Farewill Lynch, Hamilton
Scott Weaver
12/18/07 at 12:00 AM
It was nearly 7pm, time for one of the year's last City Council meetings to begin, and the crowd hushed in anticipation. Four councilors sat on the dais. The fifth, Kevin Lynch, was nowhere in sight.
Mayor David Brown looked at the audience and said, "You're all quiet, but Kevin's not here yet." He then let a little smile play across his face. "Everyone should clap when he comes in."
Soon after, Lynch walked in to a smattering of applause.
Gone, but not soon forgotten: Kevin Lynch and Kendra Hamilton. City Council meetings are liable to be more boring without thee!
Applause for Lynch and Vice Mayor Kendra Hamilton will soon die down for good. Both are ending their terms on City Council—Monday night was their final regular meeting—to be replaced by Holly Edwards and Satyendra Huja.
Council will be the poorer for not having Hamilton and Lynch perched on its dais. Who but Lynch, we ask you, will pick apart every detail of an issue until it has somehow magically transformed into another issue? And if, by chance, someone steps into that role in the new Council, who, if not Hamilton, will shoot that person brief but exasperated glances as the monologue roles on?
Lynch will be missed for his seemingly effortless ability to spin an aphorism out of a long discussion, such as this one he whipped on Council at the end of a debate over draconian punishments for speeders: "In Saudi Arabia you can be stoned for adultery, but people still do it." To which Brown shook his head and replied, "Kevin, we're going to miss you on Council."
That's for sure. And Council will also miss Hamilton, who in her four years managed to steer the wonkiest of discussions back to how decisions made late on Monday nights would affect the citizenry of Charlottesville. From her seat to the left of Brown and behind her ever-present Mac laptop, Hamilton raised important questions on everything from the proposed surveillance cameras on the Downtown Mall to who will really benefit from a new YMCA.
But some might not miss the two as much as the rest of us. For example, county officials probably won't shed too many tears at Lynch's departure, since he was the most consistent voice to regularly point out the county's shortcomings, especially on transportation and infrastructure issues.
And those who choose to use the public comment time at each Council meeting to lob firebombs at the councilors will probably be happy to see Hamilton go. With regularity, she was the one councilor who chose not to grin and bear misconstrued facts and out-right falsehoods embedded in accusations, who took the time allotted for councilors' responses to straighten out the weak arguments of the poor saps.
So step up, Edwards and Huja. To stay awake during late night Council meetings, C-VILLE needs some sharp tongues to fill the void Lynch and Hamilton will leave behind.
C-VILLE welcomes news tips from readers. Send them to news@c-ville.com.
Born gentle [December 14]
You've got a friend in Virginia [December 19]
One giant leap: 50 years after moon landing, UVA students build their own spacecraft
By Matt	Weyrich	| LEAVE A COMMENT
July 20, 1969. It's one of the most significant dates in human history, and the groundbreaking event occurred almost 240,000 miles away from our home planet. American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to ever set foot on the moon that day, marking the culmination
In brief: Lynching memorial installed, ICE threatens with fines, Jim Ryan's big bucks, and more
History of lynching acknowledged In Court Square, Albemarle County's seat of justice, a memorial was installed July 12 to commemorate a historic injustice—the lynching of a black man on that date in 1898. A mob of white people pulled John Henry James from a train near what is now Farmington
The jury is out: Judge agrees councilors have immunity in Confederate statue case
Five current and former city councilors can breathe a little easier now that a judge has ruled they aren't personally liable for their votes to remove two Confederate statues downtown. Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Richard Moore penned a letter to the opposing legal teams in Monument Fund
Life plus 419 years: Judge goes with jury recommendation in Fields case
By Lisa	Provence	| LEAVE A COMMENT
After a four-hour hearing July 15 in the cramped room temporarily housing Charlottesville Circuit Court, a judge handed down the same sentence recommended by the jury that found James Alex Fields, Jr. guilty of murder and maiming last December: life plus 419 years in prison. Self-proclaimed
A green dream: City Council passes ambitious goal for carbon neutrality
The City of Charlottesville has set a plan in motion to reduce its carbon footprint—and it's not messing around. On June 24, City Council unanimously approved a proposal to curtail carbon emissions by 45 percent over the next 11 years and achieve an end goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. It's
Muzzled: Free speech wall creator shuts down
During its heyday, the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression was known for calling out censorship with its Muzzle awards and for launching the Downtown Mall's Free Speech Wall in 2006, where luminaries like John Grisham and Dahlia Lithwick turned out to chalk the first
One way: Wintergreen wants an emergency exit
By Samantha	Baars	| LEAVE A COMMENT
There's only one way in and one way out of Wintergreen, where residents and the local fire department have called for a second emergency exit for more than a decade, and where the topography is strikingly similar to that of Gatlinburg, Tennessee—the site of the November 2016 inferno that killed
In brief: VSP whites out, Queen of Virginia sues, Hoos win World Cup, and more…
State police redact—heavily Natalie Jacobsen, a reporter who has written for C-VILLE, has been trying to get the Virginia State Police to release its August 12, 2017, operations plan for almost two years under the Freedom of Information Act. She seemed close May 22, when a Charlottesville judge
In brief: Vapers' vapors, Bird scooters scoot, (a different) Bellamy joins race, and more
It's the (new) law July 1 not only heralds the start of another hot summer, but it's also when new laws go into effect. Things you were doing legally on June 30 (ahem, 20-year-old vapers) are now against the law. And sometimes vice versa (hello, happy hour). Nicotine users: Virginia bumps the
Ground-ed: UVA considers requiring second-years to live on campus
Every college student knows it's coming. Do it right, and you're securing an enjoyable experience for two semesters of your college career. Mess it up, and you may be looking at a 12-month sentence of living with that guy who never learned how to do the dishes. Signing that first lease, even if
Going it alone: Charlottesville Tomorrow dumps Progress, broadens mission
When Charlottesville Tomorrow began in 2005, it was one of the first nonprofit, local news orgs in the country. Its mission was so narrow—land use, community design, transportation—that another local weekly called it a "growth watchdog." The online publication broadened its name recognition and
Plea denied: James Fields gets life behind bars for car attack
James Alex Fields Jr. sat before the judge, his thick, black hair grown just long enough to touch the collar of his black-and-white striped jumpsuit. The 22-year-old wore glasses, and spent most of Friday morning and early afternoon staring at the wall in front of him as the victims who were
Paige's pay cut: New details on former council chief of staff's resignation
Paige Rice, the former Charlottesville chief of staff and clerk of council who was indicted on felony embezzlement charges June 7, decided to resign from her post in September because her salary was reduced just two months after she received a raise and expanded role, according to documents
Where's McFadden? Emotional plea from family of missing teen
The family of Dashad, aka Sage, Smith made a moving, at times tearful request for help in finding the man last seen with the teen missing since 2012, while urging the community to not get hung up on pronouns or the name by which Smith is identified. At a June 27 press conference,
The Power Issue: Our annual look at C'ville's movers and shakers
Our annual, and always subjective, look at the movers and shakers around town is a mix of stalwarts and surprises. Here's our take on the people shaping our city and county this year, for better or worse. We hope it gets you talking. Politics Nikuyah Walker Since Mayor Nikuyah Walker
In brief: Money flows, DP/CTom breakup, Tracci runs, and more
Funding cut loose Long-on-the-books redevelopment plans for Friendship Court, Southwood Mobile Home Park, and Crozet's town center got millions in funding last week. Southwood and Crozet Plaza each got a $3.2-million go-ahead from Albemarle's Board of Supervisors June 19, contingent upon
No free lunch: Paid parking comes to Belmont
When the ParkMobile signs went up June 15, the paid parking designation caught Belmonters by surprise. Parking can be a challenge in the neighborhood, and customers at two new restaurants, Belle Coffee & Wine and No Limits Smokehouse, had been using the adjacent lots for free. Now, they'll
Threat of ICE raids creates fear in local immigrant communities
Although President Trump walked back his order to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct mass roundups of migrant families in major U.S. cities over the weekend, the delay did nothing to forestall the anxiety already created in the local immigrant community. The raids were
Building space: Women break into the skilled trades
By Carol	Diggs	| LEAVE A COMMENT
Anne Lassere is the very model of a young woman whose career is about to take off. Competent, confident, poised and well-educated, the daughter of a doctor and a lawyer, she's studied sculpture and anthropology and has lived in France, where she worked as a translator. She's recently left her
In brief: Rice reactions, RBG ruling, TJ's party over, and more
'Odd' indictment The felony embezzlement charge against former City Council clerk Paige Rice, 37, for an iPhone and Apple Watch valued at more than $500 has many scratching their heads. "It seems very unusual it got to this point without a resolution," says attorney Scott Goodman. "It seems


Mengler Family Wines
Alexander Valley AVA
menglerwine.com
Chris and Rita believe in working close to the land and handle all aspects of the vineyard work themselves, resulting in award-winning, expressive wines.
Founded by husband and wife team Chris and Rita Mengler in 2014, Mengler Family Wines is an ultra-boutique winery located in Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. The goal at Mengler Family Wines is to craft small batches of unique and compelling wines from top vineyards in the region, with the purpose of bringing the ultimate tasting experience to the market.
Chris began his career in the pharmaceutical industry, and after seeing much success over the year, he settled in the town of Healdsburg where he was surrounded by some of the most beautiful wine country in the state. It was only natural that he became interested in wine and the science behind winemaking, and he eventually started taking online winemaking classes through UC Davis. After earning his certificate, he worked a harvest before deciding to establish his own winery, Mengler Family Wines. Chris works exclusively with Sonoma County fruit and produces a range of wines including Chardonnay, Viognier, Dolcetto, Sangiovese, and his signature red wine, 'Rita's Block,' which is a true field blend of up to 18 different wine grape varieties.
Chris and Rita believe in working close to the land and handle all aspects of vineyard work and winemaking themselves, with help from family and friends - they do everything from pruning, trimming and leafing, all the way to harvesting the grapes by hand in the middle of the night. The couple only makes about 1,500 cases of wine per year, with each bottling designed to express the fruit and the terroir with minimal winemaking manipulation. All of the vineyards are 100% certified sustainable, showing Chris and Rita's commitment to being good stewards of the land and supporting practices that protect the soil, air and water - elements that breathe life, and ultimately flavor, into the grapes and wines they produce. They also use select American oak when aging their range of unique and compelling wines.
This month's featured wines, the Mengler 2018 Viognier and the Mengler 2017 Dolcetto, come from the Hoot Owl Creek Vineyard in Alexander Valley and the historic Alegría Vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Hoot Owl Creek Vineyard is a gem of a property that has produced award-winning fruit for over sixty years. The vineyard only supplies fruit to a handful of top wineries in the neighboring regions. Alegría Vineyards was part of the 1841 Sotoyome land grant, and based on public records, vines were first planted here in 1890. The vineyard is an incredible field blend with approximately 40 different varieties planted across the 26 acres. 'Alegría' is Spanish for joy and happiness, which couldn't be more fitting, as the growers hope that drinking Alegría Vineyard wines brings joy and happiness to your life.
We are happy to introduce Mengler Family Wines to our Gold Plus! Wine Club members and hope you enjoy this special selection. Cheers!
Mengler
2017 Dolcetto
Best of Class
$45.00 $35.00 x 1
2017 Sangiovese
80 cases produced
Map of the area
Gold Club Most popular!
Superb, highly-regarded California wines from the best, boutique wineries. Fascinating, hard-to-find red and white wines from our most popular Club


