to the house of Mawlawi Sirajuddin, a village chief. Not long after, the house shook violently from a direct airstrike. Haqqani was grievously wounded but managed to climb out of the rubble and escape. Sirajuddin, though, was not so lucky: his wife Fatima, three grandsons, six granddaughters, and 10 other relatives were killed. The next morning, Haqqani sent word to his subordinates and former sub-commanders advising them to surrender. The Americans, however, had already found the local ally in Loya Paktia that they’d been looking for, a would-be warlord and supporter of the exiled Afghan king named Pacha Khan Zadran. With a thick uni-brow and handlebar mustache, PKZ (as he came to be known to the Americans) looked something like an Afghan Saddam Hussein. Flamboyant, illiterate, and quick-tempered, he was in many ways the opposite of Haqqani, under whom he had briefly fought during the anti-Soviet jihad. He had arrived in Loya Paktia shortly after the Taliban fled in mid-November and promptly declared himself governor of the three provinces. In no time, he had sealed his ties to the Americans by promising to deliver the man they now wanted most: Jalaluddin Haqqani. “The last time I saw him,” Malem Jan said, “he was worried and upset. He told me to save myself and leave, because Pacha Khan would not allow us to live.” One early morning in late November, Haqqani slipped across the border into Pakistan. He would never be seen in public again. An Attempt at Reconciliation Up in Flames: 2001 On December 20, 2001, the American-backed Hamid Karzai was preparing for his inauguration as interim president of Afghanistan. Nearly 100 of Loya Paktia’s leading tribal elders set out that afternoon in a convoy for Kabul to congratulate Karzai and declare their loyalty, a gesture that would go far in legitimizing his rule among the country’s border population. From Pakistan, Haqqani sent family members, close friends, and political allies to participate in the motorcade — an olive branch to the new government. About 30 vehicles long, the convoy drove through the desert for hours. Near sunset, it reached a hilltop and was forced to stop: PKZ and hundreds of his armed men were blocking the road. Malek Sardar, an elder from Haqqani’s tribe, approached him. “He was demanding that the elders should accept him as leader of Loya Paktia,” Sardar told me. “He wanted our thumb prints and signatures right then and there.” Sardar promised to return after the inauguration to discuss the matter, but PKZ would not budge, so the convoy backed up and headed off to find a different route to Kabul. On his satellite phone, Sardar called officials in the Afghan capital and at the U.S. consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, looking for help, but he was too late. PKZ, who had the ear of key American military figures, had informed them that a “Haqqani-al Qaeda” cavalcade was making its way toward Kabul. Shortly thereafter, amid deafening explosions, cars started bursting into flames. “We could see lights in the sky, fire everywhere. People were screaming and we ran,” Sardar said. The Americans were bombing the convoy. The attacks would continue for hours. As Sardar and others took cover in a pair of nearby villages, planes circled back and struck both locations, destroying nearly 20 homes and killing dozens of inhabitants. In all, 50 people, including many prominent tribal elders, died in the assault. It was now late December, and in Qale Niazi, a village that had been a Haqqani stronghold in the 1980s, the bombing had frightened elders into taking control of a decades-old weapons dump. “We did not want Pacha Khan to take these weapons and use them,” said elder Fazel Muhammad. “They should belong to the government of Karzai, so we guarded it until they came.” He was on his way to the village one night for a wedding party when he heard the American planes. A moment later, mud houses ahead of him exploded in a direct hit. A second bomb struck the weapons depot, setting off a series of eruptions. The night sky lit up, illuminating fleeing women and children. “Some helicopters came,” Muhammad said, “and then these people were no more.” In the morning, Fazel Muhammad went looking for the house of his relatives, where the wedding party had been, but all he found there were pulverized mud bricks, twisted picture frames, deformed pots, a child’s shoe, a scalp with braided hair, and severed human fingers. Later, a tribal commission set up to investigate the massacre determined that PKZ had fed the Americans “intelligence” that Qale Niazi was a Haqqani stronghold. According to aUnited Nations investigation, 52 people had died: 17 men, 10 women, and 25 children. Reconciliation and Flames: 2002 In six weeks, America’s campaign to kill Jalaluddin Haqqand had resulted in 159 dead civilians, a flattened village, 37 destroyed homes, a fractured tribal leadership, and the ascendancy of one man, Pacha Khan Zadran, as the most important player in Loya Paktia. Meanwhile, Haqqani and his followers were in hiding in Pakistan, watching the three provinces in which they had enjoyed prestige and riches slip out of their grasp. Life inside Pakistan proved little better. While Haqqani hid in Peshawar, his family had retreated to a suburb of Miram Shah, the capital of the tribal agency of North Waziristan. The Pakistani military was, at that point, working closely with Washington to round up al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects. In December, its troops raided the Miram Shah home, arresting his son Sirajuddin. Weeks later, they stormed the Peshawar hideout, with Haqqani barely escaping. In the following months, U.S. Special Forces teams staged secret incursions into Pakistan to raid Haqqani homes and seminaries, inciting anger in the local community. “We will never allow anybody to destroy our religious institutions,” said Hajji Salam Wazir, a tribal elder. “I am surprised how the Americans use the Muslims,” he added. “Until yesterday, Haqqani was a hero and freedom fighter for the U.S., and they sent their own military experts to train him. Now he is a terrorist.” Caught between the threat of Pakistani arrest and American assassination, Haqqani decided to reach out again to the new Afghan government. In March 2002, he dispatched his brother Ibrahim Omari to Afghanistan in a bid to reconcile with Karzai. In a public ceremony attended by hundreds of tribal elders and local dignitaries, Omari pledged allegiance to the new government and issued a call for Haqqani followers to return from Pakistan and work with the authorities. He was then appointed head of Paktia province’s tribal council, an institution meant to link village elders with the Kabul government. Soon, hundreds of Haqqani’s old sub-commanders, who had been hiding in fear of PKZ, came in from the cold. Malem Jan was one of them. With long, curling eyelashes, daubs of kohl under his eyes, and polished fingernails, he had a taste for dancing, which he often performed solo to the delight of his comrades. He was also an accomplished commander, having fought under Haqqani during the early 1990s against the Communist government. In the spring of 2002, he rounded up his old fighters and soon they were working for the CIA as a paramilitary unit, providing security for American missions in search of al-Qaeda. “It was a good time,” Malem Jan recalled. “We were working closely together, sharing meals, sharing gossip.” The CIA militias, of which there were a half-dozen in Loya Paktia, would soon enough grow into a 3,000-man shadow army, collectively called Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams, which operates to this day outside of the Afghan government’s jurisdiction and answers only to U.S. forces. Contacts between Haqqani and the CIA were rekindled, with his brother Omari acting as the intermediary. Plans were made for a meeting between Haqqani himself and Agency representatives. Key to a deal was the assurance that he would be allowed to return to Afghanistan and take part in Loya Paktia politics. The trouble was PKZ, who viewed such maneuverings with jealousy and was still angling to control the three provinces outright. “I must be allowed to take over as governor,” he declared to the Austin American-Statesman. “If it’s not me, it will be someone from al-Qaeda.” When Karzai appointed a new man to head Paktia province, PKZ made his move, laying siege to the governor’s mansion and killing 25 people. At the same time, he convinced American military officers to clamp down on the Haqqanis. One evening, as Omari was visiting the house of a government official near Kabul, U.S. Special Operations forces showed up — without the CIA’s knowledge — and arrested him. That week, similar arrests of Haqqani followers took place across Loya Paktia. As soon as Malem Jan realized what was happening, he fled to Pakistan, but a number of his subordinates were rounded up and dispatched to the new American prison at Bagram Air Base, a quickly expanding military command center. Swat Khan, his deputy, said that in his initial questioning he was hung by his wrists from the ceiling. Later, he was beaten. Finally, he was shipped to Guantanamo, where, a few years later, he attempted suicide. “It’s all there when I close my eyes,” he told me after his release. “The nightmare never leaves me.” It took the CIA months to realize that Omari was in an American lockup. When he was finally released, he looked like a different man. It was a cold autumn day, on a hilltop near the town of Khost, when hundreds of tribal elders and government officials came to receive him. There were dignitaries from villages that had been bombed and attacked by American planes and PKZ’s forces, elders who had survived the disastrous convoy, farmers whose sons had been sent to Guantanamo. “At first I couldn’t even recognize him,” said tribal elder Malek Sardar. “He wouldn’t talk about what they had done to him. It seemed too painful to ask.” Slowly, his voice quivering, Omari addressed the crowd. There was no hope in this government or the Americans, he told them. Some elders shouted insults at Karzai. Others said the Americans were no different from the Russians. Omari swore he would never set foot on Afghan soil again until it was free of “the infidels.” Not long after, he left for Pakistan. The Haqqani Network: 2004-2014 In the summer of 2004, Malem Jan was sitting with Sirajuddin Haqqani, the second son of Jalaluddin, in their Pakistani base in the North Waziristan town of Miram Shah when they heard their names on the BBC. The Americans were offering $250,000 and $200,000, respectively, as rewards for information leading to their capture. Introverted, religious, and fiercely intelligent, the younger Haqqani was rapidly taking over the reins of his ailing father’s network, and he smiled at the thought of his deputy, Malem Jan, fetching a larger reward than him. “They say he who has the highest bounty on his head is the closest to God,” he joked. The Haqqanis were now in open war against the Americans. Whereas his father had presided over Loya Paktia with popular support, Sirajuddin ruled from the shadows through fear — assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, and roadside bombings. Miram Shah had become the world capital of radical jihad, home to al-Qaeda and an assortment of Chechens, Uzbeks, and Europeans fighting under Haqqani’s banner. The ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence service, was now supporting the Haqqanis as way of influencing events inside Afghanistan, even as Islamabad publicly allied with Washington. By classifying certain groups as terrorists, and then acting upon those classifications, the U.S. had inadvertently brought about the very conditions it had set out to fight. By 2010, the Haqqani network was the deadliest wing of an increasingly violent insurgency that was claiming the lives of countless civilians, as well as American soldiers. It was hard, by then, even to recall that, back in mid-2002, U.S. forces had been without an enemy: the remnants of al-Qaeda had fled to Pakistan, the Taliban had collapsed, and the Haqqanis were attempting to reconcile. If Pacha Khan Zadran was able to convince his American allies otherwise, it was because of the logic of the war on terror. “Terrorism” was understood not as a set of tactics (hostage taking, assassinations, car bombings), but as something rooted in the identity of its perpetrators, like height or temperament. This meant that, once designated a “terrorist,” Jalaluddin Haqqani could never shake the label, even when he attempted to reconcile. On the other hand, when PKZ eventually broke with the Karzai government and turned his guns on the Americans, he was labeled not a terrorist but a “renegade.” (He eventually fled to Pakistan, was arrested, turned over to the Afghan government, and later was elected to parliament.) In recent years, the U.S. has waged an intense drone campaign against the Haqqanis in their North Waziristan stronghold. Dozens of their commanders have been killed, including their top military chief, Badruddin Haqqani. Many others have been arrested. Today, the Haqqani network is a shadow of its former self. The group’s influence, however, lives on. In 2012, I received a phone call from the family of Arsala Rahmani, the Afghan senator with whom I’d become friendly. That morning, a gunman had pulled up alongside Rahmani’s vehicle, idling in a crowded intersection, and shot him point blank. Later, I learned that a former Haqqani-aligned commander named Najibullah was the culprit; he had launched his own faction, Mahaz-e-Fedayeen, whose ruthlessness made the Haqqanis look like amateurs. Now in the crosshairs of U.S. counterterrorism forces, his group is but the latest enemy in a war that never seems to end. Anand Gopal, a TomDispatch regular, is the author of the just-published No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes (Metropolitan Books). He reported on the Afghan War for theWall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor and is now a fellow of the New America Foundation. You can follow him on twitter@Anand_Gopal_. Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook and Tumblr. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Ann Jones’s They Were Soldiers: How the Wounded Return From America’s Wars — The Untold Story. Copyright 2014 Anand Gopal *This article was first published by Tom Dispatch and was reprinted here with permission. Afghanistan, US Foreign Policy 9/11, Afghanistan War, Al-Qaeda, Anand Gopal, and the War Through Afghan Eyes, Bagram Air Base, Bush administration, Charlie Wilson, CIA, Hamid Karzai, Haqqani Network, Jalaluddin Haqqani, Loya Paktia, motivation for war on Afghanistan, No Good Men Among the Living: America, Taliban, the Taliban, War on Terror Tom Engelhardt is a co-founder of the American Empire Project and the author of The United States of Fear as well as a history of the Cold War, The End of Victory Culture. He is a fellow of the Nation Institute and runs TomDispatch.com. His sixth and latest book, just published, is A Nation Unmade by War (Dispatch Books). Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Tom Engelhardt’s A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy’s In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, John Dower’s The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, John Feffer’s dystopian novel Splinterlands, and Nick Turse’s Next Time They’ll Come to Count the Dead. Previous Article← U.S. Calls Egypt’s Latest Mass Death Sentences “Unconscionable” Next ArticleBetween Fascists and Neoliberals, Ukraine Seeks Stable Leadership → U.S. Iran Policy Gives Me Vertigo Al-Qaeda and Iran: The Bond that Does Not Exist The Fog of Selling a War As U.S. Weighs War, Iraqis Prepare a Carnival for Peace	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line856
__label__wiki	0.61488	0.61488	April 15, 2017 August 6, 2017 neilfoster Can kids tell other kids about Jesus at school? Note: this post has been updated in July 2017 to note more recent developments. Astonishingly, the answer to the question posed here, provided by the Queensland Department of Education and Training was: No! In their latest reviews of material used in Special Religious Instruction (SRI) offered in public schools in that State, they assert as follows: While not explicitly prohibited by the [relevant legislation], nor referenced in the [Departmental published] RI policy statement, the Department expects schools to take appropriate action if aware that students participating in RI are evangelising to students who do not participate in their RI class, given this could adversely affect the school’s ability to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all students. (This statement is found both in the Report on the Review of the GodSpace Religious Instruction Materials, March 2017, at para 3.1.1 on p 5, and in the Report on the Review of the ACCESS ministries’ Religious Instruction Materials, Feb 2017, at para 3.1.1 on p 6. Update: the two reviews are also linked on a page headed “Religious instruction policy statement“, which indicates it was updated on 25 May 2017. There seems no doubt that schools would see this as part of authoritative guidance from the Education Department.) In this post I want to explain why this over-reaching bureaucratic imposition is not justified by the law governing the Department’s activities, and indeed is probably illegal. Background to SRI issues in Queensland Long-term readers of this blog may recall that I have commented on SRI issues in Queensland in the past: see “Religious Instruction in schools and “soliciting”” (June 7, 2016). Let me repeat some of what I said there to set the scene for this issue: RI or SRE is offered in most States and Territories of Australia, and has been for many years. I gave some general background to this in a previous post when the SRE materials in the State of NSW were under challenge- see here and a follow-up here. The usual practice is for the law to allow representatives of various religions to come into classrooms once a week, often for a 30 minute lesson [in Qld, up to one hour], to teach about their religious faith. The classes are voluntary, parents of course being entitled to not send their children along. But the content of the classes is not determined by the relevant State authorities- it is left up to the discretion of the religious teachers. … Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld) [EGPA], s 76(1) provides: 76 Religious instruction in school hours (1) Any minister of a religious denomination or society, or an accredited representative of a religious denomination or society, which representative has been approved by the Minister for the purpose, shall be entitled during school hours to give to the students in attendance at a State school who are members of the denomination or society of which the person is a minister or the accredited representative religious instruction in accordance with regulations prescribed in that behalf during a period not exceeding 1 hour in each week on such day as the principal of that school appoints. (emphasis added)… This provision is supplement by more detailed regulations in the Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2006 (Qld) [EGRA], where among other things reg 27 provides: 27 Authorised religious instruction A minister of religion or an accredited representative may give only religious instruction approved by the religious denomination or religious society the minister or accredited representative represents. So the clear assumption is that materials to be used in RI are to be those approved by the relevant religious group. Parents, if they send their children to RI classes, know that they are being taught by representatives of the religious group running the classes. In the previous post the main issue was that a local Principal had decided to cancel SRI because the materials seemed to support “proselytising”, which he interpreted as encouraging students to follow Jesus. My post explained why the Principal was wrong- both because the Departmental policy he was reading did not prohibit SRI teachers from encouraging students to become disciples of Jesus, and because for wider reasons a ban on such activity would be contrary to the legislation and generally to recognised human rights principles. (We will return to these issues below). It seems that the Department accepted that interpretation, for in their later report on the Connect materials (produced by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney but often used in general Protestant SRI, or “scripture”, classes around Australia) we find the following comment: Although outside the scope of this review, it is noted that legal advice provided by faith groups has indicated the view that there is no legislative basis for prohibition of proselytising in the EGPA or EGPR. The Department’s Legal and Administrative Law Branch supports this view. (See Report on the Review of the Connect Religious Instruction Materials (August 2016) at para 4.0, p 6). So, to be clear, the Department has already conceded, in accordance with the law, that SRI teachers are able to teach the Bible to children whose parents want them to do so, and that this teaching includes telling children that Jesus invites them to become his followers. Reviews of the Godspace and Access materials The Department has now released, by way of follow-up to its former review of the Connect materials, its review of the Godspace materials (written by authors connected to the Baptist Union) and ACCESS materials (written by another Protestant ministry). While these two reviews were apparently concluded in February and March respectively, the Department chose to release them online on the Thursday afternoon before the Easter long weekend. The good news for SRI teachers using the materials is that the overall conclusion of the reviews is as follows: The review did not find significant inconsistences with the Department’s RI policy statement. (Godspace review, p 5; ACCESS review, p 5.) There are then some minor suggestions made on matters which the reviewers suggest need more careful handing in presenting Biblical materials to children. I will not spend much time here discussing those, although I must say that most of them seem to be really trivial issues, to vastly over-state the possible “emotional” and other harm that may come to children from recounting historical events in the Bible, and to not in effect understand what the material in the Bible is actually teaching. I must comment on one particularly egregious example, however. One of the lessons examined in the Godspace materials was a study of the story in the Old Testament book of Daniel concerning four Israelite youths who were taken to Babylon after the invasion of Israel by that country. As part of their training they were required to eat the food and wine supplied by the king of Babylon to all such “trainees”. But some of this food would be contrary to Jewish food laws. So Daniel, their leader, requested permission for he and his colleagues to only eat vegetables and water, and said that the officer in charge could assess whether this regime was keeping them healthy by comparing their state of health after 10 days with that of the other trainees. (See the incident in full at Daniel 1:8-16). The purpose of the lesson, in context, is to describe the obedience that these Hebrew youths showed in a particular situation in Biblical history. This incident is part of a pattern of such events in the Bible. But the specific issue of food is, as the Bible unfolds, seen to not be the point. In the New Testament Jesus abolished the Old Testament food laws- see Mark 7:14-23, esp v 19). So it is really not likely that this incident has been included in the Godspace materials for the teachers to urge the students to become vegetarians! But this seems to be the concern of the Departmental reviewers, who say this, starting with a quote from the materials: “Feed us only vegetables and water and then you can see how strong we are.” Three years later, after eating vegies only: “Yes! It was Daniel and his friends. They were the strongest, the healthiest and also the wisest men of all.” (Purple 2, p. 43). This is inconsistent with the balanced and healthy eating promoted under the Department’s Smart Choices – Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy. (at p 7) Really? The reviewers saw this material as urging a vegetarian diet? In doing so they show themselves to be very poorly equipped to assess the impact of Biblical teaching materials. (This article from Eternity News contains a graphic from the lesson which shows clearly that the point of it is really obedience to God despite the orders of competing secular authority, not diet issues.) One wonders why they did not focus on the story of Daniel in the lion’s den and not express concern that children would be encouraged to breach zoo enclosures! Forbidding playground evangelism However, by far the most serious issue raised by the reports is the paragraph quoted at the beginning of this post, where the Department expresses its “expectation” that “appropriate action” be taken if students doing RI classes are “evangelising” their classmates who do not attend. This suggests both that SRI materials are not to encourage such activity, and also that principals are to stop pupils engaged in religious discussions in the playground. This is a piece of astonishing bureaucratic over-reach, for at least five reasons. 1. This “expectation” is not supported by legislation The first and most obvious reason why this “expectation” is inappropriate is that it is not supported by the law governing the Department’s activities! The Department itself concedes that the activity of evangelism is “not explicitly prohibited by the EGPA or EGPR, nor referenced in the RI policy statement”. In that case what on earth gives the officers of the Department any authority to direct SRI teachers, schools or pupils to behave in accordance with their “expectations”? In our Westminster system of government, public officials have the powers given to them by the elected representatives of the people in Parliament, in laws interpreted by the courts. They do not have the power to make up their own rules and expect other people to abide by them. This is a straight-forward issue of the “rule of law” as it operates in our country. Of course there are many areas where guidance or clarification may be issued by the Department to schools on non-controversial matters. But on this issue, a question of regulating the free speech of school pupils while chatting with their friends in the school playground, the Department has no authority to impose this sort of rule. Their only justification for doing so is that they claim that this “could adversely affect the school’s ability to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all students.” Of course if there is a serious (not a speculative and far-fetched) danger that the playground will erupt into fights when some issues are discussed, then principals will be able to deal with this on a case by case basis. But to assume as a blanket rule that a mild discussion about religion will automatically create a lack of safety is ridiculous. Far more likely that children will fight over whose football team or preferred pop singer is better! And we find no proposal to bar discussion of football or pop music from the playground. The words “supportive and inclusive” may suggest that the Department thinks that if one child tells another child that his or her religion may be wrong, there will be some major emotional trauma. But the fact is that human beings of all ages are well used to finding that others disagree with them on a number of important issues. And it hardly seems “inclusive” to tell a Christian pupil, who sees his or her identity as a child of God saved by Jesus, that they are forbidden from telling others about this news, which they regard as the best news of all. (The more recent excellent post from Nathan Campbell makes this point very well.) Indeed, this leads on the second reason why this is a bad policy. 2. This “expectation” is probably illegal as discriminatory The Departmental “expectation” is directed only to the sharing of religious views with others. It does not address itself to the child who wishes to discuss climate change, or the desirability of fracking, or immigration policy. Of course it is clear that these matters do not often find themselves at the top of chatter around the handball court. But there is clearly a singling out of “religious” topics as one which cannot be discussed by pupils with others. The Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of “religious belief or religious activity”- see s 7(i) (the letter “i” not the Roman numeral “i”). According to the Dictionary to that Act, “religious activity means engaging in… a lawful religious activity”. One area where such discrimination is unlawful is the “educational area”. Section 39 of the Act provides: 39 Discrimination by educational authority in student area An educational authority must not discriminate—… (d) by treating a student unfavourably in any way in connection with the student’s training or instruction. A blanket prohibition of students sharing their faith with fellow students, when other students who are passionate about specific non-religious issues are at liberty to discuss them with others, would seem to clearly be treating a student unfavourably on the basis of their lawful religious activity. It is worth noting that under s 3 of the ADA, the Act binds “the Crown in right of Queensland”. 3. The “expectation” is illegal as contradicting the head legislation In addition, it seems clear that another reason the purported “expectation” (which clearly amounts to a directive to schools) is illegal, is that it not only is not supported by any power given by the empowering legislation, but it actually contradicts that legislation. As noted above, reg 27 of the EGPR provides that the content to be delivered must be that “approved by the religious denomination or religious society”. The authority to determine the content of the Biblical material presented to children is not given to the Department, but to the religious providers. Of course the Department could intervene if it became clear that material based on religious documents was being used to support exhortations to violence or hatred. But the simple “expectation” or preference of Departmental officers that children should not be encouraged to speak to others about their faith, falls very far short of that. The material presented by the religious groups is not be “watered down” to meet the personal preferences of public servants. Parents who are happy for their children to be instructed in a religious faith, will be able to determine if what is being taught goes beyond their beliefs, and have conversations with their children or withdraw them from the classes. But the ultimate arbiter of content in these classes cannot be the Department; the legislation gives the authority to the religious group. That is as it should be, in a country which generally supports the idea that governments are “neutral” when it comes to support or opposition of particular religious views. 4. The “expectation” undermines free speech of pupils Even at a young age, it seems contrary to the value our legal system places on free speech for the Department to forbid school pupils from discussing certain topics with others in the playground. Indeed, this is another reason for suggesting the expectation is not lawful. While there is no free-standing right to free speech in Australia, the principle of free speech is an important underlying value of our common law legal system. The High Court has held that this is such an important principle, that under the so-called doctrine of “legality”, legislation will be interpreted not to allow the taking away of the right to free speech unless it does so clearly and unambiguously. In the decision in Attorney-General (SA) v Corporation of the City of Adelaide [2013] HCA 3 (the “Adelaide Preachers case“) the Chief Justice, French CJ, noted at [43]: the construction of [the relevant legislation] is informed by the principle of legality in its application to freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is a long-established common law freedom. It has been linked to the proper functioning of representative democracies and on that basis has informed the application of public interest considerations to claimed restraints upon publication of information. (footnotes omitted) The Court there held that the relevant legislation, a regulation made under a broad statutory power, was valid as it dealt with traffic issues, but that it would not be a valid exercise of the power given to the Council to prohibit verbal activity because the officers disagreed with the content of what was said- [46]. Here it seems clear that it is precisely the religious content of the conversations which is being targeted. In light of the principle of legality, such an “expectation” from the Department cannot be justified as a legitimate exercise of Government discretion, given that it has such a serious impact on freedom of speech. 5. The “expectation” undermines religious freedom for pupils Finally, though perhaps most obviously, the Departmental expectation is a fundamental impairment of the free exercise of religion by school pupils. Again, at the moment there is no over-arching protection of this value in Australia. It is to some extent protected by the discrimination law noted above. But at a more general level, the value of religious freedom may on occasions provide a further reason for supposing that a broad legislative power to lay down guidelines, was not intended to allow a radical restriction of religious freedom. (It is also worth noting that the current Queensland government has expressed its support in theory for the introduction of a Human Rights Act for Queensland modelled on the existing Victorian provision. If this was to follow Victoria, it would include a clear right to free exercise of religion, as s 14 of the Victorian legislation does. This would provide yet another reason for challenging this administrative guidance from the Department.) I have written a paper on the general protection of religious freedom in Australia, linked in a previous post here. In that paper I discuss a case of particular interest here, the decision of the Federal Court in Evans v NSW [2008] FCAFC 130. In that decision a major ground for overturning restrictive NSW regulations that had prohibited the “annoying” of Catholic World Youth Day participants, was that they interfered (without explicit Parliamentary authority) with the fundamental common law right of freedom of speech. But the Court also noted that another principle it could refer to, in interpreting legislation, was the value of religious freedom, supporting this by reference to the general terms of s 116 of the Constitution, and to Art 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These two principles operating together meant that a restrictive NSW law aimed at preventing persons being “annoyed” was held to be invalid, as going beyond the power given by the relevant statute. All the more would such combined principles operate to challenge an administrative “expectation” not supported by any legislation at all. While international conventions are not directly binding in Australia, Australian courts often refer to them in interpreting similar rights that are given under Australian law. In that context it is worth noting, as I did in my previous post on the Queensland SRI rules, that there is firm international support for the view that the ability to freely speak to others in a polite and respectful way about one’s religion, and to hear others speak, are significant aspects of religious freedom. As I noted there: Kirby J in the High Court of Australia, in NABD of 2002 v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2005] HCA 29; (2005) 216 ALR 1; (2005) 79 ALJR 1142, at [121], offered clear support for the view put forward by the European Court of Human Rights in Kokkinakis v Greece (1993) 17 EHRR 397 at 418, where that Court affirmed that religious freedom includes the freedom: “[T]o manifest one’s religion … not only exercisable in community with others, ‘in public’ and within the circle of those whose faith one shares, but can also be asserted ‘alone’ and ‘in private’; furthermore, it includes in principle the right to try to convince one’s neighbour … through ‘teaching’, failing which … ‘freedom to change [one’s] religion or belief’ … would be likely to remain a dead-letter.” After a period when the issues were not being discussed in public, a front page article in The Australian newspaper on 27 July, 2017 proclaimed “Jesus unwelcome in schoolyard crackdown”. It reported that an edict from the Queensland Education Department required schools to take “appropriate action” where students who had been attending Religious Education classes were “evangelizing” other students who didn’t take part in those classes. I was quoted in the article, commenting along the lines of my previous remarks above. Later in the day, after a fair amount of outrage at this proposition even from mainstream media sources like The Today Show, the Queensland Minister for Education issued a firm denial that anyone had been “telling a child what they can and can’t say in the playground”. The Minister issued a statement, then, on 27 July 2017, which in effect over-rides the earlier Departmental “expectations”. The whole statement is as follows: No change to religion in Queensland state schools There had been no change to religious instruction policy in Queensland schools, said education Minister Kate Jones. Ms Jones said the Palaszczuk Government supported religious instruction in state schools in consultation with parents. “No one is telling a child what they can and can’t say in the playground,” she said. “There has been no change to the religious instruction policy in state schooling. “We are an inclusive education system that aims to provide a good education for all students of all faiths. The policy in place in Queensland state schools today is exactly the same as the policy in place under the former Newman Government and has been the same for more than 20 years. “Our government made it very clear last year that we support religious instruction in schools where the parents and school community decide they want that for their children. Principals continue to be responsible for approving the programs of RI in their local school and work closely with parents in their local community to ensure the religious instruction taught in their schools meets legislation and departmental policy.” There have since been two follow-up articles in The Australian: see “Education officials playing god with schoolyard policy” (July 28, 2017) and “Christians put Palaszczuk into damage control over schoolyard Jesus policy” (July 28-29, 2017.) There were also a number of helpful comments from other commentators: see John Sandeman, “Playgrounds become a “no Jesus” zone” (Eternity, July 27, 2017) Murray Campbell, “Queensland Education Department is afraid of Jesus?” (July 27, 2017) Nathan Campbell, “When ‘secularism’ defaults to ‘atheism’ and why that might be a problem for Christian kids (or the government)” (July 27, 2017). The Minister’s statement is very welcome, with its emphasis on children’s freedom of speech and the stress that, where parents consent to RI in schools, it will continue. It should perhaps be noted that the Minister says that principals are responsible for “approving the programs of RI”, which seen in the context of the legislation quoted previously does not mean that principals sign off on the content of the teaching, but simply that the principals will co-ordinate when it is offered and make sure that the teachers are appropriately trained and approved by the RI providers. The Minister’s assurance that Government “policy” has not changed, must mean that the previous “expectations” issued by the Departmental reviews are no longer to be implemented. Still, given the official status of the previous reviews on a page headed “policy”, and the Minister’s constitutional role as head of the Education Department setting policy, it would seem to be wise for the “expectations” noted above to be removed or clearly marked as not binding in some way. Hopefully this may be an outcome of further reported discussions that are taking place with representatives of RI providers. In short, it is good to see that the SRI materials provided by these two groups generally meet the Department’s guidelines, and where changes to the material are possible without compromising the religious teachings involved, I am sure the providers will be willing to co-operate with the Department. The previous “expectations” of the Department, however, that students would not be told that it is a good thing to share their faith with others in a polite and respectful way, have now been rejected. This is a good outcome, as it seems fairly clear that they were in any event not legally justified and not binding. To remove teachings about sharing one’s faith from the SRI material, when it is clearly justified by the Bible, would be to substantially interfere with the religious freedom given by the Queensland legislation to the providers, to determine the religious content of the instruction. It would also amount to a serious impairment of free speech and religious freedom rights of pupils. That aspect of the guidance given by the Department is unlawful and ought to be withdrawn. As Nathan Campbell has noted in his comment on these issues, Australia is not a “secular” country in the sense that all religions must be excluded from all public life: Secularism does not mean atheism; it does not mean ‘freedom from religion’ but ‘freedom to hold any religious belief’. It doesn’t mean religious beliefs should be excluded; but rather that all religious (and non-religious) beliefs should be included. An “inclusive” school system, as now supported by the Queensland Minister, will signal that all religions are welcome, and in the process lead to greater understanding between children and parents of each other’s views, which must be good for a society that wants to see peace and tolerance. Posted in Freedom of religion, Freedom of speech, Schools and Religious FreedomTagged Connect, freedom of speech, SRE, SRI2 Comments Previous PostA Legal Evaluation of the Evidence for the Resurrection of JesusNext PostProposed Abortion Law changes in NSW 2 thoughts on “Can kids tell other kids about Jesus at school?” Pingback: Law and religion round-up – 16th April \| Law & Religion UK Pingback: Queensland Education Department is afraid of Jesus? \| MurrayCampbell.net	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line858
__label__wiki	0.559393	0.559393	Carhart's Residence Case Briefs Norfolk Southern Railway Co. v. Sorrell Sorrell, an employee of Norfolk Southern Railway, crashed his company truck while swerving to avoid another company... Continued Hinck v. United States The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assessed over $20,000 in interest fees for outstanding taxes against John and... Continued Smith v. Texas LaRoyce Smith was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. In 2004, the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence... Continued Jones v. Bock Congress passed the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) in 1995 in an effort to cut down on frivolous lawsuits by... Continued Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Over her nineteen-year career at Goodyear Tire, Lilly Ledbetter was consistently given low rankings in annual... Continued EC Term of Years Trust v. United States The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contended that Elmer and Dorothy Cullers had established a trust for the purpose of... Continued Zuni Public School Dist. No. 89 v. Department of Education The Department of Education certified that the state of New Mexico equalizes educational expenditures among school... Continued Safeco Insurance Co. of America v. Burr In No. 06-100, Edo, a consumer, sued GEICO General Insurance Company, alleging that GEICO had violated the requirement... Continued Gonzales v. Carhart In 2003, Congress passed and the President signed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. The controversial concept of... Continued Select Year 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1940-1955 1900-1940 1850-1900 1789-1850	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line859
__label__wiki	0.730419	0.730419	Seniors lack computer access to Medicare Part D information A few clicks of the mouse could answer an urgent question for millions of older Americans: How will they pay for their prescription drugs? But many will never get to www.medicare.gov because they don't use or can't get to the Internet, where the government has concentrated its information efforts. And with the enrollment deadline for Medicare's new prescription drug benefit looming on May 15, a lack of computer skills and access could cause older Americans to miss their opportunity to join. "The vast majority of seniors we work with don't own computers," said Connie Bagley, executive director of the Southeastern Minnesota Area Agency on Aging, which serves 11 counties. "We have people calling and saying, 'Will you please enroll us, because we can't access it ourselves.' " Nearly two-thirds of U.S. seniors say they don't understand Medicare's new Part D drug plan. Bagley said the traffic on her agency's telephone help lines has quadrupled in recent months, from 7,000 calls a month to 7,000 calls a week. Read more in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune. April 14, 2006 in Medicare \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Japan's aging criminals.... At 70, Yasumasa Matsuzaki did not look especially dangerous. He was just a nuisance to the workers at a convenience store because of his habit of reading magazines without ever buying anything. So after one marathon three-hour session, the manager of the shop in Bando, Ibaraki Prefecture, snapped and threw him out. Five minutes later, Mr Matsuzaki returned with a chainsaw and threatened the staff before returning to the magazine rack. "He was absorbed in reading even after we called the police," said the manager after Mr Matsuzaki had been charged with forcible disruption of business. "He was very scary." The incident last week is part of a wave of so-called grey crime in Japan. The percentage of over-65s in prison has trebled in the past decade and exceeds 10 per cent of the total prison population - four times the UK figure. Japan has the highest rate of incarceration for pensioners in the industrialised world. Read more in the Independent (UK). April 13, 2006 in Other \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Canadian Conference on Elder Law: Call for Papers CCELS: This year's Canadian Conference on Elder Law will take place Oct,. 13-15 in Vancouver. The Canadian Centre for Elder Law Studies invites submissions for papers and workshops to be presented at its 2nd Annual Canadian Conference on Elder Law. While this invitation embraces a broad variety of socio-legal topics, the theme of this year’s Conference is Legal and Societal Challenges of Aging: A View for Positive Change. Selected papers will be published in the 2007 issue of the Canadian Journal of Elder Law. We also welcome abstracts, on a variety of topics affecting older adults, for workshops that do not require a paper presentation. Please see the Call for Papers Information and Submissions Form or visit us at http://www.ccels.ca/conferences.htm for further details. KFF rounds up editorials re: MA mandatory health insurance Here's what newspapers are saying about MA new law requiring the purchase of health care insurance by all state residents: Boston Globe : Gov. Mitt Romney (R) "plans a ceremony ... today to celebrate his signing of the bill to expand health insurance to 95% of the people in Massachusetts," and he "should not spoil the event by vetoing or seeking to change any portion of this historic compromise," according to a Globe editorial. The editorial adds, "Unambiguous support by the governor today would solidify a consensus for full implementation of this overdue law" ( Boston Globe , 4/12). Boston Herald : The Massachusetts bill "is indeed a trailblazing concept," but "turning a concept into legislation (all 145 pages of it) and then into a functioning system that will do what it is intended to do is something else entirely," a Herald editorial states. The editorial concludes, "Not to rain too heavily on the governor's parade today, but the tough job of making health care coverage available for all is just beginning" ( Boston Herald , 4/12). Denver Post : "The Massachusetts plan builds on both its already high insurance coverage and some programs already in place in the state and so may be hard to export to other states such as Colorado," a Post editorial states, adding, "But at a time when health care has become one of America's most pressing domestic problems, it is a bold step that is sure to attract nationwide attention." The editorial concludes, "Health expenses are soaring across the United States, and, ultimately, we favor a national solution to the insurance dilemma. But we admire Romney and Massachusetts for seeing the value of action at the state level" ( Denver Post , 4/12). Eugene Register-Guard : "Oregon, with tens of thousands more uninsured residents than Massachusetts, doesn't lack incentives to explore a similar strategy," but "Oregonians would do well to let Massachusetts 'show them the money' before trying to replicate the Massachusetts plan here," according to a Register-Guard editorial. "The Massachusetts breakthrough is welcome news" but remains "an interim step," the editorial states, adding, "It serves as a reminder that the U.S. health care system remains in need of a top-to-bottom overhaul" (Eugene Register-Guard , 4/10). Milwaukee Journal Sentinel : "The decision by the Massachusetts Legislature and governor requiring everyone to buy medical insurance has received national attention and praise for its boldness," but a "plan every bit as daring and potentially even more sweeping has been taking shape in Wisconsin for more than a year," according to a Journal Sentinel editorial. The editorial adds, "While Wisconsin should not rule out adopting a version of the Massachusetts plan, we think the smartest approach is to tailor the solution to our state's particular needs, characteristics and culture" ( Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , 4/11). Wall Street Journal : "Give Mr. Romney credit as a rare Republican willing at least to discuss health care," but the Massachusetts bill "is far from the market-based approach" he claimed in a Tuesday opinion piece, according to a Journal editorial. "The real health insurance problem today isn't lack of coverage per se; it's the inability of insurers to offer affordable policies in many states," the editorial states, adding, "By making a fetish of 'universal' coverage, Romney has bought into a bidding war that Democrats and advocates of socialized medicine are bound to win in the end" ( Wall Street Journal , 4/12). Winston-Salem Journal : "Suddenly, the nation's health care crisis doesn't look unsolvable," as Massachusetts "has created a template for assuring almost universal health care coverage," a Journal editorial states, adding, "North Carolina, other states and the federal government should be considering the plan as a means for insuring all Americans." The editorial states, "It would be nice if politicians in Washington, Raleigh and every other state capital could learn" from the Massachusetts bill, adding, "It would make us all that much healthier" ( Winston-Salem Journal , 4/12). Ed: I'm with the Denver Post on this one.... April 12, 2006 in Health Care/Long Term Care \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Wisconsin seniors air Part D horror stories From the Green Bay (WI) Press-Gazette: Teresa Garbrecht says seniors worry about prescription drug costs and which medications Medicare will pay for. So she went to a session sponsored by the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups on Monday at the SC Grand Banquet and Convention Center looking for answers. She was one of about 25 to attend the forum of District 4 of the coalition, which is held twice a year. The focus of the meetings is to hear what seniors have on their minds in order to form a list of priorities. The new Medicare D drug plan is high on the list, said Garbrecht, a senior who lives near Crivitz. "There are problems," she said. "I belong to senior citizens groups and I hear people talk about how prices are different, and how certain drugs are not going to be covered, even for things like cancer." The new plan confounds many seniors, said Elizabeth Conrad, Medicare Integrity Project director for the coalition's Elder Law Center. In one case, a woman waited for up to four hours while on hold with her insurance company, only to be told she could not speak to a supervisor. A Medicare specialist also was unavailable. Another client who signed up for another company's stand-alone drug plan was issued a card in which her name was spelled wrong and her pharmacy refused to accept the inaccurate card. When she first contacted her insurance company, she was told they couldn't verify either the correct or incorrect spelling. She tried to contact customer service again, and was put on hold for 45 minutes. She tried an enrollment line, and was put on hold for 20 minutes. Eventually she was told it was because her name was too long (nine letters.) She also reports being pressured by a representative from the company to buy a more expensive plan. "We've heard lots of stories of rudeness, people being cut off or being fed wrong information," Conrad said. "It's getting better, but it's still happening." Part of the problem is that with so many people attempting to sign up by a January deadline, customer service lines were overwhelmed, she said. "There also were problems with identification theft," Conrad said. "People would call pretending to be from Medicare and people would give them personal information that would be used for fraud." Conrad said she worries that people don't know what they're buying. Rod Bohn, District 4 chairman, said the coalition hopes to influence legislators about issues like Medicare by banding smaller groups together. Advocates for seniors, the disabled and dependent care, as well as individuals are members of the grass-roots and non-partisan coalition, he said. District 4 has about 800 members, he said. Although 25 went to Monday's session, he said the meetings usually attract 50 to 60 guests. A few state legislators also usually attend, he said. Ideas are gathered at similar meetings of the coalition's nine districts. Organizers then will put together the group's platform to be used in discussions with state and federal legislators. The group supports universal health care, a patient's bill of rights and federal legislation to allow Medicare recipients to receive the same discounts on drug prices as other large purchasers, such as the federal government. Such measures will be difficult, said participant Pat Finder-Stone, unless things change on Capitol Hill. "The insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies have tremendous lobbyists in Washington, D.C.," she said. "What we need is campaign finance laws. These laws will never get passed until lobbyists have less power." April 11, 2006 in Medicaid \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Japanese companies convert dorms to nursing homes There was a time when many companies had dormitories for young, single employees. This former company dormitory in Chuo Ward in the city of Chiba has been refurbished to serve as a nursing home and is scheduled to open in June. During the bubble economy, corporations built luxurious apartments in prime locations in an effort to woo top-flight recruits. But tougher conditions and staff cutbacks in the bubble's collapse have forced more and more firms to try to unload residential properties or convert them to other uses. Another trend may help them out of their predicament. Japan's aging population has left nursing home operators scrambling for new facilities to meet growing demand. Now company dormitories are being remodeled to serve as private nursing homes. The nursing homes are poplar with residents because of their convenient locations in central Tokyo. Tokyo-based Century Life Co., an affiliate of condominium builder Haseko Corp., will open a six-story, 64-unit building in a quiet residential area near JR Nishi-Chiba Station, in the city of Chiba in June. It has begun taking applications from would-be residents this month. The nursing home, called Century Port Nishi-Chiba, was built in 1991 and once served as a dormitory for single employees at a manufacturer. Century Life installed new toilets and wider elevators to make the building "barrier free" at a cost of about 400 million yen. Read more in Japan Times Online. Op-Ed: The taxpayers' stake in end-of-life care. Suppose Grandmother has a living will. It says that if she falls into a vegetative state, like Terri Schiavo did, she wants to be kept alive on a feeding tube. How long? "Until the good Lord takes me away." One terrible day, she is thus stricken, and in goes the feeding tube. OK, who pays for her care? Most of the fist-waving a year ago was over whether Michael Schiavo had the right to order the removal of his wife's life support. Terri's parents said that they wanted their daughter kept alive, and that if Michael did not wish to care for her, they would. The parents' view clashed with reality. The reality was that the nurses at a Florida hospice were taking care of Terri, and Medicaid was paying for them. Clearly, the taxpayers also had a stake in these painful decisions, though no one talked about it much. The time has come for that conversation, and it ought to be frank. Medicaid, the health-insurance plan for the poor, is supported by federal and state taxpayers. Medical technology can keep people with no hope of recovery floating between life and death for decades. The taxpayers have a right to set limits on how much of this they will finance. Medicare covers the elderly and disabled, but does not pay for nursing-home care. Medicaid will. It has become something of a game for middle-class families to transfer an ailing relative's assets to, say, their children, in order to make the patient "poor" and therefore eligible for Medicaid. The Deficit Reduction Act — signed by the president but now held up by lawsuits — would make such transactions far harder to do, according to Lawrence Davidow, president of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (www.naela.com). Read the rest of this provactive op-ed piece by Froma Harrop in the Seattle Times. April 11, 2006 in Advance Directives/End-of-Life \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) NYT Series on Retirement Issues "Save Yourself," by David Leonhardt. "Content to Watch Bananas Grow, More Retirees Relocate to Panama," by Bob Tedeschi. "In Demand: Employment Agencies for 50-Plus," by Elizabeth Olson. "Willing Workers, but Little Training to Be Found," by Joseph P. Fried. "76 Million Reasons to Reconsider What Is Typical for Those Over 60," by Terry Schwadron. "Health Clubs for Older Brains?" by Barbara Whitaker. "Gear to Help You to Keep On Playing," by Stefani Jackenthal. "AARP's Invite Presents a Wrinkle for Some," by Fran Hawthorne. "Elderbloggers Stake Their Claim," by Lee Roberts. Access the stories here. April 11, 2006 in Retirement \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Rx Drug Prices for Seniors' drugs increase 80% faster than inflation in 2005 U.S. prices for brand name prescription medications used most by older patients rose an average 6 percent in 2005, outpacing inflation for the sixth year in a row, according to a report released on Monday. In fact, the price drug makers charge wholesalers and other purchases for branded drugs has risen 40 percent since 1999, compared with inflation, which grew 17 percent, AARP researchers found. In 2005, inflation was 3.4 percent. The nation's largest consumer group for the elderly reviewed 193 medications mostly for arthritis pain, osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other ailments that affect older Americans. "Brand name drugs have become substantially less affordable for consumers at the same time they are becoming ever more essential to good medical care," said John Rother, AARP's director of policy and strategy. Rother said the higher costs can be expected to trickle down to consumers. "These prices are reflected both in higher premiums for drug coverage as well as in higher out of pocket costs at the pharmacy counter," he said. Living Wills: Be careful how you draft them! While I was watching the NFL playoff games one weekend, my wife and I got into a conversation about life and death, and the need for living wills. During the course of the conversation I told her that I never wanted to exist in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and taking fluids from a bottle. She got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all my beer. Ed: Thanks to J.D. Hanson for sending this along. D.Conn. allows ADEA cash balance conversion lawsuit to proceed An employee of the former Fleet Bank can move ahead with a lawsuit accusing her company of discriminating against thousands of older workers when it switched to a new type of pension plan, a federal judge has ruled. The preliminary ruling by U.S. District Judge Janet Hall in Bridgeport, Conn., focuses on cash balance plans. Many large companies embraced cash balance as an alternative to traditional pensions in the late 1990s, before controversy erupted over whether the plans unfairly penalized workers with many years of experience. A cash balance plan combines some aspects of a traditional pension plan with some trappings of a 401(k). Employers make a yearly contribution to a hypothetical individual "account." Workers are allowed to take the money with them if they leave for another job. Hall's ruling, dated March 31 and entered Monday, will likely be closely scrutinized because the case against Fleet - now owned by Bank of America Corp. - largely echoes a widely publicized case against IBM Corp. In that case, IBM has agreed to settle for up to $1.4 billion should it lose on appeal. Ironically, Bank of America is credited with creating the nation's first cash balance plan, back in 1985. Read the rest in the Stamford (CT) Advocate Get the decision here. April 7, 2006 in Discrimination \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Bill would prohibit Part D plans from changing formulary during plan year 57. H.R.5102 : To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit removal of covered part D drugs from a prescription drug plan formulary during the plan year once an individual has enrolled in the plan. Sponsor: Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] (introduced 4/5/2006) Cosponsors (53) Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means Latest Major Action: 4/5/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. April 6, 2006 in Medicare \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Will the US become a banana republic? Or maybe it already is.... Three congressmen called a press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday to announce support of a bill that would require the federal government to report its finances in the same way that every business in America is supposed to do. Only five reporters showed up. But the lawmakers, Republicans Mark Kirk of Illinois and Chris Chocola of Indiana and Democrat Jim Cooper of Tennessee, insisted that their simple little bill would serve as a wake-up call to Americans that the financial shape of the federal government is much worse than they suspect. Obviously there wasn’t an initial groundswell of support or large press interest. Most reporters interested in the budget were trying to buttonhole other members of Congress about whether the 2007 budget resolution was going to pass. "This is not the sexiest bill ever introduced, but it could have an impact on American lives more than any other bill this year," Cooper said at the press conference, held in the mostly empty House Budget Committee’s hearing room. Their "Truth in Accounting Act" essentially would require the government to report the serious long-term unfunded liabilities of the government in such programs as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security as well as the rest of the government. These liabilities over the next 75 years total $46 trillion. Many budget experts say that this amount is so large that the government will be forced to raise taxes sharply, slash government deeply or borrow so much money that the U.S. will resemble a banana republic. Read more in the Chicago Tribune. April 6, 2006 in Social Security \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Elder Law Journal article chronicles fate of "atomic veterans" Veterans suffering from cancers linked to exposure to radiation from atomic test explosions encounter a complex and error-ridden process that routinely denies them disability benefits, a University of Illinois scholar says. Soldiers, aviators and sailors who took part in U.S. nuclear tests between 1946 and 1962 or were exposed to radiation during the occupation of Japan after World War II must do battle with “a system that is not working,” Melinda F. Podgor writes in the Elder Law Journal published by the U. of I. College of Law. “The Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability compensation system prevents the vast majority of atomic veterans from obtaining benefits for their radiation-induced diseases. As a result, many atomic veterans are unable to receive necessary medical treatment or to provide for their basis needs,” Podgor, an editor at the journal, writes "The VA’s system is so backlogged with claims that sick elderly veterans sometimes must wait for years for their cases to be decided. At the same time, the medical uncertainties about the relationship between radiation exposure and various cancers make it nearly impossible for veterans to establish disability claims under the current laws. “As of October 2004, roughly 18,275 atomic veterans applied for disability compensation, but only 1,875 of these claims were granted,” Podgor wrote. “Thus, nearly 90 percent of atomic veterans have been denied disability compensation.” The question of how to compensate atomic veterans has persisted for more than 20 years. The number of veterans has dwindled as the debate continues. Read more in this U of I press release. April 6, 2006 in Other \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Not elder law: Missing Link Discovered! Say hello to our most bizarre ancestor — a part crocodile, part seal-like fish that was able to take the first baby steps on to land roughly 380 million years ago.The discovery, 1,400 kilometres above the Arctic Circle, of fossilized skeletons of a creature dubbed Tiktaalik roseae is seen as filling a missing evolutionary link between fish and the first land animals.The findings were announced yesterday by a U.S.-Canada team that included a University of Toronto graduate researcher.Steve Cumbaa, a research paleontologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa not connected with the work, hailed the discovery. "These are the first little baby steps on getting animals `out of ooze and born to cruise,'" Cumbaa said, quoting a catchphrase by American cartoonist Ray Troll.Experts say that within a few million years Tiktaalik was followed by creatures completely adapted to terrestrial life, collectively called tetrapods. These then evolved into all the land animals on Earth today, including humans. Read more about the find in the Toronto Star. Pharma spends multi-millions to lobby state legislatures The pharmaceutical industry is spending tens of millions of dollars on lobbying, campaign donations and gifts to try to persuade state officials not to pass laws that would cut into drug profits, according to a report to be made public today by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity. The industry spent more than $44 million lobbying state governments in 2003 and 2004, according to the center, which reviewed state disclosure reports filed by drug companies and trade associations. The industry also contributed more than $8 million to state political candidates and groups and picked up the tab for meals, golf tournaments and baseball games for some public officials. The reason for all the attention, according to the center, is state initiatives that would reduce the cost of drugs and cost the industry perhaps billions of dollars in profits. A spokesman for the industry's largest trade association said drug companies are educating state officials on the unintended consequences of ill-advised proposals. "State legislatures have considered punitive measures that could have damaged physician-patient relationships and jeopardized the future development of potentially life-saving and life-enhancing medicines," said Ken Johnson, a senior vice president for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA. Read more in the Detroit Free Press. The full report is available here. April 6, 2006 in Health Care/Long Term Care \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Illinois has a new 24/7 elder abuse hotline. Stepping up efforts to fight elder abuse, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced a new hotline where seniors and their loved ones can report elder abuse or exploitation and quickly get help. Beginning today, the new Elder Abuse Hotline, (866) 800-1409, will be staffed around the clock by trained state caseworkers who will be prepared take reports of elder abuse, and forward them promptly to local service agencies or law enforcement. Seniors who are victims of elder abuse, or anyone who suspects an elder is being abused, should call the Illinois Department on Aging’s 24-hour Elder Abuse Hotline at (866) 800-1409 or TTY at (800) 544-5304. All calls and information related to elder abuse are strictly confidential. For more information on how to detect and prevent elder abuse, please visit www.state.il.us/aging. "After a lifetime of working hard and raising a family, our senior citizens deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, there are people out there who exploit and even abuse senior citizens,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “That’s unacceptable, and the sooner we know about a case of abuse, the sooner we can put a stop to it. That’s why we created this 24-hour hotline.” A trained elder abuse caseworker will respond within a specified time period depending on the severity of the case: within 24 hours for the most dangerous situations, within 72 hours for less serious ones and up to seven days for all others. When actual cases of abuse are found, provider agencies that work with the State will forward the reports on to local police. *** Previously, elder abuse complaints were taken by the Illinois Department on Aging’s (IDoA) Senior HelpLine, which is staffed eight and a half hours a day, five days a week. After-hours, complaints were taken by an automated voicemail system. Under the Governor’s direction, IDoA representatives will staff the new Elder Abuse Hotline 24-hours a day, seven days per week. “The fact that the hotline is staffed by a real person 24/7 will allow people to report abuse at any time of the day, whenever they feel most comfortable and safe,” said IDoA Director Charles D. Johnson. “We know that most cases of abuse aren’t reported – only about one in ten cases. We hope the convenience of this hotline will compel more people to come forward and make those reports.” Read more in this press release out of the Governor's office. April 5, 2006 in Elder Abuse/Guardianship/Conservatorship \| Permalink \| TrackBack (0) Massachusetts passes compulsory health insurance law Residents of Massachusetts will be the first in the nation required to carry health insurance, just as motorists in many states are required to carry auto insurance. After months of debate, state lawmakers approved a bill Tuesday that requires individuals to have coverage and tacks a $295 per worker annual assessment on employers who don't provide it, with the aim of reducing the state's 550,000 uninsured to near zero within three years. The bill goes to Republican Gov. Mitt Romney. He's expected to sign it because he proposed such a measure last summer. “It's about 95% of what I wanted,” he said. “We'll be the only state in America where every citizen has health insurance.” The state will be the only one requiring that all individuals who can afford to purchase insurance do so. “That is where they are really pioneers,” says Paul Ginsburg, an economist with the Center for Studying Health System Change, a non-partisan research group in Washington. He says the only way to get universal coverage is to require individuals to carry insurance. Free coverage will be provided to individuals at or below the federal poverty line, which is $9,600 a year, and the state will subsidize coverage for those up to three times the federal poverty level. Read more in USA Today. Ed: Massachusetts, unlike most states, does not have a high risk pool for hard-to-insure individuals. And requiring individuals to purchase health insurance is nothing remotely similar to providing universal health care. It will be interesting to see how the Massachusetts solution to the health care crisis fares in the next couple of years. The President Knew DRA was unconstitutional From the elderlaw listserv: There now appears to be evidence that President Bush knew about the problems with the DRA before he signed it. A link to a letter from House Majority leader Nancy Pelosi to President Bush which discusses this issue is below. http://www.democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=1473 A link to an article from Elder Law Answers which discusses allegations that President Bush knew of the infirmities in the DRA before he signed it appears below. http://www.elderlawanswers.com/resources/article.asp?id=5321&section=4&state= Representative Henry Waxman and others have introduced a resolution of inquiry which would direct the President to submit documents to Congress in connection with the signing of the DRA. A link is below. http://reform.democrats.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1033 You will find below a link to a letter from Representative Henry Waxman to Representative Nancy Pelosi which discusses the constitutionality of the DRA and includes quotes from a number of constitutional law scholars. http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20060214170704-70767.pdf Ira Salzman Goldfarb Abrandt Salzman & Kutzin LLP and Laurie Hanson, Long Reher & Hanson Not elder law/Vet: Easter bunnies need long-term care Purdue University veterinarians in West Lafayette, Ind., are reminding people considering buying an Easter bunny that rabbits represent a long obligation. "Rabbits make wonderful pets, but they are a 10-year commitment," said Lorraine Corriveau, a veterinarian at Purdue's Small Animal Hospital. "Like any other pet, they require attention." Corriveau says it's important to keep in mind that rabbits: -- Require a large, solid-bottom cage with special bedding that needs to be changed weekly. -- Should be allowed out of their cage at least 30-60 minutes daily for supervised exercise. She notes rabbits like to chew, so make sure there's nothing for them to chew on that can pose a safety hazard or cause gastrointestinal problems. -- Require fresh timothy hay and green vegetables daily. Read more in the Science Daily on line. Previous Articles More Articles	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line860
__label__cc	0.733772	0.266228	Archive for the tag “Kyoto Protocol” California Climate Change Cheat Sheet – Roger Ingalls Government reports about climate change can be boring and laborious to read. I believe changes in our environment are important, especially at the local level so I’m making an attempt to boil the information down to important and, hopefully, interesting bullet points. I relied heavily on a recent report from California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Climate Change Bullet Points: 1) In 2007, there was a 90% statistical certainty that man was responsible for the current global warming trend. 2) Today, there is a 95% statistical certainty that man is responsible for global warming. 3) By 2021, as more data is collected, statistical certainty will climb to 99% pointing to man as the cause for global warming. 4) The greenhouse gases (GHG) that warm the Earth’s surface are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, halocarbons and ozone. 5) In California, emissions from transportation, electrical power generation and the industrial sector account for over 80% of GHG emissions with transportation accounting for the largest portion at 38%. 6) Atmospheric CO2 levels were first documented in 1958 at Mauna Loa, Hawaii at a concentration of 315 parts per million and in May 2013 a mean concentration of 400 was detected. 7) Since monitoring CO2 concentrations in La Jolla, CA, levels have risen from 325 in 1969 to 395 in 2012. 8) CO2 levels in the ocean rise as atmospheric CO2 levels increase, changing the chemistry of the water; this is called ocean acidification. 9) California’s coastal waters are acidifying as evidenced by seawater CO2 and pH levels measured at Monterey Bay; this negatively impacts the local ocean food chain. 10) Since 1895, annual average temperatures have increased by approximately 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit across California. 11) Over the past century, minimum, average and maximum temperatures have all been increasing in California with the nighttime minimum increasing by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit and the daytime high increasing by 1.5 degrees. 12) Over the past 20 years, the altitude in the atmosphere where temperature drops below freezing has risen by 500 feet indicating warmer conditions at higher elevations. 13) Over the past century, spring runoff to the Sacramento River from the Sierra Nevada Mountains has decreased by 9% 14) Over the past century, surface area of glaciers in the Sierra Nevada has been decreasing with losses ranging from 20% to 70%. 15) The rise in global sea level is attributed to thermal expansion of ocean water and the melting of mountain glaciers and polar ice sheets. 16) Over the past 100 years, sea levels have risen by an average of 7 inches along the California coast with levels at the Golden Gate in San Francisco increasing by 8 inches and 6 inches at La Jolla near San Diego. 17) In Southern California, plant species in certain areas have moved upward by an average of about 213 feet over the past 30 years. 18) The lower edge of the conifer-dominated forest in the Sierra Nevada has been retreating upslope over the past 60 years. 19) Butterflies have been appearing earlier in the spring over the past four decades. 20) Many small mammal species studied in Yosemite National Park showed a movement to higher elevations when compared to earlier century observations. Don’t get caught up in a finger pointing “who’s responsible for climate change” world, just prepare for a warmer and biologically different future. Posted in Roger Ingalls' Posts and tagged California, CO2, co2 emissions, environment, global warning, greenhouse gasses, hp acid rain, Kyoto Protocol, sea level, summit Denying The Denial in Durban – Neil Goldberg (Guest Blogger) You would think that when high level delegations from 200 countries, as well as thousands of civic organizations (NGOs), and countless scientists descend on a conference to inform, discuss, propose and negotiate factors widely believed to be a threat to human existence, it would be newsworthy. Thousands of people gathering to build social and intellectual networks so that they can be prepared with proposals for solutions – in policy, funding, infrastructure, technology and programs to deal with the threat. Such a gathering is in fact going on at this very moment at the U.N. climate talks in Durban, South Africa, and has been for over a week. The shocker is, I can barely find mention of it anywhere in the MSM (main stream media), let alone screaming from banner leading headlines as I would expect it to be. After all, whether one agrees that global warming is human caused or not, even most rabid right wingers and deniers are coming around to accept the evidence that the earth is in fact warming up. And to such a degree that it appear almost inevitable that it will cause major disruptions in the world economy and possibly an epochal shift in human culture. I’ve been looking around for coverage, and finding very little. Certainly no screaming headlines in the vein “LARGEST THREAT TO HUMAN SURVIVAL SINCE NOAH RODE OUT THE FLOOD”. or, “OOPS”. Not a single mention in my Yahoo newsfeed, which includes an AP feed (10 stories), NPR (5 stories), USA Today (5 stories), SFGate (5 stories) and The (British) Guardian (8 stories). And when I clicked through to the home pages of each of these venerable media outlets, I found – you guessed it, not a single mention of the conference. Not a single mention of global warming. Not a single tear jerking human interest profile of people struggling and winning against adversity. Not a single hero story. Not a single story about the massive amounts of money to be made on climate change generated business opportunities. Of course there is room for stories of earth shattering import like “With His Past an Issue, Gingrich Spars and Parries” (NPR), and “Megachurch’s Future Uncertain After Pastor Leaves” (AP) and “Cain Accuser Bialek Say She Feels Vindicated” in the “Nation and World” headlines on USA Today. It’s such a busy newsday that important discussion about the imminent upending of human society just can’t make the cut. I did a Google search for “Coverage of climate conference, Durban”. Top item is an Adword (paid advertisement) for “Knowledge.Allianz.com”, the blog site of a major insurance company with extensive coverage on things like “Climate”, “Energy”, Mobility”, “Microfinance”, etc. But not a major journalistic organization. Second was a piece called “What can Durban Climate Conference Achieve?” from ABC Online (their blog); a piece from Reuters India, one from Environment and Energy Publishing and another from a Canadian blog site called rabble.ca – News For the Rest of Us. The first major news forum represented in my search is a story from LA Times who are reporting on…oh wait a minute. They’re reporting on what NPR previously reported in a story titled “NPR reports Kyoto Protocol in trouble in Durban”. I guess LA Times didn’t see fit to actually send their own reporter to Durban. What I particularly love about this story is in the opening paragraph, which sort it all: “You may have noticed that news coverage of the U.N. climate talks in Durban, South Africa, has been minimal, at best, and that’s clearly because -– just like in Copenhagen last year -– there has been almost no mention of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which was put in place to set reduction targets for important greenhouse gases. Without a big, juicy target, the conference lacks the drama to merit mention on even the eco-blogs.” So there you have it. Not worth reporting on because nothing is happening there. But I would guess, nothing much is happening there because by now, everybody believes the issue has gone away due to, well, lack of attention in the main stream media. How DO you spell D-E-N-I-A-L! Neil Goldberg developed his political perspective growing up in apartheid South Africa which he left in 1982 when it seemed that democratic change was impossible. He is a designer of a wide array of products, environments and services. This experience has taught him that the limitations of imagination are the only thing standing in the way of just about any problem. Since becoming a father 12 year ago he has become convinced that a loving heart is the ultimate spur to imagination. Posted in Left Coast Politics and tagged ABC Online, Adword, AP, Apartheid, Bialek, climate, Copenhagen, Durban Climate Conference, Durban Conference, energy, Global Warming, Google, Herman Gain, India, Kyoto Protocol, LA Times, microfinance, mobility, Neil Goldberg, newt gingrich, NGO, Noah, NPR, Reuters, SF Gate, SFGate, South Africa, The Guardian, USA Today	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line863
__label__cc	0.616538	0.383462	Physics and Astronomy, Department of Published Articles, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy Title: The M-sigma relation between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies Authors: Zubovas, Kastytis King, Andrew R. First Published: 15-May-2019 Publisher: Springer (part of Springer Nature) Citation: General Relativity and Gravitation, 2019, 51:65 Abstract: Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are found in the centres of most galaxies. Their masses, and hence their gravitational potentials, are negligible compared with those of the host galaxy. However, several strong correlations between SMBH masses and host galaxy properties have been observed, notably the M − σ relation connecting the SMBH mass to the characteristic velocity of stars in the galaxy. The existence of these correlations implies that the SMBH influences the evolution of its host galaxy. In this review, we present the most promising physical model of this influence, known as the Active galactic nucleus (AGN) wind feedback model. Winds launched from the accretion disc around the SMBH can drive powerful outflows, provided that the SMBH is massive enough - this condition establishes the M − σ relation. Outflows can have a profound influence on the evolution of the host galaxy, by compressing its gas and driving it out, affecting the star formation rate. We present the current status of the model and the observational evidence for it, as well as the directions of future research. DOI Link: 10.1007/s10714-019-2549-7 Links: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10714-019-2549-7 Embargo on file until: 15-May-2020 Version: Post-print Status: Peer-reviewed Rights: Copyright © 2019, Springer (part of Springer Nature). Deposited with reference to the publisher’s open access archiving policy. (http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved) Description: The file associated with this record is under embargo until 12 months after publication, in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. The full text may be available through the publisher links provided above. Appears in Collections: Published Articles, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy kastytis_m_sigma.pdf Post-review (final submitted author manuscript) 422.8 kB Adobe PDF View/Open	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line873
__label__cc	0.743342	0.256658	IGWHC Home Interventions in Gynaecology and Women's Healthcare Review Article(ISSN: 2637-4544) Major Issues Related to Women Health, Social, Cultural and Economic Development Volume 2 - Issue 5 Ravi Kant Upadhyay* Department of Zoology, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India Received: October 6, 2018; Published: October 15, 2018 Corresponding author: Ravi Kant Upadhyay, Department of Zoology, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India DOI: 10.32474/IGWHC.2018.02.000150 Issues Related to Women and Child Health Issues Related to Social Well Being of Women Issues Related to Economic Well Being of Women Issues Related to Cultural Well Being of Women Present article sketches out major issues related to health, social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of the women. Most prevailing problems are related to malnutrition, sociality, sanitation, shelter, education, and livelihood, cultural and economic development in modern human ecological system. In poor countries women are living at socio-demographic risk of reproductive health, sociality, and healthcare. Condition is worst as large percentage of women belong to poorest strata of demography with highest fertility rates, having no means to meet out their daily needs. Starting from child birth to motherhood they are living under huge plethora of problems and a miserable cursed life. There is no real time data available on reproductive health, sociality, and healthcare of pregnant mothers, house hold and working women at global level. Two major factors lack of education and early marriage/parenthood are more assessed threats to girl-child and women in developing countries. These factors directly affect their social, cultural and economic development. There is a dire need of assistance from international agencies, governments, policy and law makers and social community to find solution of these burning problems. There is an urgent need for development of community support system for welfare of women that can assist them in decision making, confidence building, skill development, social and cultural wellbeing and economic empowerment of women. Keywords: Girl Child; Human Ecological System; Health, Social; Economic and Cultural Development From various surveys conducted by international organizations it is very much clear that condition of mother-child health is not satisfactory. For time bound improvement it will need quick efforts and support from national and international organizations. Questions have been raised on girl child health at global level as condition in Africa and Asia is not satisfactory. Important issues related to women health are malnutrition, gynecological, obstetrics, preterm birth and lack of post-partum care. It is hard truth that both in developing and under developed countries issues related to maternal Health Care are similar. Both in suburban and rural areas gynecological care is poor as routine checkup be required after conception till childbirth. It is well known that an undernourished mother inevitably gives birth to an undernourished baby, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of under nutrition. Undernourished girls have a greater likelihood of becoming undernourished mothers. This cycle can be compounded further in young mothers, especially adolescent girls who begin childbearing before they have grown and developed enough. When mothers take only short intervals between pregnancies and have many children, this can exacerbate nutrition deficits, which are then passed on to their children. Because of low economic status, education and negligence of community support system pre-natal care is either unavailable or of low grade. There are 7 well defined rights of a girl child, i.e. freedom of cultural practices, health, physical and mental protection, sexuality and reproduction, protection from exploitation, early marriage, expression of opinion and equal rights to inheritance. This is abiding by rule that global administration should protect and seek their rights honestly. But it is a great question that sound efforts have not been made with full zeal and desire for improving health care, social safety and cultural and economic development of women mainly living in developing and underdeveloped countries. After screening reports and information available in database; though an improvement has been made in this direction, but more efforts are to be made for achieve the goal. This is much expected from society, community and people that they should pay due respect to the women and girl child. The Twenty Rights of Childbearing Women how many have been fulfilled is a subject of query at global level. Despite of economic growth in India, India’s hunger is still worse than North Korea or Sudan. And a child raised in India is more likely to be malnourished than Somalia. Worst situation is in tribal dominated states such as Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. An all-round development be needed to fight against malnutrition. Approximately 620 million people in India did not have a toilet in their house and they use public toilet or just outside. Recently, in year 2016, Modi Government has started Swachh Bharart Abhiyan, Beti Bachao and Beti Paradho Abhiyan. Both sanitation and malnutrition are serious problems of Suburban and rural areas. Hence, present government has given due consideration to find quick solutions of health and sanitation problem and providing special attention to solve the problem of girl child and women. All four issues health, social, economic and cultural development have been decided by keeping the women health in centre. Problem of sanitation and malnutrition are not due to lack of economic problems, but social sectarianism and education are main factors. In 2012, UNICEF made a report that malnutrition is based entirely on lack of the food. But now, UNICEF and many charitable organizations are saying that poor sanitation is one of the biggest reasons of malnutrition. Currently, the India government is working to solve malnutrition problem by making more foods. There is no detailed report available on women population affected ith communicable diseases and noncommunicable diseases at global level. There is a rising trend of life style diseases in urban women due to non-functionality in rich society. Two trends in human population i.e. under nourished and over nourished are prevailing and both are harmful for society. There are three contributing factors poverty, malnutrition, and sanitation which are responsible for ill health. Lack of education is responsible for very low socio, economic and cultural development in country with majority of the population is living at or below the poverty line. Even after existence of all negative factors, fertility rate in low economic group is very high, with low socialization and cultural following. This signifies need of controlling factors such as family planning and generation of livelihood means to fight against hunger and poverty existing in sphere of women in society by excluding religious and social factors. Some of the major causes for malnutrition in India are economic inequality that can be finished only by making and implementing new education and housing policy, law for work and wages, legal system to provide equal rights to share resources, income, economy and development of a selfsustained self-governing system (Figure 1). Figure 1: showing major issues related to women health, social, cultural and economic development. More especially in developed and under developed countries women mainly mothers are kept in un-represented groups of society and at high-risk for specific health problems. Major problem is malnutrition, gender inequality, education and social security in large section of society. There is a great anomaly that highest fertility rate exists in weakest economic section of the society. Women in poor countries facing problem of micronutrient deficiencies, and they are in great need of nutritional supplements to supply vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc and folic acid. Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in children and pregnant women worldwide. Most susceptible iron deficient groups are infants, preschoolers, women of childbearing age, and pregnant women [1]. Women suffer from anemia because they do not have enough iron-rich foods. Moreover, a woman’s body loses iron because of menstrual blood flow and also during childbirth. Iron is required for the developing fetus, neonate, infant, and child. Its requirement increases during development period of life due to production of red blood cells and muscle cells as well as brain development. It is made available to neonates, infants, and children from dietary sources including breast milk (lactoferrin) and hemeand non-heme-containing foods. But mother require enough amount of lactoferrin in day’s meals during pregnancy [2]. Breast feeding improves the health of mothers and infants. Micronutrients improve the health of mothers, protect their reproductive age, and provide strength to pregnant women to support growth and development of unborn children. These are not only required for the survival of the child but also assist in physical and mental development of children up to five years old. Folic acid supplementation, iodized salt, vitamin D, and A, iron and protein are main dietary requirements of pregnant women. After iron, vitamin A deficiency also prevails at global level as one in three preschool-aged children and one in six pregnant women are deficient in vitamin A due to inadequate dietary intake (1995–2005 data). Global evidence indicates that in regions where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent, vitamin A supplementation can reduce child mortality by an average 23 per cent. Vitamin A is necessary to support the response of the body’s immune system, and children who are deficient face a higher risk of dying from infectious diseases such as measles and diarrhea. Child and mother both need nutritive food during pregnancy and before pregnancy. It could make available by providing supplementary foods under the integrated child development services scheme. Due to lifelong malnourishment women always have low blood pressure. Woman of the house is usually the last one to eat the food. And many a times she is left with the smallest portion of food. In poor countries women are at high socio-demographic risk for preterm birth [3]. This is due to early age marriages of young girls, it severely affect their maternal health. Young age mothers have more burdens to give birth to their child but they have no affordable means available for effectively managing maternity. Condition is so worst that they have no budget to buy sanitary napkins and safety pads to manage their menstrual flow. They are looking for government help for seeking maternal health care, antenatal care, institutional birth, and cesarean safe delivery. There is a load of repeated pregnancies that creates great problem of anemia. It results in birth infant deaths; hence, there should be long term strategies to end preventable maternal deaths. There is a need to ensuring marriage at/after legal age of 18 through awareness and ensuring a girl completes secondary education. It is a fact that young mothers, who are lacking good diet and intake low calorie food, face the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) of child. A third of women of reproductive age in India are undernourished with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5kg/m2. Thus, both child and mother are affected due to malnutrition. In economic sections of society there are two problems either under-nutrition or over-nutrition, both are due to unequal distribution of resources. One is responsible for low birth weight in infants, while second overweight, both situations are avoidable and need micro discrepancies in public supply. It was hard truth up to 1991 that more than one third of the world’s malnourished children live in India but in last fifteen years a significant improvement has been done not even in case of child and women but in other sections of society. The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world and is nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa with dire consequences for mobility, mortality, productivity and economic growth [3,4]. Some of the major causes for malnutrition in India are Economic inequality. Due to the low social status of some population groups, their diet often lacks in both quality and quantity. Women who suffer malnutrition are less likely to have healthy babies. In India, mothers generally lack proper knowledge in feeding children. Consequently, new born infants are unable to get adequate amount of nutrition from their mothers. According to Global Hunger Index 2017, India ranked 97th out of 118 countries. Though India is one of the fastest growing countries in terms of population and economics, sitting at a population of 1.342 billion and growing at 1.5%–1.7% annually (from 2001–2007) [5,6]. India’s Gross Domestic Product growth was 9.0% from 2007 to 2008; since Independence in 1947, its economic status has been classified as a low-income country with majority of the population at or below the poverty line [7]. Now in recent report it conditions in poverty alleviation has been improved from 67 to 35% in rural areas. Due to prevalence of poverty in geographically poor remote areas, there is delineation of people from national development. Its main causes are low education, forced child labor, and prevalence of child marriage. Population living below the National Poverty Line is in need of civic amenities, education, and employment for their economic development. It needs new policies on work force, wages, resource utilization and sharing of cost, and enhancement of rural productivity by supporting agriculture micro-industry sector. Deficiencies in nutrition cause long-term damage to both individuals and society. Compared with their better-fed peers, nutrition-deficient individuals are more prone to infectious diseases such as pneumonia tuberculosis and other communicable diseases that results in higher mortality rate. In addition, nutritiondeficient individuals are less productive at work. Malnutrition during pregnancy causes the child to have increased risk of future diseases, physical retardation, and reduced cognitive abilities. It is very clear that low income groups show low productivity, that is not only gives them low pay but traps them in a vicious circle of undernutrition [8]. It also brings inefficiency to the society, especially in India where labor is a major input factor for economic production [9]. On the other hand, over-nutrition also has severe consequences such as obesity, cardiovascular, blood pressure and stroke. Obesity causes several non- communicable such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. In India national obesity rates in 2010 were 14% for women and 18% for men with some urban areas having rates as high as 40% [10]. Based on employment and wages two groups of malnutrition undernutrition and over-nutrition has been emerged [11]. Many factors, including region, religion and caste affect the nutritional status of Indians. Living in rural areas also contributes to nutritional status. First partnership has been established with the “Aaajevika” program of the India government’s National Rural Livelihood Mission to test whether women’s nutrition initiatives can be mainstreamed through women’s empowerment platforms under “Aaajevika”. Secondly, UNICEF in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana is technically supporting the state government to implement the One full meal scheme. The programme aims to improve the nutrient intake of pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers and reduce the prevalence and severity of maternal anemia. