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__label__cc	0.553425	0.446575	Join service clubs, societies, CVSS head tells students The Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) is encouraging parents to get their children involved in voluntary activity, and points out that the new school year is the perfect time to start. Saffrey Brown, who chairs the CVSS, said that civic service develops good values and builds rounded individuals who can contribute to the development of their communities. “It also equips them with essential tools needed for the future such as leadership, team work, networking and much more,” said Brown. And the various clubs and societies in schools are the perfect platform, she added. Jamaica 4-H Clubs — the largest youth training organisation in Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean, with some 1,167 clubs islandwide and a membership of 104,334 — is one example. “Involvement in the 4-H Clubs enables its members aged between five and 25 years to gain crucial skills which, in the long run, will make them rounded individuals as well as provide them with the opportunity to become entrepreneurs,” said Karelle McCormack, public relations and marketing manager. She said, too, that clubites learn skills in agriculture, healthy lifestyles, environmental awareness, home economics and leadership skills. “Additionally, participating in youth in agriculture initiatives also creates opportunities for gaining agricultural scholarships to Jamaica's leading agricultural tertiary institutions among other endeavours,” said McCormack. Jamaica 4-H Clubs is the youth training arm of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture & Fisheries. The Girls' Brigade in Jamaica is another club through which students can volunteer. Quindell Ferguson, commissioner of the Girls' Brigade in Jamaica and vice-president for the Caribbean and the Americas of Girls Brigade International, stressed the importance of people giving back to society, noting that one way of doing so is joining voluntary youth organisations. Apart from the personal development benefits, she said, volunteering can also provide professional advantage by giving a young job-seeker an edge over others based on résumés, for example. “Joining a service club gives you an opportunity to be more disciplined, more understanding and an opportunity to learn a skill,” Ferguson said. She also noted that service clubs provide opportunities for students to receive scholarships and to travel. “I joined the Girls Brigade at age eight and never knew the day would have come where I became one of the international presidents. So, you see, it provided opportunities for me,” she shared. The Girls Brigade, which is church-based, has more than 40 companies islandwide, with more than 2,000 members. CVSS' Brown reiterated: “We encourage young people across Jamaica to take advantage of the clubs within their schools, and to view them as an opportunity to build a future for Jamaica, and for themselves.” Kingston Wharves donates projector to Union Gardens Infant Fourteen and making a mark LASCO wades into early childhood assessment The right partner can make all the difference between finding the best and settling for the rest NCU dominates national S&T competition 220 tertiary students to benefit from BGLC Education Grant	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line0
__label__cc	0.687189	0.312811	Talia Wexler Loves Performing and Sharing Her Passion for Theater With the Community by JENNIFER FRAKES \| photos by Samantha Gleaton Photography Talia Wexler began performing with JCompany Youth Theatre Group at the beginning of 2015 and has never looked back. “I have been involved in theater throughout my life, but I’ve recently taken a more serious interest in performing. I feel that I have found where I belong with JCompany,” explained Talia. She has performed with JCompany in shows including Annie, Mary Poppins, Seussical and, most recently, Once On This Island. “I enjoy theater because I love being able to step into another place and time and be another person in that moment. I learn so much about each character that I play, and I make them my own. I also love bringing happiness and joy into the lives of people sitting in the audience,” revealed Talia. Name: Talia Wexler Community: Carlsbad Family: Mom, dad, and 13-year-old brother Jason Hobbies: Theater, singing Favorite Local Spots: Beach, Legoland, The Forum When Talia is not on the stage, she attends The Grauer School, where she loves the small classes, participating in the music program, and performing at school events such as Café Nights, Grauerpalooza, school assemblies, and the Spring Arts showcase. Her favorite subjects are music and English, two classes that allow her to express her creativity. “I love music because I sing and play the piano, guitar, and ukulele. I also enjoy writing stories, poetry, and songs,” said Talia. Through The Grauer School, Talia does a great deal of volunteer work, such as helping out at homeless shelters, singing at senior centers, and collecting and sorting canned goods for those in need. In addition, she is a part of a club called Girl Rising. According to Talia, this club focuses on the pursuit of gender equality and equality in education. Talia is also actively involved in her temple, volunteering as a camp counselor at a Jewish day camp and serving on the board of the temple’s youth group. “I enjoy theater because I love being able to step into another place and time and be another person in that moment… I also love bringing happiness and joy into the lives of people sitting in the audience.” Talia, her mother, father, and younger brother reside in Carlsbad and can often be found out and about at the Flower Fields, the beach, or Legoland. “We all enjoy theater as well. I recently pulled my brother into theater at JCompany with me and he loves it,” related Talia, who recently got her driver’s license and is thrilled to be able to drive herself to rehearsals and shows. BGCC Gets a Visitor 6th Annual San Diego Women’s Week	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line4
__label__wiki	0.519203	0.519203	I made the Finals I've just been notified that I've made the Finals in the 2008 Weblog awards, in the category "Best Australia or New Zealand Blog". 2008 Weblog Awards Best Australia or New Zealand Blog Finalists Rusty Lime KerrieJean.com.au The Dawn Chorus Media Spy Gizmodo Australia Ask Bossy All Men Are Liars If they're all as good as this one, they're worth a visit. If they're better, even more so. So please have a look at all of them, and vote as you see fit. at 12/31/2008 09:55:00 pm 6 comments Links to this post A REAL Biologist Unlike me, I'm just a gifted amateur, who's learnt a lot in a hurry, out of necessity. That I have only mediocre knowledge in one particular and very specific area, compared to the "Real Deal" is obvious when you see the work of Dr Veronica Drantz, who I've had the pleasure of corresponding with. She's an educator too, able to explain even the most complex concepts in ways that people like me can comprehend. Did I mention she's a really nice person too? That helps her do her job, of educating people, and her knowledge is extensive. Her work that most interests me was the subject of a Special Presentation by her to the Center for Inquiry on November 9th. I wish I could have been there. The presentation was entitled "Science & Sexuality", and, in her own words: In this presentation, I answered the following questions: What can science tell us about sexuality? How many sexes are there? What exactly is a female? A male? Is intersexuality normal? What is known about the biology of sexual identity? What is known about the biology of sexual orientation? Her powerpoint presentations make fascinating reading, and parallel closely - though in even more depth - the lecture by the Professor of Psychology at the ANU who invited me to guest lecture at the end. I heartily recommend Ronnie's lecture series. It shows just how much evidence there is, and how what had been a mass of unconnected pieces is now coming together. Labels: Brains, Science Today's Battles I'm not the only one fighting them. And some people manage not to just use words, but actions. Case in point, this comment at TRANScend Gender : At the urging and with the help of the Arizona ACLU, Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc., the largest shelter service provider in Arizona, recently changed its long-standing policy of refusing to allow transgender people to be housed according to their gender identity. In addition, the Prescott Area Women’s Shelter, on whose board I serve, is in the process of adopting a similar policy. I am saddened by Jennifer’s death, and the deaths of all the other homeless people in Austin and elsewhere, who die every year due to our society’s refusal to provide them with the basic necessities of life. For those interested in urging their local shelters to treat trans people with dignity, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Coalition have created an excellent resource titled Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters Safe for Transgender People. Not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. It rather puts my own poor efforts to shame. Still. I will continue, to write the Right. Another (hopefully) informative comment over at God's Politics in reply to a comment that said (amongst other things) this: Sexual identity, as expressed overtly, is entirely self-defined. So it is with most of the "transgendered" whose mutilations, amputations and massive hormonal drug usage does not erase the male/female chromosomes they carry that identifies them, a priori. And a comment over at the Grauniad on the Pope's recent statements on Ecology: Oh well, it took the Church 400 years to rehabilitate Galileo. They usually get it right in the end. I just wish the pope had some better scientific and medical advice, because his pronunciamento is going to kill some of us. It doesn't just lack knowledge, it lacks charity. ...and much more besides. I fear his words will be (mis?)understood. Or understood all too well, nudge nudge wink wink. The pope was not talking about "transgender" or even "gender theory". He was talking about the concept that gender is distinct from physical sex. He denied this concept as merely an artifact of Man's Pride (for want of a better term), the same urge that led to the Tower of Babel. Theologically speaking - and how else could the Pope speak, he professes that there are men, and women. Nothing else. Men are attracted to women, and women to men. That is the natural order of things. There is no "gender", only sex. He states that all other things that appear to contradict a strict Male/Female binary, such as Homosexuality, or "women born in a man's body", "post-operative transsexuals" or any body not obviously male or obviously female, are all against the natural order of Creation, and dangerous. All such are artefacts of Human origin, perfect Divine creations spoilt by Man. Intersexed people may be explained away as the result of Man's tampering with the environment, with chemical and possibly spiritual pollution. They can only be described in a purely ecological sense as human-created vermin, though that word in merely implied, not stated. Something undesirable and dangerous to the Ecology, the product of Humanity's prideful nature in wishing to be in sole and exclusive control of his own destiny. He does not go so far as to say that such (purely ecologically speaking, no pejorative meaning is implied) "vermin" should be exterminated, he leaves the question of what to do with them open. He merely states that they are a danger to all Humanity, and against the Natural order as ordained by God. sigh No Dog Whistling there, is there? Yes, this does contradict both Matthew 19:12 and Isaiah 56:3-5, 1500 years of Theological contemplation of Intersex, including the arch-conservative Peter Cantor of C12, as well as most of biological science. It returns us to the days of the Church's founding, and the Emperor Constantine, where Intersexed infants where sealed in boxes and cast into rivers as being against God's Creation. It was recycling the material of defective products to be remoulded into perfect ones. Ecologically sound practice, that's all. Finally, sometimes in looking at the "Big Picture", we lose sight of the individual issues. Here's one important salvo, which I hope lands on target in wintry Quebec. at 12/27/2008 07:31:00 pm 12 comments Links to this post Merry Christmas to all our Readers Translations from the Vatican Well, sort of. It's mixed. So much is right, yet not in the way I suspect they mean it. Let's start with the original Italian. Poiché la fede nel Creatore è una parte essenziale del Credo cristiano, la Chiesa non può e non deve limitarsi a trasmettere ai suoi fedeli soltanto il messaggio della salvezza. Essa ha una responsabilità per il creato e deve far valere questa responsabilità anche in pubblico. E facendolo deve difendere non solo la terra, l’acqua e l’aria come doni della creazione appartenenti a tutti. Deve proteggere anche l’uomo contro la distruzione di se stesso. È necessario che ci sia qualcosa come una ecologia dell’uomo, intesa nel senso giusto. Non è una metafisica superata, se la Chiesa parla della natura dell’essere umano come uomo e donna e chiede che quest’ordine della creazione venga rispettato. Qui si tratta di fatto della fede nel Creatore e dell’ascolto del linguaggio della creazione, il cui disprezzo sarebbe un’autodistruzione dell’uomo e quindi una distruzione dell’opera stessa di Dio. Ciò che spesso viene espresso ed inteso con il termine "gender", si risolve in definitiva nella autoemancipazione dell’uomo dal creato e dal Creatore. L’uomo vuole farsi da solo e disporre sempre ed esclusivamente da solo ciò che lo riguarda. Ma in questo modo vive contro la verità, vive contro lo Spirito creatore. I include it because many of the translations and interpretations appear unsatisfactory to me. Google's translation is very clunky compared to a human one, though surprisingly good overall. Poiché la fede nel Creatore è una parte essenziale del Credo cristiano, la Chiesa non può e non deve limitarsi a trasmettere ai suoi fedeli soltanto il messaggio della salvezza. As the faith in the Creator is an essential part of the Christian Creed, the Church can not and should not be confined to convey to his people only the message of salvation. Essa ha una responsabilità per il creato e deve far valere questa responsabilità anche in pubblico. It has a responsibility for creation and must rely on this responsibility even in public. E facendolo deve difendere non solo la terra, l’acqua el’aria come doni della creazione appartenenti a tutti. And he must defend not only the land, water and air as gifts of creation belong to everyone. Deve proteggere anche l’uomo contro la distruzione di se stesso. It must also protect humans against the destruction of himself. È necessario che ci sia qualcosa come una ecologia dell’uomo, intesa nel senso giusto. It is necessary that there is something like an ecology of man, understood in the right direction. Non è una metafisica superata, se la Chiesa parla della natura dell’essere umano come uomo e donna e chiede che quest’ordine della creazione venga rispettato. It is not a metaphysical exceeded, if the Church speaks of the nature of man as man and woman, and calls for the creation of this order is respected. Qui si tratta di fatto della fede nel Creatore e dell’ascolto del linguaggio della creazione, il cui disprezzo sarebbe un’autodistruzione dell’uomo e quindi una distruzione dell’opera stessa di Dio. Ciò che spesso viene espresso ed inteso con il termine " gender ", si risolve in definitiva nella autoemancipazione dell’uomo dal creato e dal Creatore. This is in fact of faith in the Creator, given the language of creation, which would be self-contempt and then destruction of the work of God This is often expressed and understood by the term " gender ", is resolved finally in the creation of self-empowerment and the Creator. L’uomo vuole farsi da solo e disporre sempre ed esclusivamente da solo ciò che lo riguarda. The man wants to be alone and have always and exclusively alone what he is concerned. Ma in questo modo vive contro la verità, vive contro lo Spirito creatore. But living in this way against the truth, lives against the Creator Spirit. One of the best translations is the Official Vatican Press Release, but it's more than a little clunky. While highlighting that the Church "cannot and should not limit herself to transmitting just the message of salvation to her faithful", the Holy Father said that it must also "protect the human being against self-destruction. It is necessary to have something like an ecology of the human being, understood in the proper manner. It is not a surpassed metaphysics when Church speaks of the nature of the human being as man and woman, and demands that this order of creation be respected. ... That which is often expressed and understood by the term 'gender', is definitively resolved in the self-emancipation of the human being from creation and the Creator". A slightly better translation is at the National Catholic Reporter cafe, and it's that one I'll use. “[The church] must defend not only the earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to all,” he said. “It must also defend the human person against its own destruction. What’s needed is something like a ‘human ecology,’ understood in the right sense. It’s not simply an outdated metaphysics if the church speaks of the nature of the human person as man and woman, and asks that this order of creation be respected.” “Here it’s a question of faith in creation, in listening to the language of creation, disregard of which would mean self-destruction of the human person and hence destruction of the very work of God,” the pope said. “That which is often expressed and understood by the term ‘gender’ in the end amounts to the self-emancipation of the human person from creation and from the Creator. Human beings want to do everything by themselves, and to control exclusively everything that regards them. But in this way, the human person lives against the truth, against the Creator Spirit.” Now here's the BBC's slant on it - a reasonable interpretation (though not the only one) that I fear will be all too common. Pope Benedict XVI has said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction. He explained that defending God's creation is not limited to saving the environment, but also protecting man from self-destruction. His words, later released to the media, emphasised his total rejection of gender theory. Pope Benedict XVI warned that gender theory blurs the distinction between male and female and could thus lead to the "self-destruction" of the human race. (Explanatory note on Gender theory) Gender theory explores sexual orientation, the roles assigned by society to individuals according to their gender, and how people perceive their biological identity. Gay and transsexual groups, particularly in the United States, promote it as a key to understanding and tolerance, but the pope disagreed. When the Roman Catholic Church defends God's Creation, "it does not only defend the earth, water and the air... but (it) also protects man from his own destruction," the pope said. "If tropical forests deserve our protection, humankind... deserves it no less," the 81-year-old pontiff said, calling for "an ecology of the human being." It is not "outmoded metaphysics" to urge respect for the "nature of the human being as man and woman," he told scores of prelates gathered in the Vatican's sumptuous Clementine Hall. So "transsexuals" are a threat to the very survival of humanity, and their existence goes against God's Holy Law. And any discussion of the subject of Gender, of anything other than a strict and concrete divide separating humans into men and women, is equally destructive. It's a reasonable interpretation, but I hope that that's not what was meant. I hope that a correct reading is that there is a biological reality that should not be ignored in furtherance of ideology - though it's more than troubling that a view so simplistic as to be reasonably labelled "false" is now the official party line. What's not clear is whether he's implying that the Intersexed do not exist, or that they should not exist. People whose biological reality blurs the line between male and female. People whose existence, if recognised, would be a threat to the survival of Humanity. The Pope, of all people, should know the inevitable consequences of such ideas. He played a trivial and distinctly unenthusiastic role in implementing uncomfortably similar ideas when young as an involuntary member of the Hitlerjugend. Ignoring inconvenient facts can only last for so long, however. In another piece of news from the Vatican, they want to put a piece of embarassing history behind them. From the Times of London : The Vatican is considering publishing the full record of the 17th century trial of Galileo Galilei for heresy as part of its rehabilitation of the great astronomer. Monsignor Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said at the start of the council's annual meeting that only parts of the 1633 trial proceedings had been published, and this had given a false impression. He said it was not widely known for example that the then pontiff, Pope Urban VIII, had never signed the Inquisition's condemnation of Galileo. Monsignor Ravasi said publishing the full trial proceedings would help to "purify" the past through a "rigorous" examination of the historical record. However there was no point in using the past to continue "polemics". The aim was rather to "look to the future" and achieve greater harmony between science and faith. Earlier this year Nicola Cabibbo, head of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and a nuclear physicist, said: "The Church wants to close the Galileo affair and reach a definitive understanding not only of his great legacy but also of the relationship between science and faith." The Catholic Church long ago abandoned its opposition to Galileo's theories, and in 1979 John Paul II apologised for the Inquisition's treatment of him. However in January Pope Benedict XVI called off a visit to Rome University after staff and students accused him of defending the Inquisition's condemnation of Galileo. They cited a speech the Pope made in 1990, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in which he quoted a description of the trial of Galileo as "fair". My own impression was that Galileo wasn't condemned for heresy so much as rude obnoxiousness and unreasonability. But that's another matter. It's a bit of a Furphy, an Urban Legend, that "when Galileo presented his telescope to senior cardinals/Jesuits/Aristotelian philosophers/the Inquisition (delete as applicable) they refused to even look through it.". You'll find that although there is some basis of truth in this, it's a very slender thread. I recommend Quodlibeta on the subject. Finally, the senior Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius said of the moons of Jupiter "One would first have to built a spyglass that creates them and only then would it show them." However, the fault was with the Jesuits' first effort to built a telescope. Once they had built themselves a better one, Clavius confirmed that he could see the moons. May the Vatican acquire a better gender telescope than the rather shonky one provided by one Professor McHugh. Labels: Politics, Science, TS Human Rights This is a story of an incident that happened quite recently, in a "friendly" country. I won't mention its name just yet, let's just say that you can't drive around the largest city in it without seeing oil derricks and "nodding donkeys" pumping out crude oil to feed the US market. A woman was convicted of a minor crime. But due to either bureaucratic ineptitude or something much more sinister, she was sent not to a female jail, as she should have been, but to a male one, and put in with the general prison population. A "trusty", a prisoner favoured by the authorities, requested that she be assigned to him. Or to his cell. It amounted to the same thing. Her fate was to be a sex slave, and week after week after week of daily rapes began. She protested to the authorities of course, but they ignored her pleas for help. She resisted as best she could, and soon, despite multiple rapes, her owner got tired of the problems, and passed her on to the next in line. Again she protested, this time to the medical people treating her for her injuries, but was advised not to complain, or she'd get into real trouble. Out of a misplaced sense of compassion, they didn't even note her complaint on her medical file, for fear of her "getting into trouble". Her new owner was even more violent than the first, and just two days after she'd gone to the medics, hurt her quite badly with a box-cutter. The authorities could (and did) look the other way at "good" prisoners being awarded sex slaves, but the possession of a knife in a jail was a serious matter. As the result of her experiences, she was moved to a prison for "psychologically troubled" inmates. She wasn't quite sane by then, you see, and lived every day in stark terror that she'd be sent back. Eventually, far too late, she was released on parole. Quite a story, isn't it? The barbarity that exists in some of the less civilised places on earth, no matter how rich they may be. Now read the rest of her story, and her quest for Justice. A mixed bag this one. First the Young America's Foundation list of the 10 worst examples of Political Correctness in Academe. My comments are still "awaiting moderation" so may be deemed too upsetting for them. Anyway, here's the long one in defence of West Point inviting one of their alumni to speak. An alumnus who is transsexual: No-one with an ounce of rationality would disagree with most items on the list. Except, perhaps, to say that even more egregious examples can be found, such as the infamous banning of funding for Cystic Fibrosis because it was a “White Male” disease. One item though detracts from the article’s credibility. It’s usually Moonbat liberals who are - if not ignorant, then not well versed in scientific issues, and who allow emotion and irrational belief to cloud reason. I refer to the item about West Point. No facts are adduced as to why this is so awful. It rather reminds me of the articles that were published prior to 1950, and the de-segregation of the armed forces, denigrating black veterans. As conservatives, we should not deny the errors of the past - we leave that to Moonbats. And the facts are that about 60% of transgendered people, mostly women, have served in some capacity in or with the armed forces. I can think of no other minority group that has such a high level of service to the country, or to whom the words “Duty, Honor, Country” mean so much. So what is “transsexuality”? Is it some peculiar sexual perversion? An “alternate lifestyle’? Yet another Liberal attack on our cherished institutions - and goodness knows, there’s enough of them? I better explain from the basics. “Men are Men, Women are Women”, everyone knows that. It’s as obvious as the world being flat, and the Sun orbiting the Earth. And for most purposes, all three statements are true. When we navigate using a map, we can treat the Earth as being locally flat. We talk about “sunrise” and “sunset”. They’re both good enough approximations for most purposes. Similarly, 98.3% of the population is either wholly and unambiguously male, or wholly and unambiguously female. Of the 1.7% who aren’t, it usually takes a laboratory or extensive medical tests to find that out, and most are effectively asymptomatic, though they may be infertile or even sterile. Such people are “Intersexed”, and there’s hundreds of Intersex conditions, ranging from the negligible (does it really matter if 10% of your body has female chromosomes when 90% has male ones?) to the spectacular. The most spectacular are the conditions such as 5alpha-reductase-2 deficiency (5alpha-RD-2) and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-3 deficiency (17beta-HSD-3) which cause all infants to look (somewhat, mostly, or completely) female at birth, but the genetic males change to look (somewhat, mostly or completely) male by the time they’re 25. Male to female natural changes happen too, but they’re less than 1% of such changes in humans, and are not well understood as yet. In fact, about 30% of Intersex conditions are “Idiopathic”, meaning “we have no idea what the cause is”, just that they happen. So what has this to do with Transsexuality? Autopsies and MRI scans have confirmed that transsexuals have cross-gendered neuro-anatomy. They quite literally have male minds and brains and female bodies, or the reverse. Often they have other Intersex conditions too, but this isn’t universal. This isn’t exactly common knowledge. Such indelicate and embarrassing matters are hardly the topic of breakfast conversation, and few people include “Psychoendoneurology” or “The journal of endocrinal obstetrics’ in their bedtime reading. But the data is there, on the Net, through PubMed and other sources. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, so here’s a small selection of the articles on the subject to show that I’m not trying to sell the usual Leftist snake-oil. Please research the matter yourself. Gender change in 46,XY persons with 5alpha-reductase-2 deficiency and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-3 deficiency. by Cohen-Ketternis A Sex Difference in the Human Brain and its Relation to Transsexuality by Zhou et al. Male-to-Female Transsexuals Have Female Neuron Numbers in a Limbic Nucleus by Kruijver et al: fMRT zur Diagnose bei Transsexualität geprüft (An Examination of the use of fMRT for diagnosing Transsexuality) (ArzteZeitung, 2006) A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity by A. Garcia-Falgueras A and D.F. Swaab. Male-to-female transsexuals show sex-atypical hypothalamus activation when smelling odorous steroids. by Berglund H, Lindström P, Dhejne-Helmy C, and Savic I. And so on and so on. Most of the hard proof has come in in the last 10 years, though a biological cause has long been conjectured. Before 1996, it was assumed (in the absence of evidence to the contrary) to be a purely psychological issue. Transsexuality causes intense distress. The issue is not so much about sexuality as other instinctive behaviour - maternal instinct. natural gait, communications skills, instinctive ballistic calculations and so on, all areas where sexually differentiated thinking patterns are obvious, and which are not culturally conditioned. There’s no biological reason why “blue is for boys, pink is for girls”, that’s cultural. But despite what Moonbat Gender Studies departments hold as articles of faith, men and women do differ in their neurology, and no neurologist disputes this. The trouble is, some women are born looking like men, and some men are born looking like women. This feels terribly perverse to someone so afflicted, and the only cure is to align body and brain/mind through hormonal and surgical intervention. Having such a person, who has overcome such challenges, has a long and distinguished military career, and wishes to “give back” to her alma mata speak about the issue isn’t “political correctness” in any way, shape or form. Zoe E Brain (Naval Combat System Architect, former tutor at the Australian Defence Force Academy, and one of the handful of well documented cases of natural male-to-female transitions on record) Onto GetReligion, where I do something few people discussing Christianity do - actually read what the Bible says, instead of believing what "everyone knows", including many preachers who are no theologians. I quote the usual - Matthew 19:12, Isaiah:56:3-5, but also John 9:1-12, which I think is particularly relevant to some Intersex conditions - my own included. Not that I'm a Christian. I just believe in many of His teachings, the ones that haven't been too distorted by misinterpretion and Pharisaic "obey the letter of the law while ignoring the intent" philosophy. I remain an Agnostic with a tendency to commit Buddhism. And finally over at Queerty, the Gay news blog. "Should Doctors Still Consider Transgenders to Be Suffering a 'Disorder'?" Well, yes and no. I describe my answer in detail as follows: The distress caused by having a brain (actually the lymbic nucleus) cross-gendered (in some ways) compared to (most or all of) the rest of the body is a very real and serious psychological condition, comparable to the distress caused by some hideous congenital anomalies, coupled with biologically-based sexual dysfunction. But the neural mismatch itself is not, it is a natural variation caused by any of a number of genetic predispositions, coupled with an anomalous hormonal environment in the womb. Both the genetic, and the hormonal anomalies are necessary, either on their own has no effect. We think. We’re not absolutely sure, it’s just that we have lots of good evidence for this, and only a paucity of extremely poor evidence against. Until the distinction is made between the congenital biological variation that is acute transsexuality, and the syndrome of distress it causes, then the social stigma and moral opprobrium will remain. Worse, effective treatment may be withheld, either because of unfounded doubts as to its effectiveness, or concerns that anyone who is "mentally ill" cannot possibly give informed consent for radical surgery. Such problems exist today, simply because GID in its totality is erroneously seen, and described in the DSM’s later incarnations, as purely a psychiatric concern. That did lead to a follow-up question, on the nature if gender, which I think deserved answering at length. Transsexual people are strongly gendered, but a significant number of Intersexed and non-Intersexed people are not. So although Transsexuals fit a binary model of gender extraordinarily well (for if they didn't, they wouldn't suffer the distress they do), we must be aware that the binary model is an approximation that fits most, but not all. It doesn't fit everyone. Most Intersexed people in particular fit a binary model, but some don't. We must be careful to respect Intersexed men as being men, Intersexed women as being women, but also that minority of Intersexed people who identify as neither. Many transsexual people, being strongly gendered, and having had their masculinity or femininity questioned in the most disrespectful terms by others, object to any "in-between' category, a category they have often been forced into by others; "men, women, transsexuals". Which is exactly wrong, the opposite of what the situation truly is. It's because they fit the binary model so well, so much so that even having a cross-gendered body is insufficient to coerce them into an inappropriate gender "box", that they have the issues they do. We must not force people into arbitrary boxes against the principles of medical facts, objective biology and even common humanity, strictly on ideological grounds. NeoCon, Religious, Gay... all need information, then they can make up their own minds. From the Sacred to the Profane. Two Point Eight Degrees I could have titled this post "Death by Religious Exemption". Or "Semper Fidelis?" Or even "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin". A former US Marine was found dead, apparently from exposure, on the steps of a Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas on Wednesday morning. Meteorological records show an overnight low of 2.8c, slightly up from the -1.7C the day before. Why was she, a well-known character and perennial mayoral candidate homeless? Well, those who are Transgendered are often so. But why could she not at least sometimes avail herself of a homeless shelter, the one run in Austin by the Salvation Army? Because they would have put her amongst men, many of them of less than upstanding moral character. Austin has laws in place that prohibit discrimination in many ways - but religious organisations are exempt. They are allowed to be.. selective.. in their charity. They are allowed to pass by the wayside, when others are not. From Texas Civil Rights Review : Marti Bier, policy aide for Austin City Council Member Randi Shade, said, "Something Jennifer would never talk about, but was a reality for her, is that she is a transwoman living in a transphobic society. Homelessness in the trans-community is a really big problem, and one that goes ignored. There are no laws in Texas protecting transgender people, whether from job discrimination, housing discrimination or hate crimes. "There was really nowhere for Jennifer Gale to go to protect herself from the cold last night," said Bier. "The Salvation Army (the only shelter in town that takes in women) would not let her in there unless she was grouped with the men (which includes sleeping with, and showering with, other homeless men). They would make her use her male birth name and completely disregard, and disrespect, her identity as a trans-woman. There is so much to be learned from Jennifer Gale, and so much to be worked on in our community." Equality Texas, the Transgender Education Network of Texas, and City of Austin officials are now working together to address changes in policy, or enforcement of existing policy, that might prevent another tragic loss of life. The City of Austin's non-discrimination ordinance is inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity with regard to employment and public accommodations. The ordinance includes certain religious and private club exemptions, which will be reviewed for applicability to the delivery of shelter services for the homeless. The motto of the US Marine Corps - and once a Marine, always a Marine - is Semper Fidelis - Always Faithful. Jennifer Gale was always faithful, to her self, to her religion, and to her country and the Great State of Texas. Her country and state though were less than faithful to her. On that cold December night, they were weighed in the balance. As were those who provide help to the homeless - with some "religious" exemptions. Mene mene tekel upharsin. The last view the world will have of Jennifer Gale is in a TV excerpt. The day before she died, she sang "Silent Night, Holy Night" to the Austin City Council. And now she is Silent, frozen to death on the steps of a Church that Night, like so many others she worked so hard to help. Always Faithful. My regular column, The Next Big Thing in TechLifePost this week deals with the consequences of microwave radars that can see through clothing - and in more detail than the manufacturers would like publicised. I'll be blogging about this later, and in some more detail, with URLs to the various stories about how this technology is being introduced in Europe and elsewhere. It's a bit of a worry, frankly. Especially to the Intersexed. at 12/18/2008 12:19:00 am 8 comments Links to this post Labels: Politics, Science COSYS, ISUS and Herding Cats It's now been nearly 13 years since I was in the Frei- und Hanse- Stadt Bremen, but I still have many happy memories of living and working there. The main two systems I was involved with - one as Co-Chief Architect, the other as a sort of "Grand Vizier" and Fire-fighter, allocated to crisis points, were the COSYS family of Naval Combat Systems, and the ISUS-90 Submarine Combat System. Both are described in brief in Norman Friedman's book, The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems, something of a Bible in the Industry. I last had a chat to Norman Friedman, the doyen of all things naval and electronic, about 15 years ago, in the Royal Navy Equipment Exhibition at the old gunnery school at Whale Island, Portsmouth. The book itself has a heavy Thunk factor. Last month, a suspiciously large package from Subsim arrived at the post office. Was it a torpedo? No, it was the 2006 edition of The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems. A $250, seven pound hardcover monster of a book - the most expensive book published by the Naval Institute. What had I gotten myself into? Despite its title, and the cover showing missiles and bombs flying around, WNWS '06 is an encyclopedic textbook of naval weapons and technology. Virtually every weapon and electronic system used aboard warships and naval aircraft today is covered in detail; often more detail than anyone would ever need. Everything from electro-optical systems, minehunting equipment, combat direction systems, radar, sonar, ECM and ESM systems, mines, countermeasures, guns, fire control systems, missiles, ASW rockets, torpedoes, to sonobuoys, is covered. Despite being about 200 pages shorter than Combat Fleets, this book massive. I was shocked by its tremendous scope when I first browsed through it. I'm still a bit bewildered. Um... to me the systems are "described in brief", but I guess that's a view only a professional in the area would hold. To anyone else, possibly a bit much to handle. Friedman is not just good, he's the best, without peer or equal. The COSYS family is described on page 73. The only error is in who which firm was the lead in the project. Friedman assumes the "CO" in "COSYS" is for Oerlikon-Contraves, the famous Swiss manufacturer. The truth is a bit more prosaic - the acronym is for COmbat SYStem. And there is a small omission - the COSYS-200T1 variant for the Royal Thai Navy, a massive 16-console system that was the ultimate, a system designed for an aircraft-carrier. Most of the consoles would be devoted to aircraft operations and recovery, the rest is basically a reduced 8-console destroyer system with many redundant bits removed. I know, I wrote the 200-page basic requirements specification document single-handedly. From the looks of it, it still might get a look-in, as the Spanish equipment supplied by the (Spanish) shipyard Bazan has a less than stellar performance, especially as regards maintenance. The other system I was most involved in, though I did do a bit on some minehunting gear, was the ISUS-90 Integrated Submarine Combat System described on page 138. It was consultancy work in connection with this system that led me to Haifa Naval base in Israel some 18 months ago. This has enjoyed some considerable commercial success, with many sales since the book was written. Even though I say it myself, it is an outstanding piece of kit - though developing it caused me a few headaches. Leading a mixed team of Israelis, Germans, and Australians in a technically challenging and utterly crucial area was, well, like this: There aren't that many people in the industry worldwide, and most of us know each other. Or knew, as I've been out of it for a while, doing Rocket Science, and recently, research. Stealth was never an option for me. Labels: Personal, Software Neurosensorics, Neuroprosthetics, and Neurocomputing An interesting paper was given at the International Electron Device Meeting recently. From The Register : The first talk in this morning's opening Plenary Session was "Electronic and Ionic Devices: Semiconductor Chips with Brain Tissue." Yes, you read that correctly: brain tissue. For half an hour, Peter Fromherz of Munich's Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry held a tough crowd's close attention as he described his work on silicon-to-neuron interfaces. The brain is an interconnected morass of neurons. Any comprehensive electronic interface with it would need not only to have physical contact with, as Fromherz said, "hundreds of thousands or millions of contact sites." But those sites would have to be stable both in placement and biochemical interaction. You don't want them firing up the wrong neurons, poking them destructively, or chemically interacting with them in nasty ways, do you? Fromherz cited three main directions for hybrid-neuroelectronics research: neurosensorics, neuroprosthetics, and neurocomputing. The first investigates devices that could study the brain, the second focuses on creating devices that could replace or supplement organic functions such as sight and hearing, and the third explores using brain tissue to inform computing design and function. As you might imagine, that third area - neurocomputing - is the furthest away, seeing as how tissue/chip interface development is still in its infancy. You can forget about organic computers floating in Mason jars for the time being. Pity... sorry. I guess there's more of the Mad Scientist in me than I thought... Moving right along. Importantly, Fromherz's chip/cell communication could be conducted with no corrosive nor electrochemical damage to either the chip or the cell. However, that slug-neuron success was the only giant step in the development of a chip/cell interface for 17 years. It was only earlier this year that the team managed to pull off essentially the same feat with much smaller and far more delicate mammalian neurons, in this case taken and cultured from those great sacrificers for humanity: lab rats. That's a Big Deal, more so than would appear at first glance. In fact, it's a huge leap in the technology, and gets us 90-something percent of the way to being able to interface human minds directly with digital devices. But just because we can do something doesn't necessarily mean we should do it. Back in 1991, the idea of electronics being able to cause brain-cell activity was unsettling to some observers. Fromherz, in fact, read to the assemble engineers a worried comment from one observer from that time: Now that "a functioning neuro-net can be physically attached to a silicon chip," the observer said, we should explore the "philosophical and spiritual consequences." Fromherz brushed aside such concerns, and the audience chuckled in agreement. Don't be surprised, though, that when this type of brain/electronic interface becomes more controllable, interconnectable, and manageable - and it most surely will - such concerns will be debated. And so they should be! Now I'm very firmly on the side of developing such technology as fast as possible. The great good that could come from it, that would come from it, outweighs any risks. But those risks are real, and not confined to some metaphysical issue of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. Neurosensorics, if they go wrong, could be terribly destructive. They could also be used, or misused, to make "aversion therapy" particularly effective. To remove paedophillic sadism... or to induce it. As the brain is somewhat plastic, it's likely that neuroprosthetics that go beyond replacing limbs, or working around broken spinal chords, but help Alzheimers and Parkinsons patients, could actually "change their minds" in ways unknowable. The risks are real, and just because they are outweighed doesn't mean they should be ignored. Experimentation must be carefully monitored - though not shackled - by ethics committees. Hopefully not including those whose religious beliefs cause them to condemn Science as inherently evil. That's a risk too, and from past history, a greater one. But there are great benefits to be obtained from chip/cell interactions as well. At tomorrow's IEDM, for example, two papers will be presented that will detail recent neuroprosthetic research. The first, "Systems Design of a High-Resolution Retinal Prosthesis" by J. Weitland and his crew from the University of Southern California, will explain how they have managed to fit 1000 light-sensing electrodes to be installed in a tiny in-eye device, coupled with an advanced image-processing technology, and powered remotely. Their goal: greatly improved artificial sight for the vision-impaired. The second, "Microelectronics Meets the Brain: Towards Implantable Neural Communications Interfaces" by Y.-K. Song and his cohorts at Brown University, will discuss "thought-to-action telemetry." At the core of their work is an active sensor that's surgically implantable with one element below the skull and that interfaces with the brain, and another above the skull but below the skin that's able to communicate with telemetric devices. The entire system, according to the paper's authors, will be safe and highly reliable. It was in January, 2007 that I predicted Cyborgs within a Decade. Looks like we're on track. Hmmmm.... I might just write about this in my column, The Next Big Thing at TechLifePost. Actually, a few from the last few days. It's so easy to lose track. On the Blog of Hilarity : This is one of the weirdest things I’ve seen this year. A German 12 year-old named Tim Petras underwent a sex change four years ago, making him now the foxy 16 year-old girl Kim Petras. This is shim below. Look, I’ve seen a lot of fcked up things in my life including but not limited to a man having sex with a dead moose (Dad was always a great hunter) but WHAT THE FCK. What kind of parent allows their prepubescent child to make that sort of decision? How come this kid can look like this but usual transexuals look like Dennis Rodman with Nerf balls shoved in his chest?... Honestly, it’s scary to have sex with “women” knowing that this sort of deceptive little thing is out there.... Tongue may have been in cheek, but if he think's he's a wit, he's half right. Twit. At the Statesman-Journal, there's an interesting conjecture that the Westboro Baptist Church is all some kind of Plot To Make "Transgendering" Acceptable and to denigrate Christianity. Actually... that's a lot more believable than the reality. But alas, the Westboro Baptists, whatever else they might be, are genuine. Even I don't think they have anything to do with Christianity, true or otherwise though. The infinite wisdom of God makes no mistakes. Men are men, women are women. Er... well any reader of this blog will realise that it's not quite that simple. So I did a bit of exposing of facts. The writer of this interesting conjecture no doubt has their heart in the right place, and perhaps if they knew a bit more about the situation, their views would change. Or perhaps not. You have to try though. And at the New Mexico Daily Lobo, there's still plenty of those who would rather not be reminded that TS people are being slain at a rate of 2 a month in the USA. Transexual woman ran out of town 12:00a.m. 11th December 2008 \| By Amy Remeikis A transexual has fled the Sunshine Coast after an alleged vicious attack on a Caloundra street left her afraid to venture outside. Alice (not her real name), was born male but has identified as a female since she was five. On Tuesday evening, Alice, 40, said she and her daughter, 13, set out along Landsborough Parade in Golden Beach to buy groceries to prepare for dinner. Sometime before 5.30pm, Alice said she passed a small group of women pushing a pram accompanied by a gentleman who she alleged was abusive to her as she walked by. Alice said she heard what the man said and questioned the man about it. "He just started screaming abuse at me, swearing and calling me a 'trannie fag'," Alice said. Alice said she had been previously advised to record such attacks. "I held up my phone to record what he was saying and he turned physically abusive," she said. She said the man chased her into a nearby playground where he allegedly threatened anyone who came to her aid. She alleged the man smashed a bottle and hit a man who had tried to protect her. Another car arrived at the scene and a man holding a base ball bat stepped out of the car and allegedly chased Alice down the street. Alice said she called for help from those driving by and a family eventually stopped and took Alice to the police station. She said she had lived full time as a woman since she was 14 and has medical approval for a sex change operation but can not afford the surgery. Alice, her best friend and her daughter have spent the past 18 months travelling around Australia. She says once knowledge of her transsexual nature is made public, she is chased from the towns. The Sunshine Coast, she said, had been no different. "We are leaving the Sunshine Coast though because I am afraid to walk down the street," she said. "I don't want to leave my room. "I can't understand why normal people act like this. I harm no one but I am always subjected to people's abuse because they don't like me for who I am." Police have charged a man with one count of public nuisance and two counts of common assault. He will appear in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on January 6. The story has since been condensed and re-written, but is available at the Sunshine Coast Daily. No other paper has picked it up. I've contacted the reporter, Amy Remeikis, as follows: Re : Your recent story about "Alice" at http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/dec/11/transexual-woman -ran-out-town-caloundra/ Could you please inform her about some resources that may be of help: Australian Transgender Support Association of Queensland Inc. http://atsaq.com/ ATSAQ can be contacted on - Phone: +61 7 3843 5024 (8am - 6pm) Email: trans.atsa@bigpond.com NEW FARM QLD 4005 (Qld) LGBT Police Liaison Officers Police Liaison Officers to the GLBT community are available to discuss your issues in confidence. For details about the officers located at the closest police station. http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/community/lgbti/lias_off.htm Australian Transsexual Support Network http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/atsn/ Feel free to give "Alice" my e-mail address, or at least refer her to my website: http://aebrain.blogspot.com My thanks for writing this story, and I hope you can tell her that she's not alone, and that she doesn't have to go through all this. Regards, Zoe E Brain ATSN and ATSA(Qld) have been informed. This is not acceptable in this country. And we're not going to accept it. Nor let the story be buried in a regional newspaper. One thing though... perfect strangers came to her aid. We must remember that - that some exist who are willing to put themselves at personal risk to help us. And that number is increasing. If any of them get to read this article, then I hope they will accept my thanks. Outrim, Ogre, Chthulhu and Christmas True Geeks will recognise something familiar... This is horrific enough, but this is just plain wrong... Labels: Fun, Miscellanea International Human Rights Day Today, I won't be writing about matters of great worth and moment. Neither the Space Programs that will, in the long term, be Humanity's salvation and future, nor the struggle for Human Rights that has taken up so much of my time since May 2005. I will be writing about something intensely personal: an end-of-year concert where my son, as part of Year 1-2, took part in a chorus with perhaps more enthusiasm than skill, but songs sung from the heart. He's in the top row, 7th from the left. I will be writing about how I live in a place, and at a time on this planet where there is, by and large, Freedom of Speech and Expression - at least, unless the current government's misbegotten proposals to "filter" the Internet are adopted. I live in a place where one may carry a Bible - or a Koran - openly, and express one's religion (or lack thereof) openly. I live in a place where there is a decent social security net - imperfect but where no-one starves - and none are denied some minimal access to medical care. Most of all, I live in a place free of fear, where I can blog about controversial subjects without the expectation of having my house firebombed, nor a knock on the door from the Secret Police, nor some nutter who would like to see me exterminated liable to riddle me with bullets. The Four Freedoms. I live in a place and at a time where I can meet a colleague from Uni, someone who is only vaguely aware of my medical history, and talk about our respective children at the school and talk without shame, just some hilarity at the unusual nature of the situation. I nearly teared up when the performance, after music and dance from all continents, had a section where children with large red crosses or the words UN gave aid and succour to others. Our ideals are so high, and we sometimes fall so short in reality. 65 years ago, it was not the time to explain to children that our valiant Allies, the Russians, were under a dictatorship differing only in degree, and not kind, from the monstrous Evil that was Nazism. And now is not the time to explain about the pest of Anti-Semitism that infests the International Red Cross, nor the cupidity, ignorance, incompetence and corruption that permeates the various UN relief efforts. They will learn soon enough. Mostly I just gave thanks that my little boy was there, performing with the rest. But we are many And from all the lands on Earth we come We share a dream And sing in one voice We are Australian In this context, it's not the many failings that are important. It's the Dream. One we, here, now, in Australia, live. Imperfectly - goodness only knows I know all about that. But more so than not. A happy place. I guess I wrote about International Human Rights Day after all. A Children's Concert is closer to the Spirit, embodying the Ideals, than all the fine words and posturing of all the UN's politicians put together. And my little son was part of it. I am proud of him, and so very thankful and glad that I was there to witness him singing. It's only Human of course. And it's most certainly Right. Labels: Personal, Politics, TS Human Rights A Letter from the Human Rights Commissioner Following up on my previous post... Message about the Commission's project on the legal recognition of sex in documents and government records I have received some enquiries about the sex and gender diversity project, in response to a media report that suggests the Commission is secretly circulating a proposal to make intersex a third category for documents and government records. This is incorrect. As you will be aware, the Commission's sex and gender diversity project has been examining the legal recognition of sex in documents and government records. As part of this project, the project created an online blog - called Sex Files - in order to discuss some of the issues to do with legal recognition and to involve the sex and gender diverse community in the development of recommendations. This included posting publically some initial proposals for reform on the Sex Files blog. We did this because we wanted those involved in the project to provide valuable feedback. The responses we received help to inform the development of a report on legal recognition in documents and government records. The final report is due to be completed and launched early next year. As indicated by some of the enquiries, the initial proposals for reform put up on the blog included a suggestion for a category of intersex for legal documents. However, as raised with us on the blog, this is not an acceptable proposal for a variety of reasons. As a result the report will not propose a category of intersex for documents but instead proposes to recommend that people be able to choose between male, female or unspecified. I hope that this explains how we have tried to respond to people's concerns. I have discussed one of our draft recommendations here, in advance of the report, only because I recognise that the misrepresentation in the media may have caused some distress. The full report, including other recommendations, will not be available until the report is published early next year. If you are on the sex and gender diversity mailing list already, you will receive notice of the report when it is finalised. Thank you for your participation to date. Graeme Innes AM Human Rights Commissioner What was it I said... And while we're at it, rather than "Male, Female or Intersex" on the birth certificates, how about "Male, Female or Unspecified". Sounds good to me. Masculine, Feminine, or <? From the Daily Telegraph : The Federal Government's human rights arm plans to invent a new official status called "intersex" adding it to male and female as a legally recognised gender. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission wants people to be able to change their gender on their passports and driving licences even if they do not undergo surgery. The extraordinary proposals are contained in a discussion paper quietly issued to transgender and transexual advocates by the commission, a statutory body that advises the Government on such matters. The paper, entitled Sex Files - The legal recognition of sex: Proposed reform, says the introduction of the new "intersex" gender is a "key feature of the reform proposal being developed by the commission". "Recognition of intersex: Persons who cannot or do not identify as either male or female would be able to choose to be identified on their birth certificate and passport as intersex," it says. "A person who cannot or chooses not to undergo surgery would not be automatically ineligible to request a change in their legal sex." The draft Proposal hasn't just been circulated to a number of "special interests", but is available online in Word format on the Human Rights Commission website. In fact, a "third gender" category has been available on passports and in some states since 2003, as the result of a court case involving Alex MacFarlane. The "third sex" proposal would merely regularise the situation and make treatment across the states consistent. There are a number of legal difficulties though. Here's what I wrote in commentary to the HRC on the proposal: Excellent recommendations, striking a balance between ideals and what can be practically achieved in the medium term. I Am Not A Lawyer, and I hope Ms Wallbeck and other legal professional may comment, but... Trying to get the states and territories to co-ordinate on such a controversial issue will be like herding cats. Various large and influential religious groups will have severe bovinosity - they'll have large and influential religious cows. Also conniptions. That would happen anyway, but some state governments would feel the pressure more than others. It is not clear that the Federal Government has the constitutional power to make such rules though. Now it is just barely possible they may have, via the Universal Declaration of Human Rights via the Yogyakarta principles.(Section 51.xix) or alternatively, with the agreement of the states (ignoring territories) 51.xxxviii. See http://www.aph.gov.au/SEnate/general//constitution/par5cha1.htm Note that in Australia, the declaration is not self-executing. Australia had the following reservation at signature to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: "Declaration: "Australia has a federal constitutional system in which legislative, executive and judicial powers are shared or distributed between the Commonwealth and the constituent States. The implementation of the treaty throughout Australia will be effected by the Commonwealth, State and Territory authorities having regard to their respective constitutional powers and arrangements concerning their exercise." " So by the reservation, it's arguable that the Commonwealth has already delegated its power over compliance to the states, and they will implement the legislation in their own sweet time at some unspecified future date. But again, IANAL. One of the issues in regularising the existing situation is the fact that those neither male nor female are in a legal limbo when it comes to a lot of legislation. The current Marriage Act states that marriage is between a man and a woman - so one can assume that those who are biologically, actually, and legally neither are denied this human right. Their position as regards Equal opportunities legislation is also as clear as mud. Most Intersexed people are intersexed women, or intersexed men. Women and Men for short. Only a handful are not, and I have heard it argued by some IS people that such tiny minorities are negligible. I disagree - for I've heard exactly the same arguments, in exactly the same terms, concerning all Intersexed people. We, of all people, should know enough not to take the same inhuman line as regards others who we don't understand. This proposal has also caused some extreme concern in both Intersexed and Transsexual groups. The fear is that men and women with a minor somatic anomaly will be categorised by others, quite against their will, as "Intersexed", and so denied human rights on that basis. Given the past treatment of such people by medical and legal authorities, this fear is by no means unreasonable. It needs addressing. Here's what I wrote about the subject on another discussion group, where grave fears and even outrage had been expressed: Having an official "3rd sex" merely regularises the situation for the tiny, miniscule minority - most notably Alex MacFarlane et al - who have X on their BCs out of their own choice. Or at least, that is the intent. I think this should be an option for Intersexed people who identify as neither male nor female. It most certainly and emphatically should NOT be a "default' for Intersexed people, most of whom identify as either Male or Female. There is a strong danger here, and we must tread most carefully. It also has some interesting legal ramifications, vis a vis marriage etc. Again, I cannot stress too highly that this must be an exceptional and entirely voluntary SELF-categorisation, not something others put us into. This categorisation is entirely consistent with existing international law, and the ICAO standards for passports. We must be extremely vigilant that the APO and others do not use it as a tool of oppression. Basically, an intersexed woman is a woman, an intersexed man is a man. Only those intersexed people who are androgenous or neutrius, neither M nor F, would find this categorisation useful to them. They are few, but they exist. For an example of one such, a very brave and admirable young human being, see the eFeminate blog, where she chronicles her journey of self-discovery. You might notice that I singled out the APO - the Australian Passports Office - for special mention. I think that in view of my own experiences with them, they richly deserve it. In matters great and small, whether with goodwill or malice, they manage to make mistakes. For example, here is an excerpt from correspondence by Kathy Anne Noble with them: X is for indeterminate sex. Following is the text from our manual which explains the term indeterminate sex. Unfortunately, it cannot be used for persons who identity as both male and female but is limited to those people whose sex cannot be physically determined at birth and their birth certificate records that fact. Australia closely follows ICAO standards and would not at this time contemplate moving away from those standards. Indeterminate Sex The term ”indeterminate” sex refers to persons whose sex cannot be determined as either male or female. This status is determined by the relevant Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. In accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard for unspecified sex, the symbol X in the sex field is to be used in such cases. This sex identifier will be used in cases where a person presents a birth certificate with the sex recorded as “Indeterminate” or the equivalent. Within the new few weeks (depending on our IT people) the APO website should contain some FAQ for sex and gender diverse passport applicants. We hope it will be of assistance. Kathy Anne Noble Er No. X stands for "Indeterminate, Unspecified or "non-specified" (emphasis added). Instead of allowing reasonable latitude for exceptional cases, they in their infinite wisdom have decided unilaterally to lock it down to matters of state birth registration, and not medical reality. The ICAO's wording was carefully chosen to allow human judgement and basic humanity to play a role. The APO carefully and deliberately removed those from consideration. We're not asking them to "move away" from the standards, but to follow them. From ICAO Document 9303 Sex of the passport holder, M for males, F for females, and < for non-specified. And while we're at it, rather than "Male, Female or Intersex" on the birth certificates, how about "Male, Female or Unspecified". That way allowing gender to be re-determined later in life, and to allow some "slop" in the system to cater for Hard Cases. Or we will have Bad Law. - Oh yes, that "few weeks" bit was written on or before August. Their site still has nothing. But that is only to be expected. In reply to L.H.Crum at the New Mexico Daily Lobo He states One could make the argument that I am part of a minority because I enjoy rugby. However, I don't need to promote a "rugby day of remembrance".... L.H.Crum completely misunderstands the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Perhaps the name should have clued him in. It is not a Day of Celebration, nor a Day of Pride. It is not a day for espousing any particular cause. It is not even a day for demanding basic Human Rights. It is the Day where we remember our dead. It is the one day of the year, the only day of the year, where we gather in all solemnity to remember those of us who have been tortured and slain, butchered, crucified, burnt, or gunned down, not because of anything we've done, nor of our beliefs, but because of who we are. It is the one day where we read out their names, and ages, some as young as ten this year, in voices that shake with emotion and shared grief. Those who would deny us this day want us to to die in silence. They do not feel comfortable being made aware of the fact that every month two transgendered Americans are butchered without mercy. They wish that if we are to be butchered, that we just die quietly and not stain the carpets with our blood. We do not ask others to remember our dead, for they are ours, not theirs. We do not even make this a day for taking action to stop the carnage. But although there are many who would deny us the right to live, to exist, we will not die quietly, nor without reminding others that we are dying, every few weeks another of our number slain by bigotry and hatred. Even if we are denied the right to exist, we demand the right to have our deaths noted and not forgotten by our own. Even if the rest of the world does not, We remember Our dead. What others do about that remembrance is up to their own consciences. at 12/05/2008 02:31:00 am 21 comments Links to this post Over at TechLifePost, a prognostic article I wrote about the likely near-future of Space Development. I wrote it before the questionnaire I mentioned in the previous post was made public, but the writing has been on the wall for some time now. Now things could change of course, my reading of tea-leaves is only 70% or so accurate at best, but that's really the way I think things will go. Had the Ares-I project not been in severe technical trouble, had off-the-shelf components actually been adequate, things may have been different. But they're not. Labels: Space The New Race for the Moon? From Moon Daily: India will be able to send a manned mission to moon by the year 2020 if everything goes as planned, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair has said. That's one heck of a big IF. "If everything goes as per the plan we will be ready to send a man to moon by 2020", he added. "On one side we have the capacity and technology, on the other side we need to provide training to a human being to survive the condition on moon and the zero gravitation," he added. That's a bit more like it. I'm not at all sure they have the capacity though - no heavy lift boosters (Ariane V or bigger) that would be needed for a Von Braun "assemble stack in NEO" plan, and certainly nothing to rival the "all in one go" approach of the Saturn V. To be talking about lunar missions when there's not even been a manned orbital one yet seems a little... ambitious? "This demands for more amount of training on the ground, and we would be spending one third of the budget on training and development of technology," he further said. 1/3 is a bit low, considering the lack of experience so far. But it's at least in the right ballpark. We'll see. "US and China are two main contenders who want to send man on moon by 2020. Though they have not yet announced anything but they have the capacity and adequate funds to send man to moon by 2020," he added. I'm not sure he's correct there either: China is looking more towards 2025, and the US Manned Space Program is liable to come to a grinding halt in the near future. From the Houston Chronicle : The Texas congressional delegation is launching a campaign to combat potentially deep budget cuts for NASA as President-elect Barack Obama focuses on rescuing the nation's economy. The drive comes amid expectations that billions of dollars will be shifted from various federal agencies into new programs to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial system. With tough trade-offs ahead, NASA's supporters are bracing for a hard look by the new administration and Democratic-controlled Congress at the space agency's $20.2 billion budget for the current year, which includes $5.8 billion for the shuttle and $3 billion to develop the Orion moonship. The open-ended rescue is expected to leave Obama little leeway to fulfill an expensive campaign promise he made in Florida to close a five-year gap between the shuttle's retirement and the moonship's inaugural as a way to keep 6,400 high-paying jobs at the state's Kennedy Space Center. Now, said Scott Pace, the director of George Washington University's Space Policy Institute, "money for space is going to be extremely tight." "That leaves you a difficult choice," Pace added. "Change the schedule or change the program." $3 billion - or even $8.8 billion - isn't much compared to the cost of the economic bailouts, or Obama's new educational, health and welfare programme. But every little bit helps - "a billion here, a billion there, and soon you're talking about real money" as was so notoriously said in the US Congress. The real problem though is not the technology - for US space scientists are the best in the world. It's not even the money, for there's plenty if it was allocated in a half reasonable fashion. No, the problem is that the US manned space effort is not primarily aimed at putting Americans into space: it's aimed at distributing financial pork from the political pork-barrel. The problem is illustrated by the article's continuation: The state's congressional delegation of 20 Republicans and 12 Democrats is counting on building alliances with other House members, making good on promises of bipartisan cooperation with the White House and lobbying efforts by NASA contractors to help combat the looming challenges. "The trick will be to show what manned space flight can do for the nation, rather than what the nation can do for manned space flight," said Pace, a former NASA associate administrator. Appealing to national concerns also can pay dividends, said Susan McManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida who has watched federal support for NASA ebb and flow. " 'Economy,' 'competition,' 'national security' — those are buzz words that win allies," she said. It's not real - they're Buzz Words, mere ploys to get a slice of the pie. "As Congress looks at ways to stimulate the economy, it cannot ignore the fact that the JSC is a mainstay of the Houston community that directly and indirectly impacts tens of thousands of jobs," Cornyn said in a recent speech. NASA's spending accounts for more than 39,000 Houston jobs in areas such as retail, health care and construction, according to studies by the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Some Texans are looking to Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., a veteran of a 1986 shuttle flight who chairs a NASA oversight panel. The thinking? Obama might support spending for the manned space program because it would benefit Florida's Kennedy Space Center — an economic jewel in the electorally important state. That, in turn, would spill over to benefit Houston's JSC. "We're used to working together as Team Texas," said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. Not Team America. That's the problem. Everyone wants their share of the pie, jobs in their electorate. Whether the program succeeds or collapses under he weight of inefficient dilution of resources is immaterial. Whether Americans ever go into space again after 2010 matters least of all. From Fox News: WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's NASA transition team is asking U.S. space agency officials to quantify how much money could be saved by canceling the Ares 1 rocket and scaling back the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle next year. The questionnaire, "NASA Presidential Transition Team Requests for Information," asks agency officials to provide the latest information on Ares 1, Orion and the planned Ares 5 heavy-lift cargo launcher, and to calculate the near-term close-out costs and longer-term savings associated with canceling those programs. The questionnaire also contemplates a scenario where Ares 1 would be canceled but development of the Ares 5 would continue. Logsdon also said he did not see any significance to the omission of cancellation questions about COTS, space shuttle, space station or other programs. Executives at Alliant Techsystems (ATK), the Edina, Minn.-based prime contractor for the Ares 1 main stage, told Space News Nov. 25 they were not alarmed by the questions the transition team is asking about Ares and the Constellation program, which encompasses not only the shuttle replacement but also hardware NASA would need to land astronauts on the Moon. "They are doing due diligence," said Charlie Precourt, ATK's vice president of NASA space launch systems. "If you are the incoming steward of all federal agencies you are going to ask a spectrum of questions like this." Of course you are. But if I were you... I'd start circulating your resume, if you know what I mean? Labels: Politics, Space Chainsaw Bayonet??? Now where have I seen something like that before.... oh yes. Labels: Miscellanea For Children of All Ages AdventureQuest Worlds (AQW or AQWorlds) is a fully Flash-animated RPG (role playing game) that your child can play that we believe is quite a bit different from most other large scale online games. Players battle against hordes of monsters and enemies so that they can grow stronger and obtain ancient weapons of unimaginable power. They follow long quest chains to unlock key story elements. Players need nothing more than their web browser and the latest version of the Flash plugin to play. We are always creating and adding new content to the game and updating the main game engine to improve the experience for everyone. New quests, areas, items or events show up every week in AQWorlds! Multi-player Functionality We do have a bad word filter in place to prevent players from saying bad things. We also have 'canned chat' servers that only allow for players to communicate with our pre-written messages . To be on the 'chat safe' servers, the players need to play on the Moglin servers, such as Twilly or Zorbak. AQWorlds is like our other games in the sense that we do want players to work together cooperatively to achieve story-oriented goals. However, AQWorlds is the first game that we have allowed chat functionality between players. We do not allow foul language, nudity, extreme realistic violence or drug/alcohol use in our games. AQWorlds was created to appeal to all ages. It is easy to learn to play. If your child is under the age of 13, you (as the parent or legal guardian) must be the one to set up the account for her or him to play. AdventureQuest Worlds (AQWorlds) is full of interesting stories to read, adventures to experience, and goal driven quests to complete. New events, quests, monsters, NPCs (Non-Player Characters) and items are continually being added to the game. The quests and events help to test the player's mental abilities. AQWorlds is also a great place for kids to practice and improve their reading skills, because all of the NPCs talk to you, and every quest you go on involves reading text to make decisions about how the player continues the quest. The written material in AQWorlds contains no foul language and is suitable for all ages, and is written to be generally understood by players of all ages. AQWorlds provides an environment that may improve personal skills, including analytical thinking, multitasking and problem-solving. It also includes elements that require players to calculate percentages and use other mathematical skills to better play the game. That's their story and they're sticking to it. It also in my experience with my son is actually true. Recommended. Governance in the Wilderness At a time when a colleague of mine is still waiting to hear whether a friend of his has survived the Bombay Massacre (and the signs don't look good I'm afraid), it is timely to consider why it happened. From the New York Post : No one should feel safe without submitting to Islam, and those who refuse to submit must pay a high price. The Islam ist movement must aim to turn the world into a series of "wildernesses" where only those under jihadi rule enjoy security. These are some of the ideas developed by al Qaeda's chief theoretician, Sheik Abu-Bakar Naji, in his new book "Governance in the Wilderness" (Edarat al-Wahsh). Since 9/11, Islamist terror movements have been debating grand strategy. Osama bin Laden had theorized that the "infidel," led by the United States, would crumble after a series of spectacular attacks, just as the Meccan "infidel" government did when the Prophet Muhammad launched deadly raids against its trade routes. Yet the 9/11 attacks didn't lead to an "infidel" retreat. On the contrary, the "Great Satan" hit back hard. The jihadis are to begin by giving areas where Muslims live a distinctly Islamic appearance, by imposing special styles of dress for women and beards for men. Then they start imposing the shariah. In the final phase, they create a parallel system of taxation and law enforcement, effectively taking the areas out of government control. The "wilderness" will provide the cover for bases for jihad operations. Jihad would be everywhere, rather than in just one or two countries that the "infidel" could hit with superior firepower. In a notable departure from past al Qaeda strategy, Naji recommends "countless small operations" that render daily life unbearable, rather than a few spectacular attacks such as 9/11: The "infidel," leaving his home every morning, should be unsure whether he'll return in the evening. Naji recommends kidnappings, the holding of hostages, the use of women and children as human shields, exhibition killings to terrorize the enemy, suicide bombings and countless gestures that make normal life impossible for the "infidel" and Muslim collaborators. Once parallel societies are established throughout the world, they would exert pressure on non-Muslims to submit. Naji believes that, subjected to constant intimidation and fear of death, most non-Muslims (especially in the West) would submit: "The West has no stomach for a long fight." Naji asks jihadis to target oilfields, sea and airports, tourist facilities and especially banking and financial services. He envisages "a very long war," at the end of which the whole world is brought under the banner of Islam. Naji's message is stark: Western civilization is doomed. Its last bastion, America, lacks the will for a long war. The "infidel" loves life and treats it as an endless feast. Jihadis have to ruin that feast and persuade the "infidel" to abandon this world in exchange for greater rewards in the next. Ok, so how do we counter this kind of thing? How have we countered it historically? You see it's nothing new. During the Cold War, such tactics were used to a greater or lesser extent by groups as disparate as the "Rot Armee Fraktion" in Germany, the "Brigatte Rosse" in Italy, the "Sonoro Luminoso" in Peru, the Nihon Sekigun in Japan, and even the various IRA's, "provisional", "real", "Arm Saoirse Náisiúnta na hÉireann" and so on. It's not much of a stretch to include the Barbary Corsairs, and even the Vikings in one sense: although these were commercial ventures for loot rather than in support of an ideology, terror for plunder, no terror for its own sake, defence against such attacks was equally difficult. The problem with this philosophy of warfare is that it doesn't work - it contains within it the seeds of its own destruction. As long as the attacks are relative pinpricks, a bloody nuisance (emphasis on the "bloody"), they do not threaten the survival of the state. They threaten civil liberties, requiring greater and greater restrictions on public life to keep them to a manageable level, but as long as the casualty list is an order of magnitude less than the annual road-toll, the brutal facts are that they can and will be largely ignored. Should they escalate to an unacceptable level though, the reaction is not going to be to capitulate. First will come a greater and greater imposition on the public, more and more restrictions, until finally, when the choice is to become Medievally Islamic or just plain Medieval, the basic barbarianism that was covered by the relatively thin veneer of Western Civilisation will emerge. All one has to do is study the Thirty Years War to see just what ruthlessness "westerners" are capable of. It is within living memory that Admiral Halsey spoke the words Before we're through with 'em, the Japanese language will only be spoken in hell. And what is more, and what is often forgotten in these more politically correct and civilised times, he meant them, and a lot of Americans agreed with him. There is a fundamental (not to say Fundamentalist) misunderstanding of the Western Psyche at work here. The Nazis made the same mistake, labelling the "Decadent West" as being too soft to survive the ruthless dog-eat-dog of Fanatical National Socialism. But it wasn't long before the "Decadent West" had been reduced to incinerating schoolgirls in the firestorms of Rostock, Dresden, the great metropolis of Hamburg, and numerous smaller pyres of the innocent and the guilty, mixed together because it was impossible with the weapons of the time to sort them out. You see, it's not because "we" are saints, incapable of great evil, that we do our damnedest to reduce civilian casualties to a minimum. It's not because we're hedonists either, interested only in the comforts of civilisation. It's because we know that we're capable of enormities beyond their imagination. We hold ourselves in check, continue to take our meds, lest the Berserker Crusader be unleashed. We rode out the Cold War, which lasted at least 40 years, and could even be said to have lasted since the Paris Commune. Civilian populations in London, in Leningrad, and in Lubeck too endured far worse than mere pinpricks, and their resistance grew stronger with adversity, not weaker. So what do we do? We endure. Because the alternative is to cry "Havoc!" and let loose the dogs of war. And in the meantime, covert and shadowy units arrange "accidents", and we encourage through appeals to man's baser instincts the treachery that is often such "urban guerillas" downfall. Look carefully on page 23 of the paper, and you'll see the traces of that continuing struggle in pithy one-liners. How long for? Well, maybe if the Sheikh had read of this little contretemps he might have come to a different conclusion about the ability of Western Civilisation to endure lengthy periods of hostilities. Should it go much longer though, I'm afraid that the evils of "ethnic cleansing" may be deemed "acceptable". And the majority of Muslims who just want to be left in peace will find themselves in a parlous situation, with fanatics on all sides. What is more, as technology advances over the next century, it could be that becoming a Jihadi will result in more-or-less instant termination, be it by airborne laser, or miniature assassin-robots, no bigger than moths. Their target discrimination capabilities won't be perfect, and may not even be very good, but that may not matter too much by then. Or if things get too extreme... It was Tacitus nearly 2000 years ago who said ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant. Which for the Latin-challenged, is "where they make a desert, they call it peace.".	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line9
__label__cc	0.611333	0.388667	mainArmor/AFVTanks Modelling the US Army M4 76mm Modelling the US Army M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank by: Jim Rae [ JIMBRAE ] It seems as if hardly a week goes by without an announcement of the release of either a new kit or even more After-Market sets for the M4 Sherman. The M4 (it seems) is rapidly outstripping the Tiger in coverage. However, even though we are being given more M4s than ever before, there are still variants (and modified vehicles) which are unlikely ever to see the light of day from the major (plastic) manufacturers. Although Tasca and DML in 1/35th and HobbyBoss (in 1/48th) are giving us great material to work with, there will still be room for conversion, updating or even improving the basic kits. Therefore, material like this continues to be a invaluable resource. Osprey's Book Modelling the US Army M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank is written by Steven J Zaloga and is # 40 in Osprey Publishing's Osprey Modelling series. The book follows the (by now standard) format of 80 pages with the bulk of the material concentrating on a series of 5 build projects. Three of the vehicles are in 1/35th scale, the other two being in 1/48th. For those who require it, for ordering purposes, the book is catalogued as ISBN: 9781846031205 About this review As usual, with this kind of review, i'll be doing a run-thru of the contents and choose one of the build projects to look at in more detail. Steve Zaloga's nine-page introduction begins by presenting a 'potted' history of the development of the 76mm M4 series. Not perhaps new for many, but it is done in a very coherent and concise manner. Apart from the main armament, Zaloga also discusses areas such as exhaust deflectors and the confusing matter of official designations. The second half of the introduction briefly looks at the what is available in kits in 1/35th scale again, an abbreviated history of some of the developments which have taken place within M4 production in plastic... The next four chapters cover the 'meat' of the book - the build projects. Speaking generally about these and going into specifics later, the format is roughly similar in each. The project begins with a 'data-box' which lists the project, the kit(s) used, any AM (AfterMarket) items employed and any additional materials such as figures or commercially-produced vignette bases. Zaloga begins by doing a rapid appraisal of each kit and a thumbnail sketch of the historical period where the vehicle was at that time. A quick overview of the objectives of the build is then presented with some commments on the donor kit's quality and shortcomings. With the build proper beginning, each section is presented with a series of photos and a written explanation of what is being done in each section. Once the build is finished, then the painting begins. Zaloga uses a number of different techniques for finishing and these are explained in very precise detail. Areas such as compressor pressure, color mixes, washes and weathering are all covered concisely - of considerable utility to modelers of ALL levels of experience. The book finishes with three pages about research and reference - including a mention of some of the more widely available books. The final page consists of a color chart of eight of the colors used in these models which include two versions of OD, the 'standard' WWII shade and a useful 'scale OD'. Case study - 'Sandbagged in Alsace' Basing this model on DML's M4A3E8 (DRA6183), the chapter begins with two excellent photos of the vehicle which will be the subject of the build. This is an M4A3E8 (HVSS suspension) which is modified by the addition of the often-seen sandbag additional armor which also involved the addition of racks along the hull sides and turret. The build begins by making the necessary improvements to the donor kit. Replacement hatches, a new cupola and an AM barrel are used along with smaller items such as new tool-clamp holders. The real work in this project however concerns the building of the sandbag racks and the adding of the sandbags themselves. In the case of the latter, this chapter contains one of the most useful guides to building a simple, although difficult to execute convincingly - even more so when they are contained within a 'cage'. Once again, everything is clearly explained through the images and through the text. Once again, great emphasis is placed on the finishing of the model with some good pointers towads painting sandbags. There are some really great touches here - my favorite is undoubtedly the use of one of the Caliber 35 boot 'tools' to indent boot prints into some of the sandbags. Once again, in this build, Zaloga uses some figures and a simple diorama base to give a bit of 'life' to the vehicle. I don't want to presume to know the inner-workings of the motivation behind this book but i'll hazard a guess that the intentions of the author are, through this series of builds, to present a number of techniques which could be applicable for many different models and subjects. I don't think the intention is for pople to buy this (and the other books in the series) and 'slavishly' copy each step and produce a cloned model. Rather, I feel that the first hypothesis is correct. Herein lies, in my opinion, the true value of this book. Even a novice will find find some technique or some different manner in approaching a difficult area and resolve the problem. Whether it be weathering or simply adding stowage, there is a lot which can be learned from this book. Variety, as someone once said, is the spice of life. Zaloga's new book is full of a variety of interesting projects from the more 'conventional' to the extremely unusual - the U.S. Firefly in U.S. service is a welcome 1/48th scale project. Regarding the choice of 1/48th scale, it would be nice to see a touch of 'risk-taking' on the part of the publisher's commissioning editors by asking for a book specifically on the Sherman in 'Quarter-scale' or, at least, in braille-scale.. Both the 75 and 76mm-gunned M4s have now been given good coverage within the series. Is now perhaps the time for a bit more risk-taking to see a similar book on Post-War Shermans or even Commonwealth M4s get their own titles in Osprey's catalogue? The Chapter headings M4A1 (76mm) Sherman, Operation Cobra (1/35th scale) 'Sandbagged in Alsace': M4A3E8 (76mm) Sherman (1/35th scale) The 'Rhine Rat Race': M4A3E2 assault tank (1/35th scale) Big gun, small turret: M4A3 (76mm) and M4A3 (17 pdr) Firefly (1/48th scale) Research and reference The latest in Osprey Publishing's succesful (and useful) series, is effectively 'Part # 2' after the author's book on 75mm-equipped Shermans. A similar format to what we have become used to, with the usual mixture of build-projects and some invaluable advice on technique. Scale: Other Mfg. ID: Osprey Modelling 40 Suggested Retail: $18.95/£12.99 Our Thanks to Osprey Publishing! About Jim Rae (jimbrae) FROM: PROVINCIA DE LUGO, SPAIN / ESPAñA Self-employed English teacher living in NW Spain. Been modelling off and on since the sixties. Came back into the hobby around ten years ago. First love is Soviet Armor with German subjects running a close second. Currently exploring ways of getting cloned to allow time for modelling, working and wr... Copyright ©2019 text by Jim Rae [ JIMBRAE ]. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AeroScale. All rights reserved. Halfyank I really like the Osprey "Modeling" series and this book will be a must have when it hits the shelves. I have the author's 75mm book, along with his Stuart and US Tank Destroyers books and they are among my most uses sources. I agree with your theory that the idea behind these books is to give inspiration and ideas to modelers of all levels. I think you need a small edit. The E8 had the HVSS, not the VVSS suspension. jimbrae Thanks Rodger - I guess it's too much M4 data in too little time marcb Thanks for the review, I like the Sherman volumes in this series a lot. Especialy as there's no "Panzertracts", "Achtung Panzer", or anything similar for Sherman tanks. The combination of good modeling and solid historical technical info is a winner, and is something long overdue. Btw, could you tell me if there's a list of registration numbers by type/ manufacturer in the book, similar to the one in the 75mm volume? scj1014 Thanks for an excellent review. Osprey has come out with some very interesting titles in its modelling series, but this one is at the top of my list of must-haves. 2 Members online: T0MM0-01, Torchy	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line10
__label__cc	0.694292	0.305708	record 39 of 4154 Academy of Sciences ASA Name Academy of Sciences ASA Function/Grade Background and Chairperson Chairperson of the Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan ASA: Prof. Suraya Popal (20130924) Dr. Najmuddin Tereen Tarin acting chairman of academy of sciences of Afghanistan. (20130924) Sher Ali Khan Watt Shari-e-naw Kabul P.O. Box 894 Phone + 93 020 2102-919 Fax + 93 020 2100-268 E-mail Afghanistan_AS@yahoo.com emalyousafzai@gmail.com The Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan is the official government agency of Afghanistan that regulates the Pashto and Dari Persian languages spoken in Afghanistan. It also works with Tajikistan and Iran's official government agencies to regulate literature. The 250 academic members are divided into three main groups: social science, natural sciences, and Islamic studies. (20130924) About eighty years ago a scientific center under the name of "Pashto Mraca" was established as the first scientific body during the kingdom of Ghazi Amanullah khan in 1922. It vanished in 1928. Then the Kabul Academic Association was founded in 1930. Herat Academic Association and Pashto Academic Association were established in 1932. Pashto Tolona was founded by the merging of Kabul Academic Association and Kandahar Academic Association in 1937. The Academy of Science of Afghanistan was established in 1978 as result of the merging of Pashto Tolena, Afghanistan History Association, Aryana Encyclopedia and the international center for Pashto researchers. The Academy of Science of Afghanistan (ASA) currently has more than 300 research fellows, each one responsible for scientific projects. ASA is divided into three main sections: 1. Social Science Studies 2. Natural Science Studies 3. Islamic Studies Each section is divided into several Scientific centers, and each center is divided into institutes and the institutes divided into departments. Afghan president Hamid Karzai dismissed four senior staffs of Afghanistan Academy of Science such as, chief of the Afghanistan Academy of Science Abdul Bari Rashidi, along with the head of the Social Affairs Abdul Hakim Sapai and deputy head of Human Resource department Nasrullah Turkman and Secretary of this Academy Sayed Mohammad Amin Mujahid. Afghan president spokesman Aimal Faizi said the officials were dismissed from their governmental posts for offending the Hazara ethnic group in “Atlas Ethnography of Non-Pashtun” book which was recently (2012) published.(20120620)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line11
__label__wiki	0.608982	0.608982	Carol Jenkins '68, Ph.D. Carol A. Jenkins '68, Ph.D. has received the 2016 American Sociological Association Section on Teaching and Learning's "Distinguished Contributions to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Sociology" national award. This award recognizes over twenty years of research and publication involving the infusion of issues and interests of American rural life into the mainstream Sociology curriculum. She is the Department Chairperson for Sociology at Glendale Community College in Arizona. Dr. Jenkins also wrote an invited "legacy" article entitled "Passing on the Insights of Rural Sociologists: My Journey as a Pedagogist in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning" in The Methodology of Political Economy 2015 and an invited chapter entitled "Developing Effective Classroom Exercises" in Learning from each Other (2017 forthcoming). Posted by Admin at 1:56 PM No comments: Christopher Wisby '11 AVI Food Systems has named Christopher Wisbey '11 the Resident Director at Kenyon College in Gambier. Rreviously, Wiseby had been the Resident Director for AVI at Malone since 2013. Chris earned a bachelor degree in Marketing Management at Malone. Posted by Admin at 12:34 PM No comments: Zacahry Walts '13 Zachary Walts '13 is a Help Desk Technician at The Ohio State University in Columbus. Walts provides primary desk side, phone and email support for the Advancement department at Ohio State University. He is also responsible for deploying new equipment, minimal hardware repair and extensive troubleshooting. Brett Fogle '07 Brett Fogle ' 07, CPA has joined the accounting firm of Himes, Slater & Hershberger, LLC in Kidron. Prior to joining Himes, Slater & Hershberger, LLC, Brett was an Assurance and Tax Director at a national accounting firm, specializing in the real estate, construction and manufacturing industries. Brett earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Malone University and a Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Akron. He is licensed in Ohio as a Certified Public Accountant, and is a member of the Ohio Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. He is a member of the Malone University Alumni Executive Board and serves on the Malone's EPAC Advisory Committee. Brett and his wife, Susan '04, '09 M.A., live in Tuslaw with their children, Andrew and Emma. Posted by Admin at 11:45 AM No comments: Becca Yourko '16 Becca Yourko '16 has accepted a position as a flight attendant with Mesa Airlines, a regional airline based in Phoenix, AZ. They also operate as American Eagle and United Express in other hubs. Since graduating, Yourko has worked to market and plan the premiere of a new film by fellow Malone alumna, Connie Collins, and worked in customer relations at Clay's Park Resort in Canal Fulton. Posted by Admin at 7:52 AM No comments: Matthew Everhard '99 Dr. Matthew Everhard '99 has published a new work in which he served as both the general editor as well as a contributor, A Collection of Essays on Jonathan Edwards (JESociety, 2016). His two articles in this book are entitled, "Jonathan Edwards: Calvinistic Homeboy or Reformed Eccentic" and "Jonathan Edwards and the Silkworm: Preaching and Typology." Matthew has been continuing his work on Jonathan Edwards (17-3-1758) since he finished his doctoral dissertation on the Northampton Puritan at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He delivered two invited lectures at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, "The Westminster Confession and the Continuing Influence of Calvinistic Orthodoxy" and "Jonathan Edwards: Calvinism in the American Colonies" (December 12, 2016). Matthew also serves as the editor of EdwardsStudies.com, a website devoted to the theology and philosophy of Jonathan Edwards. Ron Robinson, Jr. '06 Ron Robinson, Jr. '06 has been promoted to Director of Studio Operations nationwide at Atlantic Records. Previously he was the Director, Creative & Editorial and Studio Director for Atlantic Records in NYC. Robinson graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in Liberal Arts with areas of emphasis in Business Administration; Commercial Music and Visual Art. Based in NYC, Robinson is also a freelance producer. Taylor Wilhelm '15 Taylor Wilhelm '15 is the Director of New Media at Iowa State University. He graduated with double majors in Business Administration and Accounting. Wilhelm played football at Malone and was named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Teams. Read more about Taylor's encounters with the OSU Buckeyes and NFL players here. Bennett Gene Zacour A son, Bennett Gene, to Kendra and Kyle Zacour ’14 on June 25, 2016. Kyle is the student ministries pastor for Foothills Community Church. The family lives in Seneca, South Carolina. Labels: Future Pioneers Zachary Henry Grass A son, Zachary Henry, son of Ben and Alisa (Barkan) '06 Grass on April 29, 2016. Alisa is Supervisor of the Intake/Assessment Unit of the Stark County Department of Job & Family Services. The family lives in Brewster. Brett Fogle '07 has re-joined Himes, Slater & Hershberger, LLC in Kidron as a CPA. master degree from University of Akron. Casey (Stevens) Wilson '14 Casey (Stevens) Wilson '14 has accepted a position as search engine marketing specialist with OuterBox Design, a web design and e-commerce marketing agency in Akron. Since January 2015 Casey has been a social media and communications assistant at Top Echelon, a Canton website and software developer for the job recruiting industry. Micah Carleton '15 Micah Carleton '15 is a multi-line Representative at Dan Morgan State Farm Agency in Canton. He has volunteered as a camp counselor at Pine Valley Bible Camp in Hollie Brubaker '02 Hollie Brubaker '02, a two-time Emmy Award winner, is owner and Chief Creative Officer at Thespis Media LLC in the Cleveland/Akron area. Hollie has over 15 years experience in TV, web and multi-media production. Thespis Media develops and delivers web video content for area businesses through creative storytelling in short films, commercials, and brand videos. Whitney Prather '08 Whitney Prather '08 is director of communications at Absolute Skilled Home Health & Hospice in North Canton. She previously worked in account services at the Grabowski & Co. marketing agency and as the Events & Marketing Manager at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. Whitney and her husband, Eldredge, have one daughter and live in Massillon. Richard A. Jones, III '03 Richard A. Jones, III '03 is pastor at Gilead Friends Church in Mt. Gilead. He served as the pastor at Trinity Friends Church in Lisbon (Ohio) for five years before receiving the call to return to his home church. Richard and his wife, Aleta (Morgan) '03, have two sons and live in Marengo. Read more here. S. C. Toe ' S. C. Toe is Director of Music Ministries at St. Luke's Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Toe has been an organist/music director most of his life. He studied music education, piano pedagogy, orchestral conducting, and was student conductor of choral actives at university at Malone. He has served many orchestras on conducting staff and appeared with professional and student orchestras alike both nationally and internationally. Toe is conductor of the Memphis Youth Symphony. Pastors Joe '06 and Cara (Caudill) '06 Pfeiffer Joe '06 and Cara (Caudill) '06 Pfeiffer are training Indonesian Friends in leadership development through the Evangelical Friends Church Southwest. They live in southern California and use technology to invest in leaders. They also spend one month in Indonesia for on-site training each summer as part-time missionaries with EFC SW. Joe is pursuing a Ph.D in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary; Cara trains and supports public school teachers in Los Angeles in peacemaking and conflict resolution skills. They also provide leadership at Friends Community Church in Midway City. Kyle Zacour '14 Kyle Zacour '14 is the Student Ministry Pastor at Foothills Community Church in Seneca, South Carolina. He started working at Foothills as the Junior High Student Ministries Pastor. Kyle and his wife, Kendra, have one son. Marc Harvey '10, '14 MBA Marc Harvey '10, '14 MBA is Vice President for Organizational Development at The Commercial & Savings Bank and is based at the Bank's operation center in Millersburg. Marc is engaged in civic leadership within the community, serves on the Steering Committee for the Orrville Leadership Lab, and has tutored students at Wayne County A.B.L.E. and Dalton Local Schools. Marion Mazzarella '64 Marion Mazzarella '64 was awarded the Purple Aster Award for Education at the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Ben V. Marconi Lodge of the Order of Sons of Italy of America. A former president of the Lodge, Marion now serves as Lodge historian. She is a retired teacher from Canton City Schools and a member of the Beta Beta chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma sorority serving twice as president. Marion was also a teacher of Italians helping them with the basics of American culture. She is pictured (right) with Lodge Trustee Gloria Talarico '87. Rev. Ashley Steele '04 Rev. Ashley Steele '04 is the Executive Director at Urban Mission Ministries, Inc. in Steubenville. Ordained in the United Methodist Church, Rev. Steele previously did missionary work in Liberia and Uganda and pastored a church in Ohio. She is a certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainer, president of the Steubenville Rotary Club, and Chair of the Jefferson/Harrison County Coalition on Housing. Urban Mission is in a multimillion dollar expansion to redevelop the surrounding neighborhood. Rev. Steele and her husband, Matthew, have two sons and live in Imperial, Pennsylvania. Caleb Norrick '15, '16 MAOL Caleb Norrick '15, '16 MAOL (master of arts in organizational leadership) is Assistant Athletic Director of Internal Operations and Director of Football Operations at Malone. 