USU defeats Colorado State, 31-19, on "Ag Day"
FORT COLLINS, Colo.— It was "Ag Day" for the Colorado State Rams who once had the nickname Aggies when they were Colorado A&M. However, it was the current Aggies of Utah State who enjoyed Ag Day the most as USU defeated the Rams, 31-19, Saturday.
Aided by a career night from senior running back Kerwynn Williams, the Aggies won their first road game of the season and got off to the best start since the 1978 season. Williams rushed a career-high 21 times for a career-high 205 yards and two touchdowns.
"You've got to look at the offensive line first because they were opening up big holes for me all night, and setting it up so I could make those runs. It all started with them," Williams said. "I think Chuckie made some good reads in the read option, which allowed me to do that. The defense had to respect him and I felt that was huge for us tonight. We've got to do a better job on the offensive side of the ball. It was a good win. It's always tough to win on the road and I'm glad we got the victory tonight."
Williams' first score of the game came on a 26-yard scamper up the middle with just less than 10 minutes remaining in the opening quarter. USU added a Josh Thompson field goal near the end of the first quarter as the Aggies continued their streak of holding opponents scoreless during the first 15 minutes.
The Aggies continued to control the game throughout the second quarter, as Colorado State struggled to move the ball against the USU defense. Midway through the second quarter, the Aggies were in scoring position again with a first and goal at the CSU 1-yard line.
However, after three straight runs, the Aggies gained minimal yards and faced a fourth and goal situation. That's when Matt Austin stepped up.
The senior receiver, who had been held to only two receptions in each of the past two games, hauled in a jump ball on the corner fade to put USU up 17-0 with 7:14 remaining in the first half.
Austin had a career-high tying six receptions for 75 yards and that score. Austin looked like he was going to add another TD with less than a minute remaining in the opening half, but he fumbled into the end zone well fighting for the goal line. Colorado State took over on the touchback and ran out the clock to end the half.
In the second half, CSU tried to make it interesting as they scored a pair of field goals off of two Chuckie Keeton interceptions. The sophomore QB finally looked his age as he completed 23-of-30 passes for only 178 yards, one touchdown, and the two picks. He also rushed 12 times for 38 yards.
Following the Rams' second field goal, Williams put the momentum back on USU's side as he erupted up the middle for a 58-yard TD with 42 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
"It's definitely frustrating to turn the ball over three times. We can't do that as an offense. It puts our defense in a bad position. It gives them a short field for their offense to work with, and it's just all bad," Williams said. "Our defense is good. They bow up everytime they are put into a situation with their backs against the wall. Every time we turned the ball over, they didn't score a touchdown so our defense did a good job of stopping them in that aspect and keeping the game going in our favor."
Trailing 24-6, Colorado State finally broke through for its first touchdown when Garrett Grayson connected with Dominique Vinson on a 4-yard pass to the back of the end zone on fourth down. Following a failed 2-point conversion, USU still led, 24-12.
Sophomore running back Joe Hill made sure the Rams didn't pull off an amazing comeback similar to last season's 35-34 debacle in Logan. After the Aggie offense drove down the field again, Hill carried it in from 15-yards out for his fourth touchdown of the season.
"I thought the kids executed and made some big plays when they had to make plays – especially when Colorado State answered and we answered right back," USU head coach Gary Andersen said. "I'm very proud of the kids. They played well. They've got a lot to do to get better, but this is big victory for this football program."
The Rams were able to add one more score late in the game, but the Aggies easily held on for the 12 point victory. As a team, USU outgained the Rams, 440-331, though the 331 was nearly 100 more yards than the Aggies have been giving up on the season.
USU will now return home from its two-game road trip to take on UNLV for the Aggies Homecoming game on Saturday, Sept. 29. That game is scheduled to kickoff at 6 p.m.
Photos by Curtis Ripplinger
Posted in USUTagged Aggies, Chuckie Keeton, Colorado State, Colorado State Rams, Csu, Football, Fort Collins, Gary Andersen, Joe Hill, Kerwynn Williams, Matt Austin, Rams, USU, Utah State Aggies


