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John H. Armstrong
Events & Lectures
Breach: The Shocking Story of a Double-Agent
John Armstrong February 27, 2007 Film
The wonderfully crafted docudrama Breach is both an entertaining and disturbing movie. It is the story of America’s most prominent double-agent spy, Robert Hanssen, who sold more priceless American secrets to the Soviets than any other agent ever convicted in U. S. history. Chris Cooper’s portrayal of Agent Hanssen is anything but humdrum. He chillingly takes the viewer into a deeply complex world of spying and national security. In the process he powerfully exposes how vulnerable our best intelligence really is when an agent is willing to sell his soul.
What is so disturbing about this movie is not just the depth to which Hanssen’s deception went but how deeply this deception was entertwined with his commitments to Christian faith, Hanssen was a deeply devoted member of Opus Dei, a renewal movement in the Roman Catholic Church. As everyone knows the Catholic Church has come under culture-wide suspicion, for well over a decade now, for sexual scandals related to some of its priests. This movie exposes a whole different kettle of fish—the nature to which a person can use religious faith to advance a double-life built on a series of lies that cost others their lives in the process. Opus Dei has gotten a bum rap in almost every case. Sadly, this movie will bring even more suspicion upon this generally fine movement of devoted Catholics.
Let no one, however, point the finger at Catholics in this matter. Evangelicals have their own share of high-profile hypocrites. I found the level of Hanssen’s sexual deviancy and religious devotion almost beyond belief. But then I was reminded of how sin truly makes us all sick and of the simple fact that in every heart there lurks the potential for immense evil. I was also reminded of how we are all, most profoundly, sexual beings. Too much of religious teaching fails to face this reality as it should.
Ryan Phillippe powerfully plays the part of Chris O’Neil, a young aspiring FBI staffer who wants to become an agent in the worst way. He takes on the task of shadowing Hanssen until Hanssen is finally caught in the act of delivering information to the Soviets in early 2001. (O’Neil’s story is almost as interesting, in a different way, as Hanssen’s.) In the end O’Neil’s journey takes an interesting twist as well. This is a must-see film for Christians who want to understand a world they know so very little about. It is also a must-see film for times like the present when we need to realize the real nature of our national security and its importance to our future. This is, very simply, a superb film!
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One Lord, One Church (John 17:20-26), a sermon by John H. Armstrong
Is This Enough? Pastoral Reflections on Our Simple Liturgical Offering (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), a sermon by John H. Armstrong
Is It Seedtime?
Politics and the Soul
“The Lamentation of Jesus” (Luke 13:31-35), a sermon by John H. Armstrong
Elizabeth R. Schelhouse on One Lord, One Church (John 17:20-26), a sermon by John H. Armstrong
John Armstrong on Lord, Orchestrate My Desires (Revised)
Tom Snook on Lord, Orchestrate My Desires (Revised)
Nancy Eberhard on What Can Be Done to Seek Unity Between Catholics and Evangelicals?
John Armstrong on What Can Be Done to Seek Unity Between Catholics and Evangelicals?
Copyright 2017 John H Armstrong. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Meta, News you can use, This is why we can\'t have nice things
How is right not like a particle?
Madeline / May 9, 2010
So glad you asked. Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about modifying Miranda warnings, or the warnings suspects are given upon arrest in the United States that inform them about their rights to silence, an attorney, termination of questioning, and possible contact with a consular authority. Current Attorney General Eric Holder is pushing Congress to modify the rules for terror suspects, specifically to change when Miranda warnings can be read, and to whom they apply.
Miranda rights are relatively new. They emerge from Supreme Court’s 1966 decision in Miranda v. Arizona, wherein the Court found that evidence given by suspects in a criminal case was only admissible if the suspect was fully informed of his or her rights to legal counsel beforehand. Before Miranda, suspects may not have been informed of their right to legal counsel at all. This can be difficult to understand in the wake of police procedurals on television, most of which came into being after 1966 anyway and all of which feature regular recitations of the warnings. Now we can all recite them, but Miranda himself apparently spent the rest of his days autographing “Miranda cards” for police officers — little cheat sheets with the rights written on one side in case the arresting officer forgot them.
In deciding Miranda the court relied on two Amendments to the Bill of Rights: the Fifth and the Sixth. The Fifth refers to the right not to incriminate oneself, and the Sixth is the right to due process under the law. Simply put, one promises that you do not have to confess if you do not want to, and the other promises that everyone, everywhere, has the right to be treated equally by the judicial system. What Miranda means as a decision is standardization: all arrests, anywhere, at any time, of anyone, must be done in such a way as to inform the suspect of his or her rights.
However, in the discussion about Miranda, I find pundits and experts alike forgetting one important thing: the warnings are merely a reminder of our rights, not a dispensation of those rights. In other words, the Miranda warnings are not a magic spell. We do not suddenly gain the right to legal counsel upon hearing them recited, that right is guaranteed to us as citizens. Conversely, one cannot deprive someone of her rights simply by refusing to utter the proper incantation; failing to recite the warnings does not alienate the rights to which they refer. If you already possess the rights outlined in the Fifth and the Sixth, then you have the rights determined in Miranda. In other words, our rights do not operate using quantum mechanics. Here’s a crash course, via io9:
At a fundamental level, everything in the universe behaves like a little probability wave. Particles are literally in many places at once, each with some probability. Take an electron and fire it at a screen with two slits cut through it, and astonishingly, the electron will go through both slits simultaneously. But suppose you set up a pair of cameras to monitor which slit the electron goes through and suddenly – poof – the “wave function collapses” and it really goes through only one of the two. Somehow observing the system directly affects it.
I think that lately, the mistake we’ve been making is in thinking of our rights as those particles, which change shape the moment we observe them. This is false. Our rights are strictly classical in their mechanics. They continue, like an object in motion uninterrupted by friction, until we as a society decide to block their progress. No unseen force or distant authority puts down its foot and consigns them to inertia, we do. It’s our decision, and our responsibility.
And that is how a right is not like a particle.
Tagged politics, science
Awards eligibility, 2018
Wrapped in Plastic: Nostalgia, of Televised and Other Kinds
ROGUE ONE, hope, and the urban-rural divide
Look at these blossoms.
Iron Man 2 is pretty good, actually.
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F. ROMHÁNYI Beatrix
Auteur de publications
"Social Network and Resources of the Observant Franciscans in Hungary at the End of the Middle Ages"
Kolduló barátok - gazdálkodó szerzetesek. Koldulórendi gazdálkodás a késő középkori Magyarországon
With the exception of the Carmelites, the medieval Kingdom of Hungary was home to the largest and earliest provinces of the mendicant orders in East Central Europe, that is Hungary, Austria, the Bohemian Kingdom, and Poland combined. Around the year 1500, 44 percent of mendicant friars (over 50 percent of mendicant and Pauline friars) of this region lived in Hungary, while the proportion of the kingdom's population was only about 37 per cent of the region's entire population. Unlike in Western and Southern Europe, written evidence about the orders' economic activity in East Central Europe is fragmentary and most of the preserved
data comes from the period after 1450. Nevertheless, the examination of the surviving sources yields a fairly comprehensive picture of the diachronic development of the economic aspects of the orders' operation in the kingdom. Whereas the existence and spread of these orders were determined by religious, political and ideological factors, the economic landscape was shaped by their social networks and the country's economic activity. More specifically, the economy of the orders themselves developed along different strategies, in accordance with the
social and economic environment. The changing environment resulted in the continuous adjustment and transformation of mendicant economy and management, too.
A flexible approach to possession and the adaptivity of management were the most important assets of mendicant economy. Until the very end of the Middle Ages, the basic income of the communities was generated from alms, however, the understanding what "alms" entailed was rather complex. It included bequests, begging, supplications, testaments, pro anima donations and - according to the interpretation of the society surrounding them - even temporary possession of real estates or revenues. In this system, the more or less stable possession of real estate served to attenuate the instability of alms. The estates included mills, fish-ponds, vineyards, granges and sometimes even tenant plots. This also means that the mendicant friaries' real estate did not necessarily comprise of long-term possessions, although there were friaries which held onto certain parts of their estate for several centuries. This model was more or less common for all mendicant orders (63 out of 118 had some sort of real estate or regular income), only the Observant Franciscans rejected completely the possession of real estate and large-scale regular income. Regular income was generated from rent
collected after urban buildings, and eventually tolls and salt privileges. In a few cases, friaries were granted financial capital. Another important facet of mendicant economy was their attitudes to using money. While both Conventual and Observant Franciscans preferred donations in kind, the other orders preferred alms in cash - the Dominicans, for example, can be seen to have favoured money well into the late Middle Ages. This difference in attitudes is also reflected in wills and in the other types of donations.
Mendicant estate management underwent perhaps the greatest changes over the centuries. The persons involved potentially included the local superior (prior or guardian), the leadership of the province, the patron and the steward, often embroiled in complicated relationships, which makes it hard to interpret the surviving sources. Due to the late medieval
reforms of the mendicant orders, the involvement of lay agents increased in the early sixteenth century, a tendency especially prominent in the Franciscan order.
Finally, since alms always played an important role in the economy of the mendicant orders, the social network surrounding the friars was of primary importance, too. The urban character of these orders - as it has been discussed by Jacques LeGoff and many other scholars after him - was less pronounced in medieval Hungary. Instead, the support of the
lesser nobility and of the inhabitants of the market towns was decisive. There were, however, differences between the orders in this respect as well, the Dominicans being the most urban and the Austin Hermits the most rural order. The Observant Franciscans seem to have had the
best contacts to the nobility, but it was not exclusive.
Kolduló barátok, gazdálkodó szerzetesek. Koldulórendi gazdálkodás a késő középkori Magyarországon
« Le fonctionnement matériel des couvents mendiants dans le royaume de Hongrie aux 13e-16e siècles : aperçu des sources et de l’historiographie »
« Les sources comptables, documents de gestion et d’administration des couvents mendiants en Hongrie médiévale »
« New Results on the Mendicant Economy in Medieval Hungary : Spatial Distribution, Urban ( ?) Context »
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The irony of preserving that which was intended to destroy
May 1, 2011 By Stephen Smith
Worth saving?
From the front lines of the New York City preservation wars, one landlord is trying to convince the Landmarks Preservation Commission to allow him to demolish two of his landmarked buildings on the Upper East Side – something the commission has only approved 11 times for the 27,000 landmarks it oversees. The only circumstance in which the commission allows buildings to be torn down is if they are losing money, and the landlord claims to be losing $1 million a year on the buildings, whose apartments have an average rent controlled/stabilized price of $600/mo. He’s offering to move all the current tenants into other units (I assume at the same price), and also redo the interiors of 13 other buildings, but the tenants are putting up a fight.
Architecturally the buildings are completely unremarkable, and in fact the façades were ruined by the landlord right before the buildings were landmarked in a futile attempt to stop it – an unfortunate but legal and unavoidable side effect of the current preservation process. The reason that the buildings are landmarked, though, is actually quite interesting and ironic:
Those buildings along York Avenue in the East 60s, part of a complex of 15 walk-ups built between 1898 and 1915, were designated landmarks in 2006 because they were examples of a Progressive Era effort to improve tenement design for low-wage earners. The tan brick buildings offered snug apartments that overlooked courtyards and let in more air and light than a typical tenement’s railroad flat.
The irony here is that the buildings were models for buildings that were supposed to be built in place of the “tenements” in neighborhoods like the Lower East Side – which back then were dark and dingy, but nowadays have had their interiors refurbished and are far more desirable than the buildings in question. That is to say, the tenements, many of which are now themselves landmarked, were intended to be torn down and replaced with these sorts of buildings, which let in more light and air. Of course now, a century later, skyscrapers with floor-to-ceiling windows soar above other buildings, and even in the most crowded parts of Midtown they let in far more light and air than these six-story walk-ups.
Aside from pointing out this historical irony, it’s worth emphasizing that of the fifteen original buildings, the landlord is only asking to tear down two. In keeping with the complete lack of perspective that characterizes the LPC (which, to be fair, has not yet denied the application), one tenant said five years ago that tearing down two of the buildings would be “akin to designating the Statue of Liberty, but not its torch.”
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: historic preservation, history, nyc
About Stephen Smith
I graduated Spring 2010 from Georgetown undergrad, with an entirely unrelated and highly regrettable major that might have made a little more sense if I actually wanted to become an international trade lawyer, but which alas seems good for little else.
I still do most of the tweeting for Market Urbanism
Stephen had previously written on urbanism at Forbes.com. Articles Profile; Reason Magazine, and Next City
Adam Lang says
Of course the other thing that can be pointed out is “would he be losing money if they weren’t rent controlled?” and therefore prevent the need to tear the buildings down and rebuild?
How Dense is Too Dense? | Pedestrian Observations says:
[…] people own property that they want to prop up the price of. They are designated arbitrarily, make arbitrary rules, and protect clearly non-historic […]
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iFoods.tv Officially Launches, with Brownie Points
By Kristen Nicole 2007-10-10 13:53:04 UTC
iFoods.tv, the network for user-generated cooking shows, has officially launched today. The site features shows from its own editors, as well as those submitted by users, which is a set up similar to VideoJug. Everything here focuses around cooking shows, so it is a rather niche website. With the official launch, iFoods also has a new feature for a monthly competition called Brownie Points. This is to encourage site activity, as active users get top prizes.
The concept of iFoods is a good one, even though it's not new. However, a few additions to its niche site would be helpful, such as transcripts for recipes, along with printing options for the transcripts as well. Incorporating better search and filtering options would be useful, and perhaps segmenting recipes by level of expertise will aid a user's search and interest in the site. See here for more online food resources.
Topics: social networking, Startups, TheLongTail
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Kathleen M. Bergamini
St. Eustace Episcopal Church
North Elba Cemetery
Old Military Rd
Obituary of Kathleen M. Bergamini
Kathleen Mary Ardill Bergamini was born in
Brownsburg, Quebec on April 6, 1928, the youngest of four siblings. She graduated from MacDonald High School in Ste-Anne de Bellevue and later received her RN from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, where she worked for several years before becoming Head Nurse in charge of the urology ward.
At the suggestion of a nurse friend (Betty D’Avignon Pratt), she moved to Lake Placid in 1955 to take up a nursing position at Lake Placid Memorial Hospital. It was there that she met Dr. Herbert M. Bergamini. They married in 1957. She retired from nursing, except for assisting at Red Cross blood drives.
For many years, she was an active member of and served on the board of the Essex County Garden Club (now the Adirondack Garden Club). After her husband’s death in 1975, she was appointed to the Northwood School Board, a position she held for almost forty years, and was awarded “emeritus” status. She also served on the board of the Lake Placid Center for the Arts.
In the late nineteen-seventies, she began work in her close friend Roland “Bob” Urfirer’s law office, work which she continued until shortly before his death in 2014. She was a faithful member of St Eustace Church and in the last years of her life, she was an active member of the church’s knitting group.
She was predeceased by her parents, Harry and Moina (Clements) Ardill, her husband, Herbert M. Bergamini, two brothers John and Gerald Ardill, and two stepsons, Edwin and John Bergamini.
She is survived by her sister Blanche Lang and by nine nephews: Robert, Peter, Ian, Bill and Don Lang, Ian, David and Stephen Ardill, and one niece, Barbara Lang Rottenberg.
She is also survived by her stepson, Dr. Herbert V.W. Bergamini and his wife Laurie of Lake Placid, and by six grandchildren by marriage: Michael, Malinda, John and Herbert Bergamini, Michael and Hadley Adams.
Family and friends already miss her vivacity (“toujours le garni”), her enjoyment of life (“Let’s kick up our heels”), her warmth, her wit and her generosity of spirit.
Funeral services will be held at St. Eustace Episcopal Church, Main Street, Lake Placid on Saturday, February 2, at 1:00 PM, a reception to follow in the Church’s undercroft.
The M.B. Clark, Inc. Funeral Home in Lake Placid, NY is in charge of arrangements. Relatives and friends are invited to share a memory, order flowers or leave condolences at www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com .
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John R. Wood Makes the 2019 Real Trends 500 List for Largest Brokerages in the U.S. and Highest Sales Volume in 2018
John R. Wood Properties announced today its ranking in the 2019 Real Trends 500 as #86 for largest brokerages in the U.S. based on sales volume, with over $2.5 billion. This number not only reflects the nearly 13% increase in closed sales in 2018 as compared to 2017, but also the magnitude of business that JRW is managing across Southwest Florida. The ranking further demonstrates the leading advantage JRW holds among major competitors in the area with comparable county coverage.
John R. Wood Properties Announces New Corporate Positions and Promotions
John R. Wood Properties (JRW) announced today the following new corporate positions and promotions.
John R. Wood Properties Launches New Series, “SoWeFlo Life by John R. Wood”
Taking the lead once more in the marketing arena, John R. Wood Properties has launched a new episodic video series, “SoWeFlo Life by John R. Wood”, unfolding as a complementary brand that currently resides on Facebook. The series, with a name that plays off of the abbreviation for Southwest Florida (SWFL), showcases the company’s collective love of the area with each episode featuring a different real estate agent exploring what they enjoy most about living here.
Local Executives Make Florida Trend’s List of the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders
Visibility and financial heft don’t necessarily equal influence according to Florida Trend magazine, which spent a significant amount of time researching and compiling their list of Florida’s Most Influential Business Leaders, 17 of which reside right here in Southwest Florida.
John R. Wood Properties Announces Merger with John R. Wood Island Real Estate
Phil Wood, CEO of John R. Wood Properties, has announced that the firm completed the merger of their long-time Sanibel franchisee, which operates under the name of John R. Wood Island Real Estate.
John R Wood Properties Creates College Scholarships to Commemorate 60th Anniversary
Naples, FL: (February 27, 2018) Local real estate business John R. Wood Properties, Inc. today announced Southwest Florida’s most experienced real estate company will donate $60,000 to provide college scholarships to deserving students.
According to president Phil Wood, the firm...
Our Sincerest Gratitude - Hurricane Irma
What we have all witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma is truly remarkable. From the tireless work of our first responders, utility workers and public service employees, to the charitable organizations and volunteers assisting neighbors in need, we are grateful for everyone working to restore Southwest Florida.
All of your selfless efforts are a testament to the compassion
and resilience of our beloved communities.
John R. Wood Properties Receives Best Residential Real Estate Agency Award
NAPLES, AUGUST 2, 2017 – Founded in 1958, John R. Wood Properties, one of the oldest real estate companies in Southwest Florida, with almost 60 years of industry and market experience, has been named as the Best Residential Real Estate Agency in the Gulfshore Business Magazine’s 2017 Best of Business Awards.
John R. Wood Properties Named Number 8 for Best Designed Real Estate Website
John R. Wood Properties has been named No. 8 as having the Best of Design for its company website, www.johnrwood.com, by REAL Trends’ 2017 Real Estate WEBSITE RANKINGS.
VANLOO NAMED CFO OF JRW
John R. Wood Properties today announced that it has named Gwen M. VanLoo as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
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Emile Berliner
Board of Directors and Volunteers
Staff and Guides
Design Montreal RCA, The Sixties and the Seventies
Montreal in space
Montreal Radio in Wartime
Disque / Disc
Berliner Archive
Tracy, Todd, & Oliver Berliner Reference Library
2018 Annual Fundraising Evening
Emile Berliner Sound & Image Archive
25th anniversary, fundraising evening December 6, 2017
Fall 2017 Lectures at Musée des ondes Emile Berliner
Fundraising evening December 8
MOEB Auction
20 years of public exhibitions, fundraising soirée
Les Journées de la culture 2016 à Montréal
July 16, 2016 Auction
Home » Exhibitions
April 9, 2017 until Summer 2018
April 19, 2015 - March 15, 2016
May 8, 2016 to March 19, 2017
May 09, 2014 to February 20, 2014
Monday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visits of our collection room by appointment
Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with guided tours from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with guided tours
Sunday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with guided tours
Intercom service during weekends
Parking is available on Lenoir Street during weekends
Groups by appointment at anytime.
Musée des ondes Emile Berliner
The Mission of the Museum is to collect, preserve, curate, research, depict, and exhibit audio artifacts, interpreting their significance — scientific and technical, social and cultural, historic and economic — to Quebec, Canada and the world i.e. made available to the widest possible public.
© MUSEE DES ONDES EMILE BERLINER
Integration/Hosting - Les Productions Web LM
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Punk Fashion Pioneer Judy Blame Dead at 58
UniversalImagesGroup, Getty Images
Judy Blame, a pioneering jeweler, fashion stylist, and art director whose aesthetic helped shape the look of the British punk scene in the '80s, has passed away at the age of 58.
Blame's work first made an impact in U.K. clubs early in the decade, latching on with consumers who responded to his low-budget approach — most notably the practice he dubbed "mudlarking," which involved fishing detritus out of the Thames River and repurposing it for his jewelry. By the middle of the decade, he'd risen to such prominence that he was involved in the founding of the art collective known as the House of Beauty and Culture.
While the punk movement proved relatively short-lived, Blame's career continued unimpeded beyond the music's time in the pop culture spotlight. He consulted for a wide variety of designers over the ensuing decades and was also instrumental in helping shape the public images of a number of pop stars, including Boy George, Björk, and Kylie Minogue. Blame was still working steadily shortly before his death, offering what he called a "montage" of his work, the solo exhibit Judy Blame: Never Again, in 2016.
"I’m not classically trained in anything, I kind of use my gut instinct, or it’s about the pure visual of it. It’s quite organic, the way I do it, it sounds really corny to say that, but it is how I do it," Blame laughed after the show opened. "I get a lot of pleasure out of making something physically with my hands, and I think that’s why I’ve never got bored with it, because I’m forever looking for something else."
Blame's passing has already been publicly mourned by a number of his friends, peers, clients, and acolytes — among them Boy George, who paid tribute via social media to an artist he summed up as "beautiful, talented and arch as hell."
Source: Punk Fashion Pioneer Judy Blame Dead at 58
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The Native Medicinal Plant Research Garden is at 1865 E. 1600 Road in Douglas County, less than 10 minutes from downtown Lawrence and adjacent to the Prairie Moon Waldorf School grounds. It is part of the KU Field Station, which includes about 1,600 acres of research land with public trails three miles north of the garden.
The Native Medicinal Plant Research Garden includes the research area, made up of 50 feet long rows that hold about 15-20 species, and the interpretive garden consisting of medicinal plants, many with informational signage, and other native plants. The Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners and KU Native Medicinal Plant Research Garden are expanding our selection of native species and the educational value of the garden. The Extension Master Gardeners also educate and work with interns, student workers and volunteers to plant and maintain the rows and interpretive garden. The KU Student Farm, run by student coordinators and made up of plots where KU students, faculty and staff grow their own vegetables, is also located at the site. In addition, the adjacent lands at the site are used by graduate students, faculty and other researchers to conduct field ecology research. The garden is open to the public dawn to dusk. We ask that you leave pets at home, as this is a research garden and our intent is to keep it as clean as possible.
From time to time, we will hold tours and educational events there. Please check our Events tab for upcoming events.
Directions (see Map): From downtown Lawrence, travel north across the bridge and follow Highway 59 to Highway 40. Turn east and travel 1.5 miles to East 1600 Road, then half a mile north to the garden. Please be careful at the intersection of Highway 40 and East 1600 Road.
Alternate bike route (see Map): From downtown Lawrence, head north across the bridge. At the north end of the bridge, take an immediate right (heading east) onto the Kansas River levee trail. Follow the trail approximately one mile to the North 8th Street and Oak Street access point and head north half a block to Oak. Turn right (east) for one long block to North 9th Street/East 1550 Road, the city limit, then four blocks north to Maple Street/North 1650. Turn east onto the gravel road and travel half a mile (the factory will be on your left) to East 1600. Turn left (north) and travel a total of two miles, passing under I-70 and across Highway 40; the garden is half a mile north of Highway 40. Be very careful crossing Highway 40.
Nearby prairie area: Rockefeller Prairie, an exceptionally diverse native prairie with unusual and rare prairie species, is located only three miles north of the garden at the KU Field Station. See the map to Field Station sites and the public trail system map of the KU Field Station to plan your trip.
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September 14, 2018–January 20, 2019
Herzfeld Center for Photography and Media Arts
Family Pictures explores the ways in which black photographers and artists have portrayed a range of familial relationships, from blood relatives to close-knit neighborhoods to queer communities.
Beginning with Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes’s groundbreaking 1955 book The Sweet Flypaper of Life, the exhibition gathers photographic series, installations, and videos by an intergenerational group of artists, including John Edmonds, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Lyle Ashton Harris, Deana Lawson, Lorraine O’Grady, Gordon Parks, Sondra Perry, Ming Smith, and Carrie Mae Weems. Their images of family life often maneuver between intimate, everyday stories and broader political realities, between the universal human condition and the particular histories of race in the United States. As Lawson says of her work, “Every day is political, the everyday is personal.”
A touchstone for several of the artists in the exhibition is the work of Roy DeCarava (American, 1919-2009). Coming of age in Harlem during the 1940s, DeCarava reacted against what he saw as superficial stereotypes and “sociological” studies of his neighborhood by mostly white outsiders. With the aid of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1952, the artist set out to create expressive photographs of life in his community. He eventually published 140 pictures along with text by Langston Hughes in The Sweet Flypaper of Life (1955), a fictional family album that tenderly captures intimate moments of domestic life both in Harlem and seemingly everywhere.
Organized by the Columbus Museum of Art
LaToya Ruby Frazier, Momme, 2008. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy of the artist and Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York.
Deana Lawson, Mohawk Correctional Facility: Jazmin & Family, 2013 (installation view). Inkjet prints. Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio: Museum Purchase with funds provided by The Contemporaries.
Supporting Sponsors: Milwaukee Art Museum’s African American Art Alliance David C. & Sarajean Ruttenberg Arts Foundation
Exhibitions in the Herzfeld Center for Photography and Media Arts sponsored by: Herzfeld Foundation Madeleine and David Lubar
See full event calendar »
Carrie Mae Weems, from Family Pictures and Stories, 1981-82. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.
For more information, please contact the visitor services department at 414-224-3200 or mam@mam.org
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Noah Weisberg Will Star in the National Tour of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
August 1st, 2018 | By Ryan Gilbert
Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew, cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two? This candy-tastic cast can! Noah Weisberg (Broadway's Legally Blonde, South Pacific, Elf) will star as Willy Wonka in the national tour of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical. Directed by Tony winner Jack O'Brien, the traveling production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will kick off September 21 in Buffalo, NY, before continuing on to cities all across the country.
In addition to Weisberg, the touring cast will include Henry Boshart (Fun Home), Collin Jeffery (Kinky Boots) and Rueby Wood (Mary Poppins) sharing the role of Charlie Bucket. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.
Willy Wonka is opening his marvelous and mysterious chocolate factory…to a lucky few. That includes Charlie Bucket, whose bland life is about to sweeten with color and confection beyond his wildest dreams. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing joyride through a world of pure imagination. Now’s your chance to experience the wonders of Wonka like never before—get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper!
Featuring songs from the original film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from Hairspray Tony winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory boasts a book by David Greig and choreography by Tony nominee Joshua Bergasse.
To find out when Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is headed to your city, click here.
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Disability Alert
Fighting for those with Mental Illness
Living Bipolar
Mental Health Books Blog
The Daily Uplift
Windjourney\’s Weblog
advocacy alpha-stim alternative treatment anxiety article awareness awarenss Bipolar disorder Book Recomendation books borderline personality disorder coping depression depression checklist depression fallout depression in relationships eduacation Education Electrical therapy empowerment events facts faqs government healing links manic depression mental health mental health awareness mental health foundation mental health report card mental health resources mental health services mental illness mental illness and the workplace metal health Nami recovery Resources schizophrenia services Site Recomendation smoking stigma stigma. mental health stress suicide prevention support symptoms television therapy mental health treatment video websites
Book Recomendation
Electrical therapy
Site Recomendation
A therapeutic resource…
Filed under: Resources, Site Recomendation | Tags: depression, mental health resources, mental illness, Resources, Site Recomendation, stress, therapy mental health
AbuseConsultants.com
Kathy Broady, LCSW
3630 North Josey Lane, Suite 100
AbuseConsultants.com has been developed as an innovative site for the online treatment of trauma, sexual abuse, dissociative disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, bipolar, anxiety, and self injury. Our depths of understanding and creative approaches to healing are truly unique.
AbuseConsultants.com offers in-person office-based sessions with a licensed clinical social worker in Carrollton, TX, a northern suburb of Dallas, Texas. Telephone sessions are also available. Email consultations and IM sessions are available online.
AbuseConsultants.com provides assistance, comfort, treatment, and information for adults, teenagers, and children who are or have been devastated by the long-term effects of abuse.
AbuseConsultants.com addresses the needs for support peoples who are, even though they may be totally overwhelmed, genuinely interested and invested in the recovery of their loved one from the effects of abuse.
AbuseConsultants.com addresses a variety of related mental health issues, works to learn more about “what really helps”, and researches the contributions of other areas of expertise, specifically as they relate to trauma recovery.
The information provided on this blog and on AbuseConsultants.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician.
www.AbuseConsultants.com
Filed under: awareness, Education, Resources | Tags: advocacy, awareness, eduacation, mental health, mental illness, Resources, services
“Advocacy For Mental Illness” PDF.
“Advocacy is an important means of raising awareness on mental health issues and insuring that mental health is on the narional agenda of govenrnments. Advocacy can lead to improvements in policy, legislation, and service development.”
Violence and mental illness
Filed under: awareness, Education, Resources, stigma | Tags: Education, facts, faqs, mental illness, Resources, stigma
Violence and Mental Illness: The Facts
The discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses largely stem from the link between mental illness and violence in the minds of the general public, according to the U.S. Surgeon General (DHHS, 1999). The belief that persons with mental illness are dangerous is a significant factor in the development of stigma and discrimination (Corrigan, et al., 2002). The effects of stigma and discrimination are profound. The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health found that, “Stigma leads others to avoid living, socializing, or working with, renting to, or employing people with mental disorders – especially severe disorders, such as schizophrenia. It leads to low self-esteem, isolation, and hopelessness. It deters the public from seeking and wanting to pay for care. Responding to stigma, people with mental health problems internalize public attitudes and become so embarrassed or ashamed that they often conceal symptoms and fail to seek treatment (New Freedom Commission, 2003).”
This link is often promoted by the entertainment and news media. For example, Mental Health America, (formerly the National Mental Health Association) reported that, according to a survey for the Screen Actors’ Guild, characters in prime time television portrayed as having a mental illness are depicted as the most dangerous of all demographic groups: 60 percent were shown to be involved in crime or violence. Also most news accounts portray people with mental illness as dangerous (Mental Health America, 1999). The vast majority of news stories on mental illness either focus on other negative characteristics related to people with the disorder (e.g., unpredictability and unsociability) or on medical treatments. Notably absent are positive stories that highlight recovery of many persons with even the most serious of mental illnesses (Wahl, et al., 2002). Inaccurate and stereotypical representations of mental illness also exist in other mass media, such as films, music, novels and cartoons (Wahl, 1995).
Most citizens believe persons with mental illnesses are dangerous. A longitudinal study of American’s attitudes on mental health between 1950 and 1996 found, “the proportion of Americans who describe mental illness in terms consistent with violent or dangerous behavior nearly doubled.” Also, the vast majority of Americans believe that persons with mental illnesses pose a threat for violence towards others and themselves (Pescosolido, et al., 1996, Pescosolido et al., 1999).
As a result, Americans are hesitant to interact with people who have mental illnesses. Thirty-eight percent are unwilling to be friends with someone having mental health difficulties; sixty-four percent do not want someone who has schizophrenia as a close co-worker, and more than sixty-eight percent are unwilling to have someone with depression marry into their family (Pescosolido, et al., 1996).
But, in truth, people have little reason for such fears. In reviewing the research on violence and mental illness, the Institute of Medicine concluded, “Although studies suggest a link between mental illnesses and violence, the contribution of people with mental illnesses to overall rates of violence is small,” and further, “the magnitude of the relationship is greatly exaggerated in the minds of the general population (Institute of Medicine, 2006). Other risk factors have more to do with violent behavior such as past violent victimization, lack of social supports, and substance abuse,. (Hiday, 2006; Swanson, J. et al., 2002).
“Research has shown that the vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).”
“. . . [T]he absolute risk of violence among the mentally ill as a group is still very small and . . . only a small proportion of the violence in our society can be attributed to persons who are mentally ill (Mulvey, 1994).”
People with psychiatric disabilities are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent crime (Appleby, et al., 2001). Researchers at North Carolina State University and Duke University found that people with severe mental illnesses, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or psychosis, are 2 ½ times more likely to be attacked, raped or mugged than the general population (Hiday, et al., 1999).
People with mental illnesses can and do recover. People with mental illnesses can recover or manage their conditions and go on to lead happy, healthy, productive lives. They contribute to society and make the world a better place. People can often benefit from medication, rehabilitation, talk therapy, self help or a combination of these. One of the most important factors in recovery is the understanding and acceptance of family and friends.
“Most people who suffer from a mental disorder are not violent — there is no need to fear them. Embrace them for who they are — normal human beings experiencing a difficult time, who need your open mind, caring attitude, and helpful support (Grohol, 1998).”
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Fact Sheet: Violence and Mental Illness. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Appleby, L., Mortensen, P. B., Dunn, G., & Hiroeh, U. (2001). Death by homicide, suicide, and other unnatural causes in people with mental illness: a population-based study. The Lancet, 358, 2110-2112.
Corrigan, P.W., Rowan, D., Green, A., et al. (2002) .Challenging two mental illness stigmas: Personal responsibility and dangerousness. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 28, 293-309.
DHHS. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/toc.html
Grohol, J. M. (1998). Dispelling the violence myth. Psych Central. Available: http://psychcentral.com/archives/violence.htm
Hiday, V. A. (2006). Putting Community Risk in Perspective: a Look at Correlations, Causes and Controls. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 29, 316-331.
Hiday, V.A., Swartz, M.S., Swanson, J.W., et al. (1999). Criminal victimization of persons with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 50, 62–68.
Institute of Medicine, Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine, 2006.
Mental Health America. American Opinions on Mental Health Issues. Alexandria: NMHA, 1999.
Monahan, J. & Arnold, J. (1996). Violence by people with mental Illness: a consensus statement by advocates and researchers. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 19, 67-70.
Mulvey, E. P. (1994). Assessing the evidence of a link between mental illness and violence. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 45, 663-668.
Pescosolido, B.A., Martin, J.K., Link, B.G., et al. Americans’ Views of Mental Health and Illness at Century’s End: Continuity and Change. Public Report on the MacArthur Mental health Module, 1996 General Social Survey. Bloomington: Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research and Joseph P. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 2000. Available: http://www.indiana.edu/~icmhsr/amerview1.pdf
Pescosolido, B.A., Monahan, J. Link, B.G. Stueve, A., & Kikuzawa, S. (1999). The public’s view of the competence, dangerousness, and need for legal coercion of persons with mental health problems. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1339-1345.
New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America. Final Report. DHHS Pub. No. SMA-03-3832. Rockville, MD: 2003.
Swanson, J.W., Swartz, M.S., Essock, S.M, et al. (2002).The social-environmental context of violent behavior in persons treated for severe mental illness. American Journal of Public Health, 92, 1523-1532.
Wahl, O. (1995). Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Wahl, O.F., et al. (2002). Newspaper coverage of mental illness: is it changing? Psychiatric Rehabilitation Skills, 6, 9-31.
For more information about how to address discrimination and stigma, contact the SAMHSA Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center), a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services at http://stopstigma.samhsa.gov, e-mail stopstigma@samhsa.hhs.gov, or call 800–540–0320.
Filed under: Resources | Tags: anxiety, Bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, mental health, mental health resources, mental health services, mental illness, Nami, Resources, stigma, suicide prevention, support, websites
The following organizations provide information and resources for mental illness:
Severe Anxiety
Overcoming Social Phobia One Step At A Time
A well-written site about Social Phobia, resources for help, advice for dealing with the illness, and links to many other sites. “Severe social anxiety is one of the most difficult disorders to overcome. It can literally destroy your life in a matter of months. People do no realize that their is no real treatment to rid yourself of social anxiety, sure there is medication that is available through your family doctor. But how on earth does someone with severe social anxiety get this medication when their number one fear is in social interaction?”
http://www.severe-social-anxiety.com/
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
http://www.samhsa.gov/
Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma
ADS Center
Email: stopstigma@samhsa.gov
http://www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov/
Drug Abuse Information and Treatment Referral Line
(Sponsored by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment)
TollFree: 800-622-HELP (4357)
Health Resources and Services Administration Information Center (HRSA)
Email: ask@hrsa.gov
Toll Free: 1-866-615-NIMH (6464)
Email: nimhinfo@nih.gov
http://www.nimh.nih.gov
Toll Free: 888-333-AFSP
Email: inquiry@afsp.org
http://www.afsp.org/index-1.htm
http://www.psych.org/index.cfm
http://www.apa.org
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
http://www.adaa.org
Borderline Personality Disorder Research Foundation (BPDRF)
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Email: BPDRF.USA@VERIZON.NET
http://www.borderlineresearch.org
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
http://www.bpkids.org/
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
http://www.DBSAlliance.org
Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association (DRADA)
Email: drada@jhmi.edu
http://www.drada.org/
http://www.freedomfromfear.com
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD)
Email: info@narsad.org
http://www.narsad.org
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Toll Free: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
http://www.nami.org
National Eating Disorders Association
Email: info@NationalEatingDisorders.org
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
http://www.nmha.org
National Mental Health Information Center
Email: info@mentalhealth.org
http://www.mentalhealth.org
The Reach Institute
The Reach Insitiute
This 501c3 non-profit has the CEO’s of many of the family advocacy organizations on its board. It’s mission is to ensure that the latest interventions are available in every community by ensuring that health care providers can get trained in the latest methods.
Peter S. Jensen, MD
President & CEO, The REACH Institute
REsource for Advancing Children’s Health
NY, NY
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£12m Government deal for mail firm
metrowebukmetroMonday 8 Jan 2007 9:00 am
A rival company to the Royal Mail confirmed it had won a £12 million postal contract from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Business Post Group said its postal company UK Mail will handle 82 million mailings from two DWP centres in the north of England, including pension and benefits statements and winter fuel payment notifications.
The Financial Times said the deal with UK Mail came as the DWP looked to cut up to £5 million from its £70 million annual bill for postage services.
The DWP is the first Whitehall department to ditch the Royal Mail in a blow to the Government-owned former postal monopoly.
Departments across Whitehall have been urged by the Cabinet Office to put their mailing operations out to tender in a bid to cut costs, threatening further losses of business for Royal Mail.
The DWP contract was awarded after a year-long trial in which post was handled by UK Mail and TNT Post, Royal Mail’s leading competitors.
Business Post chief executive Guy Buswell said the firm was “delighted” to have won “this very significant contract”.
“It being the first such contract awarded by central Government, it was a highly competitive process and follows a year-long trial period during which we operated alongside other independent operator,” he said.
“Our expectation is that this decision will pave the way for other public sector organisations to look beyond Royal Mail for their postal service provision.”
The deal is worth £12 million a year and will see UK Mail collect post from the DWP’s distribution centres in Washington, Tyne and Wear, and Norcross, Lancashire, sort it and hand it over to Royal Mail for delivery.
Cabinet OfficeDepartment for Work and Pensions
Council punishes widow, 86, and leaves her penniless for 'saving too much of her pension'
My Label and Me: I am not a 'scrounger' because I claim benefits
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metropolitanpartnership
Urban Projects
Suburban Projects
Warehouse Projects
You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys
10 Light Street
With the depth of experience gained from the Historic Preservation of 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue and the adaptive reuse of 259 Worth Avenue in the heart of the Palm Beach Historic District, Metropolitan purchased 10 Light Street in 2012 and will commence its Historic renovation and conversion to residential use. The 520,000 square foot, 34 story structure will be converted to 445 for-lease residences.
The building, currently known as The Bank of America Building, formerly the Baltimore Trust Company Building, is a 509 foot skyscraper located in the heart of Baltimore’s Historic Financial District, at the corner of East Redwood and Light Streets. It is the most architecturally signifiant building on the Baltimore skyline. When completed in 1929, it was the tallest building in the state, and the tallest office building in the United States south of New York City. The Art Deco building is fashioned from Indiana limestone and local brick over a steel frame. The building’s exterior is decorated with carved, Mayan Revival-style images and is capped with a copper and gold mansard roof. The ornate, four-story main colonnaded lobby is decorated with mosaic floors and historic murals depicting Baltimore’s history.
Plans for the conversion of the building to residential use are being developed in conjunction with the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, and the Baltimore Development Corporation. For the last several months, these agencies have worked with the previous owner and the developer on plans for its sale and conversion to residential use. It’s redevelopment will continue the strong residential growth pattern in the center of the historical financial district. The area, known as City Center, contains The 401, Baltimore’s fastest-growing residential neighborhood according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Housing demand research by Downtown Partnership, shows market demand for 5,800 new apartments in Downtown Baltimore over the next five years. The same neighborhood contains the highest concentration of office and employment uses in the city making for a dynamic walk to work environment fully supported by the retail of the Inner Harbor.
Adding retail and hundreds of new residents to the City Center will bolster a 24-hour life and critical mass of people in this important section of Downtown. The building, at 34 stories, has unsurpassed views of the city skyline and the Inner Harbor.
Other recent redevelopment efforts by the developer includes last year’s submission to the GSA to convert 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue (the historic Old Post Office) to a Waldorf Astoria hotel with a full compliment of destination retail on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter, Metropolitan engaged the same preservation experts to formulate a redevelopment plan for conversion of Baltimore’s most iconic landmark, 10 Light Street, to residential and retail use.
info@metropolitanpartnership.com
Metropolitan Partnership, Ltd.
703.442.9500. 10740 Parkridge Blvd. Suite 120. Reston, VA 20191. ceuwer@metropolitanpartnership.com
Metropolitan Partnership, Ltd. is a U.S. development firm with principal operations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the Eastern U.S. It was formed in 1984. Among its projects are the historic Evening Star Building, Tysons International Plaza and Fairfax Square, all designed by David Childs, FAIA of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill as design principal.
After completing graduate programs at Cornell and Harvard in 1979, Cary Euwer joined the established and well respected development firm of Cabot, Cabot & Forbes in Boston, Massachusetts. With initial training on the completion of 60 State Street, Euwer then set up CC&F’s Washington, D.C. office to develop 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue. With the completion of this 427,000 square foot landmark, Euwer obtained the development rights to a prime block in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. That development, known as 250 West Pratt Street, commenced construction of its 26 story tower in 1983.
With five years of valuable training and development of nearly a million square feet, Euwer founded Metropolitan Partnership, Ltd. in 1984. The initial projects in planning were 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Tyson’s International Plaza and Fairfax Square. Together, these projects totaled over one million square feet and were completed by 1991.
With the development of Fairfax Square which involved 150,000 square feet of high-end retail, Metropolitan forged relationships with a number of luxury retailers. These relationships led to developments from Florida to New York for clients such as Tiffany & Co., Hermes of Paris, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lacoste.
As Metropolitan’s expertise in retail grew, further opportunities followed. In 1998, Metropolitan was contracted to provide the development skill necessary for the retail repositioning of 1500 Broadway located in the heart of Times Square. The three year long project culminated in the five floor construction of the studios for ABC and the Disney Studio.
In 1998, Metropolitan formed a joint venture with Koll Development Company, the nation’s fifth largest office developer, to develop over 400,000 square feet of first class office space in Northern Virginia. As the nation’s strongest office market, these developments quickly pre-leased and became the corporate headquarters of XO Communications and Net2000.
Expanding on it’s retail relationships, Metropolitan developed a 900,000 sf open air center in Richmond, Virginia anchored by Target, Regal Cinemas and Golds Gym.
In 2011, Metropolitan joined with Hilton Worldwide link in response to the General Service Administration’s request for proposals to redevelop the Old Post Office at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. The Hilton-Metropolitan submission to the GSA includes Hilton’s iconic branding as a flagship Waldorf Astoria hotel joined by many of Metropolitan’s retail relationships.
In addition to wholly owned and joint venture properties, Metropolitan Partnership has contracted with other owners of real estate to advise and develop properties on a fee basis.
See PROJECTS to browse our portfolio.
See RETAIL to browse our retail projects.
Metropolitan has managed more than $300 million of new construction since 1984. We have represented the sole interests of the property owner in the construction of large commercial office buildings, office tenants, high end retail stores, even underground tank removal projects.
As the Construction Manager, we have started with a concept, built a team of architects, engineers, consultants, general contractor, testing & inspection companies, and managed large and small scale construction projects from beginning to end.
Consulting Services:
Development of Overall Construction Program and Budget, Development of Master Schedules, Tenant’s Construction Representative, Administer Lease Requirements, Cost Estimation, Value Engineering, Selection of Project Consultants, Engineers and Specialists, Review of Design, Professional Agreements, Coordination of Architect, Engineers and Other Design Professionals, Construction Contract Document Reviews, Review and Analyze Construction Plans for Accuracy, Obtain Building Permits, Bid Packaging and Organization, Coordinate Inspections By Architect and Engineer, Quality Control Inspection, On Site Monitoring and Observation, Coordination of Utility and Service Requirements, Project Accounting, Pre-Qualification and Selection of Contractors, Coordination of Owner’s Vendors, Suppliers and Subcontractors.
FAIRFAX CONTRACTORS
Some of the finest retailers in the world have selected The Fairfax Company, a wholly owned affiliate of Metropolitan, as their General Contractor. Clients such as Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue and Mark Cross demand the same level of service from a General Contractor that they are accustomed to providing to their own customers.
See FAIRFAX CONTRACTORS for more information.
Having provided asset management for over 1.8 million square feet of commercial property, Metropolitan Partnership, Ltd. is keenly aware of the crucial importance of putting the goals and objectives of the Owner into reality. Because of this, Metropolitan is committed to conscientious planning and to optimizing the returns a property is capable of generating. While the chief focus of asset management is financial return of the property (both short and long term), asset management is also responsible for the integration of all leasing and marketing efforts toward achieving the return goals desired by the Owner.
Metropolitan’s asset management team is involved in all aspects of the performance of the on-site management and leasing team. Since the financial return of the property is directly related to the efforts of this team, Metropolitan periodically reviews and, if necessary, adjusts the efforts of the on-site team to assure optimum performance.. In addition, asset management is also concerned with legal and environmental concerns of owning real property. Whether the issue is Americans with Disabilities Act or CFC’s, Metropolitan will apprise the Owner of its responsibilities and ensure compliance in a cost effective manner.
With careful management and effective implementation, Metropolitan’s asset management service is able to not only preserve an Owner’s physical asset but also maximize the yield and enhance its value.
Metropolitan Management, Inc. is a full service property management firm dedicated to providing both tenants and owners with comprehensive, professional services in financial and operational management. Formed in 1987, Metropolitan
Management has managed a portfolio of over 1.8 million square feet of office, retail and industrial properties. The company has successfully served the needs of such nationally known office and retail tenants as AT&T, Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young, and Tiffany & Co.
Our reputation for successful tenant relations is based on anticipating, understanding and responding quickly to tenant requests. The beneficial result of Metropolitan Management’s comprehensive management services is not only tenant satisfaction and retention but also steady asset appreciation.
Services Provided: Metropolitan Management provides a full scope of property management services to fit its clients’ objectives. We can customize your needs to include Asset Management, Financial Management, Tenant Construction and Capital Improvement, Supervision, Mechanical Equipment Maintenance Administration, Security, and Facilities Management.
Visit our Retail, Urban, Suburban, Warehouse and Land Development Project pages to browse our portfolio.
Retail Consulting
As part of its overall package of retail services, Metropolitan Partnership, Ltd. advises retail clients in matters relating to strategic planning and demographic analysis enabling them to grow and expand in major metropolitan markets world wide. Clients including Tiffany & Company and Hermès of Paris have grown and expanded into markets such as Washington, D.C. and Palm Beach with the assistance of Metropolitan.
Metropolitan assists the client to gather demographic and psychographic data, profile their customer, target specific markets, solicit lease offerings, complete financial analysis, and negotiate their leases. We have assisted retailers in the selection of their architect and contractors as well as served as their construction manager or general contractor. Further services available to the client include coordination of opening events, and the training of store personnel regarding facilities operations through the production of “The Store Manager’s Guide to Facilities Operation”.
Business Description: Realizing the specialized needs in the leasing of luxury and high-end retail, the Metropolitan Companies formed a division dedicated to marketing real estate specifically to high-end retailers. The first project, Fairfax Square, located in Tysons Corner, Virginia was successfully leased in its first full year of operation and anchored by Tiffany & Company, Hermès of Paris, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Fendi.
Metropolitan then went on to lease 259 Worth Avenue in Palm Beach and was retained to lease La Strada, a high-end mixed-use project in Mexico City.
Services Provided: As part of the overall package of leasing services provided to our clients as tenants or landlords, Metropolitan can provide market analysis, demographic analysis, construction budgeting, lease negotiation, and construction coordination.
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The Fairfax Company
The Louis Vuitton store in Tysons Corner (shown above) illustrates the unique needs of the high-end retailer. In order to open for the Holiday shopping season, the store was constructed on a 24 hour a day schedule allowing completion in only three weeks. Renovation of Tiffany & Co. (Fairfax Square) was performed in all after hours work shifts to avoid conflicts with their store hours.
Saks Fifth Avenue’s first floor renovation in Chevy Chase was also completed on schedule using after hours work crews. Our construction management team, at the request of our retail clients, have traveled to New York, Philadelphia and Florida to provide construction management and supervision on a number of high profile projects.
Founded in 1990, The Fairfax Company has completed an impressive portfolio of interior construction projects. The company was established and has rapidly expanded its market share based on a simple philosophy, “exceed the expectations of the client.”
Whether providing an accurate conceptual budget for effective lease negotiations or coordinating the team members to ensure a fast-track schedule, the final results accurately represent the success of this philosophy. Corporate clients such as AT&T, Merrill Lynch (below), PaineWebber and Cable & Wireless have all become repeat clients as a result of The Fairfax Company’s ability to exceed their expectations.
The Fairfax Company’s specific expertise is tenant construction and interior renovation. A wide range of services, including General Contracting, Construction Management, Design/Build and Preconstruction Services are tailored to our client’s specific needs. Each project is approached with the goal of providing the highest quality workmanship while working within the prescribed budget and time constraints.
Metropolitan has managed more than $1 billion of new construction since 1984. We have represented the sole interests of the property owner in the construction of large commercial office buildings, office tenants, high-end retail stores, even underground tank removal projects.
Metropolitan’s asset management team is involved in all aspects of the performance of the on-site management and leasing team. Since the financial return of the property is directly related to the efforts of this team, Metropolitan periodically reviews and, if necessary, adjusts the efforts of the on-site team to assure optimum performance. In addition, asset management is also concerned with legal and environmental concerns of owning real property. Whether the issue is Americans with Disabilities Act or CFC’s, Metropolitan will apprise the Owner of its responsibilities and ensure compliance in a cost effective manner.
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Home Business Finance & Acquisitions
Bloomberg Says U.S. ‘Giving Away’ Medical Cannabis Business
Joanne Cachapero
Financial publication Bloomberg BusinessWeek this week profiled the nearly impossible process undertaken by U.S. researchers that would like to conduct studies on medical cannabis, but are prohibited from do so because of federal restrictions on cannabis.
The controversy over medical cannabis research, in the Bloomberg piece, is illustrated by the efforts of Lyle Cracker, a professor who teaches botany at the agricultural college of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. For 17 years, Cracker has been trying to obtain a federal license to grow “research grade marijuana” for studies. Cracker first applied in 2001 at the urging of Rick Doblin, founder and executive director of nonprofit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which advocates for use of alternative drug therapies, including cannabis.
Cracker told Bloomberg that he has never smoked cannabis or even had a drink of alcohol. And he also told them, “I’m never gonna get the license.” His highest hopes, during the Obama administration, were dashed with the new administration.
Meantime, countries like Israel, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom are leading the globe in medical cannabis research.
“I definitely know for a fact that Israel is way ahead of the United States and they have been for quite some time now,” said nonprofit Cannakids founder and CEO Tracy Ryan in a previous interview with mg magazine.
Her organization advocates for pediatric cannabis oil medicine and Ryan has traveled globally to speak and work with researchers toward creating cannabis medicines for cancer, epilepsy, and autism, among others. Ryan’s daughter, Sophie, has been affected by cancer and started on-going chemotherapy at 1-year old for optic pathway glioma, an aggressive tumor that affects her optic nerve. Now in kindergarten, Ryan attributes her daughter’s remarkable resilience and health to treatment with cannabis oil.
“The Ministry of Health in Israel really believes in [cannabis] as a medicine. They now have gone legal there, as well,” Ryan explained. “You also have Canada leading the charge. Australia is getting in the game. We know researchers in Uruguay, Ireland, and Jamaica. There’s support coming from the powers that be in Jamaica, to do clinical trials there.”
Ryan said that access to medical cannabis has become easier in the United States, with expanded legalization by states. However, federal Schedule 1 classification for cannabis means that it has “no medical value” by definition, and is a harmful drug like cocaine or heroin. It also means that U.S. researchers can make very little progress.
“If you look at the country as a whole, it has gotten more accessible and we’ve had a bunch of states go legal. But even in a lot of these legal states, they don’t have dispensaries on-line yet that have access to quality medication,” Ryan described. “They don’t have concentrates or formulated tinctures for even dosing, so we’re still up a lot of challenges in the industry, but I’m very happy to see where we’ve come in just such short time.
“There are hurdles in the way,” Ryan continued. “But if our government doesn’t allow us to seek the path that we’re trying to walk down, we have a lot of international partners that are ready to take this information and research, and hit the ground running in their countries, and support us in conducting trials abroad.”
The Bloomberg report comes even as more research results seem to indicate that medical cannabis may be effective in treating several serious conditions, including chronic pain, epilepsy, opioid addiction, fibromyalgia, and others.
In an unrelated story, U.S. Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar said last week at a press conference that there is “no such thing as medical marijuana.”
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NY Prize Stage 1 Awards: Who, Why and What’s it Mean for Community Microgrids
July 9, 2015 By Elisa Wood 23 Comments
New York showed itself as the nation’s leader in community microgrid development July 8 by awarding funds for an unprecedented 83 projects through its $40 million NY Prize.
No other state has made such a vigorous foray into this type of microgrid, which focuses largely on keeping critical facilities up and running in a community when the central grid fails.
The New York State Research and Development Authority had originally planned to award 25 community microgrids $100,000 each for feasibility studies, the first round of funding in the three-stage NY Prize. But when more than 130 applications poured in, the state increased the initial pool.
Micah Kotch, director of NY Prize and NYSERDA’s strategic adviser for innovation, said the state decided to increase the number of awards because of the strength of the submissions.
“It is certainly a pleasant surprise that NYSERDA encouraged so many communities to apply and that they have awarded more feasibility study grants than expected,” said Sally Jacquemin, microgrid business manager for Siemens, which is partnering in 16 projects that received Stage 1 funding. “This demonstrates the commitment of NY leadership in developing resilient communities across the state.”
She also attributed the early success of the NY Prize to the fact that industry partners came together to approach communities and support the application process.
“There is not only interest from communities but also from engineering firms, consultants, technology companies and more to develop these projects,” Jacquemin said.
The field will narrow as projects vie for additional funding in the next two NY Prize stages. Projects that win Stage 2 funding will receive $1 million for design and Stage 3 winners will win $7 million toward construction.
But even the initial $100,000 awards could kickstart those that do not win in the next stages and help them attract private capital or other NY state clean energy funds.
“Energy infrastructure requires large capital investments and even in the projects that will win, the NYSERDA contribution is unlikely to be the main financing component,” said Dirk van Ouwerkerk, lead partner for Anbaric Microgrid, which is partnering on projects on Long Island and Staten Island that won the feasibilty study money. “Most importantly, the NY Prize provides an institutional context and support that is required for other investors, both private and public, to step to the fore.”
Many well-known companies in the microgrid space are teaming with the local communities to work on the projects, among them Anbaric, Burns Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, Eaton, IPERC, GE Energy, Green Energy Group, Landis & Gyr, NRG Energy, OBG, Power Analytics, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Spirae and Viridity Energy.
The New York Power Authority (NYPA), Long Island Power Authority and utilites in the states also are participating in the teams, as well as organizations active in energy, such as Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Microgrid Institute, and the Pace Energy & Climate Center.
New York has been an early national leader in microgrid development with its Reforming the Energy Vision, a sweeping regulatory change that elevates use of microgrids and distributed energy. The strong showing in the first stage of the NY Prize is likely to draw attention from other states considering microgrids.
“Many states are watching this program to learn from it and determine if similar programs may benefit their communities. It’s important to link the success of the NY Prize to proposed regulatory changes – if both are successful, we’ll see other states follow in NY’s footsteps,” Jacquemin said.
As the map below shows, projects are located statewide, but they tend to cluster in the high population and energy-dense south eastern part of the state. This area, particularly New York City and Long Island, lends itself to distributed generation because there is little room — and tolerance among residents — for large, centralized power plants or transmission.
The contest stayed with its original intent, focusing largely on microgrids that keep power flowing in a crisis to critical facilities like hospitals, emergency shelters, water treatment centers, and telecommunications systems.
Some communities extend microgrid services to nearby homes, among them Brooklyn, Syracuse and Wappinger Falls.
In the Chelsea area of Manhattan, a Google-owned building plans to build a microgrid to serve its 2.9 million square feet which encompasses a medical facility and telecommunications center. The project includes solar, CHP, fuel cell and energy storage technology. Partners in the project are Schneider Electric, Consolidated Edison, NYPA, Energy & Resource Solutions, the City of New York, One City Block, Beth Israel Medical Center.
The projects serve a range a range of customer types from homes to manufacturers to emergency facilities grocery stores, schools, hospitals, food processing plants, airports, prisons and libraries. Many use renewable energy, as well as combined heat and power, diesel and natural gas-fired generation.
Below are the winnning projects in New York City and Long Island.
1. The Village of Babylon lost power for several days after Hurricane Sandy. The proposed microgrid would use conventional generation as well as solar, energy storage, and fuel cells. Power from the proposed microgrid would be provided to Babylon Village Hall, the village fire station, highway and sanitation departments, Babylon EMS Response, the Babylon Union Free School District, St. Joseph’s Church/School complex, and the American Legion Hall. Partners: Village of Babylon, PSEG Long Island, National Grid, Metropolitan Transport Authority, New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), Suffolk County, and Town of Babylon
2. Huntington Village has suffered widespread power outages from storms in the last several years, including a power outage for more than eight days following Hurricane Sandy. The feasibility study will evaluate adding methane and natural gas fired generation with waste heat recovery, solar power, and energy storage technologies. This mix of technologies would provide electricity and thermal energy to the town hall, Huntington Hospital, Huntington Wastewater Treatment Plant, Huntington YMCA, and Flanagan Senior Center, among others being evaluated. Partners: Town of Huntington, PSEG Long Island, National Grid, Huntington Hospital, and Huntington YMCA.
3. East Hampton’s South Fork community has suff ered signifi cant power outages from coastal storms in the last several years, including an outage lasting seven days during Hurricane Sandy. The proposed microgrid would include a mix of solar, wind, advanced battery storage, and intelligent load and grid management, in addition to existing back-up generators. Facilities receiving power from the proposed microgrid include the town hall, the police substation, emergency operations center, emergency medical facility, police garage and fuel facility, the justice court, multiple auxiliary local government buildings, a drinking water well-fi eld and pumping station, a telephone utility central station, two fi re departments, and two schools. Partners: East Hampton Town Police Department, East Hampton Village Police Department, East Hampton Healthcare Foundation, Southampton Hospital, Verizon, Suffolk County Water Authority, East Hampton School District, Amagansett School District, East Hampton Fire Department, Amagansett Fire Department, Renewable Energy Long Island, and PSEG Long Island.
4. The Village of Greenport is located on the east end of the north fork of Long Island, with a municipal electric utility that serves about 2,000 customers, and has its own oil-fired 6.8 MW power plant. Greenport lost power during Hurricane Irene, had substantial outages after Hurricane Sandy, and has had periodic non-storm related outages. Greenport’s proposed microgrid would include a new liquefi ed natural gas-fueled generator and a combination of existing and proposed wind, solar, and energy storage resources that would provide power to Eastern Long Island Hospital, a regional wastewater treatment plant, and a fire department station. Partners: The Village of Greenport and Global Common, LLC, which is supported by GE Energy Consulting, Burns Group, Inc., and D&B Engineers and Architects, Inc
5. Located on the north shore of Long Island, the Village of Port Jefferson has experienced widespread and extended power outages as a result of extreme weather events, including Hurricanes Sandy and Irene. The proposed microgrid would incorporate a mix of existing and new combined heat and power, solar, and energy storage. It would provide electric and thermal energy to selected critical facilities during both normal operating conditions and during disruptions to the main or local grids, including St. Charles Hospital and Mather Hospital, Mary Haven Center of Hope, Port Jefferson School District, Suffolk County Wastewater Treatment Plan, Bridgeport-Port Jeff erson ferry, the fire station, and village hall. Partners: D&B Engineers and Architects, Burns Engineering, GE Energy
Consulting, and Global Common LLC
6. The Town of Brookhaven and Sachem School District have suff ered significant power outages from both warm-weather storms and winter nor’easters. The proposed microgrid would provide power to the town hall to enable it to act as an emergency operations center and for two adjacent Sachem schools to function as emergency shelters. Technology would include solar panels and two existing 10 kW wind turbines, fuel cells, battery storage, and/or microturbines powered by the onsite wastewater treatment plant. The project would also incorporate sophisticated monitoring software operated by Brookhaven National Laboratory that will maximize the cost-benefi t of the electrical generation and storage capacity components of the microgrid. Partners: Town of Brookhaven, Sachem School District, and Brookhaven National Laboratory
7. Southampton has suffered significant power outages from storms in the last several years, including being out of power for up to seven days during Hurricane Sandy. The town will explore a mix of power generation sources with emphasis on renewables. For existing power generation infrastructure, existing natural gas supplies at partner locations, such as Southampton Hospital, provide potential for combined heat and power. The proposed microgrid would provide power to the town hall, police station, three fi re stations, village hall, library, emergency medical facility, hospital complex, department of public works complex, three school complexes, and a wastewater treatment plant. Partners: Town of Southampton, Village of Southampton, Southampton Hospital, Rogers Memorial Library, the Southampton School District, Suff olk County, and PSEG Long Island.
8. The Long Island Community Microgrid Project (LICMP) in East Hampton would provide energysupport to a community susceptible to storm damage year round. The proposed microgrid would receive up to 50 percent of its electric energy requirements from local solar — avoiding hundreds of millions of dollars in transmission investments that otherwise would be required under a traditional approach to delivering power to this grid-constrained community. Technology would include up to 15 MW of local solar, a 25-MWh energy storage system, and other distributed energy resources (DER). Critical services include two Suff olk County Water Authority (SCWA) water pumping and filtration plants and the Springs Fire District facility.Partners: PSEG Long Island, Long Island Power Authority, Suff olk County Water Authority, and the Springs Fire District.
9. The City of Long Beach was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, which caused estimated damages of $200 million to city facilities and infrastructure and total damages to all of Long Beach likely exceeding $1 billion. Vital services (including utilities, water, and sewage systems) were out of service for several weeks and police, fire, and emergency responder facilities were rendered inoperable without power. The proposed microgrid would include combined heat and power, fuel cell, solar, and energy storage, combined with demand-management technology. Power from the proposed microgrid would be provided to city hall, police/fire headquarters, water/wastewater treatment plants, and aff ordable housing. Partners: NRG Energy, Inc., City of Long Beach, Long Beach Housing Authority, MTA Long Island Railroad, and PSEG Long Island.
10. Located on a peninsulaiin the Town of North Hempstead, Port Washington Village is highly vulnerable to severe weather and experiences regular electrical outages. The proposed microgrid would use solar, energy storage, energy effi ciency, and natural gas generation. Power from the proposed microgrid would be provided to local police and fire offi ces, a water treatment center, several school buildings, an animal shelter, a library, the Landmark on Main which is a cultural resource, and senior-housing center. Partners: Town of North Hempstead, Residents For a More Beautiful Port Washington, Port Washington Police Department, the Port Washington Fire Department, The Port Washington Water District, The Port Washington School District, the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter, Port Washington Library, and the Landmark on Main.
11. In the Village of East Rockaway, The Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant received signifi cant damage from Hurricane Sandy, requiring the rebuilding of four engines that provided power to the plant through natural gas-powered electric generation. Since the storm, the plant has been powered by rented natural gas generators. The proposed microgrid would combine natural gas generation with a newly-installed biogas-to-power engine, powered by gas created through waste anaerobic digestion, along with combined heat and power technology for greater efficiency. The microgrid would provide power to the treatment plant, East Rockaway Village Hall, two elementary schools, a fire department, a post offi ce, a public library, and a public works facility. Partners: Nassau County, Village of East Rockaway, United Water Long Island, LIPA, National Grid, and PSEG Long Island.
12. One of three municipally-owned electric utilities on Long Island, Rockville Centre provides power to approximately 11,000 electrical accounts. The community was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. The proposed microgrid would include up to 700 kW of solar power, six to 12 MW of dual-fuel or gas fi red generation, as well as potential inclusion of energy storage, demand-side management, and/or combined heat and power. Power recipients could include South Nassau Communities Hospital, police and fi re services, village hall, assisted living center, and vital retail businesses. Partners: Village of Rockville Centre, RRT SIGMA, and Arup.
13 .The Town of Hempstead’s Point Lookout and Lido Beach barrier island communities have experienced many years of storm impacts, including power outages due to Hurricane Sandy, which left them without natural gas service for over a week and without electrical service for over two weeks. A mix of generation sources will be assessed for the proposed microgrid including wind, solar, hydrogen station assets in the Town’s Energy Park, battery storage, additional generators, fuel cells, and/or cogeneration. The microgrid would provide power to critical community facilities including the Point Lookout/Lido Beach Fire Station, the Town’s Water District Well #1 & #2 Main Treatment Plant, and the Town’s Department of Conservation and Waterways Administration and Marina facilities, which serve as an off -base hub for the Nassau County Police Department and Bay Constables, along with providing support and staging for incoming emergency support teams. Partners: Hempstead’s Department of Conservation and Waterways, Department of Water, and the Lido and Point Lookout Fire District.
14. The Village of Freeport incurred signifi cant damage and power loss during Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. With 43,000 residents in an area of only four-and-a-half square miles – one of the highest population densities on Long Island – Freeport is an ideal candidate for a microgrid. The proposed Freeport microgrid would, in addition to repowering the municipal electric utility’s existing power plant, will seek to deploy solar, wind, fuel cell, combined heat and power, and battery storage. Power will be distributed to the village’s LIRR station, telecommunications system, police and fire operations, four public schools, as well as more than 250 commercial and 150 residential parcels. Partners: Village of Freeport, Freeport Electric, Anbaric Microgrid, Arup, and National Grid.
15. In the Bronx, The Hunts Point Food Distribution Center is New York City’s primary hub for food supply storing up to 60 percent of the region’s produce, meat, and fish. The proposed microgrid would include combined heat and power, steam absorption chillers for cooling, rooftop solar, and a smart grid of intelligent meters and switchgear. The team will also explore the opportunity to expand the microgrid to include nearby businesses, such as the Hunts Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, community refuge facilities, and other locations in the residential area. Partners: NYC Economic Development Corporation, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, Consolidated Edison of New York, the Produce Market Co-op, Meat Market Co-op, the New Fulton Fish Market, and The Point CDC.
16. In the East Bronx, this microgrid will be a district energy system that would provide utilities to Weiler Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Calvary Hospital. Although on-site generation is available, the proposed microgrid will mitigate risk of single generators failing during prolonged outages. In addition, the site is located in an area which is experiencing stress on the transmission and distribution system. The proposed microgrid would include combined heat and power, solar, battery systems, steam turbine generators, and heat recovery steam generators. The project will also leverage the existing steam generation plants at four hospitals. Partners: Gotham Energy 360, Van Zelm Engineers, and Environmental Engineering Solutions.
17. A low-income community, the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn was severely impacted by Hurricanes Sandy and Irene with power outages lasting for weeks. The proposed microgrid would integrate a variety of both commercial and residential distributed generation sources, including solar power. Recipients of power would include Good Shepherd Services Miccio Cornerstone Community Center, Red Hook Initiative, Visitation Church, Ikea, Addabbo Family Health Center, Red Hook Public Library, South Brooklyn Community High School, as well as low income community residents and other facilities. Partners: The Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, the Red Hook NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan, Smarter Grid Solutions, and IMG Rebel.
18.Within 11 city blocks of Clarkson Avenue in Brooklyn, three hospitals provide medical and mental health services to the community: the New York State Offi ce of Mental Health (Kingsboro Psychiatric Center), State University of New York (Downstate Medical Center), and Kings County Hospital Center. As providers of critical care and places of refuge during emergencies that impact the local community, a resilient and reliable energy infrastructure is required for these facilities. These three organizations propose a microgrid that would make use of combined heat and power and renewable sources, energy storage, and advanced transmission and distribution technologies. The proposed microgrid would supply power and possible heating to the hospitals. The study will also consider the possible inclusion of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and the George Wingate High School. Partners: New York State Office of Mental Health, State University of New York, and Kings County Hospital Center.
19. The Brownsville, Van Dyke, and Tilden housing complexes and surrounding community in Brooklyn are a high-density population that presents the opportunity to reduce grid demand through a microgrid, as well as a low-cost alternative to expensive replacement of an aging substation. The proposed microgrid would make use of renewable energy, energy storage, and energy-efficiency measures at critical facilities and multi-family housing units. The microgrid would provide power to a health care facility, a library, three emergency shelters, 57 multi-family aff ordable housing buildings, and single family residential buildings in the surrounding community. Partners: Con Edison, Brooklyn Alliance for Sustainable Energy, New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, New York City Housing Authority, Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center, and Brooklyn Public Library.
20 The Two Bridges/Beyond the Grid Community Microgrid would serve a mix of public and private residential, institutional, and commercial sites in Manhattan along Avenue C between East 10th Street and East 14th Street in the East Village, all of which were impacted by flooding and/or electrical outages as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The proposed microgrid would include a mix of natural gas and renewable generation sources, including combined heat and power, energy storage, and demand-side efficiency measures, and would serve three public schools, community center, pharmacy, supermarket, and a variety of apartment buildings. Partners: New York City Housing Authority, L+M Development Partners, New
York City Department of Education, Village East Towers, LES Ready, University Settlement, and Con Edison.
21. This project includes a 2.9 million-square-foot building located in the Chelsea area of Manhattan between Eighth and Ninth Avenues and 15th and 16th Streets. It is owned by Google and includes medical facilities as well as critical telecommunications equipment. The proposed microgrid would include solar, combined heat and power, fuel cell, and energy storage technology to serve the building’s diverse tenant base. Partners: Energy & Resource Solutions, City of New York, One City Block, New York Power Authority, Beth Israel Medical Center, Schneider Electric, and Con Edison.
22. Sunnyside Yard in Queens lost power for a month from Hurricane Sandy, and a week in 2006 due to equipment failure. The proposed microgrid would include an existing 250 kW back-up diesel generator and proposed assets, including solar and combined heat and power, and would provide power to the Sunnyside Yard Facility, schools, a public housing complex, gas stations, and a grocery store. Partners: Booz Allen Hamilton, Con Edison, Viridity Energy, Verde Advisory, Amtrak, and New York City.
23. The Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) – North Campus continued operations throughout Hurricane Sandy, preserving patient safety even as fl oodwaters came within inches of causing a major power outage. Recognizing this vulnerability and the critical need for SIUH North Campus to remain resilient in the face of future storms, SIUH’s proposed microgrid project would fortify the hospital’s existing power plant while providing additional capacity for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation measures. Power could serve three public schools, FDNY Engine Company 159, NYC Housing Authority’s South Beach and Berry Houses, two City Environmental Protection pump houses, and the South Beach
Psychiatric Center. Partners: Staten Island University Hospital, Louis Berger, Sega, and Anbaric Microgrid.
Details can be found here on projects in the Mid-Hudson, Capital Region, North Country, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Finger Lakes and Western New York.
To learn more about community microgrids, see our new report, “Community Microgrids: A Guide for Mayors and City Leaders Seeking Clean, Reliable and Locally Controlled Energy,” available as a free download, courtesy of the International District Energy Association (IDEA) and OBG.
Funding and Financing Community Microgrids
NY Prize Microgrids Show Strong Return; Industry Growth Beats Forecast
Central Hudson and NRG Energy Propose Complex Microgrids in New York
Microgrid Group on REV: Don’t Replace One Utility Monopoly with Another
Filed Under: Anbaric, Community, Eaton, Economics, Editor's Choice, Financing, General Electric, Google News Feed, Green Energy Corp, International District Energy Association (IDEA), Markets, Microgrids, North America, NRG Energy, Policy, Regions, Schneider Electric, Siemens Tagged With: Anbaric, Microgrid Newsletter Feature, NRG Energy, NYSERDA, OBG, schneider, Siemens
NY Awards Funds to 83 Community Microgrids in First Stage of NY Prize - Energy Efficiency Markets says:
[…] See more details here: NY Prize Stage 1 Awards: Who, Why and What’s it Mean for Community Microgrids. […]
BREAKING NEWS...NY Awards Money to 83 Community Microgrids; Reports Groundswell of Interest in NY Prize - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] For more details, read our analysis: NY Prize Stage 1 Awards: Who, Why and What’s it Mean for Community Microgrids. […]
Quick Energy Efficiency News...Go Maryland!...Dishwasher Dispute...Appliance Standards Success...NY REV Already Animates Markets - Energy Efficiency Markets says:
[…] a look at the response to the NY Prize. The state received 130 community microgrid applications in the competition and as a result, ended […]
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[…] Connecticut, Maryland and Massachusetts are among those that are exploring various innovations. But New York is the most closely watched because it is proposing an entire remaking of electric markets and […]
Major U.S. Senate Energy Bill Pushes Microgrids, Grid Modernization - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] far, states have been largely responsible for advancing the microgrid market, with New York alone pushing for $40 million in community microgrid development. But if passed by Congress, the […]
Avoiding Mistakes and Managing Challenges in Developing Community Microgrids - Energy Efficiency Markets says:
Jamestown, New York Leverages Existing Energy Assets for Community Microgrid - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] OBG, whose engineering team assisted the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities (JBPU) in applying for NY Prize funds to develop the […]
Quick Microgrid News...NY Prize Revises Schedule...Microgrids to Create Virtual Power Plant in Maryland...Montana Tests Solar Microgrid - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] 1 awards were announced in July. Eighty-three communities won prizes of $100,000 each to prepare feasibility studies. That part […]
Jamestown, New York leverages existing energy assets for community microgrid | International District Energy Association says:
[…] OBG, whose engineering team assisted the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities (JBPU) in applying for NY Prize funds to develop the project. OBG (O’Brien & Gere) is a member of the International […]
A New York Town Creates a New Community Microgrid out of Existing Energy Infrastructure - Energy Efficiency Markets says:
Financing Community Microgrids: An Excerpt from Our New Community Microgrid Guide - Energy Efficiency Markets says:
[…] most notable among state programs is the NY Prize, a $40 million grant program to create model community microgrids. New York has already begun […]
How the Clean Power Plan Advances Microgrids - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] is so much movement in that direction anyway…it’s kind of ahead of the rules, especially in New York,” said Jacob Hollinger, a partner with McDermott Will & […]
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North Hempstead Issues Microgrid RFP; May Add Community Choice Aggregation - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] Long Island town is among 83 that won $100,000 in study money through the NY Prize, a contest being under taken by the New York State Energy & Research Development Authority that […]
How the Clean Power Plan Will Spur More Microgrids…Eventually | EMS says:
Creating a Grid-of-Grids: The Genius behind the NY Prize and its Real End Game - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] for communities to conduct microgrid feasibility studies. After an overwhelming response, NY Prize made 83 awards, rather than the expected 25 […]
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[…] 3. NY Prize Stage 1 Awards: Who, Why and What’s it Mean for Community Microgrids […]
New York Energy Policy: It’s the State that Doesn’t Sleep at Night - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] century-old electricity industry with its Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), and pursuing the most vigorous community microgrid program in the nation, New York is setting another new bar, this one […]
Events that Shaped the Microgrid Industry in 2015 - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] NY Prize Stage 1 Awards: Who, Why and What’s it Mean for Community Microgrids […]
A New York Town Creates a Community Microgrid from Existing Energy Infrastructure - Microgrid Knowledge says:
The Customer-Centric Electricity Grid - Microgrid Knowledge says:
[…] the ongoing $1 billion NY-SUN initiative and $1 billion NY Green Bank, there’s also a $40 million NY-Prize competition for community microgrids and — just announced in April 2015 by the Governor’s […]
Microgrid Technology Will Help Utilities Keep The Lights On says:
[…] State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). One of these communities was the Hunts Point market in the Bronx. Home to one of the largest food-distribution centers in the world, Hunts Point […]
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U.S. Presidents / Thomas Jefferson
…some honest men fear that a republican government can not be strong, that this Government is not strong enough; but would the honest patriot…abandon a government which has so far kept us free and firm…? I trust not. I believe this, on the contrary, the strongest Government on earth. First Inaugural Address
Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, spent his childhood roaming the woods and studying his books on a remote plantation in the Virginia Piedmont. Thanks to the prosperity of his father, Jefferson had an excellent education. After years in boarding school, where he excelled in classical languages, Jefferson enrolled in William and Mary College in his home state of Virginia, taking classes in science, mathematics, rhetoric, philosophy, and literature. He also studied law, and by the time he was admitted to the Virginia bar in April 1767, many considered him to have one of the nation's best legal minds.
Shadwell plantation, Goochland County, Virginia
No formal affiliation
Lawyer, Planter
“Man of the People,” “Sage of Monticello”
January 1, 1772, to Martha Wayles Skelton (1748–1782)
Martha (1772–1836), Jane Randolph (1774–1775), infant son (1777), Mary (1778–1804), Lucy Elizabeth (1780–1781), Lucy Elizabeth (1782–1785)
Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Thomas Jefferson.” Accessed July 18, 2019. https://millercenter.org/president/jefferson.
Peter Onuf
Professor Peter Onuf is the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Professor of History at the University of Virginia.
Professor Onuf's writings include
-The Mind of Thomas Jefferson
-Jefferson's Empire: The Language of American Nationhood
-Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson: History, Memory, and Civic Culture (editor…
Thomas Jefferson’s electoral revolution of 1800
Alan Taylor, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Professor at the University of Virginia, talks about the transfer of power to President Jefferson during the election of 1800
Thomas Jefferson and the problem of Union
History professors Gary Gallagher and Peter Onuf discuss Thomas Jefferson as part of the Miller Center’s Historical Presidency series
American Gospel: God, the founding fathers, and the making of a nation
Slavery at Monticello: Paradox of Liberty
Explore Monticello's online exhibits about Jefferson and slavery
June 20, 1803: Instructions to Captain Lewis
December 6, 1805: Special Message to Congress on Foreign Policy
Redeeming Thomas Jefferson?
This American Forum episode examines Thomas Jefferson with two of America’s most esteemed Jefferson scholars.
The Mind of Thomas Jefferson
Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson: History, Memory, and Civic Culture
The Revolution of 1800: Democracy, Race, and the New Republic
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LSU basketball player Wayde Sims killed in overnight shooting
September 28, 2018 9:04 AM September 28, 2018 9:04 AM
LSU basketball player Wayde Sims was shot and killed in Baton Rouge early Friday, police said.
Sims, 20, was taken to a hospital with an apparent gunshot wound and later died due to his injury, according to a news release from the Baton Rouge police department.
The shooting occurred at approximately 12:25 a.m. on a street just south of Southern University, which is located north of downtown Baton Rouge, police said.
Sims, a 6-6 junior forward and Baton Rouge native, started 10 games for LSU last year, averaged 5.6 points and 2.9 rebounds. His father, Wayne, also played basketball at LSU.
“We are all devastated. We need your prayers for Wayde, for his family, for all of us. We are heartbroken,” LSU coach Will Wade said in a statement.
LSU President F. King Alexander said, “Wayde was a beloved member of the LSU community whose leadership was treasured by his coach and his teammates. The void left by his passing will be immense, and we ask that you keep his family in your prayers.”
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November 16-17, Brussels
Speakers and co-chairs
Berlin October 9-10
Martin Schulz Welcome Remark
Welcome remarks from the opening plenary session
MEP, President of the European Parliament
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Ms Nemtsova, Dear Mr Khodorkovsky, Dear colleagues, Cher Guy, Dear friends,
Almost two years ago, on the 27th of February 2015, Boris Nemtsov was brutally murdered in the centre of Moscow, on a bridge right next to the Kremlin.
Boris Nemtsov was not only a former Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. He was one of the leaders of Russia’s liberal and democratic opposition, a reformer, supported and admired by many in Russia. In 2015 he was investigating Russia’s participation in the Donbas conflict. His courage, his commitment to a democratic Russia, stand as an example of civic engagement for the whole country.
His death was a shock to the whole world and it reminded us of too many other tragedies, among which I would mention journalist Anna Politkovskaya and lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Yet again, almost two years later, the investigation has not brought the main instigators to justice.
Shortly before his death, Boris Nemtsov was concentrating on Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. He was determined to reveal the facts about this conflict, which are kept hidden from Russian citizens, a task of high importance. Because the conflict in Ukraine is the main cause for EU-Russia relations to be at their lowest since the Cold War.
Sanctions have been imposed and are regularly renewed as a result of the illegal annexation of Crimea and because of the unfulfilled commitments by Russia regarding the 2015 Minsk agreement. We still expect full respect of the ceasefire in force since 31 August, disarmament of all illegal groups and a restoration of control of the state border to the Ukrainian government. Russia’s air support to the Syrian regime’s indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas have caused further dismay. And I also hear from other leaders in our Member States and partners in the Balkans and in our Eastern neighbourhood – many are worried about hostile actions orchestrated by the Russian leadership.
These are difficult times for our relations with Russia.
Our official inter-parliamentary relations with, and missions to, Russia are frozen because of our counterparts’ involvement in the conflict in Ukraine and the respective visa bans. Contacts with civil society in Russia are also hampered due to the authorities targeting independent NGOs through the so-called “foreign agents law.”
However, dialogue will continue and must continue. Channels of communication need to remain open whilst respecting the EU sanctions’ policy. Only through dialogue will we maintain the slim chance to solve our differences.
It would be an enormous achievement to re-establish deep cooperation with Russia. Europe and Russia, Europeans and Russians share a common history. Russia needs the EU and the EU needs Russia. Together we are stronger.
There are major challenges that we can only tackle together: solving conflicts in our shared neighbourhood, the fight against terrorism, limiting nuclear proliferation, and reducing climate change. Landmark agreements such as Iran’s nuclear program and at the Paris COP21 conference on climate change show what is possible when we cooperate – and indeed we expect all the signatories to fully implement these landmark deals. I want the EU and Russia to work closer together in the future but first we need to uphold the international legal order on which we base our common peace and security.
Today’s forum can be a first step. It has ambitious, forward-looking objectives. It offers a platform for meaningful dialogue between civil society representatives, academics, the business community, politicians and officials coming from Russia and the European Union. I will be very interested to hear about your discussions and recommendations on essential issues such as our values, our governance, the economy and our relations with the rest of the world.
I sincerely congratulate Ms Nemtsova’s Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom, Mr Khodorkovsky’s Open Russia, the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung für die Freiheit and the Members of this European Parliament (Guy Verhofstadt and Rebecca Harms) – for the organisation and the cross-party support to this important event, and would like to thank you once more for my invitation.
This Forum is called the Boris Nemtsov Forum. I am sure it will live up to be one of Boris Nemtsov’s main legacies, for the benefit of Russia and of EU-Russia relations.
I wish a very successful event to all of you.
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Boris Nemtsov Forum © 2016 All Rights Reserved
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Home More Events Alfaisal College of Medicine faculty Dr. Ziad Ahmad Memish and Dr. Atef...
Alfaisal College of Medicine faculty Dr. Ziad Ahmad Memish and Dr. Atef Shibil report on the update of the Corona virus now known as MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus)
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that includes viruses that may cause a range of illnesses in humans, from the common cold to SARS. Viruses of this family also cause a number of animal diseases.
Novel coronavirus which is now officially termed MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) is a particular strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. There is very limited information on transmission, severity and clinical impact with only a small number of cases reported thus far.
Dr. Ziad Ahmad Memish, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Preventive Medicine and Professor of Medicine at Alfaisal university stated, “Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 44 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 22 deaths. WHO has received reports of laboratory-confirmed cases from the following countries in the Middle East: Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).” He went on to add “ France, Germany, Tunisia and the United Kingdom also reported laboratory-confirmed cases; they were either transferred for care of the disease or returned from Middle East and subsequently became ill. In France, Tunisia and the United Kingdom, there has been limited local transmission among close contacts that had not been to the Middle East but had been in close contact with the laboratory-confirmed or probable cases. How widespread this virus may be is still unknown. Currently WHO encourages all countries to continue to closely monitor for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns of SARI or pneumonia.”
Common symptoms in patients with MERS-CoV are acute, serious respiratory illness with fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. Most patients have had pneumonia. Many have also had gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea. Some patients have had kidney failure. About half of people infected with MERS-CoV have died. In people with immune deficiencies, the disease may have an atypical presentation. It is important to note that the current understanding of illness caused by this infection is based on only a few cases and may change as we learn more about the virus.
To date it’s not yet known how people become infected with this virus. Investigations are underway to determine the source of the virus, the types of exposure that lead to infection, the mode of transmission, and the clinical pattern and course of disease.
Over the past year multiple clusters of cases in which human-to-human transmission is either strongly suspected or confirmed. These have all occurred either in a health care facility or among close family members. However, the mechanism by which transmission occurred in all of these cases, whether respiratory (e.g. coughing, sneezing) or contact (contamination of the environment by the patient), is unknown. Unfortunately to date there is no specific treatment for the disease caused by MERS-CoV and treatment should be based on the patient’s symptoms and no vaccine is available.
Preventative Strategies:
Exactly how people become infected with this virus is not known. Since neither the source of the virus nor the mode of transmission is known, it is not possible to give specific advice on prevention of infection.
However, prudent measures to prevent respiratory illness are to avoid close contact, when possible, with anyone who shows symptoms of illness (coughing and sneezing), and to maintain good hand hygiene. Other good preventive measures include avoiding uncooked or undercooked meats, unwashed fruits or vegetables, and drinks made without sterilised water. If you become sick while travelling, you should avoid close contact with other people while you are symptomatic and use good respiratory hygiene, such as coughing or sneezing into a sleeve or flexed elbow, medical mask, or tissue, and throwing used tissues into a closed bin immediately after use.
Health care providers are advised to maintain vigilance. Recent travellers returning from the Middle East who develop SARI should be tested for MERS-CoV as advised in the current surveillance recommendations. Specimens from patients’ lower respiratory tracts should be obtained for diagnosis where possible. Clinicians are reminded that MERS-CoV infection should be considered even with atypical signs and symptoms, such as diarrhoea, in patients who are immunocompromised.
Health care facilities are reminded of the importance of systematic implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC). Health care facilities that provide care for patients suspected or confirmed with MERS-CoV infection should take appropriate measures to decrease the risk of transmission of the virus to other patients, health care workers and visitors.
