Front page > Services > Strait talk for a safe passage
Current forecasts benefit seafarers seeking to pass through the Saltstraumen strait. Photo: Tommy Andreassen, www.nordnorge.com (Bodø).
Strait talk for a safe passage
An automated system of current forecasts has been developed to support secure navigation through Saltstraumen, where the world's strongest tidal currents create powerful whirlpools.
Located near Bodø in northern Norway, this narrow channel is the first strait in the country to be provided with its own system for current forecasts.
Whirlpools in Saltstraumen are strong, several metres wide and have large and prominent troughs. Except when the tide changes, they are impassable by small boats and vessels which lack plenty of reserve power.
Speed variations
The forecast speed is the mean value for the main, eastern, channel under the Saltstraumen bridge. However, actual speeds can deviate widely from the mean.
In particular, they can be much higher locally around vortices (whirlpools or maelstroms) and will normally be considerably lower in the turbulent interface along the shore.
Local practice is that displacement vessels pass through the strait during the period from 20 minutes before until 20 minutes after the tide turns.
The specified time for current reversal deviates by about 20 minutes on average from that given in Den norske los (The Norwegian Pilot) and from local practice, which dictates that the change occurs one hour and 40 minutes after high water at Bodø.
Based on known factors
The new service has been developed by BarentsWatch, the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) and Polytec on the basis of known and well-tested factors affecting current strength and behaviour.
Covering speed and direction (in/out of the strait), a current forecast for Saltstraumen is issued twice a day and for up to two days ahead.
Times of maximum current in/out and zero current are also notified specially in the text table. The speed at any given time can be found by holding the cursor over the graph.
Dynamic model
The dynamic model takes account of weather effects on water levels, local wind speeds and the inflow of fresh water from the big rivers which empty into the Skjerstad Fjord.
With the effect of the Earth's rotation also incorporated in the calculation, this means that the time when the tide turns can deviate considerably from the norm.
This forecasting service is a continuation of Norway's wave forecasts for shipping lanes, and can also be accessed from that Norwegian-only service by clicking on the icon in the map.
Sist oppdatert: 26. August 2016 The Norwegian Coastal Administration
The Norwegian Coastal Administration
Special forecasts for waves
Enhancing wave alerts


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Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt Signs High-Impact Film and Television Bill
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed new legislation on May 7, 2019, designed to attract higher-impact film and television productions to the state. SB 200 increases the state's film incentive cap and eligibility threshold to host major motion pictures and television series.
"SB 200 will aid in the efforts to recruit film and television productions to the great state of Oklahoma," said Governor Stitt. "I look forward to seeing how this legislation helps grow and diversify Oklahoma's economy."
This new legislation offers two incentives packages for productions of all sizes filming in Oklahoma, which will retain local productions in-state but also attract new and larger productions to the state.
Oklahoma's established incentive, the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program administered by the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, will continue offering 35 to 37% cash rebate through 2027 with an increased fiscal year cap of $8 million. Eligible projects must have a minimum budget of $50,000 and a minimum of $25,000 spent on qualifying labor, goods and services in Oklahoma.
In addition to the established incentive, Oklahoma now opens its doors even wider with an expanded rebate program, authored by Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah. "SB 200 is the most impactful piece of legislation I have worked on," said Senator Roger Thompson. "It will serve as a catalyst for recruitment and retention of jobs and set the stage for immediate as well as long-term economic investment in our state."
The new incentive targets higher-impact productions, such as major motion pictures or television series, in which total expenditures or production costs are equal to or exceed $50 million. The same 35 to 37% cash rebate applies and eligible projects will access funds within the Oklahoma Quick Action Closing Fund for payments.
"Passing SB 200 this year was invigorating," said Representative Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City. "To see so many leaders prioritizing the arts while simultaneously seeking to diversify the state's economy should send a strong signal to anyone wanting to bring business to Oklahoma. I look forward to working on more with all those involved as we build for a better future."
More than 38 states and numerous countries now offer film incentives. The Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program, which was created in 2001, is now in its most competitive form to recruit more film and television productions to the state, setting the tone for longevity and sustainability. The film industry offers the state an excellent economic boost through direct and indirect spending and tax-revenue generation and job creation.
"The passage of SB 200 demonstrates that Oklahoma is open for business to the film industry," said Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, who also serves as Secretary of Tourism and Branding. "I am proud that this bipartisan legislation will provide the film industry the best opportunity to succeed in Oklahoma. With our unique and diverse geography, and experienced crew, talent, and support services, Oklahoma is poised to be a cornerstone of the film industry for years to come."
The Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program acquired a ten-year extension in 2014 and immediately saw a significant increase in direct production spending in the first two years from $2.6 million to $33.4 million. To date, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office has estimated $78.2 million in direct spending since the program's renewal and 75 productions accounted for 90% of the job growth rate, while more than 90 communities in 46 counties were economically impacted. As a result, multiple private and public partnerships have been formed to invest in developing more strategic educational academy-like programs to enhance Oklahoma's film crew base, as well as a creative center where sound stages, tech companies, and creatives can support the growing film, music, and entertainment industries in Oklahoma.
"We couldn't be more proud of our state leadership who championed SB 200 this year as we continue to invite creatives and creators from around the world to Oklahoma to access our expanded 35 to 37% cash film rebate program and other appealing resources," said Tava Maloy Sofsky, Director of the Oklahoma Film + Music Office. "Top that with the true key to our success — our people. Why not Oklahoma?"
The Oklahoma Film + Music Office celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The office, which became an official film commission in 1979, is poised and ready to point even more production companies to Oklahoma's top-rate crews, diverse landscapes and locations and developing infrastructure – all centrally located in the heartland. Additionally, Movie Maker Magazine ranked Oklahoma City at No. 13 in its list of "The Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker 2019: Big Cities."
Recent successes include Lionsgate's theatrical hit "I Can Only Imagine," directed by the Erwin Brothers and starring Dennis Quaid, Cloris Leachman and Trace Adkins, along with the Sundance selection "Rudderless," directed by William H. Macy, starring Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne. Both of these films displayed the unique synergy between film and music in Oklahoma, as they scored their film and recorded music in Oklahoma, thus qualifying for the bonus (2%) rebate. Other successful films include "Jurassic Games," directed by Oklahoma's own Ryan Bellgardt and starring Ryan Merriman, Perrey Reeves, Adam Hampton, Katie Burgess, and the Sundance selection "Wildlife," which was directed by Paul Dano and starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan, along with many other independent films distributed domestically and internationally.
The state's history proves the value of Oklahoma's investment and long-time establishment as a partner in the film and music industries hosting features such as Oscar-winning film "The Grapes of Wrath," "Daughter of the Dawn," "Twister," "Rainman," "The Outsiders," "Tex," "Rumblefish," "Elizabethtown," "The Killer Inside Me," "August Osage County," "Rudderless," "Mekko," "Te Ata," "Chickasaw Rancher," "I Can Only Imagine," "Wildlife," "To The Stars," "Jurassic Games" and "Christmas in the Heartland" among many others.
Many television productions are also choosing Oklahoma, in part due to the certainty and longevity of the film rebate program, including "Pioneer Woman" (Food Network), "American Ninja Warrior" (NBC), "Sweet Home Oklahoma" (Bravo), "Trolls: Stop Motion Series" (Dreamworks), "The Beverlys" (Pureflix) and "Safe Schools Series" (Impact Productions), all of which utilized the rebate. Starz showcased some of the state's most surprising locations in its hit series "American Gods," which is a testament to the fact that these movies and series can become a visual postcard for any state, as they are seen on millions of screens globally.
In an effort to help tell this expanding story, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office created a video to share with the public as well as business leaders, industry partners, legislators and their constituents to spotlight the people benefitting from this burgeoning industry in Oklahoma.
About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Created in 1979, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office strives to share all that Oklahoma has to offer by welcoming filmmakers and music professionals to the state and by creating a network of support to develop Oklahoma's film and music industries. For more information about the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program or the Oklahoma Film + Music Office please visit okfilmmusic.org.
Photo credit: Zachary Burns
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Letter - Elizabeth Cudney to Mr. S.D. Woodruff
Cudney, Elizabeth (1895-01-12)
Letter sent to Mr. S.D. Woodruff from Elizabeth Cudney of Montrose, acknowledging that she is sending a $48 post office order for interest on the land purchased in Willoughby, Jan. 12, 1895.
Letter sent to Mr. S.D. Woodruff from Elizabeth Cudney of Montrose acknowledging that she is sending a $48 post office order for interest on the land in Willoughby, Dec. 21, 1897.