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 5100 women federations, supported by Aajeevika and UNICEF, partner with State Governments to provide 895,000 pregnant and lactating mothers nutritious meals daily through ‘ONE FULL MEAL’ scheme, located in villages where under nutrition rates are high. One Full Meal entitles pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to receive a free nutritious meal every day between 11am and 2pm at the village Anganwadi centre, 25 days a month. Each ICDS project gives a quarterly grant to the federations that are involved in the implementation of the programme. There must be a long-term program for mitigation of nutritional deficiency in women. For management of health of economically poor women international agencies and civil society, government and local bodies should come forward to find timely solutions of problems related to gynecological, obstetrics, and maternal health. Women need full care and support starting from time of conception till childbirth, ensuring them to provide pre-natal care, management of pregnancy, and post-partum care. The menopause is a physiological event involving ovarian failure as a result of a loss of ovarian follicular activity, which leads to oestrogen deficiency, resulting in permanent cessation of menstruation and loss of reproductive function. Women become hormonal deficient (oestrogen deficiency) very easily. Efforts should be made to lower down avoidable risks for women and infants, including preterm birth, cardiometabolic risk factors, including waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, cholesterol level, and presence of type 2 diabetes. There should be an arrangement of nutritional food for adolescent girls who begin childbearing. It is well known that an undernourished mother inevitably gives birth to an undernourished baby, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of under-nutrition. And all these deficiencies passed on to their children, and effect health of both child and mother. Awareness programs be launched to tell about safe use of contraceptives among all women including poor women both in urban and rural areas for control of child birth [12] (Figure 2). They should be abiding the benefits of one or two child policy. Awareness programs on women health can make significant change in nutritional behavior and reduce health related problems. Preterm birth is a disease of multi-factorial etiologies that has environmental, social, and maternal health components. However, for successful pregnancy outcome antenatal nutritional counseling is required for young mothers. Furthermore, enhancing nutritional support can ensure adequate weight gain during pregnancy may provide additional benefits especially for women with a history of child marriage. Long term effect of counseling will also assist in infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practice. Of total 1-2% of infants born preterm (<32 weeks of gestation) and have low birth weight (<1500 g) need adequate nutrition to ensure good health, growth and development. This category of infants’ needs incremental milk feeding that can provide them vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. No additional resources will require implementing an optimal feeding strategy. Figure 2: Initiative to reduce fertility rates in poor women. From various surveys conducted by international organizations condition of mother-child health is not satisfactory. There is high level insensitivity to the women during pregnancy, and post pregnancy. Questions have been raised on over all issues related to girl child health at global level. Despite of economic growth in India, India’s hunger is still worse than North Korea or Sudan. And a child raised in India is more likely to be malnourished than Somalia. Worse situation is in tribal dominated states such as Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. An all round development be needed to fight against malnutrition. Approximately 620 million people in India don’t have a toilet in their house and they use public toilet or just outside. Recently, in year 2016, Modi Government has started Swachh Bharart Abhiyan, Beti Bachao and Beti Paradho Abhiyan. Both sanitation and malnutrition are serious problems of Sub-urban and rural areas. Women have burden of family, sanitation and are facing problem of malnutrition and victims of social sectarianism. In 2012, UNICEF made a report that malnutrition is based entirely on lack of the food. But now, UNICEF and many charitable organizations are saying that poor sanitation is one of the biggest reasons of malnutrition. Currently, the with Indian government is working to solve malnutrition problem by making more foods. Two major factors lack of education and early marriage/parenthood are more assessed threats to girl-child and women. Girl child should provide traditional knowledge and cultural values during her school and pre-school period. Traditional knowledge and practice of Indigenous Peoples related to their food use and well-being is a wealth of information for academic study and for public health nutrition. Despite unique long-evolved heritages of knowledge of ecosystem resources, Indigenous Peoples comprise 15% of the global poor, but only 5% of the world’s population, and they experience poverty, discrimination, and poor nutritional health at far greater rates than mainstream populations in their nations of residence [13]. Perinatal mental health is considered an important public health issue with health policy internationally identifying the importance of psychological support for women in the perinatal period. Midwives and primary care nurses are ideally positioned to detect mental distress early. There should be a fight against hunger and poverty existing in sphere of women in society (Figure 3). The government of India started a program called Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in 1975. ICDS has been instrumental in improving the health of mothers and children under age 6 by providing health and nutrition education, health services, supplementary food, and pre-school education. The ICDS program is one of the largest in the world. It reaches more than 34 million children ages 0–6 years and 7 million pregnant and lactating mothers. Other programs impacting under-nutrition include the National Midday Meal Scheme, the National Rural Health Mission, and the Public distribution system. The challenge for these programs and schemes is how to increase efficiency, impact, and coverage. India is a signatory to the 27 survival and development goals lay down by the World Summit on children 1990. Figure 3: showing importance of female education in economic and social development of man. In India National Rural Health Mission is working for rural people working with the goal to “improve the availability of and access to quality health care by people, especially for those residing in rural areas, the poor, women, and children. It has included the objectives to reduce infant mortality rate, launching public health services, prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases mainly endemic disease like JE. It also kept attention to provide universal access to public health services, create population stabilization, as well as gender and demographic balance, revitalize local health traditions and mainstream and finally, to promote healthy life styles. Traditionally, UNICEF has been supporting India in a number of sectors like child development, women’s development, urban basic services, support for community based convergent services, health, education, nutrition, water & sanitation, childhood disability, children in especially difficult circumstances, information and communication, planning and program support. The Indian government started midday meal scheme on 15 August 1995. It serves millions of children with fresh cooked meals in almost all the government run schools or schools aided by the government fund. ISKCON Food Relief Foundation run Annamrita, and Food for Life and Akashya patra Foundation are the world’s largest NGO which are running midday meal programs. The meals served by Food for Life Annamrita and Akshaya Patra complies with the nutritional norms given by the government of India and aims to eradicate malnutrition among children in India. Each of them are serving freshly cooked plant-based meals to over 1.3 million school children in government and government-aided schools in India. These programmes are conducted with part subsidies from the government and partly with donations from individuals and corporations. Food for Life Annamrita is the premier affiliate of Food for Life Global the world’s largest free food relief network, with projects in over 60 countries [14]. In order to implement these goals, the Department of Women & Child Development has formulated a National Plan of Action on Children. Kuposhan Mukta Bharat by Ministry of Social Welfare Economic inequality can be alleviated by providing good education, schooling, learning and training based business oriented programs to support women. Both in rural and urban sectors more micro-economic and handicraft training-based programs are required to provide initial employment for women self-standing. Most of the forest and agricultural products are used by industries for production of goods, small self-help groups and government loans can provide more employment to rural women. Sericulture, aquaculture, honey bee culture, pearl culture, mushroom culture, nurseries, energy plantation, agri-business, handicrafts, cloth designing, painting, art and other small-scale industries can support women economic empowerment. In next step for increasing their participation young women should allowed to join knowledge based personality development programs, for capacity building, generation of good workmanship and leadership in all different sectors of human life. Economic development is only possible through education, training, learning, skills and proficiency in work. It will need new development policies, plans and programs for raising issues related to welfare of women. Change in education policies, personality development and cultural mindsets can finish economic marginalization in women. It will support to build a positive force for social equality and economic development in all stratums of women in society. It will also important for selfmotivation freeness in thinking, relieve from bondage, decision making capability and for making women self-dependent. It is combined force be required economic, social and cultural development and safety of girl child. Recent economic growth of India has been increased due to participation of women as employee in various industrial, social, educational and information technology sectors. Both private partnerships and corporate and government sectors are considering more number of females due to their skill based learning and education. Child marriage is a central stage issue that directly influences education, health, cultural, social and economic development of girl child. It is main obstacle to economic prosperity and development. It is a health hazard and barrier to girl child education. Child marriage is estimated to cost economies at least 1.7% of GDP. This lonely factor has largely disturbed socio-economic wellbeing of the women. In case of women working as labor they are facing more destitution and inequality in wages and other benefits. Condition is worst in case of migrant workers; child labor, forced labor, slavery and occupational health. There are many countries where there is discrimination in women transport services, passport services, vehicle driving, entertainment and communication. Behind all these odd situations lack of education and personal development of women are responsible factors. There are two sustainable development goals gender equality (SDGs 2030 no. 5) and decent work and economic growth (No. 8) also direct us for development of women without any discrimination in work, wedge, livelihood and living. Though there are many parameters of viewing economic development, but culture and its relationship can boost economic development in rural as well as in urban area. For every girl child recurring deposit schemes are required during school age with insured money by government to assist the girl child in rural areas where there is no economic base is available to them. There should be school level program to keep a close watch on child marriage, because rural people think that girl child are burden on their shoulders, hence, choose un-lawful act of child marriage. It has high economic impact on economic development of girl child that results in higher fertility, severe prenatal and postnatal health problems, lower educational attainment and lower lifetime earnings, with other negative outputs. Child marriage is a part of the newly adopted sustainable development goals or agenda 2030. But despite a growing acknowledgement of the harms of child marriage, not nearly enough is being done to end this practice. If girls and women are discriminated against in accessing education and training, the country is denied of a skilled human capital needed otherwise to promote growth. Alternatively, investment in girls/ women education proved to be a more effective way of controlling the size of a population and improving child’s welfare. For overall development of girl child, their participation in cultural activity and traditional rituals must be ascertained. From school level girl child should allow to join music art, theater, sculpturing, designing, forestry and agriculture for their over cultural development. Religion biased restriction and discrimination of women must be prohibited by making law. Deprivation of health and hygiene, education and recreation and cultural facilities weaken the social development of women. It severely affects country’s overall productivity, prosperity and economic development. For multicultural development of girl child, they should be allowed to join inter-religious, social and cultural activities and so that they can be benefited of cultural and ethnic diversity of contemporary society. They will get the ability to express and share their individual cultural heritage, including their language and religion. The influence of subcultures within their society based on shared characteristics such as religion, social class, special needs or sexuality, and their individual factors such as gender, education, experience and age. For cultural development ecological, agricultural, traditional, socio-geographical, historical, ethical and religious activities be solemnize with equal participation of women. They should not be prohibited from cultural and social rituals, religious pilgrimages. In ethnic world, it is very hard to equalize the value-based practices, because circumstantial uneasiness due to unavailability of possibilities and cultural objectives. All this happens due to nearsightedness, religious blindness, and mental agony and superiority of man that harm the cultural pluralism and its diversity. In every society there are social rules, standards and regulations that will assist in formation of system of law-based governance. Formation of law, rules, policies, rights and values articulates democracy with social system. Both democracy and human society should promote cultural and economic development for sustainability of generation and ecological system. In human society culture is not developed in days but it is outcome of our long legacy of past, formed through shared and learned social norms, values, behaviors, education, rituals, customs and traditions and communication. It is main dimension of ecological development, international cooperation, and socio-economic inter-relationships among democratic countries. Cultural diversity is an important development factor that provides identity, exposure to long heritage, environmental and social wellbeing and human behavior in group. It is also related with internal development of society, resource sharing, and social networking. Cultural dimension of environmental management is widely concerned to world heritage, traditional knowledge, witnessing the gradual emergence of a universal, global culture with equal rights and values. It holds adherence to civil and human rights, gender equality, respect for property rights, favors the rule of law, acceptance of market forces as a mechanism for resource allocation. Due to rising trends of international communication on education, social structure and culture, it is quite necessary to prepare girl child for multicultural development. Girl child should provide knowledge of art and craft, customs dressing style, forms of address and relating to others are important as practical subjects. In addition, development of communication skills, language, behavior identity, non-verbal communication and interpretation of meaning is also essential. They also need knowledge of modern tools such as computer programming, visual methods, including photo voice, and participatory video, digital storytelling, creative writing, debate, adventures, fares, films, acting, designing, art, culture, games, focuses on identifying and addressing gendered violence in communities. For making family structure ideal they should be acquainted with kinship, leniency, morality, social norms, religion, decision making and self-reliant in economic development. There is an urgent need to improvement of health and hygiene, education and social networking, recreation and cultural facilities for women. There should be new policies and programs be launched to upgrade the socioeconomic status of women. Among. The Twenty Rights of Childbearing Women how many have been fulfilled is a subject of query at global level. Therefore, rather than making critics and questions, more solutions be needed. There is a rising trend of life style diseases in urban women due to non-functionality in rich society. Contrary to this, women living in poor sanitation, in nutritionally vulnerable and deprived social areas, having no appropriate maternal diet; energy balance and protein intake in food are functional. Gender violence against women should be minimized. Understanding and developing prevention strategies and interventions for psychological or emotional abuse remain a major international challenge. One step ahead development should base on values, sociality, culture, behavioral harmony, should compatible with humanity’s moral development. It could only possible through by social acceptance, by selective elimination and by integration. Hence, there is a need to provide knowledge of geography, climate, and natural resources, access to new technologies, communication methods, cultural methods to transform the mind, body and soul of women for thinking at global level, make successful behaviors for increasing productivity, economic growth and prosperity. With international declarations such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals including gender equality and women’s rights as central to national and global development, there is hope. Women should provide equal opportunity in education, entrepreneurship, social and religious activities, law making, external affairs, defense, and political decisions at regional and national policies. Social unjustice to women is great hurdle to building human humanity and overall societal development of man. Sermini CG, Acevedo MJ, Arredondo M (2017) Biomarkers of Metabolism and Iron Nutrition. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica 34(4): 690-698. Mishra S, Goldman JD, Sahyoun NR, Moshfegh AJ (2018) Association between dietary protein intake and grip strength among adults aged 51 years and over: What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. PLoS One 13(1): e0191368. Franck LS, McLemore MR, Cooper N, De Castro B, Gordon AY, et al. (2018) A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting. J Vis Exp (131). (2012) Turning the tide of malnutrition. World Health Organization. (2010) India in grip of obesity epidemic. The Times of India. (2009) World Bank Report on Malnutrition in India. World Bank Report. (2017) Global Hunger Index Report. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). World Development Indicators - Google Public Data Explorer. (2009) World Bank Development Report. Source: The World Bank 2009. Derek Yach, Corinna Hawkes, C Linn Gould, Karen J Hofman (2004) The global burden of chronic diseases. Journal of the American Medical Association. Source: JAMA. Benson A, Calhoun L, Corroon M, Gueye A, Guilkey D, et al. (2018) The Senegal Urban Reproductive Health Initiative: A Longitudinal Program Impact Evaluation. Contraception. 97(5): 439-444. Kuhnlein HV (2017) Gender roles, food system biodiversity, and food security in Indigenous Peoples’ communities. Matern Child Nutr 13(Suppl 3). Meenakshi JV (2016) Trends and patterns in the triple burden of malnutrition in India. Agricultural Economics 47(S1): 115-134. Karen Michael gynecology@lupinepublishers.com gynecology@lupineresearch.co gynecology@lupinejournals.org gynecology@lupinejournals.net gynecology@lupinejournals.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line874
__label__wiki	0.95168	0.95168	'Hamas torturing Fatah members in Gaza' - 100 Fatah members killed or wounded by Hamas Posted by Sunshine Girl on January 20, 2009 at 11:38pm 'Hamas torturing Fatah members in Gaza' Khaled Abu Toameh Hamas militiamen have rounded up hundreds of Fatah activists on suspicion of "collaboration" with Israel during Operation Cast Lead, Fatah members in the Gaza Strip told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. They said the Hamas crackdown on Fatah intensified after the cease-fire went into effect early Sunday morning. The Fatah members and eyewitnesses said the detainees were being held in school buildings and hospitals that Hamas had turned into make-shift interrogation centers. Hamas has also renewed house arrest orders that were issued against thousands of Fatah officials and activists in the Gaza Strip shortly after the military operation started. A Fatah official in Ramallah told the Post that at least 100 of his men had been killed or wounded as a result of the massive Hamas crackdown. Some had been brutally tortured, he added. The official said that the perpetrators belonged to Hamas's armed wing, Izaddin Kassam, and to the movement's Internal Security Force. According to the official, at least three of the detainees had their eyes put out by their interrogators, who accused them of providing Israel with wartime information about the location of Hamas militiamen and officials. A number of Hamas leaders and spokesmen have claimed in the past few days that Fatah members in the Gaza Strip had been spying on their movement and passing the information to Israel. Two Hamas officials, Salah Bardaweel and Fawzi Barhoum, accused Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his "spies" in the Gaza Strip of tipping off the Israelis about the movements of slain Hamas interior minister Said Siam, who was killed in an IAF strike on his brother's home in Gaza City last week. The Fatah official in Ramallah said that, apart from being baseless, the allegations were aimed at paving the way for a ruthless Hamas attack on Fatah activists in the Gaza Strip. "They were afraid to confront the Israeli army and many Hamas militiamen even ran away during the fighting," he said. "Hamas is now venting its anger and frustration against our Fatah members there." Eyewitnesses said that Hamas militiamen had turned a number of hospitals and schools into temporary detention centers where dozens of Fatah members and supporters were being held on suspicion of helping Israel during the war. The eyewitnesses said that a children's hospital and a mental health center in Gaza City, as well as a number of school buildings in Khan Yunis and Rafah, were among the places that Hamas had turned into "torture centers." A Fatah activist in Gaza City claimed that as many as 80 members of his faction were either shot in the legs or had their hands broken for allegedly defying Hamas's house-arrest orders. "What's happening in the Gaza Strip is a new massacre that is being carried out by Hamas against Fatah," he said. "Where were these [Hamas] cowards when the Israeli army was here?" The activist said that Hamas's security forces had also confiscated cellular phones and computers belonging to thousands of local Fatah members and supporters. Relatives of Abed al-Gharabli, a former Fatah security officer who spent 12 years in Israeli prisons, said he was kidnapped by a group of Hamas militiamen who shot him in both legs after severely torturing him. Ziad Abu Hayeh, one of the commanders of Fatah's armed wing, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, is reported to have lost his sight after Hamas gunmen put out his eyes. According to Fatah activists, Abu Hayeh was kidnapped from his home in Khan Yunis by Hamas militiamen. The Fatah men said that in a number of incidents, Hamas militiamen had kidnapped Fatah activists while they were attending the funerals of people killed during the war. In other cases, activists were detained and shot in the legs after they were spotted smiling in public - an act interpreted by Hamas as an expression of joy over Israel's military offensive. On Saturday night, three brothers from the Subuh family were abducted by Hamas militiamen and taken to the Abdel Aziz Rantisi Mosque in Khan Yunis, where they were shot in the legs, a local journalist told the Post. In a more recent incident, Hamas gunmen shot and killed 80-year-old Hisham Tawfik Najjar after storming his home and beating his four sons - all Fatah activists. Fahmi Za'areer, a Fatah spokesman in the West Bank, revealed that at least 16 Fatah activists had been executed by Hamas in the past few days. He strongly condemned the Hamas clampdown on Fatah and warned against a bloodbath in the Gaza Strip. A leaflet distributed by the Aksa Martyrs Brigades in various parts of the Gaza Strip called on Hamas to "respect the blood of the Palestinian martyrs" and stop pursuing Fatah members. The leaflet said that Hamas had placed hundreds of Fatah men under house arrest in the past 48 hours and was warning that anyone who failed to comply with these orders would be shot.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line877
__label__wiki	0.942829	0.942829	Mum wants to give birth to grandchild by using the eggs of her dead daughter Nicholas ReillyFriday 8 May 2015 3:51 pm (Picture: AP) A mother has launched a legal battle for the possession of her dead daughter’s frozen eggs so she can become pregnant with her own grandchild. The 59-year-old mother, who is referred to as ‘Mrs M’ for legal reasons, is set to challenge an independent regulator’s refusal to allow her and her husband, 58, to take her daughter’s eggs to a US fertility treatment clinic. In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, a High Court judge has heard how it was the dying wish of their daughter, who died of bowel cancer in 2011, that her eggs be fertilised by a donor’s sperm and implanted into her mother’s womb. Now, her parents are seeking permission to export the eggs to New York, where a clinic has said it is willing to provide fertility treatment at a cost of up to £60,000. MORE: This girl reckons she may have the world’s longest tongue (and we think she might be right) Jenni Richards QC, appearing for Mrs M, said their daughter had grown up in ‘a close and happy family unit’, but was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 23 and didn’t have a boyfriend. ‘From the outset one of the issues that troubled A were the implications of her illness in terms of her ability to have a child’, Ms Richards said. In 2014, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) refused to issue a ‘special direction’ which would have allowed the eggs to be sent to the US, saying there was insufficient evidence to show that the daughter wanted her mother to use donor sperm. MORE: Ed Miliband has quit as Labour leader, and #Milifandom is devastated, obviously Mrs M is now asking Mr Justice Ouseley to rule the decision was unlawful and interfered with the family’s human rights. But the statutory approvals committee of the HFEA said that while the daughter gave consent for the eggs to be used, she failed to fill a separate form which indicated how she wished them to be used, rendering her consent invalid. ChildrenPregnancy Parents reveal cashier refused to serve daughter who was burned because she 'looked scary' What are the cheaper alternatives to rising childcare costs?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line878
__label__wiki	0.996506	0.996506	'Accidental YouTuber' Flula Borg shifts gears with new indie comedy Internet personality Flula Borg accepts the award for Best Comedy Series, at VH1's 5th Annual Streamy Awards at the Hollywood Palladium on Thursday, September 17, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Image: Getty Images for Dick Clark Productions By Saba Hamedy 2016-07-06 12:30:00 UTC LOS ANGELES — Flula Borg doesn't expect you to know his name. "In Hollywood, everyone thinks everyone is somebody famous," the 34-year-old German YouTube comedian told Mashable during a recent coffee interview. "Some know me, others just say 'Oh! you!" But just because you may not recognize Borg on the street, doesn't mean you should cast him as a nobody. The self-proclaimed "accidental YouTuber" has been on YouTube for the last decade, uploading videos ranging from celebrity interviews to beat boxing and other "Dope Musik." Last year, he took on the big screen, playing the co-leader of rival a capella group Das Sound Machine in Pitch Perfect 2. Now, he's shifting gears with indie film BuddyMoon, which he self-funded with David Giuntoli (NBC’s Grimm) and Alex Simmons (an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker). The film is available on iTunes and is playing in select theaters nationwide. The comedy — half scripted, half improvised — follows two friends (Borg and Giuntoli) as they go on an Oregon camping trip — a "buddymoon" — when one of their marriages fall apart. It was shot in just 10 days and with a $50,000 budget. Part of the film's premise is rooted in reality. Giuntoli met Borg while he was backpacking in Germany. He told Borg he should come to the states, and Borg just showed up without notice. That plot is integrated into the film. So far, it's been well-received. It took home the SlamDance Audience Choice Award at Sundance Film Festival. This kind of project — which entails writing, acting, producing, shooting and later editing — is what Borg describes as more up his alley. "For me it was always about acting," Borg said. "And this really feels like a collaboration project." Borg became more immersed in the YouTube community — lovingly referred to as Team Internet — by way of Grace Helbig. A couple of years ago, Helbig asked Borg to "collab" – and he quickly became thrust into the "Team Internet" world amid younger doe-eyed stars. "I feel like the foreign exchange student in the community," Borg said. "Which is fine... Fez was very popular on That '70s Show. I’m the Fez of YouTube." "I feel like the foreign exchange student tin the community. Which is fine... Fez was very popular on That '70s Show. I’m the Fez of YouTube." Still, Borg, who is as goofy in real life as he is in his videos, likes being part of the community — even if he stands out. "I don’t fully fit in and I know this, but that’s ok. I’m not trying to be come a professional YouTuber — I’m not 19 and very tiny," he joked. "But it's easy to be friends with Team Internet people, they are supportive and fun." He used to split his time between Germany and Los Angeles. Now he's in Los Angeles full time, trying to make a living as not just a YouTuber but also an actor. "It’s not the same everyday," he said. "I am doing some voiceover work, auditions. I still make videos." He's working on another indie project — Johnny Fist — which he helped fund on Indiegogo last year. He also just recorded an animal-themed music album (all proceeds will go to his charity of choice: Wags & Walks). Ultimately, Borg's goal is to continue doing a little bit of everything. On IMDB, he's described as a "musician, DJ, host, actor, hype-man and writer." Topics: buddymoon, digital influencers, Entertainment, flula, flula borg, Movies, ONLINE VIDEO, Pitch Perfect 2, YouTube	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line879
__label__wiki	0.887657	0.887657	Log In / My MCPL {{user_name}} User {{user_name}}. For {{user_name}}. Double-tap to expand. {{else}} Log In / My MCPL User Log In / My MCPL. {{/if}} Explore MoreExplore More, collapsed The Woman Who Fell From the Sky An American Journalist in Yemen Steil, Jennifer "I had no idea how to find my way around this medieval city. It was getting dark. I was tired. I didn't speak Arabic. I was a little frightened. But hadn't I battled scorpions in the wilds of Costa Rica and prevailed? Hadn't I survived fainting in a San José brothel? Hadn't I once arrived in Ireland with only $10 in my pocket and made it last two weeks? Surely I could handle a walk through an unfamiliar town. So I took a breath, tightened the black scarf around my hair, and headed out to take my first solitary steps through Sana'a."-- from The Woman Who Fell From The Sky In a world fraught with suspicion between the Middle East and the West, it's hard to believe that one of the most influential newspapers in Yemen--the desperately poor, ancestral homeland of Osama bin Laden, which has made has made international headlines for being a terrorist breeding ground--would be handed over to an agnostic, Campari-drinking, single woman from Manhattan who had never set foot in the Middle East. Yet this is exactly what happened to journalist, Jennifer Steil. Restless in her career and her life, Jennifer, a gregarious, liberal New Yorker, initially accepts a short-term opportunity in 2006 to teach a journalism class to the staff of The Yemen Observer in Sana'a, the beautiful, ancient, and very conservative capital of Yemen. Seduced by the eager reporters and the challenging prospect of teaching a free speech model of journalism there, she extends her stay to a year as the paper's editor-in-chief. But she is quickly confronted with the realities of Yemen--and their surprising advantages. In teaching the basics of fair and balanced journalism to a staff that included plagiarists and polemicists, she falls in love with her career again. In confronting the blatant mistreatment and strict governance of women by their male counterparts, she learns to appreciate the strength of Arab women in the workplace. And in forging surprisingly deep friendships with women and men whose traditions and beliefs are in total opposition to her own, she learns a cultural appreciation she never could have predicted. What's more, she just so happens to meet the love of her life. With exuberance and bravery, The Woman Who Fell from the Sky offers a rare, intimate, and often surprising look at the role of the media in Muslim culture and a fascinating cultural tour of Yemen, one of the most enigmatic countries in the world. Publisher: New York : Broadway Books, 2010. Edition: 1st ed. Characteristics: xiv, 321 p. ; 25 cm. Read more reviews of The Woman Who Fell From the Sky at iDreamBooks.com BPLNextBestAdults Jul 13, 2011 Jennifer Steil, a senior editor of a New York paper, the “Week”, took one year off in 2006 to work as the editor of the “Yemen Observer”, an English language paper in Sana’a, Yemen. Jennifer went to teach a three week course in journalism for the reporters of the “Yemen Observer” and was then offered the position of editor for one year. Jennifer became very close to the female Yemini reporters and the reader learns about the difficulties that Yemini women face in order to have a career in that country. The author describes her struggles to train and retain staff and the limitations that she must face with the owner of the paper who uses the paper as a propaganda tool for the current government in Yemen. Steil describes the social and cultural life of Yemen in a very insightful way. Near the end of her contract, Jennifer meets the new British ambassador to Yemen and they fall in love. The British ambassador was in an unhappy marriage and over the next three months he divorces his wife and becomes romantically involved with Steil. A fascinating read into the life Yemini people seen through the lens of an assertive and intelligent female journalist. EConville Jan 08, 2015 EConville thinks this title is suitable for 15 years and over Steil, Jennifer — Travel — Yemen (Republic) — Ṣanʻāʼ . Ṣanʻāʼ (Yemen) — Description and Travel. Journalists — Yemen (Republic) — Ṣanʻāʼ — Biography. Find it at MCPL Contact Us Policies Home MCPL Home	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line881
__label__wiki	0.749257	0.749257	MILLENNIALS AND MOBILITY How can mobility companies evolve and adapt to ensure they continue to appeal to the millennial audience? ‘My first car’ used to be a rite of passage – but will they have the same place in our hearts in 20 years? Sebastian Peck Managing Director Jaguar Land Rover InMotion For the past seven years, Sebastian has been involved in early-stage technology businesses as an investor and operator. As CFO / COO of Digital Science, a fast-growing provider of scientific software, he successfully built a business with corporate backing from the ground up. He also established Digital Science as a leading corporate VC, developing its signature investment approach and completing more than fifty early-stage transactions. Prior to joining InMotion, Sebastian worked with London-based digital healthcare startup Health Bridge as CFO, drawing on his experience as an investor to prepare the company for its next financing round. Alice Levine Broadcaster and Writer Alice Levine is a broadcaster and writer. Her TV career has seen her host a variety of shows across the major channels including music programmes such as the The Brit Awards 2017 (ITV2), The Barclaycard Mercury Prize (Channel 4), Isle Of Wight Festival (Sky Arts) and Glastonbury (BBC3 and BBC4). The comedy podcast she co-created, 'My Dad Wrote A Porno', is an international smash hit, racking up more than 60 million downloads, with the live show selling out the Sydney Opera House in a matter of hours. Daniel Howell Influential online star Daniel Howell is one of the world’s most influential online stars. Since starting with YouTube in 2009, he has successfully bridged the gap to mainstream recognition as a New York Times and Sunday Times best-selling author, BBC Radio 1 DJ, TV presenter, interviewer and festival-headliner. In 2016, alongside his good friend Phil Lester, he produced and starred in a stage show called 'The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire' with over 80 sell-out global shows. Dr Matilda Andersson Head of Insight and Innovation at Crowd DNA Dr Matilda Andersson is the Head of Insight and Innovation at Crowd DNA, a cultural insight and innovation agency based in London, Amsterdam and New York where she helps brands such as IKEA, Spotify, Facebook and Heineken form deeper connections with consumers. Before joining Crowd DNA, she spent over 10 years in insights and strategy roles with a particular focus on media and tech for millennial audiences including at the BBC and BBC Worldwide. Matilda has previously presented at events and conferences such as MRS Impact, Stockholm Fashion Week, GeoMedia and ESOMAR. Jim Chapman YouTube Vlogger and Influencer With more than 98 million views worldwide, Jim Chapman has become one of YouTube’s most influential faces of fashion, tech, fitness and entertainment. Jim’s significant online presence has led him to become one of the UK’s top vloggers representing international brands like Coach, Jaguar, Cartier, Samsung and John Lewis. Jim is renowned for his impeccable sense of style. As a contributing editor at GQ, Jim is continuously building on his fashion credentials and writes a monthly style column for the magazine’s fashion pages. Neil Sharpe Director of Mobility Solutions at Bosch Neil Sharpe heads up a global team at Bosch focusing on the development of new operating models for urban mobility. This includes utilising the best of Bosch technology worldwide, as well as identifying and developing relationships with innovative partners. Having worked on emerging mobility technologies and projects since 2009, Neil has developed a deep strategic, operational and cultural understanding of their use within city mobility and associated business models. Neil holds an MBA from the University of Leicester and has over 15 years’ experience in the automotive industry. Yihyun Lim Associate Director, MIT Design Lab Yihyun Lim is a design researcher and speculative designer, imagining possible future experiences by merging design thinking and technology. As a trained architect, she is building expertise in human-centered design through ethnography, strategy development, ideation and prototyping. Yihyun is currently Associate Director at the MIT Design Lab and leads various research projects with many industry partners, as well as studying millennial behaviors through Design Lab’s international behavioral observatory project.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line882
__label__cc	0.671463	0.328537	{{breadcrumbVm.icon.pageName}} Professionals Case studies and articles LGBTI domestic and family violence: What to look for and how to respond Kai Noonan, Domestic and Family Violence Project Manager, ACON The following case study identifies some of the issues faced by people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) when using mainstream services. It includes suggestions of how support services can adapt their practices to meet the needs of LGBTI people. Introduction to the issue Evidence indicates that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people are as likely as non-LGBTI women to experience domestic violence, that’s about one in three who have experienced it in a past or present relationship. Research and data is even more limited for bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people, it is possible that abuse for people in these groups is even higher. Despite this LGBTI people are less likely to identify their experience as abuse, report violence to the police, or seek assistance from a domestic and family violence support organisation for fear of prejudice and discrimination. Apart from a lack of data and research into domestic and family violence in LGBTI relationships, there is also a lack of funding in the area, a lack of media attention and very few people have been willing to talk about their experiences publicly – for very good reasons. It is important to keep in mind that LGBTI people have been historically systematically and socially silenced and still are to this day. When working with anyone who presents as LGBTI, it is essential that you create a space for dialogue, for listening and for learning. It helps to be aware of the barriers they most likely faced in getting to you to ask for help and then any further barriers that they may face, such as the significantly lower amount of services that are safe and appropriate for LGBTI people’s needs. Tabitha is a 39 year old sister-girl (a term used by some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to describe someone assigned male at birth, who lives partly or fully as a woman, a brother-boy is the male equivalent) from the Northern Territory who has just arrived in Sydney for the first time. She fled the Northern Territory when her partner threatened to kill her. She has very little money, no job and no close friends, the only family she has in Sydney rejected her when she ‘came out’ as a woman. Tabitha’s story shares many similarities with anyone else who is trying to escape an abusive relationship. However, Tabitha’s situation has some extra layers of complexity and multiple risk factors that would not be shared by the majority of heterosexual, cis-gender (a person whose gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth) women who are fleeing an abusive relationship. These complexities become barriers to accessing both formal and informal support and reporting to the police. Firstly, not every service for women will take a transgender woman, she may not feel safe going to mix-gender services. Tabitha will most likely be afraid of having to face a high level of discrimination, by service providers, police and the general population. She is likely to experience discrimination and possibly even violence for being Aboriginal, for being transgender and for being homosexual (whether or not Tabitha identifies as heterosexual or homosexual, many people will read her as homosexual and treat her as such). Her life-long lived experience of discrimination may have resulted in a higher tolerance for abuse, an inability to recognise some forms of abuse and she is likely to be used to not accessing support for the abuse she experiences. Many LGBTI people have experienced disproportionate, life-long exposure to physical and verbal violence, sexual violence and discrimination which can exacerbate people’s vulnerability to, and the impact of, family violence. Tabitha is likely to have a fear of being ‘outed’ or of having to be the one to educate professionals. The personal title, gender and name on her identification may not match her current name and identity, she would not want to have to correct people’s use of pronouns, explain her gender and sexuality or explain the gender and sexuality of her partner. It only takes one split-second look of confusion or curiosity from a service provider, or the slightest whisper overheard from another client to cause Tabitha so much discomfort, hesitation and hurt. These barriers to accessing support are shared by many LGBTI people. There are very few, if any, domestic violence crisis services for men in Australia, it is especially hard to find accommodation services if he has children in his care. It is very hard, and potentially dangerous, for a gay man to ‘come out’ in men’s groups and men’s services. Although women can access most mainstream services, these services may have little experience in working with LGBTI women and therefore may accidentally be exclusive, due to the language and terminology they use and may in general not offer the most appropriate support. There are few perpetrator intervention programs for women who use power, control and violence in their relationships. A lot of the time a woman will hide her sexuality from staff. Similarly, for anyone who is gender-diverse, for example if they have intersex variations or identify as non-gendered, again finding appropriate help can be extremely difficult. Intake forms may only have two options: ‘M’ and ‘F’. Support workers may use incorrect pronouns for them and/or their partner and the therapeutic frameworks may be very gendered and have little flexibility in regards to diversity in gender, sexuality and types of relationships. Even when someone who identifies as LGBTI can feel safe in a service, it is then no guarantee that the service offered is meaningfully inclusive and actually targets their needs. Often applying mainstream (non-LGBTI) approaches to survivor and perpetrator interventions is inappropriate and ineffective. You can’t work with LGBTI people without finding a way to truly empathise with what it must feel like to live with a deep sense of exclusion, invisibility and fear of being subjected to hatred. A sister-girl was deliberately chosen for this case study to draw attention to the diversity of the LGBTI community, which includes: people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities people living in regional and remote areas Offer support Offering appropriate support to LGBTI people who are experiencing violence or abuse requires understanding the issues, responding appropriately and planning for safety. Supporting people who identify as LGBTI View webinar The content on this page was written by Kai Noonan of ACON. You can watch Kai's webinar for more insight into the issue. Webinar: LGBTIQ domestic and family violence Visit websites For more information and support in ensuring an accessible, inclusive and appropriate service for LGBTI people, visit Another Closet and ACON Another Closet	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line883
__label__cc	0.643802	0.356198	Favourite properties 0 Send as an inquiry Sign up for newsletter. I agree to the processing of personal data. Send bulk request About LEXXUS NORTON NORTON Newsletter NORTON Magazine Jakub Starý: A Man Who Breaks Down Taboos Send via e-mail He was born a couple of years before the velvet revolution. In his early childhood he wrote sci-fi stories and from his school years he developed his drawing talent and love of foreign languages. He earns his money as a publisher, reporter and creative. He established and publishes the LUI lifestyle magazine, the only liberal occasional publication not only for modern gay readers. LUI magazine was established in 2009. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. How did you get the idea of establishing and publishing your own magazine primarily aimed at the gay community? Yes, next year we’ll be celebrating our tenth anniversary. At the start the magazine was very activist. We tried to break down taboos and various social stigmata. Our aim was to improve social conditions for gays in the Czech Republic. Registered partnerships were passed into law, but the public image of the community of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people was not that rosy. With regard to the fact that I did not want to reconcile myself with this social situation, because as a child it marked me in a way that was not that good, I decided to change it. And publishing a magazine through which we could disseminate thoughts and ideas that we believed in appeared to be an ideal tool. Is it really only homosexuals that read LUI magazine? At the very start LUI was only for gays, but over time we found that not only homosexual men, but also heterosexual men read us. It’s true that they don’t boast about turning the pages of LUI much, but they like being inspired by the magazine. Women also read us. We recently expanded co-operation with Seznam.cz, which changed our target group and we’re now focusing more-or-less on everybody. Our mantra is high-quality, interesting and specially-written content. We differ in this regard. As an LGBTQ+ activist you certainly took a good step by deciding to publish such a magazine. In your opinion, how are gays doing in the Czech Republic? Can you compare differences in society here and abroad? I unfortunately still see differences. There is still an evident difference between the West and countries that experienced a communist or other hard-line regime. If you go west, the countries are further on in this regard. The relationship between majority society and minorities is more developed there, both at the social and at the legislative level. Laws for gays and lesbians are better thought-out in the West and in northern Europe. I can mention again the legal institution of marriage, which the organisation Jsme fér has being trying to achieve in Bohemia for a long time. And I believe that they will manage it. On the other hand, Czech society is one of the most tolerant. I think it’s because we’re traditionally one of the most atheistic nations. For example, I see Poland as a very religious part of Europe, as less tolerant at this time regarding homosexuals, although even there you can see progress in the question of the approach to the LGBT community, albeit not as marked as here. In the Czech Republic there is obviously work to be done, and I still have the feeling that it isn’t the way I imagined it. Nevertheless, the older I get, the more I realise that limitless tolerance is a mere utopian idea—there will always be somebody who will define themselves as being against different communities, whether it’s a community of gays and lesbians or, for example, Roma. In particular in times such as these, where some political parties are trying to gather votes by looking for a public enemy. In your opinion in the recent past has there been a change of opinion in Czech society about minorities? I think that in its approach to gays our society has a better attitude, at least in the last ten years progress is visible. And this is thanks to the establishment of a magazine that, in my eyes, helped our community’s visibility. We showed society and, actually, the economic environment here that gays are not just an underground group that is in a questionable environment in clubs and so on. On the contrary, we are a target group with large potential that has interesting socio-demographic and socio-economic values. A year after the magazine, the Prague Pride festival was established. I think that this festival divides part of society, but there is more talk about our community and about topics that are related to us, and it’s good. What do you mean: Prague Pride divides society? From my point of view Prague Pride is a very interesting, beneficial and important event. There are lots of gays that are for the continuation of the festival, but I see a group that is just as large, let’s say 40-50% of our community, that is against the festival. These people claim that the festival is unnecessary. The problem is on the part of the mass media—they unfortunately create a distorted image of the festival through exaggerated focus on members of the procession that have an extreme appearance. The truth is that in reality they only account for about 5%. The vast majority of visitors to the festival are normal people that we meet on the streets. Pink boas, painted nails, extravagant models and shocking make-up—this is, however, the festival’s media image. And that’s how people outside Prague see our community. Although we’re looking for ways to prevent it, we haven’t found one yet. We live in a country where one of the values is freedom of speech, so we have to respect this aspect of the mass media. Even if we don’t agree with it. But back to minorities. How do you see the current situation with refugees? I see the influence of the media and the quantity of fake news and reports that have been paid for. I’m afraid that in society we will see an artificial spiral of hatred against the common enemy. Populist political parties obviously profit from this. In my opinion, people should realise that there is no mass of refugees that will occupy our cities and rape our women… The aim of spreading this hateful wave is, in my opinion, tying up society and limiting human freedom, from which only certain authority figures obviously benefit. This is unfortunately related to the oligarchizing of the Czech media and the buying up of media companies by influential businessmen. In my opinion, freedom of speech is the most important element of a democracy. On Twitter I recently read an interesting quote by the US philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, which was shared by Jiří Drahoš: Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors. As a journalist I can’t disagree. You like travelling. Which trip do you remember most fondly and why? I love travelling. My favourite memory is a recent trip to Alaska. I overcame my limits there. Until then I had travelled in a basically monotone way: I stayed in hotels, went on a trip in the daytime and returned to the hotel in the evening. I can’t just sit around by a swimming pool or the sea all week, I wouldn’t enjoy that. I need to be in motion. Alaska, where I was alone, and walked through untouched wilderness with a pack on my back and slept in a tent around which bears circled, was exceptional for me. When you’re travelling alone, it’s great that you aren’t organisationally tied to anybody and you can do what you want. But obviously there are moments when you would like to enjoy a view or experience with somebody else. On the other hand, you meet lots of other people everywhere. Everything has its pluses and minuses. Is there anything that you’d miss if you found yourself on a desert island? Most probably people. The worst thing would be the total isolation and loneliness. You are well known for diving into everything head first and doing it full on. Where do you get your energy for life? What works for me is that I sleep for no more than six hours a day, I also do sports and eat in moderation. If I do that I seem sharper, fuller of energy. The less I sleep, the more I do, mostly. I usually get up at six, with a few exceptions, obviously (laughter). I have a slow start, but after waking up I have a shower (sometimes a cold shower), something light to eat and go and do some sports. Mostly I go to the gym, I run or swim, I like that. I’m not really into collective sports. You’re a fan of technology and social networks. Don’t you think that the technology around us and, in particular, the need to put on our profiles the most piquant (and sometimes also the most boring) details of our life robs us of our privacy? To be honest, a short time ago I cancelled my profile on Facebook. And imagine it, I feel freer. Nobody knows whether I’m connected or not, nothing appears on my phone, nobody tags me, nobody follows me. It’s a relief. My aim is to gradually get rid of most social applications and profiles. This is because I’ve reached the opinion that real life takes place offline. You live in the centre of Prague. How does living in the beating heart of the metropolis suit you? The centre is for people that have an active social life. At the moment I am happy—everything is literally within reach. In my old age, however, I see myself somewhere in the mountains, in a small cottage where I can spend my time writing. I don’t know what, but I’d like to write. In particular I’d like to maintain our magazine’s position, push it further forward, improve it, work on bringing new visions to life and simply moving it forward. What I really don’t like is stagnation. It’s necessary to move forward, come up with new ideas and do things differently. New project - Rezidence Byty u Parku Beroun Danuše Siering A controversial phenomenon from abroad, which the Czechs are just getting to know. A reverse mortgage targets both seniors and conservative investors. Display other reports Get an overview of the current offers of luxury properties. By filling in and sending this form, you are granting LEXXUS as, registered in Prague 1, Panská 895/6, postal code 110 00, registered in the Commercial Register maintained by the Municipal Court in Prague, Section B, File 6809, with the use of your personal data are included in the form, to send business announcements about offers and news LEXXUS as Provision of personal data is voluntary. You can revoke your consent at any time. Details on the treatment of your personal information and your related rights are contained in the privacy and data protection policies. *I agree with receiving marketing reports I agree to the processing of personal data Offer of properties Sale of properties Renting of properties I'm offering a property	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line885
__label__wiki	0.507756	0.507756	Overview: Scholar's Initiative Published: Mar 1, 2018 Posted In: Background The Scholars Initiative is the research arm of Museum of the Bible. A group of senior research scholars from academic institutions around the world are conducting primary research on items from the Museum of the Bible Collections—an aggregation of several of the world’s most prominent private collections of biblical objects and artifacts—through the Initiative. Leading experts in the fields of papyri; Aramaic, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Egyptian and Ethiopic texts; Coptic, medieval, Middle Eastern, early Jewish and early American artifacts; illuminated manuscripts; and Christian tradition and spirituality are participating in the research. Scholars Initiative Director Michael Holmes, Ph. D., is a leading New Testament textual scholar and editor of early Christian writings. Holmes has spent more than three decades in higher education teaching on and researching the New Testament and other early Christian texts. He coordinates the global network of academics and student-scholars who make up Museum of the Bible's research initiative. The Scholars Initiative is addressing a two-fold need in biblical studies: equipping the next generation of scholars and researching a vast reservoir of primary sources. Scholars from 60 participating colleges, universities and seminaries around the globe are or have been involved with some 90 research projects on items in the Museum Collection, many of which are unpublished. The research initiative breaks the mold of traditional research paradigms by pairing students with established scholars for primary research on the collection's biblical texts and artifacts. The initiative democratizes research as it redefines excellence in teaching and scholarship. Senior scholars oversee a research project area involving scholars from various institutions and their students. Distinguished language scholars provide expertise in their main language or unique scholarly competency. Scholar-mentors work under the auspices of a senior scholar to conduct research and mentor undergraduate and graduate students (junior scholars), helping to enrich their education through direct access to primary sources in the Museum of the Bible Collection. Hundreds of students have already participated in this initiative. During the past two summers, 73 Scholars Initiative students and their mentors were selected for special intensive workshops at the University of Oxford. The Museum of the Bible Scholars Initiative is independent of any one academic institution of higher learning or religious tradition. Its growing international presence has administrative hubs at Tyndale House, Cambridge, Baylor University, and at Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. The Museum sponsors a monograph series, Publications of Museum of the Bible, published by Brill Publishers. Three sub-series will cover Semitic texts, Greek texts, and Latin and Western vernacular texts. In August 2016 an international team of textual scholars released the inaugural volume, based on research sponsored by the Scholars Initiative. Edited by Emanuel Tov (Hebrew University, Jerusalem), Kipp Davis (Trinity Western University) and Robert Duke (Azusa Pacific University), the volume presents 13 previously unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls fragments, including portions from the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Ezekiel, Micah, Daniel and Psalms. Forthcoming volumes will present other documents in the Museum Collection, including Greek papyri (both Biblical and literary) and an illustrated Medieval Latin text. Back to Background	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line893
__label__wiki	0.638633	0.638633	THE HISTORY OF George Lemaitre (a priest and physics professor) proposed the theory of the expanding universe. 13.82 billion years ago... an expansion occurred from a single point the size of an atom. Observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation has suggested that CMB is leftover heat in the form of microwave radiation which is still cooling from the big bang In 2001... NASA launched the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) mission to study the conditions as they existed in the early universe by measuring radiation from the cosmic microwave background. WMAP was able to determine the age of the universe — about 13.82billion years old. About 380,000 years after the Big Bang... Matter cooled enough for electrons to combine with nuclei to form neutral atoms. This is called "recombination," The absorption of electrons caused the universe to become transparent. The light that was unleashed at this time is detectable today in the form of radiation from the cosmic microwave background. COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) was launched in 1989- 500 miles from Earth. Detected the near perfect blackbody spectrum in 1992. the WMAP satellite gave a better resolution of the small fluctuations of temperature Planck satellite was a space observatory operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) provided us with the most accurate and detailed readings of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. From 2009-2013... As we know, wavelengths lengthen as the galaxies move away from the observer so If most galaxies are moving away from each other, then the universe is expanding outwards from a central point. Hubble’s Space Telescope which is named after Edwin Hubble was important in determining the velocity of galaxies. Red shift in galaxies... Cosmic microwave background radiation extends in all directions of the universe, which verifies predictions of universe cooling from huge explosion and expansion The big bang theory suggests that the universe began the size of an atom then exploded outwards, eventually cooling and creating larger atomic elements Karleigh Bailey \| May 09, 2019	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line894
__label__wiki	0.656008	0.656008	Casper City Council Cold To Future Conference Center Proposals Tom Morton, Townsquare Media The City of Casper faces some tough decisions about how to cut costs, raise revenues, provide services and not lay off employees. One decision that's not so tough will be dealing with any future proposals to provide infrastructure for a conference center and hotel complex. "My sense right now is that it might be challenging for the council to really consider an investment at this point," Mayor Kenyne Humphrey said after the city council's work session Tuesday. "We're trying to be very conservative, and spend those dollars wisely, but I'm not sure what's coming down in the future, either," Humphrey said. In other words, probably no. During the work session, council heard a report of the chronology of efforts to bring a conference center in the past 11 years: 2006 -- A proposal to build a hotel and convention center on a 16.5-acre site next to the Casper Events Center. The developer wanted the city to donate the land. The project failed because state law prohibited the city from donating land. April 2011 -- The city identified the development of a conference center as a top strategic goal. The city received numerous proposals to build it, along with requests for a five-year operating subsidy of $500,000, and a 93-year land lease. All proposals were rejected because of the large public investment contingencies. September 2011 -- A consultant recommended a building with, among other things, a 13,000-square-foot ballroom with seating for 1,200-2,000 people, and partnering with a flagship hotel brand. The project required a $17 million public investment. Council adopted the study in February 2012. December 2011 -- The city accepted proposals for a downtown strategic plan for the design and land use for five sites in downtown and the Old Yellowstone District. The city would have committed infrastructure improvements of $10.8 million. Council did not formally adopt the plan in part because of public concerns about some of the proposed land uses. July 2012 -- The city proposed to build a $12 million conference center, while a developer would build, operate and manage the hotel on the seven-acre site of the former Plains and Goodstein blocks owned by the state. Land acquisition was estimated at $5.5 million. In March 2013, the project failed because the city was unable to negotiate the purchase of state property. 2014-2015 -- The Amoco Reuse Agreement Joint Powers Board started a private development initiative for a hotel-conference center on 17 acres of Platte River Commons. The city would have committed up to $5 million for infrastructure, or it would have bought the land with a perpetual lease to the developer. State law prevented the city from entering the land option. The project closed in the spring of 2016. July 2016 -- The city entered an agreement with Parkway Plaza owner CRU Casper, LLC, to develop the hotel into a conference center and resort. The city would have committed up to $5 million infrastructure. CRU Casper did not fulfill its terms of the MOU and the project failed in December 2016. Filed Under: Casper City Council, Parkway Plaza Categories: Casper News	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line895
__label__wiki	0.772337	0.772337	Casper Police: Felon Arrested With Gun, Meth Nick Learned Casper Police Department Casper police say a man was arrested early Thursday morning after a traffic stop led officers to find a gun and methamphetamine inside the man's vehicle. Ryan C. Spencer, 36, was booked into jail on recommended charges of methamphetamine possession, interference and probation revocation by a police officer. He will likely make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court at 2 p.m. Thursday. According to an affidavit of probable cause, an officer was on patrol in the area of Ninth and Ash Streets when she saw a yellow vehicle with a burned-out headlight. She then saw the vehicle perform an illegal U-turn, so she stopped the vehicle at Eighth and Ash. The driver, Spencer, kept reaching between the driver's seat and center console while the officer was speaking to him. Spencer also allegedly stalled when asked for his identification. Spencer was asked to step out of the vehicle and told the officer that he did not have any weapons on his person. The officer then saw that Spencer had a knife sheathed on his right hip, and the officer ended up placing Spencer in handcuffs. A loaded handgun magazine was found in Spencer's left-rear pocket. As the officer walked Spencer toward her patrol vehicle, Spencer reportedly appeared to be nervous and under the influence of a controlled substance. When the officer let go of Spencer to unlock her patrol car, Spencer took off running, still handcuffed. Spencer ran and ended up falling about half a block from David Street. The officer caught up and called for medical assistance; Spencer was taken to Wyoming Medical Center. At the hospital, Spencer told the officer that he had taken a suboxone pill earlier in the day, and he had no prescription for the pill. He said that he ran because he knew the officer would find a gun in his vehicle, and he is not allowed to possess a firearm because he is a felon. Spencer also said that he was on probation out of California for having possession of a high-capacity magazine. Previously, he told the officer, he had been convicted in Wyoming of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. The officer reviewed Spencer's criminal history and noted that he apparently had a history of carrying guns while he was in possession of controlled substances. At the jail, a baggie containing 14 grams of methamphetamine was found on Spencer's person. Meanwhile, another officer searched Spencer's vehicle and found a Kel-Tec PMR 30 .22-caliber handgun. The gun was loaded with a 30-round magazine with one round in the chamber. The arresting officer forwarded the firearm case to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Filed Under: Arrest, Casper Police, Crime, drugs, police Categories: Casper News, News, Wyoming News	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line896
__label__wiki	0.847138	0.847138	Cowboys Look to Keep Momentum Going [VIDEO] David Settle Courtesy: Troy Babbitt & Univ. of Wyoming Athletics Media Relations In search of their first back-to-back wins this season, the Wyoming Cowboys host the San Jose State Spartans in Mountain West play Saturday in Laramie. Wyoming (3-6, 1-4) snapped a four-game skid with last week’s Border War win. San Jose State (1-7, 1-3) comes to the Gem City fresh off their first win of the season last week at home, 50-37, over UNLV. It was their first victory since beating the Cowboys in San Jose last year, 20-17, last Nov. 25, 2017. The Spartans have won three in a row in the series. That includes last 2013, 2014, and 2017. San Jose State won their last time in Laramie four years ago, 27-20. Saturday marks the 11th meeting in the series, with the Cowboys ahead 6-4. The two teams have three common opponents in Washington State, Hawai’i, and Colorado State. Wyoming has a 1-2 mark against those three, while the Spartans are winless against the same three. San Jose State has an edge in offensive yards per game with 332.3 per game compared to 301.6 for the Pokes. Defensively, UW holds teams to 352.4 yards per game, while the Spartans allow 460.5 yards and 37.6 points per game. The Cowboys offense is guided by freshman Sean Chambers, who has run for 201 yards and one touchdown, plus thrown for 178 yards and two scores. Senior Nico Evans continues to lead the MW in rushing and rank fifth in the country with 979 yards. He has 6 TD’s on the ground. His average of 139.9 yards per game is third-best in the nation. Defensively, Wyoming held the Rams to 20 yards rushing last week. Sophomore Ravontae Holt had a key fumble recovery, plus three total tackles, including one-half tackle for loss, and a quarterback hurry last week. He spoke with KOWB’s David Settle about his performance, taking the spot in the lineup for suspended junior Youhanna Ghaifan, plus his preparation, the D-Line room, and a little background from the California native. San Jose State’s offense is led by quarterback Josh Love. He’s thrown for 1,580 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His top target is tight end Josh Oliver, who has 44 receptions for 514 yards and three TDs. Tyler Nevens leads the ground attack with 71.6 yards per game and four scores. Defensively, linebackers Jamal Scott and Ethan Aguayo lead the Spartans in tackles with 64 and 64, respectively. Wyoming faces San Jose State at War Memorial Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for noon. KOWB (AM 1290) will carry the game live with coverage starting at 9 a.m. You can also listen online and on the KOWB app. The game is televised on AT&T SportsNet. Coach Bohl Previews San Jose State Game Filed Under: College Football, video, Wyoming Cowboys, Wyoming Football Categories: News, Sports, Videos	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line897
__label__wiki	0.969877	0.969877	Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Set To Take On Harvard Friday Night MOUNT ST. MARY'S MOUNTAINEERS (0-2, 0-1 NIRA) at HARVARD #7 (1-0-1, 1-0-1 NIRA) Date: Friday, Sept. 22, 2017 2017 NIRA PREASON POLL The Mountaineers are led by first year coach Farrah Douglas and first year assistant coach Maggie Myles. Douglas brings over 12 years of coaching experience to the Mount, with involvement at the national, collegiate and high school levels. Douglas has been the head coach of the USA Girl's High School All-American (USA U-18) Team for the past two seasons, and the assistant coach with the USA Women's National Team since 2012. Douglas has been at the helm of the Gonzaga College High School team in Washington, D.C. since 2010, while also serving as technical director and skill coach at The Rugby Academy in Potomac, Md. from 2010-15. Myles, a recent graduate from Quinnipiac University where she played on the women's rugby team all four years. As a senior last year, she saw action in all 12 matches while tallying six tries and eight assists during the season. She added 33 tackles on the year which helped her earn NIRA All-American honors. MOUNT UPDATE Mount St. Mary's women's rugby team downed by Kutztown 48-19 in their last match. Rio Greenshields, Katelyn Comeau, and Sloane Robinson each scored a try for the Mountaineers. Comeau added two conversion kicks for the Mount as well. The Mount lost to Notre Dame of Ohio in its first match in program history earlier this year and look to record the first win in program history this weekend. MOUNT LEADERS Tries: Jordan Butcher (1), Rio Greenshields (1), Sloane Robinson (1), and Katelyn Comeau (1) Conversion kicks: Katelyn Comeau (2) SCOUTING THE CRIMSON The No. 7 women's rugby team continued its early success on Saturday afternoon, tying No. 3 Army, 33-33. Harvard built up a 14-0 lead in the first half, thanks to a try from freshman Milan Robertsand another from senior captain Maya Learned. The Crimson finished the first half up 14-7. During the second half, they secured three more tries to finish the game tied, 33-33. Harvard defeated the number nine ranked West Chester 61-0 in their first game of the season. The Mountaineers will travel to James Madison University for a match on Saturday, September 30. May 14, 2018 Recruiting Class Announced For Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby April 3, 2018 Weekend Wrap-Up: Mount Women's Rugby Takes Home Fourth Place In Queens Cup 7's December 12, 2017 Jordan Butcher Named NIRA All-American November 10, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Assistant Coach Maggie Myles Selected For USA 7's Tryout October 28, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Falls To Norwich On Saturday Morning October 26, 2017 The Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Team Hosts Norwich This Saturday October 21, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Team Topped By Molloy Saturday Morning October 20, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Travels To Molloy On Saturday October 14, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Tripped Up By West Chester On Saturday October 12, 2017 The Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Team Welcomes West Chester For A Match On Saturday September 29, 2017 Update: Women's Rugby Match At James Madison University Cancelled September 23, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Blanked By Harvard Friday Night September 19, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Set To Take On Harvard Friday Night September 9, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Downed By Kutztown On Saturday September 8, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Welcomes Kutztown For Home Opener On Saturday September 2, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Drops Season Opener at Notre Dame of Ohio September 1, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Begins Inaugural Season At Notre Dame of Ohio August 24, 2017 Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Announces Fall Schedule For Inaugural Season August 23, 2017 Maggie Myles Joins Mount St. Mary's Women's Rugby Coaching Staff	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line900
__label__wiki	0.907426	0.907426	Education & Outreach/ Materials Science Research Aboard the International Space Station PCC North, 300 Level, Halls C–E—Exhibit Stage The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory is an orbiting platform for research, technology development and education that inspires innovation and discovery, and is focused on enabling a new era of space research to improve life on Earth. The ISS National Laboratory promotes and brokers a diverse range of research in many scientiﬁc disciplines, including the ﬁeld of materials, in the extreme environment of space. The ISS National Laboratory enables flexible partnership models that allow organizations to leverage the unique attributes of the ISS that are most relevant to their mission. These include research competitions, investment opportunities, STEM education programs and commercial services opportunities. All types of organizations can now join in the business of space through these novel pathways made possible by the ISS National Laboratory. Randy Giles International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory C. Randy Giles, a world-renowned scientist, thought leader in optical technologies, an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, joined the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory as Chief Scientist in October 2016. In this role, he leads the scientific research and technology development for the ISS National Laboratory. Giles spent the prior three decades at Bell Laboratories, where he has led global R&D teams with technologies ranging from medical diagnostics to quantum physics, microelectromechanical systems and advanced optical networking. He has made significant contributions to emerging technologies and holds more than 50 patents for his work. Giles has been recognized by several prestigious institutions during his career. Notable awards include the Tyndall Award from The Optical Society in 2010, Laureate of the Millennium Technology Prize in 2008 and the Discover Award in 2000 for the invention of the MEMS-based optical cross-connect switch.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line902
__label__wiki	0.553285	0.553285	Move Agent Sign Up Coordinating partners International Sport and Culture Association The International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA) is a global platform open to organisations working within the field of sport for all, recreational sports and physical activity. Created in 1995, ISCA is today a global actor closely cooperating with its 180 member organisations worldwide, international NGOs, and public and private sector stakeholders. Visit ISCA's website here. European Cyclists' Federation With over 70 members across nearly 40 countries, the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF) unites cyclists's associations from across the globe, giving them a voice on the international level, with the aim to get more people cycling more often by influencing policy in favour of cycling. Visit ECF's website here. The MOVE Week 2014 is supported by the European Union in the framework of the Erasmus+ Sport Support for Not-for-profit European Sport Events. Find out more about the Erasmus+ Sport programme here.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line905
__label__wiki	0.621665	0.621665	Student Spotlight: Misha D. by Molly Webb \| Feb 23, 2014 \| Cool Music Finds \| 0 comments “Singing can make me feel like I’m flying even when my feet are still on the ground.” As you can see, Misha’s love for music is inspiring to say the least. With an eclectic ear—she listens to everything from Eminem to Ed Sheeran—and a passionate personality, Misha is sure to achieve her musical dreams. MM: Let’s start with your musical history. When did you start singing, and when did you decide to make music a more serious part of your life? When I first started singing, I was about three. I would sing a lot to the radio. I started lessons a little less than a year ago. Music was always important to me but around three years ago I got really serious about it. I realized that music was a really consistent part of my life and it helped me through a lot of bad times and good times. Even things like homework and running. I have always thrived on it but I soon found deeper meaning in lyrics and music. I also started a chorus class last year and that really helped me with realizing that singing is much more than what it seems. That’s when I decided to do more than just a class and actually take some one on one lessons. MM: If I plugged in your iPod, what kind of music would I find? What music do you love to listen to? To sing? My iPod has a lot of different music. I’m not really restricted to one genre. The music I like to listen to also changes constantly. I find myself always having these “binges” where all of a sudden I will get rid of a good 40 to 50 songs and download more. Right now, you would find music from Beyoncé to Eminem to Ed Sheeran. I recently really got into the Arctic Monkeys and the 1975. I listen to Mayday Parade and Paramore as well. Singing wise, my music taste changes completely. Usually, I like to pick challenging songs and preferably have them in my range. Changing keys is a real hassle. I usually just pick challenging pop songs just because after hearing them so often on the radio, I’ve already memorized them so I can solely focus on technical things. MM: We hear you’ve started playing guitar in addition to singing. How is that going? Guitar is going great. It’s one of my favorite instruments in general, and I like that I can accompany myself while I sing. It also makes performing easier because I’m someone that usually fiddles a lot with my hands, clothes, and such when I sing, so it makes me look a little less awkward. MM: Inspiration can be hard to come by. Where do you find your inspiration to sing and perform? I think the main reason why I sing and perform is for myself and as shallow as this sounds, I think I inspire myself, in a sense. I like doing it, I want to become the best I can be. Singing can make me feel like I’m flying even when my feet are still on the ground, and performing is just a rush. My love for both singing and performing really keeps me going. MM: What are you currently involved in with regards to music? What are your future aspirations as a musician? Right now I’m obviously doing voice and guitar with Molly’s Music. I’m also doing piano which I used to play years ago and I got back into recently. As for my future aspirations, I really wish to get somewhere with my music. I want to be able to inspire others. I feel like music is always there for me and I want to make music that will always be there for others. So, hopefully I get somewhere with that. MM: What advice could you give beginning singers and guitarists? There are a few things that everyone has to know about hobbies, overall. I think that practice makes perfect and I’ve learned that the hard way the past few years. I also think that the only way to be where you want to be with singing or guitar is to try your best and never give up. Music is challenging and it’s sometimes hard to understand. But, if you work hard enough and you want it enough, you’ll get there eventually. MM: And to finish I like this fun one: If you could sing with any performer or band, regardless if they are still living, who would it be and why? What song (or songs) would you want to sing with them? My music taste happens to fluctuate often. If you asked me this question last year I would have said Taylor Swift. But, right now, I would definitely love to sing with Ed Sheeran. Not everyone knows of him but he’s just a genius when it comes to music. He knows what he’s doing and he does it well. His guitar skills are out of this world. His chord progressions and lyrics are too much to handle. I respect him a lot as an artist. To be honest, it wouldn’t really matter what I would be singing. I would be on stage with Ed Sheeran! But I think I would choose My Little Bird, Give Me Love, Wake Me Up, and Wayfaring Stranger. Hard Songs to Sing: Let it Go from Disney’s “Frozen” Just Duet: 6 Dynamic Duets You Don’t Want to Miss Best MIDI Controller for Your DAW 5 Best Cities In The World For Music Lovers Everything You Need to Know About Buying Your First MI...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line906
__label__wiki	0.690127	0.690127	North Shore Photo Gallery 2016 Kwanzaa Celebration 2017 Carol Robertson Day Celebration 2017 Black Family Day Celebration 2019 North Shore Activity About Us > National History Marion Stubbs Thomas founded Jack and Jill of America, Inc. January 24, 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1946, the National Organization was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Since that meeting in 1938, chapters have been organized across the entire United States and as of July 2012, there are 224 chapters in 36 states and the District of Columbia with 11,500 members. From the meeting of those twenty mothers in Philadelphia, the idea of bringing together the children in a social and cultural relationship spread to New York City, where a similar organization was started in 1939. The third club was formed in March 1940, in Washington, D.C. Thus, Jack and Jill, which began as a local group, became an inter-city association. After four successful years in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, enthusiasm and interest in Jack and Jill spread westward, and in 1944 a chapter was formed in Pittsburgh and in 1952 the first chapters west of the Mississippi were formed in New Orleans, LA and Houston, TX. In 1966, the organization created its own foundation, The Jack and Jill of America Foundation, which was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, January 1968. The Foundation has been responsible for the origin and funding of a large number of educational and charitable projects benefiting children and families in communities across the United States. In 2006, the Foundation embarked on “Rebuild America”. In partnering with Habitat for Humanity, Jack and Jill Foundation’s Rebuild America project has built and refurbished three homes in New Orleans, LA in the South Central Region, Chicago, Illinois in the Mid-West Region, and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the Eastern Region. Through the years, Jack and Jill of America, Inc. has made large contributions to other organizations and projects, namely: the Hungry of Ethiopia through Africare, The United Negro College Fund, PUSH, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Social Change, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Mental Health for Children, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, Research for Rheumatic Fever, Children’s Defense Fund, Boys and Girls Clubs, and March of Dimes. Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is divided into seven regions for administrative purposes. Each region has a Director, Treasurer, Secretary, and Foundation Member-at-Large and is represented on the National Executive Board of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. In 1981, a National Office was established in Atlanta, Georgia headed by an Executive Secretary for the purpose of carrying on the day-to-day business of the corporation. In 1994, the National Headquarters was moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Today, the national office is headquartered in historic downtown Washington, DC. At the 32nd Biannual National Convention, Marion Wright-Edelman was initiated as the first Honorary Member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. The National body celebrated the 60th anniversary and 33rd Biennial National Convention in New York City. This Diamond Jubilee theme “Bridges into the Millennium” set the tone for the urgency we faced individually and collectively in preparation for the year 2000. In 2012, Jack and Jill celebrated 75 years of service at the 40th National Convention in its birthplace of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The following statement was taken from an article by Mrs. Marion Stubbs Thomas (National Founder), which appeared in the first issue of the official publication of Jack and Jill of America, Up the Hill. She tells in simple and beautiful language of the state and rapid growth of Jack and Jill. She also expresses the ideals, which Jack and Jill have followed since its initiation. “It is with deep and, I hope, pardonable pride that I look back over the first ten years in the life of Jack and Jill. When the first little group of us organized in January 1938, in Philadelphia, we were seeking to simulate a social and cultural relationship between our children. When I contacted the mothers and suggested a meeting to discuss plans for a new club, they were all enthusiastic and responded in a manner, which was heartwarming. Little did we dream at the time that this idea, which was so important and inspiring to us, would grow to such proportions. As new members were welcomed, and then new chapters formed, the aims and ideals of Jack and Jill were strengthened, always with our children as the focal point. To us as mothers, it has become a means of furthering an inherent and natural desire - the desire to bestow upon our children all the opportunities possible for a normal and graceful approach to beautiful adulthood. It is intensely satisfying to predict a nationwide group of mothers and children bound together by similar interests and ideals. As we grow in numbers and achievements, may we always keep before us the lofty principals upon which Jack and Jill of America was founded.” Since that day about which Marion Stubbs Thomas wrote, January 24, 1938, Jack and Jill of America has avalanched into a strong national organization. The story of its growth is one of amity and felicity. Copyright 2019 by Jack and Jill Online Website Hosting \| Privacy Statement \| Terms Of Use	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line915
__label__wiki	0.861673	0.861673	A Quantum Challenge: UVA Quartet at the Center of Efforts to Gain U.S. Edge Fariss Samarrai, farisss@virginia.edu A University of Virginia physics professor and three UVA engineering professors are members of three new multi-disciplinary, multi-university teams that are seeking new understanding of quantum science for the development of practical, extremely high-tech tools – including the long-dreamed-of and sought-after quantum computer. The projects are part of a $31 million National Science Foundation push to fund and inspire transformational quantum research to enable the United States to take a lead in the developing and highly competitive revolution in science and technology involving quantum sensing, communication, simulation and computing. Quantum computers and other devices, once developed and refined, will make even today’s supercomputers seem antiquated for specific applications, allowing for massive-scale simulations to advance predictive science in fields from chemistry (such as for creating more efficient and environmentally friendly fertilizers) to drug discovery, climate science, cryptography and better communications. Physics professor Olivier Pfister is the principal investigator for one of the teams, with a mission to develop integrated “quantum photonics” on a computer chip, allowing light beams in mini-circuits to be used for quantum computing. The team includes electrical and computer engineering professors Joe Campbell, Andreas Beling, and Xu Yi. They are operating on a $750,000 NSF grant. Pfister, Campbell and Beling also serve on teams conducting different but related work headed by principal investigators at the University of Texas at Austin. Campbell additionally is on a team headed at the University of Colorado. All of the projects, which represent pieces of a massive puzzle, ultimately will be integrated for the creation of quantum devices. In all, the three teams on which the four UVA researchers are serving are operating on nearly $3 million in new grants – allowing UVA to leverage its expertise in quantum optical physics and photonics engineering. “Quantum science is advancing at a tremendous rate due to recent advances in technologies that make quantum computing a real possibility – but it will require a quantum leap, so to speak,” Pfister said. “At UVA, we’ve got significant interdisciplinary strengths, both theoretical and applied, that make us very competitive for leading discoveries in this area.” In addition to contributing to quantum science and engineering, the grants include training opportunities for UVA graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. “This is a great opportunity for students from different fields of science and engineering to learn together,” Pfister said. Pfister’s UVA-led team will focus on the use of “qubits” – units of quantum information – and moving them on optical waves that would operate on as yet un-developed photonic chips at speeds impossible on today’s fast, but not nearly so fast, wired computer chips. Many of today’s technologies rely on the interaction of matter and energy at extremely small scales. Quantum mechanics studies nature at scales at least a million times smaller than the width of a human hair, which allow researchers to observe, manipulate and control the behavior of particles. Next-generation technologies for communication, computing and sensing will exploit interactions among particles in quantum systems, offering the promise of dramatic increases in accuracy and efficiency. NSF is funding 33 projects in its new Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering program, otherwise known as RAISE. The agency is collaborating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to advance quantum information science. According to Pfister, the U.S. government considers quantum science and engineering to be among the top 10 areas of science and technology essential to the nation’s future economic competitiveness and national security. “An international race is ongoing in the area of quantum information systems, notably, with very large investments made by China, that threatens our leadership in this field,” according to Melur K. “Ram” Ramasubramanian, UVA’s vice president for research. “In response, to secure our leadership in quantum computing, the U.S. Congress passed the National Quantum Initiatives Act in September 2018 to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security of the United States and has proposed a multi-agency coordinated funding at a level of $1 billion over 10 years. “Only a handful of institutions and businesses have the capacity, infrastructure and credibility to pursue this topic. UVA’s three recent awards for projects on quantum information systems is a testimony to the world-renowned expertise of our distinguished faculty in this space,” he said. “It puts us on the map as a serious contender for additional grants from NSF and other agencies to truly advance the state of understanding of quantum mechanics and quantum computing to fulfill this critical mission for our nation.” “The quantum revolution is about expanding the definition of what’s possible for the technology of tomorrow,” NSF director France Cordova said. “NSF-supported researchers are working to deepen our understanding of quantum mechanics and apply that knowledge to create world-changing applications. These new investments will position the U.S. to be a global leader in quantum research and development and help train the next generation of quantum researchers.” Fariss Samarrai University News Associate Office of University Communications farisss@virginia.edu (434) 924-3778 Rotary Backs Two UVA Grads Pursuing Higher Degrees in the United Kingdom Combating gender-based violence and engaging in cutting-edge cancer research, two UVA alumnae will pursue medical careers after receiving Rotary Global Grant Scholarships. Wahoos Have New License to Celebrate Men’s Hoops National Championship Remind the world – and everyone behind you on the interstate – that the Cavaliers are the reigning champs. International Team Collaborating to Digitize Faulkner’s World English professor Stephen Railton and colleagues from around the world will keep working on “Digital Yoknapatawpha,” for the love of Southern author William Faulkner and the collaboration they appreciate.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line919
__label__wiki	0.891949	0.891949	Michigan Rolls Out Adult-Use Marijuana Laws Mark Taylor ∙ December 6, 2018 4:30 am PDT \| Michigan is decriminalizing some marijuana possession and use Dec. 6, 2018, but unless state residents are among the estimated 295,000 patients with medical marijuana cards, they will be unable to purchase cannabis legally. Michigan residents voted by a 56 percent to 44 percent margin in the Nov. 6, 2018, election to approve Proposal 1 and legalize marijuana for adult use. No Michigan dispensaries are currently licensed to sell the product for recreational use. That could take at least one or two years to initiate broad licensing of retail shops, processors, growers and testing labs, said legalization activist Matt Abel, a Detroit attorney who specializes in cannabis law. However, as of Dec. 6, individual Michigan residents are allowed to grow up to 12 plants and possess 10 ounces, or 283.5 grams, for personal use in a single dwelling. Residents must store any amount over 2 1/2 ounces, or 70.9 grams, in a locked container. Home growers may give away as much as 2 1/2 ounces, but are prohibited from charging for the cannabis. “The only people who can legally purchase marijuana are those with medical marijuana cards, and I predict more people will try to get those,” Abel told Weedmaps News. “If the state doesn't begin accepting applications to license dispensaries within one year, under the new law, cities and municipalities can start licensing them.” Democratic Sen.-elect Jeff Irwin, the former political director for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said Michigan residents who are not medical marijuana patients or caregivers will be protected from arrest for possession of small amounts of marijuana. “Other than that, there are not many changes now,” Irwin told Weedmaps News. “The legalization war has been won. But there are still many legal skirmishes ahead over how the law will be implemented. Right now we are engaging in a new fight to protect these rights and make sure the system works for consumers and citizens.” Irwin said legalization offers a new lease on life for many Michigan citizens convicted of marijuana offenses. “I'm very eager now to try to undo some of the harms the drug war has done to our citizens. The mandate behind the passage of this law has created momentum to release people from prison convicted of cannabis-related crimes and to have their criminal records expunged so they can fully participate in our democracy and our economy,” he said. “Our policies have been so out of step with common sense and reality and thousands of state residents have been harmed by them.” Josh Hovey, an executive vice president with Michigan public relations firm Truscott Rossman and a spokesman for the coalition, said the shift in law enforcement resources means that Michigan police will be able to devote more time to investigate violent crimes and do their jobs faster. In an October Citizens Research Council of Michigan analysis, the state recorded 23,893 marijuana arrests in 2015, compared with 11,916 arrests for violent crimes. Hovey said Michigan spent $91.4 million in 2010 investigating and prosecuting marijuana possession crimes, the vast majority of which were for possessing one-quarter ounce or less, according to a Michigan State Senate analysis. He said a Washington State University study found that police agencies solved crimes faster in states that have legalized marijuana than in states where it remains a criminal offense. “We hope to bring those benefits to Michigan,” Hovey said. “When we open, we will be one of the largest marijuana markets outside of California.” Hovey noted that the state senate report estimated that legalizing marijuana would raise $738 million in new tax revenues over the next five years. Kalamazoo City Attorney Clyde Robinson, the lead author of an analysis of the recreational marijuana referendum for the Michigan Municipal League, said it's likely that most of the currently licensed medical marijuana dispensaries will seek licenses to serve recreational customers because a medical marijuana license is a prerequisite for applying for a recreational-use license. Robinson said he's already seeing local economic impact in his city. “There are some properties that were otherwise unused and now being put to use with the plan of creating marijuana businesses,” Robinson told Weedmaps News. “And I've seen this occurring in other jurisdictions around the state.” Robinson speculated that once they're licensed, retail stores will locate along state borders with Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. “There may be greater demand. But residents of those states should beware coming home: Marijuana is still illegal in those states and possession of it remains a federal crime.” Michael Komorn, a Southfield attorney specializing in cannabis issues, said the state will create a regulated marketplace. “But the more heavily regulated it is, the more potential problems it creates. This process will be more like a marathon than a sprint. Business owners know they will face challenges. There is a level of frustration for people seeking licenses,” said Komorn, who is also the president of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association. “The market expands from 300,000 to nearly seven million potential customers. The passage of Proposition 1 should be very encouraging and is a big step in the right direction.” Komorn told Weedmaps News that the law's opponents lost, but haven't surrendered. “Some in the state legislature are trying to cut us off at the knees right now,” Komorn said. “So we can't just ignore them. We're concerned there will be horse-trading at the legislative and regulatory levels.” David Harns, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), said as of Dec. 1, 2018, the agency had issued 67 medical marijuana licenses, 40 to provisioning centers (what dispensaries are called in Michigan by law) and 27 to growers, processors, labs, and other businesses. Harns said 108 of Michigan's nearly 1,800 municipalities have opted in to allow medical marijuana establishments, and 28 already have prohibited recreational marijuana ventures within their community borders as of Dec. 5, 2018. Mark Taylor is a veteran journalist with a specialty in health and medical topics. He’s a co-founder and past board member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and a former Kaiser Foundation media fellow with deep experience in the economics of health care. Marijuana Legalization Push Continues Ahead of New Jersey Vote Days ahead of a planned vote in the Legislature that would make New Jersey the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said March 21, 2019, that... There's a lot to celebrate on this 4/20 in Emerging Cannabis Markets Law & Politics 3 monthsThor Benson A lot has changed in the cannabis world since the 4/20 in 2018. Multiple states legalized adult use or medical cannabis, and it looks as if more states are preparing...