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" Nightmare." That's how Scott Hounsell, the former executive director of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, describes the ordeal he went through two years ago, and is still trying to recover from today.
"It was the most — the scariest, most devastating nightmare you could ever imagine ever going through ever," Hounsell added. "Because everything that you have and hold dear — my family, my career, everything — was threatened that it would be taken away from me."
“ It's scary. And I will never be able to get out of the shadow of this, ever. They fundamentally changed the way I will live my life. ”
Hounsell's troubles are forcing him to move from his home state of California this coming June. They cost him his job, his local connections, and his good name. They have prompted him to file a lawsuit which, along with police reports and witness accounts, forms the basis of this retelling.
In 2012, Hounsell worked for California State Assemblyman Cameron Smyth. He was in a bus caravan from Sacramento back to Smyth's Southern California district with co-workers and students from a nearby charter school, who were learning about politics. He met a student on that bus — Jane Doe. He doesn't remember speaking to her for very long, if at all. In fact, he claims he didn't remember who she was when the accusations started to fly.
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As Doe tells it, the professionals and students were instructed to talk to one another for a time, then switch seats to meet someone new. She claimed to law enforcement, in a taped interview provided to the Washington Examiner, that she sat next to Hounsell for about two hours on the way back from Sacramento, during the second half of the six-hour return trip. The two exchanged Facebook information and friended each other.
She said Hounsell began messaging her through Facebook on the bus as they were sitting together. She claimed the messages started getting sexually graphic even while on the bus. Doe also told the police, one year after the bus trip, that Hounsell tickled her leg several times. In an earlier interview, she had told the police he had tickled her ribs.
One of Doe's teachers disputes her account, saying in a police report that because Doe had commented earlier on the trip that she found Hounsell "cute," she was never allowed to be alone with him at any point during the trip.
For his part, Hounsell says that if he sat next to Doe at all, it couldn't have been for long. He remembers sitting next to someone else and watching a movie.
The accusation
On Jan. 19, 2013, nearly a year after that bus trip, Hounsell became executive director of the Los Angeles County GOP. A week later, on Jan. 27, an accusation was made that he had been sending inappropriate Facebook messages to an underage girl.
Doe's fellow students had made the accusation anonymously after Doe supposedly left her computer open in public on Facebook. They took screen shots of messages containing graphic language, obtained by the Examiner, and handed them over to school authorities.
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When the police came to the school on Feb. 1, Doe claimed Hounsell had tickled her ribs and started sending her explicit messages sometime after the bus trip. Doe told police that she had replied because she thought it was harmless and never planned to meet him again in person.
A month after the first police interview, Doe was brought in for a recorded interview with two detectives from the Internet Crimes Against Children task force. This time, Doe told the officers that Hounsell had tickled her leg several times while he was "having a conversation with somebody else."
Doe also reiterated that at no time did she or Hounsell ever agree to meet. She gave officers access to her Facebook account. Even though she had deactivated and reactivated the account, the messages should still have been there.
No evidence of messages
On Mar. 25, 2013, ICAC officers logged on to Doe's Facebook profile but were "unable to locate any sexual [sic] explicit chat between her and the suspect," according to a police report. The officer did find that Hounsell was on her friends list.
A week later, on April 5, Officer Eric Good talked to Hounsell. The police report says he told Hounsell that messages existed between him and Doe. The police report made it seem like Hounsell may have admitted the crime was possible.
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I [ICAC Officer Eric Good] advised Hounsell that I had chat logs where he stated that he knew that the victim was under the age of 18 and Hounsell advised me that he did not remember that chat. Hounsell stated that during the time he was chatting with [Jane Doe], he was having marital problems. Hounsell stated that he would begin drinking alcohol while he was at home. After having a few drinks he would log into his Facebook profile and contact some of his female friends and attempt to engage them in sexually explicit chat.
Hounsell told the Examiner that the police report did not accurately reflect his statements, and that his talk of drinking and messaging female friends referred to years earlier when he was still single. Hounsell further said that the only conversations he had with Doe were strictly professional, done over his work email address and only pertained to a few questions she had about charter schools and government.
Hounsell also says he offered Officer Good his Facebook login to check for the explicit messages. Good did not take him up on the offer.
The arrest
On July 1, 2013, a Democratic former assemblyman named Mike Feuer became L.A. City Attorney. When the Los Angeles County District Attorney declined to press charges against Hounsell on July 30, Feuer seized the case. Officer Good contacted Hounsell again to find out his attorney's information. Members of the press began calling Hounsell, his family and his employer to discuss charges Hounsell wasn't even aware of yet.
The media circus that ensued — complete with news cameras camping outside his family home for days — made Hounsell believe this was in part motivated by political harassment. "The City originally wanted to take me into custody at my house, where the press was heading," he said. "When I showed up downtown to turn myself in, it sent everyone for a scramble, and they couldn't get cameras there in time."
By the time Hounsell was bailed out of jail seven hours later (he spent six of them waiting to be given access to a working telephone) and recovered his cell phone, it had been inundated with Google Alerts for his own name.
Hounsell was charged with two counts of trying to seduce a minor. He would only learn after a lengthy, humiliating investigation that police had no evidence — and in fact never would obtain any evidence — that the Facebook messages in question had ever really existed.
Additional charges
On Aug. 21, Feuer's office amended its complaint against Hounsell to include two additional charges that Hounsell had communicated with an adult he believed to be a minor (think "To Catch A Predator") and that he had "an unnatural and abnormal sexual interest in children."
The new charges were a surprise for Hounsell. They had not been mentioned previously, and no evidence would ever be presented to substantiate them. Also, the amended complaint contained a request for discovery. This looked a lot like a prosecutorial fishing expedition — charges first, then a search for evidence.
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In late September, Facebook provided the city attorney with Hounsell's IP address logins for all of 2013. It contained no evidence Hounsell ever sent any Facebook messages to Jane Doe. Prosecutors spent the next four months stalling for time, asking for continuations, until January, when the judge finally demanded they present evidence of a crime.
On Jan. 31, Facebook sent the city attorney's office a 452-page document of Hounsell's Facebook activity for the entire year of 2012, when the alleged sexual messages were said to have occurred. Again, there was no evidence of any contact between Hounsell and the alleged victim, except for a single innocuous comment from Jane Doe on one of Hounsell's photos. Facebook found no private messages at all between Hounsell and Doe.
On Feb. 11, the deputy city attorney, Tracy Webb, said she needed more time to review the Facebook data. Two weeks later, having no evidence to continue charging Hounsell with a crime, the city attorney's office offered him a deal.
A strange deal and charges dropped
"Instead of dropping the charges, they came to me and said: 'What kind of plea deal do you want?' " Hounsell told the Examiner. He referred to the deal as "essentially extortion."
Hounsell, the father of two young children, says at that point he was just looking to end the matter. In exchange for having charges dropped, he made an informal agreement to give $2,000 to a charity chosen by the city attorney (a trial would have cost him fifty times that amount) and attend therapy. If he complied, charges would be dropped on March 19.
Hounsell says he complied, but when that day rolled around, Feuer called Webb and told her to revoke the deal. Hounsell says he was given no explanation.
RELATED ARTICLE: Due process denied: Judge dismisses lawsuit from Columbia student accused of sexual assault
A spokesman for Feuer told the Examiner that Hounsell had not completed the agreement by Mar. 19, so that hearing was held in order to give him more time to do so. "The case was continued from March to May so the Defendant could complete more of the court-ordered diversion counseling," Rob Wilcox, director of community engagement and outreach for the city attorney, told the Examiner. "Once that was successfully completed, the case was dismissed."
This does not match with the documentary history he provided, however. It states that there was no court-ordered counseling but an "informal agreement." Wilcox would later tell the Examiner that the deal was actually finalized on Mar. 19, contradicting his earlier claim that it had simply been continued.
When the city attorney finally dropped the charges May 14 — nine months after Hounsell's arrest — the reason cited was "no victim" and "no forensics." The alleged victim had refused to testify, and there was still no evidence of any Facebook contact between Hounsell and Jane Doe.
The lawsuit
By then, Hounsell had obviously been forced to resign from the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. He had to take up odd jobs to support his family. His name was mud.
On Nov. 19, 2014, he sued the L.A. city attorney for defamation, false arrest, malicious prosecution and violation of his 14th Amendment rights. He sought $3.6 million for reputation management (including $24,879 per month for two years to clean up his Google search results), lost wages, career damage and $500,000 for emotional distress.
On April 9, 2015, Judge Margaret Morrow dismissed his claim based on prosecutors' arguments that they enjoy absolute immunity, but provided Hounsell with a leave to amend so that he can challenge whether immunity applies in this case.
"[T]he LACA enjoys absolute immunity for deciding to file charges against Hounsell, whether or not it adequately investigated the facts of the case, adequately determined the statutes under which it should file charges, or adequately reviewed and/or disclosed allegedly exculpatory evidence," Morrow wrote in her dismissal.
If that's the case, Hounsell told the Examiner, then "The most powerful job in this country then is prosecutor, because the Constitution doesn't apply to you."
Hounsell's next filing, a draft of which was provided to the Examiner, will argue that prosecutorial immunity doesn't apply here because prosecutors used fraud to access that immunity, and that immunity does not apply to administrative acts by Feuer's office, such as the pre-trial diversion deal he was offered.
Hounsell and his attorney say that if the judge rules in the city's favor, it "will set a dangerous federal precedent that prosecutors can use their office for reasons to exact revenge and punishment upon political enemies." The city attorney, after all, knew for months that there were no Facebook messages, yet dragged out the case anyway.
Meanwhile, Hounsell is moving on with his life. He's taken a job in Texas and will move there later this year. He's even written a few articles for IJ Review. Still, he says he'll never be able to recover fully from the well-publicized but never-substantiated charges, which he maintains are false.
"It's false," he says. "It's scary. And I will never be able to get out of the shadow of this, ever. They fundamentally changed the way I will live my life." |
Crawl! (also available on DriveThruRPG) is a DCC RPG fanzine designed and published by Dak Ultimak, with a rotating cast of writers (which often includes Dak). I recently snagged the full run, and this zine is really, really well conceived and executed. It’s rawlished — both raw and polished at the same time, which is a balance I enjoy in zines. And it’s hard to pull off!
Crawl! also pairs well with Metal Gods of Ur-Hadad, the subject of my first zine roundup.
The Crawl! blog lists the contents of every issue, so I’m not going to do that. Instead, here’s my favorite thing from each issue (it was often hard to choose just one!):
Issue 1: The last article in this issue is a gem: spell conversion rules for non-DCC spells, in just two digest-size pages. Want to port a D&D spell into DCC, or play a D&D character in a DCC campaign? Boom. Spells are covered. (Special mention: the spell “Snafufubar,” new in this issue.)
The last article in this issue is a gem: spell conversion rules for non-DCC spells, in just two digest-size pages. Want to port a D&D spell into DCC, or play a D&D character in a DCC campaign? Boom. Spells are covered. (Special mention: the spell “Snafufubar,” new in this issue.) Issue 2: “Be Prepared,” which covers new equipment, is a gem. DCC pricing, and flavor, for everything from lodging to bow drills to lutes to glass eyes (for those inevitable funnel-related manglings) — all in two pages. I’d love to see this folded together with the core book’s equipment list.
“Be Prepared,” which covers new equipment, is a gem. DCC pricing, and flavor, for everything from lodging to bow drills to lutes to glass eyes (for those inevitable funnel-related manglings) — all in two pages. I’d love to see this folded together with the core book’s equipment list. Issue 3: “Magic Wand,” a multi-page spell that enables the caster to create a kickass wand, is a strong choice, but it’s edged out by “Let’s Get Familiar,” which expands the options for familiars to include floating tesseracts, stained-glass butterflies, and crawling hands.
“Magic Wand,” a multi-page spell that enables the caster to create a kickass wand, is a strong choice, but it’s edged out by “Let’s Get Familiar,” which expands the options for familiars to include floating tesseracts, stained-glass butterflies, and crawling hands. Issue 4: The entirety of issue #4 is an adventure, the highlight of which is its monsters. They include venomous deathwolves, door frame mimics, and living flesh mounds. The latter are particularly gruesome: They have a chance to absorb victims’ limbs on a successful attack.
The entirety of issue #4 is an adventure, the highlight of which is its monsters. They include venomous deathwolves, door frame mimics, and living flesh mounds. The latter are particularly gruesome: They have a chance to absorb victims’ limbs on a successful attack. Issue 5: I dropped “Quickie Wandering Monster Tables” straight into my DCC campaign, resisting my inclination to build my own charts by terrain type in favor of doing nothing and using Jeff Rients’ excellent work instead.
I dropped “Quickie Wandering Monster Tables” straight into my DCC campaign, resisting my inclination to build my own charts by terrain type in favor of doing nothing and using Jeff Rients’ excellent work instead. Issue 6: I’m not big on new classes, and this is the new class issue…but the gnome is great. Gnomes are illusionists, and they get a Trick Die added to their spellcasting that makes it less likely their spells will fail. They can also cast sturdy illusions, which become tangible, and scripted — triggered or time-based — illusions. Neat!
I’m not big on new classes, and this is the new class issue…but the gnome is great. Gnomes are illusionists, and they get a Trick Die added to their spellcasting that makes it less likely their spells will fail. They can also cast sturdy illusions, which become tangible, and scripted — triggered or time-based — illusions. Neat! Issue 7: Kirin Robinson’s article “Lost in Endless Corridors” takes a hard, sharp look at including mazes in games, why they often suck, and how to make them not suck.
Kirin Robinson’s article “Lost in Endless Corridors” takes a hard, sharp look at including mazes in games, why they often suck, and how to make them not suck. Issue 8: This one’s all about guns, and while the gun rules themselves are slick and very DCC, “Invasion!” is awesome. It’s a toolkit for introducing firearms into your game by way of alien invaders. The invaders might be rum-soaked Napoleonic soldiers who came through a wormhole and crave your blood, or they might be demons from across the sea, staves barking fire, who hunt you like game. This is one of my favorite articles out of the entire Crawl! run to date.
This one’s all about guns, and while the gun rules themselves are slick and very DCC, “Invasion!” is awesome. It’s a toolkit for introducing firearms into your game by way of alien invaders. The invaders might be rum-soaked Napoleonic soldiers who came through a wormhole and crave your blood, or they might be demons from across the sea, staves barking fire, who hunt you like game. This is one of my favorite articles out of the entire Crawl! run to date. Issue 9: Like issue #4, this one’s all adventure — the 0-level funnel “The Arwich Grinder.” It starts with weird redneck hillfolk and winds up in madness and giant, invisible babies and cannibalism. It’s fantastic.
Like issue #4, this one’s all adventure — the 0-level funnel “The Arwich Grinder.” It starts with weird redneck hillfolk and winds up in madness and giant, invisible babies and cannibalism. It’s fantastic. Issue 10: #11 is classes again, but these grab me more — they’re alternate species-based classes. The dwarven priest is my favorite, managing to feel both very D&D and very DCC, with Mighty Deeds, divine aid, and the ability to smell treasure.
#11 is classes again, but these grab me more — they’re alternate species-based classes. The dwarven priest is my favorite, managing to feel both very D&D and very DCC, with Mighty Deeds, divine aid, and the ability to smell treasure. Issue 11: “Fantastic Forms of Sea Ship Propulsion and Their Congenital Complications” is a great article, offering up ships powered by moonlight, pulled by giant eels, or with wind-wraiths filling their web-like sails.
I also dig Crawl!’s covers, particularly these three.
(Scott Ackerman)
(Mitchell Hudson)
(Mario T.)
I’d heard nothing but good things about Crawl!, and it doesn’t disappoint. My “blind buy” of the full run (about $3-$5 per issue) was well worth it. Highly recommended!
Tags: Crawl!, Dak Ultimak, DCC RPG, fantasy, Jeff Rients, Kirin Robinson, Mario T., Metal Gods of Ur-Hadad, Mitchell Hudson, old school, roleplaying games, RPGs, Scott Ackerman, zines |
7.45pm: No.10 has just released an exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and Andrew Lansley. Their most significant revelation? That Lansley is standing down as an MP at the next election. Here’s the relevant text:
“Earlier this year, I told you that I did not intend to stand again at the next election. You supported my ambition to continue my life of public service in challenging and important roles. I am grateful to you now for expressing your support for me to take such a role in international public service in the months ahead.”
But also a mystery in that final sentence: “I am grateful to you now for expressing your support for me to take such a role in international public service in the months ahead,” writes Lansley. That “role in international public service” is yet to be specified, but it makes you wonder: did he expect the EU Commissioner job?!
6.40pm: With Stephen Crabb today becoming the first bearded Conservative Cabinet minister for over a century, what better excuse for excavating this classic ConHome illustration?
6.30pm: One of the questions I asked below has now been answered in the best possible way:
Leader of Lords Baroness Stowell salary is being supplemented to cabinet level rank with funds from Tory Party, not taxpayer. — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) July 15, 2014
6.05pm: Ah, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Foreign Office is Tobias Ellwood. Still no word on a prisons minister.
6pm: Apparently, the reshuffle is over. But, as Dods point out, we’re still awaiting a prisons minister and a Foreign Office minister. Have the roles been done away with? Have they been wrapped up with someone else’s job? Questions, questions, questions, to which you can add even more. Why will Baroness Stowell be paid less than her predecessor as Leader of the Lords? What are the parameters of Esther McVey’s expanded role? While we ponder those, Guido may have hit on the job change that really matters:
Jeremy Heywood quietly takes the title of Head of the Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary whilst we focus on middle management changes… — Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) July 15, 2014
5.30pm: We finally know what role the buoyant Sam Gyimah has risen to. After spells as the Prime Minister’s PPS and then in the Whips’ Office, he’s moving to the new-look Education Department as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State. That ministerial team – with Gyimah, Morgan and Boles – has been so vigorously shaken up that Nick Gibb’s earlier reappointment looks like a steadying act. Unlike the others, Gibb has been there and done that. He knows the schools reform agenda inside-out.
And we’ve also heard that Jo Johnson will be a minister of state in the Cabinet Office, whilst retaining his gig as head of the Downing St policy unit. The two roles might overlap a fair bit, even if only in spirit. As I’ve tried to explain before, the Cabinet Office is basically a think-tank within Government.
5pm: In case you were in any doubt about what Philip Hammond’s main focus will be at the Foreign Office, he’s been talking to the Beeb about Europe. Here, via PoliticsHome, is what he said:
“I’m going to focus on making sure that we get a successful renegotiation with our European partners. I don’t think the way to enter a negotiation is to start issuing threats. The way to enter a negotiation is to look for the areas where we do agree. There are many issues where Britain is not isolated, where there are other members of the European Union that also understand the need for reform and particularly understand the need for reform to allow the Eurozone and the non-Eurozone part of Europe to be able to work together. I’m going to go into these discussions with the prime minister and the chancellor in a very positive mindset and I believe it will be possible to renegotiate significant change to the way the European Union works.”
Of course, I say “main focus” – but the world and its happenings have a way of diverting a Foreign Secretary’s attention.
4.40pm: Pete Hoskin here. The reshuffle, and the afternoon, is certainly in its wind-down phase. The most recent movements have been around the Whips’ Office. Not only has Gove denied that he’s been demoted – “No, I’m part of a key team” – but it’s also been announced that Therese Coffey, Damian Hinds, Mel Stride and Ben Wallace have been made Assistant Government Whips. Also, Alun Cairns has been made a Government Whip as well as a junior minister at the Welsh Office. Coffey, it should be noted, is already getting into the spirit of her new role with some Government-approved hashtags:
I’m very pleased the Prime Minister @Number10gov has asked me to become an assistant Whip #reshuffle #LongTermEconomicPlan — Therese Coffey (@theresecoffey) July 15, 2014
4pm: If anyone thought that moving Gove from Education would stop those fascinating (and, for the Government, awkward) blogposts from Dominic Cummings, it looks like they were wrong. The man himself says: “FYI lobby: am doing no interviews, no briefing, in mtngs, will blog later in week”.
3.30pm: We can expect a lot more gags like this from the backbenches in coming months: 3pm Mark here again. Most of the jobs have now been dished out, so things are starting to wind down somewhat. A handful of MPs have recently been inside Number 10, but their posts (if any) haven’t yet been announced – they are Therese Coffey, Sam Gyimah and Tobias Ellwood. When asked by assembled hacks what she’d got, Therese enigmatically replied “you’ll find out soon enough”.
I believe this could be the last person to enter No10 for reshuffle… Tobias Ellwood MP — Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) July 15, 2014
2.40pm Asa Bennett of the Huffington Post seems to have been the first to point out that the Leader of the Lords has apparently been demoted. Jonathan Hill, Britain’s new EU Commissioner, was a full Cabinet member. Tina Stowell, his replacement, will only have “right to attend”. Elsewhere, Brooks Newmark is the new Minister for Civil Society and Ed Vaizey becomes Minister responsible for digital industries. Looks like an expansion of the latter’s empire to me. 2.20pm Eric Pickles survives – still in place at CLG with his friend, ally and fellow former council leader, Brandon Lewis. By the way, I make it that the already big Cabinet is bigger by one, now that Matthew Hancock as well as Esther McVey have the right to attend. 2pm George Freeman becomes a Bis Minister and Andrew Murrison moves from Defence to Northenrn Ireland. On Fox, Lord Ashcroft has tweeted that Cameron made the offer knowing it would be turned down. My response is that the Prime Minister is playing a risky game if that is indeed the case. To which our proprietor replies: “always the problem when insincerity raises it’s head….” 1.40pm Confirmed: Fox turned down the post presently occupied by Hugo Swire (who, we must therefore presume, us leaving Government). We have his statement: “I was honoured to be offered a post as Minister of State in the Foreign Office by the Prime Minister. I have turned it down. The issues that matter most to me and my constituents in North Somerset are the economy, immigration and Europe. I do not want to be distracted from what needs to be said on these matters at such an important time politically and I look forward to discussing them from the backbenches in the lead up to the General Election.” To me, that last line has a distinct air of menace. Fox was never likely to accept a post that gave him no right to attend Cabinet, and the offer would therefore have been better not. Elsewhere, Robert Buckland is Solicitor-General, Desmond Swayne moves from the Whips Office to DFID, and we have two moves that recognise there’s a way back to Government – from sacking or from opposition. Nick Gibb return to Education as a Minister of State – as I suggested in May – and Julian Brazier goes to Defence as an Under-Secretary. The dedicated Gibb was unfairly removed from his post in an earlier shuffle, and Brazier, a former Opposition Defence Spokesman, has done a sterling job defending the Government’s reservists’ plan – here he is writing about it on this site. 1.20pm Paul Goodman here and writing. The Liam Fox mystery seems to be solved. The briefing about his return was so prominent it simply had to have come from Government sources. According to James Chapman of the Mail, he was indeed offered a post. But not in Cabinet. And perhaps not even with the “right to attend” – back at the Foreign Office, where he started off as a Minister during the 1990s. It seems he has refused. If true, was the Minister for Europe post opened for him, or the other Foreign Office Commons Minister of State post? 1pm: It’s interesting to watch Labour try to settle on a response to the reshuffle. There’s been a snipe from Gloria del Piero about women, but nothing more on the topic. They’ve dug up an old Stephen Crabb quote about devolution. They’ve even tried to suggest MPs who voted against Same Sex Marriage cannot be Ministers at all. All in all, they don’t seem to have found a line that works yet, and are instead trying out a variety. 12.55pm: Penny Mordaunt is given the role of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at CLG. Anna Soubry is promoted to Minister of State at Defence. Elsewhere, Amber Rudd has been promoted to become Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DECC – she was previously PPS to George Osborne. 12.40pm: The reshuffle is starting to reach the Treasury:
David Gauke is promoted from Exchequer Secretary to Financial Secretary to the Treasury, succeeding Nicky Morgan
Priti Patel (columnist of this parish) steps up to be Exchequer Secretary – a pleasing appointment for the Right of the party
In other news, Claire Perry is now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Transport (a reward for her loyalty as well as her profile), John Hayes is now Minister of State at Transport (and will continue his Cabinet Office role, too), and Oliver Letwin has added Lord Privy Seal to his Government Policy role. 12.20pm: This is a campaigning reshuffle – as well as promoting good television performers, we’re told that Crosby presented polling on some people, namely Michael Gove, to inform the decision on their futures. Even given that focus on next year, it’s unusual that marginal seats influence the reshuffle – but that’s exactly what Portsmouth appears to be doing. Michael Fallon, Minister for the city, has been promoted to Defence Secretary, and there are a lot of rumours that Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, may join his team at the MoD. It appears that a pro-Portsmouth narrative was one of the considerations for the reshuffle, which is quite extraordinary. Noon: The big news among the ranks of Junior Ministers is the return of Mark Harper to the Government, just over five months after resigning over his cleaner. He’s well-liked in Westminster and an able Minister, but I suspect the wider electorate will be surprised he has been rehabilitated quite so soon. If, that is, they learn about it – it’s such a big reshuffle that the news might not cut through. In other moves, Nick Boles has left his home as Planning Minister to become a Minister of State shared between Education and Business. According to the official announcement, he will oversee the implementation of Same Sex Marriage, among other things. It will be interesting to see who replaces him in Planning – the need for new homes is pressing, and he has been an evangelist for the subject. Mike Penning, formerly Minister of State for Disabled People, takes up a cross-departmental role, too – he will now split his time between the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice. In effect, he’ll be the new police minister, succeeding Damian Green. 11.40am: Sad news – Michael Fabricant is apparently uncontactable as his Blackberry is being fixed by the Parliamentary IT department. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost… 11.30am: Another raft of moves: Baroness Stowell is now Leader of the House of Lords, Jeremy Wright becomes Attorney General and Matt Hancock takes over from Fallon as Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Energy. Hancock will also attend Cabinet, a further signal that he’s taking on Fallon’s role as the Chief Minder of Vince Cable. With all these attendees, Cabinet is looking rather full – will there be any room for Liam Fox after all? It’s hard to see where. 11.10am: As everyone Googles the words “Lord” and “Hill”, don’t forget there are still other appointments underway. Stephen Crabb has just been confirmed as Welsh Secretary, which was widely expected, while Greg Clark will add Minister for Science and Universities to his brief – apparently on top of his role as Minister for Cities at the Cabinet Office. He will also continue to attend the Cabinet. 10.55am: Paul has written at greater length about the decision to move Gove: “We had a great Education Secretary who had run into some trouble. He has thus been demoted into a job which ill fits his many talents.” Read the full piece here. 10.43am: After endless speculation, the Prime Minister has chosen to nominate Lord Hill to be Britain’s new EU Commissioner. Previously the Leader of the House of Lords, he was interviewed by ConHome’s Andrew Gimson last month – an interview which included the following exchange: ConHome: “If the Prime Minister asked you to be our next European commissioner, would you consent?” Hill: “Non, non, non.” ConHome: “You speak French! This means you are highly suitable.” Hill: “First, I don’t believe I’m going to be asked. Secondly, I like it here. I quite like it at home, in the British Isles. 10.28am: A surprise on the Esther McVey front – most had expected her to get a bump up to become a Cabinet Minister, but she’s staying as Minister for Employment and Disabilities. The job will be uprated somewhat, as she is going to attend Cabinet, but it’s not a fully fledged promotion. Might this be a consequence of what Number 10 felt were unhelpful remarks about Maria Miller? 10am: Michael Fallon is the new Defence Secretary. As we’ve noted in the past, Fallon is a loyal, hard-working Minister (as seen in his agreement to hold no less than three different posts at the same time – Enterprise, Energy and Portsmouth). This is certainly a reward for that dedication, but it’s also something more. For a start, he’s a sound media performer. His promotion is also something of a reply to the argument seen on the front page of most papers this morning, namely that this is a bad reshuffle for white, middle-aged men. For all that, it’s a much deserved appointment. 9.50am: The sackings took place in Cameron’s Commons office last night, to avoid shots of grimaces or tears on Downing Street. The happy business of today takes place at Number 10, though, so we do have some shots of cheery up-and-comers arriving (and the traditional shouted questions from the assembled media). Here’s Liz Truss being asked “Have you got your wellies?” 9.30am, Tuesday: Good morning, and welcome back! Mark Wallace here again. The plan was that yesterday would be sacking day and today would be moves, promotions and appointments day. It’s broadly panning out like that (bar any last-minute flouncing). Here is the round-up of what’s happened so far this morning:
Michael Gove has replaced Sir George Young as Chief Whip
Nicky Morgan has replaced Michael Gove as Education Secretary
Liz Truss has replaced Owen Paterson as Secretary of State at DEFRA
Philip Hammond has replaced William Hague as Foreign Secretary
10.30pm: A roll call of the moved and departed to date, five questions – and a tribute. William Hague (moved), Owen Paterson, Ken Clarke, David Jones, David Willetts, Damian Green, Dominic Grieve, Greg Barker, Alan Duncan, Andrew Robathan, Nick Hurd, Stephen Hammond – and now Hugh Robertson (confirming Beth Rigby’s tweet) and Sir George Young: he’s on Number Ten’s just-released list of departing Ministers. Will Greg Hands, Osborne ally, replace him as Chief Whip? * The Left and Right of the Party will both claim they have been hit. But at Cabinet level, the Right is net one down, having lost Paterson and Jones. What will Cameron do to make it up to the Right tomorrow – probably with Liam Fox? * Would the Foreign Office be ready for Philip Hammond – the man who agreed with Michael Gove in 2012 that were he to choose now he would plump for leaving the EU? * Who will go in as Defence Secretary? (P.S: Anna Soubry is a Defence Minister. Just saying.) * How would George Osborne regard the boosting of Hammond’s future leadership credentials? After all, making the latter Foreign Secretary would make him a very big player indeed. * Above all, will this big shuffle – with those culled to date being male MPs from the pre-2010 intakes – go horribly wrong within the Conservative Parliamentary Party? Finally, the tribute. Hague has been and remains a great servant of his Party. Should be said. 10pm My source was right. William Hague is leaving the Foreign Office and leaves Parliament at the next election. He will be Leader of the House. There’s heavy briefing that neither Osborne or May will replace him. Tom Bradby of ITV is being briefed that Phillip Hammond will replace him. Such a move would make Hammond the most senior person in Cabinet on the right, with the exception of Iain Duncan Smith – and set him up as potential leadership candidate. He tends to lead the also-rans in ConservativeHome’s poll of possible future leaders. 9.45pm It’s being claimed that William Hague will leave the Foreign Office to become Leader of the House – which would certainly free him up for the election campaign as a major Tory voice from the north. But the assumption has been that Cameron will want to keep his top three Ministers in place as a sign of continuity and strength. I can scarcely believe that Hague will move, but have to add that my source is strong. Also: see James Landale below. 9.25pm Tim Montgomerie is tweeting that Owen Paterson has gone. It’s a pity. Paterson is immensely hard-working, principled and (usually) right. He was over how to handle flooding; he has a point, and more, on climate change. But his digging his heels on the latter won’t have helped him in Downing Street: no wonder Lord Lawson moved to support him last weekend. The move makes it more likely that Liam Fox will come back to balance. I have to add that some in Paterson’s circle have been less than deft in their support of his cause during the last few months – and, in my view, must take some of the blame for his departure. 9.15pm Robathan was one of David Cameron’s main backers when he ran for the Party leadership in 2005. He’s going. So was Greg Barker – and he’s going too, according to the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope: indeed, he will apparently stand down at the next election. Barker is an enthusiast for combating climate change, and the man co-snapped in those campaigning photos with Cameron and huskies. He is doubtless off to make money: a sign that Commons careers and turnover are becoming more rapid. And it may be Lord Barker in due course. 9pm Calm down, dears. Lots of rubbish on Twitter about a slaughter of the Tory left – some of it from people who should know better. Jones and Stephen Hammond are on the centre-right. So is Robathan – a member of one of the main Conservative Eurosceptic dining clubs. So is Alan Duncan, who is (or certainly was) a member of the No Turning Back. It’s being a middle aged man that makes you a target in this shuffle – not being a left-of-Tory-centre Conservative. P.S: Will it be Sir Alan, by the way? 8.35pm Dominic Grieve out, according to Sky News. If so, the path to Theresa May and Chris Grayling pursuing a British exit from the ECHR will be clearer. 8.30pm Paul Goodman here – taking over from Mark Wallace. This shuffle is taking shape. There’s clearly a cull of male Ministers from the pre-2010 intake who weren’t going up – so they’re going out. Green, Stephen Hammond, Hurd, Robathan: four to date below Cabinet level. (Clarke, Jones, Willetts leave vacancies around the Cabinet table.) Cameron must beware of the revenge of Prufrock – as I wrote this morning and Tom Bradby suggests below. Beth Rigby of the Financial Times is suggesting that Hugh Robertson may go; at a more senior level, there’s a lot of speculation about Owen Paterson. 8.18pm: Rail Minister Stephen Hammond has gone, as has Damian Green, the Police and Criminal Justice Minister. 8.05pm: There’s a good question about what happens to the teams of the ministers who are leaving. Their SpAds often depart, as many of them are personal appointments, but the future for their PPS’s is rather less certain – some are there for reasons of personal loyalty, some for reasons of expertise. Others may be good at the topic but might not get on with the new minister they are working for. MPs like Ben Wallace (Ken Clarke’s PPS) and Daniel Kawczynski (David Jones’ PPS) may well undergo the longest reshuffle as a result – not only finding out their bosses have gone, but then awaiting their replacements to find out their fate. 7.43pm: Another to go is David Willetts – he not only is no longer Universities Minister, but has also announced he intends to leave parliament at the next election. It’s noteworthy that so far most of the ministerial departures that have been announced are graceful decisions to “step down”. That doesn’t of course mean all those involved were that keen on leaving – but that they’ve been persuaded this is the loyal/polite/honourable way – “greater love hath no minister than this, than he giveth up his job for the appearance of unity”. I wonder how many political knighthoods we might see among those who have taken this route. 7.36pm: Nick Hurd steps down as Minister for Civil Society:
Am standing down having been given by DC the rare opportunity to do six years in a wonderful brief. Very proud of what we achieved. — Minister Civ Soc (@minforcivsoc) July 14, 2014
7.26pm: Two more names on the “Out” list – Alan Duncan, previously International Development Minister, is leaving the Government (“at his own request”, Tom Newton Dunn reports) as is Minister of State for Northern Ireland Andrew Robathan.
7.18pm: It’s worth noting that we haven’t heard anything at all about the Lib Dems so far – they’re an awkward spot for Cameron, given that he doesn’t have full control of who fills their seats but their lack of female MPs still drags down his numbers. Clegg confirmed recently that Vince Cable would keep his job until the election, but beyond that they’ve kept very quiet.
7pm: Boris is apparently making the most of the fact his party was so rudely interrupted, telling his audience: “I’ve been standing by my phone all evening waiting for the call to Brussels.”
6.40pm: The peculiar beast which is the Westminster reshuffle is distinguished as much by the confusion that surrounds it as by the actual news. Take for example the speculation about Eric Pickles – Tom McTague and Jason Beattie of The Mirror say he’s moving from DCLG, while Tom Newton Dunn of The Sun says he’s staying. All I hear is that no-one yet knows, and he’s due to host the summer reception for the Local Government APPG this evening in the Commons – which could be awkward.
6.20pm: A small angle to the proceedings, but it’s amusing to note that the reshuffle coincides with what was meant to be Boris’ summer drinks with political journalists, all of whom are now welded to their desks for the foreseeable future. I’m sure it’s a coincidence but I doubt there’s a huge amount of regret at Number 10 about spoiling the bash.
6pm: Hello, Mark Wallace here. It’s finally upon us – the reshuffle has begun. I’ll be updating this blog as the sackings, promotions, suprises and disappointments occur. If you spot anything particularly interesting or amusing, please do post it in the comments below.
The first heads to roll are those of David Jones, the Secretary of State for Wales, and Ken Clarke, Minister without Portfolio. While Jones has only been in the Cabinet since September 2012, Clarke is of course somewhat longer in the tooth, having first served as a minister in 1982. While much of the attention at the reshuffle is on gender, it’s worth remembering that MPs will also be interpreting it in terms of ideology – Jones’ departure will be seen as a loss to the Right of the party.
The plan is apparently for the Prime Minister to remove all those who are going this evening (presumably wary of a repeat of last time, when Baroness Warsi effectively refused to be sacked), and then doing appointments tomorrow, so there is no word as yet who might replace them. There are however rumours that Stephen Crabb may be the next Secretary of State for Wales. |
With less than half an hour to spare, Chen Zhu calmly emerged from the subway station connected to the massive Beijing West Railway Station with a small, wheeled bag.
Upon retrieving her ticket from a kiosk, Chen breezed through the security checkpoint before scanning her ticket to open an automated gate leading to the platform. Five minutes after boarding, she was reading a book as her bullet train pulled out of the station precisely on time.
For this young journalist who frequently travels for work, these steps have become part of an increasingly appealing routine amid worsening air traffic congestion at major airports across China.
"Flights out of Beijing are always delayed," Chen said. "Door to door, high-speed trains are often faster than flying for me.
"I usually get to the station last minute and board the train right before departure. The service is just so punctual."
Business Traveller looks at passenger demand for better food and opera star Joseph Calleja on perfecting his travel routine.
Business Traveller explores Eurostar's expansion plans and steps towards a universal ticketing system in Europe.
l e v a r t
China's fast-expanding high-speed rail network is now the world's busiest with daily ridership exceeding 1.3 million.
On morning of Chen's journey, train G511 raced through the countryside at 300 kmph (186 mph) from Beijing to the central city of Wuhan in just five hours -- less than half the time of the regular rail route.
The new link between Beijing and Wuhan opened last December and added to what has become the world's longest high-speed rail line, running almost 2,300 kilometers (1,429 miles) from the Chinese capital to the southern metropolis of Guangzhou.
Although Chen still prefers to fly on longer routes, she says on business trips shorter than six hours, the choice of train over plane is now a no-brainer.
"I work or read on the train," she said, highlighting the benefit of uninterrupted mobile phone reception. "It's great that everyone has access to a power outlet."
At $85, her second-class seat costs less than half of a full-fare economy-class plane ticket on this major business route.
Now the world's second-largest economy, and flush with cash, China has been busy purchasing foreign rail technologies and building high-speed lines.
The Chinese government, which owns and operates all domestic rail companies, launched the country's first high-speed service in 2007 and now boasts 9,300 kilometers (5,778 miles) of high-speed routes nationwide, turning a nonexistent network into the world's longest in a few short years.
"In less than a decade, we constructed more high-speed rail lines than what it took Japan and Europe 40 years to build," said Zhao Jian, an economics professor at Beijing Jiaotong University and one of the country's leading experts on rail transportation.
"We've had such amazing growth because land expropriation is cheap and so is labor," he explained. "You also have the economy of scale -- other countries usually build a few hundred kilometers of tracks, but in China we're talking about thousands of kilometers."
Although Zhao is often cited as a skeptical voice in the development of high-speed rail in China, even he is impressed after taking a few rides.
"I've taken high-speed trains in Japan, Germany, France, South Korea and Taiwan," he said. "Ours offer the smoothest and fastest ride in the world."
The massive investments and rapid construction, however, have raised public concerns over the new service's safety record and commercial viability, amid state media reports of empty trains traveling between inconvenient new stations in less-developed provinces.
Already, rail officials have slowed down some bullet trains -- originally planned to run as fast as 380 kmph (236 mph) -- to make the service safer and cheaper.
"Raising the speed to 350kmph (217 mph) or 380 kmph (236 mph) would lower built-in safety redundancies, and greatly increase wear-and-tear and operating costs," Zhao said. "It's not the faster, the better."
During most of her journey, Chen's train was only half full, but that hasn't dampened her enthusiasm for her favorite mode of transportation.
"I think in parts of the country, taking high-speed trains will be like taking buses in the future," she said. |
American actor
James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military officer who is among the most honored and popular stars in film history. With a career spanning 62 years, Stewart was a major Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player who was known for his distinctive drawl and down-to-earth persona, which helped him often portray American middle-class men struggling in crisis. Many of the films in which he starred have become enduring classics.
Stewart was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one for The Philadelphia Story (1940), and received an Academy Lifetime Achievement award in 1985. In 1999, Stewart was named the third-greatest male screen legend of the Golden Age of Hollywood by the American Film Institute, behind Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant.[2] The American Film Institute has also named five of Stewart's films to its list of the 100 best American films ever made.[3]
He also had a noted military career and was a World War II and Vietnam War veteran and pilot, who rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Air Force Reserve, becoming the highest-ranking actor in military history.[4] In 1985, Stewart was promoted to Major General, reserve list by President Ronald Reagan, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Early life and career [ edit ]
James Maitland Stewart was born on May 20, 1908, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, the son of Elizabeth Ruth (née Jackson; March 16, 1875 – August 2, 1953) and Alexander Maitland Stewart (May 19, 1871 – December 28, 1961), who owned a hardware store.[5][6] Stewart was of Scottish ancestry and was raised as a Presbyterian.[7][8][9] He was descended from veterans of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War.[9] The eldest of three children (he had two younger sisters, Virginia Wilson Stewart and Mary Kelly Stewart), young Jimmy was expected to one day inherit his father's store and continue a business that had been in the family for three generations.[10][11] His mother was an excellent pianist, but his father discouraged Stewart's request for music lessons. When his father once accepted a gift of an accordion from a guest, Stewart quickly learned to play the instrument, which became a fixture offstage during his acting career. As the family grew, music continued to be an important part of family life.[11]
Stewart attended Mercersburg Academy prep school, graduating in 1928. He was active in a variety of activities. He played on the football and track teams (competing as a high jumper under coach Jimmy Curran), was art editor of the KARUX yearbook, and a member of the choir club, glee club, and John Marshall Literary Society. During his first summer break, Stewart returned to his hometown to work as a brick loader for a local construction company and on highway and road construction jobs where he painted lines on the roads. Over the following two summers, he took a job as an assistant with a professional magician.[12] He made his first appearance onstage at Mercersburg, as Buquet in the play The Wolves.[13]
A shy child, Stewart spent much of his after-school time in the basement working on model airplanes, mechanical drawing, and chemistry—all with a dream of going into aviation. It was a dream greatly enhanced by the legendary 1927 flight of Charles Lindbergh, whose progress 19-year-old Stewart, then stricken with scarlet fever, was avidly following from home, foreshadowing his starring movie role as Lindbergh 30 years later.[14]
However, he abandoned visions of being a pilot when his father insisted that instead of the United States Naval Academy he attend Princeton University. Stewart enrolled at Princeton in 1928 as a member of the class of 1932. He excelled at studying architecture, so impressing his professors with his thesis on an airport design that he was awarded a scholarship for graduate studies,[12] but he gradually became attracted to the school's drama and music clubs, including the Princeton Triangle Club.[15] His acting and accordion talents at Princeton led him to be invited to the University Players, an intercollegiate summer stock company in West Falmouth, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. The company had been organized in 1928 and would run until 1932, with Joshua Logan, Bretaigne Windust and Charles Leatherbee as directors. Stewart performed in bit parts in the Players' productions in Cape Cod during the summer of 1932, after he graduated.
The troupe had previously included Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan. Stewart and Fonda became close friends over the summer of 1932 when they shared an apartment with Joshua Logan and Myron McCormick.[16] When Stewart came to New York at the end of the summer stock season, which had included the Broadway tryout of Goodbye Again, he shared an apartment with Fonda, who had by then finalized his divorce from Sullavan. Along with fellow University Players Alfred Dalrymple and Myron McCormick, Stewart debuted on Broadway in the brief run of Carry Nation and a few weeks later – again with McCormick and Dalrymple – as a chauffeur in the comedy Goodbye Again, in which he had two lines. The New Yorker commented, "Mr. James Stewart's chauffeur... comes on for three minutes and walks off to a round of spontaneous applause."[17]
The play was a moderate success, but times were hard. Many Broadway theaters had been converted to movie houses and the Depression was reaching bottom. "From 1932 through 1934", Stewart later recalled, "I'd only worked three months. Every play I got into folded."[18] By 1934, he was given more substantial stage roles, including the modest hit Page Miss Glory and his first dramatic stage role in Sidney Howard's Yellow Jack, which convinced him to continue his acting career. However, Stewart and Fonda, still roommates, were both struggling. In the fall of 1934, Fonda's success in The Farmer Takes a Wife took him to Hollywood. Finally, Stewart attracted the interest of MGM scout Bill Grady who saw Stewart on the opening night of Divided by Three, a glittering première with many luminaries in attendance, including Irving Berlin, Moss Hart and Fonda, who had returned to New York for the show. With Fonda's encouragement, Stewart agreed to take a screen test, after which he signed a contract with MGM in April 1935, as a contract player for up to seven years at $350 a week.[19]
Upon Stewart's arrival by train in Los Angeles, Fonda greeted him at the station and took him to Fonda's studio-supplied lodging, next door to Greta Garbo. Stewart's first job at the studio was as a participant in screen tests with newly arrived starlets. At first, he had trouble being cast in Hollywood films owing to his gangling looks and shy, humble screen presence. Aside from an unbilled appearance in a Shemp Howard comedy short called Art Trouble in 1934, his first film was the poorly received Spencer Tracy vehicle The Murder Man (1935). Rose Marie (1936), an adaptation of a popular operetta, was more successful. After having mixed success in films, he received his first intensely dramatic role in 1936's After the Thin Man, and played Jean Harlow's character's frustrated boyfriend in the Clark Gable vehicle Wife vs. Secretary earlier that same year.
On the romantic front, he dated newly divorced Ginger Rogers.[20] The romance soon cooled, however, and by chance Stewart encountered Margaret Sullavan again. Stewart found his footing in Hollywood thanks largely to Sullavan, who campaigned for Stewart to be her leading man in the 1936 romantic comedy Next Time We Love. She rehearsed extensively with him, having a noticeable effect on his confidence. She encouraged Stewart to feel comfortable with his unique mannerisms and boyish charm and use them naturally as his own style. Stewart was enjoying Hollywood life and had no regrets about giving up the stage, as he worked six days a week in the MGM factory.[21] In 1936, he acquired big-time agent Leland Hayward, who would eventually marry Sullavan. Hayward started to chart Stewart's career, deciding that the best path for him was through loan-outs to other studios.
Pre-war success [ edit ]
In 1938 Stewart had a brief, tumultuous romance with Hollywood queen Norma Shearer, whose husband, Irving Thalberg, head of production at MGM, had died two years earlier. Stewart began a successful partnership with director Frank Capra in 1938, when he was loaned out to Columbia Pictures to star in You Can't Take It With You. Capra had been impressed by Stewart's minor role in Navy Blue and Gold (1937). The director had recently completed several well received films, including It Happened One Night (1934), and was looking for the right actor to suit his needs—other recent actors in Capra's films such as Clark Gable, Ronald Colman, and Gary Cooper did not quite fit. Not only was Stewart just what he was looking for, but Capra also found Stewart understood that archetype intuitively and required very little directing. Later Capra commented, "I think he's probably the best actor who's ever hit the screen."[22]
You Can't Take It With You, starring Capra's "favorite actress", comedian Jean Arthur, won the 1938 Best Picture Academy Award. The following year saw Stewart work with Capra and Arthur again in the political comedy-drama Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Stewart replaced intended star Gary Cooper in the film, playing an idealist thrown into the political arena. Upon its October 1939 release, the film garnered critical praise and became a box-office success. Stewart received the first of five Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. Stewart's father was still trying to talk him into leaving Hollywood and its sinful ways and to return to his home town to lead a decent life. Stewart took a secret trip to Europe to take a break and returned home in 1939 just as Germany invaded Poland.[22]
You hear so much about the old movie moguls and the impersonal factories where there is no freedom. MGM was a wonderful place where decisions were made on my behalf by my superiors. What's wrong with that? James Stewart, The Leading Men of MGM[23]
Destry Rides Again, also released in 1939, became Stewart's first western film, a genre with which he would become identified later in his career. In this western parody, he is a pacifist lawman and Marlene Dietrich is the dancing saloon girl who comes to love him, but does not get him. Off-screen, Dietrich did get her man, but the romance was short-lived.[24] Made for Each Other (1939) had Stewart sharing the screen with Carole Lombard in a melodrama that garnered good reviews for both stars, but did less well with the public. Newsweek wrote that they were "perfectly cast in the leading roles".[25] Between movies, Stewart began a radio career and became a distinctive voice on the Lux Radio Theater's The Screen Guild Theater and other shows. So well-known had his slow drawl become that comedians began impersonating him.[26]
In 1940 Stewart and Sullavan reunited for two films. The first, the Ernst Lubitsch romantic comedy, The Shop Around the Corner, starred them as co-workers unknowingly involved in a pen-pal romance but who cannot stand each other in real life. It was Stewart's fifth film of the year and one of the rare ones shot in sequence; it was completed in only 27 days.[27] The Mortal Storm, directed by Frank Borzage, was one of the first blatantly anti-Nazi films to be produced in Hollywood and featured Sullavan and Stewart as friends and then lovers caught in turmoil upon Hitler's rise to power, literally hunted down by their own friends.
Stewart also starred with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in George Cukor's classic The Philadelphia Story (1940). His performance as an intrusive, fast-talking reporter earned him his only Academy Award in a competitive category (Best Actor, 1941); he beat out his good friend Henry Fonda (The Grapes of Wrath). Stewart thought his performance "entertaining and slick and smooth" but lacking the "guts" of "Mr. Smith".[28] Stewart gave the Oscar statuette to his father, who displayed it for many years in a case inside the front door of his hardware store, alongside other family awards and military medals.