Letter (marked confidential) to Isabel from J.D. Tait
Tait, J.D. (1899-06-06)
Letter (marked confidential) to Isabel from J.D. Tait in which he talks of vindictive slander which he feels is false. He refers to a statue which he believes absolutely belongs to him. He says that he will see Isabel ...
Letter to Isabel [Woodruff] from J.D. Tait
Letter to Isabel [Woodruff] from J.D. Tait which lists a number of items that "mama" asked for. He says that he will come over at lunch and give her a receipt for the things that "she is desirous of having". The letter ...
Letter - Elizabeth Cudney to Mr. Woodruff
Letter to Mr. Woodruff from Elizabeth Cudney in which she accepts Mr. Woodruff's offer. She will give $1,100 and turn her land as payment for three hundred dollars and give a mortgage for $800, Feb. 3, 1893.
Letter to Isabel from J. D. Tait
Letter to Isabel from J. D. Tait in which he says he feels better after "looking out all the books, folios and engravings etc. that mama wants, Nov. 12, 1896.
Letter to Isabel from Phil [Phil Ingram Price]
Price Ingram, Phil (1900-03-28)
Letter to Isabel from Phil [Phil Ingram Price] in which he expresses a desire to divide the estate with as little delay as possible. He has divided the books into 4 lots, but he asks if Isabel has some of the books as ...
Letter to Isabel from someone whose last name is Price [the first name is illegible]
Letter to Isabel from someone whose last name is Price [the first name is illegible] in which the writer says that the row with Phil regarding the bonds is settled (1 ½ pages). This person does not anticipate any more ...
Letter - S.D. Woodruff to Elizabeth Cudney
Woodruff, S.D. (1893-02-01)
Letter to Elizabeth Cudney from S.D. Woodruff stating that he could execute the papers on the 6th or 7th of February regarding 18 acres of her land [most of the writing is illegible], Feb. 1, 1893.
Letter to Mrs. Band from Jean Lambe
Lambe, Jean (1958)
Letter and envelope to Mrs. Band of Toronto regarding Trooper's pedigree. The letter is signed by Jean Lambe, Jan. 9, 1958.
AuthorWetherald, Ethelwyn (72)Deverardo, Dexter (26)Holmes, Fred (17)Woodruff, S.D. (17)May, Andrew (14)Macdonald, Sir John A. (12)Jarvis, Conklin and Co. (11)Kennedy, John F. (11)Mackenzie, John I. (9)Ahern, Henry E. (8)... View MoreSubject
Accounts (57)Marsh Lands (57)Long Point Company (51)DeVeaux Hall (29)Land (20)Long Point (17)Macdonald, John A. (John Alexander), 1815-1891. (17)Postal service -- Canada -- History (16)St. Catharines, Ontario (12)... View MoreDate Issued2000 - 2011 (3)1900 - 1999 (119)1800 - 1899 (531)1796 - 1799 (1)


Wild by Hannah Moskowitz
< return to young adult
AUTHOR: Hannah Moskowitz
Thanks to an anonymous friend of the library for donating a copy of Wild to the Bi Pan Library collection.
by Hannah Moskowitz
Zack Ramos is training for two things: being a parent to his twelve-year-old sister once his mother's early-onset Alzheimer's (the same kind he and his sister each have a 50% chance of developing–but let's not think about that) progresses too far, and running a one hundred mile race through the mountains of Tennessee. His support system is longtime girlfriend Jordan Jonas, who's sweet, sarcastic, and entirely virtual. They've been talking for years but still have never met in person. Because Jordan, it turns out, was still waiting for the right time to tell him that she's Deaf.
The revelation brings them closer together, and Zack throws himself into learning sign language and trying to navigate their way through their different cultures. But with the stress of a tumultuous relationship, a new language, a sick mother, and his uncertain future, there's going to be a breaking point…and it might be out there in the Tennessee wild.
From the author of critically-acclaimed books like TEETH, BREAK, and A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD comes a story about what happens when love takes you off the beaten track…way, way off.
Two main characters (Zack and Jordan) identify as bisexual on-page.
"And then she told me what was going on with her, the real stuff. We bonded over the fact that we were both bisexual and at that point hadn't told anyone else yet. She was having a hard time in school, people bullying her, her parents just telling her to toughen up. Her brother was at a different school and couldn't watch out for her. Next year she ended up switching schools, and that's where she met Shauna and her first girlfriend and the rest of the friends she has now.
She asked if we could exchange numbers. I told her she could call me any time, and we know how that worked out.
Now I wonder why she even told me her number.
Maybe she just wanted to know that I would take it."
– from Wild by Hannah Moskowitz
"Louise shrugs at me and we go off east while the others head northwest. "So do you think it's because you're young or because you're Asian?" she says.
"Uh, do I think what is?"
"Well, I know why they're ditching me," she says.
I should tell her I'm bisexual and really blow her mind. "I don't know why they're ditching you," I say. "You seem pretty damn tough to me."
She pats my shoulder. "Yeah, you're a good kid. You're dumb, but you're a good kid."
Contact a librarian for assistance


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Published By: Anita S. Western
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Home » Catch 'Pokemon Go' Privacy Policies
Catch 'Pokemon Go' Privacy Policies
By Anita Western on October 11, 2016
I wanted to kick my blog off with a fun post about an application that has been downloaded 500 million+ times to date and is taking over cell phones worldwide. Enjoy!
Pokémon Go has become the biggest mobile game in United States history attracting over 21 million active daily users and over $268 million in revenues since its launch on July 6th, 2016. Yet the handheld game has also brought forward concerns about how exposed our personal information can be in the hands of seemingly nonthreatening applications. To play Pokémon Go, gamers use their smartphone's GPS to find, capture, fight and train virtual creatures superimposed on the real world shown by their camera. Players can purchase items to advance the game, including coins, eggs and incubators.
The game originally requested permission on the players smartphone not only to use a player's device camera and location information, but also to be granted full access to the user's Google accounts — including email, calendars, photos, stored documents and any other information associated with the login. Though the developers claim that while Pokémon Go did not use any information from players' accounts other than basic Google profile information, they still requested access, which raised red flags. The application's privacy policy has since been updated, so it is suggested that players with an iPhone should log out and download the update from the App Store, as the updated application only allows access to the user's name and Gmail email address. Players who installed the application on an Android device and logged in with their Google account only granted access to their Google username and email address from the start.
Though Pokémon Go may have never actually been interested in your emails, it is capable of tracking your location and has access to your IP address as well as the webpage you most recently visited before launching the application. The game imposes virtual graphics (Pokémon) over the real world; therefore the application needs access to maps and locations. Yet this can be accomplished without requesting access to the player's personal information. Keeping this in mind, players who want to play the virtual real-world game can restrict access to their Google accounts by creating 'Pokémon Trainer Club' accounts that are specific to the application and do not request excessive personal information.
Clicking "yes" to application requests that pop up during installation on a mobile device can compromise personal privacy. In their terms and conditions, some applications have clauses which state that they will hand over data to law enforcement officials or other private parties to respond to legal requests, yet few people realize that since they do not read the 'small print.' If you are unsure about the permissions on your mobile device that you have previously approved, they can be checked on iOS (Apple devices) by tapping Settings and scrolling down for a list of applications and what these applications have access to, these applications can then be altered and evaluated individually. On Android, tap Settings then Apps under Device Settings then choose the application and tap Permissions to evaluate each individually. It is very common for users to have applications downloaded onto their device that put them at a similar risk of exposing personal information as the original Pokémon Go application.
I am a third-year student at Michigan State University College of Law with a passion towards the issues that arrive at the intersection of law and technology. Adventure, traveling, learning, cooking, laughter, & sarcasm are a few of my favorite things. Slightly egotistic, #AI autodidact.
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LegalRnD Welcomes GM's Craig Glidden to MSU Law
The Military AI Arms Race: Weaponizing Artificial Intelligence
Published By: Anita S. Western, Student at Michigan State University - College of Law
Discussions of the issues that arrive at the intersection of law and technology with a focus on artificial intelligence.
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Posted on Nov 19, 2017 In Facebook, Mobile, Social Media, Technology
Facebook launches Messenger Kids app – but parents vet chat contacts
Facebook is launching a new version of its chat app targeting children under 13 with strict parental controls including contract approvals.
The free app, called Messenger Kids, hopes to attract parents looking for a safe online chat service, with a greater level of parental control, child-friendly features, screened content and safety filters to prevent children sharing inappropriate content.