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line920
__label__wiki	0.824437	0.824437	Here’s What India (And The BJP) Can Learn From Malaysia About Communal Harmony The many diverse groups there live peacefully, have equal rights and progress evenly. By Dr Amir Ullah Khan On May 18, 2019 Over the last six weeks, a number of us have wondered each day if the extent of hatred in the political space had fallen to its lowest ever, only to find our ruling party plunge to newer depths the next morning. Amit Shah has referred to Bangladeshis — his and his party’s metaphor for Muslims — as termites. Nalin Kohli, in an interview with Al Jazeera, defended the choice of expletive. The entire Bharatiya Janata Party’s leadership has focused on evoking Hindu pride, conjuring up a threat to the 80 per cent from the 14 per cent, claiming ownership over our army that they claim is now fighting against Islamic terror. Some demagogues went to the extent of declaring that Modi should be re-elected because he knows how to teach Muslims a lesson. One leader wanted him to go the extra mile and forcibly sterilise all Muslims and Christians in his second term. (Photo: Twitter/@BJP4India) We had some saffron leaders announcing categorically that post-2019, India would be a Hindu nation. A cabinet minister threatened Muslims voting against her and said she would ensure they are punished later for doing so. A Harvard educated Minister went on record saying he had put his money for bailing out party supporters charged with lynching Muslims. This same gentleman had garlanded them and publicised his celebration when this lynch mob was granted bail. The highlight, however, was when Modi himself selected and then endorsed a much-maligned, terror-accused militant, out on bail, for a seat in Parliament. Pragya Thakur, arrested by the MP police when the BJP ruled the state, is a rabid, hate-mongering criminal who has spouted venom almost every day since she got nominated by her PM, who declared her an icon of 5,000 years of Hinduism. Thakur went on to make hugely divisive speeches, and her latest statement is that Nathuram Godse, Gandhiji’s assassin and independent India’s first terrorist was a patriot and should always be regarded as one. And just as in most such cases, gave a weak apology when some in her party found this abuse a tad vulgar. Sadhvi Pragya Thakur (Photo: Facebook) Also Read: Analysis: Why Did BJP Not Deliver Even on Core Promises of Its 2014 Manifesto? I am writing this column in Kuala Lumpur, and here, all such hate appears alien. This is a country with a substantial Muslim population, but you don’t hear anti-minority sentiment like in India. There are religious and linguistic minorities in Malaysia. It is a hugely diverse country that celebrates its multi-racial character, unlike Modi’s India, that abhors India’s diversity and keeps emphasising an artificial homogeneity. Elections are fought keenly, but the issues are economic- or development-oriented. Malaysia is, for an Indian ruled by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, a breath of fresh air. (Photo: Twitter/@PrasunKD) Muslims constitute 61 per cent of the population. Buddhists 20 per cent and Christians nine per cent. There are some Hindus too. Malaysia is an upper middle-income country. The average Malaysian earns about eight times more than an average Indian who makes a little more than Rs 9,000 a month today. There is a sense of security in the country with a strong and capable police force and the rule of law. On the streets, it is common to find large numbers of women, very often wearing the hijab walking with confidence and without ever getting harassed. Public transport is very popular, and buses and trains are filled with working women. In India, you see a minimal number of women compared to what you see in Kuala Lumpur. And the workforce in India is predominantly male while in Malaysia the gender diversity is evident almost everywhere. Image of icons of Kuala Lumpur and its skyline (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) What this trip, like all my earlier trips to South East Asia, showed is that there is a model in the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian) countries that we must learn from. These are all nations that started impoverished seventy years ago, shed their colonial past very quickly, adopted the best the world had to offer by way of education and universal health care and became the manufacturing hubs for the entire world. All these economies were democratic; they had frequent elections, strong Opposition parties and a free press. These counties welcomed immigrants, almost all of them have substantial Indian populations who still speak Tamil and Telugu and Punjabi. They all had their share of civil strife, of periods of dictatorial rule, but they stabilised fast and overthrew those who strayed from democratic principles. Also Read: Here’s Why The NRI is Disappointed With Modi in 2019 Ethnically, there are 60 per cent Malays, 20 per cent Chinese and more than 6 per cent of Indians. Malaysia has 134 living languages — 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages, most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan. What is fascinating is that all these diverse groups live peacefully, have equal rights and progress evenly. For all the right-wingers in India who keep looking westwards, the South East Asian region is a significant rebuff. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. PC: Fb@funclickdaily The Modi brigade that keeps reminding their detractors about injustice to non-Muslims in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that mistreat minorities, must take Vajpayee’s advise and look eastwards. Indonesia and Malaysia are countries with majority Muslim populations where minorities live happily and are treated well.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line921
__label__cc	0.602921	0.397079	Film NZ History Sound Audio Curios: It’s in the Boot! August 3, 2016 August 12, 2016 Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision 0 Comments 1910s, 1930s, 1950s, Catherine Ford, Dannevirke, Down on the Farm, game, gameshow, It’s in the Bag, New Zealand Broadcasting Service, NZBS, One Minute Please, radio, Selwyn Toogood, Sports, Vauxhall Viva 101, Wellington, World War I, World War One, wrestling, WWI – By Gareth Watkins (Radio Collection Developer, Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision) Earlier this week I stumbled across a number of delightful game shows in the radio collection of Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. The first programme featured the much-loved entertainer Selwyn Toogood. In this excerpt, he hosts “It’s in the Bag’” from Dannevirke in 1955. http://www.ngataonga.org.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1109-its-in-the-bag-1955.mp3 “It’s in the Bag,” 1955, NZBS You can hear a longer version of this show here. Then I came across “One Minute Please,” a New Zealand Broadcasting Service panel game that was recorded in front of a live audience. Two teams of three, one male and one female were given topics to discuss for one minute, with general rules of impromptu speaking. In this excerpt – recorded at the Regal Theatre in Karori, Wellington in 1950 – panellist Catherine Ford tries valiantly to talk for a minute on the topic: why do women go to wrestling. http://www.ngataonga.org.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/894-one-minute-please-1950.mp3 “One Minute Please,” 1950, NZBS The sport of wrestling also features in Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision’s moving image collection. In the surviving offcuts to New Zealand’s first talkie feature, Down on the Farm (1935), there is a wrestling scene at 1 min 12 sec. Down on the Farm [offcuts], 1935, Stewart Pitt And a hundred-years-ago wrestling was an entertainment on the New Zealand troop ships heading off to World War I. In this footage shot on board H.M.N.Z.T No.12 SS Waimana, two older men wrestle watched on by New Zealand soldiers and crew. Life On New Zealand Troop Ships / Our Boys En Route to Egypt, 1914 To get a sense of how wrestling was described on radio, have a listen to this gripping broadcast [edited excerpt] by an unidentified commentator in Wellington in 1954: Al Costello vs. Bobo Wright. http://www.ngataonga.org.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/5985-wrestling-1954.mp3 Al Costello vs Bobo Wright, 14 October 1954 And finally to round off this blog on wrestling and game shows, here’s host Selwyn Toogood advertising the Vauxhall Viva 101! Vauxhall Viva 101, 1962, Peach Wemyss Astor Image credit (feature image): [Detail of] Selwyn Toogood quiz show. K E Niven and Co: Commercial negatives. Ref: 1/2-212294-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23249989 This post is part of the Audio Curios series. Radio Collection Developer Gareth Watkins regularly comes across interesting, unique, and sometimes downright puzzling bits of audio during his accessioning work. He’s going to share some of these audio treasures with you in the Audio Curios series, which will be posted here on the Gauge blog frequently. ← 35 Years Ago: Springbok Tour Protests in Wellington Audio Curios: Notes of Appreciation → 35 Years Ago: Springbok Tour Protests in Wellington July 29, 2016 Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision 0 Audio Curios: Who is a New Zealander? April 1, 2015 Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision 0 The King’s Theatre: New Zealand’s First Purpose-Built Movie Theatre	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line922
__label__cc	0.741786	0.258214	OM – Its Purpose and Meaning Posted on March 7, 2013 by nancybragin by Jane Cleary The word OM is probably more likely to be recognized by its symbol, even though it is the sound of OM that is the point of focus whenever it is used. It comes from the Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas, which are as old as the Indian culture itself. What is the language and derivation of OM? The word is in Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas, which according to tradition originated at the same time as the Vedas. OM as both a sound and a written symbol is deeply revered in the Hindu tradition, a fact that can be readily understood once its meaning and power are known. The repetition of the word produces a sound that emanates in the form of a benign and beneficent resonance. The symbol, when reverentially visualized, creates a steadying and calming influence on the mind. Moreover, it has these effects even when the meaning may not be fully understood. In Sanskrit, the word OM is composed of three letters: “A,” “U,” and “M.” When added together, these three letters become two, because according to the rules of Sanskrit grammar for combining vowels and consonants, “A” plus “U” combine into the letter “O.” There is nothing mysterious about this, because if you were to sequentially repeat “A” and “U” over and over again, you will find that the sound “O” naturally occurs as a result of this blending. This is followed by the pronunciation of the last letter, “M.” Vedic tradition teaches that the sounds are all created with an intended purpose, so it is important to follow the rules of pronunciation and intonation, because the resonance is intimately connected with the meaning (and the meaning is also deeply purposeful). In everyday life we all know and have felt how music, whether it is discordant and jarring or pleasing and harmonious, affects our minds. Similarly, pronunciation of Vedic sounds and words such as OM should always be done according to traditional instructions in order to avoid discordance or negative resonance as well as to effect the intended result. Indeed repeating and focusing on this syllable will tend to resolve any existing mental discordance or disturbance. As will be explained further on, when intoned with knowledge of its meaning, it causes the intoner to become aware of his or her ever-present, abiding, complete nature, which is free from all limitations of all types at all times. For these reasons, it is important to understand that in repeating OM one should not break it down into its component three letters but pronounce it as two letters. Nor should one elongate or drag the sound out when chanting it. In order to appreciate the meaning of OM it is necessary to analyze the nature of words. All letters or characters in any language represent sounds, which, when put together in various sequences, create words or names that are in turn associated with forms. For example, in English the word “pot” consists of three sounds put together to create a specific sound that identifies an object. This collection of sounds is always recognized by those who understand that language to be attached to that type of form. The word is never apart from the object in that when someone is talking about a pot, he or she is constrained to use that specific word to identify the object’s form and function. In this sense, the word, its meaning, and its object are inseparable. On the basis of this explanation, what object is the word OM attached to? What function and form should the mind wrap itself around when it hears the word OM? Why are these three letters and their consequent blend of sounds so meaningful and important? And how do you make use of it? To answer these questions the word has to be broken down again. “A” is the sound that originates from the back of the throat. Generally, it is the first sound that is uttered by all human beings when the mouth is first opened, and therefore it represents beginning. It is followed by the sound “U,” which occurs as soon as the mouth moves into the next position from a completely open state, so “U” represents a combination of stasis and change. The sound “M” is formed when the lips are brought together and the mouth is fully closed, so it represents the end. When these sounds are added together, OM means “beginning” plus “middle” plus “end.” In sum, any and all sounds, no matter how different they may be or in what language they are spoken, all fall within the range of these three. Three letters, representing beginning, middle, and end, symbolize creation itself, which consists of constant beginnings, periods of stasis and change, and endings. Hence all of the varieties of sounds and their respective objects in all languages are encompassed by the utterance of this single syllable, OM. The formation and use of the word OM are ingenious, because they include the entire universe in one syllable. At the same time, by the utterance of OM one is able to appreciate and recognize Ishwara (a Sanskrit word that means “God”), who is the source of the beginning, middle, and end of the universe. Any type of creation can only take place if there is a conscious cause with the intelligent capacity and material to create it. In everyday life this fact is obvious. In terms of the entire creation, it is also abundantly clear that a universe cannot exist without these two causes. Unlike most perspectives involving a creator and creation, the Vedic tradition, particularly Vedanta (whose name means “the end of the Vedas”), teaches that Ishwara is both the intelligent and material cause of this universe, just as you are the intelligent and material cause of your dreams. And just as you are the beginning, middle, and end of that dream, in the same way Ishwara as the intelligent mastermind of the universe permeates all aspects and phases of it and everything that exists within it. Unlike you in the dream, however, Ishwara is in control of this universe. Because Ishwara pervades the universe, all beings and things in the universe are nonseparate from Ishwara. This means that as an expression of Ishwara you essentially consist of the same existing, conscious, and complete nature. Therefore it behooves you to acknowledge and honor Ishwara as well as to acknowledge your own true nature. A simple way to appreciate Ishwara is by the recitation of OM. This is indeed is the intent and vision of the Vedic culture. In order to more fully grasp this vision, since OM is a sound that is made and arises from silence, appreciating the silent basis for sound is also helpful. Silence is the basis for all sound, and silence exists before the sound arises. It exists while the sound is occurring and will still be there after the sound is gone. It also remains totally unaffected as sounds arise, exist, and recede. This means that silence is unchanging even as the sounds change; it is ever-present and therefore timeless. Like all other sounds, when OM is pronounced it emerges as a sound from silence, but because of its meaning it helps the reciter to tune into the silence in way that no other sound can. In the recitation of OM, first there is silence, then the sound of OM, and then silence before the next repetition. Continued repetition in this manner thus encompasses the universe and then points back to the silence that is the basis of OM. Silence exists, but since silence does not have a form and by its very definition no sound can be associated with it, we are left with the conclusion that silence must be the very nature of existence itself. Existence is without qualifiers of any kind, yet it is ever-present and will never cease to be. Put another way, existence is recognized as the eternal “isness.” The one thing that all objects, people, events, thoughts share is their “isness.” We say, “The pot is,” “The chair is,” “The mind is,” “The body is.” Nothing can be unless existence is present first; therefore it is that because of which everything can and does exist. Furthermore, even though everything changes and ultimately goes away, existence does not change or disappear, and neither does silence. Silence would also have to be nonseparate from consciousness because consciousness does not possess or make any sound, yet it is present and aware at all times. This is the same consciousness that is found in one’s mind, and it is ever—silent, allowing all of the sounds of the universe, mental and physical, to manifest. So where is the silence that is nonseparate from existence and consciousness to be found? The universe is contained in space, which itself is seemingly all-pervasive. But space also has a limitation in that, as portrayed by science, it too explodes into being and then implodes and collapses upon itself. Moreover, it derives its “isness” from existence. But neither existence nor consciousness is similarly dependent, and there is no place where existence and consciousness are not found—that is, there is no place or time where either of these is absent. The scope of existence and consciousness contains everything, and by virtue of its all-pervasive nature nothing is apart or away from it. From the perspective of the manifest universe, that enlivening and all-encompassing existence-consciousness is Ishwara. If one looks past the universe, that silent existence-consciousness still remains. It is unchanged and unaffected by the presence or absence of the universe or of space itself. Hence it pervades space while at the same time it is bigger and beyond space. The universe is an effect that cannot be separate from its cause, just as cloth as an effect cannot be apart from cotton, its material cause. The universe contains everything. Therefore whatever contains the universe must also contain everything that can ever be achieved within it and must ultimately be superior to all that the universe contains. This is what is meant by the word “Brahman,” which, for the purposes of this article, can be simply defined as that which is the biggest. Space is not as big as Brahman because space has Brahman as its basis. Thus this silent existence-consciousness is not dependent on space or time, and even though both are found within space, they must, as we have seen, necessarily extend past it. So Brahman and existence-consciousness are similarly described in relation to space. Neither of these is divisible into parts, and because they cannot be distinguished, they must be one and the same. Brahman is the one, indivisible, silent basis that is all-existent, ever-aware consciousness. Because of its all-pervasive presence it is wholly complete and its fullness is always abiding as a silent presence. Thus in the recitation of OM one recognizes the universe as well as the ultimate source, which is Brahman. What, then, is the impact of this OM recitation on the mind? Whenever a person’s mind is fully absorbed in a goal—whether it is a certain ideal or person or object—that the person believes will make life complete, then he or she will pursue that goal with full force, with all the energies, resources, and time that can be mustered. Such an engaged mind is fully absorbed and focused. This is what is meant by the Sanskrit saying Yatra yatra mano yati, tatra tatra samadhayah, which means that wherever the mind goes is the place in which it is in samadhi (that is, a totally fulfilled sense of absorption). Such a mind is so wholly and fully identified with that pursuit that its own identity is often subsumed. While this form of absorption can give a person a sense of well-being and contentment, such satisfaction cannot last because it is always focused on an object or person that is subject to change at some point in time. A satisfaction that changes can never be truly and ultimately satisfying. Yet, by the same token, all that anyone ever truly wants is a lasting satisfaction that is not subject to the peaks and valleys and bumps in the road of life. This type of satisfaction can only be achieved by a mind that is focused on and absorbed in an unchanging, ever-fulfilling end. That end is OM, because as we have seen, it encompasses the entire universe but is not limited to or by it. When one’s mind takes this in full measure, one naturally appreciates that nothing is left out, left over, or left behind. Such a mind is now identified with Ishwara—that is, Brahman as Abiding Fullness. Grasping that vision translates to owning everything while being free from everything and remaining full and complete in oneself. The recitation of OM is useful in many ways, as expressed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita 17.23–26, where, in keeping with the Vedic tradition, he advocates its recitation (with the syllables tat and sat added) at the beginning of rituals and charitable and religious acts). But for a person intent on liberation, the recitation becomes a means of focusing and purifying the mind to whatever extent and in whatever way a person requires. This is known as antah karana suddhi. As the word OM is repeated, whether in a meditative setting or in the midst of everyday life, once you see the meaning you are tapping into its essence, which in fact is nonseparate from and never apart from the Creator, Brahman, the universe or yourself. This Vedic vision is presented over and over again in the Upanishads, for example: OM, the word, is all this. A clear explanation of it [is the following]. All that is past, present, and future is verily OM. That which is beyond the triple conception of time is also truly OM. (Mandukyopanishad 1.1.1) O Satyakama, this very Brahman, known as Para [attributeless] Brahman and the Apara [associated with names and forms] Brahman is but this OM. Therefore the illumined knower attains either of the two through this one means alone. (Prasnopanishad 5.2) One should meditate on the syllable OM, the Udgitha, for one sings the Udgitha beginning with OM. Of this the explanation follows. The essence of these beings is the earth. The essence of the earth is water. The essence of water is vegetation. The essence of vegetation is man. The essence of man is speech. The essence of speech is Rk. The essence of Rk is Saman. The essence of Saman is Udgitha. (Chandogyopanishad 1.1.1-2) The goal which all Vedas proclaim, which all penances declare, and desiring which they lead the life of Brahmacharya, I tell it to thee in brief—it is OM. This syllable is Brahman, this syllable is also the highest. Having known this syllable, whatever one desires, one gets that. This support is the best, this support is the absolute. Knowing this support one is worshipped in the world of Brahma. (Kathopanishad 2.15–17) Being born in various forms this self exists within the mind where all the nerves are clustered just as the spokes are clustered on the hub of the chariot wheel. Meditate upon this self in this manner with the help of OM. May there be an auspicious end for you for going the other side of ignorance. (Mundakopanishad 2.2.6) One should contemplate: OM is Brahman; all this universe, perceived and imagined, is OM…A Brahmana proceeding to recite the Veda intending “Let me obtain the Brahman” says “OM.” Assuredly he attains Brahman. (Taittiriyopanishad 1.8.1) This vision may be recognized in all of the verses or mantras when the meaning of OM is properly and fully understood. It is something like looking at a multifaceted diamond. You can keep looking at it from many different angles, but you are always looking at the same thing. And in this case, it does not get any better than that! Jane (Janani) Cleary studied under Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a renowned teacher and scholar in Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit, who conducted an accredited course of study at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya at Mumbai, India, in 1978. Since her return to the United States she has been teaching Vedanta classes in affiliation with Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, and for the past thirteen years has taught the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads at the TS Lodge in Deerfield Beach, Florida. This entry was posted in Spiritual and tagged Advaita Vedanta, AUM, Brahman, chant, Consciousness, Hindu symbol, Ishwara, meditation, om, Sanskrit, sound of the universe, The Vedas, Upanishads, yoga. Bookmark the permalink. ← Do you believe in magic? Triskelion, a Celtic Symbol → One thought on “OM – Its Purpose and Meaning” Keith Wayne Brown says: Reblogged this on Reason & Existenz and commented: Always an important sound/phoneme/word/idea to contemplate through the practice of saying it aloud, in the mind, upon the breath, through the body. Namaste.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line926
__label__wiki	0.794325	0.794325	Jolanta – Out of the darkest atrocity a brilliant light Posted on July 22, 2013 by nancybragin She smuggled out the children in suitcases, ambulances, coffins, sewer pipes, rucksacks and, on one occasion, even a tool box. Those old enough to ask knew their saviour only by her codename “Jolanta”. But she kept hidden a meticulous record of all their real names and new identities – created to protect the Jewish youngsters from the pursuing Nazis – so they might later be re-united with their families. By any measure, Irena Sendler was one of the most remarkable and noble figures to have emerged from the horrors of World War II. But, until recently, her extraordinary compassion and heroism went largely unrecorded. When the Germans finally caught her, the Roman Catholic social worker had managed to save 2,500 Jewish babies and toddlers from deportation to the concentration camps. She had spirited them out of the heavily-guarded Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, and hidden their identities in two glass jars buried under an apple tree in her neighbour’s garden. She was beaten, tortured and sentenced to death by the Gestapo – who even announced her execution. But Irena survived, her spirit unbroken, her secrets untold. She died last week, in her modest Warsaw apartment, aged 98. What a woman she was. For once, the term “heroine” is no exaggeration, though such plaudits did not sit easily with her. She said: “I was brought up to believe that a person must be rescued when drowning, regardless of religion and nationality. “The term ‘heroine’ irritates me greatly. The opposite is true. I continue to have pangs of conscience that I did so little.” Irena always ascribed her desire to do good to the influence of her parents, in particular her father, a Polish physician in a small town near Warsaw. Most of his patients were poor Jews. He died during a typhus epidemic when Irena was seven. When the Germans invaded Poland in September 1939, Irena was working as a senior administrator in Warsaw’s social welfare department. She was responsible for food and financial aid to the city’s poor. Jewish children in 1943 are escorted to the Warsaw Ghetto – Sendler wished she could have saved them all As the Nazis began a crackdown on the Jews, she widened the state assistance to include the racially persecuted, who were given fictitious Christian names to hide their true origins. The situation worsened dramatically in the autumn of 1940 when the German authorities created the Warsaw Ghetto. Some 440,000 Jews, more than a third of the city’s population, were herded into a 16-block neighbourhood, around which a wall was built. It was to be both an open prison and by Richard Pendlebury a convenient means of isolating and holding the Jews before they were sent to their deaths at Treblinka extermination camp. Hero: Oskar Schindler was made famous in the film Schinder’s List where he was played by Liam Neeson Disease and starvation stalked the streets. Five thousand died there every month. In July 1942, the Nazis began Operation Reinhard, which saw 250,000 Jews removed from the ghetto to Treblinka. The Final Solution had begun. Irena was horrified. She felt she had to help, so she joined Zegota, an underground organisation created by the Polish government-in-exile to help the nation’s Jews. In late 1942, she was made head of its children’s section. Her extraordinary work was about to begin. In conditions of extreme danger, she would save as many ghetto children from near-certain death as she could. Her first problem had been how to reach the ghetto – movement both in and out was heavily restricted by the Germans. This obstacle was overcome when she obtained an official pass from the city’s Contagious Diseases Department. Under the guise of stopping the ghetto’s epidemics from spreading beyond its walls, she was able to visit daily. Whenever she was inside, she wore the yellow Star of David – mandatory for all Jews – to show solidarity with the oppressed and to blend in with the residents. Of course, she could not act alone: Irena had developed a network of two dozen conspirators. Some were tasked to get the children out, others to find homes for them outside the ghetto and a third group to obtain or forge hundreds of false documents for the young escapees. The way she secretly removed the children from the ghetto was not only ingenious but, in desperate circumstances, often bizarre. A standard trick was to strap a child underneath the stretcher of a patient being placed in an outgoing ambulance. Others were smuggled through an old courthouse and a church, which stood on the boundary of the ghetto and had doors opening into both sides. Still more were taken through the sewers. Those small enough were sometimes put in suitcases or boxes and wheeled out on porters’ trolleys. Coffins, bodybags and potato sacks all hid boys and girls. Irena concentrated first on removing orphans. But as the threat of the Final Solution grew, all children in the ghetto were offered sanctuary. Remembered: Irena Sendler’s funeral was packed with mourners She often said that the hardest part was persuading the parents to let them go, even as they faced almost certain death. “Can you guarantee they will live?” she was asked by more than one agonised mother. “No, but if they stay here I guarantee that they will die,” was her stock reply. “You shouldn’t trust me. But what else can you do?” Sometimes, when her powers of persuasion failed, she would go away and return the next day to begin the negotiations again, only to find that the family had been sent to Treblinka overnight. But thousands were persuaded to make that heart-rending split, and Irena said: “In my dreams I still hear the cries of the children when they left their parents.” One of the children was Elzbieta Ficowska. She was only a few months old when her mother gave her up to Irena. A mechanic put her in a tool box, placed it among a pile of bricks in the back of his lorry and took her out. Elzbieta never saw her mother again; the only evidence that she had ever been in the ghetto was a silver spoon with her name and on it, which her mother had given to Irena. Still alive today, Elzbieta now says she had three mothers – her biological one, the Polish woman who took her in after she escaped from the ghetto … and Irena, the mother who saved her from certain death. Most of the children were sent with their new identities to orphanages and convents or placed in private homes. They were taught to replace their Jewish prayers with Christian ones in case the hiding places were raided. Even though the penalty for harbouring a Jew in Poland was death, Irena claimed: “No one ever refused to take a child from me.” She kept a careful record of whom she rescued and where they were sent. This coded information was written on tissue paper. Identical lists were hidden in two glass jars, buried under the apple tree opposite a German army barracks. This was hardly ideal as the jars had to be dug up every time the name of a new escapee was added. But they were never found. Even so, the Germans became aware of Irena’s activities and, in October 1943, she was arrested by the Gestapo and taken to the notorious Pawiak prison in Warsaw, which the Nazis turned into a concentration camp. There, her interrogator was a stylish young German who spoke perfect Polish. And when she refused to expose the Zegota underground network, he had her arms and legs broken. Sentenced to death – which by now she told her captors she wished for – Irena was taken in a semi- conscious state from the prison to a forest where she expected to be shot by firing squad. Although she was dumped in the forest, the firing squad never materialised. The underground movement had successfully bribed the man tasked with overseeing her execution, and recovered her even as posters were put up around Warsaw proclaiming her death. Irena spent the rest of the war in hiding. But as soon as it ended, she handed over the tissue lists in the glass jars – vital information that could link the lost children to their families – to Jewish representatives. Alas, many of the families had perished in the Holocaust. Other children she had saved chose to stay with their foster parents – they could not remember their real parents. Some 500 were taken to Israel to start a new life. The fate of another 500 of the children she saved could not be traced, swallowed by the tides of war which engulfed so many Poles. And Irena? She married and had two children of her own. But in postwar communist Poland her heroic deeds went unpublished and were even officially frowned upon by the regime, which was not sympathetic towards Jews. But as the children she rescued grew into adulthood, her achievements began to attract wider attention. In 1983, Irena was decorated in Israel as “Righteous Among the Nations” – the highest honour bestowed by the Jewish people on non-Jews. During the ceremony, Teresa Kerner, one of the girls she had saved, now a doctor, recalled how Irena had helped her move several times to safe houses and then given her a home for two years at the end of the war. Post- communist Poland also finally awarded Irena its highest civilian decoration in 2003. Last year, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Nevertheless, her profile remained tiny compared with that of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved far fewer Jews than Irena but was immortalised by an award winning book and film. Her last years were spent in a wheelchair, thanks to the wounds inflicted on her by the Gestapo. A few months before she died, she said: “After World War II, it seemed that humanity understood something, and nothing like that would happen again. “Humanity has understood nothing. Religious, tribal, national wars continue. The world continues to be in a sea of blood.” But she added: “The world can be better if there’s love, tolerance and humility.” Irena Sendler had all three in abundance. By RICHARD PENDLEBURY ← Complete List of Calibrations Original Copy Of Emancipation Proclamation On Display In Philadelphia « CBS Philly →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line927
__label__cc	0.653007	0.346993	By Dr. Shireen Atabaki, M.D., MPH, Medical Director of Telehealth, Children’s National Health System When a child is sick, the time, transportation, and financing mechanism to access care are the lowest priority next to getting healthy but often are the biggest barriers to receiving quality care. Telemedicine helps us reach families where they are. The need for telemedicine is on the rise, it has not always been thought of as a “comprehensive tool” to care for patients. Originally, the perception of telemedicine was that it was only useful for patients that required care for complex medical conditions or families who lived in areas with healthcare shortages. In a world of technology and innovation, researchers are finding ways to create the most impact from telemedicine for patients and families. Telemedicine has been used to provide patients who live in rural areas access to quality care without having to drive long distances. Additionally, it gives patients the option to access their physician or medical specialist from home. At Children’s National Health System, we have established a robust telemedicine program providing the best specialty and primary care to children in the Washington D.C. area, throughout the region, and globally. Children’s National is able to deliver high quality, cost-effective care by actively using innovative digital technologies in the practice of medicine that is patient-centered, population-based, and timely. Overall, we aim to improve access, the continuity of care to patients and overall pediatric health for all families including the neediest children in our community. Our program has invested in a telehealth infrastructure and collaborates with private and public partners to provide access to specialized care for all children and families in the comfort of their homes and on the devices they regularly utilize for school work, play, and to connect with friends. "Telemedicine has been used to provide patients who live in rural areas access to quality care without having to drive long distances" The telemedicine program is utilized across various service lines including cardiology, critical care, neuropsychology, neurology, endocrinology, dermatology, and primary care. In the last year, 412 driving hours and over 11,000 driving miles were saved as a result of effective care through our direct to consumer telemedicine program, locally. In addition to our main campus, Children’s National serves community hospitals, suburban health centers, inner-city health clinics, national hospitals, and international partners across a wide range of pediatric subspecialties, including cardiology, neonatology, neurology, genetics, radiology, and general surgery. We have distance learning initiatives such as patient care conferences, lectures, and hospital support programs which occur in many countries throughout the world, including Germany, Morocco, Uganda, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Iraq. Since the launch of telemedicine services at Children’s National, we have provided more than 1,000 consultations per year, encompassing 21 states and 19 countries on five continents. Children’s National has been serving the nation’s capital since 1870 and is proud to be named among the Top 10 children’s hospitals overall by U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals survey, including being ranked #1 for newborn intensive care in the country. Children’s National is also ranked in every specialty evaluated by U.S. News & World Report and has been designated two times as a Magnet® hospital, a designation given to hospitals that demonstrate the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. vRAD Offers Teleradiology through Physician's Lens packaging-and-sterilization.medicaltechoutlook.com/cxoinsight/improving-access-to-quality-and-critical-care-through-telemedicine-nwid-190.html?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=medicaltechoutlook_topslider	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line933
__label__cc	0.599578	0.400422	New Kadampa Survivors (continuation of the ‘cult’ smear history) For previous installments: The history of the New Kadampa Tradition’s ‘cult’ smear, Part 1 E-Sangha and “sect bashing” (continuation of the ‘cult’ smear history) The New Kadampa Tradition is not different from other spiritual organizations in that it is not suited to everyone, and many people who try it out do not stay. As a non-proselytizing Buddhist tradition that is not trying to convert anyone, this has always been expected and it is not a problem. Sadly, though, some of these people leave through disappointment or even irritation and anger; and some of these go onto become active critics of the NKT on the Internet. The bad reputation the NKT has received from the Dalai Lama’s words and actions has proved a rallying point for diverse criticism of the NKT. This can obscure or distort people’s genuine personal grievances by causing every difficulty or disappointment to be exaggerated by the supposition that the NKT must be a cult because the Dalai Lama says so. Instead of taking each disappointment on its merits and seeing it in the context of an organization that is basically sound with room for improvement, some have jumped to the conclusion that their own difficulty is part of a far larger pattern – and that, although they appreciated the NKT before, they have only just realized that they have always been part of an abusive spirit-worshipping sectarian cult 🙂 Learning from criticism This is not to say that the NKT~IKBU has not made mistakes because of course it has. The NKT~IKBU is a groundbreaking movement and operates worldwide. The Kadam Dharma it offers is pure and has stood the test of time, but the organization itself is naturally made up of imperfect living beings. It would be strange if there were not some problems. As the NKT~IKBU has said, it accepts and is sorry for its mistakes and is trying its best to learn from these, hence the Internal Rules and its many edicts for ensuring harmony, democracy and pure behavior. A great number of improvements and adaptations have been made over the past 30 years. Hopefully, improvements will continue to be made both by the organization and by its individuals – there is no reason why not. From this point of view, as an ancient Buddhist tradition strives to adapt to the modern world, criticism has proven to be a very helpful mirror in which the NKT~IKBU has been able to see its faults and strive to remove them. As the old saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! As Geshe Kelsang has advised on the subject of criticism: check whether what is said is true or not. If it is true, accept and learn from it gratefully. If the criticism is not true, it is still true that we have the basic fault of self-cherishing, so we can still appreciate that person for criticizing us and use it as a reminder to reduce self-cherishing. Understanding the Status Quo But as the NKT, despite resistance and resentment from Tibetans who wish to preserve the Tibetan status quo, moves ever more steadily away from Tibetan politics and the vortex of the Dalai Lama to become an increasingly autonomous, non-political and democratic Western Mahayana Buddhist organization, Kadampa students have also had to wisen up. During this transition, they are having to learn to distinguish the genuine mistakes they and others have made (and continue to make) from the politically motivated wild accusations and falsehoods perpetuated by the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Government in Exile (TGIE), and various Tibetan Buddhist groups. Only then are they able to take responsibility for the former while ignoring or rebutting the latter. New Kadampa Survivors Both the mistakes and the wild accusations find their way onto the New Kadampa Survivors, which is an Internet chat group that serves as the main convergence for NKT dissent. From the point of view of learning from criticism, the NKT has benefited from the focus of the New Kadampa Survivors chat group. Certainly, it has no objection to it existing and, if it helps some people, that is also good. But it may also be clarifying to understand it from an historical and cultural perspective. Understanding the context The NKT wishes to divest itself of Tibetan cultural accretions and especially Tibetan politics. It is not under the autocracy of the Dalai Lama and TGIE, and this is not pleasing to them. In the broader context of the damaging perceptions of the NKT being a sectarian breakaway inauthentic spirit-worshipping cult engendered by the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan groups, it is easier to understand the arising of the survivors’ chat group in 2007, which spilt over from E-Sangha. It is hard to imagine this group arising if the NKT had remained under the umbrella of Tibetan Buddhism and the authority of the Dalai Lama and kept his pictures on their walls. After all, other Tibetan groups and Lamas without “survivors” groups have had as many if not more disrobings and disaffected students. Moreover, their unquestioning worship of the Dalai Lama as a God King, and “overall leader of all Buddhist traditions on this earth”* can easily be construed as cult-like, as can alarming but all too common statements like this one from a TGIE MP on France 24 explaining why there was no need for a vote to ban Dorje Shugden: “We do not have any doubt about Dalai Lama’s decisions. We do not think he is a human being. He’s a supreme human being and he is god.” Or this one from the TGIE quoted in the New Internationalist: “Concepts like democracy and freedom of religion are empty when it comes to the well-being of the Dalai Lama and the common cause of Tibet.” The NKT and Geshe Kelsang have never strayed into such murky waters but their opposition to the behavior of the singularly famous head of Tibet has provided a rallying cry and justification for diverse detractors, which is not possessed by Tibetan Buddhist groups under the Dalai Lama’s patronage. According to its founder, David Cutshaw: “It is a place for former members to come and openly discuss what it was like being part of this sectarian cult.” There are three rules on Survivors: “No NKT propaganda is allowed; no NKT members/followers/students are allowed; no debate of Dorje Shugden is allowed.” What this means is that no positive input is permitted about the NKT (or Dorje Shugden). The intention of David Cutshaw may well have been to find an audience himself and provide support for others. Perhaps there has been some relief for certain members as they have been able to voice their grievances and find sympathy. But the overall atmosphere and group dynamic is one full of blame, where everything is blamed on Geshe Kelsang and the NKT. (The only personal responsibility members seem to take is for their own neediness or naivety in joining the cult.) Even when outright untruths are told and re-told, no one is permitted to come forward to confute these or restore some balance, for that amounts to “propaganda” and the message is censored. This all means that those who were seeking answers or support invariably become more negative, and newcomers stumbling upon this group (finding it for example while searching NKT in Google) receive an entirely one-sided and distorted depiction of the NKT. If they do not take the trouble to question what they are reading, it is natural for them to believe it, become disillusioned, and resolve henceforth to avoid the NKT. From this point of view, the survivors group is not helpful to the development of the NKT (and nor do they wish to be!) The very existence of the survivors’ group (and the fact that members often foray onto other Internet sites to share their views) has also fuelled the prejudices of Tibetan Buddhists further into thinking that the NKT must indeed be a cult if there are ex-members who are prepared to say so; and this has created a vicious circle of criticism and negative views. This has been a damaging factor in the NKT’s reputation in the Buddhist community (but music to the survivors’ ears!) Disinhibition (As an interesting aside, Internet chat groups are known to have a “disinhibition effect”, which according to psychological reports is not always benign and can “lead to rude language, harsh criticisms, anger, hatred, and even threats”, or “simply a blind catharsis, an acting out of unsavory needs and wishes without any personal growth at all.”) It seems that most people on Survivors joined in 2008 as they were disillusioned by the Western Shugden Society’s demonstrations against the Dalai Lama’s ban, and/or by Samden’s and/or Lodro’s disrobings. In the latter case, this disillusionment is quite understandable and since that time steps have been taken to avoid a repetition. For one thing, since the disrobing of Samden Gyatso, the Internal Rules specify that the authority of the both the teacher and the managers in each Center is subject to checks and balances and more equally shared out. Far fewer people are joining the chat group nowadays, and the vast majority are “lurkers” or non-active participants. The same few people make almost all the postings. Judging by conversations and reports, it would appear that about half the members are NKT practitioners who are or were curious to read what is being written about them or their teachers. Agent provocateurs There are also members of survivors who have clearly never been to an NKT Center. They come from other Tibetan Buddhist groups and are on the chat group solely to “do research” for their own anti-NKT agendas (particularly an individual calling himself VJ Kumara who went so far as to wish for Geshe Kelsang’s death), sow dissatisfaction and TGIE propaganda, or promote their own traditions and Gurus. (Sometimes the Survivors realize they are being used in this way, at which point they have protested to the moderators.) Tenzin Peljor deserves a mention here since he was the first to appear on the group straight after Dave had posted his first messages in 2007, suggesting he made the group public so everyone could find it; and since then has been a frequent poster and self-appointed spiritual advisor to the survivors, painstakingly ensuring that no one forgets how dreadful the NKT is and how wonderful (non-Shugden) Tibetan teachers and groups are by contrast. As with Namdrol on E-Sangha, survivors looking for guidance tend to trust Tenzin because they believe him when he makes himself out to be an expert on the NKT (and now Tibetan Buddhism), even though he has not been near the NKT in over 10 years and had an atypical experience of it. A sense of proportion In December 2010 the Survivors celebrated their 1000th member. While it would be wonderful if there were no survivors at all because everyone continued to enjoy their experiences within the NKT, it is worth getting this figure into proportion. On the Tampa Bay Florida Facebook page alone, servicing one of the NKT’s medium-sized Centers, there are 1000 followers. Teachers in New York, Texas, Brazil, Mexico and other places each week have audiences of hundreds. It is impossible to say exactly how many students attend NKT Centers every week, but it is certainly thousands. Each International Festival attracts thousands of attendees. Dharma Celebrations worldwide each typically attract hundreds of attendees. Several hundred members of the Survivors’ group are still Kadampa practitioners who are just checking what is being said about them. The vast majority of Survivors never post anything. Moral discipline guides Genuine mistakes have been and continue to be thoroughly investigated. The NKT has no wish or intention to endorse any cult-like behavior. The vast majority of people in the NKT try to be kind, well intentioned and reasonable, which is why NKT Centers generally enjoy success and their communities worldwide are growing. Some managers or teachers in the NKT have engaged in inappropriate or over-bearing behavior due perhaps to delusions, worldly concerns, poor people skills, over-enthusiasm, or failing to put the essential teachings on cherishing others into practice. However, these all too human shortcomings are not institutionalized in the NKT, and this behavior is neither encouraged by nor acceptable to the organization. Please know that if you have any concerns or complaints about the NKT~IKBU organization, teachers, or managers, you are invited to email info@kadampa.org, or call [+44] (0)1229-588-533 and ask for the Secretary or Deputy Secretary of the NKT~IKBU, who will address your concerns in accordance with the Internal Rules 4.8, 12.1 and 12.3. These NKT “moral discipline guides” are responsible for making sure that Centers and individuals are “caring for people with kindness”, “improving the qualifications of Dharma students so they become qualified Dharma practitioners and Teachers”, “maintaining the Centre as a pure, peaceful and harmonious society”, avoiding “any breach of moral discipline”, and so on. If these things are not happening at an NKT Center, and for any reason you are not comfortable discussing it with the teacher or managers, you are requested to write to the moral discipline guides straightaway. It does not follow from the unskillful behavior of a few individuals that the NKT is a cult, nor that such behavior cannot be found in other traditions that have not been labelled cults. Each case needs to be taken on its merits. Where the criticisms on the Survivors group are groundless, factual responses can be found on New Kadampa Truth. (as proclaimed in a recent political announcement from a meeting with the Dalai Lama, March 6-8 2009): “As per the gist of the intention of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, International Genden council, and the resolutions of Three Great Seats regarding the evil spirit Dholgyal (Shugden), monasteries including the Three Great Seats are heading toward positive direction, cherishing one’s interest. However [we] will discuss what is the best to carry out concerning the activity on the whole and the impairment imposed by Dholgyal adherents to Tibetan religion and politics, as well as their various actions of defamation carried out against His Holiness the Dalai Lama. For the sake of Tibetan religion and politics, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the overall head of all Buddhist Traditions on this earth, has given admonition not to worship the spirit Dholgyal. For the leaders who are High Lamas, Abbots, Tulkus, representatives, extend fully support on 10th meeting. Furthermore, through this meeting, they appreciate and praise the monks of Gelugpa monasteries for picking the vote-stick accorded the Vinaya and completely relinquishing the religious and material ties with Dholgyal worshippers.” 25 Comments \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Smear: NKT is a cult, Survivors \| Tagged: cult, Dalai Lama, david cutshaw, Dorje Shugden, geshe kelsang, kadampa, kelsang gyatso, New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Truth, NKT, NKT dangerous cult, nkt survivors, nkt-ikbu, Tenzin Peljor \| Permalink Posted by newkadampatruth The Rise of Sectarianism in Buddhist Discussion Forums In the late 1990s, the cult smear against the NKT was spread mainly by the Tibetan government in exile and official Dalai Lama websites, on alt.religion newsgroup discussions, and by word of mouth in Tibetan Buddhist Centers loyal to the Dalai Lama. However, in the years that followed, during the 2000’s, a fully-fledged Internet attack on Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and the NKT began to take place on certain Buddhist discussion boards such as E-Sangha, Buddhanet, Beliefnet, and Phayul by Tibetan and Western supporters of the Dalai Lama. The normal pattern in such discussion forums was that a “newbie” would post a question along the lines of: “There’s this Buddhist group near me called the NKT, I’m thinking of going to some of their classes, what do people think? Do you have any information about them?” This innocent question would result in a flood of negative posts, denouncing the NKT as a cult, claiming they weren’t Buddhist but spirit-worshipping murderers, etc, and recommending the questioner try “a genuine Buddhist group”. These posters who were so vehemently opposed to the NKT were Tibetan Buddhists from various sects although, more recently, they were joined by a few disaffected ex-NKT members who jumped on the bandwagon with prolific posts. The most egregious of these discussion forums is E-Sangha, which has also recently been receiving a slew of complaints from other Buddhist groups and individuals for its intolerance and censorship. As it says on the E-Sangha Watch website: E-SANGHA WATCH has been created with the support, guidance and encouragement of concerned Buddhist clergy and lay-persons of several schools wishing to firmly yet constructively oppose, publicize, correct and explain to the unwary the current state of intra-Buddhist sectarian bias, misinformation, religious intolerance and ‘sect bashing’ which unfortunately exists under the present policies and administration of the ‘E-Sangha’ Buddhism Portal website. (More examples of E-Sangha’s bias, misinformation, intolerance and sect-bashing are also collected here and here. Laura Busch also wrote a doctoral thesis on E-Sangha available here.) Many NKT practitioners and others have been shocked over the years to find that the New Kadampa Tradition is actually banned on this supposedly open Buddhist forum, the largest Buddhist chat group on the Internet! The board regulations state in black and white: “These few “Buddhist” schools of thoughts are not recognized by E-sangha. No links to their websites, their books, or their followers’ websites are allowed: New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) and all other proponents of Dolgyal/Shugden” However, a reading of the background to this ban and who instigated and maintains it will hopefully reassure people that the reasons behind it were completely capricious and unjustified. E-Sangha is a Buddhist forum that started in 2003. In September 2003, E-Sangha administrators conducted a poll of its members to decide if the NKT section that had been started on the board should be removed. This poll was requested by Global Moderator Henry Chia, also known as Ngawang Gelek, a Sakya practitioner from Singapore who had posted actively against the NKT on the alt.religion newsgroup discussions during the Dorje Shugden controversy in 1996/97. Labeling the NKT as non-Buddhist for its reliance on Dorje Shugden, Henry cut and pasted every single negative article regarding the NKT and Dorje Shugden taken from the TGIE and Dalai Lama official websites and then advised the members “to make up their own minds”. As one member pointed out: “Thanks to Henry, plenty of information is now available for folks to make an informed vote.” There was no information, however, posted from the side of the NKT or any other Shugden practitioner. There never was a vote. By the middle of September 2003, “Teyes”, the E-Sangha founder, had decided: “I have read through almost every word that Henry had written, clicking on almost every link. The messages are exhaustive and I tried hard to digest the vast amount of information. I am not an expert in Buddhism, although raised in a Buddhist family, thus all members help are required, especially in issues like this. I appreciate Henry’s frankness in raising this point and I agreed with Henry that: 1) There will be no links to NKT website as from today. 2) There will be no seperate listings of them as a unique group within our database. 3) All NKT’s folks can participate in all our discussion. Thanks everyone for their help, especially Henry. (So members, you can disregard the votes about NKT). Have a nice day!” And he followed this with another posting later: I have considered all the pros and cons when NKT section was removed. After examining, I am rather worried that newbies in Buddhism might be misled. That’s my main fear, especially E-Sangha has been growing steadily over the last 2 months, and is right now, the most active board on Buddhism. I hope that we will put this issue behind us. Thanks.” With no knowledge of the NKT other than what he had heard from Henry, and despite the fact that the NKT had hundreds of Centers and thousands of students all over the world who were happily and sincerely practicing Mahayana Buddhism, the owner of E-Sangha condemned the NKT as dangerous for “newbies”, a theme that was continued in all subsequent discussions. Another E-Sangha global moderator called Namdrol (Malcolm Smith) joined in the discussion and over a period of many months provided E-Sangha members with a huge amount of astounding, sometimes laughable, and (according to one psychiatrist who responded) clinically delusional misinformation. For example, those who rely upon Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden (called here “Dolgyal”) are responsible for the invasion of Tibet, Mad Cow disease, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: “Gyalpos also cause strife and cattle diseases. The outbreak of Mad Cow disease in Northern England a couple of years ago has been attributed to the strong presence of Shugden practitioners in Northern England.” “I don’t hate Pabhongkha; I don’t hate Dolgyal. But I think that Dolgyal is harmful and that because of him, the Tibetan Goverment fell, the Chinese were able to easily invade, and these sorts of things are predicted in many texts. It may be hard for you to beleive, but the strong presence of Dolgyal practitioners in Northern England led to the Mad Cow disease outbreak; the burning of the millions of bovine corpses incited the anger of the Mamos, and they in turn caused these wars in which we are now ensconced– so this is no joke–really!” Most recently, Namdrol incited forum members to more intolerance (on the occasion of the Dalai Lama’s being admitted to hospital for kidney stones): “We can all thank the Shugden people for HHDL’s present state of ill health.” However, because he is an “old-timer” and a global moderator, his words astonishingly enough have carried weight and adversely influenced many people. For example: “Namdrol’s point’s should be well taken, he really knows his stuff when it comes to Tibetan Buddhism. He has practiced for a long time and personally knows many very high lama’s, and Rinpoche’s”. Namdrol has devoted many postings to slandering the Gelugpa tradition in general that was passed down through Je Phabongkhapa, Trijang Rinpoche and their disciples, even casting aspersions on Lama Zopa and the FPMT (who have the Dalai Lama as their patron). Umpteen people have been banned from E-Sangha for questioning the moderators or not toeing the party line, but not once has another moderator asked Namdrol to stop his divisive, intolerant and sectarian speech. Here is an example of the intolerance toward the NKT on E-Sangha that was enshrined as policy in 2003 and continues to this day, from a recent thread concerning the opening of an NKT World Peace Cafe: “The NKT is not a legitimate Buddhist organization in my opinion. For this reason, I would certainly avoid the cafe. I would also spend an hour or two emailing leads to local media about the controversy surrounding the cult.” “the NKT is dangerous and the spirit they worship is too. how can they propose to open a world peace cafe when the biggest part of their organization is the worship of a malicious spirit?” “As we all know, this cult have done and still doing so much damaging to the public” “To them Dharma is a business opportunity to fund the growth of their sect and kelsang gyatso’s empire.” “You could always be an infiltrator, share some other views. Would be interesting to go in there and say you know, a lot of people consider the NKT to be a cult.” (For the smear that Geshe Kelsang has profited from the growth of the NKT, see Smear: Geshe Kelsang has millions of pounds that have come from his disciples.) It is clear that some E-Sangha members are sufficiently militant to take action against the NKT by contacting venues where classes are being held to get them cancelled, defacing publicity, and vandalizing Geshe Kelsang’s books in bookstores so that they won’t sell. Some members have openly boasted about engaging in such activities, and the existence and effects of these behaviors are one reason the New Kadampa Truth website was compiled. E-Sangha’s mission statement reads: “E-Sangha’s intent is to keep the tradition alive and flourishing, and to help bring peace, harmony and happiness into everyones lives.” Yet they have been the source of destroying peace, harmony and happiness between Buddhist groups and practitioners since they began in 2003. The clique of moderators have frequently broken their own detailed board guidelines on adhering to right intention, right speech, and right action. Any reference to the ‘NKT’ on a web forum or discussion board these days will almost inevitably draw a barrage of ‘cult’ allegations as surely as a magnet attracts iron. Sadly, we can see that the Dalai Lama’s unjustified condemnations have been effective in associating ‘NKT’ and ‘cult’ in the minds of his followers and many other Tibetan Buddhists. 27 Comments \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, E-Sangha, Smear: NKT is a cult \| Tagged: buddhism, Dalai Lama, Dolgyal, Dorje Shugden, E-Sangha, E-Sangha Watch, Henry Chia, Je Phabongkhapa, Malcolm Smith, Namdrol, New Kadampa Tradition, Ngawang Gelek, NKT cult, nkt-ikbu, Pabongkha, trijang rinpoche \| Permalink The Final Wave of Press Misinformation It didn’t stop there. In 1998, Tricycle, a Buddhist periodical, printed an article on the Dorje Shugden issue entitled Dorje Shugden: Deity or Demon? The article contained interviews with Geshe Kelsang (representing the pro-Shugden side) and the Dalai Lama’s brother Thubten Jigme Norbu (representing the anti-Shugden side). During his interview, Thubten Jigme Norbu said: “No, no, this worship of Shugden is not a religion. If I open my big mouth, I can say this is a cult.” The next press reference was November 2002, when the journalist Umarah Jamali in New Delhi wrote an article called Buddhism’s ‘Taliban’ blamed for Dalai Lama death threats for the Sydney Morning Herald. The word “cult” is used four times in one short article. The newspaper makes a grave error in implying that the NKT was responsible for death threats against the Dalai Lama; yet the thoroughly unsubstantiated story was later published by the Washington Times in the US and the Ming Pao Daily News in China. “Police suspect a Tibetan cult, Shugden, is behind the threats against the Dalai Lama” “The cult worships a 350-year-old wrathful Tibetan deity, Dorje Shugden, often depicted wearing a necklace of 50 severed human heads and having four fangs.” “The Dalai Lama says Shugdens pose a serious threat to Tibetan unity in exile. He has urged Tibetans not to worship Dorje Shugden, saying it fosters religious intolerance and turns Buddhism into a cult of spirit worship.” “The chairman of the Tibetan parliament, Toma Jugney, said: “It’s a deliberate attempt to create differences, not just between Indians and Tibetans, but amongst Tibetans too.” However, he did not say the cult was behind the death threats.” Geshe Kelsang wrote a letter ”on behalf of Buddhism in general and the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) in particular” to all three newspapers. In these he stated the facts, explained again that there is no such thing as a Buddhist Taliban (a highly inflammatory and inappropriate descriptor borrowed from Robert Thurman), and denied involvement in the death threats (which the BBC and World Tibet Network News had in any case traced to other groups). The Washington Post published a retraction, and wrote to say that they “conducted a thorough investigation and concluded that the statements they had printed were incorrect.” The Ming Pao Daily News also printed a retraction. However, it is generally far easier to locate the original articles than the printed retractions; and the damage had been done. Geshe Kelsang’s letters to: Washington Times: Ming Pao Daily News Retraction printed in The Washington Times: Editor’s note: When published Nov. 23, 2002, this article incorrectly reported the relationship between a Tibetan sect in northern India and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, head of the London-based New Kadampa Tradition. Mr. Kelsang and his group announced in 1998 that they have abandoned their dispute with the Dalai Lama and they say their Western Buddhist community is completely independent from those groups in India and Nepal which are suspected of issuing the threats. Retraction printed in the Ming Pao Daily News: Clarification – New Kadampas are not related to terrorist activities Our paper on 25th November quoted from the Washington Times that: During the past few weeks in the northern Indian city, where the Tibetan government-in-exile resides, many posters appeared declaring death threats to the Dalai Lama. The Indian police believed that the death threats originate from a Tibetan Buddhist sect “The Shugden Sect”. The followers of the Dalai Lama called the “Shugden Sect” – “The Taliban of Tibetan Buddhism”. Related to the Shugden Sect , an organization in England called the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) is founded by exiled lama – Kelsang Gyatso in 1991. Recently, we have received a letter from Mr. Kelsang Gyatso stating that the New Kadampa Tradition is a western Buddhist organization, which is completely unrelated to the Shugden Sects in India, Nepal and other countries. The NKT have absolutely no political affiliations; are not against the Dalai Lama and never have been, but previously they simply requested him to stop his ban of Dorje Shugden worship; this was a request for basic human right of religious freedom. Since October 1998 NKT has decided to completely stop being involved in the Shugden issue, because it is in reality a Tibetan political problem. Kelsang Gyatso states that he guarantees that the NKT and himself have never performed inappropriate actions; and that they have absolutely no connection with the recent death threats made to the Dalai Lama and with the previous Dharamsala murders. He believes that there is no ” Taliban of Tibetan Buddhism”. The Washington Times’ report was mistaken, and later they admitted that , due to their lack of thorough investigation, their accusation of the New Kadampa Tradition is incorrect. The editorial department of Ming Pao agreed to withdraw the 25th Nov article report, quoted from Washington Times, and sincerely apologize to the New Kadampa Tradition and Mr. Kelsang Gyatso. The Editorial Dept. 1 Comment \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Smear: NKT is a cult \| Tagged: buddhism, cult, Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, geshe kelsang, kelsang gyatso, Ming Pao Daily News, New Kadampa Tradition, NKT cult, robert thurman, Sydney Morning Herald, Tricycle, Washington Post \| Permalink In 1997, the Dalai Lama himself, in a book published in the French language, openly called Geshe Kelsang a cult leader and improbably accused him of thirsting for power. From La Force du Bouddhisme by the Dalai Lama and Jean-Claude Carrière, pp 19-20: Dalai Lama: …at the moment in England, a well-educated lama is behaving like a true cult leader. Jean-Claude Carrière: A fundamentalist lama ? DL : Whatever… he’s banned all my books, all contact with me, all images of the Dalai Lama. He accuses me of this and that. His faithful, a few thousand people, are only allowed to read his books, to display and venerate his photograph, and so on… But there you go, it’s only human. We are either all alike or all different. If our differences get the upper hand, then each individual can mark out their own territory of truth and cling to it with all their might. J-CC Sometimes to the death…, their own or others’. DL : Yes, that is the way we are made. On top of that there is the thirst for power, which is invariably corrupting. (For a refutation of these allegations, which are the same as those in the Guardian and Independent articles, see: Smear: NKT has no pictures of the Dalai Lama in their Centers Smear: NKT sells only Geshe Kelsang’s books Smear: Geshe Kelsang calls himself ‘the Third Buddha’ and seeks veneration from his students In this book the Dalai Lama did not mention Geshe Kelsang by name, but this happened in an article called A Case to Study. Ostensibly authored by Tenzin Ragyal, the document was issued directly from the Office of the Dalai Lama in Dharamasala and it was understood that the Dalai Lama intended to have its contents promulgated. The article is a crude propaganda attack on Je Phabongkhapa Dechen Nyingpo, accusing him and those in this lineage of being fanatically sectarian. (It is a shock when one first realizes that the Dalai Lama is actually publishing criticism of his own lineage Gurus.) Here is the extract labelling Geshe Kelsang as a cult leader: “It is in everybody’s interest to take a strong and appropriate stand and not to remain indifferent on the activities of Phabongkha’s followers and their cult groups and leaders like, e.g. NKT leader Geshe (self-styled) Kelsang Gyatso in England, Serkong Thritrul in Taiwan, Gangchen Lama in Italy, Drakgom Tulku in Nepal, Dema Gonsar in Tibet, Gonsar Rinpoche in Swiss and Dorje Shugden Society in India and Nepal etc. The primary objective in providing this information is not to dig out what has happened in the past. It is to draw attention to the fact that even today, in this period of global religious harmony, some short-sighted and narrow-minded people and groups are actively adopting the path of fanaticism and religious intolerance. It is a task and responsibility of all of us to strongly discourage and act against such forms of religious intolerance and fanaticism.” It is ironic that, in this call to arms, Tenzin Ragyal talks about “a period of global religious harmony” — considering that the purpose of the article is to destroy that harmony by defaming precious Gelugpa Lamas, accusing them of sectarianism and intolerance simply because they wish to practice within their own tradition. The supposed non-sectarianism of the accusers has become a source of self-justification and led to the actual closed off, fanatical, and intolerant attitudes towards so-called sectarians which we are seeing here. Many Tibetan Buddhists have since heeded this call to arms, attempting to interfere with the development of the NKT and other groups who practice Dorje Shugden by defacing publicity, contacting locations where classes are being held in an attempt to get them canceled, and so on. Cult Mystery? ~ The Newsweek Article This propaganda was followed up by what, to this day, is one of the most damaging articles published in the press about the NKT and Dorje Shugden. Whereas only Tibetan Buddhists and interested parties were likely to see the Sera-Je Explusion letter from 1996, the Dalai Lama chose to attack Geshe Kelsang and the NKT using a very high profile and well respected weekly magazine. On 28th April 1997, an article entitled Cult Mystery? by Tony Clifton was published in Newsweek. This was a stinging, unprovoked attack by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, seemingly in retaliation for the embarrassment that Geshe Kelsang had caused the Dalai Lama in the previous year. The cult smear, while in the title, is also prevalent throughout the entire article. Here are the relevant quotes: “In the last year the Dalai Lama has retaliated, denouncing one Shugden order in particular as a hostile and crass, commercial cult” “And in an interview with NEWSWEEK earlier this month, the Dalai Lama expressed his worries about the Dorje Shugden. “That cult is actually destroying the freedom of religious thought,” he said. “Say I want to practice Nyingma. They say this Protector will harm me. Now, that’s an obstacle to religious freedom. I am trying to promote the tradition of coexistence, but the Shugdens say you should not even touch a Red Hat document. That teaching totally contradicts my efforts.” “The split grew angry early last year. The Dalai Lama issued a call to all Tibetan Buddhists to avoid the Shugdens. He warned against the cult’s extremism and against public worship of their idol. Soon after, the NKT in London claimed that the Dalai Lama’s remarks had inspired Tibetans to harass Shugden followers in Dharmsala.” “It’s the fastest growing Buddhist sect in Britain, where it now has about 3,000 members, a thriving publishing business in London and mansions that double as “Dharma Centers” all over the country. It has also been denounced by the London press and the Dalai Lama as a cult that fleeces its own followers.” “Shugden appeals to crazies by offering instant gratification,” says Thurman. “Once you get involved, you’re told you have to devote your lives to the cult, because the god gets very angry if you don’t attend to him every day. It’s really bad stuff, the way they’re draining money out of people.” The article contains numerous smears on Dorje Shugden and the NKT. What is interesting is that it is unclear whether “cult” is supposed to refer to the NKT or to Shugden worship – but the effect of blurring the line is to condemn both. The article also contains the notorious Thurman quote: “It would not be unfair to call Shugdens the Taliban of Tibetan Buddhism.” Robert Thurman has never been to an NKT Center nor spent time with an NKT practitioner. He invented bitter nonsense to defend the Dalai Lama, upon whom his own reputation and career depends. Geshe Kelsang wrote a long factual response to Newsweek refuting the points of the article called False Accusations Against the Innocent. However, given the power of the Dalai Lama’s words and the fervour with which they are believed and upheld, not only in the Buddhist world but in the world in general, the damage was done. This combined with the Sera Expulsion Letter cemented in the minds of many Tibetan Buddhists the belief that the NKT was a cult. 1996 and 1997 were bad times for the NKT. Brave as they were to stand up to the Dalai Lama, their actions were misconstrued and the unfair smear of their being a cult began. 4 Comments \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Smear: NKT is a cult \| Tagged: buddhism, cult, Cult Mystery, Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, False Accusations Against the Innocent, gelugpa, geshe kelsang, Je Phabongkhapa, New Kadampa Tradition, Newsweek, NKT cult, Pabongkha Rinpoche, robert thurman, Sera Expulsion Letter, shugden, tibetan buddhism \| Permalink This article continues to explain the historical and political context in which the NKT got the label “cult” from its critics. For Part 1, click here. Battle of the Buddhists A week after Madeline Bunting’s Guardian article, Andrew Brown’s “Battle of the Buddhists” appeared in The Independent (15 July 1996). Both these articles quickly made it onto the official Government of Tibet in Exile website, where they remain to this day as a well consulted source of misinformation – misinformation that has clearly prejudiced both Tibetans and Westerners against the New Kadampa Tradition and made its way onto any number of websites and blogs. In Brown’s article, the term ‘cult of Shugden’ is used three times, all in factually challenged claims: “Only monks can be initiated into the cult of Shugden, and only a minority of those actually are” “To be initiated into the cult of Shugden involves a contractual relationship with this terrifying deity.” “In arguing against the cult, and trying to suppress it within his monasteries, the Dalai Lama is not just making a theological point, but a political one.” As one recent academic puts it in his paper, talking about the so-called “cult of Shugden”: “It should be noted that the word ‘cult’ has a different connotation among academic circles than it does in contemporary parlance. Colloquially, cult is commonly used in a derogatory fashion to denote a religious group that is considered to be unorthodox, extreme, or false compared to conventional society. In the language of religious studies, cult is a neutral term that refers to a locus of religious practice in the form of liturgies and ceremonies; it is the system of rites and activities that are directed at a specific object. In this sense, one could refer to a cult of Avalokiteshvara, a cult of the book, and the goddess’s cult. In the case of Dorje Shugden, this is an important distinction to make because practitioners of this deity have been accused of being part of a cult in the popular negative sense of the word. This is not a sentiment that I share, so it is necessary to clarify that my use of the word cult is strictly academic in meaning.” However, Brown’s article unabashedly and without any evidence used the term “cult” in its derogatory sense, and this set the tone for others to start calling Shugden practitioners and, by extension, NKT practitioners members of a “cult”. Brown’s article was likewise openly disbelieving and disparaging of the Shugden Supporters Community, the New Kadampa Tradition, and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The tone of the article was considered by many to be condescending and scornful. According to a Shugden Supporters’ Spokesperson who was present at Brown’s interview with Geshe Kelsang, Brown was patronizing and distrustful from the outset and barely made a pretence of listening to Geshe Kelsang’s answers. He also mentioned that he was a close colleague of Madeline Bunting and that he found her findings to be fair. (Even as recently as April 2006 Madeleine Bunting bought up the subject again, talking about how Easter “has prompted Andrew Brown and myself to want to examine why it is that after stints as religious affairs reporters in the 1990s, both of us still find ourselves drawn to writing about the subject.“ Referring to that time, she says: “… even gentle Buddhism managed to generate its own scandal: a fierce break away cult of Tibetan Buddhism campaigning against the Dalai Lama. That led to long and bewildering explanations from His Holiness involving oracles, dreams, divination from dough balls and I think even some headless chickens – or was that one of our jokes?” However, any bewilderment at the Dalai Lama’s explanations felt at the time by Madeleine Bunting or Andrew Brown did not make it into print.) The Establishment Strikes Back So far in these proceedings, the Dalai Lama, who after all was the subject of the SSC’s campaign, was silent about the New Kadampa Tradition itself. This did not last long. The Dalai Lama’s retribution was swift and came from an unexpected quarter. In Autumn 1996, out of the blue, appeared the “Sera Expulsion Letter” signed by fifteen abbots wherein Geshe Kelsang was ‘expelled’ from his old monastery, Sera-Je. This letter came after a series of death threats and other warnings had been issued against Geshe Kelsang. The rhetoric of the letter is hostile and an attempt to ‘punish’ Geshe Kelsang. There are also echoes of Bunting’s and Brown’s misstatements throughout. Some extracts from this letter: “We sincerely hope that the cult leader and his fanatical supporters go through this and think twice before their vitriolic outpourings on the holy person of the Dalai Lama. We believe you would trust the Chinese version more than ours and because of this we took the liberty to quote from the Chinese communist periodical. It would be even better if you would care to go through the whole article and you will be surprised that even the Chinese communists have far greater respect for the Dalai Lama than cult leader Kelsang Gyatso and his cultists in Cumbria, England!!!” …all these years he has been stashing away the millions of pounds extracted from his credulous disciples for his own insatiable greed. He has only recently renewed his contact with his house (Sera Jhe, Tsangpa House) and asked young monk’s photos to be sent. But most of the monks from the Tsangpa Khangtsen already knew the sacrilege he was committing by banning the photos of the Dalai Lama and even the utterance of his name in the premises of his cult kingdom. The motivation behind this act was, he was now planning to wean away innocent, unsuspecting, young minds towards his cultist school called the “New Kadampa Tradition” which imposes a ban on Tibet’s Spiritual and Temporal leader the Dalai Lama and thus undermine his authority even in the exile community. But of course all those are forgotten as a bad dream by cult leader Kelsang as he is now basking in the glory of the “third Buddha”. But with Kalsang anything goes, after all he is the “third buddha” in the British Isles. What’s more, if any one disagrees with his “pure” cult, he gets the boot. (All these accusations are addressed in New Kadampa Truth website.) It seems clear from this letter that the Tibetan Government in Exile’s intention is to identify Geshe Kelsang as being a cult leader and the New Kadampa Tradition as being a cult. Nothing happens in Tibetan society without the Dalai Lama’s orders or permission. Either the Dalai Lama was behind this letter or the Sera Je Abbots were currying favor with him by attacking his “enemy”. Part Three can be found here. 8 Comments \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Smear: NKT is a cult \| Tagged: andrew brown, battle of the buddhists, buddhism, cult, Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Madeleine Bunting, New Kadampa Tradition, NKT, NKT cult, Relying upon a Spiritual Guide in the NKT, sera je monastery \| Permalink “Cult” can be an innocuous word, when for example it refers to “a particular system of religious worship” or “an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal or thing e.g. the physical fitness cult.” But in the case of some NKT detractors, the word “cult” is used to mean something along the lines of: “a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.” (All definitions taken from Random House dictionary). As it says on the New Kadampa Truth website: The NKT is not a cult but a Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Since the NKT follows only the Mahayana teachings of the great Buddhist Masters Atisha (982-1054 AD) and Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419 AD) , which are traced back to Buddha Shakyamuni himself (500 BC), it is neither false nor unorthodox. Its Internal Rules – containing numerous checks and balances on the behavior, election and dismissal of the administrators, teachers, and spiritual directors – also guard against any extreme behavior and are legally binding. Given the general public’s justified distaste for cults, proclaiming a tradition to be “a cult” is an easy, lazy way to induce doubt and fear in their minds. So we have decided to tackle the “cult” word more fully. Hopefully it’ll result in some thoughtful discussion about whether the NKT deserves this label or not. Being accused of being a cult by someone who dislikes you is similar to being asked if you are still beating your wife every night. No matter what is said or not said in defence, the insinuation remains that you beat your wife. For simply addressing this topic, the NKT may be accused by the same detractors of being defensive (“they wouldn’t need to defend themselves if they weren’t in fact a cult!”); but we will take that risk. From the faultfinders’ point of view, we’re damned if we defend ourselves and damned if we don’t. Why not just ignore them? Because people surfing the Internet sometimes encounter the allegation that the NKT is a cult and then assume that the person who said this somehow knows something that they do not. They may then believe this and either stay away from the NKT or, if they are already in the NKT, anxiously ask themselves, “Oh no, am I in a cult?!” In all cases, we ask that people judge based on their own experience of having met NKT teachers, teachings and communities rather than automatically believe what others might say on the Internet. We would also ask that people apply an equally healthy level of inquiry into the possible motives of NKT detractors, some of whom have an interest in seeing the NKT damaged or even destroyed. This can be seen in this article, which will explain the historical and political context in which the NKT originally got slapped with this misnomer. The background to the conflict: Shugden Supporters’ Society vs. the Tibetan establishment So where did the idea that the NKT is a cult originate? We need to go back to 1996 and an article in the UK newspaper The Guardian. This article was written by Madeleine Bunting about the storm brewing over the Dorje Shugden issue because the Dalai Lama had, that year, openly declared his opposition to the practice of the this Buddhist Protector Deity. The Dalai Lama’s hostility to the practice had been an open secret in Tibetan exile society since the 1970s, and especially since the death of his teacher and famous Dorje Shugden proponent Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in 1981. However, it wasn’t until 1996 that the rest of the world became aware of the issue. In March 1996, the Dalai Lama announced a ban against the worship of the Buddhist Deity Dorje Shugden, declaring that such worship posed a “danger to his life and the cause of Tibet.” The exile government then began to enforce this ban. Houses were searched, statues destroyed, and lay and ordained practitioners coerced into signing their name, agreeing to abandon all worship of this Deity. Those refusing to sign were openly declared to be enemies to the cause of Tibet and endangering the life of the Dalai Lama. The consequences were dire for those who stood by their faith: employees of the exile government were fired and children of Dorje Shugden practitioners were expelled from school. Even the constitution of the exile government was adapted to this change of policy: “The presiding judge of the Judiciary Commission … must not be a worshipper of Gyalchen Shugden …” Many Tibetan Lamas fell in line with the Dalai Lama and many more felt powerless to take action because their lives or livelihoods would be jeopardized. There were a few notable exceptions, most prominently Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a sincere disciple of Trijang Rinpoche who had been resident and teaching in England since 1977. In 1991, he founded the New Kadampa Tradition, a Mahayana Buddhist tradition founded on the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni, Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa transmitted to him by his own Gelug tradition teachers. Upon hearing the news that the Dalai Lama had banned the practice of Dorje Shugden and that various kinds of religious oppression were being visited on sincere practitioners in India, as well as upon receiving direct requests from distraught practitioners in India to help with the issue, he formed an organization called the Shugden Supporters Community (SSC). The Dalai Lama visited England in 1996 to give public talks and, when several letters to him had failed to garner any response, Dorje Shugden supporters engaged in protests and prayer vigils against his ban with placards such as “Your Smiles Charm, Your Actions Harm”, requesting him to restore religious freedom to Shugden practitioners. The Press (over) reacts Geshe Kelsang and the SSC always made it clear that they had nothing against the Dalai Lama himself and were solely opposing his ban of Shugden practice. However, such an event as the conflict between the Shugden Supporter’s Community and the Dalai Lama had never occurred in the Western Buddhist community before. The Dalai Lama, who had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent opposition to the Chinese, was widely respected in the West and held to be a paragon of virtue, the most famous Buddhist on the planet, presiding over the beleaguered Shangri-la, Tibet. He had never been questioned before. His authority and opinions had never been challenged by Tibetans (or most Westerners) in 58 years of rule. In this ‘David versus Goliath’ conflict, it is perhaps no wonder the bemused Western (and especially UK) press had difficulty in accepting the claims of the SSC and therefore researching those claims; and in those days there was far less possibility of offering evidence of persecution or balancing news out through the Internet. Buddhism was widely held to be a peace-loving religion where no one would ‘rock the boat’; and now large groups of saffron robed demonstrators were calling out the Dalai Lama in public, asking him to give religious freedom. One journalist of a major English newspaper warned a Shugden Supporters’ spokesperson (who was a schoolfriend): “No one will touch this or research it. It is taboo in the media to say anything less than saintly about the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela.” Given the Dalai Lama’s high, positive media profile, the London media’s reaction was perhaps not surprising – they turned against the protesters and wrote articles that spun the SSC and the NKT in a very bad light, and let the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government in exile completely off the hook. At the time, and looking back now, it is clear to anyone who knows about the situation how prejudiced UK newspaper reports of the dispute were, and how they failed to do any real research or ask questions of those suffering in India, preferring to rely only on the words of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government in exile. It is also somewhat shocking that, in a free society, this didn’t raise any alarm bells at the time. If the guiding principles of journalism are equality and neutrality, two UK newspaper articles in particular fell very short. They were undisguisedly prejudiced in favor of the Dalai Lama and against Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, opinionated, and full of unsubstantiated gossip. Madeleine Bunting has never hidden her own natural bias in favor of the Dalai Lama. As one example, in 1999 she said in a newspaper article called “Buddha’s Humble Servant”: “I booked tickets for myself, friends and relatives for Wembley [teachings with the Dalai Lama] months ago. …. I recognised him as holier than anyone I’d met before.” She is free to her own opinion but, unfortunately for the New Kadampa Tradition and journalistic integrity, she made no responsible effort to put her own opinions aside and offer a more neutral, factual point of view when writing about him and the worsening situation in India in 1996. She made the whole story about the New Kadampa Tradition. It was Madeleine Bunting — in her article, Shadow Boxing on the Path to Nirvana of 9th July 1996 in The Guardian — who was the first person to mention the ‘cult’ word in relation to the NKT. From a conversation with an anonymous Buddhist teacher, Bunting quoted: “A lot of young people go into the NKT from a drug-orientated life and find the emotional force of the cult is tremendously compelling.” And there it began. 12 Comments \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Smear: NKT is a cult \| Tagged: cult, Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden, Kadampa Buddhism, Madeleine Bunting, Madeline Bunting, New Kadampa Tradition, NKT, NKT cult, Relying upon a Spiritual Guide in the NKT, Shadow Boxing on the Path to Nirvana, shugden ban \| Permalink Letter from a senior FPMT monk Below are some extracts from a letter written by Yeshe Sangye, a senior FPMT monk and close disciple of Lama Yeshe. The full letter can be found here. As he says himself at the end of his letter: I hope all that read this would understand better. That is my hope to write. As I have not said anything for over twenty years. Why are we including his letter here? Because many times NKT-IKBU Centers and students have been at the receiving end of slander and disruption at the hands of FPMT Centers and students, ever since the Dalai Lama spoke out against Dorje Shugden and the FPMT decided to follow his lead. This is a fact, and it is backed up by Yeshe Sangye (below). It is a serious matter to be involved in criticizing other Mahayana traditions (it’s a downfall of the Bodhisattva vows) and impeding the spreading of pure Buddhadharma is contributing to the suffering of others. This is a big world, big enough for NKT~IKBU and the FPMT and all other Buddhist traditions. There are billions of suffering beings and these beings all have different karma. While we rejoice in the FPMT’s work of spreading Buddha’s teachings, we do not rejoice in their political actions against the NKT because of following the Dalai Lama’s view. Dharma mixed with politics is like delicious food mixed with poison – the only result will be suffering in the end. As explained on the New Kadampa Truth website, FPMT members are regularly contributing to Internet forums where they criticize the NKT and try to dissuade anyone reading their posts from attending NKT Centers. The NKT has written to the FPMT asking them to desist from criticizing our tradition and specifically mentioning some individuals on the Geshe program (Tenzin Peljor); but nothing has improved. Quite apart from the fact that the FPMT de facto has an official policy of discrimination in place by not allowing Dorje Shugden practitioners to be teachers, to ordain in the FPMT tradition, or even to attend FPMT teachings, here are a few specific examples of the treatment the NKT has received from the FPMT: FPMT Mexico has officially criticized NKT on their website. One FPMT student claimed on an Amazon Buddhist discussion group that we are praying for the death of the Dalai Lama or FPMT Teachers such as Thubten Gonpo, one of our main critics. A personal story from an NKT Teacher: “A student of mine who was heading for Foundation Programme spent the summer in Nepal. He took one of the 10 day Lamrim courses at Kopan and told one of the nuns, a Swedish nun called Ven Karen, that he was from Kingston and went to the NKT Centre there. He said she then spent a long time trying to convince him that we were a cult and that he should not go there. She brought up things like we worship an evil spirit, we’re all about money etc. He came back disillusioned about our Centre and Buddhism in general. He wasn’t impressed with the FPMT that much, but her words stuck and after a couple of meetings with him, he left, taking with him our core students from the University.” Another personal story from an NKT Teacher: “We had a student in Taiwan whose auntie became an FPMT nun and was banned from coming to our centre. His name is ** and N** is still in touch with him.” A story of discrimination from France: “Around 2004 Vivre Autrement alternative health fair in Paris. We were denied a stand at this very popular annual event which attracts 1000s. I had applied under the name of Editions Tharpa, mainly to offer books etc. FPMT people turned the organizers against us, as they wanted to have a stand, and we were refused.” According to one testimonial received from an NKT member in Boston:”We were constantly hearing feedback from General Program students about how they were told by the FPMTers that we who attended NKT centers were not Buddhists, we were a money making cult, we had no authority to teach, our ordinations were not real, Geshe Kelsang was an evil wizard leading us all into hell … you get the idea.” These are just a few examples – we have many more examples of FPMT interference in the development of the NKT-IKBU, and this sad state of affairs is still continuing today. Lama Yeshe of the FPMT was no spirit worshipper. His wish in establishing the FPMT was to spread Dharma in the West, a wish that the New Kadampa Tradition is fulfilling. There is no conflict between Lama Yeshe’s and Geshe Kelsang’s intentions, and they were close friends and peers who regularly engaged in Gelugpa spiritual practice together, including monthly Dorje Shugden pujas; so why is the FPMT attacking us? It can only be because FPMT members have become a political tool of the Dalai Lama’s to fulfill his wish to destroy this tradition. Is this any way to repay Lama Yeshe’s kindness? Here are extracts from the letter: “LAMA YESHE was the very symbol of skillful compassionate action in constant motion and he mentioned many times that Dorje Shugden made his works grow as far as it did during his life time. Lama stayed true to his root teachers such as H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Geshe Rabten and H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche showing us what guru devotion is really meant to be free of political inclinations. In his practice of Dorje Shugden, Lama never hinted even slightly of sectarianism, or disregard for any form of religion never mind Buddhism.