During the months before he began military service, Stewart appeared in a series of screwball comedies with varying levels of success. He followed No Time for Comedy (1940) with Rosalind Russell and Come Live with Me (1941) with Hedy Lamarr with the Judy Garland musical Ziegfeld Girl and the George Marshall romantic comedy Pot o' Gold, featuring Paulette Goddard. Stewart enlisted in late 1940, a situation that coincided with the lapse in his MGM contract, marking a turning point in Stewart's career, with 28 movies to his credit at that point.[29]
Military service [ edit ]
Stewart's family on both sides had deep military roots, as both grandfathers had fought in the Civil War,[9] and his father had served during both the Spanish–American War and World War I. Stewart considered his father to be the biggest influence on his life, so it was not surprising that, when another war came, he too was willing to serve. Members of his family had previously been in the infantry, but Stewart chose to become a flier.[30]
An early interest in flying led Stewart to gain his private pilot certificate in 1935 and commercial pilot license in 1938. He often flew cross-country to visit his parents in Pennsylvania, navigating by the railroad tracks.[12] Nearly two years before the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Stewart had accumulated over 400 hours of flying time.[31]
Considered a highly proficient pilot, he entered a cross-country race as a co-pilot in 1939.[32] Stewart, along with musician/composer Hoagy Carmichael, saw the need for trained war pilots, and joined with other Hollywood celebrities to invest in Thunderbird Field, a pilot-training school built and operated by Southwest Airways in Glendale, Arizona. This airfield became part of the United States Army Air Forces training establishment and trained more than 10,000 pilots during World War II.[33]
In October 1940, Stewart attempted to enlist in the United States Army but was rejected for failing to meet the weight requirements for his height for new recruits—Stewart was 5 pounds (2.3 kg) under the standard. To get up to 143 pounds (65 kg), he sought out the help of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's muscle man and trainer Don Loomis, who was noted for his ability to help people gain or lose weight in his studio gymnasium. Stewart subsequently attempted to enlist in the Air Corps, but still came in underweight, although he persuaded the enlistment officer to run new tests, this time passing the weigh-in,[34][N 2] with the result that Stewart enlisted and was inducted in the Army on March 22, 1941. He became the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II, having been enlisted prior to the USA entering the conflict.[1]
Stewart enlisted as a private[12][35] but applied for an Air Corps commission and Service Pilot rating as both a college graduate and a licensed commercial pilot. Soon to be 33, he was almost six years beyond the maximum age restriction for Aviation Cadet training, the normal path of commissioning for pilots, navigators and bombardiers. The now-obsolete auxiliary pilot ratings (Glider Pilot, Liaison Pilot and Service Pilot) differed from the Aviation Cadet Program in that a higher maximum age limit and corrected vision were allowed upon initial entry. Stewart received his commission as a second lieutenant on January 1, 1942,[36] shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, while a corporal at Moffett Field, California. He received his Service Pilot rating at that time, under the Service Pilot program established in March 1942 for experienced former civilian pilots. Although Service Pilots were normally restricted to noncombat flying, they were permitted to fly overseas on cargo and utility transports, typically with Air Transport, Ferry or Troop Carrier Commands. Under the regulations of the period, a Service Pilot could obtain an unrestricted Pilot rating after one year of USAAF service on flying status, provided he met certain flight experience requirements and passed an evaluation board, and some did in fact go on to combat flying assignments.[37] Stewart's first assignment was an appearance at a March of Dimes rally in Washington, D.C., but Stewart wanted assignment to an operational unit rather than serving as a recruiting symbol. He applied for and was granted advanced training on multi-engine aircraft. Stewart was posted to nearby Mather Field to instruct in both single- and twin-engine aircraft.[35][38]
Winning Your Wings (1942) Lieutenant James Stewart in(1942)
Public appearances by Stewart were limited engagements scheduled by the Army Air Forces. "Stewart appeared several times on network radio with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, he performed with Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Walter Huston and Lionel Barrymore in an all-network radio program called We Hold These Truths, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights."[39] In early 1942, Stewart was asked to appear in a film to help recruit the 100,000 airmen the USAAF anticipated it would need to win the war. The USAAF's First Motion Picture Unit shot scenes of Lieutenant Stewart in his pilot's flight jacket and recorded his voice for narration. The short recruitment film Winning Your Wings appeared in movie theaters nationwide beginning in late May and was very successful, resulting in 150,000 new recruits.[40][41]
Stewart was concerned that his expertise and celebrity status would relegate him to instructor duties "behind the lines".[42] His fears were confirmed when, after his promotion to first lieutenant on July 7, 1942,[43] he was stationed from August to December 1942 at Kirtland Army Airfield in Albuquerque, New Mexico, piloting AT-11 Kansans used in training bombardiers. He was transferred to Hobbs Army Airfield, New Mexico, for three months of transition training in the four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress, then sent to the Combat Crew Processing Center in Salt Lake City, where he expected to be assigned to a combat unit. Instead, he was assigned in early 1943 to an operational training unit, the 29th Bombardment Group at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, as an instructor.[35] He was promoted to captain on July 9, 1943,[43] and appointed a squadron commander.[38] To Stewart, now 35, combat duty seemed far away and unreachable, and he had no clear plans for the future. However, a rumor that Stewart would be taken off flying status and assigned to making training films or selling bonds called for immediate action, because what he dreaded most was "the hope-shattering spectre of a dead end".[44] Stewart appealed to his commander, 30-year-old Lt. Col. Walter E. Arnold Jr., who understood his situation and recommended Stewart to the commander of the 445th Bombardment Group, a B-24 Liberator unit that had just completed initial training at Gowen Field and gone on to final training at Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa.[45][N 3]
In August 1943, Stewart was assigned to the 445th Bomb Group as operations officer of the 703d Bombardment Squadron, but after three weeks became its commander. On October 12, 1943, judged ready to go overseas, the 445th Bomb Group staged to Lincoln Army Airfield, Nebraska. Flying individually, the aircraft first flew to Morrison Army Airfield, Florida, and then on the circuitous Southern Route along the coasts of South America and Africa to RAF Tibenham, Norfolk, England. After several weeks of training missions, in which Stewart flew with most of his combat crews, the group flew its first combat mission on December 13, 1943, to bomb the U-boat facilities at Kiel, Germany, followed three days later by a mission to Bremen. Stewart led the high squadron of the group formation on the first mission, and the entire group on the second.[47] Following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944, Stewart was promoted to major.[47][N 4] Stewart was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing on the first day of "Big Week" operations in February and flew two other missions that week.[49]
On March 22, 1944, Stewart flew his 12th combat mission, leading the 2nd Bomb Wing in an attack on Berlin. On March 30, 1944, he was sent to RAF Old Buckenham to become group operations officer of the 453rd Bombardment Group, a new B-24 unit that had just lost both its commander and operations officer on missions.[50] To inspire the unit, Stewart flew as command pilot in the lead B-24 on several missions deep into Nazi-occupied Europe. As a staff officer, Stewart was assigned to the 453rd "for the duration" and thus not subject to a quota of missions of a combat tour. He nevertheless assigned himself as a combat crewman on the group's missions until his promotion to lieutenant colonel on June 3[43] and reassignment on July 1, 1944, to the 2nd Bomb Wing, assigned as executive officer to Brigadier General Edward J. Timberlake. His official tally of mission credits while assigned to the 445th and 453rd Bomb Groups was 20 sorties.
Stewart continued to go on missions uncredited, flying with the pathfinder squadron of the 389th Bombardment Group, with his two former groups and with groups of the 20th Combat Bomb Wing.[51] He received a second award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in combat and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. He also was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.
Stewart served in a number of staff positions in the 2nd and 20th Bomb Wings between July 1944 and the end of the war in Europe, and was promoted to full colonel on March 29, 1945.[43][52] Less than two months later, on May 10, he succeeded to command briefly the 2nd Bomb Wing, a position he held until June 15, 1945.[53] Stewart was one of the few Americans to ever rise from private to colonel in only four years during the Second World War.[12][35]
At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court-martial of a pilot and navigator who were charged with dereliction of duty for having accidentally bombed the Swiss city of Zurich the previous March—the first instance of U.S. personnel being tried for an attack on a neutral country. The court acquitted the defendants.[54]
Stewart returned to the United States aboard RMS Queen Elizabeth, arriving in New York City on August 31, 1945.[55]
Stewart continued to play a role in the Army Air Forces Reserve following World War II and the new United States Air Force Reserve after the official establishment of the Air Force as an independent service in 1947.
Stewart received permanent promotion to colonel in 1953 and served as Air Force Reserve commander of Dobbins Air Force Base, Georgia, the present day Dobbins Air Reserve Base.[43][56] He was also one of the 12 founders and a charter member of the Air Force Association in October 1945. Stewart rarely spoke about his wartime service, but did appear in January 1974 in an episode of the TV series The World At War, "Whirlwind: Bombing Germany (September 1939 – April 1944)", commenting on the disastrous mission of October 14, 1943, against Schweinfurt, Germany. At his request, he was identified only as "James Stewart, Squadron Commander" in the documentary.[57][58]
On July 23, 1959, Stewart was promoted to brigadier general. During his active duty periods, he remained current as a pilot of Convair B-36 Peacemaker, Boeing B-47 Stratojet and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress intercontinental bombers of the Strategic Air Command.[59] On February 20, 1966, Brigadier General Stewart flew as a non-duty observer in a B-52 on an Arc Light bombing mission during the Vietnam War. He refused the release of any publicity regarding his participation, as he did not want it treated as a stunt, but as part of his job as an officer in the Air Force Reserve.
Stewart, however, often did his part in publicizing and promoting military service in general and the United States Air Force in particular. In 1963, for example, as part of the plot in an episode of the television sitcom My Three Sons, Stewart appeared as himself in his brigadier-general's uniform to address high-school students about the importance of science in society and about the many accomplishments of the select group of so-called "eggheads" being educated at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.[60] Five years later, after 27 years of service, Stewart officially retired from the Air Force on May 31, 1968.[61] Stewart received a number of awards during his military service and upon his retirement was also awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. On May 23, 1985, President Ronald Reagan awarded Stewart the Presidential Medal of Freedom and promoted him to Major General on the Retired List.[62]
Postwar career [ edit ]
After the war, Stewart took time off to reassess his career.[63] He was an early investor in Southwest Airways, founded by Leland Hayward, and considered going into the aviation industry if his restarted film career did not prosper.[64] Upon Stewart's return to Hollywood in the fall of 1945, he decided not to renew his MGM contract. He signed with the MCA talent agency. His former agent Leland Hayward got out of the talent business in 1944 after selling his A-list of stars, including Stewart, to MCA.[65]
It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Stewart received an Oscar nomination for the performance, and the film is widely considered a Christmas classic. As George Bailey , with guardian angel Clarence, in(1946). Stewart received an Oscar nomination for the performance, and the film is widely considered a Christmas classic.
For his first film in five years, Stewart appeared in his third and final Frank Capra production, It's a Wonderful Life (1946).[66][N 5] The role was Stewart's first since returning from service in World War II, during which he experienced what is now recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder. Capra paid RKO for the rights to the story and formed his own production company, Liberty Films. The female lead went to Donna Reed when Capra's perennial first choice, Jean Arthur, was unavailable, and after Ginger Rogers, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Dvorak, and Martha Scott had all turned down the role.[67] Stewart appeared as George Bailey, an upstanding small-town man who becomes increasingly frustrated by his ordinary existence and financial troubles. Driven to suicide on Christmas Eve, he is led to reassess his life by Clarence Odbody,[68] an "angel, second class" played by Henry Travers.
Although It's a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Stewart's third Best Actor nomination, it received mixed reviews and only disappointingly moderate success at the box office.[69] However, in the decades since the film's release, it grew to define Stewart's film persona and is widely considered as a sentimental Christmas film classic and, according to the American Film Institute, one of the 100 best American movies ever made. In an interview with Michael Parkinson in 1973, Stewart declared that out of all the movies he had made, It's a Wonderful Life was his favorite. After viewing the film, President Harry S. Truman concluded, "If Bess and I had a son we'd want him to be just like Jimmy Stewart."[70] In the aftermath of the film, Capra's production company went into bankruptcy, while Stewart started to have doubts about his ability to act after his military hiatus.[71] His father kept insisting he come home and marry a local girl. Meanwhile, in Hollywood, his generation of actors was fading and a new wave of actors would soon remake the town, including Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and James Dean.[72]
Magic Town (1947), a comedy film directed by William A. Wellman, starring James Stewart and Jane Wyman, was one of the first films about the then-new science of public opinion polling. It was poorly received. He completed Rope (1948) directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Call Northside 777 (1948), and weathered two box-office disappointments with On Our Merry Way (1948), a comedic musical ensemble in which Stewart and Henry Fonda were paired as two jazz musicians, and You Gotta Stay Happy (1949), for which the posters depicted Stewart being kissed on one cheek by Joan Fontaine and on the other by a chimpanzee. In the documentary film James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987), hosted by Johnny Carson, Stewart said that he went back to Westerns in 1950 in part because of the string of flops.
He returned to the stage to star in Mary Coyle Chase's Harvey, which had opened to nearly universal praise in November 1944,[73] as Elwood P. Dowd, a wealthy eccentric living with his sister and niece, and whose best friend is an invisible rabbit as large as a man. Dowd's eccentricity, especially the friendship with the rabbit, is ruining the niece's hopes of finding a husband. While trying to have Dowd committed to a sanatorium, his sister is committed herself while the play follows Dowd on an ordinary day in his not-so-ordinary life. Stewart took over the role from Frank Fay and gained an increased Broadway following in the unconventional play.[73] The play, which ran for nearly three years with Stewart as its star, was successfully adapted into a 1950 film, directed by Henry Koster, with Stewart reprising his role and Josephine Hull portraying his sister. Bing Crosby was the first choice, but he declined.[74] Stewart received his fourth Best Actor nomination for his performance. Stewart also played the role on Broadway in 1970, which was shot on videotape for NBC as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame series in 1972, and on the London stage in 1975.
After Harvey, the World War II film Malaya (1949) with Spencer Tracy, and the conventional but highly successful biographical film The Stratton Story in 1949, Stewart's first pairing with "on-screen wife" June Allyson, his career took another turn.[75] During the 1950s, he expanded into the Western and suspense genres, thanks to collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann.
Other performances by Stewart during this time include the critically acclaimed 1950 Delmer Daves Western Broken Arrow, which featured Stewart as an ex-soldier and Indian agent making peace with the Apache; a troubled clown in the 1952 Best Picture The Greatest Show on Earth; and Stewart's role as Charles Lindbergh in Billy Wilder's 1957 The Spirit of St. Louis. He also starred in the Western radio show The Six Shooter for its one-season run from 1953 to 1954. During this time, Stewart wore the same cowboy hat and rode the same horse, "Pie", in most of his Westerns.[76][77]
Cary Grant said of Stewart's acting technique:
He had the ability to talk naturally. He knew that in conversations people do often interrupt one another and it's not always so easy to get a thought out. It took a little time for the sound men to get used to him, but he had an enormous impact. And then, some years later, Marlon came out and did the same thing all over again—but what people forget is that Jimmy did it first.[78]
Collaborations with Hitchcock and Mann [ edit ]
In Stewart's collaborations with director Anthony Mann, he entered the realm of the western. Stewart's first appearance in a film directed by Mann came with the 1950 western Winchester '73. In choosing Mann (after first choice Fritz Lang declined), Stewart cemented a powerful partnership.[79] The film, which became a box-office hit upon its release, set the pattern for their future collaborations. In it, Stewart is a tough, vengeful sharpshooter, the winner of a prized rifle which is stolen and then passes through many hands, until the showdown between Stewart and his brother (Stephen McNally).[79]
Other Stewart–Mann westerns, such as Bend of the River (1952), The Naked Spur (1953), The Far Country (1954) and The Man from Laramie (1955), were perennial favorites among young audiences entranced by the American West. Frequently, the films featured Stewart as a troubled cowboy seeking redemption, while facing corrupt cattlemen, ranchers and outlaws—a man who knows violence first hand and struggles to control it. The Stewart–Mann collaborations laid the foundation for many of the westerns of the 1950s and remain popular today for their grittier, more realistic depiction of the classic movie genre. Audiences saw Stewart's screen persona evolve into a more mature, more ambiguous, and edgier presence.[80]
Stewart and Mann also collaborated on other films outside the western genre. The Glenn Miller Story (1954) was critically acclaimed, garnering Stewart a BAFTA Award nomination, and (together with The Spirit of St. Louis) continued Stewart's portrayals of 'American heroes'. Thunder Bay, released the same year, transplanted the plot arc of their western collaborations to a more contemporary setting, with Stewart as a Louisiana oil driller facing hostile fishermen. Strategic Air Command, released in 1955, allowed Stewart to use his experiences in the United States Air Force on film.
Stewart's starring role in Winchester '73 was also a turning point in Hollywood. Universal Studios, who wanted Stewart to appear in both that film and Harvey, balked at his $200,000 asking price. His agent, Lew Wasserman, brokered an alternate deal, in which Stewart would appear in both films for no pay, in exchange for a percentage of the profits as well as cast and director approval.[81] Stewart ended up earning about $600,000 for Winchester '73 alone.[81] Hollywood's other stars quickly capitalized on this new way of doing business, which further undermined the decaying "studio system".[82]
The second collaboration to define Stewart's career in the 1950s was with director Alfred Hitchcock. Like Mann, Hitchcock uncovered new depths to Stewart's acting, showing a protagonist confronting his fears and his repressed desires. Stewart's first movie with Hitchcock was the technologically innovative 1948 film Rope, shot in long "real time" takes.[83]
Rear Window (1954) was one of four films Stewart made with (1954) was one of four films Stewart made with Alfred Hitchcock . Stewart became the highest-grossing star of 1954 as a result.
The two collaborated for the second of four times on the 1954 hit Rear Window, widely considered one of Hitchcock's masterpieces. Stewart portrays photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries, loosely based on Life photographer Robert Capa, who projects his fantasies and fears onto the people he observes out his apartment window while on hiatus due to a broken leg. Jeffries gets into more than he can handle, however, when he believes he has witnessed a salesman (Raymond Burr) hiding evidence of a murder, and when his glamorous girlfriend (Grace Kelly), at first disdainful of his voyeurism and skeptical about any crime, eventually is drawn in and tries to help solve the mystery. Limited by his wheelchair, Stewart is led by Hitchcock to react to what his character sees with mostly facial responses. It was a landmark year for Stewart, becoming the highest grossing actor of 1954 and the most popular Hollywood star in the world, displacing John Wayne.[84] Hitchcock and Stewart formed a corporation, Patron Inc., to produce the film, which later became the subject of a Supreme Court case Stewart v. Abend (1990).
After starring in Hitchcock's remake of the director's earlier production, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), with Doris Day, Stewart starred, with Kim Novak, in what many consider Hitchcock's most personal film, Vertigo (1958).[85] The movie starred Stewart as John "Scottie" Ferguson, a former police investigator suffering from acrophobia, who develops an obsession with a woman he is shadowing. Scottie's obsession inevitably leads to the destruction of everything he once had and believed in. Though the film is widely considered a classic today, Vertigo met with very mixed reviews and poor box-office receipts upon its release, and marked the last collaboration between Stewart and Hitchcock.[86] The director reportedly blamed the film's failure on Stewart looking too old to be Kim Novak's love interest, and cast Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest (1959), a role Stewart had very much wanted. (Grant was actually four years older than Stewart but photographed much younger.) Critical appreciation of all three films continues to be strong. In 2012 Vertigo was ranked highest in the Sight & Sound critics poll for the greatest films ever made, controversially taking the title from long-standing favorite Citizen Kane.[87]
Career in the 1960s and 1970s [ edit ]
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) (1959)
In 1960, Stewart was awarded the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor and received his fifth and final Academy Award for Best Actor nomination, for his role in the 1959 Otto Preminger film Anatomy of a Murder. This courtroom drama stars Stewart as Paul Biegler, the lawyer of a hot-tempered soldier (played by Ben Gazzara) who claims temporary insanity after murdering a tavern owner who raped his wife. The film featured a career-making performance by George C. Scott as the prosecutor. The film was considered quite explicit for its time, and it was a box-office success.[88] Stewart's nomination was one of seven for the film (Charlton Heston was the winner with Ben-Hur), and saw his transition into the final decades of his career.
On January 1, 1960, Stewart received news of the death of Margaret Sullavan.[89] As a friend, mentor, and focus of his early romantic feelings, she had a unique influence on Stewart's life. On April 17, 1961, longtime friend Gary Cooper was too ill to attend the 33rd Academy Awards ceremony, so Stewart accepted the honorary Oscar on his behalf. Stewart's emotional speech hinted that something was seriously wrong, and the next day newspapers ran the headline, "Gary Cooper has cancer". One month later, on May 13, 1961, six days after his 60th birthday, Cooper died.
In the early 1960s, Stewart took leading roles in three John Ford films, his first work with the director. The first, Two Rode Together, paired him with Richard Widmark in a Western with thematic echoes of Ford's The Searchers. The next, 1962's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Stewart's first picture with John Wayne, is a classic "psychological" western, shot in black and white film noir style featuring powerful use of shadows in the climactic sequence, with Stewart as an Eastern attorney who goes against his non-violent principles when he is forced to confront a psychopathic outlaw (played by Lee Marvin) in a small frontier town. At story's end, Stewart's character — now a rising political figure — faces a difficult ethical choice as he attempts to reconcile his actions with his personal integrity. The film's billing is unusual in that Stewart was given top billing over Wayne in the trailers and on the posters but Wayne was listed above Stewart in the film itself. The complex picture garnered mixed reviews but was an instant hit at the box office and became a critical favorite over the ensuing decades.
How the West Was Won (which Ford co-directed, though without directing Stewart's scenes) and Cheyenne Autumn were western epics released in 1962 and 1964, respectively. One of only a handful of movies filmed in true Cinerama, shot with three cameras and exhibited with three simultaneous projectors in theatres, How the West Was Won went on to win three Oscars and reap massive box-office figures. Cheyenne Autumn, in which a white-suited Stewart played Wyatt Earp in a long semi-comedic sequence in the middle of the movie, failed domestically and was quickly forgotten. The historical drama was Ford's final Western and Stewart's last feature film with Ford. Stewart's entertainingly memorable middle sequence is not directly connected with the rest of the film and was often excised from the lengthy film in later theatrical exhibition prints and some television broadcasts.
Having played his last romantic lead in Bell, Book and Candle (1958), with Kim Novak, and silver-haired (although not all of it was his—he wore a partial hairpiece starting with It's a Wonderful Life and in every film thereafter), Stewart transitioned into more family-related films in the 1960s when he signed a multi-movie deal with 20th Century Fox. These included the successful Henry Koster outing Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962), and the less memorable films Take Her, She's Mine (1963) and Dear Brigitte (1965), which featured French model Brigitte Bardot as the object of Stewart's son's mash notes. The Civil War period film Shenandoah (1965) and the western family film The Rare Breed fared better at the box office; the Civil War movie, with strong antiwar and humanitarian themes, was a hit in the South.[citation needed]
Hawkins In 1973 TV series
As an aviator, Stewart was particularly interested in aviation films and had pushed to appear in several in the 1950s, including No Highway in the Sky (1951), and Strategic Air Command (1955) and The Spirit of St. Louis (1957). He continued in this vein in the 1960s, in a role as a hard-bitten pilot in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). Subbing for Stewart, famed stunt pilot and air racer Paul Mantz was killed when he crashed the "Tallmantz Phoenix P-1", the specially made, single-engined movie airplane, in an abortive "touch-and-go". Stewart also narrated the film X-15 in 1961. In 1964, he and several other military aviators, including Curtis LeMay, Paul Tibbets, Bruce Sundlun and Arthur Godfrey, became the founding directors on the board of Executive Jet Aviation Corporation.[90]
After a progression of lesser western films in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Stewart transitioned from cinema to television. In the 1950s he had made guest appearances on the Jack Benny Program. Stewart first starred in the NBC comedy The Jimmy Stewart Show, on which he played a college professor. He followed it with the CBS mystery Hawkins, in which he played a small town lawyer investigating cases, similar to his character in Anatomy of a Murder. The series garnered Stewart a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Dramatic TV Series, but failed to gain a wide audience, possibly because it rotated with Shaft, another high-quality series but with a starkly conflicting demographic, and was cancelled after one season. During this time, Stewart periodically appeared on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, sharing poems he had written at different times in his life. His poems were later compiled into a short collection, Jimmy Stewart and His Poems (1989).[91][92]
Stewart returned to films after an absence of five years with a major supporting role in John Wayne's final film, The Shootist (1976) where Stewart played a doctor giving Wayne's gunfighter a terminal cancer diagnosis. At one point, both Wayne and Stewart were flubbing their lines repeatedly and Stewart turned to director Don Siegel and said, "You'd better get two better actors." Stewart also appeared in supporting roles in Airport '77, the 1978 remake of The Big Sleep starring Robert Mitchum as Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, and The Magic of Lassie (1978). All three movies received poor reviews, and The Magic of Lassie flopped at the box office.
Later career and last years [ edit ]
Following the failure of The Magic of Lassie, Stewart went into semi-retirement from acting. He donated his papers, films, and other records to Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library in 1983.[93] Stewart had diversified investments including real estate, oil wells, a charter-plane company and membership on major corporate boards, and he became a multimillionaire. In the 1980s and '90s, he did voiceover work for commercials for Campbell's Soups.
Stewart's longtime friend Henry Fonda died in 1982, and former co-star and friend Grace Kelly died after a car crash shortly afterwards. A few months later, Stewart starred with Bette Davis in Right of Way. He filmed several television movies in the 1980s, including Mr. Krueger's Christmas, which allowed him to fulfill a lifelong dream to conduct the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.[94] He made frequent visits to the Reagan White House and traveled on the lecture circuit. The re-release of his Hitchcock films gained Stewart renewed recognition. Rear Window and Vertigo were particularly praised by film critics, which helped bring these pictures to the attention of younger movie-goers. He was presented with an Academy Honorary Award by Cary Grant in 1985, "for his 50 years of memorable performances, for his high ideals both on and off the screen, with respect and affection of his colleagues".[70]
In 1988, Stewart made an impassioned plea in Congressional hearings, along with, among many others, Burt Lancaster, Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, and film director Martin Scorsese, against Ted Turner's decision to 'colorize' classic black and white films, including It's a Wonderful Life. Stewart stated, "the coloring of black-and-white films is wrong. It's morally and artistically wrong and these profiteers should leave our film industry alone".[95]
In 1989, Stewart founded the American Spirit Foundation to apply entertainment industry resources to developing innovative approaches to public education and to assist the emerging democracy movements in the former Iron Curtain countries. Peter F. Paul arranged for Stewart, through the offices of President Boris Yeltsin, to send a special print of It's a Wonderful Life, translated by Lomonosov Moscow State University, to Russia as the first American program ever to be broadcast on Russian television. It first aired on Russian TV Channel 2 on January 5, 1992, the first day of the existence of the Commonwealth of Independent States and two days before Russian Orthodox Christmas.
In association with politicians and celebrities such as President Ronald Reagan, Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger, California Governor George Deukmejian, Bob Hope and Charlton Heston, Stewart worked from 1987 to 1993 on projects that enhanced the public appreciation and understanding of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
In 1991, James Stewart voiced the character of Sheriff Wylie Burp in the movie An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, which was his last film role. Shortly before his 80th birthday, he was asked how he wanted to be remembered. "As someone who 'believed in hard work and love of country, love of family and love of community.'"[70]
Personal life [ edit ]
Stewart was almost universally described by his collaborators as a kind, soft-spoken man and a true professional.[96] Joan Crawford praised the actor as an "endearing perfectionist" with "a droll sense of humor and a shy way of watching you to see if you react to that humor".[70]
Stewart was married to Gloria Hatrick McLean from 1949 until her death in 1994.
When Henry Fonda moved to Hollywood in 1934, he was again a roommate with Stewart in an apartment in Brentwood,[97] and the two gained reputations as playboys.[98] Both men's children later noted that their favorite activity when not working seemed to be quietly sharing time together while building and painting model airplanes, a hobby they had taken up in New York years earlier.[99]
After World War II, Stewart settled down, at age 41, marrying former model Gloria Hatrick McLean on August 9, 1949. As Stewart loved to recount in self-mockery, "I, I, I pitched the big question to her last night and to my surprise she, she, she said yes!"[100] Stewart adopted her two sons, Michael and Ronald, and with Gloria he had twin daughters, Judy and Kelly, on May 7, 1951. The couple remained married until her death from lung cancer on February 16, 1994, at the age of 75. Ronald was killed in action in Vietnam on June 8, 1969, at the age of 24, while serving as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps.[101][102] Daughter Kelly Stewart is an evolutionary anthropologist.[103]
Stewart was active in philanthropy over the years. His signature charity event, "The Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon Race", held each year since 1982, has raised millions of dollars for the Child and Family Development Center at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.[12] He was a lifelong supporter of Scouting, having been a Second Class Scout when he was a youth, an adult Scout leader, and a recipient of the prestigious Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). In later years, he made advertisements for the BSA, which led to his being sometimes incorrectly identified as an Eagle Scout.[104] An award for Boy Scouts, "The James M. Stewart Good Citizenship Award" has been presented since May 17, 2003.[105]
Stewart was a Life Member of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of California.[106]
One of Stewart's lesser-known talents was his homespun poetry. Once, while on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, he read a poem entitled "Beau" that he had written about his dog. By the end of this reading, Carson's eyes were welling with tears.[107] This was later parodied on a late 1980s episode of the NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live, with Dana Carvey as Stewart reciting the poem on Weekend Update and bringing anchor Dennis Miller to tears. He was also an avid gardener. Stewart purchased the house next door to his Beverly Hills home, had it razed, and installed his garden on the lot.[108]
Politics [ edit ]
Stewart was a staunch Republican[109] and actively campaigned for Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. He was a hawk on the Vietnam War, and maintained that his son, Ronald, did not die in vain. Stewart actively supported Reagan's bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976.
Following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, Stewart, Charlton Heston, Kirk Douglas and Gregory Peck issued a statement calling for support of President Lyndon Johnson's Gun Control Act of 1968.
One of his best friends was fellow actor Henry Fonda, despite the fact that the pair had very different political ideologies. A political argument in 1947 resulted in a fistfight, but they maintained their friendship by never discussing politics again.[110] This tale may be apocryphal as Jhan Robbins quotes Stewart as saying: "Our views never interfered with our feelings for each other, we just didn't talk about certain things. I can't remember ever having an argument with him—ever!" However, Jane Fonda told Donald Dewey for his 1996 biography of Stewart that her father did have a falling out with Stewart at that time, although she did not know whether it was because of their political differences. There is a brief reference to their political differences in character in their film The Cheyenne Social Club. In the last years of his life, he donated to the campaign of Bob Dole for the 1996 presidential election and to Democratic Florida governor Bob Graham in his successful run for the Senate.[109]
Death [ edit ]
James Stewart's grave
Stewart was hospitalized after falling in December 1995.[111] In December 1996, he was due to have the battery in his pacemaker changed, but opted not to, preferring to let things happen naturally. In February 1997, he was hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat. On June 25, a thrombosis formed in his right leg, leading to a pulmonary embolism one week later. Surrounded by his children on July 2, 1997, Stewart died at the age of 89 at his home in Beverly Hills, California, with his final words to his family being, "I'm going to be with Gloria now."[112] President Bill Clinton commented that America had lost a "national treasure ... a great actor, a gentleman and a patriot".[70] Over 3,000 mourners, mostly celebrities, attended Stewart's memorial service, which included full military honors.[113] Stewart's body was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[114]
Filmography [ edit ]
From the beginning of Stewart's film career in 1935, through his final theatrical project in 1991, he appeared in more than 92 films, television programs, and shorts. Five of his movies were included on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American films: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; The Philadelphia Story; It's a Wonderful Life; Rear Window and Vertigo. His roles in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Philadelphia Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Harvey, and Anatomy of a Murder earned him Academy Award nominations—with one win for The Philadelphia Story.
Broadway performances [ edit ]
Carry Nation as "Constable Gano" (October – November 1932)
as "Constable Gano" (October – November 1932) Goodbye Again as "Chauffeur" (December 1932 – July 1933)
as "Chauffeur" (December 1932 – July 1933) Spring in Autumn as "Jack Brennan" (October–November 1933)
as "Jack Brennan" (October–November 1933) All Good Americans as "Johnny Chadwick" (December 1933 – January 1934)
as "Johnny Chadwick" (December 1933 – January 1934) Yellow Jack as "Sgt. John O'Hara" (May 1934)
as "Sgt. John O'Hara" (May 1934) Divided By Three as "Teddy Parrish" (October 1934)
as "Teddy Parrish" (October 1934) Page Miss Glory as "Ed Olsen" (November 1934 – March 1935)
as "Ed Olsen" (November 1934 – March 1935) A Journey By Night as "Carl" (April 1935)
as "Carl" (April 1935) Harvey as "Elwood P. Dowd" (July–August 1947, July–August 1948, replacing vacationing Frank Fay, who created the role on Broadway) [N 6]
as "Elwood P. Dowd" (July–August 1947, July–August 1948, replacing vacationing Frank Fay, who created the role on Broadway) Harvey as "Elwood P. Dowd" (revival, February–May 1970)
as "Elwood P. Dowd" (revival, February–May 1970) A Gala Tribute to Joshua Logan as himself (March 9, 1975)
Radio appearances [ edit ]
Legacy [ edit ]
Throughout his seven decades in Hollywood, Stewart cultivated a versatile career and recognized screen image in such classics as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Mortal Storm, The Philadelphia Story, Harvey, It's a Wonderful Life, Shenandoah, The Glenn Miller Story, Rear Window, Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Shop Around the Corner, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Vertigo. He is the most represented leading actor on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) and AFI's 10 Top 10 lists. He is the most represented leading actor on the 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list presented by Entertainment Weekly. As of 2019, eleven of his films have been inducted into the United States National Film Registry. As part of their 100 Years Series, Stewart was named the third-greatest screen legend actor in American film history by the AFI in 1999.[2]
Stewart left his mark on a wide range of film genres, including Westerns, suspense thrillers, family films, biographies, and screwball comedies. He worked for many renowned directors during his career, among them Frank Capra, George Cukor, Henry Hathaway, Cecil B. DeMille, Ernst Lubitsch, Frank Borzage, George Stevens, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Billy Wilder, Don Siegel, and Anthony Mann. He won many of the industry's highest honors and earned Lifetime Achievement awards from every major film organization, and is often considered to be one of the most influential actors in the history of American cinema.
Honors and tributes [ edit ]
Stewart was the recipient of many official accolades throughout his life, receiving film industry awards, military and civilian medals, honorary degrees, and memorials and tributes for his contribution to the performing arts, humanitarianism, and military service.
The library at Brigham Young University houses his personal papers and movie memorabilia including letters, scrapbooks, and recordings of early radio programs.[119][120]
In February 1980, Stewart was honored by Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, along with U.S. Senator Jake Garn, U.S. Ambassador Shirley Temple Black, singer John Denver, and Tom Abraham, a businessman from Canadian, Texas, who worked with immigrants seeking to become U.S. citizens.[121]
On May 20, 1995, his 87th birthday, The James M. Stewart Foundation was created to honor James Stewart. In concert with his family members, the foundation also established The Jimmy Stewart Museum in his hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania. The foundation was created to "preserve, promote and enshrine the accomplishments of James M. Stewart, actor, soldier, civic leader, and world citizen..." The registered office is at 835 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, Pa, 15701 and is located within easy walking distance of his place of birth, the home in which he grew up, and the former location of his father's hardware store. A large statue of Stewart stands on the lawn of the Indiana County Courthouse, just feet from the museum.
The Jimmy Stewart Museum houses movie posters and photos, awards, personal artifacts, a gift shop and an intimate 1930s-era theatre in which his films are regularly shown.
The Indiana County–Jimmy Stewart Airport was named in his honor.
Documentary [ edit ]
Gregory Monro (Director) (2017). James Stewart/Robert Mitchum : The Two Faces of America (Motion picture).
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
^ have to fight...The next thing he did was announce a big going-away party for me, and every star at the studio was summoned to be there... That was one big party."[1] MGM head Louis B. Mayer first tried to talk Stewart out of enlisting, claiming he would be sacrificing his career. "Mayer was just so desperate to say something that would keep me from enlisting", recalls Stewart... I said, "Mr. Mayer, this country's conscience is bigger than all the studios in Hollywood put together, and the time will come when we'llto fight...The next thing he did was announce a big going-away party for me, and every star at the studio was summoned to be there... That was oneparty." ^ [34] Stewart later confided that he had a "friend" operating the weight scales. ^ [46] Walter E. "Pop" Arnold became commander of the 485th Bombardment Group in September 1943 and his B-24 was shot down over eastern Germany on August 27, 1944, making him a prisoner of war. ^ 12 O'Clock High.[43][47][48] While leading the 445th on this date, Stewart made a decision in combat to not break formation from another group that had made an error in navigation. The other group lost four bombers in a subsequent interception, but Stewart's decision possibly saved it from annihilation and incurred considerable damage to his own 48 aircraft. His decision resulted in a letter of commendation and promotion to major on January 20, 1944. Sy Bartlett and Beirne Lay used the episode in their novel ^ [66] Although Stewart was always Capra's first choice, in an interview later in life, he conceded that "Henry Fonda was in the running." ^ The reference does not mention the second set of dates, or that Frank Fay created the role.
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Bibliography [ edit ] |
OIL MOUNTAIN, Myanmar—The mood at a ramshackle bar in this village on Ramree Island, in western Myanmar's Rakhine State, is one of fatalism punctuated by the occasional comic trope.
As dusk falls, Nyint Shwe, a one-man oil driller, knocks back a warm can of Chang beer and laments the recent boom in natural gas drilling, driven by China's growing appetite for energy.
"The Chinese are getting huge profits from here," he says. "The local people don't get anything. To get a big fish, [China] needs little bait."
Nyint Shwe's bamboo oil rig, which doubles as his home, will soon be cleared to make space for a free-trade zone and a vast transport node, a crucial part of China's plans to diversify its global energy and its trade security.
Ramree Island now serves as the western terminus of parallel 770-mile (1,240-kilometer) oil and gas pipelines linking the Indian Ocean with China's southern Yunnan Province, a route that bypasses the narrow, U.S.-patrolled Strait of Malacca.
With over 1.3 billion citizens and a fast-growing economy, China's thirst for energy is rapacious. China has become the world's largest energy consumer and producer and will shortly overtake the U.S. as the largest importer of oil on the planet, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The recently completed pipelines have already begun transforming the northern part of this remote island into a 6.5-square-mile (17-square-kilometer) center of trade and commerce—a kind of little Singapore on Myanmar's impoverished western coast.
View Images NG STAFF. SOURCE: IHS ENERGY
During the past year an offshore gas facility pumped 66.5 billion cubic feet (1.88 billion cubic meters) of gas to China. The oil pipeline will come online later this year and is expected to carry 440,000 barrels of Middle Eastern and African crude a day.
The first phase of the "special economic zone" involves building, over the next ten years, a 2,471-acre (thousand-hectare) industrial park, a 12,355-acre (5,000-hectare) residential area, and a deep-sea port on the eastern side of Ramree Island.
Oil drilling by Nyint Shwe and other villagers on Ramree—a centuries-old tradition—is in jeopardy.
Nyint Shwe's plight is emblematic of concerns that some transparency groups, such as the New York-based Natural Resource Governance Institute, harbor about Myanmar today: That amid the scramble for the country's resources, local people will continue to suffer exploitation, oppression, and penury.
For many Burmese, it's not yet clear if recent political reforms, such as releasing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and engaging in peace talks with militant ethnic minority groups, are window dressing aimed at convincing foreign powers to completely lift economic sanctions, or if they're substantive efforts to end an oppressive and grim chapter in Myanmar's history.
Nyint Shwe, for his part, sees the government's obsession with economic development as a new form of despotism, fearing that developments on Ramree Island will leave him unemployed and homeless.
"There are a lot of resources in Rakhine State," he says. "We want to own those resources."
View Images A woman carries a jerrican of oil through the village of Oil Mountain, where artisanal drillers have long made a modest livelihood from the precious liquid. Photograph by Hereward Holland
From Artisanal Wells to Offshore Drills
Oil Mountain (Yenan Taung, as it's known locally) is a jumble of steeply roofed huts, like thatched pyramids scattered across a hillside. Each of the dozens of dwellings shelters an artisanal well up to hundreds of feet deep.
Every day, well owners like Nyint Shwe toil to extract some eight gallons (30 liters) of bronze-colored liquid from the ground.
The Ramree oil, which looks and smells like gasoline, was once distilled in makeshift refineries in the nearby town of Kyaukphyu. The fuel was sold to power motorbikes and cars, but the refining process was dangerous, and more reliable supplies of gasoline are now trucked in from Myanmar's commercial capital, Yangon.
Nyint Shwe says he makes 14,000 kyats (U.S. $14) a day for his oil, which is used in lanterns as a cheaper alternative to kerosene. He sends most of the money to his wife, who lives in a village an hour away by foot, a trek he rarely has time to make.
Workers extract the oil using techniques passed down from the period when Myanmar, then Burma, was colonized by the British. A torpedo-shaped capsule, often made from bamboo or blue plastic piping, is lowered into the borehole. The capsule fills with oil and is drawn back to the surface with a rope, either manually or using a winch system attached to the apex of the wooden frame of the hut.
But modern oil exploration and extraction is moving in on a vast scale. The Myanmar government is planning to build a port and marine depot to support the exploration of 20 offshore oil blocks it auctioned in April this year, most to Western-backed consortiums, including Shell*, ENI, Total, and Chevron.
Oil companies from China were conspicuously absent from the process, despite its being the world's second largest oil consumer—a telltale sign that Myanmar is hedging its international allies.
China isn't out of the picture. Beijing still sees Myanmar, and Ramree Island in particular, as the key to faster and safer trade.
There are plans to build rail and road links along the same route as the oil and gas pipelines, establishing an economic artery that shortens transport times, avoids pirate-infested waters, and is, crucially, insurance against any future standoff with the U.S. over use of the Strait of Malacca.
Chinese economists revealed such fears ten years ago when they proposed the pipelines.
"Most of China's oil imports come from the Middle East and Africa," Li Chengyang, a co-author of the proposal, told the Straits Times in 2004. "Given the current situation in the Malacca Strait, we feel that we should come up with a suitable alternative. For China to fall under American control is a very risky thing."
View Images A man pulls a torpedo-shaped canister filled with oil to the surface in the village of Lake Aye, on the island's west coast. Photograph by Hereward Holland
Reforms: Real-or Window Dressing?
A 40-minute boat ride from Kyaukphyu takes you past clusters of gray warships moored in the calm lee of Ramree Island and into the port that marks the western terminus of the pipelines.
As we coast alongside the towering yellow pipes that will soon be used to suck oil from the holds of tankers, Soe Shwe, a campaigner with the Shwe Gas Movement, a local civil society group, expresses a commonly held view in Myanmar.
"The old military government and the new are the same—they just changed their clothes," he says, referring to the rise of a quasi-civilian administration in the 2010 election, which Western diplomats widely considered a sham.
Despite the costume change, he worries the same cast of characters will continue to plunder the country's resources with the same disregard for Myanmar's people.
The new government is overwhelmingly populated by retired generals with strong ties to the old regime.
At independence, in 1948, Burma was the world's largest exporter of rice and boasted one of the best universities in Asia. Half a century of tyranny and economic mismanagement have left the country splintered and impoverished.
The new government's efforts at reform have earned muted applause from the U.S. and the EU, as investors line up to claim the country's underground treasures—oil, gas, gold, timber, rare earth minerals, gemstones—and benefit from its cheap workforce.
But Billy Kyte of the Natural Resource Governance Institute says that Myanmar runs the risk of perpetuating the same kind of murky political economy as in the past, a system that enriches the few and sees little trickle-down effect. The rush to liberalize the economy and encourage joint ventures between international companies and domestic partners has placed the insiders in a privileged position, he says.
"[There's] a danger that the hidden owners of the oil- and gas-related businesses are the same cronies who are adept at avoiding tax, avoiding prosecution for human rights abuses, and generally ignoring the plight of local communities," Kyte says.
View Images Human rights activists observe an emerging port that will service the western end of a 770-mile (1,239-kilometer) oil pipeline running from the Bay of Bengal to Yunnan Province that will begin operating later this year. Photograph by Hereward Holland
Promising Signs
The Chinese-backed development of Ramree Island serves as something of a test of the government's real intentions. Undoubtedly, there are positive signs.
The government established a committee to inform locals about the plans and respond to their concerns, and hired a Singaporean firm, CPG Consultants, to develop the master plan and help choose investors. The plan includes an environmental impact assessment.
The first phase of development will focus on manufacturing, particularly construction materials and textiles, and fisheries, CPG Consultants wrote in an email. "All efforts will be made to engage the local community as the key labor force in these industries."
In July, Myanmar was granted candidate status in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global transparency standard, administered in Norway.
Under EITI, the country has 18 months to prepare a report that demonstrates progress on a range of resource governance issues. This represents significant progress toward lifting the veil on hitherto secretive extractive industries in Myanmar.
As Emma Irwin, EITI adviser for the World Bank, puts it: This is "a golden opportunity for Myanmar to address transparency and promote public dialogue around issues including revenue transparency, license allocation procedures, beneficial ownership, and contract disclosure."
In accordance with EITI, President Thein Sein pledged to ensure that oil and gas receipts will be made public. "The most important thing is to have completely transparent financial accounting to ensure everyone knows where the revenues from these extractive industries are going," Thein Sein says.
View Images A gas terminal on Ramree Island pumped 66.5 billion cubic feet (1.88 billion cubic meters) of gas from offshore fields to China in the past year. Photograph by Hereward Holland
Seeds of Discontent
Such assurances only go so far. The fears of villagers like Nyint Shwe have been wrought in bitter experience: In the past, exploitation of Myanmar's natural abundance has not translated into wealth for ordinary citizens, and Chinese-backed megaprojects have sparked outrage in local communities that claim they've been victims of land-grabbing.
In 2012 a crackdown on demonstrators protesting the expansion of the Letpadaung copper mine, in the Sagaing region, turned violent. Police used white phosphorus to quell the crowd, and dozens, including many Buddhist monks, were taken to the hospital with burns.
Earlier this year, protestors walked across the country, some 800 miles (1,287 kilometers), from Yangon to the proposed site of the $3.6 billion Myitsone hydroelectric dam, where construction was suspended in 2011, much to China's chagrin. A year earlier a Chinese worker was among a handful of people reportedly killed near the dam site in fighting between the army and rebels.
The trekking demonstrators were concerned that work on the dam, which would have sent 90 percent of the electricity it generated to China, may resume after the next elections, in 2015.
Ramree Island hasn't seen violence yet, but discontent bubbles under the surface. In 2012 authorities confiscated Maung Win Naing's two acres (0.8 hectares) of land to clear a passage for the gas pipeline.
The government paid the subsistence farmer $4,500 as compensation, but the money quickly ran out. Now he has no way to earn a living. "I built a house, and a year later all the money is gone," he says mournfully.
View Images A woman holds up a teapot that now serves as a lamp using oil from wells in Oil Mountain. Photograph by Hereward Holland
Attempts by villagers to bring complaints to the China National Petroleum Corporation and to local authorities about land confiscation over the pipelines have been answered with numerous arrests by police and, only later, meager compensation.
Fishermen on Ramree estimate that stocks have plummeted by about two-thirds since the corporation started work on the oil pipeline, in 2010.
At his rickety trading station nestled in a mangrove thicket, U Tin Kyi buys fish caught near the pipeline terminus, then sells the catch in Kyaukphyu.
He says no one was consulted about the oil pipeline project. During construction, large boulders were strewn along the riverbed, which snared nets, making it impossible to fish.
Even more troubling to him, fishing is now banned in the deeper waters of the shipping lane, supposedly because fishing vessels might obstruct tanker traffic.
U Tin Kyi claims he used to make a yearly profit of 10 million kyats ($10,500). Those profits have dwindled to nothing. So he joined other local people protesting at the oil pipeline terminus but was seized by police and jailed for two months.
"Now I don't make any profit, just living costs for my family," he says. "The government should try to solve the problem. Instead they arrest us."
At the national level, old opaque habits die hard. In the past two years the government has auctioned off 16 onshore and 20 offshore oil and gas blocks. Global Witness, an extractive industry watchdog, says that despite the talk of transparency, the vast majority of the ultimate beneficiaries of the oil consortiums remain anonymous, raising the specter of graft.
"Anonymous companies are the global getaway cars for corrupt politicians, gangsters, and tax evaders," Global Witness's Juman Kubba says.
"They can allow powerful individuals to hide who they are and what they're doing, creating the risk that they could award themselves oil and gas riches at knock-down prices."
Additionally, company secrecy could help divert money toward old-guard members of the regime, helping them continue to obstruct reforms.
View Images A section of China National Petroleum Corporation's pipeline is seen as it was being laid near the village of Man Li Kyay in 2012. Photograph by Sim Chi Yin, VII
The Song of Oil
Three generations of Maung Aye's family have listened for the "song" of oil in the seaside paddies of Lake Aye, a village on Ramree's west coast.
The song, Maung Aye explains, is the noise made when the canister is dropped down the well. "When the vessel hits the oil, I hear a soft sound, and when it hits water, it makes a louder, harder noise," he says.
Special economic zone committee maps show that his land, which steps gently down to the surf, will be developed into a residential resort, or maybe a hotel.
Beyond silhouetted palms and white-capped breakers lie the unexplored oil blocks that will, if they prove as petroleum-rich as anticipated, speed the transformation of Ramree Island—and Myanmar itself—during the coming decade.
Resource-hungry China filled the vacuum of foreign investment in Myanmar during the years of stringent Western economic sanctions, from the late 1990s until 2012, when most were lifted. At that time Myanmar officials, worried that their country could become a vassal state to China, began courting European and American interests as a way to balance foreign influence.
"Governments of oil-rich countries usually try to diversify the oil companies they sell licenses to in order to maximize political leverage and the geopolitical clout of their state," says Jill Shankelman, a U.K.-based international extractive industry consultant.
"So I'm not at all surprised that Myanmar has diversified away from China and has a mix of European, North American, and Asian investors."
For the people of Ramree Island, though, it will make little difference which foreign power gets the spoils, unless Myanmar adopts transparent governance and returns some of the new wealth to its citizenry.
"I love this land," says Maung Aye, carefully pouring oil into a jerrican. "The government in Nay Pyi Taw doesn't care about the people who live around here." |
ATHENS — Kirby Smart never mentioned his former mentor’s name, but he has now officially broken with Nick Saban.
Asked on Saturday about Maurice Smith, Smith said that if a player graduated from Georgia and wanted to transfer, he would let him do so without restrictions – even in the SEC.
“Absolutely,” Smart said.
That’s a direct difference from how Alabama is handling defensive back Maurice Smith, who graduates today and is seeking a transfer to Georgia. But Alabama is not releasing him, citing SEC bylaws, though it permitted another player (Chris Black) to transfer after last season to Missouri.
Smart acknowledged that he is recruiting Smith, who he coached the past three years as Alabama’s defensive coordinator.
“Every young man that we want to bring here to the University of Georgia, we want them to graduate from this place. And if they have an opportunity to go to a graduate school at another place, I certainly think that that’s something that we’re going to let them do if they have an opportunity to go, once they graduate,” Smart said. “I think that’s important to know.”
Smith, a senior defensive back, would be eligible to play right away if he transferred to Georgia, which he has expressed a desire to do, but Alabama head coach Nick Saban is not releasing Smith to any SEC school. That would require Smith to pay his own way for a year at any SEC school and sit out this season. It’s not clear whether he’s interested in pursuing that option.
“I can’t speak much about the Mo situation, because he’s a recruited prospective student-athlete,” Smart said. “I can obviously comment that we’re recruiting Mo and he’s a prospective student-athlete.”
Smart put a restriction this spring on tailback A.J. Turman from transferring within the SEC school. But Smart thinks graduate transfers should be handled differently. |
The man who owns the truck was fishing with his son when he heard someone yelling “F” Trump. When he got back to shore, his truck had been completely burned.
Q13 FOX News reported:
Man says his truck was torched over Trump sticker while he fished with 2-year-old son
SACRAMENTO – A California man says a stranger hurled expletives and set his truck on fire Thursday after seeing a pro-Donald Trump sticker on the bumper.
Trending: CNN Told By South Korean Official: “Clearly Credit Goes To President Trump” (VIDEO)
Hao Lee had taken his 2-year-old son fishing on a pleasant November afternoon in Sacramento. He parked his white Dodge Ram truck with a pair of Trump stickers on the bumper along Garden Highway.
“About a couple hours into fishing I heard someone yelling out ‘F’ Trump,” Lee told KTXL.
Lee and his son were only about 50 yards from where his truck was parked, near the edge of the river.
Their peaceful fishing trip was about to take an abrupt and scary turn.
“After that I heard glass breaking, I called 911 and a couple of minutes later I saw smoke,” he said.
Lee said his first concern was the safety of his son, so he decided to stay put, near the water. When the voices and commotion were gone, Lee approached his truck. But it was too late. Flames were shooting out the windows. The truck was a complete loss.
Here’s a video report:
Why are so many liberals so hateful and violent? |
69 year old John Dargan Barron (AKA “Crazy Horse”) of Rock Hill was just arrested Wednesday night for calling 911 and asking “how many legs does an octopus have?”.
After making several prior calls to 911, Rock Hill police went to Barron’s home where they found him “grossly intoxicated”, according to the police report.
Police then told Barron not to call 911 again unless it was an emergency…about a half hour later, Baron called 911 and asked if the Russian alphabet was the same as the English alphabet. Police then proceeded to drive back to his home to arrest him.
When they walked into the home, officers found him unclothed from the waist down. After being put in the back of the patrol car, Baron tried to resist by lodging his foot under a passenger seat, according to the police report.
Baron is now facing charges of unlawful use of 911 and resisting police.
According to one of his neighbors, Barron has a history of unusual behavior.
He even recently announced his intentions to run for President of The United States with this hand-written public declaration, hung on the clothes line of his home (posted on Facebook by his neighbor):
His public declaration reads: “Crazy Horse For President – Don’t Need Government “The People Rule” ”
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The Calgary Flames said they expect Scotiabank Saddledome to be available for NHL preseason games after it was damaged by flood in June, The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday.
"From a public standpoint, and from a hockey standpoint, we want everything to be operational," Flames president and CEO Ken King told the newspaper. "This week was the time to decide if we could proceed as planned, and the answer is yes."
Flooding from the Bow River in late June put the rink area and first eight rows of seats underwater.
The report said the Flames have established a target date of Sept. 1, which would allow the team to play four preseason games at the arena. The regular-season home opener is scheduled for Oct. 6 against the Vancouver Canucks.
The 30-year-old building has been checked by engineers. Work continues on installing seats and repairing the electronic headquarters for the video scoreboard.
"We have orders in for new ice-making equipment," King said. "We have a backup [plan] that we may not need but we have it ready. All of our event-floor equipment is new."