2015-16 marks Caleb's fifth season as a member of the Pioneer coaching staff. Mandy Bankert '01 Mandy Bankert '01 is a 7th Grade Language Arts teacher in the Mansfield City School District. Previously, Mandy taught at North Canton City Schools and was an adjunct professor at Stark State College. Cindy Flood Ries '79 Cindy Flood Ries '79 is Associate Professor of Language and Literature at Malone. She has a master of arts in from Mt. St. Joseph University and a Ph.D. in Curricular and Instructional Studies from the University of Akron. She teaches Elements of English, Principles of Composition, Literature in Society, African American Literature & Culture, Expository Writing, and Adolescent Literature, and Methods courses for Middle Childhood Education and Integrated Language Arts. Matt Troyer '08 Matt Troyer '08 is director of accounting at Keim Lumber in Charm, Ohio. Previously, he was a Senior Financial Analyst at The J.M. Smucker Company in Orrville. He earned an MBA from Ashland University in 2012. Matt and his wife, Berta (Kryah) '06, have two children and live in Berlin. Dan Kell '99 Dan Kell '99 is now Executive Director of Physician Services at Northeast Georgia Health System. Dan was previously a VP of Finance & CFO - Physician Enterprise at Aultman Hospital in Canton. He also served on the Malone Alumni Executive Board and was a member of the School of Business Advisory Board. Dan and his wife, Sherry, have two children and live in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Trudy Schwartz '02, '15 MAOL Trudy Schwartz '02, ’15 MAOL (master of arts in organizational leadership) is a telecommunications senior analyst at Ohio CAT in Broadview Heights. She is a member of the Malone University Alumni Executive Board. Trudy and her husband, Jon, have two adult children, Carrie and Brandon '15. James Thomas Talbert '13 James Thomas Talbert '13 is one of the pastors at Citizens Akron, a church for all people. Previously, James was on the staff at the Chapel in North Canton. James married Julia Messenger on June 25, 2016. The couple lives in Akron. Learn more about Citizens Akron. Dr. Bruce Bell '77 Dr. Bruce Bell '77 has earned a doctor of ministry degree in Spiritual Formation from Ashland Seminary. The title of his doctoral dissertation was, The Cohort Program and Spiritual Formation: Fostering Spiritual Formation Within the Cohorts. Bruce holds a master degree in Christian Ministries from Wheaton College (IL). He is the pastor of Friends Worship Center in Columbus. Bruce and his wife, Judy, have three adult children. Lonette (Clinkscale) Baity '04 Lonette (Clinkscale) Baity '04 is the Director of Marketing at Lake Center Christian School in Hartville. She previously worked at the Pregnancy Support Center of Stark County as public relations and events director. Lonette is also a faith-based speaker and writer. She lives in Akron with her husband, Stephen, and their three children. Elisa Schleig '98 Elisa Schleig '98, M.A., education, is Education Manager at the Stark County Community Action Agency. She previously worked as the Early Childhood Specialist at the Early Childhood Resource Center in Canton. Elisa and her husband, Shawn '98, have four children and live in North Canton. Judah Lee Corpier A son, Judah Lee, to Rachel (Scarborough) ’08 and Sean Corpier on September 15, 2016. Judah joins a brother, Kelly. Rachel is a stay-at-home mom and Sean works for Cobb, a subsidiary of Tyson. The family lives in Fruitland, Maryland. Elijah Michael Deckerd A son, Elijah Michael, to Natalie and Scott Deckerd ’13 on June 16, 2016. He joins big sister Carolyn. The family lives in Rootstown, Ohio. Russ Libb '70 Rev. Russ Libb '70 was named to the Western Reserve Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions as Chaplain for Western Reserve Local Schools in Berlin Center. Rev. Libb was pastor of the Berlin Center United Methodist Church for 38 years. He is a Navy veteran Rebecca Geyer '07 Rebecca Geyer '07, RN is a Trauma Process Improvement Consultant and Trauma Injury Prevention nurse at Genesis Healthcare System in Zanesville. Rebecca earned her BSN at Malone and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from The Ohio State University. Emily Farls '07 and Mike Tolliver Emily Farls ’07 and Mike Tolliver on July 3, 2016. Mike works as a Financial Advisor for Navy Federal Credit Union and Emily works as a School Psychologist in Adams 12 Five Star Schools. The couple lives in Thornton, CO. Labels: Weddings Elaine Russell Reolfi '88 Elaine Russell Reolfi '88, Vice President of Organizational Advancement and Corporate Relations at TimkenSteel Corporation, was named to the 2016 Women's Hall of Fame by the Stark County YWCA. She is also President of the TimkenSteel Charitable Fund. Russell Reolfi holds a bachelor of arts in journalism from Malone and an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College. Amanda (Eckelberry) Kelly '01 Amanda (Eckelberry) Kelly, '01, was recently awarded the Ohio Society for Public Health Education's "Outstanding Contributions to Health Education" at the annual Health Educators Institute at Mohican State Park. Kelly was recognized for her work throughout Ohio in policy, systems and environmental change for overall health, injury prevention and healthy lifestyles. Kelly is currently the Grants Coordinator for the Stark County Health Department. She, her husband Scott, and daughter Emma reside in North Canton. Amanda Zabukovec '06, '08 MBA and Joseph Herbst Amanda Zabukovec '06, '08 MBA, and Joseph Herbst on October 24, 2015. Joseph is the brother of Julie Herbst '06, Amanda's roommate, soccer teammate and best friend. Amanda is the Director of Development at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. The couple lives in Dyer, Indiana. Autumn Berry '15 and Michael Terry '15 Autumn Berry '15 and Mike Terry '15 were married on June 17, 2016. The couple moved to Wilmore, Kentucky, where Mike is attending Asbury Seminary and Autumn is working as an administrative assistant at Hill 'N Dale Christian Church in Lexington. Susan Lindbloom and Beau Concilio Susan Lindbloom '11 and Beau Concilio on October 3, 2015. Susan is a nurse at St. Clair Hospital in Mt Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The couple lives in Bethel Park. Makayla Lauren Strunk A daughter, Makayla Lauren, to Danielle (Dowling) '14 and Daniel Strunk on July 13, 2016. Danielle is a registered nurse at Akron City Hospital. The family lives in Brimfield. Hilda Zimmerly '72 [caption id="attachment_3436" align="alignleft" width="150"] City Commissioner Hilda Zimmerly and US Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. Photo by Patty Brant/Caloosa Belle[/caption] Hilda Zimmerly '72 is serving another term as Treasurer Commissioner for the City of LaBelle, FL. She has already served on the Commission for 12 years. In March, Hilda was recognized by US Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart during a speech in commemoration of Women’s History Month. The Congressman shared of Hilda's struggles to get through school while working and raising a family and commended her on fulfilling her dream of becoming a teacher. That speech is now part of the official Congressional Record. Read the full story here. Brooklyn Adele Beebe A daughter, Brooklyn Adele, to Jordan and Kelly (Fath) '03 Beebe. She joins her older sister Adalyn. Jordan teaches personal finance and history at Claymont High School and Kelly is a nurse anesthetist at Aultman Hospital in Canton. The family lives in Dover. Brian Ziegler '11 has written a book entitled "A Paralyzing Redemption.” Brian writes, "The focus revolves around the change that occurred in my life when I accepted Christ in my heart… I went from a star basketball player to a quadriplegic paralyzed from the chest down. After many years, I realized my accident was a gift from God and He used the accident to rebuild me from the ground up. He rebuilt me in His image. My life is different now… I’m an author, pastor, businessman, father and husband. But I wouldn’t change one thing about my life." Read more about Brian's book and story on Facebook. Jacquleyn Canonico '14 Jacquelyn Canonico '14 is in her third year of teaching third grade at Green Elementary School in Wayne County. Jacquelyn, an early childhood major, was hired right after graduation in 2014. Jacquelyn is pictured with her cousin, Harper. Dan Bacj, Jr '10 Dan Bacj, Jr. ’10 is the Camp Director at Camp Aldersgate in Carrollton. Dan has 19+ years of Christian Camping experience to Aldersgate including posts at Camp Wanake and Ligonier Camp and Conference Center. Dan and his wife, Kelcey (Lauer) '11, live in Carollton. Ben Strouse '12 Ben Strouse '12 is the Retreat and Program Director at Round Lake Christian Camp in Lakeville. Ben has been a regular at Round Lake since he was a young boy. He started his camp career early, working in the kitchen at age 16. After 7 years of working as summer staff, Ben is now a full-time member of the Round Lake staff. Ben is married to Malone alumna, Sasha (Blankenship), who also works at the camp. Alexis Kreiner '16 Alexis Kreiner '16 has been hired for a full-time position with Rahab Ministries in Akron. Alexis will be writing news releases and grants, speaking on behalf of the organization, and assisting with social media, events, and volunteer coordination. Norah Grace Barbarich A daughter, Norah Grace, to Jessica (Crooks) '11 and Jim Barbarich on July 23, 2016. The family lives in Willoughby, Ohio. Heather Cameron '13 and Garret Keibler Heather Cameron '13 and Garret Keibler on August 8, 2015. Heather is a nurse at the Cleveland Clinic and Garret works for Charles Schwab. The couple lives in Twinsburg. Chris Watson '01 Chris Watson '01, Malone University’s Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer, has been hired by the National Football League to work as an ATC spotter (independent certified athletic trainer) at home games played by the Cleveland Browns. The Browns’ preseason finale on September 1st will mark Watson’s first ATC spotter assignment. This summer, Watson worked as the Head Athletic Trainer for Team USA for the NACAC Under-23 Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador. This year's championships marked Watson's sixth USATF international appointment. Andrew Michael Karbowiak A son, Andrew Michael, to Julia (Evanovich) '99 and Mike Karbowiak on December 3, 2015. He joins a brother, Ethan. The family lives in Kent. Jennifer (Quast) Noonan '97, Ph.D. Jennifer (Quast) Noonan '97, Ph.D. and her family, (husband Ben, daughter Katy, and cousin Abbie) spent two months this summer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, teaching at Evangelical Theological College. Jennifer taught Hebrew, and Ben taught Pentateuch. The students at ETC are Ethiopians being trained to minister in local churches and ministries in Ethiopia.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line15
__label__cc	0.585678	0.414322	Critics hoping pot effort goes up in smoke by E. J. Montini - Sept. 2, 2010 12:00 AM Americans in other states would be shocked to learn that Arizona does not have a medical-marijuana law. I base this on the fact that during the past year or so, I have been asked again and again by visiting reporters, business executives and tourists, "What have you people been smoking?" Legally, nothing. Not yet, anyway. Over the past several years, folks in 14 other states have decided that their communities would not go to pot if marijuana were made legal for treatment of serious medical conditions. And we all know why. When most of us see the phrase "medical marijuana," we picture cancer patents or those suffering from AIDS. And how smoking cannabis is said to ease the nausea from chemotherapy or to help the sick regain an appetite. That is the image supporters of Proposition 203, Arizona's medical-marijuana initiative, want in our minds when we go to the polls in November. "But that isn't the whole story," said Carolyn Short, chairwoman of Keep AZ Drug Free, a group of local folks trying to defeat the proposition. (Its Web address is www.keepazsafe.com.) "I'm extremely sympathetic for people who are sick," Short told me. "We all are. The problem is that even if marijuana helps really sick people, this isn't what this particular law is all about. If you look at what is happening elsewhere, you see that the vast majority of people who get prescriptions for marijuana are not cancer or AIDS patients. They are people diagnosed with 'severe pain,' something very hard to prove or disprove. And these prescriptions are written by doctors just trying to make money." For instance, in Colorado, one of the states with a "Medical Marijuana Registry," reports indicate that roughly 90 percent of patients on the registry were listed for severe pain. Arizona residents passed a medical-marijuana law in 1996, but court challenges kept it from going into effect. An effort to decriminalize possession of small amounts was defeated in 2002. "But we've never really had a good discussion about this subject," Short said. And she's correct. Her group is trying to change that. They've already lined up some high-profile supporters for their campaign, including former U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton, former Suns and Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and others. Short is a former attorney with her own reasons for leading the effort. "This is a nonpartisan issue," she said. "I have seen more drug addicts than I could have imagined who started out with marijuana. My own stepdaughter started when she was 15, and she is now 34 and a crystal-meth addict who just can't kick it." Proponents will point out that under Prop. 203, the cost of the law's implementation will be paid from licensing fees and fines, without taxpayer money. And some states with medical-marijuana laws have collected millions in taxes. They'll also say that there already are doctors who hand out questionable prescriptions for mind-altering drugs simply to make money. We don't ban those substances because of a few quacks. "All we're asking for is a genuine discussion," Short said. "We'd like to talk about how this is a planned step toward legalization and to talk about the many negative aspects of this drug." For example, extended use of marijuana is said to make a person listless and inattentive, almost zombie-like. Which means that should the proposition pass in November, Arizonans must insist that one particular group of needy "patients" be first in line for cannabis prescriptions: Politicians.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line17
__label__cc	0.628227	0.371773	Arcology Successfully Tests Groundbreaking Application of Distributed Databases in Blockchain Environment Technology Breakthroughs Prove that Greater Speed and Reliability are Possible on the Company’s Enterprise-Grade Blockchain Platform VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2019 / Codebase Ventures Inc. (“Codebase” or the “Company”) (CSE: CODE – FSE: C5B – OTCQB: BKLLF), an investment company, is providing an update on its portfolio holding Arcology and the results of its recent tests. These results support that company’s long-held assumptions about its new and unique approach to data handling, and that it’s possible to build an enterprise blockchain platform that exceeds current technologies in both performance and price. “Efficient, accurate and trustworthy data storage is central to all blockchain technologies, but even today’s fastest blockchains underperform when compared to centralized systems,” said Laurent Zhang, Arcology’s founder and president. “This is largely due to certain restrictions in data handling. Arcology’s first-of-its-kind architecture breaks down these barriers, allowing us to employ distributed databases to process and store transactions at rates unseen elsewhere.” The tests prove that: By using Arcology’s revolutionary new architecture, it is possible to eliminate restrictions that once made distributed databases and blockchain technology incompatible; By incorporating a distributed database, Arcology can take advantage of parallel data insertion and querying on multiple databases; By moving to a distributed model, network speed and reliability will increase measurably; and Data storage on the Arcology blockchain network will be hundreds of times faster and cheaper. “Having designed and tested our applied distributed database, we found absolutely no conflicts that will prevent further development,” said Zhang. “We are now prepared to move beyond conventional single database structures to distributed databases, which offer many advantages, including greater speed and reliability. This is critical to bringing Arcology’s unique technology to market as a commercial product.” Since becoming a Codebase subsidiary, Arcology has consistently delivered new technology that supports Zhang’s vision of an enterprise blockchain that stores data more quickly -and more cheaply – than the industry’s frontrunners. Under his leadership, Arcology’s technical team has built an aggressive product roadmap that calls for public testing to begin in the coming months. “These results represent a significant milestone achievement for Arcology,” said Zhang. “For an industrial-grade blockchain platform to win mainstream adoption, we must see more than just white papers and slideshows. We must see results in the real world. That’s precisely what Arcology has delivered with these latest tests.” About Codebase Ventures Inc. Codebase Ventures Inc. is a small, hands-on team of financial and technology experts who invest early in great ideas. We operate from the understanding that technology is always evolving, bringing early opportunities for strategic investments that can deliver the exponential returns to our shareholders. We seek out and empower the innovators who are building tomorrow’s standards with platforms and protocols, not just products. We invest early, support our founders, take their ideas to market and work tirelessly to help them realize their vision. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Brian Keane, Director Telephone: 1 (778) 806-5150 – TOLL FREE (877) 806-CODE (2633) E-mail: IR@codebase.ventures Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “predicts”, “intends”, “targets”, “aims”, “anticipates” or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions “may”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. SOURCE: Codebase Ventures Inc. https://www.accesswire.com/550067/Arcology-Successfully-Tests-Groundbreaking-Application-of-Distributed-Databases-in-Blockchain-Environment Previous ALSO buys IoT platform provider Next SolGold PLC Announces Constitutional Court Update Thompson Education Center and Sherry Li Sponsored the Bonacic Golf Challenge and the Annual YEL! Festival Champions Oncology Reports Record Quarterly Revenue of $7.7 Million For The Fourth Quarter Ended April 30, 2019 Jason Brailow Beauty Line Mentioned in Kim Kardashian Post	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line24
__label__cc	0.735552	0.264448	Juan R. Fuentes Gallery Curatorial Advisory Council Acción Latina Local Stories: Photos of San Francisco HomeLocal Stories: Photos of San Francisco Artist/Curator: Ted Pushinsky Displayed January 13, 2018 – February 24, 2018 The final show from legendary street photographer Ted Pushinsky before his death in January of 2018, Local Stories was a collection of photos of San Francisco (primarily The Mission District) from the past 30 years. A great deal has changed over that time period and Pushinsky’s work serves as essential documentation of that transition. He’s been called the “elder statesman” of San Francisco street photography and his work as part of the Hamburger Eyes photo collective has helped inspire a street-photography renaissance in the early 2000s. We are truly honored to have hosted Ted’s final exhibition, which was also his only retrospective show held in the Mission. Although he has left us, he lives on through his work. We see the soul of San Francisco in Ted’s work, and that is his legacy. Visual Tribute: A Dialogue with Cesar Solo show by Juan R. Fuentes / April 23, 2016 – June 17, 2016 AmericArte Presents: Faces, Spaces, and Genres: A Web of Intersections Group Show Curated by Alejandro Meza and Camille Mae / July 2, 2016 – August 19, 2016 iGéntromancer! Solo show by Josue Rojas / September 10, 2016 – October 14, 2016 © 2017 Acción Latina / All rights reserved by artist	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line26
__label__cc	0.522762	0.477238	Adelaide 1876 Map/Plan Adelaide:supplement to the Illustrated Sydney News A capital view of the City of Adelaide Move your mouse or finger over the image to zoom in. View image (7.79 MB) Adelaide: supplement to the Illustrated Sydney News; 'A Capital View of the City of Adelaide'. Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia, SLSA: ZMP 00290472, Public Domain In July 1876, the Illustrated Sydney News published a special supplement that included an early aerial view of the City of Adelaide, the River Torrens and portion of North Adelaide from a point on Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide. Although the map is not drawn to scale, the detail and oblique drawing technique give a fascinating impression of what Adelaide was like in the 1870s. Many of the roads leading in and out of the city were little more than tracks. Businesses were concentrated along King William Street north of Victoria Square. The city still contained patches of open space, especially south of Victoria square. The layout of the Botanic Gardens and attached Botanic Park were evident by 1876. Row cottages housing workers and their families were concentrated in the southern and western portions of the city. The mansions of the wealthy clustered in the east and across the River Torrens in North Adelaide. Identify particular sites using the key below. Uploaded 10 December 2013 There are currently no media items. Bell, Peter, 'Bird's-eye view of Adelaide in the Australasian Sketcher, 1875', Professional Historians Association (SA) Newsletter, issue 109, March 2014, pp 4-8 State Library of South Australia, facsimile edition, Adelaide: Supplement to the Illustrated Sydney News, drawn by AC Cooke and engraved by S Calvert (Adelaide: Griffin Press, July 1876).Illustrated Sydney News, 22 July 1876, ‘Our Illustrations: The City of Adelaide’ pp10, 16, 17, Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia, ‘Adelaide 1876’, Adelaidia, History Trust of South Australia, http://adelaidia.sa.gov.au/panoramas/adelaide-1876, accessed 16 July 2019. Migration and settlement Building a state Industry, business and trade Tunnels of Adelaide steven dutch says: Hi, i have a 1000x700 framed print. I was wondering how many of these might be around as I acquired mine from my partner who found it in a second hand shop and I grew up with one exactly the same on the wall in my parents house. Wouldn't it be funny if it was their old one.. Hi Steven, it's hard to say for sure how many survive. The one shown here is held by the State Library of South Australia, but as it was printed in the 'Illustrated Sydney News' there would have been quite a few created initially. Lloyd Russell says: Hi Steven I also have the picture laminated..... I'm not sure exactly how many were printed Steven, but given it was in the Illustrated News there's a fair chance a few copies are in existence still. Our digital copy comes via the State Library of South Australia. kirstie stewart says: how can i buy a copy of this sketch? Hi Kirstie, I've sent you an e-mail with the details of how to apply to the State Library of South Australia who hold this image. Hi Catherine, I would also be keen to find out how to get a copy of this print. Thank you! This image is from the State Library of South Australia's collection, as per the citation in the caption. To obtain copies of items from their collection you'll need to contact the library: http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=579	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line29
__label__wiki	0.592596	0.592596	Value Framework Dividend Distribution Notice Procurement Bid Notice Procurement Notice Or Re-Notify Procurement Notice Property Sell Of Old Scrap Supplier Registeration Application and Notice Other Notice BPC in the news Himal Power limited Hydro Lab Private Limited (HLPL) Jhimruk Industrial Development Centre (P) Limited Nyadi Hydropower Limited (NHL) Nepal Hydro & Electric Limited (NHE) Khudi Hydropower Limited (KHL) Kabeli ‘A’ Hydro Electric Project Hydro Consult Engineering Limited BPC Services Limited (BPCSL) AGM Notice Proxy Form Meeting minutes of AGM Andhikhola Upgrading Project Khudi Hydropower Project Lower Manang Marsyangdi Nyadi Kabeli A HEP Share Detail Electricity Distribution NEPSE: Monday, Jul 15, 2019 - NRs. 409.00 Mr. Uttar Kumar Shrestha Mr. Uttar Kumar Shrestha is responsible for overall Operation and Management of the Company. Prior to joining BPC, he was the Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). He served NEA for more than 20 years in different capacities. Mr. Shrestha holds a sound knowledge on Financing, Taxation, Audits, Management, Hydropower Development and PPA negotiation and extensive experience in negotiation with different bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, local financial institutions for financing and implementation of various projects. Mr. Shrestha has attended various Executive Management Development training programs and has participated as an expert in various national and international forums related to hydropower development. He had also served various hydropower companies as a Board Member during his service period at NEA. Mr. Shrestha is a certified Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and holds MBA from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Hari Budhathoki Company Secretary & Legal Counsel Mr. Budhathoki holds LL.M. in Commercial Law from Tribhuwan University. He is an Advocate accredited by Nepal Bar Council, and a Member of Nepal Bar Association, High Court Bar Association, Patan. He has more than 17 years of experience as consulting and practicing lawyer in Nepal in the field of hydropower, infrastructure development, investment, employment, taxation, contracts, corporate governance, securities, procurement laws. He is providing legal services to Nyadi Hydropower Limited and Hydro-Consult Engineering Limited on retainer basis and to various infrastructure companies including Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited on as and when required basis. Mr. Tika Ram Bhatta Vice President - Corporate Management Mr. Tika Ram Bhatta leads the Corporate Management Function of the Company. He is a retired Brigadier General of Nepal Army, where he served for 38 years in various capacities. He has commanded Company, Battalion, Training Centre and Brigade within Nepal and has served on international peace-keeping missions. He has vast experience of working in Operations, Procurement, Peace-keeping and Logistics Departments in the Army Headquarters in a senior management positions. He has been honored with several awards including Gorkha Dakshin Bahu IV & III in recognition of his commitment and dedication towards work. Mr. Bhatta holds Masters’ Degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Masters’ in Management Studies from Osmania University, India. He has completed Command and Staff Course in the Army, Management Trainings from Civil Staff College, Nepal and Crane Field University, UK. In addition, he has also completed the Military and Management trainings in India and USA. He has served in United Nations’ Peace-keeping Missions in Lebanon, F ormer Yugoslavia and Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr. Pratik Man Singh Pradhan Vice President - Business Development & Projects Mr. Pradhan is the Vice President and leads the Business Development and Project Function at BPC. Mr. Pradhan is responsible for the business, development and implementation of new hydropower projects, like Kabeli A Hydroelectric Project, Nyadi Hydropower Project, Lower Manang Marsyangdi Hydropower Project and Chino Hydropower Project. Mr. Pradhan is a hydropower development expert with over 25 years of experience in the planning, preparation, development and implementation of the hydropower projects. His key experiences include providing technical and managerial oversight of implementing and upgrading of hydropower projects, preparing of the projects for implementation, and working on environmental hydraulics issues. Mr. Pradhan has provided leadership in a hydraulics research laboratory which focused on solving hydraulic related problems in the design of headworks in sediment loaded rivers in Nepal and the South Asia region. He has also had extensive experience in the construction of dams, intakes, and tunnels from a number of hydropower projects in Nepal. Mr. Pradhan has a Graduate Degree in Civil Engineering from NIT India and a Master’s in Science in Hydropower Planning and Development from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, as well as a second Master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan, USA. Mr. Radheshyam Shrestha As Vice President - Finance, Mr. Shrestha is responsible for BPCs financial operations, and investor and stakeholder relations. Mr. Shrestha has served 30 years in different positions in Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) the Central Bank of Nepal. He had held the position of Directors of Financial Management Department and Bank and FI Regulation Department at NRB. Prior to BPC he had worked as professional Chartered Accountant in CSC & Company and R. Bajrachayra & Co. in Kathmandu. A certified Chartered Accountant (CA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Mr. Shrestha also holds a Master’s Degree in Commerce from Tribuvan University. Mr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha Mr. Shrestha is the Head of Operation Function at BPC. Mr. Shrestha is with BPC for the past 17 years in different senior positions. He has wide range of both technical and managerial experience in hydropower sector. His major responsibilities include overall operation and management of two major power plants of BPC at Pyuthan and Syangja Districts. Mr. Shrestha’s leadership, technological insight in the domain of his expertise have strengthened BPC’s generation capacity with record breaking trend every year. He has also worked as a CEO of BPC Services Limited, another subsidiary company of BPC. Mr. Shrestha holds a degree of Bachelor in Technology (Electrical and Electronics) from India, Masters in Science (Electrical Power System) from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and an MBA from Kathmandu University. Mr. Ratna S Shakya Chief Manager - Finance Mr. Shakya holds Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Tribhuvan University. Mr. Shakya brings about 32 years of experiences in the field of Finance, Auditing and Corporate management. Mr. Shakya is with BPC since 1994. During his tenure as Chief Finance Manager in BPC, he was successful in achieving National Best Presented Accounts Award from ICAN in manufacturing sector for six consecutive years 2005-2010 for excellence in financial governance and transparency in financial reporting. This had been recognized from South Asian Federation of Accountants by awarding certificate of Merit for two consecutive years for Best Presented Annual Report and Corporate Governance Disclosures Awards in 2009 and 2010. On his leadership as Head of Corporate, Mr Shakya was successful to resolve the conflict with Union having Five years CBA Agreement with Employees Union maintaining sustainable industrial peace in company. He is serving as Alternate board director in Hydro-Consult Engineering Limited. Copyrights © 2019 Butwal Power Company Limited. All rights reserved. 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__label__wiki	0.902065	0.902065	Giorgio de Chirico (July 10, 1888 – November 20, 1978) was a Greek-born Italian artist. In the years before World War I, he founded the scuola metafisica art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists. After 1919, he became interested in traditional painting techniques, and worked in a neoclassical or neo-Baroque style, while frequently revisiting the metaphysical themes of his earlier work. De Chirico was born in Volos, Greece, to a Genovese mother and a Sicilian father. After studying art in Athens—mainly under the guidance of the influential Greek painter Georgios Roilos—and Florence, he moved to Germany in 1906, following his father’s death in 1905. He entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he read the writings of the philosophers Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer and Otto Weininger and studied the works of Arnold Böcklin and Max Klinger. He returned to Italy in the summer of 1909 and spent six months in Milan. At the beginning of 1910, he moved to Florence where he painted the first of his ‘Metaphysical Town Square’ series, The Enigma of an Autumn Afternoon, after the revelation he felt in Piazza Santa Croce. He also painted The Enigma of the Oracle while in Florence. In July 1911 he spent a few days in Turin on his way to Paris. De Chirico was profoundly moved by what he called the ‘metaphysical aspect’ of Turin: the architecture of its archways and piazzas. It was the city of Nietzsche. De Chirico moved to Paris in July 1911, where he joined his brother Andrea. Through his brother he met Pierre Laprade, a member of the jury at the Salon d’Automne, where he exhibited three of his works: Enigma of the Oracle, Enigma of an Afternoon and Self-Portrait. During 1913 he exhibited paintings at the Salon des Indépendants and Salon d’Automne; his work was noticed by Pablo Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire, and he sold his first painting, The Red Tower. In 1914, through Guillaume Apollinaire, he met the art dealer Paul Guillaume, with whom he signed a contract for his artistic output. At the outbreak of the First World War, he returned to Italy. Upon his arrival in May 1915, he enlisted in the Italian army, but he was considered unfit for work and assigned to the hospital at Ferrara. He continued to paint, and in 1918, he transferred to Rome. From 1918 his work was exhibited extensively in Europe. De Chirico is best known for the paintings he produced between 1909 and 1919, his metaphysical period, which are memorable for the haunted, brooding moods evoked by their images. At the start of this period, his subjects were still cityscapes inspired by the bright daylight of Mediterranean cities, but gradually he turned his attention to studies of cluttered storerooms, sometimes inhabited by mannequin-like hybrid figures. In autumn, 1919, De Chirico published an article in Valori Plastici entitled “The Return of Craftsmanship”, in which he advocated a return to traditional methods and iconography. This article heralded an abrupt change in his artistic orientation, as he adopted a classicizing manner inspired by such old masters as Raphael and Signorelli, and became an outspoken opponent of modern art. In the early 1920s, the Surrealist writer André Breton discovered one of De Chirico’s metaphysical paintings on display in Paul Guillaume’s Paris gallery, and was enthralled. Numerous young artists who were similarly affected by De Chirico’s imagery became the core of the Paris Surrealist group centered around Breton. In 1924 De Chirico visited Paris and was accepted into the group, although the surrealists were severely critical of his post-metaphysical work. In 1939, he adopted a neo-Baroque style influenced by Rubens. De Chirico’s later paintings never received the same critical praise as did those from his metaphysical period. He resented this, as he thought his later work was better and more mature. He nevertheless produced backdated “self-forgeries” both to profit from his earlier success, and as an act of revenge—retribution for the critical preference for his early work. He also denounced many paintings attributed to him in public and private collections as forgeries. He remained extremely prolific even as he approached his 90th year. In 1974 he was elected to the French Académie des Beaux-Arts. He died in Rome on November 20, 1978.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line40
__label__cc	0.505085	0.494915	A well-informed choice is not a betrayal of democracy As the need for British common sense has become more apparent in Europe, Brexit seems to have taken a heavy toll on British common sense,… Climate of division, even in the Lucky Country Australia was once dubbed ‘the lucky country’. The difficult and divisive issue of climate change may just have put paid to that, writes Geoff Kitney…. So, can you ignore Donald Trump? It’s a rhetorical question, of course, but there is a context in which it is worth asking. That context is Brexit, writes Geoff Kitney. When… Britannia makes waves with £20bn ‘down-payment’ Since Britain voted to leave the EU a vocal group of conservative opinion leaders have been urging the Australian government to take a proactive role… Immigration: the ugly face of Brexit and beyond A growing tide of desperate people seeking sanctuary and a surging anti-immigrant sentiment among the native populations of some nations will lead to an even… ‘Dialogue of the deaf’ proves an expensive exercise Post-Brexit trade policy and whether or not the United Kingdom wants to remain in the European Customs Union, has not sparked the informed debate it… Britain hit by harsh political and economic storms It is alone in a world in which the rules-based global order of the last half-century is set to be replaced by dog-eat-dog, survival of… Complex issues turned into simple slogans have worked – until now This political reality is already apparent in polls that show some of the steady gains by right-wing populist parties have stalled or are in reverse,… Tangle Trade Talk: when economic viability is at stake The UK needs to develop a clear economic framework for the post-Brexit era before even thinking about who they could have as negotiating partners, reports… Brexit’s international cheer squad loses its voice Geoff Kitney explains why UK voters have good reason to be anxious about the long-term consequences of the Brexit vote. Brexit’s international cheer squad appears…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line43
__label__wiki	0.821635	0.821635	The CASEY BILL WELDON Page The TAMPA RED Page Living Blues back issues Arkansas Blues compact discs BluEsoterica columns from Living Blues THE VOICE OF THE BLUES Page Mail Order Records: 78 rpm The CHARLEY PATTON Page The OTIS RUSH Page BLUES HALL OF FAME Biographies BluEsoterica *** Jim O'Neal (In this, the only photo of Casey Bill Weldon we have come across, Casey Bill is the man on the right. The original caption from 1941 doesn't specify which guitarist is Casey Bill, but other ads in the Defender advertised Charles Church on Spanish guitar and Casey Bill on Hawaiian guitar.) HEADSTONE DEDICATION & TRIBUTE FOR CASEY BILL WELDON -- A COUNTERPART TO ROBERT JOHNSON KANSAS CITY -- Casey Bill Weldon, a mysterious blues figure whose story is Kansas City's counterpart to the legend of Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, will be honored with a headstone dedication and tribute here on April 18 and 19. Weldon's grandniece, Los Angeles-based jazz/blues singer and educator CoCo York, is flying in for the dedication at Lincoln Cemetery on Saturday, April 18, and a "Tribute to Casey Bill Weldon" with other guest artists at B.B. Lawnside Bar-B-Q, 1205 E. 85th St., on Sunday. Both events begin at 2:00 p.m. Weldon, like Johnson, wrote and recorded songs that have been covered countless times by blues, rock and jazz artists and even recorded for the same label as Johnson -- Vocalion -- during the same period, the 1930s. Tales abound of Johnson dealing with the devil; one of Weldon's songs was "Sold My Soul to the Devil." Weldon's music is included on the CD compilation "Roots of Robert Johnson." The two traveled in some of the same musical circles, including St. Louis, Memphis and Arkansas, and may well have known one another. Both helped pioneer new approaches to the blues. Weldon was unique not only in his instrument, the Hawaiian steel guitar, but also in ranking as possibly the first blues artist to have appearances on electric guitar advertised in the press. The dean of early European jazz and blues critics, Hugues Panassie, described Casey Bill’s music as “the purest blues imaginable.” Tracing the two guitarists' lives and deaths has kept blues historians busy for decades. Both were known under several different names. The site of Johnson's grave was long disputed and headstones were placed in three different Mississippi cemeteries. But until the article "Unraveling Casey Bill Weldon -- The Hawaiian Guitar Wizard," appeared in Living Blues magazine in 2013 (see article below), the date (Sept. 28, 1972) and place (Kansas City, Missouri) of Weldon's demise had remained a mystery to the blues world. Weldon's headstone has been funded by a donation from Kansas City-based Folk Alliance International in coordination with Living Blues co-founder Jim O'Neal and the Killer Blues Headstone Project, with local assistance from Jason Vivone and Bob Suckiel (both musicians and hosts of KKFI radio programs), and other supporters. Weldon's headstone is engraved with the introductory musical notes to his best-known song, "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" (aka "We Gonna Move"), a classic that has been recorded by Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers, Louis Jordan, B.B. King, Mel Torme, Count Basie and many others. Directions to Casey Bill Weldon's grave in Lincoln Cemetery (also the final resting place of Charlie Parker): From I-435, take exit 60, go east on Truman Road six tenths of a mile, go left (north) on Stark Avenue, which runs into Blue Ridge Boulevard. Continue north three tenths of a mile to the entrance to Lincoln Cemetery on the left. This cemetery is in an unincorporated no-man's land between Kansas City and Independence called Blue Summit, in an area once called the Devil's Backbone. The residential neighborhood here is Dogpatch, once known as the home of motorcycle clubs and meth dealers. More details to follow on CoCo York. For information, contact Jim O'Neal at 816-931-0383 or bluesoterica@aol.com. CoCo York UNRAVELING CASEY BILL—THE HAWAIIAN GUITAR WIZARD By Jim O’Neal Living Blues 228 (Dec. 2013-Jan. 2014) QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (Living Blues #18, Autumn 1974) Does anyone know whether and where Casey Bill is still living? Is he still active? —Hugues Panassie, Montalban, France Researchers and record collectors have long wondered what happened to Casey Bill, even before noted French jazz critic Hugues Panassie submitted the above query to Living Blues in 1974. Panassie himself (who died on December 8, 1974) was writing about Casey Bill in the 1950s, and in 1963 Jack Parsons wrote in an article in the third of issue of Blues Unlimited magazine: “In the absence of any positive data on his early life I can do little but attempt to reconstruct some of his activities . . . I prefer not to accept the reported death of Casey Bill.” In a long-delayed answer to Panassie’s question, we can finally start assembling the biographical puzzle of Casey Bill Weldon, “The Hawaiian Guitar Wizard,” who died in 1972. The puzzle is still missing some big pieces, but at last we have solved some details of his family history, his death, and his burial site. After collaborating for several years with Australian and British research hounds Bob Eagle, Tony Russell, John Newman, and others, I found that many of the answers lay within a few miles of my house in Kansas City; even my children’s school became a source of information. Weldon was a pioneer of electric guitar in the blues and made some of the most distinctive blues records of the 1930s, ranging from hard-time blues to good-time hokum. (“Weldon’s work,” Stephen Calt and John Miller observed in the liner notes to the Yazoo LP Bottleneck Trendsetters of the 1930’s, “is an outright rejection of traditional blues harmony, and invites comparison to western swing . . . He may well have influenced such white slide guitarists as Leon McAuliffe, the steel guitarist for Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys.”) He composed and recorded the classics We Gonna Move (To the Outskirts of Town), W.P.A. Blues, Somebody Changed the Lock on My Door and Back Door (a.k.a. Tell Me Mama), and his Go Ahead, Buddy was reissued on Yazoo’s Roots of Robert Johnson collection. (Weldon’s Sold My Soul to the Devil also suggests a theme he and Johnson may have had in common.) But after he made his last records in December 1938, scant evidence ever surfaced as to his whereabouts. The January 11, 1941, Chicago Defender printed a photo of him when he was appearing locally at the Spot Tavern with another Hawaiian steel guitarist, Charles Church; Big Bill Broonzy wrote a brief bio—the only such source on Weldon for many years to come—in Big Bill Blues (published in 1955): “I also played with Casey Bill on the WPA Blues that he recorded. His real name is William Weldon. He was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1909, July 10, and he’s in California now.” The only update transmitted to the blues world in subsequent years was a statement in the Calt/Miller Yazoo liner notes that Chicago guitarist Ted Bogan “saw him locally in 1968. At that time, Bogan reports, Weldon lived in Detroit.” More recently, blues author Guido van Rijn has postulated that Casey Bill was the steel guitarist on Cecil Gant’s 1945 Los Angeles recording of Little Baby You’re Running Wild, a possibility since Broonzy had placed him in California and by that time there seemed to be no trace of him in Chicago. Even anecdotes from other Chicago musicians about Casey Bill are in short supply because the great wave of bluesmen from the Deep South arrived only after he had apparently left town. Blind John Davis, who moved to Chicago in 1916, did recall Casey Bill, usually in the context of bluesmen he deemed difficult to work with in the studio or rehearsals (a group that included Washboard Sam and Jazz Gillum). In a 1977 interview, he said, “And what is this other crazy guy, he played this Hawaiian guitar? Casey Bill, yeah. Oh, man. Oh, you just couldn’t get along with him. He’d play a song right today, he’d come back tomorrow, he done changed it. And I’d be done wrote it out, you know. I said, ‘Well, man, I got it here, wrote out.’ ‘Well, I don’t know how you got it like that.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ And we wound up, he come right back to what I got wrote out. I just let him alone. He come back.” In 1976 Davis described him this way: “He was another crab with that Hawaiian guitar, Spanish guitar. But I’d cuss him out and he’d come on down.” As for the guitar playing, Davis said, “I didn’t care too much for it.” Paul Swinton, publisher of the Frog Blues and Jazz Annual, adds that Casey Bill had connections in the jazz world: “Fats Pichon was supposed to be a mate of Weldon’s. The Fats Pichon reference was made to me by a guy called John L. Thomas that I interviewed and had a brief correspondence with in the early ’90s. He also told me that Weldon performed together with Laura Rucker and Franz Jackson.” The Weldon identity issue has been complicated by the widely held assumption that William “Casey Bill” Weldon was the same person as guitarist Will Weldon, who recorded for Victor in 1927 and did several sessions with the Memphis Jug Band. Will Weldon’s likeness, taken from a Memphis Jug Band photo, appears on some Casey Bill albums and in the recent book African Americans of Pine Bluff and Jefferson County hailing Casey Bill as a native son. But I found a death certificate for Will Weldon, a 28-year-old musician residing at 205 Beale in Memphis, on the Shelby County website. He “died suddenly from an attack of acute indigestion” on April 30, 1934, a year before William Weldon made his first record under the name Kansas City Bill Weldon—shortened to Casey Bill on later records. Will Weldon of Memphis was born in Grenada, Mississippi, according to the death certificate, and in the 1930 census he and Memphis Jug Band icon Will Shade were living in the same house in Memphis. Another widely circulated story was that Casey Bill was once married to, or had a relationship with, Memphis Minnie in Memphis before Minnie married Joe McCoy on February 20, 1930. This item goes back to a 1970 Blues Unlimited article by Mike Leadbitter, based on a visit with Minnie and her family by Leadbitter and Memphis record collector Fred Davis. Leadbitter wrote: “Back in Memphis she became the common-law wife of Casey Bill Weldon (no one remembers exactly when) and he helped her a great deal with her music. He was a member of the Memphis Jug Band and was a lot younger than Minnie.” What is not clear in retrospect is whether the name Leadbitter heard was Casey Bill Weldon, or Will Weldon. But since Will was thought to be Casey Bill anyway, it became part of the Casey Bill biography. There seem to be no marriage records of Minnie to either Weldon, but considering Will Weldon’s Memphis connections it seems more likely that Will Weldon, and not Casey Bill, was Memphis Minnie’s man. Will was also several years younger than Casey Bill turned out to be. Big Bill wrote about both Casey Bill and Minnie but never mentioned that they had been married. A few Internet sites are now reporting that there is some evidence that Casey Bill married Geeshie Wiley, who recorded for Paramount in 1930–31 and then seemed to drop from sight much as Weldon did. But I know of no such evidence and no connection between the two other than the mystery and obscurity of their biographies. But Casey Bill did know Minnie, as he played on a session with her in Chicago in 1935. And on his 1938 recording of Way Down in Louisiana, Casey Bill sang, “Memphis is my home, that’s way down in Tennessee.” In a 1969 issue of Blues World, Big Joe Williams told Richard Noblett that Casey Bill was from Brownsville, Tennessee. And to add another possible city of residence to the Casey Bill list, it’s worth noting that on the day of his first session, March 25, 1935, he recorded in the company of two East St. Louis bluesmen, Peetie Wheatstraw and Blind Teddy Darby. The influence of Wheatstraw is obvious in Casey Bill’s singing and “ooh well well” vocal mannerisms. Sorting out the two Weldons was not the only issue about Casey Bill’s name. It turns out that he had two names, as verified by funeral home, cemetery, and state of Missouri death records. The trail to discovery began with a Social Security Death Index entry for William Weldon, born in Kansas on February 8, 1901, who applied for Social Security in Illinois, with a last address in Kansas City, Kansas, and a death date of September 1972. On his original Social Security application, filed in Chicago on August 17, 1939, Weldon gave his birth date as February 1, 1902, and the place as Schenute [sic], Kansas—in all probability Chanute, a town southwest of Kansas City at the junction of two railroads well known in song lore, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas (“the Katy”) and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. His parents’ names were entered as Jacob Weldon and Caroline Hamilton and his wife’s as Luetta Johnson. The release of the 1940 census files in 2012 provided enough evidence that this was the same William Weldon, a musician, age 39, married to “Louetta,” at the same Chicago address, 445 E. 41st Street. Again he claimed a Kansas birthplace, and stated he had attended school through the eighth grade. The census asked where he and his wife were living in 1935; for Weldon it was “same place” (Chicago), and for his wife, Ozark, Arkansas. A 1930 census entry for a black William Weldon, age 29, also born in Kansas, seems to match, even though it was in Concord, Indiana, at a Wabash Railroad construction camp. Weldon’s occupation was listed as laborer for the railroad, while his father’s birthplace was given as Texas and his mother’s as Virginia. The data from these documents unfortunately created more confusion when trying to trace the rest of Casey Bill’s path. In fact, some of it now seems either strangely inaccurate or intentionally misleading. Searches for Weldon and his parents in pre-1930 census files, in Chanute city directories, and in the birth, obituary, and cemetery records at the Kansas State Archives in Topeka, came up empty. For the record, both Chanute and Ozark, Arkansas, have always had minuscule African American populations. The pairing of a Texas-born Jacob with a Virginia-born Caroline did not produce search results either. Although there was no notice of his death published in Kansas City, Kansas, I decided to scroll through microfilm of the Kansas City (Missouri) Call, since it was the only local paper that regularly published obituaries of African Americans in 1972. And there, finally, was an inconspicuous three-sentence obit: WELDON, Williams [sic], 2325 Troost, passed away September 28. Services will be held Saturday, October 7, 11 a.m., at the Watkins Brothers Memorial 18th St. chapel with the Rev. A.M. Lampkin officiating. Interment in the Lincoln cemetery. Conversations with the funeral chapel and the cemetery provided the name of a family member—a nephew, Charles Hammond—and the revelation that they had two names in their files for the deceased: William Weldon and Nathan Hammond. Weldon’s last address was on the Missouri side of K.C., on a stretch of Troost Avenue that has since been rebuilt into an overpass with no sign of the apartment where Casey Bill lived. A State of Missouri death certificate verified that Nathan Hammond, a.k.a. William Weldon, was a “retired musician” who died at General Hospital of “undetermined, apparently natural” causes. His birthdate was listed as February 2, 1901, and his parents’ names, as given by the informant, Charles Hammond, were Jacob Hammond and Caroline (unknown maiden name). Pursuing the Hammond trail, I found that Charles was born in Plumerville, Arkansas, on September 12, 1926, and was a member of the Kansas City musicians’ union. On his 1957 membership application he indicated that he played at the Cuban Room on Linwood Boulevard and listed his instruments as piano, bass, and accordion and his other trades as broom maker and piano tuner. Local city directories listed another occupation for him—cigar vendor at the main post office, and that’s how he is usually recalled by locals. The Kansas City Star ran an article on him on May 29, 1949, upon his graduation from Lincoln Junior College, noting that he had attended the Missouri School for the Blind and hoped to work as a teacher or in social service with the blind. Lincoln was a small two-year college that was housed in the same building as Lincoln High School, which happens to be the school my children attend. The school librarian found a yearbook from 1949, and in it was a class photo of Charles Hammond and another shot of him with the junior college choir. He died on May 9, 1994, and was buried without a headstone in Blue Ridge Lawn Cemetery in Kansas City. The cemetery has no family contact information, and the companion who was mentioned in his obituary, Eugenia (Jean) Eddings, died in 2000. Hammond’s obituary listed two surviving sisters, Idella Davidson and Mozella Hammond of Chicago, and a brother, Dorsey Hammond of Bakersfield, California. The Hammond family showed up in many census records and other documents, including family trees posted at ancestry.com by various descendants, although there was very little about Nathan. As reconstructed from these records, Jacob Hammond, a farmer (born July 1856), and his wife, Sarah Caroline Hammond (May 1858), were born in South Carolina, where they were listed in the 1880 census in Fairview Township, Greenville County. They moved with their children Keifer Finton and Dona (or Donie or Donnie) to Arkansas before the December 1883 birth of another son, William Ernest. The Hammonds’ Arkansas home base in the census was Union Township in Conway County; family trees and other documents cite Plumerville, Springfield, and some other communities in the same county, northwest of Little Rock. (Pine Bluff doesn’t seem to figure into the family history.) In 1896 Jacob became the owner of 80 acres by land grant. By 1900 Caroline had had ten children, eight of them still living, and she subsequently had two more, Nathan and Florida. Jacob died prior to the 1910 census, when Nathan, age nine, was shown as one of seven children living with Caroline on Plumerville Road in Union Township. Two of the Hammond children married members of the Criswell family, which had also relocated to Conway County from South Carolina. Among the many other black former South Carolinians who settled in Arkansas during a post-Reconstruction migration was a William Weldon (born c. 1872) in Woodruff County—whether he fits into the Hammond story is another question. Through conflicting documentary entries and varying family usage, the name Hammond has also appeared as Hammonds, Hammon, and Hammons, and Criswell has been rendered as Chriswell and Christwell. While some of Casey Bill’s brothers remained in Arkansas to farm, at least four of his siblings moved to Kansas City, some on the Kansas side (KCK) and some in Missouri, probably beginning with Dona and her husband John Criswell around 1917. Charles Frank Hammond Sr. followed, and it was his blind son Charles who tended to Casey Bill’s funeral and burial. Dona’s son Theodore Christwell was a well-known barber and civic leader in KCK and once operated the North End Tavern from the rear of his barbershop on 5th Street. Casey Bill probably lived with one Hammond/Criswell family or another at times, but it has been hard to document his presence either as Nathan Hammond or Weldon in K.C. in city directories. He could be the mechanic William Weldon who is listed in 1965 and some later directories. But he seems to have left little trace locally, and the Hammond-Criswell descendants I have contacted knew nothing of him other than as an early figure on the family tree. There are no files under either of his names in the surviving Kansas City musicians’ union records of the State Historical Society of Missouri (nor in the St. Louis, Los Angeles, or Chicago union archives). Local archivist and deejay Chuck Haddix, co-author of Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop—A History, says he has never come across any local references to Casey Bill in his research, which includes a detailed log of musical news from the Kansas City Call and other newspapers. However hazy it may appear, the Kansas City connection makes sense for Casey Bill, not only because of his nickname, his family in K.C., and his death here, but also because of his instrument. The steel guitar, introduced by Hawaiian musicians, was further popularized by western swing outfits in the southwest and was also adapted by several jazz/blues orchestras with roots in the region, most notably Andy Kirk’s Twelve Clouds of Joy. Kirk’s recording of Floyd’s Guitar Blues, featuring Floyd Smith on amplified steel, was an influential hit in 1939. It is rightly hailed as a groundbreaking work in the history of electric blues, but it was recorded on March 16, 1939, three months after Casey Bill plugged in his steel guitar on his final session for Bluebird on December 16, 1938, at the Leland Hotel in Aurora, Illinois. (Guitar historian Jas Obrecht has determined that Tampa Red also used an amplifier at his Bluebird session that day; there were a few earlier blues sessions with electric guitarists including George Barnes. John Newman points out that an electric steel guitarist--Casey Bill?--also recorded with Curtis Jones on September 27, 1938.) And some of the development of electric guitar took place in areas familiar to Casey Bill: while Los Angeles was a prime center, Kansans take pride in the claim that the first public performance on electric guitar was in Wichita, when Gage Brewer played both Hawaiian and standard guitars with amplification, as documented in the Wichita Beacon of October 2, 1932. Eddie Durham was one of the first jazzmen to record electric guitar solos, including tracks with Jimmie Lunceford on September 23, 1935, and with the Kansas City Five on March 18, 1938. Durham claimed to have passed on some of his electronic know-how to Floyd Smith, T-Bone Walker and Charlie Christian. Meanwhile, the earliest advertisement I have seen for a blues artist performing on electric guitar appeared in the Chicago Defender on November 27, 1937, for a show at Doc Jennings’ 33rd St. Cafe featuring none other than Casey Bill. (See update below for an earlier ad.) The Casey Bill story still has huge gaps and big questions. When and why did he start using the name William Weldon? Was he born in Arkansas or Kansas? Did Nathan Hammond invent a new persona and bio for himself as did his friend Lee Conley Bradley (who became Big Bill Broonzy and also denied his Arkansas birthplace)? Were there legal reasons he chose to use another name? Did he have more than two names? Did he record music for film soundtracks, as Sheldon Harris suggested in Blues Who's Who? Who were the hot guitarists who joined him on his recordings with the Brown Bombers of Swing? Where was he during all the years after he was pictured in the Chicago Defender in 1941? California and Detroit possibly, but that information is second hand. Maybe Tennessee—at least one brother, Charles Sr., had some connection to Trezevant, Tennessee, in the same part of the state as Memphis and Brownsville. And a guitar/banjo player named Howell Hammons (aka Banjo Ike) was a member of the K.C. musicians’ union from 1946 to 1948; he gave Trezevant as his birthplace and his birthdate as January 1, 1908. He was also listed, as Howell Hammonds, in the 1935 K.C. city directory as a musician. Howell must have been related somehow and maybe this was even Casey Bill in another disguise, borrowing a name from a guitarist/banjoist he must have known in Chicago, Banjo Ikey Robinson (who may have appeared on some of Casey Bill's records). Chuck Haddix, however, reports no sightings of Howell in his K.C. research. There have been William Weldons and occasional Nathan Hammonds in various city directories across the country, but none we have found listed as a musician. What we do know for sure now is that he is buried in a grave with no headstone in Kansas City’s Lincoln Cemetery, famed as the resting place of another musical pioneer, Charlie Parker, way on the outskirts of town. Various Hammond(s) and Christwell family members, including Cheryl Christwell and Charles Harris, have posted info at ancestry.com, and we hope their families can help fill in more of story. If any LB readers have information to contribute, please e-mail me at bluesoterica@aol.com. A headstone for Casey Bill is also on the LB agenda. Thanks for research assistance to Brenda Haskins, Bob Eagle, Tony Russell, Paul Garon, John Newman, Paul Swinton, Rob Ford, Chuck Haddix at UMKC Marr Sound Archives, Chris Smith, Guido van Rijn, Cheryl Christwell, Charles Harris, Mike Pettengell, Horace Washington, Burly Durant at Lincoln CPA Library, Security Administration Office of Earnings Operations FOIA Workshop, Music Information Center of the Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Library Center, Bureau of Vital Records at Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the St. Louis and Los Angeles chapters of the American Federation of Musicians, State Historical Society of Missouri, Kansas State Historical Society & Archives, Midwest Genealogy Center & Mid-Continent Public Library, Bill Osment at Kansas City Public Library, Mississippi Blues Trail, Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, Blue Ridge Lawn Cemetery and Lincoln Cemetery. Updates: Since this article was published, more information on Casey Bill has surfaced although many mysteries remain. Bob Riesman and Robert Pruter sent more ads from the Chicago Defender, and one of them, advertising "Casey Bill, the Great Electrical Guitar Player," is from Oct. 9, 1937, making this the earliest ad I have seen so far for a blues artist playing electric guitar. Of additional interest, on the same page of the Defender is a news item noting that Andy Kirk's orchestra had just finished an engagement at another South SIde club, the Grand Terrace. We have no proof, but Kirk and his band may have heard Casey Bill while in town and this may have inspired Kirk to feature electric steel guitar after Floyd Smith joined the group in 1938. © Jim O'Neal, BluEsoterica.com. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line46
__label__wiki	0.719412	0.719412	S. Tougher, Julian the Apostate. Debates and Documents in Ancient History series. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007. Pp. xiii, 201; b/w ills. ISBN 978-0-7486-1887-3. £19.99 (pb). Reviewed by Sergio Knipe, University of Cambridge (sk352@cam.ac.uk) If in 1993 Walter E. Kaegi could lament that 'the past ten years did not experience the profusion of biographies and collections of new and republication of older studies of Julian that appeared in the half-dozen years after 1975',1 the same cannot be said in 2007. Rather, the last ten years have witnessed an extraordinary flourishing of works on Julian, ranging from academic studies to popular biographies and literary novels.2 Julian the Apostate, as part of the Debates and Documents in Ancient History series of the Edinburgh University Press, purports to offer a general and accessible introduction to the life and career of the emperor. Shawn Tougher (lecturer at Cardiff University, and already the author of three articles on Julian)3 describes his book as 'an attempt to provide an indication of the different views of Julian that exist and to supply a selection of the key evidence utilised in the construction of these divergent interpretations of him' (ix). The book is divided into two parts: Part I (1-73), entitled 'Debates', contains an introduction followed by six chapters presenting 'key areas' in the life and reign of Julian; Part II ('Documents': 74-177), contains a selection of primary texts in translation, which are referred to in Part I through a system of internal cross-references. The six chapters of Part I unfold in a standard chronological progression: from Julian's childhood (Ch.1) to his Persian campaign (Ch. 6), through the events which marked Julian's personality and imperial career: his 'Conversion' (Ch. 2) and his military endeavours in Gaul (Ch. 3). Chapters 4 and 5, while still in line with the general chronology, are more thematic in character: they discuss the 'imperial style' of Julian (Ch. 4) and his religion (Ch. 5). Accompanying the volume's historical overview of Julian are a timeline, a family tree of the emperor, and three maps of the Empire; a guided 'further reading' section, a section with 'essay questions and exercise topics', and a list of Internet resources. Throughout the book, readers are encouraged 'to make up their own minds' (11) about Julian, and to assess the interpretations favoured by contemporary scholars in the light of the primary sources. While T. is aware of only being able to provide 'a partial account' (31) of the emperor, the account which he presents is intended to be as comprehensive of Julian's different roles as possible. So while in Ch. 2 Julian is described as a curious student attending philosophy classes, in Ch. 3, he is 'a super soldier and an economic whiz kid' (33). T. emphasises the revolutionary character of both Julian's economic policy in Gaul and of his reform of court finance (which reveals his 'practical streak' [46]). In the course of his discussions, T. raises many intriguing questions with regard to both the nature of Julian's accession,4 and the scope, aims and methods of his campaign against the Persians. Less convincing is the author's selection of what constitutes a central, controversial issue in other areas. One wonders, for instance, why T. would want to focus on Julian's 'imperial style' without ever mentioning the related issue of Julian's political philosophy. Similarly, T. devotes much of his book to discussing the ponderous 'what if?' question ('Success or failure?' [59-62]), yet never mentions Julian's puzzling eccentricity with regard to divination, nor critically engages with the problem of his organisation of the pagan clergy.5 T.'s disregard for certain thematic areas is at least partially attributable to the notable absence of several items from his bibliography. This is particularly the case with recent international publications -- something which reflects the decidedly anglophone prejudice of the book.6 If Part I represents an attempt to define the key themes in the study of Julian, Part II can be seen as an incentive for the reader to turn to the existing sources, in order to formulate personal thoughts on the issues raised. The primary texts of Part II cover a range of diverse literary sources, and include selections from Julian himself, Libanius and Eunapius, Ammianus and Zosimus, Eutropius and Festus; as well as the 362 panegyric of Mamertinus, excerpts from the Theodosian Code, four inscriptions, and several passages from Christian authors. To this literary material T. also adds the images of three coin types and a picture of the statue of Julian that now stands at the Louvre. Missing from T.'s otherwise exhaustive selection of sources are Julian's oration Against the Uneducated Cynics (which conventionally precedes Against the Cynic Heracleius) and the important Latin inscription from Ma'ayan Barukh praising Julian as restaurator templorum.7 More regrettable still is the fact that T. mostly presents his choice texts in their standard English translations. Only in a few instances does the author offer his own adaptation of these translations (this is the case, for instance, with Julian's own writing). The fact that the only author freshly translated by T. is Orosius surely represents a missed opportunity to provide a new English rendering of important primary sources (rather strikingly, the translations of Socrates and Philostorgius quoted by T. date to 1890 and 1855 respectively). As a short description of the contents of Julian the Apostate should have suggested, the book is more about raising the right questions concerning the emperor than it is about providing the right answers. But while running out of problems with Julian is always unlikely, and while T.'s volume undoubtedly fulfils the useful task of presenting students with rich food for thought, a reader more familiar with the subject cannot avoid feeling that there is much missing from the book: that in some cases T. could have raised different questions and could have pointed to different issues. If Julian is so popular a historical figure among scholars today, devising an introduction to his life and reign undoubtedly constitutes a challenging task: the primary sources are many and conflicting, as are the various academic debates which revolve around them. As an introduction to the life and reign of Julian, T.'s book has the merit of engaging in the taxing job of tackling, condensing and presenting some of the key debates in the field to the inexperienced reader. However, T.'s volume is not entirely successful in its endeavour: while Julian the Apostate covers much ground in its 201 pages of source review and historical criticism, as an unambitious introduction to the fascinating and complicated figure of the last pagan emperor it has little to offer the reader that cannot already be found in standard introductions to the subject.8 1. W.E. Kaegi, 'An Investigation of the Emperor Julian', The Ancient World 24.1 (1993) 45-53, 49. 2. Among the most recent academic biographies of Julian are K. Bringmann, Kaiser Julian (Darmstadt, 2004) and K. Rosen Julian. Kaiser, Gott und Christianhasser (Stuttgart, 2006). The most recent fictional accounts of the emperor are M.C. Ford, Gods and Legions (New York, 2002) and R. Spector, Who Killed Apollo and Julian Augustus? (Colts Neck, NJ, 2006). 3. Cf. S. Tougher 'In praise of an empress: Julian's Speech of thanks to Eusebia' in M. Whitby (ed.), The Propaganda of Power: The Role of Panegyric in Late Antiquity (Leiden, 1998) 105-23; Idem 'The advocacy of an empress: Julian and Eusebia', Classical Quarterly 48 (1998) 595-99; Idem 'Julian's bull coinage: Kent revisisted', Classical Quarterly 54 (2004) 327-30. 4. Regrettably, T. -- who describes Julian's usurpation as the possible product of a 'pagan conspiracy'-- makes no reference here to Jean Bouffartigue's seminal article 'Du prétendu parti paiïen au prétendu fléau de Dieu: observations sur l'action antichrétienne de l'empereur Julien' (Rudiae 10 [1998] 59-90). 5. By implicitly following Asmus (1896), T. presents Julian's letters to his priests as a conscious attempt on the part of the emperor to educate the clergy of his newly-established 'pagan Church' (58). As Mario Mazza has pointed out, however, the purpose of these letters (and hence the nature of Julian's religious reform) is far less obvious. T. also takes no account of Peter van Nuffeln's compelling suggestion that the so-called Letter to Arsacius might be a fifth-century fabrication. Cf. R. Asmus, 'Eine Encyklika Julians des Abtrünnigen und ihre Vorläufer', Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte 16 (1896) 45-71 and 220-52; M. Mazza, 'Giuliano o dell'utopia religiosa: il tentativo di fondare una chiesa pagana?', Rudiae 10 (1998) 19-42; P. van Nuffeln, 'Deux fausses lettres de Julien l'Apostat (La lettre aux Juifs, Ep. 51 [Wright], et la lettre à Arsacius, Ep. 84 [Bidez])', Vigiliae Christianae 56 (2002): 131-50. 6. Besides omitting the biographies of Julian mentioned above, and the important articles by Bouffartigue, Mazza and van Nuffeln, T. passes over a number of noteworthy works which have recently been published. On the significant issue of Neoplatonist theurgy, for example, the author refers to publications which are either outdated or incomplete: T. quotes E.R. Dodds and a 1985 article by Gregory Shaw, but refers neither to Shaw's book Theurgy and the Soul (University Park, Pennsylvania, 1995) nor any of the more recent works on the subject by Emma Clarke and Carine van Liefferinge. Given T.'s willingness to include internet resources in his book, it might also have been worth mentioning M. Allisson, Les religions de l'empereur Julien: pratiques, croyances et politiques (Mémoires de l'Université de Neuchâtel, Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Sciences de l'Antiquité), which has been published online. 7. Cf. W. Eck, 'Zur Neulesung der Julian-Inschrift von Ma'ayan Barukh', Chiron 30 (2000) 857-59. 8. Cf. (for instance) A. Cameron, The Later Roman Empire, AD 284-430 (Cambridge, Mass., 1993) Ch. 6; D. Hunt, 'Julian' in A. Cameron (ed.), The Cambridge Ancient History 13 (Cambridge, 1998) 44-77.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line47
__label__cc	0.615929	0.384071	San Mateo, CA \| 650-345-1878 \| A new and exciting Monoclonal Antibody for Multiple Myeloma: Daratumumab Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy that accounts for approximately 1% of all cancers. The disease often involves bone and kidney, causing morbidity from pathological fractures, bone pain, spinal cord compression and renal failure. In the past decade, intensive research into the biology of myeloma has exposed many new potential therapeutic targets. In November 2015, three new therapies were approved by FDA for MM: daratumumab (Darzalex®), ixazomib (Nonlaro®) and elotuzumab (Empliciti®). All are indicated for MM that has returned after prior therapy. Daratumumab (from Genmab/Janssen) is a human IgG1κ monoclonal antibody that targets CD38, a transmembrane glycoprotein found at low levels on lymphoid and myeloid cells, and is involved with calcium flux and signal transduction. CD38 is overexpressed in MM, and it was identified more than 20 years ago as a potential therapeutic target for MM. Daratumumab was identified in preclinical studies as having uniquely potent activity by killing MM cancer cells through complement-dependent cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Results of initial clinical testing were reported in 2012. It was evaluated in a phase I/II study where it demonstrated striking effectiveness as a single agent in heavily pretreated patients.1 In a cohort of 42 patients receiving 16 mg/kg, 64 percent of patients were refractory to both bortezomib and lenalidomide, 17 percent were refractory to carfilzomib, and 36 percent were refractory to pomalidomide. Responses were durable, and 65 percent of patients who had a response were free of progression at one year. The most common adverse events were infusion-related reactions. In 2013 it was given breakthrough therapy status. A phase II study (SIRIUS) in a similar refractory MM population followed, the results of which were reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2015. The SIRIUS study was a phase II trial of daratumumab as a single agent in patients who had three or more prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent, and it showed an overall response of 29 percent. A marketing application followed, and the drug was approved in both the US (2015) and EU (2016). These findings establish daratumumab as the first monoclonal antibody to have single-agent activity, particularly in a challenging patient population with refractory disease. According to Mark Roschewski, M.D., of the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch in NCI’s Center for Cancer Research, “The most exciting of the[se newest] three drugs is daratumumab, because it showed single-agent activity. It is not, by itself, going to cure multiple myeloma, and the duration of remission is relatively short, but it certainly provides some meaningful benefit, particularly if a patient doesn’t have any other treatment options.” Chamow & Associates assists biotechnology companies to develop products like daratumumab. Steven M. Chamow, Ph.D., Principal Consultant \| \| info@chamowassociates.com © 2019 Chamow & Associates \| Designed by Sunpoint	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line48
__label__cc	0.604311	0.395689	Tag Archives: The Dark Monk Authors, Book Review, Novels The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch January 16, 2011 cadebe 1 Comment Note: Click here for a review of Oliver Pӧtzsch’s sequel, The Dark Monk: A Hangman’s Daughter Tale. This review of The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch with translation by Lee Chadeayne (Kindle eBook Dec 2010) is divided into two parts – the good and the bad. First the good, Pötzsch did his homework. His attention to detail regarding 17th century German life transports the reader to that time with all its grittiness, smells, and rationales. Pötzsch tells the story of Jacob Kuisl of the real-life executioner Kuisls, a lineage of which Pötzsch is a direct descendent. Jacob, following in the footsteps of his fathers, is the executioner of Schongau, a small rural town in Bavaria. As Executioner, it is his duty to torture suspects until they confess their crimes and exact punishment up to and including death. This duty makes him such a feared man that the other townspeople say a prayer whenever they come in contact with him on the street. In private, however, these same townspeople visit his home in search of elixirs and balms to cure everything from rashes to sexual dysfunction. In addition to being Executioner, Jacob, a progressive thinker, is also an amateur chemist and developer of medicines. Jacob’s life changes when Martha Stechlin – a midwife who delivered many of the town’s children including his own, is accused of being a witch and charged with the brutal murder of young boy. Jacob is certain of the midwife’s innocence and vows to exonerate her of the charges. Standing in his way is the town’s fever-pitch fear after two other children are found murdered and one goes missing. Add to that numerous sightings of an imposing figure the townspeople believe to be the Devil himself and you have a town gripped in paranoia. The court clerk, Johann Lechner, and the men of the town council play upon the townspeople’s fears by insisting the only way to rid the town of this misery is to burn the witch at the stake. Jacob enlists the help of Simon Fronweiser, the equally progressive thinking town physician’s son and his own daughter Magdalena to investigate the evidence and unravel the mystery to ensure justice prevails. In the end, however, it is Jacob who must fight the Devil to save not only the midwife but also himself. Now, the bad, this novel is categorized as a mystery, but there really isn’t any mystery to it. I was able to identify the true villain within the first chapters. I kept waiting for the twist in the plot that would cast some doubt but it never came. The pace is slow at times, the ending is a little too tidy and there is the puzzle of the title as Magdalena, the daughter in The Hangman’s Daughter, is not a prominent character in the novel. She is Fronweiser’s love interest, but does not make much of a presence until the last few chapters. Until then, she breezes in and out like fly on a hot summer’s day. After reading the postscript, however, one gets the impression it was not Pötszch’s intention to write a great mystery but rather to provide an account of his family’s lineage albeit fictional. Those who appreciate a good storyline will be satisfied with Pötzsch’s character interactions and the “howdunit” rather than the whodunit. This is a very entertaining historical novel. While I can’t highly recommend this novel because it doesn’t live up to its mystery label, I do recommend it because it is a good story with incredible social detail. Unfortunately, the storyline and social detail suffer due to the lack in plot development. I give The Hangman’s Daughter four stars out of a five star rating system. book reviewKuislOliver PötzschsequelThe Dark MonkThe Hangman's Daughter	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line50
__label__wiki	0.927177	0.927177	Prison literature Boethius imprisoned wrote Consolation of Philosophy in 524 AD (image from a 1385 manuscript). Prison literature is a literary genre characterized by literature that is written while the author is confined in a location against his will, such as a prison, jail or house arrest.[1] The literature can be about prison, informed by it, or simply coincidentally written while in prison. It could be a memoir, nonfiction, or fiction. American prison literature 2 American women's prison literature 2.1 Some notable historical examples of prison literature include Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy (524 AD) which has been described as “by far the most interesting example of prison literature the world has ever seen.”[2] Hugo Grotius wrote his Commentaries while in prison. Marco Polo found time and inspiration to write his travels to China only after his return and being imprisoned in Genoa.[1] Miguel de Cervantes was held captive as a galley slave between 1575–80 and from this he drew inspiration for his novel Don Quixote (1605). Sir Walter Raleigh compiled his History of the World, Volume 1 in a prison chamber in the Tower of London, but he was only able to complete Volume 1 before he was executed. Raimondo Montecuccoli wrote his aphorisms on the art of war in a Stettin prison (ca 1639-1641).[3] John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim's Progress (1678) while in jail. Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German while held at Wartburg Castle. Marquis de Sade wrote prolifically during an 11 year period in the Bastille, churning out 11 novels, 16 novellas, 2 volumes of essays, a diary and 20 plays.[1][4] Napoleon Bonaparte dictated his memoir while imprisoned on St. Helena island; it would become of the best sellers of the 19th century.[1] Fyodor Dostoevsky spent four years of hard labor in a Siberian prison camp for his membership in a liberal intellectual group; the experience changed his outlook and writing style, he began to argue against the Nihilist and Socialist viewpoints, instead championing humility and suffering, and his writing became darker and more complex.[4] Oscar Wilde wrote the philosophical essay "De Profundis" while in Reading Gaol on charges of "unnatural acts" and "gross indecency" with other men.[4] E. E. Cummings 1922 autobiographical novel The Enormous Room was written while imprisoned by the French during WWI on the charges of expressing anti-war sentiments in private letters home.[4] Adolf Hitler wrote his autobiographical and political ideology book Mein Kampf while he was imprisoned after the Beer Hall Putsch in November 1923. The Italian Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci wrote much of his work while imprisoned by the fascist government of Mussolini during the 1930s; this was later published as Prison Notebooks, and contained his influential theory of cultural hegemony. In 1942 Jean Genet wrote his first novel Our Lady of the Flowers while in prison near Paris, scrawled on scraps of paper.[1][4] O. Henry (William Sidney Porter) wrote 14 stories while in prison for embezzlement, and it was during this time that his pseudonym “O. Henry” began to stick.[4] Nigerian author Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed while in prison, and wrote Sozaboy, about a young naïve imprisoned soldier. Iranian author Mahmoud Dowlatabadi wrote the 500 page Missing Soluch while imprisoned without pen or paper, entirely in his head, than copied it down within 70 days after his release.[5] A number of postcolonial texts are based on the author's experiences in prison. Nigerian author Chris Abani’s book of poetry Kalakuta Republic is based on his experiences in prison. Pramoedya Ananta Toer wrote the Buru Quartet while in prison in Indonesia. Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's prison diary titled Detained: A Prisoner's Diary was published in 1981. Some examples of female prison writers include Madame Roland (Paris, 1793), Krystyna Wituska (Berlin, 1942-44), Nawal El Saadawi (Egypt, 1981), Joan Henry (England, 1951), Caesarina Kona Makhoere (South Africa, 1976-82), Vera Figner (Russia, 1883-1904), Beatrice Saubin (Malaysia, 1890-90), Precious Bedell (New York, 1980-99) and Lady Constance Lytton (England, 1910). American prison literature 20th century America brought about many pieces of prison literature. Some examples of such pieces are “My Life in Prison” by Jimmy Santiago Baca, and Kathy Boudin. At the start of the 21st century, the United States had an incarceration rate of two million people, taking the lead with the highest imprisonment rate worldwide. Prison literature written in America is of particular interest to some scholars who point out that pieces which reveal the brutality of life behind bars pose an interesting question about American society: “Can these things really happen in prosperous, freedom-loving America?”[6] Since America is globally reputed as being a “democratic haven” and the “land of freedom,” writings that come out of American prisons can potentially present a challenge to everything the nation was founded on. Jack London, a famous American writer who was incarcerated for thirty days in the Erie County Penitentiary, is an example of such a challenger; in his memoir “’Pinched’: A Prison Experience” he recalls how he was automatically sentenced to thirty days in prison with no chance to defend himself or even plead innocent or guilty. While sitting in the courtroom he thought to himself, “Behind me were the many generations of my American ancestry. One of the kinds of liberty those ancestors of mine fought and died for was the right of trial by jury. This was my heritage, stained sacred by their blood…” London’s “sacred heritage” made no difference, however. It is stories such as London’s that make American prison literature a common and popular subtopic of the broader genre of literature. For readers of American prison memoirs, it means getting a glimpse into a world they would never otherwise experience. As Tom Wicker puts it, “They disclose the nasty, brutish details of the life within – a life the authorities would rather we not know about, a life so far from conventional existence that the accounts of those who experience it exert the fascination of the unknown, sometimes the unbelievable.” He also notes that “what happens inside the walls inevitably reflects the society outside.”[7] So not only do readers acquire a sense of the world inside the walls, gaining insight into the thoughts and feelings of prisoners; they also gain a clearer vision of the society which exists outside the prison walls and how it treats and affects those whom they place within. Tom Wicker described prison literature as a "fascinating glimmer of humanity persisting in circumstances that conspire, with overwhelming force, to obliterate it."[7] American women's prison literature In recent years, the population of women in U.S. prisons has increased more quickly than that of men. Women represent almost 10 percent of the U.S. prison population and have limited protection against rape and other sexual violence; many are discriminated against and treated as “sub-human."[8] The works of literature these women write are testament not only to the power of women to overcome the oppression and discrimination they face in their daily lives, but the strength to withstand the defiling experience of prison life and use self-expression as a means of emotional escape and freedom. Over two-thirds of women prisoners in local, state, and federal institutions in the United States are "women of color," the majority being African American women. Studies have shown that in general, African American women, more so than their Caucasian counterparts, come from impoverished backgrounds and have poor personal health.[9] African American women are also said to be part of a "culture of struggle and resistance."[10] Many believe that these distinctions make this genre worthy of special study within the broader genre of women's prison literature. See also Category:Prison writings. See also Category:Memoirs of imprisonment. ^ a b c d e Tony Perrottet. "Serving the Sentence", New York Times Book Review, July 24, 2011. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia [1]. The quote is commonly seen in a number of sources, but without attribution; the Catholic Encyclopedia article is the oldest “known” citation found. ^ My unrelenting vice, Bora Cosic, sightandsight.com, Sept. 5, 2011. ^ a b c d e f Emily Temple. "In Black and White: 10 Famed Literary Jailbirds", Flavorwire, Jan 15, 2012. ^ Interview with Mahmoud Dowlatabadi ^ H. Bruce Franklin, ed., Prison Writing in 20th Century America (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1998) ^ a b Tom Wicker, “Foreword,” in Prose and Cons: Essays on Prison Literature in the United States, ed. D. Quentin Miller (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2005), 280. ^ Tracy Huling, “Foreword,” in Wall Tappings, ed. Judith A. Scheffler, 2nd ed. (New York, NY: The Feminist Press at the City University of New York, 2002) ^ Paula C. Johnson, Inner Lives: Voices of African American Women in Prison (New York, NY: New York University Press, 2003). ^ Darlene Clark Hine, “The Faces of Our Past: Images of Black Women from Colonial Times to the Present,” in Inner Lives, ed. Paula C. Johnson (New York: New York University Press, 2003). Superintendent of Jail Literature (American) LGBT people Private prisons European Prison Education Association Prison Officers Association Prison writings Lutheranism, Ten Commandments, Protestant Reformation, Johann Sebastian Bach, Lucas Cranach the Elder Don Quixote, Spain, Madrid, Spanish language, Renaissance John Bunyan Bedford, The Pilgrim's Progress, English Civil War, Authority control, Elstow Raegan Butcher CrimethInc., Anarchism, Politics, Poet, Stone Hotel Maryland, Great Depression, Incarceration in the United States, Criminal justice, NPR Prison handball Incarceration in the United States, Criminal justice, Prison, Criminology, Penology	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line61
__label__cc	0.513851	0.486149	New Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (R231) 2017, prices and equipment At the auto show in Los Angeles 2015, the premiere of the updated Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Roadster (R231) and “charged” versions of the SL63 and SL65. A few days before the opening of the exhibition, the network appeared official photos of new products. Restyled Mercedes SL (2016-2017) was completely redesigned front end with a new head optics and a grille, made in the style of those on the Mercedes-AMG GT supercar. Configurations and prices Mercedes-Benz SL 2016. Equipment Price Engine Transmission Drive SL 400 $116,000 3.0 petrol (367 hp) Machine (9) rear Already in the base here is a lattice with the diamond brand, and the bumper was enlarged side air intakes. Behind the updated Mercedes SL-Class (2016-2017) issued retouched lights, diffuser, and chrome exhaust pipes. Updated Mercedes-AMG SL63 flaunts original wheels, red brake calipers, otherwise decorated grille and mesh air intakes and carbon-fiber body kit. The structure of the last includes a splitter, trim on the front bumper and sills, a small spoiler on the trunk lid, and also made of carbon fiber mirror housings and diffuser in the rear bumper. At the top-end Mercedes-AMG SL65 their wheels, calipers painted yellow, larger rear spoiler and door sill covers and a chrome front bumper. And, of course, on the side air ducts in the front fenders adorn nameplates V12 Biturbo. Inside, Mercedes-Benz SL R231 after restyling got a clock on the front panel, extended multimedia system screen and slightly modified the steering wheel. Versions by AMG flaunt inserts from carbon and appeared Dynamic Select controller washer on the dashboard to switch the mode of the control electronics (Individual, Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Race). As part of the standard equipment dispatched roadster 9-band automatic transmission (AMG version of the seven-speed automatic transmission with left) and Active Body Control adaptive suspension with the function of the active suppression of banks as a new the S-Class Coupe. It works at a speed of 15 to 180 km/h. Both engines on the Mercedes SL-Class (2015-2017) became more powerful. Basic three-liter V6 petrol engine in the SL 400 is now produces 367 hp and 500 Nm vs. 333 forces earlier. From zero to hundreds of such an option accelerates in 4.9 seconds (- 0.3 seconds). As for the SL 500, its 4.7-liter “eight” now develops 455 hp (700 Nm), accelerating the roadster up to a hundred in 4.3 seconds. Maximum speed is limited both at around 250 kilometers per hour. Sales of the updated SL-start the Class in spring 2016 at a price of $116,000 for the version of the SL 400 and the top-end version of the 500 SL ask for a minimum of $143,400. Previous Previous post: New Mercedes-AMG S65 Cabriolet 2017, prices and equipment Next Next post: New Mercedes-AMG SL63 Roadster 2017, prices and equipment New Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe 2018, prices and equipment In April 2014 the German automaker introduced at the Auto Show in Beijing, a prototype of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe, which turned into a serial coupe called GLE Coupe. Its… New Mercedes-Benz E-Class L 2017, prices and equipment At the auto show in Beijing 2016, he debuted elongated version of the new Mercedes E-Class W213, which got traditional prefix L (from the long) to the title. But this is all… New Mercedes-Benz GLS 2017, prices and equipment November 4, 2015 German automaker officially unveiled the updated SUV Mercedes-Benz GLS (2016-2017), which was previously marketed as the GL-Class. World premiere of new items was…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line64
__label__wiki	0.836411	0.836411	Sample text for Norman Rockwell : a life / Laura Claridge. Copyrighted sample text provided by the publisher and used with permission. May be incomplete or contain other coding. Narrative Connections, the Heart of an Illustrator We tell ourselves stories in order to live. -Joan Didion, The White Album Norman Rockwell was not sadistic. He was, however, expert at creating desire, both in his public and in his private life. His family, who too often felt themselves to be "living out the cover of a Saturday Evening Post," as his oldest son, Jarvis, once expressed it, were routinely seduced by his invitations of intimacy, though the artist established a subtle but impermeable distance when they tried to respond. His real sensitivity was reserved for his art, his empathy lavished on his easel, day after day, for over six decades. As do many artists, he tended to exorcise his internal tensions in his paintings, so that the energy that might have been expended on the work of rearing three sons born within six years of each other exploded into the narrative stories on his canvas instead. In the summer of 1954, for instance, at the height of his powers, Rockwell undertook a Saturday Evening Post cover of an aspiring artist studying master works in a museum, The Art Critic, published on April 16, 1955. The cover shows a young man scrutinizing a woman's décolletage in the head-and-shoulders portrait in front of him, while on the adjacent wall, prosperous Dutch burghers in an Old Master painting appear to start with indignation and amusement as they watch the impudent student. The model for the student was Rockwell's son Jarvis (named after the illustrator's father); for the portrait the young critic studies so assiduously, Rockwell used his wife (and Jarvis's mother), Mary. The timing of this particular painting, in terms of familial harmony, was way off. Mary had been struggling valiantly against alcoholism and depression-possibly a bipolar illness-for at least five years. The family had been racked by the demise of their formerly predictable upper-middle-class home, as the mother, previously the anchor of their household, suddenly needed all the tending. Boarding school plans had been upended in an attempt to rally round her, trips were rescheduled, tremendous amounts of money were poured into treatments, and finally, a permanent move was undertaken from Arlington, Vermont, where the family had lived since 1939, to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, when it became clear that Mary's treatments at the Austen Riggs Center would be long-term. Unknown to the family, as they struggled to adjust to Mary's illness Rockwell suffered a simultaneous spate of suicidal thoughts. Jarvis, however, could give both his parents a run for their money, and in terms of expensive sessions with mental healthcare specialists, he did exactly that. From his earliest years, he was a particularly complicated member of the family: "I never caught on to what you're supposed to do in school," he remembers. "So it kind of never made sense to me, from the beginning." Born in 1932, by 1938 Jarvis had been displaced by two younger brothers, and as he approached first grade, his parents were contemplating yet another major dislocation in his young life. The next year, they would decide to leave the sophisticated enclave of New Rochelle, New York, to make their home in Arlington, Vermont. A greater contrast is hard to imagine, at least on the face of it. New Rochelle fed on the overspill from Manhattan, seeing itself as a haven for worldly artists, entertainers, and intellectuals who wanted to be within commuting distance of the city, while enjoying the yacht club environment of what many treated as a wealthy distant suburb of the city. Even at his young age, Jarvis would feel the shock of adjusting to a bucolic life after the faster pace of his earlier years. Between the move at age nine and posing for The Art Critic immediately prior to his twenty-third birthday, Rockwell's eldest son re-trod many of his father's steps, though too often, to Jarvis, they seemed to be missteps. He, too, had dropped out of high school; he, too, attended not only art school but his father's own, the Art Students League in New York City. And though "Pop," the name the boys conferred on their father when they became adolescents, ostensibly encouraged Jarvis's efforts, praising lavishly to others his son's work, the young artist grew up feeling distant from the father whose somewhat vague friendliness left his son desperate for a closer connection. By 1954, Jarvis had been in and out of art schools, the Air Force, and psychiatric treatment. He was, in the lingo of a later age, trying to find himself. And he was trying hard to understand how to position himself as an aspiring artist in an art world that rejected as inconsequential the achievements of his father, whose technique Jarvis at least deeply appreciated, but whose storytelling in oils found expression, after all, only on mass-reproduced magazine covers. As soon as he was finished posing for Pop this time, Jarvis planned to head off for the Boston Museum of Art School, a more competitive program than any his father had attended. No account exists of Rockwell's inspiration for The Art Critic. Preparing even more feverishly than he did for most of his covers, however, he went through dozens of charcoal sketches, color renderings, and redirection of the mise-en-scène. The flirtatious, attractive woman for whom Mary Rockwell posed took the form of at least ten variations alone, from an early frowning hausfrau to the beautiful damsel that preceded the final image. More impressive still was the illustrator's long indecision over what to place in the frame on the museum's right wall. He completed two detailed paintings in contrasting Dutch styles; in addition to the group portrait of the men, he executed fully a landscape genre scene. Until the last moment, Rockwell alternated between the two pieces, unsure which effect he preferred. In the charcoal on board that he drew immediately prior to his oil sketch, the painting to the right of the student critic is the Dutch landscape, with windmill, elaborate forestry, and tiny figures in the background. But in the end, he chose the parody of a Dutch group scene, which historically implied the weight of patriarchal authority. Vacillating between a genre that suggested a domestic tranquillity and one that invoked the power of his fathers, Rockwell went with the idea of ancestral censure and brought down the full force of his family and aesthetic pedigree on the poor befuddled art student, hapless in the ways of the world and of art. The student himself metamorphosed from an initially disheveled outsider into a more suave Easterner: "Finally, my father changed my face so much it hardly looks like me," the model remembers. In one of Rockwell's earliest pen-and-charcoal sketches, first renderings, Jarvis is given long uncombed hair, a soft, almost nonexistent jawline, and made to appear nearly myopic, his glasses sliding down his nose, as he stands within an inch of a startled-looking housewife in order to study her portrait. He is, in other words, presented as a sloppy, unkempt beatnik, an identity he had in fact been fostering. The finished painting consists instead of a slender, well-groomed slightly droopy-lidded young man, painterly accoutrements of his trade under his arm, standing in front of a portrait in the Netherlandish section of a museum. This eager neophyte, seen only in profile-in contrast to the frontal views of the Dutch group portrait-exhibits a supercilious facial expression and an aristocratic sharp chin, accentuated by his proprietary leaning in toward the woman's portrait. The ersatz sophistication is offset by the childlike way that he nearly squeezes his legs together, his feet perfectly aligned on the tile floor, their toes almost pushed upward by their owner's rigid lower body. Rockwell's frequent device of exaggerating the subject's derriere is employed here to undercut any authority the young art critic might have claimed otherwise; instead, the viewer of the cover is invited to assume the superior, knowing position: benign, wise interpreter of the scene. The finished painting positions the oddly disruptive parody of the Dutch Masters group scene to the right of the voyeuristic student, in the pictorial plane of his palette and easel, perpendicular to his open art history book with its reproduction of the woman's portrait. Rockwell's deliberately formulaic Old Master painting, its antecedents the famous group portraits by both Frans Hals and Rembrandt, revisited his own earlier family romance. His admiration for seventeenth-century Netherlandish painters was one of the few passions he shared with his parents, with whom he continued to live for several years while he went to art school. His father's own not inconsequential sketches clearly were modeled on studies of the Dutch and English countryside; and the domestic painting that lost out to the group portrait in The Art Critic was strikingly similar to the older man's homey sketches. Father-son issues not resolved in their own time passed down to Jarvis and Norman Rockwell. What part mockery versus a more gentle condescension plays in the psychodrama of The Art Critic remains incalculable to its principal model. It was not entirely clear to Rockwell's oldest son how much his father really respected his progeny's work. Rockwell could slide from speaking of "Jerry's" terrific modern art one minute to referring to his son's local installation piece as the "string mess up on the hill" the next. Probably both attitudes were real, given Rockwell's lifelong ambivalence toward abstraction. And Jerry, since late adolescence, had begun to deprecate his father's painting, his newfound superiority hard to hide from Pop. The son's claim to know, his right even to judge his father, takes shape in The Art Critic in the proprietary posture of the student, bending over the detail of the portrait with his magnifying glass in one hand, his easel, palette, and reproduction of the painting in the other. A slightly weary expression, sandwiched between smugness and an unguarded absorption, captures the poseur's incoherence, the lack of an authentic center. His innocence is further compromised by the hint of pursed lips, as if ready to kiss the painting. Worse still, the young artist is magnifying the brooch perilously close to the woman's décolletage; the smirk she has assumed seems a cross between an admonishment and a come-on. Jarvis Rockwell does not like to talk about this painting. "It was very unpleasant for me," he says. "It's true that my mother and I never posed together for this piece. But that's why I realized that there was all this stuff going on, and that my father, on some level, was too polite or too timid to force our faces in it literally. As usual, we were living on the cover of a magazine." Jarvis was embarrassed to contribute to the painting's ribald implications, since his mother's bosom was the object of his gaze. "My father made it very plain that the sexual joke was important to the painting," he remembers. What Mary Rockwell thought of the whole thing goes unnoted; loyal wife of a prominent artist, she buried any conflicts she had at the time with alcohol and pills. The millions of readers who welcomed that April 16, 1955, Saturday Evening Post cover into their homes didn't realize the family drama writ large that the cover shared with them, Rockwell's other-and at least equally important-family. Questions of influence, of talent, of generation, of authority, and of the vexed center of family love all reverberate as one painting within the painting relates to the other, and the parodies and substitutions and historical references feast on one another. What tale would Rockwell have claimed to be telling in The Art Critic? Norman Rockwell told stories. That was his job as an illustrator, and over the decades he stressed that, for him, the hardest part of his work always was coming up with ideas to narrate in the absence of a text written by others. And Post covers, as he said on more than one occasion, had to be read within a few seconds, the manifest meaning laid out through the artful accretion of details. Given those thematic elements of the painting that remained unchanged from his earliest pencil sketch, The Art Critic asks to be understood as, at the least, a young, earnest, overconfident art student yielding up his professionalism to female pulchritude. In the process, his artistic and historical elders gently show their superiority, through their mock outrage and hints of laughter that acknowledge this normal misguided stage of youth. Themes of looking, illicit views and presumptuous vantage points among them, knit together the young art critic, daring to judge, and the Dutch ancestors-woman and man, the old and the young, the new and the dated. Final authority is granted to the viewer-the wise spectator looking in on the picture who is expected, surely, to smile at the too-earnest artist who is still miles, decades, ages away from the achievements of his father(s). Did Rockwell actually reflect upon the template of family desire and ambition embedded in this painting too fraught for his sons to enjoy? Of course not. But we know that by 1954, Norman Rockwell had been put through the wringer in terms of delving into his own psyche. At least as important, he had always developed his narrative line through accretive yokings, visual puns, and meaning that begot meaning, an almost classical, psychoanalytically oriented process of free association. In the late 1940s, for instance, he explained for the benefit of the students he was then teaching that "in a picture which tells a story, the idea itself probably is the most important element of the entire illustration." For an instructor who insisted on the primary importance of technique, of mastering the principles of traditional draftsmanship and color, this was an illuminating statement. And it is a position that he reiterated over the decades, usually adding wryly, as he did here, that he had always found this the hardest part of his profession-coming up with a good idea. After all, he expounded, it wasn't enough to come up with something that the artist alone found meaningful; for an illustrator, a narrative idea had to possess near instant recognition for the audience. "Usually I get my best ideas as I shave in the morning," Rockwell repeated throughout the years. "I draw them on three-by-five squares of paper, then discard them until I get one I think I can go with." That crucial next stage-developing a nugget into a narrative gold mine-involved a long associative habit of thinking, free ranging and unlimited in the directions in which it took the artist. He shared with the students enrolled at the Famous Artists' School an example of this process, in which to begin the sequence he sketched a lamppost, "which always gets me started," although "where I will end I never know." Rockwell travels through ten more vignettes before that end point arrives, and, along the way, he plays with a drunken soldier, who morphs into a dutiful one sewing his pants, to a picture of the sailor's mother mending them instead-with the family dog at hand; to the sailor transformed into a boy who tends to his sick dog, to a vet and dog, to doctors braving blizzards, to a sick girl missing out on a dance, to a square dance, to a cobbler fixing shoes, to a lone cowboy-"shoes recall cowhide, cowhide recalls cows, cows recall cowboys. Still no idea so I must keep going until I finally do get one." At this point, he stops, assuming that the students get the point. Library of Congress subject headings for this publication: Rockwell, Norman, 1894-1978, Painters United States Biography, Illustrators United States Biography	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line65
__label__cc	0.609291	0.390709	Thursday, June 04, 2009 \| Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. For further study - Jeremiah 7:1-20 The time of the writing of this passage is around 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ during the days of King Josiah, King of Judah. Daniel and his three Hebrew companions had already been taken into Babylon to be trained as "counselors" in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah, the prophet, receives a message from the Lord, verse 1, a warning to pass along to the Jewish people. The Prophet was to stand at the gate of the Temple complex and to warn all that came up to the Temple to worship. God's spokesman, Jeremiah, was to tell the Jewish people to amend their ways, in other words, to “get their hearts right with God or else face judgment”. The judgment from the Lord was to start at the "house of the Lord", the Temple. The Lord had Jeremiah remind the people of Israel of the judgment that took place at Shiloh, some 500 years earlier, I Samuel 3 & 4. You might remember that Shiloh was the headquarters for the children of Israel when they came into the Promise Land under the leadership of Joshua. It is also where they erected the Tabernacle, to house the Ark of the Covenant. Shiloh was the political and spiritual capital of the Jewish people for the first 350 years they were in the Promised Land, Joshua 18:1. The account of God's judgment on the Jewish people at Shiloh in I Samuel 3 & 4 indicates that the "Glory of the Lord departed from Shiloh". God told Jeremiah to warn the Jews that it could happen again if they didn't get right with Him. Our extended reading for today details the “sins of the people” against the Lord in Shiloh and in the days of Jeremiah's ministry. This was the lifestyle of those coming to the Temple, to supposedly worship the Lord. This is a similar scenario at many churches in our present world. It was a very sinful time as indicated by the Lord's words to Jeremiah to pray not for these people, verse 16. Verse 17 gives us the information of the worship the Jews were offering up to the "Queen of Heaven". Let me give you some background on the "Queen of Heaven" from extra-Biblical material. The "Queen of Heaven" was the title of the wife of Nimrod, Semiramis, Genesis 11. Nimrod, who built a city, Babylon, Genesis 11:4, also established a religion. This religion was a "mother-son cult" where the mother, Semiramis, and the son, Tammuz, were co-equal recipients of worship. That worship consisted of serving "cakes" in honor of this false religion established in Babylon. It also involved the parents painting hard-boiled eggs and hiding them for the children to find on their special "holy day" for the "Queen of Heaven" called "Ishtar". Remember, God told Jeremiah not to pray for those who worship like this. The “mother-son cult”, with worship of the "Queen of Heaven", was headquartered in Babylon until the fall of the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC. The false Babylonian religion moved it's headquarters then to Pergamus in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, until the fall of the Roman Empire when it moved to the "seven-hilled city" of Rome, Italy, where it is today and where it will continue to be during the first half of the Tribulation Period, Revelation 17. God's judgment will come even to those who supposedly worship Him. As we look at our world today we see a similar scenario, as was described for the last days. Judgment must begin at the "house of the Lord." We are living in the "last days". PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for the warning of judgment for sin. Help me to be pure before you in these last days.