Pakistan Security Brief
TTP infighting has had negative impact on peace talks; TTP says it is still serious about pursuing peace talks; Karachi judge asks police to file charges against FBI agent; U.S., Pakistan reaffirm commitment to improving bilateral relations; Pakistan's Prime Minister meets with Iran's Supreme Leader, President during two-day visit; Firing between Indian and Pakistani security forces across LoC takes place over two days; Intelligence officials warn that PTI protests could be target for terrorist attack; Interior Minister praises peaceful PTI protestors; Suicide bomber targeting IDPs kills five in Peshawar; IED blast injures four in Peshawar; North Waziristan administration imposes indefinite curfew; IED blast kills four security forces personnel in Mir Ali, North Waziristan; Armed clashes between local groups kills five in Bannu; IED kills one soldier in Bajaur; Gunmen set fire to NATO truck in Jamrud, Khyber; Militants throw bomb at check post in Khuzdar, Balochistan, injuring 19; Police arrest five alleged terrorists in Multan; Ishaq Dar says IMF agrees to release of $550 million loan tranche; Pakistan opposes creation of a new permanent seat on UN Security Council; Sunni Ittehad Council members protest Geo/Jang news group, support military in Karachi.
TTP Peace Talks
According to a Monday article in The News, infighting within the TTP has had a negative impact on peace talks between TTP negotiators and the government. One unnamed government source said that members of the government-nominated negotiating committee could not visit the tribal areas in the midst of violent clashes. TTP committee member Maulana Yousuf Shah alleged that the government is intentionally delaying the second round of peace talks as it prepares for military operations in the region.[1]
According to a Monday article in the Express Tribune, Azam Tariq Mehsud, a member of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Political Shura and the group's chief in South Waziristan, stated that the TTP is still serious about pursuing peace talks with the government, but that the date and venue for the next round of talks will be decided only when the government and the army are "on the same page."[2]
U.S.-Pakistan Relations
On Saturday, a judge in Karachi asked the police to file formal charges against the FBI agent arrested at Jinnah International Airport for attempting to carry ammunition and knives onto a domestic flight. FBI agent Joel Cox was released on bail, but is expected to appear in court on May 19.[3]
On Friday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Ambassador William Burns stated that Pakistan and the U.S. have reaffirmed their commitment to improving bilateral relations and continuing cooperation that will help ensure security and stability in the region. Ambassador Burns met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, and Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif during his visit, where they discussed the situation following the withdrawal of U.S. and allied troops and matters relating to the Afghan peace and reconciliation process.[4]
Iran-Pakistan Relations
On Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran, where the two leaders discussed historic relations between Iran and Pakistan. The Supreme Leader added that he had "full confidence" that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would work with Iran to enhance relations between the two countries and encourage development within the region. Prime Minister Sharif also met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during his two-day visit to Iran. On Sunday, Sharif and Rouhani agreed to continue the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project after Sharif expressed his determination to resolve all matters hindering the implementation of the project. The two leaders also restated their commitment to increasing trade between Iran and Pakistan. Lastly, Prime Minister Sharif stated that Pakistan would cooperate with Iran to eliminate Jaish al Adl, the militant group that kidnapped five Iranian soldiers in February.[5]
India-Pakistan Relations
A Monday article in the Express Tribune reported that firing from Indian forces has continued for the second day at the Bhattal Sector of the Line of Control (LoC). On Sunday, Indian forces used small arms and mortars to fire across the border, after which Pakistani troops responded. Firing continued through the night and into Monday. The firing between Indian and Pakistani security forces is the fourth ceasefire violation in the last three weeks. Military officials within Pakistan's army have lodged a protest with Indian authorities over the ceasefire violation.[6]
PTI Protests
On Saturday, intelligence officials warned law enforcement agencies in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab that the May 11 rally planned by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could be the possible target of a terrorist attack. According to an article in The News, some unnamed groups of the TTP allegedly planned to target the rally in Islamabad.[7]
On Sunday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan applauded PTI protestors for demonstrating a "sense of responsibility" during the May 11 rally in Islamabad. PTI supporters held a protest against the alleged vote rigging in last year's general elections. Khan expressed his satisfaction over security arrangements made ahead of the rally, adding that the lack of incident from either the PTI or the government demonstrated "political maturity and open-heartedness." Two other political parties, the Awami Muslim League (AML) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), joined the PTI in the anti-government protests that took place in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The Chief of the PTI, Imran Khan, demanded the formation of a new Election Commission to review election outcomes in four constituencies.[8]
A Friday article in the Long War Journal highlighted the presence of foreign fighters from Pakistan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Russia who have been killed or captured during security operations in Yemen.[9]
On Sunday, an armed militant wearing a suicide vest fired on crowds in Peshawar's Shahibagh stadium. After security forces responded with retaliatory fire, the bomber detonated his explosives inside the stadium, killing at least five and injuring 14. The blast also destroyed part of a nearby mosque. According to an article in the Express Tribune, the bomber targeted a registration camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Khyber agency's Tirah Valley.[10]
On Saturday, an improvised explosive device (IED) outside a local trader's house injured four people in the Kohati Gate area of Peshawar. A similar article in The News reported that the blast injured six.[11]
On Friday, an IED exploded at the Khyber Super Market near Qayyum Stadium in Peshawar Cantonment. However, the blast did not cause any casualties or damage.[12]
On Saturday, administration officials in North Waziristan imposed an indefinite curfew following an IED attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy that killed nine FC personnel.[13]
On Sunday, an IED blast injured at least four security forces personnel near the Khajuri check post in Mir Ali, North Waziristan.[14]
On Monday, unknown militants threw a hand grenade outside a medical college in Dera Ismail Khan, killing a security guard.[15]
On Sunday, an armed clash between two local groups killed five people and injured one in the Soorangi area of Bannu.[16]
On Sunday, an IED blast killed one paramilitary soldier and injured four others in the Katkot area of Bajaur agency, near the Afghan border.[17]
On Saturday, gunmen set on fire a truck carrying NATO supplies in the Jamrud area of Khyber agency. The gunmen intercepted a convoy of trucks that were en route to Afghanistan.[18]
On Friday, an IED blast planted near the Arbab Complex injured one person in Khuzdar district, Balochistan.[19]
On Sunday, armed militants reportedly threw a hand-held bomb at a police check post in Khuzdar district, Balochistan, injuring at least 19.[20]
On Sunday, unknown gunmen fired on a Levies check post in Khuzdar district, Balochistan, killing two.[21]
On Monday, members of a Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused three bombs found near a Frontier Corps (FC) checkpost in Chaman, Balochistan.[22]
On Monday, unknown gunmen killed Navy officer Ghulam Akbar, from Jhang district in Punjab, in Karachi's Karsaz area. Police sources said the attack appeared to be "sectarian motivated," whereas media sources said the killing was possibly the result of a failed robbery.[23]
On Saturday, members of a Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused a 100-kilogram IED found outside a police training center in Baldia Town, Karachi.[24]
On Saturday, police arrested five alleged terrorists for recording a video of the central jail in Multan, Punjab, along with engaging in other "suspicious activities." According to the police officer, the terrorists were part of a group led by Qari Imran, who is part of the TTP in North Waziristan.[25]
On Saturday, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar stated that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the release of the fourth tranche of $550 million under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Jeffrey Franks, the IMF's mission chief for Pakistan, added that although Pakistan's economic reform program is on track, Pakistan should be wary of rising inflation. Representatives also agreed to a budget framework for the following year, which will reduce the fiscal deficit to 4.8% of gross domestic product (GDP), down from 5.8% from this year's GDP.[26]
According to a Friday article in the Express Tribune, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Masoon Khan stated at the United Nations Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council Reform that Pakistan "opposes the creation [of a] new permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)."[27]
On Friday, members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) held a demonstration in support of the army in front of the New Memon mosque in Karachi. Participants protested against the Jang media group and allegations made by the family of journalist Hamid Mir that the ISI was responsible for the assassination attempt on Mir. Members of the Mohajir Quami Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) also protested in front of Jang's office.[28]
[1] Ahmad Hassan, "TTP infighting delays resumption of talks," The News, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-249632-TTP-infighting-delays-resumption-of-talks
[2] Zulfiqar Ali, "Peace initiative: TTP says serious in pursuing talks," Express Tribune, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/707253/peace-initiative-ttp-says-serious-in-pursuing-talks/
[3] Adil Jawad, "Pakistan court asks police to charge FBI agent," Associated Press, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_FBI_AGENT_DETAINED?SITE=SCAND&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
[4] Mariana Baabar and Shakeel Anjum, "Pakistan, US reiterate commitment to improve ties," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-30259-Pakistan,-US-reiterate-commitment-to-improve-ties
[5] "Nawaz Sharif meets Ayatollah Khamenei," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105817/nawaz-sharif-meets-ayatollah-khamenei
[6] "Ceasefire violation: Indian forces fire across LoC for second day," Express Tribune, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/707370/ceasefire-violation-indian-forces-fire-across-loc-for-second-day/. "Line of Control: Army lodges protest against ceasefire violation," Express Tribune, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/707268/line-of-control-army-lodges-protest-against-ceasefire-violation/
[7] Shakeel Anjum, "Govt issues attack warning," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-30266-Govt-issues-attack-warning
[8] Amir Wasim, "Nisar lauds PTI workers' attitude," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105682/nisar-lauds-pti-workers-attitude
[9] Bill Roggio and Oren Adaki, "Pakistani, Algerian, French al Qaeda fighters killed or captured during Yemeni operation," Long War Journal, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/05/pakistani_algerian_f.php
[10] Zahir Shah Sherazi, "Blast in Peshawar kills five, wounds 14," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105613/blast-in-peshawar-kills-five-wounds-14. Riaz Ahmed, "At least 4 killed, 11 injured in Peshawar suicide blast," Express Tribune, May 11, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/707034/8-injured-in-peshawar-blast/
[11] "Blast in Peshawar injures four," Dawn, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105446/blast-in-peshawar-injures-four. "Peshawar: 6 injured in Kohati Gate blast," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-147279-Six-injured-in-Peshawar-blast-
[12] "Bomb blast rocks market in Peshawar Cantonment," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-249297-Bomb-blast-rocks-market-in-Peshawar-Cantonment
[13] "Indefinite curfew imposed in NWA," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-30254-Indefinite-curfew-imposed-in-NWA
[14] Zahir Shah Sherazi, "IED blast in N Waziristan wounds four security personnel," Dawn, May 11, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105611/ied-blast-in-n-waziristan-wounds-four-security-personnel
[15] "One killed in Dera Ismail Khan blast," The News, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-147422-One-killed-in-Dera-Ismail-Khan-blast
[16] "Armed clash leaves 5 dead, 1 injured in Bannu," Express Tribune, May 11, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/707037/armed-clash-leaves-5-dead-1-injured-in-bannu/
[17] "Roadside bomb kills soldier in Bajaur Agency," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105619/roadside-bomb-kills-soldier-in-bajaur-agency
[18] "Gunmen torch Nato container in Jamrud," Dawn, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105450/gunmen-torch-nato-container-in-jamrud
[19] "One injured in Khuzdar bomb blast," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-30269-One-injured-in-Khuzdar-bomb-blast
[20] Syed Ali Shah, "Blast wounds at least 19 in Khuzdar," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105629/blast-wounds-at-least-19-in-khuzdar
[21] "Attack on Levies checkpost kills two personnel in Khuzdar," Dawn, May 11, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105609/attack-on-levies-checkpost-kills-two-personnel-in-khuzdar
[22] "Three bombs defused in Chaman," The News, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-147416-Three-bombs-defused-in-Chaman
[23] "Gunmen kill Pakistan Navy cook in Karachi," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105811/gunmen-kill-pakistan-navy-official-in-karachi
[24] "BDS defuses 50kg bomb outside Karachi police training centre," Express Tribune, May 11, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/707032/bds-defuses-50kg-explosive-device-outside-karachi-police-training-centre/
[25] "Five 'terrorists' arrested in Multan," Geo News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.geo.tv/article-147309-Five-terrorists-arrested-in-Multan
[26] Kalbe Ali, "IMF to release $550m by June 1," Dawn, May 12, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105510/imf-to-release-550m-by-june-1. "IMF says Pakistan economy on track but inflation looms," Dawn, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1105455/imf-says-pakistan-economy-on-track-but-inflation-looms. Shahbaz Rana, "Pakistan, IMF agree on budget framework," Express Tribune, May 11, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/706960/pakistan-imf-agree-on-budget-framework/
[27] "Pakistan opposes creation of new permanent seats at UNSC," Express Tribune, May 9, 2014. Available at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/706346/pakistan-opposes-creation-of-new-permanent-seats-at-unsc/
[28] "Pro-army rallies held," The News, May 10, 2014. Available at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-30253-Pro-army-rallies-held
Karen Schwindt


As family historians, we focus on surnames to reveal our direct line and then we focus on other surnames to branch out from the main trunk of our tree and so on, the branches become more numerous, all dependent upon another surname.
The forename however can be an interesting tool to help family historians make connections between people in all sorts of ways.
Most of us will be aware of naming patterns in families, an example is first son named after father, first daughter after mother etc this pattern is typical in families from the earliest records. It is not an absolute but nevertheless gives a useful general guide to how things work.
We can use both the forename and birth date to see if there is a 'missing' child, i.e the oldest son is Charles born two years after the marriage date, the father is John. That would prompt us to look for a child John who was born before Charles, in this way you can sometimes suggest the possible parents for people who have your surname and are 'floaters', e.g they may live in the same village but you are uncertain who the parents are. OK, so there are no absolutes using forenames but it's a possible starting point.
At some point, all of us hit the brickwall, where we are unable to reliably say who the previous generation were, one useful set of clues to help unwrap the problem are forename patterns.
Let us give you an example of what we mean. John was born c.1750, we have a direct line running to the present day but no idea who his parents were. His children had a forename cluster of George, Henry, James and Charles repeated over six generations. His oldest son is called George.
There are a number of possible avenues, all forename related for us to follow.
Since the first born is called George, look in the parish and surrounding parishes for a George Banting, as John may well have named his first born son after his father.
Don't forget to look across county boundaries if the parish is on the cusp of a county i.e within a couple of days walk
Look at all instances of the surname and related baptisms to search for the same cluster of names, do not ignore those that are further afield, even though they may be many instances of the surname in the parish, John may have migrated from elsewhere being part of a more distant family.
It may be that the forename patterns, combined with say occupation patterns reinforce the possibility of likely family connections.
In the case of John, the forename patterns found in the parishes around him contained a lot of Thomas's and Samuel's and there were none in John's family or those of his descendants, neither were there any George, Henry or Charles in their cluster, so maybe it was time to cast the net further afield
Spreading the net further, into neighbouring counties, revealed the same forename cluster with the same surname and the same occupation as John and his family, that of tailor, allied to it.
Not conclusive of course but opening up a completely new avenue of research. John, we now believe was born in an adjacent county and migrated to live amongst others who shared his surname but were not his direct family. This presents us with further research options around these two previously unconnected family groups.
We also had fun as part of a one name study, mapping the instances of the name. This revealed those all important clusters and led us to possible new connections. For a one name study it has proved to be a very useful tool to show possible relationships between different groups who share a surname but who are not necessarily related. Such an exercise could easily be applied to a single family. Seeing how the forename pattern changes over time is also an interesting exercise.
So in conclusion, use forenames to open up possible new avenues of research, a different way of thinking and to reveal those intriguing connections
Related categories About Us, RESOURCES, TOOLKIT
← Research Notes Collect Curate and Citate
Have you got Plantagenet Ancestors? →