Messenger Kids is a standalone app installed on the child's tablet or smartphone but controlled from a parent's Facebook account. The child does not have a Facebook account, which is prohibited for those under 13; instead, the app operates as an extension of the parent's account. Only parents have the ability to add friends or delete messages.
There are no adverts or in-app purchases and the social network said the child's information will not be used for advertising purposes. Facebook also said it will not automatically move users to the regular Messenger or Facebook when they get old enough, though the company may provide them the option to move contacts to Messenger down the line.
Loren Cheng, a product management director at Facebook, said: "Whether it's using video chat to talk to grandparents, staying in touch with cousins who live far away, or sending mom a decorated photo while she's working late to say hi, Messenger Kids opens up a new world of online communication to families."
Children can start one-on-one or group video or text chats with approved contacts, sending videos, photos, gifs and other creative elements from a library of screened drawing tools, frames, gifs, masks, and stickers.
Facebook also said that it will block children from sharing nudity, sexual or violent content, and have a dedicated moderation team to respond to flagged content.
Messages sent to adults or those over 13 appear in their normal Facebook Messenger app. Parents control contacts and other options through their Facebook app on their smartphone.
The app, which is rolling out as a preview to iOS with Android coming later, is only available in the US for the time being. Facebook said it was fully compliant with the US Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act, and that it had worked with online safety experts including the National PTA and Blue Star Families.
Kristelle Lavallee, a children's psychology expert and content strategist at the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University, worked with Facebook to develop the app. She said: "The risk of exposure to things [children] were not developmentally prepared for is huge."
Facebook Messenger Kids "makes parents the gatekeepers" and was designed "with the best of intentions", Lavallee said.
How – and if – the app ends up getting used remains to be seen. Despite US federal law prohibiting companies from collecting personal information on those under 13 years old without parental consent, millions are already on Facebook, with or without their parents' permission, says Stephen Balkam, chief executive of the nonprofit Family Online Safety Institute.
He said Facebook is trying to deal with the situation pragmatically by steering young Facebook users to a service designed for them.
Messenger Kids offers an opportunity to introduce children to the wider Facebook ecosystem, fending off advances from rivals targeting children and teenagers, while locking parents and family into the social network to communicate with their children.


2020 in Review – Activism Matters: City of Syracuse, Syracuse Police Department, and the Commitment to Transparency in Response to Summer Protests
Quality of Life: It Begins at City Hall 'Stop Blue Bin Tossing'
Thanksgiving 2020: Don't Bring the "Crazy" with the Cranberries
Bamboozled: Rushing to Confirm an Appointee and it is Not the Supreme Court
Urban CNY Publisher Ken Jackson Joins Dan Cummings on NewsChannel 9's Newsmakers
Governor Cuomo Announces Proposal to Expand Home Ownership in Historically Redlined Communities to Bridge the Racial Wealth Gap as Part of the 2021 State of the State
Governor Cuomo Announces Proposal to Prohibit Utility Disconnections During Emergencies as Part of 2021 State of The State
Consumer Alert: The Division of Consumer Protection Urges New Yorkers to be Aware of COVID-19 Scams Tied to Federal Economic Impact Payments
Attorney General James Sues to Stop Trump Administration from Allowing Predatory Lenders to Take Advantage Of New York's Most Vulnerable Communities
Governor Cuomo Signs the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020
Governor Cuomo Delivers Remarks at National Action Network King Day Policy Forum 2021
Meetings Scheduled in The Common Council Chambers January 18th up to and Including January 22nd
More than a Day Off: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021 Civil Rights today is Living History
Crews Quickly Extinguish Fire in Vacant Structure on Syracuse's North Side
A Tribute and Recognition of "Greatness" of Floyd Little, NFL Hall of Famer
Reflections: Howard University Classmates Join the Masses as we mourn the loss of Jessye Norman, Grammy-Winning Opera Singer
The 2019 Annual Joan Hillsman's Music Network, Inc. Scholarship\ Fundraiser
June is National Black Music Month: Music Plays and Important Role in the Lives of Individuals!
Trombone Ensemble to Perform at Dewitt Community Church April 14
Nurse Sings 'Amazing Grace' In Powerful Biden-Harris COVID-19 Memorial
Colin Kaepernick Fans Criticize NFL For Tweets Praising MLK
See the full calendar.
City of Syracuse, Syracuse Housing Authority and the Allyn Foundation Attempt to Calm Fears about Blueprint 15
Ken Jackson
Editor and Publisher at Urban CNY
Media - Writing (weekly column) Print and Web publications, Community Activism, Minority Media, Government Administration
Latest posts by Ken Jackson (see all)
More than a Day Off: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021 Civil Rights today is Living History - January 18, 2021
John Katko (NY-24) Will Vote to Impeach "To allow the President of the United States to incite this attack without consequence is a direct threat to the future of our democracy" - January 12, 2021
Mayor Walsh Appoints Erica Clarke to Fill Vacancy on Syracuse City Court Bench - December 30, 2020
Posted on February 26, 2019 in City Scuffle, Cover Stories, Neighborhoods, News by Ken Jackson
Stunned would be an understatement, if you spoke with some residents and affordable housing advocates when it was learned the city of Syracuse would embrace the development project called Blueprint 15. Properties owned by Syracuse Housing Authority would be transformed into a new community, gone would be the 1938 built housing. The series of Public Housing properties, replaced by a grid of housing that according to its name and announced purpose, is an attempt at trying to recreate what was once the 15th Ward of Syracuse. Therefore, the projects name Blueprint 15.
Blueprint 15 is a project based on a community building concept that's been implemented in a number of cities, the degree of success is debatable, depending on whom you speak with and what are acceptable measures of success. Everyone can agree that having concentrated poverty serves no one.
City Hall, Syracuse NY
Syracuse embarks on the largest overhaul since Urban Renewal and Interstate 81 forever changed the lives of those living in socially-connected, contiguous neighborhoods. These neighborhoods were primarily inhabited by African Americans.
In a meeting at Syracuse City Hall on Wednesday February 21st, urbancny.com spoke with a number of officials directly involved with Blueprint 15, participants included; Greg Loh, Director of Initiatives; Sharon Owens, Deputy Mayor; William Simmons Director Syracuse Housing Authority and Margaret (Meg) O'Connell of the Allyn Family Foundation.
All made assurances that nothing is going to happen until they hire an Executive Director for Blueprint 15. The Allyn Family Foundation emphasized their participation as that of a facilitator in this process, and that every aspect is going to be community driven. The real work is ready to begin, for those interested see the job description link click on Executive Director for Blueprint 15 – Job Description.
Deputy Mayor Owens Sets the Tone "What we see is an opportunity"
Syracuse Deputy Mayor, Sharon Owens sought to reassure people who were taken aback by the Allyn Family Foundation based information as presented on Syracuse.com, "I want the Syracuse community to understand that there are no plans, what we see is an opportunity to create a revitalized community, we know what the construction of 81 did to the 15th Ward, hence the name reestablishing what everybody remembers as a strong, mixed-use community with people from every race, ethnicity and religion, even socio-economic class. And all of the people talking about the 15th Ward talk about it in a warm way; all we are doing is considering the possibilities."
Sharon Owens, Deputy Mayor City of Syracuse
It has become common knowledge across the country that HUD is no longer funding the type of housing projects we currently have. The 1938 project is 81 years old and without funds for basic maintenance and repair they (SHA)have to come up with creative solutions to what's become a problem nationwide, how to fund public housing. How to maintain public housing when there are no funds allocated for their continued use.
Deputy Mayor Owens states "Look at the possibilities for re-development. I'm not asking anyone to trust me; I've been in this community working in neighborhoods for thirty years, everything I do is about the individuals in this community. Looking at the possibilities with the individuals who live in the footprint of that highway, and the footprint from Almond all the over to Salina, is mind first and foremost. The conversations about 81 for me have not been about powers, they've been about the people who lay their heads down in the shadow of that viaduct."
The conversation about Public Housing began with a presentation at Syracuse University, about how new communities where created, all of them were housing authorities. That is the national model partnering with housing authorities because they have control over the land.
Owens continues, "That presentation sparked a conversation, it's not just about housing, it was about commercial development, about amenities in communities, and the biggest part for them is school, cradle-to-grave education. But particularly early education and elementary education, the one in Atlanta had a state-of-the-art high school in it and an elementary school pipeline going through it. So, part of this conversation has been in concert with the school district, even before receivership, King School is in the footprint of what is going on there. And is going to be impacted by whatever the final decision is with 81.