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line68
__label__wiki	0.585654	0.585654	Butt-Ugly Martians: Hoverboard Heroes (2002) "Something crazy always happens when the Butt-Uglies are around." C- D B B- D- It's hard to believe that the same TV network that produced such wonderful children's entertainment as SpongeBob SquarePants and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius had a hand in creating such an idiotic program as Butt-Ugly Martians. What makes for good children's entertainment? Well, humor is key. Kids will laugh at just about anything, of course, but worthwhile shows will forgo body humor (or at least not rely on them completely). Usually, the best will include a good mix of sophisticated humor and sight gags, offering something for both the kids and the parents, who are often forced to watch (and re-watch) Junior's DVDs with him. Some sort of moral, lesson, or educational element is nice as well. After all, if kids are going to be vegging out in front of the TV all day, they might as well learn something, right? Heavy-handedness isn't necessary, just look at Jimmy Neutron, subtly promoting self-confidence in your abilities and talents and that learning as cool. Sad to say, Butt-Ugly Martians doesn't meet either of these criteria. But not only isn't it a good children's show, it isn't good entertainment in general�it's boring, garish, and poorly animated to boot. The premise is at least promising. Three Martians�B-Bop, 2-T, and Do-Wah�are sent to Earth to conquer the planet, but once they arrive, they have so much fun they decide not to complete their mission. They befriend three humans and end up getting them into all sorts of trouble as they try to keep the evil Martian Emperor Bog from attacking Earth for real and try to avoid dopey alien hunter Stoat Muldoon (voiced by Unsolved Mysteries host Robert Stack, and his participation is just that). The most original thing about the series seems to be the title, however. Each episode follows the same formula, with something threatening to expose the Martians, forcing them to transform (ala the Power Rangers) into the "fighting" modes so they can defeat the bad guy. Sounds like practically every other children's show on television, right? The animation is also downright ugly, with horrid character designs and limited movement. Or was that the point? This DVD includes three 20-minute episodes of the series. In Damage's Little Girl, the dastardly Martian Damage sends down a spy to infiltrate the B.U.M. In Playback/Payback, Emperor Bog sends a scout bot to earth to judge the B.U.M.'s progress in conquering the planet. Finally, in Once in Love with Angie, when an alien bounty-hunter is sent to help the B.U.M. defeat the earthlings, the visitor falls head-over-heels for one of the trio's human friends. Rating for Substance: D Image Transfer Review: Butt-Ugly Martians doesn't look as good on DVD as most other CG cartoons, but the image quality is still fairly decent. Colors are bright and saturated, anyway. Darker scenes show decent black level, but inconsistent shadow detail. The picture has a rather grainy look overall, and artifacts and aliasing are sometimes visible. Audio Transfer Review: he DD 2.0 mix sounds fine, considering the source material. Dialogue is always clear, and the front soundstage expands nicely with music and sound effects�even if the effects do sound rather harsh and unsupported at times. Character Files Extras Review: Extras are limited to some very brief character bios and a trailer for the direct-to-video animated spin-off of The Mummy entitled The Mummy: Quest for the Scrolls. The back of the box also promises a DVD-ROM game demo, but the feature didn't seem to work on my computer. Butt-Ugly Martians is a children's show that lives up to the idiocy of its title. Devoid of any genuine humor or originality, and bereft of any educational messages or moral content, I can't see why you'd want your kids watching this, let alone owning it on DVD.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line71
__label__cc	0.645332	0.354668	Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in rumors vs reality Phones Review Debbie Dec 19, 2013 Phones Review Dec 19, 2013 Debbie Dec 19, 2013 Read Source No sooner has one popular device arrived than we start seeing leaks and rumors about the next iteration. This is the case with the hugely popular Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung as we are already hearing about Note 4 specs and features. Today we want to talk about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in rumors vs. reality. We all know that with these hit devices we start seeing speculation and leaks about specs and features many months in advance. Of course some sound more achievable than others and when the device finally appears some turn out to be accurate while others were simply pie in the sky. We’ll go through some of the information we’ve heard about the Galaxy Note 4 so far, and you can decide on the aspects that sound the most credible. Back in October we heard rumors of new 13-megapixel cameras for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 4. These new cameras were said to include an anti-shake feature and would also be good for photography in low-light conditions. However, more recently there were claims that the Galaxy Note 4 will have a 16-megapixel camera, with news that Samsung has confirmed 16-megapixel ISOCELL sensors for flagship devices next year. Even more recently a Korean source reported that 20-megapixel cameras were on the way for Samsung devices. It has also been reported that OIS (optical image stabilization) may arrive for the Note 4 camera but that due to a shortage of components this is not so likely for the Galaxy S5 that will release sooner. Another possibility reported for the Galaxy Note 4 is that it will feature a fingerprint sensor, similar to what appeared on this year’s iPhone 5S and HTC One Max. There have been claims that Samsung is already developing this technology ready for next year’s devices. A further prospect we’ve heard of is new wireless charging technology using magnetic resonance rather than having to use a charging mat. Meanwhile Samsung has already talked about some of its new smartphones next year using 64-bit processors, which could also lead to handsets with 4GB of RAM. It looks likely that the Galaxy S5 will be the first Samsung phone to have a 64-bit processor and so this would also be likely to appear on the Galaxy Note 4. If you think the rumors and leaks must stop there then you’d be wrong as Samsung has also stated that some devices next year will have WQHD displays with resolution of 2560 x 1440 and 560 ppi. Samsung also stated that 4K displays with a whopping resolution of 3840 x 2160 will be coming in 2015 so roll on the Galaxy Note 5. More recently it was leaked that Samsung might be moving away from AMOLED displays to LCD displays instead. Recently Samsung also released an infographic about sales of its devices with a possible hint that the Galaxy Note 4 will step up in display size once again. We have also heard about the prospect of a wraparound display and a Samsung patent for this has also emerged that suggests this possibility. However it’s not known whether this will come to next year’s flagship Samsung phones or will be a later development. Last but certainly not least is news regarding the build of the Galaxy Note 4. For a while now some have hoped that Samsung might move away from its plastic designs to a more premium look. Now a tougher aluminum body has been rumored for the Galaxy S5, which in turn implies the Galaxy Note 4 may also be made from aluminum. Of course between now and the eventual Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release we are likely to see an abundance of further speculation and conjecture about this device. It will be interesting to look back at these early rumors about the Note 4 when it is launched to see how much of it was accurate. Now we’d really like to hear from readers about your views on the above Galaxy Note 4 rumors and leaks. Which rumors do you think will turn out to be false, and which do you think will become a reality? What are your own hopes for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4? Please tell us what you think by sending your comments.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line75
__label__wiki	0.848692	0.848692	Marilyn's L.A. J.I. Baker Weaving together historical events with infamous conspiracy theories, The Empty Glass is a riveting, paranoiac thriller narrated by the young coroner who is among the first on the scene at Marilyn Monroe’s bungalow when the actress is reported dead. "A juicy mystery...imaginative." US WEEKLY "This novel about Marilyn Monroe's death will thrill your inner conspiracy theorist." O THE OPRAH MAGAZINE "Haunting, harrowing Hollywood noir at its finest" Megan Abbott, author of DARE ME and THE END OF EVERYTHING "The Empty Glass comes rampaging out of the gate and keeps on roaring and roistering until the sad, salutary shock of its final pages. After I started, the vivid writing and the presence of the unhappy latter-day Marilyn Monroe kept me reading all the way to the end. I want to tell everyone within the sound of my voice to buy this splendid novel. It's really punchy and really good, and you really should read it." Peter Straub, award-winning author of In The Night Room "James Ellroy fans will relish Baker's impressive first novel, a dark paranoid thriller. Barbed prose makes a familiar story fresh, as does the effective use of flashbacks and flash-forwards. Fluent in the noir idiom, Baker maintains the depressing atmospherics throughout." Publisher's Weekly starred review "J.I. Baker takes a bold run into Cain and DeLillo territory and scores. The Empty Glass is chilled and redolent of a good gin martini, leaving you primed to order another." Barry Gifford, author of Wild at Heart "It's LA CONFIDENTIAL meets the Bio channel with a little TMZ thrown in for fun." "Stylishly written and perfectly paced, The Empty Glass is noir fiction re-imagined for the modern era, a novel that is sharp, smart and breathlessly fast-paced, yet somehow manages to convey the slow burn of an old regret. As such, it marks the auspicious debut of a new voice in American suspense." Thomas H. Cook, Edgar Award-winning author of Taken "[In The Empty Glass] Baker conjures a suitably paranoid atmosphere and crackling dialogue in this look at the seedy intersection of celebrity, politics, and power." "The Empty Glass is riveting, brilliant, and endlessly fascinating. Writing from a wholly original perspective, J.I. Baker has combined the history and myth surrounding one of the most intriguing deaths of last century and created a shocking, unputdownable thriller." Jason Starr, author of The Craving "J.I Baker has spun a gripping, pulse-pounding conspiracy around an American tragedy. Smart, perfectly atmospheric, and heartbreaking, The Empty Glass will stay with you long after the final page." Andrew Gross, author of 15 Seconds and co-author of six #1 NYT bestsellers with James Patterson Who Killed Marilyn? On August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her Brentwood hacienda. Fifty years later, many disturbing questions remain. Here, the players, the theories, the evidence, the lovers, and the unsolved mysteries surrounding the death of the world’s greatest film star Three versions of Marilyn Monroe’s untimely end. Which one do you believe? Was She Given a Hot Shot? Guy Hockett, owner of Westwood Village Mortuary, and his son, Don, wheeling the dead star from her home. “Hot Shot” is slang for an injection. Was it possible that Marilyn Monroe, already under the influence of pills and drink, was given some sort of surreptitious shot? And was it given to calm her down or with the intent to kill? No one, of course, knows the answer—not even Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the coroner who performed the autopsy. “I found no needle marks,” he wrote in his 1983 memoir, Coroner, “and so indicated on the body diagram in the autopsy report. But, interestingly, I did find evidence which might have indicated violence—and I also marked that evidence on the diagram.” What he found was a bruise on Monroe’s lower left back. From deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald’s confessions in The Empty Glass (Blue Rider Press, 2012): “A bruise is a sign of violence. Its color comes from protein enzymes thrown off by white blood cells that try to contain the damage. Those enzymes change from dark purple to brown to yellow over time. The bruise on Miss Monroe’s left hip was dark purple, which means it probably appeared on the night she died. But it was never explained.” Noguchi himself admitted that, during his examination of comedian John Belushi’s body in 1982, no puncture mark was initially visible—but, when he squeezed the actor’s arm, a tiny spot of blood appeared where an injection had occurred. What would have happened had he done the same thing to Monroe? Maybe he would have discovered a puncture mark—the remains of a hot shot—hidden in the center of that bruise. Find out much more in The Empty Glass. Did She Overdose On Pills? Marilyn Monroe’s bedside table. Where is the missing water glass? Sure, it’s possible that the actress, who by all accounts had substance abuse problems, simply overdosed, but consider this. Was She Given a Poisoned Enema? John Miner was the L.A. district attorney in 1962 and, as such, attended the Marilyn Monroe autopsy. He believed a conspiracy was involved in the actress’s death—specifically that she was given a barbiturate-poisoned enema, which would explain why there was no yellow color in the actress’s duodenem, as well as no odor of pear. It would also explain how the actress ended up with 4.5 percent milligrams of barbiturates and 8 percent chloral hydrate in her bloodstream—which would have meant swallowing 50-80 pills—without water, or a water glass. It would also have explained what Coroner Thomas Noguchi called “marked congestion and purplish discoloration” in the actress’s colon. Just before his death in 2011, Miner claimed that he had heard—and taken notes on—tapes that Dr. Ralph Greenson had made of Marilyn Monroe before her death, telling Playboy: “Peter [Lawford] had enema sex parties at his Malibu house. [In Dr. Greenson’s tapes] [Monroe] refers to one of them, at which she had the interesting experience of allegedly having the Countess Du Barry’s [an infamous Parisian prostitute] equipment used on her.” A missing water glass, missing phone records, and missing tissue samples: 13 reasons to believe Marilyn’s death involved a conspiracy Marilyn Monroe couldn’t have swallowed all the pills According to the Marilyn Monroe toxicology report, the actress had 4.5 percent milligrams of barbiturates and 8 percent chloral hydrate in her bloodstream, which means she would have had to swallow around 30 to 40 phenobarbital, or Nembutals. And this doesn’t account for the 13 percent phenobarbital the toxicologist, Ralph Abernethy, found in the liver. That added percent means that Monroe would have had to ingest 50, if not 80, pills by mouth. She would also have had to swallow them quickly, since (if given time) the body rejects the poison, vomiting it up—and yet there was no water in the house…and no water glass on the table initially. In the entire history of forensics, no one has ever died with such high blood concentrations of phenobarb and chloral hydrate as a result of oral ingestion. There was no light under Marilyn Monroe’s door Marilyn Monroe’s housekeeper, Eunice Murray, claimed she’d noticed a light under the actress’s door when she went to bed around ten on the night of the actress’s death. Murray went to bed in her own room, adjacent to Monroe’s; they shared a wall. She woke at midnight and had to go to the bathroom, she said, so she went into the hall. She noticed that the light was still on under the door, and she became alarmed. She tried the door, but it was locked from the inside. She knocked: no answer. But why would she have gone into the hall to use the bathroom when one was accessible through her room? And the carpet pile in Monroe’s room was so thick and high that it made closing the door difficult. This meant that no light could possibly have escaped underneath. So how did Murray know that Monroe’s light was still on? No water glass was found in Marilyn Monroe’s bedroom No water glass was found in the first inspection of Marilyn Monroe’s bedroom—in fact, the water in her hacienda had been turned off because of renovations. And yet the actress allegedly died by swallowing 50-80 pills. The lack of the glass was noted by Jack Clemmons, the first responding officer, but later pictures clearly showed a water glass on the actress’s bedside table. How did that glass get there? The death timeframe was changed Initially, Marilyn Monroe’s housekeeper, Eunice Murray, claimed she became alarmed when she noticed a light under Monroe’s door around midnight. Despite the fact that Monroe was a chronic insomniac—midnight was hardly late for her—Murray claims she panicked, and called…not the police but rather Monroe’s psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson. When Greenson arrived at the hacienda, he, too, found Monroe’s bedroom door locked. He went outside, looked through the bedroom window, and saw the actress lying nude on the bed under rumpled bedclothes. She looked “peculiar,” he said. He broke the window with a poker from the living-room fireplace and climbed inside. She was clutching the phone. “She must have been calling for help,” said Greenson, who later called the actress’s physician, Dr. Hyman Engelberg. But why would Monroe have been calling for help when she knew the housekeeper was right next door? Even stranger, Murray, Greenson, and Engelberg didn’t call the cops until 4:35 a.m. When asked why, they said they had to get permission from the publicity department at 20th Century Fox, where Monroe was making her last film, Something’s Got to Give. The whole scenario was upended the following morning, when the L.A. Times reported that all the players had mysteriously changed their stories—specifically the time: Mrs. Monroe’s body was discovered after her housekeeper and companion, Mrs. Eunice Murray, awoke about 3 a.m. and saw a light still burning in the actress’ room. But the bedroom door was locked. She was unable to arouse [sic] Miss Monroe by shouts and rapping on the door, and immediately telephoned Miss Monroe’s psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson. Dr. Greenson took a poker from the fireplace, smashed in a window, and climbed into the Monroe bedroom. He took the telephone from her hand and told Mrs. Murray, "She appears to be dead." He called Dr. Hyman Engelberg, who had prescribed the sleeping pills, and pronounced her dead on his arrival at the house a short time later. Dr. Engelberg called police at 4:20 a.m. and two officers arrived in five minutes. A junior coroner, Thomas Noguchi, was asked to perform the autopsy From Thomas Noguchi’s memoir, Coroner: “On [the morning of Monroe’s death] I discovered something strange. [Chief Coroner] Dr. Curphey had telephoned the office early to leave me a message. The note on my desk read, ‘Dr. Curphey wants Dr. Noguchi to do the autopsy on Marilyn Monroe.’ A more senior medical examiner would normally have performed the autopsy. And yet Dr Curphey had made a unique call on a Sunday morning assigning me to the job.” Marilyn Monroe’s body showed dual lividity In his autopsy report, coroner Thomas Noguchi noted “dual lividity” on the body of Marilyn Monroe. What does this mean? Livor mortis happens during the first eight hours after death. When the heart stops pumping, red blood cells settle in the lower portion of the body, so that if the body is on its left side, the lividity—a purplish spotting—appears at the bottom of that side. If livor mortis is present on both sides, it’s called “dual lividity.” In Monroe’s case, livor mortis was found on both the back and front of the arms and legs. Which could indicate that the body had been moved. Why would the body have been moved? No refractile crystals were found in Marilyn Monroe’s stomach If you ingest more than 12 capsules of barbiturates, refractile crystals will appear in the digestive tract or in the stomach. In his autopsy report, coroner Thomas Noguchi noted: “A smear made from the gastric contents examined under the polarized microscope shows no refractile crystals.” No odor of pear emerged from Marilyn Monroe’s body The smell of pear is characteristic of a chloral hydrate overdose (which is part of what caused Marilyn Monroe’s death) when chloral hydrate is taken by mouth. But the smell wasn’t apparent during the autopsy—another reason to believe that Monroe did not swallow the pills. How, then, were the drugs introduced to her body? No yellow color appeared in Marilyn Monroe’s duodenum In Marilyn Monroe’s duodenum, the first digestive tract after the stomach, there was “no evidence,” coroner Thomas Noguchi wrote in his report, “of pills. No residue. No coloration.” But Nembutals are called “yellow jackets” because of their distinctive yellow color; it’s virtually inconceivable that she would or could have swallowed 50 to 80 “yellow jackets” without leaving a tell-tale stain in the duodenum. Important specimen analyses were never done—and the specimens themselves vanished Ralph Abernethy, the chief toxicologist, delivered analyses on Marilyn Monroe’s blood and liver, but in his autopsy report coroner Thomas Noguchi had requested analyses on the kidney, stomach, urine, and intestines as well—because the analyses of all these organs would show exactly how barbiturates had entered the system. Without specimen analysis, there’s no way of telling how the pills were ingested. But Abernethy did not deliver analyses on the kidney, stomach, urine or intestines because, he said, it was “obviously a suicide.” (That was clearly not his call to make.) Strangest of all, the tissue samples that were sent to be analyzed “disappeared” from Abernethy’s lab at UCLA. “In the entire history of the L.A. county coroner’s office,” then-DA John Miner said, “there has never been a[n] instance of organ samples vanishing.” Everyone at the death scene seemed to disappear on “vacation” Most of the people who were at Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood hacienda late at night on August 4 and/or in the early morning hours of August 5—her housekeeper, Eunice Murray; her publicist, Pat Newcomb; her psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson; and her physician, Dr. Hyman Engelberg—mysteriously took “vacations” in the wake of the death. Marilyn Monroe’s phone records went missing “The morning after [Marilyn Monroe’s] death,” reporter Joe Hyams is quoted in Anthony Summers’s Goddess, “I contacted a telephone company employee and asked him to copy for me the list of numbers on her tape—a service he was willing to provide for a fee. Within the hour my contact called me back from a pay phone. ‘All hell has broken loose down here,’ he told me. ‘Apparently you’re not the only one interested in Marilyn’s calls. The tape’s disappeared.’ I’m told it was impounded by the Secret Service—I’ve never before heard of the government getting in on the act. Obviously somebody high up ordered it.” Monroe’s phone records from June and July, which had already been processed and therefore couldn’t be removed from the records, showed a number of calls made to RE7-8200, the number of the Justice Department in Washington, DC. There were mysterious flights in and out of Los Angeles Many people have claimed that Attorney General Bobby Kennedy couldn’t possibly have been in Los Angeles on August 4 and August 5, the night and/or early morning of Marilyn Monroe’s death. In fact, he had been scheduled to speak at the American Bar Association Conference on Monday, August 6, so he spent the weekend with his wife, Ethel, and kids at the Bates Ranch in Gilroy, 300 miles northwest of Los Angeles. On Saturday, Monroe’s last day, everyone went horseback riding. On Sunday, Bobby attended mass at 9:30 a.m. in Gilroy. “He was without his usual flashy smile and shook hands woodenly with those that welcomed him,” one paper said. “Perhaps the cares of the administration are weighing heavily on him.” Perhaps. But pages from flight logs at Conners helicopter at Clover Field in Santa Monica showed the record of two helicopter flights on the afternoon before and night of Monroe’s death. The first, from San Francisco, had landed at 1:16 p.m. on August 4 at Stage 18 of the 20th Century Fox lot near the Beverly Hilton. The second had flown out of Santa Monica just after midnight on August 5, heading to San Francisco. It means that Bobby could have left Gilroy on Saturday, flying from San Francisco to the Fox lot after lunch and then heading to see Monroe. It means he could have returned to Gilroy in time for prayers on Sunday. But Monroe was found dead after midnight. Why did the second flight leave L.A. for San Francisco almost 12 hours after the first flight arrived? Maybe Bobby didn’t get what he wanted from Monroe in the afternoon. So maybe he returned to her house that night—perhaps with Dr. Ralph Greenson, perhaps with Peter Lawford. In a 1985 BBC interview, Monroe housekeeper Eunice Murray finally dropped the defenses that she, like Lawford, had maintained throughout her life and said, “Why, at my age, do I still have to cover this thing?” She went on to say that Bobby had been in the Brentwood hacienda on the day Monroe died and that a doctor and an ambulance had come while Monroe was still alive. Click on a pin to explore the starlet’s City of Angels Ciro’s nightclub This is where Ben Fitzgerald (the deputy coroner at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s who claimed to have found Marilyn Monroe’s secret diary) claims, in The Empty Glass (Blue Rider Press, 2012), that he met up with both Jo Carnahan and Jeanne Carmen, the actress who claimed she’d received a phone call from Marilyn Monroe on the last night of the troubled star’s life. This racetrack is where Ben Fitzgerald (the deputy coroner at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s who claimed to have found Marilyn Monroe’s secret diary) wound up in a showdown with the Mob and the LAPD. Joe’s Bar This long-lost place has only a tangential connection to the Marilyn Monroe death, insofar as it was a favored spot of Ben Fitzgerald, the Wild Turkey-loving deputy coroner at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s who claimed to have found Marilyn Monroe’s secret diary. Other than the fact that it was located (per Fitzgerald’s confessions in The Empty Glass, Blue Rider Press, 2012) near a “blue tamale place” on Melrose, no one can ascretain where it is, though some historians place it here. Verona Gardens Once a nightclub frequented by honeymooners and later by lowlives like Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, who allegedly stopped here on the last night of her life, it was converted into an apartment building in the late 1950s. Johnny Roselli lived here for a brief period with Los Angeles County Coroner deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald’s estranged wife, Rose, and their son, Max. According to Fitzgerald’s confessions in The Empty Glass (Blue Rider Press, 2012), Roselli was extorting his wife sexually. The Savoy The notorious Savoy was once the residence of Ben Fitzgerald (the deputy coroner who controversially claimed to have discovered the missing diary of Marilyn Monroe) from some unidentified point in 1962 to his mysterious disappearance in October of the same year. The hotel was once a playground for Hollywood’s celluloid set, back when mid-Wilshire was the Center of the Film World. But after a few suspicious fires in the 1940s—in addition to the fact that room 4E was for six months the residence of the infamous serial killer Art Barker, who hid mementos from his victims in the walls—the Savoy went from a palace to a sad place that traded in human remnants, pornographic pictures, and flagons of ether and laudanum. By the early 1960s, it had become a home for vagrants, down-on-their-luck starlets, welfare cases, the penniless elderly, and the insane. Old Hall of Justice This building, where Ben Fitzgerald worked as a deputy coroner under Coroner Theodore Curphey when Marilyn Monroe was found dead in Brentwood in 1962, is currently empty, having been irreparably damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. But the LA County Coroner’s office, where Monroe was autopsied, was once located in its basement. It was so dank and dark that it was commonly known as “pneumonia hall,” and the administration was so lax and incompetent, if not criminal, that the bodies of “unimportant” people were often just stacked in the Fallout Shelter, where they rotted among the rats. Westwood Village Mortuary A quiet, eerie oasis in the middle of the city, this is where Marilyn Monroe lies buried not far from Truman Capote and Dean Martin—both of whom were friends of the actress. Natalie Wood, Roy Orbison, Walter Matthau and many others are buried here, too. (Frank Zappa’s grave is the unmarked No. 100.) The director Billy Wilder is buried close to his frequent star, Jack Lemmon, and both have put jokes on their gravestones: Wilder’s says “I’m a writer, but then nobody’s perfect,” and Lemmon’s reads “Jack Lemmon in….” Peter Lawford’s Santa Monica Beach House The former Louis B. Mayer mansion was purchased by actor Peter Lawford and his wife, Patricia, John F. Kennedy‘s sister. (Lawford was known as the Brother-in-Lawford.) It was considered the White House West, because it’s where JFK stayed (and partied—hard) when he came to Los Angeles. Many believe that JFK had sex repeatedly with Marilyn Monroe here, and private investigator Fred Otash said that the sex was taped, thanks to the bugs that were planted in the house. This is probably also where Monroe first met Bobby Kennedy. Now the Rainbow Bar and Grill, this is where Marilyn Monroe had her first (blind) date with Joe DiMaggio in 1952. 12305 Fifth Helena Drive This is the location of the modest Brentwood hacienda that Marilyn Monroe bought (and furnished with many things she had purchased on a trip to Taxco, Mexico) only sixth months before she died in the bedroom. A tile just outside the front window reads “Cursum Perficio,” meaning “I have completed my journey.” 882 North Doheny Drive This is a triplex on the corner of Cynthia Street. Sinatra’s accountant managed the place, which is why the singer’s secretary lived there. Marilyn herself first lived at Doheny before she married DiMaggio. She moved back after divorcing Arthur Miller. She stayed there, a kind of waystation, on her way to the permanent digs—as permanent as her digs would ever be. She died only six months after moving to Brentwood. Cal-Neva Lodge This place, half in California and half in Nevada, was once a mobbed-up haunt of the rich and famous and is now but a pale shadow of its former self. As of this writing, even the gambling has been eliminated, and the place itself is falling apart, though you can still take tours of the tunnels underneath the complex. On the last weekend of her life, Marilyn Monroe was brought to the Cal-Neva by its infamous co-owner, Frank Sinatra, ostensibly to celebrate the renewal of her contract with 20th Century Fox. But the agenda may have been more sinister: The actress was by all accounts drugged and drunk the entire weekend, and the photographer Billy Woodfield later claimed that Sinatra brought him a roll of film to be developed. He claims the photos, when developed, showed the actress bombed and wallowing on the floor of Chalet 52, where she was staying. Some sources suggest that the Chicago Mob’s Sam Giancana was involved and may even have been shown in the photos. Bel-Air Hotel This is where the so-called “Last Sitting,” a series of photographs by Bert Stern for Vogue, was shot just weeks before Marilyn Monroe’s death. Formosa Café This hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant, adjacent to the Goldwyn studios, was where Monroe ate while shooting Some Like It Hot. Canter’s Deli Marilyn Monroe used to hang out at this New York-style delicatessen with her third husband, Arthur Miller. Some were suspects (Bobby Kennedy, the Chicago Mob); others were mere bystanders. A look at the people who filled Marilyn’s tormented last days. Sam Giancana chicago mob boss Theodore Curphey Chief Coroner Eunice Murray Captain James Hamilton Bobby Kennedy's favorite cop Dr. Hyman Engelberg Marilyn's physician Dr. Ralph Greenson Marilyn's psychiatrist Fred Otash Private investigator/wiretapper Peter Lawford Friend/Kennedy procurer deputy coroner Johnny Roselli The Chicago Mob's man in L.A. Pat Newcomb Publicist/Kennedy friend Attorney General/lover Jo Carnahan President/lover What really happened on the weekend of June 2? What happened at the Cal-Neva Lodge the weekend before Marilyn’s death? Why did she break down over a stuffed tiger? Many people (Fred Otash included) claim that a number of tapes were made of Marilyn Monroe—beginning with tapes of her having sex with President John F. Kennedy at Peter Lawford’s Santa Monica beach house and ending with a tape made of what might have happened with Bobby Kennedy in her Brentwood hacienda on the night of her death. “A number of surveillance experts—among them Otash and Bernard Spindel’s aide Earl Jaycox—have stated that they listened to some of the tapes made at Monroe’s home, including one recorded on the day she died,” Donald Spoto wrote in The Man Who Kept the Secrets, his biography of Lawford. “Their accounts of what is contained on the tapes are remarkably similar.” The accounts include reports of the “echoey” sounds of Monroe and Bobby arguing about something that had been “promised” by Bobby and Monroe demanding an explanation of why he wouldn’t marry her. Bobby kept asking, “Where is it? Where the fuck is it?” Then there was a door slam and, later, the sound of three voices: Kennedy’s, Monroe’s, and Lawford’s. “We have to know,” Bobby said. “It’s important to the family. We can make any arrangements you want, but we must find it.” Kennedy was screaming, and Monroe was ordering them out of the house. Then there were (one source said) “thumping, bumping sounds, then muffled, calming sounds. It was as though she were being put on the bed.” Many people, including LA County Coroner’s Office Deputy Coroner Ben Fitzgerald, claim to have seen a diary written by Marilyn Monroe that later disappeared from evidence at LACCO. Author Robert Slatzer, a friend of Monroe’s, claimed the diary included references to Cuba, the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the Kennedy brothers’ war on Jimmy Hoffa. Is this what Bobby Kennedy was screaming about when he was heard on the death tape allegedly saying, “We have to find it. It’s important to the family”? Is this what he was looking for when he allegedly returned to the Monroe hacienda on the day and night of her death? Is this what Monroe’s publicist Pat Newcomb (see photo at left) was so furiously searching for on the morning of August 5, the reason why the police had to force her from the house? The weekend of June 2-3 According to Dr. Ralph Greenson’s children, something mysterious happened on this weekend that plunged Marilyn Monroe into despair. “What it was nobody really knows,” said Henry Weinstein, the producer of Monroe’s last, unfinished film, Something’s Got to Give. “I mean, people do know. I think the only one who knows for sure is [Monroe's publicist] Pat Newcomb.” Some speculate that Monroe was pregnant—more than anything else in life, she wanted a child—and that she had had an abortion. If that’s true, who was the father? The weekend at Cal-Neva Lodge On July 28 and 29, the penultimate weekend of Marilyn Monroe’s life, Frank Sinatra was performing at the Cal-Neva Lodge (see photo), located half in California and half in Nevada (the Nevada half—this was the gimmick—featured gambling). What happened that weekend is shrouded in mystery, but Monroe was by all accounts drunk and stoned throughout, and photographer Billy Woodfield, who often did work for Sinatra, claimed to the end of his life that Sinatra brought him pictures that were taken in Chalet 52, where Monroe was staying. “Woodfield stated that when Sinatra returned from Cal-Neva, he brought Woodfield a roll of film to be developed,” Donald Wolfe wrote in The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe. “In his darkroom, the photographer was shocked to see that the photographs were of an unconscious Marilyn being sexually abused in the presence of mob boss Sam Giancana and Sinatra. Marilyn had been drugged…When Sinatra was given the negatives and prints, Woodfield suggested that Sinatra burn them, but the pictures were intended to insure Marilyn’s silence.” The stuffed tiger on August 4 On the last day of Marilyn Monroe’s life, author Anthony Summers wrote in Goddess, “a messenger arrived with a package. Marilyn opened it and walked out to the pool carrying its contents—a stuffed toy tiger. She then sat down by the pool, holding the tiger and saying nothing. [She seemed terribly depressed] but did not say why. Photographs of the back of Marilyn’s house, taken the next day [see photo at left], showed two stuffed animals lying by the pool. One of them could be a tiger. Had some devastating note arrived with the tiger or—curious thought—was the tiger itself the message? Marilyn, at all events, now lost control.” From Frank Sinatra to an anonymous taxi driver: The many men who bedded Marilyn. George Piscitelle José Bolanos	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line80
__label__wiki	0.558328	0.558328	Minister S.Lavrov Speech by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his answers to questions from the mass media summarising the meeting with EU, Russian, US and Ukrainian representatives, Geneva, 17 April 2014 Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! We have ended our meeting on the situation in Ukraine, which continued the series of contacts between the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and me. This time we gathered together with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, and the Acting Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Deshchytsia. Like during our meetings with John Kerry in the bilateral format, our partners prefer separate press conferences. Therefore, I am alone with you, but they will tell about their impressions about the results of this meeting individually. We approved a document – Geneva Statement of April 17, 2014, in which we agreed that we need to take primary and specific steps to de-escalate tensions and restore security of all Ukrainian nationals. We agreed that all sides must refrain from any violence, intimidation or provocative actions. We strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-semitism. These are very topical requirements in terms of the events in Ukraine in the last months. We appeal to take the following steps: all illegal armed groups must be disarmed; all illegally seized buildings must be returned to legitimate owners; all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated; amnesty must be granted to all protestors, with the exception of those found guilty of capital crimes. It was decided that for the implementation of the entire set of these measure, we appeal to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, which is already working in Ukraine, and according to its mandate is entrusted to settle different situations and reduce tensions between the conflicting parties, to play a leading role in assisting Ukrainians – the Kiev authorities and local communities – in the immediate implementation of these de-escalation measures. Of course, Russia, the United States and the EU are already participating in the monitoring Mission, the composition of which will be extended according to the decision earlier taken by the OSCE Permanent Council. We will support the work of this Mission in setting up a dialogue between the parties, to unblock different situations step-by-step, in their totality and reciprocally. We also adopted an important appeal that the immediate establishment of a broad national dialogue within the framework of the constitutional process, which should be inclusive, transparent and accountable, is required. These are three important characteristics, which are currently not seen in the current efforts of the Kiev authorities, which have created a respective group on the constitutional reform in the Verkhovna Rada. It was emphasised that all the Ukrainian regions and political forces should be involved into this dialogue, consideration of comments and amendments to the constitution under development should be ensured. We underlined the importance of economic and financial stability in Ukraine, which is seriously disrupted right now. We expressed readiness to continue discussing the support of efforts to restore stability in the economy along with the implementation of the steps, which I have mentioned. This is the nature of our todays, compromise-based agreements. The main thing for us is that participants of these negotiations recognise the irrevocable fact that this crisis, in terms of immediate stop of the conflict related to the detention of protesters, occupation of different buildings and squares and long-term plans to start a true constitutional reform, must be settled by Ukrainians. As you know, when this meeting was being prepared, Russia proposed that main Ukrainian opposition forces, which do not agree to the events in Kiev on the 22 February and doubt the legitimacy of the Kiev authorities, were represented at this meeting. Along with that, because of organisation causes, we have not managed to invite representatives of the opposition, mainly from the South and the East, here. At this meeting we presented and distributed the documents adopted by the Praesidium of the Party of Regions, Lugansk Regional Council and the newly created movement “South-East of Ukraine”. They primarily concerned measures to de-escalate the situation, avoid use of force or threat of force to resolve different disputable questions and, the main thing, the vision of provisions to the included into the new constitution by the South-East: primarily, these are decentralisation, significant extension of authorities of regions, including their right to elect their own legislative and executive bodies, ensuring of the proper role of the Russian language in the Ukrainian community. Ukrainians should decide whether it will have a state or official status, but the decision must be acceptable for all the regions and political forces. We will contribute to the development of such a dialogue in a constructive way, because it is a ticket to stability of the Ukrainian state with full respect for all historical, cultural, language and other peculiarities of different regions of this country. We agreed to continue our meetings in different formats. I hope that our colleagues ensuring the work of the OSCE Mission in Ukraine will perceive our appeal (this is only an appeal – we cannot decide for the OSCE) that this Mission takes into consideration and uses its authorisations to settle different hotbeds of tension. We will try to achieve its honest and objective work, so that it targets its efforts at all the aspects mentioned in our statement, including the aspects, which (in our opinion) are the most important, – the task to free the persons, who were arrested for participation in political actions (we especially underlined the fate of the popular governor of the Donetsk Region, Pavel Gubarev) and decisive stop of any expressions of extremism in any of its forms. Question: You said about disarmament of illegal armed formations. Do you mean the self-defence units of the South-East, including Donbass militia? Did you discuss the sanctions, which Ukraine has introduced today against males from the Russian Federation aged from 16 to 60, having actually banned them entry to its territory, at this meeting? Sergey Lavrov: The measures, which we listed as propositions after our meeting today are related to each and all Ukrainian regions and expression of one or another problem issues. You know that the Agreement, which was signed on the 21 February, formalised the issues of disarmament of illegal formations. Little has been done since then. Only few of them were disarmed. The Right Sector continues to function, refuses to lay down weapons, stating arrogantly that they will fulfil functions of the Ukrainian army, if it is helpless. Our Statement “covers” all these aggressive expressions. We believe that Ukraine should come to a point, when each and all regions live according to common rules accepted in a civilised community: only security forces, police and army should have weapons and use them according to international norms rather than against own people, as it is envisaged by the order, which was signed by the current Kiev authorities to suppress mass protests. All this should be applicable universally and equally and can be done only reciprocally. It is impossible to resolve the problem of unblocking illegally occupied buildings in any Ukrainian region, when illegally occupied buildings are not freed in other regions. I repeat this is only a principle which we proclaimed. Ukrainians should settle all these issues on site in each particular case. We have especially emphasised that for this it is necessary that first those, who seized power in Kiev as a result of a coup (if they believe that they represent interests of all the Ukrainians), should show the initiative, give their hand to regions, listen to their concerns, sit together with them and start agreeing about resolution of specific security problems in one or another city, village or populated area, and (I especially underline this) about a true constitutional reform. We drew the attention to the decision by the Ukrainian authorities to discriminate Russian males of certain age in terms of their ability to visit Ukraine. This is outrageous and is contrary to spirit, which our western partners wished to create at this meeting. Despite this explicitly discriminating and unfriendly act, we do not dismiss the opportunities, which opened up at the meeting today. We have a hope, because it seemed to us that the United States and the European Union show sincere interest to trilateral cooperation with Russia to convince all the Ukrainians and, primarily those, who seized power in Kiev, to sit at the negotiation table (our western partners promised this to us), to show responsibility for the destiny of their country and resolve any issues taking into consideration opinions and interests of all regions of the country. Question: Is there understanding between Russian, Ukrainian and US colleagues with regard to the non-aligned status of Ukraine? How will this status be formalised? Do you mean only military or also political neutrality? What is Russia’s position on the possible accession of Ukraine to the EU? Sergey Lavrov: Firstly, there is a law in military and political neutrality in Ukraine. In our discussions we stated firmly that the change of this Ukraine’s status will disrupt all the efforts to set up cooperation and constructive interaction on the issues related to the extension of the current crisis in Ukraine. Frankly speaking, I do not know what political neutrality is, I am not convinced that it can exist separately from the military neutrality. Military and political neutrality in the political and diplomatic glossary means membership in military blocs. NATO is a military and political bloc, there are other unions in other parts of the world, primarily with United States’ participation. I believe that the fact that Ukraine chose neutrality and formalised it in its law should be respected by everybody, and there should be no attempts to doubt it or wash it out. We drew the attention to the unacceptable statements from Brussels and the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and his First Deputy Alexander Vershbow, who keep telling that nobody should force Ukraine be neutral so frequently, that we believe that so consistent efforts should be targeted to more productive goals. We asked our western colleagues and NATO leaders directly to become aware of their responsibility for the escalation of this topic in the period, when it can disrupt all the efforts to settle the crisis in Ukraine and around it. Question: Ukraine is in condition of partial military mobilisation right now. It is known that about 40 thousand Russian military persons are on the eastern border of Ukraine. We also receive messages about the increase of numbers of military personnel in Crimea. Today, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has said that he hopes that he will not need to break into Ukraine. Can Russian troops be introduced into Ukraine, if this country does not hold a constitutional reform according to the vision of the Russian Federation? Sergey Lavrov: First of all, what concerns Russian military personnel, they are in our territory, but your military personnel, which is being mobilised, do this in their territory. The only difference is that our military personnel do not go against their own people, while yours are mobilised by an illegal order to suppress mass protests. Crimea has nothing to do with this, because it has made its choice, we admitted it and respected the opinion of the overwhelming majority of Crimeans. Numbers of our armed forces are not growing. There is a Russian base there, where there are so many military and marine officers and seamen, which is required for its normal functioning. If there are any messages that the number of military personnel has grown, this can be related to the fact that the majority of military personnel of the Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet bases chose Russian citizenship and the issue of their further service will be decided. I assure you that we have no spare armed forces in the territory of Crimea or any other region of the Russian Federation, which would be contrary to Russia’s international obligations, and we will not have them. As to your last question, I am not sure, whether we understand it correctly. We do not want to introduce our troops into Ukraine, the territory of a friendly state, where fraternal people live. This is contrary to the primary interests of the Russian Federation. We certainly are extremely concerned about the discriminatory attitude of the current authorities to Russian and Russian-speaking population, Russian language and culture. The parliament make absolutely disgusting statements, when members of the party included into the ruling coalition, publicly call Russian-speaking persons “beings” and announce that those who speak Russian should be liquidated. This is one of many examples. We have not heard any statements from coalition leaders, which would reject or condemn such statements. Therefore, I believe that we will all contribute to the change of this situation. I have no doubt that there will be a constitutional reform. Our US partners, who have decisive influence on the current Kiev authorities, assured us of this. We have understanding that the task of holding the reform will be fully completed and rights of all regions, ethnic groups, language minorities will be fully ensured. Question: You spoke of the constitutional reform and rights of regions. Please give an update whether there is a term “federalism” or “federalisation of Ukraine” in the documents, which you discussed today, or it is outside their framework. Sergey Lavrov: We did not use any terms – they can be different: this can be a federation, which respects its of constituent entities, it can be a formally unitarian state, where authorities are decentralised so much that even some federations can envy them. I repeat, we believe that the main conceptual foundation of the today’s meeting is that all its participants came, because they believed that it was necessary to send a signal to all Ukrainian parties that they are responsible for exit from the current crisis. If they sit and agree on the number of authorisations, which will be left with regions and which will be transferred to the Centre, that each region can protect its culture, history and language, how equal rights for minorities can be ensured in their territories, then Ukraine will be a strong state, which we all want to see, it will be a link, a bridge between the West and the East, which will help to significantly heal the atmosphere in the entire Euro-Atlantic region on the basis of respect for legal interests of all the states located in this region. I already mentioned that today I have transferred documents sent to us by representatives of the South-East – the Party of Regions, Lugansk Regional Council and the newly created movement “South-East of Ukraine” – to our US and European colleagues. They state the vision of the South and the East about reflection of regional interests in the new constitution. The statement, which has been adopted today, contains a point that a dialogue in the context of the constitutional reform should be started immediately so that regions could bring their wishes, which already started to come. Now it is up to the Kiev authorities, which must ensure an inclusive, transparent and accountable constitutional process. Question (translation from English): What is Russia’s attitude to the elections in Ukraine, which are scheduled for the 25 May? How can the world trust your words, if a week ago the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, said that Russian authorities did not support Crimean separatists, but now he is says that you did? How can we trust you? Sergey Lavrov: The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, have never said that there is no Russian military personnel in Crimea – we had and still have military personnel in Crimea at the military and marine base of the Russian Federation (that time it was Ukrainian territory). This base has always been absolutely legitimate. When popular protests started, and the Right Sector and other bandits attempted to enter Crimea and wanted to repeat the events of “Maidan” there, our military personnel was on advanced alert. That time they were ready to prevent the implementation of such plans. However, self-defence units were able to deal with them themselves, they did not let extremists into Crimea. And that is all. As to Ukraine – without talking about Crimea – as Vladimir Putin said several weeks ago and he repeated it today as well, there has been no and are no our military personnel agents or any saboteurs there. Category: Minister S.Lavrov Comment by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Beijing, 8 November 2014 About Geneva meeting Speech by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, during the joint press conference, summarising the results of the negotiations with the Angolan Foreign Minister, George Chicoti, Moscow, 8 April 2014 Speech by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his answers to questions from the mass media during the press conference on the side-lines of the Nuclear Security Summit, The Hague, 24 March 2014 Introductory speech by Sergey Lavrov, and his answers to questions from the mass media during the press conference summarising the results of negotiations with the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, London, dated 14th March 2014 517: 30 seconds to mars. Speech by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his answers to questions from the mass media summarising the meeting with EU, Russian, US and Ukrainian representatives, Geneva, 17 April 201422 April 2014: Speech by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his answers to questions from the mass media summarising the meeting with EU, Russian, US and Ukrainian representatives, Geneva, 17 April 2014! лучшие комедии. Speech by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his answers to questions from the mass media summarising the meeting with EU, Russian, US and Ukrainian representatives, Geneva, 17 April 2014.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line81
__label__cc	0.714705	0.285295	What can we learn from the Experience of Regulatory Reform in Japan? Overall, regulatory reforms can be seen to be moving ahead in Japan, but reforms are lagging behind in certain areas. The research discussed in this paper considered the experience of past regulatory reforms in order to determine what should be done to stimulate progress in these lagging areas. This paper analyzes impediments to reform based on sources including the minutes of government deliberative committees concerning regulatory reforms and interviews with individuals involved in advancing these reforms. The results indicated the existence of a variety of impediments to reform, including, in the political arena, a lack of leadership from the Prime Minister’s Office, in the administrative sector, a lack of incentives for self-reform among bureaucracies, in the business world, the defense of vested interests, and, among the public/consumers, a weak sense of consumer sovereignty and a lack of personal responsibility towards regulatory reform. However, there are areas in which these impediments have been overcome and reforms are proceeding. Taking the liberalization of the air transport sector and the sale of non-prescription pharmaceuticals in general retail stores as case studies, the research isolated the following factors in advancing reforms: The existence of reform-oriented groups within the relevant ministries, pressure from organizations responsible for reforms within the government, leadership from the Prime Minister's Office, and competition with other countries. These factors functioned to exert both internal and external pressure towards reform in opposition to the above mentioned lack of incentives for self-reform among bureaucracies. Based on the above, we can point to the necessity of considering, as factors in advancing reforms, of the people involved in those reforms and the system design (creation of mechanisms) which represents the driving force of the reforms. Specifically, the following three initiatives are effective in advancing reforms: 1) System design for government deliberative committees focusing on regulatory reforms under the leadership of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the involvement of individuals possessing both drive and ability in these committees; 2) The creation by the Prime Minister's Office of mechanisms clarifying the direction for regulatory reforms; and 3) The functioning of the TPP Agreement as a mechanism exerting pressure from overseas. Consideration of these initiatives will be of use not only in advancing regulatory reforms, but also in proceeding with systemic reforms in areas including politics, economics, and administration. Tetsushi Saito Senior Researcher, National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line83
__label__cc	0.58121	0.41879	Objective physical measures and their association with subjective functional limitations in a representative study population of older Thais Prasitsiriphon, Orawan and Weber, Daniela (2019) Objective physical measures and their association with subjective functional limitations in a representative study population of older Thais. BMC Geriatrics, 19 (1). pp. 1-12. ISSN 1471-2318 Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1093-3 In this study, we analyzed elderly people in Thailand to identify the validity of suggested cutoff points of physical measures, handgrip strength, usual walking speed, and a composite score of both measures to predict functional limitations. Moreover, we examined whether these physical performance measures are accurate indicators of the investigated health outcomes. Methods: Using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis, we investigated a sample of 8272 respondents aged 60 to 79 years. All data were based on the 2009 National Health Examination Survey (NHES IV) of Thailand. Results: For males aged 60 to 69 years, handgrip strength was used as an indicator of functional limitations. The cutoff point for disabilities in the activities of daily living (ADLs) was 29.5 kg, while in other limitations it ranged from 28.7 to 31.3 kg. In contrast, usual walking speed was able to indicate ADL disabilities at 0.7 m per second (m/s). As one might expect, the cutoff points for males aged 70 to 79 years were lower than for males in the 60 to 69 age group. For females, handgrip strength was able to indicate ADL disabilities at 16.5 kg for both the 60 to 69, and 70 to 79 age groups. Likewise, walking speed was indicative of ADL disabilities at 0.6 m/s for both age groups. Interestingly, the composite measure increases the ability to detect ADL disabilities in the younger group but not in the older group. The area under the curve (AUC) of cutoffs measuring the detection power of a diagnostic test was varied, ranging from 0.535 to 0.7386. Conclusions: The cutoff points of three measures varied according to sex and type of functional limitations. Our findings also showed that physical performance measures were useful for identifying people with an increased risk of functional limitations, particularly for ADL disabilities. However, although the AUC of the cutoffs of other functional limitations were relatively low, they should be considered with caution. The work was supported by the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC under Grant ERC2012-AdG 323947-Re-Ageing. Handgrip strength, Usual walking speed, Functional limitations, ADL disabilities, ROC analysis Departments > Sozioökonomie > Sozialpolitik > Demographie > Wittgenstein Centre Version of the Document: Gertraud Novotny https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/107... FIDES Link: https://bach.wu.ac.at/d/research/results/90383/ http://epub.wu.ac.at/id/eprint/6857	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line86
__label__wiki	0.870549	0.870549	Introd-Venezuela Regions-Vzla States-Vzla (24) Maps-Vzla-(100) Circuit&EcoTours Travel-Agcy-Int Eco-Travel-Agcy Earthwise-Travels Road-Maps Nat-Parks Nat-Monuments Protected-Areas Nature-Calendar Recreation-Parks Eco-Routes-Maps Animals-Vzla Vzla´s Birds Conservation Org Archaelogy Pobladores Etnic-Indian Map Popular-Paints Eco-Regions Hydro-Cuencas Eco-Library Gallery-Photos Inside-Vzla By Roads State´s Vial-Maps Order-Territorial Outdoors-Advent Travel-Desk Nature-Films Web-Stores Shopping-90Stor Yellow Pags Useful-Links Intnal-Flights Travel-Links Tourism-Office-W. Tourism-Glosary World-Reservat.. Eco-T-Lat Am Green-Travels EcoTourism-Intnal EcoT-World-Dir. EcoT-Events Eco-World Eco-Links Biodiversity-W Eco-Founds-W. Eco-Environ-W Eco-Travels-W Sensitive-Areas Sustainable-W. Eco-Articles-W.. 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"Biodiversity - http://www.unep-wcmc.org/reception/glossary.htm Glossary of Biodiversity terms. Biodiversity - http://www.teriin.org/biodiv/biodiv.htm Provides information on present status and key issues of biodiversity in India. This also contains case studies, discussion list, and links. Biodiversity and WORLDMAP - http://www.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/biologie/b_online/ibc99/biogeography/ Measuring biodiversity value & selecting priority areas for conservation. Biodiversity Conservation - http://www.teriin.org/biodiv/issue.htm Detailed information on issues related to biodiversity conservation such as conservation strategies, community oriented approaches, and biodiversity laws. Biodiversity Conservation - http://www.irf.org/irbiodiv.html Biodiversity conservation programme for the Eastern Caribbean, 1990-1999. Biodiversity Conservation Information System - http://www.biodiversity.org/ A partnership of major international organisations involved with biodiversity and conservation. Aiming to provide conservationists, government officials and others with access to important information about conservation of biodiversity. Biodiversity Conservation Network - http://www.bcnet.org/ BCN was established to test hypotheses about the conditions under which community-based enterprises can lead to conservation. This BCN Web site is no longer being updated, however, details of the res Biodiversity Conservation Programme - http://www.irf.org/irhome.html For the Eastern Caribbean, 1990-1999. Biodiversity Database of Washington DC - http://biodiversity.georgetown.edu/index.htm Aims to provide photographs and information about the species in the Washington D.C. Area. Biodiversity Document - http://www.sn.apc.org/biodiv/ This discussion document is part of a process to involve a wide range of people in making new policies for South Africa on the best ways to protect and to use our rich biological diversity. Biodiversity Program - http://www.mnh.si.edu/biodiversity/ The program conducts studies relating to biological diversity, systematics, evolution and ecology and is one of the five National Museum of Natural History research initiatives. Biodiversity Program - http://www.cppa.org/english/biodiv/ Canadian pulp and paper industry program intended to establish industry as a leader and partner in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. Includes a searchable database. Biodiversity Servers - http://www.ecnc.nl/doc/servers/biodiver.html Links to many biodiversity sites. Biodiversity Support Program - http://www.bsponline.org/ Operated from 1989-2001 as a consortium of international conservation agencies. Numerous publications and other documents have been archived online. Emphasis on projects combining conservation with social and economic development. Biological Conservation Newsletter - http://rathbun.si.edu/bcn/ A monthly publication of the Department of Systematic Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Biosis - http://www.biosis.org.uk/ An abstracting and indexing service for the life sciences. BP Conservation Project - http://www.bp.com/conservation/ Provides funding for student led conservation projects world-wide. Bushmeat Crisis Task Force - http://www.bushmeat.org/ A consortium of conservation organizations and scientists dedicated to the conservation of wildlife populations threatened by commercial hunting of wildlife for sale as meat. Calypso Environmental Research Bureau - http://members.fortunecity.es/calypso/ A not-for-profit non-governmental organisation, aiming to preserve the natural heritage of the Mediterranean environment. Gives information on research being undertaken, the resources available and sponsers. Center for Applied Biodiversity Science - http://www.biodiversityscience.org/xp/CABS/home A division of Conservation International, calling attention to areas of biodiversity that are threatened with destruction. Community Biodiversity Network - http://www.nccnsw.org.au/member/cbn/projects/EducationCentre/AboutBiod.html A description of biodiversity and it's conservation in Australia. Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation Inc. - http://www.env.qld.gov.au/environment/coast/coastcare/main.html A community-based program that encourages residents, volunteers, businesses and interest groups to care for their coastal areas. Gives information on projects and contact information. Conservation Biology Discussions - http://csf.colorado.edu/consbio/ Conservation biology discussion archives provided by the University of Washington. Conservation Breeding Specialist Group - http://www.cbsg.org/ An international conserveration organization whose mission is to assist conservation of threatened animal and plant species through scientific management of small populations in wild habitats, with linkage to captive populations where needed. Conservation Environment Ecosystems - http://www.blackhole.on.ca/main.htm Focuses on the privatization of important conservation lands by Toronto Conservation Authority in the Rouge Park. Conservation Fund - http://www.conservationfund.org/conservation/index.html Established in 1986, the fund has protected over 1.4 million acres of the nation's natural and cultural heritage, seeking sustainable solutions by integrating environmental and economic goals. Conservation International - http://www.conservation.org/xp/CIWEB/home Field-based non-profit organization that uses science, economics, policy, and community involvement to promote biodiversity conservation in tropical rain forests and other endangered ecosystems worldwide. Works in 23 countries in Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific region. Conservation Law Foundation - http://www.clf.org/ Uses law, economics and science to solve the environmental problems that threaten the people, natural resources and communities of New England. Conservation Management Institute - http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/ Addresses multidisciplinary research questions that affect conservation management effectiveness. Conservation Online - http://www.conservationonline.com/ A webchannel designed to bring together the various organisations working on all aspects of conservation. Conservation through Research Education and Action - http://www.crea-panama.org A UK charitable organisation dedicated to the conservation of tropical environments in Panama. Gives information on research being undertaken and conservation projects. Darwin Initiative Biodiversity Conservation - http://www.darwin.gov.uk A UK government grant scheme to promote biodiversity protection and sustainable resource use in less developed countries. Project, programme and monitoring information. Docent - http://www.szgdocent.org/content.htm The Zoo docents are volunteers who share with visitors the mysteries and wonder of animals that we share this planet with, complementing the educational efforts of the Singapore Zoological Gardens and Night Safari by providing special programmes on conservation awareness. Earthroots Park Alert - http://www.parkalert.org Working to stop high-impact activities such as hunting, mining, ATV and snowmobile use in protected areas such as parks and conservations reserves. Information about the impact of these activities, and the action being taken, is given. Eldis Biodiversity Resource Guide - http://www.eldis.org/biodiversity/index.htm Offers a structured overview of the subject, particularly in the context of international development and the environment. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation 1999 - http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/index.html Information on all aspects of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act, 1999 ESRI Conservation Program - http://www.conservationgis.org/ Conservation information and links to organisations. Indiana Conservation - http://ice.butler.edu Dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity in Indiana, includes lists and descriptions of endangered species and habitats, and news and updates of conservation groups. International Events - http://www.czp.cuni.cz/en/info/pokus.asp A list of international conferences devoted to conservation and sustainable development. International Marine Mammal Association - http://www.imma.org/ Dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals and their habitats worldwide, through research and education. International Trust for Nature Conservation - http://www.itnc.org/ A UK charity working mainly in Nepal and India. Gives information on species and habitat protection, monitoring, reforestation and environmental education. IUCN - http://www.iucn.org/ The world conservation union, whose mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. Land Legacy - http://fortheland.org Land Legacy is a nonprofit organization that creates parks and trails and protects natural resources. Information given about the group and the projects undertaken. Last Refuge Ltd. - http://www.lastrefuge.co.uk/home1.html Supporting endangered environments and species through films and images, with photo and sound galleries and information about films made and the awards won. Madagascar Fauna Group - http://www.madagascarfaunagroup.org/ An international consortium of zoos and related institutions working to conserve Madagascar's wildlife and habitats. Gives information about Madagascar, projects being undertaken and contact details. Mangrove Environmental Protection Group - http://www.elmanglar.com/ Established in 1994 in San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico to protect the mangrove wetlands from damage by tourism and shrimp farmers. Gives history of the group, current projects and photographs of the area. National Biodiversity Network - http://www.nbn.org.uk/ An information network of biodiversity data provided by a collaboration of organisations, such as the UK nature agencies, wildlife trusts, the Natural History Museum and others. Native America - http://nativeamerica.org/ Information about the plants and animals of North America, research being undertaken, restoration/protection projects and membership details. Natural Resources Defense Council - http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/default.asp Information about the threats to endangered animals and their habitats. NatureServe Explorer - http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ Source for conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals, and ecological communities of the United States and Canada. Office of Protected Resources - http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/prot_res.html Provides advice for national policy direction and conservation of marine mammals, endangered species and their habitats. Offwell Woodland and Wildlife Trust - http://www.offwell.free-online.co.uk/conserva.htm Concerned with the conservation of species, habitats and biodiversity. Oryx - http://titles.cambridge.org/journals/journal_catalogue.asp?historylinks=SUBJ&mnemonic=ORX A journal that provides a comprehensive review of the conservation and status of fauna, flora and habitats, and of conservation policy and sustainable use. Pacific Conservation Biology - http://wwwscience.murdoch.edu.au/centres/others/pcb/ Papers on conservation research and management in the Pacific region. Rainforest Conservation Fund - http://www.rainforestconservation.org/ A non-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving the world's tropical forests. Rainforest Preservation Partnership - http://www.rainforest-conservation.com An organization promoting rainforest conservation by placing tropical rainforest into private ownership. Information about rainforests an membership. Research, Conservation and Education - http://www.coryi.org/ Engages in scientific research, conservation, and education activities involving wildlife species at all levels of biological organization, from the molecular level up to the biosphere level. Species Survival Commission - http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/ Species conservation network: a science-based organization, offering to the conservation and development communities the knowledge and tools needed for sound decisions regarding ecosystems and the people who depend on them. The web site is an umbrella for the component specialist groups, programs, publications and Red Lists. Teaming With Wildlife - http://www.teaming.com/ A national campaign to prevent species from becoming endangered and to nurture a new generation of wildlife stewards by securing funding for state-level nongame wildlife conservation and related education and recreation programs. Temper of the Times Foundation - http://www.temperfund.org Provides funds to underwrite advertising designed to promote the conservation and restoration of native wildlife, plants, and ecosystems in the United States. Application guidelines and procedures are given. The Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species - http://www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation/homepage.php3 Dedicated to preserving and protecting rare and endangered wildlife, with much of the research conducted since its foudning in 1975 has become critical in helping save many species from extinction. The Charles Darwin Foundation - http://www.darwinfoundation.org/ Founded in 1959, under the auspices of UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the Charles Darwin Foundation is dedicated to the conservation of the Galapagos ecosystems. The Environmental Protection and Conservation Foundation - http://www.epcfoundation.org/welcome.htm Supports academic research for the preservation and improvement of the natural environment and to minimise the impact of industrial processes on the environment. The National Park Service - http://www.aqd.nps.gov/ Charged with the trust of preserving the natural resources of America. The Paradise - http://www.cactos.com.br/pages/01_a_paraiso_abre_eng.html Information about the threats to cacti, bromeliads and other plants and wildlife in Brazil. The Rare Species Conservatory Foundation - http://www.rarespecies.org/index.htm A non-profit organization dedicated to preserving biodiversity. The Whitley Awards Foundation - http://www.whitleyaward.org/ Offers a wide range of awards and grants for nature conservation projects worldwide. Applications are welcome from those working in nature conservation, botanical and habitat conservation and renewable energy. Tropical Research and Conservation Centre - http://www.tracc.00server.com/ Research and education in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of marine environments of East Malaysia. Ulster Wildlife Trust - http://www.ulsterwildlifetrust.org/ A conservation organisation in Northern Ireland and a partner in the network of Wildlife Trusts, providing information about habitats, species, reserves, and. projects being undertaking. Current news, events and contact detail are given. UNEP-WCMC Species Conservation Database - Animals - http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://www.unep-wcmc.org/species/dbases/fauna/~main The web frontend to the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre species conservation database of animals. This website provides access to the international legislative and distribution information of animal species throughout the world. Watershed Biodiversity - http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/hydro2/watintro.htm Analysis and conservation of biodiversity of watersheds. Wild World - http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld Provides maps identifying habitat types and areas that are identified as priority for conservation. Wildlife Conservation Network - http://www.wildnet.org Information about the network which focuses on funding and supporting independent and innovative conservationists who are creating and implementing new strategies for saving endangered wildlife and habitats and the projects in progress. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit - http://www.wildcru.org/ Original research on aspects of fundamental biology relevant to wildlife conservation and environmental management. Department of Zoology, Oxford University, UK. Wildlife Conservation Society - http://www.wcs.org/ USA organization managing national and international conservation projects, research and education programs. World Conservation Monitoring Centre - http://www.unep-wcmc.org/ Provides information services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own. World Wide Ecological Support - http://www.ecosupport.com Information about projects related to the conservation of wildlife, plant life and communities world wide. - for earthlings addicted to outdoor life Posadas Camps Hotels Restaurants Gastronomy Road-Maps National Parks Natural Monuments Nature Region Maps Nature Calendar Venezuela´s Eco Regions (15) Wildlife International - Worldwide Traveler's Services world time converter- world currency converter- world weather maps - world time zones - world destination guide - world airport guides (more than 100) 400 Org. Nationwide 50.000 Links Special 30 Sections (30) Languages Translator URL Translator Eco-Portal Wildlife Venezuela Where the internet & ecotourism are evolving together How can you be present in Ecoportal.Venezuela.com? Unified Messaging Center	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line89
__label__cc	0.73706	0.26294	Policy guidelines for the development and promotion of governmental public domain information II.4.3. Adopting strategies on information systems and information technology management The proper management of information systems and technology requires information resource managers to: Develop management and technology frameworks; Strategically plan information resources management; Provide information systems management oversight; and Evaluate and measure performance. II.4.3.1. Develop management and technology frameworks Government entities should create and maintain management and technical frameworks for using information resources that ensure linkages among mission needs, information content and information technology capabilities. These frameworks should guide both strategic planning and operational management of information resources. They should also address steps necessary to create an open systems environment. Government entities should implement the following principles: a. Develop information systems in a manner that facilitates interoperability, application portability, and scalability of computerized applications across networks of heterogeneous hardware, software, and communications platforms. In order to facilitate the preservation of the information, as well as the exchange of information between public bodies and/or interoperability between the different networks or portals, public entities should choose a common model of information exchange, based on a common standard (e.g. XML). This should be done keeping in mind that cross-border exchange should be made possible and promoted, and that public domain information should be accessible by anybody from anywhere in the world Also, as far as possible, choices regarding information systems should be made taking account of the fact that access to and use of the information should not be dependent on specific software, which could create a barrier to effective access and use. b. Ensure that the improvement of existing information systems and the development of new systems do not duplicate unnecessarily those within the same organization, within other government entities, or available from the private sector. It is important to share available information systems and technological capabilities with other government entities to the extent practicable and legally permissible. c. Establish a level of security for information systems that is commensurate with the risk of harm resulting from the loss, misuse or unauthorized access to or modification of the information contained in these information systems (see II.4.2.7). d. Promote the use of public sector information through national initiatives involving the users of the information. II.4.3.2. Strategically plan information resources management Government entities should establish and maintain strategic planning processes for information resources management, which include the following components: a. Strategic planning that addresses how the management of information resources promotes the fulfilment of the organization's mission. The planning process should reflect and anticipate changes in the organization's mission, policy direction, technological capabilities, and resource levels. b. Consideration and promotion of the use of information throughout its life cycle to maximize its usefulness, minimize the burden on the public, and preserve the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of the information. c. Operational planning that links information technology to anticipated programme and mission needs, and forms the basis for budget requests. This process should result in the preparation and maintenance of an up-to-date plan, consistent with the government’s planning cycle for other programmes, which includes: a listing of major existing and planned information systems; a listing of planned information technology acquisitions; an explanation of how the listed major information systems and planned information technology acquisitions relate to each other and support the achievement of the organization's mission; an analysis of the situation concerning computer security systems and procedures; and coordination with other government organizations’ planning processes, including consideration of human and financial resources. II.4.3.3. Provide information systems management oversight Government entities should establish information system management oversight mechanisms that: a. Ensure that each information system meets the organization’s mission requirements. b. Provide for periodic review of information systems to determine: how mission requirements might have changed; whether the information system continues to fulfil ongoing and anticipated mission requirements; and the level of maintenance needed to ensure that the information system meets mission requirements on a cost effective basis. c. Ensure that the official who administers a programme encompassing an information system is responsible and accountable for the management of that information system throughout its life cycle. d. Provide for appropriate training for users of public information resources. e. Ensure that information system requirements do not unduly restrict the prerogatives of other national or sub-national public bodies or groups within the country that have certain autonomous legal rights and standing. f. Promote universal access to digital networks using broadband infrastructures to the greatest extent possible, paying particular attention to rural and disadvantaged areas, and provide services for access to public sector information that are in so far as possible independent of the specific technologies used. g. Ensure that major information systems proceed in a timely fashion towards agreed-upon milestones, and deliver intended benefits to the organization and users, through coordinated decision-making on the information itself as well as on human, financial, and other supporting resources. II.4.3.4. Evaluate and measure performance Government entities should promote effective management of their public information resources through various review procedures, including the following: a. Seek opportunities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public sector information activities, and particularly the application of information technology, through periodic reviews of the work process, b. Prepare, and update as necessary throughout the information system life cycle, a cost-benefit analysis for each information system which is: at a level of detail appropriate to the size of the investment; consistent with a formal, recognized methodology; and based on systematic measures of mission performance, including the effectiveness of programme delivery, the efficiency of programme administration, and the reduction of burdens imposed on the public including information-collection requirements. c. Conduct analyses of investments in major information systems on an organization-wide basis to maximize return on investment and minimize financial and operational risk d. Conduct post-implementation reviews of information systems to validate estimated benefits and document effective management practices for broader use. other hand final version basic rights relevant provisions broader social national authorities ultimate goals designations employed government that is	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line93
__label__wiki	0.720502	0.720502	Federal President of Austria visits Bosnia and Herzegovina and EUFOR soldiers Created: Wednesday, 30 October 2013 13:00 Written by Lt Cdr Paul Gill RN On the morning of 30 October 2013, the Austrian Federal President, His Excellency Dr Heinz Fischer, arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for an official visit on board of a military aircraft C-130 Hercules at Sarajevo International Airport. The Austrian President was accompanied by a delegation headed by Austria's Minister of Defence and Sports, Gerald Klug, and including Lieutenant General Bernhard Bair, Deputy Chief of General Staff and Brigadier General Dr. Johann Frank, Head of Division for Security Political Analysis. Following a warm welcome from the Austrian Ambassador in BiH, H.E. Martin Pammer, the President and his party paid a visit to Camp Butmir, the Headquarters of the European Force (EUFOR) in BiH, where they were welcomed by Commander EUFOR Major General Dieter Heidecker and the Austrian National Contingent Commander Colonel (GS) Klaus Jäger. COM EUFOR then briefed President Fischer on the current situation in BiH and presented the tasks of EUFOR, including its Capacity Building and Training activities with the Armed Forces of BiH (AF BiH). General Heidecker thanked the President for the outstanding support to the mission. Austria contributes troops to EUFOR within the Headquarters, the Liaison and Observation Team (LOT) Houses in BRCKO, BRATUNC and TUZLA, the HQ of the Multinational Battalion (MNBN) and providing pilots and helicopters for the aerial support. In total, more than 200 Austrians serve in the EUFOR mission, Op ALTHEA. COM EUFOR also praised the professionalism of the Austrian members of EUFOR and expressed his confidence that EUFOR will continue to support the BiH authorities in maintaining the Safe and Secure Environment. The Federal President stated that Austria’s military mission in Bosnia should be assessed favorably. Together with the soldiers, Fischer participated in a national reception where he thanked the soldiers for their "peace-keeping and humanitarian services" in the framework of the mission for the European Union. He emphasized that they are rendered "in the spirit of Austria's fundamental principles: peace, stability and democracy.” President Fischer took the opportunity to have lunch together with all members of the Austrian Contingent and provided them with the opportunity to pose their personal questions; this was widely appreciated by all those present. During his one-day trip to BiH, Federal President Heinz Fischer will pay a visit to the national theatre to accept the Bosnian ”Isa-beg-Ishakovic” award presented by Amel Suljović. Isa-Beg Ishaković was an Ottoman general and the first governor of the Ottoman province of Bosnia. He ruled during the 1450s and 1460s. Mr Suljović is the founder and president of the Association for the Protection of Culture and Cultural Heritage ”Klepsidra”.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line94
__label__cc	0.740063	0.259937	WeDC House Returns to SXSW DC to Announce Highly-Anticipated Music Line-Up, Innovators and Activations at Kickoff Event WHO: The Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) in collaboration with the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia (EOM), the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), and Events DC, the city’s convention and sports authority, will come together to represent the nation’s capital at South by Southwest (SXSW) with the third annual WeDC House. WHAT: A kickoff party that unveils the much-anticipated music line-up and programming that guests of SXSW will experience as part of the WeDC initiative. The WeDC House will showcase the city’s inclusive technology, entertainment and creative scene, while growing new partnerships between DC and the national business community. The celebratory event will provide a preview of what the WeDC house will feature at SXSW and a taste of the Events DC official SXSW Music Showcase on March 14. The celebration will showcase local food, drink, tech, music, art and the DC entrepreneurs that create them. WHEN: Friday, February 24, 2017, From 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. WHERE: Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square, 801 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001 WHY: Through the WeDC House, the nation’s capital aims to show how it is the capital of inclusive innovation for groups in tech, business and entrepreneurship. As the prominent fixture in SXSW’s city-specific activations, the WeDC House will showcase all sides of DC by featuring the city’s innovators, makers, creative and technology offerings.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line96
__label__wiki	0.972604	0.972604	   THINGS TO DO ONBOARD DIRECTIONS TO PORT FLOGGING MOLLY'S SALTY DOG CRUISE 2019 & THE SLEEPING SOULS The Faction Punk Rock Karaoke Brogue Wave Pounded By The Surf Pegboy Michael Casey Magic More to be Announced! Sign Up to Receive Cruise Updates & Lineup Announcements! 4 Night Caribbean Cruise - November 8-12, 2019 info@floggingmollycruise.com © 2019 Flogging Molly's Salty Dog Cruise FLYING DUTCHMEN TRAVEL . 320 College Ave, Suite 340, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 . 707-546-1212 . 800-248-7471 . CST 20569170-40 Content Slide The social and political awareness that drives Flogging Molly’s music is never more prominent than in their upcoming new release LIFE IS GOOD – a strikingly powerful album and it arrives at a strikingly key time. The sixth studio album by the renowned Celtic-punk rockers now in their 20th year is mature, well crafted, equally polished and almost aggressively topical. It is filled with rousing songs that are timeless in their sentiment, but directly related to today’s most pressing concerns: Politics, the economy, unemployment, planned boomtowns gone bust, immigration policies gone awry, and much more. For singer and lyricist Dave King, it may be the lyrical couplet contained within the surging “Reptiles (We Woke Up”) that points toward the album’s central theme. “We woke up,” sings King, “And we won’t fall back asleep.” “The thing is, there are things changing,” says King. “That’s why I wrote that line, ‘Like reptiles, we’ll all soon be dust someday.’ It’s quite scary, especially for somebody who has children these days–bringing up family in this environment of who’s welcome and who’s not welcome. I’m talking about the cultures in America and the UK–especially American immigration. Life Is Good thus serves as a wake-up call to those who have simply stood by while far-reaching political decisions were made that had serious impact on them. And, significantly, it also serves as notice that the time for action is now. And people are indeed taking action, adds King, which is a crucial point. “I think especially with things like government–I think we all tend to fall asleep a little bit when it comes to other people that are making decisions for you. I think we should be the ones influencing the government to make these decisions. It’s a great thing that we’re now taking to the streets again. And it’s a positive thing.” Imagery abounds on Life Is Good, and one of the most memorable images might be found in “Adamstown,” the saga of a planned community west of Dublin that came to a halt in mid-construction a decade ago when the Irish economy crashed–and left little more than a ghost town in its place. “It had a huge negative connotation to it,” King says of the eerie, unfinished settlement. “But now it’s starting to turn again, people are starting to move there, businesses are starting to open, and there is hope.” Thematically, hope and inspiration are a major part of “The Hand of John L. Sullivan,” a rollicking track about the legendary “Boston Strong Boy” who was the first ever heavyweight champion of gloved boxing from 1882-1892. Sullivan was a hero to many, and his story has a cultural significance that fits squarely within the story Flogging Molly want to tell with Life Is Good. “He came from an immigrant family to Boston, and they brought their family over to try to make the best possible world for them,” says King. “We live in an environment right now where that doesn’t seem to be what should be allowed to happen, you know? Recorded in Ireland and produced by multiple Grammy Award winner Joe Chiccarelli (U2, the White Stripes, Beck), Life Is Good is by any measure a formidable return from Flogging Molly, an assessment with which Dave King fully agrees. “It’s been a tough few years for a lot of us in the band. Dennis (Casey, guitarist) lost his dad, I lost my mother, and there have been certain issues, pertaining to sentiment, in a lot of the songs. But we just try to do the best we can. We’ve always had fun getting together and coming up with the new songs, and it’s still that way. Here we see what’s uniquely distinctive about Life is Good, as the gravity and weight of these themes never overshadow the sheer fun and exuberance felt in each song. For the message is delivered and built on the backs of boisterous and barreling live touring. “We’re known for our live shows,” says Dave King. Writing albums has always been a vehicle for us — it’s been a means to get people onto the dance floor. And that’s kind of the way we’ve always approached it, no matter what.” “The one thing we are is a positive band,” adds Dave King. “When people come and see our shows, it’s a celebration–of life, of the good and of the bad. And we have to take the good and the bad for it to be a life.” FLOGGING MOLLY IS: Dave King (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bodhran), Bridget Regan (Violin, Tin Whistle), Dennis Casey (Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar), Bob Schmidt (Banjo, Mandolin), Matt Hensley (Accordion, Piano, Concertina), Nathen Maxwell (Bass Guitar), Mike Alonso (Drums, Percussion). Vanguard Records www.floggingmolly.com Never Gonna Die Jim Lindberg Fletcher Dragge Byron McMackin The Golden State represents power and possibility to many around the world, a place where dreams are made but nightmares might come true. The cultural epicenter that is California has been defined by so many monumental mile markers, from the silent film era to skid row, from Disneyland to Ronald Reagan, from celebrity excess to social unrest. Straight Outta Compton, Suffer, Master of Puppets, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – as the late Tupac Shakur famously said, Cali is where “we riot, not rally.” Few bands have endured with as much demonstrably California-encompassing vibrancy as the Hermosa Beach, CA institution that is Pennywise. They reign unchallenged, outside the margins of the mainstream, a staple on the SoCal radio airwaves and worldwide festival circuit revered and championed by generations of fans filling theaters and clubs. Pennywise possess the power to merge the subversive with the celebratory. Each Pennywise record is chock full of fast-paced anthems expertly engineered to inspire radical change, personal empowerment, relentless hijinks, and reckless fast times. On paper it may read like a mess of contradictions, but on record, it sounds like California. At this point, three decades since the band’s DIY beginnings, Pennywise classics like “Same Old Story,” “Fuck Authority,” “Alien,” “Homesick,” and “Bro Hymn” are as fundamental to punk rock and hardcore as stage dives and guitars. The combustible chemistry between the diverse creative personalities within Pennywise delivers some the culture’s strongest songs, obliterating the boring sameness of easygoing attitudes with a push-and-pull process that hammers the strongest songwriting and performances from each individual into a remarkable cohesive whole. The defiantly titled Never Gonna Die is the first full album of brand new songs with singer Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, drummer Byron McMackin, and bassist Randy Bradbury in over ten years. It’s as timely as it is timeless, charging head first into the chaos of the current climate of the world with the tried-and-true determined sound the Pennywise faithful demand. Never Gonna Die was forged in the same space where the band penned classic songs with late bassist Jason Thirsk and produced once again by rock producer and close collaborator Cameron Webb (Motörhead, NOFX, Alkaline Trio). “We Set Fire Tonight” is a furious resistance anthem challenging the “austerity measures” around the world that deny basic social services to the most vulnerable. “American Lies” cuts through the fog of disinformation and disingenuous worldviews, rejecting partisan posturing in favor of true patriotism. “Can’t Be Ignored” is both selfexamination and societal exhortation, addressing the ravenous hunger for more that shatters the spirit and could literally destroy the world as we know it. The title track demands an evolutionary shift in consciousness, pleading to put hundreds of years of dogma to rest, to never accept those prejudices are “Never Gonna Die.” “Live While You Can (Time Bomb)” is the Pennywise take on the timeless adages to live while you can, enjoy today, and never let the bastards get you down. “Goodbye Bad Times” further emphasizes the holistic side of the band’s ethos, a steadfast reminder of the power of encouragement, personal empowerment and communal interdependence. As ever, touring across the world playing with and playing to likeminded rabble rousers and mischief makers, Pennywise summon all the best and brightest of SoCal punk spirit, consciously exposing the world’s flaws as well as their own, and celebrating life loudly. As the terrifying clown who shares the band’s namesake returns to the pop culture consciousness, via a massively well-received movie adaptation and its forthcoming sequel, so too has Pennywise – the band – reemerged at their absolute strongest. Forbes Magazine said, “It doesn’t just float, It soars.” Pennywise? They effin’ scorch. In 2016, Frank Turner was reading a collection of poetry by Clive James when one line stopped him in his tracks. It was from a poem titled Leçons Des Ténèbres: “I should have been more kind. It is my fate. To find this out, but find it out too late.” Turner was in the middle of writing an esoteric concept record about women from the historical record who had been ignored, but this single line mapped out a new direction in his mind. “It devastated me the first time I read it,” says Turner. “A lot of older, wiser people tend to say things like that, that the things that come out in the wash at the end of a human life are the way you treated people around you, your kindness and consideration.” At the time, Turner was on tour with his band The Sleeping Souls in the US just as the election was entering its unrelenting endgame, and the Hampshire-born singer-songwriter realised his seventh solo studio album needed to be a very different record to the one he originally had in mind. “The world decided to go collectively nuts in 2016 and after that it became increasingly difficult as a writer to ignore what was going on, and the changes that seemed to be taking place in the political and social culture of the West,” he says. Turner is one of the UK’s most successful solo artists of the past decade. He has carved out a career as a hard-touring, punk-folk troubadour with a diehard fanbase drawn to a singer-songwriter who refuses to play the game and does things on his own terms. But in contrast to his career trajectory, Turner’s personal life has not been without its troubles. His last two records, 2013’s Tape Deck Heart and 2015’s Positive Songs For Negative People, dealt with the fallout from a break-up as the singer struggling to cover the cracks from broken relationships. Now happily living with his girlfriend and their cat, he sets his sights to the bigger picture. Be More Kind bridges the personal and the political, the intimate and the universal. These are songs that could be whispered in your ear, or hollered along with from the middle of a sweaty festival crowd. One of the driving ideas behind Be More Kind is understanding the person you’re fighting against. “You should at least be able to inhabit the mental universe of the people you disagree with,” he says. “I think Donald Trump is awful but I think if you wish to see Donald Trump not be elected for a second term then there is a need to figure out how to talk to Donald Trump supporters that is something else other than screaming at them.” Be More Kind is a political album, but more about the rules of the game than it is about a specific event. “To me, that’s the essence of liberalism,” says Turner, “because to me liberalism is about the rules of interaction more than it is about the content of that interaction.” After a period spent looking back that culminated with last year’s career retrospective set Songbook, here Turner boldly recalibrates his trademark sound, the thematic line in the sand echoed by a new sonic beginning. There have been enough Frank Turner albums that sound how people expect Frank Turner albums to sound, he reasons, so it was time to try something new. “I wanted to try and get out of my comfort zone and do something different,” he says. “Positive Songs… was a bit of a retrenchment, I wanted to make a stripped-down punk-feeling live-sounding album where me and the band rehearsed the songs to within an inch of their lives and cut the album in nine days.” This time around, his approach was the polar opposite. Many of the songs were demoed on his laptop, with Turner incorporating his love of glitch electronica and Warp-style ambient albums and experimenting with drum loops and arpeggiator synths. These songs have the unmistakable melodic intricacy of Frank Turner, but with a dynamic gear change to the instrumentation. The album was produced by Austin Jenkins and Joshua Block, formerly of psychedelic-rock Texans White Denim, at their Niles City Sound Studios in Fort Worth, Texas, recorded over two blocks in June and October. Some extra recording took place in London with Florence And The Machine and Halsey collaborator Charlie Hugall. “This is the longest I’ve ever worked on a record in my life,” says Turner. “It was creatively a very different experience from the previous record I made and that was by design. It was nice to be able to take time on things and have the opportunity to try a few different approaches to songs. At no point was I thinking about how the Sleeping Souls and I would play these songs live. It was more thinking, “what do these songs need?”” At some points during recording, only two members of the band would be called upon, at others, there would be 19 extra parts being laid down. After reading James’ poem, the title track led the way. It’s a song that captures the spirit of adventure on the album. In an earlier incarnation, it was a stark folk song but here is blossoms into new, electronica-flecked territory. “It really lit the way sonically for the rest of the record,” says Turner, “that combination of what is expected of me and what I do usually and new elements.” At the other end of the process, stirring opener Don’t Worry was the last song written for the record. “I felt there was a bit of a conceptual gap,” he says. “There needed to be a mission statement track.” Turner had been listening to lots of Bill Withers, and you can hear the influence of Lean On Me in the song’s warm embrace. From its title alone, you can tell the anthemic Make America Great Again is supposed to be provocative. “I’m old enough and calloused enough from my exposure to public attention to not really give a fuck about the backlash that song is going to generate,” says Turner. It’s an un-ironically pro-American song, he says. Turner has spent much of the last decade of his life on the road in the US and he loves the country. “What I find so depressing about the nativist populist movement is that they’ve mis-identified what is great about America.” But he still enjoys having a song that he knows will get some people’s backs up. Old punks die hard. “I think about The Clash and the Pistols and the punk bands I fell in love with and they didn’t shy away from controversial things,” he says. “Nowadays, as an individual I have to put my money down somewhere.” Similarly, 1933 is a clattering, state-of-the-nation anthem inspired by articles Turner saw that suggested the alt-right was punk rock. “That filled me with a mixture of incredulity and anger,” says Turner. “The idea that Breitbart or Steve Bannon think they have anything to do with punk rock makes me extremely angry.” The pulsating rock groove of Blackout is inspired by the New York blackout riots in 1978, Turner intrigued by the idea of the machinery that powers a modern society breaking down. The summery guitar-pop of Little Changes, meanwhile, taps into the idea that if you want to achieve meaningful political and personal change, it’s the small transformations that accrue into a large change. “Somewhere in the record, there’s a convergence of the ideas of personal and political, which I think is quite strong and it’s a central theme,” he says. Pockmarked throughout the album’s political themes and societal observations are some of the most personal songs of his career. Previous records have dealt with turmoil but here he sends missives from the middle of a cherished relationship. The Southern rock-style twang of Going Nowhere started as a love song and grew into a reflection on the modern world, and the widescreen Americana of There She Is was written whilst Turner was holidaying with his girlfriend in Italy. “We’d been driving and listening to a bunch of Motown songs,” he says. “When I was younger I was impressed by complexity but I’ve realised that a simple song can be more powerful.” Gospel-tinged rocker Brave Face, meanwhile, was inspired by a tour with Jason Isbell and is about the idea that “if you’ve got someone to lean on back-to-back, you can project to the world.” 