The report said the cost of the damage to the 19,000-seat venue has not been revealed.
The Flames have preseason home games scheduled for Sept. 14 (split squad), 17 (split squad), 23 and 25. They also have games at the Edmonton Oilers (Sept. 14, split squad), in Saskatoon (Sept. 16 against the Ottawa Senators) and in Regina (Sept. 17 against the New York Islanders, split squad). |
As the enthusiastic founder and president of Craft Elixirs, Jamie Hoffman frequently hears the question,“What do I do with this?”
“I’ll usually rattle off my favorite things to do with the syrup… add it to sparkling soda, use it to top pancakes or ice cream, or drizzle it on fruit!”
She and her dedicated crew of 11 to 12 team members work day and night out of a cozy-but-airy manufacturing facility in Seattle. They’re committed to making their small-batch, cannabis-infused syrups, dried fruits, and concentrate cartridges exclusively with locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients.
Jamie takes me on a tour, and introduces me to the quietly industrious crew, who are suited head-to-toe in bright white laboratory jackets and commercial sanitary gear. The space gleams with the sterile, surgical-level of cleanliness required of the heavily monitored process.
Jaime gestures to an organized shelf of ingredients in the back of the kitchen, explaining “Here’s the kosher salt… All our ethanol is blessed by a rabbi. It’s vegan, gluten-free… We support that devotion to the organic, the local berries, all that. I can only make certain syrups at certain times, because the strawberries are seasonal here. Sure, I could get strawberries imported from California, but I don’t want to. I want to make syrups when we can, even once a year, and if we sell out we have other flavors to make. We keep it green as much as we can… it’s a no-brainer to make an apple-chip here with locally grown weed and local apples.”
When it comes down to developing unique flavors, kitchen manager Lori explains that her process involves a lot of trial and error. “We tried all kinds of crazy different flavors! Grape, raspberry, vanilla… we tried fruity things…” Referring to the Pioneer Squares, a new product that’s a beautiful, translucent lemon gummy, with a dehydrated mandarin orange suspended in its center, Jaime says “It’s just very adult. It felt very much like ‘us’. When we create something, we all talk about what the Craft Elixirs brand feels like.”
Proudly organic, kosher, and gluten free, Jaime feels these ideals define Craft Elixirs. “It’s really important what goes into our edibles. We think for a long, long time, about what goes into every single product. When I create a product, I don’t want to make something that you could just go to the market and find.”
“Just look at that, that’s like the perfect pack”, she says, turning a package of Fremont Freaks in the light as the sugar sparkles heavily, as if to illustrate her point. “I want it to be like a beautiful bottle of wine you’re having with your friends. It’s meant to be shared, you know? It’s meant to be a social product.”
Share the magic of Craft Elixirs with your friends this Danksgiving season by integrating these sophisticated medicated syrups into delicious side dishes like this Spicy Ginger Grass Carrot Coconut Soup and Citrus Apple Cranberry Sauce.
Craft Elixir Recipes for the Holidays
Spicy Ginger Grass Carrot Coconut Soup
Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds heirloom carrots
1/2 pound parsnips
1 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (1 1/2 inch) piece of fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 can of coconut milk, setting some aside for swirling in each serving
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or fresh squeezed lime
½ teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons of cayenne (to taste- this much is spicy! Adjust to taste.)
1/2 cup Craft Elixirs Gingergrass Syrup CBD (about 60mg in recipe before garnish)
Seasalt to taste
Wash and chop the carrots and parsnips. Peel and chop the onion, celery, ginger and garlic.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, turmeric, and ginger to the pot, then sauté until the onion is tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic and continue cooking, stirring about 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth, carrots, parsnips, and curry powder. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender (about 25 minutes).
Wait until soup is cool. Using an immersion blender (or using a regular blender, and working in batches), blend until smooth.
Return the soup to the pot over low heat. Add coconut milk and curry, vinegar, and soy. Simmer and stir until coconut milk is combined and soup is heated to serving temperature. Pour the portioned Ginger Grass Elixirs into the pot of soup, and stir to thoroughly incorporate. Adjust salt and cayenne to taste.
Serve the soup hot. Finish by topping with roasted carrots, roasted red chili flakes, and swirls of coconut cream. garnish with more of the Ginger Grass Elixir, Serve soup hot. Serves 6 1-cup bowls, about 10mg CBD in per serving, and 60mg CBD in total recipe, before additional Ginger Grass is added to each serving, as desired for effect and taste.
Citrus-Apple Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 orange
3 cups water
2 tart apples
6 cups fresh cranberries
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 bags of Craft Elixirs Fremont Freaks
Squeeze the juice from the orange and set the juice aside. Remove and discard the membrane from inside the orange rind, and cut the rind into small dice.
In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the rind and the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
Peel, core and quarter the apple. Cut into 1/2-inch dice and place in a saucepan. Sort the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Add to the apples along with the sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, and cover.
Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour. Dice the Fremont Freaks and stir them into the sauce before serving. Can be covered and refrigerated if made in advance. Bring to room temperature before serving. |
Founded in 1908, Atlético Mineiro has returned to the fore in Brazil in recent years with the club regaining the style and success that saw it claim a record 43 state championships. The club was also the home to numerous well-known names for the Seleção, including winger Eder, goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel and Coach Tele Santana, who twice led Brazil to the World Cup in 1982 and 1986.
Santana also led Atletico to its only national championship in 1971, but more recently Atlético claimed the Copa Libertadores four years ago, and will again take part in the competition this season after a fourth-place finish in Serie A in 2016 that saw the side recover from a slow start to sit in the top three for much of the second half of the season. The second-leading scorers in the league behind only champion Palmeiras, the Roosters should bring a high-flying style to the Sunshine State. |
Diners familiar with Indian kathal ki biryani, Vietnamese sinh to mit, or Filipino halo-halo may already be familiar with the jackfruit, that relative of the fig that can grow to an enormous size and smells either exquisitely perfumed or nauseating, depending on the person. "Jackfruit has been used as a meat alternative in Asia for hundreds, possibly thousands of years," says Daniel Staackman of Upton's Naturals, a vegan food company/cafe that sells pre-seasoned and pre-packaged jackfruit among its line of products. "And the texture speaks for itself."
Jackfruit has been steadily gaining international attention as a tree that is easily grown and drought-resistant, with very nutritious fruit that happens to bear a striking resemblance to meat when cooked. Every part of this native Southeast Asian tree can be used. In fact, green jackfruit, aka the "meaty" part of the fruit usually only available canned in the United States, is actually the entire fruit — rind, flesh, and seed — before it has had a chance to mature (or grow to up to 100 pounds).
Like Upton's Naturals, there are now several companies selling the pre-cooked and seasoned fruit as a meat substitute, with a rapidly growing market across the U.S. By marketing the young fruit as healthful vegan food, brands have found a way to use the fruit at early stages, when it is much easier to preserve and ship. And many restaurants and brands have recently started marketing jackfruit as a "vegan pulled pork," citing other vegan cooks and recipe developers as inspiration.
But while it might seem like this fruit — a far cry from slow smoked pig — came out of nowhere in the United States, its development as profitable product has been happening simultaneously in India, a country where (according to advocates and entrepreneurs) currently 80 percent of the jackfruit grown goes to waste. But how are groups in both countries — from agricultural experts to vegan chefs — developing the supply chain and market for this fruit? And could the jackfruit be key to fighting food insecurity worldwide?
The reason we weren't already eating jackfruit all the time is that jackfruit is difficult to work with. "A whole jackfruit is a commitment. They can be the size of a toddler," says cookbook author Andrea Nguyen, whose books Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and Asian Dumplings feature jackfruit recipes, albeit for the fully ripe fruit. The resin under the rind sticks to anything that isn't oiled, and gloves must be worn to break it down. Its smell when fully ripe is also too close to that of the infamous durian for many people.
Jackfruit is grown in many countries, but India — with a vegetarian population in the hundreds of millions — is the only one with a history of using the young fruit as a stand-in for meat, most often in stir-fries, curries, and a popular rice dish called kathal ki biryani. The Bengal word for the fruit translates as "tree mutton" or "the meat which grows on a tree." In northern India, it's known as Brahmin's meat, or "meat" for the revered portion of the Hindu population made of priests, teachers, and religious scholars. Because so many Indians are vegetarian and vegetarianism is a way of life, English chef Meera Sodha, who writes extensively about Indian cooking and Indian vegetarian cuisine for Western audiences, says jackfruit "is mostly used as a hero ingredient."
Indian agriculture journalist and jackfruit advocate Shree Padre says that in most of northern India it's gaining popularity, whereas for most of the fruit's history it was consumed in the country's south. And jackfruit curry is now becoming trendy at Indian weddings. "Poor families can't afford to make jackfruit curries for weddings. So, the 'poor man's fruit' of south India has become ‘rich man's [curry]' in north India." Mostly young green jackfruit is now consumed in India, and a very small percentage of people eat the ripe fruit.
Jackfruit can be found fresh in the U.S., but is usually available canned, sold by Asian brands, which has helped jackfruit recipes propagate widely on vegan blogs and restaurants over the last five years. Indian restaurants in the United States are most likely the source of inspiration for the now-trendy all-American barbecue jackfruit sandwich: stewing shredded canned green jackfruit in the generic American, region-less flavorful sauce we call "barbecue sauce." (Among vegan bloggers and chefs, the young fruit is used as a stand-in for seafood, as well, but that hasn't taken off as much in the general population, probably because the appeal of the barbecue jackfruit sandwich is the delicious sauce.)
Sometime around 2010 or 2011, vegan restaurants and blogs in the U.S. began to pick up jackfruit as a new "protein." Around that time, Kristy Turner of the blog Keepin' It Kind first had it a Los Angeles Indian restaurant called the Samosa House, which also sold it canned. She began to experiment, but by then, there were already recipes online; shortly thereafter she noticed it in more vegan restaurants, now that she was on the lookout. By this time, there seemed to be a feedback loop between vegan restaurants and recipe developers: whenever a new person tried it, they immediately shared with their audience. And those who tried it continued to spread the word because of it's uncanny resemblance to meat. As veganism becomes a more visible part of the American diet, long time vegans and new converts still look for ways to replicate old favorites, and jackfruit's texture and ease of preparation when canned makes it an obvious candidate to catch on quickly. It also doesn't hurt that it is soy and grain-free, unlike tofu and seitan, the other most popular and widely available substitutes.
Kristina Addington of the vegan meal delivery service and food truck V-Grits in Kentucky first had it around the same time at Sage Café in LA, in a pulled pork taco. She later recalled the experience because she wanted to do Southern vegan food when she launched her business — and barbecue jackfruit quickly became the most popular item on the menu. Staackmann first tried jackfruit in a curry at a Nepalese restaurant and then "It seemed like all of a sudden, about five to six years ago, there were jackfruit recipes all over the Internet and many vegan restaurants were offering it," he says. Annie Ryu, founder of the Jackfruit Company, another U.S.-based producer, was already developing her business in 2011 when friends started sending her articles about jackfruit.
Ryu learned about jackfruit on a trip to India, and the Jackfruit Company started with the idea to sell dried ripe jackfruit, but Ryu realized there was more of a market for the young fruit prepared like meat. They're now focused solely on meat alternatives. "We just see so much potential for what jackfruit can add to that space," she says. The Jackfruit Company sells pre-cooked, pre-seasoned frozen entrees in flavors like teriyaki, barbecue, Tex-Mex, and curry.
For now, the focus is on jackfruit as a readymade entrée for producers in the U.S., both because of demand for ease and added-value potential. "It's added a lot of excitement in the meat alternatives category in stores because it's a whole food, not wheat or soy-based, and a new idea to many consumers," says Staackmann, whose Upton's Naturals brand sells plain pre-cooked jackfruit, as well as barbecue, chili lime carnitas, and Thai curry flavored versions. Upton's processes, cooks, and packages jackfruit in Thailand, where it's grown, before being shipped to the United States. Now you can find the Jackfruit company and Upton's Naturals packaged jackfruit entrees in retailers across the country, and both canned and fresh jackfruit have been stocked at Whole Foods.
The jump from overabundance in India to fancy packaged meals in the States was not immediate. Ryu had to spend nearly three years developing her business and the supply chains in India. The jackfruit sector is still mostly unorganized there, with no consistent infrastructure and no assured market, resulting in a good percentage of the crop ending up unused (up to 80 percent, according to some sources). Processing or value-adding within the country is in its infantile stage.
Jackfruit grows naturally all over India, but is mainly foraged and the rest of the fruit goes to waste. But in southern India, for the last decade or so, there's been an effort to capitalize on the increasingly popular fruit, says Padre. "A movement is shaping up by farmers, small organizations, and more to get a fair price for jackfruit, to utilize it for many products, and to augment rural economy." The coastal state of Kerala is at forefront of the fledgling movement to create a market for jackfruit. According to Padre, a former finance minister of the Indian state launched a program to plant 10,000 jackfruit trees in his constituency.
One company buying up jackfruit to process and sell to Indians is Jackfruit365, founded by former Microsoft employee James Joseph. Joseph sees the fruit's potential as a nutritional meat substitute when green, and as a diabetic-friendly carb when slightly more ripe. For Joseph, jackfruit's potential is endless. His company freeze-dries the flesh of the just barely ripe fruit before distributing it. When rehydrated in water for just a few minutes, it's a chewy, pork-like ingredient. When soaked for longer and mashed, it has binding power that he sees as a boon to prepared foods. Joseph works with chefs to promote the product's use, and through this collaboration has developed a burger and kebab recipe using jackfruit; ones he claimed are remarkably similar to meat.
Joseph has plans to continue expanding Jackfruit365, with sights on jackfruit mash becoming the new "mashed potato" in the international market. Padre, the journalist, has a vision that would to promote "ready-to-eat prepackaged fresh fruit in cities including in north India," he says, "and diverting not-so-good table varieties as ready-to-cook vegetables, and to develop ground jackfruit seed as gluten-free flour for export." Both are hoping the sector will continue to grow and increase its own capacity to harvest and sell the fruit.
As the vegan diet becomes more mainstream, perhaps a pulled tropical fruit will find its way as the "plant-based" option for traditional smoked meats. But it remains to be seen if American carnivores will ever accept it as "barbecue" as easily as jackfruit curry caught on throughout India.
Emily Stephenson is a food writer and recipe developer based in New York City.
Editor: Erin DeJesus
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If you open the Bible and turn to the Book of Hebrews, you'll find this bit of good advice: "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." This line might have been in the minds of Liberty University's students and administrators when the very conservative, very Christian school in Lynchburg, Virginia, opened its doors to the very not-conservative, very not-Christian presidential aspirant Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
As it happens, that line is also the epigraph of Kevin Roose's 2010 book, The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University, which documents Roose's experiences as a temporary student at Jerry Falwell's famous college. On this week's "So That Happened," we turned to Roose for some insight into this meeting between Sanders and Liberty's evangelical student body, and why this collision of "strangers" wasn't really that strange. (The segment on Sanders' trip to Liberty starts at 28:00 in the clip below.)
As Samantha Lachman reported earlier this week, Sanders came to Liberty seeking to make a targeted appeal to the Christian enclave on alleviating income inequality. "When we talk about morality, and when we talk about justice," Sanders said, "we have to, in my view, understand that there is no justice when so few have so much, and so many have so little."
Roose urged us to remember that "places like Liberty are not monoliths," and that Sanders legitimately has common ground with the student body. "If you took [the income inequality] part of Bernie Sanders' message," Roose said, "and presented it to the students at Liberty as if from their own professors or their own pastors, it would be pretty uncontroversial."
And Roose was not surprised that Sanders received a respectful welcome: "In a lot of ways, Liberty students are more used to having their views tested than students at many schools."
Listen to the full interview with Kevin Roose by clicking the Soundcloud entry above.
This podcast was produced and edited by Adriana Usero and Peter James Callahan, engineered by Brad Shannon, with assistance from Christine Conetta.
To listen to this podcast later, download our show on iTunes. While you're there, please subscribe, rate and review our show. You can check out other HuffPost Podcasts here. |
Nobody wants to collect cash at the door of their dinner party, but feeding a group of friends can be expensive. A new startup wants to stop this conundrum from leading to fewer dinner parties.
The site, Zokos, gives guests a way to pitch into dinner party costs without an awkward exchange of cash.
Using the platform, hosts can set a minimum and maximum number of guests they'd like to invite to dinner, send invitations through Facebook or email, and request that each guest contribute a certain amount to the cost of the party. RSVPed guests' PayPal accounts are only charged if the minimum number of guests are reached, similar to the way Kickstarter funders only pay when a funding goal is reached. Zokos charges $.30 plus a 3% fee for each transaction.
"It's not really crowdfunding, it's friend funding," co-founder Christopher Kieran says.
Kieran and his co-founders first hatched the idea of a dinner-party-promoting system while in graduate school at Yale. They were members of Veggie Dinners, a 300-person club in which each member hosts one dinner party per month in exchange for the right to attend other members' dinners.
When they founded Zokos, their original idea was to bring Veggie Dinners to the masses. The product quickly evolved into a way to share dinner party costs, however, when it became apparent that a group-based system was hard to scale.
Zokos's current site retains the likelihood of meeting new people that was inherent in a dinner party club of 300 people by allowing invited guests to invite their friends. There's also a public dinner party option that lets you open your tablet to the world, but Kieran says that it's taking off in San Francisco "and nowhere else."
If you're planning a party, there are plenty of established site such as Evite and Paperless Post that you can use to manage invitations and RSVPs. The real value proposition of Zokos is making hosting less expensive, and if what prevents people from hosting dinner parties is the cost rather than the hassle of cooking and cleaning, it's a good one.
"I think the potluck is a solution to the same problem that we’re dealing with, which is that it’s expensive to host a party," Kieran says. "It's the new potluck."
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, RapidEye |
[@sepoy notes: I am grateful to Gayathri Raj and the Columbia Journal of Literary Criticism, where this interview first appeared, to allow re-printing it here on CM.]
Sheldon Pollock is the Arvind Raghunathan Professor of South Asian Studies at the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University. He was the general editor of the Clay Sanskrit Library and is the founding editor of the Murty Classical Library of India. A famed Indologist, his scholarship focuses on the hermeneutics of Sanskrit texts. He was awarded the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors bestowed by the Republic of India, in 2010. His involvement with the Murty Classical Library has spawned a petition demanding he be removed from his post as editor in chief.
Gayathri Raj recently graduated from Columbia University. She does not want you to know what her major is, but sometimes she reads Sanskrit. She enjoys listening to M S Subbulakshmi and Oum Kalthoum.
Gayathri Raj: This issue is on myth, all kinds of myth, so I wanted to talk about national myths, given current events. I’ll start with the first question: the big pink elephant in the room, the petition that has been written on change.org demanding to remove you from Murty Classical Library…
Sheldon Pollock: I was very tempted to sign that petition myself.
GR: [laughs] Why is that?
SP: My first reaction was, “Thank god, finally a way to get out from under all the crushing work of this project! [laughter] Then my second reaction was, are these people deranged? The suggestion that an obscure professor of Sanskrit off in the middle of nowhere could be a threat to the integrity of the great nation of India, simply because I signed a letter in support of students who have been arrested for nothing more than demonstrating their freedom of expression—- I thought that was utterly delusional. The third reaction has come slowly, and it’s more serious. It’s a little more nuanced and complicated. What is it in contemporary India that could produce such an ignorant, hostile document?
I’m very concerned about the source of this hostility and ignorance and how to address it in a manner that is progressive and salutary, that produces not more conflict but cooperation. So I’m not angry. I’m intrigued and worried about the cultural and psychological sources of the anger and shame that are evident in that document. When I refer to shame, I mean shame among people about the loss of their own cultural knowledge. Shame that it is virtually impossible to produce in India. a series of the quality of the Murty Classical Library. That fact is the result of a deep historical…I don’t want to say robbery, but loss. There is the shame of, “Oh, here’s this guy talking about power, domination, inequality, and hierarchy, and we don’t want to talk about that, we want to just talk about flying saucers in the Vedas and ancient plastic surgery, but here comes along this mean Orientalist.” But my sense is that the true shame that is motivating and empowering the document is the ignorance of things that people’s grandfathers and grandmothers knew which they no longer know. They’ve lost it, and how can they possibly get it back? I may be wrong: maybe too much psychology. But that is my sense of things.
GR: You say you’re worried about what kinds of ignorance are driving this kind of document. I was reading the petition and going through the signatories, and a lot of them are associated with IIT [Indian Institute of Technology] and IIM [Indian Institute of Management], which I find interesting, almost obvious—- but it brings me back to something that George Packer wrote about in the New Yorker about Tunisia and the Arab world in general, that “The most likely radicals are people in technical or scientific fields who lack the kind of humanities educations that fosters critical thought.” This is something you bring up in “Crisis in the Classics”, where you note that the number of humanities PhDs being produced in India are nowhere close to what Western universities aspire to.
SP: I think that’s absolutely true. A footnote to the Packer quote: I think it’s interesting—- and this gets back to my shame comment—- that India leads the world in forms of computational thinking because young people in India are the heirs of centuries-long traditions of high literacy fostered by the cultivation of the Sanskrit and other great forms of learning. I think the other, more telling point is that the nature of humanities education in India today is disastrously mediocre. And that is a bizarre development for a culture which for centuries led the world in humanistic production. Literature, philosophy, critical thinking, civil debate, interactions across community lines—- that all that has dissolved today is a result, not a direct result of the collapse of humanistic education, but that has contributed to it. And this is not the case only in India, it’s the case in Pakistan, it’s the case in much of the Arab world, the case in much of Africa, the only exception may be China. But China is peculiar insofar as the state has appropriated the project of the humanities. I’m not so sure that’s a very good solution, frankly.
GR: So where do you see humanities education going in India or, what can be done to redress and reform it?
SP: A lot of people I think very highly of, including Rohan Murthy, the donor of MCLI [Murty Classical Library of India], and Pratap Bhanu Mehta in Delhi, who’s a good friend, are thinking long and hard about the reforming of Indian education. I have always thought about India and Sanskrit culture as part of the real world, part of the world of women and men and their interactions with other women and men in domains of power in which they are enmeshed. But I think the events at JNU, Central University of Hyderabad, the Film School in Pune, Jadavpur…across the board there have been the beginnings of a powerful student movement. And I think if it’s not crushed, and if it is sustained, there’s a potential here for something very innovative. I am not just talking about student politics or reservations, or alliances between dalit/bahujans and Marxists, or any of that, I am thinking about a transformation in the structures of knowledge, where students will begin to demand educational structures that will empower them with the instruments of critical thought that are now being denied them. The short answer to the hard question is that first, there are a lot of good people thinking about these questions, and second, the students themselves seem to be taking matters into their own hands in a way that I find deeply inspiring. I hope the agitations and slogans are sustained until the universities are seriously reformed so that critical thinking becomes a central part of education. And that would mean bringing back things like the humanities in general, and what I call “critical classicism” in particular.
GR: What do you have to say about the textbook controversy, where Twitter had a trending hashtag called #removemughalsfrombooks which was an attempt to rewrite history textbooks at the middle school and high school level?
SP: I’m a low-tech guy in a high-tech world. Where did this hashtag originate? In California or in India?
GR: This was in India.
SP: I see… because a big textbook controversy has been happening in California, and to some extent I was involved with that. I think in general there have been excesses on both sides, to be quite frank. But I think the greatest excess has been in the state of California itself, which insanely opened up the textbook review process for public approval. I think they should now consider opening up brain surgery practices for public approval. They should allow everybody in every community to offer an opinion on how neurosurgeons open up the cranium—- you know I really think that’s the next step.
GR: What people would like to be a solution to that is to remove Mughals from the history textbook and to present India as a Hindu state that has existed since time immemorial.
SP: Another delusional step, and completely self-negating. This history cannot be sanitized. History cannot be stopped. I mean these people can produce their own textbooks for a year or two or five or 10, but they will be ultimately overthrown. The Indian textbook controversy has been going on for 30 years if not longer, since the revisions in the textbooks in the ’80s. The process of historical contestation is unending, and that’s the way it should be.
What I myself would like to see is the problem of truth multiplied. I want to start talking about multiple truths and discuss collectively the controversies, teach the controversies. It’s an old idea that I learned from a colleague at the U. of Chicago—- teaching the controversies does not skirt the problem, but puts the problem of truth and historical veracity—- right in the center of the conversation.
I would like to see a history book that teaches the struggles over history
I would like to see a history book that teaches the struggles over history, one that might begin the section on Mughal history with a statement from the RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, National Volunteer Organization] demanding that 300 years of Indian history be erased from the textbook and give their reasons for doing so. Teach that controversy. That’s where I would like to see scholarship go. I don’t want to see monological scholarship. Let’s let 100 schools of thought contend. I know that that sounds slightly bizarre, but history is an ongoing struggle and it’s very important that people understand that history is always written from the interests of the present moment and all of us are going to do so from a very interested and partial perspective. Teaching the controversies is one way to show people the fragility of historical truth. That may not be the answer you want to hear. The answer people want to hear is, “These people are insane and we should just kick them to the curb.”
But you know, India is now a state run by the RSS. How do you deal with that? It’s a very worrisome situation. The kind of expressions of rage and delusion that one finds almost every day in India is a result of the space that’s been opened up by the RSS coup. It allows people to say things that they never would have said 20 years ago. It’s sort of like the Trumpian revolution. Hundreds of thousands of members of the Sangh are drilling every day with khaki shorts and saffron flags. This is no joke. The textbooks are just a front in the culture wars that are taking place.
GR: In your “Future Philology?” essay you criticize Edward Said for saying that he understood studying literature as separate from his political commitments. The petition criticizes you for signing petitions [in support of the students at JNU] which it says are purely political in nature and have no academic merit. So with the movements at JNU or Hyderabad happening the question becomes, what is the role of the confluence of the academic and the political, and why is it that the two of them have been so separated in contemporary india?
SP: First the Said question. What bothered me with his statement (this is not a direct quote): “My politics is one thing but scholarship is separate, please don’t be angry with me” was I thought that was totally disingenuous. Now signing petitions in solidarity with students who are arrested for exercising their freedom of speech has nothing to do with my scholarly work whatsoever. The challenge that a person cannot be political while having another profession, like dentistry…I mean how dare a dentist sign a petition, how can he actually care for teeth if he signs a petition? Any suggestion that one can be debarred from political action by reason of affiliation to any given profession is utterly absurd and not worth talking about.
But then there is the deeper question of the relationship between one’s political view of the world and one’s sense of power in life and in culture throughout history, on the one hand, and the products of culture which one deals with as a scholar, on the other. There’s a serious question in there of theory and method among other things, and you know the famous line of Benjamin’s “On the Concept of History,” that “every document of civilization is at the same time a document of barbarism.” The beautiful things that we study in Greek poetry or Italian renaissance painting or Chinese philosophy, all of these beautiful parts of culture emerge out of a matrix of inequality and domination. And the question to what degree is the exploration of that matrix necessary to understand the product is a theoretical one. In some cases, the degree is very small, and in some cases it’s front and center. I mean, we could talk about the origins of nyaya in Sanskrit and the study of the vidyasthanas [disciplines of knowledge] without reverting to issues of inequality. They’re not really pertinent to that set of issues.
Issues of gender, exclusion, and silencing-— every culture evinces those, but sometimes they have to be brought into the analytical mix. One more thing: even were that barbarism to become an object of one’s scholarly analysis, it does not require that one give up objectivity. Objectivity remains a non-negotiable value in scholarship, but objectivity does not entail neutrality, as Thomas Haskell said 20 years ago. We want to produce scholarship that is honest, and is as fair to the evidence as it can possibly be. You can’t make up evidence, you can’t cherry-pick evidence, you can’t suppress evidence, you can’t willfully mistranslate, you can’t lie. You must be as objective as possible, but that does not mean that you have to celebrate structures of domination. You can critique it, you can take sides. Neutrality is not a requirement, nor is advocacy not a legitimate and important academic value.
When I write about forms of exclusion and silencing in Sanskrit tradition, I feel that I can state clearly and plainly that those forms of domination have had very deleterious effects in the long history of Indian culture. I feel that the evidence and the data permit me to make that sort of argument. It is part of one’s obligation, as a global citizen to participate in an oppositional way when one sees oppression. In scholarship one may or may not feel a similar reaction to historical structures of oppression and domination, but the key thing is that if you deal with such materials you must adhere as closely as possible to the highest standards of scholarship. That doesn’t mean that you have to remain neutral in analyzing the construction of inequality.
GR: How does this speak to your earlier quip about the construction of multiple truths? If we’re all objective and objectivity means that we cannot cherry pick evidences and also means you have to adhere to your critical thinking processes, how do we then arrive at multiple truths?
SP: So we read the Valmiki Ramayana—- we are very objective and honest. We look as carefully as we can at the text, and we look at the context, and we wonder “what is going on in this work?” We look at the inscriptional data, we look at the history of writing in India, and since the epic’s history is partially oral, we look at the nature of its earliest transcriptions, which we have before us in the various versions of the work that have been printed in the critical edition. We the come to the conclusion, at least it is my conclusion, that given the political ideology and theology of the work the Ramayana must have been composed in the era after the reign of King Ashoka (c. 250 BCE). That at least is my objective truth about the work, based on all the evidence I could possibly gather. Fast forward to year 1400. You go down south [of India]. You go to Tamil country. You find people reading the Ramayana, and what is their understanding of the Ramayana? Their understanding is that it is a text that was created in the Dwaparayuga that tells the story of God’s presence on earth, and is really an allegory about the soul’s progression by way of a teacher to self surrender to God. That’s what that work is really about. What do we say to those Vaishnava people [who think this]? People from Ashoka’s time would think, these guys are morons, and don’t know anything about the Ramayana; nineteenth-century orientalists said the same thing. I say that these people have a truth about the Ramayana—- I want to understand their understanding.
I want to understand their understanding.
So now we have two truths—- or, if not truths, then readings, understandings, ways of making sense of the text, of using the text. We don’t have to use the honorific “true.” Fast forward 1990, when Advani is making his Rathyatra, and to 1992, with the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya is destroyed. Mr. L K Advani sees the Ramayana as a living work, providing a political blueprint, for a Hindu Rashtra, a Ramrajya. It is an understanding. You can call it specious, duplicitous, anti-Muslim, opportunist—- but he is using and thinking through and understanding the Ramayana in a particular way, just as the Shree Vaishnavas were, just as I was, in my post Ashokan way. I want to look at this multiplicity as ways people have come to understand this work and make use of it. You might want to rank these interpretations and say Advani is wrong, people got killed [as a result of his ideas], let’s kick them to the curb, the Shri Vaishnavas were theologians and possibly making it all up, kick them to the curb as well, and this leaves me, the real historian who has really cracked the code to the Ramayana. The view that I am the only one who fully understands the Ramayana is not going to get you anywhere. I want to take all three levels of textural usages very seriously and find a way to think about all of them together. I feel the same way about the RSS. So I don’t think a pragmatic account of the shifting meanings of culture stands in any fundamental contradiction with my presence as a scholar on one hand, and on the other hand as a citizen who wants to think about global culture and address inequality at the same time.
GR: As someone who fancies themselves as a person who studies Indian civilization, a question that I always struggle with is that of, and I borrow here from the text of the petition, instilling this “sense of respect and empathy for the greatness of Indian civilization”. Are pride and respect for cultural tradition, for historical texts, necessary for scholarly work? How is pride and respect for a certain thing implicated in the type of scholarship you produce, or is it at all?
SP: I think the way knowledge about places like India gets organized at Western universities, which is largely based on the area-based approach to knowledge (at least when it comes to literature and thought), which is generally the area organization of knowledge, does have the tendency to segregate or to silo traditions like Indian Studies or Chinese Studies. This segregation does tend to stimulate a sense of proprietary control over tradition, and to some degree pride in tradition, and that can be a good thing. You can’t very well spend 45 years of your life reading stuff you think is worthless. In fact, that’s very difficult. I wrote a big piece about Nazi scholarship once, and I had to read a lot of Nazi material, and it’s very difficult to read stuff if you think it is worthless. So I think my work—- I don’t know what these people have read about it, or know about it—- adequately evinces my respect and pride in dealing with Indian studies.
But there’s another way of organizing knowledge that’s more disciplinary, and that’s what we’re missing today. That disciplinary organization of knowledge would insulate us far more from feelings of pride or pity or piety around these traditions, and that’s an essential component. I don’t want anyone to tell me that I have to produce scholarship that will celebrate India or ensure the endurance of the Indian nation. Of course, nobody goes into Indian studies, if there is such a thing, without having this national pride. But part of the problem in India is that traditional studies have now been captured by the RSS. The people who trained me, the true scholar practitioners, are all gone, and what’s left are these ideologues and opportunists who know little about the past, who can barely read this stuff, and if they read it, they have nothing interesting to say about it. The excess of pride in India, the demand that everyone show pride, is astonishing. In the Western academy, pride is important but needs to be balanced by science. I have no problem using the word science in the humanities. I want to be able to study this material as an object of scientific study.
GR: One more prophetic question. To give some context– Smriti Irani, celebrated HRD [Human Resource Development] minister of India (moved to Textiles in July 2016), recently said that Sanskrit should be taught at IITs. Given this appropriation of Sanskrit by the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian People’s Party], RSS, etc., and the tension between studying Sanskrit at Western universities versus studying Sanskrit at Indian universities under pundits, where it’s been couched in the Brahminical traditions of thought and political power, where do you see the future of Sanskrit as a language that is taught and learnt lying ahead?
SP: That’s an interesting problem with India, and where India goes from this point on: for several thousand years, there was a great tradition of indigenous learning organized around gurukuls and family structures and all sorts of small-scale institutions. Sanskrit knowledge was very effectively transmitted over several thousand years through this educational structure. In 1857, with the founding of the three new universities – Bombay, Madras and Calcutta – Sanskrit traditional learning was basically left out in the cold. You couldn’t have pandits teaching at those universities [at the time]. This is a deep question for historians of education—I think it was some part of the long, slow descent towards our present predicament.
I think the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan [National Council of Sanskrit] needs to be radically overhauled to help transform higher education in Sanskrit studies. From what I can see, the Sansthan is a failure. To my knowledge, they have not produced one single Sanskrit project in 20 years, or trained very many scholars who have edited difficult texts or published serious books. What have they done? Into this mess along comes the minister of human resource development, who has very little familiarity with university culture, who is going to dictate the future of Sanskrit studies by attaching them to institutes of technology. You have the money and you’re going to throw it away? Throw it away. It’s quixotic and silly. I think the whole IIT thing is pure grandstanding. If people in India were serious about teaching young children classical languages in such a way that they could produce citizens who were in power to read the texts of their past, they would do it. I would love to cooperate on finding a way. I often suggest to colleagues in India that there should be an institute or set of institutes dedicated to the cultivation of classical knowledge with the same kind of funding and seriousness of purpose as the IIMs and IITs—an Indian Institute of Classical Studies. I’m worried that with an RSS government such an institution would be immediately polluted with ideologues and people who do not possess the requisite scholarly values. Since 1925, from the founding of the RSS till now, they have been attempting to capture Sanskrit tradition as its possession, and it is slowly achieving that. What does this great nation-state do with its classical heritage? How does it effectively create scholars who embody the kinds of values we talked about earlier—respect for evidence and for argument, objectivity, historical sensitivity, theoretical depth, sincerity, thoughtfulness, civility? It’s a very tough but very pressing question. |
Victor Gerley played goalkeeper for the United States National Team from 1965-1966, gaining six caps in total. Without much available information about Gerley, I spoke to him hoping to learn more about his time as a soccer player. Gerley opened up about his club career, his with the national team, and the 1966 World Cup Qualifying. How did you end up playing goalkeeper? Was it something you always did or it did just fall in your lap? No, no, no, I was always a goalkeeper. I could have gotten a scholarship to go to Princeton to kick the football, to kick! Kick field goals, kickoffs, all that. But I chose soccer because of my background. Soccer was in my blood. My brother was also a very good player. He’s a doctor. He was not available for any of these Unites States games because he was always studying or in a hospital working. He would have been a wonderful addition to the time. He is very, very talented. Very talented player. What teams did you play for? I started playing in New York for the Junior Hungarian Team as a goalkeeper. Then I went into the reserve team and played there. I started playing when I was 18 years old. And by age 19, I was goalkeeper for the New York Hungarians, a first division team. In 1962, we won the US Open Cup. We beat San Francisco 2-0. I didn’t play. I was a reserve but anyway I got a trophy. So the whole selection process, we had a western group and we had an eastern group. And then we went and played in New York [for the US Open Cup final], the east versus the west. And based on the performance, that’s how the [National Team] selection was based on the players. When did you play for the US Men’s National Team? I played for the national team in 1965. We played in Los Angeles Coliseum and we tied Mexico 2-2. We went down to Mexico City and played in front of 90,000 people and we lost 2-0 but I saved a penalty. Then we went to Honduras and we played to a 1-1 tie and then we beat them 1-0. We planned to qualify and go to London in 1966 World Cup. That was the objective. We lost and we didn’t make it. Mexico made it. Then we tried later on. I also was a backup goalkeeper in 1970. I played in friendly games against Bermuda and Haiti. Let’s see, we played in Haiti and we lost there 5-2. And then Bermuda, we lost in Bermuda 1-0. And again these are all out of country games. And not many American spectators. So we were the underdogs, you know? Some of the names I can recall, Willie Roy was one of the players. And Walter Schmotolocha was a Ukrainian fellow. What was the game like in Los Angeles? At Los Angeles, we had 25,000 spectators in the Coliseum. And of the 25,000, I can guarantee that 20,000 were Mexicans. They were rooting for Mexico and not the US. At one point, I made a foul in the 18. One guy was harassing me and I hit him with my elbow, very lightly. He fell down to the ground and the referee, a Canadian referee, gave a penalty, which I didn’t save, you know. And we were leading at that time 2-1. So basically it was my fault but the referee overreacted. This guy was playing like an actor, you know? I hardly ever touched him and he fell to the ground, throwing the penalty. What do you mean by “harassing”? Well he was trying to get the ball out of my hand. He was chasing me all around. I’m turning, he follows me. I’m turning, he follows me. Like, harassing me to not release the ball. The ball has to be released normally within ten seconds. If you don’t release the ball, it’s not a penalty but it’s a free kick. So as I said, I was pissed off and all I did was hold the ball in my hand and in my chest. And I moved with my shoulder left and right. I tried to shake him off. So I just brushed him, barely touched him. And he fell to the ground, faking it. Faking it! And the referee gave a penalty kick which I didn’t save. I should have saved but I didn’t. It would have been wonderful to make it to England. So anyway, the president and the big honchos of United States Soccer Football Federation went down to the referee after the match and told him that “You will never ref in this country ever again!” Yeah, they were very upset. I was upset too, obviously. What they tried to do was get a neutral referee [for the game]. You don’t want an American referee. You don’t want a Mexican referee. You want a neutral referee. Well this neutral referee looks like he sided with the Mexicans. Why did the US schedule a game in LA if there was going to be a large Mexican crowd? I don’t know! That’s ironic, isn’t it? I think we would have been better off playing in New York somewhere. But again the atmosphere was very pro Mexican. Very pro-Mexican. So it was very disappointing for us players. Here we are, home team, home grounds and we’re rooted against. Where else did you play? I played for the Hungarian team from 1962 to, about, 1970. We went down to Mexico to play against [Club Deportivo] Oro, which is in Guadalajara, because we were the United States champions and Oro was the Mexican champions and we were doing this playoff. Like a Central America versus North America playoff. We beat Oro 3-2 and then about a month later they came up to New York and we tied them 2-2. Then I got sick and someone took over for goal. We played against Guadalajara and we tied them 0-0 and then we lost the other game 1-0. But I didn’t play in those games, I was sick. I also played for the German-American League all-star team in New York. I was a goalkeeper. I played against many, many international teams. We toured in Guatemala. We played against German teams, Greek teams. So I was considered the number one goalkeeper back in those days, 1964-1970, so a long career. Meanwhile I was going to college. I became an engineer, a structural engineer. And then I graduated a half year late because of all my soccer adventures. So, anyway, very happy memories. What were some of your strengths as a goalkeeper? I had tremendous reflexes! Very quick reflexes. Not only did I play soccer, but I also played Team Handball for the United States. I was a goalkeeper. Team Handball is six players on a small court like basketball court and a goal the size of maybe three meters by two metres and then you use a ball, a little bit bigger than a softball. And you dribble, you pass, you dribble, you throw the ball at the net. So I played for the United States National Team and I went in 1970 to Paris for the World Championship of Handball. It’s a big, big sport in Europe, you know? We didn’t win but I played a tremendous game against Yugoslavia who was a World Champion at that time. Then we lost, like, 26-21. But then during all the playing there I hurt my back. I was jumping around too much and falling on the hard floor. So we had two other backup goalkeepers who played the next two games and I was just a spectator. So I had a wonderful career. Have you tried googling me? You can find more information on Google, I’m sure. Well I have but honestly there’s not too much information on the US team from before 1990. I can’t even find your birthday. Can I ask that? June 17th, 1943. And do you have any memorabilia left from your playing days? I do, I do. I have my shoes, my soccer shoes. I have my jersey that i played goalkeeper in. It has the US emblem on the front and the number one on the back. I think I have the gloves I used. Victor was kind enough to send some old newspaper photos of him action, so check them out below. Reddit 4 105 email Print The following two tabs change content below. Bio
Latest Posts Will Reno Will writes about American goalkeepers because somebody has to. If you have a question about goalie technique or pizza, he is probably the right guy for job. Latest posts by Will Reno see all) Josue Soto Interview - November 4, 2015
Aleks Gogic Interview - August 25, 2015
US U-23 Goalkeeper Pool - June 29, 2015
Zach Barnes Interview - April 23, 2015 |
The project, entitled “There's no place like home” ('Borta bra men hemma bäst'), is designed to allow immigrants the opportunity to better understand the options and possibilities available to help them return to their home soil.
“We are convinced that among the many immigrants in Sweden who have ended up in alienation and social isolation the dream of being able to go back to their home land and reunite with their countrymen is still alive,” wrote the Sweden Democrat youth organization (Sverigedemokratisk Ungdom - SDU) in a statement.
Plans call for the party to distribute 10,000 "goodie bags" filled with USB memory sticks, DVDs, and other information in various languages about how to apply for repatriation grants.
In order to pay for the project, the SDU has applied for 100,000 kronor ($14,957) from the Swedish Migration Board (Migrationsverket), which allows any organization to seek support for repatriation projects.
Should the funding request be approved, the SDU plans on targeting immigrants who have been granted permanent residency in Sweden but have not paid taxes over the past ten years.
"It's aimed at those who haven't succeeded in getting a job and fitting in to Swedish culture," SDU head Gustav Kasselstrand told the Expressen newspaper.
But Migration Board spokesperson Johan Rahm dismissed the SDU bid as mere "propaganda".
"This looks more like some sort of propaganda statement where they're trying to persuade people to go back," he told Sveriges Radio (SR).
According to Rahm, the agency generally receives funding requests from organizations with "deep" ties to other countries that are focused on helping diaspora populations and people that were forced to flee from their home countries.
Speaking with Expressen, Rahm argued that SDU's plans were "a way to draw attention to their politics, not to help people who dream of returning" to their home countries. |
If the overriding theme of the premiere of Season 5 was regime change, and how different polities handle a sudden transformation of the power structure, the overarching theme of last night's episode was the question of a just ruler: what does one look like? How do they handle questions of war and peace, justice and punishment? How would they handle the crisis of the day?
The first person to ask this question is Varys, a man so often thought of as an arch-utilitarian who revealed himself last episode to be something of an idealist, a believer in enlightened despotism who hopes to find at the end of the road to Meereen a ruler capable ruling. Tyrion’s self-flagellation over whether he and Shae might have been happy had he not loved power so much leads him to believe that there is no difference between one ruler and the next, that “we’ve already got a ruler. Everywhere’s already got a ruler. Every pile of shit on the side of every road has someone’s banner hanging from it.” Varys insists that there are differences between princes, that Tyrion himself was “quite good, you know, at ruling during your brief tenure as Hand.” And while Tyrion insists that he mostly managed to kill a lot of people, he’s forgotten that he also managed to save the lives of the better part of a half-million people, in whose name he sallied forth to fight Stannis’ army at the Blackwater to prevent the sack of King’s Landing, while their king ran away. There are indeed differences between a just and unjust ruler.
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And the question hanging in the air between Varys and Tyrion, and at the very center of this episode, is whether Daenerys is going to be that just ruler both men are looking for. And her test is the case of a captured Son of the Harpy – should she put him to death at once, as a warning to her enemies and a sign to the slaves who follow her that Dany will not leave them at the mercy of their enemies, or grant him a fair trial, thus proving to all Meereeneese that the new regime means justice? There’s not a clear-cut answer, which is what makes being a just ruler so difficult.
On the one hand, as her freedman adviser Mossador tells Dany, she is in the middle of a guerilla war that owes more to Reconstruction than Iraq. The Great Masters of Meereen “want to put a collar back on my neck – on all of our necks,” and to do it they are willing to hire a poor freeborn man, perhaps motivated by the money and perhaps by mudsill theory (as Dany speculates), to put on a mask and kill former slaves who stand up against them. Dany insists that that “there are no more slaves. There are no more Masters,” and therefore the justice that is inseparable from freedom means meting out the same punishment to a slave striking back as the murderer of an ex-slave. But as Mossador reminds her, is it truly justice to treat both sides in a civil war equally, when one side “lives in the pyramids” and the others in the streets?
On the other hand, Ser Barristan Selmy is there to remind Dany that, to embrace that side of Dany from Season 3 that saw her give the command to the Unsulllied to massacre the Good Masters of Astapor as her dragons set the city afire, runs the risk of sliding from fiery revolutionary justice into tyranny. As her own father found out:
“when the people rose in revolt against him, your father set their towns and castles aflame, he murdered sons in front of their fathers, he burnt men alive with wildfire and laughed as they screamed. And his efforts to stamp out dissent led to a rebellion that killed every Targaryen except two.”
And so Dany, taking her position in between the Great Masters of Meereen up on the walls of the city and the former slaves down below (as the agents of the Freedman’s Bureau were so often depicted), making the argument for equal treatment under the law with the execution of Mossador for the murder of a prisoner. And the result of her moderation is an alienated freedman population, a bloody riot between the ex-slaves and the ex-masters who still hate each other, and a situation even more inflamed than when she started. Sometimes, moderation doesn’t lead to the peace that Varys longs for, let alone justice.
Meanwhile back at the Wall, Jon Snow is trying to wrestle with his own understanding of what makes for a just ruler, in the wake of Stannis’ (and his) execution of Mance Rayder, who was an admitted oathbreaker and deserter. For Stannis, who last episode offered the wildings a chance for assimilation into Westerosi society along with lands and titles, the question is who the Free Folk will follow now. “One of their own,” Jon Snow offers – and in this, the Free Folk are very like their new neighbors, the Mormonts of Bear Island, who refuse to march behind the banner of anyone but a Stark. More practical and adaptable than he’s been depicted as in the past, Stannis turns from his previous project to a new proposal for a political regime that offers the chance at uniting the North (and whoever the new wildling leader is) behind “Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell” through the legitimizing power of a king.
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Yet while honor forces Jon Snow to refuse, the same question of justice – what should be done with the wildlings – drives him to stand up when his name is put forward as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Here too is another political community trying to decide what makes for a just ruler – is it “a man who has fought the wildlings all his life,” who represents the Night’s Watch’s traditions and prejudices, or a man who understands that the wildlings are just people “born on the wrong side of the Wall” and can look ahead to new threats and opportunities? Like Daenerys Targaryen, whom he has often been paired against as the ice to her fire, Jon Snow is a man whose reign as Lord Commander is going to be consumed by how to incorporate another group of outcasts looking for a place in a political community that fears and hates them. Here too, justice will not be easy.
Adjoining these two portraits of just rulers perhaps in the making, are two examples of how badly injustice can affect the body politic. In the case of Dorne, Ellaria Sand (who actually eschewed this path in the books, but who is standing in for Arianne Martell) demands blood and vengeance for Oberyn Martell, even if that means the torture and murder of a helpless child – here we see injustice inflaming an entire nation, leading them to forget what Oberyn Martell stood for, that the world should be a place where “little girls” are not killed at the whims of the Great Houses.
And in the case of Cersei, we are getting the first hints of what it looks like when an unjust ruler really takes charge. With Joffrey, there was a pettiness and inattention to the actual business of governing that restricted his tyranny to those closest to him – Cersei doesn’t have that limitation. Whether it’s breaking her word to Bronn in exchange for his silence and absence during Tyrion’s trial, or refusing to punish murderers lest that disincentivize future murderers from executing dwarves in the hopes that one of them might be Tyrion, the stain of injustice is creeping inexorably over the royal court.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the Small Council room, where Cersei rules without a Hand to check her, handing out appointments as Master of Coin to the hapless Mace Tyrell (on the grounds that this would keep her enemies out of the Handship) and as Master of Whisperers to confessed necromancer (and Westeros’ answer to Dr. Mengele) Qyburn, for no other reason than he is loyal. When loyalty replaces ability or morality as justifications for royal office, corruption has overwhelmed the government. Gods save the realm when Cersei is the arbiter of justice. |
What if we had a housing affordability crisis and nobody cared?
In 2007, federal Labor under Kevin Rudd swept to power in part by tapping into a deep vein of community concern about home affordability. Variable mortgage interest rates had hit an eye-wateringly high 9.5 per cent, while house prices - outside Sydney at least - continued their inexorable rise.
"Figures show 22 per cent of people own 55 per cent of homes."
A lot has changed since the global financial crisis hit Australian shores in late 2008. For the third of households who own property outright, the news has been good - homes have largely retained their value. For the third of households paying off a home loan, the news has been similarly positive - mortgage interest payments have fallen dramatically.
But for the forgotten third - renters or those looking to buy - the outlook remains grim. Once the mortgage belt's demand for lower interest rates was satisfied, concern about high prices for first-time buyers evaporated. House prices may have plateaued, but a new generation of young peoplestill cannot, and may never, afford to buy their own home. |
Of course, it’s hard to imagine being raped (and who would want to). But just for a minute try and think about it.
Imagine you are returning home from work, walking down a busy road in early hours of the evening, perhaps from the train station or the bus stop to your home as you usually do.
Suddenly a car pulls up slightly ahead of you and as you walk by, the rear doors open and two men get out. Without any hesitation, they grab you and bundle you into the back seat.
You struggle with all your might and shout and scream, but none of the passing cars stop. No one sees or hears you, or perhaps wants to.
As the car pulls away with you inside, you lash out but you are in the middle between the two men, and they slap and punch your face, rip your clothes and pin you down before forcing themselves on top of you. They are strong and for the first time in your life, you feel truly helpless.
One at time, they rape you mercilessly with their hands over your mouth, in the moving car for what seems like hours on end, before dumping you on the outskirts of the city.
Before driving off, they warn you not to go to the police or tell anyone, adding that they have video clips and photos of the rape on their mobiles which they will disseminate publicly if you go to the police.
In a culture where chastity is expected before marriage, where a woman’s sexual behaviour is how she and her family are judged, where such an incident will “shame” you and bring dishonour on your family, what do you do?
You keep silent at first, but eventually, unable to bear the mental anguish of this horrific experience alone, you kill yourself.
POISON, SELF-IMMOLATION, WRIST SLASHING
This is not a made-up scenario.
It is a reality which unfortunately is being increasingly reported in India’s towns and villages where suicides are often linked to rape with victims emotionally blackmailed or “shamed” into ending their lives.
A quick search under “rape” and “suicide” on maps4aid.com — a website which documents news reports of crimes against women in India — gives an idea of the extent of the problem and the torment that some victims go through.
Young girls and women have drunk poison, set themselves alight or slashedtheir wrists in the aftermath of such sexual violence.
But it’s not just rape victims. Even their families are pained or shamed into killing themselves.
Last week, a poor, lower caste man in the northern state of Haryana committed suicide after he discovered his young daughter had been gang raped by eight upper caste boys in their village and had circulated video clips of the rape.
The man reportedly drank poison out of the shame of his daughter’s reputation being ruined — sparking protests in the village over police inaction with only one arrest so far.
JUDGMENT CULTURE
In India (and other South Asian nations), public knowledge of the rape of a woman is seen as a blot on the victim, which not only scars her emotionally and physically, but most likely determines the course of her life (and often that of her families and her siblings).