So, that presentation of the comprehensive nature of the model really sparked my interest, but you never know, Power Point is fine but when the opportunity came to say, yeah I'd like to see what this looks like, I'd like to be able to say, I touched it, I felt it, I talked to people, I got the gist of what you're talking about. That's when I had an opportunity to go down to Atlanta and visit the administrators at the high school, and talk to the students that were there, talk to some of the residents who were at Purpose Build…I just think a new kind of affordable housing for people is deserving of people. We have to figure this out because the model of support from HUD is changing, for what has been the traditional housing project."
Syracuse Housing Authority has been planning this transformation for Years
SHA Executive Director, Bill Simmons
For Syracuse Housing Authority the concept of leveraging their high value real estate has been a part of their future plans as outlined in an urbancny.com interview with Syracuse Housing Authority Director, William Simmons. Major changes are coming to Syracuse Housing Authority regardless of what happens with Interstate 81
At that time the director indicated problems they were having with traditional public housing resources since HUD has reduced support for the nation's public housing stock. Nationwide, Housing Authorities have scrambled to come up with solutions to an ever growing problem.
The Allyn Foundation facilitated Simmons and members of SHA's board member visits to Atlanta for an opportunity to see East Lake, a location where, according to supporters, this concept has been successfully deployed.
There were informational events that discussed Purpose Built and the role this innovative concept can play in the redevelopment of SHA properties, according to Simmons, "From there the board said, 'yeah, let's combine this effort, that's going to take what we want to do here, in terms of mixed income and new housing and make it a holistic kind of development, whereby it creates pathways out of poverty for people because of the education and wellness component.'"
"The approach was to get a master developer on board that could start to plan this stuff out, have the community engagement with the stake holders, employees and residents. And really start laying out a real plan for the neighborhood, and having master developer on board that has done these kinds of things in other communities, some of them have done it for Purpose Built in other communities. But they've done them all over the country, in terms of having mixed income housing and working with public housing developments. Because it's a very, very complicated process, especially when you have a fully leased development, how you handle residents. Public Housing, it's very different than the way people are treated when they're living in housing and market forces come and remove them."
Syracuse Housing Authority Director Simmons outlined what the Syracuse Housing Authority are tasked with prior to making any major changes to Public Housing, Simmons states, "This is Public Housing, HUD's not going to let you walk all over folks, those days are long gone. You gotta have a temporary relocation plan, no matter how temporary it may be, that it's satisfactory to Fair Housing, Civil Rights groups. It's a long process ahead of us, and approval from HUD before they finance any demolition of public housing."
The ink is still dry on this proposal, members of the Syracuse Common Council and others have gone on Allyn Foundation funded informational junkets to learn more about this project.
More Questions than Answers
There are more questions than answers regarding Blueprint 15, for example; are there any cities the size of Syracuse, with similar demographics that have embraced this public housing transformation? Are there cities experiencing extreme poverty at the level of Syracuse's part of the comparison? And, is it appropriate to compare a program that is successful in communities that have populations of a few million to Syracuse's 144,000 residents? Will employment status and/or criminal record prevent inclusion in the new community?
Cautious Concern Expressed
The list of Blueprint 15 Board of Directors has been released, they've yet to meet. When approached about this project some were oblivious to any specifics. One board member expressed concern and disclosed on the condition of anonymity that, " the project in other parts of the nation has transformed communities, but where I've been, they've also pushed people out, armed with vouchers these public housing residents disappear as they're replaced by new, higher income people who can afford market rate housing."
In an effort to let people determine for themselves, see the links below for information on Purpose Built initiatives across the country.
Purpose Built website under its Network tab: Purpose Built
Syracuse Community members have made the trip to Atlanta Eastlake site: Atlanta Eastlake – Purpose Built Community
Members of the SHA board visited the New Orleans site: New Orleans – Purpose Built Community
Deputy Mayor, Sharon Owens visited (non-funded) while in Florida the Orlando site: Orlando – Purpose Built Community
All of these visits were made in order to experience the location and talk to the people there.
← Employment Opportunity: Blueprint 15, Inc. Chief Executive Officer and President
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Why Oklahoma and Alabama Would Be Nothing Without Texas
Oct 11, 2019 — By Jason Cohen
Sure, they've had the better football teams in recent years. But we're still the better state.
Casinos in Oklahoma Are Competing With North Texas For A-List Entertainment
Aug 1, 2016 — By H. Drew Blackburn
Competition crosses state lines.
Interview: Joe Davidson of Oklahoma Joe's Bar-B-Cue
May 28, 2014 — By Daniel Vaughn
Owner/Pitmaster: Oklahoma Joe's Bar-B-Cue; Opened 2011 Age: 52 Smoker: Gas-Fired Rotisserie Smoker Wood: Pecan Joe Davidson has been involved in all aspects of the barbecue world. He became a successful entrepreneur when his smoker company got off the ground in the…
Eatin' on Tulsa Time
Last week I went searching for good barbecue in Oklahoma. I wasn't looking just for barbecue joints in the state, but was instead trying to find a defining factor of how barbecue in Oklahoma is unique to that state. With my wife's family still living in Oklahoma City, I'd canvassed the…
Breaking: Johnny Football is a College Student
Jan 31, 2013 — By Texas Monthly and Jason Cohen
A&M QB Johnny Manziel has a little fun post-Cotton Bowl, to the delight of TMZ, and the distress of some prigs in the media.
Our Question For UT Fans: Aggies or Sooners?
Friday's Cotton Bowl gives Longhorns fans a chance to decide which team they hate more: the University of Oklahoma, or Texas A&M.
Hot Enough For Ya? It's Worse in Oklahoma
Last summer's average temperatures in Texas set a record for the hottest summer ever, but new data finds Oklahoma was more scorched.
Jan 8, 2013 — By Texas Monthly and Jason Cohen
And now, for some football
Dec 6, 2008 — By Paul Burka
I just heard a scenario for the BCS that would have Oklahoma and Texas in the BCS title game. The argument is that Florida, which trails Texas by .0372 in the BCS standings, does better than Texas in the polls but worse in the computer rankings. The question is, will…
The Eyes of Texas Are Upon Him
Aug 31, 2005 — By Michael Hall
And why wouldn't they be? As the head coach of the UT football team, Mack Brown is responsible for the way millions of Texans feel every day.
Duke of Dunbar
Jan 1, 2004 — By Michael Hall
That would be 75-year-old Robert Hughes, who has amassed more victories while coaching in Fort Worth than anyone in high school basketball history. For most people, that would be enough.
Jan 1, 1997 — By Kathryn Jones
Where is the Texas-Oklahoma border? The answer has people on both sides of the river seeing Red.


Home Reviews Film Review
The Resident (2011)
in Film Review
Hilary Swank and Jeffrey Dean Morgan head up the small cast in this thriller that mixes in a bit of Sliver with Pacific Heights without the "so dumb it's a bit fun" factor of the former or the genuine quality of the latter.
Swank is a young nurse, Juliet, who is looking for a fresh start after finding out that her boyfriend cheated on her. She finds an apartment that she likes and also gets on with her new landlord (Max, played by Morgan). In fact, she gets on with him a little too well, which could make things a little bit awkward between landlord and tenant. Things start to get complicated as Juliet realises that she may not want to get involved with her landlord . . . . . . . . . and also gets the feeling that she's being watched in her own home.
Scream (2022) – Film Review
A standard psycho thriller movie with occasionally enjoyable stylistic flourishes (including a moment that rewinds events to show things from the perspective of another character), The Resident would have been greatly improved by two things. Firstly, keeping things ambiguous for longer would have helped. When the real danger is shown the movie loses its edge and viewers can do nothing but sit back and wait for the inevitable final confrontation. Secondly, avoiding all of the thriller clichés that fill up the second half of the film would have really helped.
The acting is fine. Hilary Swank isn't on top form but she's saddled with the role of potential victim, Jeffrey Dean Morgan fares better and Christopher Lee has a nice little extended cameo. There are other people onscreen but nobody else makes much of an impression.
Finnish director Antti Jokinen (who co-wrote the movie with Robert Orr) does well with the first half of the film and then ruins everything with that decidedly thrill-free second half that leads to a finale full of moments that will make you want to shout at the screen.
It will pass 90 minutes for an undiscerning viewer (as I was when I watched it) but it's nothing above average and remains inferior to many polished thrillers released over the last 20-30 years.