Brendon Urie verbally attacks Donald Trump After Learning He played His Song At Tulsa Rally!
Ajenifuja Adetokunbo
The Panic! At The Disco artist disapproves of the current POTUS utilizing his music! After Donald Trump played High Hopes at his convention in Tulsa, Brendon Urie didn't stop for a second to make it clear that he isn't permitted to do that!
Indeed, he requested that he quit utilizing his track, and didn't keep anything down when he pummeled the disputable president.
Clearly, Urie isn't a supporter and he would prefer not be related with the Donald or his battle in any capacity.
That being stated, yesterday he tweeted: 'Dear Trump Campaign, F**k you. You're not invited. Stop playing my song. No thanks, Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco and company. Dear Everyone Else. Donald Trump represents nothing we stand for. The highest hope we have is voting this monster out in November. Please do your part.'
Brendon then continued to interface his devotees to HeadCount, a site intended to support voter enlistment just as chipping in.
This isn't the first run through a craftsman requests that Donald Trump quits playing their music at his meetings and different occasions as an approach to make their absence of help clear.
Indeed, Urie joins an entirely not insignificant rundown of vocalists not having any desire to be related with the POTUS.
READ ALSO: Netflix fans are divided over new series
Beforehand, Tom Petty's family additionally communicated their resentment regarding utilizing the late craftsman's music like that.
READ ALSO: The Wendy's is on Fire Following The Death of Reyshard Brooks
In an announcement discharged on Twitter, his widow and little girls composed: 'Trump was in no way authorized to use the song to further his campaign that leaves too many Americans behind. Tom wrote this song [I Won't Back Down] for the underdog, the common man, for EVERYONE….We believe in America and in democracy. But Donald Trump's not representing the noble ideas of either. Concurrently, we have issued an official cease and desist notice to the Trump campaign.'
Court Agreed To Bill Cosby's Appeal, Wife Breaks Her Silence
How We Plan To Tackle Flooding In Lagos State
Wooyoung – Bio, Net Worth, Age, Facts, Real Name, Family, Girlfriend, Ethnicity, Boy Band, Wiki, Salary, Career, Siblings, Height, Weight, Zodiac
Richard Coles – Bio, Net Worth, Personal Life, Partner, Sexuality, Age, Family, Religion, Nationality, Facts, Career, Salary, Books, Parents, Wiki


Crime Justice United Kingdom United States
Jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell says the infamous photo of the British prince was faked and Jeffrey Epstein was murdered
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former British socialite convicted of trafficking underage girls for notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has claimed that a photo purporting to show Prince Andrew with his young sexual-assault accuser, Virginia Giuffre, is fake.
"I have no memory of them meeting, and I don't think the picture is real," Maxwell said in a jailhouse interview with British broadcaster Jeremy Kyle. "It's a fake. I don't believe it's real for a second. In fact, I'm sure it's not."
Excerpts from the interview, which show Maxwell talking by telephone from a federal prison in Florida, were released this weekend. The UK's TalkTV aired the full interview on Monday.
Maxwell added that she's only seen photocopies of the infamous image, which appears to show Prince Andrew with his arm around the bare midriff of Giuffre, then 17, and Maxwell smiling in the background.
Andrew also has questioned the authenticity of the photo, which was allegedly taken at Maxwell's London home in March 2001, and claimed that he had no recollection of meeting Giuffre. Then known as Virginia Roberts, Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her and forced her to have sex with his friends, including three encounters with the Duke of York.
Epstein was found dead in his cell at a Manhattan jail in August 2019 as he waited trial on sex trafficking charges.
His death was ruled a suicide, but Maxwell, who had a relationship with him, said she does not believe that.
In the interview for Talk TV's Jeremy Kyle Live: Ghislaine Behind Bars, she said: "I believe that he was murdered. I was shocked."
"Then I wondered how it had happened because as far as I was concerned, he was going to… I was sure he was going to appeal. And I was sure he was covered under the non-prosecution agreement.
"But I wasn't in the indictment. I wasn't mentioned. I wasn't even one of the co-conspirators.
Andrew was stripped of his royal patronages and honorary military titles last year, after agreeing to pay an undisclosed sum to charity to settle Giuffre's civil lawsuit. However, he has never admitted guilt, and he's reportedly seeking to get the civil settlement overturned by the court.
Last November, Giuffre dropped a separate lawsuit against Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz, another Epstein-related person whom she had accused of sexual assault. She said in a statement that she may have erred in identifying Dershowitz as one of the men who assaulted her.
Source TalkTV/Reuters/RT
InGhislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre
Previous post Warm Reception
Next post Sweden's NATO Hopes Dims
Former FBI agent involved in the investigation of Donald Trump's ties to Russia charged with working for a Russian oligarch Former...
Lunar New Year Shooter Kills Self
72 year old suspect killed himself with a single bullet after SWAT teams cornered him hiding in a van The...
Big Blind Corporation
India blocks BBC's hit piece documentary from airing that tags Indian PM Narendra Modi to a bloody and fatal ethnic...
Previous post:Warm Reception
Next post:Sweden's NATO Hopes Dims


Our HistoryTannwen Mount2021-08-22T18:12:55-04:00
History of Terhune Orchards
Terhune Orchards was purchased by Gary and Pam Mount in 1975. At the time, the farm consisted of 55 acres of apple and peach trees, a few pear trees, and a 1930s farm store called The Apple House where apples and cider were sold in September and October.
The Mounts bought the farm after spending three years in the Peace Corps. The couple had been inspired by the work they did on a small island of about 400 people in Micronesia. While Pam taught the children of the community, Gary helped the island residents learn about agricultural practices and water management, becoming an expert on coconut cultivation.
When they returned to New Jersey after traveling the world, they began a five-year search for a place with the same sense of community they experienced in Micronesia. They found it in Terhune Orchards!
The farm had been owned by the Terhune family for two generations. Because the Mounts were new to the farming business, they kept the more established Terhune name. In 1985, they bought the Van Kirk Road orchard and planted apple trees with Pick Your Own in mind. Over the next 45 years, Terhune Orchards evolved from a small tree farm into a highly diversified 250-acre farm with more than 50 varieties of crops, a winery, an expanded farm store, education programs and a wealth of farm activities for the whole family all year round.
The interest in growing grapes for wine started with the next generation of the farm family. One of Gary and Pam's daughters, Tannwen, returned to the farm after living in Northern California and encouraged the family to expand into the winery business.The vineyard has now expanded to almost 10 acres of vines and 16 varieties of wines, including three varieties made with our own apple cider.
The Mounts have modernized the farm, replanted the orchards with more productive varieties, initiated soil conservation measures and added improvements like trickle irrigation. Throughout the years, despite continual growth and changes, the Mounts have remained focused on the community and creating a welcoming space for the public. Open year-round, the farm is beautiful in all seasons with gardens, farmyard attractions and annual farm festivals that have now become traditions for generations of families.
The Mount Family
Today, Terhune Orchards is a thriving diverse agriculture operation and a popular tourist destination, proudly run by Gary and Pam, along with their daughters Reuwai and Tannwen. Their son, Mark, is a U.S. Army sergeant who has served three tours of duty in Afghanistan and is now stationed in Georgia with his family. The Mount grandchildren are familiar faces at the farm and participate in many of the activities that make up daily farm life.
Farming has always been a part of Gary's life. He grew up on a large apple farm, Mount Farms, on Route 1 in West Windsor, which his family sold in the early 1960s. Ironically, Pam grew up on Terhune Road in Princeton. She and Gary started dating while attending Princeton High School. Pam went to college in Ohio, studying art and education. Gary went to Princeton University. They were married in 1967, just prior to serving three years in Micronesia while in the Peace Corps.
Their first daughter, Reuwai, was three years old and Tannwen was on the way when they moved to Terhune Orchards. Their son, Mark, arrived in 1978.
Tannwen works full-time at the farm and lives in the farmhouse on Van Kirk Road with her husband, Jim, and their children, Becket, Clayton and Hadley. Tannwen focuses on the retail side of Terhune operations, managing the Apple Corps staff, events and marketing as well as developing education programs. Jim is a teacher at Montgomery High School. Reuwai, her husband, Mike, and their daughters, Maya, Sasha and Tess, live across from the farm on Van Kirk Road. Reuwai's background is in science, and after working as a science teacher, she returned to the farm full-time. She concentrates on the growing side of Terhune operations, improving our sustainability in the orchards and fields and managing over 50 different crops. Mike teaches at the Lawrenceville School. Son Mark is a staff sergeant in the Army currently stationed in Ft. Benning, Georgia, with his wife, Vicky, and children, Madison and Wyatt.
Accomplishments and Accolades
In 2018, the Mount Family was honored as the "Vegetable Grower of the Year" by the New Jersey State Board at the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture and New Jersey Vegetable Growers Association convention. They were recognized for their many years of outstanding and dedicated service to the agricultural community.
The New Jersey Wine Competition has awarded Terhune's Blueberry Wine with its Governor's Cup for best fruit wine. Our Harvest Blue, Blossom White and Just Peachy wines have also won gold medals.
The family is known for hosting farm tours for local, state, national and international organizations. In recent years, extension educators from across the U.S. and Canada toured Terhune Orchards to glean wisdom through their 45+ years of production.
The Mount family has long been committed to service and has served in many positions of responsibility over the years. Most recently Reuwai was voted president of the Mercer County Board of Agriculture, a position her father has held in the past. Tannwen is past president of the New Jersey Farmers' Direct Marketing Association. She participated in the Agricultural Leadership Development Program. Tannwen has also been vice president of her class at Princeton University since 2008.
Pam Mount is always a volunteer at heart. She was elected to Lawrence Township Town Council in 200 and served for 12 years, three years as mayor. She is known for her involvement in starting and sustaining New Jersey Agricultural Society programs, including the Agricultural Leadership Development and Farmers Against Hunger programs. She started the community group Sustainable Lawrence, which led to the state-wide Sustainable Jersey program, which she chaired for three years. Locally, she started the Lawrence Community Foundation and Lawrence Township Education Foundation.
Gary currently sits on the boards of the Howell Living History Farm, the Mercer County Agricultural Development Board, the Mercer County Soil Conservation District and the Trenton Market Growers Cooperative. He previously served on the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture, as a Mercer County director for the New Jersey Farm Bureau, and as both president and vice president of the Mercer County Board of Agriculture. Gary was named National Apple Grower of the Year in 2005 by American Fruit Grower magazine, and in 2012 he was inducted into the International Fruit Tree Association Hall of Fame.
These positions represent a fraction of the family's involvement with agricultural and community organizations in New Jersey.