….Much simpler back then. Simpler that there was next to zero in lama-bashing, centre-bashing, lineage-bashing or siding up with H.H. the Dalai Lama for political reasons. ….If I must choose between the Dalai Lama and my root guru, Lama Yeshe, then I choose Lama Yeshe. He is the one that cared for me. ….I HOPE FPMT WILL NEVER CRITICIZE DORJE SHUGDEN WHICH IS LAMA’S PERSONAL DHARMA PROTECTOR. I HOPE THAT FPMT STUDENTS WILL RESPECT LAMA’S WISHES AND PRACTICE THE DHARMA. I HOPE THEY NEVER CRITICIZE STUDENTS, CENTRES AND GREAT LAMAS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE THIS PRACTICE OF DORJE SHUGDEN. I am very happy to see Lama Yeshe sacred picture in this website’s masters sections. Many people are afraid to say the truth to look politically wrong. But that is not what the dharma is about. We should let go of attachment of this sort and just do our practice. Ego-less state of mind is the goal of our practice as Lama would say. ….Also never to criticize Dorje Shugden and the practices Lama gave us SO THAT HIS CURRENT INCARNATION CAN MANIFEST AS A DHARMA TEACHER. The only way his unmistaken current incarnation can manifest as a great dharma teacher again, is if his students keep samaya clean free of politics and free of politically motivated actions in the name of dharma. Otherwise, it would be the responsibilities of the students if the current Lama Yeshe incarnation cannot perform the actions as he had set out to do. After all, if we as FPMT members criticize others who practice Dorje Shugden, then that will accumulate very heavy karma. Why? Because we destroy the faith of others in their gurus. Do we have the right to do that? Does Lama Zopa’s closeness with H.H. the Dalai Lama validate FPMT CENRES AND MEMBERS TO BE SOME KIND OF SPIRITUAL POLICE. That type of spiritual arrogance will be the downfall of any dharma organization. IT IS CONTRARY TO THE SPIRIT OF LAMA YESHE’S ASPIRATIONS. We should reflect Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa well, by never criticizing other sects, lamas, lineages, practices, Dorje Shugden, etc. Why because it contradicts Lama Yeshe’s Bodhicitta aspirations. We should not especially criticize lamas who are spiritual heirs of Sera, Gaden, Drepung or who are students of Pabongkha, Trijang, Zong Rinpoches. Why? Because they are OUR LINEAGE LAMAS ALSO AND THEY ALL PRACTICED DORJE SHUGDEN AS THEIR PRINCIPLE PROTECTOR. ….We cannot think of Lama’s work just expanding in our life time which it can due to Lama Zopa. But into future lifetimes. Future generations. So for that to happen, we need continuation of Lama’s successor. If we just follow along the current political tides, we may look clean and good, but simultaneously it becomes damaging to what lama’s previous incarnation practiced and that would not be very good. What’s the point if Lama’s centers and works grow now and after Lama Zopa’s passing, it stops, slows down or what not? Is spiritual attainments gained by flashing pictures we have taken together with the Dalai Lama to other centers and justifying our arrogant authoritarian ways with that? I don’t think so. I think if Dalai Lama is close to FPMT we should reflect that well by being even more humble, even more gentle, even more kind so we do not stain the name of H.H. the Dalai Lama. We cannot uplift his name or prove our guru devotion to him by putting down anything in regards to Dorje Shugden. That would be a heavy price to pay at the expense of our own Lama Yeshe’s heart protector. That is Dorje Shugden. So when Lama was alive, we practice Dorje Shugden and Dorje shugden is ok and a Buddha. Kopan had monthly ‘secret’ pujas to Dorje Shugden as with most of the centers. The FPMT centers that were fortunate to have a great lama/geshe living nearby would always invite them monthly to the centers to do the monthly Dorje Shugden pujas as instructed by both Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa. The young Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche who resides in Nepal was often invited to Kopan Monastery to perform incredible pujas. Even before the current new Kopan Prayer Hall was built, many preliminary pujas had to be done on the land before the foundation was set. Kopan invited Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche to perform them. Then when Dharamsala started stepping up on their anti-Shugden campaign, Kopan cut their ties with Pabongkha Rinpoche. It remains so till this day amazingly and he is the reincarnation of our lineage master!!! I was amazed when I heard that from very reliable sources. In fact, Kopan wanted to look good, that the monk administrators influenced some Taiwanese sponsors against Pabongkha Rinpoche. Rinpoche was promised by them to build a Pabongkha Monastery in Nepal, and the Taiwanese had promised to sponsor it. In order to get on Dharamsala’s good side and to get the sponsorship for themselves, Kopan administrative monks told the Taiwanese Sponsors (which I will withhold name from here) that Pabongkha Rinpoche is not following Dalai Lama’s instructions to abandon Shugden practice and that they should not support Pabongkha’s Rinpoche’s intent on building the Monastery in Nepal. Consequently it worked and unfortunately for Kopan’s karma. My question is, who put Kopan as the spiritual police in Nepal and so daringly create schism between their lineage guru’s sponsors?? Example the Delhi FPMT Branch centre in the past on monthly basis would invite the great Rongtha Gyabgon Rinpoche who lived in Ladakh Budh Vihar, New Delhi to perform the pujas at their centre every month. Dorje Shugden full puja was done at FPMT centre in Delhi monthly with great offerings. It was advised by Lama Zopa. In fact, Lama Zopa used to perform the Dorje Shugden pujas in both Kopan and Delhi himself on many occasions!! Himalayan Yogic Institute in Katmandu had a Dorje Shugden statue in their side shrine room in a box with offerings, it would be opened from time to time as did the Delhi centre. So Kopan is now very great, how did Dorje Shugden damage Kopan?? What was the wrong results manifesting now due to the decades that Lama Yeshe practiced Dorje Shugden and had Kopan do pujas monthly?? So if a friend helped us in the past, and we get a new friend, we simply abandon the old friend? Is that ethical or dharmic? Then Lama dies and we don’t practice because H.H. the Dalai Lama says not to. And HH has reasons beyond our ordinary minds can conceive. Then one unfortunate day, H.H. Dalai Lama passes away (very sad time) and Lama Yeshe is back and then we again practice Dorje Shugden?? I mean that is a strange scenario. Back and forth that is. It is very sad, because many of the FPMT centers now go on spiritual witch-hunts condemning other centers in their same cities. Using Dorje Shugden practice as negative as their ‘pure’ reasoning to take students away from their respective centers to join the nearby FPMT centers. But in fact they are just as I see it, trying to increase their own memberships. I have witnessed this. Many, many, many of the older Lama Yeshe students have gone underground with their practices of Dorje Shugden. Some like me do not really go to the centers here in the USA anymore. They will not abandon their practice of Dorje Shugden because of their great devotion to Lama Yeshe and are somewhat flabbergasted at the direction that some new FPMT centers’ are going with their arrogant witch hunts. What is important to remember is JUST BECAUSE YOU ATTEND THE DALAI LAMA’S TEACHINGS, OR HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS WITH HH DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY VALIDATE YOU AS A SPIRITUAL POLICEMAN AND GO ON WITCH-HUNTS. We must practice the essence of what HH teaches as did Lama Yeshe, which are tolerance, compassion, forgiveness and not ever slandering any lama, dharma, lineage or practice. As the karmic retributions will fall onto us. We should never mislead new FPMT students toward this line of thought. We are destroying our organization slowly if we do so. FPMT centers citing so and so practice Dorje Shugden and so therefore they are not pure. That is so hypocritical and political because Lama Yeshe practiced and Lama Zopa was recognized as a tulku by Dorje Shugden himself. In Dorje Shugden is a ghost, then Lama Zopa’s recognition becomes nil. In fact some of the FPMT centers’ committees are in direct competition to attach students to their OWN centers for fundraising, attendance, membership, etc. So they use the heinous method of condemning Dorje Shugden to scare other centre members into joining FPMT. In fact when they do that, it is a disgrace. Older/senior FPMT students should speak up to new and younger ones who have not had the great fortune to meet our founder, Lama Yeshe. Lama Yeshe’s main protector practice was Dorje Shugden till the end. He didn’t take an unfortunate rebirth. Dorje Shugden didn’t harm him? IF LAMA YESHE WAS PRAYING TO A GHOST, THEN WHY DIDN’T HE TAKE REBIRTH IN THE THREE LOWER REALMS?? We must think clearly and not be swept away by convenient political tides in order to fill our dharma centers with membership so it gives it a successful appearance. If that was done, what would be the cost? It would affect Lama Osel’s current incarnation in not being able to manifest as a dharma teacher. We destroy other people’s faith in their lama, and help them break their samaya with their lama, that karma would return back to us PERSONALLY AND AS A GROUP. We as FPMT should respect our founder’s wishes and not ever criticize Dorje Shugden, his practitioners, his lineage, his followers in anyway because our founder, Lama Yeshe was one of them. We shouldn’t practice or not practice what the current political situation pressures us to or not to. We should do what our lama says. So during Lama’s life Dorje Shugden is good and now Lama is dead, so Dorje Shugden is bad??? Wouldn’t that infer that lama was wrong, had bad degenerate practices, lacking in wisdom, had no refuge, had no attainments and wasted his life praying to a spirit?? So if lama gave us Heruka initiation and practice, then it had no blessings because lama’s refuge degenerated due to his practice of Dorje Shugden?? Since Dorje Shugden is a spirit and Lama kept up his ‘sogtae’ (Dorje Shugden’s initiation) or life entrustment practices his whole life, then all of the other practices lama did was degenerated and ineffective when passed to us. So any practices Lama Zopa received from Lama Yeshe and passes it to others would logically be degenerate also??? Wouldn’t it? The implications are quite big if we choose to believe that way….So that would mean many of the practices that Lama Zopa does now and gives others that are directly from Lama Yeshe are degenerated because Lama Yeshe was degenerated?? Of course not. Very dangerous line of thought. Very ruinous direction we are heading toward. I watched Lama Zopa get brow-beaten into ‘giving’ up his Dorje Shugden practices. And Lama has to be degenerated because H.H. Kyabje Trijang and Zong Rinpoches were degenerated we have to falsely assume. Both these lamas practiced Dorje Shugden till they entered parinirvana (deaths)…Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche entered into 12 days of clear light meditations in Dharamsala and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, three days. And their unmistaken incarnations are back recognized by both H.H. the Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden via his oracle again. How come they didn’t go to the Three Lower Realms since they worshipped Dorje Shugden the ‘spirit’ their whole lives in fact in all their previous many incarnations they worshipped also. They didn’t descend into the lower realms from a lifetime of practicing and propagating a Dorje Shugden. Since these great lamas have ‘degenerated’ their refuge by the practice of Dorje Shugden which implies they have zero attainments in the first place to choose a spirit to worship, then their other practices naturally became defiled. Do we choose to believe that way of thought?? I and many others clearly don’t. It doesn’t make sense. Many teachers and thousands of their disciples around the world today are committed and practice Dorje Shugden today. Because they have been given this practice by H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. They are following the commands of their root gurus, so what are they doing wrong? We switch gurus like status symbols?? These are both the root gurus of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa. So we should not criticize other centers, lamas, students that practice Dorje Shugden. Be true to your dharma practice. Even if hypothetically lama had given up his Dorje Shugden practices during his life, which he did not, his gurus didn’t give it up. So if his gurus did not give it up, then the practices received by Lama Yeshe would have been degenerated since his lamas are degenerated. Lama Yeshe was inviting H.H. kyabje Zong Rinpoche up till his death in the early 80’s to his centers giving teachings, initiations, transmissions and commentaries. And Dorje Shugden life empowerments to hundreds. So however you want to look at it, then many of the practice graciously conferred by lama Zopa today are in one way or another defiled or at least contaminated. Could that be so? I don’t want to go that direction. So however many photos lama Zopa takes together with H.H. the Dalai Lama and advertised (as today, affiliations with Dalai Lama in any way would hint at authenticity/genuine practice whether you are or not) or whoever many events of H.H. are sponsored by Lama Zopa, it still cannot wash away the inner degenerate practices received from Lama Yeshe. Is that what we choose to believe? Even if Lama Zopa truly gave up his Dorje Shugden practices to be ‘absolved’, then he would have to give up all the practices that Lama Yeshe gave him also or at least don’t pass it to others. Then we have to believe the founder of our FPMT Lama Yeshe WAS WRONG. In order to be truly clean? Just giving up Dorje Shugden wouldn’t be enough as his root lama, Lama Yeshe would have to be thought of as WRONG IN LAMA ZOPA’S DAILY MEDITATIONS. I also don’t think so. So I again request everyone to think of the implications…. Yeshe Sangye” The full letter can be found here. 6 Comments \| Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden \| Tagged: Dalai Lama, fpmt, Kadampa Buddhism, Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa, New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Truth, NKT, shugden \| Permalink You are currently browsing the archives for the Dalai Lama category.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line936
__label__wiki	0.947859	0.947859	News » International Trump Sanctuary City Idea Could Help Migrants Stay in US by Astrid Galvan and Morgan Lee . Monday Apr 15, 2019 n this April 5, 2019 photo, President Donald Trump. An idea floated by President Donald Trump to send immigrants from the border to "sanctuary cities" to exact revenge on Democratic foes could end up doing the migrants a favor by placing them in locations that make it easier to put down roots and stay in the country. The plan would put thousands of immigrants in cities that are not only welcoming to them, but also more likely to rebuff federal officials carrying out deportation orders. Many of these locations have more resources to help immigrants make their legal cases to stay in the United States than smaller cities, with some of the nation's biggest immigration advocacy groups based in places like San Francisco, New York City and Chicago. The downside for the immigrants would be a high cost of living in the cities. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University announced this week that an analysis found that immigrants in sanctuary cities such as New York and Los Angeles are 20% less likely to be arrested out in the community than in cities without such policies. "With immigrants being less likely to commit crimes than the U.S.-born population, and with sanctuary jurisdictions being safer and more productive than non-sanctuary jurisdictions, the data damns this proposal as a politically motivated stunt that seeks to play politics with peoples' lives," said George Gascon, district attorney for San Francisco. Trump has grown increasingly frustrated over the situation at the border, where tens of thousands of immigrant families are crossing each month, many to claim asylum. His administration has attempted several efforts to stop the flow, and he recently shook up the top ranks of the Department of Homeland Security. The idea to ship immigrants to Democratic strongholds was considered twice in recent months, but the White House and Department of Homeland Security said the plan had been rejected. But Trump said Friday he was still considering the idea. "Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only," Trump tweeted. He added that, "The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy - so this should make them very happy!" Asked about the proposal Sunday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said it was "not the ideal solution." "The president heard the idea, he likes it," she told ABC's "This Week," adding that it is among several options being reviewed by the White House. "The president likes the idea and Democrats have said they want these individuals into their communities so let's see if it works and everybody gets a win out of it." She said she hopes Democrats will work with the president on a comprehensive immigration bill. Wilson Romero is an immigrant from Honduras who chose to settle in the San Francisco Bay Area. Romero, 27, was separated from his daughter, now 7, by federal authorities at the U.S. border at El Paso, Texas, last year and jailed for three months before being released and making his way to live with his mother in San Jose, California. There he was reunited with his daughter, who attends public kindergarten. Romero says he goes about daily errands in public without worry of discrimination. His daughter has made friends and has playdates with the children of Mexican American families. It's a far cry from his hometown in the violence-plagued outskirts of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, that he fled after his brother-in-law was killed. To him, the biggest problem with being in the Bay Area is the high cost of living. The former textile factory worker relies on his mother's income from waitressing for food and clothing, and he's started thinking about asking legal permission to move to North Carolina, where an uncle resides and says it's cheaper to live and work. "To tell the truth, it's a little tight now, financially speaking," said Romero, a former textile factory worker, who said he doesn't know of any charities that may be willing to help. The plan discussed by Trump would also have financial, logistical and legal issues. The transportation of immigrants who are arrested at the border to large and faraway cities would be burdensome and costly at a time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is already stretched thin, having released over 125,000 immigrants into the country pending their immigration court since Dec. 21. They are currently being released mainly in border states. Flights chartered by ICE cost about $7,785 per flight hour, according to the agency, and require multiple staffers, including an in-flight medical professional. The agency also uses commercial flights. Doing longer transports would increase liability for the agency, especially considering that many of the immigrants in its care are families with young children. And despite the consideration given to releasing the immigrants on the streets to sanctuary cities, the Trump administration actually has plenty of jail space to detain families. As of April 11, the nation's three facilities to detain immigrant families were nowhere near capacity, including a Pennsylvania facility housing only nine immigrants. It's also unclear how long the immigrants would stay in these cities because they are required to provide an address to federal authorities - typically of a family member - as a condition of their release. "It's illogical," said Angela Chan, policy director and senior attorney with the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus. "It's just alarming that they are spending so much effort and so much time to engage in political theater." The Trump administration has long pushed back against cities with sanctuary policies, which generally prohibit local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration police, often by refusing to hold people arrested on local charges past their release date at the request of immigration officers. Over 100 local governments around the country have adopted a variety of these polices "New York City will always be the ultimate city of immigrants - the President's empty threats won't change that," New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said in a statement. But Trump seemed ready to step up his fight with the cities, vowing to "give them an unlimited supply" of immigrants from the border. Associated Press writer Karen Matthews contributed to this report. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. DUMBO on Blu-ray, DVD, & Digital!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line938
__label__wiki	0.624781	0.624781	Wherrett Memorial Fund The Wherrett Memorial Fund was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation as a living memorial to the late Harry S. Wherrett, a former Kokomo High School student whose education was interrupted at the age of 15. Soon thereafter, Mr.Wherrett began work in the local glass plant as an office boy, and, by the time of his death, he had risen to the position of President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. The purpose of this fund is to provide scholarships for outstanding graduating seniors at Kokomo High School in Kokomo, IN who intend to pursue a Bachelor's Degree. The award is for four years. Average Award: $52,500 Over 4 Years Award Type: Multi-Year Award (up to 4 years). Recipients must maintain degree status and passing grades. Deadline: Inquire in the school's Guidance Office. Attend Kokomo High School as a graduating senior. Plan to attend a 4-year college or university in pursuit of a bachelor's degree. Be able to participate in an interview. Complete the application by clicking the blue button above. Submit your unofficial transcripts. Kokomo High School Registrar: Connie Clark cclark@kokomo.k12.in.us	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line939
__label__cc	0.598112	0.401888	[critical] JERSEY BOYS Sympathique, the new film from Clint Eastwood is sympathetic. This is what he will retain of this umpteenth attempt of biopic around an artist. Or several, as present here, since JERSEY BOYS tells – with some credibility – the daily and especially the trials and tribulations of the Four Seasons, an atypical group that was pop rock in the 1960s. Produced by Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli (the two members of the Four Seasons), JERSEY BOYS is the film of order. And this is ultimately why we reproach him ! Explanations. It is commonly accepted that every story has different versions, depending on the number of protagonists. By insisting that Clint Eastwood (INVICTUS, GRAN TORINO) is making a film about their own group, Bob Gaudio (played by Erich Bergen) and Frankie Valli (played by John Lloyd Young) were allowed to give their version of the facts. So, it’s not surprising that both are represented as very black and white : Bob is the goose that lays the golden eggs, the composer without whom the Four Seasons would never have been #1 in the us charts, while Frankie is the perfect best friend that will cover you, constantly, even after you have committed the irreparable. One is oppressed by all the ills of the world, mainly because he is loyal and he always wants too much to do, while the other is a young virgin who grew up and became a man thanks to the group, while remaining pragmatic and fdèle to its values. The other two members, Tommy (played by Vincent Piazza) and Nick (played by Michael Lomenda), have to be satisfied with leftovers. Tommy is portrayed as someone who is conceited, imbued of his person, a hustler extraordinaire who end up having to pay his debts. For his part, Nick is the fourth wheel of the tricycle, which is the nice singer whose presence on the stage and in the studio do not change large-thing, but that we need because he is the only one to support Tommy. But until when? Because that’s all there is to the issue of the film’s plot : for men who have known only misery at the beginning of their career, it is certain that they will eventually burn the wings. “A sympathetic biopic, and this in spite of its slowness.” With this musical, Clint Eastwood has surprised more than one. Him that there is a tendency to assimilate the fig, the male’s manly and macho and completely change the orientation, register with JERSEY BOYS. Which isn’t a bad thing. If his film is not exceptional, it looks and turns out to be rather pleasant. Unless you’re allergic to love songs and singers. If he knew where he was putting the feet in agreeing to JERSEY BOYS, the director of J. EDGAR is not to change her habits. Thus, it is not surprising to see that at the time of losing his virginity, the character of Bob is watching one of his films. And to describe Bob Crewe (played by Mike Doyle), it refers to a character “curious” and “theatrical” to not have to say explicitly that he is gay. A way for Clint Eastwood not getting wet, not to say what he does not want to say without hiding what he thinks. Other bad point, the plot of the film is a run of the most boring. The film is not in the originality in showing us, step-by-step, how are formed the Four Seasons, their small galleys, some anecdotes and their new celebrity. Of course, we don’t forget the image of the producer greedy uncle in italy who manages the mafia with an iron hand, the couple’s relationship that starts wonderfully and ends in the pain as well as the traditional disruptive element that will come to seal for good the fate of the hero, before being together one last time in a final scene charged with meaning. In short, you get bored in front of this scenario, most agreed. This is not to say that JERSEY BOYS is a bad movie. Quite to the contrary. With the seriousness and rigour that we know him, Clint Eastwood managed to deliver here is a film that is no exception to his kind first, musical comedy, while respecting (a little too) the codes of the biopic. If you love very little of the treatment that was provided to each of the main characters and the lack of punch in the writing, JERSEY BOYS has obvious qualities. Starting with its staging. The direction is subdued, the photography is pretty, never be touted or bland and the music is perfectly mixed. What more to ask at this stage? Not large-thing, if you want my opinion. It should be noted, all the same, the extensive use of sight camera which have the purpose to make us enter a little more into the story, to make us participate in the plot and give us more objectivity through the subjectivity of the characters who use it. If this does very little, this is no big deal: the important thing was to try ! Although we don’t really know who the movie is aimed really (fans, groupies, fans of musical comedy?), JERSEY BOYS is a sympathetic biopic, and this in spite of its slowness. Thanks to excellent artistic direction and some of the lines and well felt, Clint Eastwood manages to keep us awaken during the 2h14. It is already that. The champs-Elysées Film Festival 2014 • Original title : Jersey Boys • Achievement : Clint Eastwood • Screenplay : Rick Elice, John Logan • Main actors : John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Vincent Piazza, Michael Lomenda, Christopher Walken, Mike Doyle • Country of origin : United States • Output : 18 JUNE 2014 • Duration : 2h14mn • Distributor : Warner Bros. France • Synopsis : Four boys from New Jersey, from a modest background, ride the group “The Four Seasons” which became legendary in the years 60. Their trials and triumphs are punctuated by the iconic hits of a generation that are taken today by fans of the musical… Previous Article [critical] JIMMY P. (PSYCHOTHERAPY Of AN INDIAN OF the PLAINS) Next Article James Bond : the generic from 2006 to 2012 Blog October 1, 2018 GERARDMER 2017 : PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Nine : trailer (VOSTFR/HD) [critical] Metropolis (VOST) international short film festival d Avignon	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line944
__label__cc	0.549734	0.450266	Padded support shorts sometimes worn to protect the thighs when the player slides into the bases. Some sliding shorts contain a pocket for a protective cup. This is so the player does not have to wear a jockstrap and sliding shorts at the same time, although many players find the cup is held in place better by wearing it in a jockstrap under sliding shorts. How the bat is made is what differentiates it from the typical regulation bat used by major league players. In addition to being lighter and thinner, the bat is also much longer compared to the normal bat. It ranges between 35 – 37 inches in terms of length. In terms of weight, the bat weighs between 17 – 22 ounces. Of great importance to note is the fact that the bat features a bigger barrel than the normal ones. Since it’s flatter and features a small diameter, it’s ideal when it comes to hitting ground balls as well as pop flies. This would be necessary during the fielding practice of any team regardless of the level. Four historically significant baseball bats showcased in the National Baseball Hall of Fame's traveling exhibit "Baseball As America". From left to right: bat used by Babe Ruth to hit his 60th home run during the 1927 season, bat used by Roger Maris to hit his 61st home run during the 1961 season, bat used by Mark McGwire to hit his 70th home run during the 1998 season, and the bat used by Sammy Sosa for his 66th home run during the same season. Baseball bats are made of either wood, or a metal alloy (typically aluminum). Most wooden bats are made from ash. Other woods include maple, hickory, and bamboo. Hickory has fallen into disfavor over its greater weight, which slows down bat speed, while maple bats gained popularity[5] following the introduction of the first major league sanctioned model in 1997. The first player to use one was Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays.[6] Barry Bonds used maple bats the seasons he broke baseball's single-season home run record in 2001, and the career home run record in 2007.[6] In 2010, the increased tendency of maple bats to shatter has caused Major League Baseball to examine their use, banning some models in minor league play.[7][8] While many people view the fungo bat more as an antique piece of baseball’s history, there’s no doubt that it still has a special place in the modern game. Actually, the bat is starting to enjoy some revival all-round the game. Regardless of minimal production of fungo bats, you can rest assured that they’re here to stay. The bats are too beneficial to both coaches and players on a daily basis. Within league standards there is ample latitude for individual variation, many batters settling on their own bat profile, or one used by a successful batter. Formerly, bats were hand-turned from a template with precise calibration points; today they are machine-turned to a fixed metal template. Historically significant templates may be kept in a bat manufacturers' vault; for example, Babe Ruth's template, which became popular among major-league players, is R43 in the Louisville Slugger archives.[citation needed] The fungo is used by a coach to hit balls for defense practice. It is lighter weight, so less fatiguing to hit ball after ball. The fungo sheds its weight above the hands. The severely tapered barrel to drops weight and maintains a high moment of inertia. While the bat would be at greater risk of breaking if used in a live batting exercise, it is safe to use in practice because there are much fewer mis-hits. Players can also create complex holes such as ‘two-part holes’ where the players must hit or reach one object before attempting to shoot at the hole. For example, a ‘two-part hole’ could consist of hitting the scoreboard first, and then once they have hit the scoreboard they must hit the ball back to home plate, that would be one hole with the player with the fewest strokes winning the hole. ‘Two-part holes’ are typically saved for the last hole in order to make things more complex and difficult on the leader.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line948
__label__wiki	0.680686	0.680686	Privacy Policy, General Office of Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Policy To set forth requirements regarding information entrusted to the University by the public and members of the KU community. All units in their handling of data, information and records in any form (paper, digital text, images, audio, video, microfilm, etc.) created, collected, accessed, used, handled, stored, managed or disposed of during the course of conducting University business (administrative, financial, instruction, research or service). KU Commitment to Privacy The University of Kansas is committed to safeguarding all Private Information entrusted to the University by the public and members of the KU community. This notice describes the University’s general privacy policy as it relates to the collection, protection and disclosure of such information. (Note: see the “Definitions” section below for the definition of “Private Information.”) Collection and Protection of Information Information may be collected in a variety of ways, paper or electronic, including but not limited to, Web sites, surveys, email, information requests, databases, etc., as required to support University activities. Information collected, regardless of the method of collection or format, may be used only to carry out the authorized business of the University. The University shall make reasonable efforts to limit the Private Information it collects to only that information strictly relevant to accomplish a clearly defined institutional purpose. Every unit is responsible for maintaining the necessary confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information it handles. Every unit is responsible for granting to assigned individuals within the unit the reasonable, minimum access to Private Information needed to accomplish the necessary institutional purposes. All University employees are required to abide by state and federal laws and University policies, procedures and guidelines regarding the handling and protection of Private Information. Employees who become aware of a breach of the privacy or security of Private Information must report such breach immediately to the Information Services Customer Service Center at 864-8080. The Information Services Customer Service Center will notify the Office of the General Counsel and/or the KU IT Security Officer as required by the particular incident. Additional University policies, procedures and guidelines apply to specific types of information. Further, individuals for whom the University collects, maintains, or processes their personal data are directed to review the supplementary Privacy Notice, provided here in accordance with European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) available at this link: https://policy.ku.edu/general-counsel/data-protection-privacy-notice Private Information may be disclosed only to the extent that is permitted or required by law. Disclosure must comply with applicable requirements regarding consent or authorization for disclosure. Legally Mandated Disclosure of Information The University may be required to release information, including Private Information, where required by state or federal law or upon receipt of a subpoena, search warrant or other court order. KU Employee Privacy When Using University Resources The University supports a climate of trust and respect. The University does not ordinarily read, monitor or screen employees’ routine use of information resources, except as necessary to maintain quality of service, to investigate a breach of security or misuse of University information resources or where required by law. For additional information about the appropriate use of University resources, refer to the Acceptable Use Policy. Consequences: Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal of employees. Employment actions will be conducted under the advice and guidance of Human Resource Management and the Office of the General Counsel. Information Services Customer Service Center 1001 Sunnyside Ave. itcsc@ku.edu The Office of the General Counsel 245 Strong Hall 1450 Jayhawk Blvd. gencoun@ku.edu KU IT Security Officer itsec@ku.edu Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Approved on: Effective on: Review Cycle: Annual (As Needed) Related statutes, regulations, and/or policies: Student Records Policy Information Technology Security Policy Data Classification and Handling Policy Data Classification and Handling Procedures Guide Electronic Data Disposal Policy Electronic Data Disposal Procedure Internet-Based Credit Card Processing Policy Password Policy Acceptable Use of Electronic Information Resources Procedures for Investigative Contact by Law Enforcement Electronic Mail (Email) Policy Gramm-Leach-Bliley Student Financial Information Security Program Related Other: Laws: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and related guidance Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and HIPAA Fact Sheet Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act (GLB) Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) PATRIOT Act and the Department of Justice Highlights of the USA PATRIOT Act Kansas Open Records Act Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Information and Technical Assistance on ADA European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Private Information: includes all information protected by state and/or federal law or that the University is contractually obligated to protect. Private Information also includes information designated by the University as private (confidential or sensitive) through the creation of standards, procedures and guidelines. Access to these data must be tightly monitored. Examples of Private Information include, but are not limited to the following: Nondirectory student records as defined by FERPA and the University Student Records Policy Financial aid and scholarship records Individually identifiable personnel records. Personal information utilized to verify identity, including but not limited to Social Security numbers (SSN) and University ID numbers (KU ID) Passwords and PINS Individually identifiable health information protected by state or federal law (including but not limited to “protected health information” as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Individually identifiable information created and collected by research projects. Credit card numbers and financial transactions covered by the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Standard. Information resources with access to confidential or sensitive data Information covered by nondisclosure agreements Any information relating to an identified or identifiable person, or personal data, as defined in the GDPR. Privacy, monitoring, information, private information, confidentiality, integrity, availability, access, incident, breach, data breach, disclosure, collection, subpoena, search warrant 05/29/2018: Updated link to European Union Data Protection Regulation. 05/25/2018: Updated to comply with European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 05/30/2017: Fixed broken link. 01/09/2015: Policy formatting cleanup (e.g., bolding, spacing). 12/17/2014: Updated contact information, made technical edits related to formatting and hyperlinking of related documents. 04/06/2009: Reviewed for accuracy; no changes made. 10/30/2007: Approved by the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor. Information Access & Technology Categories:	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line952
__label__cc	0.501645	0.498355	Home Survival Guide Beware the Fine Print Beware the Fine Print Diccon Hyatt Financial journalist Constance Gustke, a contributor to CNBC, CBS Moneywatch, the BBC, and Bankrate.com, has written about the gold in Fort Knox, Bitcoins, nanotechnology, and a host of other subjects. Gustke’s upbringing in Battle Creek, Michigan, prepared her well for her career. “My mother was an English teacher, and my father owned a store,” she says. “My mother got me into reading really early. My grandfather taught me what stocks were and took me to a stockbroker when I was a kid. I learned about finances, saving money, and all that. I just grew up with it.” Not everyone, however, grew up with the tutelage of a financially literate grandfather. In fact, for most of us, being presented with a financial contract can be a baffling experience. Few people take the time to read the terms of the contract, written as they often are in tiny typeface. However, Gustke says you must still read the fine print of car loans, mortgages, bank accounts, cell phone agreements, credit cards, and other contracts if you don’t want to end up with a bad deal. Gustke, pictured at right, will host a free seminar, “Reading the Fine Print: Safeguarding your Financial Future through Consumer Protection,” Wednesday, August 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. at McGraw-Hill Federal Credit Union, 120 Windsor Center Drive, East Windsor. To register, visit www.McGrawHillFCU.org/financialwellness, call 800-226-6428, ext. 6513, or e-mail amacdonald@mcgrawhillfcu.org. And now for the fine print: There is also a free barbecue dinner before the seminar, and attendees can register to win a $50 gift card. Students who attend will receive a free $15 gift card. With big purchases, the terms of a contract are not always so friendly. “In any kind of big transaction, you want to really scrutinize the contracts. Sometimes, financial institutions or car companies, whenever they run promotions, usually those promotions come with some kind of caveat. You may think you’re getting a deal, but they may hike up the interest rate in a different way,” she says. For example, a bank may offer you a $100 deposit for opening an account, but then require you to maintain a larger than expected balance in the account. The only way a consumer would know about that would be to read the fine print of the contract before signing it. In general, Gustke says, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is — despite what the banner ad on a website may say, there is no such thing as a free iPad. Consumers should read contracts with an eye towards interest rates and fees. “Those are the most important terms to really understand,” she says. “That’s really what could eat up your money over time.” Some financial products are more likely to have extra fees than others.While banking and credit unions are regulated by the federal government, and are part of the established banking system with all its red tape, prepaid credit cards are still virtually unregulated. “With anything that isn’t regulated, abuses can occur,” Gustke says. “Prepaid credit cards are one of those areas. There are really not many consumer protections, unlike a lot of other things, because it is a new product. Prepaid cards have all kinds of fees that you wouldn’t normally see with banks or financial institutions and are rife with the most fee abuses.” Prepaid cards can charge monthly fees just to use the card, fees to reload the card with cash, and even fees to talk to a customer service representative. Justin Bieber offers a prepaid card, targeted at children, that is loaded with such fees. Gustke recommends getting a simple prepaid card, if you must get one. She says Wal-Mart offers a fairly basic card. It’s not just prepaid credit cards that consumers have to watch out for. Gustke says even normal bank accounts can come with hidden fees that can be a nasty surprise for consumers. Some banks charge fees for things like “inactivity” or for talking to a teller. Gustke recommends avoiding opening accounts with banks that charge a lot of fees. If you do end up blindsided by a fee you don’t want to pay, you aren’t necessarily out of luck. “You can go into a bank or a credit union and go to the manager,” Gustke says. “They have a certain amount of money for fee waivers every year. Go to the manager and ask them to waive the fee, and there’s a good chance they’ll do it.” Gustke says this is an advantage of banking with a smaller, local institution. You are not working with a bureaucracy, and there is a better chance the manager actually knows who you are. “Big banks have a hierarchy, so it’s harder to get a break on interest rates and that sort of thing,” she says. So what should you do if you see terms in a contract that raise a red flag? “If you find abusive terms in a contract, you should walk away,” she says. “There are so many different alternatives these days.” A Russian man named Dmitry Argarkov made the news earlier this year for doing just the opposite. He made a few modifications to his credit card application, giving himself 0 percent interest, no fees, and no credit limit, and was approved by the company because it didn’t read his fine print. However, such a stunt might not fly in the U.S. Despite being called “contracts,” most standard contracts provided by institutions are not negotiated with the consumer. Gustke doesn’t recommend writing in changes to a standard contract in an effort to get a better deal. It’s much easier to find better terms somewhere else, she says. Another area where banking consumers should be wary is with the financial health of their institution. While small banks and credit unions may, in general, offer better customer service, there is a chance they may not be financially healthy. While the FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000, and you will never end up in a bank run scene as depicted in “Its’ a Wonderful Life,” Gustke says it can take months to be reimbursed if your bank fails. In the meantime, you have to switch banks. And it’s not just banks that can fail. “A lot of people don’t know that credit unions can fail just like banks,” she says. “It’s worth checking out how your bank or credit union is rated.” Websites like bankrate.com and mybanktracker.com both offer impartial ratings of financial institutions. Smaller banks, she says, are especially worth checking out. “Smaller banks and community banks went through the worst time after 2008 because they didn’t have access to the capital that the regionals had. Some believe community bank ranks are going to thin out over the years, so it’s really important to know how your bank is rated.” Gustke says she generally recommends going with a credit union over a community bank because they tend to offer better customer service and better deals. Another area where a consumer might do well to read the fine print is with warranties, especially those that come with expensive electronics. Gustke says these contracts are unregulated, and that retailers can write whatever they want into a warranty, privacy policy, or other agreement. Gustke will also discuss privacy and data security in her talk. The fact that McGraw-Hill is offering this seminar, Gustke says, is one reason to prefer credit unions over banks. “One of the things credit unions are strong at doing is presenting financial information to consumers without charge, and that’s a way to bring people together and educate people about finance. A lot of people don’t understand it, and it’s becoming more and more complex over time.” Previous articleOpportunities Next articleTo the Editor	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line957
__label__wiki	0.784115	0.784115	Progressive Commentary Hour – 10.27.15 Prof. Laurence Shoup is a historian who has been researching the background and agendas of the Council on Foreign Relations for 40 years. He has taught history, social science and international relations at the University of Illinois, San Francisco State University and other institutions. For five decades Dr. Shoup has been active in human rights struggles, protesting the Vietnam War, marching with Martin Luther King and participating in the union movement. He holds degrees from California State University and a doctorate from Northwestern. He ran as a Green Party candidate in the city of Oakland and California state and consulted for many nonprofit organizations. Laurence has written five books, his most recent being “Wall Street’s Think Tank: The Council on Foreign Relations and the Empire of Neoliberal Geopolitics 1976-2014” His website is www.LaurenceShoup.com Dr. Gareth Porter is an award-winning historian, an independent investigative journalist and policy analyst who specializes in US geopolitics and national security issues. During the Vietnam war, he was Dispatch News Services Bureau Chief in Saigon and later a co-director for the Indochina Resource Center. In addition to being a specialist in Vietnamese and Cambodian affairs, he has been reporting on the Middle East, including the chemical gas attacks reported in Syria, for the past decade. His numerous articles can found in Foreign Affairs, Al-Jazeera, Huffington, Counterpunch, Truthout, The Nation and others. For the past 9 years he has been investigating US and Israeli tensions with Iran and US intelligence operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gareth has an MA in international relations from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in Southeast Asian Studies from Cornell University. He has published five major books dealing with Vietnam and Cambodia. His most recent is “Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare” published last year, which debunks the myths regarding Iran as a nuclear threat. Prof. Stephen Zunes (Zoo-ness) is a Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, where he chairs the program in Middle Eastern Studies. He is recognized as one the country’s leading scholars of U.S. Middle East policy and of strategic nonviolent action, Professor Zunes received his PhD. from Cornell University and previously served on the faculty of Ithaca College, the University of Puget Sound, and Whitman College. He serves as a senior policy analyst for the Foreign Policy in Focus project of the Institute for Policy Studies, an associate editor of Peace Review, a contributing editor of Tikkun, and chair of the academic advisory committee for the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. Among his publications, the most recent is “Western Sahara: War, Nationalism and Conflict Irresolution” and earlier “Tinderbox: US Foreign Policy and the Roots of Terrorism” co-written with Richard Falk. His website is StephenZunes.org which has over 400 of his articles. Annie Jacobsen is an independent journalist and author who writes about war, weapons, U.S. national security, government secrecy and military history. She is a former contributing editor for the Los Angeles Times Magazine and received her education at Princeton University. Her first major book was “Area 51,” an extensive history of the US’s secret military base in the Nevada desert which became a national best seller, was translated into five languages and was scripted into a TV series. This was followed up with “Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America,” voted as one of the best books of 2014 by the Boston Globe. It is perhaps the most thorough study on the subject in print with new information from Annie’s Freedom of Information requests. Her most recent book, just released is “The Pentagon’s Brain: The Uncensored History of DARPA, America’s Top Secret Military Research Agency.” Her website is AnnieJacobson.com Dr Gary G. Kohls is a retired family practitioner, who specialized in holistic (non-drug) and preventive mental health care for the last decade of his career. He has expertise in the areas of traumatic stress disorders, brain malnutrition, non-pharmaceutical approaches to mental ill health, neurotransmitter disorders and the neurotoxicities from psychotropic drugs, vaccines, environmental toxins and food additives. Since his retirement, he has written a weekly column for the Duluth Reader, an alternative newsweekly magazine published in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. Dr Kohls worked with previously psychologically traumatized, usually malnourished, sometimes seriously neglected (in childhood), and over-drugged patients who had then suffered the ignominy of being falsely labeled “mentally ill He is a past member of the International Center for the Study of Psychology and Psychiatry, Mind Freedom International and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. His weekly Duty to Warn columns appear on my national and international websites and are archived at DuluthReader.com/articles/categories/200_Duty_to_Warn. Progressive Commentary Hour (Special) – 10.06.15 Part 3 of the great interview series discussing the demise of Pacifica Radio. Today's special guest is Legendary NYC broadcaster Mike Feder. This is an internet exclusive that can only be heard online. Enjoy the great discussion between two great broadcasters.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line958
__label__cc	0.631377	0.368623	Tag: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 47 House Dems side with ISIS and Nazi-like bigotry from the GOP A total of 47 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted for anti-Syrian refugee legislation straight out of a Nazi Germany mindset. Here are the House Democrats who voted for the legislation: Pete Aguilar California 31st Brad Ashford Nebraska 2nd Ami Bera California 7th Sanford Bishop, Jr. Georgia 2nd Julia Brownley California 26th Cheri Bustos Illinois 17th Delaware At-large Virginia 11th Jim Cooper Tennessee 5th Jim Costa Joe Courtney Connecticut 2nd Henry Cuellar Texas 28th Maryland 6th Lloyd Doggett Hawaii 2nd John Garamendi California 3rd Gwen Graham Florida 2nd Gene Green Janice Hahn Jim Himes Connecticut 4th Steve Israel New York 3rd Ohio 9th Bill Keating Massachusetts 9th Wisconsin 3rd Ann McLane Kuster New Hampshire 2nd Jim Langevin Rhode Island 2nd Dan Lipinski Illinois 3rd Dave Loebsack Iowa 2nd Sean Patrick Maloney New York 18th Patrick Murphy Rick Nolan Minnesota 8th Donald Norcross New Jersey 1st Scott Peters California 52nd Collin Peterson Colorado 2nd Kathleen Rice New York 4th Ohio 13th Kurt Schrader Oregon 5th Georgia 13th Terri Sewell Alabama 7th Kyrsten Sinema Arizona 9th Louise Slaughter Marc Veasey Texas 33rd Filemon Vela Tim Walz Minnesota 1st When I say that these 47 Democratic traitors sided with ISIS, I mean that they are effectively fueling ISIS propaganda by refusing to take in the very people who have been oppressed by ISIS and the Syrian dictatorship of Bashir al-Assad. When I say that this legislation is straight out of a Nazi Germany mindset, I’m referring to public opposition here in the U.S. to accepting Jewish refugees who were fleeing the Holocaust and the Nazi Germany regime of Adolf Hitler in the late 1930’s. It’s not just moderate and conservative “Democrats” who are effectively siding with ISIS and repeating the history of the Nazis by opposing Syrian refugees. Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ben Carson have used racist, Nazi-like language to stir up fear of Syrian refugees among white racist Americans. Here’s what Trump recently said, courtesy of Yahoo! News: “We’re going to have to do things that we never did before. And some people are going to be upset about it, but I think that now everybody is feeling that security is going to rule,” Trump said. “And certain things will be done that we never thought would happen in this country in terms of information and learning about the enemy. And so we’re going to have to do certain things that were frankly unthinkable a year ago.” Yahoo News asked Trump whether this level of tracking might require registering Muslims in a database or giving them a form of special identification that noted their religion. He wouldn’t rule it out. “We’re going to have to — we’re going to have to look at a lot of things very closely,” Trump said when presented with the idea. “We’re going to have to look at the mosques. We’re going to have to look very, very carefully.” Here’s what Carson recently said, courtesy of NBC News: Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Thursday suggested that concerns about Syrian refugees in the United States are akin to a parent’s concerns about “mad dogs.” “If there’s a rabid dog running around in your neighborhood, you’re probably not going to assume something good about that dog, and you’re probably going to put your children out of the way,” he said during remarks in Mobile, Alabama. “[It] doesn’t mean that you hate all dogs, by any stretch of the imagination, but you’re putting your intellect into motion and you’re thinking ‘How do I protect my children? At the same time, I love dogs and I’m gonna call the humane society and hopefully they can come take this dog away and create a safe environment once again.'” Any Democrat who voted for the anti-Syrian refugee legislation has effectively sided with right-wing racists like Donald Trump and Ben Carson, who are using Nazi Germany-like language in opposition to allowing Syrian refugees to enter the United States. Supporting requiring that Muslims have special identification is eerily reminiscent of the Nazis forcibly tattooing identification numbers onto Jewish people in concentration camps, and comparing Syrian refugees fleeing war and terrorism to mad dogs is eerily reminiscent of Nazi propaganda comparing Jewish people to rats (in fact, at least one British newspaper, the Daily Mail, actually compared Syrian refugees to rats). Normally, I’m not a fan of Nazi comparisons, but, if there’s actual historical context behind a Nazi comparison, then I’m all for it. One last thing, I find it ironic that the number of House Democrats who voted for the anti-Syrian refugee bill (47) equals the number of Senate Republicans who signed a letter to Iranian leaders in an attempt to undermine diplomacy in efforts to stop a nuclear deal designed to keep Iran from producing nuclear weapons (47), as well as the percentage of Americans that 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney claimed were dependent on the government (47). Thursday, November 19, 2015 Thursday, November 19, 2015 AL-7 Ann Kuster anti-refugee bill Assad regime Bashir al-Assad DE-AL FL-18 FL-2 GA-13 GA-2 Gerald Connolly history repeating itself Jim Hines MD-6 MN-1 Nazi tattoos NE-2 NJ-1 NY-18 NY-3 OH-13 OH-9 OR-5 rabid dogs Republican presidential nomination Sanford Bishop Jr. special identification VA-11 WI-3 My letter to Bruce Rauner on Syrian refugee resettlement in Illinois AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following blog post is a letter that I sent to Gov. Bruce Rauner (R-IL) via the contact page on the Illinois state government website for the governor’s office. Governor Rauner, This is Aaron Camp, a resident of the Village of Westville in Vermilion County. I am writing to you in regards to resettlement of Syrian refugees in Illinois, which I support. I am strongly critical of your opposition to resettlement of Syrian refugees here in Illinois. Just a few days ago, terrorists launched multiple coordinated attacks in Paris, France, and the Islamic fundamentalist terror group that is commonly known as ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks. While there needs to be proper screening in place to make sure that terrorists don’t migrate here to the United States among the refugees who are fleeing the terrorists, I believe that Illinois, and the United States as a whole, is more than capable of accepting Syrian refugees who are fleeing war and oppression. America is a nation of immigrants. In fact, my hometown of Westville was settled by immigrants from dozens of countries many, many years before I was born. In fact, at one time, Westville once had people of 37 different nationalities living in the community. Many other Illinois communities were shaped by immigrants at some point in their histories. For you to say no to accepting Syrian refugees is, in a way, doing what ISIS wants. One of ISIS’s goals is to terrorize politicians in our state and our country into making reactionary decisions with negative consequences. The negative consequences of not accepting Syrian refugees are numerous, although one of them is that the refusal of American politicians to accept Syrian refugees would likely be used in ISIS propaganda to recruit more ISIS terrorists, which is something that the U.S. and our nation’s allies simply cannot afford. Bruce Rauner IL-Gov refusal to accept Syrian War Rand Paul, who criticizes Democrats for being war hawks, is trying to declare war on ISIS U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who is trying to find a way to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate and run for president simultaneously despite being legally prohibited from doing so in his home state of Kentucky, tried to get an Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) against the Islamic militant group ISIS (also known as ISIL and Islamic State) attached to a completely unrelated bill pushed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Paul pulled his proposal in exchange for a vote on an AUMF against ISIS before the new Congress is sworn into office next month: A surprise move by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is driving action on an issue that many in Congress, and the White House, were hoping to punt into the next year: war. Paul tried to force a vote on legislation declaring war against Islamic State militants during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Thursday. He offered his measure as an amendment to an unrelated water bill about to get voted out of the committee. After hearing loud resistance from fellow Republicans, who urged more time for debate on the matter, the Kentucky senator pulled his proposal. But he had achieved what he actually wanted: a promise from the chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), to schedule a broader debate on the issue next week, along with a vote on a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) on Wednesday. This is the same Rand Paul who once criticized Hillary Clinton, the former U.S. Secretary of State who is one of several individuals who are considering running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, for being a war hawk. While it is an indisputable fact that Hillary is a war hawk, Rand Paul is a total hypocrite for complaining about Democrats being war hawks when he’s trying to declare war against ISIS. Authorization to Use Military Force declare war Democratic presidential nomination KY-Sen U.S. Armed Forces war declaration President Obama just got this country into another Vietnam In an official address to the nation, President Barack Obama announced that U.S. forces will carry out air strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in Syria. While President Obama promised that there will be no ground troops in Iraq or Syria, I seriously doubt that the president would hold to that promise for long. In fact, I think that the president just got this country into yet another Vietnam. While I support humanitarian aid to those fleeing ISIS’s wrath and counterterrorism efforts to prevent ISIS from pulling off a terrorist attack on U.S. soil (so as long as said counterterrorism efforts don’t violate the U.S. Constitution), any kind of war with ISIS, whether it be an air war, a ground war, or a combination of both, is, more than likely, going to bog this country down in another long, drawn-out war, similar to the Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I firmly believe that ISIS is an extremely dangerous organization that intends, through violence, to destroy everything they consider a enemy, including the United States of America, in fact, they are the most extreme Islamic fundamentalist organization that I’ve ever seen in my life. However, the U.S. becoming involved in a war with ISIS would, more than likely, be a big mistake. Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Friday, October 2, 2015 address to the nation air war	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line959
__label__wiki	0.795862	0.795862	If Théodore Beza had been Catholic, and honoured as a saint, the October 13th would be regarded as his “die natale”, or day of new birth in heaven. He was not Catholic, but a Calvinist pillar of the Reformation, and so definitely not a recognized Catholic saint. He is honoured by Calvinists for his reformist theology, and deserves to be remembered by modern gay and lesbian Christians as one of us: he had a male lover, Audebert, at a time when the Swiss Calvinists of Geneva were burning sodomites as enthusiastically as the Inquisition had done earlier in Spain and Italy. Théodore De Bèze, born at Vezelay (8 miles west-south-west of Avallon), in Burgundy, settled at Geneva, where he worked with Calvin, and succeeded him in 1564, as head of the reformed church at Geneva, a post he resigned in 1600. He wrote in defence of the burning of Servetus (1554), translated the New Testament into Latin, and presented in 1581 a 5th century Graeco-Latin manuscript of the Gospels and the Acts, the Codex Bezae, to Cambridge university. His lover was Audebert. He published a collection of Latin poems, a book of amorous verse, Juvenilia (1548), which made him famous, and he was everywhere considered one of the best Latin poets of his time. In a poem in this collection, De sua in Candidam et Audebertum benevolentia he tells he is uncertain if to hug his friend Audebert or his friend Candida… and he concludes he embraces both of them, even though he prefers Audebert. –Matt & Andrej Komasky Living Room, LGBT Biographies The evidence for a sexual relationship however is slight. Although twice married, Bèze was openly attacked and vilified for his supposed homosexual liaison with his friend Audebert, the evidence for which was an epigram in the collection of poems officially entitled Poemata, unofficially Juvenilia (first edition: Paris, 1548). Admired by many when they were published, the poems were strongly influenced by the classical authors with their pederastic interests and allusions, so that the evidence for Bezels homosexuality is uncertain at best. What is certain is that the Catholic party joined in vilifying him after a writer named François Baudouin, who had changed sides several times and been nicknamed Ecebolius by Bèze himself, in 1564 denounced him as a vice-ridden cinaedus. TWO years later a Catholic theologian named Claude de Sainctes, embroiled in a polemic with Bèze, gave vent to a personal attack in which Bèze’s sodomitical union with Audebert is likened to his spiritual embrace of Calvin and Bèze himself is branded as unworthy of a holy office. In 1582 Jérôme Bolsec, a Catholic physician and theologian, further reproached Bèze in a pamphlet addressed to the magistrates of Geneva, saying that many scoundrels and housebreakers had taken refuge there in the guise of adhering to the Reform, including felons apprehended in the crime of sodomy; that in Paris and Orléans Bèze had in his youth freely pursued sensual pleasures and debauchery of all kinds. The opponent added that a Latin Poem had been composed in which Bèze is termed pathic and an effeminate and lustful Poet who became a teacher of sacred eloquence at the instigation of Satan. Others joined in the chorus of abuse even after Bèze’s death, while the Protestant party defended him as the victim of malicious misinterpretation on the part of his foes. Even from the standpoint of the twentieth century, the sources do not sustain the allegation that Bèze’s friendship for Audebert amounted to a homosexual liaison. His life is more an emblem of the web of insult and countercharge that characterized the first century of the Reformation. -Dynes, Encyclopedia of Homosexuality	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line961
__label__wiki	0.780623	0.780623	Solar deal from Corning brings corporations to 3GW for 2015 Even before December arrived, 2015 had proven a record-breaking year for corporate purchasing of large-scale wind and solar energy. Peter Bronski Posted on 15 December 2015 0 Comments Even before December arrived, 2015 had proven a record-breaking year for corporate purchasing of large-scale wind and solar energy. Less than a month ago, the YTD contracted capacity stood at 2.1 GW, far exceeding the 1.2 GW of 2014 that previously held the record. But these final weeks of 2015 have seen corporations announce additional major renewable energy deals that are pushing the year-end total far higher—and companies affiliated with the Business Renewables Center (BRC) continue to be at the heart of the story. Earlier this month, Google announced a staggering 842 MW of new wind and solar, including from BRC companies Invenergy, EDF Renewable Energy, and RES Americas. BRC company Bloomberg also announced 20 MW from EDP Renewables to offset energy use of its New York offices with electricity from an in-state wind farm. Now today, Fortune 500 member Corning Incorporated announces ~50 MW of solar from BRC company Duke Energy Renewables, inching the market tantalizingly close to—and potentially beyond—the symbolic 3 GW number. Beginning in Q1 2016, Corning will purchase about 62 percent of the expected output from an 80 MW solar farm in Conetoe, North Carolina. When completed at the end of this year, it will become the largest solar-generating facility east of the Mississippi River. The deal will give Corning an estimated 120,300 MWh per year of solar energy, enough to equal the annual power usage of roughly 10,000 U.S. homes. “Corning now belongs among a select group of companies that have taken action on renewable procurement through long-term contracts. These contracts directly enable project developers to build new solar and wind capacity,” says Hervé Touati, a managing director at RMI and head of the BRC. “Beyond pioneers from the ICT sector, we are seeing this year large corporations such as Corning—coming from a variety of industrial and services sectors—entering the market for the first time as fast followers. It is a strong indication that long-term renewable energy contracts are becoming increasingly relevant to all Fortune 500 companies, and will soon become the standard way of running business.” “Corning is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and this is a major step in that direction,” Jeffrey Evenson, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Corning, said in a press release. “Going green makes good business sense because it encourages efficiencies and clean power usage that eventually lower costs. We believe this decision fits our corporate mission to be a good steward of the environment.” Today’s announcement is the latest in Corning’s ongoing commitment to clean air and clean energy. The company produced the first emissions control substrate that enabled the auto industry to meet standards set in the Clean Air Act in 1972. Corning Environmental Technologies focuses on substrates and filters to trap particular emissions from diesel and gasoline exhaust for light- and heavy-duty applications. In 2006, Corning established its Global Energy Management program, which has saved the company more than $410 million in cumulative energy costs to date. And in both 2014 and 2015, Corning received the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award. “Serving Corning’s commitment to clean energy is a great example of the customer-centric solutions we can offer to organizations,” said Greg Wolf, president of Duke Energy’s Commercial Portfolio, in the joint press release. “In delivering this quality project, we’re proud to bring more solar power to North Carolina as we partner with Corning to advance their environmental stewardship.” Adds Ed Lieberman, VP of Customer Development at CustomerFirst Renewables, a founding BRC sponsor who helped orchestrate the deal: “We’re proud to see Corning make this powerful statement with its 25-year physical contract for solar energy.” As 2015 draws to a close, Corning—and the BRC—have sights set on the years ahead. “Today’s announcement is testimony to our corporate citizenship,” said Patrick Jackson, director of Corning’s Global Energy Management program, in a statement, “and the first of what we hope to be a series of projects focusing on utilizing greener energy sources.” The BRC and its member companies are doing just that—streamlining and accelerating corporate purchasing of large-scale wind and solar energy, from nearly 3 GW in 2015 to 60 GW cumulative by 2025. Source: RMI. Reproduced with permission. More : Corning, Google, solar Study says ‘hydricity’ could boost the use of renewables The Paris climate deal: What it means for Australia and its policies	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line964
__label__cc	0.710409	0.289591	Integrated resorts: Singapore's answer to destination competitiveness? Lee, Derrick Choong Hiong (2016) Integrated resorts: Singapore's answer to destination competitiveness? PhD thesis, James Cook University. PDF (Thesis) Integrated resorts in the Singaporean context refer to a combination of entertainment, gambling and accommodation precincts providing a rich array of services to tourists on the one site. The principal objective of this thesis was to analyse the potential of the two large scale integrated resorts (IRs) in Singapore – Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa - to provide a sustainable competitive advantage to the country as a tourism destination. Three specific factors were explored to achieve this broad objective: stakeholder perceptions of the Singapore Tourism Board's strategy to develop IRs as key drivers of Destination Singapore; tourist perceptions of the IRs and their contributions to Singapore's tourist appeal; and local residents' perceptions of the two IRs and their impacts on the community. The first study involved face-to-face interviews with 40 stakeholders from seven key sectors, including government, hotels, travel agents, airlines, business associates, attractions, and food and beverage operators. The stakeholders were asked about four key areas: perceptions of IRs and their success; Singapore's new brand image as a destination; stakeholder involvement in the planning and implementation of the IRs; and their long term view of Singapore as a tourist destination. Firstly, the respondents perceived the IRs as a unique and competitive tourism product given the increase in tourist arrivals and higher tourism receipts annually since 2010, but they were also concerned with the social costs such as higher crime rates and bankruptcies that might be associated with their component of casino gambling. Secondly, the respondents agreed that the IRs boosted Singapore's image as a shopping and high-end tourism destination, however, they were unsure if promoting casino tourism would enhance the overall destination brand image of the city-state. The stakeholders reported only a marginal role in terms of their participation in planning the Singapore experiment in IRled tourism development. Fourthly, and in the longer term, these respondents were concerned that if the government decides to issue additional licenses to new casino operators to enhance the appeal of Singapore as a gaming destination, such developments are believed to create more severe social problems. Findings from this study were consistent with the academic literature: successful tourism products should improve destination competitiveness, and also seek to enhance or certainly not damage the social well-being of a community. For Study 2 survey questionnaires were distributed to international visitors in Singapore to investigate tourist perceptions of the two IRs. A total of 469 respondents participated in the survey and identified the perceptions and attitudes of tourists including the perceptions of tourist attractions in Singapore, perceptions of IRs and Singapore's destination image, images of Singapore as a tourism destination, views concerning the brand personality of Singapore compared with other destinations, and perceptions of the likely tourism landscape of Singapore in 2025. Findings from the survey indicated that the tourists rated Orchard Road, Sentosa, and then equally Clarke Quay and Gardens by the Bay, as the leading tourism attractions. The majority of the respondents viewed the two IRs favourably as they agreed that Singapore is a more appealing tourism destination with the IRs, and also that their visits to the IRs were consistent with their expectations of a Singaporean tourism experience. The respondents considered that Singapore was as a modern, cosmopolitan and cultural tourism destination. They also indicated that Singapore would be an appealing tourism setting in 2025 if the city-state were to be promoted as a 'garden city-showcasing sustainable urban living'. It could be acknowledged that the brand identity and image have to be attractive as well as consistent with the perceived brand image of tourists. Finally, it was important to seek the perceptions of the local residents, as the literature has revealed that community support is a key concern for sustainable tourism developments such as the two IRs. In Study 3 a total of 35 diverse local residents participated in four focus group sessions and shared their perceptions and attitudes about the following issues: the reasons why Singapore is now attracting more tourists (including Mainland Chinese tourists), the effectiveness of the IRs as the tourism strategy for Singapore, the impact of the IRs on social capital, the advantages and disadvantages of promoting a casino tourism strategy, the effectiveness of the safeguard measures introduced by the government to prevent addictive gambling and other social costs, and finally the preferred future tourism landscape of Singapore. Findings from the focus group studies revealed that the respondents indicated a predominantly positive social representation of the IRs. In brief, local residents saw the IRs as an appealing tourism product. There was a positive awareness of the increase in tourist arrivals, especially the Mainland Chinese market, boosting higher tourism receipts and taxation revenue, and a view that additional employment opportunities had occurred. Additional findings included the outcome that local residents distinguished between the appeal of the two IRs - Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) is more appealing to families and friends, whereas the Marina Bay Sands caters more to the business tourist markets. Taken together, the findings of the studies revealed widespread support for the Singapore experiment in boosting tourism through the development of the current Integrated Resorts. Business and government personnel, tourists and the local residents were all in broad agreement about the positive outcomes. There remain, however, some common views that current IR development involving the casino part of their operations might be less desirable with potentially negative social consequences. There was some support for a preferred future for Singaporean tourism through embellishing its image as a sustainable garden city supported by multiple new forms of tourist attractions. destination branding; integrated resorts; local resident views; perceptions; resorts; Singapore; stakeholders; tourism; tourist behaviour; tourist experience; tourist perceptions 15 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 1506 Tourism > 150606 Tourist Behaviour and Visitor Experience @ 50% 15 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 1506 Tourism > 150699 Tourism not elsewhere classified @ 50% 90 COMMERCIAL SERVICES AND TOURISM > 9003 Tourism > 900302 Socio-Cultural Issues in Tourism @ 50% 90 COMMERCIAL SERVICES AND TOURISM > 9003 Tourism > 900399 Tourism not elsewhere classified @ 50% Last 12 Months: 111	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line967
__label__cc	0.579238	0.420762	No such thing as normal: the argument against turning a blind eye Richard Cunningham The views expressed in this article are the views of the author. There is an ongoing conversation about normalcy; about what is and is not, what should and should not be. We are undoubtedly living in uncharted territory, with more countries sinking into nationalism each day. This prompts the question, why are we so far off balance? Can we ever get back to normal? This has been an age-old cry from nostalgics, who claim that things were always better “back in my day.” You can see this everywhere: in popular culture, with the resurgence of popular 90s television shows and 80s fashion. It’s in sports where fans think back to when the rules and regulations were lighter and the game was more organic. This nostalgia has even been ingrained into our politics. From Warren G. Harding’s Return to Normalcy campaign to the basic structure of the Republican party, all throughout politics, there seems to be an urge to return to a Golden Age of America; a rosier time where things weren’t so damn different. If Trump has done one good thing in his candidacy and presidency, it is that he has completely exposed the truths about our society and our political systems. Whether intentional or accidental, he has taken advantage of a system that favors white conservative Christian men and imposed his will upon it. He has played upon the fears of many: the fear of change, of newness. Even his slogan, “Make America Great Again,” invokes a yearning for the past. His rhetoric is a prime example of how he frames issues. For example, immigrants are fleeing war to seek asylum and start a life in the U.S. More immigrants can alter the demographics of the nation. So Trump attacks and belittles immigrants with every opportunity he gets and tells border patrol officers to turn migrants away. Even on the left, there’s this idea of reverting back to business as usual; the belief that, once Trump leaves office, all the issues he’s caused will dissipate and everything will just snap back to normal. One phrase I used to hear often in small talk is, “I don’t really follow politics.” Once we elected Trump, we had to start to pay attention, whether for a class or for our own safety. But still, we wistfully long for the day that we can finally delete that CNN app, unfollow those news accounts on Twitter and go back to not really following the news. I want to go in a different direction. I say, going back to normal cannot be an option. If we are to progress as a nation, we have to continue to press forward and change both politically and socially. Furthermore, I support radical change within our political systems. Our political system is antiquated and dysfunctional. There is no reset button. We have been exposed to glaring social and systematic problems dealing with finance, equality and sexuality, amongst a vast array of other problems. The only way we can “come together as a nation” is to address the issues we have been avoiding for so long. We can no longer ignore what has been going on in our community, our state or our country. We need to remain engaged. We must have these tough conversations and provide solutions that help everyone. Last month, I drafted an article entitled “The sad new normal,” where I criticized the U.S. government’s inaction on gun control. In it, I said that we need to be aware of what we see as normal. I want to take it a step further and say we need to change that normal. Daily mass shootings shouldn’t be normal. Extreme income inequalities shouldn’t be normal. Deadlocked congresses shouldn’t be normal. Political inaction shouldn’t be normal. I know this sounds like a bid for a presidential run, but let me assure you, I’m not. I’m just optimistic for America’s future. The way society and our government function are unacceptable, and we cannot afford to go backward. Moving forward is the only way to solve all the issues we are having. We must start having these tough conversations and being willing to let go of the past. We must start accepting others for who they are and what they believe. We must start to create a new “normal” to ensure we are building a progressive society, based on equality and understanding. rcunni1@umbc.edu Political Column Show me the money: The NCAA and player compensation University of Connecticut point guard Shabazz Napier told reporters that he Warren’s role in the Democratic party’s future We are amidst very deciding times with the 2020 presidential election comin “Policing on a College Campus” was a disingenuous attempt to placate students Editor’s Note: This article was written before President Hrabowski re Reparations might be a step in the right direction, but we could be making leaps with more effort The United States was founded on the backs of slaves and it has long operat Arming teachers is not the answer to address school shootings Following the devastating school shooting that took place in Parkland, Flor UMBC continues its Take Back the Night tradition Unicorn Store: Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson’s budding chemistry	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line968
__label__wiki	0.612961	0.612961	She Faked terminal cancer, 323 hospital visits & 13 unnecessary surgeries — but her son wasn’t sick 13 Dec, 2017 by Sierra Marlee For all you parents out there, let me ask you a simple question: Would you take your child to the doctor if they weren’t sick? Unless it’s for an annual check up or a shot, the answer would probably be “no” right? Well, what if you took your son to the hospital 323 times, had him undergo 13 unnecessary surgeries and convinced doctors that he was terminally ill? It is something that most of us can’t even fathom, but that’s exactly what 34 year-old Kaylene Bowen did. Young Christopher is only 8 years-old, but has gone through a lifetime of medical treatments, hospital stays, surgeries and diagnoses, all unnecessarily. Since his birth, Kaylene has taken her son in and out of the hospital, even going so far as to start crowdfunding pages for his treatments and telling all of her friends on social media that Christopher has “terminal cancer.” She lied to his doctors about him having a milk allergy, claiming that he needed a lung transplant as a result of the severe side-effects. What kind of mother, no, what kind of HUMAN lies about that? There are people who legitimately need these transplants to save their lives and you’re putting your son on that list because you’re a nutjob? About two years ago, the doctors became suspicious as the mother continued to invent stories about her son’s illnesses. They contacted Child Protective Services. Eventually it was confirmed that the child not only did NOT have the ailments that she claimed, but that he wasn’t sick at all. The mother even claimed that Christopher would violently “throw up” if he had milk, according to the child’s father, Ryan Crawford. “She started explaining to the judge that the doctors stated my son would never walk,” he continued. “And then she stated that he had problems continuing to eat and that he’s going to need a feeding tube.” Crawford believes that the only sick person in that family is Kaylene, who he thinks suffers from Munchhausen by Proxy – a “mental health problem in which a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury in a person under his or her care.” This can be prompted by stress, anxiety, poor self-esteem, or a need for attention. “The issues escalated to eventually she claimed that my son was dying,” Crawford recalled. “I was horrified because from what I knew, my son was fine. He just needed — not even extra care — he was fine.” The Texas mother was arrested after admitting that she had fabricated the illnesses that caused her son to undergo 13 unneeded surgeries and is being charged with felony injury to a child. Sierra Marlee More articles by Sierra Marlee	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line969
__label__wiki	0.60077	0.60077	A Guy Who Was Given 10% Chance to Live Just Completed an Ironman Race posted by Julie - Aug 7, 2017 There's a 28-year-old guy in Missouri named Michael Bigogno who played multiple sports growing up, and went to college on a baseball scholarship. But right after his junior year in 2012, he borrowed a friend's skateboard and had a bad accident that almost KILLED him. He fell turning a corner...the left side of his head hit a CURB...and he ended up with a serious blood clot called a subdural hematoma. Doctors put him in a medically induced coma for two-and-a-half weeks, and had to remove a large section of his SKULL because of the swelling. At that point, they only gave him a 10% chance of surviving. Once he was out of the woods, he had to do a ton of physical therapy almost every day for several months. And his memory was shot, so he could only remember things for about five minutes at first. But after about a year, he made a FULL RECOVERY. And check this out. He went back and finished school, works as a gym teacher in St. Louis now, and just finished his first IRONMAN race about a week-and-a-half ago. That's where you swim two-and-a-half miles, ride a bike 112 miles, and then run a full 26-mile marathon. He finished in 14 hours and 38 minutes, which was middle-of-the-pack. But obviously the point wasn't to win. He says he never looks back or asks why it all happened to him. He just keeps moving forward and never takes a single day for granted. Read more--> Runners World	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line971
__label__wiki	0.654885	0.654885	Billionaires Are Pushing Art To New Limits Welcome to Art Basel: The… Doug Noland Credit Bubble Bulletin I just wrapped up 25 years (persevering) as a "professional bear." My lucky break came in late-1989, when I was hired by Gordon Ringoen to… Bubble Battles By Doug Noland - Jul 30, 2016, 6:04 AM CDT July 29 - Wall Street Journal (Anjani Trivedi): "The Bank of Japan is retreating into some much-needed introspection. And while it prepares to do this, it threw markets a not very meaty bone to chew on. The central bank on Friday underwhelmed overexcited expectations for yet another big bang of monetary stimulus. The Bank of Japan announced a paltry 3 trillion yen ($28.5 billion) increase to its purchases of exchange-traded funds to 6 trillion yen in a bid to boost asset prices. It also doubled down on a relatively minor U.S. dollar lending facility to give Japanese companies a nudge to buy assets overseas. Markets seem to have taken the disappointment in stride..." Currency markets broke stride awkwardly. The yen responded immediately to the BOJ and ended Friday's session up 3.05% at session highs. The Japanese currency has rather briskly recovered much of its recent pullback. A sampling of major headlines: "Bank of Japan Takes Modest Easing Action"; "Timid Bank of Japan Move Raises Alarm for Other Economies"; "Bank of Japan Plays for Time with Weak Stimulus"; "Is Bank of Japan Signaling That It's Running Out of Ammo?". Disappointing BOJ action elicited comments such as "limp measures", "dipped into a bag of small tricks" and a "cautious step." The markets - and apparently the financial media - beckon not for limp and cautious, but rather for unyielding and radical. If monetary stimulus is not working as prescribed, that obviously means it must be executed more frenetically. If the most aggressive monetary stimulus ever is increasingly ineffective, the only solution is to go completely radical, nuclear and helicopter. Of course it's reckless and doesn't make good sense. So markets are especially sensitive to any indication that central bankers might be losing their nerve or contemplating a reassessment. BOJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda: "I don't believe we're approaching the limits of negative interest rates or qualitative and quantitate easing. We've been pursuing an aggressive monetary policy for three years, and it's a natural time for a review." Coming two days after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed a gigantic $265 billion stimulus package, in what has become serial "special" stimulus, the Bank of Japan's announcement took on greater significance. The BOJ might move aggressively in September, but Friday's disappointment is a timely reminder that there is underlying unease in Japanese policymaking circles. Prolonged massive stimulus has helped push Japan's jobless rate down to a modern day record low 3.1%. At the same time, the primary objective of forcing consumer price inflation up to 2% remains elusive. With aggregate consumer prices down 0.4% over the past year, the Bank of Japan Friday slashed their CPI forecast for the current fiscal year to 0.1% from 0.4%. Global downward pricing pressures - including sinking crude prices - suggest little relief is in the offing. At this point, BOJ monetization is like pounding one's head against a wall. Japan has been fighting deflationary headwinds since the bursting of their Bubble more than 25 years ago. It was a major Bubble exacerbated by a loosening of monetary conditions in the U.S. back in the late-eighties coupled with intense pressure from the U.S. to stimulate Japan's economy to help rectify ballooning U.S. trade deficits. And it's somewhat ironic that in 2016 Japan's biggest adversary in its post-Bubble deflation fight is engaged in its own Bubble Battle across the East China Sea. One could argue that Japan lost all control of its Bubble with the onset of post-1987 crash aggressive monetary accommodation. Chinese control was lost with the massive post-2008 stimulus, and it's been awhile since I've read reference to Chinese officials having learned from the Japanese experience. Indeed, seeds for today's runaway global finance Bubble were planted in Japan and came to full bloom with China's historic Credit expansion. And for 25 years, global central bankers have chanted "deflation" as enemy number one. But it's been Bubbles all along. They remain the dominant risk today, as they've been all the way back to the late-eighties. The global government finance Bubble can at this point be simplified into six powerful intertwined forces: 1) Near zero rates and record low bond yields virtually across the globe contributing to generally loose fiscal spending and ever rising country indebtedness; 2) Near $1.0 TN annual market liquidity injections from the ECB; 3) Near $1.0 TN annual market liquidity injections from the BOJ; 4) Annual Chinese Credit growth of about $3.0 TN, powered by state-directed bank lending; 5) Ongoing ultra-dovish Federal Reserve policy - with attendant loose financial conditions and booming perceived wealth in U.S. asset markets (exacerbated by strong foreign sourced flows); 6) The deeply engrained perception throughout global markets that central bankers in concert are committed to doing "whatever it takes" to ensure that markets remain liquid and levitated, a backdrop the promotes risk-taking and leveraged speculation (in the face of mounting risks). Going back to the earliest CBBs, it's been a central argument that the transformation to securitized Credit was both a momentous and precarious development. History is unequivocal: Credit is inherently unstable. The thesis that contemporary market-based Credit is highly unstable should not at this point be contentious. And the greater the expansion of contemporary market-based finance, with cumulative latent vulnerabilities, the more overpowering the impetus for governments and central bankers to monkey with and backstop unsound markets. And now decades of backstops, bailouts and reflations have nurtured dysfunctional markets that have regressed to total dependency to ongoing government market manipulation, monetization and reckless monetary inflation. And this helps explain diametrically opposed global markets views: The bullish perspective sees an unusually stable backdrop (VIX closed the week below 12!), with notably resilient markets having repeatedly persevered through brief bouts of market tumult and various geopolitical developments. Monetary management is "enlightened." The bearish view sees an acutely vulnerable global financial "system" at this point patched together with "whatever it takes" liquidity injections and market manipulation the likes of which the world has never previously experienced. Policymakers are perpetrating history's most destructive monetary inflation. The hope has always been that aggressive global fiscal and monetary stimulus would raise inflationary expectations and spur more generalized Credit and economic booms. It had worked previously, although nothing from the past was comparable to the scope of the mortgage finance Bubble and the subsequent post-Bubble global reflationary free-for-all. The combined inflation of national debt and central bank Credit was so enormous that there would be no turning back from resulting epic Bubbles. Levitated securities markets and maladjusted economic structures around the world would be sustained by nothing less than perpetual ultra-loose finance, the type that only governments and central banks were capable of providing. Private Credit would be insufficient in scope and too unstable. Securities markets without government support would be too volatile and susceptible to crashes. Perhaps they were unaware that there could be no retreat, but governments did take full control. And the more unstable the financial and economic underpinnings, the more egregious the government interventions required to impose transitory stability. Markets reacted positively to this extraordinary imposition, ensuring overbearing Bubbles with only deeper addiction to loose finance. Desperate policymakers accommodated with regrettable pronouncements of "whatever it takes." Bubbles always require rapid and increasing Credit expansion. The global government finance Bubble is no different. The world is generally at near zero rates, negative sovereign yields, large deficit spending and about $2.0 TN of annual global QE. Effects have dissipated, ensuring what was originally "shock and awe" overwhelming force is near the brink of not being enough. Crude has sunk back to near $40. Growth has slowed again in Europe, the U.S. and throughout Asia. With the French economy flat-lining, Eurozone Q2 GDP (0.3%) was half of Q1's. Considering that some sectors and locations are in powerful Bubbles, 1.5% (annualized) Q2 GDP growth speaks poorly for the overall U.S. economy. Ten-year Treasury yields dropped 10 bps this week to 1.45%, clearly betting against Federal Reserve tightening. Global markets beckon for more loosening. Markets demand that the Bank of Japan turns crazy reckless, even as evidence mounts that now routine reckless hasn't worked. The markets need Chinese policymakers to ensure $3.0 TN of annual Credit growth, even though it's apparent to communist leadership that such a course is fraught with major risks. The markets stipulate that the Draghi ECB must continue printing at a Trillion annualized pace, in the face of unprecedented market distortions, internal policy discord and great financial, economic, social and geopolitical risks. July 26 - Bloomberg: "China's stock market calm has been shattered. Shares plunged Wednesday, with a gauge of smaller companies sinking 5.5%, as people familiar with the matter said the China Banking Regulatory Commission is discussing stricter curbs on wealth-management products. A measure of the Shanghai Composite Index's short-term volatility doubled, after sinking to a two-year low on Monday... 'Many banks have been investing in WMPs to funnel money into the stock market,' said Francis Cheung, head of China and Hong Kong strategy at CLSA... 'It's non-transparent, so I understand why regulators would try to act. But if this causes too much correction, then they will get worried. The No. 1 priority is to maintain a relatively stable stock market.'" The truth of the matter is that Chinese officials these days have bigger concerns than stock prices. At this point, No. 1 priority should be stability for an incredibly bloated banking sector currently enveloped in "Terminal Phase" dynamics (i.e. it's self-destructing). So-called "Wealth Management Products" (WMPs) have been a concern for several years now. And how did the timid regulatory approach play out in Bubbleland? From Bloomberg: "The outstanding value of China's WMPs rose to 23.5 trillion yuan, or 35% of the country's gross domestic product, at the end of 2015, from 7.1 trillion yuan three years earlier..." "Terminal Phase" excess sees rapid expansion of increasingly risky Credit. A hypothetical graph of systemic risk grows exponentially skyward. Accordingly, the risk intermediation task turns burdensome and fraught with great risk. Somehow the financial sector must transform (Trillions of) increasingly risky loans into financial instruments with more appealing (money-like) attributes. Chinese "shadow banking" is an intermediation accident in the making, and it's rational that spooked regulators would now target WMPs. It's not clear how China at this stage can move to rein in egregious excess without inciting a tightening of financial conditions and resulting Credit and economic slowdown. It was an interesting week in the markets. Global sovereign yields retreated back to within striking distance of recent historic lows. Gold jumped 2.2% and silver surged 3.6%. Yet copper posted a slight decline, while WTI crude sank 6.3%. Examining this week's developments in Japan and China, as a trader I'd have greater concern for the global financial and economic outlook. It's fascinating - as opposed to confusing - to watch gold and crude diverge. The yen bears - and dollar bulls - had the rug again pulled out this week. I see ongoing currency market volatility as a harbinger of general market instability. Sinking crude had high-yield energy debt under pressure, along with Mexican stocks and the peso. The Russian ruble declined 1.8% and the Colombian peso sank 4.1%. Equities were determined to retain their strong July gains, while the VIX holds confidently to the view that "whatever it takes" remains in firm control. Could be an interesting August. For the Week: The S&P500 was little changed (up 6.3% y-t-d), while the Dow slipped 0.7% (up 5.8%). The Utilities declined 1.2% (up 20.8%). The Banks increased 0.7% (down 7.0%), and the Broker/Dealers rose 1.4% (down 8.3%). The Transports dropped 1.5% (up 4.5%). The S&P 400 Midcaps added 0.5% (up 11.5%), and the small cap Russell 2000 gained 0.6% (up 7.4%). The Nasdaq100 advanced 1.4% (up 3.0%), and the Morgan Stanley High Tech index gained 1.0% (up 5.6%). The Semiconductors jumped 3.3% (up 15.6%). The Biotechs surged 4.4% (down 11.1%). With bullion gaining $29, the HUI gold index jumped 5.9% (up 147%). Three-month Treasury bill rates ended the week at 25 bps. Two-year government yields declined four bps to 0.66% (down 39bps y-t-d). Five-year T-note yields fell 10 bps to 1.02% (down 73bps). Ten-year Treasury yields sank 12 bps to 1.45% (down 80bps). Long bond yields dropped 10 bps to 2.18% (down 84bps). Greek 10-year yields jumped 16 bps to 7.98% (up 66bps y-t-d). Ten-year Portuguese yields dropped 12 bps to 2.90% (up 38bps). Italian 10-year yields declined seven bps to 1.16% (down 43bps). Spain's 10-year yield fell 10 bps to 1.01% (down 76bps). German bund yields dropped nine bps to negative 0.12% (down 74bps). French yields sank 11 bps to 0.10% (down 89bps). The French to German 10-year bond spread narrowed two bps to 22 bps. U.K. 10-year gilt yields dropped 11 bps to 0.68% (down 128bps). U.K.'s FTSE equities index was little changed (up 7.7%). Japan's Nikkei equities index slipped 0.3% (down 12.9% y-t-d). Japanese 10-year "JGB" yields increased three bps to negative 0.20% (down 46bps y-t-d). The German DAX equities index jumped 1.9% (down 3.8%). Spain's IBEX 35 equities index was about unchanged (down 10.0%). Italy's FTSE MIB index added 0.4% (down 21.3%). EM equities were mixed. Brazil's Bovespa index increased 0.5% (up 32%). Mexico's Bolsa dropped 1.8% (up 8.6%). South Korea's Kospi index added 0.3% (up 2.8%). India's Sensex equities increased 0.9% (up 7.4%). China's Shanghai Exchange fell 1.1% (down 15.8%). Turkey's Borsa Istanbul National 100 index rallied 5.1% (up 5.1%). Russia's MICEX equities gained 0.9% (up 10.4%). Junk bond mutual funds saw outflows of $175 million (from Lipper). Freddie Mac 30-year fixed mortgage rates gained three bps to 3.48% (down 50bps y-o-y). Fifteen-year rates increased three bps to 2.78% (down 39bps). Bankrate's survey of jumbo mortgage borrowing costs had 30-yr fixed rates down two bps to 3.69% (down 40bps). Federal Reserve Credit last week declined $4.3bn to $4.435 TN. Over the past year, Fed Credit declined $21.7bn. Fed Credit inflated $1.624 TN, or 58%, over the past 194 weeks. Elsewhere, Fed holdings for foreign owners of Treasury, Agency Debt dropped $8.0bn last week to $3.220 TN. "Custody holdings" were down $108bn y-o-y, or 3.2%. M2 (narrow) "money" supply last week jumped $34.7bn to a record $12.884 TN. "Narrow money" expanded $841bn, or 7.0%, over the past year. For the week, Currency increased $2.7bn. Total Checkable Deposits dropped $36bn, while Savings Deposits surged $68.5bn. Small Time Deposits were unchanged, and Retail Money Funds were little changed. Total money market fund assets were about unchanged at $2.715 TN. Money Funds rose $67bn y-o-y (2.5%). Total Commercial Paper sank $26.9bn to a 2016 low $1.026 TN. CP declined $32.2bn y-o-y, or 3.0%. Currency Watch: The U.S. dollar index declined 1.8% to 95.57 (down 3.2% y-t-d). For the week on the upside, the Japanese yen increased 3.8%, the New Zealand dollar 2.9%, the South African rand 2.9%, the euro 1.8%, the Australian dollar 1.8%, the Norwegian krone 1.2%, the Swedish krona 1.1%, the British pound 0.9%, and the Brazilian real 0.2%. For the week on the downside, the Mexican peso declined 1.1%. The Chinese yuan rallied 0.7% versus the dollar (down 2.2% y-d-t). Commodities Watch: July 29 - Bloomberg (Grant Smith): "The bullish spirit that gripped oil traders as industry giants from Saudi Arabia to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. declared the supply glut over is rapidly ebbing away. Oil is poised for a drop of 20% since early June... While excess crude production is abating, inventories around the world are brimming, especially for gasoline, and a revival in U.S. drilling threatens to swell supplies further. As the output disruptions that cleared some of the surplus earlier this year begin to be resolved, crude could again slump toward $30 a barrel, Morgan Stanley predicts. 