DIRECTOR: ANTTI JOKINEN
STARS: HILARY SWANK, JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN, CHRISTOPHER LEE
RUNTIME: 91 MINS APPROX
COUNTRY: UK/USA
Film Rating:
Tags: Christopher Leehammerhilary swankJeffrey Dean MorganThe Residentthriller
Kevin Matthews
Kevin Matthews lives in Edinburgh and has done for some time. He loves it there and he loves movies, especially horrors. No film is too awful to pass through his cinematic haze.
by Dallas King
by Katie Smith-Wong
Memoria (2021) – Film Review
by Johannes Black
The 355 (2022) – Film Review
Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words
LFF 2020 – Another Round (2020) Review


Meet the Staff...
Doc & Amber Hendley - Owners
Doc and Amber Hendley are co-owners of Boone Docks Studios.
In 2014, they opened the gym. It was opened in the warehouse that his wife, Amber was using for her dance studio, High Country Dance Studio. He opened it with his children and the community of Boone at the backbone. He wanted a fun place for his sons to learn and interact with other kids their age. It also is a way for Doc to give back to the community and provide a safe haven for kids to exercise and put their energy to good use. Doc is also President and Founder of the organization Wine To Water and is also a professional public speaker and Harley enthusiast. Amber is also director/instructor of High Country Dance Studios.
Jason & Becky Zaragoza - General Managers
Jason and Becky Zaragoza are co-managing Boone Docks MMA.
Jason has been training in Judo and Mixed Martial Arts since 2010 and Jiu Jitsu since 2014. He is one of the founding members of Boone Docks MMA, which originated in 2010 in a small studio with several mats on the floor. It has since evolved into a full scale MMA gym.
Jason is currently a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu under black belt instructor Jeff Cope. He has a passion for bringing Mixed Martial Arts into the High Country for those at any level to train. He has assisted in establishing a gym where members can train at any level, from those who want to learn self defense to those who want to compete in competition. Jason, as well as his family, trains at the studio, where his 11 year old son, Dillon, has excelled in Jiu Jitsu, winning multiple tournaments, and has been awarded his Yellow Belt by our Black Belt Jiu Jitsu instructor Jeff Cope, under the direction of the kids Jiu Jitsu coach Spencer Reeves.
In addition to being the General Manager, Jason works at the Watauga County Sheriff's Office as the Sgt of the Special Operations Division. Prior to working in Law Enforcement, Jason was enlisted in the Army assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, 1/504 Parachute Infantry Regiment as an Infantry Team Leader, holding the rank of Sgt. Jason has conducted 2 combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Spencer Reeves - Manager/Instructor
Spencer Reeves is a manager and Jiu Jitsu Purple Belt Instructor at Boone Docks MMA. Spencer began Jiu Jitsu in 2012, training with a blue belt friend and eventually moved up to an MMA school in Tennessee where he was able to train on weekends and occasionally during the week. After training with the App State Jiu Jitsu club and meeting a bluebelt from a school near Boone, Spencer began to train under Professor Jeff Cope from Ground Control BJJ in Winston-Salem, NC. It was under Professor Cope that he was awarded his blue belt, and given the honor of running Jeff's affiliate school, Boone Docks MMA. Spencer has coached multiple competitors to gold medals, notably, at Grapplemania 2015 where the team swept 3 divisions in nogi. Spencer has been the head BJJ coach at Boone Docks MMA for a year and has, at a minimum, podiumed at every tournament he has competed in. Spencer's goals for the program are to instill the passion for Jiu Jitsu that he has into every student and to maintain a playful and safe learning environment. Whether a student's goals are to learn self-defense, compete, or fight MMA, our Jiu Jitsu program has something for everyone!
Professor Jeff Cope - Black Belt Affiliate Instructor, Owner and operator of Ground Control BJJ Winston Salem, NC
Jeff Cope graciously travels to the mountains for siminars at Boone Docks MMA every other Thursday. His lineage- Jigoro Kano > Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Rilion Gracie > Marcelo Araujo > Jeff Cope. Cope has been training almost 11 years. He has been with Marcelo Araujo for 7 years going on 8. Triangles & foot locks are his best moves. & he loves BJJ!
Christian Gray - Muay Thai Instructor
Muay Thai coach Christian Gray has been involved in the martial art for the last 8 years, and has been teaching for the last 4. Christian has a traditional style of Muay Thai due to his coach Matt Coleman and himself being trained by several Thai's over the years including Joe Hongthongnoi who owns Hongthong Muay Thai, Sittisak who holds wins over Americans Kevin Ross and Chris Mauceri, and Master Cha who owns Thai Top Team USA. Christians style focuses a lot on kicks, knees, and trips.
Jim Heaton - Black Belt
Judo Instructor
231 Deerfield Road
High Country Dance
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Industry Issues Asia
Preparing for the Global Economy
Lauren Marley
The donation made through GeoScienceWorld has helped educate Indonesia's emerging workforce by increasing the breadth of the university's library holdings and making peer-reviewed research more accessible and easier to use for Trisakti's 30,000 students.
This article appeared in Vol. 9, No. 5 - 2013
Geoscience students at Trisakti University now have access to a wide range of geoscience publications through GeoScienceWorld. When she was President of AAPG in 2000–2001, Robbie Gries, on a speaking tour in Indonesia, met with eager AAPG student chapter members from Trisakti University and six other Indonesian universities who had travelled far to hear her lecture and also to help with the AAPG International conference in Bali. Gries states, "I had been to universities in Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America whose libraries were the size of a WC and publications had to be locked away from students and professors alike, as they were so precious." Recognising that these students shared a worldwide demand for access to high-quality geoscience research, Gries, partnered with Dr. Sharon Mosher, then President of the Geological Society of America (and currently the Dean of the Jackson School of Geoscience at the University of Texas in Austin), decided to try to develop a means for serving this need. Soon GeoScienceWorld was born – a non-profit digital archive of peer-reviewed geoscience journals interoperable with GeoRef. Once the organisation was established, Gries, who is President of Denver-based Priority Oil and Gas LLC, sponsored a subscription for Trisakti University, which has continued. The donation made through GeoScienceWorld has helped educate Indonesia's emerging workforce by increasing the breadth of the university's library holdings and making peer-reviewed research more accessible and easier to use for Trisakti's 30,000 students.
"GeoScienceWorld has been very useful for students and lecturers," according to Muhammad Burhannudin, a lecturer at the University of Engineering Geology FTKE Trisakti. With no way for many universities throughout the world to have the ability to provide and continually fund a comprehensive geoscience library, "Trisakti University's access to the digital library through GeoScienceWorld has been a godsend the past three years," says Gries. "However, there are at least six other universities in Indonesia alone that still await funding for their own subscriptions."
As the Secretary for GeoScienceWorld's Board of Directors, Gries continues to help shape and expand the mission and vision of the non-profit to be a comprehensive, widely-accessible, easy to use, integrated, and cost-effective online resource for research materials in the geological and earth sciences. While GeoScienceWorld now has a presence in more than 430 libraries in 41 countries across the globe, there are hundreds of academic institutions in developing nations hungry for access to this type of information for research and basic geoscience studies. Corporate sponsors like Gries are one way these schools can prepare the next generation of geoscientists to compete in a global economy. Says Gries, "I am inspired by every story available about people making it out of poverty and developing a successful career, and if this helps just one student achieve that, it has been all worthwhile."
Students at Trisakti and institutions worldwide are pleased with the recent mobile optimisation of GeoScienceWorld's 41 journals. With such a high percentage of mobile usage in developing countries like Indonesia, this is another way for students and researchers to gather necessary data from all points on the globe more easily.
For more information about GeoScienceWorld sponsorships and institutional partnering options, please contact [email protected].
Industry Issues Worldwide
Iran. The Implications of Peace
An agreement on Iran's nuclear industry should be signed by the end of June. What are the implications for the oil price, OPEC and the industry?
Industry Issues North America
Responsible Resource Development
Gary M. Hanson
Gas development of the Haynesville Shale Play prompted a local state university, Louisiana's officials, and natural gas operators to take a transdisciplinary approach to solve the area's water use problems, which could be used as a model for the industry.


Make the Cthulhu Mythos Ebook Bundle Slipcase a Physical Reality by May 30th 2017
Make the Cthulhu Mythos Ebook Bundle Slipcase a Physical Reality by May 30th!
Since we launched our Cthulhu Mythos Ebook Bundle we have had dozens of e-mails from interested customers asking about the slipcase pictured in the image. We had to inform them each time that the slipcase was only virtual! But now there's a chance to change that...