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Next articleAlfaisal College of Medicine faculty Dr. Ziad Ahmad Memish and Dr. Atef Shibil report on the update of the Corona virus now known as MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus)
College Of Medicine Graduate Achievement In Jeddah
Alfaisal University Welcomes Scores of Students to its Open House 2010
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The undercover hedge fund managers who DON'T feature on rich lists
by Paul Clarke and Sarah Butcher 22 April 2016
Do you want to work for a hedge fund and haul in millions every year, if not billions over the course of your career? Good luck – most people earn ‘only’ $100-300k who work in the industry.
But then there are the CEOs, CIOs and star traders, blessed with enough talent to seemingly earn hundreds of millions every single year. Below is the breakdown of the richest hedge fund managers in the UK, courtesy of the annual Sunday Times Rich List.
The methodology is not 100% clear, but appears to be based on a combination of assets under management, fund performance and company accounts outlining the highest paid partners at the firms they work for.
But some hedge fund managers either fly below the radar or appear to have been omitted from the list.
What about Ewan Kirk, CEO and founder of quant hedge fund Cantab Capital Partners? He was worth £280m at last count, and partners at the firm shared £76.4m last year alone.
Similarly, there’s no sign of GLG co-founder Pierre Lagrange. He was supposedly worth £500m and even a messy divorce that allegedly cost him £160m should not shunt him out of the top 20. Ex-Lansdowne Partners’ Steve Heinz no longer features in rich lists since leaving the firm in 2014, but at that point he was worth £300m. Meanwhile, Loic Fery from Chenavari Partners is worth around £100m. He might not make the cut with that, but the highest paid partner at Chenavari – presumably him – earned £4.5m in 2014, according to its latest accounts.
There's also no mention of Claude Marion and Alexis Habib at Spinnaker Capital. Marion and Habib are survivors in the hedge fund world, having set up emerging-markets focused Spinnaker in 1999. They sold a 20% stake to Lehman Brothers for up to $150m in 2007, at which time they had AUM of £2.5bn. Marion runs a charitable foundation which had £3.39m in income in the last year for which results are available (2014). The two men almost certainly made big money in the past, but may now be "winding down" - in 2014, the highest paid director at Spinnaker earned a 'mere' £367k according to the company's accounts.
Another dark horse is Tim Tacchi, founding partner of hedge fund TT International. Tacchi, who owns a large estate in Hampshire, founded TT in 1988 and is another survivor who's quietly been making money for nearly two decades. The most recently available accounts for TT show that the highest paid individual (whom we assume to be Tacchi) was paid £2m in 2015 and £6m the year before.
Where is Thomas (Tom) Bannatyne from Tudor Capital in the UK? Bannatyne has worked for Tudor since 2001 according to the FCA Register. Before that, he spent nine years at SG Warburg. Tudor paid its 21 partners a total of $59.7m last year.
Where too is Russell Clark of Horseman Capital Management? Clark has also had plenty of time to amass a large amount of wealth, having founded Horseman back in 2006. Horseman's global fund was one of the best performing in 2015, ending the year up 20%. Horseman's most recent accounts, for 2015, suggest the highest paid director was paid £150k, the same as the year before. Suggesting the partners are remunerating themselves in other ways.
There are some notable names on the list – Michael Platt, CEO of expansionary hedge fund Bluecrest Capital Management, has seen his wealth increase by £600m over the past year and now tops the list. Now that his firm will be managing only its own money as a ‘family office’ expect this trend to continue.
Alan Howard, founder of Brevan Howard is the biggest loser, having slumped to its first annual loss last year, a fact made even more painful, perhaps, by the fact that his former ‘star trader’ Chris Rokos – who launched his own hedge fund in 2015 – has pocketed an extra £260m.
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Software Procurement Manager
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The art of avoiding apologising, even when you say sorry
by Thomas Zhang 09 September 2015
The recent slump of China's stock market has caught out a lot of fund managers, leading to some soul-searching and apologies from some of the most prominent money managers in the country. Among them is a private equity fund called Niufeng, which suffered a loss of 63% in just three months' time.
You would assume Niufeng's fund manager should feel a little humbled, admit its mistakes and make sincere apologies to its investors. Instead, the fund manage issued an open letter which doesn't sound apologetic at all. It turned out to be a very good example of how to apologise without really saying sorry. If you want to apologise and save face, here are some pointers.
1. Find some unlucky peers
The letter says: "We built up positions in early June, which happened to be very bad timing. But all the funds that built up positions at that time suffered a lot. Almost no one is exempt."
So, when you did badly, try to find as many others as possible who did equally as bad. Remind your audience that you too are a victim and are in good company.
2. Sound triumphant with (blind) optimism
The letter says: "We are confident that Niufeng is a wrong victim of the market rout. It will shoot up back in the same way it nose-dived."
There is no evidence or data or logic to back this up. Never mind, there are always people who buy into this type of blind optimism.
3. Quote a big name
The letter cites George Soros's "uncertainty principle" to find excuses that no one could accurately predict where the stock market is going to.
Hang on, to be precise, Soros has never established anything like the "uncertainty principle". It is a concept from the quantum mechanics that dates back to the 1920s. But so what? Soros is a name too big to challenge. By aligning himself with Soros, the fund manager was effectively trying to take some pressure off himself. Even Soros couldn't predict the market, what do you want me to do?
4. Insist the investment is really right
The letter states the shares that the fund has bought are all those of high-quality companies. It also claims that the very reason why the fund didn't sell in the slump to cut loss is because of its long-term view as a value investor. "We feared that we might lose those high-quality companies if we did cut loss".
To the fund manager, it seems to be a good strategy trying to persuade the investors to hold a long-term view so as to divert their attention away from the key question of damage control. At the same time, try to convince that the companies it bought into are good ones. It would be stupid to part with these good companies just because of a short period of slump. Good luck with that.
5. Canonize the internet
The letter explains that the fund will keep focusing on companies in the internet and e-commerce sector.
Internet is a buzzword in today's China. When the whole nation is encouraged to show some entrepreneurship, and the easiest and quickest route to fame and wealth seems to be the internet, you may imagine some investors may let off the fund manager this time for getting the buzzword right.
But wait, this may not include Alibaba - China's leading e-commerce company and one of the nation's role model of internet companies. Its share price dropped almost a third in the past three months.
6. Tie up with the Premier
In one instance, the letter refers to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's government work report earlier this year and quotes Premier Li's grand strategy of "internet +".
In China, policy plays an extremely crucial role. Any announcement or change of policy can potentially become a booster (or killer) to the stock market. Investors would assume that anything supported by government policy could only go up. A psyche of "what the Premier said can't be wrong. So don't blame me."
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Head of Digital Fraud, Authentication & Advanced Fraud Analytics-Director
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Microsoft News Center India
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Microsoft / Features / Artificial Intelligence
Narayana Health uses data analytics and AI to provide affordable, high-quality healthcare
By Rajat Agrawal 19 December, 2018 Editor, Microsoft News Center India
“How much will the surgery cost?” This is one question that has haunted Dr. Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Narayana Health since he began his practice in 1983. Even today, more than three decades and over 15,000 surgeries later, he dreads the question from his patients.
“As healthcare providers, it is important that we don’t lose sight of the person in the patient. A price-tag approach to human life is unfair not just to the patient but also to our abilities as doctors. There is something dramatically wrong in the way we currently deliver healthcare—cost is a bigger concern than the disease or its treatment. Something has to be done,” says the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan award winning cardiac surgeon.
To achieve his mission of making healthcare more accessible and affordable, Dr. Shetty founded the Narayana Health group of multi-specialty hospitals in Bengaluru in 2000 with the idea of providing affordable, high-quality healthcare. He started a model where patients were provided a fixed price quote for surgeries when they came to the hospital, rather than having to bear the uncertainty of the bill at the time of leaving the hospital.
Today, the Narayana Health group operates a wide network of hospitals across India. Through a combination of greenfield projects and acquisitions, the Narayana Health network has expanded to over 6,000 beds, 30 different specialties, and an international branch in the Cayman Islands. To keep the model sustainable, Narayana Health has implemented real-time data analytics and predictive insights across their operations running on Microsoft Azure, SQL Server and Power BI.
“Cost reduction and improvement in delivery of quality services can only happen through technology. I believe that digital interventions such as advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence are key to make healthcare safer, affordable, and accessible to the world’s population,” Dr. Shetty asserts.
To improve efficiencies across the board, the business analytics team at Narayana Health looked at how it could use the trove of data the hospitals generated
In most industries, inefficiency leads to lower output, but for a hospital it can be a matter of life and death. To improve efficiencies across the board, the business analytics team at Narayana Health looked at how it could use the trove of data the hospitals generated. This included operational and financial data from every hospital, as well as clinical records of every surgery done by every doctor across the group, to unlock new insights.
“Earlier, every hospital would extract data from the databases manually and present it at the end of the month. We felt that we could leverage this data better to gain insights from a single place,” says Vivek Rajagopal, Head – Business Analytics and Vice President, Narayana Health.
Even though Narayana Health was an early adopter of the cloud, having moved their operations to Microsoft Azure as early as 2015, getting an analytics model in place was easier said than done, owing to the nascent stage of technology adoption in India’s healthcare industry.
“As we required a lot of customization and to keep costs low we started with developing a proof of concept ourselves with support from Microsoft,” Rajagopal adds.
The business analytics team started creating models that would first replicate the manual process of extracting data on SQL Server and Power BI. They interacted with end-users, which included Narayana Health’s management team, surgeons and other medical practitioners to understand their needs. They also collaborated with Microsoft to implement Power BI dashboards that could provide a unified view of important metrics to the management in real-time irrespective of whether they were on their laptop or smartphone.
“It took us about eight months to come up with a data warehouse architecture, automate the data flows, design meaningful KPIs & metrics, and build a comprehensive framework for analytics and decision making. Once that was ready, implementing Power BI to gain real-time insights was very easy!” Rajagopal exclaims.
Narayana Health collaborated with Microsoft to implement Power BI dashboards that could provide a unified view of important metrics to the management in real-time irrespective of whether they were on their laptop or smartphone
With this, the team was not only able to replicate the manual data collection process but was also able to give the management team real-time insights across all hospitals in the company. Apart from financial metrics from every hospital, the Power BI dashboards could throw up real-time data of more than 3,000 doctors across 30 comparable parameters. The implementation has brought about efficiencies, cost savings, and better patient care in ways the team had not even visualized at the beginning of the project.
Real-time decision making: One of the biggest challenges with the existing manual data collection process was that the management team could only get insights at regular intervals. Earlier tracking key financial metrics would involve the senior management reaching out to regional branches. Regional managers would then reach out to individual hospital managers. This hierarchical process could take as many as two to three weeks to complete.
With a centralized system and Power BI dashboards, the leadership team can now track financial metrics in real-time, rework projections instantaneously, and make more informed decisions within hours instead of days. With this, the Narayana Health group has experienced a 70 percent reduction in man-hours spent on reporting and a 50 percent reduction in time towards management reviews.
Predictive analytics for new hospitals: A key requirement of opening a new hospital is to get insights about not only the number of beds but also the healthcare needs of the population in its vicinity, to be able to hire the appropriate team. Armed with historical clinical and patient data, the management can now predict these parameters with more accuracy. The group has been able to standardize processes not just for launching new hospitals but also onboard those it acquires.
Managing nursing staff: A significant challenge for the healthcare industry is high attrition rates among the nursing staff. The team wondered whether data about the nursing staff’s workflow could unlock new insights to help bring down attrition rates. By integrating Power BI to monitor and analyze nurse hours daily, three hospitals within the Narayana Health network experienced an efficiency gain of 15 percent within a month.
“We thrive on granular analysis of data through interactive visualization for richer and faster decision-making. We can accurately forecast under or overstaffing in real-time. We can even predict patient volumes,” says Dr. Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Group CEO, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Narayana Health.
After implementing Power BI at one lab, Narayana Health experienced a 60 percent improvement and close to 95 percent of lab tests were turned around in less than two hours
Making healthcare affordable for patients
The ability to visualize data from across the group opened new avenues to ensure patients get the best care possible at the most affordable prices. The team at Narayana Health is now unlocking insights from historic data as well as data generated in real-time to optimize costs from the perspective of both patients and business goals.
Faster lab turn-around times: One team looked at how they could minimize the visits a patient has to make to the hospital by ensuring they get their lab test reports on the same day. Using Power BI, they were able to compare the performance of different labs across the network and identify roadblocks as well as best practices. They implemented changes in the clinical processes at one of the units and noticed a 60 percent improvement and close to 95 percent of lab tests were turned around in less than two hours. In many cases, this meant that a patient could consult a doctor, get tests done, and get diagnosis done by the doctor on the same day.
Monitoring consumables and antibiotic use: A Power BI dashboard provides insights about the consumables used by doctors for different surgeries. Thanks to this, the management team has been able to establish an average of consumables used for any kind of surgery and can quickly identify trends and cases of even slightly higher usage, which can impact the cost incurred to the patient.
Another parameter monitored is the administration of antibiotics by doctors. This is an important aspect of patient care to ensure that the antibiotics usage is within the limits prescribed by the internal policy at the hospital, which in turn is aligned to WHO standard recommendations. With this, they can quickly identify any aberration and rectify it across the group.
Predicting blood requirement: Thanks to data being available in the system in real-time, hospitals are now able to predict blood requirements on any given day. This has led to optimal stocking and reducing wastage of blood, which is a critical and scarce component.
Reducing the time spent by patients in the ICU: Narayana Health runs one of the world’s busiest cardiac programs and the world’s largest pediatric cardiac care facility. A constant challenge at the organization is to optimize throughput to match the demand of patients with the limited manpower, assets, and capacity available. With real-time analytics they can monitor patients in the ICU and are able to identify any outliers, who have a longer than average duration of stay for any given surgery. This also allows them to identify any bottlenecks and reduce the patient wait time and stay at the hospital.
Better prediction of surgery costs: All this data analysis eventually circles back to Narayana Health’s core mission of providing affordable, high-tech healthcare. Before the implementation of data analytics, the quotes were updated periodically. Now, they can formulate a very narrow band of the expected cost of a treatment, based on multi-year data of the relevant procedures and costs.
Narayana Health is currently testing AI to decipher X-Rays
Bringing AI to healthcare
Excited by the possibilities, Narayana Health is looking at new avenues to optimize its operations and augment patient care with technology. One of the ongoing projects being piloted internally is to use Artificial Intelligence to decipher X-Rays to point out any irregularities from a normal X-Ray, which would help doctors save time.
“Eighty percent of the world population has no access to reliable and affordable healthcare. My goal is to ensure that everyone on this planet has access to high-tech healthcare, with dignity,” concludes Dr. Shetty.
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Morris Arts Announces Winners of the Ehlers and Coladarci Arts Scholarships
Posted Sunday, March 10th, 2019
High School Students Excel in the Arts
Morris Arts has announced winners of two prestigious scholarships to Morris County high school seniors who excel in dance, drama, music or visual arts and plan to pursue further education in their creative field.
From left, Leah Suskind, Sophia Grace Donelan and Matt Wisotsky
Dancer Leah Suskind, a graduating senior at the Morris County School of Technology/ Academy for Visual and Performing Arts received the Ehlers Scholarship. The $5,000 scholarship was established in memory of the late Elaine Ehlers, a health-care administrator who had a deep love for all things creative. Suskind will pursue a Bachelors of Fine Arts as a Dance Major at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Soprano Sophia Grace Donelan, a graduating senior at Villa Walsh Academy was named winner of the Coladarci Scholarship. The $1,500 arts scholarship is given in memory of the late Eugenie Coladarci, a marketing executive with Chase Manhattan Bank who was active with Morris Arts for a dozen years. Donelan hopes to pursue a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at a major conservatory with the goal of becoming a professional opera singer.
The panel also awarded an Honorable Mention to Matt Wisotsky, a graduating senior at West Morris Mendham High School who is a multi-instrumentalist, prize-winning composer and outstanding bassoonist.
The winners will be introduced during a reception from 6 – 8 p.m., March 14, for the new exhibit, seeing the unseen, featuring works by ten outstanding artists and guest curated by Greg Leshé, in the Gallery at 14 Maple (3rd floor, 14 Maple Ave., Morristown). The event is free and open to the public.
The scholarships are offered annually to Morris County high school seniors who are currently attending public, private, or parochial school or who are home schooled in New Jersey. Applicants must also (a) be Morris County residents, (b) plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program, and (c) have demonstrated artistic excellence in any one of four arts disciplines: dance, drama, music, or visual arts.
Morris Arts, located in Morristown, NJ, is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1973 dedicated to building community through the arts. Using the arts to inspire, connect and engage, Morris Arts serves as a resource for Morris County with a special focus on arts programming in the schools and in the community, arts advocacy, creative placemaking and support of the Morris Area community of artists and arts organizations. For more information, visit www.MorrisArts.org.
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Greetings from the Mayor of Boston
By Admin on August 6, 2014 • ( Leave a comment )
The Cork Mother Jones Committee received an enormous number of messages of support for the recent Spirit of Mother Jones Festival from around the world. Among those received was the following message of support from Martin J Walsh, Mayor of Boston. We are delighted to have received this message of support for the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival and wish to thank Mayor Walsh for his kind message.
Letter from the Mayor of Boston
Dear Delegates to the Mother Jones Festival,
On behalf of the people of Boston, I extend my warmest greetings to all of you as you stand together for the dignity of working families in Ireland, America, and around the world.
Mayor Martin J. Walsh of Boston. Pic: David Parsons, Creative Commons via Wikipedia
Ireland holds a special place in my heart. Like the young Mary Harris, my parents were emigrants. I was shaped by the voices and values of Irish working people. And I share that Irish foundation with many of my fellow Bostonians. President John F. Kennedy spoke of an “emerald thread” running through the history of the Irish: a resilience in the face of struggle that survives in their descendants around the world. This pattern is woven deeply into the rich and diverse tapestry of Boston’s people.
And the struggles of all working families are never far from my mind. I grew up in a union household; I’ve belonged to the Laborers union since I was 18 years old; and I’ve spent my career in public service advocating advocating for workers’ rights. I know that the simple notion of a fair day’s pay for an honest day’s work is far from a simple thing to achieve. Securing justice takes a hard, complex, and constant struggle. It takes collective action that can only be accomplished by the kind of community building you are doing this weekend in Cork.
I know, as you do, that this struggle takes place the world over. Like Mother Jones, we must “abide wherever there is a fight against wrong”. So I thank you for honoring her powerful legacy. And I thank you for shining a modern light on the timeless struggles of working people to defend their dignity and secure their rights.
Martin J. Walsh
Tagged as: Boston, Cork, festival, Martin Walsh, Massachusetts, Mayor, Mother Jones
Thank You message from the Cork Mother Jones Commmittee
Illinois Senator praises Cork festival
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Other Bridges in Ocean Springs
CSX (L&N) Railroad Bridge
L&N Railroad Bridge
(image made October 2, 1893)
post-Katrina CSX Railroad Bridge
(images made September 2005)
Some railroad history
On October 29, 1870, the New Orleans, Mobile, & Chattanooga Railroad, which was chartered in 1866, completed the line between Mobile and New Orleans. Rail service commenced on November 21, 1870. The N.O.M. & C. was reorganized on April 18, 1871 and became the New Orleans, Mobile & Texas Railroad. The L&N Railroad leased the property of the N.O.M. & T. on May 8, 1880. On October 5, 1881, the L&N Railroad purchased all the assets of the reorganized New Orleans, Mobile, & Texas Railroad for $6,000,000. This acquisition included the Ponchartrain Railroad which ran seven mile from New Orleans to Milneburg on Lake Ponchartrain, and the one hundred forty-one miles of track, depots, the creosote plant at West Pascagoula (Gautier), stations, station houses, section houses, rolling stock, etc. between Mobile and New Orleans.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 5, p. 299)
In the spring of 1919, the L&N Railroad announced that a new railroad bridge would be erected across Biloxi Bay about fifty feet from the existing span.(The Daily Herald, April 11, 1919, p. 1)
In late September 1922, Henry Ryan (1899-1947), bridge tender, discovered that the L&N Railroad Bridge was on fire. Help arrived in time to save the structure.(The Daily Herald, October 2, 1922, p. 1)
In April the Mississippi Public Service Commission accepted the L&N Railroad’s request to close their Ocean Springs depot.(The Ocean Springs News, April 15, 1965, p. 1)
In December 1982, the L&N Railroad merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad and the name of the combined corporations became the Seaboard Systems Railroad, Inc. On July 1, 1986, the Seaboard Systems Railroad, Inc. changed its name to CSX Transportation, Inc.
2000 fire
On January 22, 2000 the railroad crossties on the swing span caught fire. The fire was contained by responding units from the Coast Guard at Gulfport; Marine Patrol, Sea Tow, and the CSX Railroad. These vessels were not equipped with sufficient pumping capacity to kill the fire. Later Fire personnel from Ocean Springs and a Coast Guard vessel from Pascagoula arrived with special floating fire pumps. With these teams working on opposite sides of the span, the conflagration was extinguished in approximately two hours. Precipitation fell during the blaze. Immediately CSX crews began to repair the bridge for rail service. Both marine and rail service were prohibited from crossing the span until it was deemed safely repaired and inspected.(The Ocean Springs Record, January 27, 2000, p. 1 and The Sun Herald, January 23, 2000)
Unlike the US 90 Highway Bridge across Biloxi Bay and the 1930 War Memorial Bridge, utilized as a fishing pier since 1962, the CSX Railroad survived the wrath of Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005. All of the tracks were washed or floated off the structure. In September 2005 derrick barges with the guidance of scuba divers were lifting the track from the bottom of Biloxi Bay and placing them on the road bed of the bridge. The rail line between Mobile and New Orleans suffered about $250,000,000 in damage and the CSX expected the repairs to take about six months.
Other small bridges
Davis Bayou Bridge
New bridge opened on November 12, 1993. It is 285-feet long and cost $180,000.(The Ocean Springs Record, March 17, 1994, p. 1)
Heron Bayou Bridge
New bridge opened in March 1994. It is 190 feet in length and cost $106,000.(The Ocean Springs Record, March 17, 1994, p. 1)
The Daily Herald, "New Draw-Bridge In Jackson County", April 11, 1919, p. 1.
The Daily Herald, "Fire discovered in time to save L&N Railroad Bridge", October 2, 1922.
The Ocean Springs News, April 15, 1965, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Heron Bayou bridge opens to traffic", March 17, 1994, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Firefighters extinguish bridge blaze", January 27, 2000.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Bridges may be fixed in 60 days", July 24, 2003, p. A1.
The Sun Herald, "CSX bridge burns", January 23, 2000, p. A1.
‹ Old Fort Bayou: Ferries & Bridges (1875 - 2002) up The Shearwater Bridge ›
1930 War Memorial Bridge
1962 Biloxi Bay Bridge
2008 Ocean Springs - Biloxi Bay Bridge
Army Air Corps Crash Boat Base: 1943 - 1946
Ocean Springs Harbor - "Fred Moran's Little Fishing Hole" : Time Line
Ocean Springs Harbor
Old Fort Bayou: Ferries & Bridges (1875 - 2002)
The Shearwater Bridge
Weeks Bayou Bridge
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Surely You’re Joking Mr Feynman by Richard Feynman
And no, he isn’t.
When you think of a Noble Prize winning Physicist you would be forgiven for picturing a rather dry and crusty, tweed wearing character. But how wrong you would be when it comes to the marvel that was and is Richard P Feynman.
Feynman was part of The Manhattan Project and many other ‘discoveries’ that changed the world of physics. But this collection of stories, edited in a somewhat random fashion, have little to nothing to do with the physics. The book is a collection of anecdotes that chronicle aspects of the great mans life and I can’t overstate what an interesting and entertaining read they are. Don’t be put off by his stature in the world of science, this is a wonderful read for anyone; and I mean anyone.
From his safe cracking, art shows, appearances as a drummer in Brazil and as a musician for a ballet To his mixing with profession gamblers in Las Vegas and frequenting of ‘Gentlemens Clubs’. The extremely strange to the out right hilarious and outrageous, this man has obviously lived a life that would put the rest of us to shame.
His almost child like wonder and method of conveyance simply cements his brilliance.
And what a read / ride it is.
Leave a Comment » | Books, Review | Tagged: Brazil, Las Vegas, Richard Feynman, Richard P Feynman | Permalink
Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman by Richard Feynman
Deal agreed in Bali climate talks
A compromise deal for a new international climate change agenda was agreed at the UN summit in Bali today.The move was hailed by environment secretary, Hilary Benn, as “an historic breakthrough”.
Ministers from around 180 countries were united in accepting the agenda for a global emissions cuts agreement to launch negotiations for a post-2012 agreement to tackle climate change.
Consensus for the road map followed a dramatic U-turn by the US, which had threatened to block the deal at the 11th hour and been booed by other countries.
It dropped its opposition to poorer countries’ calls for technological and financial help to combat the issue.
The sudden reversal by the US in the marathon talks which saw the country duelling with European envoys was met with rousing applause.
While it will be two years before a final deal on post-2012 is likely to be struck, countries have been fighting for the kinds of things they want to see on the table for those talks.
Mr Benn said: “This is an historic breakthrough and a huge step forward.
“For the first time ever all the world’s nations have agreed to negotiate on a deal to tackle dangerous climate change.”
He said it was the compelling clarity of the science and the strength of the case for urgent action that has made this agreement possible.
But it was political leadership that made it happen, Mr Benn added.
He continued: “Our changing climate has changed our politics, because we knew that we could not let people down.
“We came here saying we wanted a road map that included every country and covered emission reductions from developed countries and fair and equitable contributions from developing countries.
“We leave here with all of this and more – a groundbreaking agreement on deforestation, and others on adaptation and technology.
“And against predictions these negotiations will be guided by ambitious goals for emission reductions.
“What we have achieved here has never been done before.
“Less than a year ago, many would have said this agreement was impossible.
“Now we must make it work, and in the next two years agree the detail of a comprehensive global climate deal that will take us beyond 2012.”
The agreement follows two weeks of insults, arguments and threatened boycotts and trade sanctions, as countries wrangled over who should take responsibility for cutting carbon pollution
UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, who returned to Bali as the conference stretched into another day, had earlier said he was “disappointed” at the lack of progress.
A highly emotional Mr Ban had told delegates: “Now the hour is late. It’s time to make a decision.
“You have in your hands the ability to deliver to the people of the world a successful outcome to this conference.”
Ministers worked through the night to hammer out the details of an agenda for the agreement, which will replace the current Kyoto Protocol.
The EU conceded on one of the main sticking points – the inclusion in the road map of a reference of 25% to 40% emissions cuts by developed countries by 2020, which scientists have said are necessary to avoid dangerous climate change.
The EU had insisted the figures were in the document because they are based on the science of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and an ambitious road map was needed.
But the US demanded – and won – their removal, claiming they could “prejudge” outcomes of negotiations over the past two years.
This morning the Europeans accepted a road map in which the targets were missing, as were references to the need for emissions to peak within 10 to 15 years and for global greenhouse gas output to halve by 2050.
Instead the document said countries recognise that “deep cuts in global emissions” will be required, and calls for a “long-term global goal for emissions reductions”.
In turn the US conceded over the issue in the road map of how much developing countries need to do to curb their emissions.
Paula Dobriansky, the head of the US delegation, said: “I think we have come a long way here.
“In this, the United States is very committed to this effort and just wants to really ensure we all act together.
“We will go forward and join consensus.”
Campaigning groups said the deal had been stripped of important targets and hit out at the US’s “wrecking policy”.
Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF UK, said:
“We are not at all pleased.
“We were looking for a road map with a destination.”
But he praised the talks having been brought back from the brink of collapse, with the alliance of the G77 developing countries with the EU.
He said positive aspects included the beginning of a framework to ramp up the finance to help poorer countries adapt and potential for “real movement” with technology transfer.
Looking ahead, Mr Allott hoped for a new administration in the US.
“We are seeing a dynamic situation in many of the countries,” he said.
“We have had a sea change in Australia.”
Greenpeace said that the agreement had been stripped of the emission reduction targets that humanity needs.
“The Bush administration has unscrupulously taken a monkey wrench to the level of action on climate change that the science demands,” said Gerd Leipold, executive director of Greenpeace International.
“They’ve relegated the science to a footnote.”
Greenpeace said it remains confident that mounting public pressure on every continent will force governments over the next two years to agree “inevitable” deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
The group criticised the US’s strategy, saying the Bush administration was “shamed” by the firm resolve of the developing countries China, India, Brazil and South Africa, who came to Bali with concrete proposals.
Nelson Muffuh, a Christian Aid senior climate change policy analyst, said: “For most of the conference, the US delegation in particular proved a major obstacle to progress.
“They appeared to operate a wrecking policy, as though determined to derail the whole process.
“We welcome their last minute agreement to support the consensus in accepting the Bali road map, having said less than an hour earlier that it was unacceptable, and we sincerely hope they are serious in their stated desire to negotiate.
“But the way ahead will be hard. The Bush administration has said throughout that it wants to see developing countries agree to cuts in carbon emissions.
“A number of emerging economies put creative, flexible plans on the table, but will have little incentive to negotiate further until the industrialised world agrees deeper cuts.
“Climate change is already having a devastating impact on the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities through drought and flooding.”
He said the lack of clear targets in the road map leaves them exposed to further catastrophe.
“We were expecting a road map, and we’ve got one,” said Mr Muffuh. “But it lacks signposts and there is no agreed destination.”
A spokesman for the Carbon Markets Association (CMA) welcomed the breakthrough “of a road map to engaging all nations, including the US, in meaningful negotiations toward long-term commitments by 2009.
“The process to 2009 should at a minimum deliver an extension of the first phase binding commitments beyond 2012 as well the engagement of a broader group of nations with binding commitments.”
The US is the only major industrial nation to reject Kyoto.
President George Bush has complained that it would unduly damage the US economy, and emission caps should have been imposed on China, India and other fast-growing developing countries.
The Bush administration favours a voluntary approach with each country deciding how it can contribute in place of internationally negotiated and legally binding commitments.
So the US makes some concessions to strike a deal. But not before ‘targets’ are take out of the deal, which in my opinion taints the whole ‘historic moment’. It’s something, but not the everything I was hoping for. And i don’t think I’m the only one.
With emerging economies coming to the fore as major contributors to climate change, fair or not, we in the west need to lead the way and try and compensate for the damage these relatively new, to the climate problem, countries are causing. Now is the time, and the USA needs to put the world before themselves for a change.
Leave a Comment » | Ecology, Environment, Global Warming | Tagged: Australia, Bali, Ban Ki-moon, Brazil, China, Christian Aid, finance, George Bush, Gerd Leipold, greenhouse gas, greenhouse gas emissions, Greenpeace, Greenpeace International, Hilary Benn, India, Keith Allott, KYOTO, Nelson Muffuh, Paula Dobriansky, South Africa, technology transfer, United Nations, United States | Permalink
Bali draft says all nations must join climate fight
By Alister Doyle and Gerard Wynn
NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) – All nations must do more to fight climate change, and rich countries must make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst impacts, a draft proposal at United Nations talks said on Saturday.
The four-page draft, written by delegates from Indonesia, Australia and South Africa as an unofficial guide for delegates from 190 nations at the December 3-14 talks, said developing nations should at least brake rising emissions as part of a new pact.
It said there was “unequivocal scientific evidence” that “preventing the worst impacts of climate change will require (developed nations) to reduce emissions in a range of 25-40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.”
The draft is the first outline of the possible goals of talks on a new global deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which binds just 36 developed nations to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.
“Current efforts … will not deliver the required emissions reductions,” according to the text, obtained by Reuters, that lays out a plan for averting ever more droughts, floods, heatwaves and rising seas.
“The challenge of climate change calls for effective participation by all countries,” it said. The United States is outside the Kyoto pact and developing nations led by China and India have no 2012 goals for limiting emissions.
Echoing conclusions this year by the U.N. climate panel, it said global emissions of greenhouse gases would have to “peak in the next 10 to 15 years and be reduced to very low levels, well below half of levels in 2000 by 2050.”
The draft lays out three options for how to proceed after Bali — ranging from non-binding talks over the next two years to a deadline for adopting a new global pact at a U.N. meeting in Copenhagen in late 2009.
Rich nations should consider ways to step up efforts to curb emissions of greenhouse gases by setting “quantified national emission objectives”, the draft says.
Poor countries should take “national mitigation actions … that limit the growth of, or reduce, emissions,” it says. It adds that “social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities” for poor nations.
Delegates will report back on Monday with reactions.
Earlier, trade ministers from 12 nations met for the first time on the sidelines of a U.N. climate conference, opening a new front in the global warming battle.
Their two-day discussions ending on Sunday focus on easing tariffs on climate-friendly goods to spur a “green” economy. About 20 finance ministers will join the fringes of the Bali meeting on Monday and Tuesday.
“Climate change solutions open up important opportunities for jobs and trade,” Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean told reporters. Ministers at the trade meeting included those from the United States, Australia, Brazil and India.
Differences over who should take the blame for, and do most to curb, emissions threatened to deadlock the main talks. Canada and Australia joined Japan on Saturday in calling for commitments from some developing countries.
But developing nations would find it “inconceivable” to accept binding targets now, said the U.N.’s climate change chief Yvo de Boer. An alliance of 43 small island states urged even tougher action to fight climate change, saying they risked being washed off the map by rising seas.
Outside the conference centre, Balinese dancers used sticks to burst black balloons labelled “CO2”, the main greenhouse gas.
— For Reuters latest environment blogs click on: blogs.reuters.com/environment/
(Reporting by Gerard Wynn and Alister Doyle, Editing by Tim Pearce)
Leave a Comment » | Ecology, Environment, Global Warming, Science, Technology | Tagged: Alister Doyle, Australia, Bali, Brazil, Canada, change solutions, China, Copenhagen, finance ministers, Gerard Wynn, greenhouse gas emissions, India, Indonesia, Japan, KYOTO, main greenhouse gas, NUSA DUA, Reuters, Simon Crean, South Africa, Tim Pearce, United Nations, United States, Yvo de Boer | Permalink
Comedy Carbon Offsetting
Most UK adults don’t know what carbon offsetting is, though some suspect it is a process linked to fizzy drinks, according to an exclusive survey released today to GU Environment by the British Market Research Bureau.
Some 55% of survey respondents had either never heard of carbon offsetting, or had heard the name but didn’t know anything about it. When asked which term best described carbon offsetting, 66% were unable to give an accurate definition.
One in five said it was “the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere” while 19% selected “a chemical process which neutralises carbon dioxide gas before it is released into the atmosphere”. Some 2% of respondents thought carbon offsetting was a “new technique that eases trapped wind caused by carbonated/fizzy drinks”.
Only 15% of survey respondents said they knew “a lot” or “a fair amount” about carbon offsetting. Despite high-profile support for carbon offsetting from pop groups such as Coldplay, awareness was lower among 15 to 24-year-olds, with 51% saying they had never heard of it.
Carbon offsetting involves individuals or companies attempting to compensate for their contribution to global warming. Examples include planting trees, pumping greenhouse gases underground and setting up green energy projects abroad. Critics say the schemes are guilt-absolving, but others feel they are important to try to compensate for damage done to the planet.
Only 1% of Britons told researchers they had ever paid into a carbon offsetting programme.
Yet according to the survey most people do seem concerned about the environment. More than 60% of respondents disagreed with the statement “changing our lifestyles will make no difference to climate change, we might as well enjoy ourselves”.
Less than a third agreed that “it’s the government’s job to tackle climate change not mine as an individual”. Some 85% said they felt that business should be doing more to tackle climate change.
In addition, 57% of adults said they were either “fairly” or “very” willing to halve their number of car journeys, while 62% said they would be willing to take no more than one flight abroad a year for a holiday or weekend break.
Sue Welland from the offsetting company CarbonNeutral said the findings showed that awareness of green issues had risen considerably over the last 10 years. “[Now] the job is to resist all the jargon that is emerging and to communicate in everyday language how and why carbon offsetting works.”
The BMRB survey was carried out among 1,017 people aged 15 and over.
This had me kind of thinking about what I really do for the environment.
Well I am vegan for a start.
The fact is, a HUGE portion of our environmental problems come from eating meat and dairy (and from producing meat and dairy), and Glenn Beck, of all people, hit the nail square on the head. Global warming, rain forest destruction, coral reefs dying off, topsoil erosion, poisoned water and polluted air are all a result of animal agriculture, and everybody – including our “environmental” groups – refuses to connect these dots. Thanks, Glenn, for doing what Al Gore, Diane Sawyer and even Michael Brune have refused to do.
“A report released by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization last November charged that raising livestock produced more “greenhouse gases” globally than the international transportation system.” http://www.crosswalk.com/news/11543779/
And then there is:
ANIMAL PRODUCTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Throughout the 20th century growing populations and ever-increasing industrialisation have had devastating effects on our environment. Global warming, widespread pollution, deforestation, land degradation and species extinction are just some of the problems we now face. The full consequences of such large-scale environmental degradation are impossible to judge, but what we do know is that the impacts on humanity will be most devastating in the developing world. With hundreds of millions of people already not obtaining enough food to meet their basic needs and billions of people lacking access to safe water supplies, it is imperative that we find sustainable methods of food production that do not further degrade planetary health.
“Removing the causes of environmental degradation is often more effective than seeking to control the symptoms.”
Cornelis de Haan, Livestock Adviser to the World Bank [1]
Agriculture in general is one of the most resource-intensive and environmentally damaging aspects of industrialised living. What this means for us as individuals is that if we are trying to reduce our car use, limit the amount of water we waste, become more ‘energy-efficient’ and generally lessen our environmental impact, then we should also examine our eating habits.
People are increasingly becoming aware of the direct correlation between what they eat every day and the health of the planet. Environmentally conscious consumers are concerned not only with food miles, over-packaging, pesticide use and GM foods, but also question the environmental sustainability of modern animal husbandry. Farmers used to be seen as ‘custodian’s of the countryside,’ but the overriding image of modern industrial farming is one of destruction and waste.
World meat production has quadrupled in the past 50 years and livestock now outnumber people by more than 3 to 1. [2] In other words, the livestock population is expanding at a faster rate than the human population. This trend contributes to all of the environmental problems already outlined.
A report commissioned by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank concluded that factory farming, “acts directly on land, water, air and biodiversity through the emission of animal waste, use of fossil fuels and substitution of animal genetic resources. In addition, it affects the global land base indirectly through its effect on the arable land needed to satisfy its feed concentrate requirements. Ammonia emissions from manure storage and application lead to localized acid rain and ailing forests.” [3]
And the problems don’t end there.
“The world must create five billions vegans in the next several decades, or triple its total farm output without using more land.”
Dennis Avery, Director of the Centre for Global Food Issues . [1]
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that around 840 million people are undernourished. That’s roughly 14% of the human population. On average, around 25,000 people die every day from hunger-related causes. Each year 6 million children under the age of 5 die as a result of hunger and malnutrition – this is roughly equivalent to all the under-5s in France and Italy combined. [2] With the world’s population expected to increase from 6 billion to 9 billion by 2050, one of the most urgent questions we now face is how we, as a species, will feed ourselves in the 21st century.
Land availability is one of the main constraints on food production. The earth has only a limited area of viable agricultural land, so how this land is used is central to our ability to feed the world. At the moment, the problem is not lack of food – it is widely agreed that enough food is produced worldwide to feed a global population of 8-10 billion people – but lack of availability. Poverty, powerlessness, war, corruption and greed all conspire to prevent equal access to food, and there are no simple solutions to the problem. However, Western lifestyles – and diet in particular – can play a large part in depriving the world’s poor of much needed food.
“In this era of global abundance, why does the word continue to tolerate the daily hunger and deprivation of more than 800 million people?”
Jacques Diouf, Director-General, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. [3]
THE LIVESTOCK CONNECTION
World livestock production exceeds 21 billion animals each year. The earth’s livestock population is more then three and a half times its human population. [4]
In all, the raising of livestock takes up more than two-thirds of agricultural land, and one third of the total land area. [5] This is apparently justifiable because by eating the foods that humans can’t digest and by processing these into meat, milk and eggs, farmed animals provide us with an extra, much-needed food source. Or so the livestock industry would like you to believe. In fact, livestock are increasingly being fed with grains and cereals that could have been directly consumed by humans or were grown on land that could have been used to grow food rather than feed. The developing world’s undernourished millions are now in direct competition with the developed world’s livestock – and they are losing.
In 1900 just over 10% of the total grain grown worldwide was fed to animals; by 1950 this figure had risen to over 20%; by the late 1990s it stood at around 45%. Over 60% of US grain is fed to livestock. [6]
This use of the world’s grain harvest would be acceptable in terms of world food production if it were not for the fact that meat and dairy production is a notoriously inefficient use of energy. All animals use the energy they get from food to move around, keep warm and perform their day to day bodily functions. This means that only a percentage of the energy that farmed animals obtain from plant foods is converted into meat or dairy products. Estimates of efficiency levels vary, but in a recent study [7], Professor Vaclav Smil of the University of Manitoba, Canada, calculated that beef cattle raised on feedlots may convert as little as 2.5% of their gross feed energy into food for human consumption. Estimated conversion of protein was only a little more efficient, with less than 5% of the protein in feed being converted to edible animal protein. These figures are especially damning since the diet of cattle at the feedlot consists largely of human-edible grains.
Feedlot-raised beef is an extreme example, being the least feed-efficient animal product, but even the most efficient – milk – represents a waste of precious agricultural land. Prof Smil calculates that the most efficient dairy cows convert between 55 and 67% of their gross feed energy into milk food energy.
Efficiency can also be measured in terms of the land required per calorie of food obtained. When Gerbens-Leenes et al. [8] examined land use for all food eaten in the Netherlands, they found that beef required the most land per kilogram and vegetables required the least. The figures they obtained can be easily converted to land required for one person’s energy needs for a year by multiplying 3000 kcal (a day’s energy) by 365 days to obtain annual calorie needs (1,095,000 kcal) and dividing this by the calories per kilogram. The figures obtained are summarised in table 1:
Food Land per kg (m2) Calories per kilogram Land per person per year (m2)
Beef 20.9 2800 8173
Pork 8.9 3760 2592
Eggs 3.5 1600 2395
Milk 1.2 640 2053
Fruit 0.5 400 1369
Vegetables 0.3 250 1314
Potatoes 0.2 800 274
On the basis of these figures, a vegan diet can meet calorie and protein needs from just 300 square metres using mainly potatoes. A more varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, grains and legumes would take about 700 square metres. Replacing a third of the calories in this diet with calories from milk and eggs would double the land requirements and a typical European omnivorous diet would require five times the amount of land required for a varied vegan diet.
In looking at land use for animal products this research makes the very favourable assumption that by-products of plant food production used in animal agriculture do not require any land. For example, soybean land is assigned 100% to human soy oil consumption with no land use attributed to the oil cakes used for meat and dairy production. This stacks the odds in favour of animal foods, so the figures in this paper are all the more compelling as to the higher land demands of animal farming.
GHOST ACRES
Most of the land wasted on growing feed for livestock is in developing countries, where food is most scarce. Europe, for example, imports 70% of its protein for animal feed, causing a European Parliament report to state that ‘Eurpoe can feed its people but not its [farm] animals.’ [9] Friends of the Earth have calculated that the UK imported 4.1 million hectares of other people’s land in 1996 [10].
“In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe. These ‘ghost acres’ belie the so-called efficiency of hi-tech agriculture…” Tim Lang of the Centre for Food Policy. [11]
This land contributes to developing world malnutrition by driving impoverished populations to grow cash crops for animal feed, rather than food for themselves. Intensive monoculture crop production causes soils to suffer nutrient depletion and thus pushes economically vulnerable populations further away from sustainable agricultural systems. All so that the world’s wealthy can indulge their unhealthy taste for animal flesh.
PUT OUT TO PASTURE
Although grain-dependent industrial agriculture is the fastest growing type of animal production, not all farmed animals are raised in this way. Much of the world’s livestock is still raised on pasture. Worldwide, livestock use roughly 3.4 billion hectares of grazing land.
Proponents of animal agriculture point out that most pastureland is wholly unsuitable for growing grain to feed for humans. They argue that by converting grass, and other plants that are indigestible to humans, into energy and protein for human consumption, livestock provide a valuable addition to our food resources. The reality is that land currently used to graze cattle and other ruminants is almost invariably suitable for growing trees – such a use would not only provide a good source of land-efficient, health-giving fruit and nuts, but would also have many environmental benefits.
Quite simply, we do not have enough land to feed everyone on an animal-based diet. So while 840 million people do not have enough food to live normal lives, we continue to waste two-thirds of agricultural land by obtaining only a small fraction of its potential calorific value.Obviously access to food is an extremely complex issue and there are no easy answers. However, the fact remains that the world’s population is increasing and viable agricultural land is diminishing. If we are to avoid future global food scarcity we must find sustainable ways of using our natural resource base. Industrial livestock production is unsustainable and unjustifiable.
The UN Water Assessment Programme states: “At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Earth, with its diverse and abundant life forms, including over six billion humans, is facing a serious water crisis.” [1]
We all know that ours is a Blue Planet, mostly made up of water, so it can be difficult to believe that this most precious of natural resources could ever become so scarce as to endanger future food production and general planetary health. However, only 2.53% of the earth’s water is fresh and most of this is inaccessible – some two-thirds being captured in glaciers and permanent snow. [2] The remaining fresh water is almost entirely made up of groundwater.
According to Sandra Postel, Director of the Global Water Policy Project, the world overdraws 200 km3 of its global groundwater ‘bank account’ every year. [3] This over-exploitation has serious consequences for future food production and global health. In fact, the WorldWatch Institute rates aquifer depletion, alongside HIV and shrinking cropland area per person, as one of the three most potentially devastating problems facing our species. [4]
Water pollution serves to compound the problem, with global wastewater estimated to be in the region of 1,500 km3. The UN suggests that 1 litre of wastewater pollutes, on average, 8 litres of freshwater, which would result in a freshwater pollution burden of around 12,000 km3 worldwide. [5]
Estimates suggest that climate change could cause a 20% increase in global water scarcity. [6]
In their ‘Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000’ UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that at present 1.1 billion people have no access to safe water supplies. 2.4 billion people have no access to any form of improved sanitation.
“As a consequence, 2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die every year from diseases associated with lack of safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene” – Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General, WHO and Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, UNICEF. [7]
The situation is predicted to worsen as population expands and consumption per capita increases as more and more people adopt resource-intensive Western-style lifestyles.
The UN’s 2003 Water Development Report predicts that “by the middle of this century, at worst 7 billion people in sixty countries will be water-scarce, at best 2 billion people in forty-eight countries.” [8] In fact, the problem is so serious that many environmental and political commentators predict that the resource wars of the future will be fought over water rather than oil.
To ensure our basic needs, we all need 20 to 50 litres of water free from harmful contaminants each day. [9]
Worldwide, agriculture uses up 70% of fresh water resources. [10] This is largely because a lot of cropland has to be irrigated to make it agriculturally viable and to increase and improve crop yields.
As has been shown, much of this land is entirely wasted by being used to grow feed crops for livestock rather than food for people. The water used on this land – as well as that consumed directly by livestock – represents yet another wasted resource.
There has been much disagreement over precisely how much water is squandered in this way. Professor David Pimentel of Cornell University’s Ecology Department has calculated that it takes 500 litres of water to produce 1kg of potatoes, 900 litres per kg of wheat, 3,500 litres per kg of digestible chicken flesh and a massive 100,000 litres for 1kg of beef. [11]
A more conservative estimate comes from Beckett and Oltjen of the University of California’s Department of Animal Science. [12] In a study partly financed by the California Beef Council, they concluded that wheat production requires 120 litres per kg and beef 3,700 litres per kg. It is interesting to look a little more closely at these figures as they show that, even by the most conservative of estimates, beef production still represents a scandalous misuse of one of our most precious natural resources.
1 kg of meat yields about 2800 kcal and 174 g of protein. [13] 1 kg of wheat yields 3300 kcal and 110 g of protein (100g after adjustment for digestibility). According to Beckett and Oltjen, the kilogram of beef requires 3,700 litres of water and the kilogram of wheat requires 120 litres of water. If we put all of these figures together, we find that whilst wheat provides us with an average 27.5 kcal for each litre of water used, beef provides only 0.76 kcal per litre. This means that – based on the data presented to show that other figures were “overstated” – beef still requires 36 times as much water per calorie as wheat. When the same calculations are done for digestible protein, wheat comes out as 18 times more water efficient than beef. These figures are summarised in table 2.
Calories Digestible protein Water Calories per litre Protein per litre
Wheat 3300 100 120 27.50 0.833
Beef 2800 174 3700 0.76 0.047
Wheat/Beef 36 18
Table 2: Comparison of water use in beef and wheat production; Source: Beckett & Oltjen, 1993; USDA nutritional database. By these figures, one kilogram of beef uses as much water as:
300 toilet flushes
100 times the clean water needed by an individual according to UNESCO
Since a large percentage of the crops we feed to our farmed animals are grown on ‘ghost acres’ in developing countries, this wasted water is coming not just from our own reserves but from the very countries where drinking water is most scarce.
We are always being told that we need to be more energy efficient. Be it through faulty boilers, inefficient light bulbs, over-filled kettles or driving to the paper shop, most of us are guilty of wasting energy in one way or another.
Over-consumption of energy is a major problem because the vast majority of the energy we use still comes from fossil fuels. The burning of oil, coal and gas result in the emission of carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas, and is the main contributor to human-induced climate change (see Global Warming).
While this is undoubtedly the most important implication of energy consumption, it is not the only problem. Other environmental consequences of the burning of fossil fuels include air pollution from toxic gases, acidification of land and water, contamination of ocean environments through oil spills and destruction of habitats through mining and drilling. [1] Exploitation of fossil fuels all too often has serious implications for indigenous people, whose land rights are frequently ignored and lifestyles destroyed by the construction of mines and pipelines.
With little serious investment in alternative renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar power, the onus has been shifted to the consumer to try to cut individual energy use. We can switch our power supply to companies that deal in renewable energy sources and we can choose to minimise our ‘fossil footprint’ through reducing the amount of energy we consume. One of the most energy-intensive aspects of modern life is industrial agriculture, and small changes in the food we eat every day can have a significant impact on the amount of energy we use throughout our lives.
Environmentally conscious consumers are becoming more and more aware of the benefits of buying locally produced food to cut down on ‘food miles'(the distance travelled – usually by lorry – by our food before it reaches our plates) and eating seasonally to reduce the energy used to create artificial climates in greenhouses. But the impacts of the type of food eaten are often overlooked by environmental pressure groups.
“The industrial system is a poor converter of fossil energy. Fossil energy is a major input of intensive livestock production systems, mainly indirectly for the production of feed.” [2] A study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture concluded that their results “pointedly reveal the high level of dependency of the US beef cattle industry on fossil fuels. These findings in turn bring into question the ecological and economic risks associated with the current technology driving North American agriculture.” [3]
This same technology is being adopted as a model for industrial livestock production throughout the world. The study’s review of energy inputs versus energy outputs in food calories showed that while corn and barley produce about five times as much food energy as the energy used in production, beef production uses about three times as much energy as the food energy produced. This means that corn and barley production is around 15 times more efficient in terms of fossil fuel input than beef production.
Studies conducted in The Netherlands suggest that, inefficient as it is, beef production is less of a waste of fossil fuels than some other types of meat production. Brand & Melman calculate that 1kg of beef requires a fossil energy input of 15.5 Megajoules (MJ), poultry meat 18.1 MJ/kg, pork 18.9 MJ/kg, and veal production a massive 46.8 MJ/kg. [4] These figures are calculated for liveweight rather than edible protein, so the real energy input per kg of meat will be quite a bit higher. Similar studies conducted in Canada found even higher energy inputs. [5]
The vast majority of this energy is used in producing, transporting and processing feed. Little wonder, then, that the WorldWatch Institute has stated that “American feed (for livestock) takes so much energy to grow that it might as well be a petroleum byproduct.” [6]
Pimentel and Goodland argue that aquaculture (fish-farming) is even more feed and energy intensive than terrestrial agriculture. Cultured fish have to be fed grain (as well as animal waste) and large amounts of energy are used in aquaculture to pump water. According to their calculations, it takes about 34 kcal of fossil energy to produce 1 kcal of catfish protein. [7] Contrast this with estimations that corn and barley produce about 5 times as much food energy as they use in terms of fossil energy.
A plant-based vegan diet uses substantially less energy than a diet based on animal products. This energy is virtually all derived from fossil fuels, making meat and dairy consumption a contributing factor in air pollution, acidification, oil spills, habitat destruction and global warming.
So there we have what I do for the environment by being vegan. However I want to do more.
I am in the process of setting up proper recycling in the household. We use energy conservation whenever possible now. My one vice I have to admit is the computer which runs 24/7, and it’s one I’m considering seriously dealing with.
A lot of new houses in the UK are being built to be carbon neutral, this isnt without its problems but it’s a start. I intend to become as carbon neutral as possible as soon as possible too. I’ll go through the process in another post.
Ok, on to something lighter:
Kissing and Relationships.
One kiss can make or break a couple:
What’s in a kiss? Saliva, and potentially important information about your kissing partner.
So says George Gallup at the State University of New York, Albany, who surveyed 1041 students on their attitudes to kissing (Evolutionary Psycology, vol 5, p612). Some views verged on the predicatable: women, for example, placed more emotional importance on a kiss, valuing kisses during and after sex, and throughout a relationship. The men tended to see kissing as a means to an end – sex – and placed less importance on kissing as a relationship progresses. Just over half of men said they would have sex with someone without kissing, compared to 15 per cent of women. And more men than women said that a good kiss was one with tongue contact, where the partner made moaning noises. (lmao, sorry, PJC)
But Gallup says the first kiss a couple share could make or break the relationship. In a seperate survey, 59 per cent of mean and 66 per cent of women reported on occasion finding themselves attracted to someone, only to lose interest after kissing them for the first time. “The complicated exchange of information that occurs during a kiss may inform evolved, unconcious mechanisms about instances of possible genetic incompatibility,” Gallup says.
Makes sense to me I have to admit, there is nothing worse than being eaten alive during a kiss.
Ok, one more thing, still roughly on the same vein,
Who slept with who before they slept with you: sexualrelationshipdatabase.com Class…..
Quite an eventful day yesterday, CJ almost made an appearance. Marie had some waters break, but not the whole thing apparently. So basically we are back to square one and the waiting game after the hospital sent her home. I suggested a knitting needle well place and a good poke around but I was rebuffed.
More waffle from me later.
2 Comments | Environment, Science, Vegan | Tagged: Albany, animal products, bank account, Beckett, Blue Planet, Brazil, by-products, California, Canada, car journeys, car use, carbon dioxide gas, CarbonNeutral, Carol Bellamy, Centre for Food Policy, Centre for Global Food Issues, chemical process, Cornell University\\\\\\\'s Ecology Department, dairy products, David Pimentel, Dennis Avery, Diane Sawyer, energy, energy conservation, energy consumption, energy inputs, energy intensive, energy needs, energy outputs, energy-intensive aspects, Europe, food, food calories, food energy, food miles, food production, food resources, food scarcity, food source, Fossil energy, fossil energy input, France, gas result, George Gallup, Glenn Beck, Global Water Policy Project, green energy projects, greenhouse gas, Gro Harlem Brundtland, gross feed energy, higher energy inputs, human soy oil consumption, individual energy use, intensive livestock production systems, Italy, Jacques Diouf, least feed-efficient animal product, less energy, Manitoba, Michael Brune, milk food energy, mining, needed food, oil, oil cakes, oil spills, plant food production, produced food, real energy, renewable energy sources, Sandra Postel, smil, Sue Welland, sustainable agricultural systems, technology driving, The Netherlands, This same technology, Tim Lang, United Kingdom, United Nations, United Nations International Children \\\\\\\' s Emergency, United States, University of Manitoba, Vaclav Smil, World Health Organisation | Permalink
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Designing the Workplace I Always Wanted for Myself
Balancing work and life at Burns Group
By Joanne McKinney of Burns Group on Nov 26 2018 - 7:00am
I started my career at Grey Advertising but left at the height of my growth, six years in. Although I couldn't fully articulate it at the time, because the lexicon didn't exist, looking back it's clear I was craving role models who balanced work and life, and there were few in sight.
There was no one I really wanted to be like when I grew up. For the most part, senior women were those who adhered to a man's way of working, struggled to gain power, and had to compromise on one or many aspects of their lives in order to move up. I knew I wanted something different—and had to find a way to create it.
Throughout my career, I made many decisions that people would deem career limiting in order to create the life I wanted: to have a career and a family, and to devote time to things that mattered to me.
I started to break the rules (or rather, rewrite the rules) when I became a working mother and struggled to do my job and be a parent. I left in the middle of the day to attend classroom events, negotiated to leave work at 3 p.m. every day to pick my kids up from school, and was transparent with clients that if they wanted to reach me late in the day, they would hear my kids in the background.
I left my job and partnership at work to follow my husband's career to Europe for four years with our children. I ran a not-for-profit project in Rwanda for the past 15 years, leaving work and family for two weeks at a time. I never stopped working, always made myself indispensable to my work and my colleagues, but never put leadership in my sights. It seemed impossible with all the other choices I was making to balance my career with my personal life.
When I returned from Europe, I joined Burns Group in its infancy and built strategy from nothing into a thriving brand consultancy, innovation engine and leader in consumer co-creation (while still leaving at 3 p.m. every day to be home after school). I hired amazing people who helped me learn and grow, and who were empowered to own their work, so that we all could find time to have a life too.
Three years ago, I launched BGIN, our startup accelerator, and started to really drive new ways of working and thinking into the agency. This past January, I developed our new vision, which showed how the work we were simultaneously doing for startups and large legacy brands was creating an amazing new way of working that was powerful in today's disruptive era for brands. That vision, and my years of contributions to the agency, earned me the role of CEO in March 2018.
What I had deemed impossible to do, I did—and did by forging my own path and never compromising my own personal values and dreams. As a new CEO, my aim is to ensure that others don't have to go it alone when trying to find balance. I want them to see role models at every level, and I'm dedicated to designing the workplace that I fought so hard to create for myself.
This means changing it up at every level and in many different ways. At Burns Group, one of the core values we've built our culture around is a growth mind-set—and this requires that we do everything we can to help our employees grow by supporting their personal development and allowing their passions to inspire and evolve their day jobs. We've encouraged our employees to continue their education, learn supplementary skills and pursue their lives outside the office. We're paying for outside education, giving people "two hats" so they can accelerate their knowledge, giving paid time off for charitable work, and putting young people on the front lines of designing their own careers and their own lives.
This focus is driving change. We now have younger employees who have switched departments (from strategy to design, from account management to UX design) after they have gained experience in two areas of interest. We have new parents creating personalized and flexible ways of returning to work. We've supported outside passion projects by unleashing our creative services pro-bono, for an employee-founded non-profit. It's exciting to see work/life unfolding in ways that look so different from the norms of my early career.
We're not there yet, but we're working on creating the kind of workplace that values people, their life choices and their ambitions from all aspects of their lives. I want our company to offer all that I was craving throughout my career.
Burns Group
Joanne McKinney
Joanne McKinney is CEO of Burns Group.
More from Joanne McKinney
Why Disconnecting From Technology Can Leave You More Connected to Life
By Estie Wassner
How Mentoring Gave Me New Insight Into the Meaning of Career
By Claire Nance
How Creative Partnerships Last, From 4 Teams Who've Been There
By Rachel Guest and Celine Faledam
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Tag Archives: Sexual Violence
April 6, 2019 by devonkw
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
I love Kelley Armstrong, so I was pretty interested to read one of her earlier works. I liked it a lot. I will probably finish the series, although in that typical slow way that I read series. Having said that, I do think you can tell that it’s an early novel, because her later books are a bit more succinct and sharp, but the story carries itself along quickly, the characters are interesting and Elena is pretty likable.
I actually read this book ages ago, I’m having a hard time keeping up with my blog. I have one baby, and soon will have another and my reading and blogging time is pretty dear.
So I will say this – fun book. My favourite part is the relationship between Jeremy and Elena – I love non-sexual friendships that are central of stories. I also love the Pack dynamic. I find Elena and Clay to be quite troubling and abusive, so the sweetness of it makes me a little uncomfortable. We’ll see how it that unfolds.
Not for young readers though ’cause there’s lots and lots of sex.
Thor. Not as good as I remembered it, but still very good.
Probably still Shadowhunters. Nothing new to report there.
Tagged Adult Novel, Canadian, Chosen Family, Family, Fantasy, Girl Protagonists, Lotsa sex, Magic, Mental Health, Miniblog post, Mythology, Novel, Romance, Series, Sex, Sexual Violence, supernatural, United States of America, Werewolves
Heartbreaking, hopeful but also mostly gutting
We Are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos
This book is really compelling, really heartbreaking and a good story about one of those things I didn’t know a lot about. I really value YA lit that widens my world view. The story is told in two perspectives. The first person narration is a diary entry of a typical American teenager – her strongest relationships are with her friends, she loves photography and she doesn’t get along with her old fashioned Mom. The second story is a third person narration account of her old fashioned mother as a teenager during the Bosnian genocide. Their lives are brought together when a fictional terrorist attack in the USA injures them both and brings them closer as part of their healing process.
Although the writing isn’t particularly outstanding, it’s a good story. It’s always startling to me to learn about history that I was alive during. Sure, I was a little kid at the time, and I was kind of aware of hearing about Bosnia, but I didn’t understand it at the time and as an adult it’s hard to reconcile that terrible things didn’t just happen in my grandparents time – the World Wars, the Depression, etc but in my parents time and worst of all, in mine. I imagine my kids will have a similar moment when they realize I was a teenager during 9/11. As uncomfortable as it is, I’m glad this book made me look closely at how recently there’s been this kind of violence in the world and remind me how unkindly history looks on people who stay silent during times of great violence.
At it’s core, this story is about trauma and the healing process being about connection and faith. Nadja, the mother, survived the trauma of genocide, rape, outlived her family who were all killed and lived in a city under siege for years where she faced starvation and snipers. And yet she made it to the United States, met a man, got pregnant and found joy in her baby. But she was never able to talk to her children about their grandparents or her past and she remained closed off from the world. Zara saw nothing in her mother but her weird habits, obsessive behaviors and closed off nature. After the terrorist attack Nadja is able to see her daughter learning to cope with the same trauma she is experiencing and understand that keeping her terrifying past away from her children has held her back from them. Zara comes to understand that trauma and violence change a person in very profound way and that her mother is a product of a brutal life, scarred, just like she is now.
I’m an atheist and generally don’t read outright religious texts and maybe that’s why I wasn’t really prepared for the religious element in this book. Although the concept of God is quite loosely defined (Nadja is ethnically Muslim but celebrates both Christmas and Eid during the war and almost never attends mosque and Zara doesn’t have a clear sense of her own faith at the start of the book) through the introduction of Joseph, a young man Zara meets at the hospital and his quest to at least temporarily practice all the major world religions, Zara moves towards having a relationship with God. In the abstract I didn’t connect with her because of my own bias but it’s probably a good thing for me to consider from time to time, where religion fits into other people’s lives.
The ending had me in tears and that’s all I can say safely, without spoilers. But it really did drive home this feeling the book carries that love is as strong as anything bad in the world.
Moana. Love it!
The Dragon Prince. Although the animation isn’t great, the story and characters are great! Definitely committed to this show!
Tagged Coming of age, complicated content, Family, Friends, Girl Protagonists, Historical Fiction, Made from a movie, Mental Health, Motherhood, Novel, Real Life, Religion, Romance, Serious and Socially Conscious, Sexual Violence, Trauma, United States of America, Untrustworthy authorities, War Story, YA
August 21, 2018 by devonkw
Greek mythology is real weird
I begin by saying, Greek mythology is very odd and it’s not easy to take something that messed up and make in feel human. But that’s exactly what Miller has done.
Circe is a lesser goddess, featured in Homer’s Odyssey. In the original myth she is a witch who lives on an island and turns sailors into pigs. Odysseus tricks her, takes her as his lover and in the end she helps him complete his quests. In Circe, the character is a little more developed. Her childhood was sad and lonely, her heart not as capricious, cruel or indifferent to the suffering of morals as her immortal family. When she discovers her powers, she goes against the will of her god father, Helios, reveals her witchcraft to the Olympians and is punished with exile for all eternity on an island. There she waits, interacting with several heroes and villains throughout Greek mythology.
It’s a story of family, motherhood, anger and violence, wrapped up in ancient myths and held together with beautiful language and lovely storytelling.
Once again, the part that most resonated with me was Circe’s becoming a mother for the first time. I swear, I’m not looking for audiobooks about parenthood to listen to while I’m feeding my son but they just keep popping up.
Circe’s terror and fierce drive to protect her son, and her amazement and heartbreak as she watches her son age and change struck a cord with me for sure. It’s hard to articulate my feelings of constant terror for my son, particularly because as an adult you see how dark and scary the world is and how delicate life is and how easy it is for it to be hurt and lost. Circe, as an immortal goddess who has survived in a world where gods are a destructive force sees so clearly the futures her son might face. I understood her. The awe she feels as her baby ages and changes in what feels like the blink of her eternal eye, I also got that. My son’s coming up on three months and already I feel like my time with him is slipping away.
It was incredibly powerful to hear the descriptions of parenting Miller wrote through Circe.
This is not a kids book – it’s got quite a bit of kind of disturbing content, a lot of sex (although nothing graphic) and is pretty violent. It is an adult book, and above all, I’d say it’s a parent book.
Also, anyone who likes Greek myths. I would not recommend it to anyone who can’t handle all that nonsense.
The first half of Into the Woods. Fun musical. Very grim.
Part of To Walk Invisible. I’m committed because I’m interested in the Bronte sisters, but really I’m not sure I’d recommend it. I’m finding it lacks any kind of narrative drive.
Tagged Adult, Adult Novel, Coming of age, Family, Fantasy, Intertextual, LGBT, literary, Lotsa sex, Magic, Motherhood, Mythology, Novel, Religion, Sexual Violence, supernatural, Trauma, Untrustworthy authorities, Witches
July 24, 2018 by devonkw
Beautiful and heartbreaking and human
A Thousand Splendid Suns (Abridged) by Khaled Hosseini
I listened this book as an audiobook, which is why it was the abridged. The reader was great, the book was amazing and I’m kind of struggling with an book hangover – I’ve got a new audiobook on the go but can’t get into it because it’s just not as good as this story.
The story is of two women in Afghanistan, spanning forty or fifty years. It is heartbreaking, beautiful and devastating but ultimately hopeful story . It is about the amazing power of women to overcome unthinkable horrors, particularly when they are motivated by love of their children.
The first part of the book is the story of Miriam, an illegitimate child of a wealthy man and a former housekeeper. She is excluded not just from her father’s family, but society as a whole. Her world changes dramatically when she’s a young teenager which ultimately results in her marriage to an abusive man named Rasheed in Kabul.
The second part of the book introduces Laila, who has lived her whole life down the street from Rasheed and Miriam, some twenty years older than her, without ever knowing it, in a much more liberal household. She too is forced to grow up devastatingly early and she becomes Rasheed’s second wife.
The last part changes point of views, switching between the two women as they move from adversaries to allies to a family in the truest sense.
The personal struggles of the two women take place against the backdrop of Afghanistan troubled history, including regime changes, international conflict with the Soviets and the Americans and the repressive rule of the Taliban. Both women are scarred by the trauma of war, just as their beloved city is. Yet at the end of the books, there’s a glimmer of hope for another generation of women, who may escape the horrors their mothers and grandmother’s survived.
I should mention that this book ends almost in the present, and its worth considering what the book is so subtly and elegantly suggesting about the future in the middle east.
It’s really hard to talk about this book without giving away a lot of details, which I’m struggling with because it was such a great story I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but I feel like I have to talk about mothers in this book, because to me that’s what the story is really about. In all fairness, this could be because I listened to it as I fed my 4 week old son, but I still think it’s worth considering.
Both women, Laila and Miriam had mothers who loved them, but could not make the hard choices to protect their daughters, due mostly to the trauma and pain they had experienced. For Laila’s mother, this was the death of her sons and her hatred for the Soviets as a result which motivated her to stay in Kabul long after it became unsafe for her family, which ultimately resulted in her death, her husband’s death and the forced marriage of her daughter. Miriam’s mother was so unable to move past the betrayal of the man she loved that when Miriam left her, even just for a day, to see her father, she took her own life.
Contrast that with Laila who married and stayed with a man who abused her to protect her children, who at the end of the book is called “mother” by a school full of orphans and is carrying the potential for the next generation of women. Miriam kills and literally dies to protect Laila and her children, the daughter who wasn’t even her own. Both women make enormous sacrifices to ensure the safety of their children, and that provides hope for the future.
This is an incredible story and I think everyone should read it. Everyone because if nothing else it’s a beautiful, moving exercise in empathy, which is of course, how books change the world.
A small piece of the Greatest Showman, with the commentary of a four year old and a six year old over top of it. I think I’ll try it again sometime.
Avatar: The Last Airbender. So good guys! So, so good.
Tagged Adult, Adult Novel, complicated content, Family, Girl Protagonists, Historical Fiction, Intertextual, literary, Mental Health, Novel, Particularly awesome, Real Life, Religion, Serious and Socially Conscious, Sexual Violence, Superheroes, Trauma, Untrustworthy authorities, War Story
February 2, 2018 by devonkw
Just so, so, so good
Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard
I love, love, love this book. There is so much excellence I’m not sure where to start.
It is the story of Pen, short for Penelope, a queer first generation Canadian teenager. At the start of the book Pen is doing her best to slide by unnoticed. She avoids fighting with her parents when she can by hiding in the basement where her older brother lives. Her best friend Colby defends her against anyone who bullies her in exchange for her help picking up girls. But when Colby tries to pick up the girl Pen has a crush on, Pen makes a choice for herself. Soon after events in her life start to spiral out of her control, forcing to her to evaluate the decisions she’d made so far, their consequences and man up.
There’s a lot of really, really good things about this book. The tone is great, Pen’s voice is unique and strong and she’s a great character who’s relatable to anyone who’s every felt like an outsider (every single person ever obviously). It’s also a great story of LGBT+ story in a delightful, un-simplistic way. Pen is a lesbian, 100%. Blake, her girlfriend, has dated boys but also dates a woman, implying she’s bi or possibly pan. Pen is very masculine – she cuts her hair short, she dresses in her brother’s hand-me-downs, she loves TMNT and hates Barbies but she also is very sure she’s not transgender. She really recognizes her identity as a masculine woman. But most of this isn’t really stated, it just is. There are scenes that really touch on these issues – for example Pen tells Blake she wants to be touched like a boy – but they aren’t resolved either and as far as all the characters, or at least the sympathetic ones, are concerned, that’s okay. And I think that’s a really good thing. We don’t need every single person to fit into a box.
This book has a lot of really heavy content. Here there be spoilers. The struggles of first generation Canadians are woven throughout the story – Pen struggles with vastly different expectations she has for her own life versus her parents. Language gaps, extended family, food and cultural expectations are woven throughout the book as challenges and advantages for Pen and her brother.
Finally there is some sexual assault. Pen’s internal dialogue does an amazing job of describing her frozen fear, when Colby makes sexual advances on her. Although she clearly doesn’t want them and is not interested in them but she feels like she has no power in their relationship, she’s afraid to find herself without Colby’s friendship so she has to let it happen. It’s really upsetting to read.
There’s also some pretty serious violence, alcohol, drugs and an abortion, which is handled carefully and complexly but is obviously challenging for readers.
I recommend this book enormously, for teens and adults. If younger readers would like to take a stab at it, I’d recommend that too but encourage an adult conversation about some of the content. Just read it, enjoy it and embrace the really satisfying but not completely happy ending.
Thor: Ragnorak. Pretty excellent, I have to say.
The Red Tent. I’m actually really enjoying it, although I’m sure the book is better.
Tagged Canadian, Coming of age, complicated content, Family, Feminist, Friends, Girl Protagonists, Intertextual, LGBT, Nerd Culture, Novel, Real Life, Romance, Sexual Violence, Video Games, YA
January 19, 2018 by devonkw
The collision of past and future
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
I just finished this book to write Battle of the Books questions for it. It’s also on the OLA’s White Pine list this year and I really recommend it, although it’s not exactly light, escapism if that’s what you’re into.
It takes place in a future when civilization has collapsed through a complicated series of negative events starting with extreme environmental devastation and climate change that triggered massive wars and the collapse of society. In this world, people have lost their ability to dream and it makes them violent and depressed. The solution was found in the bone marrow of Indigenous people. The book opens with Frenchie, a young Metis boy and his brother fleeing after their parents’ disappearances. The book follows Frenchie and his new found family’s journey through northern Ontario and eventually their decision to fight back.
There’s a lot to like about this book (but I’m not going to get into too much of it because spoilers!) but I’ll focus particularly on two things – Indigenous people in north America and the portrayal of LGBTQ people in the book.
This book, while maybe a little didactic, does a great job of drawing on the history of violence and colonialism in the collective Indigenous identity, as well as the generations of trauma that has effected both the individual people and the collective group of people. The dystopian future really draws on historical event and, while it’s extreme and alarming, also feels very real in the context of colonial oppression. No one wants to think about their government rounding up a minority in their own country and trapping them in schools. But it happened in history, and in this book it happens in our future as well. The idea of paying bounties on innocent civilians is distressing, but again, happened in our past and could happen again. Although the current political struggles are not touched on, it contextualizes them.
There is also a fantastic LGTBQ character in this book, and what I loved most about this character is that his sexual orientation was just one part of his overall character. His entire existence is informed by the lose of his husband, but this is treated exactly the same as any other lose in the book, and there are many. The fact that he’s a gay man isn’t even mentioned, its just understood. Also, there’s some serious trope inversion here (Spoiler: Kill All Your Gays) is thwarted in the last few pages in a way that truly warmed my heart.
I think this reads like a first novel (it is) and I’m sure everything Dimaline writes from will improve on what she learned from this great book. It feels a bit like Cormac McCarthey’s The Road mixed with a curriculum accompaniment (for high school students – there’s violence, including sexual violence and some pg-13 sexuality) but I really enjoyed it and believe it’s a great piece for high school students across Canada to be reading this year.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When I first read it, I didn’t mind Harry’s … lack of emotional regulation. Then it started to bug me, I think as I stopped being a teenager. But now I don’t mind it so much again because I think he’s got PTSD for most of this book and with that reading, his anger makes a lot of sense.
Last TV episode:
Death Comes to Pemberly although I am literally 5 minutes into the first episode and therefore have no opinion at this time.
Tagged Canadian, Coming of age, complicated content, Distopia, Family, Friends, Indigenous Peoples, LGBT, Novel, Post Apocolpyse, Science Fiction, Serious and Socially Conscious, Sexual Violence, Trauma, Untrustworthy authorities, YA
November 11, 2017 by devonkw
Shadowhunters, historically
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
As I am continuing to frantically catch up with all the books I’ve months behind on posting about, this will not be a smart post.
Generally I’m over YA titles that focus on love triangles and part of that is because it’s rare you ever see a love triangle where it’s clear what anyone sees in the one partner. There are exceptions occasionally, when the chooser really has a hard time picking between two people they genuinely connect with, but usually it’s a Bella/Edward/Jacob situation where one of them really isn’t in the running.
This book did a really good job at giving both Jem and Will something different to love.
Last moive I watched:
Still Cinderella III
Santuary. I loved that show when it aired, and I kind of remember why. At least, I remember why I love Amanda Tapping
Tagged Coming of age, Easter Egg, Family, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Intertextual, LGBT, Magic, Miniblog post, Novel, Romance, Series, Sexual Violence, supernatural, Untrustworthy authorities, YA
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Astronomer Discovers Cosmic 'Dinosaur Egg' About to Hatch
Fariss Samarrai, farisss@virginia.edu
Globular clusters – dazzling agglomerations of up to a million ancient stars – are among the oldest objects in the universe. Though plentiful in and around many galaxies, newborn examples are vanishingly rare and the conditions necessary to create new ones have never been detected. Until now.
Astronomers using Chile’s Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array, or ALMA, have discovered what may be the first known example of a globular cluster about to be born: an incredibly massive, extremely dense, yet star-free cloud of molecular gas.
“We may be witnessing one of the most ancient and extreme modes of star formation in the universe,” said University of Virginia astronomer Kelsey Johnson, the lead author on a paper accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. “This remarkable object looks like it was plucked straight out of the very early universe. To discover something that has all the characteristics of a globular cluster, yet has not begun making stars, is like finding a dinosaur egg that’s about to hatch.”
This object, which the astronomers playfully refer to as the “Firecracker,” is located approximately 50 million light-years away from Earth nestled inside a famous pair of interacting galaxies (NGC 4038 and NGC 4039), which are collectively known as the Antennae galaxies. The tidal forces generated by their ongoing merger are triggering star formation on a colossal scale, much of it occurring inside dense clusters.
What makes the Firecracker unique, however, is its extraordinary mass, comparatively small size and apparent lack of stars.
All other globular cluster analogues astronomers have observed to date are already brimming with stars. The heat and radiation from these stars have therefore altered the surrounding environment considerably, erasing any evidence of its colder, quieter beginnings.
With ALMA, Kelsey and her colleagues were able to find and study in detail a pristine example of such an object before stars forever change its unique characteristics. This afforded astronomers a first-ever glimpse of the conditions that may have led to the formation of many, if not all globular clusters.
“Until now, clouds with this potential have only been seen as teenagers, after star formation had begun,” Johnson said. “That meant that the nursery had already been disturbed. To understand how a globular cluster forms, you need to see its true beginnings.”
Most globular clusters formed during a veritable “baby boom” around 12 billion years ago, at a time when galaxies first assembled. Each galaxy contains as many as a million densely packed “second generation” stars – stars with conspicuously low concentrations of heavy metals, indicating they formed very early in the history of the universe. Our own Milky Way is known to have at least 150 such clusters, though it may have many more.
Throughout the universe, star clusters of various sizes are still forming to this day. It is possible, though increasingly rare, that the largest and densest of these will go on to become globular clusters.
“The survival rate for a massive young star cluster to remain intact is very low – around 1 percent,” said Johnson. “Various external and internal forces pull these objects apart, either forming open clusters like the Pleiades or completely disintegrating to become part of a galaxy’s halo.”
The astronomers believe, however, that the object they observed with ALMA, which contains 50 million times the mass of the sun in molecular gas, is sufficiently dense that it has a good chance of being one of the lucky ones.
Globular clusters evolve out of their embryonic, star-free stage rapidly – in as little as one million years. This means the object discovered by ALMA is undergoing a very special phase of its life, offering astronomers a unique opportunity to study a major component of the early universe.
The ALMA data also indicate that the Firecracker cloud is under extreme pressure – approximately 10,000 times greater than typical interstellar pressures. This supports previous theories that high pressures are required to form globular clusters.
In exploring the Antennae, Johnson and her colleagues observed the faint emission from carbon monoxide molecules, which allowed them to image and characterize individual clouds of dust and gas. The lack of any appreciable thermal emission – the telltale signal given off by gas heated by nearby stars – confirms that this newly discovered object is still in its pristine, unaltered state.
Further studies with ALMA may reveal additional examples of proto-super star clusters in the Antennae galaxies and other interacting galaxies, shedding light on the origins of these ancient objects and the role they play in galactic evolution.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of ESO, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences of Japan in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded by ESO on behalf of its member states, by the National Science Foundation in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada and the National Science Council of Taiwan and by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences in cooperation with the Academia Sinica n Taiwan and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute.
Fariss Samarrai
farisss@virginia.edu (434) 924-3778
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Private Beaches In Florida Spark Battle With Residents And County
By Greg Allen • Sep 10, 2018
Santa Rosa Beach in Walton County, Fla., with a privately owned section that is part of Vizcaya, a residential development.
Greg Allen / NPR
Daniel Ulhfelder, his family and other activists hold a "sit-in" on the Vizcaya beach in defiance of the recently passed Florida law.
Originally published on September 11, 2018 12:36 pm
Santa Rosa Beach, in Florida's Walton County, is a quiet place with sugar-white sand, a pleasant surf and signs warning visitors to stay out. The largely rural county on Florida's Panhandle is at the center of a battle over one of the state's most precious resources: its beaches. Most of the 26 miles of beaches are already privately owned. As of July 1, homeowners with beachfront property in Walton County can declare their beach private and off-limits to the public. The new law has sparked a standoff between wealthy homeowners and other local residents.
In Walton County and in Tallahassee, where Gov. Rick Scott signed it into law, an earlier version of the bill was known as the "Huckabee amendment." Fox News commentator and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has a beachfront house in Santa Rosa Beach. Since the bill went into effect, opponents of the law have speculated about Huckabee's role in getting it passed.
In January emails to Kathleen Passidomo, the bill's sponsor in Florida's Senate, Huckabee thanked her for helping protect property rights from what he called " 'customary use' abuse."
"Having grown up dirt poor in Arkansas, I never thought I would see saltwater in person, much less live on a beach," Huckabee writes. But he says he has been appalled at what he has found on his beach property. "I've found used condoms on my walk-down, glass bottles broken, dog feces, litter. Sharp tent poles that can cut bare feet and worse. Large tents with large groups with boom boxes make using my own property very difficult during high season."
In a follow-up email, Huckabee accurately predicts a backlash to the law. "I'm certain there will be a flood of political pressure to stop your bill because there are only 900 beachfront owners and many of them only live part time there."
That political pressure was on display this past weekend when Scott, who is now running for the U.S. Senate, scheduled a campaign appearance at a doughnut shop in Santa Rosa Beach. About a dozen protesters concerned about beach access showed up and Scott's campaign changed its schedule, skipping the doughnut shop.
The protests have been going on since shortly after the law went into effect. Last month, Daniel Uhlfelder was part of a group enjoying the sun and sand on a private beach in defiance of the law. They had just begun unfolding their chairs and putting up their umbrellas when, Uhlfelder says, a security guard hired by a nearby development told them they'd have to leave. "I said, 'We're not going to leave.' He called the police. The police came. The police took everyone's driver's licenses and asked if we're leaving. We said, 'We're not leaving.' "
Uhlfelder and other beach access activists are determined to challenge the new law. Up to now, their fight has been largely focused in Santa Rosa Beach at an upscale development called Vizcaya, where large houses overlooking the beach rent for thousands of dollars a week. The president of the homeowners association, Bill Hackmeyer, says: "There are a lot of public beaches and there are a bunch of parks around here for the public. But there are some beaches like Vizcaya that are private beaches."
Hackmeyer is a conservative and outspoken property rights advocate who on this day is wearing an Ayn Rand T-shirt. Because the beach here is privately owned, Hackmeyer says, people who don't live in Vizcaya are legally only allowed on an area of wet sand near the water's edge. "People can walk up and down the wet sand and they can sit on the wet sand," Hackmeyer says. "They can't sit on the dry sand."
When they do, it's considered trespassing. The homeowners association's security guard asks them to move. If they don't, he calls the sheriff's office. Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson says his deputies explain the law and, when necessary, ask beachgoers to move to a public beach. Despite demands from Hackmeyer and other homeowners, no arrests have been made. Adkinson says, "No one has [gone] to jail in Walton County for trespassing on the beach ever."
Like Uhlfelder and other open-beach activists, local county officials don't like the new law. For more than a century, the public enjoyed largely unrestricted access to the beaches in Walton County. County attorney Sidney Noyes says that under a legal concept known as "customary use," it doesn't matter who owns the beach. "If we can establish that the public has customarily used the beach," she says, "the idea is that the beachfront property owner cannot exclude the public as long as the public is using it for traditional recreational uses."
Over the past decade, big changes have come to this quiet stretch of the Florida Panhandle. The area has caught the eyes of developers and wealthy buyers looking for a beachfront getaway, including Huckabee and GOP political consultant Karl Rove. More and more "private beach" signs have sprouted at new developments in Walton County. Some even have erected fences and gates on their beaches.
For County Administrator Larry Jones, it's a troubling trend. Preserving public access to beaches, he says, is at the heart of the local economy. "Simply put, the beach is the attraction," Jones says. "It's a multimillion-dollar proposition that brings thousands and thousands and thousands of jobs, 3 million tourists a year that spend an awful lot of money here." To protect its economic interests, the county passed an ordinance asserting the public's right to access private beaches. In response, wealthy homeowners pushed for a bill that was approved by the state Legislature, essentially undoing the county law.
The county is now holding hearings and writing a new ordinance establishing the public's right to use private beaches. But it's likely to take many months and face legal challenges. In the meantime, activists like Rachel Reichenbach say they'll keep pressuring the state to repeal the law and open the beaches to all. She says, "This is important not only for our access as people to our beaches that we've always had access to, but it's critical for our economy."
For Scott, who signed the bill into law, it has also become a political issue. Scott is running for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson. Nelson was on Santa Rosa Beach last month, calling on the governor to convene a special session of the Legislature to fix a law that is now a hot button issue on the Florida Panhandle.
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Wells Fargo (WFC) Q1 2019 Earnings Call Transcript
Motley Fool Transcribing, The Motley Fool
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble with words 'Fool Transcripts' below it
Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC)
Q1 2019 Earnings Call
April 12, 2019 10:00 a.m. ET
Good morning. My name is Catherine, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I'd like to welcome everyone to the Wells Fargo first-quarter earnings conference call. [Operator instructions] Please note that today's call is being recorded.
Thank you. I would now like to turn the call over to John Campbell, director of investor relations. Sir, you may begin the conference.
John Campbell -- Director of Investor Relations
Thank you, Catherine. Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining our call today where our interim CEO and president, Allen Parker; and our CFO, John Shrewsberry, will discuss first-quarter results and answer your questions. This call is being recorded.
Before we get started, I would like to remind you that our first-quarter earnings release and quarterly supplement are available on our website at wellsfargo.com. I'd also like to caution you that we may make forward-looking statements during today's call that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations are detailed in our SEC filings, including the Form 8-K filed today containing our earnings release and quarterly supplement. Information about any non-GAAP financial measures referenced, including a reconciliation of those measures to GAAP measures, can also be found in our SEC filings, in the earnings release and in the quarterly supplement available on our website.
I will now turn the call over to Allen Parker.
Allen Parker -- Interim Chief Executive Officer and President
Thank you, John. Good morning, everyone, and thanks for joining us for today's discussion of our first-quarter results. As you know, this is my first time participating in the quarterly earnings call. I'm pleased to be with you, and I look forward to your questions in today's dialogue.
This morning, I'll outline the actions I'm taking, together with our leadership team, to continue to transform Wells Fargo and to get that transformation right for all our stakeholders, including our customers, our team members, our shareholders and our regulators. Since assuming my new role, I've been focused on leading our company forward by emphasizing my top priorities, serving our customers and supporting our Wells Fargo team members, meeting and exceeding the expectations of our regulators and continuing the important transformation of the company. Today, we're honored to serve one out of every three U.S. households, but we know that some of our past practices harmed our customers.
The team and I are committed to addressing these mistakes of the past. And over the coming weeks and months, I plan to spend much of my time listening to our customers and working to understand how we can best serve them. Our goal, with respect to our customers, is to develop even deeper relationships that are built on trust, accessibility and outstanding service. As part of reaching that goal, we will continue, wherever appropriate, to contact customers we have let down and compensate them for any harm.
To this end, over a year ago, we created a customer remediation center of excellence, so that we could provide more consistent, timely and effective remediation to our customers. This team, which sits outside our lines of business, establishes our companywide remediation policies, set standards and coordinates with our lines of business and the day-to-day management of remediation efforts, and provides our board of directors, our regulators and our senior management with comprehensive information about all customer remediation efforts that we are taking place at Wells Fargo. And as you're aware, we have been providing updates on our remediation progress in our quarterly filings. We've also been dedicated to providing customer-focused innovation.