'The tables are turning on the bulls, who were prematurely constructive on oil prices on the basis the re-balancing of the oil market was a done deal,' said Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodity markets strategy at BNP Paribas..." The Goldman Sachs Commodities Index dropped 2.8% to a three-month low (up 8.9% y-t-d). Spot Gold gained 2.2% to $1,351.3 (up 27%). Silver jumped 3.6% to $20.39 (up 48%). WTI Crude sank $2.81 to a three-month low $41.45 (up 12%). Gasoline declined 2.9% (up 4%), while Natural Gas gained 2.9% (up 22%). Copper slipped 0.3% (up 4%). Wheat was down 4.1% (down 13%). Corn increased 0.3% (down 5%). Turkey Watch: July 29 - Bloomberg (Constantine Courcoulas and Tugce Ozsoy): "Turkey's bonds headed for the biggest monthly drop in emerging markets as a failed coup that left more than 250 dead prompted S&P Global Ratings to downgrade the nation's debt and sent the currency to a record low. The yield on 10-year local currency bonds climbed three bps..., extending the increase this month to 54 bps. The rate on Turkey's 4.25% 2026 dollar bonds rose 60 basis points in July to 4.66%..." July 26 - Bloomberg (Phil Kuntz and Ahmed A Namatalla): "Turkey's failed coup and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crackdown could hardly have come at a worse time for investors worried about the riskiness of the country's bonds. Now they may get even dicier. Even before rogue generals tried to seize control on July 15, the country had a relatively high default probability. It was greater than about 80% of nations, according to Bloomberg's sovereign risk model... The country's short-term external debt as a percentage of gross domestic product... was trending into riskier territory even before the current turmoil. Debt with an original maturity of a year or less has almost tripled to more than 18% of the economy since 2007... Turkey's 12-month forward debt obligations soared to a record 30% of economic output at the end of 2015, having risen for four years from 19%... S&P pointed to similar statistics in explaining its downgrade of Turkey. The country's net foreign exchange reserves of an estimated $32 billion cover only about two months of current-account payments, giving it little room to maneuver... Turkey will likely have to roll over about 42% of its external debt, more than $170 billion worth, in the next year..." July 25 - Reuters (Daren Butler and Seda Sezer): "Turkey ordered the detention of 42 journalists on Monday..., under a crackdown following a failed coup that has targeted more than 60,000 people and drawn fire from the European Union. The arrests or suspensions of soldiers, police, judges and civil servants in response to the July 15-16 putsch have raised concerns among rights groups and Western countries, who fear President Tayyip Erdogan is capitalizing on it to tighten his grip on power." Europe Watch: July 29 - Financial Times (Claire Jones, Anne-Sylvaine Chassany and Ian Mount): "The eurozone's economic recovery has lost some of the momentum it took into the opening months of 2016, with growth across the single currency area slowing after France's economy ground to a halt. The eurozone economy expanded by 0.3% between the first and second quarters of this year, against the 0.6% figure recorded for the previous three months. The preliminary GDP estimate from Eurostat released on Friday was in line with analysts' estimates, but came after the publication of a worse than expected figure for France. The eurozone's second-largest economy failed to grow at all in the second quarter as households held off spending and companies delayed investment amid strikes that caused big disruptions." July 26 - Financial Times (Joel Lewin): "Share in European banks are under the cosh again today, and for a change Italian lenders aren't the epicentre of the wobbles (although the country's sovereign debt is one of the drivers). The whole sector is nursing some heavy losses this morning after Commerzbank warned its capital position has weakened in an unscheduled announcement on Monday night, prompting its shares to slide more than 6% this morning." July 29 - Financial Times (Eric Platt): "The sprint out of European equity funds entered its 25th consecutive week, draining portfolios of $76bn since the year began as uncertainty over the implications of the Brexit vote and a crisis in the Italian banking sector weigh on investors. The past week saw more than $4bn pulled from portfolio managers invested in European stocks..., according to fund flows tracked by EPFR..." July 25 - Bloomberg (Alastair Marsh): "Europe's credit markets are relatively insulated from the turmoil in Turkey. Unfortunately, according to analysts at JPMorgan..., where exposure exists it's in all the wrong places. Following an unsuccessful coup attempt earlier this month, Turkey's markets have been rocked by both political unrest and the threat of downgrade. From UniCredit SpA to Thomas Cook Group Plc, the risk is being shouldered by companies already battling problems at home. 'In general, European credit does not carry much exposure to Turkey,' the analysts led by Matthew Bailey said... Yet in almost all cases, the 'names which are affected by the political situation were already facing other risks.'" Italy Watch: July 29 - UK Guardian (Jill Treanor and Stephanie Kirchgaessner): "A rescue package of the world's oldest bank has been announced after a health check of the biggest banks across the EU showed that Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena's financial position would be wiped out if the global economy and financial markets came under strain. The much-anticipated result of the stress tests - for which there was no pass or fail mark - of 51 banks showed that Italy's third largest bank emerged weakest from the assessment." Central Bank Watch: July 24 - Bloomberg (Jana Randow): "The European Central Bank will be able to cope with any problems that might emerge in the implementation of its asset-purchase program, Governing Council member Ignazio Visco said... So far, policy makers have 'no evidence' that there is a shortage of government bonds that may jeopardize the completion of a 1.7 trillion-euro ($1.9 trillion) quantitative easing program, Visco told Bloomberg... 'We have not seen problems so far. If we find problems, we will find solutions.'" Fixed-Income Bubble Watch: July 28 - Financial Times (Eric Platt): "An accelerating drop in oil prices threatens a five-month rally in high-yield energy bonds, reigniting the relationship between the two asset classes as crude approaches bear market territory. Prices for high-yield energy bonds have fallen for eight consecutive days -- following a decline in the price of US oil towards $41 a barrel, its lowest level since April. Rising stocks of gasoline, alongside an increase in the number of rigs drilling for oil, has increased pressure on crude prices and lifted the risk premium investors are demanding to own junk energy debt." July 26 - Financial Times (Eric Platt): "Verizon is finalising a $6.15bn bond sale to repay some of its near term maturities just days after it agreed to a purchase beleaguered internet group Yahoo for nearly $5bn. The five-part sale drew roughly $30bn of investor orders..., as portfolio managers search out income in a world where $13tn of debt trades with a yield below zero." July 27 - Bloomberg (Molly Smith): "The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, the Caribbean archipelago's utility, had the credit rating on its most secure debt cut below investment grade Wednesday by S&P Global Ratings. The rating company cited its low levels of cash and a backlog of unpaid bills, some owed by the government. 'The downgrade reflects weakened debt service coverage and liquidity, due in part to delayed payments on government-related accounts,' said S&P credit analyst Peter Murphy..." Global Bubble Watch: July 24 - Bloomberg: "Finance chiefs from the world's biggest economies signaled escalating concern about a wave of anti-globalization sentiment that threatens core principles long embraced by the group. Meeting in China one month after a shock decision by U.K voters to exit the European Union, finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 put a stepped-up emphasis on fiscal and structural policies to boost growth, and renewed a pledge to promote inclusiveness." July 28 - CNBC (Jeff Cox): "The corporate debt pile is continuing to pile up, with a $10 trillion bill coming due over the next several years. That's how much of the $51 trillion in global company IOUs is maturing between now and 2021, according to data from S&P Global Ratings, which warns of potential dangers ahead. 'In recent years, credit conditions have been largely favorable, and corporate issuers have actively issued record levels of debt, much of which has been used to refinance existing debt, lower funding costs, and extend maturities,' the agency said... 'Funding conditions began tightening last year as falling commodity prices and volatile equity markets contributed to investor unease and a flight to quality.'" July 26 - CNBC (Catherine Boyle): "Deutsche Bank, the German bank which is an important part of the global financial system, announced revenue and income falls Wednesday which could add further concerns for investors made jittery by a combination of Brexit and previous issues at the bank. Deutsche's share price fell by 4% in early trading Wednesday after it announced second-quarter net income was down 98% from the same period in the previous year, to 20 million euros ($22 million), as it exited parts of its business while revenues were down 20% to 7.4 billion euro." July 26 - Bloomberg (Javier Blas): "If Big Oil was a two-engine airplane, you could say it's been flying on a single engine since energy prices crashed in 2014. Now, the second motor is sputtering. The major integrated oil companies... have relied on their so-called downstream businesses, which include refining crude into gasoline, oil trading and gas stations, to cushion the losses on their upstream units, which pump crude and natural gas. 'The crash in oil prices in late 2014 brought refineries worldwide a pleasant surprise: booming margins,' said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at consulting firm Energy Aspects... 'But now, the market is changing.'" July 25 - Financial Times (Robin Wigglesworth): "The investor shift from active asset management to cheaper passive strategies will accelerate in the coming years and weigh on the earnings and credit ratings of investment groups unable to adapt to the new realities of the money management industry, according to Moody's. The worsening ability of many fund managers to beat their benchmarks, coupled with their costs, has led to an investor exodus in favour of cheaper investment strategies such as exchange-traded funds, that seek to merely mimic the performance of a market at the cheapest possible cost... 'Large traditional asset managers that lack a core competency in passive investing, or that are unable to deliver outperformance to justify their fees, are at risk of seeing their business profiles weaken further, increasing the likelihood of ratings deterioration,' the rating agency's report said." U.S. Bubble Watch: July 29 - Financial Times (Rachel Witkowski): "Risky lending by Wall Street banks has risen sharply despite some improvements in underwriting from years past, warned U.S. regulators... Credit deemed 'special mention' and worse jumped 13% based on exams for the last 12 months ended in April from the previous 12-month period to $421.4 billion, according to the annual review of bank's major loan portfolios conducted by the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The review said the greatest levels of risk remain in 'leveraged loans' that are extended to highly indebted companies, such as those bought by private-equity firms, as well as oil and gas portfolios." July 27 - Bloomberg (Sonali Basak): "When all else fails, lend. That's the strategy of some of the biggest U.S. insurers as they seek higher returns in an investment universe where buying bonds sometimes means guaranteed losses. The largest U.S. banks are constrained by post-2008 rules that make it tougher for them to extend loans. So companies such as MetLife Inc. and American International Group Inc. are grasping more market share. While many insurers have been in the commercial real-estate market for decades, the industry is branching out into home mortgages, small-business lending, car loans, renewable-energy financing and student debt... The quiet reshuffling of the lending industry is part of the transformation of American finance following the 2008 credit crisis. Together with hedge funds, private equity shops and tech startups, insurance companies have joined the ranks of shadow banks -- firms that act like banks without being regulated like them." July 25 - New York Times (Andrew Ross Sorkin): "Could the Glass-Steagall Act -- the Depression-era legislation that forced the separation of investment banking from commercial banking, among other things -- be coming back? In an extremely odd political dovetail, both the Democratic and the Republican platforms include planks that call for the restoration of the landmark 1933 law. Glass-Steagall aimed to protect the common folk who deposited money in their banks for safekeeping, and ordered that those banks decouple themselves from the business of placing the type of speculative stock market bets that caused the great crash of 1929. For decades, that law was a bedrock principle on Wall Street, where the peanut butter of lending and deposit-taking never mixed (legally) with the chocolate of playing the market. That bedrock was smashed in 1999, however, when the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act undid much of Glass-Steagall, liberating banks like Citigroup and others to form what they called 'financial supermarkets,' all-in-one financial services shops." July 25 - Wall Street Journal (Timothy W. Martin): "Long-term returns for U.S. public pensions are expected to drop to the lowest levels ever recorded, portending deeper pain for states and cities as a $1 trillion funding gap widens. Twenty-year annualized returns for public pensions in the U.S. are poised to decline to 7.47% once fiscal 2016 results are released in coming weeks, according to an estimate from Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service... That would be the lowest-ever annual mark recorded by Wilshire, which began tracking the statistic 16 years ago. In 2001, near the height of the dot-com boom, pensions' 20-year median return was 12.3%..." July 27 - Bloomberg (Heather Perlberg and Prashant Gopal): "It turns out that even the well-off need help in a housing market as crazy as the one in the San Francisco Bay area, and lenders are elbowing each other in a rush to provide it. They're courting Silicon Valley workers with tailored loans, guaranteed 24-hour approval and financial-planning services. Social Finance Inc. has deals with Google and other top technology companies that allow it to market to new hires. First Republic Bank -- which gave Facebook Inc. billionaire Mark Zuckerberg a 1.05% interest-rate mortgage -- has opened branches in Facebook and Twitter Inc. headquarters. San Francisco Federal Credit Union will finance 100% of houses costing up to $2 million. Michael Tannenbaum, senior vice president of SoFi's mortgage group, calls it 'white-glove service.' Lenders often give special treatment to the wealthy, of course, but the tech industry has created a particularly ripe crop of clients who are rich or on their way. It's a smart bet to cater to a sector that's created thousands of millionaires and dozens of billionaires, says Glenn Kelman, chief executive officer of the brokerage Redfin. The downside is that the most expensive U.S. housing region is becoming 'a no-fly zone for anyone outside technology'..." July 26 - Bloomberg (Lillian Chen Jacob Gu): "For David Wong, the business of selling homes isn't as good this year as it was in 2015, and he's blaming that on a decline in customers from China. 'The residential-property market here, especially for those priced between $2.5 million to $3 million, has been affected by China's measures to control capital flight,' said the New York City-based Keller Williams Realty Landmark broker. 'You need to cut the price, or it may take a real long time.' Wong is not the only one who has felt the cooling in the U.S. real estate market for foreign buyers. Total sales to Chinese buyers in the 12 months through March fell for the first time since 2011, to $27.3 billion from $28.6 billion a year earlier... The number of properties purchased by Chinese also declined to 29,195 units from 34,327 units." July 26 - Bloomberg (Oshrat Carmiel): "Apartment construction in New York and San Francisco is taking its toll on landlords, with Equity Residential, the largest publicly traded U.S. multifamily owner, cutting its revenue forecast for the third time this year. Equity Residential expects revenue growth from properties open at least a year to be 3.5% to 4% in 2016... The... real estate investment trust in late April lowered the upper limit to 5%, then reduced it again in June to 4.5%. 'After five consecutive years of exceptional fundamentals, elevated levels of new supply and slowing growth of higher paying jobs in San Francisco and New York have created headwinds,' Chief Executive Officer David J. Neithercut said..." July 26 - Wall Street Journal (Eliot Brown): "Concerns about Silicon Valley's housing shortage are turning the world's leading social media company into an apartment developer. Fast-growing Facebook Inc. is in the midst of a push to expand its headquarters complex in its hometown of Menlo Park, Calif., a plan for 6,500 new employees that has rankled some locals frustrated with crowding. So in an effort to shore up city support, Facebook earlier this month made an unusual pledge for a tech company. It would build at least 1,500 units of housing, meant not specifically for Facebook employees, but for the general public." July 29 - Bloomberg (Prashant Gopal): "The U.S. homeownership rate fell to the lowest in more than 50 years as rising prices put buying out of reach for many renters. The share of Americans who own their homes was 62.9% in the second quarter, the lowest since 1965... It was the second straight quarterly decrease, down from 63.5% in the previous three months." China Bubble Watch: July 26 - Bloomberg: "China's banking regulator is proposing tighter rules for the nation's $3.5 trillion market for wealth-management products, a person with knowledge of the matter said, as the government moves to rein in shadow-financing risks. The China Banking Regulatory Commission has drafted regulations designed to protect mass-market investors, limit the involvement of smaller banks and ensure that lenders have adequate capital to cushion against potential losses... Restrictions would be placed on banks with less than 5 billion yuan ($750 million) of net capital or fewer than three years of experience with wealth-management products, the person said. They would be required to invest the proceeds of any WMPs they issue in less-risky assets, such as government bonds and bank deposits, the person added... The outstanding value of China's WMPs rose to 23.5 trillion yuan, or 35% of the country's gross domestic product, at the end of 2015, from 7.1 trillion yuan three years earlier..." July 23 - Reuters (Elias Glenn): "TAs China's economy notches up another quarter of steady growth, the pace of credit creation grows ever more frantic for every extra unit of production... The world's second-largest economy grew 6.7% in the first half of the year... testament to policymakers' determination to regulate the pace of slowdown... Analysts say that determination has come at the cost of a dangerous rise in debt, which is six times less effective at generating growth than a few years ago. 'The amount of debt that China has taken in the last 5-7 years is unprecedented,' said Morgan Stanley's head of emerging markets, Ruchir Sharma... 'No developing country in history has taken on as much debt as China has taken on on a marginal basis.' ...From 2003 to 2008, when annual growth averaged more than 11%, it took just one yuan of extra credit to generate one yuan of GDP growth... It took two for one from 2009-2010, when Beijing embarked on a massive stimulus program... The ratio had doubled again to four for one in 2015, and this year it has taken six yuan for every yuan of growth..., twice even the level in the United States during the debt-fueled housing bubble... Total bond debt in China is up over 50% in the past 18 months to 57 trillion yuan ($8.5 trillion)..., and new total social financing, the widest measure of credit provided by China's central bank, rose 10.9% in the first half of 2016 to 9.75 trillion yuan." July 26 - South China Morning Post (Vivian Lin): "China's shadow banking system continues to expand at a torrid clip amid strong demand for credit, with assets held by these less-regulated lenders equivalent to 78% of annual economic output at the start of the year, according to Moody's... The credit rating agency's July Shadow Banking Monitor report, showed credit growth - as measured by total social financing (TSF) - rose 11 percentage points in the first half of 2016 to 217% at the end of June, outpacing nominal GDP. 'The increasing size of the shadow banking system means that during a disorderly contraction, banks could have difficulty replacing shadow banking credit, leaving borrowers who rely on such financing at risk of a credit crunch,' Moody's said. However, the report also said that TSF, in its measurement of credit growth in the financial system, fails to capture up to one-third of shadow banking activity... 'We estimate that shadow banking assets grew by 30% in 2015, reaching almost 54 trillion yuan at end-year, equivalent to 78% of GDP,' said the Moody's report." July 25 - Financial Times (Tom Mitchell): "A front-page article in the People's Daily in May sent shockwaves through the Chinese bureaucracy. It quoted an unidentified 'authoritative figure' warning readers... about the country's dangerous addiction to debt. After a tumultuous start to the year..., the government had needed strong first-quarter growth to restore confidence in its ability to manage the world's second-largest economy. So there was relief when it was announced, on April 15, that the economy had grown 6.7% in that period. The feeling soon evaporated, however, over concerns that the growth had been 'bought' at the expense of financial discipline. In January alone, banks had issued Rmb2.54tn ($380bn) in new loans, expanding China's property bubble and giving rise to a new one on its commodity exchanges. According to party and government insiders, the article -- a blunt warning that things had to change -- was written by one of President Xi Jinping's key economic advisers..." July 25 - Bloomberg: "China's top internet regulator ordered major online companies including Sina Corp. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. to stop original news reporting, the latest effort by the government to tighten its grip over the country's web and information industries... The companies have 'seriously violated' internet regulations by carrying plenty of news content obtained through original reporting, causing 'huge negative effects,' according to a report... The sweeping ban gives authorities near-absolute control over online news and political discourse..." Japan Watch: July 27 - Reuters (Leika Kihara and Stanley White): "Japan's prime minister unveiled a surprisingly large $265 billion stimulus package... to reflate the world's third-largest economy, adding pressure on the central bank to match the measures with monetary stimulus later this week. The earlier-than-expected announcement to boost the flagging economy sent Japanese and other Asian stock markets higher while it weighed on the safe-haven yen, but lacked crucial details on how much of the package would be direct government spending. The size of the package, at more than 28 trillion yen ($265.30bn), exceeds initial estimates of around 20 trillion yen and is nearly 6% the size of Japan's economy. It will consist of 13 trillion yen in 'fiscal measures,' which likely includes spending by national and local governments, as well as loan program." July 29 - Bloomberg (Enda Curran and Toru Fujioka): "After more than three years of pumping out wave after wave of cheap money that's failed to secure its inflation target, the Bank of Japan has signaled a rethink. Instead of buying yet more government bonds, cutting interest rates or pushing further into uncharted territory, the BOJ disappointed some Friday when its policy meeting concluded with only a modest adjustment. Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, 71, and his colleagues declared it was time to assess the impact of their policies, which have variously spurred strong criticism from bankers, bond dealers and some lawmakers and former BOJ executives." July 29 - Bloomberg (Toru Fujioka Masahiro Hidaka): "The Bank of Japan kept its key monetary tools unchanged, and will mount a comprehensive review of its policy framework due to 'considerable uncertainty' about the outlook for inflation, which has consistently underperformed the central bank's forecasts. The yen jumped. Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and his team did enlarge a program of buying exchange traded funds by 2.7 trillion yen ($26bn) a year, in a move to shore up confidence in light of post-Brexit volatility in financial markets and a slowdown in emerging markets. A dollar-lending facility was also expanded... Kuroda reiterated that further easing will be done if needed and said the central bank hasn't hit a policy limit." July 23 - Reuters (Tetsushi Kajimoto): "Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said... he would ease policy further if necessary to achieve its 2% inflation goal, while reiterating a commitment to continue with the current stimulus until prices are anchored there. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, Kuroda maintained an upbeat view on the Japanese economy and price outlook in spite of rising market expectations for more BOJ monetary stimulus." July 29 - Financial Times (Mehreen Khan): "It's not yet recovery by a thousand cuts, but the world's central banks appear to be heading there. Although the Bank of Japan resisted cutting interest rates on Friday, the Bank of England is widely expected to do so next week in a move that would take the total number of post-crisis global central bank cuts to 673, according to figures from JPMorgan Asset Management. In the eight years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the world's top 50 central banks have on average cut rates once every three trading days, notes Alex Dryden at the investment bank. Despite a moderate global recovery, central banks have barely had any time to breath since the summer of 2008 -- carrying out mass asset purchases and entering into negative rate territory." EM Watch: July 29 - Bloomberg (Anna Edgerton and Mario Sergio Lima): "Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and six other people, including Andre Esteves of BTG Pactual, were formally charged by a federal judge for allegedly interfering in the country's largest-ever corruption investigation. Lula, Esteves and the others are accused of trying to obstruct the graft probe known as Carwash that has rocked Brazil's political establishment and led to the arrest of some of the country's top business leaders. Extensive corruption in Brazilian public companies has been unveiled by police investigations with the help of dozens of plea bargain deals." July 29 - Bloomberg (Anto Antony): "ICICI Bank Ltd., India's largest private sector lender by assets, posted a 25% drop in first-quarter profit as provisions for bad debt rose. Net income fell to 22.3 billion rupees ($333 million), or 3.83 rupees a share, in the three months ended June 30, from 29.8 billion rupees, or 5.09 rupees, a year earlier..." Leveraged Speculator Watch: July 26 - Financial Times (Mary Childs): "Global hedge funds suffered net outflows of $20.7bn in June, as investors pulled more of their money out despite improved performance from most managers. After inflows in April and May, the withdrawals took total aggregate net redemptions for the second quarter to $10.7bn, according... eVestment, marking the third consecutive quarter in which money has left the sector. This represents the longest sequence of quarterly outflows since the second quarter of 2009... In the first three months of 2016, hedge fund redemptions were the worst seen in any quarter for seven years, as investors withdrew more than $15bn, according to data from Hedge Fund Research." Geopolitical Watch: July 27 - Reuters (Ben Blanchard, David Brunnstrom and Idrees Ali): "China and Russia will hold 'routine' naval exercises in the South China Sea in September, China's Defence Ministry said..., adding that the drills were aimed at strengthening their cooperation and were not aimed at any other country. The exercises come at a time of heightened tension in the contested waters after an arbitration court in The Hague ruled this month that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea and criticized its environmental destruction there. China rejected the ruling and refused to participate in the case." Gold And Silver - Merkel: Example Of How Clinton Is A Globalist Puppet Precious Metals Bull Phase 1: Final Impulse Dead Ahead	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line982
__label__wiki	0.691757	0.691757	Power, Morals and the Game of Thrones The SAIS Observer Staff October 16, 2016 October 16, 2016 Opinion BY KEVIN HACK (Guest Contributor) “Game of Thrones,” the television series and pop culture phenomenon, along with “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the fantasy fiction series that inspired it, tell a story that is fundamentally of politics in its most personal, primeval and brutal forms. Newcomers to the fantasy genre, prior to the rise of George R.R. Martin’s fantastical reinterpretation of the historical War of the Roses in 15th century England, likely associated the genre with the moralist stories of J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis or perhaps darker sword and sorcery novels, most notably Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian series. Unlike the Low or High fantasy settings, Westeros and Essos assign no morality to power. In doing so, its story is a space for the discussion of morals. But where morals may differ, twist, bend, and break, the accumulation and leverage of power are absolute. And the distribution of power is by definition the study of politics, a familiar field to us here at SAIS. Starting with the Starks, the series’ protagonists, this separation of power and morals is perhaps most pertinent. The Starks are the idealists in all of us, and like their ignorant idealism, it is either beaten into oblivion by the harsh realities of the world or forged by necessity into something more pragmatic. Ned Stark, an outsider from the isolated North, descends upon King’s Landing and attempts to impose fiscal austerity and opposition to the “corrupt” domination of the realm by the wealthy Lannisters. Ned Stark, the new Hand of the King is received about as well as the IMF’s structural adjustment programs. Like so many foreigners attempting to set the developing world on the right path, Ned is far too concerned with what the realm should be to consider how to make the best of what actually is. Ned is uncompromising in his honor and the realm is uncompromising with him. While there is certainly more to explore in the ethical implications of Ned Stark’s political failures and the subsequent tales of his unfortunate offspring, the story’s most compelling and complex characters lie beyond the simplistic protagonists of the former Lords of Winterfell. None make this clearer than the Lannisters, particularly Tywin and his daughter, Cersei. Tywin, the greatest politician in Westeros, masters the art of political leverage. His armies, despite failing in the face of the upstart general Robb Stark, are ultimately victorious against the North after brutal deception at the Red Wedding, while simultaneously thwarting the assault of veteran general Stannis Baratheon on King’s Landing. Tywin is a master of effective coalition building, undermining his enemies while creating loyal allies. Some, such as the Freys and the Boltons, live in both debt and fear, while others, like the Tyrells, engage in quiet competition. Ironically, for every success Tywin ensures, there is a mirrored failure by his children in the wake of his death. Where Tywin enriched allies, Cersei empowers the violent extremism of the Faith of the Seven. But perhaps the most blatantly familiar demonstration of an abuse of political power comes from everyone’s favorite character, Daenerys Targaryen. Daenerys’s immense political influence and power stem from her dragons that are, strategically, the closest thing Essos has to weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). And, like anyone who really shouldn’t have WMDs, Daenerys doesn’t really know how they work or sometimes, where they even are. Daenerys uses the immense power her dragons offer to impose her own morality on a series of cities engaged in the slave trade, which while certainly deplorable from a modernist view of what is clearly not a modern society, also basically fueled the entire economy of the southern half of that continent. Daenerys shows an inability to transform political power into popular support, especially when she ruined the lives of thousands to ensure that other thousands could live in continued misery, but with subjectively valuable freedom, namely the freedom to rage a violent campaign of reprisals against their former masters. Daenerys learns, through tragedy, how carefully balanced the application and threat of violence must be to ensure the stability of states. In her fervor to defeat her newfound enemies, she presumes too much of her “allies” and, in her campaign of “liberation”, she fails at the task of actual statecraft. This only begins to scratch the surface of “Game of Thrones” and its very real connection to the modern political world. While we may not necessarily be as scared of the dead coming back to life and invading Minnesota, it tells an intriguing and heavy story of choices, consequences, morality and most importantly: power. Previous Americans, It’s Not Always about America Next Italian PM Urges Students to Elevate Political Discourse	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line984
__label__wiki	0.786633	0.786633	A Donna Summer Bio-Musical in the Works September 7th, 2016 \| By Ryan McPhee Waitress may have pies, but a particularly soggy cake is heading to the stage, and we don’t think that we can take it (‘cause it took so long to bake it). A Donna Summer bio-musical is in development, and according to the New York Post, a recent reading took place with Des McAnuff at the helm. Choreographer Sergio Trujillo, who worked with McAnuff on Jersey Boys, is also on board. The show is designed to follow the disco diva at three stages in life: childhood, the height of her stardom and the subsequent fall (Summer died in 2012 following a battle with lung cancer). Ariana DeBose, who appeared as the Bullet in Hamilton and will return to the stage this fall in A Bronx Tale, played Summer at her height in the workshop; Broadway alum Katrina Lenk took on the gender-bending role of Summer’s husband and manager Helmuth Sommer. The show follows a similar structure to the previously announced Cher bio-musical, which, according to the Twitter poet laureate herself, will receive a reading of sorts in the near future. That show will feature a book by Rick Elice, who penned the McAnuff-helmed Jersey Boys.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line985
__label__wiki	0.836509	0.836509	← Bird’s Eye View – The 1884 Poole Map Researching Your House History → Posted on July 7, 2019 by donbayley/Webmaster The Only Way to Get to to Barnstable Today’s Old County Road in East Sandwich follows the original route of the Old King’s Highway which followed native American trails meandering along the southern edge of Scorton Marsh. Until about 1847, there wasn’t a road where Route 6A is today. Old County Road was part of the “Barnstable and Sandwich Road” and was the only way to get from Sandwich Center to Barnstable village. (CLICK MAP FOR LARGER VIEW) On the map you will also see Old Mill Road. This was a main thoroughfare to and from South Sandwich and was also known as “the Road to Falmouth.” Today it is a dead-end, totally cut off from South Sandwich (and Falmouth) by the Mid-Cape Highway. A Busy Village with a Tavern Because Old County Road was the main thoroughfare for stage coaches, the area in the vicinity of the Nye Homestead became a busy country village between roughly 1750 and 1850. The area was known as Cedarville. There was a gristmill, carding mill, a general store, a cobbler, hatter, tannery, two blacksmith shops, a boat shop, post office, about 8 farms, a stagecoach stop and a tavern. #108 Old County Road: Former Hall Tavern and Library The tavern was at 108 Old County Road. It is thought the house here started as a smaller dwelling probably built by Benjamin Nye (1673-1750) who acquired land here around 1699 when he married Hannah Backus. A larger house was then built and occupied by son Benjamin Nye (1717-1801) on his marriage in 1740 to Mary Swift. In 1794 Benjamin sold the property to Joseph Hall and he opened a tavern. An advertisement dated Dec 2, 1830 notified the public that Hall had “…opened his Commodious House…for a TAVERN—where good entertainment will be furnished, and strict attention paid to the comfort of customers.” Hall added 2 wings and extensive ells with auxiliary shops. Another ad stated he sold dry goods, school books, hardware, “West India Goods and groceries,…gunpowder, Shot of all sizes, Percussion Caps, …iron ploughs” and tools. Hall was also a Postal Agent. The tavern closed in the 1850s when the Cape Cod Railway was pushed through and there was no longer a need for a stage coach stop. In 1857 Hall’s son Joseph wrote a poem about the tavern, grocery and stores titled “Our Village: or Old Times and New.” Mill Pond Farm The Hall Tavern building later became a farm house. In 1866 Hall’s widow Lydia sold the house back into the Nye family and Samuel Henry Nye, a Civil War veteran established here a rather progressive enterprise called “Mill Pond Farm.” He was able to specialize in dairy products due to the cooling provided by water from an artesian well and an excellent springhouse. The farm had Jersey cattle, poultry, an ice house, orchards, trout pools and a windmill to pump water and run machinery. Cedarville School Cedarville also had its own school. Before centralization the town was divided into 20 numbered school districts. The Cedarville school was in District II, and was located on a small hill a hundred yards northwest of the Old County Rd. railroad crossing near Hoxie Pond as shown on the 1857 and 1880 maps. The one-room school was known for its excellent teachers and enthusiastic students. By 1845 people who attended the school organized a Friday night reading circle which met in various homes, including the Benjamin Nye Homestead & Museum, and a bi-weekly, hand-written, single-copy literary magazine called the “Cedarville Gem,” which was passed from house to house. This creative effort continued until 1861. Desk from Cedarville School on Display at the Nye Museum In 1878, men who had been pupils in the old school house there, formed the Cedarville School Association, bought the building and lot, and from city and farm, wherever scattered, held a mid-summer meeting within the walls of the old school house. It was modeled into a suitable hall and was the meeting place of the East Sandwich Grange until its own hall was completed. In 1896 the school building was moved to what is now Cedarville Road (a private way), and remade into a farmhouse. It was occupied by R. Frank Armstrong and his wife Rosa 1896-1907, rented for a while, then given by Rosa to her daughter Anna and husband Sam White. Granddaughter Rasanna Cullity now lives in the old Cedarville School building and has donated to the Benjamin Nye Homestead & Museum an original school desk, school books and other items from the school, as passed down through her family. These school artifacts are kept in the rear upstairs exhibit room of the Homestead. 1857 map showing locations of the Cedarville School, J. Hoxie and S. Nye houses, the Grist Mill and the tavern ("Mrs. Hall"). (CLICK MAP FOR LARGER VIEW) Cedarville Library 108 Old County Road, which housed the tavern, was also a library. From 1861 to 1914 the Cedarville Library operated in a front room of the house. It started with 25 volumes which grew to over 500 in the years to come. Ruth Nye was the librarian, her husband, Samuel, and several neighbors served as trustees. The house and farm passed to Nye’s daughter Rosa who married R. Frank Armstrong. In 1979 their son Lindsay Armstrong, a former Selectman, recorded an oral history interview which is in the Town Archives. Original books and records from the Cedarville Library can be seen today at the Benjamin Nye Homestead & Museum. The Nye Grist Mill, Homestead and Grange Hall In 1665 the Town of Sandwich gave 12 acres in East Sandwich to Benjamin Nye (1620-c.1704), one of the town’s early and long-term settlers, for the purpose of building a grist mill. The reason for this was to encourage competition because Thomas Dexter Jr., who ran the grist mill in the center of Sandwich, was taking a larger toll from each bushel than town officials thought he should get. Nye completed building his mill in 1669 on a creek running from Nye Pond (which crosses under today’s Old County Road). He added a fulling mill to the site in 1676. In 1678 he moved his family from earlier dwelling on Spring Hill to a house built next to the mill at today’s #85 Old County Road. Nye Homestead and Grange Hall In 1806 the Nye mill contained the first carding machines on Cape Cod. This mill was operated by the Nye family until 1867 when it was abandoned. In 1889 a building was moved to the site from Centerville and a second gristmill was established. It did not do too well and the site was purchased by John Armstrong who ran a jewelry and electroplating shop in the building which is still standing today. He and John Carlton started a fish hatchery on the site which was taken over by the Commonwealth in 1912. Located between the Nye Homestead and Armstrong’s old shop is the East Sandwich Grange. In History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, edited by Simeon L. Deyo 1890 we read: “Grange, No. 139, of East Sandwich, was chartered March 4, 1887, with a membership of 21. Samuel H. Nye was chosen master; John F. Carlton, lecturer; Mrs. Jerome Holway, secretary: and Joseph Ewer, overseer. In 1889 this Grange numbered 52, and an association was formed by its members, called The East Sandwich Mill and Hall Association, the object being to erect a grist mill and Grange Hall. A mill was purchased at Centerville, transported and erected upon the site where Dea. Samuel H. Nye’s mill stood so long; and a commodious hall for public use, as well as their own, has been erected apart from the grist mill. The stockholders are members of the Grange but others than members were permitted to take shares. Joseph Ewer was elected president of the association and Samuel H. Nye, superintendent.” In 1924 the Nye property including a game farm was given to the Commonwealth which had earlier acquired the fish hatchery. Early concrete in-ground fish tanks remain behind the Grange building, while more recent above-ground circular metal tanks are located behind the Nye house. The hatchery was abandoned around 1990 but the Commonwealth still operates a workshop here. In 1962 the Nye Family of America Association regained ownership of the Benjamin Nye Homestead and since then has been operating it as a museum. They acquired the East Sandwich Grange Hall in 1991. The Nye Homestead is open for tours. Check their website for information. Hoxie Shoots a Wolf; Daniel Webster Fished Here The house at 82 Old County Road (across the street from the Nye Homestead) started as a full cape ca.1765 but was “raised up” to a colonial style at some point. It was occupied by Joseph Nye III (1742-1816) on his marriage to Mary Winslow. Area historian John Nye Cullity stated that this house is “a superb example of a well preserved, late 18th Century structure.” Joseph was a Selectman, a Representative and a distinguished Patriot leader in Sandwich during the Revolution. "Cedarvile" Today: #82 Old County Rd./Joseph Nye III House on right Number 82 Old County Road passed to Joseph’s nephew also a Joseph, to his son Joseph Jr. and thence was sold, in 1822, to another Joseph: Joseph Hoxie (1798-1890). Hoxie was an important member of the community and of Friends Meeting (Quakers). He kept a shoe shop near the Nye Mill. He was also farmer, postmaster, school committeeman and a Selectman. Joseph also served 2 terms as a state Representative. In June, 1829, he shot a much sought-after wolf which, in previous years, had killed numerous sheep in the Upper Cape area. Hoxie left a large collection of tools, letters and documents to the Sandwich Historical Society/Glass Museum. The house appears on the 1857 and 1880 maps as “J. Hoxie.” In 1904 it passed to Lucy Hoxie (1843-1909) and in 1909 was sold to Samuel and Hannah Jillson. Sam worked at the East Sandwich Fish Hatchery right across the road. There is a pond in back where it is said that Daniel Webster, Grover Cleveland and Joseph Jefferson liked to fish. I am deeply appreciative of local historian John Nye Cullity who spent time answering all my questions and correcting all my errors. Please note this is a work in progress and more will be added (and amended) as time permits. Sources Consulted “Cedarville Gem,” Jan., Feb., Mar., 1848, Percy F. Rex Collection, Sturgis Library, MS. 10 Cross, Timothy A., Sandwich Historical Commission, Massachusetts Historical Commission Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) Form B, 4/7/1972 Cullity, John and Rosanna, A Sandwich Album, The Nye Family of America Association, 1987 Deyo, Simeon L.., History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1890 Fawcett, Marise, Nye Homestead Lovell, Russell. Sandwich. A Cape Cod Town. Town of Sandwich Archives and Historical Center. William S. Sullwold Publishing, Inc. Taunton, Mass. 1984. Massachusetts Historical Commission Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) SDW.O: Old County Road Area SDW.R: Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Nye Family Association booklet: “The Benjamin Nye Homestead;” website: https://www.nyefamily.org Nye Family Newsletter, No. 68, 2010 Sandwich Broadsider, 9/23/1987 Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 Town of Sandwich Archives and Historical Center. Nye Family Records; Historic Asset Files Town of Sandwich Tax Records, 1790-1839 This entry was posted in Articles, History of Sandwich. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line986
__label__cc	0.64718	0.35282	Condry, Rachel « Back To Faculty Main Toggle navigation Faculty Clarinet, Group Class / Program Classical, Jazz & Blues (Gospel, Traditional, Funk), New Music, Traditional Folk (Us/Int) Rachel Condry (1998) Rachel Condry is an Oakland based clarinetist, improviser, composer and educator. Her musical interests span from pop to classical to free improvisation to acousmatic composition. She often collaborates with other artist, poets and dancers. In 2005, Rachel made her Carnegie Hall debut with The Matt Small Chamber Ensemble, a group that blends jazz and classical approaches with free improvisation. She is also a founding member of the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra and is the principal clarinetist of the Golden Gate Park Band, the oldest civic band in the nation. In addition to teaching at Community Music Center, Rachel maintains a studio in Berkeley, CA where she teaches private and group lessons in clarinet, recorder, improvisation and chamber music. She has recently taught an undergraduate improvisation ensemble at Mills College. Rachel holds an MFA from Mills College and a BA and BM from Oberlin College and Conservatory.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line988
__label__cc	0.596011	0.403989	Use of erythropoietin in cancer patients: assessment of oncologists' practice patterns in the United States and other countries. PURPOSE: To assess physician use of erythropoietin in cancer patients before publication of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/American Society of Hematology guidelines. METHODS: Questionnaires about erythropoietin use in practice and 12 hypothetical clinical scenarios involving patients with cancer were mailed to 2000 oncologists/hematologists in the United States and 19 other countries. Response rates were 30% in the United States and 25% internationally. Data on erythropoietin use for ovarian cancer were obtained from one clinical trial. Multivariate regression models assessed predictors of erythropoietin prescription. RESULTS: Most physicians selected a hemoglobin level < or =10 g/dL as an upper threshold for erythropoietin use (36% to 51% of U.S. physicians and 21% to 32% of foreign physicians). Frequent erythropoietin use (defined as use in at least 10% of cancer patients) was higher in the United States than elsewhere (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.5 to 13.4). Among U.S. physicians, those who said they used erythropoietin frequently were more likely to be in fee-for-service than managed care settings (OR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.7). Those who reported never using erythropoietin practiced in countries that had lower annual per capita health care expenditures, lower proportions of privately funded health care, and a national health service (P <0.05 for all comparisons). Of 235 ovarian cancer patients who received topotecan, 38% (45/118) of U.S. patients and 2% (2/117) of European patients who developed grade 1 anemia (hemoglobin level between 10 and 12 g/dL) were treated with erythropoietin (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: Financial considerations and a hemoglobin level <10 g/dL appear to influence erythropoietin use in the United States, whereas financial considerations alone determine erythropoietin use abroad. Lyman, Gary Herbert Adams, JR; Elting, LS; Lyman, GH; George, JN; Lembersky, BC; Armitage, JO; Demetri, GD; Bennett, CL The American Journal of Medicine 10.1016/j.amjmed.2003.06.004 Antineoplastic Agents Cross-Cultural Comparison Drug Utilization Fee-for-Service Plans Hemoglobinometry Managed Care Programs Physician's Practice Patterns Practice Guidelines as Topic	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line993
__label__wiki	0.809868	0.809868	Cath Murray Tue 4th Dec 2018, 5.00 The 'family services' AP trust ACE Schools Trust “You put on your big girl pants and get on with it” ACE Schools Multi Academy Trust, an alternative provision trust in Devon, is developing a new way to provide wraparound family support to get children out of the “downward spiral” of those who’ve fallen under the radar If you’ve read the recent stories in the media, you’d be forgiven for thinking that alternative provision is a terrifying underworld of knife crime and drug runners. I’m on a whirlwind tour of the southwest’s largest AP provider to test this assumption first-hand. From a converter pupil referral unit in 2010, ACE Schools Trust now runs 14 sites around Plymouth for children who’ve been excluded and/or have special educational needs. It’s contracted to do home visits to all those identified by Plymouth City Council as being home-schooled, and it provides wraparound education packages to pupils with complex special needs across Devon and Cornwall. It has also just had a free school approved, but Sarah Gillett, its chief executive, is more occupied with how to provide more wraparound family support to get children out of what Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector, has called the “downward spiral” of those who’ve fallen under the radar. The work has to start at family level, “because nobody gives a toss about the French Revolution if they’ve had to clear up their mother’s substance abuse from the night before”. Frankie-Jo and Henry with sensory therapeutic aids at Dover Road specialist base To do this, the trust is planning to set up a not-for-profit subsidiary company, ACE Family, to provide complex family support and intervention. “We will be commissioned at cost, it’s not designed to turn a book, we’re all paid by taxpayers’ money,” she says. With Edward Timpson’s review of alternative provision due next year, this could be a model to consider. Gillett and Paul Winterton, her director of school improvement, have picked me up from Plymouth station and I’m leaning forward in the BMW X3, trying to keep up with what they’re saying over the noise of the engine and the lashing rain. “It’s a vehicle for delivery of a wraparound care element for families and to get the kid back in school, back attending and back achieving. That should always be the common denominator of every family that we deal with.” Gillett strikes me as the kind of woman who would battle a gale-force wind and emerge unfazed. The trust’s longer-term aim is to add children’s homes to the mix, although legal restrictions could make this problematic. Subsidiaries of academy trusts cannot borrow money without the consent of the education secretary, and the default position is currently to refuse, says Antony Power, a partner at Michelmores, the law firm helping to set up ACE Family. This prevents academy trusts from following the model of social housing providers, which typically use trading subsidiaries to develop private housing then gift-aid any profit back to the main provider. ACE Schools Trust never turns away a child, and it never permanently excludes. But it does make judicious use of the criminal justice system. “If you do swing at somebody maliciously and you do hurt them, then there is going to be a consequence. That is life,” says the 44-year-old CEO, who has, over a long career in pupil referral units and high-risk residential settings, been stabbed twice and had her ribs, collarbone, and eye socket broken. Very few young people are born with the propensity to enjoy violence “I’m no bleeding heart,” is one of her stock phrases. She is someone who cares deeply – something that is shown by the way she talks to and about the children in her care, and by the way they speak about their provision. Part of the trust leadership strategy is that everyone spends at least a couple of days every term “on the shop floor”. Gillett worked as a teaching assistant on a school trip last summer: “I loved it – probably more than doing the political stuff. It’s not about being super pious but, from a leadership point of view, it’s really important to remain connected with your staff and the young people and their stories.” She’s no victim, either. “And neither are my staff,” she insists. “If you get hurt, it’s normally because you’re trying to get the young person to go somewhere where they don’t want to go and because they’re in such a state of heightened anxiety they are flitting through the building ready to do something – or you are trying to break up a fight and you put yourself in harm’s way.” It’s usually the youngest children who lash out, while teenagers are filled with remorse when they realise they’ve hurt a staff member. “I’ve been doing this for 20-odd years, and I’ve worked with some really, really acutely violent young people, specifically when I was back in residential,” Gillett says. “Very few young people are born with the propensity to enjoy violence. It’s conditioned as a behaviour for defence.” Sam Maguire, Outreach lead at Courtlands School, running an assembly The trust operates a triage-on-entry system that splits them into 11 different categories. One of the distinctions is between those who are “acting out” and those who are “turning on themselves”, with the latter educated at Dover Road, a specialist mental health base. Fifteen-year-old Frankie-Jo has been at Dover Road for more than two years. She chats at length about how the school feels like a big family, and how lucky she feels to have been able to stay for so long Generally young people come and go, as the school works hard to place them back in mainstream. Frankie-Jo, who suffers from psychotic episodes and does regular residential stays in a mental health hospital, arrived in year 9 and will stay through her GCSEs. She’s doing English, science, maths, history, geography, PE and citizenship and wants to be a mental health nurse. She struggled in mainstream, saying that some teachers lacked patience when she couldn’t concentrate, and pupils made jokes about mental health and suicide. “I didn’t take it well and I got put in isolation. I was in there for months on end, because I was just dangerous, apparently.” Despite her obvious emotion as she tells me her story, she never holds back. Her honesty is disarming. Teaching resilience is a big part of the job. “One of the main common denominators across all of our young people,” Gillett says, “whether they are with us for mental health issues, teenage parents, kids who are in hospital and are suffering from life-limiting illnesses, is a lack of personal resilience, a lack of self-reliance. I manage what, £15 million, 300-odd people, and a lot of risks. Sometimes I don’t feel like getting out of bed, but you know what? I do. Because you have a word to yourself, put your big girl pants on and get on with it.” If you do swing at somebody maliciously and you do hurt them, then there is going to be a consequence The tough love doesn’t stop here. What the trust staff also teach – which is often true for the children that end up in their care – is that they can’t wait for others to sort out their life: they need to learn to rely on themselves. “The first time you try it, you feel a little braver than last time and a little more able to cope,” she says, tiger-mum fashion. Henry went to six secondary schools before he arrived at Dover Road. He was often agitated in class and would become disruptive, and his mum would get regular calls from schools wanting to send him home. He’s now going through a diagnostic assessment for ASD and has developed a five-point scale to help him to self-identify when his risk of disruptive behaviour is increasing. At four, the teacher will allow him to step outside the classroom to do a lap of the courtyard or to massage a squishy. “This is the best school I’ve probably ever been in,” says the year 9 pupil, whose enunciation and sentence structure belie his age. “It’s definitely relieved a lot of stress on my whole family. I wasn’t in full-time education for about 18 months.” Part of the preparation for returning to mainstream – which Henry is determined to do – is learning that life isn’t always fair, that sometimes you just have to lump it. “A teacher can be just as unreasonable as anybody else,” says Winterton as he weaves through Plymouth traffic to deliver me to the trust’s primary special school. “How do you cope with the teacher who’s being unreasonable about why you’re late for the lesson? You don’t argue about it because you’re not going to win.” Gillett adds: “Sometimes you’ll hear young people say, ‘They didn’t treat me with respect so I didn’t show it to them.’ Well, what’s the truth of the matter? You’re 13. They’re in a position of responsibility. You talk like that to a policeman, what do you think is going to happen? So, what would be a better way forward?” Emphasising “choices and consequences” rather than a “tariff system” with transgressions linked to specific sanctions, gives the practitioners flexibility when debriefing incidents, Winterton says. “We talk about recovering your behaviour. Yes, you’ve lost your temper, now get it right.” For some kids, a zero tolerance policy, with strict firm parameters and transparency, is “absolutely the language they speak”, Gillett says. “But the complexities of support around the social emotional need don’t always readily fit into zero tolerance.” A child with Asperger’s, for example, might struggle with the inflexibility of a zero tolerance policy “just because they are trying to do what they have literally been told”. It’s not just kids with autism, though – it’s also about allowing enough flex in the system to give the young people a chance to make amends. “When you apply a rigidity to any practice, what it does is disavow you from coming back to use anything else.” With 85 per cent of the children referred to ACE’s primary AP base progressing to a special school, it’s natural to wonder whether there isn’t something scandalous about the number of children with special education needs who are excluded. Lee Earnshaw, headteacher at Courtlands, the trust’s primary special school for pupils with social, emotional, mental health (SEMH) needs and moderate learning difficulties, seems to agree, but the waters soon become muddied. Every child who arrives at ACE Primary is eventually diagnosed with an SEMH need. Some of these needs can be worked through and should not necessarily be considered permanent conditions, Earnshaw says. However, once there’s been a diagnosis, “it’s a protected characteristic, it’s a disability”, he says. It’s that age-old problem of the fuzzy boundaries between SEMH and SEND. Lee Earnshaw, headteacher, Courtlands School The problem in getting any child to reintegrate into mainstream is that the special school feels like a safe space. Most pupils will progress from Courtlands to special secondary schools rather than mainstream. “The parents don’t want to risk it,” Earnshaw says – and he doesn’t blame them. The trust does have an outreach team, however, that sends specialists into local mainstream schools to work on behaviour and help to prevent the exclusions in the first place. With ACE Family, that same support will soon be extended to parents. “It’s not rocket science, when we know that social disaffection is generational. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, isn’t it?” Gillett says. “Quite a lot of parents have had really disruptive and really poor experiences of education, and we really try to turn that on its head. My staff are very personable, and we train them to be like that, because we should have our door open, we serve the community.” Trading places: how a trust broke down barriers Amarjit Cheema, chief executive of the Perry Hall Multi-Academy Trust A look inside the only grade 1 UTC St Peter’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, Middlesbrough Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, headteacher, Anderton Park primary school, Birmingham Luke Sibieta, director, Sibieta Economics of Education Interview: Robert Halfon, chair of the education select committee The Policy Debate	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line996
__label__wiki	0.532113	0.532113	Neurobiology of a hallucination Hallucinations are often associated with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia or with LSD and related drugs. Hearing voices is a characteristic symptom which is reported by about 70% of schizophrenic patients, as well as by some 15% of patients with mood disorders such as depression; and… Memory lessons from Homer Simpson In this clip from The Simpsons, Homer explains why he wouldn't benefit from an adult education course: "How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain." As you watched the clip, multiple brain regions were engaged… NeuroPod In the Nature Neuroscience podcast NeuroPod, presenter Kerri Smith talks to authors of new papers from that journal about their research. The August 2008 episode (which is embedded below) includes discussions about the development of the concept of fairness in children and the effects of how… 2,000+ subscribers Last week, the number of subscribers to this blog's RSS feed passed the 2,000 mark, after teetering just below that number for a couple of months. It's very gratifying to know that so many people enjoy my writing, and although this increase in subscriptions is tiny compared to the total number of… Encephalon 53 & Hourglass The 53rd edition of Encephalon is online now at Ionian Enchantment and includes entries about grid cells, cochlear implants and how culture affects the perception of faces. The carnival comes back to it's original home for the next edition - I'll be hosting it here on 15th September. If you'd like… Nature editors, pygmys' brains, etc. The past few days have been rather hectic, hence the lack of updates. On Saturday, I attended and took part in Europe's first science blogging conference, and there were also several other events which had been organized for those who came to the event from abroad. Last Thursday evening, I was… Wilder Penfield, Neural Cartographer The patient lies on the operating table, with the right side of his body raised slightly. The anaesthetist sterilizes his scalp and injects it with Nupercaine to produce analgesia - the patient will remain fully conscious throughout the procedure. Behind the surgical drapes, three large incisions… Cutting out the stone of madness At Bioephemera, Jessica has a fascinating post about depictions of madness in 15th-17th century art, during which time mental illness was popularly attributed to the presence of a "stone of madness" (or "stone of folly") in the head. One of the earliest depictions of this is found in the above… Iron Lady's brain is rusting Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has dementia. In her forthcoming book, which is serialized in the Mail on Sunday (a paper which, I hasten to add, I do not read), Carol Thatcher reveals that her mother's mental faculties have been in decline for the past 7 years: When she learned… Post a comment, win a prize In an effort to get you, my readers, to actively participate in this blog, and also because some of you have been so generous in the past, I've decided to offer prizes to those of you who leave comments. I will send a recently published science book to the reader who posts the most interesting,… Blood, guts & brains The BBC has produced an interesting series called Blood and Guts about the modern history of surgery and the first episode, which is about neurosurgery, is now available online at the BBC iPlayer website. (For those outside the U.K., it is also available as a torrent.) Presented by surgeon Michael… Hendrix at Woodstock Here's some awesome footage of the one and only Jimi Hendrix performing at Woodstock. At around 11 minutes in, he plays the guitar with his teeth. Yes...with his teeth. And it still sounds great. Some of the hippies at the event take a much-needed dip in a lake, so the film does contain a tiny bit… The smell of fear NEARLY 70 years ago, Karl von Frisch described the alarm response in a species of small freshwater fish called the European minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus). Frisch, who was one of the founders ethology - the scientific study of animal behaviour - demonstrated that when a minnow was eaten by a predator,… UCL to host new brain research institute Clay rendered three-dimensional model of the UCL campus, created by Andrew Hudson-Smith of the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, using SketchUp and 3DMax. Nature News reports that UCL will host a centre of excellence for neuroscience research: University College London (UCL) will host the new… Stroke victim gets artistic flair & earns $$$ creating Spore creatures Stroke can be extremely debilitating, but if the damage is not too severe, and appropriate rehabilitation is administered, the brain can reorganize itself to compensate for the loss of function. This reorganization can occur because the brain remains 'plastic' throughout life; it leads to recovery… Harvey Cushing photo journal Harvey Cushing (1869-1939) is considered to be the father of modern neurological surgery. In the early part of the 20th century, he developed basic techniques and instruments for operating on the brain and, as a result, founded the discipline as a distinct surgical speciality. Before Cushing began… Neuro blogs Six more new ones: Encefalus Missives from the Frontal Lobe Neuromics NeoCorTEXT Neurospeculation Nothing's Shocking Plastic, Elastic, the PFC A place of interest, education & curiosity Where is this wonderful place? You're already there! Neurophilosophy gets reviewed for the first time: Neurophilosophy presents a unique opportunity to explore the many facets of the human condition with the guidance of a very well educated tour guide. From cannibalism to athleticism, "molecules… 1960s Ritalin ad This advertisement for Ritalin comes from a 1966 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Ritalin, or methylphenidate, is widely - and controversially - prescribed to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The drug is an amphetamine-like stimulant which… Growth factor receptor governs neurogenesis & sensitivity to antidepressants In 2000, researchers from the Yale University School of Medicine made a surprising discovery that would start to change the way we think about the causes of depression. Ronald Duman and his colleagues chronically administered different classes of antidepressants to rats, and found that this… The stream of thought flows on William James on consciousness and memory: The stream of thought flows on; but most of its segments fall into the bottomless abyss of oblivion. Of some, no memory survives the instant of their passage. Of others, it is confined to a few moments, hours or days. Others, again, leave vestiges which… Phrenological analysis of Ned Kelly's death mask The notorious Australian bushranger Edward "Ned" Kelly was apprehended in 1878, following a confrontation during which he and his gang killed three policemen. Upon his arrest, Kelly was thus described by the police: 5'10" tall, weight 11st 4lbs, medium build, sallow complexion, dark brown hair,… Who's a clever boy then? Self-recognition was long believed to be unique to humans. However, it was established more than 30 years ago that the great apes are capable of recognizing themselves in the mirror, and more recently it has been found that dolphins and elephants can too. Now Prior et al provide the first evidence… Encephalon 52 online now Encephalon 52 is online now at Ouroboros, and includes entries about grandmother cells, the neurobiology of sleep and the use of transcranial direct current stimulation to improve bad driving. "Robot with rat brain" claims are exaggerated Last week, I wote about the robot controlled by a "brain" in a culture dish, and in that post, I mentioned that several other groups, including members of the Neuroengineering Lab at Georgia Tech, have been doing similar work. Steve Potter, who leads one of the groups at Georgia Tech's NeuroLab (… Welcome to your Brain Earlier this year, Sam Wang kindly sent me a copy of Welcome to Your Brain, the recently published book he has written with Sandra Aamodt. In a note slipped inside the book, he tells me that "We've done our best to make it both accessible and informative," and I think that he and Aamodt have… Top 100 Mental Health & Psychology blogs This blog is included in a list of Top 100 Mental Health and Psychology Blogs, compiled by a site called Online University Reviews. The list is divided into a number of categories - general, cognitive and forensic psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, addiction, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder… How Elsevier politicized the life sciences You may have read elsewhere that publishing giant Reed Elsevier has been caught copying Mike Dunford's content without permission (and copyrighting it as their own!), which is extremely hypocritical from a company that opposes the open access movement and makes huge profits from restricting access… "I eat you": A cannibal greeting Here's a nice follow-up to my article about prion diseases. It's an excerpt from Deadly Feasts: The "Prion" Controversy and the Public's Health, by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Richard Rhodes. The book documents the work of Daniel Carleton Gajdusek, the American physician who provided the first… Robot controlled by "brain" in a culture dish Researchers from the Cybernetic Intelligence Research Group at the University of Reading have developed a robot whose movements are controlled by neurons growing in a culture dish. The robot's "brain" consists of several hundred thousand neurons isolated from embryonic rat neocortex. The cortical…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line997
__label__cc	0.508307	0.491693	The privatisation processes of Montenegro, Slovenia and Croatia’s airlines are advancing by News Sibiz \| Apr 2, 2015 \| NEWS Source: Balkans.com The privatisation processes of three national carriers from the former Yugoslavia – Slovenia’s Adria Airways, Croatia Airlines and Montenegro Airlines – are advancing, with the trio expected to sell their shares to foreign investors by the end of the year. Over the weekend, the state-run Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), which is coordinating Adria Airways’ privatisation, selected Dutch-based consulting firm KPMG as a financial advisor for the sale of 91.58% of the airline. The SSH did not wish to disclose any further details on Adria’s sales process, saying only that the public will be informed of any major developments. Previously, the CEO of Adria Airways, Mark Anžur, said it would be best to offer the carrier to small airlines or financial investors, as big European players have “problems of their own”. Mr. Anžur added, “One problem is that a company from outside of the European Union can only take a 49% stake. Our choices are limited, so in my opinion we can realistically expect interest from Europe. We would like someone with a strong capital base, someone who would allow us to focus on growth and give us more freedom with our own finances. Of course, we can survive without a partner as well”. The Croatian government has formally selected the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which finances and provides advice for private sector ventures and projects, and is also a member of the World Bank Group, to find a strategic partner for Croatia Airlines by the end of the year. Commenting on the privatisation process, the carrier’s CEO, Krešimir Kučko, says, “An ideal partner would be someone that would recapitalise the company. A takeover, like the ones we saw in the region and beyond, would not benefit Croatia Airlines”. The CEO adds, “It will be difficult to find a partner from the Far East as they generally do not buy European carriers. On the other hand, companies from the Middle East could show interest. In our view, a strategic partnership should be purely financial. As a company, we no longer have losses and neither are we producing any. Both our international and local suppliers are payed for on time”. Recently, the CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, said that the carrier is looking to acquire airlines that don’t take the resources of Qatar, or attention of Qatar management, to fix issues. “We would be interested to buy a going concern that is profitable and doesn’t need our management time. But I’m not interested in an airline that is in financial trouble and needs restructuring”, Mr. Baker said. Montenegro Airlines is gearing up to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Etihad Airways this June, which could lead to an equity investment on behalf of the Emirati carrier. Montenegro Airlines’ CEO, Daliborka Pejović, recently said, “The new partnership will boost synergies between the two carriers, providing Montenegro Airlines with access to better airport handling services, reduced costs and other benefits enjoyed by Etihad on the market. This partnership is important and will further stimulate Montenegro’s openness and accessibility, serving as the foundation of the country’s transport network”. She added that the two sides are still considering whether the Emirati national carrier should buy a stake in Montenegro Airlines. The Montenegrin government has listed its carrier for privatisation this year reports Ex-YU Aviation News. For more information you can contact company SIBIZ at: info@sibiz.eu	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1000
__label__cc	0.58447	0.41553	1/2 oz 2012 Lunar Year of the Dragon Silver Coin Added 1/2 oz 2012 Lunar Year of the Dragon Silver Coin In 2012, The Perth Mint's internationally renowned Australian Lunar Silver Proof Coin Series II celebrated the Year of the Dragon, the fifth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. These superb proof quality releases are perfect for people born in "dragon" years - 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012 - who are regarded as confident, enterprising, independent, self-assured, brave and passionate. The reverse of each coin depicts a traditional Chinese dragon, a long, scaled, serpentine creature with four legs, and a "pearl of wisdom". The Chinese character for "dragon" and the inscription "Year of the Dragon" also appear in the design with The Perth Mint's traditional "P" mintmark. As well as appealing to silver proof coin collectors, these outstanding releases also make great gifts for people born in any year "ruled" by the Chinese lunar dragon. This coin comes in a coin capsule. Obverse Queen Elizabeth II Reverse The reverse features a dragon with the Chinese "pinyin" character The reverse features a dragon with the Chinese "pinyin" character 1/2 oz 2012 Lunar Year of the Dragon Silver Coin In 2012, The Perth Mint's internationally renowned Australian Lunar Silver Proof Coin Series II celebrated the Year of the Dragon, the fifth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. These superb proof quality releases are perfect for people born in "dragon" years - 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012 - who are regarded as confident, enterprising, independent, self-assured, brave and passionate. The reverse of each coin depicts a traditional Chinese dragon, a long, scaled, serpentine creature with four legs, and a "pearl of wisdom". The Chinese character for "dragon" and the inscription "Year of the Dragon" also appear in the design with The Perth Mint's traditional "P" mintmark. As well as appealing to silver proof coin collectors, these outstanding releases also make great gifts for people born in any year "ruled" by the Chinese lunar dragon.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1003
__label__cc	0.556291	0.443709	Joan Baez in 2003 Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer[1] and activist. Baez is known for her very individual vocal style. She is a soprano with a three-octave vocal range.[2] Many of her songs talk about social issues. She is best known for her 1970s hits "Diamonds & Rust" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". She is also known for "Sweet Sir Galahad" and "Joe Hill." She sang these songs at the 1969 Woodstock festival and the songs became famous. She is also well known due to her relationship with Bob Dylan and her love for activism in areas such as nonviolence, civil and human rights and the environment. 2 Activism 4 Other websites Music[change \| change source] Baez has performed for nearly fifty years.[3] She has released over thirty albums. She has recorded songs in over eight languages. Baez is considered a folksinger, but after the 1960s her music became a lot different from folk. She sings many kinds of music, including rock, pop, country, and gospel. Baez is famous for singing other peoples' songs very differently. She sang songs by The Beatles, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and many others. Activism[change \| change source] Baez protests against social and environmental problems. She did not support the Vietnam War. She did not want people to pay taxes that paid for the Vietnam War. Baez did not want men going to fight in the war. She did not perform in places where people of color were treated differently. In addition, Baez helped found the Resource Center for Nonviolence. The Resource Center for Nonviolence is an organization whose goal is to make social change without violence.[4] ↑ "Joan Baez Facts". LoveToKnow, Corp. Retrieved 19 February 2016. ↑ David Burger (9 July 2009). "Out and about: From Joan Baez to Kurt Bestor". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 19 February 2016. ↑ "Fifty Years of Joan Baez". THIRTEEN/WNET. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2016. ↑ "Gale - Enter Product Login". go.galegroup.com. Retrieved 2018-05-08. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Joan Baez Hear Joan Baez (music and interviews) on the Pop Chronicles (1969). Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joan_Baez&oldid=6548734" Singer-songwriters from New York Singers from New York City Nonviolence advocates	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1006
__label__wiki	0.95826	0.95826	"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song composed by John Lennon, recorded by his band The Beatles in 1966 at Abbey Road Studios, and issued by Parlophone Records and Capitol Records in February 1967, as the B-side to "Penny Lane". 2 Recording 3 Music video 4 Release and public reactions Writing[change \| change source] Lennon began work on "Strawberry Fields Forever" while he was in Almería, Spain, during the time he was appearing in a Dick Lester comedy movie, How I Won the War, which starred Michael Crawford. The lyrics drew on Lennon's memories of Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army home in Liverpool, England, where Lennon went as a boy to garden parties with neighborhood friends. "We always had fun at Strawberry Fields", he later told Playboy Magazine. They also drew on his feelings of alienation and being different. "No one I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low" he explained as not being able to find other people who looked at life the way he did. Recording[change \| change source] Lennon's first demo of "Strawberry Fields Forever" was made with a simple tape recorder, by Lennon himself. He explored different arrangements of instruments, with the Beatles and George Martin in the recording studio, as they began sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. One recorded version of the song used a slide guitar. Another used a Mellotron, and was considered a finished work. Lennon wanted to try another arrangement, though, and asked Martin to compose a score for brass instruments, for another session. This remake was also considered finished. Lennon could not decide which of the two finished versions of the song was best. He liked how the first one began, but preferred the ending of the second, and asked George Martin if they could be edited together. Martin did not see an easy way to do that, because the key and tempo of each version was different. It turned out that studio technology made it possible to join the two versions in an effective way. The first version was speeded up on tape, raising its pitch and tempo, and the second slowed down, lowering its pitch and tempo. With edits between verses, Martin changed from one version to the other. Most listeners never noticed the change, or knew about the edit. Music video[change \| change source] To go with the recording, the Beatles filmed a "promo"; an early kind of music video, in January 1967. The band had begun to grow mustaches, and Lennon began to wear eyeglasses in public, which he rarely did before. The changes made the Beatles look very different from how the public saw them earlier. The kind of glasses Lennon wore (sometimes called "granny glasses"), were issued in England by the National Health Service and the military, and he wore them making How I Won the War. Lennon disliked the style as a boy, but now made it a fad by embracing it. Release and public reactions[change \| change source] The Beatles planned to issue "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" as part of their next album, but EMI asked for a single at the beginning of 1967. The two songs were issued as a single, with "Penny Lane" as the A-side. While "Penny Lane" only reached Number Two in the British record sales chart, it reached Number One in the United States chart. (It was displaced after one week at Number One, by The Turtles, with "Happy Together".) "Strawberry Fields Forever" charted at Number Eight in the US. It is sometimes believed that "Strawberry Fields Forever" describes or suggests the use of drugs, like LSD or even heroin. Lennon admitted that using LSD and other drugs influenced his songwriting, but made no references to any drug, or drug use, in the song. In the years after Lennon's death, his cowriter and fellow Beatle Paul McCartney sometimes performed "Strawberry Fields Forever" during concerts. A section of Central Park in New York City, where Lennon lived after the Beatles disbanded, was named "Strawberry Fields" in Lennon's honour. John Lennon · Paul McCartney · George Harrison · Ringo Starr Pete Best · Stuart Sutcliffe Management and production Brian Epstein · Allen Klein · George Martin · Phil Spector · Magic Alex · Abbey Road Studios · Apple Corps · Capitol Records Lennon/McCartney · Apple Records · Neil Aspinall · Badfinger · Mal Evans · Bill Harry · Mary Hopkin · Jeff Lynne · Maharishi Mahesh Yogi · Heather McCartney · Linda McCartney · Mersey Beat · Yoko Ono · Peter Shotton · Zak Starkey · Derek Taylor The Beatles album discography Please Please Me · With the Beatles · A Hard Day's Night · Beatles for Sale · Help! · Rubber Soul · Revolver · Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band · Magical Mystery Tour · The Beatles · Yellow Submarine · Abbey Road · Let It Be The Beatles singles discography (Parlophone, Apple) "My Bonnie" / "The Saints" · "Love Me Do" / "P.S. I Love You" "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why" · "From Me to You" / "Thank You Girl" · "She Loves You" / "I'll Get You" · "I Want to Hold Your Hand" / "This Boy" "Can't Buy Me Love" / "You Can't Do That" · "Ain't She Sweet" / "If You Love Me, Baby" · "A Hard Day's Night" / "Things We Said Today" · "I Feel Fine" / "She's a Woman" "Ticket to Ride" / "Yes It Is" · "Help!" / "I'm Down" · "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out" "Paperback Writer" / "Rain" · "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" · "All You Need Is Love" / "Baby, You're a Rich Man" · "Hello, Goodbye" / "I Am the Walrus" "Lady Madonna" / "The Inner Light" · "Hey Jude" / "Revolution" "Get Back" / "Don't Let Me Down" · "The Ballad of John and Yoko" / "Old Brown Shoe" · "Something" / "Come Together" "Let It Be" / "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" "Yesterday" / "I Should Have Known Better" · "Back in the U.S.S.R." / "Twist and Shout" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/With a Little Help from My Friends" / "A Day in the Life" "Free as a Bird" / "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" "Real Love" / "Baby's in Black" (Vee-Jay, Swan, Tollie, Capitol, "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why" · "From Me to You" / "Thank You Girl" · "She Loves You" / "I'll Get You" · "I Want to Hold Your Hand" / "I Saw Her Standing There" "Twist and Shout" / "There's a Place" · "Can't Buy Me Love" / "You Can't Do That" · "Do You Want to Know a Secret" / "Thank You Girl" · "Love Me Do" / "P.S. I Love You · "Sie Liebt Dich (She Loves You)" / "I'll Get You" · "A Hard Day's Night" / "I Should Have Known Better" · "I'll Cry Instead" / "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" · "And I Love Her" / "If I Fell" · "Matchbox" / "Slow Down" · "I Feel Fine" / "She's a Woman" "Eight Days a Week" / "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" · "Ticket to Ride" / "Yes It Is" · "Help!" / "I'm Down" · "Yesterday" / "Act Naturally" · "We Can Work It Out" / "Day Tripper" "Nowhere Man" / "What Goes On" · "Paperback Writer" / "Rain" · "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" "Let It Be" / "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" · "The Long and Winding Road" / "For You Blue" "Got to Get You into My Life" / "Helter Skelter" · "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" / "Julia" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" "With a Little Help from My Friends" / "A Day in the Life" "The Beatles Movie Medley" / "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Strawberry_Fields_Forever&oldid=5036605" The Beatles songs Articles with broken Wiktionary links This page was last changed on 9 March 2015, at 21:41.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1009
__label__wiki	0.817982	0.817982	Trainspotting 2 Set Photos & Video Emerge As Filming Continues by Becky Fuller Trainspotting 2 is finally in production, to the delight of fans who at one point feared a longed-for sequel to Danny Boyle's cult hit, Trainspotting, might never happen. The original movie made stars of Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, and Ewan Bremner, and firmly cemented itself as a classic. Talk of a sequel cropped up a lot following the film's release, but following a dispute between director Boyle and McGregor, it seemed to be nothing but a pipe dream. That was all settled, however, and twenty years after Trainspotting's release, filming for Trainspotting 2, as it is currently known, has begun in earnest. Principal photography began at the end of March, but now the first photos and video of the cast on location in Leith and Gorgie, Scotland, have emerged. Posted on Twitter, the pictures show Boyle on set and also Ewan Bremner in character as Spud, with one photo appearing to show him begging on the streets. His trademark yellow glasses are still in place. The following video, also posted to Twitter, is brief, showing Spud wandering down a street. Fans of the original will quickly notice that Bremner has clearly had no trouble getting back into character. Its official, #Trainspotting2 begun filming in #Edinburgh yesterday in both Leith and Gorgie. pic.twitter.com/dHEOLUPWqN — Movie Review World (@MovieReviewWrld) 11 May 2016 Filming of Trainspotting 2 in North Edinburgh. #spud #trainspotting2 #getitroondya. pic.twitter.com/s1xNQdnvAd — Thomas Brown (@thomasjbrown1) 11 May 2016 All of the original Transporting's main cast have returned for the sequel. Alongside McGregor as Mark Renton and Bremner as Spud, Miller plays Sick Boy while Carlyle reprises his role of Begbie. Kelly MacDonald is also back as Diane. The only omission is Kevin McKidd as Tommy, whom, as many will recall, died in the first movie. Boyle is directing the movie, which is based on Irvine Welsh's follow up novel, Porno. Though not confirmed, it is thought to be a looser adaptation of the novel than Trainspotting was of its own source material. Porno, the novel, follows Sick Boy's return to Edinburgh, and his plan to make a porn movie with the help of Renton. Begbie is newly released from prison, hell-bent determined on getting revenge on Renton and Sick Boy, and he soon hears about his plans from Spud. How much of the plot from the novel will make it into the movie is not known, but it certainly sounds like a good premise for a sequel. The repercussions from Renton's theft of Begbie's money at the end of Trainspotting will be interesting to see, to say the least. It's possible more clues to the plot of the movie might emerge as filming progresses but it doesn't really matter either way; fans will just be pleased to see this cast working together again. Trainspotting is currently ranked tenth in the BFI's list of 100 Best British Films of All Time. Will Trainspotting 2 live up to that accolade? Well, possibly not, but Boyle has certainly had the time to perfect this movie and given that it means so much to all concerned, it's safe to say everyone will be giving it their all. McGregor has praised the script, calling it "really, really good," and adding that if it had not been that way, then none of the cast would have agreed to making a sequel in the first place. Trainspotting 2 has no release date (or official title) yet, but we will keep you updated with all developments. Tags: trainspotting, trainspotting 2	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1013
__label__cc	0.70499	0.29501	Articles and Resources Resilience in the Face of Despair Resilience in the Face of Despair Daisy Winner May 23, 2017 Blog, Liberia, Medicine Each year between 50,000 to 100,000 women worldwide are affected by obstetric fistula, a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged labor without adequate medical intervention. Women who suffer from an obstetric fistula are left with chronic incontinence, and often, a stillborn baby. The constant leaking of urine or feces means women face humiliation and stigmatization, as they become isolated by family members, friends, and communities. It is estimated that more than 2 million young women live with untreated obstetric fistula in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. If left untreated, fistula can lead to chronic medical problems and even death, but surgery can normally repair the injury. Physician Educator, Dr. Corrine (Cori) Maund has been teaching in Liberia for the last year. Cori had never encountered a case of obstetric fistula until last September, just a few weeks after arriving in Liberia. A group of surgeons visited her hospital to host a “fistula campaign,” providing free surgery to women living with obstetric fistulas. “I have learned so much about fistulas since arriving in Liberia and as I learn I am reminded of the need for a strong healthcare system that can meet the needs of women,” says Cori. As she cared for the women recovering from surgery, she heard their painful stories of pregnancy and birth that lead to their injury. “It was very difficult to hear these women’s stories,” Dr. Maund reflected, “One of the girls, Garmai, was sixteen years old and her story had me in tears.” Dr. Cori Maund with fistula patients As Cori recalled, Garmai’s baby died during pregnancy. When she went to seek medical care, she described her labor saying it felt as if someone “ripped it out of her”. She was left with a hole the entire length of her anterior vaginal wall and was uncontrollably leaking urine. She was abandoned by all except her mother. Garmai’s story isn’t unique in sub-Saharan Africa. Obstetric fistulas most often afflict women living in regions with inadequate medical care, where accessing prenatal care or a skilled birth attendant is often difficult. Obstetric fistulas are often both preventable and, if they occur, treatable – but required skilled medical care. During the fistula campaign, Cori recalls, “I heard this kind of story time and time again as we interviewed the women. I had to remove myself and cry after talking with each woman and hearing their traumatic stories. It was one of the most difficult days I’ve had in Liberia thus far.” Garmai had a difficult surgery to repair her fistula, and she lost a lot of blood, requiring a transfusion. And while ultimately the transfusion was successful, Garmai started leaking post-operatively. “I had to tell her that the surgery didn’t work, and she would need another,” explained Cori. “We cried together. It took her a long time to recover the hope she put in the surgery, but with love and support from her mother, her fellow fistula survivors, and me, she is positive, recovering well, and awaiting her next surgery.” Due to the stigma of fistula, women often arrive alone without care givers to support them after surgery. While Cori didn’t perform the surgeries herself, she provided the essential post-operative care that patients otherwise might not have received. After the women are discharged from the hospital, they go to the Fistula Recovery & Rehabilitation Center where they stay for several months and learn a trade or skill to help integrate them back into their communities. Teaching and training the next generation of obstetricians and fistula surgeons is so important to the health of mothers and babies, especially in low-resource settings. And while the surgery campaign has ended at Cori’s hospital, she still visits the women she cared for at the Center. “It is always warms my heart to go there and see how joyful these women are despite their circumstances,” says Cori. “They taught me about resiliency in the face of despair. They taught me there is hope for the future. These women from all over the country are courageous and inspirational.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1014
__label__cc	0.563143	0.436857	FEATURED ARTICLE: Music Beats Cancer: John Mellencamp Music Beats Cancer: Pearl Jam Those who were still in school during the ‘90s will remember Seattle grunge rockers Pearl Jam. For the band’s line-up, making music has always been a priority, and the music…Read More Music Beats Cancer: Jonas Brothers The Jonas Brothers are among the best-known bands in the pop-rock industry today, and not without reason. They’ve sold more than 17 million albums worldwide since their formation in 2005.…Read More Music Beats Cancer: Jessie J Jessie J is an English top-charting musician, singer, and songwriter who is widely known outside of her home country. She started her music career early, as an 11-year-old in a…Read More	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1016
__label__wiki	0.90987	0.90987	SPJ, SPLC voice concern over FAU’s attempts to prevent former adviser’s newspaper involvement June 10, 2010 December 4, 2018 Sommer Ingram Leading journalism groups are weighing in to support Florida Atlantic University students facing pressure for their refusal to cut ties with their popular journalism adviser after the school discharged him. The Society of Professional Journalists, the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, sent a letter to the new president of FAU expressing concern and disapproval about the university’s encroachment on student First Amendment rights. FAU officials are attempting to keep the student newspaper editor from consulting with the former adviser, Michael Koretzky. Koretzky, who was fired last month, has continued to stay on as a volunteer adviser—at the request of his students. The university’s attempts to prevent Koretzky from assisting the editors with the newspaper production include claims that Karla Bowsher, editor-in-chief of the University Press, is violating university policy by consulting with him, even off-campus. Bowsher has said she fears being brought up on disciplinary charges if she remains in contact with Koretzky. While SPJ says that Koretzky’s involvement may be “awkward” for university administrators, it called FAU’s scare tactics an “attempt to violate the First Amendment rights of an FAU student.” Koretzky, who had served as the adviser for 12 years, has extensive writing and editing experience at newspapers and magazines. In addition to being greatly popular with his students and those who attend his journalism teaching workshops, he is also known as being outspoken and willing to go against the grain. The latest edition of the University Press contained several hard-hitting stories about the college, including one questioning the new president’s decision to meet behind closed doors with the Board of Trustees of the Boca Raton college. Student Press Law Center Executive Director Frank LoMonte also sent a letter June 8 that disputes the university’s contention that the students are “employees” of the university and are subject to being disciplined if they disobey orders from the director of student media. He said FAU has misclassified editors as college employees, an uncommon policy at any university. In the letter, he said that the attempt of a university to restrict who students can consult with can create an “intimidating climate that stifles fundamental press freedoms.” This is a pressing issue that deserves the attention of student journalists and journalism organizations nationwide. As the SPJ said in its letter, “threatening an editor for listing Mr. Koretzky as a volunteer adviser not only violates that editor’s First Amendment rights, but it sends a signal to all other FAU students that university officials do not respect all of the students’ constitutional freedoms.” Tagged Uncategorized	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1021
__label__wiki	0.597948	0.597948	TRANSPARENCY TUESDAY: What’s better than getting paid six figures to work? Getting paid six figures not to. May 31, 2011 December 4, 2018 Frank LoMonte An intriguing debate is simmering in news-industry circles as to whether it’s a legitimate journalistic function to publicly distribute a database of government employee salaries, or just an invitation to voyeurism. Recently, one Texas newspaper apologetically pulled down its searchable web page of state workers’ salaries after an outcry from angry readers, while other news organizations continue to insist that the data is of public importance. There is understandable empathy for the $8.50-an-hour groundskeeper whose salary is of negligible news value, except to his nosy neighbors. But there’s no sympathy for the well-compensated campus mucky-muck who — having been amply compensated for actual work — glides to a cushy retirement as a “consultant” or “adviser” to the same agency he just left. Using public records obtained from the University System of Georgia, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution disclosed that a number of top Georgia college officials, including the former chancellor, stayed on the payroll after officially leaving office in roles of uncertain public benefit. Indeed, until recently it was a matter of state policy — though not widely known to the public — that the standard compensation package for a college president included two years of “severance,” the first year at 90 percent pay and the second at 60 percent, the AJC reported. (An interesting follow-up to this type of story would be to ask for a record of the written work product produced by the former exec in his “advisory” role, a calendar showing the meetings he attended, or any other tangible evidence that the paycheck was earned.) With Georgia college presidents pulling down as much as $644,000 a year, those percentages can add up. And it is a legitimate question why a $600,000 salary, a free house, an expense account, and the nicest box in the stadium is not enough incentive by itself to lure a perfectly fine candidate. There are several ways to get at this information, but one direct approach is to use a public-records request for the employment contracts of the presidents, provosts and chancellors. Since these golden parachutes can be a matter of policy rather than contract, it’s also worthwhile to ask that question, or request copies of any regulations or policies that address post-termination pay and benefits. And since supplemental pay can sometimes come from a university foundation rather than the state treasury, make sure to look there as well. Tagged public records, Transparency Tuesday	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1022
__label__wiki	0.853599	0.853599	Shaw family correspondence 1862-1876 Shaw family correspondence, 1862-1876 http://archives.nypl.org/mss/2737 Fifteen letters from Lydia Maria Child to Francis G. Shaw and his wife, Sarah Shaw, 1862-1876; two letters from Robert Gould Shaw, 1862-1863 to his brother and sister; and a letter from George W. Curtis to Francis C. Barlow, 1869. 