21st Century Survival Blues was inspired by a conversation Turner had with an Australian businessman on a commuter flight, who told him that he’d spent all the money he made on weapons. “When I asked him why, he said it was cos “when the shit goes down, you can’t eat gold.” The line prompted a lyric about survivalists preparing for the end of the world. The hypnotic Common Ground matches Turner’s love of TS Eliot’s writing (“I love his use of repetition of simple words, to the extent it almost becomes a chant”) to a sound that evokes Thom Yorke’s The Eraser, whilst The Lifeboat started life as finger-picked folk song before being retooled and ending up with a bombastic orchestral outro. The album’s most organic moment comes at the end. Get It Right sounds like a drunken singalong at the conclusion of a great night, the sound of Turner and his band, in a room, playing a song in a way that couldn’t be tinkered with afterwards. It sums up the human warmth at the heart of Be More Kind, an album that’s an ambitious leap forward for one of the most important artists working today. Frank Turner is ready to begin a new chapter in his career. He’s done his looking back, now it’s time to march forwards.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line97
__label__wiki	0.975187	0.975187	home // News // Southampton: Complaint over fluoridation vote // Southampton: Complaint over fluoridation vote Source: This is Hampshire \| February 25th, 2009 \| By Jon Reeve Location: United Kingdom, England A FORMER Southampton mayor is being investigated over claims she broke council rules by influencing a vote on controversial plans for fluoridation in the city. Labour councillor Parvin Damani spoke passionately in favour of the scheme to add fluoride to nearly 200,000 Hampshire residents’ water, and voted to back it when city councillors examined the proposals last November. But her actions are now being studied after a complaint was lodged arguing she should not have been allowed to join in the debate because she holds a post with the health trust behind the plans. Anti-fluoride campaigners say her intervention in the meeting was crucial. John Spottiswoode, chairman of Hampshire Against Fluoridation, said: “The even-handedness of the vote in the city council was undermined and the whole vote should be wiped from the records as unsound, or re-done.” Southampton was the only council to back the fluoridation plans, which would affect residents in two-thirds of the city, as well as about 36,000 people in Eastleigh, Totton, Netley and Rownhams. Hampshire County, Eastleigh Borough, New Forest District and Test Valley Borough councils all passed motions opposing the scheme. “It was an extremely important vote because if Southampton City Council had voted against fluoridation then every single council would have voted against fluoridation,” said Mr Spottiswoode. “That would have killed the whole proposal then and there. “As it is, Ms Damani could be responsible single-handedly for tipping enough votes to mean that Southampton becomes fluoridated, much against the wishes of the vast majority of citizens.” Cllr Damani is a member of Southampton City Primary Care Trust’s senior public health team. She works as an equality and human rights advisor. The trust proposed fluoridation as a way of combating poor dental health among the city’s youngsters, particularly in more deprived areas. The board of South Central Strategic Health Authority, which oversees the region’s healthcare, will vote on the plans tomorrow. In a free vote city councillors came out 26 to 18 in favour of fluoridation. Cllr Steve Sollitt declared an interest and left the meeting because he works as an accountant for the NHS. Cllr Damani also declared an interest as an employee of the health service, but remained, spoke and cast a vote. She told the meeting. “This is not a poison. Nobody has died from it.” A council spokesman said the authority is unable to comment or confirm an investigation is ongoing. Cllr Damani declined to comment.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line98
__label__wiki	0.946603	0.946603	Dedicated to every Norwich City Player since 1980 Luke Williams Norwich Career: Youth Current Club: Bristol City (Under-23 Coach) Luke Williams was a youth team player at Norwich alongside Bobby Zamora. They moved to Bristol Rovers but Williams was released without making a first team appearance and joined non-league Ashford Town. Seriously injured at the age of 20, Williams spent three years out before retiring to concentrate on coaching – first with a role in West Ham’s Kickz scheme, then as an FA Skills coach, where he worked on a programme designed to fight childhood obesity. In 2008, he joined Leyton Orient’s youth team under Dean Smith while simultaneously managing the academy at Non-League Witham Town. Appointed to lead Brighton’s newly-formed development squad in 2009, he saw a string of youngsters graduate to the first-team, among them Rohan Ince and England Under-21 star Jake Forster-Caskey. He then joined Swindon in 2013 and was Mark Cooper’s assistant as the Robins reached the 2015 play-off final, ultimately losing to Preston. He was retained when Cooper was replaced by Martin Ling, and Ling’s resignation in December 2015 led to Williams being asked to manage the club until the end of the season by chairman Lee Power. He signed a five year contract in March 2016. Swindon were relegated into League Two on 22nd April 2017 following a 2-1 home defeat to Scunthorpe that left them in 22nd place. He was sacked as Swindon manager on 5th May 2017. In June 2017, he joined Bristol City as their Under-23 Coach. All statistics on this site are accurate as of end of 2011/12 season This page on Flown From The Nest was last updated on and is © Steve Whitlam 1997-2013. This information may only be reproduced if acknowledgement is given to this website and a link provided	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line100
__label__wiki	0.886867	0.886867	Gothian Imperial Knights Templar (GIKT) United Gothian Knights of the world, congregated into the original first Templar Order, as established by the Prince of Gothia in 1099. BRITISH IS GOTHIC ARYANIZING CIVILIZATION OF PICTS AND CELTS OF BRITAIN BY BRUTUS AND HIS BRITO-PHOENICIAN GOTHS ABOUT 1100 B.C. Disclosing Phoenician Origin of Celtic, Cymric, Gothic and English Languages, and Founding of London and Bronze Age. "Brutus called the island, after his own name, 'Britain,' and his companions 'Britons.'"-Ancient British Chronicles.1 "The tribes subject to the Cedi [Ceti or Getae Goth Phoenicians] are skin-clad." -Rig Veda Hymns.2 THE introduction of civilization and the Aryan language by King Brutus or Briutus and his Phoenician associates into Albion, or as he now called it "Brit-ain" or "Land of the Barats or Brits," is described in circumstantial detail in the Ancient British Chronicles, which is confirmed by more or less contemporary and other evidence. The name of the aborigines, unfortunately, is not preserved in the existing versions; but we have seen that these aborigines, whose extant skeletal and other remains date back to the Old Stone Age, were clearly the Picts or "British Celts." And a memory of them seems to be preserved in the Scottish version of the Brutus legend, which places the newly-arrived Brutus, as we have seen, on "The Sea of Icht (or of the Picts)," when he "banishes" from the island his "big brother," his kinsman the Tiberian Sylvius Alba and his people, who had preceded Brutus in the possession of the tin-mines and in the domination of the island. And significantly the traditional place where Brutus landed is still reputed the especial haunt of the earth-dwelling dwarfish "Pixies," who, we have seen, are a memory of the earth-burrowing Picts. 1 G.C. 1, 16; and N.A.B., 7. 2 R.V., 8, 5, 8. p.169: PRIOR "GIANT" PHOENICIANS IN BRITAIN The "giants," who are described in the Chronicles as opposing the invasion by Brutus and Corineus and their Briton followers, were obviously not the aborigines, but, as we shall find from other evidence, an earlier trading branch of the Aryan-Phoenicians-the Muru or Amuru or "Amorite" giants and erectors of the Stone Circles and "giants' tombs"-who had been exploiting the tin and copper mines for many centuries and even a millennium or more before the arrival of Sylvius and his trading agents. But they had not systematically colonized the land or civilized the aborigines.l The systematic civilization of Britain thus begins practically with Brutus. He occupied the country as far north as the Tweed, the Chronicles inform us, and he at once began the work of welding the various Pictish tribes into one nation under their Aryan rulers, through the bonds of a common Aryan language and the civilizing Aryan laws. Brutus signalized his annexation of Alban by giving the latter a new name. He was, as we have seen, an Aryan of the Barat tribe, of which the Phoenicians were the chief representatives; and he had just come from Epirus where, on its Macedonian border, was a colony of that tribe with a town called "Phoenice," bearing that tribal title as "Parthini" or "The Parths," in series with Brutus' own personal name of "Peirithoos." We have also seen, and shall further see, that the Phoenicians were in the habit of applying this tribal title to their new colonies. We are now told in the Chronicle that "Brutus called the island [of Alban] after his own name 'Brit-ain' and his companions 'Brit-ons.'" The original form of this name "Brit-ain" was, as we have seen, "Barat-ana" or "Land of the Barats," 2 a form which 1 The references to Brutus' associate Corineus as carrying the defeated "giant" leader, and running with him on his shoulders, shows that the "giant" was no larger than himself. 2 The usually conjectured derivation of "Britain" (despite the circumstantial traditional account of its origin in the Chronicles which is in keeping with the facts of the application of this name in Phoenician lands elsewhere) is that evolved by Sir J . Rhys. He derives the name "Britain," from the Welsh Brith and Braith, "spotted, parti-coloured" - a reference to the painting or tattooing of the body. (R.C.B., 211). But, evidently not quite satisfied with this, he thinks it is derived from the Welsh Brethyn, "cloth," and adds: "It would appear that the word Brython and its congeners meant 'clothed,' or 'cloth-clad' people. (Ib., 212.) p.170: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS is preserved in a relatively pure form in "Dun-Barton" or "Fort of the Bartons"-the "Dun Breatan" of the Gaelic Celts. In the Welsh Triads also, where Brutus is called " Prydain, son of Aedd the Great," it is stated that he named the island after himself "Isle of Prydain" (Inis Prydain). And we shall see that Brutus and his Barats and their descendants covered the country with place, river and mountain names transplanted from their ancestral homeland in Asia Minor and Syria-Phoenicia. And similarly, Brutus' associate, the Phoenician Duke Corineus, who was probably related to Corunna in Spain with its legends of Hercules and the Phoenicians,1 is traditionally recorded to have given his name to Cornwall. The Higher Aryan Civilization which Brutus now introduced and propagated throughout a great part of Britain, began with the establishment of Agriculture, which we have found was originated by the Aryans and made by them the basis of their civilization. The Chronicles tell us that Brutus and his Britons set at once "to till the ground and build houses." The building of houses, we have seen, was such a speciality of the Hitto-Phoenicians that it gave them, from their timberhouses, the title of "Khilani," "Gelouni" or "Gi-oln," which was borne also by the Phoenician Barat Part-olon. The perishability of timber-houses would account for the fact that there seem to be few extant remains of ancient Briton buildings of this early period, except stone foundations, which may possibly be as early, and some of the "Cliff castles" (the marvellously well selected strategic sites and defensive military details of which excited the admiration of General Pitt-Rivers, the great archaeologist) and some of 1 "Corunna," on the Iberian coast near Finisterre, is intimately connected with the Phoenicians and their demi-god Hercules. At the mouth of the bay stands a remarkable beacon to which a vast antiquity is assigned. Local tradition ascribes it to Hercules and others to the Phoenicians. Laborde discovered an inscription near the base which stated that it was constructed by Caius Severus Lupus and dedicated to Mars. But this was probably reconstruction. Now Corunna is the Tor Breogan of Irish bardic writers who state that Breogan was the son of Bratha [i.e., "Barat" or "Brath"], a leading chief of the Iberian Scots, who erected this tower here after his own name, and that from the top of the town his son Ith saw the shores of Erin on a clear day. See B.O.I., 27. p.171: BRUTUS CIVILIZES ALBION OR BRITAIN the numerous towers of stone masonry ("Broch"), suggesting the truly cyclopean masonry of the Hitto-Phoenicians. So late as the fourth century, A.D., Bede writes that a house was built "after the manner of the Scots, not of stones but of hard oak thatched with reeds." This was the above-mentioned Hittite timber house presumably.1 The masonry foundations of such wooden houses were found at Troy.2 Indeed, it seems probable that the artistic, timbered style of old mansions and cottages, especially in the south of Britain, is a survival of the famous timbered Hittite houses of these ancient Britons. The building of fine houses by the Phoenicians in Britain must of itself have been a great uplifting factor in the civilization of the land which hitherto had known only subterranean burrows, as the aborigines would doubtless imitate, more or less, the above-ground houses of their overlords. The pile huts of the few lake-dwellings may thus possibly be derived from the Hitto-Phoenician timber-house examples. The common Briton affix for towns of -bury, -boro, -burg (as well as "Broch") and Sanskrit pura, are now seen to be derived from the Hittite or Catti Buru "a Hittite town, citadel or fort."3 In surveying his newly-acquired land of Britain, we are told that Brutus " formed a design of building a city, and with this view travelled through the land to find out a convenient situation, and came to the Thames." As long before Brutus' day the land had been in the possession of the Phoenician Morites, who also traded in Amber in the North Sea, the topography of South Britain and its sea-coast was probably more or less known to Brutus and his kinsmen followers. The Chronicle account says he travelled "through the land" to the Thames from Totnes. It may be that Brutus, after his signal defeat of a leading party of the "giant" Morites at Totnes, as he had such a small land force for an enemy's country, yet possessing a considerable fleet, coasted along the south coast eastwards along the Channel from Totnes, marching inland to reconnoitre at 1 Diodorus Siculus writes that "the cottages of the Britons were of wood thatched with straw." (Geog, 4, 197). 2 In the 5th City, in Early Bronze Age. S.I. 573 and 710. 3 Cp. M.D. 186. p.172: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS times when the open down permitted, with his fleet in the offing, somewhat as Alexander the Great, in his annexating survey of South Persia on his return from India, marched along the northern shore of the Persian Gulf with his fleet under admiral Nearchus in the offing for strategical reasons.1 Certain it is, I find, that the majority of the chief river-names from Totnes to the Thames, including the latter river-name itself, are clearly transplanted namesakes from the rivers of Epirus, whence Brutus sailed, and rivers of Troy and Phoenicia. These Phoenician, Epirus and Trojan names were, presumably, bestowed thereon by Brutus or his early descendants; just as a similar series of such names has been applied to the Cornwall coast to the west of Totnes, and just as modern British colonists transplant the cherished names of their old homeland to their new colonies. Thus "Penzance" or "Pensans," we have seen, is presumably a corruption of "Phoenic-ana" or "Place of the Phoenicians," and it was also formerly called "Burrit-on"2 i.e., "Place of the Barats." The eastern promontory of the Bay of Penzance is "Cudder Point," that is, apparently, "Point of Gadir," an old name for the Phoenician port of Gades.3 "Maraz-ion" or "Maras-ion,"4 also the name for the ancient Phoenician tin-port in this bay at St. Michael's Mount and the Ictis of the Greeks, adjoining the rich Godolcon tin mines, about three miles inland, with prehistoric stone-circles in the neighbourhood, is clearly named after the ancient inland capital of the Syyio-Phwnicians in Upper Cilicia, namely. "Marash" (see Map) with its famous Hittite-inscribed monuments and Ogamoid writing 1 "Brute-port" was the old name for Brid-port in Dorset at the end of the old "Roman" road, with many barrows and famous for its daggers. C.B., 1, 65. 2 L.H.P., 80. 3 "Gadeira," is used by Strabo for "Gades" (825: 17, 3, 2), and "Agadir" on Phoenician coins of Gades (see before). Ir is Sumerian for "City," so Gad-ir = "City of the Gad or Phoenicians." 4 This name is also variously spelt in documents of the thirteenth century onwards as "Marghas-bigan" (in Duke Richard's charter)," "Marhas-deythyou alias Forum Jovis" (Leland, about 1550, in History, 6, 119-120), in which the second part of the name is supposed to be the equivalent of "Jove." Camden later gives the name as "Marision," but trying to equate it to "Jove," and his own idea of a market there on Thursday, arbitrarily spells it "Markes-jeu" (1, 17). On the borough mace of Elizabeth's reign it is spelt "Margasiewe," and in Commonwealth documents "Margazion." Charles II. reverts to "Marhazion" and in 1726 the name occurs as "Marazion," which still persists. See C.B., 4 and 17, and L.H.P., 70 and 133, etc. p.173: BRUTUS GIVES PHOENICIAN PLACE-NAMES already mentioned. That Cilician city was called by the Greco-Byzantines "Marasion,"1 thus disclosing the Hitto-Phoenician original and source of the Marazion or Marasion in Cornwall. Again, the river which divided Corineus' province from that of Brutus is named Tamar, which name is presumably derived from the "Tamyras" or "Damour," the name of a chief river between Sidon and Beirut in Phoenicia. Near the Hoe at Plymouth also, the traditional site where Corineus pitched down the "giant" chief, we have "Catti-water" and the old place-name of "Catte-down," which presumably represents either the "Down of the Catte" or an older "Catte Dun" or "Fort of the Catti," wherein "Catti," with its variant "Cad," was, as we have seen, a favourite title of the ruling Barat Phoenicians. And of similar Barat significance seem the names of the old " Cliff Castles " of the Britons in Cornwall, called "Caddon" and "Castle Gotha," near Phoebe's Point at St. Austell. Similarly, from Totnes to the Thames the coast is studded with such Asia Minor and Hellenic names. The promontory outside the bay of Totnes was called by the Romans, who preserved and latinized most of the old pre-Roman Briton names, "Hellenis" (the modern Berry Head), thus preserving an old Briton name of "Hellenis," which is presumably a souvenir of the "Helloi" or Helleni tribe of the Hellenes in Epirus, whence Brutus sailed with his bride. The next large river on the way to the Thames is the modern Exe, called by the Romans under its old Briton name of "Isca," also written "Sca"2 which presumably preserves the old sacred name of the river of Troy,3 the Sca-mander or Xanthus. That the front name "Sca" was a separate and superadded name, and possibly a contraction of "Ascanios," seems evident from the modern river being called merely "Mendere." For the Sca-mander (or Sca-mandros of Homer) was presumably also called "Asc-anios."4 This title therefore of "Isca," for the Exe, 1 See R.H.G., 279; M.H.A., 263. It is called "Marasin" by later Byzantine ecclesiastic writers. 2 Its fort is called, in the 12th Itinerary of Antoninus, "Sca Dium-nunnorium" as well as "Isca Dumunnorium." See C.B.G., cxxvi. 3 Homer calls it "divine" (dios), Iliad, 12, 21. 4 Strabo cites Euphorion (681: 14, 5, 29) as saying: "near the waters of the Mysian Ascanios." Mysia is the province in which Troy and the Troad are situated; and Apollodorus speaks of "a village of Mysia called Ascania near a lake of the same name, out of which issues the river Ascanios" (Strabo ibid.); and the Sca-mander issues from a lake-cavern on Mt. Ida (see M.H.A., 69). This specification of "Mysia" excludes the Bithynian Ascanios and its lake as well as the S.E. Phrygian Ascanios and its lake on the Meander. It is also significant that the chief town of the Parth-ini tribe in Macedonia, already referred to in connection with Brutus was called "Usc-ana," and the river on the border of Epirus was the Axius (S. 328 &c.). And there was a Scaea Wall and Scaea Gates at Troy (S. 590). p.174: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS appears to disclose the Trojan source of the name of the numerous favourite residential rivers in Britain called Esk, Usk, Exe, etc. Thus the river at the site of the Briton King Arthur's capital of Caerleon in Monmouth was also called "Isca" by the Romans, the modern "Usk." And just as there are several Isca, Esk, Usk or Exe rivers in Britain bearing this favourite name, so there were others in the Troad and Thrace.1 Near Exeter, the Isca of the Romans is "Cad-bury" or "Burg of the Cads (i.e. Phoenicians)," with prehistoric "camp" mounds. Further east, the next large river, the Axe, of Ax-minster, and famous for its textile products, has the same Exe or Esk or Isca name and has in the neighbourhood "Catti-stock" with ancient "Picts' dwellings" to attest its antiquity. Further east, we come to the "Avon" (of Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge, etc.) which bears obviously the: same name as the "Aban" river of Damascus (mentioned in the Old Testament),2 a Syrian city which was in the occupation of the Hitt-ites in the fourteenth century B.C.,3 and in which the "Ab" of its name also means "Water," as does "Avon" in the Briton language. Passing Hants, where "Barton-Stacey" and "Barton-mere," both with prehistoric remains, and preserving in their names the earlier form of the "Barat" title like Dun-Barton, we come to the Ancient Briton island-port of Sels-ey or "Isle of the Sels," which, we have already seen on the evidence of the Phoenician inscription on its early Briton coins, means "Isle of the Cilicians." Beyond this, near Beachy Head, is the Ouse, which is clearly named after the "Aous" river of Epirus, which separates the latter from Macedonia. And the "Thaynes," the "Tamesis" of the Romans, is clearly named after the "Thyamis," the greatest river of Epirus, the Phoenician origin of which name seems evident by its chief tributary being named "Cadmus," the name of the famous colonizing and civilizing sea-king of the Phoenicians, with its chief city port "Ilium," a title of Troy, and the port of the next river to the north is named "Phoenice." Arrived at the Thames, thus evidently named by Brutus after the chief river of Epirus in Greece, whence he had just come, bringing his princess bride, we are told that he "walked along the shore and at last pitched upon a place 1 A Scaeus river in Troad and Thrace (S. 590) and Axus or Oaxes in Crete. The name Sca, Axi and Usc seems cognate with Sumerian Agia or Ega, "Flood (of Euphrates &c.)," cp. Br. 11593) and akin to Sanskrit Ux "to sprinkle," Irish-Scot and Gaelic Uisg, "river," (and root of "Whisky") and Latin Aqua. 2 2 Kings, 5, 12. 3 A.L., 139 and 143. p.175: BRUTUS FOUNDS LONDON ABOUT 1100 B.C. very fit for his purpose. Here he built a city which he called 'New Troy' . . . till by corruption of the original word it came to be called 'Tri-Novantum' but afterwards 'Kaer-Lud' that is, 'The City of Lud'" -that is, "Lud-dun" or "London."1 The new evidence confirming this account of the founding of London by Brutus about 1100 B.C.-that is, over three and a half centuries before the traditional founding of Rome-and clearly identifying the Early Briton Londoners with the "Tri-Novantes" of Caesar, is detailed in Appendix V. This, therefore, corroborates the tradition of the Trojan founding of London preserved by Milton: "O City, founded by Dardanian hands, Whose towering front the circling realms commands!" Thereafter Brutus, we are told, "prescribed Laws for the peaceable government" of citizens-just as, later, the famous Law-codes of two of his descendants in the fifth and 4th cents. B.C. were translated by King Alfred into Anglo-Saxon for the benefit of the English.2 This prescription of Laws by an Aryan-Phoenician implies Writing in the Aryan-Phoenician Language and Script, and also Education in reading that official writing and Aryan language. In writing, the Phoenicians are admitted by the universal Greek tradition to have been the teachers of Europe. And we have seen the form of the Aryan Phoenician writing and language of about 400 B.C. on the Newton Stone. This now brings us to the hitherto unsolved and much-disputed question of the agency by which the Aryan language was first introduced into the British Isles and the date of that great event. The introduction of the Aryan language into Britain has latterly been universally credited by modern writers to the " Celts," merely on a series of assumptions by Celtic philologists which, we have seen, are unfounded, namely, 1. "Kaer," the Cymric for "Fortified city," is now seen to be derived from Sumerian Gar, "hold, establish, of men, place" (Br. 11953, &c.), cognate with Indo-Persian Garh, "fort," Sanskrit Grih "house," Eddic Gothic Goera "to build" (V.D. 224) and Gard or "Garth." 2. G.C., 2, 17 and 3, 5; and cp. pp. 387-8. p.176: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS that the Celts were Aryan in race, and a branch of the round-headed Celts of Gaul and conjectured to have entered Britain from Gaul for the first time about " the seventh or sixth century B.C.,"1although there is no tradition of such a migration, nor is the word " Celt " even known in the " British Celtic " languages. The real introducers of the Aryan language into the British Isles are now disclosed to be the Aryan Phoenician Britons under King Brutus.2 As the conquering and civilizing race they imposed their own Aryan speech, as the official language, upon the aborigines of Britain. And they gave their own Aryan names, in the manner we have already seen, to most of the places, mountains and rivers, forming the hitherto so-called "Celtic" place- and river-names. The Aryan language, thus introduced and spoken by these ruling Early Britons under King Brutus about 1103 B.C., was clearly neither "Celtic" nor the supposititious "Gaulish Brythonic of the Welsh of the fourth century B.C.," which are disclosed to be relatively modern provincial dialects of this original Briton Speech. What, then, was this Early Briton Speech, as it is given no place whatsoever in any of the schemes of classification of the languages of Britain by our modern philologists? It is called, in Geoffrey's translation of the Early Chronicles, as we have seen, "Trojan or rough Greek which [thereafter] was called British." The actual words for these terms, as they occurred in the "very ancient book [MS.] in the British tongue" translated by Geoffrey into Latin are unfortunately lost. The term "Greek" (or Graecum) could not have been employed in any very ancient text, as it is merely a term introduced by the later Roman writers about the middle of the first century B.C. for the country, people and language3 of the Attica peninsula, and whose people latterly called themselves "Hellenes" and their country "Hellas," and 1 Rhys, Rept. Brit. Ass., 1900, 893. In R.C.B., 1904 (p. 2) the supposed date is conjecturally extended to be "probably more than a millennium B.C." 2 The slight aryanizing influence of the Phoenician Morite merchants previous to Brutus is here disregarded. 3 T.W.P. 93-4. p.177: BRITISH LANGUAGE, TROJAN OR DORIC it is a term entirely unknown to Homer as well as the early classic "Hellenic" writers, although it is customary nowadays to call the latter "Greek." Geoffrey thus presumably, or a previous transcriber, employed in his translation this term "Greek" merely to render the old British textual name intelligible to his modern readers, at a time when Latin and Greek were the languages of the learned throughout Europe, and to convey to his readers the fact that this "ancient British tongue" belonged to the same family as the ancient Hellenic or so-called "Greek" -language, which was a leading branch of the Aryan Speech of civilized Europe. The term "Trojan," on the other hand, as applied to this Early Briton language in Geoffrey's translation, probably preserves, more or less, the general form of the name occurring in his old British text, in the sense of "Doric." ["Trojan" or "Troian" is the latinized word for the Hellenic Troes, a native of Troia (or Troy), as the people and their city are called by Homer. Now, the most ancient branch of the Aryans in Greece, who are incidentally referred to by Homer as the "Doriees," the "Dorians" of the Latinist writers, were, I find, the original inhabitants of Troy,1 which would explain why the Dorians had their revenge on their distant kinsmen, the Achaians, who destroyed Troy (as described in the Iliad) by driving the latter out of Greece2 in the eleventh century B.C.; and secondly, the Homeric "Troes" for Trojan is presumably a dialectic form of "Doriees" or "The Dorians" - for the interchange of the dentals T and D is common throughout the whole family of Aryan languages, and is especially common even at the present day in Greece and amongst the Greek-speaking people of Asia Minor, so that the modern guide-books to Greece and Asia Minor warn travellers3 that the initial D of written or printed names is usually pronounced, in the colloquial, Th or T. And the transposing of the o and r in spelling is not infrequent.] The "Doric" language of the ancient Hellenes was distinguished from the later refined and polished "Attic" of the classic "Greeks" by its rough simplicity and the free use of broad vowel sounds. This "Doric" character 1 Details in my Aryan Origins. 2 South Greece or Peloponnesus is called "The Dorian Island" by Pindar, N., 3, 5; and by Sophocles, C.C., 6, 95, etc. 3 See M.H.A. [71]. p.178: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS of the Early Briton language is well seen in Part-olon's spelling on the Newton Stone of several of the proper names, especially in his spelling of "Gyaolowonie" for his ethnic title, which is written "Gioln" in his Ogam version for the information of the Pictish Celts, who spelt that name in their Chronicles of the ninth century A.D. also "Galan" or "Gulan." It thus seems probable that the word used in Geoffrey's old British manuscript text was "Doros," which he latinized into "Trojan," and that his description of the original language spoken by the Trojans under Brutus as "Trojan or rough Greek" was the original rough Doric language current amongst the Trojans about 1107 B.C. And significantly this term "Doric" still survives to the present day as an appellation of the dialect of the Scots, with its distinctively broad vowel sounds. Contemporary specimens of this ancient Trojan Doric, that is, the Early "British" Doric language and writing, fortunately still exist from the fourteenth to the twelfth centuries B.C. They were unearthed in considerable numbers by Schliemann in his excavations at Hissarlik, the site of the ancient Troy. The language in which this Trojan Doric is written shows that Homeric Greek, which in its archaisms differs so widely from the classic Greek of later times, was related to it1 and presumably derived from it; while the script in which this Trojan language is written bears a close resemblance to the early alphabetic letters found in Cyprus at Kitium or Citium and other sites of the Phoenicians and Khatti in that island.This ancient Trojan Doric script so closely resembled in many respects the script on Part-olon's Newton Stone, that it supplied me with some indications for the decipherment of that inscription. And I find that this Trojan script and language was clearly akin to the language and writing of the later Aryan Phoenicians, and to the Runes of the Goths, and to the legends stamped on the pre-Roman British coins of the Catti, and was the parent of the language and writing of the present day in Britain-the so-called "English" language and script. Its affinity to the Runes of the Goths is especially 1 Prof. Sayce, S.I, 691, etc. p.179: ENGLISH BASED ON BRITISH GOTHIC obvious and historically significant. We have seen that the inscription of Part-olon-the-Scot, and its more or less contemporary inscription at Lunasting, exhibit the radical and grammatical structure of the Gothic-the language of a people who are disclosed, as we have seen, to be Khatti, Catti, Guti or Gad or Hitt-ites, primitive Goths. In view of this fact, and the fact that the great epics of the Goths, the Eddas-which, I find, are truly historical and not mythical in their personages1-are found by the best authorities to have been mostly composed in Britain, and in a Gothic dialect which was presumably the Early British language as current in Britain about the beginning of the Christian era, I find that this Gothic of the Eddas, the tongue of our Briton ancestors, based on the old Trojan Doric, was the real basis of the "English" language and not the Anglo-Saxon, although the latter is a kindred dialect. Thus this early British Doric seems best described as "Early British Gothic," and such I venture to call it. The essentially Gothic character of the "English" language is evident also from the greatest of English classics, the English translation of the Bible, wherein it will be seen that the early translators, Wycliffe (1389 A.D.) and Tyndale (1526), on which our modern version is based, largely followed the wordings used by old Bishop Ulfilas the Goth in his Gothic translation of 350 A.D., although his Visi-Gothic dialect had diverged considerably from the Gothic of the British Eddas. "Anglo-Saxon," on the other hand, has no early writings extant to attest what the language of these Germanic invaders was at the period before and when they entered Britain in 449 A.D. The early Saxon language was markedly different from the so-called "Anglo-Saxon" of Britain, which latter first appears in the poems of Caedmon about 650 A.D., that is, over two centuries after the Anglo-Saxon invaders had mixed with and adopted the Laws of the Britons who spoke British Gothic.2 Caedmon, although now called "the first Anglo-Saxon or English poet," appears to 1. Thor, 1st king of 1st Aryan dynasty was only latterly deified. 2. But his poems are only known in the vernacular in a MS. dating no earlier than 1000 A.D., except his Hymn cited by King Alfred about a century earlier. p.180: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS have been a native of Ruthwell in Dumfries in Scotland, from the signed Runic inscription of "Cadmon" on the beautiful votive stone Cross there, containing extracts from the "Dream of the Rood," a poem which is usually ascribed to him. And although he specially wrote for his Anglo-Saxon masters, he wrote in an idiom so different from the standard Anglo-Saxon of the South, and so similar to the British Gothic of the Eddas, and used idioms and sentences so similar to those of the Gothic Eddas that his language has to be distinguished as "Northumbrian." Beowulf's reputed poem also, which is only known from a paraphrase by a "Northumbrian" bard of the eighth century, relates exploits amongst the Danes and Geats (or Goths) and the Goths of Sweden and the Catte-gat (or "Gate of the Catti" or Goths) which presumes Gothic influence in his so-called "Anglo-Saxon." And Cynewulf of the eighth century betrays his Gothic influence by signing his MS. in Runic (i.e., Gothic) writing-of which significantly absolutely no trace has ever been found on any ancient monument in Germany, although Runic inscriptions from at least about the fourth and fifth centuries onwards (that is before the "Anglo-Saxon" invasion, the Angles not arriving in Britain till the middle of the sixth century) are common in the North of England and in Scotland, as well as in Scandinavia and Denmark, all Gothic lands. Indeed the name "Caedmon" which is spelt "Kadmon" or "Cadmon" on the Ruthwell Cross, and occurring in the latter form as the name of a witness to a Bucks charter of 948 A.D.1 is seen to mean obviously "Man of the Cad or Kad," that is, as we have seen, an ordinary title of the Hitto-Phoenicians, and in series with the Briton "Cad-wallon," &c. And Dumfries is on the border of the "Gad-eni" tribe area of Ptolemy. It is thus evident that the so-called "Celtic" and "Brythonic Celtic" languages in the British Isles are merely provincial dialects derived from the Aryan Trojan Doric, introduced by King Brutus-the-Trojan about 1103 B.C.; and that the standard official and developed Aryan language 1. Birch Cart. Saxon. 2.39, cited by Gaskin Caedmon 1902, 10; and cp. Hewison Runic Roods 1914.61. p.181: BRITON LAWS ADOPTED BY ANGLO-SAXONS of Britain was the British Gothic, which is the basis of the modern "English" language; and that the Trojan Doric script introduced by Brutus, and cognate with Part-olon's Phoenician script and archaic Greek and Roman, is the parent of our modern alphabetic writing. The Laws which Brutus prescribed, and the law-codes of his descendants of the 5th and 4th cents. B.C. (Molmut and Martin), translated by King Alfred for the Anglo-Saxons, were doubtless founded on the famous law-codes of the Sumerians and Hittites, which are admittedly the basis of the Mosaic and Greek and Roman Law. It will. surprise most readers, not lawyers, taught by the history books to regard the Early Britons as "barbarians," to find that the great English Law-authority on "The Rise and Progress of the English Commonwealth," Sir F. Palgrave, shows that the Britons were superior in their civilization, as in their religion, to the Anglo-Saxons who adopted the Briton Law generally for their code in England. Palgrave writes: "The historical order prevailing in this code (of the Britons') shows that it was formed with considerable care, and the customs it comprehends bear the impress of great antiquity. . . . The character of the British legislation is enhanced by comparison with the laws which were put in practice amongst the other nations of the Middle Ages. The indignant pride of the Britons, who despised their implacable enemies, the Anglo-Saxons, as a race of rude barbarians, whose touch was impurity, will not be considered as any decisive test of superior civilization. But the Triads, and the laws of Hoel Dda (founded on Molmut's), excel the Anglo-Saxon and other Teutonic customals in the same manner that the elegies of Llywarch Hen, and the odes of Taliesin soar above the ballads of the Edda. Law had become a science amongst the Britons; and its volumes exhibit the jurisprudence of a rude nation shaped and modelled by thinking men, and which had derived both stability and equity from the labours of its expounders."2 The Art introduced by Brutus into Albion was presumably the advanced art of the Trojans and Phoenicians, as sung by Homer and unearthed by Schliemann and others; though 1 Briton code of Molmut revised by Howel the Good (Hywel Dda), King of Cymri, 906-48 A.D. 2 F. Palgrave, Rise and Progress of English Commonwealth, 1. 37. p.182: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS in the rough laborious life of bringing a new country into civilization and cultivation it doubtless suffered deterioration in Britain. This art, hitherto called "Early Celtic," is represented by numerous specimens, unearthed from tombs, etc., of bronze, gold and jet jewellery, decorated bronze shields and weapons and ornamented monuments, in which the aesthetic use of the solar spiral ornament of Troy, the AEgean and Levant, and the solar "key-pattern" swastika (still surviving largely in modern decorative art) and Sun-Crosses of the Hitto-Phoenicians is noteworthy (see Figures later). The identity of some of the Early Briton art motives with those of the naturalistic "New Egyptian art" introduced into Egypt from Syria-Phoenicia in the period of Akhen-aten will be seen later on. The naturalistic drawing on the Early Briton coins especially, we shall find, much excels that of the Anglo-Saxon and medieval period in England. As an instance of Early Briton art may be cited an inlaid dagger-handle unearthed from a tomb near Stonehenge, which is thus described by an expert: "It could not be surpassed, if indeed equalled, by the most able workman of modern times."1 Works of public utility, such as the construction of arterial roads for commerce, etc., are referred to in the Chronicle records of descendants of Brutus.2 The so-called "Roman roads" bearing the old Briton names of Stave Street, Watling3 Street, Erming Street, etc., are studded with Ancient Briton town sites, as we shall see, and thus presumably were roads mentioned in the British Chronicles which were engineered by the Ancient Britons in the pre-Roman period and merely repaired by the Romans, to whom they are now altogether credited by those latter-day writers who have erroneously believed that the Britons were savages. 1 Hoare, Ancient Wilts, 1, 202, pl. 27, 2, and E.B.I., 232. 2 G.C., 3, 5, etc. 3 "Watl-ing" is a variant of the Eddic Gothic "OAdl-ing" or "OEdl-ing" royal clan, with later variants of AEthel-ing, etc., in which ing is the Gothic tribal affix. Other variants of this Early Briton name, in the time of Edward the Confessor, Harold and Canute are spelt in charters "Waedel," "Wadel," "AEdel," "Adel," "Udal," cp. W. G. Searle, Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum 473, 534, 582. The name is Sumer Etil "Lord" (Br. 1506). p.183: BRONZE INTRODUCED BY MORITE PHOENICIANS The Bronze Age was clearly introduced into Britain by the earlier Phoenician Mor-ite or Amor-ite exploiters of the tin mines many centuries before the arrival of Brutus, and probably before 2800 B.C.l On account of the preciousness of Bronze, however, it would appear that the Early Phoenician miners themselves used bronze sparingly and prohibited its use by the natives, and, as it will be seen later, they employed stone tools in working the ores for export to their bronze factories in the East. Brutus appears to have popularized the use of bronze, as indicated by its more frequent occurrence as tools. Metal axes would presumably be required by these Aryans to clear the forests for settlement and agriculture.2 And he probably introduced iron and steel into Britain, as both of these metals are referred to by Homer as used by Trojan heroes, and the use of iron is also referred to by his contemporary, Hesiod. The Religion which the Phoenicians disembarked and transplanted in Britain, as they did in their other colonies was the exalted monotheistic religion with the idea of One God of the Universe, symbolized by his chief visible luminary the Sun, as we shall see in a later chapter on Phoenician "Bel" worship in Early Britain, as attested by its early monuments other than the Newton Stone. The uplifting effect of this lofty religion upon the aborigines must have been enormous, sunk as the latter were in the degrading matriarchal cults of serpent demons of Death and Darkness, demanding human and other bloody sacrifices. The Phoenician "Sun-worship" was latterly, as we have seen, associated with the idealized Aryan Barat tutelary angel, Britannia. It was, perhaps, this divinity who is referred to as "Diana" in the Chronicles as inspiring Brutus to the conquest of Britain. That latter name was possibly substituted by the later editors to adapt it to the well-known analogous tutelary of the later classic writers. In this regard it is significant, in connection with the traditional 1 Sir J. Evans divided the Bronze Age in Britain into 1st Stage, 1400-1150 B.C. (flat daggers); 2nd Stage, 1150-900 B.C. (stout daggers), and 3rd Stage, 900-400 B.C. 2 Bronze sickles were found in Aberdeen, Perth and Sutherland shires. E.B.I., 199-200-where finds in the South of England are also noted. p.184: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS founding of London by Brutus, to find that on the site of St. Paul's Cathedral there is a tradition of a once-famous temple to Diana. The old buildings in its neighbourhood are called, in the church records, "Camerae Diana" or "Rooms of Diana," and in the reign of Edward I. numerous ox-heads were dug up in the churchyard which were ascribed to the sacrifices to Diana performed there.1 The maintenance of the higher religion was an essential part of the Aryan State system, and the kings were for long the high priests and priest-kings. Caesar mentions that students from Gaul and other parts of the continent flocked to the colleges in Early Britain for religious instruction.2 And the fact that the ruling Aryan Briton kings and their "Britons" properly so-called (as distinguished from the aborigines) adhered to the higher ancestral religion of the Sun-cult, and not the blood-thirsty Druidism of their subjects, is evidenced by the Early Briton coins and the numerous stone monuments of the pre-Christian period in Britain, which are purely Solar in their symbolism. So purely solar was the higher religion in Ancient Britain that Pliny reports that the ancient Persians - the most famed of the later Eastern Sun-Fire worshippers - seemed to have derived their rites from Britain.3 The character of these Early Britons is reflected to some extent in their Chronicles. The Phoenician admiral Himilco of Carthage who visited Britain about the sixth century B.C. to explore "the outer parts of Europe"4 records that the Britons were "a powerful race, proud-spirited, effectively skilful in art, and constantly busy with the cares of trade."5 Their patriotism and independence is strikingly reflected in the magnificent oration of the Briton chief Galgacus as recorded by Tacitus,6 and displays high proficiency in literary composition and rhetoric. The character of King Caractacus was highly extolled by the Romans. The high 1 C.B., 2, 81. 2 D.B.G. 6, 8; 6, 13 (11) and f. 3 Nat Hist., 30. 4 Pliny states that he sailed via Gades (Nat Hist, 2, 67, 109). 5 "Multa vis hic gentis est. Superbus animus, efficax sollertia. Negotiandi cura jugis omnibus." Fragment preserved by Festus Avienus, Ora Marilirna, v, 98-100. 6 Agricola, 30. p.185: BRITON CULTURE & CIVILIZATION Briton sense of honour and self-respect with contempt for slanderers seems crystallized in the old motto of the Keiths (i.e. Khatti), the Earl marischals of Scotland: "Thay say, Qwhat say They? Thay haif sayd. Let thame say!" As regards refinement and education, it is noteworthy that the young Briton wife, Claudia Rufina, of a high Roman official, whose praises Martial sang in the first century A.D., held her own in the brilliant society at Rome "Claudia! Rose from the blue-eyed Britons! Capturer of hearts! How is it thou'rt such a Latin person? Such graceful form? It makes believe thou'rt Roman! Thou'rt fit to be Italian or Athenian maid."1 She was traditionally the Claudia who was the friend of St. Paul.2 And not to mention the old tradition of the Chronicle and numerous other independent records that the famous Christian empress and canonized saint, Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, was a British princess, the daughter of King Col of York, we have the beautiful monument to the dignified Briton lady of the Cat-uallaun ruling clan in North Britain, erected at S. Shields, by her sorrowing husband, Barates the Syrio-Phoenician. (See Fig. 19.) The intellectual, social and religious culture introduced by Brutus into Britain about the end of the twelfth century B.C. must thus have been of the advanced standard of the Phoenicians of that period. This must have exercised still further an inspiring and uplifting effect upon the lower mentality of the Pictish aborigines, and have tended to alter their habits of life and character somewhat in the direction of those of their civilizing Aryan overlords. The colonizing activities of the adventurous Briton descendants of Brutus soon manifested themselves again, after they had penetrated the greater part of Britain, in 1. "Claudia caeruleis cum sit Rufina Britannis," etc. Martial, Epigram. 11, 53. Her husband was Aulus Pudens. 2. 2 Timothy, iv, 21. Her identity was upheld by Matthew, Archbishop of Canterbury; and J. Bale. See C.B.G., I, xciii. p.186: PHOENICIAN ORIGIN OF BRITONS & SCOTS founding a new colony on the Rhine. That remarkable record in the Chronicle states that about 970 B.C. a colony of the sons of King Ebraucus, the fourth in linear descent from Brutus, sailed from Britain with a fleet and, conquering Germany, settled there. This now appears to disclose the hitherto unobserved British Origin of the "Anglo-Saxons" and the "Anglo-Saxon" language-the term "Anglo-Saxon," which is now so common in popular usage, was unknown to the Danish and Germanic invading Jutes, Angles and Saxons of the fifth century A.D. themselves, and appears to have been first coined only in 1783 in Bailey's Dictionary as a term for the language of the Saxon Chronicle and of Alfred and that period. "Anglo-Saxon" as a racial or ethnic term is even more recent. This Briton invasion and colonization of Germany by King Brutus' descendants, about 970 B.C., now accounts for the first time for the Aryanization in speech of the various non-Aryan Slavonic or Sarmatian tribes of Germany, and also supplies the date for this great epoch-making event in the history of continental Europe. It also explains the origin and existence of the "Continental Britanni" mentioned by Pliny as living on the banks of the Somme,1 the Cat-alauni tribe on the Marne; and the various Catti or Gothic tribes in the Rhine Valley described by Tacitus,2 namely the Catti or Chatti, the most heroic of the tribes in Germany,3 the Chauci (? Saxons), Qadi of Moravia, the Goth-ones, and Goth-ini with their iron-mines on the Vistula and Oder, the Sit-ones, and the Cimbri in Jut-land, where we find a short time later, "Goths" and "Goth-land"; while the Angli (Angles, the "Yngl-ing Goths" of the Eddas) occupied in the first century A.D. the neck of Schleswig- Holstein of Denmark or Jut-land adjoining the Cimbri (or Cymri). An early Briton occupation of Denmark (the home of the 1 Pliny, N. Hist., 4, 106. 2 Germania, C., 29-44. 3 The "Catti" or "Chatti" are not mentioned by Caesar, as they were outside the frontier of the Roman empire and influence. Some writers have sought to identify them with the "Suevi" of Caesar's Commentaries, but Tacitus sharply differentiates the "Catti" from the "Suevi." This Early Briton migration of Catti or Goths to the Rhine Valley would account for the remains of long-headed skulls of Aryan type in the early prehistoric graves there. p.187: ANGLES AND SAXONS A BRANCH OF BRITONS Angles) is also recorded in the British Chronicles anterior to the 5th century, B.C.1 It is thus seen that the Anglo-Saxons were a branch of the British Barat-Phoenicians or Britons, and that the "Anglo-Saxon" language is derived from the Briton "Doric" or Dorian (or Troian) Gothic, or the British Gothic introduced into Britain by Brutus and his Barat Phoenician Catti or Goths about 1100 B.C.; and, to some extent, still earlier, by the Amorite Catti Phoenicians from about 2800 B.C. 1. G.C. 3, 11. FIG. 25A. Prehistoric Catti Sun Crosses and Sun Spirals graved on Sepulchral Stones at Tara, capital of ancient Scotia or Erin. After Coffey (C.N.G. Figs. 34, 36.) Described in Chaprs. XIX and XX. Posted by S. Michael at 1:02 AM No comments: Join the Imperial Goths Our Lord Protector Stephen Michael, King of Goths	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line109
__label__wiki	0.536623	0.536623	OLIVE BRANCHES DON’T GROW ON TREES (2012) Drawing on her own background, Grace Mattioli has created a warring but loveable Italian-American family, who just can’t seem to get along. While they all have their individual problems, youngest daughter, Silvia Greco, hopes that she can bring the family together to celebrate the graduation of her little brother, and in so doing offer an olive branch of peace to the disgruntled factions. What follows is an energetic, funny, and endearing tale of a twentysomething woman with an incurable need to keep moving, but without any real sense of direction. As she finds her own way, so too she hopes to help her family put their problems aside. After working several dead-end jobs since graduating art school and moving around the country, Silvia finds herself broke and living back at home in New Jersey living with her crazy father, Frank. She contemplates what went wrong for a short while when she’s drafted into helping her mother, Donna, unite her feuding family together for her younger brother’s high school graduation party. Silvia and her three siblings have not been gathered together in over six years and her parents, Frank and Donna, are newly separated. Well-aware of the enormity of the challenge at hand given the many inter-family conflicts and stubbornness of her family, she takes it on with enthusiasm as it serves as a diversion from her current life situation. She goes about appealing to each family member by individualizing each one’s needs and wants and by sometimes telling white lies. For instance, she tells her older sister Angie, who is preoccupied with appearances, that her absence at the party will look really bad. In her journey to gather her family together, she learns that peace is not something that is readily existing but something that needs to be cultivated. In other words, she learns that olive branches don’t grow on trees. She also comes to realize that uniting them together is not just about ensuring that her brother has a nice way to commemorate his graduation. It is about preventing her family from devolving into families like her parents’ in which siblings are estranged from each other. At the heart of her journey, lies her father’s alcoholism and she goes about trying t0 sober him up. While trying to make peace in her family, she goes about her day to day life, nude modeling in the art school she attended in Philadelphia, getting a job as a manager in a candy store in a nearby mall, wondering what sort of career path she will take and where she will move next. When she realizes that her own restlessness and tendency to move from place to place is directly correlated with the lack of peace in her own family, creating peace in her family takes on a whole new dimension and importance. Despite the seriousness of the issues dealt with in this novel, humor abounds. Her younger brother Vince believes the recent preponderance of war novels to be a government conspiracy. Donna is sexually assaulted at Disney World by the Three Little Pigs. Frank chases a centipede around the house with a broom, proclaiming “these God damned bugs run around here like they own the place!” Review Excerpts “The author weaves a moving and realistic portrayal of a dysfunctional family with enough drama and humorous family situations that will keep the reader engaged and entertained, while providing…subtle messages of life lessons to extend the olive branch and learn to live, love and forgive.” Jersey Girl Book Reviews “The sequences of Silvia’s recollections into the past with her strong willed, born ahead of her time grandmother, the jobs she has held, and lost as it were, are nothing short of brilliant.” Chapters and Chats Book Reviews “Grace’s intimate knowledge of her subject shows in her frank and open style of writing, which invites the reader into the lives of the Greco family, as though they were long lost friends and therefore there is no need to stand on ceremony, or pretend that things are not just as they are. An amazingly perceptive, cleanly written and well told story, marks Grace Mattioli’s debut novel.” Fiction-books.biz Book Reviews “The author…manages to make us care about this family. All of the Grecos…are entertaining and their quirks are endearing. OLIVE BRANCHES DON’T GROW ON TREES is a very real drama that gets to the heart of the conflict within the Greco family.” Indie Reader Reviews Best of 2012, Suspense Magazine! DISCOVERY OF AN EAGLE (2014) When Cosmo Greco and his sister, Silvia Greco drive to Portland together, a soulful American road trip is set in motion, but when a near-fatal car crash threatens to do more than derail the trip, the story takes a thoughtful turn, forcing Cosmo to re-evaluate his life. With wit and insight, Mattioli approaches such issues fear of change and what it takes to be truly happy. When 28-year-old Cosmo Greco gets laid off from his IT job in Philadelphia, the first thought that pops into his head is how he’ll spend the rest of the day divided between the comic book shop and the cafe. He leaves his former place of work feeling renewed, goes home to clean his house and is served a notice from his landlord about an upcoming rent increase. Fears about his financial situation ensue but he doesn’t have long to fret when his younger sister Silvia persuades him to travel out to Portland, Oregon with him. He accepts reluctantly thinking that the trip will give him a renewed sense of appreciation for his life as it is. But when they are in a near fatal car accident in the beginning of the trip, he realizes the true unpredictability of life and that death is imminent. This wake-up call causes him to question his life and to realize that he’s been in a rut and is bored and unfulfilled. He wants to start living life more fully. A number of encounters he has along the way reinforce this realization. He meets a blues musician who’s filled with passion for his art, a quirky cowboy who speaks in poetic verse for his lost love, a dying woman who, having lived a good life, is at peace with going on to the next world and Hopi artisans, who although monetarily poor, seem content. When he and Silvia stay in a youth hostel in Flagstaff, he remembers his brief college days when he studied astronomy which was his passion. He sorely regrets dropping out and losing his passion in life. Midway through the trip, they visit the Grand Canyon and he sees a bald eagle flying through the sky and Silvia tells him how she loves eagles because of what they symbolize–strength, courage, immortality, divinity, spirit. He realizes that he’s discovered, on this trip, the eagle that resides within him and knows that he can’t turn back. But shortly afterwards, he hears from a former colleague who tells him the lay-off is over and that he’s in line for a promotion. Although he doesn’t want to go back to his former life, he knows that not doing so would be foolish and unpractical. Silvia and Cosmo are both products of growing up in an alcoholic household although they juxtapose each other very nicely with the the former being a restless spirit who can’t stay still and stick something out and the latter being an underachiever who settles and can’t get moving. While she pushes him to get going and live more fully, he teaches her to stop moving and be more present. Together, they make it to the other side of the country, while learning powerful messages along the way which allows Cosmo to undergo a spiritual transformation. “A warm blend of travel and observation, family interrelationships, and reflections that ultimately capture the meaning and purpose of getting away and journeying to new places…a soaring story of one man’s exploration of new possibilities, new worlds, and ultimately, a newfound purpose to life.” D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review “The characters the two siblings meet along the way-whether delightfully crazy or attractive or lost-serve as foils for a kind of personal growth particular to a road-trip scenario, and the landscape of the vast space between the East and West coasts acts as a catalyst for emotional and spiritual change. Mattioli writes in an assured voice that carries the story through its potentially sentimental passages, and…by the end, (readers) may be surprised to find that they, too, have undergone an emotional odyssey…poignant and well-drawn.” Kirkus Reviews “As you feel yourself traveling with these Grecos, you see Cosmo’s world open and expand with each cathartic, soothing and beautiful scene or person he discovers…If you are longing for change, feel stuck in your lifestyle and want to discover America come with Silvia and Cosmo to find the beauty that lies past your present world.” Ruth Amernick, reviewer for Library Journal “The book isn’t just about Cosmo’s journey. It takes a hard look at the lives we live, the monotony we assume is a part of adulthood and the mediocrity we’re content to settle for. Through Cosmo’s shoes, the reader’s perspectives are quietly opened to new possibilities.” The Lit Room Literature and Film Reviews THE BRIGHTNESS INDEX (2016) This small collection of short stories all take place in Arizona and the characters who inhabit the stories are as unique and colorful as the place itself. There is Stacy in Just Bring Your Own Food, a reluctant diner waitress who’ll do anything to keep her job, including chase down a thief. How Doc Holiday Saved Me is the story of a college girl living in a haunted house in Tucson who meets a mysterious pizza delivery guy who helps her get out of her lease. In Crazy Ted: a love story, a blond blue eyed man moves from Pennsylvania to Flagstaff and lets his inner cowboy out and falls in love with a beautiful Navajo woman. Something he could see himself In is the story of a born-again Christian tattoo artist and his quest to find the perfect tattoo for the one remaining empty spot on his back. In So She Could See the Color Plue, a misfit wants desperately to fit in in the only place on earth where she can see the most magical colors in the sky. “…Grace Mattioli gives her short stories little twists to make seemingly-predictable plots turn into exceptional reads through a character’s gritty determination to rise above their circumstances…All these stories offer food for thought, and all are bound together by positive human contact. Set against an Arizona backdrop, they’re gems of interpersonal relationships that illustrate how “stuck” people become unstuck and change.” Midwest Book Review A VERY WEALTHY POOR MAN (forthcoming) A Very Wealthy Poor Man is the story of a woman who spends her entire life trying to save her brother but he ends up saving her, giving her the fortitude to leave behind the life she believed to be the life she always wanted. Eighth-grader Donna is sitting in her brother, Vincent’s room admiring his paintings that hang on his wall and listening to the latest Beatles album, Let it Be. They live in their house in New Jersey with their parents and the rest of their large Italian-American family, six siblings in all. Vincent is a senior in high school and wants very badly to attend art school but his parents don’t want him to go. Donna tries to persuade them otherwise, but her efforts are unsuccessful. Eventually Donna is convinced that art school isn’t a good thing for Vincent when her mother says that many artists can’t provide for themselves. Vincent silently protests against his parent’s refusal by moving his bedroom furniture and belongings out on the front porch and living out there. He likes living outside and this metaphor is telling of his tendency and desire to live outside of convention. A few years later, Vincent is visiting home from the liberal arts college he ends up attending and telling Donna about his philosophy course, in which he learned of Aristotle and his belief that happiness is the major goal of life. Donna starts to wonder what is necessary to achieve happiness and decides that it’s contingent upon having a spouse, children, a nice house and a dignified career. During Vincent’s visit, he and his father have a big fight, (a common occurrence) and his father kicks him out of the house. Their mother drives him back to college, with Donna and three of her siblings accompanying, and when he’s dropped off, she sees sadness in his eyes and decides that she will make it her mission to ensure that he lives a happy life. As the years pass, she goes on acquiring the necessary ingredients for happiness—a spouse (Frank, a well-earning lawyer), children, a nice house and a dignified career. Vincent remains single, childless, working jobs that are beneath him and that pay only enough for him to live in tiny apartments and boarding houses. He does maintain his creativity through painting, drawing, playing various instruments, woodworking along with his intellectual pursuits of studying the stars, reading Tolkien, studying Latin, Greek, etc. He is a true renaissance man. Donna, acknowledging his many talents, strong intellect and good looks, is always encouraging him to do more with his gifts so that he may have a full and happy life. Her attempts are unsuccessful and she continues to feel bad for him, believing him to be lonely and unhappy. Meanwhile, her marriage crumbles as Frank drinks more and more and refuses to get the help he needs and her visits to Vincent’s home become a refuge from her problem marriage. Vincent also visits Donna and her four children, who each are influenced by their uncle, in particular, Silvia, who is very artistic and wants to go to art school. While Frank is against sending her to art school, Donna assures her that she will go and eventually she does attend. Vincent dies of a heart attack at age 49 and Donna blames herself for his early death, reasoning that he would have lived longer had she tried harder to ensure his happiness. Upon his death, she discovers a sketchbook of pictures he’d made of himself in various stages of his life—playing instruments, studying the stars, making donuts, going to Vietnam War protests and more. She realizes that he was happy all along and that he had an internally rich life, which she currently lacks. This realization gives her the fortitude she needs to leave Frank and she imparts the lesson about happiness and true wealth she onto her four children. Grace Mattioli is the author of two novels–Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees (2012) and Discovery of an Eagle (2014), which both feature a quirky, dysfunctional, yet highly lovable family named the Grecos. She is currently working on a novel, entitled A Very Wealthy Poor Man, which features the same family. She also published a small collection of short stories entitled The Brightness Index (2016). Long Biography Her fiction is highly visual and filled with unique, highly dimensional characters. While her stories deal with such serious issues as dysfunctional families and addiction, they’re very humorous. Finding happiness and inner peace are major themes that run throughout all of her work and readers can discover valuable insights that they can apply to their own lives. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and three cats. She worked as a professional librarian for over twenty years and is currently a food cart owner. She has been writing creatively since she was a child. She studied English literature in college and has participated in several writing workshops and classes. Grace’s favorite book is Alice in Wonderland. Her favorite author is Flannery O’Connor. Her favorite line of literature comes from James Joyce’s novella The Dead: “Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age.” What led you to writing your debut novel, Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees? Why did you decide to feature the same family of your debut novel, (The Grecos) in Discovery of an Eagle and A Very Wealthy Poor Man? Why did you decide to make your second novel a road story? Are your novels autobiographical in any ways? Are there recurrent themes that run throughout your novels? Who are you writing for, or who do you consider to be your target audience? Follow Grace Archives Select Month June 2019 March 2019 November 2018 October 2018 May 2018 February 2018 October 2017 August 2017 July 2017 April 2017 February 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 May 2015 December 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 Copyright 2012, Grace Mattioli	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line111
__label__wiki	0.660522	0.660522	NYU Silver School’s Professor Vincent Guilamo-Ramos Honored at Presidential Leadership Scholars Graduation in Little Rock, Ark. July 15, 2016 at 10:50 am Comments are off for this post Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, a professor at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and the co-director of the Center for Latino and Adolescent and Family Health (CLAFH), was among 61 scholars honored at the graduation of the second class of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a partnership between the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. The graduation was held July 14 at Central High School in Little Rock—the site of the Little Rock Nine, 1957. Three of the Little Rock Nine spoke at special session on the desegregation of the school. In addition, Presidents George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, President Bill Clinton, and Prime Minister Tony Blair were among the event’s attendees, as were former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman. Since February, the Presidential Leadership Scholars have traveled once a month to a participating presidential center to learn from former presidents, key administration officials, and leading academics. They studied and put into practice varying approaches to leadership, developed a network of peers, and exchanged ideas with mentors and others. They also developed a personal leadership project, intended to make a significant difference in their communities, across the country, or around the globe. The 61 scholars are individuals from a variety of backgrounds, geographies, and sectors, including private, public, non-profit, military, and academia, who were selected because of their desire and capacity to strengthen their leadership skills. Professor Guilamo-Ramos, through his work in directing CLAFH, part of NYU’s Silver School, plans to develop and disseminate a teen pregnancy prevention program, specifically created for Latino and African American adolescent males, and designed to support and foster father-son communication regarding sexual activity and reproductive health. He hopes that this program will reduce unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among adolescent boys through strengthening their relationships with their fathers. This Press Release is in the following Topics: Silver School of Social Work Type: Press Release Press Contact: Robert Polner \| (212) 998-2337 Link to the announcement: NYU Silver School’s Professor Vincent Guilamo-Ramos Honored at Presidential Leadership Scholars Graduation in Little Rock, Ark “Study: Extended support eases transition for foster youth into adulthood” Congressional Research Institute for Social Work & Policy, “12 Grand Challenges Gain Momentum at Brown School Forum”.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line112
__label__wiki	0.57648	0.57648	Grand Turk, Things to Do Her Majesty's Prison Grand Turk has long been the Capital of the Turks and Caicos. Because of this both the Government Officials, documents and the prison for the country reside on the small island. Her Majesty's prison was built in the 1830's and remained operational until 1994. It still stands today though inmates are held in a newer, larger building located away from the center of town. Self- guided tours of Her Majesty's Prison are offered daily for $7. At its inception, the prison was mainly used to house wayward slaves. There was room for between 2 and 6 prisoners. After the abolishment of slavery in 1834, it was often filled with people who were incarcerated for being drunk. By the time it shut its doors in 1994, occupancy was up to over 50 people. The prison began housing bigger time criminals- including drug runners. Turks and Caicos lie about halfway from Columbia to Florida so in the 60's and 70's, it became a popular spot to refuel. There were several expansions made over the years as the average number of prisoners continued to rise. The prison housed both men and women, separated into different wings. Prisoners were given the chance to go home and prepare for natural disasters- especially the large hurricane of 1866. This Hurricane was devastating to around 200 homes on GT and tore the roof off the prison itself. These days it makes for a lovely tour with a lot of history. Tagged: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, Her Majesty's Prison, Things to do, Beach Vacation, Summer Vacation, Vacation Rental, vacation, Prison, tour, self-guided tour, History, Historical Tour	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line113
__label__wiki	0.891629	0.891629	Birgitta Jansson 9Jan - by greatwomen - 0 - In 1980s Animation 1990s Animation Documentary Animation Stop Motion Animation Studio Animation Swedish Animation Despite her short life, Birgitta Jansson had an influence on animated films both in Sweden and around the world. Her international breakthrough came with the short film Semesterhemmet (‘The Vacation Home’), which scooped three awards at the Annecy International Animation Festival in 1981. This established her as a pioneer of a new way of making animated documentaries based around real-life soundtracks. In the film she used claymation techniques at around the same time as Peter Lord and David Sproxton started making similar films at the British company Aardman Animations. Jansson was one of the best-trained Swedish film animators of her day. Following studies at Stockholm’s University College of Arts, Crafts and Design; Beckmans College of Design and the Munich Academy of Arts, she took a one-year course in animation in The Hague. In 1973 she worked as an animator at Sveriges Television in Malmö, followed by work on the animated feature Dunderklumpen! (‘The Thunderclump’, Per Åhlin, 1974). “That was when I really learned to animate,” as she put it. In 1975 she was in Belgium working on the television series Pierrot and the feature film The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (La flûte à six schtroumpfs, Peyo, 1976). Back in Sweden in 1978 she worked as an animator on the television series Farbrorn som inte vill va’ stor (‘The Man Who Doesn’t Want to Be a Grown-up’, Peter Cohen, Olof Landström, 1979). She also taught animation and, in 1980, wrote the practical handbook “Animation”. As part of a project for the Swedish Exhibition Agency she produced an animation box which demonstrated various techniques under the maxim “what matters most is that film belongs to everyone”. Herfirst film as a director was entitled Där borta där lyckan bor (‘Over There Where Fortune Resides’, 1978), a short cel animation about the consequences of our need for dreams and myths. She followed this up in 1981 with Semesterhemmet, with a sound track recorded at an actual Swedish care home. This stop-motion claymation short about a day at the home is based around real voices and personalised in minute detail. It concludes with a live action scene in which the real life characters pass comments about the clay figures that represent them. As the producer and originator of the film Birgitta Jansson was able to control everything from the sets and filming in an apartment in the northern Swedish town of Östersund, to editing and post-production at Filmverkstan in Stockholm. But the festival success and its costly administration took its toll on Jansson, who despite her strength and dynamism was also fragile. Jansson was both the director and principal animator of her next film, Ur en kos dagbok (‘From a Cow’s Diary’, 1984), which was based on a book by Beppe Wolgers and Olof Landström, and produced by the Swedish Film Institute. A success on all fronts, this cartoon short about the world from a cow’s point of view won an honourable mention from the CIFEJ at the 1985 Berlinale. Together with Cyndee Peters and Claes-Göran Lillieborg Birgitta Jansson also began work on a new claymation film, Lördag i North Carolina (‘Saturday in North Carolina’, 1986), – a film that was finished after her tragically early death in 1985. Among her other unfinished projects was a film about Atlantis for which only a series of sketches were made. Founded in 1985, the Birgitta Jansson Memorial Fund for Animated Film is a grant-awarding body administered by the Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film. Elisabeth Lysander (2015) (translated by Derek Jones) http://www.kogart.se/birgittajansson/index.html Database page View all posts by greatwomen	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line114
__label__cc	0.692116	0.307884	Employment and labour relations: between segmentation and convergence Appel à communication: The “New Frontiers” of the world automotive industry: technologies, applications, innovations and markets Theme N°: Coordinateur/s Antjie Blöcker, Ruhr-Universität Bochum Holger Bungsche, School for International Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University Martin Krzywdzinski, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung Tommaso Pardi, CNRS-IDHES, GIS-Gerpisa Are the employment conditions and labour standards in the automotive sector converging? The globalization of automotive industries, the diffusion of best practices and production and quality standards, the upgrading of subsidiaries in emerging markets, and the growing role of innovation activities worldwide should imply at least some forms of convergence. However, significant gaps in employment and working conditions, in wages and benefits, and in workers’ interest representation between spaces of production in mature and emerging countries remain the norm, and they are also systematically exploited by the whipsawing practices of firms to reduce costs and increase efficiency. We need a better understanding of how these contradictory dynamics play together, of the different factors that affect their contrasted outcomes, and of the political processes involved in the transformations of work and employment relationships in mature and emerging countries. We welcome in particular papers detailing and analyzing the outcomes of the restructuring processes triggered by the crisis in mature countries, as well as papers that cast light on the structuring processes of new industries in emerging markets. The focus can be on automobile companies and on the evolution of their specific HR policies, on trade unions’ and national or supranational governments’ strategies and policies in relation to the evolution of employment and work in the sector during and after the crisis, or on recent negotiations and work contracts’ changes at local, regional and national level. As in the previous international colloquium, we would like to keep a special focus on the transformation of work and employment in R&D activities. We seek papers that track new trends such as the development of outsourcing of R&D work, the increasing internal and external cooperation (and competition) between R&D centers and subsidiaries worldwide, and the growing standardization and/or “industrialization” of work tasks and activities. The introduction of new technologies at all stages of R&D and production, the growing tertiarization of the sector as well as the ongoing transformation of carmakers into providers of mobility services also imply important transformations in the structure of employment and work worldwide. We are interested in papers that analyze how these transformations impact work and employment in traditional players (OEMs and suppliers), but also in papers that focus on the employment relations of the new players within and outside the industry. A particular interest will be given here to papers that explore the wide implications in terms of work and employment of the growing role of “share economy’s” players, such as BlaBlaCar, Lyft, Uber, in the provision of automobile services. - The future of work in the automotive sector (Tommaso Pardi, Jorge Carrillo) This year Gerpisa will start a three year cooperation with the International Labour Organization to explore the transformations and future of work in the automotive sector and the conditions that will allow for the progress of social justice in line with the ILO Century Project (http://www.ilo.org/century/lang--en/index.htm). This cooperation will entail the production of a report on the future of work in the automotive sector, as well as other collective publications of selected papers. Under this sub-stream we seek papers that will have a focus on this and related topics, such as the development and preservation of decent jobs in the global automotive value-chain, and how the current transformations of the organization of work and production and of the governance of work affect these outcomes at regional, national and firms’ levels. Login to submit a proposal / Se connecter pour soumettre une proposition	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line117
__label__wiki	0.846828	0.846828	Guard against romanticising leftist past ALTERNATIVE HISTORIES By Ong Weichong IN HER Aug 14 article 'In search of the other Singapore story', Straits Times journalist Clarissa Oon highlighted the growing interest in Singapore's alternative histories and posed the big question: 'Does it really matter?' In answer, several academic historians posited that there is a necessity to come to terms with the complexities of Singapore's history, including alternative narratives to the state-centric version of events. While recognising the complexity of Singapore's multi-layered and multi-faceted leftist past, Singaporeans should also remember that the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) was responsible for acts of violence and subversion that undermined the security and independence of post-colonial Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore's left-wing movement consisted of a complex milieu of actors ranging from labour unionists to intellectuals and student activists. This does not, however, hide the fact that the CPM did attempt to overthrow elected governments. The crafting of alternative narratives is necessary to inject greater breadth and depth into Singapore's historical landscape. But we should be careful in romanticising the actions of those who employed violence in their attempt to overthrow the elected governments of Singapore and Malaysia - and in so doing took and threatened the lives of innocent civilians on both sides of the Causeway. In a hallmark CPM 'flag display'marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the Malayan Emergency, a number of communist flags and banners were found throughout Singapore in the week of June 17, 1974. On June 20, a banner-attached booby trap exploded without causing any casualties. The danger posed to the civilian population by CPM booby traps was, however, very real. In the mid-1970s, the infiltration of factories with the hope of recruiting supporters for the purposes of sabotage as well as the assassination of selected individuals at 'appropriate times' were CPM objectives in urban Singapore. In Malaysia, the violence perpetrated by communist insurgents and the communist underground was far more devastating. On June 4, 1974, Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim, the Malaysian Inspector-General of Police, was assassinated in Kuala Lumpur by a breakaway faction of the CPM, the Communist Party of Malaya Marxist Leninist Faction (CPMML). Between 1974 and 1978, at least 23 police personnel were assassinated by so-called 'mobile squads' of the main CPM and two other breakaway factions. Targeted assassinations and grenade attacks also claimed the lives of retired security personnel and civilians. Recently declassified British and Australian archival material suggests that despite certain reservations, the British and Australian governments recognised the necessity of the counter-insurgency, counter-subversion and nation-building efforts adopted by the Singaporean and Malaysian governments to contain the CPM threat. Many of these documents have yet to be thoroughly analysed but when they are, chances are that they would be read against the grain by academic historians seeking to challenge the narrative of the state. In academic history, alternative narratives have become the norm rather than an exception. For example, research councils in Britain and the United States are more likely to fund projects that look at marginal or alternative narratives instead of those with state-centric agendas. In the field of historical scholarship, challenging the state has become the intellectual 'in-thing'. This intellectual fad for challenging state-centricity, however, does not always challenge what we already know. Moreover, even renowned academic historians are not immune from character-assassinating political figures and romanticising the deeds of their opponents. In short, just like the official state version of events that it seeks to challenge, mainstream academic history does possess its own set of credibility problems. Alternative histories written by academic historians do not come with a 'bias-free' guarantee. Like official histories, academic works do carry the biases and the agendas of their authors. More often than not, young Singaporean historians are prone to the intellectual trend of challenging the state-centric narrative, albeit in a critical way. This trajectory, however, presents an important question: Should scholars in Singapore be given a free rein in the crafting of alternative histories? Critical alternative narratives do enrich the understanding of Singapore's past and go a long way in explaining what it means to be Singaporean. In this endeavour, academic historians play an important role in plugging the gaps left by the state. The state, however, has to be the gatekeeper on contemporary historical issues that still present a threat to national security or social cohesion. The conviction of David Irving in 2006 under Austria's Volksverhetzung (incitement of the people) law for his trivialising of the Holocaust is an example of how shoddy historical scholarship can have dire effects. Critical academic freedom is a privilege to be respected, but it cannot be at the expense of national security and social cohesion. Singapore's historical narrative would be poorer without a more nuanced view of the leftist heritage in its nation-building past. But any attempt to romanticise the actions of violent revolutionaries who caused the deaths of many would demean the sacrifices of those who gave their all to protect the independence and security of their respective countries. The writer is an associate research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. See rejoinder to this article by historian Hong Lysa (below). [I leave the criticism to one more qualified than me. See below.] By Hong Lysa I WOULD like to respond to the commentary on alternative historical narratives by Ong Weichong. This is to clarify what it is that academic historians do. There are certain misconceptions about this on the part of the public. This arises from the blurring of lines between the writing of history as an academic practice, and the general usage of the word to mean writing about the past, which anyone who has something he or she wants to say can do, and to good effect. It is not that the one is superior to the other. It is just that the article confuses the nature of the two, and hence clouds the issues about the “alternative histories” that are being produced in Singapore. While I would like to clarify what professional historians do, I am above all concerned about the implications of the author’s argument, which I hope is the result only of obfuscation. Two Kinds of History Books Firstly, for an academic historian – that is, one who has gone through the rigours of writing a doctoral thesis – there are only two kinds of history books: those that are well researched and written, and those that are poorly researched and written (if they happen to get through the refereeing process, which is less likely to happen if the publisher is a reputed academic press), and the range in between. Who delivers the judgment as to whether a historian’s work is good or poor? Academic books go through a peer review process before they are accepted for publication. When it is published, it is subjected to book reviews, and subsequent scholars cite the work either positively, and build on the insights provided by the book, or critically, to take issue with its arguments. In both instances, this is done in the spirit of furthering enquiry, to enhance one’s understanding of a subject. David Irving has been roundly condemned in academic studies way before the matter went to court (at his instigation) for his denial of the Holocaust because the source materials on which he based his arguments did not stand up to scholarly scrutiny at all. His thesis could not stand interrogation by historians who were experts on the field. Serious academic grants institutions like the research councils in Britain and the United States, not to mention in Singaporean universities, similarly have very rigorous selection processes when awarding grants. If they may currently seem to favour topics say on religion, this is not to say that those on the administrative history of colonial Singapore, for instance, which indeed have more difficulty in receiving a grant, is bad history. It is because what our society is now concerned about is religion and its place in the lives of individuals, the nation, and transnational linkages, all of which have hitherto not been well studied by historians. Writings on Singapore's Past There has been a genre of writings on Singapore’s past that has emerged recently. These make no attempts to pass off as academic work, nor do their writers claim to be historians. These are written in the main by former political detainees, and they clearly write to tell readers about who they are and how they understand what their political detention was all about. They are autobiographical; the more prominent pieces have consulted archival documents to support their contentions. They do not even pretend to present more than one point of view. They are plainly polemical, in the same way that memoirs and biographies of Singapore’s first generation leaders are. What is in contention, particularly in The Fajar Generation: The University Socialist Club And The Politics Of Postwar Malaya And Singapore (whose editors Poh Soo Kai, Tan Jing Quee and Koh Kay Yew are former presidents of the Club and ex-political detainees) is whether they were members of the Communist Party of Malaya. There has not been proof that they were. They were never put on trial. This is the ongoing debate in which academic historians, who have no privileged insights or personal agenda, watch with interest and comment on the discourses of Singapore history that is currently unfolding. This debate is about whether there was continuity or break between newly independent Singapore and the colonial regime, and the nature of the state in Singapore. All this is to further the enquiry into the nature of Singapore history and its ramifications. 'Trendy' essay? The suggestion that “even renowned academic historians are not immune to character assassination of political figures and romanticising the deeds of their opponents” is a very serious charge that opens the offending “renowned academic historian” to lose the respect of their peers and opens them to charges of libel. In the case of Singapore, one has to be even more careful and certain of one’s charge before making such a statement. I would like the author to name one work by an academic historian which aims to “romanticise the actions of violent revolutionaries that claimed the lives of Singapore and Malaysian security personnel and civilians alike”. If such a work exists, or if a David Irving exists amongst us, I can assure the author that I will be the first to denounce and condemn such a historian, and gather fellow Singapore historians and indeed those worldwide to do the same, for that would be demeaning the good name of the profession. If the author is simply relying on suggestion and innuendo so as to write a “counter-trendy” essay – which I might add, is also a trendy thing to do – I would like to point out respectfully that the implications of such unfounded innuendo are dangerous and irresponsible. I understand that the author is a young scholar. I hope his mentors at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies will give him good counsel on what is sound and fair academic commentary. The writer is a founding member of the group which puts out s/pores: new directions in Singapore Studies, www.s-pores.com. She is also a former associate professor of history at the National University of Singapore. Labels: Commentary, History Smaller nations eye China's rise nervously CHINA-JAPAN DISPUTE OVER ISLANDS Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold... North Korea promotes Kim son to general Weak Tokyo makes strong Beijing bolder Thinker Mover Shaker Peace remains elusive in Mid-East New forum on state of the nation NY TIMES INTERVIEW WITH LEE KUAN YEW: Malaysian ne... No say? It's simply not true, she says Racism a result of S'pore's stint in Malaysia: Mah... What it really means for them Resorts World Free Shuttle Bus Services Basic pay: Tommy Koh weighs in Minister restates stance against minimum wage 'Play the race card and we're finished' Swimming and cycling keep MM fit Doing 'nasty' things for the greater good To love, to hold and to cherish Heal when we can, comfort when we can't NY Times interview with MM Lee Obama Insists He Made "The Right Decisions" on the... MM Lee says stress of wife's illness harder on him... Goodnight, sleep tight... Don't let the bedbugs bi... 'Disabled' man showed off fancy dance moves 'HDB only' rule won't stay Building on faith and understanding It's a stinger when bees disappear Living large on a little red dot What if there were no retirement age? Officials left scene for coffee breaks as Philippi... New trains to ease MRT crush next May	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line119
__label__wiki	0.806921	0.806921	Why Historians Should Demand the Redskins Change Their Name News at Home tags: OAH2015 by James Loewen James Loewen is a sociologist and historian and author of "Lies My Teacher Told Me." Related Link OAH Business Meeting Approves Resolution on Redskins "The Organization of American Historians hereby adds its voice to the growing demands by Native American organizations, our sister disciplines, and conscientious people of all ethnic backgrounds, to change the name and logo of the Washington "Redskins." As the nation’s leading organization of scholars of U.S. history, we know that history is often relevant to the present. We suggest that the following reasons, among others, show that this change is overdue. ● According to historian Alden Vaughan, “the first reported use of [“redskins”] appears in a [1699] passage about Indian assaults on frontier settlements.” From the early eighteenth century on, as violence between Native and European Americans increased, Vaughan shows that white Americans increasingly believed American Indians to be inferior and increasingly emphasized their skin as “red” rather than “white.” “[N]ot until the nineteenth century did red become the universally accepted color label for American Indians," he writes; thereafter “redskin” became increasingly pejorative and all Natives were increasingly lumped together as unassimilable.1 ● The Sept. 24, 1863, Winona Daily Republican, in the polarized aftermath of the Dakota War of 1862 in Minnesota, provides an example of the relationship of “redskin” to periods of conflict and to the infamous practice of paying bounties for bodies or pieces of Native people: “The state reward for dead Indians has been increased to $200 for every red-skin sent to Purgatory.” ● History shows that most sports teams that use Native American mascots, symbols, and names today chose to do so during the Nadir of race relations (1890-c.1940). This era was marked by the nadir of Native Americans (in terms of demography, cultural survivals, etc.); the apex of the "Improved Order of Red Men" (a fraternal organization that did not allow American Indians to be members);2 and the rise of eugenics (a “science” that rationalized Native defeat as genetically ordained and appropriate). The appropriation of Native mascots and names reflects the intense racism of that era. ● The predecessor of the Washington NFL franchise, then in Boston, adopted "Redskins" as its name and logo during the Nadir. It did not select the name to honor Native Americans or a specific Native individual (as they have sometimes claimed). On the contrary, that man was German American, not Native at all,and that team was owned by George Marshall, the most racist owner in the entire NFL, a man who had to be coerced by the federal government to accept a black player after all other teams had desegregated. Marshall then created the “Indian-garbed” Redskins Marching Band, which like the "Improved Order of Red Men" featured no Indian members. He also commissioned “Hail to the Redskins,” which included verses “sung in mock Indian dialect,” according to historian J. Gordon Hylton.3 ● Historians know that during the Nadir “redskins” acquired international usage, again negatively; Hitler, for example, said, about Russians, “There's only one duty: to Germanize this country by the immigration of Germans, and to look upon the natives as Redskins."4 ● Historians recognize that the Native as mascot imperfectly depicts a Plains Indian, a culture that arose around 1680 and was ended two centuries later as the Nadir set in. This implies to non-Indians that Natives no longer exist. Of course, Natives did persevere, but no twentieth or twenty-first century Indian has ever served as a mascot, because such a person might wear a business suit or hard hat or clerical collar, depending upon his/her job. As historian Richard White writes, "[White Americans] … don't take [Indian peoples] seriously; we don't credit them with the capacity to make changes”; using 19th century Indian images as mascots exemplifies this problem. Legal scholar Naomi Mezey calls using Native Americans as sports mascots “the most recent manifestation of a long tradition of whites playing Indian, a form of play that tells us much more about whites than Indians. Indian mascots are generally invented by whites.”5 ● Even if the NFL team attempted to control their own fans and imagery so as to be historically accurate and culturally appropriate, which they don't, they could have no impact on opponents' fans, leading to absurd images, chants like "scalp the Redskins," etc.6 ● Historians know that the fact that other ethnic groups also get used as mascots does not legitimize “Redskins,” because the situations are not parallel. Irish Americans are a sizable portion of the students and staff at Notre Dame and could end "Fighting Irish" at will. So are Norwegian Americans in Minnesota, vis-à-vis the “Vikings.” Not so with Redskins. Native Americans form no significant part of the constituency of the Washington NFL franchise and have no influence over its name. ● Social science research shows consistent negative impacts on Native children from the appropriation of Natives as mascots. Such historical documents as the video "In Whose Honor" show the negative impact on Native families from much less odious uses of Natives as mascots than “Redskins.” As a result, various state agencies such as the Michigan and Oregon State Boards of Education, have banned Native mascots and names, including “Redskins.”7 ● It is true that some Native Americans do not feel offended by the name, symbol, or use of Natives as mascots. However, as historians we recognize that rank-and-file persons often lag their leaders.8 The National Congress of American Indians first came out against “Redskins” in 1968. More than 50 other Native organizations have expressed opposition since. For at least twenty years, Native American newspapers have run an illustration of sports pennants as a “centerfold”: “Atlanta Niggers,” “NYC Kikes,” “Chicago Polacks,” and “Washington Redskins.” Entire tribes/nations, especially in the East, have come out against the name, including the Penobscots, Oneidas, Saginaw Chippewas, and others. As 50 members of the U.S. Senate, from both parties, wrote a year ago in a letter to NFL Commissioner Goodell, “Indian Country has spoken clearly on this issue.”9 ● Standard dictionaries have for years recognized "redskin" as pejorative.10 No one uses it as a term of respect or even a neutral noun. We do not say, for example, that there are two "redskins" in Congress; we say "American Indians" or "Native Americans." Various news media, including The New Republic, Slate, Portland Oregonian, and Seattle Times, have stopped using “Redskins” for the Washington team, viewing the term as pejorative. ● Historians know that all colleges that used the term “Redskins” have given it up, some decades ago, many owing to Native American protest. So have most high schools. In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which represents almost all major American universities, banned the general appropriation of Natives as mascots without the specific agreement of the tribe or nation involved; “Redskins" could never be defended in such a manner.11 ● Sister disciplines, such as the American Anthropological Association, American Sociological Association, Linguistic Society of America, and American Psychological Association, have taken similar stands against “Redskins” and other use of American Indians as mascots, often by margins approaching 95%. So have various departments of history and related disciplines at schools that have discussed the matter, such as the University of Illinois (Urbana/Champaign).12 On Feb. 7, 2013, the National Museum of the American Indian held a daylong symposium on the history and current use of Native people, names, and images as sports mascots. Above is the illustration they used for the conference. Said Kevin Gover, head of the museum, speaking first at the conference, “We need to bring out the history.” Indeed, we, the Organization of American Historians, do. This resolution is a start. 1 Vaughan, Alden T., "From White Man to Redskin: Changing Anglo-American Perceptions of the American Indian," American Historical Review 87 #4,:918-19, 938-39, 941-42, 944. See also historian Darren R. Reid: “Why the ‘Redskins’ is a Racist Name,” darrenreidhistory.co.uk/why-the-redskins-is-a-racist-name/. 2 Charles F. Springwood and C. Richard King, "'Playing Indian': Why Native American Mascots Must End," Chronicle of Higher Education 11/9/2001, B13, search.proquest.com.proxycu.wrlc.org/docview/214715095?pq-origsite=summon; James W. Loewen, “Red Men Only – No Indians Allowed,” in Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong (NY: Simon & Schuster Touchstone, 1999), 130-33. 3 Linda M. Waggoner, “’Lone Star’ Dietz, Pro Football’s Notorious Mascot,” presentation at National Museum of the American Indian Symposium, Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports (DC: NMAI, 2013); cf. Waggoner, “Playing Indian, Dreaming Indian: The Trial of William ‘Lone Star’ Dietz” The History Magazine (Montana: Spring 2013); Thomas G. Smith, Showdown: JFK And The Integration Of The Washington Redskins (Boston: Beacon, 2011) 1-17 ; J. Gordon Hylton, “Before The Redskins Were The Redskins: The Use Of Native American Team Names In The Formative Era Of American Sports, 1857-1933,” North Dakota Law Review #879 (2010, published 2012), 902. 4 James Pool, Hitler and His Secret Partners (NY: Simon & Schuster Atria, 1997), 254-55. 5 Richard White quoted in Springwood and King, "'Playing Indian'”; Naomi Mezey, “The Paradoxes of Cultural Property,”107 Columbia. Law Review (2007), 2005; cf. historian Philip Deloria, Playing Indian (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998); Cornel D. Pewewardy, “The Deculturalization of Indigenous Mascots in U.S. Sports Culture,” Educational Forum63 (1999), 342-47. 