A few examples include overdraft rewind, real-time balance alerts, control tower and our online mortgage application. We remain focused on innovating for our customers, and these efforts will continue to be a top transformation priority. The changes we're making to better serve customers are possible only because of the hard work of our over 260,000 talented and dedicated team members. Since assuming my new role, I've had the opportunity to meet with and hear from many of my Wells Fargo colleagues around the country and across our businesses, and I'm impressed to every day by their commitment and their enthusiasm regarding the opportunities ahead.
We continue to strengthen Wells Fargo's leadership team with both internal promotions and external hires, including our head of technology, Saul Van Beurden, who joined Wells Fargo earlier this week as a member of our operating committee. Our new chief auditor, Julie Scammahorn, joins us later this month as a member of the operating committee. And we've also strengthened our senior-most enterprise risk and control committee, which is co-chaired by our chief risk officer, Mandy Norton, and me, and includes the heads of every business and enterprise function. In addition to hiring Mandy last year, which strengthened our risk leadership team with both internal and external talent, and we've continue to be successful in hiring externally for key roles during the first quarter, our corporate risk management team grew by approximately 1,300 team members last year.
And we currently expect to add another 1,300 team members this year, with the overwhelming majority of these new hires dedicated to strengthening our compliance and operational risk management efforts. In addition to these ongoing leadership changes, we're also realigning our business structure and making significant investments in key capabilities that, taken together, will help ensure that we meet the expectations of our regulators. Let me give you just a few examples. First, we've discarded our old decentralized corporate structure and centralized our enterprise control functions.
As we have already seen, this important change will enhance our visibility into all aspects of our business and improve the consistency and sustainability of our results. Second, we're transforming our approach to risk management, and we will dedicate all necessary resources to getting these risk management enhancements right. Wells Fargo has always excelled at management of credit and market risk, and our goal is to bring our operational risk and compliance capabilities to that same level of excellence. Third, we're emphasizing operational excellence throughout the company.
And as part of that process, we've named a dedicated leader who is responsible for driving companywide business process management. We're building dedicated teams across each business group and enterprise function, and those teams will enable us to better deliver consistent, desired outcomes for customers and manage our operations more efficiently and effectively, all while strengthening the operational risk management. Finally, we're transforming our technology platform with the goal of enhancing the customer experience by becoming more centralized, consistent and efficient in how we deliver technology products and solutions. While we're aggressively addressing our risk and control issues and building a better bank, I want to acknowledge clearly that we have a substantial amount of work yet to do, both to satisfy the expectations of our regulators and, even more important, to create the financial institution we aspire to be.
Recent public statements on the part of our regulators have indicated their disappointment with our progress to date. We understand and appreciate their criticism, and we are now redoubling our efforts to satisfy their expectations of us and our expectations of ourselves. We're focused on not only satisfying, but also exceeding, the expectation of all our regulators. I take this responsibility very seriously, and the operating committee and I have made clear that the entire Wells Fargo team must act assertively and decisively to meet our regulators' expectations as we go forward.
Specifically, we agreed with Chairman Powell's recent public comments that we have more work to do under the February 2018 federal reserve consent order. That necessary work is at varying stages of progress, and much of the work consists of completing and implementing efforts that are substantially under way. But regardless of the status of the progress of any particular part of the necessary work, I want to make clear that the most important thing for our company is that in our ongoing constructive engagement with federal reserve, we focus on getting that work done in a first rate and sustainable way and not just unduly on when we believe that process will be completed. Accordingly, we do not feel it's appropriate to provide guidance as to the timing of the lifting of the asset cap.
We understand the seriousness of getting our work with the Federal Reserve right, and we are therefore making and will be willing to make the investments that are necessary to complete the work that's needed to improve our compliance and operational risk capabilities. This work is fundamentally an evolution of our business model, and this evolution will both change how we manage compliance and operational risk and, by simplifying and strengthening our business processes, help us serve our customers better and become more efficient, all of which will benefit our shareholders over the long term. As you know, we're currently operating well below the asset cap, and we have had and we'll continue to have the ability to serve the needs of all our 700 million customers -- excuse me, 70 million customers while we work to satisfy the requirements of the federal reserve consent order. While we've been working to fulfill the commitments to our regulators, we've also continued to deliver strong financial performance as our first-quarter results demonstrate.
We remain focused on reducing expenses even as we make significant and necessary investments to meet our regulators' expectations and to help ensure that we deliver best-in-class services to our customers. We remain committed to our 2019 expense target. We continue to pursue business simplification, so we can focus our efforts on businesses where we believe we have leadership position that's required to excel long term. This week's announced sale of our institutional retirement and trust business advances that goal.
We also remain committed to returning our excess capital for our shareholders, and this quarter, we returned $6 billion to our shareholders through common stock dividends and net share repurchases. I've met with the leaders of all our businesses over the past few weeks. And as we go forward, I will continue to work closely with them as part of the focus on my top priorities for the company. Bringing this altogether, I'm firmly committed to doing what's right for our stakeholders.
While there's a lot of work that still needs to be done, I believe the actions I have outlined this morning are the right steps to be taken by and for our company at this time. The work we're doing, in conjunction with our regulators to improve operational effectiveness, will make Wells Fargo a more simple and nimble company while, at the same time, bringing us closer to our customers, which is the real reason we're here. This, in turn, fits well with our objective of becoming more efficient. I take very seriously my responsibility as a steward of our shareholders' capital, and I'm confident that these actions will create, day by day, a better company that will drive shareholder value over the long term.
Simply put, we're engaged in a transformative effort with the goal of building the most customer-focused, efficient and innovative Wells Fargo ever, a premier financial institution characterized by a strong financial foundation, a leading presence in our chosen markets, focused growth within a responsible risk management framework, operational excellence and highly engaged team members. I have no doubt that we will achieve that goal. I'm confident and optimistic about the opportunities ahead to build something extraordinary, and I look forward to communicating with you regularly on our progress. John Shrewsberry will now discuss our financial results in more detail.
John Shrewsberry -- Chief Financial Officer
Thank you, Allen, and good morning, everyone. We shared some of the highlights of our first-quarter results on Page 2, including earning $5.9 billion or $1.20 per diluted common share, and an ROE of 12.71%, and an ROTCE of 15.16%. As Allen mentioned, we returned $6 billion to shareholders through common stock dividends and net share repurchases, up from $4 billion a year ago, and we increased our quarterly common stock dividend to $0.45 per share. We also had positive business momentum in many areas, including both customer loyalty and overall satisfaction with the most recent visit branch survey scores reaching their highest levels in three years in March.
Period-end loans grew from a year ago, with C&I loans increasing 4% and credit card loans up 6%. Primary consumer checking customers increased 1.1% from a year ago. The sale of 52 branches that closed in the fourth quarter reduced this growth rate by half a percentage point. Card usage increased with debit card purchase volume up 6% and consumer general purpose credit card purchase volume up 5% from a year ago, and high-quality nonconforming mortgage loan originations increased 35%.
Auto originations increased 24%, and small business originations increased 6%, compared with the year ago. On Page 3, we highlight noteworthy items in the first quarter. Our earnings of $5.9 billion included $778 million of seasonally higher personnel expense. And while it didn't affect our earnings, deferred compensation, which is impacted by equity market pricing, which, of course, recovered in the first quarter, increased fee income by $345 million and increased expenses by $357 million in the first quarter.
As you may recall, deferred comp results in the fourth quarter reduced fee income by $452 million and reduced expenses by $429 million. So the linked-quarter change was over $780 million as equity markets recovered. We added a table to our appendix to help you better track how deferred comp can cause volatility in our revenue and expenses even though it's P&L-neutral. We also had a $608 million gain on the sale of $1.6 billion of Pick-a-Pay PCI mortgage loans.
We had a $150 million reserve bill, primarily due to a higher probability of less favorable economic conditions. We had a $148 million gain from the sale of our business payroll services, and our effective income tax rate was 13.1%, which included $297 million of net discrete income tax benefit in the quarter. We highlight year-over-year results on Page 4. Compared with the first quarter of '18, revenue declined 1%, primarily driven by lower trust and investment fees and mortgage banking fees, partially offset by 1% growth in net interest income.
The decline in expenses was driven by lower operating losses, as well as a decline in a number of other expense categories, which I'll highlight later on the call. While our net charge-off rate improved from a year ago, our provision expense increased due to a $150 million reserve billed in the first quarter of 2019, compared with a $550 million reserve released a year ago. And our capital levels remain strong while we reduced common shares outstanding by 7%. I'll be highlighting the balance sheet drivers on Page 5 throughout the call, so let me just mention here that we adopted the new lease accounting standard in the first quarter which had no meaningful impact on our P&L, but requires operating leases to be recognized now on the balance sheet as our right of use asset, increasing our other assets by $4.9 billion.
On Page 6, revenue grew 3% from the fourth quarter as lower net interest income was more than offset by growth in noninterest income. I'll highlight the fee income drivers later on the call. As I mentioned earlier, our effective income tax rate in the first quarter was 13.1%, but we currently expect the effective income tax rate for the remainder of 2019 to be approximately 18%, excluding the impact of any unanticipated discrete items. Average loans increased $3.8 billion from the fourth quarter, the second consecutive linked-quarter increase with growth in the commercial portfolio, partially offset by continued declines in the consumer portfolio.
Period-end loans increased $941 million from a year ago with growth in high-quality nonconforming first mortgage loans, C&I loans and credit card loans largely offset by $6.6 billion of Pick-a-Pay PCI mortgage and reliable consumer auto loan sales since the second quarter of 2018. I'll highlight the driver of the linked quarter decline and period-end loans starting on Page 8. Commercial loans declined $1.2 billion from the fourth quarter, driven by C&I loans. Recall that we had strong C&I loan growth in the fourth quarter, which included the benefits from the capital market disruption, and is expected some of those loans paid down when capital markets rebounded.
This market improvement drove a $4 billion decline in asset backed finance. At the same time, we had strong growth in commercial capital, reflecting seasonal strength in commercial distribution finance, as well as capital finance, that growth driven by a customer's origination activity and working capital needs. Our credit investment portfolio also increased as we purchased CLOs in loan form rather than as debt securities, which doesn't change the risk profile of the asset. Commercial real estate loans increased $460 million from the fourth quarter, the first linked-quarter increase since the first quarter of 2017.
Our growth in the first quarter reflected our continued credit discipline and high-quality loan originations, as well as less runoff of previously purchased loan portfolios. As we show on Page 9, consumer loans declined $3.7 billion from the fourth quarter. The first mortgage portfolio declined $520 million from the fourth quarter, driven by the sale of $1.6 billion of Pick-a-Pay PCI mortgage loans. We had $3.1 billion of Pick-a-Pay PCI mortgage loans remaining at quarter-end.
Partially offsetting this decline was $4.2 billion of high-quality nonconforming loan growth, which excludes another $776 million that were designated as held-for-sale in anticipation of future securitizations. Junior lien mortgage loans were down $1.3 billion from the fourth quarter, as originations were more than offset by paydowns, primarily from loans originated prior to 2009. Credit card loans declined $746 million from the fourth quarter, driven by expected seasonality. Auto loan balances were down $156 million from the fourth quarter.
This was the smallest linked-quarter decline since the portfolio started to shrink in the fourth quarter of 2016. We had $5.4 billion of auto originations in the first quarter, the highest since the first quarter of 2017. We increased our auto origination market share with high-quality origination, so we currently expect our auto loan -- our auto portfolio balances to grow by midyear and as early as the second quarter. Other revolving credit and installment loans declined $961 million from the fourth quarter on lower-margin loans and other securities-based lending, reflecting higher short-term rates, as well as market volatility.
Personal loans and lines and student loans also declined. Turning to deposits on Page 10. Average deposits declined $35.1 billion from a year ago, reflecting both lower wholesale banking deposits, including actions taken in the first half of last year to manage through the asset cap, and lower wealth and investment management deposits, as customers allocated more cash to higher-yielding liquid alternatives. Average deposits declined $6.8 billion from the fourth quarter as lower wholesale banking deposits, driven by seasonality, were partially offset by higher consumer and small business banking deposits.
On average, deposit costs increased 10 basis points from the fourth quarter and 31 basis points from a year ago, driven primarily by increases in wholesale and WIM deposit rates. On Page 11, we've updated the deposit beta slide we included last quarter. The cumulative one-year beta has increased to 43%, up from 38% last quarter, reflecting continued pricing competition across major deposit categories. The cumulative beta, since the start of the cycle, was 35% as of the end of the first quarter.
Recall we provided at our investor day an estimate of through-the-cycle beta of 45 to 55% for our mix of deposits. Our ultimate through-the-cycle beta will depend on a number of factors, including industry asset growth trends, which will, in turn, influence the supply and-demand dynamics for deposits. On Page 12, we provide details on period-end deposits, which decreased $22.2 billion from the fourth quarter. Wholesale banking deposits were down $37 billion from the fourth quarter, primarily reflecting seasonality from typically higher fourth quarter levels.
Consumer and small business banking deposits increased $9.4 billion from higher retail banking deposits, reflecting seasonality, as well as growth in CDs and high-yield savings. Wealth and investment management deposits decreased partly by our clients shifting cash back into investments during the quarter. As you may recall in the fourth quarter, the market volatility resulted in our clients shifting into cash. In addition, our WIM customers continued reallocating cash into higher-yielding liquid alternatives.
Net interest income decreased $333 million from the fourth quarter, primarily driven by two fewer days in the quarter, which reduced net interest income by approximately $160 million, the balance sheet mix in repricing and including the impact of a flattening yield curve. Earlier this year, we said we expect net interest income growth for the full year of 2019 to be in the range of minus 2% to plus 2%. Several factors have driven a shift in our view, including a lower absolute rate outlook, a flatter curve, tightening loan spreads, resulting from a competitive market with ample liquidity, and continued upward pressure on deposit pricing. We now expect NII will decline 2 to 5% this year, compared with 2018.
Noninterest income increased $962 million from the fourth quarter, driven by higher market-sensitive revenue and mortgage banking fees. The $1.3 billion increase in market-sensitive revenue was driven by higher gains from equity securities, which included $797 million of higher deferred comp gains, net gains from trading activities rebounded from a weaker fourth quarter increasing $347 million, driven primarily by strength in credit and asset-backed products. Mortgage banking revenue increased $241 million for the fourth quarter from higher servicing income due to negative valuation adjustments to MSRs in the fourth quarter. Mortgage originations declined $5 billion from the fourth quarter, primarily due to expected seasonality, while the production margin increased to 105 basis points, primarily due to improvement in secondary market conditions.
We currently expect the production margin in the second quarter to remain in a similar range to what we've had for the past two quarters. Applications in the first quarter increased $16 billion from the fourth quarter from stronger purchase and refi activity. And we ended the quarter with a $32 billion unclosed pipeline, the highest pipeline since the second quarter of 2017 and up 78% from the fourth quarter. As you would assume, with the recent decline in mortgage interest rates, a significantly higher percentage of our customers could benefit from the refinance.
We expect to see higher origination volume in the second quarter due to typical seasonality for home buying, as well as some additional refinance activity resulting from the recent decrease in mortgage interest rates. Trust and investment fees declined $147 million from the fourth quarter, primarily due to lower asset-based fees on retail brokerage advisory assets, reflecting lower market valuations on December 31, which is when these assets were priced for first quarter revenue purposes. Turning to expenses on Page 15. Expenses increased 4% from the fourth quarter and declined 7% from a year ago.
Let me explain the drivers starting on Page 16. Expenses increased $577 million from the fourth quarter, driven by higher compensation and benefits expense. This increase included $785 million of higher deferred comp expense, which is offset in revenue, and $778 million of seasonally higher personnel expenses in line with the seasonal increase last year. These seasonally higher personnel expenses should decline in the second quarter, but salary expense is expected to grow, reflecting increases, which became effective late in the first quarter as well as an additional payroll day in the second quarter.
Revenue-related expenses declined $241 million from lower commission and incentive comp expense, mainly in WIM and community banking, as well as lower operating lease expense. Third-party services declined $219 million from lower outside professional services and contract services expense. Running the business nondiscretionary expense declined $580 million, primarily from lower core deposit and other intangibles, as the 10-year amortization period on the Wachovia-related intangibles ended, and also from lower operating losses. Finally, running the business discretionary expense declined on lower travel and entertainment expense and lower advertising and promotional expense, which are typically higher in the fourth quarter.
As we show on Page 17, expenses were down $1.1 billion from a year ago, driven by $1.2 billion of lower operating losses. Expenses also declined from lower core deposit and other intangibles and lower FDIC expense. These declines were partially offset by higher compensation and benefits expense, primarily driven by $353 million of higher deferred comp expense. We're committed to and on track to meet our 2019 expense target of 52 to $53 billion, which excludes annual operating losses in excess of $600 million such as litigation and remediation accruals and penalties.
As I highlighted on our call a couple of weeks ago, our strategic and financial targets beyond 2019 will be established once we have a permanent CEO in place. That being said, we're just as committed to our cost-saving initiatives. And as you'll see, we found even more opportunities than previously anticipated. However, we also have the need to spend more in the areas Allen described in his remarks.
While our 2019 expense target hasn't changed, as we show on Page 19, the investments we're making in our business have increased from the expectations we had at our 2018 investor day. In May of 2018, we expected our high-priority enterprise investment spend to increase for full year of 2018 and to decline starting in 2019. However, nothing's more important than meeting our regulatory obligations, and we've increased spending to improve operational and compliance risk management, as well as for other high-priority projects. As a result, our actual and anticipated investment spend for 2018 through 2019 has increased by $1.4 billion from our expectations at our 2018 investor day.
As we show on Page 20, while our expected investments for -- in 2019 have increased, our expected savings are also exceeding our original expectations, which is why our 2019 expense target hasn't changed. We're tracking over 200 specific initiatives on a monthly basis, which drives accountability. The major categories of savings are from centralization and optimization, including staff function rationalization and advancing our contact center of the future; running the business, which includes streamlining our mortgage operations and restructuring our wholesale banking businesses as examples; and governance and controls overspending, which is expected to further reduce third-party services spend, and includes a consistent approach to manage our spends of control on hiring location guidelines for noncustomer-facing team members. Turning to our business segments starting on Page 21.
Community banking earnings decreased $346 million from the fourth quarter, driven by seasonally higher personnel expense. On Page 22, we provided updated community banking metrics. We had 29.8 million digital active customers in the first quarter, up 3% from a year ago, including 7% growth in mobile active customers. And in the first quarter, our mobile banking top box customer satisfaction score was at an all-time high.
Primary consumer checking customers have grown year over year for six consecutive quarters. Digital continued to generate strong checking account growth with new checking customers acquired through the digital channel, up more than 50% from a year ago. And I already highlighted our strong branch survey scores, which reached three-year highs in March. On Page 23, we highlight the continued decline in teller and ATM transactions, down 9% from a year ago, reflecting continued customer migration to digital channels.
We completed 40 branch consolidations in the first quarter as we continue to evolve how we serve our customers based on their preferences. For the first time, we're providing the number of consumers in small business digital payment transactions which increased 6% from a year ago, reflecting continued increases in usage and digital adoption. Turning to Page 24. Wholesale banking earnings increased $99 million from the fourth quarter, driven by higher market-sensitive revenue and lower noninterest expense.
Wealth and investment management earnings declined $112 million from the fourth quarter, driven by lower asset-based fees, reflecting the lower 12/31market valuations, which was when retail brokerage advisory assets were priced. In the second quarter, these asset-based fees will reflect the higher March 31 market valuations. WIM earnings also reflected seasonally higher personnel expense. As Allen highlighted, earlier this week, we announced an agreement to sell our institutional additional retirement and trust business, which reflects our strategy of focusing our resources on areas where we believe we can grow and maximize our opportunities within wealth, brokerage and asset management.
The financial details related to this transaction, as well as the associated gain will be disclosed after the transaction closes, which is expected to occur in the third quarter. Turning to Page 26. We continue to have strong credit results with a net charge-off rate of 30 basis points in the first quarter and net charge-offs down $26 million from the fourth quarter, driven by seasonally lower auto and other revolving credit and installment loan losses. Nonaccrual loans increased $409 million from the fourth quarter as a decline in consumer nonaccruals was more than offset by a $609 million increase in commercial nonaccrual loans, driven in part by a borrower in the utility sector, as well as increases in oil and gas.
As I highlighted earlier, we had a $150 million reserve build. And while this was our first reserve build since the second quarter of 2016, it's important to remember that our net charge-offs remain at historically low levels. We've been asked a lot about the impact of CECL, so let me give you our current expectation. Using our loan portfolio composition at March 31, we estimate that the impact of the adoption of CECL will be in the range of 0 to a $1 billion-reduction in reserves, which reflects the expected decrease for commercial loans, given their short contractual maturities and the current economic environment, partially offset by an expected increase for longer-duration consumer loans.
As a reminder, we have a smaller credit card portfolio than our large bank peers, which reduces the impact of CECL adoption -- the impact that it will have on our consumer loans. In addition, our reserves may be further reduced by as much as $1.5 billion of recoveries related to pending FASB guidance to consider increases in collateral value on previously written down residential mortgage loans. These loans were written down significantly below current recovery value during the last credit cycle. Under current rules, increases in collateral value are only recognized when collected.
The ultimate effect of CECL will depend on the size and composition of our loan portfolio, the portfolio's credit quality and economic conditions at the time of adoption, as well as any refinements to our models, methodology or other key assumptions. Perhaps more importantly, as the credit cycle turns, there will be more volatility in the period remeasurement under a lifetime loss estimation approach. Also of note, the expected reserve reduction due to the adoption of CECL will increase our capital levels. Turning to Page 27.
Our CET1 ratio fully phased in increased 20 basis points from the fourth quarter, as continued strong returns of capital, even with seasonally higher share issuance in the first quarter, were more than offset by capital generation from earnings, improved cumulative OCI and lower risk-weighted assets. Returning excess capital to shareholders remains a priority. We're well above the CET1 regulatory minimum of 9% and our current internal target of 10%. We submitted our capital plan last week.
And similar to prior years, we assessed our current and projected levels of excess capital as one of the many key considerations in the evaluation of future capital distributions. So in summary, our first quarter results continue to reflect strong customer activity and some underlying positive business momentum. We're on track to achieve our 2019 expense target. We also understand the seriousness of the work that needs to be done, not only to meet, but to exceed the expectations of our regulators, which is one of our top priorities.
And we'll now take your questions.
[Operator instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Ken Usdin with Jefferies.
Ken Usdin -- Jefferies -- Analyst
Right. Good morning, John. Good morning. I wonder if you could just flesh out a little bit more your updated NII outlook, which I think you gave us the litany of things that we're all observing.
Can you kind of try to parse out for us, is there, I guess, one or the other that's a bigger delta to your initial expectations? And how do you also expect NII to traject throughout the year, I guess, will be another one to add on to that. Thanks.
Yes. Thank you. So I would -- the things that I mentioned in terms of the state of the curve, absolute low level of rates, I'd put at the front end of the explanation. What's going on in deposit prices or deposit costs is something that we're observing as betas catch up or attempt to catch up to historic norms.
And then this spread compression, which reflect not just competition for loans, but also the mix of loans on our balance sheet. As we've sold some of these higher-yielding Pick-a-Pay loans, for example, those have disproportionally higher spread. And when we consider on a quarter-by-quarter basis whether market conditions are right and we want to do that that will have an additional impact as well. We've talked about this before, I don't really use much from other banks, but this reinvestment out the curve of excess cash and prepayments or repayments of our existing AFS portfolio is something that we're -- that means a lot to us.
And when the curve is as light as it is and yields are as low as they are, that becomes a big driver of the margin as well. Most people think of interest rate sensitivity more on the LIBOR and what happens to floating rate loans, but for us, that reinvestment out the curve is a big piece, too. So all of those things relative to a quarter ago feel a little bit softer, and that's a combination.
OK. And then I'll just repeat my second part, which was just, and then from here, so can you just talk about the -- at the NIM versus the NII and just how you just expect that to traject from here, given, obviously, that is now a year-over-year challenge on a year-over-year basis?
Yes. Well, I think all of those things will play out relatively ratably. I say that what happens to deposit pricing is probably a little bit more -- we've -- as I said before, we've tended to outperform historic expectations. And if deposit prices continue to lag and they catch up to the historic beta or maybe things are a little bit stronger until later in the year, if that catch-up takes until later in the year, that's one area where I can imagine a little bit of it not being ratable.
Is that a mix thing for you guys on the -- within the deposits is still moving retail versus wholesale? And I'll stop there.
In part, I think because a lot of our recent retail deposit gathering has been higher cost than historically as we've tried, whether it's through promotional high-yield CDs or other offers market-by-market And so that is a little bit higher cost than it has been previously. But one other thing I'd point out, just in terms of you mentioned seasonality, this day count issue quarter-by-quarter, obviously, will have an impact across this about 150 or $160 million in the first quarter that would be added back in the second quarter.
Understoond. Thanks, John.
Your next question comes from the line of Betsy Graseck with Morgan Stanley.
Betsy Graseck -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst
Hi, good morning.
Good morning, Betsy.
Allen, maybe I could ask you to give us a sense of the type of person that Wells Fargo is looking for as a permanent CEO. I know the committee just got started on that, but it would be helpful to understand in the context of a couple of questions. One is, how do you think about the priority of having either a female, a person of color, minority taking the lead? And then the other question has to do with track record of this individual, managing either a bank or a financial, somebody with a balance sheet. So I would like to understand how the organization is thinking through those two things in the context of the question.
Yes. Betsy, thanks very much. As you all know, as well as anyone, choosing a company's leader is the most important thing a board of directors does. And I know that our board is approaching that task with care and seriousness, as they do all things.
Although I'm available to the board for any necessary consultation or any other way they need me in connection with the process, I'm not involved in the search process. So unfortunately, I don't have any insight into the criteria that they're applying to their work or the timetable that they're thinking about in terms of completing that work. I do know that the board's search committee has met and that they've chosen an outside search firm to help them with their work. But as a general matter, my understanding is that the board's work is in its relatively early stages.
And knowing the board, as well as I do, I have no doubt that they are focusing on all the questions that you've just asked. It's just not clear to me that anything in terms of their articulation of the criteria they're applying will ever be something that goes outside the board room. The most important thing, though, I think from my perspective is for everybody to understand that while the search is under way, the company is going to continue to move forward assertively and decisively on the priorities that John and I have discussed this morning. Betsy, I wish I could be more helpful, but I just don't have any further insight.
Got it. Yes. Just would share that it strikes several investors, who we've spoken with, as a little bit odd to be thinking about someone who's from outside of the banking system given the credit risk and rate risk that financial institution banks have that's unique to them. So I'll just share that.
And then, I guess, secondly for both of you, we heard from others today about how tough it is to be running a mortgage business in the context of the tough rules and regs on the mortgage industry for banks. And there's some players out there that have taken significant share that are benefiting from the regulatory arbitrage that exists for folks that are not banks that benefits their standing. And so I just wanted to understand how you're thinking about the mortgage business that you're on and how you deal with that, especially on the sort of same component.
Betsy, I will let John to speak to the mortgage aspect of your question. I will just say, by way of comment, that, obviously, our board chair, Betsy Duke, has a tremendous amount of experience with regard to all the issues that are associated with managing, leading a financial institution. And she's involved day-to-day in conversations with our investors. And I know that they're going to formulate a really precise and appropriate set of criteria in that search.
Sure. And Betsy, with respect to your point about the mortgage business and, as you described it, regulatory arbitrage, I would say that we're -- mortgage lending is core to Wells Fargo. It's very important to our customers. We're an enormous originator and servicer.
We've changed the business over the last couple of years to take some of the extra contractual risks out of the origination and the servicing side of things and to try and make it as tolerable as possible in the complex environment that we're operating in. But that's not clear to me that on the servicing side that the rules are very different. I do think that when you're a GSIB and you have lots of resources that the expectations are appropriately high, and we're trying to live up to that. I do think that our non-bank competition has done a good job at setting the bar for us and improving the customer experience and their tough competitors, and we're certainly up for it, but I think non-bank competitors, both on the origination and servicing side, are here to stay.
Thanks, John.
Your next question comes from the line of John McDonald with Anonymous Research.
John McDonald -- Autonomous Research -- Analyst
Hey, guys. John, I wanted to follow up on Ken's question around the NII. Maybe give me a little bit of color on what scenario is it down 5%and what kind of things happen where it's down 2%? And the just a follow-up, it doesn't sound like loan growth changed in your outlook. That wasn't a driver from what I understood there.
So are you feeling better or worse of seeing on kind of loan growth throughout as to where you are a couple of months ago?
Yes, I think we are on the loan growth front. And loan growth, given what we've been doing in running off pre-crisis noncore assets that will have an impact on our net loan growth. But in terms of our new originations, etc. that doesn't feel much different than it has over the last couple months.
The range of outcomes on the 2% to 5%, if deposit pricing -- if repricing continues to be slower than expected, but is on an upward trajectory, there's probably upside there, get you closer to 2% than 5%. If the long end of the curve stays right where it is, well, probably -- that probably takes you into the lower end of the range. And then loan spreads are -- and loan spreads, which reflects mix as well in terms of what's going on in competition and the types of loans that we're originating will have an impact on that as well. But we're sort of preparing you for the idea that it could be down 5% .I think of everything that I mentioned went against this that that's a reasonable outcome.
But those are the drivers.
OK. And then on CCAR, I understand you obviously can't talk details. But at a high level, as you put your capital plan together, do you factor in the regulators' disappointment in your progress or where you stand on operational excellence? Or is that just completely separate issues?
Well, nothing separate. We -- the way we approach CCAR is starting with the feedback that we get in the prior year and working all year to improve our approach, which includes our operational risk, risk identification, control identification, our scenario designed to impact those types of things, the impact more broadly and what it means, both for PP and our generation. And so I think we fully accounted for that, and we'll see in June.
OK. And no formal change to the CET1 target yet? Do you still think that's kind of an upside bias on that, but modest?
Yes, I think that's right. I think we've mentioned before that it's 10% today knowing that how CCEL that's integrated into CCAR -- into CLO versus CCAR scenario and then what the final rules and application is to distress capital buffer, the combination of those things probably drives us up to 10.25 to 10.5., that sort of range. But until those things land, we're not going to set a new management target. But those things are still out there.
OK, thanks.
Your next question comes from the line of Erika Najarian with Bank of America.
Erika Najarian -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst
Good morning, Erika.
So my first question is it really has to do with what more you can do to deliver this company more efficiently. We hear you loud and clear that until you have a new leader, you're not going to -- help us give us a sense of the expense trajectory, which is totally fair. But as I think about the dynamics of capital return and opportunities to continue to restructure the firm, so as of year-end 2018, Wells Fargo had 2,595 more employees than JPMorgan, and your employee base declined just 3% since 2009. And you have peer banks in the United States that have 50,000 less employees than you do for larger asset bases.
And I'm wondering, how is the board thinking about the interplay of the fact that you have a ton of excess capital, you continue to build excess capital, why shouldn't that be -- why shouldn't that now be an opportunity to restructure the firm in a more dramatic way than you've been telling us? I mean, in essence, with a new leadership coming in, the market is giving you sort of a path, or so to speak, to really rethink the company beyond sort of taking 10% off of your headcount in three years.
Yes, I think that's a fair observation. I think the work that's happening right now, which is, frankly, underpinning a lot of the regulatory-related requirements around operational risk and compliance is business process by business process and an understanding of how everything gets done at Wells Fargo in a very encyclopedic way. That's work that's under way. There's still a ton to do, but that's the gist of the underpinning of all of this work.
The outcome of that will put the -- Allen or the new CEO in the perfect position to make determinations about how we can continue to combine like work, how we can continue to streamline our operations, what we should be doing more of and what we should be doing less of. The headcount -- I mean, headcount is a great thing to point to, to compare whether we're more or less efficient. And there are opportunities for efficiency as a result of, as I said, combining like activity, where we have a disparate today. There are changes in how customers are using the banks.
So we've got -- we just described 9% down year over year in branch and ATM transactions. Our call center activity comes down as people do more on an automated basis. There's lots of secular changes that will drive headcount down. But in the short term, as we're adding in places like the control functions in the businesses and Mandy's team broadly in the second line of defense for risk and compliance, those will definitely be -- those will push numbers up in the short term.
We've got some seasonal activity in the first quarter that happens in branches and elsewhere as there's more people on the payroll than there are later in the year. We've got cyclical businesses like mortgage, the dial-up and dial-down, as the pipeline swells or abates. So all of those things are working together. There's no question, we've had this discussion before, that at the end of this process, just for a company of our size relative to peers that you're mentioning, we have a lower risk mix of businesses.
We've got our less complex, less global, etc., mix of businesses, and our expenses per total dollar of revenue for our size or our asset base should be lower. That's definitely the goal.
Got it. And Allen, if you could give us a sense. Clearly, there could be an air pocket in the stock until you have a new leader in place. Is there a time frame that the search committee is aiming for? Obviously, your shareholders want you to find the right woman or man, but is there a time frame that you could help us in terms of whether the search committee is looking to go more urgently?
Erika, I think that based on the conversations I have, the committee wants to move as urgently as they can, but their biggest priority is making the right decision. And so at this point, I'm not really in a position to predict how long that will be, but I think they're going to prioritize quality decision-making over any sort of focus on speed.
Got it. And just one last follow-up question, John, on the revenue. I guess, I hate to ask the NII question again, but as we think about your peers that reported this morning, they're facing similar curve dynamics, but they didn't quite pull their guidance for the full year yet. And as we think about the timing of when you put out that guidance, earlier guidance on NII at the Credit Suisse conference, obviously, the yield curve flattened.
But is your sensitivity to the long end, that material, that the magnitude of change is not just significant relative to your old guy, but also significant relative to peers? And what in the liability dynamics, going back to John's earlier question, are you assuming, particularly on deposit rate pricing more specifically?
Yes. Good questions. So on the long end, I would say that we have got more conviction that we're going to be reinvesting at lower rates for more of the year than when we went through the big rally in connection with the disruption of the fourth quarter. Now it feels like it's here to stay.
Sitting on the sidelines and waiting for higher yields is less of an option. And so we're beginning to redeploy here at these lower levels. So that feels more locked in than it did at -- during February, at the Credit Suisse conference. And on the liability side, we are imagining a -- even if we're done with what moves up -- fed rate increases and moves up and the policy rates at the front end of the curve, that there is some more catch-up this year to historic betas.
And if that doesn't happen, as I mentioned to John, that's going to be upside or, I should say, move us higher in the range of possible outcomes for this year.
And just one more question on -- sorry, just one more question on revenues, if I may, and I apologize for interrupting. On the fee side -- and I don't mean to be cheeky at all, but excluding the idiosyncratic gains on Pick-a-Pay and the payroll services company, John, what would you call core fees for the year -- sorry, for the quarter? I guess, I'm just trying to figure out. So I think the frustration with investors is, I think, they've accepted that the expense trajectory is very hard to target, given the management change. But if the revenue base keeps splitting down, I'm afraid that some of your loyal shareholders are going to start to exit before you have a new leadership in place and helping us figure out what the sort of -- where the fees, the core fees are for the quarter, and what you expect for major line items would be really helpful.
Yes. No, I appreciate that. So we don't calculate something called core fees. It's non-GAAP for us to do that for ourselves.
And so it's a tricky path to go down. I think mortgage is going to be stronger as we roll forward. If we're just thinking about the major line items, I think trust and investment fees will be stronger as a result of the recovery in the market. There's a quarterly lag that's built into that.
On deposit service charges, we had a couple of things happen in the first quarter that were aberrant. I think the run rate is higher than what we posted. We had a data center outage that caused us to reverse fees for people for a period of time. There's a little bit of a government shutdown that caused us to reverse some fees for others, etc.
So those aren't recurring. So as I go line item by line item, each one of them has its own story. I guess, I'd point to mortgage probably as this year rolls through and given where the pipeline sits and the fact that we're up a little bit higher in terms of gain on sale. And servicing, frankly, feels a little bit more stable, compared to Q4.
We had some valuation adjustments, but it's very likely that we'll continue to -- I mean, we've always had a collection or we've often had a collection of different types of gains from things that happen naturally in the business and from strategic decisions like selling some of these pre-crisis loans. And so they'll be there, too, throughout the course of the year depending on decisions that we make. Whether they're core or noncore is in the eye of the beholder, but they contribute to capital generation and earnings in the quarters when they occur.
Erika, if I could just circle back for a second on the search. Although the board is going to be moving forward with appropriate urgency, they have made clear that they have complete confidence in the team that we currently have in place. And just to reemphasize, they have given us a mandate to move forward assertively. So no one should have any doubt about that.
I think that you should understand that our current team is going to be thinking about all alternatives for the company going forward and working very closely with the board to think about what's best for the company longer term.
OK, thank you. Thank you for your patience.
Your next question comes from the line of Matt O'Connor with Deutsche Bank.
Matt O'Connor -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst
Good morning, Matt.
There's a lot of focus on the fundamentals here, but I want to kind of back up to what I think is the biggest issue for the company. You said in your prepared remarks at the very beginning, you understand what the regulators are disappointed in. And maybe you could shed some light, what is it that they're disappointed in? And what are you either doing differently now, let's say, versus six months ago or plan to do differently to address these things?
Well, let me start by saying something that's rarely said, but I think should be said, and that's the Prudential Bank regulators play a really critical role in our system. They're there to ensure the safety and soundness of financial institutions like ours, but they're also there to ensure the safety and security of the financial system more generally. We get their feedback constantly, and we take it very seriously and we take it into account in terms of everything that we do. As you know, Matt, the recent public statements on the part of the regulators have indicated their disappointment with our progress today.
The fed, the OCC, the CFPB have all gone on public record in terms of saying that. We understand and accept their criticism. And as I said before, we're going to be redoubling our efforts to satisfy their expectations of us. I met with all the regulators in Washington earlier this week, and one of the things that I tried to convey to them was that we're going to try to bring to our relationship with them going forward a greater level of urgency and seriousness, understanding, again, that the single most important thing for us to do is to execute on our priorities and satisfy our commitments to them.
And we're doing a lot of things to help us do that. We've hired a number of key leaders in new roles from outside the company, and they've had a significant impact in terms of what we're doing. As I mentioned before, we're engaged in a thorough reshaping of our risk management framework, and that's going to fundamentally change how we manage risk within the company. And then finally, we're really going to be focused intently on operational excellence in all we do.
And a big part of that, as I've mentioned before, is our work on business process management. I would emphasize, when you take all this as a whole, the basic answer to your question is that we're going to be working harder and smarter, and we're going to be focused more on execution. And we're going to do all that with an appropriate sense of urgency. We believe that we can complete all the work we need to do in a timely manner.
But much more important than that, I believe that we can do this all to the highest standards of professionalism and long-term durability for the company. We want to not only meet their expectations, but also exceed them.
Just as a follow-up, like, I mean, where is the disconnect? Like I would've thought a little over a year ago when the asset cap was implemented that that's when the communication would've been improved. That's when you would've gone to the same page. I mean, I don't know if it's just the regulators don't appreciate how big, how granular, how diverse of a company you are, so how long it takes or if it's just been maybe bigger issues than you appreciate a year ago. I just think a lot of us don't understand, when we look at Wells long term, you have a great track record from a risk management perspective, again, on all facets.
And a lot of the people who have executed on that strategy have been -- they're trying to kind of clean up these issues. And it's just so rare for a regulator to go public. So again, I don't know if it's just that you're so big and so granular that there's just so much to do and maybe they don't appreciate that. Or was there something that you didn't appreciate as a company well over a year ago.
I mean, it's a good follow-up. I think one of the most important things to understand is that what we're talking about, as I said earlier, is essentially an evolution of our business model. We have, in essence, picked out with our regulators a point on the horizon in terms of creating are truly extraordinary company, not only in terms of business performance and operational excellence, but also risk management. Our engagement with the regulators, and this goes for all of them, particularly OCC and the fed, is an ongoing engagement.
We get their feedback constantly, and we, therefore, are called upon to respond to it constantly. And that sometimes means that we have to work hard to understand exactly what their expectations are for us. I have really had an opportunity through my meetings earlier this week to understand exactly what their expectations are. And although our work is in various stages of progress, some of it is way down the road and is really pointed toward completion and implementation.
Other parts of it are a little bit earlier in the process. I think I have a very good handle on where we want to go with them, and I think that they've been very clear with us. The single most important thing, I think, to note is that we have really done a good job of restructuring our balance sheet so as to be able to operate under the asset cap for over a year. And we're going to do whatever is necessary to ensure that we can continue to serve our customers for as long as the asset cap is in place.
OK. Thank you for the color.
Your next question comes from the line of Gerard Cassidy with RBC.
Good morning , Gerard.
Gerard Cassidy -- RBC Capital Markets -- Analyst
Good morning, guys. Maybe you guys can touch -- you talked a bit about the mortgage banking business and the competitors. The nonbank competitors are taking market share from everybody. Now that's the way the business has been structured.
And John, in the past, you've talked about your nonbank financial lending. I believe that portfolio is over $100 billion. How much of the mortgage warehouse lines are in that portfolio, assuming they're in that portfolio? And how are they growing?
Yes. It's a good question. I would say mortgage banker warehouse lines are a smaller portion of our -- of that total nondepository financial institution total. We'll get you the exact total, but we do provide warehouse lines to people who deliver into Fannie and Freddie, just like we do also by correspondent loans into our own mortgage banking pool, which becomes part of our origination stats and part of our gain on sales.
So like a lot of these businesses, mortgage is one of them. The people with whom we compete, who are outside of banking are customers of ours. We give them access to the capital markets. We finance them along the way.
We understand the efficiency of lending loans. Sometimes, they're making loans where we're competing head-to-head and, sometimes, they're making loans where we'd rather be in a credit-enhanced position on a pooled basis than to be making the loans head-to-head. That's more of a commercial loan example. But in the mortgage case in particular, we do provide warehouse lines, and we do facilitate the sale of their conforming loans into agency execution.
I think what -- how would you categorize the largest component of that portfolio? What type of credits would you say are in that portfolio that constitute the majority or the biggest portion?
Of the $100 billion-or-so .
Yes, correct.
It's pretty balanced. There's the CLO business. There's CMBS. There's RMBS.
There's card. There's other commercial assets like leased assets, etc., where our customers are leasing companies. It's quite diverse, but it's more corporate risk than mortgage risk.
OK, good. And then following up on your comments, if I heard you correctly that, I think, you said foot traffic in ATM transactions are down. I thought I heard 9% or at least they're down. Are those trends accelerating? And did Zelle have any impact on the trends picking up in terms of the P2P payments that happened with Zelle now that's in place for about a year and a half?
Yes. No, I don't think so. I think Zelle is taking some cash out of the system. They're taking checks out of the system as well.
So that -- it hasn't been accelerating. It's been relatively linear, and it's been this conversion to all forms of digital banking activity, not just P2P payments.
Great, I appreciate it. Yes, go ahead. Go ahead, John.
I was going to say you can see the details on Slide 23. That's all.
Your next question comes from the line of Vivek Juneja.
Vivek Juneja -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst
I just want to follow up on all the regulatory stuff that's been going on. The regulators' comments that things have been very slow. Given all the hirings you've been doing, it's a little bit surprising. I guess, Allen, a question for you.
How much do you need to do in terms of changing the culture? Because there seemed a tone of dismissiveness among senior management when this asset cap first came out. And is there still more you need to do on that? And as we parse through, I don't understand where this quite surprising level of commentaries on the regulators, which you rarely see a bank named after your size like this. Is it coming more on the consumer side, the corporate side? Or can you give us more color as to where there's more of this weakness?
I've got one follow-up, and it's also, I think, responsive to Matt's question earlier. But just playing back the last year or so and how this has evolved, there's an initial level of high level, medium level and extraordinarily detailed planning that goes into an evolution like this. And then there's the initial hiring of the senior-most change agents, people with real experience to augment the folks that we have in the field doing the work. And as Allen mentioned, this is -- this covers the entirety of the company.
This isn't something that just happens in a group called risk. This happens in every line of business, in every function, dealing with every business process. So you plan it at varying levels of granularity, senior hiring, next-level hiring. And by hiring, it can be people who already work here moving into slightly different jobs.
But it's articulation of what those jobs are, what real roles and responsibilities are to accomplish the goals. And then you begin the execution phase. And the execution, again, it's business by business, function by function, process by process. And it's the identification of risk and associated controls for effectiveness.
It's the testing of those controls and making sure that it works from end-to-end. And then the development of the appropriate supporting technology because a lot of these things initially can be done by brute force and -- but are more appropriately intended at a higher-quality level more efficiently with technological enablement that comes along behind it. Then you have to understand what maturity looks like because you never get everything exactly right, completely right the first time and you want to make it have -- the customer impact has to be understood. The team member impact has to be understood in addition to the capability.
And then you go into a cycle of sustainment and improvement. That's what's going on. And it takes a while to do that from one end of the business to the other, from top to bottom, business by business, function by function.
And Vivek, I would also just comment because I'm sure it's on your mind. I've had the opportunity to get out and speak to a very large number of the people who are on the Wells Fargo team and have also, as you would expect, had the opportunity to meet with every member of the operating committee over the last couple of weeks. Now these are leaders who have performed extremely well in various uncertain circumstances. They have been empowered by me and by our board to move forward on the company's priorities, and they're highly engaged and motivated.
And above all else, they're really enthusiastic about what we can achieve. So again, that's the source of my own personal optimism.
Yes. And yes, I mean, look, you do have a great franchise, so it is important to protect that and grow that. I have another question, completely different, if I can just shift gears. And this is probably appropriate for John.
John, the business payroll services business you just sold, you mentioned a gain to us. What is the impact from a revenue and a net income standpoint? Any rough numbers?
It's negligible, not discernible.
OK. All right. Thank you.
Thank you, Vivek.
Your next question comes from the line of Saul Martinez with UBS.
Saul Martinez -- UBS -- Analyst
Hey, good morning, guys. I hate to beat a dead horse on the NII commentary, but, obviously, it does move the needle on numbers. John, am I -- what are you assuming for deposit betas in that guide? Are we assuming that you get to the 45% cumulative beta since the start of this cycle that you've expressed as sort of a normal run rate? Is that embedded in that guide? And how quickly do you get there?
It assumes continued -- our beta assumptions assume continued catch-up to the historic norm, which, if it doesn't happen, as I mentioned earlier, it is applied to that forecast.
OK. And the historic norm is 45%? Is that –
Well, it depends on the mix, but it's the -- the range is -- goes all the way to 55%.
OK. Because if I -- your through-the-cycle beta of 35% which is based on, I guess, the 89 basis points, if the fed funds goes -- stays where it's at, that would imply, by my calculations, you go to like 110 basis points in an environment where the fed funds isn't moving. I mean, is that -- are those numbers right? Is that logic right?
Well, I'm sure your math is right, but we have the -- what happens in the shift from non-interest-bearing to interest-bearing, we have higher costs, as I mentioned, from things that we're doing in retail around the edges for promotional attempts market-by-market to understand what high-yield savings and CDs do to the mix. Those are higher cost retail deposits. The consumer beta has been really, really low since the beginning of the cycle. And so by doing these things around the edges, we're moving it relatively meaningfully without repricing the whole core of that portion of deposits.
I get that. It seems just like a big delta in an environment where the fed funds rate is flat. And if we put that into any -- if I put that number into any of my models for any of my companies, it's going to be hard to see any NII growth for anybody. And I'm just trying to get a sense as to whether there's a level of conservatism built into that deposit beta.
You might expect us to outperform then relative to just talking about that. We're -- I think it's cautious to be -- we want to be frank with what the outcomes might be. We think this is what the outcomes might be. That's one area where there's the opportunity to outperform depending on what happens in the market.
Got it. I guess, if I could change gears a little bit and talk about cost, fully appreciating that the new CEO will ultimately determine what -- if and what the guides will be, what the expectations will be beyond 2019. But you have outlined 2 billion of cost initiatives, I guess, that are in place, and you've talked about them with -- in a lot of details. But is there a way to kind of think about what's already in place that's going to happen regardless, whether it's systems monetization, digitizing processes, organizational realignment and what's maybe a little bit more discretionary that might be able to be more managed a little bit and to have some variance in terms of the outcome?
Yes. The items that we have on Slide 20, where we're showing you at least the relative expectation for cost takeout for '18 and '19 and the general -- how we're categorizing where those are coming from will show you that the expectation is even higher now. And it includes the types of things that you mentioned. And as of prior the slide shows, it's a good thing that it's higher because we're reinvesting more where we need to in clients.
etc. All of the types of things that you mentioned are things that we're going after hard. If there was a -- if there's a risk to it, and I think we've accounted for it in our guidance, is that as we're prioritizing, for example, capacity and technology or resources to get things done, there are some of these initiatives that have a -- whether it's digitization, automation or some technological solution to them that have to -- that will fight for priority along with the risk and regulatory-related capabilities that are technologically dependent to, again, I think we've captured that in our outlook. But those trade-offs are being assessed every day because as you could -- at this point in time, with all of the possibilities of what technology can bring to the businesses, there are -- there's a boundless list of things that we'd all like to do.
Got it. And I, guess just a final quick one, John. I was a little surprised by the CECL estimates positively. But I guess, broad strokes, the reversals you might get in C&I, because they're shorter duration or remaining lives on them more than offset any sort of increase you'll see on your resi book or, I guess, your consumer book as well, is that sort of the...
That's exactly right.
Yes, all right. Very good. Thanks so much.
Your next question comes from the line of Chris Kotowski with Oppenheimer.
Chris Kotowski -- Oppenheimer and Company -- Analyst
Yes, good morning. When you've had experience in -- with companies under consent orders in the past, historically, it's been about things like asset quality or capital levels. And you could kind of visualize what success looks like, right? I mean, the success would be having capital levels up to your standards and world-class underwriting system and so on. And when it comes to something like operational effectiveness, it's just harder for me to understand.
Like in this process, are you being benchmarked against other companies and the regulators expect you to come to standards that can be observed in other companies that are out there? Or is it kind of an uncharted territory where there are expectations above and beyond that that are not quite easy to quantify?
Obviously, Chris, as you know, we're -- when you talk about consent orders, we're looking at a number of different ones. And some of them are in more focused areas in terms of our businesses and our operations. With regard to the fed consent order, there are really kind of two categories there. One is the focus on corporate governance, which is really the role of the board and the interface has between the board and the management of the company.
And I think they're -- what we're all really looking for is what I would term as almost an ideal state. What's the appropriate role of the board? What's the -- or what are the appropriate processes the board could apply? And what are the proper levels of interface has between the board and management? I think in some respects, that is not necessarily a philosophical exercise. It's actually a highly structured exercise, but it's also informed by traditional notions of corporate governance and what the fed thinks the proper role of the board should be. And we are -- we've completed a great deal of work in that regard.
With regard to the other parts of what we're doing, those things really focus on operational risk and compliance. And I think just going back to your question, Chris, it's a combination. It's somewhat a benchmarking, but it's also a focus by us and by the fed on what would be the ideal state for us to be in. There is a great deal of work under the road brick of operational risk and compliance.
You have to focus on things like operational issues, regulatory issues. We're talking about customer remediation. And one of the biggest aspects, as we've alluded to, is the simplification of business processes. We want to all reach a place where we have fewer manual controls and fewer errors.
And I think it cannot be described as something that's being done on a whiteboard because there are a number of reference points. But I would say, if anything, we are all trying to achieve something that may be almost an outer boundary in terms of the quality of operational risk and compliance, something that hasn't really been achieved at this level before.
OK. Thank you. That's it for me.
Thank you, Chris.
Your next question is from the line of John Pancari with Evercore.
John Pancari -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst
Good morning, John.
Sorry, I'm going to go right back to the NII. Does -- that NII outlook, does it assume any ongoing reinvestment of your excess liquidity position? Because I would assume that if you do continue to use that to fund new loan originations, it could help temper the impact of the expectation that you're seeing on the deposit cost side.
Yes. Well, it certainly does assume that we fund our expectation for risk asset generation through the available liquidity that we have. So within the bound of what's likely in terms of risk asset opportunity, I think it's captured in the forecast. If there were other interesting things for us to invest in, whether it was loans or securities, we'd do it.
But on the securities front, I think given where we are in terms of yield, of risk-free rates and spreads, we've accounted for what is within our appetite. And on the loan front, as I've mentioned before, we're competing vigorously in every market that we're enthusiastic about to grow loans. So that is all in the forecast. I don't think there's a -- unless there's a shift in aggregate demand for credit across the business or consumer space, I don't imagine a real breakout there.
OK. All right. And then I'm not sure if this was explicitly asked, but based upon your commentary around the factors influencing the NII guide, how would you characterize the NIM progression from peers? I mean, how much return incremental compression do you see from now to the end of the year, for example?
Yes. Well, I'm more of a dollar person than a NIM percentage person. But you could see it. You can see the trajectory down somewhat.
The big variable will be what happens with deposit pricing. There's sort of a range of outcomes depending on whether they follow this historic path or the path toward a historic beta or whether they settle in at a lower response rate. But if we're right in down 2 to down 5%, then we'll be -- we'll certainly be somewhat down from here.
OK, thanks. And then, John –
And then dollars, yes, they're just for everybody's benefit. It's about the dollars of net interest income and their impact on our ROE generation that we're more focused on rather than the outcome-calculated NIM.
Got it. Got it. Right, OK. And then, John, one more for you.
The -- I know you've talked quite a bit about expenses and everything. But for this change specifically on your NII guide, is it fair to assume there's no cost offset just simply because on the upside, there's not much of a cost to margin expansion and everything and, therefore, on the way down, there couldn't be? Or do you think -- or is there some type of cost offset to this change that may still get dialed in?
Yes, I would -- I'd think of them separately. If there were, we would take it. And there's -- as I -- we described, there's probably 200 programs going on right now that we're updating month-by-month to go after every bit of available efficiency opportunity. On the one hand, separately, we're reinvesting everywhere we need to, and we'll continue to from a control risk and regulatory perspective.
But if there was any low-hanging fruit on the expense side, we'd be after it.
OK. All right. Thanks for taking my questions.
Your next question comes from the line of Marty Mosby with Vining Sparks.
Marty Mosby -- Vining Sparks -- Analyst
Yes, good morning. I usually don't like hammering questions that we've been talking about so much, but there is another aspect of this that I want to bring out. So two fronts. One, John, on the net interest margin and NII numbers, you have been derisking your balance sheet quite a bit to free up capacity for your core customers.
And you mentioned the sale of Pick-a-Pay. You've been doing that. Your margin really year over year is only down two or three basis points with all of that derisking that's been going on. So is this just as much of a structural shift in your balance sheet in the sense of how you've underperformed? Because other banks aren't really derisking like you all have been.
And so in my mind, that is, over time and at least looking back over the last couple of quarters, that's really been more the impact.
Absolutely. I'd say that the Pick-a-Pay is a piece of that. The reliable auto business in Puerto Rico is a piece of that, for sure. And then, of course, the rundown of the junior lien mortgage loans are a piece of that also.
Yes, the -- we don't usually talk about the asset quality or sort of the risk-adjusted NIM because it's not a risk-sensitive concept. But without a doubt, our asset quality on -- is as high as it's been in some time. Now with respect to Pick-a-Pay, because of the way they've been marked historically, you can argue about what their lost content might be. And people asked from time-to-time, why do we consider that risky given that we've carried them at such a markdown rate? And unrelated to asset quality, I'll make the point that those are loans that we would not originate today.
And that as we go into the next cycle, they have more operational risk associated with them because the falls and foreclosures are going to be higher there, and we just assumed to have less of them when the next cycle hits rather than morph.
And really, what we're talking about is higher-yielding loans that have been run off, that because they're not really core relationships, like you said, you wouldn't reoriginate these. So these weren't core relationships, they just happen to be higher-yielding. So your cost of derisking and you're getting the incremental balance sheet usage pushed out to free up capacity for that core, which is -- has a lower margin than somebody's higher-yielding portfolios had. And then when you look at your deposit pricing in a sense of talking about this tail in, this has been a cycle where deposit betas have been much better than historic averages.
What has caused you to want to assume that all of a sudden, the performance is going to get that much worse, and there's big catch-up versus the stability that we're already starting to see in deposit pricing that's in the market today. Bankrate.com rates have already started to flatten out, if not come down, a little bit. So I don't really see the inclination to keep assuming for this other than just a measure of conservatism. So I just wanted to see what you saw on the market that made you want to incorporate this.
Yes. So very specifically, our own cumulative beta, trailing 12 months, today is 43%. And a quarter ago, it was 38%. So it feels like our experience is that we're catching up a little bit.
Now the through-the-cycle beta is still much lower, as you're pointing out, and this could very well be the end of it if risk-free rates aren't moving, if the Fed's not moving anymore. But we're taking what we've just seen in this quarter and extending it out a little bit, which is if we're wrong, then we will -- it's not causing us to run around and raise all of our deposit prices, but it is causing us to forecast on what might end up being a conservative basis.
And then, Allen, I was going to add, when you start getting at talking to the regulators, would you have a chance to do -- I mean, I can't imagine that you all have been passive or not trying to be as aggressive as possible to fix the issues. I mean, this has been a very critical issue for the company, and it's been something that, I think, the management's been talking about for -- since it began. This is the most important thing to deal with. So what specifically do you walk away with from those meetings in the sense of -- we've heard a lot of generics, but I mean, what in the -- or how do we amp up from what we've been doing? Or is it more likely at the bank situation when you just explained we're kind of setting the stage or we're setting the new standard that then everybody will have to come to.
It just takes longer to get there, and they're just kind of keeping the pressure of the regulators are to make sure that you can kind of set the bar for everybody else as you go through this changing process that you've been working on?
Marty, it's a really good question, and I think there could be something to your notion that we are setting a new standard. And if so, that's perfectly OK with us. We really want to be the best company that we can possibly be. We have been serious.
I think that we're going to do everything we can to do an even better job. We're going to redouble all our efforts. And all of us on the operating committee have made clear to everybody on the team that we're just going to do a better job across-the-board planning, hiring, motivating people, improving the quality of the work that we do and, above all else, just to execute on what we know we can do. I mean, this is an extraordinary team.
And if anything, we just have to work order to bring to appropriate conclusions the things that we have in flight. So yes, we're on a journey, but I think where journey people are motivated and excited about because it's a journey to a great place.
Thanks, Marty .
Your final question comes from the line of Steven Chubak with Wolfe Research.
Steven Chubak -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst
Hi, good morning. So wanted to ask a question on profitability targets. At 2018 investor day, you provided profit targets. It assumed a flattish revenue environment versus '17.
And if I look today, that core revenue run rate's about 5 billion below that level. And it's certainly encouraging to hear that you remain committed to the expense goals for '19, especially during this period of, well, I'll just call it CEO purgatory. But given the significant revenue shortfall that exists today, I'm wondering if there's any sort of commitment to deliver on the targets that have been outlined at that point in time, whether it's 14 or 17% ROTCE or the efficiency targets? I think I'm just trying to understand what targets, if any, shareholders should be holding the current management team accountable to?
Those are good questions. So with respect to different people's definition of core revenue, there will be, as we've talked about some of the fundamental line items that are relatively easy to track and how they performed through cycles, we also have a recurring -- different people that will describe different levels of reliability to different types of gain-taking, etc, that's -- or gain generation that you could add to the top of that depending on what the market's delivering to us. On expenses, we've reupped for this year. We've talked about the fact that in 2020, it's appropriate given the fact that a new CEO will be in.
And then importantly in that return generation is our capital plan in getting the denominator down because we carry on of excess capital. And I think that shareholders should hold us accountable for executing, for delivering and performing on our capital plan as well. So at this point in the cycle and where we are with rates, we're going to apply every level or lever within our risk framework for generating the right mix of loans and investing in the right mix of securities and noninterest income. We're leaning hard in the areas where we generate trust and investment fees, deposit service charges.
There's mortgage and certain market-sensitive categories in particular. And then, frankly, most importantly, I think shareholders will hold us accountable for the execution that Allen has described of moving the ball down the field against our regulatory commitments in 2019 and into 2020 as well. But yes, those are very concrete steps that people can point to that will have outcomes attached to them.
OK. Could we hold management accountable when discussing some of those outcomes to targets that have previously been outlined? Or do we have to take a simply wait-and-see approach?
Well, I think for this year, since we've reupped on expenses, you certainly can. I think for 2020, what we're telling you is we're going to we have a different CEO. And so that's -- it's hard for us to put words in that woman or man's mouth before they arrive. And on the capital plan, for sure, I think that you should both hold us accountable for that.
OK. And then just one follow-up for me. There was an earlier question discussing the prospect of restructuring your strategic alternatives. And I recognize that it's still early days in that search process, but one of the businesses that's gotten a lot of attention in some of my investor discussion is Wealth Management.
It's clearly been impacted by the account scandal. But there are number of firms that have actually indicated very strong interest in growing, whether it's organically or inorganically, in this particular area. And I'm just wondering, given the steady pace of advisor attrition, strong interest from peers to maybe pursue M&A in this area, whether you'd be -- open to considering a strategic sale if it offered a path to creating greater shareholder value. Or said differently, somebody else can maybe better monetize the asset.
Yes. It's -- in the relatively near term, I certainly doubt it. I think that the wealth opportunity, given our 70 million customer footprint and the attachment to our core banking capabilities, what we do in mortgage, etc., all are probably -- they provide a path to the greatest value creation. The changes that Jon Weiss is making in running that business, I think, will continue to generate a high level of value creation.
The way you phrased the question, it presupposes that it would be a higher-value creation for Wells Fargo's shareholders if we did that. And of course, it's an obligation of the firm to look at anything like that. I just doubt that that would be true. So it's not on the shortlist of things that we're talking about as we've been doing the noncore trimming here and mirror-like retirement, for example, most recently.
But as you say, if anybody made a proposal to Wells Fargo that was value-maximizing for our shareholders, that's our job, is to respond to that.
Very helpful color. Thanks for taking the questions.
Let me close by thanking all of you for joining our first-quarter conference call. And as always, we'd like to thank all our team members for their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. As I hope we've made clear on the call this morning, this company is not standing still during this interim period, and our team members are a critical part of our moving forward. We look forward to speaking with all of you again next quarter.
[Operator signoff]
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Motley Fool Transcribing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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no business
It’s National Pasta Day, in these United States.
Before I offer a conspiracy theory in today’s post, lets instead start with a bit of NY Harbor trivia – the height of all ships doing business within the Port of New York and New Jersey is governed by the height of the Verrazano Bridge’s span, as relative to the water. All cargo, military, and cruise ships which can be anticipated to someday enter NY harbor are actually designed with the Verrazano’s height in mind.
That means, ultimately, that this last exemplar of the House of Robert Moses erected in 1964, which sets a maximum height limit of exactly 228 feet over the water (at high tide), controls the design of a good chunk of the planet’s shipping fleets (although you’d be scraping the Verrazano’s deck at 228′ so they build them a bit shorter). A somewhat contemporaneous counterpart to the Verrazano is the Puente de las Américas (Bridge of the Americas) over the Panama Canal, which also plays a major role in the design of maritime vessels, setting a height limit of 201 feet over high water for any and all vessels using the crossing. The other approach to the Port of New York and New Jersey is governed by the Goethals Bridge over the Arthur Kill, which offers 135 feet of clearance, just to be entirely anal retentive about things.
Verrazano Bridge is startlingly enormous, with a main span over the narrows stretching out for nearly a mile at 4,260 feet. Engineer Othmar Amman always liked to point out that his team had to take the curvature of the Earth itself into account when designing and placing the towers, which are off parallel to each other by 1.625 inches. When you add in the approaches on either side to the bridge, the entire thing is some 13,700 feet in length – roughly 2.6 miles. It’s now the 11th largest suspension bridge in the world, and the longest found on either American continent.
There are 143,000 miles of wire incorporated into its cables, enough to wrap around the earth’ equator 5.74 times or stretch half way to the moon. Its towers are 649.68 feet tall, making them the tallest structures outside of Manhattan in all of New York City. It carries nearly 190,000 vehicle trips a day, 69.35 million annually. The best estimates I’ve been able to find suggest that the combined steel of the bridge weighs some 1,265,000 tons.
The Verrazano Bridge, due to its position and height, is affected by weather more heavily than any other span in New York Harbor. The roadway will actually sag down about a dozen feet during the summer months due to heat expansion, and the winds one encounter on the upper roadway preclude any discussion of pedestrian or bicycle paths being established. One can personally report that while driving over the thing during storms, my automobile was being rocked from side to side by heavy gusts of wind. The bridge is owned and operated by the MTA Bridges and Tunnels division, which is what Governor Nelson Rockefeller turned Robert Moses’s old Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority into.
The people at Bridges and Tunnels have a set of rules and customs governing the bridge during harsh weather conditions, which all depend on whether or not the roadways are wet or not, and whether the winds are either sustained or gusting. Speed restrictions begin to apply at 30 mph sustained winds and wet roads, while wet conditions coupled with sustained wind over 40 mph might trigger restrictions on crossings by motorcycles, mini buses, tractor trailers and other types of vehicles.
I’ve noticed, over the years, that all of NYC’s bridges are possessed of a certain and unique to the span harmonic. Partially, it’s how the structure of the bridge interacts environmentally and also because of the sound of the vehicles running over it cause a vibration as their tires spin against the decks. To my hearing, the Verrazano makes a “wmmm-mmm-mhoooooosh-shhh” sound, but that could just be the particular interaction with the roadway of the vehicles which a humble narrator crosses the thing within, which have always been passenger cars. It’s efficacious to close your windows on the bridge no matter what, lest a torrent of air suddenly swirl into the passenger cabin, causing disarray and a tumult. I’ll leave it to musicians to tell you what key the Verazzano Bridge is in.
Like all MTA Bridges and Tunnel crossings, certain types of vehicles are forbidden. These types of vehicles (amongst others) include steam rollers, vehicles loaded with unconfined animals or poultry, wheelbarrows, and velocipedes.
Yes, they specifically mention velocipedes in the rules.
I’ve always thought, with the born and raised in Brooklyn perspective that I am possessed by, that the bridge is actually some sort of giant shackle forcing the former City of Richmond or… Staten Island… not to secede from the City of Greater New York and join up with New Jersey instead. A mass exodus of Brooklynites, including my own parents, occurred during the late 1980’s and 90’s to Staten Island over the thing. Most of them, to quote my Dad, were “sick of this shit, and wanted to get the ‘eff out of here,” referring to the colloquialized “old neighborhood” which was “better back then.” I still don’t believe the old adage about being able to leave your door unlocked at night. Rent was a bit cheaper on Staten Island however, my parents perception of crime was far lower, and the semi suburban lifestyle encountered on Staten Island appealed to them in their retirement and dotage. They were also one step closer to Atlantic City where they liked to go on weekends away.
Staten Island is “car country,” unlike the city center neighborhood of Astoria, Queens where I now live. Mass transit (other than the ferry, I mean) exists but… you kind of need to have a car on Staten Island.
Now for the conspiracy theory: A humble narrator is an idiot, of course, and has always cherished a personal theory that Robert Moses knew something more about NYC than he was letting on. Famously, before beginning his government career, Moses wandered the countryside on foot. Robert Caro suggests that even at a young age, he was planning highways and parks. Pffft… who does that at an early age? Moses was monster hunting, obviously, and he must have found something terrifying during his wanderings. I mean… c’mon… that’s fairly obvious, right?
Why else would he have built a steel and concrete cage around New York Harbor? Would old Bob Moses really have gone out of his way to destroy the coastal wetlands, swamps, and tidal marshes (which are precisely the sort of places you’d find monsters like “Grendels Mother” lurking) of New York Harbor for no reason other than malice? After conquering the human/fish hybrids at Hells Gate with his mighty Triborough, he set about the process of creating the world’s biggest padlock here in the narrows to close the door on his monstrous gate.
Who can guess, all there is, that might be imprisoned down there beneath the 1,265,000 tons of steel? Is the arterial highway and bridge crossing system of New York City actually some sort of great barrier designed to keep slime dripping colossi in check? Is there some dark secret which will be held forever unknowable and immobile by the Verazzano Bridge?
What hidden and occult knowledge did Robert Moses take to the grave with him?
Posted in Brooklyn, New York Harbor, Photowalks, Pickman, Staten Island, Verrazano Narrows Bridge
Tagged with Brooklyn, New York City, photowalk, Pickman, Staten Island, Verrazano Narrows Bridge
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Birds, Birds and More Birds!
When one thinks about bird watching, fierce competition probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind—unless you happen to be one of the hundreds of bird enthusiasts who gathered in Cape May last Saturday to participate in the 31st Annual World Series of Birding (WSB).
By Nick DiUlio | | May 16, 2014
Sponsored by the New Jersey Audubon Society, the WSB is a 24-hour ornithological treasure hunt that finds dozens of birding teams combing the state to spot as many different species as possible and competing for prizes in myriad birding categories. On the second Saturday in May, birders from around the country set out with binoculars and high-powered scopes to spot species from High Point to Cape May. Final tallies are reported at midnight. Top teams typically spot 150-200 species.
“We have extraordinary natural diversity in this state, and most people, including many residents, don’t realize it,” says Pete Dunne, director of the Cape May Bird Observatory and founder of the World Series of Birding. Since its inception in 1984, Dunne has watched the event grow from just 14 teams to the 76 that participated this year, including 16 youth teams and even one from Israel. “This competition draws a lot of attention, and it’s become a way to raise money and promote New Jersey as a fantastic state for birding.”
According to Dunne, New Jersey boasts between 280 and 300 bird species during fall and spring migration months—an astounding array of ornithological diversity that takes a backseat only to California and Texas.
“This event allows people to take their passion for birds and bird watching to the next level,” says Dale Rosselet, vice president of education for the New Jersey Audubon Society. According to Rosselet, teams compete in the WSB to raise money for a conservation or research initiative of their choosing. Sponsorship pledges can either be based on each species seen ($1 per bird) or a flat rate amount. For many teams this is a major fundraiser that can generate tens of thousand of dollars each year. Rosselet says the WSB has helped raise more than $9 million since its inception.
For instance, Mark Garland spearheads a five-person birding team called the Monarchists, which uses the WSB to raise money for the Monarch Monitoring Project, a Cape May-based research and education program focused on the fall migration of monarch butterflies along the Atlantic coast. This is his fifth year participating in the event.
“This is the world’s greatest treasure hunt,” says Garland, whose birding team set out at midnight and then spent Saturday traversing Cape May on bicycle, eventually winning the WSB’s Carbon Footprint Cup after spotting 141 species without using motorized vehicles. “I think all of us have some affinity for the wild animals we share this planet with, and birds are one of the most visible forms of wildlife out there. They show themselves everywhere you go, and there’s such incredible diversity that you never know what you’re going to find.”
In addition to local groups like the Monarchists, the WSB also attracts teams from other parts of the country. For instance, Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology sent three separate teams of undergraduates to compete in three different birding categories, including “Big Stay,” which requires a team to spot as many species as possible without leaving a 17-by-17 foot location.
“Birds are an incredibly accessible and charming part of nature, and they’re more easy to watch than many other groups of organisms,” says Mary Margaret Ferraro, a Cornell biology major who spent 24 hours with three fellow students on a small patch of decking at Cape May Point State Park. “It’s a lot of fun, as long as you can stay awake.”
Ferraro’s team, known as the Redheads, took first place in the Big Stay category after spotting 94 species during its 24-hour vigil. The money they raised will be used to help fund ornithological research projects at Cornell.
“Every bird is so unique, and it’s living life in its own unique way,” says fellow Redhead Nathaniel Hernandez. “Watching a bird is like getting to know a person, because every time you watch it you see a different or new thing about it that you hadn’t noticed before. And then you get to know that bird better and better every time. It’s an amazing experience.”
Click here for a full list of this year’s WSB winners. And here’s a clip from a 2000 episode of The Daily Show that featured the WSB in a comedic light.
bird1
Read more From the Editors articles.
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Cancer: Head and Neck
Hematology / Oncology
The Division of Hematology/Oncology provides diagnosis and treatment of various forms of cancer as well as disorders of the blood system.
In an effort to provide the best possible care to oncology patients, their families and caregivers, the section of Hematology/Oncology, along with the sections of Gynecologic Oncology, Surgical Oncology, and the National Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program (NOCEDP) have joined forces with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Cancer Center provides a full range of oncology services and provides access to specialized research, clinical trials and diagnostic services. It is the only Comprehensive Cancer Center, as designated by the National Cancer Institute, in the state of Illinois.
Please visit and find out more about the clinical programs associated with the Division of Hematology/Oncology:
The Cancer Genetics Program
The Palliative Care & Symptom Management Services Program
The Stem Cell Transplant Program
Northwestern Center for Bleeding Disorders
The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery consists of specialized physicians trained in the latest medical and surgical management and treatment of various head and neck diseases and disorders-particularly the ear, nose and throat. Renowned for the treatment of head and neck cancer, we offer a multidisciplinary team approach to this disease process.
Other areas of special interest include the study, diagnosis, and treatment of various voice disorders in our Voice Center, sinus disease in our Sinus & Allergy Center. We also offer advanced therapies for hearing loss, including conventional and programmable hearing aids and cochlear implants.
We offer comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and state of the art, as well as standard treatment methods for a broad range of ENT problems.
The Department of Radiology provides comprehensive, consultative inpatient and outpatient diagnostic, and interventional (minimally invasive radiology) services. Imaging techniques available include state-of-the-art computed radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, mammography, and diagnostic angiography.
Interventional (minimally invasive) procedures include endovascular treatment of:
Cerebral Aneurysms, Vascular Malformations (Head, Neck and Body)
Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)
Minimally invasive vein therapy
Spine interventions, percutaneous and non-vascular procedures including:
Painful lesions of the bony structures
Percutaneous treatment of vertebral compression fractures (vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty)
Disc Nucleoplasty and IDET
Epidural and selective nerve root injections
For other imaging examinations and procedures please visit:
Radiology: Interventional Neuroradiology
Radiology: Interventional Radiology
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Woman alleges Lincoln Life and Annuity Co. wrongfully terminated disability benefits
By Louie Torres | Aug 16, 2017
ERIE – A Zelienople woman alleges that her disability benefits were wrongfully terminated.
Pamela Spickerman filed a complaint on July 20 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against Lincoln Life and Annuity Co. of New York alleging violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that she became disabled due to having cancer and had been receiving disability benefits since March 2015. The suit states the defendant terminated the benefits in August 2016 on the grounds that she no longer met the definition of disabled.
The plaintiff alleges that her medical conditions continue to prevent her from being able to do the duties of her former occupation.
The plaintiff seeks judgment against the defendant in an amount that exceeds the jurisdictional limits plus court costs, and interest. She is represented by Max Petrunya of Robert Peirce & Associates PC in Pittsburgh.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania case number 2:17-cv-00955-CB
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U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
July 10: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania docket for "personal injury" cases
By The Penn Record | Jul 18, 2019
July 10: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania docket for "fraud" cases
Court activity on July 16: Consolidated Rail Corp. vs Fondiaria Sai, S.P.A.
Eight minor students say Lackawanna County tech school teacher molested them and officials ignored it
By Nicholas Malfitano | Jul 18, 2019
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania: Actions Taken on July 10
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission fights Pa. government over new Bucks Co. building
By Carrie Bradon | Jul 18, 2019
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POLL: Should the massive culling of feral cats be allowed (with long read)?
May 9, 2019 by admin 0 Comments
In the deep winter weeks of last July, Shane Morse and Kevin Figliomeni nearly always got up before the sun rose. They awoke next to the remains of a campfire or, occasionally, in a roadside motel, and in the darkness before dawn they began unloading poisoned sausage from their refrigerated truck.
The sausage was for killing cats. One morning near the end of the season, Morse and Figliomeni left the Kalbarri Motor Hotel on the remote western coast of Australia, where they dined on steak and shellfish the night before, and drove along the squally coastline. They kept their eyes fixed to the sky. If it rained, there would be no baiting that day.
A member of the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia with a cat he shot. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
Morse and Figliomeni unpacked their boxes, filled with thousands of frozen sausages they produced at a factory south of Perth, according to a recipe developed by a man they jokingly called Dr. Death. It called for kangaroo meat, chicken fat and a mix of herbs and spices, along with a poison — called 1080 — derived from gastrolobium plants and highly lethal to animals, like cats, whose evolutionary paths did not require them to develop a tolerance to it. (The baits would also be lethal to other nonnative species, like foxes.) As the sun brightened the brume, the baits began to defrost.
By midmorning, when Morse helped load them into a wooden crate inside a light twin-engine propeller Beechcraft Baron, they were burnished with a sheen of oil and emitted a stomach-turning fetor. The airplane shot down the runway and lifted over the gently undulating hills of the sand plains that abut the Indian Ocean.
Rising over the mantle of ghostlike smoke bushes that carpeted the ground to the treeless horizon, the plane traced a route over the landscape, its bombardier dropping 50 poisoned sausages every square kilometer. It banked over the deep cinnamon sandstone gorges carved by the Murchison River, which extends to the coastal delta, surveying the edge of one of earth’s driest, hottest continents, where two to six million feral cats roam.
As it flew, it charted the kind of path it had done dozens of times before, carpeting thousands of hectares of land with soft fingers of meat, laying down nearly half a million baits in the course of one month. Dr. Death, whose real name is Dr. Dave Algar and who is the principal research scientist in the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions for the state of Western Australia, told me that he began developing the recipe for the poisoned sausages by examining cat food in supermarkets and observing which flavors most thrilled his own two cats. As Morse said: “They’ve got to taste good. They are the cat’s last meal.”
These fatal airdrops owed their existence to Australia’s national government, which decided in 2015 to try to kill two million feral cats by 2020, out of grave concern for the nation’s indigenous wildlife — in particular, groups of small, threatened rodent and marsupial species for which cats have become a deadly predator. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology estimated that 211,560 cats were killed during the first 12 months after the plan was announced. Dropping lethal sausages from the sky is only part of the country’s efforts to eradicate feral cats, which also include trapping, shooting and devising all manner of poison-delivery vessels.
When the policy was announced, it was met in some quarters with apoplexy. More than 160,000 signatures appeared on half a dozen online petitions entreating Australia to spare the cats. Brigitte Bardot wrote a letter — in English, but with an unmistakably French cadence — beseeching the environment minister to stop what she called animal genocide. The singer Morrissey, formerly of the Smiths, lamented that “idiots rule the earth” and said the plan was akin to killing two million miniature Cecil the Lions. Despite anger from some animal rights groups and worries about the potential effects on pet cats, Australia went ahead with its plan, and the threatened-species commissioner replied by mail to both Bardot and Morrissey, politely describing the “delightful creatures” already lost to the world.
After that, Morse and Figliomeni spent much of each baiting season behind the wheel of their rig, hauling boxes to the most remote corners of one of the least populated places in the world, to beat back what Australia has deemed an invasive pest. As is the case on islands around the world, the direction of life in Australia took a distinctly different route than that on the larger continents, and unlike places like North America, the country has no native cat species. Over millions of years of isolation, Australia’s native beasts became accustomed to a different predatory order, so while cats aren’t necessarily more prevalent there than anywhere else, their presence is more ruinous. They have also become nearly ubiquitous: According to the estimates of local conservationists, feral cats have established a permanent foothold across 99.8 percent of the country, with their density reaching up to 100 per square kilometer in some areas. Even places nearly devoid of human settlement, like the remote and craggy Kimberley region, have been found to harbor cats that hunt native animals. The control effort, to which Western Australia’s baiting program belongs, was meant to ease the predation pressure that cats exerted in every corner of the country where they had settled. Faced with a choice between a species regarded as a precious pet and the many small creatures of their unique land, Australians seemed to have decided that guarding the remaining wild might mean they would have to spill some blood.
Cats appeared in human lives seemingly unbidden, sauntering in at the dawn of agricultural settlement but maintaining their distance from total domestication. Archaeological remains from the Fertile Crescent in modern-day Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories point to the presence of Felis silvestris, the wildcat predecessor of Felis catus, but in the beginning they were most likely scavengers attracted to human encampments. Their usefulness around the stores of grains that attracted small rodents probably endeared them to people, and the first evidence of their domestication is a set of remains on Cyprus — where they must have been transported intentionally — dating to around 7500 B.C. A few thousand years later, in nearby Egypt and Greece, they became associated with goddesses and elevated to symbolic objects of veneration. Unlike other animals, bred specifically for consumption or to help with tasks, cats never underwent a targeted taming process as much as they fashioned themselves to fit, however obliquely, into human lives.
Katherine Moseby, an ecologist, carrying traps used to catch quolls, a native marsupial preyed on by feral cats. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
As for how Felis catus first arrived in Australia, no one really knows. For a long time, natural historians conjectured that the first cats may have been survivors of Dutch shipwrecks or stowaways with Indonesian trepangers in the 17th century. But genetic tests have now shown that Australia’s mainland cats descended from more recent European progenitors. One researcher, after combing through the records of early European settlements, traced the cats’ arrival to the area around Sydney, the landing site in 1788 of the First Fleet — the flotilla of vessels carrying the convicts and marines who would begin the colonization of Australia by the English. Having been brought to manage rats on the ships, cats made landfall and, by the 1820s, established themselves on the southeastern seaboard. From there, they spread with astonishing speed. “It is a very remarkable fact that the domestic cat is to be found everywhere throughout the dry back country,” one pastoralist reported in 1885. “I have met with cats, some of enormous size, at least 50 miles from water.”
The cats preyed on small animals that interfered with food production or storage. Creatures like the burrowing bettong, or boodie, a rabbit-size cousin of the kangaroo that has clasped forepaws and a bouncing hop, were so plentiful in the 19th century that they were sold by the dozen for nine pence a head. Recipes for curries made with native animals like bandicoots, another small marsupial, appeared in local newspapers. Boodies were, in the words of the naturalist John Gilbert, “one of the most destructive animals to the garden of the settler that occurs in Western Australia,” because of their practice of building interconnected underground warrens. Found throughout central Australia down to the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula and stretching nearly to the western coast, boodies were one of the most widespread of the continent’s many Lilliputian mammals. Their prodigious digging nearly destabilized railroad tracks in 1908. Then cats were unleashed and, already suffering from disease and fox predation, boodies started to disappear. By the mid-20th century, they were declared extinct in mainland Australia.
It wasn’t just the boodies. If anything, they were lucky — some small groups of burrowing bettongs clung on at a few islands that were relatively sheltered from the ravages visited on the mainland. Since the First Fleet’s arrival, 34 mammal species have gone extinct in Australia. All of them existed nowhere else on earth; they’re gone. More than 100 mammal species in Australia are listed as between “near threatened” and “critical” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The continent has the highest mammal extinction rate in the world. Cats are considered to have been a leading threat for 22 of the extinct species, including the broad-faced potoroo, the crescent nailtail wallaby and the big-eared hopping mouse. “Recent extinction rates in Australia are unparalleled,” John Woinarski, one of Australia’s foremost conservation researchers, told me. “It’s calamitous.”
What’s unusual about Australia’s mammal extinctions is that, in contrast to nearly everywhere else, the smaller animals are the ones hit hardest. After the Pleistocene’s wave of species disappearances carried off enormous creatures like saber-toothed cats and woolly mammoths, large mammals all over the world have continued to face pressure, mostly from humans. Globally, it’s rhinos, elephants and gorillas that are among the most threatened. Not in Australia. There, it’s the desert bandicoot, the Christmas Island pipistrelle and the Nullarbor dwarf bettong that have disappeared. They belong to the category of creatures that, Woinarski noted in his seminal 2015 paper documenting the decline, are “meal-sized.”
Melissa Jensen, a conservationist, with Moseby (right), releasing a western quoll trapped for monitoring. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
He meant meal-sized for cats. Ever since he realized, while he was doing fieldwork in the Kakadu National Park in northern Australia, that there were ever fewer native mammals to observe — precipitating what some have called the second wave of extinctions, after the initial impact of the First Fleet’s arrival — Woinarski has published a series of research papers looking at the effects of cats on wildlife. His findings have been disquieting. In addition to mammals, cats kill an estimated 377 million birds and 649 million reptiles every year in Australia. (In the United States, the numbers are even more striking: Scientists estimate that free-roaming cats kill 1.3 to 4 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals every year.) On the evolutionarily sheltered continent of Australia, their presence represents one of the greatest threats to the continued existence of certain small mammals. “Feral cats are a real menace and a very significant threat to the health of our ecosystem,” Australia’s former environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, told me.
That understanding among Australians helps explain why the most ardent opponents of the nation’s cat policy were, in the main, foreigners. Before the strategy was even announced, Australian newspapers were cheering the “bold plan to rescue our little emblems.” One newspaper in the Northern Territory argued for the incorporation of cat stew into the national diet. After Greg Hunt, the environment minister at the time, announced the plan at a zoo, editorials and letters almost universally welcomed it. The issue was framed as a grand scheme to protect Australia’s wildlife, as a war against cats — and, as with any war, it was couched in language about mission and values. Part of something uniquely Australian was under threat, and this is what it would take to save it. Patriots rallied to the cause.
“Even in my industry, I didn’t appreciate the severity of the problem until they started to publicize it,” a Queensland veterinarian named Katria Lovell told me. “Australians have a huge appreciation for our natural fauna. It’s sort of what we’re known for.” She added: “Most people have empathy with the fact that there is all this wildlife being killed and it is taking its toll on the environment, so I think there is a general feeling that something has to be done.” PETA Australia had its reservations, but in principle recognized that feral cats hunted wildlife to a point at which species can no longer survive. Petitions protesting the cull, organized in the United States and Europe, were met with scorn. “Why has someone started a petition to save the feral cats?” one newspaper reader texted to an editor in Queensland. “Pure stupidity as more and more native animals are killed by cats.”
When I asked Frydenberg why Australian politicians didn’t encounter the kind of fallout that has thwarted any similar, albeit local, efforts in the United States, he told me the debate has focused on the impact to wildlife and remained less emotional. “You can have a love for a domestic pet and still recognize the threat they pose to your native environment,” he told me. Alley Cat Allies and other organizations that adhere to a no-kill credo have wielded broad influence in the United States, but they don’t have the same kind of presence in Australia. The country’s threatened-species commissioner pointed out that cats weren’t the first animal to be considered so disruptive that they needed to be eliminated, and Australia has already begun efforts to control other introduced animals like rabbits and foxes.
Moseby examining the corpse of a feral cat. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
“I think in Australia, it might be that they’ve seen the ravages of invasive species before,” Peter Marra, co-author of “Cat Wars,” a 2016 book about the consequences of cats’ proliferation around the globe, told me. “They’ve seen what cats can do, or rabbits; they’ve seen what foxes do, and they’ve lost lots of species already in a short time frame — 50, 60, 70 years. And they’re done with it.”
In June, I met the ecologist Katherine Moseby in Adelaide, and we drove up to Roxby Downs together in her dusty Toyota pickup truck. We were going to visit the Arid Recovery Reserve, a wildlife sanctuary she helped found in the red-sand deserts at the southern edge of central Australia, where she would gather data to finish up some cat studies. As we drove, the landscape transformed from managed green agricultural hills to a dry shrub land dotted with bluebush; the horizon evaporated into distant salt lakes. Moseby and her husband, John Read, have come up with an array of ways to do away with the continent’s cats. They have invented a robot that can recognize a passing cat and eject poison that the cat will later ingest when it grooms itself. They have helped develop a poison polymer strand that is injected into prey species to make them lethal to their predators. (The strands, which look like deflated Good & Plenty candies, are designed to remain inert just under the skin of the prey and activate at the lower pH level found in a predator’s stomach.) Moseby doesn’t relish killing. But in her moral calculus, she has accepted that some cats have to go in order to keep other animals in existence.