If the Cthulhu Mythos Books Kickstarter campaign from Dark Regions Press unlocks Stretch Goal 2 by its deadline of Tuesday, May 30th 2017 11:59PM PST the Cthulhu Mythos Ebook Bundle slipcase will become a physical reality!
Join the Kickstarter to Unlock the Slipcase by May 30th: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrismorey/cthulhu-mythos-books-from-dark-regions-press
LOCKED (ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL 05/30/2017 11:59PM PST) - STRETCH GOAL #2: The currently virtual-only slipcase pictured in this image for the Cthulhu Mythos Ebook Bundle becomes a physical reality designed to house all six new titles debuting in this campaign as a box set in paperback format and another version designed to house the three deluxe editions included in the deluxe bundle reward level. To be offered as an optional paid preorder add-on during the post-campaign BackerKit survey.


End Times ? Large Meteorites Fall from space injuring 900 people in Russia !
Posted by 9jabook.com on February 15, 2013 at 3:37pm in Na Wa O !
A few Days Ago Lightning struck the pope's Church just hours after his resignation and now this.... Rocks as Big as a BUS falling from Space ? Are these signs of and Acts of God trying to tell us something ?
By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent
More than 900 people have been injured after a meteor strike in central Russia, the country's interior ministry said.
Fragments of at least one meteorite - the weight of a double-decker bus - were seen falling from the sky in the Chelyabinsk region at around 9am local time, around 1,500km east of Moscow.
A regional governor said 950 people have been injured. Russia's Ministry of Emergencies said at least 82 children were hurt and 34 adults and 12 children were being treated in hospital. Two people are in intensive care.
The meteor lit up the sky
Many were hurt by flying glass as windows were blown in. Witnesses described feeling a pressure wave and hearing explosions overhead as the object hurtled to earth.
The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 33,000mph - 15 times the speed of a rifle bullet - and shattered up to 32 miles above ground.
Meteors typically cause sizeable sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere because they are travelling much faster than the speed of sound.
The meteorite weighed 10 tonnes
The defence ministry said it had identified a six metre crater near a lake in this region and has sent soldiers to the site of the impact.
The emergencies ministry said that 20,000 rescue workers had been dispatched to help the injured and locate those needing help.
Resident Anna Pinkus told Sky News she saw a bright light outside her window and then heard three explosions.
More than 500 people have been injured
"It was a very loud sound. After that our windows began to shatter and shiver so it was very terrifying. First we thought it was a plane crash."
Planetary scientist Professor Ian Crawford of Birbeck University said this was an unusual case as meteorite hits rarely cause any damage.
Viktor was injured by a shock wave
"Several times a year meteorites are observed to fall on the earth's surface but damage to people or property is very unusual – there are only several recorded cases of buildings being hit by meteorites."
Describing the course of the meteorite he said, "I think it's very likely that it would have been a larger lump of rock that broke up in the earth's atmosphere – this is usually what happens.
"The rock comes in from space and hits the earth's atmosphere. That decelerates it and puts a lot of stress on it. Then it's likely to fragment into lots of pieces."
The local office of the National Emergencies Ministry said in a statement: "A meteorite disintegrated above the Urals (mountain range in central Russia), partially burning up in the lower atmosphere.
"Fragments of the meteorite reached Earth, falling in sparsely populated areas in the Chelyabinsk region."
Many drivers in Russia have video recorders fitted in their cars in case of accidents or disputes with traffic police. Footage from these uploaded to YouTube show the fireball crashing to the ground.
There were reports of traffic in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk grinding to a halt and people seeking shelter in buildings as the fireballs lit up the sky.
The emergencies ministry confirmed the mobile phone network was temporarily cut.
The meteor hit Chelyabinsk
Schools have been closed for the day across the region after the impact blew out windows.
The Chelyabinsk region is Russia's industrial heartland, home to many factories and other huge facilities that include a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre.
A spokesman for Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy state corporation, said that its operations remained unaffected.
"All Rosatom enterprises located in the Urals region - including the Mayak complex - are working as normal," said a Rosatom spokesman.
Permalink Reply by susanjerry on February 15, 2013 at 4:55pm
The coming of christ is near, thats all


Men of Timor
Men of Timor is a 1943 short documentary propaganda film about the guerrilla warfare activities of Sparrow Force on Timor Island during World War II.
Ken G. Hall (uncredited)
Narrated by
Peter Bathurst
Damien Parer
Cinesound Productions
The film opens with a map of the Timor Sea area, showing Timor Island, then Japanese occupied Dutch Timor and Portuguese Timor (East Timor), in relation to the coast of the Northern Territory in northern Australia. It briefly explains the circumstances of the Australian troops left behind, who did not surrender but carried on a guerrilla war against the Japanese.
After some very difficult forays behind enemy lines to capture equipment for radio, they manage to contact the Australian military in the city of Darwin across the Timor Sea. Wary of a possible Japanese trick, the military asked the Sparrow Force men what the first name of a wife of a particular sergeant was. When the correct answer, Joan, was returned, the Australian military starts to airlift supplies to the Allied guerrillas and their Timorese allies.
Damien Parer, British journalist Dixon-Brown and ABC war correspondent Bill Marien travelled to Timor in November 1942 to report on the conflict. The Australian soldiers delayed an attack until Parer's arrival so he could film it.[1][2] Embarked from Darwin in HMAS Castlemaine, a corvette for Betano on 5 November 1942 and returned embarking at Belano in Timor for Darwin, Australia on 16 November 1942.
The Sydney Morning Herald called the movie "memorable":
It epitomises the almost unbelievable adventure, as well as the daring, initiative, and courage, of some of the men fighting in this war... Character and fighting spirit, resourcefulness and grim determination, often lurking behind a grin, have been captured In some superbly photographed close-ups of these now famed Australian guerillas, These studies are the highlights of a documentary picture that will definitely help to immortalise a military venture linked with the destiny of Australia.[3]
List of Allied propaganda films of World War II
"Men of Timor" at WW2 Australia
"PARER FILMS COMMANDO ACTIVITIES IN TIMOR". Daily Mercury. Mackay, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 7 January 1943. p. 5. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
"Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 4 January 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
Complete film online on YouTube
Men of Timor on IMDb
Australian War Memorial.gov: Men of Timor
22 Australian War Memorial.gov: video of several minutes of Parer's original footage on Timor
British Pathe.com: Men of Timor
Oz Movies.com: Men of Timor
Films directed and produced by Ken G. Hall
The Exploits of the Emden (1928)
On Our Selection (1932)
The Squatter's Daughter (1933)
Cinesound Varieties (1934)
The Silence of Dean Maitland (1934)
Strike Me Lucky (1934)
Grandad Rudd (1935)
Thoroughbred (1936)
Orphan of the Wilderness (1936)
It Isn't Done (1937)
Tall Timbers (1937)
Lovers and Luggers (1937)
The Broken Melody (1938)
Let George Do It (1938)
Dad and Dave Come to Town (1938)
Gone to the Dogs (1939)
Come Up Smiling (1939) (producer only)
Mr. Chedworth Steps Out (1939)
Dad Rudd, M.P. (1940)
Smithy (1946)
Thar She Blows! (1931)
That's Cricket (1931)
Ghosts of Port Arthur (1933)
Road to Victory (1941)
Anzacs in Overalls (1941)
Australia Marches with Britain (1941)
100,000 Cobbers (1942)
Another Threshold (1942)
Give Us This Day (1943)
South West Pacific (1943)
Fourth Liberty Loans: I Had A Son (1943)
First Victory Loan: Return Journey (1944)
Searchlight on Japan (1948)
Can John Braund Cure Cancer? (1948)
Thrill of the Surf (1949)
Fighting Blood (1951)
Australian Bushland Symphony (1952)
South Pacific Playground (1953)
Overland Adventure (1954)
Music in Our Schools (1954)
Haven on the Hill (1956)
The Kurnell Story (1957)
Newsreels
From Palestine to Bengazi with the Prime Minister (1941)
Kokoda Front Line! (1942)
Moresby Under the Blitz (1942)
Assault on Salamaua (1943)
Men of Timor (1943)
The Bismarck Convoy Smashed (1943)
R.A.A.F. Eagles Over New Guinea (1943)


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The world is changing. So should your reading habits.
Global GovernanceMohamed-Ali Adraoui May 09, 2019
Part I: The United States and The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood: Understanding a Chaotic History
The following is the first of a two-part series.