6 See, inter alia, Dahkota Kicking Bear Brown, quoted in Erik Stegman and Victoria Phillips, “Missing the Point: The Real Impact of Native Mascots and Team Names on American Indian and Alaska Native Youth” (DC: Center for American Progress, 2014), 1; “Charlene Teters on Native American Symbols as Mascots,” NEA Higher Education Journal 16 #1 (2000), 121-30; Jay Rosenberg, "In Whose Honor" (New Day Films 1997), pbs.org/pov/inwhosehonor/. 7 Stephanie Fryberg, et al., “Of Warrior Chiefs and Indian Princesses,” Basic and Applied Social Psychology 30 #3 (2008), 208-18; cf. Stegman and Phillips, “Missing the Point,” Jay Rosenberg, "In Whose Honor"; Lori Higgins, “Michigan Department of Civil Rights: End American Indian Mascots in Schools,” Detroit Free Press, 8/2/2013; 8 Thus “black,” for example, was initially preferred primarily by opinion leaders; see James W. Loewen and Charles Sallis, eds., Mississippi: Conflict and Change (NY: Pantheon, 1974), 311. 9 Hylton, “Before The Redskins Were The Redskins,” 879-80; Robert McCartney, "Indians vs. 'Redskins' Trademark," Washington Post, 3/10/2013; cf. historian Paul C. Rosier, Native American Issues (CT: Greenwood, 2003), 4; Maria Cantwell, et al., “Dear Commissioner Goodell,” 5/21/2014; Nate Scott, “50 Senators Sign Letter Urging Redskins to Change Team Name,” USA Today, 5/22/2014, ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/senators-washington-redskins-team-name-letter. 10 “Slang, often disparaging and offensive,” Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition (NY: Random House, 1998 [1987], 1618; “now somewhat dated and freq. considered offensive,” Oxford English Dictionary, oed.com/view/Entry/160483?redirectedFrom=redskin#eid. 11 “NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events, 2005” (Indianapolis: NCAA, 2005), NCAA:fs.ncaa.org/Docs/PressArchive/2005/Announcements/NCAA%2BExecutive%2Bcommittee %2BIssues%2BGuidelines%2Bfor%2BUse%2Bof%2BNative%2BAmerican%2BMascots%2Bat%2BChampionship%2BEvents.html. 12 “The Mascot Issue,” “Statement by the Council of the American Sociological Association on Discontinuing the Use of Native American Nicknames, Logos and Mascots in Sport, March 6, 2007,” “LSA passes resolution opposing use of Native American-themed mascots in sports.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line120
__label__wiki	0.883701	0.883701	Antarctica’s big secret: Active volcanic heat found under the Pine Island Glacier View from the bow of the icebreaker, the RRS James Clark Ross 2014 on a scientific expedition, during which University of Rhode Island researcher and five other scientists discovered an active volcanic source of heat underneath the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica. (Brice Loose) Researchers have made a shocking discovery under the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica — an active volcanic heat source, that they say played a “crucial role” in the movement and the melting of the glacier. The scientists were looking for the role that the ocean plays in causing glaciers to weaken when the discovery was made. “We were looking to better understand the role of the ocean in the melting of the ice sheet,” Assistant Professor Brice Loose of Newport, R. I., a chemical oceanographer and lead author of the paper, said in a statement. NASA’S CREEPY 30-YEAR-OLD WARNING Los added that the group “sampling of the water for five different noble gases, such as helium and xenon,” as the discovery was made. “We were not looking to volcanism, we were using these gases to trace other actions,” Loose said. “When we first started seeing high concentrations of helium-3, we thought that we had a cluster of bad or suspect data.” Loose said that the presence of helium-3 is a “fingerprint for volcanic activity,” noting that it is relatively abundant in the seawater at the Pine Island shelf. University of East Anglia Professor Karen Heywood, who also worked on the study, said the presence of volcanoes means just that there is an additional source of heat to melt the ice. “It is important to have this in our efforts to assess whether the Antarctic ice sheet may be unstable, and further sea level rise,” Heywood said. Last year, large parts of the Pine Island Glacier separated from the main shelf. In February 2017, a piece of the glacier is approximately 1 km wide separated. And in September 2017, a chunk of ice is almost four times the size of Manhattan separated from the Pine Island Glacier, according to LiveScience. THE COLDEST PLACE ON EARTH, EVEN COLDER THAN SCIENTISTS THOUGHT The amount of ice on the ocean is staggering, measured in gigatons, Loose said. A gigatonnes is equal to 1 billion tonnes. It is generally known that the West Antarctic ice sheet, is located on the top of a large or very large volcanic rift system, but there is no current magmatic activity, Loose noted. The last recorded activity was 2200 years ago, but the volcanic heat discovered is new. Loose said: it is not possible to measure the normal indicators of volcanism, including heat and smoke, because the gap is so far under the ice. Despite the discovery of the volcanic heat, the researchers noted that the climate change is still the driving force for the melting of the ice, something other studies have repeatedly backed-up, Loose said. “Climate change is caused by the largest part of the glacier melts that we observe, and discovered source of heat is the have of a an indefinite effect, because we do not know how this heat is distributed under the antarctic ice sheet,” Loose said. Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia The world’s strongest coffee’ is set to start off-world space station Facebook will allow that some of the cryptocurrency ads to return TechTechnology SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on Monday, it pushed a large social media companies on how to deal with the threat of deepfake, pictures and videos on their platforms... WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Facebook Inc said on Monday it will not proceed with the introduction of the Scale cryptocurrency to legal issues will be addressed, such as the US treasury secretary, took the unusual step of saying he had serious... Google has been accused of ripping of the digital advertising technology in the U.S. court case (Reuters) – the Alphabet Inc, and Google, the LLC was hit Monday with a US lawsuit alleging it copied to a smaller company’s patented digital advertising technology. FILE IMAGE: The Google logo is displayed at the entrance of the Google... Republican House members introduce bill to boost U.S. presence-5G WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Republican state lawmaker on Monday introduced legislation to boost the presence of AMERICAN companies in the global standards of the industry bodies in the fight against China’s growing influence on the next... Apollo 11: “The book that the man landed on the Moon, you would be able to sell it for $9 million to connectVideoApollo 11 Lunar Module Timeline, the Book will be on the auction The Lunar Module Timeline, a Book that is added to the surface of the Moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, is up for auction. The Lunar... Symantec ends up talking to the sales of Broadcom about the price, sources (Reuters) – Cybersecurity company, Symantec Corp (SYMC.(O) he just walked out of the negotiations to sell the chipmaker, Broadcom, Inc. (“AVGO.(O) about the differences, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. FILE PHOTO: A sign... Google is not biased against the conservative government: the executive (Reuters) – Google’s top government affairs official said on Monday that its search engine to discriminate against conservative views and that he will not repeat it, let it be for a US Senate panel on Tuesday. FILE PHOTO: a Small toy... Amazon’s rivals away in the Prime of Day of marketing, as the protests unfold NEW YORK (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc., the most important of the Day, it is one of the most important marketing opportunities, and a shopping event in the yearly calendar for the united states retail businesses, to get the Thanksgiving holiday... Mnuchin said Facebook cryptocurrency in order to ensure anti-money laundering The US treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin will give you a briefing about the cryptocurrency at the White House in Washington, d.c., USA, July 15, 2019 at the latest. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque WASHINGTON (Reuters) – the US treasury Secretary...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line123
__label__wiki	0.610532	0.610532	Pepsi's Earnings Pop PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) released its second quarter earnings report on Tuesday, July 9. The company beat Wall Street's revenue expectations by $20 million. Pepsi posted net revenue of $16.45 billion for the quarter. This is up from $16.09 billion at the same time last year. "We are pleased with our results for the second quarter," said Pepsi's CEO Ramon Laguarta. "While adverse foreign exchange translation negatively impacted our reported net revenue performance, our organic revenue growth was 4.5% in the quarter." The snack food and beverage company reported a profit of $2.04 billion, up from $1.82 billion in the same quarter last year. On an adjusted earnings per share basis, Pepsi reported earnings of $1.54 per share, more than the $1.50 per share that analysts predicted. Ramon Laguarta, who took over from longtime CEO Indra Nooyi in October, affirmed the company's growth trajectory and the guidance goals set out earlier this year. These goals were to become "faster, stronger, and better." Laguarta noted, "Our performance for the first half and the progress we are making on our strategic priorities give us increased confidence in achieving the 2019 financial targets we [previously] communicated." PepsiCo (PEP) shares closed at $133.28 relatively unchanged for the week. Levi's Bottom Line Falls; Company Focuses on Long-Term Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI) announced second quarter earnings Tuesday, July 9. After a 30-year absence from the public market, the blue jean inventor and apparel company went public on March 21 of this year. Levi's reported quarterly net revenue of $1.31 billion, slightly higher than the $1.29 billion that Wall Street projected. Net revenue is up from $1.25 billion in the same quarter last year. "Our second quarter and first half results reflect the continued strength of our diversified business model as we delivered broad-based growth across all brands, regions and key product categories despite a challenging retail and macroeconomic environment," said Levi's President and CEO Chip Bergh. "For both periods, the Levi's brand grew in all three regions across men's, women's, tops and bottoms and maintained its position at the center of culture through iconic products and consumer experiences." Levi's reported net quarterly earnings of $28.2 million, down from $74.9 million last year. This drop put adjusted earnings per share at $0.07, compared to the $0.19 per share from a year ago. The San Francisco-based company attributed the fall in reported earnings to the $29 million in expenses for the IPO. In a statement after the earnings release, Bergh said, "I'm not going to worry about the one-time cost of the IPO. That's a one-time short-term hit. We're in it for the long-term." Levi's went public in March largely as a way to provide liquidity to its shareholders that had closely-held company shares for decades. Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI) shares closed at $20.12, down 10.4% for the week. Bed Bath & Beyond Reports Losses on the Homefront Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) reported quarterly earnings on Wednesday, July 10. The home-goods provider reported a decrease in net sales and an overall profit loss. The company announced net sales of $2.57 billion for their first quarter. This is down 6.6% from the $2.75 billion in revenue reported in the same quarter last year. "Bed Bath & Beyond is an iconic brand with tremendous opportunity and we recognize that there needs to be a fundamental change in our approach to executing the Company's business transformation," said Mary A. Winston, Bed Bath & Beyond's Interim CEO. "We have set four key near-term priorities that include stabilizing and driving top-line growth; resetting the cost structure; reviewing and optimizing the Company's asset base, including our portfolio of retail banners; and refining our organization structure." The company reported a net loss for the quarter of $371.1 million. This is down from the $43.58 million in earnings reported at the same time last year. Over the past five years, stock in Bed Bath & Beyond has lost near 90% of its value, as the once robust brick-and-mortar company attempts to compete with the ever-expanding online marketplace. This quarter, Bed Bath & Beyond repurchased $81.5 million in common stock, working out to 5.3 million shares. By decreasing the amount of outstanding shares, the company was able to increase the earnings per share on the company's balance sheet. Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) shares ended at $10.89, down 4.2% for the week. The Dow started the week at 26,836 and closed at 27,332 on 7/12. The S&P 500 started the week at 2,980 and closed at 3,014. The NASDAQ started the week at 8,113 and closed at 8,244. Yields Continue to Rise Yields continued to rise this week following the release of the latest consumer price index and the Fed's most recent bond auction. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond is up and the yield on the benchmark-10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to its highest point in four weeks this past Thursday. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor released the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI), a primary indicator for inflation. The CPI rose 0.1% in June and 1.6% over the past year. The core consumer price index rose 0.3% and core inflation has increased 2.1% over the past twelve months. These numbers indicate a rebound in consumer confidence and spending. However, most economists are not worried about skyrocketing inflation. "Higher tariffs could yet put some further upward pressure on core goods prices over the coming months but, with growth in unit labor costs slowing, we still think core CPI inflation will remain muted," said Andrew Hunter, a senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics. On Thursday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell appeared before the House Financial Services Committee. In his speech, Chairman Powell indicated disfavor with increasing interest rates despite the booming jobs report released June 5. Powell cited the sluggish global economy in his statement. "Momentum appears to have slowed in some major foreign economies and that could affect the U.S. economy," stated Powell. "Moreover, a number of government policy issues have yet to be resolved, including trade development, the federal debt ceiling, and Brexit. And there is a risk that weak inflation will be even more persistent than we currently anticipate." On Thursday, yields continued to rise as an auction by the U.S. Treasury department indicated a low demand for bonds. The Treasury sold $34 billion worth of 30-year bonds. The measure of demand, known as the bid-to-cover ratio, came in at 2.13, well below the 2.27 points it had averaged over the past 12 months. Bond demand generally decreases as the expectation for higher inflation rises. The 10-year Treasury note yield closed at 2.11% on 7/12, while the 30-year Treasury bond yield was 2.63%. Mortgage Rates Remain Largely Unchanged Freddie Mac released its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey on Thursday, July 11. The report revealed mortgage rates remain stable. The 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate averaged 3.75%, the same as last week. At this time last year, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.53%. This week, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 3.22%, up from 3.18% last week. Last year at this time, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.02%. "The recent stabilization in mortgage rates reflects modestly improving U.S. economic data and a more accommodative tone from the Federal Reserve to respond to the rising downside economic risk from trade tensions and soft global economic data," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist. "On the housing front, the latest weekly purchase application data suggests homebuyer demand continues to rise, which is consistent with the slowly improving real estate data from the last two months." Based on published national averages, the money market account closed at 1.29% on 7/12. The one-year CD finished at 2.45%. Walgreens Reports Mixed Results FedEx Delivers Major Losses Adobe Reports Record Revenue Chico's Earnings Fall Salesforce's Shares Rise on Upbeat Earnings	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line124
__label__wiki	0.602129	0.602129	The Rescuer and the Rescued: A Latvian Story of the Holocaust Riva Zivcon and her daughter Adinka (photo courtesy of Ada Zivcon Israeli) The collections in the Hoover Institution Archives provide a record of history both large and small. It is often the exceptional stories of individuals that make larger events come to life. Such human interest stories become doubly intriguing when both the tale and the researching tracking it are remarkable, as exemplified by a research project currently under way in the archives. Edward Anders, a retired astrophysicist living in Burlingame, California, is sponsoring research into a story that is informed by his own life and the circumstances under which he survived the Holocaust in his native Latvia. As a Jewish teenager living in the port city of Liepāja, Anders and his family were in extreme peril when the Nazis invaded Soviet-occupied Latvia in 1941. Other members of Anders’s family perished in the Holocaust, but he and his mother survived. This was initially due to the young Anders falsely claiming to the new authorities that his mother was really a German foundling raised by a Latvian Jewish couple. Two Latvian women vouched for this claim, at great risk to themselves. After World War II, and time spent as a refugee in Germany, Anders came to the United States, where he became a noted scientist specializing in the study of meteorites. Since retiring from the University of Chicago, he has been active as an historian, with an emphasis on documenting the fate of Latvian Jews during the war. As part of this effort, he created a searchable database of about 7000 Jewish persons alive in Liepāja in June 1941, with information describing what happened to them subsequently. In October 2000, he took part in the first conference in post-Soviet Latvia on the Holocaust, and he has made important contributions to the work of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, located in Rīga. In addition to publishing two volumes of memoirs (a full autobiography From Darkness to Light in 2008 and a condensed 2010 version Amidst Latvians during the Holocaust), Anders arranged for the translation and publication of the diary of another Latvian Holocaust survivor, Kalman Linkimer. In his diary, Linkimer not only wrote about his own experiences in wartime Latvia but also transcribed the accounts of other Latvian Jews hiding from the Nazis. In one of these transcriptions, Riva Zivcon describes how a Latvian policeman, a certain Corporal Avots, helped her and her 3-year-old daughter Adinka escape from the Rīga ghetto. Accompanied by Riva Zivcon and carrying Adinka on his arm, the policeman walked out one of the ghetto gates, brazenly telling the guards he encountered that the mother and daughter were his own wife and child. Former site of one of the Rīga ghetto gates. Holokausta izpētes problēmas Latvijā collection, Box 1, Hoover Institution Archives Avots then took the Zivcons to the home of his girlfriend, telling her that the two were Russians. But when the girlfriend discovered that Adinka spoke only Yiddish, she became fearful of hiding the Zivcons in her place. Avots then took the Zivcons to the home of a prewar acquaintance, a violinist with whom the pair stayed for several weeks before returning to Liepāja, where separate hiding places were found for mother and daughter. Both Zivcons survived the war. Adinka Zivcon (photo courtesy of Ada Zivcon Israeli) Ada Zivcon is now a grandmother living in Israel. Both she and Professor Anders want the various Latvians who saved the Zivcons to be officially recognized as “righteous gentiles” by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial and museum in Jerusalem. So far, Ada Zivcon has succeeded in obtaining this honor for Otilija Šimelpfenigs, who hid her as a child for 16 months. In addition, Professor Anders succeeded in identifying the Latvian violinist as Kārlis Vestens (1899–1978) and in having Vestens recognized for his bravery. However, in the case of Corporal Avots, the question of having recognition bestowed was complicated by the fact that Riva Zivcon did not learn the first name of the policeman who rescued her and her baby, and in the Linkimer diary he is referred to only by his surname. The ghetto guard of which Avots was part consisted of members of the 20th Latvian police battalion and selected members of the Rīga municipal police. No central roster of the ghetto guard has ever been discovered, but the most promising source for information on these police units are records contained in the Latviešu Centrālā Komiteja collection in the Hoover Institution Archives. So far, Meldra Atteka and Una Veilande (Latvian researchers who have volunteered to work for Professor Anders) have found references in this collection to more than one Corporal Avots. Their latest find, which refers to a Corporal Fricis Avots, seems to be the most promising lead, and Professor Anders is optimistic that a solution is at hand to the nearly 75-year-old mystery of the exact identity of the Riga policeman who rescued the Zivcons. The researchers still have about 10 manuscript boxes of documents to go through, and they will continue to look for more documentation relating to the puzzle. Copies of the documents, should they turn out to be ones identifying the right Corporal Avots, will then be submitted to Yad Vashem. If Yad Vashem decides to recognize Avots as a rescuer of Jews, the Latvian government would honor him as well. A plaque at the entrance of a street where the Rīga ghetto was once located honors another “righteous gentile,” Zhan Lipke. Plaque in Rīga honoring Zhan Lipke. The Latviešu Centrālā Komiteja collection is the single largest resource on Latvian history in the Hoover Institution Archives. It is very much a composite: a large part of the collection pertains to the life of Latvians in Displaced Persons’ Camps in Germany after World War II; another significant component consists of records relating to Latvian police and military units that were created under the German occupation of Latvia during World War II. The collection also contains demographic data about Latvia under the German occupation, materials relating to nationalist resistance groups in Latvia during the same period, and issuances of the government of independent Latvia before the country’s annexation by the Soviet Union in 1940. The complexity of the situation in Latvia during World War II, and the dual tragedies of Latvian Jews in peril from the Nazis and other Latvians at risk of imprisonment and deportation by Soviet authorities, is captured in a recent documentary film entitled Controversial History (directed by Inara Kolmane and Uldis Neiburgs, Rīga, 2010). Edward Anders figures prominently in this film as one of three individuals who recount their experiences in Latvia during World War II. In the film, Anders revisits Liepāja and the site near that town where the Nazis murdered some 2739 Jews on December 15, 1941. The documentary is in the audiovisual collection of Green Library at Stanford University. Related archival collection: Holokausta izpētes problēmas Latvijā (Conference: 2000: Riga, Latvia) Posted by David Jacobs at 3:24 PM Labels: David Jacobs, Holocaust, Latvia	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line126
__label__wiki	0.898323	0.898323	Live & Local: Summer Music Playlist Merrimack Ales: For the Love of Beer & Mad Science For the Record: Justin Goodrich Mill City’s Prince of Gloom Pop Puts It All Out There Photo by Shadow Darkwell By Victora Wasylak Justin Goodrich is at his second gig at Able Ebenezer Brewing Co in Merrimack, New Hampshire, and he didn’t bring any copies of his new CD. “It’s always unorthodox with me, it’s never what you’d expect,” he says as he unloads acoustic guitar, amp, and $2 boots from his car. This isn’t your average gig, but then again, Goodrich isn’t your average singer/songwriter. Once hailed as the master of “gloom pop,” Goodrich’s tastes and influences vary as much as punk-rock riot girl Joan Jett to the sweet vocals and dark vision of Roy Orbison. “Rock and roll could be f—king anything. I mean, what the hell was that?” he says, gesturing to his turntable where he’s spinning Patti Smith’s “Hymn,” an oddball track from her album Wave. Except Goodrich’s latest dose of the unexpected didn’t come as much of a surprise. For more than a year, he meticulously contemplated whether or not to re-record his past work, which between low sound quality and teenage vocals, no longer meets his ever-so-high musical standards. His latest album, Steadfast Hearts and Borrowed Time (download here), is a collection of re-recordings of select bits of his older material, which he released before baring it all this summer when he put his entire catalogue of music online – for better or worse. “The thought of doing that has been terrifying me for years now,” he says of adding his earlier releases to his online portfolio. Goodrich has been recording his own music since age 16, when he started his own angry rock outfit – merely titled JPG at the time – to translate his adolescent angst into typical teenage screech-rock. “I used to play all metal – that’s how I learned to play the guitar,” he says, whamming on his Taylor, which is usually reserved for uncanny and swift serenades. But in the back of his musical mind, there’s scraps of Gun ‘n’ Roses, Metallica, and Goodrich’s first lord and savoir – Jon Bon Jovi – waiting to be resurrected. At this point in his life, an insightful 28, his tastes have shifted from riff-heavy-rock towards all things melancholy, and his musical deities now take form in HIM’s Ville Valo and the timeless singer-songwriter Mary Timony. Although stylistically worlds apart from his current music, Goodrich decided he couldn’t allow those songwriting bits of times past go to waste in the corners of his old hard drive. Between the 10 tracks from 2002 to 2012 he re-recorded for Steadfast Hearts and Borrowed Time, and the rest he released as-is, Goodrich’s entire musical past is now available online. As far as vulnerability goes, he might have well as streaked across the Internet. “It’s like re-living my entire life bit by bit,” he says wistfully of the process, which includes not only rifling through old music that was totally self-written, but self-recorded and self-mastered too. When you’re a one-man band, the memories are more than abundant. “That’s why I have a hard time deciding to re-record things, it’s always been a timeline of my life in more ways than just the writing,” Goodrich says. Of course, it’s hard not to feel a tinge of nostalgia when going through songs named “I Love You In Roses,” which was once a high-school declaration of infatuation, and “Realizing Your Crime,” one of the first songs Goodrich ever wrote. Josh Foster, one of Goodrich’s long-term friends and a fellow musician, has seen Goddrich’s musical progression first hand since grade school. “Over the years he’s taken his influences, refined them and turned them into something completely unique,” Foster says. “Justin knows how to craft songs that draw you in and stick with you long after the last note rings out.” Goodrich’s new music, while slowly developing, is alive and well too. When it comes to plucking his guitar and penning new tunes, he holes up in the bathroom of his downtown Lowell loft, where the acoustics are good, and the lights are a moody purple (he’s duct taped colored filters over his lights to keep things eerie). Although if it’s dark enough outside, you’ll catch him playing in a hushed, dimly-lit bar to the kinds of audiences who embrace melancholy stories that still manage to sound bright on Goodrich’s six string. Inside the New Hampshire brew hall, a new fan shouts out, “You rock, Justin! Do you have any CDs?” Goodrich smirks and sighs. Listen at justingoodrich.com In Flux: ‘Hoverboard’ rolls into shopping season ‘Back to the Future’-style PETER LAVENDER: Throwback to ‘Soulville’ Review: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros bring one big musical love-in	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line127
__label__wiki	0.767173	0.767173	Home / Cases / Canadian Human Rights Commission v. Attorney General of Canada Canadian Human Rights Commission v. Attorney General of Canada Where can you go when government benefit programs discriminate against you? The Supreme Court of Canada will be hearing an important case about that issue on November 28, 2017. The Government of Canada is responsible for a number of very important programs and social benefits that people rely on in order to get by, including Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and veterans benefits. In the past, people could take complaints about discrimination in these programs to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. But a new case having to do with the Indian Act is going to decide whether that is still possible. Background on the Case The case arises from a challenge to one of the ways that the Indian Act discriminates against Indigenous women and their children. The Indian Act is a very old piece of legislation that imposes rules on Indigenous peoples about who can be registered as an “Indian”. Although these status rules do not correspond to the ways in which Indigenous communities themselves determine membership, it is still important to many Indigenous people to have that status because of the benefits that flow from it. For example, those who are not registered cannot access government health, education, and child development programs that are tied to Indian status. Those who are not registered cannot pass on status to their descendants. At one time, Indigenous women who married non-Indigenous men lost their status, as did their children. That rule has been taken out of the Indian Act, but some of the descendants of women who lost their status in this way continue to be disadvantaged and denied recognition as Indigenous persons. Members of the Matson and Andrews families made a complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, arguing that the government of Canada discriminated against them by denying their applications for registration in the Indian registry. The government has fought their application every step of the way and was able to have their complaints thrown out based on arguments that the Commission did not have jurisdiction to hear complaints about legislation. Why ISAC is intervening If that decision is upheld, it will have far reaching implications, beyond Indigenous communities. Like the Indian Act, federal income support programs like EI, CPP and veterans benefits are created by legislation. Hundreds of thousands of people in Canada rely on these programs to be able to survive. If the decision to dismiss the Matson and Andrews complaints is upheld, it will mean that people receiving these critically important income supports would not be able to make complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission if they believe the legislation creating these programs includes provisions that discriminate against them. Instead, they would be forced to bring Charter challenges through the courts, a much more expensive and difficult process, particularly for low-income and vulnerable people. When government supports are denied for discriminatory reasons, the consequences for those living in poverty can be extremely grave. The Income Security Advocacy Centre has partnered with a number of other legal clinics to intervene at the Supreme Court: the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic, the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, the Community Legal Assistance Society (in British Columbia) and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic of Ontario. Watch it live! We will be there on November 28th to argue that low-income and other vulnerable people must be able to complain to the Canadian Human Rights Commission when federal programs discriminate against them. To read our legal argument, click here. The Supreme Court will be live-streaming the hearing on November 28th, starting at 9:30 am. Go to the Supreme Court website and look for the webcast for “Canadian Human Rights Commission v. Attorney General of Canada” (Court File 37208): http://www.scc-csc.ca/home-accueil/index-eng.aspx	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line129
__label__wiki	0.931331	0.931331	Erdogan Premiership Marked By Domestic Controversies And Foreign Policy Blunders – Part I September 25, 2014 by Osman Softić Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government may have transformed Turkey from undemocratic and inherently unstable country once ruled by mighty generals, into a relatively but not completely free and prosperous country. Yet, his era at the helm of the Turkish government and Justice and Development Party (AKP) was marked by many controversies. Recep Tayyip Erdogan comfortably won presidential elections in the first round as it was predicted. He however, does not want to be ‘president of protocol’ but rather his ambitions are to become executive president with broadest powers that might entail. To enable change from parliamentary to presidential system will require changing Turkish constitution. This will only be possible after parliamentary elections in 2015. Although Erdogan as President can no longer be a member of AKP he is likely to exert powerful influence on its policies through party officials loyal and subordinated to its former master. From its modest economic performance AKP made Turkey into one of the most powerful economic powerhouses. Turkey is now a member of G20 and is ranked seventeenth economy in the world. By 2023 Erdogan hopes to make it 10th. At the domestic level AKP marginalized the unchecked role of military in politics thus relegating it to legally acceptable limits in accordance with democratic practices. In addition, the Erdogan government liberalized the economy, making it more efficient and allowing middle and lower classes the opportunity for equal participation in society that had hitherto been sole privilege of secular elites. In terms of religious freedom the AKP government abolished draconian laws devised by past secularist governments that banned employment, access to public institutions, universities and government affairs to veiled Muslim women. One of the most significant achievements of Erdogan’s was the opening of dialogue with the rebel Kurds, including negotiations with Abdullah Ocalan, jailed leader of Kurdistan’s Workers Party (PKK). Realizing that Turkey cannot build its future as democratic country without resolving government conflict with PKK, which so far caused 40,000 lives on both sides, Erdogan demonstrated his eagerness to engage PKK despite fierce opposition of his political opponents. That the AKP’s strategy for dealing with this perennial political question of modern Turkey was on the right track, was confirmed by Gulten Kisanak, a leading figure of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), and the mayor of Diyarbakir, the city in Anatolia with highest concentration of Kurdish population. Kisanak, who spoke at the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha recently, along with Faruk Logoglu, deputy chair of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), argued that the AKP policy contributed to progress in terms of realizing greater Kurdish autonomy not only in cultural domain but also in practical sense, including management of material resources by Kurdish local communities. In terms of geopolitics Turkey sought to position itself as a major regional player and initially it achieved some influence in the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caucasus. The doctrine of ‘strategic depth’ which entailed spreading Turkish economic and cultural influence to geographical spheres once ruled by mighty Ottoman empire, and ‘zero policy of enmity with neighbors’, whose architect was Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish foreign minister, was dealt a severe blow during past year or so, to the point that some sarcastically described it as ‘a country with zero friends among neighbors in the region’, alleging "covert strategy of Turkish domination of geographical areas once ruled by Devleti Aliye (the Ottoman Empire). Turkey is today isolated by its neighbors in the Middle East and is left with no allies, apart from Qatar and non-state actors such as the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and Palestinian resistance organization Hamas, both regarded as terrorist organizations by the West. In addition to its numerous achievements the Erdogan prime ministerial era was marked by many controversies, both domestically and internationally. In an effort to transform feeble Turkish economy into respectable economic powerhouse, the Erdogan government demonstrated a textbook example of neo-liberal developmental model, the primary goal of which was creating economic wealth and profit at any cost. Some scholars regarded such approach to economic development as ‘developmental fetishism’. Yildiz Atasoy, Canadian social anthropologist of Turkish origin described this specific Turkish developmental model that sought to introduce neoliberal reforms simultaneously with increased Islamization and introduction of Islamic conservative values, as a ‘marriage of Islam with neoliberalism’, as title of her book suggested. When it comes to politics of urbanization AKP, it seems, did not accord due respect to environmental protection or show any sensibilities for environmentalists groups. In an effort to transform dilapidated infrastructure of major cities, particularly Istanbul, and in order to make Turkey more attractive destination for global investment capital, to promote tourism and hospitality and to improve transportation systems and thus position it as global center for services, AKP enraged a large number of people on the left, triggering protests of Gezi Park. The government use of unnecessarily and excessive force and brutal tactics against disenchanted protesters caused international outrage and condemnation of Turkey by many international human rights organizations and foreign governments, including those of the United States and the EU member countries. Furthermore, Erdogan's confrontational and erratic style in dealing with his political opponents sparked accusations of authoritarianism. The AKP privatization policies and concentration of Turkish media ownership in the hands of private interests close to AKP and its crony capitalists, coupled with monopolization of public media and press to advance government policies, prompted observers of presidential campaign in Turkey to claim that three Turkish state television channels (TRT Turk, TRT-1 and TRT Haber) allotted Erdogan presidential campaign 533 minutes, while the two opposition candidates, Ihsanoglu and Demirtas, were only given four minutes of air time combined. Spokesmen for TRT justified such decision by claiming that Erdogan's candidacy was most important news in its own right. Last year's corruption scandal involving highest officials of AKP, including Prime Minister Erdogan himself as well as his son Bilal, was arguably the most serious challenge Erdogan had ever faced during his tenure as Prime Minister. Corruption investigation was launched soon after rift had emerged between AKP and Hizmet, an influential conservative Islamic movement led by well-known cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in a self-imposed exile in the United States. Erdogan accused his former ally Gulen and influential members of his movement, who due to their high education and professional skills, until recently served in key state positions, intelligence apparatus, the judiciary and police, of instigating corruption probe in order to undermine his government and to compromise his elections chances as president. 'Witch Hunt' Erdogan accused Gulen sympathizers, who in the past played major part in helping Erdogan marginalize powerful influence of the military of fabricating evidence to discredit his alleged impeccable and incorruptible democratic government, in revenge for Erdogan’s clamping down on Gulen’s movement, particularly closing Hizmet’s educational institutions and harsh treatment of financial institutions and business corporations known to be close to Hizmet. BankAsia was one such institution in question. AKP conflict with Gulen turned into a witch-hunt and McCarthian style purge of state bureaucrats and public servants alleged to have been close to Hizmet, by the government from which Erdogan emerged victorious. Moreover, Erdogan conveniently used the occasion to attribute the blame for incarceration of a large number of army generals and other senior military officers, journalists, academics and political activists, who were convicted without adequate evidence, exclusively to Hizmet sympathizers. Truth about this conflict due to ideologically charged political atmosphere in which unfolded and particularly because of concentration of power in the hands of AKP and Erdogan himself, may only be uncovered by unbiased historians with passage of time. Osman Softic is a Research Fellow at the Islamic Renaissance Front. He holds a BA degree in Islamic Studies from the Faculty of Islamic Studies of the University of Sarajevo and has a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of New South Wales (UNSW). He contributed commentaries on Middle Eastern and Islamic Affairs for the web portal Al Jazeera Balkans, Online Opinion, Engage and Open Democracy. Osman holds dual Bosnian and Australian citizenship. This essay fir st appeared on Al Jazeera Balkans at http://balkans.aljazeera.net/vijesti/politicki-opus-favorita-turskih-izbora View original article at: https://irfront.net/post/articles/erdogan-premiership-marked-by-domestic-controversies-and-foreign-policy-blunders-part-i/	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line133
__label__wiki	0.715716	0.715716	From the Dedication Program of the Vittoria Lodge Building and Park Grounds on June 20, 1954 (click on photos for larger views): The year 1954 stands out as an epochal one in the history of the SOCIETA’ VITTORIA ITALIANA DI MUTUO SOCCORSO. The long cherished dreams of the membership of this lodge are culminated in the dedication of our lodge building today. The history of our lodge is closely related to the history of the migration of Italians from Italy to the mining camps of Polk, Dallas, Boone, Marion and Lucas Counties in Iowa. Our lodge traces its origin to the Court Romana No. 49 of the Order of Foresters of America which was founded on March 11, 1911. On December 1, 1913, the Court Romana and the Court Emiliana No. 50 (also of the Order of the Foresters of America) separated themselves from the latter order and were legally incorporated under the present name of our Lodge: SOCIETA’ VITTORIA ITALIANA DI MUTUO SOCCORSO. The original incorporators and first officers were: Pellegrino Castelli, president-general; Angelo Silvestri, vice-president; Valente Logli, treasurer; Angelo Lenzotti, financial secretary; Domenic Piagentini, vice secretary and Domenic Matteucci, doorkeeper. To these men we owe much for having planted the seed, which today is one of the oustanding American-Italian organizations in the State of Iowa. Pellegrino Castelli, our first president, passed away on February 5, 1954, in Highwood, Illinois. Although unable to attend our meetings for many years, he at all times remained a true, loyal and honored member. At his death he was honorary president. It was through his indefatigable efforts that the lodge mushroomed into an organization with a Supreme Lodge at Carney, Iowa and Subordinate Lodges at Madrid and Melcher, Iowa. Meetings of the Supreme Lodge were originally held in Carney, Iowa, because this was the center of the membership population. Later, in 1918, the meetings were transferred to the IOOF Hall in Ankeny, Iowa. They were held there until 1934, when meetings were transferred to the IOOF Hall in Des Moines, Iowa. Since January of 1954 the lodge membership has met in the new lodge hall. Due to the fact that many of the members from Madrid, Granger, Melcher and Williamson, Iowa found it difficult to attend meetings, subordinate groups were organized at Madrid and Melcher. The Melcher Lodge merged with the Supreme Lodge in 1940 and the Madrid Lodge was merged with the Supreme Lodge effective with the annual meeting held on June 20, 1954. The lodge has, throughout the years of its existance, had as its principal purpose “to unite fraternally men of Italian extraction, of good moral character.” Once an individual became a member of our lodge, we at all times dedicated ourselves to the best interest of that member, and of his family. The importance of our lodge cannot be over-emphasized. It was organized at a time when Italian migration to the United States was especially heavy. Besides serving as a health benefit organization, it also became a vital instrument in the social life of the new immigrants and their families. The Vittoria Lodge Building in 1954 The dedication of our new edifice marks a new milestone in our history. With this new building we not only hope to be able to better serve our membership but also to be able to be able to play a more important part in the life of our Community, State and Nation. The importance of having our own lodge building has never been overlooked, but the personal welfare of each member was of first importance. It was not until 1949 that the lodge membership felt itself strong enough to embark on a program which would ultimately end with the dedication of our own building. In that year a Land Committee was appointed, consisting of the following members: Rex Fontanini, Pete Plemone and Domenic Fontanini. After investigating various sites in Polk County, the lodge purchased a 13-acre tract. This tract was selected because it offered opportunities to provide for the varied interest of the members of the lodge. It is a rolling tract with excellent picnic grounds. It also enabled the lodge with a minimum of expense to build eight bocci courts for the use of its members. Finally, it offered an excellent location for the erection of our building with an abundance of surrounding parking space. Since its purchase, the area has provided a place where our members meet on Sunday afternoons for friendly games of bocci. Playground equipment is available for the children and croquet for the women. With the new building we anticipate regular get-togethers for members and their families. The Vittoria Lodge Bocci Courts in 1954 It is difficult to place special praise on any given member in an organization like ours where so many have dedicated themselves to the continued best interest of the lodge and its membership. Besides Pietro Castelli, other presidents who have contributed much to the growth of the lodge have been Germano Pagliai, now deceased, of Madrid, Iowa. To him we owe our new and revised constitution and many of the provisions therein which have materially aided in the growth of the membership. During the administration of Pete Plemone, who served during the war period, the lodge has its most important financial growth. Amedeo Rossi, now orator, deserves special praise in that he offered the spark which ignited the imagination of the membership to definitely embark on a building program. It was Rossi who offered to make available the necessary financing if no other means were available. At this point the membership embarked on a pledge program among its own members which provided, with the assistance of lodge funds, the funds necessary to pay for the present building. The list of other members who have played an important part in our organization is long and demonstrates their loyalty to a cause. Among the older members this list includes such men as: John Bertogli, Domenic Fontanini, Sam Gioffredi, Angelo Lamberti, Frank Ghitali, James Fontana, Pete Fontanini, Sesto Fiori, Joe Righi, Joe Betti, Gaspero Vignaroli, Sam Ballantini, John Butelli, Biagio Medici, Adolfo Balducchi, Valente Logli, Dominic Lolli, Valerio Zagnoli, Oswaldo Nizzi, Louis R. Fontanini, James Medici, Ermido Cerretti, Primo Rossi and scores of others whose names will forever be remembered by all of us. The cooperation shown by all of the members in the past is assurance of a brighter future in the years to come.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line134
__label__wiki	0.617917	0.617917	Ring-necked Pheasant GALLIFORMES Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, Old World Quail (Phasianidae) RNEP PHACOL The Ring-necked Pheasant is the state bird for South Dakota in the United States. It is a popular game bird, and is a subspecies of the Common Pheasant. However, this bird is native to Asia; it has only been introduced in other areas of the world. It will sometimes form loose flocks when not in breeding season. Diets consist of fruit, seeds, leaves, invertebrates, and small vertebrates such as snakes, lizards, small mammals and birds. Nests are built on the ground, but hens find shelter in trees at night when not roosting. The conservation rating for this bird is Least Concern. Ring-necked Pheasant: This large chicken-like pheasant has a metallic-brown body, iridescent green head, white neck ring, red eye patch and wattles, and a long pointed tail. Female is pale brown overall with dark markings, has shorter tail and lacks wattle. Diet includes seeds and insects. Swift direct flight with strong wing beats. First introduced to California from Asia as a game bird in 1857. Ring-necked Pheasant: Native to Asia; found from southern British Columbia, Alberta, Minnesota, Ontario, and Maritime Provinces south to central California, the Midwest states, northern Texas, and the mid-Atlantic states. Preferred habitats include farmlands, pastures, and grassy woodland edges. Declining in parts of its eastern range. Ring-necked Pheasant SONGS AND CALLS Ring-necked Pheasant J1 "Kutt-tuk-kutt-tuk" alarm calls given in flight. Ring-necked Pheasant C1 Crowing "koork-kok" calls followed by wing drummimg. Kalij Pheasant 1 Various calls and squeals. "Caw-cawk" The Ring-necked Pheasant is the state bird of South Dakota. Ring-necked Pheasants are able to stay on a roost for several days without eating if the weather is very bad. Breeding males will keep other males away from a small group of females during the breeding season. This practice is known as "harem-defense polygyny." A group of pheasants has many collective nouns, including a "bouquet", "brace", "plume", "plump", and "trip" of pheasants. Ruffed Grouse Plain Chachalaca Spruce Grouse RANGE MAP HAWAII About this Hawaii Map This map shows how this species is distributed across the Hawaiian island. Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys and Old World Quail (Phasianidae) An order of five families found on most continents (some taxonomic systems only recognize four of these, classifying the fifth as a sub-family), the GALLIFORMES (pronounced gal-lih-FOR-meez) include “fowl” like birds such as guineafowl, pheasants, grouse and turkeys, and the wild ancestor to the domestic chicken. Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys and Old World Quail are members of the Phasianidae (pronounced fah-see-AH-nih-dee), a family of one hundred and eighty-seven species in fifty-six genera found on all continents except for South America and Antarctica. In North America, the Phasianidae is represented by twenty-six species in seventeen genera. This total includes several introduced and native species such as the Wild Turkey, prairie chickens, and various species of grouse. The Phasianidae are known for their elaborate courtship displays that frequently utilize raised tails that are spread to reveal intricate patterns. Male Sage Grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and prairie chickens take these displays a step further by displaying communally at traditional “lekking “ sites where birds inflate prominent neck and chest patches that produce loud, popping sounds. The Phasianidae range in size from the small Japanese Quail to one of North America’s largest bird species; the Wild Turkey. Regardless of size, all members of this family have stout bills, long, strong legs and short wings that attest to a mostly terrestrial lifestyle. Several species also have fairly long tails that are adaptations for their courtship displays. Aside from the radiant, iridescent plumages of male Indian Peafowls and some pheasant species, most of the Phasianidae exhibit barred and streaked patterns in tones of brown and black that match their terrestrial habitats, thus providing these birds with excellent camouflage. In winter, the ptarmigans molt from such brown and gray dominated plumages into mostly white plumages to match their snowy environments. Bright colors in native North American species are restricted to bits of red, orange, and purple found on the necks and heads of some members for display purposes. In North America, the members of the Phasianidae occur in tundra, grasslands, and forest. Three species of ptarmigan crouch in the far northern tundra and alpine habitats of the Rocky Mountains while the sage-grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and prairie chickens display in sagebrush and grasslands of the west. Deciduous and coniferous forests are home to the Wild Turkey and four grouse species. Introduced species live in a variety of Hawaiian habitats while the Ring-necked Pheasant is now common in North American grasslands. Aside from occasional short-distance migration by the ptarmigans of the far north, species in the Phasianidae spend all four seasons in the vicinity of their breeding grounds. Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys and Old World Quail often flock together to forage for small creatures, seeds, and buds. Most look for food on the ground although the Spruce Grouse also forages in the trees for pine and spruce needles. Although populations of Wild Turkeys have made a wonderful, successful comeback since their decline earlier in the twentieth century, all five species of grouse that occur in sagebrush and grasslands (sage-grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse and prairie chickens) have threatened and declining populations. These declines are due to degradation and conversion of their grassland habitats to agriculture and other development. To aid in walking in their snowy winter environments, Ruffed Grouse and ptarmigans have evolved “natural snowshoes”. In Ruffed Grouse, scales on their toes have extensions to keep them from sinking into snowdrifts, while ptarmigans have a profusion of feathers on their feet for this purpose. Chest X Also called the breast area, it is the frontal area on the body containing the breastplate and major flight muscles.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line135
__label__wiki	0.746243	0.746243	churnalism Yesterday I joined ten thousand people to march against climate change on the Global Day of Action. The march was one of hundreds of protests happening all over the world. It’s always hard to know whether or not marching has any effect. People who think it doesn’t make a difference often point out that a million people marched against the Iraq War and were ignored. All I can say about that is that the Government at the time also chose to ignore the Pope, the United Nations, the Archbishop of Canterbury and most of the population of continental Europe, so at least the marchers were in good company. Now governments around the world are ignoring the millions of people around the world who want to see real action on climate change. Of course, they couldn’t ignore us so easily without the enthusiastic help of many mainstream media outlets. Otherwise, how could the message of overwhelming scientific consensus on an urgent problem have become diluted into a “debate”? Mainstream newspapers like the Times and the Telegraph are happy to give space to the idea that there is still substantial doubt on the reality of climate change. Meanwhile, Channel 4 gives airtime to geocaust deniers like Martin Durkin. Ofcom ruled that Channel 4's decision to broadcast The Great Global Warming Swindle, a factually inaccurate programme denying the reality of climate change, was not harmful to the public. Why? Because "the discussion about the causes of global warming was to a very great extent settled by the date of broadcast". In other words, the documentary couldn't mislead the public because the public should have already made up its mind that anthropogenic climate change is a reality and would therefore be well placed to discount the fake documentary's wrongheaded claims. So, in a bitter irony, the programme's wild inaccuracy was reason in itself to clear the broadcaster of wrongdoing. (This didn't stop the Telegraph giving Durkin space to respond to his many critics.) But things are slowly beginning to change. Yesterday's march was at least reported by some of the mainstream media, including the BBC and the Times. Most reports seem to have made the link between the London march and the talks in Poland, although the tendency was to ignore the other protests happening around the world at the same time. In Bangladesh, thousands of protestors broke their country's anti-protest laws to speak out about climate change; in Poland, Greenpeace activists climbed a 150-metre-high smokestack to protest against coal before pitching a protest camp outside the talks in Poznan. I've given just two examples, but protests happened in more than seventy countries. It's a shame that British media didn't join the dots between all the separate protests, but at least they sent reporters to cover the London event... right? Well, perhaps not all of them. It's clear that Simon Alford of the Times didn't actually brave the cold for the whole event, or he would have known that Michael Meacher cancelled at the last minute and wouldn't have inaccurately reported that Mr Meacher gave a speech; but I have to praise him for fighting through the crowd of reporters surrounding "student Jon Roberts, 26", who was obviously a very busy man that day. It's heartwarming that so many reporters took the time to talk to Mr Roberts when they could have stayed in a warm office cutting and pasting a press release. Sarcasm aside, it's clear that the mainstream media is still failing us on climate change. When it comes to drumming up doubt over the reality of climate change, newspapers and television have often summoned the ingenuity to turn overwhelming consensus into "debate", looking far and wide for any respectable-sounding figure who can feign doubt. But when it comes to reporting the global opposition to the current lack of effective action, suddenly the media isn't prepared to look beyond London for the story and isn't prepared to do any more "reporting" than Ctrl-X, Ctrl-V. The mainstream media could have played a valuable role in speaking unpopular truths and drawing attention to an urgent problem; but in most cases, newspapers and television followed popular awareness of climate change rather than creating it. As concerned citizens, we can't rely on the mainstream media to tell us the things we need to hear. We can only hope that people working in one of the most competitive industries on earth will be willing to cut and paste what we push under their noses.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line144
__label__wiki	0.545583	0.545583	Part 4 of the Things Fall Apart series - in which we head to the library... There is no African writer more loved, or indeed more influential, than Chinua Achebe. Wole Soyinka, Nadine Gordimer and J.M. Coetzee were the ones who won the Nobel Prizes (they were all preceded by Naguib Mahfouz of course) and, along with him and a few others, form the canon of the continent's literature (an arbitrary list). Yet, if there is such a thing as conventional wisdom on the African street, Papa Achebe is the people's champion and those others are in the ivory tower. I may admire Soyinka's virtuosity and the sharpness of his intellect (and especially the dramas) but Achebe has my heart. It's not about complexity or even readability - Achebe's narratives are sometimes as layered as the others, it's rather a more direct and emotional affinity with the reader. To apply a musical analogy to the Achebe-Soyinka dichotomy, our man Chinua is Count Basie to Wole's Duke Ellington, the Donny Hathaway to their Stevie Wonder. Or on the comedic front, he's Richard Pryor to Soyinka's Bill Cosby... Well, insert your own heroes if you will, you get the idea: we love them in different ways. Things Fall Apart remains his most popular novel and has the aura of inevitability that that comes with being the one book about Africa that everyone recommends. There's also the orthodoxy of being assigned reading for many African school children. I tend to prefer A Man of the People or Anthills of the Savannah as I find these later novels more nuanced. Still, like many, I return to Things Fall Apart time and again. Re-reading it recently, one appreciates the craft with which Achebe constructed his classic tale. It remains one of the most miraculous first novels, a story that possesses great emotional weight. It is specific yet universal, steeped in Igbo traditions but instantly recognizable to all who encounter it. What interests me are the messages that people have taken away from the novel hence I won't rehearse the plot here. The structure though is worth commenting on since it fits the classical heroic frame. There are three parts, in the first, the hero (or anti-hero) depending on your viewpoint is introduced at home and the seeds are sown for conflict, then there is Exile and we end with The Return and the climatic confrontation. The shocks, as they come, simmer. In the back of your mind you vaguely expected them - the novel after all is called things fall apart. You are greeted in the epigraph with W.B. Yeats' poem, The Second Coming, and the line Things Fall Apart; The Centre Cannot Hold Still you can't brace yourself enough for them and this is due to the skill of a great writer. You are drawn into the world, almost lulled by the complexities of the traditions depicted. I wonder if it's the descriptions of daily life, the minutiae of rural life, that disarm you. It's much like reading African Cultural Values except it's rendered as virtuoso storytelling rather than a dry philosophy textbook. To be sure, the world depicted is not idyllic, the difficulties are much like Billie Holiday sang, it's not the "pastoral scenes of the gallant South". The shocks are described as a matter of fact but are not dwelled on - perhaps this is why they leave such an impression. As a reader, you want the author to focus on the calamity to help you internalize it. Achebe doesn't give you that satisfaction. True, he will come back to the act later on and will demonstrate its effect - if obliquely, but the point is that life goes on, a rich life force keeps on moving despite everything. The novel is a sly commentary on attitudes and idées fixes about Africa - notions which tend to dwell on the undoubted unraveling that does occur at the expense of the individual stories. What I had long remembered about Things Fall Apart was the encounter with Europe, the ongoing struggle with the increasingly assertive and proselytizing missionaries backed by a faraway administration. The clash with colonialism and all its trappings: power imbalances, divide-and-conquer, and other tropes. In short, in my memory the novel was a fictionalized counterpart to Adu-Boahen's African Perspectives on Colonialism. This is actually a mistaken impression; that aspect is only a small part of the novel and resonates so memorably only because the novel closes very powerfully - Achebe is a strong finisher. The main thrust and the bulk of the novel is drawing out the African's perspective on things - and what a perspective. Colonialism may weigh heavily but it is treated as a footnote. The narrative is about the sometimes bewildering encounters of tradition and modernity. There are details about the way conflicts arise and are resolved between clans and towns, hints about the struggle with the elements, the capricious weather that often leads to food insecurity, the crops that demand perpetual care. The belief system is laid out as is the occasionally faulty biology as exemplified in the way some societies deal with twins. The choice of language is crucial here in highlighting the descriptions. Achebe's authorial voice is simple, deliberate, and slightly stiff, as if passing through a translation phase. The language points to a culture of rich intensity. Things Fall Apart reads like a fable and perhaps this is where the story draws its universal appeal. A constant risk in writing about Africa is the overuse of metaphor, or casting a wide net. Achebe, like all writers, wrote primarily for himself but also as a reaction to what he read. His first novel is a subversive commentary about metaphorical excess and cultural projections. Paradoxically the novel itself is often seen as a metaphor. The allusive style of writing contributes to the universality of the message. In this way though, it falls in the realm of philosophy something that I think is its only failing. I will always marvel at the sting of the story's end. The rapidity of the collapse of the proverbial center is accompanied with sardonic asides - note well the satirizing of noblesse oblige. The colonial administrators entirely miss the story and speak at cross purposes. They haven't heard any of the voices that were so ably articulated. Now of course African literature has moved on in the past half century and even around the time he wrote it, there were many other strands. Others were more playful with language; some dealt with urbanization and the lure of the city. To be sure Achebe is influential but so are many others and African voices continue to emerge. In many African countries there isn't much of an internal audience of readers but good writing does find a way out and one reason is the precedent of the response to Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe's great achievement is to portray a textured Africa - one that is not an undifferentiated mass as seen from the outside. Those villagers in the distance have the same concerns as everyone and are at once mediating modernity and picking and choosing what elements to absorb. He writes from the inside and highlights the ongoing inner dialogues. These days the external forces may be slightly different but they remain mostly unseen: globalization, that thing called the market, or even, dare I say, terrorism. Achebe's response is not to dwell on them but rather to change the perspective. The lesson of Things Fall Apart is to complicate everyone's picture of Africa. Needless to say, I love his brand of complication. I'll suggest here a musical counterpart to Things Fall Apart: Donny Hathaway's 1970 album Everything is Everything. It too was a quite miraculous debut and influential in its own way. If Hathaway didn't get quite get the pervasive cultural impact of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, he was in the middle of things, the consummate musician's musician, a wonderful singer and a great and talented composer. The title song, Voices Inside (Everything is Everything), features one of the most exuberant grooves in the canon. It cuts to the chase, to the essence and the bass. Rendered live in four movements, it ends with one of the most quoted bass solos ever by Willie Weeks. You don't need many lyrics when the music is this strong and infectious. All you need to sing is a minimalist "I Hear Voices / I See People" and let the feeling that you evoke speak for itself. It is a complete and cohesive album satisfying from beginning to end. Donny Hathaway's artistry is one that emerged fully formed and the proof is that assured manner in which he ends the album - he too knows how to close and the B-side of the album must rank in the pantheon. As a sidenote, I miss the way in which musicians could play with sequencing and moods in the LP format something that has been lost in the move from LP to CD and now to the song-at-a-time present. Consider this four song punch. First there is direct social commentary in the driving blues of Tryin' Times which covers riots, wars, the "confusion all over the land" and "a whole lot of things that's wrong going down". It's a simple yet poignant lament of "man's inhumanity to man". Thank You Master (For My Soul) takes you to church a place where a lot of soul music gets its emotional depth. It is memorable not least for the vocal performance but also for the pure gospel celebration of life. After church, we head back to The Ghetto. Now the ghetto is obviously not a pleasant place, by definition it is where things are falling apart - the school of hard knocks. Still the artistry of the urban griot soundtrack that Donny Hathaway and others produced in the seventies was in humanizing the ghetto's inhabitants and making those voices inside heard. We hear the children crying, the hearty laughter and the disputes. Still instead of being overbearingly dark and scary, you get the sense of an entire world inside. The affirmative twist is in the parenthetical asides, those floating voices. They may sound cacophonous but they are vibrant and as richly textured as any. The album ends with him making Nina Simone and Irvine Weldon's anthem his own, taking it to church, lacing the song with organ instead of his customary Fender-Rhodes. The title of the song reflects the changing of perspective, the acknowledgment of all of the individualized talent, it is a title that Chinua Achebe would surely nod his head to in approval, the title of course: To Be Young, Gifted And Black. Next in part 5: Heart of Darkness File under: Africa, literature, perception, Chinua Achebe, tradition, modernity, culture, Things Fall Apart, griot, music, soul, Donny Hathaway, review, essay, toli Labels: Africa, Chinua Achebe, culture, Donny Hathaway, essay, griot, griots, literature, modernity, music, perception, review, soul, Things Fall Apart, toli, tradition Thank you for a most refreshing look at Achebe. Apparently it is the book that most often comes to the rescue of people who get stuck at interviews when confronted with:"what was the last book you read?" How I wish all who claim to have read this book had paid such loving attention to it. I will now go and read it again, some forty years or so after I read it. Your review will surely help to appreciate the man and the book better 9:12 AM, March 16, 2006	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line145
__label__wiki	0.894295	0.894295	Political Haggles Blasted Critics Say Keeping Power Is Only Concern of Parties Academics and political analysts are criticizing the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, United Liberal Democrats and Democratic People's Party for bickering over political offices. The ruling coalition is expected to field a joint candidate for the 2002 presidential election. The United Liberal Democrats have said the party is willing to merge with its coalition partners if the party's honorary president, Kim Jong-pil, is selected as the new party's presidential candidate. However, Lee Sang-soo, the ruling party's floor leader, said, "The presidency of a merged party can be given to Mr. Kim Jong-pil, but he should not ask for more." The United Liberal Democrats immediately responded by saying they would not consider a merger unless Mr. Lee apologizes. Several civic groups and academics said the war of words reveals the parties' raison d'etre: keeping their hold on power. "It shows that the political parties have forsaken addressing the array of economic and social problems for the sole purpose of winning the 2002 presidential election," said Cho Ki-suk, professor of political science at Ewha Womans University. "It also gives the impression that offices are negotiated by political bosses behind the scenes," said Lim Sam-jin, secretary-general of Green Korea United. Political insiders forecast that the three parties supporting one candidate would work as an advantage for Kim Jong-pil. He is the only one of the "three Kims," as he and former President Kim Young-sam and President Kim Dae-jung are commonly known, who has not reached the presidency. The trio has dominated Korean politics since democracy took hold here in the early 1990s. by Chun Young-gi	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line146
__label__wiki	0.899659	0.899659	Corus’s Q4 revenues drop by 4% Corus Entertainment's revenues dropped by 4% in Q4, while fiscal year-end results showed a 2% decrease to US$619 million. A bright spot was its licensing and distribution revenues, largely driven by Nelvana Enterprises. By Julianna Cummins Canada’s Corus Entertainment reported consolidated revenues of US$147 million for its fourth quarter on Thursday, representing a 4% drop from US$153 million for the same three-month period a year prior. Consolidated segment profit for the fourth quarter also dropped by 5% for the three months ending August 31, from US$44.25 million to US$41.75 million. On the television side, specialty advertising revenues were down 10% in the latest quarter. Subscriber revenues also fell by 1%. Overall, the TV segment profit declined by 8% for the quarter. Merchandising, distribution and other revenues, however, increased by 1% for Q4. Corus Entertainment also reported its year-end results on Thursday. Consolidated revenues for fiscal 2015 were down by 2% from the year prior, from US$632 million to US$619 million. Consolidated segment profit for the fiscal year was US$210.5 million, down by 4% from US$219.9 million. In the television segment, specialty advertising revenues decreased by 6% for the year, with radio segment revenues also falling by 6%. Year-end subscriber revenues for specialty TV, however, increased by 2% for the year overall, with merchandising, distribution, and other revenues increasing by 7%. Another bright spot on an annual basis was Corus’s free cash flow, which hit a record US$152.8 million for fiscal 2015, representing a 15% increase over the year before. With 30 television brands in its repertoire, Corus is a central figure in the Canadian entertainment landscape. A big part of its stature comes from its domination of kids TV programming, with leading kids channels such as Cartoon Network Canada, Disney Channel Canada, Nickelodeon Canada, Teletoon, Treehouse, YTV, and French-language channels La chaîne Disney and Télétoon. With files from Val Maloney and Patrick Callan. Corus Entertainment, Corus Kids From the mag: YTV stays in the zone Corus reveals charter sponsors for kids channels Bento Box Canada launches in cahoots with Corus Entertainment Consolidation in Canada: Corus to acquire Shaw Media	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line149
__label__cc	0.577731	0.422269	Mt. Fuji is Now a World Heritage Site Image Credit: Flickr User minoru_ntt, via CC Japan’s pride, the snow topped Volcano Mt Fuji is all set to become a World Heritage site. What is a World Heritage site? A World Heritage Site is a natural place or a man made wonder which is very special. It could be a lake, mountain, forest, mountain, island, desert, monument, building, complex, or a city. If these places are man made they are usually the ones which are historically or culturally very important. Who decides what should be a World Heritage site? There is a special branch of United Nations (UN), which is known as The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO. It promotes peace by bringing the nations together in the fields of education, science and culture. UNESCO committee decides the World Heritage sites. Mt Fuji, at 3,776 (12,460 feet) is Japan’s highest mountain. There is going to be a formal announcement in June according to the Japan’s cultural agency. Kinooze Learning May 1, 2013 January 28, 2015	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line150
__label__wiki	0.943306	0.943306	Decade on, actress' death haunts In a memoir, fellow actress laments justice is missing in sex scandal probe By Kang Hyun-kyung There's a victim but no one was found to have committed the crime. Probe results of sex scandals involving prominent politicians, business moguls or other influential people have repeatedly reached that "same old, ridiculous" finding and there has been no exception. In a memoir titled "The 13th Testimony: 10 Years After March 9, 2009," author, model and actress Yoon Ji-oh confronted the absence of offenders in high-profile sex scandals. The author put together shards of her memories about the late actress Jang Ja-yeon, who committed suicide on March 9, 2009, and her bond with the fellow actress. As a witness who saw in person how former journalist C sexually assaulted Jang in August 2008, Yoon testified what she saw in the investigations conducted by the police and then the prosecution. However her testimony ― lasting thirteen times - did not result in justice. The journalist and other influential figures managed to avoid punishment. "Investigations of sex scandals involving high-profile figures always ended up with unconvincing results and investigators don't point to offenders. They echo the same old story that there's insufficient evidence to prove that those accused of committing a crime actually did it," she lamented in the book. "The offenders were able to avoid punishment and this is why there are no offenders, even though there are victims." The author identified individuals she mentioned in the book by their initials to avoid possible defamation or violation of privacy. She lamented justice is lost in some sex scandals. Actress Jang Ja-yeon committed suicide on March 9, 2009. / Korea Times file "The 13th Testimony" was published to mark the 10th year anniversary of the death of fellow actress Jang Ja-yeon. Jang, who debuted in the KBS hit drama "Boys Over Flowers," committed suicide at her home in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. Days after her death, Jang's alleged four-page note that listed some 40 highly influential people she was forced to meet and provide sexual services to was circulated online. Business moguls, the publishers of daily newspapers, and key figures in show business were included in the note which was later called the "Jang Ja-yeon list." The police embarked on the investigation to find out if the list had something to do with the death of the actress. Unveiling the investigation results in July 2009, the police said Jang chose to cut her life short as she felt pressure regarding her worsening relationship with her boss K, the head of her management agency, after she refused his repeated requests of luring and providing sexual services to K's target clients, such as producers, directors and business moguls. According to the police, Jang's boss K had arranged for the actress to engage in alcohol-involved business dinners with 40 men on the list to build his network and give sexual services in exchange for actress Jang's career in show business. Jang listed her "clients," upon a request from H, the head of a rival management agency, who tried to turn the tide in favor of his artists who were involved in legal suits against K. The police said Jang felt increasingly pressured over the list because if found, she feared her boss K would retaliate and ruin her career. The police investigated 20 people and seven of them were punished for minor offenses. No business moguls or influential people were brought to justice. Show business in Korea is notorious for its high rate of suicide. Before and after Jang, many celebrities have ended their lives. Between 2005 and 2013, over 30 stars committed suicide for various reasons. News about their death shocked the nation. But many of them were forgotten as time went by. But Jang's death has continued to resurface even after investigations wrapped up. In the probes of high-profile sex scandals, justice is nowhere to be seen and this caused Jang's death to haunt Korean society over the past decade. Last year, her death was brought to the presidential petition. Over 200,000 people signed the petition, urging the presidential office to reinvestigate those who were on Jang's list. Yoon, who was close to Jang as they were in the same entertainment agency, the now defunct "The Content Entertainment", said she's still in disbelief at the investigation results. She detailed the sexual assault case that occurred at a birthday party she attended in August 2008. She saw former journalist C sexually assault Jang in August 2008 at K's birthday party on the third floor of the agency's building. "There were five of us there ― K, Jang and I and two people H and C. Ja-yeon wore a white mini skirt which was very short. It was the same one that she wore a year later at the Baeksang Awards. In the middle of chatting and drinking, she suddenly climbed onto the table and danced there. I was surprised at what I saw there… As her dance ended, C suddenly pulled her from the table and had her on his thighs and groped her, putting his hands inside her dress. She resisted." In "The 13th Testimony," Yoon claims like other high-profile sex scandals, justice is missing in the investigation of the death of Jang. Kang Hyun-kyung hkang@koreatimes.co.kr	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line161
__label__wiki	0.70306	0.70306	Furtwängler – The Complete RIAS Recordings (13 CD box set, APE) Number of Discs: 13 CD box set Label: Audite ASIN: B0029LJ9IM 1 Symphony no 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastoral” by Ludwig van Beethoven Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwängler Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Period: Classical Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria 2. Symphony no 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven Written: 1807-1808; Vienna, Austria 3. Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture, in E major Op. 21 by Felix Mendelssohn Period: Romantic Written: 1826; Germany 4. Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61 by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer: Yehudi Menuhin (Violin) 5. Suite for Orchestra no 3 in D major, BWV 1068 by Johann Sebastian Bach Period: Baroque Written: circa 1729-1731; Leipzig, Germany 6. Symphony no 8 in B minor, D 759 “Unfinished” by Franz Schubert 7. Symphony no 4 in E minor, Op. 98 by Johannes Brahms Written: 1884-1885; Austria 8. Symphony no 8 in C minor, WAB 108 by Anton Bruckner Written: Vienna, Austria Notes: Version: Robert Haas edition. 9. Manfred, Op. 115: Overture in E flat minor by Robert Schumann Written: 1848-1849; Germany 10. Symphony no 3 in F major, Op. 90 by Johannes Brahms Written: 1883; Austria 11. Concerto for Violin by Wolfgang Fortner Performer: Gerhard Taschner (Violin) 12. Götterdämmerung: Siegfried’s Funeral Music by Richard Wagner 13. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Act 1 Prelude by Richard Wagner 14. Concerti grossi (12), Op. 6: no 10 in D minor, HWV 328 by George Frideric Handel Written: 1739; London, England 15. Variations in B flat major on a theme by Haydn, Op. 56a “St. Anthony” by Johannes Brahms 16. Concerto for Orchestra, Op. 38 by Paul Hindemith 17. Symphony no 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 “Eroica” by Ludwig van Beethoven 18. Alceste: Overture by Christoph W. Gluck 19. Concerti grossi (12), Op. 6: no 5 in D major, HWV 323 by George Frideric Handel 20. Der Freischütz, J 277: Overture by Carl Maria von Weber Written: 1817-1821; Dresden, Germany 21. Symphony “Die Harmonie der Welt” by Paul Hindemith Written: 1951; USA 23. Rosamunde, D 797/Op. 26: no 1, Overture (D 644) by Franz Schubert 24. Concertante Music, Op. 10 by Boris Blacher 25. Symphony no 8 in B minor, D 759 “Unfinished” by Franz Schubert 26. Symphony no 9 in C major, D 944 “Great” by Franz Schubert Written: ?1825-28; Vienna, Austria 28. Don Juan, Op. 20 by Richard Strauss 29. Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod by Richard Wagner 30. Symphony no 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastoral” by Ludwig van Beethoven 31. Symphony no 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven Furtwängler – The Complete RIAS Recordings CD1.rar Furtwängler – The Complete RIAS Recordings CD10.rar Furtwängler – The Complete RIAS Recordings CD13_bonus.rar Posted in: Classics ⋅ Tagged: Bach, Beethoven, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Blacher, Brahms, Bruckner, Fortner, Furtwangler, Gluck, Haas, Handel, Hindemith, Mendelssohn, Menuhin, Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Taschner, Wagner, Weber	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line164
__label__cc	0.632364	0.367636	Buy Sildenafil Bitcoin is a potent selective inhibitor of cGMP-specific PDE-5. Kamagra For Bitcoin does not have a direct relaxing effect on the isolated cavernous human body, but enhances the effect of nitric oxide by inhibiting PDE-5, which is responsible for the disintegration of cGMP. Selective Buy Sildenafil With Bitcoins against PDE5 in vitro, its activity against PDE5 superior activity against other known PDE isoenzymes: PDE-6 вЂ” 10 times; PDE-1 more than 80 times; PDE-2, PDE-4, PDE-7 PDEвЂ“11 more than 700 times. Buy Viagra With Bitcoins is 4000 times more selective for PDE-5 than PDE-3, which is crucial because PDE-3 is one of the key enzymes in the regulation of myocardial contractility. A prerequisite for the effectiveness of Kamagra Bitcoin Pharmacy Online is sexual stimulation. Buy Viagra Bitcoin restores impaired erectile function in conditions of sexual stimulation by increasing blood flow to the cavernous bodies of the penis. 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__label__cc	0.6842	0.3158	Rising food prices in those years have been linked with social unrest around the world, including rioting in Bangladesh and Mexico,[122] and the Arab Spring.[123] Food prices worldwide increased in 2008.[124][125] One cause of rising food prices is wealthier Asian consumers are westernizing their diets, and farmers and nations of the third world are struggling to keep up the pace. The past five years have seen rapid growth in the contribution of Asian nations to the global fluid and powdered milk manufacturing industry, which in 2008 accounted for more than 30% of production, while China alone accounts for more than 10% of both production and consumption in the global fruit and vegetable processing and preserving industry.[126] The process of making a diet version of a food usually requires finding an acceptable low-food-energy substitute for some high-food-energy ingredient.[16] This can be as simple as replacing some or all of the food's sugar with a sugar substitute as is common with diet soft drinks such as Coca-Cola (for example Diet Coke). In some snacks, the food may be baked instead of fried thus reducing the food energy. In other cases, low-fat ingredients may be used as replacements. Food safety depends on the safe preparation, handling, and storage of food. Food spoilage bacteria proliferate in the "Danger zone" temperature range from 40 to 140 °F (4 to 60 °C), food therefore should not be stored in this temperature range. Washing of hands and surfaces, especially when handling different meats, and keeping raw food separate from cooked food to avoid cross-contamination[22], are good practices in food preparation.[23] Foods prepared on plastic cutting boards may be less likely to harbor bacteria than wooden ones.[24][25] Washing and disinfecting cutting boards, especially after use with raw meat, poultry, or seafood, reduces the risk of contamination.[25] Ultimate Indo-European origin of the word is the subject of continued debate. Some scholars have noted the similarities between the words for wine in Indo-European languages (e.g. Armenian gini, Latin vinum, Ancient Greek οἶνος, Russian вино [vʲɪˈno]), Kartvelian (e.g. Georgian ღვინო [ɣvinɔ]), and Semitic (wayn; Hebrew יין [jaiin]), pointing to the possibility of a common origin of the word denoting "wine" in these language families.[50] The Georgian word goes back to Proto-Kartvelian ɣwino-,[51] which is either a borrowing from Proto-Indo-European[51][52][53][54][55][56] or the lexeme was specifically borrowed from Proto-Armenian ɣʷeinyo-, whence Armenian gini.[57][58][59][60][51] An alternate hypothesis by Fähnrich supposes ɣwino- a native Kartvelian word derived from the verbal root ɣun- ('to bend').[61] See ɣwino- for more. All these theories place the origin of the word in the same geographical location, Trans-Caucasia, that has been established based on archeological and biomolecular studies as the origin of viticulture. Some popular types of ethnic foods include Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, American, Cajun, Thai, African, Indian and Nepalese. Various cultures throughout the world study the dietary analysis of food habits. While evolutionarily speaking, as opposed to culturally, humans are omnivores, religion and social constructs such as morality, activism, or environmentalism will often affect which foods they will consume. Food is eaten and typically enjoyed through the sense of taste, the perception of flavor from eating and drinking. Certain tastes are more enjoyable than others, for evolutionary purposes. The expansion of agriculture, commerce, trade, and transportation between civilizations in different regions offered cooks many new ingredients. New inventions and technologies, such as the invention of pottery for holding and boiling water, expanded cooking techniques. Some modern cooks apply advanced scientific techniques to food preparation to further enhance the flavor of the dish served.[2] The interaction of heat and carbohydrate is complex. Long-chain sugars such as starch tend to break down into simpler sugars when cooked, while simple sugars can form syrups. If sugars are heated so that all water of crystallisation is driven off, then caramelization starts, with the sugar undergoing thermal decomposition with the formation of carbon, and other breakdown products producing caramel. Similarly, the heating of sugars and proteins elicits the Maillard reaction, a basic flavor-enhancing technique.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line166
__label__wiki	0.871437	0.871437	admin — April 24, 2019 add comment Health officials in the United States confirmed 71 new measles cases a week ago. Only 40 or so cases are now needed to make 2019 the worst year for measles since health officials declared the disease eradicated in 2000. The Centers for Disease Control confirmed the 71 measles cases for the week ending last Friday. The total for the year is now 626. The worst year since the announcement made in 2000 was 2010 when 667 cases were confirmed by the CDC. There are confirmed cases of measles in 22 states this year. Sixty-eight of the 71 new cases confirmed last week took place in the state of New York. Fifty-three of the new cases were in New York City and the other 15 patients were found in Rockland County. Public emergencies have been declared in both areas and calls for vaccinations have been made. The city of New York mandated on April 9 that residents who reside in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods be vaccinated or face a fine of $1,000. A Jewish school in the area was also closed down when it allowed students to attend classes who were not vaccinated. Large populations of Orthodox Jewish people live in both New York City and Rockland County. There seems to be a good bit of reluctance to accept vaccinations in these communities. A group of nurses in these communities is working to combat the misinformation they feel are fueling the reluctance to vaccinate in the Orthodox Jewish community. The CDC explains individuals who receive both doses of the measles vaccine are 97 percent less likely to be infected by the disease. Conversely, measles is known to be highly contagious and infects ninety percent of unvaccinated individuals who come in contact with the disease. Health officials in New York are preparing to deal with more measles cases after the Jewish Passover ends this weekend. The Food and Drug Administration released a statement Monday intended to convince the public the measles vaccine is safe. Peter Marks of the FDA says all the evidence points to the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. New Mumps Outbreak at Indiana University Raises Concerns Drug To Improve Sexual Desire In Premenopausal Women Approved by The FDA	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line167
__label__cc	0.629654	0.370346	Law CD's Judgment Copy Advocates Directory Search Within Search: Showing : 1311-1320 of 4163 Results PUNJAB AND HARAYANA HIGH COURT Year of decision: 2013 Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Section 13(1)(ia)(ib)-- Divorce - Cruelty and desertion - Condonation - Means forgiveness of the matrimonial offences and the restoration of the offending spouse to the same position as he or she occupied prior to the commission of the offence........... Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, Section 7, 13(2), 13(1)(d)-- Conviction - Appeal against - Appeal decided in absence of counsel for the accused - Accused should not suffer for the fault of his counsel - Court in such circumstances must appoint another counsel as an amicus curiae to defend the accused - Secondly the appellate court has to look into evidence.......... RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, Section 13(1)(d)(2), 19, Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, Section 197-- Sanction for prosecution - Offence u/ss. 13(1)(d)(2) of P.C.Act and Ss. 409, 467, 468, 471 & 120-B IPC - Opportunity of hearing can neither be claimed nor required to be given before granting sanction for prosecution to public servant as it is not a quasi judicial function but an administrative.......... East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, Section 13(3)(a)(i)(a)-- Eviction - Bona fide need - Landlord categorically stated in his evidence that he required demised premises for his own use and occupation as he is without any avocation in life after his retirement and want to open a restaurant in shop in dispute - Requirement of landlords admitted by tenants in.......... East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, Section 13(3)(a)(i)(a)-- Eviction - Unfit and unsafe for human habitation - Both authorities below recorded a concurrent finding that demised premises is beyond repair and requires reconstruction from foundation level - Enough evidence on record showing that walls of demised premises are bulging in and there are vertical.......... HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 120B, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, Section 7, 13(2)-- Criminal conspiracy - Accused "P" was tried convicted and sentenced for hatching a conspiracy with main accused Army Havaldar "S" for receiving bribe money from complainant in getting appointed his son in Army - Accused "P" was one who had remained in constant touch with complainant throughout -.......... East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, Section 13(2)(i), 14A(1)- - Held, S.14-A(1) of the Amended Act is para materia to S.13(2)(i) of the Haryana Urban (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1973 and the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949........... ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Section 13(1)(ia)-- Divorce - Cruelty - Whenever a spouse pleads ground of cruelty heavy burden rests upon him or her to prove it - Act of cruelty need not be in relation to any particular incident nor it need to be established that spouse complaining of it has sustained any bodily injuries - A prolonged and.......... Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Section 13(1)(ia)-- Divorce - Cruelty - Mere filing of a case u/s.498-A IPC or for that matter availing of further remedies in that direction by itself cannot be treated as a ground of cruelty........... Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Section 13(1)(ia)-- Divorce - Cruelty - Proof - For proving acts of cruelty sole testimony of complaining spouse is not adequate - In case, acts of cruelty on part of other spouse have been witnessed by any other persons such as inmates of family, neighbours etc. evidence of such persons has to be adduced - If there.......... © 2017 lawmirror.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line172
__label__wiki	0.774418	0.774418	Cologne -- Heirs of Max Stern, a Jewish art dealer who fled Nazi Germany after he was forced to close his gallery, announced the recovery of a painting he lost 76 years ago. Art collectors of Art Kabinett social media network observe an evaporating timeline of Nazi art loot restitution. Andreas Achenbach’s 1837 landscape, shown above, was offered at Van Ham Fine Art Auctions in Cologne in May. Encouraged by Van Ham, the consignor agreed to negotiate with Stern’s estate. The handover takes place this week in a ceremony at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin. Two other pictures in the Van Ham catalog of the May event also belonged to Stern, yet the consignor of those works refused to negotiate with the dealer’s heirs. He claimed his grandfather bought the works legally at the Nazi-forced auction of Stern’s gallery. Van Ham returned the two paintings to the consignor and declined to reveal his name to Stern’s heirs, leaving them with little hope of recovering the artworks. Forced Sales Considered Legal The Stern estate’s experience spotlights the difficulties heirs face in tracing and reclaiming the countless Nazi-looted artworks that have vanished into German private collections, even when they are offered for sale by auction houses. Under German law, the statute of limitations for theft expires after 30 years, and claimants have little hope of winning title in court. In 1934, Max Stern took over his father’s Dusseldorf art gallery. In 1935, as a Jew, he was forced to close the gallery and sell the gallery contents in 1937 at the Lempertz auction house in Cologne. He was denied the revenue. In 1938 he fled to London, and settled in Montreal where he became one of Canada's top art dealers. Tracing Works Stern died in 1987 without children, leaving his estate to three universities: Concordia and McGill in Montreal and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2002, the colleges began a campaign to recover the lost art, creating the Max Stern Art Restitution Project, administered by Concordia. The two pictures returned to Van Ham’s consignor -- “Canal in Dordrecht” by Hans Herrmann and Jakob Becker’s “Children’s Festival in the Country” -- are among about 400 Stern’s heirs are trying to trace. They have recovered 11 so far. The rest are probably in German private collections. All three Stern paintings in the Van Ham catalog for the May sale have been listed since July 2005 with photographs on http://www.lostart.de the German government’s database of art missing after World War II. Moreover, Van Ham claims to submit all its catalogs to the Art Loss Register. If there is any reason to be skeptical about a work’s provenance, the company conducts some basic checks. “We can’t do it with every piece,” a spokesman said. In contrast, auction powerhouses such as Sotheby’s have the resources to employ four provenance researchers, said Richard Aronowitz, who heads its London research team. They check the painting itself, a company database built up over 15 years, the artist’s catalogue raisonné, and the main lists of lost works published by national governments. Finally, there is confirmation with Art Loss Register. Perilous Transactions When disputed works come up at auction in Germany, claimants may not be able to prevent a sale even if they succeed in tracking down the work. In 2010, heirs of the painter Max Liebermann failed to prevent the sale of a sketch by the artist at the Hamburg auction house Hauswedell & Nolte. The auction house argued that the consignor had proven legal title and said the claim was unfounded. For foreign buyers, purchasing prewar art at auction in Germany is a case of “caveat emptor,” said Christian Bauschke, a lawyer at Bauschke Braeuer in Berlin. Bauschke represents the New York dealer Richard Feigen, who agreed to return a picture he had purchased from the Kunsthaus Lempertz. He is now seeking compensation from the auction house in a lawsuit scheduled to be heard by a court in Cologne in December. art loot Max Stern Van Ham Fine Art Auctions how to lose weight in post menopause	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line174
__label__wiki	0.644703	0.644703	Iranian-backed Iraqi militia group to Trump: “We’re waiting for you in Syria” The leader of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia group has warned that his forces are ready to fight American troops in Syria, Arab media reported. Akram al-Kaabi, the secretary-general of Harakat al-Nujaba, made the comments in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement about imminent missile strikes to punish the regime of Bashar al-Assad for the latest chemical attack in Homs Governorate. Kaabi lashed out at Trump’s remarks on Syria and accused the US president of trying to undo the recent gains of the Assad regime and its allies. “After defeating terrorism in Iraq and Syria and exposing the evil coalition led by the United States… we find that Trump is trying to make up for their defeated projects and directly protect terrorism after the attacks by the Zionist entity on Syria,” the militia leader said in a statement. “We are waiting for you in Syria,” Kaabi warned the American president. “We will resist you and defeat you just like the way we defeated your terrorism in the shape of ISIS and al-Nusra and other Takfiri groups,” he warned. Comment: As the war against ISIS reaches its twilight, Iran’s militia allies in Syria and Iraq have dialed up their hostile rhetoric against American presence in the region. Tehran-sponsored groups – such as Harakat al-Nujaba, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, the Iraqi Hezbollah and the Afghan Fatemiyoun Division – have lately threatened violence against US troops in Iraq and Syria. Harakat al-Nujaba – also known as Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba – is a militia unit within the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces. The group operates both in Syria and Iraq under the leadership of Qassem Soleimani, the head of the IRGC Quds Force. Kaabi makes no secret of his allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei or his close relationship with Soleimani. The militia commander once famously that his forces would topple the Baghdad government if ordered by Khamenei. The Nujaba group has lately been threatening US forces in the region. After Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israeli capital, the Nujaba said American troops in the region were now “legitimate” targets. “Trump’s foolish decision to make Jerusalem the Zionist capital will spark a major uprising to excise this entity (Israel) from the body of the Islamic nation, and is a legitimate justification to target American troops,” said Akram al-Kaabi, the group’s leader, according to a . The recent escalation in anti-American statements by the IRGC and its proxies suggest that the Iranian-backed militia forces in Iraq are now focusing on “expelling” forces from the region now that the Islamic State – the common enemy of Tehran and Washington – is now militarily defeated. The IRGC may also be trying to send a message to the Trump administration that it will retaliate through its regional proxies if Washington pursued a more aggressive policy vis-à-vis Tehran. At least seven Iranian military personnel were killed in the latest suspected Israeli attack against Syria’s T-4 air base– further heightening tension in the volatile region and increasing the potential for an Iranian-Israeli showdown in Syria. Iran-backed militia leader: “The Iraqis will be the first to enter Jerusalem” Afghans blame Iran and Pakistan for Taliban’s rapid gains in Farah Province Iran’s militia allies in Iraq eye election victory to consolidate gains, expel US www.mazda.niko.ua велосипед Comanche Holiday Fs www.velomarket.org.ua	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line175
__label__wiki	0.899556	0.899556	Nina Sudarsan, Mark Cherry Nina Priya Sudarsan and Mark Jameson Cherry were married Sept. 15 at Thomas Fogarty Winery and Vineyards in Redwood City, Calif. Pandit Raghavendra Prasad, a Hindu priest, officiated, with the Rev. James R. Kingry, a minister of the United Methodist Church and an uncle of the groom, taking part. The bride and groom, both law… Katelyn Whatley, Benjamin Smith Katelyn Bennett Whatley and Benjamin Tydings Smith were married Sept. 15 in Easton, Md. William G. Smith, who is a Universal Life minister and a half brother of the groom, performed the ceremony at the home of the groom’s parents. Mrs. Smith, 31, is a patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office… Meaghan McGrath, Thomas Selby Meaghan Rose McGrath and Thomas Vail Selby were married Sept. 15 at Diamond Bear Ranch in Picabo, Idaho. Lizzie Marsters, a friend of the couple who became a Universal Life minister for the event, officiated. 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The Very Rev. Timothy E. Kimbrough performed the ceremony at Christ Episcopal Church Cathedral in Nashville. The bride and groom both graduated, she cum laude, from Bowdoin College in Maine, where they met. Ms. Verville, 29, is the vice president, in New York, of… Elizabeth Howard, Christopher Lando Elizabeth Stockton Howard and Christopher Stephen Lando were married Sept. 15 at St. Christopher by-the-River, an Episcopal church in Gates Mills, Ohio. The Rev. Ann Kidder, an Episcopal priest, performed the ceremony. Mrs. Lando, 33, is a director of business development for Safari Energy, a commercial solar developer in New York. 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__label__cc	0.736364	0.263636	October 13, 2016 /4 Comments/in Articles by Timothy, Featured, Philosophy, Religion /by Timothy During my exit from Mormonism and for a few years after, I engaged in intensive discussion and study on the questions of God, Faith, Religion and Philosophy. One of the more influential thinkers I encountered in that journey is a man named Lincoln Cannon. Mr. Cannon remains committed to the LDS Church and Mormonism, and provided a foil by which many of my views of mormonism specifically and religion generally could be tested. He pushed me to learn and to grow. In the ensuing years, Mr. Cannon has founded The Mormon Transhumanist Association. In that effort, Cannon seeks to find common ground between secular technologists who seek after The Singularity and his chosen faith. Seemingly to that end, Mr. Cannon produced what he calls The New God Argument. It’s purported to be a logical argument for faith in God. The form of the argument leans heavily on The Simulation Argument by Nick Bostrom. I’ve watched this argument develop over the years, and noted as Cannon presented it in various forums, and published it in various journals. I’ve long wanted to do an analytical review of the argument. And now I have. The “New God Argument” by Lincoln Cannon purports to be a logical argument for faith in God. It is modeled after Nick Bostrom’s Simulation Argument. In this paper I do an analytical review of the New God Argument including the sub-arguments: The Faith Assumption, The Compassion Argument, The Creation Argument and The God Conclusion. I analyze the logical structure of the arguments and seek to determine if they are valid and sound. Finally, I make a determination as to whether or not the entirety of the New God Argument holds. I have analyzed version 3.3 of The New God Argument. Read it here: https://i0.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/blog_pic.jpg?fit=781%2C477 477 781 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2016-10-13 17:36:142016-10-14 07:30:12An Analytical Review of Lincoln Cannon’s “The New God Argument" The Seven Social Sins… August 26, 2016 /0 Comments/in Articles by Others, Culture, Life, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy Wealth without work. Pleasure without conscience. Knowledge without character. Commerce without morality. Science without humanity. Worship without sacrifice. Politics without principle. Attributed to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stormy-Night-1920-e1475298701950.jpg?fit=600%2C338 338 600 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2016-08-26 17:40:482016-09-30 22:12:49The Seven Social Sins... The Beginning of Life… August 21, 2016 /0 Comments/in Articles by Others, Culture, Life, Philosophy, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy “As for when “life” begins: The gametes that join to form the zygote that becomes the embryo are all alive. Life is no longer something that “begins.” It is something that is transferred from one living thing to another. You carry within your cells a genetic code that connects you with every other living thing on the planet—as well as every other dead thing that was once alive. Plants, trees, bacteria, human embryos, etc., they carry remnants of the same genetic markers that you do because you are all related by a common ancestor (or several). Life began on this planet over a billion years ago—it hasn’t begun since.” — from an internet post by BreakerBaker (Andrew). https://i2.