Even though Australia’s cat plan didn’t kindle the kind of organized resistance that would put it in peril, many of the country’s cat owners weren’t happy about it. Moseby has tried to emphasize the conservation aspect of the plan, appearing in the country’s newspapers to champion efforts to reintroduce native species to areas from which they have long been absent. But her work eliminating their predators has still rankled people who she says have a stronger connection to cats than to the dwindling pockets of unfamiliar wild creatures.
“Cats really trigger people’s emotions,” Moseby told me, sitting behind the wheel of her truck, littered with the detritus of a peripatetic life. Her house is four hours away from the sanctuary, and as we drove, she told me about the challenge of persuading people to care when they have never heard a bettong emitting its grunting snuffle or seen it hopping through the dunes. “People don’t know what a bandicoot is, because they don’t spend time with native animals,” she said. “They really love and care about their cats, which is understandable. Most people are sitting on their phones, in cities. They don’t really go out and have a wildlife experience. But they look at their cat every day and think: Isn’t it gorgeous? Isn’t it beautiful? A lot of people don’t even know what native animals are. They could go extinct, and people wouldn’t even know.”
Moseby releases a burrowing bettong trapped on the Arid Recovery Reserve. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
We arrived at the sanctuary a few hours before dusk. Moseby thinks forensic analysis should be applied to figure out cat habits; in her academic work, she has suggested using predator profiling — usually employed to identify polar bears or tigers that have developed a willingness to target humans — to narrow in on individual cats that are especially good at hunting native wildlife. Moseby took some dead cats out of a freezer to defrost for stomach-content analysis and went into the laboratory to swab the remains of a quoll to be sent out for DNA tests. Quolls, a slinky, spotted carnivorous native marsupial, had recently been released at the sanctuary. One had escaped, and its remains were found by one of the resident ecologists. “It was a very uneventful crime scene,” the ecologist, Georgina Neave, told Moseby as they pulled on gloves.
“It wasn’t the tussle site then, was it?” Moseby said. “If it was under a bush, it was likely a cat; they tend to pull them under the bushes.” She took a swab and ran it around a bloodied tracking collar that had been attached to the quoll. “It’s a bit sad, isn’t it?”
A few years earlier, when Moseby was coordinating the reintroduction of quolls to the Flinders Ranges, a belt of peaks about a hundred miles southeast of the sanctuary, there was a moment when she thought the cats simply couldn’t be defeated. She transported dozens of quolls from Western Australia, equipped them with radio collars and released them, and then watched as they were lost to cats and other vagaries. Over months, she built a profile of the cats that learned to hunt quolls by dissecting the cats’ stomachs, observing field cameras set up through the forests and conducting DNA analysis. She called in some volunteer shooters, and she published research on what she called “catastrophic cats,” usually large males that master the art of hunting animals like quolls and go on profligate sprees.
One such cat, a five-kilogram tabby that the scientists named Strauss (after the “Blue Danube” composer), made his way into part of the desert sanctuary and developed the habit of lying in wait outside the bettong warrens. Ecologists at the sanctuary were doing research on whether native species could adapt to some cat predation under controlled circumstances, so they let a few cats into a paddock with bettongs and bilbies, a type of small bandicoot. The cats established territories in the paddock, home ranges that they would scout regularly, loping out on forays to the farthest edges while keeping their hunting grounds to small areas that would periodically change. Strauss quickly became known as an exceptionally effective hunter. “He was one of our most successful bettong killers,” Moseby said. After just three months of watching Strauss wreak havoc on the bettongs, the scientists decided his presence exerted too much pressure on the animals. They dug him out of a bettong tunnel and killed him.
Pat Hodgens, an ecologist, attempting to trap a collared feral cat on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
By putting GPS and VHF collars on cats, scientists all over Australia have realized how little they understand about the creatures they are trying to control. Pat Hodgens, an ecologist on Kangaroo Island, tracked dozens of cats, including one orange cat named Vladimir (after the Russian president) that learned how to hunt for wallabies equal to him in weight. Hodgens’s cats carved out home ranges that he mapped by plotting their movements, but occasionally one of the cats would embark on a long journey to a remote area, only to turn around and come back. Moseby’s cats would occasionally do the same. Neither scientist could figure out exactly what was prompting the quests or how the cats knew their destination — often dozens of miles away. They speculated that the cats might be going to mate or to look for other hunting grounds. But the cats would often undertake the journeys only once, never to conduct an expedition to the site again after returning to their established territories. Perhaps the cats were using their advanced sense of smell, which is powered by a large olfactory bulb in their brain and something called a vomeronasal organ, to detect messages left in the traces deposited by other cats — a system described by the animal-behavior expert John Bradshaw in his 2013 book, “Cat Sense,” as allowing the solitary animals to communicate.
Mostly, though, cats don’t stray beyond their territory for much other than mating. After the first six months of their lives, which they spend first nursing and then learning how to hunt with other kittens in their litter, they usually remain alone. They are wary of new things and have extreme environmental awareness that extends beyond their home range. The size of their territories depends on their hunting prowess, the area they need to acquire enough food and the number of other cats competing for space nearby. They hunt no matter what. Even if they don’t need to eat, they are programmed to stalk available prey. If they kill when they aren’t hungry, they will either eat the most attractive part of the prey animal, usually the soft tissue, try to cache it for later or abandon the carcass altogether. A pristine snout or severed feet missing their corresponding body is a telltale sign of cat predation.
People who hunt and trap cats are convinced that they learn immediately. Once trapped, they are nearly impossible to capture again. Once shot at, they elude the hunter’s tricks. One of Hodgens’s cats, named Barnaby (after the former deputy prime minister of Australia), managed to evade recapture for months after he was collared. “I have the utmost respect for that cat,” Hodgens told me during a scouting mission on Kangaroo Island to locate Barnaby using a radio antenna. At one point, on a seaside crest as dusk fell, we heard Barnaby’s collar beeping. He was just over the beach dunes. “He’s like my nemesis!” Hodgens said. “I know him inside out, and I’ve got enormous amounts of respect for him. He’s smarter than I am.”
One night in the desert, I went with a team of ecologists who were checking traps inside the Arid Recovery sanctuary to collar bettongs for the predation study. In the spectral beam of the truck’s lights against the dark, the canted succulents and bowed branches of hakea trees looked like the waving spindles of a deep-sea reef. Moseby and her colleague had their radio tuned to the frequency of Quoll No.9, which had been missing for a few days. They kept their windows open to the sharp air to observe what was out in the dark. At one point, Moseby stopped the truck and peered out into the middle distance. She had seen a pair of glowing eyes. “You sure it’s a cat?” her colleague asked. She wasn’t sure. It had just been a flash against the silhouette of a shadowy hummock. “You look for so long,” Moseby said, “you start to doubt they’re there.”
A feral cat trapped by Hodgens on Kangaroo Island. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
A few months after Australia unveiled its plan, a bowhunter named Zach Williams shot four feral cats at the request of a property owner. They were the first feral cats he had ever killed, and when he took photos to commemorate the event, which he later posted on Instagram, he posed just as he did with his other hunting trophies: gripping his compound bow on one side, holding up the dead cats by their tails and grinning into the camera. The pictures caught the eye of a producer from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which is how Williams wound up taking a television camera crew with him when he and his friend Aaron Wilksch went out hunting on Kangaroo Island, one of the five islands selected by the national government to be made feral-cat-free. Sheep and lambs are the most important agricultural commodity for the island, and cats are the sole carriers of a parasite, called toxoplasma gondii, that causes miscarriages in sheep. (The parasite infects humans, too, but the effects of it are less clear.) Cats also carry a sarcocyst parasite, which causes sheep to develop white cysts that bring down their value at the slaughterhouse. The bowhunters aren’t formally part of the government program, but support for getting rid of cats on the island is high, and they usually get permission to hunt on private property.
During the ABC segment, a tortoiseshell cat bolted out of a clutch of stubby grasstrees, and Wilksch took aim, hitting the cat in the head. The wounded cat streaked across a clearing, the arrow trailing after it, and became entangled in a fence. Wilksch took another shot. Pierced twice, the cat still freed itself from the fence and ran away.
The program aired on the nightly news and prompted an unprecedented degree of viewer feedback. There had always been pockets of cat lovers who reacted with vitriol to efforts targeting the animals — Dr. Death once had a machete brandished at him while he was canvassing for information on domestic cats; Woinarski, who based his research on databases of stomach contents from dead cats’ innards, has received email from people saying they would like to cut him up — but outrage at the television segment was far more widespread. Even scientists supporting the cull balked at the bowhunters’ methods. Williams, who did most of the talking in front of the television cameras and acted as the face of the hunt, was doxxed by the internet hacktivist group Anonymous, and thousands of people, by his estimate, sent him hate messages and death threats. Killing cats to save endangered species was a simple — if sad — calculation in the abstract. But killing a single cat, and watching it struggle against the assault, seemed like a spectacle of human cruelty.
Even though large-scale baiting, like the sausages dropped from airplanes, has proved effective at reducing the number of cats, often by half or more, it has been individual farmers and shooters who have contributed most to the cause: The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s data showed that shooters were responsible for 83 percent of feral-cat deaths nationally in the first year of Australia’s efforts. Most of the shooters carry guns, not bows, but most are, like Williams and Wilksch, hobbyists who devote their free time to the pursuit of wild animals. Williams makes a point of cooking the meat of most of the game he kills, and shooting cats can even imperil the hunters’ aims, if the sounds of pursuit scare away other, usually larger animals. But the feline campaign has sparked a sense of duty within the hunting community — “releasing an arrow never felt so good,” one bowhunter wrote on Facebook next to a photo of a dead cat alongside the brilliant rainbow lorikeet it was in the midst of consuming.
Zach Williams (left) and Aaron Wilksch hunting feral cats on Kangaroo Island. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
I met Williams on a storm-roiled ferry en route to Kangaroo Island, where he was headed to hunt again with Wilksch. A shy young man with the oval face of a Modigliani painting, Williams had a demeanor in person that ran counter to his provocative social-media presence. The next morning, I asked Wilksch what he thought in retrospect about the shot caught by the television crew. “That first shot was about as good as a shot gets,” he told me. “But on television and for the purposes of trying to demonstrate hunting, it wasn’t ideal.” It was a blue-sky Saturday, and I was sitting in the back seat of a pickup truck’s cab as Wilksch eased down the muddy lane of a sheep farm. Williams sat in the passenger seat. They were dressed in fatigues, and two green cans of energy drinks were stowed in the door pocket. The men were scouting for cats. They were very serious. The problem, Wilksch told me, is that contemporary society has tucked all its animal killing safely out of sight, to the point that nonhunters are now unreasonably shocked when they’re forced to see it. “The common misconception is that hunters don’t like animals, which is just completely false,” Williams said. “If we’re shooting something, we want it to be as humane and as quick as possible.”
Nevertheless, most scientists I spoke with said the bowhunters’ methods bothered them, not least because they worried it gave fuel to opponents of the plan — including those who opposed the entire cull approach on principle. A small group of ecologists have questioned the underlying logic of Australia’s cat-eradication plan altogether by criticizing what they see as a bias toward native species. Daniel Ramp, the director of the Center for Compassionate Conservation in Sydney, told me that the country’s cat program is based on unexamined stigmas toward introduced species. “I can’t help but use terms like ‘xenophobia,’ ” Ramp said. “It’s gobsmacking how much hatred there is.” Adherents to compassionate conservation say that Australia should embrace cats as an element of its environment, rather than trying to restore ecosystems to an arbitrary point in history whose selection is dependent on the whims of those doing the choosing. They invert commonly held scientific findings: Native animals like boodies are easy targets for cats not because they evolved without such a predator, Ramp and his colleagues contend; they are more vulnerable to the strongest predators because of the attempts to save them. Compassionate conservationists argue, especially, for the recognition that each individual life is inherently valuable, whether it belongs to a toad or a cat.
But Moseby and Read, like most scientists, believe that they’re already taking the complicated balance of things into account. Inertia on the issue of cats will lead to further extinctions. If the choice is between cherishing the lives of individual animals and fighting to keep entire species from being toppled — to keep the synergistic elements of a chaotic and incomprehensible clockwork together — then the unfortunate letting of some blood is, in their view, unavoidable. Compassionate-conservation proponents have a lot of public support “because people don’t like killing things,” Moseby told me one evening. She was at the house she built, surrounded by mallee trees and filled with prints of her own wildlife photographs: grizzly bears from a trip to Alaska, a small chameleon on an electric-green leaf. “I’m not prepared to sit back and let endangered species go extinct because I don’t want to kill any cats,” she said. “If you follow their line, you’ll end up just with cats and cockroaches.”
Wild Australia stirs after dusk. Once all color has drained from the deserts and forests, the night comes alive. Hunters say they know when they see a cat in the dark by its eyes, which glint green. After weeks spent walking through starlit stands of pine trees and riding through the desert in pickup trucks, I had not seen the telltale flash until I went out one night with some members of the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia, one of the country’s most influential gun organizations. The association has a conservation division whose volunteers monitor, trap and shoot unwanted animals. In rural Queensland, I met up with Mark W., Mark M. and Damien F. (The three men asked me not to use their last names for fear of reprisal.) A few hours after arriving at a farm in the flat country west of Brisbane, they pulled on extra layers against the cold and loaded up the truck. They departed in the dark of night; the wind smelled of dry leaves.
A hunter opening the digestive tract of a feral cat. Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times
To sight in their rifle scopes, they put a piece of cardboard on a tree and fired shots that produced a reverberating roar and a diaphanous orange cloud, ephemeral against the night. Then one of the shooters got back in the driver’s seat, and the truck jounced along the edge of sorghum fields populated with kangaroos. It wasn’t long before a dark creature crept across the road and into some trees. The men stopped the truck and shined their spotlight over the field. It was a fox.
Half a mile farther down the road, skirting the fields alongside a stand of prickly pear and acacia trees, Mark W. spotted something out to the right. “Just drive slowly, please, and we can look down the rows,” he said softly. They backed the truck up and steered toward the area, inching forward. Out of the shades of gray cast by the spotlight, a pair of neon-green orbs shone out — cat eyes. The bang from the rifle seemed to flatten out all the other sounds of the night, creating a void in space. The men went still for a moment. The shot had hit the cat, but not fatally. Damien looked through a thermal monocular. “It’s still flicking around out there,” he said. Mark W. got out of the truck and went stomping through the sorghum fields. When he found the cat, he shot it at close range and carried it by the tail back to the truck.
The cat was a tabby with fine black lines descending from its spine like the furrows of tree bark. It was a light gray; a healthy, muscled animal in its hunting prime. The force of the impact from the second shot had blown off the cat’s entire head, and there was little trace of it save the strands of tissue trailing from its body.
During the hours that followed, the men got in only instantly fatal head shots or else missed altogether. Mark W. cut a slit in a hind leg of each dead cat and hung it on a hook attached to his truck frame, in order to slice open their stomachs and see what they had been eating. Long after midnight, as the truck turned back toward the farmhouses, and the men shot their fifth or sixth cat, Mark W. opened one up to find that it had been carrying five kittens that were close to term. Their skin was translucent and velvety, and when he took them out of the cat, they made their first noises.
“Five little killers,” he said, and, so they wouldn’t suffer alone in the cold night, he used a knife to cut their heads off.
This article was researched with support from New York University’s Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award. Jessica Camille Aguirre is a writer from California. This is her first article for the New York Times published on 25 Apr 2019.
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Editorial Comment: The purpose of this poll is to highlight important wildlife conservation issues and to encourage discussion on ways to stop wildlife crime. By leaving a comment and sharing this post you can help to raise awareness. Thank you for your support.
This article was originally published by Focusingonwildlife.com. Read the original article here.
Charity calls for total ban on tethering birds of prey
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The Swimmer 12
Here’s this week’s Cris and Nelson. It’s the first official day of them as Swimmer and Manager.
Hope you enjoy the chapter.
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The Swimmer and The Manager 12
For the second day in a row, Nelson woke before the alarm rang. He stayed in bed and turned around, staring at his phone on the nightstand, waiting for the usual ringtone.
As the minutes passed, a smile crossed his lips. I’m cured, he thought, savoring the words. He placed both hands on his face and laughed. “I’m cured,” he said aloud, his smile growing.
I can finally go back. Back into the pools, to the world where I belong. The thought seemed somewhat surreal for the swimmer. All the pain, all those days when I could barely move and wanted to give up… when I just wanted it to end it all… everything is behind now. Now I’ll I need, all I have to rely on is my own hard work, he thought, opening and closing his hands.
The moment the alarm rang, his hand flew to get the phone and turned it off in just seconds. He stood up at once, washed his face in the bathroom and changed into his workout clothes. It feels somewhat different from yesterday, Nelson thought as he looked at his reflection.
After jogging, I’ll go eat something and then… what? He stopped as he put on his shoes and stared at nothing. I don’t have physiotherapy anymore…
Sometime after he took off the cast on both legs, his everyday life was pretty much same. Nelson would wake up, work on the warm-ups and exercises the physiotherapist had given him, eat breakfast, go to physiotherapy all morning, eat lunch and then spend the afternoon on different treatments depending on the day.
As he got better and started to move without the need of a cane, the physiotherapist began adding a few exercises. The morning light jogging, a few pushups and crunch ups here and there and then half hour on the bike. All while taking it easy, as the doctor insisted in reminding. But now that I think about it, all that was also to make sure my physical form didn’t go to the trash. I was starting to fat up. What would Cris say if he saw those pics? Nelson wondered, laughing.
But soon he stopped laughing, the smile vanishing from his lips. Today is truly a different day. I don’t have physiotherapy anymore… Instead of happy, he felt the anxiety filling him. What should I do? Talk with my couch is a given, but what else? How about the personal trainer? He’ll need to make a new routine for me, right? I also need to check up the next competitions. Since my rank is so low, I’ll probably have to start competing at state level again. Or even at municipal level…
Nelson shook his head. That doesn’t matter at all… Even if I have to get back at the municipal level, as long as I can swim, as long as there’s a way, I’ll reach the top again. All I need is time. Yes, with time… But do I have that? My contract expires next year. How many competitions do I have until then?
He tried counting on his fingers, but he had forgotten. Damn it. He picked up his phone and started searching it. As Nelson’s mind worked more and more, the anxiety grew. His breathing became fast and short and his heart beat faster as he waited both the Brazil’s and Pernambuco’s water sports federations to load.
But before he could check the future competitions, his phone rang with a call. Who could it be at this hour? Despite the cold room, he cleaned the sweat from his face before answering. “Hello?” he said in a dry hoarse.
“I knew you’d be up. What’s up with that voice? Are you pretending to be Batman so early?” a drowsy and familiar voice joked on the other side. Then the person let out a big yawn. “I had a strong suspicion, but now I’m sure. You really are one of those weird people who can and actually like waking up early.”
Nelson opened his mouth, but instead of words, he let out a chuckled. With a few jokes, he already made all my anxiety go away, the swimmer thought, smiling. “Hey, Cris. To what do I owe the pleasure? Perhaps you’re calling to say you gonna jog with me again? I thought it was a once in a lifetime deal, but I’ll gladly accept your company.” As he said the words, Nelson realized he really meant those words. Everything’s more fun with him around.
“And it was. There’s no way I can wake up early to jog twice in a row. Maybe in a decade,” he said in a serious voice. Then his tone changed to the playful one. “That’s like winning the Cris lottery twice. And you don’t need that, since you already have me all to yourself. But if you wanna be greedy, I don’t mind.”
“That’s too bad.” Nelson laughed before he realized. Even without seeing, I know he has that cute sly smile, the swimmer thought, not realizing his own smile. “Then could you please tell me why are you up and calling me at this hour?”
“Let me come up with an excuse.” Despite his words, Cris used a serious tone. He hummed loudly, as if he was truly thinking about it. “It’d be too gay if I said I wanted to hear your voice the first thing in the morning?”
“I think it’d be a lie. But I’d be flattered and with my ego way up. We know each other for like two days, but I can tell you’d never wake at this hour for something like this.”
“Hmm… You’re more right than wrong, so I’ll give you some points.” Cris chuckled and yawned at the same time. “Before I end up sleeping again, I wanna ask how’s your schedule for today.”
Nelson gulped, all the happy mood gone in an instant. “I have jogging right now, but after that I… I’m free.”
He managed to control himself. For a moment he was about to say ‘I don’t know what to do’, but changed in mid-sentence. Cris would help me with those feelings, the swimmer knew. Actually, he’d help but also make fun of me.
“Wrong answer,” Cris said in the playful tone again. “And your punishment for getting the wrong answer is a busy schedule for the rest of the day. You’re no longer free. Wait, that seems a lot more wrong when I say it aloud.”
Cris mumbled the last part more to himself than to Nelson. But it was loud enough for the swimmer to hear and crack a smile.
“Busy schedule? With what?”
“After you filled your six pack, you have a physical exam. You know, to check out if you’re still hot, I mean, in shape,” Cris pretended to cough and fixed his words. “After that, you have an appointment with a personal trainer and a nutritionist.”
“Nutritionist? I thought all the food in the cafeteria was already made for a balanced diet.”
“Yes, but I think you need a specific diet to get back in shape. I set up an appointment with my uncle just in case. I mean, the board was lenient with you until now because of your situation, but they’ll probably won’t let you eat all those cakes anymore. So better safe than sorry.”
“Wait, they knew about the cakes…?” Nelson showed a yellow smile. “Guess you’re right… better safe than sorry.”
“But wait, there’s more. Your busy morning isn’t over yet,” Cris said as if announcing some big news. “To close up the morning, you’ll have a talk with your coach.”
Those words lit Nelson’s face. “Really? Then I’ll—”
“Before you get your hopes up, I must say that you probably won’t be jumping into a pool today,” Cris said in a low voice, all the playful tone gone. “The coach wants to talk and check up on you, but he told me he’ll only let you in the pool after seeing your physical condition.” He kept quiet, waiting for Nelson’s reaction.
The swimmer pressed his lips, letting his manager’s words sunk for a while before speaking. “Even though I’m cured, I still can’t get back into the water…”
“You’re shocked, right?” The playful tone was back at once. “I’m too. One of the things I’ve been waiting ever since I was assigned as your manager was to see you shirtless, I mean, training after so long.”
Nelson opened his mouth and then let out a laugh despite how he felt. “You never let me feel down, huh? You always know what to say to make me laugh.”
“It’s the mark of a good manager,” Cris said in a bright voice. “It’s even in the manager’s handbook.”
“Is that so?” Nelson tried to show his disbelief while smiling.
“Yeah. To clear the athlete’s mind so that he or she can focus on the sport.”
“Then let me tell you’re doing a great job. Please, keep this up.”
“Yay. Then I’ll ask for a raise.” Even without seeing, Nelson could imagine Cris lying on his bed with his eyes closed and a smile on his lips.
“You should. If anyone asks, I’ll say you’re having a great start,” Nelson said truthfully. Then he decided to follow up on Cris’ joke. “By the way, I never heard of a manager’s handbook. What else is in it?”
“Oh, there’s a lot. You’ll see with time. But,” suddenly Cris lowered his tone of voice. A tone that Nelson knew it was accompanied by the sly smile, “all the really fun stuffs are in the secret handbook.”
“What kind of fun?”
“The kind of fun I offered yesterday.”
“Yesterday?” Nelson thought for a moment. When he understood, he felt a reaction down there and blushed.
“Did you get hard?” Cris said in the sly tone. “My offer is always on. Whenever you ask, I’ll get down on my knees and my mouth is yours.”
“I… I… ah…” Nelson gulped as his member got harder and harder. “Are you… for real…?”
“I’m serious.” Suddenly Cris laughed. “The offer is true, but I’ll stop bringing it up. Though I really want to, I promised myself that I’d stop tempting you.”
“Is that so?” Nelson didn’t know if he felt happy or sad for that.
“Besides, I’m already getting hard with the idea. If I keep talking, I won’t get back to sleep without relieving myself.”
“Is… that so…?” Nelson tried, but all he could think now was Cris relieving himself. What the hell am I thinking?
“Changing the topic.” Cris did the favor of taking the swimmer’s mind off the picture. “There’s one more thing, Nelson.”
“Why do you sound serious all the sudden? It’s like I’m in trouble,” he tried joking.
“The club… my dad wants to set up an interview for you.”
“An interview?” Nelson breathed out slowly. It sounds so surreal now… as if it something from another world. “That’s… It’s been so long since the last time… I think it was after I started the physiotherapy… then wanted to show how the prodigy was recovery and all, but they lost interest after that…”
“Yeah…” Cris dropped his voice to a serious whisper. “They’ll probably bring up touchy subjects… that you may not be ready to talk about…
“If you’re not ready, I’ll talk with dad. I can make him back down,” Cris added quickly.
“No, I…” Nelson bit his lips and took a deep breath. “Thanks for looking out for me. But I have to deal with that in the future. I mean, since my goal is the top and get the gold medal in Rio 2016, I need to overcome these things.”
“Yes,” Nelson said in a strong voice. “Set up the interview.”
“Okay then, I’ll keep it on your schedule.” Cris gave another yawn. “I think that’s all the morning schedule. I’ll join you for breakfast and give you the afternoon’s schedule. After I get some sleep.”
“Ok,” Nelson said. But then, when Cris was about to finish the call, the words came out of him, “Thanks for worrying about me. I know you’re doing your job and all, but your help has been… thanks for everything.”
“No need for that. I told you I’ll help you reach the top. Bye.”
Nelson couldn’t stop smiling at Cris’ words even after he hung up.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
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Sie sind hier: Startseite / Bulletin / MMS Bulletin / Geschlechtsspezifische Gewalt: Die internationale Zusammenarbeit in der Verantwortung / Das gesellschaftliche Bewusstsein muss sich verändern / Change starts from the moment we start talking about it!
MMS Bulletin #147 September 2018
Das gesellschaftliche Bewusstsein muss sich verändern
Change starts from the moment we start talking about it!
„Bei uns passiert so etwas doch kaum“
Geschlechtsspezifische Gewalt und HIV/AIDS in Südafrika
Interview with Vivian Onano, youth advocate from Kenya
Von Carine Weiss
In her speech at the Medicus Mundi Switzerland's conference on gender-based violence (GBV) Vivian Onano stated that gender-based violence is endemic across the world – it is a crisis which has to be addressed urgently. Some evidence: in South Africa, where Onano currently lives, one in four women is sexually abused by an intimate partner during their lifetime; every six hours a woman is killed by a current or former intimate partner; 110 rapes occur per day in the country. In other words, a woman is raped every 15 minutes.
Vivian Onano at the MMS/aidsfocus.ch conference 2018. Photos: Daniel Rihs / © Network Medicus Mundi Schweiz
Carine Weiss: As a youth advocate, what role can young people play to prevent and minimise GBV?
Vivian Onano: Yes, as I said, it is a crisis and it is impeding development because women form more than half of the population and they cannot actively participate in the development of their communities if they feel they are in danger in their everyday lives; if they feel their rights are not being protected; if they feel they don’t have a voice; and if they feel that they are not well equipped to be able to participate in the social and economic development of their community.
You can watch the full interview here
The statistics show that gender-based violence has a female face, and that we are normalising it - and that shouldn’t be the case. As young people, it is our role to hold our leaders to account about the kind of policies we have in place, about the kind of legal and juridical system that we have in order to address gender-based violence. These are the questions, which we need to ask ourselves. As young people we also need to advocate for non-violence.
In addition, we need open spaces so that we can start talking about what is happening in society. Change starts from the moment we start talking about it. From the moment we create open spaces for people to actually open up about their experiences in society, that’s when we realise there is a need, and it is the first step towards meeting that need.
For me, if we want to address gender-based violence, we need to look into the policies and laws on the ground and see if it is possible for the juridical and legal system to bring every perpetrator to justice, regardless of their social background, financial status or affiliations.
Carine Weiss: It is incredible that we are in the 21st century and yet there is still so much taboo about GBV. Why is it so difficult to talk about and to create the security for women to speak out?
Vivian Onano: Talking about taboo, in April I was travelling with Water Aid as their global youth ambassador and we went to Mali and Burkina Faso. We were talking in schools about menstrual hygiene – which is still a taboo topic. If that is a taboo, how can you expect girls to talk about rape? How can they talk about rape if they cannot talk about biological processes? There is still a lot to do when it comes to having the right policies on the ground and the right kind of information. We need to create open spaces.
Carine Weiss: At the conference it became evident that GBV is deeply rooted in society, in social norms and culture. Why is that, and how can behavioural change take place if a society accepts violence against women?
Vivian Onano: The reason it becomes a norm is because of the discrimination and stigmatisation around it.
If I come to you, Carine, and say “I was raped”, the first thing you are going to ask me is, “How did it happen? What did you do?” I become the one who is in the wrong and yet I am the victim and my rights have been violated. Everyone will be talking about me and labelling me.
This stigmatisation and discrimination takes on economic, social and political dimensions which make it really hard for us to talk about it. And that’s why it becomes a norm. We are normalising it, and we should not. It is because of these obstacles. We haven’t actually looked deeply into how to remove all these obstacles.
Despite that, we have many more civil society organisations adding their voices to the cause. UN Women has been at the forefront when it comes to addressing GBV with their 16 days of action for non-violence against women. South Africa has also started the campaign of 365 days of non-violence against women, basically a whole year. But this is not enough. We need to make tangible investments against GBV to show that we are really committed to ending violence against women.
Carine Weiss: How can we make a difference? Here we had the #MeToo movement which lifted the taboo. In your speech you said that the #MeToo movement has not reached Africa. How come, when so many Africans have access to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram?
Vivian Onano: I am very grateful for the #MeToo movement and #TimesUp because they are sparking conversations that have not existed before. But these movements are more focused on white women and not a lot of black women have started to speak out. We have had some women coming forward with their stories, but not many. I think it is because of the fear around stigmatisation and discrimination, the fear of being trolled. We also don’t have the same cushioning or privileges that white women have to support them in coming out with their story. There are a lot of threats on the ground. For someone who does not have the economic means to be able to come out and talk about a political leader or top business leader who took advantage of them, it is difficult. What will happen if I speak out? What will happen to my family? Will they be kidnapped, killed? Or will I be killed …? The fear is still there. We don’t have enough security and we have no legal support. I am hopeful that something will change. I am hopeful that it is a matter of time. I have my hopes.
Once we have the structures and systems in place, things will shift for the better.
Carine Weiss: Thank you very much for this very interesting talk. Would you like to have a final word?
Vivian Onano: Yes, I would like to thank you and your organisation for the work you are doing around eradicating GBV and providing a platform for expats and activists to share their work and collaborate. Because power and strength is in the numbers – unless we work together, we will still be talking about the same issues 30 years down the line. So, for me, collaboration and partnership are very important when it comes to issues that I am very passionate about like eradicating GBV. Let’s continue having the dialogue, opening up spaces and engaging with political leaders because, at the end of the day, they are the ones who have the power to change laws and policies. So let’s keep holding them to account and let’s keep on making noises to bring about change. It is only a matter of time. And it will definitely happen. I am hopeful.
Vivian Onano is a global youth advocate who is recognized as an emerging woman leader with the courage to lead change on the African continent. She has a strong commitment to education, women economic empowerment, and leadership. Vivian has a deep interest in re-defining Africa’s growth and development, and creating an inclusive world where women and youth can play an important role. She is a graduate of Carthage College. She serves as a global youth ambassador at Water Aid, Youth Advisor to UN Women and a Women Deliver Young Leader. New African Woman Magazine featured her in 2016 as one of the “30 under 30: Faces Changing Africa Now” and Forbes Woman Africa profiled her as “One to Watch”. Vivian is a recipient of the 2017 New African Woman on the Rise Award and 2016 MTV “Africa Re-Imagined” Award. In 2015 she was honored with Mrs. Obama’s “Let Girls Learn” award by MORE Magazine for her advocacy work around girls education. Vivian is a respected speaker who often speaks on global education, gender equality, youth empowerment, and international development. She has presented at the United Nations General Assembly, Women Deliver Global Conference, and the Clinton Global Initiative, among others. (Twitter: @vivianonano) Email
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Election Night 2018 Has Brought in Upsets Surprises and Victories
11/07/2018 Tyler McGruder
The election results are in from last night’s mid-term election. Democrats’ promises to bring a “blue wave,” were not entirely fulfilled, even while the Republicans lost control of the House. Teachers and students have chimed in on the results of the highly contested local races and have shared how they believe this election will affect American politics.
For the second district of Indiana, incumbent, Jackie Walorski (R) was reelected to her seat in the House of Representatives. And for the key Indiana Senate race, Mike Braun (R) took the seat from one-term senator, Joe Donnelly (D).
Walorski.house.com
Other notable Senate races included the races in Missouri, Florida and Texas. In Texas, well known Senator Ted Cruz (R) won a close vote to a young challenger, Beto O’Rourke (D).
In Florida, current sitting governor Rick Scott (R) challenged and defeated current Senator, Bill Nelson (D).
In Missouri, incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill (D) was defeated by current state attorney general Josh Halley (R).
Of the 35 seats that were available in the senate, Republicans kept control.
mccaskil.senate
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill sit in her seat that was stolen from her last night.
In the House of Representatives, the Democratic party took control. The House will be made of 193 Republicans, 219 Democrats, with 23 seats still undeclared.
In former President Obama’s fist mid-term election, he lost 63 Democratic seats in the House, while in President Trump’s first mid-term he lost 26 Republican seats. This could be trend that shows President Trump and the Republican party are not rejected in the ways that were predicted by commentators and main stream journalists.
This return of Democratic power means that Nancy Pelosi (D) will return as speaker of the House.
In gubernatorial races throughout the nation, balance and a disruption of expectations was evident in many states. In Florida, Tallahassee mayor, Andrew Gillum (D) was defeated in a close race by Rep. Ron DeSantis (R).
In Kansas, the Republican nominee Kris Kobach (R), who was handpicked by Trump, was defeated by Sen. Laura Kelly (D). And to disrupt expectations in Georgia, Stacey Abrams (D) who people hoped would become the first African-American, female governor of Georgia, has nearly lost her race to Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R), but will not concede quite yet.
We spoke with Mr. Josh Heart, who teaches US History and Government. “I’m not supersized that she [Walorski] won, shes had this spot since 2010.” Heart says. “And the Indiana 2nd district has been very very conservative. The senate race was a little more interesting I’d say.” He explains, “I thought the race was going to be very close. I though Donnelly did have a chance to win, but the results say otherwise.”
Bryce Campbell | PNN
Mr Josh Heart teaches US History and Government at Penn High School.
PNN also asked Heart how he believed the outcomes of this election would effects the rest of President Trump’s term. “I think because the Democrats took the house and Republicans still having control of the Senate, I would imagine that is going to create a lot more gridlock.” Heart tells us that while it may not reverse the movement of Trump’s agenda, it may slow down the President’s progress. “This is common in presidencies where Congress is split, the President is not able to accomplish as much as he would like.”
After the results of last nights election have rolled in, the hype for a Democratic control over the entire Congress at large margins was not fulfilled. Republicans showed up to the polls yesterday and devistated the expectations. This brings major effects to the upcoming events in United States politics. With differing political parties in the Congress, less legislation will be passed. This is good for a less government, conservative mindset, but it may also push back on Trumps ambitions.
Briana Williams-Hankey, class or 2019, gave her input on the election.
Penn News Network spoke with senior Briana William-Hankey about her opinions from the election. “This year the whole race has been trying to attack the other person, and less of what they want to do.” Briana says. “I feel like that is a change from the previous years, and a negative change.” Briana, who had complications registering to vote this year, explained how she would of voted and how she hoped the american people would vote. “Right now most of our political houses are very Republican dominated.” Briana tells us. “That’s why I felt like it was really important that I would vote Democratic this election because we have a really great imbalance in houses right now that doesn’t reflect the views of the citizens.”
donaldjtrump.com
President Donald Trump sits alongside his vice president, former Indiana governor, Mike Pence.
In all, the current political standings have not been drastically altered. Meanwhile, the GOP has shown that they are not going down soon. While many progressive politicians have hoped for a wave of government control, they may of only seen a ripple last night. The United States long tradition of the peaceful transfer of power will continue, and as new members of the Congress, from both parties, join Capital Hill. Hopefully our great nation will be able to cross aisles and work together for a strong American future.
Mr Heart wanted to let people know that, “If the people you voted for, won, you still have to go to work and go to school, and if the people you didn’t want to win, won, you still have to go to work and go to school.” He reassures people, “Life goes on.” Its a new day in America, new opinions, new expectation and renewed opportunities.
commons.wikimedia
The United States capital sits on the Hill in daylight.
tagged with 2018, Democrat, election, governor, politics, polls, representative, Republican, senate, senator, states, Trump, vote
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Archive for the ‘Science & Technology’ Category
Ickworth Park – From Trees to Fuel
Posted in Architecture & Buildings, Global Warming & Climate Change, History, Natural History, People, Places of Interest, tagged biomass boiler, frederick hervey, ickworth estate, ickworth rotunda, lownde wood, marquis of bristol, national trust, nikolaus pevsner, tree harvesting, wood chips on 25 June 2016| Leave a Comment »
The National Trust has a target of producing 50% of its energy from renewable sources on its land by 2020. It’s a challenging target. The new biomass boiler which was installed at Ickworth Park near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and which was switched on in July 2015, is one of five pilot renewable energy projects that will address that goal. This is the story of how trees on the 1,800 acres estate are being turned into fuel.
Completed in 1829, the Rotunda was later described by architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner as ‘a crazy idea … it makes for a lumpy appearance outside and creates very unsatisfactory shapes for rooms inside’. More recently architectural commentator Gervase Jackson-Stops said the Rotunda was like a ‘huge bulk, newly arrived from another planet’ and an ‘overgrown folly’.
The 199kw boiler is fuelled by wood chip produced from timber taken from the 600 acres of woodland on the estate and it will supply 100% of the fuel for heating the Rotunda and the West Wing. These are the main buildings in the centre of the park, and were the idea of the 4th Earl of Bristol, Frederick Augustus Hervey, who intended to use them as a place to display the treasures he gathered during his 30 years of travel in Europe. The Earl was seen more in Italy than in Suffolk.
Incidentally the Hervey family became more eccentric and more notorious right up to the 20th century; read more here. But ever since Ickworth was passed to the Trust in lieu of death duties following the death in 1951 of the 4th Marquess (and 8th Earl) , the buildings have been a nightmare to heat and the bills for the heating oil have been enormous.
Around 156 tonnes of wood chip fuel would be needed each year in addition to the 40 tonnes that was currently being supplied to the boiler at the Regional Office of the Trust at Westley Bottom a mile away. An independent assessment concluded that extracting this amount from the estate on rotation would be sustainable.
Removal of timber from the estate first started in autumn 2014 when ‘harvesting’ machines extracted non-native softwood trees like Western Red Cedar, Norway Spruce and Larch, from a small area of Lownde Wood in the south of the estate. The logs had to be stacked nearby as the wood chip store still had to be built. This was to be located next to the existing wood store in the north of the estate. In September last year, harvesting of softwood resumed in Lady Katherine’s Wood on the east side of the estate (photos 1 & 2). The harvester cuts the tree at its base, and as the trunk is lifted up, it is fed through rollers. Knives strip the branches off the trunk, and a chain saw cuts the trunk into 12′ lengths. This all seems to happen in just a few seconds and it is fascinating to watch.
These plantations of softwood were likely planted forty or fifty years ago but they had not been managed for a long time. Not all of the softwood is cleared, no more than 30% of the canopy in fact (photo 3). This is to keep some cover for wildlife until the wood is replanted with native broadleaf species that will improve biodiversity. It also serves to protect the wood from strong winds which could blow down thinly spread trees. Standing and fallen deadwood is left, again for the benefit of wildlife.
The land for the wood chip store had by this time been cleared so all the timber, including that from Lownde Wood, was taken up to wood store in the north of the estate (photos 4) where it was piled into five long stacks (photo 5), enough timber to last Ickworth’s needs for an estimated three and a half years. Ideally the timber needs to be stacked for 18 months to 2 years to dry out before it is chipped.
The Destruction of the Fens – All Is Not Lost
Posted in Engineering, Geography, History, Natural History, tagged adventurers, cornelius vermuyden, fenland, hereward, ian rotherham, peat shrinkage, prickwillow museum, ramsey abbey, the great fen, whittlesey mere, wicken fen on 31 March 2016| Leave a Comment »
The livelihoods of many medieval fen-dwellers depended on reed cutting. The rights to cut reed were carefully controlled by manorial courts. Willow and reeds were used in building and thatching houses. In this photo from the early 1900s, Mr Mason of Lotting Fen is still stacking cut reeds in the traditional way.
Around the coast of the Wash in Eastern England lies The Fens or Fenland. Until the early 1600s, it was a vast natural area of marshes and swamps much lower that the chalk and limestone uplands that surround them. Wildlife thrived in the reed marshland and wet woodland, plants and insects flourished on the peat soils, and in the open water fish and birds were abundant. Local people relied on fishing, wildfowling, and the harvesting of reeds for their livelihoods though unpredictable flooding caused many deaths.
To make the land more productive so as to feed a rapidly growing population, the Fens were drained over many centuries. This transformed Fenland from a natural wilderness into miles of intensive farmland with most of the land lying below sea level. It has been described by Ian Rotherham in his book The Lost Fens (2013), as the ‘greatest single ecological catastrophe that ever occurred in England’. Today only four pockets of the original fens survive. The final irony is that the drainage of the Fens has made the land much more susceptible to flooding as a result of the rise in sea levels caused by climate change.
A Potted Natural History
Fenland reaches into four historic counties: Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk, and a small part of Suffolk, an area of nearly 3,900 sq km (1,500 sq mi). The fens formed about 5,000 years ago as sea-levels rose after the last Ice Age. A fen was the local name for areas of nutrient-rich shallow fresh or salt water in which dead plants did not fully decay. Peat forms from this partially decayed vegetation, and a rich flora of plants grows in this saturated peat. Beavers, otters, water vole and other wildlife thrived in the reed marshland and wet woodland, plants and insects flourished on the peat soils, with abundant fish and birds in the open water.
Nearer the sea were washes, salt marsh and tidal creeks, and in higher areas where the peat grew above the reach of land water, were moors. There were also shallow lakes or meres: Brick, Ramsey, Trundle, Ugg, and Whittlesey Mere. The largest was Whittlesey, which was in Huntingdonshire. It measured 3.5 miles by 2.5 miles, it covered 3,000 acres (1,214 ha) in winter, and it was the largest lake in southern England. There were also isolated areas of higher ground, called ‘islands’, which remained dry when the low-lying fens around them flooded. The largest of the fen-islands is the Isle of Ely, on which the cathedral city of Ely was built, which is 39m above sea level at its highest point.
Early Inhabitants
This partly imagined map of the central part of the Fens in 1070 shows vast area of marsh south of the Wash with eight or so meres, and a variety of ‘islands’. The Ouse and Nene rivers join south of Wisbech, although as can be seen from the map below, they now follow separate artificial channels to the sea.
The fens were densely settled in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Timber trackways were used in some places to move around the flooded landscape. Helped by a fall in sea levels, the Romans built a road, the Fen Causeway, from Denver near Downham in Norfolk to Peterborough. Gravel was used to raise the road above the marshland to link what later became East Anglia and central England. The Romans also dug the Car Dyke, an 85-mile (137 km) long ditch which runs along the western edge of the Fens, which is believed to have been used as a canal. But other than this, the Fens were generally left unsettled by the Romans.
After the end of Roman Britain, it is thought that peoples from the Iceni tribe of British Celts may have moved west into the easily defended Fens to avoid the invading Anglo-Saxons who were settling in what would become East Anglia. In Christian Anglo-Saxon England, hermitages on the islands in the Fens became centres of communities, and in the 10th century monastic revival under the Saxon king Edgar, these became monasteries and abbeys such as at Chatteris, Crowland, Ely, Peterborough, Ramsey, and Thorney. Ramsey Abbey, which was founded in 969, became a major centre of religious learning. The abbey’s illuminated manuscript Book of Benefactors, described the island of Ramsey.
The island stretches for some two miles in length … and is garlanded roundabout with alder thickets and reed beds, [and there was] flowering ash for building the church. [The island was] encircled by eel filled marshes … fish and swimming birds.
By the time of the Norman invasion, Ramsey was the fourth richest monastery in the country. Of interest, some of the family and servants of the Danish King Canute (or Cnut) were caught in a storm on Whittlesey Mere in 1020 and nearly drowned. And it is believed that Hereward the Wake, the 11th-century leader of local resistance to the Norman Conquest, sought refuge in the Fens after his escape from the seige by the Normans of the Isle of Ely in 1071.
Encounters with the Large Hadron Collider
Posted in Books, Engineering, Film, Newspapers, People, Physics, tagged anatoli bugorski, beam pipe, black hole, cern, dan brown, doomsday, european court for human rights, lhc, otto rossler on 30 October 2015| 1 Comment »
This is the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) detector which analysed the data for the Higgs boson discovery in 2012. It is one of four separate detectors on the LHC ring. At 12,500 tonnes, it is the heaviest, containing twice as much metal as the Eiffel Tower.
The Large Hadron Collider under the France-Swiss border captures the headlines every so often. The big story this spring was that the LHC had been successfully re-started with protons circling the 27km long accelerator ring for the first time in more than two years. A month later proton beams collided at 99.9% of the speed of light at the ‘record-breaking energy of 13 TEVs’, and the machine began to deliver the much sought-after physics data.
But one news headline caught my attention. ‘What would happen if you got zapped by the LHC?’ One might guess it wouldn’t be very nice.
The LHC is the largest particle collider in the world and the largest single machine ever built. Although one TEV (or tera-electron volt) is roughly equivalent to the energy of motion of a flying mosquito, the energy within the LHC is squeezed into an extremely small space, about a million, million times smaller than a mosquito, and it is this intensity which causes the protons to be smashed apart. I’m not sure the mosquito analogy works. I know that energy like this can’t be quoted in terms of so many London buses or Olympic size swimming pools, though I did read somewhere that each beam contains the energy of a Eurostar train travelling at full speed. That’s more like it.
The ring encloses two vacuumed ‘beam-pipes’ along which the protons travel in opposite directions at a speed of 11,000 revolutions of the ring per second before being made to intersect at four locations, at each of which there is a massive particle detector.
Back to the zapping. You’ve managed to get through security, down one of the eight shafts (which are up to 175 metres deep), and you’ve found a quiet spot in the 3.8 metre concrete tunnel close to a hypothetical inspection hatch into the accelerator ring. Though the collider should shut off if anyone starts tampering with the ring whilst it’s running, make believe that you’ve by-passed the safety systems and managed to stick your head inside the ring and into the proton beams. What happens next?
It depends on how many protons collide with nuclei in the tissues in your head, and how many zip through undisturbed. If the beam was of single protons, there would be little chance of impact, but there are 320 trillion protons spinning around each pipe of the LHC, and the beam would almost certainly burn a hole through your head. And as protons fling off secondary particles when they hit something, which incite another round of collisions, the beam would create a space that spreads out laterally. Rather than boring a hole a few microns wide in your head, a beam might carve out a large cone of tissue. You would be toast!
The beam burnt a hole from the back of Bugorski’s head, through his skull and brain, and exited just beside his left nostril. And the Russian machine had only one hundredth the power of the LHC
Is this all conjecture? Well not entirely. In 1978, Anatoli Petrovich Bugorski, a 36-year-old physicist at the Institute for High Energy Physics in Protvino, Russia, was checking a malfunctioning piece of equipment in a particle accelerator, the U-70 synchrotron. The machine was switched on inadvertently, and unfortunately the safety mechanisms failed to work. Bugorski’s head was in the path of the 76 GeV proton beam. Reportedly, he saw a flash ‘brighter than a thousand suns’ but did not feel any pain.
Over the next few days, the left half of Bugorski’s face swelled up and his skin started peeling around the spots where the beam had entered and exited his head. Believing that he had received far in excess of a fatal dose of radiation, Bugorski was taken to a clinic in Moscow for observation as the doctors fully expected him to die within a few days. Bugorski survived however, though he lost the hearing in his left ear, the left half of his face was paralysed due to nerve damage, and he was to suffer from occasional seizures. However, there was virtually no damage to his intellectual capacity. (more…)
Horsell Common & H G Wells
Posted in Geography, Natural History, People, Places of Interest, Science Fiction, tagged heat-ray, henrique alvim corrêa, horsell common, martians, sandpits, surrey, the time machine, the war of the worlds on 30 April 2015| Leave a Comment »
Map of Horsell Common. The common also has three Bronze Age barrows which are scheduled ancient monuments protected by law, as well as a Muslim Burial Ground which dates back to the First World War. In the 1890s, Horsell, in the lower left, was a small village of no more than 50 houses.
To the north of the modern town of Woking in Surrey, England, is the village of Horsell, and to the north of Horsell is Horsell Common. The common, which is mainly heathland with many areas of woodland, 355 hectares (880 acres) in area, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Horsell Common Preservation Society has owned the common since 1966 and it is one of only a handful of privately owned areas of common land in England with public access.
In 1895, the writer H G Wells, Herbert George Wells, moved with his wife to nearby Maybury Road in Woking, and there he wrote his classic science fiction novel The Wars of the Worlds. With his brother Frank, Wells had explored the lanes and paths of the surrounding countryside either walking or on their bicycles. The original idea for The War of the Worlds came from his brother during one of their outings, who pondered on what it might be like if alien beings were suddenly to descend on the scene and start attacking its inhabitants.
The Wars of the Worlds was first serialised in 1897 and then published in book form in 1898. The novel tells of the landing of spacecraft from Mars and the wholesale destruction of London, and much of the countryside to the south, by Martians in heat-ray emitting tripod machines. The unnamed narrator, a middle-class writer of philosophical papers, lives in Maybury, and a sandpit on Horsell Common is used as the landing site for the Martian space craft.
Horsell Common. Sand and gravel were extracted from the woodland areas of Horsell Common for many centuries, much of it used in the construction of local houses. Sand extraction ended in the 1960s and the remains of old sandpits, roughly in the centre of the common, can be seen today.
Chapter 1, The Eve of the War, starts:
No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. …
At most terrestrial men fancied there might be other men upon Mars, perhaps inferior to themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise. Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.
This illustration of the first Martian to emerge from the cylinder that had landed on Horsell Common, was one of 30 drawn by Henrique Alvim Corrêa and which appeared in the 1906 French translation of The War of the Worlds.
In Chapter Two, The Falling Star, the Martians land:
But the very early in the morning poor Ogilvy [a well-known astronomer], who had seen the shooting-star and who was persuaded that a meteorite lay somewhere on the common between Horsell, Ottershaw [a village to the north of the common], and Woking, rose early with the idea of finding it. Find it he did, soon after dawn, and not far from the sand-pits. An enormous hole had been made by the impact of the projectile, and the sand and gravel had been flung violently in every direction over the heath, forming heaps visible a mile and a half away. The heather was on fire eastward, and a thin blue smoke rose against the dawn.
Today science fiction fans visit the sandpits on Horsell Common where H G Wells’ Martian spacecraft landed. In nearby Woking, a 23-foot tall Martian tripod, designed by Michael Condron, was erected in 1998 to mark the centenary of the publication of The War of the Worlds.
Posted in Geography, Military History, Natural History, Places of Interest, Superlatives, tagged anechoic chamber, blue streak rocket, cpre, kielder forest, kielder mires, northumberland, professor trevor cox, spadeadam, tranquillity map on 30 March 2015| Leave a Comment »
The loud call or distinctive ‘drumming’ display of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker, particularly in Spring, ensures that woodlands are not free of noise.
If you were asked where the quietest place in Britain was, what would be your answer? You might say it all depends. Where there is least noise? Where there are no sounds of human activity? Are caves or disused mines included? But what about the weather; it can be noisy anywhere. The wind, the rain, and storms. And the sea is not silent, with the slamming of the waves against the cliffs. Neither is wildlife quiet, especially the screeching and chirping of birds. If you allow for the sounds of nature and look for places far away from human activity, then there must be hundreds of places in the highlands of Scotland that would qualify, and the same goes for a lesser number of places in mid-Wales, RAF training flights allowing. No, the quietest place must be all about remoteness from the racket made by us humans, and that must include flight paths of civil aircraft. If the highlands of Scotland and much of mid-Wales are excepted, then finding the quietest spot in crowded England might be more of a challenge.
The anechoic chamber at the University of Salford, a room within a room built on rubber springs, is lined from floor to ceiling with soft foam wedges which absorb any vibrations in the air.
The quietest place ought also to be somewhere that can be visited, that isn’t private or unduly dangerous. So the further reaches of the many cave systems or abandoned mines in Britain should be discounted. And deadly silent man-made places such as the University of Salford’s ‘anechoic’ chamber (meaning non-reflective of sound), which is so quiet that you can hear the sound of your blood circulating in your head, or the quiet room at the British Standard Institute laboratories in Hemel Hempstead, where apparently fire alarms are tested; these places surely don’t qualify.
Mapping Tranquility
In March 2005, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) published a report Mapping Tranquility that sought to define and identify not the quietest places, which as discussed above, are not what they seem, but the places which were the most tranquil. England was divided into 500m by 500m squares and each square was given a tranquillity score, based on 44 different factors which add to or detract from people’s feelings of tranquillity. It was hoped that this ambitious project would help safeguard the English countryside from future development. The top ten factors that people said represented tranquillity were:
1. Seeing a natural landscape
2. Hearing birdsong
3. Hearing peace and quiet
4. Seeing natural looking woodland
5. Seeing the stars at night
6. Seeing streams
7. Seeing the sea
8. Hearing natural sounds
9. Hearing wildlife
10. Hearing running water
As a result of the survey, the CPRE in 2006 created a national tranquillity map based on the 500m by 500m squares, and they said that the most tranquil place in England was in the Kielder Forest in Northumberland. But the exact spot was kept secret, to keep it tranquil.
You can download the tranquillity map here, and see what else the CPRE has to say about tranquil places here.
The Most Tranquil Place
This is a map of the approximate location of the Kielder Mires National Nature Reserve, in which, somewhere, lies the ‘quietest place in England’. © Ordnance Survey
However since then, Trevor Cox, Professor of Acoustics Engineering from the same Salford University, and a presenter of many popular science documentaries on television and radio, has gone to England’s most tranquil spot. The CPRE told Professor Cox which 500m by 500m square in the Kielder Forest had been identified as the spot, and he went there, trekking along forester’s tracks and wading through a mile and a half of peat bog.
In January 2014, the most tranquil place in England was described as a hillock in the Kielder Mires, two hours walking distance from the nearest human settlement, a Victorian grouse shooting lodge, and ten miles from the village of Gisland. As well as its distance from human habitation, the distance of the place from flight paths, was a key factor in making it the most tranquil spot.
The Kielder Mires
This is Bellcrag Flow, one of the border mires in the southern part of Kielder Forest, typical of what you might see in the ‘most tranquil place in England’. Border Mires are areas of peatland up to 10 metres deep which have developed on the site of shallow lakes since the end of the Ice Age 12,000 years ago. © Les Hull / Creative Commons Licence
The Kielder Mires are formed of two deep peat mires known as Grain Heads Moss and Coom Rigg Moss. The mires are part of a collection of more than 50 recognised peat bodies known as the Border Mires which are mostly located within the boundaries of Kielder Forest. These blanket mires are rare globally, as they have been largely destroyed by plantations, drainage and grazing. The mires in Kielder are acidic, low-nutrient environments fed entirely by rain and provide refuge for rare species such as tall bog sedge, lichens and sphagnum mosses. Less is known about the natural fauna, although the area is rich in invertebrates and merlins, Britain’s smallest birds of prey, breed on the edge of the plantations. For these reasons the Kielder Mires been designated as a National Nature Reserves (NNR), a Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), and a Ramsar site, that is wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty signed in 1971.
So Professor Cox became the first person to knowingly visit this most peaceful spot, though humans must have struggled through the mires unknowingly many times over the last 10,000 or more years. Later, Cox wrote in his book Sonic Wonderland – A Scientific Odyssey of Sound, that ‘I had previously thought of asking the CPRE if I could publish the location of the quietest place, but I realised this would be a bad idea’.
But in the 1950s, something was going on less than six miles away that had the potential to shatter the peace of the Kielder Mires.
The Anthropocene began seventy years ago
Posted in Geology, Overconsumption, Overpopulation, Scientists, tagged climate change, elizabeth kolbert, eugene stoermer, geologic time, great acceleration, holocene, jan zalasiewicz, paul crutzen, sixth mass extinction, species extinction, world economic forum davos on 31 January 2015| Leave a Comment »
Paul Crutzen won the Nobel prize in Chemistry in 1995 for his work on the chemical compounds that were causing the hole in the ozone layer.
In 2000 Paul Crutzen, the Dutch atmospheric chemist and Nobel prize-winner, and American ecologist Eugene F Stoermer, proposed using the term ‘anthropocene’ for the current geological epoch to emphasize the central role of mankind in geology and ecology.
Fifteen years on, several of the papers that were presented at the four-day World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week referred to the advent of the Anthropocene era, though it is doubtful if many of the 2,500 attendees paid much attention.
Geological Epochs
So what is a geological epoch, when did the Anthropocene epoch start, and how is the Anthropocene relevant to us?
You will know about the Jurassic period when dinosaurs roamed the earth*. But do you know some of the other periods of geological time: the Cambrian, the Devonian, the Carboniferous, the Triassic, the Cretaceous? The Cambrian period started about 540 million years ago, and the Cretaceous period ended 66 million years ago. This enormous length of time is only 10% of the age of the Earth, which is 4.6 million years old.
(*The dinosaurs actually first appeared in the Triassic period, 231.4 million years ago, and were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for 135 million years, from the beginning of the Jurassic period until the end of the Cretaceous, 66 million years ago.)
The last 66 million years is also made up of geologic periods: the Paleogene, the Neogene and the Quaternary, and to make it more complicated, the Quaternary period is made up of two epochs, the Pleistocene (2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago) and the Holocene (11,700 years ago to the present day). Even though human beings first appeared between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago, the Holocene, the start of which is marked by the end of the last major ice age, encompasses the rise of modern humans, all human written history, the development of major civilizations, and the relatively recent transition toward urban living. The word Holocene means ‘entirely recent’ and comes from the Greek holos, meaning ‘whole’ or ‘entire’, and –cene meaning ‘new’.
In this geological time chart, the time before the Cambrian period, the Pre-Cambrian, which extends for most of the top level, covers seven-eighths of the age of the earth, with the remaining one-eighth expanded into levels below.
The Anthropocene Epoch
But for some time, geologists, climate scientists and ecologists have been debating whether the profound effect that the human species is having on the Earth means that we are moving from the Holocene to a new epoch, the Anthropocene (pronounced an-thropo-scene). The first use of a similar term however goes back to 1873 when the Italian geologist Antonio Stoppani acknowledged the increasing power and effect of humanity on the Earth’s systems and referred to an ‘anthropozoic era’. Incidentally Eugene Stoermer originally coined the term in the 1980s, but never formalised it until Paul Crutzen, who had started using the term, contacted him. The name Anthropocene is a combination of the Greek roots anthropo- meaning ‘human’ and -cene meaning ‘new’.
Geologic epochs primarily refers to geologic time based on boundaries between different rock strata differentiated by fossils, which is the science of stratigraphy, and any decision on recognising the Anthropocene epoch, which is still an informal term, lies with the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ISC). The ISC set up an international Anthropocene Working Group of scientists which was ‘tasked with developing a proposal for the formal ratification of the Anthropocene as an official unit amending the Geological Time Scale’. The working group, which first met in Berlin last year, has given itself until 2016 to come up with the proposal to submit to the ISC, but this month they put forward their initial view.
The Beginning of the Athropocene
The working group has proposed that if there were to be a single date to mark its beginning of the Anthropocene epoch, it would be 16 July 1945, the date that the first atomic-bomb test took place at the US Army testing range at Alamogordo in New Mexico, as the subsequent nuclear tests left an indelible mark around the Earth due to the release of radioactive isotopes or ‘fallout’ which settled in the soil and land around the world. This event also coincided with a worldwide ‘great acceleration’ of other human activities that ushered in a new geological epoch.
However a significant minority of the working group supported alternative dates, and the group plans to bring forward a formal, evidence based, proposal in 2016. Scientists have argued for a number of different dates that mark the start of this new human epoch. One date is the start of the industrial revolution in England in the 18th century when coal became the main source of fuel, production by hand changed to production by machine, new processes to produce iron were introduced, and the use of steam power increased dramatically. Earlier dates include the invention of agriculture and the clearing of forests about 10,000 years ago, and even further back to 14,000 to 15,000 years ago based on lithospheric evidence, the exposed top layers of the earth. These latter dates would be closely synchronous with the current epoch, the Holocene.
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Roger Tremblay
Roger is a founder of PointClear Search. He has successfully partnered with numerous companies to place both senior level managers and C-level executives. Having spent 35+ years as an executive in the advertising and media world, he approaches each executive search with a unique understanding of his client's needs.
Roger spent his media sales and management career in executive roles at The Wall Street Journal, Southern Living, Texas Monthly, Chicago Magazine, Sports Illustrated and Media Networks and co-founded Kelly/Tremblay & Co. Roger has been a headhunter for 10+ years. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Michigan State University. He is an active alumni who has served on many boards at M.S.U. and has been recognized with The Alumni Service Award by the university.
Email Roger at Roger@PointClearSearch.com
Dave Manchee
Dave held management positions with prominent national and international media companies (The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, MSN, Manchee Media and Captivate Networks) over the past four decades. Early in his career, he recognized the overriding importance of recruiting individuals who displayed both the art of persuasion and the character to lead. He retains this philosophy when looking for tomorrow's future leaders.
Dave brings an uncanny knack for finding great people who, while happy in their current job, discover greater rewards in their next career move. His practice includes rebuilding good resumes and crafting candidate profiles that stand out across social media. Dave holds a B.A. from The University of Georgia and an M.B.A. from Kent State University.
Email Dave at Manchee@PointClearSearch.com
Gayle Tremblay
Gayle spent 25+ years as an executive at Neiman Marcus where she managed three full-line stores, led the launch of NeimanMarcus.com and then moved on to lead the management and merchandising of the multi-channel NM Last Call Division. She has extensive experience in hiring and developing very strong leadership teams and exceeding her client's expectations. She has worked with a large number of clients helping them to navigate the challenging world of interviewing, networking and finding success in the right career.
Gayle attended The University of Texas at Austin. She has served on the boards of numerous non-profit and professional associations, and has been a featured speaker at several retail symposiums and university lecture series.
Email Gayle at Gayle@TheTremblayGroup.com
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Interviewing for Success
Anchoring Your Team
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« BIOGRAPHY of T.N. Seshan- the man who transformed indian election
Dial 999 and get fleeced »
Not an act of God, but the folly of zealots
The freedom to practice one’s religion is a fundamental liberty enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution. But hardly two months after the 13th general election UMNO is tabling the highly controversial conversion bill despite opposition and reservation from within BN component members. The image that the country is trying hard to push, that Malaysia is truly Asia, with a plural and diverse population, is just the diametric opposite of the increased radicalization of UMNO. This is truly worrying and the future has a dark horizon looming. Umno has once again shown its true colours: that they care two hoots about non-Malays and non-Muslims and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib’s Razak’s National Reconciliation effort.
Amending a legislation to legalize the conversion of a minor who has neither free will nor knowledge about the religion he/she has been converted to tantamount to bullying and forcing the issue down the throats of minorities. Under the new legislation, a parent or guardian can convert a minor. Allowing even guardians to convert a child is a flagrant abuse of power and is against the free choice option of children. Logically, all conversion should be after 18 years old where the person knows and understand what he is going into.
The tabling of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 in Parliament last week, which allows only one parent’s consent, or that of the guardian, to convert a minor to Islam has been done with no consideration for the feelings and wishes of minorities. The consent of both the parents is a must and no two ways about it. This is what the cabinet in 2009 decided and why the change now?
Even the Grand Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa, one of the most respected Islamic scholars in the world today, wrote under the sub-heading “Freedom of religion in Islam”, “The essential question before us is can a person who is Muslim choose a religion other than Islam? The answer is yes, they can, because the Qur’an says, ‘Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion,’ [Qur’an, 109:6], and, “Whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve,’ [Qur’an, 18:29], and, ‘There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is distinct from error’ [Qur’an, 2:256].” But the UMNO leaders with the holier than thou attitude, may not agree with grand mufti of Egypt.
By persisting to table this sensitive and distasteful bill in parliament, UMNO is trying to whip up Malay Muslim chauvinism to instill fear and reprisal on non-Malays for voting Pakatan Rakyat in GE13. With large number of young Malays and urban voters supporting Pakatan Rakyat, such tactics by UMNO will only bring their own downfall sooner.
UMNO and their supporters instead of countering fundamentalism are themselves becoming more radicalized. The largest and dominant political party is being increasingly insensitive to minorities which does not augur well for the future of Malaysia remaining a land of plural and diverse tolerance or even being truly Asia. Malaysians are now turning towards Pakatan Rakyat leaders to bring about the inclusiveness and provide the constitutional guarantees to all citizens. Do unto others what you want others do to you.
This entry was posted on July 4, 2013 at 12:52 am and is filed under From the desk of Senator S Ramakrishnan. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: constitutional gurantees, conversion to islam, religious freedom
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Dr. Chiquita Collins Visits Topic in Translational Science Class
anthonyc
Student Gabriel Catano writes about guest speaker Dr. Chiquita Collins‘ visit to the “Topics in Translational Science” class.
Introduction to Dr Chiquita Collins: Dr. Collins was appointed in September 2017 as the Inaugural Chief Diversity Officer, Vice-Dean for inclusion and Diversity in the Joe R. and Theresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, and Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Under her leadership, she provides oversight on efforts to address a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to increasing respect in differences and foster inter-dialog by working directly with Department Chairs health administration to develop robust and strong policies and practices to elevate diversity and inclusion within and across all levels. She is recognized at both, state and national levels, for her work in health disparities, primarily as it relates with social content and various societal influences that contribute with health differences among racial and ethnicities and across socioeconomic groups. In 2016, she received the distinction of having one of the top 100 cited papers on health care disparities and research published among a period of three decades. Dr. Collins received her doctorate from University of Michigan and has been a recipient of numerous prestigious awards. She previously served at John Hopkins University School of Medicine as a Director and Associate Dean of Diversity and Cultural Competence. She is the designated institutional representative for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) and member at large for the MCA group on Women in Medicine and Science Committee. Dr. Collins also instituted the School of Medicine first Diversity Ground Rounds series in spring 2018, which brings the nation’s top scientists and scholars to give one-hour lectures focusing in a wide variety of diversity and inclusion issues in health care and academic medicine.
Pathway to today:
A native Chicagoan, during Dr. Collins’ graduate school training, she specialized in Social Demography, a field within Sociology. Her mentor, Dr. David Williams, one of the most prominent scholars in health disparities research at Harvard University, provided invaluable guidance and direction which resulted in several seminal collaborative projects. Upon graduation, she returned to her alma mater, the University of Illinois at Chicago (formerly Chicago Circle) and began her first faculty position. Due to family and personal obligations, she relocated to Atlanta, GA and became a faculty member at Georgia Tech. Realizing a professional mismatch with her expertise and the institution’s strong identity as a nationally-ranked engineering school, she decided to pursue a highly competitive fellowship through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in collaboration with UC Berkeley and UCSF. Selected as one of twelve nation-wide, her two-year stint in California allowed her to seek other competitive positions and thus successfully accepted a faculty position at UT Austin, yet ultimately decided to quit the academy on her own terms to pursue a job in private industry. As a director of health equity for a federal consulting firm headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI with satellite offices throughout the country, this allowed her to remain in Austin, TX and commute back and forth either to San Antonio or their Washington, DC offices. Unfortunately, her executive position dissolved and Dr. Collins found herself out of a job and back on the market for another position. As part of her network she became aware of a position at Johns Hopkins Medical School. Despite their need to hire a diversity specialist, after intense negotiations her position was elevated to Assistant Dean for Diversity and Cultural Competency. Within eight months, she was promoted to Associate Dean where she remained for five years until approached by a colleague about a new position at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Jeff Jackson from the Long School of Medicine was instrumental in the recruitment of Dr. Collins to UT Health San Antonio.
What her office does?:
To ensure everyone, irrespective of his/her background, is respected and valued at UT Health San Antonio and the Long School of Medicine, various efforts are currently underway.
The Office of Inclusion and Diversity adheres to five distinct tenets in their efforts:
Community engagement: extent by which people are creating bridges with the community
Inclusive academic environment: diversity drives excellence, such as innovation.
Cultural competency: to ensure providers and academic health centers offer patient care services that meet recommended standards endorsed by accreditation entities
Community: Stakeholders, both internal and external, are engaged in sustainable partnerships in all efforts related to diversity and inclusion
Talent management:commitment to recruit, hire, retain, and develop the most talented and superior employees available in the job market.
During her first few months, the Long School of Medicine embarked on its self-study or accreditation process, which is an intense and laborious task involving all senior leaders in the school.
Supports PRIDE Clinic, a student-initiated endeavor, which is operating successfully and serves as a resource to the community and training opportunity for learners. New initiatives are often the result of students’ ideas.
Offers implicit bias training.
Next steps are to generate a diversity dashboard to track progress and measure outcomes to help inform various constituents.
Culture: Encompasses traditions, behaviors, attitudes, languages, thoughts, beliefs, values and ways of communication that vary across population groups. It refers to an individual’s background, customs, holidays, cooking, and other distinctions that are shared commonalities. Culture is often adopted and passed on from one generation to the next.
Cultural competence: Increasing awareness about differences among various cultures. A set of values, behaviors, attitudes and practices within a system that enables people to work effectively across cultures. The term refers to the ability to honor and respect beliefs, language, interpersonal styles and behaviors of individuals and families receiving services, as well as staff who are providing such services. As practitioners, it is important to evaluate people on an individual basis versus a collective basis. It is critical to ask questions oppose to assuming certain cultural traits.
Why is cultural competency important?:
Dr. Joseph Betancourt of Mass General once said “We would not accept substandard competence in other areas of clinical medicine, and cultural competence should not be an exception.” If we are training in a specialty, we should be also train in the context of understanding the different ways we equip and empower ourselves to ensure people feel respected in terms of how we medical care is delivered. One book recommended to obtain a glimpse of what happens when cultural competency is not adhered to is illustrated in Mama Might Be Better Off Dead: The Failure of Health Care in Urban America, written by journalist Laurie Abraham. The author follows a family and reports their everyday life and many of the challenges faced while navigating a health care system, particularly among individuals living in concentrated poverty, urban neighborhoods. Countless occasions are documented by which a family is unintentionally treated differently based on the health providers’ assumptions. Another recommended book is Caring for Patients from Different Culturesby Geri-Ann Galanti, which illustrates how various cultures perceive illness and disease and how to increase awareness and improve cultural competency among health providers.
Culture Matters:
This is important from the patient’s and the practitioner’s perspective. Individuals are more inclined to seek health care from individuals whom they share commonalities, because they feel they can relate to them, feel more at ease, and more likely to trust the provider when there are shared identities.
A book from the Institute of Medicine in 2002 named “Unequal treatment: what healthcare providers need to know about racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare” is a compilation of more than 500 studies showing various maltreatments documented in the scientific literature, even after statically controlling for income, socio-economic status and other known factors. Many examples are documented to illustrate pervasive health disparities by race. For example, African American women have the highest rate of maternal mortality, with Texas ranking # 1. Researchers are interested in identifying the root causes of such disparities. Unfortunately, there is a long history of distrust and mistrust towards the healthcare system by certain minority populations due to unethical practices in the past.
The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriated Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care produced standards that are intended to advance health equality, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities. It contains 22 categories that help the individual to become proficient. They are color-coded from red to purple illustrating various types of characteristics by which training can help you become cultural proficient.
Activity 1.
People in the room introduced themselves.
Dr. Collins presented a series of pictures and ask the participants to write down the first thing that comes to their minds.
First picture was a pair of shiny shoes: some of the contributions were: shoes, laces, leather, yellow inside, husband, lawyer, my great-grandfather, clean, polished, professional, serious, CEO, executive, physician.
Second picture was a person wearing a pair of worn-out shoes: contributions were: homeless, tatter shoes, poor, hard-worker, financially unstable person, poor medical care, non-compliant, sad, hard times, homeless.
All the concepts shared are based on observation in real life, experience interacting with patients who might display and assumptions that are made.
Whose shoes are you wearing? Some of us progress from a different attire, some of us are from a low income status and work our way up. We should not judge people at all.
Here in United States there is a long history of categorizing people, those individuals that does not necessarily represent my values, what is deem to be merit and standard. Things and people have certain connotations, i.e., “As American as apple pie”or ”baseball.”
The TED talk called “The secret to changing the world” by Lee Mun Wah was presented. Mr Mun Wah stayed on stage silent to allow the audience to form an impression on him. Then he spoke without any Asian’s accent as many of the participants were expecting him to do. He recounted the many times in his life he was judged for his appearance and his food, even in the early school years. His name means: ”He who writes.” However, in U.S his name was changed to Garry to facilitate the pronunciation. Throughout his life, he has giving up, not only his name, dress and food, but also a part of himself in an effort to fit in.
He recounted the story of Joaquin, his adopted son from Guatemala. He looks physically like a good mix between a Chinese father and a Dutch mother. He went to pre-school and people thought he was Chinese. He got compliments for being smart, but when he clarified that he was Guatemalan, then they complimented him for soccer.
Mr. Mun Wah was born in Oakland, CA and in school, he started to realize that he was different and the multiple ways he can blend in, but even with a complete mastery of the English language, he still felt as a foreigner.
Dr. Collins made a parallel between the experiences of Mr. Mun Wah and the experiences of the class participants. A common way to blend in is to hide one’s culture, losing yourself.
Implicit bias is the extension which we unintentionally treat people differently. It happens automatically and it is perpetuated. Examples presented were the “fish handshake,” people of color tending to arrive late to meeting or establishing direct eye contact.
Four Patterns of Gender Bias: 1) Women who had reached the pinnacle of their respective careers, mostly male-dominated careers, they feel that they have constantly to prove themselves to compensate, they feel judged to a higher standard; 2) “damn if you do, damn if you don’t” like walking in a tight rope. Being vocal or staying quiet can be though a decision; 3) motherhood penalty, women are told not to reveal their pregnancy status if it is not showing when interviewing as they can be perceived as not being serious about their careers; 4) Queen bee syndrome, where women in positions of authority treats subordinates more critically if they are female.
“Lean in” by Sheryl Sandberg is a book that illustrates some of the challenges she faced as a COO of Facebook.
Racial and Ethnic Biases:
U.S and the world has become more diverse than ever. It is projected that the U.S adult population will become up to 54 percent diverse by the year 2050. Black and Latino women are perceived as holding low positions, even when they are dressed as a person in a position of authority.
Own-race Bias (ORB): A commonly reported phenomenon in which people are more likely to recognize someone from their own race than any other race. “They all look alike.”
Multiple Marginalities: Women have a tendency to share vulnerabilities and marginalities and are more likely to experience implicit bias and micro-aggressions.
Unconscious Bias: Studies show that two people looking for employment, similar in their credentials but with different names, Afrocentric vs Eurocentric origin, a 50 percent or more of the participant companies are more inclined to extend the call back to the more Eurocentic name on the resume than the Afrocentric one. Similar studies found discrimination based on gender as well. Another study evaluated sending e-mails to different researchers from prestigious universities around the country requesting research opportunities before applying to doctoral programs. They found that the requests made by gender and racial minorities were ignored at significantly higher rates than those by white males, especially at private institutions.
Microagressions: Forms that people are treated differently and are hard to identify. The term was coined by Chester M. Pierce, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Mary Rowe expanded upon that and Dr. Derald Wing Sue expanded the definition to be more inclusive.
The YouTube video “What kind of Asian are you” was presented and discussed. In this video, a jogging male is surprised to find that an Asian female speaks perfect English, however, he does not understand why the considerations about her inheritance does not apply to him in the same way. In the case of the woman applying the same standard she is been subjected to, comes out as “weird.” Dr Collins explained that this is a mockery to explain microagressions as people question the “Americanism” assuming that minorities had arrived from a different place and that they need time to process information, hence the need to be spoken very slow. This implies that the minorities are not part of the system, but different people.
Class was divided in two groups and gather information about a microagressions using the theme “description of intelligence” and “color blindness.” Groups were asked to answer the following questions based on the assigned theme: 1) if you had personally experienced examples of microagressions; 2) if you had observed microagressions being experimented by someone’s else; and 3) what did you do?
Dr. Collins mentioned that a national conversation about these issues is necessary. It seems more prevalent now because of the media available now to capture these instances. Although we are at a better place than 50 years ago, there are still things to do. During the dismantling of the apartheid in South Africa in 1990s, a reconciliation committee was created to bring together the parties in conflict. This was a difficult healing process. Dr. Collins shared the story about his older son accused unfairly of stealing while playing basketball. These situations affect an individual psychologically and physiologically over the course of a lifetime. One person in the class share his story about contrasting attitudes in USA and Puerto Rico. While playing basketball in the court, a group of African American persons came to play and the other individuals left the court and call security.
Ways to mitigate:How can we empower ourselves to act?
Start with yourself: Engage in critical self-reflection. Hold yourself accountable for recognizing and pushing back against your own biases before asking other to do the same. Share your own stories of vulnerability, learning and growth. Be the first to uncover and role model these behaviors to others.
Be vocal: Say to others” I am a diversity champion. I recognize I have biases and I am working to identify, acknowledge, and address them.” The effects of these small statements will amplify as they are repeated and enacted by others across the organization.
Take risks on others: Give others –particularly those that are different from you- a chance. Be open to learning from them as much as they can expect to learn from you. Intentionally mentor and sponsor people who are not like you.
Stay connected: We all have biases that change and evolve even when we confront them. Remain committed with sustained action over time.
Get to know others: Make personal connections and spend more time learning fellow coworker’s experience in the workplace.
A YouTube video called “A Trip To The Grocery Store” showed an African American woman recounted her story when her sister-in-law paid at the store in front of her and when it was her turn, the cashier ask for additional forms of identification as well as looking for her check account number in a book. At that point, her sister-in-law stepped in and used her “white privilege” to educate the cashier about the unfairness of the situation.
This article was written by Gabriel Catano, a student in the Clinical Investigation and Translational Science program.
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Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)
Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Goodness-of-fit tests based on new characterizations of the exponential distribution
jansenvanrensburg_hm.pdf (11.81Mb)
Jansen van Rensburg, Helena Maria
The exponential density is probably one of the most widely used distributions in practice. Due to its importance, many goodness-of-fit tests for exponentiality have been proposed in the literature. The objectives of this research are as follow: * to study the importance of the exponential distribution in practical problems, * to investigate alternative classes of distributions to the exponential distribution, * to present an overview of existing characterizations of the exponential distribution, * to evaluate existing goodness-of-fit tests for exponentiality, * to develop new goodness-of-fit tests for exponentiality, and * to compare the proposed goodness-of-fit tests to existing tests by means of relative efficiencies and simulation studies of the power of the tests. To achieve these objectives, we begin with a brief discussion of the exponential distribution and other parametric families of life distributions, followed by a summary of six well-known nonparametric classes of alternative distributions. A comprehensive literature study of existing characterizations of the exponential distribution and existing goodness-of fit tests for exponentiality are presented. We then propose and prove two new characterizations of the exponential distribution in the class of NBUE life distributions based on properties of order statistics. These characterizations are used to develop a new class of goodness-of-fit tests for exponentiality. The tests are shown to be consistent and the limiting distributions under the null and alternative hypotheses are derived. We show that the new class of test statistics includes two statistics which arc equivalent to the well-known Gini test statistic (Gail and Gastwirth 1978a) and the coefficient of variation test statistic (Borges, Proschan and Rodrigucs 1984). The newly proposed tests are compared to existing goodness-of-fit tests by means of Pitman and approximate Bahadur relative efficiencies. Monte Carlo studies are conducted to compare the various tests with regard to power for small and moderate sample sizes against a wide range of alternative distributions. We recommend three members of the class of test statistics as being very effective testing procedures for exponentiality. In conclusion, practical examples based on real-life data are presented.
Natural and Agricultural Sciences [1384]
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Ciara Russell Wilson Kellie Harper Sports College sports College basketball Basketball NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship Women's basketball Women's sports NFL football Professional football Football Women's college basketball
Stanford women outlast Missouri State 55-46 in Sweet 16
By JAY COHEN - Apr. 11, 2019 08:55 AM EDT
Missouri State head coach Kellie Harper directs her players during the first half of a regional semifinal game against the Stanford in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
CHICAGO (AP) — Even Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer grew concerned while the Cardinal kept missing its shots — over and over again.
Not Alanna Smith and company. They figured they would find a way at the end.
Smith and Stanford outlasted Missouri State for a 55-46 victory on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament, sending the cold-shooting Cardinal back to the Elite Eight for the third time in four years.
Stanford shot a season-low 25 percent (17 for 68) in its second-lowest scoring game. But Smith and Anna Wilson supplied just enough offense, and the Cardinal used its superior length to hold the 11th-seeded Lady Bears to 25.4 percent shooting (16 for 63), also a season low for the last double-digit seed left in March.
"I think the feeling on the team was we weren't worried," said Smith, who finished with 13 points. "We know that we can hit down those shots, and we weren't today, so we had to go to something else."
VanDerveer seemed to get a kick out of Smith's confidence.
"I don't know what game she was at," VanDerveer cracked. "I mean, wow. We just — we tried a lot of different things. We tried a lot of different people, and we struggled."
Next up for No. 2 seed Stanford (31-4) is defending national champion Notre Dame on Monday in the Chicago Regional final. The Fighting Irish advanced with an 87-80 victory over Texas A&M.
"We know it will be a big challenge, but I have a lot of confidence in our team," VanDerveer said. "We know we'll have to play better."
Danielle Gitzen had 14 points and eight rebounds for Missouri State, which had won seven in a row. Jasmine Franklin finished with 11 points and 10 boards.
It was Missouri State's first appearance in the Sweet 16 since Jackie Stiles led the Missouri Valley Conference team to the Final Four in 2001.
Stiles, an assistant coach on Kellie Harper's staff who remains the school's career leading scorer with 3,393 points, could only watch this time around as the Lady Bears (25-10) struggled offensively. Alexa Willard, who averaged 18.5 points in Missouri State's first two wins in the NCAA tourney, finished with two points on 1-for-11 shooting.
"Stanford is a great team, and they're very long, and I think that it definitely was disruptive having their long arms and getting into passes," Gitzen said, "but I think also we got good looks. We just couldn't hit them at the end of the day."
The Lady Bears closed to 38-35 on Gitzen's jumper with 1:04 left in the third quarter. But the Cardinal responded with an 11-1 run.
Shannon Coffee started the key sequence with a 3-pointer, one of just three treys in 29 attempts on the day for Stanford. Wilson closed it out with two foul shots and a layup with 5:27 left.
Wilson, the younger sister of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, scored seven of her 11 points in the second half. Russell Wilson and his wife, singer Ciara, took in the action from a pair of seats behind the Stanford bench.
"My defense is kind of my thing, so if I can score some points, that's nice, too," Anna Wilson said. "So I think for me, I just wanna play as hard as I can and continue playing."
Missouri State: Gitzen is the only senior on the Lady Bears' roster, so they could be even better next season. But Harper, a Tennessee alum, could be in the mix for the opening at her alma mater.
"We weren't going to come in here and back down," Harper said. "Somebody was going to have to beat us. Stanford beat us. They had to work hard to do it."
Stanford: Wilson led a solid effort by Stanford's reserves. Coffee finished with seven points, and Lexie Hull had seven points and nine rebounds.
Stanford takes on the top-seeded Irish on Monday.
Jay Cohen can be reached at https://twitter.com/jcohenap
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/WomensNCAATournament and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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Charles Webb
Preview: SyFy’s Beast Legends
Reviews, Shot for Shot, TV
Beast Legends (2010): “The Kraken”
Starring: Stephen Leonard, Kathryn Denning, Francis Manpaul, Scott Edwards
Air Date: September 9, 2010 10:00PM, SyFy
The folks over at SyFy were nice enough to send over the pilot episode of their upcoming series, Beast Legends which premiers next Thursday. The show mixes anthropology, crytozoology, and creature design to ask what if creatures of myth and legend really existed. It’s a something of a sci-fi spin on the typical Discovery Channel reconstruction of dinosaurs and mummies.
The cast of the show is comprised of Stephen Leonard (helpfully described as “The Adventurer” in the opening credits), Kathryn Denning (The Anthropologist), Scott Edwards (The Biologist) and Francis Manpaul (The Comic Artist). Many of you who visit this site regularly may remember Manpaul’s work from Superman/Batman, Adventure Comics, and Legion of Super Heroes. Here, he’s tasked with creating a visual profile of each week’s creatures, going so far as to travel the world to see “related” species in order to better visualize the beast.
Veterinary surgeon Leonard is effectively the “star” of the show, however, being the point man for the deep-sea dives here and providing a first-person account of the cast’s search for the beast of the week. Paul tags along during a jaunt to New Zealand while Denning and Edwards hang at home base. The show’s talent appears to be taking the concept seriously (not to the point of dryness) and walk the viewer through their methodology of ultimately visualizing their creature. Leonard observes a large octopus and travels with Manpaul to see an intact (but dead) colossal squid while Denning and Edwards argue about the finer points (and biological efficacy) of armor plating on their Kraken. This week they employ the efforts of a 3DFX artist to ultimately bring their Kraken “to life.”
While the show’s scholars talk a bit about some of the legends and literary inspirations for their creatures, they don’t get into too much detail about the stories that led to these monsters entering the popular consciousness. It would be interesting if later episodes looked at the “legendary” aspects of the beasts and not just the physiological elements.
Still, the show is of a piece with recent series like Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth, or what I like to think of as “credulous science” programs. That is, shows that presume that the incredible doesn’t exist but continues to ask “what if” in a social and/or (pseudo-)scientific context. They’re neat programs that explore neat nooks and crannies of history, belief, and myth. The only drawback I see is the 10PM timeslot which threatens to keep it from some of the younger viewers who might get a kick out of what’s on display.
Below are a couple of images from upcoming episodes.
Beast LegendsCharles WebbFrancis ManpaulStephen Leonard
Experiment in Terror (1962)
I’m Free Now – The Incredible Hulk (1988-1990)
O.G. / Danger Man
Charles Webb has been providing pop culture criticism and new coverage for sites like Comics Bulletin, MTV, Twitchfilm, and Paste Magazine. A video game industry vet, he is a credited writer on multiple titles, most recently working at Microsoft Game Studios. Don't look too much into it, but he is a carbon-based hu-man.Twitterized: @TheCharlesWebb
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Cameron Diaz Has Reportedly Retired from Acting at the Age of 45
Joe Hyer
© Admedia, Inc
Cameron Diaz may have retired from acting at the age of 45, according to a new report.
The rumors are swirling after Diaz's pal, Selma Blair, told the Metro News that Cameron had retired from acting.
Cameron Diaz won't be making any more movies https://t.co/4aa58wHRi8
— Metro Entertainment (@Metro_Ents) March 11, 2018
Blair said that she recently spent time with Diaz. The pair were recalling their 2002 movie, The Sweetest Thing. Selma said that she would have liked to do a sequel, but she says that Cameron has retired from acting.