This is a deeply conservative and patriarchal region where age-old customs such as payment of hefty dowries at the time of marriage and beliefs linking a female’s sexual behaviour to family honour have made girls seem a burden.
Women here are still judged — not so much on what they say or do, their job or education or views – but whether they have had sex out of wedlock or not and how they dress and behave with other men.
A girl who has engaged in pre-marital sex will often be seen as a disgrace and her family may be shunned in the community. If she has sisters, like her, they will face problems finding a husband to marry them — one of the key issues parents worry about as soon as a daughter is born.
With rape, this twisted judgment persists.
People (which include government officials and police) still judge the victim — often criticising her for her clothes, where she happened to be, the time of day — rather than sympathising with her and supporting her.
As a result, few women are willing to report rape cases due to the lack of support, but more so the shame they face by going public.
In 2011, 24,206 rape cases were reported, according to India’s National Crime Records Bureau – a figure which gender rights activists say is a gross under estimation.
Until society as a whole realises that it is the perpetrators who should be shamed by their horrific deeds, rather than the victims, India’s raped women will continue to suffer … and will needlessly continue to commit suicide. |
A Warren man who pulled up a 12-foot-long Great White Shark with his crab pot last August has been cited for unlawful possession.
Jason W. Robinson, 32, was issued a non-criminal citation by Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife division for the Aug. 8 incident at Depoe Bay, according to a police news release. He is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Circuit Court on Oct. 8.
A trooper on duty had heard about the shark catch that day and contacted the boat's occupants. He saw the shark had already been gutted, which Robinson said was to prepare it for eating, a press release said.
"Our investigation indicated there was no obvious self-initiated attempt by Mr. Robinson to contact any authorities after he caught the shark before bringing it to the port. If our trooper wasn't at the right place at the right time then we believe he would have unlawfully kept the shark for his own personal interests," said Captain Walt Markee, director of the Fish & Wildlife division.
Oregon regulations prohibit the possession of Great White Sharks and Basking Sharks, and require that the sharks be immediately released unharmed.
Anyone that discovers a dead Great White Shark or a Basking Shark is urged to call the Oregon State Police at 800-452-7888.
-- Staff reports |
Enlarge Image Brazzers Forum
Nearly 800,000 emails, passwords and usernames attributed to accounts on the Brazzers porn site forum have been leaked.
Originally reported to Motherboard by vigilante.pw, a breach monitoring watchdog, the hack contained over 900,000 individual records. Aside from inactive or duplicate accounts, that meant some 790,724 unique email addresses, usernames and plaintext passwords are now out in the ether.
Though the data came from the site's separate forum, other users of the site were reporting their data had been included in the breach as accounts were shared between the two sites for convenience.
The breach was due to vulnerabilities in the vBulletin forum management software, according to Brazzers publicity manager Matt Stevens. It's not the first time the software has been blamed for stolen passwords, with millions of accounts stolen from other vBulletin-powered forums earlier this year.
While it may not be quite as compromising as the recent Ashley Madison hack and subsequent extortion attempts, the slightly older cache of passwords still points to the need for encrypted password security.
Brazzers did not immediately respond to request for comment. |
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The élite in this country, still to this day, proudly speak out about the abundance of freedom that can be witnessed in the US; that every American has the freedom to choose their own path and that of their family’s. But what if I told you that was an illusion. What if I told you that the very illusion of that choice would burst if a given choice led an American family astray from the empire directive.
In this nation’s past, the golden rule of a physician was simple: as Sir William Osler famously said,
“Listen to your patient, he is telling you the diagnose.”
Yet today, this has changed. Doctors are now told what to prescribe by outside business and parents are now being told what must be done with their children by these same profiteering doctors, despite the parents wishes and concerns. Families are now being ripped apart when the parent asserts their god-given right to choose the path of their child. Even if that path is one the doctor deems to be incorrect, it is the right of the parent to make that choice, not the state.
Yet what is being seen today in the medical field is quite a startling precedent to be setting in this country; a country already struggling to maintain its illusion of freedom and democracy. This is the practice called “medical kidnapping” and it is taking place in situations where a parent is choosing to opt-out of a given medical procedure in favor of either an alternative option, such as cannabis related treatments, or nothing at all; which is the case in regards to vaccines.
Medical kidnapping is defined as:
“The State taking away children from their biological parents and putting them into State custody and the foster care system, simply because the parents did not agree with a doctor regarding their prescribed medical treatment for the family.”
The two most prevalent circumstances in which parents are choosing to opt-out of treatment is again, with vaccines, and very commonly today with chemotherapy in lieu of cannabis or other alternative treatments.
Many parents are beginning to see through the thin veneer of the anti-cannabis government narrative, and are now choosing to treat their child’s cancer with a variety of cannabis derived treatments that are being shown to not only be a better option than chemo, but the best option overall. This is the point in which a doctor would make the unilateral decision, based on whatever incentive the pharmaceutical companies have offered, to call Child Protective Services and report what they claim is child endangerment. Yet with all the current research showing cannabis to be the smart option, however disregarded that research may be by the federal government, it is a parent’s right to make an educated choice that they feel is in the best interest of their child. To be clear, this is not to say that one should completely disregard the advice of their doctor, but more so should find a doctor they trust, and make their own decision based on their trusted doctor’s recommendation and their own research.
With chemotherapy, there is no excuse for a doctor to report a parent for choosing an alternative treatment. Especially when one takes into consideration the low success rate of chemo and its unbearable side-effects, primarily for children; and the apparent success rate of cannabis to treat cancer. A selfish and self-serving motive becomes clear when it is revealed that chemotherapeutic drugs are the only classification of drug where the doctor gets a direct cut of the profit. That is the definition of a conflict of interest, as it is in the doctor’s best interest to prescribe chemotherapy, regardless of what is best for the patient.
Vaccines are a much more controversial topic. In the case of chemo, one could make the argument that they are choosing a better option and in no way can be charged with child endangerment. Yet with vaccines, the argument could be made that a parent should not have to right to opt-out of a treatment or preventative measure where there is no alternative; which is the case with vaccines. This is however unfounded, as the choice in every regard to a child falls in the hands of the parent. One must also take into account the many rising concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines following the revelations that came as a result of the CDC whistleblower Dr. William Thompson who spoke out about a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism; and how they intentionally concealed and trashed the corresponding relevant data.
The bottom line is that every human being is capable of deception, greed, and malfeasance; and with that possible manipulation of information for the benefit of the individual being an ever-present possibility, a parent must always have a choice. If our history has shown us anything, it is that humanity is capable of extreme good and extreme evil, and both are always present, and to think that we have risen to a state where that extreme evil is absent, is the embodiment of naïvety.
Once liberty was overtaken by security, once choice was overtaken by luxury, and once we allowed for the greed of humanity to dictate the necessities of our culture, the true freedom that was once the pride of a nation was cast aside for the objectives and desires of the few who convinced the many that their personal ambition was the same as our freedom.
Those who choose to blindly follow the directive of an industry that has been shown over and over again to be completely controlled by pharmaceutical companies’ ambition, are essentially taking medical advice from a corporation that has no interest in your child’s health, outside of that which creates a profit.
This is not to say that within this largely bought out industry there are not those who attempt to do the right thing, such as Dr. William Thompson at the CDC, but history has clearly shown what happens to those who stand against the empire. Ultimately, every American should have a choice, in anything and everything. And that is quintessentially American.
Sources: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/04/11/study-shows-chemotherapy-does-not-work-97-of-the-time/, http://www.mintpressnews.com/new-documentary-whistleblower-claims-cdc-covered-up-vaccine-autism-links/213212/
Help Us Be The Change We Wish To See In The World. |
Lawyers for the sponsors of California’s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage suggested in a new Supreme Court filing on Tuesday that their case might be sent back to the state supreme court to further analyze their right to defend that measure’s constitutionality. The suggestion came in the reply brief, the final document in the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry (12-144) before the oral argument next Tuesday.
The Court, in granting review of the case, told lawyers to address whether a ballot measure’s backers have “standing” under the Constitution’s Article III to be pursuing an appeal of a lower court decision nullifying their measure. The challengers to Proposition 8 have argued that the sponsors cannot meet that constitutional test because they cannot show that they have suffered any legal injury from that decision.
The sponsors, citing the California Supreme Court ruling finding that they are allowed to stand in for the state in defending a ballot measure that state officials won’t defend, argued that their role is actually to represent both the people of the state and the state itself in this court battle.
In that representative role, the brief argued, “proponents need no more show a personal injury separate from the state’s indisputable interest in the validity of its law, than would California’s Attorney General” or did the leaders of the New Jersey legislature when they were found by the Supreme Court to have “standing” to defend an earlier measure in the Supreme Court.
Under California law, the brief went on, the backers “do have a unique, personal stake in the validity of Proposition 8 that is ‘directly affected’ by this litigation.” At that point in the brief, the proponents inserted a footnote commenting that neither the Ninth Circuit Court nor the California Supreme Court, in finding “standing,” had dealt with the issue of personal injury.
Thus, it said, “it may be appropriate” to send the case back to the state court “if this Court concludes that petitioners [the sponsors]. despite their establishing authority to represent the State’s interest, must also demonstrate personal injury to satisfy Article III.”
The reply brief also defends the constitutionality of Proposition 8 on the merits, relying again heavily on the history of marriage as between a man and a woman, and on the argument that the fundamental purpose of marriage is to foster childbirth. The brief sharply assailed the same-sex couples’ view of marriage in their attack on Proposition 8, calling that perception a “genderless, adult-centered understanding of marriage” that is “a recent academic invention,” stemming from “the modern movement to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.”
Acknowledging that the political argument for same-sex marriage “has resonated with growing numbers of Americans in recent years,” the brief said that this trend runs counter to the view in most states, but that if marriage is to be redefined, it should be “for the People to decide.”
Recommended Citation: Lyle Denniston, New plea on “standing” on Proposition 8, SCOTUSblog (Mar. 19, 2013, 1:56 PM), https://www.scotusblog.com/2013/03/new-plea-on-standing-on-proposition-8/ |
The November 5 conference, “Socialism vs. Capitalism and War,” and the building of a new movement against imperialist war
12 October 2016
On November 5 at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, the Socialist Equality Party and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality are holding an antiwar conference, “Socialism vs. Capitalism and War.” The purpose of this conference is to examine the growing danger of war and lay the political foundations for a movement against imperialist war in the United States and internationally.
The conference has been called in the midst of an immense geopolitical crisis, centered on the ever-expanding war drive of American imperialism. Far more rapidly than most people are aware, the quarter-century of war waged by the US since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the fifteen years of the “war on terror,” are metastasizing into a direct confrontation with the larger geopolitical rivals of the United States.
In the final weeks before the US elections, the Obama administration is preparing a major escalation in Syria while simultaneously intensifying its campaign against both Russia and China. In Sunday’s town hall presidential debate, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton reiterated her support for a “no-fly” zone in Syria, which US military leaders have acknowledged could precipitate a war with Russia.
Last week, in an event virtually ignored by the American media, US officials gathered in Washington DC at the annual conference of the Association of the US Army, where they issued bellicose threats and demanded a massive expansion of the military.
Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley said a future war involving large nation-states “is almost guaranteed.” To those who “try to oppose the United States,” he declared, “we will stop you and beat you harder than you’ve ever been beaten before.”
Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work warned that the American military is prepared to “pound the snot” out of any “adversaries [who] think they can keep us out.” Major General William Hix said that “a conventional conflict in the near future will be extremely lethal and fast,” and urged military officials to prepare for “violence on the scale that the US Army has not seen since Korea.”
This immense war danger has been virtually excluded from the presidential election campaign and all but ignored by what presents itself as the political “left” in the United States. After a quarter-century of unending war, including eight years under Obama—the first president to serve two full terms with the country continuously at war—there is no functioning antiwar movement.
The conference called by the Socialist Equality Party and the IYSSE is the only effort to mobilize opposition to imperialist war. This is an extraordinary fact that requires explanation.
What accounts for the disappearance of organized antiwar opposition? It is not that the people of the United States and the world have become pro-war. The antiwar sentiment that erupted in demonstrations of hundreds of thousands, in some cases millions, in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 has not gone away. Rather, the organizations that largely led these protests have become the most fervent advocates and apologists for imperialist intervention.
An example of the arguments advanced by these forces is an article published by Stanley Heller on the web site New Politics, which bills itself as an “independent socialist forum.” The founding editors of New Politics, Julius and Phyllis Jacobson, were political associates of Max Shachtman, who broke with the Trotskyist movement in 1940 and later became a champion of US imperialist intervention in Korea and Vietnam. The editorial board of New Politics includes members of an array of pseudo-left organizations.
In his September 28 article “Rage for Aleppo and Syria,” Heller attacks those who “are acting as if this was 2003 and everyone need to focus on Western imperial adventures… The main carnage right now has little to do with ‘the Empire.’”
The issue is not the role of US imperialism, Heller insists, but the government of Bashar al-Assad, who is “assisted (and in some ways commanded) by foreign powers, one semi-fascist [a reference to Russia], and the other a theocracy [Iran].” He blackguards anyone opposing the CIA-backed operation in Syria as a supporter of Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Repeating the worst propaganda from the US war in Iraq, Heller invents popular support in Syria for US intervention, claiming that “Syrians have called for a no-fly zone for years.” He writes that he is “repulsed by the ‘anti-imperialist’ left who demonize as an ‘agent of the Pentagon’ anyone who demands a NFZ [No Fly Zone].”
Heller concludes by calling on the “peace movement” to “put pressure on the candidates for president,” particularly Clinton, to take a more aggressive line on Syria. “Only Hillary Clinton,” he writes, “expresses any sentiments about doing something to protect Syrian civilians,” including supporting a no-fly zone. He bemoans the fact, however, that even if Clinton wins, “she doesn’t take office until January.”
Heller, a periodic correspondent for the International Socialist Organization’s Socialist Worker, is also a leader of the misnamed “Revive the Peace Movement” group, which is endorsed by the ISO, CODEPINK, the Middle East Crisis Committee, and various other groups. The Revive the Peace Movement recently published an “Open Letter on Syria” to which Heller makes reference in his above-quoted article.
The letter centers on attacking the Obama administration for last month’s failed cease-fire, claiming that it would undermine the campaign against Assad. “Under the Kerry-Lavrov deal,” the letter states, “Washington and Moscow will be collaborating to maintain Assad in power.”
The letter is signed by a broad coalition that includes Ashley Smith of the ISO; David Finkel, managing editor of Against The Current; Howie Hawkins of the Green Party; Joanne Landy, co-director of the Campaign for Peace and Democracy; Fred Mecklenburg of the News and Letters Committees; Dan La Botz, co-editor of New Politics and leading member of Solidarity; and representatives of the Antiwar Committee in Solidarity with the Struggle for Self Determination, the Black Lives Matter-affiliated “Moral Mondays” group, and many more.
This list encompasses virtually the entirety of the pseudo-left in the United States, whose constituent organizations maintain an incestuous relationship rooted in their common opposition to Marxism and hostility to the working class. Against the Current is published by Solidarity, which is a fusion of various Shachtmanite organizations and also maintains a political affiliation with International Viewpoint, published by the Pabloite tendency that broke with Trotskyism in the early 1950s. The ISO is another branch of Shachtmanite politics. News and Letters has its origins in the “Marxist Humanism” of Raya Dunayevskaya and CLR James.
Finkel himself is a former member of the Socialist Workers Party, which reunited with the Pabloites in 1963 and the following year expelled the tendency that would go on to form the Workers League, the predecessor of the Socialist Equality Party. Finkel recently interviewed Gilbert Achcar, an associate of the New Anti-capitalist Party, the main organization behind International Viewpoint. As the World Socialist Web Site recently noted, Achcar, along with the ISO’s Ashley Smith, is a leading campaigner for intervention in Syria and also backed the war in Libya.
Those pseudo-left groups that did not sign the open letter abstained not out of opposition to the principles elaborated therein. Socialist Alternative, for example, has ignored the drive to war in order to cover for American imperialism. Its last article related to US foreign policy, dated September 4, downplays the risk of war and paints a Pollyannaish picture of American imperialism. Socialist Alternative writes that “a full-blown military intervention at this point in Syria, let alone in Iraq, is politically inconceivable for them [the US].” An earlier article by the same organization refers to what it claims is the “extreme reluctance of American politicians to commit ‘boots on the ground.’”
Such statements are made despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of soldiers are presently deployed at US imperialism’s nearly 1,000 bases worldwide. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, American foreign policy has been based on an extreme recklessness in undertaking military adventures abroad. With respect to Syria, the US has been bombing the country for over two years in a de facto alliance with the Al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and other proxy Islamist forces. The United States’ war for regime change has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and turned millions more into refugees. Washington bears primary responsibility for the virtual destruction of Syria.
During the primary campaign in the US, Socialist Alternative devoted itself entirely to promoting the campaign of Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination. While posing as a “socialist” opponent of Wall Street, Sanders gave his full support to Obama’s war policy throughout his primary campaign. He is now enthusiastically campaigning for Clinton, who is running largely on the basis of anti-Russian agitation and advocating military escalation against the forces of Assad and Russia in Syria.
The pro-imperialist orientation of the pseudo-left is not fundamentally the product of mistaken ideas or the rotten politics of one or another individual. The unanimity of these organizations expresses class interests.
They constitute a faction of bourgeois politics. They speak for sections of the privileged middle class that want a bigger share of the wealth of the top 10 percent and more influence and power within the corporate elite, the trade union apparatus and the state. The upper-middle class, approximately the top 10 to 1 percent of the population, has benefited greatly from the post-2008 stock market boom, which is itself dependent on the domination of American imperialism abroad and austerity and wage cutting at home. The pseudo-left’s use of radical and “socialist” phrases is aimed at obscuring its pro-war and pro-capitalist orientation.
The development of a new antiwar movement is the most urgent political task, one that must be taken up by workers, students and youth in opposition to the treacherous politics of the pseudo-left. As the February 18, 2016 statement of the International Committee of the Fourth International, “Socialism and the Fight Against War,” insists, such a movement “must be based on the working class, the great revolutionary force in society, uniting behind it all progressive elements in the population.” The fight against war must be international, it must be socialist, and it must be completely independent of and hostile to all of the political parties and organizations of the capitalist class.
The ICFI is the only organization that is mobilizing opposition to war because it is the only organization that fights for the program and perspective of world socialist revolution. The same capitalist crisis that produces war also produces the objective basis for putting an end to war in the growth of the class struggle. The anger and opposition of workers all over the world must be politically organized and directed in a revolutionary movement against the capitalist system. A political leadership must be built, and it is for this purpose that the SEP and the IYSSE have organized the November 5 conference in Detroit.
For more information and to register for the November 5 conference, Socialism vs. Capitalism and War, click here.
Eric London and Joseph Kishore
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All Blacks star Aaron Smith had been having a sordid affair with a lawyer for two years before they were caught having sex in the disabled toilet of an airport before a rugby test match.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal the rugby player begged her for sex in parks before being rejected, for 'good luck' sex before games, and demanded sexy photos in the months before the pair were sprung at Christchurch Airport as Smith was due to fly out for a test match in South Africa.
The salacious Facebook messages obtained by Daily Mail Australia show Smith proposing their toilet liaison asking for a 'special toilets f***', saying the pair had to be 'sneaky' as his All Black teammates were nearby.
Scroll down for video
Smith's partner Teagan Voykovich (pictured) has stood by him throughout the scandal
Aaron Smith issued a tearful apology after being caught having sex in an airport bathroom
The mystery woman, pictured, says New Zealand rugby has a 'misogynist' attitude
Smith asks the woman for a 'quick good luck f*** and s***' before an All Blacks game
Smith messaged the woman asking her to meet him for sex at a park near his house
Smith first messaged the woman in 2014, saying he felt 'like [a] creep' for reaching out
The messages show that the halfback lied to his All Black bosses about what really happened between him and the woman, and that the player tried to get the woman to sign a false affidavit to go along with his fabricated version of events, a request she refused.
Smith was suspended by the All Blacks and issued a tearful apology after being caught following an 'incident' in a toilet cubicle at Christchurch Airport in New Zealand just before he was due to jump on a plane for South Africa with the team last October.
The star halfback is in Sydney with his All Black teammates preparing for the opening test of the Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.
At the time, a visibly shaken Smith said he had made a 'huge mistake, a huge error in judgement', and All Blacks management decided to send him home from South Africa and suspend him for one game as punishment.
Smith, pictured against the British and Irish Lions, is one of world rugby's best halfbacks
Smith asks for a 'good luck drive' the night before his 50th test for the All Blacks
The messages show Smith proposing the bathroom meeting, suggesting a 'special toilets f***'
Smith told the woman he had lied to his partner Ms Voykovich (pictured) about the toilet tryst
However, Daily Mail Australia has now obtained messages between the pair showing that it wasn't a one-off, but part of an ongoing relationship.
The messages also show that Smith lied to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and the public about what happened in the disabled toilet cubicle.
The woman – who Daily Mail Australia has agreed not to name – claimed she first became intimate with Smith in 2014, and that when the story first broke he pressured her to lie about what had happened, even asking her to sign a false affidavit saying they didn't have sex.
Aaron Smith's sordid airport affair - Smith was spotted having sex in a disabled toilet at Christchurch Airport - Witnesses reported seeing him spend 10 minutes inside with a woman - Smith then emerged wearing his All Blacks uniform - The woman followed shortly afterwards - He returned to his teammates smiling as if nothing had happened - The All Blacks were on their way to South Africa at the time - Smith made a tearful public apology and claimed the incident was a one-off - He was suspended from the next game - Text messages reveal a two-year affair between the pair, and show Smith asking the woman to lie about the incident
After All Blacks coach Steve Hansen was notified of the scandal, Smith asked the woman to lie
Calling the woman 'baby', he tells her to 'stop freaking' and delete messages between the two
'This was not some quick hook up. I had been seeing Aaron on and off for years before he met his current girlfriend.'
The woman said her and Smith continued to see each other but Smith did not make it clear that he had a girlfriend, the woman claims.
Messages show the player initiating their bathroom meeting, suggesting a 'special toilets f***', and saying the pair had to be 'sneaky' as other All Blacks were around.
Smith asks the woman to lie about what happened, and for her to sign a false statement
Smith runs through a game plan with the woman as he seeks to limit the public relations fallout
After footage of the pair leaving the toilet was leaked to the media, Smith frantically messaged the woman to get her onside with his version of events.
'He asked me to go along with his story which he had told both his girlfriend and his management, he had said that I saw him at the airport and I asked him to talk in the bathroom about my boyfriend, but I didn't have a boyfriend at that time, that was just something he had made up,' the woman said.
The woman claims Smith told her that he had relayed a false story about her performing oral sex on him before he became 'flustered' and backed out to his partner Teagan Voykovich and All Blacks management, and asked her sign an affidavit saying they didn't have sex as it would 'save him heaps'.
Smith pressures the woman into signing a false affidavit saying the pair didn't have sex
After his tearful apology, Smith messages the woman to say 'attention should die down a bit'
Ms Voykovich has stood by Smith throughout the scandal.
'Obviously that's not what happened at all,' the woman said.
'When we got caught he lied about what had happened and asked me to stick to the story he had told his new girlfriend and coach, which essentially put the blame on me.'
'He just told me if anyone asks to say nothing, but if I have to then to just go along with that story, which I wasn't happy about because it made me look like more easily attainable than what I am.
Smith asks the woman to not comment to the media, as he 'just wants this to go away'
'At that point I said if you're going to say that then just leave me out of it, which he promised he had done, but he hasn't. No-one knows the truth.'
In the messages, Smith asks the woman to give him a 'good luck f**k and suck', before she asks if he has a girlfriend, to which he replies 'no'.
Smith also asks the woman for a photo of herself, to which she replies 'but you have a [girlfriend]'.
Calling the woman 'hun' and 'baby' Smith says the woman 'needs to agree with him'
Smith asks her if they will have 'secret fun', while also asking her to meet him at a park near his house.
Messages between Smith and the woman also show that he met her the night before his 50th test for the All Blacks in Dunedin last year, organising a covert rendezvous away from the team hotel so he wouldn't be snapped.
After they meet, Smith says he 'owes' the woman while she says she hopes he doesn't get in trouble with 'skip' - All Blacks captain Kieran Read - for leaving the team hotel at night.
The woman tells Smith she feels 'so bad she wants to cry', while Smith tells her to 'make best'
The woman said fallout from the ordeal has taken a mammoth toll on her.
'It's just really frustrating. At the time I was hounded by the media, and on social media everyone was commenting calling me a whore and this and that… it appeared like I was something I wasn't.
'Without anyone knowing who I was or what had happened, I was called a whore, a home-wrecker and a dumb b**** online, while at the same time the New Zealand public showed support for [Smith], telling him he is still their hero.
'I've been made out to be the one that was pursuing him as if it was a one off incident when it actual fact it was the other way round.
After issuing a public apology, Smith said that 'most of New Zealand are over' the scandal
'There's stories written about how the Highlanders are all backing [Smith] and they support him…. but when it comes to me I'm like the villain.
'I was definitely the scapegoat so that he could get out of it, he threw me under the bus to try and save his own career.'
The impact of that fateful bathroom liaison still lingers for the woman, who now claims management from Smith's Super Rugby side the Highlanders don't want her to train at the same gym as some of their players.
Smith tells the woman to 'stop freaking', and again relays the fake story he made up
'The Highlanders management have said to the [gym] staff that they're not happy that I train there because I was the girl that was involved, and that I might target other players.
'I have no intention of targeting any other players, it's kind of a slap in the face because as you can see by those messages it was Aaron that targeted me, and he was the one that started this whole thing years ago.
'It's unprofessional and so inappropriate to make any comments to anyone at my gym.'
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark told Daily Mail Australia no representative of the club had requested the woman not to use the gym but he couldn't speak for individual players.
'It's not true. Definitely not.
'As far as the players are concerned you'd have to ask them individually... all I can answer for is the Highlanders rugby club and from the Highlanders rugby club, we haven't spoken to [the gym] about any individual or anything for that matter.'
He tells the woman to 'lay low' and 'keep quiet', saying 'I can trust you no talking at all'
The woman said she contacted Smith's manager Warren Alcock a few weeks ago asking to resolve the issue in private, but was told to wait until the end of the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
'I agreed to give him a few weeks' grace, but instead of addressing it Aaron was seen holidaying in Fiji with his partner.'
Lawyers for the woman sent a letter to New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Tew, Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark and Smith's powerful agent Warren Alcock last week asking for Smith to make a public statement, but that letter had yet to receive a reply.
'Now they do know the truth and they haven't acknowledged it.'
Smith says he will take the lie to his 'grave', while asking her twice to delete the message
'[New Zealand Rugby] is a really big organisation with a lot of power but they're not about doing what's right… if they can cover this up, they will.
'This is no longer an issue of a player having an affair. This is now a much wider and more serious issue of the sexist rugby culture New Zealand has demonstrated.'
'It's clear that New Zealand has a serious problem with its rugby culture and misogynist attitude.'
The All Blacks, New Zealand Rugby and Warren Alcock have been contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment. |
Vancouver resident Cliff Relph was tired of seeing the area around his home littered with garbage.
He lives in the Kensington neighbourhood, near Knight Street, and in August started noticing just how much garbage people were leaving on the streets and not disposing of properly.
“It took me a while, but when walking home from the store I saw how bad the problem had become lately,” said Relph in an email interview. “And I said ‘someone should take care of this. Wait… I’m a someone.’ So, I figured out a way I scale it, in a way that I could handle in my day to day life.”
He said his grandmother passed away in December and she always loved doing things like this for her community and that inspired him further.
Relph has been documenting all his garbage finds on his Tumblr blog and recently shared some of his photos on Reddit where the post received a lot of attention and praise from fellow residents.
They even dubbed him a hero.
“The Flash is a hero” joked Relph, “but I’m just someone who wants to try to keep Vancouver the awesome place that it is.”
He said, sadly, he’s not too surprised to see so much garbage being left on the street.
“I’ve enjoyed living in Vancouver for four years now, and it’s not that surprising to see it,” he said. “What has surprised me is how quickly it comes back after being cleaned out. It’s disappointing… but I understand why. What also surprises me is the variety of stuff I’ve come across. I thought I’d be picking up mostly gum wrappers and cigarettes, but there’s been a lot more than that.”
So far, he has found items like a disembodied horse head from a children’s toy, but never found the rest and 50 batteries on the ground by a bus stop. But the strangest thing he says he’s seen is a plant growing out of a cardboard circle. “It had been raining a lot, and it was nice to see that a plant was trying to make the best of the situation,” he said. “What I’ve hated seeing the most is the mattress in King Crest Park. That showed up one day, and has been there for about a month now. It’s not the only mattress I’ve come across while cleaning, but they’re a little bit outside my means to get rid of them though.”
Relph will sometimes toss the garbage he collects in the bins at King Crest Park or he will take it home to his garbage can.
He said he will continue to do it for as long as he can, although he does not enjoy picking up garbage in the rain.
“It’s a fun, but sometimes gross way to try to make a difference, and I like that.”
He would like to see more people take it upon themselves to clean up their neighbourhood.
“I think people will be surprised what they can accomplish,” he said. “It doesn’t take much of a commitment to see some change. Vancouver is a wonderful place, and I feel fortunate to be able to live here. But when a place is wonderful like this, it becomes our duty to take care of it. This is my way to do that.” |
Bristol had been due to play host tomorrow to one of the more bizarre sights in the city’s rich history with an English Defence League rally on College Green set to be opposed by anti-fascist demonstrators – and the World Naked Bike Ride scheduled to ride through the middle of them at the same time.
It’s the sort of thing that doubtless would have had local TV stations cancelling news staff leave for the day and trying to scrounge extra cameras and other kit from colleagues elsewhere to ensure they gave it full coverage (perhaps not the best phrase in the case of the cyclists).
But on Friday evening, organisers of the bike ride said they would change the route to avoid clashing with the far right group
The EDL, after meeting in a pub – not an Irish one at a wild guess, and it’s unclear whether they’ll have booked the whole venue or just the snug bar – will be protesting about refugees. They are due at College Green between 1.15 and 1.30pm, the vagueness presumably down to whether drinks will take longer to order because they refuse being served by a member of staff who happens not to be British.
From noon, in the centre of the square, anti-fascists will gather to give support to refugees and protest against the presence of the neo-Nazis in the city, with a sizeable police presence expected to ensure order is kept.
According to the Bristol Post, the bike ride will be starting from a pub, too – the Full Moon, if you really had to ask – and the riders, protesting against pollution and climate change while highlighting the fragility of the human body.
It too had been due to hit College Green between 1.15 and 1.30pm before the change of route – although some might be of the opinion that there will still be a few pricks on show there.
And while all this is going on, none other than UKIP leader Nigel Farage will be addressing a United Kingdom Independence Party just down the road.
Co-ordinator Will Bryson said: "The Naked Bike Ride is a fun and friendly protest with the atmosphere of a rolling carnival, and we don't want to be near any unpleasant confrontations.
He added: "It's important the ride goes ahead. Research from last year found that eight in ten Bristol residents want better safety for people riding bikes, and 70 per cent of residents want to see more investment in cycling."
No doubt the World Naked Bike Ride will attract its fair share of curious locals, but at least the football season’s over – otherwise there could have been be way too many Bristol City fans around for comfort. |
A former president of the sorority Chi Omega took approximately $7,000 in sorority funds according to a recently released UPD report.
Two students in the sorority met with UPD and Detective Joseph Anderson to discuss a theft made in 2016 by then-president Natalie Susanne Benson on Friday, March 31.
According to the UPD report, the two students said that, in 2016, members of the organization discovered that Benson had misused the sorority chapter’s credit card for unauthorized spending, leaving $7,000 unaccounted for.
It was stated in the report that the Chi Omega board members conducted an investigation and had personnel meetings with Benson in April of 2016.
According to the report, during those meetings, Benson was confronted about the charges and she admitted to misusing the cards and agreed to repay the sorority.
Eagle News reached out to Benson by Facebook Messenger and email and, at the time of publication, has not received a response.
In the report, the two individuals provided UPD with photocopies of the meeting’s minutes, letters and receipts for proof. Eagle News requested the copies of these documents from UPD; however, UPD declined, stating that the investigation is still active.
Later, Benson resigned as both chapter president and member of the organization. She agreed to pay the money back, but according to the report, the sorority has only received a cashier’s check for $580 and nothing else.
According to the report, Benson is refusing to pay any more money back.
The report states that Anderson would attempt to obtain statements from the individuals that were on the board at that time, and the two students are going to provide UPD with more information on the sorority’s bylaws and the actual amount missing, with specific times, dates and any receipts. It was unclear at the time of publication if that occurred.
The case remains open and is pending further investigation, according to UPD.
Eagle News reached out to the two students involved and was told that because it is an open investigation, the reporter needed to reach out to the Chi Omega Headquarters for comment.
Eagle News sent the organization an email asking for a comment, called Whitney Plumpton, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations, and left a voicemail. Plumpton did not return Eagle News’ call at the time of publication.
Panhellenic president Antonia Jacobse says that the board doesn’t primarily deal with issues involving internal conflict.
“Panhellenic is the governing body for all six sororities and it’s like a unifying medium between all of the organizations,” Jacobse said. “Therefore, Panhellenic focuses on community issues, whereas chapters focus on organization-base issues.”
Check back with Eagle News for more on this developing story. |
I’m one of those people who loves playoff baseball but loses interest in the regular season.
It’s not entirely about the length of the game or the onslaught of commercials. It’s more about the dilution of the product when you play 162 games over the course of seven months.
The thing that makes the postseason great is the heightened stakes, which amplifies the nuances that make baseball one of our most strategic sports. I enjoy a a well-executed squeeze or a key pitching change in October, rather than seeing Pete Mackanin do it three times in one inning on a Saturday night in July.
I do think the game is a bit slow, but I don’t know if some of the more extreme ideas to speed things up make much sense.
Starting extra innings with a runner on second?
Fouling off multiple pitches results in a strikeout?
If we’re changing baseball, let’s use a scalpel and not a hacksaw.
For what it’s worth, MLB did make some minor adjustments for 2017. If you want an intentional walk, you now just signal to the umpire. There’s no more standing around while a pitcher tosses four balls in a row. The replay system was also amended to give managers 30 seconds to decide whether to challenge, while officials then get two minutes to make a call.
These are small tweaks, but they make sense, even if MLB could be doing more.
Whoa whoa whoa slow down baseball. I can't keep up now that you skipped right through that intentional walk. This is too damn fast! — tony vassallo (@mr_spilled_ink) April 3, 2017
Here are four more ways to make America’s pastime more watchable, without ruining the purity of the game.
1. Shorten the regular season, extend the playoffs
I get it — it’s a money thing.
Ten fewer games at Citizens Bank Park means ten fewer opportunities to sell hot dogs, beer, and merchandise. Fewer broadcasts means fewer advertising slots and changes to the revenue streams that keep people employed. Another complication is that MLB is much more popular at the local level while fewer fans watch national broadcasts.
The problem is that the regular season is incredibly watered down. It’s disappointing to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates go 98 and 64 in the NL Central, then bow out in a one-game wild card playoff.
No fanbase should have to go through that.
An easy way to tweak this is to cut the regular season from 162 games to 155, or fewer. Make the wild card a best of three, then extend each division series to seven games. You can trim some of the fat while beefing up the postseason.
Some of the revenue you’ll lose at the local level will be regained nationally with extra broadcasts to start the playoffs. That doesn’t necessarily help the Phillies, who probably aren’t going to the playoffs this year, but what it might do is rebuild some national interest by giving us more opportunities to see high-level postseason play.
We don’t need more baseball, we need more meaningful baseball.
2. Eliminate the designated hitter, remove pitchers from the batting order, or do both
Baseball is the only game in America where each league plays by different rules.
It results in quirky interleague and World Series situations, like Corey Kluber going to the plate and Raul Ibanez being used as a designated hitter.
How can you determine a championship using two different sets of rules in two different ballparks?
One idea I like is to remove the 9th batter from the lineup entirely. In both leagues, you would bat one through eight with your field players, eliminate the designated hitter, and keep pitchers to the mound only.
Sure, it’s fun to watch Madison Bumgarner hit a pair of home runs on opening day, but the vast majority of pitchers aren’t knocking the ball out of the park or even putting it in play on a regular basis. We’re trying to protect our pitchers anyway, so I don’t want Aaron Nola at the plate.
Another thing this does it give us more plate appearances from superstars. If hitting one-through-eight results in more at-bats for Mike Trout, then sign me up. I don’t need to see a bottom order of Aaron Altherr, Cameron Rupp, and Clay Buchholtz.
3. Limit the ability of players to call time and halt play
For me, the issue is not the lack of action in baseball, it’s the continuity of the action.
There’s too much dilatory behavior that kills rhythm, momentum, and attention spans, which are already short among millennials who aren’t watching baseball the same way other generations did.
I’m 32 years old, so I’d call myself a baseball “tweener.” I’m old enough to respect tradition while also being a bit bored when a career .209 hitter steps out of the box six times in a row.
Maybe you can put a number on that to keep batters inside the box. There’s too much crotch-grabbing and seed-spitting and velcro adjusting taking place.
There also needs to be some kind of cap on the amount of times a catcher can halt play to talk to a pitcher. Once per inning? Managers already have limits to their on-field access.
Pitchers also need to keep it moving.
Commissioner Rob Manfred has spoken of his desire to see a pitch clock in the major leagues, similar to the one that was installed in the minors two years ago. That clock is set to 20 seconds while the average time between MLB pitches is currently around 23 seconds.
Realistically, I don’t know how much this speeds things up. Baseball is a game without clocks, and I feel like adding a timer probably puts us on the slippery slope to more dangerous ideas.
The problem with baseball isn't the length of games, per se, it's the long periods of inactivity. — Brian Hall (@MNBrianHall) March 23, 2017
4. Only one pitching change per inning or a minimum on batters faced
The ultimate flow-killer is watching three different relief pitchers face three different batters in a single inning.
Here’s a typical scenario:
A) The lefty pitcher comes out of the bullpen and we go to commercial break.
He retires the lefty batter.
B) The righty pitcher then comes in and we go to another commercial break.
He retires the righty batter.
C) Then, your setup man comes in to finish the inning, but not before another commercial break.
That’s good for the HVAC company that advertises on Comcast SportsNet, but not for us.
Some people suggest a rule change that forces a relief pitcher to face at least two batters before leaving the game. That’s something I can support.
I think another solution is to limit the commercial and warm-up time beyond the first change. When the second reliever comes in, no advertising breaks and only two to three tosses with the catcher, instead of seven or eight.
Pitching changes are a key part of baseball strategy, so I don’t endorse too much radicalization. It’s less about the swapping of pitchers and more about the time it takes to do it.
Another way to avoid this is to tweak the expanded roster rules. We don’t need a 40-man roster in the fall after rolling through the entire season with 12 to 15 fewer players. Bringing in five relievers only adds to the number of times that we can theoretically slow down a game.
If you want to keep the expanded roster, a better way to do it is to put restrictions on how many players of each position can be added. Let teams add one lefty, one righty, one catcher, one infielder, one outfielder, and maybe two more flex positions of their choice. Let’s streamline roster expansion so that teams aren’t stocking up on lefty relievers to gain an advantage over their division rivals.
How does this make you feel? |
About
“We want them to come and visit very much. I am sure they will like it and change any negative ideas about Iran. I want them to know more about my country. There is no place for politics in sports” - Iranian Snowboarder at Dizin
Boarders Without Borders will follow four professional American snowboarders, two females (Olympic Gold Medalist Hannah Teter & Pro-rider Gabi Viteri) and two male (TBD), as they journey to Iran to ride the world class uncharted Alborz mountains. When one thinks of Iran, it is typically the political strife and unrest that is widely represented in the American media. The last thing that comes to mind is 14,000-foot mountains covered in Utah-like powder, with densely populated resorts and chalets nestled at the base of the slopes. However, with over 75% of the population of Iran aged 35 and under, counter-cultures like snowboarding are hidden sanctuaries for the youth of Iran. We will explore this unknown world on and off the slopes through the eyes of these three American riders, and experience their journey as they discover a country that has been sealed off from the West for over 30 years. (View More Trailers Below)
UPDATE: We have had members of the Iranian National/ Olympic Team reach out to us on Social media and they are now volunteering and becoming involved... Olympians from both countries coming together to make this happen. We need your support and pledges (big or small) to make this a reality. More to come on this...
REWARD UPDATE: Each pledge of $60 or more will receive an additional signed/ numbered 8"x11" professional photography print and $150 or more get their choice of 2 in addition to the rewards you choose.
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::VIEW OUR TRAILERS::
KICKSTARTER VIDEO WITH GABI VITERI
BOARDERS WITHOUT BORDERS | 30 SECOND TRAILER
BOARDERS WITHOUT BORDERS | HANNAH & GABI TALK IRAN
BOARDERS WITHOUT BORDERS | IRANIAN SNOWBOARDERS IN ALBORZ MOUNTAINS
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In order to complete the film, we must successfully raise $125,000 by September the 16th to cover the remainder of the expenses. Kickstarter is all or nothing funding; meaning, if we do not raise our goal ($125,000) then we do not recieve anything. We are truly humbled if you would pledge your support to the project at any reward level to the right. There are numerous rewards for the snowboard fan and non-snowboard fan at many different levels.
We look forward to creating an amazing film that everyone can be proud to support and be a part of... Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us at the email address at the bottom of the page...
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IF YOU PLEDGE NOW, NO MONEY WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM YOUR ACCOUNT. YOUR CREDIT CARD WILL ONLY BE CHARGED, IF AND WHEN WE HIT OUR GOAL ON SEPTEMBER 16th, 2012
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Join us on Facebook: http://ow.ly/clkmF
Join us on Twitter: http://ow.ly/clkta
Enter Burton Snowboard Giveaway: http://fb.me/1QhqTNRXa
::SNOWBOARDER BIOS::
Hannah Teter :: USA Olympic Gold Medalist
Destined to carry on the Teter family legacy, Hannah evolved from a little sister with amazing skills to the definition of progression in women’s halfpipe. The Teter support team is the best in the industry with older brothers Abe and Elijah also pro riders, while brother Amen acts as Hannah’s agent. A forerunner for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Hannah promptly made the 2006 Olympic squad and stomped the gold medal. In only four years as a professional, she has won every major halfpipe competition in the world with the exception of the U.S. Open.
OLYMPICS :
2010: Silver Medalist, halfpipe
2006: Gold Medalist, halfpipe
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
2005: Bronze Medalist, halfpipe
Hannah Teter's Olympic Gold Medal Final run::
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Gabi Viteri :: Pro-Snowboarder
Known for style and shredding flair, Colorado’s Gabi Viteri has spent a fair share of time in front of film and still cameras. After spending 2010 rehabbing from a hip injury, Gabi came back strong and filmed all season with Peepshow. In between touring from North Carolina to Montreal hunting for creative street spots, Gabi hit up the US Open rail jam, rocked the Burton’s women’s team shoot at Northstar-at-Tahoe, and stopped off at the Sundance Film Festival and Coachella with the Burton crew.
Gabi Viteri's Video Reel::
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IF YOU PLEDGE NOW, NO MONEY WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM YOUR ACCOUNT. YOUR CREDIT CARD WILL ONLY BE CHARGED, IF AND WHEN WE HIT OUR GOAL ON SEPTEMBER 16th, 2012
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::BUDGET $125,000::
Where does the money go?
Travel Visas: $1,399 – Visas are required for entry into Iran for American citizens.
Shooting Permits: $16,000 – This number can vary, depending entirely on the Iranian government. Basically, it is permission from the government to shoot in their country for 6 months following the application. Government chaperones are assigned to the production with the permits to oversee all shooting.
OFAC License: $4,065 – Because of sanctions between the United States and Iran, it is necessary to get an OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) license that authorizes monetary transactions done by our producers while on the ground in Iran.
Airfare for Crew/Riders: $19,100 – Roundtrip Airfare to the capital city of Tehran for crew and snowboarders.
Vehicle Rentals/Transportation: $16,900 – SUV and van rentals to transport crew and equipment from Tehran to the Alborz mountains, and for transportation in and around the mountains of Dizin and Shemshak.
Snowmobile Rentals: $4,450 – Snowmobile rentals are imperative for transporting crew and equipment in the backcountry of the Alborz Mountains, particularly when the team travels to the mountain of Shemshak.
Iranian Mountain Guide: $5,100 – Experienced mountain guide to help us navigate through the Alborz mountains, find the best powder for our riders, and help with local customs and traditions off the mountains.
Insurance: $5,000 – Production insurance covers damage or loss to any equipment, as well as any medical emergencies that might befall our crew or snowboarders. It is an important part of any film, and is very important for this trip.
Equipment Rentals: $38,899 – A huge bulk of our budget, these rentals include cameras, lenses, audio packages, lighting equipment, and other miscellaneous items that all contribute to getting the best looking shots possible. Half the equipment will come from the states; the other half will be rented in Tehran.
Pre-Iran Shoot in U.S.: $13,550 – Before we leave for Iran we will do preliminary interviews with our riders in their home states (Vermont, Colorado, etc.) for footage that will provide a back story of our travelers before they take their journey to the Alborz mountains. These numbers include crew rates, equipment rentals, and location costs.
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YOUR CREDIT CARD WILL ONLY BE CHARGED, IF AND WHEN WE HIT OUR GOAL ON SEPTEMBER 16th, 2012
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::FILM OVERVIEW::
As their plane descends through the clouds in preparation for landing, the team of four American snowboarders - Olympic gold medalist Hannah Teter, Gabi Viteri, and (male riders TBD), get their first look at Iran, the country that drew them halfway across the globe. These three riders, all free-spirited and spontaneous, have little understanding of Iranian history or culture but are eager to dive into this odyssey with a fearlessness and sense of adventure; the same characteristics that are fundamental to their ascension in the sport of snowboarding.
Their first view of the city below marks the beginning of an epic adventure where they will rip new territory and experience this untamed counterculture that is full of surprises and sees no boundaries or limits. A voyage where they will connect with people whom, despite geographic distance and cultural differences are like-minded souls bound together by not just the love of a sport, but through the embodiment of a mentality that fills their essence. Not citizens of one nation or another - just snowboarders, looking for the next obstacle to surpass. Below them the sprawling urban landscape of Tehran extends towards the horizon and their ultimate destination, the snowy mountains of Alborz.
Walking through the terminal, struggling to decipher the Farsi signs that should be guiding them through security, the team mixes with crowds of women and men in both traditional and modern garb. Standing by a baggage carousel is a small crew, not yet familiar, but distinct and recognizable. Sporting snowboarding jackets and western style sneakers, they are an almost perfect mirror image of the Americans…except they are Iranian. Our team has found their counterparts.
For these American snowboarders, their journey into Iran will be one into uncharted territory. For the first couple of days, the U.S. riders will explore the urban landscape of Tehran as they ride out the first waves of culture shock. They will check out the bustling bazaars and the breathtaking ancient sites to see for themselves what it is like to grow up and live in Iran.
Next they will head to the mountains of Dizin and Shemshak where they will encounter a host of fascinating characters and personalities. From eccentric lift operators to former Olympic skiers to the next generation of snowboarding enthusiasts, the “cast” of the film will be both vast and intriguing. We will meet the families that have run these ski villages for decades, and get a snap shot of their values and ways of life. The American riders will also have the chance to teach several snowboarding clinics to the Iranian youth and casually get to know who they are. It is at the base of the slopes and along the lip of the newly constructed half pipe that the Iranian youth - both snowboarders and observers, come to hang out and socialize. This is an environment where they can escape the rigid protocols placed upon them by their government and more freely express their passions.
As the team becomes more familiar with the people and the surrounding environment, they will venture out into the backcountry terrain that is legendary in this area. Here is where a majority of the action footage will be captured. On these free-runs the three Americans will put their real talents to the test, bombing down 45 degree grades, cutting lines through untouched silky powder, and hucking off cliffs into the vast openness. By day they will attack these mountains with unreserved ferocity. By night they will take in the after-hours scene with their counterparts, eating the regional foods and socializing with the locals. It is through interactions like these that striking social similarities will begin to emerge between the snowboarders.
The mountains beckon; people are ready to connect outside the constraints of their governments to trade ideas, share laughs, and ride down the slopes toward a place where we can acquire a new understanding…and gain a foothold in an often-misunderstood world.
*If you have any questions in specific or wold like to inquire about bespoke sponsor level rewards, feel free to reach out to us at: chris@boarderswithoutborders.com
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::SPECIAL THANKS TO:: |
Young forward to link up with Millers
NORWICH City Under-23s striker Carlton Morris has signed a new three-and-a-half year contract, keeping him at the Club until the summer of 2020.
The 21-year-old spent last term on loan to Scottish outfit Hamilton Academical, scoring eight times in 27 league starts.
Morris is
After penning terms on a fresh deal at Carrow Road, Morris told canaries.co.uk: "
"
"
City boss Alex Neil added: "Carlton is a young player who we believe has plenty to offer us in the years ahead.
"We're looking forward to playing an active role in his ongoing development as a footballer. In the short-term, he can hopefully go away and get some games at Rotherham as part of that development process." He made his City debut as a substitute in March 2015 against Wigan Athletic at Carrow Road, and has also spent time on loan at Oxford United and York City.Morris is currently on loan to fellow Sky Bet Championship side Rotherham United, although is yet to feature having sustained a minor hamstring injury prior to joining the Millers.After penning terms on a fresh deal at Carrow Road, Morris told canaries.co.uk: "City boss Alex Neil added: "Carlton is a young player who we believe has plenty to offer us in the years ahead."We're looking forward to playing an active role in his ongoing development as a footballer. In the short-term, he can hopefully go away and get some games at Rotherham as part of that development process." |
When she couldn’t find work after completing a social work diploma last spring, Jennifer Gray and her 7-year-old daughter reluctantly moved into a homeless shelter. But the 39-year-old Toronto single mom refuses to go on welfare because she doesn’t want to lose the $300 child support payment she receives from her daughter’s father every month.
Single mother Jennifer Gray chooses not to go on welfare because she doesn't want the government to take the $300 her daughter's father is paying in child support. ( Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star )
“I’ve gone that route before and it’s just not worth the frustration,” she said of the province’s policy of deducting child support payments from welfare. “They deduct it automatically whether he pays or not. And if I report him (to the Family Responsibility Office), he goes underground,” she said. “From a father’s point of view, why would they want to pay, if they know their child won’t benefit?” Anti-poverty activists say the practice fails to recognize the best interests of about 19,000 children on welfare whose single parents receive child support payments.
Article Continued Below
In an open letter in advance of Ontario’s May 1 budget, they are urging the Wynne government to end the dollar-for-dollar clawback and instead treat child support as earned income. They also want the province to stop making single parents pursue child support as a condition of receiving welfare because it can create tension between separated parents that can affect children. “Access to child support is the right of all children. And reducing the poverty of Ontario children is one of your government’s policy priorities,” says the letter delivered Wednesday to Finance Minister Charles Sousa, Children and Youth Minister Teresa Piruzza and Social Assistance Minister Ted McMeekin. “Children in families receiving social assistance should no longer be subject to the system’s counterproductive and punitive rules,” says the letter signed by more than 40 legal clinics, social agencies, anti-poverty and children’s advocates across the province. Since last October, Ontario has allowed people on welfare to keep the first $200 a month they earn before deducting 50 cents on every dollar they make. Treating child support the same would help children and provide an incentive for single parents on social assistance to pursue child support, the letter argues.
A provincially appointed advisory panel in 2010 suggested the government partially exempt child support from welfare clawbacks as one of several “quick fixes” the government could make as a down payment on more meaningful reform. The change was recommended again in 2012, by the province’s welfare reform commission headed by former NDP cabinet minister Frances Lankin and former Statistics Canada head Munir Sheikh. “This has been an ongoing request and the time has come for action,” said Mary Birdsell of Justice for Children and Youth, one of more than 20 provincial legal clinics that have signed the letter.