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/tVqNo1pDdutC5mdV9mqhUWfu.jpeg?fit=850%2C564 564 850 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2016-08-21 10:13:242016-09-30 17:23:43The Beginning of Life... On Bernie, Hillary, Purity and being in Community with We The People… April 25, 2016 /1 Comment/in Articles by Timothy, Featured, more perfect, National, Philosophy, Political Science, Politics, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy I grew up with an ideologically pure belief system. For years, good/evil were pure concepts for me. Defined by this belief system, I could categorize anyone very quickly, and place them on a neatly defined spectrum. That all came crashing down, as do many notions of purity, once the reality of the world beats us up a bit. “Democracy” gets thrown about by all sides in American politics. But for all the accolades we heap upon it, there’s one thing we rarely talk about: Democracy is NOT pure. Pledging to be in community with We The People means pledging to be in community with people you not only dislike, but people you loathe. It means working with those same people in a system of give and take. It means a life-long commitment to compromise and persuasion. Hillary Clinton is a politician. Of course she has an ideology. But she’s chosen to sacrifice a bit of her purity in order to work in this system. So, when she gets asked about things like gay marriage or even war, she analyzes her answer in terms of what is politically possible. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t have an opinion about what is “right” or “wrong”, but she recognizes that few swords are worth falling on in such a system. This, to me, is strength of its own kind. This is sacrifice of a particular nature. You may hate this “system” of governance. But the irony is, absent electing a dictator, absent supporting an authoritarian model of government, there’s no substantive alternative to it. I don’t “hold my nose” to vote for Hillary, even though my personal political opinions are well to the left of hers; I admire her for the hard work of placing herself in a viable position to help move this Country ever so slightly to the left. Because 3 degrees in the Left direction for the next 8 years is extremely valuable. Meanwhile…I support Pramila Jayapal for Congress in the 7th. The real work of Revolution is built from the ground up; not the top down. https://i2.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/hand-god-worship-sun.jpg?fit=618%2C340 340 618 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2016-04-25 17:37:112016-10-02 08:16:52On Bernie, Hillary, Purity and being in Community with We The People... An Obstacle to Progress March 15, 2015 /0 Comments/in Philosophy, Political Science, Politics, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy “I know that most men [people], including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.” — Tolstoy https://i0.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/tolstoiX-undat-quer-DW-Politik-Frankfurt-Archiv1.jpg?fit=580%2C386 386 580 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2015-03-15 12:00:302016-09-30 22:53:06An Obstacle to Progress The Opportunity & Danger of New Faith December 24, 2013 /0 Comments/in Articles by Timothy, Life, Philosophy, Political Science, Politics, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy One identifying mark of young faith is the idea that those who possess it have found universal truth; that their ideas are equally applicable to and required of all. This is as predictable in the newly blessed as it is dangerous to them. The faith of such individuals can cause them to cling so tightly to their knowledge they fail to recognize it as a key. This key, depending on which side of the door they choose to use it in, can seal them into a small box, or open them to an ever expanding world of wonder. https://i2.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/key_door.jpg?fit=400%2C268 268 400 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2013-12-24 12:16:022016-09-30 17:35:23The Opportunity & Danger of New Faith Destroying Plato’s Theory of Forms December 14, 2013 /0 Comments/in Art, Culture, Life, more perfect, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy This short video succeeds in destroying Plato’s Theory of Forms, Christianity’s idea of the perfect man, and Mormonism’s Proclamation On The Family. All in under 5 minutes. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2013-12-14 23:13:542016-09-30 15:42:16Destroying Plato's Theory of Forms Dan Savage in Conversation with Andrew Sullivan July 12, 2013 /0 Comments/in Articles by Others, Culture, Life, National, Philosophy, Politics, Religion /by Timothy This is an amazing conversation; perhaps the pinnacle of modern sexual morality presented by seasoned voices of reason. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2013-07-12 21:52:262016-09-30 15:30:31Dan Savage in Conversation with Andrew Sullivan Mr. Romney, Where’s Your DEATH Certificate? August 22, 2012 /1 Comment/in Articles by Timothy, Just For Fun, more perfect, National, Philosophy, Political Science, Politics, Religion /by Timothy While researching Mitt Romney’s family history for a future post, I happened upon this most interesting thing today. According to Mitt’s listing at the Ancestry.com, Willard Mitt Romney died about 2005! So, consider me a “Deather!” Mitt, I demand to see your death certificate! Now, in line with a good conspiracy, I expect this information to be scrubbed of all evidence quickly. But, I’ve got the proof! It’s right there in my screen capture. Mitt Romney is dead! Update! @ 9:50 am In attempting to verify this, I went to the Mormon church owned familysearch.org. There’s no record of Willard Mitt Romney there at all! It’s all been scrubbed! So, while I’m not naive enough to present the conspiracy that Mr. Romney NEVER existed, I do wonder WHAT the LDS Church is hiding! Mr. Romney, just produce your death certificate! Want Something More Substantial? How To Interview Mitt Romney About Racism How To Interview Mitt Romney About Sexism https://i0.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screen-Shot-2012-08-22-at-9.14.05-AM.png?fit=408%2C272 272 408 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2012-08-22 09:27:032016-09-30 17:40:26Mr. Romney, Where's Your DEATH Certificate? September 19, 2011 /5 Comments/in Articles by Timothy, Featured, more perfect, National, Philosophy, Political Science, Politics, Religion /by Timothy Ask: Could a woman ever be appointed to lead your religion? Should they? Mitt Romney is sexist. He adheres to a philosophy, Mormonism, which denies women equal rights. Mormon women are not allowed to hold leadership positions within the church and forbidden ordination into the priesthood. Similarly, before 1978, the Mormon church did not allow black men to hold the priesthood. Had they not changed that position, Mitt Romney would have no chance to run for President; he’d rightly be branded as racist; that he’s not being asked to reconcile his sexism in a similar fashion reveals a troubling double standard. Sexism isn’t sexy, it appears. Racism? That’s hot. Homophobia? Get a room. However, when it comes to the most dominant form of inequality, many seem complacent. The foundational Mormon treatise “The Family, A Proclamation To The World” holds: By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. Mitt Romney’s vision of a healthy society puts men in the boardroom and women in the bedroom Here’s how the Mormon Church practices this: Women are not allowed to hold the priesthood. Women are not allowed to hold any position of leadership over men. Even within the Mormon organization for women, they are not allowed to set their own budgets or to structure their own teaching materials. Women are not allowed to bless their babies, or even to hold their babies while they are being blessed. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Equal-Rights-Amendment-image.png?fit=500%2C370 370 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2011-09-19 09:00:542016-10-02 08:19:32How To Interview Mitt Romney About Sexism Post-Atheist: Moving Beyond Belief August 29, 2011 /9 Comments/in Articles by Timothy, Featured, more perfect, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Weverse /by Timothy Moses was asking the wrong questions Asking whether one believes in God is a nonsensical, and ultimately, meaningless question. One would not ask “Do you believe in King?” God, like King, is a title, a political office. What matters is not belief in the existence of a being who claims the title, but rather, agreement with the political philosophy of any being who would assert power over us. What is Post-Atheism? I’ve coined the term Post-Atheist to convey moving beyond our current understanding of the title of god and our relationship to it. The common questions about god are nonsensical (do you believe) and impossible for finite beings to rationally consider (e.g. debating the attributes of god). Further, belief in a being is a simplistic calculation; more important is agreement with that being on fundamental governing principles. Would the existence of an all-powerful creator automatically bestow a right to authoritarian rule? Of course not, just as my power to create a child does not bestow upon me a moral right to authoritarian rule. Rather than our being defined by a best-guess at the existence of a powerful being (atheist, agnostic, believer), it is more important to define what is and is not acceptable behavior from any being who would seek our participation in their community. Do you believe in God? This question is nonsensical. “God” is a title. Titles are descriptive appellations which convey rank, office, or status. For example, “king” is the title of a person holding a political office. A king may also have a personal name; e.g, King George. Like king, god is a title. Defined generally as “the one supreme being, the creator and ruler of the universe,”1 the title of god conveys rank, office and status. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/charlton-heston.jpg?fit=400%2C266 266 400 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2011-08-29 09:00:342016-10-02 08:19:47Post-Atheist: Moving Beyond Belief July 25, 2011 /11 Comments/in Articles by Timothy, Featured, National, Political Science, Politics, Religion /by Timothy Ask: Was the Mormon Church wrong to deny priesthood to black members before 1978? The official policy of the LDS Church is that the racist practice was commanded by God, and not a result of racism among its leadership. The Church has never apologized for the practice nor specifically repudiated racist teachings by LDS prophets. Mitt Romney is skilled at evading this point, aided by general misunderstanding of the LDS Church. He should be able to unequivocally denounce the racism of his church and of his past. He hasn’t. During his 2008 campaign, Mitt Romney appeared on Meet The Press with Tim Russert. This specific question arose, and Russert came close to getting it right. Watch the clip: At the end of that section, Russert asked: “But it was wrong for your faith to [deny priesthood to blacks]?” Romney responded: “I’ve told you exactly where I stand. My view is there’s no discrimination in the eyes of God and I could not have been more pleased than to see the change that occurred.” What’s critical here is to note what Romney did not say; Russert asked “was it wrong?” Romney evaded. No apology. No repudiation of the Church or its racist practice. Earlier in the interview, Romney states: “I’m very proud of my faith, and of the faith of my fathers. And I certainly believe it is a faith, uh, well it’s True and I love my faith. And I’m not going to distance myself in any way from my faith.” He will not separate his position and the position of the Church. The church has not apologized for the racist practice, nor will he. https://i0.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/romney_noapology.jpg?fit=100%2C150 150 100 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2011-07-25 08:20:032016-10-02 08:20:57How To Interview Mitt Romney About Racism Racism and the LDS Church. The Mormons! May 1, 2006 /in Articles by Timothy, Featured, Religion /by Timothy This is an issue that just won’t go away, darn it! That’s frustrating to those mormons who don’t like the implications of racism in past (and current!) prophets of the LDS church. The LDS Church, in 1978, became the last major religion to fully integrate all races into it’s priesthood (though, still, women are left out). The tactic taken by the Church over the past few years has been to remain silent on the racist priesthood ban for black members. Liberal mormons think that this speaks well on the issue; that the silence equals some semblance of admission of wrongdoing. Silence rarely means that, in any context, and especially in matters of church doctrine and official positions. More popularly, silence equals complicity. So, why bring this up now? Well, in 2003, I was involved in some online discussions concerning this topic, and in the course of my research, I wrote some letters to LDS Public Affairs, and received some interesting responses from the Church. Those letters have been circulated around the net since, and I get occasional requests for copies of the letters. To make it easy, I’m posting copies of the letters here, on my blog, for all to see, copy and distribute. I only ask that you reference this post if you use the letters. So, here they are: My Original Letter to LDS Public Affairs, Aug. 4, 2003 Response from LDS Public Affairs, Aug. 14, 2003 Response “Envelope” from LDS Public Affairs My follow-up letter The follow-up response The follow-up envelope The primary question that I was teasing out in these letters was the question of attribution of the source of the racist ban. Is it the position of the LDS Church that this racist policy has its origin with God or fallible men? The historical position of the LDS Church has always been that the source of the racist ban was with God. And, my 2003 letters show that the LDS Church, still, maintains that position. As I was taught clearly in LDS Sunday School, the first step to repentance is confession of guilt. I’m still waiting for the LDS Church to begin the process of repenting. By remaining silent, by maintaining the position that God is the source of the racist ban, mormon’s are still teaching racist doctrines to their membership, still contributing in a material way to racism within the world. In other words, according to them, mormons aren’t racist, God is! https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2006-05-01 15:41:002016-10-02 08:21:55Racism and the LDS Church. The Mormons! 22 Years, 9 Months, and 28 Days… May 1, 2006 /in Articles by Timothy, Religion /by Timothy That’s how much time passed between Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her seat and the LDS Church’s decision to allow Blacks (men only, still) to hold the priesthood. Lest we forget what the fruits really are. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2006-05-01 15:40:002016-09-30 14:51:3022 Years, 9 Months, and 28 Days... What is an LDS Feminist? In relation to my recent entry LDS Male Feminists? Where your heart lies… I have been asked to define what a feminist is. fem·i·nist A person whose beliefs and behavior are based on feminism. fem·i·nism Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. The movement organized around this belief. The relevant question is “can an active Mormon (Latter-day Saint) consider themselves a feminist?” In most cases, I believe the answer is no; at the very least, such a label would be disingenuous. I think it is possible to simultaneously be a feminist and a member of the LDS Church, but I have never met anyone who I think fits the definition as I have it in mind. What’s more, I’m confident that such a person would find their membership quickly revoked if they held true to their professed beliefs in feminism and, more importantly, acted upon those beliefs. In short, I think a feminist is defined by their actions more than their stated beliefs. This follows from the mantra “if you want to know what a person believes, watch what they do.” In the LDS Temple Recommend Interview, members are asked the following question: Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? In essence, the LDS Church wants to know whether one supports causes or groups whose aims run counter to LDS Mormonism. Fair enough. I think that calling oneself a “feminist” requires a similar level of commitment to the ideals of feminism, and one measure of that commitment would be a denunciation of organizations that are actively fighting against feminist ideals. The LDS Church is near the top of the list of organizations that are at war with feminist ideals. There aren’t many organizations still in existence that so obviously place women into a role of inferiority. What’s more, the LDS Church has been actively working against feminism and feminist ideals for decades. To sum up, if one has dedicated their time, talents and energies to the furtherance of the LDS Church, then I think it disingenous to call oneself a feminist. However, as I stated, I think it might be possible, and here are the minimum steps that I think one would need to take to qualify. 1) Stop paying tithing to the LDS Church. The LDS Church has become a political organization that spends money to influence in the political arena. Specifically, the LDS Church has been fighting the rights of individuals, including the feminist movement and the gay-rights movement. Tithing money goes directly to support these causes, both directly and indirectly, and I think it inconsistent to financially support such an effort. At the very least, if one found this step too difficult, then one should donate at least as much money to causes of feminism as one donates to the LDS Church. 2) Don’t Participate in Patriarchal and Authoritarian Rituals …such as the Temple ceremony. Can one claim to hold feminist ideals and yet further the acts and actions of patriarchal oppression? The two are incompatible. Specifically in the LDS Temple Ceremony, participants are asked to donate all of their time and talents to support the anti-feminist authoritarian regime. Additionally, in this ritual, men are placed in positions of superiority above women. It is inconsistent to take such an oath and yet to call oneself a feminist. 3) Renouce membership in the Priesthood If one is male, then they should renounce membership in the Patriarchal Priesthood. That one would recognize the exclusiveness of the Club of the all-male LDS Leadership and privilege, and yet still participate in it, reveals the nature of one’s commitment to feminist ideals. It is inconsistent with feminist ideals to knowingly benefit from the very structure that subjugates women. 4) Openly espouse Feminist ideals and denounce anti-feminist ideals In sacrament meeting talks, in bearing one’s testimony, in leading and participating in sunday school lessons, in teaching children. The feminist should speak openly and boldly for ideals of feminism, and be willing to renounce those teachings and leaders that support anti-feminist ideals. This transcends a mere statement of “doubts” towards the anti-feminist leanings of the organization, and becomes an affirmative defense of feminist ideals. 5) Spend more time arguing with Anti-feminists than with feminists If one finds themselves engaged in battle more often with those who are fighting the anti-feminism of the LDS Church than with the authoritarian and anti-feminist movements within the Church, then the commitment to feminist ideals is suspect. If these argumenst tend to cause one to be more angry at the critics of the Church than with the actions of the Church itself, then this reveals, to me, where the fundamental commitment lies. 6) Be willing to pay a price for your convictions * The summation of all of this is that the LDS Feminist must value feminism more than they value the perpetuation of the very institutional organization that devalues women. If one professes feminist values, and yet is unwilling to pay the price that may be required to fight for those values, then the label of “feminist” is meaningless. This list is not exhaustive. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2006-05-01 15:38:002016-09-30 14:50:21What is an LDS Feminist? LDS Male Feminists; Where your heart lies… May 1, 2006 /in Articles by Timothy, Culture, Religion /by Timothy I recently attended the Sunstone conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. This conference is focused on Mormon philosophy and culture. Sunstone has become the sole alternative voice in LDS Mormonism. Amazingly, in a Church that boasts 12 million members, the largest alternate-voice-publication has a subscription base of less than 5000. The Church, obviously, has done a masterful job at squelching dissent, going so far as to state that there is no such thing as a “loyal opposition.” As a result, those who have real and sincere questions about their faith, about the Church, must do a delicate dance to both remain loyal to the church, and yet answer their own natural and justified questions of doubt, all without appearing to oppose the church. As an example of this, I attended a symposium panel discussion at Sunstone of so-called “male feminists” in the LDS Church, wherein they discussed their efforts to support the cause of feminism from within the Church. This is a church that openly discriminates against women, that is blatantly sexist, and that not only does not apologize for this position, but rather, lays the charge of their sexist attitudes and behavior on the shoulders of God. That’s right; the Church is not sexist, many members will respond, they are just following God’s will. Or, in my parlance, the Church is not sexist, God is. Imagine for a moment that you were a mormon male. You are granted power and status that is denied to your wife. Imagine that your wife perceived real harm being done to her, was sincerely troubled by the actions of the Church, and confided with you regarding her discomfort. The men on this panel, I have no doubt, are trying very hard to do the right thing, the ethical thing, the just thing. But, in the end, the overriding principle, for them, was to support the church, to remain within the fold, no matter the harm being caused to their wives, daughters, mothers, sisters, and others. In an oligarchical organization, where all policy comes from above, where there is no formal recognition of the desires of the membership, where nobody has recourse to petition for change, the only option left, if one desires to oppose the policies of the Church, is to leave. And yet, despite the injustice being done to the women in their lives, these men value membership in this exclusive club to a greater degree than they value justice for women. Feminists? I think these men, though of good intention and in many ways equal victims of an oppressive organization, need to reanalyze their value system, and for now, drop any pretense of calling themselves feminists. To them I ask: what is it that you value more than justice? Fairness? Equality? What god do you worship that would have you place these ideals behind others? What are the ideals that trump these things? What message do you send to your wife, daughters, and other women when you tell them, by your actions, that you value your membership in this male-centric social club more than you value their status and the injustice that this club is perpetuating upon them? Where is your heart? There is your treasure. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2006-05-01 15:36:002016-09-30 14:48:41LDS Male Feminists; Where your heart lies... Religion and Meaning October 24, 2005 /2 Comments/in Articles by Timothy, Culture, Philosophy, Religion, Values /by Timothy As science continues to erode the viable realm of religion, apologists for religion seem to cling to the life-vest of “meaning” as the last stand for the value of religion. In other words, religionists claim that science is unable to answer the “why’s” of an issue (which, I think is a tenuous claim, but which I’ll put on hold for now), and that these questions are best left in the hands of religion. OK. If this is the case, then let’s discuss it directly. This posting is meant to solicit responses and ideas. Can anyone give me some examples of “why” answers that religion does well? If this is the realm in which religion excels, then let’s have a listing of those answers it provides. https://i1.wp.com/moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-quill.png?fit=500%2C300 300 500 Timothy http://moreperfect.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-300x138.png?_t=1475293815 Timothy2005-10-24 13:28:002016-09-30 14:34:48Religion and Meaning	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line181
__label__wiki	0.901191	0.901191	This Marriage Business (RKO, 1938) Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Universal, 194... The Mummy’s Ghost (Universal, 1944) White on Rice (Brainwave, Malatova Productions, Ti... Two 1941 RKO “Saints”: "The Saint in Palm Springs”... The Soilers (Hal Roach/Pathécomedy, 1923) The Spoilers (Universal, 1942) The Saint Takes Over (RKO, 1940) Iron Man 2 (Marvel/Paramount, 2010) The Last Flight (Warners as “First National,” 1931... The Saint in London (RKO, 1939) The Pay-Off (RKO, 1930) Murder, She Said (MGM, 1961) Carnival of Souls (Harcourt Productions, 1962) Trapped (Eagle-Lion, 1949) The Saint Strikes Back (RKO, 1939) The Limping Man (Banner/Eros, 1951/53) The Hoodlum (Jack Schwarz Productions/Eagle-Lion, ... Internes Can’t Take Money (Paramount, 1937) The Social Network (Columbia/Relativity Media, 201... The Beloved Rogue (United Artists, 1927) Her Kind of Man (Warners, 1946) Lepke (AmeriEuro Pictures/Warner Bros., 1975) Silver Blaze (Granada TV, 1988) The Kids Are All Right (Mandalay Vision, Antidote ... Secret Beyond the Door (Diana Productions/Universa... The film was Murder, She Said, the first of four films made by MGM’s British operation in the early 1960’s starring Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie’s old spinster-lady detective heroine, Miss Jane Marple. William K. Everson thought Elizabeth Patterson would have been better casting, and ironically enough Joan Hickson, who has the supporting role of Mrs. Kimble here, would herself play Miss Marple in a later TV series from the BBC, but the four films established Rutherford as “the” Miss Marple much the way Basil Rathbone’s 14 films as Sherlock Holmes established him as “the” cinematic embodiment of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s great character. I’m a great fan of mysteries in general but I’ve never been able to raise much enthusiasm for Christie’s work, and I think what I don’t like about it is what Raymond Chandler didn’t like about it: her characters are singularly flat and uninteresting. She gives them just enough depth to suit their roles in her stories, and no more, and she manipulates them and twists their motives into what she needed to fulfill her elaborate plot constructions. Chandler was particularly rough on Ten Little Indians a.k.a. And Then There Were None — the whole idea of a judge on a vigilante murder crusade rubbed him the wrong way — and also on Murder on the Orient Express, whose conceit he said was so ridiculous “only a half-wit could guess it.” (One Christie mystery he did admit enjoying was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, in which the conceit is that the first-person narrator of the book admits at the end that he is the murderer.) Christie herself said the only films of her work she cared for were Witness for the Prosecution and Murder on the Orient Express, and one can see why — though And Then There Were None abounds with filmic possibilities, most of Christie’s work is relentlessly unatmospheric and not at all dependent on interesting physical locations of which filmmakers could take advantage. Murder, She Said starts off with a visually and dramatically marvelous scene — Miss Marple, traveling on a train, looks out the window and into the windows of another train passing hers on the same track, and she sees a man with black-gloved hands (she cannot see his face from her viewpoint) strangling a woman. Alas, after that the film is a real comedown: Miss Marple tries to report the murder to the police, and they say that nobody answering her description of either the killer or the victim was seen getting on or off the train, nobody removed a body and therefore they’re convinced the whole thing was a dream brought on by Miss Marple’s reading — you guessed it — mystery novels. (At the start of the movie she’s reading a fictitious book called Death Has Windows by “Michael Southcott”; at the end, as a filmmakers’ in-joke, she’s reading the genuine novel Murder Is Easy by, you guessed it, Agatha Christie.) She figures out that the killer must have dumped the body of his victim out of the train while it was still moving, and finds a piece of the fur garment she was wearing when she was killed, and from this deduces that the killer lived in or near Ackenthorpe Hall, inhabited by a cranky old cripple who’s the paterfamilias (James Robertson Justice in a marvelous performance; he, Rutherford and Thorley Walters as Cedric, 12-year-old grandson of the old man and a bitchy, superior-acting brat much like Michael Redgrave’s son in Secret Beyond the Door, are about the only reasons to watch this movie) and several other family members and assorted hangers-on, including an attractive ingénue named Emma (Muriel Pavlow). Miss Marple decides to get close to the family by wangling a job as the Ackenthorpes’ maid, and when another murder occurs at the Ackenthorpe mansion — the victim is poisoned by arsenic and everyone else at the dining table gets sick because the food has been dosed, albeit with a sub-lethal amount — and a third killing happens before the villain is finally unmasked: Dr. Quimper (Arthur Kennedy), who wanted to marry Emma to get hold of the Ackenthorpe family fortune and strangled the woman on the train because he was already married to her and needed to get rid of her before he could pursue his gold-digging marriage to Emma, then gave the second victim a lethal dose of arsenic by injection while pretending to treat her. Christie’s stories are the kind people who don’t like mysteries love to hate — Edmund Wilson even titled his famously bitchy article denouncing the mystery genre, “Who Cares Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?” — and here, adapted by David Osborn and scripted by David Pursall and Jack Seddon, and directed by George Pollock, who seems to have blown whatever talent he had for intriguing visuals in the opening murder scene, Murder, She Said emerges as not much of a mystery (it really is less a whodunit and more of a whocareswhodunit) but a fun film mainly due to the sheer force of Rutherford’s slightly dotty but irrepressible personality overcoming an indifferent story, unatmospheric direction and an annoyingly bouncy musical score by Ron Goodwin that uneasily combines harpsichord and rock drums as the key instruments.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line182
__label__wiki	0.633221	0.633221	The North Korean Soccer Coach’s Invisible Phone By Kayla Webley @kaylawebleyJune 16, 2010 POOL/Reuters/Corbis Yet another reason why Kim Jong-Il may just be the most talented person on the planet. After their World Cup loss to Brazil, North Korea’s coach may need to call up the country’s Supreme Leader for some advice. Good thing Jong-Il invented those invisible phones. From ESPN: “Kim Jong-Su, the general secretary of the North Korean FA, has said the Dear Leader gave ‘in-depth guidance’ on how to develop the game in the country and the coach himself has claimed he received regular tactical advice during matches, apparently using mobile phones that are not visible to the naked eye.” Jong-Il, a man of many talents, is said to have developed the technology himself. Before you laugh in disbelief, remember this is the man who scored 38 under par in his first-ever game of golf — with five holes in one — making him the greatest golfer of all-time. He’s got skills. No word yet whether North Korea also has an invisible vuvuzela in the works. (Check out all the new faces in our Toy Story 3 photo album)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line185
__label__wiki	0.506065	0.506065	Stamford, Conn.-based private equity firm Olympus Partners has acquired Vaco, a leading executive search, consulting, and placement firm that delivers people driven solutions from the C-suite to customer service operations. Founded by Jerry Bostelman, Jay Hollomon, and Brian Waller in 2002, Vaco matches the strongest accounting, finance, technology, healthcare IT and administrative professionals with the unique project and permanent needs of its clients. Based in Nashville, Tenn., Vaco has more than 780 employees and 4,300 consultants across 35 offices around the globe. "We are beyond ecstatic to partner with Olympus," said Vaco Founder and CEO Jerry Bostelman. "Their contribution will be invaluable as we explore how to more cohesively deliver our complete solutions to clients, expand our service lines and geographies throughout the globe and institutionalize the essence of Vaco to ensure its eternal viability." Jason Miller, a Partner at Olympus, remarked that, “Jerry, Jay, Brian, and the rest of the Vaco team have built a remarkable entrepreneurial culture that has led to impressive growth across multiple industries and geographies. We look forward to working with them to continue that success.” Founded in 1988, Olympus Partners is a private equity firm focused on providing equity capital for middle market management buyouts and for companies needing capital for expansion. Olympus is an active, long-term investor across a broad range of industries, including business services, restaurants, consumer products, healthcare services, financial services, and packaging. Olympus manages in excess of $5.5 billion on behalf of corporate pension funds, endowment funds and state-sponsored retirement programs. The acquisition of Vaco marks Olympus’ ninth investment out of its $2.3 billion sixth fund. The Olympus team included Jim Conroy, Jason Miller, Griffin Barstis, and Bohdan Tyshynsky. Olympus was represented by Benjamin Clinger and Matthew Goulding from Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Contact: Olympus Partners, 203-353-5900 Olympus Lands Top Recruit with Purchase of Vaco	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line189
__label__wiki	0.88003	0.88003	Wittenberg Captures 7th NCAC Tournament Title Wittenberg captured the program's seventh NCAC Tournament title on Saturday following an 82-70 victory over Ohio Wesleyan For the first time since 2006, and the seventh time overall, Wittenberg (26-2) captured the NCAC Men’s Basketball Tournament title following an 82-70 win over Ohio Wesleyan (19-9) on Saturday afternoon at Pam Evans Smith Arena in Springfield, Ohio. As tournament champions, the Tigers have also earned the NCAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Div. III Men’s Basketball Tournament for the 35th time in history. PHOTOS Ohio Wesleyan led by as many as 11 in the first half, before Wittenberg was able to erase the deficit and grab a 14-point lead of their own in the second half. The Tigers recorded 26 assists on 38 of their field goal attempts. Wittenberg outrebounded the Bishops 43-33 and held a 62-30 edge on points in the paint. The Tigers held OWU to just 38.6 percent from the field, while shooting nearly 54 percent from the floor in the championship win. After notching his fourth double-double of the season in the championship game with 28 points and 10 rebounds, Wittenberg sophomore Connor Seipel (Columbus, OH/Groveport, Madison) collected the Al Van Wie award as the tournament MVP. In the three tournament games combined, Seipel scored 53 points after shooting 78 percent (25-of-32) from the field and pulled down 20 rebounds. Joining Seipel on the 2018 NCAC Men’s Basketball All-Tournament Team was senior teammate Chad Roy (Toledo, OH/Holland Springfield)), Ohio Wesleyan senior guard Nate Axelrod (Dublin, OH/Coffman), Ohio Wesleyan senior guard Seth Clark (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy), Wooster senior forward Alex Baptiste (Allonnes, France/Wasatch Academy (UT)) and Denison senior guard Garrett Collier (McLean, VA/Langley). To listen to Wittenberg sophomore Connor Seipel’s postgame comments, click here. To listen to Wittenberg head coach Matt Croci’s postgame comments, click here. 2018 NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals: Semifinals: Championship: Tuesday, Feb. 20 Friday, Feb. 23 (at Wittenberg) Saturday, February 24 (at Wittenberg) #1 Wittenberg 70, #8 Oberlin 54 {Box} Wittenberg 97, Denison 73 {Box} Wittenberg 82, Ohio Wesleyan 70 {Box} #2 Wooster 70, #7 DePauw 63 {Box} Ohio Wesleyan 88, Wooster 87 - OT {Box} Championship Photos #3 Ohio Wesleyan 89, #6 Wabash 86 - OT {Box} Semifinal Photos #5 Denison 73, #4 Hiram 60 {Box} Bracket -- Stats -- Tickets -- Directions -- NCAC Tournament Records Semifinal Recaps The finals are set for the 2018 Men's Basketball Tournament with the Wittenberg Tigers and Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops set to meet for the title on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. at Wittenberg University's Pam Smith Arena in Springfield, Ohio. The Tigers will be playing in the championship game for the 16th time in program history, while the Bishops will be playing in the title game for the 10th time in program history. Despite 26 combined championship appearances between the two programs, 2018 marks just the second time Wittenberg and Ohio Wesleyan have met in the final, with the only other meeting back in 1990. PHOTOS A 14-0 run by top-seeded Wittenberg (25-2) to open the second half helped propel the Tigers to a 97-73 semifinal victory over fifth-seeded Denison (15-12) on Friday night in Springfield, OH. In the first half, both team came out red hot with the Big Red firing 55 percent from the field including eight 3-pointers, but the Tigers connected at 63 percent and led by one at the end of the opening frame. Wittenberg got a huge lift off the bench in the first half from freshman James Johnson (Cincinnati, OH/Roger Bacon), who scored 19 of his career-high 23 points in the first. To open the second half, Denison missed its first seven shots shot from the field allowing Wittenberg to go on a 14-0 run in the first three minutes of the half. Wittenberg continued to stay hot on the offensive end of the floor, shooting 22-of-30 (73 percent) in the second half and 68 percent for the game. Denison struggled to find its touch in the second half as the Big Red shot just 36 percent over the final 20 minutes and ended the contest 26-for-57 (45.6 percent) from the field. Wittenberg was led by Johnson and Mitch Balser (Centerville, OH/Centerville) with 23 points. Connor Seipel (Columbus, OH/Groveport, Madison) and Chad Roy (Toledo, OH/Holland Springfield) finished with 16 while Jordan Pumroy (Fairborn, OH/Fairborn) added nine points and nine rebounds. Four players scored in double figures for Denison as Garrett Collier (McLean, VA/Langley) led the way with 17 points in the loss. Following the win, Wittenberg head coach Matt Croci talked about his team's performance. In the second semifinal game on Friday night at Wittenberg, third-seeded Ohio Wesleyan (19-8) booked its ticket to the NCAC Tournament title game for the second-straight season with an 88-87 overtime thriller against seconded-seeded Wooster (21-6) behind an NCAC Tournament record 44 points from senior Seth Clark (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy). Wooster, which led by four at half and by as many as 14 with 14:36 remaining, could not stop Clark who scored 27 of his 44 points in the second half including a stretch of 16-straight for the Bishops. The Fighting Scots had a chance to put the Bishops away, leading by two with just seven seconds to play but could only connect on 1-of-2 free throws, giving OWU a final chance to send the contest into overtime. Following a timeout, Ohio Wesleyan senior Nate Axelrod (Dublin, OH/Coffman) drove to the bucket and was fouled, converting an old-fashion three-point play to tie the game and send it to overtime following a failed buzzer attempt from Wooster's Danyon Hempy (Waldo, OH/River Valley). In OT, trailing by one, Axelrod went coast-to-coast, driving and scoring to give the Bishops an 88-87 lead with 5.1 remaining. Challenged by the Bishop defense, Spencer Williams (Warrensville Hts., OH/Orange) brought the ball up for Wooster and got it to Hempy at the 3-point line, but his attempt for the win was off the rim. Clark finished the night with a career-high 44 points on 14-for-26 shooting, including an incredible 11-for-18 from beyond the arc. The 14 field-goals-made tied an NCAC Tournament record and the 11 3-point field-goals-made set a new tournament mark. Axelrod finished with 16 points and four assists. Hempy led Wooster on the night with 23 points – 19 of which came in the first half. Ari Stern (Phoenix, AZ/Sunnyslope chipped in with a career-high 18 points thanks to a 5-8 night from the floor, including a 3-for-4 showing from beyond the arc in the loss. Following the win, Ohio Wesleyan head coach Mike DeWitt talked about his team's performance. Quarterfinal Recaps There was just one upset on Tuesday night in the quarterfinal round of the 2018 NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament, setting up several marquee semifinal matchups this Friday at Wittenberg University's Pam Evans Smith Arena. In the early game at 5:30 p.m., top-seeded Wittenberg will square off against fifth-seeded Denison, while the 7:30 p.m. nightcap will feature second-seeded Wooster and third-seeded Ohio Wesleyan. Friday's winners will meet in the championship game at 4:00 p.m. in Springfield, Ohio. Top-seeded Wittenberg (24-2) led coast-to-coast in a 70-54 victory over Oberlin (12-14) in the quarterfinal round of the 2018 NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament. While the two squads were evenly matched in numerous statistical categories throughout the night, the Tigers did hold an advantage over the Yeomen in three key categories, including Rebounds, 39-29, points in the paint, 38-28, and bench points, 21-14. Three different Tigers scored in double figures, led by senior Chad Roy (Toledo, OH/Holland Springfield) scoring 14 points and pulling down seven rebounds, while freshman James Johnson (Cincinnati, OH/Roger Bacon) came off the bench to score 11 points and pull down a team-high eight boards for the Tigers. For Oberlin, junior Eli Silverman-Lloyd (Culver City, CA/Winward) led the way with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, while sophomore Christian Fioretti (Menlo Park, CA/Menlo-Atherton)also had a solid game for the Yeomen with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and one blocked shot. After trailing seventh-seed DePauw (11-15) by two points at the half, second-seeded Wooster (21-5) outscored the Tigers by a 40-31 margin in the second half to earn a 70-63 victory and advance to the semifinals of the NCAC Tournament for the 22nd year in a row. DePauw controlled the pace of play in the first half and led by as many as seven points, 32-25, with just under two minutes left in the half, but the Scots closed out the period on a 5-0 run, which included a three at the buzzer from freshmanKeonn Scott (Ft. Lauderdale, FL/Cardinal Gibbons) to cut the lead to two at intermission. The two squads found themselves in a back-and-fourth battle over the first 14 minutes of the second half, resulting in a one-point lead for DePauw at 53-52 with 6:10 left to play on a layup from senior Jack Vandemerkt (Riverside, IL/Riverside Brookfield). However, the Scots went back ahead by one on the next possession on a bucket from senior Alex Baptiste (Allones, France/Wasatch Acad., UT) and proceeded to outscore the Tigers by a 16-10 margin down the stretch to secure the seven-point victory. Senior Spencer Williams (Warrensville Hts., OH/Orange) was one of three Wooster players to score in double figures with a team-high 16 points, while Baptiste added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds. DePauw was led in scoring by freshman Josh Hall (Bloomington, IN/South) with 16 points, while Vandemerkt notched a double-double in his final collegiate game with 13 points and 10 rebounds. In what turned out to be the only upset of the night, fifth-seeded Denison (15-11) pulled away from fourth-seeded Hiram (15-11) late in the second to post a 73-60 win and advance to the semifinals for the third year in a row. The Big Red held a 31-23 at intermission, but the Terriers opened the second half strong and pulled within two at 31-29 at the 17:00-minute mark on a tip-in from senior Isaiah Matthews (Orlando, FL/Eastridge). DU then extended its lead out to 39-31 over the next three minutes of play, culminating with a dunk from sophomore Fred Brou (Lawrence, KS/Lawrence) with 14:57 showing on the clock. With the score tied at 46-46 with 9:23 left, the game appeared to be headed down to the wire, but DU senior Garrett Collier (McLean, VA/Langley) stepped up to the challenge and scored 16 of his game-high 23 points down the stretch to lift the Big Red to the 13-point upset win at Hiram. Collier also pulled down nine rebounds in the win to share the team lead with classmate Johnny Vernasco (Libertyville, IL/Libertyville). Hiram senior Terrence Warren (Farmington Hills, MI/Walled Lake Central) led the Terriers in scoring with 16 points, while classmate Kelvin Jones (Sheffield Lake, OH/Brookside) tallied a double-double in his final game with the Terriers with 10 points and 11 rebounds. It took 40 minutes of regulation time and five minutes of overtime play, before third-seeded Ohio Wesleyan (18-8) finally came away with an 89-86 win over sixth-seeded Wabash (12-14) in Delaware. With OWU trailing Wabash, 72-70, with 12 seconds left in regulation, senior Nate Axelrod (Dublin, OH/Coffman) drove to the basket and was fouled, setting up arguably the two most important free throws of his career. After Axelrod sank both free throw attempts to send the game to overtime, the Bishops stayed hot at the line by nailing 11-of-13 attempts from the charity stripe in the extra session to advance to the semifinal round of the tournament with the three-point win. While free throw shooting proved to be the difference in OT, the Bishops got themselves back into the game throughout the second half with the three-pointer, led by senior Will Orr (Johnstown, OH/Johnstown-Monroe) connecting of 4-of-8 attempts from long distance in the second half. After shooting just 24 percent (5-of-21) from three-point range in the first half, the Bishops sank 9-of-23 attempts from beyond the arc in the second half to help erase the Wabash lead. Axelrod led the Bishops with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while classmate Seth Clark (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy) also notched a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Despite the loss, Wabash dominated on the glass throughout the night, holding a 51-39 edge in the rebounding column, led by a career night from sophomore Harrison Hallstrom (Naperville, IL/Central) with 21 points and 18 rebounds. Touranment Preview NCAC Men's Basketball Weekly Release - (2/19/18) Wittenberg has earned the top seed in the 2018 NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament after the Tigers posted a thrilling 78-77 overtime victory over arch-rival Wooster on Saturday night in the season finale. The NCAC Tournament begins with quarterfinal games at campus sites on Tuesday (2/20) evening. The seeding follows the regular season standings with the top four seeds hosting quarterfinal contests. While Wooster leads all NCAC men's squads with 17 titles, Wittenberg is second with 12 total titles. Ohio Wesleyan has won seven conference championships, while Allegheny is the only other team to have won a conference championship with four all-time. The Battling Bishops and Gators shared the title in both 1988 and 1986, while Allegheny also shared the crown with Wooster in 1989 and Wittenberg in 1993. The Wittenberg Tigers (16-2) will now host the eight seed, Oberlin (6-12), on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m., while second-seeded Wooster (15-3) will host seventh-seeded DePauw (7-11) at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. In the other quarterfinal matchups on Tuesday night, third-seeded Ohio Wesleyan (12-6) hosts sixth-seeded Wabash (8-10) at 7:30 p.m., while fourth-seeded Hiram (11-7) entertains fifth-seeded Denison (10-8), also at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday's winners will advance to the semifinals and championship on Friday and Saturday at the site of the highest remaining seed to emerge from the quarterfinal round. Semifinal games will be held on Friday with the host institution selecting its preferred time slot. The championship game is set for 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. In low capacity gyms with less than 2,000 seats (DEN, HIR & OWU), the semifinal games will be played at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., with the host institution choosing their preferred time slot. Please note, in this scenario the gym will be cleared in between games and separate tickets will be required for both contests. In high capacity gyms with more than 2,000 seats (WIT & WOO), the semifinal games will be played at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. with the host institution choosing their preferred time slot. One ticket will be valid for both contests in high capacity gyms. The championship game is set for Saturday (2/24) at 4:00 p.m. at the site of the semifinal contests. This year's tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament, which beings with first-round play on March 2nd. In the event that one institution hosts both the men's and women's "final four", the men's semifinals will be played on Thursday (2/22) and the women's semifinals will be played on Friday (2/23). The championship games would then be played on Saturday with the men playing at 3:00 p.m. and the women at 7:00 p.m. In this scenario, the gym will be cleared in between games and separate tickets will be required for each contest. TOURNEY TALK: Wooster has won seven of the last 11 NCAC Tournaments, with only Denison, Ohio Wesleyan and DePauw interrupting that string. The Scots won their 16th tournament title overall last winter with a 76-72 win over Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware, while Denison won its first tourney title in program history in 2016 with a 92-81 overtime victory over Wooster. DePauw earned its first tournament title in 2015, while OWU captured titles in 2008 and 2013. Wooster owns 16 postseason titles, with just over half of them coming as the No. 1 seed (1995, '99, '00, '03, '07, '09, '10, '11, '14). Wittenberg is second all-time with six tourney titles, while Ohio Wesleyan (5), Allegheny (3), Denison (1), DePauw (1) and Kenyon (1) round out the list of past tournament champions. Wooster has appeared in the finals 24 times, including a string of 11-straight from 1997-2007, while Wittenberg has made 15 championship game appearances all-time, followed by Ohio Wesleyan (9), Allegheny (8), Kenyon (3), Wabash (3), Denison (2) and DePauw (1) ... Fourth-seeded Hiram will be hosting a quarterfinal game for the second time in the last three years and just the third time since 2009 ... The last time Denison was the fifth seed in the conference tournament they came just two points shy of winning the title, falling to second-seeded Wooster, 53-51, in 2012 ... As the sixth seed, Wabash has now qualified for the tournament every year since joining the NCAC in the 1999-00 academic year. The Little Giants made back-to-back championship game appearances in 2008 and '09, falling to OWU in '08, 89-72, and dropping an 84-72 decision against Wooster the next year ... DePauw, which won the tourney title in 2015 with a 69-56 win over OWU, returns to the field for the second year in a row and the sixth time in the last seven years ... Eighth-seeded Oberlin returns to the tournament this winter looking for its first win in the eight-team tournament since knocking off Allegheny by an 88-73 margin in the opening round in 1992 ... Wooster leads all men's teams with an .802 winning percentage (69-17) in tournament games. Wittenberg follows at .672 (45-22), while Ohio Wesleyan is next at .540 (34-29). DePauw at .500 (4-4) and Allegheny at .500 (24-24) are the only other men's teams at or above the .500 mark in tournament play.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line191
__label__cc	0.682075	0.317925	In Their Blood 767 Comments / Books / By Sharon Potts In Their Blood Born into a life of privilege Jeremy Stroeb loves freedom loathes responsibility and drops out of college to start backpacking across Europe But this free spirited drifter crashes back to brutal rea Title: In Their Blood Author: Sharon Potts Born into a life of privilege, Jeremy Stroeb loves freedom, loathes responsibility and drops out of college to start backpacking across Europe But this free spirited drifter crashes back to brutal reality when his parents, Rachel and Daniel Stroeb, are murdered in their home on Miami Beach.When he returns to Miami, Jeremy assumes guardianship of his teenage sister, Elise,Born into a life of privilege, Jeremy Stroeb loves freedom, loathes responsibility and drops out of college to start backpacking across Europe But this free spirited drifter crashes back to brutal reality when his parents, Rachel and Daniel Stroeb, are murdered in their home on Miami Beach.When he returns to Miami, Jeremy assumes guardianship of his teenage sister, Elise, who is traumatized and convinced the killer will be back for her.With steely, urgent resolve, Jeremy vows to find out what really happened to Rachel Stroeb, the respected CPA and Daniel Stroeb, the controversial professor.Determined to get on the inside of his parents lives, Jeremy takes a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked, and enrolls at the university where his father taught.But too many details don t add up With mounting certainty that his parents were anything but the people he thought they were, Jeremy must face the toughest questions of all Who were Rachel and Daniel Stroeb And when will the killer be back for the next of kin Great white sharks have toxic heavy metals in their Researchers with the University of Miami studied blood samples from great white sharks in South Africa and found the specimens contained levels of mercury, arsenic and lead that would likely be Jehovah s Witnesses and Blood Transfusions Their Use of Jehovah s Witnesses JWs believe their Bible forbids them from accepting blood transfusions By blood transfusions, they mean whole blood, red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, or platelets. 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[PDF] Download ↠ In Their Blood \| by Â Sharon Potts Sharon Potts 363 Sharon Potts Title: [PDF] Download ↠ In Their Blood \| by Â Sharon Potts Posted by:Sharon Potts About "Sharon Potts" Sharon Potts Sharon Potts is the award winning, critically acclaimed author of five psychological thrillers, including In Their Blood winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award and recipient of a starred review in Publishers Weekly A former CPA, corporate executive, and entrepreneur, Sharon has served as treasurer of the national board of Mystery Writers of America, as well as president of that organization s Florida chapter She has also co chaired SleuthFest, a national writers conference Sharon lives in Miami Beach with her husband and a spirited Australian shepherd named Gidget. 767 thoughts on “In Their Blood” Sahar Sabati I’m having quite the lucky streak when it comes to books. I just finished reading In Their Blood and let me tell you something: it was quite the page-turner.As opposed to, say, Little Lamb Lost, which seemed like a more approachable murder-mystery, In Their Blood is the kind of book which invites you to step into a world you are probably never going to otherwise be able to step into. However you feel very comfortable in that world – perhaps too comfortable. And it makes reading this book all [...] Susan Pettrone Jeremy Stroeb is a lot like many kids his age who are living a comfortable life. With parents who have more than enough money to support his wanderlust, his world of rebellion and backpacking anywhere his heart took him in defiance of his parents so called “sell out world” hits hard when he receives the news that his parents have been brutally murdered in their bed and that his sister Elise is now his responsibility. His parents had named him and not his Uncle Dwight to be her guardian, ange [...] Sharon Potts has written a coming of age novel combined with a mystery that definitely works. The story starts with the violent murder of Rachel and Daniel Stroeb. They leave two children, Jeremy, a 23-year-old son who is living out of the country and has never settled down and Elise, a high school student. Jeremy had flight trouble and so missed the funeral but this tragedy forces him to take responsibility and he assumes the guardianship of Elise against the wishes of his uncle. The problem is [...] “In Their Blood” tells the story of one son’s journey to maturity. Jeremy Stroeb is a typical young adult who shuns responsibility and doesn’t get along well with his father. In a pique of rebellion he drops out of college and backpacks his way around Europe. His idyll is abruptly shattered when he learns that both his parents were murdered in their Miami Beach home.Back in Miami he tries to understand the seemingly senseless murder. He is devoted to his younger sister and wants to assum [...] I have mixed feelings about this book, but I enjoyed it for a couple reasons. From the very beginning Potts manages to make the reader interested in the family’s story and the protagonist’s journey to find his parent’s killer. Her writing is clean and descriptive, but it’s the kind of narration that you stop noticing as you get more entrenched in the drama. And it was easy to get lost in the story, which was complex and kept me guessing about not only the murderer’s identity, but a bas [...] ccqdesigns Rachael, a partner in an accounting firm and Daniel Stroeb, a college professor, are murdered in their Miami Beach home leaving their two children, Jeremy and Elise, alone. Jeremy is a college dropout roaming around Europe and Elise is a teenager who has been severely traumatized by finding her parents after their murder. Now, Jeremy must return home to take care of his sister but finds it difficult to change his self centered ways. Jeremy soon decides to try to find out who his parents really w [...] This book had it ALL. The thrills, the action, mystery, murder – even love. Jeremy Stroeb is the quintessential “rich kid”. His parents are hard workers who got where they are through determination and love of what they do. Jeremy doesn’t know what he wants to do. On the outside he seems to be a slacker living off his parent’s money. On the inside – he’s still just a confused kid whose last wish is to be his parents. He wants to be his own person.Jeremy’s parents are brutally mur [...] Darcy Odden Does a spoiled, privileged college dropout have the wherewithal to be responsible enough to care for his sister and uncover a murderer?Jeremy Stroeb, a college dropout trying to find himself in Europe, refuses to come home despite pleas from his parents and sister. But his plans change when his mother and father are murdered in their Miami Beach home soon after the family returns from visiting Jeremy in Europe. Jeremy's parents, Rachel, a CPA, and Daniel, a professor, had recently changed their [...] Best Crime Books & More I have never read any Sharon Potts and as always look forward to reading new authors. Very early in the book we meet Rachel and Daniel Stroeb following their trip to visit their son Jeremy who is backpacking across Europe. His teenage sister Elise sneaks out the house and on her return is scared witless when she discovers the bodies of her parents who had quite clearly been savagely murdered.Before long Jeremy makes an appearance and between him and his sister they need to look out for each othe [...] Jeremy has lived a very privileged life- his dad's a college professor and his mom's a successful partner at a CPA firm. He doesn't want that kind of 9-to-5 life for himself though, and drops out of college to travel around Europe and escape the responsibility of becoming an adult. When young Jeremy Stroeb's parents are brutally murdered in their home though, he must rush back to Miami to assume guardianship over his 16-year old sister, Elise. However, upon arriving home, he finds that little is [...] THIS BOOK HAD A LOT OF PROMISE THE STORY LINE WAS VERY GOOD (I thought) ONE PROBLEM I HATED THE MAIN CHARACTERS. BROTHER AND SISTER JEREMY & ELISE (groan!) THEY BOTH MADE SOME OF THE MOST DUMB-ASS CHOICES. JEREMY LET HIS LITTLE HEAD WITH ONE EYE MAKE MOST OF HIS DUMB DECISIONS. ELISE WAS SO HARD HEADED I WANTED SMACK HER MYSELF, WHEN A KILLER IS RUNNING AROUND YOU DON'T TAKE THOSE KIND OF CHANCES. I FOUND THEM BOTH SUPER IMMATURE AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE SO STUPID ESPECIALLY W [...] Victoria Allman In Sharon Pott's debut, In Their Blood, she has created a gripping tale of what happens to a family after the murder of their parents. Not content to sit by and be coddled, the two (adult) children investigate their parents lives and what lead to the fateful night they were shot in their bed.This is a well-written, suspenseful thriller. Pott's characters are developed early so that the reader will quickly fall into the story and won't be able to put it down. Although this is a family drama, ther [...] Barbara M Excellent thriller! I really enjoyed this story that starts quickly and maintains the tension throughout. 22 year old Jeremy Stroeb comes home after a period of estrangement because his parents have been murdered at night, in their own beds, in an exclusive Miami Beach community. They had just returned from unsuccessfully trying to convince Jeremy to come home and stop his wandering in Europe. His sister Elise (16 years old) had left the house that evening to be with her boyfriend and she discov [...] 4.5 stars!Sharon Potts really knows how to draw readers in. In Their Blood captured my attention from the beginning with a horrific double murder. And from there the mystery begins. I love that Sharon starts the novel off this way. It drew me in!Jeremy and Elise both just lost their parents in a terrible and violent way. I would never know what to do if anything like this happened to me. But i love that they are both strong and determined to find out who did this. It's great to see that they are [...] Jeremy is named the guardian of his 16 year old sister, Elise, after their parents are brutally murdered. They are determined to find out who committed this terrible crime. The police investigation seems to be losing pace and so Jeremy begins his determined goal of finding the murderer. Jeremy soon finds out things that make him realize he really didn't know his parents as well as he thought. Their past lives open up some secrets unknown to Jeremy. The author keeps you turning the pages until th [...] This was a better than usual book--held my interest better than the last several books which I have read. Jeremy and his sister were more sympathetic characters. Their parents turned out to have feet of clay--both of them having affairs. Jeremy did quite a turnaround to take care of his sister, instead of returning to Europe for his hedonistic life. He had to follow in his father's footsteps--fooling around with Marianna, his father's assistant. There were some dramatic and scary scenes before a [...] Karen & Gerard In Their Blood by Sharon Potts is a coming of age story of a young man who loves to live life on his own, with no responsibilities or money worries because his parents are highly successful. That is, until his parents are tragically killed and he takes it upon himself to find out why while also taking care of his baby sister.There's not a lot of action but I still enjoyed this book; must have been the writing style. I'm glad I read it!(Gerard's review) Melanie Winter This book was written by a woman Frank and I met at a Sleuthfest we attended. She was an organizer of the conference and led our little dinner group as well. She was a sweetie and reminded us of Candi Skipper. The book is well written but the characters are somewhat lacking. You don't feel for the son and daughter of the murder victims. This book illustrated for me how important character development is. Sorry, couldn't identify with the loser slacker who claims to want to solve his parents' murder and then just kinda futzes about for the next I don't even know how long. Knows all his responsibilities, and the consequences of failing at them, and still can't act like a semi-adult. Plus the outcome was so bloody obvious it became painful to read the characters blundering around like a bad soap opera. Lisa Bork A college senior backbacking across Europe returns home to care for his sister after his parents are shot dead in their bed. He accepts a job at his mother's accounting firm and enrolls in classes at the university where his radical father taught, hoping to uncover clues to death. But his sister, who surprised the killer in their home, may hold the key to solving the crime. A pageturner. I really was irritated by this book. It was predictable and I don't feel, very well written. The plot could have been more interesting and less disjointed. The plot read like revisions. I have not purposely given a synopsis if this book because that is pretty much the most exciting g part of the book. I couldn't identify with the main character. He was self-centered and irresponsible and fell in and out of love (or at least lust) when he was supposed to be caring for his sister, who had been severely traumatized by their parents' murder and was terrified that the killer was coming back for her. Evelyn M Parnell Fast ReadReally like the story line, so much couldn't put down. (I don't like being told I have to write 10 more words. I'm not going to analyze every book. So, how do I skip this and say I'm done so it can just go on "the shelf"?) Jeremy Stroeb, a free-spirited drifter, must come back to reality when his parents are killed and he is made guardian of his 16 year old sister. He vows to find the killer before she becomes his next victim.A great book for anyone who loves a good mystery. I read a glowing review of this book in the Denver Post, but I don't feel it lived up to it. It was a good, fast-paced story, but the writing made me cringe at times and a couple of the characters were just ridiculous -- one-dimensional and spouting totally cliched villain lines. I wasn't sure I'd like this book in the beginning; however, I quickly got into it. There is a lot of suspense, and it makes you feel a lot of emotion, especially where Jeremy is concerned. You will have times you are fed up with him because of his immaturity, and times you are proud of him. This was a fast read, and entertaining. The plot was a little over-complicated, but the narrator's flawed (and, therefore, realistic) characterization propelled the story forward. I also thought the epilogue was a little vague. I found the main character compelling and the possible suspects all very suspicious. I enjoyed everything except when two suspects fell off a cliff at the end. Otherwise, it would've been five stars for sure. I couldn't stop thinking about this book when I wasn't reading it. Neil Plakcy What happens when you discover that your parents weren't who you thought they were-- and it's up to you to find out who killed them? Great suspense, terrific sense of place & character. Zach Thompson I enjoyed it. Μεγάλοι δρόμοι Treasures of Taliesin: Seventy-Seven Unbuilt Desig... Емине Myths and Legends of Ireland Katie Morag And The Two Grandmothers The Great Twitch The Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface Social Entrepreneurship: How to Start Successful C... Advanced Calculus 125 Best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes How German Is It? My Mum is a Wonder Copyright © 2019 In Their Blood \| Powered by Sharon Potts	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line198
__label__wiki	0.817743	0.817743	ADAM PALENTA Cinematographer and director Adam Palenta is a graduate of the Faculty of Radio and Television at the University of Silesia, the Academy of Fine Arts, now the University of Arts in Poznań and the Dok Pro documentary film programme run by the Wajda School. He was awarded a Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Młoda Polska (Young Poland) scholarship in 2010 and has received numerous commendations and awards for his work, including the cinematography for the short feature, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark Room (2009). His debut as a director, Freestyle Life (2012), produced by the Munk Studio under its First Documentary programme, received a warm reception from festival audiences. The Erlprince marks his full-length feature debut as a cinematographer. remonty katowice	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line204
__label__wiki	0.830584	0.830584	PA Mufti criticizes UN Sec-Gen’s statement on Jewish Temple: "The Al-Aqsa Mosque is a purely Islamic mosque and no one but the Muslims has a right to it" Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida - Jan. 31, 2017 Headline: “The [PA] Grand Mufti: Guterres’ statements are severe violations” “[PA] Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories and preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque [and acting Secretary-General of the PLO Popular National Conference of Jerusalem] Muhammad Hussein responded to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ statements regarding the connection between the Jews and the Al-Aqsa Mosque (sic., Guterres referred to the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, see below). [Hussein] emphasized in a statement yesterday [Jan. 30, 2017,] that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a purely Islamic mosque and no one but the Muslims has a right to it, and only they are allowed to intervene in its affairs. He also emphasized that the mosque has special significance for Muslims worldwide, and the decision to harm it is dangerous and deserving of condemnation by all standards. Regarding this, he mentioned the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) resolution [of Oct. 13, 2016], according to which the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque belongs to the Muslims and the Israeli occupation has no connection to the mosque, its walls, its plazas, and what is underneath it. In addition, Hussein described Guterres’ statements as ‘severe violations’ and a violation of the international status quo regarding Jerusalem. The Mufti called on the UN Secretary-General to update himself on the resolutions of UNESCO, the international [UN] Security Council, and the international organizations concerning Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. He also demanded to implement the resolutions of the international bodies on the matter, instead of dispatching ingratiating and biased remarks in order to satisfy the extremists and the settlers. The Mufti called on the Arab and Islamic nations to invest their greatest efforts in action to defend the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem, and to help them in all possible ways and means. This is in order to protect the holy city and to prevent a policy of imposing facts on the ground, which is being carried out at full steam on the Palestinian land, particularly in Jerusalem and its surroundings, for the purpose of changing its Arab and Islamic characteristics.” Click to view bulletin On Jan. 29, 2017, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was interviewed by Benny Avni of the Voice of Israel radio station. In the interview Guterres discussed the rise in Antisemitism in both Europe and the US, saying that it is a "dangerous trend" and that what particularly worries him about it is that it is "directly impacting Jewish communities," and that "people are attacked," He also noted that the Antisemitism against Jewish communities doesn’t seem to be related to the State of Israel. Regarding the discrimination against Israel in the UN, Guterres said: "Israel needs to be considered as a state as the same as all the others with exactly the same rights and obligations and without any form of discrimination." Addressing the issue of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple that stood on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Guterres stated that: "It is clear to me that the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, was a Jewish temple. As it is clear for me today that Jerusalem is today a holy city for three religions. These are the facts that nobody can deny." On Oct. 13, 2016, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) passed a resolution in Paris on “Occupied Palestine” with 24 countries voting in favor, 6 against, and 24 abstentions. The resolution was later approved by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on Oct. 26, 2016, in a secret ballot in which ten countries voted in favor of the resolution, two opposed, eight abstained, and one country, Jamaica, was absent. In the resolution, UNESCO refers to the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, only as “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” and presents it only as a “Muslim holy site.” The resolution condemns “escalating Israeli aggressions” and Israeli “violations” at the site, and calls on Israel “to respect the integrity, authenticity and cultural heritage of Al-Aqṣa Mosque/Al-Ḥaram Al-Sharif… as a Muslim holy site of worship.” The resolution likewise refers to the Western Wall Plaza as the “Al-Buraq Plaza ‘Western Wall Plaza,’” adding quotation marks to the Jewish name for the site. The resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and Sudan. The countries voting for the resolution were: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Vietnam. Those voting against it were: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, the UK, and the US. Mexico later noted for the record that its position on the issue is one of abstention, although the vote count was unaffected. On Oct. 14, 2016, Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova indicated her opposition to the proposal, making the following statement: “The heritage of Jerusalem is indivisible, and each of its communities has a right to the explicit recognition of their history and relationship with the city... To deny, conceal or erase any of the Jewish, Christian or Muslim traditions undermines the integrity of the site, and runs counter to the reasons that justified its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list. When these divisions carry over into UNESCO, an organization dedicated to dialogue and peace, they prevent us from carrying out our mission." Full text here	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line205
__label__wiki	0.727699	0.727699	Progressive Era: 1890–1920s: Racial Dissonance in Education The diversity that did exist in California schools was either hard-fought, or the result of communities of mixed heritage that did not have the resources to build separate schools for minorities. An amendment to the California State Political Code in 1921 established separate schools for Indian, Chinese, Japanese, or Mongolian children. By 1924, with the exception of Filipino "nationals", all Asian immigrants, including Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Indians were fully segregated by law, denied citizenship and naturalization, and prevented from marrying Caucasians or owning land. As the state's economy became connected to the nation's economy after the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the cultural biases also traveled throughout the nation. The doctrine of separate but equal was the first in a series of defeats that ethnic minorities would suffer across the nation, as people competed for jobs, resources, and opportunity in the developing nation. 11.2 Students analyze the relationship among the rise of industrialization, large-scale rural-to-urban migration, and massive immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe. (11.2.2)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line207
__label__wiki	0.515699	0.515699	We're raising money this year to build at least 5 new playgrounds in Palestine. Click here to learn more about this project. There are hundreds of thousands of kids in Palestine that deserve play and respite from war. Some of the first playgrounds we built were in the West Bank and they are still thriving play areas today. There are 2.7M people in the West Bank, of which 37% are 14 and under. In comparison, in Canada, 14% of the population is under 14. The average age in the West Bank is 20.8. Even though Gaza is only 225 square kilometers in size, its population is estimated at 1.7 million people of whom 765,000 are children. The average age in Gaza is only 16. Unemployment reaches 41.2%, and 37.6% of people are living below the poverty line. The 2015 war in Gaza, along with ongoing incursions and embargos on food, water, and basic means of life continue to make the situation unendurable for the local kids. The traumatized youngsters are in urgent need of relief from the war imposed on them by extraneous adult, political, and religious authorities. The children of Gaza are forced to endure terrifying and lasting consequences of the deaths and destruction they have witnessed during their short lives. Some of them have lived through three wars. A report published in 2016 by Save the Children, entitled “A Living Nightmare: Gaza One Year On”, says that 551 children were killed in the 2015 war and 3,436 were injured, of whom 10% suffered permanent disability. In addition, one Israeli child was killed during the war, and 270 injured. Playground Builders has established excellent and reliable partnerships in Palestine with organizations that know the communities and are able to make recommendations for playground locations that will have the most beneficial impact on the kids. Since 2007, Playground Builders has built 17 playgrounds in the West Bank and 6 playgrounds in Gaza. Help Build a Playground Check out this video of our playgrounds in the West Bank (courtesy of Sharek Youth Forum in Palestine).	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line212
__label__wiki	0.824332	0.824332	# Arts Poland carves out place on world’s architectural map Silesian Museum Szczecin Philharmonic The Szczecin Philharmonic, the Silesian Museum in Katowice and Warsaw’s POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews are deemed to be among the most distinguished works of modern architecture. While Polish architect studios continue to collect coveted projects, Poland also attracts the world’s most famous architects, who are taking on ambitious assignments across the country. The residents of Szczecin call it the “iceberg” due to its jagged roofline that resembles sharp ice blocks. The structure of the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin, designed by the Spanish Estudio Barrozi Veiga studio, resembles the Gothic-style townhouses that used to make up most of the port town’s architecture. The style was characteristic for trading hubs in Northern Europe during the late Middle Ages and the beginning of the early modern era. The virtually windowless, white construction composed of vertical aluminium blinds has filled the void left by the erstwhile Prussian Konzerthaus, whose ruin was demolished by Poland’s Socialist regime. In May 2015, the building was awarded with the Mies van der Rohe European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture. Apart from the Szczecin Philharmonic, two other recent Polish structures made it on the list of Europe’s top 40 most important modern architectural constructions: the Silesian Museum in Katowice and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw (both made it to the final of the 2015 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture). Earlier, the Silesian Museum – a modern complex built on the grounds of a former mine in Katowice with over 6,000m of subterranean exhibition space – won the 2014 Best Architects in Gold award, for its creative reinvention of public space. The POLIN Museum in Warsaw received its first international award in 2008, when it was bestowed with the Chicago Athenaeum World Architecture Award for best building. It has also collected many Polish distinctions, including the SARP 2013 Award of the Year and Polityka’s 2013 Architecture Award. On the grounds of the new Silesian Museum in Katowice, the shafthead frame of Warszawa II has been restored and old engine buildings are interspersed with harsh, glass blocks. Old and new has been intertwined. Post-industrial areas are increasingly becoming an area of interest for architects working in Poland. The reinvention of these complexes is starting to take on a new significance. This is also the case for old constructions that are being reconceptualised for cultural purposes. Creating original projects, using state-of-the-art technology and modern materials does not have to mean precluding the exhibition of Polish heritage. “It is encouraging to see how modern architects relate to the urban context, to the history of the place, to its legacy. A case in point is the old townhouse on Krakow’s Main Square, which is the headquarters of the International Culture Centre (ICC), but also the Raczynski Library in Poznan, says Prof. Jacek Purchla, an art historian, the founder of the ICC as well as the president of the Polish National Commission for UNESCO. The European Solidarity Centre awarded In early December, the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk received the Council of Europe Museum Prize for 2016. Vesna Marjanovic, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on the prize, said that the museum is a “fascinating example of a cultural institution working towards promoting freedom and solidarity. The history that it covers and the institution’s programme make it a modern European forum (...).The Centre connects history with everyday life, creating a bridge between culture and democracy.” Testimony of this are the huge crowds of visitors: 390,000 people visited the European Solidarity Centre during its first year in its new headquarters. European Solidarity Centre Szczecin Filharmonic Hall Museum of the History of Polish Jews The collapse of communism in 1989 and the systemic transformation that followed, created an opportunity for Polish architecture to develop – an opportunity that did not exist for many years. However, a real architectural boom started to take shape later, at the turn of the century. “It was only when Poland joined the European Union that unprecedented opportunities came about, making it possible to dedicate large funds towards creating infrastructure for cultural purposes. In recent years we have become a part of the world’s architectural market – designing constructions in Poland has become an attractive proposition for some of the world’s most famous architects, such as Daniel Liebeskind and Rainer Mahlamaki. This is somewhat of a revolution and an unprecedented civilizational leap! In the last decade, Poland has created a place for itself on the world’s architectural map,” says Prof. Purchla. The International Cultural Centre has compiled the most important architectural structures of recent years in an album entitled “Form Follows Freedom. Architecture for Culture in Poland 2000+”, published in English and Polish. “A lot of the projects presented in the book were exhibited at international competitions – these were opportunities which Polish architects made good use of. Polish architect studios were behind prestigious structures such as the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk. These days, Polish architects work on the highest possible level, bringing a new quality and creativity,” says Prof. Purchla, who edited the publication together with Janusz Sepioł. “We based our selection not just on the concept behind the design, but also on geography. We really wanted to break away from the Warsaw-Krakow syndrome. That is why we show structures built in places such as Żelazowa Wola, Tarnów, Radom, Katowice, Lusławice and Opole,” he adds. Apart from the previously mentioned award-winning buildings and a growing list of internationally acclaimed designs in big Polish cities (such as the Wyspianski Pavilion, Tadeusz Kantor Museum in Krakow, the Cricoteka in Krakow as well as the Kubicki Arcades in Warsaw and the Katowice-based NOSPR headquarters), the book also contains other types of places, including the Frederic Chopin Part in Żelazowa Wola, the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice as well as the Votum of Alex Church in Tarnów. The authors of the book say that Polish architecture has, at long-last, attracted international acclaim due to the constructions created for the cultural sphere over the last two decades. “Joining the European Union in 2004, and as a result of having access to EU funds, has helped us narrow the civilisation gap created between 1945 and 1989. (…) We can truly say that never before in Polish history has there been such as a good period, in terms of the number and the quality of architectural structures being built in our country,” says Ewa P. Porębska, editor-in-chief of “Architektura-murator” monthly. BARBARA SUCHY Other articles in this section Like a King! Visit for free the Royal residences in Warsaw and Kraków! The Royal Castle, the Royal Łazienki Museum and the Museum of King Jan III Palace at Wilanów in Warsaw, as well as and Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow have opened their doors for visitors. Admission-free November at Royal Residences campaign will last to November 30! This year's edition is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Poland's regaining independence in the context of lost and recovered cultural heritage. Moda Polska - the 60th anniversary of the brand that “reinvented the Polish woman” Moda Polska used to be more than just the clothing brand we know today. Navigating the complex reality of the “centrally planned economy”, thanks to its charismatic designers, it introduced female Poles to the world of sophisticated and practical fashion. The exhibition “Jerzy Antkowiak - Moda Polska” will open at The Central Museum of Textiles in Lodz on17 March 2019. 24.09.2018 pl100 Poland The Honourary Guest At Vienna Design Week 2018 Poland is the guest country at the 12th edition of Vienna Design Week, Austria’s biggest design event. Poland will introduce visitors to the ABCs of Polish design, Tadeusz Kantor’s work in virtual reality, the best Polish logos and more. Polish pottery plant makes tableware for... CIA! Renowned Polish pottery maker Bolesławiec has designed and produced a limited edition of custom-made tableware for the CIA. Warsaw murals Warsaw street art can be founded in almost each district of Polish capital, but usually it is a bit hidden from most common tourist routes. However, it is worth a try to look for it.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line213
__label__cc	0.59677	0.40323	State Portal > Residents Rajasthan has large indigenous populace–The Meo and Minas (Minawati) in Alwar, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Dholpur areas. The Banjara are travelling tradesmen and artisans. The Gadia Lohar is the ironsmith (lohar) who travels in bullock carts (Gadia); they generally make and repair agricultural and household implements. The Bhils are one of the oldest peoples in India, and inhabit the districts of Bhilwara, Chittaurgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara, Udaipur, and Sirohi and are famous for their skill in archery. The Grasia and nomadic Kathodi live in the Mewar region. Sahariyas are found in the Kota district, and the Rabaris of the Marwar region are cattle breeders. The Oswals hail from Osiyan near Jodhpur are successful traders and are predominately Jains. While the Mahajan (the trading class) is subdivided into a large number of groups, some of these groups are Jain, while others are Hindu. In the north and west, the Jat and Gujar are among the largest agricultural communities. Gujars who are Hindus dwell in eastern Rajasthan. The nomadic Rabari or Raika are divided in two groups the Marus who breed camels and Chalkias who breed sheep and goats. Muslims form less than 10% of the population and most of them are Sunnis. There is also a small but affluent community Shiaite Muslims known as Bhoras in southeastern Rajasthan. The Rajputs though represent only a small proportion of the populace are the most influential section of the people in Rajasthan.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line221
__label__wiki	0.864585	0.864585	Reproductive System & Sexual Disorders Journal of Sports Medicine & Doping Studies Journal of Labor and Childbirth Journal of Thyroid Disorders & Therapy Journal of Women's Health Care International Journal of Advance Innovations, Thoughts & Ideas Research & Reviews: Journal of Inflammation Research & Reviews: Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development Epidemiology: Open Access Polymerase Chain ReactionSustainable-Engineering-Open-Access-JournalsPharmacology Open Access JournalsAir PollutionTop Open Access Journals in CytotechnologyScience articles Modern Chemistry industrial catalysis journalsBiomarkers Open AccessImage recognitionGeometry Molecular biologyClimatology & Weather Forecasting -open-accessTop machine Online Publishing JournalsChronic PolyneuropathyGlaucoma Open Access Articles Open Access Articles- Top Results for A Tale of a Tub A Tale of a Tub This article is about the satire by Jonathan Swift. For the 1633 play by Ben Jonson, see A Tale of a Tub (play). This article reads more like a story than an encyclopedia entry. To meet Wikipedia's quality standards and conform to the neutral point of view policy, please help to introduce a more formal style and remove any personally invested tone. (April 2015) File:Tale-Title.gif Title page of the first edition A Tale of a Tub was the first major work written by Jonathan Swift. It is arguably his most difficult satire, and perhaps his most masterly. The Tale is a prose parody which is divided into sections of "digression" and a "tale" of three brothers, each representing one of the main branches of western Christianity. Composed between 1694 and 1697, it was eventually published in 1704. A Tale was long regarded as a satire on religion itself, and has famously been attacked for that, starting with William Wotton.[1][2] The "tale" presents a consistent satire of religious excess, while the digressions are a series of parodies of contemporary writing in literature, politics, theology, Biblical exegesis, and medicine. The overarching parody is of enthusiasm, pride, and credulity. At the time it was written, politics and religion were still linked very closely in England, and the religious and political aspects of the satire can often hardly be separated. "The work made Swift notorious, and was widely misunderstood, especially by Queen Anne herself who mistook its purpose for profanity."[3] "It effectively disbarred its author from proper preferment within the church,"[3] but is considered one of Swift's best allegories, even by himself. It was enormously popular, but Swift believed it damaged his prospect of advancement in the Church of England. 1 The tale 1.2 Cultural setting 1.3 Authorial background 1.4 Nature of the satire 1.5 Historical background 2 Publication history 3 Authorship debate "A Tale of a Tub" is divided between various forms of digression and sections of a "tale." The "tale," or narrative, is an allegory that concerns the adventures of three brothers, Peter, Martin, and Jack, as they attempt to make their way in the world. Each of the brothers represents one of the primary branches of Christianity in the West. This part of the book is a pun on "tub," which Alexander Pope says was a common term for a Dissenter's pulpit, and a reference to Swift's own position as a clergyman. Peter (named for Saint Peter) stands in for the Roman Catholic Church.[4] Jack (named for John Calvin, but whom Swift also connects to "Jack of Leyden") represents the various Dissenting Protestant churches such as Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, Congregationalists, or Anabaptists.[4] The third brother, middle born and middle standing, is Martin (named for Martin Luther), whom Swift uses to represent the 'via media' of the Church of England.[4] The brothers have inherited three wonderfully satisfactory coats (representing religious practice) by their father (representing God), and they have his will (representing the Bible) to guide them. Although the will says that the brothers are forbidden from making any changes to their coats, they do nearly nothing but alter their coats from the start. In as much as the will represents the Bible and the coat represents the practice of Christianity, the allegory of the narrative is supposed to be an apology for the Anglican church's refusal to alter its practice in accordance with Puritan demands and its continued resistance to alliance with the Roman church.[5] From its opening (once past the prolegomena, which comprises the first three sections), the book alternates between Digression and Tale. However, the digressions overwhelm the narrative, both in their length and in the forcefulness and imaginativeness of writing. Furthermore, after Chapter X (the commonly anthologised "Digression on Madness"), the labels for the sections are incorrect. Sections then called "Tale" are Digressions, and those called "Digression" are also Digressions.[6] A Tale of a Tub is an enormous parody with a number of smaller parodies within it. Many critics have followed Swift's biographer Irvin Ehrenpreis in arguing that there is no single, consistent narrator in the work.[7] One difficulty with this position, however, is that if there is no single character posing as the author, then it is at least clear that nearly all of the "personae" employed by Swift for the parodies are so much alike that they function as a single identity. In general, whether a 20th-century reader would view the book as consisting of dozens of impersonations or a single one, Swift writes the Tale through the pose of a Modern or New Man. See the abridged discussion of the "Ancients and Moderns," below, for more on the nature of the "modern man" in Swift's day.[8] Swift's explanation for the title of the book is that the Ship of State was threatened by a whale (specifically, the Leviathan of Thomas Hobbes) and the new political societies (the Rota Club is mentioned). His book is intended to be a tub that the sailors of state (the nobles and ministers) might toss over the side to divert the attention of the beast (those who questioned the government and its right to rule). Hobbes was highly controversial in the Restoration, but Swift's invocation of Hobbes might well be ironic. The narrative of the brothers is a faulty allegory, and Swift's narrator is either a madman or a fool. The book is not one that could occupy the Leviathan, or preserve the Ship of State, so Swift may be intensifying the dangers of Hobbes's critique rather than allaying them to provoke a more rational response.[9] The digressions individually frustrate readers who expect a clear purpose. Each digression has its own topic, and each is an essay on its particular sidelight. In his biography of Swift, Ehrenpreis argued that each digression is an impersonation of a different contemporary author. This is the "persona theory," which holds that the Tale is not one parody, but rather a series of parodies, arising out of chamber performance in the Temple household. Prior to Ehrenpreis, some critics had argued that the narrator of the Tale is a character, just as the narrator of a novel would be. Given the evidence of A. C. Elias about the acrimony of Swift's departure from the Temple household, evidence from Swift's Journal to Stella about how uninvolved in the Temple household Swift had been, and the number of repeated observations about himself by the Tale's author, it seems reasonable to propose that the digressions reflect a single type of man, if not a particular character.[10] In any case, the digressions are each readerly tests; each tests whether or not the reader is intelligent and sceptical enough to detect nonsense. Some, such as the discussion of ears or of wisdom being like a nut, a cream sherry, a cackling hen, etc., are outlandish and require a militantly aware and thoughtful reader. Each is a trick, and together they train the reader to sniff out bunk and to reject the unacceptable. Cultural setting During the Restoration the print revolution began to change every aspect of British society. It became possible for anyone to spend a small amount of money and have his or her opinions published as a broadsheet, and to gain access to the latest discoveries in science, literature, and political theory, as books became less expensive and digests and "indexes" of the sciences grew more numerous. The difficulty lay in discerning truth from falsehood, credible claims from impossible one.[11] Swift writes A Tale of a Tub in the guise of a narrator who is excited and gullible about what the new world has to offer, and feels that he is quite the equal or superior of any author who ever lived because he, unlike them, possesses 'technology' and newer opinions.[citation needed] Swift seemingly asks the question of what a person with no discernment but with a thirst for knowledge would be like, and the answer is the narrator of Tale of a Tub. Swift was annoyed by people who were so eager to possess the newest knowledge that they failed to pose sceptical questions.[citation needed] If he was not a particular fan of the aristocracy, he was a sincere opponent of democracy, which was often viewed then as the sort of "mob rule" that led to the worst abuses of the English Interregnum.[citation needed] Swift's satire was intended to provide a genuine service by painting the portrait of conspiracy minded and injudicious writers. At that time in England, politics, religion and education were unified in a way that they are not now.[citation needed] The monarch was the head of the state church. Each school (secondary and university) had a political tradition. Officially, there was no such thing as "Whig and Tory" at the time, but the labels are useful and were certainly employed by writers themselves. The two major parties were associated with religious and economic groups. The implications of this unification of politics, class, and religion are important. Although it is somewhat extreme and simplistic to put it this way, failing to be for the Church was failing to be for the monarch; having an interest in physics and trade was to be associated with dissenting religion and the Whig Party. When Swift attacks the lovers of all things modern, he is thereby attacking the new world of trade, of dissenting religious believers, and, to some degree, an emergent portion of the Whig Party.[12] Authorial background Born of English parents in Ireland, Jonathan Swift was working as Sir William Temple's secretary at the time he composed A Tale of a Tub (1694–1697).[13] The publication of the work coincided with Swift's striking out on his own, having despaired of getting a good "living" from Temple or Temple's influence. There is speculation about what caused the rift between Swift and his employer, but, as A. C. Elias persuasively argues, it seems that the final straw came with Swift's work on Temple's Letters. Swift had been engaged to translate Temple's French correspondence, but Temple, or someone close to Temple, edited the French text to make Temple seem both prescient and more fluent. Consequently, the letters and the translations Swift provided did not gibe, and, since Swift could not accuse Temple of falsifying his letters, and because the public would never believe that the retired state minister had lied, Swift came across as incompetent. File:Jonathan Swift by Charles Jervas detail.jpg Even though Swift published the "Tale" as he left Temple's service, it was conceived earlier, and the book is a salvo in one of Temple's battles. Swift's general polemic concerns an argument (the "Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns") that had been over for nearly ten years by the time the book was published. The "Quarrel of the Ancients and Moderns" was a French academic debate of the early 1690s, occasioned by Fontenelle arguing that modern scholarship had allowed modern man to surpass the ancients in knowledge. Temple argued against this position in his "On Ancient and Modern Learning" (where he provided the first English formulation of the commonplace that modern critics see more only because they are dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants), and Temple's somewhat naive essay prompted a small flurry of responses. Among others, two men who took the side opposing Temple were Richard Bentley (classicist and editor) and William Wotton (critic). The entire discussion in England was over by 1696, and yet it seems to have fired Swift's imagination. Swift saw in the opposing camps of Ancients and Moderns a shorthand of two general ways of looking at the world (see the historical background, below, for some of the senses in which "new men" and "ancients" might be understood). The Tale of a Tub attacks all who praise modernity over classical learning. Temple had done as much, but Swift, unlike Temple, has no praise for the classical world, either. There is no normative value in Rome, no lost English glen, no hearth ember to be invoked against the hubris of modern scientism. Some critics have seen in Swift's reluctance to praise mankind in any age proof of his misanthropy, and others have detected in it an overarching hatred of pride.[14] At the same time, the Tale revived the Quarrel of Ancients and Moderns at least enough to prompt Wotton to come out with a new edition of his pamphlet attacking Temple, and he appended to it an essay against the author of A Tale of a Tub. Swift was able to cut pieces from Wotton's "Answer" to include in the fifth edition of the Tale as "Notes" at the bottom of the page. Swift's satire also gave something of a framework for other satirists in the Scriblerian circle, and Modern vs. Ancient is picked up as one distinction between political and cultural forces.[15] If Swift hoped that the Tale of a Tub would win him a living, he would have been disappointed. Swift himself believed that the book cost him any chance of high position within the church. It is most likely, though, that Swift was not seeking a clerical position with the Tale. Instead, it was probably meant to establish him as a literary and political figure and to strike out a set of positions that would win the notice of influential men. This it did. As a consequence of this work, and Swift's activity in Church causes, Swift became a familiar of Robert Harley, future Earl of Oxford, and Henry St. John, the future Viscount Bolingbroke). When the Tories gained the government in 1710, Swift was rewarded for his work. By 1713–14, however, the Tory government had fallen, and Swift was "rewarded" with the Deanery of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin—a reward he considered an exile. Nature of the satire File:Tale-5th.jpg Title page of the fifth edition, 1710, with the added Notes and Apology for the &c. Upon its publication, the public realised both that there was an allegory in the story of the brothers and that there were particular political references in the Digressions. A number of "Keys" appeared soon thereafter, analogous to contemporary services like CliffsNotes or Spark Notes. "Keys" offered the reader a commentary on the Tale and explanations of its references. Edmund Curll rushed out a Key to the work, and William Wotton offered up an "Answer" to the author of the work. Swift's targets in the Tale included indexers, note-makers, and, above all, people who saw "dark matter" in books. Attacking criticism generally, he appears delighted that one of his enemies, William Wotton, offered to explain the Tale in an "answer" to the book and that one of the men he had explicitly attacked, Curll, offered to explain the book to the public. In the fifth edition of the book in 1710, Swift provided an apparatus to the work that incorporated Wotton's explanations and Swift's narrator's own notes as well. The notes appear to occasionally provide genuine information and just as often to mislead, and William Wotton's name, a defender of the Moderns, was appended to a number of notes. This allows Swift to make the commentary part of the satire itself, as well as to elevate his narrator to the level of self-critic. It is hard to say what the Tale's satire is about, since it is about any number of things. It is most consistent in attacking misreading of all sorts. Both in the narrative sections and the digressions, the single human flaw that underlies all the follies Swift attacks is over-figurative and over-literal reading, both of the Bible and of poetry and political prose. The narrator is seeking hidden knowledge, mechanical operations of things spiritual, spiritual qualities to things physical, and alternate readings of everything. Within the "tale" sections of the book, Peter, Martin, and Jack fall into bad company (becoming the official religion of the Roman empire) and begin altering their coats (faith) by adding ornaments. They then begin relying on Peter to be the arbitrator of the will. He begins to rule by authority (he remembered the handyman saying that he once heard the father say that it was acceptable to don more ornaments), until such a time that Jack rebels against the rule of Peter. Jack begins to read the will (the Bible) overly literally. He rips the coat to shreds to restore the original state of the garment which represents the "primitive Christianity" sought by dissenters. He begins to rely only upon "inner illumination" for guidance and thus walks around with his eyes closed, after swallowing candle snuffs. Eventually, Peter and Jack begin to resemble one another, and only Martin is left with a coat that is at all like the original. An important factor in the reception of Swift's work is that the narrator of the work is an extremist in every direction. Consequently, he can no more construct a sound allegory than he can finish his digressions without losing control (eventually confessing that he is insane).[16] For a Church of England reader, the allegory of the brothers provides small comfort. Martin has a corrupted faith, one full of holes and still with ornaments on it. His only virtue is that he avoids the excesses of his brothers, but the original faith is lost to him. Readers of the Tale have picked up on this unsatisfactory resolution to both "parts" of the book, and A Tale of a Tub has often been offered up as evidence of Swift's misanthropy.[17] As has recently been argued by Michael McKeon, Swift might best be described as a severe sceptic, rather than a Whig, Tory, empiricist, or religious writer. He supported the Classics in the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns, and he supported the established church and the aristocracy, because he felt the alternatives were worse. He argued elsewhere that there is nothing inherently virtuous about a noble birth, but its advantages of wealth and education made the aristocrat a better ruler than the equally virtuous but unprivileged commoner. A Tale of a Tub is a perfect example of Swift's devastating intellect at work. By its end, little seems worth believing in. Formally, the satire in the Tale is historically novel for several reasons. First, Swift more or less invented prose parody. In the "Apology for the &c." (which was added in 1710), Swift explains that his work is, in several places, a "parody," which is where he imitates the style of persons he wishes to expose. What is interesting is that the word "parody" had not been used for prose before, and the definition he offers is arguably a parody of John Dryden defining "parody" in the Discourse of Satire (the Preface to Dryden's translations of Juvenal's and Persius' satires). Prior to Swift, parodies were imitations designed to bring mirth, but not primarily in the form of mockery. Dryden himself imitated the Aeneid in "MacFlecknoe" to describe the apotheosis of a dull poet, but the imitation made fun of the poet, and not of Virgil. Additionally, Swift's satire is relatively unique in that he offers no resolutions. While he ridicules any number of foolish habits, he never offers the reader a positive set of values to embrace. While this type of satire became more common as people imitated Swift, later, Swift is quite unusual in offering the readers no way out. He does not persuade to any position, but he does persuade readers from an assortment of positions. This is one of the qualities that has made the Tale Swift's least-read major work. In the historical background to the period of 1696–1705, the most important political events might be the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the Test Act, and the English Settlement or Glorious Revolution of 1688–1689. Politically, the English had suffered a Civil War that had culminated with the beheading of the king, years of the Interregnum under the Puritan, Oliver Cromwell, and then Parliament inviting the king back to rule in 1660. Upon Charles II's death, his brother, James II of England took the throne. However, when James, a Roman Catholic, married a Roman Catholic as his second wife, the English parliament invited William of Orange to rule in his stead, forcing James to flee the country under military threat. Parliament decided on the way in which all future English monarchs would be chosen. This method would always favour Protestantism over blood line.