Selma revealed that Cameron Diaz is "happy," and enjoying her time with her husband, Benji Madden.
Cameron Diaz rose to fame with starring roles in movies like There's Something About Mary (1998) and Charlie's Angels (2002).
The last time we saw Cameron Diaz on camera was in the 2014 movie version of Annie. Diaz appeared in the role of Hannigan in that movie.
celebrtity
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Alison Loat
PPF Fellow
Alison is the board chair of Ai-Media Canada and a director of the global board of Ai-Media, a technology company that makes educational, workplace, conference and media content accessible to everyone.
Alison’s career began at McKinsey & Company, where she focused on healthcare and financial services. She also worked with Commonwealth Pension Services, where she set-up a retirement income plan for Canadian charitable sector workers, and held several leadership roles in the healthcare sector, including on the founding team of the Medical and Related Sciences (MaRS) Discovery District, a 1.5 million square foot scientific commercialization facility in Toronto.
She also has a deep commitment to public service. She co-founded the Samara Centre for Democracy, a charity that works to improve the health of democracy in Canada. She was also a Senior Fellow and instructor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, was a member of the Premier of Ontario’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel, served as the president of the Canadian Club of Toronto, vice-president of the Banff Forum board, and as a director of the Toronto Community Foundation. She is also the co-author of the #1 best-selling book Tragedy in the Commons: Former MPs Speak Out About Canada’s Failing Democracy.
Alison is currently a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, where she serves on the program’s Advisory Board, a fellow at the Public Policy Forum, and Advisory Board member at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University and a governor of Ridley College. She is also an advisor to several organizations on democracy and the future of journalism.
She received both the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals and was named one of the WXN 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada. She has degrees from Queen’s University and the Harvard Kennedy School.
Presentation & Panel Discussion: Rethinking Canada’s Global Competitiveness
with Robert Asselin, Sean Speer, Craig Alexander, Laura McGee, Royce Mendes, Alison Loat
Keeping Canada Competitive
Immigration & Atlantic Revitalization
Canada Next: 12 Ways to Get Ahead of Disruption (Full Report)
Diversification Not Dependence: A Made-In-Canada China Strategy
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People Doing Things
Talks with Artists and Creators
The following is a complete list of episodes. New episodes are typically published twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.
Find the latest episodes here.
The Old Podcast, People Doing Things:
248-FEAR. August 6, 2018 After some reflection around toxic masculinity, I’ve got some thoughts about what’s behind everything: fear.
247-Just Do One Thing. August 1, 2018 I’m back and I’m talking about what’s been going on for me, falling out of routines, and just trying to keep moving forward.
246-More with Asher Isbrucker Today on the show, the continuation of my talk with Asher Isbrucker, or, what happens when I leave the mics rolling. Enjoy!
245-Asher Isbrücker-Film and Video jack-of-all-trades. July 17, 2018
Today on the show I’m talking with Asher Isbrucker, a guy who loves video, film, nostalgia, and making stuff. We talk about the pitfalls of perfectionism, the joys of old stuff, and the limitations placed on people who are “multi-interested.”
244-Talking Taking Breaks. June 24, 2018
After a little impromptu hiatus, I’m back to talk about taking breaks, being kind, and admitting that sometimes you just need to acknowledge that you’ve survived.
243-CR Packer-Writer. June 9, 2018
Back after a time away writing and healing, CR Packer returns to the show to talk about new projects, new outlooks, and what to do in the face of overwhelming bad.
242-Understanding Your Politics. June 4, 2018
Fresh back from Ontario, I have some reflections and observations about politics in this country right now. Minimal political rants.
241-New Projects, Old Ideas. May 30, 2018
Today on the show I’m talking about the Queer Arts Festival in Toronto, some new projects, and a some suburban musings.
240-Live from Whitby Roadside musings in Ontario.
239-Travis Dudfield- part 2. May 3, 2018 The last time Travis was on the show, we talked about the tale of how he essentially grew up on the track to be in the Seminary. But right as he was being groomed to move through the ranks, he left.
238-The Monday Show. April 30, 2018I’ll be honest, this is kind of just a series of rambles as my heart and brain recover from some long and deep chats.
237- Mark Antczak. April 27, 2018. I’ve had a lot of conversations with Mark Antczak about mental health and counselling because he’s been wrapping up his Masters of Counselling program. We explore why Mark got interested in the field and how he navigates his own mental health now.
236-I’ve Been Thinking A Lot About. April 16, 2018. Bit of a brain musings this Monday Show. Heh, what else is new?
235-Understanding Society with a Sociologist. April 13, 2018. Like a lot of people, I’m kind of at a loss as to what is going on in the world right now. Society seems to be headed down a dark path so I recruited my friend Neil, a sociologist by trade, to help understand exactly what is going on.
234-How Do You Feel?. April 10, 2018. That old proverbial question: how exactly do you feel? This episode is brought to you by overthinking.
233- Falcon, Island Wizards, Shania, Body Image. April 2, 2018. It’s a special Easter Monday show with stories of birds of prey, tales from Vancouver Island, and a dream visit from Shania Twain. You know, Eastery stuff!
232- Laura Fukumoto on Choir Magic. Today on the show, designer, writer, and one woman force of nature Laura Fukumoto returns to talk about returning to the choir world.
231-On Skidding Out. March 26, 2018. I’ve been thinking about depression and anxiety and what we do when we start to careen into the abyss. And I’m beginning to think about it differently.
230- Betroffenheit Revisited. March 15, 2018. Riffing on the theme of trauma and dealing with stuff, I take a look at the show ‘Betroffenheit,’ which deals with trauma and addiction (and recovery).
229-Monica Hamburg-Comedian. March 12, 2018. Three years ago to the day, Monica Hamburg appeared on our first live show to talk about Craigslist, comedy, and parents. She’s spent time in New York nervously trying out open mics and has now settled in Toronto.
228-Remembering Force of Nature, Barry Crimmins ‘Call Me Lucky’ is available on Netflix.
227-Strike While the Iron is Lukewarm and Stay Connected February 26, 2018. Today on the Monday Show, I’m talking about getting some stuff done, or at least getting something done. Also some thoughts on staying connected and why that’s important when it feels like we’re circling the drain.
226-Emma Middleton is Lois Lane February 23, 2018. The last time Emma was on the show she talked about her journey into acting and trying to land some roles in television and that sweet, sweet advertising world. Well since then, she’s done both. We talk about her getting to be the real life inspiration behind Lois Lane on AMC, as well as a sort of paramedic/Wonder Woman hybrid. Emma also breaks down the realities of auditioning and set life with some brutal honesty.
You can watch the clip from The Secret Life of Comic Books here: http://www.amc.com/shows/robert-kirkmans-secret-history-of-comics/video-extras/season-01/episode-03/robert-kirkmans-secret-history-of-comics-the-real-life-lois-lane
225-Travis Dudfield-Leaving Religion February 16, 2018. Not every religious person hears the call to the seminary, for Travis, the call was something he desperately wanted. What follows is a story of searching for God, power, sacrifice, 9/11, and of course, the Church scandal.
224-The Monday Show February 12, 2018. A bit of a potpurri today on the show, talking current events, brain stuff, and some updates from Netflix land.
223-Justin Gaar is Tired of UFOs February 8, 2018. About a year ago, Justin Gaar made a film about a guy who sees UFOs and it became something of a cult hit on Netflix. But the road from there has been rocky, including a fallout with the subject of the film, a really bizzare encounter with Tom DeLonge, and the quest for a new direction. We also get into what exactly is going on in Trumpland right now and why Canada isn’t so different, nor that far behind. This week’s episode is brought to you by the vague whiff of hope.
222-The Havana Show January 31, 2018. Coming to you from under the covers (for better sound) in Havana, Cuba, it’s a belated Monday Show! I’ve got some things on my mind and a secret mission to the centre of the heart and mind and connectedness. Just give it a listen, will ya?
221-Learning is Good for You January 15, 2018. This Monday Show I’m talking about being back in school and the lack of culpability entering into popular conversations.
220-Ryan Caron on Burnout January 11, 2018. To kick us back off with our guests, there was really only one person who could come and fill that mighty role: Ryan Caron. Ryan was the first guest and has appeared many times on the show. This time, he’s here tot talk about what he’s doing differently with handling his burnout after numerous theatre shows and political campaigns.
219-The Monday Show: Are Things Changing? January 8, 2018. A lot has gone on the few months that People Doing Things has been off the air but the most promising thing, is that the rich and powerful misogynists are beginning to fall like dominos.
218-Person Re-Doing ThingsJanuary 5, 2018. Well hello there… it’s been a while…
THE LAST SHOW September 10, 2017. Hasta luego, compadres.
216-What DO people do? August 28, 2017. This Monday Show, I’m talking about trying to make it all work. You know… the usual!
215-Rachel Kambury-Writer August 25, 2017. Today is a big long show about the depth and breadth of a human’s life. I’m talking to New York based writer Rachel Kambury about why she’s hooked on Band of Brothers. At least that was the way in to the conversation. But of course, things are not that simple and we visit grief, building an identity, connecting to art and so much more.
214-Virginia August 14, 2017. It’s hard to have words anymore but I’m trying to figure out what comes next. There’s some music at the end so it’s not all heavy.
213-Fragile Masculinity and Dried Halls August 1, 2017. Any day is a good day to talk about fragile masculinity and shooting yourself in the foot by leaving dried Halls around. Right? Hey, at least I did a show.
212- Dave Kozlowski-Attorney July 29, 2017. In today’s extended episode, I’m talking with Dave Kozlowski, an attorney and writer in New York. Dave talks about growing up without a clear direction and ultimately choosing law, essentially to pay off his student loans and to live the good life. But as so often happens, the reality wasn’t necessarily what he had imagined. We also talk a bit about Trump and America and where things are at.
211-Wonder Woman, Hidden Figures, Ozark July 24, 2017. Movies and TV breakdown!
210-We’re still hung up on ‘Son of a Trickster’ July 10, 2017. Longtime PDT alum, Ryan Caron, just finished reading Eden Robinson’s book ‘Son of a Trickster’ and wants to talk about. We talk vulnerability and confidence in writing, as well as why this book is so good. There are spoilers but we warn ahead of time.
209-People (me) Doing Something. July 7, 2017. After some more time away, I’m back- with some news about the fututre of the show. Do the thing!
208-The Monday Show June 18, 2017. As usual, asking why the show continues- but this time.. with music! Francis Arevalo and The Lions We Are have the new album out: https://soundcloud.com/francisarevalomusic
207-Unprecious Poetry Night June 9, 2017. A few weeks ago, I decided to invite a bunch of friends to make poetry chapbooks and to see what happened. This is part of that result.
206-The Hiatus Show June 5, 2017. Okay, so that didn’t last long…
205-Veronique West-Theatre Writer May 27, 2017. Veronique West is one of Vancouver’s young, gifted theatre artists and we sat down to chat about the early success of her first play ‘Marrow,’ as well as growing up with a single parent, and working through an eating disorder.
204-Master of Vacation May 23, 2017. Today on the show, I’m talking about vacations, jaw injuries, and Season 2 of Master of None
203-Lau Sequins-Artist May 18, 2017. Lau is someone who always has a project, or nine, on the go. She’s working on a revamp of an original musical, and we go back through her past projects, including running a choir. SOme good anecdotes about finding yourself, trying to negotiate your privilege appropriately, and singing with Tegan and Sara.
202-Sasha Singer-Wilson-Theatre Artist May 11, 2017. Sasha has accomplished a lot as an independent theatre artist and has experience with early success in Toronto but as you’ll soon find out, has a lot of other things to about: like a set of tapes from her grandfather, going through acting school, as well as trying to figure out audience interaction. You can stay up to date with Sasha’s work at https://www.sashasingerwilson.com/
201-Seeing Eye to Eye May 7, 2017. Today I’m talking about a conversation I had with a guy who has just about as opposite of a view as I do- and how we were able to actually have a conversation.
200-Teri Grant- Productivity Coach May 5, 2017. We’ve all been in the weeds when it comes to trying to get things done. And we’ve all also read the blog posts or heard the advice about the miracle solution to being more productive. Today, my friend and former colleague, Teri Grant, joins me to talk about where people go wrong and how to not just get stuff done but also to get it done so that you can enjoy your life. You can get in touch with her or get her e-book here: http://beproductiveatwork.com/
199-Tell Your Story, Not Someone Else’s May 2, 2017 Today on the show, I’ve got some updates, as well as some thoughts when well intentioned people end up telling someone else’s story.
198-Travis Smith-Internet Wizard April 27, 2017. Travis is no stranger to the internet. Where you and I might have a somewhat limited memory of how it all came to be, Travis was working for the LA Times and Variety right when the internet was becoming “a thing.” Travis has a lot to say as we talk about the internet and our brains, AI, and whether or not we’re already there. Travis runs Hop Studios: https://www.hopstudios.com/
197-Monday Show-Horses, Health, and Art April 23, 2017. Today on the show I’m talking about the usual health and book updates, plus a story about the first time I met a horse. Which was today.
196-Chloe Packer Returns- Writer April 20, 2017. When Chloe was last on the show, she was suffering from writer’s block and about to move to LA. Well she did move, and now she’s back, and has a lot to say…
195-What is “Health?” April 17, 2017. On this week’s Monday Show, I’m mulling over/trying to re-define “health,” and why we fail at trying to “get healthy.” As usual, I find it’s the existential junk that is more of a hang up than just physical barriers. Aslo a graphic novel review to go somewhat lighter. Do the thing!
194-Francis Arevalo-MC April 14, 2017. Way back in the heyday of People Doing Things, Francis Arevalo was on the show talking about family, community, art and grand plans. But shortly after that, Francis got sick and everything ground to a halt. For a long time. We go back and talk about that time: what it was like seeing the world move on while he struggled with mental illness and physical fatigue, and then we talk about the many things that got him out of it. Francis has a new album out in June and you can find his music here: https://soundcloud.com/francisarevalomusic
193-Times Have Changed April 10, 2017. Today on the show, I’m taking a bit of a look back- because one of our earliest guests is coming back on the show. A lot has changed in two years for both of us.
192-Cory McRae-Teacher April 6, 2017. Cory’s no stranger to People Doing Things but we’ve never actually sat down and talked about his real passion: education. We go back and talk about how he got into it in the first place, his philosophy, and where education is at right now, both on the ground and in the broader picture.
191-Monday Show on a Tuesday April 4, 2017. Today we’ve got some guest updates, some musings on how to better promote your stuff as well as some good old fashioned exhaustion kicking in!
190-Alex Reeder-Comics Artist March 30, 2017. For artist Alex Reeder, art has always been a way to express things that might not otherwise get to be expressed: life, fear, sexuality, gender, relationships, and just good old fashioned fun. Alex and I talk about moving around and searching for that thing we’re all searching for: being understood and cared for. You can support Alex’s work at: https://www.patreon.com/alexreeder and absorb it into your brain here: https://alexreederart.tumblr.com/
189- Weird Show, Annoyed at Self March 28, 2017. Classic People Doing Things show where Nick talks vaguely about art and feelings but strings together some coherent thoughts on what’s coming up on the show.
188-Tanille Geib-Lover of Humans March 23, 2017 Today on the show, we’re finally catching up with Tanille Geib, an artist, sexual educator, producer and much more. We talk about bodies, what happens to us as we age, how we actually discover our sexuality and just about everything in between. You can check out more of her work here: http://www.tanillegeib.ca/
187-Connecting to Joy and Pleasure March 20, 2017. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have a great relationship with joy. A conversation I had this week (up on Thursday) made me think long and hard about what it I actually want and hwere the roots of deep joy and pleasure come from.
186-The OA with Kim, Rachael, and Neil March 17, 2017. What do you do when you find a Netflix show you love/hate/binge-watch over three days? You invite a bunch of people over to dissect every little detail of course! Kimberley, Rachael, and Neil join me to offer points of view on whether we think this show is brilliant, or just annoyingly vague.
185-A visit from our old friend, Depression March 12, 2017.Old school existential dread show. ❤
184-Why Do Anything? March 7, 2017. Today is a bit of an annual general meeting of the podcast, or a state of the union address? We’re slightly shifting gears here at the podcast, or focusing a little bit. Nuanced conversation about life’s big (and little) questions must prevail.
183-Nick and Ryan Show #1 March 3, 2017. Ryan Caron is no stranger to People Doing Things but today we mix up the format a little and just do a show together.
182-Trevor Noah and Discomfort with Race February 28, 2017. Last week I saw Trevor Noah on a stroke of luck and I have some thoughts about audience reactions and how uncomfortable with race white people are.
181-Justin Gaar-Filmmaker February 24, 2017. What started out as a relatively simple phone call, sent filmmaker Justin Gaar on a three-year journey into the heart and mind of Christo Roppolo, a man who films UFOs. But a simple editing project soon became much more: a story of loneliness, heartbreak, belief, empathy and ultimately, of someone who is so unapologetically himself, he’s almost more unbelievable than the UFOs he films. But as Justin tells us, we’re just in the presence of one the great characters and loveable weirdos of our time.
You can watch ‘The Curse of the Man Who Sees UFOs’ on Netflix
180-UFOs February 20, 2017. Today on the show, I’m talking about a really sweet new documentary called ‘The Curse of the Man Who Sees UFOs,’ which is a beautiful and somewhat tragic tale of the actual people who believe in conspiracy theories. Also, some guest updates!
179-Diana Helps Us Work Out the Heart Junk February 17, 2017. A longstanding theme of this show has been trying to solve life’s questions, mysteries, and troubles. But as my friend Diana suggests, maybe we’re trying to solve life, which isn’t possible. We talk about her background in psychology and counselling and how we can truly help ourselves.
178-Self Absorbed Mayhem February 13, 2017. Today on thew show I’m talking about slow realizations about being self absorbed, as well as some “reviews” for tv shows, comics, and novels. Plus there’s a little debut of my new track ‘Fascist Cabaret.’
177-Rage Spiral February 7, 2017. We live in an age of keeping your cool, seeing the larger picture, and just letting it wash over you. So what if you’re a bit of an anger junkie and the world is going to hell in a handbasket?
176-Jess Marlow-Youth Worker and Artist February 2, 2017. It’s been quite some time since Jess Marlow was last on the show, and since then, she’s moved to the UK to work with LGBTQ2 youth. We talk about what kids need, why they can often think better than adults and then dive into how we can possibly make a difference in our own communities.
175-Resistance January 30, 2017. Following the inhumanity and violence shown towards Muslims in America and Canada this weekend, I’m feeling pretty sad about what the state of affairs is. But it’s no time to feel hopeless. There is a place for art and activism and that’s what we’re talking about today.
174-Mallory Tater- Writer January 26, 2017. Today on the show I’m talking to the up-and-coming writing talent that is Mallory Tater. She just finished her Masters in Creative Writing and already has a book deal. But we go back and chart how an introspective, broody but sociable kid decided to throw everything she had at writing. You can find more of her work at her website: https://mallorytater.com/ as well as keep yourself apprised of what’s going on with her meteoric writing trajectory.
173-Life Is Weird But So Are We. January 24, 2017. It’s been a pretty insane few days for most of us so today I’m taking a step back to talk about the Women’s March, learning to listen, engaging and disengaging with intention, as well as a whack of other life things. Writer Mallory Tater is on the show Thursday.
172-Nadeem Phillip-Actor Today on the show I’m joined by actor Nadeem Phillip. Nadeem’s been working a lot lately and getting some good press so we go back to where it all began: in Kensington Market and lead him to New York, LA, and Vancouver.
171-Make Your Art It’s been a rough week at the Cactus Shack. Working through the heart stuff. You know.
170-Remembering Gwen Desjardins. Today we take a look back at our conversation with my friend Gwen, who passed away on Monday. She’s a true original and I hope you enjoy getting to spend some time with my friend Gwen.
169-Look back at 2016 show. Today, to finally celebrate the new year, we’re taking a look back at some favourite moments from the shows in 2016
168-Whitby Ponderings December 27, 2016. A little throwback to the early days, I got for a walk in the icy suburbs and pontificate about life, 2016, and what we do next.
167-Christmas Eve Show! December 24, 2016. An annual tradition here at People Doing Things, we like to take a look back with the help of our friends and guests and tell some winter stories.
166-Joseph Glaser and Laura Fukumoto on Art December 22, 2016. Last night we had our friend, composer Joseph Glaser, over for dinner and we got to chatting about music, art, community and I had the foresight to record it. So if you’ve maxed out on family time, enjoy some dinner conversation!
165-Live from Montreal December 19, 2016. A little update Monday show talking about the first few days in Montreal and a few guest updates. Amiththan’s blog that I talk about can be found here: https://timeplacedrift.wordpress.com/
164-Here’s what’s going on December 12, 2016. Haven’t done an episode in a little bit because there’s been a lot going on. My friend is terminally ill and I wanted to talk about it.
163-Kyla Rose-Emotional Intelligence Ninja November 30, 2016. Today on the show I’m joined by Kyla Rose, a writer and mental health advocate. Kyla relates her own experience with anxiety and depression and what has helped and what hasn’t. A recent blog post of hers on a guide for partners has been tremendously popular lately and we talk about why that might be. You can read her blog here: https://kylarosesims.wordpress.com/2016/11/01/when-your-partner-has-anxiety-a-meltdown-guide/
162-Dealing With Certain Types of People November 28, 2016. Today on the show, I have some thoughts but new thoughts on how to deal with certsain types of people. You know: shitty people. I might have finally worked through something. Or at least approached it from a different angle.
161- Post-Nuptial Pondering November 24, 2016. We got married! So I talk about that and then of course it turns into something more existential and apparently urgent. You know.
160-Greyson Peck- Music Fan and Casual Musician November 17, 2016. Greyson has a long history with music, like me. And like me, he’s had ebbs and flows with it but it has remained a through line for him that he’s excited to be re-discovering and immersing himself in. We talk about being in bands, writing, jazz and bands we jus don’t get
159-We’re Getting Married November 14, 2016. People keep asking Laura and I about getting married and this is our response
158-The Come Down and Isolation November 12, 2016. Well that happened. While folks grieve and lay low, I’ve got some thoughts on isolation and conversations. Share some art with the world. New song from Ayoroyoko (me) at the end.
157-A Note to You November 9, 2016. Well. It’s happened. Almost. Sort of? America. Yeah, we have to go there.
156-Halloween and Music Makin’ October 31, 2016. Talking a little bit about Halloween and maybe its lost charms and also about trying to dust off some brain cobwebs long enough to make some music.
155-Gillian Corbo-Anatomy Instructor October 28, 2016. I last talked to Gill in 2015 when she was out in Ontario doing her Masters degree in anatomy. Well now she’s moved South to the Windy City and she’s a full time faculty member. We talk about being a Canadian in America, being an adult, how people learn, and of course, cadavers
154-Autumnal Slide and Turning it Around October 25, 2016. Autumn is a weird time, whether you love it or hate it. I’m talking today about some recent things going on and how I’ve been coping, or not, and how I’m trying to turn it around like an adult human being.
153-Taneka Stotts- Comics Writer October 19, 2016. Taneka is one of those humans is simultaneously powered by spontaneity and being driven towards a vision. Taneka talks with me about growing up with seven brothers, hitting the open road being called by nothing but slam poetry, and eventually, writing comics. Go support Taneka’s amazing projects here: https://www.beyond-press.com/and http://tanekastotts.com/
152-Emma Middleton-Actress October 14, 2016. Being an actor isn’t easy but as Emma Middleton explains, it also isn’t impossible. We talk about theatre and film work, her process, as well as just fun anecdotes from the industry.
151-Salvaging Friendships Over Getting Sucked Into the Dark Void October 12, 2016. If you’ve ever lost a friend over some stupid garbage you’ve basically forgotten OR your heart and mind feel overrun by the negativity dumpster fire that is trying to be an engaged citizen, this episode might be for you.
150-Skye Wallace October 6, 2016. At first glance, Skye Wallace may appear to be yet another singer-songwriter in the folk tradition but as I find out, she’s got a hell of a lot more to her than that. For one, she’s got an incredible and distinct voice, and she’s fired up in a way you would hope most musicians are. We talk about what got her started in music, what’s kept her there and why she feels like she’s found her voice. She’s on tour this fall with the new album – stay up to date with her here: http://www.skyewallace.com/
149-White boys October 5, 2016. After an unusual weekend, I have some thoughts on white boys, entitlement and Trump. Yeah. But you can also watch Skye Wallace’s new music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRzLX4BEVIE
148-Ryan Caron in Tokyo! September 29, 2016. Today on the show, we’re joined by our first ever guest and long time podcast friend, Ryan Caron! Ryan’s been in Tokyo living and breathing kabuki dance and it was high time we caught up.
147-The Sickness Taketh Over September 27, 2016. Well, this is what I get for announcing a guest before it’s in the bag. I got some sort of horrendous stomach bug but I’m back to at least say that I’m alive and provide a few updates
146-Exhaustion September 19, 2016. Things have been a little full on. I talk about how you reset after ending up on the wrong end of the energy cycle
145-Fringe Festival Mini-Edition September 10, 2016. Just as the name implies, we’re having a quick rundown of some shows on by PDT alum Tanya Mathivanan and Matthew Willis. You can buy tickets and see all the shows here: https://tickets.vancouverfringe.com/
144-Graphic Novels and Island Minds September 4, 2016. Today on the show I’m giving a brief rundown of some graphic novels I picked up, as well as a quintessential Canadian experience: being baffled and annoyed by hometown small-mindedness
143-Talking Food with Akira August 27, 2016. Everyone has opinions on food. Akira and I happen to have very strong ones.
142-Bikes, Stranger Things, and Learning August 15, 2016. I finally hopped on the bandwagon and watched Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things.’ There’s not a ton of spoilers in my rundown but there’s certainly enough to ruin the show so you’ve been warned!
141-Trump Conundrum Solved By Art August 10, 2016. Okay I barely even mention Trump but I do eventually get to a point about The Conversation and how to engage with it, or not, at will, and/or with art. It’s my attempt at a pep talk
140-Matthew Willis-Producer, Screenwriter August 5, 2016. Last time Matthew was on the show, he was a producer’s assistant and now he’s back, having written (and sold) his first screenplay. We talk about that, his time in Mexico City on a show, and then try to solve how to reckon with “the noise.” You can contribute to bringing The Orbweaver to Vancouver here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2123279654/the-orbweaver-from-mexico-to-the-vancouver-fringe
139-Self Help vs Emotional Manipulation July 29, 2016. Today on the show I have some guest updates (like Missy D’s new album) and a few thoughts that have settled in after some time in the mountains combined with laying on the couch watching Netflix while trying to get back to health. Tony Robbins takes a bit of a hit. You’ve been warned
138- Internet nihilism and Ghostbusters July 17, 2016. I’m going a little squirrely while my shoulder heals/rejects my body, but I have some thoughts that are remarkably positive about 2016. Also I saw Ghostbusters
137-I broke myself, Bastion, and BLM July 13, 2016. Today on the show I give a brief update about dislocating my shoulder, some news about my novella, Bastion and then delve a little into some advice to give to ‘that guy’ about Black Lives Matter.
136-Tanya Mathivanan-Director July 8, 2016. Today on the show I’m joined by theatre director Tanya Mathivanan. We talk about growing up in Singapore, working with tenacity and curiosity, Mark Rothko, and a whole lot more. Her show RED, is playing now at Little Mountain Gallery in Vancouver:
135-Rothko, Race and Clarity of Mind July 5, 2016. Today on the show I’m talking about the fantastic show RED, about painter Mark Rothko, as well as race. Don’t worry, this is not another “white person explains race” segment, merely throwing out the idea that maybe, just maybe, white people don’t actually know what racism is.
134-Jordan Hall-Playwright July 1, 2016. Jordan Hall is one of Canada’s up and coming playwrights, having won critical acclaim with Kayak in 2010. Jordan and I get into the specifics of her most recent work How to Survive an Apocalypse and her upcoming piece Rate of Loss, as well as explore why anyone would choose to be an artist in Vancouver.
Carmilla the Web Series
JordanHall.ca
133-Jessie’s and Check-in June 28, 2016. Today on the show I’ve got some recap from the Jessie’s, Vancouver’s theatre awards- including a surprise win – and some life updates
132-Sfé R Monster-Comics Artist June 23, 2016. Today on the show I’m talking to Sfé R Monster, a comics artist from North Vancouver, residing in Halifax. Sfé and I chat about the peculiarly large queer independent comics scene, being selfish in the good way and why sometimes it’s better to just go blindly into a project, regardless of what critics say. You can check out Sfé’s work at: eths-skin.com,
beyondanthology.com
twitter.com/sfemonster
131-Tribute and Grief June 20, 2016. These are my thoughts as I’m working through the trauma of the last two weeks with so many people killed.
130-Moriah Wax-Opera Singer June 16, 2016. Today on the show, powerhouse opera singer Moriah Wax joins me to talk about the intimacy and space created in theatre and opera that can’t be found anywhere else, as well as just what exactly opera is. It’s an incredible story in and of itself and there’s even a Marlon Brando story to boot.See her sing: http://music.ubc.ca/student-ensembles/opera/
129-Getting Older (Nick Turns 30) June 13, 2016. Today I have some ruminations on turning 30, as well as finding compassion even when it’s hard. I do not address the heinous shooting in Orlando, as I found out after I recorded the show and I, like most people, am still processing what happened.
128-Ryan McDiarmid-Comics, Illustration June 10, 2016. Today I’m joined by comic book artist Ryan McDairmid. We talk about independent comics vs the “majors,” growing up in Tofino, as well as getting the ball rolling artistically and the challenges of keeping it rolling. His work is available at http://www.memenaar.com/ and http://www.thedivinealchemy.com/
127-Is everyone dying and how can I feel better? June 7, 2016. Prince, Bowie, Ali. Seems like everyone’s important idols are passing on. I talk about this as well as how to keep yourself above it all, or at least try to. And there’s some guest updates too!
126-Keith Reynolds. June 3, 2016. Today friend of the show, writer and doer of things, Keith Reynolds. Keith has been on the show before so we check in with that before we dive into his new work with Resist Stigma, which helps address a variety of stigma that gay, bi-sexual, queer, trans and two-spirited men face. And just like last time, Nick gets a little choked up.
125-Positive Pscyhology and Feeling all the Things May 31, 2016. Today on the show I’m talking about what I know about positive psychology and how to keep your heart from exploding with all the feelings
124-Vacation Mess and Salvation May 26, 2016. Alright so things didn’t exactly go according to plan…
123- Allison Mander-Wionzek-Artist May 19, 2016. Today I’m joined by artist and art curator Allison Mander-Wionzek, who talks about growing up in small town Ontario and how some art teachers turned her on to a whole different world. We talk about her influences, as well as what it’s like to be immersed in the world of art but not alway “making” something.
122-Local Art May 16, 2016. Today I’m talking about a few guest updates, a few promos of my own and why you need to go get yourself into a theatre. Also, a quick review of ‘Horace and Pete,’ the new show from Louis CK. You can buy Sean Karemaker’s book ‘The Ghosts We Know’ here: http://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-We-Know-Sean-Karemaker/dp/1772620033
121-Clutter and Call-out Culture May 11, 2016. Today on the show I’m giving you the lowdown on a short series I’m making called ‘Clutter.’ The show can be found on the brand spanking new pdtpod.com site under ‘Clutter.’ Then I’ve got a thing or two to say about people “calling out” others on the internet and why those people are sometimes just jerks.
120-Let’s Help Each Other Out May 7, 2016. Today on a special Saturday show, we’re talking about how to build better art communities and I have a little summer challenge that needs your ideas.
119-Maybe We’re Okay May 2, 2016. Today on the Monday Show I’ve got some life and art updates as well as some musings on setting boundaries, both for ourselves and other people. And maybe, just maybe, the notion that we’re actually okay.
118-Clare Yow- Visual Artist April 28, 2016. Today on the show, Vancouver-based visual artist Clare Yow joins me to talk about not necessarily growing up “artistic,” exploring transnational identity, gender and life paths. You can check Clare’s art out at: http://www.clareyow.com
117-Heart Stuff April 25, 2016. I promise this isn’t as morose as you might think.
116-Traffik-MC April 15, 2016. Today on the show we’re joined by Vancouver MC Traffik, who has just released his debut album. Jacob, as he’s also known has a story rooted in self discovery and music from a pretty young age and while he may have progressed from his attic recording raps about cats, he still holds that creative space as something vital to making music. https://soundcloud.com/traffikthemc
115-Routines and Junk April 11, 2016. Things have admittedly not been all roses in the brain and heart lately so I’m re-evaluating and trying to build a new routine for myself. But not before a quick pit stop tangent about ‘Cooked.’
114-Gloria Eid April 8, 2016. If you’ve never heard of a career pause before then hold on tight because Gloria Eid is going to share with you what she’s been chewing on for the past few months- and a conversation we’ve been having a lot on the podcast: how exactly do we be ourselves?
113-Do What You Need April 5, 2016. Battling through brain fog and a cold I pontificate on what exactly a human needs to function or thrive.
112-Akira’s Story Part 2 April 1, 2016. Today on the show, we pick up where we left off with Akira’s Story (episode 99) and look into a cross country road trip and how Akira slowly discovered and came to terms with being trans. It’s a heavy-hearted talk at points discussing trauma, depression, suicide and grief so do what you need to do to take care of yourself. There’s also lots of levity!
111-What to do when you don’t do the thing March 29, 2016. Today on the show we’re just chatting a little about some *perhaps* helpful tips for when you don’t do the thing, or, when you do the wrong thing. I think this is called positive psychology but I’d really like to take full credit for the idea.
110-Writer’s Block with Chloe Packer March 25, 2016. Today on the show, Chloe Packer (episode 88) joins me to talk about her upcoming play ‘Fists’ and why it’s causing her so much grief. We bounce around a bit and talk about scripts, LA, plays and boxing. Do it!
109-On Trying March 21, 2016. Today on the show I’m talking about trying: trying to give up, trying to push through, trying to make sense of being a human and how we might be able to help each other.
108-Rae Spoon March 17, 2016. Today on the show musician and writer Rae Spoon calls in from the last stop on the leg of their tour in support of their new album ‘Armour.’ We hop around Rae’s 15 year career about how projects like ‘My Prairie Home’ and ‘Gender Failure’ came to be, as well as how the grassroots and mainstream scenes have changed over the years. www.raespoon.com
107- Butoh and Brokeback March 14, 2016. Today on the show we’re joined by artist-in-residence (at the Cactus Shack anyway), Ryan Caron, who talks to Laura and I about butoh dance and the destroying of ego. The video we’re referring to in the conversation is here: https://vimeo.com/100239485. There’s also some tangents about creating space in art, as well as the cinematic space in Brokeback Mountain.
106-Betroffenheit March 3, 2016. Today on the show I’m talking about Jonathon Young’s incredible show ‘Betroffenheit’ – which in crude terms: deals with trauma.
105-Kathleen Reid- Switchboard PR February 29, 2016. Today on the show I’m talking to entrepreneur and go-getter Kathleen Reid. Always an ambitious person, Kathleen tells me about her desire to change things for the better but also to push herself, despite not necessarily knowing towards what.
Switchboard PR: http://switchboardpr.com/
Isabel’s Villegas’ Cycling Show: https://itunes.apple.com/nl/podcast/grupetto-.-chat/id1086902941?l=en
104-Kelly Trout-Jeweler February 26, 2016. Remember way back when we talked to Kelly Trout who was kinda stuck and looking for a thing to call her own? Well she’s back and she’s making jewellery now! We talk Halifax, music co-ops, learning and how metal works.You can find her stuff at: Crone Metal Arts and if you enter the offercode ‘peopledoingthings’ you get 10% of your purchase!
103-America February 23, 2016. Today’s show is coming to you from sunny Orlando, Florida. I talk about tourist city burnout, that guy with parrots and a few other musings on the greatest show on Earth.
102-Graeme Thompson February 19, 2016. Today on the show actor Graeme Thompson stops by to discuss saying yes to projects, being a needy younger brother and cutting his teeth as an actor in historic Barkerville.
101-Tyra Weitman-Soet-Fashion Designer February 15, 2016. Today I’m talking to fashion designer and self described “dabbler” Tyra Weitman-Soet. We get into how she came to be interested in making her own clothes and why people don’t value well-made clothing. We also get into how we can be our own worst enemies and regardless of your discipline, sometimes the most important thing is to step out of your own way.
100-100th Episode February 12, 2016.
Today is a big day at the Cactus Shack- 100 episodes of People Doing Things! We reverse things a little bit and get our good friend Ryan (episodes 1, 28, 69, 81, etc) to sit down and interview me. Lots of tangents! Also, EHM Sky Patrol’s show: https://www.facebook.com/events/1686768094900454/
99-Akira’s Story February 9, 2016. Today on the show my friend Akira drops by to discuss some of her thoughts and reflections on coming out as trans, being comfortable with discomfort and how people react to her now. We also talk about encountering people at different stages in their lives, as well as the need for more positive trans representation.
Canada’s first transgender judge: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadas-first-transgender-judge-named/article27876501/
Cate McGregor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cate_McGregor
98-Queer enough February 6, 2016. Today I’m talking about queer guilt and how we perform/present or not. I don’t think I really solve anything but maybe you know the feeling. Also, EHM Sky Patrol’s album is now available for pre-order: http://ehmskypatrol.bandcamp.com/releases
97-Matthew Willis-Producer, Director, Writer January 28, 2016. Today I’m talking to Matthew Willis about all that goes into getting things done. Matthew just scored a professional gig as a producer’s assistant but remains a producer, director, and writer of his own stuff as well, working across theatre and film.
96-Goals and Plays and Our Own Minds January 24, 2016. Oh hi there, stranger. Today I’m giving you some little writing updates as well as talking about *possible* ways of sticking to your goals or resolutions or whatever it is you’re doing to try to not slip into the void. We can do it. Probably.
95-Mark Proudfoot-Co-founder of Just Greet January 14, 2016. Today we’ve got co founder of Just Greet and entrapraneur Mark Proudfoot on the show discussing how the idea came to be in a very short time and how flexibility and tenacity are the hallmarks (pun intended) of great business people.
94-EHM Sky Patrol, Art in Your Head, Bowie January 12, 2016. Today on the show I’ve got some news about EHM Sky Patrol’s new album, so I share a clip from my 2014 interview with frontwoman Elise Hall-Meyer. More band info can be found here:http://www.ehmskypatrol.com/ I also read a play so I share some thoughts about that. And I say a few things vaguely relating to Bowie. More is coming out about him assaulting a kid- I suggest you go read that too.
93-Mary Leong-Travel Writer January 9, 2016. Today on the show I have my friend Mary Leong, who has a travel blog: http://tinyladybigworld.com/ We talk about the problem with the way people travel and how they talk about it, and Mary shares some fun facts about New Brunswick, Macedonia and Estonia. She’s got a unique view and it was a good talk. Put it in the sides of your face.
PDT-92-Guest Updates! January 5, 2016. Just like Maury Povich, we’re checking in with some of our guests from past episodes- like Missy D, Sean Karemaker, Megan Ryland and Keith Reynolds! Happy Tuesday.
91-Movie Reviews from a Forest December 28, 2015. Today I’m talking Mr Holmes and Star Wars, in a forest! I also share some thoughts and hopes about the podcast.
90-Christmas Episode December 24, 2015. Apparently this is a tradition now.
89-Pre-Christmas Episode December 21, 2015. We’re back on track! This week, my friend Cory drops by and we talk about gearing up for the holidays and dealing with family. Yeah!
88-Chloe Packer-Writer December 3, 2015. After a brief hiatus we’re back with a new show: talking to writer Chloe Packer! She’s an artist and human of many talents but we talk about what moves her to write and whether or not she’s willing to stick around being a writer “trying to make it” forever
87-One Year Anniversary Show November 16, 2015. Today marks 365 days of People Doing Things beaming into your head spaces so I thought we’d celebrate by going back through the vault and sharing some stories and anecdotes with you from the last year.
The special opening track is Trans Lunar Express 1 by Toronto outfit Moonwood- you can buy their new album here on PURPLE VINYL, MAN
86-Joanna Ludlow-Race to Alaska November 13, 2015. Most people wouldn’t necessarily sign up for a race to Alaska on a tiny two person catamaran- especially if they had no previous experience of sailing. And maybe Joanna Ludlow isn’t most people but as she’ll tell you, there are worse things to fear than death.
85-Jose Gomez-Doctor November 7, 2015.This one’s a pretty remarkable episode- a conversation with my friend Jose who is a doctor in Mexico. We talk about emergency rooms, big pharma, drunk pop stars, and delivering twins in the middle of nowhere. There’s fairly graphic content in this one related to death and injury, so be advised.
84-November Challenge November 3, 2015. Some show updates a wee challenge to keep you going through arguably the worst month. We can do it!
83-Andrew Lynch-Actor October 30, 2015. Today we’re talking to the actor Andrew Lynch, who loves villians and detests method actors- as people anyway. We go way back to what got Andrew into acting and discuss him playing the Penguin.
82-Filling My Head with Art October 26, 2015. Today I’m talking about a play I went to see called Tender Napalm, why I get weepy at dance things and also some observations on people who live forever in the future. It’s a whole show so let’s do it!
81-Ryan Caron-Kabuki Dancer + Life Stuff October 23, 2015. Today I’m talking to our old friend Ryan Caron, who first appeared on episode 1 and remains a presence at the Cactus Shack. He’s just got himself a grant to go study kabuki dance in Japan so we talk about that- but not before I go over some obtuse metaphors about dealing with life.
80-That Time I Had a Beer with Justin Trudeau October 20, 2015. Today I roundly celebrate the first day of a Harper-less Canada as well as the end of the election. I have a few thoughts. But mostly I want to tell you a story about the time I awkwardly touched Justin Trudeau.
79-Geoff Schellenberg-Opera Singer October 16, 2015. Today we talk to a real live opera singer! I fumble my way through try to understand a rather particular art form and Geoff talks about whether opera is dead or not, how he stumbled into opera and what exactly it takes to “make it.”
78-Losing my election October 10, 2015. Well into Canada’s longest lead up to an election, I share some thoughts reluctantly and somewhat abusively. Happy Thanksgiving!
77-Community Building through Outer Space October 5, 2015. So we got a telescope and it’s changing our neighborhood.
76-Gillian Corbo-Master of Anatomy September 26, 2015. Today I chat to my old friend Gill, whose studying her Master’s of Anatomy in Ontario. Gill has two obsessions: teaching and bodies. Cadavers to be more precise. We talk about embarrassing moments in the morgue, how to healthy and how the brain works. Science!
75-The Brain and Clarity September 20, 2015. Tangential thoughts on seeking (and possibly finding) clarity and also how the brain works. How do we learn?!
74-Al Shaibani-a guy who sort of does everything September 18, 2015. I’ve known Al for a few years and quite apart from being a nice guy- he’s also seemingly everywhere, involved in everything from student leadership conferences to boards, to campus tours to… dropping everything to go to Japan with a one-way ticket. We talk about growing up in Baghdad, moving every two years, wearing bow ties and being academically driven- and then sort of not.
73-I am not good at weekends September 14, 2015. Nick goes for a walk and tries to live like a human. It almost works
72-Vanity Feral-Burlesque Dancer + Activist September 11, 2015. Today on the show I talk to Vanity Feral, a woman of many interests and talents. We talk human libraries, burlesque, bi-sexualism, art, activism- there’s not much we left out and I’m sure there could have been a lot more. Settle in for some deep talks.
*Trigger Warning: there’s a relatively frank discussion of rape in the first segment
71-Art from every direction! September 7, 2015. This Labour Day I’m talking about graphic novels, theatre, journals, writing a web series and queer community. And community in general.
70-Sean Karemaker-Comic Book Artist September 4, 2015. Today I’m talking to Sean, a gifted artist and deep thinker who details art as the only thing to do in a busy household and how the shifts in life and artistic direction don’t always come from within. Check out his art: http://www.seankaremaker.com/
69-Trauma by Proximity (and the way through) August 30, 2015. Ryan Caron and I both had rough weeks, so we’re talking it out. Frank discussions of violence, cancer and depression. Hopefully some catharsis too.
68-Self Care Can Look Like A Lot of Things August 25, 2015. Hey creatures! We’re running on fumes and so have a little mid-week check in! I’m talking about the origins of the show, talking to people’s faces, puttin’ energy in your cells and bachelorettes. Let’s do the show!
67-Ekaterina Dovjenko-Architect August 21, 2015. Today we’re talking to my pal Kat, who is entering the home stretch of her architectural degree. We talk about what makes architects different as well as how we can change the world (for better or worse) with design of the spaces around us.
66-We’re Doing a Show! and a bachelorette party August 18, 2015. Big announcement this week about my upcoming web series, as well as ruminations on brain fog and bachelorette parties
65-Matt Loeb- Poet, Web Comic Guy August 14, 2015. Sometimes you sit down with someone and eery similarities in life experiences align. This was one of those. Runaway brain and poet/web comic guy Matt Loeb takes us on a non-linear journey of beanie babies as performance art, bringing art to Windsor and many, many other tangents. Web comic is here: http://www.brainthoughtwordsay.com/
PDT-64-Who Needs a Leader? August 11, 2015. Today on the show- after some technical delays- I’m asking some questions and connecting some dots around leadership (or absence of) and how we build things.
63-Rachel Taylor-Director, Poet August 6, 2015. Rachel’s a woman of many talents- a poet, a director and a caller-out of people. We chat about working in an isolated Northern city, being gay, being Christian and how all of those things combine in all kinds of interesting ways. Go follow her and her musings and art at @SlamPoetRachel
PDT-62-Engagement, Cancer, Queer. Big life stuff. August 4, 2015. Alright. It’s been busy times here at the cactus shack. Big news items and a callout to our community. How do we show up for each other so we can fix things and plow through?
PDT-61-Geoff Lister-Photographer. July 31, 2015. Geoff’s journey into becoming a photographer didn’t start in the likeliest of places: it started in a brief stint in church. Through that experience he learned that you have to take a lot of bad photos before you can take any good ones. And it also helps to embrace the unknown.
PDT-60-Isabel Montoya Villegas- Cyclist July 24, 2015. Alright, sure a lot of people love bikes but not everyone loves bikes like Isabel. Born and raised in cycling stronghold Colombia, we trace back the route of her fascination with bikes. She explains how races work, why Colombia is so cycling nuts and even some the spiritualism surrounding some of Colombia’s most famous cyclists.
PDT-59-Bicycles July 21, 2015. Today we’re talking about why we love, and why we miss, bikes. Lindsay sits down with her dad and I wax about how sometimes buying a bike is no easier than buying a car.
PDT-58-Lindsay Alley-Actor, Writer, Producer July 18, 2015. Today on the show, an actress and our new producer: Lindsay Alley! Lindsay and I talk about being home schooled in Victoria, growing up “weird” and finding the ability to be okay with not knowing. Her journey has taken her to theatre school in London, a strange date that Sir Ian McKellen crashed and three months wandering in Mexico.
PDT-57-The Show, Queer Art, and Why Men Can’t Behave On the Internet July 12, 2015. Today I chat a bit about the direction of the podcast, as well as taking in theatre and why it can get you outside of your bubble. I pontificate a little about queer representation in art for a bit and then relate a simple story about someone tweeting someone else’s bad date and the response that followed. Today’s episode is brought to you by overindulging in orange juice.
PDT-56-Justin McElroy-Journalist July 10, 2015. Today I’m joined by Justin McElroy, a journalist for Global BC. Justin’s got a keen eye for interesting stories, particularly ones that may not catch the eye of everyone at first. Justin and I chat about the future of news, what young journalists can do to land a job and also how even little known ghost towns can be important stories to tell. For a ghost town story, go here: http://globalnews.ca/news/1513118/ghost-town-mysteries-bradian-b-c-a-ghost-town-for-sale/
PDT-55-Routines and The News July 6, 2015. Today on the show I am battling through wildfire smoke to bring you some thoughts on routines, whether news and gossip are engrained in us and also how news came to be news. Also new: a theme song from The Rock Band Called Time. Journalist Justin McElroy joins me Thursday.
PDT-54-Ashleigh Eaton-Youth Worker July 2, 2015. Today I’m talking to Ashleigh Eaton, a youth support worker in Vancouver. We chat about what drew her to work with kids battling mental health issues, unstable homes, substance abuse, and the pain of growing up. We talk through where the system is at, how to have difficult conversations and most importantly, how everyone can support youths.
PDT-53-Queer, Gay and Canada Day June 30, 2015. Today I’m talking about the historic US Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states. Which has triggered some beautiful but also some kind of bizarre reactions from Canada. I talk about the straight, corporate takeover of Pride and what we can do to reclaim and re-queer a movement. Friday’s guest is youth worker Ashleigh Ann-Eaton. Do it!
PDT-52-Trevor Record-Podcaster June 25, 2015. Today on the show I’ve got Trevor Record- a guy co-hosting a podcast. But this podcast is a little different because it’s looking at long form journalism and grading it- but also offering up some clubhouse-esque commentary. We talk a lot of shop but for anyone interested in podcasts, specifically how they operate, you’re going to want to hear Trevor’s views. Then we slander popular podcast advertisers that drive us nuts. Read Long and Prosper can be found here: http://readlongandprosper.tumblr.com/
Today’s episode isn’t brought to you by stamps.com or blue apron for reasons that will become all too apparent
PDT-51- Nick goes to Cuba June 22, 2015. I’m baaaaaack. Today on the show I give you a rundown of my time in Cuba, including musings on Canadians, resorts, and the enigma that is Che. We now resume regular programming. Today’s episode is brought to you by too much time in the sun
PDT-50-Cuba/50th Episode June 8, 2015. Today, I’m talking about Cuba- because it’s a complicated place with a rich history and soon I’ll be there. I give a rough breakdown of Cuba’s history, including the enigmatic Fidel Castro. Also, this is our 50th episode! Thanks for sticking with me the last 7 months. Reminder that People Doing Things will be taking a short break until June 22nd. Catch up!
PDT-49- Gordon Katic-podcaster June 4, 2015. Today on the show we have radio man, podcaster and journalist Gordon Katic. He co-hosts our arch-nemesis show Cited and we chat about technique, talking to academics, and how to make a show. We chat a little bit about the draw of radio and podcasts, including the occasional pitfalls of trying to get a story. Today’s show is brought to you by radio waves.
PDT-48-Radio and Podcasts June 2, 2015. Today we’re talking about radio and podcasts- what they mean, where they came from and how the help incite revolutions. We’ll go artsy, experimental, historical and big picture. Today’s show is brought to you by coffee. Sweet, sweet coffee.
PDT-47-David Williams-Forester May 28, 2015. Today on the show, my friend and forester/musician David Williams joins us- and we go into the beautiful woods of UBC campus in Vancouver to talk about what got him interested in forest ecology and also what exactly makes a forest healthy. Dave also gamely tries to answer my impossible what if scenarios and talks about what’s next, forest wise and musically. Today’s episode is brought to you by the next mass extinction.
PDT-46-Trees May 25, 2015. Today on the Monday Show, I’m experimenting with a new format. I’ll be introducing a new topic, usually relating to the conversation to be had on the subsequent Thursday show. It’s just a short taste, next week will look quite different again and maybe more realized. Anyway, today we’re talking about trees.
Give me feedback at @thorntonosity on Twitter
PDT-45-Gwen Desjardins-Actress May 22, 2015. Today on the show my buddy Gwen swings by to talk about what it takes to be a successful actor. In the background. We go through some great stories- including some with Sir Ian McKellen- and go over how to be ready for your break- even if it’s not “the” break. We also get into Gwen’s lifelong obsession with the X-Files. Today’s episode is brought to you by the miracle of sound.
PDT-44-BB King, Health, and Dispatches Idea May 18, 2015. Today on the Monday Show I’m talking about the recent passing of blues legend BB King. I’m also pondering what sober people do and why North Americans seem to have such a weird relationship to alcohol. And I close off with pitching idea about “dispatches.” In short, if you go somewhere neat- record something while you’re there and send me the audio file. Cool? Cool. Today’s episode is brought to you by dishes piling up
PDT-43-Laura Fukumoto-Costume Designer, Producer May 13, 2015. We’re all just trying to make art and make our way in the world and Laura Fukumoto is doing just that. A theatre professional with a mission to shift how people view theatre in Vancouver and make art that moves people, Laura’s made a habit of being busy and questioning why we make art in the first place. She also lives with me so there’s that dynamic. Today’s episode is brought to you by chicken stock.
Red Man Laughing podcast mentioned: http://www.redmanlaughing.com/
PDT-42-Sleater Kinney, Maron and Good News May 11, 2015. Today on the Monday Show, we’re talking about a busy week of shows, including Sleater Kinney and Marc Maron. Also, I share some good news! Let’s do it!
PDT-41-Megan Ryland May 7, 2015. Today my guest is a person who writes: Megan Ryland. Publishing her first book in high school, Megan and I talk about why artists can just produce art, they don’t necessarily need to adopt an artiste persona. We go through inspiration, fantasy and the intimidating nature of artist communities. Today’s episode is sponsored by the last two eggs in the fridge.
PDT-40-Brain Space and How to Get Shit Done May 3, 2015. Today on the Monday Show, I’m falling down the nostalgic rabbit hole and trying to organize my very unorganized head. I go into some detail about project and time management for those of us who dwell in the chaos and how to keep yourself at least moderately happy and healthy. Then I play half a song. Today’s episode is brought to you by caffeine!
PDT-39-Dave Ruckus April 30, 2015. Today on the show, DJ Dave Ruckus, a New Orleans boy- talks to me about growing up in the Big Easy as a young punk in a city divided. We chat about what the future of music in New Orleans may hold and he recalls the time he was involved in a scuffle with Led Zeppelin frontman, Robert Plant. For real. Today’s episode is brought to you by mind expansion.
PDT-38-The Monday Show (New Orleans Edition)April 26, 2015. Alright kids, I’m fresh back from New Orleans with some stories and clips from down south! Everything from food to nature, to kid bands to race. Yep. We’re dipping our toes in today so put on your waders and shrimping boots.
PDT-37-Keith Reynolds April 22, 2015. Today I’ve got the writer Keith Reynolds on the show! Keith walks me through how writing a novel for a contest got him out of a hard time and opened up a new path for him. Now, he’s working on getting it published. We talk about the importance of visibility and good art for youths, as well as some video game projects. Check out his writing here: adviceignored.com and his game TanGram here: http://tan-gram.herokuapp.com
PDT-36-On Set, Amadeus, and Neko Case April 17, 2015. This week’s Monday Show (on Thursday), I talk about getting back behind a camera to help out EHM Sky Patrol’s indiegogo campaign- as well as seeing Amadeus for the first time. I also give a run down of the amazing Neko Case show, play a song for you and give the rundown on what will happen while I’m in New Orleans. Happy weekend, badgers!
PDT-35-Amiththan Sebarajah Pt. 2 April 13, 2015. Today I tackle part two of my talk with thru-hiker Amiththan Sebarajah and while we move onto his experience hiking the Appalachian trail, we also revisit some of the things that happened in Sri Lanka, including a chance encounter with someone in BC who was likely just on the other side of the city he was raised in. We discuss “trail magic” and what’s next.
PDT-34-Amiththan Sebarajah Pt. 1 April 9, 2015. Today I’m joined by a pretty incredible human. Amiththan hails from Sri Lanka and after moving away from a violent political crisis, he found himself in a part of Toronto with its own challenges. Amiththan and I talk origins, identity, migration and nationality. We start the long journey to what would become one of his greatest: hiking the Appalachian Trail. Part 2 on Monday.
PDT-33-Shaking Off The Rust April 7, 2015. This week I’m talking about what’s going on in my world, including some updates on my novella, as well as (possible) guitar additions. I also run through some updates on past guests including EHM Sky Patrol, CeMelusine and Missy D. Links are beloooow:
Missy D- https://www.facebook.com/themissyd?pnref=story
CeMelusine- http://cemelusine.itch.io/east-van-ep
EHM Sky Patrol- http://music.cbc.ca/#!/artists/EHM-Sky-Patrol
PDT-32-Matt Whiteman April 2, 2015. Today I’m talking to my friend Matt Whiteman who spent some time in Africa volunteering and then decided to write a Masters degree about it. He learned that good intentions don’t always solve problems and that silence doesn’t always been assent. It’s a long one and a good one!
PDT-31-Jeremy McElroy March 26, 2015. Today on the show I’ve got Jeremy McElroy, an engaged citizen and as you’ll hear, a guy with a lot of feelings about what’s going on in his locale! Jeremy takes me through the beginnings of his activism, from attending a diverse high school to going to protests, to being the president of the AMS at UBC. We’re sure to ruffle a few feathers with this one but Jeremy’s done his homework and regardless of where you stand on certain issues, or if they affect you at all, this 90 minute chat is sure to get you thinking.You can follow him at @monsieur_mac
PDT-30-Eulogies and Adulthood March 24, 2015. A bit sombre this week but I need to at least put it out there. Two grandparents died in the same week and I talk about what dealing with grief looks like through other people. It’s just me pontificating out loud. I hope you get something from it.
PDT-29-Steven Masuch March 19, 2015. This week app developer Steven Masuch joins me to talk about all that goes into starting something from scratch, living the freelancer dream and how to connect people. See a theme in this podcast at all? He also talks pogs and lemon trees. Here’s all the links we reference throughout the show:
Vancouver general: http://tinyletter.com/vancouvergeneral/archive
PDT-28-Of Masks and J-Law March 16, 2015. Today I’m talking paper mache- I’m suddenly taken with the idea of arts and crafts. Then good old Ryan drops in to talk about the enigma that is Jennifer Lawrence. Because we can.
PDT-27-Kimberley, Monica Hamburg, Missy D- Live from Chinatown March 12, 2015. This is a big one! Live from Chinatown in Vancouver, I got the opportunity to talk to three extraordinary women with three different directions but all on the cusp of big things. My friend Kim is off to take three months to go exploring, which involves 10 days in a yurt, Monica hosts a sweet and dark podcast called Dazed and Convicted: Craigslost, and Missy D is at the help of the Laydy Jams mothership- a musical force to be reckoned with. Dig it! https://soundcloud.com/laydyjams
PDT-26-A Weekend of Open Space March 9, 2015. This Monday Show I talk a little bit about what went down at this open space in Chinatown, arranged by the goodgetters (see episode 23). There were poets, writers, artists, musicians, and folks just curious as to what was happening. It’s pretty nutty what can happen when you have a space you can do literally anything in. And apparently, this is just the beginning… this episode’s sponsor is coffee. a pot of coffee.
PDT-25-Jess Marlow March 5, 2015. Actor, Director, …clown?! Jess Marlow. Unlike some of our guests, Jess grew up around art and creativity so her mission has been finding out just what art form suits her best. Somewhat a crossroads, we talk theatre, remounting plays, getting unstuck, as well as what a three day clowning “intensive” entails.
PDT-24-Goodgetters and Tank Girl March 3, 2015. This is a quick little update about a great Goodgetter’s initiative as well as me watching the 1995 movie ‘Tank Girl’ based off the UK comic book. It was weird. There’s Ice-T and kangaroo people. Here’s the Goodgetter’s IndieGoGo campaign: https://www.facebook.com/events/1506059242968685
PDT-23-Francis Arevalo February 27, 2015. Today on the show we’ve got Francis Arevalo talking The Goodgetters, his social/musical collective, as well as how to move large, complex projects ahead, while motivating people. Strap in, it’s a long one! Goodgetters info at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-goodgetters-runubc-t-shirts
PDT-22-You are not a jerk February 23, 2015. On today’s Monday Show, I talk about a surreal experience I had with the lead singer from a popular band. I’ve edited out the name because it’s not really relevant to the story. I wrap the story up with a nice little comment on community. Just trust me on this, it’s short!
PDT-21-Mike Lipsett February 19, 2015. Mike and Nick go way back. Like childhood way back but today they talk about the journey Mike took through art school and photography to doing what he does today: graphic design. Mike’s got quite the story with some important lessons so listen up!
PDT-20-Anatomy of Anxiety February 16, 2015. This Monday show, I talk about high school arts and why those spaces are important and then I have an anxiety attack and I talk through it. There’s a song at the end, so just roll with it
PDT-19-Niki Paley February 12, 2015. This week I get to sit down with Niki Paley, a counselor and all around pretty reflective person. We talk about relationship with self and ultimately whether or not people can change. It’s a good one so strap on your change helmet and enjoy!
PDT-18-Movies, Running, Laura Reviews 50 Shades February 9, 2015. This Monday Show, I talk about The Interview, Chef, and The Trip: To Italy. I also ponder on getting back into physical shape and then Laura drops some serious thinking points on the first 100 pages of Fifty Shades of Gray.
PDT-17-Phil Misquitta February 4, 2015. Today I’m joined by a man that plays the bass, is from England, and who plays really great music. His name is Phil Misquitta and we heard about Greek punk squats, Manitoba, love, and most importantly: Rock. Here’s the links: http://therockbandcalledtime.bandcamp.com/ + http://haggatha.bandcamp.com/
PDT-16-Negativity Spirals, Running and Memory Lane February 1, 2015. This Monday show, I give you a bit of a preview for our next guests, talk about getting out of your own negativity and getting back into the groove of things. I also stumbled across an old album of mine, and share the song ‘Black Russian Rhino.’ Why not?!
PDT-15-Kelly Trout January 30, 2015. Social activist, funny lady and old friend Kelly Trout pays me a visit to discuss where the weird comes from, dropping out and what comes next in creative endeavors. We work through some things- pardon my existential crisis I seem to be having during the interview.
PDT- 14- For the Love of Food with Isabel Ferreras January 27, 2015. My friend Isabel dropped in to chat food, inspiration, and how to follow instructions. We make kimchi. It’s great
PDT- Episode 13- Alisha Weng and Chieh Huang. January 22, 2015. Today I’m joined by two visual artists: Alisha Weng and Chieh Huang. Alisha’s a photographer and mixed media artist and Chieh is a make-up artist/designer/model. They talked about their collaboration and process and Alisha shed some light and how she got turned on to photography in the first place. Check out her art: https://www.flickr.com/photos/musikkpike/
http://musikkpike.tumblr.com/
PDT-Episode 12- Museums, Friends, Laura January 19, 2015. This Monday I’m ruminating on my visit to the Museum of Vancouver- which leads me to think about culture – or the absence of. Then we go all into friendship and my partner, the theatre wizard, Laura Fukumoto, chimes in. She also has friends, so we talk about that.
PDT-Episode 11- Cory McRae January 17, 2015. This week, my good friend and writer Cory McRae stopped by to discuss where his ideas come from, whether he’s tethered to archetypes and how words work (or don’t). Many tangents are taken but we get to the bottom of where and why and how it all works. Sort of.
PDT-Episode 10-Ben Everyman January 9, 2015. This week, musical enigma Ben Everyman joins me to talk about how exactly a sarcastic unmotivated suburban kid becomes a more motivated but also more sarcastic and contrary musician. You can hear his music at http://beneveryman.com/
PDT-Episode 9- Getting Out of the Funk w/Guests January 5, 2015. This week, I talk about getting back, engaging with, locking in to why we do the things we do. Ryan Caron drops by to share some thoughts on being stuck in ruts. Laura Fukumoto offers her own diagnoses of what ails us. Dig it.
PDT Episode 8- Christmas Special! December 24, 2014. Some friends “drop by” and tell some Christmas tales, interspersed by some tunes played by the one and only Laura Fukumoto. It’s Christmas eve! Enjoy it
PDT Episode 7- “Live” from Whitby December 22, 2014. Just for you, I go knocking about in the wild woods of Whitby, Ontario to wax poetic about Ontario, family, Christmas, and why I even do this podcast in the first place
PDT Episode 6- Zach Meisenheimer December 20, 2014. This week we’re talking sports. Sports and community. Zach is a diehard fan of the Vancouver Whitecaps and the capo of the Curva Collective, a group of supporters who believe that a community of fans and players can transcend more than just a sport. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/CurvaCollective and see what goes into being a true supporter
PDT Episode 5- ceMelusine December 11, 2014. ceMelusine – the video game designer and artist joins me to talk games, design, art and why the hell we do or don’t engage with something more than just what we’re used to. Find the games and put ’em in your mind: http://cemelusine.itch.io/east-van-ep
PDT Episode 4- Jorge Amigo December 4, 2014. Today’s show is with one of Vancouver’s great connectors. Jorge Amigo originally hails from Mexico City and is now on a quest to make cities more connected. You can follow all his amazing events and ideas on twitter: https://twitter.com/amigojor
PDT Episode 3- Elise Hall-Meyer November 29, 2014. Today on the show, I sit down with old time chum Elise Hall-Meyer of EHM Sky Patrol. She’s working on an album, pioneering “saloon funk” and generally enjoying all that goes with being in a band. And there’s a sneak preview track at the end of the show! Find more EHM Sky Patrol at http://www.ehmskypatrol.com/
PDT Episode 2- Hannah Johnson November 24, 2014. This week Hannah Johnson sits down to talk about poetry. Slam Poetry. We talk about life, words, inspiration and the ones we leave behind. You can check out Hannah’s work on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSvpOTui4gI and the late Zaccheus Jackson here
PDT Episode 1- Ryan Caron November 16, 2014. Ryan Caron, theatre professional extraordinaire, stops by to talk about his roots in small town Alberta, a web series about Shakespeare in college and just how exactly one designs smell.
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Thrill Seeker
Filed under: Entertainment,On My Mind — rivkahwrites @ 10:19 am
Tags: Beat It, Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough, excellence, grotesque, icon, innovative, King of Pop, Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson, OCD, pinnacle, pursuit, sexuality, superstar, the way you make me feel, thrill seeker, Thriller
Growing up, I never paid much attention to Michael Jackson, although we were practically contemporaries. I always enjoyed his music – could anyone not move irrepressibly to the rhythm of his songs? – yet the paraphernalia of his idiosyncrasies never occupied center stage of my mind. I was too busy dealing with my own burgeoning angst, seeking an elusive perfection – in appearance, in accomplishments – that dog me to this day. Watching the retrospectives of the last few days, though, including videos of the hits I had (believe it or not) never seen before, I am struck by the fact that in our pursuit of perfection, Michael and I ran on parallel trajectories. The difference is, I’m still in hot pursuit, while Michael’s run out of time. And before anyone gets bent out of shape, of course I’m not putting myself in the same category as this musical legend. It’s not my talent I’m equating with Michael’s, just his thrill-seeking striving for perfection.
For some people, myself included, no joy comes close to that thrill of accomplishment. And that’s all well and good. The problem is not excellence per se, but the pursuit of excellence, which becomes a curse in and of itself. Like many tormented perfectionists, Michael was never content to rest on his laurels, to take a step back, to simply enjoy his accomplishments, because there was always another barrier to conquer, another goal to attain, another “first” to dream up, choreograph, and perform. But what’s a superstar to do once he’s created the best selling album of all time, conquered racial and cultural boundaries, used the cultural signifiers of his day to produce cutting edge iconography and videography, raised tens of millions of dollars for Africa, ripped his shirt, given back, and given his all, over and over again? The burden must have been enormous, unimaginable. And so by the time Michael was in his 30s, he had scaled the summit of his innovative powers and reached the dark side.
Despite his crotch grabbing, hip thrusting, chin jutting postures, Michael was clearly confused about his sexuality. Watch his video for “The Way You Make Me Feel.”* See how he circles his female prey, hurls his desire at her like a challenge, yet neither touches nor dances with the supposed girl of his dreams. Never fully gown up, Michael took up the Peter Pan persona in earnest, turning his home into a theme park, and playing dubious games with children that had the media up in arms. And, as he slowly transformed himself through layers of surgical artifice, the grotesque result seemed to parody the songs that had brought him fame. Here was the “Man in the Mirror,” turning in horror from the “Thriller” he had spawned. Here was what happened when Michael, in truth, could neither “Stop” nor “Get Enough,” when “Beat It” became the command he used to drive himself to further and further feats of the bizarre until there was no turning back. From the pinnacle of fame Michael had reached the pinnacle of notoriety. What else remained but to bow out, tragically?
I am not and never was in Michael’s league, either professionally or personally. My struggle’s just that of your average OCD personality who, as I’ve said before,** can never cut him- or herself enough slack. Every day, though, my unhealthy tendencies are redeemed by a loving family that give me the kick in the butt I need to stay sane – and alive. It’s a shame no one could do the same for the legendary King of Pop.
* “The Way You Make Me Feel,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEU9Q8NlOiY.
**In “The Dream Lives On: In an Open Letter to Susan Boyle” I wrote:
“As a fellow masochist, I too make incredible demands of myself, get depressed for inevitably falling short, yet would never dream of imposing such demands on my husband, children, or loved ones. To everyone other than myself, I am kind, patient, encouraging, and tender – yet I cannot be that person for myself.”
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The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Celebrates 224 Years Today April 25
April 25 is better known as Anzac Day to commemorate the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli in 1915. Long before, 120 years to be exact, the first in a line of several units to be formed as a regular unit in the British Army, The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was born. The unit’s Regimental birthday and its lineage make it one of the oldest units to be formed in what would become Canada and still carry the name today.
His Majesty’s Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot 1795-1802
Captain Thomas Skinner of the Royal Engineers
The modern Royal Newfoundland Regiment can trace its beginnings to the first Royal Newfoundland Regiment which was formed on 25 April 1795, when Captain Thomas Skinner of the Royal Engineers, the man credited with designing the defence construction on Signal Hill, was given permission to raise a fencible infantry company consisting of six hundred men. The new regiment was called the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and consisted of a number of troops from the garrison as well as local volunteers. Recruiting was authorized at the rate of six guineas for each new recruit while officers were enlisted from other Regiments or from notables in the town. In terms of pay, clothing, arms and accouterments, the Regiment was to be on the same footing as His Majesty’s other infantry regiments in North America. A strength return for 1796 showed 35 officers and 615 men enrolled. Seventy seven of this number were stationed on Signal Hill, thirty three on South Side, five at ‘Quiddy Viddy’, and forty at Placentia. Severe shortages in accommodations at the existing town forts prompted the construction of additional barracks at both Fort William and Fort Townshend as well as on Signal Hill. In addition, the Regiment also began detailed plans to fortify Signal Hill by transporting guns to the face of the cliff below Gibbet Hill and by the construction of several shot furnaces for use by the batteries at Fort Frederick, Chain Rock Battery and Fort William.
In September 1796 the entire garrison took to Signal Hill to help ward off an anticipated French attack led by Admiral Richery, who was under orders from the Directory of Republican France, to seize English fishing interests in Newfoundland. Governor Wallace assembled the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, the Royal Newfoundland Volunteers and all able bodied men from the town to Signal Hill.
Tents were erected at the summit of the hill and at Fort Amherst to give the appearance of a large body of troops. The French fleet landed at Bay Bulls and burned all houses in the settlement but the sight of tents erected atop Signal Hill convinced the French of the folly of an assault on St.John’s so they departed for St.Pierre taking over 60 prisoners who were later released without incident.
In July 1797 Governor Wallace was replaced by the new Governor, Vice Admiral the Honourable William Waldergrave whose leadership was tested only one month later by a serious act of insubordination among the crew of the HMS Latonia docked in St.John’s harbour. On the 5th of August the crew of the Latonia refused the orders of their officers to go aloft. With the assistance of the Marines the ringleaders were thrown in irons before mutiny ensued. Governor Waldergrave visited the ship with the Grenadier Company of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. He threatened to order the Gun Batteries on shore to fire upon the Latonia should further incident of mutiny occur. The Governor’s stern response ended the crisis without further incident.
His Majesty’s Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot 1795-1802: Mutiny and Disbandment
Conditions in the Newfoundland station were harsh. The spoilage of winter food supplies stored at Signal Hill in 1797 and a fire at Fort William in 1798, which destroyed six barracks rooms and considerable stores of medicines, barrack bedding and ordnance stores, added to the privation endured by the rank and file. There were record numbers of desertions that year and open dissatisfaction among the troops. In May, 1799 Brigadier General William Skerret was appointed Commanding Officer of the troops in Newfoundland who were now answerable to the Commander in Chief in Nova Scotia. Skerret had only recently returned from leading troops tasked with ending the armed violence in Ireland.
In April, 1800 a plot was discovered among upwards of fifty members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who were sympathizers to the United Irish Movement, to desert their station and meet at the Powder Magazine behind Fort Townshend. Ten to twelve managed to leave Signal Hill before the alarm was sounded. Several others fled Fort Townshend but those at Fort William were prevented from leaving by a late night party hosted by Colonel Skinner.
Sixteen of the mutineers were captured and five of the organizers were ordered, by General Skerret, to be hanged on a makeshift gallows erected at the Powder Magazine which is currently Belvedere Street in St.John’s. The remainder were sent by prison ship to Halifax.
In July 1800, the rest of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were transported to Halifax aboard the HMS Concord at the request of General Skerret who questioned the loyalty of his Regiment given that the troops were almost entirely of Irish descent. Only the Grenadier Company and the Light Infantry Companies of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were kept in Newfoundland. In return the Duke of Kent sent the 66th Regiment of Foot to Newfoundland. The remainder of the mutineers were forced to march behind their own coffins en route to Fort George on Citadel Hill. Eight of the convicts were spared at the last moment and given life sentences and three more were summarily hanged in front of the entire garrison.
For the next two years the Royal Newfoundland Regiment provided garrison duties in Halifax. In March, 1802 with the signing of the Treaty of Amiens they were disbanded.
2 thoughts on “The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Celebrates 224 Years Today April 25”
Rex Hillier says:
I thought the Newfoundland Regiment didn’t receive the right to be called Royal until after WW I but it is used right from the beginning in the article above.
The first Regiment formed in 1795 was granted the title Royal as was the second in 1803. In 1914 it was requested but turned down by the crown because the war had already started when the unit was reformed. However the crown relented and granted the title in 1917. It was the only regiment during the war to be granted the title during hostilities and was only the third time this has happened in the British Empire and was the last. A true testament to their actions and sacrifice during WWI. When the Regiment was reformed again in 1949 as a reserve infantry unit of the Canadian Army it was once again granted the title Royal.
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Colonel in Chief Princess Mary Visit 1964
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50 anniversary 1964 beaumont-hamel hockey Legion princess mary regiment remembrance Veterans visit
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July 15, 1850 - December 22, 1917
Feast Day: November 13
St. Frances was born in Lombardi, Italy in 1850, one of thirteen children. At eighteen, she desired to become a Nun, but poor health stood in her way. She helped her parents until their death and then worked on a farm with her brothers and sisters.
One day a priest asked her to teach in a girls' school and she stayed for six years. At the request of her Bishop, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. Then at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, she came to the United States with six nuns in 1889 to work among the Italian immigrants.
Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a wonderful administrative ability, this remarkable woman soon founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages in this strange land and saw them flourish in the aid of Italian immigrants and children. At the time of her death, at Chicago, Illinois on December 22, 1917, her institute numbered houses in England, France, Spain, the United States, and South America. In 1946, she became the first American citizen to be canonized when she was elevated to sainthood by Pope Pius XII. St. Frances is the patroness of immigrants.
Source: Catholic Online
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Victor Herbert: Cello Concertos Nos. 1, 2, and Irish Rhapsody
August 5, 2016 By jerobear
We like the sound of Victor August Herbert, an Irish, German American who worked as a composer, cellist and conductor and was well-known in the US a century ago. A prolific composer, he sounds like a hard-working man upon whom no flies would be found: he was among the composers who worked on the famous Tin Pan Alley in New York and was a founder of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), championing the rights of composers to profit from their work.
The two main works on here have enjoy varied lifestyles. The Cello Concerto No.1 lay unpublished and unperformed for many years, while Cello Concerto No.2 was received enthusiastically at its premiere and inspired Antonín Dvorák, Herbert’s boss, to compose his own cello concerto.
Both works are varied, with number one being more mournful and the second more impassioned and confident. He’s not a truly great composer but what he lacks in finish he makes up for in gusto and appeal, and both pieces are accessible and sturdy, standing repeated plays. If you like orchestral music but find the “great” works a little daunting, you might like this.
He was obviously a commercially-minded chap and the closing piece, Irish Rhapsody, trades on his Irishness, and very Irish it is too (or Oirish as the sleeve notes say), weaving together classic Irish tunes as it does.
The music comes from the Ulster Orchestra and music director JoAnn Falletta, with Mark Kosower, principal cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra, supplying the solos. Out on Naxos 8573517.
Classical8573517, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Antonín Dvorák, Congleton Chronicle, Review Corner, new music, album review, music, classical, rock, jazz, folk, eletronica, Jem Condliffe, Biddulph Chronicle, Alsager Chronicle, Sandbach Chronicle, good music, buy t, Naxos, Tin Pan Alley, Victor August Herbert, Victor Herbert Cello Concertos Nos. 1, 2, and Irish Rhapsody
← Various: Beating Heart Malawi
Charlie Parr: Stumpjumper →
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HOME / DOCUMENTS / PERU (FALL 2014) / CITY VIEWS: CLASS AND CULTURE /
Reverse Urbanism
Before and after comparison of Ciudad de Dios, south of Lima, 55 years later (1955-2010). Image source: Servicio Aerofotográfico Nacional and Google Earth.
Lima: A Topsy-Turvy City
By Oscar Malaspina
In 1973, eleven-year-old Rita arrived to Lima from Caraz, a town high in the Andes. Her mother used to work at my grandparents’ house in Caraz but sent Rita to stay with my family in Lima. Rita lived in our house for almost 20 years. She raised my brothers and me while finishing high school and then studying at the university. In 1991, she married her boyfriend Rogelio and they both started to look for somewhere to live.
Given the humble economic conditions in which they started their married life, they could not afford traditional housing options. Instead, they decided to follow a common practice in Lima for those of similar socioeconomic conditions: to informally occupy lands in a barriada (shanty town). It was actually my mom’s idea, after she heard some rumors at her job at the Ministry of Education about some colleagues occupying agricultural lands in the north of Lima. In April 1991, Rogelio and Rita joined around 2,000 other families and settled in the arid periphery of Lima, hoping that the land they were sleeping on that night would become theirs in the future.
Police came into the barriada. Authorities tried to evict the settlers. But after a series of fights, they managed to remain. Rita and Rogelio knew that the police had only a small window of time to forcefully evict them, and after that interval they could only be evicted by judicial and legal means. Furthermore, they knew that the government almost always ended up granting amnesty, legalizing the settlement and granting land titles. At the beginning, the informal settlers managed and organized everything by themselves. They laid out and built the streets and walkways, and obtained water, electricity, security and garbage removal.
Twenty-three years later, that place of sand and dust is now a vibrant sector of Lima, full of small local businesses and services such as banks, universities and malls. Rita and Rogelio live in the third house they have built. Their house is no longer the first reed hut they built to occupy the land, nor is it the second temporary adobe construction they built when the exact location of their plot was fixed. This third house is a two-story brick building that they built themselves with the aid of their neighbors. Rita and Rogelio have not only managed to build a house for their family, but they have also helped shape a vibrant community for themselves and their neighbors.
Like Rita, millions of people migrated to Lima during the second half of the 20th century. They all came for their own reasons, but they shared the quest for better opportunities for themselves and their families. They are the founders of the shape of contemporary Lima, a massive example of reverse urbanism that started with informal settlements and evolved into the construction of more structured settlements that enabled a better quality of life for its residents. Urbanism usually starts the other way, constructing the infrastructure and the streets first, and occupying them afterwards.
In part due to this topsy-turvy process of reverse urbanism, Lima with its nine million inhabitants has become the second largest desert city in the world. As the result of fifty years of intense internal migration and a population increase of almost 500 percent since 1950, Lima is the biggest city in Peru, holding one-third of the country’s population. It is also the largest coastal, Andean and Amazonian city in terms of population concentration. Lima is metaphorically the new genetic code for Peru, as it is a multicultural city where 87.3 percent of its population has immigrant roots—domestic and international.
It is the history of how Lima, a city in which 62 percent of its population lives in originally informal areas around the periphery, became the city that is today reflected in its inhabitants’ economic progress and its socio-cultural background. Moreover, it is also important to understand contemporary Lima in relation to its general history. Architects and urbanists are fond of saying that there were several Limas within Lima’s current footprint.
TRADITIONAL LIMA
Lima, founded as the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru on January 18th of 1535, was a city mainly designed for Spaniards. Indigenous people were excluded from the city itself, and forced to live outside the city, in reductos (indigenous towns). Traditional Lima was composed of rational square urban grids and Spanish-style colonial houses. It was a small city that maintained commercial and trade networks with nearby towns such as Magdalena, Chorillos and the port of Callao. The grid, size, layout and footprint of the city remained relatively unchanged until years after Peru’s independence in 1821, mainly because of the existence of the city wall. This wall, built in 1684 to protect the city from pirates, was torn down 185 years later in 1869.
The marginalization and exclusion of native Peruvians from traditional Lima and other important coastal cities persisted even after Peru’s independence, mainly because of the nature of the Independence War, which mainly pitted the Spanish against the Criollos (the Peruvian-born descendants of Spaniards). This conflict mostly excluded the native Peruvians, who continued to be marginalized.
In his new book Perú: Estado desbordado y sociedad nacional emergente, the well-known anthropologist José Matos Mar addresses the coexistence of two Perus: the official Peru, made up by the relatively wealthy traditional families, with Spanish or foreign roots, living primarily in Lima and coastal cities; and the other Peru, whose uneducated and poor indigenous Andean and Amazonian families were outsiders to any kind of nationally inclusive vision.
MODERN LIMA
At the beginning of the 20th century, traditional Lima started to look ahead and to think big in terms of urban planning and expansion. Lima and Peru in general were facing two milestone occasions: the reconstruction period after the 1879-1883 Peruvian-Chilean war and the preparation for the celebration of the first 100 years of independence.
Modern Lima emerged around the 1920s with the construction of some large parks and wide avenues, borrowing such Anglo-Saxon urban ideals as the Garden City. Then, in 1948, Lima started its first Pilot Plan, heavily influenced by Josep Lluis Sert, urban designer and later dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, during his visits that year to the country.
Modern Lima began trying to do the right thing with important housing, parks and transportation projects such as the Unidad Vecinal #3, Parque de la Exposición or Arequipa Avenue. Nonetheless, modern Lima ended up absolutely overwhelmed by the complexity of the reality of the heavy influx of people from the countryside, beginning in the 1940s but really bursting in the 1960s.
Modern urban planning was a matter of buildings and roads, largely conceived in terms of infrastructure. Little thought was given about how to manage the political, social, economic, legal and sanitary complexity of millions of people spontaneously inhabiting and urbanizing Lima. However, in an effort to deal with sanitary conditions and violence, the government started to legalize some of these informal settlements. This reaction can be conceived as the beginning of contemporary Lima and the end of what could have been modern Lima.
CONTEMPORARY LIMA
The second half of the 20th century shows the real history of today’s contemporary Lima, as well as providing a perfect example of reverse urbanism, since barriadas in Lima started in reverse: the land was first occupied and settled, and then public services, utilities and facilities for living were obtained through collective work, participation of the community, as well as negotiation with the government. The story of how contemporary Lima became the city it is today can be summarized in three moments:
The first moment is one of growth and expansion, marked by early mass migrations from the provinces and rural areas to Lima during the 1940s. People came because of “pull” factors such as better opportunities, education and jobs and because of “push” factors such as loss of land, economic crisis and natural disasters. Starting in the 1970s, this migration increased dramatically, triggered by events such as the Agrarian Reform and the subsequent breakdown of important rural economies, and the presence of the terrorist group Shining Path in rural areas.
The decades from the 1940s to the 1990s have been described by anthropologist Matos Mar as the years of desborde popular (popular overflow), represented by the mass migration of the people of the “other Peru” towards the city that until then had belonged to the people of the “official Peru.” The millions of people who arrived to Lima during these years created barriadas such as Villa el Salvador, Ciudad de Dios and Ventanilla on the periphery of the traditional city, a process which continued until the 1990s.
Throughout the 1990s, under the Alberto Fujimori presidency, drastic public reforms stabilized and liberalized the economy. Several public services were privatized. Generalized lack of public control and regulation enabled the growth of an informal parallel economy totally overlooked by the traditional society. Informal markets, grocery stores, transportation companies, food trading, clothes manufacturing and other services boomed alongside the privatized economy.
The government also adopted radical policies for dealing with the barriadas issue in Lima. During the early 1990s, more than a million families informally occupying state lands were granted land tenure and titles. This policy stemmed from the hope that families with legal ownership would start investing more money in their own houses and neighborhoods. In other words, along with the reforms that brought prosperity and money to the population, both formally and informally, the idea was also to create a platform that enabled citizens to self-invest in the city and therefore to “build city.”
These reforms, which stimulated the immigrants’ already strong sense of organization and community work, transformed the neighborhoods of Lima’s periphery. Their originally flimsy appearance evolved into a more robust brick-residential urbanization filled with small local businesses. Nonetheless, major private services such as banks, schools, universities, clinics and shopping centers were still not interested in investing in these areas of the city, considering them too risky in terms of profitability.
As a consequence of the political reforms started in the 1990s and the strategic macroeconomic decisions of the early 2000s, Peru’s macroeconomic performance started to improve noticeably in relation to the Latin America region from 2005 on. Financial stability, low inflation rates and private and state investment contributed to create an environment of sustained economic progress easily noticed by the population. Between 2005 and 2011, the average GDP per capita increased annually by 7.9 percent, giving birth to the so-called emergent middle class, those with immigrant roots.
These emergent middle class families represent more than a quarter (28 percent) of the total urban population of Peru today, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the country’s total income. Their strong economic presence is no longer overlooked by private and formal enterprises which have now radically transformed their business strategies and are finally investing in the “emergent districts” of Lima.
Today’s contemporary Lima is finally entering into a process of consolidation that has brought more equality to its citizens. It is perceived as an optimistic city that is slowly acquiring its own flavor and identity. In the words of Matos Mar, today’s Lima is finally a better representation of Peru, its mestizaje (racial mixing) and cultural diversity.
Contemporary Lima has shown how reverse urbanism became a way of making city, bringing prosperity to citizens at moments when the official plans lost direction and were totally overwhelmed by reality. Nonetheless, reverse urbanism was a painful way of making city. It was done at a cost of thousands of hours of hard work of its citizens in a context of huge inequality, segregation and fragmentation. Contemporary Lima was developed throughout the accumulation of small neighborhood patches that collectively became a fragmented city that today struggles to find its identity.
Much work is still needed to articulate policies and services that guarantee justice, equity and accessibility for all residents of Lima. However, in a world in which close to one billion people live in slums—the rapidly urbanizing product of rural-urban migration—Lima’s fifty years of intense reverse urbanism offer invaluable lessons that the rest of the world could use in other contexts.
Oscar Malaspina is an adjunct professor in the School of Architecture and Urbanism at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru (PUCP). Trained as a professional architect, he also holds a Master’s of Urban Design from the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) in 2013. He divides his professional life between teaching at the university and as an active member of La Victoria Innovation Lab. You can contact him at: <omalaspina@pucp.pe>
See also: Peru, Business and Economics, Urban Design and Planning
Peru (Fall 2014)
Editor's Letter: Transformations
First Take: Paradoxes of Peruvian Democracy
Contemporary Peru and the Big Screen
Seeking Progress in Twentieth-Century Peru
Towards a National Value Proposition
Building a Template for Sustainable Forestry
An Andean Puma Reaches Out
Protests over Resource Extraction in Peru
City Views: Class and Culture
The Polycentric City
Best-Selling Newspaper
The Violence of the VIP Boxes
Drizzling Protest
Gastón Acurio: A Recipe for Success
Culinary Fusion and Colonialism
Fusion and Identity
The Food of the Gods
A Taste of Lima
Potatoes!