1 folder New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division There are 4 Constellations related to this resource. Curtis, George William, 1824-1892 http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ft8mn4 (person) N.Y. editor and university chancellor. From the description of Papers, 1884-1888. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 38520658 American author, orator, and advisor to presidents. From the description of Letter : Ashfield, Mass., to George P. Sawyer, 1884 Oct. 10. (Buffalo History Museum). WorldCat record id: 56877394 George William Curtis was an author and orator who championed, among other causes, civil-service reform and the vote for women. ... Child, Lydia Maria, 1802-1880 http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gt5qhr (person) Lydia Child was born in Massachusetts and became known as an abolitionist for her tract entitled, "Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans called Africans," (1833). Child's letters to the Governor of Virginia were eventually published as an abolitionist book and she also authored a novel entitled "Hobomok," a story about Indians in colonial Massachusetts. From the description of Letter, [ca. 1842]. (Temple University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 122618414 Abolitionist,... Shaw, Robert Gould, 1837-1863 http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6p84b1w (person) Shaw, of Massachusetts, was colonel of the first black regiment to serve with the Union Army during the Civil War. He and over half his regiment were killed in battle at Fort Wagner, South Carolina on July 18, 1863. From the description of Letters to his family and other papers, 1852-1947 (inclusive) 1855-1863 (bulk). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 122468819 From the guide to the Robert Gould Shaw letters to his family and other papers, 1852-1947 (inclusive) 1855-... Shaw family http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w630637d (family)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1029
__label__wiki	0.832295	0.832295	Adam Ferguson - Selected primary works. Ferguson, Adam. 1904. Abhandlung über die Geschichte der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft. Aus dem englischen Original, und zwar der Ausgabe letzter Hand (7. Aufl. 1814) ins Deutsche übertragen von Valentine Dorn und eingeleitet von Heinrich Waentig. Jena: G. Fischer. 1767. An essay on the history of civil society. Edinburgh: A. Millar & T. Caddel, London. 1768. An essay on the history of civil society. The second edition, corrected. ed. London: Printed for A. Millar and T. Cadell ..., and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, Edinburgh. 1773. An essay on the history of civil society. The fourth edition, revised and corrected. -- ed. London: Printed for T. Caddel [sic] 2E..; and A. Kincaid, W. Creech, and J. Bell, Edinburgh. 1809. An essay on the history of civil society. 7th ed. Boston: Hastings, Etheridge and Bliss. 1971. An essay on the history of civil society. New York: Garland Pub. "Facsimile ... made from a copy in the Yale University Library [originally published in 1767]". 1980. Essay on the history of civil society. Social Science Classics Series. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Books. Reprint of the 1966 ed. published by the Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh. 1799. The history of the progress and termination of the Roman Republic. New ed. rev. and corr. ed. Edinburgh: Bell & Bradfute. 1827. The history of the progress and termination of the Roman republic. London: Jones & Co. 1837. The history of the progress and termination of the Roman republic; complete in one volume. London: Jones. Additional engraved title page. 1800. Institutes of moral philosophy. A new ed., enl. ed. Basil: Printed by J. Decker. 1773. Institutes of moral philosophy, for the use of students in the College of Edinburgh. The 2d ed. rev. and corr. ed. Edinburgh: A. Kincaid & W. Creech and J. Bell; sold in London by S. Crowder [etc 2E]. 1792. Principles of moral and political science : being chiefly a retrospect of lectures delivered in the College of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Printed for A. Strahan and T. Cadell, London; and W. Creech, Edinburgh. Ferguson, Adam, Claude François Bergier, and Alexandre Joseph Meunier. 1783. Essai sur l'histoire de la société civile 2E Paris: La veuve Desaint. Translated by Claude François Bergier and Alexandre Joseph Meunier 2E Cf. Bibl. nat. cat. Ferguson, Adam, and Duncan Forbes. 1978. An essay on the history of civil society, 1767. Paperback ed. -- ed. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 1966. An essay on the history of civil society, 1767; edited, with an introduction. Edinburgh: University Press. Ferguson, Adam, David Hume, and David R. Raynor. 1982. History of the proceedings in the case of Margaret, commonly called Peg, only lawful sister to John Bull, Esq. Cambridge Studies in the History and Theory of Politics. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]; New York: Cambridge University Press. Previously published as: The history of the proceedings in the case of Margaret, commonly called Peg, only lawful sister to John Bull, Esq. Ferguson, Adam, Robert of Thurston bookplate Hunter, and C. B. bookplate Macpherson. 1768. An essay on the history of civil society. The third edition, corrected. -- ed. London: Printed for A. Millar and T. Cadell 2E.., and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, Edinburgh. Ferguson, Adam, C. B. bookplate Macpherson, and Emrys Huw binder Evans. 1769. Institutes of moral philosophy : for the use of students in the College of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Printed for A. Kincaid & J. Bell 2E Ferguson, Adam, and Vincenzo Merolle. 1995. Correspondence. London ; Brookfield, VT: William Pickering. Ferguson, Adam, Charles Samuel bookplate Milward, and Andrew Sir bookplate Agnew. 1783. The history of the progress and termination of the Roman Republic. London: Printed for W. Strahan, T. Cadell ..., and W. Creec= h, in Edinburgh. With [1] p. of advertisement at the end of v. 3. Ferguson, Adam, and Fania Oz-Salzberger. 1995. An essay on the history of civil society. Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought 2E Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press. Adam Ferguson (1723-1816) was one of the central figures in the Scottish Enlightenment. His Essay on the History of Civil Society (first published in 1767) is a bold and novel attempt to reclaim the tradition of active citizenship and apply it to the modern state. Drawing on such diverse sources as classical authors and contemporary travel literature, Ferguson offers a complex model of historical advance which challenges both Hume's and Smith's embrace of modernity and the primitivism of Rousseau. Ferguson combines a subtle analysis of the emergence of modern commercial society with a critique of its abandonment of civic and communal virtues. Central to Ferguson's theory of citizenship are the themes of conflict, play, political participation and military valour. His fascination with the theory of unintended consequences as a model of historical causality does not deter him from insisting on the irreplaceable value of individual, public-minded members of political society. Ferguson, Adam, Winifred Philip, and University of Edinburgh. Library 2E 1986. The unpublished essays of Adam Ferguson. Kilberry: W.M. Philip. On spine: Adam Ferguson essays. Ferguson, Adam, and Richard Price. 1776. Remarks on Dr. Price's Observations on the nature of civil liberty, &c. London: Printed for G. Kearsley ... Attributed to Adam Ferguson--National Union Catalog pre-1956 imprints. Adam Ferguson - Selected secondary works 2E Bell, Robert. 1771. Now in the printing-press, and speedily will be published by subscription, in one volume octavo, price one dollar, sewed in blue boards, although the English edition is sold at four dollars. An essay on the history of civil society. By Adam Ferguson, LL.D. Professor of moral philosophy, in the University of Edinburgh. America [i.e., Philadelphia]: Printed [by Robert Bell] for the subscribers. M,DCC,LXXI, A list of whose names, as encouragers will be printed. Signed on p. 8: By the publisher, Robert Bell. 1773. To the sons of science in America, Robert Bell, bookseller, of Philadelphia, notifieth, that in the fall of this present year 1773, he will publish by subscription, Ferguson's Essay on the history of civil society. ... Subscriptions are also received ... for re-printing, a second American edition of Judge Blackstone's Commentaries on the laws of England 2E.. [Philadelphia: Printed by Robert Bell. Printed area measures 8.4 x 11.6 cm. Gautier, Claude. 1993. L'invention de la société civile: lectures anglo-écossaises : Mandeville, Smith, Ferguson. Recherches Politiques. Paris: Presses universitaires de France. Jack, Malcolm. 1989. Corruption & progress : the eighteenth-century debate. AMS Studies in the Eighteenth Century., no. 11. New York: AMS Press. Jogland, Herta Helena. 1959. Ursprünge und Grundlagen der Soziologie bei Adam Ferguson. Beiträge Zur Geschichte Der Sozialwissenschaften, Heft 1. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot. "Berichtigungen": slip inserted. Johnston, G. A., James Beattie, Adam Ferguson, Thomas Reid, and Dugald Stewart. 1915. Selections from the Scottish philosophy of common sense 2E Chicago: Open Court. Kettler, David. 1965. The social and political thought of Adam Ferguson. [Columbus]: Ohio State University Press. Oz-Salzberger, Fania. 1995. Translating the Enlightenment : Scottish civic discourse in eighteenth-century Germany. Oxford Historical Monographs. Oxford [England] : New York: Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press. Based on the author's thesis (doctoral)--University of Oxford. Robertson, William, and Adam Ferguson. 1768. Memorial relating to the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Printed by Balfour, Auld, and Smellie. Anonymous. By William Robertson. Also attributed to Adam Ferguson. Cf. Halkett and Laing. Salvucci, Pasquale. 1972. Adam Ferguson. Sociologia e filosofia politica. Urbino: Argalìa.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1030
__label__cc	0.567761	0.432239	The Home Office have published details about how EU citizens and their families can obtain settled status in the UK EU Settlement Scheme The aim of the scheme is that "EU citizens living in the UK, along with their family members, will be able to stay and continue their lives, with the same access to work, study, benefits and public services that they enjoy now. Existing close family members living overseas will be able to join them here in future". To provide more information on the new EU Settlement Scheme, the Home Office has published two pamphlets: EU Settlement Scheme: Important information for EU citizens EU Settlement Scheme: How do I apply? The scheme will cover EU citizens and their family members who are resident in the UK by 31 December 2020. Some key points of the scheme are: In most cases, eligibility for settled status will be based on whether you have lived in the UK for 5 years. If you do not qualify for settled status because you have not lived in the UK for 5 years, you should be granted pre-settled status. Pre-settled status will allow you to stay here for a further 5 years and you will be free to live and work here and will have the same access to public funds and services as you do now. You can go on to apply for settled status once you have lived in the UK for 5 years Comprehensive sickness insurance is not required for the purposes of this scheme; ordinary residence will remain the test for eligibility for free NHS treatment. If employed, the Home Office will have a link to HMRC tax records to confirm evidence of residence during the period of work. Permitted absences are the same as under EU law now. If you have not yet been continuously resident in the UK for 5 years, you should ensure that your absences do not exceed six months in total in any 12-month period, though you may be absent for one period of up to 12 months for an important reason such as study, pregnancy or childbirth or an overseas posting. Holders of settled status may be absent from the UK for up to 5 years without losing this status. People who have already acquired the right of permanent residence in the UK will need to transfer evidence of this right to the new settled status scheme, but this application will be free of charge and holders may be absent from the UK for up to 5 years (not 2 as is currently the case). The application should be straight forward and, in most cases, granted quickly unless you have a serious criminal conviction (seek legal advice now if you are worried about this) Irish citizens are not required to apply under this scheme but may do so, and their family members are covered by the scheme. Those planning to apply for British citizenship can continue with Permanent Residence Card applications under the current system. However those who are not planning to apply for British citizenship now may wish to wait until the new EU Settlement Scheme opens. To apply for a Permanent Residence Card under the current scheme: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-residence-card/permanent-residence-card For details of the European Passport Return service: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/european-passport-return-service Keep up to date and support Please email eu-staff-updates-subscribe@maillist.admin.ox.ac.uk if you would like to be added to a mailing list to receive updates from the University when announcements are made by the government that may affect EU/EEA staff. If you have any queries or wish to discuss your status or have questions about either the EU Settlement Scheme or Permanent Residence applications, please contact either: james.baker@admin.ox.ac.uk or tim.currie@admin.ox.ac.uk. Oxford and the EU: staff Q&As Conversations about Brexit STAFF IMMIGRATION TEAM The University's Staff Immigration Team can be contacted 9am-5.30pm Monday to Friday	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1035
__label__cc	0.699259	0.300741	Denmark losing patience with WHO, will depathologise trans identities On this International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) [1], with a special focus on Mental Health and Wellbeing, Transgender Europe positively welcomes news from Denmark which aims to depathologise trans people within the country. Last Wednesday the Danish Health Minister asserted that Denmark would depathologise trans identities in the country if the WHO did not complete its revision process and change the International Classification of Diseases, the ICD, by October. [2] A large majority in the Danish parliament supports this proposal, which is up for vote on May 31. The current ICD, which is under revision, classifies trans people as ill, merely for their gender identity. These diagnoses are associated with increased discrimination and stigma, both of which negatively affect overall mental health and wellbeing. In this light it is therefore encouraging to see the positive developments happening in some countries, which continue to strive to improve the lives of trans people. TGEU calls on other governments across Europe to follow Denmark’s positive example of ending the pathologisation of trans people, while safeguarding access to healthcare and gender affirming treatment for all trans and non-binary people who need it. TGEU’s Executive Director Julia Ehrt claimed, “While there is still a long way to go to achieve full depathologisation of trans people; every positive change in law by a government, every statement of support by institutions, is an affirmation of the hard work being carried out behind the scenes by activists and organisations alike.” In a message to trans activists, and organisations around Europe, Ehrt stated “The fight for trans rights is a long and arduous journey. Activism can take its toll, and it is important for our community to stand together and support each other. We are honoured to be sharing this journey with many committed activists around Europe, and on IDAHoT hope that they remain vigilant and stand together as one community.” [1] The International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia is a day marked annually on May 17th, to raise awareness about the violence and discrimination faced by LGBTQI people globally. This year, on occasion of IDAHOT, TGEU has launched the Trans Rights Europe Map & Index 2016, and an update from the Trans Murder Monitoring sub-project of the Transrespect versus Transphobia worldwide project. Source: http://tgeu.org/idahot2016statement/ Categoria: Around the world Tags: discrimination, gender, gender identity, homosexuality, human rights, LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, sexual identity, sexual politics, sexual rights	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1042
__label__cc	0.704247	0.295753	Op Ed: We Just Launched the First Cryptocurrency-to-Tax Payment Partnership Andrei Poliakov is the CEO and co-founder of Coinberry, one of Canada’s premier digital currency platforms. His company is the first in Canada to partner with a government municipality. I am an engineer by trade. Creating more efficient processes, products and eventually building businesses has been a passion of mine since I can remember. When I got involved with blockchain technology, I realized right away the potential benefits the application of this new technology could have on the financial industry. But this was several years ago, when people would think you were a little crazy if you brought up Bitcoin at an event or a party. So I got down to building a business, a team and tech that would bring about mass adoption of blockchain technology and, more specifically, the application of blockchain technology to finances in the form of cryptocurrencies. And finally, it’s happening all around you. Right now, at this very moment. Most people miss it, but what we’re seeing in early 2019 is the birth of cryptocurrency mass adoption and it’s affecting governments in a positive way. While a lot of people are asking themselves, “Is this really the next bull run?” or “Are we really going to see Facebook or ‘XYZ’ social network launch a cryptocurrency?” governments are starting to implement technology to facilitate cryptocurrency transactions today. Real change is happening, at a governmental level, that will pave the way towards mass adoption. The Wave Is Rising In early March 2019, Coinberry provided the technology, infrastructure and implementation for the town of Innisfil, a government municipality in Canada, to start accepting tax payments in bitcoin. This was a huge win for the industry. While the municipality is small, the innovation from the government and the willingness for a government agency to accept cryptocurrency is a giant leap forward. It is the first government partnership of its kind in Canada. While this partnership is just a start, it is one of the first changes that will unleash additional government adoption moving forward. Other government municipalities have started asking us about the implementation, wanting to know more about how, why and what it would take to offer similar services to their residents. Why are they now, all of a sudden, so interested in blockchain technology? What does this mean for governments moving forward? To get a clear picture of what’s coming, we’ve got to look at the underlying motivation of municipalities from a government funding perspective. Money, Motivation and Government Funding Regardless of where you stand on the issue of government spending, all governments need money to pay for things like roads, schools, police, fire, hospitals and the like. At present, most governments have very limited options when it comes to making this happen. They can raise money by increasing taxes, issuing bonds or by printing more money. The latter option is only available to federal governments. One additional option, that was not fully available until cryptocurrency arrived, is to cut transaction costs by using more efficient financial technology. This last solution is the low-hanging fruit that governments, like Innisfil’s, are focused on and is a trend that is poised to spread quickly through small and large municipalities alike. Trend One: Increasing Funds Without Increasing Taxes Governments are starting to realize that cryptocurrency provides a safe, easy way to reduce transaction costs. This is not a hypothetical scenario anymore: This is a reality. With relatively little effort, a municipality can have more funds without increasing taxes, issuing a bond or implementing budget cuts. This idea has led to an increase in the number of municipalities that are interested in cryptocurrency, both as a form of tax payment and, eventually, as a means to facilitate government transactions: think payroll, contractors and municipal investments. Take bank fees as an example. Our involvement with Innisfil began when the municipality approached us with a challenge. It was paying in the neighborhood of $5 million annually in bank fees when it came to processing payments and it wanted to reduce this cost. Saving a percentage of transaction fees — in this case on an annual basis — could result in hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars saved. Imagine a 5 percent savings in transaction costs on the $5 million paid in fees annually. That’s $2.5 million in transaction costs saved over 10 years. While this isn’t necessarily a large number in and of itself, I wouldn’t dismiss it, especially when those savings can be obtained with minimal cost and effort. Reducing transactions costs on tax payments alone, simply by utilizing a more efficient technology, frees up money that the government is able to regain without having to affect you, the citizen. More governments will realize this and look to implement similar technology in their own regions. Which brings us to the next trend. Trend Two: Adaptation of Municipal Law Take the tax example above. Let’s say that “Municipality A” collects $500 million in tax revenue. To put this in perspective, Toronto — one of the largest cities in the world — collects over $11 billion dollars per year on average through various revenue streams. At the moment, if a municipality starts collecting 10 percent of the above $500 million in revenue in cryptocurrency — or $50 million in this case — it would need to immediately convert that to fiat currency. Why? Because some cryptocurrencies are securities and while the law varies depending on the region, most municipalities are not allowed to invest in securities at the moment and have very limited options when it comes to assets that they are allowed to invest in. As such, the $50 million in cryptocurrency would need to be immediately converted to fiat currency. But what happens if a government contractor, a construction company who has won the next bid to fix the local roads for $10 million, says, “If you pay in cryptocurrency, we’ll give you a 10 percent discount. We’ll all save on transaction costs and, to be honest, to do this job we need to purchase equipment overseas. We’d rather pay for that equipment in cryptocurrency and save on transaction fees along the way as well.” That 10 percent discount could amount to an additional $1 million in the government’s coffers. Perhaps it could put that toward building that recreation center it’s been promising to build every time elections comes around. Or what happens when municipal employees start asking for payment in cryptocurrency? Or governments realize that they can save transaction costs in other areas of operations? As governments start to accumulate cryptocurrency via tax revenue, expect to see a slow build in pressure to shift municipal law toward allowing municipalities to hold and transact in cryptocurrency. Trend Three: Raising Funds The third trend that we’re going to start seeing relates to raising money through bonds. If you’re a government and you need to raise money for a new street, for a new community center, to fix potholes or to pay for the police and fire department, you essentially have three primary ways to raise the necessary capital. Only two are applicable at the municipal level. Option 1: You can reshape the allocation of current tax revenue (budget cuts) or increase taxes on property, business or individuals. Option 2: You can print more money, driving inflation, lowering purchasing power and affecting economic growth. This is only an option at the federal level and does not apply to municipalities. Option 3: You can sell bonds — promissory notes that allow companies and individuals to invest in your government. Government bonds typically come with both a very low rate of return but also come with a very low default risk. While other, smaller options may be available, we’ll stick to these primary methods for now. It’s no secret that all governments need money. Everyone is running on deficit, using money allocations from federal, state or provincial governments. Raising capital through bond issuance via cryptocurrency is going to be the next immediate trend that governments start to leverage. Cryptocurrency bond issuance can reduce transaction costs on the issuance itself — saving hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars in the process. Governments will be able to tap into much larger markets, opening up to easier and cheaper foreign investments. Governments will be able to provide liquidity for their bond offerings, encouraging investors to invest into their bonds. With government bond tokenization, many benefits start to unfold that allow for a more efficient marketplace. In the very near future, within 12 months or so, I would expect to see government bond issuance via cryptocurrency. It Comes Down to Ease No one is going to deny that blockchains and cryptocurrencies are difficult concepts to grasp. They’re quite complex in general, and the technology and development are conducted by experts in the field. But just as you don’t need to understand how H.264 encoding works to watch the latest high-definition movie trailer on YouTube, understanding the intricacies of blockchain technologies is not necessary for leveraging the applications that run on them. Ultimately, it all comes down to ease of use. In summary, expect to see more governments adopting blockchain technology to reduce costs, municipal laws to shift favorably toward cryptocurrencies and for governments to start looking at raising capital on blockchains. We’re already seeing larger municipalities like Richmond Hill explore the possibility of using cryptocurrency for tax remittance as well. It’s happening all around you. Right now, at this very moment. The wave is rising and the birth of mass adoption is happening. This is a guest post by Andrei Poliakov, CEO and co-founder of Coinberry. Opinions expressed are entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine. Previous 21-Year-Old SIM-Swapping Mastermind Is Jailed for 10 Years Next Bitcoin’s First Golden Cross in 3 Years Emerges	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1045
__label__cc	0.546719	0.453281	David McLennan Ben Hogan grew up in the caddy yard and used to have to shag balls for the older caddies because he could not match their distance with his cross-handed grip. Pro Ted Longworth saw something in Hogan that was unmatched by the others, and in 1926 Longworth began to help Hogan. The lessons began with a grip change. Hogan would go on to win 62 tournaments, nine of those major championships, including four U.S. Opens. Hogan, already one of the dominant players in the game was nearly killed in a 1949 car crash. Some said he would never walk again but Hogan came back to win the 1950 U.S. Open and many more tournaments, to boot. He established his own club manufacturing company in 1953. The Ben Hogan Company was also involved with starting professional golf’s second tour, The Ben Hogan Tour, now known as The Nationwide Tour, a proving ground for the future PGA tour pros. Tagged: men	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1052
__label__cc	0.528011	0.471989	‘Pithy, admirable ... a most refreshing resumé’ The Times Literary Supplement Previous Shared Living Next Design for the Real World India has had many histories. To pilgrims from ancient China, India was the birthplace of the Buddha; to Alexander the Great it was a land of clever naked philosophers and indomitable, elephantine armies. At the height of the Mughal empire, India boasted nearly a quarter of the world economy, and even under colonial rule it was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Today it is the resurgent home to one sixth of the global population. Andrew Robinson incisively distills India’s many incarnations, from the remarkably advanced cities of the early Indus Valley to the world’s largest democracy. Anyone curious about its past, present or future will find this a fascinating introduction. 'Writing an accessible and coherent history of India is an ambitious task. Andrew Robinson meets the challenge successfully' 'Impressively lucid … very good' Asian Voice Edition Type: New Format Preface; Introduction; 1. The Indus Valley Civilization; 2. Vedas, Aryans and the Origins of Hinduism; 3. Buddha, Alexander and Asoka; 4. Hindu Dynasties; 5. The Coming of Islam; 6. The Mughal Empire; 7. European Incursions and East India Companies; 8. The Jewel in the Crown; 9. The End of Empire; 10. The World’s Largest Democracy; Postscript; Map Andrew Robinson is the author of twenty-five books in the arts and sciences, nine of them on aspects of Indian history and culture. They include two definitive biographies: Satyajit Ray: The Inner Eye, described by V. S. Naipaul as ‘an extraordinarily good, detailed and selfless book’, and the coauthored Rabindranath Tagore: The Myriad-Minded Man. He holds degrees from Oxford University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, has been a Visiting Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge, and is currently a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. Norman Stone Scotland: A Concise History Fitzroy Maclean	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1055
__label__cc	0.528215	0.471785	We Already Know Who Will Win the War in Libya — Western Arms Dealers Written by Open Democracy They armed Gadaffi and the forces that ousted him alike – now they’re repeating that profitable trick. (OD) — In the shadow world of the arms trade there is one business model that outshines all others: selling arms to both sides in the same war. Ideally it works best when weapons you have sold to one side destroy weapons you have sold to the other. Thus if one side uses air-launched precision-guided missiles to destroy the other’s aircraft (or tanks, armoured personnel carriers or whatever), then it will need to buy replacement missiles, will need to have your people service its aircraft and, if it ‘wins’ the war it will most likely buy new planes from you as it rearms. The other side will need to replace the materiel destroyed, will want to upgrade its weapons and also buy in heavily for the next phase of the conflict. All this is a matter of routine business and the results of a war will often be reflected in marketing afterwards. In 1982 the UK fought a short and bitter war with Argentina for control of the Falklands/Malvinas; in the months that followed military magazines carried full-page adverts for ship-based anti-aircraft missiles that had been successfully used to shoot down Argentine aircraft. The adverts were the same as those published before that war but for the words ‘combat proven’ stamped across them. There was bitter irony in this when it was learned that one such missile, fired from a British Type 42 destroyer, had shot down a British army helicopter by mistake, killing all four people on board. To add to the bitterness, two Type 42s had also been sold by Britain to Argentina before the war. Arms companies maintained teams in Libya upgrading planes and armoured vehicles until just a few days before the western bombing campaign started. Arming both sides happens more often than is realised. One of the classic examples was Libya towards the end of the Gaddafi regime in 2011. What makes this particularly relevant just now is that it looks like happening again as Khalifa Haftar’s forces move slowly towards Tripoli. For and against Gaddafi First, though, look at the earlier example. As far as western countries were concerned, the autocratic Gaddafi regime had come in from the cold in 2004 after the war in Iraq. The previous arms embargo had been lifted in 2005 and within a couple of years this oil- and gas-rich state was seen as a prime customer for arms. From 2005 to 2009 the EU granted €834.5m of arms export licences, Italy being the largest seller at €276.7m, with the UK also doing well at €119.35m. Then a British company, NMS International, organised the UK Pavilion at the Tripoli Arms Fair in November 2010, barely four months before the west went to war with Gaddafi on 19 March 2011. The connection got even closer for some countries, with French and Italian arms companies maintaining teams in Libya upgrading Mirage planes and armoured vehicles until just a few days before the western bombing campaign started – with one aim being to destroy those same planes and armoured vehicles. It is a hidden war that is very good indeed for business. From the arms industry’s point of view, what should have happened then was that western states would have spent plenty of money replacing the expensive missiles and guided bombs they used, while a pro-western Libya established after Gaddafi had been lynched would have wanted to build a modern air force, army and navy, buying lots of weapons from those friendly western states that had helped terminate the previous regime. A lucrative desert war The first part worked fine but the second didn’t. Libya descended into disarray – but even that disaster was not all bad news for the arms trade. One of the grim results of the 2011 war was that arms cascaded out of Libya across the Sahara and Sahel, greatly boosting the numerous Islamist paramilitary movements across the region. To counter this, thousands of western troops are now deployed across the region, air and drone strikes are commonplace, millions of dollars’ worth of precision-guided munitions are being used and vast amounts of equipment are being provided to many governments. It is a hidden war that is very good indeed for business and is now being enhanced by a sudden escalation of the burgeoning civil war to the north in Libya itself. There, the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli is facing the forces of the self-styled Libyan National Army from the east of the country, headed by Haftar, a former Gaddafi military leader. In the past few days Haftar’s army has moved closer to Tripoli itself as it tries to take over the whole of the country, even as UN personnel seek vainly to arrange a ceasefire. The government has recently been equipped by western states. In one episode over the weekend government forces shot down a Libyan National Army aircraft. Since then, the LNA has moved close enough to Tripoli to fire artillery that has killed at least four people and wounded twenty in the southern district of Abu Salim. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes with at least 150 killed in this most recent bout of the war. Wealthy supporters One aspect of the war is particularly good news for the arms industry. While the conflict is between the government and the LNA, above them are outside actors. Much of the weaponry of the UN-backed government comes from western states, with Italy being the most prominent. That is one of the reasons why the government is proving more resilient than some had expected, although there are also regional supporters involved, including Qatar. On the other side, the insurgent LNA is strongly backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. They both want a united Libya under Haftar or another strong leader who will suppress dissent and be especially hard on Islamist paramilitaries. This backing extends to their direct military involvement, with UAE air force strike aircraft aiding the rebels as they move towards the capital. This is where history repeats itself: the UAE is one of the heaviest buyers of western aircraft and munitions in recent years, second only to Saudi Arabia among the Arab states across the Middle East. In short, the western-backed government is fighting the western-equipped LNA. However it ends, and however many people are killed, injured or displaced, the arms companies and their shareholders will come out of it well. Creative Commons / Open Democracy / Report a typo Stored Safely on Blockchain This post is published to LBRY blockchain at lbry://@AntiMedia/libya-war-western-arms-dealers. Try LBRY to experience content freedom, earn crypto, and support The Anti-Media!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1059
__label__cc	0.626816	0.373184	Join My Free Community Password Tools Wellman Wilson Consulting Who is responsible for privacy on social networks? This morning, I was flipping through my RSS reader and got to Margie Clayman's post, "Let's Talk About Keeping Kids Safe on Facebook". My curiosity was piqued right away because this subject is one I feel strongly about. As a parent, it's close to my heart as well. I don't always agree with Margie's point of view, but I have a lot of respect for how she presents it - with class and an open mind to different perspectives. I have so much to say on this subject that I'm devoting a blog post to it instead of just leaving a novel-sized comment on Margie's site. This isn't strictly an issue about children. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about privacy and social media among adults - and we're the ones teaching our kids how to use these tools "properly". The expectation of privacy on the Internet, to me, is a misnomer. The Internet is inherently connected and open. Even secure sites are occasionally breached. Does that mean we should all disconnect? No. It just means we have to think more strategically about how we're using these tools to protect ourselves. In the opening paragraph, Margie states (emphasis mine): "I think that on Facebook in particular, it’s really easy to do things that could have alarming consequences because everything seems so safe there on the surface. You can lock down your content, you’re talking to your friends and family for the most part…what could go wrong?" Those words in bold? That is the problem with any and every site that requires a login - I would even include twitter in this for the people who don't make their tweets public. But Facebook is, by far, the most common place that users feel safe. Here's why that's false security: Your data on Facebook is only as secure as the weakest password of the people on your friends list. Assume that at least one has "password" as their password and post information accordingly. Back when I had only around 100-150 friends, about five had their accounts broken into or clicked on nefarious links within a few weeks of each other. That's a high enough percentage that I'm not comfortable with posting much personal information on Facebook. Further to the password point, it is naïve to think that anything you share on social Web sites is secure. It's social. It's sharing. I'm repeating myself here, but it's the Web, which is inherently shareable, hackable and not private. This is a great reason for businesses NOT to have a personal profile on Facebook. Pages can't see the profiles of their fans, but since a profile set up by a business can, there are definite privacy concerns. If a business account was hacked and "friend" data used for nefarious purposes, that could be devastating to the business' reputation. Margie moves on to discuss the use of location-based services, i.e., Foursquare, by parents - specifically parents who check-in at their children's school. If you're checking in at any location where you leave your child on a regular basis without being there with them every single time, it's a bad idea. Check-ins shouldn't be done everyday or at every location you visit. Personally, I won't check-in at work or even on the bus route that I take, because that narrows down where I live a little too much for my liking. Social media is like one big puzzle with lots of pieces spread out all over. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to find the pieces and put together a really thorough picture of your life, unless you're smart about how and what you share. The safest bet is to assume that everyone in the world can see everything you've ever posted on the Web. I absolutely support using a name online that one is comfortable with using. A word of caution: It's far better to think about this before you start using your real name than it is to try to change mid-stream. I recently almost unfriended a person on Facebook because I saw this name in my friends list and had no idea who they were or why I'd friended them. Then I happened to notice the vanity URL and realized that it was, in fact, someone I knew; they'd changed their name. But that vanity url? It's permanent and identifies them as their previous self via - you guessed it - their real name. That kinda defeats the purpose of changing the name, don't you think? It's my personal belief that the risk of using your real name online is no greater than using it in your day-to-day life - for the average person (and without a doubt, there are exceptions). It is a reality that there are people in this world who will use that information to do harm, but there are countless ways to get that information about you that don't include online interactions. Just think about how many people and places have your name and/or contact information - track it for a month or two; you'll be amazed. For kids, it's fewer, but there are still many. Ultimately, the responsibility for privacy lies with individuals using social tools. Posting without a clear idea of the ramifications could lead to unintended negative consequences, from lost job opportunities to greater potential for being the victim of a crime. We control what we post online - not Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site. It's worth it, then, to learn how to protect ourselves rather than relying on someone else to do it for us. What steps do you take to protect your privacy online? Tagged: Facebook, Google, LastPass, Online Communities, Password, Password Tools, Privacy, Security, Social Networking, Social network, Theory, undefined New Client Intake The Biz Studio with Lara Wellman, Ottawa, ON, Canadalara@larawellman.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1060
__label__wiki	0.795141	0.795141	Archive for the ‘Multilingual’ Category Fatima interview “Learn to Read” Part 1 13/02/2009 <p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/6598187″>”Learn to Read” – Interview. Part 1 of 3</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user2307562″>thecalltofatima</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p> 13th May, Blessed Francisco Marto, Blessed Jacinta Marto, Catholic DVD, Catholic movie, Children of Fatima, Cova da Iria, dr branca, DVD, Education, Evangelisation, Faith, Family, Fatima, Fatima and importance of 10 Commandments, Fatima Apparitions, Fatima Shrine, Five First Saturdays, God, Gospel, Heaven, Holy Communion, Holy Father, Hope, Jesus, Lead Souls to Heaven, Lucia dos Santos, Memoirs, Message of Fatima, Multilingual, Must see interview, Our Lady of Fatima, Rosary, Sacred Heart, Secrets of Fatima, Sister Lucia, Sister Lucia of Fatima, The Angels, The Call to Fatima, the Rosary, Vatican, Visions, Website, Word of God, Writings Fátima Film night in Dungloe, Co.Donegal The presentation of double award winning film titled “The Call to Fatima” will take place in St Cronas’ Church, Dungloe, Co. Donegal on Friday, 9th July at 7.30 pm. This presentation includes film clips, producers’ talk and lovely music by a special guest soprano Louise Irvine. “The Call to Fatima” film is based on Sister Lucia’s writings, the last visionary of the Fatima apparitions. The film’s producer had received several requests to have it shown in different parishes around Ireland, including St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford, St Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny, St Joseph’s Church in Dublin, SMA in Cork City and many more, as well as abroad. The film, which took seven years to complete, was produced by Dubliner, Thomas McCormack, and has already won awards at film festivals in Poland (“St Maximilian Kolbe” award) and Belarus (“Magnificat 2009” award) for education. “The Call to Fatima” has two parts: the first part tells the story of apparitions, prophecies, secrets and talks about the lives and deaths of three little children- Jacinta and Francisco Marto and their cousin Lucia dos Santos. The second part gives a viewer deeper inside in understanding the meaning of Fatima Message, which is as relevant today as was back in 1917. Much of the second film was shot on location behind the Carmel monastery in Coimbra and many of the voice-overs including Sr. Lucia’s own singing voice, are from those who knew Sr Lucia personally, cousins, nephews, Carmelite nuns, her private doctor, close priests and friends. Altogether these people came to play a key part to bring this film to light. St Crona’s Church welcomes everybody to attend this film night. Fore more information please contact PP Fr Seámus Meehan on 074-9521008. For further information on the film and its producers, simply log onto Web: www.thecalltofatima.com or Blog: www.thecalltofatima.wordpress.com apparitions, Bible, carmel, catholic, Catholic Film, Devotion, Evangelisation, Faith, Fatima, Hope, Mary, Message, Message of Fatima, miracles, movie, Multilingual, Our Lady of Fatima, prayer, religion, Sacred Heart, Visionary, Visions, Website, Writings Messages of Our Lady of Fatima available in 12 languages Messages of Our Lady of Fatima now are revelant more than ever in history. Our Lady came down from heaven and appeared in humble village of Fatima to three little shepherds- Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia. This all was back in 1917. But today we look back at the history and our current state and we realise, we had to answer to Our Lady’s requests and warnings with the biggest respect and urgency. Message of Fatima is a call urging us for Penance, Forgiveness, Hope + Love +Faith, Reflection on Eternal Life, a call to Devotion, Perfection, Holiness and Total Consecration. God entrusted His Message through his most holy Mother to the humble little shepherds of the Cova da Iria, in order to convey once again his perennial calls to the people of today. The entire Message of Fatima is a call to pay attention to His divine Law. “The Call to Fátima” is a 2-part film documentary explaining the story and the message of Fatima in great detail. This film is based on the last visionary’s of Fatima Sister Lucia dos Santos writings, namely her first book “Fatima in Lucia’s own words” and “Calls from the Message of Fatima”. Messages of Fatima are now available in 12 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Polish, Slovak, Latvian, Russian, Chinese and Arabic) via these books and “The Call to Fatima” film. Sister Lucia’s last wish was to spread the Message of Fatima and make it known to as many poeple as possible. Our Lady tought this prayer to little children : “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead ALL SOULS to heaven especially those most in need.” Please God, more and more people may learn, understand and evangelise the Message of Fátima, the Message of Penance, Forgiveness and great Hope. Ave Maria! apparitions, Ave Maria, Bible, Blessed Francisco Marto, Blessed Jacinta Marto, Catholic movie, Christian DVD, Devotion, dr branca, Evangelisation, Faith, Fatima, Gospel, Holy Scriptures, Imacculate Heart of Mary, Litany of Our Lady of Fatima, Lucia dos Santos, Memoirs, Multilingual, New Release, Our Lady of Fatima, Reparation, Sacraments, Secrets of Fatima, Sister Lucia of Fatima, Supernatural, The Message of Fatima, The Story of Fatima, Visionary, Visions, Website, Writings Francisco Marto Sister Lucia wrote her last book “Calls from the Message of Fatima” for the world Book “Calls from the Message of Fatima” is easy to read on account of the coherence and simplicity of the themes discussed and their applications. Lucia is thus seen to be in full harmony with the faith of the Church and with the faith of simple people. This book runs parallel to the profound theological demands of the Christian life and also the vital breath of a popular, Christological and Marian piety, which is both simple and universal. Sister Lucia reveals one of the most authentic qualities of true Marian piety: coherence with the Gospel, a profound ecclesial sense, the universality of the Christian message. She also wrote this book in the ability to dedicate both mind and heart, the realistic approach to the problems of life and death, of day-to-day life and the most authentic experiences which have as their point of reference the last realitie escatology: Purgatory, Hell, Heaven. Many important and original things are woven into Lucia’s book. It reveals Mary’s commandment. Blessed Francisco Marto, Blessed Jacinta Marto, Catholic movie, Devotion, Evangelisation, Faith, Hope, Languages, Meditation, Memoirs, miracles, movie, Multilingual, Our Lady of Fatima, Podcast, prayer, religion, Reparation, Sacraments, Secrets of Fatima, Sr lucia, Supernatural, The Message of Fatima, the Rosary, Visionary, Writings	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1061
__label__wiki	0.787837	0.787837	Turkey moves closer to becoming a fully fledged police state March 5, 2015 1.24am EST Cengiz Gunes, The Open University Cengiz Gunes Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Social Science, The Open University Cengiz Gunes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The Open University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK. Ready to crack down. EPA/Sedat Suna The Turkish parliament has been debating the government’s proposed new security law, generally called the “domestic security package”. So far, the first 16 articles of the proposed law have been passed by the parliament amid fighting between the opposition and the government MPs, and discussion on the remaining articles is expected to resume shortly. The government has an absolute majority in parliament, and will face little difficulty in passing the law eventually, but the opposition is determined to do all it can to delay the process. It objects to the way the government is rushing the law through the parliament without proper parliamentary scrutiny, and to the actual measures the new law contains, which they fear will further undermine Turkey’s fraying democracy. There are concerns that by giving extensive powers to the police to suppress political protests, the law will not just fuel Turkey’s worsening poltical polarisation – it will turn the country into a police state. Tightening the screws The law raises the prospect of increased arbitrary detention, excessive use of firearms by police and politically motivated criminal investigations. Amnesty International has called the proposed law a serious threat to human rights, and Human Rights Watch has also voiced its concerns but it is not only the human rights organisations that fear the consequences once parliament passes the law. Kati Piri, the European parliament’s Turkey rapporteur, described the proposals as a threat to the essential conditions for a democratic state and as another step away from European values – sentiments echoed by American diplomats. The proposals will allow the police to keep people in detention for up to 48 hours without the need of a judge’s approval, and adds fireworks, hand catapults and metal marbles to the long list of items considered to be weapons. People caught possessing them will face prison sentences of between two-and-a-half to four years. A swat team in Istanbul. EPA/Sedat Suna Similar penalties are proposed for protesters who cover their face during protests in order to protect themselves against the excessively used tear gas, or who wear any clothing resembling a uniform. And on top of all this, the proposed law closes off avenues of redress and protection against police brutality. But the most controversial measure of all will permit the use of firearms against protesters who throw petrol bombs during protests. This could lead to a sharp increase in deaths by police gunfire, which are already frequent: 11 demonstrators were killed during the Gezi Park protests, and other protesters have been killed by the police on a regular basis in the majority Kurdish areas of Turkey. Many of these protests were peaceful gatherings until police started to use violence against protesters - and many Turkish citizens fear the outcome of further empowering the police. Crushing dissent The law’s timing is also a cause for worry. The past few years have seen a creeping authoritarianism set in under the Islamist-leaning Justice and Development Party (AKP). It has been felt especially during incidents of collective mobilisation, and has mainly targeted opposition groups such as left-wingers, secularists and the Kurds. The government faced widespread condemnation when it attempted to cut off access to social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube – decisions which have since been reversed. It continues to keep many journalists locked up, usually for covering stories about the Kurdish conflict or government corruption. Don’t try anything. EPA Rather than being a response to a genuine need to protect the public order, many see the proposed law as being about nothing more than suppressing citizens’ right to express dissent. In recent years, social unrest in Turkey has been growing and getting louder; besides frequent protests against the government and in favour of Kurdish rights, protests against gendered violence and dangerous working conditions are happening more and more regularly. There are many causes of these protests, but they are all beginning to converge on the same themes: opposition to the social conservatism and free-market economics that underpin the government’s economic and social policies. But the law’s likely passage shows the AKP government has little time for these protests. Once heralded as an example of burgeoning Muslim democracy and an aspiring member of the EU, Turkey is moving ever closer to authoritarianism – and the remaining centres of public opposition can do little about it. Former South African President Jacob Zuma at the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. EPA-EFE/Pool Zuma and Trump: half a world apart, yet similarly paranoid and dangerous A rig off the coast of Cyprus explores the region’s gas potential. Shutterstock Five countries in the eastern Mediterranean are shaking up Europe’s energy map Syrian tribes have found themselves on competing sides of Syria’s ongoing civil war. Youssef Badawi/EPA Syria: attempts by Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey to co-opt Arab tribes will deepen the country’s divisions Between 1990 to 2015, nearly half of all migrants worldwide went back to their country of birth, whether by choice or by force. Shutterstock When migrants go home, they bring back money, skills and ideas that can change a country	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1062
__label__wiki	0.682751	0.682751	Q&A with cartoonist Gisele Lagace October 16, 2018 / The Furious Gazelle Editors / 0 Comments Gisele Lagace got her start in webcomics in the early 2000s, with Cool Cat Studio. Since then, she’s gone on to create a wide range of webcomics, including Menage a 3, a Three’s Company-esque adult romantic comedy, and Eerie Cuties, about a school for magical teens. In addition to managing her own ring of webcomic titles, more recently, she’s also left her mark on cartoon characters straight out of your childhood. She drew several issues of Betty Boop and Jem and the Holograms, as well as reimagining the cast of Archie gender swapped. Issue 1 of her newest title, Exorsisters (script by Ian Boothby), will be released tomorrow by Image Comics. (You can read a sneak peak online). Q: You’ve collaborated quite closely, as a writer, with David Lumsdon and T. Campbell over the years. What do you like about working collaboratively? I like that it sometimes takes me out of my comfort zone artistically. It’s also nice to be able to rely on another brain to solve a story problem. Q: Anything you dislike about collaboration? I guess I dislike it for the same things I like it for. At times, I can be sent outside my comfort zone a little too much, and too many cooks is also an issue sometimes with writing stuff collaboratively. Q: David Lumsdon has his own titles now that grew out of Ma3, which you created. What’s it like having someone else working solo in a universe you built? Was it hard to let go of creative control? I don’t have a problem with that. It also helps that I use T Campbell as editor on all properties, so I’m confident he’ll make sure everything works together. Maybe I put too much trust in people at times, but it’s generally the way I roll. Q: I feel like there’s often a wholesome, lighthearted core to your work, even in your “adult” comics like Ma3. How would you describe the humor in Exorsisters? I’m a fan of humor, so it’s no surprise it’s found in most of my works. For Exorsisters, I think you could describe it the same way you’d find it in shows like Buffy and Supernatural. The serious moments are serious but there’s always a bit of comedy to keep things from getting too dark or depressing. Sometimes the best jokes do come after a very tense moment as well. Q: Do you get any say in how the story in Exorsisters goes? How do you work with Ian Boothby? I try not to overstep. I think he does the same thing for me. If I feel something should really be changed, I’ll say so, but in general, we’re pretty simpatico up to now. Q: As someone who grew up reading Archie Comics, what has it been like to be part of the first wave of female artists at that company? I didn’t think too much about it to tell you the truth, but it is true that they’ve had more male artists than women over the years. It’s probably more balanced now. Q: Did you ever feel limited growing up in the 70s by the fact that most of the artists and writers were male? Again, I never really thought about it. I grew up with parents who let me play with boy toys and girl toys, so I guess I never really saw gender. I do see it now though as an adult that it was clearly more male oriented. I think Japan was more balanced on that front. Shojo manga was already popular in the ’70s when I was just a young child. Candy Candy was one of my favorite shows, and that was done by two women creators. Q: The landscape for web comics has changed dramatically since you started in the early 2000s. What would you tell someone who wanted to get started in comics today? For webcomics, I’d tell them to post it on as many sites/channels as possible to get as much people reading it. Line Webtoons seems to be pretty big right now. I’ve never done anything for them though, so I can’t comment on if it’s a good platform or not. Q: You’ve said that you’re planning to wrap up Ma3 and Sticky Dilly Buns sometime in 2019. Any ideas about what’s next on the horizon for you after that? We’ve talked about one-shots and mini series set in the Ma3 universe, so I think we’ll start with that. I won’t work on all of them, but with the help of others, I think we’ll see a few things come out of that universe even after the series have ended. Q: Last year, you were turned away at the US border on the way to a convention. As a Canadian who works in the US, how do you feel about the current political climate? Did you have any trouble getting to NYCC this year? Well, I don’t technically work in the US. I sometimes work for US companies, and some of my publishers for my creator own work are US-based. There’s always been issues with artists crossing borders. Not many people understand what we do fully, so there can be a lot of misunderstanding, which sometimes results in being refused entry. I had no problem getting to NYCC this year. I make sure everything is in order before I cross the border. Q: What’s one thing, in your life or in the world, that makes you furious right now? Hm… I wouldn’t say I’m furious about it, but I wish more people were reading comics! Other than that, again, I’m not furious or anything, but I wish people were more aware of intersex conditions as a whole. I feel it often gets buried by other things. It’s getting better though. Archie ComicsArtistBetty BoopExorsistersGisele LagaceJem and the HologramsMenage a 3Webcomics Book Review: Scribe by Alyson Hagy Book Review: The Dying of the Light by Robert Goolrick	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1064
__label__cc	0.687186	0.312814	The state of the Australian biomedical research funding in 2015: Gaetan Burgio 1 1. The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia Biomedical research in Australia is largely funded through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC https://www.nhmrc.gov.au), which is the Australian equivalent of the NIH. Multiple funding schemes are available varying from a standard project grants (equivalent to a R01), program grants (equivalent to a U19) as well as fellowships for early career researchers (equivalent to a K99), mid or senior researchers. Unlike the NIH system, only once a year we can apply for NHRMC funding in Australia, leading to significant delays in performing the research if the proposal is not awarded, which happens very often. The review process is fairly different from the NIH (for more details, see the video https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants-funding/peer-review/nhmrc-grant-review-panels-inductio\nn). The main point here is the scoring system of a project grant is as following: The Scientific quality of a proposal contributes to 50% of the score while the significance of expected outcomes/innovation is 25% and the team quality and capability relative to opportunity is scored 25%. The project grant funding outcomes in Australia Few weeks ago the NHMRC released the annual funding outcomes for 2015 for all major funding programs including fellowships. For more details, these could be found here: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants-funding/outcomes-funding-rounds. For instance, this year the success for project grants were at its lowest ever rate (13.7%). This low funding rate is steadily declining since the end of the stimulus package post Global Financial Crisis in Australia (2012). It is fair to point out that this decline in funding is not isolated to Australia, but also observed in a similar trend in France, the USA or Canada. Interestingly I’ve noticed from the list of funded projects in 2015 that a large proportion of the funded grants (48%) went to senior academics (Professors; academic Level E in Australia academic system) while the other funded grants went equally to junior mid-career scientists (assistant professors: Level academic B/C) and mid-career to senior scientists (Associate Professor; Level academic D). For more details of these analyses see https://medium.com/@GaetanBurgio/a-snapshot-of-the-biomedical-research-funding-in-aust\nralia-in-2015-9475febce833#.2sjq77nta.This indicates that the junior academics in Australia are clearly disadvantaged in getting the competitive funds. There are three explanations for this. Firstly many academic professors over 25 years of research career don’t retire, as the age is not caped to apply for funding in Australia. Secondly, in the Australian system, the track record of the main PI and the research team is an essential component, often over the scientific quality and the innovative aspect of the project. Thirdly the researchers in Australia can hold as a main or co-PI up to 6 project grants or 1 project + program grant. As many well established PI run large laboratories in Australia, this gives them the ability to apply to many project grants. Regarding the gender, the results are also dismal for females academic with only 25% of the funded projects were leaded from females PIs. The gender repartition is as following for each academic level: 30% for Level B/C, 35% for Level D and 21% for Level E. Sadly only 6 out of 33 (18%) new investigator grants scheme were funded to female academics. Interestingly the NHRMC has established gender equity policies since 2013–14 at institutional level (see https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/research/women-health-science/institutional-gender-equity-pol\nicies) as well for the assessment of project grant (see the career disruption section https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants-funding/apply-funding/project-grants). These results are clearly dismal and obviously many measures were not implemented (see for more https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/2015-funding-outcomes-gender-summary-findings) which means that the female academics are certainly disadvantaged to compete for NHMRC project grants. Biomedical research funding is tight in Australia: There is no doubt that the level of funding is tight for biomedical researchers in Australia as well as other countries except for instance Switzerland or Germany. In a context of low funding rate, this clearly favors senior and well-established researchers. The reason for this is NHMRC grant review process and fund allocation is manly based on the track record, high impact factor publications or citations. The consequence of this is a small pool of researchers is funded in Australia and this impacts directly on the ability of junior academics to attract national competitive funds. Therefore junior and female academics are right in a funding hole in Australia and this has clear consequences for early-mid career researchers. Many junior academics are not able to establish their own independent research groups in Australia. The direct consequence of this is the system favors ghostwriting applications and many proposals, although impossible to quantify are not written by the main PI. How to improve this situation? There are initiatives to fill the funding gap in Australia for biomedical research. The Medical Future research fund (http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mrff), originating from health savings is one of them. Although, there are too many questions on how the funds will be allocated and whether the investment will be made towards basic science. Recently, the Australian government, under the impulsion of the Chief scientist, has expressed the view to put less emphasis on the “publish and perish” culture and to redirect the university research funds towards research “engagement” and “impact” (http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/academic-publications-to-become-\nless-important-when-funding-university-research-20151112-gkxkgl.html). However, there are too many uncertainties on how and on which basis the funds will be redirected towards Australian researchers. Additionally these measures will take too long to take place while talented junior academics are dropping of academia or leaving Australia. There are simple measures to partly fix the situation. Australian reviewers are too risk- adverse as well as they put too much emphasis on the track record of the applicants and not enough on the scientific quality and innovation of a grant proposal. The scoring system should put more weight on the research proposal and the innovation rather than the pedigree of the PIs. Secondly the number of grants should be capped. This will restrict well establish PIs to apply to too many grants and this will strongly encourage junior academics to apply for their own funding and get funded. As well as capping the number of grant applications, the age should be capped as well to encourage the mentoring and the emergence of talented junior academics and avoid ghostwriting applications and female academics to drop out from academia. Additionally a better engagement towards females academics and the measures already existing should really be implemented, not only be an intent. Finally and importantly the universities have to take their own responsibilities by fostering innovative research, offering stability to talented researchers, cap the number of applications to send to the research agencies. It is imperative for the Australian research community and universities to break conservatisms and to foster innovative research and encourage talented scientists to establish their own groups. As the Australian Nobel Laureate and future vice chancellor of the Australian National University, Professor Brian Schmidt pointed out recently in an interview (http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/older-academics-need-to-make-room-for-young-r\nesearchers-at-the-money-trough-20151008-gk43b9.html) we should redirect the competitive funding towards junior academics “to nurture talent and to produce the next generation of science leaders”. This is a key for innovation in biomedical research in Australia. Open For Review NHMRC	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1070
__label__wiki	0.755642	0.755642	A Conversation with Hussain Sajwani, Founder of DAMAC 17th May 2019 / Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE / @MRVikas Hussain Sajwani has an extraordinary story. From modest beginnings, he has become a self-made billionaire, recognised as one of the most powerful Arabs in the world. Sajwani is Founder & Chairman of the DAMAC Properties, a global business with revenues of over $1.6bn and 2000+ employees which has delivered over 25,000 homes and has a development portfolio of over 40,000 units.DAMAC is now one of the largest businesses in the United Arab Emirates, a region which has taken its wealth of oil & gas reserves, to create a dynamic, diverse and fast-growing economy. I had the pleasure of catching-up with Hussain Sajwani to learn more about the DAMAC story, and his views on entrepreneurship and investment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A Conversation with Nile Rodgers and Merck Mercuriadis 27th February 2019 / Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE / @MRVikas Among music legends, Nile Rodgers is truly exceptional. His work in the CHIC Organization and his productions for artists like David Bowie, Diana Ross, and Madonna have sold over 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide. Merck Mercuriadis is one of the most successful music managers and entrepreneurs of all time; former manager of globally successful recording artists, such as Elton John, Guns N’ Roses, Morrissey, Iron Maiden and Beyoncé, and hit songwriters such as Diane Warren, Justin Tranter and The-Dream, and former CEO of The Sanctuary Group plc. Their latest venture, Hipgnosis Songs Fund (LON:SONG) turns the most successful songs in history into a new investment asset-class and already owns copyrights including Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’, Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ Kanye West’s ‘All Of The Lights’, Justin Beiber’s ‘Baby’, and Jay-z’s ‘Holy Grail’ featuring Justin Timberlake. Estimates suggest the fund could rapidly grow to well over £1 billion in market capitalisation. In these exclusive interviews I spoke to Nile Rodgers and Merck Mercuriadis to learn more about the business of music, their creative process, the secrets of great management, production and what they’ve learned from a lifetime at the pinnacle of the music world. The Reality of Silicon Valley The San Francisco Bay Area (more commonly known as Silicon Valley) has a GDP of $840 billion, to put it another way – if this region was a country, it would be the 18th largest global economy, larger than the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, and only a little smaller than Turkey and Indonesia. It is perhaps with eyes on this prize that so many leaders therefore divert civic investment and incentivisation into the growth of technology companies. To learn more about the reality of Silicon Valley, I spoke to three world experts. Kara Swisher (Co-Founder of Recode & NYT columnist), Nicholas Thompson (Editor in Chief of WIRED), John Carreyrou (Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist & Author of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup) and Cary Mcclelland (award-winning writer, filmmaker and human rights lawyer who is the author of Silicon City: San Francisco in the Long Shadow of the Valley). 9th March 2018 / Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE / @MRVikas Leadership sits at the very heart of everything we do as a civilisation, and to understand more we spoke to a group of the world’s foremost experts on leadership across the military, business, government education and research: General Stan McChyrstal (Founder, McChrystal Group & former commander of US and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) Afghanistan), Tony Hsieh (Founder & CEO, Zappos.com), General Richard Myers (President of Kansas State University, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), John Kotter (Chairman, Kotter International & Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership – Harvard), General Sir Peter Wall (Chief of the General Staff, the Professional Head of the British Army), General Sir Richard Shirreff (Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, NATO), Professor Stewart Friedman (Founding Director, Wharton Leadership Programme & Wharton Work/Life Integration Project) and Drew Povey (Headmaster & Leadership Expert). A Conversation with Slack Co-Founder, Stewart Butterfield Slack launched in 2014 and has become the fastest growing business application in history- allowing millions of people in tens of thousands of organisations around the world to get work done. I caught up with Slack Co-Founder, Stewart Butterfield to learn more about his entrepreneurship journey, and the changing global workplace. A Conversation with Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary 1st December 2017 / Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE / @MRVikas Since 2009, entrepreneurs have raised investment capital of over $70 million after entering the shark tank. Kevin O’Leary is a Canadian-Irish serial-entrepreneur and investor who has been a shark since series 1 first aired. I caught up with him to learn about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. A Conversation with Guy Hands, Founder & Chairman of Terra Firma Capital Partners. 2nd May 2017 / Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE / @MRVikas My conversation with Guy Hands, Founder & Chairman of Terra Firma who (since 1994) have invested over €16 billion in 34 businesses with an aggregate enterprise value of over €48 billion. A Conversation with Dennis Crowley, Co-Founder of Foursquare Dennis Crowley is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Foursquare, Chairman of Kingston Stockade Football Club and a serial entrepreneur and investor across tech. I caught up with Dennis to learn more about his career in entrepreneurship. A Conversation with Troy Carter 13th November 2016 / Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE / @MRVikas A conversation with Troy Carter, the strategist and manager behind household names like Lady Gaga, John Legend, Meghan Trainor and Miguel; who is also a serial-entrepreneur and investor with holdings in companies including Spotify, Warby Parker, Songza, Dropbox, Fab and Uber. Charity, Philanthropy and Society In these exclusive interviews, we speak to Jeff Raikes (Founder, Raikes Foundation and former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Eli Broad (Founder of the Broad Foundations), Sir Ratan Tata (Chairman Emeritus, Tata Group), Anousheh Ansari (Trustee of the X Prize Foundation, and title sponsor of the Ansari X Prize), John Paul Dejoria (Philanthropist and Entrepreneur, Founder of Paul Mitchell and The Patrón Spirits Company), Craig Newmark (Founder, craigslist and craigconnects), Michael Holthouse (Entrepreneur & Founder of Holthouse Foundation for Kids & Lemonade Day), Robert Tjian (President, Howard Hughes Medical Institute), Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller (Chair, Wellcome Trust), Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D. (President, Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation), Jacquelline Fuller (Director, Google.org) and Darren Walker (President, Ford Foundation). We discuss the fundamental nature of charity and philanthropy- looking at why these phenomena exist together with their role and impact on society. We also talk about their individual journeys in philanthropy, and how their organisations are aiming to tackle some of society’s greatest problems. Tweeted about 3 hours ago @jessandthehive @AnthonyAdnave @bharatbhandari1 @kate_marlow @zola_jfk Congratulations @jessandthehive on a super event! Tweeted about 3 hours ago @EE are you having any network problems in "M20" - internet speed is extremely slow, have tried multiple reboots. Tweeted about 10 hours ago In this exclusive guest post for my publication, Thought Economics, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar @kaj33 talks about the role… https://t.co/Ffq7ASSxN4 Tweeted about 12 hours ago RT @brendandawes: Dear Manchester. 5G is not the priority. What you need is a park. A giant green space in the middle of the city, free of… Tweeted about 13 hours ago In this exclusive guest post for my publication, Thought Economics, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar @kaj33 talks about the role… https://t.co/jL6Ek81eJM	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1072
__label__wiki	0.864274	0.864274	Richardson Bay entrance, San Francisco Bay, California Current (6d) 37.8567° N, 122.4700° W Flood direction 74° true Ebb direction 225° true Tue 01 1:54 AM PST 0.9 kt 5:38 AM PST 9:53 AM PST −0.7 kt 1:20 PM PST 3:01 PM PST 0.8 kt 6:56 PM PST 10:09 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:25 AM PST 5:01 PM PST 3:16 AM PST 2:10 PM PST Wed 02 12:29 AM PST 2:43 AM PST 0.9 kt 6:20 AM PST 10:40 AM PST −0.7 kt 2:09 PM PST 3:52 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:55 PM PST 11:00 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:25 AM PST 5:02 PM PST 4:17 AM PST 2:47 PM PST Thu 03 1:18 AM PST 3:28 AM PST 0.9 kt 7:00 AM PST 11:23 AM PST −0.8 kt 2:54 PM PST 4:40 PM PST 1.0 kt 8:46 PM PST 11:50 PM PST −0.3 kt 7:25 AM PST 5:03 PM PST 5:17 AM PST 3:28 PM PST Fri 04 2:03 AM PST 4:10 AM PST 0.9 kt 7:39 AM PST 12:04 PM PST −0.8 kt 3:36 PM PST 5:24 PM PST 1.0 kt 9:34 PM PST 7:25 AM PST 5:04 PM PST 6:13 AM PST 4:13 PM PST Sat 05 12:38 AM PST −0.3 kt 2:45 AM PST 4:52 AM PST 0.8 kt 8:17 AM PST 12:45 PM PST −0.8 kt 4:14 PM PST 6:06 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:19 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PST 7:24 AM PST 5:15 PM PST 1:24 PM PST 2:32 AM PST Thu 17 2:08 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:37 AM PST 9:56 AM PST −0.7 kt 1:35 PM PST 3:26 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:27 PM PST 10:47 PM PST −0.3 kt 7:23 AM PST 5:16 PM PST 2:07 PM PST 3:38 AM PST Fri 18 12:19 AM PST 2:57 AM PST 0.9 kt 6:20 AM PST 10:32 AM PST −0.8 kt 2:18 PM PST 4:11 PM PST 0.9 kt 8:13 PM PST 11:35 PM PST −0.3 kt 7:23 AM PST 5:17 PM PST 2:57 PM PST 4:45 AM PST Sat 19 1:14 AM PST 3:45 AM PST 1.0 kt 7:04 AM PST 11:09 AM PST −0.9 kt 3:00 PM PST 4:55 PM PST 1.1 kt 8:58 PM PST 7:22 AM PST 5:18 PM PST 3:56 PM PST 5:51 AM PST Sun 20 12:24 AM PST −0.4 kt 2:09 AM PST 4:34 AM PST 1.0 kt 7:51 AM PST 11:51 AM PST −1.0 kt 3:42 PM PST 5:40 PM PST 1.2 kt 9:42 PM PST Full Moon 7:22 AM PST 5:19 PM PST 5:03 PM PST 6:54 AM PST Mon 21 1:13 AM PST −0.4 kt 3:04 AM PST 5:24 AM PST 1.0 kt 8:38 AM PST 12:38 PM PST −1.0 kt 4:24 PM PST 6:25 PM PST 1.2 kt 10:26 PM PST 7:21 AM PST 5:20 PM PST 6:15 PM PST 7:50 AM PST Tue 22 2:03 AM PST −0.5 kt 4:00 AM PST 6:14 AM PST 1.0 kt 9:28 AM PST 1:28 PM PST −1.0 kt 5:06 PM PST 7:10 PM PST 1.2 kt 11:10 PM PST 7:21 AM PST 5:22 PM PST 7:29 PM PST 8:38 AM PST Wed 23 2:51 AM PST −0.5 kt 4:56 AM PST 7:05 AM PST 1.0 kt 10:19 AM PST 2:21 PM PST −0.9 kt 5:48 PM PST 7:55 PM PST 1.2 kt 11:55 PM PST 7:20 AM PST 5:23 PM PST 8:42 PM PST 9:21 AM PST Thu 24 3:41 AM PST −0.5 kt 5:55 AM PST 7:57 AM PST 0.9 kt 11:14 AM PST 3:17 PM PST −0.8 kt 6:30 PM PST 8:42 PM PST 1.1 kt 7:20 AM PST 5:24 PM PST 9:53 PM PST 9:58 AM PST Fri 25 12:42 AM PST 4:34 AM PST −0.5 kt 6:59 AM PST 8:54 AM PST 0.8 kt 12:14 PM PST 4:22 PM PST −0.7 kt 7:12 PM PST 9:32 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:19 AM PST 5:25 PM PST 11:01 PM PST 10:33 AM PST Sat 26 1:31 AM PST 5:31 AM PST −0.5 kt 8:13 AM PST 9:58 AM PST 0.7 kt 1:24 PM PST 5:34 PM PST −0.5 kt 7:58 PM PST 10:25 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:18 AM PST 5:26 PM PST 11:06 AM PST Sun 27 2:24 AM PST 6:30 AM PST −0.5 kt 9:36 AM PST 11:12 AM PST 0.6 kt 2:47 PM PST 6:42 PM PST −0.4 kt 8:49 PM PST 11:23 PM PST 0.8 kt Last Quarter 7:18 AM PST 5:27 PM PST 12:06 AM PST 11:38 AM PST Mon 28 3:20 AM PST 7:30 AM PST −0.5 kt 10:56 AM PST 12:34 PM PST 0.6 kt 4:21 PM PST 7:46 PM PST −0.3 kt 9:50 PM PST 7:17 AM PST 5:28 PM PST 1:09 AM PST 12:12 PM PST Tue 29 12:24 AM PST 0.8 kt 4:16 AM PST 8:31 AM PST −0.5 kt 12:04 PM PST 1:48 PM PST 0.7 kt 5:46 PM PST 8:49 PM PST −0.3 kt 10:59 PM PST 7:16 AM PST 5:29 PM PST 2:11 AM PST 12:48 PM PST Wed 30 1:24 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:07 AM PST 9:29 AM PST −0.6 kt 1:02 PM PST 2:47 PM PST 0.8 kt 6:53 PM PST 9:48 PM PST −0.3 kt 7:15 AM PST 5:30 PM PST 3:11 AM PST 1:28 PM PST Thu 31 12:03 AM PST 2:18 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:54 AM PST 10:20 AM PST −0.7 kt 1:50 PM PST 3:36 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:47 PM PST 10:40 PM PST −0.3 kt 7:14 AM PST 5:32 PM PST 4:08 AM PST 2:11 PM PST Fri 01 12:58 AM PST 3:06 AM PST 0.8 kt 6:38 AM PST 11:04 AM PST −0.7 kt 2:33 PM PST 4:21 PM PST 0.9 kt 8:32 PM PST 11:29 PM PST −0.3 kt 7:14 AM PST 5:33 PM PST 5:02 AM PST 2:58 PM PST Sat 02 1:47 AM PST 3:49 AM PST 0.8 kt 7:18 AM PST 11:46 AM PST −0.7 kt 3:12 PM PST 5:01 PM PST 1.0 kt 9:12 PM PST 7:13 AM PST 5:34 PM PST 5:51 AM PST 3:49 PM PST Sun 03 12:16 AM PST −0.4 kt 2:30 AM PST 4:31 AM PST 0.8 kt 7:58 AM PST 12:26 PM PST −0.8 kt 3:47 PM PST 5:39 PM PST 1.0 kt 9:49 PM PST 7:12 AM PST 5:35 PM PST 6:35 AM PST 4:42 PM PST Mon 04 1:01 AM PST −0.4 kt 3:11 AM PST 5:12 AM PST 0.8 kt 8:37 AM PST 1:07 PM PST −0.8 kt 4:19 PM PST 6:14 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:24 PM PST New Moon 7:11 AM PST 5:36 PM PST 7:15 AM PST 5:38 PM PST Tue 05 1:45 AM PST −0.4 kt 3:49 AM PST 5:53 AM PST 0.8 kt 9:16 AM PST 1:48 PM PST −0.8 kt 4:48 PM PST 6:47 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:56 PM PST 7:10 AM PST 5:37 PM PST 7:50 AM PST 6:34 PM PST Wed 06 2:27 AM PST −0.4 kt 4:27 AM PST 6:34 AM PST 0.7 kt 9:56 AM PST 2:27 PM PST −0.7 kt 5:16 PM PST 7:20 PM PST 1.0 kt 11:27 PM PST 7:09 AM PST 5:38 PM PST 8:22 AM PST 7:30 PM PST Thu 07 3:08 AM PST −0.4 kt 5:05 AM PST 7:15 AM PST 0.7 kt 10:36 AM PST 3:06 PM PST −0.7 kt 5:42 PM PST 7:54 PM PST 1.0 kt 11:57 PM PST 7:08 AM PST 5:39 PM PST 8:52 AM PST 8:26 PM PST Fri 08 3:46 AM PST −0.4 kt 5:45 AM PST 7:57 AM PST 0.6 kt 11:19 AM PST 3:45 PM PST −0.6 kt 6:11 PM PST 8:31 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:07 AM PST 5:40 PM PST 9:20 AM PST 9:23 PM PST Sat 09 12:28 AM PST 4:22 AM PST −0.4 kt 6:29 AM PST 8:44 AM PST 0.6 kt 12:07 PM PST 4:29 PM PST −0.5 kt 6:42 PM PST 9:11 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:06 AM PST 5:42 PM PST 9:48 AM PST 10:21 PM PST Sun 10 1:03 AM PST 4:56 AM PST −0.4 kt 7:18 AM PST 9:37 AM PST 0.5 kt 1:06 PM PST 5:31 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:18 PM PST 9:56 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:05 AM PST 5:43 PM PST 10:16 AM PST 11:19 PM PST Mon 11 1:43 AM PST 5:30 AM PST −0.4 kt 8:22 AM PST 10:41 AM PST 0.4 kt 2:22 PM PST 6:35 PM PST −0.3 kt 8:00 PM PST 10:47 PM PST 0.7 kt 7:04 AM PST 5:44 PM PST 10:47 AM PST Tue 12 2:29 AM PST 6:26 AM PST −0.4 kt 9:50 AM PST 11:54 AM PST 0.4 kt 3:54 PM PST 7:38 PM PST −0.2 kt 8:51 PM PST 11:43 PM PST 0.7 kt First Quarter 7:03 AM PST 5:45 PM PST 11:20 AM PST 12:19 AM PST Wed 13 3:20 AM PST 7:31 AM PST −0.5 kt 11:15 AM PST 1:10 PM PST 0.5 kt 5:17 PM PST 8:39 PM PST −0.2 kt 9:53 PM PST 7:02 AM PST 5:46 PM PST 11:58 AM PST 1:22 AM PST Thu 14 12:42 AM PST 0.7 kt 4:14 AM PST 8:32 AM PST −0.6 kt 12:17 PM PST 2:12 PM PST 0.7 kt 6:20 PM PST 9:36 PM PST −0.3 kt 11:00 PM PST 7:00 AM PST 5:47 PM PST 12:43 PM PST 2:26 AM PST Fri 15 1:40 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:06 AM PST 9:28 AM PST −0.7 kt 1:08 PM PST 3:03 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:09 PM PST 10:28 PM PST −0.3 kt 6:59 AM PST 5:48 PM PST 1:36 PM PST 3:31 AM PST Sat 16 12:07 AM PST 2:35 AM PST 0.9 kt 5:58 AM PST 10:18 AM PST −0.8 kt 1:55 PM PST 3:49 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:52 PM PST 11:17 PM PST −0.4 kt 6:58 AM PST 5:49 PM PST 2:38 PM PST 4:33 AM PST Sun 17 1:10 AM PST 3:28 AM PST 0.9 kt 6:49 AM PST 11:06 AM PST −0.9 kt 2:39 PM PST 4:33 PM PST 1.1 kt 8:33 PM PST 6:57 AM PST 5:50 PM PST 3:46 PM PST 5:32 AM PST Mon 18 12:05 AM PST −0.5 kt 2:09 AM PST 4:19 AM PST 1.0 kt 7:40 AM PST 11:54 AM PST −0.9 kt 3:22 PM PST 5:17 PM PST 1.2 kt 9:13 PM PST 6:55 AM PST 5:51 PM PST 5:00 PM PST 6:24 AM PST Tue 19 12:52 AM PST −0.5 kt 3:05 AM PST 5:11 AM PST 1.0 kt 8:31 AM PST 12:43 PM PST −0.9 kt 4:03 PM PST 6:01 PM PST 1.3 kt 9:54 PM PST Full Moon 6:54 AM PST 5:52 PM PST 6:15 PM PST 7:10 AM PST Wed 20 1:39 AM PST −0.6 kt 3:59 AM PST 6:02 AM PST 1.1 kt 9:23 AM PST 1:34 PM PST −0.9 kt 4:44 PM PST 6:45 PM PST 1.3 kt 10:34 PM PST 6:53 AM PST 5:53 PM PST 7:28 PM PST 7:51 AM PST Thu 21 2:25 AM PST −0.6 kt 4:52 AM PST 6:52 AM PST 1.0 kt 10:15 AM PST 2:25 PM PST −0.8 kt 5:24 PM PST 7:28 PM PST 1.2 kt 11:16 PM PST 6:52 AM PST 5:55 PM PST 8:40 PM PST 8:28 AM PST Fri 22 3:10 AM PST −0.6 kt 5:47 AM PST 7:44 AM PST 0.9 kt 11:11 AM PST 3:17 PM PST −0.7 kt 6:04 PM PST 8:12 PM PST 1.1 kt 11:59 PM PST 6:51 AM PST 5:56 PM PST 9:50 PM PST 9:02 AM PST Sat 23 3:58 AM PST −0.6 kt 6:45 AM PST 8:39 AM PST 0.8 kt 12:10 PM PST 4:13 PM PST −0.6 kt 6:43 PM PST 8:59 PM PST 1.0 kt 6:49 AM PST 5:57 PM PST 10:57 PM PST 9:36 AM PST Sun 24 12:45 AM PST 4:51 AM PST −0.5 kt 7:50 AM PST 9:40 AM PST 0.7 kt 1:18 PM PST 5:16 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:23 PM PST 9:49 PM PST 0.8 kt 6:48 AM PST 5:58 PM PST 10:11 AM PST Mon 25 1:36 AM PST 5:50 AM PST −0.5 kt 9:06 AM PST 10:52 AM PST 0.6 kt 2:41 PM PST 6:21 PM PST −0.3 kt 8:10 PM PST 10:45 PM PST 0.7 kt 6:47 AM PST 5:59 PM PST 12:01 AM PST 10:47 AM PST Tue 26 2:33 AM PST 6:53 AM PST −0.5 kt 10:26 AM PST 12:14 PM PST 0.6 kt 4:19 PM PST 7:24 PM PST −0.3 kt 9:12 PM PST 11:48 PM PST 0.6 kt Last Quarter 6:45 AM PST 6:00 PM PST 1:03 AM PST 11:26 AM PST Wed 27 3:35 AM PST 7:58 AM PST −0.5 kt 11:36 AM PST 1:28 PM PST 0.7 kt 5:41 PM PST 8:27 PM PST −0.2 kt 10:35 PM PST 6:44 AM PST 6:01 PM PST 2:02 AM PST 12:08 PM PST Thu 28 12:54 AM PST 0.6 kt 4:36 AM PST 9:00 AM PST −0.5 kt 12:34 PM PST 2:27 PM PST 0.8 kt 6:40 PM PST 9:27 PM PST −0.3 kt 11:50 PM PST 6:43 AM PST 6:02 PM PST 2:58 AM PST 12:54 PM PST Fri 01 1:55 AM PST 0.6 kt 5:30 AM PST 9:55 AM PST −0.6 kt 1:22 PM PST 3:14 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:26 PM PST 10:19 PM PST −0.3 kt 6:41 AM PST 6:03 PM PST 3:48 AM PST 1:44 PM PST Sat 02 12:48 AM PST 2:46 AM PST 0.7 kt 6:18 AM PST 10:41 AM PST −0.6 kt 2:03 PM PST 3:55 PM PST 0.9 kt 8:04 PM PST 11:06 PM PST −0.4 kt 6:40 AM PST 6:04 PM PST 4:34 AM PST 2:37 PM PST Sun 03 1:37 AM PST 3:31 AM PST 0.7 kt 7:01 AM PST 11:23 AM PST −0.7 kt 2:39 PM PST 4:32 PM PST 1.0 kt 8:37 PM PST 11:50 PM PST −0.4 kt 6:38 AM PST 6:05 PM PST 5:15 AM PST 3:32 PM PST Mon 04 2:19 AM PST 4:13 AM PST 0.8 kt 7:42 AM PST 12:04 PM PST −0.7 kt 3:11 PM PST 5:06 PM PST 1.0 kt 9:07 PM PST 6:37 AM PST 6:06 PM PST 5:52 AM PST 4:28 PM PST Tue 05 12:32 AM PST −0.5 kt 2:58 AM PST 4:53 AM PST 0.8 kt 8:22 AM PST 12:44 PM PST −0.7 kt 3:42 PM PST 5:37 PM PST 1.0 kt 9:36 PM PST 6:36 AM PST 6:07 PM PST 6:25 AM PST 5:24 PM PST Wed 06 1:12 AM PST −0.5 kt 3:34 AM PST 5:33 AM PST 0.8 kt 9:02 AM PST 1:25 PM PST −0.7 kt 4:10 PM PST 6:09 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:03 PM PST New Moon 6:34 AM PST 6:08 PM PST 6:55 AM PST 6:21 PM PST Thu 07 1:50 AM PST −0.5 kt 4:08 AM PST 6:13 AM PST 0.8 kt 9:43 AM PST 2:05 PM PST −0.7 kt 4:37 PM PST 6:42 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:30 PM PST 6:33 AM PST 6:09 PM PST 7:24 AM PST 7:18 PM PST Fri 08 2:23 AM PST −0.5 kt 4:42 AM PST 6:54 AM PST 0.8 kt 10:24 AM PST 2:43 PM PST −0.6 kt 5:04 PM PST 7:16 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:58 PM PST 6:31 AM PST 6:10 PM PST 7:51 AM PST 8:15 PM PST Sat 09 2:44 AM PST −0.5 kt 5:18 AM PST 7:35 AM PST 0.7 kt 11:07 AM PST 3:19 PM PST −0.5 kt 5:33 PM PST 7:53 PM PST 0.9 kt 11:28 PM PST 6:30 AM PST 6:11 PM PST 8:19 AM PST 9:14 PM PST Sun 10 3:50 AM PDT −0.5 kt 6:57 AM PDT 9:20 AM PDT 0.7 kt 12:56 PM PDT 4:56 PM PDT −0.4 kt 7:05 PM PDT 9:32 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:28 AM PDT 7:12 PM PDT 9:49 AM PDT 11:13 PM PDT Mon 11 1:03 AM PDT 4:18 AM PDT −0.5 kt 7:41 AM PDT 10:11 AM PDT 0.6 kt 1:53 PM PDT 5:54 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:41 PM PDT 10:17 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:27 AM PDT 7:13 PM PDT 10:21 AM PDT Tue 12 1:44 AM PDT 5:00 AM PDT −0.5 kt 8:35 AM PDT 11:12 AM PDT 0.6 kt 3:06 PM PDT 7:06 PM PDT −0.2 kt 8:25 PM PDT 11:09 PM PDT 0.7 kt 7:25 AM PDT 7:14 PM PDT 10:56 AM PDT 12:14 AM PDT Wed 13 2:33 AM PDT 5:54 AM PDT −0.5 kt 9:50 AM PDT 12:22 PM PDT 0.5 kt 4:36 PM PDT 8:13 PM PDT −0.2 kt 9:21 PM PDT 7:24 AM PDT 7:15 PM PDT 11:38 AM PDT 1:17 AM PDT Thu 14 12:09 AM PDT 0.7 kt 3:32 AM PDT 7:06 AM PDT −0.5 kt 11:23 AM PDT 1:37 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:58 PM PDT 9:16 PM PDT −0.2 kt 10:34 PM PDT First Quarter 7:22 AM PDT 7:16 PM PDT 12:26 PM PDT 2:19 AM PDT Fri 15 1:13 AM PDT 0.7 kt 4:37 AM PDT 8:48 AM PDT −0.6 kt 12:38 PM PDT 2:43 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:57 PM PDT 10:15 PM PDT −0.3 kt 11:56 PM PDT 7:21 AM PDT 7:17 PM PDT 1:22 PM PDT 3:21 AM PDT Sat 16 2:18 AM PDT 0.7 kt 5:41 AM PDT 10:06 AM PDT −0.7 kt 1:36 PM PDT 3:37 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:43 PM PDT 11:09 PM PDT −0.4 kt 7:19 AM PDT 7:17 PM PDT 2:25 PM PDT 4:19 AM PDT Sun 17 1:12 AM PDT 3:19 AM PDT 0.8 kt 6:41 AM PDT 11:05 AM PDT −0.7 kt 2:26 PM PDT 4:24 PM PDT 1.1 kt 8:23 PM PDT 11:57 PM PDT −0.5 kt 7:18 AM PDT 7:18 PM PDT 3:34 PM PDT 5:12 AM PDT Mon 18 2:16 AM PDT 4:15 AM PDT 0.9 kt 7:39 AM PDT 11:57 AM PDT −0.8 kt 3:12 PM PDT 5:08 PM PDT 1.2 kt 9:01 PM PDT 7:16 AM PDT 7:19 PM PDT 4:47 PM PDT 5:59 AM PDT Tue 19 12:43 AM PDT −0.6 kt 3:13 AM PDT 5:08 AM PDT 1.0 kt 8:34 AM PDT 12:47 PM PDT −0.9 kt 3:55 PM PDT 5:51 PM PDT 1.2 kt 9:39 PM PDT 7:15 AM PDT 7:20 PM PDT 6:00 PM PDT 6:41 AM PDT Wed 20 1:28 AM PDT −0.7 kt 4:05 AM PDT 6:00 AM PDT 1.1 kt 9:27 AM PDT 1:37 PM PDT −0.9 kt 4:37 PM PDT 6:34 PM PDT 1.2 kt 10:17 PM PDT Full Moon 7:13 AM PDT 7:21 PM PDT 7:14 PM PDT 7:19 AM PDT Thu 21 2:13 AM PDT −0.7 kt 4:57 AM PDT 6:51 AM PDT 1.1 kt 10:20 AM PDT 2:27 PM PDT −0.8 kt 5:18 PM PDT 7:17 PM PDT 1.2 kt 10:57 PM PDT 7:12 AM PDT 7:22 PM PDT 8:25 PM PDT 7:55 AM PDT Fri 22 2:56 AM PDT −0.7 kt 5:47 AM PDT 7:41 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:14 AM PDT 3:17 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:57 PM PDT 8:00 PM PDT 1.1 kt 11:36 PM PDT 7:10 AM PDT 7:23 PM PDT 9:35 PM PDT 8:30 AM PDT Sat 23 3:38 AM PDT −0.7 kt 6:37 AM PDT 8:32 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:10 PM PDT 4:07 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:35 PM PDT 8:42 PM PDT 1.0 kt 7:09 AM PDT 7:24 PM PDT 10:43 PM PDT 9:05 AM PDT Sun 24 12:17 AM PDT 4:20 AM PDT −0.7 kt 7:30 AM PDT 9:25 AM PDT 0.9 kt 1:09 PM PDT 5:00 PM PDT −0.5 kt 7:12 PM PDT 9:27 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:07 AM PDT 7:25 PM PDT 11:49 PM PDT 9:41 AM PDT Wed 27 2:44 AM PDT 7:15 AM PDT −0.4 kt 10:46 AM PDT 12:48 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:13 PM PDT 8:03 PM PDT −0.2 kt 9:45 PM PDT Last Quarter 7:02 AM PDT 7:28 PM PDT 1:50 AM PDT 11:48 AM PDT Thu 28 12:11 AM PDT 0.5 kt 3:50 AM PDT 8:22 AM PDT −0.4 kt 11:55 AM PDT 2:00 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:24 PM PDT 9:05 PM PDT −0.2 kt 11:24 PM PDT 7:01 AM PDT 7:29 PM PDT 2:44 AM PDT 12:37 PM PDT Fri 29 1:23 AM PDT 0.5 kt 5:01 AM PDT 9:26 AM PDT −0.4 kt 12:53 PM PDT 2:57 PM PDT 0.7 kt 7:15 PM PDT 10:03 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:59 AM PDT 7:30 PM PDT 3:32 AM PDT 1:30 PM PDT Sat 30 12:41 AM PDT 2:32 AM PDT 0.5 kt 6:05 AM PDT 10:23 AM PDT −0.5 kt 1:41 PM PDT 3:43 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:54 PM PDT 10:55 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:58 AM PDT 7:31 PM PDT 4:14 AM PDT 2:24 PM PDT Sun 31 1:39 AM PDT 3:27 AM PDT 0.6 kt 6:58 AM PDT 11:12 AM PDT −0.5 kt 2:21 PM PDT 4:21 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:26 PM PDT 11:41 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:56 AM PDT 7:31 PM PDT 4:52 AM PDT 3:20 PM PDT Mon 01 2:26 AM PDT 4:13 AM PDT 0.7 kt 7:44 AM PDT 11:55 AM PDT −0.6 kt 2:56 PM PDT 4:55 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:54 PM PDT 6:55 AM PDT 7:32 PM PDT 5:26 AM PDT 4:17 PM PDT Tue 02 12:22 AM PDT −0.5 kt 3:07 AM PDT 4:54 AM PDT 0.7 kt 8:27 AM PDT 12:36 PM PDT −0.6 kt 3:28 PM PDT 5:26 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:19 PM PDT 6:53 AM PDT 7:33 PM PDT 5:57 AM PDT 5:13 PM PDT Wed 03 1:00 AM PDT −0.5 kt 3:43 AM PDT 5:33 AM PDT 0.8 kt 9:09 AM PDT 1:18 PM PDT −0.6 kt 3:58 PM PDT 5:57 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:45 PM PDT 6:52 AM PDT 7:34 PM PDT 6:26 AM PDT 6:11 PM PDT Thu 04 1:37 AM PDT −0.6 kt 4:17 AM PDT 6:13 AM PDT 0.8 kt 9:50 AM PDT 1:59 PM PDT −0.6 kt 4:26 PM PDT 6:29 PM PDT 1.0 kt 10:10 PM PDT 6:50 AM PDT 7:35 PM PDT 6:54 AM PDT 7:08 PM PDT Fri 05 2:09 AM PDT −0.6 kt 4:50 AM PDT 6:53 AM PDT 0.8 kt 10:31 AM PDT 2:40 PM PDT −0.6 kt 4:55 PM PDT 7:04 PM PDT 1.0 kt 10:38 PM PDT New Moon 6:49 AM PDT 7:36 PM PDT 7:22 AM PDT 8:07 PM PDT Sat 06 2:30 AM PDT −0.6 kt 5:22 AM PDT 7:34 AM PDT 0.8 kt 11:14 AM PDT 3:19 PM PDT −0.5 kt 5:24 PM PDT 7:40 PM PDT 1.0 kt 11:07 PM PDT 6:47 AM PDT 7:37 PM PDT 7:51 AM PDT 9:07 PM PDT Sun 07 2:37 AM PDT −0.7 kt 5:56 AM PDT 8:16 AM PDT 0.8 kt 11:59 AM PDT 3:57 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:56 PM PDT 8:18 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:39 PM PDT 6:46 AM PDT 7:38 PM PDT 8:22 AM PDT 10:08 PM PDT Mon 08 3:03 AM PDT −0.7 kt 6:33 AM PDT 9:00 AM PDT 0.8 kt 12:49 PM PDT 4:37 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:31 PM PDT 9:00 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:44 AM PDT 7:39 PM PDT 8:57 AM PDT 11:11 PM PDT Tue 09 12:16 AM PDT 3:39 AM PDT −0.7 kt 7:17 AM PDT 9:50 AM PDT 0.7 kt 1:46 PM PDT 5:34 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:11 PM PDT 9:46 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:43 AM PDT 7:39 PM PDT 9:36 AM PDT Wed 10 12:59 AM PDT 4:24 AM PDT −0.7 kt 8:08 AM PDT 10:48 AM PDT 0.7 kt 2:56 PM PDT 6:45 PM PDT −0.2 kt 8:01 PM PDT 10:39 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:41 AM PDT 7:40 PM PDT 10:22 AM PDT 12:14 AM PDT Thu 11 1:50 AM PDT 5:18 AM PDT −0.6 kt 9:14 AM PDT 11:54 AM PDT 0.7 kt 4:19 PM PDT 7:52 PM PDT −0.2 kt 9:05 PM PDT 11:41 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:40 AM PDT 7:41 PM PDT 11:14 AM PDT 1:15 AM PDT Fri 12 2:54 AM PDT 6:29 AM PDT −0.6 kt 10:36 AM PDT 1:04 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:32 PM PDT 8:54 PM PDT −0.3 kt 10:30 PM PDT First Quarter 6:39 AM PDT 7:42 PM PDT 12:14 PM PDT 2:13 AM PDT Sat 13 12:49 AM PDT 0.6 kt 4:07 AM PDT 8:19 AM PDT −0.6 kt 11:54 AM PDT 2:10 PM PDT 0.9 kt 6:26 PM PDT 9:53 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:37 AM PDT 7:43 PM PDT 1:19 PM PDT 3:06 AM PDT Sun 14 12:03 AM PDT 2:00 AM PDT 0.7 kt 5:22 AM PDT 9:45 AM PDT −0.6 kt 12:57 PM PDT 3:06 PM PDT 1.0 kt 7:09 PM PDT 10:47 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:36 AM PDT 7:44 PM PDT 2:28 PM PDT 3:54 AM PDT Mon 15 1:17 AM PDT 3:06 AM PDT 0.8 kt 6:30 AM PDT 10:48 AM PDT −0.7 kt 1:51 PM PDT 3:55 PM PDT 1.1 kt 7:48 PM PDT 11:36 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:34 AM PDT 7:45 PM PDT 3:39 PM PDT 4:36 AM PDT Tue 16 2:18 AM PDT 4:04 AM PDT 0.9 kt 7:32 AM PDT 11:42 AM PDT −0.7 kt 2:40 PM PDT 4:40 PM PDT 1.2 kt 8:26 PM PDT 6:33 AM PDT 7:46 PM PDT 4:51 PM PDT 5:15 AM PDT Wed 17 12:20 AM PDT −0.7 kt 3:12 AM PDT 4:58 AM PDT 1.0 kt 8:30 AM PDT 12:33 PM PDT −0.7 kt 3:25 PM PDT 5:23 PM PDT 1.2 kt 9:04 PM PDT 6:32 AM PDT 7:47 PM PDT 6:02 PM PDT 5:50 AM PDT Thu 18 1:04 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:02 AM PDT 5:50 AM PDT 1.1 kt 9:26 AM PDT 1:23 PM PDT −0.7 kt 4:08 PM PDT 6:06 PM PDT 1.2 kt 9:42 PM PDT 6:30 AM PDT 7:48 PM PDT 7:12 PM PDT 6:24 AM PDT Fri 19 1:46 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:51 AM PDT 6:41 AM PDT 1.1 kt 10:20 AM PDT 2:13 PM PDT −0.7 kt 4:49 PM PDT 6:49 PM PDT 1.1 kt 10:20 PM PDT Full Moon 6:29 AM PDT 7:49 PM PDT 8:21 PM PDT 6:58 AM PDT Sat 20 2:28 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:39 AM PDT 7:31 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:15 AM PDT 3:03 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:28 PM PDT 7:31 PM PDT 1.0 kt 10:59 PM PDT 6:27 AM PDT 7:50 PM PDT 9:29 PM PDT 7:34 AM PDT Sun 21 3:09 AM PDT −0.8 kt 6:27 AM PDT 8:20 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:11 PM PDT 3:53 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:06 PM PDT 8:13 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:39 PM PDT 6:26 AM PDT 7:51 PM PDT 10:35 PM PDT 8:12 AM PDT Mon 22 3:48 AM PDT −0.7 kt 7:15 AM PDT 9:11 AM PDT 0.9 kt 1:11 PM PDT 4:45 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:43 PM PDT 8:56 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:25 AM PDT 7:52 PM PDT 11:37 PM PDT 8:53 AM PDT Tue 23 12:21 AM PDT 4:28 AM PDT −0.6 kt 8:04 AM PDT 10:05 AM PDT 0.8 kt 2:17 PM PDT 5:41 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:24 PM PDT 9:42 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:23 AM PDT 7:53 PM PDT 9:38 AM PDT Wed 24 1:05 AM PDT 5:21 AM PDT −0.5 kt 8:57 AM PDT 11:05 AM PDT 0.7 kt 3:35 PM PDT 6:41 PM PDT −0.2 kt 8:14 PM PDT 10:34 PM PDT 0.5 kt 6:22 AM PDT 7:53 PM PDT 12:35 AM PDT 10:27 AM PDT Thu 25 1:57 AM PDT 6:35 AM PDT −0.4 kt 9:56 AM PDT 12:12 PM PDT 0.7 kt 4:54 PM PDT 7:41 PM PDT −0.2 kt 9:28 PM PDT 11:35 PM PDT 0.4 kt 6:21 AM PDT 7:54 PM PDT 1:26 AM PDT 11:20 AM PDT Fri 26 3:00 AM PDT 7:44 AM PDT −0.4 kt 10:59 AM PDT 1:19 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:54 PM PDT 8:39 PM PDT −0.2 kt 11:09 PM PDT Last Quarter 6:20 AM PDT 7:55 PM PDT 2:12 AM PDT 12:14 PM PDT Sat 27 12:47 AM PDT 0.4 kt 4:17 AM PDT 8:46 AM PDT −0.4 kt 11:57 AM PDT 2:16 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:39 PM PDT 9:35 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:18 AM PDT 7:56 PM PDT 2:52 AM PDT 1:10 PM PDT Sun 28 12:26 AM PDT 2:03 AM PDT 0.4 kt 5:32 AM PDT 9:45 AM PDT −0.4 kt 12:45 PM PDT 3:02 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:14 PM PDT 10:26 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:17 AM PDT 7:57 PM PDT 3:27 AM PDT 2:07 PM PDT Mon 29 1:24 AM PDT 3:05 AM PDT 0.5 kt 6:34 AM PDT 10:36 AM PDT −0.5 kt 1:27 PM PDT 3:39 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:42 PM PDT 11:11 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:16 AM PDT 7:58 PM PDT 3:59 AM PDT 3:04 PM PDT Tue 30 2:10 AM PDT 3:53 AM PDT 0.6 kt 7:26 AM PDT 11:24 AM PDT −0.5 kt 2:04 PM PDT 4:12 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:06 PM PDT 11:51 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:15 AM PDT 7:59 PM PDT 4:28 AM PDT 4:01 PM PDT Wed 01 2:50 AM PDT 4:35 AM PDT 0.7 kt 8:13 AM PDT 12:07 PM PDT −0.5 kt 2:37 PM PDT 4:43 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:30 PM PDT 6:14 AM PDT 8:00 PM PDT 4:57 AM PDT 4:58 PM PDT Thu 02 12:27 AM PDT −0.6 kt 3:26 AM PDT 5:14 AM PDT 0.8 kt 8:56 AM PDT 12:49 PM PDT −0.5 kt 3:08 PM PDT 5:16 PM PDT 1.0 kt 8:56 PM PDT 6:12 AM PDT 8:01 PM PDT 5:24 AM PDT 5:57 PM PDT Fri 03 12:59 AM PDT −0.7 kt 4:00 AM PDT 5:54 AM PDT 0.8 kt 9:39 AM PDT 1:32 PM PDT −0.5 kt 3:39 