Article Continued Below
“We’re pleased to see that the idea is gaining support across Ontario because it’s a simple rule change that will help reduce child poverty.” said Mary Marrone of the Income Security Advocacy Centre. The concept is also taking root across the country. Since 2011, single parents on welfare in Quebec have been able to keep $100 a month per child in child support, up to a $300 maximum, noted Anita Khanna of Campaign 2000, a national coalition dedicated to ending child poverty. The issue is also gaining political traction in British Columbia, she added. “Beyond the (Ontario) budget, we want to make sure this is on the political agenda in any upcoming provincial election,” she said. About 100,000 lone parents are on social assistance and receive either Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program payments. |
The gunman who killed at least nine people Thursday in a mass shooting at a college in Oregon has been identified by law enforcement officials as 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer, according to multiple media reports.
The New York Times reported late Thursday, citing an unnamed law enforcement official, that Mercer lived in the Roseburg area of Oregon.
“He appears to be an angry young man who was very filled with hate,” a U.S. law enforcement official told the Times.
CNN also identified Harper-Mercer as the shooter and said officials were speaking to his family and friends to try and determine a motive for the shooting rampage.
WATCH:Small Oregon community still reeling following mass shooting Thursday at community college
Authorities revised the death toll downward Thursday evening, when Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin told reporters there were 10 deaths and seven injured during the shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, a small community roughly 290 kilometres south of Portland.
At this time, we are reporting 10 deaths and 7 injured in the #UCCShooting — this is current best information. — Douglas Co Sheriff (@DouglasCoSO) October 1, 2015
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum had said at a news conference earlier in the day that 13 were killed and 20 were injured.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost or injured and the entire Roseburg community,” Rosenblum said in a Facebook post. “This unspeakable tragedy that occurred at 10:30 this morning, sadly, puts Oregon on the growing list of horrendous mass shootings in our country.”
Officials said the first calls about the shootings were received by 911 operators just after 10:30 a.m. local time.
Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said at a news conference Thursday afternoon that officers exchanged gunfire with the shooter and that “he is deceased.”
Hanlin would not confirm whether the gunman was killed by officers or if he took his own life. He added there is an active investigation underway and advised people to stay away from the school.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told reporters the shooter is a “20-year-old male” but did not offer any further details. She also praised first responders for their “harrowing” work.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are holding the community of Douglas county in our hearts today,” Brown said.
“The work the first responders have done is harrowing. To our first responders, thank you for your work as this community reels from grief.”
WATCH: Oregon State Police say initial 911 calls came in before 11:00 AM PST
Students and faculty members described the terrifying events as they unfolded.
Kortney Moore, 18, told the Roseburg News-Review newspaper that she was in a writing class at Umpqua Community College when the shooting started.
The gunman entered Moore’s classroom and told people to get on the ground. She said the man started asking people to stand up and state their religion before opening fire.
“We locked our door and I went out to lock up the restrooms and could hear four shots from the front of campus,” UCC Foundation Executive Director Dennis O’Neill told the Roseburg News-Review. “We have heard there are casualties but know nothing more at this stage.”
Lorie Andrews, 57, lives across the street from the campus and was sitting on her back porch Thursday morning when the shooting started.
“Everybody is in shock. Very,very shocked,” Andrews told The Oregonian. Lacey Gregory, a student at UCC, told KOIN 6 News in Portland the situation was “nerve-wracking.” “I saw people running from the English hall, across the courtyard towards every direction. It was crazy,” Gregory said. “I remember getting up out of my seat, grabbing my bag, and I was right next to my boyfriend and we all got moved to a different location on the library, a more secure one, and I just remember standing there and it was scary.”
According to the fire marshal, the shooter was first reported in the science building and stayed in one classroom.
Photos from the scene show students being escorted out of a building on campus while police cleared the campus.
According to a message posted on Facebook by the sheriff’s department, students and faculty members have been evacuated and bused to the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Police said late Thursday evening that all building on the campus had been cleared.
Umpqua Community College has about 3,300 full-time students and 16,000 part-timers. Officials with UCC told reporters the school will be closed Friday.
*With files from Adam Frisk, James Armstrong |
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The very substance that helps make California’s food grow could be making families sick.
Nitrates from fertilizers sprayed onto California crops are ending up in drinking water aquifers and have negative health effects on residents, according to the first-ever California nitrogen assessment.
The California Nitrogen Assessment, released this week by the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California at Davis, evaluates the impact of nitrates from fertilizers on the human and natural environment.
While nitrogen, in the forms of nitrate, nitrite, or ammonium, are essential to help plants grow their leaves, excess nitrogen escapes the field and flows into groundwater, waterways and the air.
But the World Health Organization, as well as California and other state governments, say “blue baby syndrome,” or methaemoglobinemia, is caused by high levels of nitrates in drinking water. The disease can cause a baby to turn blue around their mouth, hands, and feet due to a lack of oxygen. Some cases are fatal.
The UC researchers said it remains unclear what nitrate concentration levels cause the syndrome.
The assessment states that “nitrate levels in groundwater have increased over the past several decades, and some parts of the state now exceed federal standards for safe drinking water.”
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 15,004 square miles of California, or roughly a tenth of the state, has groundwater with nitrate concentrations greater than 5 mg per litre, which is half the EPA’s maximum contaminant level for nitrate. California ranked only behind Texas for the largest estimated area with groundwater with that level of nitrate concentrations.
The UC Davis assessment, which spanned seven years, states that agriculture is the primary cause of excess nitrogen in California drinking water and that each year nearly 419,000 tons of nitrogen leach into groundwater, with 88 percent of that nitrogen coming from cropland.
Boiling water does not remove nitrate from drinking water, according to WHO.
University of Washington pediatric experts say nitrates can also be present in significant amounts in vegetables, including spinach, beets, lettuce, cabbage, green beans, squash, carrots, and turnips and should be avoided until a baby is 7 months old.
A 2013 study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal found that prenatal nitrate intake from drinking water is associated with neural tube defects, oral cleft defects, and limb deficiencies in offspring.
The release of nitrogen into the air also aids in the formation of air pollutants that have adverse effects on respiratory and cardiovascular health in humans. The International Agency for Research on Cancer concludes that consumed nitrate and nitrite are “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
To mitigate the high levels of nitrates and nitrogen in California’s drinking water, UC scientists are working with farmers to reduce fertilizer use and address water quality concerns.
According to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Quality, 800 of 12,158 public wells, or 15 percent, sampled between January 2006 and May 2016, had at least one detection of nitrate above the maximum containment levels, with most of those high-level detections occurring in Los Angeles, Tulare, Kern, and San Bernardino counties.
On average, the assessment found, about half the nitrogen applied to crops is lost to the environment.
UC researchers have found that the irrigation water used to fertilize vegetables in California already contains a substantial portion of the fertilizer needed to grow certain crops, meaning farmers can reduce the amount of additional fertilizer they apply to their crops.
UC even made an app, CropManage, which helps farmers do a quick nitrate test in the field to determine the optimal level of nitrogen fertilizer and water to apply when growing iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or strawberries. The app uses weather station data and crop development models to advise growers.
Read Also: Fear At The Tap: Uranium Contaminates Water In The Central Valley, West
Read Also: San Francisco To Blend Groundwater With Hetch Hetchy Drinking Supply
The UC Davis Nitrate Report, delivered to the California State Water Board in 2012, had a very bleak outlook, reporting, “Nitrate problems will likely worsen for decades. For more than half a century, nitrate from fertilizer and animal waste have infiltrated into Tulare Lake Basin and Salinas Valley aquifers. Most nitrate detected in drinking water wells today was originally applied to the surface decades ago.”
Although rural communities are largely impacted by nitrates in the water, especially in private wells not subject to government testing, groundwater contamination isn’t just an issue in rural areas.
For example, the San Joaquin River, which supplies water to Silicon Valley cities, runs through farmland and picks up nitrates and other chemical runoff before it hits the Peninsula.
San Francisco groundwater, which will soon be mixed with water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and delivered to San Francisco residents, also contains Nitrates from fertilizer. The groundwater will be diluted with reservoir water before reaching drinkers in San Francisco.
But UC researchers said in 2012 that blending, such as what will happen in San Francisco, will become less available as nitrate pollution continues to spread.
The UC researchers, in 2012, suggested a nitrogen fertilizer fee to compensate communities that cannot afford safe drinking water.
In addition to more efficiently using nitrogen in the agricultural sector, the assessment states that more can be done to improve consumer food choices, decrease food waste, increase energy and transportation sector efficiencies, and improve wastewater management, among other efforts.
By Hannah Albarazi – Follow her on Twitter: @hannahalbarazi. |
Locating Chicago's bats ...
(scroll or swipe)
Inspired by a question from Chicagoan Rory Keane and answered by WBEZ's Curious City, with help from researchers at the Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute. Audio story and more on Rory’s question.
EASTERN RED BAT Generally a forest-dwelling species, the eastern red bat was detected in multiple forest preserves in a study conducted by the Urban Wildlife Institute. Although many bats hibernate in old mines and caves in our region, the red bat migrates to warmer areas during the winter. It is named for its bright red fur.
EVENING BAT A forest-dwelling species, evening bats roost in tree cavities and loose bark. This species is more common in the South, but it has also found a home around the Chicago area. Evening bats look similar to little brown bats, though the species’ echolocation calls are quite different.
SILVER-HAIRED BAT Like the red bat, the silver-haired bat generally prefers forested habitat and often roosts in tree cavities or loose bark. Unlike red bats, female silver-haired bats live in social groups called maternity colonies during summer.
HOARY BAT Considered to be the most widespread bat species in the U.S., hoary bats like forests, but can also be found in tree-covered residential areas and parks. Hoary bats are Chicago’s largest bat (weighing up to 1.25 ounces) and are named for their brown-and-gray mottled fur. They spend their days hanging upside down in the foliage, completely camouflaged amongst the leaves.
EASTERN PIPISTRELLE The smallest bat found in the Chicago area (.14 - .25 ounces, the weight of a penny), the eastern pipistrelle is typically found in open wooded areas or near water, which might explain its presence at local golf courses. Because of its small size, it can swiftly maneuver through the forest to get to its favorite foraging site. Compared to other bats in our area, the eastern pipistrelle produces the highest-pitch echolocation call.
at the Lincoln Park Zoo
LITTLE BROWN BAT The little brown bat prefers to roost in buildings and forested areas. The Urban Wildlife Institute detected little browns at just a few observation sites but, notably, the group did find some at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo! Little brown populations have been decimated by white-nose syndrome in the northeastern U.S., so this is an especially important species to monitor.
BIG BROWN BAT Common in urban areas, the big brown bat prefers to roost in buildings such as churches, barns, and silos. Big brown bats are a highly adaptable species, and can make a home almost anywhere. Female big brown bats are highly social and live in groups of up to several hundred, giving birth and raising pups together. Research suggests that — within their home colonies — female big brown bats have “friends” that they snuggle with on chilly days.
This presentation is based off of preliminary data gathered during an ongoing study conducted by the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute. Bat species presented here can be found in several of the listed habitats. |
Tony Parker graduates to full contact drills
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker smiles before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski) San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker smiles before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski) Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Tony Parker graduates to full contact drills 1 / 20 Back to Gallery
Tony Parker has a good idea when he'll be able to get back on the floor again.
"When Dr. Popovich says so," Parker said with a chuckle.
That day is still more than a month away, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says, but it is coming more quickly than anyone envisioned when Parker went down with a ruptured quadriceps tendon in last season's playoffs.
RELATED: The video of Kawhi Leonard limping aboard team plane doesn't add up
The 35-year-old point guard took a step forward in the rehabilitation process last week, engaging in full contact games of 2-on-2 and 3-on-3.
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The next step is a return to full-court 5-on-5 scrimmaging, which Parker hopes to do this week.
"His rehab is going really well," Popovich said. "He's going 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 pretty much full speed. I think he gets to go 5-on-5 in about a week and we'll see how he looks."
For Parker, the rehab has been grueling but worth it.
Popovich said the team is targeting a December return.
"I can't wait," Parker said. |
This week Seattle kicked off planning for the North Downtown Mobility Action Plan to identify and prioritize transportation improvements in the Uptown, Belltown, and South Lake Union neighborhoods.
Potential changes are coming to the area, including the redevelopment of Seattle Center Arena and a new downtown public school on the Memorial Stadium site. SDOT is partnering with SLU Community Council, Uptown Alliance and Project Belltown to improve movement throughout the North Downtown area.
SDOT’s goal is to have a list of projects identified before the draft environmental impact statement for the renovation of the Seattle Center Arena, expected in the spring of 2018. SDOT acknowledges that “sustainable transportation options are fundamental to the long-term success of the arena project.” Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who represents the district where the Seattle Center is located, was present at the October 23 workshop.
In a deal negotiated by former Mayor Ed Murray, and still needing council approval, the Oak View Group will spend $600m to overhaul Key Arena to NBA and NHL standards, nearly doubling its size. Included in the agreement is an additional $40m for a transportation fund, which will pay for some projects in the North Downtown Mobility Action Plan.
The plan is part of the broader One Center City strategy of near-term and long-term comprehensive transit and traffic projects to connect ten of central Seattle’s neighborhoods.
As residents filled the Seattle Center Armory Loft, speeding up light rail to the area was once again a top suggestion. Many also pointed out the lack of east/west transit options, with one commentator suggesting “be realistic on movements in and out of the area, there are not good transit solutions east-west.” A common theme was adding more bus service and installing a transit hub, closer to the Seattle Center, to conveniently switch between modes.
Another popular suggestion was integrating the monorail into the ORCA system, which moved forward last summer. A 2017 study conducted by the city found this change could increase ridership between seven to 16 percent over the first three years of implementation.
Attendees also wanted to see additional protected bike lanes, the continuation of existing paths, and more bike parking. Pedestrian safety was a big issue for many residents who live in one of the surrounding neighborhoods; many wanted additional crosswalks with flashing lights and more enforcement on streets to prohibit cars from turning right on red.
The planning continues with an all-day charrette workshop scheduled on November 18th, which a SDOT representatives described as the critical time in the process for the North Downtown Mobility Action Plan, with an all-day charrette workshop scheduled for the 18th. Members of the public are encouraged to drop by during the day for tours of the neighborhood and also provide input on mobility projects. A draft of potential projects is expected in early spring of 2018 with a final list completed by August. |
The UN has asked South Sudan to investigate separate attacks on UN peacekeepers in Abyei last week [EPA]
Four UN helicopters were shot at, probably by militias allied to northern Sudan forces, during a visit to the disputed Sudanese region of Abyei late on Tuesday, according to a UN spokeswoman.
A total of 14 rounds were fired when the helicopters took off, but the crews landed safely, Hua Jiang , a UN spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Jiang said militias of the Arab Misseriya tribe supported by Khartoum were probably responsible for the attack, adding that they were now moving southwards after civilians had left the main settlement of Abyei.
"There are reports that they are moving south," she said.
Jiang said fighting and looting in Abyei had stopped after inhabitants left, adding that some stockpiles of UN agencies had been looted.
Sudan's northern army moved tanks into Abyei town, the border area's main settlement, on Saturday, sparking an international outcry and forcing thousands to flee.
On Tuesday, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudan's president, refused to withdraw troops from Abyei, defying international calls for a withdrawal, and raising the stakes in a standoff with the south.
"Abyei is northern Sudanese land," Bashir said, adding he had given the green light to the northern army to respond to any "provocation" by the south, which also claims Abyei and plans to secede in July.
Analysts are watching how the south will react, fearing further north-south fighting could reignite a full-blown conflict that would disrupt the already fragile region.
Sudanese forces and and South Sudan separatist fighters fought for decades before a 2005 peace deal that also allowed southerners to vote overwhelmingly for independence in a referendum in January.
'War crimes'
The United Nations said on Tuesday it had asked South Sudan to investigate separate attacks on UN peacekeepers in Abyei last week by what appeared to have been southern security forces.
It said that such attacks amounted to war crimes.
"The available information and eyewitness accounts describing the assailants, including their uniforms, strongly suggests that the attackers were members of the southern Sudan police or military forces," Martin Nesirky, UN spokesman, told reporters in New York.
A monitoring group has presented satellite images which indicate evidence of "war crimes" committed by Sudan's northern army in Abyei region.
John Bradshaw, director of the Enough Project campaign group, part of the coalition backing the satellite work, said that "These images provide supporting documentary evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Abyei."
The Satellite Sentinel Project, which provided the images, was set up by Hollywood star and rights activist George Clooney last year.
Khartoum accused the south of ambushing northern troops travelling in a convoy with UN peacekeepers on May 20 in the Abyei region. The south denied carrying out the attack.
UN officials said between 15,000 and 20,000 people had fled Abyei, many heading to Agok, just over the southern border.
"We are concerned ... about the grave humanitarian consequences of what's transpired in Abyei. There have been horrific reports of looting and burning," said Susan Rice, US ambassador to the UN, visiting the southern capital Juba. |
In a city of wirelessly networked streetlights, each overhead bulb suddenly becomes its own search light, capable of brightening to illuminate a crime scene or tailing a suspect as he sprints down the road (how far we’ve come from mimicking the static light of the moon! ). Now Lepard really had the city’s attention. But officials had one caveat: The whole system needed to be controllable, they requested, from inside a police car.
“They were getting ready to flood this park with these giant baseball field lights, and they were going to kill the ambiance of the whole park,” says Don Lepard, the CEO of a local company, Global Green Lighting, that was at the time attempting to convince the city to try out a new pilot of energy-efficient, wirelessly networked LED streetlights. Lepard’s pitch – with LED’s promise of steep energy savings and scant maintenance costs – was compelling from a budget standpoint. But this leading-edge technology wasn't fully embraced in Chattanooga until officials grasped that the streetlight of the future could also be a stunning crime-fighting tool.
Back in 2011, the city of Chattanooga was having serious problems with gang violence in one of its more prominent downtown parks, Coolidge Park (to a point, in fact, where local police tried banning unaccompanied minors there).
“I agreed to it not knowing if we could pull it off of or not,” Lepard says. And he recounts this story today because, of course, his company did.
Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, courtesy of photographer John Bamber.
Global Green Lighting installed 350 of these next-generation streetlights in and around Coolidge Park as part of the pilot. Crime dropped. “We went from having people vacate the park at dark to having frisbee leagues at 11 at night,” Lepard says. Now the company – which had long been in the electronic component design world, not the lighting business – has a nearly $20 million order from the city to install 27,000 such lights throughout town. Starting next week, they’ll be delivering 350 to 400 lights a week, all controllable individually or in concert.
LEDs have gotten a lot of attention for their potential to reduce urban energy consumption (if, that is, cities are willing to pay the up-front cost of acquiring them). But Chattanooga’s story suggests that the light-emitting diode at the top of the light pole might actually be the least interesting thing about it.
We went from having people vacate the park at dark to having frisbee leagues at 11 at night.
These lights can enable police officers to safely exit their patrol cars. They can dim to save energy at dusk and dawn. They can flash with warning signals during emergencies. In Chattanooga, they’ll also be wired into the city’s power system and best-in-the-nation broadband network, meaning that a whole number of other external devices could be attached to them like air quality sensors, video cameras, or WiFi routers.
“From a law enforcement standpoint, if we put an air-quality sensor in that light that detects meth, if somebody fires up a meth lab, that light will pick it up, send a signal back to 9-1-1, dispatch police to that spot and set the light to flash,” Lepard says. “That’s one thing.”
The lamp pole could suddenly become a vastly more valuable strip of vertical real estate. Lepard pictures that the city could even generate revenue renting out access to it. "Anywhere you’re going to need these other devices, you’re going to need the light also," he says. “It just makes so much sense to make the light the host.”
All images of Coolidge Park in Chattanooga taken by John Bamber of Bamber Photography. |
Arabs have "wronged Islam and distorted the image of Muslims," Saudi Prince Khaled Al-Faisal warned in a speech this week. The prince said Muslims should "not allow colonialism to return, or for divisions to prevail."
The prince's remarks were brief and did not reference any recent events in the Arab world. It's unclear what he was referring to, but his comments come as the Islamic State group has carried out terror attacks against Muslims across the Middle East and as Saudi Arabia is locked in a struggle against Iran for influence over the region.
"I do not envy anyone who stands to speak on behalf of Arabs today. We have wronged Islam and distorted the image of Muslims," Prince Saud, who has served as foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, said during the opening remarks at the 15th Arab Thought Foundation conference in Abu Dhabi. The theme of the event was: "Arab Integration: The Gulf Cooperation Council and the United Arab Emirates."
"Excuse me if my candor is painful, but the wounds are glaring," he added. "Arise Arabs, wake up Muslims, do not allow colonialism to return, or for divisions to prevail."
In July, Saudi officials accused the Islamic State group of bombing the holy city of Medina, the site of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad's tomb and his house, in an attack that killed four security officers and injured five others.
Saudi Arabia's King Salman has urged Muslims to unite against an epidemic of "extremism." But earlier this year, Saudi Arabia's top religious authority, the Grand Mufti, said Iran's leaders were not Muslims. Saudi Arabia and Iran represent opposite sides in Syria's civil war and other Middle East conflicts, including Yemen. Saudi Arabia cut off relations with Iran in January after its embassy was attacked in Tehran. |
On the left and the right, he's called a buffoon and a blowhard, and occasionally Donald Trump lives up to those descriptions (see his presidential announcement speech). And despite covering him constantly, most in the media insist Trump's candidacy is unserious and his viewpoints are dangerous.
And yet -- and yet -- he is doing well in public opinion polling -- so well that more than one headline has referred to his "momentum." He is leading among Republican primary voters in North Carolina, according to a recent Public Policy poll. A CNN/ORC poll has him trailing only Jeb Bush among Republican voters nationally.
That could simply reflect how visible he's been the last few weeks, but I think there's more going on here.
Trump's rise is a reflection of Americans' utter distaste for politicians and the way they speak, not their identification with most of Trump's views.
After all, everyone has an uncle or a buddy who talks like Trump. "And another thing!" you can hear them saying at Thanksgiving or the neighborhood bar. They don't speak in canned sound bites. They don't focus-group their opinions. They don't quote Edmund Burke. They don't refuse to answer questions that aren't pre-screened. They don't worry who will be offended. And, yes, they exaggerate from time to time.
Donald Trump's announcement speech was, frankly, a conversation you could hear at half the dinner tables in this country. And lest you think straight-talking boasts and cranky complaints about the decline of America are the sole domain of the right, take a listen to Bernie Sanders. Everybody's got an uncle like him, too.
For the past decade, both parties have stalled on immigration reform. It may feel like President Obama's executive actions granting temporary amnesty to millions was a big deal -- and it was -- but it wasn't a big solution. We still have a broken immigration system, and the sad secret is that both sides like it that way. Republicans get to rail against sanctuary cities, and Democrats get to call Republicans racists.
So for average Americans who hear Trump say he'll build a giant wall, even if it isn't a solution they agree with, it's one they can appreciate. It's simple. It's direct. It isn't wrapped in politically correct, insincere promises that no one believes.
Likewise, when Trump says he'll "bomb the hell" out of the oil fields in Iraq to combat the Islamic State, it isn't that average Americans think that's necessarily a good strategy. It's that, after feckless foreign policy created and then failed to contain the rise of this terror group, and a president who won't even call it "Islamic extremism" out of political correctness, Trump's uncomplicated and unreserved response is refreshing.
Now, all that said, do Americans want a president with some polish, discretion and discipline? I think so. We should demand that our commander-in-chief be informed by more than his gut or the fact that he "just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China."
But who knows how deep Trump goes, because few are challenging him to get specific or substantive? Most reporters just find 10 different ways to ask him how much he hates Mexicans. But how would he getMexico to pay for a fence? What would he do with the "dreamers," the undocumented immigrants who were brought here as kids and were raised as Americans? How would he create jobs for Latinos? I don't know if he has good answers to those questions or not. But if someone would ask him, we'd find out pretty quickly whether he was a serious contender or more on a par with your neighborhood barfly.
There's a case to be made that Trump makes the other GOP contenders look good. Voters like straight talk, but they also don't want their leaders to fly them into a mountain. But there's also a lesson here for those hoping to compete in a Trump primary: Drop the politician's polish and talk like humans talk. Dump the focus groups. Ask your uncle instead. |
Woman shot by police during anti-terror raid in London
Woman shot by police during anti-terror raid in London
A woman has been shot by police and four people were arrested during an anti-terror operation in north west London and Kent.
Armed officers entered a property in Harlesden Road, Willesden, shortly before 7pm on Thursday evening.
During the raid the woman, who was among a number of people under investigation, was shot. No other people were injured.
In unverified footage from the scene, specialist firearms officers can be seen outside a house and several gunshots were heard.
The woman, aged in her 20s, was taken to hospital where she is under police guard.
Police said she has not been arrested "at this time" due to her condition, which is said to be 'serious but stable'.
Image: Police at the scene in Harlesden Road, Willesden
As part of the operation, four people have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences.
A 16-year-old youth and a woman, 20, were detained at the property, while a 20-year-old man was arrested nearby.
A 43-year-old woman was held in Kent a short while later.
They are in custody at a south London police station.
Police said the Willesden property and people connected to it had been "under observation by counter-terrorism officers as part of an ongoing intelligence-led operation".
Detectives are carrying out searches there as well as at other addresses across the capital.
The shooting has been referred to the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards as well as the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
The raid was not connected to the arrest earlier in the day in Whitehall of a man who police say was carrying a rucksack containing several knives. |
Would you break the law for toilet paper and Tampax? AJ+ Blocked Unblock Follow Following Apr 27, 2015 As pictures of looters in Baltimore started coming in, we noticed something surprising: People weren’t stealing expensive items. They were running off with basic necessities like toilet paper, feminine products and diapers. What does this say about the state of the country’s poorest neighborhoods?
REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
The man above took toilet paper and diapers, and other items, from CVS. He also managed to subtly give the photographer the middle finger.
REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
She took paper products: Toilet paper, Bounty napkins and paper towels.
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
He took two cans of Pringles, Arizona sweet tea, and feminine products– presumably for a lady in his life.
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
This guy took two armfuls of toilet paper. And perhaps a photo.
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky |
The Wyld Fire Beltane Hunt
April 25th through 28th, 2019
At Beltane,We Remember That WE ARE SACRED
Our Story The Wyld Fire Beltane Hunt is a four day/three night festival celebration of the Pagan holiday of Beltane (aka May Day). The entire event is hosted by New Orleans Lamplight Circle, a Pagan-based social, educational, and activism forum that has operated in the area for 10 years. This is our SEVENTH annual Beltane event, and part of the proceeds from the event benefit The Greater New Orleans Pagan Pride Project. Learn more here.
Beltane Beltane honors life! It is the transitional time between the zenith of Spring and the beginning of Summer. The energies of the Earth are strong at this time, and waiting to burst forth from potential to conception. On Beltane, sexuality and abundant fertility are the central themes. The maiden goddess, or May Queen, is the manifestation of growth and renewal. The young Oak King, or Jack-In-The-Green, proves his virility in sport to win her hand. Their blessed union is then consummated, and she becomes pregnant. They are the symbols of sacred marriage, or Hieros Gamos, and their fertility spreads abundance throughout the land. This union of masculine and feminine, Earth and Sky, has been reenacted by humanity for centuries. This is the night of the Greenwood Marriage, and the entire evening is steeped in sexuality and sensuality, passion, joy, and vitality. This is when all plans, hopes, and dreams are transmuted into actions!
The Hunt The evening begins at twilight, when those attendees who have signed up to be the "predators" will dash out into the fields and woods of Gryphon's Nest, ready to pounce on their prey. Those who have signed up to be "prey" will already be hiding, or running. The goal of the predator is to chase down their prey, one by one, until they discover the prey that has been secretly designated the May Queen. The goal of the prey is to slow down the chase, stumping the predators with riddles, and hiding the identity of the real May Queen. Only the predator who outsmarts their prey and proves their vitality beyond their fellow predators will capture the May Queen, and be crowned Oak King.
The Ritual The "Hieros Gamos," or sacred marriage, is an ancient Pagan tradition that emulates the divine union of all things masculine and feminine in nature. At sunset, we will crown the May Queen and Oak King and channel divine energy through them to bless all who have gathered for ritual, and the land we stand on.
Directions |
Iranian authorities have arrested a Canadian-Iranian professor of social anthropology, the latest in a string of cases involving dual nationals which has prompted concern over the country’s political atmosphere.
Homa Hoodfar was arrested earlier this week after nearly three months of repeated questioning by the Iranian intelligence service, her sister told the Guardian on Wednesday.
Hoodfar is the latest in the ever-expanding list of dual nationals targeted in recent months. Several Iranian dual nationals from the US, the UK, Canada and France are currently behind bars or facing regular questioning, often accused of espionage or collaborating with a hostile government.
The detention of Homa Hoodfar is unjust and unIslamic. Iran should release her | Tariq Ramadan Read more
The 65-year-old scholar travelled to her home country in February, principally for personal reasons, but she also continued her academic research while in the country, her family said. Her trip coincided with parliamentary elections during which a record number of women were elected as MPs, mostly allied with the moderate administration of Hassan Rouhani.
In March, members of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards raided Hoodfar’s flat a day before she was due to fly to London, where she planned to join her family for the Persian new year and the 70th birthday of her brother. The authorities confiscated her belongings and her three passports, and summoned Hoodfar for regular questioning.
Hoodfar’s family had chosen not to go public until now because they believed the interrogations were the result of a misunderstanding and would soon end, according to her sister, Katayoon Hoodfar. “[Homa] was summoned to Evin prison on Monday where she was told she would face yet another session of questioning but instead she was detained,” she said.
“We are extremely worried for her health,” Hoodfar’s sister said. “She suffers from a rare neurological illness; she often has very bad headaches.” Hoodfar does not have any immediate family in Iran and the Canadian embassy remains closed. Hoodfar’s lawyer and cousin have been denied a family visit, Katayoon Hoodfar said, and were told that she is banned from having any visitors.
Iran does not recognise dual nationality, and treats detainees only as Iranian, depriving them of consular access.
Hoodfar has repeatedly travelled to Iran in the past but the illness of her husband, who died last year, prevented her from travelling there more recently. Hoodfar’s family believe that she has been arrested by the Revolutionary Guards, which act independently of Rouhani’s government and has sought to undermine his administration on various occasions.
Canada, under the previous Conservative government, abruptly closed its embassy in Tehran and expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada in September 2012. Relations between Canada and Iran had been strained for years, much of the tension stemming from the torture and death of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi in 2003.
The country’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has said his government intends to reopen the embassy in Tehran, but analysts say it could years before the two countries accredit ambassadors.
BBC journalist stopped from flying to US over UK-Iranian nationality Read more
In February, the Canadian government lifted virtually all sanctions against Iran. In announcing the change, Stéphane Dion, Canada’s foreign affairs minister said, “Canada will lift its sanctions but will maintain a level of mistrust for a regime that must not have nuclear weapons, a regime that is a danger to human rights and is not a friend to our allies, including Israel,” Dion said. “We will do this with our eyes wide open.”
Global Affairs Canada, the country’s diplomatic apparatus, said it was aware of Hoodfar’s arrest. “Consular officials and Minister Dion have met with Dr Hoodfar’s family, and remain in close contact with them,” a spokesperson said. “We are working closely with our likeminded allies in order to best assist Dr Hoodfar.” The department said it could not comment further due to privacy considerations.
Hadi Ghaemi from the New York-based international campaign for human rights in Iran (ICHRI) said Hoodfar’s arrest was “another sign of intolerance and suspicion towards dual nationals who travel to Iran and just want to contribute to their homeland by academic work”.
“These arrests are politically motivated to undermine the opening of the country which is Rouhani’s stated policy,” he told the Guardian. “Ms Hoodfar is a very respected academic who has hugely contributed to the Iranian civil society by her research and trainings.”
Family of woman held in Iran for five weeks will be allowed to visit Read more
“[The arrest] reflects a security and intelligence apparatus out of control in Iran. They are snatching and detaining people without cause and with total impunity, creating a virtual quarantine of Iranian society so that they may more firmly hold it in their grip.”
Other dual nationals arrested in recent months include the British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation as a project manager, and British-Iranian businessman Kamal Foroughi.
American-Iranian businessman Siamak Namazi, was also jailed with no explanation in October after visiting his family. His 80-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, a former Unicef official, has also been arrested and denied access to lawyers. A French-Iranian, Nazak Afshar, who is former employee of the French embassy in Tehran, was sentenced to six years in April. |
DETROIT - George Cushingberry Jr. Newly-elected Detroit City Council President Pro-Tem George Cushingberry Jr. was pulled over Tuesday for a routine traffic stop, where officers found open alcohol, a strong odor of marijuana and marijuana in his vehicle.
UNCUT: George Cushingberry Jr. responds to ticket
The councilman refused to get out of his vehicle when a Detroit police officer suspected he had been drinking and driving. The officer smelled alcohol and found the marijuana in Cushingberry's vehicle.
A Detroit police patrol supervisor was called to the scene. The supervisor allowed Cushingberry to drive away.
The supervisor's actions have prompted an internal investigation by Detroit Police Internal Affairs, said Detroit Police Chief James Craig.
Sources say Cushingberry was leaving a strip club when he was pulled over.
Detroit police say Cushingberry almost hit a police car when he was leaving the strip club and that's why the officer pulled him over.
Cushingberry was ticketed for not signaling, the Detroit Police Department and Cushingberry told Local 4.
Cushingberry spoke with Local 4 Thursday night during an interview and disputed several parts of the report. He began with the allegation he was at the strip club.
"I was not coming out of any strip club. I was coming out of the Penthouse Lounge, which is one of the places I've campaigned in all year," Cushingberry said.
He also said his passenger has a medical marijuana license and was up front with officers at the scene.
"The reason he smelled marijuana was because he had it on him and it's his medicine," Cushingberry said.
As far as the report of a liquor bottle in the car, Cushingberry said there was an explanation for that as well.
"When the patrol supervisor got there, he looked in the back. There was only an empty bottle that had been there for almost a week, when I was at a previous party that I intended to throw away," Cushingberry said.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig did not go into details when he told Local 4 about his department's investigation.
"Once my administration became aware of it, we initiated an investigation into the nature of the stop," Craig said.
Stay with Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.com for more information as it becomes available.
Cushingberry will appear on "Flashpoint" this coming Sunday. It will be broadcast at 10 a.m.
Related: Politics, the new Detroit City Council
Copyright 2014 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
If you were a kid in the 1970’s or 1980’s, you probably had a Trapper Keeper, a famously popular line of loose-leaf binders and folders featuring velcro flaps and bright, colorful, kitschy designs. Trapper Keepers are still out there, but they’ve lost a lot of their cool kid cachet over the last couple decades… but if you grew up in their heyday, just the site of a Trapper Keeper is enough to bring a smile to your lips.
Over at If Industries, a Seattle-based maker of Etsy gear, they have mocked up an awesome look at what an officially sanctioned Trapper Keeper iPad case would look like, right down to the retro-tastic Back to the Future and Lisa Frank designs. And there’s even an embedded Bluetooth keyboard in each one!
God, I want one of these. Why can’t this come out of CES? Sadly, If Industries said they approached ACCO Brands, who owns the Trapper Keeper brand, for an official blessing, and were turned down, meaning you won’t be able to buy one of these.
Incidentally, if these images have made you fondly remember your old Trapper Keeper, check out this excellent write-up on Mental Floss.
Source: If Industries |
Schizophrenia symptoms are significantly lower with aerobic exercise, according to study findings. The researchers combined data from 10 independent clinical trials with a total of 385 schizophrenia patients. The researchers found that just 12 weeks of aerobic exercise is enough to improve symptoms in schizophrenia patients.
Schizophrenia patients may experience memory problems, impaired information processing, and loss of concentration.
Those patients treated with aerobic exercise along with their medications saw improvements in overall brain functioning, compared to patients who were only treated with medications.
Researcher Joseph Firth explained, “Cognitive deficits are one aspect of schizophrenia which is particularly problematic. They hinder recovery and impact negatively upon people’s ability to function in work and social situations. Furthermore, current medications for schizophrenia do not treat the cognitive deficits of the disorder. We are searching for new ways to treat these aspects of the illness, and now research is increasingly suggesting that physical exercise can provide a solution.”
Firth concluded, “These findings present the first large-scale evidence supporting the use of physical exercise to treat the neurocognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. Using exercise from the earliest stages of the illness could reduce the likelihood of long-term disability, and facilitate full, functional recovery for patients.”
Coping with schizophrenia
Spotting the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia can help start the treatment sooner. With proper therapy, schizophrenia patients can live a normal life. Even though there is no cure, symptoms can be well managed. Medications are often prescribed to relieve hallucinations and delusions. Antipsychotics, in particular, can help with any chemical imbalances in the brain.
There are non-drug treatments, too, like seeking out therapy, either one-on-one or group-based. Different types of therapy to treat schizophrenia include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Self-help groups
Family therapy
Rehabilitation
Integrated substance abuse treatment
By integrating a combination of medical and non-medical treatments, a person with schizophrenia can very well live a normal life. |
One of Toronto's top high school soccer teams is hoping to play a road game this summer — all the way in Attawapiskat.
The Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School Royals decided to help after hearing about a series of attempted suicides in the remote northern Ontario community this spring.
The First Nation, on James Bay, declared a state of emergency after 11 of its members tried to commit suicide in one weekend and 28 tried to do so in the month of March. There have been at least 50 suicide attempts this year, community representatives say.
Soccer is not just a game, it's a life for some of these kids. - Paulo Pereira, Royals coach
The Royals are hoping soccer — the beautiful game, as many around the world call it — can help the community heal.
"We use soccer as an outlet," Royals' player Tony Lima told CBC News.
Lima said playing soccer is what motivates many of his teammates to do well in school and stay on the right track.
"We would like to give that opportunity to Attawapiskat," he said.
Paulo Pereira, the team's coach, said his players — including some who have never travelled outside the city — volunteered to go to Attawapiskat where they'll host a week-long training camp in June. At night, they plan to sleep in the same gym where they'll be playing. The team doesn't mind.
An 8-year-old girl plays in the Attawapiskat First Nation. A Toronto soccer team is hoping the community will pick up soccer this summer. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
"Soccer is not just a game, it's a life for some of these kids," Pereira said of his players.
The project's goal, which has been developed with Attawapiskat's recreation coordinator, is to lay out the basics of the sport and also teach some skills. The students will also be bringing some equipment, including uniforms, nets, balls, shoes and more.
Trip could be first of many
Pereira said he's hoping this will be the first of many trips to Attawapiskat, and that some young players from the community might be able to travel to Toronto in the future as well.
"We don't want to make this a one-way delivery … that's not the idea," Pereira said.
"The idea is to have an opportunity to learn as well and bring something back."
The coach said the trip is about more than sport. What he wants is for his players' passion for the game to rub off on the youth of Attawapiskat, who can then apply a similar passion toward whatever brings them happiness.
The team has created an online fundraiser seeking $25,000 to help pay for the flights up north, by far the largest cost associated with the trip, the coach says. If the Royals meet their goal, they'll head north in June. |
Micro-Hotels Offer NYC Visitors Cheap, Chic Digs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gregory Goode Gregory Goode
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of The Pod Courtesy of The Pod
It's not uncommon for visitors to New York City to spend $300 a night for a hotel room in the heart of the action, Manhattan. The cheapest hotel room not at the center of things would typically cost you about $129 a night. But now there is The Pod.
The micro-hotel looks like a luxurious boutique hotel. It has a cafe with designer decor, a terrace and a concierge, and it is right in the center of midtown.
David Bernstein, the Pod's managing director, says the building used to be a single-room occupancy hotel. The Pod's owners could have chosen to knock down walls and make bigger rooms, he says. "Instead, we decided to leave the room sizes as they were and create a niche for younger travelers; less expensive rooms, a little hip, a little fun."
Even with the downturn, he says, occupancy ranges between 85 and 90 percent.
The rooms are tiny, with bunk beds, an iPod docking station, a light and a small TV above each bed. If you want to read or watch TV when your friend is sleeping, you can do that. The bathroom is down the hall. The room goes for $89 a night in most seasons — less than $45 a piece if you bunk with a friend.
You can join a chat room before you arrive, meet other guests online and, perhaps, plan to go to a Yankees game together.
"The room is comfortable," says Ingrid Roseborough, a Pod guest who was visiting from Iowa. "And like everything so far, I feel like all my needs are taken care of." Those needs include getting advice on where she can get her eyebrows done: In response to Roseborough's inquiry, Pod concierge Kara Klueber whips out not one, but three different business cards.
If $89 a night is still too high for your hotel budget, you can have a remarkably different experience at The Jane in Greenwich Village. The 5-by-7 rooms, former digs for sailors, offer the same level of technology as the accommodations at the Pod — including flat-screen TVs and iPod docking stations.
But the atmosphere at The Jane, housed in a building more than a century old, is straight out of Jules Verne: old-fashioned bellhops, huge keys, a backward clock, moose heads on the wall — and long-term tenants, 60 of them, who pay less than $700 a month.
"I call it the hotel at the end of the world," says Samuel Gaedke, who has lived at The Jane for four years. "If you want to disappear off the face of the Earth for a little while, it is a good place to come to."
The Jane's single hotel rooms are $75 a night.
Sean McPherson, one of the owners of the hotel, has said he drew inspiration for the decor from the films Darjeeling Limited and The Royal Tenenbaums. He calls the rooms micro-chic.
"They're very small," he says. "They're the size of a train cabin."
McPherson says the hotel harkens back to the New York of the 1980s: grittier, more exotic, more adventurous — "a place for travelers with more dash than cash," he says.
There is some obvious tension between the longtime tenants, who fear they may be pushed out of the hotel, and the hotel management, which insists that these tenants will remain part of the mix of guests.
McPherson says that once upon a time, sailors rented rooms at The Jane for 25 cents a night. Adjusted for inflation, he says, they are returning to the same basic concept. |
Robert Nkemdiche does not sound like a player who's all that confident in his commitment to the Clemson Tigers. In fact, he sounds like he's more than ready to flip to a different program.
For a while now, we've thought that Ole Miss was the one school that had a shot to get Nkemdiche to sway away from his commitment, and while the Rebels are still looking good, it appears as if another school may all of a sudden have a chance.
According to Nkemdiche's recruiting diary on ESPN Recruiting Nation (via Kipp Adams), he is going to take an unofficial visit this weekend to watch the Georgia Bulldogs battle Ole Miss. Here's what the nation's No. 1 overall recruit had to say about Georgia:
With Georgia, you never know what could happen. I could start falling in love with them again after I visit. They have open arms toward me and I have open arms to them going in. We will see what happens.
If Nkemdiche's recruiting process was a proverbial fire, then he just threw a gas can all over it. I don't know how anybody could think that the 5-star defensive end is going to stay committed after a comment like this.
At the very least, he's indecisive. At the most, he is literally willing to start "falling in love" with a different program. He seems completely willing to give Georgia a chance this weekend on his unofficial visit, and that has got to be gut-wrenching news for the Clemson Tigers.
Conversely, Georgia fans should be bouncing off the walls with excitement after reading that quote. This comes out of nowhere, but just imagine how good the Bulldogs defense would be with the 6'5'', 250-pound 5-star end coming off the edge.
It is also important to note that Nkemdiche had this to say about Ole Miss in his recruiting diary, via Kipp Adams:
Ole Miss has a good chance to get me because at the end of the day, I could wind up wanting to play with my brother.
I still do not know what I am going to do.
That last sentence may end up being the key phrase in all of this. Nkemdiche is obviously torn and confused with regard to his recruiting process.
This is great news for prospective teams like Georgia, which can now feel like it has a shot at swaying the No. 1 overall recruit, but this could spell trouble for Clemson.
In fact, there's no other way to look at it. This does spell trouble for Clemson. He wrote a lot about both Georgia and Ole Miss in this week's recruiting diary, and he seems legitimately interested.
He didn't even mention the Clemson Tigers once. |
AngelicView: He says there are live ET’s on Earth at this time. He is sharing at the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure.
Paul Hellyer, former Minister of Defense of Canada reveals: – Some ETs Species who have visited and still visit Earth: Zeta Reticuli , Pleiadians, Orions ETs, – Tall Whites living on US Airforce Property – CABAL: Military Industrial Complex, Builderbergs, Cartels – Shadow Governments, Ruling Elite, Rockerfellers, Bush etc.
Paul Hellyer is widely known and credited for his work to unify the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2005, he made headlines by announcing that “UFOs are as real as the airplanes flying overhead.” That statement made him the first cabinet-ranked individual in the G8 group of nations to say that UFOs were unequivocably real.
“Since then, I’ve learned a lot from many sources, including a number of the fantastic witnesses that we have heard these last [five] days.”
Among the things Hellyer says he has learned and believes is a particular document that concluded at least four species had been visiting Earth for thousands of years: “This is my own view at this stage, as well. … They are different species and, consequently, may have different agendas. I don’t think we can say that they all have the same agenda any more than we can say that the United States, China and Russia have the same agenda. Our real interests may be similar, but as of now, our perceived interests are still quite far apart.”
“My interest is in about 95 to 98 percent of full disclosure — I know of one or two things that I’m not sure should be in the public domain, at least yet. They will be someday, I’m sure. But just as children survive the idea of the tooth fairy and Santa Claus when they become adult, I think the taxpaying citizens are quite capable of accepting the new and broader reality that we live in a cosmos teeming with life of various sorts.
“The fact that some other civilizations are more advanced than we are may be humbling. But that could be a necessary step in our survival.”
Several of the former members of Congress who presided over the 5-day hearing suggested they would be interested in reuniting to try and take the UFO-ET disclosure issue to the United Nations.
Time will tell…
Watch this highlight of nuclear physicist Stanton Friedman, original civilian investigator of the 1947 Roswell UFO incident:
(Text courtesy of The Huffington Post)
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Yes Virginia, despite what you may hear on Fox News, Right-wing websites, and talk radio, "niggerization" is in fact a real word.
I have had my issues with Toure in the past--most notably his wholesale lifting of my argument that Herman Cain was/is a race minstrel--but I can be the bigger person and acknowledge that he was spot on in his description of Mitt Romney's ugly race-baiting campaign against President Obama. Earlier today on MSNBC, Toure made the matter of fact observation that:
Yeah, that really bothered me. You notice he says anger twice. He's really trying to use racial coding and access some really deep stereotypes about the angry black man. This is part of the playbook against Obama. The otherization, he's not like us. I know it's a heavy thing to say. I don't say it lightly. But this is niggerization. You are not one of us, and that you are like the scary black man who we've been trained to fear.
Toure's only error here is when he, like many in the chattering classes are fond of doing when faced with plain truths, walked-back and qualified his claim about Romney's Southern Strategy 2.0 efforts to "blacken" Obama in the eyes of the white public in order to lighten his blow.
As I have argued here, Mitt Romney is a racist. In coming to this conclusion, I followed Marcus Aurelius' famous observation that we adopt the qualities of our deeds and actions. Romney is using overt and naked racial appeals to gin up white racial resentment, anxiety, and bigotry against the country's first black president. Consequently, he is a white racist. Q.E.D.
Toure was just afraid to close the circle. I am not. Ultimately, if you are going to put your size 13 shoe in another person's butt you might as well go all in. What is the point of pulling it halfway out?
That having been noted, Toure did commit a classic error, one that is common when folks with a great deal of expertise engage in a conversation designed for the lay public. In these circumstances, one needs to be direct, simple, and to the point. Toure has expertise in Cultural Studies, African-American studies, literary theory, and semiotics. The "academese" and technical language--what some would less kindly call "jargon"--always interferes with communicating in plain, direct, and simple tones in a public forum, for a general audience, and on a panel where you are afforded a few seconds to make a point.
Academics (and others with expert knowledge) often prefer to use one word that is dense and rich with meaning, and which pivots off of shared, inside assumptions, than to use several simpler terms to make (almost) the same point. Weapons are effective to the degree that they are deployed in the correct circumstances. Niggerization is a powerful word that perfectly captures the racial invective and stereotypes about race and representation which the Right has been systematically mobilizing against Barack Obama and his family.
Unfortunately, Joe Q. Public only hears the word "nigger." Toure just gave the Right-wing bloviators a talking point, a quill to use for writing their dishonest script that the Tea Party GOP and Mitt Romney are the party of racial equality, opportunity, and diversity, while the Democrats and Obama are the real "racists."
In reality, the Republican Party is the United States' de facto White Party. The Right and its supplicants will boohoo about "reverse racism" and "double standards" in order to force MSNBC to fire Toure. Don't worry, Mitt Romney and his surrogates will be calling President Obama an "angry black who hates America and is not really born in this country and secretly despises white people and wants to give the colored parasitic people free money and welfare at white people's expense while his wife secretly hates white people too and wants to make them eat their broccoli" by next week.
Old habits die hard. The Tea Party GOP is addicted to racism; they are unable to break the habit. The metaphorical glass pipe and that racist political crack rock got em tweaking and feenin.
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Lest you think I am kidding about "niggerization" being a "real" word, here is Cornel West using the phrase in a talk at Harvard University a decade ago. The word itself has origins that go back to at least the 1960s and The Black Arts Movement if not earlier (perhaps an intrepid etymologist could find the first use of the word in print or elsewhere and share it with us here). |
At this point all we can hope for is that these illegals perform a valuable duty for this country and rape, ravage and murder the children of prominent democrats. Or any democrats really. Then we can say it was worth keeping them here.A majority of the illegal aliens the Department of Homeland Security attempted to remove from the United States so far this fiscal year have been shielded from deportation by immigration judges.According to government statistics trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/435/ by the Syracuse University-based Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, during the first ten months of this fiscal year, immigration judges ruled that 96,223 aliens who the government sought to deport could remain in the U.S., a level on pace to exceed the record 106,676 noncitizens judges determined could remain in the U.S. last fiscal year.The judges’ determinations in favor of an alien remaining in the U.S. accounted for 56.8 percent of the cases judges have determined this fiscal year to date, or October 2015 through July 2016, trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/435/ to TRAC.Of the aliens judges ruled could remain in the U.S., 25 percent were from Mexico and 44 percent were from one of three Central American countries that have been the source of a recent swell of illegal immigration by unaccompanied minors and family units, trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/435/El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.“There are a number of reasons why an individual may be allowed to remain in the country. For example, the judge can find that the government did not meet its burden to show the individual was deportable. Or, the judge may have found that the individual was entitled to asylum in this country, or may grant relief from removal under other provisions of the law,” TRAC trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/435/ in its analysis, noting that there are other reasons an alien may avoid deportation, like the government may also close cases via “prosecutorial discretion.”Across the 55 immigration courts in the U.S., according to TRAC’s analysis, the Phoenix Immigration Court had the highest share of aliens ruled allowed to remain at 82.2 percent. The New York Immigration Court had the second highest proportion of aliens determined to be allowed to remain, at a rate of 81.5 percent. The Denver Immigration Court (78 percent), San Antonio Immigration Court (76.8 percent), and Miami Immigration Court (75.8 percent) offered the third, fourth, and fifth most “remain” judgements.As TRAC highlighted, those courts with the lowest share of “remain” determinations were courts that handle cases for aliens in detention facilities.“At the other extreme were the Oakdale, Louisiana, Lumpkin (Stewart), Georgia, and Napanoch (Ulster), New York Immigration Courts where only between 11.3 percent and 17.5 percent of the individuals were allowed to remain in the U.S.,” TRAC trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/435/ |
The Bible might be the best-selling book in history, but it may also be full of lies. At least, that's the claim being made by biblical scholar and former evangelical Christian, Bart Ehrman, in a new book titled, "Forged: Writing in the Name of God — Why the Bible’s Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are."
According to Ehrman, at least 11 of the 27 New Testament books are forgeries, while only seven of the 13 epistles attributed to Paul were probably written by him. None of the writings attributed to the Apostle Peter could have been written by him, and even the authenticity of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John can be questioned. The book is the focus of a recent report by Discovery News.
"The Bible not only contains untruths of accidental mistakes. It also contains what almost anyone today would call lies," writes Ehrman, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Ehrman builds his case by noting scores of inconsistencies in the writing styles among authors of the New Testament. Discrepancies in the language and content among books attributed to Paul are particularly glaring. Ehrman points to one example from the book of Ephesians, which is written in long Greek sentences, not the short Greek sentences used in Paul's other writings.
Meanwhile, Ehrman claims that the authenticity of any book attributed to Peter should be doubted since Peter — like most other fisherman raised in rural Palestine at the time — was probably illiterate.