Press & News Releases
ICL In the News
ICL Store
Early Algae Outbreak Reported at Lake Cascade
Laura Pinover
Jonathan Oppenheimer, External Relations Director, Idaho Conservation League, (208) 867-3505
Laura Pinover, Communications and Engagement Assistant, Idaho Conservation League, (208) 286-4780
Keep your family, friends, and pets safe this summer
CASCADE – With deepening droughts and summer heat settling across Idaho, Friends of Lake Cascade have reported the first seasonal algal outbreak in the Boulder Creek Arm Tributary.
Algal outbreaks can be toxic and harm humans, pets, and other wildlife. When outbreaks occur, officials recommend recreators restrain from drinking, swimming, or walking near water where an outbreak is occurring.
"This is one of the earliest outbreaks we have seen in the area," said Lenard Long, a Friends of Lake Cascade member. "We need to work together to reduce contaminants in our water."
Harmful bacteria from the outbreaks can create toxins when conditions are right. Last week, when this outbreak was identified, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality determined that they were not yet producing toxins. As a result, DEQ and the local health district have not yet issued a warning. However, with the upcoming holiday weekend, Idaho Conservation League would like to stress that toxins can still appear at any time during an outbreak.
"Given warming temperatures and dropping water levels, it's likely only a matter of time," noted Jonathan Oppenheimer, ICL's external relations director. "In fact, this year's algae growth is showing up one month early."
The most common causes of algae outbreaks are excess pollutants, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, combined with warm water temperatures. Cyanobacteria is the most common form of toxic algae; it's typically a blue-green color, but can sometimes take on a reddish-brown hue. While not all algae outbreaks are harmful, ICL and public health officials advise the community and visitors alike to act cautiously when recreating this summer.
Help keep your family and friends safe this summer. Keep children and pets away from algal outbreaks and remember to never consume untreated water. If you notice green discolored water, call and report it to DEQ at (208) 373-0570.
Find out more about staying safe by visiting Idaho Department of Environmental Quality's toxic algae website
The Idaho Conservation League works to protect the air you breathe, water you drink, and wild places you and your family love. We work to make sure our rivers are flowing and are clean enough for people and fish to thrive. ICL also works to protect our groundwater, as that's where the majority of Idahoans get their drinking water.
Friends of Lake Cascade is an environmental conservation organization that strives to improve the quality of Lake Cascade. It is solely run by a dedicated group of volunteers who work to help people understand problems happening around the North Fork Payette River Watershed through education programs and collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies.
Stories of the Snake: A precious resource since time immemorial
From its headwaters in eastern Idaho and Wyoming, the upper tributaries of the Snake River boast some of the best fishing on the planet. The situation is much different downriver …
50 Years for Idaho!
The year was 1973. A group of advocates from across the state realized that Idaho needed an effective statewide voice to advance the cause of conservation, and to work to …
Signup for the ICL newsletter
Contact ICL
(208) 345-6933 See ICL Office Locations
Publications & Finances
Donate Now Take Action
© 2023 Idaho Conservation League. All Rights Reserved.
Tax I.D. # 82-6042478


Share this Story: Douglas Todd: Weighing deaths from COVID-19 against 'deaths from despair'
Douglas Todd: Weighing deaths from COVID-19 against 'deaths from despair'
OPINION: A cohort of statisticians remind politicians that public heath officials are being forced to make a grim trade-off when they put the war against the pandemic above humans' economic health
Signs of the economic fallout from COVID-19: Drivers in vehicles lined up on a road, as far as the eye can see, as they wait to receive unemployment applications in Hialeah, Fla., last week. Political leaders are being required to balance forecasts about fatalities from COVID-19 against forecasts about the damage caused to hundreds of millions of lives by a drastic economic shutdown. Photo by Joe Raedle /Getty Images
They're often called deaths from despair, the kind that occur from suicide, drug addiction and alcoholism.
They're the kinds of deaths that economists and epidemiologists are predicting will soon strike hard because of the financial devastation caused by government lockdowns to combat COVID-19.
Douglas Todd: Weighing deaths from COVID-19 against 'deaths from despair' Back to video
While few are publicly suggesting that draconian measures to fight the pandemic have been unnecessary, a cohort of statisticians are reminding politicians that top public heath officials are being forced to make a grim trade-off when they put the war against the pandemic above humans' economic health.
University of Toronto economist Philip Oreopoulos is among those warning that studies have long shown that workers who lose their jobs during a recession are twice as likely to die within the year, either from tragedies of "despair" or from problems such as stress-related heart attacks.
One study of the 2008 recession lead by Oxford University's Aaron Reeves, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, determined that that global downturn soon led to 10,000 "economic suicides" in North America and Europe.
Meanwhile, some beleaguered politicians like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo are calling for an all-out battle against the COVID-19 outbreak while using rhetoric such as "we're not going to put a dollar figure on human life."
But that, tragically, is what always needs to happen when societies wage multi-pronged battles against an enemy, in this case a novel coronavirus that came out of China. As of midweek, COVID-19 had killed more than 121,000 people globally, more than 24,000 in the U.S., more than 1,000 in Canada and 72 in B.C.
In wartime, leaders make morally agonizing, but calculated, choices about how to protect the most people. They compare, for instance, losing a relatively small number of front-line soldiers to the potential massacre of many more civilians.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for an all-out battle against the COVID-19 outbreak while using rhetoric such as 'we're not going to put a dollar figure on human life.' Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH /AFP via Getty Images
In the war against this pandemic, politicians are being required to balance forecasts about fatalities from COVID-19 against forecasts about the damage caused to hundreds of millions of lives by a drastic economic shutdown.
Douglas Todd: Did you get a chance at life? And other questions if ventilators run short
Douglas Todd: Can Christians, Jews and Muslims 'celebrate' during lockdown?
So far the fight against COVID-19 has meant more than a million Canadians have lost their jobs. Before this spring the worst drop in Canadian history had been in January 2009, when the recession wiped out 125,000 jobs. In March, Canada's unemployment rate suddenly soared an astonishing 2.2 percentage points, to 7.8 per cent.
Ottawa is pouring more than $100 billion into subsidizing laid-off workers during what most desperately hope is only a temporary emergency. But it's not at all clear how long these measures will last. Meanwhile, experts predict unemployment rates will greatly worsen in April.
Source: Angus Reid Institute. Poll published April 6, 2020.
David Stuckler, a political economist at both Jesus College, Cambridge in England and Bocconi University in Milan, led a team of researchers that discovered the devastating human toll each time unemployment rates in Europe have swollen by three percentage points.
They found that such sudden mass job losses caused deaths by alcohol abuse to jump by 27 per cent, homicides to increase by five per cent and suicides to go up by four per cent. (Although fatalities from vehicle accidents went down, because fewer cars and trucks are on the road.)
Actual deaths from despair, however, are only the most extreme examples of the devastation caused by recessions. Researchers such as the University of Chicago's Steven J. Davis have found job losses lead to an insidious range of family troubles.
"Job displacement leads to less stability in earnings employment, worse health outcomes, higher mortality, lower educational achievement by the children of displaced workers and other unwelcome consequences," Davis et al. write in Recessions and the Cost of Job Loss. Stress-related health setbacks, such as strokes and heart attacks, also worsen.
And Yale University's Kerwin Kofi Charles has tallied how recessions increase divorce rates, slow down the number of couples willing to have babies and reduce home ownership.
A David Stuckler-led team of researchers, in its study of unemployment rates in Europe, found that sudden mass job losses caused deaths by alcohol abuse to jump by 27 per cent, homicides to increase by five per cent and suicides to go up by four per cent. Photo by Handout
These kinds of stresses are now hitting Canadians. The Angus Reid Institute reported on April 6 that nine in 10 Canadians feared the negative economic impact of the lockdown would get worse. Almost half of Canadians reported bringing in less income because someone in the household had been affected by COVID-related cuts.
"Those most affected are younger workers, an astonishing seven-in-10 of whom have lost money or been laid off already," says the Angus Reid Institute.
Meanwhile, how bad has COVID-19 hit Canada?
Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said this week that half the country's deaths have been in long-term care homes for seniors, where the mortality rates of the medically compromised are always high.
Hardly anyone is publicly arguing that lockdown measures in Canada and elsewhere have been an overreaction, even while countries such as the Netherlands and especially Sweden have taken more relaxed approaches. Public health officials in jurisdictions like Canada can argue their strict measures have been effective.
For whatever reasons the disease has turned out to target mostly specific groups in Canada. University of Lethbridge sociologist Reg Bibby compiled data showing no less than 96 per cent of the COVID-19 related deaths in Canada so far have been people 60 and over. Two-thirds have been 80 and above.
Although those who contract the coronavirus run the age spectrum, people under 40 account for less than one per cent of deaths. Of the 26,100 Canadians tested positive by April 14, only 455 have gone into intensive care. The demand for Canada's ventilators has been minimal.
Source: University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby.
Part of the reason the University of Toronto's Oreopoulos highlights the deadly economic consequences of lockdown for millions is to encourage Canadians to strictly follow health officials' rules about physical distancing so that the clampdown's negative financial impact will be short.
There are not many public figures in North America arguing the "cure" against COVID-19 has been worse than the disease. A University of Chicago survey found most economists agree that abandoning North America's lockdown, at a time when infections could surge again, would cause more economic damage than maintaining the restrictions.
It seems most North Americans believe the forecasts predicting that, even while countless human lives are taking a severe pounding because the brakes have been slammed on the economy, the impact could have been worse if COVID-19 had been allowed to spread.
Follow @DouglasTodd