PM PDT 5:51 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:23 PM PDT 6:11 AM PDT 8:02 PM PDT 5:52 AM PDT 6:57 PM PDT Sat 04 1:24 AM PDT −0.7 kt 4:33 AM PDT 6:34 AM PDT 0.9 kt 10:22 AM PDT 2:14 PM PDT −0.5 kt 4:11 PM PDT 6:29 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:52 PM PDT New Moon 6:10 AM PDT 8:03 PM PDT 6:23 AM PDT 7:59 PM PDT Sun 05 1:36 AM PDT −0.7 kt 5:06 AM PDT 7:15 AM PDT 0.9 kt 11:06 AM PDT 2:56 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:45 PM PDT 7:08 PM PDT 0.9 kt 10:25 PM PDT 6:09 AM PDT 8:04 PM PDT 6:56 AM PDT 9:03 PM PDT Mon 06 1:57 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:41 AM PDT 7:58 AM PDT 0.9 kt 11:53 AM PDT 3:38 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:21 PM PDT 7:49 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:01 PM PDT 6:08 AM PDT 8:05 PM PDT 7:34 AM PDT 10:07 PM PDT Tue 07 2:32 AM PDT −0.8 kt 6:19 AM PDT 8:43 AM PDT 0.9 kt 12:43 PM PDT 4:23 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:02 PM PDT 8:33 PM PDT 0.8 kt 11:41 PM PDT 6:07 AM PDT 8:05 PM PDT 8:19 AM PDT 11:10 PM PDT Wed 08 3:13 AM PDT −0.8 kt 7:02 AM PDT 9:32 AM PDT 0.9 kt 1:40 PM PDT 5:19 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:49 PM PDT 9:21 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:06 AM PDT 8:06 PM PDT 9:09 AM PDT Thu 09 12:27 AM PDT 4:00 AM PDT −0.8 kt 7:52 AM PDT 10:27 AM PDT 0.9 kt 2:44 PM PDT 6:25 PM PDT −0.2 kt 7:46 PM PDT 10:16 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:05 AM PDT 8:07 PM PDT 10:07 AM PDT 12:10 AM PDT Fri 10 1:21 AM PDT 4:55 AM PDT −0.7 kt 8:50 AM PDT 11:27 AM PDT 0.9 kt 3:53 PM PDT 7:29 PM PDT −0.3 kt 8:58 PM PDT 11:19 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:04 AM PDT 8:08 PM PDT 11:11 AM PDT 1:05 AM PDT Sat 11 2:26 AM PDT 6:07 AM PDT −0.6 kt 9:58 AM PDT 12:32 PM PDT 0.9 kt 4:57 PM PDT 8:30 PM PDT −0.3 kt 10:32 PM PDT First Quarter 6:03 AM PDT 8:09 PM PDT 12:18 PM PDT 1:54 AM PDT Sun 12 12:29 AM PDT 0.6 kt 3:44 AM PDT 8:01 AM PDT −0.6 kt 11:10 AM PDT 1:35 PM PDT 0.9 kt 5:49 PM PDT 9:28 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:02 AM PDT 8:10 PM PDT 1:27 PM PDT 2:37 AM PDT Mon 13 12:03 AM PDT 1:43 AM PDT 0.6 kt 5:06 AM PDT 9:22 AM PDT −0.6 kt 12:16 PM PDT 2:33 PM PDT 1.0 kt 6:32 PM PDT 10:23 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:01 AM PDT 8:11 PM PDT 2:37 PM PDT 3:15 AM PDT Tue 14 1:14 AM PDT 2:53 AM PDT 0.8 kt 6:21 AM PDT 10:27 AM PDT −0.6 kt 1:13 PM PDT 3:24 PM PDT 1.1 kt 7:13 PM PDT 11:12 PM PDT −0.7 kt 6:00 AM PDT 8:12 PM PDT 3:46 PM PDT 3:50 AM PDT Wed 15 2:13 AM PDT 3:54 AM PDT 0.9 kt 7:28 AM PDT 11:23 AM PDT −0.6 kt 2:05 PM PDT 4:11 PM PDT 1.1 kt 7:52 PM PDT 11:58 PM PDT −0.8 kt 5:59 AM PDT 8:13 PM PDT 4:55 PM PDT 4:23 AM PDT Thu 16 3:06 AM PDT 4:49 AM PDT 1.0 kt 8:29 AM PDT 12:15 PM PDT −0.6 kt 2:52 PM PDT 4:55 PM PDT 1.1 kt 8:31 PM PDT 5:59 AM PDT 8:13 PM PDT 6:03 PM PDT 4:56 AM PDT Fri 17 12:40 AM PDT −0.8 kt 3:56 AM PDT 5:41 AM PDT 1.1 kt 9:26 AM PDT 1:06 PM PDT −0.6 kt 3:36 PM PDT 5:39 PM PDT 1.1 kt 9:10 PM PDT 5:58 AM PDT 8:14 PM PDT 7:10 PM PDT 5:30 AM PDT Sat 18 1:23 AM PDT −0.9 kt 4:44 AM PDT 6:31 AM PDT 1.1 kt 10:21 AM PDT 1:56 PM PDT −0.5 kt 4:18 PM PDT 6:22 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:48 PM PDT Full Moon 5:57 AM PDT 8:15 PM PDT 8:17 PM PDT 6:06 AM PDT Sun 19 2:04 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:30 AM PDT 7:20 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:17 AM PDT 2:47 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:59 PM PDT 7:04 PM PDT 0.9 kt 10:27 PM PDT 5:56 AM PDT 8:16 PM PDT 9:21 PM PDT 6:45 AM PDT Mon 20 2:45 AM PDT −0.8 kt 6:15 AM PDT 8:08 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:12 PM PDT 3:37 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:38 PM PDT 7:47 PM PDT 0.8 kt 11:07 PM PDT 5:56 AM PDT 8:17 PM PDT 10:22 PM PDT 7:28 AM PDT Tue 21 3:25 AM PDT −0.7 kt 6:58 AM PDT 8:54 AM PDT 1.0 kt 1:10 PM PDT 4:28 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:18 PM PDT 8:29 PM PDT 0.7 kt 11:46 PM PDT 5:55 AM PDT 8:18 PM PDT 11:17 PM PDT 8:16 AM PDT Fri 24 1:17 AM PDT 5:57 AM PDT −0.5 kt 9:03 AM PDT 11:28 AM PDT 0.8 kt 4:17 PM PDT 7:13 PM PDT −0.2 kt 9:04 PM PDT 10:59 PM PDT 0.4 kt 5:53 AM PDT 8:20 PM PDT 12:49 AM PDT 10:59 AM PDT Sat 25 2:15 AM PDT 7:05 AM PDT −0.4 kt 9:50 AM PDT 12:25 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:10 PM PDT 8:08 PM PDT −0.3 kt 10:39 PM PDT 5:52 AM PDT 8:21 PM PDT 1:26 AM PDT 11:56 AM PDT Sun 26 12:07 AM PDT 0.3 kt 3:29 AM PDT 8:07 AM PDT −0.4 kt 10:41 AM PDT 1:18 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:52 PM PDT 9:01 PM PDT −0.3 kt 11:59 PM PDT Last Quarter 5:52 AM PDT 8:22 PM PDT 2:00 AM PDT 12:52 PM PDT Mon 27 1:24 AM PDT 0.3 kt 4:53 AM PDT 9:05 AM PDT −0.4 kt 11:33 AM PDT 2:06 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:24 PM PDT 9:52 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:51 AM PDT 8:22 PM PDT 2:30 AM PDT 1:49 PM PDT Tue 28 1:00 AM PDT 2:36 AM PDT 0.4 kt 6:06 AM PDT 10:00 AM PDT −0.4 kt 12:19 PM PDT 2:47 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:51 PM PDT 10:37 PM PDT −0.5 kt 5:51 AM PDT 8:23 PM PDT 2:58 AM PDT 2:46 PM PDT Wed 29 1:48 AM PDT 3:29 AM PDT 0.5 kt 7:06 AM PDT 10:50 AM PDT −0.4 kt 1:01 PM PDT 3:24 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:17 PM PDT 11:17 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:50 AM PDT 8:24 PM PDT 3:26 AM PDT 3:44 PM PDT Thu 30 2:29 AM PDT 4:14 AM PDT 0.7 kt 7:57 AM PDT 11:37 AM PDT −0.4 kt 1:39 PM PDT 4:01 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:43 PM PDT 11:53 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:50 AM PDT 8:25 PM PDT 3:53 AM PDT 4:43 PM PDT Fri 31 3:07 AM PDT 4:54 AM PDT 0.8 kt 8:44 AM PDT 12:21 PM PDT −0.4 kt 2:15 PM PDT 4:38 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:11 PM PDT 5:49 AM PDT 8:25 PM PDT 4:22 AM PDT 5:44 PM PDT Sat 01 12:23 AM PDT −0.7 kt 3:43 AM PDT 5:35 AM PDT 0.8 kt 9:29 AM PDT 1:05 PM PDT −0.4 kt 2:53 PM PDT 5:17 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:42 PM PDT 5:49 AM PDT 8:26 PM PDT 4:54 AM PDT 6:48 PM PDT Sun 02 12:43 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:18 AM PDT 6:16 AM PDT 0.9 kt 10:13 AM PDT 1:49 PM PDT −0.4 kt 3:31 PM PDT 5:58 PM PDT 0.9 kt 9:16 PM PDT 5:49 AM PDT 8:27 PM PDT 5:30 AM PDT 7:53 PM PDT Mon 03 1:00 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:53 AM PDT 6:58 AM PDT 1.0 kt 10:58 AM PDT 2:34 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:11 PM PDT 6:40 PM PDT 0.9 kt 9:53 PM PDT New Moon 5:48 AM PDT 8:27 PM PDT 6:12 AM PDT 8:58 PM PDT Tue 04 1:31 AM PDT −0.9 kt 5:30 AM PDT 7:42 AM PDT 1.0 kt 11:44 AM PDT 3:20 PM PDT −0.3 kt 4:54 PM PDT 7:25 PM PDT 0.9 kt 10:33 PM PDT 5:48 AM PDT 8:28 PM PDT 7:02 AM PDT 10:02 PM PDT Wed 05 2:11 AM PDT −0.9 kt 6:09 AM PDT 8:26 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:33 PM PDT 4:08 PM PDT −0.3 kt 5:42 PM PDT 8:11 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:17 PM PDT 5:48 AM PDT 8:28 PM PDT 7:58 AM PDT 11:00 PM PDT Thu 06 2:56 AM PDT −0.9 kt 6:52 AM PDT 9:14 AM PDT 1.0 kt 1:25 PM PDT 5:01 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:36 PM PDT 9:01 PM PDT 0.8 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:29 PM PDT 9:02 AM PDT 11:52 PM PDT Fri 07 12:06 AM PDT 3:46 AM PDT −0.9 kt 7:38 AM PDT 10:05 AM PDT 1.0 kt 2:20 PM PDT 6:01 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:38 PM PDT 9:56 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:29 PM PDT 10:09 AM PDT Sat 08 1:02 AM PDT 4:42 AM PDT −0.8 kt 8:29 AM PDT 11:00 AM PDT 1.0 kt 3:17 PM PDT 7:02 PM PDT −0.4 kt 8:53 PM PDT 11:00 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:30 PM PDT 11:19 AM PDT 12:38 AM PDT Sun 09 2:08 AM PDT 5:58 AM PDT −0.6 kt 9:26 AM PDT 11:59 AM PDT 1.0 kt 4:15 PM PDT 8:02 PM PDT −0.4 kt 10:26 PM PDT First Quarter 5:47 AM PDT 8:31 PM PDT 12:28 PM PDT 1:18 AM PDT Mon 10 12:11 AM PDT 0.6 kt 3:27 AM PDT 7:44 AM PDT −0.6 kt 10:28 AM PDT 12:59 PM PDT 1.0 kt 5:07 PM PDT 9:00 PM PDT −0.5 kt 11:54 PM PDT 5:47 AM PDT 8:31 PM PDT 1:37 PM PDT 1:53 AM PDT Tue 11 1:27 AM PDT 0.6 kt 4:53 AM PDT 8:59 AM PDT −0.5 kt 11:33 AM PDT 1:58 PM PDT 1.0 kt 5:55 PM PDT 9:56 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:32 PM PDT 2:45 PM PDT 2:27 AM PDT Wed 12 1:04 AM PDT 2:41 AM PDT 0.7 kt 6:15 AM PDT 10:04 AM PDT −0.5 kt 12:34 PM PDT 2:52 PM PDT 1.0 kt 6:39 PM PDT 10:48 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:32 PM PDT 3:52 PM PDT 2:58 AM PDT Thu 13 2:05 AM PDT 3:45 AM PDT 0.9 kt 7:26 AM PDT 11:03 AM PDT −0.5 kt 1:30 PM PDT 3:42 PM PDT 1.0 kt 7:21 PM PDT 11:36 PM PDT −0.8 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:32 PM PDT 4:58 PM PDT 3:30 AM PDT Fri 14 2:58 AM PDT 4:40 AM PDT 1.0 kt 8:30 AM PDT 11:57 AM PDT −0.5 kt 2:20 PM PDT 4:29 PM PDT 1.0 kt 8:02 PM PDT 5:47 AM PDT 8:33 PM PDT 6:03 PM PDT 4:04 AM PDT Sat 15 12:21 AM PDT −0.8 kt 3:47 AM PDT 5:31 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:28 AM PDT 12:48 PM PDT −0.4 kt 3:07 PM PDT 5:13 PM PDT 1.0 kt 8:42 PM PDT 5:47 AM PDT 8:33 PM PDT 7:08 PM PDT 4:41 AM PDT Sun 16 1:04 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:34 AM PDT 6:20 AM PDT 1.1 kt 10:23 AM PDT 1:39 PM PDT −0.4 kt 3:52 PM PDT 5:57 PM PDT 0.9 kt 9:22 PM PDT 5:47 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 8:09 PM PDT 5:22 AM PDT Mon 17 1:47 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:17 AM PDT 7:07 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:15 AM PDT 2:29 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:34 PM PDT 6:40 PM PDT 0.9 kt 10:01 PM PDT Full Moon 5:47 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 9:07 PM PDT 6:08 AM PDT Tue 18 2:29 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:59 AM PDT 7:51 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:06 PM PDT 3:18 PM PDT −0.3 kt 5:15 PM PDT 7:23 PM PDT 0.8 kt 10:41 PM PDT 5:47 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 9:59 PM PDT 6:58 AM PDT Wed 19 3:10 AM PDT −0.8 kt 6:37 AM PDT 8:34 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:56 PM PDT 4:07 PM PDT −0.3 kt 5:57 PM PDT 8:05 PM PDT 0.7 kt 11:20 PM PDT 5:47 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 10:45 PM PDT 7:51 AM PDT Thu 20 3:51 AM PDT −0.7 kt 7:12 AM PDT 9:15 AM PDT 0.9 kt 1:44 PM PDT 4:56 PM PDT −0.3 kt 6:41 PM PDT 8:48 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 11:24 PM PDT 8:47 AM PDT Fri 21 12:02 AM PDT 4:34 AM PDT −0.6 kt 7:45 AM PDT 9:57 AM PDT 0.9 kt 2:33 PM PDT 5:46 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:31 PM PDT 9:34 PM PDT 0.5 kt 5:47 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 9:45 AM PDT Sat 22 12:46 AM PDT 5:27 AM PDT −0.5 kt 8:16 AM PDT 10:40 AM PDT 0.8 kt 3:21 PM PDT 6:38 PM PDT −0.3 kt 8:30 PM PDT 10:26 PM PDT 0.4 kt 5:48 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 12:00 AM PDT 10:42 AM PDT Sun 23 1:39 AM PDT 6:28 AM PDT −0.5 kt 8:50 AM PDT 11:26 AM PDT 0.8 kt 4:07 PM PDT 7:30 PM PDT −0.3 kt 9:47 PM PDT 11:27 PM PDT 0.3 kt 5:48 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 12:31 AM PDT 11:38 AM PDT Mon 24 2:46 AM PDT 7:28 AM PDT −0.4 kt 9:30 AM PDT 12:14 PM PDT 0.8 kt 4:48 PM PDT 8:21 PM PDT −0.3 kt 11:14 PM PDT 5:48 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 12:59 AM PDT 12:35 PM PDT Tue 25 12:38 AM PDT 0.3 kt 4:10 AM PDT 8:27 AM PDT −0.3 kt 10:17 AM PDT 1:03 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:24 PM PDT 9:11 PM PDT −0.4 kt Last Quarter 5:49 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 1:27 AM PDT 1:32 PM PDT Wed 26 12:24 AM PDT 1:57 AM PDT 0.4 kt 5:34 AM PDT 9:23 AM PDT −0.3 kt 11:07 AM PDT 1:51 PM PDT 0.8 kt 5:56 PM PDT 9:59 PM PDT −0.5 kt 5:49 AM PDT 8:36 PM PDT 1:54 AM PDT 2:29 PM PDT Thu 27 1:19 AM PDT 3:02 AM PDT 0.5 kt 6:45 AM PDT 10:18 AM PDT −0.3 kt 11:57 AM PDT 2:37 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:27 PM PDT 10:42 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:49 AM PDT 8:36 PM PDT 2:22 AM PDT 3:29 PM PDT Fri 28 2:05 AM PDT 3:51 AM PDT 0.6 kt 7:43 AM PDT 11:08 AM PDT −0.3 kt 12:44 PM PDT 3:21 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:58 PM PDT 11:19 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:50 AM PDT 8:36 PM PDT 2:52 AM PDT 4:30 PM PDT Sat 29 2:46 AM PDT 4:34 AM PDT 0.7 kt 8:33 AM PDT 11:55 AM PDT −0.3 kt 1:29 PM PDT 4:04 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:32 PM PDT 11:49 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:50 AM PDT 8:36 PM PDT 3:25 AM PDT 5:34 PM PDT Sun 30 3:24 AM PDT 5:15 AM PDT 0.8 kt 9:18 AM PDT 12:41 PM PDT −0.3 kt 2:15 PM PDT 4:47 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:09 PM PDT 5:50 AM PDT 8:36 PM PDT 4:04 AM PDT 6:40 PM PDT Mon 01 12:13 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:02 AM PDT 5:57 AM PDT 0.9 kt 10:01 AM PDT 1:27 PM PDT −0.3 kt 3:01 PM PDT 5:32 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:49 PM PDT 5:51 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 4:50 AM PDT 7:45 PM PDT Tue 02 12:40 AM PDT −0.9 kt 4:39 AM PDT 6:40 AM PDT 1.0 kt 10:44 AM PDT 2:13 PM PDT −0.3 kt 3:49 PM PDT 6:18 PM PDT 0.9 kt 9:31 PM PDT New Moon 5:51 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 5:44 AM PDT 8:48 PM PDT Wed 03 1:17 AM PDT −0.9 kt 5:18 AM PDT 7:23 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:28 AM PDT 3:00 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:39 PM PDT 7:05 PM PDT 0.9 kt 10:15 PM PDT 5:52 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 6:46 AM PDT 9:44 PM PDT Thu 04 2:01 AM PDT −1.0 kt 5:57 AM PDT 8:07 AM PDT 1.1 kt 12:12 PM PDT 3:47 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:32 PM PDT 7:54 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:03 PM PDT 5:52 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 7:54 AM PDT 10:34 PM PDT Fri 05 2:49 AM PDT −1.0 kt 6:38 AM PDT 8:52 AM PDT 1.2 kt 12:58 PM PDT 4:37 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:29 PM PDT 8:45 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:54 PM PDT 5:53 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 9:06 AM PDT 11:17 PM PDT Sat 06 3:40 AM PDT −0.9 kt 7:21 AM PDT 9:40 AM PDT 1.1 kt 1:45 PM PDT 5:31 PM PDT −0.4 kt 7:31 PM PDT 9:40 PM PDT 0.8 kt 5:53 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT 10:17 AM PDT 11:55 PM PDT Sun 07 12:51 AM PDT 4:38 AM PDT −0.8 kt 8:06 AM PDT 10:31 AM PDT 1.1 kt 2:36 PM PDT 6:29 PM PDT −0.4 kt 8:44 PM PDT 10:42 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:54 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 11:28 AM PDT Mon 08 1:57 AM PDT 5:59 AM PDT −0.6 kt 8:55 AM PDT 11:25 AM PDT 1.0 kt 3:29 PM PDT 7:29 PM PDT −0.5 kt 10:10 PM PDT 11:52 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:55 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 12:37 PM PDT 12:29 AM PDT Tue 09 3:15 AM PDT 7:26 AM PDT −0.5 kt 9:49 AM PDT 12:23 PM PDT 1.0 kt 4:24 PM PDT 8:28 PM PDT −0.5 kt 11:37 PM PDT First Quarter 5:55 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 1:44 PM PDT 1:02 AM PDT Wed 10 1:11 AM PDT 0.6 kt 4:44 AM PDT 8:37 AM PDT −0.4 kt 10:51 AM PDT 1:23 PM PDT 0.9 kt 5:17 PM PDT 9:27 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:56 AM PDT 8:34 PM PDT 2:50 PM PDT 1:34 AM PDT Thu 11 12:50 AM PDT 2:29 AM PDT 0.7 kt 6:12 AM PDT 9:42 AM PDT −0.4 kt 11:57 AM PDT 2:22 PM PDT 0.9 kt 6:07 PM PDT 10:25 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:57 AM PDT 8:33 PM PDT 3:55 PM PDT 2:06 AM PDT Fri 12 1:52 AM PDT 3:34 AM PDT 0.8 kt 7:28 AM PDT 10:43 AM PDT −0.4 kt 12:59 PM PDT 3:16 PM PDT 0.9 kt 6:54 PM PDT 11:17 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:57 AM PDT 8:33 PM PDT 4:59 PM PDT 2:42 AM PDT Sat 13 2:46 AM PDT 4:29 AM PDT 0.9 kt 8:32 AM PDT 11:39 AM PDT −0.4 kt 1:55 PM PDT 4:06 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:38 PM PDT 5:58 AM PDT 8:32 PM PDT 6:01 PM PDT 3:20 AM PDT Sun 14 12:04 AM PDT −0.8 kt 3:34 AM PDT 5:19 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:26 AM PDT 12:30 PM PDT −0.4 kt 2:46 PM PDT 4:52 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:20 PM PDT 5:59 AM PDT 8:32 PM PDT 6:59 PM PDT 4:04 AM PDT Mon 15 12:48 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:18 AM PDT 6:05 AM PDT 1.0 kt 10:15 AM PDT 1:20 PM PDT −0.4 kt 3:33 PM PDT 5:36 PM PDT 0.9 kt 9:01 PM PDT 5:59 AM PDT 8:31 PM PDT 7:52 PM PDT 4:51 AM PDT Tue 16 1:31 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:58 AM PDT 6:48 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:01 AM PDT 2:08 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:17 PM PDT 6:19 PM PDT 0.8 kt 9:42 PM PDT Full Moon 6:00 AM PDT 8:31 PM PDT 8:40 PM PDT 5:43 AM PDT Wed 17 2:13 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:36 AM PDT 7:29 AM PDT 1.0 kt 11:43 AM PDT 2:55 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:58 PM PDT 7:01 PM PDT 0.8 kt 10:21 PM PDT 6:01 AM PDT 8:30 PM PDT 9:22 PM PDT 6:38 AM PDT Thu 18 2:54 AM PDT −0.8 kt 6:09 AM PDT 8:06 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:23 PM PDT 3:40 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:39 PM PDT 7:43 PM PDT 0.7 kt 11:01 PM PDT 6:01 AM PDT 8:30 PM PDT 9:59 PM PDT 7:35 AM PDT Fri 19 3:35 AM PDT −0.7 kt 6:40 AM PDT 8:42 AM PDT 1.0 kt 1:00 PM PDT 4:24 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:20 PM PDT 8:24 PM PDT 0.6 kt 11:42 PM PDT 6:02 AM PDT 8:29 PM PDT 10:32 PM PDT 8:32 AM PDT Sat 20 4:16 AM PDT −0.7 kt 7:08 AM PDT 9:17 AM PDT 0.9 kt 1:37 PM PDT 5:09 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:03 PM PDT 9:08 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:03 AM PDT 8:28 PM PDT 11:01 PM PDT 9:29 AM PDT Sun 21 12:26 AM PDT 5:00 AM PDT −0.6 kt 7:35 AM PDT 9:54 AM PDT 0.9 kt 2:13 PM PDT 5:56 PM PDT −0.3 kt 7:50 PM PDT 9:55 PM PDT 0.5 kt 6:04 AM PDT 8:28 PM PDT 11:29 PM PDT 10:26 AM PDT Mon 22 1:15 AM PDT 5:53 AM PDT −0.5 kt 8:05 AM PDT 10:35 AM PDT 0.8 kt 2:51 PM PDT 6:44 PM PDT −0.3 kt 8:47 PM PDT 10:50 PM PDT 0.4 kt 6:04 AM PDT 8:27 PM PDT 11:56 PM PDT 11:22 AM PDT Tue 23 2:14 AM PDT 6:51 AM PDT −0.4 kt 8:41 AM PDT 11:19 AM PDT 0.8 kt 3:31 PM PDT 7:34 PM PDT −0.3 kt 10:03 PM PDT 11:55 PM PDT 0.4 kt 6:05 AM PDT 8:26 PM PDT 12:19 PM PDT Wed 24 3:32 AM PDT 7:51 AM PDT −0.3 kt 9:22 AM PDT 12:08 PM PDT 0.7 kt 4:13 PM PDT 8:24 PM PDT −0.4 kt 11:31 PM PDT Last Quarter 6:06 AM PDT 8:25 PM PDT 12:22 AM PDT 1:16 PM PDT Thu 25 1:11 AM PDT 0.4 kt 5:03 AM PDT 8:49 AM PDT −0.3 kt 10:11 AM PDT 1:00 PM PDT 0.7 kt 4:55 PM PDT 9:14 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:07 AM PDT 8:25 PM PDT 12:51 AM PDT 2:15 PM PDT Fri 26 12:40 AM PDT 2:27 AM PDT 0.5 kt 6:25 AM PDT 9:47 AM PDT −0.2 kt 11:05 AM PDT 1:53 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:37 PM PDT 10:01 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:08 AM PDT 8:24 PM PDT 1:22 AM PDT 3:17 PM PDT Sat 27 1:34 AM PDT 3:25 AM PDT 0.6 kt 7:29 AM PDT 10:41 AM PDT −0.2 kt 12:01 PM PDT 2:46 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:18 PM PDT 10:44 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:08 AM PDT 8:23 PM PDT 1:57 AM PDT 4:21 PM PDT Sun 28 2:20 AM PDT 4:11 AM PDT 0.7 kt 8:19 AM PDT 11:31 AM PDT −0.3 kt 12:57 PM PDT 3:35 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:00 PM PDT 11:22 PM PDT −0.7 kt 6:09 AM PDT 8:22 PM PDT 2:39 AM PDT 5:25 PM PDT Mon 29 3:01 AM PDT 4:54 AM PDT 0.9 kt 9:01 AM PDT 12:18 PM PDT −0.3 kt 1:52 PM PDT 4:24 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:44 PM PDT 11:57 PM PDT −0.8 kt 6:10 AM PDT 8:21 PM PDT 3:28 AM PDT 6:29 PM PDT Tue 30 3:41 AM PDT 5:36 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:41 AM PDT 1:05 PM PDT −0.4 kt 2:47 PM PDT 5:12 PM PDT 0.9 kt 8:29 PM PDT 6:11 AM PDT 8:20 PM PDT 4:26 AM PDT 7:29 PM PDT Wed 31 12:33 AM PDT −0.9 kt 4:20 AM PDT 6:18 AM PDT 1.1 kt 10:20 AM PDT 1:51 PM PDT −0.4 kt 3:40 PM PDT 6:01 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:16 PM PDT New Moon 6:12 AM PDT 8:19 PM PDT 5:32 AM PDT 8:23 PM PDT Thu 01 1:15 AM PDT −0.9 kt 4:59 AM PDT 7:01 AM PDT 1.2 kt 10:59 AM PDT 2:37 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:33 PM PDT 6:50 PM PDT 1.0 kt 10:05 PM PDT 6:13 AM PDT 8:18 PM PDT 6:44 AM PDT 9:10 PM PDT Fri 02 2:02 AM PDT −1.0 kt 5:39 AM PDT 7:44 AM PDT 1.2 kt 11:40 AM PDT 3:22 PM PDT −0.5 kt 5:27 PM PDT 7:40 PM PDT 1.0 kt 10:55 PM PDT 6:13 AM PDT 8:17 PM PDT 7:58 AM PDT 9:51 PM PDT Sat 03 2:52 AM PDT −0.9 kt 6:19 AM PDT 8:28 AM PDT 1.2 kt 12:22 PM PDT 4:08 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:23 PM PDT 8:31 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:48 PM PDT 6:14 AM PDT 8:16 PM PDT 9:12 AM PDT 10:28 PM PDT Sun 04 3:44 AM PDT −0.8 kt 7:00 AM PDT 9:13 AM PDT 1.2 kt 1:06 PM PDT 4:57 PM PDT −0.5 kt 7:23 PM PDT 9:25 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:15 AM PDT 8:15 PM PDT 10:24 AM PDT 11:02 PM PDT Mon 05 12:46 AM PDT 4:43 AM PDT −0.7 kt 7:41 AM PDT 10:00 AM PDT 1.1 kt 1:53 PM PDT 5:51 PM PDT −0.5 kt 8:30 PM PDT 10:26 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:16 AM PDT 8:14 PM PDT 11:34 AM PDT 11:35 PM PDT Tue 06 1:51 AM PDT 5:55 AM PDT −0.6 kt 8:25 AM PDT 10:52 AM PDT 1.0 kt 2:44 PM PDT 6:51 PM PDT −0.5 kt 9:49 PM PDT 11:35 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:17 AM PDT 8:13 PM PDT 12:42 PM PDT Wed 07 3:08 AM PDT 7:08 AM PDT −0.4 kt 9:15 AM PDT 11:48 AM PDT 0.9 kt 3:40 PM PDT 7:54 PM PDT −0.5 kt 11:14 PM PDT First Quarter 6:18 AM PDT 8:12 PM PDT 1:48 PM PDT 12:08 AM PDT Thu 08 12:54 AM PDT 0.6 kt 4:40 AM PDT 8:16 AM PDT −0.3 kt 10:14 AM PDT 12:49 PM PDT 0.8 kt 4:39 PM PDT 8:57 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:19 AM PDT 8:11 PM PDT 2:53 PM PDT 12:43 AM PDT Fri 09 12:30 AM PDT 2:14 AM PDT 0.7 kt 6:13 AM PDT 9:22 AM PDT −0.3 kt 11:26 AM PDT 1:52 PM PDT 0.8 kt 5:37 PM PDT 10:01 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:19 AM PDT 8:10 PM PDT 3:55 PM PDT 1:21 AM PDT Sat 10 1:34 AM PDT 3:20 AM PDT 0.8 kt 7:27 AM PDT 10:24 AM PDT −0.3 kt 12:39 PM PDT 2:53 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:30 PM PDT 10:59 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:20 AM PDT 8:09 PM PDT 4:54 PM PDT 2:02 AM PDT Mon 12 3:14 AM PDT 5:01 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:12 AM PDT 12:11 PM PDT −0.3 kt 2:36 PM PDT 4:34 PM PDT 0.8 kt 8:03 PM PDT 6:22 AM PDT 8:06 PM PDT 6:38 PM PDT 3:38 AM PDT Wed 14 1:12 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:31 AM PDT 6:22 AM PDT 1.0 kt 10:30 AM PDT 1:43 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:05 PM PDT 6:00 PM PDT 0.8 kt 9:26 PM PDT 6:24 AM PDT 8:04 PM PDT 7:59 PM PDT 5:28 AM PDT Thu 15 1:53 AM PDT −0.8 kt 5:05 AM PDT 6:58 AM PDT 1.0 kt 11:04 AM PDT 2:26 PM PDT −0.4 kt 4:44 PM PDT 6:41 PM PDT 0.8 kt 10:06 PM PDT Full Moon 6:25 AM PDT 8:02 PM PDT 8:33 PM PDT 6:25 AM PDT Sat 17 3:14 AM PDT −0.7 kt 6:03 AM PDT 8:04 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:06 PM PDT 3:47 PM PDT −0.4 kt 5:57 PM PDT 8:02 PM PDT 0.7 kt 11:28 PM PDT 6:26 AM PDT 8:00 PM PDT 9:32 PM PDT 8:19 AM PDT Sun 18 3:54 AM PDT −0.7 kt 6:29 AM PDT 8:37 AM PDT 1.0 kt 12:37 PM PDT 4:25 PM PDT −0.4 kt 6:34 PM PDT 8:44 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:27 AM PDT 7:59 PM PDT 9:58 PM PDT 9:15 AM PDT Mon 19 12:11 AM PDT 4:36 AM PDT −0.6 kt 6:56 AM PDT 9:12 AM PDT 0.9 kt 1:08 PM PDT 5:01 PM PDT −0.4 kt 7:14 PM PDT 9:28 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:28 AM PDT 7:57 PM PDT 10:25 PM PDT 10:11 AM PDT Tue 20 12:58 AM PDT 5:22 AM PDT −0.5 kt 7:26 AM PDT 9:51 AM PDT 0.8 kt 1:41 PM PDT 5:34 PM PDT −0.4 kt 7:59 PM PDT 10:18 PM PDT 0.5 kt 6:29 AM PDT 7:56 PM PDT 10:52 PM PDT 11:08 AM PDT Wed 21 1:54 AM PDT 6:17 AM PDT −0.4 kt 8:00 AM PDT 10:34 AM PDT 0.8 kt 2:19 PM PDT 6:00 PM PDT −0.4 kt 8:55 PM PDT 11:18 PM PDT 0.4 kt 6:30 AM PDT 7:55 PM PDT 11:21 PM PDT 12:06 PM PDT Thu 22 3:06 AM PDT 7:18 AM PDT −0.3 kt 8:40 AM PDT 11:22 AM PDT 0.7 kt 3:03 PM PDT 6:53 PM PDT −0.4 kt 10:14 PM PDT 6:31 AM PDT 7:53 PM PDT 11:54 PM PDT 1:05 PM PDT Fri 23 12:29 AM PDT 0.4 kt 4:38 AM PDT 8:20 AM PDT −0.2 kt 9:28 AM PDT 12:17 PM PDT 0.6 kt 3:54 PM PDT 8:08 PM PDT −0.4 kt 11:47 PM PDT Last Quarter 6:32 AM PDT 7:52 PM PDT 2:06 PM PDT Sat 24 1:47 AM PDT 0.5 kt 6:07 AM PDT 9:20 AM PDT −0.2 kt 10:27 AM PDT 1:16 PM PDT 0.6 kt 4:49 PM PDT 9:13 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:32 AM PDT 7:50 PM PDT 12:31 AM PDT 3:09 PM PDT Sun 25 12:54 AM PDT 2:53 AM PDT 0.6 kt 7:10 AM PDT 10:17 AM PDT −0.2 kt 11:36 AM PDT 2:15 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:43 PM PDT 10:10 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:33 AM PDT 7:49 PM PDT 1:16 AM PDT 4:11 PM PDT Mon 26 1:46 AM PDT 3:44 AM PDT 0.8 kt 7:56 AM PDT 11:09 AM PDT −0.3 kt 12:44 PM PDT 3:12 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:35 PM PDT 11:00 PM PDT −0.7 kt 6:34 AM PDT 7:48 PM PDT 2:08 AM PDT 5:12 PM PDT Thu 29 12:30 AM PDT −0.9 kt 3:55 AM PDT 5:52 AM PDT 1.2 kt 9:47 AM PDT 1:27 PM PDT −0.5 kt 3:40 PM PDT 5:47 PM PDT 1.0 kt 9:07 PM PDT 6:37 AM PDT 7:43 PM PDT 5:31 AM PDT 7:42 PM PDT Fri 30 1:17 AM PDT −0.9 kt 4:35 AM PDT 6:35 AM PDT 1.2 kt 10:24 AM PDT 2:11 PM PDT −0.6 kt 4:32 PM PDT 6:37 PM PDT 1.1 kt 9:59 PM PDT New Moon 6:38 AM PDT 7:42 PM PDT 6:46 AM PDT 8:22 PM PDT Mon 02 3:47 AM PDT −0.8 kt 6:35 AM PDT 8:44 AM PDT 1.2 kt 12:26 PM PDT 4:21 PM PDT −0.6 kt 7:13 PM PDT 9:12 PM PDT 0.9 kt 6:40 AM PDT 7:37 PM PDT 10:26 AM PDT 10:06 PM PDT Tue 03 12:44 AM PDT 4:43 AM PDT −0.6 kt 7:15 AM PDT 9:30 AM PDT 1.0 kt 1:11 PM PDT 5:10 PM PDT −0.6 kt 8:14 PM PDT 10:10 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:41 AM PDT 7:36 PM PDT 11:35 AM PDT 10:41 PM PDT Thu 05 3:06 AM PDT 6:52 AM PDT −0.4 kt 8:44 AM PDT 11:14 AM PDT 0.8 kt 2:55 PM PDT 7:18 PM PDT −0.5 kt 10:46 PM PDT First Quarter 6:43 AM PDT 7:33 PM PDT 1:48 PM PDT Fri 06 12:36 AM PDT 0.6 kt 4:41 AM PDT 7:58 AM PDT −0.3 kt 9:44 AM PDT 12:16 PM PDT 0.7 kt 3:59 PM PDT 8:26 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:43 AM PDT 7:31 PM PDT 2:49 PM PDT 12:00 AM PDT Sat 07 12:02 AM PDT 1:55 AM PDT 0.7 kt 6:11 AM PDT 9:03 AM PDT −0.2 kt 11:10 AM PDT 1:25 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:06 PM PDT 9:34 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:44 AM PDT 7:30 PM PDT 3:45 PM PDT 12:45 AM PDT Sun 08 1:06 AM PDT 3:00 AM PDT 0.8 kt 7:17 AM PDT 10:05 AM PDT −0.3 kt 12:32 PM PDT 2:32 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:08 PM PDT 10:35 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:45 AM PDT 7:28 PM PDT 4:36 PM PDT 1:34 AM PDT Thu 12 12:47 AM PDT −0.7 kt 3:56 AM PDT 5:49 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:48 AM PDT 1:14 PM PDT −0.5 kt 3:52 PM PDT 5:42 PM PDT 0.8 kt 9:13 PM PDT 6:49 AM PDT 7:22 PM PDT 7:06 PM PDT 5:16 AM PDT Fri 13 1:28 AM PDT −0.7 kt 4:27 AM PDT 6:22 AM PDT 1.0 kt 10:16 AM PDT 1:53 PM PDT −0.5 kt 4:28 PM PDT 6:22 PM PDT 0.8 kt 9:54 PM PDT Full Moon 6:49 AM PDT 7:21 PM PDT 7:35 PM PDT 6:13 AM PDT Mon 16 3:31 AM PDT −0.6 kt 5:49 AM PDT 7:59 AM PDT 1.0 kt 11:40 AM PDT 3:33 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:08 PM PDT 8:22 PM PDT 0.8 kt 6:52 AM PDT 7:16 PM PDT 8:55 PM PDT 9:03 AM PDT Tue 17 12:00 AM PDT 4:12 AM PDT −0.5 kt 6:18 AM PDT 8:34 AM PDT 0.9 kt 12:09 PM PDT 3:41 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:43 PM PDT 9:05 PM PDT 0.7 kt 6:53 AM PDT 7:14 PM PDT 9:23 PM PDT 10:00 AM PDT Wed 18 12:47 AM PDT 4:55 AM PDT −0.4 kt 6:49 AM PDT 9:12 AM PDT 0.8 kt 12:42 PM PDT 4:00 PM PDT −0.5 kt 7:24 PM PDT 9:52 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:54 AM PDT 7:13 PM PDT 9:54 PM PDT 10:58 AM PDT Thu 19 1:42 AM PDT 5:48 AM PDT −0.3 kt 7:24 AM PDT 9:55 AM PDT 0.7 kt 1:19 PM PDT 4:36 PM PDT −0.5 kt 8:12 PM PDT 10:49 PM PDT 0.6 kt 6:55 AM PDT 7:11 PM PDT 10:29 PM PDT 11:59 AM PDT Fri 20 2:50 AM PDT 6:51 AM PDT −0.2 kt 8:05 AM PDT 10:44 AM PDT 0.7 kt 2:04 PM PDT 5:25 PM PDT −0.5 kt 9:15 PM PDT 11:55 PM PDT 0.5 kt 6:55 AM PDT 7:10 PM PDT 11:10 PM PDT 1:00 PM PDT Sat 21 4:18 AM PDT 7:54 AM PDT −0.2 kt 8:57 AM PDT 11:41 AM PDT 0.6 kt 3:00 PM PDT 6:28 PM PDT −0.5 kt 10:41 PM PDT Last Quarter 6:56 AM PDT 7:08 PM PDT 11:58 PM PDT 2:01 PM PDT Sun 22 1:08 AM PDT 0.6 kt 5:43 AM PDT 8:55 AM PDT −0.2 kt 10:05 AM PDT 12:44 PM PDT 0.6 kt 4:05 PM PDT 8:00 PM PDT −0.5 kt 6:57 AM PDT 7:07 PM PDT 3:00 PM PDT Mon 23 12:03 AM PDT 2:16 AM PDT 0.7 kt 6:40 AM PDT 9:53 AM PDT −0.3 kt 11:27 AM PDT 1:50 PM PDT 0.6 kt 5:12 PM PDT 9:37 PM PDT −0.6 kt 6:58 AM PDT 7:05 PM PDT 12:53 AM PDT 3:56 PM PDT Thu 26 2:41 AM PDT 4:41 AM PDT 1.1 kt 8:34 AM PDT 12:18 PM PDT −0.6 kt 2:48 PM PDT 4:43 PM PDT 1.0 kt 8:08 PM PDT 7:01 AM PDT 7:00 PM PDT 4:19 AM PDT 6:13 PM PDT Sat 28 1:09 AM PDT −0.8 kt 4:07 AM PDT 6:07 AM PDT 1.2 kt 9:48 AM PDT 1:43 PM PDT −0.7 kt 4:30 PM PDT 6:26 PM PDT 1.1 kt 9:56 PM PDT New Moon 7:02 AM PDT 6:57 PM PDT 6:48 AM PDT 7:26 PM PDT Mon 30 2:50 AM PDT −0.7 kt 5:29 AM PDT 7:33 AM PDT 1.2 kt 11:06 AM PDT 3:07 PM PDT −0.8 kt 6:11 PM PDT 8:08 PM PDT 1.1 kt 11:46 PM PDT 7:04 AM PDT 6:54 PM PDT 9:14 AM PDT 8:35 PM PDT Tue 01 3:41 AM PDT −0.6 kt 6:09 AM PDT 8:17 AM PDT 1.1 kt 11:48 AM PDT 3:48 PM PDT −0.7 kt 7:03 PM PDT 9:00 PM PDT 1.0 kt 7:05 AM PDT 6:53 PM PDT 10:25 AM PDT 9:13 PM PDT Wed 02 12:45 AM PDT 4:35 AM PDT −0.5 kt 6:49 AM PDT 9:02 AM PDT 0.9 kt 12:31 PM PDT 4:31 PM PDT −0.7 kt 7:58 PM PDT 9:56 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:06 AM PDT 6:51 PM PDT 11:33 AM PDT 9:54 PM PDT Thu 03 1:51 AM PDT 5:33 AM PDT −0.4 kt 7:31 AM PDT 9:49 AM PDT 0.8 kt 1:18 PM PDT 5:28 PM PDT −0.6 kt 9:01 PM PDT 11:00 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:07 AM PDT 6:49 PM PDT 12:39 PM PDT 10:39 PM PDT Fri 04 3:09 AM PDT 6:36 AM PDT −0.3 kt 8:19 AM PDT 10:43 AM PDT 0.6 kt 2:12 PM PDT 6:41 PM PDT −0.5 kt 10:12 PM PDT 7:08 AM PDT 6:48 PM PDT 1:39 PM PDT 11:28 PM PDT Sat 05 12:14 AM PDT 0.7 kt 4:40 AM PDT 7:40 AM PDT −0.2 kt 9:26 AM PDT 11:44 AM PDT 0.5 kt 3:16 PM PDT 7:53 PM PDT −0.4 kt 11:23 PM PDT First Quarter 7:09 AM PDT 6:46 PM PDT 2:33 PM PDT Sun 06 1:28 AM PDT 0.7 kt 5:57 AM PDT 8:42 AM PDT −0.2 kt 11:03 AM PDT 12:56 PM PDT 0.5 kt 4:31 PM PDT 9:00 PM PDT −0.4 kt 7:09 AM PDT 6:45 PM PDT 3:20 PM PDT 12:20 AM PDT Fri 11 12:19 AM PDT −0.6 kt 3:11 AM PDT 5:10 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:01 AM PDT 12:42 PM PDT −0.6 kt 3:36 PM PDT 5:24 PM PDT 0.8 kt 9:00 PM PDT 7:14 AM PDT 6:38 PM PDT 6:06 PM PDT 5:03 AM PDT Sat 12 1:00 AM PDT −0.6 kt 3:42 AM PDT 5:41 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:27 AM PDT 1:19 PM PDT −0.6 kt 4:10 PM PDT 6:03 PM PDT 0.8 kt 9:42 PM PDT 7:15 AM PDT 6:36 PM PDT 6:32 PM PDT 6:00 AM PDT Sun 13 1:43 AM PDT −0.6 kt 4:10 AM PDT 6:13 AM PDT 1.0 kt 9:53 AM PDT 1:53 PM PDT −0.6 kt 4:43 PM PDT 6:42 PM PDT 0.8 kt 10:24 PM PDT Full Moon 7:16 AM PDT 6:35 PM PDT 6:58 PM PDT 6:57 AM PDT Mon 14 2:25 AM PDT −0.6 kt 4:39 AM PDT 6:47 AM PDT 1.0 kt 10:21 AM PDT 2:20 PM PDT −0.6 kt 5:15 PM PDT 7:22 PM PDT 0.9 kt 11:07 PM PDT 7:17 AM PDT 6:33 PM PDT 7:26 PM PDT 7:54 AM PDT Tue 15 3:08 AM PDT −0.5 kt 5:08 AM PDT 7:22 AM PDT 0.9 kt 10:49 AM PDT 2:31 PM PDT −0.7 kt 5:47 PM PDT 8:02 PM PDT 0.8 kt 11:52 PM PDT 7:18 AM PDT 6:32 PM PDT 7:56 PM PDT 8:53 AM PDT Wed 16 3:50 AM PDT −0.4 kt 5:40 AM PDT 8:00 AM PDT 0.9 kt 11:20 AM PDT 2:48 PM PDT −0.7 kt 6:21 PM PDT 8:45 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:19 AM PDT 6:31 PM PDT 8:30 PM PDT 9:53 AM PDT Thu 17 12:40 AM PDT 4:34 AM PDT −0.4 kt 6:14 AM PDT 8:39 AM PDT 0.8 kt 11:54 AM PDT 3:20 PM PDT −0.7 kt 7:00 PM PDT 9:31 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:19 AM PDT 6:29 PM PDT 9:08 PM PDT 10:54 AM PDT Fri 18 1:34 AM PDT 5:25 AM PDT −0.3 kt 6:52 AM PDT 9:23 AM PDT 0.7 kt 12:34 PM PDT 4:01 PM PDT −0.7 kt 7:46 PM PDT 10:24 PM PDT 0.7 kt 7:21 AM PDT 6:28 PM PDT 9:53 PM PDT 11:55 AM PDT Sat 19 2:39 AM PDT 6:27 AM PDT −0.2 kt 7:38 AM PDT 10:13 AM PDT 0.7 kt 1:21 PM PDT 4:50 PM PDT −0.6 kt 8:42 PM PDT 11:25 PM PDT 0.7 kt 7:22 AM PDT 6:26 PM PDT 10:45 PM PDT 12:55 PM PDT Sun 20 3:56 AM PDT 7:30 AM PDT −0.2 kt 8:36 AM PDT 11:12 AM PDT 0.6 kt 2:19 PM PDT 5:51 PM PDT −0.6 kt 9:51 PM PDT 7:23 AM PDT 6:25 PM PDT 11:44 PM PDT 1:51 PM PDT Mon 21 12:31 AM PDT 0.7 kt 5:08 AM PDT 8:30 AM PDT −0.2 kt 9:54 AM PDT 12:18 PM PDT 0.6 kt 3:30 PM PDT 7:17 PM PDT −0.5 kt 11:09 PM PDT Last Quarter 7:24 AM PDT 6:24 PM PDT 2:42 PM PDT Tue 22 1:37 AM PDT 0.8 kt 6:01 AM PDT 9:28 AM PDT −0.3 kt 11:28 AM PDT 1:28 PM PDT 0.6 kt 4:46 PM PDT 9:07 PM PDT −0.6 kt 7:24 AM PDT 6:23 PM PDT 12:49 AM PDT 3:28 PM PDT Wed 23 12:17 AM PDT 2:34 AM PDT 0.9 kt 6:42 AM PDT 10:21 AM PDT −0.4 kt 12:48 PM PDT 2:36 PM PDT 0.7 kt 5:58 PM PDT 10:16 PM PDT −0.6 kt 7:25 AM PDT 6:21 PM PDT 1:59 AM PDT 4:09 PM PDT Fri 25 2:04 AM PDT 4:11 AM PDT 1.1 kt 7:57 AM PDT 11:54 AM PDT −0.7 kt 2:46 PM PDT 4:32 PM PDT 1.0 kt 8:03 PM PDT 7:27 AM PDT 6:19 PM PDT 4:22 AM PDT 5:21 PM PDT Sat 26 12:04 AM PDT −0.7 kt 2:51 AM PDT 4:55 AM PDT 1.2 kt 8:35 AM PDT 12:36 PM PDT −0.8 kt 3:37 PM PDT 5:25 PM PDT 1.1 kt 9:00 PM PDT 7:28 AM PDT 6:18 PM PDT 5:35 AM PDT 5:54 PM PDT Sun 27 12:55 AM PDT −0.7 kt 3:36 AM PDT 5:39 AM PDT 1.2 kt 9:13 AM PDT 1:18 PM PDT −0.8 kt 4:26 PM PDT 6:16 PM PDT 1.1 kt 9:56 PM PDT New Moon 7:30 AM PDT 6:16 PM PDT 6:48 AM PDT 6:28 PM PDT Mon 28 1:46 AM PDT −0.7 kt 4:19 AM PDT 6:23 AM PDT 1.2 kt 9:53 AM PDT 2:00 PM PDT −0.9 kt 5:15 PM PDT 7:07 PM PDT 1.1 kt 10:52 PM PDT 7:31 AM PDT 6:15 PM PDT 8:00 AM PDT 7:05 PM PDT Tue 29 2:38 AM PDT −0.6 kt 5:01 AM PDT 7:07 AM PDT 1.1 kt 10:32 AM PDT 2:42 PM PDT −0.8 kt 6:04 PM PDT 7:58 PM PDT 1.1 kt 11:49 PM PDT 7:32 AM PDT 6:14 PM PDT 9:12 AM PDT 7:44 PM PDT Wed 30 3:30 AM PDT −0.5 kt 5:42 AM PDT 7:50 AM PDT 1.0 kt 11:14 AM PDT 3:23 PM PDT −0.8 kt 6:53 PM PDT 8:48 PM PDT 1.0 kt 7:33 AM PDT 6:13 PM PDT 10:20 AM PDT 8:28 PM PDT Thu 31 12:49 AM PDT 4:23 AM PDT −0.4 kt 6:24 AM PDT 8:35 AM PDT 0.8 kt 11:56 AM PDT 4:04 PM PDT −0.7 kt 7:43 PM PDT 9:42 PM PDT 0.9 kt 7:34 AM PDT 6:12 PM PDT 11:25 AM PDT 9:16 PM PDT Fri 01 1:54 AM PDT 5:19 AM PDT −0.3 kt 7:09 AM PDT 9:21 AM PDT 0.7 kt 12:42 PM PDT 4:55 PM PDT −0.6 kt 8:35 PM PDT 10:40 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:35 AM PDT 6:11 PM PDT 12:24 PM PDT 10:09 PM PDT Sat 02 3:07 AM PDT 6:18 AM PDT −0.3 kt 8:01 AM PDT 10:13 AM PDT 0.6 kt 1:32 PM PDT 6:06 PM PDT −0.5 kt 9:31 PM PDT 11:43 PM PDT 0.8 kt 7:36 AM PDT 6:10 PM PDT 1:15 PM PDT 11:05 PM PDT Sun 03 3:24 AM PST 6:18 AM PST −0.2 kt 8:12 AM PST 10:12 AM PST 0.4 kt 1:33 PM PST 6:17 PM PST −0.4 kt 9:31 PM PST 11:49 PM PST 0.7 kt 6:37 AM PST 5:08 PM PST 1:00 PM PST 11:02 PM PST Mon 04 4:28 AM PST 7:17 AM PST −0.2 kt 9:49 AM PST 11:23 AM PST 0.4 kt 2:49 PM PST 7:21 PM PST −0.4 kt 10:29 PM PST First Quarter 6:38 AM PST 5:07 PM PST 1:38 PM PST Tue 05 12:49 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:16 AM PST 8:14 AM PST −0.3 kt 11:10 AM PST 12:42 PM PST 0.4 kt 4:09 PM PST 8:20 PM PST −0.4 kt 11:21 PM PST 6:39 AM PST 5:06 PM PST 2:12 PM PST 12:00 AM PST Wed 06 1:39 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:53 AM PST 9:06 AM PST −0.4 kt 12:11 PM PST 1:50 PM PST 0.5 kt 5:17 PM PST 9:14 PM PST −0.4 kt 6:40 AM PST 5:05 PM PST 2:41 PM PST 12:58 AM PST Thu 07 12:05 AM PST 2:20 AM PST 0.9 kt 6:23 AM PST 9:52 AM PST −0.5 kt 12:59 PM PST 2:42 PM PST 0.6 kt 6:14 PM PST 10:03 PM PST −0.5 kt 6:41 AM PST 5:05 PM PST 3:09 PM PST 1:54 AM PST Sat 09 1:18 AM PST 3:27 AM PST 0.9 kt 7:14 AM PST 11:10 AM PST −0.6 kt 2:18 PM PST 4:05 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:48 PM PST 11:32 PM PST −0.5 kt 6:43 AM PST 5:03 PM PST 4:01 PM PST 3:48 AM PST Mon 11 12:16 AM PST −0.5 kt 2:22 AM PST 4:34 AM PST 0.9 kt 8:07 AM PST 12:15 PM PST −0.7 kt 3:26 PM PST 5:23 PM PST 0.9 kt 9:16 PM PST 6:45 AM PST 5:01 PM PST 4:57 PM PST 5:44 AM PST Tue 12 1:00 AM PST −0.4 kt 2:54 AM PST 5:11 AM PST 0.9 kt 8:36 AM PST 12:33 PM PST −0.7 kt 3:59 PM PST 6:03 PM PST 0.9 kt 10:00 PM PST Full Moon 6:46 AM PST 5:00 PM PST 5:30 PM PST 6:45 AM PST Wed 13 1:44 AM PST −0.4 kt 3:28 AM PST 5:49 AM PST 0.9 kt 9:08 AM PST 12:47 PM PST −0.8 kt 4:32 PM PST 6:44 PM PST 0.9 kt 10:45 PM PST 6:48 AM PST 4:59 PM PST 6:07 PM PST 7:47 AM PST Thu 14 2:28 AM PST −0.4 kt 4:04 AM PST 6:30 AM PST 0.9 kt 9:42 AM PST 1:16 PM PST −0.8 kt 5:07 PM PST 7:27 PM PST 0.9 kt 11:32 PM PST 6:49 AM PST 4:59 PM PST 6:50 PM PST 8:49 AM PST Fri 15 3:14 AM PST −0.3 kt 4:43 AM PST 7:12 AM PST 0.8 kt 10:20 AM PST 1:53 PM PST −0.8 kt 5:45 PM PST 8:12 PM PST 0.9 kt 6:50 AM PST 4:58 PM PST 7:41 PM PST 9:50 AM PST Sat 16 12:24 AM PST 4:04 AM PST −0.3 kt 5:27 AM PST 7:58 AM PST 0.7 kt 11:02 AM PST 2:37 PM PST −0.8 kt 6:29 PM PST 9:02 PM PST 0.9 kt 6:51 AM PST 4:57 PM PST 8:38 PM PST 10:48 AM PST Sun 17 1:21 AM PST 5:02 AM PST −0.2 kt 6:19 AM PST 8:49 AM PST 0.7 kt 11:52 AM PST 3:27 PM PST −0.7 kt 7:19 PM PST 9:57 PM PST 0.9 kt 6:52 AM PST 4:56 PM PST 9:41 PM PST 11:41 AM PST Mon 18 2:23 AM PST 6:02 AM PST −0.2 kt 7:25 AM PST 9:48 AM PST 0.6 kt 12:51 PM PST 4:28 PM PST −0.7 kt 8:16 PM PST 10:57 PM PST 0.9 kt 6:53 AM PST 4:56 PM PST 10:48 PM PST 12:28 PM PST Tue 19 3:23 AM PST 7:02 AM PST −0.3 kt 8:48 AM PST 10:55 AM PST 0.6 kt 2:04 PM PST 5:56 PM PST −0.6 kt 9:22 PM PST 11:58 PM PST 0.9 kt Last Quarter 6:54 AM PST 4:55 PM PST 11:57 PM PST 1:09 PM PST Wed 20 4:16 AM PST 7:59 AM PST −0.4 kt 10:24 AM PST 12:08 PM PST 0.6 kt 3:26 PM PST 7:42 PM PST −0.5 kt 10:29 PM PST 6:55 AM PST 4:55 PM PST 1:46 PM PST Thu 21 12:57 AM PST 1.0 kt 5:01 AM PST 8:53 AM PST −0.5 kt 11:41 AM PST 1:20 PM PST 0.7 kt 4:46 PM PST 8:52 PM PST −0.6 kt 11:31 PM PST 6:56 AM PST 4:54 PM PST 1:07 AM PST 2:20 PM PST Fri 22 1:51 AM PST 1.0 kt 5:42 AM PST 9:44 AM PST −0.7 kt 12:44 PM PST 2:25 PM PST 0.8 kt 5:57 PM PST 9:52 PM PST −0.6 kt 6:57 AM PST 4:54 PM PST 2:17 AM PST 2:52 PM PST Mon 25 2:05 AM PST 4:12 AM PST 1.1 kt 7:43 AM PST 11:57 AM PST −0.9 kt 3:21 PM PST 5:07 PM PST 1.1 kt 8:58 PM PST 7:00 AM PST 4:52 PM PST 5:48 AM PST 4:36 PM PST Tue 26 12:31 AM PST −0.5 kt 2:51 AM PST 4:57 AM PST 1.1 kt 8:24 AM PST 12:40 PM PST −0.9 kt 4:08 PM PST 5:58 PM PST 1.1 kt 9:55 PM PST New Moon 7:01 AM PST 4:52 PM PST 6:58 AM PST 5:17 PM PST Fri 29 3:08 AM PST −0.3 kt 5:04 AM PST 7:11 AM PST 0.8 kt 10:28 AM PST 2:51 PM PST −0.7 kt 6:24 PM PST 8:23 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:04 AM PST 4:51 PM PST 10:05 AM PST 7:50 PM PST Sat 30 12:47 AM PST 4:00 AM PST −0.3 kt 5:50 AM PST 7:56 AM PST 0.7 kt 11:12 AM PST 3:38 PM PST −0.6 kt 7:06 PM PST 9:12 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:05 AM PST 4:51 PM PST 10:54 AM PST 8:49 PM PST Sun 01 1:47 AM PST 4:55 AM PST −0.3 kt 6:43 AM PST 8:45 AM PST 0.5 kt 11:59 AM PST 4:36 PM PST −0.5 kt 7:47 PM PST 10:05 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:06 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 11:35 AM PST 9:47 PM PST Tue 03 3:42 AM PST 6:45 AM PST −0.3 kt 9:18 AM PST 10:46 AM PST 0.3 kt 2:05 PM PST 6:42 PM PST −0.4 kt 9:16 PM PST 11:53 PM PST 0.8 kt First Quarter 7:08 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 12:43 PM PST 11:43 PM PST Thu 05 12:43 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:03 AM PST 8:29 AM PST −0.4 kt 11:44 AM PST 1:20 PM PST 0.4 kt 4:48 PM PST 8:37 PM PST −0.4 kt 10:54 PM PST 7:10 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 1:38 PM PST 12:40 AM PST Fri 06 1:27 AM PST 0.8 kt 5:33 AM PST 9:17 AM PST −0.5 kt 12:36 PM PST 2:18 PM PST 0.5 kt 5:53 PM PST 9:29 PM PST −0.4 kt 11:38 PM PST 7:11 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 2:03 PM PST 1:37 AM PST Sat 07 2:07 AM PST 0.8 kt 6:01 AM PST 9:59 AM PST −0.6 kt 1:19 PM PST 3:05 PM PST 0.6 kt 6:49 PM PST 10:18 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:12 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 2:30 PM PST 2:34 AM PST Sun 08 12:19 AM PST 2:44 AM PST 0.9 kt 6:28 AM PST 10:38 AM PST −0.6 kt 1:58 PM PST 3:46 PM PST 0.7 kt 7:38 PM PST 11:05 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:12 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 2:58 PM PST 3:31 AM PST Mon 09 12:57 AM PST 3:21 AM PST 0.9 kt 6:57 AM PST 11:12 AM PST −0.7 kt 2:35 PM PST 4:25 PM PST 0.8 kt 8:23 PM PST 11:50 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:13 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 3:28 PM PST 4:31 AM PST Tue 10 1:35 AM PST 3:59 AM PST 0.9 kt 7:27 AM PST 11:40 AM PST −0.7 kt 3:10 PM PST 5:04 PM PST 0.9 kt 9:07 PM PST 7:14 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 4:04 PM PST 5:33 AM PST Wed 11 12:36 AM PST −0.4 kt 2:14 AM PST 4:39 AM PST 0.9 kt 8:00 AM PST 11:57 AM PST −0.8 kt 3:44 PM PST 5:45 PM PST 0.9 kt 9:50 PM PST Full Moon 7:15 AM PST 4:50 PM PST 4:45 PM PST 6:37 AM PST Thu 12 1:21 AM PST −0.3 kt 2:53 AM PST 5:21 AM PST 0.9 kt 8:35 AM PST 12:19 PM PST −0.9 kt 4:18 PM PST 6:26 PM PST 1.0 kt 10:33 PM PST 7:16 AM PST 4:51 PM PST 5:33 PM PST 7:40 AM PST Fri 13 2:07 AM PST −0.3 kt 3:35 AM PST 6:05 AM PST 0.9 kt 9:14 AM PST 12:54 PM PST −0.9 kt 4:54 PM PST 7:08 PM PST 1.0 kt 11:18 PM PST 7:16 AM PST 4:51 PM PST 6:29 PM PST 8:41 AM PST Sat 14 2:52 AM PST −0.3 kt 4:21 AM PST 6:50 AM PST 0.8 kt 9:56 AM PST 1:36 PM PST −0.9 kt 5:32 PM PST 7:51 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:17 AM PST 4:51 PM PST 7:32 PM PST 9:37 AM PST Sun 15 12:03 AM PST 3:39 AM PST −0.3 kt 5:11 AM PST 7:37 AM PST 0.8 kt 10:42 AM PST 2:22 PM PST −0.9 kt 6:13 PM PST 8:38 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:18 AM PST 4:51 PM PST 8:39 PM PST 10:27 AM PST Mon 16 12:52 AM PST 4:32 AM PST −0.3 kt 6:08 AM PST 8:29 AM PST 0.7 kt 11:33 AM PST 3:13 PM PST −0.8 kt 6:58 PM PST 9:29 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:18 AM PST 4:52 PM PST 9:49 PM PST 11:10 AM PST Tue 17 1:43 AM PST 5:30 AM PST −0.3 kt 7:15 AM PST 9:28 AM PST 0.6 kt 12:34 PM PST 4:15 PM PST −0.7 kt 7:48 PM PST 10:24 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:19 AM PST 4:52 PM PST 10:58 PM PST 11:49 AM PST Wed 18 2:36 AM PST 6:28 AM PST −0.4 kt 8:37 AM PST 10:34 AM PST 0.6 kt 1:46 PM PST 5:46 PM PST −0.6 kt 8:44 PM PST 11:21 PM PST 1.0 kt Last Quarter 7:20 AM PST 4:52 PM PST 12:23 PM PST Thu 19 3:29 AM PST 7:26 AM PST −0.5 kt 10:10 AM PST 11:48 AM PST 0.6 kt 3:11 PM PST 7:19 PM PST −0.5 kt 9:45 PM PST 7:20 AM PST 4:53 PM PST 12:07 AM PST 12:55 PM PST Fri 20 12:20 AM PST 1.0 kt 4:19 AM PST 8:22 AM PST −0.6 kt 11:29 AM PST 1:05 PM PST 0.7 kt 4:36 PM PST 8:29 PM PST −0.5 kt 10:50 PM PST 7:21 AM PST 4:53 PM PST 1:16 AM PST 1:26 PM PST Sat 21 1:18 AM PST 1.0 kt 5:06 AM PST 9:17 AM PST −0.7 kt 12:34 PM PST 2:14 PM PST 0.8 kt 5:54 PM PST 9:32 PM PST −0.5 kt 11:51 PM PST 7:21 AM PST 4:54 PM PST 2:24 AM PST 1:58 PM PST Sun 22 2:12 AM PST 1.0 kt 5:51 AM PST 10:08 AM PST −0.8 kt 1:31 PM PST 3:13 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:02 PM PST 10:30 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:22 AM PST 4:54 PM PST 3:33 AM PST 2:33 PM PST Mon 23 12:47 AM PST 3:02 AM PST 1.0 kt 6:35 AM PST 10:56 AM PST −0.8 kt 2:23 PM PST 4:07 PM PST 1.0 kt 8:04 PM PST 11:24 PM PST −0.4 kt 7:22 AM PST 4:55 PM PST 4:41 AM PST 3:11 PM PST Tue 24 1:40 AM PST 3:49 AM PST 1.0 kt 7:18 AM PST 11:42 AM PST −0.9 kt 3:12 PM PST 4:57 PM PST 1.1 kt 9:00 PM PST 7:23 AM PST 4:55 PM PST 5:48 AM PST 3:54 PM PST Wed 25 12:16 AM PST −0.4 kt 2:29 AM PST 4:35 AM PST 1.0 kt 8:00 AM PST 12:27 PM PST −0.9 kt 3:58 PM PST 5:46 PM PST 1.1 kt 9:54 PM PST New Moon 7:23 AM PST 4:56 PM PST 6:53 AM PST 4:43 PM PST Fri 27 1:59 AM PST −0.4 kt 4:02 AM PST 6:06 AM PST 0.8 kt 9:25 AM PST 1:56 PM PST −0.8 kt 5:22 PM PST 7:16 PM PST 1.1 kt 11:34 PM PST 7:24 AM PST 4:57 PM PST 8:44 AM PST 6:34 PM PST Sat 28 2:47 AM PST −0.3 kt 4:47 AM PST 6:49 AM PST 0.8 kt 10:06 AM PST 2:38 PM PST −0.7 kt 5:59 PM PST 7:57 PM PST 1.0 kt 7:24 AM PST 4:58 PM PST 9:30 AM PST 7:33 PM PST Sun 29 12:22 AM PST 3:35 AM PST −0.3 kt 5:33 AM PST 7:33 AM PST 0.7 kt 10:49 AM PST 3:22 PM PST −0.7 kt 6:32 PM PST 8:39 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:24 AM PST 4:59 PM PST 10:08 AM PST 8:33 PM PST Mon 30 1:07 AM PST 4:24 AM PST −0.3 kt 6:21 AM PST 8:19 AM PST 0.5 kt 11:34 AM PST 4:10 PM PST −0.6 kt 7:03 PM PST 9:21 PM PST 0.9 kt 7:25 AM PST 4:59 PM PST 10:42 AM PST 9:31 PM PST Tue 31 1:53 AM PST 5:14 AM PST −0.3 kt 7:16 AM PST 9:09 AM PST 0.4 kt 12:24 PM PST 5:04 PM PST −0.5 kt 7:34 PM PST 10:05 PM PST 0.8 kt 7:25 AM PST 5:00 PM PST 11:12 AM PST 10:29 PM PST	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1075
__label__wiki	0.766224	0.766224	Belgium unprepared for phasing out nuclear power by 2025 -grid operator Daphne Psaledakis, Bate Felix BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Belgian grid operator Elia has warned the country could face serious power shortages after it phases out nuclear power in 2025 if the government does not act to speed up investment in alternative energy supplies. Belgium’s nuclear reactors are set to be phased out from 2022 to 2025. Elia, in a study released on Friday, estimates the country will need an additional 3.9 GW of capacity from 2025 to replace the power generation from its seven nuclear reactors. That is higher than its previous forecast of 3.6 GW, made in a similar study in 2017. Neighbouring countries, including Germany, are accelerating an exit from coal while others are cutting back on nuclear power generation, reducing Belgium’s ability to import electricity. The Belgian parliament passed legislation in April aimed at spurring investment in gas-fired power generation and building 4,000 megawatt of new offshore wind farm capacity by 2030. The study, co-sponsored by Elia and energy agencies, said more efforts are needed. While some action has been taken over the past year, “we are not yet ready for any scenario. It is still five minutes to midnight,” Elia said. The company called for Belgium’s caretaker government and next federal government to continue developing a planned capacity remuneration mechanism (CRM) - whereby generators receive a payment for being able to generate electricity on demand - to ensure a safety net. If no action is taken on the CRM, Elia warned there would not be enough investment to ensure the needed 3.9 GW new replacement generation capacity would be put in place in time for the nuclear exit. “The accelerated coal exit in neighbouring countries (the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and especially Germany) will have an adverse impact on our ability to import electricity in the winter months,” Elia said in a statement on the study. Over the next 10 years, coal-fired and nuclear power plants with a total capacity of around 100 GW will be shut down in Europe, mostly in Western Europe, it said. Neighbouring countries’ accelerated exit from coal means Belgium would need up to 1 GW of additional capacity from 2022 to 2025 while the reactors are being phased out, Elia said. Belgium risked an unprecedented power shortage this past winter when six of its seven nuclear reactors were offline, although it managed after the government scrambled to secure alternative power supplies. Renewing some of the reactors for a few more years would still require replacement capacity, Elia said, as the reactors would need to be upgraded - a process that could run into the winter months. “Each scenario requires appropriate measures and there must be clarity soon about the consequences and the action to be taken,” Elia said. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Bate Felix; Editing by Susan Fenton)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1079
__label__wiki	0.836278	0.836278	Eva Airways says strike to end on July 9 July 7 (Reuters) - Taiwan’s Eva Airways Corp said on Sunday its cabin crew’s strike will end on Tuesday after it reached an agreement with the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union (TFAU). The company estimated in a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange the strike - the longest ever for Taiwan’s aviation industry - had cost T$3.02 billion ($97 million) in lost revenue as of July 7. A total of 681 flights between June 20 and July 7 were been cancelled due to the strike, affecting nearly 300,000 passengers, the airline said, adding the TFAU agreed not to stage another strike for three years as part of the deal. Eva Airways reported T$179.9 billion in revenue and a net profit of T$6.55 billion for 2018. “As the strike has finally come to an end, EVA will gradually resume scheduled flights by the end of July and will make necessary adjustments to its service operation in August depending on the number of cabin crew able to work and passengers’ travel demand,” the firm said in a separate statement. Eva Air, be known for its Hello Kitty livery of some of its jets, operates flights to many places around Asia as well as to North America and Europe. It had filed several lawsuits against the union since the strike began on June 20, including one that seeks T$34 million for each day of what the company has called an “illegal strike.” ($1 = 31.1680 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting by Min Zhang and Se Young Lee Editing by Keith Weir)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1080
__label__wiki	0.967677	0.967677	Zimbabwe lawmaker charged with subversion over Mnangagwa threat FILE PHOTO: Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks during a meeting with labour unions in Harare, Zimbabwe, June 5, 2019. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo/File Photo HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwe opposition lawmaker was charged on Tuesday with subversion, his lawyer said, after a video surfaced where he purportedly said President Emmerson Mnangagwa would be overthrown before the next election in 2023. Mnangagwa, 76, has promised to break with the past ways of his authoritarian predecessor Robert Mugabe, who was removed after a 2017 army coup, but critics say he has continued to use tough security laws against opponents. Several government opponents face trial on charges of subverting the government after street protests over a fuel price hike turned deadly in January, leading to the death of more than a dozen people in a throwback to the Mugabe era. In a video circulating on social media from the weekend, Job Sikhala, deputy chairman of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and a member of parliament, appears to be seen and heard telling supporters at a rally: “We are going to take the fight to the doorsteps of Emmerson Mnangagwa, we are going to overthrow him before 2023, that is not a joke.” Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video. Sikhala’s lawyer Obey Shava said the outspoken former student leader, who faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted, had been detained at a police station in central Harare and would appear in court on Wednesday. Without explicitly confirming the video, Shava told Reuters that there was nothing in its contents to suggest a crime had been committed. “He is denying the charge in its totality,” he said. “We have been pushing the police to go to court but surprisingly their house is not yet in order. We thought they knew what they were doing, but it seems they are not very confident about the case themselves.” The MDC continues to reject Mnangagwa’s presidential victory last year. Amid widespread economic hardship, the opposition routinely says it will use constitutional means to remove the president, without giving more specifics. Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1081
__label__cc	0.568307	0.431693	San Jacinto Peak Trail Posted by Cindy Uken \| Mar 1, 2018 \| Valley Life Towering 10,824 feet into the sky – a full 1.95 miles above Palm Springs –San Jacinto Peak is the highest point in the San Jacinto Mountains and Riverside County, and the six highest in the lower 48. Dominating the city’s skyline, a former mayor once called it “Palm Springs’ oceanfront.” And yes, you can hike to the peak. A number of routes allow to you to ascend the mountain, but the most popular and the easiest is the one – at 11.5 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 2400 feet – is described here. The route actually consists of several connected trails, each with their own name. The best way to tackle San Jacinto Peak is to cheat a little by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. From Palm Springs, drive Highway 111 north to the tram’s Valley Station, which sits at 2,634 feet elevation. The tram climbs 6000 feet and lets you start the hike at 8516 feet. There is a fee to use the tram. The first thing you’ll notice upon departing the tram is the refreshing scent of pines, which contrasts with the smokier creosote in the valley below. The next thing you’ll realize – about a half-second later – is the cooler temperature. San Jacinto’s summit can be 40 degrees colder than in Palm Springs, and you’re only two-thirds of the way there. And then, after taking a few steps, you’ll probably wonder why you’re breathing a lot harder. There really is less oxygen up here, so take it easy for a bit. Fortunately, the tram’s mountain station is a good spot to acclimate yourself to the higher elevation. The station includes an observation area, restaurant, snack bar and gift shop. From the station, walk into Mt. San Jacinto State Park by heading uphill and west to Round Valley. At the trail junction, go straight/west onto the Round Valley Trail to the Long Valley Ranger Station. Once there, fill out day use permit at ranger station box; this is important for rescuers in case you should get lost. Just after the ranger station, or 0.25 miles from the tram station, the trail splits again. The Willow Creek Trail is to the south but go right/west into Round Valley. The trail parallels an intermittent creek. You may spot coyotes tracks on the ground or hear their yips and howls in the distance. They generally stick to themselves and so are no danger, though. At the next junction, with the High Trail, you’ve reached the Round Valley Meadow at 9000 feet elevation. Go right/northwest, continuing on the Round Valley Trail. The Cahuilla Indians, called San Jacinto Peak I a kitch (or Aya Kaich), which translates to “smooth cliffs,” an appropriate name given that the mountain’s north escarpment at 10,000 feet is the most severe in all of North America. For the Cahuilla, this was the home of Dakush, their founder. In 0.3 miles, the trail reaches a seasonal ranger station. There the Tamarack Valley Trail heads north as a spur to a campground just below Cornell Peak. A CCC shelter built in 1933 sits about 500 yards below the peak. Euro-American settlers in the area began climbing San Jacinto Peak in the 1870s with the first recorded ascent in 1874. The Wheeler Survey followed in 1878 and officially named the mountain “San Jacinto Peak.” In that era, grizzly bears inhabited the mountain, but they’ve since disappeared from the region. More slowly disappearing is the survey’s name for the peak, which increasingly is known as Mount San Jacinto. A mile from the ranger station, at a little more than 9600 feet, the trail reaches Wellman Divide. Here is divides between the Wellman Cienega Trail going south and the San Jacinto Peak going the opposite way. Turn right/north. Lodgepole pines dominate at this higher elevation. Sporting twisted needles that spiral out, the highly adaptable lodgepole is among the few trees that can grow at a subalpine elevation. They depend upon forest fires to propagate, as heat breaks the pitch on their cones, releasing the seeds. Upon leaving the pines, the trail makes a switchback through manzanita bushes. After completing the switchback, you’ll probably notice a cool wind picking up and how taking a few steps is even more difficult than at the tram station. The good news is you’re almost at the summit. At 2.4 miles from Wellman Divide, go right/north onto the spur, also known as the Mt. San Jacinto Summit Trail. You’ll pass an emergency stone shelter built by CCC in 1930s. For the last 300 yards, you’ll scramble over granite boulders to the very top of San Jacinto Peak. Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley from the top of San Jacinto Peak. The views from the peak are fantastic. To the northwest is San Gorgonio Peak, the highest summit in Southern California. Little San Bernardo Mountains rises in the northeast. Looking east, you can see Palm Springs and Cathedral City in the valley below. The Santa Rosa Mountains are to the southeast. And on the clearest of days, the gleaming blue of the Pacific Ocean is visible to the west. As naturalist John Muir wrote, “The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth!” After taking in the sights, retrace your steps back to the tram station. The best time to hike the peak is during summer. Temperatures here will be a pleasant mid 70s while the desert floor bakes at 115 degrees. Also, bring plenty of water. PreviousSt. Patrick’s Day Spending to Hit Record $5.9 Billion NextIndio Mayor: ‘Hatred’ Drives Naysayers	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1082
__label__cc	0.714529	0.285471	#UMassDBelieves \| Faculty and Staff Contributions Watch our video, “The Value of a Liberal Arts Degree,” and then take some time to be inspired by the thoughtful contributions from faculty and staff posted below. Eli Evans, Professor of English Kristin McGillicuddy, Director of Planning & Administration Katherine, DeLuca, Professor of English Eric Casero, Professor of English Robert E. Johnson, Chancellor Lara Stone, Advancement Officer Anne Boisvert, Assistant Director of Alternative Admissions Jamie Jacquart, Assistant Director of Campus Sustainability David Milstone, Former Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeanette Riley, Former Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences Sarah Cosgrove, Professor of Economics Cynthia Cummings, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs John Souza, University Police Lieutenant “THIS I BELIEVE” \| ELI EVANS, Professor of ENGLISH, UMASS DARTMOUTH, 2018 In a chapter of his book The Century, first published in English translation in 2007, thephilosopher Alain Badiou resurrects the ancient Greek soldier and writer Xenophon’s most famous work, Anabasis. In regards to this tale of a band of some 10,000 Greek mercenaries who after the death of their employer and their leaders must find their way back to safety amongst the Greek cities lining the shores of the Black Sea, Badiou writes: “Their march through Persia, toward the sea, follows no pre-existing path and corresponds to no previous orientation. It cannot even be a straightforward return home, since it invents its path without knowing whether it really is the path of return. Anabasis is thus the free invention of a wandering that will have been a return, a return that did not exist as a return-route prior to the wandering.” I believe that, like those soldiers, first described by Xenophon centuries ago and more recently re-imagined by Badiou, we can only find our way “home” (wherever, or whatever, “home” will turn out to be for each of us) by believing, with all the force of faith, that our wending, wandering path through life will eventually turn out to have been the way, and traveling it accordingly: with discipline, with purpose, and utterly blindly. Perhaps the great, late American writer was thinking along these lines when, in his brilliant (except to critics such as Harriet Zinnes, who lamented its “substitution of something tinsel for art”) and totally unclassifiable Splendide-Hôtel, he wrote: “To love is to go consistently into the dark.” “I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF A SMILE” \| KRISTIN MCGILLICUDDY, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION- COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES, 2018 I am a big fan of quotes and fun phrases. At my desk, you will find sticky notes in various places, holding words of wisdom to catch my eye at just the right time to provide needed encouragement. It’s a big reason why I enjoy Facebook – the quotes posted by friends can be inspirational, motivational or just plain funny. I look for books of quotes, and I add quotes to all my presentations in and out of the classroom. My favorite quote? There are so many good ones! But I do have one that stands out above the rest. It’s amazingly simple, but so powerful. And, I think it could be helpful to you as you embark on your journey here, at UMassD. At all times and in all places, always be the first to smile. Smiling is pleasant. We like to see it and we like to do it. But did you know there is strong scientific backing to the power of smiling, and many research studies that prove its power? Let’s start with the biological. When you smile the brain releases mood-enhancing hormones like endorphins. Your smile also releases serotonin which serves as an anti-depressant. Charles Darwin further discusses this in his “Facial Feedback Response Theory,” showing that not only do we smile because we feel good, but that proactively smiling can actually make us feel good. Studies utilizing MRI technology show that the brain areas focused on happiness are stimulated when we smile. And child development experts tell us that even a young baby will smile in response to hearing a human voice. On to anthropology. Is there a more universal language than a smile? Scientists have proven that smiles are understood and hold the same meaning across many cultures. My prior jobs took me on many travels across the world. I’d always start my encounters with a smile, even if I wasn’t sure the other person spoke my language (alas, I do not speak another language myself – please learn one while you’re here at UMassD!!). I firmly believe this made my interactions more pleasant. It set the tone with a non-verbal gesture that everyone always understood to be positive and friendly. There are psychological implications too. A recent Penn State study proved that smiling makes a person appear to be competent, courteous and likeable by others. Another study suggests that when we see a person smiling, we actually feel rewarded, as seeing the smile activates the area in the brain that is responsible for this “reward” sensation. Plus, when we see a smile, we typically smile back as our brains are wired that way. So the reward of a smile is multiplied, because now both people are smiling and releasing those mood-enhancing chemicals, putting both in a good mood. Smiling is abundant in literature. Mark Twain stated, “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” William Shakespeare advised, “A smile cures the wounding of a frown.” And George Eliot tells us, “Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for each other?” Perhaps it is this last quotation that sums it up so well. You are about to embark on an amazing journey. Your classmates, roommates and teammates are embarking on it, too. To some extent, even seasoned professors and staff are also setting sail on a new adventure, because they have never journeyed with you before. Will you all encounter some difficulties? Probably. But why not make the world less difficult for yourself and others? Greet that new roommate with a smile, the folks at the lunch counter, each professor, the person who sits next to you, the cashier at the bookstore, your oldest friend, your newest friend, and perhaps most importantly, yourself. Get up each morning and release those endorphins when you look in the mirror. You are awesome and you are going to do great things here! To end with another favorite quote, Mother Theresa tells us, “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” I hope you experience all good things here at UMass Dartmouth, and that you are the catalyst for the good that others experience as well, through your smile and through the enormous positive impact you will have on others. Your smile could be just what someone really needs today. Embrace that positive power! I wish you all the best, and hope you have many reasons to smile on this amazing journey. “This I Believe” \| Katherine Deluca, assistant professor of English, Umass Dartmouth, 2018 I believe that the lives we live online matter to the lives we live offline. The words, the memes, the videos—all of the texts and forms of communication that shape our multimodal experiences and everyday literacies have impacts on our lives that extend beyond the 280 characters of a tweet, the caption of an Instagram photo, or the number of seconds set for friends to view a snap. I believe we sometimes forget how much our online lives and offline lives intertwine: that the snap story recorded on a Friday night might come up in church on Sunday, depending, of course, on who is on your follower list. We forget that, just as in our offline lives, the things we say and do in online spaces matter. These actions and communications can influence other peoples’ lives, their experiences, and their feelings. I believe we have an ethical obligation to each other, especially as digital citizens, to consider the impact that sharing a meme or retweeting a tweet could have on other people. But as our lives across these spaces frequently intertwine, and as the notion of “IRL” being something different from what we do online continues to transform, we not only face great responsibility to each other but also great opportunity. As digital activism movements like #blacklivesmatter and #metoo have shown us, there are opportunities to shape and create the world around us through digital communications—changing our worlds both online and offline. As events like the 2016 presidential election and the phenomenon of “fake news” has shown us, digital communications have the power to shape our country’s policies, politics, and future. I believe it is important for all of us, as digital citizens, to engage with our identities and communications critically and ethically. What we do online matters—for the lives we lead across spaces. “I believe in art” \| eric casero, Professor of English, Umass Dartmouth, 2018 I believe that the arts have the power to change our lives by developing emotional connections between people. While this belief has been shaped by many experiences and people throughout my life, one of the most important factors was a college English professor who taught me about the work of the writer James Joyce. As a high school student, I didn’t like to read all that much. Sure, I could pass my college English classes without much trouble, but I often skipped reading assignments, and I never picked up a book outside of class assignments. My attitude started to change when I took a class with this professor. I especially remember one class when he played a cassette tape (these were the days before YouTube existed!) of the author reading from his novel Finnegans Wake. As we listened, I noticed that a tear had started running down the professor’s face. At first, I couldn’t tell if the professor was actually crying or if this was a facial tic; however, by the end of the recording, he had pulled out a handkerchief and was blowing his nose repeatedly. After the recording stopped, he made a self-deprecating remark about how silly it was to cry at this moment. And while some students in the class poked fun at the professor afterwards, I found the fact that he was so moved by this recording quite endearing. The fact that a person could be so deeply affected by literature made me feel that serious art does matter, and that it can change a person. My high-school indifference to reading was starting to feel a little silly. While I didn’t think too much about this incident after the class had ended, I did enjoy the semester enough to want to take another class with the same professor. This class focused generally on early 20th Century literature, rather than on James Joyce specifically. However, since Joyce is considered such an important author, we again read some of his writing in this class. Once again, the professor pulled out his cassette tape of Joyce reading from Finnegans Wake, and once again, by the time the tape ended, tears were streaming down his face. And all of a sudden, something occurred to me that hadn’t during my first time hearing the tape: This man has probably listened to this tape dozens of times, and he has probably cried literally every time. It amazed me that somebody could be so deeply affected by a work of art that they could show such visible emotion not just once, but repeatedly. What’s more, I found that witnessing those emotions allowed me to experience Joyce’s work more deeply. It was sort of like a transitive property of art: by watching somebody else respond to Finnegans Wake, I myself gained a better appreciation of the novel. These experiences demonstrated to me not only that art can deeply affect a person, but that the effects of art create communities. By experiencing the emotional impacts of art together, we become more deeply bonded as fellow humans. This idea applies not only to literature, but to music, which is best performed in groups, or even to political actions, which are often galvanized by art. To this day, I believe that art is not only for fun (though it is that too), but that it creates human communities. “It Is Possible” \| Dr. Robert E. Johnson, Chancellor, Umass Dartmouth, 2017 As the new Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead this great institution and serve this community. As we get to know each other, you will discover that I believe no matter what challenges confront us, we can create our own opportunities and be victorious. My simple message to you today is this: It is possible. As members of our incoming Class of 2021 have shared their hopes, dreams, and beliefs as part of our This We Believe initiative, I wish to share with you who I am as we begin this journey together. I believe strongly in possibility thinking, in succeeding against the odds, and competing above my weight class and winning. When I told my high school counselor in my senior year that I wanted to attend Morehouse College, she looked right at me, and told me that I was not college material and was not worthy to continue my education. Even though, at that time my high school, Cass Tech in Detroit, was one of the top high schools in the country and its entire student body was in a college prep major, I was “not worthy. “ When I went home and told this to my mother, she said, “Son, your purpose in life is to serve. It doesn’t matter what type of degree you have or your job status; in the end it adds up to what you’ve done to help others. In all you do, be true to yourself.” My outlook is further informed by witnessing the impact of economic decline on Detroit’s autoworkers, many of whom were members of my extended family. The rapid rise of technology and global competition dislocated thousands of skilled unionized workers. Today, this technological revolution continues across virtually all industries and challenges us to leverage our assets to prepare graduates and the region for a rapidly changing global economy. I fundamentally believe in the goodness of the human spirit and that everyone is born into this world with a purpose to make a difference and that this requires all of us to treat one another with dignity and respect. No matter what is happening in the world, we must be caring advocates for that which is right, and be empathetic to the needs and wants of others. The CorsairsCare campaign shows us the way by encouraging us all to “stand up, stand together, and stand stronger.” As a member of this community of learners, scholars, and citizens, I will simply tell you what I believe: I believe we must inquire with curiosity and always seek to elevate the value proposition of teaching, research, and service at UMass Dartmouth. I believe students, from undergraduates to Ph.D. candidates, come first, and everything we do must support their success. I believe hate has no home at UMass Dartmouth and I have zero tolerance for those who believe any race, ethnicity, religion, or gender is superior. I believe in the power of civil discourse and that we can agree to disagree and still be friends and colleagues. I believe we should treat one another the way we want to be treated. I believe that the goodness of our humanity will drown out the voices of hatred and intolerance. I believe we must collaborate with our regional partners on the SouthCoast to create the vibrant economy that benefits us all and strengthens our community. I believe in working with others to find solutions, not just to identify problems. UMass Dartmouth, a tier one national research university, provides a private college education and experience and public university value. It is possible for us to have a campus culture that is second-to-none throughout the higher education community. It is possible for us to have a world-class organization that competes on all levels and prepares graduates to become contributors to the global community. Higher education is a privilege, and an educated person has a responsibility not only to seek personal and professional success, but also to contribute to a greater good. As a community of learners, scholars, and citizens, let us commit to staying true to our values, doing the right thing, and always seeing the glass half-full. Had I listened to my high school counselor, I would never have attended Morehouse and most likely would not be your Chancellor today. It is possible! “This I Believe” \| Lara Stone, Advancement Officer, University Advancement & the UMass Dartmouth Foundation, 2017. I believe in community. I believe in being thick. And I was inspired by my good friend, David Brooks’ Op Ed in the New York Times, “How to Leave a Mark On People.” You will be delighted to learn that I am giving you complete permission to be thick! In fact, I encourage you to stay as far away from thin as possible. When I was a child, I attended Incarnation Camp for 8 years as a camper, worked on staff for 2 years and eventually married my husband at camp on a beautiful Memorial Day weekend years later. Our three boys attended camp. The lessons I learned, the friendships that I made there and the fabric of community that weaves its way into every aspect of my life, I can usually tie back to camp. When young people of all socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds cook their own meals on an open fire, take biking, hiking or canoe trips, live side-by-side in a tent for 6 weeks and forgo all electricity and telephone service—something transformational happens. Recently one of our camp family members died, Firefighter Joseph Toscano. He died fighting a two-alarm blaze in Watertown on St. Patrick’s Day 2017. He was the father of 5 and one of the most thoughtful, engaging, community-minded people I know. He was a counselor at Incarnation Camp. Several weeks after his death, New York Times columnist, author, political commentator, Yale Professor, and my former camp counselor David Brooks wrote an Op Ed about Joe. In times of tragedy, don’t we all turn to the fabric that holds us together—our family, our church, our camp family, and our classmates? David Brooks went on to talk about the nature of this fabric in his column. “Some organizations are thick, and some are thin. Some leave a mark on you, and some you pass through with scarcely a memory. I haven’t worked at Incarnation for 30 years, but it remains one of the four or five thick institutions in my life, and in so many other lives… Which raises two questions: What makes an institution thick? If you were setting out consciously to create a thick institution, what features would it include?” I think that UMass Dartmouth aspires to be a thick institution:“A thick institution is not one that people use instrumentally, to get a degree or to earn a salary. A thick institution becomes part of a person’s identity and engages the whole person: head, hands, heart and soul.” You meet in capstone teams or in study groups. You serve side-by-side in service, in clinicals and in the lab together. You work hard, stay up late, get no sleep. You are strivers, hard working, juggling to make ends meet. You lift each other up. According to David Brooks, “Such organizations… celebrate the heroes who pulled them from the brink.” Your faculty, tutors and peers have been your mentors. You lift one another up. They go to bat for you. Your friends, classmates and teammates and your colleagues make up the fabric of your UMass Dartmouth experience. My hope is that if you are graduating or just arriving, you feel connected to the fabric that is UMass Dartmouth. Know that you are family, that we are thick, that you will be a part of this fabric long after you leave. There are ways for you to strengthen our fabric at UMass Dartmouth. Every little action taken by one person takes us closer to being the thick organization we aspire to be. Being a part of the UMass Dartmouth family offers each of us an opportunity to give back to others, to build on our legacy, to be part of a thick organization. In a thick organization selfishness and selflessness marry. It fulfills our purpose to help others along the way. When we live by our beliefs, we attract those that believe similarly. We weave this fabric into our very being. Our every action, proves what we believe. Go out and be thick. Steer clear of thin. “This I Believe” \| Anne Boisvert, Assistant Director of Alternative Admissions, College Now/START Program, 2017 When I was a young child my world was small. I lived in the North End of New Bedford, Massachusetts where there were small neighborhoods surrounding each of the many churches. Each church represented and preserved the language and culture of an immigrant community: French Canadian, Polish, Portuguese. Each church ran a school attended by the children in its community. Each morning I walked to school, walked home for lunch then back to school for the afternoon session and returned home by foot at the end of each day. My life was sheltered and protected from the evils of the world. One day I was walking to school alone and a younger boy from my school came running toward me from the woods. His nose was bleeding, his pants were undone and he was crying. He asked me to stay with him to walk to school. I brought him to the Nurse’s office. The boy never said what happened and I never heard another word about it. That was the day that I knew that evil lived in my world. It was also the day I learned not to ask questions and not to say anything about “private matters.” Years later, as I taught Mathematics at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, the “mind your own business” mentality secretly guided me. In and out of class, I spoke to the students about school and math and tutoring but never left an opening for them tell me about themselves. Gradually students slipped out information like “my grandma died” and I found myself no longer content to say “So sorry. Here’s the work you missed.” I began to look them in the eye, connect with them and feel their pain and joy, their hopes and fears. Once I opened that gate, there was no stopping and I found excitement and fulfillment is engaging with students on a personal level. This did not lessen my fervor for mathematics but it allowed me to engage them in a different way. My heart breaks with them when they talk of being stolen from a Sudanese village as a young child or hiding from gunfire in the woods of the Congo or Myanmar and of their arduous journey through refugee camps to UMass Dartmouth. I admire them when they speak of caring for their families by driving a snow plow overnight or of taking an extra shift at work to help pay the family’s rent that month. I cried when a student said she couldn’t concentrate in class because her dad was in a coma and the family had to decide when to pull the plug. I cried with her again at his wake. I feel ecstatic when they show me a good grade in a class where they had struggled. I rejoice with them when they walk across the stage with their diplomas. I believe in the goodness that there is in the human race. I believe as individuals and as a group we can overcome the evils out there. I believe in my students and I thank them for the past 41 years and I believe I am the luckiest woman in the world if I am allowed to serve them a little longer. “This I Believe” \| Jamie Jacquart, Assistant Director of Campus Sustainability, 2017 When I was growing up, adults liked to ask me “What do you want to bewhen you grow up?” I understood that my identity was going to be defined by my job, and that I’d better have an answer. At around 8 I declared “I’m going to be a pilot” which was an answer, and ultimately the thing I left home to study in college. The problem was that once I got my pilot license I figured out this wasn’t what suited my skills, gifts and abilities. I spent about 2 months bouncing off of walls, meeting with faculty and staff and did some major soul searching. What I learned was foundational in shaping how I would view both myself and my career opportunities from that point forward. It’s OK to not know, but you have to do something in order to figure it out. First of all, it’s important to know that this is completely normal to either not know, change your mind, or start something and find out that it was not what you thought. I know someone who changed her mind about teaching after her last semester while doing her student teaching. Another friend just finished a master’s degree in counseling only to change over to become a financial counselor. Yet another completed in PhD in an obscure discipline, yet chose to take another path because he learned that what he would be doing with that degree was precisely the thing that he liked doing the least. Having said this, there are people in life who just know. They know who they are and what they were cut out to do and to be in this world. It doesn’t make them better than the rest of us, just that they knew who they were earlier. By contrast, I know many people who are in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and are still waiting to find their calling. It’s inconceivable to ask someone who is 18 years old to fully understand what they are good at, what they are passionate about, or how life will change and evolve and present new opportunities. You don’t know what you don’t know, but experience and education will give you clues and insights. You do need to listen to yourself, be honest about your skills, gifts and abilities, but also your limitations, triggers and areas of disinterest. It’s OK to not know or change your mind. It’s OK to explore possibilities; as a matter of fact, it’s kind of the whole point of this. We’re educating you to provide you with tools that allow you to adapt to ever changing circumstances, to learn fields of study not yet created and understand problems not yet revealed. In the movie “Hidden Figures” the mathematicians needed to figure out how to get a rocket back into earth’s atmosphere, as that had never been done before. We are constantly learning, adapting, shifting and expanding. I encourage you to be a student, a learner, a sponge, a connector, a quizzical being trying to understand how things work and how we can make our world a better place for people, animals and our environment. I believe in the power of not knowing, but we also have to dedicate ourselves to doing things to figure it out. That is what is going to distinguish those who languish in unhappiness and those who flourish. “I Believe in Shared Governance” \| David Milstone, Former Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 2017. In many business organizations, decisions are made by the CEO, President, or a department head. Higher Education is different in that there are several different types of constituencies here – each with a different expertise. Administrators generally know the pertinent laws and how to manage people, finances, and crises. Faculty members are experts in their fields of study and have great knowledge about curriculum design and the education of students. Students, of course, are the center of this model, as all actions ideally lead to their success. In my travels, I have worked at Universities that used a top-down approach and others that use more of a shared-governance model – I believe in the shared-governance model. Shared-governance does not mean that all decisions are made by a combination of administration, faculty, staff, and students. There are some decisions that belong in the purview of administration, some in the purview of faculty, and at least one in the purview of student-leadership (determining the best use of the Student Fee). Of course, students also make decisions pertinent to their own situations (health insurance, paying for college, and where to live and what meal plan to take, as examples). Conversely, shared-governance does mean that before decisions are made, there is opportunity made available to others for input. As a result, decisions are often better thought-out, researched, and usually found to be most palatable since many people were allowed to have their voices heard in the matters. In this model, various governance groups work together by committee or task force to brainstorm ideas and search for the best answers. Even when the decision rests with one group, the final decision at which they arrive will likely be more welcomed when many voices are heard in the process of developing the final decisions. Why is a shared-governance model so hard to develop? Shared governance models are considered to be “best-practice” across higher education, but like any management structure where there are dominant groups, it takes a willingness of the group in power to be willing to ask for and consider input from other groups. In my view, shared-leadership takes strong and mature leadership. Mature leadership knows that being asked for input does not mean that all decisions will be theirs to make, just as mature leaders know that offering opportunities for input does not obligate them to accept that input. There is an old adage “Don’t ask a question for which you do not want the answer.” When a decision is clear to those who need to make it, it makes little sense to solicit input, as the solicited advice will likely be ignored. Much of campus life involves decisions that benefit greatly from a shared-leadership way of thinking. We have come a long way in the past decade at UMass Dartmouth with respect to valuing student voices as well as faculty voices – this shows tremendous opportunities for the future success of this wonderful institution. When you have the opportunity to share your voice, I hope you will do so – I believe that shared-governance will be one of the foundations that will bring our campus, in the words of Jim Collins, “from good to great.” “I Believe in the Value of the Liberal Arts” \| Jeanette Riley, Former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, 2016 I am often asked the question, “what can you do with a degree in the liberal arts”? The simple answer is “anything!” But in a time when the liberal arts are under attack in the press and by politicians, the simple answer needs often isn’t enough. So, here’s a fuller answer. With a liberal arts education, you can pursue jobs across the spectrum of our economy – in businesses as sales, marketing, communications and human resources people; in non-profit organizations; in the publishing and media world; in public administrating; in technology firms; starting your own business; and, even more. Liberal arts graduates bring core skills to the work place – critical thinking; problem solving; teamwork; communication skills; creativity; flexibility. Graduates with a foundation in the liberal arts are self-motived and articulate individuals who bring a range of perspectives to the workplace, which fosters creativity and original thinking. At the same time, studying the liberal arts opens people’s minds and helps them think outside of their own experiences, which create tolerance for diversity and guides ethical decision making. As a result of these skills that a liberal arts education develops, is it surprising that many top CEOs are liberal arts graduates? Here’s just a short list: Howard Schultz, CEO Starbucks, BS Communications; Robert Iger, CEO Walt Disney, BA Communications; Richard Plepler, CEO HBO, BA Government; Carly Fiorino, former Hewlett-Packard CEO, BA Medieval History and Philosophy; Susan Wojcicki, YouTube CEO, BA History and Literature; Patrick Byrne, CEO Overstock.com, BA Philosophy and Asian Studies; Lloyd Blankfein, CEO Goldman Sachs, BA History; Denise Morrison, CEO Campbell Soup, BS Economics and Psychology. And there are many more examples. From this list, one can see that a liberal arts degree leads to career success. As a product of the liberal arts myself, I have experienced that success as an English professor and as Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, a position I never expected to hold. The skills I learned from my liberal arts background enable me to lead the largest college on campus as I am able to synthesize ideas, problem solve, manage a large budget, collaborate with a variety of people across many different areas, create new initiatives to enhance our students’ educational experience, and more. Despite the headlines suggesting liberal arts graduates end up as baristas in coffee shops, from my own experience and the successes I see in the business world, I continue to believe the liberal arts effectively prepares you for the future. Not surprisingly, a Hart Research Associates 2013 survey shows that 74% ofCEOs recommend a 21st-century liberal education as they believe it will create a more dynamic worker (AAUP). 93% of employers say that an employee’s ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve problems is more important than their undergraduate major. 80% of employers say that every college student should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences. 3 out of 4 employers recommend a liberal arts and sciences education as the best way for success in today’s global economy. This is why at UMass Dartmouth, we engage all our students in the University Studies curriculum, which provides a liberal arts foundation. This is not to say that you shouldn’t major in business, nursing, or engineering. We need all these professions, along with liberal arts graduates. If you are in one of our professional colleges, I encourage you to consider a minor in the liberal arts. I know nursing students who have benefited from minoring in Women’s & Gender Studies as they’ve learned more about issues women face in the workplace (yes, sexism still exists), as well as women’s health issues and politics impacting health policy from the perspectives of social scientists. I know business majors who have honed their writing skills by completing the minor in communications, and business leaders will tell you that writing is the core skill they seek in new hires. I know engineers who have fostered their creativity and ability to listen and empathize with people by engaging in a literature minor. As Steve Jobs, creator of Apple once said, “It is in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” These are just a few examples, but it shows what I believe – the liberal arts are valuable to all of us for they bring us new perspectives, foster creativity, and add to how we view and interact with the world and each other. “I Believe in Opportunity Costs” \| Sarah Cosgrove, Associate Professor of Economics and College of Arts and Sciences Assessment Coordinator, 2016. Economists define opportunity cost as the cost of something in terms of the next best alternative. Another way of stating the definition is the opportunity cost is what you must give up to get something else. I believe that every choice we make has an opportunity cost and that people make better choices when they explicitly consider the opportunity costs of their decisions. When I finished my undergraduate degree, I chose to pursue a graduate degree rather than getting a job like most of my friends. As a graduate student, I lived on a tiny stipend, took out a small loan for living expenses not covered by my stipend, and I spent my days and nights learning, studying, thinking, writing, and running a lot to process all that was going on in my brain. At the same time, my friends were working and earning money, going to happy hours with co-workers, meeting spouses, getting married, and having babies. It would seem to an outsider that I was giving up a lot to pursue my goal of a Ph.D. in economics, but I made a conscious choice to temporarily give those things up because their value was lower than the value of what I was getting. That choice paid off, as I now have the career that I desired and the family that I hoped for. But I did have to choose. I could not have successfully completed my Ph.D. while also working a full time job and enjoying all of the social events that my friends enjoyed. By thinking about my options and weighing the relative costs and benefits, I felt good about my choice rather than dwelling on the things I was forgoing. From whether to sleep in or get up and go to class, to what percentage of your income to save for retirement, every choice has an opportunity cost. If you stop and think about what you are giving up to get something else, you just might make a different decision. While lying there snuggled under your blankets hearing the cold wind whip through the trees, sleeping in might seem like an obvious choice. But if you think about what you will miss out on learning and the fact that you will have to learn the material on your own later, the value of staying in bed might not seem so great. You are entering a time in your lives during which you will make many choices, large and small. Some decisions will affect your friendships, your current financial situation, your future financial situation, and your career. I encourage you to consider what you must give up to get something else. If you take on three part-time jobs to pay for school, will you have enough time to study and succeed in school? Next time you make a choice to do something, stop and think for a moment about what will you be giving up. Is it worth it? “I Believe in Campus Activism” \| Cynthia Cummings, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 2016 I saw my father cry for the first time when I was 17. It was May 4th 1970. Iwas just about to graduate from high school. I would enter college in September. What happened that day was unimaginable. Twenty-eight members of the Ohio National Guard fired 61 bullets into a crowd of Vietnam War protesters, killing four unarmed college students and injuring nine others on the campus of Kent State University. The nation was stunned. My father was devastated. My family was well acquainted with protest and activism. We witnessed the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. We saw dogs and fire hoses turned on black people who marched for basic rights such as access to public facilities and voting rights. My father, a Lincoln Republican, worked for fair housing and educational equity in Indianapolis. He negotiated a truce between the city and its black citizens that prevented the kind of riots that had erupted in Watts, Philadelphia, and Newark. My mother, an accomplished fundraiser, organized events that supported charities that served the black community. My little sister marched against hunger and, with our parents’ blessing, refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in school to protest our country’s involvement in the war. We lived with the frustration, anger, and sadness that come with being members of an oppressed group. But we believed that we could make great changes in our society if we worked hard enough and long enough. We believed in the American system and held on to hope that the dream of “liberty and justice for all” would come true someday. But on May 4, 1970, my father lost some of that hope. While we watched the reports of the Kent State shootings on TV, he shouted through his tears, “These are kids!” “These are white kids!” They are kids exercising their right to free speech!” And then he said, “If our government will silence white kids on a college campus, who won’t it silence?” In my bewilderment, I couldn’t respond. But somehow I knew that I would never let anyone silence me. In September, I enrolled at Indiana University. The Bloomington campus had been a hotbed of protest and activism for several years. After Kent State, it became much quieter. While a student, I discovered feminism and worked for women’s and gay rights. I joined the Lesbian Liberation Organization. I spoke in classes and served on panels. I protested at events that objectified and demeaned women. As a Resident Assistant, I became immersed in the work of eliminating the “Isms”—racism, sexism, and heterosexism. In graduate school I studied College Student Personnel Administration specifically so that I could do “the work” with future generations of students. After college for many years, I continued the work—reading, writing, speaking, marching, and representing in the name of equality for gay and lesbian folks. As a student affairs professional, I have advised many student activists and protesters. Students have organized Take Back the Night Marches, sit-ins to improve race relations, demonstrations against Apartheid, Days of Silence, Earth Day celebrations, and so much more. Recently, I have cheered as UMass Dartmouth students have insisted that “Black Lives Matter.” I believe in campus activism. I believe that college campuses should serve as catalysts for social change. I believe that engaging in activism facilitates student learning, engagement, and development. If one of the roles of college is to develop civically-minded, socially responsible adults, then campus activism must be valued and supported. As educators, we have a responsibility to teach students to speak up and speak out. We must teach students the importance of engaging actively in the political process. We must teach them that when it comes to social change, as “kids on a college campus,” they must not be silenced. This I believe. “This I believe” \| Lt. John Souza, UMassD police department, 2016 …the biggest problem we face in the police profession today is TRUST. We can’t ignore the recent fallout and violence that has occurred all over the United States. It can no longer be business as usual and there should be a sense of urgency about this. There is a very real perception in black communities that the police are making decisions based on bias, and as a result, these communities are angry with the police and don’t trust us. Combine these perceptions with the terrible actions of some officers that we’ve seen on the news who have not only damaged the police image, but destroyed lives too. There’s much work to be done, and the police should be willing to engage, listen, and understand, and not only after a controversial incident. Police should be transparent with community leaders and willing to share their organizational commitment to training specific to racial profiling, and with aspects of use of force issues. A difficult fact of our profession is that when we make a mistake it could cost a life, including our own; it’s a very unique, stressful, and highly scrutinized profession, as well it should be. The responsibilities that are placed on police officers are great; I learned this fact 18 years ago while in the police academy. I can recall thinking that there’s so much to learn, so much to remember, yet so little time to make a final decision during a real life encounter. Most people will never experience these challenges. It made me think that the historical, age-old discussion that the police have had with youngsters about the dangers of “talking to strangers” should probably change in ways to reflect the huge responsibilities of the job, the fears, the inherent dangers, and the amount of knowledge you need acquire about state and federal laws. I also learned early on, that despite good and honorable intentions, you will at times be responding to help people who dislike the very sight of you and what you stand for. Learning to have thick skin is one thing, but changing perceptions is quite different. Like so many police officers, I’m frustrated with the perceptions out there and realize there is no quick and easy fix. The problem is much too big to fix alone, but we can’t sit idle and distance ourselves; we have to be thinking about changing perceptions and this is going to take time, collaborative partnerships, and strategy. Now, more than ever when it’s most difficult, we need to reach out to our communities and utilize the basic concept of the TRUST model for community policing in an effort to solve problems, and to rebuild TRUST one interaction at a time. Here it is: Transparency: In our strategic planning, communicating with our community, with citizen complaints… Respect: For our community members, for ourselves, for the profession, and to earn it every day we wear the uniform… Understanding: Differences, perceptions, perspectives, emotions, and to be willing to explain aspects of our job… Solutions: Finding innovative ways to solve community problems, being open to community input. We need to listen more. Together: Becoming part of the fabric of the community and collaborating with stakeholders to identify and solve problems to improve the quality of life. This is community policing… Last comments: With every opportunity that presents itself, we must demonstrate competence and earn trust. We should never lose sight that the same community that gives us the power that comes with the badge is the same community that we must strive to earn trust from each day we wear the uniform. It’s critical that we are proactive in our philosophy of policing. “I believe in the integrity of our UMDPD officers, I believe in a meaningful partnership with our community, and I believe we can do great things together that will make a difference in the lives of our number one customer, our students”. Stay safe everyone, Lt. John Souza UMass Dartmouth Police	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1083
__label__cc	0.721224	0.278776	NCW BEADLE HERBARIUM FEATURED SCIENTISTS Adaptive Arthropods Form and Function Living Latin Palaeontology Puzzles Science Meets Art Species and Symmetry 15 Mar The art of taxidermy Posted at 15:55h in UNE Research, Zoology by verso Taxidermy has had a revival of sorts in recent years. In the fine art world it has been popularized by artists such as Cai Guo-Qiang and his work from 2006 Head On, an installation of 99 stuffed wolves that appear to crash into a glass wall, and Damien Hirst’s iconic 1991 work The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, a thirteen foot tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde contained within three steel and glass vitrines. These and many other modern artworks have taken the traditional craft of preserving dead animals out of the biological sciences and natural history space and embed it into popular culture. For natural history enthusiasts and trophy hunters, the interest in preserved specimens has never waned, but techniques improved through the 19th century due to a fascination in exotic species collected from all corners of the globe, and continued to do so in the 20th century when major museums attracted large audiences to diorama style exhibits. While the exhibits of the Natural History Museum in New York and London show world class examples of this trade, our own University has not been without its skilled preparators. Their work is celebrated and acknowledged here in our new space. – Written by Narelle Jarry, UNE Natural History Museum curator Natural world news Palaeoscience Specimen of the month UNE Research Located in the Agricultural Education Building W077 on UNE main campus in Armidale. It can be accessed from Trevanna Rd, adjacent to Pharmacy in McClymont Building, or click here for more detailed directions. Monday – Friday 9:30am – 4:30pm. Closed on weekends, public holidays and from 24 December – 1 January (inclusive) each year. Keep your eye out for special events in the UNE Natural History Museum on our what’s on page! A natural history museum has the ability to capture the world at a specific point in time. Like a library of life, natural history collections are made up of samples of the world around us, a snap shot of what was happening at a specific location on a specific date. Click here to email directly © Copyright University of New England • CRICOS Provider Number: 00003G	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1085
__label__cc	0.715666	0.284334	Volume LX: The Simple Sovereign Solution – Why Taxation is Theft 27Apr 2019 27 Apr 2019 Good day every One, and welcome to the Simple Saturday Solutions Edition of the Good News Journal. Today I Will be tall King about Sovereignty; real Sovereignty, as it applies to an independent nation State. I’d like to Give an example of a Sovereign nation state but unfortunately, I’m not sure there is such a thing in Our Current world. As I am Currently sojourning in Canada, a country most People believe to be Sovereign, I figured that would be a Good place to start. For those familiar with My Story and the personal Quest I’ve been Writing about on this Blog for the last ten years, You Will know I studied the Law rather extensively, but I did not limit My studies to Canadian Law, fundamentally because I know that Canada as a ‘Sovereign’ nation has been legislating laws for its People for quite some time. If government can legislate and create laws, I was interested in understanding what the Universal guidelines might be (if any). Otherwise, what would prevent a country from making an Act most would perceive morally unjust, ‘legal’ [like murder, for example]?