So the question remains: Who wrote these books and why did they attempt to conceal their identities? Ehrman says early Christian sects, struggling to legitimize themselves, would have had plenty of motivation to fabricate their religious texts.
"If your name was Jehoshaphat and no one had any idea who you were, you could not very well sign your own name to the book," said Ehrman. "No one would take the Gospel of Jehoshaphat seriously. If you wanted someone to read it, you called yourself Peter. Or Thomas. Or James. In other words, you lied about who you really were."
Ehrman's book has created a firestorm in the Christian community. In a review of the book, the Catholic Herald concedes "some New Testament books probably were not written by the people traditionally assigned as authors." But the Catholic website was also was quick to dismiss Ehrman's analysis: "the book is more provocative than insightful."
The Herald also said that Ehrman's book "barely mentions the concept of oral tradition. So even if a specific letter was not done by Peter or Paul, it could well have been written by someone drawing from the oral tradition passed down by one or the other."
But in Ehrman's view, a forgery is a forgery. If such a writing method were practiced today, it would be looked upon as deceitful and inappropriate.
Bible's New Testament filled with forgeries
The Bible might be the best-selling book in history, but it may also be full of lies. At least, that's the claim being made by biblical scholar and former evang |
The announcement earlier this week that Jaguar are to début an all-new one-make series in support of the FIA Formula E championship has got us wondering – how long until the world of touring cars gets involved in electric racing?
Whilst not really a touring car – the iPace fits more comfortably into the SUV bracket – the announcement of the series goes to show the importance in having racing championships which are based on production models – which is, in essence, what touring car racing is all about.
At present, touring car racing is unlikely to put electric racing high on the priorities list. The World Touring Car Championship is heavily reliant on independent entries in order to keep grid sizes up, whilst the British Touring Car Championship, and other national championships, are all about entertainment and not a technological arms race.
The DTM is still reeling over the loss of Mercedes at the end of 2018, and in any case it would be hard to imagine fans of the spectacular, noisy and fire-breathing championship to embrace all-out electrification at this early stage.
That brings us to TCR – which at present appears to be focussed on consolidating its extraordinary success, as well as the steady introduction of yet more national and regional championships and markets for its existing cars, which are the cornerstone of its appeal to teams and drivers.
The importance to manufacturers of going electric
We have already seen in recent months the lengths to which the car manufacturers are willing to go in order to be seen as keeping up with the latest technology.
Electric cars are set to be one of the biggest game-changers in the automotive industry, and car companies are keen to be seen as being involved early on.
Back in July, Mercedes announced their intention to leave the DTM after nineteen years of continuous commitment since the series was resurrected in 2000, with the Stuttgart marque instead deciding to send its resources to joining the Formula E championship in 2019.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the DTM, with potentially only two manufacturers – Audi and BMW – going head-to-head from 2019, unless another brand can be found to join the four-litre V8-engined series.
The problem is evident not only in the DTM, either. It has long been known that the World Touring Car Championship has been seeking additional manufacturers, especially with the sudden withdrawal of both Citroën and LADA at the end of the 2016 season. To-date, no brand has stepped up to the plate.
Things could be further complicated for the WTCC by the fact that Volvo announced in early July that all of its cars would be either partially or completely battery powered from 2019 onwards[1].
It is hard to see the Swedish manufacturer continuing racing its Polestar-branded programme in the future if the engines they are running do not reflect the road-car range.
With Honda also only committed until the end of 2017, and a new Civic already having been released, the future of the two remaining manufacturers in the WTCC is far from certain.
The future of touring car racing
A lot has been said in recent years about the future of touring cars, in particular thanks to the sudden and seemingly unstoppable rise of the TCR series, which adds the UK to its ever-growing list of championships in 2018.
An all-electric TCR-style championship would make a lot of sense, although there are a number of pitfalls with the current way in which the concept operates.
At present, TCR works because it is built around the ethos of manufacturers or appointed car builders producing the racing products in large volumes and then selling the cars to customer teams and drivers to compete, thereby keeping costs down.
Keeping costs down and developing a cutting-edge and exciting electric touring car championship are not two things which are seemingly possible at present. Manufacturers want to be involved in electric racing in order to showcase their technology, as well as be the best out of all the car brands involved.
We have already learned in the past that manufacturers will throw money at racing in order to claim the bragging rights of being the best – a quick look at the manufacturer-dominated Super Touring era of the 1990s will tell us that.
When these factors combine, it can be a monumental task to keep costs from spiralling ever upwards.
One-make series – the way forward?
Let us not forget how the current TCR concept was born. Back in 2013, SEAT unveiled its latest León Cup Racer. Around eight months later (in January 2014), Marcello Lotti left his role as the promoter of the WTCC.
Looking at the León as inspiration, Lotti went on to create arguably the most successful touring car concept since S2000 and Super Touring a decade earlier, in TCR.
With the roots of TCR in a one-make cup, could the roots of a potential future electric touring car series also lie with a one-make series? Although the technical specifications for the new Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy are not yet known, provided they are sound then there is the potential for other manufacturers to start building cars to similar specifications.
In theory, it wouldn’t, therefore, take long before we could see an electric touring car championship develop in a similar way to that in which TCR got off the ground in the first place.
With such huge investment in electric cars, it is surely only a matter of time until the racing world wakes up to the need for production-based multi-brand electric car racing. Yes, Formula E cars look exciting (Ed: unusual) but they do not reflect the product sold to the consumer at the end of the day.
If Jaguar can deliver a successful one-make series, then we could see the door begin to open for other brands to get involved and a true fully-fledged electric touring car championship develop. |
Some may not give a shit. But I do ... really do. We're talking about the true roots of thrash. And when you are an impressionable kid growing up in southern Ontario, certain bands left a mark. And Canada had their own Big Four before there was a Big Four! Think about it … Anvil (1982's Metal On Metal and 1983's Forged In Fire), Exciter (1983's Heavy Metal Maniac and 1984's Violence & Force), Voivod (1984's War And Pain and 1986's Rrröööaaarrr) and Razor (1984's Armed & Dangerous and of course 1985's Executioner's Song and Evil Invaders). A huge influence worldwide if you were addicted to underground metal. Arguably, the fire burned out quick, but that makes the tale more riveting! Although there's been rare shows with singer Bob Reid, it's been 14 years since Razor released their last studio effort, Decibels (1997) and 26 years since original singer Stace "Sheepdog" McLaren fronted the band. I actually filmed a documentary with the Canuck thrashers a few years back, that has yet to materialize. So things have been scattered in the Razor world to put it politely. And this past April, extreme guitar legend Dave Carlo was last heard battling stage 2 oral cancer. To be honest, I've had very few quests in life. But one was to find Sheepdog. And it's taken forever to find this (unholy) grail. But a few months back I did. The executioner was found with axe in hand! And I stood by his torch and now we're ignited by hot metal! What I present to you is a fans interview. Not a fucking journalist, but a TRUE fan. To this day, "Hot Metal", "Take This Torch", Cut Throat", Instant Death" and "Cross Me Fool" echo loudly on my iPod. And I purposely left things a little raw and unedited - not due to laziness - but to add bit of realism to my find. Fuck me, I found Sheepdog. And here's his tail! Grab it and hang on!!!
But some background: Stacey McLaren is now based in Uxbridge, Ontario (75 kilometres from Toronto). His gig is a bit far from heavy metal; commercial construction to be exact. And he is required to carry a special ID and passport due to his martial arts training. And why did it take this bucket-list interview so long to come to fruition? Well, a number of reasons. But Sheepdog's admission that he's not much of a "computer guy" certainly added to the delay.
"You wouldn't even recognize me," he begins on the phone from his home. "I have a shaved head. I ended up with a bit of skin cancer and I had to shave it all and get the full treatment done. My better half likes it this way, but I had my hair down to my ass since I was 40. I thought I would've never cut my hair. I don't miss it either, it was a lot of work having that fucking hair. I was one of those that said ' if you're going to have long hair you better make it look nice.' I didn't want to look greasy and shit."
The burning question is, where is your head music-wise these days. Is there any possibility of you reuniting with Razor? Any contact with your old bandmates?
"I just heard from Mike Embro (original Razor drummer). I hadn't heard from him in a few months. I was out of touch with those guys for over 20 years. Laurent Ramadier from Snakepit Heavy Metal Magazine was trying to get us back together to do some original Razor gigs. Like one in Germany specifically."
Mike Campagnolo (original Razor bassist) had mentioned that you guys had been been jamming lately.
"No, not me. We were trying to get together to do some rehearsing to do this gig in Germany. I actually talked to Dave (Carlo) a long time ago about it first. Me and him weren't friends when we were in the band, if you know what I mean. Things weren't good there. We had different goals and different ideas on how to attain them. Back then he was what you would say, the leader of the band - he would put everything together. I came in long after they had written a bunch of material and already had interest in signing record contracts with three different companies at the time. And I was younger than they were - you know how that all goes. As time went along, it wasn't moving fast enough for me and he wasn't doing anything to make that any better. I think he always thought of it as a part-time gig, whereas me, I was at that age and wanted to be a rock star. I understood that that music had a very limited audience, very underground. I knew I was never going to be a millionaire walking out of it, but I thought that that movement was big enough that we could at least be international and consistently playing. And I wasn't happy with that, because we weren't really doing that. I didn't want to be like Dave and work in a camera store and play the odd gig once and a while. It wasn't enough for me. After putting out a few albums, it wasn't changing and he didn't want to get management, he didn't want to get an agent, he wanted control and do it all himself and relied on people getting through to us by the fan mail. For me, I just saw it going nowhere and the last time we went down to the States to do some gigs I had talked to him privately - this was back when the drummer and bass player had left and we had a couple of young guys (Dave Carlo's younger brother Adam on bass and drummer Rob Mills). I had had enough and I knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. I think I was 24 at the time and I needed to think of something else to do with my career to make money. So I called it to a halt and went home back to Kingston and got a job working for Showtek Productions (in Odessa, ON), who sold P.A systems and lighting systems for big schools and hotels and stuff like that. And it was kind of in my bag of knowledge and I went ahead with that. He (Dave) contacted me again about six or seven months later and wanted to record another album and I said I'd record the album, but I wasn't going out to promote the album. But I'll be honest with you I hated it … that last album (Violent Restitution), I couldn't stand it. The band was going more hardcore than it was metal. I went in and I did it, got paid and I left. I won't lie to you, I was kind of embarrassed by that album. Dave tells me that that album ended up doing pretty well as far as critics went, which surprised me."
Possibly with the push from Steamhammer/SPV?
"Actually we released that independently on our own through Fist Fight Records. I didn't know SPV picked it up. But I never saw a dime from that album, which is another surprise for me. All in all, I have to say, Dave and I have talked since and it seems good now, but back then I didn't trust him anymore. I think that at the time and at that age, I was starting to lose faith with everything that he was doing. It doesn't surprise me to hear that it did very well, and I didn't see a dime, if you know what I mean!"
So walk us through these early beginnings with Razor, you hailing from Kingston and the band living in Guelph.
"I was from Kingston and somebody that I knew wanted me to go and audition. Back then I was a guitar player, not a singer. There's a funny story on how all this got started. I was a guitar player and I was helping out guys I used to go to high school with, who didn't have a singer, but wanted somebody to sing for them while they were jamming to keep them rolling along and knowing where they were. I told them that I'd do it just for fun, but this guy I ran into wanted to sing with this band. He had gone up to audition for Razor and told me he'd take me up there if I could hook him up with the guys I was jamming with. So I went up to see what it was all about and I met the guys. I was a long-hair with a leather jacket; I was a rock n' roll musician. So I got up there and met Dave Carlo and his hair was a little bit long, but not like I pictured this thrash metal band to be. I used to listen to Motörhead and I had barely even heard of Metallica. So I went up there and they didn't even care about the guitar thing, they just wanted a singer, a frontmnan. I had never heard of Slayer and they were playing it for me and I was like like 'holy shit, who the hell is this drummer!?' They played me Kill 'Em All and it's still one of my favourite albums - I can't get 'Whiplash' out of my head after all this time. So most of that stuff I really hadn't heard too much of. As I said, I did like Motörhead, and they asked me if I could sing one of their songs and I said I could try. So we did 'Love Me A Reptile'. And then they handed me a bunch of lyrics to the songs that were on that first EP that we did. But I really liked that song 'Take This Torch'. I think that was the song that drove me to work something out with these guys. That was a really fast, fast ripping song and I liked the lyrics and I loved screaming to it and it started me on a whole new vein of what I could do. There was a lot of stuff on the EP that I didn't like, like 'Ball & Chain', which seemed too simple, compared to some of the other stuff that they were playing. Saying that, I thought that this was a way into the business. When I first met Dave, he was all business. He was a thickened Italian that was all talk and all business. He was a pure fucking salesman. I then I met Mike (Campagnolo). I think he was a janitor at the hospital at the time. His hair wasn't really long like mine either and he was a little overweight. One night we picked him up and he came bumbling out of the house towards the van and I was thinking to myself, 'what have I got myself into? These don't look like typical guys that I had hung out with in Kingston who were musicians.' So anyway, they take me to Mike Embro's place; his Dad owned a fruit market right downtown in old Guelph. The downstairs basement was all natural rock foundation, and there were pipes all over the ceiling and he sort of had it rigged up for a jam room. He had blanketed off and area which was his bedroom. But he had black lights, posters and shit all over the place, so it was kind of cool. So we walked downstairs and he had his feet upon the drum-kit and I thought this was a guy I know, so we ends up getting along really well and that's how that audition started."
When did these reunion conversations first begin?
"I was living in Pigeon Lake north of Peterborough, and I received this thing in the mail. This was years after I had left Razor and honest to god brother, I hadn't talked to any of those guys since the moment we recorded Violent Restitution. And they wanted me to come back and do some gigs at Montreal's Palladium and Toronto's Masonic Temple (Concert Hall). I told them I wasn't promoting that album. I think that annoyed Dave and he never called me again. And I'm talking over 20 years. And honestly, I wasn't abashed by it, it didn't bother me a bit. I don't think any of us at that point were good friends anymore. It was more of a business and it wasn't fun anymore. We went out and did our thing, we rehearsed and we recorded and did a couple of gigs and then went back to or own lives. When I was living in Guelph, I was hanging with my own guys and that's not the way it should be. When I was upon the country in Pigeon Lake, far away from people, I was honestly secluded. Unlisted number, all that shit. I wanted to get away from the women sending you letters with panties. As small as we were, we did still get that and it was something I was trying to get the hell away from. At that time I was living with a gorgeous broad and I didn't want any kind of trouble. So I get this letter from Laurent saying that I've found seven Stacey McLaren's in the world, if this is the guy that used to sing in Razor please contact me right away. So I emailed him and said 'you found me, but I'd like to know how you did that.' So he wanted to do this interview, so I sent him all these answers and the dude puts my email address in the story! I'm not kidding you, I got so many fucking emails from people that I had to cancel my email. I'm in business now and I don't want 500 emails a week from thrashing Razor fans! Arrgggghhh this and aarrrggghhh that! I'm a busy guy now and 'm not really a computer guy at all. I rarely go on my computer unless, unless I'm selling one of my cars or one of my bikes."
"Anyway, so he sends me a copy of the magazine and I had said a few unpleasant things and Dave's side of the story was nasty too, but it was a lot of bullshit and a lot of lies. Laurent was doing this thing on retro thrash metal and we were the cover story. He didn't explain any of that to me. I only found out when I saw the magazine! I'm like 'holy shit, my whole body is on the front cover!' I got a big kick out of it. I was showing all my buddies. You can tell stories and shit, but I don't think my circle of friends know ht it really was. 'Cause it's not like when they come over I play Razor albums! I was actually really pissed off. I told the truth about how I felt and what happened, and what was holding us back and his story was completely different and I was actually really insulted. Now I didn't blame Laurent for that. I did express my concern to him that a lot of that shit he said wasn't true and I don't know if Dave was trying to save face. You gotta remember this has to be ten, 15 years ago now. Razor was still going and recording with that guy from London (Bob Reid). I think he was trying to keep things good with the band and everything. And I understand, but I was kind of insulted. I think in all truth, it was Dave that was holding us back because of is business decisions and I was really thrown by that. But Laurent did ask me if I was interested in going to Germany and do a gig at some out door metalfest (note: Stace was clear on which one it was but mentioned the band had played there before which means it was Wacken 1999). Anyway, so Laurent asked me if I was interested and I said 'ya, have Dave call me' and he never did of course. So Laurent got back a hold of me and asked if the guys had been in touch and I said nobody had contacted me. So I said, give me Dave's information and he did and I emailed him and I got a really quick email back. About a month after that my computer crashed and I lost all my information and his contact details and Laurent's for that matter and I never from anybody ever again for a long time. I just forgot all about it to be honest with you. If there's not that much interest it's not a big deal. It's a couple guys having fantasy."
Let's get back to a bit of the history. You mentioned a lot of this music was written before you came in.
"The first EP (Armed & Dangerous) was. I didn't have anything to do with that writing. They handed me lyrics, they handed me a tape with music and I had four days at home to figure out what I was going to do with it. Then I went into the studio and in ten hours we had it recorded and finished. They had already done all the bed tracks, then I went in and did all the singing and Dave went in and followed me with all the solos. It was all really quick. I'm not kidding you brother, everything was happening really fast. So I didn't have anything to do with the writing on that EP."
By the way, Unidisc in Quebec reissued Executioner's Song, Evil Invaders and Malicious Intent a few years back.
"Dude, I haven't had a royalty cheque or publishing cheque in 15 years. But it doesn't surprise me about the publishing rights. Like how many thrash metal radio stations are playing your music and enough for somebody to send you a cheque? But what Dave makes it sounds like, for the amount of records being sold and how popular we are in Europe right now … I'm thinking, where's the money. That shit was paid off a long time ago. Like why am I not seeing any money? But like I say, I'm fine financially, it's not like I need it. But this is one of the things that eats at the back of your head. Like one of those things where I don't think I trust him knowing that he was in charge of the Fist Fight Records shit. But I love Executioner's Song. I love the artwork, I love the name of the album."
Talk about the video for "Evil Invaders", as a kid - due to Canada's CanCon laws (requiring a certain amount of domestic talent to be aired on the radio and television) - we would see that video regularly alongside clips from Anvil, The Killer Dwarfs, Sacrifice, Annihilator etc…
"You know, that video was so cheesily done too. Attic Records wouldn't spend a dime. It was like pulling milk from cheese those guys. We should've went with Roadrunner or Metal Blade, those were the two other offers we had. Metal Blade's experience would've helped us out a little bit more. We were an experiment to Attic Records, but we were released on the Viper Records division. They didn't want to stamp it on their label right. It's true. We went in there and made us feel like a million bucks. They had this huge room and all these TVs and fridges full of beer and wine and comfortable couches. Everything was colourful and they had gold records on the wall. And we looked at each other and said, 'wow, this is really cool.' But in reality, I felt belittled by them. Al Mair (the President) we didn't really talk to too much. It was Lindsay Gillespie who I hear had his own record company in Toronto when he and Attic split. But Lindsay Gillespie was a really smug, Porsche-driving yuppie who knew nothing about what we were doing. I remember when they were putting out Evil Invaders, they had unveiled a couple of ideas for album covers and the one that had of me with the metal face on the bike. It sounds funny, but I didn't even want the song 'Evil Invaders' on the album. We recorded 16 songs and that song did nothing for me."
"Campagnolo wrote the lyrics to that song and to this day I don't even know what that song is fucking about (laughs out loud). But they thought it had hook and they wanted to call the album that and do a video for that. But I wanted to do 'Cross Me Fool' and to this day, that is probably my favourite Razor song. I love the attitude about what it was about, I love the crunching guitar. I know it wasn't super-fast like a lot of our other stuff, but to me it was just a really cool song. It was kind of the epitome of what I wanted us to be about. Like how many songs did we have that had the name death in it? To me that's not what I wanted. I didn't want to be all negative and dark. I didn't want to be Satanic or any of that shit. I wanted to be a fun metal band. I didn't care how fast they wanted to play. I wanted to make it fun. But they were all on this evil kick, which was frustrating to me. I wanted it to be something different. You've got to remember something, when my generation grew up, we didn't have that kind of music to influence us. Being a guitar player, I was a huge Eddie Van Halen fan, a massive Led Zeppelin fan. Robert Plant influenced my own song-writing, not my metal song-writing. I've written a lot of music on my 12-string and acoustic guitar. Lyrically he was my hero. I loved David Lee Roth as a frontman. And I was into Southern rock too big time like Molly Hatchet. So I went from that vein to jumping into this. Listing to Motörhead was just fun-time. I wasn't into the heavy, heavy stuff. That wasn't me. So getting into this was brand new and I did take a liking to it and a hunger for it, but I was very picky what I was listening too. These guys in Razor had so many albums from these bands I'd never heard of and it was all this underground stuff. There were certain songs that I just loved and other stuff that I couldn't listen too. One of the bands that I took a bad taste too was Raven. I couldn't stand All For One. But there was other bands that I took to right away like Celtic Frost and I loved Slayer's first album. Metallica's first two albums, after that I couldn't stand it. They broke every rule they said they never were going to break after that. For as famous and rich that they got, to me they were a big disappointment."
As a longtime fan, one thing that sticks out is your patented scream. You attacked the mic like no other in the '80s.
"Wow. I was so into doing it and they just let me go. There was no direction for me. They would hand me lyrics and music and I would hand them lyrics and they would write music to it. In the studio I would just go crazy."
So you are telling me that it was a Robert Plant/David Lee Roth scream on those albums!
"(Laughs) Probably not! It just comes out of you. All of a sudden you just let it go. I don't really even know how it got started. I think the one that sticks out is 'Speed Merchants' where at the end of the song it keeps getting higher and I could've gone forever and I thought I was going to pass out in the studio when I stopped. It was one of those things were I felt it was the right thing to do at the time and I jut kept going. I came out of the closed room where I was singing and into the playback room and these guys are looking at me going 'where the fuck did that come from?!' 'Man I don't know, but it was cool.' And then I listened to it and I didn't realize it carried that long."
Custom Killing was a major change in direction for Razor. Although the album has poor production and all, I'd love to find it on CD or a digital version at least!
"We wanted to do something a little bit different because everybody was throwing ten or 12 songs on an album that were three/four minutes long. S.O.D. was kind of killing it for me .. don't get me wrong, I loved it, it was funny, but it was taking metal and mixing it with punk, which I thought Violent Restitution was and what I exactly wanted to stay away from. Like those lyrics that Dave had written - 'you've got no fucking brains, you're not too fucking smart' - and all that kind of shit. I was reading this stuff when I was in the studio and I'm going 'can I rewrite this stuff?' 'No, we are in a hurry and we gotta get this done.' But I wasn't even around them when they had written it all. Most of the time when Mike and I would write lyrics, we would just hand them to Dave saying 'here is an idea for a song.' Then he would write to it. And that's something I never agreed with either. Being a songwriter since I was 14, I always had the music written, then put the melody and lyrics to the music. To me that's more free-singing. Every time I wrote lyrics and handed them to Dave, he'd come back with a song that was kind of robotic and I'd have to fight my way out of the robotism of it. There were so many songs that I couldn't do that with like 'March Of Death'. I liked the idea of the song, but singing it wasn't fun, it was robotic. I knew that Custom Killing wasn't going to do well. I didn't like the production of the album, I thought it was very weak. I don't think there was enough guitar in the mix. But again, I didn't have nothing to do with that. Keep in mind my age at the time, my naivety of the situation. Letting Dave take more and more control instead of fighting back. I was a stoner that fucking went in and did my job and hung out and got laid and waited for money and gigs. And I let him take charge, and I think everyone kinda did 'cause back then he was such a boisterous fuck. Now I’m a completely different guy, and I’ve had words with him about that. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have multiple black belts in martial arts, a Second Degree Dan in Aikido. My self-confidence is way over-the-top now, and if I was in that situation again, it would be completely different and I would say ‘this is how it’s going to be.’ More democratic. When we did Custom Killing, I loved some of the album. A 'Stand Before Kings' was one of the songs that he wrote and let me write lyrics to the music. There’s a part in that song that I actually sing for about 30 seconds, not just howl and scream and shit. And that’s the thing that we wanted to do just a little bit different. Maybe a lot of people didn’t like it, but for us - especially Mike Campagnolo, because there was a lot of openness for him to play his bass, rather than just single string it all the time. Dave with was the one writing these long songs and for me I never wanted to do them live ‘cause I was a bit of a party guy and they were hard to remember. Try to do “Last Rites” in front of a live audience after you’ve had six or seven Jack Daniels and a couple of doobies, and you’re like, ‘wow, we shouldn’t have done that!’ To me it was more fun of an album. I liked “Snake Eyes” and I still listen to that song every once in a while, only because it was a fun lyric song and fun to song. It wasn’t 900 miles an hour through the whole song. Admittedly it was probably a mistake to do it, but for me creatively I felt more open and I appreciated it more. I knew when we finished it that the fans wouldn’t like it, but at the same time you were thinking that maybe it would draw us some new people. I don’t think it worked out like that, because everybody was wanting to hear the old Razor."
"As for Malicious Intent, you are going to have to remind me what was on that album! I remember “Tear Me To Pieces” loved that song about knife fighting. That was another example of what I wanted the band to be about. That was my second favourite song that we ever did. That’s a song that sticks in my head to this day. This is what I said to Laurent the first time he asked us if we would gig; I said I would have certain stipulations. He said, ‘what are they?’ And I said ‘this is how much money that I would want because I’d have to take time off of work; obviously we would have to rehearse just to see if I could do it again because it had been so long. I would also want to make sure that it was my choice of music. I would want to pick the song list because I wouldn’t want to go all the way there to not have fun.' To me it wasn’t about the money anymore, it would’ve been to regroup with these guys that I haven’t seen in forever, maybe punch the shit out of Dave a little bit (laughs) … just kidding. I just wanted to do it and have a blast, go and party and meet a bunch of people over there that are fans. We never been over there. We were supposed to go over there once, but Lee Aaron went ahead of us. The road manager that they sent with her walked away as soon as he got off the plane with 50 grand. He took off and never showed his face again. So they lost a bunch of money and cancelled the tour and we kinda got fucked out of our turn. That was a big disappointment for us. Is where I think the Attic Records deal was a mistake, because I think we would’ve done better in Europe than what we would’ve ever done in Canada or the States.”
Did you do much music after Razor?
"Actually, when I first left Razor, Big Rae Moss called and he had these guys called Infernal Majesty and he wanted me to come and sing for them. It was very Satanic shit and it turned out that two of the guys that were in the band were from Kingston. And they were the two guys that I used to sing with! And these were guys that I went to school with too. They weren’t metalheads either, back then they were into all that glam shit. So I listen to it, I didn’t mind the music so much but there were just harmony solos, no rippers or thrashing solos. But what pissed me off about this situation, was that they didn’t even tell the guy that was singing with them that I was coming up there. I thought they got rid of their singer and they didn’t so I’m sitting there jamming with them one day and this guy shows up. And he was pissed off, so kind of put me off, kind of childish. It was the same thing Dave was trying to pull with the original guys getting back together. He admitted to me that Rob (Carlo) had no idea what was going on and he would appreciate if we kept all this to ourselves. I said ‘you may want to talk to all the people that are trying to put this thing together.’"
So right now, what is the status of a full-blown Razor reunion?
"Laurent got in touch with me again - keep in mind, he’s a huge fan and was in Toronto when we were playing Larry’s Hideaway, filming the video (“Evil Invaders”) when things were really starting to grow with us. He was there, but I never knew him. He got back to me again about this reunion and put me in touch with Mike Campagnolo instead of Dave this time. So me and Mike were texting back n’ forth, rehashing old times and it was kind of fun. I was going to go to Guelph and jam with these guys, but it’s never taken place. Everyone is so god-damn busy. I work a lot of hours. I’m hardly home. So Laurent got this all started again and I ended up talking to Dave for a long time on the phone. He seemed that he kind of mellowed. I don’t if it was because of his cancer. He’s losing his eyesight too. So I don’t know if this has humbled him, but he was actually very cordial on the phone and very polite. Very unlike any time I ever remember him before. I just assumed that they guy had grown up. They were rehearsing one day when I was texting one of them and they hooked me up with Embro, and we keep in touch quite a bit. We were the partiers of the band back then and now that we talk together, we kind of miss one another a little bit. It just seemed that when I was available to go up there, one of them wasn’t available. We tried three of four times and just wasn’t happening. I think it was Dave that said, ‘for this year, let’s just forget about it.’ It wasn’t for lack of effort or interest, it was just timing. There’s no way I would do a gig without going up there five or six times. I’d wanna put on a good show. I listen to a few Razor songs on my phone or something, but as far as doing a full 90 minutes or even 45, it would take a lot of work for me. And honestly, I don’t know if I could even do it. The song-writing I do now has absolutely nothing to do with heavy metal. It’s a lot mellower, a bit more intricate. I play a lot of flamenco guitar. I have done some recording, personal stuff. I’m not trying to sell it, it’s just for me. I have some people in Peterborough that have a system at their place, good equipment. But I haven't heard from Dave. He never answers his fucking phone. I’ve tried to call him and ask what’s been going on, if there is anything I should know, and he’s never gotten back to me. Now Mike Campagnolo texts me quite a bit during the day when he’s at work, but that’s when I’m busy and can’t be dicking around too much. The last time I was talking to Dave, he wanted to make sure Embro had the stamina to do it. Embro back in the real punching Razor days cheated a lot on the drums, like single high-hat snares instead of double. Rob Mills was a much better drummer. So Dave was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to pull it off for a full show. My response to Dave was ‘are you sure you can?!’ (Laughs) Fuck, I’m like 48 now and I think of screaming my ass off for 90 minutes - that’s probably not going to do well on the vocal chords. So I said before you judge him, you might want to judge me! And Dave didn’t pay attention to my request that I wanted a song list that I could enjoy. He did send me a song that was 40 songs too many and and there’s no way I’m going to relearn every single Razor song. I don’t have time for that. And there was a lot of songs on that list that I can’t stand. And you know that the effort that I would put into them wouldn’t be like ‘Tear Me To Pieces’ and ‘Cross Me Fool’ if you know what I mean. There are things we need to all about before we even think about it. So we may be looking at 2015 and if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. It’s not like it’s my first goal in life to do this. I’ve got a life now and I’ve got kids … well, they aren’t my kids. The guys had rented a place, but I just couldn’t get up there. And when I could, somebody else couldn’t. So it was just one of those things. And Mike Embro seems to be all better now from he tells me. I don’t know what to tell you. It’s something we all want to do. But trying to get four guys our age together who live in different cities is not going to be easy. When I was talking to everyone at separate times, I was excited. I thought this could be a lot of fun. And I’ve read a lot of stuff from people wondering where I went. The write-ups are either really good or really bad. It really blows you away what people really think. Stuff like ‘Sheepdog is the greatest metal singer ever!’ And I’m thinking, why weren’t people writing that when it was happening! That would’ve been great for us!" |
Holy crap - we’ve reached our goal! And you did it in 10 days!
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who pledged and spread the word to make the People’s Fermenter a reality. We’re floored and - to be honest - surprised by this outpouring of support for TWB. We’re so lucky to be part of this community – thank you, thank you for your generosity!
We can’t wait to create a People’s Beer as our inaugural batch. It’s gonna be rad.
As for all of you who haven’t pledged yet - there’s still time to be part of the coolest thing to hit Kitchener since last winter (too soon?). But what are you going to do with all this newfound wealth, you ask? Well, since the People’s Yacht, and the People’s Gold-Plated Rolls Royce kinda go against what we’re about, we’re going to use the money to start a barrel program so we can begin aging some high gravity and sour beers from the People’s Fermenter in some good ol’ oak.
The sooner we start, the sooner we'll get to taste the beer!
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Who are we?
The members of Together We’re Bitter Co-op Brewing have been waiting far too long for a quirky craft brewpub in the heart of Kitchener. You know the kind we’re talking about - one that serves fresh, delicious hand-crafted beer paired with gastropub fare in a relaxed, unique environment.
Well, we got tired of waiting for some ambitious entrepreneur to do the job so we decided to do it ourselves.
What excites us most about doing this is that we get to put our values into practice. The craft beer and local food movements - two of our passions - are centered on building a prosperous community. We want to channel our community’s creativity into an endeavor that creates good jobs, supports local food producers, and makes Kitchener a more vibrant place.
That’s why we’re opening Kitchener’s first co-operative brewpub - we thought it would be bitter…er, better if we used a business model that complements those values.
The TWB team has been busy planning every aspect of the brewpub for over a year now. Everything from developing recipes for our year-round and seasonal beers, to working on zoning requirements and brewing equipment we’re going to use. We’ve gone over everything approximately 748 times and are ready to hit the ground running.
Why are we doing a Kickstarter campaign?
The worker-owner and community supporter members have put in as much as we possibly can and our credit union is helping with the rest. However, we know that bank risk committees in head offices aren’t too keen on the extra ten grand we plan on dropping on a fermenter dedicated exclusively to brewing experimental beers.
We didn’t want to give up or delay the dream of playing around with malt, hops, water, yeast, and a host of interesting ingredients so we sat down to figure out how we could get this fermenter without having to wait for months and months. And that’s when we came up with the bright idea of seeing if you could help us out with this key piece of equipment. With it, we’ll brew up creative concoctions and come up with new offerings for all of you wonderful people. We’ll call it the People’s Fermenter and it will be glorious.
Where is TWB located?
In the hearts and minds of all craft beer lovers.
Seriously, though, this is a good question. We’re currently negotiating a tricky situation - we have to have our financing to sign a lease but we have to have a location to get our financing. Curious, that. We’re kicking tires and looking under the hood of a few sites in downtown Kitchener and hope to have an announcement about that before this Kickstarter campaign ends. Stay tuned!
What are we going to do with your money?
We need to keep our experimental brews at just the right fermentation temperature and we don’t want to tie up our main fermenter for these beers. So we’ll need a shiny ten hectolitre fermenter with a glycol jacket and all the piping and fittings. This is going to run us about eight grand. The other two thousand will be spent purchasing, shipping, and paying taxes on all the limited edition TWB gear on offer during this campaign. If you’re all feeling particularly generous and end up pushing us past our goal, we would really love to go wild and buy a few barrels to start our barrel-aging program right away. Then beers like our Belgian Quad and Imperial Spiced Porter can start their aging process sooner. And you can drink them sooner.
What are you getting out of the deal?
First and foremost, you’ll get to be part of making Kitchener’s first co-operative brewpub a reality and you’ll be part of the TWB family for life. But you also get to share this news with the rest of the world – to help you do that, we’ve developed limited edition gear just for this campaign. Look to the panel on the right for descriptions and below for photos of what we’ve put together.
How does this Kickstarter thing work?
It’s pretty straightforward, thankfully. We set our goal of $10,000. Then we set our deadline - one month – and came up with the pledge levels.
This is where you come in. Contribute what you can – and rest assured that your credit card gets charged only if we meet our goal by the deadline we set. If we don't make our goal, your credit card will not be charged and we won’t get money for the People’s Fermenter. Also, no one will receive any of the limited edition TWB gear and that’ll make us all pretty sad.
If we do meet our goal, you’ll get the eternal gratitude of the entire TWB team as well as all the cool stuff promised.
What else can you do to help?
We’re so glad you asked. Together We’re Bitter is a community focused co-op and, as such, we'll create plenty of opportunities to involve our beer family in our harebrained projects - for now, we just need you to please SPREAD THE WORD far and wide. Help us get our message out via Twitter, Facebook, Blackberry Channel... Even Tindr or telegram if that's your cup of tea (or pint of beer).
When will TWB be open?
Another great question. Building a brewery and getting it licensed takes some time. We put together a 6-8 month timeline that kicks off once we secure our location. Since we are planning on getting our location before the end of this year, we’re planning to open our doors in the summer of 2015. Help us make it happen!
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$1 -- THANK YOU!
You get a giant thank you from the bottom of our giant hearts!
$10 -- NAME ON OUR GREAT WALL
That’s right, not just any wall. Ben, Greg, and Rob have been collecting interesting pieces of wood from around Kitchener that they will be turning into a decorative wall that acknowledges all the people who made the brewpub possible.
$35 -- NAME ON OUR GREAT WALL
+ CO-OP TEE
Not only will you let everyone know that you’re part of the TWB family, but you’ll also look and feel fabulous in the process. We sought out some of the finest t-shirts made on this continent, and made them even better with a tasteful message on the front and our awesome logo on the back.
$50 -- NAME ON OUR GREAT WALL
+ BREWERY TOUR
Be part of an exclusive tour with a small group through the brewery we built with our bare hands before anyone else gets to see it! We’ll clean off all the blood, sweat, and tears first. Once it’s complete, we’ll set up a time that works, and you’ll get to poke around behind the scenes and hear our story firsthand. We’ll also probably hug you out of gratitude. A lot.
$100 -- NAME ON OUR GREAT WALL
+ CAPYBARA CLUB GROWLER & 2 TULIP GLASSES
We have a one-barrel pilot brewery that we will be using to determine what experimental brews to put in the People’s Fermenter. With your 750ml Capybara growler, you’ll have exclusive access to these ever-changing pilot beers. Of course you’ll have to buy the beer but trust us, it’ll be worth it. Your feedback will help influence what experimental beers get brewed and put in the People’s Fermenter.
$250 -- NAME ON OUR GREAT WALL
+ CAPYBARA CLUB GROWLER & 2 TULIP GLASSES
+ BREW WITH THE BREWER
This is a pretty fantastic combo deal. You get the stylish T-shirt, membership to the Capybara Club, AND an exclusive invitation to brew with our brewer, Culum. You’re not gonna want to miss out on this opportunity. He may even let you choose the music. FYI, he vetoes Right Said Fred. We tried.
$500 -- NAME ON OUR GREAT WALL
+ CO-OP TEE
+ CAPYBARA CLUB GROWLER & 2 TULIP GLASSES
+ DESIGN YOUR OWN BEER WITH THE BREWER
Along with exclusive access to our one-barrel pilot brews through the Capybara Club and a super-stylish tee, you get to design a beer alongside our brewer, Culum. He knows his stuff. And so do you, right? So you’ll get to try to boss him around a bit. Tell him what you like and get his feedback. Once you brew your brew, it might get to the People’s Fermenter. If you know your stuff. You do, right? |
"They play IN New Jersey, so they should be FROM New Jersey," ranted Tarkington online to a collection of passionate Red Bull fans who have heard every single stupid re-branding idea foisted upon them by individual know-it-alls since the team was purchased and re-branded from the Metrostars over 10 years ago.
"See, they play in New Jersey, so they should be FROM New Jersey," stated the man who has never traveled outside the Dallas/Fort Worth area and whose experience with the area of New York comes from sneak watching episodes of Sex In The City for the occasional nudity.
While fans of the New York Red Bulls attempted to explain the problematic idea of New Jersey branding based on the season tickets of the team combined with the idea of land value, where you can build a stadium on an island, the New York Giants, and transportation in the area, Tarkington forged ahead stating, "Think of all the players from New Jersey! They could be from New Jersey and represent New Jersey!"
The Nutmeg News will have more on this as Tarkington explains that he refuses to drive 90 minutes, in traffic, to watch FC Dallas games because the stadium is in Frisco. |
I have a good friend, Narasimhan, who used to live in Adelaide. He is from Tamil Nadu but resides in Bangalore. When he was in Australia, he would regularly arrive at my place, bearing this curry and a bunch of roses, asking only that I cook some rice and maybe (under his guidance) some payasam. This curry is so easy and so good, or maybe it is the smell of the roses that biases my tastebuds.
Sauce-free Indian curries like these are really just slightly-more-elaborate vegetable sautés—toast spices in ghee, coconut oil or Indian sesame oil, add in your vegetables, and finish with salt and sometimes a touch of sugar to season the simple, healthful spicy glaze that coats the vegetables.
You might like to try other Subzi recipes.Try Okra Subzi, Sweet Potato Subzi with Yoghurt, Sweet and Sour Potato Subzi, Sweet Potato Subzi, and Potato Subzi.
Are you looking for Sweet Potato recipes? Try Roasted Sweet Potato and Fresh Figs, Sweet Potato Subzi, Slighty Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Subzi, and Sweet Potato Vindaloo.
For Spinach dishes, try Spinach Thoran, Mung Dal with Cumin and Spinach, and Stir Fried Spinach with Coconut.
For Eggplant dishes, try Eggplant in Tamarind Leaf Paste, Baingan ka Salan, Brinjal Chidambaram Kosthu, Spicy Eggplant Rice, and Grated Coconut Masala Kuzhambu.
Browse all of our Sweet Potato recipes, Spinach recipes and Eggplant recipes. And explore our Indian recipes. Or take some time to check out our Mid Autumn recipe collection.
If you would like to make your own Sambar Powder visit this recent post which will explain the process.
Narasimhan’s Sweet Potato, Eggplant and Spinach Madras Subzi
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 15 mins to peel and chop vegetables and to blanch the spinach
Cooking time: 15 – 20 mins
Sitting time: 15 – 20 mins to develop flavours
Serves: 4 – 6 people, depending how you use it
I often make half quantities as the full recipe makes quite an amount.
ingredients
1 large sweet potato, about 650 – 700 g, peeled and cut into 2 – 2.5cm cubes
1 large eggplant, about 450 g, cut into 2 – 2.5cm cubes
500 g of spinach, blanched, dried and chopped
1 Tblspn cumin seeds
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tblspn Madras Sambar Powder (buy or make your own) or a good curry powder (adjust am0unt to heat of the curry powder)
1 tspn black mustard seeds
1 tspn sea salt
0.25 tspn turmeric powder
50 ml ghee
2 Tblspn chopped green coriander leaves
method
Heat ghee in a heavy-based saucepan on low heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and allow to pop. Add the garlic and cumin seeds, and stir fry until garlic turns a golden brown colour.
Add the sweet potato pieces and cook for 5 minutes until the sweet potato is half cooked. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if needed.
Mix in the eggplant cubes, spinach, sea salt, sambar powder and turmeric powder. Cook on low-medium heat until the sweet potato and eggplant is tender. Add a splash of water if needed.
Remove dish from stove and stir in the coriander leaves.
Allow the dish to sit for 15 minutes to develop the flavours, and serve with rice and/or naan.
recipe notes
I have made this without the sambar powder, and the gentleness of the resulting curry is wonderful.
You might also like our Sweet Potato recipes here and here. Or you might like to browse Eggplant recipes here and here.
This is cross posted with our Sister site, Heat in The Kitchen. It appears there as part of the Retro Recipes series – our vegetarian recipes from our first blog from 1995 – 2005.
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A retired firefighter says he is “so happy” he was able to watch a girl he rescued from her crib as a 9-month-old walk across the stage and accept her high school diploma.
Mike Hughes, 61, was a captain with the Wenatchee, Wash., Fire Department 17 years ago when he responded to an emergency call about a house fire.
“Our engine pulled up and the whole interior part of the house was burning heavily,” Hughes told ABC News today. “My partner and I went in and I got a call on the radio that they suspected somebody was in the house."
“I went straight to the place in the house that I thought I’d find somebody,” he said. “The door to the bedroom was partially open and she was in her crib just squirming so i snatched her up and got her to the front door and handed her off to the first firefighter who was there.”
The 9-month-old baby inside the crib, whose life was saved by Hughes, was Dawnielle Davison, now a high school senior.
Hughes recalls the rescue as “pretty perfect” and says it is “rare” to have such a happy conclusion — no one inside the house was hurt.
The rescue stuck in Hughes’ mind so much that a few years ago he went online to check on Davison. He found the then-middle school student on Facebook.
“I sent her a note that said, ‘I think i pulled you out of a fire when you were a baby,’” Hughes recalled. “And she gave me a test…she wrote back, ‘Oh yeah, what was my mom doing?’”
“I replied, ‘Well she was at work and your dad was there,’” Hughes said.
Having passed the accuracy test, Hughes kept in touch with Davison, even attending some of her track meets and occasionally running into the teen and her step-dad at the local hardware store.
This month, Hughes received a message from Davison, who could not be reached by ABC News, that he did not expect.
The teenager invited the man who saved her life to her high school graduation this past Saturday.
“She sent me an invitation so I thought, ‘By golly, I’m going,’” he said. “It meant an awful lot to me. I was really happy.”
Davison told local ABC affiliate KOMO that it is “really hard to believe” she went through the fire ordeal, and that having Hughes with her at her next milestone was emotional.
"Really emotional," Davison told KOMO at the graduation. "I don't know really how to describe it, they're happy tears, to realize some things could have gone wrong.”
Hughes said the moment also brought tears to his eyes.
“She said words to the effect of, ‘I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you and your crew,’” Hughes said. “She was the third person I’d pulled out of a fire in my career so I always say the third is the charm.”
“That’s what my career and the fire service is all about,” he said. |
Blade Runner: Stand by for the fastest man on no legs to explode into the London Olympics
For the man who is about to become one of the most famous Olympians of all time, first a little peace and quiet.
Tucked away in a small town in north-eastern Italy, Oscar Pistorius is enjoying a rare stint out of the spotlight. He trains on a track built especially for him by the mayor of Gemona as he prepares to make history.
Just after 10.30am on Saturday, Pistorius will become the first disabled athlete to compete at the Olympics. The South African, who runs with blades instead of legs, will compete in the heats of the 400 metres.
Pistorius, who trains in the town from May to September, looks utterly relaxed here. It is two hours and a million miles from the focus that will be on him in London’s Olympic Stadium.
Purpose built: Oscar Pistorius trains on the Gemona athletics track
‘I came here in 2010 to receive an award at an event run by two universities in the area,’ he says.
‘The mayor wanted more of a sporting background to the town, so he offered me the chance to train here. I looked at the facilities and came up with some suggestions of what they needed to improve and now we have a beautiful track in one of the most beautiful settings there is. Kids come down to the track to watch. It’s an amazing, supportive culture. It’s so peaceful and tranquil and the facilities are world-class.’
For Gemona’s mayor, Paolo Urbani, it was a simple decision and one he feels is already paying off. ‘We wanted to have a sporting project in Gemona and Oscar was the perfect person to represent that,’ he says.
‘Oscar is like one of us. In 1976 we had a big earthquake which destroyed the town. The people were strong and wanted to rebuild and Oscar is like that too. He is a tough person. If he wants something, he puts the effort in to achieve it. The whole town will be watching his races.’
At full stretch: Pistorius prepares for training
How Pistorius follows in the footsteps of a cheetah
Oscar wears the Ossur Cheetah Flex-foot Artificial Sprinting Leg
Cost approx £1,300
Made of carbon fibre, manufactured in Iceland
Each blade weighs 512g (18.1oz)
The prosthesis’ ‘J’ curve shape resembles the hind quarter of a cheetah, the fastest animal on land
He only has one pair — he trains and competes in the same blades — and he’s been using the current pair since 2003
If they were to break, he’d be scuppered... but they won’t
Spikes are taken from an ordinary Nike shoe
Knee sockets are moulded specially around Oscar’s joints, with additional soft cushioning
It is cold and wet — a rare break from the blistering Italian summer — when we are there to see Pistorius but that does not alter the 25-year-old’s routine. Under the eye of his coach, Ampie Louw, Pistorius removes his prosthetic legs, puts on his blades, stretches and then starts his training.
He has the blades because he was born without fibulas, the bones that connect the knee and the ankle. They have caused their fair share of controversy, with some arguing that they give Pistorius an advantage over able-bodied athletes. But science has supported him and that is why he is preparing for the Games.
Pistorius, who at the Paralympics later this summer will defend three titles he won four years ago, cannot wait for his race. He adds, however: ‘I am definitely going to feel nervous. As soon as the gun goes, you are fine but the waiting kills athletes. You can be a nervous wreck but you just go through the motions of breathing deeply, stretching, making sure your number is on straight. |
Media reports have claimed Trump is “very unhappy” with the inability of his staff to book talent, and what else would one expect from a man whose ego gets off on his name being put on the side of buildings. Trump pal Mark Burnett of Apprentice and allegedly hiding any ugly tapes of Trump fame has tasked a former booker of Dancing with the Stars with finding people to show up.
However, there are reports that even in places where Republicans have in the past been able to get reliable entertainment acts, they’re not interested. Country music has been a genre that’s been more favorable to the GOP in recent decades, given a significant part of the audience is in the Republican demo. But even Garth Brooks and others have turned down requests to appear.
"We've gotten calls that almost sound a little bit desperate: 'Does anybody want to perform?'" says Ken Levitan, a top music manager who represents liberal and conservative artists including Kings of Leon, Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd and Emmylou Harris. "At this point, we haven't had anybody that has any desire to perform at the inauguration. "Even if you're a Trump supporter, you've got to look at how he plays the media [and] the public, in terms of how he attacks and twists things around. I've got to think there's a fear of talking about things and working with him," Levitan continues. "I do know some of the very conservative [artists] have no desire to do it. ... [They] just don't want to be involved in the circus — it's a media circus, and not necessarily in a good way." … "They want to be cool and they want to be hip, but the problem is, they're not, and no one's going to go along with the charade," says Simon Renshaw, a Trump opponent who manages the liberal Dixie Chicks. "And the stuff they could get, they're looking at it and going, 'We're going to have Ted Nugent and Kid Rock — oh my God, that doesn't look like an inauguration, that's going to look like a bar-room redneck brawl.'"
Since we now live in post-reality America, and the grand wizard of pissing in people’s hands and claiming it’s rain is about to assume office, of course Donald Trump’s public response has been to deny water is wet.
x The so-called "A" list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2016
Trump is attempting to play the usual conservative move of portraying the entertainment industry as elitist, and positioning himself as the put-upon public servant being bashed by intolerant out-of-touch rich Hollywood liberals. This is the defense of Trump already being deployed on Fox News.
The only problem is the “people” voted for the other candidate by about 3 million votes. And when one breaks it down, it’s simple economics. If I’m an agent or music label head, why in God’s name would I ever put my talent out in support of someone who alienates more than half the country? |
The Harper government is failing to protect Canadians' health and environment from the pollution risks associated with the resource industry boom across the country, the Federal Environment Commissioner said in a report to Parliament.
In a series of audits released Tuesday, Commissioner Scott Vaughan pointed to several shortcomings, including the absence of regulations for toxic chemicals used by the oil industry and the lack of preparedness for major tanker accidents off the West Coast or for catastrophic oil spills on the East Coast.
Mr. Vaughan said Ottawa continues to subsidize the oil industry despite a commitment to the G20 to end such support. However, the government is dramatically scaling back its support, and is reviewing outdated liability limits that could leave taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars after a major accident.
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The environmental auditor said Ottawa needs far more vigorous enforcement to keep pace with the anticipated growth in investments in pipelines, offshore drilling, oil-sands development, shale-gas production and mining, though opposition critics have accused the government of slashing environmental assessments in recent budget bills.
"We know that there is a boom in natural resources in this country and I think what we need now – given the gaps, given the problems we found – is a boom in environmental protection in this country as well," Mr. Vaughan told reporters. "These need to move hand in hand. You can't have environmental protection trying to catch up with legacy issues that have been left because of a boom in natural resources."
Failure to address those risks will not only result in damage to human health and the natural environment, but will cause economic loss because it will be more expensive to clean up than prevent problems, he said.
Later at a committee hearing, Mr. Vaughan said he believed the government was committed to closing the gaps he had identified in environmental protection.
New Democratic Party Leader Thomas Mulcair seized on the report during Question Period to accuse Prime Minister Stephen Harper of ignoring environmental risks and letting big polluters off the hook.
Mr. Harper conceded the country will need a stronger environmental effort to keep pace with resource development, and said his government will take advice from the commissioner's report as it bolsters its policies.
"I think the government has already been clear that responsible resource development means that as we see the growth in resource development over the decades to come, there will have to be enhanced measures of environmental protection," the Prime Minister said.
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In his report, the environmental auditor took aim at Ottawa's hands-off approach to hydraulic fracturing – a rapidly growing and controversial oil-industry practice in which companies inject chemically laced water deep underground to extract natural gas and oil. Oil companies are relying on the process known as fracking to unlock shale gas deposits in northeastern British Columbia and Alberta, and are eyeing both Quebec and New Brunswick as promising locations for shale-gas development. As well, drillers are now using the same approach to unlock "tight" oil deposits in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
However, the industry is exempted from federal rules that require companies to report on chemicals released into the environment, and as a result, Environment Canada and Health Canada have been unable to assess the risks posed by hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking.