[18] File:Tale-stages.jpg Woodcut from the Tale demonstrating the three stages of human endeavour: the gallows, the theatre, and the pulpit. From the point of view of the politically aware Englishman, Parliament had essentially elected a king. Although officially the king was supreme, there could be no doubt that the Commons had picked the king and could pick another instead. Although there was now a law demanding that all swear allegiance to the monarch as head of the church, it became less and less clear why the nation was to be so intolerant. Religious conflict at the time was primarily between the Church of England and the dissenting churches. The threat posed by the dissenters was keenly felt by Establishment clerics like Jonathan Swift. It was common enough for Puritans and other dissenters to disrupt church services, to accuse political leaders of being the anti-Christ, and to move the people toward violent schism, riots, and peculiar behaviour including attempts to set up miniature theocracies. Protestant dissenters had led the English Civil War. The pressure of dissenters was felt on all levels of British politics and could be seen in the change of the British economy. The Industrial Revolution was beginning in the period between the writing and publication of A Tale of a Tub, though no one at the time would have known this. What Englishmen did know, however, was that what they called "trade" was on the rise. Merchants, importers/exporters, and "stock jobbers" were growing very wealthy. It was becoming more common to find members of the aristocracy with less money than members of the trading class. Those on the rise in the middle class professions were perceived as being more likely to be dissenters than members of the other classes were, and such institutions as the stock exchange and Lloyd's of London were founded by Puritan traders. Members of these classes were also widely ridiculed as attempting to pretend to learning and manners that they had no right to. Further, these "new men" were not, by and large, the product of the universities nor the traditional secondary schools. Consequently, these now wealthy individuals were not conversant in Latin, were not enamored of the classics, and were not inclined to put much value on these things. Between 1688 and 1705, England was politically unstable. The accession of Queen Anne led to a feeling of vulnerability among Establishment figures. Anne was rumoured to be immoderately stupid and was supposedly governed by her friend, Sarah Churchill, wife of the Duke of Marlborough. Although Swift was a Whig for much of this period, he was allied most nearly with the Ancients camp (which is to say Establishment, Church of England, aristocracy, traditional education), and he was politically active in the service of the Church. He claims, both in "The Apology for the &c." and in a reference in Book I of Gulliver's Travels, to have written the Tale to defend the crown from the troubles of the monsters besetting it. These monsters were numerous. At this time, political clubs and societies were proliferating. The print revolution had meant that people were gathering under dozens of banners, and political and religious sentiments previously unspoken were now rallying supporters. As the general dissenting position became the monied position, and as Parliament increasingly held power, historically novel degrees of freedom had brought an historically tenuous equipoise of change and stability. The Tale was originally published in 1704 by John Nutt. Swift had used Benjamin Tooke previously when publishing for Sir William Temple. He would use Tooke for both the fifth edition of the Tale (1710) and later works. Tooke's successor, Benjamin Motte, published Swift's Gulliver's Travels. This difference in printer is only one of the things that led to debate over authorship of the work. The first, second, and third editions of the Tale appeared in 1704; the fifth edition came out in 1710. In "The Apology for the &c.," Swift indicates that he originally gave his publisher a preliminary copy of the work, while he kept a blotted copy at his own hand and lent other copies including one to Thomas Swift, Jonathan's "parson cousin". As a consequence, the first edition appeared with many errors. The second edition was a resetting of the type. The third edition was a reprint of the second, with corrections, and the fourth edition contained corrections of the third. The first substantially new edition of the work is the fifth edition of 1710. This is largely the text modern editors will use. It was in this edition that the Notes and the "Apology for the &c." ("&c." was Swift's shorthand for Tale of a Tub: Nutt was supposed to expand the abbreviation out to the book's title but did not do so; the mistake was left) were added, which many contemporary readers and authors found a heating up of an already savage satire.[19] Authorship debate Although today very little of this debate remains, questions of the authorship of the Tale occupied many notable critics both in the 18th and 19th centuries. Famously, Samuel Johnson claimed that A Tale of a Tub was a work of true genius (in contrast to Gulliver's Travels where once one imagines "big people and little people" the rest is easy) and too good to be Jonathan Swift's. In the 19th century, many critics who saw misanthropy and madness in Jonathan Swift's later work wished to reject the Tale as his. In a way, a critic's view on who wrote the Tale reflected that critic's politics. Swift was such a powerful champion of Tory, or anti-Whig, causes that fans of the Tale were eager to attribute the book to another author from nearly the day of its publication. The work appeared anonymously in 1704. It was Swift's habit to publish anonymously throughout his career, partially as a way of protecting his career, and partially his person.[20] As a struggling churchman, Swift needed the support of nobles to gain a living. Additionally, nobles were still responsible for Church affairs in the House of Lords, so his political effectiveness in church affairs depended upon the lords. Swift needed to be at some distance from the sometimes bawdy and scatological work that he wrote. The Tale was immediately popular and controversial. Consequently, there were rumours of various people as the author of the work — Jonathan Swift then being not largely known except for his work in the House of Lords for the passage of the First Fruits and Fifths bill for tithing. Some people thought that William Temple wrote it. Francis Atterbury said people at Oxford thought it had been written by Edmund Smith and John Philips, though he thought it was by Jonathan Swift. Some people thought it belonged to Lord Somers. However, Jonathan Swift had a cousin, also in the church, named Thomas Swift. Thomas and Jonathan were in correspondence during the time of the composition of the Tale, and Thomas Swift later claimed to have written the work. Jonathan responded to this allegation by saying that Thomas had no hand in anything but the smallest of passages, and he would welcome hearing Thomas 'explain' the work, if he had written it. The controversy over authorship is aggravated by the choice of publisher. Not only did Swift use Tooke after the publication of the Tale, he had used Tooke before its publication as well, so the appearance of the work in John Nutt's shop was atypical. Stylistically and in sentiment, the Tale is undeniably Jonathan's. Most important in this regard is the narrative pose and the creation of narrative parody.[21] The dramatic pretense of writing as a character is in keeping with Jonathan Swift's lifelong practice. Furthermore, Thomas Swift has left few literary remains. Those wishing to pursue the evidence for Thomas Swift may see the summary in A. C. Guthkelch and D. Nichol Smith's authoritative edition of A Tale of a Tub (1920 and 1958), where they say, "all the evidence for Thomas Swift's participation in the Tale...[is] nothing but rumour and [Edmund] Curll's Key."[22] Indeed, in 1710 Swift had the fifth edition republished by Tooke, and he explained in a letter how the rumour had been started. He said that, when the publication initially took place, Swift was abroad in Ireland and "that little Parson-cousin of mine" "affected to talk suspiciously, as if he had some share in it."[23] In other words, anonymity conspired with Thomas Swift's desire for fame to create the confusion. Afterward, only critical preference seems to account for anyone holding Thomas Swift the author. Robert Hendrickson notes in his book British Literary Anecdotes that "Swift was always partial to his strikingly original The Tale of a Tub (1704). On reading the work again in later years, he exclaimed 'Good God! What a genius I had when I wrote that book!'"[24] ^ Miriam Kosh Starkman (1968) Swift's satire on learning in A tale of a tub pp.xiv-xvi quotation: But on the whole, the latter half of the eighteenth century and the first two-thirds of the nineteenth regarded A Tale of a Tub as a satire on religion and periodically vindicated religion against Swift's attack. ^ Warren Montag The unthinkable Swift p.113 quoting William Wotton: one of the profanest banters upon the religion of Jesus Christ, as such, that ever yet appeared. ... is of so irreligious a nature, is so crude a Banter upon all that is esteemed as Sacred among all Sects and Religions among Men. ^ a b Ousby, I. et al. (1993). The Cambridge guide to literature in English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ^ a b c Ross, Woolley 1999, p. x ^ For further details on the religious context of A Tale of a Tub, see John Farrell, "Swift and the Satiric Absolute", Paranoia and Modernity: Cervantes to Rousseau New York: Cornell UP (2006). ^ For one description of the structure of A Tale of a Tub, see Irvn Ehrenpreis, Swift: The Man, his Works, and the Age: Mr Swift and his Contemporaries, Cambridge: Harvard University Press (1962): 185–203. ^ Ehrenpreis, Mr Swift and his Contemporaries, 185–225. ^ For a more detailed discussion of how different genres figure into Swift's portrayal of the debate between the Ancients and the Moderns, see Leon Guilhamet, Satire and the Transformation of Genre, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press (1987): 125–39. ^ For one reading of Swift's use of Hobbes, see Farrell, "Swift and the Satiric Absolute". ^ A commonplace in academic discussion. See Elias, A. C., Swift at Moor Park. U Penn Press, 1982. See also McKeon, Michael. The Origins of the English Novel 1600 – 1740. Johns Hopkins UP, 1987. On p. 195, McKeon refers to the knowing paradox of the satire of overreading and literalism thus: "The Restoration and the early eighteenth-century reaction against religious 'enthusiasm' [in Tale] represents a counterrevolution, generated by the Calvinist revolution itself, which repudiates what are taken to be its excesses even as it shares with that revolution certain Protestant premises concerning the doctrinaire absolutism of papist methods for distinguishing the vicious from the virtuous, the damned from the saved." ^ For a brief survey of the print revolution in the context of British intellectual history, see Roy Porter, "Print culture", The Creation of the Modern World: The Untold Story of the British Enlightenment, New York: W. W. Norton and Co. (2000) and for a brief survey of the print revolution in the context of British artistic and literary history, see John Brewer "Authors, Publishers and the Making of Literary Culture" and "Readers and the Reading Public" in The Pleasures of the Imagination: English Culture in the Eighteenth Century, Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1997). ^ For a detailed look at the relationship between politics and religion during this period, see J. C. D. Clark's English Society 1660–1832: Religion, ideology and politics during the ancient regime, 2nd ed., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2000), particularly "From Restoration to Reconciliation, 1660–1760". On google books ^ For a broad introduction to Swift's life and the role of A Tale of a Tub in it, see Claude Rawson, "Biographical Introduction", The Character of Swift's Satire: A Revised Focus. Ed. Claude Rawson. Newark: University of Delaware Press (1983): 15–17; for a detailed explanation of the possible dates of composition, see Guthkelch and Smith, xliii–xlvii. ^ Ehrenpreis writes "[i]t is correct to read every part of the Tale as an adaptation of one attitude: that wilful rejection of the Established Church, limited monarchy, classical literary standards, and rational judgment is an act of pride, and leads to corruptions in government, religion, and learning." (Swift and his Contemporaries, 202) ^ For more information on the complex relationship between Swift, Temple, and Swift's satirical style, see John Traugott, "A Tale of a Tub", The Character of Swift's Satire: A Revised Focus, Ed. Claude Rawson, Newark: University of Delaware Press (1983), 90–100; A. C. Elias, Jr. Swift at Moor Park: Problems in Biography and Criticism. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press (1982): 155–59, 173–86. ^ For one reading of the "Digression on Madness", see Ehrenpreis, Swift and his Contemporaries, 216–25. ^ For one explanation of how the parody works in this way, see, Traugott, "A Tale of a Tub", particularly 109–18. ^ For a short history of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, see Mark Kishlansky, A Monarchy Transformed: Britain 1603–1714, New York: Penguin (1996). ^ For a detailed publication history, see A. C. Guthkelch and D. Nichol Smith, "Introduction", A Tale of a Tub. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press (1958), xi–xiv, xix–xxviii. ^ Swift's publisher for the "Drapier Letters" was thrown in jail, and other authors had found themselves beaten by thugs hired by their satirical targets. ^ Previously, parody had referred only to poetic compositions. ^ Guthkelch and Smith, xviii. ^ Qtd. in Guthkelch and Smith, xviii. ^ Swift's statement is also quoted in Guthkelch and Smith, xix. Swift, Jonathan. Tale of a Tub, to which is added The battle of the books, and the Mechanical operation of the spirit. By Jonathan Swift. Together with The history of Martin, Wotton's Observations upon the Tale of a tub, Curll's Complete key, &c. A. C. Guthkelch and D. Nichol Smith, editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2nd edition 1958. Swift, Jonathan. A Tale of a Tub and Other Works. Marcus Walsh, editor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Ehrenpreis, Irvin. Swift: The Man, his Works, and the Age: Mr Swift and his Contemporaries. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1962. Ehrenpreis, Irvin. Swift: The Man, his Works, and the Age: Dr Swift. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1967. Elias, A. C., Jr. Swift at Moor Park: Problems in Biography and Criticism. Philadelphia: U. Penn. Press, 1982. ISBN 0-8122-7822-4 Farrell, John. "Swift and the Satiric Absolute." Paranoia and Modernity: Cervantes to Rousseau. New York: Cornell UP, 2006. ISBN 0-8014-4410-1 Guilhamet, Leon. Satire and the Transformation of Genre. Philadelphia: U. Penn. Press, 1981. ISBN 0-8122-8053-9 Landa, Louis A. Essays in Eighteenth-century Literature. Princeton: Princeton U. Press, 1980. ISBN 0-691-06449-0 McKeon, Michael. The Origins of the English Novel 1600–1740. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1987. ISBN 0-8018-3291-8 Rawson, Claude. The Character of Swift's Satire: A Revised Focus. Newark: U. Delaware Press, 1983. ISBN 0-87413-209-6 Ross, Angus and David Wooley, eds. A Tale of a Tub and Other Works: Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-283593-2. 40x40px Wikimedia Commons has media related to A Tale of a Tub. 40x40px Wikisource has original text related to this article: A Tale of a Tub at Project Gutenberg 20px A Tale of a Tub public domain audiobook at LibriVox 12px Stuart P. Sherman (1920). "Tale of a Tub, A, and The Battle of the Books". Encyclopedia Americana. Works by Jonathan Swift Sermons of Jonathan Swift Satires Meditation Upon a Broomstick (1701) A Tale of a Tub (1704) The Battle of the Books (1704) Gulliver's Travels (1726) Thoughts on Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting (1706) An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1708) The Conduct of the Allies (1711) Drapier's Letters (1724/25) A Modest Proposal (1729) A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation (1738) A Journal to Stella (published posthumously – 1766) 16x16px Commons 16x16px Wikiquote 16x16px Wikisource texts This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article A Tale of a Tub; it is used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA). You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the CC-BY-SA	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line222
__label__cc	0.640242	0.359758	Tim Ryan in June Democratic candidates debate in Miami FL On Corporations: Need industrial policy to reinvent American manufacturing Q: Can you promise to get manufacturing jobs to come back? RYAN: General Motors got a tax cut. Then they have the audacity to move a new car that they're going to produce to Mexico. The bottom 60% haven't seen a raise since 1980. Meanwhile, the top 1% control 90% of the wealth. We need an industrial policy saying we're going to dominate building electric vehicles, there's going to be 30 million made in the next 10 years. I want half of them made in the United States. I want to dominate the solar industry and manufacture those here in the United States. Q: Are these jobs coming back? Sen. Elizabeth WARREN:ÿWe've had an industrial policy in the United States for decades now, and it's basically been let giant corporations do whatever they want to do. Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) Jun 26, 2019 On Energy & Oil: Must reconnect with working class to address climate change Q: How do we pay for climate mitigation? Tim Ryan: We have a perception problem with the Democratic Party. We are not connecting to the working class people in the industrial Midwest, to get those workers back on our side so we can say we're going to build electric vehicles, we're going to build solar panels. All I'm saying is here, if we don't address that fundamental problem with our connection to workers--white, black, brown, gay, straight--working-class people none of this is going to get done. Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) Jun 26, 2019 On Gun Control: We need mental health counseling to prevent mass shootings Secretary Julian CASTRO: I am the dad of a 10-year-old girl, Carina. The worst thing is knowing that your child might be worried about what could happen at school, a place that's supposed to be safe. Rep. Tim RYAN: These kids are traumatized. We need to start dealing with the trauma that our kids have. We need trauma-based care in every school. 90% of the shooters come from the school they're in, and 73% of them feel shamed, traumatized, or bullied. We need to make sure that these kids feel connected to the school. That means a mental health counselor in every single school. We need to start playing offense. If our kids are so traumatized that they're getting a gun and going into our schools, we're doing something wrong. Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) Jun 26, 2019 On Immigration: Terrorists treated better than children at the border Q: Should it be a crime to illegally cross the border? Or should it be a civil offense only? There are other provisions in the law that will allow you to prosecute people for coming over here if they're dealing drugs and other things. There's no need to repeat it. It's abhorrent the way these kids are being treated. If you go to Guantanamo Bay, there are terrorists that are held that get better health care than those kids that have tried to cross the border in the United States. The president should immediately ask doctors and nurses to go immediately down to the border and start taking care of these kids. The end result is now we've got kids literally laying in their own snot, with three-week-old diapers that haven't been changed. We've got to tell this president that is not a sign of strength. That is a sign of weakness. Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) Jun 26, 2019 On War & Peace: If the US isn't engaged in Afghanistan, Taliban will regrow Q: President Obama and President Trump have both said that they want to end U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. Why isn't it over? RYAN: You have to stay engaged in these situations. Nobody likes it. It's long. It's tedious. But right now, I would say we must be engaged in this. We must have our State Department engaged. We must have our military engaged to the extent they need to be. Rep. Tulsi GABBARD: Is that what you will tell the parents of soldiers killed in Afghanistan? "Well, we just have to be engaged?" As a soldier, I will tell you, that answer is unacceptable. RYAN: I don't want to be engaged. But the reality of it is, if the United States isn't engaged, the Taliban will grow. And they will have bigger, bolder terrorist acts. We have got to have some presence there. GABBARD: The Taliban was there long before we came in. They're going to be there long before we leave. Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) Jun 26, 2019 On Welfare & Poverty: I represent a forgotten community: the working class There's nothing worse than not being heard. Nothing worse than not being seen. And I know that because I've represented for 17 years in Congress a forgotten community. They've tried to divide us, who's white, who's black, who's gay, who's straight, who's a man, who's a woman. And they ran away with all the gold because they divided the working class. It's time for us to come together. I don't know how you feel, but I'm ready to play some offense. I come from the middle of industrial America, but these problems are all over our country. There's a tent city in L.A. There's homeless people and people around our country who can't afford a home. It's time for us to get back on track. The teacher in Texas, the nurse in New Hampshire, the waitress in Wisconsin, all of us coming together, playing offense with an agenda that lifts everybody up. Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) Jun 26, 2019 The above quotations are from NBC News, "Decision 2020," the Democratic candidates debate, live from the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center in Miami, Florida, June 26-27, 2019.. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Tim Ryan. Click here for Tim Ryan on all issues. Tim Ryan on other issues: Free Trade Govt. Reform Technology/Infrastructure Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 (We rely on your support!)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line226
__label__cc	0.511101	0.488899	Dmitry Medvedev promised to boycott the Davos forum Officials and businessmen will ignore the forum if the organizers refuse to invite Deripaska, Vekselberg and Kostin. Russia will refuse to participate in the Davos forum if the organizers do not reconsider their decision on restrictions on Russian businessmen, said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. “If these decisions, which were made in relation to representatives of Russian business, are not changed, then we will have to make a decision to refuse participation of state employees and Russian companies with state participation in the Davos forum. Then no one will go there, ”Medvedev told reporters (quoted by Interfax). In early November, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that the organizers of the World Economic Forum in Davos refused to invite Oleg Deripaska (owns En +, which controls aluminum giant UC Rusal), Renova owner Viktor Vekselberg and President of the State Bank, to the forum in 2019. VTB Andrei Kostin. All three in April of this year came under blocking US sanctions, which provide for blacklisting of assets and a ban on US citizens from doing business with them. “The decision is very strange, if not more, as it was said in the famous Soviet movie. I just spoke on this subject with the president of the Swiss Confederation and said that for us it is surprising, especially since we are talking about a non-governmental organization, ”Medvedev stressed. According to him, the Swiss president promised to make inquiries. “Deripaska, Kostin and Vekselberg have become what they have become, not thanks to the Davos forum. And the Davos forum became the Davos forum thanks to such businessmen. Therefore, let's say, by rejecting such businessmen, the forum cuts its ground, ”said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of President Vladimir Putin, commenting on this news. Official representatives of Russia regularly participate in the Davos Forum since 1992. Russian delegations, as a rule, are headed by the Prime Minister, the First Deputy Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister. In 2008, the delegation was headed by Medvedev, at that time the first deputy prime minister, in 2009, Prime Minister Putin went to Davos. In 2011, the President of Russia took part in the Davos Forum for the first time — then Medvedev took the presidency. In 2013, Medvedev again headed the Russian delegation, already as prime minister. After that, the head of state or government of Russia did not visit Davos. In January 2019, Putin’s schedule does not coincide with the forum, the president will not go to it, said Peskov last week. “The representation was wide enough, but, probably, it will not be so wide. In the end, this is not the only forum in the world - in this regard, the competition is very strong, and Russia is more than competitive here, ”said a Kremlin spokesman. FT: Deripaska, Vekselberg and Kostin are “virtually refused” to participate in the Davos forum There were no legal restrictions on the arrival of Deripaska, Vekselberg and Kostin. According to a man who knows about the decision of the organizers, the refusal to call them to Davos is the result of the “enormous pressure” of Washington. The situation with the Davos forum indicates that international organizations are becoming more and more cautious in contacts with persons involved in the sanction lists, the FT wrote. The directorate for work with corporate participants of the forum “Vedomosti” refused to comment on the situation. The representative of VTB confirmed to Vedomosti that Kostin knows about this decision and is preparing an open letter to the forum participants. The representative of Vekselberg stated only that the businessman has been participating in the forum for the last 20 years. The representative of Deripaska did not respond to the Vedomosti request, and a person close to him told TASS that he did not plan to go to Davos: “He left the business, participation in the forum does not make sense.” A lawyer working with one of the three Russians explained to Vedomosti that the organizers of the forum are afraid of falling under the secondary sanctions of the United States if they accept payment for participating in the forum from the defendants of the sanction lists. The basic element of Deripaska and VTB were strategic partners of Davos-2017, and the two Renova structures were partners. At official rates, it cost them 600,000 francs. The source "Vedomosti" called these fears unnecessary. Kostin Andrey Vekselberg Victor UC Rusal GK "Renova" Government of the Russian Federation Oleg Deripaska go fishing instead of Davos Deripaska, Melnichenko, Vekselberg: the most impoverished Russian billionaires of the year Deripaska, Vekselberg and Kostin will not be able to participate in the Davos forum Dudley's defense: why the head of BP stood up for Rosneft and Gazprom The government will save Russia from dollars Oleg Deripaska will sell the Lake Baikal to the Chinese Vekselberg will cheaply buy up Prokhorov's "financial club" Russia could have spent about 38 billion rubles on the operation in Syria Half a billion per day: how much Moscow has spent on the Crimea in a year Yanukovych makes himself at home in St. Petersburg Iskander Makhmudov: how an engineer-translator became a billionaire Interview with Norilsk Nickel CEO Vladimir Potanin	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line227
__label__cc	0.704497	0.295503	Senate Week in Review: August 13-17, 2018 Regulatory burden eased for Illinois brewers Intended to give a boost to Illinois brewers, recently-signed House Bill 4897 will give these entrepreneurs more freedom to sell, purchase, expand, and store beer and cider. Craft brewing is a growth industry in Illinois, and will further benefit from the new law, which removes antiquated regulatory barriers that have stifled the growth of smaller craft brewers and limited beverage choices for consumers who visit their taprooms. Now Illinois’ craft brewers will more easily market their products and do business in Illinois since they can expand their operations and their market with fewer limitations. Illinois brewers will also be able to sell their own beer to other Illinois breweries, which will then be able to sell the purchased beer directly to customers in their taprooms, and to purchase cider for selling in their taprooms. The Brewer Warehouse Permit created by House Bill 4897 will allow small and growing breweries to expand their operations by using warehousing and storage facilities instead of opening second locations or moving to larger spaces. The permit will allow for Class 1 and Class 2 Brewers to transfer and store, at an off-site warehouse within 80 miles, as much as 930,000 and 3.72 million gallons, respectively, of beer that the brewery manufactured. Prior to this bill, brewers were restricted from any of the above by outdated regulations set forth by the Liquor Control Act of 1934. In addition to being unnecessary to ensure safe liquor consumption, the controls also created a barrier to market entry for small businesses and protected established businesses from competition. Education package to reduce teacher shortage in Illinois In response to the state’s ongoing teacher shortage, new laws intended to cut red tape for teachers and offer more teaching opportunities for military spouses, were recently signed into law. Senate Bill 1829 seeks to increase the number of eligible childcare professionals without lowering certification standards, while Senate Bill 3536 makes it easier for willing educators to expand their skills. Gateways Level 5 teachers in a community-based PFA program will now be able to earn a PEL through an alternative licensure program while staying at their current jobs. Additionally, Senate Bill 2658 extends the validity of a Professional Educator License, with stipulations, from two years to three years for service members and their spouses. The measure has the dual benefit of making it easier for military spouses to secure work as an educator in Illinois, while also helping address the state’s ongoing teacher shortage. House Bill 4742 allows school districts experiencing severe teacher shortages to contract with a third-party recruiting firm to supplement their substitute teaching search, empowering local school districts to address their teacher shortage, while also protecting existing school staff. House Bill 5196 will decrease the fees teacher’s aides must pay to become licensed from $50 to $25, removing financial obstacles that have prevented individuals from maintaining and obtaining employment in Illinois. Seventy-eight percent of the districts surveyed as part of a 2017 Teacher Shortage Survey by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools identified either a minor or serious problem with teacher shortages. More than half indicated a serious problem with substitute teacher shortages. The new laws are a product of consultation and discussion between the Illinois Early Learning Council, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Youth, and a broad array of education experts and stakeholders. New laws will streamline services for veterans New state laws will streamline veteran identification services and make it easier for homeless veterans to access critical medical benefits they have earned. House Bill 4848 requires health care providers to provide one free, complete copy of a patient’s medical records if the patient is an indigent homeless veteran. Another new law, House Bill 4332, simplifies the process of obtaining a veteran’s designation on ID cards, by expanding the forms of proof that are acceptable. Also signed into law were House Bill 4576 and Senate Bill 2225, allowing combat veterans and veterans who earned the Southeast Asia Service Medal during Operation Desert Storm to have the feat reflected on their auto license plates. In addition to the veteran’s designation bills, Gov. Bruce Rauner enacted House Bill 4954, providing that each year the 4th of November be observed throughout the state as GI Bill of Rights Day, commemorating the 1944 landmark legislation that provided benefits to World War II veterans. New law targets increased broadband access for Illinois seniors A new law seeks to increase Illinois seniors’ access to high-speed Internet and provide more convenience with permanent identification cards. The Broadband Advisory Council was created by House Bill 5752, and is charged with exploring new ways to expand broadband access, commonly known as “high-speed internet,” throughout the state, targeting unserved and underserved areas. Proponents say senior citizens would benefit from the resources and support offered on online platforms, such as telehealth, “smart home” system and home-based smart medical services. Just under four-in-10 people aged 65 and older have high-speed internet access in their homes, compared to 77 percent of the 30- to 49-year-old demographic, according to AARP Illinois’ most recent data. Governor takes action on agriculture legislation A package of legislation was signed this week to benefit Illinois farmers and ag businesses. With more than 72,000 farmers and 2,400 food manufacturers in the state, Illinois leads the nation in food processing, and ag commodities businesses produce $19 billion annually—and billions more is stimulated by ag-related industry. Senate Bill 3072 was signed to streamline and reduce some of the bureaucracy associated with the State Fair Advisory Board, which deals with operational matters impacting the Springfield and DuQuoin State Fairs. House Bill 4999 reduces the number of meetings and other administrative requirements for the Advisory Board of Livestock Commissioners, which approves the rules and regulations of the department on prevention, elimination and control of diseases in our livestock. The changes were sought to achieve cost and staff time savings for administrative support. Seeking to ensure the humane treatment of dogs and cats, House Bill 5029 makes certain breeders live up to legal standards for health. The new law clears up any confusion for licenses and consumers relating to the definition of a dog and cat breeder, establishing that breeders are anyone who intentionally breeds cats and dogs to sell, offer to sell, exchange or offer for adoption. The Governor also signed House Bill 5459, amending the Horse Racing Act to allow more foals to qualify for Illinois races. Proponents say this will help the racing and horse breeding industries in the state. Additionally, the signing of Senate Bill 2752 will change the definitions of “adulterated” meats and poultry to further protect consumers against food-borne illnesses. The new law ensures Illinois law conforms with federal guidelines, and that the state is adhering to best practices when it comes to food safety. Also signed into law was Senate Bill 2875, giving authority to the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement a value-added certification process and programs, which will guarantee Illinois certified products have traits and qualities that warrant higher prices. The legislation also repeals some programs within the Department of Agriculture that have not functioned in years but still exist on paper. MAP grant change helps colleges keep Illinois students in the state New laws seek to give Illinois’ colleges and universities the necessary tools to attract in-state students, advancing improved financial aid plans, a more liberal application of credit transfers, and increased student counseling support. While the state’s Monetary Award Program (MAP) renewals are awarded annually throughout a student’s post-secondary education, under House Bill 5020 priority consideration will now be given to existing recipients. Nearly 130,000 students received MAP grants in Fiscal Year 2018 and all but graduating students may be eligible for priority status in Fiscal Year 2019. Senate Bill 2354 was also signed, a product of the General Assembly’s bipartisan, bicameral Higher Education Working Group organized with the goal of making Illinois’ colleges and universities more attractive and affordable for students across the state. The new law makes it easier for thousands of students to “reverse transfer” credits from one Illinois school to another, offering a low-cost alternative to award degrees to individuals who have accrued a significant number of college credits, but are left without a post-secondary credential despite having earned enough credits to be eligible for an associate degree. In order to help prevent students from spending time and money on needless credits, the measure also encourages institutions to counsel students who expect to transfer to a public university on how best to apply credits toward degrees. This legislation seeks to help more students finish their degrees and prevent students from spending time and money on needless credits. New law to help protect East Central Illinois water source from natural gas leaks A new law to protect Illinois families from contaminated water that could pose serious public health concerns was signed this week, requiring gas storage field owners to notify local communities if natural gas leaks threaten to expose residents and businesses to contaminated water. The new law also mandates annual storage field inspections by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Aimed at protecting the Mahomet Aquifer, East Central Illinois’ primary water source for more than 500,000 Central Illinois residents, House Bill 4746 responds to a gas leak in Champaign County in 2016. Local officials and area residents were not informed about the leak that contaminated private wells and was so severe that residents reported being able to light their water on fire. The new requirements exceed federal standards, and were developed in consultation and cooperation with the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC). The legislation was pushed with its full support to require immediate local notification in the event of an incident. The annual DNR inspections will look for infrastructure deficiencies or failures that could affect public health. The costs of the annual inspections will be paid by the owners of the gas storage fields. The DNR will establish criteria for what constitutes an incident.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line229
__label__wiki	0.81435	0.81435	3/22/2010 - 2010 Census Forms Arrive in 120 Million Mailboxes Across Nation 2010 Census Forms Arrive in 120 Million Mailboxes Across Nation Responding By Mail Can Save Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions Asking just 10 questions and taking about 10 minutes to complete, 2010 Census forms began arriving in 120 million mailboxes across the nation today — just the 23rd time the country has undertaken the constitutionally mandated population count that dates back to 1790. The only civic event that includes every person in the country, the Census is the basis for America’s representative democracy, ensuring that Congress is fairly reapportioned every 10 years between the states. Census counts are also used to redraw state and local legislative boundaries so that political representation is fairly distributed across their changing populations. “When you receive your 2010 Census, please fill it out and mail it back,” Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves said. “It’s one of the shortest forms in our lifetime with just 10 questions very much like the questions James Madison and Thomas Jefferson helped craft on the very first Census.” As America has grown and become more complex and more diverse, it has become more challenging over the decades to get a complete count of the population. The 2010 Census faces special challenges during the current economic downturn, including the housing crisis which has resulted in higher rates of vacant housing that must be visited to ensure a complete count. The Census Bureau today estimated that if every household completed and mailed back their census form, taxpayers could reduce the cost of taking the census by $1.5 billion. The Census Bureau saves about $85 million in operational costs for every percentage point increase in the nation’s participation rate by mail. “Here is something every family can do to help their government save money, and get an accurate Census at the same time. Mailing back your census form when it arrives will contribute to saving hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars,” Groves added. “It’s a lot less expensive to get responses back by mail than it is to send census takers to knock on doors of households that failed to respond.” “It costs the government just 42 cents for a postage paid envelope when a household mails back the form,” said Groves. “It costs $57 to send a census taker door-to-door to follow up with each household that fails to respond.” Advance letters alerting households to the arrival of the 2010 Census form last week, as well as reminder postcards sent later this month, are all part of a mailing strategy that has been proven to increase participation in the census by mail — a cost savings that could exceed more than $500 million. Even with these changes to make the census the shortest and easiest in a lifetime, the Census Bureau still projects that it will have to send census takers to an estimated 48 million households that do not respond by mail. Following up door-to-door to count households from May to July will require hiring about 650,000 census workers. Participating in the census is required by law for everyone living in the United States, and the public is encouraged to promptly mail back their 2010 Census forms once they are delivered this week between March 15-17. About 12 million addresses, mostly in rural areas as well as Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, began receiving hand-delivered forms March 1. Census data also help determine how more than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed to tribal, state and local governments every year — including funding for schools, roads, health care and other critical programs. As a way of encouraging response, the Census Bureau will be publishing mail participation rates showing the percent of the population that have mailed back their 2010 Census forms on a daily basis on <2010census.gov>. This map-based feature and widget application allows communities to track how well they are responding by mail and if they’re doing better than neighboring cities, counties or states. The first participation rates for the 2010 Census will appear March 22. Rates from the 2000 Census are already on the new site and serve as a benchmark. We hope communities will challenge themselves to exceed their 2000 performance for this census. It’s Easy: A Look at the 2010 Census Questionnaire The census mailing package includes a cover letter, the 2010 Census form and a postage-paid return envelope. The 10 questions are basic and should take about 10 minutes to complete. The 2010 Census asks the following questions: 1. The number of people living in the residence 2. Any additional people that might be living there as of April 1, 2010 3. Whether the residence is owned or rented 4. Telephone number (in case the Census Bureau has follow-up questions) 6. Sex 7. Age and date of birth 8. Whether of Hispanic origin 10. Whether that person sometimes lives somewhere else Census forms are available upon request in six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Vietnamese and Russian. For the first time, bilingual English/Spanish forms will be mailed out to 13 million households where Spanish is the predominant language spoken at home. Braille and large print forms are also available on request. For the hearing impaired, a TDD program is available at . Language assistance guides are available in 59 languages on <2010census.gov> to assist non-English speaking residents fill out their forms. There are also short, in-language videos on the Web site to help with form filling. Telephone Questionnaire Assistance is also provided in Spanish (), Chinese (), Vietnamese (), Korean () and Russian () in addition to English (). The Census Bureau will also be staffing more than 30,000 Questionnaire Assistance Centers around the country where people can get help with their forms in multiple languages. Locations of the centers are being publicized locally and can also be found on <2010census.gov>. These locations are temporary and may change based on levels of local assistance needed by residents. It’s Safe: Your Personal Information is Confidential by Law All census responses are confidential; they are protected by law and not shared with anyone. The Census Bureau takes extreme measures to protect the identity of individuals and businesses. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents’ individually identifiable answers with anyone, including tribal housing authorities, other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees take the oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000, imprisonment of up to five years or both. ABOUT THE 2010 CENSUS The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form will be one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide. Borough Hall 25 West End Ave Copyright © 2019 Somerville, NJ	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line231
__label__wiki	0.741793	0.741793	Home » Sport » Recognition Continues for Two Mount Mercy Softball Players Recognition Continues for Two Mount Mercy Softball Players Mount Mercy Academy softball players Laura Gregory (Buffalo) and Allison Rogowski (West Seneca) have earned additional honors for their play on the diamond this season. The two juniors received recognition from area coaches. Gregory was named to the Buffalo News All Western New York Softball team. Gregory, a pitcher and infielder, was previously named as the Monsignor Martin League pitcher of the year. She posted a 3-0 record on the mound, pitching 18 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs and 13 hits while striking out 28 batters. She had an earned run average of.75. She was also one of the team’s top hitters, with 15 hits, including two doubles, a triple and a home run. She drove in nine runs and had a .652 batting average. She was also a First Team All-Catholic choice and a Small School Honorable Mention All-Western New York selection last year. Additionally, Gregory was named to the Fourth Team for Class B in all of New York State. Rogowski was selected Small School Honorable Mention All Western New York. Rogowski, also a pitcher and infielder, was a First Team All-Catholic for the second straight year. She posted a 4-1 record while splitting the pitching duties with Gregory. She gave up 26 hits and struck out 20. She also was a top batter, cracking 13 hits, including two doubles and two home runs. She drove in 15 runs and had a .619 batting average. Last year she was voted to the Small School All Western New York team. It is an impressive accomplishment for these two juniors to be selected out of all the softball players in Western New York schools. Previous Post Obituaries Aug 3, 2017 Next Post Hamburg Public Library Director Retiring SBNAdmin	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line232
__label__wiki	0.812917	0.812917	Nevada Cattle Rancher Standoff Far More Complex than Simple Lawbreaking Cliven Bundy claims that he inherited “pre-emptive grazing rights’ on federal land because his ancestors kept cattle in the Virgin Valley since 1877, before the Department of the Interior was created. However, by continuing to graze his livestock on federal land for over 20 years after he stopped paying fees in 1993, Bundy may have acquired “prescriptive rights;” the right to an easement over property after trespassing on it for several years. By Rachel Alexander \| April 23, 2014 Some legalistic conservatives aren’t jumping to the defense of Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and his recent standoff with the federal government. They’d rather focus on the fact that he broke federal law by not paying taxes for permitting his cattle to graze on 150 square miles of scrub desert overseen by the federal government. Such a shallow analysis fails to take into account the facts during the years leading up to the showdown, as well as other laws that may likely exonerate him. Bundy paid grazing taxes until 1993, when federal grazing rules were restricted in the Gold Butte and Bunkerville areas of Nevada for the dubious reason of protecting the desert tortoise. The desert tortoise is listed as vulnerable, not endangered, despite virtually every media article hysterically referring to it as “endangered.” It is not clear how grazing cattle threatens the desert tortoise. Even more bizarre, it has been revealed that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has shot many of the desert tortoises it claims to protect. Infuriated by the federal government instituting these draconian environmental regulations in 1993, Bundy insisted on paying grazing fees to local government instead of the feds, so his money wouldn’t be used against him, but Clark County declined. After that, Bundy says the federal government overreach drove every other rancher in the area out of business except him. He owns the last large cattle ranch remaining in Clark County. The feds now own 84 percent of the land in Nevada, and large portions of other Western states, including a massive 96 percent of the land in Alaska. Bundy’s friction with the federal government is nothing new. In the 1970s, cattle ranchers in the Western states fought with the federal government over land in what became known as the Sagebrush Rebellion. It was widely believed that President Jimmy Carter instigated it, by purposely punishing ranchers in the states that didn’t vote for him by “halting work on vital water projects, hiking fees for grazing cattle on public land and attempting to break up large farms irrigated by federal water systems.” Former president Ronald Reagan ran for president backing the rebellion, saying in a campaign speech, “I happen to be one who cheers and supports the Sagebrush Rebellion. Count me in as a rebel.” Bundy claims that he inherited “pre-emptive grazing rights” on federal land because his ancestors kept cattle in the Virgin Valley since 1877, before the Department of the Interior was created. “My forefathers have been up and down the Virgin Valley ever since 1877. All these rights I claim have been created through pre-emptive rights and beneficial use of the forage and the water. I have been here longer. My rights are before the BLM even existed,” Bundy told KLAS-TV in Las Vegas. Bundy has also argued that Nevada’s open range statute excuses his trespass. So far, the federal courts have sided with BLM against him on both of these legal arguments, very likely due to a cozy relationship between the two branches of government under the liberal Obama administration. However, by continuing to graze his livestock on federal land for over 20 years after he stopped paying fees in 1993, Bundy may have acquired “prescriptive rights;” the right to an easement over property after trespassing on it for several years. Columnist Ben Swann interviewed Montana cattle rancher Todd Devlin about the possibility. Devlin asked the BLM if Bundy had acquired prescriptive rights, and was told that the agency is concerned he may have. The BLM could have attached a lien to the cattle, instead of spending $3 million forcibly rounding them up. The reason the BLM didn’t try to remove the cattle peaceably this way through the court system may be because it wouldn’t have won due to Bundy’s prescriptive rights. Instead, the BLM forcibly started seizing Bundy’s cattle, and destroyed several of them. Former judge Andrew Napolitano told Fox News, “The draconian, authoritarian way that the government is going after Mr. Bundy is obviously to try and scare him, and scare ranchers, and send a message which is utterly un-American and not consistent with a free people.” Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) spoke out during the standoff, “I told him [BLM Director Neil Kornze] very clearly that law-abiding Nevadans must not be penalized by an over-reaching BLM.” Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval also sided with Bundy, saying, “No cow justifies the atmosphere of intimidation which currently exists nor the limitation of constitutional rights that are sacred to all Nevadans. The BLM needs to reconsider its approach to this matter and act accordingly.” In recent years, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has attempted to seize land in Nevada and award it to his major political contributors. Since the head of the BLM is a former high-level staffer for Reid, it appears very likely that Reid masterminded the Bundy cattle siege, in a type of eminent domain. One anonymous source who has lived in the area for 35 years says the BLM is using the desert tortoise as a pretext to grab the land and seize its water rights. There have been several cases similar to Bundy’s in recent years. Rancher Wayne Hage won his battle against the government by arguing that he had the right to graze his cattle within two miles of a water source he had developed. Bundy’s case may yet be resolved in a manner such as this. This dispute has sparked a debate over the federal government’s massive land grabs and intrusions into states’ rights. Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, who helped Bundy get his livestock back, said, “It’s time for Nevada to stand up to the federal government and demand the return of the BLM lands to the people of Nevada.” At a town meeting, Bundy declared, “It’s about freedom and liberty and our Constitution … and above all it’s about our policing power. Who has policing power today?” It was local law enforcement that finally broke the standoff, not the BLM. Las Vegas Metro Deputy Chief Tom Roberts ended it by announcing that Bundy’s cattle would be returned within 30 minutes. Bundy may not be a sympathetic person, in part due to his statements about not recognizing the federal government and holing up with his guns. But Americans are fed up with the federal government’s expansion and overreach, and so even though Bundy was technically breaking a law, patriots stood with him because this was a clear example of how government expansion had forced out hundreds of innocent ranchers over the years. Bundy broke the law, but only because the law had become so oppressive it was destroying the livelihood of ranchers in the name of radical environmentalism and crony capitalism. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced legislation last year that would have given state governments more control over federal land and the Endangered Species Act. Considering this has been taking place since the Sagebrush Rebellion in the 1970s, it is long overdue for local and state governments to take back control of land seized by the federal government. Rachel Alexander is the founder of the Intellectual Conservative and an attorney. Ms. Alexander is also a contributor to SFPPR News & Analysis.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line234
__label__wiki	0.875649	0.875649	Shadowpaw Press was formed in April 2018 by Edward Willett, award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages. Over a professional writing career now spanning more than three decades, he’s worked with publishers of all types and all sizes, from the very small to the major publishers like McGraw-Hill and DAW Books. In addition to being a writer, Ed has also worked as an editor for newspapers, magazines, and book publishers. He began his career at the Weyburn Review, becoming news editor after four years as a reporter/photographer/columnist. He continues to do freelance editing work for FriesenPress, and has also edited magazines ranging from Fine Lifestyles Regina to Windscript to the venerable Canadian literary magazine Grain. Shadowpaw Press’s first two books were a collection of Ed’s short stories, Paths to the Stars, and the First World War memoirs of his grandfather-in-law, Sampson J. Goodfellow, One Lucky Devil, published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. Although Shadowpaw Press will continue to publish Ed’s science fiction and fantasy, both reprints and original work, the goal is to eventually publish work by other authors, not necessarily in the genres of science fiction and fantasy.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line236
__label__wiki	0.863851	0.863851	Dave Regel has built a house he calls "Beyond Barrier Free" Thread: Dave Regel has built a house he calls "Beyond Barrier Free" Builder goes 'beyond barrier-free' in Blaine Neal Gendler Star TribuneÃ‚Â*Published Aug 24, 2002 BARR24 Builder Dave Regel says the need for a wheelchair shouldn't be a barrier to living in a home of one's own. During the past decade, "accessible" homes have come to account for 60 percent of his all-custom business. The homes are barrier-free: a person in a wheelchair encounters neither thresholds nor doorways too narrow for a wheelchair. Dave Regel showed how a wheelchair-bound person can easily use the microwave oven. Now Regel has built a house in Blaine that he calls "beyond barrier free" to demonstrate how creative design ideas, innovative technology and construction techniques can provide a person in a wheelchair full use of about 4,500 square feet on two levels -- plus a deck. 'You don't have to make it look like an institution," he said last week, sitting at a low, center-pedestal poker table in the lower-level recreation room. The house provides wheelchair access to every room, but there's more -- the TV and other appliances, as well as the lights, windows and blinds, all operate by voice command. The house's adaptive features are all but invisible from the outside, and many inside can escape notice. There's much need for such homes, and not just for older people. "There are younger people with many kinds of functional disabilities who need housing with accessibility features -- many people of all ages who've had accidents," said Diane Sprague, housing policy specialist at the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Some families have a child born with a disability, "and after a certain age, the family needs to accommodate the child better in the household," she said. Dave Regel has built a house he calls "Beyond Barrier Free." Many people needing such homes have "attempted to make do with conventional design as best as possible," she said. "Those with upper incomes may be able to afford highly customized homes, but for more moderate-income people it may be a challenge." The need is most acute for people of low to moderate income -- people who, if able-bodied, might buy attached housing but can't because so much of it is multilevel, she said. Mike Bjerkesett is president of the National Handicap Housing Institute, a New Brighton organization that owns and manages 11 accessible apartment buildings. He said a market study for a 21-unit, accessible, subsidized apartment complex being built in Mounds View found that the city of 12,734 inhabitants had 1,257 physically disabled people. Of those, "203 are mobility-impaired and have a self-care limitation, meaning they need some kind of assistance to live independently," he said. In Ramsey County, census data showed 50,425 physically disabled people, of whom 10,323 were mobility-impaired, he said. "Most people with the financial resources opt to buy a house, whether they buy one designed for them or that needs to be adapted," said Bjerkesett, who has used a wheelchair for several decades since an accident.. But adapting means making compromises, he added. "It's frequently impossible to do right" because you're dealing with an existing structure. For example, adding a ramp gives access to a door, but "if you're designing something from ground up, you just make [the door] at grade level," he said. One of the problems is that many people don't know what's available to make a house more workable. "That's one of the good things Dave [Regel] is doing," Bjerkesett said. But even at a simpler level, "there just aren't that many builders out there doing this." Voice-activated commands can be transmitted through a headset and cordless telephone. Demonstrating the possibilities Regel normally builds 14 to 20 custom-designed homes a year for $300,000 and up. The demonstration house is listed for $649,560, and Regel admits it might take time to sell. "The object is not to go out and sell $650,000 homes -- it's to let [people] know what's available," he said. "What you're seeing in this house is a lot of features combined . . . to show what can be done. Some people may need only some of these features." For example, not everyone can afford a $15,000 lift -- or will need it -- "but we can put the pit in place so we can add it." The pit is a near-square shallow depression at the base of the stairs. The lift platform fits inside so the wheelchair can roll off level to the floor. Until a lift is needed, the spot can be filled and finished like the rest of the floor. One of the centerpieces of Dave Regel's house is the ceiling lift. Other special features of the Blaine house include extra-wide halls; 3-foot-wide doorways with "disappearing" hinges; a deck with wheelchair access from the front door, the eating area and the garage; a roll-through front closet and roll-in bedroom closets with shelves and hooks at wheelchair height (the bedrooms even have low-mounted tie racks); appliances such as a microwave, electric cooktop and side-opening oven at wheelchair-accessible level; and large kitchen drawers instead of shelves. Other conveniences at heights for wheelchair use include shelves in the pantry (which is big enough for a wheelchair to turn around inside); roll-beneath bathroom sinks with detachable spouts; a barrier-free shower with a detachable shower head; a central vacuum system with outlets in every room, and lowered, front-loading washer and dryer. The three-bay garage is extra wide and extra high for adapted vans and has one extra-long bay for a very large van. There's a wheelchair-level workbench and a place to wash winter slush off a wheelchair. Regel reserves an extra measure of pride for two more features. One is a "ceiling lift," a sort of body sling on a track; it can lift and carry a person from the master bedroom into the adjoining master bath. There, a hand-operated turntable connects tracks to the whirlpool bath or the toilet. The device, which is battery-powered and user-operated by a hand-held control, also can lower a person to the floor for exercise. With Regel's specially reinforced ceiling, the system can hold more than 400 pounds and the track's path can be altered. The other feature is the house's electronic systems: "Category 5" telephone and Ethernet lines for computers and cable TV outlets linked into networks through accessible-height hubs in the basement; security cameras, including one that shows the front door on every TV when the doorbell rings, and the voice-operated control that runs everything from the gas fireplace to the security system, and even provides weather forecasts and stock prices. Some windows can detect rain and shut themselves. Easy-use rocker-style lights switches are installed at lower heights. Outlets are higher than normal so a person can use them while sitting. Regel's work with advocates of the disabled has shown him there's a large need for adapted homes, "and there aren't a lot of builders working with these people because it takes a lot of time. This is something you have to design around the individual." Bjerkesett visited the house Monday and said he was "quite impressed. It's definitely state of the art. [Regel] put a lot of thought into it." He said the house is as good as any accessible house he's visited, and the technology is "way ahead of anything I've seen before. "But it's the whole package that makes it as good as it is," Bjerkesett said. "He's thought about access from the front door and the garage without a ramp. He's thought about circulation . . . you flow through that house almost effortlessly. And it's also a beautiful house," one that could be sold to anybody. Accessibility costs vary The extra cost varies with the number of features. Regel estimates that an accessible house costs an extra 14 to 16 percent. The five homes Bjerkesett has built in the past 34 years have cost less than 10 percent extra. "My experience is that any builder will do what you ask," Bjerkesett said. "A lot of it's information; Dave obviously has a lot of this in his head that most builders don't have." He said builders shouldn't be expected to build such houses speculatively, because they "have to have the right house for the right person at the right time." The need for accessibility will be increasing significantly, because many more seniors will want to remain in community housing and avoid institutionalization. "They may need to adapt their present home or move to a home with more-accessible features," Sprague said. But it's not only older people who need such features; medical advances can save lives that previously would have been lost to disease or damage. "We have many more infants who previously might have died who are surviving with disabilities," she said. Regel spent two years designing the demonstration home, finding components for it and, with a computer-expert friend, creating the voice system. "Many people say they'll build accessible homes, but a good deal of knowledge is needed in order to so properly," he said. "I've gone into homes builders have done that are supposed to be accessible, but they didn't make the bathroom functional for the person in the wheelchair or they didn't make the cabinets so the people's feet wouldn't hit. They put ramps on them when they weren't needed," making it more difficult than necessary for someone to roll into and out of the house. Aiding independence Regel's interest in building for the disabled grew from six years as a medical corpsman in the Navy, where at port stops, he saw levels of poverty and disability he'd never imagined. He later became a real-estate agent and was involved in a Jaycee program that helped the disabled and the elderly; he saw people with their independence limited by ill-fitting surroundings. He began selling houses for builders, then started building with an eye toward "giving people what they like in their homes -- disabled or not," he said. His first accessible house was built for a couple who came to one of his regular models. The wife had multiple sclerosis. They lived in a suburban house remodeled to supposedly make it accessible, "but she couldn't even get into the bathroom in her wheelchair," he said. "She had to crawl to the toilet, which is very humiliating." The remodeler had widened the bathroom doorway, "but didn't do anything with the vanity; it was too large to get the wheelchair in." She couldn't use the kitchen because it was too small for her to turn around in, he said. He built the couple a totally accessible townhouse. "They could roll in from the front door and from the garage. They could roll out to the deck," he said. The wife was able to use the microwave, roll under the counter to do dishes and have problem-free access to the refrigerator and the oven's side-opening door. "It took a lot of looking to find some of these things," Regel said. Finding a side-open oven supplier took seven months, and it took years to find a window that can be opened with one lever. One research method was basic: "I rolled around in a wheelchair to get an idea of what's needed," Regel said. Some of these efforts might become commonplace as more builders follow a movement called universal design, "which is concerned with making many areas of life . . . better fit the needs of a wider range of the population," Sprague said. Three main features of universal design are stepless entries, wide doorways and open floor plans, with "all important living features on the main level." Sprague said the additional cost for such features is small. Regel said it's possible that demand could increase until he's only building accessible homes, because the need is great and few builders are meeting it. "If you see someone who comes from a place where they couldn't do anything and now they can, their self-esteem is built up and they start challenging themselves to do more. That's very, very rewarding -- more than any money you make." http://www.startribune.com/stories/417/3182656.html jm98312 Most of us can only dream about a house like this! Quick Navigation Housing and Home Design Top	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line238
__label__cc	0.543443	0.456557	Manama meeting doomed to failure Created on Wednesday, 26 June 2019 07:25 \| Published Date \| \| Hits: 1052 Manama Meeting is in line with US and Israeli attempts to pull the plug on the Palestinian national project, and aims to downgrade the Palestinian cause from the issue of people looking for freedom and independence to economic and humanitarian woes.The purpose of the Manama Conference is to replace the motto of ‘land for peace’ with the motto of ‘economic prosperity for peace. The issue of Palestine is not an economic or humanitarian issue. Rather,” it is the issue of a displaced people who were expelled from their land by the Israeli occupation. The US-led conference in Bahrain paves the way for President Trump’s controversial proposal for “peace” between the Israeli occupation entity and Palestinians, dubbed “the deal of the century.” It is a US attempt to substitute the so-called Middle East peace process with imposed economic incentives. The conference is another US attempt to shift the priorities of the regional agenda and impose an ' alternative vision' of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement. The persistent desire to replace the task of achieving a comprehensive political solution with a package of the so-called 'economic incentives' while eroding the principle of the two-state solution is causing deep concern. The deal of century will be defeated at the hands of the resistance axis. The United States has kept the plan, which it says is aimed at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, under wraps. The deal of the century features serious violations of the Palestinian legitimate rights. The US plan aims at complete elimination of Palestine. Using the sinister scheme, Washington is trying to abuse the ignorance, negligence, and the treacherous nature of some of its Arab and regional tools to permanently do away with the issues of the Palestinian refugees’ return to their indigenous homeland and formation of an independent Palestinian state with al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital. The Palestinian people vigorously reject US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for “peace” between the Israeli occupation entity and Palestinians. The Palestinians will not accept solutions that violate their rights… The deal of century is aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause and dropping central issues like Jerusalem and the return of Palestinian refugees. The US-led conference in Bahrain in support of Washington's so-called Middle East "peace" plan is a plot in coordination with the occupying Israeli entity to liquidate the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian people are united in their rejection of the deal of the century as it only serves the interests of Israel. Manamah meeting, which is an attempt to whitewash the Israeli occupation through economic solutions, will not pass. The decisions made by Trump’s administration and Israeli authorities are nothing but an attempt to legitimatize and deepen apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories. The deal of the century serves the Israeli interests, especially with regard to perpetuating occupation and expanding illegal settlements. “New Palestine" will be established in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, with the exception of Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land in the West Bank.The settlement blocks in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, will remain under the Israel's regime control and will expand to reach out to other isolated settlements. Moreover, the occupied city of Jerusalem will not be divided but is to be shared by Israel and “New Palestine,” with the Israeli occupation maintaining general control. The US administration has become a partner of the occupation, and all it wants is to change the form of this occupation and preserve it. The US administration is trying to impose solutions that are not in line with international legitimacy. The United States is applying a policy of intimidation in the region, and the US President Donald Trump's administration is the main backer of far-right ideology in Israel. Kushner and his partner in Palestinian rights-denial, Jason Greenblatt, tried to put the cart before the horse, outlining their vision for "economic prosperity" for Israel and Palestine before presenting a political vision that the Palestinians can accept. Palestine’s full economic potential can only be achieved by ending the Israeli occupation, respecting international law and UN resolutions. With the key party to ending the conflict absent from the Manama workshop, the event is heading for a spectacular failure. The US-sponsored economic workshop in Bahrain is a strategic mistake and it will pave the way for Arab normalization of relations with the Tel Aviv regime whilst it continues to occupy Palestinian land and refuses to withdraw from the occupied Arab territories as provided for by relevant UN resolutions. Bahrain workshop is a provocative move that would further escalate tensions in the Middle East. It is doomed to failure in the face of the resistance and steadfastness. K.Q. Category: Analyses and Studies	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line241
__label__wiki	0.94819	0.94819	The Wonderous, Shimmering Pop-Rock Flair of Winterpills Submitted by Joe Milliken on Mon, 2015-03-30 12:30 NORTHAMPTON, MASSACUSETTS – Winterpills has been a mainstay in the Northamptom indie-rock scene going back to 2003 and have developed quite a loyal following over the last decade-plus. Featuring Philip Price on guitars and vocals, Flora Reed on keyboards, guitar and vocals, Dennis Crommett on guitars and lap steel, Dave Hower on drums and percussion and Max Germer on bass, the band released their self-titled debut CD in 2005 on the Signature Sounds label also based in Northampton. Article by Joe Milliken * Photos 1 & 2 by Joanna Chattman “The band formed very casually out of a group of friends who knew each other from the Northampton music scene,” Winterpills’ Flora Reed said in a recent, Standing Room Only interview. “Dennis and I were both big fans of Philip's previous band, The Maggies and we all began hanging out a lot more that winter of 2004...and we would always end up back at Dennis' house after the bars closed to swap cover songs. Gradually, Philip's songs entered the mix and the band was born.” The band has released several titles since, all for Signature Sounds, including The Light Divides in 2007, Central Chambers in 2008, a six-song EP titled Tuxedo of Ashes in 2010 and All My Lovely Goners in April of 2012. Central Chambers was also released on vinyl in 2009, as was a double-LP version of All My Lovely Goners, and a 7” single of Broken Arm/A Folded Cloth released in the UK. On the strength of their melancholy folk-pop sound and rich, male-female harmonies, Winderpills has not only cultivated a loyal regional following throughout New England, but has also received national critical acclaim from such outlets as the New York Times, The Village Voice, Paste and Mojo magazines, syndicated radio’s Mountain Stage and National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition and XM Radio’s Loft Sessions. The band has also toured extensively with such artists as Fountains of Wayne, Syd Straw, Crowded House, St. Vincent, Grant-Lee Phillips and Vampire Weekend. More recently, Philip and Flora decided to record some interesting cover songs they love and what began as a “quick little project,” turned out to be quite an undertaking. The results are Winterpills’ sixth release (also on Signature Sounds) titled Echolalia. “While members of the band were dealing with new babies and demanding day jobs, Philip and I thought it would be an easy project, but it morphed into a fully orchestrated production recorded in our home studio,” Flora said. “We only picked songs that we felt we could justly and fully transform, and includes songs by Sharon Van Etten, XTC, Nick Drake, Lisa Germano, and Buddy Holly.” However, Echoladia does not sound like your every day covers album, for it is a result of songs that Price and Reed felt compelled to record and put their own spin on. Price also recently talked about the project on Signature Sound’s website; “The criteria for this project were two-fold,” he said. “One, dig into the body of ingrained influences and find songs from any era that we connected with and two, transform them in a way that reignited the songs for us personally - not simply a record of us performing it, not playing (much) from the ego. We had to do something that trumped the simple love of the song. There were so many songs and artists that we left off this list and it took some tinkering to realize that some songs are not really meant to by covered or transformed – by us.” 2015 also marks the 10th anniversary of Winterpills self-titled release, which has also prompted a “best of” release due later in the year. “We are going to celebrate the debut CD by releasing it on vinyl and playing shows in which we perform the album in its entirety,” Flora added. “Our label thinks it's a good time to release a best of Winterpills album, so that will happen later this year as well. Philip has a bunch of new songs that we are just starting to learn and will be included on a new album, probably slated for 2016. So, it's an interesting mix of reflecting on the how the band started and also looking ahead to new material.” To learn more about Winterpills, its band members and various CD releases, visit their website at www.winterpills.com, as well as the Signature Sound website at www.signaturesounds.com.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line243
__label__cc	0.740438	0.259562	Doris Morlockt passed all required inspections for 2017-18 Doris Morlock has a Kansas licensed attending veterinarian. Doris Morlock has in place daily socialization and exercise program, approved by the attending licensed veterinarian, for all of her adult dogs and puppies. Doris Morlock feeds all of her adult dogs and puppies only premium dog foods. Doris Morlock provides veterinary care, inoculations, dewormings, and proper grooming for all of her adult dogs and puppies. All of Doris Morlock's breeding males and females have been certified free of one or more potential congenital defects by licensed veterinarians. All of Doris Morlock's dogs have two or more points towards the Championship titles. Doris Morlock has attended over 6 hours of ongoing breeder educational seminars for 2017-18. Doris Morlock has participated in 2 or more dog shows for 2017-18. Recommended Educational Colleges, Universities, and information links: What is Entropion in Dogs? Entropion is a genetic condition in which a portion of the eyelid is inverted or folded inward. This can cause an eyelash or hair to irritate and scratch the surface of the eye, leading to corneal ulceration or perforation. It can also cause dark-colored scar tissue to build up over the wound (pigmentary keratitis). These factors may cause a decrease or loss of vision. Entropion is fairly common in dogs and is seen in a wide variety of breeds, including short-nosed breeds, giant breeds, and sporting breeds. Entropion is almost always diagnosed around the time a puppy reaches its first birthday. Conscientious dog breeders will have their breeding stock certified free of this common congenital breeding defect found in many breeds of dogs. Return the top of the page for Doris Morlock, Arma, Kansas - dog breeder information. Click here What is a Heart Murmur in Dogs? Murmurs are extra heart vibrations that are produced as a result of a disturbance in the blood flow -- enough, in fact, to produce audible noise. Often, the murmurs are classified according to a variety of characteristics, including their timing. Systolic murmurs, for example, occur when the heart muscle contracts; diastolic murmurs occur when the heart muscle relaxes between beats; and continuous and to-and-fro murmurs occur throughout all or most of the cardiac cycle. Conscientious dog breeders will have their breeding stock certified free of this common congenital breeding defect found in many breeds of dogs. What us a correct bit in Dogs? Canine Dentition: Adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth - (20 upper and 22 lower teeth) Puppies have 28 baby (deciduous) teeth - (14 upper and 14 lower teeth) Puppies should have 28 temporary teeth that erupt at about 3-4 weeks of age. They will eventually have 42 permanent adult teeth that begin to emerge at about 3-4 months of age. As puppies, there are 14 upper and 14 lower puppy teeth. Puppies do not have any of the molars or premolar 1. Tooth Emergence Schedule Deciduous Permanent Incisors 4-6 weeks 3-5 months Canine 5-6 weeks 4-6 months Premolars 6 weeks 4-5 months Molars 5-7 months Return the top of the page for JDoris Morlock, Arma, Kansas - dog breeder information. Click here Teeth Types and Function The chewing forces in the dog have been estimated to be 300 to 800 psi (pounds per square inch) as passive bite force, and with a sudden localized bite force when snapping the jaws shut of as much as 30,000 to 80,000 psi. There are 4 types of teeth with different functions: Incisors - used for cutting and nibbling food, scooping, picking up objects and grooming; these are the front teeth situated directly in between the canines; in adults and puppies there are 6 upper and 6 lower all in a row; the center two incisors are usually somewhat smaller and the others get larger as they move out and away from the center. Canines - used for holding and tearing prey/food, slashing and tearing when fighting and as a cradle for the tongue; these are the large fangs; the lower canines lock in position in front of the upper canines; the canines are situated directly between the incisors and premolars; in adults and puppies there are two upper and two lower canines, one upper and lower on each side of the jaw. Premolars - used for cutting, holding, shearing, carrying and breaking food into small pieces; these teeth are situated between the canines and molars; puppies do not have P1 teeth, only P2, P3, P4; adults have 8 premolars on the top and 8 on the bottom, 4 on each side of the upper and lower jaws. Molars - used for grinding food into small pieces with flat occlusal tables; the molars are situated behind the premolars and are the last teeth in the back of the jaw; puppies do not have molars; adults have 4 molars on the top, two on each side of the upper jaw and 6 molars on the bottom, 3 on each side of the lower jaw. The Origin of a dog Wolves likely were domesticated by European hunter-gatherers more than 18,000 years ago and gradually evolved into dogs that became household pets, UCLA life scientists report. "We found that instead of recent wolves being closest to domestic dogs, ancient European wolves were directly related to them," said Robert Wayne, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in UCLA's College of Letters and Science and senior author of the research. "This brings the genetic record into agreement with the archaeological record. Europe is where the oldest dogs are found." The UCLA researchers' genetic analysis is published Nov. 15 in the journal Science and featured on the journal's cover. In related research last May, Wayne and his colleagues reported at the Biology of Genomes meeting in Ohio the results of their comparison of the complete nuclear genomes of three recent wolf breeds (from the Middle East, East Asia and Europe), two ancient dog breeds and the boxer dog breed. "We analyzed those six genomes with cutting-edge approaches and found that none of those wolf populations seemed to be closest to domestic dogs," Wayne said. "We thought one of them would be, because they represent wolves from the three possible centers of dog domestication, but none was. All the wolves formed their own group, and all the dogs formed another group." The UCLA biologists also hypothesized at that conference that a now-extinct population of wolves was more directly related to dogs. For the current study in Science, the researchers studied 10 ancient "wolf-like" animals and eight "dog-like" animals, mostly from Europe. These animals were all more than 1,000 years old, most were thousands of years old, and two were more than 30,000 years old. The biologists studied the mitochondrial DNA of the animals, which is abundant in ancient remains. (Mitochondria are tiny sub-cellular structures with their own small genome.) By comparing this ancient mitochondrial DNA with the modern mitochondrial genomes of 77 domestic dogs, 49 wolves and four coyotes, the researchers determined that the domestic dogs were genetically grouped with ancient wolves or dogs from Europe -- not with wolves found anywhere else in the world or even with modern European wolves. Dogs, they concluded, derived from ancient wolves that inhabited Europe and are now extinct. Wayne said that that the domestication of predatory wolves likely occurred among ancient hunter-gatherer groups rather than as part of humans' development of sedentary, agricultural-based communities. "The wolf is the first domesticated species and the only large carnivore humans ever domesticated," Wayne said. "This always seemed odd to me. Other wild species were domesticated in association with the development of agriculture and then needed to exist in close proximity to humans. This would be a difficult position for a large, aggressive predator. But if domestication occurred in association with hunter-gatherers, one can imagine wolves first taking advantage of the carcasses that humans left behind -- a natural role for any large carnivore -- and then over time moving more closely into the human niche through a co-evolutionary process." The idea of wolves following hunter-gatherers also helps to explain the eventual genetic divergence that led to the appearance of dogs, he said. Wolves following the migratory patterns of these human groups would have given up their territoriality and would have been less likely to reproduce with resident territorial wolves. Wayne noted that a group of modern wolves illustrates this process. "We have an analog of this process today, in the only migratory population of wolves known existing in the tundra and boreal forest of North America," he said. "This population follows the barren-ground caribou during their thousand-kilometer migration. When these wolves return from the tundra to the boreal forest during the winter, they do not reproduce with resident wolves there that never migrate. We feel this is a model for domestication and the reproductive divergence of the dogs from wild wolves. "We know also that there were distinct wolf populations existing tens of thousands of years ago," Wayne added. "One such wolf, which we call the megafaunal wolf, preyed on large game such as horses, bison and perhaps very young mammoths. Isotope data show that they ate these species, and the dog may have been derived from a wolf similar to these ancient wolves in the late Pleistocene of Europe." In research published in the journal nature in 2010, Wayne and colleagues reported that dogs seem to share more genetic similarity with living Middle Eastern wolves than with any other wolf population, which suggested a Middle East origin for modern dogs. The new genetic data have convinced him otherwise. "When we previously found some similarity between Middle Eastern wolves and domestic dogs, that similarity, we are now able to show, likely was the result of interbreeding between dog and wolves during dog history. It does not necessarily suggest an origin in the Middle East," Wayne said. "This alternative hypothesis, in retrospect, is one that we should have considered more closely. As hunter-gatherers moved around the globe, their dogs trailing behind probably interbred with wolves." Wayne considers the new genetic data "persuasive" but said they need to be confirmed with an analysis of genetic sequences from the nucleus of the cell (roughly 2 billion base pairs) -- a significantly larger sample than that found in mitochondrial DNA (approximately 20,000 base pairs). This is challenging because the nuclear DNA of ancient remains tends to become degraded. While Wayne plans to pursue this follow-up research, he said he does not expect a nuclear genome analysis to change the central finding. However, he said, it will fill in more of the details. "This is not the end-story in the debate about dog domestication, but I think it is a powerful argument opposing other hypotheses of origin," he said. There is a scientific debate over when dogs were domesticated and whether it was linked with the development of agriculture fewer than 10,000 years ago, or whether it occurred much clearer. In the new Science research, Wayne and his colleagues estimate that dogs were domesticated between 18,000 and 32,000 years ago. The research was federally funded by the National Science Foundation. Co-authors on the Science paper include Olaf Thalmann, a former postdoctoral scholar in Wayne's laboratory who is currently the Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at Finland's University of Turku; Daniel Greenfield, a former technician in Wayne's laboratory; Francesc López-Giráldez, a former graduate student in Wayne's laboratory who is currently a postdoctoral scholar at Yale University; Adam Freedman, a former postdoctoral scholar in Wayne's laboratory; Rena Schweizer, a current UCLA graduate student in Wayne's laboratory; Klaus Koepfli, a former postdoctoral scholar in Wayne's laboratory; and Jennifer Leonard, who earned her doctorate from UCLA. Approximately 80 percent of dog breeds are modern breeds that evolved in the last few hundred years, Wayne said. But some dog breeds have ancient histories that go back thousands of years. Wolves have been in the Old World for hundreds of thousands of years. The oldest dogs from the archaeological record come from Europe and Western Russia. A dog from Belgium dates back approximately 36,000 years, and a group of dogs from Western Russia is approximately 15,000 years old, Wayne said. Siberian fossil revealed to be one of the oldest known domestic dogs. Source: Public Library of Science Summary: Analysis of DNA extracted from a fossil tooth recovered in southern Siberia confirms that the tooth belonged to one of the oldest known ancestors of the modern dog, and is described in research published March 6 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Anna Druzhkova from the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Russian Federation, and colleagues from other institutions. Human domestication of dogs predates the beginning of agriculture about 10,000 years ago, but when modern dogs emerged as a species distinct from wolves is still unclear. Although some previous studies have suggested that this separation of domestic dogs and wolves occurred over 100,000 years ago, the oldest known fossils of modern dogs are only about 36,000 years old. The new research published today evaluates the relationship of a 33,000 year old Siberian fossil to modern dogs and wolves based on DNA sequence. The researchers found that this fossil, named the 'Altai dog' after the mountains where it was recovered, is more closely related to modern dogs and prehistoric canids found on the American continents than it is to wolves. They add, ""These results suggest a more ancient history of the dog outside the Middle East or East Asia, previously thought to be the centers where dogs originated." Small dog originated in the Middle East, study finds. Source: BioMed Central Summary: A genetic study has found that small domestic dogs probably originated in the Middle East more than 12,000 years ago. Researchers have traced the evolutionary history of the IGF1 gene, finding that the version of the gene that is a major determinant of small size probably originated as a result of the domestication of the Middle Eastern Greywolf. A genetic study has found that small domestic dogs probably originated in the Middle East more than 12,000 years ago. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Biology traced the evolutionary history of the IGF1 gene, finding that the version of the gene that is a major determinant of small size probably originated as a result of the domestication of the Middle Eastern Greywolf. Melissa Greyand Robert Wayne, from the University of California, Los Angeles, led a team of researchers who surveyed a large sample of Greywolf populations. She said, "The mutation for small body size post-dates the domestication of dogs. However, because all small dogs possess this variant of IGF1, it probably arose in their history. Our results show that the version of the IGF1 gene found in small dogs is closely related to that found in Middle Eastern wolves and is consistent with an ancient origin in this region of small domestic dogs." Previous archeological work in the Middle East has unearthed the remains of small domestic dogs dating to 12,000 years ago. Sites in Belgium, Germany and Western Russia contain older remains (13,000-31,000 years ago), but these are of larger dogs. These findings support the hypothesis put forward by colleagues that small body size evolved in the Middle East. Reduction in body size is a common feature of domestication and has been seen in other domesticated animals including cattle, pigs and goats. According to Gray, "Small size could have been more desirable in more densely packed agricultural societies, in which dogs may have lived partly indoors or in confined outdoor spaces." WHO'S REALLY THE BOSS? Course 101 in Becoming the "Alpha" "In the beginning, our puppy was very affectionate and just licked us, now he is starting to play very rough with us as soon as we walk in the door. Although no one has really been injured, he is grabbing our hands with his mouth so hard it is starting to hurt." "When I went into the kitchen, I found that my dog knocked over the trashcan and was eating the garbage. I went over to scold him and he growled at me. I thought he loved me. Why is he now growling at me?" "Our dog loves us and is sweet most of the time, but any time that we try to make him do something we want him to do, he snaps at us." Are these all "bad" dogs? No. What all of the above dogs have in common is that they have all started on their way to be "alpha" dogs. Even though the families love them very much, these dogs are following nature's guide for becoming leaders of their packs. These dogs have easily learned that with a little assertiveness, they can be the real boss of the family! Here are a few "dog" body language signs to determine if you have an "alpha" type dog. 1. Your dog jumps up on you or even puts his foot on your leg or on top of your foot, he is clearly telling you he is a higher pack member. 2. If, when you are walking him, your dog puts the leash in his mouth, he is telling you he is a higher pack member. 3. If he is dominant over food or toys, he is telling you that he is a higher pack member. 4. If he forces you to pet him frequently, he is telling you that he is a higher pack member. Joseph Smith has a great knowledge of dog training and canine behavior. All animals have prewritten internal programs, just as migratory birds, dogs or canines?? have prewritten social pack order programs. Similar to the military or corporate business structures with people, all canines must clearly see where they rank in your family pack. The leader of the pack is known as the "Alpha" or supreme boss. The big cheese of the pack is the first to eat, getting the best of everything when and where they want. The "Alpha" may be a male or female. The "Alpha" forces their demands on the rest of the pack through force and intimidation. Many dogs are very comfortable being lower members of your "pack" or family. They always listen to all human members of the pack. Other dogs desire to have more say in the pack and will start not to listen to certain members of your family. The dog generally will not listen to members of the pack who do not display confidence in themselves. Many times we unintentionally tell our dogs that we want them to take over leadership of the pack from us. We do this by treating the dog as an equal. We sit on the floor with them, we feed them before we eat, and when we take the dog for a walk – we let the dog go where he wants. We think that by doing these things, he or she will realize how good they have it and how much we love them. In reality, it is just the opposite. It is like spoiling the child and the child then treating the parent with disrespect. Ironically, the smaller they are, the more that we tend to spoil and baby the dog. This makes the dog feel like he or she is expected to be the dominate one and that we want them to boss us around through aggression. Many people admire many of the characteristics of an alpha dog. They are normally smarter than the average dog, they are affectionate when they want something, their air of confidence makes them look very majestic, and 95% of the time they make us very proud. It is the 5% of the time that they suddenly turn into the worst dogs in the world! In the animal kingdom, the leader of the pack does not have to answer to anyone. When the "alpha" is forced to do something that they do not want to do, they will normally show their dislike for the situation through one or more of the following domino or stepped levels. 1. Intense stare. 2. Tensing of body language. 3. Bristling of hair 4. Growl. 5. Bite. Just as the rattlesnake shakes the rattle at the end of its tail before it bites, all dogs go through the following five steps before they bite. Dogs never skip one of these steps. They might go through the steps very quickly, but never the less they still go through each step. In Step 1: the dog must first see what he or she is targeting. Advancing to Step 2: the dog will wrinkle his or her forehead and all of the muscles of the dog's body will tense up. During this stage, the dog's body will be very stiff looking. Going into Step 3: the dog's body releases the adrenaline, the hair will start to bristle or stand along the dog's neck and back area. There are times when the bristling of hair is more noticeable than others. But with each and every case it does occur. In Step 4: The dog will growl. Although there are times when the growl may not be audible from a distance, if you would hold a stethoscope or microphone to the dog's chest -- you would clearly hear the growling. And finally, the bite of Step 5. It is important to first see and understand the problem before you can start to properly deal with and/or correct the problem. If you feel that you might have a possible problem with your dog, then you most probably do have a problem – but you're trying to convince yourself that everything is still OK. Even if the dog is good with most of the family, everything is not OK. Let's make it truly OK for everyone in the family by first acknowledging that there is a partial problem and that the entire family wants to work together to correct it. The dog's proper place should only be at the bottom of the pack. Otherwise, the dog will most probably bite those family members that the dog feels are equal or lower than the dog, sooner or later! IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO BECOME THE "ALPHA" All animals sense that humans are superior. Furthermore, your dog knows that its very existence is dependent on you. It is you that has the most powerful position in the pack. The ace cards are in your hand. You probably never knew the power that you already possess. It is now time that you realize it, understand it, and most importantly--use it!! Remember that nature's language is very simple and universal in between species. In nature, each living creature is evaluated as either predator or prey (eat or be eaten). Although this law of nature might be considered to be cruel or wrong by human standards, animals do not have "politically correct" viewpoints. The most powerful and true law in nature is "Might make right." An "alpha" leader never stares down a lower pack member unless he or she is challenging the lower pack member to a fight. So if a friend, relative, neighbor, or co-worker of yours tells you that you need to "stare down" your dog to show him who is the boss—you now know not to listen to anything they tell you about dog training from this point on!! Another very important fact is that if two dogs put their legs around each other's neck or chest area, they are getting ready to fight! Yes, that's right! When you hug your dog, you are telling him or her that you want to fight them in their language. Watch a dog when it's owner hugs them; they look at them as if to say, "You can't be serious. I know you don't want to fight me. I think you're a little bit confused." When a pack member licks the inner ear and belly of another pack member, this is what a dog considers as hugging and kissing. This greeting process shows that you are the caregiver and protector of the pack. No, you do not have to lick your dog. Merely place your four fingers together forming what is like a large "cow's" tongue. Then, in a licking type of motion, use your four fingers (held together side by side) as if you were licking your dog's inner ear area and belly area. Go back and forth between these two areas. Once you stop, the dog will automatically sniff you. They cannot help themselves. It is an instinctual "knee jerk" reaction. They smell you to imprint your scent particles and subconsciously log you in their mind as a higher pack member and caregiver. Remember dogs do not remember by sight, they remember by scent! Dogs want and need leaders! They are "social" animals and want to be a member of the pack. Because animal language is very simple (black and white), they like strict and clear rules and regulations. Be consistent with your expectations and rules for your dog and pack. Note: How would you feel if the speed limit on the highway would change from day to day—without notice? Understand this concept and use the same rules, each day, every day!! Dogs read your body language to see if you really mean what you say. For example, if a waiter told you to please move to a different table, but at the same time he was shaking his head from left to right (saying "no" with his body language) would you move to the new table? The answer is most probably "no", you would stay seated. Likewise, when you tell your dog to come to you, but subconsciously you feel your dog will not come to you, your body language tells him "not" to come to you even though you are calling him. Do not under estimate the power of your body language. If you truly feel you're the boss, your body language will clearly show it like a neon Yoder. Imagine that you are playing an actors or actress's role in a play or movie. Truly believe yourself as performing in the role of a General or leader of the pack. Pretend that you are magical and that your dog has "no choice" and must listen to you. By doing so, your body language will tell your dog that you are not fooling around and he will listen to you. Do not question your own authority, exercise it!! You already have the power—choose to use it!!! Never give you dog a command without the intent or ability of enforcing. Anticipate that your dog may not follow your command and be immediately prepared to make the dog follow through with your command. By doing so, your dog will immediately sense that you mean what you say, and your dog will surprisingly listen to you! It is now time for tough love. Imagine if a person was teaching you technical data pertaining to theory of relativity, but they were speaking to you in Japanese. Would you understand? The answer is no. For you dog to understand, you must communicate in a language that is theirs. Over 99% of your dog's language is body language. The love of touching, a glance of love that lasts for only half a second and then looks on, shows that you are a strong and confident leader with the dog's best interest at heart. Dogs will not follow a questionable leader. Ironically, neither will humans. For all of the goodness and love that you have within you, the greatest love that you can show your dog is that you will not lead them in the wrong direction. You must respect yourself, stand straight, hold your shoulders back, and speak with confidence in order for your dog to respect and follow you. It is not the big battles that you need to win: it is the little daily events! We are going to start with one of the most basic thought patterns of all dogs, eating. The packs hierarchy is clearly seen by its eating order. The "Alpha" eats first, followed by the second in charge, the third in charge, and so on. It is imperative that your dog sees all of your family members eat their meals first and only after your entire family has finished their desert, and then will the dog's meal be prepared and fed to your dog. Before he eats, make him perform some command like sit or lay down. However, do not give him any command that encourages aggression such as jumping up or barking. During this transformation pack leadership period, it is very important for all members of the family to pet the dog for only a couple of seconds and then to walk away (without looking back). This also establishes that all of your family members are higher than the dog. Do not let him force you to pet him. Only the leader or alpha of the pack is allowed to do this. Pet him for only 3 seconds and then walk away. Animal language is very simple and clear. That is why this simple exercise works so well. Wrestling with your dog and playing "tug of war" games tells him that you want him to be a warrior. He feels that you are teaching him this because you want him to be more aggressive and dominant with people, and that you want him to take over leadership of the pack from you – through aggression. In the wild, he would need to develop these skills to defend him and the pack, to kill his food, and to fight for "alpha" dog position for breeding rights. But in our social pack or family environment, he does not have to kill his food—we give it to him. We do not want him running out and biting people—lawsuits! And most of all, we do not want him biting any member of the family to take over leadership of the pack. So immediately stop all "tug of war" and wrestling games, unless you want to live with the terrible consequences. How about fetch? Throwing the ball or Frisbee hones in your dog's hunting and killing skills. In the wild he would have to catch and kill the rabbit (fetch) or grab the bird in mid-air (Frisbee) to supply food for his or herself and pack. These games are fine for non-alpha dogs. But if your dog is having an aggression or dominate problem, hold off on these games until you have full control of your dog. Where should your dog sleep? The leader of the pack chooses where he or she sleeps and also designates where the rest of the pack is to sleep as well. If you let your dog choose where he or she wants to sleep, you are telling them that they are the leader not you! More importantly, if you let your dog sleep with you, you are setting yourself up for a major aggression problem in over 70% of the cases. So if your dog is currently showing aggression and he or she sleeps with you (or you lay or sit on the floor with the dog), it is now time to stop going down to your dog's level. In the wild, your dog would sleep in a den. This would be a small area that was dug out under the roots of a tree or under an overhanging rock. It is not spacious. It is barely big enough for the dog to turn around in. Enclosed small areas (like dens) give the dog great security. They like them. Large spacious areas tend to make the dog feel insecure allowing high exposure to attack from predators. Love, safety, and security are the desires that owners have for their dogs overall health and well-being. It is also what we desire for members of our families. By achieving and maintaining the "alpha" role, you and your family can truly have the best of both worlds: love and respect. Related Searches of Similar Names: Joseph Martin dog breeder Joseph Alvarez dog breeder Joseph Johnson dog breeder Joseph Fennelli dog breeder Joseph Schwartz dog breeder Joseph Ginsberg dog breeder Joseph Surelli dog breeder Joseph Swope dog breeder Joseph Kreider dog breeder Joseph Andrez dog breeder Joseph Lafferty dog breeder Smithdog breeder Susan Smithdog breeder Sharon Smithdog breeder ElizabethSmith dog breeder JamieSmith dog breeder LucyndaSmithdog breeder MerlieSmithdog breeder Rhonda Smithdog breeder RochelleSmith dog breeder MarthaSmith dog breeder Rose Smithdog breeder	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line244
__label__wiki	0.931847	0.931847	Tag Archives: Salaries University heads received an average of £260,000 per year March 5, 2015 surreyucu University heads received an average of £260,000 per year and 18 received pay rises over 10%, according to a salary survey from the UCU lecturers’ union. The biggest earner in 2013-14 was the head of Nottingham Trent University whose total benefits were £623,000. Last week, university leaders warned against cutting tuition fees to £6,000, arguing that budgets were under threat. The UCU leader Sally Hunt said the lack of “accountability surrounding senior pay and perks is a national scandal”. Business Secretary Vince Cable warned that universities should “think twice” about large pay rises for senior staff and that such pay levels were “hard to swallow”. The survey from the lecturers’ union shows that the top 10 earners among vice-chancellors received between £392,000 and £623,000, based on total benefits. It also revealed how some university heads have had substantial increases, at a time when lecturers have been campaigning over pay. Top 10 vice-chancellors’ pay, 2013-14 1. Nottingham Trent University, Neil Gorman: £623,000 (including accrued bonuses) 2. London Metropolitan University, Malcolm Gillies: £453,000 (including payment in lieu of notice) 3. University of Oxford, Andrew Hamilton: £442,000 4. London Business School, Sir Andrew Likierman: £419,000 5. The Open University, Martin Bean: £412,000 6 University of Birmingham, Sir David Eastwood: £410,000 7. University of Exeter, Sir Steve Smith: £400,000 (including £58,000 performance-related remuneration) 8 University of Bath, Glynis Breakwell: £395,000 9. London School of Economics, Craig Calhoun: £394,000 10. University of Surrey, Sir Christopher Snowden: £392,000 Source: University and College Union More at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31715020 SalariesVice-chancellor	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line248
__label__wiki	0.681285	0.681285	Hours & Locations: Jackson \| Alta Download & Research Let our librarians help you with your questions! Stop by the Research Desk in the Main Wing, MON-FRI 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., email the research desk or call at 307-733-2164, ext. 3110. Find databases for auto related information regarding auto repairs and car insurance policies. Business & Grants Get down to business with these databases. Visit the Consumer Reports database before you buy! Product reviews and ratings on cars, appliances, and so much more. Research your family tree with our genealogy databases. Databases to help you with your homework. Whew! Learn a new language, or get practice with one you already know. Access to back issues and historical local newspapers. View all WYLD Databases... Additional Resources from the WYLD Network: Available to all Wyoming library cardholders By Database Subject: General Topics Arts & Humanities Audiobooks Auto Repair Biography Business Current Events Digital Magazines eBooks eContent Education Encyclopedias Genealogy Government Info Health & Medicine History Kids K-8 Language Learning Law Library Catalogs Literature Maps Newspapers Nursing & Allied Health Recommended Reading Scholarly Research Science & Technology Social Issues Student Research Test Preparation Wyoming By Database Title: A \| B \| C \| E \| F \| G \| H \| K \| L \| M \| N \| O \| P \| R \| S \| T \| U \| W \| show all Teton County Library - Jackson Branch 125 Virginian Lane Monday - Thursday - 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Friday - 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Saturday - 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Sunday - 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Get our e-newsletter	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line252
__label__cc	0.610189	0.389811	Volume 125 >> Issue 48 : Friday, October 21, 2005 MIT Groups Plan Relief After Asian Earthquake By Daniela Cako After an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude on the Richter scale struck Pakistan on Oct. 8, members of the Pakistani Students at MIT (PAKSMIT), immediately gathered to organize relief efforts. The group, which consists of about 20 MIT students, has set up collection stalls in Lobby 10, the Stata Center, and Building E52. United Nations and Pakistani officials reported a death toll of nearly 50,000 yesterday. Landslides and falling rocks have flattened parts of northern Pakistan and blocked routes, making access to help a challenge. “The amount of destruction is highly unimaginable,” said Faisal M. Kashif G, who is from Pakistan. His close friends and classmates have lost a total of more than 18 family members, and one has lost both parents, Kashif said. Some disaster relief events initially planned for Hurricane Katrina relief will now support victims of the Pakistani earthquake as well. Rany Woo ’08 began planning over a month ago for an event that will help both Katrina and Pakistan Earthquake victims. The Intercollegiate Benefit Concert, to be held on Nov. 6 at 3 p.m., will feature a cappella groups and bands from MIT, Wellesley College, Berklee College of Music, and Brandeis University. Tickets sales for the event start today in the Student Center, with a minimum donation of $5. Recommended charities for relief for victims of the Pakistani earthquake are listed on the PAKSMIT Web site at http://web.mit.edu/paksmit/www.