Dismantling the Boom of Peruvian Cuisine
Colonial Shadows
The Nu LatAm Sound
Institutionalizing the Lima Museum of Art
Six Young Peruvian Poets
Peruvian Literature
Political Violence and the Colors of Art
Legacies of the Pasts
A Road Less Traveled By
“Uncontacted” Peruvians
Afro-Peru
I Ask for Justice: Maya Women, Dictators, and Crime in Guatemala, 1898–1944
The Aesthetics and Ethics of Faith: A Dialogue Between Liberationist and Pragmatic Thought
Construcción de paz en Colombia
The Invaded: How Latin Americans and Their Allies Fought and Ended U.S. Occupations
Making a Difference: A Look at Microfinance
Afro Perú
El Diario Más Vendido en el Mundo de Habla Hispana se Hace en Perú
Fusión culinaria y colonialismo
La comida de los dioses
La violencia de los palcos
Lima, la ciudad policentrica
Literatura peruana
Nostalgia, anhelo y anomia
Paz y reconciliación en Perú
Seis jóvenes poetas peruanos durante la guerra interna peruana
Sombras coloniales
Carlos Zegarra Zamalloa: Student Perspective
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REZCY.COM - Latest news, stay in touch.
At the Salzburg Festival, Myths and Reality Meet Onstage
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A Salzburg Palace Is a Setting for Culture, History and Intellect
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Why America Is Headed Toward Bankruptcy In 13 Terrifying Quotes
11 Jan, 2014 by John Hawkins
Like Enron, Greece, and Donald Trump before us, America is about to go bankrupt. Unfortunately, our bankruptcy will probably be more Enron and less Donald Trump because we’re very unlikely to come back bigger and better in the lifetime of anyone reading this column. Instead, most Americans are probably going to experience skyrocketing taxes, spiraling inflation, widespread disorder, and a dramatically reduced standard of living. This isn’t a crisis that our great-grandchildren will have to figure out one day. To the contrary, it’s entirely possible it will occur within the next decade and unless we make big changes no one in DC is even seriously discussing right now, it’s more likely than not that it will transpire within the next 20 years.
America doesn’t have to go bankrupt and it wouldn’t if the American people were to rise up and demand serious action, but sadly, most Americans are too intimidated by the size and scope of the problem to demand major changes to the irresponsible way the government does business. Without the American people insisting that Congress move, the Republicans have shown that they’re not serious about dealing with the deficit and the Democrats remain so intent on increasing spending that they wouldn’t be behaving much differently if their goal was to create a debt-driven economic collapse.
Our nation’s future is slipping away right in front of us and that’s why it’s important for those of us who care about our nation’s future to point out quotes like these while we still have a short window of time where we can make a difference. Those of us who love this country need the American people to stand up, speak out, and force our government to behave responsibly before it’s too late.
1) What would you think of a person who earned $24,000 a year but spent $35,000? Suppose on top of that, he was already $170,000 in debt. You’d tell him to get his act together — stop spending so much or he’d destroy his family, impoverish his kids and wreck their future. Of course, no individual could live so irresponsibly for long. But tack on eight more zeroes to that budget and you have the checkbook for our out-of-control, big-spending federal government. — John Stossel
2) John Kitchen of the U.S. Treasury and Menzie Chinn of the University of Wisconsin published a study in 2010 entitled:
Financing U.S. Debt: Is There Enough Money in the World — and At What Cost?
The fact that sane men are even asking this question ought to be deeply disturbing. As to the answer, foreign official holdings of U.S. Treasury securities have usually been less than 5 percent of the rest of the world’s GDP. By 2009, they were up to 7 percent. By 2020, Kitchen and Chinn project them to rise to 19 percent of the rest of the world’s GDP, which they say is….do-able. Whether the rest of the world will want to do it is another matter. A future that presumes the rest of the planet will sink a fifth of its GDP into U.S. Treasuries is no future at all. But on Big Government’s streetcar named Desire we have come to depend on the kindness of strangers. — Mark Steyn
3) The Federal Reserve is propping up the entire U.S. economy by buying 61 percent of the government debt issued by the Treasury Department, a trend that cannot last, Lawrence Goodman, a former Treasury official and current president of the Center for Financial Stability, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion article published Wednesday. — Newsmax
4) In fact, in 2006, the Census Bureau found only 2.2 million households earning more than $250,000. And most of those are closer to the Lubbock city manager than to Carlos Slim, income-wise. To jump from the 50th to the 51st percentile isn’t that tough; jumping from the 96th to the 97th takes a lot of schmundo. It’s lonely at the top.
But say we wanted to balance the budget by jacking up taxes on Club 250K. That’s a problem: The 2012 deficit is forecast to hit $1.1 trillion under Obama’s budget. (Thanks, Mr. President!) Spread that deficit over all the households in Club 250K and you have to jack up their taxes by an average of $500,000 — which you simply can’t do, since a lot of them don’t have $500,000 in income to seize. Most of them are making $250,000 to $450,000 and paying about half in taxes already. You can squeeze that goose all day, but that’s not going to make it push out a golden egg.
….Every time you raise the threshold for eating the rich, you get a much, much smaller serving of meat on the plate – but the deficit stays the same. The long division gets pretty ugly. You end up chasing a revenue will-o’-the-wisp. — Kevin Williamson
5) Within a decade, the United States will be spending more of the federal budget on its interest payments than on its military. You read that right: more on debt service than on the armed services. According to the CBO’s 2010 long-term budget outlook, by 2020 the government will be paying between 15 and 20 percent of its revenues in debt interest. Whereas defense spending will be down between 14 and 16 percent. — Mark Steyn
6) (In Pennsylvania, a) single mom is better off earning gross income of $29,000 with $57,327 in net income & benefits than to earn gross income of $69,000 with net income and benefits of $57,045.” — From Gary Alexander, Secretary of Public Welfare, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7) For every 1.65 employed persons in the private sector, 1 person receives welfare assistance. For every 1.25 employed persons in the private sector, 1 person receives welfare assistance or works for the government. …The punchline: 110 million privately employed workers; 88 million welfare recipients and government workers and rising rapidly. — Tyler Durden
8) My name’s Ronnie Bryant, and I’m a mine operator…. I’ve been issued a [state] permit in the recent past for [waste water] discharge, and after standing in this room today listening to the comments being made by the people…. [pause] Nearly every day without fail – I have a different perspective – men stream to these [mining] operations looking for work in Walker County. They can’t pay their mortgage. They can’t pay their car note. They can’t feed their families. They don’t have health insurance. And as I stand here today, I just … you know … what’s the use? I got a permit to open up an underground coal mine that would employ probably 125 people. They’d be paid wages from $50,000 to $150,000 a year. We would consume probably $50 million to $60 million in consumables a year, putting more men to work. And my only idea today is to go home. What’s the use? I don’t know. I mean, I see these guys – I see them with tears in their eyes – looking for work. And if there’s so much opposition to these guys making a living, I feel like there’s no need in me putting out the effort to provide work for them. So as I stood against the wall here today, basically what I’ve decided is not to open the mine. I’m just quitting. Thank you. — Ronnie Bryant
9) Wyatt Emerich of The Cleveland Current analyzes disposable income and economic benefits among several key income classes and comes to the stunning (and verifiable) conclusion that “a one-parent family of three making $14,500 a year (minimum wage) has more disposable income than a family making $60,000 a year.
10) The typical husband and wife who reach age 66 and qualify for Social Security — Starting next year, this typical couple, receiving the average benefit, will begin collecting a combination of cash and health-care entitlement benefits that will total $1 million over their remaining expected lifetime
According to my calculations based on government data, such married couples will begin receiving monthly Social Security checks that will, on average, total about $550,000 after inflation. They will receive health-care services paid for by Medicare that, on average, will total another $450,000 after inflation. The benefactors will be a generation of younger workers who are trying to support themselves and their families while paying taxes to finance the rest of government spending.
…Medicare premiums paid by senior citizens once covered half of the cost of physician and related services. They now cover one-fourth. Copayments once covered nearly 40% of these services’ costs. They now cover only 20%. — Joe Cogan
11) The CBO numbers foresee net interest payments rising from 9 percent of revenue to 36 percent in 2030, then to 58 percent in 2040, and up to 85 percent in 2050. If that trajectory holds, we’ll be spending more than the planet’s entire military budget on debt interest. But forget mid-century because, unless something changes, whatever goes by the name of “America” under those conditions isn’t worth talking about. — Mark Steyn
12) The total present value of payments expected under Social Security and Medicare beyond what is expected to be collected under current tax laws is about $100 trillion. One way to put that amount of money in context is to note that it is about twice the amount of all the net private assets that exist in America today. To answer cw’s question directly, the best back-of-envelope estimate is that meeting this unfunded portion of our Social Security and Medicare commitments would require roughly an immediate 80 percent increase in federal income taxes, sustained forever. – Jim Manzi
13) The total fiscal overhang of our federal, state, and local governments – their combined debt and unfunded liabilities – is around $140 trillion, and growing. That is about twice the annual economic output of human civilization, and nearly the value of all the financial assets in the world. It is something close to a mathematical certainty that those debts and obligations will not be made good on at their present value. — Kevin Williamson
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Pioneer DJM-900NEXUS-K 4-channel professional DJ mixer, audio interface and MIDI controller (black)
Equipped with a USB sound card*1 that can simultaneously input and output stereo sound from 4 input and 4 output terminals. The sound card supports signal processing at a high resolution of 24 bit/96 kHz and can input and output each audio signals without degrading quality. Furthermore, the setting utility tool*2 for PCs makes it possible to change the output signal path from the mixer to accommodate various situations, including DJing, track recording, and other work. Furthermore, smooth transitions between DJs are possible thanks to the USB ports installed on the unit’s top surface.
SOUND COLOR FX adds three new types of effects (SPACE, DUB ECHO, and GATE/COMP) to the conventional FILTER, CRUSH, and NOISE effects. Simply turn the knob to achieve the desired effect. This makes various types of remixes possible, including adding original arrangements to songs. The BEAT EFFECT function also has two new effects (SPIRAL and MELODIC), which opens up a wider spectrum of song arrangements. The mixer is also equipped with an X-PAD for intuitive touch operation. The X-PAD makes it possible to manipulate multiple parameters simultaneously and achieve the desired performance.
Equipped with the same audio input and output circuits as Pioneer’s flagship DJM-2000, achieving accurate reproduction of the original sound. Using the same parts as high-grade audio devices, such as a 32-bit D/A converter that greatly increases sound quality, not only for the master output, but also for headphone and booth output. The 32-bit digital signal processor also controls digital noise. Additionally, the high performance 32 bit digital signal processor suppresses digital noise, and even analog circuit noise is reduced by using high sound quality balanced hybrid operation amps as well as full balanced output circuits.
For more details visit: http://pioneerdj.com/english/products/mixer/djm-900nxs.html
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Home > FACSCH > FACPUB > 332
Scholarly Works
The Autumn of the Patriarch: The Pinochet Extradition Debacle and Beyond- Human Rights Clauses Compared to Traditional Derivative Protections Such as Double Criminality
Christopher L. Blakesley, University of Nevada, Las Vegas -- William S. Boyd School of Law
This article will analyze human rights law to see whether it plays any role in the protection of the individual in the face of international extradition or other international cooperation in criminal matters. I will consider two approaches to extradition and human rights that seem to be vying for position in the world arena and the tension between them. The first is to apply the traditional statist exemptions to extradition, which sometimes have enabled a few human rights protections. This approach is based on the concept that states are the only subjects of international law. Thus, it is state's interests, rights, and obligations that are to be vindicated. If a fugitive is to be protected, it is because the state wills it so. The second approach considers the individual, at least to a degree, to be a subject of international law. It is the fugitive's interests and rights that are at issue and that human rights law protects. Thus, extradition law (treaties, custom, and domestic law) should include certain specific, basic human rights clauses or rules, through which the fugitive, if he obtains, will be exempt from extradition. These may include specific, wholesale human rights clauses in extradition treaties and domestic extradition laws. It can be argued that, even without a specific clause, established international human rights rules are incorporated by reference.
The battle between these approaches illustrates the tension between the value of protecting individual human rights in the criminal justice arena and the need to provide effective international law enforcement. Most recently, the process that leads to the English decision not to extradite Augusto Pinochet to Spain exemplified the tension between these values.
It is interesting to wonder about the apparent oddity that many, though not all, human rights activists, who traditionally have been quite vigorously libertarian in protecting rights of individuals facing criminal justice systems of various nations (and, presumably still are in the run-of-the-mill cases), have become pro-prosecution hawks and quite weak on the incorporation of broad human rights protections for those brought before international tribunals or otherwise prosecuted for the more heinous international crimes. Some of the reactions to the Pinochet decision are representative. I will argue that if we are seriously going to try to end impunity for crimes against humanity and war crimes, it must be done in a way that is consistent with the highest protection of human rights interests for those being prosecuted. Otherwise, the system will ultimately fall of its own weight or become a tool of repression itself. If we are not scrupulous in protecting the accused from abuses and deprivation of civil liberties and ensuring related human rights protections for the accused during extradition, investigation, and trial, we will ultimately condemn the viability of human rights and criminal justice.
Publication Citation
91 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 1 (2000).
Blakesley, Christopher L., "The Autumn of the Patriarch: The Pinochet Extradition Debacle and Beyond- Human Rights Clauses Compared to Traditional Derivative Protections Such as Double Criminality" (2000). Scholarly Works. 332.
https://scholars.law.unlv.edu/facpub/332
Courts Commons, Criminal Law Commons, International Law Commons, Jurisdiction Commons, Legislation Commons, Other Law Commons
UNLV Law Links
Digital Scholarship@UNLV
William S. Boyd School of Law
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Big Thinkers
10 Nobel Laureates Whose Work Changed the World
by Nathan Chandler
Hermann Muller
For every technological advance, there are trade-offs and potential side effects. Thanks to the work of Hermann Muller, who won the 1946 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, people realized the importance of tempering our knowledge with safety and care.
Muller won his prize for proving that X-rays cause mutations (called X-ray mutagenesis) in the human body. In the mid-1920s, he'd gathered significant evidence that exposing Drosophila flies to X-rays caused genetic mutations that shortened their lifespans. He was certain that the same kind of damage would occur in humans.
Although he'd been trying to publicize his work for around 20 years, it took the World-War II atomic bombings of Japan to underscore the dangers of radiation, X-rays and nuclear fallout. It was then that the Nobel committee finally recognized his research.
Muller's discoveries, as well as his anti-nuclear weapons politics, made him an invaluable counterweight to the world-changing technological advances of the Atomic Age.
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Home Blog Entry GEN reports on biotech acquisition deals in 2010 that topped $1 billion
GEN reports on biotech acquisition deals in 2010 that topped $1 billion
New Rochelle, NY, January 10, 2011 — The mega-mergers of 2009 did not continue into 2010. While the three biggest acquisitions in 2009 each had a price tag of more than $40 billion, only last year’s top purchase got above that mark, according to an evaluation of reported deals conducted by Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) (http://www.genengnews.com/). The only other mega takeover for the year, sanofi-aventis’ move to buy Genzyme, is still being worked out.
A look at 2010’s buyouts that crossed the $1billion mark (http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/acquisition-deals-in-2010-that-topped-1b/81244443/) reveals interesting similarities with major acquisitions from past years. Prior finalists make a repeat appearance, and most organizations that have reported consolidation say that the mergers have been positive.
“I think the uncertainty surrounding the sanofi-aventis/Genzyme story put a break on the number of large mergers and acquisitions that might actually have taken place,” says John Sterling, Editor in Chief of GEN. “Once that deal gets done, other big M&As are likely to follow.”
Novartis’ $41 billion purchase of Alcon, which has a significant portfolio of eye disease therapies, topped the list of acquisitions last year. Sanofi-aventis’ bid for Genzyme of $18.5 billion, which still has to clear, grabbed the number two spot. Merck’s foray into life science tools and services with its $5.2 billion acquisition of Millipore was next, followed by Teva paying 3.625 billion for ratiopharm to up its generic drug dominance.
Fifth place went to Astellas Pharma for picking up OSI Pharmaceuticals for $4 billion. Pfizer, 2009’s top bidder, made the number six spot with its takeover of King Pharmaceuticals for $3.6 billion. Other acquisition deals that crossed the billion-dollar mark included Grifols/Talecris, Celgene/Abraxis, Thermo Fisher Scientific/Dionex, and Johnson & Johnson/Crucell.
About GEN
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) has retained its position as the number one biotech publisher around the globe since its launch in 1981. GEN publishes a print edition 21 times a year and has additional exclusive editorial content online, like news and analysis as well as blogs, podcasts, webinars, polls, videos, and application notes. Additionally, GEN hosts a networking platform called GENconnect, which comprises Communities such as All Things PCR, Next-Generation Sequencing, Biomarkers, and more. GEN’s unique news and technology focus includes the entire bioproduct life cycle from early-stage R&D, to applied research including omics, biomarkers, as well as diagnostics, to bioprocessing and commercialization. For more information visit the GEN website (http://www.genengnews.com/).
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (http://www.genengnews.com/, which is published 21 times a year by Mary Ann Liebert Inc., is the most widely read biotechnology news magazine worldwide. It includes articles on Drug Discovery, Bioprocessing, OMICS, Biobusiness, and Translational Medicine.
Ultrasound-assisted optical imaging could replace endoscopy in breakthrough discovery
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Posts Tagged ‘Ebola’
Science Policy Around the Web – July 12th, 2019
By Mohor Sengupta, Ph.D.
Source: Maxpixel
CDC made a synthetic Ebola virus to test treatments. It worked
During the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, West Africa, infectious samples containing the virus were shared by local government with international scientific communities. Using these materials, Dr. Gary Kobinger and his team developed and tested the efficacy of a monoclonal antibody vaccine at the Canadian National Laboratory. The same vaccine, ZMapp, and other therapies are currently being deployed in the most recent Ebola outbreak, which is the second largest outbreak so far. Beginning in ] 2018 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this outbreak is still on the roll. Unfortunately, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not have any viral samples this time, meaning they were unable to test the efficacy of ZMapp and other drugs against the recent viral strain.
Scientists at the CDC, led by Dr. Laura McMullan, constructed an artificial virus from the sequence of the current strain shared by DRC’s National Biomedical Research Institute (INRB). The group used the sequence data to perform reverse genetics and generate the authentic Ebola virus that’s currently infecting scores of people in Ituri and North Kivu provinces of DRC.
“It takes a lot of resources and a lot of money and a lot of energy to make a cloned virus by reverse genetics. And it would be so much easier if somebody had just sent the isolate”, Dr. Thomas Geisbert, who is not involved in the work, said.
The CDC group established the efficacy of current treatments (a drug called Remdesivir and the vaccine ZMapp) on the viral strain by using their artificial virus for all the tests. Their work was published Tuesday in the journal Lancet.
For all four Ebola outbreaks that the DRC has seen, healthcare authorities have not shared viral specimens with foreign Ebola researchers. Instead, the whole genome sequence was provided every time. With the whole genome sequence data, the Lancet paper noted that there are at least two Ebola strains in DRC that have independently crossed into the human population.
Reasons for not sharing viral samples by DRC are not known but it is a roadblock to rapid and efficient treatments in affected geographical regions. McMullan said that shipping of samples across such large distances is often a logistical issue and requires permission from several authorities and coordination of many people.
(Helen Branswell, STAT)
Plastic Has A Big Carbon Footprint — But That Isn’t The Whole Story
We are all too familiar with ghastly images of dead whales with plastic-filled stomachs. These images are compounded by pictures of how much waste is generated, such as a picture of a twenty-story high mound of plastic trash in a developing country that appeared in a recent news article. While there is worldwide concern about how to eliminate use of plastics, there is very little discussion about the environmental impact of the materials that will replace plastic.
Plastic has a high carbon footprint. In a recent report the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) has broken down the individual steps of greenhouse gas production, from the beginning of plastic production until it ends up incinerated as a waste. Manufactured from oil and natural gas, plastic production adds to carbon footprint right from its cradle when gases and oils leak into the environment. Subsequently, delivery of raw materials to the production sites further add to the burden. Being among the most energy intensive materials to produce, plastic production takes a heavy toll on energy, water and electricity. Finally, when plastics are incinerated, greenhouse gases end up in the environment.
But what about the materials that commonly substitute for plastic, such as paper, compostable plastic, canvas or glass? What is their carbon footprint in production stages? Research by several independent groups has revealed that these materials leave an even larger carbon footprint during their production. Data have shown that polyethylene plastic bags not only used lesser fuel and energy throughout production, they also emitted fewer global-warming gases and left lesser mass of solid wastes, when compared with paper bags and with compostable plastic bags. Being more durable than other materials, use of polyethylene bags are more energy friendly than use of paper bags.
Research done on behalf of the American Chemistry Council has shown that replacing plastic would eventually do more harm to the environment than their use. Finally, consumer habits count. If people don’t reuse plastics, then its advantages over paper cease to exist. Of course, the problem of permanent waste and global health consequences are issues that cannot be overlooked. The solution might lie in using plastics more wisely and re-using them as much as possible.
(Christopher Joyce, NPR)
Tagged with Ebola, environment, epidemic, plastic, vaccine, waste
Science Policy Around the Web – June 11th, 2019
By: Neetu Gulati, Ph.D.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
People eat at least 50,000 plastic particles a year, study finds
Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year, and while it can take over 400 years for plastics to degrade, they can be broken down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually leading to microplastics. Microplastics can be found all around the world: from the deepest depths of the ocean to the air around us. Now, microplastics have been found in a place much closer to home: our bodies. According to a recent study, the average person in the U.S. eats at least 50,000 particles of microplastic in a year, and also breathe in similar quantities. And it’s known that humans ingest these particles, as microplastics have been found in human stool samples as well.
These particles are seemingly impossible to avoid; they have been found in many food and drink sources, including both tap and bottled water, beer, and seafood. Not all food and drink items have been tested, however, meaning that there are major gaps in identifying quantities of ingested microplastics. The study assessed less than 20% of caloric intake, meaning it’s possible that the amount of microplastic particles is much higher than 50,000 per year. Speaking of untested foods such as processed products, meat, dairy, and bread, Dr. Kieran Cox, lead author of the study, commented that “it is really highly likely there is going to be large amounts of plastic particles in these. You could be heading into the hundreds of thousands.”
The largest contributor of microplastics came from drinking bottled water, which contains 22 times more plastic than tap water on average. The effects of ingesting microplastics will have on human health are currently unknown. However, the study has encouraged Cox to change his own behavior in response to his findings. I definitely steer away from plastic packaging and try to avoid bottled water as much as possible,” he said.
(Damian Carrington, The Guardian)
Canada Plans to Ban Single-Use Plastics, Joining Growing Global Movement
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a plan to ban single-use plastics as early as 2021, expressing a wish that his children be able to play without their experiences tainted by dead birds and fish killed by pollution. In 2016, less than 10% of plastic was recycled in Canada. Trudeau noted that the nation throws away 8 billion Canadian dollars’ worth of plastic material each year, including 34 million plastic bags daily according to the Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Before the ban goes into effect, the Canadian government will analyze which plastic products should be banned, but Trudeau suggested that Canada will follow the example of the European Union, which voted to ban 10 single-use plastics earlier this year. The banned items are the most commonly found plastics on European beaches, including plates, cotton swabs, and straws. Additionally, at least 32 countries around the world and 3 US states have banned single-use plastic bags, which could also be included in Canada’s ban.
Trudeau announced that by recycling and reusing plastic, not only would pollution be reduced, but the move could lead to the creation of over 40,000 jobs. The announcement came as Trudeau is readying for a general election at the end of the year, during which climate change and the environment are expected to be important issues.
(Dan Bilefsky, The New York Times)
“Pig Ebola” is spreading uncontrollably in China and Vietnam
African swine fever, sometimes referred to as “pig Ebola”, is a highly contagious viral disease that is currently ravaging Asia’s pig industry. The current outbreak of the virus, which kills most animals it infects, started last year in China. China accounts for over half of the world’s pigs, and since the outbreak began in August, over 20% of the country’s pig herd has died, either through succumbing to the disease or to culling, according to Christine McCracken, an animal protein expert at Rabobank. She estimated that by the end of the year, China may lose up to 200 million of its roughly 440 million pig population.
Now, the disease has spread to several countries that neighbor China. From May 24 to June 6 alone, there were 163 new outbreaks, with almost 4,000 ongoing outbreaks worldwide, according to the World Organization for Animal Health. There is no current treatment or vaccine for African swine fever, the only way to prevent spread is to kill all animals that have been infected or potentially exposed, or to use strict biosecurity measures. Like China, Vietnam has also begun to cull its pig population, having killed about 2 million pigs since the outbreak began.
While the virus cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans and is not a food safety issue, it has had strong economic impacts. The Asian economy has suffered greatly, as many in the region rely on raising pigs for their livelihood, and thousands of small producers have been put out of business. A single pig can provide 200 pounds of food, so even small losses add up. While pork prices have not changed significantly due to the disease yet, it is expected that prices may skyrocket by 2020 and may affect the global pork market.
(Vox Staff, Vox)
Tagged with China, Ebola, epidemic, India, microplastics, plastic
Science Policy Around the Web – February 5, 2019
Macedonia name change paves way for science cooperation with Greece
Greece and the Republic of Macedonia have been at odds for decades over the name of the latter country. After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, the nation known colloquially as Macedonia was founded. However, because a region in northern Greece shares a name with the republic, Greece has disputed the country’s name, and tried to bar its entry to international organizations such as NATO and the UN. The Prespa Agreement, ratified by the Republic of Macedonia on January 11, 2019 and Greece on January 25, 2019, is set to relieve tensions by changing the disputed country name to ‘The Republic of North Macedonia,’ and the short name of ‘North Macedonia.’
The Prespa Agreement not only ends the political stand-off between the two nations, but also opens the door for strategic partnerships in many ventures, including science. While some people opposed the Agreement, scientists in both nations welcomed the change, commenting that political tensions and bureaucratic procedures will hopefully no longer hinder collaboration. “Science is done by people, and many people were affected by the mutually negative spirit among the two countries that prevailed in the past years,” commented Ioanna Chouvarda, a Greek scientist.
Many are hopeful that the name change will positively impact scientific and diplomatic ties between the two nations. A spokesperson for the Republic of Macedonia’s science ministry commented that they hope the agreement will lead to more formal scientific and technological cooperation between the two nations. Greek Alternate Minister for Research & Innovation Costas Fotakis commented, “scientific diplomacy is an effective tool that can strengthen the relations between Greece and North Macedonia, as well as the Western Balkans in general. This agreement is very timely, especially considering that several research themes are of mutual interest in both countries.”
(Julianna Photopoulos, Nature)
The modern tragedy of fake cancer cures
The news media can sometimes sensationalize and overclaim the results of scientific advances. This is especially dangerous when results have yet to be vetted by the peer-review process, as was the case when the Dan Aridor, chairman of a small biotechnology company in Israel claimed, “we believe we will offer in a year’s time a complete cure for cancer.” The story, published by the Jerusalem Post, made bold and likely unattainable claims that the new technology would have no side-effects, be less expensive than current therapies, and be “effective from day one.” However, the new treatment has so far only been tested in a single study in mice. Furthermore, it has not yet been published and therefore has not been scrutinized or validated by other scientists in the field of cancer research.
The claims made by Aridor may just his optimism and faith in his product, but if taken at face value they are completely unbelievable. For one thing, the original article points out that the company has not yet started clinical trials, which would take years to complete, negating the hope of a cure within a year’s time. But even those clinical trials are not likely to succeed. The odds that a cancer therapy will successfully pass clinical trials is 3-5%, according to data from MIT and the Biotechnology Industry Organization. However, even the hurdle of getting from animal studies to clinical trials is not to be overlooked, which can easily take over five years.
Cancer therapies are still worth the investment of time and money. Successful drugs like Keytruda have made a large impact on those suffering from the cancer. However, therapies do not perform the same in every patient, and ‘cancer’ is not just one disease. Often, proper dosing of cancer therapies involves a balance between the effectiveness of the treatment and the harm of the side effects. Thus, it is unlikely that a single treatment will cure all cancers without a hitch, as boldly claimed by Aridor. It is much more realistic that some treatments will work for particular types of cancers more effectively than others, with limited side effects. Speaking more conservatively about the new treatment, the CEO of the company, Ilan Morad, commented that while the company believes their therapy will cure cancer, “we still have a long way to go.”
(Matthew Herper, STAT)
Tagged with Ebola, epidemic, medicine, miscarriage, pregnancy, vaccine, WHO
By: Caroline Duncombe, B.S.
How old emails hold new clues to Coca-Cola and CDC’s controversial relationship
The mission of the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) is to protect America from health, safety, and security threat. Yet, private emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal that a Coca-Cola Company’s influence over the federal agency refutes such a mission. Email correspondences between top CDC officials and Coca-Cola employees exposed how the soda giant tried to push the World Health Organization (WHO) to emphasize exercise over diet as the solution to the obesity epidemic via CDC’s influencing power.
Within the 295 pages of communications from 86 emails was a request by former Coca-Cola senior vice president Alex Malaspina that WHO “should not only consider sugary foods as the only cause of obesity but consider also the lifestyle changes that have been occurring throughout the universe.” Other uncovered emails revealed that the former CDC director of Division for Heart and Disease, Barbara Bowman, gave advice to a Coca-Cola executive on potential contacts that have influence over WHO’s regional office and then director-general Dr. Margaret Chan.
Though Coca-Cola enacted a policy in 2015 to disclose on its website its funding portfolio for scientific research and partnerships. There is little to no federal oversight over sugar and beverage industries. This is a startling fact when considering the extent of the obesity epidemic in America and the significant role that sugary drinks play in augmenting such an epidemic. After the revelation of the relationship between Coca-Cola and the CDC, discussions have increased on restricting direct contact between federal agencies and soda giants.
(Jacqueline Howard, CNN)
Science Policy Around the Web – January 28, 2019
By: Allison Cross, Ph.D.
A Drug That Eases Miscarriages Is Difficult For Women To Get
The CDC estimates that each year in the U.S. alone, over 1 million women suffer miscarriages during the first trimester of pregnancy. When a woman finds out that her pregnancy is not viable, she is usually given three options: wait for the miscarriage to occur on its own, take medicine to induce the miscarriage, or undergo a surgical procedure (known as a D&C) to remove the contents of the uterus. For women who want to avoid a surgical procedure but do not want to wait for the miscarriage to occur on its own, the medically induced miscarriage is a favored option.
Misoprostol is the medication currently prescribed in the U.S. to induce miscarriage. Although this medication works for many, a single dose of the medicine is ineffective for about 30% of women. When the medicine is ineffective, women end up either returning to their doctor for another dose or moving forward with surgery. However, a recent studyin the New England Journal of Medicine found that combining the currently used medication, misoprostol, with mifepristone is more effective than misoprostol alone in inducing miscarriage. The study followed 300 women experiencing first trimester pregnancy lose and found the combination of misoprostol and mifepristone increased the chance of successfully inducing miscarriage to 90%, a 14% increase over misoprostol alone.
Although this new study may provide hope for women suffering an early pregnancy loss and wishing to avoid surgical intervention, most doctors in the U.S. are unable to prescribe mifepristone due to current FDA regulations. Mifepristone was approved by the FDA in 2000 but is currently regulated under what is known as a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). The REMS designation means that the FDA can restrict how and where the medication is distributed. For mifepristone, the REMS restriction prohibits its availability in commercial pharmacies; the drug can only be distributed from clinics or hospitals designated as mifepristone suppliers.
As mifepristone is commonly used for abortions, some argue that the REMS designation for the drug is driven by political motives rather than due to concerns about drug safety. Currently, medical societies including The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association are trying to overturn the FDA REMS classification of mifepristone.
(Mara Gordon and Sarah McCammon, NPR)
Ebola Vaccine Supplies Are Expected to Last
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently facing a devasting Ebola outbreak and recently reported 689 confirmed and probable infections and 422 deaths. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that they expect to have adequate supplies of an experimental Ebola vaccine to stop the outbreak.
The experimental vaccine, known as V920, is made by Merck and was first shown to be highly effective in a clinical trial during the West African Ebola crisis of 2014-2016. In the current outbreak, Dr. Peter Salama, WHO’s deputy director-general of emergency preparedness and response, has reported that the vaccine is “highly, highly efficacious”, showing a efficacy rate well above 90%.
After the West African Ebola crisis of 2014-2016, Merck made an agreement with the WHO and with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to maintain a stockpile of 300,000 doses of the vaccine at all times while they worked to get the vaccine licensed. As most Ebola epidemics have been controlled after less than 100 cases, the 300,000-dose stockpile seemed more than sufficient. However, tens of thousands of doses of the vaccine have already been used with the recent outbreak in the DRC, raising concerns that the supply would be depleted.
Merck’s team lead for the Ebola vaccine project, Beth-Ann Coller, confirmed that in addition to the 100,000 doses of the vaccine that the company has already sent to the WHO, they still have about 300,00 doses on hand. However, due to the uncertainly of around the outbreak, Coller said the company is also exploring options to expand the stockpile further.
Conspiracy Theories and Ebola: How a US Federally Funded Research Facility in the Heart of Sierra Leone’s Ebola Outbreak Acerbated Local Misconceptions about Ebola
By: Caroline Duncombe
An inherent distrust follows what one does not understand; scientific endeavors if not explained properly are easily misunderstood. From climate skeptics to CERN’s 666 logo, the world is wrought with conspiracy theories surrounding science. The role of conspiracies should not be underestimated or neglected, especially since such theories are interspersed with layers of truth. Usually conspiracies reside harmlessly on the edge of the web, but during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone an unaddressed rumor resulted in fatal consequences. Rumors revolving around a Tulane University research facility located in Kenema Government Hospital prompted a breakdown in relations between the local populations and international health care workers. This mistrust led to the refusal to permit blood draws for diagnostic purposes during the critical initial stages of the Ebola outbreak. By underestimating the importance of cultural and religious symbolism surrounding scientific research U.S. federal funding agencies, laboratory researchers, and private companies made a crucial mistake. By analyzing this curious conspiracy theory, scientists, funding agencies, and health practitioners can learn from past mistakes and become more aware of the impact of research beyond pure scientific pursuit.
On May 24th, 2014,a young woman miscarried in Kenema Government Hospital. Given the recent outbreak in nearby Gueckedou, Guinea, Ebola was suspected. A day later, the same hospital reported the first confirmed case of Ebola in Sierra Leone. Soon after, Kenema became a hot zone – the entry point for the Ebola virus to spread throughout Sierra Leone and eventually the world. The repercussions of the Ebola outbreak extend well beyond the 11,310 death count in West Africa to economic, social, medical, and cultural spheres.
The Kenema Government Hospital was not a typical Sierra Leonian public hospital. In fact, the hospital was well-equipped, with the only Lassa fever isolation ward anywhere in the world. The lab dated to 2005, when Tulane University received a $10 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to study “Diagnostics for Biodefense against Lassa fever”. Since previous investigations of sporadic Lassa fever outbreaks were based out of Kenema, the natural choice for the establishment of first-rate laboratory infrastructure was Kenema Government Hospital.
As the years passed, the Tulane research laboratory acquired more grants and partnerships. One of the principal collaborators was the private for-profit company, Metabiota, which received grants from two U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) agencies – Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Biological Engagement Program – to primarily study the pathogenesis of Lassa fever, a ‘US bioterror threat’. Due to stipulations in NIH grant funding, the substantial amount of money flowing into this “shiny new” research laboratory could not be applied to assisting patients in the “dilapidated, cramped, and poorly resourced Lassa ward only some 50m away” (Bausch). During the Ebola outbreak, the Lassa laboratory’s focus shifted to Ebola, continuing research until the NIH did not renew funding in 2014, primarily due to safety reasons.
The Conspiracy Theory
Following the 2014 outbreak, a conspiracy theory circulating throughout Sierra Leone, essentially claiming that the U.S. created Ebola, or a Lassa-Ebola hybrid, and either intentionally or accidentally released this bioterror weapon from the U.S. NIH and DoD-funded research facility at Kenema Government Hospital. While such a rumor lacked credible evidence, there were specific circumstances surrounding the policies of the research outpost that fed into the narrative – truths that should have been addressed through culturally sensitive policies.
Four main factors converged into a superstitious and suspicious narrative about the Lassa research laboratory. First, by branding the Lassa research facility with a bioterrorism component, the project assisted in drawing out a natural conclusion that bioterror weapons were also present in the laboratory. Tulane University’s initial grant application in 2005 framed Lassa virus as a US biosecurity threat through key words such as “Diagnostics for Biodefense” and “LASV as a biological weapon directed against civilian or military targets necessitates development of… diagnostics.” The framing of the diagnostic development laboratory in terms of a biodefense strategy against the NIAID Category A classification was not an accident, but rather a necessity to gain funding. As Annie Wilkins puts it “whether the prospect of weaponization is regarded as sensationalism or a real concern, all researchers are aware of the utility the bioweapons threat has in obtaining funding.” By emphasizing biodefense and collaborating with the U.S. DoD via Metabiota’s funding stream, a natural linkage between the work of the research outpost and bioweapons developed.
The second factor was out of the control of Tulane University: A suspicious coincidence. Due to its proximity to Guinea, laboratory capacity, and fluidity in movement across the Sierra Leone-Guinea border, the first confirmed case of Ebola in Sierra Leone occurred in Kenema Government Hospital. Although there potentially were other cases of Ebola in Sierra Leone, none of the primary health care clinics in the area had the laboratory capacity to officially diagnose Ebola. A natural speculation ensued: what are the chances that the one Biodefense laboratory in Sierra Leone, where the hemorrhagic Lassa fever virus was located, was also the site of the first confirmed case of a “new” bioterror threat that also causes hemorrhagic fever, Ebola? Money draws attention, and the money flowing into this singular laboratory was substantial when compared with other public hospitals in Sierra Leone. For reference, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation allocated U.S. $20 million budget to run the entire national health system in 2009.
Third, a nurse from Kenema Government Hospital claimed to an audience at a fish market that “the deadly [Ebola] virus was invented to conceal “cannibalistic rituals”. The statement and an already distrustful community culminated into a riot at the hospital on July 25th, 2014. Such a case further cemented the people’s suspicions that the laboratory was “stealing” the blood of Sierra Leonians. Even though collecting blood is necessary for diagnostic tests, there are many deeply held cultural beliefs about blood in Sierra Leone, and many people are reluctant to participate in blood test as a result.
Fourth, the research facility suspiciously and suddenly shut down right at the beginning of the outbreak without much explanation to the community. Additionally, many of the Sierra Leonian staff who could have addressed the suspicions about the facility pre-outbreak have since died while bravely combatting Ebola. All of these factors accumulated into the conspiracy theory that actors involved with the bio-defense grant and the US government created a bioterror weapon and unleashed it on West Africa.
Policy Considerations
The accumulation of these factors demonstrate the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness when implementing scientific research policies. In 2018, Tulane University and a variety of partners received a new $15 million federally funded grant to study how Ebola and Lassa survivors fought off the diseases. Hopefully, the researchers are opening this facility with a new awareness and increased precautions on the spiritual and social baggage they bring to Kenema. This is especially important when considering the potential for further stigmatization of Ebola survivors if called to Kenema Government Hospital for research or treatment purposes.
There are several policy considerations that could alter the course of this conspiracy and help acclimate the community to both the presence of a well-equipped laboratory and blood draws for diagnostic purposes. Research institutions should refrain from using vocabulary such as “biodefense” and “bioweapon” to describe the purpose of research. A clinician in the Lassa ward pointed out that “The average Sierra Leonian won’t see Lassa Fever as a bioweapon threat. Only in the Western world do they see it like that.” Since the potential for contracting Lassa and Ebola is an everyday reality for Sierra Leonians, research initiatives on such diseases should be spoken about in terms of their potential for public health. Additionally, universities seeking to do medical research should consider the cultural significance of their location, and contemplate ways, including shifting location, that might reduce any negative connotations. Engaging influential spiritual leaders in productive information partnerships could also assist in assuaging local concerns.
Policy considerations should also be contemplated by grant funding institutions like the NIH and DoD. First, grant stipulations should integrate a layer of flexibility for distributing certain supplies and resources for patient care. Second, the NIH and DoD should be cognizant of their bias in funding grants that are written in terms of biodefense interests of the US, especially when related to countries where such a ‘bioweapon’ is an everyday reality. This is especially important because such bias incentivizes deleterious narratives that invokes cultural, social, and medical consequences. Lack of funding for neglected infectious diseases that only burden developing countries by the US is a complex and important issue that will require deep structural changes – and would require another blog post to contemplate. Yet, a simple solution would be to require scientific grant applications to contain a section in which the applicant considers the cultural and social impact of the work within the community of interest. In addition, community outreach with intentional dialogue on assuaging concerns about sensitive research activities should made be mandatory.
The conspiracy theory exacerbated the already high level of mistrust in Western interventions during the outbreak. As the Washington Post emphasizes, the lesson from this case study is “that winning the trust of communities at risk is absolutely indispensable to limiting the impact of the inevitable next Ebola epidemic in West Africa.” Hopefully, the Tulane University research center in Kenema Government Hospital has learned from past mistakes, and seeks to engage the community and douse suspicions against their research upon re-opening the laboratory this year. Conspiracy theories usually integrate truth with speculation. The traditional method of ignoring such theories or flat out denying (as was the case with Tulane University) may have detrimental consequences as seen during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. The power in a conspiracy theory is not necessarily its truth, but it’s power to persuade people that it is true. And as scientists who are often focused on the facts, we often have a hard time understanding that concept. When doing research, it is crucial to be cognizant of the social perception of science and attempt to build bridges between gaps of understanding on cultural practices and scientific endeavors.
Tagged with conspiracy theory, Ebola, epidemic, health, infectious disease, lassa fever, public health, vaccination
Science Policy Around the Web – February 21, 2017
By: Rachel Smallwood, PhD
Fast food via Creative Commons
Should We Treat Obesity Like a Contagious Disease?
Researchers are modeling obesity from a public health perspective as a contagious disease. There are many factors associated with obesity, including genetics, low levels of physical activity, and high caloric intake. An earlier study examined the effects of different social factors on an individual’s risk of being obese; it found that people with obese friends and family were at an increased risk for obesity, and this trend was influenced by how close the relationships were.
In this model of the prevalence of obesity, the researchers included a factor to represent obesity as a “social contagion”, reflecting those previous findings and indicating a potential increased risk and increased prevalence due to transmission from one person to another. This mechanism is assumed to be related to people adopting the behaviors of those close to them; notably, activity levels and type and quantity of food consumed. The model predicts obesity rates in populations with terms associated with the genetic contribution to obesity, the mother’s non-genetic contribution to her offspring, and the prevalence of obesity. Essentially, the more obese individuals there are in a society, the more likely it is for someone to know and interact with an obese person.
The models indicate that obesity prevalence plateaus around 35-40% without an intervention. The model is still fairly primitive, but the researchers hope that in future it could provide insight into the effects of potential interventions. For example, is it better to target an intervention to individuals who are already obese, or should the reach of the intervention be more broad and target the population as a whole? When the models reach a level of complexity comparable to the existing factors for obesity, they can be a powerful tool in preventing and addressing the epidemic. (Kelly Servick, Science Magazine)
Brain Scans Spot Early Signs of Autism in High-Risk Babies
A study recently published in Nature showed that alterations in brain development in children who go on to be diagnosed with autism precede behavioral symptoms. High-risk infants’ brains were scanned with MRI at 6, 12, and 24 months. It was determined that the infants who were subsequently diagnosed with autism had a faster rate of brain volume growth between 12 and 24 months. Additionally, between 6 and 12 months, these infants had a faster rate of growth in the surface area of folds on the brain, called the cortical surface.
Taking these findings, the research team used a machine learning approach called a deep-learning neural network to make a model to predict whether an infant would be diagnosed with autism based on their MRIs from 6 and 12 months. This model was tested in a larger set of infants, and the model correctly predicted 30 out of 37 infants who went on to be diagnosed (true positives), and it incorrectly predicted that 4 infants would be diagnosed with autism out of the 142 who were not later diagnosed (false positives). These results are much more robust than behavior-based predictions from this same age range.
More work needs to be done to replicate the results in a larger sample. Additionally, all of the participants were high-risk infants, meaning they had a sibling who was diagnosed with autism, so the results are not necessarily generalizable to the rest of the population. Further studies need to be done in the general population to determine if these same patterns are observable, but that would require an even larger sample due to the lower risk. However, the early detection of symptoms and prediction of diagnosis are potentially valuable tools, especially considering another recent publication showed that early intervention in children with autism affects the severity of symptoms years down the road. (Ewen Callaway, Nature News)
Ebola Funding Surge Hides Falling Investment in Other Neglected Diseases
Funding totals from 2015 reveal a trending decrease in funding for neglected diseases, excluding Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers. Neglected diseases are diseases that primarily affect developing companies, thus providing little incentive for private research and development by commercial entities; the other diseases include malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Given the recent surge of funding for Ebola research, the analysis firm, Policy Cures Research, decided to separate it from the other neglected diseases in its analysis to observe funding patterns independent from the epidemic that dominated the news and international concerns. Funding was tracked from private, public, and philanthropic sources.
The funding for Ebola research has primarily gone to development of a vaccine, and over a third of the funds were provided by industry. For the other diseases, the decline in overall funding is mostly represented by a decline in funding from public entities, primarily comprised of the governments of large, developed countries. Those countries accounted for 97% of the research funding for neglected diseases in 2015, so any significant change in that funding category would affect the overall funding amounts. However, there was also a slight decline in philanthropic funding. When including Ebola with the others, funding of neglected diseases was actually at its highest in the past ten years. It is not known whether money was funneled from the other diseases to Ebola research, or if this decline is indicative of less research spending in general. (Erin Ross, Nature News)
Tagged with Autism, Ebola, global health, health policy, obesity, public health, research funding, science funding
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HomeNDTVMeals To Roadworks, UK Assures Public Services As Top Company Collapses
Meals To Roadworks, UK Assures Public Services As Top Company Collapses
By admin 16th January 2018 NDTV 0 Comments
London: Carillion collapsed on Monday when its banks pulled the plug, triggering Britain’s biggest corporate failure in a decade and forcing the government to step in to guarantee public services from school meals to roadworks.
The 200-year-old business went into compulsory liquidation at 0600 GMT after costly contract delays and a slump in new business left it swamped by debt and pensions liabilities of at least 2.2 billion pounds ($3 billion).
Its demise threatens to hurt smaller suppliers, merchants, rivals and Britain’s biggest banks. The British government was left to ensure there was no disruption to public services.
The collapse poses a headache for Theresa May’s government, which had employed Carillion to work on 450 projects including the building and maintenance of hospitals, schools, defence sites and a high-speed rail line.
May’s government also faced questions from the opposition Labour Party about why it awarded the company 1.3 billion pounds of state contracts after Carillion fell into financial difficulty in July last year.
“In recent days we have been unable to secure the funding to support our business plan and it is therefore with the deepest regret that we have arrived at this decision,” Chairman Philip Green said.
The government’s priority is to ensure that public services are not disrupted, said David Lidington, the minister in charge of the Cabinet Office, which oversees the running of government.
Lidington urged Carillion staff to continue to work and said the government would pay the salaries of the company’s public sector workers. Workers on private sector contracts, however, will be paid by the government for only 48 hours.
Some contracts handled by Carillion would in time go to alternative providers, he added.
The government stopped short, however, of bailing out the company as it did with major banks during the 2007-09 financial crisis.
Fight for survival
Employing 43,000 people around the world, including 20,000 in Britain, Carillion has been fighting for survival since July, when it revealed it was losing cash on projects and had written down the value of its contract book by 845 million pounds.
With banks refusing in recent days to accept the latest restructuring plan, May’s senior ministers met around the clock, under pressure from the Labour Party and unions not to use taxpayer money to prop up the failing company.
Ministers, top bankers and company bosses scrambled to find a way to save the company in last-ditch talks over the weekend.
Carillion has committed debt facilities of about 1.6 billion pounds to banks including RBS, Santander UK, Lloyds, HSBC and Barclays. It has a pension deficit of 580 million pounds.
Spun out of Tarmac nearly 20 years ago and including construction names such as Wimpey and Alfred McAlpine, Carillion operates in Britain and Ireland, Canada, the Middle East and North Africa.
Its projects include London’s Royal Opera House, the Channel Tunnel, the Copenhagen Metro, the Suez Canal road tunnel and Toronto’s Union Station.
In July last year, a week after its initial profit warning, it was named as one of the contractors on Britain’s new High Speed 2 rail line, a flagship project that will better connect London with the north of England.
Richard Howson quit as CEO at the time of the profit warning after five years in the role. Its shares have lost more than 90 percent of their value over the past six months.
At its headquarters in Wolverhampton, central England, a handful of workers could be seen holding meetings.
Shares in rivals such as G4S, Interserve, Balfour Beatty and Kier Group advanced on hopes they would pick up some additional work.
Legacy contracts
However, Balfour, which worked with Carillion on three British road projects, said the collapse would probably cost it between 35 and 45 million pounds.
Many of Britain’s service providers have been hit in recent years after they took on work during the financial crisis at low prices for long-running fixed-rate contracts that have also proved problematic for groups that include Capita and Mitie and Interserve.
Britain began outsourcing public services in the late 1980s under Margaret Thatcher and enjoyed a boom period under Labour’s Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. It is now the world’s second-largest outsourcing market behind the United states.
Britain’s National Audit Office warned of risks in the sector in 2013, highlighting a government focus on what it called “short-term savings”.
Andrew Wilkinson, a restructuring specialist at law firm Weil, said there was a serious issue about the pricing and profit recognition on long-term contracts.
“The government pushes hard for cost savings and all these pressures build up,” he said. “It’s not a new thing, it’s happened before in this sector, but the shame of it here is this company didn’t move fast enough,” he told Reuters.
Rudi Klein, head of Britain’s Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group, warned that the impact was likely to be felt by small contractors. He estimated Carillion had left a trail of 1.2 billion pounds in unpaid bills to thousands of small subcontractors.
Klein said the scale of the industry’s exposure was not yet clear but he gave the examples of a small Northern Irish engineering contractor owed 150,000 pounds and a concrete frame manufacturer in northwest England owed 2 million pounds.
“This can’t be allowed to happen again,” he said.
(Additional reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Keith Weir and David Goodman)
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/meals-to-roadworks-uk-assures-public-services-as-top-company-collapses-1800476
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Doubs (river)
Coordinates: 46°54′5″N 5°1′26″E / 46.90139°N 5.02389°E / 46.90139; 5.02389
German: Dub
The Doubs just before Besançon.
France, Switzerland
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, French-speaking Switzerland
- left Drugeon, Loue, Guyotte
- right Allaine
Pontarlier, Besançon, Dole
- location Mouthe, Doubs, France
- elevation 937 m (3,074 ft)
- coordinates 46°42′18″N 6°12′34″E / 46.70500°N 6.20944°E / 46.70500; 6.20944
- location Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, Saône-et-Loire, France
- elevation 170 m (558 ft)
- coordinates 46°54′5″N 5°1′26″E / 46.90139°N 5.02389°E / 46.90139; 5.02389
453 km (281 mi)
7,710 km² (2,977 sq mi)
for Neublans-Abergement
- average 173 m³/s (6,109 cu ft/s)
Course of the Doubs
Wikimedia Commons: Doubs River
The Doubs is a river in eastern France and western Switzerland. It is a left tributary of the Saône river that flows through the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region and the French-speaking Switzerland.
The Doubs department is named after this river.
1.1 Course
2 Main tributaries
3 Hydroelectricity
Geography[change | change source]
The Doubs river has a length of 453 km (281.5 mi) and a drainage basin with an area of 7,710 km2 (2,977 sq mi).[1]
Its average yearly discharge (volume of water which passes through a section of the river per unit of time) is 173 m3/s (6,100 cu ft/s) at Neublans-Abergement, a commune in the Jura department near the confluence of the Doubs and the Saône.[2]
Average monthly discharge (m3/s) at Neublans-Abergement (52 years)[2]
Course[change | change source]
The Doubs river starts in the commune of Mouthel in the Doubs department, at an altitude of about 937 m (3,074 ft) in the Jura Mountains near the French-Swiss border.[3] Then it flows to the northeast and pass through the Lac de Saint-Point lake and forms the border between France and Switzerland for several kilometres before going into Switzerland, into the canton of Jura, in the region known as Clos du Doubs. The waterfall named as Saut du Doubs on the French-Swiss border. Then the river turns to the west and gets back into France. Finally, the river flows to southwest to join the Saône river.
The Doubs river flows through one region and three departments in France, and two cantons (Neuchâtel and Jura) in Switzerland. It flows through the following communes, among others:[1]
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region (first part)
Doubs: Pontarlier
Switzerland: Saint-Ursanne in the Jura canton
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region (second part)
Doubs: Besançon
Jura: Dole
Saône-et-Loire: Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
Besançon.
Morteau.
Dole.
Mouthe.
The river forms several lakes:
Lac des Brenets (elevation: 750 m [2,460 ft])
Lac de Moron (elevation: 716 m [2,349 ft])
Lac de Biaufond (elevation: 610 m [2,000 ft])
The Doubs river flows into the Saône river as a leftt tributary in the city of Verdun-sur-le-Doubs.[4]
Main tributaries[change | change source]
The main tributaries, over 30 km long, of the Doubs river are:[1]
Left tributaries:
Drugeon - 35.5 km
Dessoubre - 33.3 km
Clauge - 35.4 km
Loue - 122.2 km
Orain - 39 km
Guyotte - 41.1 km
Right tributaries:
Allaine - 65 km
Hydroelectricity[change | change source]
The Doubs is used for electricity generation (hydroelectricity). Among several hydroelectric stations, the most important are the Dam of Châtelot, 74 m (243 ft) tall, and the Dam of Refrain, 66.5 m (218 ft) tall.
Gallery[change | change source]
The source of the Doubs in Mouthe.
The Saut du Doubs.
The Lac des Brenets.
The Doubs in Dole.
Confluence of Saône (left) and Doubs (right) rivers.
Related pages[change | change source]
List of rivers of France
List of rivers of Switzerland
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Doubs River.
↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Le Doubs (U2--0200)" (in French). SANDRE - Portail national d'accès aux référentiels sur l'eau. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
↑ 2.0 2.1 "Le Doubs à Neublans-Abergement". Banque Hydro (in French). Ministère de l'Ecologie, du Développement Durable et de l'Energie. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
↑ "Source du Doubs" (in French). Géoportail. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
↑ "Embouchure du Doubs" (in French). Géoportail. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doubs_(river)&oldid=5717673"
Rivers of France
Rivers of Switzerland
CS1 French-language sources (fr)
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Registered sex offender cut from 'The Predator'
Yahoo Movies UK 6 September 2018
It’s been revealed that 20th Century Fox was forced to cut a scene from The Predator after executives discovered it featured a registered sex offender, in a statement to the LA Times.
Steven Wilder Striegel, a friend of Predator director Shane Black, pleaded guilty in 2010 after facing allegations that he attempted to lure a 14-year-old female into a sexual relationship via the internet. He served six months in prison.
The studio was unaware of Striegel’s conviction. The information was relayed to them by Olivia Munn, who shared the scene with Striegel – he was playing a jogger who ‘repeatedly hits on’ Munn.
“Our studio was not aware of Mr. Striegel’s background when he was hired,” a Fox spokesperson said in a statement. “We were not aware of his background during the casting process due to legal limitations that impede studios from running background checks on actors.”
The first role Striegel was given following his release from prison was in Black’s 2013 Marvel movie, Iron Man 3. Three years later, he was cast in Black’s buddy cop comedy The Nice Guys.
Following The Nice Guys, the actor also appeared in Last Man Club (2016), Swing State (2017), and Dirty Lies (2017).
“I’ve known Shane Black 14 years, well before this incident, and I think it’s worth noting that he was aware of the facts,” Striegel said. “Shane can speak for himself, but I’m quite certain that if he felt I was a danger in any way to have around, he would not have.”
“This was an enormously unfortunate chapter in my life, and one that I took, and continue to take, personal responsibility for,” he continued. “If I had even an inkling that my involvement with ‘The Predator’ would be a point of difficulty for Shane Black, or cast any kind of shadow over a movie that I wish only great success for, I would, of course, never have been involved in any capacity.”
Munn said she found it “both surprising and unsettling that Shane Black, our director, did not share this information to the cast, crew, or Fox Studios prior to, during, or after production.”
“However,” she continued, “I am relieved that when Fox finally did receive the information, the studio took appropriate action by deleting the scene featuring Wilder prior to release of the film.”
Munn shared a pertinent image on Instagram this morning, which now feels like it could be relevant to this story – either way, it’s a good message to end on.
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← Defeating Jerry Coyne’s Argument about Science and Religion, Part 2
Atheist Safe Spaces →
Defeating Jerry Coyne’s Argument about Science and Religion, Part 3
To make the case that science can determine whether or not God exists, Coyne believes that miracles can be part of a science. Yet the majority of scientists and philosophers insist that miracles can never truly be part of science. For example, philosopher Theodore Drange expresses this mainstream position:
It could never be a scientific finding that a miracle occurred, for science is the attempt to understand reality in terms of the laws of nature. To say that a miracle occurred is to abandon the scientific (= naturalistic) perspective on the matter. If a scientist were to end up with such a belief, then it would be incompatible with the scientific point of view. It would be as if to say, “Here is something that could never be naturalistically explained and so it lies outside the domain of science.”
Another way to think of a miracle is that it represents a Gap – something that cannot be explained by natural laws.
In essence, it would represent a gap in our scientific knowledge.That Coyne is ready to embrace belief in God because of a gap, some phenomenon that could not be explained by science – a nine-hundred-foot-tall-Jesus or the sudden appearance of Jesus’s head on Mt. Rushmore – shows that he is advocating the “god-of-the-gaps” approach.And anyone familiar with science knows that the “god-of-the-gaps” approach has no place in science.Things that cannot be explained by science are not part of science.
So Coyne’s willingness to include miracles/gaps in science runs contrary to mainstream views of science. What’s more, it runs into two major problems:
Coyne speaks of “documenting” these miracles. Yet with many of his examples, he fails to explain HOW science would go about documenting a miracle and reaching the conclusion that a miracle truly occurred.
Coyne doesn’t seem to understand “documenting” something doesn’t really capture the essence of science. Science is concerned with explaining phenomena in terms of cause-and-effect, where the cause of one effect can be the effect of another cause. Science is thus focused on how things work and how things are connected – a focus on mechanisms. If Coyne introduces gaps into science, he has radically redefined science such that the focus on explanation and mechanism has been suspended. A scientist would want to understand the mechanism behind the miracle – how did that face of Jesus materialize on Mt. Rushmore. If the cause is supernatural, how could scientists, trained to use natural laws to derive explanations, ever hope to probe the mechanism of this miracle?
In the end, Coyne’s argument about incorporating the supernatural into science is a train wreck. This should not be a surprise given that Coyne never bothered to define “science” and “supernatural,” has never published a single scientific study that addresses a supernatural cause, and shifts the focus from “science” to the observations/beliefs of scientists.
At this point, Drange says something that is quite pertinent
Scientists can claim that miracles occur, but when they do so, they do so only as laypersons, not as scientists.
Coyne is free to embrace a miracle as a person, but when doing so, despite the fact that he is a scientist, science is not incorporating the miracle.
A miracle does not need to be documented by science or incorporated into science to have happened.
This entry was posted in atheism, Jerry Coyne, New Atheism, Religion, Science and tagged atheism, Jerry Coyne, New Atheism, Religion, Science. Bookmark the permalink.
5 Responses to Defeating Jerry Coyne’s Argument about Science and Religion, Part 3
chicagoja says:
These kinds of debates go nowhere because neither side can ever prove their case. Non-believers will forever be trying to prove a negative and believers will never convince anybody unless God were to hold a press conference to announce his existence (and maybe not even then). Both sides try to use science to bolster their case which is fruitless because science is a process of observation and measurement (of the observable universe) and therefore scientists will never be able to do anything other than theorize about what lies beyond space and time. So scientists like Coyne or Stephen Hawking will be forever pretending that science can answer all of man’s questions. Hawking, of course, coined the expression,”One can’t prove that God doesn’t exist, but science makes God unnecessary.” His arrogance is simply astounding.
Hawking, of course, coined the expression,”One can’t prove that God doesn’t exist, but science makes God unnecessary.”
The problem with celebrity scientists is that no one ever seems to ask them challenging questions. In this case, one simply needed to ask Hawking “What would make God necessary?” At that point, his answer would be along the lines of something science cannot explain. In other words, a gap. At that point, ask him, “Is God of the Gaps reasoning a legitimate form of reasoning in science?” At that point, the celebrity scientist is stumped.
In other words, he does not use the scientific method, right?
Dinklage says:
“It could never be a scientific finding that a miracle occurred, for science is the attempt to understand reality in terms of the laws of nature.”
Exactly. Miracles occur precisely when/where those laws of nature break, so a scientific understanding in terms of laws is impossible. Honestly, what is Coyne doing? If he “can’t bother” to get anything right, he should have the decency to keep his mouth shut.
Actually, a miracle could be viewed as something that occurs that is outside of our ability to understand. In that case, our understanding of the laws of nature should be considered incomplete. Science is always changing so it should as no great shock to anyone that we do not fully understand the laws of nature. Besides, there is more to creation/nature than just our little three dimensional bubble. Quantum physics says that there are other worlds with other laws of physics which interpenetrate our world. These interactions/synchronicities should be viewed, perhaps, as miracles.
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Home SharperIron Forums Principles & Consequences Fundamentalism & Evangelicalism Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President to Calvinists: Leave!
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President to Calvinists: Leave!
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Paige Patterson terms Calvinism ‘Trojan Horse’: "I know there are a fair number of you who think you are a Calvinist, but understand there is a denomination which represents that view, It’s called Presbyterian.”
For that matter....
....I doubt you'd find many Presbyterians of any association/denomination that would agree with everything in all 46 or however many volumes Calvin wrote....but if I'm a fan of the little guy with the stuffed tiger, maybe I can be a Calvinist. :^)
Oh, my
Patterson said:
if I held that position I would become a Presbyterian. I would not remain a Baptist, because the Baptist position from the time of the Anabaptists, really from the time of the New Testament, is very different.”
An argument about who has legitimate claim to a "label." It seems I've heard that argument somewhere else, very recently . . . where was it? Oh, well. I've gotta run - I don't want to be late for my Convergent meeting.
TylerR,
Jeremy Horn - Thu, 12/01/2016 - 9:58pm
You should read some of the debates on the internet about whether Calvinism refers to Reformed Theology as a whole, or just the Doctrines in Grace. It gets very interesting at times because there are those among the Presbyterian/Reformed brethren who insist. That a Calvinist(ic?) Baptist is not a Calvinist because they reject infant Baptism and a few other denominational distinctives. It can be quite informative.
"Real" Reformed
TylerR - Thu, 12/01/2016 - 10:02pm
Yes, I've read some of that!
Jeremy Horn - Thu, 12/01/2016 - 10:21pm
heard it called True Reformed(abbreviated as TR of all things). This sounds like a worthwhile filing to discuss. I hope it picks up as much steam as the BJU/Drinking/Convergence threads.
I wish Patterson would have been more careful in his comments about the label and what it means. It seemed rather careless. Definitely inaccurate.
Hate to hear this
dlhanson - Thu, 12/01/2016 - 10:36pm
Dr. Al Mohler, President of SBTS in Louisville, and Paige Patterson, President of SWBTS, have had their differences about Calvinism over the years. They agreed to disagree but get along in 2006 (per Baptist Press News: "Patterson urged Southern Baptists not to follow the example of the English Baptists who divided over the issue [Calvinism]".
Then there was a "blue ribbon" committee report in 2013 which included this statement: "We deny that the main purpose of the Southern Baptist Convention is theological debate. We further deny that theological discussion can be healthy if our primary aim is to win an argument, to triumph in a debate, or to draw every denominational meeting into a conversation over conflicted issues. Of more significance to our life together than any allegiance to Calvinism or non-Calvinism should be our shared identity as Southern Baptists." Both Dr. Paige and Dr. Mohler were on this committee and signed the report.
My SBC cooperating Church is not Calvinistic and our older son's SBC cooperating Church is Calvinistic. SBC cooperating Churches are much like independent baptist but agree to follow the Baptist Faith and Message statement of faith (our church incorporates it into our much longer constitution and statement of faith). I am not sure why Dr. Patterson has stirred things up again. Maybe he felt pushed into it by something - Calvinism has been a burr under his saddle for a long time. I wish that he would not have said what he did.
CH Spurgeon?
Aaron Blumer - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 6:16am
Never heard of C. H. Spurgeon I guess?
Aaron Blumer wrote:
Jeremy Horn - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 8:30am
Maybe he's only ever read the Sword of the Lord version of CH Spurgeon :)?
Back to a serious note, as I mentioned before these remarks by Patterson are inexcusable. I realize that he isn't a big fan of Calvinism, but to claim that a Baptist that holds to the five points is going to bring in Presbyterian(which is different than Elder-led congregationalism in Reformed Baptist circles) church government, and infant baptism(these comments might have been the other guy that spoke at chapel and the wording is more vague in the article but Im guessing these are what were meant) is sheer anti-calvinist propaganda. I expect better from Patterson, whether he made those particular remarks or allowed them to stand without correction.
To be serious....
Bert Perry - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 8:31am
I would dare say that a certain portion of YRR in SBC churches do cause division, but I would have hoped that a more measured "since the closest representations we have to pure Calvinism are the Presbyterians, Anglicans, and Reformed churches, we hope that all of our members learn to discern between the doctrines of grace and other doctrines preached by Calvin." Or something like that. But sad to say, sometimes we fundagelicals don't do "measured" very well, myself included at times.
(one other thing; my first comment pillages something Spurgeon noted in a sermon about hyper-Calvinists....so that is not original to me, except for the crack about Calvin & Hobbes, of course)
Mark_Smith - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 9:58am
Before you overreact to Paige Patterson's comments, check yourself to make sure you haven't said things like:
-If you aren't a Calvinist (or maybe an Arminian) then you are a heretic semi-Pelagian
-The true gospel is Calvinist
-Any clear reading of the gospel of John leads to Calvinism
...Things like that.
See, you can be just as dogmatic as him!
Andrew K - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 11:08am
Although it's important to note that not all Calvinistic Baptists in the SBC would identify as YRR. I doubt many in Founders would.
A general rant?
Jim - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 11:58am
Mark_Smith wrote:
A general, burr in the saddle, rant? Or are you addressing this to someone specifically? Who's the "you"?
Jim's Doctrinal Statement
Bert Perry - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 12:41pm
I can almost go with with what Mark is saying here--being a confessed dogmatic person myself--but I think what Patterson is doing goes beyond what Mark describes. Mark is describing some statements that really could be made by many people subscribing to the doctrines of grace, especially those in the "cage" stage. If you really believe the whole bulb and bloom, the major one that you'd hesitate to say would be the first about being semi-Pelagian. I am personally at least 80% there myself. Get me my cage--some of y'all know I need it, no? :^)
(let's be honest; dogmatism is great in the service of the truth, no?)
That said, Patterson is not just stating what he believes, but is rather suggesting that those who believe in the doctrines of grace ought to hit the exits--we would infer, at least in a case where we're talking about Biblical church discipline--that he's saying that the bulb and bloom is so out of step with Scripture that he cannot have fellowship with them. Violation of the Fundamentals or solas, really.
So my take is that Patterson is 100% OK if he simply says that he disagrees with (some of?) the doctrines of grace held by YRRs and others (thanks, Andrew), and even if he suggests that they ought inexorably to lead to other Presbyterian/Reformed distinctives. However, just as I don't think many YRRs would subscribe to Mark's first example, I don't think that he's done the work to demonstrate this, let alone that this ought to be a barrier to fellowship. Hence the uproar.
Jeremy Horn - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 1:10pm
I agree with a lot of what Bert has said Mark, But also consider...
Re: your list
1). I don't regard those who do not subscribe to the Doctrines of Grace(or 5-point Calvinism as it's also called. Bert is correct. Most Calvinists who do that sort of thing are in the "cage stage". Most who do not grow up in a Presbyterian/Reformed Baptist background and gain a new exposure to Calvinism and come to agree with/believe it go through it.
2). For any to regard Calvinism as "the True Gospel", nowhere in Scripture do we find that belief in those doctrines aare a requirement for Salvation. I'm aware of some statements made by Spurgeon(probably others), that "Calvinism is a nickname for the Gospel. In the context of Spurgeon's theology as a whole, he was regarding anyone who said "Salvation is of the Lord" is a Calvinist(not an exact quote, but there are enough Spurgeon sites on the internet where one can find the exact quote and source. That is also a very broad definition of Calvinist because Arminians affirm it as well.).
Regarding the Gospel of John and Calvinism, I direct you to John 6:37, and John 10:27-29. It is reasonable to understand why Calvinists uinterpret these passages as teaching some of the beliefs of 5-point Calvinsim.
And on the matter of Church/Baptist history, Patterson's statements are inexcuseable for him to make given that he has a Th.M and a Ph.D From New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the President of a seminary. He might not have majored in the field of Church History, but he should have studied enough of it during the pursuit of his education that he should know better than to make some of those statements. Bert's analysis of those statements is correct.
John Broadus
Donn R Arms - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 1:46pm
"What we call Calvinism is the doctrine of Paul, developed by Augustine and systematized by Calvin."
John A Broadus, Lectures on the History of Preaching, 1876. page 81.
Donn R Arms
Having read the Institutes...
Bert Perry - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 2:53pm
....I can concur with Donn. We can differ reasonably on whether Augustine and Calvin rightly process the doctrines of Paul, but (apart from the question of inserting the Apostles' Creed as a significant source), it is indisputable that Calvin builds on Paul and Augustine. The question is not whether Reformed theologians say these kinds of things, but whether statements like this constitute a basis for separation, in my view.
At this point my opinion is that, absent aggravating circumstances, it does not.
Dr. Patterson gives further explanation
dlhanson - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 7:13pm
Dr. Patterson gave further explanation that he is not asking anyone to leave the SBC. He said he was explaining what he personally would do. I don't want to speak for him so here is the link:
http://theologicalmatters.com/2016/12/02/concerning-remarks-on-calvinism-in-chapel-at-southwestern/
dlhanson wrote:
Jeremy Horn - Fri, 12/02/2016 - 10:26pm
I'm glad to see the clarification. I agree that the students shouldn't have walked out. I still think that Patterson was unwise to paint the Calvinist/Reformed vs Arminianism(I am using that term in a very broad manner) as a Baptist vs Presbyterian issue. I think he's wrong to assume that it has to be all or nothing regarding Calvinism.
More Common than you may think
G. N. Barkman - Sat, 12/03/2016 - 8:34am
When I first came into the doctrines of grace in the early eighties, I received exactly the same comments as those made by Patterson. Some Baptists in my area told me that what I believed was not baptistic, and that I either needed to change my doctrine or become Presbyterian. That led to two considerations: 1) A study of Presbyterianism. I concluded that I could not become Presbyterian, primarily because of infant baptism, along with their understanding of the church. 2) A study of Baptist church history, where I learned that English and American Baptists have a long and rich history of Calvinism. Patterson is not only wrong, but seriously so. A man who makes such statements has no business heading a Baptist seminary, in my opinion. He manifests significant historical ignorance.
G. N. Barkman
Common, but...
Bert Perry - Sat, 12/03/2016 - 9:57am
As Jeremy noted above, if we actually treasure our heritage and the way the Reformation led to where we are, shouldn't we at least know about the historic Puritan/Separatist esteem for the doctrines of grace, even if we don't agree with them in toto? And I have to wonder if Patterson knows better--hard to believe that one got an earned doctorate without at least hearing it around the coffee pot.
Move on to Free Will Baptist
Joel Tetreau - Sat, 12/03/2016 - 10:08am
I would encourage Page with the thought..... if you are getting tired living with Calvinist and Calvinish leaders in the SBC ..... if you are done with that maybe a better move is for you to move on over to the Free Will Baptist. They would love you in Nashville.
Ye must be born again..... and again ..... and again ......!
ps - Actually I know that the Free Will Baptist guys take the Heb 6 view once you depart you're done......so no need to correct my last statement of fun there.....
Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;
What may be being addressed
Rob Fall - Sat, 12/03/2016 - 8:22pm
Is what we used to call at MBBC, "Snack Shop Theology."
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
Snack Shop theology
Jay - Sat, 12/03/2016 - 9:36pm
was also how we referred to it at NBBC and BJU.
It never ceases to amaze me that the body of Christ continually picks fights with itself instead of with our real issues. Amazes and saddens me.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
TylerR - Sat, 12/03/2016 - 11:56pm
His clarification was helpful. I forgive him!
“In my reported statements,
David R. Brumbelow - Sun, 12/04/2016 - 2:40pm
“In my reported statements, let it be clear that I asked no one to leave the SBC! Let me go further and say that I am fully aware that Baptists have historically been divided into two camps (at least)—namely, Calvinist and non-Calvinist. I do not anticipate that this will change, though historically, one observes an ebb and flow within these positions, just as in the doctrine of eschatology. I must also acknowledge that as long as the heart is hot for the winning of men and women to Christ, as long as the passionate evangelism exhibited in the New Testament is the major commitment, as long as the Calvinism on display is like that of Spurgeon, who even wrote a book specifically on soul-winning, I am content—no, I am elated to work with these brethren for the cause of Christ.”
-Paige Patterson
http://theologicalmatters.com/2016/12/02/concerning-remarks-on-calvinism...
When Paige Patterson was SBC President he appointed the members of the committee that produced the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the doctrinal statement of the SBC. Among those he chose was Al Mohler.
Patterson is a first rate scholar and evangelist. Anytime you hear something terrible about him, I’d suggest you give it a little time for more information to come out. And, he will probably be vindicated.
Jim - Mon, 12/12/2016 - 8:04pm
http://baptistmessage.com/seminary-students-part-spontaneous-protest-fac...
In an unusual show of defiance a few students at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary stood and then walked out during the chapel service Nov. 29 in apparent disagreement with the speaker.
The students were reacting to a message by Rick Patrick, pastor of First Baptist Church in Sylacauga, Alabama, and a 1993 graduate of Southwestern Seminary.
Patrick’s 38-minute message focused on the primacy of salvation in Christ.
In the first part of his sermon, Patrick noted he came to Christ after hearing the plan of salvation and praying “The Sinner’s Prayer.”
Patrick said it was disconcerting when 30 years later that prayer was being blamed for sending people to Hell.
“The blame lies not with the form of expression, but rather with the lack of sincerity in the heart of the false professor,” Patrick said.
He also urged the chapel crowd not to neglect the study of salvation, offering his view that traditionalists (non-Calvinists) and Calvinists see things differently when it comes to “matters of ministry and theology.”
Declaring Baptists share a basic sense of orthodoxy concerning the Virgin Birth, the Trinity and the Scriptures, Patrick said the road diverges after that and Calvinists and traditionalists split ways.
Patrick said he and some other like-minded pastors had taken notice of the growth of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention, including ministry organizations, sponsored conferences, and even book giveaways promoting Calvinistic views on church history, church governance, church planting and cultural engagement.
In all, they identified six different Calvinist organizations that had emerged in Southern Baptist life.
With that discovery, Patrick said he and these other pastors decided there should be at least one that represents the (Herschel)Hobbs/(Adrian) Rogers non-Calvinistic doctrinal position, “a basic view of salvation” embraced by the early writers of the Baptist Faith & Message.
Hence the group formed Connect 316, an organization he said is not part of the new Calvinistic movement, but, “rather, we are an organized, respectful response to that movement.”
Patrick said the difference on the issue of salvation is no small matter, insisting the doctrine of salvation is a key distinctive of Southern Baptist thought and life.
How one views salvation also influences what a person thinks about other spiritual issues, he said.
Patrick said a believer’s soteriological view shapes his or her view on the “Sinner’s Prayer,” “evangelists,” “altar calls,” and “mode of baptism.”
He said it even influences what one believes about “God and country” and the use of “alcohol and tobacco.”
Patrick shared how a growing number of Southern Baptists are expressing concerns about individuals and groups in the SBC who “increasingly embrace the Presbyterian view of salvation doctrine, church government, the mode of baptism, avoidance of the altar call, the use of beverage alcohol, the approval of societal missions funding and so on.”
These practices are broader than the issue of salvation, Patrick conceded, but he insisted each is driven by a person’s basic belief about what salvation means.
“If we are not careful a myriad of related beliefs and practices will enter our camp, hidden within the Trojan Horse of Calvinism,” Patrick asserted.
Follow up says a lot
Bert Perry - Tue, 12/13/2016 - 9:32am
I won't touch much of what Patrick said, but I would have hoped that people familiar with the Parable of the Sower would not simply blame those who fall away for "not being serious enough", and that even those who love altar calls would admit that all too often, they are used in a totally manipulative way. I came here after writing about the experience of my former church, which was claiming 800 conversions over the past 20 years of VBS, but while there was only one person in attendance between the ages of 20 and 40 besides the pastor and his wife. They had the Sinner's Prayer and altar calls, but no fruit, and it's time for traditionalists like Patrick to come to grips with this reality, not to mention the abyssmal retention rates (what, 2% or less?) that you'll see among those who are "saved" at a Billy Graham crusade.
Hopefully one does not need to be a "Calvinist" to clue in on this.
Never mind. I will
Bert Perry - Tue, 12/13/2016 - 3:12pm
Let's take a look at the "Cliff's Notes" summary of Patrick's objections to Calvinism--whether he defines it as the "bulb and bloom" or all 46 (or so) volumes of theology isn't clear, but let's go with it.
Our doctrine of salvation will change our approach to "The Sinner's Prayer", "evangelists", "altar calls", "mode of baptism", "beverage alcohol and tobacco", "societal missions", and the like. Now as I look through this list, most of these things are not clearly spelled out in the Scriptures aside from the mode of immersion. More or less, it's a classic example of Jim's diagram of the failure of fundamentalism; every little thing becomes a critical issue, whether or not there is serious Scriptural evidence for that imperative.
And if "Connect316" is indeed formed to demonstrate that the "traditionalist" (sometimes called Arminian, I believe) understanding of salvation is indeed critical to the Baptist version of the faith, and if Patrick indeed believes that Calvinism (however he defines it) is a "Trojan Horse" that will undermine true faith, one would have to assume that Patrick and "Connect316" at least--and possibly also the guy who invited him--are indeed working to show Calvinism the door at the SBC.
Seems to me that having Patrick speak so soon after this kerfuffle blew up is either a serious error on the part of Patterson, or an admission that the Calvinist students had a good point, or possibly both.
Who is the Real Bogeyman?
TylerR - Tue, 12/13/2016 - 3:36pm
The article concludes:
Patterson ended his statement with a focus on baptism as well, in context of salvation, and in a larger sense, evangelism.
He said the whole Conservative Resurgence, which was a fight about Southern Baptists’ beliefs, “was really always about one thing—reaching men and women for Christ.”
Patterson wrote. “My unalterable fear for our denomination today is that baptisms will continue to plummet, giving a certain indication of loss of evangelistic concern and fervency.
“Southern Baptists prospered by being the most effectively evangelistic among all denominations, and we will only prosper again if we honor God in that way,” Patterson continued.
I share this concern. But, the real bogeyman in the way of this goal is not Calvinism. It is Satan, and all the trouble he causes in Christian's lives and in local churches to hinder evangelism and effective discipleship. Both sides should focus on combating that threat, and stop maligning friends who share the same goals.
Rude to walk out on a chapel speaker
Jim - Tue, 12/13/2016 - 4:25pm
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Women Watch The Watchmen: Samantha Puc on Watchmen #9
Date: June 28, 2019Author: Steve 0 Comments
Watchmen #9: The Darkness of Mere Being
Written by Alan Moore
Drawn and lettered by Dave Gibbons
Coloured by John Higgins
“Grooming the Juspeczyk Women: The Heinous Revelations of Watchmen Chapter IX”
Laurie Juspeczyk has been groomed her entire life by people she trusts to do right by her. In Watchmen chapter nine, “The Darkness of Mere Being,” her realization of that comes crashing down — literally — when she is transported to Mars to convince her ex-boyfriend to save the world from imminent destruction. Simultaneously, she infers that the man who once tried to rape her mother is, in fact, her father.
“The Darkness of Mere Being” is perhaps the most heinous issue in the entire run of Watchmen. It’s this issue that deals with how Laurie was groomed by Jon when she was just 16 – not just to be his lover but to become his kept woman, unfairly burdened with maintaining his ties to humanity so he would continue to serve the government.
When she leaves him, he is shortly thereafter accused of giving multiple people cancer; however, when he exiles himself, he tells her it’s because she left him. It’s manipulation 101: “you did something I didn’t like, so I did something dramatic and blamed you to make you feel guilty.”
Now, he wants her to convince him to save the human race from itself, though he claims to no longer care because she isn’t with him anymore. The amount of pressure he puts on her to change his mind — while simultaneously insisting that the future is decided and that she literally can’t — is disgusting. What’s worse is that he shows such blatant disrespect for her safety, transporting her to an oxygen-less planet and then questioning why she’s sick from the trip — though she always gets sick from these trips, as she reminds him, exasperated.
Once Laurie has access to oxygen (again, thanks to Jon, once again reiterating how much power and control he has over her in any situation), their conversation begins. All the while, individual panels trace the trajectory of a bottle that Laurie threw/is throwing/will throw, in accordance with how time functions through Jon’s view of the world. As he tells her, everything is preordained; he can see the past, present and future all at once and can do nothing to stop it or change it.
This bottle is what Laurie throws when she puts together the pieces of her paternity. It’s in that moment that her mother’s own grooming comes to light, radically altering everything about Laurie’s relationship with Sally. It’s not just that Sally groomed Laurie to take her place in the realm of superheroes; it’s that Sally herself was also groomed, especially when it came time to create an appropriate image of Silk Spectre for the public to consume.
The argument can also be made that Sally was groomed by Eddie Blake, once again drawing parallels between mother and daughter.
Laurie recalls Eddie telling her that he tried to rape Sally “only once,” which she initially interprets as him confessing to only one attempt. However, after she puts together other memories, she infers that he meant he only attempted to force himself once, and that Sally slept with him “consensually” after that.
It’s not uncommon for sexual abusers to wear down their victims over time; this is also a form of grooming, though the term is more often associated with adults grooming children for sexual activities. Although Laurie doesn’t seem to realize it, it’s likely that Sally was too ashamed to tell the truth of her daughter’s paternity. She probably blamed herself for “giving in”, for not saying no, for not fighting. This is a phenomenon that has been discussed over and over again since Tarana Burke’s Me Too movement became a viral hashtag in 2017. Rape culture forces victims to see themselves as responsible for their assaults, rather than the actual perpetrators.
In the case of Eddie and Sally, it’s more than apparent that the violent encounter Laurie knows about was perhaps the only instance where Sally was able to successfully get away from Eddie, and that was with the intervention of someone else. Laurie has long blamed her mother for training her to become a masked vigilante when it was never Laurie’s desire to do so. In light of her realization that Eddie is likely her father, Sally pushing her daughter to learn how to fight could have been a response to her own trauma. It could have been her way of protecting Laurie, in the only way she knew how.
Unfortunately, Laurie doesn’t come to these conclusions in “The Mere Darkness of Being.” She instead gets angry at her mother for concealing the truth. Then, in what is truly the most out-of-touch response possible, Jon concludes that procreation is a miracle, especially when sexual violence can result in the birth of someone like Laurie. He decides to save humanity. He tells Laurie they’re going back to Earth.
To liken birth by way of rape to a miracle is the kind of argument anti-abortion lobbyists make. To do so after effectively slut-shaming a woman who was repeatedly victimized by a man who seemingly couldn’t get over his obsession with her is especially disturbing, especially in a comic that is so widely heralded as a triumph of the genre.
Laurie and Sally were groomed by men who yielded their power over these women in order to satisfy themselves. In Watchmen chapter nine, the extent to which their lives have been driven almost entirely by the behavior of these men comes to light. The truth is ugly. And yet Watchmen never properly addresses the consequences of these realizations, nor do Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons provide any useful commentary on how rape culture functions to keep sexual abuse victims separated, even within their own families, for fear of judgment and shame.
Even after Laurie assumes a new identity and forgives her mother as she pursues a different kind of superheroism, blame is still placed on Sally for “giving in” to Eddie’s assault. Breaking away from Jon’s influence allows Laurie to reclaim her autonomy, but she still can’t seem to parse exactly how much damage he did, or what kind of suffering her mother went through. This is normal for survivors; it often takes years for us to determine the full extent of what’s happened to us and how it’s changed the way we move through the world.
Still, the lack of real understanding and closure suggests that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons either didn’t understand the story they were telling, or didn’t care to dig their heels into it and make a point.
On one hand, it isn’t surprising that this comic just barely scratches the surface of these issues, and then, only when the fate of the world is in danger because Laurie chooses to leave her groomer for treating her like trash. On the other, it’s concerning that we don’t talk about these issues more, especially as they pertain to treatment of non-men not just in comics, but across popular media — and in real life, as well.
Samantha Puc is a writer and critic hailing from Montana. She’s the Managing Editor for The Beat (I used to do that job!!) with bylines at Rogues Portal and Bustle, amongst many others. She can be found on Twitter here, and you can visit her website here!
Alan MooreDave GibbonsDC ComicsJohn HigginsSamantha PucWatchmen
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You are at:Home»Operators & Networks»GSMA says Bangladesh needs more spectrum
GSMA says Bangladesh needs more spectrum
By Heather McLean on April 5, 2018 Operators & Networks, Smart News
To hit the country’s Vision 2021 goals the government needs to do more
The GSMA has released a new report outlining the rapid growth of the Bangladesh mobile industry over the last decade, which now places it as the fifth largest mobile market in Asia Pacific.
The GSMA Intelligence country overview also highlights some of the obstacles that may hinder the government’s efforts to achieving its Vision 2021 goals, including affordability of mobile services, taxation and spectrum pricing. Complementing this study, the GSMA also released the findings of a report it commissioned from EY on the potential economic impact of tax reform on the Bangladesh mobile industry.
“It’s clear that the mobile industry plays a crucial role in supporting the achievement of the government’s Vision 2021 and Digital Bangladesh initiatives, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mobile technology has and will continue to have a positive impact on the people of Bangladesh, and can accelerate Bangladesh’s progress as a digital society,” said Alasdair Grant, head of Asia Pacific for the GSMA. “The country still faces a significant digital divide however, and steps must be taken to enable the right conditions for mobile internet connectivity to flourish in Bangladesh.”
With 85 million unique mobile subscribers as of the end of 2017, more than half the country’s citizens now have access to essential services. However, despite 3G networks covering 93% of the Bangladeshi population, mobile internet uptake is still low, at 21% in 2017. Prioritising efforts to overcome barriers to adoption, such as network quality, availability of spectrum at affordable prices, taxation, affordability of services, lack of usability and skills, and locally relevant content, will be key to closing the digital access gap.
The GSMA country overview outlined several key findings, including that affordability can be major barrier to mobile uptake. A higher cost of mobile access will more greatly impact the poorest consumers, as it represents a higher share of their monthly income. High levels of taxation and fees would directly raise the retail prices faced by consumers, and thus represent a significant barrier to digital inclusion. Therefore, the research said that a forward-looking regulatory environment is essential; through review, reform and modernisation of regulation in key areas, policymakers and the regulator in Bangladesh can play a major role in expanding access to and adoption of mobile broadband.