An Eighties Party
A young woman at work was invited to an Eighties party. Guests were encouraged to dress in something that people wore in the 1980's. I thought it was a cute idea. She talked about it afterwards at lunch. She said, "I had this really wild eye makeup and really big hair up to here. And I found this wild shirt and some crazy pants that didn't match it at all."
How strange, I thought. We didn't look like that, did we? She sounds like something out of a John Waters movie.
In high school, we thought we were the height of fashion. I did as much of the preppy thing as I could, with my limited funds and my limited taste in clothes. My girlfriend at the time, Patty, dressed great. She was deemed by Chris Johnson one evening as "the preppiest girl in school." It's not true. Even then I realized that Aimee Adkins (just look at that name) was like a cartoon drawing of what a preppy girl would look like. Chris was drunk with Pattylove. We both were. Still, she was a damn fine dresser. Still is.
I guess it was later in the Eighties when people did strange things like the hair and they eye makeup. Sort of a punk influence combined with a basic trashiness.
My point is that I used to go to 50's parties when I was young. Did we have it as wrong as this girl? Were we that horrible in our aim to get it right?
I asked, "How old were you in the eighties?"
Her reply was, "I was born in 1981."
Oh please! I forget how young they are. Give me someone on their 40's any day. No wonder.


Alice of Riga
The Worst Lifeboat Disaster in the History of the United Kingdom
In the early hours of the morning of 15 November 1928 a chain of events started that was to lead to the worst Lifeboat disaster in the history of the United Kingdom.
The steamship Alice of Riga, a collier carrying a load of bricks, and crewed by 14 Latvian seamen, was making her way through ever roughening seas down the Channel. As she rounded Dungeness Point the weather worsened and huge seas began breaking over her bows. She was slow ship and struggled to keep from being blown off her westward course. Visibility was reducing by the minute and her stern lights may have been extinguished by the breaking waves as her crew struggled to fight her through the storm.
The Smyrna
Behind her but unseen in the mountainous seas, a larger vessel the Smyrna, a German merchantman, steamed in the same direction equally unaware of the other ships presence. Although the Smyrna had been forced to reduce speed and proceed very slowly she still gained on the unseen Alice and as the two vessels approached Fairlight at about 4am. a shuddering shock ran through both ships.
The Smyrna had ploughed into the back of the Alice. The Captain of the Smyrna put his engines into reverse. He could see nothing of the Alice. After a period of time which seemed like an eternity, signal lights flickered from the stricken vessel. She reported serious stern damage, complete rudder failure and water making fast in the engine room.
With no means of manoeuvre the Alice was at the mercy of the storm and it was evident she would soon be driven ashore. The crew would have to be rescued before she sank or was smashed to pieces on the rocks or shore. The captain of the Smyrna quickly assessed the situation. It was impossible to get lines across as the seas were too rough but he deployed many ladders, life buoys and ropes over his lee side. Volunteers were called for to man the lifeboats but it was decided not to attempt to lower them before daylight.
The S.S. Smyrna sent a distress signal which was picked up by North Foreland Radio. They relayed the message to Ramsgate Coastguard who recorded at 4.47am.
"Steamship Alice, Riga, leaking-danger-drifting SW to W 8 miles Dungeness 04.30".
This message reached Rye Harbour Coastguard Station at 4.55. Maroons were immediately fired, calling out the crew and launchers.
Meanwhile events had taken another turn off Fairlight. Just after five the Alice signalled to the Smyrna that the crew were abandoning the ship and taking to the lifeboats. The Smyrna was put in as close as she could get and after a while the lifeboats were seen through the gloom and crashing seas. For the next hour the crew of the Smyrna performed heroic deeds, plucking men from the sea with little regard for their own safety. In all 13 men and one woman (the cook) were saved. Not one life was lost.
Rye Harbour Lifeboat by Atkin
Now comes the terrible tragedy of the situation. At 6.12 am. the Ramsgate Coastguard received a second message from the Symara reporting that the entire crew of the Alice had been saved and the Rye Harbour Lifeboat would no longer be required. At this time the men of Rye Harbour were making their way to the boathouse situated a mile and a half along the beach towards Winchelsea. Despite the terrible weather there were no shortage of volunteers to man and launch the boat. The tide was out and so the Mary Stanford, a non righting Lifeboat powered only by oars and sail, had to be dragged across the beach.
There was a force ten storm blowing and several attempts had to be made before the vessel was successfully launched. It was 6.45am. By this time the crew of the Alice had all been safely aboard the Smyrna for 33 minutes.
Major Hacking of Cadborough Farm, Rye was one member of the crew not to make it in time for the launch. He had not heard the Maroon over the noise of the fearful storm. When he eventually got the message by phone he galloped his horse over the fields and arrived in time to see the Mary Stanford headed out to sea.
No Need to Launch
At 6.12, the communication from the Smyrna that all of the crew of the Alice were safe arrived at Ramsgate. This message was not entitled to priority as a lifesaving message, and reached the Rye Coastguard Station at 6.50 a.m., occupying 38 minutes, as compared with 23 minutes occupied by the initial life-saving message notwithstanding the delay incurred by the fruitless attempt to call Dungeness via Lydd.
The message NOT TO LAUNCH was received at the Rye Harbour Coastguard Station and immediately relayed to the Lifeboat House, just five minutes too late. A recall white vary light was fired but in the terrible conditions it went unseen by the lifeboat crew. Shouting and waving oilskins the launchers ran along the beach in a vain attempt to catch the attention of the brave men in the small boat now bending their backs pulling on the oars and looking ahead for signs of the Alice.
What happened after the Mary Stanford disappeared from view on her rescue mission can only be a matter of conjecture. She would have made for the last known position of the Alice but even as the Mary Stanford was launched the Steam Ship had already capsized and sank.
Lifeboat Sighted at Nine am.
The Mary Stanford was sighted at 9am. by the mate Of the S.S. Halton in a position 4 miles WSW of Dungeness and appeared to perfectly alright at that time. The crew might have been continuing their search or they could have been waiting for the tide. The Rother at Rye Harbour is not navigable for about seven hours when the tide is out.
The next recorded sighting was at 10 30am. John Prebble, the Coastguard on duty at the Rye Harbour lookout saw the Mary Stanford SSE about two miles from the lookout. The gale was still blowing at force eight and there were intermittent heavy squalls. He watched for about three minutes when she seemed to change course and head for the harbour. As she altered course she was obscured from his view by a squall. At about the same time two other men were watching her from the top of a sand dune at Broomhill. She was heading towards the Harbour "She seemed to turn round to the shore, and as she turned she toppled over. She was then on the crest of a huge wave".
Coastguard Alerted
The coastguard was alerted and men rushed to the beach to help. The Mary Stanford had capsized in the raging surf off the Harbour mouth.
Alfred Horner, a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, told of the desperate attempts that were made to resuscitate each man as he was washed ashore. The bodies of Joseph Stonham, Robert Pope, Robert Cutting and Maurice Downey were the first to be given up by the sea. Then the Mary Stanford herself was deposited on the sands at Camber. A Tank had to be called from the 2nd. Tank Regiments base at The Suttons to lift her. Underneath were found the bodies of Charles Pope and Walter Igglesden.
A Terrible Day
Through that terrible day men searched the shoreline and the bodies of nine more of the valiant men were recovered. They were Herbert Head, the coxswain, James Head, Alexander Pope, Charles Southerden, Leslie Clark, Arthur Downey, Albert Cutting, William Clark and Herbert Smith. The body of Harry Cutting was recovered from the sea three months after the disaster but the remaining member of the crew, John Head, was never found.
Every Family was Affected
The small village of Rye Harbour was decimated. Stripped of its finest and bravest young men. Every family was affected. The list of the dead tells its own story of fathers and sons of brothers and relatives. The nation mourned and a funeral at the small village church was attended by hundreds of mourners from all over the country. Members of the Latvian Government were among the dignitaries present, recognising that the men had lost their lives going to the assistance of a Latvian Vessel.
The crew of the Mary Stanford had grown up together, worked and laughed together and were buried together. No doubt, at the time they were thrown into the water they were all still trying to look out for each other. These were ordinary men with extraordinary courage. Their names are familiar to this day and their descendents bear them with pride.
The Board of Trade Court of Enquiry sat at Rye Town Hall on 19, 20 and 21 December and the following 1, 2 and 4 January and after all their deliberation the court finally announced: "As there were no survivors of the crew, the cause of the Lifeboat capsizing is a matter of conjecture, but from the evidence available we are of the opinion that whilst attempting to make the Harbour on a strong flood tide and in high and dangerous breaking sea, she was suddenly capsized and the crew were thrown into the water, two men being entangled under the boat. The broken water and heavy surf caused the loss of the crew".
The Mary Stanford – A Practice Launch c. 1922
The memorial to these heroes in the Churchyard at Rye Harbour has immortalized their names and is an example of courage and devotion to duty that inspired the people of Rye Harbour to pick up their lives and go forward into the future. A disaster fund was set up to help the bereaved families and realised over £35,000.
The Lifeboat Station at Rye Harbour was closed in 1929 but in 1966 an inshore lifeboat was introduced and has saved more lives in the 50 intervening years. This carries on a tradition that started as early as 1803 when the first recorded mention of a Rye lifeboat was made.
'Waves may batter men's bodies, but they cannot touch brave souls. Search Sussex, search England and you will not find braver men.
"Rye's Own" November 2014
All articles, photographs, films and drawings on this web site are World Copyright Protected. No reproduction for publication without prior arrangement. © World Copyright 2015 Cinque Ports Magazines Rye Ltd., Guinea Hall Lodge Sellindge TN25 6EG
Posted on 1st November 2014 13th November 2017 Author Jim HollandsCategories Accidents, Natural DisastersTags Alice of Riga, Charles Pope, Herbert Head, John Head, Joseph Stonham, Mary Stanford, Maurice Downey, Robert Pope, Roberts Cutting, Walter Igglesden
Previous Previous post: Jimper Jottings
Next Next post: Le Tour de Rye et Romney Marsh 2014


Televizija v živo > TV kanály > Niger > Télé Sahel
Télé Sahel Prenos v živo
Télé Sahel 4.2/5 - 14 glasov
O tem Télé Sahel
Lokacija: Niger
Télé Sahel o socialnih omrežjih:
The Télé Sahel is the national broadcaster of the West African state of Niger. Owned and operated by the government Office of Radio and Television of Niger, which also operates Radio Voix du Sahel and the TAL TV satellite station, Télé Sahel provides news and other programs in French and several local languages. Its stations transmit to all urban centers. Founded in 1964, its current Director General is Moussa Saley.
Télé Sahel
Niger / Javna TV
The Télé Sahel is the national broadcaster of the West African state of Niger. Owned and operated by the government...