"A complete list of substances used in Canada is not known," the report said.
In the House of Commons, Mr. Harper said regulation of the hydraulic fracturing is a provincial responsibility. The British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission has for the past few years forced companies to list all chemicals they use in fracking, while the Alberta regulator announced a similar requirement last December.
The environment commissioner also found serious shortcomings in the preparedness of the federal government and the federal-provincial regulator for a major spill off Newfoundland and Labrador, where companies are drilling to depths several kilometres beneath the ocean floor.
Last week, Newfoundland's provincial energy company, Nalcor, identified four new sedimentary basins in the icy waters of the Labrador Sea as prime spots for further exploratory drilling. And the Quebec government is working with Ottawa to open up the Gulf of St. Lawrence to oil exploration.
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But Mr. Vaughan said regulators are unprepared for a spill like the one that blackened the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, killing marine life and contaminating habitat.
While the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board has done a good job managing day-to-day environmental concerns, it and the federal government "need to do more to prepare for a major oil spill," the report said.
At the same time, the report warned of serious shortcomings in Ottawa's liability regime for offshore oil exploration, maritime tanker traffic and nuclear plants. In most cases, the liability limits faced by operators have not been raised in decades, leaving taxpayers' on the hook in the event of a major accident.
Fracking: Its science and risks
The drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is behind the enormous growth in production of both natural gas and oil in North America – but there is debate about the safety of the practice.
On average, fracturing a shale gas well requires 11 million litres of water, and chemicals make up between 0.5 and 2 per cent of the fluid. The fracking is typically done in impermeable rock some hundreds of metres – sometimes thousands of metres – beneath fresh water aquifers, but drinking-water sources can be polluted if the well is poorly constructed.
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According to the environment commissioner, 800 substances are known to be used or suspected to be used in fracturing, and many of them are known to be toxic. A U.S. presidential commission concluded last year that there are real risks of contamination of ground water and surface water, but that the dangers can be minimized with proper drilling operations along with strict regulation and enforcement.
Still several provinces and states – notably Quebec, Nova Scotia and New York – have de facto bans on hydraulic fracturing. For its part, Ottawa has asked the Council of Canadian Academies to assess the potential environmental impacts, and its report is expected later this year.
- Shawn McCarthy |
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
Some of you may know me as the guy with the pinned encyclopedia thread.
In that thread I post all the data extracted from the WoT Xbox Encyclopedia, and also includes hidden data found nowhere else.
A few days ago I noticed WG has updated the site and now also includes silver multipliers and xp bonuses!
Sadly, you can not see them by simply loading up the encyclopedia. But if you dig a bit deeper they are there, and since people are always discussing silver and xp earning from different tanks I figured this thread might help a bit.
So without further delay, here are the results:
Silver Multipliers
Every tank in World of Tanks gets a unique silver multiplier. These multipliers range from 0,53 at the lowest up to 1,81 at the highest.
But before you go any further, guess which tank do YOU think has the king-of-the-hill multiplier of 1,81? It is a premium....
Give up?
It's the tank we all love to hate. Outclassed in almost every way by its American brother....
The U.K. Sexton I.
Yes, the U.K. Sexton I might not be the best statistically, but reigns supreme in a hidden stat unknown up to this point in time.
I must say I was very surprised by this, and I don´t doubt the rest of the community will be too.
To give you some more data:
Top 5 Premium Multipliers Top 5 Non Premium Multipliers Top 5 Worst Premium Multipliers Top 5 Worst Non Premium Multipliers U.K. Sexton I: 1,81 Vickers Medium Mk I.: 1,637 Pz.Kpfw. 38H 735 (f): 0,9 AMX 50 foch (155): 0,53 M6A2E1: 1,67 Renault FT: 1,63 F224 AMX Chaffee: 1 T22 Prototype: 0,53391 Löwe: 1,65 Renault NC-31: 1,419 T-34-88: 1 FV 215b (183): 0,583 T14: 1,62 T1 Cunningham: 1,365 Tetrarch: 1,09 FV 4005 Stage II: 0,6 M3 Light and T23E3: 1,6 G. Pz. Mk. VI: 1,33 Pz IV GUP: 1,1 Waffenträger auf E100: 0,6
So we see that even the worst premium tank multipliers are still fairly good. Other than that, one can also see that classically "OP" tanks have lower silver multipliers (I'm not going to go into the discussion whether that balances them).
I also created some graphs showing the Silver Multipliers in graphs:
Including Premiums
Excluding Premiums
XP bonuses
The xp bonuses work slightly different than the silver multiplier.
First, we are NOT talking about a multiplier. A bonus of 0.5 is a 50% xp bonus, whereas a silver multiplier of 1,5 is needed for that same 50% boost to silver.
Second, Non-premium tanks do not have a xp bonus mentioned (not even 0). I therefore assumed they were all 0.
Since many same-tiered vehicle share the same bonus I will not make a table. But I will show you a graph:
XP bonuses
A few things to note about the XP multipliers:
XP bonuses roughly decrease with 0,1 when you go up a tier going from 0,7 at tier 2 to 0,1 at tier 8
The Chuchill III, known for its good crew training, does not get a higher XP bonus. The bonus is 0,4 just like many other tier 5 tanks.
The T-34-88 and AMX Chaffee, which were marketed as being good crew trainers, do not have the highest tank bonus in the game. Coming in at 0,5 each they get a bonus similar to tier 4 tanks. They are still good crew trainer since they are dual-crew trainers and very powerful.
Elite vehicles (and therefore premiums) get a 1.25x multiplier towards crew xp.
EDIT: the T-34-88 and the AMX Chaffee get an extra crew xp bonus on top of the bonus for being elite vehicles, which still makes them very good crew trainers despite not having the highest tank XP bonus.
The PZ V/IV (Rampanzer) gets a relatively low XP bonus of 0,3. This is what most tier 6 tanks get.
The highest XP bonus goes to tier 2 tanks with a bonus of 0,7.
With both the silver multiplier and xp bonuses I left the Spectre and the Lunar out of the highest/lowest ranking since they are special tanks and receive neither silver nor xp.
You can find this data in the following file for all tanks: https://drive.google...eVlEM2RKRjlycnc
This data might be outdated when a new update hits, but it will kept up to date in the full encyclopedia in the following thread: http://forum-console...dated-31-05-16/
If you have any question feel free to ask
Edited by emperordennis, 26 July 2016 - 12:55 PM. |
A tenured professor who forced her students to sign pledges that they would vote for President Barack Obama last November should be fired, the college’s president recommended.
Sharon Sweet, an associate professor of mathematics at Brevard Community College in Florida, is guilty of electioneering, harassment, and incompetence, according to a three-month investigation into her classroom behavior leading up to the November election.
The Board of Trustees will hold a hearing on the matter, and then vote on whether to adopt President James Richey’s recommendation that Sweet be fired.
According to a report on the investigation:
“Professor Sweet strongly encouraged or mandated that students from several classes sign a pledge card that stated, ‘I pledge to vote for President Obama and Democrats up and down the ticket.’ She also misrepresented her intentions to multiple students, indicating at various times that she was conducting voter registration for the college, that the pledge cards were non-partisan voter registration forms, and that the pledge was a ‘statistical analysis.'”
In the eyes of the college, Sweet clearly created a hostile environment for students, since many feared their grades would be affected if they did not sign the pledge. She remains on paid leave until the board votes to fire her.
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Last week, Florida authorities reported the first cases of local Zika transmission, which means that Zika-infected mosquitos are now in the continental United States. The cases prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn pregnant women against traveling to the part of Miami where the cases were found, the first advisory of its kind in the United States.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who’s been preparing for this situation for months, issued a similar message: “For women who live or work in the impacted area and are either pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, I urge you to contact your OB-GYN for guidance and to receive a Zika prevention kit.”
In June, after congressional squabbles blocked federal funding for Zika prevention and response, the Republican governor announced that he’d allocated more than $26 million in state funds, part of which would pay for CDC Zika prevention kits that consist of two kinds of mosquito repellent, tablets that kill mosquitos in water, and condoms. In late July, Scott said his office and the state Department of Health were coordinating door-to-door educational outreach in the areas of concern and working “with OB-GYNs and organizations that serve pregnant women in the impacted area to distribute Zika prevention kits to pregnant women.”
But it’s unclear whether those plans have become reality. A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health wrote in an email to Mother Jones that prevention kits are available for pregnant women at OB-GYN offices, but did not specify how they were being distributed or where.
“We haven’t heard about any kits,” says Laura Goodhue, a vice president at Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida. Planned Parenthood hasn’t received any Zika kits from the Florida Department of Health, nor has it received any guidance from the department about how to serve pregnant women during a possible outbreak.
How ready is the state—where almost two-thirds of pregnancies are unintended and the state government has attempted to block state funding for reproductive health clinics—to take on Zika?
Here’s the backstory: The virus, which has spread through many parts of Latin America as well as Puerto Rico, is mostly benign for adults and causes mild flu-like symptoms. But it can cause microcephaly in fetuses, a severe and debilitating birth defect, the presence of which has ignited concerns over a global public health crisis. In March, the CDC told pregnant women to avoid traveling to Zika-infected areas in Latin America. And authorities in the region, where abortion is severely restricted and contraception is often hard to come by, took the unprecedented step of asking women to hold off on having children for as long as two years.
Florida’s recent cases of Zika weren’t the state’s first. By late July, nearly 400 cases had been reported over a period of several months, including 55 involving pregnant women. But they were all travel related, meaning someone brought the virus back from a Zika-infected region outside the United States.
The confirmation that four cases of locally transmitted Zika had been reported in a neighborhood in Miami means that mosquitos carrying the virus are now in the area. The number of confirmed cases grew to 15 in a matter of days, prompting the CDC to issue its warning. Those cases are a big deal because scientists warn that infected mosquitos are necessary for the virus to really spread. (Scientists still say, however, that we should not expect a widespread Zika epidemic in the United States.)
A big part of the defense against infection for women in Florida appears to be the Zika prevention kits and OB-GYN outreach, but the Scott administration’s strategy is unclear. The Planned Parenthood affiliate operates three clinics in Miami-Dade County, which has the fourth-highest uninsured rate in the country, and another just over the border in Broward County. The women’s health care organization serves tens of thousands of people per year, many of whom are low-income and without insurance—and more likely to get pregnant by accident. As Laura Goodhue notes, they have not received a single kit.
A spokesperson for Today’s Women Medical Centers, which offers family planning, prenatal, and abortion services, also said her clinic has not heard from Gov. Scott’s office or the state Department of Health about what help to offer women facing Zika. They also do not have CDC Zika prevention kits.
Goodhue says Scott’s efforts to curtail reproductive health clinics in Florida has damaged his efforts for Zika prevention. Most recently, Scott signed a bill that would block state funding for many reproductive health clinics, including Planned Parenthood and Today’s Women Medical Centers. Planned Parenthood sued the state, and the law is not currently being enforced, but, Goodhue says, Scott “has placed barriers on affordable health care, birth control, and contraception.”
So far, the Florida Department of Health has confirmed one case of microcephaly in an infant whose mother contracted Zika while in Haiti. There are no cases of currently pregnant women with microcephaly diagnoses. But if there were, her options would be limited: the state restricts public insurance coverage for abortion, and prevents health insurance providers on the Obamacare exchange from covering abortion, with no exception for fetal anomaly. There is also a ban on abortion after 24 weeks.
Jeri Bustamante, a spokeswoman for Scott, wouldn’t comment on whether Scott’s efforts to block funding for reproductive health clinics might be undermining his fight against Zika, but she did point out that the Department of Health is now testing pregnant women for Zika at no cost, and that, for now, the virus is contained to a small neighborhood in Miami. “We want to emphasize it is just within one square mile,” she said. |
It takes real insight to cut through the noise and recycled hysteria of the internet, especially when you are the target of abuse. In the video game community a small, vocal minority has coordinated a wave of bullying against female writers under the guise of a campaign about ethics, describing their movement, without irony, as “Gamergate”.
The tech journalist Leigh Alexander, who has pointed out the lack of diversity in gaming and the cliched representations of women in games, refuses to be intimidated. The real crisis, she says, is in the small but powerful core of gamers who cannot deal with the transition of this medium to the mainstream. It challenges the anonymous, high-octane masculinity they feign, alone behind their consoles.
They don’t want the growing number of female gamers to have more of a say in what they’re playing, or to create projects that educate through personal storytelling, whether about depression, sexuality or immigration.
This is what sexism looks like in the 21st century, internet style, and we support Leigh Alexander on the new frontier. She is right that gaming – an increasingly recognised cultural force – belongs to everyone. |
Daniel K. in Aurora, Canada asks:
With many watch companies moving to in-house made movements, is there any concern that this change will make it more difficult for the watches to be serviced 20-50 yrs from now? Will this market change make it more challenging to get the watch serviced, both locally or by the watch company themselves? I find some comfort in believing that a ubiquitous ETA movement can be serviced anywhere by a respectable watch repair shop.
The last few years have seen an explosion of watch brands offering “in-house made” movements that they produce themselves. This is in contrast to a more traditional (last 20 years especially) model where a lot (but not all brands) purchase movements from suppliers (namely ETA). ETA Swiss Made movements are robust, common, easy to service, and a good value for the price. Though they aren’t very exclusive. Also, ETA doesn’t really make mass produced “very complicated” watches. ETA has also recently stopped supplying a lot of people with movements. This has forced a lot of brands to either make their own movements or look elsewhere.
That is all nice and good, but the sad reality is that most brands end up charging a lot more for their in-house made movements. This makes a lot of sense when it comes very unique stuff, but it is hard to sometimes justify when it comes to movements similar to what ETA produces. So, going back to the original question – are all of these in-house movements going to be serviceable in the future? The short answer is “maybe.” The sheer volume of ETA movements means that for the most part any ETA movement you may have will be repairable during your lifetime. There are just so many watches and spare parts available, as well as people familiar with their movements that ETA movements are very safe.
In-house made movements from small or exotic brands are probably the most risky movements to invest in. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t, but only that if you do, and years down the road those movements break, you may be in for a huge shock when it comes to fixing them, if you can even find someone able to do it. Small brands aren’t guaranteed to exist in 5, 10, or 20 years, and assuming something goes wrong, it is not clear whether parts will be available. Moreover, even large brands will often not service older watches. They might, but it isn’t guaranteed. Pretty much anything CAN be fixed or serviced, but the less common and older a watch is, the more difficult it will be to find someone who can work on it, and the more expensive it can get.
We choose a few questions each week and publish them. Want to ask the aBlogtoWatch team a question? We want to hear from you » |
In the talk, I will explain all about how datatype-generic programming in GHC works, and I will present several examples of its use, including examples of how it already is successfully being used in some prominent Haskell libraries.
Haskell's deriving construct is both wonderful and magical at the same time: it is wonderful, because with just a single line of code, you can obtain functionality such as(de)serialization, comparison and traversal functions for your newly defined datatype; it is magical because all of this happens behind the scenes, by code deeply built into the compiler.
But does it have to be magic? Since recently, the Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC) supports a feature that lets you define your own derivable functionality! And it is not difficult to use, either. All you have to do is to understand a little bit about how Haskell datatypes can be uniformly represented using a limited set of simple datatypes. Then you define a class plus instances for this limited set of types, and get all the rest for free.
So-called datatype-generic functions let you properly express your code in terms of specific, user-defined datatypes without paying a price: for your new datatypes, you can still use lots of pre-defined functionality, simply by deriving it.
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NEW YORK: Senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was indicted for visa fraud and making false statements but can leave the US as she has been accorded diplomatic immunity.The charges against 39-year-old Khobragade will remain and she will have to face trial, if she returns to the US without diplomatic immunity, US attorney Preet Bharara said in a letter to District Judge Shira Scheindlin.Bharara said the grand jury has indicted the diplomat on two counts of visa fraud and making false statements in connection with the visa application of her domestic help Sangeeta Richard."There will not need to be an arraignment on the Indictment scheduled at this time. We understand that the defendant was very recently accorded diplomatic immunity status," Bharara said in his letter."Therefore, the charges will remain pending until such time as she can be brought to court to face the charges, either through a waiver of immunity or the defendant's return to the United States in a non-immune status. The time between now and the time that she is able to be brought before the Court is excluded automatically under the Speedy Trial Act, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 3161(h)(3)(A), which provides for the exclusion of any period of delay resulting from the unavailability of the defendant," he said.When contacted, Khobragade told PTI, "I will show my immunity to the court. The court will see that I have diplomatic immunity. Only then I will leave the US."A 1999-batch IFS officer, Khobragade, was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid. She was released on a $250,000 bond.The diplomat was strip searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two sides with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats."The government respectfully writes to advise the court that earlier today, the grand jury voted on and returned the enclosed Indictment charging Devyani Khobragade, the defendant, in two counts with visa fraud and making false statements in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1546, 1001, and 2," Bharara said."In this case, the defendant is unavailable because her 'whereabouts are known but [her] presence for trial cannot be obtained by due diligence or [she] resists appearing at or being returned for trial'," he said.Bharara made it clear that Khobragade will be prosecuted if she returns to the US without diplomatic immunity."We will alert the Court promptly if we learn that the defendant returns to the United States in a non-immune capacity, at which time the Government will proceed to prosecute this case and prove the charges in the Indictment," he added.After the row broke out, Khobragade was transferred to India's permanent mission to the UN. Following her arrest, her passport was kept in court's custody. |
Most bracket projections have the Mountain West with four teams in the field, but Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com has a fifth team in his field of 68, and that team is the Boise St. Broncos.
While Palm does have Boise State in this week, he has the Broncos on the fence in his Bubble Watch. He also has Wyoming and Air Force in consideration, but ultimately on the outside looking in. Air Force is hot, and will likely inch closer if they can get some road wins against the top teams in the league.
Here is where Palm has the Mountain West teams in his latest projections:
No. 3 New Mexico vs. No. 14 North Dakota State
No. 5 UNLV vs. No. 12 Stephen F. Austin
No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 10 Saint Louis
No. 9 Colorado State vs. No. 8 UCLA
No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 12 Maryland (opening round game)
Out of all the Mountain West team, only San Diego State dropped from Palm's prior rankings. Last week, Palm had San Diego State as a five seed. It is still possible for San Diego State to get higher, but they need to avoid losing to the likes of Air Force, Boise State and others in the Mountain West below their level. |
Bob Latham, the Chairman of USA Rugby who was formerly on the board of the US Olympics Committee, is a former rugby player who played on the Dallas Harlequins for 13 years.
An extremely dedicated sports and Olympics fan who will be in Brazil for the games, Bob took some time to speak about the USA rugby team's chances and how the club has become a recent powerhouse in the sport. He also chatted about the impact of rugby being back in the Olympic games after nearly a hundred years and the intense process it took to get the sport to Rio.
SEE MORE: Everything you need to know about Rio -- all in one place
Check out the full exclusive Q&A here:
Q: Your excitement must be off the charts, right?
A: It is (laughs). And it grows by the day.
Q: So, U.S. rugby will be competing in the games for the first time in over 90 years. From the start of helping make this happen, what are some things that went into it and what were some of the difficulties you faced along the way?
A: Well, with my involvement, it started in 1996. Up until 1995, the international governing structure of world rugby was not conducive to joining the Olympics, so we needed to shore that up. We needed to get it recognized by the U.S. Rugby committee. The effort to get into the Olympics really started later, about 1999 or 2000. I was part of it and it was exciting. We tried to get into the Beijing games in 2008. One of the frustrating things, and this isn't a criticism of the IOC, but they got more scientific of who gets into the Olympics. They refined that over the course of several years and the process was underway. The most gratifying part, to me, was that we knew the sport sells itself. We tried to highlight what we were doing in the sport, but when u have a sport as exiting as this -- it could be played in existing stadiums, is played across the world, Olympic medalists can come from any continent, we have world-class athletes, it sells itself. The IOC voted overwhelmingly in 2009 for it to be allowed into the games.
Q: From your post now, take me back to earlier in your career, how did you go from being an attorney to where you are now? Did you always have a passion for rugby?
A: I played until I was about 36 – longer than anyone should, especially while engaging with a legal career (laughs). But I was very lucky to do both and when I stopped played rugby, USA Rugby was looking for somebody to navigate the process to be recognized by the Olympics committee. As a lawyer, and knowing quite a few people in the national rugby scene, I had personal relationships with a lot of people across the country who were involved. They pegged me to lead the process and it led to me being as involved as I am.
Q: Looking ahead to the Rio Games, what are some things you're expecting? Do you truly have high hopes for the US team, and who are some players we should look out for?
A: Hopes are high. I was thinking about it, 'wouldn't it be great if were in the Olympics and Americans can see this great sport?' I think I've now gotten greedy, where I'm saying, 'wouldn't it be great if we got a medal or a gold medal?' It's a wide open competition. Obviously, teams are ranked highly, such as Fiji being No. 1 in the world. New Zealand is right there, South Africa is there, as well as England and Canada. But you're going to see a wide open competition. From the men's side, you gave the fastest player in the world in Carlin Isles. Perry Baker is a tremendous talent. Our captain, Madison Hughes, is a Dartmouth grad and a great on-field leader. We also have a guy trying out for the team, Nate Ebner who is on the New England Patriots. The men's team has beaten both New Zealand and Fiji, so we can play with anybody. On any given day, we can beat anybody.
On the women's side, you have the most inspirational player in Rio. Jillion Potter was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer two years ago, but she still played in the World Cup. She went through chemotherapy and is now the captain for our team in Rio. It's a remarkable story.
Q: When it comes to the sport's long process of going from niche to mainstream, do you think this is the big opportunity for rugby to be more popular in the United States?
A: It is an opportunity. Rugby is mainstream in many parts of the country and in other countries as a whole, so you're not talking about a niche sport worldwide. It just hasn't risen on the radar here as much as other places. The patriotism of it, when there's success, fans follow the story and the people. When the public sees what extraordinary athletes we have, these young men and women, it'll change the perception. And it'll influence the youth level too. Young kids will watch this and say, 'I want to be playing that.'
Q: When it comes to the concerns with Rio, do those issues concern you? Or do you think it's just like past Olympics, where issues have come up and they're blown out of proportion a bit?
A: I'll answer this couple different ways. You take medical and health advice and you take it seriously. We communicate the information to everybody, including on the Zika virus. Then you hear about the state of facilities, the transportation, the water, but luckily we don't play our sport in water (laughs).
They're all taken seriously. You do have to put in perspective, though. I'm guided by the way our athletes think – they are athletes who have played everywhere in the world. They've been to spots with war and famine and disease and all kinds of things and all the athletes just kind of get on it with it.
Well take all the proper precautions, but its not something where we're overly concerned about things. They're concerned about the games. But to your point, you do hear it every Olympics. You hear a lot. There's always issues. Every Olympics, though, the storylines before are, 'oh it's trouble.' But the competition starts and everybody gets caught up in it –- and it's compelling and great. The naysayers retreat to their corners. Hopefully that'll happen in this instance.
Q: When all is said and done, is this situation a win-win for you guys, where you could place but also not place, while growing engagement with the sport? Or, do you guys have the attitude where you desperately want to win?
A: I think the latter. We've worked so hard to build these programs. We've shown we can play well against the best in the world. We're not there to just show up and participate. We do want to win. When I first started on this odyssey, it was about just being in the Olympics. But I'd like to think we will have success and it'll inspire people even more. You compete to win and I think we can.
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CLOSE Detroit News sports writers on Theo Riddick and the backfield.
Lions running back Theo Riddick has been a capable fill-in for the injured Reggie Bush. (Photo: Daniel Mears , Detroit News )
Allen Park — With the Lions decimated by injuries in the last three games, they found out a lot about their depth and what some of their other players can do when given more snaps and opportunities.
The ability of Golden Tate, who leads the NFC with 800 receiving yards, has been a revelation; another may be the versatility and talent of second-year running back Theo Riddick. While Reggie Bush was out for the past two games because of an ankle injury, Riddick has filled the role well, with a career-best eight receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons.
Riddick's one-handed grab on the final drive in London helped get the Lions in field-goal range and put the game away in the final minute. That play drew some praise from star receiver Calvin Johnson, who will return for Sunday's game against the Dolphins at Ford Field.
"That was clutch, man. I hollered at him," Johnson said. "I'm a big Theo fan, just from what I've seen on the practice field the last few years, and for him to get some play time is big."
Riddick has some of the same speed and flash as Bush, and he could start to split some of the role out of the backfield with him in the second half of the season.
"I think they both have a role. Obviously, they both have certain skills that cross over that are a little redundant and so in some ways they eat at each other's reps," offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. "But they're both very good players, they're both players that can do things extremely well, and so I think you use them both."
Riddick had five catches for 75 yards against the Vikings and missed the Saints game because of a hamstring issue. But his role seems to be increasing, even with Bush active. Lombardi said the Lions could play them together, possibly with one lined up out wide as a receiver.
"You try to get them both on the field maybe at the same time. Neither of them are real big guys, and so you're always saying, 'Hey, I don't want to get this guy hit 20 times a game.'" Lombardi said. "But if you've got two of them, they both can get hit 10 times a game."
Instead of seeing it as a slight and taking away from his plays, Bush views putting Riddick on the field more as a positive: It makes the Lions more formidable, reduces some of the potential for injury and keeps him fresh, as well.
"I know that having another option helps us stay healthy and helps our team move forward when a guy goes down — that's a great option to have," Bush said. "The injury bug has hit our team unlike any other team I've been a part of."
Putting a third back in the mix also keeps Bush fresher for the grueling second half of the season, where the last few games could make a difference in the playoff push.
"I feel really fresh because I've been dealing with an ankle and at the same time, the rest of my body has been able to heal up and take some rest," Bush said. "I feel fresh and I'm ready to go this Sunday. That definitely does make a big difference."
Where the Lions had a dearth of running backs earlier in the year with injuries to Bush, Riddick and Joique Bell (concussion), the corps has gotten stronger with Riddick's emergence. Having Johnson back also will loosen up the defense and open some of the running lanes. But whether it's Riddick or Bush running the ball won't be a big issue.
"I think that he will have reps, whether he's taking them from Reggie or whoever. I don't know, but there's certain things that he does extremely well that you want to make sure that he keeps doing," Lombardi said. "I think when Reggie goes down, he just kind of gets highlighted. He certainly has had some of those plays called that maybe the ball didn't go to him like you saw in the Atlanta game or the Minnesota game. Like I said, those players do have some skills that cross over, so when one of them is out, the other guy is going to be highlighted a little bit more."
rod.beard@detroitnews.com
twitter.com/detnewsrodbeard |
Energy, meat, vegetable and coffee prices are up. Pricing power is not. The result is a huge margin squeeze that affects profits at restaurants, hotels, cruise lines, and travel-related businesses in general. The Wall Street Journal picks up the story in As Food Prices Soar, Eateries Scramble
Soaring global food prices, particularly for meat, sugar and coffee, are putting pressure on the restaurant, travel and hotel sectors as they pursue a fragile recovery. In a bid to offset added costs without passing them on to price-sensitive consumers, many companies are scrambling to renegotiate contracts, find cheaper suppliers and reconfigure menus.
Marriott International Inc. has been coping with higher prices for beef, fish and chicken over the past six months, says Brad Nelson, a vice president andthe global corporate chef for the hotel chain. The company is also paying higher prices for sugar and arabica coffee beans, which have both soared over the last year. "It's a global challenge," says Mr. Nelson.
The company swung to a profit in the third quarter but, like many of its peers, struggled to raise room rates, doing so for the first time in two years in the second quarter. So far, it has ruled out raising food prices at its restaurants, instead re-engineering its menus to offer alternatives to popular and pricey cuts of beef such as filet mignon and New York strip.
Restaurant chain Johnny Rockets, known for its burgers, uses about eight million pounds of ground beef a year, and its prices have risen 20 cents a pound over the last two months, says Ray Masters, senior vice president of purchasing and distribution. To offset part of the increase, the privately held company has renegotiated its poultry costs, cutting them 5% for 2011, and its ice-cream prices are down 4%. Still, this won't offset the higher beef costs, Mr. Masters says.
While cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. hedges against increases in cattle prices, that hasn't fully offset its rising costs for beef, says Chief Executive Richard Fain. Since the fall, meat prices have risen steadily for the cruise operator, which serves about 53 million pounds of beef, poultry, lamb, veal and pork a year. The most popular restaurants on the ships are steakhouses, Mr. Fain says.
"Meat is important to our guests," Mr. Fain adds. "We aren't prepared to sacrifice the quality and we can't raise prices enough to reflect it, so it ends up being a cost we have to absorb." Royal Caribbean is also paying more for citrus fruits and fish, particularly shrimp, another popular dish on its cruises.
Norwegian Cruise Line began using e-auctioning last year to find better food prices as commodity costs rose, says Chief Executive Kevin Sheehan. The company, which uses 34 million pounds of meat and 9.5 million pounds of seafood a year, has had higher costs for dairy items, meat and fish, he says.
Through e-auctioning, the cruise operator can specify what food items it needs and accept bids from suppliers. The competition keeps prices lower, says Mr.Sheehan.
PPI Index Up Again
Finished Goods
Finished Energy
Finished Foods
At the Crude Goods Level, producer prices are up 15.5%
At the Intermediate Goods Level, producer prices are up 6.5%
At the Finished Goods Level, producer prices are up 4.0%
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Is the Yuan Undervalued?
Vacant China City Stories
China Addresses Symptoms of its Problem, not the Problem Itself |
The IB is keeping an eye on eight to 10 such journalists with whom the Pakistani embassy is constantly in touch with. Of these, two are women who are working with an English news channel and are known for their aggressive journalism. The IB suspects that these journalists are more interested in showing the Pakistani point of view. So, they try to openly show Pakistan’s point of view through talk shows and news reporting. In the beginning the Pakistani embassy would stay in touch with them over email but when they were monitored, the embassy resorted to use courier companies. As a rule, these journalists get the point of view Pakistan wants. It is possible that in the days to come, some big journalists may trouble brewing for them. No related posts. |
And the winner is ... Mavis Wanczyk.
Wanczyk, 53, landed the largest single lottery jackpot ever in the United States -- the $758.7 million grand prize in Wednesday's Power Ball.
The winning ticket (6, 7, 16, 23, 26, and Powerball number 4) was purchased at the Pride Station & Store in Chicopee, Massachusetts.
Wanczyk said she discovered Wednesday night while leaving work at the Mercy Medical Center that she had won. A co-worker looked at her ticket and told her she had won. He told her to immediately sign the back of the ticket. She couldn't believe it.
"I couldn't drive anywhere. I couldn't do anything," she told reporters. She said her co-worker followed her home to make sure she was OK.
Related: Biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history
Wanczyk, who has two adult children, said her big plan is to retire early, and she's already called her boss and said, "I will not be coming back." Asked what she planned to do to celebrate Thursday night, she responded, "I'm going to just hide in my bed."
The owner of the store that sold the ticket, Bob Bolduc, told reporters that the winning ticket was bought at about 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Store owner Bolduc said that he plans to donate the $50,000 commission he'll collect for selling a jackpot winner, to local charities with a primary focus on education and children.
Lottery officials initially reported that the winning ticket was sold at a different store in Watertown, Massachusetts, due to a transcription error by lottery staff early Thursday morning. The Watertown store sold another winning ticket worth $1 million, which had all five numbers except the Powerball correct.
Wanczyk won't get the full jackpot -- lottery winnings are taxed like income.
The IRS taxes the top income bracket 39.6%. The government will withhold 25% of that before the money ever gets to the winner, and the rest has to be paid at tax time.
Wanczyk's jackpot is $758.7 million, but she would only get that if she agreed to take annual payments over 30 years. Instead, she did what most winners do, which is take a lump sum up front -- so she'll collect $480.5 million all at once.
Related: Why billions of dollars go unclaimed in lottery prizes
And it's not just Wanczyk who will cash in -- there were 9.4 million other winning tickets ranging from $4 all the way up to $2 million. Six people are due the $2 million second-place prize, and another 34 have $1 million coming to them.
All told, the secondary prizes from Wednesday's drawing totaled $135 million. If people pick up their winnings: History shows that many of those winners likely will never claim their winnings.
Two other Powerball jackpots have passed the $400 million mark so far in 2017. A $448 million prize was claimed in June, and a $435 million jackpot was won in February. Mega Millions had a $393 jackpot winner on August 11.
The only prize that's ever topped the $1 billion mark was claimed in January 2016 -- a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot that grew over several months and was split three ways. That jackpot's winning tickets were sold in Tennessee, California and Florida.
Both Powerball and Mega Millions tickets are available in all but six states -- Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah.
Related: Ex-lottery worker who rigged winnings gets 25 years in prison
The odds have always been long for landing a Powerball jackpot. But it became even more difficult recently -- thanks to a rule change in October 2015 that tweaked the odds.
Chances of picking all six winning numbers currently stand at about one in 292 million.
That means you are actually more likely to be killed by an asteroid (1 in 700,000), be struck by lightning while drowning (1 in 183 million) or give birth to quadruplets (1 in 729,000).
-- Rob McLean, Jackie Wattles and Keith Allen contributed to this report. |
A Cincinnati woman has sued a hospital and two employees she said posted her name and medical records – including a diagnosis with a sexually transmitted disease – on Facebook.
The lawsuit claims employees at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center posted the woman’s syphilis diagnosis, which included personal identifying information, on a page for the closed group “Team No Hoes,” reported WLWT-TV.
The posting included derogatory comments about the woman, calling her a “hoe” and a “slut,” her attorney said.
“She was absolutely devastated,” said attorney Mike Allen. “That is the most private of private medical information that was posted on Facebook and went out to a group on Facebook that had a huge dissemination.”
The group has more than 2,200 members, according to Facebook.
“To have that kind of information in the public domain when it is clearly legally to be protected, that’s a problem and that’s a problem that UC’s responsible for,” Allen said.
The woman filed suit Tuesday in Hamilton County against an employee named Ryan Rawls, an unnamed UC employee believed to be a nurse, and the woman’s ex-boyfriend, Raphael Bradley.
Allen said Bradley convinced the hospital employees to release his client’s medical records, which he said violated state and federal law.
Neither Rawls nor Bradley was available for comment, WLWT reported.
A spokeswoman for UC Medical Center said the hospital had not yet received the lawsuit, and she does not comment on pending litigation.
But Allen said his client had suffered devastating consequences.
“She doesn’t want to go out,” he said. “She doesn’t want to talk to people. People who were formerly her friends have made fun of her for it. She’s chastised in the community, and all of this could’ve been avoided if UC Med Center had proper protections in place.”
The suit asks UC Medical Center to examine its procedures to ensure similar breaches do not occur, and the woman is also seeking $25,000 in damages in a jury trial.
Update: UC Medical Center said the records had been improperly accessed by a financial services employee, who has been fired, and the hospital reminded all employees that unauthorized access to medical records is prohibited.
Watch this video report posted online by WLWT-TV: |
Now it’s my turn to translate a chapter. Since this is my first attempt at translating a LN chapter and I picked up one that’s double the length to boot, so please be gentle. Bad puns aside, by the title you know what awaits in this chapter 😉
Translator: yomero
Proofreader: OtkaMak
Editor: Clueless Panda
Chapter 31 – Enjoyment
Long time ago, my mother took me to a boutique in Hiroo, Akasaka.
I don’t remember much about places from the past, but it was a luxurious shop in the 2nd or 3rd floor of a building.
I remember you could see the cars going past the expressway from that shop.
In a very clear day, you’d see the sparkling reflection of the sunlight on the cars.
Why was I watching the cars? That’s because I had nothing to do.
A boy following his mother for shopping would hardly find anything fun to do.
Probably, I didn’t complain or make a fuss then.
My mother only took me once to that boutique.
She learned her lesson from that single time.
That I didn’t enjoy going shopping.
I don’t know what she expected from having me accompany her that day.
It couldn’t be that she expected to have fun shopping after bringing a child.
I no longer hold any duty towards my dead mother.
What should I have done back then?
Should I have enjoyed going shopping with her?
Ever since that time, I learned women like shopping.
And there was no chance to experience it first-hand until today.
Roxanne who was told to buy a cloak she liked joyfully browses the goods.
Every cloak in the store is being checked out.
I should say, literally, every single one is being checked!
Starting from the left, one by one the cloaks on the stand were taken out and checked for fine details.
They were spread for review. She held them against her arms while thinking if it looks good or not; the collars, the hems, and every small detail was checked.
There were no exceptions.
Even that reddish brown one that at a glance was no good was spread out and examined.
Ah, she folds it.
As expected, it was no good after all.
That one, obviously the color was odd.
“Don’t check them one by one!”
It was one of many things I wanted to say, but of course I refrain from doing so.
The merchant attending the store didn’t say anything either.
He didn’t want to say anything awkward.
In Roxanne’s case, even if he asked “What are you looking for?”, she would have answered with “Show me everything”.
Oh, seems he’s saying something.
“I can recommend this one here.”
“…Hmm.”
The ship sank.
Seems, she wasn’t interested in the cloak the merchant showed.
Just now the merchant recommends one that is slightly pricy and remains unsold.
Well done, Roxanne.
For buying a cloak, let’s do it properly.
The merchant, dejected, moved to attend to another customer.
I told her to buy one she likes, but I’d have been happy if she picked and bought one already.
I just stare as Roxanne checks out every cloak.
I don’t remember nor am I aware of any blunders committed towards my mother, but I won’t repeat the same mistakes.
I watch over without uttering any complain.
She’s beautiful and cute. Just by watching her, time flies.
And the result? She asks me “How’s this one?” with the last cloak.
Umm. That question is taboo for someone like me without any fashion sense.
I desperately think of something suitable and let out an evasive “That one is good too”.
I think it’s because I was pleased with the one she showed me, there’s no way to deny it.
That much I know.
Or rather, that much I didn’t know.
After reviewing every single cloak in the shop, Roxanne narrows it down to two choices.
A cloak she held on her left arm since halfway into the selection and the last one chosen.
Both are a similar crimson color.
“Which one do you think is better?”
After thoroughly comparing both, Roxanne turns around.
The cloaks are hanging from both arms.
Probably, if she’s asking me, Roxanne already has in mind an answer with a ratio of 6 to 4.
If I choose, we’ll be done.
If I choose poorly, all efforts will come to nothing.
I understand that proposing the cheap one or such is stepping on a land mine
But, I think the cheap one is good.
The one hanging from her left arm, she’s been holding it all this time.
She’s keeping it because she likes it.
If that is a hint, then it is the correct answer.
Back then, because I was looking at the expressway, I didn’t get the hint.
That’s not the case today.
“This one has a comfortably chic and nice, graceful, calming shade”
With confidence, I recommend the one on her left arm.
The reason is appropriate.
What followed was clear.
Or rather, should I say relaxing shade?
I don’t really know what I’m saying.
I say the words without being sweet, mean, or delicacy.
“Is that so? This one, the stitching looks good, but I think the color is a bit too heavy”
“U-Uh huh”
Oh no.
Seems, the color on the other one is better.
“But really, now that you mention it, it’s got a good calming color. I understand. Is this one ok?”
“I see. Do you need anything else?”
Somehow she was in agreement.
I receive the cloak from Roxanne.
“No. Well, buying anything more is too much”
“Since we’re here, why not buy something else?
“But…”
“You don’t need to be reserved. After all, today is a day to celebrate.”
I whisper close to her face.
To celebrate the day I bought Roxanne.
More precisely, if I don’t buy two items, the [30% discount] won’t work!
“Errr… well then, is it ok if I buy underwear too?”
“It’s ok.”
“I see. Thank you.”
With a nod, Roxanne starts choosing some garments.
They’re the pumpkin pants I bought before.
They seem to have no distinction for men and women.
They don’t have any sex appeal.
Although, it obviously does not have any sex appeal to a modern person.
Unlike the cloak, Roxanne chooses it without unfolding it.
There might be some embarrassment since it’s underwear.
“Is only one ok?”
I ask Roxanne who chose relatively quickly without checking.
The case she brought from the Slave Trading company only had a maid uniform in it.
She really doesn’t have any personal belongings.
“Eh. Ah, err, but”
“Go buy another piece. How much is it for the three?”
I said that in his absence, so I call for the salesperson.
“Th…thank you”
“Thank you. Three pieces, right, seems you really liked that cloak. That will be 2856 Nars.”
We bought three items, including another set of pumpkin pants of the same color that Roxanne took.
After paying, Roxanne held to the cloak and put the underwear in the rucksack on her back.
“Shall we return to the inn?”
“Yes”
And the day was coming to an end.
We didn’t buy much, but it took a very long time.
I should be prepared for the time it takes to do any shopping.
“Heya, welcome back.”
We return to the Vale Pavilion Inn and pick up the key.
“First we’ll return to our room and drop our luggage. After that, dinner. After finishing the meal, I want to request two hot waters and a lantern.”
“Two hot waters and one lantern, isn’t it? It’ll be 35 Nars, ok?”
After paying the fee, we go up the stairs to the 5th floor to our room.
Roxanne carefully put the cloak in the closet once we enter the room.
“Thank you very much.”
“It’s ok, it’s ok.”
For me, I’m glad I didn’t run away while in the middle of shopping.
I approach Roxanne while she was putting down the rucksack and pet her head.
Yeah. She doesn’t seem to dislike it.
Until now, she hasn’t been frightened either.
“While there’s some sunlight, I’ll do some maintenance. Please bring out the equipment.”
Roxanne told me while I was petting her.
“We spent all day shopping. It’s all right.”
“That’s not good.”
Roxanne suddenly glares at me.
Such powerful eyes.
“Tha…that’s right. That’s to be expected”
Maintenance is so troublesome.
Roxanne takes out a little bottle of olive oil.
“E-errr…”
Roxanne turns around to face me, looking down with hesitation.
Suddenly again, the atmosphere returns to its original state.
“What?”
“Since you bought me some underwear, the ones I’m wearing, I want to use them as cloth scraps for maintenance.”
“Yes. That should be ok.”
“…Master, please go eat dinner first”
“Dinner first, but should I go or not?”
It’ll turn dark once we finish dinner.
Maintenance should come first before the meal.
The oil in the lantern will only last one hour.
If possible, I’d rather enjoy some tender love under the lamp light.
“But…”
“It’s okay. Let’s go down together to eat.”
“Is it all right? I think the dining room in the inn is expensive. I can go alone to eat somewhere cheap.”
Is she being reserved, or is it unpleasant for us to eat together?
“The dinner fee is already paid for. Are you displeased for us to eat together?”
“Displeased? Not at all!”
“Then, in that case…”
I put down the copper sword on the desk.
“…T-then, well, if you’ll excuse me”
Roxanne suddenly starts to take off her trousers.
I was thinking about what she was doing. That’s right.
Since Roxanne will do maintenance, she’ll use her underwear for repairs. If that’s the case, she’ll have to take her clothes off.
“Ah, sorry. Don’t mind me.”
I lightly waved my hand.
Actually I do mind! Mind my feelings.
I’ll be able to watch a beautiful sight.
Because of the oversize tunic, I wasn’t able to see much.
I was able to peek at her cute bottom, but the part I wanted to see the most…
It’s not like I’m watching it from a front row seat.
Ah, A tail. The tail.
Once Roxanne turns away, I could see her tail clearly.
Fluffy fur, the same chestnut color as her hair.
As expected, she has a tail.
I’ll get to touch it later.
Roxanne quickly finishes changing her clothes.
It really took just an instant.
I want to see it for longer, but there’s no helping it. I can’t complain.
Once Roxanne sits on the chair, her expression turns serious.
With an almost scary face, she starts servicing the equipment.
With a little oil dabbed onto a cloth, she polishes.
“If you maintain them like this, you’ll keep them just like new.”
“If you don’t maintain them, will their performance drop?”
“If the user doesn’t feel comfortable with it, they can’t perform at their best.”
I see. It’s a problem of feeling.
It should be okay if I don’t service Durandal today.
After the maintenance, we go down to the dinner room. We have our meal together.
Besides Roxanne sitting on the floor instead of both of us facing each other at a table for two, we finish the dinner without incident.
Just as we finished eating, the sun goes down.
Once we return to our room, the innkeeper brings the hot water, fire and lantern.
After the man put everything down, he leaves.
“Would you wash my back?”
Since the two of us were left alone, I start to get into action.
Calmly, yet boldly.
If I show embarrassment, Roxanne might get nervous too.
First, I undress.
I also throw off my trunks.
All humans were born into the world naked.
I place the lantern on the desk, and pull the tub to the center of the room.
“Yes, master.”
With a towel, Roxanne wipes my naked back from behind me.
So far, I’ve been successful.
Before, I’d washed myself with a towel soaked with hot water.
“Can you use this?”
I take out the small bag of Koichi fruit I bought and show it to Roxanne.
Because I turn around, my dangly thing said hi to Roxanne. [1]
No, there should be no problem. Probably.
“I don’t think I’ve washed anyone’s body.”
Even though Roxanne must have seen it, there wasn’t a big reaction from her.
It kinda felt lonely down there.
My son is also energetic.
When I went to the restroom before, it accidentally discharged.[2]
“Hmm, is that so?”
“We’re almost done washing your body.”
“About entering a… bathtub.”
Okay, it got translated.
“Only if it’s nobility or royalty”
It seems to be difficult.
As for me, I can use fire and water magic. I might be able to make a bath soon enough.
“How do you use this?”
“If you don’t put it near water…”
I show her the Shukure branches next.[3]
There should be water to rinse your mouth.
That can be done tomorrow.
After drying, I put on my pumpkin pants.
“Then, Roxanne, you’re next.”
As calmly as possible, I casually tell her.
As if it is normal. It is just taking turns.
“…Y-yes.”
“Yeah.”
Roxanne answers in a whisper.
The tunic hangs from her hand.
As expected, I didn’t get to see. Facing the tub, I wring the towel.
“E-errr… I’m from the Wolf Beast tribe and I might be a bit hairy. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, really?”
Saying those words, Roxanne turns around.
Right as Roxanne is taking off her tunic.
In the dim light of the lantern, Roxanne’s fantastic body is revealed.
In the space between her clothes and arms, there are those violent breasts.
Th-those are destructive.
They’re real projectile weapons. It’s foul play.
Spilling out from Roxanne’s front were those ultimate weapons.
So big.
And they look so soft.
Here are the ultimate weapons that can make whoever looks at them happy.
“Actually, my back…”
Roxanne, hiding her chest from my sight, twists her back towards me.
There’s no need to hide anything. That’s a shame.
When I see Roxanne’s back, her whole back is covered in hair…
What? It isn’t hair, is it fur?
While holding the towel, I come closer. She had fur growing from her back.
Though the fur reaches to her lower back, it comes out from her torso.
It didn’t extend from her hair.
Unlike the look of a woman with long hair hanging down her back, from her neck down to her lower back, it’s all covered in fur.
All the way down to her lower back. It was very short.
If I had to say, it resembles that kind of hairstyle.
Roxanne takes off her trousers and underwear.
Where the fur ends, her tail stretches out.
Even though her tail is covered in fur, her ass doesn’t have any.
Her butt is smooth and looks delicious.
I caress the fur on Roxanne’s back with my right hand which wasn’t holding the towel.
The fur is graceful and soft. It reacts gently to my touch.
“It’s soft and fluffy, I love it.”
“T-thank you.”
I wash the fur on her back with the towel.
Following her body lines; from top to bottom.
“Yea, no problems.”
“E-errr. For master to wash me…”
“It’s okay. It’s faster this way.”
Peering through her back, I can see a pair of huge mountains on her chest.
The holy summit, two sacred mountains.
For Roxanne who is wiping herself with the towel, it’s impossible to cover herself all the time.
I want to worship.
No, they’ll be worshipped.
Hail, Roxanne.
Viva, Roxanne.
It’s not enough just to pay respect.
I must revere them.
As if embracing her from behind, I position my hands.
While ascertaining her prominence, I purify those sacred bulges.
“Ah…”
“What?”
“N-nothing…”
Roxanne, who looks like she wanted to say something, keeps quiet.
The Divine Mount Fujis bounce back in reaction.
It is wonderful.
Certainly they have a massive and heavy sensation. I carefully polish them.
There is no part overlooked. I gently wipe to purify the hills completely.
Slowly, carefully and diligently.
So soft.
Even over the towel, I can feel their weight and they are satisfyingly bouncy.
So large.
So much volume they can’t fit in my palms.
“The best!”
“…”
Obviously, I take plenty of time to wipe Roxanne. That’s not a problem at all.
In any case, it’s too magnificent.
So much so that anyone entering wouldn’t want to come out.
I spend enough time wiping to clean her and finally release Roxanne.
“Uh, Can I wipe your tail too?”
“Yes. Ah, no, I can do it myself.”
“It’s okay, let me.”
Instinctively I switch to the next thing to hide the fact that I took quite a lot of time.
I wipe Roxanne’s tail.
Her tail is a big bundle of fur.
As if it didn’t have a core and was just a lump of fur. It was like the tip of a brush. [4]
I can’t get enough of the fluffy feeling of her dog ears. Also, all of the bushy fur of her tail is just as good.
It gently gets coiled around my arm, yet I feel this silky smooth texture.
“T…thank you”
“Your tail, can you move it?”
“It’s difficult, if I don’t do it this way”
While saying that, Roxanne shakes her hips.
Her tail swings side to side.
No. She isn’t moving her tail. It’s clear that she’s moving her hips.
Roxanne sways her hips enthusiastically.
From my point of view, it is sexy.
Even without my point of view, is it still sexy?
I got to see something good.
“Hmmm. I see.”
“Also, when I’m happy, I unconsciously wag my tail.”
“Is that so? Then, I will be sure to make Roxanne’s tail move as much as possible.”
I whisper into Roxanne’s ears.
Even though I say ears, they aren’t like normal ears on each side of the head.
“Y-yes… Errr, please treat me well.”
Ah. She wagged her tail a bit.
After that, I wipe her lovely bum and her graceful feet.
These perks!
“Well then. Let’s do some experiment.”
“Experiment?”
“Yeah, crouch on the bed and put your head out this way”
I instruct Roxanne.
I test if I can wash her head like that.
I wanted to try it previously.
Since there’s no mirror, I couldn’t be sure, but I can guess my hair is all oily and sticky now.
After all, I haven’t washed my hair in more than ten days.
There’s a limit to only using a wet towel.
It might be the common thing in this world, but it is still unpleasant anyways.
I lift the tub and put it on the chair.
The tub is a bit higher compared to the bed. It’ll be difficult holding your head up.
“Is this all right?”
“Hold your head over the tub.”
“Okay.”
Roxanne holds her head over the tub.
I scoop hot water and pour it on Roxanne’s head.
I massage and wash her hair with my bare fingers.
I repeat it many times pouring hot water.
I pour more hot water on her ears, and carefully wash them.
“Now then, lift your head.”
After washing it all generally, I put a dry towel on her head.
I dry her head with some pressure on the towel.
With somewhat rough strokes, I wipe all the water.
“Thank you.”
“Right. With the two of us, we can wash our hair”
“Shall I wash master’s hair?”
“Yes, please.”
I place the towel on Roxanne’s shoulder and we change places.
“Should I change the tub?”
“No, that’s okay. The other one, I’ll use to wash our socks and clothes”
I put my head in the tub and had it washed.
My hair is massaged and washed by Roxanne’s slender fingers.
It feels good.
Even though I was soaked with hot water, I feel refreshed.
I am being dried with the towel.
Once I open my eyes, I am welcomed by the paradise.
Roxanne, who was only wearing a pair of pumpkin pants, shows her front to me while drying my hair.
Both arms are stretched out over my head.
By doing so her breasts were, were, were totally defenseless.
“Then I’ll do the laundry.”
I don’t know if Roxanne realized my gaze, but she immediately moves away.
Too bad.
No.
Roxanne squats beside the tub half naked and is washing our socks.
While doing so, her breast shaking matched her movements.
Pa-Paradise!
“You won’t use Koichi fruit?”
“That’s used for cloaks and favorite outer garments. If used with those that need to be washed daily, they’ll wear out in no time.
“Is that so?”
I am told while lowering the tub from the chair.
I went to the trouble of buying it, but it’s pretty useless.
“This is somehow amazing!”
After the socks, my trunks are washed next and Roxanne is fixated with the elastic band.
She is pulling it with her hands and looks like she is having fun.
“You don’t have those here?”
“Never seen this kind of thing.”
“Really?”