For many years, the relationship between the United States and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan) has been under fire, plagued by myth and delusion. The United States and the Muslim Brotherhood have faced conflicting accusations of colluding in order to maintain U.S. interests in the Middle East or, conversely, of fiercely sparring over the antagonistic values of liberal democracy versus theocracy. A careful and rigorous analysis of historical archives and interviews with some of the most important representatives of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East shed a more nuanced and factual light on the country's past and current relationship with the Brotherhood. The United States has never supported the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology; however, it has always tried to deal with it when international circumstances demanded, trying to find a way to make the Muslim Brothers more "responsible" and encouraging them to act according to U.S. national interest.
Irreconcilable ideological differences have never impeded efforts to cooperate, since both parties have refrained from adopting hardline objectives and from underestimating power relationships. Even though the Muslim Brotherhood has, for decades, continuously fanned the flames of repulsion on doctrinal grounds, the United States has never shied away from establishing a partnership with it whenever the Brotherhood appeared to wield influence in Egyptian decision-making circles. In these specific circumstances, the Brotherhood was deemed a responsible partner that could rein in its radical nature. As long as the Brotherhood's agenda did not conflict with the dominant U.S. approach of the time, the United States was happy to collaborate. When their agendas clashed, though, the United States reverted to portraying the Brotherhood as dogmatic and uncompromising hard-liners. In fact, a continuous shift between a principled attitude and a politically-motivated approach has defined the relationship between the two parties over the last century.
A Chaotic Relationship of Mutual Mistrust and Shared Interests
Declassified U.S. State Department archival documents prior to 1979 reveal a U.S. relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood defined by chaos and self-interest. The U.S. diplomats who served in Egypt appear to have long ignored the Brotherhood. Up until the mid-1940s, no reports, diplomatic correspondence, or other documents sent out by the U.S. embassy in Cairo made any mention of the Muslim Brotherhood. "The fanatical Moslem Society: Ikhwan El-Moslimin" was first referenced in a diplomatic note U.S. diplomats based in Cairo sent on April 29, 1944.
In fact, a few days prior to the note, the Brotherhood had addressed a letter in Arabic to the U.S ambassador to Egypt, asking not only for a clarification of the U.S. position regarding the Palestinian issue and support to Arabs, but also requesting that Washington pressure its British and French allies, whom the group accused of oppression and colonization of Muslim populations [1]. In the April 29 note , U.S. diplomats warned against the movement whose creation they wrongly dated back to 1938 (Ikhwan was actually created ten years prior), showing how little they knew about the group. They contended that the Brotherhood warranted caution due to its "adherence to fanatical tenets," promotion of "Koranic law" to rule Egypt, and belief that "anything not Muslim must be hated."
Thereafter, the relationship between the two parties was characterized as a deliberate clash of world views that continuously fueled animosity between the United States and the Islamist movement. Yet, concurrently, the relationship has also promoted mutual interests and the combined search for political gains, as evident whenever the two parties have shared a common enemy or were forced to deal with one another. In these instances, irreconcilable ideological differences always came second to pragmatism.
U.S. Use of Muslim Brotherhood Influence During the Cold War
A few years later, as the Cold War ushered in a new global geopolitical frame of reference, the U.S. outlook on the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology became more favorable. The U.S diplomatic corps in Cairo created links with the leaders of the movement, and these contacts only intensified after the Free Officers' coup d'état in the summer of 1952. In a note dated December 23, 1952, the Counselor of the Embassy, Robert McClintock, gave an account of his conversations with some of the highest ranking leaders of the Brotherhood (Hassan al-Hudaybi, a judge who succeeded Hassan al-Banna, the movement's founder, as General Guide; Mahmoud Makhlouf; and Said Ramadan, among others), proof of the ties that had been established. McClintock related how these leaders, who supported the toppling of the monarchy, understood communism and envisioned change for Egypt. He went so far as to say that he was confident that these hard-liners could offset the growing influence of communism in Egypt, an influence that grew stronger under Gamal Abdel Nasser, the newly established Egyptian strongman who had deposed Mohamed Naguib, himself suspected of being too close the Brotherhood. The U.S. diplomatic corps kept building ties with the Brotherhood up to the point when the movement was forced underground in 1950.
These elements support the contention that for many years the U.S relationship with the Egyptian Brotherhood was in fact motivated by the group's influence and capacity to mobilize its members in order to help the United States out of a difficult situation. In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood opposed Nasser's growing influence and helped contain the Soviet influence in the Arab world. In this context, they appeared as both a counterweight and a potential ally.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Cairo met openly and regularly with the leaders of the Brotherhood to discuss the movement's position, as the initial cooperation it had established with the military regime gradually deteriorated into a fierce rivalry. The influence of the radical theorist Sayyid Qutb—whose trial and execution were also documented in many embassy reports—along with the ban of the Brotherhood in 1954 catalyzed the break in relations with the United States. From 1966 to 1967, no diplomatic note or cable originating from the U.S. embassy in Egypt made any elaborated mention of the Brotherhood. In all likelihood, the links between the U.S. diplomatic corps and the Muslim Brotherhood were deemed inappropriate now that the movement had gone underground. This situation lingered even when Anwar al-Sadat, a president better disposed towards the group, took office. Indeed, no significant trace of the former relationships that had been built between the United States and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood could be found in the archives after the mid-1960s.
The Mubarak years saw the U.S. try to establish some personal contacts with some members of the Muslim Brotherhood. As stated by some leading diplomats such as Frank Wisner, the U.S. Ambassador in Cairo from 1986 to 1991, it was sometimes possible to meet with the Brotherhood's leaders [2]. Yet, the United States was always under constant pressure from the Egyptian government to be very cautious about being in touch with a movement that was not officially recognized at that time. The 1990s thus revealed some contact between the United States and the Brotherhood, but no deep interaction.
For many years after, it seemed the United States had lost contact with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. However, with the end of the Cold War and the rise of global jihadist movements in the aftermath of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, the United States took a renewed interest in the Brotherhood as a possible partner. It remains to be seen if this partnership will emerge or if, conversely, the movement will instead encourage violent religious extremism across the Islamic world.
[1] In this note, precision is made that no one at the embassy spoke Arabic. An Arabic speaker was recruited for the first time by the embassy afterwards.
[2] I interviewed Frank Wisner on April 16th, 2019 in New York.
Mohamed-Ali Adraoui is a Research-Professor and Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellow at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He is currently working on a book on the history of U.S. foreign policy towards the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, to be submitted shortly to Oxford University Press.
Mohamed-Ali Adraoui
Global GovernanceAndrea Kendall-Taylor March 30, 2019
The Building of Russia's Geopolitical Momentum
Global GovernanceCélia Belin and Ted Reinert April 06, 2019
The Eclipse of the European Union's Global Influence
Part II: The United States and The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood: Understanding a Chaotic History
Global GovernanceMichael Fuchs and Abigail Bard May 21, 2019
The United States Must be on the Side of Democracy in Southeast Asia
Sarah Khalbuss July 12, 2019
Uncertainty in the Uighur Diaspora: A Brother's and Sister's Tale
The Struggle of the Indigenous Population in Contemporary Brazil
Culture & SocietyPedro Calafate May 08, 2019
About Us Print Edition Latest Articles Submissions Current Staff Join us! Contact Us


Lifedeciding to divorcedivorcedivorce advice
Divorce Regret Is Real, So Consider These Questions Before Calling It Quits
Ending a marriage can be a complicated process.
Isabelle Khoo
Lifestyle editor
May 17, 2018, 01:26 PM EDT | Updated May 17, 2018
Divorce is not uncommon today, but that doesn't mean making the decision to end a marriage has gotten any easier. Often, there are a number of factors to consider, from children to finances, and sometimes the answer isn't always in black and white.
Plus, divorce regret is a real thing. According to a 2016 survey conducted by U.K. law firm Seddons, 22 per cent of more than 800 divorcees wished they hadn't ended their marriage.
seb_ra via Getty Images
Sir Paul Coleridge, a retired family law judge in London, can attest to this. "Of course there are cases where divorce is inevitable. I haven't sat in the courts for 40 years without knowing that there are cases where it is just as well the parties separated," he told The Sun U.K.
"But it has been obvious to me that, by and large, a significant proportion of people who separate wish they had not five years down the line."
Although Statistics Canada no longer provides updated information on divorces across the country, a 2011 census found that roughly five million Canadians separated or divorced in the last 20 years.