A predictable roadmap should be created for future assignments of spectrum (e.g. 700 MHz), in consultation with industry players to ensure fair and reasonable policies and regulations while also supporting effective pricing of spectrum. Reforming mobile sector-specific taxation towards a more balanced and efficient structure can increase affordability of mobile products and services by lowering the tax burden on consumers and mobile operators.
Also, spectrum barriers reduce operators’ ability to invest; the February 2018 spectrum auction saw high auction reserve prices and associated licence fees, which resulted in some spectrum going unsold. This highlights the importance of setting reserve prices for future spectrum auctions that consider operators’ ability to not only finance access to spectrum, but also to deploy infrastructure accordingly. The study concluded that the government should ensure the timely release of spectrum and fair prices for access to that spectrum to facilitate better quality and more affordable services
The GSMA also commissioned EY to study the economic impact of potential tax reforms on the Bangladesh mobile sector. The report, “Reforming mobile sector taxation in Bangladesh,” analyses developments in the mobile sector and its tax treatment in Bangladesh, and estimates the impacts of potential options for tax policy reform on the mobile sector, the wider economy and the government’s fiscal position. The positive fiscal gains over a five year period would be: $29 million from the reduction of the corporation tax for non-public mobile companies from 45% to 40% and for public mobile operators from 40% to 35%; $397 million from the elimination of the supplementary duty of 35% and VAT of 15% on SIM cards; $397 million from the elimination of the supplementary duty of 5%levied on mobile services.
Based on these proposed tax reforms, the Bangladeshi government may face an initial cost in the first year following the reform, but ultimately, the reforms would be more than self-financing. They would also likely boost productivity, leading to higher GDP and taxation revenue in the medium term. By promoting investment, reducing the cost of mobile ownership and incentivising usage, the tax reforms will help to connect individuals, particularly those in low-income groups, to mobile services.
“While challenges are certainly present, there is an opportunity for the government and the mobile industry to work together to unlock digital transformation for millions of Bangladeshi,” added Grant.
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Migration, USA
Why don’t they just immigrate the legal way?
September 23, 2011 sndden
Un-Documented.tv
For many Americans, whose ancestors migrated lawfully to the U.S., it is extremely frustrating that so many immigrants come today outside of lawful channels. Why don’t they just come the legal way, the way that my ancestors did?
Many immigrants do come lawfully, of course, but there are an estimated 10.8 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. who either entered unlawfully or, after entering lawfully on a temporary visa, overstayed. Why don’t they just come the legal way?
Those are good and reasonable questions. We have to understand both a bit about our country’s history and something of how current U.S. immigration law to answer them.
The reason that my ancestors migrated lawfully to the U.S.—mine came in the mid-19th century from Holland—is that there was no illegal way for them to come. You see, until 1882, there basically was no federal immigration law: anyone who arrived was welcome to make their life in the U.S.; there were no visas necessary, no consulting with a U.S. consulate before you departed; you boarded a boat and you built your new life in the U.S. That began to change in 1882, with the Chinese Exclusion Act, when the Congress decided that immigrants from China—who some argued were biologically inferior to Europeans—should be kept out altogether. Over the next four decades, we gradually restricted further groups—the poor, the sick, the uneducated, those suspected of holding questionable ideologies—until in 1924, Congress enacted a new immigration quota system that drastically limited immigration. It became extremely difficult to migrate, especially if you were from a country outside of the Northern and Western European countries that were granted the vast majority of the limited number of visas made available.
That changed again in 1965, when President Johnson signed into law a dramatic overhaul of the U.S. immigration system again. America could not and would not go back to an era of open borders, Johnson said as he signed the law, but the new law would base eligibility to immigrate not primarily on race or country of origin, but rather on family connections and employability.
In the nearly fifty years since that last overhaul, that system has worked fairly well for some people-spouses, minor children, and parents of adult US citizen and highly skilled workers with advanced degrees who could find an employer sponsor, for example-but, particularly as our economy has grown but visa quotas have not, the system is not working very well today. Because the quota numbers are much lower than demand, family members can wait up to twenty years to be reunited through the proper legal channels in some cases. The employment-based system is equally dysfunctional, particularly for “low-skilled” workers: under the law, a maximum of 10,000 permanent visas are available per year for employer-sponsored workers other than those who are “highly skilled” or ”holding advanced degrees.” The problem is that our economy produces many, many times more jobs for people considered “low-skilled”–jobs that require little to no education, but a willingness to do very hard work–than there are visas. To put things in perspective, back in 1910, an average of 20,000 individuals, most of whom would today be classified as “low-skilled,” entered each week.
We can tell people to wait their turn in line, but, for example, for a Mexican (or a Guatemalan, a Filipino, a Pole, or folks from many other countries) who does not have a college degree and has no close relatives who are U.S. citizens or green card-holders, there is almost certainly no line for them to wait in: without reform to the legal system, they will not be able to migrate “the legal way” to the U.S., not if they wait ten years, not if they wait fifty years. But if they manage to come unlawfully—and historically we have not made it so difficult to do so, though our borders are much more secure now than they have ever been—they will almost certainly find work—because even in a time of high unemployment, there are certain jobs that most Americans have not proven willing to do. For individuals living in poverty, desperate to support their families, that has been an attractive option. Everyone would prefer to pay a reasonable fee and be granted a visa, but that has not been an option for most of those presently here unlawfully. That, in short, is how we got into this mess, and why so many immigrants—most of them family-oriented people—have ended up undocumented in the shadows of our society.
For a more thorough answer to these questions, we recommend reading chapters 3 and 4 of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Hwang (InterVarsity Press, 2009). To go even deeper in understanding how history and policy relate to this topic, check out the resource page for further book recommendations.
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All My Children’s Head Writers Replaced?
There has been suspicion and talk for some time that All My Children head writers James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten are on their way out.
Late last week, news broke that the writers have indeed been let go from the show and are to be replaced by former General Hospital writer, Charles Pratt Jr. Our contact with the show would not comment on the writing change and, in fact, did not confirm the rumor.
Pratt, who has been nominated for multiple Daytime Emmy Awards (and has won several, in 1989, 1991 and 2003) is no stranger to pounding out good soaps storylines, both for daytime and primetime soaps. He has written for such mega-hits as Santa Barbara and Melrose Place, as well as acting as Co-Head Writer for General Hospital. Pratt left General Hospital in 2006.
Pratt has also worked in the Producing role for ABC smash primetime hits Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty.
Could Pratt be just what All My Children fans have been hoping for to liven up lagging story lines and boost up ratings?
We will keep an eye on the writing situation at AMC and tell you the whole story as soon as everything comes to light.
Cameron Mathison Cancels Appearance
Cady McClain ends short stint on All...
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Security & Compliance Blog
Stay informed on changing compliance regulations
AICPA Trust Services Principle and Criteria (TSP) – Introduction for SOC 2 Audits
SOC Reports
The AICPA Trust Services Principles and Criteria (TSP) are essentially control criteria established by the Assurance Services Executive Committee (ASEC), and consist of Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. Furthermore, such control criteria are used for attestation or consulting engagements for evaluating and reporting on controls over the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, or privacy over information and systems (a) across an entire entity; (b) at a subsidiary, division, or operating unit level; (c) within a function relevant to the entity's operational, reporting, or compliance objectives; or (d) for a particular type of information used by the entity.
There are Five Trust Services Criteria (TSP)
As to the actual Trust Services Principles and Criteria (TSP), they comprise of the following:
Processing Integrity
So, what is a “System” for Purposes of the Trust Service Principles and Criteria?
Infrastructure. The physical structures, IT, and other hardware (for example, facilities, computers, equipment, mobile devices, and telecommunications networks).
Software. The application programs and IT system software that supports application programs (operating systems, middleware, and utilities).
People. The personnel involved in the governance, operation, and use of a system (developers, operators, entity users, vendor personnel and managers).
Processes. The automated and manual procedures.
Data. Transaction streams, files, databases, tables, and output used or processed by a system.
SECURITY Trust Services Principles & Criteria
SECURITY: Information and systems are protected against unauthorized access, unauthorized disclosure of information, and damage to systems that could compromise the availability, integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of information or systems and affect the entity's ability to meet its objectives. It’s important to note that the SECURTY TSP essentially refers to the protection of information during its collection or creation, use, processing, transmission, and storage.
Key to the SECURITY TSP is ensuring unauthorized access – logical or physical – to systems and facilities, thus the following “Common Criteria” relating to logical and physical access controls would apply when assessing the SECURTY TSP.
Logical access security software, infrastructure, and architectures have been implemented to support various user activities.
New internal and external users, whose access is administered by the entity, are registered and authorized prior to being issued system credentials, etc.
Internal and external users are identified and authenticated when accessing the system components (for example, infrastructure, software, and data) to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements, etc.
Access to data, software, functions, and other IT resources is authorized and is modified or removed based on roles, responsibilities, or the system design and changes to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements, etc.
Physical access to facilities housing the system is restricted to authorized personnel to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements, etc.
Logical access security measures have been implemented to protect against threats from sources outside the boundaries of the system to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements.
The transmission, movement, and removal of information is restricted to authorized internal and external users and processes, etc.
Controls have been implemented to prevent or detect and act upon the introduction of unauthorized or malicious software, etc.
Please note that the above listing of common criteria is merely a sample that are used for assessing the SECURITY TSP.
AVAILABILITY Trust Services Principles & Criteria
AVAILABILITY: Information and systems are available for operation and use to meet the entity's objectives. As for the AVAILABILTY TSP, it essentially refers to the accessibility of information used by the entity's systems, as well as the products or services provided to its customers.
Examples of the AVAILABILITY TSP being assessed during a SOC 2 audit would include the following:
Current processing capacity and usage are maintained, monitored, and evaluated to manage capacity demand and to enable the implementation of additional capacity to help meet the entity's availability commitments and system requirements.
Environmental protections, software, data backup processes, and recovery infrastructure are authorized, designed, developed, implemented, operated, approved, maintained, and monitored to meet the entity's availability commitments and system requirements.
Recovery plan procedures supporting system recovery are tested to help meet the entity's availability commitments and system requirements.
Please note that the above listing of common criteria is merely a sample that are used for assessing the AVAILABILITY TSP.
PROCESSING INTEGRITY Trust Services Principles & Criteria
PROCESSING INTEGRITY: System processing is complete, valid, accurate, timely, and authorized to meet the entity's objectives. The PROCESSING INTEGRIGY TSP refers to the completeness, validity, accuracy, timeliness, and authorization of system processing.
Examples of the PROCESSING INTEGRITY TSP being assessed during a SOC 2 audit would include the following:
Procedures exist to prevent, or detect and correct, processing errors to meet the entity's processing integrity commitments and system requirements.
System inputs are measured and recorded completely, accurately, and timely to meet the entity's processing integrity commitments and system requirements.
Data is processed completely, accurately, and timely as authorized to meet the entity's processing integrity commitments and system requirements.
Data is stored and maintained completely, accurately, and in a timely manner for its specified life span to meet the entity's processing integrity commitments and system requirements.
System output is complete, accurate, distributed, and retained to meet the entity's processing integrity commitments and system requirements.
Modification of data, other than routine transaction processing, is authorized and processed to meet the entity's processing integrity commitments and system requirements.
Please note that the above listing of common criteria is merely a sample that are used for assessing the PROCESSING INTEGRITY TSP.
CONFIDENTIALITY Trust Services Principles & Criteria
CONFIDENTIALITY: Information designated as confidential is protected to meet the entity's objectives. The CONFIDENTIALITY TSP refers to the entity's ability to protect information designated as confidential from its collection or creation through its final disposition and removal from the entity's control in accordance with management's objectives.
Examples of the CONFIDENTIALITY TSP being assessed during a SOC 2 audit would include the following:
Confidential information is protected during the system design, development, testing, implementation, and change processes to meet the entity's confidentiality commitments and system requirements.
Confidential information within the boundaries of the system is protected against unauthorized access, use, and disclosure during input, processing, retention, output, and disposition to meet the entity's confidentiality commitments and system requirements.
Access to confidential information from outside the boundaries of the system and disclosure of confidential information is restricted to authorized parties to meet the entity's confidentiality commitments and system requirements.
The entity obtains confidentiality commitments that are consistent with the entity's confidentiality system requirements from vendors and other third parties whose products and services are part of the system and have access to confidential information.
Compliance with the entity's confidentiality commitments and system requirements by vendors and others third parties whose products and services are part of the system is assessed on a periodic and as-needed basis, and corrective action is taken, if necessary.
Please note that the above listing of common criteria is merely a sample that are used for assessing the CONFIDENTIALITY TSP.
PRIVACY: Personal information is collected, used, retained, disclosed, and disposed to meet the entity's objectives. The privacy criteria consist of the following:
Notice and communication of objectives.
Choice and consent.
Use, retention, and disposal.
Disclosure and notification.
Monitoring and enforcement.
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By Solus Group Marketing Team May 13, 2019
In the United States, if you work in construction, or in the maritime industry, or on a farm, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) gives you an entire section of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, complete with its own part number. (The maritime industry gets three of them.)
The remainder of America’s workforce relies on a single section — 29 CFR 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry — to enumerate an employer’s responsibility to keep workers safe under pain of fine or forfeiture.
More to the point, there are no OSHA regulations specifically written for landfill workers, let alone material recovery facilities. Employers look to 29 CFR 1910 for the rules governing safety responsibilities at their workplaces — all sorts of workplaces — and these are the standards that cover occupational safety at the landfill.
In other words, there aren’t really OSHA standards for landfill workers. But there are OSHA standards employers at landfills need to know. Here are just a few examples:
29 CFR 1910 Subpart I: Personal Protective Equipment
Hard hats aren’t optional for many landfill employees. According to standard 1910.135(a)(1), head protection is required “when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects.” Other standards from Subpart I also apply to workers at landfills. Employers might need to provide eye and face protection, too. They almost certainly should provide employees with respirators: “A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee,” says standard 1910.134(a)(2).
29 CFR 1910 Subpart O: Machinery and Machine Guarding
From shredders to compactors, a lot of the equipment workers use at the landfill must include guards according to this OSHA standard. More specifically, 29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1) states that: “One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks. Examples of guarding methods are barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.”
29 CFR 1910.1200: Hazard Communication
Inevitably, some wastes considered hazardous will end up at the landfill. This OSHA regulation requires labels for all hazardous chemicals in accordance with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.
Note that the above standards are only meant to serve as examples; employers at landfills and MRFs must follow the full range of OSHA’s 1910 safety regulations for general industry. When in doubt, consider the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act of 1970, the law that created OSHA and empowered the Administration to make the rules in the first place.
The General Duty Clause states that “Each employer shall furnish to … employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to [those] employees.” The rule essentially insists that employers keep their employees as safe as they possibly can. When you find yourself in the shadow of a potential safety issue, guide your decision by the light of this proposition.
“29 CFR 1010 - OSHA Standards.” OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2019.
“OSHA Act of 1970 - General Duty Clause.” OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2019.
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Home News Two Canadian women detained in Somaliland and sentenced to 40 lashes have...
Two Canadian women detained in Somaliland and sentenced to 40 lashes have been freed
Maymona Abdi, 28, and Karima Watts, 23, were arrested in Hargeisa, the most populous city in Somaliland in January and convicted of consuming alcohol. They were sentenced to 2 ½ months in prison and 40 lashes each.
Two Canadian women detained in Somaliland since January have now been freed, according to sources.
Maymona Abdi, 28, and Karima Watts, 23, were arrested by police more than three months ago in Hargeisa, the most populous city in Somaliland.
They had faced the prospect of 40 lashes each as part of a sentence handed down after they were convicted of consuming alcohol, which is forbidden there. The women had disputed the charge, saying they were innocent.Although the women were accused of drinking, no alcohol was found in the house where they were arrested.
Reports of the women’s release comes just days after The Globe and Mail published a story detailing their detention and flogging sentence as well as a plea from Ms. Abdi’s mother asking for Canada to work on their release.
The pair had traveled to Somaliland, where their families are from, to help local women facing persecution.
Somaliland, on the Horn of Africa, is a self-declared state that proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991, but its sovereignty remains unrecognized by the international community.
Ayan Mahamoud, a representative of Somaliland to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, told The Globe in an interview Tuesday that the women have been released from jail.
She also announced the development on Twitter. “Very happy to inform you all that both the girls … are released and case was dropped.”
The two Canadians had been held in the women’s section of the Koodbuur Police Station in Hargeisa.
Guleid Ahmed Jama, a human rights lawyer in Somaliland, also confirmed their release.
In early April, the women had been convicted and sentenced to 2 ½ months in jail and 40 lashes. They would have been flogged and released – because they had already served enough jail time – but authorities had launched an appeal at the time seeking a harsher sentence.
Mr. Jama said the office of the attorney-general in Somaliland has now withdrawn the appeal and the lashing portion of the sentence was not quashed, but was nevertheless not administered.
Their release comes several days after Fahima Hassan, the mother of Ms. Abdi, publicly urged the Canadian government to persuade Somaliland’s government to release the women.
Jason Jeremias, a New York-based civil-rights activist with an organization called Price of Silence, who first contacted The Globe about the detained Canadians, says he remains concerned about the safety of the Somaliland lawyer, Mubarik Mohamoud, who represented the women.
Mr. Jeremias said he is concerned Mr. Mohamoud’s life is in danger.
“The risk to his person is immediate and concerning,” Mr. Jeremias said.
He said the risk is that the community in Hargeisa retaliates against Mr. Mohamoud for defending the women in a case that has drawn international attention.
The Globe spoke briefly with Ms. Abdi by telephone last week when she was still imprisoned.
Ms. Watts is a former resident of Richmond, B.C., where she maintains a residence, and Ms. Abdi most recently lived in Vancouver.
Ms. Abdi had told The Globe the conditions she and Ms. Watts face are horrible. They are kept in a room with other women and prisoners suffer from insect bites, dehydration and insomnia.
Ms. Abdi said the police have beat her and Ms. Watts.
“There is a lot of abuse going on,” she said by telephone from the police station. “They insult us every day. They say ‘You whores.’ “
Ms. Abdi suffered a bad bout of pneumonia at one point. “I got really sick in here. I thought I was going to die. They don’t give us doctors in here.” She said the jail was stifling and she was suffering from the trauma.
“You can’t get air in here,” she said. “I am so damaged mentally. I am going to come out [of here] a different person.”
The Canadian government, which has previously confirmed that two Canadians have been detained in Somalia, did not have immediate comment on news of their release.
Canada does not recognize Somaliland as a separate country from Somalia, but instead characterizes it as “a self-declared republic seeking independence.”
Canada explicitly warns its citizens to “avoid all travel” to Somaliland and Somalia on its travel advisory website. It warns citizens that they are at risk of being detained for ransom. “Foreigners are at very high risk of being kidnapped throughout Somalia, including in Somaliland. Several Westerners, including humanitarian workers, have been kidnapped,” the Canadian government says.
Theglobeandmail
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SXSW official logo for 2018 (Image via SXSW)
Sounds x February 24, 2018
10 Music Artists to Lookout for at SXSW 2018
If these music artists can make their way to the SXSW stage, this year will be unlike any other the festival has seen before.
By Onaje McDowelle, University of Texas at Austin
March is just around the corner and it’s that time of year again. As spring breezes in and long overdue sunshine descends upon Austin, Texas, the city prepares itself for an annual week of music, film, tech and madness in South by Southwest (SXSW)
Between day parties, riveting panel discussions and tons of free drinks, at the core of a great SXSW experience is the chance to see some of music’s freshest talents for the reasonable fee of an RSVP. This year, like any other, is looking forward to the city’s largest festival has brought about rumors and speculations of which of your favorite new artists you can expect to grace the biggest stages.
Here are 10 artists I would love to fit into my already jam-packed SXSW schedule (should they appear in Austin for the weekend).
1. Rico Nasty
Rico Nasty is bringing fun to rap. Her “Sugar Trap” sound has carried her to the forefront of hip-hop’s new class and she isn’t showing signs of stopping anytime soon.
Her 2017 album, “Sugar Trap 2,” was one of the best albums of last year, earning her placement on Rolling Stones’ top rap-albums list, as well as several other “artist to lookout for” lists. Her high-energy anthems and electrifying stage presence undoubtedly have a place at SXSW.
2. Kodie Shane
Kodie Shane is an Atlanta native and the first lady of Lil Yachty’s Sailing Team. But, despite her affiliation with the group, she is making a name for herself with hit songs like “Sad,” “Drip on my Walk” and “Losing Service.”
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She gets better with each release and her 2017 project, “Back from the Future” is a culmination of her growth so far. She also covered Teen Vogue for their 21 under 21 issue last year. There’s a radiance to her music that makes it both uplifting and personable for her listeners, and that appeal is definitely something that is needed every year at SXSW.
3. Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae is putting out some of the best ambient R&B of our time. Her “Midnight Moonlight EP,” from earlier last year, put her on the map as one of the frontrunners in the new school of R&B.
Her latest project, “Crush EP,” which she worked on with Steve Lacy, proves that she is a force to be reckoned with. The combination of her voice and her songwriting ability is special, and I’d love to see it showcased in Austin this March.
4. 6 Dogs
6 Dogs was anything but quiet in 2017. Since the release of his self-titled debut, 6 Dogs has amassed over 15 million plays on that album alone.
Now, he is back with his latest single, “Buttcheeks,” which, along with “Flossing,” has gained some serious traction on YouTube with the help of standout visuals, both of which sit well above a million views. And, when it comes to building on newfound success, there’s no better place than SXSW.
5. Maxo Kream
Maxo is a SXSW veteran, and this year his presence would be just as epic. In Jan. he dropped off his latest album, “Punken,” which served as an ode to a post-Harvey Houston, while also holding true to his earlier projects, with songs like “Astrodome pt. 2” and “Work.”
Who knows? You might just get lucky and find yourself partying after a show with Maxo somewhere downtown.
6. SZA
It’s sincerely my hope that the meteoric rise of SZA after her 2017 project, “CTRL,” was only the beginning of a lofty career. I can only dream of hearing Solana perform “Sobriety,” along with newer “CTRL” cuts, while high kicking across the stage like only she can.
Seeing the Grammy nominee don some of SX’s biggest stages would be a treat, to say the least.
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7. Playboi Carti
There are few new rap artists as captivating as Playboi Carti. Aside from putting out a dominant debut album, he has bagged features with almost every prominent hip-hop personality that there is.
Songs like “Magnolia” and “Wokeuplikethis*,” as catchy as they are, practically took over the internet last year. The energy of SXSW fosters the perfect venue for an artist with swag like Carti has.
8. Kelela
As named by Complex and The Guardian, “Take Me Apart” was one of last year’s best offerings. Kelela’s music is an enjoyable poison, filled with raw emotion, stunning vocals and a dance beat here and there to get you moving.
With a break in her worldwide tour between early March and early April, it is probable that she could show up as one of SXSW’s showcasing artists, or at least I hope so anyway.
9. Danger Incorporated
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Out of Atlanta, Danger Incorporated is one of the most unique underground R&B fusion duos to appear in recent memory. The sound of Danger Incorporated, a twosome composed of Louie Duffelbag and Boothlord, could be most accurately described by not labelling it at all.
Drawing influence from artists like J. Dilla, Yung Lean and King Krule, the Awful Records signees are well versed in pulling eclectic styles into something that makes sense. Since the duo has over 190,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, SXSW is the perfect place for them to take the buzz that they have a step further.
Their unconventionally smooth sound and internet-bred styles are sure to catch the eyes and ears of anyone they come into contact with this festival season.
10. Jaden Smith
While technically already confirmed for Pandora house, this choice still has me pretty amped. Last year, Jaden blessed us with his debut album, “SYRE,” solidifying his presence as a legitimate creative force in the realms of music, visual art and fashion design.
Jaden will be making his way to Austin this March, and the best part is that fans will be able to see him for free.
Disclaimer: This is not an official list of headliners. These choices are strictly based on speculation and personal preference.
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I’m Tired of the Games We Play, I’m Cashing in My Chips Today: Yet Another Brief Update
March 3, 2019 March 3, 2019 / Rev. Joel / 2 Comments
Friends, this already completely bitchin year of live music somehow keeps getting even more amazing. Since my last very brief update, four more outstanding shows have been announced, 3 of which I will absolutely be attending (the other is a very long long shot).
Before I get into that, though, I wanna mention that my virgin Metallica experience is nigh (only 7 more sleeps!), and I’m getting giddy as a schoolboy at a nudie bar. A detailed account of my experience will surely be posted here sometime thereafter, but for now, on with the shows!
First up, the mighty Death Angel is headlining a show in Indianapolis in April the week before their show with Overkill in Louisville! I’m gonna see Death Angel two times in less than 7 days! Holy shit!
Looking into the distance, the relentless touring machine that is D.R.I. will be stopping in Indy again this September, like they do almost every year, but my work situation this year will allow me to finally get back up there and see them, and that is some exciting news. I managed to see them once a few years back, and it was an absolutely killer show. I have no reason to assume that this show will be otherwise.
But the biggest and arguably most exciting news just came along this morning: motherfucking Sacred Reich added a headlining show in Indianapolis in May! I’M FINALLY GONNA SEE SACRED MOTHERFUCKING REICH LIVE! I sincerely don’t think I could be more excited about this one. Plus (PLUS!), it comes 5 days after The Mountain Goats show in Bloomington and 2 days before the EyeHateGod show in Indianapolis! Holy week of kickass live music, Batman!
As for the very long long shot, this year’s Full Terror Assault in Cave-in-Rock, Illinois added the newly re-formed Vio-Lence to the lineup, but I’m not likely to be in attendance for that one, as it falls very close to Mrs. Stay Heavy’s birthday, and camping and attending a metal festival is not on her birthday wishlist. However, the news that the band is playing shows again is encouraging, so I may still get a chance to see them someday. For now, that’s good enough.
And speaking of good enough for now, I think this post is. Thanks for reading, and stay heavy, friends.
You Are Coming Down With Me, Hand in Unlovable Hand: A Brief Update
February 7, 2019 February 11, 2019 / Rev. Joel / 2 Comments
Ahoy there, friends. It’s been a very long time since I’ve done anything with this sumbitch, and I’m not here to claim that that’ll change anytime soon, because I know myself, and myself is pretty lazy unless something is required of it. However, this year is shaping up to be a doozy of a motherfucker in the live music field for yours truly, and a few minutes ago, a text from Mrs. Stay Heavy reminded me of the imminence of said live music, so I thought I’d take a few minutes to share some of the upcoming shows that I am looking forward to in the coming year.
First up (and this is a big one): I’m finally gonna see fuckin Metallica live, in Louisville, KY! I know that the band has become a shadow of its former self (I’ve expressed that sentiment in these pages plenty), but I also know that they are one of the primary reasons I’m sitting here writing about this right now (for better or worse). Metallica™️ causes me a wide range of emotions (mostly negative), but Metallica will always be one of my favorites. My amazing wife bought us tickets for my birthday last year, and one of my childhood dreams is about to come true in 30 days. There’ll almost certainly be more to come, re: this.
I’d be over the fucking moon if they played this one…
Approximately one week later, we’re going to see Clutch with Big Business in Indianapolis! It’ll be my 8th or 9th time seeing Clutch live, and the first time in about 5 years. My feelings regarding Clutch have been documented here briefly, but I will say that after two less than stellar albums, they’ve found their way back into my life, and their most recent album, Book of Bad Decisions, kicks a lot of ass. It’ll be my first time seeing Big Business live, but they fucking rule, and I’m super stoked about that. It’s only my second time seeing Clutch with an opening act that I am already familiar with (last time I saw them, The Sword was direct support), and I’m into that. There’s another band opening; they’re from France, and they’re called The Inspector Cluzo, and I don’t know much about them, but based on the songs I’ve listened to, they sound cool, and they sound like a band that would open for Clutch.
In April, Overkill and Death Angel are playing a show in Louisville on my cousin Jason’s birthday. Death Angel is his favorite band, and if you’ve read much of this blog, you’ll know that I love them like they were my own child, so we’re both super stoked about that. I’m also psyched about Overkill, as I haven’t seen them live yet, and that’s pretty stupid of me, quite frankly.
Act of Defiance is opening the shows, but I won’t share anything from them yet, as I haven’t looked into them yet, because I currently cannot stop listening to the Mountain Goats, which leads us into May…
…when I’ll be seeing the Mountain Goats for the first time, here in Bloomington. They’re not musically heavy, but their lyrics can be heavy as fuck, and Mountain Goat/guitarist/vocalist/lyricist John Darnielle is a huge fan of heavy music, and used to write a fucking amazing, hilarious, sometimes surreal column called “South Pole Dispatch” for Decibel magazine. It’s sure to be a great time.
A few days after the Mountain Goats show, Iron Reagan, Sacred Reich, and fucking Leeway (!) are playing in Chicago, but there’s only like a 2% chance I’ll be able to make it to that one. I really wanna see Sacred Reich and Leeway live. Someday, I suppose. There’s a band called Enforced opening the shows as well, but I don’t know anything about them, and since I won’t likely be in attendance, I haven’t bothered looking into them. I’ve been working on a thing about Leeway for a while now, and that’ll possibly be finished eventually, maybe.
In August, Iron fucking Maiden returns to Indianapolis for the first time since 2012, this time on the Legacy of the Beast tour. There’s not much I can say about this one, but I can guarantee that my voice will be shot for at least a day afterward.
Also, while I will not be in attendance, the almighty Vio-Lence are reuniting to play two shows in San Francisco April 13th and 14th. The first day they’ll be playing their 1988 masterpiece Eternal Nightmare in its entirety for the first time ever. If I win the lottery before then, I’ll certainly find a way to attend one or both of those shows, but in reality, I’ll just be here in southern Indiana, jamming Eternal Nightmare like I do any other given day.
Sweet mother of Jeebus, y’all, that’s a heavy goddamn year, and it’s only February, so more shows are sure to be added. Thanks for reading, stay tuned, and as always, stay heavy.
Stay Heavy Time Capsule, Volume 1 – 1988: Thrash Metal’s Finest Hour?
November 19, 2016 October 25, 2017 / Rev. Joel / Leave a comment
I’m a member of a Facebook group that shares media that we’re interested in with one another – music, movies, TV, comic books, novels, and so forth. The group admins throw out a weekly theme that members can follow if they’d like, and last week’s was election-year releases – things released during a US presidential election year. My mind immediately turned to 1988, which is easily one of the greatest years in the storied history of thrash metal, and then a variety of issues arose (work, the sheer volume of 1988 metal (let alone thrash metal), and that goddamn depressing/infuriating election itself) which kept me from sharing any of my picks with the group.
This is me in 1988. My 6th grade yearbook theme was “Building the Leaders of Tomorrow”, and everyone was supposed to say what they wanted to be when they grew up. I chose “bass guitarist”, and I’m pretty sure I came closer to realizing my dream than anyone else in my class, only because I once owned a bass guitar.
I’ve actually been kicking around the idea of writing up a 1988-themed post for this blog for a while now, but I’ve just never made it happen up till now. My lack of participation in the Facebook group theme provided the necessary catalyst to finally sit down and give it a go. I can’t promise this’ll be coherent and organized, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be long, and it’ll damn sure be opinionated. Please note: I am in no way attempting to put together a complete list of thrash metal albums released in 1988; I am simply sharing some of my favorites, with a little commentary here and there for good measure. I’m just gonna put ’em in here alphabetically, because I don’t have all day.
Anthrax – State of Euphoria (released September 19, 1988 on Island Records)
Anthrax was my first favorite band, and State of Euphoria, which I received for Christmas ’88, was the first album they released after I fell in love with them. That has no doubt played some role in SoE being my favorite Anthrax album (I actually think the follow-up, Persistence of Time, is a better album, but I don’t like it quite as much). Whatever the reason(s), it is an undeniably badass album.
Album opener “Be All, End All” is one of my most favorite songs ever.
Side two opener “Now It’s Dark” was inspired by Frank Booth, Dennis Hopper’s terrifying character from David Lynch’s amazing Blue Velvet, and some of the lyrics are taken from Frank’s dialogue. As such, many a fuck is given in this song, in a manner of speaking.
Album closer “Finale” (pronounced “finally” in the song), contains a chugging riff that cannot be denied, along with an unfortunate use of the word “faggot”, which is its only downside.
Death Angel – Frolic Through the Park (released July 1988 on Restless/Enigma)
Frolic Through the Park is not my favorite Death Angel album (that honor goes to 1991’s Act III), but it has some seriously rad songs, and it was a pretty bold step forward from the The Ultra-Violence, their vicious debut from one year earlier. Elements of funk began to appear, and song structures accordingly became more fluid. The band made a video for “Bored”, and it was apparently a pretty big hit on MTV, but my no-cable-havin ass had no way to know about that at the time.
Album opener “3rd Floor” kicks ludicrous amounts of ass. Gang vocals rule my fucking world, and this song delivers like Jimmy John’s.
Here’s the aforementioned “Bored”. If you had MTV in 1988, you’ve probably heard it at least once before. It can also be heard briefly in the criminally underrated 1990 film Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III.
D.R.I. – 4 of a Kind (released on Metal Blade Records, actual release date unknown)
4 of a Kind is not widely regarded as hardcore-turned-crossover-turned-thrash band D.R.I.’s finest album, but it’s my favorite (and like the Anthrax release above, was the first I heard from the band). Spike Cassidy’s guitar is all over this beast, and several of my favorite D.R.I. songs appear throughout.
“Manifest Destiny” relates the story of early European settlers robbing the “New World” from Native Americans.
“Forever moving onward
Said they were guided from above
Actually driven by hate
Disguised as love
But all their false love
Can’t disguise true hate
And the racist diplomacy
Of the church and the State”
“What are you deaf? Shut up!”
I first became aware of “Slumlord” via a full-page ad for the album in (I believe) RIP magazine. It was a comic visualizing the short yet harrowing story of a villainous slumlord who burns down his building, killing 40 innocent residents, just to collect the insurance money. I wish I still had that comic, but such is life, right? “Slumlord” flows directly into “Dead in a Ditch” on the album, and while it’s not a favorite of mine, it’s still a great song, and they work really well together, so I’ve included both here.
Album closer “Man Unkind” is a goddamn masterpiece.
“Man without an answer
Like a bird with broken wing
Wrapped up in his misery
Forgetting how to sing…”
Megadeth – So Far, So Good…So What! (released January 19, 1988 on Capitol Records)
Not Megadeth’s best, and not my favorite, but it does contain “Into the Lungs of Hell/Set the World Afire”, “Mary Jane”, and “In My Darkest Hour”, and the rest of the songs aren’t bad at all. Dave Mustaine has openly discussed the heavy drug and alcohol use that nearly destroyed the band during this time period.
“Into the Lungs of Hell” and “Set the World Afire” have been featured in these hallowed pages before. I like them both very much.
“Mary Jane” is super cool atmospheric little ditty about a witch.
“In My Darkest Hour” has also been featured here before. Dave Mustaine wrote it after learning of Cliff Burton’s death in September 1986. Overall, I’m pretty indifferent about Megadeth these days, but I have to say that hearing this live on two separate occasions has been pretty dope.
Metallica – …And Justice for All (released August 25, 1988 on Elektra Records)
There’s not much I can really say about this album that hasn’t already been said, either by myself or by others, but I can add that my cousin Jason was utterly stoked to pick this up on release day (his alliances ran more toward Metallica than Anthrax). We listened to it a lot, and I still listen to it on a pretty regular basis. I love the songs, but I sincerely hate the production, and Lars still deserves a beating for that.
Nuclear Assault – Survive (released June 13, 1988 on I.R.S. Records)
Nuclear Assault was my motherfucking jam when I was in junior high and high school. When I become Earth President, Dan Lilker will head up my Department of Metal. I prefer their 1989 follow-up, Handle With Care, but there’s nothing wrong with Survive.
“Rise from the Ashes”, like a good deal of 1980’s thrash metal, seems oddly relevant today.
Jesus, so does “Brainwashed”…
Okay, pretty much all of it…
Overkill – Under the Influence (released July 5, 1988 on Atlantic Records)
New Jersey’s Overkill are woefully underrated and underappreciated. I’m still working on a thing about them, so I don’t wanna say much here. I will say that I prefer the albums that bookend this one, 1987’s Taking Over and 1989’s The Years of Decay, but like Nuclear Assault’s 1988 release, you’d be hard pressed to find a real flaw on this one.
Rigor Mortis – Rigor Mortis (released July 19, 1988 on Capitol Records)
Hailing from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Rigor Mortis played gore-soaked, horror-fueled thrash metal, and on their self-titled debut album, they played it to within an inch of its life. After this album, vocalist Bruce Corbitt left the band, and they released an EP and a second full-length album, neither of which I’ve bothered to listen to, because Bruce Corbitt isn’t on them. Guitarist Mike Scaccia (who also played with Ministry) died in 2012 after suffering a heart attack onstage during a Rigor Mortis show. Before Scaccia’s death, Corbitt rejoined the band, and they recorded and released one final album, 2014’s Slaves to the Grave, which is also amazing.
“Wizard of Gore” is inspired by the 1970 film The Wizard of Gore, directed by the absurdly prolific Herschell Gordon Lewis, who made 35 films between 1961 and 1972. (Impetigo, the legendary grindcore/death metal group from the “heart of Illinois”, also have a song called “Wizard of Gore”, inspired by the same movie. It has nothing to do with 1988, but it’s a fucking rad song (and band), and you should look into it. I’m planning a thing about Impetigo, but it’s somewhere on the list of 60 million things I’m planning, so don’t hold your breath, although it is near the top of the list, so maybe do.)
“Re-Animator” is inspired by Stuart Gordon’s absolutely goddamn fantastic 1985 movie of the same name, which is itself loosely based on weird old H.P. Lovecraft’s episodic novella, Herbert West – Reanimator.
Slayer – South of Heaven (released July 5, 1988 on Def Jam Recordings)
If you’re keeping track at home, this entry means that all four of the so-called “Big 4 of Thrash Metal” released and album in 1988. That alone makes it a notable year, but as you’ve seen already and will continue to see, there really are so many more. I’ve written about South of Heaven plenty, and Slayer plenty more, so I shan’t delve too deeply here, but I would like to reiterate that I believe South of Heaven to be Slayer’s last essential album.
The title track (and album opener) proved confusing for some Slayer fans, many of whom assumed the band would continue along the path forged by 1986’s classic Reign in Blood. “South of Heaven” laid any hope of that to rest immediately, and the rest of the album proved a stellar, mostly mid-tempo confirmation of that.
Album closer “Spill the Blood” is creepy as a motherfucker, and is one of my favorite Slayer songs.
Suicidal Tendencies – How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can’t Even Smile Today (released September 13, 1988 on Epic Records)
Like D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies began life in the early 80’s as a straight-up hardcore punk band, then began to infuse elements of thrash metal, eventually becoming a metal band with hardcore elements. How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can’t Even Smile Today is the first full-on metal album from this Venice, California juggernaut, featuring the addition of a second guitarist (Mike Clark) to handle rhythm duties, which allowed original guitarist Rocky George the freedom to play more solos. Suicidal Tendencies at their peak were unfuckwithable.
Testament – The New Order (released May 5, 1988 on Atlantic Records)
I’ve written about Testament more than I’ve written about probably any other band (except for maybe Voivod), so I don’t currently have anything to add here, but I could not in good conscience exclude them from this list, because I still listen to The New Order once a week on average.
“Disciples of the Watch” is inspired by Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, and is possibly my favorite Testament song.
This badass cover of Aerosmith’s “Nobody’s Fault” (from 1976’s Rocks) is the primary reason I started listening to Aerosmith.
Vio-Lence – Eternal Nightmare (released on Mechanic Records, exact date unknown)
At a time when many thrash bands were starting to slow things down (notably Metallica and Slayer), Bay Area Thrash upstarts Vio-Lence showed up to the thrash party to remind everyone that speed still kills, and that riffs are still king. Sean Killian’s vocals are a deal breaker for a lot of people, but I’ve always had a soft spot for unconventional vocalists, and I really think they fit the unhinged musical and lyrical themes perfectly. Guitarist Robb Flynn went on to form Machine Head, and other guitarist Phil Demmel joined him a few years afterward.
This album is a goddamn gem, and honestly, I can’t decide which songs to feature, so I’m putting the whole album here. It’s only 35 minutes long, just listen to it already!
Voivod – Dimension Hatröss (released June 29, 1988 on Noise Records)
I’ve written a shitload about Voivod, but like Testament, I couldn’t not feature some songs from this album. It’s 28 years old and still ahead of its time. If you you’d like to learn more about Voivod, check out my multi-part primer: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4, and if you’d like to know more about Dimension Hatröss in particular, give this a look.
With the meat of my 1988 showcase out of the way, I’d like to list a bunch of honorable mentions, most of which were cut due to time constraints…
Blind Illusion – The Sane Asylum (released on Combat Records, exact date unknown)
Progressive thrash metal featuring Les Claypool and Larry “Ler” LaLonde on bass and guitars, respectively. They went on to form a little group called Primus.
Coroner – Punishment for Decadence (released August 1, 1988 on Noise Records)
Technical thrash wizardry from Switzerland. Definitely worth your time.
Forbidden – Forbidden Evil (released September 30, 1988 on Combat Records)
Bay Area Thrash featuring Paul Bostaph, who went on to play with pretty much every band on the planet, on drums. Robb Flynn played guitar in this band before he was in Vio-Lence.
Razor – Violent Restitution (released on R/C Records, exact date unknown)
Lightning fast, razor sharp Canadian thrash metal with lunatic vocals. Highly recommended.
Tankard – The Morning After (released September 1988 on Noise Records)
Tankard hail from Germany, and since 1983, they’ve played songs about drinking beer, partying, and zombies. So basically, they’re Municipal Waste without the Nuclear Assault influence. (I mean no offense to Municipal Waste. They do good work.)
That’s all the time I’ve got for today. I do realize I’ve missed several notable metal releases from 1988, some thrash, some not thrash (Iron Maiden‘s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son and King Diamond‘s Them come to mind immediately), but what are some of your favorites from 1988? Discuss in the comments, why don’t you? You can also look me up and continue the discussion on Facebook, Instagram (stayheavyblog), and Twitter (@stayheavyalways).
Thanks for reading, and remember, wherever you go, whatever you do, always stay heavy.
Ball of Confusion: A Long, Complicated Thing About My Long, Complicated Relationship With Anthrax
September 19, 2016 September 19, 2018 / Rev. Joel / 5 Comments
As a young fella growing up in the middle of nowhere, the first metal band I can remember hearing from my brother’s room across the hall was Iron Maiden – “Wasted Years” and “Heaven Can Wait” stuck with me, specifically (“Wasted Years” is still my favorite Maiden song, and is often my favorite ever song). I loved it instantly, because even at the age of nine-and-a-half, I wasn’t stupid. I heard Metallica right around that same time, and they blew my mind as well. Soon I began to hang out in my brother’s room when he wasn’t there, looking through the various cassette tapes his friends had lent him or given him, occasionally popping one in and giving it a listen, and eventually borrowing some of them myself. (I still own a couple of those tapes, namely Sacred Reich’s Ignorance, and a dubbed copy of Pleasures of the Flesh by Exodus.)
One fateful night in mid-1987, I came upon a tape labeled “Slayer” on one side, and “Anthrax” on the other. I’d been reading some metal and hard rock magazines (mostly Hit Parader and Circus), so I’d heard of both bands, but was otherwise unfamiliar with either. I put in the Slayer side first, which turned out to be the superlative Reign in Blood, and it was cued up to what I later learned was “Altar of Sacrifice”.
While I did not grow up in a religious household, the long shadow of fundamental religion was cast over me for most of my childhood, as most of my mom’s side of the family were (and a few still are) members of what is best described as a cult, but that’s another story for another time. The bottom line is that “Altar of Sacrifice” scared the everlovin shit out of me, and I was terrified of Slayer for a couple of years afterward. It all seems so quaint now to this grown-ass fan of all things bloodsoaked and blasphemous.
I turned the tape over to “Anthrax”, rewound it, pressed play, and the slow, doom-laden opening guitars of “Among the Living” began to ring out. This was the album Among the Living, and it would go on to change my life in the same way that Metallica’s Master of Puppets and Iron Maiden’s Somewhere in Time had less than one year before. Something about these guys seemed different to me, and I started to seek out more information about them (life before the internet was so much harder than some people could ever believe). I liked the fact that they didn’t seem to take themselves as seriously as some of the other thrash bands, and they were clearly fans of comics books and cartoons, not unlike me. The songs were tight as hell, too.
For Christmas that following year, I received the band’s 4th full-length album, State of Euphoria (which is still maybe my favorite Anthrax album – for sure my favorite Joey-era album), and for the first time in my short life, I had my own favorite band. State of Euphoria is probably best known for being the album that contained “Antisocial”, a cover of a song by a French band called Trust. It’s a great cover, and is still a staple in their live sets, although the band performs it pretty much exactly like the original, which seems to just be the way they do covers.
Beach Day, 1989
They landed the direct support slot for Ozzy Osbourne on his “No Rest for the Wicked” US tour in the winter of 1988-89, and a headlining slot on the MTV Headbanger’s Ball Tour in 1989, with Exodus and Helloween supporting. The band filmed a video for “Antisocial” which featured the band playing live cut together with footage of their mascot, the “Not Man”, running around and causing mayhem. At the end of the video, we learn that it was the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, running around wearing the giant head. The video was in a moderately heavy rotation on MTV that summer; I remember seeing it during the day a few times, even.
I went on to receive the band’s first home video, Oidivnikufesin N.F.V. for my birthday a few months later, and my cousin Jason and I proceeded to watch that thing until our eyes figuratively started to bleed, alternating it with viewings of Metallica’s Cliff ‘Em All home video (Jason was more of a Metallica guy, so we traded off) and Blazing Saddles (still the funniest movie of all time), and eventually adding my recording of an episode of Headbanger’s Ball into the mix.
In the summer of 1990, the band released what was their darkest, arguably heaviest album yet (and by most of my observations, still one of their most popular), Persistence of Time. I don’t know how I managed to not wear my copy out, but I actually still own my original cassette, and it still plays flawlessly. Probably the best known song from this album is the pretty much spot-on cover of Joe Jackson’s Got the Time, which is also still played live at (I’m pretty sure) every single Anthrax show. The band also landed an appearance on a classic episode of Married…With Children called “My Dinner With Anthrax”.
Sometime around this period, I joined the fan club, which got me a badass fan club exclusive t-shirt, a laminated “backstage pass” style membership card, a poster for the Headbanger’s Ball tour mentioned above, and a subscription to the official newsletter. I would like to point out that I inexplicably own none of these items today. What the fuck is wrong with me? I seriously wonder that sometimes. The world may never know.
My shirt was just like this one, only the print on the back was blue. That’s the way I remember it, anyway. Click image to embiggen.
Anyway, I also got around to ordering the band’s second album (and first with Joey Belladonna on vocals), 1985’s Spreading the Disease, from the BMG tape club around this time as well, and my cousin Nathan made me a copy of the band’s first album, 1983’s Fistful of Metal, which is the only Anthrax album to feature original bassist Dan Lilker, as well as Neil Turbin on vocals. I continued to love Anthrax like a family member, eventually wearing out my copy of State of Euphoria (I got a new one through BMG) and my Not Man t-shirt (I was unable to replace this). I scored a copy of 1991’s Attack of the Killer B’s shortly after it was released; this fantastic collection of B-sides and outtakes featured several covers, all of which were performed pretty much to the letter, but is certainly best known for featuring “Bring the Noise”, their mega-hit collaboration with Public Enemy. My love continued to grow.
Then, one otherwise uneventful day in 1992, I received a most unwelcome announcement in the mail, via the fan club: Anthrax had fired longtime singer Joey Belladonna. They assured me that the audition process had been trucking along, and that I would be the first to know when a replacement was named. I was devastated – how could the band I’d grown to love and, in fact, count on to get me through my days possibly continue without that powerful voice? I received an answer approximately one year later, when Sound of White Noise, the first album of the controversial John Bush-era was released.
I initially liked SoWN, but I didn’t love it. Bush’s voice was obviously different than Joey’s, but the music was different, too. It was tuned lower, it was generally slower, and it had more of a groove than before. At the time, it seemed like an unnecessary change in direction. Upon further listening, however, I came to recognize it as more of a natural extension of the darker, slower sound the band introduced on Persistence of Time. The fact that Bush’s voice resided in a lower register really enhanced the darkness, giving it more of an edge than any other Anthrax album at the time.
The album debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart and had 4 hit songs – “Only” (called a “perfect song” by James Hetfield), “Room For One More”, “Hy Pro Glo”, and the haunting, dreamy, Twin Peaks-inspired “Black Lodge”, co-written by Twin Peaks music maestro Angelo Badalementi (and featuring a real weird video starring Jenna Elfman).
The bulk of the criticism lobbed at the band in the wake of Sound of White Noise was in regard to the lack of thrashing in favor of vocal melodies and grooves, and this criticism always has and always will rub me the wrong way. Yes, public interest in thrash metal was waning, and all of the major thrash bands were slowing down and growing up, but it’s not like thrash metal was ever anywhere close to taking over the world; Metallica didn’t become a household name until the release of “the black album” in 1991, and by then, all evidence of their thrash beginnings was long gone.
And I’ll admit there is some likelihood that Anthrax saw the overwhelming success of Metallica’s dumbing down (as well as Megadeth’s successful big slowdown with Countdown to Extinction a year after Metallica) and decided to hitch their cart to that wagon, but let’s be real for a minute here: after 12-13 years of flying under the radar, you can’t really blame a band for wanting to make some money at their job, nor can you blame a group of individuals for wanting to try something new, and besides all that, the songs on Sound of White Noise are really, really good.
And besides, if some longtime fans were disappointed in the changes wrought by SoWN, they were about to be severely let down by the followup, 1995’s Stomp 442. This marked an even more noticeable change in the overall sound of the band, bringing in more vocal melodies and mid-tempo songs, and it even closed with a sparse, emotional, mostly acoustic gem called “Bare”.
This marked the beginning of Anthrax’s “no official lead guitarist” period, which lasted for quite a bit longer than probably anyone imagined it would. Longtime lead man Danny Spitz left the band after the SoWN tour for a variety of reasons (the various stories of former Anthrax members are murky at best), and eventually moved to Switzerland to attend school for watch making and repair. Rather than find a permanent, full-time replacement, the band soldiered on with drummer Charlie Benante playing most of the leads on the albums, while Spitz’s guitar tech Paul Crook handled those duties in a live setting (he also produced Stomp 442 and the followup).
Stomp 442 was the second of a two-album deal with Elektra records, but according to Scott Ian, everyone at the label who was involved in the signing of Anthrax (including the label president) was fired while the band was touring for Sound of White Noise, and the new regime had no interest in Anthrax, so the album received next to no promotion, and the band was dropped from the label a short time later. I bought the album the day it was released, and to my mid-90’s ears, already primed by the newer sound (of white noise), it was fantastic. I loved it, front to back, and played it pretty much all the time. My older, wiser, more refined ears are able to find faults with the album, but it still has some great tunes (“Nothing” is among my favorite Anthrax songs, and the video is awesome), and it still gets several spins a year in my car.
I saw Anthrax live for the first time in Indianapolis in the summer of 1996, when they were touring with the newly resurrected Michale Graves-fronted Misfits, Life of Agony, and Cannibal Corpse (although sadly, Life of Agony couldn’t make it to our stop, as they had troubles with their tour bus). On the drive up, Scott and (I think) John were being interviewed on an Indianapolis radio station, and the DJ asked them a question regarding the fact that they were opening for the Misfits, and Scott quickly corrected him – they were, according to Mr. Rosenfeld, “co-headlining” with the Misfits. Funny, I remember thinking, that their name did not appear on my ticket, nor did they ever play after the Misfits on that tour. But I guess we’ve all lied to ourselves to save face at some point.
At any rate, the vast majority of the crowd was obviously there to see the Misfits, and more than once during Anthrax’s set, I heard someone yell from the crowd that they “fuckin suck(ed)”. Since it happened over 20 years ago, my memories of the evening are spotty at best, but here’s what I remember most: my friend Travis ended up with someone else’s blood on his new white Anthrax shirt, and I legitimately thought I might die in the mosh pit (it was my first pit, but not my last, nor was it the last time I thought I might die in a mosh pit). Also, the band sounded great, and they had a ton of energy. In retrospect, I’d liken it to the way a minor league baseball player often plays with more passion than a major leaguer because they have more to prove. Anthrax were definitely out to prove that asshole in the crowd wrong, although I’m sure he didn’t notice.
A couple of years later, the band had scored a new record deal, this time with an upstart label called Ignition, a subsidiary of 90’s hip-hop giant Tommy Boy, and in 1998 they released an album called Volume 8: The Threat is Real! that is woefully underrated and unappreciated. The album continues in the direction taken by SoWN, with simpler riffs, big fat grooves, and more personal, introspective lyrics, but it stands out in the Anthrax catalog for a couple of reasons: the country-flavored “Toast to the Extras” and the haunting hidden acoustic track “Pieces”, written and sang by bassist Frank Bello, in honor of his brother Anthony, who had been shot and killed in New York City.
I loved Volume 8 since the first time I pressed play, and I still love Volume 8 to this day. It is one of my favorite Anthrax albums, and in fact I’ve been planning to write a defense of the album for this blog since I started this blog, but honestly, I don’t have any sort of concrete evidence for why it rules. If the riffs and vocals and lyrics don’t do it for you, no amount of me talking it up is going to change your mind. My love for it is too personal to really talk about it with any objectivity, but I will say that the album has seemingly reminded me of its presence at several important points in my life. I wrote about one of those points here, and I will add that in late 2006 and early 2007, nearly 10 years after I first fell in love with Volume 8, it played a significant role in keeping me sane and alive. “Harms Way” in particular has always felt like it was written specifically for me. The lyrics are included after the video…
Here comes the biggest asshole that the whole world’s ever seen
Watch as things turn to something I never, I never meant to be
Call it a side effect of my arrested development
Here with you I’m trapped, I’m trapped, out of my element
I tear through all this wreckage
Wreckage you left when you dropped the bomb
Is there something worth saving
Or do I act, I act like nothing’s wrong
The lesser of two evils gives me, gives me nothing at all
Lust and madness, murder and mayhem
My whole life’s been about playing
It’s all so surreal
Maybe that’s why I touch but can’t feel
Sittin’ pretty, as I sit up straight
Trying to find means to an end I move into harms way
I move into harms way
I see my face in the mirror
I feel my feet but I can’t seem to walk in my shoes
When it hurts I feel closer to you
Closer than you ever knew
And the bottom line is knowing
I will die and the worms will eat me
The bottom line is knowing
Ain’t no one else I can be
Running steady, smile on my face
Sittin’ pretty as I, running steady as I, sittin’ pretty as I sit up straight
Sometime after the release of Volume 8, the record label folded, and the band was left without a home once again. In 1999, they signed with Beyond Records and released Return of the Killer A’s, a “greatest hits”/best of collection that highlighted both the Joey-era and the John-era. It’s a cool album that features remixes of a couple of the songs, and it also included one new song, a cover of the Temptation’s “Ball of Confusion”, featuring both John Bush and Joey Belladonna on vocals. Plans were made for the band to tour together with both vocalists, the very thought of which made me weak in the knees, but ultimately those plans were scrapped, as Joey didn’t want to commit to a tour. Ball of confusion, indeed. They let me down, and this was the beginning of the complications in my years-long relationship with my favorite band.
The members continued to work on various things, and had plans for a new studio album and a live album in late 2001/early 2002, and of course nothing that was planned for late 2001 ended up happening properly, so the followup album, We’ve Come For You All, didn’t see release until 2003. The band did finally manage to pull in a permanent lead guitarist by the name of Rob Caggiano (who also produced the album, and who now plays with Volbeat for some reason). I’m not sure what it is about WCFYA, but it doesn’t grab me like the other John Bush-era albums. The riffs are heavy as shit, and it has some songs that I thoroughly and sincerely enjoy (“What Doesn’t Die”, “Safe Home”, “Black Dahlia”), but I find it mostly forgettable.
2004 saw the release of the unnecessary-but-awesome The Greater of Two Evils, a collection of classic Joey-era songs re-recorded by the then-current lineup, all beefed up and burly. I don’t give any kind of a shit what anyone says about this album: it’s a goddamned treasure, and Bush’s voice is so voluminous and full you could take a nap inside it. The songs on the album were decided by allowing fans to vote on the band’s website (their biggest hits are nowhere to be found, as they are both cover songs), and we picked some bona fide classics, if I do say so myself. My love was reaffirmed, and all was well, until word broke that Anthrax and Frank Bello had parted ways. I was every bit as devastated as when they told me Joey was booted all those years ago, although some good did come of it, as Frank went on to join Helmet on their tour for Size Matters, and I got to see them on that tour, and that was fucking awesome.
Then in 2005, like an abusive partner, Anthrax simultaneously crapped on my heart and made me giddy with excitement. They announced a reunion of the “classic lineup”, for touring purposes only, to perform only classic lineup material, i.e., the songs they’d just re-recorded with John Bush. Frank Bello was back from his stint with Helmet, and Joey Belladonna and Danny Spitz were back, Belladonna looking like he hadn’t aged a day since he was booted, and Spitz looking like he could be a member of any generic band that would offer to sell you tickets to the Shinedown show they were opening. John Bush was understandably less-than-thrilled with the situation, and he busied himself doing television voice work (including some Burger King commercials) and occasionally recording and playing shows with his original band, Armored Saint, both of which he continues to do to this day.
After the tour, Scott and Charlie fired Joey again, and Danny rode his ego bubble off into the sunset, and the band went on a bit of a hiatus, and I went on a bit of a hiatus from the band. They later hired some guy named Dan Nelson to be their vocalist and recorded an entire album with him on vocals, only to either fire him or have him quit, depending on which side you want to believe. They reached out to John Bush to see if he would be interested in re-recording the vocals for that album, but Bush declined, as he had no interest in being a hired gun in his former band. It appeared that Anthrax had, in the words of my buddy Joe, “fucked themselves into a corner”.
Re-enter Joey Belladonna, maybe the only person who has allowed Anthrax to hurt him and has then subsequently forgiven them more than I have. Joey re-recorded the vocals to the Dan Nelson album, a.k.a. Worship Music, and the band released it in 2011 to huge acclaim. I’d been hurt enough that I wasn’t ready to buy into the hype. I’d heard one song, “Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t”, and it sounded good, but I also noticed that the riff in the opening and chorus sounded a lot like the main riff in one of their older songs, “Gridlock”, from Persistence of Time. I’ve inexplicably found very few examples on the internet of other people noticing this, but I am absolutely not wrong about it. Listen for yourself.
I mean, at least they’re stealing from themselves, I guess, right?
Anyway, I held off buying Worship Music for a few months, until I started hearing/reading things about it being the band’s best album since Persistence of Time. How could I in good conscience continue to sleep on this? I bought it, popped it in, and it fuckin jammed, y’all! Then I listened to it again, and again, and again, etcetera, and Joey’s voice sounded great, but the more I listened, the more glaringly obvious it became that it was written for someone else’s voice. And here’s the thing: I’ve only heard a few shittily recorded clips of Dan Nelson singing live for Anthrax, but from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t even sound to me like it was written for him. No, friends, Worship Music sounds very much to this opinionated asshole like it was written for John Bush.
Listen to “Crawl”, and imagine it with Bush’s voice.
The first half of the album, up to and including “In the End” still kicks tons of ass, and if it was an EP, I’d probably rank it among my favorite Anthrax releases, but every song on the back half of Worship Music would clearly be better if John Bush sang on it. And don’t get me started on that ridiculous hidden cover of Refused’s utterly fucking awesome “New Noise” – they should’ve scrapped that idea entirely when they brought Joey back on board.
Regardless of my feelings, re: Worship Music, I was fucking stoked to get the chance to see the band on this tour, especially since Testament and Death Angel were opening. Scott and Charlie were both absent from the show, Scott on doctor-ordered bed rest for an illness, and Charlie to be with his ailing mother, so Gene Motherfucking Hoglan played drums for Anthrax immediately following his set with Testament, and Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar from Death Angel teamed up to tackle some of the rhythm guitars. The show was amazing, and I got to hear “Metal Thrashing Mad” live, which was dope, but the absence of Scott’s backing vocals on all the songs made me very aware of how prominent Scott’s backing vocals are on all the songs.
Fast forward to present day. Anthrax have another new album out, For All Kings, and it’s getting even better reviews than Worship Music, and I still just don’t get it. I picked it up a couple weeks after the release, and I’ve listened to it several times since, and I’m just not feeling it. It’s got some great riffs (the opening riff in “Suzerain” is almost bowel-emptyingly heavy), and Joey’s voice still sounds great, but I’m not getting stoked on it like I used to get stoked on Anthrax albums. I’m listening to it as I type these words, in fact, and all I can think about is how much I’d rather be listening to State of Euphoria, and I just listened to it earlier today.
At any rate, Cousin Jason and I will be in attendance tomorrow night when Anthrax plays Indianapolis with Death Angel again, this time both opening for $layer. And as jaded and cynical as I’ve become, I’m sure I’ll still have an awesome time, and even though I’d rather hear just about any other Anthrax song live than “Antisocial”, I’ll still get caught up in the excitement and sing along with every word. I’ve come to terms with the fact that they’ll hurt me again someday, and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll take them back, because no matter what, you can never leave your first favorite band. I sure wish they’d get their shit together and keep it together, though.
And even though I’d rather whip Kerry King with his stupid fucking log chains than look at him, I know I’ll get absolutely fucking stoked when Slayer hits the stage. I also know that I’ll have plenty of time to visit the merch tables while Slayer plays, because they’ll be playing a handful of songs from their new album, and I don’t care about that shit, because they peaked in 1988, but there’s still a decent-to-good chance I’ll buy a Slayer t-shirt.
If you’ve read this far, I thank you and I apologize. Check back soon(ish) for a review of the show, if you want. And stay heavy, too, why not?
Anything Goes Tonight: 11 Heavy Songs About Doin It (In Memory of Prince, with Apologies to Prince)
April 23, 2016 September 28, 2017 / Rev. Joel / 2 Comments
Knockin boots. Gettin it on. Boning. Doin the nasty. Snu-snu. Making sweet love. Bumpin uglies. Gettin freaky. Hittin skins. Making whoopee. Doin a bunch of fuckin. There are maybe as many euphemisms for the act of sexual intercourse as there are positions, but whatever you call it, you can’t deny that Prince knew a thing or two about gettin busy.
The passing of His Royal Badness hasn’t had a huge effect on me, but it has certainly made an impact on a lot of people close to me, most notably my wife, a.k.a. Mrs. Stay Heavy. She’s a huge fan, has been since she was a teenager, and cites his concert in Indianapolis on the Musicology (2004) tour as the best live show she’s ever seen. While I’ve never counted myself as a fan of his work per se, I definitely understand and appreciate the appeal that his songs, vision, and work ethic have had on so many people. And since I have ears, I do not dislike his music.
At any rate, I though I’d celebrate and honor the life of the Purple One by putting together a playlist of heavy songs about doin it. Please note that I omitted Butt Rock as a genre, as I don’t have the rest of my life to spare on this, so you’ll find no Mötley Crüe, Poison, etc. You’ll also find no KISS songs, because KISS sucks. I did, however, include an AC/DC song, because I feel it would have been un-American of me to do so. (I realize that AC/DC are not an American band, but I also believe that it’s un-American to not at least appreciate what AC/DC does.)
I also, at the request of the missus, did not include songs about necrophilia, even though that technically counts as sex. Hence, no “Necrophilia” by Slayer, no “I Work For the Streetcleaner” or “Mortuaria” by Impetigo, and no “Code Blue” by TSOL, even though I really wanted to include them. These are in no particular order.
1. Death Angel – “Mistress of Pain” (from The Ultra-Violence – 1987)
I’ve talked about Death Angel a fair amount in these pages before, so I won’t get into it much here. Just know that this song was written and performed by a bunch of high school kids (their 14 year-old drummer is probably better than your 25 year-old drummer). It’s on my list of Top Five Death Angel Songs. It’s also the first one I heard, on a compilation cassette called Rising Metal that my cousin Nathan bought way, way back. It’s not technically about sex, but it is about a vicious and brutal dominatrix, and I cannot deny that riff, nor those screams. You can’t either, if you listen.
“Lashing you with her whips
Keeping you bonded in chains
Drool starts to seep through her lips
Gets off on affliction of pain…”
2. Flotsam & Jetsam – “Hammerhead” (from Doomsday For the Deceiver – 1986)
This is the first Flotsam & Jetsam song I ever heard, too. It was on that same tape mentioned above. It’s the first song on their first album, and it’s badass, even if the lyrics are a bit stupid (though they are far from being the stupidest lyrics on this list). Eric A.K.’s vocals are superlative on this album. It also features Jason Newsted (who went on to play for Voivod, Echobrain, and Ozzy Osbourne) on bass guitar.
“Love for the taking, she talks with her eyes,
Wants me to give her a ride.
Spellbound she takes me way deep inside,
Hammerhead baby tonight…hold tight!”
3. Megadeth – “Mechanix” (from Killing is My Business…and Business is Good!)
This song is much closer to winning the honor of “Stupidest Lyrics” on this playlist, but it’s still not the dumbest song. Even if you’ve never heard this one before, it might sound familiar. When Dave Mustaine was still in Metallica, they performed this song as “Mechanix”, but after his unceremonious booting, they made what is inarguably one of the best decisions of their storied career and changed the lyrics to this dumbass song, and “The Four Horsemen” was born. Seriously, I can’t imagine how high/drunk Mustaine must have been to think these lyrics were not total dogshit.
“Who ever though you’d be better
At turning a screw than me
I do it for my life
Made my drive shaft crank
Made my pistons bulge
Made my ball bearings melt from the heat…”
4. Overkill – “Fatal If Swallowed” (from Taking Over – 1987)
Overkill hasn’t gotten enough love in the pantheon of thrash metal, and the pages of this “esteemed” blog are no exception. I have a thing about Overkill in the works, so I won’t say much here, except that Taking Over is my favorite Overkill album, and this is not my favorite song from that album.
“Fatal if swallowed, my love’s too much to hold.
A deadly poison, a hot and heavy load.
Fatal if swallowed, a love you can’t resist.
Another believer, sealed, with a kiss.”
5. Guns N’ Roses – “Anything Goes” (from Appetite for Destruction – 1987)
I can’t add much to this. It’s a straight up filthy song about fuckin, and it’s a real fuckin good song, to boot.
“Panties ’round your knees
With your ass in debris
Doin’ that grind
with a push and squeeze…”
6. AC/DC – “Givin’ the Dog a Bone” (from Back in Black – 1980)
The most obvious choice here was clearly “You Shook Me All Night Long”, but that would’ve been too easy. It was pretty tough to narrow AC/DC down to one song about sex, as they have at least two per album (and Back in Black has three). I’m not really sure why I chose this one, to be honest, but here we are. It’s silly, not unlike a majority of AC/DC songs.
“She’s no Mona Lisa
No she’s no playboy star
But she’ll send you to heaven
Then explode you to Mars…”
7. Motörhead – “Love Me Like a Reptile” (from Ace of Spades – 1980)
Perhaps the only thing Lemmy enjoyed as much as whiskey and speed was doin it. As a result, Motörhead also has a lot of songs about sex. I also considered “Jailbait”, from the same album, but I felt that one gave the whole mix a slightly too-creepy vibe.
“Baby you’re a rattlesnake, you know the way I feel,
Feel you crawling up my back, you’ve got no love to steal,
You know I’ve got my eyes on you,
You’re petrified, gonna stick like glue…”
8. W.A.S.P. – “Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)” (1984 single)
W.A.S.P. was a silly, silly band. They probably still are silly, but I can’t say for certain. This one makes the whole list a little too creepy, too, quite frankly, but I felt like I had to include it. It was slated for inclusion on W.A.S.P.’s self-titled debut album, but was removed by Capitol Records at the last minute, and was subsequently released as a single in the UK. It’s worth noting that singer Blackie Lawless no longer performs the song live, as the lyrics don’t jive up with his more recent conversion to Christianity.
Bonus fun fact: back in 1985, this song appeared on the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” list, along with Prince’s “Darling Nikki” (as well as “Let Me Put My Love Into You”, the other AC/DC song about sex from Back in Black). I have a thing about the PMRC in the works, so stay tuned for that!
“I’m on the prowl and I watch you closely
I lie waiting for you
I’m the wolf with the sheepskins clothing
I lick my chops and you’re tasting good…”
9. My Dying Bride – “The Thrash of Naked Limbs” (from The Thrash of Naked Limbs EP – 1993)
My Dying Bride makes me feel all kinds of different emotions at the same time, which I suppose is how you know it’s working. This song is no exception; the lyrics are sweet and emotional, the music is heavy and emotional, and the vocals are growly and terrifying (and emotional). Honorable mention: “The Sexuality of Bereavement”, from 1995’s brilliant The Angel and the Dark River. It’s just the tiniest bit too weird for this list, but it’s a fantastic song.
“With the lights low, and you naked on the warm floor
Me besides you, softly kissing, caressing
Make love to her while she’s crying
I could die now, and die happy.”
10. Pantera – “P.S.T. ’88” (from Power Metal – 1988)
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the official winner for “Stupidest Lyrics” on this playlist. Power Metal was Pantera’s first album with Phil Anselmo (more like “white power metal”, amirite?), back when they were transforming from a talented KISS-inspired band into the talented Exhorder-inspired band they became best known for (haha). Power Metal was the band’s transitional “Judas Priest-inspired” phase. It’s pretty weird, and it’s not all that good, but it’s miles better than their first three albums. I mostly included it here because it fits the criteria, and because I like making fun of Pantera, because Pantera fans take themselves too seriously. Vocals on this one are by “Diamond” Darrell Abbot, before he was known as “Dimebag” Darrell, which was before he was known as “Dime”, may he rest in peace.
“Coors Light on ice,she’s gettin’ right
She is feeling my rise, don’t stop roll the dice,
She’s got my rod in her thighs…”
11. Venom – “Teacher’s Pet” (from Black Metal – 1982)
Everything about Venom is simultaneously awesome and kind of stupid (and always, always ridiculous). The lyrics are basically “Hot For Teacher” with a “Hard R” rating. If you’re only gonna listen to one Venom song, it should not be this one. I recommend anything off Welcome to Hell (1981) first.
“Teacher caught me masturbating
underneath the desk
she looked at me and winked her eye
said ‘see you after class’…”
That’s all I got for today, friends. What are some of your favorite heavy songs about sex? Share them in the comments, why not? And remember to always, always, always stay heavy (and sexy!).
Am I Right Or Wrong, Or Just Confused?: Yet Another Brief Update
July 17, 2015 July 18, 2015 / Rev. Joel / Leave a comment
Holy shit, it’s been far too long since I’ve sat down to update this thing. I’m finally reaching a state of normalcy re: my work schedule, so I’m committed to writing more regularly, because, if nothing else, my sanity requires it. I’m shorter on time that I thought I’d be, so for now I’ll just give an update on some upcoming heavy things that I am 100% stoked on right now, in chronological order.
1. Death Angel is releasing the long-awaited A Thrashumentary one week from today (it’s out today in Europe, lucky bastards)! The documentary DVD is accompanied by a live album The Bay Calls for Blood, which was recorded in the band’s hometown and the epicenter of 1980’s thrash metal, San Francisco, CA. I pre-ordered mine weeks ago, and I’m about to shit myself with excitement. More info here. Spoiler alert: it’s only 15 fucking dollars, plus shipping!
Get fuckin pumped, y’all!
2. Iron Maiden will be releasing their new album (and first ever studio double album), The Book of Souls, on September 4. Some of their post-1988 material has been hit-or-miss, but in my opinion, it’s been mostly hit, and if you’re any kind of regular reader of Stay Heavy, you know that I’d rather listen to the least good Iron Maiden than no Iron Maiden.
Here’s an Iron Maiden song that is not the worst:
3. Motörhead, Saxon, and Crobot will be playing in Indianapolis on September 9, and there is a 98% chance that I’ll be there. Anthrax replaces Saxon in the direct support slot beginning September 12 in Detroit, and I would definitely rather see that version of the tour, but whatever; this is quite possibly the last chance I’ll get to see Motörhead live, and it’s not like I hate Saxon or anything.
4. Full Terror Assault, the first European-style open air metal festival to be held on this side of the Atlantic, will be happening at Cave-In-Rock, Illinois September 10-12. Napalm Death and Obituary are the headliners, and Terrorizer, Warbeast, Eyehategod, and a whoooooole bunch of other kickass bands will be there. I will unfortunately be unable to attend this, but I urge everyone who can attend to do so; I want it to happen again next year. Oh, and if Cave-In-Rock sounds familiar to you, it might be due to the fact that it was the location of the Gathering of the Juggalos from 2007 until 2013. Hopefully there are no Juggalos (or Juggalettes) hiding inside the cave, or in the surrounding forest. More information about FTA can be found here.
5. D.R.I. will be playing a show in Indianapolis on September 30. I didn’t see them when they played Indy last year, and I won’t make that mistake again. This show is happening thanks to Metalhead Productions, the company responsible for bringing Death Angel to Indianapolis back in April. This will be a rager of epic proportions, friends.
6. Maryland Deathfest announced their final lineup for next year’s event, May 26-29, 2016. The announcement was made today, and I am going to try my goddamndest to go next year. I’ve wanted to make it out there every year so far, but one thing or another has prevented it every single time. But look at this lineup, y’all:
My head almost exploded three times already from looking at this.
Testament! Nuclear fucking Assault! (!), Repulsion! Hirax! Paradise Lost! Discharge! Doom! Venom! Fucking Goblin! General Surgery! Buzzov-en! Holy shit, so much more!
I have to wrap this up, but keep your eyes on these pages in the coming days; I will be updating on a more regular basis, and I have so many ideas. You could “like” Stay Heavy on Facebook, or follow Stay Heavy on Twitter, or sign up for email updates down there at the bottom of this page. However you decide to keep up, make sure you stay heavy, always. Thanks for reading.
Join Us Or Step Aside: A Sort of Review the Death Angel Show at The Headquarters, Indianapolis, IN, 04.26.15
May 5, 2015 May 7, 2015 / Rev. Joel / 4 Comments
I’ve always loved Death Angel, since the first time I heard “Mistress of Pain” on the Rising Metal compilation tape my cousin Nathan bought at Wal-Mart back in 1989. My cousin Jason and I each picked up a copy of the band’s original swansong, Act III, as soon as possible after its April 1990 release, and we each played the ever livin fuck out of our copies, to the point where I’ve had to buy two replacement copies (so far). I was bummed when lead singer Mark Osegueda left the band in 1991, so much so that I never got around to checking out the band that rose from the ashes, The Organization, which consisted of the the remaining four members. I was stoked when I heard they reunited for the Thrash of the Titans show in San Francisco in 2001, and even more stoked when I heard they’d decided to stay together and record new music. And I was giddy as a schoolgirl when my cousin Jason and I finally got to see them live in 2012, when they opened for Anthrax and Testament in Indianapolis. They only played for 30 minutes, but goddamn did they ever tear up that stage!
I love every album from the band, but I have to admit that when I’ve thought about my favorite metal bands, thrash or otherwise (which happens pretty often), Death Angel has never topped the list. That changed forever on Sunday, April 26, 2015. Death Angel put on a show that will be goddamn near impossible to top, and I’m left with the unenviable task of deciding which band gets booted out of my personal Top Five Favorite Metal Bands of All Time (for the record, I still haven’t decided yet). Nine days later, and I’m still flying high from the experience.
Death Angel is currently on tour with Cavalera Conspiracy, Corrosion of Conformity Blind (which I would fucking love to see, as I firmly believe that Karl Agell is the best vocalist COC ever had, and Blind is my favorite COC album, but that’s a matter for another time), and a band called Lody Kong, which I’ve never heard, and which I’d never heard of before this tour was announced, but which has a kinda dumb name, but I digress.
The tour had a day off between their Milwaukee and Minneapolis shows, and Larry Rasener of Metalhead Productions offered Death Angel a headlining show that night, and they drove some 300 miles out of their way to kick our fucking asses at The Headquarters before driving another 600 miles to meet back up with their tourmates the next day.
We arrived after openers Death Collector (from Mooresville, IN) started, but we got to see the last three songs from their set, and they were really good. If I’m not mistaken, the members are all under 18, which makes them all the more impressive. They describe themselves as groove/thrash/speed metal, and I don’t recall hearing a lot of speed, but they definitely have a groove that cannot be denied, and when they thrash, it’s unmistakable. Keep an eye out for these dudes! I did not get any decent photos of them, unfortunately, so I guess you won’t know what they look like.
Indianapolis’ own Photian Schism played next, and they were super enjoyable and high-energy. They were fast as fuck, heavy as shit, and tight as hell, and the vocals reminded me of a cross between Napalm Death and another band that has since escaped me, because I’m getting old, and I forgot to write it down. At any rate, good shit.
Photian Schism’s vocalist works from down on the floor…
…so that he can more easily incite pits like this one.
Killzone provided the direct support, and they, too, brought some serious metal goods; a solid groove, some thrashing riffs, and vocals in the same general ZIP code as Metal Church. If you get a chance to see any of the above bands live, I highly recommend them all.
Killzone action shot.
At just a hair past 10:00 PM EDT, Death Angel took the stage, blowing the tops of our heads clean off with the opening 1-2 salvo of “Left for Dead” and “Son of the Morning”, from 2013’s absurdly great The Dream Calls for Blood. They went on to play a TDCFB-heavy set, but they also played at least one song from every album in their catalog, pulling out a couple of tunes from 1988’s Frolic Through the Park, which Mark indicated they pretty much never play live, and even graced us with the presence of “Voracious Souls” off their legendary debut (and recent Decibel magazine Hall of Fame inductee) The Ultra-Violence (1987).
Rob Cavestany, Riff Master General.
Mark Osegueda, the Golden-Lunged Warrior.
The band seemed to be into the show just as much as all of us were (if that’s even possible), and Mark had only good things to say about the crowd and the metal scene in Indianapolis. The final attendance was 200, and we made that room sound like it was a sold-out 500 capacity venue; the band rewarded us by playing as if we were 5,000 strong, and they were absolutely fucking flawless. You might say that Death Angel’s dream called for blood, and that we all spilled enough…buuuuut, you might also be a big goober.
Mark and Rob, being their own North Star(s).
Rob and his Partner in Thrash, Ted Aguilar.
It was seriously one of the two or three best shows I’ve ever had the pleasure to see, and I’ve seen hundreds of shows. Iron Maiden live in 2013 is the only show I can even think of at the moment that compares. Literally the single problem I had with the show is that I only got to hear one song from Act III. Well that, and the fact that they had to stop playing. Truly, it was a show for the ages.
But then after it did end, this happened! HE WAS SO FUCKING NICE!
Setlist
“Claws in So Deep”
“Execution – Don’t Save Me”
“Seemingly Endless Time”
“The Dream Calls for Blood”
“Caster of Shame”
“Voracious Souls”
“The Ultra Violence” Intro / “Thrown To The Wolves”
Final Thoughts: Like the Testament/Exodus show the prior week, there were lots of kids at this show, too, although it was an all-ages show, so it totally makes sense. Still, though, it’s fuckin awesome to see so many young people sincerely enjoying great music. Also, I really thought the sound at The Headquarters was gonna be shitty, as it’s located inside a warehouse/industrial/storage-type facility, but it was great! I cannot recommend enough that you see a show there sometime; just be prepared for the place to become a sauna, and to probably have to wait in line for the single restroom.
Maaaaan, look at this bitchin-ass shirt!
That’s all I got for now, folks. I didn’t intend to take so long getting this finished and posted, but, y’know, life and all. Until next time, stay heavy. Always.
Thrashy Birthday to Me
April 13, 2015 May 1, 2015 / Rev. Joel / 4 Comments
I’ll be celebrating my 38th birthday later this week, which is an incredibly difficult thing for me to wrap my brain around. Next Tuesday (4/21), my cousin Jason and I will be travelling to Louisville, KY to catch Testament and Exodus on the Dark Roots of Thrash II tour (Texas band Shattered Sun will be opening, but I don’t care about them), and as you might imagine, I am fuckin pumped.
I might not make it out of this alive, y’all.
Testament will be playing their first two albums (1987’s The Legacy and (my personal favorite) 1988’s The New Order) beginning to end, followed by “select Practice What You Preach LP (1989) cuts”.
Holy.
Fucking.
Hell.
My favorite thrash band (and second favorite overall band) will be performing two of their greatest works in their entirety! “Over the Wall”! “Burnt Offerings”! “First Strike is Deadly”! “Alone in the Dark”! “Eerie Inhabitants”! “Trial By Fire”! “Into the Pit”! “Disciples of the (motherfucking) Watch”! And all the rest! I might figuratively die from blood loss to my brain from the raging thrash boner I’ll have, if I don’t figuratively die from a broken neck first!
Oh, shit!
God damn!
Plus their badass cover of a badass Aerosmith song (which I admittedly only know because of Testament’s cover)!
But before that even happens, Exodus will thrash my balls clean off with a set consisting of songs from throughout their storied history. A quick perusal of setlists from the past few nights of the tour shows 12 songs, which is pretty sweet, although it does seem that I’m still not gonna get to hear “And Then There Were None” live, which is a bit of a bummer, but I can’t really complain. Plus, they’ve been playing “The Last Act of Defiance” on this tour, which is rad as hell.
Also, they’re playing two Rob Dukes-era songs, and I look forward to hearing those with Zetro on vocals.
Five days later, on 4/26, Cousin Jason and I will be heading north to Indianapolis to see the mighty Death Angel live, on one of only two headlining shows on their current tour! This will be the first time Death Angel has played Indianapolis since 2012 (when they opened for Anthrax and Testament at the Egyptian Room), and their first headlining show in Indianapolis in 25 fucking years! Motherfucking shit-tits, friends, this is an exciting goddamn month!
Here’s the title track off the band’s latest album, 2013’s fucking phenomenal The Dream Calls for Blood:
Here’s “Truce”, from 2011’s Relentless Retribution, which is the album they were touring on when I saw them a few years back:
And here’s one of my favorite songs of theirs, from 1990’s Act III, which was the last album they released before their original breakup:
A quick shout-out and a HUGE thank you is owed to my amazing wife, who had a hand in making both of these shows happen for me.
Reviews of both shows will of course be forthcoming, and if things work out, there’ll be an extra surprise on these very pages in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned, and stay heavy!
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Home » News » Local » Memoirs of a P-47 fighter-bomber pilot in WWII
Memoirs of a P-47 fighter-bomber pilot in WWII
Mon, 07/08/2019 - 12:03am Anonymous
By, Pat Hillis
EDITOR’S NOTE: Phillip (Van) Hatton Slayden, a 24-year-old from rural Tennessee, joined the Army Air Corps in 1937 as Hitler rattled his sabers in Nazi Germany. Like so many of his era, he stepped up to be part of the Greatest Generation and helped define America as a superpower.
As a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber pilot and commander of the 36th Fighter Group, he fought his way across Europe: Bastogne, St. Vith, the Rhineland, Bridgehead at Remagen, and Operation Varsity. On March 24, 1945, he faced the devastation of one of his pilot’s mistakenly downing a friendly aircraft.
I graduated from Oklahoma City University in 1936 on a baseball scholarship as the South Paw Pitcher for the state champion Goldbugs smack dab in the middle of the biggest depression in our country’s history. Jobs were scarce —nonexistent in my hometown of Waverly, Tennessee, a rural town off the beaten path, population 500.
Army Air Corps flight training and experience.
My uncle, Major George Hatton Weems, a West Point graduate, was a strong advocate for his nephews to become Infantry officers and soon, from the sounds of Hitler across the Atlantic.
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View Obituary The Times Obituaries
Richard Burr Babcock
Richard Burr Babcock VALPARAISO, IN - Richard Burr Babcock, 93, of Valparaiso, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 12, 2019 at his home. He was born on September 13, 1925, in Battle Creek, MI, to George and Enid Babcock. Richard graduated from Battle Creek High School in 1943. He attended Michigan State University and graduated from Trine University in 1950 with a degree in Civil Engineering. Richard was a registered Professional Civil Engineer in Ohio and Indiana and a Registered Surveyor in Indiana. He spent his career in road and bridge construction with the Ohio and Indiana Toll Roads and Highway Departments. Richard developed real estate in Porter and La Porte Counties. He served in World War II in the 7th and 3rd Armies, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns, 14th Armed Division, 62nd Arm. Inf. Battalion. Richard received a Bronze Star Medal for action in the Battle of the Bulge on New Year's Day in 1945. He enjoyed his family, travel and golf. In 1950, he married Gloria Anderson, who preceded him in death. Together they had four children. In 1987, he married Mary Morris and gained three stepdaughters. Surviving are three children: Mark (Lori), Wendy (Tim) Dwyer and Patricia DeCorrevont; three stepdaughters: Mary (Ron) Beermann, Betsy (Clark) Morris and Trish (Jim) Sarkisian; six grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and three step grandchildren. Preceding in death were his parents; two brothers, twin George and Howard; wife, Gloria Anderson; and one son, Gary. A private service for his family will be held. Sunset Funeral Home is caring for the arrangements. Please send condolences to the family at www.LakeviewFHC.com .
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Our months in London
« ARE YOU BEING SERVED? | Main | HAMPTON COURT PALACE AND GARDENS »
GLOBE THEATRE
We went to the Globe Theatre on Bankside. It was opened ten years ago and stands near where the original sixteenth century Globe Theater was, here in London's Southwark district.
The original Globe which was built in 1576 and rebuilt in 1613 after a fire (during a performance when a cannon ignited the thatched roof). It was demolished after the Puritan Administration closed all the theatres in 1642. We saw the original site -- it was demolished then to make room for tenements; now there are nicer apartments there.
The design and the techniques used in building the new Globe were accurate to the original. Green oak was cut according to the practice then; oak laths and staves support lime plaster mixed according to original recipes. The roof is made of reed thatch, based on samples found in excavation of the original theatre.
It was interesting to learn that an American director and producer, Sam Wanamaker, initiated the rebuilding project after his first visit to London in 1949. It took a long time to get the funding and finish the project. It's under a trust now and does all kinds of educational theatre activities as well as its performances.
We saw Shakespeare's comedy "Love's Labor's Lost". It was easy to imagine, in these surroundings, how it would have been for people at the original theatre to enjoy such a performance. It's a little bit raucous and it's funny.
Here are pictures of the musicians who played before the play started and in intermission. The people standing around the stage have cheap tickets -- but by standing, they are closer to the action, just like the "groundlings" were in Shakespeare's time. We chose the second level though -- we had a great view -- and we could sit down.