The Weekend Wonk: Fleeing Climate Change
5 Responses to "The Weekend Wonk: Fleeing Climate Change"
redskylite Says:
It's difficult to conceive the world we live in today, the grim reality is catching up so quickly. Fantasy becomes fact. Now hardly anyone blinks at news of the drowning of migrants/refugees in the Mediterranean. Just another sad fact of life sometimes heard on the radio as we rush to the gas/petrol pumps and book our aircraft flights.
Computers promised to bring us all a better life, with more leisure and less mundanity – what happened to those dreams.
There has to be a better way, is it down ?
The only way is down: Subterranean survival warning.
Metropolises like Singapore and Hong Kong have already begun changing legislation to allow for everything from universities to libraries, shopping centres, cinemas and sports facilities to move underground.
Trees planted in new green areas will do their bit to help rein in climate change, as well as help prevent soil degradation.
Going underground can also help protect populations from the severe weather events climate change is expected to spark.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/the-only-way-is-down-subterranean-survival-warning-11516814
Up to 70 migrants drown after boat capsizes off Tunisia
As many as 70 migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya drowned when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, and at least 16 other people from the boat were rescued, according to UN migration officials and Tunisia's state news agency.
The International Organisation for Migration called it the deadliest migrant boat sinking since January. The drownings happened as migrant arrivals to Europe are decreasing.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/up-70-migrants-drown-after-boat-capsizes-off-tunisia
"We are still losing the battle," Guterres told reporters last week. "Climate change is still running faster than we are, and if we don't reverse this trend, it will be a tragedy for the whole world."
In Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Guterres will meet with families whose lives have been upended by cyclones, flooding and other extreme weather events.
Pacific island countries face an especially dire risk from climate change because of sea level rise. In some cases, low-lying countries could disappear completely.
Fiji is working to build a coalition of more than 90 countries from the Caribbean, Africa and Asia facing climate crisis.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/1676284/un-kicks-off-major-climate-change-effort
"We are seeing everywhere a clear demonstration that we are not on track to achieve the objectives defined in the Paris agreement," Guterres said on the failure to limit rises to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial revolution levels.
"And the paradox is, that as things are getting worse on the ground, political moves seem to be fading," he added in the joint press conference in Auckland with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/un-chief-antonio-guterres-says-world-not-on-track-with-climate-change
"While the cause of Juan's death is still being investigated by US authorities, the reasons that pushed him to migrate in the first place are the same driving many families in this region to make the journey to the US: Years of drought due in part to climate change are driving more and more residents north to find work to support their families. "
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/option-climate-change-driving-flee-guatemala-190512174743893.html
« Why the US Has no High Speed Rail
Biden Leads Pack, but How is He on Climate? »


Recycle Change Recycle Schedule Change Read On...
Cristy Welsh
2020 through December 31, 2023
As Mayor assigns them
Email Cristy
Growing up my family moved often, but most of my formative years were spent in Houston, Texas. In 2002 I married my sweetheart Jim and graduated with a BA in Media Arts Studies from Brigham Young University. I enjoyed the years I spent working in the film and television industry but happily left my professional life for a time to raise my four children William, Natalie, Hailey, and Jack.
Our family moved from the Pacific Northwest back to Utah over Thanksgiving of 2014 and knew Vineyard was to be our home. I quickly got involved in our community and it was a pleasure to serve on the Planning Commission from 2016-2019. Now as a City Councilor I strive to protect our city's heritage while thoughtfully encouraging innovative, prudent growth. I am dedicated to maintaining our quality of life and ensuring that we stay connected as a community.
Outside of my civic service, I enjoy my work as the Program Coordinator for Brigham Young University's Simmons Center for Cancer Research.
Julie Fullmer
Tyce Flake
John Earnest
Vineyard City Hall
Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - Noon
How do I report an issue?
How do I request documents?
What are the city's office hours?


Can we stop pretending Mike Pompeo is a statesman?
By New Cold War
In American exceptionalism, Endless war, USA
Can we stop pretending Mike Pompeo is a statesman?2020-06-052020-06-05https://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.pngNew Cold War: Know Betterhttps://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Can-We-Stop-Pretending-Mike-Pompeo-is-a-Statesman-768x512-2-e1591354822410.jpg200px200px
Pictured: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo at the Department of State in D.C., on May 6. (State Department Photo / Freddie Everett)
"Pompeo doesn't act like a statesman, so we shouldn't pretend that he is one," writes Shackelford, a former U.S. diplomat who resigned in protest of the administration. "He is a dangerous man wielding tremendous power, and he has proven repeatedly that he does not have American interests at heart."
By Elizabeth Shackelford
Published on Ms. Magazine, May 26, 2020
As a former Foreign Service officer, it behooves me to bestow upon our country's lead diplomat all the respect he is due. I can confidently say, Secretary of State Pompeo is due none.
While many of the bunglings of Rex Tillerson, his predecessor, can generously be attributed to a narrow corporate view of the world and lack of influence in the White House, Pompeo's tenure has been nothing short of nefarious.
For his willingness to champion this administration's "Me First" dirty work, Pompeo was the beneficiary of yet another Friday night corrupt move, executed under cover of the COVID news cycle.
In a late-night letter, President Trump provided the requisite 30-day notice of the removal of Steve Linick, the State Department's inspector general. This makes the fourth inspector general removed in only a matter of weeks. If it is allowed to stand, this won't be the last.
Pompeo has committed a slew of offenses that should have been his undoing—but I'd plea bargain for his ouster over using State Department staff to run family errands. The investigation into his misuse of resources was the first one revealed upon Linick's removal, but the bigger news was a probe into Pompeo's approval of arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the objection of Congress last year.
Pompeo pushed State Department officials to find a way to justify the the $8 billion arms sale he fast-tracked to Saudi Arabia last year—stunning career diplomats. Pictured: Secretary Pompeo Meets With Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in September 2019.
Notably, Pompeo's offenses are equal opportunity—occurring on both the personal and policy level. Though this shouldn't be a surprise: Corruption is as corruption does.
Pompeo doesn't act like a statesman, so we shouldn't pretend that he is one. He is a dangerous man wielding tremendous power, and he has proven repeatedly that he does not have American interests at heart. The arms deal is no doubt the graver offense of these two, but it is the attempted cover-up that presents the opportunity for a reckoning.
Pompeo has a long list of greatest hits in undermining our national interest.
As our chief liaison to the rest of the world, Pompeo should be leading the coordination of a global response to this pandemic—but instead he is the global leader of a debunked and distracting conspiracy theory.
As the leader of the State Department during this global health crisis, Pompeo should have been championing and facilitating a massive, global effort to bring American citizens safely home, while ensuring the department's staff have clear guidance and protocols to keep themselves safe too.
Instead, following Trump's cue, Pompeo downplayed the threat of the virus to American citizens and State personnel alike, and obscured reports of positive cases and deaths among Department staff—waiting two months to set up a centralized task force to address global evacuations.
In the interim, bureaus and missions were left much like U.S. states, bearing great responsibility to care for their own as best they could without adequate authority or resources to do so.
Pompeo's international focus has been on assigning blame, not seeking resolution. He has led the attacks on the WHO and China, undermining recovery efforts without offering assistance to address real shortcomings. The United States was entirely absent from the May 4 virtual summit of world leaders to combine forces in search of a vaccine and treatment. But if friends and allies are upset, no matter.
Pompeo performs for a domestic political audience alone. Rather than join international efforts, Trump's various lackeys lie in wait, hoping to steal and hoard for themselves any scientific or medical progress.
Trump's base sees this as strong—glossing over the fact that any spoils of such theft would doubtless go to family and wealthy political supporters. Would vaccines make it to the heartland of Trump's voters? Likely in a campaign rally scene.
Peddling in baseless conspiracy theories, fear and lies is not new to the Secretary. This was his modus operandi in Congress before, too—but his track record was glossed over by pundits and policy watchers hoping he might prove a relatively experienced adult in the room.
Don't be fooled by his West Point credentials though—Pompeo has been calculating every step of the way. Part political animal, part true believer, Pompeo's ultimate goal is power and the promotion of his "higher cause." But that higher cause does not comport with American values of equality, religious freedom, separation of church and state, freedom of the press and democracy itself.
Led by the Bible, not the Constitution, Pompeo's conservative religious beliefs are ever present in his policy work and have inhibited the State Department's human rights efforts on behalf of women, LGBTQ communities and non-Christian religious minorities.
He has unapologetically sidelined the State Department's human rights bureau, ignoring the expertise, resources and framework almost entirely, relying instead on a new "Commission on Unalienable Rights" to push his narrow, xenophobic views and undermine the internationally recognized framework of human rights.
Pompeo created the Commission on Unalienable Rights in July 2019. The commission is cause for alarm when it comes to protecting the rights of vulnerable communities. (State Department / Michael Gross)
In his view, freedom of religion applies exclusively to Christianity, and other rights only apply to the extent they align with his version of Christian norms.
Pompeo is a true believer—of that I have no doubt—but the version of Christianity he hopes to impose on the nation is not the "meek inherit the earth" kind. His has drawn him to leadership in the racist army of a false prophet in pursuit of permanent minority rule. He tells himself it's fine to act corruptly, lie and steal, as long as it supports the ultimate goals of Trump cabal: a return to unapologetic white, male domination with power and wealth concentrated in the hands of a few.
His beliefs, combined with his position, endanger not only our standing in the world and the values this nation was founded on—but they endanger the rights of Americans here at home too.
Pompeo has now given Congress an opportunity to hold him and this administration to account. Linick's office was pursuing multiple allegations against Pompeo because Pompeo's abuses are all part of a grand pattern of bad acts.
The Democrats must not be shy about pursuing oversight and accountability, and the Republicans must be shamed for their obstruction. This moment is what oversight was created for, and we're rapidly running out of opportunities to wield it.
Elizabeth Shackelford was a U.S. diplomat until December 2017 when she resigned in protest of the administration. She served in Somalia, South Sudan, Poland, and Washington, DC. Elizabeth is a fellow with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and author of The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age, published May 12 by PublicAffairs.
EDITOR'S NOTE: We remind our readers that publication of articles on our site does not mean that we agree with what is written. Our policy is to publish anything which we consider of interest, so as to assist our readers in forming their opinions. Sometimes we even publish articles with which we totally disagree, since we believe it is important for our readers to be informed on as wide a spectrum of views as possible.
The Kiev Purge: What has spurred a wave of resignations among senior Ukrainian officials?
Czechs vote for pro-EU retired NATO general for president
A panicked Empire tries to make Russia an 'offer it can't refuse'
DONATE TO NCW
Volunteer labour has played a big part in New Cold War. But it has also cost money – to build this website and publicise it through mailouts. As our support grows, we hope to do more of the same, and to pay rates to designers, translators and video editors that helps them earn a decent living.
New Cold War is a news and analysis website published by the Geopolitical Economy Research Group (GERG).
EU says it's anti-Semitic to call Israel an apartheid state
Cuba, Africa, and Apartheid's End: Africa's Children Return – Part 1
News and analysis headlines for week ending January 30, 2023
CGTN interview with Serbian PM Ana Brnabić
Online & Onsite Panel: Socialist Solutions to the Climate Crisis – Thursday, February 2, 2023
European countries seek to avoid falling into NATO's China trap
Defending 'Our Schools:' Koreans in Japan face continued racism
INTERNATIONAL MANIFESTO GROUP
Panel: Brazil's Post-Election Political Landscape and the Failed coup, Sunday January 29, 2023
Capitalism's Court Jester: Slavoj Žižek
On the application of Xi Jinping Thought in an imperialist country
Ideological work in the new era of socialism in China
Webinar: Gauging the Rise of the Far Right: Italian Elections 2022 – Saturday, November 12, 2022
Interview with Gennady Zyuganov on Chinese socialism
International Manifesto Group – Through Pluripolarity to Socialism: A Manifesto One Year on
In Defence of Iran
Panel: The Meaning of Lula's Return – September 18, 2022
Summit of the "Americas" vs. CELAC: Whither the Monroe Doctrine @ 200?
Copyright © 2015 - 2021 New Cold War: Know Better
I consent to My WordPress collecting my details through this form.
US police state faces revolt as Trump expands it at home and abroadAaron Maté, Black Rights, USA, Video, White supremacy
Kimberly Jones: how can you win?Racism, USA, White supremacy