If you've been struggling with the decision to get divorced, Karolina Pasko, a New York-based registered psychotherapist and relationship coach, suggests you ask your partner these three questions.
1.Would you be happier without this relationship?
"The despair in a relationship can be caused by the unresolved inner conflict that is projected onto the relationship," Pasko told HuffPost Canada in an email.
That's why the psychotherapist says it's important for couples to take a step back and figure out whether stresses from other areas of their lives are having a negative impact on their marriage.
"When we are going through the tumultuous time in our relationships, we tend to focus on the negative or what we do not have," she explained. "The grass always seems greener on the other side."
Ask your partner the question above so that you both have the same understanding of where the negativity from your relationship is coming from.
KM Photography via Getty Images
2. Do you like the person you've become in marriage?
Marriage isn't always a blessing. Sometimes it can bring out the worst in you and your partner, which is something you both need to recognize.
This particular question will help you figure that out, as well as whether or not "the bad times outweigh the good ones."
"After years of self-sacrifice, trauma, and self-doubt, people tend to stay in relationships [instead of ripping off] the Band-Aid," Pasko said. "When you have to become somebody you are not to make another person happy, you know that the Band-Aid needs to go and healing must enter."
Wavebreakmedia via Getty Images
3. What are you prepared to do and give up to make this relationship work?
"When things get emotional, our judgment tends to be clouded by phrases like 'no more' or 'I am done trying,'" the relationship coach said. "Asking your partner what they are willing to do instead of what they are not will invite a breath of positive air into your conversations."
Having this open and honest conversation with your partner could help resolve conflict and bring balance back into the relationship. But while compromise is key, Pasko warned that couples should be aware of when they are asking too much of their partner, as too much self-sacrifice can be toxic.
laflor via Getty Images
Other major things to consider, according to Pasko, is how your marriage conflict is affecting your kids (if you have them) and if you are staying in the relationship due to social pressures or fear of loneliness.
Referring to the former, Pasko said, "Often we suck it up for the kids, but think again. When your kids are seeing you — their role models — mistreating, devaluating, stonewalling, or disrespecting each other, you should understand that they will seek out this type of relationship when they grow up."
As for the latter, the psychotherapist noted that the divorce stigma is less than it used to be (heck, there are even divorce parties now!), and added that "Today, staying when you can leave is a new shame."
Regarding the loneliness excuse, Pasko said: "Remember, the decision made out of fear is rarely the right decision."
"The only way you will make the right decision is if it is based on truth and responsibility," she said. "Stop worrying about what is wrong with you. Stop asking questions about your spouse and start asking questions about the life you want and how you will take charge of the new you regardless of your decision."
deciding to divorcedivorcedivorce advicedivorce regretgetting divorced


Watch The One and Only Ivan Online HD! Free Streaming
Genre: Animation|Comedy|Family
A gorilla named Ivan tries to piece together his past with the help of an elephant named Stella as they hatch a plan to escape from captivity.
Some news about "The One and Only Ivan"
Disney has announced that three previously untitled live-action movies slated for 2022, 2024 and 2026 will be new, untitled "Star Wars" films.Following the release of "Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker" in December of this year, Disney will release three more "Star Wars" films on Dec. 20, 2022, Dec. 18, 2024 and Dec. 18, 2026, respectively."The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson and "Game of Thrones" creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were reported to have been working on their own trilogies of "Star Wars" films, but it's unclear whose trilogy these three films are associated with.Also Read: Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca in 'Star Wars,' Dies at 74The where can i watch free movies online news came in a massive announcement in which Disney mapped out films up through 2027 now with the addition of the Fox slate. Among the changes, Disney delayed all four "Avatar" sequels by one-to-two years each, pushed back "The New Mutants" and completely removed "Gambit" from the development slate.Tony Sokol Mar 27, 2019Angelina Jolie makes her superhero debut in Marvel's Eternals movie. Chlo Zhao directs Jack Kirby's classic 1976 miniseries.Gods and Goddesses are coming back in Marvel's Eternals movie. Angelina Jolie, who won an Oscar for her role in Girl, Interrupted, is in talks to join the upcoming feature film adaptation of watch full hd movies Jack Kirby's The Eternals, according to Variety. The film, which is coming from Disney and Marvel Studios, will be directed by Chloe Zhao.The Eternals are a hidden race living on Earth. Their creators were space gods called the Celestials who visited earth 5 million years ago. They performed genetic experiments on early forms of life on earth, giving them cosmic powers and near-immortality. The Eternals were created as a force for good They are sworn enemies to the Deviants, also created by Celestials. Eternals and Deviants have been around for thousands of years and areAngelina Jolie is in talks to star in Marvel Studios' "The Eternals," in what would be Jolie's view movies online free first venture into the superhero realm.Details about the movie and what character Jolie would play are being kept under wraps. Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, the story of "The Eternals" is set millions of years ago when the cosmic beings known as the Celestials genetically experimented on humans to create super-powered individuals known as the Eternals along with the villainous Deviants.The two groups went on to battle each other throughout history. The Eternals also warred with Greek, Roman and Norse dieties before leaving the Earth to explore the stars.Chloe Zhao, whose helming credits include "The Rider" and "Songs My Brothers Taught Me," became attached in watch new films online free September to direct "The Eternals" from a script by Matthew and Ryan Firpo. Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige is producing.Jolie is starring "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,
Genre : AnimationComedyFamily
Blood Craft


Teen Death Stirs Fresh Debate About Depression Medication
April 20, 2004 | Staff | Drug Lawsuits
By Barbara Martinez of The Wall Street Journal
The death of a teenager last week from liver failure is raising questions anew about an antidepressant that continues to be available in the U.S. despite having been removed from the market in other countries.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s Serzone was taken off the market in Europe in early 2003 and in Canada in the fall of last year. Last month, the advocacy group Public Citizen sued the Food and Drug Administration, seeking to halt sales of the drug, one year after the group filed a petition to get Serzone banned in the U.S.
A spokeswoman for the FDA said the agency is still reviewing Public Citizen's petition to remove the drug from the market and continues to monitor reports of "adverse events." She said the agency's previous review of the drug resulted in a stronger warning on side effects but that the reports of liver damage were "very rare" and "with appropriate labeling, the drug still has a role in the U.S. in people that couldn't use" other medications.
In 2001, the FDA required Bristol-Myers to send a letter to doctors warning of potential liver damage in users of the drug. A so-called black-box warning also was added to the drug's label, highlighting the potentially dangerous side effect on the liver. As lawsuits have piled up over the drug, sales have declined. According to NDCHealth, a health-care information-services company, sales of Serzone fell last year to $170 million, down from $378 million in 2001.
About 1.5 million prescriptions were written for the drug last year. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said that the still-large number of prescriptions shows that doctors are slow to learn about black-box warnings, particularly if they have been prescribing a certain drug for a long time. The fact that the drug is still being prescribed, when there are at least a dozen other options, "shows that the company was successful in promoting the drug" since it was introduced in 1994, Dr. Wolfe said.
Serzone works somewhat differently from more popular antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft by affecting two neurotransmitters instead of one.
In its petition to the FDA, Public Citizen cites the FDA's own figures for Serzone's effects on patients. According to the group, the FDA's adverse-event database records 20 deaths I the U.S. from liver failure in people using Serzone, including a six-year-old child. Dr. Wolfe said the some of the deaths were in patients who began using Serzone after the black-box warning went on the labels.
A spokesman for Bristol-Myers said, "Bristol-Myers, the FDA and U.S. prescribing physicians all believe that drug has a role in the treatment of depression," The spokesman said the company "discontinued sales in the vast majority of European countries due to business reason."
"Earlier this month, Cassie Jo Geisenhof died from liver failure as a result of taking Serzone", said her lawyer, Andy Birchfield of Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis and Miles, in Montgomery, Ala. Ms. Geisenhof, who lived in Minnesota, had taken Serzone four months to treat mild depression when she was 15. Soon after, she had liver failure and underwent liver-transplant surgery, Mr. Birchfield said. But her body rejected the new liver, and she was in and out of hospitals until her death, at age 19.
Bristol-Myers lost patent protection for the drug last fall. According to NCDHealth, sales of generic version of the drug, nefazodone, totaled $23 million last year. While liver toxicity is a separate issue, many heavily prescribed antidepressants are now under scrutiny for possible connections to suicidal thoughts, especially in teenagers. Last, month, the FDA asked drug makers to put warnings on 10 antidepressants urging doctors and patients to closely monitor teenage patients for suicidal behavior when treatment starts.
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