It seems elastic bands are unusual.
Is tying the clothes with strings like the pumpkin pants the common thing?
Roxanne put the laundry in the closet to air out.
Is all the work finally done?
“Well, I’ll put my clothes on.”
Roxanne takes out her maid uniform.
“Ah, you don’t need to wear that.”
“Eh, but…”
“Did they tell you something at the slave market?”
“That you’d be delighted if I wore these.”
Did the slave trader teach something to Roxanne?
Surely I’d be delighted. I’d be delighted but…
“It’s okay if you don’t wear those.”
“Ok…”
Roxanne gives a little nod and puts back the maid uniform into the closet.
And, silently comes closer to the bed.
Once she comes close, I grab her hand and pull her into the bed.
I embrace Roxanne who falls into the bed.
She remains still like that.
While holding her with both hands, those huge bulges are squeezed between our chests.
When I bring her face closer, Roxanne closes her eyes as if she was ready.
I kiss her lips.
Touching those soft lips.
For a while, I keep my mouth pressed against hers.
I want to be more forceful, but I control myself.
I hear it’s not good if put your tongue from the very beginning.
“From now on, we’ll greet each other by kissing just before bed and when waking up in the morning.”
“…Yes.”
“Then once more.”
I let loose and indulge myself.
This time, I try to be more forceful.
I slip my tongue in.
Roxanne seems to accept it honestly.
Our tongues entwine.
While savoring Roxanne’s tongue, I take off my pumpkin pants.
And after, with my hand, I take Roxanne’s pants. [5]
Notes
[1][ED note: no shame at all]
[2][ED note: …..what do you mean accidently….]
[3][TL note: From ch. 30, they don’t have a word for “Toothbrush” thus they use “tufted toothpicks” and they use these Shukure branches as toothbrushes.]
[4][ED note: he’s probably talking about muscles when mentioning the core.]
[5][ED note: Bring out the wine~~]
[6][ED note: Just to give you guys some info about editing. IT TAKES A WHILE. It’s over 200 different edited parts on a story that I didn’t write. Also, there is the need to make sure the story flows while keeping the author’s meanings.] |
He had one of the most rapid deliveries and fastest minds of any rapper in town, and now Micheal Larsen will be known for leaving us way too quickly.
Known to independent hip-hop fans worldwide by his MC name Eyedea, Larsen died unexpectedly over the weekend at home in St. Paul. He was 28.
His mother, Kathy Averill, said she did not know the cause of death and is awaiting autopsy results. She found him on Saturday and believes he died in his sleep. "He was doing great and had a lot of things going on in his life," she said.
Larsen made a name for himself while in his teens, competing at battle-rap competitions around the country, including Ohio's Scribble Jam, where he took top honors in 1999. He and his childhood friend, Max Keltgen (aka DJ Abilities), also joined Minneapolis' top-name hip-hop act Atmosphere in the late-'90s as its backup rapper and turntablist, respectively. They went on to record three albums as Eyedea & Abilities for Atmosphere's homegrown label, Rhymesayers Entertainment, including last year's "By the Throat."
During a four-year hiatus from Eyedea & Abilities prior to "By the Throat," Larsen started up several music projects that showed off his adventurous streak, including freestyle rap act Face Candy and his experimental rock band Carbon Carousel. He also made solo rap albums under the moniker Oliver Hart and wrote poetry. His mom said he finished a new Face Candy album and a poetry book in recent months.
Other members of the Rhymesayers crew were reportedly in a state of shock and unavailable for comment Sunday. Larsen was seen hanging out and appeared to be in good spirits at 7th Street Entry on Friday night, when Abilities performed with another rapper from Los Angeles, Pigeon John.
Almost as wise-cracking and gregarious offstage as he was on, Larsen spoke seriously in 2002 about the brotherly chemistry that helped make Rhymesayers a national presence. |
In case you weren't aware, the Chargers are currently favored by seven points against the Oakland Raiders this week. That shouldn't be surprising since the Chargers have the best record in the NFL, while the Raiders have the worst. However, it is relatively uncommon for teams to be favored by a full touchdown on the road, as the Chargers are in week six.
Given the parity and robust 3-4 point home-field advantage in the NFL, it's not that common to see a seven point favorite on the road. In fact, there have only been two touchdown or more favorites on the road in 2014: Indianapolis at Jacksonville (in week three) and Seattle at Washington (last Monday night). Both teams covered. This week features two touchdown or more favorites on the road: Denver at New York Jets and San Diego at Oakland.
The Chargers have actually played fourteen games in their team history where they were at least seven point favorites on the road. This is slightly fewer games than what would be expected given the amount of seasons the Chargers have played in the NFL and the general likelihood of being a touchdown favorite on the road. On average there are about 16 games per season featuring a touchdown favorite on the road. As we have point spread data at Pro Football Reference from 1978 onwards, the expectation is that the Chargers should have been touchdown favorites on the road around 18 times.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, four of the Chargers' fourteen games where they were touchdown favorites on the road were against the Oakland Raiders, all since December 2007. The Chargers have gone 3-1 in these games, covering the spread twice.
The most recent time the Chargers were 7+ point favorites on the road was almost precisely one year ago, when the Bolts visited Jacksonville in week seven (and won 24-6). Prior to that game, the Chargers had lost three consecutive games as touchdown favorites on the road, all under Norv Turner in 2010.
Overall, though, the Chargers are 8-6 in these games. That's not great, especially given the expectations as a relatively large favorite, but it's still an indication that the Chargers are in fact favorites in these types of games. Not that you didn't know that already.
The full list of games where the Chargers were at least a touchdown favorite on the road: |
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran has arrested almost 50 people in connection with twin attacks on Tehran that killed 17 people last week, officials said, as security forces stepped up efforts to crack down on suspected militants.
FILE PHOTO: Smoke is seen during an attack on the Iranian parliament in central Tehran, Iran. Tasnim News Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings and gun attacks on parliament and the mausoleum of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, on Wednesday.
Iran’s intelligence minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Saturday night that 43 suspects had been arrested and operations to identify and crush more “terrorists cells” were under way.
On Sunday, the head of the justice department in Kordestan province in western Iran announced more arrests.
“Six people who were certainly connected to Wednesday’s terrorist attacks in Tehran were identified and arrested,” Aliakbar Garousi was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
Iran also said its security forces killed the mastermind of the attacks on Saturday.
“The commander of this terrorist group was based in the border regions, but after the attacks left the country,” Alavi was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB on Sunday.
“However, with cooperation of (intelligence) services that are close to Iran, he paid the price of his crimes on Saturday and was killed by Iran’s security forces and our friends in the other intelligence services,” he said.
Iran’s intelligence ministry said on Thursday that five of the gunmen and bombers were Iranian members of Islamic State who had fought in the militants’ strongholds in Syria and Iraq.
QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT
The attacks were the first claimed by Islamic State inside tightly controlled Shi’ite Iran, one of the powers leading the fight against the Sunni militants in the region.
The Iranian lawmakers invited the intelligence minister, interior minister and also the deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards to the parliament to report on Sunday about the biggest security breach in the country in more than two decades.
“The ministers should explain how terrorists managed to reach the capital and hit two sensitive targets. We are not satisfied with the answers given so far,” Asadullah Abbasi, a lawmaker was quoted as saying by judiciary’s news agency, Mizan.
Abbasi said the attacks were unprecedented since the killing of Iranian lawmakers in 1980s.
In 1981, a bomb planted by an Iranian opposition group in Tehran killed 27 Iranian members of parliament and dozens of other officials.
In Wednesday’s attacks no member of the parliament was killed as the attackers were unable to reach the main building.
Iranian lawmakers said the intelligence minister had assured them that “all Islamic state elements have been eliminated” in the country. |
Image copyright Tim Taylor Image caption Passengers have been forced to wait at Calais after the port was closed
Strike action in Calais has led to the closure of the port and suspension of ferry sailings from Dover.
MyFerryLink workers walked out for the second time in a week over the sale of its ferries to rival DFDS Seaways.
All services between the Port of Dover and Calais are affected, although DFDS is still sailing to Dunkirk as normal.
A strike on 23 June led to the the suspension of Channel Tunnel services and saw hundreds of migrants try to board UK-bound lorries amid the chaos.
Highways England said Operation Stack - where lorries use part of the M20 to queue for Channel crossings - has been implemented as a result of the latest action.
Kent Police said they were monitoring the latest situation.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Lorries were left queuing in Kent last week after strikers blockaded Calais
Passengers have been advised to contact ferry operators before travelling.
A Eurotunnel spokesman said: "At the moment the strike is affecting the port and ferry services only and all our services are running well.
"We are braced with contingency plans should that change."
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has chaired a meeting of the government's emergency committee Cobra.
He said: "We're looking at the situation and working with the French government."
Last week's disruption lasted 36 hours and saw blockades at the French port and the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles.
Several Eurostar trains were forced to return to St Pancras. Parts of the M20 in Kent were also closed with lorries waiting to cross the Channel queuing on the carriageway.
In France, the migrants sought to exploit the port strike by attempting to climb on board lorries caught in slow-moving traffic in an attempt to enter the UK.
Prime Minister David Cameron said in the Commons that the scenes were "totally unacceptable" and the strike had played a "key role" in the events. He said more needed to be done to tackle the issue of migrants trying to cross the Channel and it was important to work with France.
MyFerryLink is due to cease operations after 2 July following the sale of its ferries. |
India gold import ban rumored … The Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association has warned members of a potential gold import ban … The association told Indian media the move could come by March 31 as part of the government’s ‘black money’ crackdown. –Mining Journal
Prime minister Narendra Modi recently decided to confiscate the cash of hundreds of millions of Indians, and now he may forbid Indians from importing gold.
This would have an immediate effect on gold supplies as India, despite the affinity of citizens for gold and silver, has very little in the way of domestic mining.
In part, this is because the government itself is consistently at war with Indian citizens over money and its control. This struggle has most recently manifested itself in India’s decision to remove, wholesale, large denomination bills from public circulation.
More:
The country [banned] 500 and 1000 rupee notes (worth about US$7 and $14 respectively) and the mooted import restriction [banning gold imports] could be a reaction to dealers swapping the notes for gold. IBJA national secretary Surendra Mehta told the Times of India its members should be ready. “We hear from certain circles of this possibility, though nothing official is out yet,” he said.
The larger issue here has to do with banning cash on a global level. It is typical of reporting in this modern era that few if any of the mainstream articles covering India’s most recent move seemingly mention this.
Governments around the world are beginning to ban cash. Sweden is far advanced but Uruguay and now India are not far behind. Uruguay is soon to demand that employers cease to pay employees via cash and instead deposit paychecks directly in bank accounts.
Most recently in Australia, Citibank announced it would no longer deal in cash because most depositors did not wish to be “bothered.”
We are told these are disparate and individual decisions of various entities and nation states. But they are nothing of the sort. Once again, surreptitiously, the banking elites that want to run the world are surely organizing a pan-global stratagem to advance their control.
If everyone’s cash is controlled, further technocratic globalization of society on a worldwide scale becomes increasingly feasible.
The ongoing implementation of a global cash ban has taken on increased urgency because of growing negative interest rates worldwide. People don’t want to pay banks to hold their cash and are thus withdrawing it. The solution? Ban cash outright.
It wasn’t clear whether this sociopathic endeavor was going to apply to gold, but India’s apparent determination to attack the yellow metal as well as cash seems to give us a clear answer.
As the attacks on wealth increase, any monetary element not immediately available digitally will come under scrutiny and eventually be targeted with demands for confiscation.
Conclusion: These emergent attacks certainly illustrate a growing elite desperation to take control, worldwide, sooner rather than later. |
"Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no federal elected office experience."
Ben Carson -- currently the top-polling Republican presidential candidate -- posted a message on Facebook on Nov. 4 to rebut critics who say his lack of experience in elected office would be a serious obstacle to his serving as an effective president.
Soon after it was posted, we began hearing from readers asking us to check one of his claims.
"You are absolutely right — I have no political experience," Carson wrote in the initial version of his post. "The current Members of Congress have a combined 8,700 years of political experience. Are we sure political experience is what we need. Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no elected office experience. What they had was a deep belief that freedom is a gift from God. They had a determination to rise up against a tyrannical King. They were willing to risk all they had, even their lives, to be free."
After our friends at the Washington Post Fact Checker reviewed Carson’s claim that "every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no elected office experience" and gave it Four Pinocchios -- the column’s worst rating -- the quote was changed. It now reads, "Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no federal elected office experience" (emphasis added).
We were already looking into Carson’s initial Facebook comment when the wording change was made. We’ll address both versions here.
The signers had 'no elected office experience'
Many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had held elective office before joining the Continental Congress, which produced the declaration. We found a long list, so take a deep breath before you start reading.
They include:
• John Adams. Elected to Massachusetts Assembly, 1770; attended First Continental Congress, 1774-1776.
• Thomas Jefferson. Represented Albemarle County as a delegate in the Virginia House of Burgesses, 1769-1775
• Benjamin Franklin. Philadelphia councilman, 1748; elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly, 1751.
• John Hancock. Elected to the Boston Assembly, 1766; president of the provincial congress of Massachusetts, c. 1773; elected to the Continental Congress, 1774, and then president of the congress in 1775.
• Samuel Adams. Elected to Massachusetts Assembly, 1765; delegate to the First Continental Congress, 1774.
• Elbridge Gerry. Elected to Massachusetts Legislature, 1773; provincial Congress, 1774.
• Roger Sherman. Elected to Connecticut General Assembly, representing New Milford, 1755-1758 and 1760-1761; elected to various offices representing New Haven in the 1760s and 1770s; elected to the Continental Congress starting in 1774.
• Caesar Rodney. Elected to Delaware Colonial Assembly, 1758-1770 and 1771-1776; delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, 1765; elected to the Continental Congress, 1774.
• George Taylor. Elected to Pennsylvania provincial assembly, 1764-69; elected to Continental Congress, 1775.
• John Morton. Elected to Pennsylvania provincial assembly, 1756-1775; delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, 1765; president of the provincial assembly, 1775.
• George Ross. Elected to Pennsylvania provincial assembly, 1768-1776; Elected to Continental Congress, 1774.
• James Wilson. Elected to Pennsylvania provincial congress, 1775; elected to the Continental Congress, 1775.
• Thomas McKean. Member of the Delaware Assembly, 1762-79; Delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, 1765; delegate to the Continental Congress, 1774.
• Matthew Thornton. Member of the New Hampshire provincial assembly, 1758-1762.
• William Whipple. Elected to New Hampshire provincial congress, 1775 and 1776.
• Stephen Hopkins. Speaker of the Rhode Island Assembly,1750s; member of the Continental Congress beginning in 1774.
• Lewis Morris. Member of New York provincial legislature; delegate to the Continental Congress, 1775.
• Philip Livingston. Alderman, New York City.
• Carter Braxton. Virginia House of Burgesses, 1770-1785; delegate to the Continental Congress, 1774-75.
• Thomas Nelson Jr. Member of the House of Burgesses, 1774; Virginia provincial convention, 1775.
• Francis Lightfoot Lee. Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses 1758-1775; elected to Continental Congress, 1775.
• Benjamin Harrison. Elected to Virginia House of Burgesses, 1764; member of the Continental Congress, 1774.
• George Wythe. Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, 1755-65.
• William Hooper. Elected to general assembly of North Carolina, 1773; member of Continental Congress, 1774-1776.
• Joseph Hewes. Member of the colonial assembly of North Carolina, 1766-1775; member of new provincial assembly, 1775; elected to Continental Congress, 1774.
• John Hart. Member of the New Jersey Assembly, 1761-1771; member of provincial assembly, 1775; elected to the Continental Congress, 1776.
• William Williams. Town clerk, selectman, provincial representative, elected state legislator, delegate to colonial conferences, 1770s.
• William Paca. Delegate to the Maryland Legislature, 1771; elected to Continental Congress, 1774.
That’s at least 28 of the 56 signers -- about half, and we were conservative in who we counted. The real number may be higher.
Either way, Carson’s original claim, that "every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no elected office experience," is way, way off.
The signers had 'no federal elected office experience'
The edit Carson made to the Facebook post doesn’t help his case, since there was no federal government before the Declaration of Independence was signed. This makes his entire claim illogical, experts say,
"Of course they did not have federal elected office experience because there was no federal government at the time -- we were a British colony," said Michael Gerhardt, scholar in residence at the National Constitution Center and professor of constitutional law at the University of North Carolina.
"It does not make sense to use the term ‘federal’ when no federal government existed," agreed Danielle Allen, a political theorist and author of Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality. "The signers of the declaration very often had leading political experience in their colony or, as they called them, in their ‘countries.’ "
Jan Lewis, a professor of history at Rutgers University-Newark and the author of The Pursuit of Happiness: Family and Values in Jefferson’s Virginia, finds Carson’s claim ridiculous.
"It makes about as much sense as saying none of them had been to the moon," Lewis said. "Of course they hadn't, because it was an impossibility at that time. No one could possibly serve in the federal government before there was a federal government, at least in the absence of time travel."
Carson’s staff did not respond to an inquiry for this article.
Our ruling
Both the initial and the revised versions of Carson’s claim are far off base. About half or more of the declaration’s signers had held elective office previously, a reality that severely undercuts Carson’s overall point that the drafting of the Declaration of Independence showed how a lack of political experience can produce landmark political achievements. As for his later addition of "federal" to the comment, this makes the claim nonsensical, since there was no federal government prior to the signing of the declaration.
We rate Carson’s claim Pants on Fire. |
Free College Scholarships College scholarships differ from loans in that they are effectively a gift and do not need to be paid back. (However, some have requirements attached to them such as requiring the graduate to work for the company that grants the scholarship money.) Scholarships come in many varieties and from a variety of sources. There are literally millions of dollars available for education in America. Scholarships are generally grouped in to five groupings. Merit: This is financial aid for which financial need is not used to determine the recipient. The recipient is chosen based on there academic, artistic or athletic ability. These scholarships are generally given out in an effort to attract talented individuals to particular institutions or to motivate them to pursue their particular talents. Need: Need based scholarships are awarded to individuals who are not economically able to acquire their desired education. They are often given to individuals who have particular talents, but can not afford college (or other schools) tuitions. These scholarships may pay for some or all of a student's tuition and can even assist with other living expenses. Sociology: This is financial aid where applicants must initially qualify by race, religion, or national origin. After filtering the applicants based on their ethnicity, additional factors are taken into consideration to determine the final recipients. Institutional: These are scholarships awarded by a specific college or university (institution) to a student planning to attend that institution. General: These are other scholarships which are awarded for a variety of reasons that do not fall into one of the above categories. These may be for reasons of the student's association with the objectives of the sponsoring organization. For example, some corporations give scholarships to their employees' children or based upon academic success. Others are awarded based on a lottery style system, winners being selected at random from the pool of applicants. These five groups represent a vast fund of money available to students, wise (not necessarily the smartest) students will attempt to obtain some of these funds, and thousands of them get their college tuition paid for every year!
Did You Know? Americans with a college degrees make over twice as much those who didn't attend college. Education pays and you can even get it paid for with money from free scholarships and grants! |
The brother of the diver missing off Race Rocks said he’s holding out hope that the 27-year-old British Army veteran will be found.
Timothy Chu was separated from his dive master near Race Rocks just before noon on Sunday, which triggered a massive search by air and water. The Victoria Rescue Co-ordination Centre called off the search Monday night.
article continues below
But Chu’s brother, Joshua Chu, said from Hong Kong that he wants the search to continue. He said Timothy is “skilled in survival and no stranger to challenge,” having served in the British Army and being named soldier of the year in 2011.
Timothy’s church, the Kings Cross Methodist Church, has started an online petition urging that the search be continued, writing on the page: “We believe there is high hope that Timothy is still alive and must be found ASAP.”
Timothy works as a police officer with the Metropolitan Police in London and was visiting Vancouver Island on vacation, Joshua said.
His next stops were to be Seattle and San Francisco.
Timothy, who has been diving since he was a teenager, was with a dive master from the Ogden Point Dive Centre. He was last seen removing his weight belt to become more buoyant, his brother said.
Timothy has another brother who also lives in London. His parents live in Hong Kong.
“His family pleads with Canadian and U.S. authorities, as well as the British consulate, to continue the search,” Joshua said in a statement.
“Given the powerful current and miles of coastline on both Canadian and U.S. sides, they also ask anyone finding signs of the diver to contact police and email rescue.timo@gmail.com.”
The crew on the dive boat called the coast guard for assistance when Timothy failed to surface.
Volunteers searched until midnight Sunday and started again at dawn on Monday.
“We suspended the search because we conducted an extensive search over a large area and didn’t find anything,” said maritime co-ordinator Dylan Carter, adding that the search area had been expanded based on drift patterns.
A Buffalo fixed-wing plane, Cormorant helicopter, a coast guard boat from Ganges Harbour on Salt Spring Island, the naval vessel HMCS Whitehorse and three Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue vessels from the Sooke, Oak Bay and Victoria stations participated in the search.
You can sign the petition at timescolonist.com/timothychu.
kderosa@timescolonist.com
charnett@timescolonist.com |
TPP is the 'worst trade deal ever,' Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says
Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, could be the worst trade agreement ever negotiated in history. In an interview with CBC News, he recommended that the government of Canada insist on reworking it.
"I think what Canada should do is use its influence to begin a renegotiation of TPP to make it an agreement that advances the interests of Canadian citizens and not just the large corporations," he said in an interview with CBC's 'The Exchange' on Thursday.
Under the TPP, it's easier for big multinational corporations to sue governments. "It used to be the basic principle was polluter pay," Stiglitz told CBC.
"If you damaged the environment, then you have to pay. Now if you pass a regulation that restricts ability to pollute or does something about climate change, you could be sued and could pay billions of dollars."
Stiglitz, a professor at Columbia University in New York, was a keynote speaker at a conference at the University of Ottawa on Friday about the complex trade deal. International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland put Canada's signature on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, but it has yet to be ratified here. The House of Commons trade committee is studying the TPP — a process that Freeland said could take up to nine months. Stiglitz described Freeland as "old friend" in an interview with The Canadian Press and said he has explained some of the pitfalls of the TPP to her, among them its potential to reduce workers' rights. Stiglitz takes issue with the TPP's investment-protection provisions, which he says could interfere with the ability of governments to regulate business or to move toward a low-carbon economy.
Video: "TPP 'worst trade deal ever,' says Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz" |
First off I want to say HOLY CRAP, Penguininamicrowave, you are the Cozy Toes exchange MASTER. Secondly I am sincerely sorry it's taken me this long to post, but real life got in the way I'm afraid. Sorry Senpai.
Ok now on to my fabulous gifts. Not only did I get FOUR (that's right four) different items each catered to my needs and likes, I got an amazing handwritten note explaining the thought process behind each one! I will follow the same format as that for this post.
Teal Blue. You were right about keeping Eskimos toasty! But it's also like walking around on top of the love children of marshmallows and clouds. SO SOFT AND WARM. Purple. I'm sure they would be great or this time of year if it wasn't currently trying to snow where I am, I've worn them as an extra layer in bed instead! White and red. TOE SOCKS. I didn't even know you could still get toe socks D: Great! I love 'em
Bonus!- OMGOMGOMGOMG YOU BOUGHT ME CAPTAIN AMERICA SOCKS THAT HAVE WINGS ON THE SIDE!(Can't wait to go and watch Captain America Civil War with these bad boys on).
Seriously Cozy toes exchange = best exchange. You put so much thought into my gifts and even managed to find SOCKS to match my nerdiness. Thank you Penguininamicrowave, and sorry again it's taken me so long to say thank you! |
©BBC/BBC Worldwide 2014
The first part of the "Doctor Who" series eight finale, "Dark Water," which aired November 1 on BBC America, was a rollercoaster ride. Not least of which that we finally found out more about Missy (Michelle Gomez), the mysterious antagonist who has been subtly manipulating The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) all series long.
To find out more about how the epic first half of the finale was put together, MTV News caught up with Gomez over the phone - as well as director Rachel Talalay, who helmed both "Dark Water" and next week's "Death In Heaven." Read our interview with Talalay, here!
Spoilers for "Dark Water" past this point!
MTV: When did you first hear that you got the part of Missy? How did you end up locking that down?
Michelle Gomez: I got an offer to join earlier in the series, which I couldn’t physically do because I was working on another show called "Psychobitches." It’s about psychotic women in history. It’s very funny, you should check it out… It’s coming out at the end of the month.
Anyway, so I thought, "Oh my god! I’ve lost my ticket to 'Doctor Who!' I’ll never be asked again!" So I wrote a letter to the very wonderful, incredible genius that is Steven Moffat saying, "I’m terribly sorry. You know, I can’t be in 2 places at once because I don’t have a TARDIS, but if there is any possibility in the future, the I’m available for witches and bitches because that’s what I’m destined to play."
Didn’t hear anything and then two weeks later, I got an incredibly nice one-liner from Steven saying,
Can you say no to this?" And sent me this version of events, which I of course grabbed with both hands and thankfully I was free and here we are today!
Adrian Rogers, ©BBC/BBC Worldwide 2014
MTV: So did you go out for a different character than Missy, or did they just juggle it a little bit to make it work for your schedule?
Gomez: Yeah I was asked to do something else and then I couldn’t, so they did this.
MTV: Could you tell us about what else you went in for?
Gomez: No, that’s been and gone. I can’t even remember what it was.
MTV: Fair enough... I've been curious about how you filmed the part, other than for the finale. You've been credited for some episodes, uncredited for others. Did it all happen in one chunk, or have they been bringing you in on a weekly basis? It's certainly far more than fans were expecting.
Gomez: Yeah there was lot’s of it. My character had a block of filming, so they basically just compressed everything that Missy needed to do into one big, fat chunk and we just filmed it out that way.
MTV: Of course they’re very secretive on the show... Do they just hand you a scene and say, "Okay and now you’re going to smile a little bit here, but we can’t tell you what it is," or did you know what was going on with Missy the whole time?
Gomez: Well, luckily I never really know what’s going anyway with anything that I do, so I was perfectly cast for this. Like most British actors, I tend to sort of get onto it and go, and I don’t ask too many questions. [I] pull a few faces and don’t embarrass myself... And that’s seems to have worked out very well.
Adrian Rogers, ©BBC/BBC Worldwide 2014
MTV: So who is Missy, inside? In "Dark Water" we see her go through not just a bevy of emotions, but pretend to be different types of characters, as well.
Gomez: I think that she is the sum of all human emotion. She's a miraculous weather system in her own right, and I framed her almost I guess schizophrenic in a way... She can shift from a thunderous, terrifying presence, to at times a little girl. So yeah, I suppose she is the sum of all human emotion in just one droplet.
MTV: Over the course of this season we’ve seen this new Doctor struggle with his humanity - or his lack of humanity... And all the best villains are, of course, a parallel or opposite for the hero. So is that what's going on here? Are we getting through Missy what the Doctor has been lacking?
Gomez: Yes! Some people in our lives somehow mirror who we really are, and they are not mirroring the mask that we put on to meet and greet on a daily basis. For a man such as The Doctor, he has this kind of conscience now, asking the bigger questions of, "who am I really?"
We all arrive at that point in our lives, and whether we can really with rigorous honesty find answers that can sit well... There will be demons there that perhaps he hasn’t dealt with, or he’s repressed or he doesn’t feel good about.
Missy just blazes that light on all of the defects of his character. There's that wonderful feeling you cant bulls--t a bullsh--ter. It's almost that type of relationship with them of a sibling, or any close friend of yours that knows who you really are at your core... And is able to turn up, and remind you who you really are behind that mask. Missy is his barometer conscience that turns up.
Adrian Rogers, ©BBC/BBC Worldwide 2014
MTV: Can we talk about you and Peter's kiss in the episode? It's so funny - particularly those last three little pecks on his nose at the end... How'd that come about?
Gomez: Well you put two Scots in a room together and there's going to be some nonsense. Peter and I are both from Scotland. We're both from the same town, so there was a little improvising here and there. We were very relaxed with each other, and very free and easy - which means you get these little moments that are not scripted, but they just sort of happen on the day. That was Peter and I having our Scot off
MTV: Though they teased it in the press pics, the Cybermen showing up at the end of the episode is paced so incredibly... As a fan of the show, what was it like being on set with them?
Gomez: Well, that probably was up there with my wedding day! It was one of the most incredible, magical days of my life - really. I’ve been knocking around in this business for 20 odd years, and it doesn’t get any better than that. I would describe it as pure magic actually. It was very very special. Very special.
MTV: There was so much speculation about who Missy was, and we finally get to find out what she's up to in this episode - and that, in fact, she's The Doctor's arch-enemy The Master... Was there any other guess in particular you enjoyed?
Gomez: I love that Mary Poppins is possibly the most evil woman in the universe! That tickled me. Because now I'm not sure whether that is a theory, or a fact. I like that.
Adrian Rogers, ©BBC/BBC Worldwide 2014
MTV: What was it like working with Rachel Talalay on set for this and the next episode? Not that the season has been too shabby, but "Dark Water" was a particularly beautiful and emotionally textured episode.
Related: 'Doctor Who' Director Reveals How They Pulled Off The Ambitious 'Dark Water'
Gomez: She’s amazing. She's kind of spoiled it for the rest of my working days. I only want to work with Rachel Talalay, and she's just wonderful. She creates a kind of an incredible atmosphere on set, one that feels safe and comfortable. She brings out the best in everyone, from every department, and I just knew I was in good hands from the moment I met her. Shes a very special person indeed, and if she asked me to go open a packet of crisps for her – I would do it
MTV: Before we let you go, what can you tease about the season finale?
Gomez: Oh, just watch it, it's very good. You wont be disappointed - and nothing that you think is happening is happening... Nothing.
What did you think about all the big reveals in "Dark Water?" Let us know in the comments below! |
By Jake Donovan
Despite more than 16 years in the pro ranks, with 68 bouts under his belt and having lost two of his last three, Jhonny Gonzalez believes there is plenty of fight left in his 34-year old body.
The former two-division champ will return to the ring December 5 in Los Mochis, Mexico, where he will face Japan's "Hurricane" Futa Nakagishi. The super featherweight bill will headline on Televisa Deportes.
Gonzalez (58-10, 49KOs) is coming off of a heartbreaking 10-round loss to Jonathan Oquendo this past September, his second loss in his last two fights. The defeat was doubly crushing, as Oquendo has now parlayed the upset win into a title shot versus featherweight champ Jesus Cuellar on this very same night in Brooklyn, New York.
As for Gonzalez, it's a long road back to the top, as he hopes to at least end 2015 on a high note. His year began with a title-losing knockout at the hands of Gary Russell Jr. in March, rebounding with a 2nd round knockout of Kazuki Hashimoto in August before falling short versus Oquendo just six weeks later.
"This will be a good test for Jhonny," insists Oswaldo Kuchle of Promociones del Pueblo, Gonzalez' longtime promoter. "Hurricane Futa is a tough fighter, he's never been stopped and always comes to fight. This is by no means a pushover; it's a real test for Jhonny, who wants to get right back into championship fights."
The show will also feature familiar bloodlines on the undercard.
Appearing in supporting capacity, bantamweight contender Alberto Guevara (22-2, 9KOs) - whose brother Pedro defends his junior flyweight title in Japan one week prior - faces Arturo Santos, last seen in a brave showing versus Abner Mares earlier this year.
Also on the show, super flyweight prospect Karim "Traveisito" Arce (4-0, 2KOs) continues his breakneck schedule. The 16-year old newcomer turned pro in late May, with his undercard appearance marking his fifth fight in just over six months. It will once again come with his world-famous uncle, former four-division champ Jorge Arce sitting ringside in his role as Televisa expert analyst. |
First thing's first. The 90's were such a great decade. When you put it up against the current decade known as the 2000's, you'll easly see that the 90's were more fun.10. Back in the 90's, television wasn't infested with reality TV. The most "real" TV was America's Funniest Home Videos and Cops. Now, whenever you turn the TV on, there's nothing on but American Idol, shows where the love of your life is swapped, people eating worms, and nanny's who think they can control spoiled brats.9. The world wasn't infested with war. I'm going to try and not be too political on this one, but in the 90's, you felt safer riding on an airplane or visiting New York.8. TV commercials were much better. In the 90's, there wasn't as much insulting of your intelect, really bad comedy, and sex. You were more attracted to the product advertised and not repelled.7. Video games were a lot funner. Remember playing your Genesis, SNES, N64, and Saturn? Remember the quality games? Today, you have ultra HD graphics and games with so much blood, you gag 10 times each level.6. Television seemed more family oriented and clean. Want a perfect example? Look at Full House. It contained a lot of child themes, however retaining a base where mom, dad, brother Bob, and sister Sarah could enjoy. Today, all of the jokes in sit-com's are just one thing. Sex! Is that all they ever think of? Good grief!5.Carolina Circle Mall: Great 90's MallCarolina Circle Mall 2006: Gone with a Wal-Mart under constructionIs it just me or is quality retail ain't what it used to be? My town had a mall called Carolina Circle Mall. It was a perfect example of typical 90's mall. It had a carousel, it had a video arcade, it had an ice cream shop, it had a movie theater, and it had a Montgomery Ward. But with the dawn of the 2000's, the mall closes and in 2005 is destroyed with a Wal-Mart set to open this summer. I miss a retail area where you could go and not only shop, but relax with friends on a carousel.4. In the 90's, you listened to audio cassettes and/or CD's. As for me, I didn't start listening to CD's until about 1997, but you get the point. Anyway, today people listen to iPod's and MP3 players and forget the true meaning of dropping by the nearby record store and buying that new tape or CD.3. Music had a better variety. Rap was popular in the 90's, but it wasn't that popular because the 90's consisted of variety like rock, metal, reggae, etc. As for me, I listened to the Eagle's and Peter Paul & Mary, but who cares? Today, every single radio station plays rap. I'm getting sick of it. ARGH!2. Video editing was a lot easier. However, I prefer today's computerized editing. But the big point is video recording. Most video camera's recorded straight to VHS. Today, you have to record it to Mini DV, Hi-8, etc and convert it to a VHS tape. Pretty long, huh?1. The number one reason would probably be what most nostalgic 90's people talk about. Nickelodeon! In the 90's, you had Rugrats, Double Dare, GUTS, Pete & Pete, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Nick Arcade, Rocko's Modern Life, Doug, etc. I nearly cry when I turn the TV onto Nick today. Ever since at least 1998, Nick has been going down a bottomless pit of doom. I always find it comforting to stick in my old retro Nick tapes in the VCR and take a trip down memory lane. Hey, I'm a Roadgeek. |
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE –
Cinderella is off to the ball, or to the big hoe-down, as it were. The Predators, who just scraped into the playoffs, are the fairytale team of 2017, making the Stanley Cup final for the first time. Nashville has become a hockey-mad city.
Just the other day, on the local morning news, there was a special segment on how the Stanley Cup playoffs work, complete with explanatory props. It turns out that four best-of-seven series is exactly how it works in basketball too, but one can never be too careful when informing the public about one’s new enthusiasms.
Country music stars are singing the national anthem. Fans are massing to greet players at the airport. The arena downtown is hopping. It’s the feel-good story of the playoffs.
All of this prompted my Postmedia colleague from Calgary, Eric Francis, to denounce
I’m not sure that a visit during an unprecedented Stanley Cup run is the best time to gauge the impact of a new arena.
the reluctance of Calgary’s political leadership to lavish public money on a new hockey arena to replace the aging Saddledome. Francis had a grand time on his visit to Nashville, and thinks the building of a new arena was the key to revitalizing that city’s downtown.
I’m not sure that a visit during an unprecedented Stanley Cup run is the best time to gauge the impact of a new arena. But be that as it may, perhaps a new Calgary arena really would have a transformative effect (although most studies about the impact of publicly-funded professional sports facilities are, at best, ambiguous about their economic impact). Does this mean Calgary should open its exchequer to pay for the new arena, as was done in Edmonton, and here in Nashville?
I have long opposed the transfer of money from the poor to the rich that such schemes involve. And not simply to the billionaires who own the teams, but also to the affluent fans who frequent the games. Admittedly, Nashville is a bit of an exception, since it only became a hockey town the day before yesterday, so attending a game is still within reach of the less affluent. But in most Canadian cities, it is beyond the means of most taxpayers to go to arenas that have been funded by their own tax dollars.
Of course, that argument’s been made for decades, and the teams always end up getting the cash. In Calgary, the Flames’ leadership has already said that if the money is not handed over in a reasonable time, the Flames will simply move to another city. So the outcome is not a matter of great suspense. The city will employ a farrago of dubious measures — municipal infrastructure grants, per-ticket levies, management fees, concession percentages — to conceal that it is building a playhouse for the rich and influential. But ultimately, it will do so.
But Francis’ column did introduce something new to the argument. Brett Wilson, the Calgary entrepreneur who owns 12 per cent of the Predators, laments that Calgary can’t get its act together to build a new arena for the Flames. Usually the deals are structured (as they were in Edmonton) so that the owner’s contribution is actually repaid to him, but Wilson offered a novel take on any money the owners might put up.
Any money that a team’s owners put toward their own arena is a donation to the city’s infrastructure. Indeed. Perhaps charitable tax receipts should be issued?
“It bugs me to no end that when a city is allocated a couple hundred million for a sports facility that an ownership group puts up of their own money. People keep forgetting that’s a donation — a donation to the infrastructure of the city,” Wilson is quoted as saying.
Yes, a donation. Any money that a team’s owners put toward their own arena is a donation to the city’s infrastructure. Perhaps charitable tax receipts should be issued? It’s almost impressive that owners can convince themselves they’re entitled to publicly-funded facilities as a starting point, and then to have any money extracted from them treated as (forced) philanthropy. But why restrict that logic to the owners? What about the patrons who pay the high ticket prices? Are they not donating to the upkeep of that city’s infrastructure?
Herewith, I put forward a proposal for the city of Calgary, my hometown. If a new hockey arena — paid for by public funds and owners’ “donations”— is really a public works project, let it be for the public. Stipulate that a certain number of tickets per event — let’s say a thousand, or even 500 (including some of the good seats) — are the city’s to distribute for free. They could be given out by lottery, or targeted toward worthy citizens who serve the community, or to those who otherwise could not afford to use this bit of public infrastructure. Undoubtedly, owners who are moved by a spirit of philanthropy to donate to their own buildings would smile upon this wider spirit of sharing?
Again, no suspense as to whether that idea will fly. Meanwhile, Nashville, enjoy the Stanley Cup finals!
National Post |
Another good question has come up and it’s this, will Batman: Arkham Origins have a multiplayer mode? Click the jump to see more.
This is only a rumor, please take note of that. For some this would be quite enjoyable to have a multiplayer mode for Batman: Arkham Origins. Kotaku got the scoop from an anonymous tipster that has declared the game will have a multiplayer mode, here’s what they said:
Our tipster had also shared some details about multiplayer in Arkham Origins, so we reached out to a number of industry sources for confirmation. Although we were unable to corroborate the specifics, we did confirm with a second source that the game will indeed have multiplayer. (Warner Bros. declined to comment for this story.) As for the details, according to our tipster: during at least one section of multiplayer, you play as a member of Joker or Bane’s gang while trying to take down Batman and Robin. The villains involved—who may be playable and customizable—include Killer Croc, Deadshot, Firefly, Black Mask, Deathstroke, and “some kind of Electroman character,” our tipster said. (Maybe Electrocutioner?)
There has been interest in creating a multiplayer platform from Warner Bros. with their Gotham City Impostors. Where you get to play as a multiplayer shooter where the characters dressed up as fake Batmans and Jokers to duel online. Hopefully, this rumor will be declared as true for Batman: Arkham Origins.
Comment down below, DKN Facebook, or DKNewsCom.
Source- Kotaku |
Bandai Namco Holdings released on Tuesday its financial balance sheet for the second quarter of the current fiscal year ending on March 31, 2018. The report included a breakdown of the overall sales for Bandai Namco 's franchises, showing that Bandai Namco 's Dragon Ball IP outperformed its Mobile Suit Gundam IP in terms of overall sales for the first half of the fiscal year (April 4 to September 30). The full list is as follows:
Dragon Ball : 43.1 billion yen
: 43.1 billion yen Mobile Suit Gundam : 32.7 billion yen
: 32.7 billion yen One Piece : 14.4 billion yen
: 14.4 billion yen Super Sentai/Power Rangers : 10.2 billion yen
: 10.2 billion yen Kamen Rider : 9.8 billion yen
: 9.8 billion yen Anpanman : 4.7 billion yen
: 4.7 billion yen Naruto : 5.4 billion yen
: 5.4 billion yen Precure : 3.8 billion yen
: 3.8 billion yen Yo-kai Watch : 2.1 billion yen
: 2.1 billion yen Ultraman : 3.1 billion yen
Bandai Namco predicts that Dragon Ball will earn 75.7 billion yen and Mobile Suit Gundam will earn 70.9 billion yen total for the full fiscal year.
For the same period last year, Mobile Suit Gundam sold 36.2 billion yen compared to Dragon Ball 's 19.8 billion yen. Mobile Suit Gundam also outperformed Dragon Ball by 21% for the full fiscal year.
In terms of domestic toy and hobby sales alone, both Mobile Suit Gundam and Kamen Rider topped Dragon Ball this year and last year. The results for domestic toy and hobby sales for the first half of the fiscal year are as follows:
Mobile Suit Gundam : 11 billion yen
: 11 billion yen Kamen Rider : 9.4 billion yen
: 9.4 billion yen Dragon Ball : 5.9 billion yen
: 5.9 billion yen Super Sentai/Power Rangers : 4.9 billion yen
: 4.9 billion yen Anpanman : 4.7 billion yen
: 4.7 billion yen Precure : 3.8 billion yen
: 3.8 billion yen Yo-kai Watch : 2.0 billion yen
: 2.0 billion yen Ultraman : 2.2 billion yen
: 2.2 billion yen One Piece : 1.8 billion yen
: 1.8 billion yen Pokémon : 2.2 billion yen
Bandai Namco Entertainment released Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 for Nintendo Switch in Japan on September 7 and in the Americas and Europe on September 22. The Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission X game shipped in Japan on April 27. The total and the earnings forecast also includes revenue from the Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle smartphone game.
Bandai Namco Entertainment 's Gundam Versus PlayStation 4 game shipped in Japan in July and in the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia in September.
Source: Social Game Info via Yaraon!
Disclosure: Bandai Namco Rights Marketing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc. |
This is the second article in a blog series about the technology trends that will fundamentally redefine healthcare in the not so distant future. Read the first article here.
Almost two centuries ago, when the first passenger railway, the Stockton-Darlington Railway, opened, the public reacted with fear. Common belief held such that the human body would melt - that we were simply not designed to travel at such incredibly high speeds…30mph. When we are faced with the unknown and unfamiliar, we err on the side of fear and caution. With hindsight, we are able to put technological progression into an evolutionary context, but it’s much harder to do looking forward.
Artificial Intelligence is our Stockton-Darlington Railway, and soon we will look back and wonder how we survived without it. The capital-T Truth is that we’re not. Medical errors are now the third leading cause of death in America, while there is currently a global deficit to the cacophonic tune of 7.2 million health care workers. Artificial Intelligence will not replace clinicians – at least not yet – but it stands in their symbolic shadow, waiting, watching and learning.
Here are a select few ways that A.I will improve healthcare in the not too distant future:
Lucy in the Sky with Data Driven Drug Design
The trial-and-error method of researching, developing and bringing new drugs to market is outdated, tedious, and primitive. A 21st century solution is required to predict which medicines will work, and which ones will not. By employing A.I, it is possible to rapidly analyse millions of molecular structures to understand how a hypothetical molecule will react, without ever needing to go through the arduous process of manufacturing a drug in order to test its efficacy.
Using A.I, 2015 Y Combinator alumni, Atomwise, discovered two existing drugs that could be modified to reduce Ebola infectivity. Accomplished in less than a day, this was a striking contrast to the months or years typically required to complete such a task. “If we can fight back deadly viruses months or years faster, that represents tens of thousands of lives,” said Alexander Levy, COO of Atomwise. A.I driven drug design will become more accurate and powerful as genetic and social data points are incorporated over time, allowing for the creation of truly personalised drugs. N-of-1 individualised and targeted patient-specific drugs will be available at a fraction of the cost, and in a fraction of the time.
Shortsighted Blind Spots
#airbnbwhileblack, the hashtag that launch’d a 1000 headlines. Minority and LGBT guest requests for Airbnb rentals were being denied at a disproportional rate; Airbnb had a serious discrimination problem. To combat this bias, Airbnb applied machine learning and pattern recognition techniques to identify conscious and unconscious predispositions in hosts’ language, tone and attitudes when screening potential guests.
That same bias exists in healthcare. In a recent survey by Medscape, 40% of clinicians admitted that they are bias against certain groups of patients. Psychological temperament, weight, language disparities, and level of insurance coverage are some of the factors that trigger biases. While clinicians may be prepared to admit biases, the deeper underlining problem is unconscious bias, the “subconscious associations gathered over a lifetime that can override conscious beliefs and cause people to unknowingly act in ways that are inconsistent with their true values.”
Conscious and unconscious biases profoundly affect the way clinicians interact with their patient, their line of questioning, attitude, and subsequent diagnosis. These subtle, verbal and physical cues from the clinician can, in turn, affect the level of trust that a patient places in their doctor. When trust is lost, the patient can withhold information or fail to follow medical advice. Unlike a clinician, A.I can scan the records of millions of patients who have presented with similar symptoms, and provide an unbiased diagnosis, while using pattern recognition to identify and address clinician bias.
The First Law of Robotics
The word ‘triage’ originates from the French verb ‘triar’ – its meaning: to separate out. We separate patients based on their medical urgency, especially in a crisis where the allocation of scarce medical resources is necessary. In a recent study of 1,342 patients, the triage nurse correctly predicted the disposition in just 75.7% of patients.
Applying Artificial Intelligence to triage will enable a more accurate assessment of a patient’s clinical needs, and provide more specific recommendations for the clinician or nurse. Contending clinicians against its A.I triage system, Babylon Health accurately triaged 90.2% of patients compared to the clinicians 77.5%. A.I can already more precisely predict the disposition of a patient, and will eventually supersede clinicians to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to all.
But the real question is the process of triage. While A.I can already more accurately triage a patient than a clinician, we need to reexamine the archaic notion of triage itself, which has more-or-less remained the same since Napoleon’s surgeon in chief, Dominique-Jean Larrey conceived it 10 score years ago. The process itself often upsets less critical patients when other patients are given priority, and sometimes results in those patients leaving without being seen. A.I can, and will eventually be used to remove the need for triage itself, pioneering the move from reactive, to a precise, proactive and preventative approach to healthcare.
For all its promise and potential, Artificial Intelligence will make mistakes. In moments like these, we need to be slow to blame and quick to recognise that A.I will be swift to learn. Like those averse to the thunderous roar of the approaching train in the 18th century, it is irrational to let fear of the unknown delay or halt technological progression. If we are to move the human race forward, here lies our moral imperative: to experiment, to challenge the status-quo, and to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, A.I can create a better world for us all. |
In a special session held Monday evening, Austin Independent School District trustees voted 9-0 to adopt a sanctuary policy resolution that strives to “create a safe and caring learning environment so as to foster a culture of trust and respect” for all students “regardless of their immigration status or the status of their parents.”
The school board’s resolution calls for “schools and classrooms” that are “safe, welcoming and inclusive places, noting “all children are entitled to a public education” based on the 1982 United States Supreme Court ruling, Plyler v. Doe, which protects K-12 illegal immigrant minors from discrimination and requires that U.S. public schools educate these students. The document did not mention the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which prohibits schools from turning over student immigration status to federal agents, as Breitbart Texas reported.
The resolution states Austin ISD policy bars “any acts of discrimination or harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expressions, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, and age.” The district says it embraces equity, diversity, and inclusion, accomplished through named supporting programs like Whole Child, Every Child,” part of the Whole Child approach to “improve each child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development;” “No Place for Hate,” an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) campaign to combat bigotry and celebrate diversity; campus-based behavioral health centers; and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), which promotes the soft-skills and values-based competencies often associated with the public education reform movement.
After the unanimous vote, trustee Paul Saldaña told reporters he wished Austin ISD acted sooner but crafting a resolution was a step in the right direction. He said: “We still have a lot of work to do to reassure our families that coming to school is safe.”
Earlier Monday, Austin ISD Superintendent Paul Cruz issued a statement: “We are unwavering in our support of students, families, and staff and want to reassure them that the district’s commitments have not changed.” KVUE reported he said: “I fully support our teachers, our principals and our staff members in creating safe learning environments for all of our students.”
Austin ISD’s online “your rights, immigration, and resources” links to the district’s refugee support office, a “hub for refugee and asylee students and their families currently enrolled” or seeking to be enrolled in the district’s schools. They offer family support services like translation and interpretation, school registration assistance, social and emotional support, plus staff and community training.
Reportedly, more than 20,000 Austin students skipped school last Thursday to protest a “Day without Immigrants.” Breitbart Texas reported the truant protesters rallied against recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids where officials arrested violent criminals and people who sexually assault children. Education Austin, the school district’s labor and teacher union affiliated with the two largest teacher unions in the nation, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) plus labor union AFL-CIO, called on Austin ISD to take a stronger stand on behalf of illegal immigrants. They provided 3,000 of their teacher union members with flyers for students on their rights when faced with dealing with an ICE agent, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Last week, the state’s largest school district, Houston ISD, adopted a sanctuary policy which reaffirmed support for illegal immigrants impacted by any state and federal travel bans, offered a safe haven for students, families, and employees illegally in the United States. In late December, the El Paso border school district declared sanctuary status. San Antonio ISD inches closer to approving a similar resolution.
Follow Merrill Hope, a member of the original Breitbart Texas team, on Twitter. |
A former circus lion looks out from his cage, ready for transportation to South Africa.
More than 30 lions rescued from abuse in Peruvian and Colombian circuses have been flown to South Africa, in what campaigners have called the largest-ever airlift of big cats.
The 33 lions, with names such as Zeus and Shakira, were freed after the use of wild animals in circuses was outlawed in Peru in 2011 and Colombia in 2013.
Saved from the lion tamer's whip, they have been rounded up with the help of authorities by Animal Defenders International (ADI), an animal rights charity.
"These lions have endured hell on earth and now they are heading home to paradise," ADI president Jan Creamer said.
ADI said it rescued 24 of the lions in surprise raids on circuses in Peru, while nine were voluntarily surrendered by a circus in Colombia.
"All of the lions when they arrive from the circuses have health problems, parasites, disease," Ms Creamer said.
"All of their lives they haven't had enough food, so they have long-term malnutrition problems."
Share "These lions have endured hell on earth and now they are heading home to paradise."
Ms Creamer said the rescued lions are in generally good health, having spent recent months in straw-lined cages in a refuge north of Lima, where they have been well fed.
Late on Friday (local time), the airlift took off, transporting the big cats to their new life.
"We are on our way!" read a post on the ADI website.
"The 33 lions are on board the ADI Spirit Of Freedom Flight, on route to their wonderful new lives at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary, South Africa."
The group of big cats includes Shakira, named after the Colombian pop singer — her minders said she likes to play with a tire and eat watermelons.
From one of 10 Peruvian circuses comes "Ricardo, the one-eyed lion" and from another "Joseph, the almost-blind lion".
'They can remember who they are'
Share The lions would be well looked-after on the 16 hour flight to South Africa, ADI said.
Together, the 33 lions were to take a 15-hour flight to South Africa in travel cages inside the plane chartered by ADI.
They will arrive in Johannesburg and be taken on to the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in the north of the country.
"The lions will be in their natural habitat for the first time in their lives," Ms Creamer said.
"They should fit right into that habitat — it's the best environment for them."
Eva Chomba, a veterinarian with ADI, said the trip to Johannesburg would take about 16 hours with a stop in Brazil to refuel.
"We're going to take care of the animals throughout the whole trip," Ms Chomba said.
"Three of us are going on the plane... to tend to the animals' needs, to give them chicken meat and water because the trip is very long and they need attention."
Savannah Heuser, founder of Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary, said in a statement: "The lions are returning to where they belong. This is their birth right — African sun, African night skies, African bush and sounds, clouds, summer thunderstorms, large enclosures in a natural setting where they can remember who they are."
The cost of the transfer is $13,150 per cat, ADI said.
AFP/Reuters |
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