Review: Empires & Allies is a solid strategy mobile game hampered by F2P caveats
by:Nate Hohl
Platforms: iOS (Reviewed), Android
Zynga, the mobile gaming behemoth behind popular casual games like Words with Friends, Farmville, and Draw Something, is using its latest title, Empires & Allies, to hopefully ensnare a new gamer demographic: military strategy fans. Empires & Allies takes the base-building and unit-based battles found in real-time-strategy franchises like Starcraft or Command & Conquer and separates them into two distinct gameplay systems that actually synergize quite nicely. Sadly, Empires & Allies also has plenty of the familiar F2P flytraps that Zynga and many other mobile developers are infamous for which is a shame since the game has plenty to love for a casual RTS fan.
A Distilled, Accessible Experience
EmpiresAllies1.jpg
One of the things that Empires & Allies manages to do very well is take the familiar trappings of the RTS genre and strip them down to the bare essentials, making it into an experience that even those who are completely unfamiliar with the RTS genre can get into. You are put into the role of a nameless commander in charge of leading a rebellion force against the evil GRA, a terrorist organization that has managed to constrict the entire globe in its iron grip. This loose story isn't really meant to be anything else other than a justification for why you're slowly conquering different regions of the globe (it paints you as a liberator instead of as a conqueror) and in that regard it does its job admirably enough.
In order to help you take the fight to the GRA, the game allows you to establish and build up your own base of operations and customize your base's layout as you see fit. Your base is also where you recruit various types of units such as squads of soldiers, tanks, APC's, jets, and other combat-ready personnel and vehicles. You then use these units along with commander powers such as air raids and unit healing to launch offensive strikes against the GRA's bases in different regions of the world and use the resources you gain both over time and by completing missions to upgrade your base and recruit newer, stronger units. It's a feedback loop that many mobile/F2P gamers are likely familiar with already but it's made more compelling thanks to a few wrinkles Zynga also added in.
Playing (And Competing) Your Way
Along with Empires & Allies' player vs. GRA campaign, the game also has an asynchronous multiplayer mode in which players can assault each other's bases and earn resources (as well as a spot on the game's global leaderboards) for doing so. Again, a more casual approach is taken since players only invade a copy of your base and not your actual base (meaning you don't actually lose any buildings or units that are destroyed). In an interesting twist, PvP matches are also worked into the PvE campaign at certain intervals (there's a 'Quick Match' option as well), a move that is likely meant to get players more involved in the game's social Alliances (basically groups of players that can band together and support each other by performing well in both PvE and PvP matches).
While PvP missions allow you to see all the different ways in which other players have laid out their bases, PvE missions have you deploying your units against GRA bases that fall into a sizable (yet still finite) list of pre-set layouts. These layouts range from basic groupings of buildings to interesting environmental puzzles such as a very small, seemingly defenseless base that's surrounded by a field of mines. If a mission's layout proves to be too challenging (or if it's one you've already played through multiple times) you can change the layout in exchange for a small amount of resources. This in turn means you'll never reach a point in the campaign where you can get permanently stuck which is good since, like many other F2P games, Empires & Allies forces you to choose from two different precious commodities: time or money.
Tick-Tock or Ka-Ching
Considering how genuinely fun Empires & Allies can be to play, it's a shame how often things are brought to a screeching halt due to the implementation of irritatingly infamous resource timers. The timers don't really affect the active base assault portions of the game but, when it comes to building and upgrading your base, they quickly become a major headache. You can only build one building in your base at a time (unless you pay real cash for the ability to construct multiple buildings at once) which means you have to either wait out the building's construction timer or "rush" the construction using the game's microtransaction currency; Gold.
While Gold can technically be acquired via in-game means such as harvesting trees near your base or completing in-game achievements, the amounts of Gold earned via such methods is so paltry that it's hardly worth the effort. This means that, unless you're willing to plunk down some cash in order to buy a larger reserve of Gold, your base-building efforts soon slow down to a snail's pace. This problem is further compounded for PvP fans since those with deep pockets can simply buy their way to a bigger, better, and more heavily fortified base. This isn't such a big deal for more casual players since the game's matchmaking system pairs you with players whose bases are a good match for your forces' strength but if you're hoping to get seriously invested in Empires & Allies' PvP component, be ready to make an equally serious financial investment.
Casual Conquest
EmpiresAllies4.png
The timer gates and not-so-subtle pressure to invest in microtransactions may be a bit frustrating to deal with, but that doesn't stop Empires & Allies from being a serviceable and often quite fun mobile RTS experience. Your opinion of Zynga may not be very positive but with Empires & Allies, the company is at least willing to let players decide how they want to invest in the game, either with their wallets or with their free hours. Empires & Allies likely won't immerse you the way more established RTS series' can, but if you want a sold RTS game you can play in short bursts and enjoy on the go, you could do a lot worse than Zynga's latest endeavor.
Reviewed: Jun 02, 2015
8.00 It was a bit of a drag having to deal with the usual F2P restrictions but otherwise Empires & Allies is perfect for anyone who wants a fun mobile RTS they can take with them wherever they go.
Gameplay 8
Using taps, swipes, and screen-pinches to direct your forces and build up your base feels surprisingly satisfying.
This is the sort of game that even complete RTS newbies could pick up and understand without much hassle.
It's a mobile RTS game so obviously the graphics won't knock you out of your seat but the visual fidelity is still very solid and the animations are smooth as silk.
PvE missions can get repetitive after a while but the asynchronous multiplayer and the ability to change a mission's map layout help to keep things feeling fresh.
GameCrate is owned by Newegg.com, a site which may sell the products being reviewed. GameCrate reviews represent the opinions of the GameCrate writer who wrote them, and not necessarily those of Newegg. The product used for this article was provided to GameCrate by the manufacturer or publisher for the purposes of conducting a review. The writer did not retain personal possession of the product after the review.
Video Game Reviews | Gamecrate
If there's one game franchise that has never taken itself too seriously, it's id Software's Doom . Even Bethesda's most recent games (2016's Doom and...
Platforms: Xbox One (reviewed), PC (early 2020) I loved playing Weakless . The game, from Punk Notion and Cubeish Games, has a lot of things that I...
Review: Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York...
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Nintendo Switch No, Coteries of New York is not the Bloodlines 2 . This is a much smaller scale visual novel from Polish...
Review: Shovel Knight: King of Cards brings the Shovel...
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, Switch, Xbox One It's been a long and winding road but the journey of Shovel Knight is now over. This one indie game has kind of...
Review: Wattam continues Takahashi's mission of...
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PC Keita Takahashi has made a career out of creating fun, magical, toy-like games. In a medium where leaderboards, competition,...