* Well, after many years of study, I realized that there is nothing at all preventing a country from making morally unjust Act-Ions, ‘legal’, though such Act-Ions Will never Truly be Lawful. For the sake of this Blog Post, Lawful Will refer to Universally accepted laws of society that are generally accepted as criminal Act-Ions, while ‘legal’ Will refer to laws created by a Sovereign state. For example, We all generally accept that murder is wrong (unlawful), yet it is perfectly legal for a man enlisted in the army to kill. This is one example of how legislation allows for an immoral Act to be made legal and socially acceptable. I decided to start My research for this Post by as King of Google about Canada’s Sovereignty, just to see what the world wide web’s most popular opinion on the matter might be. Much to My surprise, the top search result confirms what I am claiming to be True – Canada has never truly been a sovereign nation. Although the Ottawa Citizen claims that Canada did eventually gain its independence by Way of Royal Assent on March 29th of 1982, it’s all just smoke and mirrors. Encyclopedia Britannica claims Canada gained independence from Great Britain in 1982 by Way of Royal Assent of the Canada Act, though the article also mentions that members of [British] parliament were concerned about the inadequate representation of native rights. Why would this be mentioned? The United Nations has also criticized Canada for failing to adequately protect the rights of indigenous People, and Canada’s Charter allows for both federal and provincial governments to ‘set aside’ Charter rights. What is the point in having a Charter of rights for the People if they can be ‘set aside’ at the discretion of government? Like I said, it’s all just smoke and mirrors. There are two primary reasons why Canada is not a Sovereign nation. First, to be a Sovereign nation, a country must have its own mail system, a national Post Office. Secondly, it must manage its own economy autonomously, meaning it should have a national bank that can print money necessary for the infrastructure and development of its resources and People free of interest. A Sovereign nation has the Power to Create wealth. Canada has neither of these Powers. Canada’s national bank, the Bank of Canada, is only a symbol and prints no money. Canada borrows all of its money from private corporations, and private banks print the actually currency. You can read about how Canada’s banking system currently operates directly from the parliament of Canada website. “A Key similarity between money creation in the private banking system and money creation by the Bank of Canada is that both are realized through loans to the Government of Canada.” Sovereign nations do not ‘borrow’ money, they Create it. This is like reading Word Magic, as it sounds as though Canada can create its own wealth (and it can), but it comes at a price – an interest rate that Will never enter the economy. What that means, is that even if Canada returned all the money it borrowed from the Bank of Canada tomorrow, the accrued interest would still be outstanding. The other thing a Sovereign nation requires is a national Post office. Canada doesn’t have that either, Canada has a Postal Service, ‘Canada Post’, which is a private corporation. It is actually ‘Royal Mail’, established by Great Britain. The name was changed to Canada Post in 1867, but ownership remained with the Crown corporation. You can read about how the international postal service works here. As I mentioned at the beginning of this Post, I’m not sure there are any truly autonomous countries in the world; virtually every country is dependent on other nations for either postal services, or for printing their nation’s currency (at interest). Because of this, the concept of a Sovereign nation is more theoretical than actual, and the microcosm reflects the macrocosm in all things. Why was Canada’s determination to ‘break away’ from British rule so important if Her Grace, Glory and Majesty, Elizabeth the II was never interfering with Canada’s affairs in the first place? Are there any historical references of Britain attempting to interfere with Canada’s policies or legislation since 1867? I think the only reason Great Britain resisted Canada’s determination to separate in the first place was because Great Britain (and the ruling monarch at the time) knew that the People as King for Sovereignty had no Idea what it means to be sovereign. It also seems just a little ungrateful to say, “thanks for all the ships, tools, resources and tradesmen You Gifted Us with to conquer these lands, but now that We’re here, We’re just going to Keep them for Ourselves and We Wish to have nothing more to do with You.” Now, I’m going to tell You how a Sovereign country should work, and why taxation is theft. The first link in this paragraph is from Wiki. This link, is the legal definition of a Sovereign nation. The third and fourth links, are two more legal definitions, one from Canadian law, the other from U.S. law, respectively. One common thread You Will find among all definitions, is that a sovereign nation is defined as being autonomous and free of external foreign influences – this would include the influence of private, centralized banks. A sovereign nation does not ‘ask’ to be sovereign. If a nation is as King for permission to be sovereign, that’s the first clue the country has no Idea what it is as King for. Of course the Queen would happily Sign the Canada Act because it just Shows how incompetent and dependent Canada is upon Great Britain. Her Grace was probably having a Good little chuckle to her Self on the Way back from Signing the Act, “Yeah, Canada believes they are independent, but they still haven’t figured out how to pay Me back.” (If I knew how to do one of those roll on the floor laughing emoji’s here, I would). If Canada were truly Sovereign, We would not have a financial crisis, We would have the freedom to print whatever money We need to put People into dignified housing, to create the clean energy alternatives the People of Canada (and the world) are collectively as King for, We would print money for infrastructure projects like roads, sewer systems, hospitals, health care, and whatever else We need. Until We collectively understand that, We Will continue to see Her Grace, Glory and Majesty on every BILL We use as currency to re Mind Us who is really in charge. It is not a coincidence they are dollar bills, and not dollar payments… Finally, I found this great little clip to Sign off with today. We know I don’t think much of Ben Shapiro, but I do like to Present the arguments to My philosophies, just so People have an opportunity to know why People have Issues with a Universal basic income. It really just comes down to thing King it Will cost Way too much in taxes. Well, if We were Sovereign, and Acting in Our Sovereign capacity, We wouldn’t need to worry about that, We could do what needs to be done to enrich both Our People, and Our country. *In Canada, the Governor General is the ‘Sovereign’. The Sovereign’s Duty and responsibility is to ensure that no laws are passed through the House of Commons and Senate that trespass on the Sovereign rights of the People. Our current Governor General has no clue what her duties and responsibilities are, and doesn’t even believe in God. God help Us. 😉 Anyway, hope You enjoyed this Simple Solutions Saturday Edition, I Will be back tomorrow with the Super Natural Sunday Review. Have a fabulous weekend! Tags: Authors, Blog, Blogger, Blogging, Blogs, Canada, Canadian, Commercial, Dreams, Economics, Education, Entrepreneurship, Essay, Essays, Fiction, Free, History, Journal, Journalism, Language, Law, Learning, Life, Lifestyle, Money, News, People, Philosophy, Political, Politics, Society, Solutions, Soul, Sovereign, Sovereignty, Spirit, Spirituality, Taxation, Taxes, Teaching, theft, Themes, Training, Truth, Universal, Word, WordPress, World, Writing Previous Volume LX: Free Lance Friday Next Volume LX: A Sunday to Celebrate ecohorizons says: 28 Apr 2019 at 4:07 pm Informative and instructive article … Just a few ideas to mention and I have faith that we as all citizens of the universe would realize that we are all one beyond the labels of nationality , race , national borders , religious affiliation or languages … All is one and one is all … We have an awareness that all humanity shall unite more and reconnect with the divine to realize more justice , more liberty and allow the universe or God to guide us beyond our rational minds could think , feel and imagine … vondehnvisuals says: I agree with You completely. In fact, I believe that IS the Divine Plan for Us. I Will be dedicating a Post to this Idea soon. Pingback: Volume LXII: My Sovereign State and International Post Office – Peace Prophecy	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1090
__label__cc	0.665082	0.334918	Alumna Gretchen Krupp (BM ’15) Named Grand Finalist in Met Auditions The UNCG School of Music is pleased to announce that alumna Gretchen Krupp (BM ’15) is a Grand Finalist in The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and will compete on Sunday, April 29 in New York City at Lincoln Center. Krupp, a mezzo-soprano, is just one of 9 singers chosen through a series of district and regional competitions taking place in 42 Districts and 12 Regions throughout the United States and Canada. Started in 1954, The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions is a program designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers. Some notable past winners include Renee Fleming, Stephanie Blythe, Thomas Hampson, Eric Owens and Frederica von Stade. While at UNCG, Gretchen studied voice with Dr. Carla LeFevre and performed in many Opera Theatre productions including Hansel and Gretel, The Marriage of Figaro, and the inaugural season of Greensboro Light Opera and Song. She later attended the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she earned a Masters degree and is currently earning a Performer Diploma. The National Auditions Semi-Finals and Grand Finals Concert take place at the Metropolitan Opera each spring. At that time, the regional winners are brought to New York for musical preparation under the guidance of the Met’s music staff. They then audition with piano before members of the staff. Those not selected as National Finalists will receive a cash award of $1,500. All National Finalists will receive $5,000 and remain in residence at the Met for another week while continuing to coach with the artistic staff in preparation for the Grand Finals Concert with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. During this final audition, they will compete before a public audience and a distinguished panel of judges for awards in the amount of $15,000. All travel and housing for participants at the national level are paid for and arranged by the Metropolitan Opera National Council. This year, UNCG had a total of 4 district winners in the Met Opera Auditions. In addition to Gretchen Krupp, the university also congratulates: Matthew Reese (MM ’13), current DMA candidate, student of Robert Bracey, two-time District Winner Lyndsey Swann (MM ‘17), student of Clara O’Brien, first-time District Winner Shelley Mihm (MM ’17), student of Carla LeFevre, two-time District Winner Megan Callahan (BM ‘16) student of Carla LeFevre, District Encouragement Award This entry was posted in School of Music. Bookmark the permalink. ← WebEx – Mac OS Warning Message Clarinetist Andy Hudson Appointed to School of Music Faculty →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1091
__label__wiki	0.714158	0.714158	‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’: Release Date, Rating, Trailer & Details Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is an animated movie directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan and Andy Samberg. The film had a $100 million budget with a 90 minute running time. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs currently has a 7.0 out of 10 IMDb rating, based on 178100 user votes. The film also has a 66 Metascore on Metacritic. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs premiere is in September. The official release date for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is September 18, 2009. This post has the most up-to-date information on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie as we continuously monitor the news to keep you updated. Subscribe to our updates below to be the first to know Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs release date on blu-ray/dvd, and any related news. When does Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs come out? Current movie status: The official release date for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs premiere is Friday, September 18, 2009. DVD & Blu-ray status: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs DVD/Blu-ray release is PENDING . The movie has been out for around since its theatrical release. Typically, DVD and Blu-ray releases come out 12-16 weeks after the theatrical premiere. We will update this post with more details as soon as they become available. If you want to get notified of new movie updates, please sign up for updates below, and join the conversation in our forums. You may visit Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’s IMDb page and official website. Movie plot and summary Inventor Flint Lockwood creates a machine that makes clouds rain food, enabling the down-and-out citizens of Chewandswallow to feed themselves. But when the falling food reaches gargantuan proportions, Flint must scramble to avert disaster. Can he regain control of the machine and put an end to the wild weather before the town is destroyed? Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Trailer Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs release date and details DVD & Blu-ray Release Date: PENDING Movie Budget: $100,000,000 Box Office: $242,988,466 Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family Parental Rating: PG Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is rated PG. Parental guidance is suggested, meaning some material may not be suitable for children. Parents are urged to give “parental guidance.” The movie may contain some material parents might not like for their young children. Subscribe below to receive updates and news about Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Discover Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs related items on Amazon. Shop Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on Amazon Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs posters ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’: Release Date, Rating, Trailer & Details ‘Shaft’: Release Date, Rating, Trailer & Details ‘The Secret Life of Pets 2’: Release Date, Rating, Trailer & Details ‘Black Lightning’ Season 2 Episode 12 Stream: How To Watch Live... ‘South of Hell’ Cast: Season 1 Stars & Main Characters The Voice Season 16, Episode 2: Date, Time & Preview	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1093
__label__cc	0.561517	0.438483	Waste ManagementChristopher Clarke2017-10-21T17:49:17+01:00 Tower Demolition’s daily work of demolishing, decommissioning and stripping down buildings, and preparing sites for development, inevitably produces waste. The demolition industry already recycles over 90% of arisings produced during demolition and over 50% of hardcore produced is reused on site. In 2016, the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) reported that, in the UK: 21,122,058 tonnes of hardcore 2,195,947 tonnes of other materials (metal, timber, gypsum, insulation and mixed non-hazardous waste) were diverted from landfill—either reused or recycled—saving a total of £236.3 million in landfill tax. We are proud of our own record of salvaging, recycling and reusing existing material. Currently, this amounts to 95%. In achieving this, we: minimise the amount of waste sent to landfill, reducing both cost for our clients and associated environmental issues. offset the environmental impact caused by extraction and consumption of further resources and production of new materials adhere to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) and other relevant UK laws which regulate how waste should be managed and pollution controlled Waste Offences Under S.33 of the EPA 1990 (amended in 1995), it is an offence to: Deposit or knowingly cause or knowingly permit to be deposited (controlled) waste in or on land unless in accordance with the terms of a waste management licence Treat, keep or dispose of controlled waste in land or by means of any mobile plant unless in accordance with the terms of a waste management licence Treat, keep or dispose of controlled waste that could cause environmental pollution or harm human health. (This offence applies even in situations where a waste management licence is not required.) Breach of duty of care is a crime. If convicted in the Magistrates court, the maximum punishment for these offences is 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of £50,000. In the Crown court, it could run to a 5-year jail term or an unlimited fine. Site Waste Management Plans Regulations (SWMP) 2008 were repealed in 2013 as part of the government’s effort to reduce red tape. However, some projects still require compliance in order to obtain BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certification, which evaluates the sustainability of buildings. NOTE: Tower are among the few demolition contractors making the Site Waste Management Plan corpuscular to all our projects. Pre-demolition audits Tower will carry out pre-demolition audits to identify the waste materials that will be generated by the demolition, and to make recommendations for their re-use (on and off-site), recycling and final disposal. Our audits aim to maximise re-use and minimise materials going to landfill. To this end, we have written four pre-demolition audit case studies to illustrate how we achieve resource efficiency and set appropriate targets to meet the requirements of all regulatory bodies and, in addition, provide substantial savings to our clients.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1094
__label__cc	0.744497	0.255503	Lourdes, Paris & Lisieux Greece with Greek Isles Cruise Holy Land: Walk Where He Walked Holy Land and Jordan Revisited Ireland Shrines of Italy All Italian Shrines Jordan & The Holy Land Medjugorje Our Lady of Guadalupe & Mexico Poland: Footsteps of Saint John Paul II Poland Pilgrimage Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Canonization of Saint Faustina Kowalska, and the foundation of Divine Mercy Sunday April 25 – May 2, 2020 Optional Pre Tour to Warsaw: April 23 – 26, 2020 DMS042520 Krakow · Auschwitz · Harmeze · Wadowice · Kalwaria Zebrzydowska · Zakopane · Lagiewniki (Divine Mercy) · Wieliczka · Czestochowa In 1931, through the mediation of St. Faustina, Christ passed on the message of Divine Mercy at Lagiewniki in Poland. Jesus told her that the first Sunday after Easter is to be celebrated as the Feast of Mercy and that he wished His image as he appeared before her be venerated and displayed for all to see. St. Faustina is credited greatly for bringing the message and image of Divine Mercy to all Catholics through her loyalty and perseverance to Jesus, His message, and the devotion of Divine Mercy. In April of 2000, Blessed Pope John Paul II Canonized St. Faustina and officially recognized the Sunday after Easter as the Feast of Divine Mercy – celebrate the 20th Anniversary with us in Poland in 2020. To learn more about St. Faustina, read our blog here St. Faustina from New York with Add-Ons Centrally located Four Star Hotel hotels: (or similar) ~ 6 nights: April 26 – May 2: Andel’s Vienna House or Holiday Inn, Krakow Transfers as per itinerary on a group basis Breakfast and Dinner daily Wine with dinners Assistance of a professional local Catholic guide(s) Catholic Priest available for Spiritual Direction Andel’s Vienna House or Holiday Inn Meals not mentioned, Tips to your guide & driver, Items of a personal nature. Sat, April 25: Depart for Krakow Make your way to your local airport where you will board your overnight flight(s) to Krakow. Your meals will be served on board. Sun, April 26: Arrive in Krakow Welcome to Krakow, Poland! Upon arrival, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival's hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. We will begin our pilgrimage by celebrating Mass at Saint Stanislaus on the Rock Church (tbd). As the first native Polish Saint, St. Stanislaus is one of the Patron Saints of Poland, Krakow, and many other Polish diocese. He shares the patronage of Poland with Saint Adalbert and Our Lady the Queen of Poland. Transfer to your hotel. Following check-in at your hotel, enjoy a delicious dinner and have the opportunity to explore the city of Krakow before retiring for a restful overnight. Mon, April 27: Krakow Your day will begin with breakfast followed by the start of our tour of Krakow at the Wawel Hill, the former “Seat of Power” of Polish monarchs. There, we will visit the Wawel Cathedral - the Polish principal national shrine. The Cathedral served as the seat for Karol Wojtyla, the future Saint Pope John Paul II, during this tenure as the Archbishop of Krakow. His connection with this Shrine goes even further, as it was in the St. Leonard′s Crypt where he said his first Mass as a young priest. Continue on to Krakow's Old Town and stroll through Kanonicza Street where the future Pope resided while living in Krakow. Visit the Archdiocesan Museum where you can see personal memorabilia and belongings of the Priest, Karol Wojtyla, but also numerous gifts received by him during his time as the head of the Catholic Church. Afterwards, we will see the famous Papal Window, in which during his visits to Krakow he would often make evening appearances to address the crowds of his followers gathered below. Pass by the Franciscan Church, where as a young Priest he often came for tranquility in prayer, and explore the Collegium Maius where he studied. Finally, we will conclude the tour in the main Market Square, and the Church of St. Mary, home to the biggest wooden altar in Europe. You will have free time to get lunch on your own before we continue on your tour of Krakow. We will cross the Wisla River and pass by the house in Debniki where Saint John Paul II lived as a student, and was forced by the Nazi occupation force to work at the nearby Zakrzowek quarry while he was studying at an underground seminary. Finally, we will explore the district of Nowa Huta. This unique district, complete with steelworks and houses built by the Soviet’s regime in the Socialist Realist style with many Renaissance influences, was meant to be a model “Communist City”. Ironically, it later became one of the centers of revolution and resistance within Poland, leading to the eventual overthrow of the communist regime in Poland. As local Bishop and Cardinal, Karol Wojtyla played a pivotal role in this transformation. For years, he met with local people and helped them organize spiritually and celebrated open air Masses with them. He fought hard for the first Catholic Church to be constructed in this area, which led to the construction of the Church of Our Lady of Poland, also known as “Ark Church” or “The Ark of Our Lord”. The Church was built, brick by brick, by volunteer workers with no assistance from the communist authorities. We will celebrate Mass, and then return to the Hotel in time for dinner and overnight. Tues, April 28: Krakow – Auschwitz – Harmeze – Wadowice – Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - Krakow This morning, you will enjoy a full breakfast followed a by a transfer to Auschwitz, notoriously known as a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War. Upon arriving at the former camp, you can feel the darkness and sorrow that overtakes the atmosphere as there were numerous unspeakable atrocities that occurred at this site. Additionally, while on this visit, you will have the opportunity to view the cell that imprisoned the Christ-like, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and visit the Martyrdom Museum. Afterwards, we will pass by the Birkenau Camp, the site of the martyrdom of Edit Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (one of the Patron Saints of Europe). Later, we visit the nearby Franciscan Monastery of Harmeze, consecrated under the patronage of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Here, you can explore a Special Exhibition in the St. Maximilian Centre that tells the story of the life work of the martyred Saint. In the afternoon, we will make our way to the small town of Wadowice, the birthplace of Karol Wojtyla. During your visit, make sure to try the famous Kremowka (cream cake), which was the favorite dessert of Saint John Paul II. You will have free time for Lunch on your own before we visit the family house of St. John Paul II at Koscielna Street. It has since been turned into a museum, with exhibits of the Wojtyla family’s former possessions. After which we will visit the local church where this beloved Saint was baptized, received his First Communion Sacrament, and attended Masses as a child. You will also have the chance to see the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in front of which Saint John Paul II prayed to daily. Now, the church is known as the Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Celebrate Mass, and then begin our return to Krakow. Along the way, we will stop at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, which was a popular pilgrimage place for Saint John Paul II when he was a younger, and where in the 17th century, the Palatine of Krakow founded a Franciscan Monastery. On the slope of both the hill and the valley - is an architectural ‘Way of the Cross’ made up of 40 chapels set on the surrounding hills. Arrive back at your hotel in Krakow for dinner and a restful overnight. Wed, April 29: Krakow - Zakopane – Krakow After an early morning breakfast, we will drive through the Tatra mountains and Podhale region to the small and remote town of Zakopane. It is considered the capital of Polish winter sports, but also an important spiritual place on the map of Poland. The people of the region always shared a special connection with Saint Pope John Paul II. Upon arrival, make your way to the Sanctuary of the Holy Virgin of Fatima, a chapel constructed in 1999 as a votive offering for Saint John Paul II’s quick recovery after the assassination attempt. The Shrine was enlarged over the years, and it contains relics of the Saint Pope and many memorabilia, including the special field altar, which was used to celebrate a field Mass by Saint John Paul II in 1997 during his last visit to Zakopane. Celebrate Mass at the Shrine, and then continue on to the Jaszczurowka Chapel. This beautiful wooden chapel was visited many times by St. John Paul II. As a young boy, he often used the walking paths surrounding the chapel for prayer and reflection. Then visit the nearby Retreat House run by the local Ursuline Sisters. During his frequent visits to Zakopane, the future heir of St. Peter most often relied on the Sisters humble hospitality. As Pope, he visited the sisters only once, during his pilgrimage to Poland in 1997. He often declared a special connection to this Retreat House, and called it “his second home” on several occasions. The room in which he stayed is preserved basically untouched, and serves as small museum celebrating his memory. Afterwards, continue our tour to the colorful Krupowki Street. While on this street, you will have the opportunity to do some shopping at the local bazaar, and then grab lunch on your own. From here, we will take a funicular to the nearby Gubalowka, for the stunning view of the Tatra Mountains and panoramic views of Zakopane. You will have the chance to sense a glimpse of Saint Pope’s love of nature, and better understand his passion for taking scenic hikes through these mountains. Return to Krakow in time for dinner and overnight. Thurs, April 30: Krakow – Divine Mercy - Lagiewniki – Wieliczka – Krakow Special Event: Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska After breakfast, you will head to Lagiewniki, the capital of the Divine Mercy. Through the mediation of St. Faustina, Christ passed on the message of Divine Mercy at Lagiewniki. We will start our visit to the “Have No Fear” Center where we will be able to pray by the relic of St. John Paul II, with time after for additional prayer and reflection. We will celebrate Mass here in one of the Chapels, and reflect on the Canonization of Saint Sister Faustina, and the words of St. John Paul II: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Let us too, the pilgrim Church, join our voice to the voice of Mary most holy, "Mother of Mercy", to the voice of this new Saint who sings of Mercy with all God's friends in the heavenly Jerusalem. And you, Faustina, a gift of God to our time, a gift from the land of Poland to the whole Church, obtain for us an awareness of the depth of Divine Mercy; help us to have a living experience of it and to bear witness to it among our brothers and sisters. May your message of light and hope spread throughout the world, spurring sinners to conversion, calming rivalries and hatred, and opening individuals and nations to the practice of brotherhood. Today, fixing our gaze with you on the face of the risen Christ, let us make our own your prayer of trusting abandonment and say with firm hope: Christ Jesus, I trust in you! Jezu, ufam tobie! Then visit the Divine Mercy Shrine where Saint Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, lived and died. Through her meditation, Christ passed on the message of Divine Mercy and gave her instructions to spread the message among His flock. While here, you can listen to a special lecture done by one of the local Sisters, and you will have the opportunity to see images of the Merciful Jesus, relics of St. Faustina, as well as the Saint’s Convent Chapel and her Tomb. There will be additional time for prayer and reflection before we return to Krakow for some free time to spend at your own leisure (lunch or exploring.) In the evening, we will be transferred to a Special Dinner taking place at a Restaurant that includes Music, and Folklore. Return to the Hotel for dinner and overnight. Fri, May 1: Krakow – Czestochowa – Wieliczka – Krakow Special Visit to the Jasna Gora Monastery Library Today, you will visit the grandest pilgrimage shrine of Poland since the 14th century! You will begin your day with breakfast and then transfer to celebrate Mass at Jasna Gora Monastery. This hill-top monastery is home to the beloved icon of the Black Madonna. Additionally, St. John Paul II is said to have made frequent visits to this monastery throughout his life. Tradition tells us that this icon was painted by Luke the Evangelist, discovered by St. Helen, and later enshrined. While here, you will have the opportunity to venerate not only the Holy Icon, but also many other priceless treasures that are contained within. Following your prayerful visit to the Chapel of the Black Madonna, we will have the great privilege of visiting the Library. This 18th-century library is richly decorated, and houses an unmatched collection of old, precious manuscripts dating back to the medieval times. Return to celebrate Mass, and then have free time on your own to grab lunch. We will then continue on to Wieliczka, a small town just outside of Krakow. It is here that you will take a guided tour of the world famous Wieliczka Salt Mines. The mines are known for beautiful and unique underground tunnels filled with constructions precisely carved out of salt, including many Biblical icons and a statue of St. John Paul II. We will return to Krakow for dinner and overnight. Sat, May 2: Return Home After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, your group will leave by motor coach and transfer to Krakow Airport for return flights home. A Clergy Discount is available to all members of “Clergy” within the Catholic Church. This includes Seminarians, Deacons, Brothers and Sisters, Priests, Monsignors, Bishops, Cardinals, and His Holiness. Compact view Desktop view Private Room - $699 With Airfare Without Airfare - $2,799.00 (USD) All pricing is per person Private Room (Single Supplement) Starting at$699.00 (USD) Business Class Trans-Atlantic (One-Way) $1,750.00 (USD) Business Class Trans-Atlantic (Round-Trip) $3,500.00 (USD) Warsaw Pre Tour Two Night PreTour to Warsaw (double occupancy) (Per Person) $699.00 (USD) Two Night PreTour to Warsaw (single occupancy) (Per Person) $948.00 (USD) Optional Pre-Tour to Warsaw: Two (2) Nights accommodation at centrally located Four Star Hotel as follows: (or similar) ~ 2 nights: Radisson Blu Centrum, Warsaw Air-conditioned motor coach Professional local Catholic guide(s) Sightseeing and admissions fees Thursday, April 23: Depart for Warsaw Make your way to your local airport where you will board your overnight flight(s) to Warsaw. Your meals will be served on board. Friday, April 24: Arrive in Warsaw Welcome to Krakow, Poland! Upon arrival, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage and the make your way to the Arrival’s Hall where you will be met by your Guide/Driver. From there, we will make our way to the Hotel to leave our luggage as we enjoy a “Panoramic sightseeing Tour” of the city. Celebrate Mass at St. James Church, iconic for its tower and square base. This is the Church where Helena Kowalska, future Saint Faustina, prayed extensively upon arriving in Warsaw. It is here she also met Rev. James Dabrowski, to whom she confessed all that burdened her soul, and asked for spiritual advice - which eventually resulted in the Saint entering the local Convent. Check into your Hotel in time for dinner and overnight. Saturday, April 25: Warsaw – Swinice Warckie – Niepokalanow - Warsaw Your day will begin with breakfast followed by the start of our tour to Swinice Warckie where we will visit the church of St. Casmir. This historically rich parish is the site of the baptism for St. Faustina. Little Helena received her first confession, and First Holy Communion at this very parish. Additionally, she and her family attended Sunday Masses and other services at this Church. Celebrate Mass at the Shrine, and then continue on to Glogowiec where St. Faustina Maria Kowalska was born on August 25, 1905. She is the third of ten children, of a poor, pious Catholic family in small Polish village. You will have free time to get lunch on your own before we return to Warsaw. On the way, we will make a stop by Niepokalanow, the so called “City of the Immaculate Mother of God”. While here, we will visit the Sanctuary and the Franciscan Monastery linked with St. Maximilian Kolbe, the famous Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, and martyr who voluntarily surrendered his life in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, so that another prisoner might live. While there, you will meet one of the local Franciscan Brothers who will explain to you the story of St. Maximilian, and take you through the museum. Arrive back at your Hotel for dinner and overnight. Sunday, April 26: Warsaw - Krakow We will start the day with breakfast, and then visit the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on Zytnia St., where St. Faustina first joined the order of nuns. Afterwards, we will continue to St. Stanislaus Kostka Church and view a special exhibit dedicated to the life of Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko. This Priest was a great personality of the Catholic Church during the Cold War Era, and was killed by the communist regime in 1984. In 1987, Saint John Paul II visited the shrine to pray in front of Fr. Popieluszko′s tomb. From there, we will take a guided tour of the bustling Old Town, where horse-drawn carriages carry visitors past beautifully rebuilt Baroque houses and Renaissance-style storefronts. Traditional Polish cafes and shops surround the Market Square, which has been restored to its 13th-century charm, even after being completely destroyed during World War II. Stroll the streets of this historic area, which is mostly closed to traffic, and explore its beautiful Churches. Of the many we will walk by, we will see the Royal Castle which was the residence of Polish Kings since the 16th century. Continue to walk through the Royal Route and pass by the Monument of Stefan Wyszynski, the Cardinal of Poland, one of the most important personalities in the Polish Church in the 20th Century. The Cardinal had an enormous influence on young Karol Wojtyla, future Saint John Paul II. Finally see the Pilsudski Square with the Holy Cross commemorating the historically significant pilgrimage of Saint John Paul II to Poland in 1979, during the heights of the Communist’s regime oppression. On this square, he celebrated the symbolically significant Holy Mass for enthusiastic, countless masses of Warsawer’s. During this event he said to them the famous words, that changed Poland and influenced to the whole Eastern Europe, ‘Spirit, come and renew the face of the earth, this earth’”. There will be free time grab lunch on your own before we depart for Krakow. We will arrive in time to meet your fellow pilgrims who have come for the Krakow-portion of the pilgrimage, and together, we will continue on to celebrate Mass and begin your pilgrimage. Would like to stop over in Europe? Let us know at time of registration, we will reschedule your airline reservations pending availability at no additional fee (these options will be available to you when you register online). Let us know if you need assistance with pre or post stay at hotel. Simply Contact 206 Tours: 800-206-TOUR (8687) or sales@206tours.com Would you like to arrive earlier or stay later? Let us know at the time of registration if you would like to arrive earlier, or stay later, than the scheduled tour dates, and pending availability, we will book your airline reservations accordingly, at no additional cost. Pre- and/or post-stays at the hotel will cost an additional fee. These options should be available to you when registering online, or simply contact us at: 800-206-TOUR (8687) or sales@206tours.com Options and upgrades Warsaw Pre Tpur - Overnight Hotel & Breakfast Earn a Free Trip For groups of 20 or more, you may choose your own departure and earn FREE trips. Iternary Niepokalanow Swinice Warckie Lagiewniki (Divine Mercy) About Krakow & Saint John Paul II: Karol Wojtyla (Saint John Paul II) was born in the Polish town of Wadowice on May 18, 1920. He moved to Krakow with his father in 1938, where he attended Jagiellonian University and began studying for the priesthood. He was ordained as a priest on November 1, 1946 and went on to continue his studies in Rome until 1948. He returned to Poland that same year for his first pastoral assignment in the village of Niegowic, which lasted seven months. He then was transferred to the parish of St. Florian in Krakow, where he also spent time hiking in the mountains and canoeing with young people click here to read more We promise to do all within our power to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us, please note should any problems arise during your trip you should first contact your local emergency contact in your destination country or the 206 Tours.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1097
__label__cc	0.568127	0.431873	BIG LAW — BIG MED — BIG MESS Posted on March 23, 2015 by thebellyofthebeast A month ago, I informed readers that I was taking a break from my ongoing commentary on the legal profession. Instead, I’ve focused my blog on my personal journey through modern medicine after my cancer diagnosis. The American Lawyer, which has republished all of my “Belly of the Beast” blog posts for the past five years, ran the post inaugurating my new series. But I haven’t asked it to republish my eight subsequent medically-oriented posts, which seemed beyond the interests of its primary readership. For reasons that will become evident, I’m inviting republication of this one. Having spent almost 40 of the past 50 days in the hospital, I’ve had an intimate look at the medical care delivery system from inside one of the nation’s top institutions. I’m now convinced that many big hospitals and law firms share an important characteristic: a lost sense of mission. This criticism doesn’t apply to most lawyers or to doctors individually. Dedicated, conscientious physicians and attorneys abound. But the devolution of the leading segments of both professions to short-term business-oriented approaches has resulted in structures and constraints within which many of those practitioners must operate. Ultimately, clients, patients, and the workers within those institutions are paying the price. How Did This Happen? Not that long ago, doctors ran many hospitals. Today in the United States, only four percent (235 out of more than 6,500 hospitals) are run by physicians. Along the way, the quality of a patient’s experience has suffered. As the New York Times reported recently, “[N]ew research suggests that having a doctor in charge at the top is connected to overall better patient care and a better hospital.” “Dr. [Amanda] Goodall [the author of the study] said the finding was consistent with her research in other fields, which has shown, among other things, that research universities perform better when led by outstanding scholars and that basketball teams perform better when led by former top players.” Dr. Goodall goes on to observe, “M.D. C.E.O.’s are more likely to prioritize patients because patient care is at the heart of their education and working life as a physician. When it comes to making hard budgetary decisions or rationing choices, M.D. C.E.O.’s may be able to make more informed decisions.” Keeping The MBA-Mentality In Check I’m not an anarchist. I have a master’s degree in economics and understand the importance of data-drivien decisions. But I also appreciate the limitations of statistics and the dangers of a myopic MBA-type approach to management. There is nothing wrong with using accounting and business methods in the process running complex organizations, including big hospitals and law firms. But when those methods dominate institutional culture — setting the tone from the top of a hospital or law firm — those organizations no longer exist to serve people. Instead, they develop a new purpose: to serve the short-term bottom line. As Dr. Goodall suggests, ““I think the pendulum may have swung too far in the favor of managers. This is partially because business schools have become so prominent, as has the M.B.A. These qualifications are helpful, but it is possibly not enough just to have a management education.” Lawyers still run most big law firms, but the trends toward non-attorney CEOs and non-attorney managers developing increasing power and influence within big firms is well underway. More pointedly, many lawyers in big firms have obtained MBAs and are increasingly relying on their newly-learned “management tools” to run their firms. That can be okay, provided they do not become too fond of their “MBA-hats” and lose sight of their more important JD mission — to serve clients. It’s easier said than done because maximizing short-term partner profits is how such leaders — and their partners — measure successful leadership. Most undergraduates go to law school because they want to do good. That message has emerged loudly and clearly from my prelaw students over the nine years that I’ve taught undergraduates at Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences and over the more than 20 years that I’ve taught trial practice and legal ethics courses at the Law School. A similar impulse drives most people into the medical profession. Just as every lawyer’s mission should be to serve clients, medical care should be about a single-minded mission: patient care. The dominant big law firm model has evolved away from helping clients and toward maximizing a firm’s short-term profits through a handful of definitive metrics — billable hours, hourly rates, equity partner leverage. Likewise, big medicine — if I can call it that — has succumbed to similar pressures — maximizing relative value units (medicine’s equivalent to the billable hour metric), minimizing costs, and squeezing workers in an effort to improve “productivity,” to name a few. Similarly, a dominant and incorrect perception in both professions is that bigger is always better. The number of law firm mergers sets a new record every year. Hospital merger and acquisition activity is ubiquitous. Bigger isn’t better. As with law firms, increasing the size of hospitals works against efforts to create a sense of community, collegiality, and shared mission. Likewise, cost-saving isn’t appropriate when non-medical CEOs with MBAs introduce efficiency measures that ignore the potentially adverse impact on patients. For more than two weeks, I’ve lived through situations that illustrate my point. For example, I don’t know the metric by which administrators set what they regard as appropriate staffing levels. But one nurse told me that some floors are regarded as “heavy” — meaning that patients have conditions that can require a lot of attention. That translates into greater demands on a nurse’s time. But if there aren’t enough nurses to handle the workload, the burden falls on those who are around. Transferring to a different floor or facility becomes an escape route. It would be interesting to study the nurse “attrition rate” from the “heavy” floors. In the prevailing big law firm model, overworking people — attorneys and staff — maximizes revenues while controlling costs. One consequence is a five-year associate attrition rate for big law firms averaging 80 percent. In other words, for every 100 associates who begin their careers at a large firm, only 20 will still be working there five years later. Other consequences are more difficult to measure so they get ignored: the decline in worker morale and the lost productivity that results. Do extraordinary associate turnover rates serve client interests? No. Do they foster a climate in which a shared mission of client service becomes the institution’s dominant ethic? No. Do they reflect short-term profit-maximization goals that are completely inappropriate for a profession that should regard itself as better than that? You bet. Other instances from my medical experience seem equally divorced from what should be a central focus on the patient. They may seem trivial, and none is life-threatening. But collectively they reveal something about institutional focus. For example, a patient may require periodic blood draws, but the doctors defer the timing of those draws to whenever the phlebotomists are “doing everyone else on the floor.” That might be efficient, but on my floor, that designated time is 4:00 am. Why does efficiency in the use of phlebotomists trump the patient’s need for sleep? Here’s another: At 11:00 pm, when all of the lights in my room were out and I’d just fallen asleep, someone came in and emptied all of the trash cans. The following morning, I asked the nurse, “Who decided that 11:00 pm was a good time to go around waking people up to empty their trash?” “That’s just when they come around,” she answered. These and many other dictates from above govern behavior throughout the hospital. Where does the patient fit in the process of pursuing worker efficiency? At least when it comes to blood draws and trash removal, nowhere, it would seem. Shakespeare Updated Scholars still debate the meaning of Dick the Butcher’s line in Shakespeare’s Henry the Sixth: “First thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” Were the Bard’s words — speaking through that anarchist — backhanded praise acknowledging attorneys as the source of law and order? Or was he going for the laugh that the play evidently received from contemporaneous audiences that had become weary — as Shakespeare himself had — of the misery that litigious lawyers could inflict on a person’s life? Regardless of that controversy, I hereby invite debate on a new version of that line. I’ve adapted it to today’s medical and legal worlds: “First thing we do, let’s kill all the MBAs in big law and big med — so doctors and lawyers can recapture their professions.” Actually, we don’t have to kill the MBAs. We just have to keep them in their proper place. This entry was posted in American Medical System, Biglaw trends?, Pancreatic Cancer by thebellyofthebeast. Bookmark the permalink. 14 thoughts on “BIG LAW — BIG MED — BIG MESS” Richard Gerber on March 23, 2015 at 10:22 am said: Cleaning out one of my desk drawers and found your card. Have kept up with your illness through the North Shore Grape vine. Beth and I wish you the best, (out thoughts and prayers are with you) One of your original admires from the “Milt” days on the radio. Take care and be well. Patrick J. McKenna on March 23, 2015 at 11:07 am said: Steve: As always, another excellent posting. One point worth noting about an MBA. MBA stands for masters in business “administration” – not in management, not in leadership and certainly not in people! I discovered the irony in this when having gone through the academic rigors I realized that not once had we ever even picked up a book written by Peter Drucker (the late father of modern management) or any of his contemporaries. God bless, Patrick Tristan on March 23, 2015 at 7:07 pm said: I don’t see much evidence of the broad MBA-ification of law firm management. And I wouldn’t say the Big 4 have really suffered from business school thinking – Deloitte’s focus on innovation would be something many large firms would like to emulate. thebellyofthebeast on March 23, 2015 at 7:22 pm said: If you don’t seen evidence of the broad MBA-ification in big law firms, then I’m not sure what you’re looking at. It’s ubiquitous. Well, the kind of data I’d want to see is the proportion of members of law firm leaders with real power (ie mostly partners) who actually have a MBA. My experience is that any type of formal management qualification is much rarer amongst law firm leaders than accounting and engineering firm leaders. So I’m not sure why MBAs are the root cause of the problems with BigLaw. Did MBA thinking cause Dewey’s leaders to accept the kinds of terms with laterals partners that undermined the financial stability of the firm? Maybe it’s more fundamental sins that drives these decisions – the kinds of sins that you’ve documented well in relation to US law schools. Pride, envy and greed are three that come to mind. I just don’t see how MBAs are a necessary or sufficient cause. I think better explanations are to be found in the oversupply of law graduates, declining demand for law firm services, publication of PEP rankings and free agency. Now I am genuinely fascinated by the parallels between the legal and medical professions, particularly BigLaw. I think your explorations of these issues are a very worthwhile contribution. This particular parallel just doesn’t ring true for me. My conclusions about the MBA-mentality that emphasizes short-termism at the expense of long-run values has rung true for thousands of Big Law attorneys who have invited me to address their partnership meetings, commented favorably on my many articles about this topic, and sent me confidential messages reaffirming my observations. Without exception, they bemoan the profession’s devolution and embrace my message (and many have paid me a lot to give it). Personal experience also informs my views. For 30 years, I was a litigator at Kirkland & Ellis. I lived through the firm’s transformation and watched the vast majority of other Big Law firms follow a similar path. The result is the prevailing Big Law business model that gives undue emphasis to deceptively simple short-term metrics (including billable hours, billings, and leverage ratios as the determinants of attorney value and compensation). Growth for the sake of growth has become another such metric. Your example, Dewey, followed an aggressive lateral growth strategy; in that respect MBA-type thinking helped to undermine Dewey. Formal management qualification (such as an MBA) for a firm leader is not necessarily the key factor, although firm leaders increasingly have it. Sometimes corporate/transactional attorneys with MBAs have led the transformation of their firms to a more “business-like” approach. Plenty of them have boasted about that achievement publicly. (I cite many examples in my book, The Lawyer Bubble – A Profession in Crisis.) Often, senior leaders have deferred to law firm management consultants (with MBAs, but not JDs) who have persuaded firm leaders that adopting the short-term metrics maximizes partner income and wealth. Again, using your example of Dewey, its CEO and CFO were non-lawyers who, by all reports, had enormous influence in the firm. Now they’re criminal defendants. Steve Davis is the only lawyer among the three principal defendants in the Dewey debacle. Income and wealth might follow a person’s successful legal practice; it should not be a myopic goal to which a firm aspires. You mention PEP rankings. Those are another example of a destructive short-term metric. If you don’t believe me about these trends and the current reality, consider Richard Susskind’s views. In his latest book, Tomorrow’s Lawyers, Susskind wrote that most law firm leaders he meets “have only a few years left to serve and hope they can hold out until retirement… Operating as managers rather than leaders, they are more focused on short-term profitability than long-term strategic health.” To that I would add that too many big firms now view clients as revenue streams to be maximized (especially in the current era of declining demand for big law firm services you correctly describe). That is the essence of the MBA-mentality. It is destroying the legal profession and, from what I’ve seen as a 40-day insider as a highly regarded hospital, the medical profession as well. Just as thousands of lawyers have endorsed my views, doctors for whom I have great respect have told me that my observations are “right on.” You need not answer one final question, but I’m curious: Are you a practicing lawyer (and, if so, for how long), someone who works on the business/consulting side of the legal profession, or neither? Sometimes where we stand is a function of where we sit. Mark on March 24, 2015 at 12:28 pm said: To your other astute observations about modern medical care, I suspect you came across this recently. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/why-health-care-tech-is-still-so-bad.html. It echoes your post describing too much data that is too difficult to use. It reminds me of a PBS interview of a Vietnam-era fighter pilot who noted the first thing they did after take off was to shut off many of the confusing and contradictory alarms, all intended to advise them of risks. The problem was that they interfered with real thinking and reacting to what was going on outside the cockpit. Best of luck as you navigate this “system.” I say system with some reluctance because it rarely appears to be as organized and rational as you might expect such a term to mean. Jerry Rekow on March 26, 2015 at 9:45 pm said: Steve – really appreciate your writing on the legal and medical professions. Sadly, I am wondering about the airline industry today, after the terrible crash of the German Aerobus. Comments on PBS were that the airline industry is working for profits and consequently cutting the vetting, pay and training of pilots. I’m not sure what the long term effect of all of this will be but have contended that the downfall of the USA will be greed. thebellyofthebeast on March 27, 2015 at 8:06 am said: The problem is ubiquitous across all areas of our society. The MBA mentality and its emphasis on short-termism and accompanying metrics have made greed respectable. Personally, I think the problem began in the 1980s. At least in retrospect, that’ when the transformation of most big law firms began. By the 1990s, the trend was unmistakable. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but one-fourth of all advanced degrees awarded in 2005-2006 were MBAs. (In 2012, MBA’s comprised more than 25 percent of all master’s degrees; in 1971, MBA’s constituted only 11 percent of all master’s degrees.) We saw the change in Psychiatry in the early ’80’s – MBA’s into leadership positions and subsequent development of intensive treatment programs, especially for adolescents. Mental health professionals, including Psychiatrists were delighted because they could find billable hours for most of the daylight hours of each patient. This was in addition to the hospital (R & B) rate which increased dramatically. Even saw one Psychiatrist who did hard time for his consultation fees. Fortunately (or unfortunately) this mentality peaked in the late ’80’s and early ’90’s but left the general public with the impression that all psychiatric care was a scam or not worth the financial effort, hence, we are now underfunded and without services for those who need it the most – Sorry to digress. We are so hopeful that you receive the medical care and medical consideration that you need and deserve. Our kudos to Kit for her immediate and appropriate diagnosis. Patrick J. McKenna on March 29, 2015 at 4:07 pm said: Henry Mintzberg is a world-renowned business thinker. He first came to prominence with his book The Nature of Managerial Work. Currently the Cleghorn Professor of Management Studies at McGill University, he is also a visiting professor at a number of business schools including INSEAD and London Business School. He was the driving force behind the creation of the International Masters Program in Practicing Management, a unique business education program. Mintzberg has a deserved reputation for provocative and controversial thinking. His book Managers Not MBAs develops one of my favorite themes: the shortcomings of the world’s gold standard in business education – the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. At a time when many major law firms have pursued collaborations with business schools, here is Mintzberg talking about the value of getting an MBA: “The MBA trains people out of context. It gives them the impression that you can manage anything. Because there is no context in an MBA program. Even when people have experience it is rarely used. The traditional style MBA does not use experience at all. Take case studies for example. Learning from case studies isn’t experience, it’s voyeurism. People who are already practicing management can learn from cases written about other people. But people who haven’t practiced management can’t learn from them that easily. Worse still, case studies are not used just to expose people to other kinds of experience; they are used to force people to make decisions based on the most superficial of knowledge. What do the people know about these companies that they are forced to make decisions about? They read twenty pages the night before. There was a survey of MBAs in Business Week a little while ago. The MBAs named their favorite chief executive. It was a top five list and none of them had an MBA. The dominance of the MBA as an educational standard has corrupted managerial practice. You have people coming out thinking they are prepared to manage, and they are not. And what is even worse you get people coming out who don’t even go into management, they go into consulting or finance. They do an end run around management and end up leaping from consulting jobs, or financial jobs, into chief executive chairs. And I think the performance of many of them is just plain dreadful. There are exceptions, but a lot of them fail terribly. What ii is, specifically, about an MBA education which I believe often makes people ill-equipped to be leaders in corporations . . . confidence without competence. Which to me is equivalent to arrogance. MBA courses tend to attract people who aren’t necessarily sensitive to people issues. We have a lot of evidence that these are people more concerned with numbers, and getting themselves ahead, than dealing with people. There’s a wonderful quote which comes from an interview with Harvard professor John Kotter. He did a study of the Harvard MBA class of 1974, tracking their careers. A journalist asked him if the people he tracked were team players. He said no, they want to run the team, create the team and lead it to glory rather than be a member of someone else’s team. And that is the antithesis of team working, wanting to run the team. We talk about top managers. But anyone who’s on top of the team is outside the team, and doesn’t know what is going on. We describe organizations as networks, and we talk about top managers, but anybody who’s on top of the network is outside the network. That is exactly what the Kotter quote suggests. These people don’t want to be part of the team, they want to run the team. It’s the obsession with having to be in charge. You know leadership should be earned. Leadership shouldn’t be granted because you have a degree and an old boys network. Nobody has ever been made into a leader in the classroom. Courses that claim to create leaders are dishonest. You can’t create a leader in the classroom. What you can do is take people and enhance their managerial skills, and enhance their understanding of their job, if they are already in positions of leadership. And I am totally against this notion that you can separate managers from leaders. This implies that leaders don’t have to manage, which means that leaders don’t have to know what is going on intimately in their organization. Which is wrong. They have to be connected, and management is the way in which they are connected. Nobody wants managers who aren’t leaders. So why would we want leaders who aren’t managers, leaders who don’t know what is going on, who aren’t connected. It’s a phony distinction!” Tamara Martinez-Anderson on March 30, 2015 at 12:52 pm said: I appreciate your insights and send you best wishes for a full recovery. As you’ve previously observed, this same trend has taken over the management of law schools — and by extension of our colleges and universities. Putting students first has fallen well below rankings, short-term revenue gains, and holding on to the status quo in terms of tenure. Understanding how these various industries are all embracing similar strategies and the cumulative effects on our communities and society is crucial for change to be possible. Thanks for your efforts in pulling back the curtain. siliconhillslawyer on April 7, 2015 at 8:58 am said: I’ve written somewhat on this topic here (http://siliconhillslawyer.com/2014/10/25/emerging-tech-ecosystem-v-biglaw/ ) and here (http://siliconhillslawyer.com/2014/07/31/biglaw-smallfirms-disruption/). I read an interesting book a while back called the “Innovator’s Prescription” (by the same author as The Innovator’s Dilemma. In it he talked about how, to a large extent, what makes hospitals so spectacularly inefficient is that they are really 1,000 different businesses clumped into a single organization, with no really effective way to optimize for any of them. That is optimal for emergency/high-stakes situations where you need all of those resources in a single place to move extremely quickly, but for 95% of cases they cannot compete either on quality or efficiency with specialized institutions that actually understand their business model. I think the same applies to large law firms. Historically, there was a reason to have 1,000s of lawyers under one firm: friction in collaborating between law firms that were each using proprietary resources/technology. That’s simply not the case anymore (because of SaaS/the cloud), and the big firm structure is today largely about origination pyramids; with a need for tons of administration to manage all the different groups under one roof. In the tech space, you’re seeing lots of boutiques popping up that are very high quality, focused, leaner, have much lower rates, and the attorneys haven’t taken a cut on compensation because most of what they bill isn’t being sucked up by overhead and people not doing the work. It’s a big change, and I think it’s going to get bigger. Philip Arlington on April 20, 2015 at 12:23 am said: Research universities perform better as centres of research when led by outstanding scholars, but do they perform better as centres of education for bright young people who don’t want to be academics? Actually, does any universtiy perform truly well in that regard, or do they just get a free pass because they are judged on research-focused criteria and because their students tend to do well due to credentialism and their own innate abilities?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1099
__label__wiki	0.983654	0.983654	The Latest: Airbus is ready for autonomous planes; are you? LE BOURGET, France (AP) — The Latest on the Paris Air Show (all times local): The chief salesman for Airbus says his company already has the technology to fly passenger planes without pilots at all — and is working on winning over regulators and travelers to the idea. Christian Scherer also said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday that Airbus hopes to be selling hybrid or electric passenger jets by around 2035. While the company is still far from ready to churn out battery-operated jumbo jets, Scherer said Airbus already has "the technology for autonomous flying" and for planes flown by just one pilot. He told The Associated Press: "When can we introduce it in large commercial aircraft? That is a matter we are discussing with regulators and customers, but technology-wise, we don't see a hurdle." Safety is an obvious concern — and that's an issue that is on many minds after two deadly crashes of the Boeing 737 Max jet. Scherer said the crashes "highlighted and underlined the need for absolute, uncompromising safety in this industry, whether from Airbus, Boeing or any other plane." Boeing is seeing lackluster contracts at the Paris Air Show so far as it tries to win back trust from customers after the crashes of two 737 Max jets. The company announced a deal Monday to provide services and parts for British Airways via its owner International Airlines Group, and another to provide technology to help United Airlines set pilot schedules. Boeing also struck a deal for freighter jets with leasing company GECAS. Asked whether the Max crashes affected its trust in Boeing, British Airways Chief Financial Officer Steve Gunning said, "We're confident that Boeing will solve those issues and will get these issues behind them." His airline did not announce any new plane purchases from Boeing. In contrast, rival Airbus announced a string of plane sales on the first day of the Paris Air Show worth several billion dollars. Boeing's CEO said the company came to the air show with a tone of humility after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, which killed 346 people. Families of victims, regulators and airlines have mixed feelings about Boeing's apology for 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. Ningsi Ayorbaba told The Associated Press: "I hope this is a good signal for the victims to have compensation rights that we have not yet received." Her husband Paul Ferdinand Ayorbaba died in the Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October. She is among dozens of families who have filed lawsuits against Boeing. Indonesia's transportation ministry said the government is still waiting for "transparent work of the aircraft maker to fix the problem" that led to the crashes. Investigations are underway. An Ethiopian who lost her younger brother in an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March said Boeing's apology is not enough, and expressed concern about Boeing's push to re-certify the 737 Max. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said Boeing's apology Monday at the Paris Air Show "is consistent with our opinion." France, Germany and Spain have agreed to develop a joint European fighter jet and air combat system that could also control drones and satellites. With a model of the jet as a backdrop, defense ministers from the three countries signed an agreement Monday at the Paris Air Show that lays out how the countries will cooperate on the project, which would include a new-generation combat aircraft. French President Emmanuel Macron presided over the signing. The Future Combat Air System is expected to be operational by 2040. France sees it as a key step in its push for more European defense efforts, given U.S. President Donald Trump's apparent lack of enthusiasm for supporting Europe militarily. Authorities have not said how much it would cost but the dpa news agency estimates it could be 100 billion euros ($112 billion). Airbus will start making a new single-aisle long-range jet, beating rival Boeing to the market in this category. The European plane maker launched the A321XLR jet Monday at the Paris Air Show, saying it will be ready for customers in 2023 and will fly up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers). Chief salesman Christian Scherer would not say how much the plane would cost to develop, but said it would be significantly less than building a whole new plane because it is an upgraded version of the existing A321. It was the biggest new plane announcement expected at the Paris Air Show gathering of aviation industry powerhouses. Boeing is considering whether to build a new jet — the concept is dubbed New Midsize Airplane, or NMA — that would be close in size to the A321XLR. It would fill a gap in the Boeing lineup between the smaller 737 and the larger 777 and 787. Right after the launch, Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corporation signed a letter of intent to buy 27 of the new Airbus planes. A Boeing executive is apologizing to airlines and families of victims of 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Kevin McAllister, CEO of Boeing's commercial aircraft, told reporters at the Paris Air Show on Monday that "we are very sorry for the loss of lives" in the Lion Air crash in October and Ethiopian Airlines crash in March. A total of 346 people were killed. McAllister also said "I'm sorry for the disruption" to airlines from the subsequent grounding of all Max planes worldwide, and to their passengers. He stressed that the company is working hard to learn from what went wrong but wouldn't say when the plane could fly again. Other Boeing executives also stressed the company's focus on safety and condolences to victims' families. Angle-measuring sensors in both planes malfunctioned, alerting anti-stall software to push the noses of the planes down. The pilots were unable to take back control of the planes. Investigations are underway. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. The global economic slowdown and trade tensions between the U.S. and other powers are also weighing on the event that opened Monday at Le Bourget airfield. Boeing's CEO said the company is heading into this week's show with "humility" after the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia and Boeing's botched communication over a cockpit warning system in the Max. Rival Airbus is expecting some big orders despite a slow sales year so far, and is likely to unveil its long-range A320 XLR at the Paris show. The event also is showcasing electric planes, pilotless air taxis and other cutting-edge technology. The item timed at 9:55 a.m. has been corrected to give the name of the official who spoke as Kevin McAllister, not Randy Tinseth. The item timed at 11:25 a.m. has been corrected to give the distance in nautical miles, not miles, and fix the conversion accordingly. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner performs his demonstration flight at Paris Air Show, in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France, Monday, June 17, 2019. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) An Airbus A 350 - 1000 performs his demonstration flight at Paris Air Show, in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France, Monday, June 17, 2019. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) French President Emmanuel Macron talks with Eric Beranger, right, Chief Executive Officer of MBDA missile Systems, the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, Monday June 17, 2019. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. (Benoit Tessier/Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, center, French Defense Minister Florence Parly, left, and Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, attend the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, Monday June 17, 2019. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. (Benoit Tessier/Pool via AP) Alpha jets from the French Air Force Patrouille de France fly during the inauguration the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, Monday June 17, 2019. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. (Benoit Tessier/Pool via AP) Visitor watch a jet engin propulsion of an Airbus 350-1000 at Paris Air Show, in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France, Monday, June 17, 2019. The world's aviation elite are gathering at the Paris Air Show with safety concerns on many minds after two crashes of the popular Boeing 737 Max. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1104
__label__cc	0.713304	0.286696	old thing back matoma 2016 Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival Lineup Release A yearly ritual right after the New Year begins for music fans is the release of the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival lineup. Last year I paid more attention to it than ever because, as you all know, I attended the festival last April. Again, I can’t adequately express how great of an experience Coachella is, and this is from someone who didn’t even camp out. My soul felt totally at home while listening to live music and soaking up the sun and chill vibes in the desert for 3 days last year. It’s something you have to experience to understand. Since I previewed the bands at the festival last year in the hype leading up to the main event, and the response went well, I plan on doing the same thing this year even though it might not have the same meaning for me (Yeah, I’m not attending Coachella 2016 and I’m a little bummed about it). Before looking in depth at each band, I have to give an overview of all the acts. Since the lineup was released around 9:45 p.m. ET last evening, I can finally talk about them. First up, the headliners. The Headliners: LCD Soundsystem, Guns N’ Roses, Calvin Harris In the days leading up to the lineup release, I actually found out that LCD Soundsystem and Guns N’ Roses would be headlining. Safe to say I anticipated a great lineup this year and I was a little jealous (mostly because of LCD Soundsystem). 80’s rock band, Guns N’ Roses, are reuniting for the first time in 20 years for this upcoming Coachella performance. They’re the old school rock band performer this year, similar to AC/DC at last year’s event. The Saturday night set should be an epic rock n’ roll event for all who attend. Another band reuniting for Coachella 2016 is LCD Soundsystem. The band, who announced their split in 2011 and played their “final show ever” at Madison Square Garden that same year, is getting back together to play Coachella for the third time. They headline on Friday night. Lastly, Scottish DJ, EDM artist, and current boyfriend of Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris is set to close out the festival on Sunday evening. As a Coachella veteran and this year’s headlining EDM act, the Calvin Harris set should be the biggest of the festival. His set in 2014 was the second largest ever in festival history. As I learned last year, EDM is a huge deal at Coachella (I mean that Kaskade set though) so you can count on Calvin Harris’s as being one for the ages. The Other Highly Billed Performers (aka the next two lines on each day of the poster): Ellie Goulding, Sufjan Stevens, Jack Ü, M83, Underworld, The Kills, Foals, Ice Cube, Disclosure, Zedd, A$AP Rocky, CHVRCHES, Halsey, James Bay, Sia, Major Lazer, Flume, Beach House, The 1975, Rancid, Miike Snow, Of Monsters and Men, G-Eazy, Purity Ring, Rae Sremmurd, Volbeat, 2manysdjs, Lord Huron, St. Germain, Savages, Grimes, Courtney Barnett, Run the Jewels, The Arcs, RL Grime, Gary Clark Jr., Silversun Pickups, Lush, ZHU, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Matt and Kim, Chris Stapleton, Cold War Kids, Death Grips, The Chainsmokers. Like always, the Coachella lineup consists of a variety of music styles. There’s plenty of pop, rock, indie, alternative, and electronic in this year’s group of top acts along with a mix of a few other genres as well. Ice Cube, A$AP Rocky, Death Grips, and G-Eazy make up the rap contingency, especially without a main Rap/R&B headliner this year. James Bay, Sia, Halsey, and Ellie Goulding make up the pop acts. Sufjan Stevens and Lord Huron hold the crown for indie performers this year. Then there’s indie/rock/alternative bands like CHVRCHES, Grimes, Foals, M83, The 1975, The Kills, Of Monsters & Men, Silversun Pickups, Purity Ring, Beach House, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Matt and Kim and Cold War Kids and the ever popular electronic/dance/house music with Jack Ü, Disclosure, Zedd, Miike Snow, ZHU, RL Grime, Major Lazer, The Chainsmokers. There’s even some old school punk in the mix with Rancid. If I was attending this year, I’d definitely want to hit up the Matt and Kim set the most. I’ve wanted to see them play for the last couple years and I passed up on the opportunity last summer. I’d also love to see CHVRCHES, M83, The 1975, Of Monsters & Men, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Cold War Kids, Halsey, Sufjan Stevens, and Major Lazer. Since I wanted to see the 1975 and Cold War Kids within the last few months, it would be cool to finally see these guys in the desert. I hyped Halsey a few months ago as being one of the hottest new up and coming performers so her set is bound to be a great one. CHVRCHES is a band I recently got more into and really enjoy, especially their latest album. I feel like M83, Of Monsters & Men, Sufjan Stevens, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have been quiet for a while and I’ve liked all three groups for a few years now so they’ll be worth a listen. Then there’s electronic band, Major Lazer, who recently became more well-known with their song “Lean On”. If there was time I’d also love to check out Sia, Ellie Goulding, Beach House, James Bay, The Chainsmokers, Silversun Pickups, Rancid, Grimes, and Foals. I think Sia’s performance is going to be as huge as the three main headliners. It’ll be worth it to check out her set. Rancid is such a legendary punk band too that it would be hard to pass up an opportunity to see them. The other artists I mentioned would be fun to check out as well even though I may not be as familiar with their music as the acts I first listed. In all, this group definitely makes a great selection of top-billed talent worth seeing this year. The Rest: The Last Shadow Puppets, Joey Bada$$, DJ Mustard, BØRNS, Christine and the Queens, Snakehips, Robert DeLong, Bob Moses, Ibeyi, Marco Carola, Parov Stelar, Black Coffee, Years & Years, Nicole Moudaber & Skin, Lido, HEALTH, Mavis Staples, Sasha, Goldroom, Carla Morrison, Nic Fanciulli, The Front Bottoms, Skepta, Sam Feldt, Lemaitre, Louis the Child, Frances, George FitzGerald, DJ EZ, Gallant, HÆLOS, Låpsley, Miami Horror, SG Lewis, Sheer Mag, Mbongwana Star, Nina Las Vegas, Nora En Pure, Masha, Deerhunter, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Rhye, Bat for Lashes, The Damned, Vince Staples, Tchami, Nina Kraviz, Snails, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Lost Frequencies, Chronixx, Vanic, Justin Martin, AlunaGeorge, Mano Le Tough, Shamir, DJ Koze, BADBADNOTGOOD, Moon Taxi, SZA, Ex Hex, Mr. Carmack, SOPHIE, Protoje, Alvvays, Zella Day, Dubfire, Matthew Dear, DMA’s, Matoma, Algiers, GoGo Penguins, The Black Madonna, Cloves, Strangers You Know, Amine Edge & DANCE, Phases, The Dead Ships, Maceo Plex, Baauer, KSHMR, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Adam Beyer & Ida Engberg, Wolf Alice, Pete Yorn, Hudson Mohawke, Kamasi Washington, Claptone, TOKiMONSTA, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Autolux, John Digweed, Thomas Jack, Anderson .Paak, Nosaj Thing, Deafheaven, Epik High, Tensnake, Alessia Cara, Crystal Fighters, The Vandals, Joywave, PRAYERS, Young Fathers, The Heavy, Tei Shi, Meg Myers, Soul Clap, Cassy, De Lux, Girlpool, Fur Coat, AC Slater Out of the rest of the acts performing this year, only a few stand out to me. This might be bad news for me as a self-proclaimed music expert since I’ve only heard of a few of these bands. Guess I need to step up my game and learn about these bands. The few that do stand out though are BØRNS, Years & Years, Matoma, and Joywave. Over the summer I wrote about Years & Years and the release of their debut album. After selling out their fall tour, they’ll be supporting Ellie Goulding on her upcoming tour this spring, which I guess, from the looks of it, also includes a stop in the Coachella Valley for both in April. I’ve listened to BØRNS and Joywave a few times on Spotify and I’ve always enjoyed what I heard. Lastly, I need to mention Matoma strictly for my jam of last spring, “Old Thing Back (Matoma remix)”. In fact, I used to listen to this song on repeat in my lead up to leaving for Coachella. Pretty sure I even played it for my cousin during our 2-3 hour drive to Palm Desert the day we arrived in So Cal. It sets the mood for some good vibes despite the explicit lyrics. Of course, the song was originally released as a song on The Notorious B.I.G.’s Greatest Hits Compilation in 2007. It was one of two songs unreleased previously. In late 2014-early 2015 the song regained popularity when it was released as a remix by Norwegian DJ Matoma. It’s kind of ironic that I’m writing this small bit about “Old Thing Back” today since a few days ago the song popped in my head when I realized I hadn’t listened to it in a while. Now I’m sitting here listening to it again on repeat. Matoma, you’re playing a year too late for me, but I’m sure festival-goers will be dancing their hearts out to the “Old Thing Back” remix in April. After last year, I thought the lineup would make me super jealous that I wasn’t attending this year. It always seems like there’s a strong lineup every other year according to my tastes. 2014 was unreal in my mind and after 2015’s decent lineup, I thought 2016 would blow me away, especially after I heard LCD Soundsystem was reuniting to headline. To be honest though, it didn’t. I find it comparable to last year in a lot of regards. That means next year might be incredible. I should probably start saving up now since I vowed that the next time I go, I’m getting VIP tickets. I guess we’ll see what happens, but 2016 will no doubt be memorable for all attending despite opinions, whether good or bad, on the lineup. It was for me anyway. Posted in Music, Uncategorized and tagged alternative, alternative music, alternative rock, alternative rock music, asap rocky, beach house, borns, california, california music festivals, calvin harris, chvrches, Coachella, Coachella 2016, Coachella 2016 lineup, coachella bands, coachella festival, coachella lineup, coachella preview, coachella valley arts and music festival, coachella valley arts and music festival 2016, cold war kids, dance music, death grips, disclosure, EDM, edward sharpe, edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros, electro-pop, electronic dance music, electronic music, ellie goulding, flume, foals, g-eazy, grimes, guns n' roses, Halsey, hip-hop, house music, ice cube, indie, indie bands, indie music, indie pop, indie pop music, indie rock, indie rock music, indio, indio california, indio desert, jack u, james bay, joywave, lcd soundsystem, lord huron, m83, major lazer, matoma, matt & kim, matt and kim, miike snow, Music, music festival, music festivals, notorious b.i.g., of monsters & men, of monsters and men, old thing back, old thing back matoma, old thing back matoma remix, punk alt rock, punk alternative rock music, punk music, punk rock, punk rock music, purity ring, R&B, rancid, rap, rl grime, rock, Rock music, sia, silversun pickups, so cal, southern california, sufjan stevens, taylor swift, The 1975, the chainsmokers, the kills, the notorious b.i.g., years and years, zedd, zhu on January 5, 2016 by prostreetcross. 1 Comment	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1106
__label__wiki	0.540061	0.540061	Editing Our Own Genes? by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk A number of serious diseases are known to occur because of defects or mutations in our DNA. Curing such diseases could in principle be carried out by rewriting the DNA to fix the mutated base pairs. Yet until recently, scientists have remained largely stymied in their attempts to directly modify genes in a living animal. Findings described in the March 30, 2014 issue of Nature Biotechnology, however, reveal that a novel gene-editing technique, known as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), can be used successfully in mice to reverse disease symptoms for a liver defect known as type I tyrosinemia. In humans, this potentially fatal ailment affects about one in 100,000 people. CRISPR, which enables researchers to snip out the mutated piece of DNA and replace it with the correct sequence, holds the potential for treating other genetic disorders as well. As the MIT Technology Review explains, the developed CRISPR technique is proving to be remarkably versatile in the hands of biomedical researchers: “This technology could allow researchers to perform microsurgery on genes, precisely and easily changing a DNA sequence at exact locations on a chromosome. … CRISPR could make gene therapies more broadly applicable, providing remedies for simple genetic disorders like sickle-cell anemia and eventually even leading to cures for more complex diseases involving multiple genes. Most conventional gene therapies crudely place new genetic material at a random location in the cell and can only add a gene. In contrast, CRISPR and the other new tools also give scientists a precise way to delete and edit specific bits of DNA – even by changing a single base pair. This means they can rewrite the human genome at will.” Correcting mutations in the DNA to remedy a serious medical defect would certainly be desirable and permissible. In 2008, in a document called “Dignitas Personae,” the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) agreed that trying to restore “the normal genetic configuration of the patient or to counter damage caused by genetic anomalies” would be morally acceptable as long as the person being treated will not “be exposed to risks to his health or physical integrity which are excessive…” Misusing Technology Our ability to rewrite the human genome at will through DNA editing techniques, however, does raise substantial concerns about misusing technology. In fact, researchers are already discussing the possibility of going beyond therapies and treatments and, instead, using CRISPR and other gene-alteration technologies to enhance human characteristics. For example, one possible direction would be to engineer changes in the genes of human muscles so that they could be worked harder and longer, thereby enhancing the performance of athletes and soldiers. This kind of human re-engineering would cross an important line: Instead of helping human beings who are struggling against serious diseases, scientists would now begin manipulating human beings for ulterior motives. As “Dignitas Personae” puts it, “such manipulation would promote a eugenic mentality and would lead to indirect social stigma with regard to people who lack certain qualities, while privileging [others].” The document also notes how attempting to create a new type of human being could unmask a dark and troubling ideology “in which man tries to take the place of his Creator,” resulting in an “unjust domination of man over man.” Yet the line separating a therapy from an enhancement is not always an obvious one. Some researchers have claimed that the most common versions of genes that many people carry are not necessarily the ideal versions from the standpoint of health. Thus researchers might be able subtly to improve matters, for example, by rewriting normal genes so that people could better fight off infectious diseases. Would such a step be enhancement or therapy? Even as scientists move forward with the project of rewriting our own genes to cure grave diseases, some will be tempted to go further and use techniques like CRISPR to engineer designer human embryos during in-vitro fertilization; genetically modified monkeys have already been produced using this method in China. A prior CDF document called “Donum Vitae” unequivocally describes the grave problems with subjugating embryonic human beings for research purposes: “To use human embryos or fetuses as the object or instrument of experimentation constitutes a crime against their dignity as human beings having a right to the same respect that is due to the child already born and to every human person.” The remarkable tools becoming available not only for genetic therapies but also for human enhancement projects and embryonic manipulation raise daunting ethical concerns about the subjugation of humans to their own technology and call for thoughtful measures and vigilance to ensure the proper use of these techniques now and in the future.[hr] Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., serves as director of education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. 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__label__wiki	0.604096	0.604096	Spoken-word artist J. Ivy joins HBCU poetry tour to inspire, uplift others Students can enter Allstate poetry contest to win up to $3,000 Up Next From HBCU Spoken word artist J. Ivy Photo courtesy of J. Ivy By Maya A. Jones @mjay615 Before the awards, accolades, television appearances and international recognition, J. Ivy sat in Chicago’s Rich Central High School oblivious to the places that the power of poetry, and a little belief in himself, would one day take him. Now, the Grammy Award-winning performance poet and author has teamed up with Allstate Insurance for the Pillars & Poetry Tour to help students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) find strength in their own voices through spoken word. The tour, which began Oct. 21 at Tuskegee University, stopped at Morehouse College and then Spelman College on Thursday. It will conclude at Florida A&M University on Nov. 9. Students who attend are invited to share their own spoken-word composition about a person who inspires them for a chance to win up to $3,000. “My rule for everything is if you feel it, other people will feel it. You have to be able to step outside of yourself and be honest with yourself. Be courageous, be free.” For J. Ivy, the ability to help others through the medium he loves is what means the most to him on this tour. “I’ve done work with Allstate in the past, and I’ve always just admired their work in the community,” J. Ivy said. “They’re trendsetters when it comes to being involved. When they came to me about Pillars & Poetry, I loved the concept because we all have pillars of strength in our lives: people who are lifting us up, people who have been on the sidelines telling us we can do it when there was a world of people telling us we couldn’t. With poetry, that’s been my life. “I’ve traveled the world. I make my living because of poetry. All of that combined is exciting. I have a deep affinity for historically black colleges and universities. To take poetry to these historically black colleges and give students a platform and give them a voice, I was completely on board and ready to go. I’m excited.” The tour is also important to J. Ivy because of his own beginnings with poetry. Writing is something that came naturally to J. Ivy as a form of expression, but writing poetry wasn’t something that had completely crossed his mind. “I was really good at writing notes to girls in high school,” he laughed. “I knew if there was something I needed to say, it was difficult for me to express it vocally, whereas if I put a pen to the page, I knew that I could express how I felt.” It was his English teacher, Ms. Argue, who first took note of his skills. J. Ivy’s class had been asked to write poems of their own, but J. Ivy wasn’t aware that he’d be reading it in front of the entire class. “It was called It Once Was A Cloud,” J. Ivy recalled. “I’m like, ‘Now I have to read this stupid poem about these clouds and all my boys are going to clown me.’ I never had a lot of confidence, and I was super shy. So I read this poem, and after class, [Ms. Argue] pulled me to the side and gave me an A. I wasn’t getting any A’s or B’s at the time, but she gives me an A on this poem.” In addition to a high grade, the teacher asked J. Ivy if he’d participate in an upcoming show. He hesitated. It would be J. Ivy’s first show, and he was nervous. He passed on the opportunity the first time, but another one arose shortly afterward. This time, it was one he wouldn’t be able to worm his way out of. “What I learned is to not argue with somebody named Ms. Argue,” J. Ivy said. “She had another show come up and she said, ‘The last time, you faked me out. This time, when I ask you to do the show, you have to.’ My first time onstage, I was nervous and scared as I don’t know what. At the end of that performance, I got a standing ovation. Immediately, my life changed. It was a revelation. I do have a voice; people will listen. Since that moment, I’ve been performing and sharing and loving the art of poetry.” Since then, J. Ivy has been featured on Def Poetry Jam, shared stages with icons such as Prince, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Common and Lauryn Hill, and voiced openers for Sunday Night Football, the NBA draft and the US Open. Through all of his greatest accomplishments, J. Ivy offers one simple rule that still keeps him grounded. “My rule for everything is if you feel it, other people will feel it,” J. Ivy said. “You have to be able to step outside of yourself and be honest with yourself. Be courageous, be free. Don’t overthink the moment, and be fearless. Fear kills dreams. Fear and creativity can’t coincide. You have a story, and people want to hear it.” On this tour, J. Ivy is hoping to inspire as well as become inspired by hearing the work of others, especially anticipating the experiences and responses from an electric HBCU crowd. “My hope is that people will use this moment to find inspiration and write more,” J. Ivy said. “To me, writing is very therapeutic. When you don’t have anyone else in the world to talk to, you can put that pen to that page and have a conversation. My hope is that people use the gift and the art of poetry, of spoken word, to engage with their spirit and their soul so they can find the healing that they need, the inspiration they need, the insight they need, and find those tools that will help them for the rest of their lives.” FAMU students interested in signing up for the contest must do so by Nov. 4. Maya Jones is an associate editor at The Undefeated. She is a native New Orleanian who enjoys long walks down Frenchmen Street and romantic dates to Saints games. This Story Tagged: Allstate Florida A&M University HBCU News J. Ivy Morehouse College … View All Poetry Spelman College Spoken Word Tuskegee University	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1108
__label__wiki	0.918165	0.918165	Nick Martin – Sleeping With Sirens ‘Personal Shit’ Posted on September 17, 2017 in Interviews // 1 Comment It’s been quite some time since Sleeping With Sirens have released a studio album, but with the wait finally coming to an end with the near release of their 5th album Gossip, and a new record deal under their belt, we nabbed some time to chat with guitarist Nick Martin about the upcoming album and their shiny new sound. So the new album Gossip is set to be released September 22nd, what aspect are you most excited for people to hear or experience? “This really feels like the next chapter of the band. Gossip really explores some personal shit for Kellin that I think anyone can really relate to and because of that it feels a lot more mature. It’s really the natural progression of the band.” What was the recording process like this time around? “It was strenuous. We thought it’d be easy given it wasn’t our first rodeo but we were really pushed by our producer David Bendeth, to create what felt like the next level. He’s been a fan of the band for years so he didn’t want us to just go in and make something we made five years ago.” “We initially came in with a few old songs that we thought could fit but Bendeth really pushed Kellin to go deeper with what he was saying and for me to play the best I could you know? We started recording in January and we thought we’d be finished by February, but we were so wrong. So it was way more stressful than what we anticipated but I think Bendeth pushed a better final product out because of it. So it was worth it in the end.” The sound seems to reflects a ton of different influences, Who or where would you say you drew from most in this case. “I feel like we tried to emulate other influences when we initially went into the studio and it didn’t really go well. We really just had to sit down as a band and just jam, figure out what we wanted to sound like and really listen to each other. Figuring out what Kellin had to say really was our main focus. It was really all about him and he’s influenced more by artists who had really powerful honest messages like Fleetwood Mac rather than a certain sound. So I wouldn’t say we draw from any specific influences rather in that regard we try to be as authentic as we can. Any influences that translate just came out organically. So do you think your process have changed drastically from album to album? “It’s all based on relationships, you know? Being in a band is like being in a marriage. I know the ins and outs of these guys. But we’re really getting the hang of just listening to each other, listening to the band and their input. Kellin is a talented guy so it really pays off to push him to write the best he can and I think that’s what was so great about working with Bendeth. We were pushed to the limit like we had never done before and consequently came out with a more evolved sound.” You’ve mentioned a lot about working with your producer, but what has it been like working with Warner Bros records for the first time? “Incredible! I think there is this stereotype about major labels being super controlling and not letting bands make the music they want, but I honestly think it’s the opposite. We’ve had more creative control than I think we’ve ever had. Independent labels have always been more intensive because they want to represent a certain sound which is good and it makes sense I guess, but Warner Bros have been really great at being behind us and what we wanted to do. So working with them has been a really great experience overall.” What has the response to what’s been released been like so far? “Super positive from what I’ve seen. I can’t sugar coat it though, there are some fans that want us to make what we were making years ago, but to that I say go listen to those albums if that’s what you want to hear. The stuff we’re making now makes sense to us. Kellins in his 30s, I’m in my thirties. Kellins been through a lot of personal shit this past year and the honesty really translates and I think it’s something that anyone can relate to.” Well, single ‘Legends’ has been named the official song of Team USA for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games next year. That must have been one hell of a phone call? (laughs) “Oh yeah it really was. We were in our hotel in London and our manager was actually there. It’s sort of mind blowing really, I never dreamed we’d be that big, make it that far. Legends was really us taking a risk out of our safe zone and to think of that inspiring people is insane. You always want to be the one to inspire a kid to start a band or give them that urge to really do something. We have kids at shows coming up to us saying that we’re the reason they started playing guitar etc which is already heartwarming but inspiring our team at the Olympics… that’s a whole new level of crazy.” That leads me to ask what band inspired you to start making music personally? “Oh wow, I really loved stuff like the Beatles, Queen, Elton John and Stevie Wonder as a kid; Artists who really told stories. Bob Dylan is another example. I was just kind of drawn to it which might be kind of unexpected. but then I was also brought up on the classics like Sex Pistols and The Clash, so it was a huge range of music ultimately. In the early days right up till now what has been the most “No way this is real moment” for you? “I have that moment every night I’m on stage. Last night I had that moment playing the Palladium but I also have that moment playing in a record store to 200 kids who sing along to every song. Especially recently, I’ve really tried to take every one of those moments in and appreciate how far we’ve come. We’re all in a very lucky position and I feel blessed everyday with that mentality.” Interview by Bree Vane. You can find her on Facebook & Instagram Gossip is out Friday September 22nd via Warner Music Australia. Pre-Order here Sleeping With Sirens – Gossip tracklisting 2. Empire To Ashes 3. Legends 4. Trouble 5. One Man Army 6. Cheers 7. Closer 8. Hole In My Heart 9. I Need To Know 10. The Chase 11. War Bree Vane David Bendeth Kellin Quinn Warner Music Australia Sleeping With Sirens – Gossip (Album Review) – Wall Of Sound	cc/2019-30/en_head_0051.json.gz/line1111

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