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STERLING CITY, TX
STERLING CITY, TEXAS. Sterling City, the county seat of Sterling County, is on the North Concho River at the intersection of U.S. Highway 87 and State Highway 158, forty-three miles northwest of San Angelo and forty-two miles southeast of Big Spring in the east central part of the county. It was named in honor of W. S. Sterling, an early buffalo hunter and Indian fighter in the area, when it became the county seat in July 1891. As virtually the only community in the sparsely populated county, Sterling City progressed in pace with the influx of settlers, particularly from Cummins, a mile east. The townsite was donated in January 1891 by R. C. Stewart and surveyed and platted in February by H. B. Tarver. By June a hotel and several businesses were in operation and S. R. and Frank Ezell had established the Sterling Courier. A post office was established later that year. The first school was built by 1892, and the first cotton gin in the county was erected in 1895. In 1896 the community had 300 residents, eight businesses, and three churches. The Santa Fe Railroad provided service in 1910 but was later discontinued. Sterling City was noted for its windmills, which at one time numbered 150. By 1914 the community had two banks, two hotels, other businesses, and a population of 900. The town was incorporated in August 1955. The population was 800 in 1949 and 854 in 1960, when Sterling City had six churches, a hospital, a bank, a library, and a newspaper. The number of residents fell to 780 by 1970, then grew to 915 by 1980. In the late 1980s the town remained the center for county ranching and derived income from county petroleum production. Jack Douthit published the weekly Sterling City News Record. The high school enrollment was ninety in 1985. In 1990 the population of Sterling City was 1,096. The population was 1,081 in 2000.
Dallas Morning News, December 6, 1985. Beverly Daniels, ed., Milling around Sterling County (Canyon, Texas: Staked Plains, 1976). Frontier Times, January 1933. Kathleen E. and Clifton R. St. Clair, eds., Little Towns of Texas (Jacksonville, Texas: Jayroe Graphic Arts, 1982).
Handbook of Texas Online, "STERLING CITY, TX," accessed July 19, 2019, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hls77.
CANALES, JOSE TOMAS
BAGWELL, TX
ARANSAS CITY, TX
ALICE, TX
CUT AND SHOOT, TX
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Alabama, Book 3
More From Susan →
Forever, Alabama
Susan Sands
Everybody loves local attorney and favorite son, Ben Laroux. Well, at least everybody of the female persuasion–until he meets Sabine O’Connor. She loathes him and makes no secret of her feelings, even when he pours on his famous charm hoping to thank her for helping his family. Ben has never been told no, and if there’s one thing he’s never walked away from, it’s a challenge.
Sabine hopes she’s finally found peace and safety in the small town of Ministry. She’s changed her name to escape her painful past and her shameful family secrets. Ben Laroux is a gorgeous and sexy complication she can’t afford, but also can’t resist. However, when her past threatens to derail her present and future, Ben might be the only man she can trust.
Trish Morey
Kat Latham
Kaylie Newell
Everybody, who knew him, loved Ben Laroux—especially the female population of Ministry, Alabama and surrounding counties. Ben had to admit that’d been a pretty accurate statement in his experience—right up ’til now.
It made no sense. Still uncertain how his few interactions with Sabine O’Connor had gone so badly, Ben tried to catch up to her before she stalked out the door. She’d shaken his hand with formal politeness but obvious disdain earlier, then she’d dismissed him completely.
The woman was magnificent, with black hair, pale skin, and the lightest blue eyes he’d ever seen; they were nearly silver. He watched as she stopped short just before exiting the building, madly digging through her purse.
“Looking for something?” he asked.
He might have been just a bit too close for comfort—her comfort.
Her head snapped up, and she nailed him with a level stare. “Let me guess; you found my phone?” The sounds of country music and laughter made it difficult to have a normal conversation.
“Now, why would you think I had your phone?”
“Because you’re grinning at me in a smirky, satisfied way, while I’m obviously panicking and searching for it.”
“I might have it,” he admitted.
She placed a hand on her hip and asked, “So, what will it take to get it back, and for you to leave me on my way?”
“Have dinner with me.” Well, she’d asked, hadn’t she?
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Okay. Give me your business card, and I’ll call you.” She nearly yelled to be heard above the din of music and laughter.
She’d probably toss his card into the trash on her way out. “How about I enter your number on my phone and I’ll call you to schedule?”
“Are you planning to stalk me?” It sounded like a bit of a challenge.
“Nah, I just want to figure out why you’re such a Ben-hater. I’m intrigued. If I fail to change your opinion of me, I’ll leave you alone. Scout’s honor.” He held up the international Boy Scout hand gesture.
She rolled her eyes in unmistakable doubt of his scouting background.
“You seem so certain you know my character.”
“It’s not so hard to figure out,” she said.
The certainty in her ice-blue eyes bothered him. Seriously, he’d not done anything to her, or anyone else he could think of that warranted this edgy hostility.
Did he detect a whiff of bourbon along with her Coco Chanel? “Can I offer you a ride home, or call you a cab?” His upbringing forbade him leaving a woman stranded at a bar without a ride.
She shook her head. “I’d planned to ride home with—a friend, but they didn’t show, so I’m going to call a cab.”
“Wait, somebody stood you up?” He tried to keep the shock from showing in his expression.
“What? Of course not.” She smiled then, apparently realizing how incredibly nasty her tone and demeanor had been toward him. “It was a—misunderstanding.”
“I’d be happy to drive you.”
“I’ll wait here with you for the cab.” She didn’t seem like the type to get behind the wheel after shooting whiskey, but he’d hang around just to be sure.
He figured she realized by now the uselessness of arguing with him after their brief time spent together.
So, they stood just outside in silence as she waited for her ride.
“Nice night,” Ben observed.
“I want you to know that I appreciate what you’ve done for my family,” he said, and meant it.
She was a family therapist and had played a big part in helping his brother-in-law, Grey, and Grey’s daughter, Samantha, deal with some incredibly nasty stuff last year when they’d come back to town. But he’d not spent any real time with her, personally.
More silence. Alrighty, then.
The cab arrived just as the silence was wearing awkwardly thin. Ben cleared his throat. “It’s been my pleasure.” He grinned. “Looking forward to dinner,” he said as he opened the car door and tucked her into the backseat.
He couldn’t tell through the window if that was a wave or not. Ben decided to remain optimistic for now.
Perhaps he should write her off as unfriendly, or simply uninterested and trying to make her point but, in his experience, people didn’t go out of their way to be snippy and rude unless they had a reason. Really, something was up with this gal. It was odd, because his family members thought the world of her.
Why had she singled him out for such raw treatment? Who hated Ben Laroux? Go figure.
Ben Laroux was a handsome dog, no offense to the mostly sweet and cuddly four-legged creatures she’d met thus far. She’d met him briefly through her clients, the Laroux family, whom she thought highly of, and considered friends.
But he was one of those men. All charm and manners and white, straight teeth—like a wolf. She was all done with that kind of misrepresentation. They always started out just fine, until their phony representative took off for the hills, and left the real guy behind. Then, the handsome façade and invisible personality warts became evident. In her case, warts would have been a far preferable flaw than what she’d ended up with. She’d married her frog, who’d ended up a snake—a poisonous one.
Sabine hadn’t missed the adoring glances of women and greetings from nearly everyone around during the brief time she’d been in Ben Laroux’s company. He was evidently very popular. Small-town high school football quarterback popular. He was also very intent on her reaction to him. Like he hadn’t ever met anyone who’d displayed an unfavorable response to him. He’d clearly been confused by her lack of adoration and approval.
The cab pulled up to her small house, and she took a moment to make certain no one was around—no cars parked outside or just down the street. A lamp shone through the curtains inside the cottage.
Sabine so rarely went out these days; her social life was almost nonexistent.
She paid the driver and went to work unlocking the three dead bolts. The porch light startled her.
“Hey, honey, did you have a good time?” Her mother’s lightly aging features were highlighted in the soft glow.
“Hey, Momma, you should be in bed.”
“I couldn’t sleep. It’s just like when you were a teenager.”
Sabine stepped inside and dead-bolted the locks. “I’m not a kid anymore,” Sabine reminded her mother.
“Obviously.” Her mother held her at arm’s length. “Nobody could accuse you of being a child. You are a beautiful woman and I’m so proud of you.”
Sabine smiled at her mother, her sweet, loving mother, who’d been through far more than any person should at the age of fifty-five. She hardly looked a day over forty-five, and no one believed they were mother and daughter.
Sabine hugged her mom and checked the back door, leaving the lamp on in the living room, as was her habit. The house had three bedrooms. Just enough for Sabine, her mother, and her sister, Rachel, whenever she turned up for an occasional visit.
As Sabine washed her face and brushed her teeth, her mind wandered back to the scene at the bar with Ben Laroux. As if she would have dinner with him.
The lower the profile she kept here in this sweet Southern town, the better.
The very last thing she needed was to bring anyone else into their small, comfortable life. Things had finally settled down into a peaceful routine.
Climbing under the covers and settling in with her trusty laptop, Sabine googled Ben Laroux. Though she had no interest in him as a potential date, he certainly was an interesting case study. If he did indeed plan to stalk her, she would be ready. Sabine knew who he was, but after their interaction this evening, admittedly, her interest had been further piqued.
The results were astonishing. There were thousands of hits upon simply entering his first and last name. He was a local attorney and philanthropist. He was also linked socially, to what must be, nearly every gorgeous woman in the state of Alabama, according to the images section of Google.
No wonder he seemed so surprised that she wasn’t interested. But she had known who he was the instant he’d introduced himself. In fact, besides meeting him at the Laroux home briefly a couple times, she’d been hearing incredible stories about Ben Laroux for awhile now.
A smile played about Sabine’s lips. After reading more about him, she better understood what a well-deserved trouncing of his ego she’d accomplished.
As before, when he’d been in her presence, even a brief period, his world had tipped slightly, and it unnerved him. Nobody tipped his world, at least not in a very long time. He’d planned to wait a few days before calling, but he saw her contemptuous ice-blue eyes every time he closed his.
Ben dialed Sabine’s number while he sat at his desk in his office, files piled all around. He’d shut the door, so he wasn’t disturbed. The line rang several times, then a pleasant and professional voice came on the line stating that Dr. Sabine O’Connor wasn’t available at present, and to kindly leave a message and she would return his call. Even her husky voice message caused an uncomfortable tightening in the zippered area of his jeans.
He ended the connection without leaving a message, unsure exactly what to say.
As he pondered the many possibilities, the blaring of his AC/DC Highway to Hell ringtone nearly made him drop the thing. “Ben Laroux.”
“Oh, it’s you. I didn’t recognize the number.” She must have done a call-back.
“I’m flattered that you haven’t hung up yet, Dr. O’Connor.”
“Don’t be. I guess you want to have dinner.” She sighed into the phone.
“Sounds like you’d rather catch an incurable disease. But dinner was why I called. Wouldn’t want you to think I had no follow-through.” He didn’t want to squander what would likely be his only opportunity to figure out what her deal was.
“I’m sorry?” He nearly fell out of his chair.
“I’ll have dinner with you.” Her tone was grudging, but he supposed he’d bullied her just a little.
“Glad to hear it, though don’t sound so enthusiastic.”
She ignored that. “I’m done here for the day, so I guess we could grab something quick. I’m starving, and you’ve assured me you’re not the lowest sort—” She stopped, as if unsure how to proceed.
Ben smelled her defeat at his hands and grabbed the lead. “Where are you? I know a little place—”
“I know a place.” She snatched control back and held onto it as if to keep him in check. She was only about five minutes away from his office and gave him directions where she wanted to meet.
Fifteen minutes later, seated with slabs of ribs and giant mugs of root beer, Ben was grinning ear-to-ear. “I like your place.”
Sabine held up her finger while she slugged her root beer, set it down with a clunk, then daintily dabbed at her lips with a napkin. He’d half-expected her to swipe her mouth with the back of her hand based on the gusto of her attack on the frosted mug.
“Thirsty?” He cocked up an eyebrow in question.
“It’s been one of those days.” She didn’t elaborate, only dove into the full slab of baby backs with an equal measure of enthusiasm.
This stunning creature ate ribs like a truck driver. He waited for the belch that never emerged. Still stunning, he decided. He’d only have been more impressed had that root beer been an actual draft beer. But she was driving.
“So tell me about your practice.” He was dying to know more about this woman who obviously could hardly stomach him, but had grudgingly agreed to share a meal—ribs at that.
“I’m a clinical family therapist. You know, people with real problems—addiction, abuse, marriages in trouble.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Sounds like heavy stuff.”
“Some of it is very heavy. But, I’ve got several patients who treat therapy like a nail appointment and use it to complain about pet peeves and gossip.” Sabine’s expression became guarded. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, I find it fascinating. I’ve got clients who do the same thing. They use litigation to annoy their neighbors. If they don’t like the color the neighbor painted the barn, then how better to irritate than to threaten a lawsuit against the barn’s owner? It’s not meant to pursue, just a well-placed letter from an attorney’s office. But it forces the barn owner to gain legal representation and spend time and money to defend the threat. See? We do have something in common.” He grinned, pleased with himself for finding common ground.
She nodded, reluctantly. “I can see that both our professions require a lot of time, energy, and paperwork and, when clients make light of our efforts for petty gains, it can be very frustrating, though I do realize those are the ones often in the most pain and crying out for attention.”
“Exactly. So, I’m wondering why I haven’t seen you around more, this being such a small town?” Sure, he’d known she lived here, but he rarely, if ever, saw her out and about.
“My office is tiny, and I work alone—no partners. I don’t get out much.” She shrugged.
“I would imagine it takes a lot of compassion and kindness to counsel those with such deep human conditions. The ones who come to you for the real reasons.”
“So, I guess you’re wondering why, if I’m such a kind and compassionate person, I didn’t treat you more fairly when we met?” She teed it up for him.
And he swung away. “An explanation would be nice.”
Finally, she pushed away the nearly-clean platter and noted her surroundings, as if she’d only just become aware of them. The crowd consisted mostly of men, a few with dates, but none who compared to her in looks, class, or anything within the ballpark. He recognized several of them—most of them. A few had nodded. She hadn’t seemed to notice.
“It’s a little slow this evening,” she said.
He knew it was because this place was a favorite of his too.
“Come here often?” he asked, wondering if she was formulating a reason for her former rudeness or had decided not to fill him in.
“Often enough to know it’s a little slow.”
The waiter had recognized her and addressed her as ‘Doc.’ But he’d also slapped Ben on the back and called him by his first name.
“So, are you going to tell me why you treat me like I slithered out from under a maggot-covered rock?” He’d been dying to get to the bottom of her response to their initial introduction.
“It has little to do with you, personally.” Then, her posture relaxed and a small smile formed on her lips. “I know this surprises you, but I’m not interested in your type.”
“My type?”
“You’re too good looking—”
“Thanks—” Ben cut her off and grinned.
She held up a hand. “I mean, women say yes all the time to you, don’t they?”
He made a face. “Not sure I want to hear this.”
“You’re so confident everyone will fall at your feet and adore you. You expect attention as your due, while the rest of us have to earn respect to gain notice.”
“Do you honestly think, with your looks, that you have to do anything but enter a room to get attention? That’s a bit hypocritical of you.”
“I work hard to gain respect, despite my physical appearance, and despite that I’m a woman. I often don’t get taken seriously because of how I look. People assume I’m successful because of my looks. So, it’s different.”
He could only stare. “Why did you agree to have dinner in the first place?”
“Because I was rude to you and you didn’t deserve it. I appreciated your bringing my phone back, though if I’d been less-fortunate-looking, I wonder if you’d have bothered. Maybe lost and found would have worked just fine.”
He ignored the comment because he didn’t want to analyze the truth of her words. But he’d seen her softening, the shame at her behavior toward him. “Well, I guess I should be honored that you even stooped so low as to meet me.” The way her mind worked bugged the crap out of him.
“You’re intentionally taking this the wrong way. I’ve been completely honest with you.” She seemed to be struggling with herself not to be rude, but unable to dig out of it.
“Honest? Your assumptions about my character, without even knowing me, and your pretty pathetic stab at minding your manners have been entertaining. Irritating, but entertaining.”
She lowered her head. “I’m sorry. Your reputation precedes you. I must admit to being somewhat—no—very—biased against you.”
He frowned. “Has someone been talking trash about me?”
Her face turned bright red. “I—I really can’t say.” She picked up her purse from the unoccupied chair and stood. “Thank you for dinner—and for returning my phone. I appreciate both. Can we part ways now?”
He waved off her attempt to settle half the bill and paid the check. They made their way out to the lot where they’d parked a few spaces apart. He climbed in the cab of his truck, shaking his head with wonder at her prejudice against him.
Ben started the truck and waved a hand as Sabine zipped past in her tiny, red sports car. He thought he could let it go. But damn if he didn’t mumble and curse all the way home.
Forever, Alabama is available in the following formats:
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The Game Changer →
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Most U.S. Doctors Now Support Assisted Suicide: Survey
By NBC News
For the first time, most U.S. doctors — 54% — favor assisted suicide, backing the rights of patients with an “incurable illness” to seek “a dignified death,” according to a survey of more than 21,000 doctors released Tuesday night by Medscape. In 2010, a Medscape survey asked the same question, finding that 46% of doctors agreed with the notion of assisted suicide. Medscape, owned by WebMD, is an online resource for physicians.
The new survey was conducted from September through November — a time that paralleled the highly public campaign waged by Brittany Maynard, 29, who decided to end her own life with a lethal prescription…
Read the rest of the story from our partners at NBC News
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Home Radio Waves Design of the Week | One More Time With Feeling
Design of the Week | One More Time With Feeling
From his impressive catalog of music, to his gothic novel And the Ass Saw the Angel, to his script and score for one of my all-time favorite films, the Aussie western The Proposition, Nick Cave is the man. Last week, I got to see the documentary One More Time With Feeling about the making of Cave's 16th album with the band the Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree. I knew beforehand of the tragic death of Cave's oldest son, Arthur, and assumed that much of the documentary would be heavy and introspective. Apparently, part of the rationale for producing the documentary was so that Cave wouldn't be asked the question repeatedly by press while promoting Skeleton Tree.
As expected, One More Time With Feeling was a very heavy film. While plenty of time was spent in the studio crafting songs for the album, greater weight is granted to how the loss of his son shaped the artist. One of the things I admire most about Cave is his eloquence. I appreciate how his lyrics oftentimes feature narratives and are capable of conjuring haunting visuals. It was particularly difficult watching someone so grief-stricken struggling to express how they're feeling, or felt. Or when he describes a visit to a bakery, as he waits in line and senses pity through the eyes of everyone else. In those moments, I felt guilty watching, thinking this family should be given the privacy they deserve. However, knowing that the documentary was Cave's idea I've come to imagine the project as therapy-through-art.
Many of my favorite Cave songs are boot-stompers like "Albert Goes West," and there aren't any tracks like that on Skeleton Tree, the album highlighting instead haunting, spiritual songs like "Jesus Alone." "I Need You" is my favorite, Cave's lyrics boiled raw to an unnerving simplicity.
Some of the most compelling moments in One More Time With Feeling occurred when Cave read from his song-book, as he called it. Whether they were lyrics or poems, they were beautiful and stirring. Cave read these over poignant visuals—all the more illuminating in black and white—of his wife wandering along the beach, in their house, or while a car drifts down the streets of their neighborhood.
Posted by Eric Obenauf on 14 September, 2016 Design of the Week, Nick Cave, One More Time With Feeling, Skeleton Tree | 0 comments
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JOHN MCEUEN and the STRING WIZARDS featuring Matt Cartsonis: Will the Circle Be Unbroken; special guests David Amram, Molly Mason & Kevin Twigg
Sunday, April 28, 2019 7:00 PM
Four-time Grammy Award winner and a founding member of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John McEuen has assembled a unique cast for a special night to share the music and memories of the landmark “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” platinum album and his incredible 50-year career with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The cast includes: Les Thompson (bass, vocals, bouzouki), an original NGDB founding member; John Cable (guitar/vocals/mandolin) who also toured Russia as NGDB member; and Matt Cartsonis (vocals/mandola/guitar) a 25-year music partner with John.
Molly Mason will be joining the band on bass, the legend David Amram will hop on stage to continue showing people his wizardry, and Kevin Twigg (snare and percussion) will be coming too!
When John initiated the “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”* album, the icons of bluegrass, country and West Coast country-rock convened: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Jimmy Martin, Roy Acuff, Vassar Clements and Maybelle Carter. Six hot August 1971 days produced the benchmark record relevant to this day (and it's still on the Amazon Top 30!).
All join host John McEuen, with his banjo, guitar, fiddle and mandolin, for hits and stories behind the music, leading us to that magic time when three generations came together. The Library of Congress inducted the multi-platinum “Circle” as one of the most important American recordings (it’s also in the Grammy Hall of Fame). With narrative and music of early NGDB, McEuen takes us on his 50-year journey - interwoven with Dirt Band favorites, hot bluegrass and rare early NGDB music. A unique part of the show covers the 1977 Russia trip, and what happened behind the Iron Curtain to the first American band to tour there – 28 sold out shows.
The evening features classic NGDB favorites and music from McEuen’s recent highly praised record, Made in Brooklyn,” on Chesky Records (Stereophile Magazine’s Record of the Month). John was recently inducted in to the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame (check out www.johnmceuen.com. His first book, “The Life I’ve Picked,” published May 2018, has more than 50 5-star reviews on Amazon.
$30 advance/ $35 at the door
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Climate change, Mitigation, Reporting
Route map for Manchester
A science-based tool being used by the Manchester city region to assess its options in pursuing a zero-carbon goal could prove effective not only for other cities but also big companies, reports Catherine Early
"If we’re serious about climate change, it’s a Marshall-style transition we’re talking about.” Kevin Anderson, deputy director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, does not hold back from the scale of the changes needed to enable decarbonisation of the economy, comparing them to the US plan for Europe after the Second World War.
Speaking at Manchester’s inaugural Green Summit in March, Anderson outlined analysis undertaken by the centre, which is based in the University of Manchester, to identify the city region’s carbon budget. This concluded that it should emit no more than 71m tonnes of carbon dioxide from 2018 onwards – the equivalent of just five to six years’ worth of the area’s current emissions, he said.
“Full decarbonisation of the Greater Manchester city region is needed by 2035 to 2040. That’s a 10-15% reduction in emissions every single year, starting now. If we fail this year, it’s more next year,” he told delegates.
The Tyndall Centre has been working with consultancy Anthesis Group and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) – which represents the 10 councils in the city region – to develop and trial a city-focused low-carbon model.
Called SCATTER (Setting City Area Targets and Trajectories for Emissions Reduction), the tool can support cities across the UK to set emission reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement’s aims to limit temperature rise to a maximum of 2°C.
SCATTER allows city authorities to standardise their greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting by aligning it with internationally accepted standards and ensuring consistency with the requirements of the Compact of Mayors – an international alliance of cities and local governments that are voluntarily acting on climate change.
It also allows the city to produce emissions reports that meet the mitigation goal standard, an accounting and reporting standard for national and subnational GHG reduction goals developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI).
The idea for the SCATTER tool came out of a desire to support cities to align their climate mitigation plans with the WRI’s standards, says Matt Rooney, principal consultant at Anthesis. Analysis of the many climate-change-related tools on the market revealed a gap. “We didn’t see anything that joined up the WRI-compliant inventory with modelling, or with the WRI’s goal standard reporting. We felt there was an opportunity to consolidate and simplify some of the tools already out there,” he says.
SCATTER allowed the team to take the Tyndall Centre’s recommended target date for carbon neutrality and identify various options to achieve it. The tool generates carbon mitigation options according to four levels of ambition, with the lowest based on the results of action being taken only at national level.
The tool enables local authorities and city regions to understand, for the first time, the implications of their long-term climate change commitments, says Mark Atherton, director of environment at the GMCA. “SCATTER provides the user with options for taking action which can be honed to suit their circumstances – it gives clarity on the ‘what’ but leaves the ‘how’ for the user to decide,” he says.
The team based the options for Manchester only on existing, proven technology. SCATTER allowed them to distinguish between technical solutions that can be applied locally and those that rely on national government action.
Speaking to delegates at the summit, Alex Ganotis, green city region portfolio lead and Stockport council leader, said the tool had shown it was possible for the city to achieve carbon neutrality ahead of the UK-wide goal of 2050.
However, this would be demanding, he warned, needing “ambitious national assumptions in relation to surplus renewables capacity within the grid, bioenergy availability and displacement of fossil fuels. This is on the boundaries of the application of current technologies, and would require unprecedented transformational change and extraordinary national financial investment.”
Rooney agrees with this assessment of the level of ambition needed. “The consistent theme was that, whatever lever you pull, you have to pull it pretty hard to get where you need to be.”
He gives an example of the most ambitious level of action for generating energy. If 50% of domestic properties in the region were fitted with 16m2 of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and a further 16.8km2 of solar PV was located on commercial roofs, ground-mounted arrays and floating arrays on reservoirs, that could account for 12% of the city region’s energy demand of six terawatt-hours a year, he says.
At the lowest level of ambition, the same strategy could be followed, but on only 25% of households, with 0.6km2 on commercial roofs. This level would generate 2% of the energy demand.
An obvious way of reducing energy demand identified by the team is decarbonising transport. Transforming 100% of cars and buses to be zero-carbon by 2035, and transforming trains by 2025, were together identified as the most ambitious trajectory for transport. At the lowest ambition level, the same target would be met by 2050.
Ultimately, the tool merely identifies options for the user – be it a city authority or a large business. The user would then have to analyse the costs and other social and environmental impacts. “SCATTER means the user can get a more tangible feel for what technology and interventions could be used, which helps with practical application,” says Rooney.
In Manchester’s case, the GMCA is putting together a Green Charter for the city region, published for consultation this summer. As well as climate change mitigation, the wide-ranging strategy will aim to improve all aspects of the built and natural environment.
Now that Manchester has piloted the tool, its developers are working on expanding its use. Anthesis is engaging a further four UK cities but sees it applying to other countries as well. It could also be used by companies, the firm believes. “It would need adaptation, but corporates are looking at the same way of evaluating how they can deliver a science-based target in practical terms,” says Rooney.
For example, businesses could use SCATTER to implement the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which says they should test their exposure to climate risk to give investors better information.
All in all, SCATTER looks likely to have a promising future in supporting environmental transition. “We’re very excited about what this can enable, and what kind of change it can drive,” Rooney says.
Going beyond carbon: plans into action
Improved environments for walking and cycling: Greater Manchester appointed former champion cyclist Chris Boardman as walking and cycling commissioner last summer. Up to £50m a year is being provided for three years from 2019/20 to implement Boardman’s recommendations
All new homes to be zero-carbon: the date will be decided through consultation
Invest in energy generation and storage: a company has been created to do this and generate revenue to invest in other environmental improvements
More green infrastructure, including parks, green roofs and sustainable urban drainage: Manchester is one of four areas piloting ideas to boost natural capital for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Catherine Early is a freelance journalist
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Back pedalling
Sustainability in the age of climate breakdown
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Thom Yorke To Reissue Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
Patrick Clarke , October 2nd, 2017 18:45
The Radiohead frontman's 2014 solo record will be reissued by XL Recordings alongside live US dates
Thom Yorke's second solo album, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, will be reissued on CD and vinyl by XL Recordings on December 8.
The announcement comes alongside two new live dates for the Radiohead singer, who will play an audiovisual show featuring visuals from the artist Tarik Barri as well as long-term collaborator Nigel Godrich.
Yorke plays The Fonda Theater in Los Angeles on December 12, and the Fox Theater in Oakland, California two days later.
These are in addition to an already-announced live date at Day For Night Festival in Houston, Texas on December 17.
Tickets are on sale on Friday October 6 at 10am PST (5pm GMT), while a small fans' pre-order will go on sale at the same time on Thursday October 5, from Radiohead's W.A.S.T.E. HQ
Thom Yorke Announces Solo Tour »
Radiohead's Thom Yorke Remixes Doom »
A 1996 Radiohead Interview - The Bends, Britpop And OK Computer »
Thom Yorke Blasts Oil Companies »
Thom Yorke: My Autobiography. By Steven Wells »
MORE FROM PATRICK CLARKE
The Haxan Cloak Talks His 'Midsommar' Score »
INTERVIEW: Ben Frost on Dark OST »
LISTEN: First Commissions From tQ's PRES Partnership »
Emotional Science: Eartheater On Teaming Up With Semiconductor For Outlands »
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Commentary, Economy March 19, 2013 March 20, 2013
State Sen. Kimberly Lightford’s SB1565, which she first filed in February of 2011, gained some traction in the wake of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State address last month. In the speech, the Governor called for the Illinois minimum wage to be increased from its current level of $8.25 an hour, the fourth-highest level in the country, to $10.00 an hour. The move would make Illinoisians the highest minimum wage earners in the country.
According to Lightford’s office, SB1565 would restore the minimum wage to its 1968 level in terms of spending power, remove the differences between tipped and untipped workers, get rid of distinctions in age and ensure “that all non-family-member employees are paid at least the minimum wage.” Since the Senator believes that implementing the plan too hastily might put small businesses in a bind, her plan raises wages gradually by $0.50 a year (adjusted for inflation) until the new low is set.
The minimum wage has gotten significant public attention since President Obama’s call last month, in his State of the Union Address, for an increase in the national minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9.00 an hour, $0.50 short of the level he promised to fight for back in 2008. Most recently (and most boldly), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren suggested increasing the national minimum wage to $22 an hour.
All this talk of increase, however, seems wildly radical to most conservatives and has provoked the customary apoplexy, particularly among people whose livelihoods generally don’t rely on standing up all day, or bending over, or kneeling down, or moving stuff… “‘Bad idea!’” said Gregory Baise, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufactures’ Association, in an email to Crain’s Chicago Business. He believes that “‘our leaders should concentrate on creating jobs that pay much better than $10 an hour.’” David Vite, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchant’s Association predicted that, “People are going to be displaced, businesses are going to be shut down.”
The actual evidence doesn’t matter to executives who make these kind of arguments. It doesn’t take an economist (sometimes it seems like it takes anybody but an economist) to know that American workers have been shafted. And it only takes a quick scansion of the data and a little knowledge of history to realize that, as Sid Mohn, President of the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, states explicitly, “raising the minimum wage isn’t bad for business.”
John Kenneth Galbraith, one of those rare economists who considered actual people in his economic thinking, wrote in The Affluent Society (1958), that, “The most impressive increases in output in the history of both the United States and other western countries have occurred since men began to concern themselves with reducing the risks of the competitive system.” In other words, measures like a minimum wage, Social Security and national healthcare, are not bad for business – they’re a boon to business. However, they’re bad for the collective psychology of today’s executive class, which is programmed to cut wages to as low a level as it can get away with – even when such trimming isn’t necessary. A quick glance at the chart below tells some of the story.
Our chronic underpayment persists despite the fact that American workers have, for a very long time, been among the most productive in the world. If workers were paid even marginally what we’re worth, Sen. Warren’s $22 minimum wouldn’t seem so astronomical. That it does, even to some of the very workers to whom that wage should be a birthright, reveals a much deeper truth.
It’s within the nature of wage labor to exploit the laborer, which makes the very idea of a ‘living wage’ rather contradictory. This exploitation doesn’t necessarily happen by malicious design or conspiracy. It’s actually pretty mundane. In a market transaction, one party sensibly wants to gain as much upside in exchange for as little downside as possible. And each party wants leverage over the other. In the case of a corporation, this leverage is capital (i.e., a check). In the case of a worker, this leverage is his or her work (i.e., factors that are much more valuable than a check – time and energy).
As a result of global labor competition, labor-saving technologies and the weakening of unions (among other forces), the leverage of workers has become miniscule compared to that of companies (as if it were very sizable in comparison to begin with). And companies aren’t going to go easy in their quest to buy labor as cheaply as possible simply because laborers are going hungry. It’s not hard to imagine why this is the case. Why would I willingly pay $2 for a double cheeseburger (despite McDonald’s reasoning for hiking the price) after it’s been $0.99 for so long? As it is for the McDonald’s patron and his cheeseburger, so it is for the business and its hired labor.
The reason the government instituted a federal minimum wage in the first place was because it couldn’t rely on businesses to act humanely on their own. It’s the nature of business in a hyper-competitive, weakly-regulated market economy, divorced from any other motives besides making money, to offer as little as possible in return for your absolute loyalty. The motto in such an environment is, ‘Hire people only when they’re absolutely needed and get them for free, if you can.”
As long as work is owned by people other than workers themselves, there will never be a minimum wage that’s high enough. As a temporary palliative to the chronic condition of wage slavery, a minimum wage has its place. But it doesn’t begin to resemble a cure. ‘What, then,’ you may ask, ‘does a cure look like?’ Follow this link for an idea.
Filed under: Gov. Pat Quinn, Minimum Wage, President Obama, SB1565, Sen. Kimberly Lightford
Point-of-View: Last Friday’s Mayoral Forum (The Abridged Version) Part III
Victor’s Smiling
2 thoughts on “Slavery By Another Name”
John Yi says:
Hey everyone, let’s all drop out of school. Senator Warren is going to fight to get us a minimum of $22 per hour! Who needs an education, training, or skills!
mromain says:
Hey John, thanks for reading and engaging. I really appreciate it. I was drawn to your comments b/c a) they imply that a $22 minimum wage will be a disincentive for workers to gain more skills, education and training, and b) that the skills, education and training of workers correlate positively with pay. I’m currently in the middle of a pretty definitive work that explores the validity of this correlation entitled Created Unequal (1999, 2000) by James K. Galbraith (son of John). I plan on incorporating some of the book’s analyses into my own writings in the future. You should take a look at it.
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Events April 15, 2013
Rep. Welch Talks Pension Crisis, Gun Control, Legislative Progress
On Saturday, State Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-7th d.) addressed an audience of about twenty people in a town hall that took place inside the Maywood Council Chambers at 125 S. 5th Avenue. Attendees included Maywood Police Chief Tim Curry, former Trustee Gil Guzman and Trustee Mike Rogers.
Welch updated constituents on the legislation he’s had a hand in crafting and the House debates in which he’s been engaged since taking the oath of office on January 9, 2013. Although Welch has been the primary sponsor on fourteen bills, he emphasized four in particular. HB 278 would increase reporting standards between school principles and law enforcement.
HB 1139 would essentially replicate the federal government’s witness protection program on the state level. This bill is particularly pertinent to Welch, who was born and raised in Maywood. “I think somebody knows who killed Officer [Tom] Wood,” but they’re afraid to speak up because they fear for their safety,” he said. Welch was referring to the October 2006 murder of Maywood police officer Tom Wood, which has yet to be solved.
HB 129 is the first bill Rep. Welch sponsored. The bill specifies the first Monday in October as “Bring Your Parents to School Day.” Welch was inspired by his time on District 209’s Board of Education “We’d [the 209 Board] been doing this for 10 years at Proviso,” he said of the idea. But as harmless as it sounds, there was still someone who voted against the bill in committee and 16 representatives, all Republicans, who voted against the bill in the General Assembly.
Rep. Welch said that the ‘nay’ votes so surprised him that he wanted to hear an explanation for them himself. He approached all sixteen House members, asking them to clarify the reasons for their negative votes. “They thought I was restricting it to one day [only],” he said. “They were just confused on that.” After he insisted that one day was the minimum for how many times schools may implement the idea, not the maximum, the Republican members regretted their ‘nay’ votes. For Rep. Welch, it was a teaching moment. “We run as Democrats or Republicans, but we represent everybody in the State,” he said.
Two topics dominated the day’s dialogue – Gun Control and Pension Reform. Welch informed those in attendance that Illinois is the only state in the nation that has a constitutional restriction against concealed carry laws. This special exemption is commonly referred to as ‘constitutional carry’. “Does anyone here, other than the guy with the NRA t-shirt on, know what this is?” Somone in the audience explained it quite pithily. “It means that you can carry whatever you want.”
Welch said that the House has spent a remarkable amount of time in vigorous debate over how to handle gun control, but noted that by June 8, concealed carry is likely to be the law of the land. “The questions are will we allow guns in village halls, libraries, restaurants, schools?” Welch said that he voted to prohibit guns on mass transit and in other public places.
One bill in particular, HB 2265, has been at the center of legislative attention. The bill would amend the 2012 Criminal Code and establish a 3-year minimum prison sentence for violating certain “statutes concerning unlawful use of weapons.” Specific offenders listed in the bill’s synopsis on ilga.gov include gang members and felons.
But for all of its immediacy, the issue of gun control would seem minute compared to the looming fiscal reality facing the State. It’s a problem that Gov. Quinn has decided to resolve (according to a budget printout Welch issued to those in attendance) by decreasing spending in every department in the state, including human services, K-12 education, higher education, public safety and general services.
The cuts, ironically enough, come at a time when estimated government revenues for fiscal year 2014 actually increased by more than $1.3 billion over fiscal year 2013. What explains the discrepancy? Pensions. “If we don’t fix this problem now,” Rep. Welch said, “in 2 years, we’re going to be paying more on pensions than on k-12 education.”
The problem of paying for these defined benefits presents something of a dilemma for State lawmakers, considering the fact that the State is contractually obligated to pay people’s pensions–a constitutionally guaranteed right. Either pension reform pass constitutionally, or the State face a rash of extremely expensive lawsuits.
What makes the State’s pension problem even more threatening is that there don’t seem to be any win-win solutions. The less money the State has to deal with this issue, the more proposed solutions entails pitting competing economic interests against each other, with the interests of those at the top of the income and wealth pyramid inevitably trumping the interests of those nearer the bottom. Rep. Welch illustrated this looming conflict in an anecdote stemming from his time on the Higher Education Appropriations Committee.
Currently, there are about 7,000 people in Illinois’s pension system making at least $100,000. One of them, an unnamed University President, is set to retire. “This guy looked” no older than 60, Welch said. He makes about $400,000 a year. When he retires, he’ll see 80 percent of that salary for the rest of his life. Someone in the audience wanted to know how long he’d been President and how much he’d actually contributed to this bountiful pension. Rep. Welch said he didn’t know, but that it couldn’t have been very long (an estimation that easily checks out when on simply considers the average tenure of university presidents these days).
There are other elite pensioners who are collecting from as many as three pension systems (the State operates five — one for teachers, one for university employees, one for State employees, one for judges and another for the State legislators). For someone with the good fortune to have been, for instance, a University President, a State Senator and a judge, that person would be collecting pensions from all three of those pools for the rest of his or her life. It’s a phenomenon called ‘double-dipping’ and it’s perfectly legal.
It’s also in sharp relief to the common perception that the pension problem in Illinois is caused by white-collar and blue-collar workers, such as teachers, firemen and police officers. “Most people in the pension system,” Welch said, make between $30,000 and $40,000. Moreover, they don’t receive Social Security.
There have been numerous proposals voted on to deal with the pension problem, but most have failed, because they’re unconstitutional. Of the two that have passed, he voted for one. “The proposal caps pensions at $113,500.” But this is only one reform in a comprehensive suite of proposed solutions (at both the State and Federal levels) that will only make life a lot tougher for those in the lower- and middle-income brackets.
Anyone under 30 years old and contemplating a career in the field that involves manual labor and/or strenuous activity might think twice about that vocational path after considering he or she won’t be able to retire in Illinois before 67, five years over the current baseline of 62 (for those currently over 45).
Considering the magnitude and amount of the problems facing the State, it was no comfort to hear Rep. Welch’s rather frank testimonial to the occupational hazards of his own job. He said that the General Assembly is basically in perpetual crisis mode when it comes to voting on legislation. “Unlike when I was on the school board, where I got things 5 years in advance…I don’t know what I’m voting on until it literally hits the board.” He said that the rapidity is one of his biggest motivators to stay abreast of the issues.
But this qualification doesn’t go anywhere near calming the soul. Rep. Welch may be studious; as for his colleagues (those 16 Republicans and their mind-numbing confusion over a rather harmless bill to spur greater parental involvement in schools — a result of either knee-jerk ideological decision-making or inadequate due diligence or both) — we can only pray that the unintended consequences of their hazardous voting are better than the workplace hazards themselves.
State Rep. Welch Town Hall Meeting in Maywood Tomorrow
Maywood Election 2013: Sights and Sounds (Part III)
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Boost support for TPP by rethinking ISDS
By Daniel Pearson — 07/08/15 08:30 AM EDT
President Obama’s approach to trade policy has not been particularly adroit. After running for office as a protectionist, he later decided to support freer trade, but never found a way to explain that shift to most of the Democratic Party. Passage of trade promotion authority (TPA) under difficult circumstances allows the administration to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), but congressional approval of that pact should not be taken for granted.
This is not a time for hubris. Rather, serious efforts should be made to address TPP concerns that have been raised by reasonable critics. One of the most contentious provisions is “investor-state dispute settlement,” or ISDS. The president should act decisively to boost support for TPP by eliminating or modifying ISDS.
ISDS provisions are intended to encourage companies to invest overseas. They provide international arbitration mechanisms that allow foreign investors to sue governments for compensation. The original idea was to prevent discrimination against foreign-owned businesses and to provide financial recourse when governments expropriate property. Recent ISDS agreements also have authorized arbitration at times when governments have not granted treatment that is “fair and equitable.” That rather vague standard has opened the door for creative attorneys to file a rapidly rising number of arbitration cases. The United States has never lost an ISDS arbitration case, but seems certain to do so eventually. Such a loss runs the risk of further diminishing public support for trade agreements.
Opponents, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann WarrenNew CDC overdose estimates are nothing to celebrate 2020 Democrats react to 'send her back' chants at Trump rally Democratic Houston councilwoman announces Senate bid MORE (D-Mass.), argue that ISDS provides foreign investors with the ability to challenge government measures intended to regulate labor, the environment, and financial markets. Some of the scare tactics used by left-leaning adversaries of international economic integration have been outlandish, serving to dumb down what ought to be a thoughtful debate on the merits of the agreement. Nothing in ISDS appears likely to lead to poisoning of the U.S. food supply, for instance, yet such claims have seriously undermined public support for ISDS and for TPP itself. More legitimate criticisms of ISDS include that it provides special legal rights for investors from overseas – rights not shared by domestic firms – to file arbitration cases against governments in the United States, and that ISDS does nothing to enhance trade liberalization.
Supporters of ISDS, which includes most of the U.S. business community, argue that being able to pursue claims against unfair treatment by governments makes firms more willing to invest. Although the evidence is inconclusive, this may lead to greater economic growth and increased prosperity, while providing an incentive for good governance. There are thought to be several thousand ISDS agreements in force. They may have played a role in boosting cross-border economic integration and global supply chain efficiency.
True, cross-border investors would prefer that TPP include ISDS. But most U.S. companies understand that the real benefits of TPP would come from reforms that reduce barriers to trade in goods and services, as well as making foreign investment possible by opening up previously closed sectors of the economy. If there are no ISDS provisions in TPP, companies have other approaches to risk management: adding arbitration clauses to contracts; purchasing political risk insurance; or simply investing somewhere safer. It’s worth noting that there is no ISDS agreement between the United States and China, for instance, yet a large number of U.S. firms have invested there. No ISDS provision was included in the U.S.-Australia FTA, yet its passage was strongly supported by the business community. The same would be true for TPP even in the absence of ISDS.
Could Obama cultivate additional votes for TPP among Democratic members of Congress by addressing ISDS concerns? First he would have to persuade other TPP nations to adjust or eliminate ISDS fairly late in the negotiating process. Since the United States has been the strongest proponent of including such a measure, the president may be able to get other countries to agree. Removing ISDS would be the simplest and quickest alternative. However, if realities dictate that some ISDS provision must be retained, the wording should be tightened to remove – at a minimum – the fair-and-equitable-treatment language. Such a change would strengthen the coalition in favor of TPP by showing that the president has been listening to his critics, especially those who want him to succeed.
Taking a proactive approach to fixing ISDS would address a problem that has the potential to torpedo TPP in Congress. This may be the most practical step the administration could take to enhance the prospects for TPP among Democrats, while likely costing no Republican votes. The president should undergird congressional support for his trade agenda by rethinking ISDS promptly before TPP talks conclude.
Pearson is senior fellow in trade policy studies at the Cato Institute.
Tags Elizabeth Warren
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Anti-Bullying Month Tune: Honey and Jude’s “Weirdos and Freaks”
Music s No Comments
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and lots of artists are releasing work to spread the message that bullying is not acceptable, and that to accept yourself for who you are despite other’s opinions or mean words is the most empowering thing you can do.
Los Angeles-based pop duo, Honey and Jude, have just released their own track to support the cause, called “Weirdos and Freaks.” Produced by Mike “WUFF” Wofford (formerly of RedOne Productions), the song is now available for download on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify.
‘ ‘”Weirdos and Freaks” is a call to arms for self-acceptance and empowerment. While the track is a sugary pop tune with mesmerizing harmonies, there is much more to it than an upbeat pop tempo, the song also serves to send a serious message. The song was written for anyone who has ever been pushed around or called a name, but really it is for everyone. “We want to spread the message that who ever you are, be proud of it regardless of what anyone else may think,” Honey and Jude comment. Digging deeper into the song, you can hear the inspiring message behind it with lyrics like, “Here’s to the weirdos and the freaks, we don’t pretend, we just be who we want to be,” The duo then fires back at bullies with lines like, “You’re just not worth it and I ain’t got time.” The pair was inspired to write the single, after a fan wrote a Facebook post about struggling with bullies. “Weirdos and Freaks” was written to give victims of bullying a voice.’
The pair are encouraging the use of the hashtag #beautifulfreaks to get the word out that no matter how weird you or your friends are, bullying is not okay.
If you haven’t heard Honey and Jude’s music, you are in for a treat. They have been performing together since 2012 and officially formed as a duo in 2015, sort of modelling themselves after Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in Grease. Catchy hooks and great vocals throughout…we recommend giving their “Summer Fling EP” a listen.According to a press release, it was released in 2015 and “has gained attention most notably from Music Connection Magazine, who included the duo in their “Top 100 Unsigned Artists of 2015.” Honey and Jude have played various Los Angeles venues such as House of Blues, Hard Rock Café, as well as countless malls and schools.”
Here is one of our favorite tracks, a sweet ballad with GREAT vocal performances:
To learn more about Honey and Jude, visit them at www.HoneyAndJudeMusic.com.
Previous post: 15 Year Old Caroline Romano Sings for National Bullying Prevention Month
Next post: Terrell Ransom Jr Interview & Challenges (Darwin on Amazing World of Gumball)
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Wacom Cintiq 16 & 22
Digital Ink Technology
For greater security, ease, and customer acceptance
You have choices when it comes to choosing the method of capturing paperless approvals, authorizations, acknowledgments, and commitments. Choosing electronic handwritten signatures has clear advantages over other methods.
EMR Benefits
E-Signature Benefits
Are Electronic Handwritten Signatures Right for Your Business?
Going paperless is not an easy task. Rarely do you have the luxury of specifying and deploying entirely new customer-facing systems from end-to-end. You will likely need to integrate new applications or functionality into existing systems. This requires diligence in researching your options and careful planning. Once your organization has determined that you want the benefits of a paperless process, the next step is to choose a method of collecting both authorizations and declarations of intent.
For centuries, the handwritten signature, stamp, or mark with ink on paper, has been universally accepted as a legally-binding method for committing to contracts and agreements. Extending this concept to the digital world makes a lot of sense. By nature, a signature is unique, and unlike a mouse click, a signature is given deliberately, so it inherently declares intent.
An individual's signature cannot be forgotten, and if a forgery is attempted, the use of verification systems is a common practice. Laws are in place to protect the victims of forgeries. Electronic handwritten signature systems provide all of the benefits and safeguards as traditional wet ink signatures, but with much greater efficiencies.
Using handwritten signatures for purchase agreements, contracts, payment approvals, registrations, authorizations, consent, and other forms are a common practice worldwide. Acceptance and adoption of paperless technology is very high when signing with an electronic pen on a signature capture device. It is the most intuitive, natural, and familiar of all paperless methods. This means fewer disruptions in your quality of service, less training, a smoother transition, and more confidence in the new digital process.
If ink-on-paper handwritten signatures served your business or organization well in the past, but were too costly in terms of time and resources, then choosing electronic handwritten signatures will reduce your risk, satisfy your customers, and be the least disruptive to your systems and staff.
Here are some frequently asked questions about electronic handwritten signatures that you may find helpful.
What is an electronic signature and what is it used for?
A handwritten signature establishes a clear link between a written document and its author. An electronic signature is used to assign an electronic document to its originator, thereby assuring authorship. A qualified signature also safeguards a document’s authenticity (is the document actually from whom it says it is?) and integrity (has the document been changed at any time during the transmission process?).
What is the difference between an electronic signature and a digital signature?
Electronic signature is a legal term with a certain degree of legal force. Digital signature is a mathematical and technical term and is used for producing electronic signatures.
Does an electronic handwritten signature satisfy legal requirements?
In most European countries, the USA, and a growing number of countries around the world, legislation is in place to encourage the rapid adoption of electronic signatures and reduce the use of antiquated paper method
The following acts reinforce the validity of electronic agreements.
2000 U.S. Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN)
Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA)
eIDAS-Regulation
For example, ESIGN states that a contract "may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because an electronic signature or electronic record was used in its formation."
Is scanning a paper signature the same as an electronic handwritten signature?
Not at all. A static image, or a photo of a signature will help make signature information more accessible, but it does not provide as many benefits as capturing the signature directly in an electronic form without printing. Document scanners use CCD sensors to read the image of a handwritten signature as color and brightness information of individual pixels. The signature is recorded as static image data only. The appearance of a signature alone is not a secure criterion, because the individual dynamic parameters of the signature are missing. Signature pads take security to the next level by analyzing the signature as it is handwritten on a sensor panel using a special pen. In addition to the appearance of the signature, they record biometric parameters such as acceleration, pressure progression and the angle of the pen while signing, thereby producing a kind of a “digital fingerprint”. This fingerprint is as individual and unique as its owner, and together with a digital certificate, is today the safest method of reading electronic signatures.
What are the advantages of the handwritten signature compared to card and PIN based methods?
An individual's signature cannot be lost or stolen like a card can be
It is impossible to forget one's signature, unlike a PIN
Signatures cannot be disclosed to third parties
Signatures are always given deliberately, where cards and disclosed PINs may be used without consent
Signatures are considered suitable for authenticating declarations of intent
Signing with a pen is a familiar and customary process
Benefits of EMR
For product data sheets and the latest drivers for your Wacom signature pad, click below.
Business-Solutions
E Signature Benefits
Pen Hardware
Careers at Wacom
Eco-Initiatives
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General Station / Interviews / Music
Penelope Houston – WPTS Interview
by Music · Published September 13, 2018
The Avengers self-titled compilation, commonly referred to as the “Pink Album,” is essential listening for fans of Punk. Singer Penelope Houston sings righteously over high energy Punk songs more in the vein of the Clash than Black Flag. Songs like “The American in Me” and “I Believe in Me” have a Golden age Punk attitude but also an ear-wormy catchiness and this general feeling that encourages the listener to stand up for something.
The Avengers played a critical role in the development of the American Punk Rock scene, being one of the first bands to come out the Bay Area which went on to be a hub in the very active California Punk Scene. They played the Sex Pistols last show at the Winterland Ballroom. On a more personal note, they were one of the first Punk bands I discovered while in middle school, having been given a cassette of their music by my Dad when I started listening to the Clash. Ahead of their upcoming East Coast shows and Riot Fest performance, I talked to Penelope Houston about the Avengers reunion, Riot Fest, her experiences in the Punk scene, her solo work and more. Without further ado, I present the transcript to that interview
Calder: How long have you been performing with the Avengers since your reformation? Do you plan on doing any work in the studio with the Avengers in the future?
Penelope: The reformed Avengers have been playing I think since ’99. We reformed around the time the Lookout! record came out, Died For Your Sins. We had recorded a couple old Avengers songs with the new line up because there were no good recordings of them and we wanted them to be on that record. So then after that, probably 2000 or so, we started to play a little bit and then, maybe three years after that we started to play more regularly, doing tours in Europe and various places, so I guess it’s been 17-18 years. And we’re not writing new songs for the Avengers. When I write new songs, generally, it’s for my solo career. So, we are not planning on going in the studio.
Calder: When you were writing the songs for the Avengers originally, did ever imagine playing festivals like Riot Fest? How does it feel playing in front of these festival audiences now?
Penelope: Um, yeah, when I was 19, I had no idea or dream that we would be playing something as gigantic as Riot Fest. We had our little crowd at the Mabuhay and various local clubs, the Whiskey a Go Go in LA. That all seemed good, we didn’t really imagine things like huge Punk Rock festivals, things like Riot Fest or Punk Rock Bowling, happening because the scene was pretty small and insular back then. So it’s exciting, definitely, to be playing Riot Fest. I’m kind of happy about how eclectic the booking is for them, as far as different genres. That’s pretty great, and we’re certainly going to enjoy it. I know we have fans in Chicago because we played various Chicago clubs before, so that’ll be fun to see them again, if they get up that early because we’re playing at 12:30 in the afternoon on Sunday (UPDATE: they are now playing Sunday at 3:30 on the Rebel stage.).
Calder: Who are some acts you’re looking forward to seeing at Riot Fest?
Penelope: I’m looking forward to seeing Beck, Elvis Costello. I’m sad that I’m going to miss Pussy Riot because they’re playing on Friday and we’re flying in on Saturday from New York, where we have a show on Friday, and hopefully we’ll get to go and see what we can on Saturday. Blondie’s playing on Sunday, that’s going to be cool to see. I think the Adolescents are playing on Saturday. Also, Cat Power, Liz Phair I would have liked to see but I don’t think I’m going to be able to catch them. Pussy Riot I would have really wanted to see.
Calder: The Avengers were one of the earliest American punk bands. Who were some of your influences early on?
Penelope: For me, Patti Smith was a definite influence at that point. We liked the Clash, and the Damned, and of course the Ramones. That’s kind of it for the ones that came before us (laughing). We started in Spring ’77. There were a lot of bands that went on after us that are also influential, but after us.
Calder: A lot of the music that you wrote back then was pretty political or had political themes. Do you feel the political landscape has changed since the ‘70s and how do you feel the message or themes of songs like “American in Me” and “We Are the One” have changed?
Penelope: Well, it’s interesting because some of the themes of “The American in Me” is how we see ourselves as a nation and how the media feeds us information. And now that’s just been sped up so much, it’s just like, (laughing) I think it’s even harder to be an American now. The message of that song is we have to look at ourselves and decide what is it about that we’re not proud of and what is it about ourselves that we can hold forward and be proud of. You know, it’s just gotten worse in so many ways. But in general, it’s a bit frightening that some of these things have not gotten better. I feel like so many technological advancements that we’ve made in the last forty years have lifted up humanity and should have made us able to feed more people and house more people and educate more people around the whole globe, and now I feel like we’re coming into a situation where the haves and the have-nots are getting further and further apart, which is a bad situation, and something we need to keep working on. There’s been huge technological advancements since forty years ago, but we still have situations where people are not benefiting from those at all in parts of the world. As far as America goes, we’re in a really uncomfortable and unpleasant governmental position right now, but as far as the whole country goes and people’s general wellbeing, we still have water, we still have power, people are still able to go to school. It’s not like places in Africa or Syria and areas of the world where there are wars going on and famines going on. Those things should not be happening in this day and age. It’s not that I’m overlooking the problems that we have in America, but I feel like in general we are very lucky. We’re going to make it through the next three years, or however long it takes to make things make more sense. We’ll fight our way out of whatever ditch the current administration is digging for us, and we’ll get out of it, but there are places around the world where the vast technology we have now should be applied. People should be taken care of better. So, yes, to answer your question, (laughing) it is frustrating how a lot has changed in the last forty years since I wrote those songs as a 19-year-old but in some ways a lot has not changed and in some ways it is just as hard to understand as when I was 19.
Calder: What was your experience being a woman in the early California punk scene? I have read interviews with you where you’ve said it was a very welcoming environment, but punk gained a reputation later on as being not as welcoming of an environment to women.
Penelope: Well, the Avengers existed from ’77-’79, and that’s really before Hardcore started. When we started it was all kind of being invented, we were making up our own rules, and there were no, especially in San Francisco, there was nobody who couldn’t be in a band. It didn’t matter what your skin color was, it didn’t matter what your gender was, it didn’t matter what your sexual proclivities were, you could still get in a band and make Zines and be a photographer or be a booker or whatever. There was really no question about it. It was kind of more us against them, the Creatives and Punk Rockers against the status quo. So, when people saw me on the street with blue hair or whatever, they would say “Oh, that’s a punk.” They wouldn’t necessarily say “That’s a girl.” I was just a Punk to the outside world. And that made us feel closer together. And certainly things changed when Hardcore came around, and it became very codified, very few women in the bands and in the audience, just because of the feel of it. And I wasn’t really around for that. I kind of switched over to different kinds of music at that point. I wasn’t like a girl wanting to be a part of the Hardcore scene. And people are always like “Oh yeah, the Avengers were one of the first Hardcore bands,” but I don’t think of the Avengers as a Hardcore band, at all. I just think of us as a Punk band. So, I personally didn’t have that much trouble, and later when I had my solo career, and I was in a more acoustic, singer-songwriter kind of situation, there was definitely, I think people (laughing)… When I was a punk, nobody took us seriously, and when I became a singer-songwriter it was like “Oh, now I’m not being taken seriously because I’m a woman.” Now a days, now that the Avengers have reformed, and you see these big shows and festivals, there are very many more male fronted bands than female fronted bands or female bands. And I kind of think that’s a shame. I think it probably has to do somewhat with the audience being mostly male or more male. But I’m always happy to see when there are more women in the bands at these festivals, and I think Riot Fest has done a fairly good job. Someone called me up to do an interview about how Riot Fest is really failing, and they said, “Only 25% of the performers have women in them,” and I said “Actually, I’m not going to complain about that, that’s better than most Punk Rock festivals.”
Calder: On that note, did you pay attention to the Riot Grrrl movement as a response to that cultural shift? I know that was kind of after you had moved on in your career, but do you have thoughts on that movement?
Penelope: Oh, I was certainly aware of it and there are some bands from that period that I like, but I had kind of turned a corner in what I listened to personally. But I was happy that it was happening. I thought it was necessary and a good thing, and I was certainly thrilled it was happening.
Calder: Your solo music heavily draws on different genres and is not so much in the vein of the Avengers. What were some of your influences that lead you in that direction, artistically?
Penelope: I would say Tom Waits was a big influence. Bringing in dark elements, but not be super loud. Also Violent Femmes was kind of a bridge. But I did listen to a lot of Folk music growing up. I listened to the Incredible String Band and Fairport Convention, and these were things that I was exposed to when I was younger, pre-teen age. I also told people when I was in the Avengers “We’re a Folk band” and people would be like “What?” and I said, “Well, we’re playing for each other, we’re playing on our own ‘porches,’ which are basements and garages. So we’re playing for other folks who are like us. The scene isn’t about playing an arena or getting huge, it’s about the people in it, and the people in it can jump on stage and sing with the band and start their own bands. Everybody is a musician.” I felt like Folk music also included that idea, where people can just sit around on their porch and make music and everybody’s invited. That non-exclusivity that Folk had, Punk also had. I feel like it was kind of a mindset, more than any particular person influencing me. But Leonard Cohen, the songwriters, Lucinda Williams is good.
Calder: It’s been a few years since your last solo album, On Market Street, came out. Do you have more stuff planned? Are you still writing for your solo career?
Penelope: I am still writing. I’m a super slow writer and various things in my personal life have kind of taken a certain amount of time, but I think eventually there will be another album out. But my last album that came out five years ago, On Market Street, I still see as my current album anyway, and I’m still trying to get that out there. I had a label in Europe, but I self-released it in the US, so I can really only blame myself if people haven’t heard it (Laughing). It is really one of my favorites of my albums, so I’m still trying to get people to hear it.
Calder: You painted that album cover correct?
Penelope: Yes! Yes, I’ve been doing a lot of painting!
Calder: How long have you been painting and how big of a role does that play in your artistic expression?
Penelope: Well, in ’77, when the Avengers formed, I was going to the San Francisco Art Institute and then we got busy, and I dropped out. Then, about six years ago, I decided to go back to school, and the obvious thing for me to get a Bachelor’s in was art, because I already had a lot of art courses, so I went back to that and then I started painting again. Then it started taking over my life. I had a show in LA last year, and Art has come more to the forefront. So, that’s kind of gotten bigger in my life, but I still have my day job (Laughing).
Calder: So final question, do you plan on coming to Pittsburgh anytime soon?
Penelope: I would love to come to Pittsburgh. My fathers from Pittsburgh, and I used to come there all the time when he was still alive and visit, but I don’t have any plans to right now. It’s kind of hard to get away from my home, because of my family situation. But we are going to play New York and Providence on this trip. Two of the members of the Avengers live in New York and Boston, so we’re making it easy for them, but Pittsburgh’s hard. Someday I’ll come back to Pittsburgh!
You can catch the Avengers at their show tonight in Providence, Rhode Island or tomorrow in New York City. You can also catch them this weekend at Riot Fest. They will be playing the Rebel Stage 3:30 on Sunday! Also for more information on the Avengers you can visit Penelope Houston’s personal website here, and her art website here!
Tags: AvengersfolkinterviewPenelope HoustonPunkRiot FestSan Francisco
Pablo Francisco on WPTSradio!
by new media director · Published August 9, 2013
Interview with Ladyfest Pittsburgh Organizers
by new media director · Published June 11, 2018
Riot Fest 2018 Day Two – Review
by new media director · Published September 21, 2018
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Sonic closer to turning profit corner
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25 Jul Sonic closer to turning profit corner
Posted at 00:00h in Education, Entrepreneurs, IT by WTN News 0 Comments
Madison, Wis. – Following the announcement of increased quarterly revenues, Sonic Foundry, Inc., a provider of rich-media technology, once again projected cash flow break even for the fourth quarter of 2006, with full year profitability projected for 2007.
Chairman and CEO Rimas Buinevicius and CFO Ken Minor released upbeat results for Sonic Foundry’s 2006 third quarter in a live Webcast conference utilizing the company’s synchronized web presentation system, Mediasite.
The company reported GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) revenue of $3.6 million, compared to $2.2 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2005, representing organic growth of 64 percent.
Meanwhile, the GAAP net loss for the quarter improved to $583,000, or two cents per share, of which $352,000 were non-cash related expenses of stock compensation, including costs related to the 2006 adoption of FAS (Financial Accounting Standards Board) 123 and depreciation and amortization charges. The resulting cash component of the loss improved significantly, leading to the lowest level of operating burn – $231,000 – since the 2003 divestment of other business units.
Sonic Foundry also reported higher product and service billings, which now exceed $4.1 million per quarter – and significantly higher gross margins. The latter rose 78 percent, representing a single-quarter improvement of seven percentage points and 14 percentage points over the same quarter in 2005. Strong sales from server software licenses contributed to improving gross margins.
Minor indicated that growth in gross margins has increased more quickly than previously estimated. “It looks like at this point we won’t have any difficulty reaching, and I think exceeding, the 80 percent gross margin level,” he said.
In addition to experiencing $1.2 million more in sales than in the same quarter of 2005, Sonic reported improvements in operating efficiency – while sales grew 64 percent, operating costs grew by 36 percent – and continued growth in new, repeat, multi-unit sales and enterprise customers. Among the new customers it added in the third quarter were Genzyme Corp., which last year acquired Madison’s Bone Care International, Hallmark Cards, Inc., and H&R Block.
“Operating metrics are improving across the board,” Buinevicius said. “We’re very delighted with that.”
With new, experienced sales agents introduced west of the Mississippi, Sonic will target existing customers for broader adoption of its technology. One of Sonic’s main goals will be to solidify and expand relationships with two significant customers, Dell Computer Corp. and the University of Southern California.
As a supplier to Dell’s “Intelligent Classroom” marketing project, Sonic will look to broaden the relationship with help from three sales representatives who bring previous experience as employees with Dell.
But Sonic’s primary customer base lies in the education industry. The company’s pipeline expanded from $30 to $40 million in the last quarter, with about half of it derived from its 239 educational institutional clients.
Buinevicius said Sonic targets campuses with substantial budgets, student enrollment, and technological familiarity. “Literally every classroom in America could be wired with this technology,” he said, adding that Sonic’s strategy is to market vertically, within multiple departments and sister campuses.
The strategy has been successful at USC, an institution that recently installed 16 additional Mediasite recorders to its distance-learning infrastructure, making it Sonic’s second largest enterprise deployment in education. The recorders have been deployed in multiple USC departments, including business, pharmacy, social work, information sciences, and law.
Wooing the girl next door
This approach, however, has gained little traction with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Buinevicius suggested that distributed decision-making and a sluggish migration to distance-learning, coupled with its separation from traditional campus instruction, has slowed UW-Madison’s adoption of Sonic’s Web-based conferencing infrastructure.
Buinevicius asserted that market forces will ultimately drive the university to the technology because of its potential to improve the quality, speed, and efficiency of university instruction. “There is a rich media component that has to happen at universities,” he said. “That’s clearly what the students are demanding as they enroll now.”
Buinevicius said that Sonic has little to worry about in terms of competition. “We are a long way away from having an Oracle-Microsoft rivalry. It’s really a wide open playing field,” he said.
“Certainly there are a lot people attempting to ride our coattails,” Buinevicius added. “This is such a new and burgeoning market that a majority of our deals – greater than 50 percent – have really no competition in them in terms of the bid process because the technology is so new.”
Moving forward, Sonic will continue to develop its podcasting products, new server technology and modules, portal-based presentation management, and viewing and the incorporation of multimodal searches through portal and content management software. In addition, expanded capabilities for the core MediaSite software platform will be introduced this fall.
In other quarterly numbers, Sonic reported the following:
• Sales of Mediasite server software increased 480 percent annually to $719,000 in the third quarter of fiscal 2006, compared to $124,000 for the third quarter of fiscal 2005, growing from six percent to 20 percent of total revenues.
• Service billings – service contracts, consulting, on-site training, hosting, and installation, grew 145 percent to $918,000, up from $374,000 in the third quarter of fiscal 2005. As of June 30, 2006, an accumulated $1.6 million of unearned revenue was billed and deferred on the balance sheet for services to be recognized in forthcoming quarters.
• Sonic Foundry’s Mediasite moves to podcasts
• Sonic Foundry reports quarterly loss, higher Mediasite sales
• Mediasite integrates with Blackboard
• Sonic Foundry expects break-even this year
• Sonic Foundry discounts Mediasite for classrooms
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Sunderland’s saviour reduced to tears after battling draw
Tears of joy for Advocaat as Sunderland stay up
Dick Advocaat ensured that the Black Cats avoided relegation with a point at Arsenal.
21 May 2015 11:09 Thu 21 May 2015 11:09:59 BST
Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
Seldom can a goalless draw have been greeted with such delight by one side as at the Emirates last night. Sunderland retained their place in the Premier League with a gutsy and determined rearguard against the flair of Arsenal, earning a vital away point with a resilient display. It was enough to reduce the usually stoic Dick Advocaat to tears, as it represented the culmination of a nine-match effort to avoid the dreaded drop into the Championship next season.
Defensive set-up
Predictably the away side were set up with defence mainly in mind last night. Arsenal still had designs on snatching second place away from Manchester City on the last day. That ambition was thwarted by the away side's efforts, despite one or two moments of real danger. Sunderland also missed presentable chances, especially for Steven Fletcher, yet the result yielded benefits for both sides.
The Gunners are now more or less certain to finish third, Arsene Wenger's basic requirement at the start of the season.
Advocaat's mission
The 67-year-old, Advocaat was brought into the north-east club after the sacking of the flamboyant Gus Poyet, as the Wearsiders sought a desperate solution in desperate times. They had just lost 4-0 at home to Aston Villa, an abject performance by a team seemingly on the brink of the abyss.
Survival was the one thing on their minds and that is precisely what the Dutchman helped them to achieve, even managing to allow their beleaguered fans to enjoy their final fixture for once.
Final relegation place
For Hull City and the Black Cats' local rivals Newcastle United the picture is nowhere near as rosy. Both sides go into the final weekend perilously positioned, with one relegation place still to be determined.
Hull are in the worst position, needing to take all three points at home to Manchester United to have any chance of survival. Even that would not be good enough should United also win at home to West Ham in their final fixture. An 'unthinkable' draw or loss for Newcastle in front of 50,000 vocal Geordies at St James' Park, would leave the door ajar for a seemingly unlikely Hull escape. Newcastle are just two points better off than Hull and their far inferior goal difference may yet cost them in the final analysis.
Sunderland's future?
Can Sunderland push on next season and avoid being in a similar position in twelve months? They seem to have been flirting with disaster for several seasons in a row now. Paolo Di Canio and Poyet have performed similar rescuing acts for the team in the past, only to suffer bad times shortly afterwards.
Advocaat's continuation in the hot seat would seem a sensible approach, although he seemed exhausted at the conclusion of last night's game and will probably need to re-consider his own ambitions.
His initial appointment was just until the end of the current campaign.
With a loyal support behind them and a 49,000 capacity at the Stadium of Light, many would expect them to be at least mid-table most seasons in the top league. Much will clearly depend on their acquisitions and the departures from the club in the summer.
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May 7, 2009 / 12:07 AM / 10 years ago
U.S.-Cuba thaw in full swing in arts world
Esteban Israel
HAVANA (Reuters) - The U.S. and Cuba governments have taken the first, tentative steps toward ending 50 years of hostilities, but the thawing of relations is already in full swing in the arts world.
Collages are seen inside the home of Cuban artist Damian Aquiles in Havana April 28, 2009. The U.S. and Cuba governments have taken the first, tentative steps toward ending 50 years of hostilities, but the thawing of relations is already in full swing in the arts world. Picture taken April 28, 2009. REUTERS/Enrique De La Osa
After being largely absent in recent years, U.S. gallery owners, museum directors, curators and collectors are returning to the island to view and buy the work of Cuban artists.
Hundreds showed up for the just-ended Havana Biennial arts festival that was a regular stop for art buyers before a Bush administration travel crackdown earlier this decade. Their presence reflected both newly relaxed U.S. policy toward Cuba under President Barack Obama and a U.S. hunger for Cuban art.
Obama offered to “recast” Washington’s relationship with its Cold War-era enemy last month and granted Cuban Americans the right to freely travel and send remittances to Cuba. The United States was prepared to move further toward normalized relations, he said, if Cuba extended its hand.
All of this has been music to the ears of Cuban artists glad to see the well-heeled gringos back in town.
“Cuba has been sort of the forbidden fruit for some years because it has been so hard to travel here,” said Cuban-born Ben Rodriguez-Cubenas, chairman of the Cuban Artist Fund, which promotes Cuban art, and also collector and program director for the New York-based Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
“There has been this pent-up interest. Cuba is in the news. The interest is there,” he said.
Art is exempted from the 47-year old U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, but sales dropped off when President George W. Bush toughened restrictions on U.S. travel to the Communist-run island and limited cultural exchanges in 2004.
Buyers from other countries kept prices lofty. U.S. investors now eyeing paintings, drawings and photographs for appreciation will be welcomed with wide-open arms but will have to open their wallets wide, too, artists said.
1,000 AMERICANS
The strong American presence at the Biennial means U.S. demand for Cuban art is on the rebound, said Pamela Ruiz, an American art curator based in Havana.
“My guess is that there were at least 1,000 Americans walking around and 95 percent of them were here because either they wanted to buy work or because they were curators or (worked for) nonprofit (organizations),” she said.
For the past few years only a handful of collectors were able to come legally by obtaining licenses from the U.S. government. Others violated U.S. law by traveling through a third country — risking thousands of dollars in penalties.
Under Obama, they said the licensing process has become less arduous and there is less fear of making the Cuba trip illegally because they view prosecution as less likely.
And things would change dramatically if the U.S. Congress passes pending bills that would lift the ban on Cuban travel for all Americans, a move the Obama administration has said it would not oppose.
American interest in Cuban art flourished in the 1990s, when the island’s socialist system was shaken by the implosion of the Soviet Union, Cuba’s biggest benefactor for three decades, and artists started to reflect the woes of a drifting society in their work.
U.S. collectors swooped in, smelling what they thought was a good buying opportunity, said Cuban artist Carlos Garaicoa.
“Those were pretty strange, crazy times,” he said. “People were waiting for the Cuban revolution to end any minute and so they were buying art thinking prices could rocket up.”
Interest peaked at the 2000 Biennial, when U.S. buyers were believed to have spent over $1 million buying Cuban works. “Americans came on a shopping spree with their Texan hats and money stuck in their belts,” Garaicoa said.
It all ended abruptly when Bush came to power and his administration severed incipient cultural links to the island just 90 miles from Florida.
Before the Bush changes, Americans made up about 60 percent of Cuban art buyers, but fell to about 40 percent afterward, according to various estimates.
Garaicoa missed the opening of his own exhibition at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art in 2005 after the U.S. government denied him a visa.
NO BARGAINS
But things are changing. During this year’s Biennial, painter Damian Aquiles turned his run-down, century-old Havana home into an improvised gallery where curators from U.S. museums and arts organizations came to view the collages he makes with recycled cans and canvases.
“This is starting to happen. After this Biennial it will all start,” says Aquiles, 37, whose work has been shown at exhibits in New York, San Francisco and New Orleans.
“There is a general interest regarding Cuba, its art, its politics. Cuba is fashionable and that curiosity helps us,” said the artist, who’s married to Ruiz.
Americans visiting the island will find lots of the vibrant, colorful art that Cuban artists favor. But one thing they will not find is bargains. Pre-Bush interest drove prices up to international standards and they have not come down.
Anyone coming to Havana should expect to pay between $750 and $5,000 for photographs, $1,500 to $45,000 for drawings and $2,500 to $30,000 for a painting, collectors said.
If the U.S. Congress lifts all travel restrictions, prices would likely go higher as more Americans visit. But the effect could be blunted by the world financial crisis.
Garaicoa said that, due to money issues, he already has postponed two exhibits lined up for this year, one in Tampa, Florida, and another in Dublin’s Irish Museum of Modern Art.
But the crisis will eventually pass and as Americans return to Cuba, Cuban artists should benefit from the new political climate both in commercial terms and increased cultural contacts with the United States, said American curator Ruiz.
“This is a very important point” in time, she said. “Only good will come out of this.”
Reporting by Esteban Israel; editing by Jeff Franks and Philip Barbara
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Whither Cuba after the Brothers Castro?
March 9, 2008 by White House Chronicle
In Havana, the enfeebled fingers of Fidel Castro have handed the baton of dictatorship to the feeble fingers of his brother, Raul. The endgame is in sight, but what will it lead to?
There are those in Miami and Washington who believe that, by some miracle, the status quo ante will return to Cuba, but this time with democracy and transparency.
To understand what might happen in Cuba, let us look at two examples of countries where power was transferred.
First, take South Africa. The white minority government ceded power to the African National Congress by throwing open the franchise, enabling a black government to be elected. Significantly in South Africa, there were independent institutions, a democratic tradition among whites, and organized political groups.
Second, look at Russia. Change came quickly, but Russia was not ready for democratic emancipation in tandem with economic liberalization. While South Africa transferred power smoothly, it did not have to transfer ownership of its commerce. Result: an orderly transition. In Russia, the political transition was smoother than the commercial one. Smart kleptocrats stole Russia’s wealth. This has generated great public resentment; and from it, Vladimir Putin was able to abridge democracy. Of course, Putin was helped by the economic chaos of the early 1990s–another symptom of Russia’s democratic and commercial immaturity.
There are those who think that there will be a transition in Cuba akin to the one in South Africa. The parallel is faulty. They would be better advised to look at what happened in Russia and chart a future for Cuba that avoids the mistakes of Russia.
The great truth about Cuba, as far as the United States is concerned, is that it lies 90 miles off Florida; its economy is a disaster; and it has 11 million people—a goodly number of whom would like to move to the United States.
Here are some scenarios for Cuba:
1. The United States lifts the embargo. In the first week, Cuba is flooded with private aircraft and boats. There is chaos, and the Cubans fear that they are being taken over. Solution: a gradual lifting of the embargo over time.
2. A democratic government is established in Havana. But without political parties, Cuba divides along racial lines. Roughly 50 percent of Cubans are white and the rest are black. Solution: a government in exile is formed in Miami to prepare a constitution that could be adopted in Cuba, allowing for the special conditions on the island.
3. A new Cuban government seeks to privatize state-owned enterprises– the most valuable of which is the pharmaceutical research industry. Any move to privatize industry would put a new government at odds with the Cuban exile community in the United States. Many harbor claims against Cuba for companies and private property that were seized by Castro 48 years ago. These claims are extremely complicated and could bog down a new administration in litigation in Cuban and American courts. Solution: a commission of reconciliation, whose findings would be legislated into law in Havana with treaty recognition in the United States.
If things go wrong in Cuba, they go wrong for the United States as well. A rush to democracy could be as damaging as anything that has happened, including civil war. There are those in Havana who believe that there should be a period for private industry to be established before democracy is implemented. These are people who look not to the South African or Russian examples but to China.
And, of course, there are the Cubans. When I first went to Cuba in the 1980s, at least half of them remembered the days before the revolution and were sullenly angry about what had happened to Cuba. On my last visit, four years ago, the change in generations was apparent. There was less memory of the old days, and Cubans’ aspirations had more to do with their daily lives than with great upheavals. As I could define it, a wish-list included better pay, more meat in the diet, and better-fitting clothes. A distant fourth on the wish-list, and from the young, was to travel. But years of propaganda have taken their toll, and many young Cubans believe that life outside of Cuba is brutal and dangerous. Interviews on the street suggest that they fear the inequalities of the past as much as they resent the oppression of the present.
The Cuban question will not be resolved when two old men leave the scene there.
Filed Under: King's Commentaries Tagged With: Cuba, Cuban exiles in America, Fidel Castro, Havana, Russia
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Opening/Closing Sessions
From Annual 2008
Revision as of 15:19, 23 May 2008 by Admin (Talk | contribs) (→Opening Session)
Opening Session, featuring Ron Reagan
Anaheim Convention Center Arena
Armed with perspective from over two decades of reporting the news and interviewing newsmakers, Ron Reagan provides audiences with insight into political, social and health care questions of the day. Engaging and charming with a disarming style, yet unafraid of asking the tough questions and debating the conclusions, Ron Reagan is an impassioned, informed and gifted speaker on today's much-debated topics. An eyewitness to the corridors of power, Reagan has the experience to know how and why the political game is played, and brings his sharp analysis to reviewing the 2008 presidential election. Ron Reagan is an insider on the outside, and an outsider who is on the inside.
He has successfully taken his unique perspective to television and radio audiences and made people think out of the boxMost recently he brought the Seattle KIRO AM radio audience to attention. He had his own midday show and it was a mix of local, national and international issues covering everything under the sun.
This political season he has been busy as a frequent guest on Larry King Live on CNN and for Air America Radio.For MSNBC Ron co-hosted a daily show called Connected: Coast to Coast where they debated the issues of the day along with nationally known guests.
Since his father’s death from Alzheimer’s in 2004, Reagan has been speaking out on the subject of stem cell research, and advocates increased research and federal funding. He spoke at the 2004 Democratic National Convention on the issue. He has made a number of appearances on the lecture circuit.
The new millennium brought Ron Reagan, a complete skeptic about the Internet, to host a new webcast called Publishers Weekly Minutes. It was a joint venture between AENTV and Publishers Weekly Magazine. The daily five-minute online streaming video program brought a worldwide Internet audience up-to-the-minute information about new book releases, reviews and interviews with best selling authors. Reagan is an active member of the Creative Coalition a first rights amendment group. He wrote the forward and edited a book for them entitled, If You Had Five Minutes With The President. He has moderated panels and participated in a campaign finance reform symposium.
Closing Session featuring Diahann Carroll
Diahann Carroll is the consummate entertainer. So varied and dynamic are her gifts that she continually astounds fans and critics alike with her versatility and magnetism. She is one of America’s major performing talents appearing in nightclubs, the Broadway stage, a Las Vegas headliner, in motion pictures and television. Diahann Carroll is a Tony Award winner, an Emmy and Grammy nominee, a Golden Globe winner and a Best Actress Oscar nominee.
In April 2006, she debuted her new cabaret show at Feinstein’s, New York’s prime venue, to sellout audiences receiving overwhelming reviews. Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote, “Diahann Carroll is historic. Experience it while you can. Her opening number, “Come Rain or Come Shine” erupts out of her like an emotional volcano. From here on, the lava never stops flowing. The forceful dramatic immediacy of her performance of “As if We Never Said Goodbye”, is second to none. Throughout the show Ms. Carroll demonstrates her A-to-Z range as a singing actress. A rip-roaring version of the Sophie Tucker showstopper “Some of These Days” is matched in commitment by its quiet opposite, the break-up song “Where Do I Start?”. The New York Post said “Looking impossibly beautiful for her 70 years, and dressed and coiffed in a manner that would make Norma Desmond (whom she played “Sunset Boulevard”) proud, she delivers in a strong voice remarkably unaffected by age, a well-chosen mixture of standards, pop ballads and songs associated with her stage career”.
Her television nominations go back to 1963, and in 1968 Diahann Carroll become the first black actress in television history to star in her own series, “Julia” for NBC, which soared to the top of the Nielsen ratings and received an Emmy nomination in its first year on the air. In 1989 she was nominated for an Emmy Award for the successful NBC-TV series, “A Different World”, as outstanding actress in a comedy series. In 1984 Diahann Carroll become the first black actress to star in the award-winning night-time series “Dynasty”, which is still in syndication around the world. She had a recurring role in Showtime’s hit series “Soul Food”, playing the outspoken ‘Aunt Ruthie’, for which she was nominated twice for a NAACP Image Award. She guest starred in Lifetime TV’s “Strong Medicine” and in NBC-TV’s “WHOOPI”, playing Whoopi Goldberg’s mother. In 2004 she starred on stage in the musical “Bubbling Brown Sugar” receiving critical acclaim.
Most recently, she has appeared on ABC-TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy” as the outspoken Jane Burke. In October of 1995 she starred on stage as ‘Norma Desmond’ in the Toronto premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical “Sunset Boulevard”, staged by director Trevor Nunn and the show’s entire original creative team. Hailed by the press as “the ultimate Norma Desmond”, Diahann Carroll played to sellout crowds and her Canadian cast recording outsold all other recordings of the show. Diahann made her Broadway stage debut starring in Harold Arlen and Truman Capote’s “House of Flowers” and after seeing her in this production, Richard Rodgers created the Broadway production “No Strings” as a starring vehicle for Miss Carroll, for which she won the Tony Award. She also starred on Broadway in the award-winning play “Agnes of God”. Her film work includes “Claudine”, for which she received a 1974 Best Actress Academy Award nomination, “Carmen Jones”, “Paris Blues”, “Porgy & Bess”, “Hurry Sundown”, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” and “Eve’s Bayou”. She is an award-winning actress, a successful entrepreneur, a devoted humanitarian ... indeed Diahann Carroll is a legend.
Her new book is The Legs Are the Last to Go: Aging, Acting, Marrying, Mothering, and Other Things I Learned Along the Way. In the tradition of recent memoirs from Lauren Bacall, Alan Alda, Bob Newhart, and Sidney Poitier-an Entertainment Legend comes clean on what it's like to be a path breaker, a diva, “television's first black bitch,” and an aging star in Tinseltown.
Sponsored by HarperCollins Publishers.
Retrieved from "https://wikis.ala.org/annual2008/index.php?title=Opening/Closing_Sessions&oldid=2146"
About Annual 2008
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Malinick
DC District of Columbia
Cindi.malinick@gmail.com
Girl Scouts of the USA
girlscouts.org
women, architecture, conservation, public engagement, relevance; progressive, "white house", Washington, DC, California
No Media Contact
other credentials
Cynthia Malinick is the Vice President, Cultural and Property Assets for the Girl Scouts of the USA, where she oversees the Cultural and Property Assets Department, which brings together as a portfolio the places, collections, and stories of GSUSA embodied in their cultural resources, in order to fully leverage them in support of the Girl Scout Movement.
The department engages more than 100,000 visitors annually from around the world, and encompasses over 400 acres, more than 40 roofed structures, and a significant number of curatorial objects, decorative arts, media, photographs, archives, and other historically significant documents related to the history and management of Girl Scouts, all providing a window into the agency of women and their history in the United States since 1912.
Previously, Malinick served as the Deputy and Chief of Staff to the Senior Vice President of Historic Sites at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC, where she assisted in the oversight/management of the Trust’s nationwide portfolio of historic sites, encompassing over 4000 acres, 200+ roofed structures, and more than 60,000 art/historical objects. She has also led museums and historic sites in southern California and Washington, DC, served as an exchange staff member with the National Trust of Western Australia, written and spoken broadly on relevant topics in the field, and curated dozens of exhibitions.
She holds her BA in Education (Fine Arts minor) from the College of William and Mary, and an MA in History from the University of San Diego.
“A Century of Role Models: First Ladies Elevating Girl Scouts.” White House History. Washington, DC. White House Historical Association, in process for publication, Spring 2017.
“Reflections on the Senses of Place.” Forum Journal. Washington, DC. National Trust for HistoricvPreservation, Summer 2014 (with co-author, Estevan Rael-Gálvez, PhD)
@cbmalinick
19th century, Early Modern, Modern, 20th century
Gender, Government, Museums, Politics, Public History, Women
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Helmut Newton in Dialogue. Fashions and Fictions.
29 Jun 2019 – 28 Oct 2019
Museum Kampa
U Sovových mlýnů 2
www.museumkampa.cz/en/
Hellichova
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The exhibition Helmut Newton in Dialogue has been prepared by Museum Kampa in cooperation with the Kicken Berlin. It exhibits photographs by the famous German-Australian photographer Helmut Newton and puts them in the context of interwar photography and compares them with the work of his contemporaries. Besides other events dedicated to the centenary of Meda Mládková, this exhibition project is in line with the exhibition programme of the Museum Kampa focusing on presenting personalities associated with lifestyle and fashion, which were crucial for Meda Mládková’s design projects in Washington (for example the successful exhibitions Cecil Beaton: Photographer of Queens and Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes.
Helmut Newton was born Helmut Neustaedter in Berlin, 1920. In many ways, his rather turbulent life has shadowed the history of the 20th century – because of Jewish origin he had to leave or, more precisely, he managed to leave his native Germany just on time, and via Singapore he immigrated to Australia where he continued his education and skills in photography he had begun to acquire in pre-war Germany. In Australia, he soon developed into a renowned portrait and fashion photographer. Since the early 1960s, when he started making portraits, fashion photography and nudes, he has been considered one of the most progressive and controversial photographers of the second half of the 20th century. His concept of depicting a woman in portrait and nude has changed the character of both these vast classic photographic genres. Gently oscillating between controversy, mystery and eroticism, he portrays his models as powerful, active and self-confident women in modern civilization, both in an elegant world and in places of tension or danger. He has staged ambiguous and provocative scenes that transform existing photographic genres in an innovative way. During his almost sixty-year-long professional career, Helmut Newton has brilliantly mastered the aesthetics of studio photography with careful attention to the atmosphere, composition, subtlety and detail.
Newton has shifted the meaning and role of fashion and portrait photography to more general values and expressions, changing their image forever. Working for its Australian, British and French editions for 23 years, he has become famous mainly for his photographs for Vogue magazine. In addition to fashion models, Newton also photographed famous personalities of the world of art and fashion. For example, his portraits of Karl Lagerfeld, Andy Warhol, Sigourney Weaver and Paloma Picasso are well known.
The exhibition is divided into four sections, presenting step-by-step Newton’s sources of inspiration (Erwin Blumenfeld, František Drtikol, Horst P. Horst, George Hoyningen-Huene, etc.) and his most prolific creative period from 1950 to 2000. The exhibition also includes works by Newton’s contemporaries (for example, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, etc.). The exhibition is crowned by the section entitled “Czech Traces”, where a selection of works by Tono Stano and Gabina Fárová from the late 1980s and early 1990s is presented (they both contributed to Newton’s making of several of his photographs while in Prague in 1988).
www.museumkampa.cz/vystava/helmut-newton/
www.facebook.com/museumkampa
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Exhibiting artists
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This page was added 24th June 2019, 14:25 by Synne Kristine
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