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line255
__label__cc	0.730613	0.269387	Crystal Hodges Owner of Luft Studio Just like Rent the Runway’s co-founders, there are a ton of women who have leapt into the uncharted, often-insane world of entrepreneurship. We’re inviting these risk-takers to be part of a community we’re calling The Real Runway: a collection of voices to motivate and inspire your own runway, whatever that may be. It all started with... waste. While working as a designer for a major retailer, Crystal Hodges was disheartened by the amount of materials she saw the company wasting. Anytime she questioned their process, she heard, “That’s just how it is.” Dissatisfied with that answer, Crystal joined forces with her like-minded artist friend Linsey Rosen to launch INDO. Together, they rescued materials from dumpsters — paper, plastic, fabric — and transformed them into innovative art that decorated store windows across Chicago (including Rent the Runway’s Gold Coast store). After seven years the two parted ways, and Crystal — a new mom — now owns and operates Luft, a design studio. Find out how questioning tradition led this artist to go after her entrepreneurial spirit. Dress, Tibi What was your "Aha!" moment? Working at my retail design job was a confusing experience. I loved the work and the people, but I knew what was happening was not in line with my ideals. All that waste just broke my heart. So Linsey and I started Indo in response to how we felt: we wanted to educate the world, showing people that waste can be saved and you can make beautiful things out of it. We soon figured out why companies toss everything — saving things takes time and money. But Linsey and I truly believed what we were doing was the right thing to do. We kept at it until very recently when we decided to work independently. Now I run my own design studio, Luft. I’ve always had this curiosity about why things are the way they are. I realized that I could try my own thing and explore the world on my own terms. What is life like now that you’re officially on your own? When you’re an independent business owner, you’re responsible for getting new clients and keeping things rolling. As soon as you get a moment to breathe, you think, “Wait a minute. This shouldn’t be happening. I should be busy all of the time.” It can be scary, but it doesn’t last for very long. People who have their own businesses aren’t very good at accepting downtime. Jacket, Rebecca Minkoff; Dress, Parker How do you not take “No” for an answer? When you’re starting anything, you learn a lot by addressing people’s concerns. There have been quite a few projects where people would say to me, “Can’t you just do it this way? It would be so much simpler.” And I would say, “Well, that decision is not best for these reasons based on my experience.” If that doesn’t work, sometimes you have to let people try things their way. Then they learn a lesson, too. I’m all about educating. When you’re having a bad day, what saves you? I think of the big picture. If I’m having a down moment, I view it as a tiny blip in my entire life. I think, “Okay, this project is going to last for maybe another month. This feeling is going to last for a couple of days.” Overall, it’s nothing. I try not to sweat the small stuff because I have a lot to be really thankful for. Dress, David Koma; Bracelet, Eddie Borgo; Necklace, Pamela Love When you’re discouraged, the achievements feel even better. What’s it like being a female business owner? I love being a female business owner, but I do have to accept the fact that people look at me a bit differently. It was especially clear when Linsey and I were young and running Indo. People approached us as “young ladies” and expected to have to teach us the ropes. They had low expectations, which just made us want to prove them wrong. That experience makes me feel more powerful today. Bag, Alice D; Bracelet, Eddie Borgo How does style factor into your life as an artist? For me, being put together lets me show other people that I’m a put-together person. And that makes me feel confident. I tried really hard for a long time to pay attention to my nails, but because I work with my hands a lot, they’d chip. Nowadays I try to accept that I will never have a manicure, but I never want to look rough! What’s the payoff for you? My mom has always been an inspiration to me. Since I was little, she taught me that if I'm upset about something, I can do something about it. She empowered me. It would totally be easier to go to work, get a check and have a very regular schedule. But I’m in charge of my life. At the end of the day, I don’t spend a lot of money. I don’t have a lot of things that I have to pay for. I’m happy living simply and I keep the business small to live a life that I love. That’s important to me. Follow Luft Studio Photographed by Stephanie Bassos	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line260
__label__wiki	0.754315	0.754315	Special Relativity and Electrodynamics In 1905, while only twenty-six years old, Albert Einstein published "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" and effectively extended classical laws of relativity to all laws of physics, even electrodynamics. In this course, we will take a close look at the special theory of relativity and also at classical field theory. Concepts addressed here will include four-dimensional space-time, electromagnetic fields, and Maxwell's equations. (Image credit: KIPAC at Stanford University) iTunes Playlist The Lorentz transformation In the first lecture of the course Professor Susskind introduces the original principle of relativity - also known as Galilean Invariance - and discusses inertial reference frames and simultaneity. He then derives the Lorentz transformation of... [more] Adding velocities Professor Susskind starts with a brief review of the Lorentz transformation, and moves on to derive the relativistic velocity addition formula. He then discusses invariant intervals, proper-time and distance, and light cones. Note: this is only a 1... [more] Relativistic laws of motion and E = mc^2^ Professor Susskind begins with a review of space- and time-like intervals, and explains how these intervals relate to causality and action at a distance. He then introduces space-time four-vectors and four-velocity in particular. After presenting... [more] Classical field theory Professor Susskind moves on from relativity to introduce classical field theory. The most commonly studied classical field is the electromagnetic field; however, we will start with a less complex field - one in which the field values only depends on... [more] Professor Susskind begins with a discussion of how, in the case of charged particle in an electromagnetic field, the particle affects the field and vice-versa. This effect arises from cross terms in the Lagrangian. He then derives the action,... [more] The Lorentz force law After a review of Einstein & Minkowski notation and an introduction to tensors, Professor Susskind derives the relativistic Lorentz force law from the Lagrangian for a particle in a vector field. At the end of the lecture, he introduces the the... [more] The fundamental principles of physical laws Professor Susskind elaborates on the four fundamental principles that apply to all physical laws. He then reviews the derivation of the Lorentz force law as an example of the application of these principles. The lecture closes with an introduction... [more] After a brief review of gauge invariance, Professor Susskind describes the introductory paragraph of Einstein's 1905 paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," and derives the results of the paragraph in terms of the relativistic... [more] Lagrangian for Maxwell's equations Professor Susskind begins the lecture by solving Maxwell's equations for electromagnetic plane waves. He then uses the principles of action, locality and Lorentz invariance to develop the Lagrangian for electrodynamics for the special case without... [more] Connection between classical mechanics and field theory Professor Susskind begins the final lecture with a review and comparison of the three different concepts of momentum: mechanical momentum from Newtonian mechanics, canonical momentum from the Lagrangian formulation of mechanics, and momentum that is... [more]	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line264
__label__wiki	0.897555	0.897555	English language constantly evolving By The Ranger on November 7, 2016 News Infographic by Zachary-Taylor Wright Students have a say in how English changes over time By Valerie Champion Millennials are going through a significant change in terms of formal language. With bite-sized communication through the use of chat-speak, emojis and memes, students may wonder if the formal English taught in composition classes is still relevant in daily life. “American grammar is based on usage,” said English Chair Mike Burton. “So the effect on teaching composition is huge.” Burton said English is a descriptive language. The way we speak has the power to reflect and influence our culture and mental environments. An example of a recent change in English is the increasingly common use of “they,” a third-person plural pronoun, to refer to a singular person of unspecified gender identity. In the past this usage would have been considered grammatically incorrect, but in recent years it has become the standard, Burton said. The singular “they” was even deemed “Word of the Year” by the American Dialect Society in January. ”There’s a lot of concern with faculty,” Burton said regarding how to teach this dynamic, informal aspect of the English language. He said the department has always asked whether it is doing students the greatest service and viewed teaching standard, semi-formal English as a way to increase the power students have as educated people, which can translate to daily life, the classroom and the workplace. “Command of language is so important to the power one has,” Burton said. Journalism freshman Dillon Halloway said he thinks informal English can be relevant in the classroom to an extent. “It seems pretty silly, but since it’s so prevalent, (professors) could bring it up,” he said. Halloway said although his composition professor didn’t assign readings from graphic novels, they were discussed during class in a way he felt was appropriate. He said informal English should be taught in the same manner. Burton said one of the most challenging aspects of English for millennials is sustained close reading, and a great way to gauge that ability is by assigning students readings of 19th-century literature. Students of all ages know the struggle of having to reread a paragraph multiple times to retain information, but for millennials, classic literature can be particularly difficult. Burton said If we don’t want to lose the past, we still have to learn how to read older literature, lest it become something that must be translated into modern English. Halloway agreed it can be difficult to concentrate while reading older works of literature. He said he mostly reads articles online as well as graphic novels when he has the time. “It’s definitely tough because the English language is so different (in older books), that it’s almost like reading another language,” he said. Burton said political and cultural shifts can also affect language. For example, feminists in the 1960s encouraged the use of “humankind” over “mankind” to make such expressions gender-neutral. Burton said textbooks that may have originally said “he” to refer to people now refer to people as “he or she,” and may very likely go on to refer to people as “they” in future examples. Previous ArticleDegrees awarded limited Next Article ASL Glee Club brings performing arts to the deaf community	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line265
__label__wiki	0.85171	0.85171	Greece calls new elections after talks collapse Greece abandoned a nine-day hunt for a government on Tuesday and called a new election that may hand victory to leftists who might cut the nation's financial lifeline, pushing it closer to bankruptcy and out of the euro zone. After six rounds of fruitless wrangling, party leaders emerged from a final session at the presidential mansion to gloomily declare that deep divisions over a 130-billion-euro foreign bailout package had killed any hope of a coalition deal. "We shouldn't have reached this point," said Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos, who personally negotiated the rescue package from the European Union and IMF which the hard left says has imposed too harsh an austerity regime. "For God's sake, let's move towards something better and not something worse." Reviled for imposing deep wage and spending cuts but vital to keep the country running, the bailout worth $166 billion prompted Greeks to elect the most fragmented parliament in decades on May 6, giving no party or bloc a clear mandate. A second election is expected to produce a similarly divided legislature, but the balance of power is seen tipping towards opponents of the EU/IMF rescue and raising the likelihood of a coalition that reneges on the deal keeping Greece afloat. That would almost certainly mean the end to aid from foreign lenders, leaving Greece without cash as early as next month and paving the way for its eventual exit from the euro zone. Greeks who showed their fury against spending cuts by humiliating the long-dominant Socialist and conservative parties earlier this month must now choose between the pain of austerity and an even more painful return to the drachma currency. "Much depends on whether the Greek people in this repeat election are going to vote with anger and passion or if they will cool off, reflect and see in effect what the real choices are," said Theodore Couloumbis, analyst at the ELIAMEP think-tank. "The choice is between bad and worse." Financial markets, worried that a Greek euro exit could spread turmoil to bigger euro zone economies such as Spain and Italy, tumbled on the news. The euro fell to a four-month low against the dollar, while Italian and Spanish bond yields rose. Greek stocks fell 5 percent to a 20-year low before paring losses. They closed down 3.6 percent. YES TO EURO, NO TO DEVASTATION A compromise to produce a government that might save the country from further financial calamity proved elusive; the three biggest parties in the newly elected parliament each failed to form a coalition last week and three additional rounds of talks mediated by the president ended without result. Dejection was visible on the faces of the five party leaders who sat down to talks on Tuesday. The far-right Golden Dawn was not invited, while the anti-euro Communists did not show up. A tense meeting ensued, sources from two parties said. After barely two hours, the politicians threw in the towel. A spokesman for President Karolos Papoulias summoned reporters to announce a new election and plans to form a caretaker government on Wednesday. The vote is expected in mid-June. Almost immediately, Greek party leaders were in front of cameras and supporters in spirited pre-election campaign mode. Conservative leader Antonis Samaras, whose push for early elections backfired and left him without enough support to renew his pro-bailout coalition with the Socialists, appeared distraught as he made his appeal to voters to back him. "The message you sent is clear: 'Yes' to the euro, 'No' to those policies which devastate the Greek people," said Samaras. Polls show the leftist SYRIZA party, which rejects the bailout and came second behind Samaras's New Democracy, is now on course to win a new election, a result that would give it an automatic bonus of 50 seats in the 300-seat parliament. The party's charismatic 37-year-old leader, Alexis Tsipras, has soared in popularity by promising Greeks a future in the euro zone without the yoke of austerity - horrifying European leaders who say the country cannot have its cake and eat it too. "If we have any hope today it is because all together we took a big step on May 6. Now it's time to conclude it," said Tsipras, a handsome, ex-Communist student leader who burst into the political mainstream after this month's shock vote. "The time has come to form a government of the Left, with wide support, and put an end to the these policies that destroy this country." "NO ALTERNATIVE" The prospect of new elections has left European lenders which have bailed Greece out twice close to despair. Senior European Commission officials held urgent talks on Tuesday to work through the fallout from a second Greek election. "We are really at a critical juncture," one official taking part in the discussions said. "The decisions are really in Athens' hands. But it doesn't look good." As French President Francois Hollande flew to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel for crisis talks on the very day he was sworn in, Merkel's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, called the failure in Athens a "bitter blow" to trust in Greece. "What Greece needs now is dependability and the will to reform to help it get over the mountain, in close collaboration with its European partners," he said. "The reforms to achieve this are hard and painful but they are the only way back to growth and competitiveness. There is no alternative." Even if European lenders were to cut Greece some slack on its austerity commitments, there is no government in place to negotiate a next tranche of aid - and no guarantee there will be one before Greek cash coffers run empty. Greece's predicament is hardly new. The country has lurched from one crisis to the next over the past two years and is now enduring its fifth year of recession. Nearly one Greek worker in five has no job. Protests, riots and highly public suicides have become commonplace in a sharply volatile social climate. Initially exultant at having humbled their political class in this month's vote, Greeks are now increasingly worried the country is on a path of no return. "The country is finished," said Panos Leonidas, 57, a travel agent. "From now on, you can only live here if you're an animal." at May 16, 2012 No comments: KENYA AIRWAYS TO START DIRECT FLIGHTS TO NEW DELHI By sagarmedia on May 16, 2012 \| Edit May 16, 2012 New Delhi:…. Kenya Airways has announced its commencement of flights to the Indian Capital city, New Delhi starting May 16th 2012. The much anticipated service marks Kenya Airways’ 57th global destination and 2nd in India. The launch of this new route highlights KQ’s efforts to provide seamless travel and accessibility to travelers from Africa to Indian subcontinent and vice versa. Kenya Airways will fly to New Delhi four times a week on a Boeing 767-300 as per the schedule below: Flight No KQ 220 Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun The new route highlights Kenya Airways ambitious growth plans to expand its network as part of its 10 year growth strategy. “New Delhi is the second city after Mumbai that we will be flying to India, we intend to open four more destinations in the sub continent as part of our 10 year expansion strategy,” said Dr. Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Naikuni noted that the destination has great business prospects as New Delhi is one of the largest cities in India, and the most preferred city in terms of information technology, investments, healthcare and government relations. India’s economic growth has averaged around 7% each year since 1997, making it one of the world’s largest emerging markets. According to industry forecasts, traffic flows between sub-Saharan Africa and India are expected to grow at a rate of 7.1% per annum over the next decade. Kenya Airways remains the fastest growing airline in the continent and is pursuing a network expansion strategy that targets to link all African countries with the world, making it the airline of choice for travelers in the continent. lndia has been aggressively promoting trade with Africa as it seeks to gain access to the continent’s emerging markets. The new route to Delhi seeks to expand and promote the bilateral and commercial relations between India and the African region India is Kenya’s sixth largest trading partner, with a vast business presence in the country. Recently, Kenya-India relations have improved buoyed by increasing bilateral trade that hit US $4.8 billion in 2010/2011. Recently the airline announced a right issue offer to be launched on March 30th. The company hopes to raise Kshs20.7 billion from its shareholders. Proceeds from the rights issue are projected to fund implementation of an ambitious 10-year expansion plan dubbed Project Mawingu; which would see the airline increase it number of destinations from the current 56 to 115 destinations by the year 2021. ENDS……/ About Kenya Airways Kenya Airways, a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, is the leading African airline flying to over 56 destinations worldwide, 45 of which are in Africa and carries over three million passengers annually. Kenya Airways is also a major employer with a workforce of over 4,200 employees. It continues to modernize its 34 aircraft fleet being one of the most modern in Africa. The on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10. Most recently it has scooped top awards at the Africa Investor (Ai) Tourism Investor Awards and was declared the Business Airline of the Year in Africa. Kenya Airways takes pride for being in the fore front of connecting Africa to the world and the World to Africa through its hub Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. For more information, please visit www.kenya-airways.com Panasonic unveils its new range of Smart VIERA Panasonic unveils its new range of Smart VIERA: Targets 15% of the flat-panel TVs market of India Expands the smart TV portfolio by 30 new models of LEDs, LCDs and Plasma line-up Plans Investment of Rs.210 crores in the flat panel television category for marketing and promotions New wave of applications and features on its VIERA Connect platform Youth icon, Ranbir Kapoor unveils the new range of SMART Viera TV in India New Delhi, May 15, 2012: Panasonic, the global leader in innovation and technology, today announced its new range of SMART VIERA flat panel televisions centered on five pillars of- quality picture, networking, easy operation, design and eco-friendliness. These models ranging from 24 to 55 inches are priced between Rs. 13,990 to Rs. 3, 20,000. With the latest series of smart VIERA TVs, home theatre systems and DVD players launched today, Panasonic further strengthens its product portfolio and aims at bringing new entertainment experiences for customers’ right into their living room. With select VIERA Connect models, Panasonic also introduced a new range of smart applications which allow consumers to interact with their Smart VIERA TVs: ü Swipe & Share lets the consumers share private contents via VIERA remote App. Now one can enjoy photos, music and movies on VIERA and Smartphone anytime and can even display the same web pages on VIERA and smart phone with ease ü Browse & Share app enables the browser to support HTML5 pages, so that consumers can browse the internet much like a PC. Unlike a PC, though the large screen allows the whole family or a group of friends to comfortably view a wide variety of content ü Watch & Chat app enables you to stay in touch with your friends through Twitter or Facebook timeline which gets displayed on the side screen while watching TV. Now the sports fan can watch live games while upping the excitement by chatting with friends as the game unfolds. One can either use their smart phone or a Bluetooth compatible keyboard as a remote control for writing text Besides 3D content and internet connectivity, Smart VIERA comes with a bundle of features for a unique television viewing experience: ü Super High Speed 1,600Hz Backlight Scanning for LED TVs ü High efficiency LED backlight to reduce power consumption ü Wide viewing angle – IPS LED Panel ü Ultra fast Neo Plasma panel for sharp and crisp ü Built in Wi-Fi Announcing the launch, Mr. Daizo Ito, President, Panasonic India stated, “India has been one of the most important countries and potential growth area, owing to the vibrant energy and high potential in the country and Panasonic continues to bring latest innovation in technology and solutions customized to consumer lifestyles here. We are also reaching out to the deeper pockets with our wide range of products through widened distribution and channel network. With the new range of flat panel televisions and home theatre systems, Panasonic is reiterating its commitment to the Indian market.” Talking about the new marketing strategy for Viera flat panels, Mr. Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Consumer Product Division, Panasonic India said, “Panasonic is betting on flat panel televisions that bring in over 40 per cent of revenue and our range LED, LCD & Plasma TVs branded as SMART VIERA is the first engine growth driver for Panasonic’s business. Primarily targeted at the tech savvy generation of consumer, we will be making an investment of Rs. 210 crores towards marketing and promotions for this segment this year.” He further added, “With the latest introduction in existing line-up of SMART VIERA, we are aiming to capture 15% market share in flat panel category in India this year.” Gracing the occasion, Panasonic Viera brand ambassador and leading Bollywood actor, Ranbir Kapoor said, “Proud to be associated with Panasonic for the fourth consecutive year, I have always enjoyed being part of the VIERA brand as this campaign delivers a message that I personally believe in. I am really thrilled about the new VIERA Connect apps that enable you to stay in touch with your friends while watching TV. It is a pleasure to endorse the brand which connects with the sentiments of people and understands the ever evolving requirements of consumers.” Panasonic Smart VIERA range of TV’s equipped with futuristic technologies such as IPTV applications enable consumers to connect with the entire world in the smartest possible manner. It lets you save electricity and conserve the environment, without any hassle. The new models combine eco sensibility with superior product performance and enhanced networking functionality in a slim profile and extremely attractive design. At Panasonic, designers and engineers constantly endeavor to ensure that each evolution of product is better than its previous version by following stringent process to develop products that are more energy efficient and long lasting. Panasonic Corporate Vision Panasonic has a vision to become the No. 1 Green Innovation Company in the electronics industry by 2018 (fiscal 2019), when Panasonic will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Panasonic aspires for global excellence as a Green Innovation Company and encompasses two goals: Green Life Innovation to realize green lifestyles to enrich people’s lives and Green Business Innovation to bring forth innovation in our business styles. Panasonic’s green commitment and the 100th anniversary vision have greatly contributed to the company to be listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), one of the highly-recognized global indexes for socially responsible investment (SRI), for six years in a row. Panasonic was named as 2011 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World. The Panasonic ‘eco ideas’ annual report at (http://panasonic.net/eco/) shares data on the group’s initiatives in this direction. About Panasonic Corporation Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for three business fields, consumer, components & devices, and solutions. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.85 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2012. It aims to become the No. 1 Green Innovation Company in the Electronics Industry by the 100th year of its founding in 2018.The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/< About Panasonic India Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in. Anil Bajrang Mane equals course record of 61 to take the lead Karnal, Haryana, May 16, 2012: Anil Bajrang Mane of Mumbai fired an outstanding eight-under-61 to grab the round two lead at the PGTI Feeder Tour event being held at the Madhuban Meadows Golf Course in Karnal. The leader now has an overall score of 10-under-128. Raju Singh of Noida is placed second at nine-under-129.The cut was declared at one-over-139. Thirty-eight players made the cut. Anil Bajrang Mane (67-61) equaled the course record set by Arjun Singh Chaudhri and Mahinder Singh last year with his second round effort of eight-under-61. Mane started with a bogey on the 10th but came back strongly with birdies on the 11th and 12th. The 28-year-old from the Bombay Presidency Golf Club picked up two more strokes on the 15th and 16th thanks to some excellent chipping. Mane made a chip-in on the 16th.Mane earned three straight birdies on the 18th, first and second to move to six-under for the day. Anil sank a 50-footer on the second. He wrapped up the day with two more birdies on the fourth and sixth. Mane said, “My short game was immaculate today. I made some brilliant chip-putts and a chip-in. I was also in good form with the putter as I made a total of 23 putts in round two. My confidence is high after today’s round and I’ll try to carry forward the momentum into the final round. I’ll not get too ahead of myself and will take it hole by hole on the final day.” Raju Singh’s (63-66) second round 66 featured six birdies and three bogeys and placed him second at nine-under-129.Aditya Raj Kumar Chauhan (65-65) is placed third at eight-under-130. Randhir Singh Ghotra of Chandigarh and C G Somiah of Bangalore share fourth place at seven-under-131. at May 16, 2012 1 comment: WHO :Statistics highlight increases in blood pressure and diabetes WHO :Statistics highlight increases in blood pressure and diabetes, other noncommunicable risk factors By sagarmedia on May 16, 2012 \| Leave a Comment \| Edit GENEVA – 16 May 2012 – The World Health Statistics 2012 report, released today, puts the spotlight on the growing problem of the noncommunicable diseases burden. One in three adults worldwide, according to the report, has raised blood pressure – a condition that causes around half of all deaths from stroke and heart disease. One in ten adults has diabetes. “This report is further evidence of the dramatic increase in the conditions that trigger heart disease and other chronic illnesses, particularly in low- and middle-income countries,” says Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. “In some African countries, as much as half the adult population has high blood pressure.” For the first time, the World Health Organization’s annual statistics report includes information from 194 countries on the percentage of men and women with raised blood pressure and blood glucose levels. In high-income countries, widespread diagnosis and treatment with low-cost medication have significantly reduced mean blood pressure across populations – and this has contributed to a reduction in deaths from heart disease. In Africa, however, more than 40% (and up to 50%) of adults in many countries are estimated to have high blood pressure. Most of these people remain undiagnosed, although many of these cases could be treated with low-cost medications, which would significantly reduce the risk of death and disability from heart disease and stroke. Also included for the first time in the World Health Statistics 2012 are data on people with raised blood glucose levels. While the global average prevalence is around 10%, up to one third of populations in some Pacific Island countries have this condition. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to cardiovascular disease, blindness and kidney failure. Obesity is another major issue. “In every region of the world, obesity doubled between 1980 and 2008,” says Dr Ties Boerma, Director of the Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems at WHO. “Today, half a billion people (12% of the world’s population) are considered obese.” The highest obesity levels are in the WHO Region of the Americas (26% of adults) and the lowest in the WHO South-East Asia Region (3% obese). In all parts of the world, women are more likely to be obese than men, and thus at greater risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Noncommunicable diseases currently cause almost two thirds of all deaths worldwide. Global concern about the rise in numbers of deaths from heart and lung disease, diabetes and cancer prompted the United Nations to hold a high-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases in New York in September 2011. The World Health Assembly, to be held in Geneva from 21-26 May 2012, will review progress made since that meeting and agree on next steps. Work is currently under way to develop a global monitoring framework and a set of voluntary targets for prevention and control of these diseases. Published annually by WHO, the World Health Statistics is the most comprehensive publication of health-related global statistics available. It contains data from 194 countries on a range of mortality, disease and health system indicators including life expectancy, illnesses and deaths from a range of diseases, health services and treatments, financial investment in health, as well as risk factors and behaviours that affect health. Some key trends in this year’s report include: * Maternal mortality: In 20 years, the number of maternal deaths has decreased from more than 540 000 deaths in 1990 to less than 290 000 in 2010 – a decline of 47%. One third of these maternal deaths occur in just two countries – India with 20% of the global total and Nigeria with 14%. * 10 year trends for causes of child death: Data from the years 2000 to 2010 show how public health advancements have helped save children’s lives in the past decade. The world has made significant progress, having reduced the number of child deaths from almost 10 million children aged less than 5 years in 2000 to 7.6 million annual deaths in 2010. Declines in numbers of deaths from diarrhoeal disease and measles have been particularly striking. * Death registration: Only 34 countries (representing 15% of the world’s population) produce high-quality cause-of-death data. In low and middle-income countries, less than 10% of deaths are registered. Bring awareness among the electorate public about forthcoming elections:Bombay HC Bombay high court directed the Election Commission to issue a public notice in leading newspapers of Maharashtra giving details about the forthcoming Legislative Council elections from Graduates Constituencies and inviting applications from people to be enrolled as voters. High court further directed that the advertisements be issued for seven days in newspapers commencing May 14 in order to bring an awareness among the electorate public about the forthcoming elections from Graduate Constituencies."The adverstisement shall also indicate that the last date for receiving applications will be June 15. However, this will not preclude Election Commission from receiving such applications after the date, if the date of nomination is after June 15," said a bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice N M Jamdar. The judges clarified that this date (June 15) is indicated only for the purpose of convenience of the intending applicants so that they know about the date by which they should submit their applications.The bench was hearing on May 9 a petition filed by Surendra Srivastava of Lok Satta party, who made a grievance that EC was not taking requisite steps for preparing and updating electoral rolls for the elections to the state Legislative Council from the Graduate constituencies. The court also asked EC to indicate the website where applicants can seek further information. The advertisements should also indicate that the applications may be submitted to any of the designated officers whose addresses are given therein, irrespective of the place of residence or work place of the applicants.EC counsel informed the court that the advertisements would be displayed in cinema halls and cable TV network. Panasonic, Sony in talks on OEL TVs sagarmedia ♦ May 15, 2012 ♦ Leave a Comment Japanese electronics makers Sony and Panasonic are in talks on a partnership to develop next-generation TVs with organic electroluminescence, or OEL, displays.People say the negotiations are at an initial stage. Long-time rivals Sony and Panasonic want to work together to rebuild their struggling TV businesses. Through the tie-up, Panasonic hopes to cut costs and accelerate the development of large OEL televisions. The maker plans to produce the displays on a test basis at a plant in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, probably before the end of the year.OEL televisions are thinner than current liquid crystal display models and produce sharper images. South Korean firms are leading in producing large OEL displays on a commercial basis. Austerity main theme of Greek election Greece latest opinion poll favour the Radical Left Coalition, finished second in the May 6th the previous election, is expected to lead and win most votes.Alexis Tsipras has opposed teaming up with any party that supports austerity measures.Greece forms a coalition government led by the Radical Left, European Union may come out with fresh proposals in line with new French President Francois Hollande to implement its aid package. EU agreed to help on the condition that Greece will take steps to cut its huge budget deficit. EU leaders are saying that countries must stricly adhere to the rules or penalty must be impose. Hollande meet Merkel to ease Europe crisis Hollande meet Merkel on development of Europe Hollande flew to Berlin on Tuesday hours after he was sworn in as president.On Euro debt crisis Angela Merkel Chanellor of Germany propagates Austerity is key to the solution for growth of Europe. Hollande President of France told reporters after the meeting that he made the visit on his first day in office to show friendship with Germany we will work together to overcome difference.We have the obligation to tackle the problem together Merkel said and they have difference of opinions but have something common ,committed to continue to work together.We have the utmost responsibility for the further development of Europe said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.Two leaders indicated that they will discuss economic stimulus measures. Two Leaders expressed hope that Greece will keep its agreements with the European Union and stay in the eurozone. Hollande said he wants to tell Greek leaders that the EU will take steps to promote growth.During his election campaign, Hollande criticized EU responses to the debt crisis for focusing too much on austerity. Merkel has taken the initiative in the matter.Differences between the two leaders raised concerns that the two key EU members would be unable to take concerted action. At the back drop of their meet when Hollande tell Greek Leaders that EU will take steps to promote growth.Political leaders in Greece are criticizing each other over their attitudes toward austerity measures ahead of a new parliamentary election.President Karolos Papoulias will convene a meeting on Wednesday to form a caretaker government after 9 days of power-sharing talks broke down the previous day. Local media reports that the new election will be held in mid-June at the earliest. Austerity measures will be once again on top of the agenda	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line266
__label__wiki	0.921903	0.921903	Home > INTRODUCING > Sarantos Releases A New Song as a tribute to David Bowie Sarantos Releases A New Song as a tribute to David Bowie by Editor - May 12, 2016 1 Sarantos Continues His Edgy Experimentation And Releases A New Song as a tribute to David Bowie – “Tired Of Being Scared.” Has anyone ever been scared? Has anyone ever been sick of being scared? Has anyone out there ever gotten tired of being scared? Sarantos has. Sarantos has never been scared of revealing the truth and allows fans a sincere glimpse into his real world as the journey continues. This song is a powerful, angst-ridden tribute to David Bowie combining modern elements of Coldplay to leave fans appreciating the uniqueness of this eclectic mixture. The rollercoster ride throughout the song deliberately leaves fans in a reflective mood. The tone of exasperated vocals and carefully placed vocal fry playing off the female harmonies leads right into the hidden meaning and charity for this song. Sarantos feels that there should never be a reason for conflicted or confused young people struggling with feelings of sexuality to commit suicide! The Trevor Project is a leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. 33% of any music-related sales profits from this song are going straight to The Trevor Project. “This is a very special pop song to me,” says Sarantos. “Since I love 80s music and am heavily influenced by it as I try to merge it with modern pop rock, I thought one day about David Bowie. I was inspired by David Bowie for many reasons. His music, creativity, video presence, style, and secondary messages to his art were truly an inspiration. I had been working on this song when he passed away earlier this year. In my heart, I tried to visualize what David would’ve wanted me to do with a song like this and so I made this a tribute song to him! Furthermore, I thought addressing yound suicide in the gay and lesbian community would be perfect for this song. The message really resonates with me. They have overcome many challenges and continue to fight for equality as they should. I hope they hear my call to arms and appreciate this song as much as I do. They should never be scared to be themselves! None of us should. Be who you are and be true to yourself. All the rest will take care of itself. I was scared to be myself for most of my life and I can’t believe I wasted all that time. No more. Let’s take on the world together!” Sarantos’ unique sound has been best described by industry insiders as “an emotionally powerful vocal style masterfully united with music that is a fusion of classic ’80s rock blended with modern soft rock and pop music.” Since 2014, Sarantos has won over 25 awards with Akademia LA Music and Beat 100, while also being nominated for the International Music & Entertainment Awards and the Hollywood Songwriting Awards. Even without ever using a professional music studio, label, ad agency or radio promoters, Sarantos song “What If I Never See You Again” was in the top 200 on the majors list in the US for radio airplay according to the Digital Radio Tracker Top 200 charts. On the independent charts, Sarantos was in the top 10. He was on both these lists for most of 2015! Within 3 weeks of “Dreamer” being released in April 2016, it hit the #169 spot! Because Sarantos wants his music shared throughout the world, fans can always find all of his songs, lyric sheets, videos and books on his website for free. He openly gives everyone the right to share his song MP3s for free with anyone they want via email or any social media platforms. *Fans can sign up for his free email list to get the inside scoop first and exclusive content available nowhere else. http://www.melogia.com https://www.facebook.com/Sarantosmelogia iTunes & Apple Connect: http://bit.ly/SarantosAppleStore https://play.spotify.com/artist/0fSzbfDxSHL10T1ryPsRLQ Tagged david bowie New Song Sarantos topmeganews tribute THE SEXY GREEK SINGER KONSTANTINOS DILZAS ON HIS FIRST VIDEO CLIP NEWS: Taylor Swift Receives the BMI Taylor Swift Award! INTERVIEW: Rising Star Big Step a.k.a Stephen #NewMusic: August Brodie – How Could You	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line267
__label__cc	0.609539	0.390461	President Obama's Remarks to the Urban League, Jul... President Obama on The View (Video) The fight for the midterms has begun...the DNC ad.... Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks interviews Gasp!!! BP CEO Tony Hayward, OUT.... And the "Stupid Crown" goes to... The Obama Administration. The Maureen Dowd op-ed and the Frank Rich op-ed has hit this Shirley Sherrod fiasco out of the park. The White House continue to straddle the fence by having totally insensitive individuals making decisions that continues to make this administration look like jackasses. If Barack Obama does not change, do you think people will continue to support him? That is the real question here. And we need to look at it totally. I was at the beauty salon on Friday and all the African American women were talking about how the Obama Administration just threw Shirley Sherrod under the bus without any investigation based on FOX NEWS, which the African American Community do NOT LIKE. Also, many stated that he does need more Black People in his administration. I don't know about that, but he does need some people in that administration that know how to use GOOGLE, because the name Sherrod is legendary in the Civil Rights History. The West Wing white guys who pushed to ditch Shirley Sherrod before Glenn Beck could pounce not only didn’t bother to Google, they weren’t familiar enough with civil rights history to recognize the name Sherrod. And they didn’t return the calls and e-mail of prominent blacks who tried to alert them that something was wrong. Charles Sherrod, Shirley’s husband, was a Freedom Rider who, along with the civil rights hero John Lewis, was a key member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee of the ‘60s. As Lewis, the longtime Georgia congressman, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he knew immediately that something was amiss with the distorted video clip of Sherrod talking to the N.A.A.C.P. The sad thing about this is that many prominent BLACK FOLK in the KNOW on Civil Rights history did call this White House and they like Sherrod was tossed aside. And who ended up with egg on its face? Many on this site has tried to say this is not Obama's fault, but when many look at this it is his fault, along with others to eat crow. Why? He put former Governor Vilsack of Iowa in charge, he hired him. Vilsack nor the White House did not even view the clip before the truck marks was on the back of Shirley Sherrod. How dumb is that one? And then we have Jim Messina from the White House, ELATED for a job well done in throwing Shirley Sherrod over the bus, only to have that bus come back to haunt him. But three Democratic sources said deputy chief of staff Jim Messina singled out the White House's initial response to the incident for praise in the regular 8:30 a.m. staff meeting Tuesday morning. The sources differed on the substance of Messina's praise, but concurred that he had praised the speed of White House communications in response to the flap, which was driven by a misleadingly edited video posted to Andrew Breitbart's Big Government website. One source, who is unhappy with the administration's handling of the incident, paraphrased Messina's remarks: "We could have waited all day — we could have had a media circus — but we took decisive action, and it’s a good example of how to respond in this atmosphere." I have worked on quite a few projects and held a few jobs, but never have I witnessed someone being fired on "hearsay", without a proper investigation. And for the Obama White House, this is what African Americans are mad about. Shirley Sherrod could have been my mother, your mother, your grandmother. A woman who never asked for anything, worked hard through college, graduate school who decided to make a difference for her community by coming back to live there and be part of it. She could have gone anywhere in this country, but decided to come back home, even after all that has happened to her. Lastly, Congressman Jim Clyburn is right here: “I don’t think a single black person was consulted before Shirley Sherrod was fired — I mean c’mon, “ said Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, a black lawmaker so temperate that he agreed with an op-ed piece in The Wall Street Journal on Friday by Senator James Webb of Virginia, which urged that “government-directed diversity programs should end.” “The president’s getting hurt real bad,” Clyburn told me. “He needs some black people around him.” He said Obama’s inner circle keeps “screwing up” on race: “Some people over there are not sensitive at all about race. They really feel that the extent to which he allows himself to talk about race would tend to pigeonhole him or cost him support, when a lot of people saw his election as a way to get the issue behind us. I don’t think people elected him to disengage on race. Just the opposite.” Again, I don't know if he needs more Black People, but he needs cooler heads over there who are not afraid because FOX NEWS comes calling. And there are people in that White House who are not sensitive about race, they have shown that card repeatedly and continues to get burned. I hope Shirley Sherrod thanks the Obama Administration for a job offer and passes. She should not be used as a token for all the problems the USDA has on discrimination, that is not what she wants. She loved her job that she had with staff, budget and outreach. That was taken away from her. And though she clearly respects the President, she strongly believes that it was pressure from the White House to toss her and most Americans believe that too. For that, thanks but no thanks to the USDA job. Cross posted @ Daily Kos Labels: fox news, Obama Administration, racism, shirley sherrod fox news\|Obama Administration\|racism\|shirley sherrod\|	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line272
__label__wiki	0.864059	0.864059	Serge Gainsbourg: "History of Melody Nelson" Over the past few weeks, I've been getting into Serge Gainsbourg's music. I'd always heard his name mentioned as a major influence on stuff that I liked, most notably Dan the Automator's Lovage, one of my favorite albums of all time. And I really liked his stuff as I got into it. "Je T'aiem...mon non plus" is an incredible song, definitely an inspiration on Lovage. "Bonnie and Clyde" I had heard in Irma Vep, but I was surprised to hear that it was his song, since it sounded very modern. I really liked those two songs, and the other stuff on those albums was pretty good, but I wasn't prepared for just how good the album "History of Melody Nelson" would be. The album is unquestionably his masterwork, one of those albums where the songs on their own are good, but working together they form one cohesive, album length work. This is partially due to the fact that, like many great albums of the 70s, this is a concept album. I think the concept album gets a bad rap, if it's an excuse to write a bunch of poorly conceived songs that tell a story, then it's bad. But, if you use a concept as a way of building themes and cohesion within the album, that's a good thing. Even more than a story, I like concept albums because they frequently are structured with themes and motifs repeating, something that this makes use of, and is also prominent in "The Wall" or Green Day's "American Idiot." It's always good to make the album into a larger work than just a bunch of songs, and even if there's not a coherent story, the grander ambition is usually evident. In the case of "Melody Nelson," I don't speak French, so I couldn't really follow the story, but I was still able to follow the emotions and instrumental motifs. However, the basic concept is quite notable. The album chronicles the story of a man who hits a 15 year old girl, Melody Nelson, with his car, then begins a sexual relationship with her until she dies in a plane crash. This is odd territory for an album, but it fits perfectly with Gainsbourg's dirty old man persona, and I'd imagine that the concept was likely a bit less troubling in France in 1971 than in America in 2005. And of course being an album, you don't really have to deal with any of the moral consequences of what's going on. Even without understanding the lyrics, you can get the idea of what's going on. Jane Birkin guests as Melody, and the interplay between her and Gainsbourg during her cameos is fantastic. I love male/female interplay within songs, it works great here and on "Je T'aime," and is one of the crucial elements to the success of Lovage. Gainsbourg uses a mainly spoken word style, which reminds me of Isaac Hayes' "Hot Buttered Soul." That's actually the album that this is most reminiscent of, both have really dynamic bass lines, slowly building songs and a blend of spoken word and sung vocals from the performers. Both albums draw a lot of on prog rock and psychedelic funk references in building their sound. Hayes turns this into the epic 12 minute version of "Walk on By," one of the greatest songs ever recorded. For Gainsbourg, it turns into two stunning tracks, the opener, "Melody" and the closer, "Cargo Culte." They're variations on the same theme, each starting with a funk bassline, then slowly building with screaming electric guitars and great drum work. On "Melody," Serge's vocals are backed by a string section, while "Cargo Culte" brings in a choir. I love how audacious these tracks are, each over 7 minutes, full of gorgeous instrumental sections that you just don't hear anymore. People may crack on the excesses of 70s rock, but listening to a song like "Melody," you hear a grandeur that just isn't present in rock today. At this point there wasn't the strict line between genres, so within one song Gainsbourg goes between funk, rock and orchestral arrangements. Right from the opening notes of that bass line, I was in love with the album. I focused on those two songs because they're the most impressive, but the stuff in the middle is pretty impressive as well. "Ballad of Melody Nelson" is a catchy, more straightforward pop song, again featuring some great interplay between Birkin and Gainsbourg. "En Melody" was the other highlight for me, a fantastic instrumental which builds up, accompanied by Melody's moaning. It's a short album, but I feel like Gainsbourg accomplishes everything he sets out to do, and because of the cohesion of the album, it feels more substantial than his albums that are just a bunch of tracks. This is a more ambitious work and one that is a complete success. The album still sounds fresh, if someone told me it was recorded last year, I'd believe it, and that's probably due to the fact that it's an extremely influential album. Lovage was a clear antecedent, and in this album you can hear a lot of where Air came from, particularly with Moon Safari. That smooth, lounge rock mixed with strong backing bass is something Gainsbourg had all worked out here. After listening to the album, I checked out the English translation of the lyrics, and they're quite good. I wish I knew French so I could really understand what he's saying, but even in the translated version, you can get what he's going for. One line, describing Ms. Nelson from the end of "Melody" pretty much sums up Gainsbourg: "Melody Nelson has red hair And it's her natural color." Serge, you can sing about whatever you want as long it's housed in the incredible music that makes up this album. Three...Extremes Three Extremes is an anthology film featuring films by two of my favorite directors: Chanwook Park and Takashi Miike, as well another film with cinematography by the world's best cinematographer, Christoher Doyle. It's a really good film, but one that reveals some of the problems of the anthology format. Unlike Eros, this is a case where all the films are pretty successful, but it's exhausting watching them all in a row. The first film is the one I'd heard the most about, Fruit Chan's Dumplings. The basic premise here is fantastically nasty and is played out in an interesting way. The film goes into issues surrounding aging and through the use of a genre twist, is able to comment on the absurdity of plastic surgery and the ridiculous lengths that people will to to keep looking young. I loved all the stuff with Bai Ling. In America, she's primarily known for her ridiculous VH1 karaoke appearances, but in this film she plays a witchy character who seems right out of a fairy tale. In fact, the whole short has a very fairy tale, be careful what you wish for quality. So, Bai Ling's character is that crazy woman in the woods offering our innocent heroine what she wants, ignorant of the potential moral consequences that it could have. The film isn't as explicitly disturbing as something like Oldboy's graphic torture scenes, the content is more about being conceptually uncomfortable. There are some very nasty scenes, most notably a bathtub abortion sequence that's equally disturbing for its visuals and the narrative implications of what's happening. The interesting thing about the film is the way this deviant behavior seems to bring this woman to life. She starts out wanting to become younger so that she can keep her husband's attention, however by the end he is secondary and it's her own appetites that take precedence. This brilliantly articulated in the scene where she licks the blood off her face. By the end of the story the roles are reversed and she has total power over her husband, which is conveyed in the fantastic long take of the two of them in the bedroom. As always, Christopher Doyle shoots a really dynamic film, his camera bringing beauty to even the most grotesque of moments. And big props to the sound effects here, they're critical on selling the nastiness of the dumplings. The second film, Cut, is by Chanwook Park, who's directed two of the best films of recent years, Oldboy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. However, this film seems to be a bit of an autopilot exercise, playing on the same themes as his Revenge trilogy films, but without the narrative depth. The film is basically one lengthy sadistic torture scene, and while similar scenes worked as part of his other films, to make it the entire movie is a bit excessive. Visually, this is still a striking work. The black and white floor and elaborate net of wires holding his wife to the piano were great visual touches. I also really liked the moments of comedy sprinkled throughout the film, the excessiveness of the opening vampire segment was a particular highlight. However, the film ultimately doesn't really end up going anywhere. It presents the basic idea, lets it play out for a while, then ends with a somewhat nonsensical twist. It seems to imply that this guy's son, through his desire for revenge, is able to affect the director's perception and cause him to kill his wife. I do love the buildup to that with the scenes that seem to flip around each other in a surreal 2-D way, but that doesn't make up for the fact that the conclusion goes for shock value at the expense of any kind of logic. Maybe there's a better explanation that I missed, but as it was, it took me out of the story. The final film, Miike's 'Box' is my favorite of the three. However, I wasn't able to fully enjoy it because I was pretty worn out by the time we got to it. It was almost 90 minutes into the film, which isn't the ideal time to enjoy a slow paced, contemplative film. I think this would have been better suited as the first film, lulling you into a calm, making the extremes of the other two even more notable. But even with that, this is still a fantastic film. Miike's films almost always take place in a world that's on the border of dream and reality, not quite sticking to either one. Here, we've got a woman who's haunted by dreams of her sister's death. Visually, this is one of the best things I've seen by Miike. It has the restrained pacing of the first half of Audition, but an even greater focus on the beauty and power of the images. The performances they do exist in that Club Silencio style world, performing for the viewer rather than a physical audience, and that gives Miike more excuse to mess around with form in depicting the performance. It's a very quiet film, most of the drama between the twins and their father is played out silently, using the visuals to build the drama. This works really well in setting a mood, which is punctured by the ignition of the box. That was the one moment in the film that actuallly made me jump, because it was a sudden burst of violence after all this quiet. Miike can go to excess with the best, but here his restrained approach comes off looking great next to the more obvious nastiness of the first two films. This is a more psychological piece and Kyoko's troubles are quite interesting. She is in an odd relation to her trauma because it simultaneously haunts her dreams and provides her with the material for her novels. This film was pitched with the tagline: "From the Nightmares of 3 Horror Masters," and with this story, Miike seems to be explicitly commenting on the idea of someone using their own traumas to construct a story. I think this is easily the best of the three films and I'm going to check it out on its own, apart from the anthology to really evaluate it. I've seen a bunch of Miike recently and he's consistently impressed it. For a guy who's so notoriously prolific, all his films have a unique feel and are skillfully crafted. I'm definitely going to check out more of his stuff soon. In conclusion, I'd say that Three Extremes was a pretty successful anthology film. You didn't get the sense that these guys were phoning it in, all the films were gorgeous and had something to say. The Box in particular lingers with me of a wonderful example of how to use the limitations of the short film to your advantage. Labels: Chanwook Park, Film The Sopranos: 'The Fleshy Part of the Thigh' (6x04) SPOILERS: THE WHOLE SOPRANOS SERIES While this episode wasn't as conspicuously emotional or mindblowing as the last two, it does take on a structure unlike any episode the show has ever done, simultaneously functioning as a street level gangster tale and a philosophical discussion of faith, science and the nature of existence. Only one show can fit all of this into an hour. The main plot has a lot in common with previous "Human Tragedy" episodes of the series, in which we see an innocent figure get caught up in the mob world and burned by their involvement. One of my favorite arcs that the show ever did was the David Scatino storyline back in season two, and the Jason Barone arc is a similar story of someone who's not aware of how to do business with the mob and winds up getting burned as a result. It's not explicitly commented on in the episode, but I feel like Jason Barone's experience shows us a vision of what could happen should AJ get involved with mob life. Like Barone's parents, Tony and Carmela have tried to shield AJ from that world, and he would probably have a similarly difficult entrance should he go the gangster route. Tony does make the parallel explicit when he tells Jason that he's more whiny than his son. And the Jason arc is a great continuation of the generational conflict that is at the heart of the series. Unlike his father, Jason does not know how to conduct business, and as a result things go to hell once the older generation is gone. Will Tony's crime family have a similar meltdown once he's gone? Even though the Barone thing is going over some territory we've seen before, it works because it's easy to empathize with this outsider who's thrown into the middle of this criminal world, with no idea of how to handle himself. While the storyline clearly has some major implications for the NY/NJ relations, the primary emotional pull comes from how the story is played against Paulie's troubles. The brilliance of the Paulie storyline is the way that it plays our logic against our attachment to the character. In theory, Paulie should just be able to recognize that even though Nucci isn't his biological mother, she's taken care of him all his life, and the circumstances of his birth shouldn't change his affection for her. However, so much of the mob world is based on the bond between family, and the loss of his throws Paulie into chaos. The justification that a lot of the mobsters use for their actions is that they're just doing it to provide for their families. Tony said this to Melfi on multiple occasions, and for Paulie, he could justify anything by saying that he's doing to provide for his mother, and make up for what he put her through when he was younger. And, in theory, there's no reason for that to change. However, Paulie is also a guileless business man, and the idea that he's spending $4,000 a month to put someone who's not his mother in a nursing home doesn't work. He seems to feel that he's been scammed into providing for her, and all the luxuries in her room are a mockery of the life he's leading. I think Paulie always felt superior to Tony in that he respected his mother and was able to provide for her, and now he finds that completely shattered. So, when he sees Mrs. Barone's outpouring of love for her son, it doesn't make him realize that Nucci has that same feeling for him, instead it makes him want to destroy that love. Occasionally the show goes out of its way to remind you that these are bad people, and the episode's finale was certainly an example of that. The other major thing going on here was Tony's intellectual exploration. I thought this storyline was brilliant, a wonderful followup to the Kevin Finnerty stuff. Tony has always been way beyond his fellow mobsters intellectually, something that's rarely been more apparent than in this episode. It's still early to speculate on how much Tony has been changed by the coma experience, but if this episode is any indication, he seems to have become a bit more understanding when it comes to dealing with others. His encounter with mortality has put him above the fray, able to see the consequences of his actions rather than just the emotion of the moment. This is what separates him from Paulie, who does something that could get him in huge trouble with Tony just to satisfy his emotional need for revenge. I saw two scenes as really critical to the episode. One was the scene with Hesch, Chris and Pastor Bob. First off, it was hilarious to see Aaron back. I was seriously not expecting that and his Terri Schaivo Vigil t-shirt was hilarious. It's astonishing the way the show is able to weave really hilarious bits of comedy into all the darkness. This scene was interesting because Tony doesn't outright dismiss Bob's offer of prayer. Tony's experience in the Kevin Finnerty world seems to have opened up to the idea that there's more to life than just the physical world we live in. As the scene opens, Tony is talking about the insignificance of humanity in the overall lifecycle of Earth, and Christopher responds "I don't feel that way." We still haven't gotten that much insight into where Christopher is this season, clearly he's got some major issues still lingering from the death of Adrianna. And that comment would indicate that he sees a significance to what we're doing, he's not ready to write off his existence as merely a drop in the ocean of existence. Later in the scene, Pastor Bob is talking about faith, and Tony says "Must be nice to have something to hold onto." We cut to Christopher who looks really uneasy. He's got a lot of ill feeling towards Tony because Tony took away the one thing that he did have to hold onto, Adrianna. I'm really interested to see where Christopher goes, and just from his demeanor this season, it's clear that he's a bit darker, more mature, but also sadder. Speaking with Pastor Bob, Tony seems genuinely interested and open to his message. Before the coma, Tony would not have been willing to flatter this guy, he was never one to put up with religious figures. In some ways, the scene is undercut by the extreme ridiculousness of Bob's idea that the dinosaurs were on Earth the same time as Adam and Eve. Considering how well Bob was selling things before, it's clear that he took too big a leap in telling Tony that, and undermined his sales pitch. My favorite scene of the episode was the Da Lux's room scene. There's so many layers here, on the one hand you've got Paulie's sullenness, and inability to even contemplate any of the ideas that Schwinn is talking about. He's completely set in his ways, choosing to bask in his own problems rather than overcome them. This ties into the Ojibwe quote that Tony continually mentions throughout the episode. But the really interesting thing is what Schwinn is talking about Tony's reaction. Schwinn brings out the quantum mechanics idea that on a base level, we're all just a collection of particles, and there are no boundaries between an individual and the world around him/her. It's like air, some may be moving quickly, some moving slowly, but it's all part of the same thing. This is a favorite idea of mine, one discussed a lot in Grant Morrison's work, with his idea that human beings are basically cells within a larger organism and once we get beyond our petty differences and recognize the unity, we'll cohere and form a larger mind, like the individual cells within our bodies become something greater than the sum of their parts when they work together. So, Tony entertains this idea as part of his spiritual journey. He's aware that he was in touch with something larger during the Finnerty sequences, and he's not sure whether it's Schwinn's scientific view of a unified plane or the Pastor's Christian idea of God's hand at work. These two conceptions are not mutually exclusive. When Tony gets out of the hospital, he seems genuinely thankful to be alive, and even says "Every day after this is a gift," a sentiment that he would surely have ridiculed had he heard it before being shot. It's interesting that he says to Janice, someone who used to be really interested in this sort of spiritual exploration, but now seems to have become completely bogged down in her own issues as a mother. She's become strictly of the physical world, as nearly all of Tony's circle is. I'm really interested to see Tony back at therapy with Melfi because we haven't gotten a full idea of what this experience has meant to him. The scenes with Schwinn give us some idea, but only in the Melfi sequences can we get a relatively unfiltered view of his mental state. If Tony really is changed, how long can this new attitude last in the business he works in. Dealing with Johnny Sack is going to cause him a lot of trouble and I don't see his zen management style helping his crew in the long run. The close of the episode was fantastic, with the seamless intercutting of Tony's bliss just observing and Paulie's utter selfishness in attacking Barone. At this point, Tony would rather just be sitting outside, appreciating the day, than having to deal with the turmoils of everyday life. This was largely a two character episode, but we do get some interesting bits along the way. AJ's part time job at Blockbuster is clearly not a career, and it'll also be tough for him to adjust to actually working after a life of basically being served. And if things go south at Blockbuster is he going to seek out another real job, or perhaps look to his father for some connections? I still feel like we're headed down that road with AJ, it's just a question of how soon we'll get there. Despite barely appearing in the episode, there was a lot of interesting stuff going on with Carmela. In the hospital, she warns Tony about Vito, the first time we've seen her give him guidance on his business. It's notable that during this scene she's wearing a business suit and her hair is tied back. It's a much more authoratative, business look than we're used to seeing from her, and I'll be interested to see if this is indicative of a major role change from her. Is she going to move from trying to distance herself from the mob completely to becoming Tony's second in command? This episode also gives us our first glimpse of Tony's feelings about Junior. It's astonishing how much power single lines can have in this show. Tony's authoratative claim that he never wants to see Junior again has deep power. If Tony doesn't want to see Junior, is he basically gone from the show? If Junior were to be released from prison, that could put a further divide between Tony and Bobby. I'm guessing that Junior will be released fairly soon, so that we can see some follow up on AJ's promise to kill him. On the whole, it's a fascinating episode, full of a lot of really interesting concepts and ideas. The stuff with Tony and Schwinn was a highlight, forcing Tony to examine his existence in ways that he never has before gave us a lot of strong material and much to ponder for the future. This is our first glimpse of the new status quo for the rest of the series, but next episode should really let us know just how changed Tony is, and how those around him react to his return. The Sopranos: 'The Fleshy Part of the Thigh' (6x04...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line273
__label__wiki	0.802118	0.802118	Friday Night Lights - 'Best Laid Plans' (1x21) Until The Sopranos comes back on Sunday, and perhaps even after that, the best show on television is Friday Night Lights. Every week, this show gives us something amazing, with the most realistic, gritty acting and photography ever on a network television series. This is like the best kind of 70s filmmaking, but airing every single week. While this week’s episode was great, I’m going to jump back and talk about lat week’s ‘Mud Bowl,’ the series’ best episode yet. I’m not someone who cries watching movies, I get emotionally involved, but I think knowing so much about the filmmaking process makes me approach things in a different way. I’m more awed by an incredible shot than the typical plot twist. But, the best directors, like Wong Kar-Wai or Terence Malick, use incredible technique to create intensely emotional moments. This show is probably the closest thing to Malick that’s ever aired on TV, using the filmmaking style to immerse you in the characters’ mindsets. One of the reasons I enjoy longform TV series so much is that they give me the satisfaction of getting lost in a story. Watching most movies, I can see the seams of the three act structure, and the shortcuts used to develop character. Compare the TV show Firefly to the movie Serenity. On the show, the characters are just there, living their lives, sometimes they’re at the fore of events, other times they’re in the background. The events come out of their actions, but on film, the actions are imposed, and they are slotted into designated roles to fit with the story. Everyone has a little trait that is emphasized, an easy character arc that is resolved by the end of the film. It’s still a well done film, but it has nothing on Whedon’s TV work. I haven’t seen the Friday Night Lights movie, but I’d imagine it’s a similar situation. I seriously doubt we would have gotten as deep into the cast as we have on this series. It’s particularly notable that characters who were initially on the periphery, like Landry and Tyra, have become central to the series, while one of the initial core characters, and most typical of TV, Lyla, has been drifting away. The series has evolved and become less about football and more about these peoples’ lives. If you’re not watching the show because you don’t like football, that’s like not watching Six Feet Under because you’re not a fan of funerals. The football is just a device used to center the action around, and with the exception of the mud bowl, most of the time I’m not as interested in the game as I am in the characters’ general lives. This is a long way of getting to the point that the end of ‘Mud Bowl’ was the most emotionally affecting piece of cinema I’ve seen in a long time, probably since Inland Empire. Looking at the end of Babylon 5’s third season, I said it was a mistake to intercut a battle with the Shadows with Dr. Franklin’s bleeding death crawl because the two events didn’t have equivalent interest levels. Intercutting is tricky, particularly between a big conflict and something personal. There, I just didn’t care about Dr. Franklin and the intercutting dragged both stories down. Here, they made the potentially dangerous choice to intercut an assault on Tyra with the muddy football game. By equating an attempted rape with a football game, you could wind up making the crime seem too insignificant, but in practice, the emotion of both situations compounded on each other, leading to a feeling of total desperation. The game itself became almost a greek chorus, commenting on Tyra’s struggle. This is what intercutting should do, make things more than the sum of their parts. Tracking back, I’ve always been a fan of Landry, he was comedy gold throughout the series, and early in this episode, we got more of the same. I loved how he says he wants to move from supporting actor to leading man, and I was so frustrated when his car wouldn’t start. I figured we were headed for more comedy, with Landry desperately trying to reach Tyra. So, I was really shocked when that guy attacked Tyra. Mix this in with the desperation of the game, and it was just total emotional immersion. I liked that they didn’t have Landry ride into the rescue, and when he finally does meet her, it’s clear that his character has been knocked out of his fantasy, comedy world into harsh reality. It was a masterful episode, and even though this week’s didn’t quite hit those heights, it was still brilliant. I’ll start with the Landry/Tyra stuff. I love the way they skip over the obvious plot machinations we’ve all heard before, we don’t need to see Tami and Tyra talking about what happened, once she sees Landry in the car, cut to the police station, and we know everything we need to. Landry’s ending speech to Tyra was an interesting mix of accurate and hurtful. I like that we’re not just focusing on him with a kind of puppy dog crush, instead we get to see that what she said to him affected him, and he wants a bit of revenge for it. And, even though it’s a classic TV thing to do, having Riggins show up right when Landry was telling her how he feels. But, it’s clear that what he said made some impact on her. A potential relationship between the two of them raises on a lot of issues. While I love Freaks and Geeks, I think the show’s biggest mistake was putting Sam together with Cindy Sanders. Even though the relationship was fun to watch, it hurt the realism. As Joss Whedon said, you have to give the audience what they need, not what they want, and this was a clear case of giving the audience what they wanted. It also felt sort of like the writers using the show to retrospectively reject the girls who had rejected them. But, the biggest crime was that it was a very TV thing to do. In the world of TV, it only takes a few episodes for a popular girl to recognize that the geeky, but sensitive guy is the one she really should be with. We all want it to happen, but it’s just too easy, and if Landry and Tyra were to get together, it would be a clear case of what we want, not what we need. This puts them in the unfortunate position of having to crush Landry, but I think it’s what must be done. Maybe down the line that could bring him and Tyra together, but not here. It just doesn’t make sense considering the characters’ disparate levels of life experience. But, I think his speech to her was brilliant because it was so cuttingly accurate. He moved right through the bullshit and told Tyra that she was going to become her mother, married to a jerk, with no agency in her life. If anything, it’ll make Tyra want to leave Dillon even more. These two are maybe the eighth or ninth most important characters on the series, but each of the actors brings incredible power to the scene. The ensemble here is one of the best ever assembled on television, primarily because they don’t seem to be acting at all. The Academy Awards are all about transformations and mimicry when handing out their awards, but to me, the best kind of acting is the kind that doesn’t feel like acting at all. These people are their characters, and that, combined with the documentary style photography, gives the show a feeling of realism that few shows achieve. The only actress who doesn’t consistently work for me is Minka Kelly as Lyla, but I’m not sure if her slight unnatural quality is who the character is actually supposed to be. Lyla seems marooned from The O.C., a more typical teen drama character. I’m happy to see her and Street break up, because at this point, he seems much more suited for Susie. My reading of Lyla is that she wants her life to be like the idealized high school experience you’d see on a teen drama, and when Street lets her down, she reacts in that sort of bitchy, whiny way the characters there would. Only occasionally are we let behind the image she projects to the outside world. What grates her so about Street’s infidelity is that he is moving outside their world. With her and Tim, they’re both football players, it’s an acceptable betrayal, but by being with Susie, Street is leaving her behind, evolving beyond her. That’s what their trip to Austin was about, showing that he doesn’t need her anymore. That’s why I’m a bit uncertain about Street being a coach. I think it fits with his desire for competition, but also is a move backwards from his new life built with Herc and the Austin crew. I would guess that they developed that plot as a way of reintegrating Street into the main action, but I was cool with him being off in his own subplots, and I’m not sure this will work in the long term. But, for now, it does let us see him recapture some of the joy he lost after being rejected from the Olympic team. While the show frequently questions the culture the town has built around the football team, it never questions the basic joy of the game. That’s why the mud bowl episode was so powerful, particularly when Eric and Tami stand amidst the cows and imagine the field they could build there. Elsewhere, we get the family drama surrounding Eric’s job offer. I love the opening sequence of the episode, a montage style succession of scenes showing his awe at the stadium and program he could be a part of. Eric is living out his dream, and he just doesn’t understand why Tami and Julie can’t see that. He thinks in an objective way, that Austin is better than Dillon, but doesn’t understand their emotional connection to the place. I was assuming that he’d be turned around by the end of the episode, after the roast, and was really surprised to see him remain committed to going to Austin. That final scene, with Eric holding Tami, both looking toward the camera, had a fantastic air of menace, neither willing to budge, but giving up the fight for the present. The first act of the episode was backed by a fantastic piece of music, I believe an Explosions in the Sky song. The opening of the episode was full of character conflict, and the swelling music united the disparate pieces into a coherent emotional whole. I was wondering how much worse things could get after this opening, it made the roast sequence incredibly tense because I kept waiting for some kind of major blowup. There were so many highlights in the episode, I can’t go in depth on all of them, but here were some of the great things: Julie’s tearful talk with Matt, leading to his antagonistic stares at the coach for the rest of the episode, the way Eric refused to budge at all on Tami’s suggestion they stay in Dillon, and on a lighter note, the theft of the e-mail joke was classic. So, this was another masterpiece, and I really hope that the show gets renewed next year. And, I’m looking forward to next week’s finale, I’m sure things will end on a high note. Labels: Friday Night Lights, TV The Sopranos: Approaching the Final Season After a layoff of over a year, The Sopranos is finally returning for its final season, and the press coverage about the return has been very frustrating, for a number of reasons. The main one is the way that nearly every article has a headline like “Who’ll get whacked? Sopranos returns for final season.” It may be a mob drama, but I think treating potential character death as a kind of sweepstakes dilutes the emotion of what’s happening. I think it’s indicative of the fundamental divide between the show’s two audiences. One is looking for a Scarface style embrace of over the top violence, a glorification of the mob lifestyle, while the other is viewing the show as a character drama, which just happens to take place in the world of the mob. I grew up in a suburb similar to where The Sopranos live, and the episodes focusing on Meadow’s struggle to get into college are as accurate a depiction of contemporary high school life as anything I’ve seen on TV. For me, the genius of the show is the characters feel completely ordinary, despite being in the mafia. Much like with the slaying in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the mob storyline is used to turn ordinary conflicts into massive, life or death drama. And that’s why the show is so much more than either The Godfather or Scarface, it’s got some of the most complex, challenging characters on TV. Most shows flirt with the idea of moral ambiguity, but exist in a TV universe, where I want them to do bad things because it’ll lead to more interesting stories. When Buffy goes through her dark time in season six, I want to see her go further with Spike because it’s such compelling viewing. Because the characters are fundamentally good, it’s exciting to see them be bad. However, here, the characters are so flawed, I desperately want them to get out of the mob world and find something better. This is the conflict that played out in the first part of season six, with Tony’s struggle to deal with his new morality. It’s also the struggle that defined Christopher’s character in the early days of the show, culminating in the devastating finale of ‘D-Girl.’ That I want them to be better people is a testament to the reality of Chase’s universe. He refuses to play by typical TV rules, and that’s what can make the show frustrating at times. While I love the first half of season six, the second half was frequently frustrating. Not only was he rejecting traditional TV rules, he was rejecting basic storytelling principles, crafting a narrative that’s so loose, drifting over major events and dwelling on smaller things, it’s difficult to understand what he was doing. I’m really curious to see how this season relates to what we saw there. I get the feeling that the final six or so episodes of this season will tighten things up, but not rely too closely on what we saw at the end of last year. Adding the additional episodes was a storytelling experiment, that would allow him to take a more rambling approach to the finale. But, it’s impossible to say, more than any other TV auteur, Chase is completely unpredictable. So, I’m eager to see the new season, as much out of curiosity as anything. I have no clue what he’s doing to do, and I’m eager to find out. One final gripe I’ve got, I’ve seen a bunch of articles that mention the missing Russian from ‘Pine Barrens’ as some kind of grievous loose end that must be rectified. That is completely missing the point of the episode. First, the Russian is just a macguffin, to get Christopher and Paulie into the woods. Also, the whole point of his fate is the ambiguity, that we don’t know if he’s alive or dead. To answer that definitively would kill the episode. No answer could live up to the mystery. The only reason people care so much is because it’s such a good episode. It’s the equivalent of viewing the Gentlemen from Buffy’s ‘Hush’ as a major loose end. Just because they were in a classic, it doesn’t mean they’re any different from the countless other standalone villains who’ve disappeared from the series. So, please, don’t ask for resolution about the Russian, that conversation Chris and Paulie had about him last season was the closest you’ll get. The Invisibles Vol. 2 #5: 'Time Machine Go' After the hyper compressed pop excess of the end of 'Black Science,' it's nice to pull back a bit and have a bit of a break with this issue. At first it fees a bit too slow, since we've been made so accustomed to the frantic pace and action stylings of 'Black Science,' but once you dig into the issue, there's some truly fantastic stuff. Only Morrison can make an issue that's largely setup so emotionally engaging and thought provoking.... I've taken down my posts on The Invisibles because they're all coming out in book form. The book, Our Sentence is Up, features revised and expanded versions of each blog post, covering every issue of The Invisibles, plus an extensive interview with Morrison himself. Visit your local comic store and order a copy now! Labels: Comics, Grant Morrison, The Invisibles The Invisibles Vol. 2 #4: 'Black Science: Part 4: Safe' The first storyline of the volume ends in pretty spectacular fashion with a hallucinogenic burst of pure action and conceptual insanity. It’s close to The Invisibles at its best, and it’s certainly The Invisibles at its most. The opening page draws us right into the world, with Austin’s dancing. This gets right to the core of the previously established between traditional, natural magic, and the lifeless mechanisms of the Outer Church. As Dane says “This is fucking mental, man. It’s brilliant but it’s mental.” There’s another line that sums up the whole series.... The Invisibles Vol. 2 #4: 'Black Science: Part 4: ...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line274
__label__wiki	0.662524	0.662524	Lost: 2x03-2x14 I’ve now caught up to where I stopped watching Lost the first time, and am zipping along, heading off into the uncharted territory of late season two. At this point, I’m really liking a lot of elements of the show, but some frustrating stuff is cropping up as well. But, in light of what I’ve heard about later seasons of the show, I’ve got faith that it will all work out for the best in the end. Let me start by jumping back to what is easily the high point of the series so far, the Dharma Initiation video in “Orientation.” Those three minutes are just pure joy for me, hitting so many of the themes and motifs I love in fiction, in a really alien way. Watching it feels like a message from a time capsule, and the glimpses of Hanson and the DeGroots are really intriguing. I want to know more about the Dharma Initiative, what kind of experiments did they do, where did all their utopian dreams go wrong? I think it’s both a testament to the quality and density of those three minutes, and something of a knock on the rest of the show, that I’m left with more to ponder and want to know from that piece than from everything else that’s going on. I don’t deeply care what happens to any of the characters on the show, but I want to know about the Dharma group and their world and reality. The added bit that Eko brings doesn’t really tell us anything new, I’m looking forward to the discovery of the other stations and the other videos. And, annoyingly, there’s been very little development of things out of that film in the roughly ten episodes that have followed. That’s okay when there’s interesting stuff going on, but frustration sets in when the stories don’t work. I suppose that’s true with any TV show, but because of the structure of this one, the frustration can become particularly pronounced. Narrative progress in the present tense can be very slow because we’re always looking back to the flashbacks. That works great in an episode like “The Long Con,” where Sawyer’s flashback is emotionally engaging, a great little short story in its own right, and when juxtaposed with the island story, makes both more interesting. But, an episode like “One of Them” is really problematic because we’ve got an interesting story in the present, and a flashback that’s both totally redundant thematically to what’s happening in the present now, redundant to what we already saw in the first season present, and redundant to both earlier Sayid flashbacks. We get it, he tortures people and feels bad about it, but sometimes has to do it. The point is made, move on. Was anyone really watching that episode really caring about the Sayid flashback? I don’t think so, and thus watching the show becomes something of a masochistic experience, where you ‘suffer’ through boring stuff in the flashbacks, and the drawn out pace of stuff on the island, to get to those moments of greatness like the orientation video. I think the major thing that makes me like the series more now, and be more forgiving of its flaws than when I watched it the first time is the knowledge that it will go to some more interesting places, and that a lot of this teasing will pay off in interesting ways. I’ve heard vague things, and they all really intrigue me, and make it easy to sit through the tedious stuff. I think in a longterm series, you sometimes need that knowledge that things will get better. The Babylon 5 pilot is downright bad, but knowing that the show would get better made it easier to stick with it. Buffy was the same way, I don’t think I’d have made it through season one watching it live, but hearing how much people liked it, I stuck with it, and grew to love it. Watching Lost in season two, there was no clue where it would go, or if things would develop in interesting ways, and that magnified all the flaws. I still think that the stuff with Sayid and Sharon’s death is a classic Joss Whedon, but done badly. When Sayid breaks into tears with Henry Gale, the moment doesn’t work because I don’t emotionally buy into their relationship. It seemed more like they were pretty casual, getting together simply because they’re on a desert island together. I think he’d be really troubled by it, but I don’t think it was ever true love, so much of his arc post her death doesn’t make sense. The creators acknowledged, via Ana Lucia, that the desert island scenario is pretty sexy, and people should be “hittin’ that” all over the place, but things still seem pretty chaste on the island. There’s a morning after Sun and Jin thing, but how has a guy like Sawyer not been with one woman during the 50 days he’s been on the island. Now, maybe him and Kate did get together at some point during their flirty haircut phase, but it’s not made explicit, or really implied. I’m not saying the show needs to either just feature a lot of random sex, or a lot of soapy relationship, but realistically, people would get together in that situation, and I think you’d see more couples like Charlie and Claire were during the early days of the season. But, again, that seemed really chaste. It’s a potentially interesting area of human interaction, and I’d certainly rather see people developing relationships in the present than more flashbacks. But, a lot of enjoying the show requires forgetting about what you want the show to be, or what normal human behavior actually entails. This isn’t a show about a realistic experience of what it would be to be stranded on an island. I’d love to see that show, but this isn’t it. This show is essentially a horror/adventure show about a group of people who have been brought together to battle an outside malevolent force known as the Others. It’s a lot like The Stand in that sense, and accepting that interpretation of the series makes it easier to just go with the flow and enjoy things for what they are. I will say that early season two, the endlessly replayed hatch scene aside, moved pretty snappily. Having two fronts of action made it easier for the narrative to progress, and gave things more drive. Now that the two camps are united, there’s not the same sense of forward momentum, and a lot of characters feel superfluous. What is Eko doing that Locke doesn’t? What is Ana Lucia doing that Jack doesn’t? They haven’t been used in really interesting ways. Things reached their nadir during the Charlie baby kidnapping episode, which just totally didn’t work, and featured the worst sort of TV dream sequence, the one with a really obvious meaning that feels falsely surreal and nothing like a real dream. I love dream sequences when done right, as in The Sopranos or Buffy, dream sequences that probe a character’s subconscious and build a world within their head. But, the dream sequence here is just giving motivation to smooth over illogical plot points. It turns out I hadn’t stopped watching at 2x09, it was Charlie’s baby kidnapping fiasco that did it. Watching the first half of the season, I was like, “why’d I stop? This is good stuff.” Watching Charlie in a diaper, I understood why I stopped.. All of this is a way of saying that the show is as frustrating as ever at times, but I believe in it, and am enjoying it. I think the Sawyer double cross episode was fantastic, and did a great job of giving some edge back to a character who’d gotten soft. Was the ranch dressing frog subplot in the next episode necessary? Not really, but I’d prefer that to a flashback because it actually forwards our understanding of the character. The key issue about the flashbacks with me is it doesn’t let the character grow, it locks him into a psych 101 kind of idea that you’re doomed to repeat the past ad infinitum. The Henry Gale thing looks good as well, and raises a lot of potentially interesting questions. But, I’m still left wondering when will we finally get another piece of film to peruse? Will there be an episode that’s all Dharma Initiative films? Can Marvin Candle narrate every episode, like Rod Serling? Only time will tell. Posted by Patrick at 12:11 AM Labels: Lost, TV Havremunken said... Trying desperately to avoid spoilers here, but I just wanted to mention that you will see more of the Dharma Initiative and their projects. The history of the island is a pretty major part of the story. And I find that is all I can say for now. :) Shlomo said... great series of posts. Its interesting for me to hear your perspective as someone who also dropped LOST in the middle of season 2. however I happened to catch the season finale, and was pleased enough to jump back in and make it appointment-tv for the next three seasons. That being said, there are a lot of frustrating things about the show, mostly the ones youve mentioned. I've come to terms with that, I always talk up its innovations, but Im at the point where I dont try to argue with people who tried it and quickly jumped ship. But I appreciate your writing, and the sensibility you bring (though I dont always share your opinions--invisibles: dunno... what i read didnt do it for me). I can definitely see the point about not trying argue that the show isn't for everyone. There's some shows, like The Sopranos or Mad Men, where there's no waiting for it to get good, it's born into the world as is, and there's very little fat on the narrative. But, this show, or Babylon 5 are definitely ones where you have to work to get to the good stuff. I think the show delivers enough that it's easy to keep watching, but even if the next few seasons are all great, I'd hesitate to call it one of the all time greats, simply because these early days are so flawed. But I'm definitely intrigued to see where it all goes. I've got about six left in season two, and will probably write up more after that. Patrick C said... I'm definitely interested in hearing your thoughts. I've only ever watched Lost as it aired, and am planning on re-watching it all on DVD before the final season airs. In my opinion, the end of season two is kind of downhill for the show, reaching bottom of the barrel with the first six episodes of season three. It was at that time that I had planned on dropping the show, but there was such a long break in the middle of season three that I came back. Starting with Episode 7 of season three I really think it finally righted the ship and decided upon the story it wanted to tell. A lot of the problems in season two, where the overall narrative did not seem to get advanced, with more and more questions being asked and few (if any) answers given, seemed to stem from the fact that the writers/producers had no idea how long there show would be on the air. Season one was such a surprise hit, they'll want to keep it going, and blowing their wad to soon could cripple them in later seasons. Once they decided on an "end point" to the show, they were able to really streamline the story and really get into the mythology of the island/survivors. I'm curious, have the producers ever talked about why they chose to stick with the flashbacks for so long when they seemed to have exhausted their narrative purpose by the end of season one, if not earlier? Was it a thing ABC forced on them, an attempt to string the show out, as they'd not set an end point, or the artistic direction they felt was best for the show? during season two the flashbakcs were still probably linked to drawing out the story, since they didnt have the fixed end-point yet. on another topic entirely: I found michael chabon's x-men 1 movie treatment. if youre interested I can dig up the URL. I'm totally obsessed with the idea of creating the archetypal x-men movie, and i think chabon definitely takes things in a better direction then the actual movie. Though his treatment seems to lack both the claremont character moments, and the morrison idea-over-loaded-ness. That makes sense, but I still feel like it would be better to give the supporting cast more to do, rather than burden people with flashbacks. One of the major issues I have with the show is it doesn't exploit its premise particularly well. Hurley throwing food around because he doesn't want to eat it in 'Dave' is a particularly notable example of completely ignoring the fact that they're on a desert island! It's one thing to just accept that everyone manages to find food to eat, it's another to actively destroy stuff rather than give it away. Definitely send over the link for the Chabon draft. I don't love any of the X-Men movie projects, but I think trying to distill the concept of the series, under either Claremont or Morrison, into one film is folly. The book is essentially a soap opera, and you need long running stories, that let all the characters get developed, not the narrow focus of a film. I feel like "God Loves, Man Kills" functions as Claremont's pitch for an X-Men movie, and even that pales next to the heights of his serialized stories. I'd love to see someone pitch an X-Men live action TV show. Heroes did that kind of thing to some extent, but there's so much material, and the brand has a lot of recognition, I could see it being a big hit. Though, you could argue that to a large extent, Buffy is that show. The late seasons in particular felt very much like Claremont X-Men, but slightly more grounded.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0055.json.gz/line275

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